Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Can We All Keep Getting Along?



It’s remarkable how well people are cooperating with government orders about how to conduct our entire lives. If you’d asked me hypothetically a few months ago to predict how the public would react, I would never have imagined the degree of collaboration we’ve seen so far. Driving back and forth between Maine’s rural mountains and coastal areas each week I see hardly anyone on the roads.

Oxford Street Shelter (From Portland Press Herald)
There are exception, however. I noticed homeless men congregating closely together near Portland’s Bayside neighborhood where soup kitchens and shelters are located. They were commiserating in small groups of six or eight on the sidewalks and touching each other frequently. And, we’ve all seen footage of college students at Florida beaches. These two otherwise dissimilar groups are both wholly absorbed in their own desires and oblivious to the needs of the public at large. Everyone else I observed was maintaining government-advised social distance.


During a community TV show “Left & Right” episode in the early stages of the pandemic, my guests and I speculated on the degree to which the issue might become politicized. One guest was sure politics would influence governmental policies but I expressed cautious optimism that political camps would put aside rivalries for the good of the country. That slim hope has shown little fruition, however. At all levels — local, state, national, and international — many politicians and media personalities have been indulging their animosities.


During daily presidential press conferences on the virus most questioners are looking for facts, but there are many caustic, snarky questions from the usual suspects. Never one to let a real or perceived slight go unanswered, the president responds in kind. Resulting exchanges more closely resemble those of squabbling siblings at the supper table than professionals dealing with a crisis.


No one doubts the virus originated in China but it’s given different names. I first heard of it as the Corona Virus, then as COVID-19, then Wuhan Virus according to the city in which it was first detected. Then Trump called it the China Virus around the same time Chinese government officials claimed it originated in the USA — although there’s no evidence to support that. Then Trump-hating media personalities in the US accused Trump of racism for calling it the China virus.


Although some in media and politics have compared the pandemic to World War II, any student of history would consider that a stretch. There was precious little politicization of WWII. Before Pearl Harbor there was, yes, but afterward American patriotism was so strong hardly anyone dared utter a critical remark. Longtime-leftist radio broadcaster and author Studs Terkel wrote a book calling it “The Good War” because everyone in America, regardless of political stripe, agreed that it had to be fought and won. It won a Pulitzer.


Virtually every historical event since WWII, however, has been politicized, so I guess I was naive to hope this pandemic wouldn’t be. There was a short period of non-partisanship following September 11, but it only lasted  a week or two. That TV show I mentioned was only a month ago but it seems like a year. I speculated that if I was wrong and partisanship did emerge, whoever was guilty of it would pay a political price on election day.


There are seven months to go before the first Tuesday in November, an eternity in political terms, and I think both sides will pay a price. Recent polls indicate mainstream media, together with their Democrat allies, will pay the most. Expect accusations in the form of snarky questions to escalate and be echoed by Democrats in Congress. Trump will continue his fake news accusations and political polarization will exacerbate. 


The $2 trillion bill passed last week was delayed by attempted Democrat add-ons that had no connection to virus relief. Although it was the most expensive piece of legislation in history, still more such bills are predicted before the election. So far, there has been little civil unrest in spite of unprecedented restrictions on public freedoms and increased public distress due to the economic effects of shutdown. Will that continue through April or beyond?


There are signs of fraying. High-end stores have been closed for weeks but lately owners are boarding them up in several cities. Do they expect looting? Will printing $2 trillion cause an inflationary spiral? Will $4 trillion? $8 trillion? There was a mile-long food line in Pittsburgh the other day. Police and food store workers are front-line with medical personnel and they’re getting fatigued.


If we all lose someone in a mounting death toll, perhaps our shared grief will strengthen community bonds. That’s one good thing that can occur in war against a common enemy.

39 comments:

Kafir said...

Thank you, Tom, for an accurate portrayal of the circumstances. The American people are uniting behind the President and his Task Force who are incredible people. The nit-picking detractors particularly in the media are becoming more and more irrelevant. We will get through this with a public-private partnership and be better prepared and stronger for what could occur in the future. God bless America!

Jared James Bristol said...

