Dwain Northey (Gen X)

The current administration’s reaction to the growing “8647” movement has exposed a striking contradiction in their own rhetoric and behavior. While critics and activists have adopted “8647” as a symbolic call to vote out the 47th president, the administration and its allies seem unusually rattled—despite having previously embraced the “8646” mantra to celebrate the departure of the 46th president. This double standard is glaring. When their opponents chanted “8646,” it was hailed as a clever political slogan and proudly printed on t-shirts, mugs, and campaign signs. Now, with the tables turned, they label “8647” as unpatriotic or disrespectful.

The outrage suggests a level of hypocrisy, as if dissent is only valid when it suits their agenda. The very people who celebrated free expression and protest under the previous administration are now scrambling to delegitimize the same tactics aimed at them. It’s not just political theater—it’s a sign of how deeply polarized and inconsistent our discourse has become. If “8646” was fair game, then “8647” should be, too. The attempt to suppress or mock it only gives the slogan more power and raises questions about whether this administration can handle the same scrutiny it once championed.