For an undetermined amount of time now, the White House comment line has been closed. If you call the number, you receive a message: “Thank you for calling the White House comment line. The comment line is currently closed, but your comment is important to the president, and we urge you to send us a comment online at www.whitehouse.gov/contact.”
The Congress runs the White House comment line, but the West Wing has control over it. It is unclear when the comment line was shut down, whether this happened before President Obama left office or after President Trump was sworn in, but it is certainly clear that keeping the line closed is unacceptable. The Daily Iowan Editorial Board believes the comment line needs to be turned back on immediately because allowing the peoples’ input and opinions is essential for a democracy.
Although the comment line has been shut down, there have been national efforts to call the phone numbers of Trump’s businesses instead. For example, there’s a new website called White House Inc. that will connect users to Trump’s businesses over the phone. This project is spearheaded by Revolution Messaging, the digital team that helped jump-start and run Sen. Bernie Sander’s campaign. This is a worthy project, because it is important to make clear to the public and the politicians that the people need to be listened to. Hopefully, those in power in Washington will recognize White House Inc. as a boiling over of the public’s anger and commitment to organizing and turn the White House comment line back on.
Yes, the public can call Trump’s businesses, but the callers’ messages will not be effectively delivered to those they are meant to reach: members of Congress. While it is questionable how effective the actual White House comment line is in reaching members of Congress, it serves as a fundamental resource for the public to voice their concerns. It also represents how our government should work — the people in power should listen to the opinions and concerns of those they are sworn to serve.
According to the White House Press Office, there are plans to turn the comment line back on, although when this is scheduled to happen is unknown. Press assistant Giovanna Coia told the Los Angeles Times, “We’re still learning how to work our computers.” This statement is alarming in itself, but particularly when one considers that the lack of competence in the White House right now is being used as a way to silence constituents. It is crucial that Trump and all of his staff realize that allowing the public to be heard and listening to the public is a priority. Then they can make their priorities accordingly.
The comment line remaining closed is perhaps just a representation of the current administration’s refusal to listen to what the country is telling them. According to the Gallup Poll, it has taken Trump a mere eight days to reach a majority disapproval rating, in comparison with 936 days for Barack Obama and 1,205 days for George W. Bush. Massive protests erupt daily across the nation, and yet Trump and his administration brush off this immense disapproval. The White House comment line’s voicemail says that your comment matters to the president, but we find that hard to believe.