[Serious] The Rehabilitation of President Richard M. Nixon

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

There’s a difference between a general officer (Washington) resigning his commission and Trump not accepting election results. Your link wasn’t about Washington the president, but about Washington the general. 

As such, it has nothing to do with the topic of the peaceful transfer of power.

Boru

Most historians, I believe, would disagree and would instead view as significant Washington's voluntary resignation of his commission.  In not making for a clear power grab, Washington would later on, as President, establish the"only 2 terms as President" precedent, which was honored until the 20th-century.  In resigning his commission, Washington helped established the principle of the peaceful transfer of power.

I didn’t say it wasn’t significant, I said it isn’t the same as the peaceful transfer of power. It also did nothing at all to establish that American presidents would peacefully hand over to their successors (although Washington would later be responsible for that as well).

I suspect - though I cannot prove - that Washington’s motivations for both actions were a little less high-minded and a little more selfish (or, if you prefer ‘practical’) than you seem to think.

Boru