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President Has Lots of Storm Work to Do, Sings Karaoke Instead

Jennifer Rubin offers this poignant assessment of our pretend President:

Trump has been weirdly animated about the hurricane, exclaiming on Twitter about the unprecedented nature of the damage. Now, as he rushes to the scene (or close to the scene) to get his mug on TV, he might want to reconsider whether he will be blamed for diverting resources from those who need it. Trump loves seeing his own image (e.g. in big trucks, in the Oval Office), but his enthusiasm for the limelight and “looking the part” only emphasizes that he views the presidency as another reality show with him in the leading role [Jennifer Rubin, “Mr. President, the Flood Victims Come First, Not Your Photo Op,” Washington Post, 2017.08.29].

Donald Trump has made the White House a karaoke bar, where he turns the armchair musings of the average TV viewer and belts out what he thinks sound like Presidential pronouncements. He’s more concerned about hearing his own voice shout from the loudspeakers than about listening to others and taking practical action:

His aversion to substance is well-known. (Why did he just eliminate an order to require infrastructure to meet higher flood-protection rules? Why did he propose an 11 percent cut to the Federal Emergency Management Agency? Where is the new Department of Homeland Security secretary?) But when the post-crisis analysis happens, Trump will find that the president can rarely escape blame. So rather than rush to the cameras, maybe Trump should start filling empty slots at DHS, rule out the need for offsets (as Republicans did in prior natural disasters) and figure out how he’s going to keep the government open after the end of next month. (Hint: Drop the demand for funding the useless wall and rebuild Houston instead.) We promise not to criticize if he stays away, but that would require that he, for once, think of others first [Rubin, 2017.08.29].

Build a wall? Nuts to that: build a seawall. Build bigger dams and levees. We’ll pay for that.

Related Tweeting: When President Barack Obama responded to Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, Donald Trump criticized the President’s actions as fakery:

Donald Trump, Twitter, 2012.10.30
Donald Trump, Twitter, 2012.10.30

32 Comments

  1. Donald Pay 2017-08-29 16:36

    Some people may remember the Black Hills flood of 1972. After that flood a lot of infrastructure was upgraded, the greenway created and regulations put on to assure that it would never happen again. It wasn’t all done overnight, and it took a sustained effort that involved local, state and federal funds.

    I don’t think Trump has the attention span to do this well. Plus, Republicans don’t have the empathy to care about all the folks flooded out. Some are Messcans, as they say it in Teh-xus. Just as in New Orleans, the poor folks will have to fend for themselves while the elite business class gets bailed out. The middle class will have to haggle with insurance companies, who will try every way to screw them over.

    Trump is intent on building his wall, using American tax dollars, instead of Mexican funds as promised, and he’ll close down the government rather than accept that the wall was nothing but a dumb political dog whistle. Most politicians understand dog whistles expire one day after the election. Well, now he’s got

    Well, he’s got his opportunity to be put America first by concentrating on doing the things that need to be done, rather than the complete BS he’s proposing. He can put the BS on the back burner now. Let’s see if he can do it. I’m betting on another debacle. That’s all we get from the Trumpster.

  2. mike from iowa 2017-08-29 17:54

    and HRC was so much worse-how?

  3. mike from iowa 2017-08-29 17:56

    I see the Flotus was wearing a hat coming off AF-1 that said Flotus. Plus she was sporting 5 inch stilletos. Just the thing for aerating soggy ground.

  4. grudznick 2017-08-29 18:14

    Mr. Pay, I remember it well.

    You should not make false, blanket statements that entire groups of people do not have empathy for flooded folks. That’s why I always say “most libbies are ignorant about most things” as opposed to “all libbies are ignorant about everything.”

    It paints you as a sensationalist of the same ilk as Mr. Sibby and my good friend Lar.

  5. mike from iowa 2017-08-29 18:28

    Donald Pay irritates Grudz. Must have done something right.

    Grudz, name me one wingnut pol in Washington that is doing what is right for all Americans, not just the wealthy. Just one and a little documentation.

  6. grudznick 2017-08-29 18:34

    Don and I both had loved ones die, here in South Dakota not in Iowa, Mr. mike. We are kin. He’s like a little brother to me and I love him all to heck.

  7. grudznick 2017-08-29 18:36

    But that doesn’t mean I don’t get to put him in a headlock nugie him whenever I want. Right Donnie?

  8. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2017-08-30 05:24

    Donald mentions attention span….

    I remember when I was little, listening to the news of the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands. I was sitting at the kitchen table, eating Cheerios. I started imagining what I would say if I were the British Prime Minister. I made a little cabinet speech over my breakfast, pretending to order every ship in the fleet to go to the Falklands and defend British honor. (I think Mom, who may have still been trying to sleep in the other room, heard me and, somewhat puzzledly, told me to keep it down.)

