Most conspiracy theories are totally bonkers, but at least they follow typical lines of questioning. Conspiracy theories in the age of Trump can’t even do that.
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You know this administration is screwed when it can’t even get conspiracy theories right. Once upon a time, the main two mottoes of conspiracy theorists were “who benefits” and “follow the money.”
Say what you will about the “Bush did 9/11” theories, they at least stuck with the typical line of questioning. Why did Bush do 9/11? So he could put a pipeline in Afghanistan, give paydays to companies he had connections with like the Carlyle Group and Halliburton, and overthrow Saddam Hussein like he had been wanting to do since the campaign.
Even the President’s buddy Alex Jones, at his worst, sticks with this line of questioning. Why did they fake Sandy Hook? Well, they didn’t, but if they did it would be to pass stricter gun control laws. Again, you don’t have to believe either of these theories are correct in order to at least give them that much.
However, in the age of Donald Trump, it seems even this normality has gone out the window.
For example, a conspiracy theory has come up saying the reason Bill Gates is working on a COVID-19 vaccine is depopulation. Question: How does he benefit from this? Gates makes money when people need computers. So, wouldn’t he want a higher population because more people means more people who will buy Windows?
This is especially weird considering these are the same people who think Gates is part of a conspiracy to increase immigration for cheap-labor. So he wants a higher population in the US but a lower population worldwide?
Some are also saying Gates plans to put a chip in the vaccine so he can monitor us. Actually, the most anyone has ever called for is giving those who get a COVID-19 vaccine an invisible ink tattoo that would be on your skin for five years. Researchers at MIT also proposed this four years ago to test vaccines on children in the third world. Meaning if you’re worried about a conspiracy to chip you with the COVID-19 vaccine, you’re wrong on many accounts-the least of which being that you can’t put a chip in a vaccine.
Compare that to what One America News host Liz Wheeler thinks we should do:
“There’s really no excuse for not conducting antibody tests on random samples of our population. To learn the true incidence rate of COVID-19. To learn true death rate. To learn how many people are asymptomatic, to gauge herd immunity. This would answer all our questions.”
So giving people a vaccination is wrong, but exposing random people to a virus without their knowledge is fine? That sounds way more like a depopulation conspiracy than the guy from Windows giving everyone a vaccine.
How about the theory, promoted by Republican Senator Tom Cotton, that COVID-19 is a bio-weapon China is using against the United States. Have they benefited from that? Well the President they support (Xi Jinping said he likes Donald Trump because he’s “easy to read”) is losing popularity, the vast majority of American people hate them, and one of their biggest trading partners is talking about rethinking their trade relationships with them due to the virus.
What benefit do they get out of this again?
Meanwhile, the drug Trump supporters claim is the cure being suppressed by the establishment, hydroxychloroquine, well it turns out you should follow that money. President Trump has taken large amounts of money from Sanofi, a pharmaceutical company that manufactures hydroxychloroquine.
The Fox News Network, which is one of the biggest voices against social distancing requirements, also has some conflicts of interest. Two major advertisers for that channel are Sanofi and Novartis, both of which manufacture hydroxychloroquine.
(The Fox News Network is also facing lawsuits for spreading misinformation regarding COVID-19. For those wondering, I am in complete support of it.)
We can argue the rational of conspiracy theories, however, we know why Trump supporters believe them. In all honestly, they just want more reasons to hate who they do. Why do they hate Bill Gates? Well, because he’s engaging in a mass depopulation program…
Of course, the real reason they hate Gates is because he’s a liberal. And if you disagree with his political views, that’s fine, so do I. However, be honest with yourself about why you hate someone like him instead of making up nonsense about plots to take over the world.
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