How President Biden Became the Rodney Dangerfield of American Politics

Many of you are too young to remember the late comedian, Rodney Dangerfield, who died in 2004 and famously spoke repeatedly, “I don’t get no respect.”

In spite of President Biden’s accomplishments with regard to the bills he has passed, kept the economy moving along, (controversially) ended our involvement in Afghanistan with almost no casualties, reestablished relationships with allies and managed through the continuing moving target and uncertainty regarding the pandemic, it seems like the guy can’t get a break with his approval rating and polls.

All we would need do is imagine how his predecessor would have led, and more likely misled, through these crises and challenges, when that guy spent more time watching TV, playing golf and Tweeting than thinking about the incredible complexities of the job of President and taking the responsibilities of it seriously.

How are we to explain Biden’s lack or popularity, approval or respect?

It seems to me that there might be an explanation that is hidden in plain sight.

Efforts and accomplishments worthy of at least a modicum of credit and respect are no match for letting the immature, if not evil, genie of unsuppressed thoughts and unrepressed feelings out of a bottle… that it will not be returning to any time soon.

To remain purposeful, focused and on mission in such a complex and daunting world requires a large amount of psychological effort to control thoughts and feelings which left unbridled would make the task of sustaining focus impossible.

Human beings — at least their more primitive side — don’t naturally enjoy restraining their thoughts and feelings.

Therefore, when either the forces from the extreme left or extreme right of the political spectrum continually call out to the bell-shaped curve of moderation in between, it is similar to the Sirens calling out to sailors in Greek mythology luring moderate Democrats and Republicans to throw reason, logic, thoughtfulness, reflection and restraint to the wind and instead to be led by their impulses and instincts.

It is not just coincidence that this phenomena parallels the rapid growth of technology. The Internet and social media extol excitement and impatience as the only approach to our lives and those who hold back or demure in order to be more thoughtful are just being wusses and “missing out.”

If the genie of being run by runaway impulses and instincts is not going to stop, what can be done to turn the tide back toward self-restraint as a virtue and practice to aspire to?

There are few things that can stop runaway impulsivity in its track more than our children falling through the cracks.

One of the greatest casualties of a pedal to the metal approach to life is the damage done to the psychological and emotional development of children, that when rushed and/or have overwhelmed parents who don’t have the wherewithal to emotionally connect when their children most need that, often react by acting up and acting out and doing so with increasingly compulsive and destructive — either towards others or themselves — behaviors.

Evidence for this has been the alarming rise in depression, anxiety, opiate use and suicide among our youth and young adults with the incidence increasing even in children as young as seven or eight.

As a former specialist in suicidal behavior and suicide prevention, I can tell you that families may get past the suicide of a child if they’re lucky, but they never get over it.

People don’t do what’s important to them; they do what they care enough about. If however, the runaway pincer movement that the political extremes are applying to the majority in the middle increase the destructive behaviors by their youth both towards others and themselves, that may begin to wake up the extremes of our society to settle down and think before they act.

Perhaps then the thoughtfulness exhibited by President Biden will be seen as a more exemplary, preferred and respect worthy trait than others impulsively shoot from the hip not caring where that shot lands.

It will only be then that respect for the accomplishments of President Biden stands a fighting chance against the excitement of runaway emotions and impulses.