The term “new normal” has been used a lot since Donald Trump entered the White House. As each day introduces us to a fresh new Hell, we focus on certain aspects while glossing over others that we would not have accepted two years ago.

Donald Trump admitted he paid off a porn star and a Playmate, and he’s claiming it wasn’t illegal. What a heavy confession, but while we’re focusing on the stupidity of his statement, we’re overlooking other aspects.

Aspects like, he cheated on his wife. We impeached a guy once for receiving oral sex.

He lied. He said he never slept with the women, yet he paid them off. He said he didn’t know anything about the payments, but a tape has emerged of him discussing one of them. Now, he’s giving us all the details as he sees it. We impeached a guy once for lying.

He paid for their silence about the affairs so it wouldn’t hurt his chances of winning the election. That alone wouldn’t be illegal, but making a donation to your campaign and hiding it is. Just a few years ago, it wouldn’t have mattered if it was legal. We wouldn’t have accepted it merely because it’s wrong.

He compared the porn star to his daughter right before he had sex with her. Are we at a point now where that’s normal and not at all icky?

Trump’s lawyer who paid off the mistresses has flipped on Trump. Trump now says “flipping” should be illegal. He’s not arguing against the crimes, and even praised freshly-minted felon Paul Manafort. He’s arguing against capturing bad guys. The president of the United States is acting like a mob boss. Is that part of the new normal?

A president without ethics, morals, or principles is the new normal. A president who puts Russia before NATO and the United States is the new normal. A president who lies daily is the new normal. A president who doesn’t understand or comprehend anything is the new normal.

Now, when the president is caught, ensnared, tangled, or complicit, it’s not even normal to present a rational defense, and sometimes, not any defense. No, the new normal is to deflect and engage in “whataboutism,” another term created after Trump entered the White House.

What is “whataboutism?” You’ve seen it. You’ve seen it on Facebook. You’ve seen it on Fox News. You’ve even seen it on CNN and MSNBC anytime they’ve had a Trump supporter on. An example is; Trump broke the law….but what about her emails? Obviously, you don’t have to be good at it. Lord knows it doesn’t even take intelligence. The new normal doesn’t include reason or being rational.

The new normal includes chanting “drain the swamp” at Trump rallies while Trump is engaged in criminal behavior and defending money launderers and tax evaders. Not to mention the first two Republican congressmen to endorse Trump were indicted this month. The new normal is chanting “lock her up” at that rally while five Trump associates are on their way to prison.

The new normal is crucifying a Democrat for saying America isn’t great, while overlooking the fact that was literally in Donald Trump’s campaign slogan.

The new normal is being proud that a tape of the president saying the N-word hasn’t been released yet, while overlooking the fact that the existence of such a tape is a very real possibility.

I catch myself overlooking details that would have enraged me two years ago. I remind myself to keep my eyes open when something new hits. I can’t allow that to happen. The new normal is dangerous.

It’s dangerous when the new normal includes oppression, government-sanctioned racism, and restrictions on the press. It’s dangerous when it includes putting one man above law and a cult of personality over the nation. The new normal is dangerous when an entire political party refuses to hold one man accountable out of political fear.

The new normal is most dangerous when it simply becomes the normal.

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