I can both see how the spectacle was a scary sign of where we are, and also believe that this president has not EARNED respect. He is a traitor, liar, cheat, and autocrat, and I have zero interest in an opposition party that provides political cover for that by prioritizing "decorum." Personally, I would have preferred if Democrats simply boycotted or walked out en masse, which would demonstrate that they understand that it's just a rally for him and their presence achieves nothing.
I've always appreciated this blog standing for bipartisanship, but we are not in normal times. We are in the process of losing everything We The People have worked so hard to build: the social safety net we built to care for our seniors, children, and veterans; decades of medical research, critical weather science and disaster prevention, free expression via the First Amendment, a resilient economy, and the peaceful democratic world order. These are not normal times, so we have to respond differently.
I agree! I used to teach my kids that the President of the United States deserves our respect, even if you didn’t vote for them. But I wholeheartedly take it back. President Trump has done nothing so far to earn anyone’s respect. He has been nothing but disrespectful for the last 2 months.
I’d love if it went back to writing. I prefer reading to watching. At this point it feels like government has become a constant stage for political theater designed to entertain or shock Americans. Even the President has said multiple times that these conversations would make for good tv. It’s just nonsense.
I feel like this president would not tell so many lies or make up numbers and “facts” if the address was in written form. He is 100% “reality TV”, where nothing is real at all and the objective is to be over the top ridiculous.
Relatedly, I find it incredibly, INCREDIBLY disturbing that the sitting president, on more than one occasion, has mentioned “this will make for great tv” or “you’ll see this on tv later.” (To be clear this is exactly why he brought a childhood cancer survivor on stage. He personally could not care less about this child or any other childhood cancer survivor demonstrated by the fact he has intentionally and specifically cut funding for saving children from cancer. He did it because he knows it makes a good headline and good tv.)
It demonstrates he KNOWS his antics make for divisional fodder and he thrives on the attention and the chaos. This is without a doubt NOT how a president should behave. He is completely and wholly unfit for office. He does not care about the American people. He does not care about democracy. He only cares about himself, how he can continually enrich himself through the office of President, and of course, how much attention he can draw to himself.
A president should have decorum, integrity, and above all else, a respect for democracy and the separation of powers. Trump has none of it.
I always cringe when I see people hold up Jefferson as a behavioral gold standard or even worthy of wondering “What would Jefferson think?”. Hardly. Ditto many of our “Founding Fathers”. But I do agree that this tradition is now probably meaningless. It’s a show and Tuesday night was sort of like the WWE of politics. What a surprise.
I know you are talking about the traditions of decorum but this President has not followed any of that. He is the only President who speaks down to Democrats and refers to them as the enemy. Why would they show respect when he decries them, threatens to pull funding from "Blue States", and on and on. How can you sit and listen without response to a President who is lying about most everything, who has pushed away our allies and thrown his support behind Russia and North Korea. I am a registered Republican, have always voted as an Independent but I can honestly say, I am so disillusioned with what has happened to the Republican Party and their loyalty to Donald Trump that I don't think I could have sat there and listened to him lie over and over without a response. His lie about Transgender mice that people started posting online when in reality it is "transgenic" mice that are used for cancer research, cancer research that saved my husband's life. How can you sit respectfully as you listen to our President talk about freezing funding and all help to Ukraine, starting a trade war with our allies, and praising Elon Musk, an unelected person who has taken over the government and hurt so many of its citizens. I honestly feel the Democrats have tried to take a higher road, to help Mike Johnson keep his seat, to help to keep the Government open, and many other things they have done, and yet Trump and the Republicans continue to lie and taunt. I understand how respect should be shown amongst all the participants, but respect is not an action that this President has shown to anyone that isn't on his side.
“The separation between the branches has now collapsed; party reigns supreme.”
We are in big trouble. I can understand agreeing with the president that aligns with your beliefs but not a single American who believes in and wishes to preserve democracy should be allowing a president to behave the way Trump been. Check(s and balances), please?
I think it may be time we accept that they don't want to preserve democracy. They don't want compromise. They don't want a unified nation. They want ultimate control.
There are Republicans that think democracy is a dirty word. When I handed out lit at the polls, I used the word democracy in conversation with a voter, and he spat out, “spoken like a Democrat!” I was shocked because I was there as a nonpartisan volunteer, and I thought democracy was nonpartisan, but to not everyone!
