There are kinds of behavior people expect from leaders in their communities. When these behaviors are not realized people drift away from or lose respect for these leaders. People expect religious leaders to be true to their faith, and be resistant to sin, especially sins of the flesh. When these religious leaders’ disappointments turn out to be sinful and weak, worshipers tend to leave the church.
Citizens also expect elected officials who serve in the legislatures of their countries to be individuals of substance, deserving of their respect. When these elected officials behave contrary to expectations, especially in the actual legislative assemblies, people tend to become disenchanted with politicians, and political systems and gradually refrain from participating in the political process.
Increasingly, in recent years, there have been stark evidence of despicable behavior in the Congress of the United States, and in the Jamaican Parliament.
There were times, not very long ago, when people elected to serve in the US Congress and the Jamaican parliament related to their political opponents with mutual respect, even as they aggressively debate policy issues related to the needs of voters who elected them.
Although election campaign trails would be characterized by politicians of opposing political parties demeaning each other, on being elected to the respective legislative assembly, a tone of civility prevailed.
Here in America, despite political preferences, there was some disappointment and alarm, when a member of the opposing party shouted out “You lie” to President Barack Obama while making his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in 2009. The bi-partisan outrage wasn’t only because some felt the disrespect was aimed at a black man, but also because such an outcry was unexpected in Congress, and definitely not during a State of the Union address.
That shocking display was the precursor to subsequent displays of despicable, shocking behavior among elected representatives in Congress. Legislators are now often demeaned, even threatened by members of opposing parties. It has become the norm for politicians to aggressively demean each other personally during election campaigns, and while serving in Congress, and policies to help voters be damned.
In Jamaica, as in other Caribbean nations, election campaigns are colorful affairs with politicians aggressively outdoing each other with demeaning accusations. National Hero and Leader of the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP), Sir Alexander Bustamante, was often demeaned as an illiterate buffoon who couldn’t even spell the word “bread.” His cousin, fellow National Hero and Leader of The People’s National Party (PNP), Norman Manley, was often demeaned by his opponents as a communist.
Later, another JLP leader Edward Seaga was demeaned as a “wicked man” who came from “foreign” in reference to his US birth. PNP leader, PJ Patterson was demeaned with fake homosexual implications, and yet another PNP leader, Portia Simpson Miller was demeaned because, not unlike Bustamante, she held no lofty academic qualifications.
But, despite the bitterness expressed in political campaigns, there usually was relative civility expressed between opposing parliamentary members in the Jamaican parliament, especially during the 1960s and early 70s.
Today, the Jamaican parliament, in many instances, has been downgraded to a marketplace where members exchange bitterness, and boldly demean others across the chamber. Speakers in parliament have their work cut for them trying to gain control as members shout to others to “Sit down and shut you mouth”; “Sit down you nuh have nuh sense.” More recently, a senior government minister and Rhode Scholar, demeaned the Leader of the Opposition referring to him as “Massa Golding” seemingly casting him similarly to white landowners that brutally ruled over slaves in Jamaica during a sordid chapter of that nation’s history.
As the behavior of elected officials in the US Congress and the Jamaican parliament deteriorate, so does the interest of voters. In 2020, despite a keenly contested presidential campaign, only 67 percent of eligible voters voted. Alarmingly, also in general elections held in 2020, just 38 percent of voters in Jamaica voted.
Voters are becoming increasingly apathetic as they witness despicable behavior among those they elected to represent them and enact policies to improve their way of life.
It’s very dangerous for governments to be elected without strong mandates from voters. But voters will stay away from voting for candidates who ignore policy issues, while behaving badly and demeaning each other, before and when elected.
In the US, the Ethics Commission in the US Congress needs to act more forcibly and swiftly to ensure legislators behave ethically. In Jamaica, the office of the Political Ombudsman, originally implemented to monitor the behavior between politicians, need to be reinstated with haste.
It sounds simplistic, but voters, like church congregations, support leaders who earn their respect.
