Josh Hawley's heedless ambition is a threat to the republic
Opinion by Michael Gerson
The announced intention of Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) to object to certification of Joe Bidens electoral college victory is a particularly bad omen for the GOPs future. Unlike, say, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) who has an ideological commitment to public chaos and the humiliation of the U.S. government Hawley has often tried to offer a constructive vision of conservative populism. As a former clerk to Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., Hawley surely possesses a serious understanding of the constitutional order. He is, on personal acquaintance, a talented, knowledgeable, ambitious young man.
The problem with political decadence is not what it does to those who are already disordered. The primary problem is what it does to talented, knowledgeable, ambitious young leaders who can be warped toward a destructive influence.
Ambition is a human trait assumed by the nations founders and incorporated into their design of our system, which pits ambition against ambition to check and balance power. By implication, it is a neutral characteristic a source of mischief or a spur to greatness. Ambition can lead men and women to say things they dont believe, to the detriment of their character. The worse problem comes when it leads politicians outside the boundaries of democracy, which is where Hawley now finds himself. In the cause of his own advancement, the senator from Missouri is willing to endorse the disenfranchisement of millions of Americans particularly voters of color and justify the attempted theft of an election. He is willing to credit malicious lies that will poison our democracy for generations. The fulfillment of Hawleys intention the ultimate overturning of the election would be the collapse of U.S. self-government. The attempt should be a source of shame.
The ultimate responsibility lies with Hawley himself. But his temptation also represents the more general triumph of a dangerous type of politics the politics of delegitimization. We have seen hints of this over the years. Jerry Falwell Sr. hawked videotapes on television accusing President Bill Clinton of murder. Some on the far left charged President George W. Bush with complicity in the 9/11 attacks. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) objected to the certification of the 2004 presidential election based on conspiratorial lies about vote counting in Ohio. (Boxers effort came after John F. Kerrys gracious concession, which distinguishes it from Hawleys move.)
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