“Your money or your life.”
In movies that’s what thieves say to people they are robbing. It’s a false choice because they often take your money and then kill you anyway, but that’s another story.
The point I want to make is that Trump and his Republicans have come up with a new version of the phrase – “My money or your life.”
That’s the choice Trump et al. are putting to us in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
When asked this week about risking people’s lives by pushing to open the economy, Trey Hollingsworth (R-IN) responded by saying, “It is policymakers’ decision to put on our big boy and big girl pants and say, ‘This is the lesser of these two evils. And it is not zero evil, but it is the lesser of these evils, and we intend to move forward in that direction.’ That is our responsibility, and to abdicate that is to insult the Americans that voted us into office.”
I wonder what some of his constituents who voted him into office thought about what he said. I would think finding out the person you voted for thinks you’re expendable would be a bit sobering.
That’s how Trump and the Republicans are thinking these days. If people are going to go back to work soon, we just have to accept the reality that some people are expendable.
In other words, we have to choose between people working and people dying.
It’s kind of like the old ethical game where there are five people in a boat that will support only three and the group has to decide which two get thrown overboard.
It’s a terrible choice to have to make, one you would do anything to keep from having to make.
Not Trump or Republicans like him. They are ready and anxious to make it, even though it’s a false choice. The truth is, Democratic governors (and two Republicans in Ohio and Maryland) want people to get back to work as much as Trump does.
But for him and Republicans like Hollingsworth, it’s not about putting people back to work responsibly, allowing the medical experts to guide the process. It’s about getting the economy going whatever the cost to human life.
It’s choosing money over lives, dollars over health, dollars over safety, dollars over hospital capacity, dollars over the lives of healthcare professionals.
This is war, Trump says, only just like he did when he faced having to go Vietnam, he wants someone else put their lives on the line.
Well, I’m with Governor Andrew Cuomo who said to Trump, “My mother is not expendable and your mother is not expendable and our brothers and sisters are not expendable and we’re not going to accept a premise that human life is disposable and we’re not going to put a dollar figure on human life.”
Does Governor Cuomo want to get New Yorkers back to work? Of course, he does. Don’t be stupid. Every governor does. Every mayor does. Everyone does.
But not at any price.
The idea that health officials are standing in the way of opening up the economy is typical Donald Trump creating division where there is none.
I think I hate this man, though I am not sure what that feels like since I don’t recall ever feeling this way before.
I for sure hate his failure to lead our country effectively through this critical time. We have never seen such incompetence at this level of leadership.
Making matters worse, Trump’s narcissism is behind every decision he makes, so much so that it is enough to make you throw-up. I simply cannot believe he insisted on having his name on stimulus checks. That’s just sick.
Sane Americans who live in states with governors who care about them more than they care about pleasing Trump are fortunate.
I am thankful I live in such a state and can trust that our governor will be guided by sound medical advice rather than political expediency as he weighs what to do in balancing the economy with the virus threat.
Millions of Americans are not as fortunate, and they will suffer under governors who want to please Trump more than protect them and have bought into the false choice between the economy and people’s health, between money and someone’s life.
We all want to get back to work, but not if it prematurely puts people’s lives at risk.
At this point, we cannot trust that Trump and most Republicans won’t, believing as they do that some of us are expendable.
linnposts.com 
Well said Jan. The humorous response to “Your money or your life?” used to be, “take my life. I want my money for old age.” The republican’s response today is closer to, “never mind. We want your money and your life.”
Wilbur, I could have used all of that in the blog. Republicans are as bad as Trump. Neither cares about the country, only about themselves.
Jan,
The quote you use from Andrew Cuomo says so much about Trump’s total lack of compassion for others. He is an evil man, a monster!
Bill Blackwell
He definitely is, Bill.
I fear that many sheeple will follow tRump’s open for business mantra, no matter which state or governor. There is already a website REOPEN VIRGINIA that at less than a week old has 12000+ members.
Cindy, his base will listen, and people who are not Trumoers, but worried about their business. Nothing Trump says, though, will change the impact of opening based on politics instead of health. When these people get sick, and some of them die, they might believe he and they were wrong. I suspct nothing short of that will change them.
