2016
Anger, Donald Trump, and Civility
February 10, 2016
Last evening Donald Trump’s supporters gave him a victory in the New Hampshire primary. This happened in spite of Trump’s being, as a recent Huff Post editor’s note says, a “serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, sexist, misogynist, birther, and bully.”
The characterization rings true. I also agree with pundits who attribute Trump’s victory to voters who are angry. It seems that anger trumps civility (pun intended), at least in this early political go-around.
It is clear that voters’ anger has been around for a while, or it wouldn’t be so defiant, and, as I see it, virulent. Virulent in the sense that a Trump vote poisons possibilities for civility in the halls of government.
Anger is an immediate emotion, dictating an immediate reaction. An angry person takes satisfaction in hearing and seeing the red-faced tirade of multi-millionaire Trump, who has some political status and fame, bragging about a beautiful wall he will build to keep immigrants out, or waterboarding he will reinstitute for ISIS prisoners. And, oh yes, he will put Putin in his place.
Such short-term response is particularly dangerous in a Presidential election, where long-term thinking is called for.
Anger is a here-and-now view. It’s rare when a provocation borne of anger leads to a positive reaction, as personal experience will tell you. The Tea Party Contingent in Congress is fraught with anger, an anger that resists any kinds of compromise. Their resistance, ironically, led to recent government shutdown that increased voters’ anger with politicians in general. The vicious circle of anger was enlarged.
Civility takes the long view. Civility calls for an attitude of compromise. It calls for people — citizens and legislators — to seek common ground in order to interact in common cause for the greater good, working here from scholar LeRoy Rouner’s definition.
Trump, though, wants to set the rules of the game. It is clear from his rhetoric that political actions will be on his terms, and he is as angry and short-sighted as his constituents.
Americans who want to hold on to the civility that underpins our government should vote Trump out so that he has no chance to appear on the ballot in November.
Ted Cruz offers little improvement over Trump as far as civility goes. Of the Rubio-Bush-Kasich trio of the also-running Republicans, Kasich seems to offer the most promise for the long view of civility.
The characterization rings true. I also agree with pundits who attribute Trump’s victory to voters who are angry. It seems that anger trumps civility (pun intended), at least in this early political go-around.
It is clear that voters’ anger has been around for a while, or it wouldn’t be so defiant, and, as I see it, virulent. Virulent in the sense that a Trump vote poisons possibilities for civility in the halls of government.
Anger is an immediate emotion, dictating an immediate reaction. An angry person takes satisfaction in hearing and seeing the red-faced tirade of multi-millionaire Trump, who has some political status and fame, bragging about a beautiful wall he will build to keep immigrants out, or waterboarding he will reinstitute for ISIS prisoners. And, oh yes, he will put Putin in his place.
Such short-term response is particularly dangerous in a Presidential election, where long-term thinking is called for.
Anger is a here-and-now view. It’s rare when a provocation borne of anger leads to a positive reaction, as personal experience will tell you. The Tea Party Contingent in Congress is fraught with anger, an anger that resists any kinds of compromise. Their resistance, ironically, led to recent government shutdown that increased voters’ anger with politicians in general. The vicious circle of anger was enlarged.
Civility takes the long view. Civility calls for an attitude of compromise. It calls for people — citizens and legislators — to seek common ground in order to interact in common cause for the greater good, working here from scholar LeRoy Rouner’s definition.
Trump, though, wants to set the rules of the game. It is clear from his rhetoric that political actions will be on his terms, and he is as angry and short-sighted as his constituents.
Americans who want to hold on to the civility that underpins our government should vote Trump out so that he has no chance to appear on the ballot in November.
Ted Cruz offers little improvement over Trump as far as civility goes. Of the Rubio-Bush-Kasich trio of the also-running Republicans, Kasich seems to offer the most promise for the long view of civility.