Nearly two hundred and fifty years ago, the United States was founded on the noble concept of rule by the people and for the people — rather than by an elite class of self-interested tyrants. Yet corporatism, cronyism, and cult of personality have come to dominate politics. The loss of idealism and altruism in leadership is painfully apparent.
The nature of the current presidential campaign confirms the degradation of democracy. Contenders for the highest office in the land are not exalted for their leadership qualities or ability to improve life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Electioneering is now officially an open mud-slinging contest. The leading major party candidates are promoted as having fewer detrimental and dangerous characteristics than their unworthy rivals — the lesser of two evils.
In this destructive climate, a voter’s ability to judge the qualities of an individual is reduced to considering their negative impact. It is challenging to evaluate the potential damage a candidate will inflict, should they be elected President.
In support of a better understanding of negative attributes, they are delineated herein — describing the pernicious traits of a President;
1) The Liar
Half a truth is often a great lie. ~ Benjamin Franklin
Truth can be elusive and candidates rely on deception. Utilizing distraction and innuendo, the liar displays false concern and emotion attempting to distort reality. His words stream forth without basis in facts or events. With a web of hyperbole, the liar entrances all listeners.
As he makes facts irrelevant, it is not by proving him wrong that his ploy is revealed. Rather, the liar can be readily exposed by observing his defensive and deceptive conceit.
A fabricator consistently blames others for his flaws, failures, and misfortunes. These complaints can be recognized as the overt symptoms of his self-centered character.
The liar pretends he is the arbiter of truth yet discloses his duplicity by having to insist, constantly urging listeners to — believe me — without any foundation. When ending a tirade he often says — I don’t know — revealing the one truth about his proclaimed knowledge.
Full of blustering pride and vanity, the lying candidate becomes a President unworthy of trust, dominated by a fear of betrayal.
The liar depends on hypocrisy…
2) The Hypocrite
Hypocrite: The man who murdered his parents, and then pleaded for mercy on the grounds that he was an orphan. ~ Abraham Lincoln
Challenges in political life are dynamic although few candidates are willing to change their opinions even in the face of new information. The most revealing attribute of a hypocrite is rigid allegiance to an agenda.
Compromised politicians have refined their hypocrisy to maintain power and privilege, consistently forming thoughts and words to defend corrupt actions. They claim obedience to general democratic principles while supporting repressive legislation — initiated by outright bribery.
Ostentatious pretense to a moral code with no evidence of humility, ethical standards, tolerance, or righteous action is the underlying deportment of the hypocritical President.
The hypocrite relies on a divided nation…
3) The Divider
The spirit of (political) party serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. ~ George Washington
Finding common ground with political opponents is a lost art. The divider scorns this noble path and does everything to increase hostile distinctions. He reveals ethical depravity while belittling opponents, leaving no room for a meeting of minds.
Insisting any opposition to his perspective represents all that is destructive and evil, the divider weakens any means to support fairness and democracy. He lives in a political world with no room for subtleties or differences. Painting a catastrophic vision of the consequences of his opponents’ success, the divider uses any means to ensure his views are the only ones that are tolerated.
In a desperate attempt to maintain power, a divisive President thrives in an atmosphere of contentious alienation, spouting ongoing condemnation of those who dare oppose his party politics.
A divider is always abusive…
4) The Abuser
Liberty may be endangered by the abuse of liberty, but also by the abuse of power. ~ James Madison
To deflect from personal immorality, the abusive leader relies on nastiness, vulgarity, and name-calling to justify his own self-interested lewd, wicked, and hurtful behavior.
The abuser is a bully, using labels to demean perceived adversaries; stereotyping all those who disagree with him as threats to his delusional vision of normality, and humiliating anyone who threatens his dominance. He shows no knowledge of gratitude, temperance, or patience.
Whether coming directly from a President or his sycophants, derogatory personal insults and attempts to marginalize those who disagree reveal a ritual dependence upon abuse. It is the most obvious and basic tactic of a corrupt politician.
An abuser is ultimately destructive…
5) The Destroyer
The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government. ~ Thomas Jefferson
The destroyer pretends to reluctantly embrace the obliteration of all notions of fairness and democracy in the name of order. Supporting repression and violence against individuals and nations is the ultimate recourse for a leader without a moral compass, justified by false righteousness. He thrives by removing liberty and invoking a need for security.
The destroyer embodies senseless havoc; the catastrophic consequence of his convictions. He considers himself the arbiter of right and wrong, ignoring the people’s desire for a peaceful life by provoking irrational painful devastation.
Much like a driver who unconsciously accelerates into an accident, a President who tolerates conflict or warfare boldly exhibits a core destructive personality. He is delusional; remaining self-justified and self-absorbed in sowing relentless devastation.
We can "name the game" all we like with these candidates, but what makes the game possible is the collective public's willingness and eagerness to believe a lie.
I'm not so sure about the motivations of our founding fathers. There are other versions of that story that lead straight to where we are now.
Brilliant! Every politician should have this post on their mind. Thank You!