In a speech in Springfield today, President Obama bemoaned the negative, insult-laden tone of American politics — comparing the antics of 2016's over-the-top partisanship to the relative comity he enjoyed with Republicans as a member of the Illinois legislature.
"We didn’t call each other idiots or fascists that were trying to destroy America," Obama said, "because then we would have to explain why we were playing poker with fascists or idiots."
We cats agree. Having followed Presidential politics for more years than we care to count, we've been concerned recently that young people just getting involved in the process now think that the behavior of, say, Donald Trump and his fellow clown-car passengers is — well, normal.
Using profanity on the stump? Insulting and evicting reporters? Hating the government you're trying to get elected to? Demonizing whole groups of people, from immigrants to Muslims? Glorifying waterboarding? Opposing a woman's right to choose in absolutely all cases, no matter what? Lying about fetuses kicking on tables? Calling climate change a hoax? Building walls against the tired, the poor and the huddled masses, yearning to breathe free? Letting people on terrorist watch lists have guns? And most of all, blocking legislation simply because it was proposed by a President of the opposite party, even if it would (and did) benefit the country?
No, young political whippersnappers, none of this is what politics is about, or what got us fascinated in the first place. Back in the day, there was an unspoken, mutual agreement between the two parties that governing was something that was worth doing well — even if we had different opinions about how to go about it.
Today, though, we have to admit that even we understand how folks who aren't political junkies get turned off. It's discouraging, not just when you take stock of the unpleasant noise of 2016 — but particularly when you realize that a Democratic President can decisively win an election and still not enjoy the working relationship with the other side that his Republican predecessors had. If that can happen, what is this all for?
Were Democrats in 1980s and the 2000s chumps to put the interest of the country ahead of their partisan desires? Gosh, we hope not. But considering what Barack Obama faced in 2009, it's amazing that he got anything done at all. It's a cautionary tale for young people today who are just now throwing their hand into the high-stakes game of politics, elections and governing. We hope they take note, and we HISS.
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