current events

Letter to a friend and former OSU medical school classmate. Asylums Anyone?

Note from Eshrink’s Editor: My father had a reunion with his classmates who graduated from the Ohio State University Medical School back in the 50s (1956 I think). Last month, one of the few classmates left in his class sent him and article from the Wall Street Journal. Here is the link to the article https://www.wsj.com/articles/its-time-to-bring-back-the-asylum-ec01fb2?reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink. I’ve included a PDF version at the end of this blog post.

This letter is my dad’s response.

July 31, 2023

Dear Jim, 

           Thanks for the WSJ article regarding asylums.  It resurrected memories of an incident which I wrote about previously (Passing the Torch) when during my residency my attending physician for whom I had a great deal of respect, invited me to share a cup of coffee with him.  This was a bit unusual, and my first thought was to wonder what I had screwed up.  Imagine my surprise when he announced that he would be retiring at the end of my rotation on his service and wanted me to be the first to know.  The casual observer would likely have seen Dr. Ristine as a tough old bird rather than as warm and fuzzy, yet patients warmed to him instantly.  He arrived daily at the hospital wearing a beret and driving a battered topless corvette which had lost the battle when he used it to pull out a stump on his farm. 

           Prior to his stint in academia, he had been assistant director of the department of mental health.  His face was flush with anger as he described his frustrations in that job.  He reported that he made occasional visits to the various state hospitals where he would often sit and cry as he witnessed what he saw in the “backwards.”  His efforts to secure more funding for their treatment went unheeded by the legislature, for as he said, “Severely mentally ill folks don’t vote,” and therein lies the problem.   It has oft been said that “you get what you pay for” and we pay very little considering the magnitude of the problem.  The National Institute of Mental Health reports 5.5% of Americans suffer from a serious mental illness.  Dr. Ristine seemed to be saying that it was now my turn to attempt to fix the problem, which was obviously way above my pay grade.  Nevertheless, I was touched by his openness and still fondly recall that coffee break.

           Surprise, surprise, more than a half century later, I must confess that I have also failed at fixing the problem, but Dr. Ristine had found the solution as had many more who had gone before.  As with most contemporary problems the solutions can be found by following the money or in this case the lack of it.  After the French Revolution Pinel unchained his patients, moved them out of the dungeons, and allowed them to exercise outside.  Unfortunately, such ideas which came to be called the Moral Treatment of Insanity, were rare, and it is estimated that more than 1,000 psychotic folks were burned at the stake. 

           The heroine of the movement was Dorothea Dix who became a tireless advocate for the mentally ill in the mid nineteenth century.  She addressed political bodies throughout the country and even convinced the Pope to launch an inquiry into hospital treatments of the mentally ill.  She was very successful and largely through her efforts a system of asylums was built.  These asylums were usually large attractive buildings with assurances that they would offer the latest in modern treatments.  Unfortunately, there was a lack of effective treatments for the more serious cases and most, if not all, became permanent residents.  It is difficult for us to imagine what it must have been like to deal with large groups of people so paranoid that they lived constantly in terror, and whose suspiciousness made it impossible for them to accept help.  Little wonder that caregivers were driven to try unproven and sometimes garish treatments out of desperation, and that the introduction of Thorazine was greeted with enthusiasm.  Within a year over 70% of psychiatric beds were emptied.  Finally, there was a medication with proven ability to affect delusions and hallucinations, and it was widely hailed as a possible cure for schizophrenia.  

           Mr. Oshinsky begins his piece with a series of instances of murders at the hands of mentally ill persons.   Such stories are real attention getters, especially the gorier ones, and will certainly get more press than articles about drunk drivers who kill.  They will also provide more grist for the NRA crowd’s message that it is the mentally ill not guns that are the problem and reminds us to be careful around those with psychiatric problems as you never know which one is a homicidal maniac.  In reality such assaults are rare and mentally ill folks are more likely to be victims rather than perpetrators of homicides.  Such attitudes do little to eliminate the biases suffered by the mentally ill.

           The author’s statement that our Mental Health system is a “mess” is accurate in my opinion, and it lacks provision for long term care, but the system has suffered mostly due to inadequate funding.  As his last official bill signing prior to his assassination in 1963, President Kennedy signed a bill authorizing the establishment of Comprehensive Mental Health Centers throughout the country.  The idea was to provide care in patients’ home communities.  Eligibility for funding required the provision of 5 essential services including: inpatient, outpatient, social services, medication management, and emergency services.  My hometown was the second in the nation to receive such a grant, and a decade later I was recruited to become its director.  I was exhilarated by a staff who were dedicated to the welfare of our patients, and frustrated by local politics, the difficulty of recruiting psychiatrists to a rural area, but most of all by the limitations of our budget.

           Kennedy’s bill was designed to provide operating expenses for a limited period of time, less than half the proposed facilities were ever built, Reagan eliminated the program as part of his budget squeeze, and now managed care pays for little more than crisis intervention with hospital stays averaging less than 2 days.  I agree that our laws regarding involuntary commitment need to be revised.  After all it is not unusual for such correcting laws to swing too far afield, and indeed in their zeal to “deinstitutionalize,” they failed to recognize there are still patients who require custodial care in spite of our best efforts.  It is also true that without corrective action abusers will find their way into the system and Nurse Ratchets, though rare, do exist, and a community-based system is likely to shed more light.  Which poses the question, without “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” would we even be having this conversation. 

           The idea of asylums as he described them is attractive except for the fact that we already did that with poor results, and some would say to repeatedly do the same thing expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.  Many have also posited that the location of asylums for the insane have always been located in out of the way places with the idea that out of sight is out of mind while congratulating ourselves that they are not chained in a dungeon…but thousands are in jail. Though we no longer burn witches at the stake, the stigma of mental illness is alive and well.  I abhor the term behavioral health to describe mental illness which infers that behavior, not illness, is the problem.  Unfortunately, it is aberrant behavior which usually gets the public’s attention rather than its cause.  The term is widely used even by professionals including the mental health center where I last worked.  My efforts to convince the staff that although efforts to convince a psychotic person that a fireplug was not a urinal were laudable, it was unlikely to get to the root of the problem.   Medical insurance still offers minimal coverage for mental health problems.  Employers widely discriminate.  In many ways mental health problems are treated differently.  If mental illness is illness, why not treat it as we do other chronic diseases?  The answer of course remains the same as it was in Dr. Ristine’s day: it is too expensive. 

           The accomplishments of reformers back to the Middle Ages have always been short-lived by lack of adequate funding.  Bedlam, one of the earliest hospitals from the Middle Ages was designed by a famous French architect.  It was said to be a marvelous structure but eventually deteriorated due to lack of funds.  Understaffed and underfunded, their financial problems were solved by the sale of tickets to the townspeople to come watch the lunatics, and bedlam was added to our vocabulary as a word signifying chaos.

           Sorry about boring you with all that stuff, but sometimes when I get started it is hard to stop, and this diatribe will likely end up as a blog.  It was great to hear from you and reassuring that someone is beating the grim reaper.  I have no doubt that you will be around for another reunion.  Do you have any idea how many of us are still alive? It seems to me that almost all of the guys I really knew are gone.

We just returned from our family vacation at North Carolina Beach.  I think it might have been our 25th but the string was interrupted by the covid thing.  All the kids, grandkids and their significant others were there, and the trip was a gift to Barb and I from the kids in honor of our 70th anniversary.  We had a great time and I feel incredibly fortunate to have such a great bunch of people who actually care for a gimpy old fart.

           I agree that the world is a mess right now and I have grave concerns that our progeny may not experience many of the blessings we have enjoyed, but spending time with these kids gave me hope for I think they are smarter than we were and more capable of cleaning up the mess than were we.  Meanwhile, I see the buckeyes are rated #3.  I think it’s time for a national championship.

                                                       Love,

                                                       Smitty and Barb

Below is PDF of the WSJ article dad references.

Dads blog It’s Time to Bring Back Asylums – WSJ articleDownload

Madeline Albright | Freedom | War | Peace

Book cover of Madeline Albright book entitled THE MIGHTY and THE ALMIGHTY: A New York Times Best Seller. Madeline Albright was the first female Secretary of State for the United States of America

Yesterday I learned that Madeline Albright died. On my list of favorite diplomats, she was second only to George Marshall, whose policies were largely responsible for maintaining peace in Europe for 70 years and turned our enemies into allies. Her personal encounters with the evils which exist in our world have undoubtedly enhanced her appreciation for the freedoms afforded by democracy. Several years ago, during the post 9/11 years, we learned about the torture of our prisoners. Of course, the “T” word was never used to describe “enhanced interrogation, waterboarding, or even worse, rendition” which involved sending prisoners or kidnap victims to other countries to be tortured. She was asked to comment and responded that she felt the greatest danger to our democracy was the loss of our ideals.

It seemed clear to me from her comments that she felt the moral high road strengthened a nation and that we must be eternally vigilant and stay the course in order to survive. Her family had twice fled their native Czechoslovakia to escape totalitarianism. Although raised as a Catholic, later in her life she was surprised to learn that she had been born into a Jewish family and that many of her relatives had been victims of the holocaust, which must have further strengthened her resolve. She cautioned that since democracy was fragile it required constant vigilance, but in spite of what she saw as threats to our way of government, recently expressed confidence in its survival. The current political climate characterized by hate-speech, conspiracy theories, disregard for truth, and actual attempts to subvert democracy will certainly put that assessment to the test.

As if that were not enough, we now find ourselves between the proverbial rock and a hard spot with another testosterone-overdosed dictator deciding to kill a few thousand neighbors. Former president Bush had assured us that he had looked into Putin’s eyes, had seen his soul, and was reassured, while Albright had described his eyes as “cold almost reptilian.” Putin’s behaviors for the past few years have corrected that disparity, and we now face 2 unpalatable choices, i.e. directly intervene and risk nuclear war or stand by and watch the carnage of innocent people. So, here we go again with another stupid war. But then again, aren’t all wars stupid? World War II has been referred to as the “good war” although I find it hard to believe there is a lot good about 73 million deaths and only God knows how many injuries and how much suffering.

