Just in case you had any thoughts that the post-Trump political era (yes, that will happen – sooner or later) would re-introduce any true perspective or civility to our politics, a widely-shared piece at Vox should put them to rest. Entitled, “Donald Trump insults women. Mike Pence puts them in danger,” writer Emily Crockett nicely previews how pundits and politicians are likely to attack conservatives in future elections – these more reasonable conservatives aren’t as dangerous as Trump; they’re worse.

Pence, you see, is the true radical. No, really:

Take Trump’s running mate Mike Pence, for instance. Most pundits declared Pence the winner of Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate. He came across as the sane, stable grown-up, in sharp contrast to Trump (and, for that matter, his Democratic rival Tim Kaine). There’s already speculation that Pence is setting himself up for a 2020 presidential run if Trump loses, and that his style could be the moderate future the GOP needs.
But Pence’s substance is much worse for women than Trump’s style. Pence has one of the most extreme records on women’s health and rights in the Republican Party. And he doesn’t just hold extreme views; he’s also been very effective at making them a political reality. Trump’s boorishness threatens to make Pence’s radical attacks on women’s health seem moderate and reasonable by comparison. And that’s dangerous.

So, Trump is a demagogue, an existential threat to the Republic. Until next election cycle, when those vile Republicans nominate a truly dastardly fellow, like that nasty Ben Sasse or some unbearable Republican governor. Then that guy will be worse. I mean, remember when Republicans nominated the horrific Mitt Romney? He killed people.

How does Pence radically attack women’s health, do you ask? He’s a standard pro-life politician. He supports defunding Planned Parenthood. He has signed pro-life bills. Of course, if one is consistently pro-life, in the style guide of the Left it’s mandatory to call them radical. Similarly, it’s mandatory to call the systematic killing of children in the womb “health care.”

This point has been made many times, many ways, but when every conservative politician is deemed dangerous, then in the eyes of the conservative public none of them are. And yes I know that conservatives are hardly immune to “this is the end” rhetoric when facing a politician they dislike. At some websites, it’s all apocalypse, all the time.

There will always be a constant battle to maintain perspective, but we know there are people who won’t even try. In future contests, Trump will be cast as just the tip of the GOP iceberg of evil.