Well consider the rhetoric that’s coming out of the White House now: “We need to start making PPE and other equipment here!” I mean, Peter Navarro’s refrain makes that clear, as does Trump in his meandering pressers.
Now he could be talking about the distant future, I suppose, but I don’t think that’s the case. Trump and the administration want power, and they have repeatedly made it clear that they want to have power that they can decide for themselves to abuse.
Look at how he treats Amazon. Look at the extremes to which he’s willing to spite and punish someone he perceives an enemy. He’s willing to shut down the entire fucking post office. If that doesn’t tell you his state of mind, I don’t know what other evidence I can offer.
These men live not in a world governed by democracy or the rule of law, but one where the rule of men prevails. This ought to be scaring the living shit out of you because it’s about to become your world, too.
The press conferences are for one purpose: he wants to take up all the oxygen in the room. He will continue this as long as Governors like Andrew Cuomo continue doing theirs, and I suspect that Cuomo knows this and will continue doing press conferences as long as he thinks he can get under the president’s skin.
Of course he called her “disgraceful” and a “fake”. Any time a woman reporter challenges him or asks him something, he calls her that, or nasty or some such thing.
Another thing to consider with this clusterfuck admin is that we’re getting closer to the Atlantic hurricane season, which is considered to start on June 1st.
What’s going to happen if a major storm hits the US during the pandemic? This would be an unprecedented challenge for a competent admin. Is Trump going to toss out rolls of paper towels to soak up the flooding?
On a serious note: this worldwide, life-threatening pandemic would be hard enough if the president were ON OUR SIDE! But he is against us. He is actively working against us. Who do I mean by “us”? Anyone not in his family or on his immediate staff as of <looks at watch> 10:25 am CDT (the day is young and heads may still roll by EOB). High level Republicans (meaning donors and sycophants) are temporarily under his protective wing, too, unless one of them turns on him and then under the bus they go.
Actually, as a resident of Texas, I’m less worried about this than usual. The best thing for most people is to stay home during the event and prepare emergency hurricane supplies ahead of time to last several days up to a couple weeks. The panic shopping around COVID-19, at least in the Houston area, was identical to hurricane shopping. We have our one mode of emergency prep.
There’s some concern if people need to evacuate, but we’re better prepared for that than usual. It would necessitate relaxing social distancing measures, but a life threatening storm is good reason to do that, and people can still practice some measures in any event.
I’m still worried about the federal response - for Harvey, it was mostly local and state officials who did the heavy lifting and FEMA was … poorly prepared. And the response to Maria should be considered a crime against humanity. We still have those local and state resources in place, but having a coordinated, competent federal response helps immensely, and that has not be in evidence these last 3+ years in any natural disaster.
This latest policy move has inspired another satirical GOP campaign poster. I do worry that the irony might be lost on many in the Trump base, and that in their minds this represents an actual good reason to vote GOP. We are in a sad state IMHO.
The Great American Fraud part II: The “Small Business” loan program
Yes, I understand that these companies employ real people with real needs – fair enough to point that out. But FFS, don’t call it a “small business” loan program and then give it to big businesses at the expense of small ones. This is an example of how corruption - or just plain shitty oversight - is actually being used by big businesses to choke small businesses out of existence, which was probably something small businesses were worried about all along. As bad as not having enough money to go around would be, it’s actually worse that big businesses benefit from the infusion because they are using their power to consume scarce resources: it’s actually anti-competitive.
I look forward to seeing who Trump’s donors will be this campaign cycle.
Trump spend today denouncing Larry Hogan, who is a Republican.
Which is a foolish thing for Trump to do. A lot of his remaining support is based on party loyalty. He needs the Republican party more than the party needs him.
See, that’s why I didn’t vote for him before. He had never been a politician. That teaches you how to do this, how to work with others. It looks like he thinks it’s his show, and the contestants are off script.
I turned on today’s briefing just as Mnuchin was answering a reporter’s question, apparently about this issue. I swear he said the publicly traded companies like Ruth’s Chris that got these loans will have to return the money so it can go to true small businesses. Is that what he actually said or did I misunderstand? I can’t find any sources to back this up and since I caught the end of his answer maybe I misunderstood.
I’m having a hard time believing that could be correct. A Republican Administration, particularly this one, saying big corporations did something wrong and won’t get favorable treatment? Is that even possible?
Given what has taken place so far during Trump’s commanding what is now a floundering plague ship, which Book of Revelations boxes remain to be checked off prior to the next rapturous presidential election?
*<wipes tears away>