We now hear debate on the TV and social media about war crimes, yet isn’t killing people always criminal, or does permission granted by Putin or Biden make it OK? Was there a footnote somewhere that listed exceptions to the rule? I am told that there are some Bibles in which the phrase is thou shall not murder rather than kill which would refer to the legality of the killing, but is God actually a lawyer? Does the proverb I often heard my Grandfather use, “it depends on whose ox is being gored?” apply? During World War II Dresden was destroyed with incendiary bombs resulting in a firestorm which killed at least 35,000 people mostly women, children and elderly. There were no military targets. Likewise, Germany’s blitzkrieg of London specifically targeted civilian populations, but we got the prize by killing 226,000 people at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and leaving other thousands behind to deal with all sorts of radiation caused illnesses.

Those who have been in combat will almost always say that “war is hell.” They often witness horrors they will never be able to forget and sometimes do things which leave them guilt ridden for life. I can see nothing good about any war, yet we continue to glorify it at the behest of our leaders. Were we to simply declare war illegal, it would greatly simplify the UN’s work at the Hague, although it would be quite stressful for those companies who build machines designed to kill people.

Madeline Albright being sworn in as Secretary of State by Vice President Al Gore in 1997. She was the first woman to hold the "top diplomat" position in the country's history
Madeline Albright was sworn in as Secretary of State by Vice President Al Gore in 1997. She was the first woman to hold the “top diplomat” position in the country’s history.

Learn more about Madeline Albright: This is link to an article in TIME Magazine

This is article from NPR

This is link to Wikipedia entry

HANG TOGETHER?

Tomorrow it will be exactly 70 years since, I sat in Mr. Davidson’s 5th grade class and listened to FDR’s speech over the Munson school P.A. system as he said December 7th was a date that would “live in infamy”, yet this day is half over and there has been barely any mention of that date. That day bonded the people of this country into a juggernaut totally committed to preserving our country’s freedom. To be certain, there was disagreement about many issues, yet in those few hours on an otherwise peaceful Sunday morning those differences became irrelevant.


Historians agree that the war was the bloodiest in history with so many millions maimed and killed that an accurate assessment is not possible. It was a terrible price to pay. Was it worth it? No doubt those liberated from the Nazi death camps would say yes. Patrick Henry is alleged to have said: “Give me liberty, or give me death” and thousands of our young people echoed that sentiment as they stood in long lines to volunteer while I was being mesmerized by Roosevelt’s speech. One could argue that the Pearl Harbor attack initiated the last war we have fought in defense of our liberty.


There is general agreement that we are now more divided than at any time since the civil war. Those we hire as a team to manage the country don’t even talk to each other, but rather talk at or about each other. One does not need to be a Psychiatrist to understand that without conversation differences can never be resolved, and anger ensues. When anger meets anger escalation follows, often culminating in rage – what has been called the Who’s afraid of Virginia Wolfe Syndrome.


Historians point out to us the fragility of democracies. They also tell us that when they fail, as they often do, it is from within. John Adams warned us about that in the very beginning of this saga, and seriously questioned how long his new democracy would survive. There are now unmistakable signs confirmed by our intelligence agencies that there are powerful forces plotting to undermine our government while we who care bicker with each other.


The latest death of a famous member of the greatest generation, Bob Dole, whom all seem to agree was a real patriot should inspire us to value what he and others like him gave us. I wonder if he shared the same feeling as did I on that fateful December day in 1941. Since then, there has been nothing like that sense of commitment to a righteous cause shared by millions of others. What a shame that it took the horrors of a war.


For years Pearl Harbor Day was a somber time for reflection. It was set aside to honor those who were lost, and to hear stories of bravery. It seems now to be treated as a mere footnote in history which makes me sad. It seems to me that we could use some inspiration these days.

Justin Fields Quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes

The Power of LOVE

The new year began with me finding a new hero.  He happens to be a marvelously gifted athlete, but that is not my reason for choosing to honor this young man. His name is Justin Fields. It is true that I am proud of his exploits on the football field, and in particular his thrashing of the enemies of my treasured Ohio State buckeyes, but it was a single comment made following his sustaining of a potentially very serious and obviously painful injury on the field which I deemed heroic.

NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 01: Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields (1) is tackled by Clemson Tigers linebacker James Skalski (47) during the second quarter on January 1, 2021 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Stephen Lew/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

During the recent New Year’s Day game with Clemson, when sliding to the ground at the end of a run, my hero, Justin, was struck in the right lateral rib cage by the helmet of a 24-pound linebacker who dove into him as they both were running all out.  The force of the blow doubled him over and left him writhing in pain.  The force applied and location of his injuries left me concerned that the damage could be life threatening.  Although quarterbacks usually wear padding on their torsos, I couldn’t imagine him surviving this trauma without sustaining a few broken ribs or lacerating his kidney. Consequently, I was amazed to see him walk back on the field after sitting out one play, throw a touchdown pass, and be escorted into the treatment tent (more about that later) shortly before the first half ended. 

Justin Fields | Quarterback | The Ohio State University

This game had received more than the usual amount of hype. It was the semi-final game in the quest for a national championship, but also was a repeat appearance of both contestants in identical circumstances.  The prior year’s game was won by Clemson with a last-minute score, and my Buckeyes had been forced to look at a poster showing the final score of that game every time they entered their practice facility.  If that were not enough motivation, there was also the fact that Ohio State was considered the underdog, and best of all, there was a recorded quote from the Clemson coach that they should not have been ranked high enough to be selected to play in the tournament as there were at least 10 other teams better than Ohio State.  He would be widely criticized (especially by the Clemson fans) for motivating an opponent, especially after losing by 21 points.

At half-time the OSU coach, Ryan Day, when asked as to the condition of his quarterback responded with the following non-answer: “He’s got the heart of a lion, and he’s gotta play for 30 more minutes.”  I would have been more comfortable with reassurances that he had been examined thoroughly by the team doctor who determined that it was safe for him to play.  I was shocked to learn that there were no X-rays taken, or what, if any, procedures were done to determine his fitness to play.  It seems to me that such an injury warranted rib films at the minimum.  I dare say that in most any other situation an X-ray would be routine, and the neglect to do so would be considered malpractice. 

At his post-game interview Justin was a model of humility. Link to YouTube Video and Link to Google Search of all Interview Results.  When asked the inane question as to how he felt about the win, he responded that he felt blessed.  He heaped praise upon his teammates, his God, and his coach, whom he said treated him like a son.  When asked how he felt about the Clemson coach’s disparaging comments, he simply replied he didn’t want to talk about that. 

However, it was the answer to the question about motivation leading to his setting sugar bowl records, that got my attention.  He mentioned that his team had been beset by disappointments throughout the season due to the pandemic, and that he was happy for them because “I love those guys.”

Deeds of valor have been favorite subjects for authors and poets throughout history.  There have been instances when soldiers have thrown themselves on hand grenades in order to save the lives of their comrades.  Soldiers who request return to combat following injuries usually do so out of concern for their buddies.  As a matter of fact, nearly all episodes of heroism arise out of concern for other people.  Psychiatrists, psychologists, philosophers, and self-endowed experts of all kinds have discussed, analyzed, and categorized the phenomenon of love ad nauseum, which usually means that they don’t have a clue.  When I was a kid, I was taught that love was a word that should be reserved for use when describing a human relationship with the possible exception of feelings for the family dog or God, but now we profess love for food, music, cars, clothing, and all kinds of inanimate objects.  We were taught to love our country, certain ideals and core values all of which had something to do with mankind.  Although love had not the exalted status of the F word or the N word, it was treated with respect. I now find the definition in the Google dictionary to include “affection for someone or something.”

My favorite definition of love is: caring for another as much or more than for oneself, but then I am a person who likes to simplify.  There is little doubt that there were multiple factors which contributed to Mr. Fields’ remarkable performance, but I was struck by his demeanor and his use of the word love.  As with most emotions, love is a word that defies description.  It can cause euphoria and unbridled pain when taken away, but is an effective antidote to hatred.  Love heals and hatred destroys.  We have all heard testimonials of people who have suffered grievous injuries at the hands of others relate how they could only find peace by forgiving those who had harmed them or their loved ones. 

My Favorite Definition of LOVE

The power of love has been recognized by the ancients, even before Jesus Christ, whose philosophy of love was first learned about by me in perhaps the most quoted of the scriptures ………THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.  It was enhanced by a quote from of all people, an ancient Taoist philosopher, Lao Tzu, who long before Christ is alleged to have said:

TO BE LOVED DEEPLY GIVES YOU STRENGTH, TO DEEPLY LOVE GIVES YOU COURAGE”

Lao Tzu

He also said: “LOVE OF ALL THE PASSIONS IS THE STRONGEST, FOR IT ATTACKS THE HEAD, THE HEART, AND THE SENSES.”

Can the power of love be misused in unscrupulous ways?

Ironically, it was while writing this little essay that I heard about the assault on the Capitol.  Perhaps that is more timely than one might think, for it illustrates a thought that had occurred to me about how the use of love is often used as an unscrupulous way to influence others to do bad things.   Although these insurrectionists were involving themselves in a hateful enterprise, most of them would undoubtedly report they were doing it out of love for their country and in many cases for their revered leader who had directed them.  Their thought processes have been so distorted by the lies of Trump and his sycophants that they refer to themselves as patriots.   After all, they were simply following the instructions of the commander in chief.  Such strategies have long been the bread and butter of charismatic cult leaders. 

Indeed, Trump misused the sentiment of love in his taped message during the siege on the Capitol.

“Go home. We love you, you’re very special,” he said as the rioters attacked the legislative branch of our government, our sacred institution of democracy, and the “thin blue line” that loyal Trump followers had previously and consistently supported without question–even when police blatantly killed citizens of color without cause.

