It wasn't all that long ago that Americans were freaking out over the POTUS wearing a tan suit. Cries across the land of "unpresidential" "unprofessional" and even "tacky" echoed from the purple mountain majesties and the fruited plain.
Maybe it's because I'm nonpartisan, I saw nothing wrong with the tan suit. I thought it made a nice change from the usual navy or black, a bit of individuality in a cookie-cutter profession, but ultimately I'm more invested the the POTUS's policies and character.
Today I'm sure I'm not the only one wishing for the tan suit scandal. Not because of how the current POTUS dresses, but because of how he and many of our elected officials are behaving. I'm not talking about what these people say and do in private, or even in a casual public moment. I'm talking about official communications (and yes, that includes the social media of any given office.)
Partisans are quick to point out that the other party forced a dementia patient onto us. Some nonpartisans suspect said patients were put into place by "handlers". But dementia is not so much a question of professionalism as it is a question of capability. So I'm going to ignore that question.
It upsets me that two of the most common current political catchphrases -- ones used by professionals -- are FJB and FDT. Imagine walking into a job interview and saying that about the other applicants. Imagine telling the interviewer mean things about the previous holders of the position. Smear campaigns used to be the most unprofessional thing they did... not any more.
Politics has always been an ugly thing. But up until 2016 (yes, I'm beating that dead horse again) everyone put on their company manners. Profanity, especially words that get bleeped on TV, would be career suicide. But now... slogans like FDT and FJB are shouted in the streets.
I don't want a POTUS who looks like he just mowed the lawn, but I'd prefer that to one who acts and sounds like a frat boy. Or something worse.
