So…yesterday, conservatives started touting the idea that keeping the American death toll from Covid-19 to under 200,000 would constitute a “win.”  First, I have to acknowledge the possibility that Trump is using the ‘Lt. Commander Montgomery Scott Impressive Scale’ – using inflated numbers so the actual result looks better.  But the truth is, I DO think keeping the death toll under 200,000 would be a “win.”  In fact, with this group in charge, it’ll be a freaking miracle.

To be fair, Trump really HAS done every single thing he knows to do in combating this virus.  He tried ignoring it.  He tried calling it names.  He deflected responsibility and blamed anyone – everyone – else.  All the while, he has lied, lied, lied AND tried to convince anyone who would listen how great he is.  I mean, c’mon!  How much can one person do?  Eventually, he was forced to turn to (horror of horrors) science.   And experts.  Trump HATES science and experts and you can see it in his face every time Dr. Fauci refutes some “gut instinct” Trumps spews.

The thing is, this administration wasn’t built to wield the powers of government effectively.  This administration was built specifically to destroy the government.  The person in charge of any given department was put there, apparently, because of how much they effing HATE that department.  Who better to destroy it?  So is there really any chance this collection of ‘Keystone Kops’ is suddenly going to become a lean, mean administrative machine capable of…well, just…capable?  No.

That leaves it to the individual states.  Fifty different responses to the problem.  The states that insist on getting it wrong (like Florida – always Florida) will continue to be a problem for any state that gets it right.  That is to say, the red states are likely to continue to infect and then re-infect blue states for the foreseeable future.

Back on the Federal level, the two main concerns of the Trump maladministration at this point seem to be 1) Trump’s re-election and 2) profits – in that order.  Putting the health and well-being of Americans in third position – and at the mercy of Capitalists – can only aggravate the problem, long-term.  It’s very short-sighted.  Dead Americans commonly don’t buy as much as living Americans.

The current reports are that the trump team is supporting requests for medical equipment from red states but shorting – and chastising – requests from blue states because, of course he is.  This likely reflects Trump’s belief that the virus has a political agenda but tends to expose Trump’s own agenda: apparently, if 200,000+ people are going to die, Trump thinks they should be Democrats.  (Sorry, Michigan Republicans.  I guess you get what you vote for…)

So get comfortable, my fellow Americans.  Thanks to all the trumpery, it looks like we’re going to be in quarantine for a LONG time to come.  I hope the wine holds out…