From The Archives -- Golfing While Rome Burns
Program Note: I will be taking some time off this week, so for the next three days I will be running old columns. All will be looking back five years, as tomorrow is the fifth anniversary of the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 to be a pandemic. The Washington Post ran an article over the weekend with a number of their staffers sharing their pandemic memories (including one from someone who was in high school at the time and was robbed of all the normal activities of her senior year).
Today I'm going to run the article I wrote almost exactly five years ago, which was written in the midst of the stock market collapsing and is full of speculation about what we could all expect in the near future (almost all of which eventually turned out to be true). Our political leadership vacillated from being non-existent to incredibly self-defeating and destructive during this time, as Donald Trump tried mightily just to close his eyes and wish us out of the crisis. And we all know how that turned out.
So here is the start of my three-day look back at the pandemic, starting right at the point it began spiraling completely out of control.
Originally published March 9, 2020
Roman Emperor Nero didn't actually fiddle while Rome burned. It's a myth. Violins (or "fiddles") wouldn't exist for another 1,500 years or so, making the very concept impossible. That's not to say Nero might not have blatantly ignored a flaming crisis, of course, it's just quibbling about the literal meaning of the maxim. Now, American Emperor-With-No-Clothes Donald Trump didn't fiddle while the country was hit by a pandemic, either. Instead, he played golf. Twice. That's right -- in the midst of a huge crisis, Trump spent the entire weekend playing golf.
The stock market reacted Monday morning by dropping a further 2,000 points. This puts it down over 5,500 points from its all-time high less than a month ago. The reason I begin with this statistic is because it is one of two (the other being the unemployment rate) that we know Trump actually pays attention to. So I'm anticipating some wild flailing from the White House in the next 24 hours or so, because Trump dearly wants to run his entire re-election campaign on how great the economy is doing. If the coronavirus puts that at risk (as, indeed, it already has), then Trump will reluctantly have to make some sort of attempt to deal with the situation. Knowing Trump, it'll probably be the wrong thing to do; but to Trump the only thing that's important is whether Wall Street investors see him "doing something" and are calmed enough to stop the financial panic.
The problem for Trump is that all of the remedies available to any president to quell economic crises are pretty ill-suited to deal with a medical crisis. COVID-19 isn't going to care whether interest rates are low, or how taxes could be cut, to put it another way. It's going to keep right on infecting people no matter what Larry Kudlow or Steve Mnuchin has to say on television.
The only real thing that could introduce some semblance of calm would be for the federal government to appear to have an intelligent action plan in place, a solid team of professionals in charge, and contingency plans for any possible worsening of the crisis. Since that is all but impossible to expect from the Trump administration, we can probably look forward to more mixed messages and outright lies from the government, led by Prevaricator-in-Chief Trump. Trump seems to consider the entire crisis to be one of P.R. alone, to be solved by a bunch of happy talk and outright denial of the seriousness of the situation. The administration does actually have some competent medical professionals working on the crisis, but they know that anything they say to the public could easily be contradicted by Trump within hours, which only serves to increase confusion and fear, instead of tamping it down. This puts them in a rather impossible situation, and many of them have fallen back on merely issuing praise for the Dear Leader rather than admit the truth to the public and have Trump contradict them anyway.
Trump has finally met a crisis he couldn't bamboozle into going away, to put it bluntly. I've already heard the phrases: "Trump's Katrina" and (even worse): "Trump's Chernobyl" being used to describe the almost-inevitable political fallout which is just around the corner. We'll see whether it reaches those levels, but it's pretty obvious already that this is going to change the entire tenor of the presidential campaign. If there even is one -- when large gatherings of people become taboo, will either Trump or the Democrats really continue to hold large political rallies?
There are some next steps that could be taken which might actually work, but they are routinely described as "Draconian" due to their severity. Could America really quarantine an entire state or major metropolitan area? China did, and it likely stopped the outbreak from spreading even further. But we don't have an authoritarian system of government, so American citizens would probably react differently if, for instance, Washington state was cut off at the borders. Or anywhere else with a concentrated outbreak. Japan is already having professional sports teams play before empty stadiums, but would Americans really accept such at thing? And for how long?
