Please stop saying "I love you"

In literature and philosophy fear and love are often referenced regarding a diametric approach to leadership. Obama may have chosen the more reassuring of the two, but either extreme is designed to elicit blind compliance.

"If they fear you, they will respect you. If they love you, they might respect you. But if they don't fear you, they'll never love you or respect you and they don't have to!" -Lao Tzu – Art of War

Since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved. Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince


When listening to Obama's speech to Democratic congressional leaders - it was long, jovial, and overtly friendly. I guess I'm not entirely comfortable with my branches of government being too chumy with each other. But Obama then ended his speech with those words of affection that plague and tantalize those who find them to be the paradigm of vulnerability and devotion: I love you.

Ew.

Look I'm not opposed to love. I think it's great- really. And I'm glad that our Prez is sensitive enough to be able to express his emotions. But what's demanded of the executive office, especially in a state of crisis, is not emotion, its practical action. I don't care what my President thinks of me, he can despise me if he likes- as long as his policies are correct. And I don't need sound policies, or crappy policies, buttressed by warm fuzzy feelings. If I want affection I have a dog, a family, and a myriad of stuffed animals. No politician's glow required.

Despite my own icky response to Obama, I like this guy- I voted for him, and unlike passed presidents, I don’t cringe in revulsion whenever I hear him speak, and yet I’m still put off by his declaration of affection. When Dubya reigned, he thought he was doing the Lord's work. His intentions, as far as he knew, were good- or at least that's what he said. I personally, (and I think sanity will back me up on this), see him as a delusional moral degenerate, without no appreciation of how his actions affected the world around him. Tell Americans around or under the poverty line, or taxi drivers and school teachers in Iraq and Afghanistan, or AIDS workers in Africa about your good intentions. Much of the world shakes with rage at the actions of George W. Bush, and his profession of good intentions and of moral certitude only add to the anger at the audacity of the dearth between his feelings and his actions. I cannot imagine the visceral reaction to Obama’s lusty offerings for those who did not favor the blue box on Election Day.

When George W. Bush spoke about his and America’s role in the world it was often in extreme diametric terms. Do-gooders and Evil-dooers, he was quick to remind us of the fear we should feel and the subsequent trust in him that was therefore required. Obama has swung the pendulum in the opposite direction. We are not evil, but all worthy of love and forgiveness. These extremes of fear and love are frightening at both ends, because they beckon a kind of blind compliance.

Obama’s rhetoric of love did not crop up suddenly when he assumed the role of President. He has been invoking his emotions throughout his career, and continued to do so on the presidential campaign trail. It was often friendly and reciprocated, and appropriate, even. Here was a group of supporters that volunteered long hours for no pay and at great cost to their own income. Or those who had stood in sometimes unbearable weather for hours to see him speak and add to the throng of nearly unprecedented support for an American politician. Emotions run high on the campaign trail, and Obama's declaration of affection was only countered by the devotion of his followers. The Change Zombies of the campaign trail, followers that tow the candidate's line with total certainly and no independent thought. These devotees were not unique to Obama, stalwart supporters exist in every campaign. But after the election Obama is no longer a candidate, he is an office. As President he cannot call on the select few to be his inyielding supporters- he needs to address all of us