It’s an embarrassing display from all of them. The blinding, simping, adoration from Republicans is so strange and disturbing. And I can’t blame Democrats for not wanting to normalize the circus, but not clapping a 13yo brain cancer survivor? Yikes. (And I do understand that Trump is taking advantage of DJ Daniel to soften his image, but the kid himself is worth applauding.)
Agreed. The republicans disgusted me, but the democrats embarrassed me. I need more "when they go low, we go high" energy. Integrity still matters to some Americans.
The last sixteen years have given me very little hope for most Republicans in Congress to do the right thing. While I appreciate the sentiment of the Obamas’ “when they go low, we go high,” mantra, I think that has, in part, contributed to where the Democrats are at right now. Democrats need to do a better job of figuring out the moments where they need to follow that mantra because they are decent human beings and which moments they need to play by different rules to stand up for our democracy and their constituents. It often feels like the parties are playing different games, and Republican rage baiting is winning the public narrative.
Deanna, yes. These are different times. We see the same rules (like the rule of law, no one is above the law, etc.) do not apply. It is time to do something different.
I see what you're saying, though I still believe the mantra is a simple reminder when you are being baited to remain in integrity. That doesn't mean "be self-righteous" (which both parties are guilty of), it just means "don't stoop".
Ashley, I understand your sentiment, and I was surprised, too, but only mildly, because there was so much out-of-the-norm behavior. I don’t know if you meant to compare and condemn them equally, but that’s the way I read it. Please correct me, if I’m wrong.
The comparison of applauding things that have a major negative impact on our country and the world, and not applauding DJ Daniel (who is being exploited), seems like an unfair comparison.
When there are really big history-altering issues to address, complaining about the slight to DJ, seems like comparing blueberries to watermelon. One side turns their back on democratic allies, our climate, etc., and the other slights a child.
While we can mention DJ’s slight, please focus on what really needs our attention and energy.
I certainly didn’t mean to condemn them equally. In my mind, simping and disturbing are more dramatic words than yikes - but I ought to be aware that not everyone knows my internal dialogue. 😂 I understand the reasons Dems didn’t applaud DJ’s exploitation, but it does end up giving the look of blind obstinance rather than silent protest.
Thank you for this insightful piece, Gabe. I really appreciated your approach of considering this tradition through a historical perspective. It's fascinating how examining precedent can challenge our assumptions about institutions we take for granted. While you had Jefferson sitting next to you in the press gallery with his head in his hands, I had Washington beside me on my walk the next morning, catching the “highlights” (aka lowlights) from The Daily podcast. I noticed he was pretending not to cry. Poor guy.
Your article prompts important questions: Is this tradition still serving its constitutional purpose? Can it survive in our hyper-partisan environment? Should it?
I find myself reflecting on when the State of the Union (as an oral speech) last genuinely benefited the country. Its ostensible purpose—to inform Congress about the nation's condition and recommend necessary measures—seems increasingly secondary to partisan theater. While you noted that Washington gave oral addresses to Congress, he operated in a fundamentally different political landscape. Though factions (the term used for "parties" in that era) existed during his presidency, they hadn't yet solidified into the entrenched party system he warned against in his Farewell Address, where he cautioned that parties would become "potent engines by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people." Most people today would agree, even proud party members, that Washington was absolutely correct in this assessment. The two-party system was on full display Tuesday night, and without some sort of intervention from citizens, I don’t think anyone believes it could get healthier for democracy. Politicians that have found success in the two-party system do not have any incentive to fix it.
This leads me to consider: how might we imagine governance less dominated by partisanship? Many of us follow publications like The Preamble because we believe in the American experiment while recognizing how partisanship threatens its foundations. Though we often treat partisan division as inevitable, perhaps it isn't.
Some potential approaches to reducing party dominance:
1. Structural reforms like ranked-choice voting and open primaries that reward coalition-building over base mobilization.
2. Reforming campaign finance to reduce dependency on parties for electoral success.
3. I will link back to Sharon’s many other electoral reform ideas here because I think they are all worth keeping in mind.
4. Reimagining the State of the Union itself—perhaps returning to Jefferson's written format but with modern enhancements, like a deliberative joint session where Congress discusses the address without the president present. What if each member of Congress could release a version of the written piece online with their own annotations, so that the public could better understand their representatives on each issue? A president could bring up a topic in the address, and a congressperson would be nudged into responding, unless they want to look like they are evading a subject.
