Trump and company didn’t make a one-time mistake. They grossly minimized the pandemic and its dangers every step of the way, week after week over a period of months. And they’re still doing it.
At a time of crisis, America is led by a whiny, childlike man whose ego is too fragile to let him concede ever having made any kind of error. And he has surrounded himself with people who share his lack of character.
What has struck me, as details of Trump’s coronavirus debacle continue to emerge, is that he wasn’t getting bad advice from obscure, fringe figures whose only claim to fame was their successful sycophancy. On the contrary, the people telling him what he wanted to hear were, by and large, pillars of the conservative establishment with long pre-Trump careers.
To engage in self-reflection, however, you have to be willing to admit that you were wrong in the first place.
Yes, Trump’s insecurity leads him to reject expertise, listen only to people who tell him what makes him feel good and refuse to acknowledge error. But disdain for experts, preference for incompetent loyalists and failure to learn from experience are standard operating procedure for the whole modern G.O.P.
Trump’s narcissism and solipsism are especially blatant, even flamboyant. But he isn’t an outlier; he’s more a culmination of the American right’s long-term trend toward intellectual degradation. And that degradation, more than Trump’s character, is what is leading to vast numbers of unnecessary deaths.
A bit of trivia. The opening scene of the 2015 James Bond movie SPECTRE actually motivated Mexico City to promote parades and celebrations of “Day of the Dead” as hordes of tourists kept calling wanting to know more about the Mardi Gras type party portrayed in the movie. Normally the “Day of the Dead” is a private family tradition.
Baslim the Beggar Premium Member about 4 years ago
I wonder if it was mere coincidence that “Live and Let Die” was playing in the background when he was speaking at the mask plant…
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-52554123/worst-song-possible-plays-as-trump-tours-mask-plant
Radish the wordsmith about 4 years ago
Trump and company didn’t make a one-time mistake. They grossly minimized the pandemic and its dangers every step of the way, week after week over a period of months. And they’re still doing it.
At a time of crisis, America is led by a whiny, childlike man whose ego is too fragile to let him concede ever having made any kind of error. And he has surrounded himself with people who share his lack of character.
What has struck me, as details of Trump’s coronavirus debacle continue to emerge, is that he wasn’t getting bad advice from obscure, fringe figures whose only claim to fame was their successful sycophancy. On the contrary, the people telling him what he wanted to hear were, by and large, pillars of the conservative establishment with long pre-Trump careers.
To engage in self-reflection, however, you have to be willing to admit that you were wrong in the first place.
Yes, Trump’s insecurity leads him to reject expertise, listen only to people who tell him what makes him feel good and refuse to acknowledge error. But disdain for experts, preference for incompetent loyalists and failure to learn from experience are standard operating procedure for the whole modern G.O.P.
Trump’s narcissism and solipsism are especially blatant, even flamboyant. But he isn’t an outlier; he’s more a culmination of the American right’s long-term trend toward intellectual degradation. And that degradation, more than Trump’s character, is what is leading to vast numbers of unnecessary deaths.
Paul Krugman
Monchoxyz about 4 years ago
Speaking of Dia De Los Muerto, I highly recommend Penny Dreadful: City Of Angel on HBO.
Radish the wordsmith about 4 years ago
Fact check: Michigan protester is not a known white supremacist from LA
Matthew Brown, USA TODAY
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/05/05/fact-check-michigan-protester-isnt-known-white-supremacist-la/5171781002/?
Radish the wordsmith about 4 years ago
Mealy mouth Trump says his pandemic team, Jared and the amateurs, will still be doing their great job and will not shut down, as he said yesterday.
Who knows what the lying whiner will say tomorrow.
Radish the wordsmith about 4 years ago
Nicole Wallace says Trump has a 23% support.
Durak Premium Member about 4 years ago
Every year Trump asks two questions, What day is Cinco de Mayo on this year? and What day is the 4th of July on this year?
Daeder about 4 years ago
Il Douche is fine playing Russian roulette with America.
Concretionist about 4 years ago
Dia de los muertos is a celebration of the good and useful lives of those who’ve died… NOT an excuse to kill people.
kaffekup about 4 years ago
Lalo’s funny, running this on May sixth.
William Bednar Premium Member about 4 years ago
It would be two, two holidays in one!
wrd2255 about 4 years ago
The Lying, Flying Pendejo Brother…
sevaar777 about 4 years ago
A bit of trivia. The opening scene of the 2015 James Bond movie SPECTRE actually motivated Mexico City to promote parades and celebrations of “Day of the Dead” as hordes of tourists kept calling wanting to know more about the Mardi Gras type party portrayed in the movie. Normally the “Day of the Dead” is a private family tradition.