The Ultimate conflict of Interest | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Can a businessman really be a successful president without having a conflict of interest? Perhaps the highest example of a conflict of interest is the career politician that has as his or her sole purpose "GETTING RE-ELECTED." That may be the only area where occupation is a disqualifying factor. It may be a stretch but Shakespeare perhaps had a point.

    Below is a listing of past presidents and their occupations: Presidents by Occupation
Click here for a larger version of the list     The list does not include Politician as a profession thought most would qualify as such. One could argue that Farmer, Land Surveyor, plantation owner, etc. are businessmen. However, it does not appear that we have a lifelong businessman on the list. Most were no doubt in the top echelons of wealth with the possible exception of Harry Truman.

    I offer this just as an example of how varied or non-varied our choices have been in the past. I suggest you pick your favorite and make your own conclusions if occupation is really a determining factor in successful presidents, with the admonition that successful is in the eye of the beholder. It appears that high on the list of Presidents is being a Lawyer.

    One of the most misquoted and controversial quotes from Shakespeare is listed below in context.

   

    "Let's kill all the lawyers" is a line from William Shakespeare's Henry VI, Part2, Act IV, Scene 2. The full quote is "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers". This quote is among one of Shakespeare's most famous quotes, as well as one of his most controversial quotes. The quote has been the title of movies as well as the title for published books. Shakespeare may be making a joke when character "Dick The Butcher" suggests one of the ways the band of pretenders to the throne can improve the country is to kill all the lawyers. Dick is a rough character, like the other henchmen, and this is his rough solution to a perceived societal problem. There is some disagreement with the interpretation that one of Shakespeare's sympathetic characters would make a joke suggesting that killing lawyers would make the world better. The Florida Bar Association contends the quote was a lawyer joke.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let's_kill_all_the_lawyers

    I seriously doubt that a single or combination of professions best qualify someone to be President of the United States. Perhaps it is nothing more than vision and leadership that make the difference.

    If I had to select one criteria that makes an effective President, it would be "RESULTS." If you review the charts above again and determine which presidents created lasting "RESULTS," you may find that it is often the circumstances, the individual, and the farsightedness that determine the "RESULTS."

    Notice I did not say 'successful' but effective. Successful usually means having the correct or desired result. This recent election was based on the phrase "correct or desired result," and we are currently arguing whether the popular vote or the electoral college is the measure of Success. I think we could safely conclude that President Obama was effective and as Hamlet said:

perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub!

   It remains to be seen if Donald Trump is the Prince Hamlet that many have thought him to be. You might want to revisit the play again, it might put things in some perspective.

poll#97

Regardless of who was your champion in this past presidential election: Will you recognize the duly elected leader of the Free World?

  I will never recognize President Donald J. Trump because he is not worthy.

  I will recognize President Donald J. Trump, providing he respects the office in which he holds.

  "At this point, what difference does it make?"

102 total vote(s)     What's your Opinion?