When it comes to politics, there will never be agreement as long as so much hate exists for our elected leaders.
I am really baffled by the tone of some of the responses on the various Obama threads. The lack of respect for our President, particularly one in office for a single day is disturbing. The image of America is positive right now and it’s a shame that the reality is something far different.
When it comes to politics, there will never be agreement as long as so much hate exists for our elected leaders.
Ya think 
I am really baffled by the tone of some of the responses on the various Obama threads.
I’m not. Take a look around. We are bombarded by 24/7/365 “Vitriol” that deals with little more than personal views of individuals and rarely deals with substance and policy. The “Our side” versus “Their side” mentality runs thru every fiber of the media and politics and can do nothing more than do the same to the citizenry.
We have come to a place where politics is sport rather than life. Couple that with a citizenry that is loosing grasp on the simple skill of how to relate with others and you have the recipe for disaster that now stares us in the face.
The lack of respect for our President, particularly one in office for a single day is disturbing.
More or less disturbing than the disrespect shown at sports events, to children, coworkers, commuters, bicyclists the list goes on ad naseum? How does one respect the president when one can not respect their own children and neighbors or even themselves?
**The image of America is positive right now and it’s a shame that the reality is something far different. **
Which was part of my point in the “Party” aspect of inauguration. We aren’t “Positive” we like to act positive. We “Celebrate” and then go out and scream at the guy who just cut us off or tell our children “To do what their told”…“Because I said so”.
It’s hard to be respectful, we aren’t into hard in America.
~Matt
Casey - I agree with you. But how are people supposed to call for a more civil and respectful tone when the second most powerful democrat in the country says in a press interview that one of her favorite moments from the inauguration was when Bush left town? Here is the link:
http://www.sfgate.com/...e=politics&tsp=1
She is despicable.
It should also be remembered that when Bush first took office, plenty on the left were still fuming over the 2000 election and insisting that he wasn’t really the president at all. Any vitriol directed at Obama today hardly compares with the reception that was faced by Bush then.
Personally, despite the criticisms I made of Obama’s inaugural speech, I think he may turn out to be a better president than his predecessor, particularly in foreign policy.
I hope he is successful with many of his agenda items and particularly in foreign policy and relations. I hope he does not pull out of Iraq precipitously and I hope that he is smart in continuing the war in Afghanistan. I am equally hopeful that many of his domestic spending initiatives are blocked.
I hope he is a good and honest man … so far he seems to be. He has some sticky wickets but nothing that seems much different than most people who tend to run in crowds where people are pushing the edges. I am concerned about whether his time in the Chicago political machine will come back to bite him. I hope not.
When she came out and made her comments on the 18th, two days before the inauguration about how she didn’t agree w/ Obama with regards to the stimulous package it was clear she was going to be thorn in his side for at least the first 100 days or until they settle the “turf” battle.
She and Reid will be the downfall of the Obama first 2 years if he can’t get a handle on the two of them and get them in line with a moderate level of thinking.
She and Reid will be the downfall of the Obama first 2 years if he can’t get a handle on the two of them and get them in line with a moderate level of thinking.
This may very well be true. It would seem to me that she and Harry should be working publicly with Obama while privately applying the pressure they think is necessary to move him in whatever direction they think is correct. Her seat is safe and I suspect Harry’s is too.
People seem to have forgotten to teach their children to respect their elders, or to treat people as they would like to be treated. I don’t know if this is the same across the country but it seems like kids in school at a very early age have learned that they can talk back to and generally disrespect teachers and school officials with little or no consequence. When I was a kid I had a fairly healthy respect for my teachers that if I did something in school I’d get it at school, then get it again at home when I got there and the Parents found out.
The lack of respect seems to have gone right up the food chain to everyone including the POTUS. Like him or hate him, he’s still the President and the office should be respected regardless of the person who currently occupies it.
When it comes to politics, there will never be agreement as long as so much hate exists for our elected leaders.
I am really baffled by the tone of some of the responses on the various Obama threads. The lack of respect for our President, particularly one in office for a single day is disturbing. The image of America is positive right now and it’s a shame that the reality is something far different.
And the low class idiots who were boo’ing Bush…
It should also be remembered that when Bush first took office, plenty on the left were still fuming over the 2000 election and insisting that he wasn’t really the president at all. Any vitriol directed at Obama today hardly compares with the reception that was faced by Bush then.
