Bearing Witness
A very few of us now living lived through The Great Depression; only a very few more of us lived through WWII; some more than that of us lived through the Korean War; more yet of us lived through the Vietnam Era; and so it goes up until now. All of us now living may have thought of the possibility of seeing another war, pestilence, the disaster of Climate Change, … , may have even thought of the possibility of experiencing a pandemic; but who amongst us thought of witnessing the concurrence of a Trump presidency and this once in a century level COVID-19 Pandemic? In the past five years, each of us have witnessed a lifetime of history. These past five years have been equal several normal lifetimes.
On January 6, 2021, the unthinkable nearly happened. On that day in infamy, our venerated constitution barely survived to live another day. We are not out of those dark woods yet; our democracy is still very much on the block. A majority of one of our two political parties has chosen one-man rule over democracy; has joined the Trump cult. Of course, this didn’t just happen over night; fully one-fifth of those of us alive today have gotten to watch most of this unfold. Few, if any, of those one-fifth of us understood at any point what was going on during this time. Thus it was that Trump came as a shock to us, to the world. In the 20/20 of hindsight, it shouldn’t have. Enough was known. — How We Got Here
Now, here we are. Now, one of our two major political parties has, has for quite awhile, given up on democratic government. Now, and formally since at least 2009, the Republican Party has become the party of outrage, the anti-government party, the obstructionist party, the party of the mean and small-minded. Has become a party that would impose this meanness and small-mindedness on the Nation. This party that was not so long ago a valid and equal partner in governance has become the party of the mean and small-minded; the party led by the vile, venal, despicable, Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell. This now, our now, is a now with roots reaching back to the 1970s, to the 1870s, the 1770s, and beyond. A national now with one of its two a parties that, with very few exceptions, sends only the mean small-minded to both houses of Congress. A party that is long since bereft of ideas. Replace Obama Care? Hell, this lot is incapable of doing anything other than getting in the way of progress. A party that sends us representatives whose allegiances are not to any oath taken nor to the Constitution, but are to Trump. Representatives that are indeed representative of the mean small-minded people in the states that sent them. The party that just gave its stamp of approval to an insurrection, an attempt to overthrow a duly elected government, an attempt to end democracy; on the orders of Trump who had just been impeached for a second time, just been voted out of office. The party that colluded with Trump for the past four years is the same party that continues to pledge fealty to Trump at every opportunity.
Ours is a now with a media so blind they will not see. Will not see the differences between the likes of an ignorant, mean, small-minded, obstructionist, anti-government Senator; and an intelligent, diligent, and caring Senator seeking to form a more perfect union. Will not see the differences between an ignorant, indignant, loud mouthed, scoundrel, Representative; and an enlightened, thoughtful, patriotic one. Will not see a lie as a lie and a fact as a fact; doesn’t care to make the distinction. A media that doesn’t dare talk about proportionality; may not even want to know what it means. A media without the slightest idea of what is really going on, now; doesn’t care to know. A media that would script the news. These are the good guys in media. The bad guys include Fox News, a full and most constant partner in this descent of the Republican Party into a heap of worthless trash; and Facebook, an extremely irresponsible and powerful social media enterprise captained by a small-minded, extremely greedy, person missing a moral compass.
We have seen, front-row, the whole world has watched, our Nation fail spectacularly at coping with a pandemic. We have seen, front-row, leaders, the likes of Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell, seek to use economics as a weapon to force our poorest into going back to work when it was known that it was unsafe to do so; do so while refusing to take the steps necessary to make the workplace more safe. We watched as the Federal Government abdicated its responsibility for coping with this epic pandemic; leaving it up to the states. We have watched a year in which red-state governor after red-state governor sacrificed their State’s citizens in droves on the altars of economic and religious dogma; whilst doing little or nothing to protect them; instead, offering only mumbled cultural platitudes and banalities. We have watched front-row as more than 500,000 Americans have died in less than a year; the greatest majority of whom shouldn’t have. For months on end now, from our front-row seats, we have watched, sheep-like, this happening. In November 2020, given the chance, a majority of us demanded that Trump be held responsible for all those unnecessary deaths, for the harm he had done the Nation; seven-million more of us than the seventy-four-million Americans who said that what Trump, McConnell, et al, did and didn’t do was fine with them.
