The Era Of Political Shamelessness
Donald Trump has broken many parts of the American political system. His supporters revel in this destruction, lumping it all in with Trump's battle to "drain the swamp" or fight back against a supposed "Deep State." His opponents decry Trump's shattering of political norms and conventions and rules (both written and unwritten) as a direct and existential threat to American democracy. But whatever you think, one thing seems more and more obvious. A lot of Trump's bull-in-a-china-shop destruction will outlive his time on the national political stage. And one of the biggest of these might be called "the death of shame."
Trump is, quite obviously, shameless -- in the fullest sense of the word possible. He simply has no shame. What he learned from his mentor Roy Cohn was to never admit a mistake, never apologize for anything, and to counter any perceived attacks against him with the most vicious counterattacks imaginable. All of this adds up to never ever being ashamed of anything.
Of course, this may be an inherent characteristic of Trump's character (or lack thereof). He's been pretty shameless his entire life, starting long before he flirted with entering politics. So it's not like Cohn was some sort of Svengali in this regard -- instead, Cohn's rules of counterattacking just fit neatly into what Trump was already predisposed to be.
But the amazing thing to most people who pride themselves in any way on valuing human decency is that Trump has gotten away with so many things for so long. In other words, for him, shamelessness works.
Others have seen this, and are capitalizing on the new lack of rules when it comes to shame. Of course, there have always been shameless politicians before -- and an even bigger number who might not actually personally feel shame but at least give it lip service to save their own political skins -- but Trump has taken everything to a whole new level in this regard. Or at least, "new in modern American politics," as there have indeed been previous characters just as shameless as Trump who were quite successful in politics -- Huey Long immediately springs to mind, as does Boss Tweed (to say nothing of Andrew Jackson, whom Trump greatly admires). And they're certainly not the only ones, merely the most colorful.
The New York criminal trial of Donald Trump, an ex-president, is moving towards resolution (both sides have now rested their cases, leaving only closing arguments before the jury begins to deliberate). Even that bare-bones statement should have immediately disqualified Trump from becoming a major-party candidate for the presidency. When you add in phrases like "only the first of his criminal trials," and "involving hush-money payments to a porn star," it only becomes more disqualifying. And yet Trump is shamelessly cruising to the Republican Party's nomination.
During this trial, Trump has shamelessly attacked: the judge, the jury, the courtroom staff, the prosecutors, the witnesses, the president, reality itself, and the entire judicial system as a whole. He continually lies while doing so, insisting (without a shred of evidence) that he is the real victim here, of "the weaponization of the judicial system," or of having "lawfare" waged against him. He has been fined $10,000 so far for statements which have defied the gag order against him, but otherwise paid no real price for this unbelievably boorish behavior.
Meanwhile, a parade of Republican bootlickers has cycled through the cheering section in the courtroom reserved for the defense. Then they all appear in front of the media cameras outside the courthouse and dutifully echo all of Trump's attacks on the judicial system (since none of them are under gag orders). The shamelessness displayed by them all is breathtaking, at times.
This is all just the immediate trial-related shamelessness from the past few weeks, mind you. There's plenty of other shamelessness out there, all of which would previously have made any politician so electorally radioactive that the only course of action left for them would have been to resign in disgrace. Nowadays, however, Republicans are rewarded for it all and climb the heights of cable-news stardom.
In no particular order, these include:
Cheering on an insurrection attempt that besieged and invaded the U.S. Capitol -- then later rewriting the entire event into a fictional fantasy tale of "patriots" and "tourists," and dismissing any violence as somehow manufactured by either the "Deep State" or those opposing Donald Trump.
Insisting without any shred of proof that the 2020 election was somehow "stolen" or "rigged" or even just "questionable," when it was -- by all accounts from those actually conducting the election -- the safest and most secure election in American history.
Flirting with the autocratic dictator of Russia, who wants to rebuild the Soviet Union in his own image (as Ronald Reagan angrily rolls over in his grave). This includes introducing Russian propaganda into congressional debate as if it were a normal or sane thing to do.
Offering support (or lame excuses) for White supremacists and other racists, whether in coded language or quite overtly.
Rudeness in general (and in congressional hearings and on the floors of Congress in specific) being rewarded by both the media and by Republican donors (remember when we were all shocked when President Barack Obama was heckled during a State Of The Union speech? Ah... nostalgia).
Ignoring laws which you don't like. Just blatantly violating them and then defiantly daring anyone to do anything about it.
Ignoring facts which you don't like. Just repeating Big Lie after Big Lie in an effort to somehow change reality by insisting that up is down and the sun rises in the west. Or that hurricanes obey Donald Trump's whims, because he said something stupid and wrong.
Believing anything that Trump says as gospel truth, even when it is easily provably wrong.
