Archive: Opinions

Americans love popularity contests. From an early age, we encourage our children to be the fastest, strongest, smartest, prettiest, wittiest, most talented, and most popular. Athletic contests, beauty pageants and other competitive events are designed to separate the overachievers from the mediocre. As my dad used to say about his 5 year old grandson, "He comes to play."

As our children age, this Darwinian unnatural selection continues. High school students hold elections in which graduating seniors vote for their peers in such categories as class athlete, class brain, class radical, class conservative, class legs, class smile and most popular.

When we reach adulthood, the game takes on higher stakes. We seek employment with the right firm, admission into the right social club, and advancement in other realms of civil society. Even Politics fall prey to these illogical procedures.

But Politics and popularity have never been close friends. Following an election, the winning candidate might enjoy a period of popularity, but soon that fades as they are forced to make decisions; they must take a side on an issue and then vote. Some votes will be favorable while others will not.

Governor Andrew Cuomo serves as a good example. He enjoyed a very high popularity rating immediately after the election. Like most politician coming off an uncontested second term election, the Governor basked in his 72% approval rating. That high rating fell rapidly after he announced in his State of the State Address, he would draft legislation banning assault weapons, improving women's reproductive rights, strengthening rights for gays and lesbians, and support other initiatives that grant unrepresented groups an equal voice in society.

Today, Governor Cuomo's approval rating stands at 59% down considerably from early January but still well above the New York State Legislatures' approval rating which sits at 29%. It seems that the majority of New Yorkers approve of the Governor's ambitious agenda. On the contrary, our elected representatives in Albany remain in a most unfavorable light, but still ahead of their colleagues in the US House and Senate. Congress' approval ratings continue to reach new lows falling to a dismal 16% approval, down from 18% in December 2012.

Everyone likes to be liked. However, our elected officials are put into office so they can make the wisest choice in governing. Each vote they cast takes on deeper meaning, yea or nay. One side wins. The other side loses. Public likeability will change with each law they enact.

If we look at the Presidential Polls, we discover that many Presidents had wide swings in approval ratings while in office. Abraham Lincoln's decisions were so unpopular that half the states ceded from the Union. Harry Truman began his presidency with a 91% approval rating only to see it diminish to 22% by the end of his last year in office.

But time seems to gently work through the fickle emotions of the electorate and judges our politicians on their accomplishments and not on their likeability. Today, Americans rank Abraham Lincoln as the most popular president followed by Franklin Roosevelt and George Washington. Harry Truman comes in at number 7. Not bad for a man who left office with a very low approval rating.

President Obama enjoys a 60% approval rating as he begins his final term in office. Like all elected officials, time will judge the character of the person, we the people, put in office. And if his approval rating does fall, he has nothing to worry about. As Rick said to Ilsa in Casablanca, "We'll always have Paris." President Obama, "You'll always have the 47%." And that is to the point.

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