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President Donald Trump speaks to reporters following a meeting of his coronavirus task force in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on April 6, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Coronavirus and Small Government Sociopathy
As the devastating impact of Trump's inaction becomes clear, Americans are discovering a hidden socialist streak.
Apr 19, 2020
Amazingly, America has become a nation of socialists, asking in dismay: "Where's the government?"
These are not born-again Bernie Sanders activists, but people of all political stripes (including previously apolitical multitudes) who are now clamoring for big government intervention in their lives.
Nothing like a spreading coronavirus pandemic to bring home the need that all of us have--both as individuals and as a society--for an adequately funded, fully functioning, competent government capable of serving all.
Instead, in our moment of critical national need, Trump's government is a rickety medicine show run by a small-minded flimflammer peddling laissez-fairyland snake oil.
"We have it totally under control," Trump pompously declared after the first U.S. case was confirmed in January. For weeks, as the pandemic spread out of control, he did nothing. Meanwhile an increasingly anxious public found that they couldn't even get reliable test kits from Trump's hollowed-out government health agencies.
Still, he shrugged off all concern and responsibility: "By April, you know, in theory," he said, "when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away." Not exactly a can-do Rooseveltian response to a national crisis!
By March the inconvenient fact of a rising death toll exposed this imposter of a president as incompetent, uncaring... and silly.
That complete absence of White House leadership is why a deadly pathogen is now raging practically everywhere across our land, unknown millions of us are being infected, a "closed indefinitely" sign has literally been hung on the American economy, and even our people's social and civic interactions--the essence of community life--have been halted.
Right-wing politico Grover Norquist once said he wanted a government so small "I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub." Trump has shown us what such a small-minded government looks like. And what it costs us.
An Unconstitutional Rampage
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
This column was distributed by OtherWords.
Jim Hightower
Jim Hightower is a national radio commentator, writer, public speaker, and author of the books "Swim Against The Current: Even A Dead Fish Can Go With The Flow" (2008) and "There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road But Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos: A Work of Political Subversion" (1998). Hightower has spent three decades battling the Powers That Be on behalf of the Powers That Ought To Be - consumers, working families, environmentalists, small businesses, and just-plain-folks.
Amazingly, America has become a nation of socialists, asking in dismay: "Where's the government?"
These are not born-again Bernie Sanders activists, but people of all political stripes (including previously apolitical multitudes) who are now clamoring for big government intervention in their lives.
Nothing like a spreading coronavirus pandemic to bring home the need that all of us have--both as individuals and as a society--for an adequately funded, fully functioning, competent government capable of serving all.
Instead, in our moment of critical national need, Trump's government is a rickety medicine show run by a small-minded flimflammer peddling laissez-fairyland snake oil.
"We have it totally under control," Trump pompously declared after the first U.S. case was confirmed in January. For weeks, as the pandemic spread out of control, he did nothing. Meanwhile an increasingly anxious public found that they couldn't even get reliable test kits from Trump's hollowed-out government health agencies.
Still, he shrugged off all concern and responsibility: "By April, you know, in theory," he said, "when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away." Not exactly a can-do Rooseveltian response to a national crisis!
By March the inconvenient fact of a rising death toll exposed this imposter of a president as incompetent, uncaring... and silly.
That complete absence of White House leadership is why a deadly pathogen is now raging practically everywhere across our land, unknown millions of us are being infected, a "closed indefinitely" sign has literally been hung on the American economy, and even our people's social and civic interactions--the essence of community life--have been halted.
Right-wing politico Grover Norquist once said he wanted a government so small "I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub." Trump has shown us what such a small-minded government looks like. And what it costs us.
Jim Hightower
Jim Hightower is a national radio commentator, writer, public speaker, and author of the books "Swim Against The Current: Even A Dead Fish Can Go With The Flow" (2008) and "There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road But Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos: A Work of Political Subversion" (1998). Hightower has spent three decades battling the Powers That Be on behalf of the Powers That Ought To Be - consumers, working families, environmentalists, small businesses, and just-plain-folks.
Amazingly, America has become a nation of socialists, asking in dismay: "Where's the government?"
These are not born-again Bernie Sanders activists, but people of all political stripes (including previously apolitical multitudes) who are now clamoring for big government intervention in their lives.
Nothing like a spreading coronavirus pandemic to bring home the need that all of us have--both as individuals and as a society--for an adequately funded, fully functioning, competent government capable of serving all.
Instead, in our moment of critical national need, Trump's government is a rickety medicine show run by a small-minded flimflammer peddling laissez-fairyland snake oil.
"We have it totally under control," Trump pompously declared after the first U.S. case was confirmed in January. For weeks, as the pandemic spread out of control, he did nothing. Meanwhile an increasingly anxious public found that they couldn't even get reliable test kits from Trump's hollowed-out government health agencies.
Still, he shrugged off all concern and responsibility: "By April, you know, in theory," he said, "when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away." Not exactly a can-do Rooseveltian response to a national crisis!
By March the inconvenient fact of a rising death toll exposed this imposter of a president as incompetent, uncaring... and silly.
That complete absence of White House leadership is why a deadly pathogen is now raging practically everywhere across our land, unknown millions of us are being infected, a "closed indefinitely" sign has literally been hung on the American economy, and even our people's social and civic interactions--the essence of community life--have been halted.
Right-wing politico Grover Norquist once said he wanted a government so small "I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub." Trump has shown us what such a small-minded government looks like. And what it costs us.
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