Well said, Kafir. There will be and already has been an outpouring of goodness due to this pandemic. President Trump has been an inexhaustible cheer leader for the country and frankly, for the world. He is trying his level best to bring our country together while still treating the world with compassion. He's not perfect, nor are any of us. I'd like to see anyone else age 70+ sleep maybe 4 hours per night while juggling a never-ending onslaught of huge problems and unrelenting, partisan criticism of his every word. We've never seen such disrespect to the office or the man...not even when deserved under Obama. May God bless President Trump and God bless America. May we band together and get this done. If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all. Take that up with my deceased Mother!

Brian said...

OK, now that we have all agreed that Trump's botched response cannot be defended I will drop that subject.

As to this column, I would ask Tom (or anybody) to give examples of "caustic, snarky questions" from the press. Surely you don't mean when Trump was asked “What do you say to Americans, who are watching you right now, who are scared?” which he responded to with insults. And you can't mean the question he was asked about not taking any personal responsibility at all despite disbanding the national pandemic team, which again set the delicate one off. So what would your examples be?

I ask this question not expecting an answer, because I never get them, which is a quite revealing answer in itself.

Overall though I enjoyed the column.

Kafir said...

Jared, Agreed. The fopdoodles and Monday morning QBs come out of the woodwork to make themselves feel important by disparaging the great leadership this president has demonstrated. His energy comes from doing what’s best for the country. I couldn’t be more proud.

Brian said...

Every ounce of energy Trump ever expends is only for what he thinks is in his personal best interest. Literally everything he does.
Bragging about ratings during a pandemic conference?!?

Calling Trump out for foolishly disbanding the pandemic team is "nitpicking"? Nitpicking isn't about something that could have saved thousands of lives.

And "We've never seen such disrespect to the office or the man"?!? A Republican congressman calling Obama "tar baby", Hannity and Rush saying he is not their president, and "I want him to fail", calling him racist, saying he did an impeachable offenses every day in office, yelling out "you lie" during his speech, etc, etc.... What a strange fantasy world you live in.

How bizarro and hypocritical that a Trump supporter would say "If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all." If Trump obeyed that he would almost never speak. Your mother would have had a real problem with him.

Nick Peace said...

It's only been a hair over 4 weeks from the first Coronavirus death in the US (Feb 29th). Portland, Maine area has only been on lock down for 2 weeks. This is all very, very new. The media has scared people sufficiently and there has been enough education about flattening the curve that most Americans are willing to comply with social distancing. But the layoffs have just started too, raising questions of if the cure is worse than the disease.

What happens 4 weeks from now is the real question. How many deaths will there have been? Will the hospitals have been overrun? Will the unemployed have been able to collect unemployment insurance or otherwise benefit from the recent federal legislation? Will people be able to pay their rent? Will people be tired of social isolating?

It's all too early. By the end of April we will have some real information.

Jared James Bristol said...

Nick,
Am afraid you're right. The deaths will escalate in the next 30 days to levels like we all dread. My own fear includes "How long will it linger and be unsafe to resume anything that approaches normal?" Will the expenditures of the government keep the economy viable? It may get us by for a short time, but long term? I'm hoping President Trump's positive slant proves right and certainly that his actions prove effective. He is doing all he can, not drawing red lines then golfing.

Cover Charge said...

Trump has lost my vote for his handling of this pandemic. An almost absolute shutdown for 3 weeks is better for people, businesses and at flattening the curve than a partial shutdown mostly led by States for three months. Unfortunately Joe Biden's mental acuity is deteriorating and I believe he is showing early stages of Dementia. Bernie Sanders would be the stronger candidate against Trump in my opinion. Thank you Tom, enjoyed the article as always.

Brian said...

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/03/trump-plays-golf-coronavirus-cases-surge.html

Jared James Bristol said...

Cover Charge,
I get your point and maybe you're right. However, had Trump taken any unilateral action to shut everything down rather than encouraging States to do it as needed, he would have received the same condemnation for tyranny that he got for closing travel to/from China or Europe. He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't...every time, from the know-it-alls of the world...not mentioning anyone in particular! The lamestream and their armchair clubbers are not at all biased (right?) with like 98% negative-Trump for 3 1/2 years while he ignited our economy and brought America back to world class respect and power. Deal after deal to our betterment while battling the left's projections of Russia/Russia/Russia and a phoney impeachment with no crime? You would truly prefer a Marxist named Bernie with possibly an AOC VP-type? How about Omar for Sec. of State? Or Pelosi for VP? Shiff to head the CIA?