For many citizens, abandoning party affiliation feels like surrendering their only means to counter perceived threats from the other side. We've normalized the "lesser of two evils" framing to the point where it feels constitutional. But perhaps we could begin to shift power away from party structures and toward the deliberative governance the founders envisioned.
What gives me hope is that our constitutional system wasn't designed for parties but has proven adaptable enough to accommodate them. This suggests it might be equally adaptable to reforms that would temper their influence. But what is the next step? I am not sure, except I have been having some amazing conversations here thanks to The Preamble. I don’t know what it will become, if anything, but I feel like there might be something like a “small and mighty” movement brewing? We can hope 🙂
I think what would be far effective in this day and age, would be short videos hosted by the extremely funny, clever and attention grabbing, AI-generated kitty, Whiskers Democat, who performs amazingly cute tricks while combating disinformation and misinformation wherever he finds it and teaches us all something in the process.
You should. Did you read that last piece I sent you? It’s directly on point, except we’re taking it further by subbing the generic AI chatbot out for cute anthropomorphic cats, dogs, whales or eagles that everybody loves. Just think if we had that a few months ago, with Whiskers reporting from Springfield, OH, interviewing all his fellow felines and reporting they are all alive and well, after one of them performs the deft feat of tricking the family dog into jumping into the dryer.
The both sides rhetoric is wild to me when we have a president who lied 24 times during this speech. The Democrats can’t win, not that this is a game, but honestly they are being held to ridiculous standards in an ever changing “game”. Go to the speech, don’t go, give a standing ovation, don’t clap, turn your back, no be respectful, no leave, no yell your dissent…
One Democratic congress member held up a sign that said “this is not normal”. That sign says it all.
This, for sure. I keep hearing people say that Dems need to do more, but no one seems to know what they could actually do to move the needle in any way. Republicans do not play the game - they attack whether you're being decorous or rancorous, they accuse whether you're being conciliatory or aggressive. It's a no win. They've learned they can steamroll, and their followers eat it up. It's exhausting and so disheartening. How can you be honorable when honorability isn't appreciated?
Frankly, I hope it DOES go back to written. Putting the terrible things in writing, without the charismatic delivery & the carnival show of approval, would show the emperor has no clothes. Of course, it will never happen with our current reality star. He couldn’t possibly give up the spectacle.
Part of the Democrat’s problem with messaging is they are trying to remain professional (boring) while battling WWE theatrics. Everyday Americans (obviously) much prefer theatrics.
Tina, if the D’s win the midterms, I hope Speaker Jeffries does not invite the President to the House, but asks him to submit a written address (citing historical precedent and President Trump’s propensity to break with tradition).
Biden would have introduced a young cancer patient at an SOTU speech to highlight the success of government investment in public/private partnerships in science, medicine and cancer research. After gutting such efforts and putting many young lives at risk, Trump introduces a young cancer patient, knowing full well Dems would not want to publicly show any support to him whatsoever, especially on this subject, so that people like Gabe could have something to write about in their misguided, relentless dedication to both-sides-ism. How craven is it to see Republican legislators applaud this young boy while they allow countless others like him to be forsaken? So yes, I don’t really care what Jefferson would have thought of this speech because it’s painfully obvious the SOTU has become a damaging spectacle of propaganda and self-aggrandizement and should be mothballed.
This was an incredibly disappointing take from the Preamble. I get that you are non-partisan and will not blindly praise or critique people/events based on party affiliation. That’s good. Democrats aren’t perfect. Republicans aren’t always wrong. But this article, while pointing out some problems on both sides, was largely scolding democrats for how they behaved during trump’s address to congress. Hello?!?!? It’s not like this presidency has been remotely normal. Should they behave as though everything is fine and normal as he spews lies and vitriol? Yes, I’m a strong democrat. However, I’m not a blindly loyal democrat. I am also not a person who swears often. So perhaps that gives me some credibility when I say scolding democrats for misbehaving while they expressed dissent for a president trying to turn our country over to Russia is complete and utter BS.
