Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[solinari6]

Here's another doozy I've heard today:

“The Trump administration says the coronavirus vaccine might not be affordable for all Americans.” I’m not saying that the Coronavirus was engineered to kill poor people, but for countries that want to kill poor people, it’s very convenient.

[draynay]

Nobody's ignoring a world health crisis. How could one possibly arrive to such a ridiculous conclusion?

Its just the common cold, it goes away once the weather gets warmer, Mike Pence is in charge.

[Edge-]

Mike Pence is in charge.

I still don't know if it's Mike Pence or Alex Azar that's in charge. Trump says Pence, Azar says Azar.

Unsurprisingly, nobody seems to be effectively communicating in this administration so the result is confusion.

Just another day in the absolute state of paradise.

[DocSavageFan]

Its just the common cold, it goes away once the weather gets warmer, Mike Pence is in charge.

Ah...I get it. You like to make up shit and pretend that it's somehow relevant in the real world. Party on Garth!

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I still don't know if it's Mike Pence or Alex Azar that's in charge. Trump says Pence, Azar says Azar.

Unsurprisingly, nobody seems to be effectively communicating in this administration so the result is confusion.

Just another day in the absolute state of paradise.

Yeah...they couldn't possibly be working together. It's all so confusing! /s

Give me a break.

[D Luniz]

Ah...I get it. You like to make up shit and pretend that it's somehow relevant in the real world. Party on Garth!

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Yeah...they couldn't possibly be working together. It's all so confusing! /s

Give me a break.

you....you know tweets and video are a thing we all can see and link right?

[Edge-]

Yeah...they couldn't possibly be working together. It's all so confusing! /s

Give me a break.

I'm sure they are, but who is in charge? Do you know? That matters, believe it or not.

[Paranoid Android]

Ah...I get it. You like to make up shit and pretend that it's somehow relevant in the real world. Party on Garth!

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Yeah...they couldn't possibly be working together. It's all so confusing! /s

Give me a break.

Trump: Heat will kill coronavirus

Dum, Dum, Dumb!

[Breccia]

These are comments from Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly to Congress.

Never a @Skroe when you need one. Hey, didn't Trump specifically say something about making more ships? I remember it like I'm literally quoting something called "Navy Times" from Nov 2016.

Donald Trump has pledged that he'll lead the biggest U.S. Navy build-up since the Reagan administration, but the details on what's likely to be an expensive and potentially decades-long effort remain to be seen.

Trump vowed to build the 350-ship fleet Republican defense hawks have long sought and reverse decades of fleet contraction which has yielded today's battle force of 272 ships. And while the politics of large increases to the defense budget are dicey in the best of times, Trump sees a naval build-up as part of his agenda to create jobs, according to an October internal Trump campaign memo obtained by Navy Times.

The plan, if enacted, would aim to restore the Navy to a size it hasn’t been since 1998, and would mean tens of thousands of new sailor jobs. So far, it remains unclear what mix of ships the incoming administration wants to build more of, from $10 billion Ford-class carriers or $3 billion Virginia-class attack submarines to $500 million littoral combat ships, and how that fleet composition is connected to a strategic vision.

[cubby]

Ah...I get it. You like to make up shit and pretend that it's somehow relevant in the real world. Party on Garth!

It's entirely possible that throughout your entire tenure here at MMO you've never actually gotten it. But setting that aside, putting Pence in charge of the Coronavirus response is like having my three-year-old start implementing the third North Slope Field. Cute, but not a good idea - and a lot of people are going to die.

Mike Pence and science are diametrically opposed. He once thought and tried to pass legislation that would electrify the gay out of people. Literally.

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Never a @Skroe when you need one. Hey, didn't Trump specifically say something about making more ships? I remember it like I'm literally quoting something called "Navy Times" from Nov 2016.

I think it would be worth reviewing to see if Trump has ever actually spoken a word of truth. The lie column is so long we have to break it down by months in office to even begin to digest it.

[DocSavageFan]

I'm sure they are, but who is in charge? Do you know? That matters, believe it or not.

Pence hasn't replaced Azar....he's working with Azar and supporting his efforts. Pence will ultimately be in charge of our coronavirus response and will report directly to Trump regarding these efforts. Oh my God!

This "I'm so confused!" hysteria is so fucking typical. This has got to be about the millionth time your ilk have 'lit their hair on fire' over complete and utter horseshit. It's getting old....really, really old.

https://www.kmaj.com/news/hhs-secret...ding-response/

Azar’s comments came after CNN reported earlier Wednesday that Trump had privately expressed frustration with his HHS secretary, accusing Azar of not keeping him updated enough.

“I’m going to be putting our Vice President Mike Pence in charge, and Mike will be working with the professionals, doctors and everybody else that’s working,” Trump said during the news conference, adding that Pence will report directly to him.

When asked whether he felt he being replaced, Azar relied, “Not in the least.”

