dailykos--2020-03-24--Trump’s State of Denial, Not the Deep State,
kept us unprepared for the COVID-19 Pandemic

President Donald Trump prides himself on being optimistic no matter how dire the situation .
That is not necessarily a bad trait ; it helps to get by in hard times .
But deniability of past or repeated behavior when it results in harm to yourself or others , is not a positive trait .
In fact , as president of the USA , it endangers everyone .
Trump ’ s State of Denial has led us to the current horrendous situation of not being as prepared as we could have been for the coronavirus , i.e .
COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ first coronavirus case just one day before the USA .
Yet in the 7 weeks that followed , South Korea , had tested more than 189,000 people , we had tested less than 2,000 .
We have a population over 6 times larger than them , to match their extent of coverage we would have tested 1.1 million people .
As of March 21 , less than a quarter million in the US have been tested according to the John Hopkins School of Medicine The COVID Tracking Project .
The Federal Government ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( CDC ) as of March 23 , had not publicly released the number of people who have been tested as of that date .
Although at a press conference on that date a White House staff member estimated that 250,000 had been done .
The following are examples of Trump ’ s State of Denial and its negative impact on controlling the coronavirus pandemic .
TRUMP : “ It ’ s something that nobody expected ” On Saturday , March 14 , President Trump said that the coronavirus caught him and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later , on March 21 , Trump repeated his denial of having any advance reason to expect a probable massive pandemic ; “ The magnitude is something that no matter who you were , no matter where you come from , nobody ever thought a thing like this could happen.
” Trump Was Given An Explicit Warning Of A Possible Huge Pandemic In January 2017 , as Trump was coming into office , the New York Times reported , “ outgoing Obama administration officials ran an extensive exercise on responding to a pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration.
” Trump has never denied this information being provided to him .
The New York Times also reported that in 2019 the Health and Human Services Department performed startling government simulations to show how underprepared the United States was for such a pandemic .
Nothing was done in response .
Department Secretary Alex Azar has mentioned these simulations at the White House Press Conferences .
TRUMP : “ I do n't know anything about it ” At a March 13 , 2020 press conference Trump said , “ I just think it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked why he disbanded the Directorate , known as the “ Global Health Security and Biodefense ” team on the National Security Council , which was responsible for coordinating federal agencies ’ response to a pandemic outbreak .
“ And when you say ‘ me , ' I did n't do it .
...
I do n't know anything about it.
” Technically Trump is right , he didn ’ t disband the nation ’ s only Health Security Team , John Bolton did .
Trump appointed Bolton to lead the National Security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later , Bolton eliminated the team for pandemic preparedness .
It was created in the aftermath of the 2014-15 Ebola outbreak to avoid seeing again a fragmented U.S. response and preparedness strategy and ended up costing U.S. taxpayers $ 5.4 billion in emergency supplemental funding .
On May 7th , 2018 Luciana Borio , director of medical and biodefense preparedness at the NSC , spoke at a symposium at Emory University “ The threat of pandemic flu is the number one health security concern , ” she told the audience .
“ Are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the answer is no.
” Bolton said he intended to streamline the NSC , which it may have done , but at the cost of not having anyone around to coordinate a response to a pandemic so the country would not end up where they are now , repeating our Ebola experience .
Bolton ’ s first step was to eliminate the team ’ s Director position and then disperse the team staff across other parts of the NSC which focused on other priorities ; two of them went to the Weapons of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ I ’ m a businessperson , ” he said in denying the need to fund scientists working on disease control .
During a February 26 , 2020 briefing on his coronavirus response , Trump said he cut global health experts from federal staff and tried to slash funding for the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , who try to spot and respond to epidemics .
`` Some of the people we cut , they haven ’ t been used for many , many years '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m a businessperson — I don ’ t like having thousands of people around when you don ’ t need them , '' he said .
`` When we need them , we can get them back very quickly . ''
Shrinking government budget may be good , unless it costs the public a trillion dollars later .
Trump ’ s logic of eliminating a government professional group to fight a pandemic runs counter to organizational consultants who point out that eliminating positions that are highly skilled do not result in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term costs in finding replacements or teach new ones .
On Jan 29 , 2018 , a coalition of global health of 200 organizations and companies sent a letter to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar asking the administration to not cut funding to programs as essential to health and national security , warning there will be ever more costly outbreaks .
Two years later , on February 25 , 2020 , Larry Kudlow , director of the National Economic Council , was in the Trump State of Denial , telling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the coronavirus and would not seriously harm the economy .
“ I don ’ t think it ’ s going to be an economic tragedy at all.
” By March 21 , 2020 Kudlow switched to getting the Deep State to start spending more than $ 2 trillion to save our economy through a stimulus package in the Senate to stop a depression because of the coronavirus pandemic , which had never been “ contained.
” TRUMP : He first learned about the coronavirus when he closed the border to China At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump was asked “ When did you first learn that this was going to be a problem ?
( in reference to the spread of the coronavirus ) .
He responded , “ When I learned I started doing the closing , so probably around that time .
We didn ’ t know about it until it started coming out publicly , but I wish they could ’ ve told us earlier about it , because we could ’ ve come up with a solution .
They ( referring to the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the newspapers like everybody else.
” Why wasn ’ t our State Department functioning to inform Trump ?
The reporter who asked that question should have followed up by asking “ When did our Ambassador to China , Terry Branstad , inform our State Department about a dangerous virus outbreak in the city of Wuhan ?
” The first death from an illness caused by a new lethal virus occurred there on January 11 , 2020 as reported by Chinese state media The Xinhua news agency .
That information would have obviously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign service corps .
Did they inform Secretary Mike Pompeo ?
Or , as former Ambassador to the Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch has accused the Trump administration , had our experienced foreign service personnel been dramatically reduced , because of a fear that there is a Deep State conspiracy to undermine Trump ’ s authority , that they were not functioning properly ?
The next major event occurred on January 23 when Chinese authorities cut off Wuhan , a city of more than 11 million , by canceling planes and trains leaving the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 17 people had died there .
Were Trump and Pompeo still uninformed of this development ?
It was not until January 31 , that Trump said he became aware of the problem and suspended entry into the United States by any foreign nationals who had traveled to China in the past 14 days .
That was one day after the W.H.O .
declared a global health emergency , where 213 people had died and nearly 9,800 had been infected worldwide .
How could he not have been aware for over two weeks that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Was it because he called this developing virus pandemic a “ Chinese ” virus that he optimistically believed would not affect America ?
However , since he had disbanded the group of experts two years prior who were trained to track such a threat , so who was around to warn him ?
TRUMP : “ It may get a little bigger ; it may not get bigger at all , ” On February 26 at a White House Press Conference – Trump said regarding those with the coronavirus , “ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re in a process of recovering , with some already having fully recovered.
” He was not including those on the cruise ship from Japan .
“ We ’ re going to spend whatever is appropriate .
Hopefully , we ’ re not going to have to spend so much because we really think we ’ ve done a great job in keeping it down to a minimum .
We ’ ve had tremendous success — tremendous success — beyond what people would have thought.
” By denying that the coronavirus could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US , Trump , decided , along with Fox News and some Republicans , to blame the Democrats and the media for creating panic .
Trump tweeted on February 26 “ Low Ratings Fake News MSDNC ( Comcast ) & @ CNN are doing everything possible to make the Caronavirus ( his spelling ) look as bad as possible , including panicking markets , if possible.
” The next day Fox News Commentator Laura Ingraham called Democrats the “ pandemic party ” and trying to undermine Trump ’ s administration .
That same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the Democrats “ sadly politicizing and weaponizing an infectious disease as their next effort to bludgeon President Trump.
” Trump continued to politicize the coronavirus at his campaign rally in North Charleston , S.C on February 28 , by accusing the Democrats of “ politicizing ” the coronavirus , saying “ This is their new hoax .
Democrats will always say horrible things , '' Trump said .
`` Democrats want us to fail so badly.
” On February 29 “ It may get a little bigger ; it may not get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a national TV address at the time .
Trump ’ s antipathy toward the Deep State has reshaped the Republican Party ’ s character from being small-government advocates to a grievance coalition highly skeptical of government , borrowing Washington Post reporter Robert Costa ’ s description .
That attitude was reflected by a number of Republicans echoing Trump and making light of a possible coronavirus pandemic .
Trump ’ s leading Congressional defender Rep. Devin Nunes ( R-Calif. ) , on March 8 , dismissed concerns about the coronavirus pandemic and said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a great time to just go out , go to a local restaurant.
” It wasn ’ t until March 13 that Trump declared a national emergency , which would have been six weeks since he said he became aware of the coronavirus as a “ problem ” .
The explosion of infections was so great by the time Trump declared a national emergency that the legendary GOP strategist Ed Rollins , who now chairs a pro-Trump super PAC , said , “ The right underestimated this and thought the media was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national leader must accept responsibility for their past actions and their publicized opinions , especially when it impacts the security of our nation ’ s health .
President Trump ’ s attitude to the approaching pandemic has not been one of optimism but of denying the probability of its existence and of deflecting responsibility for appropriately responding .
The result may be why our nation now has the third highest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the world , going from 1,645 people on March 12 to 44,000 as of March 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And , we are still struggling to contain the outbreak and providing medical supplies to our state governments and hospitals as well as supplying the proper safety gear for our health care workers .
Competency is not determined by party affiliation , but by the performance of our nation ’ s leadership .
The Trump Administration has not had a record of competency in fighting the coronavirus .
Nick Licata served 5 terms on the Seattle City Council , named progressive municipal official of the year by The Nation , and is founding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national network of 1,000 progressive municipal officials .
Subscribe to Licata ’ s newsletter Urban Politics

