Is Trump’s base getting exactly what it deserves?
by Tom Toles
They say you get the leaders you deserve. Who says that? I had to look it up. It was Joseph de Maistre (1753–1821), a Savoyard lawyer, diplomat, writer and philosopher. You can look up Savoyard yourself. He actually said, “Every nation gets the government it deserves.” Close enough.
Regardless of editor-mandated factual precision, members of President Trump’s unquestioning, unflinching voter base seem to have gotten themselves the leader they deserve. He has exacerbated income inequality, threatened and eroded their health-care coverage, and now is working feverishly to ruin the climate in their states in particular.
It appears that his voters are willing, if not eager, to accept any punishment, including tax cuts bestowed elsewhere and the deficits that result, cuts to programs that they disproportionately rely on, and ruinous weather events for themselves until the end of time. As long as Trump presents these outrages as a thumb-in-the-eye to somebody else. This is incoherent thinking by his base on an epically foolhardy scale, and as such, they may have in fact found the leader they deserve.
The problem is the rest of us. The majority of Americans want economic fairness, reliable and affordable health care, honesty and competence in government, and a climate that doesn’t turn on us in lashing fury repeatedly and forever. Is Trump the leader the majority of Americans deserve?
If we don’t take care of political business in 2020, one might need to conclude yes.
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