Letter: Is moral outrage outdated?

April 23, 2024

A recent poll now shows that if Donald Trump were found guilty in the hush money trial, it would have little impact on voters in November. Republican voters, that is.

This proves Trump is not the astute businessman everyone thinks he is. He essentially spent $130,000 for nothing. The money was supposed to cover up a scandalous indiscretion with a porn star — an extramarital affair that in any other time would have spelled doom for a presidential candidate.

Evidently, he didn’t have to pay Stormy Daniels a penny to keep quiet. The fact that he lacks moral character means nothing to his supporters. Now everyone knows about this tawdry affair and it seems his supporters couldn’t care less.

Even the evangelicals, in their continued allegiance to the ex-president, apparently do not care about his sexual improprieties and infidelity. And what seems of even less concern is the fact he’s the first president to be tried as a criminal for falsifying records and using campaign funds to cover up an illicit affair.

Consider the man’s conduct: Found liable for sexual assault. The two impeachments. The insurrection he promoted in an effort to overturn an election he lost. The Big Lie he endlessly repeated of a rigged election. And all the other lies, falsehoods and misstatements of facts. None of it seems to matter to MAGA voters.

I could say that something cynical like, well, we expect this kind of behavior from politicians. But this is America. Perhaps I’m old school but I recall a time when we once believed our politicians should be individuals of principle and integrity. They should be above the common fray and never act in a way that would embarrass us to explain their behavior to our children. Call me naïve, idealistic, or if you must, foolish.

Yet I am still morally outraged and wonder why almost half of my fellow Americans aren’t. But such is life on the far right. Let the man who seemingly has no moral compass lead us boldly into a brave new amoral world. Where apparently anything goes.

Michael O’Looney

Talent

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Jim

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