I agree with you, Sara. I have never been disappointed with The Preamble’s articles until this one. I have always believed in bipartisanship. But this presidency isn’t normal. It’s becoming a dictatorship. We can’t react in a normal way to that. We have to show disagreement and resolve to protect our democracy. I felt Gabe scolded the democrats, too. We are in a constitutional crisis or we are headed for one soon. As John Lewis said we need to make good trouble. I really don’t think the democrats did enough good trouble. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this.
Interesting, I didn't read any of this as "scolding" anyone. I thought their actions were recounted without much commentary other than "this is the first time x has happened" which is very relevant to know. But maybe I missed a part? What part did you think was unfair to Democrats?
“Even Jefferson, with his insistence that the president not be treated like a king, would have been horrified by the Democratic disrespect on display — and, as a believer in the dignity of Congress, by the Republican taunts that followed.”
Perhaps there was more balance between critiquing of both sides than I gave the writer credit for, but making an issue out of it at all when our country is falling apart is mind boggling to me.
He’s talking about a situation with a glaring cause without addressing the cause. It would be like if a house was on fire, and one person had the power put out the fire, and that person was gleeful and bragging. Onlookers were screaming at the arsonist trying to get him to put out the fire. Then some guy decided to write an article about the lack of respect towards the arsonist.
Do we look back on Nazi Germany and wish Hitler had been treated with more respect by the opposition?
Hmm… I think that not every article can be “complete” and that this was simply putting what happened into historical context. It seems like you're more upset that the content wasn't what you expect it should be.
That is definitely true. The content was not what I feel it should be. If I were to read an article talking about disrespect towards Hitler during one of his speeches in Nazi Germany, I’d have a similar reaction.
Why is there no accountability for the President of the United States giving the American people false information??? This should be against the law. How are we as citizens supposed to trust the government if the leader can say just about anything without any consequences? How do we know what’s up or down? I have such a hard time even forming an opinion anymore because both sides are so dishonest and biased. We deserve truth at minimum.
Yeah, seems like truth has become subjective and boy do they ever use that to their advantage. Both sides do, but I see the Republican side as being much more guilty of this. It feels like living in the twilight zone sometimes.
We are the laughing stock of the world. I am so embarrassed to be an American right now. This utter display of childishness is ridiculous. Republicans should be ashamed of abandoning the constitution in favor of King Trump. Democrats should be embarrassed that their “protest” was wearing pink and holding signs. King Trump is dismantling the country and shredding the constitution before our eyes with the help of the GOP and all the democrats could do was hold signs? Ridiculous.
Please refrain from calling President Trump-“ King” unless u believe he is! That just pushes the idea forward in the minds of all who hear it. It is troubling!
I agree Megan. John Lewis said we need to make good trouble. The democrats didn’t do enough of that. We are in a constitutional crisis or heading for one soon. We need to do more than what was done at this “speech”.
We have to stop acting like this is a normal address from a normal president. This administration consistently flies in the face of precedent and the constitution. I'm disappointed that Democrats didn't do more. When someone is dismantling the very programs and values that make your country what it is, you don't just sit and watch while wearing pink. This is the most disappointing and unserious timeline.
I could hardly wait to skip this speech. I’d have preferred a dentist visit to sitting through over 1.5 hours of the rantings of a lunatic. I officially revoked my membership in the Republican Party. I may be back, but not soon. This is a grotesque, repulsive human being who should be as far from power as possible. If Musk wants to put a colony on Mars, I will happily nominate Trump to be the first to go.
I can both see how the spectacle was a scary sign of where we are, and also believe that this president has not EARNED respect. He is a traitor, liar, cheat, and autocrat, and I have zero interest in an opposition party that provides political cover for that by prioritizing "decorum." Personally, I would have preferred if Democrats simply boycotted or walked out en masse, which would demonstrate that they understand that it's just a rally for him and their presence achieves nothing.
I've always appreciated this blog standing for bipartisanship, but we are not in normal times. We are in the process of losing everything We The People have worked so hard to build: the social safety net we built to care for our seniors, children, and veterans; decades of medical research, critical weather science and disaster prevention, free expression via the First Amendment, a resilient economy, and the peaceful democratic world order. These are not normal times, so we have to respond differently.
It's great that Trump honored a child cancer patient. Kinda sucks that he also cut funding for child cancer research.
IT'S. ALL. A. SHOW. He gives his cult something to cheer for even as he burns down their country.
Missy, yes! I screamed that at my TV. He cut child cancer research! He doesn’t care about DJ. He is exploiting him. It was surreal watching the irony.