It may even be too late. Even the most drastic measures may prove to be ineffectual. Given how far the virus has already spread in this country, it may now be uncontainable. Which means the numbers are only going to climb higher, no matter what policy is enforced. Draconian measures could halt the spread of the virus so things don't get worse faster, but that's hard to quantify, really.
Americans are -- or used to be, at any rate -- capable of self-sacrifice in times of crisis. Talk to anyone who was alive during World War II, they'll tell you all about rationing and the rest of it. But we haven't really done such large-scale things since then, with the possible exception being the Cold War preparations for nuclear war. Few people alive today have ever had to deal with widespread disruption of everyday life, plain and simple. Which means there will be a lot of resistance to any such proposal. People will call it all a vast overreaction and simply not necessary. And they'll be cheered on by Trump himself, who seems desperate to downplay what is happening right in front of his face. This could be the first time in American history when a medical problem took on clear political dimensions. Or the first time since the AIDS crisis, at any rate.
Trump has already done everything he can to politicize the crisis -- going out of his way in each and every public appearance he makes on the coronavirus to try to assign blame and heap scorn on Democrats (Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Democratic governors, Barack Obama, etc., etc., etc.). Trump confidently predicted during the first of these appearances that the numbers of infected people in America would soon be at "zero," which was laughably untrue when he said it and is now even more provably untrue. Trump didn't want the infected cruise ship to dock and discharge passengers, because that would make "the numbers" look worse for him. His obsession with the number of people infected is bound to be short-lived, however, because sooner or later he'll get tired of seeing it climb so high and he'll just come right out and say that he thinks the whole "counting people who are sick" thing is "a hoax."
Luckily for Democrats, all they have to do to benefit politically from the situation is to sit back and hold Trump's coat while he continues to repeatedly shoot himself in both feet. All Democratic candidates for office really need say to voters is: "Wouldn't it be nice to return to competence in government?" That's it. Make the argument that electing competent and compassionate leaders is really the best thing to do, and the rest of the political argument takes care of itself. Just stand back and radiate competence, and let the voters see the plain difference to those in charge right now.
This isn't the first time during Trump's presidency that he was faced with a crisis that he couldn't fix just by denying reality on television and on Twitter. Hurricane Maria was also such a crisis. Luckily for Trump, though, it only devastated Puerto Rico -- which most Americans couldn't find on a map if their lives depended on it. This one is going to be different, though. This one is going to affect pretty much everybody in one way or another. Cancelled vacations or business trips, cancelled sports contests for both students and professional athletes, cancelled festivals and celebrations, fear of large crowds, panic-buying at the store, new "handshake" protocols such as elbow-bumping -- all of these have already happened to some extent, and we're just getting started. Of course, Trump is insulated from much of this, but he does watch the stock market, and the stock market is predicting even worse days ahead.
You know, at this point even trying to figure out how Trump will react to continuing bad news is pretty scary, since he's shown little interest so far in actually understanding what is going on. Who knows what impulsive rabbit he'll chase down a hole next? Perhaps this weekend wasn't a bad thing, in other words. Perhaps the best thing for America right now is to have Trump spend every day out on the golf course. Maybe that would be the most reassuring thing for the public to see.
-- Chris Weigant
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Thanks for this - I guess.
It's a pretty grim reminder of just how awful this Republican administration was in its first term -- of how childish, selfish, and destructive the president's personality was back then. And of how the country suffered, in deaths and long-term disabilities and disrupted lives and careers.
And yet - somehow, the voters brought him back. Gah. Just gah.
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It Took Trump Seven Weeks to Tank the Economy
How much further do we have to fall before Republicans in congress find they have a spine?
And he is still golfing while Rome burns. That is when he is not posting over a hundred times in 6 hours to his social network...
You people remind me of the woman in this video.. :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuLeG3sCGT0
So completely sure in yer comments...