These rioters were willing to check all of their principles and values at the door for one man. Fortunately, for us, our founders knew the danger of allegiance to one man, to a king, and set up our Republic to keep that in check. Therefore, each public servant, swears an oath to The Constitution of the United States of America, not the President. Democracy is messy, often inefficient (by design in some respects) and while ours is not a perfect system of government, it is exceptional and has always been the model for countries around the world who fight for the rights these rioters obviously have taken for granted.

To the best of my knowledge, there are no anarchists or militia groups operating in this small midwestern town of mine. Nevertheless, our local paper reported a busload of 67 of our citizens heeded Trump’s call and traveled to Washington to join in the “demonstration.”

These followers heard their Dear Leader encourage them to walk down to the Capitol and fight. Unfortunately, some of Trump’s followers take him at his word….led by one man who has tapped into their anger, their need to feel important, their need to find an excuse for all of their problems, their hatred…all for “the love of Trump” which they translate to their love of country.

Link to 3-minutes of video from Trump’s Address to his followers at pre-riot rally January 6th. [Video in full is at the bottom of this post]

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 06: Pro-Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol following a rally with President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. Trump supporters gathered in the nation’s capital today to protest the ratification of President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory over President Trump in the 2020 election. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Who Could Have Imagined the Danger A Narcissistic Power-Driven Trump Could Cause as POTUS?

It has been a little over 3 years since I used this blog to express my opinion about what I considered to be the serious mental problems of our President when I posted the blog entitled Trump’s Mental Health. I was not alone for I was joined by approximately 80,000 other mental health professionals who shared my concerns, and published an open letter on the subject.  There had been blowback from our parent organization, The American Psychiatric Association, that decided following a lawsuit many years ago, by Barry Goldwater, that to express such opinions without a one-on-one evaluation was “unethical.”  I had predicted that when cornered, Trump was apt to decompensate and become psychotic, which indeed seems to have occurred since losing the election, as rumor has it that there are a number of indictments that await him once he leaves office. There is also the fracture of that fragile ego as he watches his cadre of sycophants abandon him.    

The assessment from those who have met him recently that he has become “unhinged” is borne out by his incitement of riotous and what some say is treasonous behavior in a direct assault on his own government.  Dr. Lee, the psychiatrist who wrote the criteria for narcissistic personality disorder in the diagnostic manual insisted that Trump did not fit that diagnosis because he suffered no distress as a result from his aberrant behaviors.  I wonder what he would think now, and does he still believe that as psychiatrists we have no “duty to warn” when we see the so-called “leader of the free world” is dangerously deranged with a high probability of becoming psychotic.  (Sorry, but I couldn’t resist doing an “ I told you so thing”).

In addition to the serious damage done to this country which may take decades to overcome, there is also the loss of 5 lives at last count.  (By the way why have we not heard who they are other than the murdered policeman or of anything about the circumstances of their deaths).  Trump’s brainwashed followers are not likely to be deterred at least for a long time, the experience of this assault is likely to whet the appetites of the really bad actors of this bunch.

Can We Heal?

In spite of all this doom gloom and despair, I was able to grab onto a glimmer of hope this morning as I tuned into my favorite guy on CNN, Fareed Zakaria.  He did an in-depth interview with Colin Powell, the guy who was conned into delivering false information about Saddam Hussein’s alleged weapons of mass destruction which led to the Iraq war.  In spite of the long list of problems caused by Donald Doofus and his assault on democracy he was hopeful.  Although a lifelong Republican, he was convinced that Joe Biden was the right man for the job of pulling us out of the messes created by Trump.  As for the divisiveness we now experience, his answer was simple.  “always tell the truth and love each other.”

To finish where we started…O-H…

I-O…GO BUCKS!

Editor’s Note: The italicized text was written by me when the author suggested I add information about Trump’s declaration of love to his followers during the siege on the Capitol.

Links of Note:

Eshrink’s Blog Post December 2020; It’s Not Over Yet: The Last Days of Trump

Eshrink’s Blog Post September 2020: An Attempt to Understand Trump Fans (Cult Followers)

Eshrink’s Blog Post: April 2018 | Trump Fatigue

Eshrink’s Blog Post: Feb 2017 | Trump’s Label

Eshrink’s Blog Post: August 2020 Is Our Republic in Danger?

Eshrink’s Blog Post: Let’s Learn from Our Past | The Most Dangerous Man on Earlth

WORDS MATTER. Transcript of Trump’s Speech at Rally that Preceded the Assault on the Capitol

Members of Hate Groups Identified at the Capitol Riot. Article by Frontline and PBS

Link to Video of Trump Speech at Rally Prior to Capitol Riot

Link to Entire RALLY held prior to Trump Speaking is below.

It’s Not Over Yet! The Last Days of Trump.

Those of you who have read any of these blogs may recall that I have had a lot to say about the mental health of our President, or more specifically the lack thereof. I described him as being quite fragile, and at risk of decompensating into psychosis with the right triggers. Unfortunately, there are signs, that prophecy may now be coming true, and we may be stuck with a crazy President for the next month or so. There is little doubt that his behavior has been even more erratic than usual, leaving the pundits to spend a great deal of time attempting to discern his strategy.

It was no surprise that he would insist the election was fraudulent for he has been telling us for months that if he lost, it would be because the election was fixed. Of course, he only complained about the states won by Biden. He has maintained a surprisingly low profile since the election and info leaked from the White House paints a picture of an angry brooding person subject to fits of rage directed at anyone who suggests it is time to concede. One of his earliest and most faithful supporters has characterized his quest to have the election overturned as “an embarrassment.” He has apparently been shocked to discover that even those federal judges whom he nominated have chosen to follow the law rather than the dictates of our dear leader. Some have even shown the temerity to chastise his attorneys for alleging fraud without evidence to support the charges.

Theories Regarding Trump’s Behavior in “Defeat”

There have been a variety of theories raised in an attempt to explain what is often seen as self-defeating behavior as he excoriates those who have been his most staunch supporters. Some see the parade of lawsuits alleging fraud as merely a fundraising ploy ($207 million dollars so far) as he sets the stage to start campaigning for the 2024 election, or as a means to finance his own propaganda machine a la Fox News, and there is the problem of the $300 Million bucks he is said to owe to a mysterious benefactor, yet his retreat from the public eye is beginning to erode the support of dyed-in-the-wool Trumpers. There are even a few frightened senators who are whispering disapproval of his conspiracy theories.


There seems to be general agreement among the more expert Trump watchers that except for his continuing fund-raising efforts, his behavior doesn’t make much sense. Many of us in the field have concluded that his mental state is precarious, and that when under stress he is at risk of decompensating into psychosis. As a matter of fact, a few thousand of us signed a letter attesting to that opinion some time ago. Although diagnostic labels in psychiatry are not precise (more about that in a subsequent blog) most agree that the diagnosis of Narcissistic Personality Disorder with Sociopathic features best describes Mr. Trump. He has spent his entire life attempting to prove to himself that he is a superior human being in order to shield himself from deep seated feelings of insecurity and inferiority, which explains his bullying, lying, bragging, self-aggrandizement, and continual need for praise. It is the latter quality which has led him to surround himself with a group of sycophants and has appeared to influence even his foreign policy decisions as other world leaders learn how to use that vulnerability. His preoccupation with protecting his fragile ego leaves no room for empathy or concern for others, and those who threaten to expose his deficiencies are subject to his rage and punishment.

The Truth Will Set You Free but The Lies Fan the Flames of the Discontented Sheep

Much has been made of Trump’s lies with the Washington Post reporting thousands (I couldn’t find the current number). EDITOR’S NOTE: This link goes to the Trump Lies Database (as of Oct. 16, the tally was over 26,000). Goebbels, Hitler’s propaganda minister, is quoted as saying that if you tell a lie often enough people will accept it as true, which a recent study covered in Scientific American tends to confirm. However, I am not aware of any research which focuses on the effect of such repetitive falsehoods on the one who delivers them, i.e. does the chronic liar come to believe his own lies if he repeats them frequently over a long period of time? This brings up an interesting philosophical point – is one who has convinced himself that his lies are true still a liar?

However, in the case of one whose entire being is dominated by a need to convince himself of his superiority to other humans, truth is irrelevant for the ultimate goal is to convince himself that falsehoods are truths. When one begins with a lie the only proof that can be offered is another lie which is how conspiracy theories are born. In Trump’s case, he has been unwilling to even consider the possibility of fallibility in any aspect of his life. He always uses superlatives to describe himself or his performance, never just good but always the best as in the “best economy ever” or “the biggest crowds ever.” He took pains to insure his loss of the election would be due to fraud rather than admit that he wasn’t the greatest President since Lincoln or maybe even before. He continues to insist in spite of evidence to the contrary that the election was stolen from him and that lie has been repeated by him hundreds of times in the past month.

Could it be that he actually believes those lies he constantly mouths as do many of his followers. A recent Reuters poll concluded that 52% of Republicans believe the election was rigged while other polls show the percentage to be even higher. Thus, it seems Trump’s admonitions to his followers that they should only believe him and not the “fake news” purveyors has been effective even though there has not been a shred of evidence of significant fraud. In a recent blog (LOYAL TRUMP FANS) I quoted Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, who described the Trump organization as a cult. I thought comparison of Trump to a cult leader seemed an exaggeration until I read this article in Psychology Today by Joe Navarro, a retired FBI agent. who wrote in his article about about dangerous cult leaders:

“ Having studied at length the life, teachings, and behaviors of Jim Jones (Jonestown Guyana), David Koresh (Branch Davidians), Stewart Traill (The Church of Bible Understanding), Charles Manson, Shoko Asahara (Aum Shinrikyo), Joseph Di Mambro (The Order of the Solar Temple a.k.a. Ordre du Temple Solaire), Marshall Heff Applewhit (Heaven’s Gate), Bhagwan Rajneesh (Rajneesh Movement), and Warren Jeffs (polygamist leader), I can say that what stands out about these individuals is that they were or are all pathologically narcissistic. They all have or had an over-abundant belief that they were special, that they and they alone had the answers to problems, and that they had to be revered. They demanded perfect loyalty from followers, they overvalued themselves and devalued those around them, they were intolerant of criticism, and above all they did not like being questioned or challenged. And yet, in spite of these less than charming traits, they had no trouble attracting those who were willing to overlook these features.”

