Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Adam Jensen]

Even if one was rushed through without proper testing, it would be in such short supply that distribution would be limited to the elderly and healthcare workers (and republican politicians of course). Personally I'm going to wait a bit until other countries sign off on it.

Saw one terrifying article saying we might not have global distribution until 2024.

[Breccia]

Saw one terrifying article saying we might not have global distribution until 2024.

I mean, "global distribution" does that mean every single human on Earth? Because 2024 to reach the smallest villages in Asia seems realistic.

The working vaccine(s) will be developed by industrial countries, duh, and distributed amongst themselves soonest. The USA is the safest bet but not the only option.

[Adam Jensen]

I mean, "global distribution" does that mean every single human on Earth? Because 2024 to reach the smallest villages in Asia seems realistic.

The working vaccine(s) will be developed by industrial countries, duh, and distributed amongst themselves soonest. The USA is the safest bet but not the only option.

I think global distribution is more along the lines of, I don't know, having it as readily available as say the MMR or flu vaccines?

I mean obviously some small village in the wilds of Siberia that can only be accessed by a 30 day trek through the woods isn't going to get it in a timely fashion.

[Edge-]

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcar...ce-amid-uproar

And Michael "science is seditious" Caputo is taking a much needed leave of absence from HHS for the next two months. This is good, because he's a dangerous fuckin lunatic who can't even do his job correctly by his own admission. This is also good because hopefully he'll get some mental health treatment while he's taking his leave.

[Benggaul]

Cross-posting this with the GE thread because it fits both.

Rasmussen just released a new poll showing Trump in the lead so expect the usual 5 trolls to pop in for a shitpost crowing about it.

I'm sure Rasmussen will be Trump's favorite pollster again over Gallup until their numbers slip back closer to reality.

[masterhorus8]

Cross-posting this with the GE thread because it fits both.

Rasmussen just released a new poll showing Trump in the lead so expect the usual 5 trolls to pop in for a shitpost crowing about it.

I'm sure Rasmussen will be Trump's favorite pollster again over Gallup until their numbers slip back closer to reality.

I'm curious as to how he's gaining any ground at all.

[Belize]

I'm curious as to how he's gaining any ground at all.

Rasmussen probably changed their methodology again

[Breccia]

I'm curious as to how he's gaining any ground at all.

Trump will gain ground as long as the message moves away from the last four years (or even last four months). Trump has a horrifying record (two hundred thousand Americans dead, broken economy, broken relations, etc) but like any snake-oil salesman he's good at making promises. "The next four years will be better!" is about the only battle cry he has left.

Trump ran in 2016 as some kind of magical genius who knew the most about everything and was somehow still the trodden-upon underdog. In reality, he can't do that twice. He's going to try. It's the Democrats' job to refuse this, by pointing out his objective failures over and over and over.

[masterhorus8]

Trump will gain ground as long as the message moves away from the last four years (or even last four months). Trump has a horrifying record (two hundred thousand Americans dead, broken economy, broken relations, etc) but like any snake-oil salesman he's good at making promises. "The next four years will be better!" is about the only battle cry he has left.

Trump ran in 2016 as some kind of magical genius who knew the most about everything and was somehow still the trodden-upon underdog. In reality, he can't do that twice. He's going to try. It's the Democrats' job to refuse this, by pointing out his objective failures over and over and over.

I'd honestly find @Belize 's reasoning a bit better. The stupid that thought that Trump could actually do anything are the ones already following him. Or am I giving too much credit to the lower half of the average?

[Breccia]

In a less and less common three-for-one special,

1) TheHill has internal emails showing Trump did in fact know the Tulsa rally was a stupid fucking idea that would get people killed and did it anyhow.

2) Twitter takes down yet another Trump video because it was fake. I've lost count, but I'm pretty sure that's "enough that anyone else would get their account blocked"

3) This tweet:

Democrats are “heartless”. They don’t want to give STIMULUS PAYMENTS to people who desperately need the money, and whose fault it was NOT that the plague came in from China. Go for the much higher numbers, Republicans, it all comes back to the USA anyway (one way or another!).

"The fuck is that?"

