I have for some time been concerned about the tenor of political debate in this country.

This might surprise you, but I believe former President George W. Bush got a bad rap, unfairly criticized as a dunderhead, and harpooned at every step by his political enemies, many of whom sat at keyboards.

Likewise, much of the controversy that is perpetually swirling around President Barack Obama strikes me as being over the line.

There has been something missing in these discussions, and it hasn’t been there for some time.

It’s respect for the office of the president. That’s why I was a bit taken aback by the firestorm that greeted the news that President Obama was planning to give a pep talk to the nation’s students to correspond with the start of school.

Too much of what was said was personal, purely partisan, attacking him and the office.

For that reason, I suppose I should not be surprised by what happened Wednesday night.

The president addressed both houses of Congress concerning his health care proposal. It is clearly one of the most pressing issues in the nation, and has managed to bitterly divide those who favor a government “public option” and those who want no part of it.

A series of town hall meetings across the nation has been pockmarked by a familiar vision, opponents of the plan yelling at those taking part, disrupting the proceedings in order to make their point.

Those who feel that way now have a new poster boy. Enter Rep. Joe Wilson, a Republican from South Carolina.

Forgetting perhaps that he was sitting in the Capitol and not in a town hall meeting, the representative could not hold back when the president was making a point.

“You lie,” he shouted out from his seat on the Republican side of the chamber.

Nice.

Am I surprised? No. Disappointed? Yes.

Wilson eventually apologized. I’m not sure why. That’s how we act these days. We used to expect more of our public debate, including members of Congress. I’m not so sure anymore.

Barack Obama is president of the United States. That should mean something to us. But it rarely did when opponents of George W. Bush felt compelled to make a point, so I suppose we should not be surprised by what happened last night. And what Rep. Wilson did.

There’s a time and a place for dissent. It’s part of the lofty experiment that forms the basis of our democracy. Last night was not the place for it.

We used to know that. We didn’t have to be reminded. Apparently that is no longer the case.

We routinely shout at congressmen; we dial talk radio and vent; we leave nasty voice-mails; we harange each other on Sound Off lines; we send harassing texts; we tweet with a vengeance.

Last night we watched a member of Congress dishonor the president, the office, and the hallowed chambers of Congress.

Why am I not surprised?