Yes! These. Are. Not. Normal. Times. 👏 I feel like I'm screaming that into the void
Missy! Yes! Thank you! By respond differently, please respond proportionately!
Please recognize you’re in the process of losing everything, and respond with everything.
I agree! I used to teach my kids that the President of the United States deserves our respect, even if you didn’t vote for them. But I wholeheartedly take it back. President Trump has done nothing so far to earn anyone’s respect. He has been nothing but disrespectful for the last 2 months.
I’d love if it went back to writing. I prefer reading to watching. At this point it feels like government has become a constant stage for political theater designed to entertain or shock Americans. Even the President has said multiple times that these conversations would make for good tv. It’s just nonsense.
I feel like this president would not tell so many lies or make up numbers and “facts” if the address was in written form. He is 100% “reality TV”, where nothing is real at all and the objective is to be over the top ridiculous.
Relatedly, I find it incredibly, INCREDIBLY disturbing that the sitting president, on more than one occasion, has mentioned “this will make for great tv” or “you’ll see this on tv later.” (To be clear this is exactly why he brought a childhood cancer survivor on stage. He personally could not care less about this child or any other childhood cancer survivor demonstrated by the fact he has intentionally and specifically cut funding for saving children from cancer. He did it because he knows it makes a good headline and good tv.)
It demonstrates he KNOWS his antics make for divisional fodder and he thrives on the attention and the chaos. This is without a doubt NOT how a president should behave. He is completely and wholly unfit for office. He does not care about the American people. He does not care about democracy. He only cares about himself, how he can continually enrich himself through the office of President, and of course, how much attention he can draw to himself.
A president should have decorum, integrity, and above all else, a respect for democracy and the separation of powers. Trump has none of it.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
AMEN!!
I always cringe when I see people hold up Jefferson as a behavioral gold standard or even worthy of wondering “What would Jefferson think?”. Hardly. Ditto many of our “Founding Fathers”. But I do agree that this tradition is now probably meaningless. It’s a show and Tuesday night was sort of like the WWE of politics. What a surprise.
I was thinking it was a campaign rally. But I like your WWE reference. Of course, one of those things can be much like the other.
I know you are talking about the traditions of decorum but this President has not followed any of that. He is the only President who speaks down to Democrats and refers to them as the enemy. Why would they show respect when he decries them, threatens to pull funding from "Blue States", and on and on. How can you sit and listen without response to a President who is lying about most everything, who has pushed away our allies and thrown his support behind Russia and North Korea. I am a registered Republican, have always voted as an Independent but I can honestly say, I am so disillusioned with what has happened to the Republican Party and their loyalty to Donald Trump that I don't think I could have sat there and listened to him lie over and over without a response. His lie about Transgender mice that people started posting online when in reality it is "transgenic" mice that are used for cancer research, cancer research that saved my husband's life. How can you sit respectfully as you listen to our President talk about freezing funding and all help to Ukraine, starting a trade war with our allies, and praising Elon Musk, an unelected person who has taken over the government and hurt so many of its citizens. I honestly feel the Democrats have tried to take a higher road, to help Mike Johnson keep his seat, to help to keep the Government open, and many other things they have done, and yet Trump and the Republicans continue to lie and taunt. I understand how respect should be shown amongst all the participants, but respect is not an action that this President has shown to anyone that isn't on his side.
Perfect response.
“The separation between the branches has now collapsed; party reigns supreme.”
We are in big trouble. I can understand agreeing with the president that aligns with your beliefs but not a single American who believes in and wishes to preserve democracy should be allowing a president to behave the way Trump been. Check(s and balances), please?
I think it may be time we accept that they don't want to preserve democracy. They don't want compromise. They don't want a unified nation. They want ultimate control.
Gmk5281, that is true for some people.
There are Republicans that think democracy is a dirty word. When I handed out lit at the polls, I used the word democracy in conversation with a voter, and he spat out, “spoken like a Democrat!” I was shocked because I was there as a nonpartisan volunteer, and I thought democracy was nonpartisan, but to not everyone!
This is so alarming but not at all surprising!!
😳
I am afraid I have been thinking this for quite some time. If you go back to the last 40-50 years it has been the goal right along.
