Should Government Leaders Shirk Political Discipline?

Should political leaders say anything? Or things they only want you to hear? Or say things they cannot do or deliver? 

In politics, leadership discipline isn't understood or practiced differently or out of context on how leadership discipline is applied in other areas of organizational functions in our societies.

 

Political discipline is a practice of making people obey rules or standards of behaviors and facing consequences/accountability when disobeying the rules occurs. In the political arena, law, order, and discipline are placed in the hands of our elected political leaders and the governing bodies.

 

So, the business of governing and governing is a contract and consent between the people and the representatives of their government. As such, "Leaders inspire those they supervise to find their voices." 

 

But what happens when our political leaders are stuck on political partisans?

 

The growing partisan politics or political tribalism in America and around the world is contributing to the erosion of discipline in politics and governing effectively weak political leaders tend to shirk discipline-violating leadership norms, fail to abide by the rule of law, and sentiments of abandoning the constitution and their oath of office, paving the way to disruption in the society and authoritarian behaviors that is characterized by political violence.

 

According to studies conducted by Mason and Kalmoe, "Partisan identity strength" as to how much being Democrats or Republicans is part of who they are is the most important factor in endorsing political violence...Thus, more Americans now are using their political party affiliation as a source of meaning and social identity, with these identities linked to differences in "leisure activities", consumption, aesthetic taste, and personal morality". And in doing so, they are diluting the strength of the American unity and threatening peace, freedom, and democracy due to intensified disagreements about political issues of our time.

 

The shifting of demographics in the US is increasingly associated with changing the identity of the US. Its diverse population, according to Pew Research Center, is shaping the US political narrative.

"Americans are more racially and ethnically diverse than in the past, and the U.S. is projected to be even more diverse in the coming decades. By 2055, the U.S. will not have a single racial or ethnic majority... Over the next five decades, the majority of U.S. population growth is projected to be linked to new Asian and Hispanic immigration . . America’s demographic changes are shifting the electorate—and American politics. The 2016 electorate [was] the most diverse in U.S. history due to strong growth among Hispanic eligible voters, particularly U.S.-born youth. There are also wide gaps opening between the generations on many social and political issues. Young adult Millennials are much more likely than their elders to hold liberal views on many political and social issues, though they are also less likely to identify with either political party: 50% call themselves political independents."

 

Given that shift demographically, our political leaders now more than ever are engaged in political violence-politics of confrontation, thrive on intimidating others, and are participating in organizing and supporting faction groups that are committed to acts of political violence against the government and its democratic institutions. The Jan 6th, 2021, an act of political violence against the US Capitol Hill during a democratic process sessions-at the core of democracy was the most wicked crime against democracy in the history of the US.

 

Despite what happened on Jan. 6th, 2021, democracy endured but left Americans more divided than ever...If the same stairs that harbor the chaotic hatred and chaos that day, are the stairs of faith, strength, and hope for the future is remains to be seen, or in other words, it remains in the hand of the people, who are the ultimate defenders and protectors of democracy.

 

Nevertheless, as a society, we should never miss the sight of who was behind that political violence. When a leader of a country sees political violence as "good people... You will never take back our country with weakness...You have to show strength, and you have to be strong..." Then, the same leadership argue with them and direct them to march to Capitol Hill, causing six deaths and more than 140 people injured-Jan. 6th, 2021, will be Donald Trump and GOP legacy-he started the presidency he stole from Hilary Clinton with the help of foreign adversaries, lead with chaos, and ended his presidency chaotically and un-ceremonially, contrary to the well-established democratic process of peaceful transfer of power.

 

 

What is political violence looks like in America?

 

A political leader who cannot protect and defend its government and all its people is vicious... The leadership that is capable of positive change but neglect or refuses to adhere to proper and necessary change is not only participating and enabling unfavorable political behaviors but weak-those who minimize the Jan. 6th, 2021, events are increasingly accepting political violence.

Where people's lives are in danger or insecure, either because of viciousness and or weakness of a leader/leadership that is shirking leadership discipline-thus, lawlessness, corruption, and political violence denies people freedoms, justice, and liberties; and it destroys the principles of democratic government.

 

Leadership that does not shirk political discipline is based on inspiration, not domination, on cooperation, not intimidation. 

 

For GOP to engage in politics of domination and intimidation since Barack Obama's presidency, to date is not only visible but questionable. 

