The State of the Union

The SOTU machinery has been cranking up for the last few days, and it’s going to be running full blast today. All the little cliche things that the DC media loves so much are going to be trotted out, with extra special Trumpy accoutrements. I hate to be a sour fucker about the whole thing, but I’m sick of DC traditions. They strike me as corrupt anachronisms. We’re in a time of unprecedented corruption and lawlessness, yet the blessed tradition needs to be followed. Here’s the AP’s attempt to normalize Trump and the SOTU:

Yes, AP, the notoriously on-message leader of the most message disciplined administration in history will be test running messages for an election 8+ months away in today’s SOTU. Perhaps in some fantasy world, but not in this real one.

Democrats, to their credit, are trying to point out that this isn’t an ordinary time. They’re bringing Epstein survivors, and many aren’t attending. Good. I guess some of them are going to be holding up little signs or doing whatever else they can do to piss Trump off. Good.

At the best of times, the SOTU speech was a laundry list of wishes and accomplishments, aimed at a group of people who might not pay close attention to politics, but are looking to check in. But in Trump times, especially Trump 2.0 times, it’s going to be yet another waterfall of nonsense, lies and bullshit. I’m sure Trump’s going to promise something that will never happen (remember free IVF?) Or maybe he’s going to let some freedom bombs loose over Iran and brag about it. That wouldn’t surprise me one bit.

I’ve of the main issues with the SOTU is that it turns one speech into a make-or-break performance. It’s similar to other, stupid political traditions, like Presidential debates. In theory, the SOTU and debates are good things. The practice, as reported by our media (and stage managed by them, in the case of debates) is just another opportunity for the intellectually lazy press to concentrate on stage dressing rather than substance. Who did the President greet on the way in? Did he misspeak at some point in the speech?

I‘m a broken record on this, but the Internet, and social media, have fundamentally changed the way that people consume information. It’s not one “big bang” every so often — it’s little tidbits inserted into various social media feeds. Democrats need to be constantly pushing our message into the social media streams in every way possible. Instead of waiting for moments where people might be paying attention, we need to be always on, always working to send out our message.

Here’s a guy who gets it. More of this, and less pompous, pointless ceremony: