How Many Of Us Are Wondering ...

[Unveiled Artist]

You mean it could be a ploy of some sort by him? I don't think so. He has wanted to shift the debate off the virus throughout, whereas now the virus will be the story for the next fortnight.

Ironic?

 

[exchemist]

Ironic?

No, I was just trying to guess your meaning.

What sort of thing do you have in mind, then, when you say you wonder if his symptoms would have been triggered if there had not been a debate?

 

[Heyo]

All you have to do is look at the countries that handled it successfully to see what that could look like - Germany for instance.

Please don't use us as an example, it's akward. We might have handled it a bit better than our neighbours but compared to New Zealand we f***** up badly.

 

[exchemist]

Please don't use us as an example, it's akward. We might have handled it a bit better than our neighbours but compared to New Zealand we f***** up badly.

A country like the USA could never do what NZ did. Borders too long, too many airports, and a country that is half a continent. But they could have gone the German route, I think, and if they had they would be in a much better position, I'm sure.

The thing with Trump is he is purely transactional. People may be dying, fearful and looking for guidance and leadership, but for Trump the sole calculus is "How can I exploit this to help ME?" That is his approach to everything he does and says. He has no empathy, no sense of responsibility to the nation, no morals.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

No, I was just trying to guess your meaning.

What sort of thing do you have in mind, then, when you say you wonder if his symptoms would have been triggered if there had not been a debate?

Oh. I was thinking if he would have to go to the hospital at the same timing even if there weren't a debate. I'm thinking it's probably not "by chance" he was hospitalized. What is that word-coincidence?

 

[exchemist]

Oh. I was thinking if he would have to go to the hospital at the same timing even if there weren't a debate. I'm thinking it's probably not "by chance" he was hospitalized. What is that word-coincidence?

Oh, do you mean he knew he was ill when he did the debate but hid it - and that's why he's now ended up in hospital, i.e. as a result of delaying treatment?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

There is a huge amount he could have done -and a lot more he should not have done. All you have to do is look at the countries that handled it successfully to see what that could look like - Germany for instance.

Take it seriously, instead of pretending it is just flu, act early to control, via distancing and test and trace, provide funds to states to help them with PPE etc, do not spread misinformation, do not actively undermine the protection countermeasures being tried and, last but not least, do not turn the management of a serious pandemic into a f***ing party-political culture war!

Sorry about the language but this last is a truly despicable thing to have done when people's lives and livelihoods are in the balance. Quite unforgivable.

While I don't believe you can control the virus in the short period of time, the rest it would have been helpful if he worked with other countries. I can't back it up, but I honestly believe that the number of cases, death, confirmed cases, and people who are suspected with symptoms are tossed in together as well as people with pre-existing illness that made those death counts so high in a short period of time. It's hard to see one side of the story. Even something unrelated, when I watch a football game I root for any one of the team who made a "good shot". Not taking sides per team just watching how it plays out and what the people do. Same with politics. .... but thankfully I'm not all into that. Maybe take a break from the television? I don't know.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Oh, do you mean he knew he was ill when he did the debate but hid it - and that's why he's now ended up in hospital, i.e. as a result of delaying treatment?

That makes more sense. I can't remember which meeting it was, but he did say something of taking a test drug when he was arguing with one of the reporters about supporting vaccine. I can't remember exactly what was said. He tends to argue with reporters often.

 

[shunyadragon]

I have an unrelated question. When people blame Trump for not acting early, what exactly should he and others have done that would be different than how we are handling the situation now?

First, he should have done then as we are doing now like other countries that acted aggressively and proactively. Trump closed some airline traffic, but not comprehensively. He knew early how terrible the COVID-19 was, and lied and deceived the public. Ha called it, "Just like the common flu." They knew the elderly and the vulnerable were the most at risk and failed to isolate them in an organized way.

We're still looking for vaccines. We are social distancing. We're wearing masks. Do you think coming up with a vaccine would have been possible in the months we didn't know the seriousness of the illness compared to today?

Trump knew the seriousness of COVID-19 early and did not inform Congress nor the the public. The problem is most are wearing wearing masks, and self distancing, but many, especially conservative Republicans, are not, and are associating in groups without masks, which continues the spread. Also these efforts came late and disorganized without leadership.

