"We can only be answerable for the orders we give and not for the execution. If they are disobeyed from obstinacy of spirit, or want of coercion in the laws, it is not our fault." -Thomas Jefferson to General Steuben, 1781.
Aug 11
“Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle”
~Thomas Jefferson
RSS feed
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 4:57pm
Leaders should be held responsible for the outcomes of their decisions. Their decisions are supposed to be positive and have a strong impact on the people. Their words lead our path, help persuade us, and influence our actions. In the end, leaders should be held responsible for problems because they're the ones who led us into it.
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 4:48pm
Leaders should be held responsible for all outcomes to our society. They are the people who have the most control over the things that happen. The constitution itself states that everyone has certain responsibilities that they need to fulfill to have a healthy lifestyle. In the end it is the government's responsibility.
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 4:42pm
Leaders should not be held completely responsible for outcomes of the united states, however they are held responsible in today's society. In America, we have three branches of government and if one is blamed for outcomes then all three should be blamed. Success should also be distributed to all branches of government.
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 4:31pm
We shouldn't hold leaders accountable for outcomes because the people vote and have a say in most situations. As it states in the Constitution "For the people, by the people." The leaders give the people what they want them to do for them. Such as raising taxes for the rebuilding of roads, to get out of debt. We also organize work programs to put people back to work, but when they fail we blame the leaders who put them in place. When we were the ones who wanted it in the first place, it's not their fault the programs fail.
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 11:44am
I believe that we should hold our leaders responsible for their actions, because it affects the whole nation, and we appointed them as our leaders, to make good decisions. It's the senate's and congres's responsibility to oversee the presidents actions also. Thomas Jefferson was a really bright man and a great thinker.
Mon, 09/28/2009 - 11:47am
I think we should hold them responsible for the outcomes of all situations because they make the decisions that put in that predicament. So no one else can be blamed for what they approved to do but them. No one makes the rules but them.
Sat, 10/11/2008 - 3:29pm
President Harry Truman said, "The buck stops here," acknowledging that as the president, the decisions were his and the blame, too, was his. I believe one of the major causes of our problems today is a lack of accountability for one's own actions. It's much easier to blame someone else than to own up to mistakes and inadequacies. I believe much of Jefferson's writing supports the principle of individual accountability but he would most likely be appalled at the state of much of our country's affairs today - from politics, to the economy, to the entitlement/victim mentality that has become pervasive.
Living in Oklahoma
Thu, 10/09/2008 - 10:02pm
I think this quote is well put.Leaders shouldnt be responsible for outcomes.Even the some things can change the outcome of how things turn out.We could not know somthing and things will turn out not as we planed.So i dont think think all the resonsibilty or blame should be put on leaders if the plan didnt go according to thier plan.
JR Paul
Thu, 10/02/2008 - 9:48am
ABSOLUTELY. This is why in the upcoming general elections for 2008, I would most likely vote for the Republican party, something I would otherwise never do. They destroyed this country, it is thus only fair that they re-build it. If they fail to do so, this country's destruction should be on their heads, so that they all get erradicated from the face of this earth once and for all.
K. Suarez
Thu, 09/25/2008 - 12:08pm
Leaders should be responsible for outcomes, because they make the final decision. A leader is responsible for the best possible path to take us on.
Wed, 09/24/2008 - 4:44pm
I think we should hold the leaders responsible for the outcomes, because they make the decisions whether good or bad and are the top authority. When we elect them we put our trust into them to protect our country.
Wed, 09/24/2008 - 2:21pm
We believe that the leaders should take responsibility for the outcomes of the decisions that they make because they chose to take that role for being a leader whether they are right or wrong and so they should be held accountable. Yes, we did elect that person to be our leader, but we also elected them to make the best choices to help and protect our country.
Wed, 09/24/2008 - 12:30pm
Yes, we should hold all the leaders of the country responsible for everything because, they are the ones that make our decisions in a time of crisis.
If a bad decision is made, it's not the country that makes the decision. Specific leaders make them whether they fail or not. Therefore our leaders should take responsibility for their actions.
Wed, 09/24/2008 - 11:34am
Leaders should be held responsible for the outcomes because that is their duty-to take action, and for every action, there is a reaction, and they must take the responsibility to take the blame for their mistakes.
If they do not take the blame, who will? It will fall upon the country, and destroy its power. People look up to leaders and count on them to remain humble to their mistakes and glories. Thank you, have a great day.
Wed, 09/24/2008 - 11:25am
since leaders have the final say on issues such as war, taxation, slavery, and the economy, yes we should hold them responsible for outcomes. when outcomes are good leaders are praised so they should also get the blame for negative outcomes.
