Republican politicians' desires at present appear, on the surface at least, to be incoherent in the way many children's are. On the one hand they would certainly abuse the President were he not pressing upon Iran's nuclear ambitions with sanctions and threats of worse to come. Yet then on the other hand they abuse him when those sanctions have their effect, removing Iranian petroleum from world markets and temporarily driving up global prices.
The President, most economists, and other adults seem to realize something that current Republican politicians and very young children do not - namely, that most benefits, including that Republican-defined benefit which is the curtailing of 'rogue' regimes' nuclear ambitions, come at some cost even if sometimes but temporary cost. The sooner that Republican politicians grow up to recognize this, one might hope, the sooner we might address our many national challenges - including longterm budget and tax code challenges - like adults.
But perhaps some of the politicians in question are not simply children. Perhaps they're just BS-ers. After all, not long ago they harrangued the President for being 'soft on terror.' That became impossible last May. Next they abused him for the underperformance of the economy they had destroyed. Now that those few modest measures the President's been able to pass over their obstructions begin to show some effect, they must disapprove of him for something else. What? Well, maybe the HHS mandate? Whoops, that's been taken care of. What next? Well, naturally, the consequences of the sanctons regime they themselves cry for. That way, he can't win. Now they've got 'im!
The problem, of course, is that if there's nothing the President can do to 'win' in their eyes, we've a pretty good indication that what is before their eyes doesn't matter. And yet they pronounce and pontificate anyway. We've a term for that in less highbrow circles. We call it 'bullsh[__].'
In more dignified circles we call it 'dishonesty,' 'indifference to truth.' And that is a grave character deficit.
The only alternative to this explanation of Republican politicians' behavior these days I can think of is more innocent but no less a matter of defect. Perhaps there is some bizarre 'faith' that these people maintain, to the effect that the President really is 'Satan' or some such, such that by him ye shall know his fruits, rather than by his fruits knowing him? That's a bit extreme as attributions of irrationality to Republican politicians go, but perhaps it is true of some of them. I really don't know.
Which ever the ultimate explanation, it's not looking good. The question would seem to be: Perverse Faith or Bad Faith?
Comments