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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"Does anything matter any more? Are there really any rules?"
I think that's the unspoken attitude of a majority of America these days. Most probably don't know what "nihilism" means, but they sure know how to apply it to our present predicament.
They've seen Trump aides, campaign chairmen and surrogates thumb their noses at Congress by just basically telling them to go to hell with their "irrelevant" and "inappropriate" questions. And, there was no penalty; no consequence.
They know we now have a president whose personal "morality" involves 3 wives, 19 women who have credibly accused him of sexual assault, 1 (or 2, or---?) porn actresses with whom he has committed adultery and a civil suit, now dismissed, which alleged his rape of a 13 year old girl. And, the man is supposedly POTUS. No penalties. No consequences.
They have seen him mock and malign disabled people, war heroes, and Gold Star parents. They have heard him refer to klansmen and neo-nazis as "fine people". No penalties. No consequences.
Most of us, you see, thought that stuff was important; that there were some things that decent responsible people---especially those who sit in the Oval Office---just were not supposed to do. That may be a simplistic way of phrasing it, but I believe it's accurate.
As a nation, we are about to answer the questions posed in my title. Trump will either be impeached and convicted of his crimes and his minions appropriately punished---or not. If "not", the America I was born in, grew up in and assumed I would leave to my children and grandchildren will have died.
DetlefK
(16,423 posts)Sophia4
(3,515 posts)acquiescent throughout the debacle of the Trump presidency.
Maybe they just don't want to admit how wrong they were about him.
But this could be a turning point for that form of extreme religion in our country. It is very enthusiastic, judgmental and phony in my opinion. And its underlying superficiality and hypocrisy is showing with regard to Trump.
Not enough is being said about this in my opinion.
ProfessorGAC
(64,413 posts)Right here at DU, TODAY, i read a blurb from some pastor who said "We knew we weren't electing an altar boy."
It's beyond silence. They're actively condoning the behavior.
gratuitous
(82,849 posts)A friend posted a link to this article on Facebook:
http://thehill.com/homenews/media/377559-pro-trump-pastor-stormy-daniels-allegations-totally-irrelevant-to-evangelical
Pro-Trump pastor: Stormy Daniels allegations 'totally irrelevant' to evangelical support for Trump
However, whether this president violated that commandment or not is totally irrelevant to our support of him, he continued.
Jeffress said evangelicals knew they werent voting for an altar boy when they voted for Trump and maintained they supported Trump for his policies and strong leadership.
Jeffress does a terrific job of taking every last principle evangelicals claim to believe in as the eternal, immutable word of God and standing them on their heads. I'll bet if someone whispered "situational ethics" to him in mid-justification for Trump, he'd take a swing at that person.
dalton99a
(81,065 posts)Im his friend, he said. I will never walk away.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-pastor-porn-star-sex_us_5aa1f695e4b086698a9c1e72
StarryNite
(9,363 posts)It's just the way they are. They've always been that way. They're very forgiving and will willingly turn a blind eye if they think it's to their benefit. Otherwise they are judgmental and holier than thou.
Progressive dog
(6,861 posts)those enangelicals do. Trump and their "spiritual" leaders have much in common.
yuiyoshida
(41,759 posts)All Assholes anyway. Every Republican in office with few exceptions.
Blue_Adept
(6,384 posts)It'll turn back in the other direction, not without pain and suffering, but it will. It just takes the right kinds of people in positions of power.
whathehell
(28,968 posts)a normal "swing of the pendulum". There is nothing 'normal' here. That said, it needs to stop.
NRaleighLiberal
(59,940 posts)We work our butts off for accuracy, being sure to report everything, be absolutely honest...
and we see what is going on at the very top.
It boggles the mind....and has for over a year now.
poboy2
(2,078 posts)Glamrock
(11,781 posts)Dennis Donovan
(18,770 posts)Glamrock
(11,781 posts)wiggs
(7,788 posts)...cheating and getting away with it is winning
...stiffing a contractor for the fun of it and out-lawyering him is winning
...abusing a spouse is winning, the abused is the loser
...using the office of the president to enrich your family is winning
...cheating on your wife is winning
...lying your ass off to the FBI and getting pardoned is winning
...getting the last playground tweet off in a tweet storm with a deranged, dangerous foreign leader is winning
...engaging with a worldwide crime network of oligarchs to gain access to unlimited power and wealth is winning. 'Anyone' would take that meeting, right?
