Trump’s response to the killing of George Floyd expressed his usual insensitive and racist attitudes. He accused left-wing outside agitators of rioting and railed against mayors and governors and police for not using enough brute force to “dominate” those who were demonstrating their hurt and outrage over this brutal racist murder.
Then yesterday, he threatened those who were demonstrating, saying he is the “law and order president” and would send heavily armed military forces into the states to restore his order. Trump wants to appear as the strong man, in charge in the midst of chaos that he helped to create.
Trump’s only concern is his re-election campaign, playing to his base to get re-elected and enriching the super-rich who support him.
This has not only characterized his response to the brutal murder of Floyd but also his response to the pandemic and to the economic crisis in its wake.
His many failures in response to what could have been a limited health problem has turned it into a pandemic that has killed more than 103,000 Americans. He refused to let the medical and scientific professionals lead the response and instead put it in the incapable hands of politicians like Vice President Pence. He has consistently refused to set up a national coordination of resources to support state and local efforts.
He claimed that there were enough tests for anyone who wanted to get tested. Then he didn’t organize widespread testing, or produce the necessary supplies to provide the testing, later saying that it wasn’t necessary (even though he is tested daily). The reality is that he doesn’t want the testing to show high numbers of people who are infected because it would make him look bad.
He has filled the airways with his endless misinformation – that the virus would quickly go away, that taking hydroxychloroquine could be a preventative measure or a cure even though the medical community said it might increase the chance of a patient dying. He even said that people could use disinfectant on themselves as protection from the virus.
His push to reopen the economy was in violation of the guidelines he had asked the CDC (Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) to establish. And, as if to make a point, he has publicly and repeatedly violated social distancing guidelines and proudly appeared everywhere without a mask. It is not only the cops in Minneapolis who are responsible for murder. Trump’s handling of this pandemic has cost tens of thousands of U.S. lives.
Could anything show more clearly how Trump’s only concerns are his re-election and the health of the one percent?
featured image credit: Patrick Semansky / AP
