When anyone mentions Donald Trump, they can’t do so without bringing up his past as a “reality star”. The persona he developed over the years he was on “The Apprentice” were the very qualities his supporters wanted in a leader. The problem with that is government isn’t a reality show. It has its own traditions, norms and sets of rules and procedures that have permitted it to thrive for over two centuries.
The Trump Show
Yet during his time in office, and now his post-presidency, Trump continued to be the same bombastic blowhard he was during his years on network television. Insiders would tell stories of Apprentice-style competitions when it came to making important policy decisions. Cabinet meetings were exercises in who could fawn over Trump the most.
The basis for American government is rooted in tradition. These were totally obliterated by Trump and the new wave of Republicans who see being in office not out of a sense of duty, but as a popularity contest where the biggest bully wins. It’s highly doubtful that Trump or many of his supporters have read The Federalist Papers, much less the Constitution that they swear an oath to defend.
Instead, they base their own warped sense of governance on how much they can out shout the other side. There is more Jerry Springer than George Washington when it comes to getting the job done. Which is why storming the Capitol was such a natural impulse for them. After all, they were upset their favorite show was being “cancelled”. Weren’t other shows saved from the scrap heap when their fans staged a massive letter-writing campaign? This didn’t seem to be any different to them.
When you consider the cast of characters that comprise the Trump base ("I love the poorly educated") , their reality star adoration certainly fits. To them, the actions of their form of government have no real-world consequences. Instead, the day-to-day interactions of the Trump administration jibed with the Big Brother drama they were able to view on a daily basis. They either ignored, or most likely didn’t know, the Orwellian origins of the concept behind the show.
When members of the media were insulted by the revolving door of press secretaries, they saw it as a WWE smack down. So, they invariably cheered this blatant censorship of the Constitutionally protected Freedom of the Press. After all, it wasn’t an attack on the Second Amendment. What is the Constitution after all, but a set of rules where you are allowed to pick and choose which ones to follow and which to ignore?
And the Rest…
No show would be complete without a supporting cast, and there are some doozies! There’s the kooky neighbor, the creepy uncle, the gun-toting looney and even a “doctor” with questionable credentials. And then there are the wacky “guest stars”, which include the grumpy grandpa, a Southern “gentleman”, a rootin’, tootin’ Texan, some guy in a wheelchair who goes off on crazy rants, and a fist-pumping, living in the 1950s who thinks overthrowing the government is a damn good idea!
Wow! If this were a streaming app, sign me up! But no. These are Republicans in Congress.
The kooky neighbor is none other than Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA). And due to her extreme incompetence, she has been thrown off her committees, so she has time to stalk Democrats in Congress while spouting various conspiracy theories as she adjusts her tinfoil hat. When she’s not doing that, she’s filing vague motions demanding revenge impeachment of Joe Biden. She apparently is secretly wealthy because she keeps “donating” huge amounts of her salary because she refuses to comply with House masking rules. If she were in comedy, we’d all be in stitches, but alas, she’s in Congress instead.
Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is the creepy uncle currently under investigation for sex trafficking. With his ever present sneer, constant screaming and too perfect hair, his appearance is suggesting mothers hide their daughters. Yet, he wants to hire a teen-aged boy, who was acquitted of murdering two men, as an intern.
Yeah, there’s nothing strange about that, is there?
Armed with her GED, Lauren Boebert (R-CO) is libel to pop off at anyone at any moment. Instead of doing the job she was elected to do, she often teams up with her aforementioned neighbors to spread conspiracy theories and demand her former, disgraced “boss” be re-hired. This pro-gun kook even drags her own children into her delusions by posting a Christmas card featuring her heavily armed family.
The “doctor” is none other than Kentucky Senator Rand Paul (R-KY). His battles with Dr. Anthony Fauci are “must see TV”, as Paul attempts to pit his medical knowledge (He’s an ophthalmologist) against an infectious disease expert during a pandemic. Paul is so obnoxious, he was attacked by his own neighbor.
Along with the grumpy grandpa trying to recapture his former glory, (Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the wheelchair bound conspiracy theorist, North Carolina’s own Madison Cawthorn (R-NC), flip-flopping South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, and cold weather escape artist, Senator Ted Cruz (R-Tx), the Trump Show continues to have life even a year after it was “cancelled” by the voters.
With Trump threatening to run again in 2024, the Select Committee investigating the insurrection needs to step up its game. They need to cancel the Trump Show: PERMANENTLY!