President Donald Trump prides himself on being optimistic no matter how dire the situation. That is not necessarily a bad trait; it helps to get by in hard times. But deniability of past or repeated behavior when it results in harm to yourself or others, is not a positive trait. In fact, as president of the USA, it endangers everyone. Trump’s State of Denial has led us to the current horrendous situation of not being as prepared as we could have been for the coronavirus, i.e. COVID-19.
For instance, South Korea announced their first coronavirus case just one day before the USA. Yet in the 7 weeks that followed, South Korea, had tested more than 189,000 people, we had tested less than 2,000. We have a population over 6 times larger than them, to match their extent of coverage we would have tested 1.1 million people. As of March 21, less than a quarter million in the US have been tested according to the John Hopkins School of Medicine The COVID Tracking Project . The Federal Government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as of March 23, had not publicly released the number of people who have been tested as of that date. Although at a press conference on that date a White House staff member estimated that 250,000 had been done.
The following are examples of Trump’s State of Denial and its negative impact on controlling the coronavirus pandemic.
TRUMP: “It’s something that nobody expected”
On Saturday, March 14, President Trump said that the coronavirus caught him and the world off guard. About a week later, on March 21, Trump repeated his denial of having any advance reason to expect a probable massive pandemic; “The magnitude is something that no matter who you were, no matter where you come from, nobody ever thought a thing like this could happen.”
Trump Was Given An Explicit Warning Of A Possible Huge Pandemic
In January 2017, as Trump was coming into office, the New York Times reported, “outgoing Obama administration officials ran an extensive exercise on responding to a pandemic for incoming senior officials of the Trump administration.” Trump has never denied this information being provided to him.
The New York Times also reported that in 2019 the Health and Human Services Department performed startling government simulations to show how underprepared the United States was for such a pandemic. Nothing was done in response. Department Secretary Alex Azar has mentioned these simulations at the White House Press Conferences.
TRUMP: “I don't know anything about it”
At a March 13, 2020 press conference Trump said, “I just think it's a nasty question,” when asked why he disbanded the Directorate, known as the “Global Health Security and Biodefense” team on the National Security Council, which was responsible for coordinating federal agencies’ response to a pandemic outbreak. “And when you say ‘me,' I didn't do it. ... I don't know anything about it.”
Technically Trump is right, he didn’t disband the nation’s only Health Security Team, John Bolton did.
Trump appointed Bolton to lead the National Security Council in April 2018. A month later, Bolton eliminated the team for pandemic preparedness. It was created in the aftermath of the 2014-15 Ebola outbreak to avoid seeing again a fragmented U.S. response and preparedness strategy and ended up costing U.S. taxpayers $5.4 billion in emergency supplemental funding.
On May 7th, 2018 Luciana Borio, director of medical and biodefense preparedness at the NSC, spoke at a symposium at Emory University “The threat of pandemic flu is the number one health security concern,” she told the audience. “Are we ready to respond? I fear the answer is no.”
Bolton said he intended to streamline the NSC, which it may have done, but at the cost of not having anyone around to coordinate a response to a pandemic so the country would not end up where they are now, repeating our Ebola experience. Bolton’s first step was to eliminate the team’s Director position and then disperse the team staff across other parts of the NSC which focused on other priorities; two of them went to the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate within NSC.
TRUMP: “I’m a businessperson,” he said in denying the need to fund scientists working on disease control.
During a February 26, 2020 briefing on his coronavirus response, Trump said he cut global health experts from federal staff and tried to slash funding for the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who try to spot and respond to epidemics. "Some of the people we cut, they haven’t been used for many, many years" Trump said justifying those efforts. "I’m a businessperson — I don’t like having thousands of people around when you don’t need them," he said. "When we need them, we can get them back very quickly."
Shrinking government budget may be good, unless it costs the public a trillion dollars later.
Trump’s logic of eliminating a government professional group to fight a pandemic runs counter to organizational consultants who point out that eliminating positions that are highly skilled do not result in cost savings but result in lager long term costs in finding replacements or teach new ones. On Jan 29, 2018, a coalition of global health of 200 organizations and companies sent a letter to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar asking the administration to not cut funding to programs as essential to health and national security, warning there will be ever more costly outbreaks.
Two years later, on February 25, 2020, Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, was in the Trump State of Denial, telling CNBC that the government had “contained” the coronavirus and would not seriously harm the economy. “I don’t think it’s going to be an economic tragedy at all.” By March 21, 2020 Kudlow switched to getting the Deep State to start spending more than $2 trillion to save our economy through a stimulus package in the Senate to stop a depression because of the coronavirus pandemic, which had never been “contained.”
TRUMP: He first learned about the coronavirus when he closed the border to China
At the White House March 21 Press Conference Trump was asked “When did you first learn that this was going to be a problem? (in reference to the spread of the coronavirus). He responded, “When I learned I started doing the closing, so probably around that time. We didn’t know about it until it started coming out publicly, but I wish they could’ve told us earlier about it, because we could’ve come up with a solution. They (referring to the White House Coronavirus Task Force) read about it in the newspapers like everybody else.”
Why wasn’t our State Department functioning to inform Trump?
The reporter who asked that question should have followed up by asking “When did our Ambassador to China, Terry Branstad, inform our State Department about a dangerous virus outbreak in the city of Wuhan?” The first death from an illness caused by a new lethal virus occurred there on January 11, 2020 as reported by Chinese state media The Xinhua news agency.
That information would have obviously been available to our ambassador and our foreign service corps. Did they inform Secretary Mike Pompeo? Or, as former Ambassador to the Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch has accused the Trump administration, had our experienced foreign service personnel been dramatically reduced, because of a fear that there is a Deep State conspiracy to undermine Trump’s authority, that they were not functioning properly?
The next major event occurred on January 23 when Chinese authorities cut off
Wuhan, a city of more than 11 million, by canceling planes and trains leaving the city. At this point, at least 17 people had died there. Were Trump and Pompeo still uninformed of this development?
It was not until January 31, that Trump said he became aware of the problem and
suspended entry into the United States by any foreign nationals who had traveled to China in the past 14 days. That was one day after the W.H.O. declared a global health emergency, where 213 people had died and nearly 9,800 had been infected worldwide. How could he not have been aware for over two weeks that there was a new lethal virus spreading? Was it because he called this developing virus pandemic a “Chinese” virus that he optimistically believed would not affect America? However, since he had disbanded the group of experts two years prior who were trained to track such a threat, so who was around to warn him?
TRUMP: “It may get a little bigger; it may not get bigger at all,”
On February 26 at a White House Press Conference – Trump said regarding those with the coronavirus, “We have a total of 15, they’re in a process of recovering, with some already having fully recovered.” He was not including those on the cruise ship from Japan.
“We’re going to spend whatever is appropriate. Hopefully, we’re not going to have to spend so much because we really think we’ve done a great job in keeping it down to a minimum. We’ve had tremendous success — tremendous success — beyond what people would have thought.”
By denying that the coronavirus could manifest into a potential epidemic in the US, Trump,
decided, along with Fox News and some Republicans, to blame the Democrats and the media for creating panic.
Trump tweeted on February 26 “Low Ratings Fake News MSDNC (Comcast) & @CNN are doing everything possible to make the Caronavirus (his spelling) look as bad as possible, including panicking markets, if possible.” The next day Fox News Commentator Laura Ingraham called Democrats the “pandemic party” and trying to undermine Trump’s administration. That same day another Fox News Commentator Sean Hannity said the Democrats “sadly politicizing and weaponizing an infectious disease as their next effort to bludgeon President Trump.”
Trump continued to politicize the coronavirus at his campaign rally in North Charleston, S.C on February 28, by accusing the Democrats of “politicizing” the coronavirus, saying “This is their new hoax. Democrats will always say horrible things," Trump said. "Democrats want us to fail so badly.”
On February 29 “It may get a little bigger; it may not get bigger at all,” Trump said in a national TV address at the time.
Trump’s antipathy toward the Deep State has reshaped the Republican Party’s character from being small-government advocates to a grievance coalition highly skeptical of government, borrowing Washington Post reporter Robert Costa’s description. That attitude was reflected by a number of Republicans echoing Trump and making light of a possible coronavirus pandemic. Trump’s leading Congressional defender Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), on March 8, dismissed concerns about the coronavirus pandemic and said on Fox News that “it’s a great time to just go out, go to a local restaurant.”
It wasn’t until March 13 that Trump declared a national emergency, which would have been six weeks since he said he became aware of the coronavirus as a “problem”. The explosion of infections was so great by the time Trump declared a national emergency that the legendary GOP strategist Ed Rollins, who now chairs a pro-Trump super PAC, said, “The right underestimated this and thought the media was beating up on Trump again.”
Bottomline Of This Exercise
Any national leader must accept responsibility for their past actions and their publicized opinions, especially when it impacts the security of our nation’s health. President Trump’s attitude to the approaching pandemic has not been one of optimism but of denying the probability of its existence and of deflecting responsibility for appropriately responding.
The result may be why our nation now has the third highest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the world, going from 1,645 people on March 12 to 44,000 as of March 23, a span of 11 days. And, we are still struggling to contain the outbreak and providing medical supplies to our state governments and hospitals as well as supplying the proper safety gear for our health care workers.
Competency is not determined by party affiliation, but by the performance of our nation’s leadership. The Trump Administration has not had a record of competency in fighting the coronavirus.
Nick Licata served 5 terms on the Seattle City Council, named progressive municipal official of the year by The Nation, and is founding board chair of Local Progress, a national network of 1,000 progressive municipal officials.
Subscribe to Licata’s newsletter Urban Politics


dailykos--2020-03-24--Older people would rather die than let Covid-19 harm US economy – Texas official

