This is how figureheads work- they get the blame or the credit for things that have nothing to do with them. Obama got crap for a war he didn’t start and then Trump got crap for the same war and then Biden got crap for how he closed it out. When we go to war the president gets blame or credit. When we do well or do poorly in war the president gets that too- but of course presidents don’t declare wars and rarely fight wars. Presidents don’t allocate military spending and rarely have anything to do with tactics- they may be presented operations to authorize or choose between several options or such. But that’s how it works.
Because people are dumb. I can’t blame the news for people being dumb. We all know this stuff. Ask almost anyone and they are aware that the president has very little to do with drug crises or crime rates or tax rates or economic performance. Their most profound impact is from the psychological impressions people hold of them. If you decide a president is weak then that will create instability and problems. If there are problems people are more likely to see a president as weak.
So despite people knowing full well that politics and massive inertia like economics and social trends and such move slowly- that conditions being seen any given year are likely in part or majority effects of decisions made years or decades ago or by branches or offices largely or wholly removed from the presidents direct or sometimes indirect influence- people still play the game. Politics as a sports event. “Teams vs. Teams.” Wanting to see their “team win” regardless.
Right or left, some legislation can pass or fail which has no direct impact on 90-99% of peoples abilities to live and conduct their lives, or has little tangible impact or impact of insurmountability and people cry the sky is falling. Taxes people actually pay can be lower, unemployment can be lower, inflation can be in check, but because the military has to allow people to wear propeller hats or landlords can refuse to rent to people who only wear clothes made of fresh wet dog shits, people will call it the end of society and act accordingly and then there are problems. In fact- simply because the president is from the “wrong team” and MIGHT pass or fail such legislation- they’ll call it the end.
it isn’t a news flash- probably ALL or almost all politicians are one or more of these things- hypocrites, corrupt, thieves, killers, cowards, sex offenders, racists, etc. yet- every time the “wrong team” has someone get caught in some instance of nepotism or crookedness, betraying their principles etc- those on the “other team” will flaunt it around to “discredit” the “other team.” And of course when “our team” gets caught it’s deny and excuse and deflect
So I mean- can I blame the news? So I blame McDonald’s for selling fatty food or the grocery stores for selling candy that causes cavities or diabetes? People die from alcohol each day in droves in so many ways- is that the fault of the alcohol maker? The seller? I mean- there may be liability and predatory practices but who is putting it in their bodies? We know that politicians are corrupt and we know that regardless of politics and agenda they are all largely the same. We are idiots. We have the information and we shut out what we don’t want to hear and the rest we run with. We know better but we act like idiots anyway. The news doesn’t make idiots, idiots create news. Stop being an idiot. Stop buying in the way this meme buys in. “Da NooZe SaId onE ting a den SaiD aNudDer TinG deurrrrrr.” Well yes. And it’s easy to understand how and why. Be smarter than the screen in front of your face.
Add in Fox, MSNBC, NBC, and it gets even better
So despite people knowing full well that politics and massive inertia like economics and social trends and such move slowly- that conditions being seen any given year are likely in part or majority effects of decisions made years or decades ago or by branches or offices largely or wholly removed from the presidents direct or sometimes indirect influence- people still play the game. Politics as a sports event. “Teams vs. Teams.” Wanting to see their “team win” regardless.