The following is presented as part of The Columbian’s Opinion content, which offers a point of view in order to provoke thought and debate of civic issues. Opinions represent the viewpoint of the author. Unsigned editorials represent the consensus opinion of The Columbian’s editorial board, which operates independently of the news department.
Let’s consider Mike Pence. Steadfast. Loyal. Vice president extraordinaire if you are of Donald Trump’s political persuasion, whatever that is. And head of the federal coronavirus task force.
Oops.
We’re to believe what Pence says. Not the facts.
Repeatedly, Pence has said of this historic pandemic what the facts simply do not support: The news is good. Trump has flattened the curve.
Don’t worry that your relatives are dying or on a life-debilitating ventilator, the economy is tanking, states are going back into lockdown, children are not safe at school, hospitals in too many cities are over capacity, no other country has our appalling caseload and the government has decided to privatize COVID-19 statistics.
Hide the real toll of the virus just before an election? Perish the thought. Or, for too many, just perish.
We have never before had a president and vice president who, out of zeal to be reelected, kill off the voters. Go figure.
If you have been stuck in your house out of fear for your life from the virus or desperately are trying to make ends meet as a frontline/essential worker, you may not know that Trump has decided that no longer will the Centers for Disease Control keep the official statistics on what is happening with the novel coronavirus. Those numbers are being privatized and sent to the White House. Politicized.
Honestly, folks, who could make this stuff up?
Even as cases of the coronavirus spiked to impossible heights (as most other countries’ levels were falling) and Florida alone had more coronavirus cases than the entire European Union, Pence has smiled and smiled and assured Americans all is well. And, then, finally, he started wearing a mask.
And, as the CDC were reporting 3.4 million Americans testing positive for the virus and 137,000 people having died (and thousands having lost their health forever), Pence insisted that Americans should no longer listen to the public health agency once considered the best in the world.
Weighing in on the emotionally fraught decision on whether local school districts should open this fall, Pence said: “We don’t want CDC guidance to be a reason why people don’t open their schools.” Really? Ignore the medical experts? The CDC wants schools to be careful Very careful. What does Pence want? His boss’s approval?
We know from Trump’s niece Mary that his family was outrageously dysfunctional. Her book, “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Produced the World Most Dangerous Man” asserts that a sociopath (Trump’s father) produced an arrogant narcissist (Trump) who grew up to destroy lives. What is Pence’s excuse?
We know Pence is a bigot most notably against gays and lesbians, almost ruining Indiana’s economy when he was governor for his homophobic efforts. He is sycophantic (he has never disputed his boss in public and may soon be the definition of “groveling” in dictionaries). And, apparently, he is not very bright. (Seriously, can he not read a graph that shows COVID-19 cases on the upswing?)
Perhaps he thinks he will be president if Trump isn’t.
An astute reporter named Rick Wilson wrote a book: “Everything Trump Touches Dies: A Republican Strategist Gets Real About the Worst President Ever.” So far, so true. Chiefs of staff. Cabinet members. Personal lawyers. FBI directors. An attorney general. Generals. Et cetera. Watch out for Pence’s political career.
Facts yes, facts Pence did not tell us: We haven’t hit the worst of the pandemic. Thousands more will die. The virus will continue to kill and maim for another year at the least. The economy is in desperate trouble 50 million Americans have filed for unemployment.
Emails from you, dear readers, suggest that half of you think Trump is a genius. Half of you think he is our worst nightmare.
Think carefully, fellow citizens, about how you are going to weigh in on what Trump and Pence are doing. How you want the future of this great country to play out.
Morning Briefing Newsletter
Get a rundown of the latest local and regional news every Mon-Fri morning.