I ’ m not going to write much here .
I am beyond disgusted .
But read this from Texas Lt. Gov Dan Patrick in the Guardian .
Once you stop screaming at your screen do this : Register and then vote out every single GOP candidate in every election at every level — starting NOW !
Look closely at the pin on his lapel in the headline picture .
It is a Cross flanked on each side by an American Flag and the Texas flag .
This is what an White Evangelical Trumper looks like .
These people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insides of our country .
# emptythepews .
As a side note .
One of these Trumper fools , an Arizona man dies after attempting to take Trump coronavirus 'cure ' .
It will get worse before it gets better .
Full disclosure : I ’ m an Old White Guy .
But I ’ m following the CDC and Oregon Health guidelines .
I haven ’ t seen my grandkids who live just a 5 min walk away .
They ’ d normally be here every school afternoon so Daddy can get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them for two weeks .
Our other son who lives in the Bay Area emailed us to self-isolate two weeks ago .
They are being hit harder than we have been ( so far ) so he pre-empted Oregon state orders .
We probably won ’ t be able to see his girls this June either .
I ’ m also a retired Episcopal minister ( deacon ) but you know what ?
When I see this s**t coming out of these GOP+Evangelical so-called “ leaders ” I want to retch and scream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my “ calling ” I ’ m supposed to be kind and “ pastoral ” all the time .
But I remember one of my Jesuit teachers from my high school days ( 1960-4 ) remark once , “ Matthew 5:38-40 says , ‘ Turn the other cheek ’ .
Note that he doesn ’ t say anything about what you do after that.
” I forget his name but I do remember he was one tough dude in a black robe who was both a caring teacher and someone who did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ correctly , he was a Marine who stormed ashore at Guadalcanal and then entered the order after the war .
We ’ ve turned the other cheek enough .
GOTV and kick this rubbish* to the curb .
* No , this was not what I was thinking .
Feel free to substitute whatever alternate you deem appropriate once you catch your breath .

I’m not going to write much here. I am beyond disgusted. But read this from Texas Lt. Gov Dan Patrick in the Guardian.
Once you stop screaming at your screen do this:
Register and then vote out every single GOP candidate in every election at every level — starting NOW!
Look closely at the pin on his lapel in the headline picture. It is a Cross flanked on each side by an American Flag and the Texas flag. This is what an White Evangelical Trumper looks like. These people are toxic, a cancer eating out the insides of our country. #emptythepews.
As a side note. One of these Trumper fools, an Arizona man dies after attempting to take Trump coronavirus 'cure'. It will get worse before it gets better.
Full disclosure: I’m an Old White Guy. But I’m following the CDC and Oregon Health guidelines. I haven’t seen my grandkids who live just a 5 min walk away. They’d normally be here every school afternoon so Daddy can get some work done… Haven’t seen them for two weeks. Our other son who lives in the Bay Area emailed us to self-isolate two weeks ago. They are being hit harder than we have been (so far) so he pre-empted Oregon state orders. We probably won’t be able to see his girls this June either. I’m also a retired Episcopal minister (deacon) but you know what? When I see this s**t coming out of these GOP+Evangelical so-called “leaders” I want to retch and scream damnation on them. Sure, given my “calling” I’m supposed to be kind and “pastoral” all the time. But I remember one of my Jesuit teachers from my high school days (1960-4) remark once, “Matthew 5:38-40 says, ‘Turn the other cheek’. Note that he doesn’t say anything about what you do after that.” I forget his name but I do remember he was one tough dude in a black robe who was both a caring teacher and someone who did not suffer fools lightly. If I remember correctly, he was a Marine who stormed ashore at Guadalcanal and then entered the order after the war.
We’ve turned the other cheek enough. GOTV and kick this rubbish* to the curb.
* No, this was not what I was thinking. Feel free to substitute whatever alternate you deem appropriate once you catch your breath.


dailykos--2020-03-24--A Noun, a Verb, and Trump Slush Fund

A Noun, a Verb, and Trump Slush Fund

Seriously , if you are discussing the McConnell “ bailout ” package , or the weak tea that is apparently being negotiated by Pelosi and Schumer ( A TARP style rake oversight board does not cut it ) in public as a representative of the Democratic Party , you need to hammer on the fact that it has , at its core , a $ ½ Trillion dollar slush fund that Donald Trump will use to reward himself and his cronies .
( I am surprised that this made it into TBOP* ) It does not matter if you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a member of congress , or running for school board , if you are asked about the stimulus , the phrase “ Corrupt Trump slush fund ” should be in the first paragraph , if not the first sentence , in your response .
The Democratic Party does a really shitty job of getting its talking points out ( Ignoring assholes like Manchin right now ) , but this needs to be a part of the current marching orders .
Do say that Trump has refused to promise not to spend it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only way that the program will be effective and subject to meaningful oversight .

Seriously, if you are discussing the McConnell “bailout” package, or the weak tea that is apparently being negotiated by Pelosi and Schumer (A TARP style rake oversight board does not cut it) in public as a representative of the Democratic Party, you need to hammer on the fact that it has, at its core, a $½ Trillion dollar slush fund that Donald Trump will use to reward himself and his cronies. (I am surprised that this made it into TBOP*)
It does not matter if you are a Presidential candidate, a press secretary, a member of congress, or running for school board, if you are asked about the stimulus, the phrase “Corrupt Trump slush fund” should be in the first paragraph, if not the first sentence, in your response.
The Democratic Party does a really shitty job of getting its talking points out (Ignoring assholes like Manchin right now), but this needs to be a part of the current marching orders.
Don’t talk around it.
Do say that Trump has refused to promise not to spend it on his own hotels.
This is the only way that the program will be effective and subject to meaningful oversight.


dailykos--2020-03-24--Trump is Putting Money Over Lives

Trump is Putting Money Over Lives

Let ’ s make the message as clear as it plainly is .
When Trump is talking about reopening America for business sooner rather than later , over the recommendations of actual scientists and medical experts , this is what he really means .
Because we have not even come close to seeing the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic in this country yet , for Trump to be sending this message now , he is putting forward a very simple choice .
It ’ s not about the “ cure being worse than the problem itself.
” It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s about consciously making a choice , that we know , means more people will die .
And the only reason that anyone can put forward that isn ’ t lie , is so certain people can keep making money .
Make sure everybody knows what the actual tradeoffs they are choosing are .
Restricting air travel is to save lives .
Easing those restrictions is to sell tickets .
Keeping non-essential businesses closed is to save lives .
Allowing them to open is to sell products .
Restricting restaurants to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives .
Allowing them to open back for business is to make more money .
The choice they are telling us they are willing to make , is money over lives .
And let ’ s be clear about this too : they are not talking about their own lives .
It is not as simple as “ I choose to take the risk to my own life , to re-start the economy.
” What they are really choosing to do , is risk the lives of the loved ones around them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers and doctors on the front lines .
Yes , it is true that there are a lot of Americans impacted financially by the current COVID-19 crisis .
But it is up to the government to do their best to mitigate the financial damage .
They have the power to do this !
They have the authority , because the American public put them in charge and expects them to uphold their duties to the country as outlined by the Constitution , and our laws .
When people like Trump are asking us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as quickly as possible , what power do we have to turn this ship around ?
Only the power to risk our lives , and the lives of those around us .
Do not let the people like Donald Trump and Texas Lt .
Governor Dan Patrick dance around this decision .
Every reporter and every pundit , and really anyone who still cares about this nation , needs to get them to admit to the American public what they are truly telling us right now .
They are telling us to choose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are making it plain as day what they would like to choose , if we let them .

Money over Lives
Let’s make the message as clear as it plainly is. When Trump is talking about reopening America for business sooner rather than later, over the recommendations of actual scientists and medical experts, this is what he really means. Because we have not even come close to seeing the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic in this country yet, for Trump to be sending this message now, he is putting forward a very simple choice.
It’s not about the “cure being worse than the problem itself.” It’s not about saving the American dream. It’s about consciously making a choice, that we know, means more people will die.
And the only reason that anyone can put forward that isn’t lie, is so certain people can keep making money.
Make sure everybody knows what the actual tradeoffs they are choosing are.
Restricting air travel is to save lives. Easing those restrictions is to sell tickets.
Keeping non-essential businesses closed is to save lives. Allowing them to open is to sell products.
Restricting restaurants to take-out and delivery only is to save lives. Allowing them to open back for business is to make more money.
The choice they are telling us they are willing to make, is money over lives.
And let’s be clear about this too: they are not talking about their own lives. It is not as simple as “I choose to take the risk to my own life, to re-start the economy.” What they are really choosing to do, is risk the lives of the loved ones around them, complete strangers, and even our medical workers and doctors on the front lines.
Yes, it is true that there are a lot of Americans impacted financially by the current COVID-19 crisis. But it is up to the government to do their best to mitigate the financial damage. They have the power to do this! They have the authority, because the American public put them in charge and expects them to uphold their duties to the country as outlined by the Constitution, and our laws. When people like Trump are asking us to get back to our normal lives as quickly as possible, what power do we have to turn this ship around? Only the power to risk our lives, and the lives of those around us.
Do not let the people like Donald Trump and Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick dance around this decision. Every reporter and every pundit, and really anyone who still cares about this nation, needs to get them to admit to the American public what they are truly telling us right now.
They are telling us to choose: Money or Lives?
And they are making it plain as day what they would like to choose, if we let them.


dailykos--2020-03-24--Join my Coronavirus Town Hall on Thursday

I ’ m Mike Franken — a retired three-star Admiral and a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Iowa .
Thursday at 4 p.m. local time , I am hosting a Coronavirus Town Hall on Facebook Live to answer questions about the COVID-19 pandemic .
This is my second virtual town hall ; Saturday ’ s event drew over 160 listeners from all across the state .
It is essential for our leaders to help educate the public .
Almost all of us understand the dire consequences of COVID-19 , but less clear is what policy items are necessary to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this crisis : flatten the curve and protect workers .
Last week , a wrote a diary about why Mitch McConnell ’ s Corporate Relief Bill is not sufficient to do either .
Check it out here .
This election is continuing ; the Iowa ’ s secretary of state just extended the early vote period to forty days .
And , as the COVID-19 pandemic continues and people ’ s livelihoods are threatened , this election has become even more important .
Please join me at 4 p.m. CT for my Coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your questions , and I ’ ll talk about the what is necessary to keep us safe and keep workers above water .
See you then .

