To Pimp The Presidency

 In 2015, Kendrick Lamar released his critically acclaimed album "To Pimp A Butterfly".  The cover featured groups of young black men piled up in front of the White House. Beneath the pile was a knocked out President Obama. It always struck me strange that Lamar was criticizing the president when he was a hero in many households. I wonder what a contemporary protest album cover might look like if taking on the current administration.

In our highly media centric world, politicians are not exempt from harsh criticism. The American public has strong opinions and they are willing to attack with impunity. Yet, as a nation we are divided on Donald Trump as a businessman, politician, and president. Mr. Trump doesn't shy away from a fight and he pushes back with sharp knives. Could this be why, in light of everything that he does, that President Trump is not subject to the same level of scrutiny given to other presidents and politicians?

It's unimaginable but Donald Trump is "pimping the presidency." He used the first term to test boundaries and the second term is all about getting paid. Trump uses the presidency like a pimp uses a prostitute! He is selling the office to the highest bidder and it doesn't seem to matter what nation or individual is interested. Anyone interested in the United States must pay tribute to Trump. His recent Gulf States trip yielded hotels, golf courses, golf tournaments, and some pocket change in the form of undisclosed business deals. Bragging that he helped the nation, it would be interesting to compare the total revenue received by the Trumps' to that of the United States.

The current occupant of the White House constantly gets away with crimes of the tongue as well as those of the white collar variety.  One such example is the recent $Trump crypto event at a Virginia Trump property on the president's off-time. Note: presidents do not have off-hours, they are always the president. Yet here was the president making money using his office and the White House as part of the promotion.

Another case in point is the president's desire for a luxury 747 when two new Air Force One's are being built. In lying about the age of the current two presidential 747s, he stressed that they were outdated and not fitting for the "President of the United States". Lost in his argument was the fact that he had previously seen and coveted this 13-year old plane suddenly being offered as a "gift" and then compared it to France's gift of the Statue of Liberty. It is probable that the plane, now "gifted" to the U.S. Air Force will likely never become an Air Force One and will be kept by the president long after his term is over.  The entire drama is clearly a violation of the constitution. 

Better yet, is the Trump organization's deal with the Vietnamese government to fast track a major real estate project a quid quo pro for lower tariff rates? And are his recent online attacks on foes, musical icons Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift, schemes to weaken their fan bases?

Let's put things into greater perspective. A major issue of the 2024 election was the question of Project 2025. Reminiscent of the Russian connection in the 2016 campaign or the Trump hotel violating the emoluments clause during the first term, it was another time that the Trump camp would be accused of an extremely controversial relationship. The Democrats tried to pin the book-length Project 2025 on candidate Trump.  In his familiar manner, Mr. Trump denied its existence and any association to its authors. Responding to the constant Democrat bombardment, some Republican factions attempted to create distance between the candidate, the party, and MAGA and the controversial policy document.  

The press, both the left and right leaning, want us to believe that most Americans believed the president did not know about Project 2025 and/or did not believe it to be a major issue. In reality, many potential voters (both Republican and Democrat) had some knowledge of Project 2025, its authorship and ties to the Trump campaign. But in the minds of the press, the flurry of executive orders that started on January 20th has been portrayed as a shock. I contest that it did not surprise everyone. The final assessment of Project 2025 controversy and the first 100 days depends on the audience.

Now we are led to believe that many Trump voters are claiming buyer's remorse or that this is not what they voted for. Anti-Trump voters frequently express shock that the president's actions seem to be authoritarian. And others are disappointed by the lack of actual legislation or the response of the Supreme Court to his executive actions. 

While I co-sign with many social and media commentators that Americans often "seem" uniformed or even dumb, I don't fully accept this conclusion. I truly believe that the majority of the American public are modestly informed and can find the correct information when necessary.  It is apparent, based on poll data, that most Americans accept that Trump is corrupt. However, none of this explains why people voted for Trump or did not vote for Harris. I still maintain that our racism, sexism, and classism actually account for the support of Trump and his subsequent election. Thus to minimize the damage of our "confused electorate", how do we characterize this presidency?

