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The Donald J. Trump Presidential Library

03/20/18 | by nicasaurus | Categories: Politics & Current Events

An idea whose time will never come- a library named for the man who disdains reading. We have to admit, however, that the thought of a Trump Presidential Library is enticing. First of all, think of the possibilities when it comes to the actual building: Trump would insist it be the largest, bigger than LBJ’s or JFK’s. It would, of course, be a high-rise structure, with huge golden doors at the main entrance and his name in large golden letters looming above. The interior would be decorated in the gilded tackiness Trump associates with luxury. It would be less of a traditional library and more of a hotel lobby.

Presidential libraries are built with private funds and administered by a Federal agency, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For the man who has already monetized the Presidency by selling mugs at Trump Tower embossed with the Presidential Seal (which is against the law, of course), the temptation of having his worshipping supporters give him money for the library will prove to be an opportunity/ temptation he could not pass up. Since a number of the current libraries are privately owned (and the Obama Library and Museum will be owned and operated by the Obama Foundation with NARA being paid a fee to manage the archives), Trump family history indicates that he and his children will vacuum up as much cash as possible from the venture. And, given Trump’s record of not paying people who provide services to his businesses, the contractors who do the actual work can anticipate having to use the legal system to be compensated for their efforts.

The major question will be what would go into the library of a man who gives daily performances as a semi-literate (Marine Core, really?). Perhaps there will be a Hall of Tweets, poster-size blowups of the deep thoughts he expressed on Twitter. It is known that he not only doesn’t read, but he also does not write. He does dictate, so there may be memos or notes that might give future generations insights into Trump’s thinking on issues, records such as “Two Big Macs with cheese. Tell them no lettuce and tomatoes”. As for a memoir, all of his previous books were ghost-written by others. Given her sycophantic role, Kellyanne Conway may be tapped for the chore of applying lipstick to this pig of a Presidency.

Trump’s preferred media are visual-- TV, pictures, charts. We can be certain there will be a room with giant screens showing highlights from his campaign rallies on a continuing loop. What we will not find in this library are books, unless you count the copies of “The Art of the Deal” on sale in the gift shop.

Finally, there is the matter of where such an edifice, a monument to a man with an outsized narcissistic personality, should be located. Trump may want it to be in Manhattan, an enduring poke-in-the-eye to the New York elite who have always regarded him as a buffoon. It would be more fitting, however, if it were placed in Queens, the place that foisted him on the rest of us. Of course, there is the real possibility that the only library Trump will be associated with when his days as President are over will be located in a federal penitentiary.



 

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