By Joe Navarro, Psychology Today, Dangerous Cult Leaders Dangerous Cult Leaders: Clues to what makes for a pathological cult leader

Sound familiar?

Cults and The Company We Keep | Hate Groups. Domestic Terrorists. White Supremacists.

If those thousands of attendees at His rallies are members of a cult, it is a large one, yet not unprecedented for many consider Scientology for example to be a cult. My experience with cults has been in treating family members of those recruited into cults. What I have read indicates there are varied reasons some are vulnerable to being recruited, and that there are a surprising number of apparently well-adjusted people who are willing to surrender their beliefs to a charismatic figure in spite of his obvious flaws.

It appears Trump is running out of legal challenges designed to steal the election for himself which begs the question as to what is next for Trump and his followers, the vast majority of whom believe whatever he says. Unfortunately; there are also many who support him out of fear for their political future. His son in law, Kushner, said in an interview that Trump had succeeded in executing “a hostile takeover” of the Republican party. Indeed, we have seen a continuous string of supports by elected officials for, or pathological tolerance of, his nefarious activities out of fear they will be primaried. Consequently; he continues to spit on The Constitution with impunity, most recently by filing suit in the Supreme court to nullify the votes of millions of people.

Proud Boys leader Enrique Torrio at rally. Note: The Proud Boys was formed in 2016 by VICE Media co-founder, Gavin McInnes. In an op-ed in the far-right outlet Taki’s Magazine—notorious for its regular contributors, which included white supremacist Jared Taylor—McInnes announced the foundation of the group, describing its members as “Western chauvinists who refuse to apologize [sic] for creating the modern world,” and who “long for the days when ‘girls were girls and men were men.’” According to McInnes, the Proud Boys, whose name is taken from a song in the musical Aladdin, are a response and opposition to “politically correct culture. SOURCE: https://www.adl.org/proudboys


Meanwhile more drama appears to be forming as Trump’s buddies, The Proud Boys are no longer adhering to the order to “stand back and stand by” as ordered by Trump during the Presidential debate. As a matter of fact, they have been an active presence during the current demonstrations for Trump in Washington. Their leader, a gun toting dude by the name of Enrique Tarrio, was seen visiting or maybe casing the White House, but the administration assures us that this was not at the invitation of the President, and we know we can always trust every word we hear from that source. Nevertheless, during a lull in the attempts to foment rioting Mr. Tarrio later addressed the troops and said: “We have come a long way”. Another hero to speak was recently pardoned General Mike Flynn who extoled the virtues of his benefactor for keeping him out of the slammer. All in all, it was just another day in the swamp.


There has been a great deal of speculation as to what Trump will do in order to attempt to save face or better yet to mete out punishment for those who refused to praise him. Some have suggested that his recent replacement of key personnel at the Pentagon with know nothing sycophants is a backup plan to use the military to engineer a coup d’etat since his hand-picked supreme court was disloyal to him and decided instead to follow the constitution. There was also the trial balloon arranged by Bill Barr during the Black Lives Matter demonstrations when he raised a secret militia composed mostly of federal prison guards, but that didn’t work out so well.

It has been assumed that the torch if passed would be flame first, and that Trump likely will not attend the inauguration. There are lots of possibilities as to how the swearing in could be disrupted. One rumor has it that Trump will arrange for a giant rally and use the occasion to announce his intent to run again in 2024. It seems nearly certain that he will not be able to tolerate watching Biden get all the attention. It is expected that there will be many pardons passed out which will get him noticed along with various other gimmicks designed to make governing difficult. With a little help from the Donald it may be possible for some of those wacked out militia groups to infiltrate the inaugural crowd and stir up trouble, but hopefully the COVID thing will keep crowds to a minimum.

Top Reasons for Trump Would Refuse to Cede Power

There are several reasons Trump may be more reluctant than the average guy to cede power to another:

  • It is a dream job for the pathological narcissist who lives to be the center of attention.
  • It presents multiple opportunities to cash in, e.g. the $175,000 a day charged to the inauguration committee for the use of Trump’s DC hotel ballroom.
  • The title of President lends credence to whatever con job one wishes to pull off, which is the greatest joy for any sociopath.
  • The power to make or break individuals helps to validate the self- imposed myth of infallibility.
  • The office offers some protection from indictments, and rumor has it that Trump may be facing serious legal problems as a civilian. Here’s a link to the list of current law suits Trump will likely face as a civilian when the office of the President of the United States can’t protect him anymore..

Today, Biden was certified as President elect, but I was happy to hear that Trump said he would not give up on overturning the election. Yes, I was pleased because I thought as long as he is occupied with such activities, he is unlikely to engage in even crazier behaviors. Hopefully, even when hope is lost, the lure of all those donations to his “legal “funds will keep him going for a while.

However, as the end of his fun time draws nearer, I am concerned that his paranoia may progress to the point that he might do something really crazy. His support for or simply lack of commentary about the proud boy agitators’ recent activities could be seen as a go-ahead signal which could rapidly escalate into a major crisis – his parting gift to Biden. In the event that Trump does come to believe some of those conspiracy theories which he espouses, there is no limit to the crazy behaviors which could make sense to him, and even on his best days his legendary fits of rage seem to overwhelm judgement.

The Proud Boys claim they aren’t a hate group. This T-Shirt was recently removed from Amazon. The term is well-known term proliferated about the Holocaust and stands for “6 Million Weren’t Enough”

The 25th amendment to the constitution provides a mechanism to remove a sitting President who is disabled, but according to my reading, section 4 states the President has a right to appeal such decisions in which case Congress must be convened with 48hours to debate the issue. The most powerful man in the world can do a lot of damage in 48 hours. As a matter of fact, if he is angry with the world, he has it within his power to destroy it. But that is even too horrible for an old cynic like me to contemplate.

There is hope however as today the long awaited vaccine is being distributed at the same time a new administration is voted in to office. I am reminded of my long ago departed Father-In-Law who, although he was a registered Republican, admitted that he always voted against the incumbent because he figured the best thing you could do for the country was to “keep turning them over.”























Brain of Trump Voter

An Attempt to Understand Trump Fans (a.k.a. Trumpsters | Trumpers)

LOYAL TRUMP FANS

An enduring puzzle for we anti-trumpers is why the President’s support never wavers in spite of his behaviors or the direction of the political winds at any given time.  Rarely have we seen in this country such loyalty to a political figure.   It seems as if weekly we see another book published with more information about this man, any one of which would scuttle or at least diminish the stature of any other political figure, yet he remains unscathed.  The fact that he was elected with the help of women voters in spite of a widely distributed video of him bragging about his position providing him with license to sexually molest women is unfathomable.  There was also the issue of his fraudulent Trump University, history of multiple bankruptcies, along with unethical and dishonest business practices.  His so-called charitable foundation was closed down due to its illegal dispensing of funds, and the list goes on.

Since Trump’s election, the new cottage industry of fact checking has sprung up, and his record of lies has eclipsed by thousands that of any other politician past or present. While I don’t have the time to provide a comprehensive list of all the unethical, sometimes illegal, and often immoral things Trump has done (afterall, I just turned 90), I’ve listed some of the highlights as a reminder:

  • He has used his power as President to free or lessen the sentences of colleagues, and refuses to hold himself accountable for his actions by ignoring lawfully executed subpoenas.
  • He has taken extreme measures to keep secret the contents of his meetings and phone calls with Putin, his favorite dictatorial leader, and is chummy with most of the others.
  • He admits to never having broached the subject with Putin of his bounties on U.S. soldiers.
  • He gives a wink and a nod to the Saudi Prince who ordered the assassination of a U.S. resident friendly to us (a reporter who wrote articles about the Saudi government that were unflattering).
  • He rewarded the Kurds, who fought beside us and played a major role in defeating Isis, by abandoning them to be slaughtered by another of his fascist buddies – Erdogan.
  • He regularly insults our friends and sucks up to our enemies around the world.
  • He seems determined to destroy NATO, the longest lasting successful peace maintenance organization in the history of the world.
  • His policies are also on track to promote more pollution and enhance climate change.
  • He denies facts and the expertise of scientists on a routine basis.

But his most recent outrageous ploy is to only provide the Congressional Intelligence Committee with written reports in order to prevent them from asking questions…and allow him to keep more secrets from Congress and therefore keep more secrets from us: the people (remember that “government for the people, by the people” deal?).  But this is only a very small part of the lists of my complaints about this guy for a more complete one would fill several books and it has! Nevertheless, when I get on a roll I find it hard to stop!

Why Do Intelligent People Continue to Support this Flawed Individual?

Back to the question at hand – why do intelligent people continue to offer unwavering support for this flawed individual?  According to the latest Gallup poll, his approval rating has not budged from 42%.   Although this has troubled me for some time, it was brought to the fore recently when a fellow anti-trumper brought up the question by mentioning a disagreement he had with one of our mutual friends.  We agreed that this person was extremely intelligent, nevertheless, he was quoted by my friend as saying regarding Trump: “While I would not choose Trump for a friend, I will vote for him again”.  He also saw Trump as a victim and praised Barr for defending him.  It was not clear why he felt Trump was worthy of a job as the most powerful man in the world, yet not as a friend, but I assume this attitude may reflect the thinking of many people.

Does Character Count for Anything?

It would appear that to our friend, issues of character were not very important in a leader.  Likewise, we have the incongruous situation in which evangelical Christians are said to be in general very supportive of Trump.  Regarding his moral deficiencies, they respond that their faith requires them to be forgiving. However, my understanding of scripture leads me to believe that in order to be forgiven, one must show contrition, and ask for forgiveness…not exactly the style of the Donald.

