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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIs Trump Killing People on Purpose?
https://www.salon.com/2020/04/25/psychologist-john-gartner-trump-is-a-sexual-sadist-who-is-actively-engaging-in-sabotage/As of Friday, the coronavirus pandemic has killed at least 50,000 people in the United States. That number is likely to be an undercount, and it's possible we will never have a true reckoning.
At almost every juncture, Donald Trump has made decisions about the coronavirus pandemic that have led to more death. His behavior is that of a person who has no care or concern for the health, safety and welfare of the American people. Nothing could epitomize that more perfectly than his grotesque suggestion this week that "injecting" disinfectants or household cleaning products might kill the coronavirus. This would seem comical, and entirely unbelievable, if it had not actually happened.
(snip)
Dr. Gartner taught for many years at the Johns Hopkins University Medical School, and has private therapeutic practices in Baltimore and New York, specializing in the treatment of borderline personality disorders. In our most recent conversation, he explains that sadism and violence are central to Trump's malignant narcissism and his decision-making about the coronavirus pandemic. Gartner also warns that Donald Trump is an abuser locked into a deeply dysfunctional relationship with the American people and that, like other sadists, Trump enjoys causing harm and suffering.
Ultimately, Gartner concludes that Donald Trump is engaging in "democidal behavior" and cautions that the tens of thousands of dead (so far) from the coronavirus pandemic are not simply collateral damage from Trump's policies, but rather the logical outcome of Trump's apparent mental pathologies and the poor decisions that flow from them.
(snip)
What do you think Donald Trump will do if, shortly before Nov. 3, it appears clear that he is going to lose the election?
Rather than making a prediction as to Trump's specific actions, it is more helpful to describe the type of actions he will take. Rather than trying to say, "This is the move he'll make." Like in a relationship, Donald Trump is the abuser. He is the husband or father who is abusing his partner or children or other relatives. The American people are like a woman who is leaving her abuser. She tells her abuser, "That's it! I am done with you!" She has her keys in hand and is opening the door of the house or apartment to finally leave. What happens? The democidal maniac Donald Trump will attack us, badly. Make no mistake. Donald Trump is going to find a way to attack and cause great harm to the American people if he believes that he will lose the 2020 election.
(end snip)
This is not failure. This is deliberate.
jimfields33
(15,830 posts)Under The Radar
(3,404 posts)It is an indirect result. No doubt that people are dying from his negligence which is a directly derived from his ignorance. To develop a strategy to kill as the article suggest, he would need much more intelligence, fortitude to execute and discipline to keep the plan a secret. Completely over Trumps head.
Grown2Hate
(2,013 posts)the Nazis with which he surrounds himself (Stephen Miller, for instance). I've wondered aloud the same thing lately.
Under The Radar
(3,404 posts)SuprstitionAintthWay
(386 posts)...and then to do so when you come across and recognize some ways to, however that happens.
The impulse to lash out often begins unconsciously, just a feeling of a desire to retaliate. Instinct. A stronger instinct the meaner, more narcissistic and more sociopathic you are.
A rat trapped in a corner doesn't have a high IQ and planning skills, and doesn't need them to come at you.
Trump continually stumbles across things in govt he had zero idea existed. It just happens as part of being in the Oval Office. People bring him things, he immediately sees them as hammers to hurt others with.
He'd never known Inspectors General existed until one gave the Ukraine whistleblower complaint to Congress, and another concluded the Mueller investigation was initiated legally and not politically. Now he passionately hates IGs. Someone informed them he has some power over them, so immediately he starts knocking them down left and right.
He has power over federally stockpiled ventilators and PPE? Who knew? He didn't know that! Immediately his mind goes to how can I hurt Whitmer and Inslee and Cuomo as publicly and humiliatingly as possible, make them submit to me, praise and beg me, with this power?
People want to vote by mail? You need mail service for that. And look! Someone just brought me a bill that if I don't sign, the Postal Service will probably collapse!
What Dr. Garnter describes in general terms as prospects for this fall, I really don't think requires much in the way of intelligence or ability.
Edited to add:
On the other hand I agree that Trump has not been purposely killing 10s of 1000s of Americans with his inept, self-absorbed covid "response" in Feb, March, and April. Well, a few Washington, Calif, Michigan, and NY citizens and frontline medical people's deaths, yes, those were intentional. Those deaths were to punish those electorates for having Democratic governors, to try to make their governors out to be failing, to present himself as the states' savior instead, and to try to compel the governors themselves to knuckle under to him... to bring them to heel.
But on a wider scale, so far, no. It serves Trump not at all for so many Americans to die. Just the opposite. So yes the large amount of needless death America is suffering has just been an unintended side-effect of his acting wholly in his own self-interest.
That's Trump circa January - April 2020, though. What Dr. Garnter was speaking about is Trump when he's actively being ousted from the presidency this fall.
BrightKnight
(3,567 posts)I am sure he was aware of the demographics when he said that. Im sure his brown shirt base...
It wont play out in his favor but I wouldnt be surprised if he missed that.
matt819
(10,749 posts)And Ive not seen an answer.
Does any of this to the level of criminal prosecution when he is out of office?
As noted increasingly, his behaviors are beyond policy differences or incompetence. He is taking actions or not taking actions that are causing death and destruction.
crickets
(25,981 posts)There is no way the leader of any country on earth should be allowed to walk away free from the level of death and destruction this man is leaving in his wake.
ProfessorGAC
(65,078 posts)I disagree with the things in the OP.
There's no motive here. Incompetence is a powerful & dangerous risk multiplier.
I think people like this underrate the impact of high office incompetence.
Let me give one business example. Sears.
A company who had a continental reputation for catalog sales/home shopping, with distribution in place, stopped catalog deliveries and eschewed the digital transformation. They were Amazon before Bezos was born.
The execs of Sears didn't want to crash the company, but they rose to a level where their incompetence did major damage. They killed the company.
They could have been the 2nd biggest company on earth, and they've become an afterthought.
No motive. Just incompetent.
matt819
(10,749 posts)ProfessorGAC
(65,078 posts)Sorry about that. I think the author is another that underestimates the massive negative impact of sheer incompetence that goes under detected until a position far too high comes along.
43 was the paradigm. He had some bad characters in his circle, but his damage wasn't deliberate. He was way over his skis.
Baitball Blogger
(46,740 posts)Their policies are reckless and thoughtless. If there is any threat to life they tend to rationalize it as an acceptable casualty. Like they do when they convince themselves that the virus is just weeding out the weak, which is natural, in their eyes.
They don't understand that people who hold public office should put public welfare before economic gains. The fact that they are trying to rationalize some kind of balance between death from exposure to the virus to the depression that someone might feel when their livelihood is deprived is very revealing. There is only one way that I can see it work in their heads: they assume this virus will affect everybody else, and not them. They are immune. In that regard, maybe it does go over the line and meet the standard of murder if they are assuming that this illness will weed out other people.
SammyWinstonJack
(44,130 posts)Brother Buzz
(36,444 posts)He is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is the orange anus' personal interests.
mzmolly
(50,996 posts)Well this explains it. He's not an incompetent fool. He's a homicidal sadist.