U.S. Constitution
The voice of the people
16 April 2020
Megalomania
Megalomania: A delusional mental illness that is marked by feelings of personal omnipotence and grandeur: Merriam-Webster Dictionary online.
On April 15, 2020, we published a post entitled "A Glossary of Mental Instability" documenting, in our opinion, symptoms of various mental instabilities evident in the speech of Donald Trump. It was far too long and complex for this medium, and we apologize to any visitors who found it inaccessible.
We are therefore going to republish posts dealing with only one or two symptoms per day, beginning here with megalomania, which we believe to be the most pressing.
The original foreword follows, with edits:
I am neither a physician nor a practitioner of psychology. I am an intelligent person with an informed layman's grasp of medicine and psychopathology. I believe I have seen several signs of mental instability, and possibly mental illness, in Donald Trump, the president of the United States.
The material below has been excerpted from the transcript of a presidential Coronavirus press briefing held April 13, 2020. The entire transcript can be read at
https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/donald-trump-coronavirus-press-conference-transcript-april-13.
I have not altered the text in any way that changes its meaning. I have removed elapsed time markings and other non-text material that could impede smooth reading. I have also used yellow text to emphasize clearly delusional thinking. None of the statements in yellow have a Constitutional basis.
Please note some of the terms used: Total power, as in totalitarian; and Absolute Right: A legally enforceable right to take some action or to refrain from acting at the sole discretion of the person having the right (FindLaw online legal dictionary).
--Diogenes, 4/16/20
R=reporter; T=Trump
MEGALOMANIA
R: Mr. President, thank you, sir. . . . my question to you is what provision in the Constitution gives the president the power to open or close state economies?
T: Numerous provisions. We’ll give you a legal brief if you want.
R: The states that have closed, ordered schools closed, it’s been states that have ordered businesses like restaurants and bars and place-
T: That’s because I let that happen, because I would’ve preferred that. I let that happen. But if I wanted to, I could have closed it up. But I let that happen. I like the way they’ve done it.
R: Yes, Mr. President. Following up on that, there are two consortiums of states today, California, Oregon, Washington on the West Coast, Northeastern states, totally representing about a hundred million people, who said they’re going to cooperate and decide when to reopen those states.
T: Well they can decide, but-
R: Does that undermine what you’re trying to do?
T: No, not at all. Let me just tell you very simple. I’m going to put it very simply. The president of the United States has the authority to do what the president has the authority to do, which is very powerful. The president of the United States calls the shots. If we weren’t here for the states, you would have had a problem in this country like you’ve never seen before. We were here to back them up, and we’ve more than backed them up. We did a job that nobody ever thought was possible. It’s a decision for the president of the United States.
Now, with that being said, we’re going to work with the states, because it’s very important. You have local governments. They’re pinpointed. It’s really, you talk about… It’s like a microchip. They’re pinpointed. We have local government that hopefully will do a good job. If they don’t do a good job, I’d step in so fast. But no, they can’t do anything without the approval of the president of the United States.
R: Just to clarify your understanding of your authority vis a vis governors. Just to be very specific. For instance, if a governor issued a stay at home order-
T: When you say my authority, the president’s authority, not mine, because it’s not me. This is when somebody is the President of the United States, the authority is total and that’s the way it’s got to be.
R: It’s total. Your authority is total?
T: It’s total. It’s total-And the governors know that.
R: What does the authority cover?
T: The authority of the President of the United States having to do with the subject we’re talking about is total.
R: Has any governor agreed that you have the authority to decide when their states [crosstalk 01:27:32]?
T: I haven’t asked anybody because-
R: That no one is [crosstalk 01:27:34]-
T: You know why? Because I don’t have to. Go ahead please.
R: But who told you the president has the total authority?
T: Enough. Please.
R: But you said from the standpoint of the constitution.
T: Yes, the constitution.
R: You thought it should be up to the governors.
T: You can look at it constitutionally, you could look at federalism. You can look at it any different way. John, the fact that I don’t want to exert my power is much different. We have the power. You asked does the federal government has the power? The federal government has absolute power. It has the power as to whether or not I’ll use that power. We’ll see.
John, I would rather work with the states, because I like going down to a local government. That’s why, with I guess it’s now seven states, not eight, because South Carolina did. They went away from what we discussed the last time, so that’s why I looked at the individual states. They’re doing a very good job. They’re really doing a very good job. I’d rather have them make the decision. Now, the fact that I’d rather have, that’s fine, but I have the absolute right to do if I want to.
15 April 2020
A Glossary of Mental Instability
I am neither a physician nor a practitioner of psychology. I am an intelligent person with an informed layman's grasp of medicine and psychopathology. I believe I have seen several signs of mental instability, and possibly mental illness, in Donald Trump, the president of the United States.
So many commentators have spoken of Trump's Narcissism that it seems hardly worth mentioning. Still, I believe it to be only a part of Trump's psychopathology.
The material below has been excerpted from the transcript of a presidential Coronavirus press briefing held April 13, 2020. The entire transcript can be read at
https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/donald-trump-coronavirus-press-conference-transcript-april-13.
I have not altered the text. I have removed elapsed time markings and other non-text material that could impede smooth reading. I have also used italic and bold text to emphasize certain phrases, and I have inserted a few explanatory words in brackets.
I have arranged the conditions I believe affect the president alphabetically to avoid any appearance of suggesting any as being of greater or lesser importance.
The final section, "The Rabbit Hole," contains a few examples of the unfiltered babble that frequently escapes the presidential lips.
--Diogenes, 4/15/2020
R=Reporter; T=Trump
BLAME PROJECTION
R: What is the status of the funding for the World Health Organization?
T: We’re going to be talking about that very soon. I’m getting a full report. I’m not happy with the World Health Organization. Not happy with the World Trade Organization either. We’ve been ripped off by everybody. We have, this country, for so many years, has been ripped off by everybody, whether it’s the World Health or World Trade. They’re like, I call them, the Bobbsey Twins. They look at our country, for years and years, we had people that did nothing about it. We’re doing a lot about it. So we’ll have a report and we’ll also, we’re also talking about the World Trade Organization, but we’ve made a lot of progress there. We’re now winning cases for the first time because they know I’ll leave if we don’t get treated fairly.
This country, our country, was at a point where we’ve rarely, if ever, won the lawsuits within the World Trade Organization, but now we’re winning a lot of them because they know I’m not playing games. We will pull out if we have to. We just won a $7 billion lawsuit, which was very nice.
R: [News about] Theodore Roosevelt has died. Have you decided the status of Captain Crozier, the former [crosstalk 00:11:03].
T: Well, that’s going through the Navy as I understand it. The Navy is going to be making decisions on all of that, and they had a break in. I don’t think the ship should have been stopping in Vietnam when you have a pandemic to be honest with you. I don’t think the captain should have been writing letters. He’s not Ernest Hemingway, as I said before, and he shouldn’t have been writing letters. I don’t know who gave the orders to stop in Vietnam, but they stopped in Vietnam, and all of a sudden they get on and now you have over 500 sailors and people on the ship that are affected. I don’t know whose idea that was, but that wasn’t such a good idea in the middle of a pandemic.
T: And what we did last time is unprecedented. We literally rebuild tests. We rebuilt a whole industry because we inherited nothing. What we inherited from the previous administration was totally broken, which somebody should eventually say. Not only were the cupboards bare as I say, but we inherited broken testing. Now we have great testing. I just left the top executives at Abbott. Who would have thought that would have happened where they have such a great test as that?
T: Remember, and you saw the stories, I inherited this administration, Mike [Pence], myself, the whole administration. We inherited a stockpile where the cupboards were bare. There was nothing, and I say it and I’ll say it again, just like we didn’t have ammunition, we didn’t have medical supplies, we didn’t have ventilators, we didn’t have a lot of things that should have been had, and you can read your own stories on that because you know what happened. They didn’t want to spend the money, but we did. To date, we’ve facilitated the supply of more than 38 million N95 masks nationwide. This week we’ll be sending two million N95 masks to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
DENIAL
T: This is reported by CDC, confirmed by the news, which doesn’t mean anything to me, because they don’t tell the truth.
T: And so the story in the New York Times was a total fake. It’s a fake newspaper and they write fake stories. And someday, hopefully in five years when I’m not here, those papers are all going out of business, because nobody’s going to want to read them, but now they like them because they wrote about me.
