Evil: What Is It?
Regarding the resignation of Scott Pruitt as the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, here’s a quote from a particularly eloquent friend: And so ends the horrifying scourge of what might actually be the single most evil man alive today. May Pruitt’s days be spent in a small jail cell with a large cellmate who lost a family member to cancer caused by the coal ash that he allowed to be dumped into rivers by the tens of millions of tons.
Notice the word “evil.” We all think we know what it means, but think for a moment about how loosely we define the term and how little we actually know about it.
It wouldn’t be wrong to say that people who commit horrible crimes are evil: Ted Bundy, Al Capone, Jim Jones, Charles Manson. It would be even easier to so classify those who commit genocide, or other forms of mass murder: Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Milosevic, Pol Pot, Idi Amin.
Yet it’s hard to know where to place people who willingly accept power and money in exchange for condemning an entire planetary population to generations of suffering.
Judge for yourself, but personally, I think my friend has nailed it.
Craig,
Your friend’s hysterical and excessive attack on a political enemy, or in essence just any public figure with whom he disagrees, is not only pathetic but dangerous.
Public vilification, intolerance and manufactured outrage are all manifestations of a lynch mob mentality which is certain to result in a counter reaction, more hatred and divisiveness.
The result is inevitable. Is more blood shed, fanaticism and disorder really what you want ?
Didn’t the shooting of members of Congress at Alexandria, Va’s Eugene Simpson stadium, mean nothing to you ? The assassin, James Hodgkinson, was an unstable Democrat campaign worker inspired by inflammatory rhetoric, motivated by calls to violence from Democrat activists such as Democrat state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, calling for the President and his family to be assassinated.
When sowing the seeds of hatred, you reap a crop that poisons not only your enemies, but your soul also.(MLK jnr)
It’s also counter-productive. Clearly Scott Pruitt is not “evil” in the sense of Charlie Manson etc, so the only result of extravagant ranting is to create sympathy for a fairly unsympathetic figure, while damaging the credibility of his detractors.
Scott Pruitt served a useful purpose for fulfilling the President’s agenda. He wasn’t a political heavyweight with a long term personal following for a career in Federal politics, and departs office with little or no influence. He will not be missed.
That’s what the mainstream media and long time Washington elite have yet to work out.
This is a very different Presidency. President Trump is not a traditional President where appointments are made taken into consideration issues such as long standing political ambitions, party loyalties, succession consequences etc.
President Trump views these appointments, much in the same way as a powerful corporate executive chairman appoints consultants, directors, senior managements etc. The President sees such appointments as being valid for as long as they serve a purpose and replaceable with more suitable candidates as conditions change.
That’s the nature of ‘Populist’ Presidents.
Scott Pruitt served his purpose. He will be replaced by a quieter, more efficient, less colourful, and less controversial administrator. The main process of reform in the EPA has been accomplished and since most of opposition was focused was on Scott Pruitt personally, much of the controversy will disappear with his departure. Further opposition will be largely ignored by the general public.
As long as the President can keep his opposition permanently “outraged”, publishing half truths, distortions, lies etc, he wins. As long as he encourages infighting, fanaticism, yelling extravagant abuse, he wins.
Why ?
Simple ! When it comes to using such methods he’s so much more adept. His opponents make him look reasonable, and trustworthy by comparison !
His style is to cry “Wolf” ! Then step back and allow his opponents to scream “Bigger Wolf”
“Huge pack of Wolves”” Millions of Wolves” ! In all the disorder, when no wolves appear, the President looks like he was right all along and he is responsible for saving everyone from wolves.
Remember all the US intellectuals and leftists leaving the US if he was elected ?
It didn’t happen.
Remember how the world would shun the US and disaster would occur if he pulled out of Paris, TPP, etc.
It didn’t happen.
Remember how he would start Word War 3 over Syria, Korea etc ?
It didn’t happen.
Remember how the election of Trump would destroy the economy, cause massive unemployment, and civil war ?
It didn’t happen.
Remember the claims he won’t keep his promises?
It didn’t happen.
Remember how he would, resign, be impeached etc
It didn’t happen.
In fact, on the contrary, the President’s tax reforms, trade policies and economic measures are so far spectacularly successful ! Even his enemies can’t say he hasn’t kept his promises to the best of his ability. He hasn’t started any wars, in fact he’s ended the expansion of US direct military involvement.
The Stock Market didn’t collapse, while US employment especially among blacks, Hispanics and blue collar workers is higher than any time in 40 years.
The Courts have generally ruled in his favour, and his policies have been widely accepted.
He will win the battle to stop illegal migration, with public support for his policy growing as his opponents show themselves to be either hypocrites or extremists.
As for Mueller and his FBI cronies, that issue has not only lost momentum, but the public has lost interest and belief in it’s importance.
A hardcore “Never Trump” opposition remains, but as the scandals recede and the public move on to matters affecting their daily lives, wild claims by the left lack credibility. It’s not that Trump is such a great President, but he has a talent for bring out the worst in his opponents, making him more credible in comparison.
It now looks like a blue wave will not occur in November, which is not good for President Trump. The President thrives on opposition. He needs rabid opponents, fighting impeachment would ensure his re-election !
What he fears is a powerful and united Republican majority in both houses. At the moment he has 90% support among rank and file Republicans. Stronger republican representation will bring more dangerous criticism from republican moderates he can’t manipulate.
Trump doesn’t fear his enemies, he fears his “friends” ! That’s the problem all populists share, they have no loyal allies ! When popular support evaporates, they find themselves alone.
It’s time for the Democrats to take stock, start acknowledging mistakes, and rebuild credibility by reconnecting with the voters in a meaningful way.
It’s also time for all Americans to turn away from employing violent and extreme rhetoric.