Trump’s Humiliating Statement on Katie Miller...

Ophiolite

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He did say the tests were perfect...but the concept of testing was flawed.
It's 4:00 am here and I just woke up, having fallen asleep on the sofa. That's my only excuse for the following:

What's the difference between a tasty bowl of Scotch Broth and Donald Trump?
We welcome the fact that the soup is thick.
 
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disciple Clint

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If the kid is playing with something lethal I WANT my 4 year old to tattle.
What kind of parent wouldn't?

Im Tired of this administration's minimizing of a threat that's killing hundreds of y'all daily. I'm tired of them being terrible role models during a pandemic in an effort to downplay it's severity.

It's just example after example of their optics>intelligence mantra.
They are adults working with other adults, they do not need a parent to tell them what to do, that attitude is exactly what people are objecting to and protesting.
 
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disciple Clint

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Trump has a way of presenting these things as if they were the most astonishing discoveries... which of course he made... so it many times leaves you to wonder: did he just now learn that?
It might just be due to his style instead of a real lack of understanding... but considering all the superlative expression he uses to describe his own abilities... wouldn't you think he might display a better rhetorical ability as well?`

And there's this little problem:
"This is why the whole concept of tests aren't necessarily great..."
Now Trump is also one record - unequivocally - to state that he doesn't think tests are really necessary.
Here he gives a reason for why. Why he thinks "the whole concept isn't necessarily great"... because people having been tested negative can be infected later.

So, what is his "concept of tests"? What do you as a Trump-lingo-understander think is his "concept of tests"?
His statement only makes sense if his concept is something like: "Tests declare people to be safe and ready for work."

But that's wrong. That's exactly the opposite of what testing is for. It is not meant to find or exclude the non-infected... it is to find the infected, so they can be treated, put under quarantine as well as trace their contacts to find people with a high risk of being infected.

Trump is also constantly claiming that the high number of infections in the USA is only based on the very high number of testing they do. ("More than any other country combined"... which is factually wrong in itself.)

But the USA isn't doing the most tests per capita... not by far... but still the have the highest numbers of infections AND deaths per capita.
Just as an example.
The USA has almost four times the population of Germany.
The USA has only done three times as many tests as Germany.
The USA has more than seven times as many registered infection cases as Germany.
The USA has more than TEN TIMES the number of deaths as Germany.

Perhaps, instead of counting the numbers of tests - and lying about them - he should address these numbers?


One of the things that baffle most Americans in Germany is our discipline at traffic lights. We might not be perfect, but you will see most pedestrians stopping at a red light, even when there is no traffic in sight.
One of the main reasons for that - and you can see the notice posts at many traffic lights - is "be an example for the children".
These rules exist for our protection. Even if we have the certain knowledge that there is no danger right now, for us.. this isn't always the case, or for others, and it is better to act with caution, and be a good example for the weaker.

So, what kind of example do you think a leader sets when there is a danger, there is an officially suggested method to deal with it... and those who should lead go:"Ah, I don't need to do it."
Trump said that a reason why he doesn't wear a mask is that he might be ridiculed for it. Is Trump's ego really more important than the health of the people he is supposed to "lead"?
Facts: Mortality Analyses
 
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disciple Clint

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Donald humiliates himself with this:
"This is why the whole concept of tests aren't necessarily great," the president continued. "The tests are perfect, but something can happen between a test where it's good and then something happens and all of the sudden. She was tested very recently and tested negative, and then today I guess for some reason she tested positive."​
This betrays a profound and impenetrable cluelessness on the purpose of testing. :doh:


What you seem to have missed is that he thinks the concept of testing is flawed because someone's status can change upon exposure. This is supposed to be our nation's leader in this crisis. No wonder the US is leading in corona exposure and deaths.
That depends entirely on what the purpose of the test is.
 
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disciple Clint

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The time to reflect is before you open your mouth, not while you are opening it and definitely not in public, during a nationwide broadcast to a population eager for assurance and a degree of certainty.

