It’s not about Left vs. Right anymore. It’s about science vs. denialism in a fight for our lives.

Trump's initial response to Covid-19 was abysmal, and his relationship with Dr. Fauci has been rocky to say the least. Trump also keeps hyping chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine before the high-quality clinical trials can be completed, against expert advice.

But in the end, Trump has at least stuck by Fauci and the other medical experts for now in their recommendations of social distancing.

However, Trump's more rabid supporters in the right-wing mediaverse and here on ImgFlip, and a few suspected Russian trollbots, want Fauci gone. They're the ones I have the biggest problem with right now.

There are definitely a few Russian trolls on imgflip.

Yeah, I figured as much. I'm starting to get more aggressive at calling them out. Look for the Roomba "made in Russia," lol.

The most blatant one I've seen thus far was this weird brand-new account a couple months ago that was dedicated only to hyping Tulsi Gabbard.

Other than that, I view any meme posted by an "anonymous" as immediately suspect.

I'm convinced this-- imgflip.com/i/3w5jhz --was posted by a Russian troll. At first I thought he was just crazy, but when I merely mentioned Putin he almost immediately went into a glorification of the man. So I think his claim that the COVID19 vaccine would be the Mark of the Beast 🙄 was intended to kill Americans.

Geez. I can't even begin to make heads or tails of folks that far down the rabbit hole. I think you're probably right

What bugs me is conspiracy theorists obviously have some kind of measurable intelligence to recognize patterns and weave thoughts like that together, but then when you put blindingly obvious facts in front of their face, they start acting like this

They're driven by paranoia and a deep-seated and all-too-human need to feel special in the world. And they become deeply psychologically attached to their "hidden truth" that makes them special.

The best I can do is ask folks like that to just apply the same levels of skepticism that they do to "mainstream" stuff, to the alternative reality they dwell in.

Because as soon as you apply even a tiny amount of skepticism to those claims, they collapse instantly.

And by "Russian trolls," we shouldn't by any means discount the possibility of China, Iran, and even North Korea, since I have no doubt they have their own propaganda mills targeting Americans.

Oh gee! Trump's response was abysmal!

https://nationalfile.com/flashback-biden-opposed-trumps-chinese-coronavirus-travel-ban-as-xenophobia/

1. Are any of those folks the President?

2. When it comes to a national/international issue: Who does the buck stop with?

Harry Truman remembers

(Devolves into hysterical laughter.)

Is 2013 far back?

I'd say you were missing my point but I know how disingenuous you truly are.

If your point is that we are in a fact-free age where even the most stunning examples of Trump's hypocrisy (see: Trump 2013 vs. Trump 2020) go unacknowledged by his supporters

Point taken

Oh yes, Trump said things before becoming president that was wrong because he had never been president. WHY WASN'T HE PERFECT REEEEEEEEEE!!! Yeah, I acknowledge that and Obama thought he could close Guantanamo before he became prez. Live and learn.

Yet you still avoid my point with your spin.

So Trump's 2013 message stressing responsibility in leadership is the one you're saying was wrong

Fascinating

Disingenuous as always.

No, I'm saying it's easy to critique when you haven't been in the situation. Yet when WAS the last time the buck stopped there? With Obama and Benghazi, IRSgate, fast and furious etc? Dubya after invading Iraq under false pretenses? Clinton with Whitewater, Monica? Bush with whatever hinky shit he did as CIA chief and no new taxes? Etc etc etc

You realize there's no contradictions between saying Fauci and Democrats made bad decisions and saying trump made bad decisions, right?

Let me know when lefties say that.

I'm sure you'll give them credit if they do.

I would if I ever saw it. Too bad it's all partisan hackery in this case.

Trumpism is a fatal disease.

Possibly. But we shouldn't encourage it.

This just in: Trump Lashes Out at Fauci Amid Criticism of Slow Virus Response

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-lashes-out-at-fauci-amid-criticism-of-slow-virus-response/ar-BB12wPbh?ocid=spartanntp

(Fauci is right, by the way -- more lives could have been saved had Trump acted earlier)

From the linked article:

"The message Mr. Trump retweeted came from a former Republican congressional candidate. 'Fauci is now saying that had Trump listened to the medical experts earlier he could’ve saved more lives,'said the tweet by DeAnna Lorraine, who got less than 2 percent of the vote in an open primary against Speaker Nancy Pelosi last month. 'Fauci was telling people on February 29th that there was nothing to worry about and it posed no threat to the US at large. Time to #Fire Fauci.'"

So: Looks like we're in for another round of panicking over whether Trump will now give into his baser instincts and dismiss Fauci, or whether this is all just an act for Trump's rabid fanbase.

I'm meh about Fauci.

what do you mean