Kafir said...

Cover Charge,

Either Statler or Waldorf are poor choices to lead this country. First, it was Russia, Russia, Russia. Now, it’s corona, corona, corona.

I find it laughable to the point of absurdity that people actualy believe the mass media propaganda from the likes of “journalists” and “opinion makers” from CNN, MSNBC, PBS, The Daily Beast, the NY Times, WaPo, Politico, the Atlantic, Slate and so on which are all left-leaning or hard-Left organizations according to Allsides: Media Bias Ratings. It’s a perfect example of confirmation bias which favors information that confirms ones previously existing beliefs.

Comsider this: who makes you feel more confident to guide us theough this crisis, people who went to journalism school and live in their DC or NY bubbles? Or, someone who went to the UPenn Wharton School of Business, has 500 companies under his business umbrella with another 250 that use its name including 17 world class golf courses worldwide?

I’ve said it before that ever since I read, “The Art of the Deal” many years ago, Trump always surrounded himself with the best people available then. He’s doing that now with his Task Force Team.

Recently, I read DT, Jr.’s book, “Triggered”. It was a very impressive behind the scenes look at the Herculean effort by the campaign to defeat Hillary. Love Trump or hate Trump, there is no question the family has a once in our lifetime work ethic second to no one. That’s what I see at all the WH press briefings I’ve watched daily.

I think its in the best country’s interest to all work together. You might even reconsider voting for him in November once this crisis passes.

Brian said...

There is nothing wrong with the travel bans. Like putting on a band-aid after getting injured by a ticking time bomb, it will do some good and slow the bleeding. But the smart thing would have been to have dealt with the time bomb to begin with.

Several years ago Bill Gates met with Trump and told him the very realistic likelihood of what we are seeing now happening. He pleaded with him to take action. And what did Trump do several months later. Disband the pandemic team! Wow!! Then in the ensuing years he did absolutely nothing about replacing them or working on a solution.

That is something worth damning him about. Pathetic and indefensible lack of leadership

https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/10/bill-gates-president-trump-pandemic-preparedness-investment/

Brian said...

Consider this: who makes you feel more confident to guide us through this crisis, somebody who grew up the pampered son of a tycoon, insulated from the real workers of the world as he played real-life monopoly with daddy's money, was a reality-TV figure ala Honey Boo Boo, as president golfs way more often than any previous president (after his lie: "I'm going to be working for you. I'm not going to have time to go play golf."), spends 60% of his time in unstructured "executive time" - usually Twittering insults and nonsense - and is known for firing or ignoring the advice of experts, until in this case he was finally beaten over the head enough with hard reality, OR people that carefully listen to what experts have to say and act accordingly? Oh, wait....did you say that the first guy has 17 world class golf resorts?!? That changes things, he must be the best choice then!




Jared James Bristol said...

Well said, Kafir.

Kafir said...

Jared,

Thanks.

Take a look at this. The NY Times blames China for the virus. I can hardly believe my own eyes!

https://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/2020/03/31/new-york-times-report-spells-out-why-chinese-communist-party-is-to-blame-for-pandemic/

Brian said...

I get it, you guys do not like reality barging into your "safe place", your bubble where you can all pat each other on the back without listening to any thoughts or facts that don't jive with yours.

But you've seen this and can't erase it from your mind or defend it. Only seal up the bubble tighter and pretend things are otherwise.

TRUMP WAS WARNED OF THIS HAPPENING AND TOLD TO PREPARE BUT INSTEAD HE NOT ONLY IGNORED THE WARNING BUT ACTUALLY DISBANDED THE PANDEMIC TEAM.

That, my friends, is an undeniable, undefendable fact. Deal with it.

Jared James Bristol said...

Kafir and Tom,
Oh-oh, all caps/yelling but no source. Get along, Tom?

Brian said...

I gave you the links on earlier posts but I guess it didn't crack through your bubble....that is why I need to yell....

