WORLD VIEW: The U.S. Presidency: Respect Lost

By Mark Scheinbaum

MIAMI (Sept. 22, 2016)—Once upon a time an American could strongly disagree with the elected President of the USA and add, “But he is my commander-in-chief, he is my President and I respect the office.”

Searching to express my feelings that in the last 20 years true venom and hatred have entered the words and hearts of critics of any current White House occupant, I found a poignant piece by Garland Byrum in “Politics from the Middle” posted June 7, 2014:

“The President of the United States is our leader, our chief executive, the person who the rest of the world looks to as representing the United States. How far do we take partisanship before it becomes demeaning to the office? Is our political system so warped that what is best for the country becomes less important than partisan gain?”

It has become a world of “Obama” or “Bush” or “Clinton” not PRESIDENT Obama or Mr. President. It has become a world of vulgarity and true hatred where the once facetious “America, love it or leave it,” becomes a challenge for you to go “back to Africa” if you don’t like President X, or “get ready to move to Canada” for the term of President Y.

When your party nominates someone you do not like, you should  get over the disappointment and regroup. If you dislike the character of a president keep in mind that the Republic has survived notorious drunks such as U.S. Grant and serial fornicators such as John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton.

Concerned about corruption? Well, there is evidence now that one of the honored and revered presidents, Franklin Delano Roosevelt had a family in which the White House was a revolving door of patronage, bribery. Influence peddling and personal enrichment for his kids and his wife.

None of these facts or rumors need belittle the times each president rose to the responsibilities of a tough job, and deserved the respect of the office from all Americans.

But those  polite days are over. Talk radio hosts, talking heads on cable TV news shows, and politicians and party contributors routinely curse the President.

Racist jokes which would have gotten employees fired, survive on the internet and in the board rooms and clubhouses of America.  One businessman once sent me a cartoon of Michelle Obama as Curious George.

Another showed President Obama barefoot eating watermelon. So it goes on both sides of the aisle.

At a New Year’s Night concert in Las  Vegas veteran funk star George Clinton and his crew on stage at the House of Blues paraded “F—k Bush” signs on the stage as the audience applauded.  Later in the concert the signs came out again and the performers tried to start off a chant of “F—k Bush!  F—k Bush!” pumping their fists in the air.

“Time to leave,” my wife said, grabbing her purse and sweater. I followed her out of the theater. She said, “Two of my sons wore the uniform of the United States Army and one is still serving in the Army. The President is their Commander. I don’t pay $80 or $8 to have my President insulted.”

It is important to note that the woman did not vote for George W.  Bush and was super critical of most of his policies and cabinet members. But the President was the President.

Political scientists and historians will tell us that rejection of a monarchy in the United States and the evolution of cartoons, satire, parodies and wide disrespect for institutions and leaders is part of the strength of the American political experience.

It is difficult to disagree with this as a practitioner of inappropriate humor and vulgarity too often in my own life. Yet, enough is enough. At some level there is a crying need for a basic respect for the elected leader of a remarkable system which gives us the ability to write words of criticism, burn a flag, or kneel during the national anthem.

It is likely that in four months you will be living with President Trump or President Clinton. If this is truly, viscerally, deeply offensive to you, get busy working to change the name of the White House resident four years from now.

At least make believe to the rest of the world and your kids that we respect ourselves and our system that men and women died to defend.

Mr. Byrum put it more politely:

“The American people deserve better and so does the office of President and the current occupant of the White House.  My hope is that if a Republican should become President, respect for the office will be offered by the opposing political party. Our Republic cannot survive if the public loses respect for not only the office of President but for each branch of government.”

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MARK SCHEINBAUM is a former UPI newsman and political scientist who serves as managing director of Shearson Financial LLC in Boca Raton. His opinions are his own.