We Get the Politics We've Earned

Let me ask you something, and I ask this with all sincerity: Why are we all still asking each other and ourselves, “how can Donald Trump’s crazy campaign be so successful?”

All of the objections, naively phrased as questions in our national discourse, are equally ridiculous:

“But he’s so belligerent! How can he keep getting away with that?”

“But he’s so politically incorrect! How can people keep tolerating that?”

“But he’s so vague every time anybody tries to get his stance on so many vital issues! How come more people aren’t calling him on that?”

To the many people on both sides of the political spectrum who keep asking these questions, I have to ask one of my own: Why in the world does any of this surprise you?

We live in a nation that increasingly tolerates and sometimes even admires belligerence – as long as that belligerence isn’t directed at us, of course. Oh, you disagree? When was the last time you took a drive on the highway or through the city and didn’t see someone honk at or give the finger to someone over some traffic infraction, real or imagined? More to the point, when was the last time you participated in or even just read a disagreement online that didn’t rapidly devolve into insults and name-calling? Heck, people can’t even get on the IMDb and disagree about a movie’s cinematic value without calling each other an idiot. The issue is compounded ten-fold every time an online discussion deals with politics. Is it any wonder that a political campaign that finally represents this disgusting aspect of American culture is doing so well? Every time Trump decides to deflect a question on the issues by insulting his opponents and calling them names, he’s not in any way being a singularly infantile individual – he’s representing how millions of Americans routinely view as acceptable political debate.

Let’s be honest, when Trump thwarts sincere attempts to discuss the details of a legitimate issue, or the pros and cons of a certain viewpoint, he’s just doing what countless other Americans do. Ever try to engage in intellectual discourse with someone with an opposing viewpoint? How long does it take before you hear some variation of the phrase “just like a damn liberal!” (or the opposite equivalent)? If it’s longer than five minutes, I’m impressed, if it’s longer than ten, I’m shocked.

And speaking of things that can be shocking, the amount of pure, undisguised, unapologetic hypocrisy in today’s national politics is staggeringly astounding. The number of instances of such political hypocrisy daily making headlines is far too high to enumerate, but let me provide one example: the current dilemma of replacing Justice Scalia. Look at how many prominent Republicans are ignoring congressional responsibility, constitutional law, and historical precedent all in the name of declaring that the current U.S. President shouldn’t be allowed to replace Scalia. No, for some reason no one has yet been able or willing to explain, this president should be forced to forfeit his clearly defined role in replacing a Supreme Court justice. That privilege should go to the next guy. You know, to make sure the procedure reflects the will of the American people.

Let’s be clear and honest about this issue: Not a single argument has ever been presented to demonstrate exactly why President Obama, now twice-elected, somehow represents the will of the people less than whoever the next president may be. The very Republicans who claim to cherish both the American Constitution and the American people gleefully and unapologetically defy both of the above, for one clear reason, and one reason only: The current President is a Democrat, and will thus most likely appoint a liberal to the position. The next President – well, he just might be a Republican, and wouldn’t that be just fine and dandy! Everybody knows that this, and not any sort of respect for the rule of law or the will of the people, is the one and only reason for the GOP’s stance on Scalia’s replacement. And here’s where the hypocrisy comes in: Can you imagine the reactions of these very same Republicans if the left tried to pull this stunt with a Republican president? Do we honestly think that if the situation was reversed, these congressmen would say, “wait until the next guy, makes sense to me!”

We all know better.

And lest you think I’ve strayed from my point, I haven’t. Yes, we were talking about Donald Trump. Trump flip-flops on an issue, and people squeal and shriek, and point fingers, and say, “look what he’s doing, he’s just saying whatever he thinks is politically convenient, without an ounce of consistency or sincerity!”

Well, duh. That’s what modern-day American politics is, my friend. Donald Trump is in no way unique in any of these seeming idiosyncrasies. He’s just the most blatant example.

God help us all.