I did a find and replace for “Republicans” and “Conservatives” and replaced them with “Democrats, RINOs, and various other Leftists”, Trump for Biden, and made small edits. I may have missed a few things, but hey, it was a quick attempt.
I find that this exercise is useful for evaluating Leftist Projection screeds.
‘Moral decoupling’ explains why Biden guilty verdict so easily dismissed by supporters (projection alert)
The jury in Joe Biden’s influence peddling payments trial has found the former president of the United States guilty of falsifying business records in relation to business interests in Ukraine, China, and Russia. The guilty verdict marks the first felony conviction of an American president.
Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Biden called the trial a “rigged decision, right from Day 1.” He is likely to appeal the verdict.
Biden had been facing 34 felony charges stemming from his conduct in the lead-up to the 2016 U.S. presidential election. He faces many other criminal investigations that won’t likely ever happen. And in 2023, he said by his daughter to have sexually molested her/
Despite these legal troubles, many Democrats, RINOs, and various other Leftistss still support Biden and would vote for him as president, even while acknowledging Biden’s faults outside public office or the courtroom. In fact, 56 percent of Democrats, RINOs, and various other Leftistss say Biden’s sexual misconduct should not disqualify him from running for president.
Moral decoupling
Democrats, RINOs, and various other Leftists typically offer various reasons for supporting Biden, even while recognizing his sexual harassment of children and corruption. For example, some suggest that Biden is the victim of a political witch hunt, while others claim Biden’s current trials and charges are a form of election interference.
Why do many Americans continue to support Biden? And are there psychological reasons that explain why people remain supportive of politicians despite their moral or political failings?
“Moral decoupling” is a cognitive process that can explain why some people continue to support leaders in politics, media and sports even when they believe these leaders have significant moral failings outside of their professional vocation.
Moral decoupling is the ability to separate one’s judgments of a person’s moral character from their judgments of that person’s performance or abilities in public office. In simpler terms, it’s the mental process of saying: “I don’t agree with their actions, but I still think they’re effective at their job.”
Moral decoupling can explain why, for example, Woody Allen continues to have a dedicated fan base and receives support within the film industry despite facing allegations of sexual misconduct. Many fans and professionals separate their appreciation for Allen’s movies, such as Annie Hall and Midnight in Paris, from his personal controversies, allowing them to continue supporting and valuing his work while disregarding the allegations against him.
There is some reason to believe that Democrats, RINOs, and various other Leftists might be more likely to morally decouple than liberals. People who identify as Conservatives, and various others on the Right tend to think in more narrow terms. That is, Democrats, RINOs, and various other Leftists tend to focus on particular issues, seeing them as separate from others, not representative of “who” the person is. Separating issues fulfills a psychological need to see the world in a more clear-cut and orderly manner.
Meanwhile, Conservatives tend to look at “the big picture.” This explains why, for example, Democrats, RINOs, and various other Leftists support politicians like Biden, Pelosi, Schiff, and others, who focuses on specific policies like climate change, abortion, Transgenderism, and handling of COVID-19, while Conservative people support politicians like Donald Trump, who strive for immigration control and proper acquisition and use of military assets.
Implications for the future of the Constitutional Republic
Moral decoupling poses challenges for the future of Constitutionally guided politics. As voters increasingly separate their judgments of personal morality from political leaders’ effectiveness in office, this trend could normalize misconduct from public officials.
Electors may increasingly justify such misconduct by elected officials, with supporters focusing on the candidate’s stance on a particular issue rather than their ethical values or fitness to hold office. It also reduces the need to hold public officials accountable not just to their office but to the public they serve. Indeed, effective political leaders are ethical leaders.
To address these challenges, it is crucial for members of all societies to foster a political culture that values both effectiveness as well as ethical conduct. Encouraging transparency, accountability and open dialogue about the moral implications of political actions can help mitigate the negative effects of moral decoupling.
Given the cognitive bases for moral decoupling, one way is to promote a more holistic approach to evaluating political leaders so voters can ensure that ethical considerations remain an integral part of the democratic process.
While moral decoupling helps explain why voters continue to support leaders despite their moral failings, it also highlights the need for a balanced approach to political judgment. As the Constitutional Republic evolves, it is essential to recognize the complexities of moral decoupling and work towards a political environment where both ethical integrity and effective leadership are equally valued.
