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Bernie Evans: Do not misunderstand what you see
Bernie Evans.jpg
Bernie Evans

Do not misunderstand what you are seeing.

President Donald Trump has successfully taken his brand of loudmouth-New Yorker crony capitalism national; with Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell’s blessing.

By keeping his word that he had no intention of honoring his pledge to be impartial for Trump’s impeachment trial, McConnell let loose Trump’s worse impulses giving him carte blanche to do as he pleases.

And he has.

America must come to realize Trump’s biggest problem: This may sound judgmental and overtly personal, but he is not a good man. He is not honest. He is not trustworthy. He cares only about himself and his own interest.

I worry greatly about those who insist, “I only watch Fox News.”

A study a few years ago found that those who reported only watching Fox are, “less informed than those who watch no news at all.”

Trump TV has proved deadly. I am not being alarmist. Do you know, as of April 29, South Korea had only 238 Covid-19 deaths? Compare that to our over 60-thousand then, and counting.

“Trump has failed miserably at executing everything Congress has passed and sent to him, with catastrophic consequences.” -Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer But we cannot discount that he has had plenty of help; he has not pulled the wool over his voter’s eyes alone.

I admit I do not watch Fox “News”, but I monitor closely (I know Hannity is The Trump Show 2.0; I know Tucker Carlson’s resting face gives him a sink drain-shaped mouth; I know Ingraham’s Anglo Angle is into UFOs; and I know they got rid of the truth-telling gay guy Shepperd Smith, etc.).

I monitor Fox for the same reasons that I subscribe off-and-on to National Review magazine. A political polemicist worth one’s salt must know and understand the political opposition.

And it’s not as if I’m completely numb to the Right’s thinking. I voted for Ronald Reagan (but don’t tell anybody) when I was a youthful idealistic seminarian.

I believed what I was told, that government can and should be used to impose and enforce one’s personal religious views (regardless of the Constitution); a reflection of insecurity and weak faith.

And, of course, lower taxes + less regulation = Godly.

When I was a child, so I behaved; me, me, me, but then I grew-up and realized “Unto Caesar” serves a greater purpose.

At any rate, the constant drum-beat of denial from Fox hosts and pundits, dismissing and minimizing this novel coronavirus, is irresponsible journalism.

So, no more wishful thinking.

Trump ain’t gonna get no better.

And he is certainly not going to suddenly start reading his daily intelligence briefing books.

You know, the ones that warned about the virus beginning in December 2019, when he could’ve appointed a virus czar to oversee national readiness like South Korea did.

Do you ever wonder why so many Republican presidencies end in economic disaster?

Maybe it’s because Republican presidents do not take office to make progress; they only wish to conserve the status quo; ensuring that Richie Rich stays rich, which in turn means making sure our kids work for their kids, just as we work for them.

It really is that simple: Republicans represent capital and Democrats rep labor.

Republican presidencies since Herbert Hoover have almost always ended this way. At least, since Democratic President Woodrow Wilson instituted the income tax.

Hoover’s manipulation of the financial levers (to redirect the tax money?) contributed to the Great Depression. (See also, more recently: the great economies passed from Democratic President Bill Clinton to GOP Boy Blunder George W. Bush, then the 2008 collapse; and now Obama to Trump; it’s a clear pattern.) Preserving, conserving and maintaining wealth is why Bloomberg.com recently ran the story headlined, “Billionaires want people back to work.” I bet they do.

GOP governors from Texas to Iowa are threatening workers that if they don’t return to work, but stay home in fear for their lives, they will be ineligible for unemployment.

We haven’t seen American workers treated with such cruelty since the formation of unions. Get this: After Trump chased-off the watchdog who was to oversee stimulus funds, major corporate chains (with less than 500 employees of course) immediately took the inside track and decimated the monies intended for actual small businesses. One of the president’s favorite restaurants, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, received twenty-million dollars within hours. Elite private schools, including Barron Trump’s, have also already received “small business” stimulus monies.

An ultra-exclusive luxury “boutique” hotel has, so far, received the most.

Politically-connected public companies have received over a billion dollars (remember, the requirement is only the number of employees, not whether a company is worth billions).

News outlets are reporting that banks literally gave “Concierge Treatment” to their richest clients.

This is exactly why Trump wanted the spending watchdog gone.

The fact is, when Mitch McConnell’s senate cronies passed the stimulus that was supposed to be for the working-class who make Richie Rich their money, Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (whose name should really be on the stimulus checks) flew to D.C. and ripped it up and wrote a good bill; with oversight provisions.

This was the C.A.R.E.S. Act.

Oh, and I almost forgot: the Los Angeles Lakers basketball franchise also received millions in “small business” stimulus money; as did Nathan’s Famous hotdogs.

But the difference is, they gave it back when they found out how the little guy was being shafted.

Silly liberals, don’t they know caring about the little guy is for Jesus, Joe and those wacky Democrats?

Evans is a Black Creek resident who’s writings have appeared in national publicaions.

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