What have we become?

     I've been feeling more and more uneasy in recent years...can't really put my finger on it, but something has gone very awry in our nation.
     First of all, it really irritates me when former politicians and government officials retain their titles post-office...Article 1 Section 9 of the US Constitution states "No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States..." once a person has left his/her office they leave the title behind.
     Second, we put way too much emphasis and give way to much power to the President.  We do not have a monarchy, we are not ruled by one person, we are a representative republic.  Our founders set the terms of office in reverse proportion to the importance and influence of the job.  Do you know why the House is only 2 year terms?  Because they write the budget, they spend the money...Article 1 Section 8 lays that out.  Why is the Supreme Court appointed for life?  Because they are supposed to be the least influential...their role should be simply to check the block, "does this agree with the Constitution?  Yes/No"
Why do we go so far out of our way to isolate our leaders from us?  Why does the White House have a 24-hour chef on duty?  Why does Congress have its own gym, sauna, etc.?  I get that we need to protect our President...but haven't we gone too far?  We treat him like royalty, we shut down entire cities when the President comes to town...I don't know, something about the whole thing just makes me uneasy.
The most important act of George Washington's life was the day he left office...he could so easily have become king, he could have stayed in office for years, he was a national hero...he could have done anything.  By choosing to leave, choosing to give up power he not only set a precedent (violated, ironically, by FDR) he set in motion the course of American history.
     Perhaps that is the thing which gives me hope yet...the fact that every two years we essentially overthrow and re-form our government (peacefully and voluntarily) has been our key to success.  May we never lose sight of that.