I don’t understand the political world today. As a matter of fact, I don’t understand a lot, including what makes people tick.

I get the Donald Trump thing — on one hand he’s forward and aggressive, but what I don’t get is the name-calling and disrespect. Respect is something that should always win out in the home, at work and in politics. Things seem to be going in the opposite direction.

Maybe voters are fed up with “business as usual” and are looking for something different. I haven’t the foggiest, but despite that, I do know that being disrespectful isn’t right.

I was brought up to respect my fellow man. I was brought up to reach out and help those in need. I was brought up to respect those smarter than I am regarding something about which I have little knowledge, hoping to learn from them.

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Here’s how I see the political climate of today: One party runs against another party, not to govern and to do what’s right for citizens, but to beat the brains out of someone with the opposite view and to also get back at the other party or person. Being vindictive is pretty much the norm.

Who would ever want to be president of the United States? It has to be the hardest and most thankless job in the world. The amount of scrutiny an administration faces after being placed under a microscope is crazy.

When a Republican holds the office of the presidency, the Democrats jump all over him to rip apart every single motion and issue he champions. Facebook is loaded with Republican naysayers regarding President Obama.

Who’s counting the days until Obama is out of office? Who refutes the president’s accomplishments? Who denounces his plans to do something he believes is right for the country?

There’s no longer respect for those who occupy the Oval Office and that’s a real shame. I believe one has to uphold the presidency to the highest level; after all, he’s the leader of our country.

On the Democratic side, it’s been civil between the top contenders, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton — at least until the last debate when the two sparred with each other. I didn’t see Clinton or Sanders making faces while the other spoke, a la Trump.

The late night talk show hosts are having a field day during this election season. They have enough sound bytes and video to last to the next election.

The last respectful president I recall is Josiah Bartlett and he wasn’t even a real president, but a fictional character played by Martin Sheen on “The West Wing.” Sheen was a perfect on-screen president. He was polite, conscientious, diplomatic and sympathetic, not to mention, spiritual. Will we ever find those qualities in a future president?

It will be interesting now that we’ve turned the corner heading into this election year. More often than not, things shake out pretty clearly after the first few caucuses and primary elections as to who the front runners will be.

The main thing to keep in mind — get out and vote. Running the country and keeping a finger on the nuclear button is not to be taken for granted. If you don’t vote, then you have nothing to complain about if the country is not run the way you would like.

Let’s hope the name-calling and awkward faces take a back seat to the issues.

Quote of the week

“Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr., American author.

Thought of the week

“I’m not concerned with you liking or disliking me. All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.” – Jackie Robinson, American professional baseball player.

Bumper sticker

“Fairness is what justice really is.” – Potter Stewart, U.S. Supreme Court Justice.

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My Corner, Your Corner

Tony Callaio

Tony Callaio’s column My Corner, Your Corner runs weekly in the Sunday Dispatch. He can be reached at tonyc150@verizon.net.