Category Archives: Republican Messaging

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis screws the pooch on COVID

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump, not social distancing on April 28, 2020

The news about COVID (a/k/a Coronavirus or COVID-19) cases in Florida is coming fast and furious, and it’s not good. Cases are skyrocketing. Additionally, Apple announced Friday morning that it was temporarily re-closing all 14 of its South Florida stores (located in Miami-Dade County, Broward County and Palm Beach County, where the most COVID cases have occurred in the state). And also on Friday, the state of Florida banned alcohol sales at all bars statewide. It feels like a more extensive lockdown is inevitable. And it’s happening three days after the Director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said that the Coronavirus has “brought this nation to its knees,” but that, at the same time, our efforts to fight the virus are still underfunded. Let’s take a look at this Republican failure of government:

Coronavirus creates 2020 election narratives for the Democrats

Joe Biden, the anti-Trump on Coronavirus and everything else

Now that Bernie Sanders has withdrawn from the Democratic Party presidential nomination contest to leave Joe Biden as the presumptive nominee, the 2020 general election against Donald Trump has begun in earnest. One way or the other, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) will be the overarching issue in this year’s elections. The performance and behavior of Trump and Republican elected officials presents many lines of attack for the Democrats, as well as opportunities to show off their Democratic Party values. Two such lines of attack especially come to mind:

Florida’s Coronavirus response is completely irrational

Satirical Coronavirus poster that may come true in Florida

As we indicated several days ago, there is a dangerous split right now between Democratic and Republican officials in their response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Nowhere is this split more apparent than in Florida.

The state of Florida is near the top in both highest median age and highest percentage of seniors (age 65 and over) of any state. As seniors, they are more likely to support Republicans. And not coincidentally, many of these seniors live in a state of fear. This includes of death, fear of running out of money before death, built-in tribal fear of minorities (if they are older white folks), fear of change, fear of technology, etc. Republicans play to these fears (recall, for example, Trump’s initial presidential campaign announcement focusing on rapist, drug-dealing immigrants from Mexico; as well as the “Caravan.”) Likewise, Republican propaganda network Fox News plays up these fear narratives, including Scary Brown People (Blacks = “Thugs,” Latinx = “Illegals,” Muslims = “Terrorists”), as well as that other fear, “Big Bad Government.”

Trump Coronavirus failures mirror Republican failures of government

Normally crowded, now nearly empty Sixth Ave. in Manhattan

Donald Trump‘s timeline of failures in addressing the Coronavirus (COVID-19) health emergency is now well-known. This includes severely downplaying the crisis, even calling it a “hoax,” for many crucial weeks; failing to take strong action such as ordering a national lockdown or even using the Defense Production Act; and having his subordinates say things like:

–the spread of Coronavirus in China will “help to accelerate the return of jobs to North America” (Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross); and

–“We have contained this …. it’s pretty close to airtight” (National Economic Council Director Lawrence Kudlow).

Unfortunately, Trump’s lack of preparedness for the Coronavirus even after being warned of a possible pandemic, and lack of action after the crisis began, reflects the Republican philosophy of government, and is something we have seen from Republicans before.

Reactions to Coronavirus follow political narratives

New York National Guard responds to Coronavirus

Someone I know was down to three rolls of toilet paper last week, so he went to the store on Friday to get more, and surprise, couldn’t find any. It never occurred to him over the last few weeks to stock up. Guess which news channel he watches for Coronavirus information? Right wing Fox News viewers and Donald Trump fans (big overlap there) seemed especially caught off guard late last week, as the facts on the ground regarding Coronavirus (a/k/a COVID-19) finally destroyed their narratives.

