Time Bomb
A woman named HOPE quite possibly gave the President the coronavirus. That is irony. (Hope Hicks, the White House Communications Director, was diagnosed two days before Mr. Trump.) Was it a message to respect guidelines? Was this an opportunity for him to relate to victims or gain sympathy? Hope is positive.
Alas, hope got squashed. “Don’t let Covid dominate your life,” was his statement that dismissed the infected 7.2 million Americans and negated the 217,000 lost and their grieving families. There is a “cure,” he said, without a vaccine. And the antiviral, steroid and antibody treatment he received is not uniformly available.
Days out of the hospital, there was a rally on the White House lawn. While the President stayed on the balcony, the many unmasked guests did not exhibit social distancing. While not categorially a political event, elaborate criticism of his opponent and the Democrats was voiced. Actions speak louder than words. They both were shouting.
Then, ignoring millions impacted economically by the virus, the President stopped negotiations on another stimulus bill. Caring is not the word that comes to mind. Two days later he retracted that stance, without explanation.
When the Commission on Presidential Debates stated that the Oct. 15 event would be virtual, Mr. Trump declined to participate. To any candidate anywhere, to turn down 90 minutes of free exposure on every network, to an audience of 70 million, defies reason.
The Vice President debate did occur. The fly won, taking up residence. Hope for freshness took another blow. Afterward, the President referred to the Democratic candidate as a “monster.” A millennial thought that was funny, since Kamala Harris really is applying for a job. Some over 30 were offended since calling an accomplished woman such is just rude.
Meanwhile, news of a $21 million hotel windfall that came to Mr. Trump in 2016 was startling, since that was the year he paid $750 in income taxes. Where does the buck stop? Apparently not at the IRS.
Voting is happening. Remarks concerning mail fraud continue, despite little evidence. Manipulation in terms of voting is widespread. An example is the one drop-in ballot box per county in Texas, where four cities have more than a million people. Crazy-making usually applies to those who need adrenal-producing drama. It seems to apply to our best intentions now.
Presently, the literal rush to judgement is on with the expedited hearings for another Supreme Court member. Pontificating is taking place in the Judiciary Committee, despite the knowledge that the Republicans wield the upper hand. Minutes before the election, it’s a stark reminder of how people use power. If the Senate chooses not to do something in 2016, it can also make it logical to do the opposite in 2020.
Abraham Lincoln said the Declaration of Independence was a “rebuke and a stumbling block to the very harbingers of re-appearing tyranny and oppression.” We can only hope.
Lucilla Garrett