Yes, this has been going on for awhile. There was massive hate for Clinton in his 2nd term, and that seems like the starting point.
Who would you blame? That was when right-wing hate radio and later TV came into it’s own. Now many of their “targets” are using the same tactic. For some reason this rather juvenile level of discourse is appealing to many (most?) americans. Instead of putting issues on a rational level or a philosophical level, this is all about tapping into visceral emotion… especially fear.
And IMO, this is easy to tap into because there is a rise in general fear and paranoia that is looking for a target. I don’t know why people are more fearful, but I’ve noticed a big change in the last few decades. Is it just the way that news is portrayed? I haven’t had a TV for the last 20 years, so I’m kinda out of touch in that respect.
There was massive hate for Clinton in his 2nd term, and that seems like the starting point.
Who would you blame? That was when right-wing hate radio and later TV came into it’s own
I tend to agree with you that that was when a distinct lack of respect for the office began. However, while you blame “right-wing hate radio”, I look to the man who brought such discredit to the office by, among other things, his inability to keep his pants on. 
Presidential dalliances were not unheard of before Clinton, of course. Apparently plenty went on in the Kennedy white house, for example.
The press, however, apparently didn’t make much of it, or at least didn’t scream it from the rooftops the way they do today.
I do think the rabidness of talk radio has had a lot to do with the downfall of civil political discourse…
“Who would you blame? That was when right-wing hate radio and later TV came into it’s own.”
I’m not sure whether you meant your question rhetorically, but I’ll answer it anyway: Since I believe in personal responsibility, I hold individuals responsible for this own statements and behavior, rather than imputing it to talk radio or other media sources or even Twinkies. If you choose to parrot another’s thoughts, you made the choice not to think for yourself and should be judged accordingly. Obviously, in any case, right-wing hate radio wouldn’t explain the behavior in early 2001 of which I was speaking.
I tend to point to the election campaign slogans: “It’s the economy, stupid.” I think this began or accelerated the slide into total and utter disrespect for your political opponent. In addition, I think Bill Clinton at the time lacked a great deal of self-respect and thus did not respect his own office. This then turned into a no-holds barred attitude towards political campaigning … a win at any cost approach.
It’s part of politics. You can check you Roman/Greece history to see similar veins.
Although we agree on the lack of respect we’d probably disagree on the “Teaching” respect part.
I think what we’ve done is taken one step towards trying to help our kids learn respect and then figured out that “Parenting is hard” and that the way “Our parents did”, “Do what I say or else” was easier. We have and are, incorrectly IMO, starting to believe we have made a mistake by “Not beating” and “Not forcing” our kids to respect. To the contrary “Forcing” and is the utmost in disrespect, but actually treating our kids like “Little humans” is EXTREMELY difficult…but respectful.
The lack of respect seems to have gone right up the food chain to everyone including the POTUS.
Agreed, and likely mostly because people don’t respect themselves or anyone else. They haven’t learned how to respect nor is it all that important to them because no matter how disrespectful a person is there is almost always a large group of people that are just as disrespectful.
Booing and jeering at sports games is pitiful IMO, yet it’s perfectly acceptable and even encouraged. That moved into college, HS and now even grade school events. We now boo and jeer our public servants, soldiers and pretty much anyone we simply don’t care for.
This country is in trouble, but it’s not because of monetary policy or regulation, it’s because the citizens have drop most of their civilities and are reverting back into a “pack of wolves” mentality.
~Matt
It’s part of politics. You can check you Roman/Greece history to see similar veins.
And Rome and Greece are where now? Just because it’s “Always been” does not mean it should have always been or that we can’t change it.
~Matt
Agreed.
I would think the two of them would be willing to do what it took to get Obama agreeable so that they can get their agenda through in part or in some cases in whole, but this may turn out to be the Tip O’Neal / Jimmy Carter type relationship where the Speaker and the President just fight for two years and lose the congress as a consequence.
In my opinion Harry is a shill to Pelosi and will pretty much follow her lead.
** Casey - I agree with you. But…She is despicable**
LOL…now there’s a civil and respectful tone
Obviously, in any case, right-wing hate radio wouldn’t explain the behavior in early 2001 of which I was speaking.
Backlash… plus you have to admit that that was a really screwed up election and post election.