Moral hazards.

September 19, 2022

          “Moral hazard” is an evocative phrase that recognizes the moral dimension of economic and political decisions. An easy example is Trump’s promise to pardon January 6th insurrectionists if he is elected as president in 2024. In that scenario, insurrectionists are encouraged to engage in more insurrection. Moreover, some voters are encouraged to support an aspiring dictator, which in turn encourages the aspiring dictator to take even more lawless positions. In that example of cascading hazards, Trump’s behavior seduces and corrupts people to support a dictatorial regime that is the antithesis of their native beliefs in law, order, and personal liberty.

          Trump is a moral hazard to the Republican Party. In six years, he has convinced the party faithful to support and engage in increasingly corrupt, cruel, and reckless practices that undermine their morality and ethics—while posing a danger to our republic. Ron DeSantis’s callous abuse of refugees to make a political point (and gain a few votes) is an example of the GOP’s willingness to engage in increasingly cruel and reckless behavior to regain political control.

          After the widespread condemnation of DeSantis, one would think that DeSantis would back off the offending behavior. On the contrary, DeSantis has followed Trump’s model by doubling down on the cruel behavior—because many Trump voters supported the heartless trafficking of refugees. See CBS Miami, More migrant flights likely; Gov. DeSantis: “The legislature gave me $12 million.”

          Many commentators say that “The cruelty is the point.” What does that mean? It means that extremist Republicans take perverse glee in seeing the moral indignation of decent people shocked at the sight of gratuitous cruelty. They call it “Owning the libs”—an immature game that comes at a steep cost. By applauding political stunts that treat humans as stage props, extremist Republicans are debasing their humanity, morality, and decency. As Jennifer Rubin wrote over the weekend, “Republicans are wearing cruelty as a badge of honor.” That is the moral hazard of supporting Trump, DeSantis, and their acolytes.

          The cost is particularly steep for those who—like DeSantis—somehow rationalize their cruelty in the name of Christianity. DeSantis has begun spouting the cri de guerre of Christian nationalism, i.e., “Put on the full armor of God,” and Trump has engineered a hostile takeover of large swaths of the evangelical Christian church.

          The PEW Research Center recently released a report modeling the future of religion in America. The report's primary finding is that “[i]f recent trends in religious switching continue, Christians could make up less than half of the US population within a few decades.” Christians currently comprise 64% of the US population, a decrease from 90% in 1970.

          It would be foolish to assert that the substantial decline in Christianity is caused by the increasing political activism in the church. But it would also be foolish to pretend that the increasing political activism of the Christian church is unrelated to its rapid decline in America. When “going to church” feels like “going to a political rally,” the obvious question arises: Why not just go to the political rally?

          The current hatred of immigrants by Christian nationalists hollows the soul of an institution that has welcomed and cared for immigrants since its founding, e.g., the Nativity Narrative and the parable of the Good Samaritan. It is too much to expect that Christian nationalists will recognize their hypocrisy. But it is not too much to expect that other Christians will condemn those who have perverted a founding principle of the Christian church. Until the voices of Christian charity and love drown out the hate-filled rhetoric of Christian nationalism, it is up to the media and concerned Americans to highlight the hypocrisy and cruelty of the Republican Party.  

          And as Christian nationalists follow Trump over a moral precipice, he may be leading them to a freshly minted circle of hell. Trump is now using QAnon imagery and slogans at his rallies. See APNews, Trump openly embraces, amplifies QAnon conspiracy theories. Will Christian evangelicals follow Trump as he promotes a fringe conspiracy theory with religious overtones, e.g., an apocalyptic “Storm” that will end the reign of Satan-worshipping pedophiles? They already are. See CNN, How QAnon uses religion to lure unsuspecting Christians. Such is the moral hazard of supporting and excusing Trump’s politics of hate and cruelty. After a while, nothing seems too outrageous or hateful to believe.

          Finally, DeSantis’s effort to engage in human trafficking poses a legal hazard to DeSantis. He is currently unconcerned, but when Ted Cruz says that a fellow Republican is engaged in illegal behavior, you should worry. See The Independent, Ted Cruz forced to admit trafficking migrants to Martha’s Vineyard is illegal in Sean Hannity interview. An attorney for thirty of the refugees trafficked by DeSantis is demanding a DOJ investigation. See The Independent, Migrants’ lawyers call for criminal investigation into DeSantis’ Martha’s Vineyard stunt.

          And while the political fallout may be the least important consideration, Spanish-language radio stations in Florida were harshly critical of DeSantis’s virtual kidnapping of the Venezuelan refugees. See Politico, ‘Huge mistake’: DeSantis’ migrant transports could undercut support in South Florida. As noted in Politico,

Florida Republicans in recent years have made it a priority to court Venezuelan Americans, many of whom fled their home country in the past decade amid the political and economic turmoil under Nicolás Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chávez. It’s a story that has parallels to Cuban Americans — a crucial bloc of support for the GOP — who left their country to escape communism.

Mar-a-Lago search update.

           The most intelligent thing I can say about the weekend developments regarding the Mar-a-Lago search is to recommend that you read Joyce Vance’s column on Substack, Civil Discourse, Will the 11th Circuit Trump Trump? As Vance explains, the DOJ filed a motion on Friday for a stay of a portion of Cannon’s order pending appeal. The 11th Circuit ordered that Trump respond to that request for a stay by Tuesday.

          The DOJ’s brief is here: Justice Department's filing with a federal appeals court in Mar-a-Lago case. The brief is strong and the DOJ does not hold back. Here is its opening sentence:

The District Court has entered an unprecedented order enjoining the Executive Branch’s use of its own highly classified records in a criminal investigation with direct implications for national security.

          The 11th Circuit doesn’t need to read much more of the DOJ’s brief to conclude that Judge Cannon’s order should be stayed (as it relates to classified documents). But many legal commentators have been proven wrong up to this point, so we should be prepared for any outcome. The good news is that the 11the Circuit appears ready to move quickly on the request for the stay.

Concluding Thoughts.

          DeSantis’s cruel stunt presents a moral hazard for those who are horrified by the cruelty and hate that animated the virtual kidnapping. Outrage is an acceptable and understandable response. Hate directed toward the perpetrators is not. Indeed, the point of the cruelty is to further divide our nation by setting neighbor against neighbor. Trump and DeSantis win by dividing us. We must avoid that moral hazard, just as the residents of Martha’s Vineyard did by welcoming and caring for the victims of DeSantis’s cruelty. See NCPR News, After migrants arrived in Martha's Vineyard, a community gathered to welcome them.

          As Floridians criticize DeSantis for his cruelty, the residents of Martha’s Vineyard are modeling the virtues that Christian nationalists have rejected. An apocryphal saying of one of the saints of the Catholic Church instructs, “Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.” In other words, “Actions speak louder than words.” That is a credo everyone should live by as we navigate a contentious and divisive time in our nation’s history.

          Talk to you tomorrow!