Moon Dance

 

The question of the day is: Can you moonwalk? I’m talking about the iconic Michael Jackson dance move that first captivated the nation back in 1983. A great many of us have tried, but very few can come close to the master. I’m blown away every time I see film clips of Michael gliding across the stage in his signature move.

The reason I ask is because the Trump administration is walking back so many policy actions, the ability to do the moonwalk is going to be in high demand. For instance:

 

·      On Day 1, the administration announced a hiring freeze. This included the Veterans Administration (VA) where thousands of job offers had to be rescinded, which of course raised a great hue and cry. The hue and cry became so loud the administration backed down. They walked it back.

·      A “stop work” order was issued for the AIDS therapy program known as PEPFAR. This impacted people in mid-cycle of the treatment program, risking the development of vaccine resistant strains of HIV. Another hue and cry, and again, the administration backed down. They walked it back.

·      The National Institutes of Health (NIH) was ordered to place a full stop on all clinical trials. In addition, all meetings, travel, communications, and hiring were shut down. More hue and cry, and—you guessed it—the administration backed down. They walked it back.

·      Finally, the big one: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memo ordering a “pause” in all spending pending a review to ferret out DEI and woke initiatives. And once again, a great hue and cry followed by the inevitable walking back.

 

Here’s my point: Rather than have a grim-faced, boring spokesperson announce the walk-back, why not have each agency hire a person capable of doing Michael Jackson’s famous moonwalk? Wouldn’t that be far more interesting? With the music from “Billie Jean” pulsing in the background, the moonwalker could sing, We rescind the prior memo / We didn’t mean it / It’s the media’s fault / Take that to the vault.

You know the White House press corps would love it, as would the public at large. The administration could turn an embarrassing negative into a festive event. So, all of you who can do the moonwalk, dust off your resumes, make a TicTok video, and submit the package to the White House personnel office. There are lots of federal agencies and every one of them is going to need a moonwalker. You don’t have to dress exactly like Michael Jackson, but I think a snappy hat is in order. Especially if it’s one with a brim that hides your eyes.

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