Trump is a draft dodger in his war on science

Denial is Donald Trump’s latest campaign strategy.

It is the worst kind of strategy, the most cynical, the most dangerous and the most disingenuous, since he clearly doesn’t believe what he’s saying.

But that’s how it is these days with Trump and his war on science.

In Tucson on Monday Trump told his largely maskless superspreader crowd that the “pandemic is ending.”

The next day, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming each set seven-day case records for COVID-19.

On Friday there were nearly 70,000 new COVID-19 cases nationally, higher than it has been since July. New cases are up more than 30% from only a few weeks ago.

We’re dealing with a second surge of the novel coronavirus, as all the experts predicted, as began happening in Europe weeks ago.

The president should be urging caution. Reminding people to follow CDC guidelines about wearing masks, social distancing, avoiding large gatherings.

But, no.

Trump denies it because he believes denying it will help him to get elected.

He told a crowd in Arizona, “People are pandemic’d out. You know that? They’re pandemic’d out.”

That’s true. But the pandemic isn’t pandemic’d out.

Denial is not a solution.

It is, however, a strategy.

This is why Trump has attacked Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, calling the renowned scientist a “disaster,” among other things.

In a phone call with his campaign staff Trump said, “People are tired of COVID. I have these huge rallies. People are saying whatever. Just leave us alone. They’re tired of it. People are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots.”

Trump also has tried to mock Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden for saying he would “listen to the scientists” if elected president.

As if listening to those who know how best to deal with infectious disease is a bad thing. As if denying that a problem exists is a solution to the problem. As if trashing science makes the facts less factual.

It’s a scam. A con.

The president doesn’t actually believe what he’s saying. He’s a draft dodger in his personal war against science.

We know this not because of what he says but because of what he did, personally. It’s just as your parents taught you – actions speak louder than

words.

And what were Trump’s actions? Why do we know the president is not the science denier he claims to be?

Dr. Fauci explained it in nutshell. He said, “I think deep down, he (Trump) believes in science. If he didn’t, he would not have entrusted his health to the very competent physicians at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.”

Exactly.