TRUMP WAS WARNED OF THIS HAPPENING AND TOLD TO PREPARE BUT INSTEAD HE NOT ONLY IGNORED THE WARNING BUT ACTUALLY DISBANDED THE PANDEMIC TEAM.

LOOK, HERE THEY ARE ONCE AGAIN!!!

https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/10/bill-gates-president-trump-pandemic-preparedness-investment/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2020/03/18/coronavirus-did-president-trumps-decision-disband-global-pandemic-office-hinder-response/5064881002/

USA Today called his deciison "Gross misjudgment"

Steve said...

We recorded our first case in Washington state on 1/21/2020. Trump stopped travel from China on 1/30/2020. I’ll give him credit for that all day long. That bought us time, but he squandered that time.
1/22/2020, he said, “We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China.” Do you think he was taking it seriously?
2/10/2020, he said, “Now, the virus that we’re talking about having to do — you know, a lot of people think that goes away in April with the heat — as the heat comes in. Typically, that will go away in April. We’re in great shape though. We have 12 cases — 11 cases, and many of them are in good shape now.” Do you think he was taking it seriously?
2/26/2020 he said, “So we’re at the low level. As they get better, we take them off the list, so that we’re going to be pretty soon at only five people. And we could be at just one or two people over the next short period of time. So we’ve had very good luck.” Do you think he was taking it seriously?
2/26/2020 he said “Because of all we’ve done, the risk to the American people remains very low. And again, when you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that’s a pretty good job we’ve done.” Do you think he was taking it seriously?
2/28/2020 he said, “It’s going to disappear. One day — it’s like a miracle — it will disappear.” Do you think he was taking it seriously?
3/4/2020 In an interview on Fox he said of the WHO claim the mortality rate of covid patients is 3.4%, “Well, I think the 3.4% is really a false number.” Do you think he was taking it seriously?
On 3/4/2020, he said some people get better “by sitting around and even going to work.” Do you think he was taking it seriously?
3/7/2020 he said, “No, I’m not concerned at all. No, we’ve done a great job with it.” Do you think he was taking it seriously?
3/9/2020 he said, “The Fake News Media and their partner, the Democrat Party, is doing everything within its semi-considerable power (it used to be greater!) to inflame the CoronaVirus situation, far beyond what the facts would warrant. Surgeon General, ‘The risk is low to the average American.’ ” Do you think he was taking it seriously?
3/10/2020 he said, “And we’re prepared, and we’re doing a great job with it. And it will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away.” Do you think he was taking it seriously?
3/13/2020 of the FDA, he said they “will bring, additionally, 1.4 million tests on board next week and 5 million within a month. I doubt we’ll need anywhere near that.” Do you think he was taking it seriously.
When he said we were very close to a vaccine, and then the CDC corrected him almost immediately to say a vaccine was 12 – 18 months away, do you think he was taking it seriously?

Brian said...

That sure was a lot of facts for the bubbled ones to ignore!

But it was seen and they know, but don't have the integrity to admit, that it was a horribly botched reaction to the dangers facing our nation. And that is not even considering the earlier disbanding of the pandemic team. If this was the response of Obama to a similar crisis they would be foaming at the mouth about him failing to protect the nation and calling for him to be hung for treason.

Jared James Bristol said...

Steve,
You've cited probably every hope-laden comment you could find or that President Trump has said. He looks for every opportunity he can to bolster the American spirit while blurbs like yours (and other's) will look to spin everything he does or says as negative. None of your quoted statements necessarilly read that he wasn't taking it VERY seriously. What he had to deal with and take seriously during the same period was a cockamammy impeachment ordeal, or have you forgotten? And I've read the sources that were yelled...fully. Here are the concluding paragraphs of your second site that you fail to mention, bubble-brain.
"In an interview, Morrison said Bolton would regularly send him early-morning emails about possible emerging health concerns.

He said the problem with the COVID-19 outbreak has nothing to do with the structure of the National Security Council and everything to do with China’s attempts to hide the outbreak at first.

“The fault lies with China sitting on this thing for five weeks,” Morrison said. “We could have nipped this thing in the bud if the Chinese had come clean earlier.”