T: [Following a 4-minute campaign-style video]: I have many clips. I have some clips from Anthony [Fauci] that I didn’t want to put up, which were really good. I think Anthony would be the first one to say when I closed the country to China, the China ban, whatever you want to call it, Anthony said I saved a lot of lives by doing that. I mean, am I correct? I don’t want to put words in Anthony’s mouth, by the way, and I like him. Today I walk in, I hear I’m going to fire him. I’m not firing him. I think he’s a wonderful guy. I retweeted somebody, I don’t know. They said fire, doesn’t matter.
R: Did you notice that when you retweeted it?
T: Yeah, I notice everything.
R: So you retweeted it even though it said time to fire Fauci?
T: Well, no, that’s somebody’s opinion. All that is is a opinion.
R: But you read it, and you elevated it.
T: Well, I was called about that. I said, “I’m not firing.” In fact, if you ask your friends in the public relations office, I was immediately called upon that, and I said, “No, I like him. I think he’s terrific.” Because this was a person’s view. Not everybody’s happy with Anthony. Not everybody’s happy with everybody, but I will tell you, we have done a job the likes of which nobody has ever done. The mobilization, getting of equipment, all of the things we’ve done, nobody’s ever done a job like this. We have 50 governors and territories, by the way, people don’t ever mention that. We have territories.
R: What did you do with that time that you bought? The argument is that you bought yourself some time. You didn’t use it to prepare hospitals. You didn’t use it to ramp up testing. Right now, nearly 20 million people are unemployed.
T: You’re so disgraceful. It’s so disgraceful the way you say that. Let me just, listen. I just went over it.
R: Tens of thousands of Americans are dead. How is this [crosstalk 00:35:57] or this rant supposed to make people feel confident in an unprecedented crisis?
T: I just went over it. Nobody thought we should do it, and when I did it-
R: But what did you do with the time that you bought? The month of February. That video has a gap, the entire month of February.
T: You know what we did? What do you do when you have no case in the whole United States?
R: You had cases in February.
T: Excuse me. You reported it. Zero cases, zero deaths on January 17th-
R: January, February, the entire month of February.
T: I said in January.
R: That video has a complete gap.
T: On January 30th-
R: What did your administration do in February for the time that your travel ban bought you?
T: A lot.
R: What?
T: A lot, and in fact, we’ll give you a list. What we did, in fact, part of it was up there. [Referring to the video.]
R: It wasn’t. Your video had a gap.
T: We did a lot. Look, look, you know you’re a fake. You know that. Your whole network, the way you cover it is fake, and most of you, and not all of you, but the people are wise to you. That’s why you have a lower approval rating than you’ve ever had before times probably three.
R: 20 million people are unemployed. Tens of thousands are dead.
T: And when you asked me that question, let me ask you this, why did Biden apologize? Why did he write a letter of apology?
R: I don’t think anyone in this room cares about why Joe Biden didn’t apologize to you.
T: No, that’s very important. Why did the Democrats think that I acted too quickly? You know why? Because they really thought that I acted too quickly. We have done a great job. . . . The problem is the press doesn’t cover it the way it should be.
LIES (in red)
T: When on January 31st, I instituted the ban, Joe Biden went crazy. He said, “You don’t need the ban.” He didn’t go crazy. He didn’t even know what the hell the ban was, so he didn’t go crazy. But he did say, [crosstalk 00:35:24] he did call me xenophobic, wait a minute, he called me xenophobic. He called me a racist because… He has since apologized and he said I did the right thing.
T: No one who has needed a ventilator has not gotten a ventilator. Think of that. You know, you heard all about ventilators, ventilators, we need ventilators, because they didn’t have them, because the states should’ve had them. No one who has needed a ventilator has not gotten a ventilator. No one who has needed a hospital bed has been denied a hospital bed. That’s not even really our responsibility.
T: And I’ve been asking from the beginning, “Why can’t we sterilize and sanitize these masks?” And it turned out we can, and there was a great company in Ohio. They sent us some great equipment and they’re doing that now, and now we’re going to have more than 33 million N95 masks per week will be cleaned, decontaminated, and it’ll be great. It’s something that frankly, I think people should have thought of a long time ago. [Mask sterilization has been in use since early in the outbreak, but is advised only in situations of shortage. Only three reuses are allowed.]
MEGALOMANIA
R: Mr. President, thank you, sir. In regards to some of your tweets earlier today, and I think it was Steve’s question, my question to you is what provision in the Constitution gives the president the power to open or close state economies?
T: Numerous provisions. We’ll give you a legal brief if you want.
R: We’ll be looking forward to that, sir. But following up, what happens if you say, for instance, we want states to reopen, but California or New York do not open, what would you do then?
T: Well, I think everybody wants to open. I mean, I guess-
R: Sorry, could I just ask one other thing on the-
T: I guess that could happen, but I don’t think that would happen.
R: The states that have closed, ordered schools closed, it’s been states that have ordered businesses like restaurants and bars and place-
T: That’s because I let that happen, because I would’ve preferred that. I let that happen. But if I wanted to, I could have closed it up. But I let that happen. I like the way they’ve done it.
R: Yes, Mr. President. Following up on that, there are two consortiums of states today, California, Oregon, Washington on the West Coast, Northeastern states, totally representing about a hundred million people, who said they’re going to cooperate and decide when to reopen those states.
T: Well they can decide, but-
R: Does that undermine what you’re trying to do?
T: No, not at all. Let me just tell you very simple. I’m going to put it very simply. The president of the United States has the authority to do what the president has the authority to do, which is very powerful. The president of the United States calls the shots. If we weren’t here for the states, you would have had a problem in this country like you’ve never seen before. We were here to back them up, and we’ve more than backed them up. We did a job that nobody ever thought was possible. It’s a decision for the president of the United States.
Now, with that being said, we’re going to work with the states, because it’s very important. You have local governments. They’re pinpointed. It’s really, you talk about… It’s like a microchip. They’re pinpointed. We have local government that hopefully will do a good job. If they don’t do a good job, I’d step in so fast. But no, they can’t do anything without the approval of the president of the United States.
R: So if some States refused to reopen and you ordered them to, the 10th amendment of the constitution says all powers that don’t reside in the president of the Congress reside in the states, how do you overcome that?
T: Well if some states refuse to open, I would like to see that person run for election. They’re going to open. They’re going to all open.
R: Just to clarify your understanding of your authority vis a vis governors. Just to be very specific. For instance, if a governor issued a stay at home order-
T: When you say my authority, the president’s authority, not mine, because it’s not me. This is when somebody is the President of the United States, the authority is total and that’s the way it’s got to be.
R: It’s total. Your authority is total?
T: It’s total. It’s total-And the governors know that.
R: So if a governor-
T: The governors know that. Now you have a couple of bands of-
R: Could you rescind that order?T: You have a couple of bands of Democrat governors, but they will agree to it. They will agree it.
R: What does the authority cover?
T: The authority of the President of the United States having to do with the subject we’re talking about is total.
R: A quick question on something you just said. You said when someone is President of the United States, their authority is total. That is not true. Who told you that?
T: You know what we’re going to do? We’re going to write up papers on this. It’s not going to be necessary because the governors need us one way or the other, because ultimately, it comes with the federal government. That being said, we’re getting along very well with the governors and I feel very certain that there won’t be a problem. Yeah please, go ahead.
R: Has any governor agreed that you have the authority to decide when their states [crosstalk 01:27:32]?
T: I haven’t asked anybody because-
R: That no one is [crosstalk 01:27:34]-
T: You know why? Because I don’t have to. Go ahead please.
R: But who told you the president has the total authority?
T: Enough. Please.
R: One last thing on this question on this question of constitutionality. I’m just wondering what changed your view because-
T: Nothing changed it. I know exactly what you’re going to say. Nothing changed it. The fact that I want to rely on states, or maybe will or have, and the fact that we’ve gotten on, that’s one thing. The fact that I don’t want to use the power is another thing. Look-
R: But you said from the standpoint of the constitution.
T: Yes, the constitution.
R: You thought it should be up to the governors.
T: You can look at it constitutionally, you could look at federalism. You can look at it any different way. John, the fact that I don’t want to exert my power is much different. We have the power. You asked does the federal government has the power? The federal government has absolute power. It has the power as to whether or not I’ll use that power. We’ll see.
