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Puerto Rico isn’t about Trump or tweets, it’s about despair and desperation

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1 year ago

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Donald Trump sent the worst possible message to the people of Puerto Rico when he criticized the mayor of San Juan, tweeting, “The Mayor of San Juan, who was very complimentary only a few days ago, has not been told by the Democrats that you must be nasty to Trump. Such poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help. They want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort. 10,000 federal workers now on island doing a fantastic job.”

After that, Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz stepped in front of the cameras and literally groveled.

“I will do what I never thought I was going to do. I am begging, begging anyone who can hear us to save us from dying. If anybody out there is listening to us, we are dying, and you are killing us with the inefficiency,” she said.

One of these officials is concerned with the people on the island, and the other is concerned with being criticized. I will leave you to deduce which is which.

“Workers” are not chess pieces or pawns to be moved around at will. This is not Venezuela, which is actually half the distance to the U.S. island territory than the American mainland. Our country–America–does not believe in dictator-like control of “workers.” The “workers” are at home, trying not to die, with no access to food, potable water, electricity, communications, or health care services. How, pray tell, does Trump expect them to participate in a “community effort?”

As Aaron Blake wrote in the Washington Post, Trump “doesn’t quite get it.” Maybe the president will get it when he visits the ravaged island. Maybe seeing the faces of suffering people will open up a light in his heart and distract him from being so defensive and thin-skinned.

Listen, 10,000 federal workers anywhere “doing a fantastic job” is not a bad thing, but I can also imagine it’s a nightmare of red tape, inefficiency, and crossed signals. FEMA is pretty stretched these day, with Houston, all of Florida, and now Puerto Rico on its plate–adding the military is certainly a good thing.

Perspectives

Trump slams Puerto Rico: ‘They want everything to be done for them’ | TheHill

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/353216-trump-criticizes-san-juan-mayors-poor-leadership-during-puerto-rico“Actually, I was asking for help. I wasn’t saying anything nasty about the president,” Cruz said on MSNBC following the tweets. “It’s not about politics, it’s not about petty comments, it’s about moving forward, putting boots on the ground and saving lives.”

Democrats slammed Trump’s response to Cruz and Puerto Rico’s relief efforts.

“Is your ego so fragile & your heart so cold that you’d attack a leader in the midst of a humanitarian crisis because she needs your help?” Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) tweeted at Trump on Saturday.

Trump’s Twitter Rant Against Puerto Rico Hits All the Wrong Notes | The Resurgent

http://theresurgent.com/trumps-twitter-rant-against-puerto-rico-hits-all-the-wrong-notes/“Maybe from where she’s standing, it’s a good news story,” Cruz said. “When you’re drinking from a creek, it’s not a good news story. When you don’t have food for a baby, it’s not a good news story.”

“Damnit, this is not a good news story,” she continued. “This is a people-are-dying story.”

“We have done an incredible job, considering there’s absolutely nothing to work with,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

“They’re taking care of their families and largely unable to get involved, largely unable to help,” he said. “Therefore, we’re forced to bring in truck drivers, security and many, many other personnel by the thousands. And we’re bringing them onto the island as we speak. We’ve never seen a situation like this.”

Trump doesn’t get it on Puerto Rico. He just proved it by lashing out at San Juan’s mayor. – The Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/09/30/trump-doesnt-get-it-on-puerto-rico-he-just-proved-it-by-lashing-out-at-san-juans-mayor/?utm_term=.a2010685c6b6There has been anecdotal evidence that Trump doesn’t quite get it. He has repeatedly misstated the size of the hurricane that hit Puerto Rico. He has repeatedly talked about what a tough state the island was in to begin with — as if to shift blame. He has talked repeatedly about how Puerto Rico is an island “in the middle of the ocean” — as if to temper expectations. He has even talked about how Puerto Rico might be made to repay the cost of its recovery. And he’s decided to take a weekend at his golf club in New Jersey right now, even as the scope of the problems in Puerto Rico is growing.

Why Puerto Rico Is Not Trump’s Katrina – The future of business

https://www.fastcompany.com/40474782/why-puerto-rico-is-not-trumps-katrinaHurricane Maria’s destruction of Puerto Rico on September 20 was an entirely predictable crisis. For a week, meteorologists charted the path of Maria as it moved through the northeastern Caribbean and devastated Dominica before smashing into Puerto Rico, which had been hit hard by Hurricane Irma two weeks before.

