Thread by @FreedomFriesInc

(1) Thread: Trump & Covid vaccines.

I've been meaning to write a thread about this for a while and today it made the news because reportedly he and the former FLOTUS got the vax in Jan 2021 & chose not to tell the public.

Here's why I critique that.

https://twitter.com/PoliticusSarah/status/1366512533251702790

(2) First, the reports might be untrue but I was going to say all this anyway so I proceed on the assumption they're true.

If they're untrue, then the Trumps can say so. If they don't, they're confirming the reports are true.

(3) In 2020 while the world waited to see if effective Covid vaccines would be developed and approved, Trump was clearly promoting the practice of Covid vaccination. While in office, at no time did he say the US-developed vaccines were unsafe or unneeded.

(4) Trump demanded, and demands, praise for being the President in office during the development phase called Operation Warp Speed (OWS).

Hard to know how much of the historic effort was due to his actions or not. We're all too busy rn dealing with crises & will study it later.

(5) Former VP Pence deserves credit for doing the lion's share of the pandemic response work while in office and IMO for protecting the country by keeping a close eye on Trump.

Pence's actions throughout Jan 2021 point strongly to him wisely preventing even worse outcomes.

(6) Many Americans are angry with Pence for "enabling" Trump and "not standing up to him."

I think the record will eventually show immense courage & strategic brilliance by VP Pence. It's not helpful for that record to come out right now. Criminal investigations are underway.

(7) I am convinced that if at any time during the Trump presidency there had been a genuine and medically sound reason to invoke the 25A, Pence and many in the Cabinet were ready & willing to do their duty.

His letter of 1/12 is important:

(8) IMO Pence was named as Trump's running mate in 2016 precisely for the purpose of lawfully intervening if the need arose. I believe the RNC, and then-Speaker Paul Ryan in particular, made a deal with Trump. They and he knew a Trump win in 2016 required the support of the RNC.

(9) The worsening split in the GOP that we are seeing in 2021 is just the delayed version of what would've happened in 2016 if not for the alleged Ryan-Trump deal.

I believe Ryan didn't want to make a deal but the primary campaigns reached the point where a deal was needed.

(10) I have studied Pence very closely for almost 5 years. I believe he wanted the Trump presidency to be a success & of course agreed with the core policy principles, like millions of us still do.

It's the now-obvious Trump tactics that we have come to denounce, to our cost.

(11) VP & Karen Pence received Covid vaccines soon after they were available, & did so on camera, like most world leaders & eligible recipients who are public figures.

At the time I felt disappointed that the Trumps had not done the same. We were told they had had Covid.

(12) So I assumed their post-Covid infection status meant they didn't need the vax. I've since learned that as there is not yet enough credible data on post infection immunity, this status does not mean the vaccine isn't recommended for such people.

Was Mrs Trump eligible? Yes.

(13) Vaccine eligibility criteria vary a lot by jurisdiction.

In most places, DJT's age would make him eligible, and Melania Trump would also be eligible as a household contact.

But there's another criterion that would always make her eligible. Being the FLOTUS. Period.

(14) No serious political commentator or academic would succeed in arguing that national level politicians & their household contacts should not be eligible for the Covid vaccine if their official role was the only thing conferring eligibility.

National security requires it.

(15) Some congressfolk have claimed they are declining the vaccine so others can get it.

I don't support mandatory vaccination. I would support the use of effective physical barriers and/or other measures in the Capitol to keep those around them safe.

Workers have rights.

(16) I used to support Trump but I started changing my mind after 11/3/20 & was close to completely giving up on his presidency & political future by mid-December. I saw him promoting 1/6 & I spoke up about that. When the day arrived, his actions & omissions were the last straw.

(17) I say that bc I want readers to know that despite my strong opposition to Trump, I am still pleased to hear that he and Mrs Trump did receive a Covid vax. That is best for the country.

His failure to use the experience to promote vaccine uptake is what I criticize.

(18) I can predict the talking points that will have already been issued to the MAGA supporters on Twitter.

It was my growing skepticism about such points on a number of issues that led to my leaving the cult-like movement.

The points usually rely on logical fallacies.

(19) And yes, like extremists on the right, extremists on the left use just as many logical fallacies in their talking points.

I am finding life in "the middle" much better. My mind is clearer and calmer. I have a really low tolerance for cognitive dissonance.

(20) Never forget that the political talk you see on Twitter is not an accurate reflection of the beliefs of the population as a whole.

Twitter attracts partisan extremists on both/any sides.

In the offline population, the middle is huge. It appears smaller on Twitter.

(21) If Trump got the vax, & didn't let the public know, that shows several things.

1. He wants the added protection it provides (therefore he disagrees with anti-vaxxers after all.)

2. He didn't want the anti-vaxxers among his supporters to know his real opinion of it.

3:

(22) 3. Trump didn't want his critics to be able to easily point out that his public comments didn't match his private opinion on the issue.

And other things I could mention but I'm saving space.

My point is that: Actions ALWAYS speak louder than words.

(23) In recent years I've had experiences that contributed to my now firm belief that actions speak louder than words.

I'm around 50 years old and have been hearing this time honored maxim my whole life.

I _thought_ I was using it to prevent problems, but I wasn't.

(24) Trump is an extremely effective salesman. He may well be remembered as the most effective salesman in American history.

Selling skills are used in a range of areas of life. If you learn to spot them in one area, you have the chance to be able to spot them in other areas.

(25) Effective salesmen make sure their words speak louder than their actions. Rhetorical techniques are pretty easy to learn and practice.

To avoid being scammed, we can learn to spot these things. Be very strict with yourself when distinguishing between actions & words.

(26) In case Twitter is showing a threading error I made, here is the rest of the thread:

https://twitter.com/FreedomFriesInc/status/1366570684806176770