Rantz: Senseless politicization of Amtrak tragedy
Dec 18, 2017, 5:28 PM | Updated: Dec 19, 2017, 9:36 am
Cars from an Amtrak train lay spilled onto Interstate 5 below as some train cars remain on the tracks above Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
I’m not sure what’s so wrong with people that, after a tragedy that’s left innocent people dead, their first instinct is to hop on Twitter and turn a tragedy into a means to attack political opponents.
Joy Reid is one of those people; she’s a rotten human being with no sense of compassion.
RELATED: Why everyone is talking about “positive train control” after derailment
In the immediate aftermath of the Amtrak crash, MSNBC’s Reid jumped on Twitter and used this as an opportunity to trash the GOP tax plan.
That Amtrak derailment is yet another reminder that America needs substantial infrastructure investment. Our priorities are all wrong. Tax cuts for the super rich and corporations are NOT more important than lifesaving investments in technology, transportation etc.
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) December 18, 2017
There’s so much wrong with this insensitive tweet. Reid doesn’t give a hoot about the lives lost. This has, of course, absolutely nothing to do with the GOP tax plan. I get that Reid doesn’t like the tax plan, but is now the time to bring up something so wholly unrelated to the tragedy at hand?
And not to mention: the president has already pledged $1 trillion in infrastructure spending separate from the tax plan. So Reid is asking for something that was announced months ago.
Then, there are unverified reports that the train was going 81 mph when it should have been going 30 mph. So what she’s proposing had no bearing on this, if that report is true.
Trump doesn’t get a pass either
While not nearly as bad, President Donald Trump flubbed bigly as well. The first tweet he sends out is to promote a transportation infrastructure spending plan that he’s been talking about for months, but hasn’t yet delivered on.
The train accident that just occurred in DuPont, WA shows more than ever why our soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly. Seven trillion dollars spent in the Middle East while our roads, bridges, tunnels, railways (and more) crumble! Not for long!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 18, 2017
About 10 minutes later, he properly addressed the tragedy.
It’s a ridiculous tweet. First, he had no idea what caused the derailment, so again, infrastructure spending isn’t necessarily the answer. Second, people died. Can we pause from politicking for one minute? Or is that too much to ask for?
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