Letters + Opinion » Mailbox
Burning Down the House
After months of denial, President Trump has finally confessed that COVID-19 is for real. He has admitted publicly that "the pandemic will get worse before it gets better."
This newfound concern contradicts very recent claims of his such as 99 percent of the cases are "totally harmless" and the virus will "just disappear."
Further, he suddenly declares that wearing a mask is "patriotic." This from a man who previously refused to be seen wearing a mask in public even when required. In fact, he mocked others, such as reporters and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, for doing so.
Why the about face? It's not from a sense of guilt or an admission of prior mistakes (Mailbox, July 23).
Rather, Trump recognizes that the easing of restrictions he had previously championed have now led to a resurgence of the virus. His poll numbers are falling due to public opinion that his pandemic response has been poor so far. And businesses are closing again, which will weaken the economic recovery that he sees key to his re-election.
So before you congratulate Trump on seeing the light, think again. He's still not concerned about you and me, he's only doing it to get re-elected. Giving him praise now would be like thanking a child for giving up playing with matches after he's already set the house on fire.
Sherman Schapiro, Eureka
Smart Enough? 1
Don't Blame Trump 2
Blame Trump 1