COVID reality is kicking Donald Trump in the butt

Reality can be harsh. And always, truthful.

That's why reality is feared by religions and politicians alike. At least, religious believers and politicians who have a vested interest in denying facts because the truth is inconvenient for them.

There's nothing positive that can be said about the COVID crisis here in the United States. According to a story I read in today's newspaper, the United States has 4.3% of the world's population but has suffered 25.5% of the COVID-19 deaths.

Why? 

Largely because we have a president who is utterly incompetent to manage a Little League team, much less a nation's response to a pandemic. Months ago Trump said that COVID was going to go away on its own. He repeated that lie today. 

Fortunately, facts don't lie.

Currently there are more new cases being reported than at the previous height of the pandemic in April. At Trump's urging, states reopened their economies before public health experts said they should. In fact, before White House's own reopening guidelines said they should.

Trump wanted a strong economy ASAP to bolster his reelection chances. However, his poll numbers have been dropping as the number of COVID cases has been increasing.

Americans aren't as dumb as their president. They realize that the COVID crisis in this country has been made much worse by Trump's habitual inability to listen to experts who know more than he does about a subject, and to act in accord with that wise advice.

Here's how the United States compares to the European Union, which has a population roughly comparable to ours.

The United States and the European Union have comparable population sizes, but the trajectories of their COVID-19 outbreaks have been vastly different. Data recently released by the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that while there are around 4,000 new COVID cases in the EU each day, the United States is now recording over 40,000 new cases of the virus each day.

At least 11 US states broke records for the number of new cases reported over the past week. And while some politicians in the US have ascribed the difference to discrepancies in testing, a close analysis shows that the United States and the EU are conducting roughly the same number of tests per million people. Here's a look at the seven-day rolling average of new COVID cases in the EU and the US since March.

In the European Union science is broadly accepted by national leaders, while the United States suffers under the inept leadership of  a president who refuses to wear a mask in public, disparages people who do wear a mask, and said as recently as today that COVID will go away on its own one day.

No, it won't. That's a fact. 

COVID-19 is an especially dangerous virus. It is transmitted easily from person to person. It damages many different organs in the human body, not just the lungs. Unlike the flu, a COVID infection can leave a person debilitated for months. Check out this story by Portland's KGW News about a woman who is still suffering from an infection she got sick from on March 15.

I'm not saying that everything is fine here in Oregon, where I live. It isn't. The chart above shows that cases have been increasing since Governor Brown relaxed stay at home orders, allowing businesses to gradually reopen.

But unlike Trump, Brown listens to public health experts. She learns on the job. She changes her mind when fresh facts replace outdated ones. Masks have been advised in Oregon, but not mandatory, in indoor public places until recently (aside from a few counties, including mine, where COVID cases were higher).

Now, though, Governor Brown is requiring the wearing of masks in indoor public places everywhere in Oregon, with some exceptions for children and people unable to wear a mask because of a medical condition. That's leadership, since masks are proven to be effective in slowing the spread of COVID. 

(Not convinced? See here, here, and here.)

Like I said, the only good thing I see coming from the COVID crisis in my country is that Trump finally is being held to account for his failure to acknowledge reality. That's sort of worked for him when the truth of a situation can be disguised by lies. But death and disease don't respond to lies.

So the steadily increasing COVID cases and deaths testify to the ineptness of the Trump administration's response to this crisis. I'm confident that voters will keep that in mind when, hopefully, they kick him out of office in November. 

Comments

[Yikes]

“According to a story I read in today's newspaper, the United States has 4.3% of the world's population but has suffered 25.5% of the COVID-19 deaths.”

Well, that’s truly bizarre because the US makes up 4.25% of the global population and uses 25% of global resources. 🤭😯

[Spence Tepper]

Brian Ji
Beatifully summarized essay.
Thank you!

[S]

Trump won’t wear a mask because it would mess up his orange make-up. Seriously though, I think he thinks it makes him look weak. He’ll look a lot weaker when he’s on a ventilator.