I'm not sure. Claiming the Democrats don't want to give stimulus payments is flat-out false. They've been clear for months. Trump even refused to negotiate, because their numbers (in particular unemployment) were too high. The China thing makes zero sense -- nobody is suggesting giving stimulus payments to China (yes, people will use the money to buy imported things, I'm talking directly) and as such, yelling CHINA VIRUS CHINA VIRUS CHINA VIRUS is irelevant in context. I haven't the foggiest what "it all comes back to the USA anyhow" means. Does he mean tax payments? Is he suggesting sending money overseas? Did I miss the part where the CARES act somehow didn't give money to Americans? (Except fraud)

But the big take-away is Trump is apparently telling the GOP to go for the larger package. As a reminder, not only did McConnell hide in his shell while Pelosi talked to Trump directly happen, but McConnell also only recently pushed a "skinny bill" which didn't even pass his own Senate. Because it was skinny. Because it was too low. Trump is now demanding McConnell do what even Trump himself didn't do, namely, go for higher numbers. Trump had his chance, Pelosi came with a lower offer, he threw her out by responding with an offer even lower than McConnell's. But McConnell's been hiding, rather than doing his job he's just staying out of the way to let Trump negotiate directly. Trump is now not just blocking that strategy, but also, telling McConnell to spend more money -- the one thing he doesn't want to do. Because even pre-Trump, Republicans don't want to do that.

Trump is throwing the turtle under the bus. I guess he realized his plans weren't working at all, and he needed someone to blame. And he can't blame Pelosi (at least not accurately).

This is how Trump repays loyalty. Never forget this, rabid fanbase. Trump is making his move to blame McConnell next.

[Benggaul]

White House Staff Members Reportedly Test Positive For COVID-19 Less Than 24 Hours After President Donald Trump Visited Philadelphia

This seems to be a recurring theme. Can't imagine why.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — White House staff members have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 less than 24 hours after President Donald Trump visited Philadelphia. Globo News reporter Raquel Krahenbuhl says she was informed of the positive COVID-19 cases Wednesday, but Chief of Staff Mark Meadows says he is not releasing any further information.

“I don’t comment on any health-related issues as it relates to the White House ever,” Meadows told press pool reporters.

President Trump was in Philadelphia Tuesday for a town hall at the National Constitution Center with undecided voters.

It was part of the campaign 2020 and the battle for Pennsylvania. Election Day is just 49 days away.

Mayor Jim Kenney was asked earlier today in a virtual briefing about the presidential visit.

“It’s certainly not something we were looking forward to doing, considering all that we’ve been through in the last number of months but presidents come to cities based on lots of reasons,” Kenney said. “The other thing that’s a little frustrating is it costs us a lot of money and we’re not reimbursed for it and it does have to reorder our police presence in areas where normally they wouldn’t be as heavily needed.”

President Trump’s trip to Center City and the National Constitution Center had all the characteristics of a presidential visit — the touchdown of Air Force One, the massive gridlock in Center City and heavy police presence and security.

What are the odds Trump isn't testing positive because he himself is just a massive spreader? Don't think about that line for too long.

EDIT: Oh! Annnnd he's signed off a Rosh Hashanah White House call by telling American Jews "We love your country".

Because BIDEN is the one with cognitive issues...

[Breccia]

Remember when we had people who were attempting to downplay SARS-CoV-2 by comparing it to the H1N1 outbreak in 2009? Remember when we were told that the estimate was 60k, then 80k? Remember when we had posters making comparisons to the H2N2 and H3N2 flus?

Well, the US just officially tipped over 200k deaths, at least according to worldometers.

Hey! This is an unfair comparison, this is Fake News!

...the COVID-19 outbreak isn't a year old yet. Comparing it to the flu is unfair to the flu.

Speaking of which, we've discussed (didn't we?) Trump's latest health care plan.

"Oh, there's a bill before Congress?"

Um...no.

"Oh, his health care officials have been working on something?"

Um, well they don't know anything about it. But Trump personally said it was all ready to go.

I have it all ready. I have it all ready and it's a much better plan for you and it's a much better plan.

"Um...didn't he say that in June of last year?"

Yes. Yes he did.

Yeah, well, we'll be announcing that in about two months. Maybe less. You're going have the greatest health care that anybody's ever had.

He now says it will be by the end of the month.

"What bill could possibly pass in the five weeks between end of the month, and the election?"

None. Trump appears to have some new executive time order prepared that, like his last on the subject, could do legal things like reduce the penalty for not having insurance down to zero. I suppose he could make an E.O. that says "ACA plans that cost over XXX cause a penalty of Yuge Bigly Fine" and claim that lowered prices, when what it will do is make insurers leave the market until it gets challenged in court. In other words, flip the table and declare himself the winner.

"Wouldn't his health care officials have to be ready to do anything on this topic, which as you've already cited they're not?"

Depends what he does. It could just be "XXX has a big penalty" or "YYY has a zero penalty" to change the existing rules, because again, there's no bill and even if there was it would never be passed in time.

