“It’s just politics.”
“It’s just politics.” No, it is not. I’m angry about what has happened to—and is happening in—U.S. politics today. I say this with absolute respect for others’ personal beliefs and political affiliations: if you are not mad too, you are not paying attention to what’s actually happening—and you are a huge part of the problem. I don’t say that lightly, and I don’t say it with malice. Please bear with me. I’ve seen “That’s just/only/simply politics” used as a rationale for what’s going on in the Trump/Vance/Musk administration. No, it is not just politics. It is not something we should expect or accept. Below, I use the word “just” in that sense, but even more importantly, as an adjective—with synonyms like reasonable, proper, correct, righteous, and lawful: • Free, fair, and accessible elections are just politics. • Ensuring Congress, the judiciary, and the executive branch uphold their constitutional roles is just politics. • Respecting the rule of law is just pol...