Reactions

Final Thoughts

It’s not about tweets, or Trump. It’s about saving lives. The death toll of Maria on this small island will end up largely in Trump’s hands, for good or for ill, just like Katrina did for Bush. Trying to duck responsibility by lashing out at those closest to the disaster is counterproductive. It’s like a surgeon blaming the anesthesiologist while the patient dies.

The people of Puerto Rico need to hear a message of hope, of love, and of care. They don’t need to hear their president tell them everything is hunky dory because 10,000 FEMA workers are on the island of over 3 million people, then level blame at the residents for not doing enough.

It’s precisely the wrong, and cruelest possible, message.

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1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Eileen

    September 30, 2017 at 9:34 pm

    I don’t think he should have tweeted that, but seriously, did they have a plan? How can Fema do everything for them? The mayor can make a custom t-shirt (we’re dying) but can’t unload food shooting at the dock? Seriously? So every state doesn’t plan and just waits for the federal govt to step in?

    Reply

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Foreign Affairs

Venezuela is colluding with Russia while America is distracted by Trump not colluding with Russia

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9 hours ago

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March 25, 2019

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Venezuela is colluding with Russia while America is distracted by Trump not colluding with Russia

Two Russian jets carrying troops and equipment landed in Caracas, Venezuela, as part of a mission to “fullfil technical military contracts,” according to Russian media. But it’s almost certain this is part of Russia’s play on Venezuela to prop up socialist dictator Nicolas Maduro just as they did with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.

Meanwhile, most Americans who follow the news cycle were bombarded with perspectives on Attorney General William Barr’s summary of the Robert Mueller investigation report. In it, President Trump and his 2016 campaign were found to not have colluded with the Russians in their election hacking endeavors.

My Take

While most were focused on fake Russian collusion, the real thing was happening in one of the world’s hottest spots, Venezuela.

Russia’s play here is simple: keep Maduro in power at all costs. They got the drop on any actions the United States may have been planning, though it’s unlikely those plans included military intervention. Still, Russia isn’t taking any chances. By getting troops and equipment on the ground, they’ll be able help Maduro by offering cover from outside actions while bolstering his support internally.

Any defections or coup attempts will be much less likely with Russia directly involved.

The opposition leader who America and over 50 other nations consider to be the rightful interim president, Juan Guaido, has been trying to get international support while maintaining domestic support, but Maduro’s move may have prevented that from happening.

In essence, the battle over Venezuela is now over. It’s unfathomable to conceive of action by the United States or any other’s who support Guaido other than diplomatic efforts that will accomplish nothing. Venezuela is doomed to retain their socialist dictator now.

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Foreign Affairs

Israel suffers another rocket attack from Hamas

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11 hours ago

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March 25, 2019

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Israel suffers another rocket attack from Hamas

A confirmed rocket attack from the Gaza Strip on Israeli homes near the border in the Kfar Saba area outside Tel Aviv. Sirens were heard prior to the rocket explosion and posted by the IDF Twitter account.

Six people were injured in the attack.

My Take

The conflict between Hamas and Israel has been getting old for years, but now is not the time to blow off the news. Hamas is having internal strife as its citizens protest living and economic conditions in the Gaza Strip. To garner international support and save face for failing to help their own people, Hamas is trying to start another war.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is caught between a contentious election at home and the need to get his own international support, particularly from the United States. He’s in Washington DC now to meet with President Trump, who has offered his support and endorsement for the long-time Prime Minister.

Hamas would love nothing more than for Netanyahu to be gone, replaced by a leftist who will wheel and deal for “peace” with the Palestinians regardless of the cost. If that happens, the toll will be great on Israel and the world.

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Foreign Affairs

Here’s hoping there’s a plan we don’t know about with North Korea

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3 days ago

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March 22, 2019

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Heres hoping theres a plan we dont know about with North Korea

In a move that many, including supporters on the right, are calling a move of weakness, the President reversed the Treasury Department’s additional sanctions on North Korea.

My Take

I’m just not sure what to make of this. I understand many have been concerned about how nicely the President has treated Kim Jong un, but I’ve always felt there was some sort of plan happening behind the scenes that would justify it. Now, I’m not so sure.

This move emboldens Kim to continue avoiding any compromise on his nuclear weapons program. It tells him and the rest of the world President Trump isn’t going to be playing hardball and intends to coax the North Korean dictator into signing some sort of agreement before the 2020 elections.

Dare I say, this seems very Obamaesque? Where’s the hardball? Where’s the threats against Rocketman? If there’s some sort of 4D chess being played in the background, I seriously hope we see it in play soon. This is a strange move.

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