Is it right or wrong to criticize a US President?

Question

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."

Also, what do you think about this quote? Do you know who said this?

Criticism of the President is not just a contemporary issue. However, today it has been explicitly implied that disagreeing with our President is unpatriotic.

I think the most interesting thing about this quote is the fact that an American President said it. It shows maturity and a true understanding of what the Presidency is and is not.

This quote does not just apply to Republican Presidents. It applies no matter who holds the office. This is not just a quote that supports Liberal agendas.

The quote was from a Republican President, Theodore Roosevelt.

Answer 1

It is patriotic to voice your dissent concerning presidential policies which you don't agree with. That is one of the most cherished freedoms we have in this nation.

The quote is excellent; I just don't know who said it. :-(

Answer 2

I believe that rational or constructive criticism of the Presidents ACTIONS are needed to provide the appropriate level of noise within the administration. If you get right down to it, criticizing anybody on a personal level is wrong; but of course we all do it.

Theodore Roosevelt
I think that, as all quotes, this one can easily be taken out of context. It is the duty of all American citizens to support their government and their fellow countrymen. Look at it from the standpoint of a business. You have a CEO who sets policy, goals, incentives and provides guidance. If you have a good CEO then this person looks towards others for information that can help him/her make decisions to do what is best for the company, not necessarily all of the employees. If, as we now have, there is a portion of the employees that do not like the direction the company is going and rather than vote with their 1 share of stock, choose to disrupt the operation of the company but spreading rumors, dissension and outright sabotage then, whether the CEO is a good one or a bad one, these employees are just making the problems within the company worse.

I guess what I am trying to say is that there is certainly a need for the citizens of this country to try and guide the president in his running of the country, however, destructive actions or acts only further damage ourselves as a whole.

Answer 3

There is no reason why you cannot criticize or question the decisions and policies of any elected leader in this country, including the President. However, there are effective forms of criticism and ineffective forms of criticism. Using effective criticism, like pointing out what President Bush could have done better in Iraq, can be used to correct and change policy and adds to the debate of the issues. This shows that you can actually think about and discuss the issues at hand. Ineffective criticism, like Bush is the same as Hitler, adds nothing to the discussion and shows your ignorance of the issues at hand. I have no problem with effective criticism, but find ineffective criticism irritating and offensive.

Answer 4

I criticize the President when I think he deserves it. I don't go out in the street and start a protest ,,I send him a letter or a phone call and tell him how I feel. Before I finish ,I tell him how much I appreciate what he has done.
Congress should criticize the president when they feel he needs it, but most of what I have seen is way past criticism, it borders ignorance.
Other countries can say what they want, but I don't have to listen to them and they should not be offended when I say it really doesn't matter what they say.

Answer 5

"Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country. In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else"
- Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States


“The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government — lest it come to dominate our lives and interests.” — Patrick Henry

Edward Abbey, Patriotism quotes:
A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.

Gaius Julius Caesar, Patriotism quotes:
Beware of the leader, who strikes the war drum in order to transfer the citizens into patriotic glow, patriotism is indeed a double-sided sword. It makes the blood so boldly, like it constricts the intellect. And if the striking of the war drum reached a fiebrige height and the blood is cooking and hating, and the intellect is dismissed, the leader doesn't need to reject the citizens rights. The citizens, cought by anxiety and blinded through patriotism, will subordinate all their rights to the leader and this even with happy courage. Why do I know that? I know it, because this is, what I did. And I am Gajus Julius Cäsar.

Dwight D. Eisenhower, Patriotism quotes:
Here in America we are descended in spirit from revolutionaries and rebels -- men and women who dare to dissent from accepted doctrine.

Sidney Hook, Patriotism quotes:
To silence criticism is to silence freedom.


Thomas Jefferson, Patriotism quotes:
God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions, it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty. ... And what country can preserve its liberties, if it's rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)

Answer 6

I think criticism helps to keep a president honest. I think the quote is a good one.

Right now in the states you have the situation of a very inept press, which is dangerous. The mass media should be responsible and ask the questions that need asking--explanations on why 911 happened and others.

If criticism is avoided, then politicans feel more free to be naughty.

Avoiding the questions and answers does no one any good.

Answer 7

The President is part of policy making.We also have have other information from his advisers members of congress and others.We have the right to criticize the President(1st amendment).He is a very visible target hence easy to target.But look beyond him.Look beyond him.Look beyond his advisers.There is a group of people whom we cannot see.They are like shadows on a wall.We can make out that they are people but we do not know who they are.I don't think that we live in a democracy but an oligarchy disguised as a democracy

Answer 8

There are 2 types of criticism 1)Ranting & Raving just to get it off your chest. 2)Constructive criticism.

The left would never put up with the 1st type if it was dirrected at them or the youth. At the same time they feel that they have the right/obligation to unload on the conservatives. The conservatives stop listening to them because they offer no alternatives.

Answer 9

Roosevelt said it and he's right. It's very easy to point the finger and whine about things.

Americans are lucky that they have the ability to criticize their President without being executed. That's not the case in some countries...

SUPPORT THE TROOPS!!!

Answer 10

It is not wrong to criticize anyone or anything. The issue is in what manner.

Lashing out with whatever insult pops into one's head, like so much around here, is hardly criticism. It is just an attack. Serves no valid purpose but to cause strife.

I'll let a Liberal tell you who said that. They like the quotes of dead people who are spinning in their graves at the idea of today's Liberals bearing any resemblance to them.

Answer 11

Disrespecting the president use to be a crime. Now any miss in formed can take a shot at him and get away with it .. whats really pathetic is they act like they really know what they are talking about .. most are spreading hogwash .. who knows !! may be the president is calling Johnnie no body for advice on world affairs.