They’ve learned that they can cheat like this and THEY WON’T GET CAUGHT. It’s the getting caught - and having to pay a penalty for it - that matters. One of many good things about Watergate was that EVERYBODY involved had to face the music. From the lower tiers and peripheral figures to the big names - all the big names. All the way up to the president himself. Many had to serve actual time in prison.
There should be consequences for bad behavior. Because bad behavior is antisocial and has multiple negative impacts on the commons - the community, the climate, the institutions, the law, the social conventions, the collective - that knits is together as a cohesive society that serves everyone in it. Where everybody follows the rules for the most part, and minds their manners and obeys the law and gets along. Everybody drives in the same directions on the road. Everybody shares a general agreement in various kinds of acceptable behavior. And limitations on same. That sort of thing.
And when you have utterly reckless lawlessness, where Machiavelli is really who’s President, and you don’t have to face any consequences when you do something wrong, what’s to deter you from doing it again? If you know nobody will hold you accountable, why follow the rules? It’s “Rules? WHAT rules?” If you know there won’t be consequences for bad behavior, where’s the motivation to change that bad behavior?
I think that knowing something is wrong, or sinful, or illegal, can be a deterrent. Not for everybody, certainly. Absolutely! There are those who believe they’re above such things. Rules don’t apply. And they can do anything they damn well feel like doing and get away with it.
And unfortunately they’re either in the White House or aggressively covering for the ones in the White House.
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