A bully pulpit is a public office or position of authority that provides the holder with an opportunity to speak out and be listened to on any matter.
The term was coined by President Theodore Roosevelt, who referred to the White House as a “bully pulpit.” Roosevelt often used the word “bully” as an adjective meaning that meant terrific or wonderful.
Once again, this weekend, POTUS showed his marked ignorance of (or willful desire to ignore) the constitution he is sworn to uphold.
With the recovery of our compatriots in Puerto Rico nowhere near as far along as the administration would have us believe; with the newest hurricane wreaking havoc on the gulf coast; with the actual carnage of Las Vegas (not the metaphoric carnage he talked of in his inauguration) still a seeping wound; POTUS decided to use his bully pulpit not to offer succor or condolences. Did he take to twitter to wish well our brethren suffering or to offer assurances that the federal government will be there to help-out Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
No! That would be too easy!
No, POTUS took to twitter once again to complain about people exercising their first amendment rights. Look, there is no point in pretending! POTUS is a hateful person who would rather APPEAR to help-out the people who need him than to ACTUALLY be helpful. Appearance is all that seems to matter to this megalomaniac.
But what is really appalling about this man and his demeanor is that he seems to have only two things that catch his attention: What his image is – and whether his admirers continue to be admirers.
“But that’s enough about me, let’s talk about you…
What do you think of me?
~ Johnny Bravo
POTUS’ attacks on those football players who wish to #TakeAKnee would not irritate me as strongly as it does if he hadn’t so recently told the world that among the Neo-Nazis and White Supremacists who have become so vocal and visible since he came to power were “Good People.”
Don’t get me wrong: I firmly believe that no label can be universally applied to any group of people. Even Racial labels are a slippery slope. So, sure – I guess that some Neo-Nazis are good people. But that misses the point. Their First Amendment rights to demonstrate are no more and no less worthy of protection as are the rights of any person holding a view that the President doesn’t personally agree with.
And the theory that they (the NFL Players who #TakeAKnee) should NOT do it on the field or during the National Anthem is a distraction. Perhaps the #TakeAKnee crowd should only protest when nobody can see and hear them. Perhaps the Neo-Nazis and White Supremacists should do the same and NOT march in the public squares. Hiding or silencing a protest is the same as squelching the protest.
POTUS cannot defined the protest of the one group and then criticize the protest of the other. Doing so is nothing more than pandering to the basest elements in his base.
And about the Veep’s counter-protest, Sure. That was his right. But unlike the NFL Players, that protest was paid for by the public! THAT I have something to say about! Look, let’s not pretend that Veep’s “protest” was anything more than it was – a publicity stunt to distract us from what is really important.
Hell – POTUS and Veep both admitted that they had planned for him to leave the stadium “if” there was any kneeling going on. It was a foregone conclusion. POTUS returned to poking the bear so Veep cannot really claim he didn’t know ahead of time that he was showing up solely for the purpose of leaving.
POTUS suggested a few weeks ago that his supporters should leave if the players took a knee – and when he couldn’t get people to give-up their outrageously expensive seats in their feigned outrage, he sent one of the few people he can compel to do what he wants.
So, at OUT expense, he flew Veep to a game, we paid for his security staff to make the arrangements to secure the venue. He was publicly ushered into the venue so that he could then leave it! It was a costly publicity stunt – a way for POTUS to salve his outsized ego; bruised at being unable to get a counter protest to the #TakeAKnee protests going on its merits.
Wherever you are – I hope that you will remember: Even those with whom you disagree have a right to speak their minds.
Don Bergquist – October 09, 2017 – Lakewood, Colorado, USA
