# A coronavirus pandemic provides a HUGE opportunity for Democrats **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 28, 2020, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630 "2020-02-28T02:49:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/21 "2020-02-28T13:30:59Z")
There are several reasons why the pandemic may not affect Trump much: 1. If the ENTIRE world is suffering, the world economy (and America’s) is bound to go into recession simply because of how interconnected the global economy is. This would be true even if not a single virus illness took place in America itself. There is no way the US economy could stay strong if millions are dying worldwide even under a Democratic president. 2. If the perception takes root that Democrats are inwardly cheering for the virus and economic damage in order that Trump will lose the election (a perception that wouldn’t be hard to be believed), it could backfire big time on the D’s. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/22 "2020-02-28T13:35:55Z")
If the Trump administration totally mismanages this (which seems likely so far, considering how few competents in the administration and how many sycophantic clowns) and millions of Americans get sick (no idea how likely this is, even with the likely mismanagement), with thousands dying, then the media will have made this massively clear and it doesn’t seem possible that this wouldn’t harm the president politically. That would totally swamp any perception of the Democrats “cheering”, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/23 "2020-02-28T13:42:50Z")
Point of clarification - if it does not turn into a pandemic and thousands of Americans dying, that won’t be due to Trump, right? Heads you win, tails Trump loses. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/24 "2020-02-28T14:02:30Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Point of clarification - if it does not turn into a pandemic and thousands of Americans dying, that won’t be due to Trump, right? Heads you win, tails Trump loses. > > Regards, > Shodan As if the GOP would not have blamed Obama, and as Trump has already tried to pin on democrats. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/25 "2020-02-28T14:10:30Z")
Nah, the GOP would have [never](https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/601268505/ebola-with-obama-logo-bumper-sticker) blamed Obama for something like that. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/26 "2020-02-28T14:31:25Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Point of clarification - if it does not turn into a pandemic and thousands of Americans dying, that won’t be due to Trump, right? Heads you win, tails Trump loses. > > Regards, > Shodan You do realize you can look at the actions or inactions and then reach a conclusion right? Like, if it doesn’t spread and no action is required by the administration, then of course, that won’t be because of Trump. And if it does spread and there is the usual brand of ineptness from the Trump administration, then yes, he deserves at least part of the blame. And if they take action, and it doesn’t spread as much as predicted, then yes, that means he (shockingly) did something right. What we know is that Trump is intelligent, and profoundly uncurious, and pays little (if no) heed to any experts in his administration. So while I hope that he takes appropriate action, I think it is the far safer prediction is that he forks it up. So far, he has been on that track. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/27 "2020-02-28T15:27:08Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > So Trump eviscerated the CDC? By cutting its budget by how much? Surely you have a cite. Where do you get your news from, **octopus**? [Try this source.](https://youtu.be/cUUxl4oMHjI?t=224) It’s better than what you use, and you won’t need your reading-glasses. I’ll await your response, though with unbated breath. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/28 "2020-02-28T15:30:55Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Pining for a pandemic with the resulting 10s of millions of deaths, a Great Depression, or a giant comet strike in order to advance one’s political agenda is never a good look. Just my humble opinion. I wouldn’t say they should pine for it, but they should absolutely make hay out of the fact that while the CDC and every reputable scientific authority is saying that it’s a matter of when, not if the coronavirus will be widespread in the US, we have the President up there like Baghdad Bob saying all sorts of patently untrue nonsense about how we’re controlling it so well, we have a vaccine near to testing, and the like. I’d be hammering the fact home that here we are faced by a crisis that is likely to prove lethal to millions of our fellow citizens, and we’re having to deal with this clown who’s contradicting his own experts, and do we really want four more years of this BS? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/29 "2020-02-28T16:54:23Z")
Well, sure, but there’s obvious slander being leveled. Like that stuff about untrained and unprotected workers sent to interview possible virus-exposed Americans returning. Not even the most shit-for-brains clotwit in DC would do that, its simply too incredibly stupid to be believed! If there were one thing even _more_ likely to encourage the spread of a unknown pathogen, that would be it. Only if it were followed up by loading a passenger jet with a mixture of unexposed and potentially exposed passengers could they possibly do anything more…wait a tick, getting a message…oh. Well. We’re all gonna die. On a lighter note, muh-muh-muh my corona! (Too soon?) ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/30 "2020-02-28T16:57:46Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Pining for a pandemic with the resulting 10s of millions of deaths, a Great Depression, or a giant comet strike in order to advance one’s political agenda is never a good look. Just my humble opinion. Pointing out how the republicans cut billions in funding for disease control so they could fund tax cuts for the rich that didn’t create jobs is something democrats need to hammer home each day. The gross incompetence, lack of concern for the safety and well being of Americans the republicans showed on this issue is something democrats need to pound home. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/31 "2020-02-28T17:08:40Z")
