The Sick Rose

People normalize this kid of insanity https://t.co/CwWHUfwDKM

— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) July 10, 2020

We don't, actually.  It's kinda like being Anthony Fauci:  is he supposed to argue with the President in public?  What good does that actually do?

When I hear Trump say things like this, I think:

a) he talks to very stupid and ignorant people; or

b) he is himself a stupid and ignorant person;

c) he's the most delusional person to ever hold public office.

These are not exclusionary conclusions, you understand.  But neither to my conclusions exclude him from public office.  Dribbling nonsense and delusion is not grounds for automatic impeachment or even suspension from the duties of the office of President (I checked the Constitution).  Screaming ceaselessly about "WHY DOESN'T SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS RAVING LUNATIC!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!" doesn't really do anything for the situation, either.

I don't know anyone who thinks this is normal.  What is normal is for most people not to pay attention to the President, except when he gets us into war or screws up the economy or threatens the public health.  Trump has two out of three and nobody wants to see him go for the trifecta.  What is also not normal is for so many people in the country to be so motivated to vote (our turnout is still pathetic compared to other democracies, but at least its pathetic with a slight increse in participation that may yet move it just above "pathetic" to "laughable.").

I think all the evidence shows Trump has not been "normalized."  There's some talk he'd be doing better now in the polls if not for the pandemic and the economy, but he hasn't been above 45% approval since he took office.  He might not have gotten poured out like water in November without current circumstances, but his chances of re-election were very poor already.

Sadly, what's being normalized is that sentiments on Twitter reflect actual voter sympathies.  And sympathies on Twitter don't even reflect the majority of tweets on Twitter, much less a consensus that makes it the vox populi.

Newt Gingrich normalized a lot of shit, which paved the way for Trump's time in office.  But Newt's behavior was never normalized, and neither has Trump's been.  But we can't force Trump out of the White House as easily as we could force Gingrich out of the Speaker's office.  That's just the way the system works.

What shouldn't be normalized is the idea that the system will save democracy from the people.  That's the pernicious lie we still need to undo.