Remembering Harry - The Buck Stops Here

"My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference."

~President Harry Truman

Today is President's Day where we honor George Washington, the Father of our Country. Some States like to throw in Abraham Lincoln. But this day should be for all past and present Presidents of the United States. So, today, I am taking this opportunity in remembering Harry.

Harry Truman was a different kind of President. The average citizen could relate to him as he could see through the "bull" and he pulled no punches. As president he paid for all of his own travel expenses and food. There wasn't this "politically correct" mantra back then. He thought it and he would state his opinion as "the buck stopped with him." No one got on his case about what he thought. Free speech actually was allowed and people were not quite so nasty. There was no such thing as attack ads. Everyone had pride and love for country and respected one another as far as the law had dictated.

He probably made as many, or more important decisions regarding our nation's history as any of the other 32 Presidents preceding him. One of the important decisions was to form the Truman Committee that fought waste and management during World War II thus saving $15 billion and thousands of lives. Although civil rights law did not come into effect until well after his presidency, he started the way with his To Secure the Rights act in 1947 which ended discrimination in federal employment in 1950. He did a lot for civil rights.

When he left the presidency, he was back to being a man of simple means and retired with no expectations of making money off his fame nor did he want any, unlike most politicians today who become wealthy once they serve. However, a measure of his greatness may rest on how he lived his life after he left the White House in 1952--a simple, principled man.

• Other than his time at the White House, he lived his entire life in the same house in Independence, Missouri, the only asset he had when he died. The house was an inheritance from his wife Bess' mother and father.

• His income was a U.S. Army pension estimated at $13,507.72 a year. He was a Army Major and then a Colonel in the Reserves
  

• He paid for his own postage stamps and no longer had any staff. Congress granted him an allowance. Later he received a retroactive pension of $25,000 per year.

• He had no secret service detail once he retired

• When offered corporate positions at large salaries, he declined, stating, "You don't want me. You want the office of the President, and that doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the American people and it's not for sale."

• Even later, on May 6, 1971, when Congress was preparing to award him the Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday, he refused to accept it, writing, "I don't consider that I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise."

Modern politicians have found a new level of success in cashing in on the Presidency or other held offices resulting in untold wealth. Rick Santorum is taking heat for making money and capitalizing over the fact he was a Senator. Today, many in Congress also have found a way to become quite wealthy while enjoying the fruits of their offices. Political offices are now for sale and one politician was sent to federal prison.

Sources: Wikipedia & Unknown