Rawls vs. Trump: A Fair Society Debate

By: WPS News Special Correspondent
Point Place, Wisconsin | January 19, 2025

Red Foreman: Hey, Eric, sit down and stop acting like a goof for a second. Let’s talk about this smart guy named John Rawls. He had this idea about how people should set up a fair society, and he had two big concepts: the “original position” and the “veil of ignorance.” Getting this through your thick skull could help you understand a few things.

First off, the original position is like a bunch of people sitting around a table to decide how to run things—only they can’t see anything about each other. They don’t know if they’re rich or poor, or what color their skin is. They make rules based on what’s fair for everyone because they might end up being anyone in that group. Think of it like a game—you don’t want to stack the rules in your favor, or it’s just not fun for anyone.

Then there’s the veil of ignorance. It’s like wearing a blindfold while you pick what you want for dinner. You’re not thinking about your favorite pizza if you could be someone who hates it. You’re trying to be fair, so everyone gets something decent. This is supposed to make sure that whatever rules get made don’t just help one group but are good for everyone.

Now let’s look at Trump and his crew. They’re all about diving into the deep end of partisanship—basically like picking sides in a football game. They don’t care about fairness all the time. Instead, they focus on what’ll get their fans riled up or driving their own agenda, which is anything but fair.

With Trump, it’s more a “my team versus your team” mentality. While Rawls is pushing for everyone to have a fair shot, Trump’s style might end up privileging folks who already have it good, leaving everyone else in the dust.

So, this contrasts a lot. Rawls wants a level playing field where everyone’s got a fair chance, while Trump often seems more interested in keeping his supporters happy, kind of like you choosing pizza for dinner and ignoring what everyone else likes.

In short, if we want to have a decent society, we’ve got to remember that fairness should be everyone’s concern. Now, maybe you’ll get it through your head that this is a big deal.

Now go help your mother clean up that mess you made.