Free-market capitalists trading their integrity for a bowl of economic porridge; hypocritical evangelists trading their integrity for an anti-abortion judge; anti-environmentalists trading their integrity for a bucket of coal; spineless Republican lawmakers trading their integrity for a cozy seat in Congress; die-hard know-nothings like the David Duke crowd, who have no integrity to trade:
These all share space in the crowded basket of deplorables that represent the Trump cult—fake patriots who fail to realize that the presidency is pre-eminently a place of moral decency.
“It’s not what Trump says,” they shout, “but what he does.” But Mr. Trump tweets! That’s largely what Mr. Trump does. And his voluminous tweets continually reveal his innermost thoughts, beliefs and judgments.
Mr. Trump, unwittingly, has become an artist painting an unflattering self-portrait of a childish narcissist, petulant name-caller and oftentimes complete fraud. That’s what he is—that’s his essence,
“Agere sequitur esse” (action follows being)—the age-old metaphysical axiom that means that a creature acts according to its nature. Thus it is with Donald Trump. One is quick to agree with Jonathan Chait, an American commentator, who recently wrote: “Trump repels virtue and is a magnet for sleaze . . . [he] has built an entire career knee-deep in ethical filth.” Strong words, but who can deny their truth?
ROBERT JEDRZEJEWSKI
Tarentum