People (who aren’t massively moronic) should start passing out red face masks with ‘Make America Great Again’ at Trump rallies and Walmart. (I’m not dissing people who shop at Walmart—just saying it’s popular among the MAGAs). That way Trumpians will think it’s party line to wear a mask and maybe we can save a lot more lives.

[Martin Archer]

Unfortunately in the UK we have our own version of Trump style incompetence.

[j]

Apparently American is dealing with 3 harmful viruses. CFF (China Flu Forever), TDS, and BLM.

Because "new cases" can just mean more testing, "new cases" is a meaningless statistic. There is only one China Virus statistic that matters, and that's the number of deaths. Presently we're at 112,700 deaths. Given the usual # of deaths in flu season, what we're seeing is hardly remarkable, and therefore doesn't justify the incredible damage done to society by the lockdowns.

Incredible to me that the Trump Should Have Saved Us myth is still being promoted. The Russia Hoax was silly enough, but the Trump Virus Hoax just shows that many people's beliefs about "science" are deeply colored by their political leanings. It's very simple: No one was urging a total shutdown of the US back in March or April. Not the NYT, not Schumer, not Biden, who was holding rallies in March just like Trump was. And Trump was active from day 1 with press conferences, travel shutdowns, and elevating St. Fauci to National Commisar of Scientific Shutdown Wisdom.

To say that masks work against the spread of the virus is like saying eating broccoli will prevent cancer. It's a meaningless statement. No one has any idea of the ultimate effectiveness or necessity of these masks vs. social distancing vs. total quarantine.

According to this essay, President Trump should have implemented a total national quarantine of all American citizens from January to July. If such a quarantine was the only ethical thing a president could have done, why does the author tell us he frequently left home to do shopping or attend political rallies?

[zorroworeamask]

J,

You may want to update your information. 128,000 and growing is the number of deaths in the USA presently.

As mentioned before,
J,

Be sure to tell your Dentist, your surgeon, and others in the profession to forego their masks since you
have discovered that they don't work one bit.

Glad to know you are an expert from one anecdote.

Make sure you inform the University of California, San Francisco, since you know stuff they don't.

https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/06/417906/still-confused-about-masks-heres-science-behind-how-face-masks-prevent

I wouldn't trust Trump with my daughter, my money, but somehow we trust him with our country.

This guy cares more about his mirror than any down and out human being.

Each step helps (social distancing, masks, being informed, and so on).

[j]

All is well in Oregon, as it has wise leaders. And wise compassionate progressive leadership is appreciated by the public.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/07/03/portland-rioters-hurl-commercial-grade-fireworks-at-officers-launch-mortars-toward-the-federal-courthouse/

[Ahujamajuba]

Zoro's mask didn't cover his mouth and nose so that he breathed in his own exhausted exhaled carbon dioxide, which Fauci & Co are so adamant is so good for you, his mask covered his eyes so that his enemies couldn't recognize him.

[Spence Tepper]

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/radha-soami-spiritual-centre-becomes-worlds-largest-temporary-covid-care-facility-with-10-000-beds-2247311

[Spence Tepper]

Now you can say this was good planning.

[Sonia]

Seriously, people. It literally only takes a minute or two researching the facts will save lives. Do you COVID Crisis deniers know how Google works?

Hot off the press from the Economist:

Covid-19 is here to stay. People will have to adapt

The world is not experiencing a second wave: it never got over the first

The worst is to come. Based on research in 84 countries, a team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reckons that, for each recorded case, 12 go unrecorded and that for every two covid-19 deaths counted, a third is misattributed to other causes. Without a medical breakthrough, it says, the total number of cases will climb to 200m-600m by spring 2021. At that point, between 1.4m and 3.7m people will have died. Even then, well over 90% of the world’s population will still be vulnerable to infection—more if immunity turns out to be transient.

