It's all about 'feelin' good'

Society has gone too far in accommodating the left's pathological need to feel good about itself. The left's knee-jerk reaction to most social issues is to display compassion for those it perceives to be marginalized, oppressed, or victimized, and to aid them through social activism or legislation. They are the social justice warriors. They are the self-appointed moral trustees, humanitarians, and guilt-dispensers of society. Their activism makes them feel good about themselves. But they have little or no concern regarding the consequences of their need to project empathy.

Leftists feel good about globalization. It embodies brotherhood of man, community of nations, multiculturalism, diversity, inclusivity – the ultimate state of equality. The fact that it has resulted in assimilation disasters in the E.U. and has contributed to job loss and income inequality at home is of no importance. Removing sanctions from Iran may as yet have disastrous consequences, but it is more important to make the Iranians feel part of the international community. They feel good about open immigration. It's "who we are"! They are unconcerned over the number, intent, or productivity of the immigrants. There are about 250 million people in Mexico, Central America, and South America currently living in poverty. Opening the border to them, as well as to "refugees" from abroad, would have disastrous economic consequences in a nation already struggling with slow economic growth. But no matter. Imposing a $15 minimum wage nationwide also makes them feel good. A recent University of Washington-National Bureau of Economic Research study has shown a negative impact of raising the wage to $13 on hours worked and net income on low-wage workers in Seattle. So what? The liberal press has simply declared the study bogus. Affirmative action makes them feel good. It is fitting recompense for white privilege and our national legacy of slavery and segregation, although it can impact those guilty of neither. Asian students scoring 200 points higher than black applicants on the SAT are passed over for admission to college. They just have to deal with it. Awards for merit get in the way of diversity. Ordering law enforcement to stand down also brings a smile to their faces. What better way to deal with racial profiling, or to allow demonstrators (and anarchist) to vent their just anger on the perpetrators of social injustices, such as conservative speakers at college campuses? And if it results in uncontrolled criminal activity in urban centers, so be it. Marches and demonstrations make them feel good, a display of solidarity against the social injustice du jour. They are, in effect, massive group therapy sessions that have little or no impact on societal evolution. And if they are associated with a disruption of the lives of others, vandalism, or bodily harm, that's just the way it is. What would make the left feel really good would be to railroad Trump out of office. He is a xenophobic fascist unsuited to be POTUS. They are pinning their hopes on the Mueller-headed special counsel process. If Democrats take over the House in 2018, they will seek impeachment, hysterically looking for high crimes and misdemeanors. Should they somehow succeed, it will constitute a severe blow to the integrity of our democratic structure – a political coup d'état relegating us to the status of a third-world nation. But the left would be ecstatic. The nation, in its laudable tradition as a tolerant and open society, has gone too far in accommodating the left. The outcomes of their self-indulgent rantings are at best costly and ineffective, typically counterproductive, and increasingly erosive of our national integrity. It is past time for the nation to squelch the culture of intimidation and assignment of guilt being perpetrated by the left. Trump's efforts to temper globalization, control immigration, defuse affirmative action, support law enforcement, and bolster the military are steps in the right direction.