I’m Mike Franken — a retired three-star Admiral and a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Iowa.
Thursday at 4 p.m. local time, I am hosting a Coronavirus Town Hall on Facebook Live to answer questions about the COVID-19 pandemic. This is my second virtual town hall; Saturday’s event drew over 160 listeners from all across the state.
It is essential for our leaders to help educate the public. Almost all of us understand the dire consequences of COVID-19, but less clear is what policy items are necessary to do the two most important things in this crisis: flatten the curve and protect workers. Last week, a wrote a diary about why Mitch McConnell’s Corporate Relief Bill is not sufficient to do either. Check it out here.
This election is continuing; the Iowa’s secretary of state just extended the early vote period to forty days. And, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues and people’s livelihoods are threatened, this election has become even more important.
Please join me at 4 p.m. CT for my Coronavirus Town Hall. I’ll answer your questions, and I’ll talk about the what is necessary to keep us safe and keep workers above water. See you then.
www.facebook.com/...
--mtf


dailykos--2020-03-24--A Time to Come Together - Good News Roundup, Bluesday March 24th, 2020

Seeing a kitten & canary friendship video go viral is fun .
Watching a virus go viral ; not so much .
The thing that scares us about COVID-19 is the uncertainty .
We ’ ve accepted and even normalized lots of other risks to our mortality .
This is new and we don ’ t have any defenses yet .
Sometimes , I think I ’ m watching the news to see if I ’ ve died yet .
After all , the bad news is relentless and the inept attempts to tell us it will all be better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easy to give in an expect the worst .
When we describe the good side of the virus as , “ It ’ s making tRump look bad , ” we are putting lipstick on a lipless pig .
tRump already looks bad .
He ’ s always looked bad .
He looks so bad that looking bad is offended to be associated with him .
tRump is just a sideshow , albeit a dangerous sideshow .
Our focus right now has to be on how to muddle through in spite of Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ luckylizard ) .
What does that mean ?
Should we all wander out in the evening , rear up on our hind legs and howl defiance at the moon ?
Or , maybe , some stiff upper lip , and all that ?
Mostly , I think , it means doing the best we can , reaching out to friends when we are feeling overwhelmed and listening to our friends when they are feeling the same way .
Unlike the advice we are receiving from a certain orange-faced fraud , magical thinking and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need to do to get a handle on outbreaks of the # tRumpVirus .
If we behave as if we have the virus and are working very hard not pass it on at the same time we behave as if everyone is trying to infect us ( looking at you Rand Paul ) we can do a decent job of shutting down the spread .
Being responsible and doing our best to stop the spread is job one for everyone .
Being worried and apprehensive is natural .
Being paralyzed and curled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The world is not going to end because of the # tRumpVirus .
From the Bubonic Plagues through the Spanish Flu we have seen pandemics wash over us before .
This time we are better able to react .
Had the orange-faced fraud done his job like they did in South Korea , we ’ d be in a much better place already .
He didn ’ t and so we are staring at a rough patch .
Just like our mantra for November , Don ’ t Give Up , Don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in puppies and unicorns .
I don ’ t believe the unicorns are about to show up with several billion vaccine syringes in hand ( hoof ? )
.
That means we have some work to do — and we can do it together .
Washington Post : How You Can Help During the Coronavirus Outbreak Rolling Stone : Eight Ways to Be a Good Citizen in the Time of Coronavirus Let ’ s let Randy Rainbow get this show started .
And on to the news Yesterday was National Puppy Day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I feel better for having seen them .
The Atlantic : We Need Puppies Right Now People are panic buying specialty beans .
I did not see that coming .
In today ’ s episode of How the Dumb Learn .
I shouldn ’ t laugh at this .
I really shouldn ’ t .
Wonkette : Please Do n't Stick a Hairdryer up Your Nose , And Other Things That Should Go Without Saying Even in the best of circumstances , it is generally not a good idea to believe everything one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward .
During a pandemic , it actually gets dangerous .
It can lead to people panicking in unsafe ways , being too calm in unsafe ways , and , apparently , even sticking a hair dryer up their nose in an unsafe way .
Not that there is really a good way to do that .
In a meeting this past Friday , county commissioner Bryant Culpepper of Okeechobee , Florida , explained that , actually , curing the coronavirus was very easy , because One America News Network — a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outlet — ran a segment claiming that all that was necessary to do so was to blowdry one 's face .
As you have probably guessed , not a damn word of this is true .
Also , blowdrying your face is not a great idea .
There could be all kinds of gunk in your hair dryer and also you could burn yourself or your nose hairs .
Also , this is stupid .
It 's so , so stupid .
And sure , we 'd all love to be surprised that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know that Donald Trump is president , people believe that all of the celebrities are getting high off of children 's adrenal glands and that someone , somewhere , must be making a fuckton of money off of all those `` One Weird Trick '' advertisements .
Well I tried to avoid any news about tRump bungling his response .
I couldn ’ t do it .
Here ’ s Seth Meyers doing A Closer Look from his home .
[ 16:43 ] Why can ’ t the prosperity evangelical crowd do stuff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giving Up Carbon for Lent We Really Do Adapt Laughing at the virus , just like laughing at tRump helps keep away the tears .
This article showcases some epic instructions for hand washing .
Vox : Coronavirus memes let us see internet humor evolving overnight As the past week has delivered an escalation in novel coronavirus cases throughout the US , we ’ ve watched coronavirus memes evolve from largely educational and encouraging PSAs into full-fledged , modern-day internet humor .
Many memes have been inspired by movements around the country to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others continue to remind us to wash our hands and avoid touching our face — but with considerably less sobriety than the previous wave of informational memes .
There are also lots of offline pranks , absurdist millennial humor , and apocalyptic social parody .
The memes have evolved along with our experience of the pandemic .
Its broader social effects have included sweeping institutional shutdowns across cities and states , and growing concern over supply shortages due to citizens in some locations reportedly stockpiling toilet paper and other items in case of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adjusted to this strange new reality , in which many of us might not be allowed to leave our homes for weeks , we ’ ve channeled our anxieties over Covid-19 into classic internet humor .
But there ’ s also an element of crucial real-life camaraderie in many of the memes , along with a more visible sense of anxiety that the previous round of coronavirus memes lacked .
One thing remains the same , however : Viral ( no pun-intended ) comedy is bringing people together offline to dance , sing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep hopes and spirits high .
And Just One More GoodNewsNetwork : Watch Resourceful Man Use Flying Drone to Walk His Dog During COVID-19 Lockdowns We lost Kenny Rogers last week .
Here he is with his back up band — Phish from Bonnaroo in 2012. requiescant in pace .
This space is reserved for the promotion of WineRev ’ s comment , whenever he gets around to making it ( unless he tells me not to promote it ) .
And here it is from WineRev complete and unabridged : Good Morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open the garden gate and let us wander in for Good News .
I am honored to be spaced into a reserved spot on the main dairy .
I mean , I mentioned Chloris ’ name at the little podium , and the head waiter ( where does he get starched tails at this hour of the morning ?
Impressive ) gave me a little bow , walked me over to a quiet little corner of the Good News RoundUp and snatched the little sign “ Reserved ” off the table .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so much !
One EXCELLENT bit of coronavirus news HERE .
> An anesthesiologist at University of Minnesota hospital THIS PAST WEEKEND had a brainstorming idea , called up a friend in the medical device business .
The friend went Def Con One with his top engineering team and it seems like two days they have come up with a cheap , reliable , emergency , mechanical VENTILATOR from off the shelf parts .
Medtronic , Honeywell and 3M here in Minnesota have the manufacturing capacity to hit the ground running NOW .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is being reviewed by the FDA .
A green light from them and the doctor says prodcution can hit dozens/day in 2 weeks and be in thousands in 4 weeks .
Hopefully , HERE WE GO !
Ah , March 24 .
( WineRev clears throat , hums a bit as the piano player over in the corner of the garden breaks into a smile and gives him a nod .
WineRev adjusts ascot , takes one more sip of mimosa and ambles ( ambles I say ! )
over to the microphone… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24s I ’ ve known/ For all the March 24s that I ’ ve loved so… ... ” The Good and the Goofy of the March 24s of History 1603 Scottish King James VI becomes King James I of England in succession to thus joining the English and Scottish crowns .
This is the UK king who ordered up a fresh translation of the Bible , the so-called King James Version of 1611 .
Also , when I visited the UK in the ‘ 70s , I frequently heard the Scots referring to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ First.
” “ We haven ’ t had an Elizabeth before , ” the Scots would say to chaff any Brits in earshot , and often with success .
1815 After yesterday ’ s H & H doubleheader with landmark performances of works by Handel and Haydn , this day marks the founding of the Handel & Haydn Society of Boston .
( I have to say , if I lived closer , I ’ d join .
My kind of music . )
1820 Brewster , NY Birth of Francis Jane “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ composer .
Blind since soon after birth , raised by her widowed mother and aunt .
Brilliant mind , first appeared before Congress in 1843 ( at age 23 ) to advocate for public educational funding for the blind .
Published 4 books of her poetry and is credited with over 8000 ( ! )
pieces of ( mostly church ) music , Methodist hymns and gospel songs .
( Blessed Assurance , Jesus is Calling , Rescue the Perishing , Take the World but give me Jesus ) 1837 Canada gives its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Windsor , ONT Mary Ann Shadd Cary begins publishing anti-slavery newspaper `` The Provincial Freeman . ''
This makes her the first black woman publisher in North America 1900 New York City Mayor Robert Anderson Van Wyck breaks ground for a new that would link Manhattan and Brooklyn .
This act makes possible World Series games between the NY Giants ( before San Francisco ) or the Brooklyn dodgers ( before LA ) to compete against the Yankees in the “ Subway Series.
” 1912 Richmond , VA .
Birth of Dorothy Height @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raising Cain on behalf of women ’ s rights through her long presidency of National Council of Negro Women .
1935 Everett , Washington Birth of Carol ( nee Smith ) Kaye .
At age 13 received a steel-guitar for a birthday present .
Got good .
Sat in with bands in Los Angeles , toured some .
Around age 20 , switched to bass guitar and landed a job as a studio musician .
Have you heard her ?
You bet you have .
As THE bass player for the studio group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ played on over 10,000 recording tracks for anyone you ’ d care to name in American pop : Ritchie Valens , Beach Boys , Sinatra ( both Frank and Nancy ) , The Supremes , Sonny and Cher , The Temptations , Simon and Garfunkel , Stevie Wonder , Streisand , Glen Campbell , Righteous Brothers , Frank Zappa , ….all these for a THUMBNAIL LIST .
She also did soundtrack work for TV and movies : M*A*S*H , any number of works for Quincey Jones , Mission Impossible , Shaft , Bullitt……again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A recording legend hardly anyone knows about .
For a nice peek at her life and work , check out the 2008 documentary ‘ The Wrecking Crew ’ 1955 New York City .
Premiere of Tennessee Williams ’ `` Cat on a Hot Tin Roof '' , the first of 694 shows .
May all your News be Good , comforting and inspiring .