We have watched front-row as Trump co-opted the Justice Department, the State Department, the Department of Health and Human Services (including the NIH, the CDC, OSHA, …), Homeland Security, the USPS, …; we have watched America the Land of the Free and Home of The Brave become America of the lost spine, the home of heavily armed right-wing militias. Who would have ever thought it possible?
While our political system has failed us miserably of late, our, and the world’s, scientists has stepped forward and saved us from a much worse disaster. We have seen science perform spectacularly, and do so even as science deniers sought to take control of our government. We have watched front-row as science did stay focused, did get a grip on the behavior and nature of the COVID-19 virus, and did make that information public; all in the face of, in spite of, Trump using the Office of The President to spread lies and disinformation about the pandemic on a daily basis; in spite of his co-opting of the CDC and NIH.
We have witnessed front-row the science of blurred photos of DNA strands, of fruit flies labs of the 50s and 60s, of the new CRISPR technology, respond to the pandemic with highly effective, all new, mRNA vaccines. Not in years, but in months! Now, we get to witness the results; good, and, possibly, bad.
We have been witness to people adapting to the pandemic, to the science of the virus, by wearing mask and taking other precautions. From an awkward, disorganized, reluctant beginning fraught with political lies and B.S., to a Minot, North Dakota where, when their politicians failed them so miserably, the citizens took the necessary precautionary measures on their own. From a time when too many weren’t wearing a mask and social distancing, to one where almost everyone is. We watched as some of us didn’t adapt; greatly increasing the probability of their own and of those of their fellow travelers becoming infected, possibly dying. We watched as too many of us have chosen to follow Trump, not the science.
Some amongst us don’t like change, find adaptation very difficult. All around, and often, we hear the call for a return to normalcy, to the way things used to be. Pandemics do have a way of disrupting normalcy, don’t do normal. We have learned, or should have by now, is that we must adapt in order to survive. We have seen how our adapting, though far less than enough, has made a huge difference.
We have watched our leaders, because of a blind allegiance to dogma, or to Trump; use any excuse to make the same mistakes over and over, mistakes that have already cost too many thousands their lives. Exposing again the failings of our political system to provide us the quality of leadership the times demand. We’ve little reason to expect a big change anytime soon.
Well-stated. There are some here who say these truths are too much for the right to handle and that those who insist on truth and honesty must make nice to the right-wing extremists, because attacking the right-wing extremists means we are arrogant.
Feh.
I like this:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/25/opinion/mitch-mcconnell-bipartisan.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage
No greater example of the media’s responsibility than this.
Aaron Rupar
@atrupar
·
Feb 28, 2021
Replying to @atrupar
BRENNAN: Since July, your state has the highest Covid death rate. How can you justify that?
NOEM: Those are questions that you should be asking every other governor as well
The fact that Brennan did not immediately reply, “No, Governor, I cannot ask that question of any other Governors as your state has the highest death rate, is clear proof that the media in out country is the problem. Yes, the Fox News part, but also the “”liberal media.”
Just think the impact the NYT had on the 2016 election with its fixation on Hillary’s emails. Emails that were indicative of absolutely nothing.
EM:
If the were countries they would be in the top 3 globally in cases per million with only the country of Andorra surpassing North and South Dakota.
Went to one of our fav restaurants for a take-out food order. It is still too nuts to eat-in as maybe 15% of the population is inoculated. We completed our shots, I have done my due-diligence in knowing if we are protected, and we will still not risk it.
I get there and the place is three-quarters full. Some of the waiters are wearing masks and some are not. No space between tables and people are sitting at the long bar right next to each other. It is in defiance of the states health department which has a 25% Occupancy rule till March 29th. The governor can not tell them to do so and the health department has can do so.
People do not care. They want their liquor and greasy food. The last go-around when the courts struck down the governor’s rules we climbed 12 positions up in cases per million ranking. When the health department imposed the rules, we dropped down in ranking again and new cases decreased. This is solely the politics of Repubs defying a woman governor who is a Dem.
It is a circuitous relationship and they refuse to learn and accept in the short term. And we go round and round of disastrous-occurrence and get-better.
North and South Dakotas are #1 and #2 in cases per million at 130,972 and 126,934. Neither state has a million citizens and their population per square mile are 10 and 11 people. one person per 64 acres if they were all evenly spread out? How do they manage to get so sick. Maybe hurrying up for herd immunity in such a low populated state(s). No masks required.
watched our leaders, because of a blind allegiance to dogma, or to Trump; use any excuse to make the same mistakes over and over, mistakes that have already cost
”
~~Ken Melvin~
believe it the answer is not in the book of Dogma the answer is in the book of logic, and we have to think it through.
