Three major GOP problems snowballed together to create the most catastrophic decisions in U.S. history, leading to a shutdown of the U.S. economy and lost lives. Republicans in the White House and Congress have been receiving dark foreboding intelligence briefings on the virus since at least mid-January, and rather than taking swift and major action, they lied, downplayed it, and did nothing until it was far too late and the only thing to be done was to shut the nation down, no one knows for how long.
A combination of typical Republican reactions led to where we are: a habit of blowing-off scientific warnings, a focus on not frightening the horses (bulls) on Wall Street to hurt Trump, and a habit of following Trump’s modus operandi from the start of his presidency. They mimicked the lies and downplayed the warnings. But as we have learned, the intelligence left them with no doubt how bad it would be, causing four to dump their stocks, knowing a tsunami was coming.
The Washington Post reports [1]:
“Intelligence agencies ‘have been warning on this since January,’ … “Taken together, the reports and warnings painted an early picture of a virus that showed the characteristics of a globe-encircling pandemic that could require governments to take swift actions to contain it. But despite that constant flow of reporting, Trump continued publicly and privately to play down the threat the virus posed to Americans,”
And of course, the administration is blaming the impeachment proceedings:
President Trump has taken historic, aggressive measures to protect the health, wealth and safety of the American people — and did so, while the media and Democrats chose to only focus on the stupid politics of a sham illegitimate impeachment,” Hogan Gidley said in a statement. “It’s more than disgusting, despicable and disgraceful for cowardly unnamed sources to attempt to rewrite history — it’s a clear threat to this great country.”
Excuse me? You can sooo F-Off Gidley. Name the aggressive actions you took? Do you have one?
They shut down flights direct from China rather early. That is it. That is the sum of their “major actions,” and the impeachment wasn’t a ridiculous hoax, it was scary enough for you people to refuse to have anyone testify. Oh, and …
The warnings from U.S. intelligence agencies increased in volume toward the end of January and into early February.
Gidley? Even in LATE February, AFTER the impeachment, you guys were STILL calling it a “hoax,” the next “Russia Russia Russia,” and a Democratic and media-driven thing. The people re-writing history are in the White House and Congress. What date did Gaetz wear the mask? Because Trump was still saying bullshit at that point, and he’s still lying about it and downplaying it today.
Two days ago Trump said no one could have expected this and if they had had a better warning, they could have done more. They got major major warnings and told major lies throughout while doing virtually nothing.
Did Trump and the Senate approve billions to organize the equipment? Masks, ventilators, etc? Up until about ten days ago, this was all still going to go to five cases, then two or zero, remember?
Disgusting revisionist history about the most catastrophic mistake in U.S. history. Honestly? I don’t think Trump had the I.Q. and awareness to process it all, and no one in Congress was about to cross him.
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Peace, y’all
Jason
[email protected] and on Twitter @MiciakZoom