Don’t Blame The President

Another spate of presidential polls has been released and, as it seems to be the case these days, more people disapprove of the job President Biden is doing. It seems no matter who is in office, polls, more often, indicate disapproval of the current resident of the White House.

Donald Trump had an average approval rating of 41%. Barack Obama's average approval rating was was around 47%. George W. Bush's average approval was around 49%. The last president to have a positive average approval rating was Bill Clinton with an average approval rating of 55%. George H. W. Bush had an average approval rating of 60%.

Without question, I am sure that those expressing their disapproval do have strong disagreement in policy with the administration, again, no matter who the current president is. To be sure, I have found myself in opposition to many policies and actions of the presidents who have served in the span of my life.

But, I believe there may be another factor involved in our seeming communal antipathy to whomever serves as the Commander in Chief. Sadly, when our lives are full of turmoil and we have dissatisfaction on a personal level, human nature tends to cast about looking for someone else to put the blame on.

I know at times in my life I would consider myself guilty of that accusation. In times that were exceptionally stressful and trying I was trying to put the blame on someone else's shoulders when I should have been looking squarely in the mirror.

Shifting blame to others for our woes is an almost natural reaction. Blaming others can be a defense mechanism to protect one's own self-esteem. By attributing faults or failures to external factors or other individuals or political figures, people can preserve their self-image and avoid feelings of guilt or shame.

Humans are prone to various cognitive biases, such as the fundamental attribution error, which leads us to attribute the behavior of others to their internal characteristics (personality, character) rather than considering situational factors. This bias can contribute to blaming others because we tend to see their actions as a reflection of their character flaws rather than considering external circumstances.

Blaming others can provide a sense of emotional release or catharsis. When something goes wrong or when we experience negative emotions, blaming someone else may temporarily alleviate our anger, frustration, or disappointment by redirecting those emotions towards another person.

Blaming others can serve social functions as well. It can help maintain social cohesion within a group by establishing a sense of unity against a common "enemy," such as the president. It can also be a way to deflect attention from one's own flaws or mistakes, preserving one's social status or reputation.

In looking at the disapproval so often heaped upon the President of the United States, or the governor, or the mayor, or the whoever, are we not really expressing disapproval of ourselves? Barry Brownstein has written a brilliant piece about our complicity in the situation that our nation faces today. And the puzzling thing to me is that after the complicity, we complain.

Taking responsibility for one's actions requires self-reflection, humility, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. And that's hard. Blaming others allows individuals to avoid accountability and the discomfort that may come with acknowledging their own shortcomings or errors. And that's easy.

Developing self-awareness, empathy, and a willingness to take responsibility for one's own actions are crucial for fostering healthier and more productive interactions with others. Even politicians.

It is perfectly acceptable to disagree with and disapprove of presidential policies and actions. All I would ask is that before we do that, we take a good look in the mirror first.