# Why should we need a head of state?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-we-need-a-head-of-state/360080>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [June 9, 2006, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-we-need-a-head-of-state/360080 "2006-06-09T16:33:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2006, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-we-need-a-head-of-state/360080/21 "2006-06-12T22:53:06Z")

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> [@foolsguinea](#):
>
> Aye. The symbol of our nation, & our head of state, is Liberty, who we used to put on all the money. \*Not \* the President.

I understand this, but it does seem kind of peculiar to me - sort of like when the desperate aldermen of beseiged Barcelona officially made Our Lady of Mercy the captain-general of the city’s defenders.

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**Author:** ![rkb555](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rkb555](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rkb555)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2018, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-we-need-a-head-of-state/360080/22 "2018-02-11T06:52:22Z")

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> [@Menocchio](#):
>
> You can’t not have a head of state. If there wasn’t an official post, the chief executive would get it by default. Somebody has to symbolize the government and the nation. They’ll cheer on the nation, rally the troops, other ceremonial stuff like that.
> 
> Canada has the right idea. Divorce the office from the real government, and give the cheerleader job to a monarch on the other side of an ocean and a non-controversial ex-journalist within the country. I’d like to see the US do something similiar. Call the Head of State “President”, to be appointed by the Congress, and the chief executive “Secretay General”, to be elected as the President currently is.
> 
> The Secretary General would do all the stuff the Prez does now, while the President would swear in the various federal offices, shake hands with foreign ambassadors, visit the troops, occasionally make stirring public speeches, and generally endevour to be as non-political yet patriotic as humanly possible.

What a colossal waste of time. No gov. needs a cheerleader. That is a complete waste of money and an unnecessary drain on taxpayer’s pockets.

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**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2018, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-we-need-a-head-of-state/360080/23 "2018-02-11T15:28:48Z")

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Welcome to the Straight Dope **rkb555**! While there is nothing wrong with your post, this thread zombie is over 10 years old now and some of the participants are no longer on the boards, and conversation has moved on. Feel free to start a new thread if you’d like to discuss the topic, or participate in any of the other ongoing topics.

I’m closing this one.

[/moderating]

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