Trump has acknowledged that he cut global health experts from his staff and tried to slash funding for the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other agencies charged with spotting and responding to such epidemics.

"Some of the people we cut, they haven’t been used for many, many years," Trump said during a Feb. 26 briefing on the coronavirus response.

"I’m a business person — I don’t like having thousands of people around when you don’t need them," he said. "When we need them, we can get them back very quickly." We were lied to by China. Simple. Put the blame on Mame, boy. Or better yet, quit whinning and get behind your President.

Brian said...

Oh stop the crazy spin...lying and giving misinformation to the American people about this deadly is not forgiven or explained away so easily. That was not a time for fantasies about "miracle" cures and fairy tale endings. All that accomplished was having many more people going out, gathering in groups and spreading the virus. And "No, I'm not concerned at all"? Really?!?

No, you cannot just quickly replace a pandemic team after the pandemic starts. That is moronic thinking. Lied to by China? Perhaps, but also lied to by our president.

So again, because this does not seem to be getting through to you:

TRUMP WAS WARNED OF THIS HAPPENING AND TOLD TO PREPARE BUT INSTEAD HE NOT ONLY IGNORED THE WARNING BUT ACTUALLY DISBANDED THE PANDEMIC TEAM. AND DID NOT REPLACE IT.

Get behind the experts and their hard work.

Brian said...

The following would be spirit bolstering, great leadership according to Jared:

A teacher brings a class of students to a theater. Half way through the show a small fire breaks out across the street and the smell of smoke enters the theater.

"Totally under control" he tells his students, "its just one small fire across the street"

They continue watching the show and it becomes obvious the fire is now in the lobby of the theater.

Taking it VERY seriously, the teacher says the risk is very low and that only a few people in the lobby were burned. "Keep watching the show", he advises the students.

The fire then starts burning a few rows of seats in the back of the theater. "Stay calm, it's going to disappear, like a miracle" he tells the class, putting a wise, calming spin on the situation.

When the fire is right upon the class, over the crackles and pops of the fire, you hear the Trumpy teacher saying "I'm doing a great job, no need to worry, stay calm"

We later find out that the class was supposed to have gotten a pre-show presentation about what to do in case of such an emergency, but the trumpy teacher, a smart businessman, decided that it was a waste of money and it wasn't really needed.

The parents of the deceased students were very relieved though to hear the trumpy teacher say that none of the blame was his, but only that of a Chinese restaurant across the street where the fire started.

Brian said...

Oh, I forgot to give the teacher credit for something which he congratulated himself for greatly to the press. Just after the fire entered the theater itself, he sealed off the theater doors to the outside with fireproof materials! A real hero this teacher was!

Jared James Bristol said...

Delusional. Nice fairy tale. Cute even.

Brian said...

Thanks, I thought it was damn cute myself, especially considering how spot on the analogy was between leaders not thinking ahead and not preparing their charges for the rapidly approaching dangers.

Trying to have a calming effect and a positive spin is not a bad thing, it just needs to be done correctly. Sending the message to "stay calm, this will be tough but we will get through it together, the cases are rising and will continue to rise, but if we all make some sacrifices, practice social distancing, but we are America and we will come out of this stronger than ever" would be perfect. But not, "relax, we are in good shape, this will soon disappear like a miracle, people get better going to work, the Fake News is blowing this out of proportion"

I know you see the difference there and you are just being obstinate for petty partisan reasons.

Saying things are delusional is worthless unless you can point out how it doesn't jive with reality. Like I just showed you how Trump's lying about the numbers and his hopeful fairy-tale about how things will be miraculously fine did not jive with reality. It only made the situation worse by encouraging people to continue their lives normally and spread the virus.

What part of this can you rationally counter?

Brian said...

It looks like we are making some progress on accepting the truth. A step up from complete denial and arguing the obvious facts comes quietly ignoring the truth, which seems to be happening now. The next step is private admittal and finally public acknowledgement. Which I realize I am making it harder to do with my slightly obnoxious way of rubbing the facts in your faces. But the obnoxiousness comes from both sides.

Kafir said...

Who ya gonna call?

