Politics Drives Some Too Far With Too Little Thought
By Lisa Rutherford
This week as we are in the home stretch for the November 3rd election I heard an interview with a Trump supporter in the Midwest in one area where COVID cases are particularly troubling. The woman was having a Trump no-mask party at her very large home. When asked why she doesn’t support mask-wearing she said it’s basically just stupid. She gave an example of an experience she had. She’d been eating at a restaurant that required masks except while eating. When she got up to go to the bathroom she had to put her mask on. She joked that the virus must be very smart because it knows when you’re walking to the bathroom and can get you! Now, I’ll cut her some slack and assume she was just joking, but if not did she not stop to think that the mask was required because there might be others in the bathroom she might put at risk? Did she not consider she might have to walk closer to others than is appropriate for social distancing? Did she not think? That’s the big question. Are any of his supporters really thinking?
I guess she was kidding about the “smart” virus because she added that the pandemic is just fake news. Fake news that 9,000,000 Americans have had the disease and nearly 230,000 have died? Really? How can someone who’s obviously so well off be so…well…off?
I seemed clear given her economic situation as evidenced by her home (unless she’s mortgaged to the hilt that is) that she’s probably been one of the beneficiaries of Trump’s 2017 tax law, a good reason to see him stay in office for her and others of her ilk. But to call the illness a hoax when so many people have died, been ill, and many left with lingering health effects is without justification. How can one be so uncaring for others and for our health care workers who are trying to care for others while hoping to save themselves?
All this talk about hoaxes and fake news has led to some truly hateful events. The recent shooting of windows at Utah’s Salt Lake City public health office is one example of something that’s gone too far. In an attempt to get Trump reelected people are going to extremes that show how desperate and lacking in civility this effort has become. Trump’s talk about making America great again is certainly not mirrored in these acts.
With only a few days before this election is over – notwithstanding any court case or other shenanigans that might ensue – people should do some soul searching and remember what’s really important in this country. For those in the upper-income brackets, is keeping your taxes low more important than helping to salve the wounds that currently exist in this nation or helping those who have not benefited from that tax law? Do Trump’s supporters really feel that this nation has been better under his watch? Some say he’s kept us out of wars, but the troop numbers in Afghanistan are nearly where they were when he took office. His “desire” to have troops home by Christmas has not been realized – as is the case with so many of his promises. In fact, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley made it clear in an interview that the withdrawal depends on many factors and he’s not willing to speculate on the time frame. Even if troops were coming home in large numbers, is trading a war half a world away for war in our streets at home a fair trade?
Trump’s willingness to take credit for the economy (about which I wrote) lacks facts to support it. The recent GDP improvement must be weighed against the great losses that preceded it, and the stock market roller coaster due to pandemic fears shows little faith in what Trump has in store for fixing the situation.
As our country faces challenges associated with climate change (another hoax for Trump supporters!) do you really trust that Trump will be the leader to help us steer through this? Having already turned his back on working with other nations, that seems unlikely.
Though Trump conservatives have already been able to stack the court with conservative justices at all levels to help do their bidding what more do they want?
As Veterans Day 2020 nears let’s not forget Trump’s assertions that he’s done so much for our proud veterans. True? No. He likes to point to improved wait times and mental health services, but those improvements began during the Obama/Biden administration. Trump was urged by major veterans’ organizations to keep Bob McDonald on to continue the improvements, which, of course, he did not. Anything smacking of Obama/Biden had to be dismantled. How much of our nation will he be able to dismantle in another four years? Think, people. What does making America great again “really” mean?
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Just before June of 2015 with rumors Donald Trump may run, I thought cool, somebody to challenge Jeb Bush – other than a T party candidate. Subsequently when he did announce that June, I was one of the first supporters in Wa County. CG Rants STG was my forum, and my tag was Kid Rocks Bawitdaba da bang a dang diggy diggy diggy – slogan for months of postings. I WAS ATTACKED all the time. TED CRUZ was the local sweetheart. But slowly but surely Trump gained ground. Oh yes – I use to leave Dallas Hyland some pretty comments herein back then. I had few allies in my support for the Donald. My drive in backing him was based on the fact this guy would throw a wrench into the gears of a political system gone off the rails and turn the tables upside down.
I remember going to the local Republican caucus. I was in the particular one where the voting process went bad. Talk about rigged balloting, (more likely stupidity) we spent half an.hour trying to mend the issue. In the end we had to settle. The minority of Trump voters had left early. I walked away that night thinking the process was political sabotage on behalf of Ted Cruz, who did go on to win the Utah primary,. After that I was even more driven towards support of the Donald against all odds. Yep I was a Trumper –
Well that was not the end it it. The next attack was McMullin. Sorry dude – but I came up with the McMuffin name – perhaps at the same time as others did. But yes the nickname came up off the top of my head the day our ex CIA brother came into the lime light. And to the surprise of all the world, in 2016 Trump won. And back then I am sure Ed and a few other writers at the Independent did not like Fulcanelli – Around that time Dallas Hyland disappeared and went with Gandalf and set sail for the Grey Havens never to be heard from again. I TRULY MISS DALLAS by the way. When he left he created a void that to this day has never been filled in this town. A true journalist.
Now one must ask why the long story? Well as I have elucidated over the last two months or so in sporadic comments, I am not voting for either former VP Biden or President Trump. Will not matter anyway in Utah, but it simply boils down to my core principles. I could vote for Kanye, but protest voting is just self delusional. What I would vote for is campaign finance reform. That has been forgotten these days. GOOD LUCK and PS… Lisa, SARS AND SARS CoV 2 both spread through fecal matter. And toilets spray up every time you flush. This is how SARS 1 first initially spread after a wedding that took place outside of mainland China – through the plumbing system in the apartment building of an attendee. Covid 19 also has the same issue. So that lady you describe in the beginning was just a dumbass. Forgive them for they know not what the do.
And too all the Trump voters – as this town is bursting with political exuberance- remember one word. SENIORS. GOD BLESS THE USA – no matter who wins may there be a clear and decisive winner.