The Trump Show

jerrymberger
Jul 27, 2017 · 2 min read

Spicey on “Dancing with the Stars”? I suppose anything is possible in this reality show we’ve been living for the last six months.

Word that the erstwhile White House press secretary is being courted by ABC to join the celebrity troupe can easily be labeled as just another day in the life of the world’s greatest democracy. And while it may be the silliest of the stories to emerge from the world of “Celebrity President” it is a reflection of what has deteriorated into a farce. Consider:

President Trump used a speech to the non-partisan Boy Scouts Jamboree to blast both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in violation of the spirit of the event, eliciting responses that have eerie historical roots;

He used his favorite forum, Twitter, to both unilaterally change military policies related to transgender soldiers and launch a campaign to force his attorney general to step down;

Threatened political revenge on Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski for her vote not to proceed with the Senate health care debate.

And that’s in less than 72 hours.

While it may be the silliest of the stories to emerge from the world of “Celebrity President” it is a reflection of what has deteriorated into a farce.

In the interim, the Senate used parliamentary tactics and a few twisted arms to get that debate underway, even though no one save for Majority Leader Mitch McConnell knew what they were going to “debate.”

So far, two options have been rejected and the most likely outcome, one designed to kick this messy political football back to the House, is something called “skinny repeal,” which basically eliminates the employer and individual mandates and a tax on medical devices.

It’s highly likely that in another political environment Affordable Care Act foes would call it “Obamacare Lite” and cast it aside. Except they and Trump are currently starving for a “win,” no matter how it comes.

And now we learn the Trump Department of Justice is challenging 1964 Civil Rights Act protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Hard core Trump supporters would prefer to shut down the media than abandon their president, who they elected to shake up Washington, which he has clearly accomplished. Whether for good or ill remains a pretty stiff divide.

The circus-like environment means the job of the media, now more than ever, is to avoid distractions like the Spicer soap opera and concentrate on the facts of the major policy changes being proposed that will have impact far beyond on network TV stunt.

(I found this deeper dive by BuzzFeed’s Ben Smith on the reality TV concept. Good stuff)

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