Seeing a kitten & canary friendship video go viral is fun. Watching a virus go viral; not so much. The thing that scares us about COVID-19 is the uncertainty. We’ve accepted and even normalized lots of other risks to our mortality. This is new and we don’t have any defenses yet. Sometimes, I think I’m watching the news to see if I’ve died yet. After all, the bad news is relentless and the inept attempts to tell us it will all be better soon ring hollow. It’s easy to give in an expect the worst.
When we describe the good side of the virus as, “It’s making tRump look bad,” we are putting lipstick on a lipless pig. tRump already looks bad. He’s always looked bad. He looks so bad that looking bad is offended to be associated with him. tRump is just a sideshow, albeit a dangerous sideshow. Our focus right now has to be on how to muddle through in spite of Donald John tRump aka The Covidiot (h/t luckylizard).
What does that mean? Should we all wander out in the evening, rear up on our hind legs and howl defiance at the moon? Or, maybe, some stiff upper lip, and all that? Mostly, I think, it means doing the best we can, reaching out to friends when we are feeling overwhelmed and listening to our friends when they are feeling the same way.
Unlike the advice we are receiving from a certain orange-faced fraud, magical thinking and blamestorming will not do the heavy lifting we need to do to get a handle on outbreaks of the #tRumpVirus. If we behave as if we have the virus and are working very hard not pass it on at the same time we behave as if everyone is trying to infect us (looking at you Rand Paul) we can do a decent job of shutting down the spread.
Being responsible and doing our best to stop the spread is job one for everyone. Being worried and apprehensive is natural. Being paralyzed and curled up in a fetal position is not. The world is not going to end because of the #tRumpVirus. From the Bubonic Plagues through the Spanish Flu we have seen pandemics wash over us before. This time we are better able to react. Had the orange-faced fraud done his job like they did in South Korea, we’d be in a much better place already. He didn’t and so we are staring at a rough patch.
Just like our mantra for November, Don’t Give Up, Don’t Give In. I believe in puppies and unicorns. I don’t believe the unicorns are about to show up with several billion vaccine syringes in hand (hoof?). That means we have some work to do — and we can do it together.
Washington Post: How You Can Help During the Coronavirus Outbreak
Rolling Stone: Eight Ways to Be a Good Citizen in the Time of Coronavirus
Let’s let Randy Rainbow get this show started.
x YouTube Video
And on to the news
A Puppy a Day Makes Everything Ok
Yesterday was National Puppy Day. The Atlantic collected some beautiful pictures. I feel better for having seen them.
The Atlantic: We Need Puppies Right Now
When so much of the world is focused on stories that can create anxiety, it might be helpful to take a breather and enjoy a few photos of adorable pups on National Puppy Day. The date, March 23, was first set aside in 2006 by the author Colleen Paige, before other groups and organizations followed suit. The idea is to call attention to puppies in need of adoption and the abuses found in puppy mills, but also to celebrate these furry little companions. In the spirit of the day, I am once more obligated to share some images of pups from around the world.
Beans, Beans, the Musical Fruit
People are panic buying specialty beans. I did not see that coming.
Mother Jones: Corona Beans Are Delicious. I’m Not Joking.
Steve Sando’s stock-in-trade is heirloom beans: old varieties whose seeds have been passed down by small-scale farmers and gardeners over generations, prized for their flavor but ignored by modern industrial agriculture. His business, Rancho Gordo, grew steadily for 15 years, creating a niche among chefs and foodies. In 2019, Sando and his magic beans had a cultural moment: a glowing New Yorker profile and a leap in sales. Many people feel like events have careened out of control. One way to feel more secure is to “buy way too many beans.” None of that prepared him for the coronavirus pandemic—and the emergence of heirloom beans as an item to be hoarded, like hand sanitizer and toilet paper. After one of President Donald Trump’s unsteady national addresses, Sando reports, sales “spiked.”
Common Sense Eludes Capture
In today’s episode of How the Dumb Learn. I shouldn’t laugh at this. I really shouldn’t.
Wonkette: Please Don't Stick a Hairdryer up Your Nose, And Other Things That Should Go Without Saying
Even in the best of circumstances, it is generally not a good idea to believe everything one is told or reads in an email forward. During a pandemic, it actually gets dangerous. It can lead to people panicking in unsafe ways, being too calm in unsafe ways, and, apparently, even sticking a hair dryer up their nose in an unsafe way. Not that there is really a good way to do that. In a meeting this past Friday, county commissioner Bryant Culpepper of Okeechobee, Florida, explained that, actually, curing the coronavirus was very easy, because One America News Network — a very, shall we say, Trump-friendly media outlet — ran a segment claiming that all that was necessary to do so was to blowdry one's face. As you have probably guessed, not a damn word of this is true. Also, blowdrying your face is not a great idea. There could be all kinds of gunk in your hair dryer and also you could burn yourself or your nose hairs. Also, this is stupid. It's so, so stupid. And sure, we'd all love to be surprised that anyone believes it, but we also know that Donald Trump is president, people believe that all of the celebrities are getting high off of children's adrenal glands and that someone, somewhere, must be making a fuckton of money off of all those "One Weird Trick" advertisements.
Late Night at Home
Well I tried to avoid any news about tRump bungling his response. I couldn’t do it. Here’s Seth Meyers doing A Closer Look from his home. [16:43]
x YouTube Video
An Interesting Idea
Why can’t the prosperity evangelical crowd do stuff like this?
The New Yorker: Giving Up Carbon for Lent
On a recent Monday evening, at an event called “Doing Theology: Jesus and Carbon Neutrality,” I sat in a circle around a large bowl of Cheez-Its with twelve parishioners from Circle of Hope, a progressive Anabaptist church in South Philadelphia. The church occupies a former Italian funeral home that was featured on the show “Mob Wives,” and the room was hung with black netting to symbolize Lent, the Christian liturgical season that began on Ash Wednesday, in late February, and ends forty days later, on Easter. Lent is historically a period of atonement and reflection, and these people had come together to discuss the church’s carbon footprint, and their own.
We Really Do Adapt
Laughing at the virus, just like laughing at tRump helps keep away the tears. This article showcases some epic instructions for hand washing.
Vox: Coronavirus memes let us see internet humor evolving overnight
As the past week has delivered an escalation in novel coronavirus cases throughout the US, we’ve watched coronavirus memes evolve from largely educational and encouraging PSAs into full-fledged, modern-day internet humor. Many memes have been inspired by movements around the country to self-quarantine or shelter in place, while others continue to remind us to wash our hands and avoid touching our face — but with considerably less sobriety than the previous wave of informational memes. There are also lots of offline pranks, absurdist millennial humor, and apocalyptic social parody. The memes have evolved along with our experience of the pandemic. Its broader social effects have included sweeping institutional shutdowns across cities and states, and growing concern over supply shortages due to citizens in some locations reportedly stockpiling toilet paper and other items in case of quarantine. So as we’ve adjusted to this strange new reality, in which many of us might not be allowed to leave our homes for weeks, we’ve channeled our anxieties over Covid-19 into classic internet humor. But there’s also an element of crucial real-life camaraderie in many of the memes, along with a more visible sense of anxiety that the previous round of coronavirus memes lacked. One thing remains the same, however: Viral (no pun-intended) comedy is bringing people together offline to dance, sing, and goof off — all to keep hopes and spirits high.
And Just One More
GoodNewsNetwork: Watch Resourceful Man Use Flying Drone to Walk His Dog During COVID-19 Lockdowns
A particularly resourceful dog owner in Cyprus has come up with an ingenious way of walking his pup while still staying inside during the COVID-19 shutdowns. Vakis Demetriou posted a video to Facebook last week depicting his happy canine companion taking a stroll through the streets of Limassol with his leash carried by a flying drone. Since Demetriou uploaded the video to social media last week, it has been viewed more than a million times.
Musical Interlude
We lost Kenny Rogers last week. Here he is with his back up band — Phish from Bonnaroo in 2012. requiescant in pace.
x YouTube Video
Today in History
This space is reserved for the promotion of WineRev’s comment, whenever he gets around to making it (unless he tells me not to promote it).
And here it is from WineRev complete and unabridged:
Good Morning NNNE! So kind of you to open the garden gate and let us wander in for Good News.
This space is reserved for the promotion of WineRev’s comment, whenever he gets around to making it (unless he tells me not to promote it).
I am honored to be spaced into a reserved spot on the main dairy. I mean, I mentioned Chloris’ name at the little podium, and the head waiter (where does he get starched tails at this hour of the morning? Impressive) gave me a little bow, walked me over to a quiet little corner of the Good News RoundUp and snatched the little sign “Reserved” off the table. I am charmed and honor.ed. Thank you so much!
(Sips mimosa with delight….)
(Old joke: On the tombstone of the snooty headwaiter at a very tasty but very snobby restaurant: “God finally caught his eye.”)
One EXCELLENT bit of coronavirus news HERE.
>An anesthesiologist at University of Minnesota hospital THIS PAST WEEKEND had a brainstorming idea, called up a friend in the medical device business. The friend went Def Con One with his top engineering team and it seems like two days they have come up with a cheap, reliable, emergency, mechanical VENTILATOR from off the shelf parts. Medtronic, Honeywell and 3M here in Minnesota have the manufacturing capacity to hit the ground running NOW. In a rush move, the prototype is being reviewed by the FDA. A green light from them and the doctor says prodcution can hit dozens/day in 2 weeks and be in thousands in 4 weeks.
Hopefully, HERE WE GO!
Ah, March 24. (WineRev clears throat, hums a bit as the piano player over in the corner of the garden breaks into a smile and gives him a nod. WineRev adjusts ascot, takes one more sip of mimosa and ambles (ambles I say!) over to the microphone…...) “For all the March 24s I’ve known/ For all the March 24s that I’ve loved so…...”
The Good and the Goofy of the March 24s of History
1603 Scottish King James VI becomes King James I of England in succession to Queen Elizabeth I thus joining the English and Scottish crowns. This is the UK king who ordered up a fresh translation of the Bible, the so-called King James Version of 1611. Also, when I visited the UK in the ‘70s, I frequently heard the Scots referring to the current Queen as “Elizabeth the First.” “We haven’t had an Elizabeth before,” the Scots would say to chaff any Brits in earshot, and often with success.
1815 After yesterday’s H&H doubleheader with landmark performances of works by Handel and Haydn, this day marks the founding of the Handel & Haydn Society of Boston. (I have to say, if I lived closer, I’d join. My kind of music.)
1820 Brewster, NY Birth of Francis Jane “Fanny” Crosby, poetess and hymn composer. Blind since soon after birth, raised by her widowed mother and aunt. Brilliant mind, first appeared before Congress in 1843 (at age 23) to advocate for public educational funding for the blind. Published 4 books of her poetry and is credited with over 8000 (!) pieces of (mostly church) music, Methodist hymns and gospel songs. (Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Calling, Rescue the Perishing, Take the World but give me Jesus)
1837 Canada gives its black citizens the right to vote
1853 Windsor, ONT Mary Ann Shadd Cary begins publishing anti-slavery newspaper "The Provincial Freeman." This makes her the first black woman publisher in North America
1900 New York City Mayor Robert Anderson Van Wyck breaks ground for a new underground "Rapid Transit Railroad" that would link Manhattan and Brooklyn. This act makes possible World Series games between the NY Giants (before San Francisco) or the Brooklyn dodgers (before LA) to compete against the Yankees in the “Subway Series.”
1912 Richmond, VA. Birth of Dorothy Height, civil rights activist, and also raising Cain on behalf of women’s rights through her long presidency of National Council of Negro Women.
1935 Everett, Washington Birth of Carol (nee Smith) Kaye. At age 13 received a steel-guitar for a birthday present. Got good. Sat in with bands in Los Angeles, toured some. Around age 20, Carol Kaye switched to bass guitar and landed a job as a studio musician. Have you heard her? You bet you have. As THE bass player for the studio group nicknamed the ‘Wrecking Crew’ she played on over 10,000 recording tracks for anyone you’d care to name in American pop: Ritchie Valens, Beach Boys, Sinatra (both Frank and Nancy), The Supremes, Sonny and Cher, The Temptations, Simon and Garfunkel, Stevie Wonder, Streisand, Glen Campbell, Righteous Brothers, Frank Zappa, ….all these for a THUMBNAIL LIST. She also did soundtrack work for TV and movies: M*A*S*H, any number of works for Quincey Jones, Mission Impossible, Shaft, Bullitt……again, just to name a few. A recording legend hardly anyone knows about. For a nice peek at her life and work, check out the 2008 documentary ‘The Wrecking Crew’
1937 National Gallery of Art established by Congress
1955 New York City. Premiere of Tennessee Williams’ "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", the first of 694 shows.
May all your News be Good, comforting and inspiring.
Shalom.
Quote(s) of the Day
Science and thousands of years of human experience are showing us that this feeling of connection to something greater than ourselves gives us a heightened sense of well-being and resiliency. In short, it’s a natural antidepressant. — Dr. Elisha Goldstein [By working to improve the world:] One thing is certain: you will find plenty of worthwhile things to do. You will not be bored, or lack fulfillment in your life. Most important of all, you will know that you have not lived and died for nothing, because you will have become part of the great tradition of those who have responded to the amount of pain and suffering in the universe by trying to make the world a better place. — Peter Singer
Required Pet Photo
I can’t get Pressley to practice social distancing.
Bonus Meme
Closing Notes


