Sometimes, you hear news that feels like fingernails scratching a chalk board.
This whole coronavirus thing feels a bit like that. But frankly, we have had news headlines over the past three years and change - since November of 2016 - that have felt like that, truth be told.
But there was one headline that, despite all of the bad news that we have read about and/or seen recently, feels like it particularly condemns Americans.
Despite all of the nonsense, the outright lies and deception and spreading of misinformation and boastful, falsely proud ignorance of Donald Trump, his approval ratings here in the United States match the all-time high, which he reached just after the whole impeachment trial. In other words, the two examples when his failures were like dirty laundry being aired before the entire world, and Americans are more supportive of him than ever before.
This is why the rest of the world increasingly skeptical about Americans and how they view the world.
I am not saying that Americans deserve this because they are Americans. But right now, as of today, basically one of every two Americans actually approves of Donald Trump's job in the White House thus far.
Collectively, we Americans have been spoiled and allowed ourselves the conceit of believing whatever we want to believe, facts be damned. And because of that, Americans will get the government - and the results from that government - that they deserve. He will continue to be a debacle and an embarrassment for the entire country, to disgrace himself personally and the country that he was elected to represent, and more Americans than ever are supporting him while he does this. It seems more likely than ever before that he will receive a second term in office, despite ample evidence that he qualifies, frankly, as the worst president in American history.
We Americans are opting for the worst possible leadership at a critical time when we can least afford it, and it is deservedly hurting our image around the world. If the Kennedy assassination ended the "golden era" of American history, when we were the envy of the entire world, and if the September 11th attacks began to alter the image of the United States from "the leader of the free world" and a nation in good-standing to an increasingly abusive and untrustworthy country, than this recent Covid-19 crisis is making us a laughingstock around the world, with a truly pathetic for what passes for "leadership."
Whatever happens - and Trump seems almost intent on making matters worse, and even far worse - we will almost literally have asked for it.
Incredibly depressing.
And it would be unbelievable, except that this ridiculous version of reality - where Americans do exactly the opposite of what they should be doing - is starting to feel seriously old now.
Do we have it in us to be better than what we have allowed ourselves and our country to become?
Frankly, the world has a right to be skeptical about that question by this point in time.
How depressing.
Gallup: Trump job approval rating matches all-time high BY JONATHAN EASLEY - 03/24/20
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/489285-gallup-trump-job-approval-rating-matches-all-time-high?fbclid=IwAR0ZpVNQhQPnjzDS3Q8okyF3kRQU-RDKYef5z1QleFOg92IsuDGCm6YdBzI
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