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"I think the institutions, principles, norms, and traditions that make the United States of America genuinely exceptional are at serious risk. It has been hard

"I think the institutions, principles, norms, and traditions that make the United States of America genuinely exceptional are at serious risk. It has been hard to think about anything else." "These oppressive zealots in the White House" "fighting a despotic regime" Of course he can have an opinion, and it seems like everyone's got one. It's less clear why the reader should care. And statements like this: "My career would not have progressed without the leadership and contributions of immigrants of virtually every race, ethnicity, and faith. Period." I mean, there are a lot of races, ethnicities, and faiths in the world, and not all of them care to immigrate. The hyperbole just smacks of virtue signaling, which some people enjoy and others don't. Depends on how you react to the signal, I suppose.

nandemo 10y ago
> The hyperbole just smacks of virtue signaling, which some people enjoy and others don't. Why is everything that democrats/liberal say deemed "virtue signaling" now? Do liberals have any genuine principles at all? Are some liberals signaling these virtues to other liberals who genuinely have principles, or is "virtue signaling all the way down"? (BTW, I'm not American and don't identify neither as liberal or conservative)
- alphapapa 10y ago
  > Do liberals have any genuine principles at all? The principle they adhere to most strongly is that the ends justify the means. Virtually everything they do flows from that. Of course, that leaves the questions of what the ends are, and whether their means will effect them. From recent history, it would seem that the answer to the latter is, to some degree, yes. However, there is now significant pushback, leading to further polarization on both sides. The two sides do not ultimately desire the same ends, although many politicians claim that they do in order to establish a "moderate" position and retain their seats. We may be in for some rough times ahead, politically. However, the Constitution has seen us through worse; as long as it is respected by those in office, we will ultimately come out intact. But I'm afraid that is not a given, since one side now sees the Constitution as "living" and evolving to meet the interpretations that will help effect their ends. If only they would pursue the amendment process instead of...creative interpretation.
- Domenic_S 10y ago
  Liberals who genuinely have principles are doing productive things, not writing blog posts with all the hip liberal keywords shoehorned in. Zealots? A _despotic regime_? I'm no Trump defender but those descriptors are either intentional hyperbole (ie: virtue signaling), or the author truly has no idea what they mean in the context of world history (which I find impossible to believe).
NoGravitas 10y ago
> virtue signaling You'd rather he signaled vice?

nandemo 10y ago

> The hyperbole just smacks of virtue signaling, which some people enjoy and others don't. Why is everything that democrats/liberal say deemed "virtue signaling" now? Do liberals have any genuine principles at all? Are some liberals signaling these virtues to other liberals who genuinely have principles, or is "virtue signaling all the way down"? (BTW, I'm not American and don't identify neither as liberal or conservative)

alphapapa 10y ago
> Do liberals have any genuine principles at all? The principle they adhere to most strongly is that the ends justify the means. Virtually everything they do flows from that. Of course, that leaves the questions of what the ends are, and whether their means will effect them. From recent history, it would seem that the answer to the latter is, to some degree, yes. However, there is now significant pushback, leading to further polarization on both sides. The two sides do not ultimately desire the same ends, although many politicians claim that they do in order to establish a "moderate" position and retain their seats. We may be in for some rough times ahead, politically. However, the Constitution has seen us through worse; as long as it is respected by those in office, we will ultimately come out intact. But I'm afraid that is not a given, since one side now sees the Constitution as "living" and evolving to meet the interpretations that will help effect their ends. If only they would pursue the amendment process instead of...creative interpretation.
Domenic_S 10y ago
Liberals who genuinely have principles are doing productive things, not writing blog posts with all the hip liberal keywords shoehorned in. Zealots? A _despotic regime_? I'm no Trump defender but those descriptors are either intentional hyperbole (ie: virtue signaling), or the author truly has no idea what they mean in the context of world history (which I find impossible to believe).

NoGravitas 10y ago

> virtue signaling You'd rather he signaled vice?