The public at large might be okay with an incompetent buffoon in the White House during times of peace and prosperity, while they might prefer a steadier hand during a crisis. We can hope so, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![racepug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@racepug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racepug)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/32 "2020-02-28T17:13:31Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I wouldn’t say they should pine for it, but they should absolutely make hay out of the fact that while the CDC and every reputable scientific authority is saying that it’s a matter of when, not if the coronavirus will be widespread in the US, we have the President up there like Baghdad Bob saying all sorts of patently untrue nonsense about how we’re controlling it so well, we have a vaccine near to testing, and the like. > > I’d be hammering the fact home that here we are faced by a crisis that is likely to prove lethal to millions of our fellow citizens, and we’re having to deal with this clown who’s contradicting his own experts, and do we really want four more years of this BS? Precisely. Leave it to conservatives to claim that Democrats are “hoping” for millions of deaths and a downturn in the economy as ways to attack Republicans for their inaction and negligence. Democrats don’t need to “hope” for any of those things to happen because Republicans’ negligence and inaction allow those very kinds of things to happen. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/33 "2020-02-28T17:18:35Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Pining for a pandemic with the resulting 10s of millions of deaths, a Great Depression, or a giant comet strike in order to advance one’s political agenda is never a good look. Just my humble opinion. Agree. This thread is making me feel ill, and that’s entirely not Trump’s fault. Jesus, get a grip people. I agree with Dr. Nancy Messonnier: an outbreak in the US was inevitable. _If_ incompetence is shown reacting to that outbreak\*, by all means criticize it. But seeing it as an opportunity is freakishly ghoulish. \*And yes, what happened in the US with the returnees was incompetent. Go to town. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/34 "2020-02-28T17:23:02Z")
It’s an ill wind that blows _no_ good, I guess. It’d be greasy and underhanded for the Dems to make hay with this and the stock market. The alternative is to be classy about it and try and stay above the blame game…and then lose the election and deliver another 4+ years of the orange scourge upon the world. Looks like they’re gonna have to burn the village in order to save it. And who let the cephalopod out of the pit? They running out of garbage down there for it to eat? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/35 "2020-02-28T18:07:18Z")
This administration has had it pretty lucky with a minimum of catastrophes. Hurricanes here and there that the administration slow-walked when it affected Puerto Rico and wildfires that had Dumb Donald blaming Californians for not raking their forests. Most folks in the heartland were unaffected by these. Even man-made calamities like the tariff-caused squeeze on the farmers have been largely accepted by the common folk and not causing them to abandon the White Nationalist Straight Christian Party (GOP). This will be different. This virus is going to spread throughout the world and the US will not be immune. Everyone is going to know someone who died because of it. Everyone is going to know someone who got laid off or their business shuttered by the slowdown. If your Aunt Gertrude gets killed by corona and your Cousin Joe loses three months pay because his plant can’t get parts, you’re going to know it. Even if you try to insulate yourself in the Fox Bubble, you’re not going to be able to deny it. Then you have to balance that with the inaction, denials, and lies that the administration is going to try to get away with. Unless the administration has a sudden sniff of reality and Mitch McConnell realizes that his job is more than confirming right wing judges, the Republicans are going to come out of it smelling like stinkweed. Am I rooting for pandemic and recession? No. But if it’s going to come anyway, it might just as well come in an election year so that we can restore democracy and the rule of law. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/36 "2020-02-28T18:25:36Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > But seeing it as an opportunity is freakishly ghoulish. Hey, I’m the reigning SDMB Death Pool champ. I revel in my ghoulishness! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/37 "2020-02-28T18:36:27Z")
> [@racepug](#): > > Precisely. Leave it to conservatives to claim that Democrats are “hoping” for millions of deaths and a downturn in the economy as ways to attack Republicans for their inaction and negligence. Democrats don’t need to “hope” for any of those things to happen because Republicans’ negligence and inaction allow those very kinds of things to happen. It’s already happened, BTW. [Donny Jr accused Democrats of “hoping it comes here and kills millions of people.”](https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/28/politics/donald-trump-jr-coronavirus-democrats/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/38 "2020-02-28T19:09:15Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Where do you get your news from, **octopus**? [Try this source.](https://youtu.be/cUUxl4oMHjI?t=224) It’s better than what you use, and you won’t need your reading-glasses. > I’ll await your response, though with unbated breath. I know the AP is fake news but here it is anyways. > **[AP FACT CHECK: Democrats distort coronavirus readiness](https://apnews.com/article/health-joe-biden-virus-outbreak-donald-trump-politics-d36d6c4de29f4d04beda3db00cb46104)** > > WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic presidential contenders are describing the federal infectious-disease bureaucracy as rudderless and ill-prepared for the coronavirus threat because of budget cuts and ham-handed leadership by President Donald Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/39 "2020-02-28T19:43:59Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > It’s already happened, BTW. [Donny Jr accused Democrats of “hoping it comes here and kills millions of people.”](https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/28/politics/donald-trump-jr-coronavirus-democrats/index.html) Wow - Trump Jr. reads the SDMB. Whodathunk? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630/40 "2020-02-28T19:59:05Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Point of clarification - if it does not turn into a pandemic and thousands of Americans dying, that won’t be due to Trump, right? Heads you win, tails Trump loses. > > Regards, > Shodan If you get shitfaced drunk and drive home, and manage not to kill anyone, does that validate your decision to drive drunk? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-coronavirus-pandemic-provides-a-huge-opportunity-for-democrats/848630.md?page=3)