Perhaps the vast majority of decisions made by Trump have been sound and timely. I doubt it, but let's take it as a given for the moment. That still leaves me astounded that you could seek to defend the inept, akward, amateurish, fumbling, incoherent, childish communication style he employs. Why?
Why? Well, I think it might be because I do not hate him, so I do not go out of my way to criticize every little imperfection in what he does or make snide comments about him, perhaps that is because I do not need to try to fit in with the "in crowd", I got well beyond that before I entered high school. It may also be because he is the President of the United States and I will give him the respect appropriate to that office just like I did the previous presidient
 
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disciple Clint

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He's right about the facts and completely wrong on the interpretation.

The testing is for keeping people who have become infected from continuing to infect everyone, which is what happens when you don't test. It's not a full proof protection because the test can't always tell you whether you are infected, but it DOES tell you before you would find out on your own (if you ever would).

If they continued about their business the people in the white house will have made sure to infect everyone. One of them was waltzing around without a mask so every time she breathed or ejected any fluids from her face she was putting everyone around her at risk.

The lack of masks in the white house is a severe lack of leadership and good sense. Everyone where I work is wearing a mask because if one of us gets sick and can, in fact, spread the virus around before we show symptoms and get tested, our business will be unable to continue.

My bosses don't administer one of the largest bureaucracies in the US (the US government) but they have more sense than the president of the united states.
Your focus on the White House may have precluded you from seeing that there is a vast majority of people who do not feel compelled to being masked.
 
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Allandavid

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Clint, a little reality check please...

Trump will do everything he can from this point to downplay testing. Why? Because it then permits him to cast doubts on the numbers of cases and the numbers of deaths...which fits his narrative of ‘its not as bad as ‘fake news’ claims, so let’s open it all up’....(so I can get re-elected...)
 
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Freodin

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How does mortality differ across countries?
One of the most important ways to measure the burden of COVID-19 is mortality. Countries throughout the world have reported very different case fatality ratios – the number of deaths divided by the number of confirmed cases. Differences in mortality numbers can be caused by:

  • Differences in the number of people tested: With more testing, more people with milder cases are identified. This lowers the case-fatality ratio.
  • Demographics: For example, mortality tends to be higher in older populations.
  • Characteristics of the healthcare system: For example, mortality may rise as hospitals become overwhelmed and have fewer resources.
  • Other factors, many of which remain unknown.
- The USA tests more people than Germany. It has a higher case-fatality ratio.
- Germany's age distribution has about 18% of its population at 65+, the USA has only 15%.
- Yes, Germany has a much better healthcare system than the USA. Perhaps not as much as in "hospitals being overwhelmed", but in the simple accessibility of healthcare. Hurray USA!
- Other factors... indeed, who knows. Might the larger number of people who grab their guns and shout that not being able to get haircuts limit their constitutional liberties be a factor?
 
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disciple Clint

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- The USA tests more people than Germany. It has a higher case-fatality ratio.
- Germany's age distribution has about 18% of its population at 65+, the USA has only 15%.
- Yes, Germany has a much better healthcare system than the USA. Perhaps not as much as in "hospitals being overwhelmed", but in the simple accessibility of healthcare. Hurray USA!
- Other factors... indeed, who knows. Might the larger number of people who grab their guns and shout that not being able to get haircuts limit their constitutional liberties be a factor?
Well do these other factors explain in any way why the U.S. is way down at number 4 in deaths per 100k of population? And isn't that after all the most important statistic for those of us who value life.
 
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Ophiolite

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Why? Well, I think it might be because I do not hate him, so I do not go out of my way to criticize every little imperfection in what he does or make snide comments about him, perhaps that is because I do not need to try to fit in with the "in crowd", I got well beyond that before I entered high school. It may also be because he is the President of the United States and I will give him the respect appropriate to that office just like I did the previous presidient
Thank you for a forthright reply. There is an implication that you may think the following applies to me: I criticise him for "every little imperfection" because -
  • I hate him
  • I want to fit in with the "in crowd"
  • I have little respect for the office of President of the USA
I offer this clarification:
  • I don't think I hate him. I think I despise him. I certainly despise his actions. Whatever you wish to call it, these emotional views arose because of an objective assessment of his actions, not the other way around. I suspect this is true of most who think as I do.
  • One of my faults is a tendency to take a contrary view. (It's a useful way of better defining postiions - a Devil's Advocate approach.) Consequently, fitting in with the "in crowd" is generally abhorrent to me.
  • The short tale I related in regard to Reagan was to illustrate that my respect for the office of President can not extend to a man who demeans it through the manner of his behaviour within it.
Moreover, what you describe as "every little imperfection" includes numerous example of irresponsible, ignorant comments. And we haven't even discussed his character flaws such as misogyny and narcissism.
 
