[Note: I fell off my my self constructed “limited politics” bandwagon. What can I say? If you are trying to rise above, feel free to skip the next few posts. I won’t mind. In the meantime I’ll get it out of my system and soon return to my core interests of obsessing over power tools and paranoid fiction about woodland creatures.]
I don’t have a Twitter account. Why would I?
That doesn’t mean I think other people should be forced to make the same decisions as me. That would be weird; almost as if I was an elite bi-coastal twat who reserves to himself to right to boss everyone around. That way lies madness!
From my point of view it’s fine if the President wants to speak freely. He’s a citizen like the rest of us. If he wants to emit 140 character expressions about whatever the fuck he’s thinking, I don’t much care. If it comes out stupid, then he looks like an ass. What’s to worry?
I don’t usually fisk but after a million articles about how Trump is a fool for sending messages directly to the people, I gotta’ do it. I randomly chose to curbstomp USA Today’s: “Could someone please delete Trump’s Twitter account”:
“Remember when presidents behaved with a certain dignity that reflected the gravity and responsibility of their office?”
No. I don’t remember that at all.
Direct communication via Twitter is beneath the dignity of office.
“…it would be nice if someone just shut down the man’s Twitter account.”
It would be nice if someone brought me a keg of beer. And I want a pony.
“Of course, the president can and should respond to his critics, although not necessarily all of them and not all the time and not with such a nasty tone. The way he does it really is beneath the dignity of the office.”
Fuck you.
“This is the man Republicans elected to office.”
Republicans don’t elect anyone. Americans elect the president!
Take your fingers out of your ears and hear the words I am saying; “Americans elected Trump. Your countrymen did that! His 60 million odd voters live and work in your vicinity. They’re everywhere! They go to school, mow lawns, sleep, breathe, laugh, marry, have kids, drive cars, eat, and fuck. They do it in the same states, cities, and counties as elitist nitwits who pretend they don’t exist. They’re Americans! We’re not merely a nation of deconstructionist lectures at Ivy League monuments to irrelevancy. We’re more. We have monster trucks, milkshakes, motorcycles, football, firearms, and fun. Accept it, become one with it, and learn from this teachable moment. Trump did not emerge from the sea floor like the Kraken. He has been here, in America, all along.”
Also he sure as hell wasn’t the Republican party’s first choice. The party busted their ass trying to get rid of him.
“And maybe if enough of them spoke up, as some, including House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), did Thursday, Trump might change his tone.”
What a novel idea! Maybe they could form a group specifically for the purpose of getting Trump to shut the hell up. They could call it “NeverTrump” and fail at everything.
“He could also take a page from former presidents who were also roundly criticized. Former President George W. Bush reportedly responded to comedians making fun of him with these words, according to Will Farrell in a story by The Hill: “He said: ‘I loved it…
Take a joke without flaking out? Are you talking about Trump who forwarded a joke or CNN who bellyflopped in response?
“But don’t count on Trump doing any of that.”
Virtually every member of the press thought Trump was dogmeat. They were wrong and he was right. Now he’s not taking advice from the people who were wrong? I’m shocked.
“This is the Trump people voted for, and it’s the Trump we’re stuck with.”
Now you get it! The people voted and you’re stuck with the outcome. It’s not a deep concept. Welcome to adulthood.
I’m surprised you haven’t experienced disappointment before. Maybe you’ve been lucky. Or maybe you grew up in a sequestered monastery? The rest of us know that sometimes your team loses. Democracy is like that. Freedom is like that.
Everyone has their first disappointment. Speaking as a guy who’s choices usually lose, I feel your pain. But you’ll come through this. I promise. Chill out and count to ten. Breathe deep. Drink a few beers, hug your kids, and ride out the storm. This is the Trump people voted for. Let it go.
This has happened before. I present another president who acted just like Trump. This asshole subverted the media and spoke directly to the people too! This raging bastard had off the cuff “fireside” chats with the American people. He used a new technology to make an end run around the print media. He discredited honored members of the press by exposing their irrelevancy. What a tool! He spoke directly and his every word was forwarded verbatim! He just spewed whatever was on his mind! He didn’t let the press filter his words. (Rumor also has it the jerk had dodgy health and wasn’t real forthcoming about the extent of it. So much for transparency.) What a jackass!
The good news is Trump is better than that. Trump shows restraint. Trump limits himself to 140 character slogans. This other guy rattled on a half an hour at a time. Once he kept it up for nearly 45 minutes! Thank goodness Trump’s Tweets are much shorter than the lengthy undignified ranting of this nut:
It is beneath the dignity of the office of President to speak directly to the American people.
