WASHINGTON- The Republican party is now solely recruiting “extremely pro-Trump” doctors to prescribe the reopening of America this coming Memorial Day Weekend. Doctors will go on television to become the public face of the U.S. economy’s speedy revival, all the while dodging the many safety requirements proposed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

A senior staffer for the Trump reelection campaign and Republican operatives of the CNP Action group, affiliates of the GOP,  discussed the matter in a May 11th conference call. A leaked recording of the hour-long call reached The Associated Press by the Center for Media and Democracy on May 20th, a progressive government watchdog group. 

During a Whitehouse cabinet meeting on May 19th, President Trump expressed his pride for the U.S.’ currently leading numbers. He calls it “a badge of honor” that the U.S. has more than 1.5 million cases of the virus, ranking us with the highest number of infections globally. Trump told reporters, “It’s a great tribute to the testing and all of the work that a lot of professionals have done.”

I found every bit of this news to be appalling. First, our president is putting his campaign before the health of fellow Americans. No doctor should feel jeopardized for having political views different from the president’s, regardless that he is currently in office. Unfortunately, this forces the people to question whether the Trump administration is looking to filter statistics in favor of the reelection. It is indisputable that these times are in no connection to rich or poor, Republican or Democrat, or even to sad or content lives. Instead, there should be straight facts presented, unblemished by the injustice of political bias. 

Second, I found it offensive to those who’ve had to suffer through these times when President Trump glorifies the U.S. infection toll. I understand that America’s ability to test various people suggests great work is being done, but we cannot brush off the fact that tens of thousands have passed away. Rather than patting ourselves on the back, we must analyze the U.S.’s wrongdoings during these times and use that to make sure no more have to suffer. It is unacceptable that Americans are encouraged to be proud of our numbers and to turn our heads from the mismanagement done by the government.