# In what order of importance should a President serve? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 22, 2017, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637 "2017-06-22T21:07:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/1 "2017-06-22T21:07:40Z")
Poll: When it comes to country, party and self, in what order should the President serve? ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/2 "2017-06-22T21:15:51Z")
Only one answer. There should be no second and third choice. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/3 "2017-06-22T21:27:41Z")
I would think so too, but I kept the poll anonymous to make sure no one was saying it just go along. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/4 "2017-06-22T21:45:30Z")
Country, because that’s the duty you take on when you even choose to run for president. Self, because you need to be healthy and free of influence to take on the above. And party not at all. As far as I’m concerned, political parties aren’t some special, traditional entities worthy of protecting and preserving just for their own sake. They exist to serve their members and the country, not the other way around. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/5 "2017-06-22T21:54:30Z")
You forgot Country, Country, Country. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/6 "2017-06-22T22:51:32Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > You forgot Country, Country, Country. I want to vote for this option. Please add it. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/7 "2017-06-22T23:14:45Z")
I chose 1, because there was no Country, Country, Country. And also - a president acting for Party - how evil that is depends on whether he’s acting for party _principles_, or for party _politics_. I content there’s a difference: I don’t expect a republican to stop being a republican and holding republican beliefs and principles while president. And to some degree I don’t expect him to keep his political beliefs out of his presidenting; he was elected by people who expected that of him, after all. Him putting the good of the country before his personal beliefs is best, of course - but I’m okay with a republican who honestly believes that trickle-down economics works (for example) politicking and vetoing accordingly. (In other words, I don’t think Reagan was evil. Just misguided.) If you are acting purely on party politics, though, doing things just to block the other party, shut down debate, or damage the other party’s chances in elections, I thing a decent case could be made that you’re violating your oaths and should be impeached on the charge of treason. And if you’re exploiting the position of president to enrich yourself - impeachment city. As we would have already seen if the republicans weren’t aggressively pursuing my treason accusation above. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/8 "2017-06-22T23:58:09Z")
I don’t see this as a very informative poll. Nobody thinks that they’re putting their political party ahead of their country. Or that their chosen candidate is doing so. People follow a party line because they believe that political party is doing what’s best for the country so by voting with the party, they believe they’re helping the country. A lot of people may be delusional and ignorant in their political beliefs but very few people are evil. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/9 "2017-06-23T00:03:35Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Country, because that’s the duty you take on when you even choose to run for president. > > Self, because you need to be healthy and free of influence to take on the above. > > And party not at all. As far as I’m concerned, political parties aren’t some special, traditional entities worthy of protecting and preserving just for their own sake. They exist to serve their members and the country, not the other way around. That is the way I think and voted too. Ask yourself how George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and even Abraham Lincoln served and that is the correct answer (it is the 2nd one). ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/10 "2017-06-23T01:51:33Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I don’t see this as a very informative poll. Nobody thinks that they’re putting their political party ahead of their country. Or that their chosen candidate is doing so. > > People follow a party line because they believe that political party is doing what’s best for the country so by voting with the party, they believe they’re helping the country. > > A lot of people may be delusional and ignorant in their political beliefs but very few people are evil. And yet 6 people so far have voted other than “Country, Party, Self”. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/11 "2017-06-23T02:44:45Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > I chose 1, because there was no Country, Country, Country. And also - a president acting for Party - how evil that is depends on whether he’s acting for party _principles_, or for party _politics_. I content there’s a difference: I don’t expect a republican to stop being a republican and holding republican beliefs and principles while president. And to some degree I don’t expect him to keep his political beliefs out of his presidenting; he was elected by people who expected that of him, after all. Him putting the good of the country before his personal beliefs is best, of course - but I’m okay with a republican who honestly believes that trickle-down economics works (for example) politicking and vetoing accordingly. (In other words, I don’t think Reagan was evil. Just misguided.) > > If you are acting purely on party politics, though, doing things just to block the other party, shut down debate, or damage the other party’s chances in elections, I thing a decent case could be made that you’re violating your oaths and should be impeached on the charge of treason. Agreed. It is one thing to advocate principles/values that you believe will be of the greatest good for the greatest number and seek to be in a position to protect them and put them into practice. It’s another thing to just seek to “score wins” for the sake of scoring wins or to enjoy “\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Tears” even if it does nothing to move a constructive agenda forward. Country, Principles, Law. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/12 "2017-06-23T03:49:30Z")
I went option 2 but mostly because I’m miffed at both major parties right now. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/13 "2017-06-23T11:23:48Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > You forgot Country, Country, Country. Yet another vote for this. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/14 "2017-06-23T14:59:06Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > And yet 6 people so far have voted other than “Country, Party, Self”. In an internet poll??? I’m shocked, SHOCKED!!! Those are always rigorous and scientific. What ever could be wrong this time? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/15 "2017-06-23T15:00:31Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Agreed. It is one thing to advocate principles/values that you believe will be of the greatest good for the greatest number and seek to be in a position to protect them and put them into practice. It’s another thing to just seek to “score wins” for the sake of scoring wins or to enjoy “\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Tears” even if it does nothing to move a constructive agenda forward. > > Country, Principles, Law. I think “Country, Principles, Law” would have been more complicated to answer than the choices I gave. Remember that the choices I gave didn’t ask what percentage you were for each choice-If the third choice was something you gave no importance to at all, it is still a valid third choice. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/16 "2017-06-23T15:02:47Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > In an internet poll??? I’m shocked, SHOCKED!!! Those are always rigorous and scientific. What ever could be wrong this time? Is this something you post in every poll here? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/17 "2017-06-23T15:04:30Z")
I see nothing objectionable to recognizing that a President, who is a politician after all, has a responsibility to his/her party. It’s patently obvious that the President needs to help elect similar-minded people to Congress to put forward his agenda. Failing to do that means a huge risk that the President can’t get anything done. I’m not sure what it means to have the President serve himself. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/18 "2017-06-23T15:09:44Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > I see nothing objectionable to recognizing that a President, who is a politician after all, has a responsibility to his/her party. It’s patently obvious that the President needs to help elect similar-minded people to Congress to put forward his agenda. Failing to do that means a huge risk that the President can’t get anything done. > > I’m not sure what it means to have the President serve himself. I’m going with the Theodore Roosevelt idea, that the President was more honest than his party, so while he was willing to help his party, his goal was Country first, staying true to self second and party third. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/19 "2017-06-23T16:00:31Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > I see nothing objectionable to recognizing that a President, who is a politician after all, has a responsibility to his/her party. It’s patently obvious that the President needs to help elect similar-minded people to Congress to put forward his agenda. Failing to do that means a huge risk that the President can’t get anything done. > > I’m not sure what it means to have the President serve himself. Sure. And that means being responsible to the party isn’t necessarily in conflict with being responsible to the country. As long as there is overlap, everything is OK. But a president should not be responsible to his party to the detriment of the country. Hence, country-country-country is a good way to put it. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637/20 "2017-06-23T16:06:47Z")
The President should follow tradition hallowed by time, and do what the Voices tell him. It’s worked so far. Regards, Shodan [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-order-of-importance-should-a-president-serve/789637.md?page=2)