Schrodinger’s President
AJ Robinson

In 1935, Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger developed a thought experiment now known as Schrödinger’s Cat. A cat, a flask of poison and a source of radiation are placed in a sealed box. If an internal monitor detects radioactivity, the flask shatters, releasing the poison that kills the cat.

Only what we see exists.

The interpretation, by physicists working in quantum mechanics, suggests that once the top is placed on the box, one ever knows if the cat is alive and dead. When someone looks in the box, they see the cat alive or dead, not both. One point of this mind experiment is that events must be observed to exist and what is seen is considered real.

In a very real sense, we now have a president that meets that conditions for Schrödinger’s Cat. He’s both active and inactive in terms of dealing with the coronavirus. Let’s review a few facts.

When the virus first appeared, Trump ridiculed it, called it a Democrat hoax. Now, he says that he knew it was a pandemic before anyone else did; he is prescient, at least in 20/20 hindsight. Does he not appreciate that video exists of his original assertion?

Trump proclaimed the USA had only fifteen cases and the number would soon drop to zero. At his most recent briefing he said that 100,000 casualties would be a good job by his administration. Does he not appreciate that video exists of his assertion?

When asked to give a score as to how his he’s handled the outbreak, he gave himself a ten. Yet, at the same time, he and Republicans say his poor response to the virus was due to the impeachment trial. Does he not appreciate that video exists of his assertion?

He also says that he was left with a terrible situation by Obama. Mind you, he’s been in office for three years, enough time to fix any such problem. Instead, he dismantled our pandemic response teams, cut funding for the CDC and other programmes that could have done something to ease the pandemic and did do a great deal during the plagues that struck in the time of the Obama administration. Now, he claims no knowledge of those acts. Does he not appreciate that video exists of his assertion?

Over time, going back to the Republican National Convention, in 2016, Trump loudly proclaimed he alone could fix what was wrong with our government. At a press briefing, when asked of his responsibility, he said he was not responsible at all for the poor response to the virus. Does he not appreciate that video exists of his assertion?

More recently, Trump said he has absolute authority to open the nation, to end the shelter in place orders put in place by the governors. So, total authority, but no responsibility. Does that make sense to anyone? Who am I kidding, to the Trumpsters, it makes perfect sense, it’s a wonderful example of TrumpSpeak.

Testing available for everyone, not.

Trump told Americans they could easily get a test for covid-19; many people still can’t get tested, Moreover, he shutdown the exchanges that allowed people to get health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Trump manages to implement a travel ban that was full of holes. It banned some people, but allowed trade, as if the disease couldn’t be transmitted via that avenue. It had many other exceptions, too.

When the nation started to falter, Trump promised help. He helped only Wall Street and corporations. Perhaps he is the President of American Banks and Corporations.

Trump worked on a national economic response, but when it came to health, nothing. Numerous times he’s mentioned the Defense Production Act, which would allow him to order companies to produce the PPE and ventilators so desperately needed. Yet, he still hasn’t implemented the act.

One of his worst actions is to push a disreputable drug, hydrocortisone aka MiCort™, as treatment of possible promise covid-19. Testing of hydrocortisone halted, abruptly, when several patients developed serious heart problems. Now, it appears Trump heavily invested in the company that makes the MiCort™.

Trump is not a physician, but seems to be playing one, at least on television. When the response team has their daily briefings, he lies regarding some medical matters, yet accuses the media of lying, he makes his wild claims, and doesn’t allow the medical authorities to speak. He brags of his television ratings.

When Obama was president, he appointed an Ebola Czar to spearhead the fight against the disease. As I recall, Republicans were outraged when he named anyone as a czar. It was said to be another example of what an Imperial President he, Obama, was, despite the fact the term has been used for decades.

To whom does Trump turn for guidance? Is it a medical expert? No, it’s son-in-law Jared, pun intended, is expected him to handle the pandemic.

Trump also condemns voting by mail, which many people are advocating as a means of dealing with this situation. Yet, that’s how he votes and how most members of the Armed Forces vote regularly. Those that vote by mail tend to be Democrats.

Yes, we truly have a Schrödinger’s President, a man who is incompetent and an expert, who ignored warnings and, yet, knew before anyone what we faced. A man who said the disease would vanish like a miracle, especially once the weather turned hot and that now boasts of only tens of thousands dying.

Wealthy are fittest for survival, implies Trump.

Most especially, Trump is concerned with how covid-19 affects him and his wealthy friends. He pays only lip service to compassion for the sick and dying. I would laugh if it weren’t so sad.m