“When this was mentioned to me, I was delighted that I’d get to have the vice president helping me — delighted, absolutely,” he continued.

[Breccia]

Ah...I get it. You like to make up shit and pretend that it's somehow relevant in the real world.

*ahem*

Our Ruling

Limbaugh said the 2019 coronavirus is "the common cold."

Generally speaking, coronaviruses are a family of viruses that produce illnesses ranging from the common cold to more critical diseases such as SARS or MERS.

But the 2019 coronavirus is a novel strain that was unknown before December. It is different and can be much more dangerous than the common cold.

We rate Limbaugh’s statement False.

Oh, and also:

Nothing is easy...[but Xi] will be successful, especially as the weather starts to warm & the virus hopefully becomes weaker, and then gone

-- Trump, Feb 7

Now, the virus that we’re talking about having to do — you know, a lot of people think that goes away in April with the heat — as the heat comes in. Typically, that will go away in April. We’re in great shape though. We have 12 cases — 11 cases, and many of them are in good shape now.

-- Trump, Feb 10

I had a long talk with President Xi — for the people in this room — two nights ago, and he feels very confident. He feels very confident. And he feels that, again, as I mentioned, by April or during the month of April, the heat, generally speaking, kills this kind of virus.

-- Trump, Feb 10

And by the way, the virus. … It looks like by April, you know in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away — I hope that’s true. But we’re doing great in our country. China, I spoke with President Xi, and they’re working very, very hard. And I think it’s going to all work out fine. Rough stuff, I tell you, rough, rough stuff. But I think it’s going to work out good. We only have 11 cases, and they’re all getting better.

-- Trump, Feb 10
Trump was in the USA for that last one, just so we're clear.

None of this was hard to find.

Now, an honest person who said the above, will now admit that it is Trump and Limbaugh that are making shit up, and will condemn them for doing so. I ask you to demonstrate that you are an honest person.

[Edge-]

Pence hasn't replaced Azar....he's working with Azar and supporting his efforts. Pence will ultimately be in charge of our coronavirus response and will report directly to Trump regarding these efforts. Oh my God!

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/26/polit...rce/index.html

Apparently nobody told Alex Azar. He's still under the understanding that he's in charge.

Again, this shit matters. Who is in charge of the response matters. That we are getting mixed message on something as basic as this should be god-damn terrifying.

This "I'm so confused!" hysteria is so fucking typical. This has got to be about the millionth time your ilk have 'lit their hair on fire' over complete and utter horseshit. It's getting old....really, really old.

https://www.kmaj.com/news/hhs-secret...ding-response/

So is Pence working under Azar to support him? Or is Pence in charge of Azar? Again, mixed messages and this shit matters.

[Paranoid Android]

*ahem*

Our Ruling



Oh, and also:


-- Trump, Feb 7


-- Trump, Feb 10


-- Trump, Feb 10


-- Trump, Feb 10
Trump was in the USA for that last one, just so we're clear.

None of this was hard to find.

Now, an honest person who said the above, will now admit that it is Trump and Limbaugh that are making shit up, and will condemn them for doing so. I ask you to demonstrate that you are an honest person.

Yes, but when you stick your head in the sand or more likely up Trump's ass these facts get in the way. Again, this is not even media speculation, it is coming straight from the idiot's mouth.

The cult of Trump.

[DocSavageFan]

Trump: Heat will kill coronavirus

Dum, Dum, Dumb!

It's not uncommon for some viruses to be seasonal and dissipate in warmer months. God forbid that Trump hopes that this particular virus is one of those strains!

Oh my God!!!

What is wrong with you people?

Trump, Feb. 10: “And by the way, the virus. … It looks like by April, you know in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away — I hope that’s true. But we’re doing great in our country. China, I spoke with President Xi, and they’re working very, very hard. And I think it’s going to all work out fine. Rough stuff, I tell you, rough, rough stuff. But I think it’s going to work out good. We only have 11 cases, and they’re all getting better.

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https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/26/polit...rce/index.html

Apparently nobody told Alex Azar. He's still under the understanding that he's in charge.

Again, this shit matters. Who is in charge of the response matters. That we are getting mixed message on something as basic as this should be god-damn terrifying.



So is Pence working under Azar to support him? Or is Pence in charge of Azar? Again, mixed messages and this shit matters.

I'm truly sorry that this is so hard for you to understand.

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*ahem*

<snip>

It's incredibly dishonest for you to omit all the context. But, if it's any consolation, I understand why you did it. Long live the bubble!

[Breccia]

I still don't know if it's Mike Pence or Alex Azar that's in charge. Trump says Pence, Azar says Azar.

It must be very confusing to act on a problem when you don't know who's in charge.

