At this point no one is surprised by Donald Trump’s heartless indifference to the tragic loss of nearly 100,000 Americans (so far), not to mention the 1.7 million who have been sickened, some with permanent disabilities. He refuses to acknowledge his direct responsibility for the pain and suffering that has resulted from his negligence, incompetence, and even deliberate malfeasance. And he continually proves that all he cares about is himself.
However, it would a grievous mistake to allow Trump’s loathsome inhumanity to become normalized just because of its frequency. But that’s precisely what Trump hopes will occur. And despite his recent vicious attacks of late, his mouthpieces at State TV (aka Fox News) are stepping up their campaign to achieve that goal.
On Tuesday’s episode of Trump’s favorite morning lie-fest, Fox and Friends, co host Brian Kilmeade took a valiant stab at flagrant Trump-fluffing during a segment discussing the death toll of COVID-19 (coronavirus). Naturally, Kilmeade and the “Curvy Couch” potatoes were determined to downplay the catastrophic human consequences of Trump’s ineptitude. When addressing the magnitude of the pandemic’s destruction, Kilmeade launched into his propaganda spiel (video below):
“We definitely noticed the seriousness when almost 100,000 Americans die, but what I took from Dr. Siegel’s math was 0.3%, not even 3%, 0.3% — we’ve shut down an entire country for 0.3% of those who get it, lose their lives.”
It’s bad enough when Trump and his media sycophants purposefully lie to spread their disinformation, but these remarks are pitifully stupid. Let’s begin with the fact that 100,000 deaths is actually about 6% of the total population of infected persons in the United States (1,700,000). So Kilmeade is only off by 2,000%.
What’s more, Kilmeade’s argument is that, because the death toll is so low (according to his fractured math), the nation shouldn’t be subject to restrictions intended to impede the spread of the coronavirus. He is even suggesting that there should never have been such restrictions in the first place since the risks were so minimal. We’ll set aside for now that Fox News regards 100,000 deaths as trivial. Apparently none of the deceased were members of their families. But he actually believes that the mortality rate would be the same even if there were no restrictions at all from the start.
More to the point, Kilmeade is missing entirely the fact that the death toll is “only” 100,000 precisely because there were tough restrictions on risky behaviors, implemented by state governors in spite of Trump’s opposition. Had that not been the case there would have been many thousands of more fatalities. A recent study by Columbia University found that if the mitigation efforts (social distancing, face masks, etc.) were in place even one week earlier, it would have saved 36,000 lives.
The pressure being applied by Trump and Fox News to “reopen” the economy is, by all accounts, premature and dangerous. Every public health expert, including those on Trump’s Coronavirus Task Force, are warning that a second wave of infections – and subsequent deaths – is almost certain. That’s particularly true if Trump’s call to stand down is followed by everything from businesses to churches to schools to his own upcoming Republican National Convention (that’s having its own problems getting off the ground).
Consequently, any further loss of life will be directly attributable to the Fox News Ministry of Disinformation that is lying to the American people. And Fox will share that dubious “honor” with Trump and the Republican confederacy that continues to enable what he himself called “American Carnage.”
How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.
100,000 deaths is serious, but …
Kilmeade: "We definitely noticed the seriousness when almost 100,000 Americans die, but what I took from Dr. Siegel's math was 0.3%, not even 3%, 0.3% — we've shut down an entire country for 0.3% of those who get it, lose their lives." pic.twitter.com/roBj2sTd3w
— Lis Power (@LisPower1) May 26, 2020
Remember, the GOP has for years excelled at being the moronic mavens of mythematics. If more people are noticing now, it’s only because the numbers are American lives, rather than phony “Democrat deficit dollars.”
If, and it’s a big if, this administration had began preparing (stockpiling masks, gloves, gowns, tests, researching, etc.) for a pandemic from January first, there may never have been the need for a shutdown and found all we had to do was to wear masks and keep a social distance. But no, the pretendent had to politicize the pandemic for more than two months. The shutdown of businesses and people interacting with people was a last ditch effort to try to control an unknown virus.
Meanwhile, Tyrant Donnie finally got a slap on the wrist from Twitter: They have put a fact-checking note on his account — and that’s it.
Twitter explains why it hasn’t suspended Trump’s account
Essentially, you get a bye if you are a world leader. Anyone else, f*ck you.
And THIS is Tyrant Donnie’s response.
Standard operating procedure: if Baby Tyrant doesn’t like what he hears, bring out the nukes.
When Trump interferes with elections, he doesn’t call it that, but the minute anyone tries to inject some truth, or fairness into anything — that, he calls interference.
I call Bullshit on that!
“No, Donald Dipshit! YOU are interfering with 2020 elections ~ in many ways, no doubt ~ but the biggest & most recent STUPID LIES out of your ugly mouth, spoken with your forked tongue, are YOU trying to interfere with mail-in voting for 2020 elections! Because you know that the only FRAUD to be done is by your own Rethuglican Party masters! And it only works if we all must go to the polls & use those voting machines with software coding for “Remote Vote Changing”. One only need understand the words to know that fraud is afoot! Almost all the other cheats your GOP employs require voters actually go to polls on Election Day. (Voter purges are 1 that doesn’t even wait until voting day!) Mail-in ballots are NOT FRAUDULENT AT ALL & THAT is why you fear them so much! And THAT IS THE TRUTH!”
Why shiuld American voters have to risk their lives & that of their loved ones by going to polls to vote, when we can vote safely & securely right at home?! USPS not a party to your fraudulent schemes, so you are willing to destroy them to prevent voting by mail. DISGUSTING! DISTURBING!
ANTI-AMERICAN!
The true enemy comes from within! Cuz’ no matter what party or person ya’ll prefer, the MOST IMPORTANT THING has to be free & fair elections! Otherwise, nothing else matters. There hasn’t been any fraud problems with mail-in voting, despite 5 states using only that method & numerous other voters in USA who vote that way every election, for various reasons.
Mr. Trump’s tweets on the subject are not incorrect…they are flat-out lies!