John, I would rather work with the states, because I like going down to a local government. That’s why, with I guess it’s now seven states, not eight, because South Carolina did. They went away from what we discussed the last time, so that’s why I looked at the individual states. They’re doing a very good job. They’re really doing a very good job. I’d rather have them make the decision. Now, the fact that I’d rather have, that’s fine, but I have the absolute right to do if I want to. I may not want to. We have a very good relationship now. We’ll see what happens. If you notice the few states you’re talking about, they’re all with democrat governors, but if governors are doing a good job and they control it better, because you don’t have somebody in Washington saying, “Set up a testing site in the parking lot of a Walmart.” We’re in Washington, and they’re in a state that’s very far away.
NARCISSISM
T: So we have this massive country, the United States of America. We have the greatest economy in the world. Bigger than China’s by a lot, right? Because of what we’ve done over the last three and a half years, prior to the virus, but including the virus. So we have the biggest economy, the greatest economy we’ve ever had, the highest employment numbers, the best employment numbers, best unemployment numbers, also, the best of everything.
T: But CDC reported, January 31st not one person has died. And I issued a travel restriction from China. Think of it. So nobody died. And I issued, you can’t get earlier than that. So we have, nobody died. And I said, “China, you can’t come in. I’m sorry”, because I saw what was going on. Wasn’t so much what I was told, it was that I saw what was going on and I didn’t like it. But I didn’t speak to Tony about, didn’t speak to very many people about it. I didn’t like it. So what did I do?
T: I said, “How was it?” He said, “It’s a 10.” He used one of my expressions actually, but he said it was a 10.
T: That [campaign-style video] was done by a group in the office, and it was done just by… we just put some clips together. I’ll bet you I have over a hundred more clips even better than them. They were just pieced together over the last two hours. That was just… Oh, we have far better than that. That’s nothing compared to some of them.
R: This was produced here in the White House by-
T: Yeah, this was done by Dan [Scavino] and a group of people, and they just put it together in a period of probably less than two hours.
R: Why’d you feel a need to do that?
T: Because we’re getting fake news, and I like to have it corrected. They’re saying what a great job we’re doing, these are the governors of California, governor of New Jersey, governor of New York.
PARANOIA
T: Brutalized by the press, but I’ve been brutalized for the last four years. I used to do well before I decided to run for politics, but I guess I’m doing okay, because to the best of my knowledge, I’m the president of the United States despite the things that are said.
R: But just to be clear, this [video] was produced by government employees, by people here at the White House, this campaign-style video here?
T: I wouldn’t use the word produced. All they did was took some clips, and they just ran them for you. And the reason they did is to keep you honest. Now, I don’t think that’s going to work. It’s not going to have any impact, but just think of it.
THE RABBIT HOLE
T: So we just want to say warmest condolences and we’re with you all the way. It’s a tough deal. That was a bad, bad level five. That was a bad group. That’s as high as it gets. It was a bad grouping of tornadoes, something that’s something incredible, the power, the horrible, destructive power.
R: From China, why are there no consequences for China for the misinformation that they shared-
T: How do you know that there are no consequences?
R: Well, you’ve been asked and it appears that they’re weren’t-
T: How do you know that there are no consequences?
R: What are the consequences Mr. President of the misinformation-
T: I wouldn’t tell you. China will find out. Why would I tell you?
R: But people are concerned that they stone-walled [crosstalk 01:30:35]-
T: No, you started off by saying why are there no consequences?
R: But you’ve been asked this a few times, [inaudible 01:30:39]. Why are there no consequences for China?
T: How do you know that there are no consequences?
R: Because we’ve asked you and said-
T: You’re going to find out.
R: You’ve said [crosstalk 01:30:45].
T: I wouldn’t tell you. You’d probably be the last person on earth I’d tell.
R: So you’re saying there was no consequences?
T: See, I don’t want to tell you now, but right now we have a very strong indication that we know pretty much we have some good ideas. I also want to have … We’ll have video conference or at least a conference call with a lot of very good people having to do with certain fields, whether it’s energy or whether it’s entertainment and restaurants, et cetera, et cetera.
T: You looked at the charts, and the charts are, and the models from early on predictions were 100 and 120,000 people look like if they did well, they were going to unfortunately perish. And we’re going to be hopefully way, way below that number. So that will be a sign of people doing things right, but it’s still just a horrible thing all over the world, 184 countries. This is attribute the wonderful healthcare advisors and experts who have been with us right from the beginning. We appreciate it so much.
So many commentators have spoken of Trump's Narcissism that it seems hardly worth mentioning. Still, I believe it to be only a part of Trump's psychopathology.
The material below has been excerpted from the transcript of a presidential Coronavirus press briefing held April 13, 2020. The entire transcript can be read at
https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/donald-trump-coronavirus-press-conference-transcript-april-13.
I have not altered the text. I have removed elapsed time markings and other non-text material that could impede smooth reading. I have also used italic and bold text to emphasize certain phrases, and I have inserted a few explanatory words in brackets.
I have arranged the conditions I believe affect the president alphabetically to avoid any appearance of suggesting any as being of greater or lesser importance.
The final section, "The Rabbit Hole," contains a few examples of the unfiltered babble that frequently escapes the presidential lips.
--Diogenes, 4/15/2020
R=Reporter; T=Trump
BLAME PROJECTION
R: What is the status of the funding for the World Health Organization?
T: We’re going to be talking about that very soon. I’m getting a full report. I’m not happy with the World Health Organization. Not happy with the World Trade Organization either. We’ve been ripped off by everybody. We have, this country, for so many years, has been ripped off by everybody, whether it’s the World Health or World Trade. They’re like, I call them, the Bobbsey Twins. They look at our country, for years and years, we had people that did nothing about it. We’re doing a lot about it. So we’ll have a report and we’ll also, we’re also talking about the World Trade Organization, but we’ve made a lot of progress there. We’re now winning cases for the first time because they know I’ll leave if we don’t get treated fairly.
This country, our country, was at a point where we’ve rarely, if ever, won the lawsuits within the World Trade Organization, but now we’re winning a lot of them because they know I’m not playing games. We will pull out if we have to. We just won a $7 billion lawsuit, which was very nice.
R: [News about] Theodore Roosevelt has died. Have you decided the status of Captain Crozier, the former [crosstalk 00:11:03].
T: Well, that’s going through the Navy as I understand it. The Navy is going to be making decisions on all of that, and they had a break in. I don’t think the ship should have been stopping in Vietnam when you have a pandemic to be honest with you. I don’t think the captain should have been writing letters. He’s not Ernest Hemingway, as I said before, and he shouldn’t have been writing letters. I don’t know who gave the orders to stop in Vietnam, but they stopped in Vietnam, and all of a sudden they get on and now you have over 500 sailors and people on the ship that are affected. I don’t know whose idea that was, but that wasn’t such a good idea in the middle of a pandemic.
T: And what we did last time is unprecedented. We literally rebuild tests. We rebuilt a whole industry because we inherited nothing. What we inherited from the previous administration was totally broken, which somebody should eventually say. Not only were the cupboards bare as I say, but we inherited broken testing. Now we have great testing. I just left the top executives at Abbott. Who would have thought that would have happened where they have such a great test as that?
T: Remember, and you saw the stories, I inherited this administration, Mike [Pence], myself, the whole administration. We inherited a stockpile where the cupboards were bare. There was nothing, and I say it and I’ll say it again, just like we didn’t have ammunition, we didn’t have medical supplies, we didn’t have ventilators, we didn’t have a lot of things that should have been had, and you can read your own stories on that because you know what happened. They didn’t want to spend the money, but we did. To date, we’ve facilitated the supply of more than 38 million N95 masks nationwide. This week we’ll be sending two million N95 masks to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
DENIAL
T: This is reported by CDC, confirmed by the news, which doesn’t mean anything to me, because they don’t tell the truth.
T: And so the story in the New York Times was a total fake. It’s a fake newspaper and they write fake stories. And someday, hopefully in five years when I’m not here, those papers are all going out of business, because nobody’s going to want to read them, but now they like them because they wrote about me.
T: [Following a 4-minute campaign-style video]: I have many clips. I have some clips from Anthony [Fauci] that I didn’t want to put up, which were really good. I think Anthony would be the first one to say when I closed the country to China, the China ban, whatever you want to call it, Anthony said I saved a lot of lives by doing that. I mean, am I correct? I don’t want to put words in Anthony’s mouth, by the way, and I like him. Today I walk in, I hear I’m going to fire him. I’m not firing him. I think he’s a wonderful guy. I retweeted somebody, I don’t know. They said fire, doesn’t matter.
