I consider my subscription a charitable donation to keep actual journalism on life support. Though my crappy deliverer tries his best to convince me to cancel.
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Just this morning I had somebody else shouting “I CAN DO WHAT I WANT!” at me.
Didn’t get very far with it, either.
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There have been long standing rumors that he is “marginally literate” for years, as well as more firm statements that he doesn’t read. Mostly from people with no direct connection to his organization, and no reason to actively participate in a bait and switch. So you’re suggesting that for decades Trump has pretended to not read well, and be unwilling to engage with books. So that some day he could smear those that pointed it out? Or that Eliot Spitzer’s father and some SNL writer who clearly doesn’t like the guy are both part of a concerted effort to fool the media so he can deride them after he busts out some Great Gatsby quotes?
Its far more likely that all the people who have pointed out that the dude can barely read since the 80’s were on to something.
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This is the exact reason I very much see Trump’s election as a massive blessing in disguise. Progressives had grown complacent, ridiculously so, and I count myself in that camp as much as anyone else. I’m like a new person now. This is GOOD. I have some weird views about reality (the multiverse is a computer, god is an AI, etc. – you know, all the basic nondualism/New Age shit) and part of this is that we as conscious entities play a major role in manifesting certain possibilities, both on the personal and macro levels. This is he impetus we needed to manifest the positive reality we wish to experience. As such I see Trump and his gang as avatars of change, and thank them for the roles they agreed to take on in all of this. I mean that quite sincerely, but it won’t make sense to most folks (which is fine).
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That would fit in with the story that he punched a teacher - out of frustration, maybe?
Then there’s also his bad vision - I saw a photo not long ago of him sliding papers into his pocket and the font looked at least 18-20 points.
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Perhaps he has a problem with horizontal lines. Maybe that’s why he has trouble with stairs too.
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This. I once had a client who insisted on conducting all business over the phone, yet could never remember what decisions had been made from one phone call to the next (indicator he wasn’t taking notes). My project manager would write meeting minutes and attach a note saying, “these will be taken as correct if we don’t hear from you in 24 hours.” It was the only way to move things forward.
Before I worked in the corporate world, I taught, and I worked in two different schools with a high percentage of learning-disabled students in them. I don’t have a lot of sympathy for Trump. Every kid and adult I ever taught figured out alternative strategies that worked with their learning disability. For some people it took more work than others, but it could be done. Unlike most of my students, Trump had the money and leisure time to work through any learning disability.
I’m more with the eyesight theory. That would explain the fondness for Sharpies and the fear of stairs. Still inexcusable, though – get glasses (or whatever works) and learn to use them.
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ITA.
Talk about being a walking ‘poster child’ for why it’s not a good idea to spoil your children rotten; he’s like an old, male version of Veruca Salt.
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But what would it accomplish? The fundamental problem with Trump’s “I don’t know anything, but I hire smart people” approach is that those smart people have their own agendas. Trump will always be a puppet of someone, and his administration will always be mosh pit of competing ambitions and self-interest.
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Its possible. But I sort of doubt it. Most of the rumors have been of the “don’t read good” type. The jokes are that he’s out and out illiterate. I’ve known tons of well off, supposedly highly educated white dudes who read at what’s basically a low middle school level. Basically enough to make it through educational situations (often Business school!). But they read slowly, and with little comprehension beyond surface level. Few to none of these people had any diagnosable disorder. Though many self diagnosed as dyslexic to cover their asses. When I still run into these people they basically stopped reading almost entirely after college. Their word consumption limited to tweets, face book, and the occasional email. So they’ve actually gotten worse with time.
With Trump you’d got a long history of claims that he won’t read, and doesn’t do so particularly well. But you also have a long history of claims about the few things he had read. Kept Mein Kampf by the bed. Various self help books. The fact that he requires his email, online news, and other computer bound material printed and handed to him daily. There’s also the thing with the tweets. We know that he tweets from 2 devices. Those coming from his ancient Android phone seem to be written by Trump, and follow the outline of the borderline illiterate internet commenter. Those from a staff members iPhone are better constructed.
So the claim with Trump is that he can “barely read” or is “almost illiterate”. So I’m willing to assume he’s another one of those guys who reads at a childish level. Slowly, clumsily, and with little beyond surface comprehension. He never had to bother doing more than that. Because money and privileged meant he could have a life and success anyway.
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Aides confer in the dark because they cannot figure out how to operate the light switches in the cabinet room.
Talk about a metaphor.
Specifically that his attention span issues make it impossible for him to do any reading beyond a page or so.
Absolutely - because if he was just functionally illiterate, people could verbally explain things to him, but even that’s not possible with his attention span.
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Further demoralization and an increase in his lack of focus. The more he obsesses over petty shit, the less time & energy he has to bring the country to ruination.
I want to see this man completely burn out and cave in from all the ceaseless stress of holding a position that he is woefully unprepared for.
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Bannon isn’t Wormtongue, because Trump was born corrupt.
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You are overly optimistic to think that descreasing his focus and increasing his rage will make him less of a danger to this country.
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Clearly, you don’t know me, at all, if you think that.
Oh, his very existence is a danger; I’m not denying that.
I’m merely stating that the more distracted he is, the better the odds are for the resistance.
And if he just happens to work himself up into frothing rage that induces a stroke or a heart attack during one of his little temper tantrums, then all the better.
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Three Elizabeth Warrens?
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The way he speaks hardly suggests a high level of literacy either.
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Reading makes you smarter. IIRC reading volume/level is the one of the largest indicators or determining factors in intelligence. Near as we can tell anyway.
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I’d say the money allowed him to avoid coping with any disability or temperament issues.
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Too often law makers don’t seem to fully read or under stand the bills they vote for, often getting a summary, or just voting they way they are supposed to.
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