Modern "conservatism" has destroyed America.
What's ironic about the movement known as "conservatism" is that it's meant to be a stabilizing influence, but, in fact, it's incredibly destabilizing.
It combines white victimization and religious zealotry, funded by oligarchs, to create a feudal, theocratic state. To do this, it has to rely on crackpot economics, breed distrust in government, and undermine science.
It has to create a dual reality, in which truth is questioned on a daily basis when it does not comport with its agenda.
It shreds the concept of human dignity in favor of idolizing markets. It rewards guile and punishes toil. It measures worth in dollars and ablutions.
And it's never satisfied. The only thing conservatism seeks to conserve is itself, wringing every ounce of energy from the people caught in its grip.
When it fails, as it often does, it asks for more. More money and more resentment. It never assumes blame and never questions its own "principles" because, to do so, would be to recognize its vacuousness.
The American response in this administration was predictable. Yes, Trump is a buffoon but he's following the conservative playbook to a T. Hollow out the government, deride the experts, doubt the science, and blame others.
People are dying. "It's nobody's fault," he says. But, of course, it is somebody's fault. It's the fault of the entire sordid movement that spent the last fifty years paving the way for a racist gameshow host to be elected president.
I hope we come out of this as disgusted with ourselves as we deserve to feel. I hope we do better moving forward. But our history suggests that's wishful thinking.
Anyway, I'm in a bad mood.
