Taking Responsibility

Harry Truman: 

THE BUCK STOPS HERE

Barack Obama:

Let me be clear,

Where the buck stops is a very interesting and unavoidable question, and I would do a disservice to the very idea of where the buck stops were I to just respond with a thoughtless sound-bite in response to a question of such import. Indeed were one to just blurt out some clever slogan for political gain to deflect from the momentous import of such inquiry, the injustice done to the deeper truths of the actions taken, and to the intent of so many who have given so much to this country in their years of service; American heroes all, would be in contradiction to the very ideals we all hold so dear as the bedrock of our American principles.

These profound principles demand better from me, and from all of our leaders who might be tempted to assign blame unfairly to themselves absent circumspection, to do so for simple political expediency. We must therefore be ever-vigilant to avoid such seductive temptations, but we must rather, with renewed vigor, hold fast to the principles of careful and methodical investigation into not only where the buck stops, and should, but also when, why, and how the buck stops. With such consequential events in mind we must give thoughtful and careful consideration of not just the mechanics of where, or even how and why a buck stops but the very nature of not only what a buck is, but what it is not; and if in fact there even is a buck that stops, did stop, will stop, or even should stop anywhere at any time and for any reason, and whether it is proper for it to stop, when stopping may in fact be not the most efficacious solution.  So before we just bow to, and quibble over such baseless and futile gotcha questions about where “the buck stops” we owe it to these four dead heroes, and indeed all of our nation's heroes who have so consistently “given there last full measure of devotion” to assure to our posterity that we in America shall always give proper import to the question of where a buck stops, while giving proper reverence to the true significance of such deliberations, and that even should this great nation last for a thousand years, they will even then proclaim with assurance that America is and forever shall be a land where a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall give proper care and credence to not only where such buck must stop but indeed why, how, and with great solicitude, whether such questions should even be asked.  This we owe to these, and to our posterity that we may remain the greatest country on God’s green earth. And may God so continue to bless this great country, and us all.