If sometimes I sound like a know it all because I’ve been hanging about this earth for going on 200 years, I not only apologize but let me come right out and admit how baffled I am by events of late. The fact that I hardly remember a time this crazy, or a president so irrational, since the Civil War isn’t a good sign for the country! The late nineteen-sixties were pretty crazy, mind you, but with Trump at the helm I think the year 2020 has surpassed it.
I’ve repeatedly expressed my views regarding President Trump’s inept handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I wouldn’t retract a single word; if anything, there are no words adequate to communicate the depth of my anger and disgust at the disaster that’s transpired under the man’s leadership or lack thereof. Above all, I remain dumbfounded as to why he persists in playing the virus down, acting as if the stats aren’t as bad as they are and insisting we’re “turning the corner” and “rounding the turn” despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. We know that Trump and his enablers don’t care if people of color are impacted disproportionately—not only by sickness and death, but by the job loss and poverty the pandemic has created—but at this point a significant majority of the public (about two thirds, depending on the poll) think he has done a poor job of handling the pandemic and it looks like his colossal failure is going to be a major factor in his defeat come November 3rd.
It really pains me, by the way, that Congress and the administration haven’t reached a deal to pass another COVID-19 pandemic stimulus package. As we approach the holiday season, entire families are being evicted and going hungry because COVID-19 cost them their livelihood, a real disgrace to the richest country on the earth!
Trump is Desperate to be Reelected but Refuses to Change Course.
By all accounts, as well as observing his increasingly irrational, almost schizophrenic behavior, Trump is desperate to be reelected, but steadfastly refuses to change his tune on the pandemic. And despite evidence the virus is surging again throughout the country, he continues to hold huge rallies with very few of his supporters wearing masks. He continues to cling to the dangerous and ridiculous fantasy that he and his supporters are “warriors” against the virus. Rather than learn his lesson when him himself was sickened by the virus, he insists on portraying himself as the “strong man” (don’t forget that great Mussolini imitation on the balcony!) leading his people to victory over the virus.
It isn’t hard to see why someone who refuses to admit his mistakes, listen to advice, or change course was such a horrible failure in business. As I’ve pointed out before, he bears all too much resemblance to another (thankfully!) failed president, none other than Jefferson Davis of the Confederacy. The man did promote me to colonel posthumously, but that’s the only good thing I can say about him. I won’t repeat the details of his terrible leadership but suffice to say we can all thank God there were no Twitter accounts in those days.
The Majority of the American People have come Around to Believing Science Instead of a Mussolini Imitator.
That said, I remain baffled that the President is so irrational and self-destructive as the election approaches. I understand that Trump’s psychological makeup demands he portray the strong man at all costs, but all the scientific evidence shows the way to defeat the virus is by social distancing and wearing masks, not allowing more and more people to contract the disease in the misguided hope of one day achieving “herd immunity” (a disaster in which hundreds of thousands of people will die unnecessarily). And thankfully the polls show the majority of the American people have finally come around to believing the science rather than a Mussolini imitator. As he has made it all too clear, Trump would rather die than admit he was wrong and reverse course. It’s long since become apparent to most Americans that if we wear masks and social distance we will defeat the virus—so that we CAN open the economy—sooner rather than later, but Trump and his loyal supporters refuse to acknowledge it.
Trump Would Rather Die than Admit He was Wrong.
The question if why people’s attitudes toward the virus, primarily whether they should social distance and wear masks, are so closely aligned with their political views. It’s true that young people, who mistakenly believe they are omnipotent, have been some of the greatest offenders, but otherwise there appears a high correlation between refusing to believe the science and Trump’s most loyal supporters. Lord knows President Trump has purposely mislead his followers for what he probably thought was political gain, but I fear we can only blame him for so much. The fact is, a substantial group of Americans hate the “elites” so much, along with everything they associate with them—including higher learning, technology, and SCIENCE, that they can hardly see straight, let alone make rational decisions regarding a deadly pandemic. I’m on record acknowledging they have valid complaints, but by refusing to accept the reality of the modern world, they are proving to be their own worst enemy—and the country’s as well.
Your humble spirit wishes he had an answer, but unfortunately, understanding doesn’t always equate with a solution.