Heretofore, Fox News, Trump and his administration officials were severely downplaying the seriousness of the virus. Trump infamously called Coronavirus, or Democratic criticism of his handling of the crisis, “a new hoax” as late as February 28. This is after Trump had been briefed about the virus back in January, had stated in an interview on January 22 that “we have it totally under control,”and spent the next two months apparently just wishing the problem would go away, because he feared the virus would hurt the stock market and his approval rating. Trump even enlisted Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in January to say that the spread of Coronavirus in China will “help to accelerate the return of jobs to North America.” Since then, the number of Coronavirus cases and deaths in the U.S. keeps rising, the stock market has plummeted many percentage points, and we’re getting the first glimpses at a U.S. economic slowdown that could turn into a full-fledged recession. But what could have been Trump’s moment to shine, by taking swift and effective action, devolved into typical conservative Republican laissez-faire failure of government, and even conspiracy theories. As a result, Americans are less safe, and so is Donald Trump’s presidency.

Climate Reality Project sends out “Climate 101 fact sheet”

Climate change protest in Australia

The Climate Reality Project has taken a step forward in messaging about climate change, by releasing a “Climate 101 fact sheet.” This short publication is more of a talking points tip sheet, and is thus very useful for anyone who is concerned about climate change and who encounters the typical right wing talking points against climate change, that originate with fossil fuel companies.

Rainforest Alliance releases climate change talking points

They want to know what we’re doing about climate change

It’s winter time, so of course many parts of the country and the earth are cold, as expected. Sadly, however, other places are literally burning up. What we also expect this time of year, unfortunately, is for some conservatives in the northern hemisphere to step outside, pick up some snow or put on their winter coat, and say, “See? There is no climate change!” Thankfully, just in time for those family Christmas dinners, the Rainforest Alliance has released a half dozen talking points to counter these phony conservative climate change claims. Democrats, liberals and progressives, or just thinking people who have known for years that the earth is warming, due in part to human activity, and that we’re at a dangerous tipping point, can all benefit from absorbing and then using these talking points. Here is a sampling of some of the climate deniers’ arguments, and suggested responses by the Rainforest Alliance:

On impeachment and governing, Democrats show they can walk and chew gum

Impeachment message in timely Christmas colors

By now, many people realize that the impeachment of Donald Trump involves a public relations war. On one side, we have Trump and the Republicans claiming that the Democrats are “obsessed with impeaching” Trump, to the exclusion of all else. So what have the Democrats done effectively to counter that charge? Quite a bit, as it turns out.

First, House Democrats unveiled their Articles of Impeachment against Trump while simultaneously announcing that they had reached an agreement with Trump on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on trade. This is a reminder by Democrats (and they are sure to remind us further) that, not only can they govern and impeach Trump at the same time, they have passed nearly 400 bills, all of which are sitting idly on Mitch McConnell‘s U.S. Senate desk.

DCCC releases 2019 Thanksgiving dinner talking points

Thanksgiving dinner table, before the political food fight

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has released a humorous, menu-style set of talking points for Democrats to respond to that Republican blowhard who seems to spout off at everyone’s Thanksgiving dinner. The talking points, which can be found in this .pdf, are entitled “Know Your Stuffing.” Each subject has a cute Thanksgiving dinner theme, complete with food graphics, and is designed as a response to a Republican rant, since they always seem to be the ones who bring up these political subjects at the holiday table. For example, there is “Aunt Mary’s ‘There Was No Quid-Pie-Quo,'” described as “a crust so flaky, it falls apart the moment you present it with evidence.” Responses to this talking point are listed under “What to Bring,” and include:

  1. Multiple members of the Trump administration have testified before Congress there was a quid pro quo agreement with Ukraine.
  2. Trump himself—in a memo he released—admitted he withheld aid from Ukraine until they dug up dirt on his political opponents.

Both of these responses even include footnotes to reputable sources for this information.

No surprise as mainstream media fall short in Trump impeachment coverage

Protesters share their opinion on Donald Trump impeachment

While many mainstream media outlets have aired the Donald Trump impeachment hearings that began in the U.S. House on Wednesday, the commentary by some of the media afterward was cringeworthy. Special mention goes to NBC News and Reuters, who faulted the hearings for not being scintillating enough. According to NBC News:

Reuters followed up with “Consequential, but dull: Trump impeachment hearings begin without a bang.” Sadly, this is the kind of circus coverage that we have come to expect from our news media.