Hey Jared,

I’m in Ft. Lauderdale and see the cruise ships heading for Port Everglades from our balcony. There is a telling report at “The Conservative Treehouse” about how Team USA has allowed them to dock while other countries have denied them entry. Once again, people bitch about the USA, but we always do what’s right.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2020/04/04/president-trump-and-usa-rescue-thousands-of-cruise-ship-passengers-the-rest-of-the-world-refused-to-help/

Jared James Bristol said...

Brian,
Thanks, and you almost sounded rational there. No more pissing contests with leftists. I can counter with, "Sure, President Trump says stuff that he probably could have held back. But so many others have said and done so much worse. He's a transparent, street-wise New Yorker, and he's just what we need. You can't change our opinion on that no matter how hard you, the MSMedia, the Dems or the Marxists try. Nobody, for example, has done the damage to our country like Obama. Ever.
Kafir,
No doubt. America is the shining city on the hill, man. Anyone who doesn't recognize that is blind.

Brian said...

Jared, now it is you sounding completely irrational with your Obama complex, which the insecure Trump seems to have as well. His seems to be for jealousy reasons...he knows the comparison between the two will not favor him when seen through the lens of history. I'm not sure what your reasons are. I'd be willing to listen. How about naming the top 3 ways that Obama damaged our country. If you can't, it must just be seen as blind hatred.

The opposite of what we need right now is a fast-talking, lying, polarizing shuckster from NYC. We need a calm presence that tells it straight and listens to the facts and the experts no matter how it effects him personally. What ever happened to strong leaders where "The buck stops here"?

The shining city on a hill example is probably what bothers leftists the most. They hate to see that hill crumble under Trump. The world would not tend to look at us with disapproval if they still saw us this way under Trump.

https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2018/10/01/trumps-international-ratings-remain-low-especially-among-key-allies/

Brian said...

Oops, I realize I said "shuckster" which would be the complete opposite for the egomaniac. "Shyster" is the word that describes Trump.

Brian said...

OK, it is clear you couldn't come up with Obama's supposed damage to the country, so let's get back to the topic at hand.

After a study confirmed that hospitals are desperately short of personal protective equipment, and have been unable get coronavirus test results for patients, Trump interrupted a reporter’s question claiming it was "wrong". Trump was then told the source came from his own government. Trump went on to say that reporter’s should instead congratulate him and tell him he is doing a good job instead on asking mean, “horrid” questions.

Generally speaking, in a democracy, reporters at a press briefing use their questions to ask actual questions, rather than to say, “Congratulations. Great job.” Of course, Trump’s idea of how journalists should question leaders is more along the lines of Russia, the Gulf monarchies, or Fox News. Dictators response to problems is to overpower them with propaganda.

And bragging about ratings during this crisis?! C’mon, how can that be excused? Then there is Trump blocking Doctor Fauci from answering questions about the “miracle” drug he hopes will work? Yikes.

Of course none of this will be defended either. Nope, just "our leader is great and perfect, bow down."

Steve said...

His daily press briefings are painful to watch. He looks like a middle schooler bluffing his way through an oral exam on a book he didn’t read.

I don’t want a “cheerleader for this country,” as he calls himself, I want a leader for this country. We can handle the truth no matter how grim it might be. We deserve the truth, not rosy, pie-in-the-sky optimism based on nothing. We don’t need lies given to us under the guise of cheerleading. If there’s a 5% chance my cancer is going to kill me, I don’t want my oncologist telling me the cancer is going to miraculously go away. While he was cheerleading, what steps was he actually taking? He restricted air travel to the states and deserves credit for that, but there’s a reason those are the only two actions he identifies every press conference, because they were the only two steps he took in February and half of March. It was in mid March when he finally started talking in a dire tone. A month and a half is the amount of time we lost while he was cheerleading.

Jared James Bristol said...

