Mike Muskal, a wise former colleague of mine at Long Island Newsday, once joked that if one of our stories won the Pulitzer Prize, it was because “it damned well deserved it.” If not, he said with a sneaky smile, the reason must be “scummy politics.”
I laughed, of course. Cute joke, right?
Now I’m no longer laughing because Donald Trump has turned a cute joke into a democracy-killing con job. No evidence of widespread fraud was ever uncovered during the last election, despite 60 or so court cases brought by Trump supporters alleging it. But the majority of Republican candidates nationwide are repeating Donald Trump’s Big Lie that he was cheated out of the presidency. For them, lying is simply a means to an end, moral principles be damned. Now we can likely expect the same from any Trumpist legitimately defeated in the upcoming election. Sadly, the post-election environment will likely be apocalyptic, with both sides fighting out close votes in the courts.
Sadly, discomfort avoidance has largely been the go-to response for many Trump foes -- including those in his own party -- who are keeping their mouths shut because they don’t want to take on the shrieking banshees of the far right.
I think that all the time. I’m all for reforming capitalism but don’t want to see my stock portfolio go down one half of one percent. Are you a Piketty fan?
I am moderately so. At least, to the extent that I understand him. “We want capitalism and market forces to be the slave of democracy rather than the other way around.” That’s good. Confession: I didn’t get through his last volume. My excuse is that journalists tend to be too quickly drawn to another topic. We are trained to pick up something and then be done with it. And, you know... rabbit! And we’re off. But I’m grateful for his expositions on inequality.
Mike Muskal, a wise former colleague of mine at Long Island Newsday, once joked that if one of our stories won the Pulitzer Prize, it was because “it damned well deserved it.” If not, he said with a sneaky smile, the reason must be “scummy politics.”
I laughed, of course. Cute joke, right?
Now I’m no longer laughing because Donald Trump has turned a cute joke into a democracy-killing con job. No evidence of widespread fraud was ever uncovered during the last election, despite 60 or so court cases brought by Trump supporters alleging it. But the majority of Republican candidates nationwide are repeating Donald Trump’s Big Lie that he was cheated out of the presidency. For them, lying is simply a means to an end, moral principles be damned. Now we can likely expect the same from any Trumpist legitimately defeated in the upcoming election. Sadly, the post-election environment will likely be apocalyptic, with both sides fighting out close votes in the courts.
Sadly, discomfort avoidance has largely been the go-to response for many Trump foes -- including those in his own party -- who are keeping their mouths shut because they don’t want to take on the shrieking banshees of the far right.
Right on point, Reg. Thank you. (And thanks for reminding me why I didn’t win that Pulitzer in 1986 — scummy politics, I’m sure.)
This is very good, very true. Discomfort Avoidance is becoming the driving force of our lives.
Thanks, Robby. I just hate being a
prime example of it myself!
I think that all the time. I’m all for reforming capitalism but don’t want to see my stock portfolio go down one half of one percent. Are you a Piketty fan?
I am moderately so. At least, to the extent that I understand him. “We want capitalism and market forces to be the slave of democracy rather than the other way around.” That’s good. Confession: I didn’t get through his last volume. My excuse is that journalists tend to be too quickly drawn to another topic. We are trained to pick up something and then be done with it. And, you know... rabbit! And we’re off. But I’m grateful for his expositions on inequality.
Sadly, we can’t handle the truth anymore.