R: Did you notice that when you retweeted it?
T: Yeah, I notice everything.
R: So you retweeted it even though it said time to fire Fauci?
T: Well, no, that’s somebody’s opinion. All that is is a opinion.
R: But you read it, and you elevated it.
T: Well, I was called about that. I said, “I’m not firing.” In fact, if you ask your friends in the public relations office, I was immediately called upon that, and I said, “No, I like him. I think he’s terrific.” Because this was a person’s view. Not everybody’s happy with Anthony. Not everybody’s happy with everybody, but I will tell you, we have done a job the likes of which nobody has ever done. The mobilization, getting of equipment, all of the things we’ve done, nobody’s ever done a job like this. We have 50 governors and territories, by the way, people don’t ever mention that. We have territories.
R: What did you do with that time that you bought? The argument is that you bought yourself some time. You didn’t use it to prepare hospitals. You didn’t use it to ramp up testing. Right now, nearly 20 million people are unemployed.
T: You’re so disgraceful. It’s so disgraceful the way you say that. Let me just, listen. I just went over it.
R: Tens of thousands of Americans are dead. How is this [crosstalk 00:35:57] or this rant supposed to make people feel confident in an unprecedented crisis?
T: I just went over it. Nobody thought we should do it, and when I did it-
R: But what did you do with the time that you bought? The month of February. That video has a gap, the entire month of February.
T: You know what we did? What do you do when you have no case in the whole United States?
R: You had cases in February.
T: Excuse me. You reported it. Zero cases, zero deaths on January 17th-
R: January, February, the entire month of February.
T: I said in January.
R: That video has a complete gap.
T: On January 30th-
R: What did your administration do in February for the time that your travel ban bought you?
T: A lot.
R: What?
T: A lot, and in fact, we’ll give you a list. What we did, in fact, part of it was up there. [Referring to the video.]
R: It wasn’t. Your video had a gap.
T: We did a lot. Look, look, you know you’re a fake. You know that. Your whole network, the way you cover it is fake, and most of you, and not all of you, but the people are wise to you. That’s why you have a lower approval rating than you’ve ever had before times probably three.
R: 20 million people are unemployed. Tens of thousands are dead.
T: And when you asked me that question, let me ask you this, why did Biden apologize? Why did he write a letter of apology?
R: I don’t think anyone in this room cares about why Joe Biden didn’t apologize to you.
T: No, that’s very important. Why did the Democrats think that I acted too quickly? You know why? Because they really thought that I acted too quickly. We have done a great job. . . . The problem is the press doesn’t cover it the way it should be.
LIES (in red)
T: When on January 31st, I instituted the ban, Joe Biden went crazy. He said, “You don’t need the ban.” He didn’t go crazy. He didn’t even know what the hell the ban was, so he didn’t go crazy. But he did say, [crosstalk 00:35:24] he did call me xenophobic, wait a minute, he called me xenophobic. He called me a racist because… He has since apologized and he said I did the right thing.
T: No one who has needed a ventilator has not gotten a ventilator. Think of that. You know, you heard all about ventilators, ventilators, we need ventilators, because they didn’t have them, because the states should’ve had them. No one who has needed a ventilator has not gotten a ventilator. No one who has needed a hospital bed has been denied a hospital bed. That’s not even really our responsibility.
T: And I’ve been asking from the beginning, “Why can’t we sterilize and sanitize these masks?” And it turned out we can, and there was a great company in Ohio. They sent us some great equipment and they’re doing that now, and now we’re going to have more than 33 million N95 masks per week will be cleaned, decontaminated, and it’ll be great. It’s something that frankly, I think people should have thought of a long time ago. [Mask sterilization has been in use since early in the outbreak, but is advised only in situations of shortage. Only three reuses are allowed.]
MEGALOMANIA
R: Mr. President, thank you, sir. In regards to some of your tweets earlier today, and I think it was Steve’s question, my question to you is what provision in the Constitution gives the president the power to open or close state economies?
T: Numerous provisions. We’ll give you a legal brief if you want.
R: We’ll be looking forward to that, sir. But following up, what happens if you say, for instance, we want states to reopen, but California or New York do not open, what would you do then?
T: Well, I think everybody wants to open. I mean, I guess-
R: Sorry, could I just ask one other thing on the-
T: I guess that could happen, but I don’t think that would happen.
R: The states that have closed, ordered schools closed, it’s been states that have ordered businesses like restaurants and bars and place-
T: That’s because I let that happen, because I would’ve preferred that. I let that happen. But if I wanted to, I could have closed it up. But I let that happen. I like the way they’ve done it.
R: Yes, Mr. President. Following up on that, there are two consortiums of states today, California, Oregon, Washington on the West Coast, Northeastern states, totally representing about a hundred million people, who said they’re going to cooperate and decide when to reopen those states.
T: Well they can decide, but-
R: Does that undermine what you’re trying to do?
T: No, not at all. Let me just tell you very simple. I’m going to put it very simply. The president of the United States has the authority to do what the president has the authority to do, which is very powerful. The president of the United States calls the shots. If we weren’t here for the states, you would have had a problem in this country like you’ve never seen before. We were here to back them up, and we’ve more than backed them up. We did a job that nobody ever thought was possible. It’s a decision for the president of the United States.
Now, with that being said, we’re going to work with the states, because it’s very important. You have local governments. They’re pinpointed. It’s really, you talk about… It’s like a microchip. They’re pinpointed. We have local government that hopefully will do a good job. If they don’t do a good job, I’d step in so fast. But no, they can’t do anything without the approval of the president of the United States.
R: So if some States refused to reopen and you ordered them to, the 10th amendment of the constitution says all powers that don’t reside in the president of the Congress reside in the states, how do you overcome that?
T: Well if some states refuse to open, I would like to see that person run for election. They’re going to open. They’re going to all open.
R: Just to clarify your understanding of your authority vis a vis governors. Just to be very specific. For instance, if a governor issued a stay at home order-
T: When you say my authority, the president’s authority, not mine, because it’s not me. This is when somebody is the President of the United States, the authority is total and that’s the way it’s got to be.
R: It’s total. Your authority is total?
T: It’s total. It’s total-And the governors know that.
R: So if a governor-
T: The governors know that. Now you have a couple of bands of-
R: Could you rescind that order?T: You have a couple of bands of Democrat governors, but they will agree to it. They will agree it.
R: What does the authority cover?
T: The authority of the President of the United States having to do with the subject we’re talking about is total.
R: A quick question on something you just said. You said when someone is President of the United States, their authority is total. That is not true. Who told you that?
T: You know what we’re going to do? We’re going to write up papers on this. It’s not going to be necessary because the governors need us one way or the other, because ultimately, it comes with the federal government. That being said, we’re getting along very well with the governors and I feel very certain that there won’t be a problem. Yeah please, go ahead.
R: Has any governor agreed that you have the authority to decide when their states [crosstalk 01:27:32]?
T: I haven’t asked anybody because-
R: That no one is [crosstalk 01:27:34]-
T: You know why? Because I don’t have to. Go ahead please.
R: But who told you the president has the total authority?
T: Enough. Please.
R: One last thing on this question on this question of constitutionality. I’m just wondering what changed your view because-
T: Nothing changed it. I know exactly what you’re going to say. Nothing changed it. The fact that I want to rely on states, or maybe will or have, and the fact that we’ve gotten on, that’s one thing. The fact that I don’t want to use the power is another thing. Look-
R: But you said from the standpoint of the constitution.
T: Yes, the constitution.
R: You thought it should be up to the governors.
T: You can look at it constitutionally, you could look at federalism. You can look at it any different way. John, the fact that I don’t want to exert my power is much different. We have the power. You asked does the federal government has the power? The federal government has absolute power. It has the power as to whether or not I’ll use that power. We’ll see.
John, I would rather work with the states, because I like going down to a local government. That’s why, with I guess it’s now seven states, not eight, because South Carolina did. They went away from what we discussed the last time, so that’s why I looked at the individual states. They’re doing a very good job. They’re really doing a very good job. I’d rather have them make the decision. Now, the fact that I’d rather have, that’s fine, but I have the absolute right to do if I want to. I may not want to. We have a very good relationship now. We’ll see what happens. If you notice the few states you’re talking about, they’re all with democrat governors, but if governors are doing a good job and they control it better, because you don’t have somebody in Washington saying, “Set up a testing site in the parking lot of a Walmart.” We’re in Washington, and they’re in a state that’s very far away.
