The New York Times' Timothy Egan writes on the stark, sudden demise of American civility under the force of millionaire Donald Trump's presidential run: "He’s made America vile. He’s got angel-voiced children yelling “bitch” and flipping the bird at rallies."
Here’s his lesson for young minds: If you’re rich and boorish enough, you can get away with anything. Get away with sexual assault. Get away with not paying taxes. Get away with never telling the truth. Get away flirting with treason. Get away with stiffing people who work for you, while you take yours. Get away with mocking the disabled, veterans and families of war heroes. … But those who take pleasure in watching Trump destroy the Republican Party are missing the bigger picture. He’s trying to destroy the country, as well. Civility, always a tenuous thing, cannot be quickly restored in a society that has learned to hate in public, at full throttle.
Three, maybe four in every ten voters are going to vote for a man who boasted proudly of getting away with sexual assault. They'll still be there, even after he is done.
Illustration: Rob Beschizza
