I really wish that American journalists were not so polite with American politicians. No, let me rephrase that. I wish that journalists were not so formal with American politicians. We should all try, when possible, to be polite with everyone.

Really, most journalists are being two-faced. Off camera, most of them, with some notable exceptions, call many of those politicians, except for the president, by their first names. I am not blaming them, since I recognize that, in most cases, they are simply following policies. However, that does not make the situation any better.

The United States is not a monarchy. Politicians are public servants, not duchesses or dukes. When people wanted to make George Washington into a king and to address him as your majesty, he refused. Instead, he asked them to simply call him Mr. President. Well, the 21sˢᵗ-century equivalent of Mr. President is to simply address the president and all politicians by their first names.

Is that such a radical proposal? I do not think so. Bear in mind, however, that much of my disdain for this type of formality is related to being a libertarian, or an anti-authoritarian, communist. I absolutely despise authoritarianism. Politicians, perhaps more than most people, should be call by their first names. They need to always remember that they are public servants, not dictators.