 

Being a leader is more than just wanting to lead.

 

Political leaders, in particular, must possess empathy for others and a keen interest and ability to find the best in people, not do the worse to people.

 

During Donald Trump tenure in office, his words and actions or inactions were full of trash talk for a leader but also accompanied by political violence-incited violence in the streets, " they are fine people...We love You... You are very special people...We will be back in some form...", Donald Trump pleased the insurrectionists of Capitol Hill.

But also, there was his divisive and discriminatory policies on Immigration, Muslim ban, derogatory language against African and poor countries, coursing with the US adversaries, withdrew the US from the WHO during the worse pandemic in the recent memories; or deny science by withdrawing the US from the Climate Change Paris Accord at a time that climate-related crisis is raging across the globe, as well as abandoning the US leadership in the world stage which flared the rising simulations/mimic of undemocratic practices by leaders of his caliber in other parts of the world...

 

If a leader cannot control his words and actions, he cannot find a proper way to manage and inspire, he also loses all the wisdom, integrity, and virtual that comes with the leadership status.

 

Having severely lack leadership discipline, Donald Trump during his time in office his administration suffered the worse staff turnovers in the history of the White House-worse political leaders are those who think they know much or more than the people who work for them.

 

On the other hand, the best political leaders are those who know that their people know more than they know and are still able to admit it, value them, their work, and their contribution.

 

Political leaders become great not because of their power, but of their ability to empower others positively.

 

The fact that there is a chunk of Republicans, and most of them being politicians continue to back Trump's "Big Lie", and worse of all pride him as a party leader highlights the unprecedented political tragedy on the horizon.

 

Shirking discipline in the political leadership that has been demonstrated by the Republican politicians and their party leadership is an attempt to abort the principles of democracy, conspiring to stand by and pledge their loyalty and support to a corrupt leader to undermine and destroy American democracy, to assume absolute power, and paving the way to a dictatorship government.

 

They (GOP) reject honesty by hiding the truth, telling lies, and speaking dishonestly; they ignore the respect of the oath of their offices by engaging in divisive, discriminative, and hateful arguments/policies/state laws; refusing to acknowledge and threaten others in their camp and opponents, by aggressive character assassination, rejecting them an endorsement, and even reprimand when they tell the truth or refrain from their unconstitutional behaviors.

 

In Feb. 2021 Congresswoman Liz Chaney, from Wyoming, and third-ranking member of House Republican leadership was censured and stripped of her leadership role for speaking the truth and fulfilling her constitutional role, abiding by the rule of law, and upholding the principles of democracy, and for not backing the Republicans "Big Lies" about who planned and attacked Capitol Hill on Jan 6th, 2021. Liz Cheney was also one of the 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump for the unprecedented second time. All the 10 Republicans were rebuked in one way or the other by their party -campaigned against them, called out to resign their positions/asked not to run again under their party ticket, and worse verbal mistreatments, simply for exercising their constitutional rights...if that is not shirking leadership discipline and political violence, what is it? For the Republican party, loyalty supersedes the fulfillment and respect for the constitution or the rule of law.

 

Time and again, we have witnessed GOP compromising their leadership integrity and shirking political discipline for failing to even tell themselves the truth, instead, they play party politics and political violence-"Nothing makes one a fool as lying to yourself."

 

Those who shirk political discipline their conduct so far reveal that their characters lied to themselves, their overall conduct also reveals that they not only betray the oath of their offices but also, is betrayal of American Values. American people, and American democracy.  

 

Political incivility in today's politics has hit the crisis level-incivility behaviors continue to rise in America from online and social media and in recent years into the political arena where it has turned into political violence...into partisan politics...into Conservatives Vs Liberals or Left Vs Right; and or into White Vs Black, as such tensions in the society are at the highest level. Incivility behaviors are felt everywhere in the political arena, in the streets /communities, and in schools and in our homes-as people, as a society, are failing ourselves…

 

According to a Pew Research Center survey, 70% of Americans today believed that incivility in society/politics has reached crisis proportion, and this is exacerbated in the leadership crisis by leaders who shirk discipline.

