Despite the hyperpolarization of our society, most Americans will agree that they have heard too much about politics over the last 3.5 years.
Our supersaturation of political news is primarily a result of Donald Trump’s psychopathology. The predicate for his existence is public adulation or at least public acknowledgment. For whatever reason, he believes it is essential that he be in the news every day, regardless of whether it is good news or bad news.
Assuming America votes President Trump out of office on November 3, 2020, and assuming President Biden is sworn in on January 20, 2021, Trump will, to a large measure, lose the public megaphone he has craved and incessantly used during his Presidential tenure.
Despite his loss of the bully-pulpit, ex-President Trump will not fade into the woodwork as former presidents have done. With a high degree of probability, ex-President Trump will (likely) attempt to take over Fox News and/or One America News Network (OAN) so he has a platform for on-going public exposure. This will allow him to control the future of the Republican Party while he lays the groundwork for a second occupancy of the White House by himself or his designated successor (his daughter, Ivanka) and monetizes his fame/infamy.
Unfortunately, as a very public ex-President with his own news network, he will continue to have influence over our sociopolitical system. Thus his tweets and name will remain in the news long after President Biden is sworn in on January 20, 2021.
In order to reduce Trump’s influence on America, we must minimize his public exposure. Let’s try to erase his name from the public discourse. Henceforth, whenever you need to reference “@realDonaldTrump,” “Donald Trump,” “President Trump,” or “Trump” please consider using the hashtag #HeWhoMustNotBeNamed.
On so many levels this seems an appropriate substitution.
Hayward Zwerling
October 9, 2020