NARCISSISM
T: So we have this massive country, the United States of America. We have the greatest economy in the world. Bigger than China’s by a lot, right? Because of what we’ve done over the last three and a half years, prior to the virus, but including the virus. So we have the biggest economy, the greatest economy we’ve ever had, the highest employment numbers, the best employment numbers, best unemployment numbers, also, the best of everything.
T: But CDC reported, January 31st not one person has died. And I issued a travel restriction from China. Think of it. So nobody died. And I issued, you can’t get earlier than that. So we have, nobody died. And I said, “China, you can’t come in. I’m sorry”, because I saw what was going on. Wasn’t so much what I was told, it was that I saw what was going on and I didn’t like it. But I didn’t speak to Tony about, didn’t speak to very many people about it. I didn’t like it. So what did I do?
T: I said, “How was it?” He said, “It’s a 10.” He used one of my expressions actually, but he said it was a 10.
T: That [campaign-style video] was done by a group in the office, and it was done just by… we just put some clips together. I’ll bet you I have over a hundred more clips even better than them. They were just pieced together over the last two hours. That was just… Oh, we have far better than that. That’s nothing compared to some of them.
R: This was produced here in the White House by-
T: Yeah, this was done by Dan [Scavino] and a group of people, and they just put it together in a period of probably less than two hours.
R: Why’d you feel a need to do that?
T: Because we’re getting fake news, and I like to have it corrected. They’re saying what a great job we’re doing, these are the governors of California, governor of New Jersey, governor of New York.
PARANOIA
T: Brutalized by the press, but I’ve been brutalized for the last four years. I used to do well before I decided to run for politics, but I guess I’m doing okay, because to the best of my knowledge, I’m the president of the United States despite the things that are said.
R: But just to be clear, this [video] was produced by government employees, by people here at the White House, this campaign-style video here?
T: I wouldn’t use the word produced. All they did was took some clips, and they just ran them for you. And the reason they did is to keep you honest. Now, I don’t think that’s going to work. It’s not going to have any impact, but just think of it.
THE RABBIT HOLE
T: So we just want to say warmest condolences and we’re with you all the way. It’s a tough deal. That was a bad, bad level five. That was a bad group. That’s as high as it gets. It was a bad grouping of tornadoes, something that’s something incredible, the power, the horrible, destructive power.
R: From China, why are there no consequences for China for the misinformation that they shared-
T: How do you know that there are no consequences?
R: Well, you’ve been asked and it appears that they’re weren’t-
T: How do you know that there are no consequences?
R: What are the consequences Mr. President of the misinformation-
T: I wouldn’t tell you. China will find out. Why would I tell you?
R: But people are concerned that they stone-walled [crosstalk 01:30:35]-
T: No, you started off by saying why are there no consequences?
R: But you’ve been asked this a few times, [inaudible 01:30:39]. Why are there no consequences for China?
T: How do you know that there are no consequences?
R: Because we’ve asked you and said-
T: You’re going to find out.
R: You’ve said [crosstalk 01:30:45].
T: I wouldn’t tell you. You’d probably be the last person on earth I’d tell.
R: So you’re saying there was no consequences?
T: See, I don’t want to tell you now, but right now we have a very strong indication that we know pretty much we have some good ideas. I also want to have … We’ll have video conference or at least a conference call with a lot of very good people having to do with certain fields, whether it’s energy or whether it’s entertainment and restaurants, et cetera, et cetera.
T: You looked at the charts, and the charts are, and the models from early on predictions were 100 and 120,000 people look like if they did well, they were going to unfortunately perish. And we’re going to be hopefully way, way below that number. So that will be a sign of people doing things right, but it’s still just a horrible thing all over the world, 184 countries. This is attribute the wonderful healthcare advisors and experts who have been with us right from the beginning. We appreciate it so much.
13 April 2020
On solipsism
Solipsism is "The belief that only oneself and one's experience exists."
That sentence from the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy captures the gist of solipsism, but barely scratches the surface of an exceedingly complex subject. Nonetheless, with apologies to true philosophers, I'm going to discuss it using only that brief description as a basis.
A great many commentators have discussed narcissism as a major trait of the Great Pretender. Rather than cite any I simply suggest you search "Trump narcissism." You will see that "many commentators" is not an overstatement.
Narcissistic he certainly is, but to such an extreme degree that specialists should be asking what underlies it. I have been of the opinion for some time that Donald Trump is afflicted with a pathological form of solipsism.
Consider his behavior:
"We have a tremendous energy business with hundreds of thousands of jobs. We’re doing great. Number one in the world. So they all got together and they said we’re going to cut it because we have to get rid of this tremendous supply. Now the good news is gasoline prices, I’m seeing 90 cents, 85 cents in different parts of the country, a gallon. Nobody’s ever seen that. I guess you have to go back to the 1950s for that. The big large dollar bills. Remember? You don’t remember, you’re too young. But the fact that you have to go back a long ways to see it."*
There is no direct answer about oil reduction strategy there at all. Because solipsists listen only to their own thoughts, they are limited in the kinds of things they can say and how they say them.
That is all I, a layman, will say about Trump and solipsism. I urge those with knowledge and wisdom greater than mine to investigate the hypothesis.
--Diogenes
*https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/donald-trump-coronavirus-task force press-conference-transcript-april-10
**https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/
That sentence from the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy captures the gist of solipsism, but barely scratches the surface of an exceedingly complex subject. Nonetheless, with apologies to true philosophers, I'm going to discuss it using only that brief description as a basis.
A great many commentators have discussed narcissism as a major trait of the Great Pretender. Rather than cite any I simply suggest you search "Trump narcissism." You will see that "many commentators" is not an overstatement.
Narcissistic he certainly is, but to such an extreme degree that specialists should be asking what underlies it. I have been of the opinion for some time that Donald Trump is afflicted with a pathological form of solipsism.
Consider his behavior:
- He cannot endure difference of opinion, so he has fitted most major administrative offices with a revolving door. Solipsism does not recognize or even admit the existence of the thoughts of others, so when a contrary thought comes his way, out goes the offending person.
- He seemingly has no control of his vocal responses. He answers questions with a flood of words, repeated phrases and unrelated comments in strings of words that are impossible to parse intelligibly. Here's a recent response to a question about reducing oil production:
"We have a tremendous energy business with hundreds of thousands of jobs. We’re doing great. Number one in the world. So they all got together and they said we’re going to cut it because we have to get rid of this tremendous supply. Now the good news is gasoline prices, I’m seeing 90 cents, 85 cents in different parts of the country, a gallon. Nobody’s ever seen that. I guess you have to go back to the 1950s for that. The big large dollar bills. Remember? You don’t remember, you’re too young. But the fact that you have to go back a long ways to see it."*
There is no direct answer about oil reduction strategy there at all. Because solipsists listen only to their own thoughts, they are limited in the kinds of things they can say and how they say them.
- He lies. Throughout the press conference cited above he repeated several times that COVID-19 case numbers were declining. In point of fact, on the day he spoke the number of new cases in the U. S. reached 33,752, the second-highest number since the pandemic began**
That is all I, a layman, will say about Trump and solipsism. I urge those with knowledge and wisdom greater than mine to investigate the hypothesis.
--Diogenes
*https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/donald-trump-coronavirus-task force press-conference-transcript-april-10
**https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/
11 April 2020
Easter
Tomorrow is Easter, the day the Great Pretender vowed to make great again by "opening" America. That absurd goal was announced on national television on March 24, just 19 days ago. From that date to April 10 the number of new cases worldwide more than doubled, growing from 39,792 to 85,054 daily.*
During the week leading up to Easter, which most Christians call Holy Week, the number of new cases in the United States has grown by an estimated average of 30,821 per day, reaching a total number of 502,876 cases on April 11.** Not a propitious time to be exposing thousands more Americans to the virus.
The closure of houses of worship has understandably been controversial. We are guaranteed the right of free worship by the Constitution, and it is not something easily interrupted.
It must be noted that not all churches in all states are closed. Where closures have been declared, not all have been by government fiat. In the case of larger denominations the decision has been made by their governing body, and is therefore more likely to be respected by their parishioners than any order from a temporal governing power.
