The History Keeper
Banned
In what world could Ben Franklin have been president? Wouldn't the American Revolution have to take place much sooner, or what?
What if, sometime after the Constitution is written in 1787, Washington declares that he wishes to retire (as he often did) and refuses any offer of Presidency (If I shall be appointed, it will be improper to accept. If I shall be elected, I will see it prudent not to reign. or something)?
Maybe, with Hamilton and Madison still insignificant blips, and Adams and Jefferson (pretty divisive figures anyways) overseas at the time, Washington would direct the electors to choose an elder statesman like Franklin, who's still alive, still involved (he signed the Constitution after all), arguably second only to Washington as founding father.
Maybe the electors'll catch on to this idea of an 81-year-old figurehead President. They're kind of against the idea of a "strong leader" anyway, and the President has a bit less to do in these times. Future Congressional leaders may like the idea of getting a bit of a free pass on things. The role of the Cabinet and maybe even the Vice Presidency'll expand during the year before Franklin's untimely death in April 1790.
What if, sometime after the Constitution is written in 1787, Washington declares that he wishes to retire (as he often did) and refuses any offer of Presidency (If I shall be appointed, it will be improper to accept. If I shall be elected, I will see it prudent not to reign. or something)?
Maybe, with Hamilton and Madison still insignificant blips, and Adams and Jefferson (pretty divisive figures anyways) overseas at the time, Washington would direct the electors to choose an elder statesman like Franklin, who's still alive, still involved (he signed the Constitution after all), arguably second only to Washington as founding father.
Maybe the electors'll catch on to this idea of an 81-year-old figurehead President. They're kind of against the idea of a "strong leader" anyway, and the President has a bit less to do in these times. Future Congressional leaders may like the idea of getting a bit of a free pass on things. The role of the Cabinet and maybe even the Vice Presidency'll expand during the year before Franklin's untimely death in April 1790.
The fact of the matter is theat Franklin did not want to be president. Alexander Hamilton probably would have made the cut better.