White House response to JB's open letter (from an unnamed aide):
Dear Mr. Bernstein:
The president has asked me to tell you to mind your own business. It is a well known fact that the greatest president in American history does not read and even if he did, he certainly wouldn't read anything from a communist like you, especially one who worked in the Biden administration, which destroyed this country in the four years it was in office after stealing the 2020 election from President Trump. In 2021, you inherited the strongest economy in the history of the world and in a few short months you turned this country into a third world "shit-hole" country to borrow a description from the President.
On January 20, 2025, President Trump took over a country with an economy that was even weaker than it was during the Great Depression. He has initiated a brilliant tariff regime, which both punishes other countries for their mean and disrespectful behavior toward us, and that has already brought in over $8 trillion. The President's beautiful budget bill has set the stage for an economic boom never before seen in history. Average workers will now thrive as high paying manufacturing jobs are being created by the millions every day. Soon, America will be the leading manufacturing country in the world...again.
If you try to contact us again, I can only say that we can arrange to have your citizenship revoked and a flight to South Sudan booked for you on short notice.
The most infuriating part of our situation is mentioned at the top: this is an entirely self-inflicted wound, one we all knew was coming and get to suffer. He does have the ability to reverse course, all it takes is some industrial strength lying. And everyone knows the president is a World Class Liar. Really, he has absolutely without peer in that regard. So it could happen.
But I suspect there is another problem: who trusts him now? Businesses may just stay in their investment holding pattern until the end of 2028 (assuming he leaves); world leaders may be disinclined to reverse course in finding alternate trade partners or allies (congrats, China) and shell shocked American citizens will just be waiting for the other shoe to drop because...well, TACO. And that won't change. Think about it - what started all this? It wasn't good governance or informed economic policy or even a desire to do good. The man is a self centered megalomaniac who has to be 1) center of attention and 2) right regardless of fact. And when the facts don't fit, he pulls out his sharpie and changes the map. So while he might reverse course...TACO.
Wonderful, clear explanation for the rest of us though!
Interesting how telling people things are worse than they seem is so much easier than telling people things are better than they seem. Yet, a foundational truthism of modern political strategy.
Great letter to one who barely reads and cannot comprehend the essence of your message. His pathologies prevent normally structured arguments and positions. Is why his “ junk drawer” ( cabinet) is and acts as it does - they come pre-pathos in capacities. All cluelessly swirling down the drain we are in. No one could conjure this living- novel.
True, but this is why "open letters" are open: they're not addressed primarily to the named recipient. In many (most?) cases, the named recipient won't cop to having read them.
What else could anyone expect from a guy who went thru bankruptcy 6 or 7 times? Credibility accused of sexual assault/harassment, and 34 federal convictions? Of the 10’s of millions of eligible Americans for potus, this clown wins it? Real world consequences…
I would think that big corporations’ multi-billion $ tax savings would support increased payrolls and productivity. If that did not support job growth, then why should we believe that lower interest rates will?
I don’t believe in communicating with Trump/MAGA because like a black hole there’s near zero light. So I’m not worried that Trump will read (hahaha!) your clear and concise description of the destruction he has wrought while on his golden throne.
Good letter. But I have a hard time believing that Trump reads. Especially things that are fact-based, logical and rational -- like this. If you filled it with nasty nicknames and added pictures of wrestlers and naked women, he might spend 36 seconds on it.
White House response to JB's open letter (from an unnamed aide):
Dear Mr. Bernstein:
The president has asked me to tell you to mind your own business. It is a well known fact that the greatest president in American history does not read and even if he did, he certainly wouldn't read anything from a communist like you, especially one who worked in the Biden administration, which destroyed this country in the four years it was in office after stealing the 2020 election from President Trump. In 2021, you inherited the strongest economy in the history of the world and in a few short months you turned this country into a third world "shit-hole" country to borrow a description from the President.