As I watched Trump give his address on that desecrated White House lawn to this group of unmasked people sitting shoulder to shoulder obviously ignoring any policies designed to prevent infection with a potentially fatal virus, I wondered how such a group of very intelligent people could do such a stupid thing, and put themselves and their families at risk.  Trump’s strategy was of course obvious in that with a death occurring from COVID every 80 seconds, and the world’s worst record in containing the virus, perhaps it was wise to ignore the facts and emphasize the minor efforts he had put forth to contain the illness no matter their ineffectiveness.  Granted, many in that audience may benefit in a personal way from such a relationship with the President, yet these people have not been living under a rock, which makes it hard to believe they don’t question some of Trump’s rhetoric.

The Road to The White House via Reality TV | The Greatest Con Ever

Much has been written about the psychological make-up of Trump, even by people like me, but perhaps it would be more helpful to understand the thinking of those who are loyal to him.   Trump spent several years honing his skills as a reality TV host.  Of course, most reality TV has little to do with reality, but a lot to do with feigning reality.  Undoubtedly, this was very helpful in the development of a certain amount of charisma.  Acting is all about pretending to be something you are not.  The professional actor is able to step out of his role and display his real self when the show is over, but the antisocial personality presents his act to be who he really is, which is the secret to the success of any con man.  Since he lacks a superego, the anti-social Trump is unencumbered by the feelings of guilt or concern for others and is therefore, very believable and ingratiating.  Add to this, the pseudo-confidence of the narcissist and the con is complete.

Personal Freedom? 

We humans insist that we treasure our freedom, yet the idea of personal freedom has only been prevalent for  200 to 300 years.  As I have mentioned in previous blogs, we are by nature tribal or herd animals, and a herd must have leadership to function.  Our founders are said to have been concerned as to the susceptibility of their citizens to a charismatic leader with nefarious intent, which is one of the reasons they are said to have settled on the bizarre system of an electoral college. On the other hand, a certain amount of charisma is necessary in order to become a leader.

The First Act

Trump’s entrance into the run for president in 2016 was largely seen as a publicity scheme, and the pundits mostly treated it as a joke.  As he descended the escalator at Trump Tower to announce his candidacy, he was cheered on cue by a group of recruits who had been paid to participate in the production.  We will probably never know if he actually felt he had a chance to be president, but to most people’s surprise his “unconventional” approach to campaigning provided him with a great deal of free publicity. That part was not surprising since his career, indeed his whole being, had been devoted to being noticed.  His outrageous behavior and utter contempt for the traditional decorum of the Republican debates left his adversaries helplessly babbling, and a large group of voters who were fed up with Congress began to take him seriously.

The Second Act

With his nomination, Trump’s message to middle class Americans who had felt neglected by their government for 30 years was that he could fix it.  With Congress’s approval in the teens and on occasion even below 10%, his tough guy persona definitely appealed. Consequently; his “make America Great Again” slogan resonated and his entertaining rallies were met with a great deal of enthusiasm.  As a matter of fact, his core supporters became rabid in their belief that he alone could and would “drain the Swamp” even if that’s not the way the founders designed our system of government.

Trump thrives on mass political gatherings and his disciples crowd into them with the enthusiasm of fans attending a rock band concert.  He offers little in the way of policy commitments, but directs them as to who they should blame for whatever problems trouble them.  There are also lessons as to who they should fear and why.  He arrives on stage with his signature baseball cap assuring them he is just one of the guys while at the same time convincing them that he is the only one tough enough to solve their problems.  His continuous use of twitter keeps that theme alive along with the continual drum beat as to whom they should beware.

He makes liberal use of projection, i.e., accuse others of whatever wrong doing you are guilty of, and when caught in a lie, deny, distract, divert, or double down repeatedly since persistent repetition eventually mimics truth.

Michael Cohen Trump's Fixer Pleads guilty

 

Loyalty or Brainwashing?

In a recent interview, Michael Cohen, Trump’s former fixer turned informer, indicated that the Trump organization was like a cult.  Indeed, Cohen had once said that he would “take a bullet for him (Trump)”.  The apparent fanaticism of many of his followers, their unwavering loyalty in spite of his lies and irreverent behavior, along with their refusal to even hear negative comments about their hero are cult-like qualities, but it would be a stretch to consider Trump devotees as cult members.

 

Fear and Anger Trump the Day

It appears to me that the glue which unites his followers is the combination of fear and anger.  Trump has exploited their anger with his own tirades.  The message in his speeches are not nearly as important as the way in which they are communicated.  The sarcastic, belittling, and insulting characterizations are particularly effective against those belonging to what Trump refers to as the “liberal elite.”

This led the so-called common man to believe that Trump understood their feelings of disrespect by those of a higher socioeconomic standing – quite an accomplishment since those of a liberal persuasion have always seen themselves as champions of the working class while Trump’s career is replete with examples of his scamming them.  He also validated their conviction that their needs and opinions were ignored by their government.  He espoused his own brand of patriotism with outrage that our government has allowed ourselves to be disrespected and cheated by other countries, and that the U.S. has been signatories to a variety of bad deals.  There was also anger over the movement of industries off shore and subsequent loss of jobs, and as a matter of fact about anything that was wrong real or imagined.  Nothing unites a people like a common enemy and the raucous cheers of “lock her up” that erupted with his campaign rallies were effective in stirring up the crowd.  They went wild when Trump dealt with hecklers by promising to pay the fines of anyone who would “punch them in the nose.”

The following email, allegedly sent by Steve Harvey, explains the reasoning of my Trump supporting friend in addition to the anger. It also explains why disclosures of Trump’s character defects have no effect on his supporters.  They already know that he is a jerk, a liar, and grossly lacking in integrity.  They not only don’t care, but actually admire his obnoxious behavior.

HOW I FEEL ABOUT TRUMP: By Steve Harvey

Editors Note: The following communication was NOT by Steve Harvey, the comedian and host of Family Feud…just another lie. Every single fact checking organization has debunked it as well as Steve Harvey himself.   FactCheck.org | Snopes.com | PoliticiFact.com

You’ve been on vacation for two weeks, you come home, and your basement is infested with raccoons.. Hundreds of rabid, messy, mean raccoons have overtaken your basement.. You want them gone immediately!.. You call the city and 4 different exterminators, but nobody can handle the job.. But there is this one guy, and he guarantees to get rid of them, so you hire him.. You don’t care if the guy swears, you don’t care how many times he’s been married, you don’t care if he has a plumber’s crack, you simply want those raccoons gone!..

You want your problem fixed!.. He’s the guy.. He’s the best!

Here’s why we want Trump: Yes, he’s a bit of a jerk; Yes, he’s an egomaniac; but we don’t care!..

The country is a mess because politicians suck, the Republicans and Democrats can be two-faced and gutless, and illegals are everywhere.. We want it all fixed!.. We don’t care that Trump is crude, we don’t care that he insults people, we don’t care that he’s been married 3 times, we don’t care that he fights with Megyn Kelly and Rosie O’Donnell, we don’t care that he doesn’t know the name of some Muslim terrorist.. This country became weak and bankrupt, our enemies were making fun of us, we are being invaded by illegals, we are becoming a nation of victims where every Tom, Ricardo, and Hasid is a special group with special rights to a point where we don’t even recognize the country we were born and raised in; “AND WE JUST WANT IT FIXED”..

And Trump is the only guy who seems to understand what the people want..

We’re sick of politicians, sick of the Democratic Party, sick of the Republican Party, and sick of illegals!.. We just want this thing fixed.. Trump may not be a Saint, but we didn’t vote for a Pope.. We voted for a man who doesn’t have lobbyist money holding him back, a man who doesn’t have political correctness restraining him.. We all know that he has been very successful, he’s a good negotiator, he has built a lot of things, and he’s also NOT a politician, NOT a cowardly politician.!..

And he says he’ll fix it.. And we believe him because he is too much of an egotist to be proven wrong, or looked at and called a liar.. Also, we don’t care if the guy has bad hair.. We just want those raccoons gone, out of our house, NOW!!!

You are welcome to copy/paste/share this.. Thousands of people who haven’t voted in 25 years seem to be getting involved.. And the more people get this message, the more that will understand why Trump was elected.. The raccoons have got to go!!!

Willful Ignorance

It appears that some people are not so worldly and choose to believe what the President says. For example, I recently saw an interview with an unmasked Trumper at a rally in which he was asked whether he was concerned about the virus.  He replied that there was nothing to worry about because “that whole pandemic thing” was a hoax, and that all those alleged casualties from the virus were actually people who were dying from causes unrelated to COVID.  Trump had given up the use of the word “hoax” to describe the pandemic several months ago, but this guy had apparently heard nothing more on the subject after Trump’s original pronouncement.   This is a feature which I call willful ignorance, i.e., when a person accepts something as fact, then closes their mind to consider any information that might debunk or contradict their belief.  This effect is maximized when as is the case of Republicans, they have their own personal propaganda machine, Fox News, or the democrats with their left leaning MSNBC.  (This is why I occasionally hold my nose and tune into Fox in order to reassure myself that I am not totally in the grip of confirmation bias.) Unfortunately, we all have a tendency to search for confirmation of our beliefs, which of course contributes further to our divisiveness.

Fear Mongering

The incitement of fear has been a consistent strategy throughout the Trump campaign and his time in office.  His initial focus was on immigration, in which he assured us that hordes of thugs, criminals, rapists, murderers, foreign agents, and other undesirables were invading our country, and must be stopped at all costs.  One of Trump’s strategies that some find appealing is his ability to simplify complex problems.  Consequently, his solution to the immigration problem ignored those knotty issues like murder of innocent citizens, mayhem, and mob rule against immigrants (legal or illegal), which were the norm in the countries of origin for those seeking asylum.  His solution was simple – build a fence, and better yet, have Mexico pay for it.  Studies have demonstrated that the vast majority of those seeking asylum are law abiding people who fear for their lives and the lives of their families, but Trump pulls out the fear mongering tactic with stories about MS13, a vicious gang, which he falsely attributes to having infiltrated the ranks of those seeking asylum.

