Before he was president, George Washington crossed the Delaware in the middle of the night to attack the British army even though his troops were tired, cold, and starving. In the end, George Washington’s men won the battle because of the decision made by their virtuous, devoted General. When it came to determining who would be the leader in this new country, he George Washington was the best option because he proved himself a good leader. George Washington did not adhere to his troops wishes, but pressed on in the fight because it was what was best for the country. In other words, presidents are not obligated to follow public opinion, two reasons for this being: presidents are not directly elected by the people and doing so could be a danger to society.
If the president appeals to one set of interests over another, unwanted circumstances can arise. Commonly, the president would want to consider the public opinion which usually
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Abraham Lincoln presented a parable that related to slavery at the time. In this case, Lincoln is the shepherd, slaves were the sheep, and the slave owner was the wolf. There were only two sides for the shepherd to choose from, the sheep and the wolf. Lincoln could only choose one side and, in the end, he sided with the slaves. Thus, the slaves were happy to be alive, but the slave owners felt like their liberty was taken away (Lincoln). President Lincoln had to make the best decision for the country, even if he did not satisfy the interests of both groups.
Presidents should not appeal to majorities nor minorities, but overall, make the best decision for the country as seen with George Washington, as well as Abraham Lincoln. Each knew what was best in the end and that is what made him a great leader. If the government continues to apply filters of consent, prevent majority factions, and let the president make their own verdicts for the country, we will all be better