CLICK LINK BELOW TO CONTINUE
https://www.economist.com/leaders/2020/07/04/covid-19-is-here-to-stay-people-will-have-to-adapt

[Sonia]

My husband is a mask Nazi. He’s constantly running errands simply because he can’t sit still. But he walks through each store counting how many other people are wearing masks. It’s a tad obnoxious but I respect him for not only protecting himself but those around him as well.

I don’t care if we’re all saying Merry Christmas this December. I care that we wear masks so that we can spend the holidays with our family and friends.

It should become second nature—put on a mask before you walk into a store. You know, like how you wash your hands after you go to the bathroom. We all do that, right?? It’s such a SIMPLE thing. Just wear a mask. Wear a mask like you wear shoes. Wear a mask like you wear gloves in the garden. Wear a mask like it’s freakin’ freezing outside and you have to cover your face with a scarf so that you don’t get frostbite. Wear a mask like you would if you’re going scuba diving or like an astronaut about to moon walk.

Wear a mask like you expect your surgeon to when you’re being operated on. Wear a mask like you’re welding or woodworking with an electric saw.

Wear a mask like You’re skiing.

Don’t act like this is the first time in your life you’ve ever had to cover your face. And no one’s asking you to wear a mask at home. Honestly, how much time do you spend out in public? Do you realize doctors and nurses and dentists who work in surgery have to wear a mask every day all day at work? They have done O2 tests on healthcare works numerous times and their oxygen saturation reads the same when they’re wearing a mask as when they’re not.

Perspective please.

It’s not that difficult.

[Dungeness]

New corona test. Check this link out: https://ajn.timesofisrael.com/israel-invents-one-minute-coronavirus-breath-test/

Donald may claim credit if it pans out though.

[j]

"Don’t act like this is the first time in your life you’ve ever had to cover your face."

Actually, it is.

"And no one’s asking you to wear a mask at home."

Actually, they are.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/28/us/mask-at-home-coronavirus-family-wellness-trnd/index.html

"Honestly, how much time do you spend out in public?"

You're missing the point, which is it that it should be nobody's business whether I choose to wear a mask or not in public. My health is my business, not the state's, and not random citizen's.

"Do you realize doctors and nurses and dentists who work in surgery have to wear a mask every day all day at work?"

Welders have to wear protective goggles all day, but that's because it's important to protecting their eyesight. Surgeons and their aids have to wear masks because they're working with open wounds. I am neither welding or cutting people open.

"They have done O2 tests on healthcare works numerous times and their oxygen saturation reads the same when they’re wearing a mask as when they’re not. Perspective, please. It’s not that difficult."

Then wear a mask if you want to. Your choice to do that or not do that has nothing to do with me. My perspective is that I don't like the bullying attitude of a progressive movement that every day tells me what I'm allowed to read, what I'm allowed to say, who I'm allowed to vote for, whether I can go to my job, where I can go on vacation, and what I have to wear in public.

[Dungeness]

Donald in front of mirror:

"It's a wonderful thing, isn't it. So many lives saved.  When I
had my people recognize Jerusalem as the capital of  Israel,
I said, ya know, "'Israel is a great friend of ours'. Now look at
what they've done. Just the other day, their ambassador
comes up and says to me... he says 'Mr President, you're a
visionary leader and such a great, great friend of Israel.
We couldn't have done this without you!'"

[courtesy]

J keeps missing the elemental point. A mask is not merely for one's own health but caring about others.

In Japan, for instance, there are many who have worn masks long before the present crisis. Why do some Japanese wear a mask when sick? Because they want to minimize getting others infected.

It is simple, actually. When two people meet and wear masks, the odds of getting saliva droplets on each other gets minimized.

The same reason that getting vaccinated is not merely for one's own self, but also to help the larger community.

Wearing a scarf, a mask, is a form of courtesy.

[nohoax]

This is definitely not a hoax.

https://apple.news/AvwgEjBQsQ7qKJiKtnRgW1A

[s*]

https://youtu.be/ZMDKpvQiR80

[Sydney]

1919 ‘WEAR A MASK or go to jail’ photo
https://twitter.com/stephenking/status/1282681227913441280?s=21