dailykos--2020-03-23--Lamentations of this post-truth world

Lamentations of this post-truth world

Thought for the day : It takes 20 years or so of peace to create a man ; 20 seconds or so of war to destroy him .
Belgian proverb So very much to lament ...
TRUTH : Trump has declared himself a `` war time '' president , and we all know the first casualty of war : truth .
Not that `` truth '' ever mattered to him , or that he even grasps the concept .
He is the war time prez at noon , touting his wondrous efforts against `` a great national trial '' , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's all just Dem hype to derail the economy and hurt Trump .
It 's a talented man who can speak out of both sides of his anus .
When , oh please dear lord , when ... will the `` church '' show a shred of integrity ?
Where is the outcry from the `` holy ones '' ?
Okay , I get it .
The religious crowd votes single-issue , and Trump is crowding the courts with anti-abortion ideologues .
Fair enough , I suppose , that 's the way our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at least be honest about it , goddamit !
It would do my soul well to hear one of those detestable Evangepublicans say `` yeah , I would vote for the devil himself ( ahem , you did ! )
if he would appoint 'pro-life ' judges , and Trump is doing just that .
I know he 's a liar and a cheat and a general dumbass , but he is doing what we want . ''
That would make sense to me .
It would reflect reality .
He 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our bidding !
But , holy fuck .
For the love of all things made with sugar , they worship the man .
And I do mean WORSHIP .
The Real Truth : the `` church '' is nothing but a giant PAC .
God ?
Jesus ?
Pfft .
Smoke screens .
Coronavirus , Trump 's best friend ?
We 've written plenty on MajorSalad about the already-encroaching financial crush even before the virus , but this pandemic could be Trump 's ticket to a second term .
How ?
Well , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus-induced economic spiral is not my fault . ''
He might even jerk a tear or two from undecided voters .
Sure , his response to the virus is a virus itself , but the virus may ensure his re-election .
Holy fuck , right ?
Bitter truth ... in that second term , he 's gon na go after the media .
Last night 's tweet `` I watch and listen to the Fake News , CNN , MSDNC , ABC , NBC , CBS ... do n't they understand they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message : opposing me will lead to your destruction ... he will go after them in '21 .
Bitter irony ...
Remember the good ol ' days , when W and the Big Dick act least acted like adults in the days following 9-11 ?
Need we any further proof that NOW is the time for Pence and crew to invoke the 28th ?
Trump is now chatting up `` back to normal ! ''
at the end of his `` 15 Day Pause , '' declaring that the medicine ( of economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Really ?
Pretty much guarantees thousands of deaths , but will anyone on the right-wing side defy the madman ?
Nope .
Better to lose lives than lose their jobs , I suppose .
And still ... no message .
Is there a Democratic `` message '' anywhere in our future ?
OK , we have pro-choice , pro-health care , etc.
, but those are policies , not messaging .
From the few `` undecided '' voters I know , the only message they hear from the Dem candidates is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I simply love what Michael Che/SNL had to say : [ being a Democrat ] is kinda like wearing a condom .
I mean , I guess it makes me safer , but it just doesn ’ t feel good.
” We need a voice , and we need a message .
Come on , Uncle Joe ... you can do better than “ Make America Moral Again.
” Really ?
MAMA ?
We ’ re bogarting the Trump message and crying out for “ mama ” ?
I am proposing : Because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe out there .

