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I've been asked by readers, columnists and friends why the @denveropinion editorial board decided to label camps taking over parks and sidewalks in Denver as #Trumpvilles. Please allow me to explain my reasoning in a format the president may appreciate 1/9 https://www.denverpost.com/2020/07/29/editorial-denver-homeless-camps-remove-trumpvilles/
Denver has long struggled with providing housing and services to those experiencing homelessness. But camps have never been as extreme as they are today, at least not since the Great Depression's Hoovervilles (named for another incompetent president) 2/9
The growing camps downtown can be attributed to three things: fear of contracting the coronavirus in shelters, the economic crisis that has left many of America’s lowest-wage earners unemployed, and folks who want to stay downtown to participate in protests and civil unrest 3/9
I lay all three of those problems – and the subsequent decline of American cities – at President Donald Trump’s feet. Hence why I called these pockets of poverty and protest #Trumpvilles in Wednesday’s editorial. 4/9
Any competent president would have made slowing the spread of the coronavirus his top priority. I’ve watched in horror as the president has sown distrust of the medical community, the CDC and the WHO. Encouraging the very worst conspiracies. https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-deadly-is-covid-19-researchers-are-getting-closer-to-an-answer-11595323801?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=8 5/9
As the virus has spread, people experiencing homelessness are understandably hesitant to move into large, crowded shelters where a virulent virus could spread quickly. 6/9
A president deserving of our vote and trust would have backed and pushed a second disaster relief package by now to keep Americans from losing their homes and small businesses. Anything to keep thousands of Americans who live paycheck to paycheck from facing eviction. 7/9
And a president who could avoid blame for the civil unrest would have sought to unite the nation rather than divide us further on the problem of racism. Instead, we look to former presidents for healing words of unity 8/9 https://www.bushcenter.org/about-the-center/newsroom/press-releases/2020/06/statement-by-president-george-w-bush.html
In short, I should have written an entire editorial explaining why I blame Trump for the swift decline of a United States of America that while flawed was indisputably great a few short months ago, but this Twitter thread will have to suffice. 9/9
