You Think You’ve Got Problems,” Living In A Time Of Uncertainty
This article jabs at some under reported news that have more of a hold on the stare of America’s culture than expected. While millions around the world have their sights on the Vatican for news on the next Pope, the American socio-political cultural landscape continues to slowly deteriorate. Trivial news is swept under the rug to make way for other glamorous, sensational, and advertisement-friendly news, the kind readers want to waste time reading. This reductive action by the mainstream media does not lessen the importance of the growing pulp fiction pop culture identity in America. This is one element that can be transnationally exported without any added tariffs. The baffling point is that some countries still want to import low-brow news and culturally devoid issues. Missing In In-action Where Is Melania? “As the weeks pass by at the White House, the corner of the residence long used by first ladies remains dark, because this first lady does not really live in Washington” (The Political Wire, May 8). “Melania Trump vanishes from view for weeks at a time, holing up in Trump Tower in Manhattan or in Florida, where she can lie low at Mar-a-Lago. Administration officials say she is at the White House more often than the public knows, but when exactly, and for how long, these officials will not (or perhaps cannot) say for certain. It’s like having Greta Garbo as first lady,” (New York Times, qtd in The Political Wire, May 8). Melania Trump has to be one of the lowest-hanging fruits to critique in the White House. Her on-and-off presence in the White House brings one to recall when she stated she would not return to the White House, but would remain at Mar-a-Lago if Trump were to win the presidency. Pick up to where we are today, the First Lady, Melania Trump, has been well out of sight. Political defenders state that her busy schedule keeps her out of the public view for extended periods, but the lack of evidence proves otherwise. Even the Second Lady has been more present in the media. Trouble In Paradise Trump Stokes a Vance-Rubio Competition “President Donald Trump gave JD Vance and Marco Rubio huge portfolios and has openly named both as his potential successors — putting two unlikely friends on a collision course for the GOP nomination in 2028.” “Vance and Rubio aren’t exactly rivals; in fact, White House officials and people close to the vice president note he’s developed a close relationship with the secretary of state during their time together in the Senate and now in the Trump administration. Intentionally or not, though, the president is stoking future competition between the duo, and those around him are taking notice” (Semafor, qtd in The Political Wire, May 8). Now, boys, play nice! All kidding aside, this will be one throw-down political in-fighting to watch. Who would be a good fit for the presidency between the two? Is there a third option? One has trouble keeping his mouth shut, the other has trouble keeping his mind on track. Here’s the catch: you decide which of these markers is applied to whom, then ask again, “Which of these two would make a good president?” Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Search The Internet Or Post On Social Media Axios provides the background on an issue most have allowed to settle out of mind. Once the country learned that Trump was to become the next president, tech companies jumped to gain a good standing with the notorious litigious president. Knowing that a safe position with this new administration could save their business in the future. Being seen as a counter-intelligence agent could result in dire legal and economic ramifications. Holding no funds back, the major tech industry leaders opened their stock profiles to pave the road to the White House. This was on the tip of the tongue in January 2025. The TikTok episode took center stage shortly thereafter. What seemed like a devastating blow to this social media platform and millions of viewers and social media influencers, the TikTok ban was deflected, and deflected, until it came to the present. Multiple American businesses have come forth to partner with TikTok to keep it active in the US. Still, some oppose the ongoing presence of TikTok in the US. Vice President JD Vance was numb in passing a decision either to ban TikTok or allow it to remain in operation in the US. Only with an American business partner has TikTok been able to remain active in the US. Such a major social media platform and a lucrative financial center for select businesses and influencers, it is still hard to imagine what a TikTok-free world would look like. The ban has not been removed, the deadline is still lingering, but without the bite it originally gave. What is taking place in the other major social media platforms and tech giants may appear a bit easier to understand. The outcome, however, would be nearly the same: unplugged permanently. “America’s tech titans backed President Trump’s promise of a new “Golden Age” with seven-figure checks, glowing public praise and front-row tickets to his inauguration. So far, those favors remain unreciprocated. (Zachary Basu and Ashley Gold, Axios, May 8). “Big Tech has been in MAGA’s crosshairs for years. Even as Trump revels in the industry’s dramatic realignment and personal overtures, the core tensions in the relationship are far from resolved. “The famously transactional president knows exactly how much leverage he has over “these internet people,” as he referred to them last week (Axios, May 8). Seeing the limitation of the president’s social media knowledge, it’s no wonder that he started his own social media platform, Truth Social. The president speaks for himself, saying, “You know, they all hated me in my first term,” Trump mused during his commencement speech at the University of Alabama. “And now they’re kissing my a**. All of them.” [comment] One of the most tweet-active presidents in recent internet history,