 

On social media, it is not surprising to see the growing number of incivility discourse/culture, but at the political level to emulate such incivility culture in policy discussion that can turn to personal attach and threat in the House and social media is unprecedented- Trump has been permanently banned from Facebook and Twitter for using the platforms to spread lies. misinformation, disinformation, misleading and fake news...others too have recently been banned from Twitter…

 

In May 2021, Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green posted a harassing video against Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez...Marjorie Taylor Green also became aggressively confrontational about debating AOC on false allegations that she supports terrorists causing concern for safety among members of Congress...

 

Those who cannot discipline themselves, cannot discipline others...Likewise, freedom without discipline is chaos...

 

Indiscipline leadership and the novel coronavirus pandemic

 

The novel coronavirus pandemic that has been terrorizing every human being on the planet has also become both a tool of political discourse and political violence caused by lack of political leaders' discipline in some states...Vaccines have been turned into a political football and weaponized, fueling anger and aggression, but also anti-vaccines people making the covid spread threat unattainable allowing the virus to continue mutating and attacking with raging speed...

 

Political violence due to coronavirus pandemic in some red states not much by others, but the states leaderships leading with defiance to the vaccines causing antagonistic behaviors between the people in their states is disheartening and a leadership discipline shirking of its kind-has led parents getting violent over schools closures, aggressively attacking one another and school principals, or challenging schools systems regardless of schools rule and laws they must abide by, to ensure and maintain a healthy and safe environment in schools. Thus, neglecting what is in the best interests of a child and her/his health and safety over defiance against mask-wearing in schools, or whether schools should be closed when coronavirus infection is spiking, or whether vaccines are available for students and who gets and doesn't want to get it ...

 

Be that as it may, it’s as if all of a sudden everyone has their own sets of rights that supersede the rights of others and or jeopardize the health and safety of others-thus, the rules, laws, procedures that have guided public safety for as long as we can remember no longer works for some, or are being abused in the name of pandemic-can this go on like that and expect law and order, peace and unity, in the society and communities we live?

 

"The party of law and order has always been the greatest threat to law and order", lip-service/words that don't match their actions.

 

The recent trend in the political arena indicates that "politicians who are more antagonistic get more media attention and are more often elected than more agreeable politicians", hence, aggression behaviors today in politics is shaping the political outcomes, only for the worse since aggressive people/behaviors are associated with lack of discipline/emotional regulation and empathy. What does this imply? Are we now opting for aggressive leadership instead of decent, regulated leadership? Is shirking leadership discipline a new normal in the political arena?

 

Psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman in Scientific America narrates, "In the general population, antagonistic people are more likely to distrust politics in general, to believe in conspiracy theories, and to support the secessionist movement."... January 6th, 2021, attack on Capitol Hill is a result and a proof of conspiracy theories organized, initiated, and carried out by aggressive political leaders who spread and still spreading 'Big Lie' about the free and fair election that awarded Joseph R. Biden presidency...because Donald Trump and GOP  lost the election, they cannot accept it and therefore their aggressive attitude and uncontrollable behaviors rage them to attach democracy at its core-Capitol Hill attach...  

 

Various experiments conducted from 2014, found that "exposure to mildly violent political metaphors such as 'fighting for future' increase general support for political violence among people with aggression personalities"-as people, as adults, we need to be conscious, vigilant, and custodians of peace in our communities by first being mindful about whom we elect to lead us, and second, to avoid instigation syndrome and attitude when we disagree with one another or with our leaders... it is easy to be a follower than a leader, but it’s called upon us to be leaders, not followers...

 

Our dissatisfactions with our democratic governments and free-market reforms if genuine should, therefore, start from the bottom-up, by ‘We The People’, not up-bottom by the ‘political elites’ -thus, when it is a faction group of  ‘wealthy people, class of elites/leaders’ organizing and luring the ‘bottom working-class’ to conspire and commit to political violence against their government, it is not for the benefits of the bottom-working-class, but been used as a scapegoat for a power grab, manipulation, and corruption-instead take an active role in participating and engaging into the business affairs of your government and that of the world, in general, to be aware of not only what is going on but also of the truth to avoid falling into the 'wide and entangled web of lies, misinformation, disinformation, misleading, and or falsehoods and fake news that dominate the world of politics today.

 

A good number of current political leaders have ceased to act as professional political scientists perhaps because some of them buy their way to politics and they know nothing about political science or politics, hence, engaged in political games of aggression and violations of political norms, rule of law, and insult the constitution.

 

Ineffective Congress, all Three Branches of Government, or Isn't it?