"Okay, but this was all announced yesterday. Surely there's been some follow-through?"

Actually yes, it was brought up at the WH today. McEnemy was asked point-blank what Trump's plan was. She refused to answer.

"It's the best bestiest best plan ever, but there's no details to give to anyone?"

I’m not going to give you a readout of what our health care plan looks like and who’s working on it. If you want to know, come work here at the White House."

"So, Trump says he has this plan, which nobody's allowed to know anything about, and also we don't even know who's involved? Other than, the health care officials who clearly aren't involved?"

Correct.

There are two options.

1) E.O.'s are something Trump can do on a whim, but their effect is limited. Any insurer with more than two policies to rub together can and will challenge anything Trump throws at them to hurt them, flat-out ignore the E.O.'s, and wait until Biden is elected and removes Trump's changes.

2) Or, Trump could propose a bill, like any other American, and say "This is the best bestiest best health care plan, vote on it now before Election Day!" knowing full well it has zero chance of passing. Trying to smear Democrats by voting against his bill will fail, however, because like everything else Trump does it will be poorly thought out. I predict this is the result, and more importantly, I predict this bill is murdered in the Senate because Republicans will say "we can't afford this".

This is just another list of Trump impossible promises with little (or, in this case, no) follow through. Remember the 10% middle class tax cut announced before the 2018 election? Where was that? Where's the Wall? Where's that Nobel Peace Prize? The problem with promising the impossible over and over is at some point even idiots catch on. With no Senators, Reps, or even health care officials in on this, Trump will almost certainly propose "Everyone gets everything free" (and pretend it isn't socialism) thinking it'll make him a yuge bigly hero. Despite waiting 3 years 10 months to produce his plan.

Feel free to bookmark this post and shove it in my face if I'm wrong. I'll be over here, not holding my breath.

[Kaleredar]

White House Staff Members Reportedly Test Positive For COVID-19 Less Than 24 Hours After President Donald Trump Visited Philadelphia

This seems to be a recurring theme. Can't imagine why.



What are the odds Trump isn't testing positive because he himself is just a massive spreader? Don't think about that line for too long.

EDIT: Oh! Annnnd he's signed off a Rosh Hashanah White House call by telling American Jews "We love your country".

Because BIDEN is the one with cognitive issues...

I don’t know, statistically, how trump hasn’t caught COVID at this point.

Now let’s be clear, I don’t wish the disease on anyone, but like... how have so many of his close staffers gotten it and have yet to infect him?

[Ausr]

I don’t know, statistically, how trump hasn’t caught COVID at this point.

Now let’s be clear, I don’t wish the disease on anyone, but like... how have so many of his close staffers gotten it and have yet to infect him?

I truly hope he catches it, suffers, and is just knocked out/dies. I don't care how harsh or insensitive that sounds.

[Edge-]

I don’t know, statistically, how trump hasn’t caught COVID at this point.

Now let’s be clear, I don’t wish the disease on anyone, but like... how have so many of his close staffers gotten it and have yet to infect him?

Because everyone around him is tested daily, and likely multiple times a day, and he interacts with a limited number of people on a daily basis. Everyone testing positive around him are lower/mid level staffers who likely have zero interactions with Trump directly, and even minimal in-person interactions with folks who do meet with Trump.

When you have an army of people working to keep you safe, it's generally pretty easy to stay safe.

[Benggaul]

Because everyone around him is tested daily, and likely multiple times a day, and he interacts with a limited number of people on a daily basis. Everyone testing positive around him are lower/mid level staffers who likely have zero interactions with Trump directly, and even minimal in-person interactions with folks who do meet with Trump.

When you have an army of people working to keep you safe, it's generally pretty easy to stay safe.

Well I imagine he's also saved by spending several hours a day alone in a room watching FOX or out in the open on a golf course.

[Zan15]

Cross-posting this with the GE thread because it fits both.

Rasmussen just released a new poll showing Trump in the lead so expect the usual 5 trolls to pop in for a shitpost crowing about it.

I'm sure Rasmussen will be Trump's favorite pollster again over Gallup until their numbers slip back closer to reality.

Rasmussen probably changed their methodology again

Who could tell you have to pay in order to even see a hint of their methodology and raw data.
No one else charges for this information.

That very thing should have them dropped to an F as a polling outfit



Also Rasmussen had the popular vote wrong and called the EC in favor of Clinton. So if they crow about how great Rasmussen was vs the others...

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Because everyone around him is tested daily, and likely multiple times a day, and he interacts with a limited number of people on a daily basis. Everyone testing positive around him are lower/mid level staffers who likely have zero interactions with Trump directly, and even minimal in-person interactions with folks who do meet with Trump.