On January 20, 2025, President Trump took over a country with an economy that was even weaker than it was during the Great Depression. He has initiated a brilliant tariff regime, which both punishes other countries for their mean and disrespectful behavior toward us, and that has already brought in over $8 trillion. The President's beautiful budget bill has set the stage for an economic boom never before seen in history. Average workers will now thrive as high paying manufacturing jobs are being created by the millions every day. Soon, America will be the leading manufacturing country in the world...again.
If you try to contact us again, I can only say that we can arrange to have your citizenship revoked and a flight to South Sudan booked for you on short notice.
Sincerely Yours,
Redacted
Excellent read!! Thanks!
The most infuriating part of our situation is mentioned at the top: this is an entirely self-inflicted wound, one we all knew was coming and get to suffer. He does have the ability to reverse course, all it takes is some industrial strength lying. And everyone knows the president is a World Class Liar. Really, he has absolutely without peer in that regard. So it could happen.
But I suspect there is another problem: who trusts him now? Businesses may just stay in their investment holding pattern until the end of 2028 (assuming he leaves); world leaders may be disinclined to reverse course in finding alternate trade partners or allies (congrats, China) and shell shocked American citizens will just be waiting for the other shoe to drop because...well, TACO. And that won't change. Think about it - what started all this? It wasn't good governance or informed economic policy or even a desire to do good. The man is a self centered megalomaniac who has to be 1) center of attention and 2) right regardless of fact. And when the facts don't fit, he pulls out his sharpie and changes the map. So while he might reverse course...TACO.
Wonderful, clear explanation for the rest of us though!
Hey, would this work? Trump calls off the tariffs and we give him the Nobel Prize for economics.
Spaulding: What do you fellas get an hour?
Ravelli: Oh, for playing, we get ten dollars an hour.
Spaulding: I see. What do you get for not playing?
Ravelli: Twelve dollars an hour. Now for rehearsing, we make special rate: that's'a fifteen dollars an hour.
Spaulding: That's for rehearsing?
Ravelli: That's for rehearsing.
Spaulding: And what do you get for not rehearsing?
Ravelli: You couldn't afford it.
Groucho and Chico in Animal Crackers (1930).
Good letter and advice except much too long for Trump’s tiny little attention span.
This really nails the issues!
Maybe MAGA wants bad vibes? Wouldnt it make an authoritarian takeover easier?
Interesting how telling people things are worse than they seem is so much easier than telling people things are better than they seem. Yet, a foundational truthism of modern political strategy.
Great letter to one who barely reads and cannot comprehend the essence of your message. His pathologies prevent normally structured arguments and positions. Is why his “ junk drawer” ( cabinet) is and acts as it does - they come pre-pathos in capacities. All cluelessly swirling down the drain we are in. No one could conjure this living- novel.
True, but this is why "open letters" are open: they're not addressed primarily to the named recipient. In many (most?) cases, the named recipient won't cop to having read them.
What else could anyone expect from a guy who went thru bankruptcy 6 or 7 times? Credibility accused of sexual assault/harassment, and 34 federal convictions? Of the 10’s of millions of eligible Americans for potus, this clown wins it? Real world consequences…
Nice idea, but the recipient of your open letter can't read.
I'm sure that someone will volonteer to read it for him.
I would think that big corporations’ multi-billion $ tax savings would support increased payrolls and productivity. If that did not support job growth, then why should we believe that lower interest rates will?
IIRC under Reaganomics what they mostly supported was mergers & acquisitions, higher compensation for the higher-ups, that sort of thing.
the president has an intelligence and corruption problem, Donald Sutherland has a vibes problem, Moriarty.
Nothing like the truth. That’s a great article.
I don’t believe in communicating with Trump/MAGA because like a black hole there’s near zero light. So I’m not worried that Trump will read (hahaha!) your clear and concise description of the destruction he has wrought while on his golden throne.
Good letter. But I have a hard time believing that Trump reads. Especially things that are fact-based, logical and rational -- like this. If you filled it with nasty nicknames and added pictures of wrestlers and naked women, he might spend 36 seconds on it.