The reaction here at DU has been completely embarrassing. It is just an emergency broadcast system, like we've had with TV for decades.

I doubt the whole country needs most messages.

about something dire. There are ways to target people in certain affected areas. This was not a test of that system.

Yes. That's how the NWS issues "Tornado Warnings" (and other severe weather warnings). There were 3 tornadoes here in PA over the past couple days but not where I live in Philly so I got no "TOR Warning" alert on my NOAA Weather Radio nor did I get an EAS on the phone or broadcast radio/tv. However I have had EASes from the NWS a number of times this summer - on my weather radio for flood warnings and as an EAS Alert to my phone for a flash flood warning. I'm sure no one in Phoenix, AZ got an EAS for a "flash flood warning" in Philly.

We know that. The mocking is due to the fact that it was described as a “presidential alert” when it’s first test came when a buffoon is the president. Heck, even calling it a FEMA alert is laughable given what FEMA has become under Republican regimes. I mean, really, would you believe anything that FEMA has to say?

That said, unless there’s an impending nuclear attack, I don’t see the need for a nationwide alert at that level. Can you identify one event since 9/11 that would warrant this kind of alert? Quite apart from the fact that this capability almost certainly wasn’t possible at that time, I am not entirely sure what a nationwide alert would have told us that wasn’t available on the news.

And, on top of all that, there is a big brother type component to this capability. I am not going to go all conspiracy theory here, but there is something seriously creepy about sending a text to every cell phone in the United States at the same time.

A lot of “this is a gross overreach of Power” and “how do I deactivate getting Trump messages” and stuff. I even responded one thread that was about how the OP was freaking out because Trump could now get to her 24/7.

It was pretty ugly.

And I posted a leave me alone post. But I knew it was not the buffoon in chief texting, and I’m sure the other posts were meant in the same vein.

You can't credibly claim that people didn't act hysterical while spreading at best specious claims that Trump could hijack the system.

Then they/we are no better than the cult followers who believed this was a test for/prelude to martial law.

This is what we’ve become as a nation.

That said,I kind of agre with Tom Friedman’s op Ed today re civil wAr.

If WeGo t claim control of Congress next month we are well and truly fucked as a nation.

I've seen several others state the same and I think it's legitimate

There's no need to make the US sound like a fucking dictatorship

A "National" alert would be just fine

That's all mine said, same for my Daughters. Nothing about Presidential alert or anything like that.

... that it'd even occur to anyone to compare a national alert you can't opt-out of per Federal law passed in 2006, even in a joking fashion, to harassment.

Let's face it. This really is the first "Twitter President" -- Obama respected the office, a Tweet from him or from the POTUS account was always professional sounding, not stuff like "covfefe" or rage-tweeting to foreign leaders in all caps who only learn of said Tweet because it made news.

Some may genuinely not wish to see anything at all labeled "Presidential Alert" because of such behavior, but the Federal law created in 2006 specifically says alerts issued by the POTUS through this system can't be blocked. And it was done while we had a President most of us mocked unmercifully here then, but no brouhaha was made.

Why the difference? If it'd been tested in 2006 would we have felt this way? No. Because while Bush wasn't the President we voted for in 2000 or 2004, he also didn't embarrass the country regularly through cell phones we can opt out of.

Yes, it's silly in comparison to all the other things going on, but goddamnit, sometimes we have to mock-rage or post memes about him sending pictures of mushrooms or we will bloody melt down from nuclear rage over the important shit and say what we're really thinking -- and get a visit from Agent Mike.

If you have not noticed yet...Trump takes what he can and puts his name on it. Then feels it up and laughs. So pooh poohing the chance for misfortune he has before him here is a little..trusting? Save it. He'll exploit this too.

I didn't get the alert.

My first warning that something is wrong isn't going to be my cell phone, it will be people running around uselessly screaming because blood and rabid weasels are raining from the sky, or the mission to divert Matilda has failed.

Those sharks are good eating and my freezer has plenty of room for 'em.

Normally, I'd quietly return them to the ocean, but who wants to be caught driving a van stuffed full of live sharks in these dangerous times?

I might endeavor to receive Presidential Alerts in the future just for first crack at shark teeth and zombie knuckle jewelry.