Queen Elizabeth has passed away. The news of the Queen's demise was announced in London in typical fashion: dignified and reserved. I'm in my seventies, but I cannot remember any British sovereign other than Elizabeth. During her long reign, there were all sorts of events, but her basic character always came through. She personified dignity.
I mention all this because it pains me to compare Elizabeth to the clowns that occupy the oval office in the White House. In the years I remember, the personal qualities of our presidents have gone downhill (if such a thing is possible.) Sure, the first president I remember was John Kennedy who apparently spent the majority of his time in office looking for new conquests in the bedroom. He was followed by Lyndon Johnson who in his own dignified way used to show displeasure with staff or other people by meeting with them while he was on the toilet in the bathroom. After a short term recovery of the dignity of the presidency from Nixon to Bush, we got Bill Clinton who used the Oval Office to bed interns, etc. George W. Bush put some dignity back into the office as did Obama. Then came Trump who seemed like the least dignified president ever. Of course, Joe Biden is even worse than Trump. He's blatantly dishonest, seems to lust after young girls and is just generally disgusting.
By the end of World War II, the USA had clearly become much more powerful than the UK. Will our leaders ever manage to pass the British monarchy when it comes to acting in an appropriate manner. It sure doen't seem like it.
