Because on that day December 23, 1776, General George Washington Commander in Chief of the Continental Armies of America formally resigned his military commission and returned military power back to the continental congress. George Washington could have used his armies to claim a crown, and many of his soldiers wanted him to do just that, yet George Washington refused to do so. And in the tradition of the great Cincinnatus voluntarily gave up absolute power.
This act was so monumentous, and unheard of, that even King George expressed admiration for the man. It is just as impressive today as it was over 200 years ago. Did Castro return power to the people? Did Lenin. Did Mao? No they did not. In my mind, George Washington's act, is one of the very reasons why we did not suffer under a reign of terror, unlike revolutionary France, and it set the tone of our nation from the get go. How could any other man think of grabbing the reigns of power, when George Washington, known as His Excellency by his men, refused to do so?
For this reason, and this reason alone, George Washington is the only man ever to have deserved the presidency. He is the only man that can honestly claim to have occupied the office without ever desiring power because his previous actions almost two decades ago when he refused power. I have few men that I idolize, that I think of as heroes, who I can say that I love. George Washington is among those men.
Mr. Washington, is the greatest American ever.
