Criticizing the President

It's been enjoyable to see the criticism lately of President Biden by people who voted for him. Criticism of his bombing in Syria, of his lukewarm support of a $15 minimum wage of his border policies, that he is too liberal, that he's not liberal enough. Not because I necessarily agree with the criticism, although I do agree with some of it, but because that what's supposed to happen. 

For the past four years we have been saddled with a President who equated even mild disagreement as disloyalty, or even treason. During President Obama's administration the seeds were sown by the Republicans presenting a united front in opposing everything that Obama did, but the Republicans reached new lows, not by supporting Trump's policies, which could be expected, but by elevating Trump to the status of demi-god. Trump, according to the new Republican orthodoxy, could do no wrong. Conservatism was redefined, not as a set of core principles: small government, low taxes, balanced budgets, reduced regulation, free trade, and a strong military, but an unquestioning fealty to Trump. 

So having a President who can take criticism without having a public meltdown is refreshing. It's also refreshing to hear regular people expecting the president to adhere to a set ideology, rather than warping the ideology to conform to whatever the president is tweeting that day.