"We're at WAR!----and now, a word from our sponsors!"

If the invasion force had been soldiers and tanks, would we have to wade through all these mindless shallow TV commercials for weight loss products and investment advice?

Would not a competent administration order multiple PSA's to direct the fight against the threat?

Sorry---I guess I'm feeling a bit frazzled this morning.

Let me say this up front: yes, I know how this sounds but---

Has anyone heard a reasonable explanation for the fact that virtually every decision that Trump has made in dealing with this pandemic has worsened the crisis and placed Americans in more danger?

Initially, he had to choose between taking action to protect us or do nothing and let the pandemic gain a foothold in our country. He chose to ignore the problem and gave the virus free rein for weeks.

Thereafter, he chose at several other stages in the viral invasion to ignore or dishonestly minimize the threat we faced, playing politics with American lives.

He has almost totally failed to develop and provide vital testing procedures and supplies to tell us who is infected so they can be quarantined and their contacts traced.

He has declined to use federal authority to compel US companies to produce critical supplies and sell them here for our benefit. Some US companies are producing "PPE's"---personal protective equipment---but sell them overseas while nurses in the US wear garbage bags in place of gowns and reuse the same masks for days.

In February, we shipped over 17 tons of masks and gowns to China, apparently from our national emergency stockpile which is now nearly depleted.

He has refused to coordinate the purchase of ventilators, masks and other supplies, leading to expensive, time-consuming and often futile bidding wars between states shopping for the same items.

He has refused to issue a nationwide stay at home order, resulting in an inconsistent patchwork of conflicting "requirements" state to state.

I could go on and on, but so could most of you. My question is this: given the consistent avoidance of options that would help contain the threat and save American lives, is it not possible that Donald Trump is intentionally choosing to sacrifice tens of thousands of us? I could speculate about several possible motives, but that would be all that it was: speculation. For now, I'm simply asking that question.

I cannot think of any significant decision Trump had made that has helped protect us from this virus and I can't think of any rational explanation for the consistent harm he has done.

I'm embarrassed that some need to be told this, but DO NOT BUY INTO THE MEDIA'S BULLSHIT!

Trump's "tone", and whether or not it has changed, is IRRELEVANT, people! It doesn't mean diddly-shit!

If his incompetence kills hundreds of thousands of us, does it matter what "tone" he affected when he lied to us about how bad it was and how terrible it was going to get?

Do not watch him! Do not listen to him! Do not believe one damn word that he or his people say!

Publicity is his oxygen. Let him suffocate at his damn podium!

First, Trump and his people said Corona virus was a hoax. Then, they said it was real, but not a

problem; number of cases would be "down to zero" in a couple weeks. Then, they said that well, yes, it is a problem, but Trump had already totally solved it by courageously stopping travel from China. Then, they said that anyone who wanted to be tested for corona virus infection could be tested. Then they said they would be sure our medical professionals had everything they needed to care for those who became ill from the virus. Then, they said they were "ramping up" production of test kits and "ramping up" the production of PPE's and ventilators. Then, we were told it would be safe to "pack the churches" on Easter Sunday.

WRONG x 8!

Now, they are telling us there will be "only" 100,000 to 200,000 total deaths from this pandemic-------------

Is anyone else disturbed by this prediction?

It is 3:35 p.m. for those of us in Illinois. If you are military, it's 1535 hours.

If you are a Trumpie, Mickey's big hand-----

Those of us who survive this Trump pandemic will have to deal with a long list of

incontrovertible facts and one over-arching question. First, the facts.

China officially notified us of the emergence and spread of the Covid 19 virus on January 3rd, 2020.

Also in January, 2020, the outgoing Obama administration conducted a lengthy briefing of the incoming Trump team regarding the consensus world opinion that a flu-like viral pandemic similar to SARS was INEVITABLE. They delivered a 69 page "playbook" of public health policies to be implemented when, not if,such an outbreak occurred.

Trump "inherited" not the "broken system" he keeps whining about, but a select "pandemic response team" of experts in the fields of emergency response and infectious diseases. Trump abolished the panel.

In early February, Mr. Azar and others met with members of Congress regarding the virus and were offered funding the mount an immediate defense. They were told, in so many words, "Not necessary; we've got this."

Despite being repeatedly BEGGED by the nation's governors, doctors and nurses for federal coordination of purchasing, stay-at-home policies and use of federal defense authority to mandate production of critical supplies, Trump has refused to take the lead.

I could go on to now list all of the unbelievably stupid and arrogant thingsTrump has said about this virus, from "Democratic hoax" to "down to zero in a couple weeks", but let me close with this fact: the ONLY thing Trump did for over two months after learning of the virus was to restrict travel from China---PERIOD!

Oh yeah, that over-arching question? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THE MURDERING BASTARD?

Beneath the anger, under the fear and lurking in the background of our utter amazement

at the totally inept way our nation has addressed the Covid 19 crisis is---embarrassment.

Around the world, enemies and allies alike are thinking---if not yet saying---"Oh, how the mighty have fallen." Analogies between Donald Trump and Ozymandias are unavoidable and undeniable.

At this point, I can only hope I live long enough to see justice done.

Make a note in your "Trumpspeak" dictionaries:

"aspirational" is the new "just kidding!"

If I have this wrong, please set me straight.

I understand that MOST people infected with Corona virus are in the 40 to 59 and category.

I understand that, while we "elders" are more likely to DIE if infected, we are, statistically, less likely to GET infected.

I understand that young people---some very young---have died from the virus.

So, is it just me, or are the CDC's TV ads making this seem like primarily an "old person's" concern? Could this be contributing to the widespread "What? Me worry?" attitude among younger folks?

"PAPERS, PLEASE!" The "new normal"? nt