[76lsjumb]

Obviously, all of this is predicated on assumptions of effectiveness of masks.  But this is why I just don't get the President's stance.  If for no other reason that it will help the economy and allow him to carry out his stated goal of opening everything up, I would think that he would be begging and pleading with everyone to wear a mask every day.  Alas, there must be a German term for "when pride makes you take a course of action that tanks your re-election chances"

BC

Trump thought that investing in the culture war could make up for the economic devastation. He didn't realize it would substantially worsen it. 

Trump screwed up.

Trump also resists any idea that wasn't his. His initial reaction is to ridicule it. Sometimes if that doesn't work he will claim it WAS his idea and try to take credit for it. Unfortunately this wasn't one of those times.

Very true, and quite obvious, it seems to me.  Which is why I've been frustrated/disappointed/cynical about the opposition to Trump in Washington and the media.  If you want Trump to do the "right thing," you figure out how to make him think that the "right thing" is his idea and that it will benefit HIM to promote that thing.  What you DON'T do is constantly criticize him, demonize him, and call him stupid and wrong for doing whatever it is that you think is the "wrong thing."  That latter approach, however, is pretty much all that the Democrats and the media have done from day one, which, I think, raises a legitimate question of whether they are more interested in getting him to do the "right thing" OR in being able to criticize, demonize, and call him stupid -- even if that latter approach pretty much guarantees that he will double down on doing the "wrong thing."  Sure, ranting and raving and calling him an existential threat every day feels good and routinely results in a round of high fives... but [at least in the short term, that is, until November, 2020] it hasn't actually gotten any tangible, beneficial [from the opposition's perspective] results.

[You needn't bother to wasting time saying "whatabout...," because I concede up front that this approach is very much a two-party problem... although I think Trump, who lacks any real principles beyond "I'm always right" would actually be much more susceptible to "creative persuasion" based on flattery, etc., than others, on both sides, whose positions are based on real principles.]

[76lsjumb]

Obviously, all of this is predicated on assumptions of effectiveness of masks.  But this is why I just don't get the President's stance.  If for no other reason that it will help the economy and allow him to carry out his stated goal of opening everything up, I would think that he would be begging and pleading with everyone to wear a mask every day.  Alas, there must be a German term for "when pride makes you take a course of action that tanks your re-election chances"

BC

Trump thought that investing in the culture war could make up for the economic devastation. He didn't realize it would substantially worsen it. 

Trump screwed up.

Trump also resists any idea that wasn't his. His initial reaction is to ridicule it. Sometimes if that doesn't work he will claim it WAS his idea and try to take credit for it. Unfortunately this wasn't one of those times.

Very true, and quite obvious, it seems to me.  Which is why I've been frustrated/disappointed/cynical about the opposition to Trump in Washington and the media.  If you want Trump to do the "right thing," you figure out how to make him think that the "right thing" is his idea and that it will benefit HIM to promote that thing.  What you DON'T do is constantly criticize him, demonize him, and call him stupid and wrong for doing whatever it is that you think is the "wrong thing."  That latter approach, however, is pretty much all that the Democrats and the media have done from day one, which, I think, raises a legitimate question of whether they are more interested in getting him to do the "right thing" OR in being able to criticize, demonize, and call him stupid -- even if that latter approach pretty much guarantees that he will double down on doing the "wrong thing."  Sure, ranting and raving and calling him an existential threat every day feels good and routinely results in a round of high fives... but [at least in the short term, that is, until November, 2020] it hasn't actually gotten any tangible, beneficial [from the opposition's perspective] results.

[You needn't bother to wasting time saying "whatabout...," because I concede up front that this approach is very much a two-party problem... although I think Trump, who lacks any real principles beyond "I'm always right" would actually be much more susceptible to "creative persuasion" based on flattery, etc., than others, on both sides, whose positions are based on real principles.]