It’s an embarrassing display from all of them. The blinding, simping, adoration from Republicans is so strange and disturbing. And I can’t blame Democrats for not wanting to normalize the circus, but not clapping a 13yo brain cancer survivor? Yikes. (And I do understand that Trump is taking advantage of DJ Daniel to soften his image, but the kid himself is worth applauding.)
Agreed. The republicans disgusted me, but the democrats embarrassed me. I need more "when they go low, we go high" energy. Integrity still matters to some Americans.
The last sixteen years have given me very little hope for most Republicans in Congress to do the right thing. While I appreciate the sentiment of the Obamas’ “when they go low, we go high,” mantra, I think that has, in part, contributed to where the Democrats are at right now. Democrats need to do a better job of figuring out the moments where they need to follow that mantra because they are decent human beings and which moments they need to play by different rules to stand up for our democracy and their constituents. It often feels like the parties are playing different games, and Republican rage baiting is winning the public narrative.
Deanna, yes. These are different times. We see the same rules (like the rule of law, no one is above the law, etc.) do not apply. It is time to do something different.
I see what you're saying, though I still believe the mantra is a simple reminder when you are being baited to remain in integrity. That doesn't mean "be self-righteous" (which both parties are guilty of), it just means "don't stoop".
The problem is that the stooping is what seems to get Republicans their votes. I don’t get it, but it sure seems to be the case.
I couldn't agree more!
Ashley, I understand your sentiment, and I was surprised, too, but only mildly, because there was so much out-of-the-norm behavior. I don’t know if you meant to compare and condemn them equally, but that’s the way I read it. Please correct me, if I’m wrong.
The comparison of applauding things that have a major negative impact on our country and the world, and not applauding DJ Daniel (who is being exploited), seems like an unfair comparison.
When there are really big history-altering issues to address, complaining about the slight to DJ, seems like comparing blueberries to watermelon. One side turns their back on democratic allies, our climate, etc., and the other slights a child.
While we can mention DJ’s slight, please focus on what really needs our attention and energy.
I certainly didn’t mean to condemn them equally. In my mind, simping and disturbing are more dramatic words than yikes - but I ought to be aware that not everyone knows my internal dialogue. 😂 I understand the reasons Dems didn’t applaud DJ’s exploitation, but it does end up giving the look of blind obstinance rather than silent protest.
Thank you for this insightful piece, Gabe. I really appreciated your approach of considering this tradition through a historical perspective. It's fascinating how examining precedent can challenge our assumptions about institutions we take for granted. While you had Jefferson sitting next to you in the press gallery with his head in his hands, I had Washington beside me on my walk the next morning, catching the “highlights” (aka lowlights) from The Daily podcast. I noticed he was pretending not to cry. Poor guy.
Your article prompts important questions: Is this tradition still serving its constitutional purpose? Can it survive in our hyper-partisan environment? Should it?
I find myself reflecting on when the State of the Union (as an oral speech) last genuinely benefited the country. Its ostensible purpose—to inform Congress about the nation's condition and recommend necessary measures—seems increasingly secondary to partisan theater. While you noted that Washington gave oral addresses to Congress, he operated in a fundamentally different political landscape. Though factions (the term used for "parties" in that era) existed during his presidency, they hadn't yet solidified into the entrenched party system he warned against in his Farewell Address, where he cautioned that parties would become "potent engines by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people." Most people today would agree, even proud party members, that Washington was absolutely correct in this assessment. The two-party system was on full display Tuesday night, and without some sort of intervention from citizens, I don’t think anyone believes it could get healthier for democracy. Politicians that have found success in the two-party system do not have any incentive to fix it.
This leads me to consider: how might we imagine governance less dominated by partisanship? Many of us follow publications like The Preamble because we believe in the American experiment while recognizing how partisanship threatens its foundations. Though we often treat partisan division as inevitable, perhaps it isn't.
Some potential approaches to reducing party dominance:
1. Structural reforms like ranked-choice voting and open primaries that reward coalition-building over base mobilization.
2. Reforming campaign finance to reduce dependency on parties for electoral success.
3. I will link back to Sharon’s many other electoral reform ideas here because I think they are all worth keeping in mind.
https://open.substack.com/pub/sharonmcmahon/p/my-proposal-to-improve-elections
4. Reimagining the State of the Union itself—perhaps returning to Jefferson's written format but with modern enhancements, like a deliberative joint session where Congress discusses the address without the president present. What if each member of Congress could release a version of the written piece online with their own annotations, so that the public could better understand their representatives on each issue? A president could bring up a topic in the address, and a congressperson would be nudged into responding, unless they want to look like they are evading a subject.
