Government is performative theater we should take seriously … until we shouldn’t

Last week, President Donald Trump reposted a social media message, “HANG THEM, GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD!!” 

At that moment, U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin experienced “an immediate change to our lives.”

She and five of her congressional Democratic colleagues posted a video telling troops they were not obligated to follow illegal orders. Trump saw this as “seditious behavior” “punishable by DEATH.” He liked the “hang them” post enough to re-share it.

Talking to Michigan press Tuesday, our junior senator said her office has received “hundreds, it’s gotta be past thousands” of emailed or called-in death threats. 

(FYI: Your standard death threat to an elected official in Michigan is a 4-year, $5,000 felony.)

Her family tolerated a bomb threat at their Holly farm. They’ve been harassed. Capitol security have Slotkin under their surveillance 24/7. She’s now being driven around by security in a big, dark SUV. No more driving herself from place to place.

Should Slotkin be federally charged under 18 USC 2387 for interfering with the loyalty and morale of the military? Was she within her rights to remind troops about their legal and ethical duties under the Uniform Code of Military Justice Article 92? That’s not the point of this column.

The point is this: The growing toxicity in our politics — driven by fear, prejudices and raw emotions — may be great for internet clicks, social media likes, television ratings, campaign dollars and voter turnout. 

Slotkin couldn’t name a specific illegal Trump order. Likewise, Trump now says he REALLY doesn’t want to execute a sitting U.S. Senator.

Sigh.

Isn’t it fairly clear? Between this, the needless drama over food stamps, the exploding cost of health insurance, the lack of a federal balanced budget SINCE 2001, government isn’t being used to solve problems. 

It’s performative theater. It’s a stage act we’re supposed to take seriously until we’re not.

Leaders’ primary focus has become finding ways to rile up voting-age adults, and all to obtain power for power’s sake.

“What can we say in an email to raise a few more bucks?”

“How will this message drive turnout? How can this comment from the other guy be exploited?”

It’s finding wins, wherever wins can be had. It’s seeking power for power’s sake. 

So, when playing with the public’s emotions spurs people to act irrationally, elected leaders play the victim. They further close the door to transparency.

Look at the state House. On one hand, Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall gets credit for ending hundreds of millions of secret pork from getting stuffed into budgets three hours before passage.

But on the other hand, he cites the unruly mob that today’s politics helped create as a reason to shield legislators’ home addresses and birthdates from the public.

Are we sure Rep. John Doe lives in our district? Not sure if he’s the legal age to serve? 

No worries. The government, which we’re told not to trust, will verify whether candidates meet the basic, constitutional qualifications of office.

Ok.

In the summer of 2024, MIRS found one senator had allegedly moved into a seemingly abandoned shack by a lake so he could run in the district he wanted to run in. Another senator claimed to live in a rental apartment off a busy street, only to be found by a reporter caring for her disabled husband in their real Beverly Hills home 26 minutes away.

As a 52-year-old man, I show ID to buy beer, but a public official shouldn’t have to publicly disclose their date of birth to verify they meet a basic requirement to run for elected office?

In the name of security? 

Maybe, instead of poking the bear with inciting rhetoric, working together to solve problems can be the point of public service.

Even if that makes it tougher to raise money or generate social media “likes” or drive voters out to the polls. Whatever happened to “Good policy makes good politics?”

Today, grandstanding on being “right” is the name of the game. 

And, if that’s case, we’ll keep doing what we’re doing. 

(Kyle Melinn is the editor of the Capitol news service MIRS. You can email him at melinnky@gmail.com.)