It’s time to Break It Down!
Last night, the 47th President delivered the State of the Union (SOTU) address. I will make two assumptions about the event. If you watched, you learned everything about it you wanted to know. If you didn’t watch, you weren’t interested in this year’s political version of the Apprentice. However, in the event you missed the actual show, and you want to read about it, check out any of the mainstream media outlets. They got you.
With that said, I’m re-sharing a post I wrote just over a year ago regarding the fallacy of meritocracy, also couched as the anti-DEI movement.
In the great emotional ruse that is anti DEI, anti CRT, anti-affirmative action, anti-Civil Rights Act, anti-Voting Rights Act, anti LGBTQ, anti-disabled, etc., we are told the motivation for opposing initiatives and programs to right past wrongs, some which endured for centuries, is the pursuit of merit-based selection. The inherent implied premise for this obsessive compulsion is that merit is a special sauce possessed only by white men.
The return to power of the 47th President has resulted in celebratory exultation among many of his adherents, who believe all their various and sundry shortcomings have been visited upon them because some unfair practice or methodology intervened and redirected benefits that should have inured to them, to some Black, Brown, non-cisgender, or disabled person.
It’s as if, in their incontrovertible view, the world, especially America, is divided into two sides; one side comprised of white men, and the other side, everybody else. Interestingly, with the certainty of this same uncontestable truth, they believe Team Everybody Else has severely damaged them, taking more than they could possibly have ever deserved, and leaving them, the only deserving ones, with a mere pittance. Inexplicably, they harbor this notion, despite the fact, they control the vast majority of everything of value in a free enterprise and capitalistic society. They have by far, most of the wealth, most of the property, most of the CEO offices, most of the college and university presidencies, most of the tech businesses, most of the highest corporate titles…you name it, white men dominate it (OK, maybe not Basketball, American Football, and track and field sprint events…most of which were segregated until the mid-20th century).
And yet, the whining and complaining dominates the landscape. The argument is turbocharged by a rightwing echo chamber that is so inescapable, it persuaded many individuals and groups not naturally on that side of the line to vote against their own interests. While it’s conceivable, time will enable many, if not most, to see the light, the damage will have long been done. But that’s a convo for another day.
Darren Beattie, a “Make America Great Again” ideologue has reportedly been hired to run the State Department’s worldwide public diplomacy efforts. Beattie shared with readers of Revolver, a conservative website he worked for, that he would be the acting undersecretary of state for public diplomacy. It was unclear whether he would assume the position on a permanent basis; that would require Senate confirmation. All things considered, in the current environment, there is no reason to believe he wouldn’t gain confirmation.
He first achieved notoriety when he was fired during his tenure as a White House speechwriter for the first Trump Administration. He lost his position after it was revealed that he spoke at a conference attended by white nationalists. More recently, on October 24, 2024, he wrote on the Revolver website: “Competent white men must be in charge if you want things to work. Unfortunately, our entire national ideology is predicated on coddling the feelings of women and minorities and demoralizing competent white men.”
This is emblematic of what one writer called a blatant, dangerous, insulting, gaslighting lie. I wish he could have made his sentiment a little more explicit.
Over the course of couple of the months since the election, Trump has been moving expeditiously to install members of his new Cabinet…and to “unemploy” tens of thousands of federal workers from the previous administration. As the head of the Executive Branch, or as some argue, as the Executive Branch, he has wide ranging leeway to appoint whomever he wants. Wide leeway is not the same as unlimited control. His first pick for Attorney General, Matt Gaetz, was such an unpopular selection that he withdrew his nomination. White guy notwithstanding, I guess, even Team Trump conceded he was not a worthy candidate for that position. Perhaps, miracles do happen.
There are other controversial nominees. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, is a noted anti-vaccine activist, and conspiracy theorist. Still, he’ll probably gain confirmation. Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence has allegedly parroted Russian talking points and has met with then Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Although opposed by most democrats, she cleared a Senate Intel Committee vote, 9-8, and she will likely be confirmed by the Senate later today.
By traditional standards, neither Kennedy, nor Gabbard, not to mention Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense, who’s highest attained rank was Major, qualify for the positions to which they have been elevated. Anyone arguing that they are is being transparently dishonest, or quite simply, lying. If anyone with their respective resumes were presented by Democrats, for those same positions, Republicans heads would explode; they’d be summarily dismissed as being unqualified, and presented by unserious, if not clueless, Democrats. But such is the nature of the game, when the President, House, and Senate are of the same Party. It is what it is. “Merit: Not Really, Not at All Redux ’26!”
I’m done; holla back!
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BREAK IT DOWN! 