MAGA MEANING & GOOD JOE — The Weekly Opine

The sooner MAGA nonsense fades away the better. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

A clarification.

It did take some time, but I finally figured out what the acronym MAGA really means.

At the beginning, I have no doubt it meant Make America Great Again. But greatness started slowly, with an inauguration crowd half the size of President Obama’s inauguration throng. The only thing “great” about that day was the Great Lie spun by a red-faced Sean Spicer (“This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration!”), which was a precursor to an avalanche of Trump administration lying that persists to this day.

Greatness and cleaning the swamp unraveled moments after Trump took office. On February 13, 2017, barely three weeks after Trump’s inauguration, National Security Advisor Mike Flynn completed the shortest tenure of any NSA head in history. Flynn was eventually convicted of lying to the FBI.

Downhill is the direction the country has pointed since Trump took over, steadily run into the ground like one of his failing businesses. Six Trump businesses ended up in bankruptcy, his charity was shut down for financial improprieties, his university was found guilty of fraud and his resorts struggle as his incompetent response to the pandemic guts the U.S. travel industry. It is a proven fact, and beyond doubt, that Trump is a terrible businessman.

A perfect lead-in to the meaning of MAGA, which now means Me A Gullible American. (Not me, but anyone who wears a MAGA hat and says they voted for Trump “because he is a smart businessman.”)

MAGA has acronym cousins, too. Like MADA: Me A Dunce American. Or MATA: Me A Traitor American. Or MACA: Me A Confederate American. Or MARA: Me A Racist American. Or MAMA: Me A Misogynist American.

It is surprising the Trump boys, being astute businessmen in the mold of their father, have not marketed hats that cover a range of acronyms. This would enable supporters to more easily display which floor they reside on in the Trump Tower asylum.

For example, at the next Trump rally, in a half-empty arena, they could sit within their own group, MACAs seated together while socially distanced from the other groups.

With the Trump Organization’s normally eager-to-loan Deutsche Bank sitting in the crosshairs of the Southern District of New York, Don Jr. and Eric may have to appear on “Shark Tank” to beg for funding to produce more hats.

A Center for Disease Control analysis let the cat out of the bag, debunking Trump’s narrative about COVID-19. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

Cat’s out the bag

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control released a detailed analysis that puts to rest Trump’s favorite misleading trope about his response to the coronavirus. Trump has made numerous head-turning comments during the pandemic - all of which are lies:

· 15 virus cases will soon be near zero. (The truth is 4 million Americans have the virus.)

· Hydroxychloroquine successfully treats the virus. (No scientific proof this is true.)

· Ingesting Lysol disinfectant will kill the virus in your lungs. (Doing this will kill you.)

· There are more cases because there is more testing. No testing, no cases. (Goodness!)

One of Trump’s favorite remarks is to blame the coronavirus on China, not surprisingly resorting to racism, calling it the “China Virus.” (Like water finds its own level, the racist Trump reflexively resorts to racism.)

In a rarity, most everybody agrees with Trump that China is at fault for not being forthright about the coronavirus, opening the door for the virus to spread around the globe. However, it is irrefutable that many countries, relying on science, data analytics and uncompromising shutdown measures, successfully mitigated the virus’ impact. Conversely, the Trump administration reaction to the pandemic has been an epic failure.

Trump’s oft-repeated claim to fame is he closed U.S. borders to China (and later Europe). Even before the CDC’s analysis regarding the primary sources that fueled the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S., the fact is the three major U.S. airlines, American, United and Delta, stopped flights from China before Trump closed the border.

Trump’s border closure against China was little more than window dressing. A public relations stunt swallowed whole by MAGAs, MADAs, MATAs, MACAs, MARAs, and MAMAs.

CDC reporting proves Trump’s dilly-dallying before closing the border to Europe, done begrudgingly six weeks after doing so to China, is what caused coronavirus cases to spike in New York, opening the door for a nationwide catastrophe. This is unequivocal and is a primary reason behind the fast-growing crisis that now surpasses 4 million U.S. cases, with over 145,000 deaths.

Now, Trump claims he is working on a coronavirus strategy that “is going to be powerful.” Uh, six months too late, pal. Due to Trump’s botched response to the pandemic, in Chicago alone 4,400 businesses have closed, including 2,400 will never re-open. This is happening across the country and proves the stock market is not the same as the economy.

Don’t play nice, Dems. Go for it! (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

Go time, Joe

Joe Biden’s strategy of allowing Trump to hog the stage and self-destruct is working. Now Biden should do something Democrats are sometimes uncomfortable with: Go for the jugular.

First, choose a running mate already! Weeks ago, at least one cable news outlet jumped the gun and reported Biden had a short list of six women. Apparently, they did not get the list from the Biden campaign as Stacey Abrams was not included but is still viewed as a strong contender. Good, because she is the one.

Abrams exemplifies the transformation taking place in America. She is intelligent and savvy. She is a tireless worker. She comes without baggage, which cannot be said for some of the other contenders.

Look at the best leaders in the world and they are smart women, like Germany’s Angela Merkel and New Zealand’s Jacinda Ahern. Stacey Abrams fits that mold.

Abrams is the type of outside-the-beltway candidate who will inspire young people. She is a deep contrast to our current vice president. Fake Christian Mike Pence has zero leadership skills, as evidenced by his wimpish performance as the head of the failed coronavirus task force.

Dogs earn treats for good behavior. Joe Biden’s smart moves should get him elected to the White House. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

Reinforce the behavior

Biden should accelerate demonstrating how a real statesman operates. Another sit down with Bernie Sanders would reinforce with progressives that Biden is serious about enhancing protections for Social Security while modernizing healthcare and education.

Biden should meet with former Ambassador Fiona Hill, and sensible Republicans like former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell, to discuss foreign relations and specific ideas to checkmate Vladimir Putin.

After each meeting, a photo-op so voters see Biden as an energetic man with fresh ideas and a smart plan derived from bi-partisan, multi-generational input.

To end Trump’s lie that Biden wants to defund the police, meet with a few big-city police chiefs. Then issue a 4-point plan for addressing policing in this country, including giving coppers the chance to prove-as-fact the ruse that “99% of all cops are good cops.” And another photo-op.

Biden should go on Fox News and be interviewed by Chris Wallace. Wallace is a rare real journalist at Fox (although amazingly, during his recent interview with Trump, Wallace never asked about Russian bounties on American soldiers). Voters could then compare Wallace’s Trump interview – full of distemper and lies – with a Wallace interview of Biden.

Biden should continue showing empathy and compassion as we navigate the realities of COVID-19. And he should solidify his standing with conservatives who are turning against Trump.

Most importantly, Biden must meaningfully engage with, and tap into, the energy sprouting from the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests. This should be a priority. Particularly as Trump sends mysterious troops to American cities to tamp down protests. Biden must offer an alternative to wannabe, goose-stepping thugs pretending to restore law and order.

Just because these primarily young people - of all races - are marching in the streets does not guarantee they will march to the polls in November. Biden must build a real relationship with protesters (hint…pick Stacey Abrams for VP).

Lastly, Biden should clarify what his slogan “Build Back Better” means because it’s a head-scratcher.