Effective leadership not only called for political discipline but also is putting people and country first while effectively managing the required discipline of running and carrying out the functions of the government.

 

How Congress with its  supreme role performs its legislative duties has raised questions, increasingly becoming a subject of debate in schools/colleges, and has been receiving low rate public approval for over a decade-and-a-half now-thus, public/people are dissatisfied with the way Congress legislate nowadays-many founding principles have been ignored/neglected and Congress is increasingly becoming too partisan that they now cannot legislate people's agendas before parties' agendas-the infighting within the Houses has gotten worse and go above and beyond politics and nothing much get achieved-rhetoric have become the power and the tool of insult and language of manipulation-people been fed empty words day in, day out-as such, the infight in both Houses (Congress and Senate) has led to many  failures in agreement on popular common-sense bills to strengthen our democracy, like the Freedom to Vote Act: The John Lewis Voting Right Advancement Act... leaving both Houses looking like they are less interested in defending the constitution and democracy as they are for party loyalty and politics that has become a new normal in today's politics...Both Houses are engaged in neglecting even abusing the constitutional duties of carryout people's business which supersedes parties' loyalty and policy goals...

 

Now, we see all the three branches of government increasingly unable to agree on one another, work together on peoples agendas instead, they are receding into each branch overreaching its constitutional duties-working independently while ignoring checks and balances-weather is the Executive branch unilaterally issuing and scrapping away executive orders; or Legislative branch neglecting its supreme power of legislating by giving more power to the States Governors; and or the Supreme Court becoming more and more political than legal-so much so that, it’s fair to conclude that, the events that are happening within or inside the three branches of the government (aggressive behaviors of party politics, supporting faction groups, giving States rights to violate people's rights and freedoms (Texas Roe V. Wade overturn), all culminating to disturbing dysfunction in all three branches of government, and leading to the imminent threat to the rule of law, and the beginning of the destruction of the democratic institutions (Red states currently massively engaged in passing laws that suppress voting rights).

 

In a nutshell

Political dysfunction, polarization, violence, turmoil, shirking discipline, or whatever you wish to call it has reached a new height and the enemy is within, and in all three branches of the government necessitated and reflected by their failure/neglect to abide by the principles of the nation’s democracy to the tone of the Founding Fathers and the Constitution. 

 

"Political leadership discipline is a bridge between effective leadership, goals attainment, and achievements...nothing of importance is achieved without discipline".

  

 

 

 

 

Biden's First Year of Presidency: He Must Not

Bow Down to The Status Quo!

A year full of domestic tensions and international challenges has not ended for Joe Biden since he kick-started his journey as the 46th president of the United States.

While he managed to start working on some of his campaign promises, his agenda was nearly halted due to Congressional Democrats, who at times declined to work with him in one form or another. Whether it is the lingering negotiations of the infrastructure bill or halting the social spending legislation altogether in the Senate, Biden is having difficulties with party members which nobody would have foreseen. Also, Senate has lately used unconstitutional rules repeatedly such as filibustering to block and deny policies and laws that are supported by most Americans, such as For The People Act.

However, as he marks one year of his presidency, he needs to stick to his campaign principles by not compromising with senators who are willing to accept money from the opposition donors to spearhead their interests instead of supporting the domestic agendas that support and empower their people.

We have seen bad leaders and good leaders come and go, but what we have not mastered yet is electing and keeping good leaders while refusing to repeat the old and nasty politics that have no value to society.

Leaders must have some acceptable qualities, qualifications, and discipline to lead others successfully. Leaders need strong moral character and integrity to direct and lead others while safeguarding their own behaviors and values.

 

People's President: Core Characteristics of True Leaders

"One of the most important aspects of good governance and government rests on the quality of its leadership. True leadership is found in a man of character and principle."

Principle-centered leaders are people-centered leaders. They build a shared vision that focuses on improving, increasing, and unleashing human potential by empowering people in their communities, ensuring social justice, and participation in decision-making.

That is what a country's president is all about; a president for all people who focuses on people, not on the next elections. It has become a custom for many politicians today to be more concerned about the next election and how to stay in power, instead of focusing on people's development and future generations. Joseph R. Biden Jr (JRB Jr.) is a leader who focuses on people and their future and that of the country, making him a likable and acceptable president internally and externally compared to his predecessor.

