The Trump Coronavirus Death Toll Passes 600,000 Dead Americans

The death toll for the virus Trump denied, said was going away, and wasn't a problem at all is approaching the total dead in the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918-1919, and the total Civil War dead. And though cases and deaths are decreasing in many (mostly blue) states, in states with higher numbers of Trump Cultists and other deniers and anti-vaxxers, cases are increasing, even as more people are getting vaccinated. They may push the death toll still higher as their denial of reality continues.

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MistyCee

Now, now, Trump didn't shoot 600,000 people and while he certainly seemed to lie about the threat, manipulate it to his own advantage and be an obstacle to preventing deaths, there is no direct "proof" that he [i]intentionally[/i] killed even a single American, despite bragging about how he could and get way with it.

As with the dead from the First Trump Insurrection and two impeachments proceedings, he hasn't admitted to it under oath, and all we have is circumstantial evidence regarding his intent.

The bigger problem is he never took responsibility for fighting it, or for much of anything else, and he encouraged his followers to do the same with regard to other human beings, and not just with respect to Covid.

Its tempting to resort to "truthful hyperbole" when dealing with Trump and especially with those who seem susceptible to it and see nothing wrong with it, but it's antisocial behavior and it can also turn people not in sympathy with psychopaths and sociopaths off.

windinhishair · 61-69, M

@MistyCee Trump denied the virus, tried to minimize it deliberately when he was told it would be a major problem, has admitted he did so, and turned his Cult into coronavirus deniers. If that isn't culpability, I don't know what is.

We expect to have a real leader when the nation goes through difficult times, to provide support and encouragement. Trump failed miserably in that regard, and continues to fail as a leader of his party.

MistyCee

@windinhishair You know I agree in terms of Trump's unfitness, as well as his moral culpability.

I just think 600k lives is a drop in the bucket in terms of his potential impact on not just the country but the planet.

I actually don't think I'm being hyperbolic in calling his behavior antisocial and inimical to the human race.

But part of the reason I take his sociopathy/,psychopathy so seriously is how effectively he used it on voters and what the results will be when others emulate it.

Social norms like honesty and respect for other human beings are the tools we developed to live cooperatively in groups and not kill each other when it served our immediate desires or short term needs.

Trump doesn't respect those norms and millions of people don't seem to think there's anything wrong with it and may teach their kids to follow his example, and act for and only yourself, tempered only by the potential personal consequences of you get caught and are not powerful enough to avoid the consequences.

windinhishair · 61-69, M

@MistyCee Certain people have a charismatic affect on others. Rasputin, Hitler, Jim Jones, Trump, all have the ability to influence others. It is almost like a spell that overrides normal human behavior. I don't understand it, but it is clearly very dangerous, because as you note, Trump does not respect norms of human behavior. He has no moral compass. Someone posted that the first estimates of potential deaths from the virus were around 2.2 million. When I contemplate that, I realize that Trump was uninfluenced by that. It literally didn't matter if 5 people died, or 2.2 million, as long as he was not blamed.