# You thought Trump Twittering was bad: welcome FEMA Trump **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 15, 2018, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370 "2018-09-15T01:27:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/1 "2018-09-15T01:27:43Z")
> **[FEMA to test 'Presidential Alert' system next week](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fema-test-presidential-alert-system-next-week-n909816?cid=sm_npd_nn_fb_ma)** > > Experts expressed little concern that the wireless emergency alerts could be used for political purposes. "President Donald Trump may soon be communicating with you directly on your phone — even if you don’t follow him on Twitter. Next Thursday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will do its first test of a system that allows the president to send a message to most U.S. cellphones." Glad I only have a landline. Oh and “The test is supposed to take place at 2:18 p.m. EDT on Sept. 20. Under the Warning, Alert, and Response Network (WARN) Act of 2006, cellphone users cannot opt out of the presidential alerts.” ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/2 "2018-09-15T02:03:10Z")
SAD! ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/3 "2018-09-15T02:13:02Z")
Do you want to motivate millennials to vote? Really motivate them? How about a system where the president brags about his accomplishments on their phones and there’s no way for them to avoid his messages? I know the experts say there’s no way to abuse the system, but abuse of the system seems to require very little creativity. “ATTENTION: Contact FEMA for information about Hurricane Florence. Our response is beautiful. I have fixed the problems that the last administration created in FEMA, very horrible problems.” His ass is getting impeached. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/4 "2018-09-15T02:38:00Z")
The only way I want that motherfucker calling my phone is if he’s brave enough to dial my number himself and accept the resulting verbal consequences. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/5 "2018-09-15T02:42:19Z")
Seriously? What ever the Hell was the need for that feature in the first place? I don’t need the POTUS telling ME about emergencies in real time, that’s what there’s a whole fucking government for. He’s supposed to be at the command center too busy to reach out to individual private citizens. Damn, nobody in 12 years thought this over and realized it’s daft? ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/6 "2018-09-15T02:45:48Z")
For once a benefit of not having a cell phone! (I don’t have one active, I keep one deactivated with a prepaid card available to activate it if I were in a desperate enough situation to warrant spending $5 on a phone call.) ---
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/7 "2018-09-15T02:48:17Z")
Since I _don’t_ have a cellphone and the 3 who live with me and do are only concerned when one of the 4 (oldest still shares the plan) goes over the data limit due to watching netflix or youtube videos: who pays for these emergency type texts? Taxpayers? State specific taxpayers (amber alerts)? Or the phone holders whether on a plan or on pay as you go plans? And what is up with not being able to opt out on incoming messages on a phone? I get it for TV or Radio since we don’t pay other than listening to commercials. But phones are different. I know I had to opt _in_ a decade ago when the school system implemented a short lived message tree (it only lasted a year and then went text or email message). ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/8 "2018-09-15T04:14:14Z")
IIRC, the president himself doesn’t actually have direct access to the presidential alert system and can t just use it shout whatever he wants - it goes through FEMA. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/9 "2018-09-15T04:25:29Z")
He is welcome to do this if the range is only about 20 feet and I can give him my response in person. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/10 "2018-09-15T04:27:46Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > IIRC, the president himself doesn’t actually have direct access to the presidential alert system and can t just use it shout whatever he wants - it goes through FEMA. “I’m sorry, Mr President, you can’t use this emergency alert system to send out campaign messages.” “So what you’re saying is I have to wait until tomorrow.” “I’ll tell you the same thing tomorrow, Mr President.” “I won’t be asking you tomorrow. I’ll be asking my new FEMA director.” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/11 "2018-09-15T04:29:49Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > He is welcome to do this if the range is only about 20 feet and I can give him my response in person. I’ll welcome it if he’s sending the message from 20 feet away from the center of the natural disaster. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/12 "2018-09-15T04:34:22Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > “I’m sorry, Mr President, you can’t use this emergency alert system to send out campaign messages.” > “So what you’re saying is I have to wait until tomorrow.” > “I’ll tell you the same thing tomorrow, Mr President.” > “I won’t be asking you tomorrow. I’ll be asking my new FEMA director.” Well, the system has existed since before he was president and he hasn’t tried to use it. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/13 "2018-09-15T04:39:40Z")
😕 This is just the Emergency Alert System but for cell phones. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/14 "2018-09-15T04:49:02Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > 😕 This is just the Emergency Alert System but for cell phones. Indeed. However, it is Innovative, And Therefore Bad, at least in the eyes of the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/15 "2018-09-15T04:49:26Z")
Like, he already has the ability to [take over every TV and radio station in the country](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Action_Notification). ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/16 "2018-09-15T06:26:28Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Indeed. > > However, it is Innovative, And Therefore Bad, at least in the eyes of the SDMB. We all get Amber Alerts on our cell phones and as far as I know most people are fine with that. The convergence of Trump + Texts + Inability to escape + incoming test next week causes some bitching for some reason. I don’t want his fucked up pretense at language on my phone either. If it’s actually FEMA, no problem. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/17 "2018-09-15T08:51:30Z")
[Per Snopes;](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-can-send-texts-to-all-americans/) > [@](#): > > All WEAs must be issued through FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert & Warning System, meaning that an emergency alert from the president still has at least one layer to pass through before being issued. While FEMA is under control of the executive branch (the head of FEMA is selected by the president, and reports to the Department of Homeland Security), the agency would have a vested interest in not seeing their alert system bent toward, uh, non-emergency ends… > > Although it is true that an FCC emergency alert system function enables any sitting president to send emergency texts to all Americans (and that only messages from the President cannot be blocked), any other information is pure speculation; there was nothing substantiating the idea Trump intends to use the system in such a fashion, or that the FCC would allow it even if he opted to do so. > > We contacted the FCC for further information on the rumor but did not receive a response. Honestly, even if Loser Donald knows the system _exists_, I doubt he’d be able to figure out once he realizes he can’t download an app for it. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/18 "2018-09-15T09:09:33Z")
Really, in the kinds of situations this level of alert was meant for, there’s a good chance the president will be whatever cabinet secretary happened not to be in town that day. So it won’t be Trump on your phone, but Jeff Sessions or Ben Carson or Betsy DeVos or Rick Perry. I hope that makes people feel better. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/19 "2018-09-15T09:55:09Z")
I eagerly await the paid for Bot advertisements that follow these messages from the president. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2018, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370/20 "2018-09-15T16:55:28Z")
> [@glowacks](#): > > For once a benefit of not having a cell phone! (I don’t have one active, I keep one deactivated with a prepaid card available to activate it if I were in a desperate enough situation to warrant spending $5 on a phone call.) I keep mine off, except when I want to use it. People don’t seem to get it - I bought and I pay every month, for MY convenience ONLY… not someone else’s. Trump? I’d chew hm out, verbally abuse him, and then hang up. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-thought-trump-twittering-was-bad-welcome-fema-trump/821370.md?page=2)