Originally Posted by
broncofan
There are some people who think it's unfair to blame Trump for our bad covid outcomes. Yet this country didn't have any inherent disadvantages in dealing with it when it comes to our resources, our geography, and the number of great scientists we have.
It is not just that culturally Americans are resistant to taking measures that protect other people. That message has been boosted by Trump and its impacts magnified by segments of the public who think any sacrifice they are asked to make is an infringement on their liberty. Off the top of my head, here are things I've heard Trump say:
1. Covid is like the flu
2. Covid only kills old people
3. A vaccine will be available in three months (he said this in early March)
4. A vaccine will be available in October (he said this during his debate with Biden in October; there's one day left in the month)
5. Hydroxychloroquine treats covid and randomized controlled trials showing it doesn't are run by Trump-haters
6. Monoclonal antibodies are a cure (the most recent data shows efficacy in early disease and none in hospitalized patients)
7. Masks aren't effective (said as late as October)
8. We're going to open the economy by Easter
9. Disinfectant and uv light inside the body can treat covid
10. Fauci has been wrong about everything (most of the things he's accused of being wrong about are taken out of context)
11. We're rounding the corner and the virus will go away (said recently as daily cases explode to 90,000 a day)
12. When the weather warms up it will disappear on its own.
13. Liberate Michigan (a call for insurrection against very reasonable public health measures at the beginning of the first shutdown)
14. Making fun of his opponent wearing a mask during a debate in which he was probably already sick with covid
The people who don't think he can be blamed for 150,000 deaths must think it's a coincidence that he's saying things that misinform people about the virus, about the trajectory of infections, and about their risk and that we've done a terrible job in containing it. Seems to me that kind of cavalier attitude towards the truth is what endangers people during a pandemic.