There has been a groundswell of pressure in some areas to open churches for Easter, and we understand that. Going to church on Sunday, and celebrating the great holy days in company with fellow believers has been a lifelong ritual for many of us. Yet even for the most devout, bricks and mortar and crowds, even clergy, are unnecessary: "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."***
True believers in Jesus understand and believe this: that they themselves are the church, and wherever just a few of them get together, be it in a forest or barn or living room, there Jesus is also.
The demands of some clergy to open churches indicate that they either do not know or do not understand Scripture. Or they don't care. Opening churches in the face of disease would be a vanity: a worldly desire to be seen as a leader and a person in touch with God.
The Latin word pastor means shepherd. Many Christian denominations use the term pastor for their clergy because those people are supposed to lead, guide, protect, and shelter us, and to provide us with (spiritual) sustenance.
We have seen a number of claims from clergy that worshipers who attend their church on Easter will be in some way divinely protected from, or even cured of, COVID-19.
Anyone who claims to hear, to understand, or to act directly on the word of God is delusional, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord."****
Those who make these claims are not pastors. They are tempters, liars, deceivers and frauds, and they are flouting the third Commandment. If any one such succeeds in gathering people to them on Easter, and if any one of that congregation sickens or dies from COVID-19 as a result, they should have serious criminal charges brought against them.
So find a pleasant place where your family and maybe a few friends can join you, and have a safe, joyous, and blessed Easter,
-- Diogenes
*Statista: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1103046/new-coronavirus-covid19-cases-number-worldwide-by-day/
**Evaluate: https://www.evaluate.com/covid-19-daily-update
***Matthew 18:20, KJV
****Isaiah 55:8, KJV
During the week leading up to Easter, which most Christians call Holy Week, the number of new cases in the United States has grown by an estimated average of 30,821 per day, reaching a total number of 502,876 cases on April 11.** Not a propitious time to be exposing thousands more Americans to the virus.
The closure of houses of worship has understandably been controversial. We are guaranteed the right of free worship by the Constitution, and it is not something easily interrupted.
It must be noted that not all churches in all states are closed. Where closures have been declared, not all have been by government fiat. In the case of larger denominations the decision has been made by their governing body, and is therefore more likely to be respected by their parishioners than any order from a temporal governing power.
There has been a groundswell of pressure in some areas to open churches for Easter, and we understand that. Going to church on Sunday, and celebrating the great holy days in company with fellow believers has been a lifelong ritual for many of us. Yet even for the most devout, bricks and mortar and crowds, even clergy, are unnecessary: "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."***
True believers in Jesus understand and believe this: that they themselves are the church, and wherever just a few of them get together, be it in a forest or barn or living room, there Jesus is also.
The demands of some clergy to open churches indicate that they either do not know or do not understand Scripture. Or they don't care. Opening churches in the face of disease would be a vanity: a worldly desire to be seen as a leader and a person in touch with God.
The Latin word pastor means shepherd. Many Christian denominations use the term pastor for their clergy because those people are supposed to lead, guide, protect, and shelter us, and to provide us with (spiritual) sustenance.
We have seen a number of claims from clergy that worshipers who attend their church on Easter will be in some way divinely protected from, or even cured of, COVID-19.
Anyone who claims to hear, to understand, or to act directly on the word of God is delusional, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord."****
Those who make these claims are not pastors. They are tempters, liars, deceivers and frauds, and they are flouting the third Commandment. If any one such succeeds in gathering people to them on Easter, and if any one of that congregation sickens or dies from COVID-19 as a result, they should have serious criminal charges brought against them.
So find a pleasant place where your family and maybe a few friends can join you, and have a safe, joyous, and blessed Easter,
-- Diogenes
*Statista: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1103046/new-coronavirus-covid19-cases-number-worldwide-by-day/
**Evaluate: https://www.evaluate.com/covid-19-daily-update
***Matthew 18:20, KJV
****Isaiah 55:8, KJV
08 April 2020
Bye-bye, Bernie
Bernie has left the building, and that's a sad thing.
I am a Vermonter, albeit in exile, and I've been a Bernie admirer for many years. While he was still in the House I once had the privilege of sitting on a panel with him regarding poverty in southern Vermont, and I was impressed with his understanding of the issues and his concern for the people.
I strongly supported both his presidential campaigns, and I remain convinced that he is the only electable Democrat in the race. But he was sabotaged by the DNC in 2016,* and now has been pushed aside by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has all but obliterated political discourse in this country.
I don't dislike Joe Biden. He may have more impressive executive credentials than Bernie, but he lacks chutzpah.
Bernie's greatest asset is his passion and his ability to deliver his message cogently and with great energy. Bernie's chutzpah could not only counter Trump's bluster; it would come from a man deeply committed to the truth and to the welfare of the American people, two qualities the Great Pretender wouldn't understand if he was slapped in the face with them.
Biden is now the candidate, and I will support him and urge others to do so. I can only suggest he spend some time with Bernie, or watch videos of his speeches. He's going to need every trick he can find to go up against the most corrupt politician since Boss Tweed, and one who will stop at nothing to be re-elected.
--Richard Brown
*See the archives for Diogenes' Nov. 3, 2018 post, "Out With The Yobs!"
I am a Vermonter, albeit in exile, and I've been a Bernie admirer for many years. While he was still in the House I once had the privilege of sitting on a panel with him regarding poverty in southern Vermont, and I was impressed with his understanding of the issues and his concern for the people.
I strongly supported both his presidential campaigns, and I remain convinced that he is the only electable Democrat in the race. But he was sabotaged by the DNC in 2016,* and now has been pushed aside by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has all but obliterated political discourse in this country.
I don't dislike Joe Biden. He may have more impressive executive credentials than Bernie, but he lacks chutzpah.
Bernie's greatest asset is his passion and his ability to deliver his message cogently and with great energy. Bernie's chutzpah could not only counter Trump's bluster; it would come from a man deeply committed to the truth and to the welfare of the American people, two qualities the Great Pretender wouldn't understand if he was slapped in the face with them.
Biden is now the candidate, and I will support him and urge others to do so. I can only suggest he spend some time with Bernie, or watch videos of his speeches. He's going to need every trick he can find to go up against the most corrupt politician since Boss Tweed, and one who will stop at nothing to be re-elected.
--Richard Brown
*See the archives for Diogenes' Nov. 3, 2018 post, "Out With The Yobs!"
07 April 2020
Still Trying To Cure Stupidity
This post was originally published on April 7. In light of the attention recently given to masks and Americans' responses to using them, we have updated it.
In his 1982 novel "The White Plague" Frank Herbert writes about a mad scientist who develops a pathogen that kills women. Men are asymptomatic carriers. His intended target is Ireland, because his wife and children were killed by an IRA bomb. But viruses don't observe borders, and the virus spreads rapidly and easily, passing through filters with ease. The result is global gendercide.
COVID-19 is far less selective. Its victims include the rich and the poor, the intelligent and the moronic, the religious and the atheistic, the royal and the commoner. It is an equal opportunity pathogen, making no distinction of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. No one is immune.
But there is one class of Americans who choose to put themselves at increased risk by willfully and deliberately ignoring the best medical advice: There is no word for such behavior other than stupid.
In a White House press briefing on April 3, the Great Pretender discussed the CDC advisory that all Americans wear face masks when around others to help stop the spread of the virus.
That was when a true leader would have pulled out a mask and put it on.
But after repeatedly assuring Americans that wearing a mask is voluntary because he doesn't want us to think the CDC has any authority, he went on to say that he would not be wearing a mask because "I think wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens. I don’t know, somehow I don’t see it for myself."¹
Excuse me? There hasn't been a state visit to the White House since before COVID-19 appeared. His excuses range from silly to petty, like saying he "didn't want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it"² during a visit to a Ford plant in Michigan.
As Biden aide TJ Ducklo noted, "Presidents lead by example, and wearing a mask helps protect others, . . . Donald Trump should try it, because his failure to act early on producing [personal protective equipment], on ramping up testing, and implementing a coherent national response to this crisis has cost thousands of Americans their lives."As if the Unspeakable Unmasked cared.
Unfortunately, the Chucklehead-in-Chief's "do as I say, not as I do" attitude will no doubt be adopted by those who accept him as a role model, needlessly increasing the death toll. His followers, who seem to tend to blind allegiance, either to the GOP or to Trump, as opposed to independent thought and decision making, may well be hit the hardest.
