I Thought We Were Better Than That.

“As a nation, I thought we were better than that!”  This is an expression we most frequently hear today as a condemnation of President Trump or one of his policies intended to undo something done through executive order or regulation by the former President.  It is a most curious condemnation coming from those who supported the past administration, and its attempt to impart a new social order.

As I’ve previously said, I was not a fan of President Obama’s leadership, or his decision to forego the traditional approach of having the Congress create legislation -- choosing instead to implement his policies through regulatory change and executive order.  Simply put it struck me as "style before substance."  What we see today is the outrage of those who were too short-sighted to see the folly of government run by grand proclamation, having those proclamations burned in the town square.

But I am just a single voice in a nation of 350-million.  Using the numbers of the last election, I was just one of about 130-million[1] who cared enough to cast their vote for the next leader.  For me the choice was so onerous I cast a non-vote (rejecting both main parties).  This meant I had to be willing to accept the outcome between a narcissistic neophyte who beat 16 professionals in open primary, and a career politician with so much suspect criminality and political abuse in her history that it took a rigged primary to get her to the general election.

Now let’s talk about what we are or are not better than.

As Americans growing up in a post-world war world we have been fed a steady diet of what the rock group Queen so eloquently said.  “We are the Champions of the World.”  This, of course, builds a hubris that we know what is best for the rest of the world.  It is this mindset that so many social justice warriors and President Obama see as an evil quality that must be destroyed.  Although I can never know for sure, I believe it was the basis for many of the former President’s decisions on what to support and what to condemn.  It is also the belief President Trump is attempting to rekindle after the past 8-years of vilification.  Perhaps it is really at the core of the growing polarization in our politics as those on the left seek a grander world vision, and those on the right seek a more stable and prosperous nation-state.

Those who condemn the President for his stance on immigration ask us to be empathetic to the plight of those who are here in the United States through decisions made by their parents or family.  The hardline right has rejected that argument and would have us deport the 800,00(ish) residents back to their countries of origin.  The President, in his State of the Union address, offered a proposal to allow them to stay, if we can fix the problems with border security and immigration laws.  On first glance it appears the hardline left is prepared to reject that compromise and wage an all or nothing political fight that would essentially eliminate all the laws on immigration and border security.  In the 1990’s President Clinton condemned the problem of illegal immigration, in 2009 President Obama told us there was a real problem with illegal workers affecting jobs for citizens.  During his terms, President Obama’s administration deported over 2-million illegals a year.  So, what exactly were we better at then - that we are not now? Is it the fact the debate is now in the open, rather than behind the closed doors of the White House with a willing press providing top cover?

Those who condemn the President will frequently point out we are a “nation of immigrants” we have a statue with the words “Give me your tired, your poor…”[2] and so on.  They seem to forget we are also a nation of laws.  If we choose to ignore one law, why shouldn’t we ignore all laws? 

Twitter is an interesting medium for social exchange.  I find little of real value on the medium, but like panning for gold every so often a nugget appears.  I don’t recall who sent this out but I found it humorous and on point.

Me – We need to fix the immigration problem

Liberal – We are a nation of immigrants, the Native Americans didn’t stop the original settlers

Me – How did that work out for them?

For all who think we are better than that… Please, please – tell me what we are really better than?  Should we abandon the idea of national sovereignty when no one else in the world seems willing to?

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[1] On-line reporting varies widely on how many people actually turned out to vote.  Estimates range from 119-million to 135-million.

[2] Emma Lazarus