Within Project 2025, there was a lot of talk of the first 100 days! On paper, the item count was a tremendous success. Donald Trump delivered. His presidency started and continues with an executive order for every position that Project 2025 could deliver.  So what does this truly mean? Were there more daily executive orders presented than most people could have imagined or did President Trump do exactly what he promised?  Clearly, I am among those who believe the latter. Additionally with the support of Elon Musk and other socially inclined allies the president had even greater support in deconstructing existing institutions,  He attacked the left, his enemies, and philosophies that he deemed controversial.  

As we progress through the next 100 days, we know that only a few of the executive orders truly make sense. In fact, most activity during the first 100 days was either unconstitutional or illegal or both. Some orders and statements, like renaming the Gulf of Mexico, calling Canada the 51st state, and wanting to annex Greenland, are offensive to our longstanding allies. None-the-less, the sheer number of orders has overwhelmed the courts and the administration’s foes.

What Project 2025 secured is the mythological victory of the discontented American over the alleged "cheaters, fraudsters and liars". The narrative that non-whites are/were denying whites of gaining the American Dream by stealing successes and/or taking white jobs remains central to MAGA's foundation. This argument calls for ending the New Deal, the Great Society, Affirmative Action, and Obama Care, cutting SNAP and Head Start, eliminating USAID and the Department of Education, for deporting "illegal immigrants," for closing government jobs which are "held by non-whites", and terminating DEI initiatives. Through these executive actions, President Trump has started to even the playing field. He has also developed an aura of fear. It has created a greater sense of Trump invincibly. 

Unfortunately, President Trump is not governing. He is just making proclamations. Lacking legislation and not being challenged by Congress, the power of the presidency aided by executive orders has made Trump seem authoritative - ruthless and lawless. America has become chaotic filled with unpredictable daily dramas. In this ultimate reality show, Trump is director and king. Student protesters have lost their visas, protective status for those from Venezuela, Afghanistan and Iraq has been voided, and life sentences await some in El Salvador prisons. Habeas Corpus has been ignored. While illegal, Trump was able to threaten judges, lawyers/law firms, college presidents/elite universities and major corporations and business executives and get them to bend to his will.

As a result, Trump's enemies stress that he rules like a tyrant.  The American version of Game of Thrones has world leaders coming to the White House to be humiliated and the president proclaiming his greatness in protecting the nation from those who would take advantage of our goodness. The Trump world vision of good versus evil pits the public against imaginary foes: corporations, individuals and even the former homelands of thousands of current American citizens.  And to his delight the Trump supported media cheers on this political bullying.

So, it is obvious that the executive orders will continue. Harvard and other elite universities will continue to be tortured, and rights for non-whites will continue to be abolished being labeled as harmful DEI programs. The administration has offered sanctuary to Afrikaners, tried to outlaw Sanctuary Cities, and has supported reparations to the family of a slain January 6th protestor. An expensive military parade is being planned for June 14th (Flag Day and the President's birthday)!

The president will continue to use tariffs in unlawful ways to enrich his family and the military conflicts that Trump promised to end on the first day of his new term will continue. We will soon reach the point where the Supreme Court will defend the administration in an unjust decision or Congress will fail to stop the president from making an irrational decision.  While I think the direction of the administration is venturing in the wrong directions, I don't think most Americans want to concede its flaws. 

The "Big Beautiful Bill" contains the next set of controversial items of the Project 2025 agenda. While it probably won't pass in its current form, it seems likely to get through the Republican majorities. Not only will this bill expand the national deficit, weaken the nation's credit rating, and increase taxes for the poor while granting a break for the rich, it likely will increase prices and cause a recession. 

So what images do you think we should see on that album cover?