Sexual misconduct and bribery and shameless quid pro quo bargains becoming just more things to politically spin without the slightest iota of shame.
Attacking the media as being enemies of America, for the sin of reporting actual truth.
Celebrating political violence -- when it benefits your side (political violence from your opponents, meanwhile, should be dealt with in the harshest ways imaginable, preferably using the military to do so).
Using language such as "poisoning the blood of our country" and "unified Reich" (which almost literally fulfills the joke made by Molly Ivins about Pat Buchanan's speech to the 1992 Republican National Convention, that it "probably sounded better in the original German").
Other Republicans refusing to denounce such language by using the weaselly excuse: "Oh, I haven't read/seen/heard that... sorry, I can't comment on it."
These are all -- or should be, at least -- shameful things. Deeply shameful. So shameful they should be disqualifiers for anyone to hold any office in American government.
And that's not even a comprehensive list -- it's just what I came up with off the top of my head in about five minutes.
Donald Trump's final exit from the American political scene, no matter when it happens or how, is not going to end this era of shamelessness, that's my guess at any rate. The genie is out of the bottle. The train has left the station. The cat is out of the bag. Choose your metaphor, they all add up to this having a deep impact on the entire American political scene for some time to come. What Trump proved is that if you are a colorful and charismatic enough character (to your intended audience of base voters), then you can succeed no matter how shameless your words or actions may be.
This is a very disturbing thing to admit, but the evidence for it grows by the day. Even Supreme Court justices now shamelessly flout accepted (and acceptable) rules of conduct. The shamelessness is spreading, not receding. When the fact that a criminal court case involving an ex-president paying hush money to a porn star is considered somewhat ho-hum, it's the only possible conclusion that can be drawn. We truly have entered into the Era of Political Shamelessness, and it certainly doesn't seem like it's going to end any time soon.
-- Chris Weigant
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
And yet Trump is shamelessly cruising to the Republican Party's nomination.
That's not all he's cruising to. Ahem. Mostly because, sadly, much of the American electorate thinks and acts just like he does. So, his popularity despite all the shamelessness, isn't really all that surprising.
To be fair, I see the same thing happening here in my country, too. :(
Of course, if we want to talk about the era of political shamelessness, it's kind of hard not to talk geopolitics.
I can't imagine Trump making that particular subject any more shameless than it already is. ;)
Some people think that the US has been a house of cards for a very, very long time.
Perhaps, Trump is a mere symptom of what's wrong with the US government and the beltway establishment and not the cause.
The shamelessness is spreading, not receding. When the fact that a criminal court case involving an ex-president paying hush money to a porn star is considered somewhat ho-hum, it's the only possible conclusion that can be drawn.
The shamelessness is spreading in ways that this column may not even fathom.
As for this criminal court case, I'd call it non-serious.
[1]
Trump will win a dozen states max.
Elizabeth Miller
5
As for this criminal court case, I'd call it non-serious.
If you seriously believe it's "non-serious" to commit crimes and then commit further crimes to cover up the original crimes/fraud and then be brought to trial in a court of law to be held accountable for said criminal activity, then you've just highly likely inadvertently identified yourself as one of those North Americans you described in your comments above that "thinks and acts just like [Trump] does."
Crime is unacceptable no matter who claims otherwise, and a trial being held to hold someone/anyone accountable for their illegal activities isn't "non-serious," no matter how many shameless or clueless people utter that asinine allegation. :)
MtnCaddy
6
Trump will win a dozen states max.
What!?
I'm telling you now to adjust your number upward. Just keeping it real. :)
Heh.
Does the definition of shameless include committing war crimes in response to war crimes?
Kick
8
Okay, where is Trump going to get the votes to do better than that? The Repugs have gotten killed since 2018 — remember red wave in 2020? Since then we have eighty-some indictments, the first trial, Plan 2025, Trump losing it and Dobbs. So just where is Trump going to get the votes?
The MSM and polling would like you to believe that this will be a close race. But when your only complaint is that Biden is three years older than Trump what is there to vote for?
Elizabeth
10
Okay, we have you down as a Kremlin apologist. Are you also a “river to the sea” Hamas sympathizer as well?
If Israel wanted to commit war crimes it would have not invaded Gaza but rather bomber it to rubble without risking a single soldier. Israel is being held to a different standard than anyone else. The two state solution is dead and Hamas killed it.
MtnCaddy,
If Israel wanted to commit war crimes it would have not invaded Gaza but rather bomber it to rubble without risking a single soldier.
I don't know. If the goal is to make them suffer and to totally break their spirit, bombing them would kill them too quickly to achieve that goal. Starving them and keeping them without medical care, clean water, and electricity is much more effective.
The two state solution is dead and Hamas killed it.
Let’s be honest, Israel has never seriously considered a two state solution. If it wasn't already long dead before Hamas attack last year, it had been in a vegetative state for decades at best!
