What makes a good president?

This is not a post telling you who to vote for. That decision is, and hopefully will always be, yours to make. This is, however, an exploration of our views on what is good for our country. In every era, certain values are more desirable than others. In a time of much chaos, people seek a leader who brings peace. In a time of division, people look for someone who can bring people together. When it comes to what makes a good president, the personality traits that are favored seem to change about as frequently as the campaign seasons. Though people seem to always like a dynamic speaker, and it doesn’t hurt to be well-liked. Nonetheless, there is a pattern of what seems to be considered good, but only in retrospect. Looking back, the presidents that have become known as the most effective were the people who could rise to the occasion to meet the need at the time. They met the moment and made the decision that was most aligned with the future. Holding on to the ways of the past has been proven ineffective again and again. When it’s all said and done, most of us would rather...