One of the most irrational things about politics...

[Truth be Told]

Is the automatic respect we are expected to uphold in reference to the President.

Seriously?

Why does winning the presidency earn you respect?

If anybody can be president, then why does the person who wins the office become an object for admiration?

Our current president had a background of 4 years in the Senate with some community service hours. Really people?

Our current president is half-white in addition to his African American lineage. He embraces his black side.

Our current president was asked to send 40,000 troops and Obama decides to send in less than half to make the Democrats happy...

What reason do I have to respect this individual? I don't.

Let's just say I happen to get into the military. Then Obama becomes my "boss", he still isn't going to get my unconditional respect. A boss is just a boss. So what does this mean exactly? Where is the merit?

"You should respect him because he's your president", yes, and Nancy Pelosi is the Speaker of the House. How many raise of hands will I get when I ask each and every one of you about whether or not Pelosi in fact rides a broom to work?

I've had jobs and I've had bosses. Sure I don't go up to them and spit in their face for the obvious reprecussions. But none of this means I respect them deep down inside. I had a boss who was a Navy SEAL that was a complete (fill in the blank). He might have done allot for the United States, but a person who can't handle simple requests from his workers and get them processed in a competent manner or attempt to understand them without plugging their ears and treating their employees as if they were complete idiots is not someone who is worthy of my respect. Respect is meant to be earned, not given...

[Manwë Súlimo]

You should always respect the office, even if you detest the one in it (which is the case for me with the current one). For instance, if Obama came to my house, I would go out of my way to be a great host; but I probably wouldn't be chatty or nice.

Military men (I believe) are taught to salute the uniform of their commanding officers, not the men themselves.

[Philosophickle]

I don't care much for the office or the man that sits in said office. Politicians are the manifestations of societies worst psychoses but with trillions of dollars of stolen money to back their wild fantasies. I dare you to read this (http://blog.sojo.net/2009/10/22/dear-president-obama-an-open-letter-on-afghanistan/) without puking. It is only a soulless, pitiful kind of person who could grovel at the feet of another man in hopes that he tosses you a few scraps from the King's table.

[Truth be Told]

I dare you to read this (http://blog.sojo.net/2009/10/22/dear-president-obama-an-open-letter-on-afghanistan/) without puking.

I should show this to the active duty and reservemen that I know of. I can't imagine the response being anything too positive.

Does Obama really think he's going to save lives by only sending in a reinforcement of 18,000 troops at tops, when McChrystal asked for at least 40,000?

Absolutely not. It will be like applying a bandaid to a bone fracture.

[norwegen]

You should always respect the office, even if you detest the one in it (which is the case for me with the current one).Democracy is the Democratic agenda, and democracy taints the office.

[joel]

Is the automatic respect we are expected to uphold in reference to the President.

It used to be higher. Fortunately this dropped significantly after Watergate.


You should always respect the office, even if you detest the one in it (which is the case for me with the current one). For instance, if Obama came to my house, I would go out of my way to be a great host; but I probably wouldn't be chatty or nice.

Just like the American revolutionaries respected the "office" of the king of England.

The U.S. executive is an office that has gained (should we say usurped?) inordinate power over the years. This is the office by which Japanese Americans were interned and the gold holdings of all Americans was seized. We do not need this office as it currently exists. Thus there is no need to respect it.

Not all "offices" should be respected: e.g., Caesar's self-appointed position of dictator-for-life. What determines whether an "office" should be respected?

[Truth be Told]

What determines whether an "office" should be respected?

One quality comes to mind: Merit.

[Traveller]

Democracy is the Democratic agenda, and democracy taints the office.

Rule #1: Liberals love democracy, until the vote doesn't go their way.