American Hypocrisy
Shelby Johnston, Online Staff Writer
Novembre 9, 2020
Brandon, Alex. No title. Photograph. September 26, 2020. Washington, D.C, United States. Accessed via CNN.
The United States of America has a long history of hypocrisy and bureaucracy which hinders its ability to effectively represent its citizens. Many would look at US history and mistakenly believe that its citizen’s rights and best interests are being taken into account and are progressing well into the future, having learned from the past. However, under the Trump administration, hypocrisy has led to the mismanagement of a pandemic costing hundreds of thousands of American lives, and just recently to a government event held in the rose garden which became a COVID-19 super spreader.
Back at the end of 2016, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia passed away very close to the Presidential election, and Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell blocked then-President Barack Obama from appointing a new Supreme Court Justice. The Republican party, determined to win the election and replace Justice Scalia, a right-wing conservative Justice, supported McConnell’s decision to not allow Obama to fill the seat. They stated that nearing an election, the next President the American people choose should be the one who nominates a Supreme Court Justice, which went directly against Obama’s constitutional right as President to nominate a Justice.
In support of his fellow Republicans and Senate leader McConnell, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina stated in 2016 that, “I want you to use my words against me. If there’s a Republican President in 2016 and a vacancy occurs in the last year of the first term, you can say, Lindsey Graham, said let's let the next President, whoever it might be, make that nomination.” Now the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, when asked just days after the death of Justice Ginsburg whether he’d honour his prior words he issued a stark reversal promising to push forward to immediately confirm President Trump’s nominee. The Republican party fought hard in 2016 to make it appear as if their decision not to allow Obama his constitutional right to choose the next Supreme Court Justice was principled and apolitical, however, upon the passing of Justice Ginsburg a month before the 2020 election, the Senate Judiciary Committee is working overtime to confirm President Trump's nomination, Amy Coney Barrett.
President Trump announced his nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett at a public event in the White House Rose Garden on September 26. The event drew a large crowd of people with very few wearing a mask. The guests also went inside after the outdoor event. The President, Judge Barrett, and many other white house officials directly ignored CDC suggestions and guidelines and held an event which has now been labelled as a COVID-19 super spreader. The event has been said to have infected nearly a dozen attendees, including the President, First Lady, and their son Barron. Trump's infection required him to stay at Walter Reed Military Hospital for observation given his pre-existing conditions.
As of early October, 2020, the total deaths involving COVID-19 in the United States is 203, 855. That is 112% over the expected death rate of the year. Trump announced that he was calling off negotiations on another stimulus package for the American people until after the November 3rd election. Leaving the American economy struggling to bounce back from the effects of the pandemic, with many Americans still out of work. Majority leader McConnell said they would try their best to produce some type of relief package, however, it is clear that their priorities lie with appointing Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court with 19 days left until the 2020 election.
The United States runs on a federal system where states have autonomy and with no direction or suggested course of action on COVID-19 from the President at the Federal level, especially Trump, who himself does not follow CDC guidelines there is no influence on Governors creating COVID-19 restrictions. COVID-19 is continuously entering a rapid second wave and the infection and death numbers can only be assumed to increase from there, putting more Americans at risk. With no Federal mandate or stimulus packages for those who are sick, immunocompromised or at a greater risk of infection, they will be forced to continue to live life as normal and work every day, endangering themselves and others.
American hypocrisy has always been detrimental to the American people. Upon deeper inspection of how the current administration has handled the COVID-19 pandemic and the quick nomination process of Judge Barrett, it is clear to see the dangerous effects it has on the American people and their health, safety and well-being.