If there’s anything both political parties are consistent in doing, it’s lowering the bar of conduct for their own. The current tendency to cling to “whataboutism” and disregard traditional standards has nearly destroyed reasonable discourse.
These attitudes have always existed, but in the Trump era, they have almost become the default setting.
The electorate is well aware that President Trump has a penchant for ridicule and name-calling. No matter what Republicans may think of his administration’s policies, they should question why he must stoop so low in addressing his opponents and sometimes even colleagues. This behavior is a habit he doesn’t seem interested in changing. After all, it is a large part of his brand and serves to ignite his base.
While Republicans have been dealing with the regular fallout from the president’s often-unfortunate personal behavior, Democrats have taken over the role of “censor.” When Trump’s words or actions are offensive and unbecoming of our commander in chief, they let us know. With sorrow, they speak of what could be and how we have fallen so far.
But whether they mean to apply these long-lost standards across the board is another story entirely.
Not long after being sworn in to the 116th Congress last Thursday, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., went on a now-viral celebratory tirade, recalling a conversation with her son where she said of the president, ” … we’re gonna go in and impeach the motherfucker.” Almost immediately, Tlaib’s outburst was chalked up as not being very problematic by the very individuals who clutch their pearls at each word uttered by the president.
Worst of all, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi went full-on hypocrite and concluded that because the freshman legislator wasn’t any worse than the president, most everything was okay.
Politics has truly become a race to the bottom.
Outrage at Trump’s behavior turns into nothing but a cheap spectacle if you don’t require that all players act the same. This need for equality applies to Democrats and Republicans alike. There is little good in acknowledging the defects in the president’s behavior if you fail to mention the very same in that of your allies. It only serves to remind onlookers that fraudulent piety is also a feature of this political age. The same goes for President Trump’s uncritical supporters who found Tlaib’s remarks extremely offensive. If they would only be as bothered by his own language, their disgust would carry an additional measure of weight.
Unfortunately, things won’t be improving any time soon. We’re currently at the beginning of two years of D.C. deadlock. In addition, another contentious presidential campaign season is right around the corner. Being insulting to score points and not caring if your own side does what you detest about others is the name of the game.
There is much to be said for Trump’s continued behavior. Republicans should never hesitate to mention the need for improvement. Even if an upgrade toward civility is never made, it’s important that members of the GOP make a concerted effort to address the ongoing situation.
As some on the Right cringe at the behavior of the ones closest to us, the Democrats seem eager to allow anything so long as it’s in the process of fighting their Trumpian foe. In the meantime, the Left will claim the mantle of respectability all while excusing the very things that sour discourse in the first place.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a senior contributor at RedState.com.