Immediately following his election victory, Joe Biden started his presidency with a call for unity, "To all those who did not support us, let me say this: Hear me out as we move forward. Take a measure of me and my heart. Yet hear me clearly. Disagreement must not lead to disunity. And I pledge this to you. I will be a President for all Americans."

Joe Biden took office at a time when the division in America was at its peak, raising threats on democracy domestically and around the world, highlighted by the spread of lies, a war against truth, a raging coronavirus pandemic, racial tensions, systemic racial inequality, a climate crisis, and distrust of the America role in the world stage was at a high.

With all these crises going on in an out-of-control fashion, Joe Biden promised to restore unity and bring back who we are as Americans. "The essence of what our country stands for in America is an idea, the most unique idea in history. We are created, all of us, equal. It's who we are, and we cannot walk away from that principle." (Biden, on his first address to a joint session of Congress, January 20, 2021).

Joe Biden is uniquely qualified for the role of the president. He brought to Washington 36 years in the Senate, and eight years as vice president for the 44th president, Barack Obama.

Experience, knowledge, and political professionalism matter in politics and leadership.

Undoubtedly, in his political career records, he has seen both possibilities and inabilities to solve challenges presidents and the country face from time to time. These may include historic reforms to healthcare, immigration, gun control, the economy, criminal justice, racial justice, and foreign policy.

However, with the experience he has, he brings with the leadership a shared vision, prioritizing plans for the future of the country and the people, focusing on the purpose of his presidency as a leader of his country and the world.

When Joe Biden entered the presidency, the country was and is still facing the political, economic, and social-cultural crises of the century. The worsening COVID-19 pandemic of which over 400,000 Americans have died from the virus by the time became a president, and the COVID cases were spiking at an alarming rate, the country was desperate and scrambling to find vaccines or drugs that could help to slow down the raging Covid infections. Next, the crippled economy was aggravated by the widespread coronavirus internally and externally which caused a mandatory shutdown of countries' economies, and lockdowns of people around the world resulting in an economic crisis not seen since the Great Depression-businesses and schools’ closures, hospitals flooded with sick people, and skyrocketing unemployment. All these factors left the country in disarray and suffering from divisive politics and racial tensions, and the future seems gloomy and unstable with nothing promising insight.

But as always, America has a way of redeeming herself to its best values. The election of Joe Biden was a conscious decision to get up and rise again, choosing to hope over fear, truth over lies, light over darkness, and above all, love over hate!

Joe Biden knew keeping America safe, guarding the collapsing economy, and the divided country would need an appeal to unity first and foremost and stability to reclaim the American values. This appeared to be an overwhelming undertaking given the mood of the country after four years of leadership in chaos, fake news, conspiracy theories, and ‘Big Lie’ about the 2020 election. These elements led to the attack on Capitol Hill on January 6th and tested the strength of the American democracy, the widening racial division gap, and the discrimination that was catalyzed and encouraged by the unconventional President Donald Trump.

To understand the character of a man, of a leader who loves his country, look no further than the 46th president. Joe Biden brings high moral values and dedication to the cause of America and vision for America, which is the foundation of the leadership character. His success thus far includes restoration of some stability and some degree of decency and hope for a better future for America.

Joe Biden was hesitant to run again for president after losing his son Beau Biden, 46 years old, to brain cancer, and perhaps he wouldn't have run until he saw the chaos, danger, and damage that Donald Trump was committing to causing to the country and its people.

Joe Biden argued "Looking at the environment, it is hard for someone who's spent his life in public service to say, 'I don't think I can play any role in fixing this.'"

Joe Biden is a political professional with leadership qualities that enable him to make plans for the American people, inspire them, and motivate them to seek the future with unity, not division and manipulation. He has been responding to crises with a sound conviction of what is right instead of who is right even when it looks impossible and chaotic, he pressed on to what is right, such as ending the 20 years’ war in Afghanistan.  True leadership recognizes and influences human potential, not tampering with it or exploiting it.

Looking back at what Donald Trump brought to the presidency and GOP leadership, one cannot avoid the obvious differences on what makes a leader a country's leader and vice versa.

Donald Trump was not and should have had no business of running the government in the first place. There is a profound difference between being a manager and a leader (Covey, 1991). He was and is gravely delinquent on politics and on leadership qualities.

Thus, when we choose incompetent political leaders, morally bankrupted, preoccupied with promises and not purposes, power manipulators who focus on keeping themselves in power and maintaining power and securing the next election, and have no vision for the people and the country, we, the people, will suffer the consequences!

