Trump proves daily what we have to lose
To the Times:
During his 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump often said to the public, especially to African Americans and other minorities, “What do you have to lose?”
He meant that the traditional Republican and Democratic parties had so “mucked-up” the country, what did the public have to lose by supporting him in the primary and then voting for him in the general election. The answer today has been the incredibly painful realization, that we had plenty to lose, maybe for some, even their lives.
Ironically, President Trump has echoed and repeated that very same sentiment recently. In the context of the COVID-19 virus and its potentially deadly effects, he’s said about the taking the malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine, if you are sick with the virus, “What do you have to lose” by trying this drug. Now, although the medical experts concerns that the drug’s side effects could be deadly, have been affirmed by newly released data, the relevant question is will Trump recant his support for the drug and openly admit that he was wrong.
Even, though the president has said that he has taken this drug, prophylactically for about two weeks to ward off the COVID-19 virus and he “feels fine,” the responsible thing, the right thing is for him to simply say, “I made a mistake.”
Let’s put aside the question of whether or not Trump has actually been taking the drug as he has said he has (which seems dubious). The president still, remarkably, has millions of people who believe and trust him and will mimic his behavior and even still will, even after this new data becomes more widely disseminated. Not only will some people now take hydroxychloroquine unnecessarily and perhaps suffer serious consequences, they will create a shortage that may deny those who need the drug for medical conditions for which it has proven to be truly effective.
So, yes, Mr. President, we now know what we have to lose and, polls suggest that most of us are not willing to accept that risk for another four years.