Matt McIrvin's Freaky Alternate Reality

And then there are people like Congressman, Senators, Judges and Justices, who really don't owe the president deference because they are in some respects his equal, or at least someone who should be immune to the president's command (though perhaps not his leadership). Of course, sometimes protocal calls for deference, and so does politeness, but those're mainly why you should defer to the DMV lady-- that and because she has something you need.