If you're the island nation of Puerto Rico, a US territory that's "surrounded by water, big water, ocean water," and you've been waiting for the president of the United States to respond appropriately to a hurricane that happened three years ago, congratulations - this is your lucky day!
Yep -- it seems that, with a little more than 46 days before voting ends on November 3rd -- the president has found a way to send $13 billion dollars in aid to the island, with most of it designated for repairs and upgrades to the power grid. And, in his typical modest way, Trump president downplayed his own role in things.
I have to say, in a very nice way, a very respectful way - I'm the best thing that ever happened to Puerto Rico. Nobody even close.
He's right on one thing: nobody even close to the cad who threw paper towels to the crowd in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Maria, I have to say, in a very nice way, a very respectful way.
Who else, let's see... How about the CDC? If you've been exposed to coronavirus, but you don't have any symptoms, don't bother getting a test, unless of course you've been exposed to coronavirus but you don't have any symptoms, you better get yourself tested!
I can't even imagine what it must be like to be a scientist or medical professional at the CDC these days, these months, putting up with the incessant drip drip drip of antagonism from the president, constantly sowing his seeds of doubt about your expertise, your experience, your job, your role in helping promote and preserve public health in the country, which is subservient to his role in tooting his own damn horn and promoting and preserving his chances for re-election. I can't even imagine.
The Big 10 will be playing football this year after all, although not a full slate, or even ten big games per team. And that the schools in the conference revisited a decision they said would not be revisited says something about them that is, well, less than ideal, according to this op-ed in USA Today.
And how are they doing it? With a mountain of daily antigen tests, special delivery for Big Ten football teams only. Rapid tests for football players, but apparently not for the elderly in Ann Arbor or Columbus or Evanston, or for school children and teachers in Bloomington or New Brunswick or Minneapolis, or for students paying for their education amid the outbreaks in East Lansing or Madison or College Park...
Or, there's this:
Or, we could call it the Trumpeting of the Big Ten. It was just two weeks ago that Trump, desperate to win votes in Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, told the conference to play football. Originally, the league stood its ground. Rutgers president Jonathan Holloway aptly called it “cheap politics.” But wouldn’t you know, the university presidents ended up following right along, giving Trump exactly what he wanted.
The presidents plural deny caving to Trump, who nonetheless took at least partial credit, tweeting how he helped make it happen.
One thing that he probably helped make not happen? An effort by the US Postal Service to send 650 million masks through the mail in an effort to try and reach all Americans, which was nixed by the White House, it seems.
"There was concern from some in the White House Domestic Policy Council and the office of the vice president that households receiving masks might create concern or panic,” one administration official said in response to the scrapped mask plan.
My guess? Similar to the whole thing with mail-in voting, mailing out masks could lead to rampant fraud, right? You know - people in Red states wearing masks and protecting themselves and others from the coronavirus.
And I also can't even imagine what the coming days will bring, as we learn tonight of the passing of the Notorious RBG, Associate Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. May she rest peacefully.
And let's remember these two words: Merrick Garland.
TGIF, everyone.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!