Double Standard? Nah. No Standards

The situation arose again at the end of June. Similar actions were taken by President Donald Trump and a Democrat. Yet, a Trump apologist praised the former and condemned the latter. In this case it was words, really just one word not suitable for family newspapers.

Frustrated by Israel and Iran breaking their ceasefire, the president opined that those countries “don’t what the [expletive deleted] they’re doing.”

Emily Compagno of Fox News bragged, “Looks like the F-bomb diplomacy worked.”

Yet, after praising Trump’s “salty” language, Compagno was outraged when Texas Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett complained about Trump’s unauthorized bombing of Iran using the same terminology.

“I’m the one that’s supposed to make the [expletive deleted] decision, or at least get a vote,” Crockett said.

Compagno characterized Crockett as someone with “a pretty foul mouth.”

Those of us on the left are used to the GOP and its sympathizers applying a double standard at such times. The cardinal example, of course, is their denunciation of President Bill Clinton’s womanizing ways and their sweaty embrace of similar – and adjudicated worse – conduct on the part of Trump.

They are engaging in a similar ploy presently by launching an investigation into President Joe Biden’s mental competency during his presidency while ignoring the obvious and embarrassing fact that Trump cannot maintain a coherent thought for two minutes.

[Having just watched the prime minister questions from the British Parliament, I realize that Trump and most of his raving MAGAts would be helpless in a fast-paced, fact-filled forum.]

Encountering such behavior, the left’s stock response has been to decry Republican hypocrisy. And while that might apply to the early days of ignoring Trump’s proudly predatory proclamations about women, and even the current waste of time and money on Biden’s bidness, a new factor has come into play.

We cannot call reactions such as Compagno’s hypocritical because to be a hypocrite one must have core values to betray. Trump’s followers have no scruples by which we can judge them to be hypocrites.

The only thing that matters to Republicans these days are the last words emerging from Donald Trump’s mouth. They eagerly abandon previous positions in order to proclaim their loyalty to a 34-time convicted felon.

Writing for BuzzFeed on June 24, Alana Valko cited “12 conservative talking points on peace and anti-interventionism that, uh, have not aged well.”

Among those who praised campaigner Trump’s dovish assertions, but then rushed to laud his attack on Iran were Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace and Laura Loomer, the conspiracy theorist whispering into Trump’s ear.

Trump himself announced at his inauguration that “My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker.”

But Trump changes his mushy mind, and his minions – lacking any values of their own – fall into lockstep.

The woman campaigning for 2028 on the public dime, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, accused Biden of preparing to launch a “direct attack on states’ rights” when she thought he was going to send federal troops to Texas [He was not!] to enforce national immigration policies over those of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

Yet, she praised Trump on June 8 for actually sending troops to California. As with legions of others, the closest things to values Noem has are whatever Trump spouted last.

Of course, the cancer that destroyed many Republican backbones is Trump’s constant threat to unleash his base and buckets of money in the primaries against Republicans who might decide to think for themselves.

Former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, certainly no bleeding heart liberal, lost her seat for trying to hold Trump accountable for the Jan. 6, 2021, sacking of Congress. Loyalty to the leader is all that matters

NBC reported on June 22 that, “Two key advisers to President Donald Trump are launching a group to unseat Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican with a pattern of opposing Trump, who most recently lambasted his decision Saturday to strike three Iranian nuclear facilities.”

NBC characterized Massie as a libertarian.

On June 29, North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, who opposed Trump’s “big beautiful bill,” announced that he would not run for re-election after Trump posted:

“Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against ‘Senator Thom’ Tillis. I will be meeting with them over the coming weeks, looking for someone who will properly represent the Great People of North Carolina.”

Alaska GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski still reveals that she has personal values independent of the Trump du jour. But she told home state supporters in April:

“We are all afraid. It’s quite a statement. But we are in a time and a place where I certainly have not been here before. And I’ll tell ya, I’m oftentimes very anxious myself about using my voice, because retaliation is real. And that’s not right.”

She’s right. But that is where we are when grown men and women sacrifice whatever they once believed, whatever they claimed to stand for, to the glorious cause of job-preservation.

You cannot be a hypocrite if you have no core values – if you are so devoid of scruples that you can only react to things as your leader instructs you. These folks are not hypocrites – just weak.