The new federal government administration has me going nuts. I know I am not alone in this view. There are certain talking points that trigger my anger more than others. Moral equivalency of incomparable actions is a common strategy at the present time. Comparing two dissimilar situations adds to the chaos and confusion.
Examples are the following:
Democrat: Trump is so corrupt. He doesn't ever pay taxes, fines, or debts.
Republican: Hunter Biden did the same thing.
Hunter Biden made grievous errors while he was addicted to drugs. But, he isn't/wasn't President of the United States.
Democrat: Elon Musk has access to our government in a way that no other private citizen has had in recent memory. Not only is this dangerous, it runs counter to all accepted rules.
Republican: Who cares? He's cleaning up the mess in the federal government. Someone has to do it. No one ever has.
I think almost anyone would agree that there is waste in the U.S. government. Waste has been discovered with regularity, by past administrations, and subsequent change has been difficult to accomplish. But allowing a foreign born citizen, with no experience in our democracy and who benefits from government contracts, to slash departments and fire professionals does not revitilize--but destroys--the federal bureaucracy. Don't think the internal revenue service but think food inspection and national parks or social security and medicare.
Democrat: Trump lies.
Republican: All politicians lie.
Trump's lies are spectacular, and he seems incapable of remorse. Not only does he lie, he lies about his lies. Other Presidents have deceived, but there were consequences for the most part. Nixon eventually resigned. Reagan's dishonesty was revealed in the Iran Contra hearings. Clinton was impeached. Presidents equivocate, rephrase, or avoid answers which is different from consistent fabrication. I do not condone telling half truths to the public. The strongest example of Trump's falsehoods is that the election of 2020 was rigged and unfair. Not only does Trump persist with this untruth, but educated Republicans agree with him; consequently, so does half the country.
Democrat: Trump does not filter his thoughts. He's an embarrassment. He is unfit to be President.
Republican: What's a little exageration. He doesn't mean what he says. That's just his way. It's funny.
The most current example is the recommendation Trump proposed this week for Gaza. Appalling as the suggestion was, I was not a bit surprised. The insane comments fell in line with his callous way of thinking--including dollar signs that must dance in his brain--and his son-in-law's dealings in other nations. The idea of forcing all Gazans from their land and building a Riveria of the Middle East is so outrageous that it could be part of a tasteless standup comedian's routine. However, we are talking about the President of the United States. In fact, this is a cogent example of how Trump views people--little stick figures to be manipulated for his own monetary gain.
So is there a crisis in morality in our country? Are Americans increasingly unable to discern fact from fiction, good from evil? I often think so, given the lack of common courtesy and disrespect I have observed in daily life. Yet, there are millions of decent people. Or do MAGA followers and Republicans ignore the indecent comments and unlawful behavior because they secretely desire American life to remain in the hands of white men? In other words, does Trump's bravado conceal the wish to go back to the past?
© Karen Levi 2025
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