Of course I disagree with some of what you say here, Steve, but this response is for Brian. After a period of time thinking I'd simply ignore you, sir, I've decided to take you up on your "challenge". I like being fashionably late. I will not in any way limit my response to your demand of 3 things on Muhammabama. So as to not be accused of blind hatred...just seething hatred.
These are in no certain order, and unless you even try to counter each and every one, I'll not respond to you directly again. Ready? By the way, what will you do without your Bernie now?
1. Barack Muhammabama is and has been totally non-transparent/secret; we know nothing about so many aspects of his life;
2. He is and was a crack-smoking, anti-American, low level social worker (community organizer). How's that for a presidential resume?
3. He was a comrad to Weather Underground leader Bill Ayers and had mafia connections in Chicago;
4. He and Michelle lost their law licenses. Why? Everything is sealed.
5. He is a Marxist, Communist, Socialist, Islamist.
6. He set back race relations in the US maybe 50-60 years when he could have done so much good.
7. He led us through the weakest, dismal economic recovery on record. Do not even try to give him credit for the economy Trump built in the last 3 years.
8. He did everything to open our borders to disease, crime, drugs, and terror or even just to people we can't support while we don't supoort our own, and sanctuary shit as well.
9. He put 2 of the worst SCOTUS women on the court, the most clearly biased and stupid in history.
10. He presided over so many scandals: IRS, Fast & Furious, Cash for Clunkers, GM bailout, Solyndra, Syrian red line, Bemghazi, Iran deal... giviing them $150B and a path to nukes under the auspices of John Kerry.
11. Possibly the worst accomplishment of the guy was his "Rules of Engagement". You military, Brian? I am a Viet Nam era veteran. BO got an untold number of our young men and women killed while losing to Bedoin sheep and camel herders rather than eliminating the enemy like we could have. Period. Defend that, AH. We're winning now.
12. On a similar front, he managed to hogtie our intelligence agencies (3-letter guys) by removal of all info on Islam in their manuals under the guise of PC phobias...things you subscribe to. How's that worked out for us?
13. He's on tape admitting "...my Muslim faith..." and I believe in his book (which I'll surely never buy), "if the wind changes I'll side with the Muslims..." Nice.
14. How about Biden's Ukraine and China corruption involving his entire family...under let's see...who was POTUS?
15. And finally the most unforgiveable sin of the lot, Muhammabama has the weakest girlie-man excuse for a golf swing on the freakin planet. That didn't hurt the country so much as the image of Golf. Unforgiveable bastard.
16. And these are just those we know about and I can recall. Sorry, I'm sure I've missed innumerable others.
Oh well. Your turn.

Kafir said...

Jared,

Awesome post. I'm sure Comrade Brain isn't feeling the Bern today. He'll have to settle for "Sleepy Joe" or some late entry, probably Cuomo. It doesn't matter one whit who the communists put up. Trump will crush any of them in November. MAGA/KAG!

Brian said...

I honestly didn't read any of that babbling after the first few lines and so it was just a pathetic attempt to change the subject from the horrendous job Trump has done and the lives he has cost our country.

Jared James Bristol said...

And so ends the saga. On top of your delusional politics and lack of reason, you also have no honor and no guts. Good-bye Bri-Bri.

Brian said...

Ha....hilarious hearing "no guts" from one who has yet to answer so many of my questions! Your list is full of unsubstantiated opinions and outright misinformation.

1. You claim Obama was non-transparent with no evidence. Trump, meanwhile won’t release White House visitor logs,refuses to hand over his tax returns, made staffers sign non-disclosure agreements, balks at congressional oversight,

“It is for sure the least transparent administration in modern history,” said Robert Weissman, the president of Public Citizen, a prominent Washington consumer advocacy group. Other experts also laughed out loud when they first heard Trump make this "transparent" claim. One of those was Jeffrey A. Engel, the founding director of the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University.

"This might not be the most dangerous" of Trump’s questionable claims, "but it is the most laughable," Engel said. "It’s not as though Trump is the only president with a problematic record on transparency, but he has expanded the range and scope" of those problems.

So when you lead with that, how can you be taken seriously?

Points 2-4 had nothing to do with the question at hand which was how did Obama damage the country, but it does speak to your ignorance. The law licence? A court official confirms that no public disciplinary proceeding has ever been brought against either of them, contrary to a false Internet rumor. By voluntarily inactivating their licenses, they avoid a requirement to take continuing education classes and paying annual fees. Both could practice law again if they chose to do so. So again, how can you be taken seriously?

5. Unsubstantiated nonsense.

6. Race relations? Obama brought to the surface lots of simmering racism that couldn't stand the thought of a black man as president. This resulted in some ugly tension and the racist bloc helping elect the cretin in office now.