With COVID-19 we might finally have a cure for stupidity--dare we hope it begins at the top?
---Diogenes, 4/7/20; republished 5/28/20
¹https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/donald-trump-coronavirus-briefing-transcript-april-3-new-cdc-face-mask-recommendation
²https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-mocks-joe-biden-wear-face-mask-public/
³https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-mocks-joe-biden-wear-face-mask-public/
In his 1982 novel "The White Plague" Frank Herbert writes about a mad scientist who develops a pathogen that kills women. Men are asymptomatic carriers. His intended target is Ireland, because his wife and children were killed by an IRA bomb. But viruses don't observe borders, and the virus spreads rapidly and easily, passing through filters with ease. The result is global gendercide.
COVID-19 is far less selective. Its victims include the rich and the poor, the intelligent and the moronic, the religious and the atheistic, the royal and the commoner. It is an equal opportunity pathogen, making no distinction of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. No one is immune.
But there is one class of Americans who choose to put themselves at increased risk by willfully and deliberately ignoring the best medical advice: There is no word for such behavior other than stupid.
In a White House press briefing on April 3, the Great Pretender discussed the CDC advisory that all Americans wear face masks when around others to help stop the spread of the virus.
That was when a true leader would have pulled out a mask and put it on.
But after repeatedly assuring Americans that wearing a mask is voluntary because he doesn't want us to think the CDC has any authority, he went on to say that he would not be wearing a mask because "I think wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens. I don’t know, somehow I don’t see it for myself."¹
Excuse me? There hasn't been a state visit to the White House since before COVID-19 appeared. His excuses range from silly to petty, like saying he "didn't want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it"² during a visit to a Ford plant in Michigan.
As Biden aide TJ Ducklo noted, "Presidents lead by example, and wearing a mask helps protect others, . . . Donald Trump should try it, because his failure to act early on producing [personal protective equipment], on ramping up testing, and implementing a coherent national response to this crisis has cost thousands of Americans their lives."As if the Unspeakable Unmasked cared.
Unfortunately, the Chucklehead-in-Chief's "do as I say, not as I do" attitude will no doubt be adopted by those who accept him as a role model, needlessly increasing the death toll. His followers, who seem to tend to blind allegiance, either to the GOP or to Trump, as opposed to independent thought and decision making, may well be hit the hardest.
With COVID-19 we might finally have a cure for stupidity--dare we hope it begins at the top?
---Diogenes, 4/7/20; republished 5/28/20
¹https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/donald-trump-coronavirus-briefing-transcript-april-3-new-cdc-face-mask-recommendation
²https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-mocks-joe-biden-wear-face-mask-public/
³https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-mocks-joe-biden-wear-face-mask-public/
03 April 2020
The Navy's dirty linen
An academic dean once advised me to avoid airing the school's dirty linen in public. It's an old phrase that originally referred to keeping one's business to oneself.
In today's institutional environment it means, "For God's sake don't let anyone know what's going on here." Or its short form, "Don't tell the truth."
U. S. Navy Captain Brett Crozier allegedly broke that rule by publicizing a memo to his superior officers begging for medical assistance for 100 members of his crew stricken with COVID-19, and protection for their unprotected crewmates. Because the memo found its way to the media, Capt. Crozier was removed from his post as commanding officer of the U. S. S. Theodore Roosevelt, one of the Navy's most powerful and important ships.
This is no small boat we're talking about. The Roosevelt has the population equivalent of a small city, carrying 5,600 souls including its air wing. If a community of that size on land was threatened by disease that could easily overwhelm its medical resources the mayor would very publicly be doing her best to bring attention to the problem by whatever means necessary, and be commended for it.
But in the Navy? You get canned.
The person responsible for dismissing Capt. Crozier is Thomas B. Modly, Acting Secretary of the Navy. Modly did happen to graduate from the U. S. Naval Academy, and spent seven years in active duty as a helicopter pilot. But his education and experience are all about business, making him a good Trump buddy. Here's a link to his official bio: https://www.defense.gov/Our-Story/Biographies/Biography/Article/1905292/thomas-b-modly/
Modly has no military command experience, yet he was appointed to sit in judgment of a proven commander with decorations for exemplary and meritorious service whose only mistake was to tell the truth.
It's irrelevant how Capt. Crozier's memo got to the media; the point is, it had to, and it did, and it probably saved a lot of lives when the naval high command couldn't be bothered to take care of its own service personnel.
All Americans should pay attention to this and make noise about it. We honor those who serve; why don't their bosses?
We have an alleged Commander-in-Chief. He needs to make this right by reinstating Capt. Crozier and paying more than lip service to his duty.
--Diogenes
In today's institutional environment it means, "For God's sake don't let anyone know what's going on here." Or its short form, "Don't tell the truth."
U. S. Navy Captain Brett Crozier allegedly broke that rule by publicizing a memo to his superior officers begging for medical assistance for 100 members of his crew stricken with COVID-19, and protection for their unprotected crewmates. Because the memo found its way to the media, Capt. Crozier was removed from his post as commanding officer of the U. S. S. Theodore Roosevelt, one of the Navy's most powerful and important ships.
This is no small boat we're talking about. The Roosevelt has the population equivalent of a small city, carrying 5,600 souls including its air wing. If a community of that size on land was threatened by disease that could easily overwhelm its medical resources the mayor would very publicly be doing her best to bring attention to the problem by whatever means necessary, and be commended for it.
But in the Navy? You get canned.
The person responsible for dismissing Capt. Crozier is Thomas B. Modly, Acting Secretary of the Navy. Modly did happen to graduate from the U. S. Naval Academy, and spent seven years in active duty as a helicopter pilot. But his education and experience are all about business, making him a good Trump buddy. Here's a link to his official bio: https://www.defense.gov/Our-Story/Biographies/Biography/Article/1905292/thomas-b-modly/
Modly has no military command experience, yet he was appointed to sit in judgment of a proven commander with decorations for exemplary and meritorious service whose only mistake was to tell the truth.
It's irrelevant how Capt. Crozier's memo got to the media; the point is, it had to, and it did, and it probably saved a lot of lives when the naval high command couldn't be bothered to take care of its own service personnel.
All Americans should pay attention to this and make noise about it. We honor those who serve; why don't their bosses?
We have an alleged Commander-in-Chief. He needs to make this right by reinstating Capt. Crozier and paying more than lip service to his duty.
--Diogenes
01 April 2020
Magical thinking
Magical thinking is the belief that if a person wishes for something ardently enough the wish will be granted. In a child wishing for a pony it's cute. In a chief executive wishing publicly for a quick end to the COVID-19 pandemic, it's worrisome.
In a televised Fox News "town hall" meeting March 24, saying Americans are full of "vim and vigor" (when was the last time you heard that phrase?), the Great Pretender, in the face of all medical evidence to the contrary, all but predicted that COVID-19 would run its course in just a couple of weeks, so Americans could enjoy Easter, saying, "I would love to have it [America] open by Easter. . . It’s such an important day for other reasons, but I’ll make it an important day for this too. I would love to have the country opened up and they’re just raring to go by Easter."*
That may be a nice thought, but one has to ask "why Easter?" If he's suggesting Easter as a target because it's the most important day in the Christian calendar and getting everybody back into church would be nice, he might at least give lip service to the first day of Passover (April 8) and the beginning of Ramadan (April 23), respectively acknowledging America's approximately 7 million Jews and 4 million Muslims, who are also subject to illness.
But that's not Trump's vision. He wants Easter with happy families and springtime and new hats for the girls, egg hunts and chocolate bunnies. Oh, sure, Easter is important for other reasons--like the Resurrection, duh--but in Trump's mind it's his act of making it the day of the country's back-to-work "opening" that's going to make it a real big-time whoop-ti-do all-American celebration.
Two days into this ludicrous timeline, with a one-day increase of 15,000 cases, the United States gained the dubious distinction of having the most cases of COVID-19 in the world. And suddenly the Easter "opening" is forgotten, replaced with a can-do, all-hands-on-deck response, including invocation of the Defense Production Act to increase dramatically the manufacture of ventilators.
In a fluid situation such mid-course corrections can be necessary, but in the March 23 meeting the Great Pretender downplayed the severity of COVID-19, comparing it to garden-variety types of flu at least 20 times during the approximately 21 minutes that he actually spoke. And on March 27 he mocked state governors for overstating the need for equipment even as he ordered the building of ventilators to be accelerated.**
Magical thinking in an adult is not an indication of mental instability in and of itself, but in a person known to have a volatile temperament it should be of concern, especially when he is responsible for our nation's welfare.
