Donald Trump couldn’t care less
Objective truth, like a virus, has the annoying habit of inconveniencing people of every political persuasion equally. It is a measure of strength of character how quickly an individual recognizes an objective truth, even if it doesn’t square with their political bias. It is an admirable quality to have and should be cultivated diligently by everyone.
It is an objective truth, for example, that Rod Blagojevich is a criminal. It’s encouraging that not a single Democratic friend I know ever doubted this, despite Blagojevich being a Democrat. It is an objective truth that he tried to sell Barack Obama’s senate seat for personal gain when he was the nefarious governor of Illinois. Had Blagojevich been a Republican, I would hope most Republicans would have reached the same conclusion about him as well. I doubt that as many would, however, particularly these days.
And yet, it’s peculiar to the insanity of the times that, because Donald Trump has commuted his prison sentence, many Republicans now see Blagojevich as the political prisoner he so disingenuously proclaims himself to be, despite his being a Democrat. It’s a terrifying reality that Donald Trump can cause “up” to magically become “down” for many Republicans today. It is particularly mystifying because Donald Trump is a bumbling, inarticulate fool.
But Republicans are willing to follow Trump, lemming-like, off any cliff. If Trump says the Russians are the good guys then, by golly, the Russians are the good guys, no matter what they used to think about the Soviet Union, no matter how unequivocally objective truth points in the other direction. It is political alchemy at its most deadly dangerous, and that danger has finally come home to roost.
Many people will die, possibly even millions, because Donald Trump says coronavirus isn’t so bad. Many people will die because Donald Trump dislikes the objective truth that the mortality rate of coronavirus is 1.7 times higher than the 1918 Spanish flu, and he disputes this statistical fact entirely without evidence. Many people will die because Donald Trump says they can continue to go to work if they contract coronavirus. Many people will die because Donald Trump claims he has “fixed” the “problems” introduced by the Obama administration’s “decision on testing [that] turned out to be very detrimental,” when in fact Trump has defunded most of Obama’s CDC pandemic team that would have been crucial in helping to contain the current outbreak. And it won’t just be Republicans who will die, either, because, like objective truth, a virus is no respecter of persons.
So why do so many people have to die? Because everything, and I do mean everything, is all about Donald Trump. You see, the coronavirus is bad for him. It’s like an unflattering poll. It’s bad for the stock market. Therefore it must be contradicted, even if it means the death of you, your family, and everyone you know and love. None of that matters to a malignant narcissistic wacko like Donald Trump. His ego is more important than the life of your child, or the life of your wife, or your grandfather, or your sister. And Republicans are playing along.
Trump recently referred to the Washington State governor Jay Inslee as a snake. Because Trump doesn’t like Inslee, he will probably punish Washington by withholding vital federal aid. The state of Washington has been particularly hard hit by coronovirus where 14 people have died there already because of it. A Kirkland resident and personal friend and frequent Palmer Report commenter, navy veteran Rick Raymond, reports that a fellow veteran he knows has recently taken sick and gone into quarantine. It is unknown yet if he has coronavirus.
Coronavirus is deadly serious. But the good news is individual public safety is really up to the diligence of the individual. The virus is not airborne. Even if you cannot get your hands on antiseptic spray, diligent and frequent hand washing will serve as well. Avoid direct contact with others. Fist bump or elbow or foot touch in lieu of shaking hands. Avoid touching your face after touching public surfaces until you have washed your hands thoroughly. Learn the necessary protocols to keep safe and turn those protocols into habit. By so doing you will protect yourself and the people around you. And don’t listen to Donald Trump. He couldn’t care less if you live or die.
Robert Harrington is an American expat living in Britain. He is a portrait painter.