What history might say about Trump and his Tweets

I think this might be one of the first posts within this blog that I get to nerd out a little bit in the area of my formalized education.

I am a political scientist-- I might not be practicing or writing books or journals or articles, but I have three degrees in Political Science. When asked why I have those degrees (usually with a tinge of sympathy because I am not working in the field), my response is just this. I chose to study what I wanted to learn, not what I wanted to work in per say.

I heard once in one of my classes Politics is personal and the personal is political.  I am fascinated by government and by all that it entails. When I think about my education, I wanted to further my understanding in a subject matter. We have this idea in education that what we learn, we must practice. That degree I hold, must be the field I am working in, there are some degrees that that is very much true and there are some degrees that I honestly don't think that this way of thinking makes sense to continue anymore--- but I digress- that could be a topic for another day.

Anyway, I have been playing around with the thought of this Trump presidency and drawing some similarities to themes of previous presidents. One theme that resonates the most is this tension of the Trump Administration and the media. It immediately calls to mind Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Fireside Chats. 

Thinking about both places in time, you have new mediums and forms of communication that are growing. For FDR, radio became a new outlet and in an effort to control the narrative, he used radio to go directly to the people. To give them the space to hear from him. We know that this was largely for his benefit to gather support for his New Deal proposal. But it really was a unique way for a President to "reach the people."

Much in the same way that you look to our current climate. You have social media and really Twitter that is a space in "connecting people" and while the intention can be questioned to a degree. Political history will have an opportunity to draw a comparison with this current Administration and it's use of "creating their own narrative" in what has been created as a tension with the media today.

Whether we agree with it or not, Trump and the Trump Administration are using social media and particularly Twitter in a similar fashion that FDR did with Fireside Chats. The impact however is still yet to be written.

But for this Poli Sci Nerd, it does add some different details of thought.

Here's to RESOLVING no more

 As 2016 FINALLY comes to a close, I felt like many that I couldn't just wait for it to be over. This year has been strange to say the least. Going into 2016 with so much hope, excitement and joy, is now ending in such a crazy way. It's easy for people to be disheartened and discouraged by the year that we have had. It's easy to understand why people are over 2016; frustrated by 2016. In many ways speaking about 2016 as if it is an entity. But what was the good?

In my reflections about resolutions they are the goals that individuals set forth for the year. More often than not the goals do not get achieved and what one looks forward to in ringing in the next new year is to release regret.

I don't want to live a life of regret, that is not in me or what I desire. So instead of setting goals in this fashion I just want to look forward to the bottom line---getting to know me a little bit more.

2016 was a tough year, it was challenging personally, professionally, spiritually all of those facets. I didn't get to see my family as much as I wanted to, I am still understanding what it means for me to be single; professionally I was stretched in ways that were painful; spiritually I was able to build a stronger broader relationship with God the Father. And through all those trials and challenges, I was also favored and blessed. I got to see the world around me change, I lived another day to tell people that I care about, that I care about them. I get to dream these big dreams and watch more opportunities come my way.  I got to fall in love with myself. Continuing to enjoy the person I am growing into and that at the foundation is ALL that is needed!

In 2017 I want to grow spiritually, I want to continue to discover who I am, who I have been purposed to be through God's provision. Out of that flourishes all of my other needs--- Finances, travel, generosity.

So when I think about the change of the year, am I excited to let some things stay in 2016-- YES! But I am also pleased with each minute of the last 365 days because it got me one minute, one day, one week, one year closer to the me I am now.

I am changed and changing still

That's all she wrote folks! Happy New Year! May your new year bring you a little closer to knowing who you are!