[ Photo by Erika Fletcher on Unsplash; modified by author ]

DJ,

1. What pandemic?
   [1]
   Invent fake news that pandemic does not exist. Nothing to see here! Initiate tweet-filled propaganda campaign to bolster image of regime.
2. Do whatever can be done to distract public from real danger posed by pandemic. Tell them it can’t happen here! It’s somebody else’s problem, everything is going well.
   [2]
   “Coronavirus numbers are looking MUCH better, going down almost everywhere…”
   [3]
3. Discredit accurate reports describing magnitude of pandemic within nation
   [4]
   [5]
   .
4. Blame immigrants,
   [6]
   foreigners, asylum-seekers, other nations
   [7]
   for inventing and transporting pandemic to dictator’s territory.
5. Blame minorities and unpopular indigenous populations within state
   [8]
   for being “dirty” people and contaminating the general public.
6. Force health administrators to take blame
   [9]
   [10]
   [11]
   for the spreading disease. Fire Health experts
   [12]
   [13]
   and replace with loyal stooges. Replace stooge with an Acting stooge if first stooge not loyal enough.
7. Take credit for any positive developments regarding mitigation measures including vaccines.
   [14]
   [15]
   Continue to project blame for failures on others and load airwaves with propaganda about glory of dictator.
   [16]

In the last four years, the USA has acquired experience dealing with an aspiring dictator

Comments welcome!

Footnotes