One thing about Faustian bargains, where we consciously choose to turn from the moral beliefs and values that define us, in favor of something we desire in the short term, is that they always end in tragedy. Just as Faust sold his soul for worldly pleasures, selling the moral basis of our lives to achieve short term goals, even noble ones, inevitably results in long term consequences far more dire then we ever imagined and leaves us broken and filled with regret.
While it’s understandable that many across our nation have been earnestly seeking more rapid growth in our economy, jobs and wages, as well as substantially curtailing abortions, choosing to look the other way and vote for political figures whose egregious conduct runs counter to the morals they espouse is a tragic betrayal of themselves and those I’m sure they love. To espouse sexual purity while supporting someone who brags about groping young women, walking in on them while undressed, and is known for his alleged affairs, seriously damages our credibility. To teach our children to never lie, or cheat, or be disrespectful, while supporting someone who frequently does these things seriously damages our credibility. To espouse and encourage teamwork and fair-play, while supporting someone whose leadership style is dominated by name calling and bullying, seriously damages our credibility. To value families, while supporting leaders that take from the poor and give to the rich, take health insurance away from those that are ill or older, and rips young children away from their parents, destroys our credibility and undermines who we are as a people.
When we choose to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those that behave monstrously we forfeit our credibility as an advocate for the morals we espouse.
It’s also understandable that many struggling to make ends meet bought Trump’s con “What do you have to lose?” The fact is that we could lose a lot. Inept management of our country could lead to civil unrest, another depression, or war.
Currently the US economy is running hot, creating lots of stock market and job gains. While everyone seems pleased with these gains, the fact is that underpinning those gains is a trillion dollars per year of deficit spending. Businesses are flush with cash based on tax cuts provided with borrowed federal funds. The stock market is drunk on a trillion dollars per year of federal debt rippling through the economy. Any economist worth their salt, if they’re being honest, can tell you that deficit spending should only be used when we are in or heading into a recession or when a national emergency occurs; neither of these are happening now.
The Trump led surge in deficit spending is pushing up inflation and interest rates and laying the groundwork for financial instability, future cuts in Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security, and its money our children and grandchildren will someday have to repay. Rather than do the hard work of building the long term growth of the economy through investments in infrastructure and education, Trump has chosen to throw money at the economy to boost his image and reelection prospects. Any short-sighted fool can throw a big party with borrowed money, but it takes wisdom and maturity to build a future.
Perhaps it might be helpful to take a step back and recall what happened in 1933 when a highly educated, hard-working, largely Christian nation chose to follow a leader that promised to make their nation “great again”. Similar to today he dehumanized a minority among them, blamed his neighbors, ran a propaganda machine that swayed millions to his side, and silenced those that opposed him. Yes, he rebuilt their economy, for a while, but at a horrific cost to his own people and all the world. While these eerie similarities to America today are relatively low in degree, let me suggest we ruminate a bit on two thoughts: Trump is effectively fostering the rise of authoritarian, nationalist style leaders in other countries, and how Germans that supported a fearless leader who promised to make their nation “great again” must have ended up feeling when it all came crashing down.
With firm belief that we are so much better than the words and policies coming out of Trump and his enablers in Congress, let me encourage all, irrespective of your political leanings, to pause for a moment, heed what your moral fiber is telling you, and speak and vote accordingly.