For many citizens, abandoning party affiliation feels like surrendering their only means to counter perceived threats from the other side. We've normalized the "lesser of two evils" framing to the point where it feels constitutional. But perhaps we could begin to shift power away from party structures and toward the deliberative governance the founders envisioned.
What gives me hope is that our constitutional system wasn't designed for parties but has proven adaptable enough to accommodate them. This suggests it might be equally adaptable to reforms that would temper their influence. But what is the next step? I am not sure, except I have been having some amazing conversations here thanks to The Preamble. I don’t know what it will become, if anything, but I feel like there might be something like a “small and mighty” movement brewing? We can hope 🙂
Gee, Timothy, if only all of that would fit into a TikTok post.
😂 Haha, right? Maybe I should just launch "TimTok" where 4-hour political analysis pieces are interrupted every 10 seconds by cat videos.
I think what would be far effective in this day and age, would be short videos hosted by the extremely funny, clever and attention grabbing, AI-generated kitty, Whiskers Democat, who performs amazingly cute tricks while combating disinformation and misinformation wherever he finds it and teaches us all something in the process.
I'd get a TikTok just to watch that lol
Whiskers is my hero! I love it. And while we might be joking… you are probably correct. I’m going to think about this.
You should. Did you read that last piece I sent you? It’s directly on point, except we’re taking it further by subbing the generic AI chatbot out for cute anthropomorphic cats, dogs, whales or eagles that everybody loves. Just think if we had that a few months ago, with Whiskers reporting from Springfield, OH, interviewing all his fellow felines and reporting they are all alive and well, after one of them performs the deft feat of tricking the family dog into jumping into the dryer.
P.S. Not joking, at all.
I have not yet read it, but I will! I'm also halfway through the Mayorkas interview you recommended. Enlightening stuff. I'll get there...
Ok. While you’re listening to the rest of it, think about how the gist of what Mayorkas was saying would sound like coming from Whiskers!
The both sides rhetoric is wild to me when we have a president who lied 24 times during this speech. The Democrats can’t win, not that this is a game, but honestly they are being held to ridiculous standards in an ever changing “game”. Go to the speech, don’t go, give a standing ovation, don’t clap, turn your back, no be respectful, no leave, no yell your dissent…
One Democratic congress member held up a sign that said “this is not normal”. That sign says it all.
I don’t know what we should do.
This, for sure. I keep hearing people say that Dems need to do more, but no one seems to know what they could actually do to move the needle in any way. Republicans do not play the game - they attack whether you're being decorous or rancorous, they accuse whether you're being conciliatory or aggressive. It's a no win. They've learned they can steamroll, and their followers eat it up. It's exhausting and so disheartening. How can you be honorable when honorability isn't appreciated?
Frankly, I hope it DOES go back to written. Putting the terrible things in writing, without the charismatic delivery & the carnival show of approval, would show the emperor has no clothes. Of course, it will never happen with our current reality star. He couldn’t possibly give up the spectacle.
Part of the Democrat’s problem with messaging is they are trying to remain professional (boring) while battling WWE theatrics. Everyday Americans (obviously) much prefer theatrics.
Tina, if the D’s win the midterms, I hope Speaker Jeffries does not invite the President to the House, but asks him to submit a written address (citing historical precedent and President Trump’s propensity to break with tradition).
Biden would have introduced a young cancer patient at an SOTU speech to highlight the success of government investment in public/private partnerships in science, medicine and cancer research. After gutting such efforts and putting many young lives at risk, Trump introduces a young cancer patient, knowing full well Dems would not want to publicly show any support to him whatsoever, especially on this subject, so that people like Gabe could have something to write about in their misguided, relentless dedication to both-sides-ism. How craven is it to see Republican legislators applaud this young boy while they allow countless others like him to be forsaken? So yes, I don’t really care what Jefferson would have thought of this speech because it’s painfully obvious the SOTU has become a damaging spectacle of propaganda and self-aggrandizement and should be mothballed.
