This is a really hard post to write because I’m trying to reach people who won’t be receptive to my message: Trump supporters.
Pres. Trump is failing to lead the nation with his response to the coronavirus. Specifically, calling the outbreak a “hoax”, being clearly uninformed in several different public appearances, and now this, which I fully expected, overruling the advice of the specific government agencies with expertise in this area.
Of course I’m not a Trump supporter, overall. But I do try to be fair. (I’ve said many times that he isn’t wrong about everything.)
But his usual playbook will not work this time. Viruses don’t care about political bullshit.
Now, it could be that state and local health officials are able to fill in the gap. But without the power of the federal government to manage and coordinate the response, I’m not hopeful.
Spoken like an anti-Trumpie, right? Don’t want to hear biased, never-Trump lies! It’s all about the Dems and the media and the election!
Well, in the end, I don’t know what to say to this sort of willful denial. You might find it impossible to believe, but I’m trying to avoid making the virus response an election issue. After all, it shouldn’t be. It’s similar to rooting for a recession just because it might undermine Trump. That’s asinine.
What I’m trying to say to Trump supporters is that we need you to demand better leadership from Trump. He’ll listen to you. Call or email the White House. Get on the phone or email your representatives in Congress. Call or email Fox News.
This might all prove overblown. I sure hope so. Other outbreaks have been contained with proper social health measures.
But this coronavirus appears to be ridiculously infectious. And the death rate seems to be holding steady at roughly 3.5 percent. It’s real; it’s serious; and we need a forceful, apolitical response.
We saw in Wuhan, China what happens to a medical system and a people when a government tries to coverup or ignore this disease. We don’t want that for the US. He needs to step up. And hell, a good response might even improve his election challenges, if that’s what really concerns you. What do you have to lose?
Bill Poorman 