The following article by Kenneth T. Walsh was posted on the U.S. News and World Report February 2, 2018:
Americans used to look at their president as a role model, not anymore.
Character doesn’t count the way it used to. In the past, most Americans honored their presidents and used them as role models who embodied time-tested virtues. No more.
President Donald Trump has gone a long way toward accelerating this unfortunate trend. He gave a reasonably agreeable State of the Union address this week, and even showed some compassion and empathy. But the bar was very low for him because, since he alienates so many people, any show of comity was going to be taken as a positive step.
Yet in many ways, Trump remains the un-president – seemingly lacking in traits that the nation used to prize such as honesty, empathy, forgiveness, a spirit of conciliation, humility, sharing the values of everyday people, self deprecation and a sense of humor. Instead he emphasizes bluster and narcissism. His presidency seems to be a reality show based on pride, preening and his immense ego, designed to call attention to the man in charge and crush his adversaries. Continue reading “The Decline of Character”