7. As to how Obama saved us from a great depression and handed off an economy on the upswing to Trump, I could listen to you or to financial experts. https://www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/2016/12/21/obama_saved_us_from_a_great_depression_102479.html

8. Uh, actually Obama deported more people than any other president.

9. Opinion.

10. Trying to compare Obama "scandals" to the constant barrage of Trump scandals is laughable.

11. Huh? That’s nonsensical. Rules of engagement really haven’t changed since the Reagan years, and all troops had the right to use deadly force to defend themselves. Obama did try to limit civilian deaths, but the "rules of engagement still applied.

12. "Info" was not removed. Wording was changed. How exactly did that damage our country?

13. Ok, give a link to this supposed "tape". You "believe" he said that quote in his book. Nope. Falling for such Fake News from your alt-right media again makes you someone not to take seriously.

14. Any evidence supporting this Biden corruption? If you are just talking about nepostism, take a look at kushner and the Trump kids.

15. Funny. Trump wastes more tax payer money golfing than any president in history AND is widely reported to be the biggest cheater ever. As in life in general.

I'll stop asking you to defend the horrendous Trump actions that cost our country thousands of lives. I see you gave up, it would be like kicking a dead dog. But I need a new post to let you know all the other ways Trump has damaged our country.

Brian said...

How has Trump damaged our country? Wow, where to begin. These are in no particular order:

1. Trump has caused thousands of children to be interned in inhumane conditions, often for months, resulting in deaths, injuries and traumatic separations from families.

2. He has cozied up to right-wing nationalist dictators and autocrats , and he has insulted and alienated the nation’s friends and allies, rendering the democratic world leaderless.

3. He practices politics of division, willfully alienating a large segment of the American electorate while drumming up hatred for and suspicion of others.

4. He has transformed the White House, which should promote policies based on reality, into the world capital of ignorance, dishonesty and misinformation by reciting verifiable falsehoods, from the size of his inauguration crowd to the direction of a hurricane to the (disproven) prevalence of election fraud.

5. He has denied the existential challenge of climate change and has promulgated policies that weaken the nation’s role in fighting it and scuttle the nation’s ability to take economic leadership in low-emission and carbon-capturing technology.

6. He has made the United States unreliable, erratic and foolish in international affairs by disparaging its diplomatic corps, engaging in frequent and jarring changes in foreign affairs and defense advisors and repudiating international allies and partners.

7. He has made light of verified Russian assaults on U.S. elections, and at his notorious and shameful Helsinki news conference last year said he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin over his own nation’s intelligence agencies. He failed to elicit from the Russian leader an apology for past intervention or a promise not to intervene in other elections. In so doing, he invited further, more comprehensive attacks — and failed in the most basic duty of any U.S. president, which is to protect and defend the United States.

8. He has reduced or eliminated independent science advisory panels in a quest to remove fact from policymaking when it collides with damaging policies he wishes to pursue.

9. He has demeaned the presidency with foul, angry language hurled at his political adversaries, replacing fireside chats and presidential addresses with cable-TV-fueled, stream-of-consciousness tweets that attack his critics and stoke fear and outrage in his supporters.

10. He has undercut the nation’s moral standing by his shrugging response to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi at the hands of Saudi operatives.

11. He has sullied the office of the presidency by using it to express his personal contempt for people he does not like or who do not support him. The most egregious example may be his treatment of Sen. John McCain, a much-decorated former Vietnam War prisoner whose honor Trump questioned even after McCain’s passing.

12. Reluctant to condemn his racist, nazi supporters. "Good people on both sides"

13. He promoted the notion that one’s American-ness is a function of descent and not birth or naturalization, by saying U.S.-born members of Congress should “go back” to the countries “from which they came.”

14. More than any president in living memory, Trump has cheapened his office, instilled distrust in essential institutions of justice and democracy and replaced knowledge and professionalism with ignorance and amateurism.

15. How shameful for America that parents can't use the President of the country as a role model for behavior.

16. Lied, downplayed and gave misinformation about the corona virus causing thousands of unnecessary deaths.

I'm sure I missed innumerable others.