When you have an army of people working to keep you safe, it's generally pretty easy to stay safe.

its just like how republicans won't make meaningful gun law changes and fund any real protections while railing against "gun free zones" but they work everyday in the biggest gun free zone in the country with armed guards and personal detachments.

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SNIP

Correct.

There are two options.

1) E.O.'s are something Trump can do on a whim, but their effect is limited. Any insurer with more than two policies to rub together can and will challenge anything Trump throws at them to hurt them, flat-out ignore the E.O.'s, and wait until Biden is elected and removes Trump's changes.

2) Or, Trump could propose a bill, like any other American, and say "This is the best bestiest best health care plan, vote on it now before Election Day!" knowing full well it has zero chance of passing. Trying to smear Democrats by voting against his bill will fail, however, because like everything else Trump does it will be poorly thought out. I predict this is the result, and more importantly, I predict this bill is murdered in the Senate because Republicans will say "we can't afford this".

This is just another list of Trump impossible promises with little (or, in this case, no) follow through. Remember the 10% middle class tax cut announced before the 2018 election? Where was that? Where's the Wall? Where's that Nobel Peace Prize? The problem with promising the impossible over and over is at some point even idiots catch on. With no Senators, Reps, or even health care officials in on this, Trump will almost certainly propose "Everyone gets everything free" (and pretend it isn't socialism) thinking it'll make him a yuge bigly hero. Despite waiting 3 years 10 months to produce his plan.

Feel free to bookmark this post and shove it in my face if I'm wrong. I'll be over here, not holding my breath.

Problem is his E.O. do not override ERISA laws.
So anything he signs, like his Drug E.O.'s this week do not effect 168 million people on private corporate self funded accounts/plans.

At best he can effect Half of Medicare plans since half of them are private plans and VA services. Can try to effect Medicaid but states can over ride and push for exclusions. Even Federal Govt employees are private plans that are not effected by his E.O's

Commercial traditional plans he has a little more power but those are regulated to hell by states already and his moves would be challenged by states rights advocates instantly.

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I don’t know, statistically, how trump hasn’t caught COVID at this point.

Now let’s be clear, I don’t wish the disease on anyone, but like... how have so many of his close staffers gotten it and have yet to infect him?

Well if he really did take hydro...i wouldn't doubt he took some experimental vaccine as well.

He's that stupid

[postman1782]

Rasmussen probably changed their methodology again

If it is anything like their 2012 prediction for a Romney win, it isn't surprising. https://www.rasmussenreports.com/pub..._obama_handily

Claimed Romney was going to win 315 to 223. Complete opposite of what actually happened.

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I truly hope he catches it, suffers, and is just knocked out/dies. I don't care how harsh or insensitive that sounds.

It is called karma, just like some of those that claimed it wasn't real, or that masks don't work, they were crying all the way til they died or recovered with serious permanent health issues now.

[Kaleredar]

I truly hope he catches it, suffers, and is just knocked out/dies. I don't care how harsh or insensitive that sounds.

Fuck that. I don’t want Trump becoming some martyr or gaining some huge swell in voter sympathy because “look how strong he is, he’s doing his best as president while valiantly fighting COVID!”

I want that idiot out of the White House, for sure, but I’d much prefer it come at the hands of the utter rejection of the American people, and while alive so he can sit in the defendant’s seat in a courtroom for the foreseeable future.

[Fugus]

White House Staff Members Reportedly Test Positive For COVID-19 Less Than 24 Hours After President Donald Trump Visited Philadelphia

This seems to be a recurring theme. Can't imagine why.



What are the odds Trump isn't testing positive because he himself is just a massive spreader? Don't think about that line for too long.

EDIT: Oh! Annnnd he's signed off a Rosh Hashanah White House call by telling American Jews "We love your country".

Because BIDEN is the one with cognitive issues...

This is something I would honestly feel would be somewhat karma to have his supporters who ignore reality to cling to him to be hit with reality directly from him ignoring it as well. But then the rational part of me has to remind me that these people would then spread to more intelligent people as well.

Without our luck these people wouldn't win darwin awards, they would just be honorable mentions while they killed others.

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I truly hope he catches it, suffers, and is just knocked out/dies. I don't care how harsh or insensitive that sounds.

Not me, I want him to live to see his crimes brought to light, his legacy crumble, his kids broke and hated around the globe and then spend the next 20 years in prison where he has to eat what they give him and live outside of his ivory tower and forced to live in incarceration with people he called thugs and monsters except now, he is actually with real thugs and monsters.