Henry Adams famous description of Massachusetts politics in the 1840’s has long been a favorite of mine and I’m becoming increasingly convinced that it ought to become a favorite of everyone else’s too. “The systematic organization of hatreds” is a partially accurate description of American politics ALL OF THE TIME, which is why I think Americans should look at this notion more seriously and less sardonically in 2025. In America, when push comes to shove, nearly everyone would concede the truth of the following two propositions that seem contradictory, but that are actually perfectly compatible (individually and in tandem) with the values of American-style democracy:
- Hatred is corrosive and counter-productive in human relationships, especially in relationships deliberately based on the liberal democratic virtues of individual freedom and political equality.
- Americans have the God given and constitutionally protected right to hate whoever or whatever they want, whenever they want.
So, how should today’s contestants in America’s liberal democratic politics conduct themselves so as to keep faith with BOTH of these fundamental truths?
First, they need to recognize the causal connection between keeping faith with BOTH and succeeding in American politics today. Hatred of those perceived to be intentionally interfering with Americans’ freedom to hate who and what they want, whenever they want to do so is the super-power, the not so secret weapon, of today’s MAGA Movement. On the other hand, disdain for those perceived to be intentionally interfering with Americans’ political equality connects, but rarely unites, the American political left.
The ongoing, and seemingly effective, rightwing assault on the Constitution and the rule of law is fueled by the passionately held belief that America’s political, cultural, and intellectual elites have become so openly disdainful of the second proposition that it is now necessary to suspend commitment to the first proposition in order to restore balanced commitment to BOTH propositions. “Make America Great Again” is the call for – the motto of – the restoration of this sacred balance.
Debates over how the Constitution and rule of law can be defended against this ongoing assault find American democracy’s putative defenders at once divided and indecisive. I don’t know what precise tactics to recommend, but I have a strong sense that whatever strategy is pursued, it should be much more explicitly respectful of, even solicitous toward, proposition #2 than anybody at present seems willing to admit.