With the the COVID-19 pandemic and the word out that immigrant kids were being separated from parents and kept in cages, border crossings were down and a new boogie man was needed.  The George Floyd murder with the resulting demonstrations arrived just in time.  Soon rioters arrived on the scene, and Trump’s right-hand person, Kelly Ann Conway, confirmed that she thought the broken windows, fires and looting would be good for the reelection campaign.  Always alert to a new opportunity, our President immediately went into law and order mode.  He championed the couple who were pictured guarding their home in a high-end gated community with an AR15 and hand gun.   He promised to straighten things out in minutes by sending in troops, although local mayors and governors insisted this made things worse.  Just in case those suburban “housewives” who voted for him the last time around missed it, he reminded them in a speech that he was protecting them by preventing any subsidized housing from being built in their neighborhoods so they would need not fear any invasions from the rif-raf.  Meanwhile, he was telling them they had nothing to fear from the one thing which deserved their fear: COVID-19.

Now that Biden appears to be leading in the polls, it appears Trump strategists are back to milking conspiracy theories.  Trump is once again referring to the “deep state” as a group of conspirators who operate within the government to undermine the democratic process and perpetrate all kinds of dastardly deeds.  The more recent version is that Biden is a closet socialist – this one designed to court the Cuban Latinos who fled Cuba’s Castro a generation ago, but all the dark state theories are designed to stoke fear of all democrats, and to undermine confidence in institutions.  However; if one looks at how the administration uses the awesome power of government to flout our laws, politicize our institutions, punish Trump’s adversaries, and reward his friends, one might easily conclude the “deep state” actually resides within the bowels of the White House.  Remember that thing I said about projection?

EDITOR’S NOTE:

As I talked with my 20-year-old daughter during a road trip to her grandparents’ house, I wondered if it was coincidence or genetics when she declared, “I’ve been trying to figure out how the Trump people think.” After all, she does possess some eshrink genetics! She said something like: “It seems like their thought process starts and ends with specific beliefs instead of processing information by evaluating the facts.” They think all democrats want to have abortions, are socialists, want to take their guns away, are unpatriotic and want a bloated government that is inefficient. 

For my part, I go back to the revisionist history and the bizarre inability to accept or process REAL EVENTS (videos of Trump; Trump Tweets) that show the hypocrisy that these people profess to hate about Washington. While Trump had been talking about the rigged system ramping up to the election when polls showed he would most likely lose, he kept denigrating the Electoral College (which was never meant to be a perfect system, but a compromise: read About a week before the 2016 election when Trump thought he was going to lose, his rhetoric was about the idiocy of the founders Electoral College process. Once he won the election via the Electoral College, but lost the popular vote, all the sudden it wasn’t such a bad idea ???

Now, as we get ready for another election, he starts again: the system is rigged (maybe he was right…maybe it is rigged and that’s why he won). What just baffles me is that these Trump supporters don’t see a problem with his type of bizarre thinking. If he professes our elections are rigged and he won, then he shouldn’t be our president. If he doesn’t think the election was rigged, then he was lying “playing them” and is doing the same thing now. If he does think the 2016 election was rigged, then he’s had four years to do something about it…so how can this one be rigged? How in the hell is this con man running as if he hasn’t been the guy in charge for four years? It is so bizarre, it baffles my brain. But I think it’s supposed to be that way. I’m supposed to be so confused that I think I’m the one that’s crazy…they call it gaslighting and I think the entire country is suffering at some level.

Below, are articles I found that might be of interest.

NOTE: Five times a candidate has won the popular vote and lost the election. Andrew Jackson in 1824 (to John Quincy Adams); Samuel Tilden in 1876 (to Rutherford B. Hayes); Grover Cleveland in 1888 (to Benjamin Harrison); Al Gore in 2000 (to George W. Bush); Hillary Clinton in 2016 (to Donald J. Trump).

Here’s what Trump said to Lesley Stahl about the Electoral College and a national popular vote for President on Sixty Minutes on November 13, 2016:

Link to full article

Stahl: Now for months you were running around saying the system is rigged.  The whole thing was rigged.  You tweeted once that the Electoral College is a “disaster for democracy.”

Trump: I do.

Stahl: So do you still think it’s rigged?

Trump: Well, I think the Electoral College.  Look I won with the Electoral College.

Stahl: Exactly.  But do you think it’s rigged?

Trump: Yes. Some of the election locations are. Some of the system is. Ah.

Stahl: Even though you won, you’re saying that.

Trump: Well, I mean, I’m not going to change my mind just because I won.  But I would rather see it, where you went with simple votes. You know, you get 100 million votes, and somebody else gets 90 million votes, and you win.  There’s a reason for doing this.  Because it brings all the states into play. The Electoral College. And there’s something very good about that.  But this is a different system.  But I respect it.  I do respect the system.

Although Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton rarely agree, Clinton said in 2000,

“I believe strongly that in a democracy, we should respect the will of the people … and move to the popular election of our president.”

https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2016-37673797

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-calls-electoral-college-a-disaster-during-2012-tweetstorm/

https://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/donald-trump-100-days-226850

https://www.history.com/news/electoral-college-founding-fathers-constitutional-convention

Article by Psychology Today
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mind-in-the-machine/201812/complete-psychological-analysis-trumps-support

Opinion Piece by The Street

https://www.thestreet.com/opinion/what-it-looks-like-inside-the-brain-of-a-donald-trump-voter-13554000

 

A Republic. If You Can Keep It.

Is Our Republic in Jeopardy?

During the recent impeachment hearings, frequent reference was made to the quote by Benjamin Franklin when he was asked when leaving the Continental Congress in 1787 what type of government had been devised: a monarchy or a republic. He is alleged to have answered “A republic if you can keep it.”

We are once again in a time when many feel our ability to “Keep It” is in jeopardy. For over 200 years, such a thought would have seemed ludicrous, but recent events lead many of us to believe that our government is now at risk.

Politicians talk a great deal about public service, but the nature of that service involves the need for power. In a democratic republic such as ours, we elect people to do our bidding, and cede power commensurate with what is needed for them to do the jobs we hired them to do.

Unfortunately, power is intoxicating, and can be addicting. As with all forms of addiction, such a lust for power can overwhelm moral and ethical prohibitions and result in corruption – thus the oft quoted saying: “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”


As is commonplace with all addictions, once power is conveyed, it is never enough. A taste merely whets the appetite for more. History is replete with examples of elected heads of governments progressing from employee to ruler, sometimes accomplished by means of violent overthrow, but in more recent times by the subversion of institutions designed to limit power. In order to stay in power, it is necessary to maintain control over those governed, thus information, the most powerful freedom of all, must be controlled. Since secrecy is important, terms such as “national security and executive privilege” are often used to prevent the masses from becoming well informed.


Truth. Facts. Confusion.

With the advent of what has been called the “information age” secrecy has been difficult to sustain leading to the use of misinformation as a tool to keep the masses confused and/or unaware. Unfavorable news can be effectively buried by diverting attention to something more dramatic…either real or imagined. Our news media has become as biased as our political parties, which makes truth ever more elusive. There seems little attempt to separate fact from opinion especially now that we see more people getting their news from TV or online. Trust in our institutions is faltering. Conspiracy theories abound and effectively obliterate truth.


The Rise of the Executive Branch

Presidents have become progressively more powerful since the beginning of our nation. This has culminated in our witness to a President who not only evades oversight, but whose power so completely dominates his party that he has been able to trample long-held traditions and the Constitution itself without a whisper of dissent from a Republican controlled senate. It appears that his failed impeachment has resulted in an extension of his reach for power.

Trump and the RNC Convention

I did suffer through his acceptance speech last night although I cringed at the sight of his continued violation of the Hatch Act while presenting himself as the purveyor of law and order. Mark Meadows when questioned about this responded that: “No one cares about that (the Hatch Act)”, and sadly that seems to be true for many if not for everyone as it is for most of the administration’s other transgressions. Nevertheless, I was sickened by the desecration of that hallowed residence as I watched it being used as a backdrop for a political carnival.


Fact checkers have apparently given up on their usual chore, the distortions partial omissions, half-truths, and downright lies presented in his acceptance speech are well beyond the scope of this little ditty, but the one I found most disconcerting was the realization that during the 70 minutes he was pontificating about how well he has handled the COVID-19 pandemic, 47 Americans were dying. In ICUs across the country, wires were removed, tubes were extracted, oxygen valves were closed, bodies were covered, and transferred from beds to gurneys. 47 families would receive the dreaded phone call, denied the option of that final kiss or squeeze of a hand. Yes, over 1,000 people still die of this scourge in our country daily while Nero Trump fiddles and pretends it is “under control.” Whatever happened to the term: negligent homicide?

 

A Brief History of Campaigning and Elections

With Trump’s survival of impeachment, the only recourse left for those of us who are convinced that he is unfit for office is to replace him by voting him out. It didn’t take long after the birth of this republic for people to start looking for ways to game the system. The founders were a bit skittish themselves about who they should trust with the power to hire people to run things. Half the population was eliminated from the start for everyone recognized that women were much too emotional and illogical to be allowed such awesome power. However, it is interesting to note that there were already signs that rebellion was afoot, for Abigail Adams wrote her husband to suggest to him that it was time for women to have their say. John of course realized this was ridiculous (sorry Maggie). Native Americans and slaves were among other groups who were automatically denied voting privileges.


Although there was general agreement among the founders that self-government was the ideal, there was no precedent as to how this could be accomplished as monarchies and theocracies had been the rule for centuries. There was concern as to the ability of the masses to make informed decisions due to their lack of literacy and their perceived naivete leaving them more vulnerable to charismatic leaders. I found it interesting to note that many, John Adams in particular, were also concerned about the formation of political parties which he felt could lead to divisiveness. There was prolonged debate as to how elections could be done, but they finally arrived at the compromise we call the electoral college.