...making your cabinet bow to you in front of cameras is winning
Anytime he 'gets over' on someone in any way, he feels he is winning. A natural fit for a show about firing underlings. A natural fit for a slumlord.
Sophia4
(3,515 posts)yuiyoshida
(41,759 posts)I would K&R and tweet it.
Eliot Rosewater
(31,096 posts)they are directly responsible for the fucking hell we are in now.
I consider them traitors.
Initech
(99,909 posts)He is *THE* terrorist in charge. No elections anywhere are safe. It happened in Turkey, in the Philippines, the UK, he tried to meddle in France and Germany, and of course he gave us Trump. And now he's got Italy in his cross hairs. And he wins by stroking the egos and fears of the worst among us through the use of social media and targeted advertising.
Something has to be done about this mad man. I wish we could do to him what we did to Saddam. Until someone has the guts to stand up to him, things are going to get worse.
Yes, it matters. It all depends to what extent you're willing to defend and uphold what you believe in.
We still have dialogue, and that's good. But history has shown what happened when dialogue ended. Then you have to revise your definition of extent.
askyagerz
(776 posts)To make everyone else realize why there are rules. As long as we survive the next couple years Trumpism will be the best thing to happen for progress in a long time. We may be living in a much more progressive world in the near future thanks to people waking up and realizing how important voting is. America is getting ready to see karma at its finest and I think a lot of the country could benefit from witnessing the chaos.
I'm living for that.
askyagerz
(776 posts)To really appreciate the light.
Duppers
(28,094 posts)With a long-term enemy of the US. That used to be called treason.
Long live Mueller! Our hope for eradicating this diseased man and his administration from any control.
The RWers aren't going to change - they and their party are hopelessly tied to greed and the corruption that comes with it. They're brainwashed idiots.
mgardener
(1,799 posts)They just apply to Democrats.
Republicans can do whatever they want.
dalton99a
(81,065 posts)Taraman
(371 posts)Actions matter.
I actually feel sorry for Trump most of the time. He's a couple of years older than me, but doesn't look well at all. He may only have a couple of years left in his life. He's at a time when he should be making things right, but he's doubling down. It will cost him.
He seems like a very unhappy man. It will only get worse,
Duppers
(28,094 posts)Who knowingly is causing so much damage and pain to millions of people. He has cheated himself up every ladder he's "climbed." He and his enablers are destroying our democracy. He is indirectly responsible for the murdered Russian in the UK. Etc.
Sorry.
kentuck
(110,950 posts)If decency and integrity and honesty mean nothing, then that is what we will become.
ffr
(22,644 posts)That's all I'm going to say.
Martin Eden
(12,802 posts)Kablooie
(18,571 posts)we have to make sure no one forgets how he tried to destroy our country and how the Republicans supported and defended him all the way along.
The Trumplicans must be forced to wear the albatross of Donald Trump around their neck forever.
maxsolomon
(32,975 posts)He has zero Ethics. His "genius" is to realize that "unspoken rules" (show your tax returns, tell the truth) aren't rules at all.
All that matters is Power. The ethics of how you got it are irrelevant. The GOP knows this, Dems don't want to accept it.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)a : a viewpoint that traditional values and beliefs are unfounded and that existence is senseless and useless
Nihilism is a condition in which all ultimate values lose their value. Ronald H. Nash
b : a doctrine that denies any objective ground of truth and especially of moral truths
2 a : a doctrine or belief that conditions in the social organization are so bad as to make destruction desirable for its own sake independent of any constructive program or possibility
b capitalized : the program of a 19th century Russian party advocating revolutionary reform and using terrorism and assassination
See the Russian connection? I think that could be where we are headed if Trump isn't stopped. We have already lost our respect for the rule of law and the belief in traditional values and beliefs. It's not much of a stretch to think that we couldn't be headed toward a dictatorial nightmare if Trump isn't removed soon.
Atticus
(15,124 posts)PufPuf23
(8,687 posts)All else has been the result of that day.
POTUS Obama was a flicker of light.
There always has been a dark side to the USA alas but the Republic could be on its last stand now.