In politics and religion — the only two topics worth arguing - I find karma more intriguing than character. How many televangelist Tartuffes were brought down in the 1980s and 1990s? — sanctimonious schmucks who masturbated to prostitutes and Mel Brooksian, "Producers"-like scams after lecturing their flock on the devilish perils of weak flesh and material rewards. And how long has it been since Republican pols lectured us on political character? — quite similar schmucks who admonished voters about presidential indiscretions, only to have the garishly philandering Trump boomerang on their opportunistic butts, and now say that good character is nonessential to a first-rate White House.
Not only is the concept of karma alive and well, the reality of its righteous brutality is kicking like never before. The party of God and family has become, perforce, the party of porn stars, Playboy confessors and presidential raunchiness. "None of us — and oh, I have tried," groans Michael Gerson, "will be able to unsee the mental image of [Stormy] Daniels spanking Trump with a rolled-up magazine featuring his picture on the cover." President Clinton may have been defined by a singular blue dress, continues Gerson, but Trump's presidency is awash in "hush money, nondisclosure agreements, legal threats and lies from the White House briefing room podium." The party of God is now straight out of Dante's Circle 8 of hypocrisy.
This is the least of their sins — bankrupting the country and tolerating a presidential traitor are a trifle more grievous — and yet it appears that all things Stormily hypocritical are uppermost in voters' minds. Pennsylvania's Rep. Ryan Costello, for instance, tells the NY Times that he's not running for reelection because "If I had a town hall this week, it would be question after question: 'Do you believe him or do you believe her? Why don’t you believe her?'" While continuing to despise the Clintons, Republicans' evangelical base will of course dismiss Trumpian transgressions out of selective forgiveness. But to win, Republicans need more than hypocritical thumpers.
Notes the Times: "As much as gun control, immigration, the sweeping tax overhaul and other issues are mobilizing voters on the left and the right, the seamy sex allegations and Mr. Trump’s erratic style could end up alienating crucial blocs of suburban voters and politically moderate women who might be drawn to some Republican policies but find the president’s purported sex antics to be reprehensible." This is a shame, actually. An enlightened electorate would vote against Trump's party for the policy wreckage it has caused, not because the prurient Donald likes to be spanked by Forbes magazines. But what the hell. We'll take the dumping of these incompetent clowns any way we can.
And the "big squeeze" seems to be the most suitable way to righteousness. "If [Republican pols] stay faithful to Mr. Trump they risk incurring the wrath of many in the political center," explains the Times, "but if they disavow the president, they risk depressing turnout from their core Republican voters." Now that predicament, you must admit, is a thing of real political beauty.
We can thank karma. After all their moralizing and tsk-tsking and pharisaical speechifying, Republicans have finally met the enemy — which is both themselves and the universe, which just loves to kick the monstrously hypocritical in the magazine-paddled butt.