 

Initially it was considered unseemly for one to campaign for the Presidency for it was felt to be an honor to be chosen and not solicited. It was not long however until campaigns, especially for the highest office, became competitive and efforts to cheat began. Buying votes with money, booze, food, or privilege was common. Following the Civil War with masses of former slaves having won the right to vote emphasis shifted to finding ways to prevent voting with poll taxes, literacy tests, vagrancy laws, requirements to own property, or threats of bodily harm, largely initiated by democrats who were a majority in the south. With the civil rights movement headed by a democrat, the south rapidly switched parties and took over the voter suppression business.


In 1965 the voting rights act became law consequently; efforts to suppress voting have become much more sophisticated. There has been gerrymandering, shortened hours to vote, fewer polls in selected districts, increased difficulties in registering, purging of rolls, and more complex ID requirements. Since nationwide, democrats outnumber republicans, and a larger percentage of republicans usually vote, a lower vote total usually favors the republicans. Now we have a unique problem in that we are facing the challenge of conducting a national election in the midst of a serious pandemic.


Voting Today

In the midst of a time when it is advisable to minimize human contact, the most obvious solution would be to enhance voting by mail. Several states have had very favorable experiences with such plans including a significant increase in voter turnout which from the republican point of view may not be such a good thing. Fortunately for Republicans our genius President has implemented a plan. He appointed a buddy to run the postal department with instructions to dismantle or at least disable the entire system in order to prevent a millions of ballots from being counted. He has also promised a backup plan to intimidate disadvantaged voters by dispatching police or armed troops at polling places throughout the country (guess which ones?).

Trump using White House as prop and military saluting at the RNC political event held at the White House. Right: Putin

RED FLAGS Anyone? | Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You! 

For the first time in our country’s history a sitting president has suggested delaying a national election. He has also refused to agree to abide by the results of the upcoming election, and appears to be setting the stage to invalidate it by predicting that there will be lots of fraudulent votes and that it is “rigged.” He characterizes the press as “the enemy” and has set an all time record regarding the number of associates and staff members who have been found guilty of felonies. He meddles in court decisions and constantly finds ways to subvert constitutional oversight. He has congratulated and expressed envy of those world leaders who have been given lifetime terms in office. He alienates our nation’s friends and coddles our enemies. I have written in previous blogs as to how I believe his insatiable ego needs prevent him from experiencing any concern about right, wrong, or the effects his behaviors might have on others. In ordinary circumstances Trump’s braggadocio, bullying, lying, impulsiveness, and impaired judgement would be laughable, and indeed it was before he became president, but now that he has become the most powerful man in the world these qualities make him the most dangerous man in the world.


Trump and I Agree on One Thing

There is one statement made by Trump in which I am in total agreement: this is indeed the most important election in my long memory and perhaps the most important in the entire history of this nation. We must spare no effort to assure this election is not stolen and that every vote is counted. That includes making a lot of noise about this attempt to cripple the postal service.
Meanwhile, be alert, stay healthy and vote early.

DOES ANYONE GIVE A DAMN?

Monday I tuned into the cable news to watch the John Lewis festivities.  I always thought the Bard had it wrong when he said: “The evil that men do lives after them,” for it seems to me that when people die, we usually give them a pass and tend to focus on all the good stuff they have done.  For example, it is unusual for an obituary or eulogy to say much about the deceased’s less endearing qualities.  In Lewis’s case there seems little doubt that he was a genuine American hero and that his stature as such is warranted.  Even his adversaries don’t question the worthiness of those accolades, although I am expecting a tweet from on high before the week is over!

I spent the day flipping between CNN and MSNBC hoping to see something other than a hearse either parked or proceeding at 2 miles per hour through the streets of DC while various anchor people tried to fill in the time.  I was so engrossed in the anticipation that something worth watching would happen that I forgot to check in with Fox News.  It would be interesting to know if they felt any of it newsworthy.

When I checked late that afternoon the temperature in Washington DC was 95 degrees, and as is usually the case in DC, the humidity level was high.  There had been a heat advisory issued earlier in the day.  I initially became concerned about that while I watched the honor guard at the airport standing at attention in their full-dress uniforms waiting to carry the casket from the plane to the hearse, but that phase was uneventful (although I was surprised they had survived standing motionless on the concrete at the mercy of an unrelenting sun).

Having spent some time in the military, I was aware of how standing rigidly motionless for long periods of time can result in a temporary loss of consciousness due to orthostatic hypotension which is usually caused by prolonged immobility or a decreased blood volume such as dehydration.  In this case, it seemed likely that both scenarios were in play, so that when the hearse finally arrived at the Capitol, the same or similar honor guard was standing at attention at the bottom of the steps of the Capitol building.  It was composed of 2 marines, 2 army, 2 navy, and 2 air force enlisted men along with a squad leader.

With the arrival of the hearse at the capital, I was hopeful that those guys would not be forced to stand there as long as they had at the airport, but as the commentators dragged on my hopes were dashed.  I commented to Barb that although those guys are trained to remain motionless in these kinds of ceremonial missions, there are limits to human tolerance, and I did not imagine they would be able to tolerate much more time standing at attention in that intolerable heat.

Those words had barely escaped when one of the sailors collapsed.  This was not one of those faints in which one gradually sinks to their knees and slides to the ground, but the sailor fell flat on his back much like a tree being felled.  The other members of the squad did not so much as twitch, and a capital policeman walked over to attend to the fallen one.  I was concerned as to the possibility of a head injury since he had fallen so hard with the point of impact appearing to be the back of his head.   To my surprise he was eventually able to walk away with some assistance, and finally the remaining 7 guys were able to carry the casket up the steps into the rotunda.

US Sailor collapses in heat during honor guard service Rep John Lewis funeral ceremony

Click here to watch video

When the sailor passed out, I was watching MSNBC.  They briefly followed the incident but with no follow-up.  When I toggled to CNN, they made no mention of it, and had panned away from the honor guard.  Through it all they continued their commentary as if nothing had happened.  I was appalled at the disregard exhibited by the media for an accident which could have or maybe did result in a fractured skull.  We will never know the extent if any of his injuries since the media giants did not deem it important enough to follow-up.

An even more important question is: why in the world were those poor guys left to suffer in what could in other situations be described as torture with risk of serious injury or illness.  I recall one of the broadcasters saying that the ceremony was running 20 minutes behind schedule, but I am certain those guys were out there longer than 20 minutes.  Even so, why would anyone order them out there knowing there was a delay.  Was anyone in charge?  Were they aware of the risk to the honor guard, If not, why not, and if they did know, did they care?

Did anyone give a damn?

 

Editor’s Note: Here is link to how the military press covered the sailor’s crash with concrete: Link to Article

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barr's unmarked militia in DC during protests

Let’s Learn from the Past

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

George Santayana

“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is that good men do nothing”

Edmund Burke

Editor’s Introduction: These two quotes are important preludes to Eshrink’s latest blog post. My father’s knowledge of history, his expertise and experience treating mental illness, and his skill to communicate via the written word means he truly understands the importance of DOING SOMETHING in the face of evil…even if it’s just taking the time to stand up and speak your mind. Additionally, his nine decades on this earth have provided him with the wisdom we need in times like these.

HISTORY

Adolph Hitler’s rise to power was facilitated by a paramilitary group of ex-soldiers from the first World War colloquially referred to as the Brown Shirts. They were so named because they wore surplus army shirts which were cheaply available. They initially were used as bouncers at Nazi meetings, and to disrupt the meetings of Hitler’s adversaries. They became increasingly violent, culminating in “Kristallnacht” the night in which Jewish homes, businesses, synagogues, and schools were ransacked and looted. Jews were forced to wear a star of David with the word Jude (Jew) emblazoned on it. 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and untold numbers murdered. This marked the beginning in earnest of the persecution which would come to be known as the holocaust. Initially, those arrested would be housed in so-called concentration camps, later the even more horrible “final solution” would be implemented by Hitler and his followers.

Hitler’s genius lay in his use of propaganda. He had been so successful in convincing the country that Jews were the source of all the country’s problems that there was no resistance from local law enforcement. As a matter of fact, it has been said that hundreds of civilians joined in with the Brown Shirts. Earlier in the year, 1938, Nazi troops had annexed Austria and the Nazis were off and running to create an “Arian Nation” which would rule the world. The leaders of the Brown shirts were not deemed to have been sufficiently loyal to the Fuhrer so they had been executed and the Brown shirts were superseded by the SS who would prove to be better organized and more efficient at persecuting and killing those deemed enemies of the state.

 

TODAY in AMERICA | 2020

As is my usual habit, this morning I tuned into Fox News for my usual dose of Trumpisms. They were featuring a news conference in the Oval Office with Trump, Barr, and a group of other law enforcement types. The topic was law and order, and the failure of democratic mayors to control the recent rise in crime in their cities. Of course, there is nothing new in this, for Trump’s most recent attempt to divert attention from his failures, especially with the pandemic, has been to go with the tried and true law and order spiel. I flipped channels to the other cable news networks, and was pleased to see that they had ignored this latest dog and pony show and were proceeding with their regular programming, for I have been critical for of them for showing him on the tube every time he chooses to open his mouth.

My joy was short-lived however. Trump introduced the unmasked group who surrounded him as a task force headed by his personal defender and hatchet man Bill Barr, who would be tasked with apprehending and prosecuting his favorite group of boogey men, MS13. He proudly announced the arrest of “key figures” in New York and Nevada. No doubt these are very bad guys and their arrest is good news. It is also timely since Trump is in desperate need for some good news with his approval ratings in a precipitous decline. In addition, since this gang originated in El Salvador, it fits nicely into his anti-immigration policies. But the thing that disturbed me was a statement he made about how he planned to rid those cities mentioned as crime ridden by whatever means necessary since local law enforcement was not doing the job. He even mentioned the use of national guard troops.

