Friday, March 5, 2010
Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away.
From 1793 through 1933, the inauguration of U.S. Presidents took place on March 4th. Since the ratification of the Twentieth Amendment (a.k.a. Amendment XX) to the U.S. Constitution, however, inauguration day has occurred on January 20th. (Historical anomaly: In 1789, George Washington took the oath of office in New York City’s Federal Hall on April 30th.)
If you simply must read more about U.S. presidential inaugurations, click here.
But it is impossible to go back to yesterday.
Isn’t it?
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Why does there have to be a ritualistic inauguration with all that pomp and media circumstance? Couldn't the elected President simply just replenish his drawers in the Oval Office and get on with his work?
ReplyDeleteGiven that our presidency could be thought of as a sort of monarchy with term limits, substituting the word coronation for inauguration clearly reveals a case here of the pot calling the kettle black.
ReplyDeleteJust as soon as your Mrs. Windsor-Mountbatten voluntarily divests herself of Buckingham Palace, Balmoral Castle, Windsor Castle, and a few other royal properties, we will consider your proposal. In the meantime, ixnay, idkay.
why is it so impossibly to go back to yesterday?????????????????????????????????????????
ReplyDeleteWell, Putz, it's simple, really. Time marches on. In one direction only. And that direction is forward.
ReplyDeleteI know I'm being completely literal here. Perhaps you meant something quite different. As a matter of fact, my link to Paul McCartney singing "Yesterday" was meant, for just a moment, to try to recapture our youth, our innocence, our yesterday. But it is only a memory, even if captured on film.
Yes..BUT...our prime ministers - arguably the real equivalent to a US President - do not have coronations or pompous ceremonies - they just get on with the job.
ReplyDeleteYP, our president does not make laws. He merely signs them. And even if he chooses to veto them, our Congress can override him. The leaders of our two houses of Congress -- the Senate and the House of Representatives -- correspond more closely to your Prime Minister, I think. Currently, they are Harry Reid (Democrat) of Nevada and Nancy Pelosi (Democrat) of California. Even Mr. Obama cannot sign laws that have not shepherded through their respective houses.
ReplyDeleteSo if you can have your little occasional celebration for your ceremonial head, I think so can we for ours. Ours just changes more frequently than yours usually does (plus we elect ours).
that they have not shepherded
ReplyDelete