March 27, 2023

The Soft Bigotry of Low Expectations

We have replaced character and integrity with personality and charisma.

I have a saying: “He who expects nothing is never disappointed.” It seems this is the attitude many Americans have when it comes to those we elect to public office. There was a time when voters were very concerned with the character and integrity of those we placed in authority over us.

While politicians are supposed to represent the people who elected them, they now see voters as their servants. We’re supposed to just suck it up and gratefully accept the “crumbs” of services government allows us to have. It wasn’t always this way. At our founding, there were high expectations as to what our elected leaders were to be like.

“In selecting men for office, let principle be your guide. Regard not the particular sect or denomination of the candidate — look to his character.” —Noah Webster, 1789

“The public cannot be too curious concerning the character of public men.” —Samuel Adams, 1775

“Nothing is more essential to the establishment of manners in a State than all persons employed in places of power and trust must be men of unexceptional characters.” —Samuel Adams, 1775

There are many more quotes, but you see where I’m going. Character and integrity for men in authority were highly valued. In past generations, Bill Clinton being a notable example, we have replaced those two qualities with personality and charisma.

Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were very charismatic and personable, but the lack of character and integrity was evident to anyone who was looking. Trump was very charismatic, but definitely lacking in moral character. Don’t shoot the messenger; I’m just stating a fact. Yes, I voted for him twice. The choices, Hillary Clinton (NO personality or charisma) or Joe Biden, were nonstarters for me. I pulled the lever, holding my nose, hoping and praying for the best.

President Trump surprised millions of conservatives when he actually kept his campaign promises (what a novel idea). He got things done. Imagine what he might have accomplished if he didn’t have to fight Democrats, the media, academia, and Hollywood every day of his administration. His mindless personal assaults and needless Twitter rants didn’t help him. Melania should have taken his phone away from him when she went to bed and let him have it back in the morning. Sigh!

Now Joe Biden occupies the highest office in the land, at one time a position that inspired other nations because of the character of the man in office. Who does Joe inspire? Russia, China, Iran, North Korea? He certainly did not inspire Afghani citizens when he bailed out of the country in the dark of night. Our enemies were watching, and you and I are paying for it every day. Maybe I’m overthinking this, but watching “Sleepy Joe” campaign from his basement and then receiving 81 million votes has millions of us scratching our heads!

Joe Biden, a man of impeccable character and integrity? Please! This crude, vulgar, and cognitively challenged senior citizen who keeps hours that make bankers envious is president because too many Americans voted for the media version of Biden, not the man who spent 50 years living on the taxpayers’ dime, accomplishing nothing.

Now all of us are paying the price for it. We can change this in 2024 if we pay attention.

Something to think about?

Who We Are

The Patriot Post is a highly acclaimed weekday digest of news analysis, policy and opinion written from the heartland — as opposed to the MSM’s ubiquitous Beltway echo chambers — for grassroots leaders nationwide. More

What We Offer

On the Web

We provide solid conservative perspective on the most important issues, including analysis, opinion columns, headline summaries, memes, cartoons and much more.

Via Email

Choose our full-length Digest or our quick-reading Snapshot for a summary of important news. We also offer Cartoons & Memes on Monday and Alexander’s column on Wednesday.

Our Mission

The Patriot Post is steadfast in our mission to extend the endowment of Liberty to the next generation by advocating for individual rights and responsibilities, supporting the restoration of constitutional limits on government and the judiciary, and promoting free enterprise, national defense and traditional American values. We are a rock-solid conservative touchstone for the expanding ranks of grassroots Americans Patriots from all walks of life. Our mission and operation budgets are not financed by any political or special interest groups, and to protect our editorial integrity, we accept no advertising. We are sustained solely by you. Please support The Patriot Fund today!


The Patriot Post and Patriot Foundation Trust, in keeping with our Military Mission of Service to our uniformed service members and veterans, are proud to support and promote the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, both the Honoring the Sacrifice and Warrior Freedom Service Dogs aiding wounded veterans, the National Veterans Entrepreneurship Program, the Folds of Honor outreach, and Officer Christian Fellowship, the Air University Foundation, and Naval War College Foundation, and the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. "Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:13)

★ PUBLIUS ★

“Our cause is noble; it is the cause of mankind!” —George Washington

Please join us in prayer for our nation — that righteous leaders would rise and prevail and we would be united as Americans. Pray also for the protection of our Military Patriots, Veterans, First Responders, and their families. Please lift up your Patriot team and our mission to support and defend our Republic's Founding Principle of Liberty, that the fires of freedom would be ignited in the hearts and minds of our countrymen.

The Patriot Post is protected speech, as enumerated in the First Amendment and enforced by the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, in accordance with the endowed and unalienable Rights of All Mankind.

Copyright © 2024 The Patriot Post. All Rights Reserved.

The Patriot Post does not support Internet Explorer. We recommend installing the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, or Google Chrome.