Today, Congress is full of incompetent politicians who afforded themselves a seat in Congress simply because they could. Big-money influence has brought unprofessional politicians into the political world and made the political Houses dysfunctional.

Look at the public approval rate of Congress in recent years. Polls show that the public continues to hold a negative view of Congress.

According to Pew Research Center, today both Republicans and Democrats have given Congress poor ratings of about 6 in 10 (62%), of which 38% have unfavorable opinions. Congress is at an all-time high gridlock, unable to agree on the people's agendas; as a result, Congress cannot function and deliver for the people.

Dissatisfaction with the overall role of Congress for not utilizing its supreme role has led to the other two branches overpowering Congress and affecting the ability to perform checks and balances as envisioned by the Founding Fathers.

But make no mistake, people, both Republicans, and Democrats may be dissatisfied and disappointed with the way Congress and the Senate function today but are still happy that Democrats won the recent presidential election. They have given Joe Biden a victory and their trust and confidence to lead America, especially during the political, economic, and social-cultural crisis of our lifetime. With that honor, Joe Biden knows that honorable character brings true leadership, and he takes leadership as a sacred privilege vested in him by the people and not a right or party politics that focuses mainly on the next election to stay in power and manipulate power.

The leadership Joe Biden brought to the presidency after unpresidential Donald Trump cannot be ignored or undermined. During his acceptance speech after winning the presidency, he set the tone of his presidency and leadership to the American people by speaking to the minds of all Americans, and to be seen and heard as he has seen and heard the anguish created by his predecessors. The country needed some decency, and Joe Biden brought it, and more…We just need to focus on what makes America, the America we love internally and externally.

He said, "I pledge to be a president, who seeks not to divide, but to unify, who doesn't see red and blue states, but the United States, and who will work with all my heart to win the confidence of the whole people." He is a trustworthy leader, and so is his pledge to be a president of all Americans.

This is a measure of a county’s president when he knows that everything is in his hands for better or for worse and that it is his personal attitude and approach that will create the climate, that it is his daily mood that will make the weather.

For all that, Joe Biden rose to the occasion when the time called for it. He made the commitment to run because leadership is also about commitment to yourself, your people, and your country. "…To stop this of who we are," he said.

On April 25, 2019, the day he announced his candidacy for the presidency, he said, "I believe history will look back on four years of this president and all he embraces as an aberrant moment in time. But if we give Donald Trump eight years in the White House, he will forever and fundamentally alter the character of this nation, who we are, and I cannot stand by and watch that happen. The core of this nation, our standing in the world, our very democracy, everything that has made America, America, is at stake." (Times, Bringing America Back Together). That is a commitment of leadership that recognizes what is at stake domestically and internationally.

That is what signifies the quality of a leader, a people's president, giving back to the country by words and deeds! That is patriotism for your country, as opposed to MAGA and America First, that eroded the American political norms, values, and put the democracy and government on the brink of collapse.

“Donald Trump is the only president who has decided not to represent the entire country. We need a president who will work for all Americans,” Biden said, standing in front of a sign that read Biden Works for America. “The only thing that can tear America apart is America itself.” So, way forward is not to repeat the mistakes of the past, but to learn from the mistakes made…

If that wasn't the very first testament of Joe Biden as a people's president, the president of all Americans, on his Inaugural Address on January 20, 2021, he reminded Americans once again that, "This is America's day. This is democracy's day. A day of history and hope. Of renewal and resolve. Today, we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but of a cause, the cause of democracy," he said. He is for restoring our democratic values/norms, not engaging in eroding our democratic values.

And perhaps, we the people ought to listen more to understand, but also ask our leaders if they hear us when we speak to them. We need to remind ourselves often as to be reminded of what being a people's president entails, the call for unity as a prerequisite for building back America and building it better. "For without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness, and fury. Unity is the path forward," argued Joe Biden.

 

Democratic Government: Protecting People is the Only Motto

The simple understanding of what the purpose is of a democratic government is that it is elected by and accountable to its people.

The democratic government only exists to protect individual rights so that people in a democratic government can undertake their civic duties and responsibilities for a shared goal and for the common good, thereby strengthening their societies and all its people.

