Assemblywoman DeCroce’s President’s Day Message

“In the great history of the republic that is the United States of America only 45 men have been honored to wear the title  of President.

There have good presidents and not so good presidents. Presidents we agree with and those we do not. But each has earned a measure of our respect  by virtue of the office they hold at the behest of the people.

A handful of presidents call out to us from history. George Washington because he was the first to shape the office and recognize the limits that should be put on its temporary keeper.

Abraham Lincoln because he  presided over a badly divided nation and managed to keep the country together through its darkest days of civil war.

Theodore Roosevelt for his activism on the part of working people and the environment. His cousin Franklin D. Roosevelt for helping to guide America through the Great Depression and the biggest world war in the history of mankind. John F. Kennedy for putting America on the post war road to civil rights for all Americans.

There are others who left their marks on the nation in ways we may agree or disagree with. Regardless of our political point of view, the  one thing we can all agree on is that there is no more important or difficult job in the world than to be the President of the United States. The mere title confers upon its holder a duty and responsibility, not just to this country, but to the world. The pressure of the position is crushing. We have seen vigorous men enter the office, only to leave a short time later wearing the  toll the office has taken on them.

On President’s day I believe we should take a moment to recognize  just how difficult the job is and to recognize our obligation to help our president succeed.   It is important to be mindful that each president represents at a specific point in time  the wishes of the voters — our fellow citizens — who elected him.

As Abraham Lincoln so clearly pointed out, a nation divided cannot stand. I urge you this President’s Day to find more areas of common agreement with your countrymen than to look for things to disagree about.

Respectfully

BettyLou DeCroce

Assemblywoman