It's the Economy Stupid

The only thing Trump has to offer non-racist Americans is his claim that the economy was so strong pre-covid. But that is not even close to the truth. After Republicans wrecked our economy, and the world's, in 2007-08, Obama got it back on track. Trump was handed a growing economy that was humming along nicely. So, naturally Trump did what Republicans do: give a huge tax break to the rich which doubled the budget deficit. 

At the time of covid, our economy was running a huge deficit, middle class wages were stagnant, working class families were having to hold down two or three jobs and still couldn't afford decent housing, and income inequality was at an historic level. The deficit caused by the tax cut means that we don't have the borrowing capacity to carry the economy until the pandemic eases, so what would have been a recession will probably now be a depression.   

For a century now, we have been in a cycle where Republicans wreck our economy and Democrats have to rebuild it. Imagine where we would be if Democrats could spend their time in office moving the country ahead, instead of repairing the damage done by Republicans. It would be nice to think we can break that cycle at some point, but for now it will continue, although this time the damage done by Republicans may be permanent. 

There are no morals more relative than conservative morals, and no hypocrisy quite like conservative hypocrisy.

What Republicans Are

 

For decades now, the leadership of the Republican party has been dedicated to one thing: transferring as much wealth as possible from 99% of the country to the richest 1%, and they have been remarkably effective at it. Every thought they think, every comment they make, every action they take, every policy they create, has that one goal in mind.

They couldn't succeed, though, without the cooperation of a large percentage of the 99% electing them to office and keeping them in power. As of now, in order to get the votes of racists, they will pretend to be white supremacists. But they take that stance only to keep the money flowing. They would be ardent advocates of Black Lives Matter if that would increase the flow of money from the poor and middle class to them.

 The sensible among us can only look and shake our heads in dismay while those who are losing everything support and vote for those who are taking everything from them.

This principle applies to the pandemic. Those of us who are not Republican leaders look at the situation and say: How can we most safely get back to normal? They say: How can we keep the most money flowing to us? 

Therefore, their stance is to get the 99% back to work, while they quarantine and test and keep themselves safe so they can enjoy their riches. And, all the while, their supporters and voters sacrifice themselves in order to enrich them. Unfortunately, those of us who would rather live than be part of the Republican death cult, are finding it hard to save ourselves. 

There are no morals more relative than conservative morals, and no hypocrisy quite like conservative hypocrisy.

A College Sports Fan

The reason we won't have a college football season and may not have basketball either, is because of the American dumb-as-a-box-of-rocks right wing and our even dumber than that president. To summarize:

• Yes, coronavirus started in China, but, according to experts on viruses (and, no, right wingers, listening to talk radio does not make you an expert) it was not released from a laboratory.
• Yes, China covered up and lied about the seriousness of the coronavirus, because that is how authoritarian governments react to any occurrence that makes them look bad. Which explains why Trump reacted the same way once it reached America.
• No, the fact that the Chinese government lied about the seriousness of the coronavirus epidemic in their country, does not excuse Trump's lies about the seriousness of it in our country.
• Yes, we could have had college sports, and other normal activities of a normal country, if we had an effective early lockdown like in other countries, which halted the spread of the virus.
• No, we didn't have that, because the right wing in this country cannot control their dumbness long enough to shut up and put on a mask.
• Yes, the coronavirus is going to rampage through this country for years after it has been tamped down in other countries because they don't have to contend with the American right wing which has embraced dumbness as a virtue.
• No, there is no hope for us, because the only principle the American right wing knows is to wait for the left wing to take a stand, then to take the opposite one. Unfortunately, that means when the left creates a strategy to save our country from the pandemic, the right will fight like hell to destroy it, and be proud as hell of themselves while they do it.

And no, left wing doesn't mean socialist. The right wing in this country has moved so far to the right they believe only in prosperity for the wealthiest, while the rest of us go begging. Left wing in this country at this time means people who believe in the old-fashioned notion there should still be a middle class and a working class and upward mobility should still be possible with hard work. Out-dated notions, I know.

There are no morals more relative than conservative morals, and no hypocrisy quite like conservative hypocrisy.

Drink the Kool-Aid

After hearing and reading about Trump's suggestions to fight coronavirus by drinking disinfectant, my first thought was to recommend that if his supplicants were inclined to follow his prescription, it might be more palatable if it were mixed with Kool-Aid. I then read that there is actually a group of his supporters that advocate drinking bleach to kill the virus.

Now, I don't know if they influenced him, or he influenced them. I suspect like most right-wing insanity, it is a reinforcement loop of craziness, with all parties refining and adding to the lunacy of all the others.

Regardless, I would hate to make that recommendation and then find out that one of his cult members actually did drink a cocktail of bleach and Kool-Aid. Not that I think this blog could ever influence anyone to do anything, but if I did make such a suggestion and then discovered someone actually did it, I would feel guilty, even knowing I had nothing to do with it. 

So, I definitely do not want anyone, even Trumpsters, to drink bleach or a mixture of bleach and anything else.  That's the way normal people think and feel, unlike members of the Trump cult, who have made it clear they couldn't care less what happens to anyone who isn't a member.

There are no morals more relative than conservative morals, and no hypocrisy quite like conservative hypocrisy.