Why should politicians be politically correct?

While I am one to usually rail against political correctness (primarily because it’s destroying the left/progressives/liberals, and has traditionally been associated with what the left opposed), I think what you are describing is not a case of political correctness.

I may be wrong, but didn’t Carson state, “I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation.” This is a position that he has offered to the public, and should expect to have to answer to this. Now, he may have a more nuanced response if we step away from the news sound bites, but from what he said, it sounds as though he would exclude a candidate for president from consideration because of his/her religion.

While I disagree with Christians and Muslims on many things – including their grasp on reality, I have voted for many Christians, and would easily vote for a Muslim. The criteria I would use for doing so would be the positions on issues that were important to me – the policies that s/he proposed.

Saying that the person’s religion is the deciding factor is bizarre, considering that this guy is a Christian. But this also tells us much about who Carson is, and where his priorities are.

It’s not poitically incorrect to say what Carson said – it’s just shitty, and probably a good reason not to vote for him.

Also, don’t get me wrong – honesty is a virtue. But when a candidate’s honesty reveals inane ideas, we can’t ignore them because they were uttered out of honesty. Sincerity is valued specifically because it lets us know what a candidate believes. It’s easier to dismiss a candidate once they’ve said something that excludes themselves from being taken seriously.

Yeah, I wish more liberals would stop being politically correct and start calling american conservatives what they really are: Neonazis.

I’m all for people, especially politicians, expressing themselves in as blunt and honest ways as possible. It makes my job so much easier as a voter and as a person looking to find people to get along with.

@ragingloli Not for us to be name calling, darling….. best they just express themselves how they see fit so they can identify themselves.

IMO since Trump is not a career politician I think he should be given a pass for not being PC. Whether you agree with them or not, it is indeed refreshing to hear candidates break out of the PC handcuffs and say what they are really thinking.

Political correctness is one thing and racism/bigotry is something else but I do agree with you, @josie that they should tell us what they really think so we know who they are. That doesn’t mean abhorrent views should be met with silence however.

How much of that they say is ‘honest’ and how much is pandering to the right wing nuts?

I honestly doubt that Ben Carson is anti-muslim. He’s too intelligent for that. But he says these things so that he won’t be out-Trumped.

But the thing is – politicians, by nature, lie. You could ask them what time it was, and they would lie. So why anyone takes politicians (both parties) seriously, is beyond me.

I agree with the penguin. I don’t care whether people are politically correct, but I do expect them to be respectful.

Often a call for respect is labelled political correctness, and this usually to score political points against those making that call. The term “politically correct” is essentially a dog whistle term that conservatives use to defend the marginalization of specific groups of people.

I fully agree that Trump should rattle on without hindrance. His “refreshing” candor is a joy to his fans and all who take pleasure at the squirming discomfort and ridicule he inflicts on his party. I think it’s wrong to categorize trump as conservative, and certainly no one makes the mistake of believing him a tow the line Republican. The man is a virtual wrecking ball swinging back and forth out of control through the building of Republican party order and regimen. It is my greatest hope that he manages to wrangle the nomination, because he appears virtually uncontrollable. In fact the unlikely spectacle of Trump facing Sanders in November of next year would amount to the greatest disruption of entrenched political corruption in the history of the country.

It isn’t “being politically incorrect” that is a problem, it is a matter of not treating people with respect.

Ben Carson stated a preference for a qualification that is flat out unconstitutional. Trump has made similar statements. That is, they disqualify broad swaths of the American populace because of their religion. That is why he is being criticized, not for being “politically incorrect”.

Why do Trump and Carson hate Muhammad Ali? And Ben Carson is just as Muslim as Obama, everybody knows that!

Blaming political correctness is the non-apology of, “I am sorry you got offended”.

It is total bullshit and blaming the victim. Just fess up. You are a asshole and lots of people are assholes too and will defend you.

The idea that you should be able to spout whatever shit you want without any repercussions is as retarded as that Corky kid that was on TV.