This was an incredibly disappointing take from the Preamble. I get that you are non-partisan and will not blindly praise or critique people/events based on party affiliation. That’s good. Democrats aren’t perfect. Republicans aren’t always wrong. But this article, while pointing out some problems on both sides, was largely scolding democrats for how they behaved during trump’s address to congress. Hello?!?!? It’s not like this presidency has been remotely normal. Should they behave as though everything is fine and normal as he spews lies and vitriol? Yes, I’m a strong democrat. However, I’m not a blindly loyal democrat. I am also not a person who swears often. So perhaps that gives me some credibility when I say scolding democrats for misbehaving while they expressed dissent for a president trying to turn our country over to Russia is complete and utter BS.
I agree with you, Sara. I have never been disappointed with The Preamble’s articles until this one. I have always believed in bipartisanship. But this presidency isn’t normal. It’s becoming a dictatorship. We can’t react in a normal way to that. We have to show disagreement and resolve to protect our democracy. I felt Gabe scolded the democrats, too. We are in a constitutional crisis or we are headed for one soon. As John Lewis said we need to make good trouble. I really don’t think the democrats did enough good trouble. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this.
Interesting, I didn't read any of this as "scolding" anyone. I thought their actions were recounted without much commentary other than "this is the first time x has happened" which is very relevant to know. But maybe I missed a part? What part did you think was unfair to Democrats?
This part in particular..
“Even Jefferson, with his insistence that the president not be treated like a king, would have been horrified by the Democratic disrespect on display — and, as a believer in the dignity of Congress, by the Republican taunts that followed.”
Perhaps there was more balance between critiquing of both sides than I gave the writer credit for, but making an issue out of it at all when our country is falling apart is mind boggling to me.
He’s talking about a situation with a glaring cause without addressing the cause. It would be like if a house was on fire, and one person had the power put out the fire, and that person was gleeful and bragging. Onlookers were screaming at the arsonist trying to get him to put out the fire. Then some guy decided to write an article about the lack of respect towards the arsonist.
Do we look back on Nazi Germany and wish Hitler had been treated with more respect by the opposition?
Hmm… I think that not every article can be “complete” and that this was simply putting what happened into historical context. It seems like you're more upset that the content wasn't what you expect it should be.
That is definitely true. The content was not what I feel it should be. If I were to read an article talking about disrespect towards Hitler during one of his speeches in Nazi Germany, I’d have a similar reaction.
I had similar thoughts cross my mind after reading this, Sara. Just letting you know you’re not alone!
Why is there no accountability for the President of the United States giving the American people false information??? This should be against the law. How are we as citizens supposed to trust the government if the leader can say just about anything without any consequences? How do we know what’s up or down? I have such a hard time even forming an opinion anymore because both sides are so dishonest and biased. We deserve truth at minimum.
Yeah, seems like truth has become subjective and boy do they ever use that to their advantage. Both sides do, but I see the Republican side as being much more guilty of this. It feels like living in the twilight zone sometimes.
We are the laughing stock of the world. I am so embarrassed to be an American right now. This utter display of childishness is ridiculous. Republicans should be ashamed of abandoning the constitution in favor of King Trump. Democrats should be embarrassed that their “protest” was wearing pink and holding signs. King Trump is dismantling the country and shredding the constitution before our eyes with the help of the GOP and all the democrats could do was hold signs? Ridiculous.
Please refrain from calling President Trump-“ King” unless u believe he is! That just pushes the idea forward in the minds of all who hear it. It is troubling!
I agree Megan. John Lewis said we need to make good trouble. The democrats didn’t do enough of that. We are in a constitutional crisis or heading for one soon. We need to do more than what was done at this “speech”.
We have to stop acting like this is a normal address from a normal president. This administration consistently flies in the face of precedent and the constitution. I'm disappointed that Democrats didn't do more. When someone is dismantling the very programs and values that make your country what it is, you don't just sit and watch while wearing pink. This is the most disappointing and unserious timeline.
Absolutely how I feel, too, Trina. We need to make good trouble as John Lewis always said. We are going to lose democracy under this administration.
I agree!
I could hardly wait to skip this speech. I’d have preferred a dentist visit to sitting through over 1.5 hours of the rantings of a lunatic. I officially revoked my membership in the Republican Party. I may be back, but not soon. This is a grotesque, repulsive human being who should be as far from power as possible. If Musk wants to put a colony on Mars, I will happily nominate Trump to be the first to go.
My sentiments exactly, Mark.