The remarkable thing about your comments is that you are willing to admit that what you are feeling about Trump might be “Hate”. I think to be honest, many of us are feeling the same thing, whatever it is called. I too am not that “experienced” in the feeling of hate. But, I must admit that frequently when hearing this man speak, that I am tempted to just place my fist right through the tv screen to rearrange his face substantially. In my own book that I am writing, I try to identify the top twelve epic “dilemmas of life” faced by all of humanity. To me the number one epic dilemma is “God vs. No-God”, and the number two epic dilemma of life is “Good vs. Evil”. And, this dilemma can easily be extended to “Love vs. Hate”. I am hoping that the true “feeling” that we are feeling is not really hate. But, what I am also going to conclude is that our president is not only living a life of evil, but also a life of hate. And, many of his followers are flat out hateful people. So, epic dilemma number two has now transcended itself into the Great Divide in America. Yes, it is easy for me to conclude that we are on the side of love, not hate. But, whatever we choose to call these feelings, we must all do our part to see that this man does not live to see a second term as our president, by voting him out of office by a substantial margin.
Jan, almost a week ago I sent you an email with a book review of your book “Unbinding Christianity” that I posted on Barnes and Noble. It may have gotten lost in your spam file, so I am sending it again. I would like your readers here in this blog to know that your book is “Great Insight On How to Reclaim One’s Christian Soul”. I recommend it highly to those of us that may have struggled with “Right Beliefs” vs. “Right Living”.
John Hamerski
John, thank you for this honest and insightful comment, and yes, we must defeat him in November. Thanks.
John, I have spent more time thinking about your reaction to my saying I might hate Trump. I think that feeling is one of the major reasons I dislike him so much. Whatever that feeling is, I don’t like having it, but he elicits that kind of response with his words and actions. And as you say, I am not alone in feeling what I do. This is why his defeat in November is a necessity for the collective sanity of the nation. It hurts us as a people to have such negative feelings about the president. Since we know he is not going to change, the only solution is to put someone else in his place and at the same time put him in his place, which is anywhere other than the White House.
Just need to share these additional thoughts.
And thank you for doing so.
Jan,
As usual, you have expressed what, I’m sure, many people are feeling. Your feelings are well said.
As to the further exchange between you and John, I, too, have never had this feeling about another human being: I’ve been angry, I’ve been frustrated, I’ve been ready to smack the face of another. I don’t think what I feel is hate; it’s just that I’ve never come across another human being who has defied my understanding him/her in some measure. This guy is different. Sometimes when I see him on TV, I am tempted to laugh at what is, in a way, comedic. But soon, I bump back to reality and see not a comic baffoon, but a dangerous man, too dangerous because he assumes to himself too much. And more sadly, members of the party he has hijacked are too cowed and weak to call him out for what he is.
So, it is to the election in November we must dedicate ourselves, urging others as we make the journey to the next election that this guy must not be allow a second term.
Blessings to you and John.
(Sorry for taking so much space in your blog.)
Cheerz!
Gene
Gene, thank you for sharing your personal response to Trump in this discussion. It helps me to know others feel some of the things I feel. I am quite confident we are not alone. Trump is an especially troubled man who seems to have never grown up emotionally, yet occupies the most important political office in the world. We are seeing the devastation that is having, and the only solution is to remove him in November. Had Senate Republicans has any integrity, he would be gone now. November cannot come soon enough. And also, don’t ever worry about taking up space on the blog. I welcome your comments always.
And Gene, I too thank you for your thoughts. Good to hear from you. I hope all is well with you and your family.
John,
We are doing pretty well; we’ve moved into a Senior Housing complex. Getting Mary in and out of our house of 48 years with three steps got to be too much of an adventure. I am cancer-free after a bout with prostate cancer and 39 radiation treatment; Mary was had an emergency visit because of respirator failure, three months ago, but she has recovered well. We go about our hunkered down lives and doing well. Thanks for your response.
We miss Mesa, and I miss Town Square. Are you still meeting?
Cheerz!
Gene
Thank you for standing up for mankind! We need leaders that have love in their hearts!
I am grateful for your response, and also taking the time to write it. Stay safe.