 

[PureX]

I don't really see what he would win by doing it, unless he is going for some sort of sympathy. But being unable to travel around and talk to potential voters seems a lot worse, if one is trying to win an election.

Unless he's suddenly "cured" in a few days. Then, he's completely changed the news narrative away from the debate, and onto justifying his minimization of the virus.

 

[PureX]

I don't think his infection will help him at all,
particularly since he long minimized the danger.

It will if it enables him to continue minimizing the danger. Which is what I predict is going to happen, and why I suspect deceit.

 

[shunyadragon]

I'm leaving the probability that not all people will get COVID-especially serious symptoms of life and death even if they do not wear a mask or social distancing. Of course they are at higher risk, just saying it's not a definite thing. With Trump, yes. He put himself at risk. Many people do. I just find it very fishy that he would get sick right after the debate. People already hate his guts so the combination of that, the politics, and his stubbornness (all the stress involved) I wouldn't be surprised if that triggered it. That "and" his wife nearly at the same time? Some people are more receptible to the virus than others. Trump included.

Your logic as to who and when gets infected is confusing, ignoring the facts, and ignores that actual causes and the lack of preventive measures is a fact that have consistently spread the COVID-19. No magic involved COVID-19 does not inform when it strikes, though it is opportunistic for those who are foolishly unprotected.. It is a fact that the conservative Republicans, consistently in a cavaliar way are unbelievably irresponsible. There have been people infected in previous campaign events, and high ranking black support dies after one of these events. You increase the risk the more unprotected campaign events you will increase the COVID-19 infections.

 

[shunyadragon]

Maybe this will be a Darwinian 'survival of the fittest' thinning of the political herd, and COVID-19 picks off the cavaliar and arrogant, like the lemmings head for sea.

 

[shunyadragon]

And with the Senators out of the Senate, the confirmation of Barrett is in question. If this was planned, they really didn't think this through.

Like Lemmings planning cruise vacation.

 

[Revoltingest]

It will if it enables him to continue minimizing the danger. Which is what I predict is going to happen, and why I suspect deceit.

This minimization hurt his popularity before now. He'd
have a bigger problem minimizing the danger of Covid 19,
after entering the hospital & getting treatment for Covid 19.

An additional problem with deceit is that some other people
would have to be in on the plot, eg, his physician. This poses
a grave risk to the campaign were it to become public knowledge
before the election.
So with no likely upside to deceit, & a huge downside, a hoax
looks far less likely than the obvious....
He failed to take it seriously, he behaved unsafely, & he caught the bug.

 

[Revoltingest]

Maybe this will be a Darwinian 'survival of the fittest' thinning of the political herd, and COVID-19 picks off the cavaliar and arrogant, like the lemmings head for sea.

It also picks off the innocent & careful.
Viruses have no political affiliation.
It's science, bruderherz.

 

[shunyadragon]

It also picks off the innocent & careful.

At a lower rate.

Viruses have no political affiliation.

. . . but apparently one political affiliation may have preference for the virus. Chris Christie announce he is positive.

It's science, bruderherz.

Human choices that avoid the science of protection against infection is avoiding science.

 

[Heyo]

It also picks off the innocent & careful.
Viruses have no political affiliation.
It's science, bruderherz.

Like in evolutionary biology, a small advantage, a slight change in the odds can have huge consequences over time.

 

[Revoltingest]

At a lower rate.

Like the 3 infected journalists in the news today?

. . . but apparently one political affiliation may have preference for the virus. Chris Christie announce he is positive.

Yes....one Republican becoming infected indicates a preference.

Human choices that avoid the science of protection against infection is avoiding science.

And those who reject the science of safe behavior pose
a risk to others. I'm surprised you'd argue this point.

 

[Revoltingest]

Like in evolutionary biology, a small advantage, a slight change in the odds can have huge consequences over time.

As a fan of science & safe plague behavior, I'll not
assume that this will protect me from the deniers
& slackers. I'm more concerned with the here & now
than evolution of humans in generations to come.