The Trump Presidency: Part 20

[thaiboxerken]

We would have a low death count right now if Hillary was President.

I'm not really sure about that, but I am sure we would have a more accurate one and be able to trust the White House to tell us the facts.

 

[Mader Levap]

We would have a low death count right now if Hillary was President.

Counter-factuals are very hard to asses. But yes, since I think almost literally anyone is more competent than Trump, and I see very strong link between competence of leader and successful response to COVID-19, I do think we would have less infected and died at same point of time with almost anybody else, including Hillary.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump Tweets

Our great Oil & Gas industry is under under seige after having one of the best years in recorded history. It will get better than ever as soon as our Country starts up again. Vital that it does for our National Security!

 

[Andy_Ross]

best years in recorded history!!

 

[johnny karate]

We would have a low death count right now if Hillary was President.

I’m not sure if the argument behind your sarcasm is that the Trump administration is doing the best that can be done or that the Hillary Clinton administration would be equally inept.

Any chance you’ll clarify your position with evidence to back it up?

 

[newyorkguy]

I think Trump's gut feeling is that his current standing in the polls will vanish the longer the crisis lasts, and he is scared it might be beyond his control.

He's obviously trying to put a spin on it. And that will work with most if not just about all of his base. A reporter asks him about 'people on both sides of the aisle questioning whether Easter is too optimistic for the restrictions to be lifted,' is he saying Easter because of concern about being reelected? Trump starts blathering about "fake news." An obvious evasion but one that will play on social media among his supporters.

I think he knows -- or has been advised -- that if he responds and gives a serious answer, even if only to deny his reelection plays a major role in his decision-making, that would be seen as legitimizing the criticism. That WON'T play well on social media. At least not on Trump's social media.

Appears that there is some method to the madness.

 

[William Parcher]

Any chance you’ll clarify your position with evidence to back it up?

Hillary would have done it right and we would have a low death count. Sorry I don't have a link.

 

[Horatius]

Counter-factuals are very hard to asses. But yes, since I think almost literally anyone is more competent than Trump, and I see very strong link between competence of leader and successful response to COVID-19, I do think we would have less infected and died at same point of time with almost anybody else, including Hillary.

The only thing a leader would need to have done, to do better than Trump has done, was listen to the people who were telling him that this was going to be a problem. If everything that's been done in the last two or three weeks, in terms of developing test kits, finding new sources for PPE, and ventilators, had started in January when Trump got the first serious warnings, the US, and probably everyone else, would be in a far better position then we are.

And that doesn't even touch on what else could have been done. Just getting a head start on those three items would have been enough to elevate the response to "competent".

 

[johnny karate]

Hillary would have done it right and we would have a low death count. Sorry I don't have a link.

You know what, my bad. I forgot that there was a third option.

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[Norman Alexander]

Hard to believe. This story started coming out this afternoon (U.S. time):

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada is in talks with the United States in hopes of avoiding the deployment of American soldiers along their shared border. Trudeau says it is in the best interests of both countries that the world’s longest unmilitarized border remain that way. The comments follow a Global News report that the Trump administration is considering whether to deploy troops to intercept anyone trying to enter the U.S. illegally from Canada

WTH?

Far more likely that US citizens will enter Canada illegally from the USA than the other way round. Trump is not even tangentially impinging on reality.

 

[William Parcher]

You know what, my bad. I forgot that there was a third option.

Edited by zooterkin: 

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I voted for that chick and you could at least allow me to say that she would have a low death count right now. I don't have evidence that I can link to.

Edited by zooterkin: 

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[a_unique_person]

best years in recorded history!!

How many billion barrels of oil did the Romans ever drill?

 

[johnny karate]

I voted for that chick and you could at least allow me to say that she would have a low death count right now. I don't have evidence that I can link to.

Edited by zooterkin: 

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.

I apologize if I mistook sincerity for sarcasm.

What specifically do think the Trump administration is doing wrong that the Hillary Clinton administration would have done correctly?

 

[pgwenthold]

best years in recorded history!!

You gotta figure that GWBush is just shaking his head.

 

[newyorkguy]

Officials inside the Trump White House have been discussing deploying U.S. troops to the Canadian border to intercept people crossing the border illegally.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed the news while giving his daily briefing to reporters from Rideau Cottage, acknowledging that conversations are taking place. Link

Asked about the plan during what has become a daily Covid-19 press conference, Trump -- looking drawn and tired -- not only confirmed the plan but said troops are already stationed along the U.S.-Canada border.

“We have very strong deployments on the southern border, as you know, Mexico, and we have some troops up in Canada, but I’ll find out about that,” he said. “I guess it’s equal justice to a certain extent, but in Canada we do have troops along the border.” Trump then mentioned trade with Canada and how the U.S. doesn’t “like steel coming through our border.” Link

 

[Distracted1]

Far more likely that US citizens will enter Canada illegally from the USA than the other way round. Trump is not even tangentially impinging on reality.

Truly.
The whole "walls keep people in as well as out" meme is a bit closer to reflecting practical reality than it was last year.

 

[Safe-Keeper]

“We have very strong deployments on the southern border, as you know, Mexico, and we have some troops up in Canada, but I’ll find out about that,”

That's quite honest for Trump. What happened to him knowing everything better than everyone else? Now he doesn't know what his army is doing?

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

You gotta figure that GWBush is just shaking his head.

Don't you think he's ecstatic at being bumped off the worst POTUS ever spot?

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

From the other thread:

Our lockdown in Guatemala has been officially extended for another 30 days from March 31st. No word on our current 4 pm to 4AM curfew. Man, I don't know if I can survive another motnh with no work. Not like we get $1200 checks from the gov't down here.

Take it from me, it's overrated.

This "per capita" thing isn't something limited to Trump lovers or Trump haters. The day before yesterday, Trump bragged about testing numbers saying we had done a lot more than South Korea. He's right. But the press jumped over the fact that, per capita, South Korea was still way ahead, and that's probably the biggest factor in why they have fewer cases, per capita or not.

People spin statistics to make their position look better.

Regardless whether we are 1st or 3rd or whose data is more accurate, if the things that are being done now to get the private sector involved in medical supply production had been done at the beginning of February instead of the middle of March, would wouldn't have the highest disease count, no matter how you measure it.

Not to mention Trump is lying about the number of tests we are doing. I think he just makes numbers up.

NPR today: FACT CHECK: Testing Not Meeting Demand Despite Trump's Boasts

"We are testing tremendous numbers of people," Trump said. "We're doing tremendous testing."

The reality is that the availability of testing in the United States lags far behind the demand, with some areas limiting testing to only those sick people whose treatment decisions require knowing whether or not they are infected with the coronavirus.

 

[William Parcher]

I apologize if I mistook sincerity for sarcasm.

What specifically do think the Trump administration is doing wrong that the Hillary Clinton administration would have done correctly?

I don't like politics at all and I don't like to discuss them. I don't like any of the political parties. I avoid reading about politics and don't watch hardly any of it on television.

I'm the wrong person to be asking for any details about politics and certainly not specifics.

I just feel that she would have a low death count doing whatever she would do.

I want Tulsi Gabbard to be the next President because she seems cool and I heard she is for National Parks and wildlife refuges.

But no matter who is President I won't read about them or watch them much. I don't like politics at all.