British Labour prime minister Harold Wilson once said ‘a week is a long time in politics’. The social reformer (1964-1976) pushed for groundbreaking laws to abolish capital punishment, tackle racial discrimination, and moved discussion on gay rights, reproductive rights and women’s rights forward. Current British PM, Theresa May, however, thinks ‘sometimes opposites attract‘.
Like, for example, Trump’s views on human rights versus torture?
In the case of Donald Trump, a week is too long in politics. His policy of politics ‘for the people’ is rapidly showing signs of becoming an autocratic leadership of fast decisions and bullyboy tactics. He looks set to bring brash boardroom techniques into the delicate sphere of global diplomacy. Beautiful – not. And he’s created a kind of Morse Code rhythm to societal discourse. Yes — he has. How will children learn to punctuate in the Trump era?
How will I?
I write great stuff, you’ll fix it. You will.
My writing is bigly great. It is.
Trump may have got his all-singing all-dancing team of marionettes tapping to the tune of alternative facts – because without a doubt, they all believe in his greatness #alternativefact – but what’s next? My warhead is bigger than yours? Ringside seats for a heavyweight fight in Las Vegas? Paid for by NBC. It will happen. I promise you that #alternativefact.
What is more poignant: Trump’s instant executive order to build a 1,000 mile wall on the insistence that Mexico will foot the bill? (‘We will never ever pay for the #FuckingWall’, tweeted a former Mexican president. ‘Don’t mess with us!’)
Or that millions of men and women wore Pussy Hats for mass marches across the world, only for Trump and a bunch of men to sign an agreement that directly damages women’s rights? (FYI: The Daily Mail, flummoxed by the colloquial term for women’s genitalia, renamed them Kitty Hats. #alternativereporting #idiots.)
Again Trump was trumped: The Dutch launched an international abortion fund in response to his reinstatement of the global abortion funding ban, a gagging ban known as the Mexico City Policy, which immediately takes USD600m (€561m) away from NGO charities whose work in anyway supports abortion. Some 20 other countries have stepped in to support the Netherlands, insisting the move will put the lives of women at risk.
And on it goes.
It goes on-and-on-hugely.
So, who is next in Trump’s firing line?
The National Endowment of the Arts is going to get it. Yes they will. And they will get it good #unverifiedfact. Bad. Real bad. They will get it so real bad it will be good for the American people. And it will hurt #possiblefact. But it won’t hurt bigly. It’ll be great. It’ll be friendly #highlyunlikelyfact. America will be great again. Because Trump loves the American people #somemorethanothers. But what happens when the American people stop loving Trump? What will happen when they want to live out their lives in full sentences and not inflict short, sharp, sentences on others? Will they… em dash for his colon?
Let us know your thoughts. In the meantime, a round-up of the week’s top stories.
Fortune: What Trump’s Proposed Spending Cuts Could Mean for the Arts Economy.
Time: President Trump Wants to Kill These 17 Federal Agencies and Programs. Here’s What They Actually Cost (and Do).
Washington Post: A Trump attack on the arts would be more than just symbolic.
The Hill: Trump team prepares dramatic cuts.
And this Facebook Live stream by angry viral commentator Peggy Hubbard – who seems to have absolutely no idea what the NEA actually does.
Peggy Hubbard: National Endowment Of The Arts….who does it REALLY benefit?? [Sic]