Thought for the day: It takes 20 years or so of peace to create a man; 20 seconds or so of war to destroy him. Belgian proverb
So very much to lament...TRUTH: Trump has declared himself a "war time" president, and we all know the first casualty of war: truth. Not that "truth" ever mattered to him, or that he even grasps the concept. He is the war time prez at noon, touting his wondrous efforts against "a great national trial", then at midnight re-tweets theories that it's all just Dem hype to derail the economy and hurt Trump. It's a talented man who can speak out of both sides of his anus.
When, oh please dear lord, when...will the "church" show a shred of integrity? Where is the outcry from the "holy ones"? Okay, I get it. The religious crowd votes single-issue, and Trump is crowding the courts with anti-abortion ideologues. Fair enough, I suppose, that's the way our system (sorta) works. But, at least be honest about it, goddamit! It would do my soul well to hear one of those detestable Evangepublicans say "yeah, I would vote for the devil himself (ahem, you did!) if he would appoint 'pro-life' judges, and Trump is doing just that. I know he's a liar and a cheat and a general dumbass, but he is doing what we want." That would make sense to me. It would reflect reality. He's a dick, but he's doing our bidding! But, holy fuck. For the love of all things made with sugar, they worship the man. And I do mean WORSHIP. The Real Truth: the "church" is nothing but a giant PAC. God? Jesus? Pfft. Smoke screens.
Coronavirus, Trump's best friend? We've written plenty on MajorSalad about the already-encroaching financial crush even before the virus, but this pandemic could be Trump's ticket to a second term. How? Well, he can legitimately say, "the virus-induced economic spiral is not my fault." He might even jerk a tear or two from undecided voters. Sure, his response to the virus is a virus itself, but the virus may ensure his re-election. Holy fuck, right?
Bitter truth...in that second term, he's gonna go after the media. Last night's tweet "I watch and listen to the Fake News, CNN, MSDNC, ABC, NBC, CBS...don't they understand they are destroying themselves?" Hmm. Hidden message: opposing me will lead to your destruction...he will go after them in '21.
Bitter irony...Remember the good ol' days, when W and the Big Dick act least acted like adults in the days following 9-11? Need we any further proof that NOW is the time for Pence and crew to invoke the 28th? Trump is now chatting up "back to normal!" at the end of his "15 Day Pause," declaring that the medicine (of economic shutdown) is worse than the illness. Really? Pretty much guarantees thousands of deaths, but will anyone on the right-wing side defy the madman? Nope. Better to lose lives than lose their jobs, I suppose.
And still...no message. Is there a Democratic "message" anywhere in our future? OK, we have pro-choice, pro-health care, etc., but those are policies, not messaging. From the few "undecided" voters I know, the only message they hear from the Dem candidates is, well, I'm not Trump. I simply love what Michael Che/SNL had to say: [being a Democrat] is kinda like wearing a condom. I mean, I guess it makes me safer, but it just doesn’t feel good.” We need a voice, and we need a message. Come on, Uncle Joe...you can do better than “Make America Moral Again.” Really? MAMA? We’re bogarting the Trump message and crying out for “mama”? I am proposing: Because we care. More later, stay safe out there.


dailykos--2020-03-22--Who is that Person?

Who is that Person?

So , over the last few years I have taken a mild interest in narcissism , what the health professionals call Narcissistic Personality Disorder , or NPD .
There has been much written and discussed about a particular individual who may be exhibiting some classic behaviors of NPD , so , strictly as a lay person , I have recorded my thoughts on some of these traits that have been exhibited by the aforementioned individual .
First , we have to admit that we are all a bit narcissistic .
We have to distinguish between “ healthy ” narcissism , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ narcissism exhibits a number of traits that help identify this as a disorder .
For instance , we all experience shame .
Many actions in my life , and I am sure in yours , bring about the emotion of shame .
We tend to tuck it away in the back of our mind , but it acts as a guide for future actions .
A person with NPD also has feelings of shame , but those feelings are so overwhelming that they project those feelings onto others .
Blaming others by denying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You will hear “ It ’ s not my fault ” , “ I relied on others ” , “ everything I do is perfect ” – all excuses designed to deflect internal shame .
This fragile ego manifests itself with a desire to control others , promote their own power , and weaken others .
Empathy is another emotion that most people have .
It is normally defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of others .
People with NPD just don ’ t have that ability ; therefore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions can affect other people negatively .
Next we have Magical Thinking .
Again , we all have day dreams , fantasies , etc .
that are perfectly normal for most of us .
When these thoughts become part of a life script ( with dreams of power , attractiveness , and intelligence ) that guides our everyday behavior , we are in the realm of NPD .
If you were to , say , Photoshop a picture of your head on the body of Arnold Schwarzenegger , or claim because you had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are automatically smart too , or perhaps spend an inordinate amount of time with your hair and makeup , then we should start to worry about that person .
When you were in grade school , I am sure you remember the bully .
Often , this was exhibited as a menacing physical presence , but bullies can use verbal tactics , like name-calling , demeaning others , belittling the accomplishments of others , etc .
This arrogance of the bully receded in memory as we grew older , but have you ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Did they grow out of it ?
I am sure some did , but unfortunately , some did not .
They maintained their arrogance and expectations of acquiescence from people they interacted with .
Of course , beneath that outward appearance lays a low self-esteem that demands that they have to be better than others , not just their equal .
Their demand for absolute loyalty and obedience from everyone is a sure sign of NPD .
Envy is an unhealthy emotion , so most of us try to keep it in check @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s accomplishments and the mistaken belief that others are just as envious of them can be a very destructive force .
Every action you take to undo these accomplishments , because they diminish your own self-image , is classic NPD .
A workplace example would be to denigrate , insult , and diminish the person or persons who held the job before you .
I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth .
I think it was stainless steel , not sure though .
In any event , a sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ birth can be a powerful force for you to expect special treatment and obedience from others .
The perception of being above the fray , somehow superior , uniquely special and part of the upper crust shapes one ’ s self image in profound ways .
This can also distort your perception of the world .
A person with NPD can carry this perception to an extreme , but also reveal feelings of inadequacy about their place in that world .
Did you really attend the most elite school ?
Were your accomplishments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group ?
This might lead someone to brag about those accomplishments and make sure that everyone was aware of how great you are by , as an example , promoting your name on all sorts of different business ventures .
Finally we have exploitation- exploiting others for personal gain .
A person with NPD has no hesitation to lie and cheat if it means they can perceive of themselves as winners .
This need for constant approval and admiration from others is deep seated , and very revealing of character .
We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In high school , I had a neighbor that would lie about everything .
When I confronted him about it ( because other kids were making fun of him because of it ) he would lie about the lies .
“ I never said that… ” “ You are nasty… ” “ You make stuff up about me… ” “ Fake news… ” “ Witch hunt… ” “ Hoax… ” .
The language of a narcissist .

So, over the last few years I have taken a mild interest in narcissism, what the health professionals call Narcissistic Personality Disorder, or NPD. There has been much written and discussed about a particular individual who may be exhibiting some classic behaviors of NPD, so, strictly as a lay person, I have recorded my thoughts on some of these traits that have been exhibited by the aforementioned individual.
First, we have to admit that we are all a bit narcissistic. We have to distinguish between “healthy” narcissism, and “unhealthy” narcissism. Unhealthy narcissism exhibits a number of traits that help identify this as a disorder. For instance, we all experience shame. Many actions in my life, and I am sure in yours, bring about the emotion of shame. We tend to tuck it away in the back of our mind, but it acts as a guide for future actions. A person with NPD also has feelings of shame, but those feelings are so overwhelming that they project those feelings onto others. Blaming others by denying any responsibility is typical of NPD. You will hear “It’s not my fault”, “I relied on others”, “everything I do is perfect” – all excuses designed to deflect internal shame. This fragile ego manifests itself with a desire to control others, promote their own power, and weaken others.
Empathy is another emotion that most people have. It is normally defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. People with NPD just don’t have that ability; therefore they don’t understand how their actions can affect other people negatively.
Next we have Magical Thinking. Again, we all have day dreams, fantasies, etc. that are perfectly normal for most of us. When these thoughts become part of a life script (with dreams of power, attractiveness, and intelligence) that guides our everyday behavior, we are in the realm of NPD. If you were to, say, Photoshop a picture of your head on the body of Arnold Schwarzenegger, or claim because you had an uncle that was smart, you are automatically smart too, or perhaps spend an inordinate amount of time with your hair and makeup, then we should start to worry about that person.
When you were in grade school, I am sure you remember the bully. Often, this was exhibited as a menacing physical presence, but bullies can use verbal tactics, like name-calling, demeaning others, belittling the accomplishments of others, etc. This arrogance of the bully receded in memory as we grew older, but have you ever wondered whatever happened to those people? Did they grow out of it? I am sure some did, but unfortunately, some did not. They maintained their arrogance and expectations of acquiescence from people they interacted with. Of course, beneath that outward appearance lays a low self-esteem that demands that they have to be better than others, not just their equal. Their demand for absolute loyalty and obedience from everyone is a sure sign of NPD.
Envy is an unhealthy emotion, so most of us try to keep it in check. But extreme envy of other’s accomplishments and the mistaken belief that others are just as envious of them can be a very destructive force. Every action you take to undo these accomplishments, because they diminish your own self-image, is classic NPD. A workplace example would be to denigrate, insult, and diminish the person or persons who held the job before you.
I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I think it was stainless steel, not sure though. In any event, a sense of entitlement because of your accident of birth can be a powerful force for you to expect special treatment and obedience from others. The perception of being above the fray, somehow superior, uniquely special and part of the upper crust shapes one’s self image in profound ways. This can also distort your perception of the world. A person with NPD can carry this perception to an extreme, but also reveal feelings of inadequacy about their place in that world. Did you really attend the most elite school? Were your accomplishments as good as others in your peer group? This might lead someone to brag about those accomplishments and make sure that everyone was aware of how great you are by, as an example, promoting your name on all sorts of different business ventures.
Finally we have exploitation- exploiting others for personal gain. A person with NPD has no hesitation to lie and cheat if it means they can perceive of themselves as winners. This need for constant approval and admiration from others is deep seated, and very revealing of character. We have all had experience with compulsive liars. In high school, I had a neighbor that would lie about everything. When I confronted him about it (because other kids were making fun of him because of it) he would lie about the lies. “I never said that…” “You are nasty…” “You make stuff up about me…” “Fake news…” “Witch hunt…” “Hoax…” . The language of a narcissist.


