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March 12, 2020 - 5:00pm
Donald Trump’s European (or at least Schengen) travel ban seems like a curious reversal of his previous tone on coronavirus.
Until now the US president had been downplaying the deadliness of the disease, comparing it to the flu, something that fits into the general American partisan split on the issue.
This might seem a bit odd, since while Republicans are more likely to be rural, they’re also more likely to be older, and to come from parts of the country with some chronic health problems.
It’s also strange because the coronavirus in many parts highlights the very fears of globalisation that sent Trump to the White House: our dependence on global supply changes; the dangers of unlimited travel; the feeling that the global elite, jetting from airport to airport, are so complacent actually a danger to the rest of us. Most of all there is a feeling among paleoconservatives, who have from the start been the most pessimistic on coronavirus, that we’re ruled by unserious people.
That whereas serious countries like South Korea, Singapore, Israel or Poland do everything necessary to protect their citizens, the rulers of the US, Britain, France and Germany seem motivated by a mixture of economic calculation (how will it affect the economy?), an ideological commitment to globalism (free movement is who we are) and a sort of decadent resigned fatalism (70% of people will catch it so whatever).
Yet Trump, because of his enormous ego and terrible lack of vision, has instead taken the most basic, low-IQ Right-wing position possible, and so failing to act as the disease spread across his country.
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SubscribeYes, Tucker is excellent. He has a great ability to accurately and often devastatingly outline an issue in just a few sentences. I threw out my TV 20 years ago but I watch Fox with Tucker (and Sean Hannity and others) on YouTube. Outside of the brilliant podcasters such as Tim Pool, Steven Crowder and Jimmy Dore, Fox are the only people who call out the corruption of the rest of then MSM and the DNC.
Tucker Carlson has impressed me as the best kind of conservative; reasonable, thoughtful and not possessed by ideology. It would be a good idea for President Trump to listen more to him – and Steve Bannon.
Yes, Tucker is excellent and he has been talking sense for many years. I would recommend his book ‘Ship Of Fools’ to everyone.
Tucker also thinks Amazon should pay a tax because it uses the road system for its benefit; profits without paying for it.
Tucker is unaware FedEx, UPS, et al pay for road use through taxes on fuel and taxes on profits which are built into the rates it charges Amazon for carriage of its goods, which Amazon builds into end-user prices, so the consumer pays, as they should, because they are the beneficiary.
Tucker says mortality for Coronavirus is ’20 times higher than ‘flu’ (which ‘flu by the way, not all ‘flus are equal) but anyway the actual rate is 1% of reported cases, lower if unreported cases, of which many, is taken into account.
So Tucker (commentator not thinker) would not be my recommended go-to-guy for informed opinion and quality analysis.
One can never be sure what Trump’s reason for doing anything is, but one can be sure he has one and it won’t be what the people who think, ‘ Yet Trump, because of his enormous ego and terrible lack of vision, has instead taken the most basic, low-IQ Right-wing position possible…’ Biased or what? Trump isn’t ‘Right-wing’ by the way.
Trump may be showing the European climate crazies what the restricted air travel they want ‘to save the Planet’ looks like.
Ed, you have let your emotions get the best of you. I don’t know what you think the President does operationally but he does not personally do anything. You have exposed yourself as a hack journalist that just waits in the dark to jump out and “HATE TRUMP”. Having seen over 3 and 1/2 years his policy make my American friends happier and more financially secure, that convinced this die-hard Labour man that Trump may not be a man of the people but he has proved to be a man for the people.
Lies you told:
“Tucker persuaded the president not to start a war with Iran”
“US president had been downplaying the deadliness of the disease”
US President was the 1st to close border with China the source of this disease. (Canada’s Prime Minister has not even organized any procedure or test at the airports – Rebelnews.com has the story)
US President asks for calm and considered response from delegates from CDC.
US President consistently goes beyond the CDC recomendations.
You have exposed yourself as Neo-Marist who in the absense of any new idea seeks to ridicule someone I might not choose a friend or vote for but there has to be a return to constructive civil discourse and you are part of the problem pal.
I like Mr Carlson and Mr Trump. Long may they both prosper. They won’t please everyone all of the time but at least it’s not Clinton and the awful, woke truth benders of CNN who are influencing policy.