On the Cult of the Presidency

 It's interesting to note that Biden's instinctive response to the "mask question" was to mandate mask-wearing for everyone. Only later did he (wisely) back away from the national mask mandate, citing Constitutional issues. Of course Democrats are prone to nationalize everything, and there is also the apparent need to announce all the things you'll do as president. That list must be a long one (you don't want to be a do-nothing president, after all), and you must do them "on day one." 

This tendency is exacerbated by our mystical cult-of-the-presidency attitude. Name the problem, and our new president will solve it. Our candidates are consistently depicted as heroes, so the heroic is what we expect. Hagiography is the predominant mode. Who can forget the messianic depictions of Obama when he first took office? Expect it again with Biden and Harris.

And Trump also believes with a kind of religious zeal in the power of the presidency. I recall numerous stories about his frustration in finding out how many real limits there were on his power as president. The cult-of-the-presidency serves the interests of those running for the office. We all want to believe in the hero, and by George, these campaigns are determined to fulfill our desire. Even the house we give the president to live in for four years lends itself to the hagiographic. Our presidents don't live in their own homes and go to the office each day. They live in a magisterial mansion and the world comes to them.

The best thing that can happen in America would be for Americans to lower their expectations about what presidents can and should do. In truth, we never solve our problems, we merely cope with them at best. But "vote for me and I'll cope" is not an inspiring slogan. Nevertheless, it's a realistic one.