"The country did not reach this point by accident."

[kpete]

Amanda Terkel
"The country did not reach this point by accident. The right got the diminished government it wanted, led by the diminished president it celebrates and supports. And that is now killing us.” -

How the GOP’s War on Government Paved the Way for Trump’s Deadly Incompetence
His coronavirus response has been a disaster long in the making.
David Corn

...................

On the campaign trail, Trump embraced the right-wing caricature of the federal government as a collection of ineffectual fools who did little more than collect taxes, impose regulations, and hinder American greatness. Trade, health care, the economy—all of this, Trump said, were challenges he could easily take on while delivering spectacular results. Know-how and experience were not needed. Not with a brain like his. Governing was simple.

Trump could only be acceptable to voters who had long been told that government was the problem. He was the antithesis of government experience and expertise. And he made that a selling point and convinced 63 million people to vote for him, as if they were picking a winner on a reality television show. After all, he was amusing and a kick in the ass of the libs who thought credentials and seriousness actually mattered.

Now the joke isn’t too funny. And tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of Americans will die because the GOP’s war on government paved the way for Trump’s incompetence.

Trump entered the White House not taking the job seriously. He fretted over the estimates of the inauguration crowd size, while, out of neglect or with intent, he depopulated the federal government. Key positions across various agencies have gone unfilled throughout his tenure. He hollowed out the State Department. The Department of Homeland Security has had top slots empty for long stretches. As has been noted much in recent days, Trump’s downsizing of the National Security Council included dumping the office of global health. And when he did appoint people, there frequently was little consideration of experience. His acting director of national intelligence has no previous background in intelligence. And if you haven’t seen the recent stories about college seniors snagging important posts in the Trump administration, google away.

..............


https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/03/gop-small-government-trump-coronavirus-incompetence/

Link to tweet

?s=20

[malaise]

1. Earlier this week someone posted Sarah Palin

looking like a clown dancing on some show or the other and I thought - how fucking fitting for the clown show at all ReTHUG levels this week.

Corn nails it as always.

[ibegurpard]

2. Aided and abetted by Republicsns

Every step of the way

[superpatriotman]

3. It's a Death Sport to them

They want us dead.

[uponit7771]

4. K&R, the lack of unfettered testing is what is delaying America's recovery RIGHT NOW

[bigbrother05]

5. He fulfilled the only thing the GOP really care about, packing the Federal Courts

They have been slobbering over appointing activist judges to roll back the calendar on civil rights and corporate governance.

Once in office, Biden should appoint a special task force to investigate all levels of the Judiciary and impeach the outliers.

[crickets]

6. More like this, please. This point needs to be pounded into the public consciousness. nt

[librechik]

7. It's not so much GOP hates government, and they do--They want ALL THE MONEY!!

they resent every dollar spent to help the poor, who they think are worthless and evil. They resent every dollar spent on public education, same reason. Public Health system (which would have mitigated some of the pandemic harm) FORGET IT!! Tax cut for the rich comes first and always as revenuye disappears into deep pockets.

Many many many poor folks will die of corona without treatment. And the rich will die too. Their money, their social connections, their government influence won't protect them from the virus. Sadly, that is the silver lining.

[gratuitous]

8. I agree, and yet . . .

Isn't it odd how touchy and pettish our conservative friends are, in this time of their greatest triumph? Some of them seem to have gotten tired of so much winning as they're hunkering down to wait out the pandemic.