My President
by Father James B. Lloyd, CSP
February 8, 2016

Editor’s Note: Paulist Fr. James Lloyd, age 94, is the oldest-living Paulist Father.  With all eyes focused on Tuesday’s “First in the Nation” presidential primary election in New Hampshire, we asked Fr. Lloyd to write his job description for the President of the United States.  Below is his response.

I am 94, a Catholic priest and licensed psychologist. I remember every president since “Silent Cal” Coolidge.  It is inevitable with my Jewish / Irish background that I would, even unconsciously, have biases about my mythical “magic wand” presidential leader. I survived the rigors of  World War II, the systemic anxiety of the Great Depression and the Cold War with a volatile Soviet Union. I saw brilliant as well as questionable leadership, great patriotism, brutal discrimination buttressed by sleazy legal maneuvers, holiness and evil.  All under some president who, in a way, allegedly, represented me.

What would I like to find in the next president?  Perhaps, selfishly, I want him or her to reflect my values. In my years overseas, “American” was a volume of traits in one word. It meant true freedom, bravery, generosity, transparency, initiative, energy, self-reliance, strength and  enormous national pride.  I want my president to be exceedingly proud to be an American.

I am appalled by overstated national apologies. I want my president to put this country first — before all others. I want to hear “for God and country.” I recall the blunt words of President Truman who made no secret where he stood on almost everything. He was known as “give ‘em hell, Harry!” He would brook no disrespect for his country. He did not rely on charm — only his love of his country. I don’t recall that he held even a college degree, the lack of which did not phase him one iota.  President Reagan and the young President Kennedy were both consummate charmers but they relied on our tradition in leadership “The Big Stick!” (while speaking softly or not).

I want my president to act under God after the fashion of our founders. President Roosevelt would never hesitate to pray for God’s blessing on this country. He would always remind us to pray that God bless America. So, I want the president to respect, protect and defend our basic traditions. I want all Americans to have the same freedoms of expression and effort as anyone else. I don’t want Americans to become dependent on government. I want the freedom for all to make their own way, the absence of which can lead to a whole class of people “without“ souls.

This means that the guiding light of the administration is our Constitution with its system of checks and balances. I do not want a dictator. I want a leader. But I don’t want the Constitution shredded or diluted. Enough American blood has been shed in many places in defense of our way of life. I don’t want their sacrifices to have been useless. I want my president to place first, in his or her duties, the defense of the American people. Further, I want my president to protect my rights as found in the First Amendment. I want the right to speak my mind without penalty. I want to write publicly without fear of retribution or silencing. 

I want the absolute right to practice my religion without interference. I accept the non-establishment clause of this amendment without question. I also insist on the twin of the statement: free exercise of my faith. I do not want to be penalized (as has been done) simply because I follow my own religion. And I want this for people who are Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and followers of other faiths. Many of our ancestors came to this country precisely to find a place where they could practice their faith without governmental harassment. Liberty is our stamp. I fear the loss of this liberty.

I want to be proud of my president. I have been embarrassed and even ashamed by the actions and words of some of our presidents. I don’t want inexperience heading this country. HIstory is fllled with the woes consequent to allowing untested and unknown persons taking the reins of our country. I want someone who knows economy, finance and business. I want someone who knows how to sustain a climate in which jobs can be created. I want someone who knows healthcare and education and energy. I want someone who values life in itself, who understands that abortion kills human life and as such is the greatest violence on the most helpless of all. This is so unAmerican and brutal.  

Real skill, leadership and guts are needed not only for foreign negotiation but for our own national problems where hard situations make leadership most difficult. But I want him or her tough enough to do what he or she considers the “right” regardless of media and vested interests. I want him or her to be an amalgm of Washington and Lincoln and the Roosevelts and Reagan with a touch of Maggie Thatcher thrown in. Yet, I want a president who can unite others and get us to work together. I want an end to mere sweet talk. I want something llke the pragmatic Texas talk of Lyndon Johnson.

I want help for the elderly and the mentally ill!  I want respect for women as well as their equality on all levels. I don’t want Wall Street or Academia ruling us. I want a buildup of our military. Eisenhower (whose campaign mantra was “I like Ike”) did not hesitate to push back when  foreign leaders stepped over  the “red line” of those days. It was not a question of securing the “affection” of the world. It was the point of American safety and well-being. 

I want to take care of our veterans. I want a fair Immigration program that benefits the United States. I want the American dream to be available for the young and frightenend.

I want all of these things. Will I see them in the new president? Why, no, because I just wrote the prescription for Superman/woman. Maybe if we could find a man or woman with two or three of these qualities, we might make it!