Did you see the video of trucks carrying aid supplies being blocked and then burned by Israeli young people last week? It brought the aid crossing into Gaza to a standstill. After watching those life-saving supplies getting destroyed by mobs of Israelis while their police just stood there and watched as the UN staff pleaded for help, the “Israel has the right to defend itself” argument just does not cut it anymore.
This morning, some of the documents were released from the documents case in Florida. Among them were the standard FBI instructions reminding agents on when lethal force is allowed when serving a warrant. Trump is now claiming that this is proof that Biden sent the FBI in to assassinate him and the GOP is pushing that theory too! They overlook the fact that everyone knew Trump would not be at MAL when the warrant was served, but why should that stop them.
Shameless? They are so far beyond shameless at this point!
The most interesting aspect of the entire "shameless" story is that were Trump able to wind the clock back to the run up to the 2016 election, he would never have needed to paid off any of his extra-marital partners, because he has now discovered that his infidelity and promiscuity appear not to have any negative consequences with his supporters, and indeed, are actually something for him to brag about!
Elizabeth Miller
10
Does the definition of shameless include committing war crimes in response to war crimes?
So you're saying you can't read!? Or you just need to have your nose rubbed in dang near everything in order to catch on? Or are you perchance under the delusion that it's you who decides what constitutes war crimes?
MtnCaddy
11
Okay, where is Trump going to get the votes to do better than that?
American citizens.
The Repugs have gotten killed since 2018 — remember red wave in 2020?
No... but I do remember Mitch McConnell's turtle pout when he lost control of the Senate; although, I believe you're asking about the "red wave" of 2022 that nobody remembers because it was a shit ton of right-wing propaganda BS.
Since then we have eighty-some indictments,
It was actually 5 indictments; people call it 4, but additional charges were added later in the Florida theft of documents case and necessitated a 5th indictment... but 91 charges across 4 cases and now reduced to 88 but could increase if charges are clarified in the Georgia RICO case. For those counting.
the first trial,
Manhattan, New York falsifying business records in the first degree, 34 charges
Plan 2025,
Project 2025
Trump losing it
Define "it"
and Dobbs.
I would wager Dobbs killed the "red wave" because stupid people underestimated the wrath of women scorned.
So just where is Trump going to get the votes?
Stupid people.
The MSM and polling would like you to believe that this will be a close race.
That is basically true of every recent election, but then they have been close.
But when your only complaint is that Biden is three years older than Trump what is there to vote for?
I don't know because I'm not stupid. I do know you can't fix stupid, but the red hats sure make it easy to identify. :)
ListenWhenYouHear
14
I know, right!? Did anyone need additional written proof regarding the GOP and Trump that they'd outright lie and make the utter asinine claim that the standard language contained in search warrants was the equivalent of an ordered hit by the FBI and Biden administration?
They cannot stop themselves from proving repeatedly:
* They never miss a chance to deflect and fundraise off the release of documents showing Trump's commission of crimes -- the fact additional stolen documents were located by his lawyer in Trump's bedroom even after the search warrant was served by the FBI.
* They know their cult is a bunch of stupid people.
* They don't mind one iota putting the lives of law enforcement in danger by lying to the gullible rubes.
* There is no bottom to Trump and the GOP.
Trump, of course, saw a way to deflect from the revelation that he'd committed more crimes while also asking the moron MAGA cult to send him money because isn't it always a "win-win" when Trump can whine (again and again and again) how he is a victim (again) so send him more money? I cannot fathom why the cult perceives this perpetual whining windbag as "strong." It defies even the easiest logic.
Seriously. Trump's campaign sent out a fundraising email with the subject line: "They were authorized to shoot me—I nearly escaped death." The body of the fundraiser read: "Joe Biden was locked & loaded ready to take me out & put my family in danger…. But here's the one thing they don't know: WE WILL NEVER SURRENDER!"
Dopey Donald sent out a fundraiser and informed the mindless cult he "nearly escaped death." Do you think the Orange Imbecile knows that nearly escaping death means he didn't escape death? Does anyone think any of the MAGA morons could connect the simple dots? *shakes head*
RE: stupid people
nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the voting public. but they do lose elections by underestimating the massive quantity of stupid people who somehow figure out how to vote.
JL
@russ,
this is demonstrably false, and needlessly lumps in the entirety of the Israeli political spectrum with their right wingiest right wing. at the moment most of the Israeli public has lost hope of it occurring in the near future, but for the most part it's what a majority of voting Israelis would like to have happen, if and when conditions permit.
JL
Joshua,
So, why then do successive governments in Israel keep doing everything possible to ensure that conditions will never permit a two-state solution?
@liz,
i'm not interested in discussing this with you.
JL
Oh, I'm sorry ... thanks for letting me know.