Wed, 09/24/2008 - 11:19am
Leaders should be responsible for our outcomes because if they didn't then society wouldn't be as good as it is. And the constitution wouldn't have a purpose because it states that everyone has certain responsibilities to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Fri, 09/12/2008 - 3:13pm
No, we shouldn't hold leaders responsible for the outcomes. No one knows what will come of what is planned anything can happen along the way. Also whoever is given the order may have misunderstood and did something else so the leader would not be held responsible.
Mon, 09/08/2008 - 6:28pm
Leaders should not be held responsible for all negative outcomes because not only do the leaders make the decisions for the country's actions but it also is up to parties like the senate, and the house of representatives, meaning the people who voted those parties in there, are people like regular citizens. So I don't think that only the leaders, like the president should be held responsible because it's not only him who makes the decisions, it's the people of the people.
Thu, 09/04/2008 - 10:56pm
yes and no. in certain cases only if the decision is left up to the leader do i hold them accountable, but if its a majority vote and decision the i don't hold them accountable
Wed, 09/03/2008 - 3:14pm
There is not right or wrong when a leader takes the responsibility of making a very important choice.For example going to war. A leader is using their judgment,thinks of the consequences,and acts upon his or her decision.It may not be the right one or it may be the best thing to happen to us but,a leader whether right or wrong cannot be blammed.
-Edwin H-
Thu, 08/28/2008 - 8:00pm
leaders should not be held resonsible for the out come of thing because it is not always the leaders fault
Thu, 08/28/2008 - 3:54pm
In my personal opinion; I'm on both sides of the fence. At some point I don't think certain things are necessary, as in to blame the leader. There are some things that are never going to change. For example, War. Every President that is in office says, "My mission is to bring our troops home from Iraq." Well, it has YET to be done. I have an aunt over in Iraq at this moment. She has been there since last December. Is she at my home visiting with me yet? Negative. So in my understanding it is some what normal for me to think that no president is going to bring my aunt home.
BUT, I do believe some things should get pin pointed to them; such as, change. I believe every word that comes out of Obama's mouth is CHANGE. "I will make change. America it is time for CHANGE." Well; no other smart President has dont that CHANGE yet. These leaders get our popularity vote and we do it and then BAM. We are back at where the previous leader led us before. So my opinion is pretty much; there are certain things to blame on our leader and there are not. But I'll believe CHANGE when I see it.
:)
Wed, 08/13/2008 - 12:40pm
Outside of outright commission of high crimes and midemeanors, we can only hold our leaders and politicians accountable through the ballot box. Once they are elected, we are essentially stuck with them unless they commit impeachable offenses. They know that, and have been relying upon that to tell the citizenry one thing during campaigns, and do quite the opposite once in power.
What's even more galling, is that some politicians are so anti-Consitutional in their agendas as to be the One World Order/modernized Communist spear tip, and still get re-elected continually. We have become, I think, an entitlement mentality and have taken on the dangerous attitude of seeking what Government can do for us, rather than the original and tried and true attitude of requiring government to leave us alone to go about our business of providing for ourselves and our heirs.
We no longer hold our politicians accountable for much of anytihng anymore, as long as they are perceived as willing to grant us more entitlements and handouts - never bothering to think those entitlements and handouts come out of OUR pockets and are returned as a net deficit to us.
Another Pennsylvanian
Mon, 08/11/2008 - 7:10pm
Given the date of this statement and the addressee—American major general and German baron Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin von Steuben—one supposes Jefferson was thinking in a military, as opposed to a political, vein.
Jefferson had been Virginia's governor until June of 1781, and had been driven with the General Assembly from the new seat of government, Richmond, to Monticello, by the British. A military disaster for which some blamed Jefferson for irresolution.
Von Steuben was in Virginia to, among other things, drill American troops in the arts of war—most notably at Cabin Point in today's Surry County. What role von Steuben and his command may have had in the failure to repulse the invasion of Virginia, if any, I don't know. But it sounds as if in the case of this communication Jefferson is commiserating with the general—or, perhaps, excusing himself—for an embarrassment of the American forces. The situation was saved that autumn at Yorktown.
To apply the passage to functions of the government's executive branch, probably divorces it from any meaning Jefferson intended at the time. We know, in any case, that Jefferson later held President George Washington responsible for the obstinacy of spirit that Secretary of State Jefferson imputed to Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, and that President Jefferson thought the federal Constitution sufficiently coercive to bow to Chief Justice John Marshall's highly doubtful dictum on judicial review in Marbury vs. Madison.
— A Virginian
Mon, 08/11/2008 - 4:54pm
This is my first blog post and I'm not sure how this works, but I will say that I think we do hold leaders responsible for orders and the execution of those orders. Thomas Jefferson's reference was to the responsibility of "the administration" and I think for years Americans have held their leaders responsible for successes and for failures. I'm sure some people think that's not fair in the case of a failure, but at some point, those in charge must take responsibility for the execution of their orders.
~Illinois
Post new comment