-----Diogenes
*https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/donald-trump-coronavirus-town-hall-transcript-march-24-trump-wants-to-restart-the-economy-by-easter
**https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/489909-trump-uses-defense-production-act-to-require-gm-to-make-ventilators
In a televised Fox News "town hall" meeting March 24, saying Americans are full of "vim and vigor" (when was the last time you heard that phrase?), the Great Pretender, in the face of all medical evidence to the contrary, all but predicted that COVID-19 would run its course in just a couple of weeks, so Americans could enjoy Easter, saying, "I would love to have it [America] open by Easter. . . It’s such an important day for other reasons, but I’ll make it an important day for this too. I would love to have the country opened up and they’re just raring to go by Easter."*
That may be a nice thought, but one has to ask "why Easter?" If he's suggesting Easter as a target because it's the most important day in the Christian calendar and getting everybody back into church would be nice, he might at least give lip service to the first day of Passover (April 8) and the beginning of Ramadan (April 23), respectively acknowledging America's approximately 7 million Jews and 4 million Muslims, who are also subject to illness.
But that's not Trump's vision. He wants Easter with happy families and springtime and new hats for the girls, egg hunts and chocolate bunnies. Oh, sure, Easter is important for other reasons--like the Resurrection, duh--but in Trump's mind it's his act of making it the day of the country's back-to-work "opening" that's going to make it a real big-time whoop-ti-do all-American celebration.
Two days into this ludicrous timeline, with a one-day increase of 15,000 cases, the United States gained the dubious distinction of having the most cases of COVID-19 in the world. And suddenly the Easter "opening" is forgotten, replaced with a can-do, all-hands-on-deck response, including invocation of the Defense Production Act to increase dramatically the manufacture of ventilators.
In a fluid situation such mid-course corrections can be necessary, but in the March 23 meeting the Great Pretender downplayed the severity of COVID-19, comparing it to garden-variety types of flu at least 20 times during the approximately 21 minutes that he actually spoke. And on March 27 he mocked state governors for overstating the need for equipment even as he ordered the building of ventilators to be accelerated.**
Magical thinking in an adult is not an indication of mental instability in and of itself, but in a person known to have a volatile temperament it should be of concern, especially when he is responsible for our nation's welfare.
-----Diogenes
*https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/donald-trump-coronavirus-town-hall-transcript-march-24-trump-wants-to-restart-the-economy-by-easter
**https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/489909-trump-uses-defense-production-act-to-require-gm-to-make-ventilators
03 November 2018
Out With the Yobs!
It was neither the Russians nor Trump’s thuggish yobs that put the Great Pretender undeservedly in the White House.
It was the Democratic National Committee who, with their pc-at-any-cost corporate mentality, sabotaged their own goal by brushing aside Bernie Sanders, the one candidate who could have beaten Trump. Instead they quixotically backed Hillary Clinton, not because she was the better candidate, but because she reflected their naive and narcissistic belief that given the choice, Americans would vote for a woman because, well, because she's a woman.
Wrong. The electorate, sad to say, responds to raised-voice blood-and-guts emotion. And the Trump steamroller--us vs. them rhetoric, strong-arm tactics to keep "enemies" at bay and out of rallies, impossible promises, emphasis on "real" Americans, the marginalizing of minorities, open bigotry, especially the demonizing of Barack Obama, and the threat of terrorists and rapists behind every tree--was nothing if not bloody and emotional.
Speaking of all those promises, whatever became of most of them? You can find that out at https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-promise-tracker/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.ecdfc0995e08.
I have often said the biggest problem the DNC has is that it won’t fight dirty often enough, and when it does it shoots itself in the foot--witness the Sanders debacle. America's first best hope for the 2020 election is likely the upcoming midterm election this Tuesday (11/6) in which the DNC isn't directly involved. If enough seats, especially in Congress, can be turned blue, the Yob-in-Chief will face some much-deserved comeuppance.
Up for grabs in Tuesday's election: The entire House of Representatives; one-third of the Senate; and more than half the gubernatorial seats in the Union. Several of those seats are considered safe for the incumbent or are uncontested. However, there are enough contested seats to change the balance of power in Congress and in the leadership of a majority of states. If you're undecided about voting, check the following links to see if you're in a battleground area. If you are, get out there and make a difference. https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Congress_elections,_2018 and https://ballotpedia.org/Gubernatorial_elections,_2018
In 2016 we turned into what H. L. Mencken called a "boobocracy." Let's redeem ourselves in 2018. God bless America.
-- Diogenes
23 January 2018
The 561
561: If you're an American you should remember this number, because just as 666 is the number of the Beast, 561 is the number of your government--the number of people who have the ability to change your life and the destiny of this country.
There are 535 people in Congress, 9 on the Supreme Court, 15 in the Cabinet and two executive officers. I include the justices of the Supreme Court because, at least since the Citizens United decision, if not the 2000 presidential election, they have made themselves arbiters of power. The vice president is included for his role as president of the Senate, not as understudy to the president.
To put that number in perspective, consider this: Right now there are approximately 327 million Americans who are governed in one way or another by that 561. The term 1 percent is frequently used to refer to the elite financial class. That's nothing. We are overseen by less that 1 percent of 1 percent of 1 percent of our fellow Americans. The specific number is .0000017, or seventeen ten-millionths of the population.
Put in a different way, each of those 561 has power over about 583,000 individuals--about the population of Wyoming. Going further, we could say that each of us is governed by 17 ten-millionths of a person: an earlobe, perhaps, or a toenail?
Absurd? Ridiculous? Of course. But the point is that not only is the United States not a democracy, it is no longer even a republic. It is an oligarchy; and given that more than half the members of Congress are millionaires and that the White House is occupied by an obscenely wealthy person, it is a financial oligarchy. The very rich are in power and everyone else gets screwed.
Now the money-laden Congress has allowed the government to close down and seems in no hurry to get it running again--never mind how many hundreds of thousands of government employees go without paychecks and are unable to make their mortgage or rent payments or feed their kids.
Government shutdowns are neither new nor unique to this administration. But those misguided souls who voted the Grand Poobah into the presidency in the belief that as a businessman he could make the government run efficiently and avoid such problems are surely now seeing the error of their ways.
The 2018 midterm election will be of exceptional importance. In it we will have the opportunity to clean the rot and corruption out of Congress; or we can maintain the status quo and allow the tiniest, most unworthy fraction of the American population to continue to lead us like the sheep we have become.
--Diogenes
There are 535 people in Congress, 9 on the Supreme Court, 15 in the Cabinet and two executive officers. I include the justices of the Supreme Court because, at least since the Citizens United decision, if not the 2000 presidential election, they have made themselves arbiters of power. The vice president is included for his role as president of the Senate, not as understudy to the president.
To put that number in perspective, consider this: Right now there are approximately 327 million Americans who are governed in one way or another by that 561. The term 1 percent is frequently used to refer to the elite financial class. That's nothing. We are overseen by less that 1 percent of 1 percent of 1 percent of our fellow Americans. The specific number is .0000017, or seventeen ten-millionths of the population.
Put in a different way, each of those 561 has power over about 583,000 individuals--about the population of Wyoming. Going further, we could say that each of us is governed by 17 ten-millionths of a person: an earlobe, perhaps, or a toenail?
Absurd? Ridiculous? Of course. But the point is that not only is the United States not a democracy, it is no longer even a republic. It is an oligarchy; and given that more than half the members of Congress are millionaires and that the White House is occupied by an obscenely wealthy person, it is a financial oligarchy. The very rich are in power and everyone else gets screwed.
Now the money-laden Congress has allowed the government to close down and seems in no hurry to get it running again--never mind how many hundreds of thousands of government employees go without paychecks and are unable to make their mortgage or rent payments or feed their kids.
Government shutdowns are neither new nor unique to this administration. But those misguided souls who voted the Grand Poobah into the presidency in the belief that as a businessman he could make the government run efficiently and avoid such problems are surely now seeing the error of their ways.
The 2018 midterm election will be of exceptional importance. In it we will have the opportunity to clean the rot and corruption out of Congress; or we can maintain the status quo and allow the tiniest, most unworthy fraction of the American population to continue to lead us like the sheep we have become.
--Diogenes
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