The mere idea that our President was considering the idea of federal enforcement of state and local laws made my hair stand up. Our system of justice is organized with the principle that only federal laws are to be enforced by the feds. There has been a proliferation through the years of many different agencies that have been granted such police power, and the Patriot Act has further blurred the distinction between federal and local crimes.*

Barr's unmarked militia in DC during protests
My immediate reaction was to hearken back to those images of Barr’s anonymous uniformed armed militia guarding the White House grounds. When questioned, they refused to answer any questions as to their identity, by whom they were employed who paid them or the nature of their mission. To the best of my knowledge we still do not know who these guys were, who ordered them there or why, although it is generally assumed that they were a motley crew recruited by the Attorney General from various federal agencies who had some kind of police power. At the time there were serious questions as to why they displayed no badges or other means of identification. Even more disturbing was the fact that they were so secretive.

THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN ON EARTH

The idea of a secretive group assuming police powers without specific authorization by a deliberative arm of government is antithetical to a democracy. As with most of the weird stuff occurring in our government these days this incident and the President’s promise in today’s TV show to send in his own forces to replace local police has produced scant reaction from the press or Congress. In previous blogs I have commented at length on the instability of this president. I have also predicted that as he becomes cornered his behavior will likely become even more erratic and perhaps dangerous.

 

There are rumors of an increase in the severity and frequency of his temper tantrums. The diatribes against his perceived enemies have become more intense and less rational as his poll numbers decline, and his incompetence is exposed.
His defenses of denial, divert, and blame are no longer effective and I am concerned as to what he might do next. The subtext of the most recent Trump tell all book which labels him “The Most Dangerous Man on Earth” is not hyperbole in my opinion, and I am not alone. Thousands of mental health professionals have agreed that our country is now presided over by a man with very serious mental health problems. His fragility increases the likelihood of further decompensation and of his becoming desperate and totally irrational. Unfortunately, some of the same situations which exposed his deficiencies are the same ones which divert attention to his potential to do impulsive, crazy stuff.

At the risk of sounding like an off-the-rails conspiracy theorist, I would remind you of our fearless leader’s admiration of the world’s dictators. His Attorney General shows signs of being like-minded, his current Secretary of Defense refers to American cities as “battle spaces” to be dominated, and Trump has surrounded himself with a group of yes-men and women who are likely to support whatever crazy idea he pursues. Thus, his avowed intention to usurp the power of state and local police coupled with the apparent trial balloon of Barr’s secret police scares the Hell out of me, and the lack of any note of this by the press or congress makes it worse.

“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is that good men do nothing”
Edmund Burke

Editor’s Note: I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Trump’s emboldened threats (and use) of military force against civilians started once the Generals advising the Trump were summarily dismissed or “resigned.” For those living outside the USA, it might seem ironic that the departure of military Generals from the President’s cabinet would be promote Trump’s emboldened threat to use military force on U.S. citizens, but General Mattis and General Kelly had military training and education that focuses on the core purpose of the military and the responsibility to protect and defend The Constitution of the United States of America NOT the President. Sadly, it seems most rabid Trump supporters haven’t even read the Constitution, let alone grasp the importance of that oath.

Article John Kelly criticizes Trump threat to used armed forces on protesters

Article Former Defense Secretary Mattis’ Statement on Trump’s Handling of Protests

*Editor’s Note: This isn’t the first time Trump has tested the waters in threatening to use federal troops against civilians. 

June 1, 2020: “If a city or state refuses to take the actions necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them,” Trump said, referring to himself as “your president of law and order and an ally of all peaceful protesters.”

He said he was already dispatching “thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers, military personnel and law enforcement officers” to Washington to stop the violence that has been a feature of the protests here.

Watch the video of his announcement at this link.

 

No Filter | Straight Talk from Eshrink | Pandemic Unplugged

Updated 9:03 PM to correct COVID-19 Numbers.

Editor’s Note: All pertinent links are at the bottom of this post so they don’t interrupt Eshrink’s Straight Talk. Eshrink confided in me that he was concerned this post might be too sarcastic, it might offend some people, it might be too negative. I reminded him that sarcasm is a powerful literary device that has been used by scores of Pulitzer Prize Winning authors. I reminded him that Eshrinkblog.com is a censorship-free zone. I reminded him that he has earned the right to write whatever he sees fit.  So fasten your seat belt loyal eshrink readers, this retired psychiatrist who dedicated six decades to a career in medicine is unplugged and uncensored.

Pence and White House Task Force on Coronavirus COVID-19

Yesterday, I tuned into the latest White House dog and pony show.  The big dog was absent.  Apparently, keeping him away was the only way to prevent Donald Doofus from screwing up this latest campaign event masquerading as a report by the White House COVID-19 task force.  However, the ass-kisser-in-chief, Mr. Pence, did an admirable job in explaining in great detail what a wonderful job the president has done in managing the pandemic and saving “thousands” of lives.  He outlined in great detail how the administration has provided the leadership responsible for the control of the pandemic.  He touted the marvelous job done by federal agencies in providing needed medical equipment and protective gear.  Even more amazing was the “tremendous” success in providing COVID-19 testing.

All in all, the Veep’s chat was very reassuring (unless you are person who dares to look at the facts).

Johns Hopkins Map illustrates COVID-19 Data Pandemic Worldwide

  • The United States accounts for about 4.3% of the world’s population, but has 25% the worldwide COVID-19 deaths.
  • We are #1 in COVID-19 Confirmed Cases. 2.6 million.
  • #1 in COVID-19 related deaths. 126,493 in the USA out of 507,166 worldwide
  • We are #1 in COVID!

No wonder I didn’t feel reassured.  Having years ago, read a bit about the risk of world-wide pandemics, I likewise was not reassured when Trump early on minimized the seriousness of the “Kung Flu.”  Furthermore, I doubt that those who have survived this illness, lost loved ones to it, or witnessed their last breaths, would see the humor in that term.  It was not until the very end of Pence’s lengthy introductory remarks that he spoke a truth when he said: “We still have more work to do.” Talk about an understatement!

 

Dr. Birx

Next up was Dr. Birx – the lady of the $600 Hermes neck scarves.  She serves as one of the experts on pandemics.  Back in the days before all the world’s information was available on the internet, physicians attended a lot of conferences in order to stay on top of the latest poop in medicine.  We laughingly defined an expert as someone 50 miles from home with slides.  In addition to her scarves, Dr. Birx proved her bonafides as an expert with an array of slides, which were dazzling in their quantity and complexity.  She flipped through them in such rapid succession that even if I were smart enough to understand them, it wouldn’t have helped.

Dr. Fauci at White House Press Conference COVID-19 briefing press conference

Next up, the always sensible and understandable Dr. Fauci, who usually leaves me wondering as to what he thinks about the crap he hears coming from the mouths of Doofus and his sycophants.  Dr. Redfield, the CDC director was next up.  He was all in favor of Motherhood and Apple Pie.  There has been some suggestions that he has been muzzled by the great one, but how could anyone even consider that all these elite scientists who have dedicated their lives to learning about science, infectious diseases, and medicine, could know as much about this stuff as our own very stable genius President.

The Veep’s closing remarks and “question-no-answer” session was blessedly brief, generally following the maxim: “If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit.”  The Q & A session ended rather abruptly when the press corps insisted on real answers.  In the absence of the big dog who would have been courageous enough to confront them about their audacity to seek information for the public by asking questions, the only option for the little dog  (Pence) was to walk away.  After watching to the bitter end, I took a few minutes to calm my raging anger, and attempted to make a list of all the distortions, half truths, and misinformation spewed out by Pence to be used in this blog, but I was soon overwhelmed by the sheer volume.

While watching the performance, this tired old brain did light up with an insight.  It suddenly occurred to me that therein may lie the answer to a question which has bothered me for some time i.e. how in the world did this COVID thing become politicized.  After all, the virus does not belong to a political party and we are all equally susceptible to infection, yet red state and blue state responses seem to be different.   Charades like this “press conference” along with Trump’s insistence that everything is under control and his constant assertion that the “fake news media” is exaggerating the seriousness of the pandemic must be factors which lead to the false sense of security which is so often seen in those who proudly wear their red baseball caps.  The message is undoubtedly enhanced by Trump’s own propaganda machine – Fox News (not to mention his own tweets).

Trump at Tulsa Rally during COVID 19 Pandemic

Loyal Trumpers show up by the thousands to watch their hero’s one man shows.  They are absolutely fearless and crowd in shoulder to shoulder.  Their naked faces are a testament to their disdain for all that overblown scientific stuff and they insist, as does VP Pence, that they have a constitutional right to refuse a face mask.  I did not realize the constitution said anything about a right to disseminate disease, but what do I know?  However, the “breaking news” today was that not only was Pence seen wearing a mask, but he announced that everyone should follow his lead and wear face masks.  The pundits made a big deal about this being a break with Trump, but I can’t imagine Pence having the gonads to challenge his highness.

This was the first White House production by the task force in more than a month, but was improved only due to the absence of Trump.  Fauci did provide useful and straightforward information, but I was left wondering how many more lives may be lost as a result of the failure to adequately portray the seriousness of the situation in which we face with this highly infectious serious illness for which we have no effective treatment.  Without a treatment, our only hope is to contain it until a treatment or preventative vaccine is available.

As Fauci pointed out, such strategies require sacrifices on the part of people to which they are unlikely to adhere if they are not appraised of the danger we face.  Self aggrandizement can wait.  For now let’s focus on solutions please.

 

Link to Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Map

Link to White House Task Coronavirus Task Force Briefing June 26, 2020, with video

Blast from the Past: Editor’s Pick | The Priceless Video of Dr. Birx when Trump wants her to confirm she is looking into injecting disinfectants into the human body and or inserting a powerful light into human beings to fight the pandemic