Countdown 81 days

TRUMP’S STUPIDITY      

In a statement before the press Trump was asked where the administration stands with Covid-19. Here is his statement “We’re doing very well in everything including corona, as you call it. But let me just tell you we’re getting to the end. We’re getting to, and the vaccines are ready to rock. We’re to be very close to a vaccine. We’re ready to distribute, and we’re there for therapeutics, which to me is even more important, frankly, it makes you better. It’s more important than the vaccine.” Donald quit saying the ship is ok when it has a big gash in its side and it’s sinking.

Every time Trump spews this obvious stupidity about the virus, the line that should be amplified is “Trump lies and people die.” The current death rate is 1000/day. Florida and Georgia deaths are at record levels and the open schools have had a spike in cases in both states.  Hospitalizations for blacks is 8x that of whites and Hispanic are 5X the rate. This is due to three factors. School openings, higher rates for essential workers, which employ a disproportionate numbers of minorities and people’s general health due to lack of insurance and regular exams in order to discover and treat ailments, including obesity and diabetes, which are risk factors for the virus. For this reason a universal level of health care is critical.  So, no, the virus is not ending soon.

As far as vaccine progress, a Russian doctor was spewing propaganda and touting their vaccine, which is being rushed through phase 3 trials. The Russian government began inoculating thousands prior to the efficacy results. This Russian propaganda was meant to pressure Trump to do the same with an un-proven vaccine. Who will take the vaccine? The anti-vaxers will have the ammunition to object to the inoculations. Take an unproven vaccine? What about Thalidomide? Remember the deformed babies? Currently studies show only 30% would take the vaccine.

Why is he pushing the therapeutics? Is it that the vaccine will not be available in time for the election? And even if it is, will he be able to lie enough to convince the vaccine is safe without science behind his directions?

Donald, it’s insane to say that therapeutics are more important than the vaccine.  The vaccine prevents having the virus and all of its lasting side effects. Therapeutics reduce the effects and you still suffer the lasting effects to the organs, so, no they are not as important as the vaccine. This is unless you cannot come up with the vaccine prior to the election and the therapeutics are the only thing you have left to peddle to the party of stupid and the masses. 

Enough of the Covid stupidity let’s move on to other riffs. Trump also spoke to his base with grand promises. Trump plans to replace Obama care (ACA), make a new better deal with Iran, and end Payroll Taxes. A Los Angeles Times article outlined his new promises for his second term. The article was written by Noah Bierman and Eli Stokolos which I have paraphrased below.

Trump promised within a month or so of his re-election that there would be a new national health care plan, new nuclear deal with Iran and a middle class tax cut and a string of trade agreements around the globe. “If we win the election, we’ll have deals with a lot of countries very fast.” Trump said.  With these statements he has gone from “promises kept” to just “promises.”  I guess this is due to all the failed promises made with the virus.

The Republicans have had 10 years to come up with an alternative to the ACA and it’s been crickets. Trump promised to roll out a new and better plan just prior to the election. At the same time he promised to issue an EO to protect the pre-existing conditions that are already guaranteed in the ACA. So let me get this straight, Trump at the same time he is guaranteeing the pre-existing condition aspects of the ACA, his administration arguing against the ACA and attempting to allow the insurance companies to increase premiums for pre-existing conditions or choose not to insure. The EO Trump proposes is a ruse to cover for his administration’s efforts currently before the Supreme Court with the Trump justice department arguing to kill the ACA, thus eliminating the pre-existing conditions protections.

Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear agreement of 2018. The other signatories to the agreement have sided with Iran, since they did not violate the agreement. Trump’s standoff has been ineffective as his sanctions have been had little effect, since other countries are not recognizing his efforts. There is no knowledge of any efforts to deal with Tehran for a replacement and without the other partners the effort would be feckless. 

The payroll taxes are the funding source for Social Security and Medicare. The tax was initiated in 1941. Elimination of the tax would destroy these programs. This has been on the wish list for Republicans for decades. This will hurt senior citizens and anyone currently on Social Security and use Medicare. No programs are proposed as replacements. This is a non-starter and even some Republicans are against the plan that requires legislative action to put in place.                 

The Trump give-away game show is a no class game show with only promises as prizes.  Why is he waiting until after the election to do any of these things if they are so important?  Trump is relying on his carnival snake oil salesman techniques that are old and stale. His promise that “Mexico will pay for the wall” comes to mind.  Four years ago he was a real estate salesman and former TV show host, today he has a record to defend and the public will recognize his lies this time?

Recent promises include a national strategy for the Covid-19 virus.  This was promised to be weeks, but it’s been a month. This brings me to his lack of follow-up with his policy statements.  Will there be a comprehensive national Covid-19 strategy? What about a plan for replacement for funding Social Security and Medicare he plans on de-funding? What is the President doing to set up discussions with Iran? What about North Korea? Trump said everyone could sleep soundly because he took away the possibility of an attack by a Korean nuclear weapon. How is that going today?  Where is this great medical insurance replacement for the ACA?

Trump said, “there are better ways to tax people than on their jobs.”  I would be curious what base he would use a Value Added tax?  Consumption tax? Sales Tax? 9-9-9 tax? All these tax types have their own problems and Trump is swapping one problem for another rather than fixing the problems with the current system that favors the 1%.

 The authors of the Times article expressed their opinion “You can create excitement, you can do wonderful promotions and get all kinds of press, and you can throw in a little hyperbole. But if you don’t deliver the goods, people will eventually catch on.”

I would have said “you can create a lot of excrement, you can lie with the best of the snake oil salesmen with impunity, have the Fox news channel heap praise while swimming in his muck. And still he does not deliver the goods. I only hope most people have caught on.”

In order to win, would Trump stoop to making an attempt to give Biden and/or Kamala the Covid-19 virus prior to the election?  If Trump catches the virus will he blame a democratic operative within or a deep state conspiracy within his circle?

Conspiracy theory alert (I can start them too!) Trump is actively attempting to infect Joe and Kamala with Covid-19 prior to the election to show how weak they are.  Possible?

Conspiracy theory alert (I can start another one!)  Trump will authorize Covid-19 vaccine to be distributed widely prior to the completion of test regimen and correlation of the long terms effects against the medical professionals advice. He will bring up Russia’s efforts that have yet to be proven by science, not observation and without testing for dangerous long term effects.