Trump picks risky Puerto Rico fight

[orangecrush]

The natural disaster in Puerto Rico has escalated into a firestorm for President Donald Trump, whose Saturday twitter attack on the mayor of San Juan drew harsh condemnations, new charges of insensitivity, and warnings about political fallout.

In a series of Saturday morning tweets, Trump blasted the “poor leadership ability” of Puerto Rican officials, who he said “want everything to be done for them.” Trump also said the island’s leaders “are not able to get their workers to help,” and accused the Democratic mayor of San Juan—who has publicly criticized his administration’s response to Hurricane Maria—of scoring partisan political points.



Even Republicans were uncomfortable seeing television images of suffering Puerto Ricans juxtaposed with Trump’s fighting words, tweeted from his luxury golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey.

“He is definitely not helping,” said Republican state Rep. Bob Cortes, a Puerto Rico native who lives in Central Florida, which has seen a huge influx of Puerto Rican families in recent years. Cortes added that the controversy “gives a platform to register new voters.”

Other Republicans also worry that Trump’s comments could be a godsend to Democrats in Florida—a swing state whose Puerto Rican population of more than 1 million is expected to swell as people flee the storm's aftermath.


http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/30/trump-attacks-mayor-san-juan-puerto-rico-hurricane-243329

[Squinch]

1. "Even Republicans were uncomfortable." This is what you are, Republicans. You made

it, you own it.

[orangecrush]

2. They that sow the wind

Shall reap the whirlwind.

[Squinch]

4. I so hope that little ditty is the truth! I'd love to see them all ground down

to little, little pieces.

[GeorgeGist]

7. Not uncomfortable enough.

[ThoughtCriminal]

13. It seems the potntial influx of Puerto Rico voters that has them uncomfortable

Not the suffering or the incompetence of their leader.

[no_hypocrisy]

3. Trump was trying to manipulate the Mayor.

If she agreed that Trump was doing a "good job," then he wouldn't have done more -- or if anything, he'd scale back.

If she disagreed and said people were dying (she did this), he would then turn it around and call her a "poor leader".

Puerto Rico loses either way because this is a situation where Trump can't be compelled to help the Island.

[orangecrush]

9. It will

Come back to haunt the GOP, small compensation that it is.

[CanonRay]

5. His redneck racist base will love him for this.

[orangecrush]

10. Of course.

Funny how under 40% of the population of this country can win a national election.

With a lot of help from Moscow.

[procon]

6. Trump watches Fox News, so maybe he only sees puff pieces about how great

he's doing. The scenes of devastation and destruction and in the interviews with people who have lost everything and are still waiting for help, probably don't get at lot of airtime.

[cloudythescribbler]

8. Vile & Politically Tone Deaf -- but probably better for Trump than NFL fight

=

From a purely opportunistic standpoing, Trump was probably losing more support from his base for trying to take on the united NFL than his tweet firestorm over Puerto Rico

Substantively however, many human lives are at stake -- this situation could, over time, result in as many or more deaths than even Katrina, and most would be able to be laid at the feet of the Trump Administration. Yet, for odd reasons (including what I have heard on media, as well as the fact that DT's negatives are already out there bigtime, unlike W's as of Aug 05, when he was newly "re-elected" (supposedly an honest win)) the horrendous policy approach he has taken and is taking towards Puerto Rico probably won't lower his political capital the way New Orleans did for W.

For a good overview of the substance of what Trump Admin has done so far on Puerto Rico, see:
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/9/30/16389640/puerto-rico-disaster-relief

It would seem to me that progressives could put together a program of what policy changes are needed at this point, and then unite that segment of the public rightly outraged over this issue (not simply a poll registering majority "disapproval" or such, but the segment of the public, probably more than half of all Democratic Primary Voters, plus many others) behind that multi-point program of policy demands. Clearly a GOP controlled Congress, even though they might support a better policy than DT has, isn't going to have the kind of overall "right path" (including definitely substantial debt relief, and the full amount of timely aid needed) that needs to be strongly advocated even if there is little chance it will all be followed.

On this latter point, I am trying to get national "Our Revolution", from my own being peripherally involved in ORMA ("Our Revolution" Massachusetts) to hook up with experts who could seriously draw up a focused list of what needs to be done with national figures in the OR organization; it seems that one possible important base of support for such an approach would be "Our Revolution" -- at least as one major early element of the coalition making the needed demands. If anyone has EITHER major contax in the "Our Revolution" organization nationally, OR HAS connexions with folk who could with standing & expertise speak to the nitty gritty totality of what policies are needed, please message me

[orangecrush]

11. People aren't dying

In the "NFL fight."

[MyOwnPeace]

12. Sports again..........

The late, great Hall-of-Famer Roberto Clemente DIED while working to help earthquake-stricken Guatemala by loading a WW2 plane with emergency supplies and flying them to Guatemala. The plane never got far from Puerto Rico, crashing into "that vast ocean" and killing all on board.

What a wonderful tribute to the sacrifice of that great man - complaining about an angry mayor and claiming that "they" want someone else to do the work for them.

There are NO words do describe the contempt and disgust I have for that dotard!

[orangecrush]

14. Same here

I saw Roberto play in Pgh. in 1968.

He was truly a great man.