Let me ask the forums this: Robert Redford, the head of SHIELD, is...wait, I misread that. Robert Redfield, the head of the CDC
a) has a doctorate of medicine from Georgetown, and is a virologist.
b) was a military doctor for 20 years and served at Walter Reed
c) co-founded the Institute of Human Virology together with William Shattner to GOD DAMMIT William Blattner specifically to fight and maybe cure HIV, and did so for 30 years
d) was a college professor of infectious diseases
e) was one of the people who found out HIV could be transmitted heterosexually back in the 80's

Now, I disagree with some of his actions (working too closely with industry as head of the CDC, trying to teach abstinence to stop HIV spread, taking a salary almost as big as the President's, etc) but the man is objectively qualified to handle something more lethal and more widespread with military efficiency.

And Azar is his boss.

What does Pence even offer? Okay, Pence ran a state. But if you search for ["indiana" disease outbreaks] you get articles like this one which point out that Pence actually made the HIV outbreak in his own state worse because of his religious beliefs. Just to make that clear, this article is from 2016:

Not only was the nationally publicized HIV crisis in rural Indiana last year preventable, but other U.S. communities are at high risk for nearly identical outbreaks, according to a recently released study from the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.

The study, published last week, also reveals contradictions between what Indiana public health officials think is best for the state and the policies currently in place.

In conclusion, the study found that Scott County's public health crisis — which left 181 people in Southeastern Indiana HIV positive — was caused by a "close network" of residents injecting opioid Opana and sharing needles. It suggests that Indiana and other largely rural states should focus on prevention measures such as more HIV testing, identifying networks of intravenous drug users, increasing access to treatment, considering syringe-exchange programs and education.

Also, technically/legally, I don't think he has all that much actual political power. What does his role offer? "He can ask Trump to do XXX" is not a valid answer, by the way. I can ask Trump to do things.

"Well, Pence can focus on the issue, allowing Trump to do other things."

Based purely on the last week, Trump's tweets suggest he's focusing on this anyhow. Also, is a more important issue happening right now? Trump went to India to sell a few weapons and pose in front of the Taj Majal. Oh, yeah, really needed to clear his plate for that one.

"Hold on, I thought you'd be happy with literally anyone other than anti-vaxxer science-denier idiot Trump in charge. You're complaining about Pence?"

If I needed my appendix out, I wouldn't celebrate with joyful glee that the surgeon wouldn't be the homeless guy on the corner, but instead my auto mechanic. I'd say "Um, doesn't the auto mechanic have a doctor? Isn't that him, over there with Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Downey Jr? Why can't we use him?"

[Draco-Onis]

I still don't know if it's Mike Pence or Alex Azar that's in charge. Trump says Pence, Azar says Azar.

Unsurprisingly, nobody seems to be effectively communicating in this administration so the result is confusion.

Just another day in the absolute state of paradise.

To clear things up Mike Pence's role is to pray the virus away just like gay people, he has shown that he is also an incompetent buffoon.

[Edge-]

BY THE WAY, If Pencei is actually "in charge"...how has he handled similar situations in the past?...apparently "not well"

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/...na/4890988002/

Health officials advocated for clean needle exchanges to slow the spread of infection, but Pence opposed doing so. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pushed for Indiana to remove its ban on such exchanges.

He eventually changed his mind and allowed for it, but only after strong initial opposition.

Then in March 2015, Pence declared a public health emergency for Scott County that allowed for a temporary needle exchange. In May, he signed a bill making it easier for other counties to launch needle exchange program. Later that year Pence announced the formation of the Governor’s Task Force on Drug Enforcement, Treatment and Prevention to combat drug abuse across the state.

According to the 2016 New England Journal of Medicine study, syringe exchange programs are associated with a 56 percent reduction in the risk of HIV infection. A chart shows HIV diagnoses in Scott County began tapering off within months of the emergency syringe program starting.

In 2018, Scott County reported seven new cases of HIV, down from 157 reported in 2015.

And shockingly, the data that said this would work...was right!

But Pence wasn't convinced beforehand -

Pence didn't believe exchanges could help combat drugs.

"I do not enter into this lightly," Pence said of allowing Scott County to establish a needle exchange. "I don't believe effective anti-drug policy involves handing out drug paraphernalia."

He didn't believe the data then, why would he believe data now?

[Molis]

Pence being used as a scapegoat when/if multiple Americans die in 3....2....1....

[Edge-]

Pence being used as a scapegoat when/if multiple Americans die in 3....2....1....

Oh, he's not. If anyone gets blamed, it's Trump for gutting the CDC's ability to respond to these types of crisis and slow-walking the response now.

Because, you know, in April the warm weather will kill it.

[Thepersona]

Oh, he's not. If anyone gets blamed, it's Trump for gutting the CDC's ability to respond to these types of crisis and slow-walking the response now.

Because, you know, in April the warm weather will kill it.

The first case in Latin America was in Brazil, and you know... Brazil isn't known for its blistering cold weather. So i see some holes in that Trumpian logic.

And as a side bonus. We know it's a virus, could be correct to say kill it when it's not technically alive?