WORDS: 740 — There you have it. Get over the use of the word being a kind of common vulgarity. Those days are over. To the best of my knowledge I’m the first one in the entire history of the world to assign meaning to this concept of practicing politics. I’ll start shaking hands and signing autographs in a neighborhood near you very soon. But seriously, folks, levity aside (or maybe not), this is a post-Trumpian, appallingly anti-democratic Conservatism.. currently being made famous by Florida’s pompous Trumpian governor, Ron DeSantis. While he’s a shining example poster boy, he’s not the only one deserving of this moniker.
To be perfectly clear here… my terminology, “Prick Politics”, has little to do with the theme of former New York governor Cuomo’s ex-press secretary Karen Hinton’s book about sex, men, and power… “Penis Politics: A Memoir of Women, Men and Power”. Although, her former boss might fall in line with my definition of how he practiced his politics while in power. In fact, let’s start with definitions here. The following is from Wiki.
Modern dictionaries agree on prick as a euphemism for penis. But they offer some slight variations in the use of prick as an insult. The “Concise New Partridge Dictionary of Slang” says a prick is: “a despicable man, a fool, used as a general term of offence or contempt. Often as an abusive form of address, always of a male or an inanimate object.” Similarly “The Oxford Dictionary of English” says “a stupid or contemptible man.”  “Merriam Webster” offers “a spiteful or contemptible man often having some authority.”
So my defining application of the term is this (for starters), “An elected official revealing himself (or herself?) as being a “despicable, contemptable fool, with a persona ignorant of a social consciousness, favoring the practice of political leadership with the exercising of power of aggressively imposing their own authoritarian uncompromising morality that includes avenging and often spiteful retribution toward people and entities that oppose them. (not to be confused with “dick” or “dickhead”)” Â
Pretty much, if you want an example of who in current American politics might fit that definition as relishing in the practice of that kind of politics… well, his photo is on the right there. This is not to suggest there are not others with equal or less variations, generally with less power to assert the retribution side. Generally speaking some Right Wing Conservative members of Congress typically fit that definition, male AND female. I am sure most readers of this can insert their own mental photo of a person they perceive engages in Prick Politics. Strangely, I do not afford this label to Mr. Trump himself, although elected officials who engage in Prick Politics do follow Trumpian ideals. You see, Trump was/is an inexperienced political buffoon. His “thing” centers only about himself and how he wanted his world to be to fit his mold. He had a life of what he wanted he got. Stepping on the next guy didn’t matter. A spoiled brat with severe social dysfunction. If anything he was a prick businessman but not a Prick Politician by my definition. He carries with him the propensity to want to “get back” at those who oppose him.. the so-called “enemies list”… but this is a personal trait for him enhanced from his youth, not exercising a lust for power like the guy from Florida. Trump already had the power associated with wealth (remember that to him occupying the White House was a step down for him). Being President just afforded him a different kind of power that he had no idea how to use. His idea of “negotiation” was threat and intimidation… verbal, and implied by his image persona.
Okay… I will be the first to admit that my terminology here is simply another emotionally driven label, with a largely subjective definition, it nonetheless does serve the purpose of indeed assigning an identity to a particular display of applied politics thriving within our current national divide. I’m presenting the frustration of it all as I see it. Simply put, if you support an elected person that engages in my definition of Prick Politics… largely authoritarian, uncompromising, retribution politics… then I would challenge your support as being un-American and undemocratic.
I like to interpret his expression here as a reflection of his demeanor toward what the flag represents to Americans. But that’s just me.
Then again… who am I anyway.
I can think of many politicians over here that term applies to. Most of them, in fact.
Best wishes, Pete.
It might be a requirement of elected office. 🙂
Well said….sadly it did not originate with the Orange man from Orland….it has been with us sine the beginning…..chuq
You are correct, chuq. Glad I found a label to readily identify it before it was too late. 🙂
Doug,
The law states teachers should not introduce children to gender issues in ages of first to third grade.
If we discern that age span in their lives. What difference does it make to any gay person Rights in relationship to any parent who does not want their child to be introduced to political gender issues?
Seems to me like the gays are the ones getting too emotional about other people’s children, perhaps?
As for Disney being separated from Florida Government, perhaps, every other state should do the same to, perhaps, have a business tell government what to teach children that parents don’t want children to know until they are at an age to know,
Disney is supposed to be a fantasy land for children and families instead of an agenda to dictate to parents’ what parents don’t want their kids to be concerned about when they go to school. Namely whether or not they should grow up and perhaps believe whatever gays want them to believe instead of what their parents believe
Regards and goodwill blogging.
Perhaps there’s a greater point to all this here, Rudy. None of us Boomers are anywhere near the age where we are watching our own kids go through the school system. For as much as I try to understand all the school screaming about CRT and gay/transgendering of the the youth… frankly I am mystified as to what exactly is going on. The reason? It’s been damned difficult to see the down-and-dirty because I am out of the loop as a parent and never going to school meetings anymore to witness what is going on. I’ve read all about CRT and the gay stuff in schools.. but one has to see the up-close of what is happening. DeSantis has made an issue of math books but doesn’t say which ones.. then there’s some pages from books that make no sense to me… and I flat out have no idea how curriculum of any kind is trying to “brainwash” kids into some ideology. Regarding my post… my issues with DeSantis is more his Trumpian nonsense about fake elections, fake news, passing laws that make little or no sense for the public good but are purely political.
Doug,
DeSantis is probably going to be the choice for Republicans in 2024, President, in my opinion.
I have listened to him on issues related to Covid, and he seems to have common sense approach to most prroblems he decides. I often visit Florida and his State is booming in spite of Covid, and perhaps the weather helps keep most people outside more so than in other states.
He supports school vouchers and already has laws to help parents based on income in poverty areas to choose what schools to attend..
As for his law “no say gay law in schools in grades one to three,” I doubt many it is brought up very often by teachers in those grades very often.
As far as I am concerned if any school child brings up sex matters in any schools, teachers should advise age approprieate children about ses is hem the truth that there is no 100 percent nature or nurture.
And the only thing they should advise any child is that gay sexual practices can lead to potential deadly lifetime diseases, same as if any child who engages in sex before marriage can result in the person being infected with a sexual disease, or a women becoming pregnant.
While it sad for children with gay parents, if their parent had school choice or school voucher, their parents could choose to send them to a private school to believe in secular, or religious beliefs their children to follow until they reach maturity and choose what path of life they choose to follow.
Regards and goodwill blogging.