If democracy exists to serve people, it must encourage reforms rather than existing as a replacement of the prior extreme form of government. The third-world countries which are characterized by lesser or younger democratic governments tend to suffer the recycling of extreme forms of governments one after another because of lack of or poor involvement of its people in politics and the affairs of their governments; leaders who are undemocratic take advantage when people are not involved in the affairs of their governments.

But for the Western societies to fall under the same behavior of extreme forms of government in the 21st century undermines all the political strides and gains that it has afforded for the past century.

That can be addressed and avoided when people take part in the affairs of their governments.

Democracy must tackle the issues of distrusting leadership and governments by finding and electing better-trained politicians who are capable of being trustworthy leaders, instead of abandoning it and falling into tribe politics or extreme ideology that causes more harm than good to the society.

It's "we the people" that need to take the lead to direct our governments instead of leaving it to the political representative we elected. Some of them are not professional politicians, they become politicians for a wrong cause or for their own cause. As a result, they fail to deliver to the people. They are either become corrupt or incompetent. They manipulate the political systems and engage in infringement of people's rights, such as voting rights, to freedoms of speech, press, or media-harassment and abuse with fake news lies, misinformation, and disinformation, systemic racial injustices, etc.

Changes from undemocratic leaders never benefit the people, only for that small fraction of people in the faction groups.

There is no truth in having a leader who lacks wisdom, knowledge, moral values, and strength of character to be an effective leader of all people!

Democracy must produce trained future leaders and maintain more stable leadership that delivers to the people. If democracy fails to produce better results by curbing bureaucratic corruption and providing more effective checks and balances against undemocratic acts, corruption, and incompetence in the government, democracy fails.

Democracy must instead deliver to its people social justice, freedoms and ensure that there are sufficient and effective policies that address the people's concerns and interests. Today, Senate is ignoring the democratic rules and procedures and embarks on blocking policies and laws that protect people and their social liberties and freedoms.

The leaders are no longer talking the truth and telling the truth, they are getting more incompetent and less responsible. They are concerned with carving what is in their interests and that of their political donors who help them to stay in power while leaving the public high and dry struggling to make sense of their government. not power abusers. These leaders must make sure that governments are for the people, and leaders are answerable to the people. If the leaders of the democracy accomplish this, the possibility of people turning against their own government by forming faction groups and attempting to overthrow the government (just as what happened on January 6, 2021, Capitol Hill attack) will be a distant threat.

Plato, a Greek philosopher, and famous Western political philosophy founder talked a great deal about leadership in his famous work, The Republic, which details a wise society run by a philosopher, he asserted that political power and philosophy go together and are inseparable. Thus, "only philosophers are morally and intellectually suited to govern and lead morally because they are interested in and have a passion for truth and learning while showing no interest in the temptations of gaining power. intellectually because they can acquire knowledge on the ideal forms of virtue, beauty, and the good."

Virtue and good are crucial to Plato's view on leadership as an art of ruling, and it should also be the case in today's leadership, or it shouldn’t?

We must select wisely. We must choose quality over quantity, qualified over incompetent, and disciplined political leaders who do not shirk political discipline.

The Donald Trump and GOP transactional leadership style was not and are not a model for America nor for the 21st century.

Getting back to people-centered over leadership-centered democracy is crucial and inevitable.

If today you ask Donald Trump or John Magufuli and their supporters to define these leaders' traits of leadership as it relates to govern and lead, they won't be able to! If you cannot describe your leaders' style of leadership, it's because they don't have any, and it's problematic governing and leading styles that lead to negative changes in society instead of good changes.

Political leaders or presidents don't exist only for their parties, but for the whole people, for societal norms and standards of acceptable character behaviors and leadership skills.

In a Nutshell

The first duty of a leader is to its people. And the first duty of a society or government is its people!

We need democratic leadership that focuses on people, empowers people, and encourages people's participation with a vision of tomorrow.

Thus, the transformational leadership that focuses on effective and clear communication to engage and influence human potential, plans attainable goals, inspires by responding to challenges to find solutions to people's and society's problems with a unity that leads to the desired goals and for the common good of all involved.

Joe Biden is that leader! He possesses these leadership qualities and standards that qualify him as a country’s president, the president of all Americans. Thus, while moving forward into his second year of presidency, he must not compromise on the principles he promised so that his voters do not get disappointed in him.

“We should never trust leaders who do not possess and live by values and cultivate a high standard of moral values; the morals of leadership are paramount to a man's character.”