In our hyper-partisan political environment, there was no more visceral symbol of how far we have to go to restore civility than Democratic members of Congress sitting on their hands during the recent State of the Union speech when President Trump made a 13-year-old pediatric brain cancer patient an honorary Secret Service agent.
It is bad enough that the Democrats showed at best indifference, at worst contempt, for both President Trump and the institutional integrity of the American government by refusing to stand and show a minimum of respect when the President entered the House of Representatives chamber.
No rising to their feet. No brief nod of acknowledgment. Just a sea of stiff postures and blank stares. This display of disregard is more than a political statement, it is a symbol of the growing disrespect poisoning our democracy. I do not suggest they have to clap but at least show respect for the office of the Presidency.
But to sullenly ignore the survival of a 13-year-old American boy facing brain cancer? Was that just some chip to be played in a larger game? It was indecent and beneath the dignity of the legislators who sat on their hands. The members of Congress on both sides of the aisle should conduct themselves as role models for the American people, and particularly the younger generation.
I am aware of the manner in which President Trump’s take-no-prisoners style can seem to be running roughshod over traditional norms under which Washington has tried to run the country for time immemorial. But that style is a major reason he was elected a second time; despite all of the obstacles he faced.
Like him or not, he is the President of the United States. And that should count for something.
It is the job of the Democrats to figure out a way to challenge the President, who is governing the way he promised he would during his campaign, even if many people thought that was just rhetoric. Leadership should turn to Congressman Tom Suozzi and follow his strategy of attempting to reach resolution of issues rather than further exacerbating the schism that exists between the two sides of the aisle. This would not only be in the best interests of the party, but the nation as well.
Senator Charles Schumer, the Senate minority leader, has taken tons of flak from fellow Democrats for helping keep the government open despite his deep disagreement with provisions in the bill that came out of the House of Representative. Schumer was right.
He is a veteran of past Congresses where civility and cooperation across the aisle was routine. We have to find some way back to that time where agreement – even if it was grudging agreement for the good of the country – was the rule of the day.
Standing up when the president enters the room won’t solve partisanship overnight, but it would be a small, meaningful step toward restoring a sense of decency and respect in our political discourse. If lawmakers cannot muster the courtesy for a brief gesture of civility, how can we expect them to come together on the issues that truly matter?
Fensterman is the managing partner of the Abrams Fensterman law firm based in Lake Success.