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DaisyDay

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KCfromNC

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They are adults working with other adults, they do not need a parent to tell them what to do, that attitude is exactly what people are objecting to and protesting.
Maybe the people thinking they need to protest others helping them out would convince more people if they stopped demonstrating they do in fact need the help.
 
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variant

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Your focus on the White House may have precluded you from seeing that there is a vast majority of people who do not feel compelled to being masked.

The topic of discussion is the white house. The seat of executive government is being run (during a crisis) by someone without the bureaucratic talent of someone who wants to keep his people well and functional. The president is openly complaining about the effectiveness of tests when he won't take normal precautions to keep his people well like a normal business would, even when he has the massive advantage of being able to get people tested regularly.

The fact that people in general wont wear masks is why I think the white house is doing a bad job leading by example. They were just bailed out by their testing because they were about to all become infected due to their lax attitudes. Most Americans don't have that kind of access to testing yet so we are doubly on the hook to take precautions.

Since we can't tell when people have become infected, wearing a mask is mainly so you aren't spreading around the disease yourself, so it is, at this point of the pandemic in most areas, a display of courtesy to the people around you.

Not to mention that people want to get through this as fast as possible, so, it would help if they did what they could to have us get through this faster by doing what they can to not spread around the disease.

The woman in question wasn't feeling compelled to wear a mask either, so she was a danger to everyone around her.

So, you too will you be a danger to everyone around you should you contract this disease and pass it on before you have symptoms.

The white house refused to be a good example of leadership, so I am making them a bad example of what not to do. I am not precluded from understanding that a lot of people don't want to wear masks, I know exactly what is going on.
 
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variant

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Well do these other factors explain in any way why the U.S. is way down at number 4 in deaths per 100k of population? And isn't that after all the most important statistic for those of us who value life.

We have a lower population density than any of the places above us. In the places in the US where we have similar population density to Europe we are not outperforming them.
 
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rambot

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They are adults working with other adults, they do not need a parent to tell them what to do, that attitude is exactly what people are objecting to and protesting.
Oh stop it; my analogy was a parent. The REALITY is a DOCTOR telling them what to do. At LEAST with a parent you could argue the impetuosness of youth drove them to make a silly decision. But with doctors providing medical advice to adults, there is literally no rational reason to ignore so small an ask as wearing a mask.

There is CATAGORICALLY NO benefit to not wearing a mask when you are in contact with a lot of people; so in a government capacity, for example. You see pictures of reporters wearing masks but the administration doesn't? It's just dumb.

And yes. They very, very much need them to tell them what to do. WHY ARE PEOPLE protesting sound medical advice??? Is this the new America? How can I rebut against something so astronomically dumb.

Is that why they're protesting? They're protesting because they want to ignore doctor's advice or, they are protesting because they want their leaders to ignore that advice?
If that is REALLY why they are protesting, well, I can't argue with that. There have been PLENTY of great saying and quotes about arguing with stupid people.

Here are some:
"Never argue with stupid people. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience".-Twain
"It's hard to win an argument with a smart person but it's damn near impossible to win an argument with a stupid person" -Bill Murray
"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups"-George Carlin.


There is no RATIONAL argument to not wearing a mask if you are around a lot of people. Again: No RATIONAL argument. A lot of facetious, misguided, catastrophizing ones. But nothing rational.
In this case, I'm assuming that "rational" people are interested in self preservation.
 
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pitabread

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He did say the tests were perfect...but the concept of testing was flawed.

Yeah, that's a pretty odd claim. I don't think anyone can decipher what he was trying to say.
 
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TLK Valentine

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Any evidence for that second part there?

I can only assume that he thinks about a matter once it's been sufficiently explained to him...
 
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