@venterandy @NewDay Ok, so IMO there’s at least 3 reasons we are further apart on this than we need to be: 1. how much Trump has done vs how much he hasn’t 2. comparison with other countries and 3. (from previously) China withheld facts. Starting with the last point because it’s the easiest and.../1
@venterandy @NewDay ...helps with the other two - I am basing my opinion of Trump solely on what he DOES know, which he has clearly acknowledged he knew at different points, and not on what he could’ve known if China had been 100% open and honest. Even without emerging reports that are yet to.../2
@venterandy @NewDay ...be confirmed about what he may have known as early as late last year(!), we all know that at the start of February he knew more than enough to take the virus far more seriously than he did, and should absolutely have not said many of the things he did (e.g. Feb 25th “The... /3
@venterandy @NewDay ...Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA”). For example, we’ve already debated our differing opinions on him banning foreign nationals from traveling from China to US effective Feb 2nd. However, that alone confirms he knew it was serious at that time, but he... /4
@venterandy @NewDay ...then did almost nothing significant until sometime into March (please let's not quibble on this - most important part follows). Now to 2nd point. You feel the need to compare to other countries but that misses my overall point. Take an extreme hypothetical: imagine under.../5
@venterandy @NewDay ...another president the US is dealing with another pandemic better, on any measure, than any other large country in the world BUT it’s a Democrat president, and despite the deaths that she knows will ensue, she deliberately takes no action to help a couple of specific.../6
@venterandy @NewDay ...GOP states because it will create economic turmoil and lead to the downfall of the GOP in that state (I’m being brief, it’s twitter, so let’s not get hung up on the detail of a hypo). That would, of course, be criminal regardless of how well the US faired vs other... /7
@venterandy @NewDay ...countries. I believe Trump’s behaviour (things he said) AND lack of action in February are directly comparable to this hypothetical regardless of comparison to other countries. Finally the 3rd point. There are no doubt lots of necessary things Trump and the WH admin have... /8
@venterandy @NewDay ...done to respond to this virus at certain points. But that’s his/their job! It’s the most important aspect of being ‘Commander In Chief’. Keep Americans Safe! No doubt you may also think of some thing(s) he did that maybe another POTUS might not have done (but I can’t, not.../9
@venterandy @NewDay ...good things anyway). But please don’t bother listing them because, again, it's a most basic, fundamental part of his job to do good and necessary things to combat virus. And if there's a single, obvious thing that he should've done but didn't, then he should absolutely.../10
@venterandy @NewDay ...be criticised to heck for that, let alone given the extraordinary number of things HE DID NOT BOTHER TO DO IN FEBRUARY that even I was writing about at the time, not because I'm smart or had special information, but because they were so blindingly obvious! So finally, to.../11
@venterandy @NewDay ...tie this all together, my point with Trump is that, irrespective of how the US has done so far vs other countries, and despite China not giving the world all of the information it could have, the publicly available information that Trump DID HAVE (that even I had!) at... /12
@venterandy @NewDay ...the end of January was more than sufficient for him to take virus SO much more seriously, and to take so many more utterly obvious, no brainer actions than he did. And as a result, MOST IMPORTANTLY, for each and every action he didn’t take, lives were lost unnecessarily. /end
@venterandy @NewDay P.S. Everything above is about the past, albeit just the last 3 or 4 months. BUT what I’m saying is critical not only for the next 3 or 4 months, and the rest of this year but, sadly now, probably next year as well in the US. I have literally not a single thing to gain...
@venterandy @NewDay ...personally by America doing well or badly in response to COVID-19. In fact, there’s a horrible part deep down in my gut that believes the best chance of Trump getting brutally kicked out in November is if he continues the way he is. BUT I really care about Americans dying...
@venterandy @NewDay ...for no reason. And I really, really hope you can rub my nose in this thread later this year. If so, I’ll eat all the humble pie there is! But Andy, IMO Trump is taking America down a path to ruination right now! :(
@venterandy @NewDay Unroll please @threadreaderapp