I think it’s a great and funny irony that the Republican Southern strategy has realized just what the old blue blood Yankee stalwarts predicted. You cynically design your politics to appeal to the lunatics, and they wind up taking over the asylum. Trump and Carson combined are shutting out the mainline candidates who are being relegated to watching in horror as the unwashed seize control of the election. All of that Koch money and the hundred million dollars behind Jeb Bush are apparently not going to degrade the momentum. If you don’t think the traditional movers and shakers are in a panic about Trump and Carson, take a look at the signs. Perry and now Walker have been ordered to jump, and there is an emergency rush among establishment powers to jettison everything and (everyone) in order to knock Trump and carson off the track toward the nomination. I think we’re going to see an extraordinary effort fairly soon to devote all that money and effort behind one of the 3 establishment candidates, Bush, Fiorina or Rubio, but it’s a tough job, because crass as he may be, there’s no one in the field to match Trump’s sheer dynamism. Their supporters DON’T CARE about Trump or Carson’s qualifications, and the 2 unbought (and therefore uncontrollable) candidates are racing way in front neck and neck toward the finish line. For my money, Carson will never make it. Trump is just tooooo rich.

In the minds of many, politicians are supposed to cater to every one of the voters in their district, even the ones that didn’t vote for them. And by “cater to”, I don’t mean to wait on them hand and foot, but merely to treat with respect.

More to the point, we expect our politicians to be professional enough to set aside their personal feelings and act for the greater good of society as a whole and to minimize the harm when the benefits of the many must come at the expense of a few.

When a politician speaks as Trump does, that may earn you points for honesty, but it also comes across as unprofessional. And amongst non-politicians, “political incorrectness” marks one as ignorant of the whole concept of how societies work. At best, it leads to serious questions on whether one is informed enough to deserve the power to vote. Ideally, votes are cast by informed voters who understand the issues well enough to determine which candidate would best serve them. In reality, we have a depressing number of uninformed voters who vote based on the same sort of sound bites that you get in advertising without ever doing any sort of critical thinking before casting their ballot.

While one can overlook a certain amount of “political incorrectness” amongst average people, it’s harder to overlook that flaw if you intend to be put in a position of power. While those tactics will solidify support amongst those who strongly agree with you, it will alienate just about everyone else, even those who do agree with you but think you’re just not fit to be in office due to your lack of professionalism.

In Trump’s case, it’s made a bit more egregious given the sheer size of the demographic he is offending. It’s not like he’s discriminating against left-handed lesbian eskimos, of which there are few enough to be ignored at the polls. No, he’s going after about one-sixth of the US population; a large enough voting bloc that no intelligent politician would risk offending unless they had strong support among the other 83%. Trump’s support is pretty weak outside of those who vote straight-ticket Republican on everything, so it’s basically political suicide. Yet the fact that he is the frontrunner tells you quite a bit about the base; the sort of things that will make swing-voters vote for his opponent right now without even knowing who the Democratic nominee will be. While one may debate the exact mix of stupidity and insanity involved in that political strategy, the simple truth is that the majority of people would rather have a more professional politician in office.

I guess it all boils down to whether you prefer your politicians to give you the finger outright and screw you blatantly or to at least respect your intelligence enough to try and be sneaky. Ideally, politicians wouldn’t screw us at all, but this isn’t an ideal world.

I don’t know @jerv. Remember, remember it was H L Mencken who said something like “no one ever lost money from underestimating the taste of the American public”

@johnpowell

I thought it was politically incorrect to say “retarded”

Yeah It’s sort of a bygone expression. I wonder if mental retardation, and the mechanical and electrical usages of the word came about merely as the opposite of advanced. I’m sure the the expression “retarded” became un PC once it became the popular form of derision. I still have no qualms about throwing the word around.

I don’t think the honest politicians need to be politically correct. Or any other people if you are prepared to stand up and take the blast! (from all the diametrically opposed) I don’t believe in politically correct. Let’s just be truthful and let the chips fall where they may. Our being so rabid about politically correct has taken a huge toll on this country.

The question is not why should they be but why are they?

Unfortunately I already know the answer and that is pandering. Offend the fewest people, receive the most votes.

@josie :: That was kinda my point. I wanted to be called out for being a horrible person.

It seems to me that only the rightwing talks about political correctness these days. To most of the others of us, it’s just normal common sense.

@josie @stanleybmanly It isn’t politically incorrect to say “retarded”; it is disrespectful and demeaning and downright rude to people with developmental disabilities. We as a society are more evolved than that.

It’s a bit of the Golden Rule: treat people the way you wish to be treated.

@zenvelo

I’m not the one who said it.

I am going to cast my vote for Gil Fulbright At least he is telling me he will bend me over and give it to me good and make sure I am fully aware of it. Won’t be able to accuse him of lying to me down the road.

@josie I tagged you because you called it “politically incorrect”.