    That’s what it feels like Trump is doing. He watches the TV news, grabs little bits to fuel his little mini-dramas before the all too willing audience of cameras and Twitter watchers, then skips to the next segment. He has no thought of sustained attention to a problem, no thought of mapping out the sort of practical solutions like Donald describes had to take place in Rapid City after the 1972 flood. He’s just kind of saying stuff in his own feckless fantasy-land.

  9. mike from iowa 2017-08-30 09:49

    Something to bring a smile to doofus Drumpf’s mug- UPDATE: 3:02 p.m. – After a photo emerged that showed a Best Buy store selling cases of water for $42 in flood-ravaged Texas, the company has issued an apology for the pricing.

    Give us yer poor, devastated flood victims to fleece during a catastrophe. Capatilism at its finest.

  10. mike from iowa 2017-08-30 09:51

    Capitalism- my bad.

  11. Roger Elgersma 2017-08-30 12:25

    “Obama will be seen… looking like a real President”. Well at least trump knows what a real president should look like.

  12. OldSarg 2017-08-30 13:06

    There has never been a better managed, well supplied and acted on response to a natural disaster in our country’s history. You may not like Trump. You may not like his politics. You may not like him just because you are a nasty small minded fool. But the bottom line is he has this Nation’s government responding and acting from every corner. Give the man his due.

  13. mike from iowa 2017-08-30 13:35

    Sarg, don’t give up yer day job. You’ll never make it as a comedian, or an apologist for the worst bogus potus ever.

    Clinton made FEMA great, dumbass dubya dismantled it and Obama rebuilt FEMA. Once again you are lavishing platitudes on a clueless moron who is seriously damaging the agency at the behest of korporate moneybags. Drumpf wouldn’t make a pimple on a real Potus and actual human’s buttocks.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/29/AR2005082901445.html

  14. mike from iowa 2017-08-30 13:41

    The National Weather Service announced Tuesday that the all-time record for total rainfall from a tropical system in the U.S. was broken in Cedar Bayou, Texas — about 30 miles from downtown Houston — at 51.88 inches. Experts believe that Hurricane Harvey will be the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history with a potential price tag of $160 billion.

    This is equal to the combined cost of Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, and represents a 0.8% economic hit to the gross national product.

    What are the odds OldSarg’s bestest potus will shut down the government if he doesn’t get his wall financed?

  15. OldSarg 2017-08-30 17:48

    Michelle– You don’t know anything about FEMA. I mean that. You seriously know nothing about FEMA, how it operates or who is running the show in Texas. . .

    I’ll give ya a hint: Almost to a man the leadership and those in the field ALL wore uniforms and Clinton didn’t hire them neither did Obummer. As such they follow directions and make things happen. Poor foolish Bush let the Clinton hold overs stay in place and that doomed New Orleans 9th ward. Over time the blocks to allowing ex-uniform wearers were overlooked for expertise and we have filled the ranks across the government in the jobs that require experts and action more than political friends. All the middle level management and field workers at FEMA are vets and they don’t fail. I watched them ride themselves of the politically correct trash. It only took a 30 second phone call. It wasn’t what Trump has done, Obummer, Clinton or Bush. The Navy is sending the Seabees, the Army helicopters and troops, even the Air Force is involved hauling gear, all at the request of prior Military at FEMA. I know it will hurt your ego and hopes that more people will be hurt, die and suffer, and some of that will happen, but their are professionals in charge now, not those of your cut of cloth that are all talk. This is low threat action compared to the wars your ilk have forced us into to fight for cowards such as yourself over the past 50 years. FEMA won’t fail and the accolades will flow lifting Trump to even higher stature. All this while you haven’t been paying attention to NAFTA, China Trade, ISIS destroyed, North Korea failing, Venezuela’s government falling all to cumulate in MAKING AMERICA GREAT!

  16. mike from iowa 2017-08-30 18:20

    OldFart is on glue.

  17. mike from iowa 2017-08-30 18:29

    OldFaert and Drumpf on glue together- the only thing bigger than the devastation of the state of Texas is the size of the crowd of admirers gathering to worship Drumpf. Just ask OldFart and Drumpf. Guffaw.

  18. Darin Larson 2017-08-30 21:22

    Oldsarge, did you see the size of the crowds while Trump spoke in Texas? They were tremendous. I mean really bigly. The media just won’t show the huge crowds that turned out to see Trump wherever he goes.

    Trump has done such a good job already, but he’s not even going to congratulate himself or the Texas governor yet. That is true humility–not congratulating himself for flood relief efforts while heroic folks are still dragging people out of the water and recovering bodies.

    I mean here he is taking time out of his busy TV watching schedule, flying down on the relatively austere Air Force One and having to wear khaki’s in late summer Texas heat. He was so sensitive to the plight of the victims of the flood that he didn’t even mention them or enable them to feel sorry for themselves by mentioning the human suffering and lives lost. Everything is going to be great. Everyone is going to be a winner. Make Texas Great Again!

