Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Atticus

(15,124 posts)
Thu Apr 2, 2020, 08:32 PM Apr 2020

If Trump was not permitted to make statements based upon false premises, he would have very little

to say.

A "premise" may be thought of as the base or foundational assumption upon which all that follows rests. Con artists and flim-flam men often try to rush us past their premise because they know it is false. They may start their spiel with phrases like "Everyone knows---" or "it is common knowledge that---". Their argument may sound quite reasonable if---and only it--- we accept the false premise upon which it depends.

Unsurprisingly, the false premise is one of Donald Trump's favorite methods of deception. Currently, he is starting discussions about who is responsible for the disorganized response to the pandemic with "Of course, the federal government is only meant to be a "back up" for the states in responding to the Corona virus."

Whoa.

Where did this "back up" BS come from? Where is the authority for individual states being primarily responsible for responding to a national emergency? I know the source of that authority: Trump sits on it!

Saying that New York or Washington or Illinois must each fight this pandemic using only their own separate resources and their own unique and uncoordinated methods is akin to having told Hawaii on December 7, 1941 "Good luck. Call us if you need anything and we'll see. We're just your back up, don'tcha know."

"The federal government is only meant to back up the states' efforts" is a classic false premise and its transparent purpose is to shift the blame for Trump's clusterfuck onto the governors. Reject it---and don't hide your disgust.


2 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
If Trump was not permitted to make statements based upon false premises, he would have very little (Original Post) Atticus Apr 2020 OP
Huh. Trump and republicans sure think it was all on Obama during H1N1. That was a very well run brewens Apr 2020 #1
The press is failing superpatriotman Apr 2020 #2

brewens

(13,349 posts)
1. Huh. Trump and republicans sure think it was all on Obama during H1N1. That was a very well run
Thu Apr 2, 2020, 09:24 PM
Apr 2020

response to a pandemic though, despite what they are claiming. If the Devil offered Trump a deal to get that death rate, he'd be a fool to turn it down.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»If Trump was not permitte...