dailykos--2020-03-22--Memory-Deficient Press Pushes Trump as Wartime President Narrative and it Needs to Stop

In the quickly developing story of COVID-19 in the United States , there have been a lot of unprecedented events that many of us have never lived through over the past couple of weeks .
The crashing of the stock market , taking with it all the gains under the Trump Presidency .
Attempts by Congress to pass badly needed legislation and funding to help Americans and combat COVID-19 .
The surreal nature of Trump ’ s White House pushing policies such as no-strings-attached checks to every American .
However , there is one major lie that has been pushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that I feel is too much , and the mainstream news media needs to be checked for : the evolution of Trump into a wartime President , who finally understands the gravity of the situation .
This version of Donald Trump will save lives Trump talks himself up as 'wartime president ' to lead America through a crisis Trump Pitches Wartime President for 2020 After Markets Fail Him The Press is gifting Trump with the aura of a wartime President , who has so far done nothing to deserve it .
Because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , just as he has his entire COVID-19 response .
News this week started out with how Trump had promised the send hospital ships to aid hard-hit areas like New York — but these ships will apparently take far longer than he indicated to respond .
There was also news that Trump had invoked the Defense Production Act to signal the federal government directing private industry to work toward national goals .
Yet all evidence seems to indicate that he has not actually put the directive to use .
As indicated by his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he was waiting until a “ worst-case scenario.
” Which , since we are now using wartime analogies , would be like if President Franklin Roosevelt had waited until Nazi Germany had occupied Britain and was mobilizing forces towards the American coats to be like , “ OK , now I will order the auto companies to start building some tanks.
” You actually want to use those powers to get ahead of the worst-case scenario , people .
Then there is the development of Trump himself appearing and speaking at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to show the country his presence and that he is making the big changes he promised .
However , all he is really using this chance to reach out to Americans for is to work on pushing the blame of his bungling of the COVID-19 response onto China , and again , since this is Trump we are talking about , to further add toxic rhetoric and confusion .
In other words , we were led to believe that we would get a brand new Trump , someone who has finally grasped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would set aside his over-the-top persona for a more measured leader that is greatly in need .
But once again , we are shown by Trump himself that this is utterly false .
If this pattern seems all too familiar , it is because we were treated to the exact same patterns during Trump ’ s 2016 Presidential campaign .
Throughout his 2016 campaign , he was one of the most obnoxious , hateful , and dishonest candidates we ever had running for President .
Yet it seemed almost every month or so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Press and assurances from his campaign that he was going to turn over a new leaf - to act every bit the Presidential leader that he was aspiring to be .
And we all know how well that turned out .
Except it seems like the Press has no sense of deja vu at all .
Once again faced with the scenario of how to frame the narrative of Trump as President , mainstream news media seemingly grasps at any crumb , grasps at any bit of collective solace , that finally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a version of Trump that is unlike 99 % of what came before ; of someone who is actually going to step up and present themselves as a President fully facing the challenges that await .
The only surprising thing here , is just how quickly that false premise came to a crashing end this time around .
To their credit , the mainstream press seems to have wised up a lot sooner than in previous instances Trump needs to stop the daily press briefings It 's Time For Networks to Stop Televising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems like it took a new low for Trump ’ s antics to get this much of a backlash from the media he is so fond of attacking .
He had to basically mislead a nation of scared Americans , go to great lengths to offend China and basically every organization that rejects calling it the “ China ” virus , and irresponsibly berate multiple reporters from their own ranks , before Trump really got any really serious negative coverage .
The man is incompetent , he should resign , and despite numerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better — and the media shares responsibility in Trump ’ s behavior , because time and time again they present a narrative that Trump is going to become a less Trump version of himself .
That ’ s just never going to happen .

In the quickly developing story of COVID-19 in the United States, there have been a lot of unprecedented events that many of us have never lived through over the past couple of weeks. The crashing of the stock market, taking with it all the gains under the Trump Presidency. Attempts by Congress to pass badly needed legislation and funding to help Americans and combat COVID-19. The surreal nature of Trump’s White House pushing policies such as no-strings-attached checks to every American.
However, there is one major lie that has been pushed upon the public over the past week, that I feel is too much, and the mainstream news media needs to be checked for: the evolution of Trump into a wartime President, who finally understands the gravity of the situation.
This version of Donald Trump will save lives
Trump talks himself up as 'wartime president' to lead America through a crisis
Trump Pitches Wartime President for 2020 After Markets Fail Him
Trump team’s new mission: Defend the ‘wartime president’
The Press is gifting Trump with the aura of a wartime President, who has so far done nothing to deserve it.
Because he has completely botched this Presidential reboot, just as he has his entire COVID-19 response.
News this week started out with how Trump had promised the send hospital ships to aid hard-hit areas like New York — but these ships will apparently take far longer than he indicated to respond.
There was also news that Trump had invoked the Defense Production Act to signal the federal government directing private industry to work toward national goals. Yet all evidence seems to indicate that he has not actually put the directive to use. As indicated by his tweet, shortly after announcing it, that he was waiting until a “worst-case scenario.” Which, since we are now using wartime analogies, would be like if President Franklin Roosevelt had waited until Nazi Germany had occupied Britain and was mobilizing forces towards the American coats to be like, “OK, now I will order the auto companies to start building some tanks.” You actually want to use those powers to get ahead of the worst-case scenario, people.
Then there is the development of Trump himself appearing and speaking at the COVID-19 press briefings, seemingly as a way to show the country his presence and that he is making the big changes he promised.
However, all he is really using this chance to reach out to Americans for is to work on pushing the blame of his bungling of the COVID-19 response onto China, and again, since this is Trump we are talking about, to further add toxic rhetoric and confusion.
In other words, we were led to believe that we would get a brand new Trump, someone who has finally grasped the severity of the situation, and would set aside his over-the-top persona for a more measured leader that is greatly in need. But once again, we are shown by Trump himself that this is utterly false.
If this pattern seems all too familiar, it is because we were treated to the exact same patterns during Trump’s 2016 Presidential campaign.
Throughout his 2016 campaign, he was one of the most obnoxious, hateful, and dishonest candidates we ever had running for President. Yet it seemed almost every month or so, we were treated to predictions by the Press and assurances from his campaign that he was going to turn over a new leaf - to act every bit the Presidential leader that he was aspiring to be. And we all know how well that turned out.
Except it seems like the Press has no sense of deja vu at all. Once again faced with the scenario of how to frame the narrative of Trump as President, mainstream news media seemingly grasps at any crumb, grasps at any bit of collective solace, that finally, maybe, we would actually get a version of Trump that is unlike 99% of what came before; of someone who is actually going to step up and present themselves as a President fully facing the challenges that await. The only surprising thing here, is just how quickly that false premise came to a crashing end this time around.
To their credit, the mainstream press seems to have wised up a lot sooner than in previous instances
Rachel Maddow: If Trump Can’t Stop Lying, Stop Broadcasting His Lies
Trump needs to stop the daily press briefings
Broadcasting Trump’s Coronavirus Briefings Live Is a Danger to Public Health
It's Time For Networks to Stop Televising Trump's Daily Briefings
Still, it seems like it took a new low for Trump’s antics to get this much of a backlash from the media he is so fond of attacking. He had to basically mislead a nation of scared Americans, go to great lengths to offend China and basically every organization that rejects calling it the “China” virus, and irresponsibly berate multiple reporters from their own ranks, before Trump really got any really serious negative coverage.
The man is incompetent, he should resign, and despite numerous opportunities he refuses to change for the better — and the media shares responsibility in Trump’s behavior, because time and time again they present a narrative that Trump is going to become a less Trump version of himself.
That’s just never going to happen.