Is decency a quality needed in order to be President?
Classic Donald Trump – “I don’t frankly have time for total political correctness. And to be honest with you, this country doesn’t have time either.” It seems that a number of people agree with Trump as his numbers are rising to the great surprise of many. 
And while politics can be dirty, it seemed pre-Trump that there was a certain level of civility and manners that most candidates (and there are many) adhered to. Trump – well he’s certainly changed the game when it comes to both.
My Mother loves this guy…
According to her – he says what he thinks and is beholdin’ to no one. “That’s what we need in the White House today,” so says my mother. So I asked her what she thought about this performance in debate #1…the debate where Trump made disparaging comments about women. Recall, I reminded her, that Trump went on the offensive and said to Megan Kelly, “I’ve been very nice to you, although I could probably maybe not be, based on the way you have treated me.” Later Trump lashed out at Kelly in a pre-dawn Twitter rant in which he called her “totally overrated and angry.” Not long thereafter, during an interview with CNN, he declared that she had “blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her — wherever” during the GOP debate insisting that he meant her “nose.”
He’s insulted Hispanics, women, and almost anyone who has bothered to disagree with him. His behavior has been called “tasteless” and something that is unbecoming a President. Yet, his poll numbers climb.
What happened to civility and manners?
Year past I can remember staunch rivals in the Senate acting quite civil to each other while holding dramatically differing points of view. Tip O’Neal and Strom Thurman was not remotely on the same side of the isle when it came to Senate votes, but they both had respect for one another and acted in a civil manner toward each other.
It seems that today incivility is growing and as a society we are tolerant of such unbecoming behavior. Being rude or in your face is not only tolerated, but seems to be valued. You see it all the time in social media where being out there and in your face is acceptable. Its not only among the every day folks but in the media as well. Trump (in my opinion rightly so) kicked out a reporter from Univision for being incivil (although for Trump that’s call the kettle black – never really knew what that meant, but sounds good).
Incivility = bullying?
Being constantly offended doesn’t mean you’re right, it just means you’re too narcissistic to tolerate opinions different than yours. The question then is could Trump be right all the time or is he a narcissistic bully that has a big pulpit to preach his vision of America?
If, as a voter you’re mad and don’t want to take it any more, I get it. But do you really think that Trump is the solution. Perhaps he’s your protest statement, but does his actions really demonstrate what it would take to make a good President?
You can’t be a bully and be President – at least not a good President. Nixon was the closest we have had in my lifetime to someone who felt entitled to bully to get his way and you see what that got him. Running a government requires one to use the effective power of consensus building. Treating people with differing views with contempt is not the way to the White House despite what the polls are now saying.
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