Taking consistently moral positions is hard, especially when your adversary is amoral & transactional. In the short run, principled people suffer a great disadvantage because we honor boundaries, norms & ethical standards while our amoral transactional adversaries aren't limited by moral considerations. But in the long run, abandoning morality is a losing proposition for everyone. The once principled people lose their legitimacy & credibility & the entire society loses its soul.

That is what is happening today to America, both domestically & internationally.

The MAGA GOP destroyed the moral core of the Republican Party & Democrats quickly abandoned its moral core as well. Internationally, America has devolved from the shining city on the hill we once were into a rogue state bullying its way, albeit somewhat unsuccessfully, around the world.