Trump is in for a rude awakening when he finds out what the job of president is really about.
If you see democracy and the freedom that supposedly comes with it as sacred, Donald Trump's latest tirade should have you breaking into a cold sweat and making sure you're registered to vote. In fact, if you're not registered to vote, go do that right now.
During a press conference last week, Trump attacked the press like we've never seen. Sure, he's gone after the press, placed them in pens at his rallies, and complained about them, but this was a surprising escalation at a time when many in the GOP are hoping he'll act "more presidential."
The press conference was held for Trump to explain what exactly happened to the $6 million that he bragged about collecting for veterans during an event in January. An event he scheduled to coincide with the FOX GOP primary debates that he didn't attend.
At the time, Trump had proclaimed, "We just cracked $6 million, right? Six million."
Later, Trump's campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, said the fundraiser actually netted about $4.5 million, or 75 percent of the total Trump had announced. Last week, after being questioned about the funds, the campaign announced that they had dispersed $5.6 million to various groups.
Any questions? Does anyone have any questions about how the funds that Trump collected for veterans during a televised event went from $6 million, then later went down to $4.5 million, and then, when asked about the funds four months later, went back up to $5.6 million? Those are fairly benign questions aren't they? A reporter might want to know why the amounts kept changing and where the money was. The press did ask. A lot of the people in the press asked, and rather than simply answering the question or issuing a press release, Trump had a press conference during which he called the members of the press "dishonest," "not good people," sleazy, and among the worst human beings he has ever met.
"Yeah, it is going to be like this," Trump said when asked if this was how he would behave with the press as president. "You think I'm gonna change? I'm not gonna change."
Isn't that great? A president that thinks he's beyond reproach and when he's asked questions, insults and lashes out at the press.
It's no great wonder that the latest lunatic to praise Donald Trump is the leader of North Korea. That's right, Kim Jong-un, the guy who murdered family members to get ahead and pal to Dennis Rodman, is a fan of Donald Trump. "There are many positive aspects to Trump's 'inflammatory policies'," Han Yong-mook, who described himself as a Chinese North Korean scholar, wrote in an editorial.
The media, is of course, freaking out and indignant about Trump insulting them. They've let him say whatever he wanted to for years and simply nodded their heads and now can't believe how they're being treated. He insulted war heroes, women, Mexicans, Muslims, to name a few, and the press sat quietly by and "commented" on his charming rhetoric, but now that they're a target, not only are they surprised, but actually offended.
Fortunately, one group of powerful lobbyists is doing something about Trump's imminent assault on the press and free speech. Silicon Valley lobbyists, along with the surprising support of Republicans, are working feverishly to combat what amounts to internet SLAPP suits. Basically, they are quickly trying to pass legislation to combat nuisance lawsuits against online speech before the highly litigious President Donald Trump gets a chance to knock it down. For once they're showing a little proactive initiative.
As Politico reports:
Tech companies and GOP lawmakers have found common cause in trying to make it harder to sue people for what they say online, inspired by cases such as a Virginia carpet cleaner's attempt to punish the writers of negative Yelp reviews. But while the anti-lawsuit crusade meshes with Republicans' traditional dislike of trial lawyers, supporters fear it will collide with Trump's fondness for litigation against his critics -- including his real or threatened suits against a Miss USA contestant, a rapper who used his name in a YouTube video, a journalist who questioned his net worth and former GOP primary rival John Kasich.
The supporters of the bill are pushing to get the legislation passed while Barack Obama is still president and are fairly convinced that a Pres. Trump would veto it.
Trump has already shown a complete disregard for free speech and most of the things that make up a democracy. He's insulted nearly every area of government that one could insult, including the judiciary with a recent swipe at the judge who is hearing the case against Trump University.
Trump launched into a tirade against Judge Gonzalo Curiel in the days before the release of the court documents. He went after him as a "hater" and called him "very hostile" on the stump on Friday and has implied that he's biased because he's "Mexican." If you thought making an enemy of the press was a bad idea, wait until this karmic boomerang comes back.
There are a couple of things that Trump doesn't seem to understand. He's running for president and yet seems to think the job is more about being a "Supreme Leader," of sorts. He doesn't seem to understand that he's going to have to contend with several branches of government that aren't going to agree with him, much less do his bidding. There's an entire majority of the population that can't stand him. And let's not forget a Constitution that limits his power and authority. He's in for a rude awakening should he become president, and what's coming at him now is just the beginning of a storm of insults, accusation, law-suits, jokes, and well written, extremely descriptive articles from very smart people.
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