"MR. PRESIDENT" : GEORGE WASHINGTON AND THE MAKING OF THE NATION'S HIGHEST OFFICE

'' Mr. President '' : George Washington and the Making of the Nation's Highest Office
HARLOW GILES UNGER
Posted:  Jan. 1, 2014

  Although the framers gave the president little authority, Washington knew whatever he did would set precedents for generations of his successors. To ensure their ability to defend the nation, he simply ignored the Constitution when he thought it necessary and reshaped the presidency into what James Madison called a "monarchical presidency." Modern scholars call it the "imperial presidency." A revealing look at the birth of American government, "Mr. President" describes George Washington's assumption of office in a time of continual crisis, as riots, rebellion, internecine warfare, and attacks by foreign enemies threatened to destroy the new nation.

HUBBY'S REVIEW:

Here is a history book that is a part of our history that most people forget about or really don’t know about. It is about George Washington becoming our first President. But it is really more than that. The war was over but four years later there was still problems, the treaty that was signed cannot be forced because there is no representation by us because we are not a nation. We are still just a group of colonies that can be taken advantage of. Groups of men started to get together and to dis...more Here is a history book that is a part of our history that most people forget about or really don’t know about. It is about George Washington becoming our first President. But it is really more than that. The war was over but four years later there was still problems, the treaty that was signed cannot be forced because there is no representation by us because we are not a nation. We are still just a group of colonies that can be taken advantage of. Groups of men started to get together and to discuss ways of becoming a central government. Ideas were voted some passed some failed and now you jump to the first election. 1989 George Washington is President and Adams is Vice President. Here in this book the author goes about how Washington took a job the President that had no responsibilities and turned it into the most powerful job in eight years and set the course for future Presidents. He also shows how by his leadership he was able to put the right people in the jobs they needed to be in and to turn away friends and family for the way it look towards him and them as well. That as much as he wanted to help the integrity of the country was more important than someone’s hurt feelings. The way he was able to carry these things out plus other matters was fantastic when you think about it for there was no white house. After the first year when congress was break he went on a tour of some of the smaller towns and stayed in the local tavern and someone’s home this made him more like the average person he did the same thing after his second year in the south. He did have his problems and his fights with people but he had a couple of his closest friends or what was like family to him. One was Alexander Hamilton who looked to George Washington as the father he never had. This of course upset Jefferson since he did not fight in the war and he felt that Hamilton could get away with things. This lead to a big fight in the second four year term where Washington asked Jefferson to resign. And Washington was able to handle this crisis as well. There is a lot of information in this book and for me you loves history it is great and especially about a time in our country that is long forgotten or seems that way. This also shows people the strength that Washington had a person and the integrity that he already felt the job should be held to. You also find some things out about Jefferson that I did not know about and that kind of knock him down a little since once he left office and started to cause problems, he must of forgot those words of power because he made the Louisiana Purchase without the approval of congress. Sorry I digressed for a moment this a fantastic book and a great read.