Department of Perversity

In The Rhetoric of Reaction, Albert Hirschman argues that reactionaries make three kinds of claims. One of those claims Hirschman calls the “perversity” thesis. Arguing from perversity, the reactionary claims that whatever it is that progressives are trying to do—reduce poverty, increase housing—they inevitably will produce the opposite effect. In the last 24 hours, it’s been reported that: 1. Kristi Noem, head of the Department of Homeland Security, had her bag stolen. 2. Pete Hegseth, head of the Department of Defense, shared military secrets involving American attacks on foreign enemies. Who’s doing perversity now? On a related note, the Trump administration is taking over the renovation of Penn Station and looking into policies to encourage women to have more babies. […]