And so completely and utterly WRONG with the facts.. :D
It's a cycle that ya'all are doomed to repeat over and over and over and over and over again... :D
The 'hilarious' part??
Ya'all think you have even a SMIDGEN of credibility.. :D
Do ya'all REALLY want to talk about PRESIDENT Trump's golfing??
What with Basement Biden working as POTUS a couple days a week and even on THOSE days, he has to be in bed by 1600hrs???
REALLY!!??? Golfing!!??? THAT is ya'all's go to???
:eyeroll:
All will be looking back five years, as tomorrow is the fifth anniversary of the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 to be a pandemic.
Yes, let's talk about the pandemic.
We'll start with PRESIDENT Trump's groundbreaking and stupendous achievement, reminiscent of the iconic lunar moon landing, in spearheading the rapid development of the COVID vaccine. Under his administration, Operation Warp Speed mobilized resources and innovation at an unprecedented pace, resulting in the creation of effective vaccines in record time. This monumental effort not only showcased American ingenuity but also provided hope to millions around the world.
However, as we transitioned to the next administration, the challenges of deployment became glaringly evident, especially in light of Basement Biden's senility and his struggles with dementia. Biden faced significant hurdles in the distribution and administration of the vaccine that wouldn't have been a problem for a POTUS NOT suffering from senility and dementia. Despite the exceptional and mind-blowing success in development of the Trump Vaccine, Biden's rollout was plagued by incompetence, miscommunication, and a total lack of preparedness. The inability to effectively manage the situation raised serious concerns about leadership and decision-making during a critical public health crisis.
As a result, over a million Americans tragically lost their lives during this critical period. The stark contrast between the swift vaccine development and the subsequent deployment failures underscores the importance of strong, capable leadership in times of crisis. The pandemic has highlighted that achievements in science must be matched by equally strong execution in policy and logistics, reminding us that effective governance is essential to safeguarding public health.
By all means.. Let's talk about the pandemic... :eyeroll:
We should also talk about the NEXT pandemic that Genocide Guy JMCT "can't wait" for. The next pandemic where JMCT is EXCITED about the "mass death" of Americans..
I am really looking forward to having THAT discussion.. :D
And, on the UKRAINE Front.. This comes from CBS News...
In a significant development, Ukraine has expressed its willingness to accept a 30-day ceasefire with Russia, signaling a potential shift in diplomatic efforts to ease the ongoing conflict. This move comes as the United States, under the awesome leadership of PRESIDENT Trump, has agreed to lift its freeze on crucial military aid and intelligence support, providing Ukraine with renewed resources to defend against Russian aggression. The ceasefire proposal offers a glimmer of hope for negotiations, although both leaders have shown stubbornness in pursuing peace talks.
Reports indicate that PRESIDENT Trump’s team is currently in Saudi Arabia, negotiating a peace agreement between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The joint statement from the U.S. and Ukraine highlights their readiness to enact an immediate, interim ceasefire, contingent upon Russian acceptance. This proactive approach underscores the effectiveness of PRESIDENT Trump's leadership in fostering dialogue and cooperation.
Following nearly eight hours of discussions between Ukrainian officials and a U.S. delegation led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a commitment to cease hostilities has been established. Rubio emphasized that the offer made to Ukraine is a significant step toward achieving enduring peace. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz confirmed that the PRESIDENT Trump has decided to lift the pause on aid and security assistance to Ukraine, effective immediately.
As the U.S. and Ukraine prepare to appoint their negotiating teams, the focus is on finalizing a comprehensive agreement that not only addresses the immediate conflict but also aims to develop Ukraine's critical mineral resources, boosting its economy and ensuring long-term stability. With PRESIDENT Trump’s decisive leadership, Zelensky’s capitulation to the ceasefire proposal marks a pivotal moment in the quest for peace, placing the onus on Russia to reciprocate and embrace the opportunity for resolution.
Once again, PRESIDENT Trump keeps his promise to end the war in Ukraine..