    And today he announced that he will be helping people in Texas by proposing to cut the tax rate on large corporations from 35% to 15%. What a humanitarian! I’m sure Trump will be making a large contribution to the Human Fund!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwqWbfK9TXA

  19. OldSarg 2017-08-30 22:24

    Back from dinner. Had the Super Fi and dinner at the Firehouse.

    I understand your hate of Trump. I understand your pleading to have others pay your way. I understand your inability to stand for yourselves and pray for the failure of this government, all in hopes someone will provide for you, but in the end Trump winning and you all hate America.

    It will be nice when you are all off the government dole and start paying your own way.

  20. OldSarg 2017-08-30 22:32

    Just had dinner and a couple of Semper Fi brews at the Firehouse.

    I understand you’alls hate for America. I understand your desire to see others suffer and how much it bothers you’all to see America stand up for itself as opposed to feeding off the teats of the socialist dream you all strive for but it will never happen in your life times. Americans are not like you. We are a strong people that believe in free thought, free choice and the rights that were given to us by our God. We can choose our president and in this case we chose one that was not a member of those you worship and you hate the people for their choice but there is nothing you can do about it except screech your screeches and cry as un-consoled babies. In the end you have lost. You need to man up and become men. It is time.

  21. Darin Larson 2017-08-30 22:44

    OldSarg, I see both your personalities made it for dinner at the Firehouse. I’m glad for both of you. It is a nice place to eat.

  22. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2017-08-31 05:18

    Old Sarg derails another thread by engaging in the same fascist insult tactics we saw from anonymous “Sthal Blut” under another post Tuesday. Don’t address the substance of the original post—that Trump is pretending to be a leader but not doing the actual work of maintaining a strong disaster-response system. Just insult every opponent a lazy, unmanly, unpatriotic, childish leech. It’s as if we’re all filling and laying sandbags, and Old Sarg drives by and yells “F— you, losers!” It makes him feel good, but it doesn’t affect the quality of our work. Don’t fall for OldSarg’s Hitler tactics.

    Strangely, OS fabricates accusations that everyone who disagrees with him is “on the dole” at a time when Texas Republicans are hoping fervently that the federal government will dole out lots of disaster aid instead of giving them “payback” by voting against Harvey aid the way 23 Texas Republican members of Congress voted against recovery dollars for East Coast victims of Hurricane Sandy in 2013.

  23. mike from iowa 2017-08-31 08:36

    This iz fer you, OldFart- http://tinyurl.com/yczkftop

    Katy Tur asked Ted Crudz why he wanted relief for Texas but voted against aid for Hurricane Sandy, He told her not to engage in petty politics.

  24. mike from iowa 2017-08-31 09:45

    Sarah Sanders falsely claims Trump saw devastation ‘firsthand’ because he talked to people who really saw it

    Yer hero’s minions at work, OF, fluffing Drumpf daily.

  25. Porter Lansing 2017-08-31 09:51

    A bit of a tell when OS disrespects and insults the name Obama with the word obummer, when he won’t even use his own name. Psychology notes that when a child is made fun of for his/her name he’ll or she’ll often do it to others later in life. It’s a sign of weakness, bullying and inability to face problems head on.
    *Not that that’s a bad thing, OS … it’s just something you can work on to be a better blog poster.

  26. Porter Lansing 2017-08-31 10:00

    Houston is the largest city in USA with NO zoning regulations. Texas Republicans in their “posing” as independent and patriotic ‘Muricans eschew regulations like a Pierre legislator repels oversight. Problem is, no zoning allowed greedy developers to build homes in a flood plain. Same thing happened in New Orleans. When South Dakota is recognized as one of USA’s most “harmfully regulatory deficient” places, sitting on either side are New Orleans and Houston. Hey, SoDak … Winter Is Coming.

  27. Porter Lansing 2017-08-31 10:47

    Good one, Mike. I like the quote, “Houston is drowning in it’s own freedom!!” I’ll reiterate, “South Dakota’s “spend no money to make no money” paradigm is like the state’ wearing too tight shoes.”

  28. leslie 2017-08-31 23:04

    Pres. Trump is giving us a great education on how powerful GOP messaging is to twist truth. http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/348777-right-accuses-left-of-hypocrisy-on-antifa

    The Hill runs a front page story of antifa in black hoodies, stocking caps, masks, sunglasses under some kind of red banner cropped so just this evil image comes across. Not photos of “patriot” 3%ers, ect. heavily militarily armed, armored, plugged in, camouflaged, militia protecting 2nd amendment gun intimidation rights, and 1st amendment “free speech” rights.

    Dems need to get back in power, and drop the naiveté about the reality of the war GOP declared when Obama was elected. Otherwise, the democracy of our Republic is going to be lost. The top 1% and top 20% are NOT on our side. https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/06/the-hoarding-of-the-american-dream/530481/

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