Staff must be loyal to president's wishes

John Tyler assumed the office of the presidency 178 years ago upon the untimely death of William Henry Harrison. At his first Cabinet meetings he was admonished by the eminent senator and then secretary of state Daniel Webster, "Mr. President, it was our custom in the cabinet meetings of the deceased president that the president should preside over them. All measures whatever relating to the administration we obliged to be brought before the cabinet, and their settlement decided by the majority, each member of the cabinet and the president having but one vote."

Tyler's response was noteworthy and right on point. "I beg your pardon, gentlemen, I am very glad to have in my cabinet such able statesmen as you have proved yourselves to be and I shall be pleased to avail myself of your counsel and advice. But I can never consent to being dictated to as to what I shall or shall not do. I, as president, shall be responsible for my administration. I hope to have your hearty cooperation in carrying out its measures. So long as you see fit to do this, I shall be glad to have you with me. When you think otherwise, your resignations will be accepted."

Or, as President Lincoln said to his cabinet, "Seven no and one aye; the ayes have it."

Tyler's position holds true for the members of President Donald Trump's administration and any future administration. If you can't support a president's policy or position, you should depart forthwith. To secretly undermine or work against a president's policy arguably borders on treason.

The president is elected by the people and reports to them. Members of the administration and the permanent Washington bureaucracy were elected by absolutely no one.

Joe H. Heater

Palatine