I know.. I know.. Brain dead woke progressive Democrats were hoping for more killing and more destruction in Ukraine..
Tough luck, morons.. :eyeroll:
[3] Mezzomamma
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A VERY BIG reason why brain dead woke progressive Democrats lost the 2024 election in such a bad way...
This comes from Jonathan Turley and is reprinted with permission..
The recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit, which allows schools to make decisions about a child's gender identity without parental consent, underscores a troubling trend that contributed significantly to the Democrats' loss in the 2024 election. This decision reflects a broader attempt by the brain dead woke progressive Democrat Party to control, influence, and groom American children, a move that many parents view as an infringement on their rights and responsibilities.
In her book "Red Scarf Girl," Ji-li Jiang illustrates the harrowing choices faced by children during the Cultural Revolution in China, where loyalty to the state was pitted against loyalty to family. Today, American parents are finding themselves in a similar predicament, as schools increasingly usurp their authority over their children's identities. The ruling in the case of Foote v. Feliciano, where parents were kept in the dark about their child's self-declared gender identity, exemplifies this alarming shift. The court's dismissal of parental rights in favor of school officials as "experts" on child-rearing is not only Orwellian but also deeply unsettling for families across the nation.
The brain dead woke progressive Democrats' failure to recognize and respect parents' rights has alienated a significant voter base. Parents are fiercely protective of their children, and when they perceive that their authority is being undermined by educational institutions, it ignites a passionate backlash. The notion that schools can dictate a child's identity without parental involvement is not just a policy issue; it strikes at the very heart of family values and parental authority. And it illustrates perfectly how the brain dead woke progressive Democrat Party is completely and blatantly out of touch with every day Americans..
As the brain dead woke progressive Democrats continue to push policies that prioritize the influence of educators over the rights of parents, they risk further alienating voters who feel that their fundamental rights are being eroded.
The 2024 election results serve as a wake-up call: if the party does not realign its approach to parental rights and the education of children, it will face even greater electoral consequences in the future.
The message is clear: parents will not stand idly by while their rights are trampled, and brain dead Democrats must recognize that the family unit is a powerful force in American society. Perhaps THE most powerful force..
So say we all...
This is so frakin' hilarious!!!
Ya'all going to SOOO MUCH EFFORT just to avoid the POSSIBILITY of ya'all reading FACTS that ya'all don't like...
BBBBBBWWWAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
That is REALLY funny!! :D
Looks like PRESIDENT Trump wins again!!! :D
The recent removal of the Black Lives Matter mural in Washington, D.C., marks a significant moment in the ongoing conversation about the movement and its impact. Initially painted as a symbol of solidarity and social justice, the mural has now become emblematic of a much larger issue: the commercialization and exploitation of a movement has been proven to be nothing more than a massive money-making con job.
As construction workers began the process of drilling away the bold yellow letters that once dominated the plaza, it became clear that the mural's removal was not just about aesthetics. Mayor Muriel Bowser's decision to redesign the plaza came in response to Republican threats to cut the city's transportation funding unless the mural was removed and the plaza renamed. This political maneuvering highlights the contentious nature of the BLM movement, which has often been criticized for completely ignoring social change in favor of extorting millions and millions of dollars from large corporations...
The Black Lives Matter organization has long faced scrutiny for its financial practices, with many questioning why the millions of dollars raised went for expensive houses and cars and jewelry with very little of it actually going to help people in need..
Instead of fostering real change in communities, it seems that the movement has often served as a vehicle for fundraising, benefiting a select few while leaving many of its supporters disillusioned.
The removal of the mural serves as a reminder that symbols alone do not equate to progress. While the intention behind the mural may have been to promote awareness and justice, the reality is that it has become a focal point for political posturing and financial exploitation and extortion. As we move forward, it is crucial to focus on substantive actions that truly uplift marginalized communities rather than relying on hollow symbols that ultimately serve to enrich a few at the expense of many.
Something the brain dead woke progressive Democrat Party has proven that they are all about.. Making money and con'ing the American people..