Dear F and Jimbo,
Beck says: "And when did we go from 'flatten the curve' to 'we can't go outside until we have a cure.' That's insanity! [...] The idea was to make sure that our hospitals and our doctors and nurses weren't overwhelmed. It was not to make sure no one got sick."
Alan: So, you guys and I -- as old people who are MUCH more likely to die if we get sick -- will continue struggling to make sure that "#1" doesn't get sick.
But keep in mind that seasonal flu kills thousands -- if not tens of thousands -- of Americans every year.
AND!
Despite the existence of a seasonal flu vaccine, 45% of Americans don't bother getting it.
AND!
Despite the existence of a seasonal flu vaccine, 45% of Americans don't bother getting it.
Clearly, we have made our peace with this other deadly disease and don't think twice about seasonal flu except an occasional desultory reference to "flu season."
It is inevitable that public vigilance "around" COVID-19 will fall off before there is a cure or a vaccine.
And since I'm the only person I know who actually knows someone who died from COVID-19, most people will get to the point where they say: "Mingya, the economy's in shambles; I can't pay my bills; and who the hell are all these people that are supposedly dying off?"
At some point -- rather than have people get lathered up against "the elitists" who "destroyed their lives" -- I think it would be at least politically advisable for liberals and progressives to say something like: "Personally, I intend to continue extraordinary precautions, but since our hospitals are no longer overwhelmed -- nor likely to become overwhelmed in the foreseeable future -- just keep six feet away --- and preferably 10 feet away --- from people who are wearing a mask."
Or maybe we could soon say: "Do whatever you want! BUT stay 20 feet away from people wearing a mask. And if you have a sore throat, cough or sniffles, please stay home, or at least wear a mask yourself." (If there were legal sanctions against people going to public places with sore throat, cough or sniffles, I think the political damage would probably be worse than the public health damage.)
Mark my words!
If those of us "on the left" do not embrace an active strategy that "gives permission" to the dimwits, there WILL come a moment when Trump blames the cratered economy on the alarmism and over-reaction of "the left."
He will imbue his no-holds-barred, goddamning blame with very attractive words of praise which laud common, uneducated folk for "knowing what was best all along..." and "if we only listened to those good, simple people, they would still have their jobs... they would still be able to pay their bills... and the stock market would be through the roof!!!"
I'm sure there are GREAT scientific arguments why we should remain very vigilant, if not hyper-vigilant.
But.
I'm much more interested in hearing what you think about the political risk of Trump's reelection if we remain hyper-vigilant.
I can even see sustained hyper-vigilance resulting in a situation where -- come election day -- liberals will be significantly less likely to go to the polls, while conservatives -- after 4 to 5 months of maskless romping on crowded beaches and "in the marketplace" -- will THRONG to their polling places, in part because they don't see any need to stay home, and in part because they're pissed at "left-wing limitations and left-wing economic/financial damage." And come November they will want to make a YUGE public display of spurning "the intellectual elites."
Note well.
Absolute purity is rarely popular -- either inter-personally or politically.
As you may have seen, Trump just "clocked in" with a 49% approval rating on a Gallup poll!?!
Love
A
Dear A,
You just made me nauseous. Gallup can't be right . Is there an explanation?
60 Minutes was very good today. Several scientists, an historian along with the Fed. Reserve Chair. Pieces on the demoted Dr. Bright and the red flags he was waving,
What will society look like , what must it look like , what should we learn and the economy will be alright.
Open or not, people will not go into the open til they are comfortable. As we see it change to the young and younger who will that be. We are only keeping it at bay til we can become immune . It's not going away. It will never go away. As we periodically can see, polio and measles and pox are still out there.
I was thinking a little earlier, along with a flu vaccine, if mitigation with masks and distancing continue, we 'll likely have significantly fewer flu victims than ever. We are now a large experimental lab and better take advantage and learn a lot from this.
Dear F,
"Whom the gods would destroy, they first make crazy."
"Quem deus vult perdere, dementat prius"
Compendium Of Best Pax Posts About Blue State Secession
Love
A
No comments:
Post a Comment