The near universal distress of thinking people with the President and the circle that run this country has resulted in the extremely early interest of a great many potential replacements for him – in both parties.  Under our present ruling documents, the President is limited to two terms.  The term limitation idea has been adopted universally following the unusual four terms of Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was elected without too many problems until realization sank in that another world crisis situation could follow upon a world wide depression causing people to put their trust in whom they had rather than seeking an alternative.  In Roosevelt’s case it was death that ended his ambitions and servitude in an exacting job. People were not forced to vote for him.  They chose him.

It has been apparent to me ever since I learned the History of the Roman Empire by taking Latin in High School that nepotism is a logical outcome in governance. Rome became a hereditary empire suppressing the short lived republic and nepotism became the rule.  There were no kings in Rome during the rule of the Senate but there were Emperors who passed their power down to their descendants.  This severely limited the power of the people since they were subject to appointed leaders.  There was no constitutional convention with the pretty exact descriptions of divided powers.  The Romans, over time had Consuls, Quaestors, Praetors, Censors (tax collectors) and a Senate for the Patricians and an Assembly for the Plebeians.  And, they developed a legal system that at times was more liberal than conservative.  But this all went down the drain in the creation of the Empire with all power surrendered to the head of the state, the Emperor.

Mr. Bush has been able to rule America as though he was destined to do so for his father (brother as Governor of Florida) and earlier family members of Congress and the Senate came before him.  There were the Tafts, the Kennedy’s and others whose families lived as Patricians with room for a few, like Lincoln, who rose from Plebeian stock.

We have an impressive selection of hats now in the ring.  One is a woman, one Black. There is a cluster of Senators and Members of Congress in addition to one actor who had served in the Senate before.  Since we began the next election way before its time I wonder if any other ambitious soul will toss his or her hat in the ring.  This is a self-determined act.  We do not have conventions that do the job anymore.  Television has taken care of that and “debates” which are every bit like beauty contests with the candidates lined up to answer puerile questions rather than the down and dirty food, jobs and health issues.  And, the war: everyone is against that - but we soldier on in a universally decried struggle for – democracy?

I wonder whose head will be under the hat that is plucked out of the morass this next “election” is turning out to be. Remember, we do the choosing!