Well I’m in love with a golden frog,A copper frog loves me.He’s not as bad as he appears,He’s got rhythm and a PhD.will dr. Copper tell us what to do next week, tell us about an inflection point? “Watch the ticker”~~J. Pierpont Morgan~
Ken,
I like to think I saw it coming. Maybe not in detail. But I don’t think the Jan 6 riot had any chance of ending our democracy such as it is. WE are doing that, one step at a time. Of course, in retrospect that looks like it was always inevitable too. People are not very smart (not even rocket scientists) and history overtakes them. The rise of things no one really planned for opens doors no one expected and closes doors everyone took for granted.
This may not be the best place to bring it up, but I ran across an article today (sorry, no link, but you can find it if you try) that says the Covid relief bill has hidden within it a new law that will expose anyone who “misuses” published material on line [as by quoting it or arguing with it?] to be subject to fines of 30 thousand dollars.
I can’t see how that is going to help people survive the covid recession. And yes, it is relevant: This is Democrats sneak attack on democracy and the people know nothing about it, wouldn’t understand it if they did, and wouldn’t do anything about it anyway.
Run:
I get there and the place is three-quarters full. Some of the waiters are wearing masks and some are not. No space between tables and people are sitting at the long bar right next to each other. It is in defiance of the states health department which has a 25% Occupancy rule till March 29th. The governor can not tell them to do so and the health department has can do so…
[ Really, really saddening and important. ]
Good Evening anne:
If the state catches them, they will get fined a few thousand. Yes, it is risky as 15% of the state has been vaccinated. My wife and I had both shots by the 8th of February. We do pickup there. I will probably not go there again till this all clears up.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/02/15/inside-the-worst-hit-county-in-the-worst-hit-state-in-the-worst-hit-country
Minot, ND: reference…
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/02/15/inside-the-worst-hit-county-in-the-worst-hit-state-in-the-worst-hit-country
A piece written Dr. Atul Gawande. Basically, while the city council jawed and jawed about an ordinance requiring masks, the citizens took matters into their own hands and started wearing masks.
Run
i left a comment here from my other computer. filled in my ususal name and usual email. did not get a warning. comment is not here. rejected for “false” email? or just the usual problem?
coberly:
Checked spam and did not see it. Best to do this on open thread as it will be easier for Dan to find. I think he is still resting.
Run
and here it is. apparently just the usual problem.
Ken
re Minot (?) people taking matters into their own hands:
maybe there is hope for us yet.
I do agree with most of how the Republican Party. They really are odious, but my state of California is a one party state and has effectively been for decades.
And yet, the homeless population gets a little bigger each year with more and bigger encampments of those desperate people who have disposed of by the society. For forty years and for most of my life. I honestly think that permanent shantytowns will start to coalesce very soon. Perhaps this summer. This in the state with what the eighth largest economy on the planet? Of course, when the state or municipal government deigns to spend some money on the problem it seems to magically disappear into administrative pay and NGOs or charities. And the number of those considered disposable, human beings, living on the street increases.
The Democratic Party, like the Republican Party, talks a good game and the Democrats do give a few crumbs to the needy, but nothing actually changes. Unless you want to talk about the economic collapse and increasing poverty that started in the 70s. Like that snowball on the side of the mountain it is now a landslide.
One party is economically conservative and the other is insane, and both are corrupt as any political organization of the first Gilded Age.
So while this is a nice polemic, it changes nothing. The Republicans are the evilest and the Democrats are feckless and corrupt.
Okay. Whatever. I still my country falling apart.
J.Bird
I know a J.Bird, Lives in Los Angeles.
sorry to hear about the homeless problem. i haven’t been in Calf. for forty years. wasn’t bad then, but the signs were there.
but since you notice that Dems are not solving it… is the problem politics or just human nature?
Where I live.. another Dem state with a good government reputation, the homeless population is growing alarming. no one has any decent ideas what to do about it beyond kinder, gentler homeless camps or shelters.
i think on the lines of the government building low cost housing well beyond the “demand” of people who can pay for it. sell small decent stand alone houses on no-foreclosure loans. people aquire pride of ownership and an investment they can sell if they move out of poverty. let the places stand empty (with maintenance) if we ever reach a point where they are not needed for a time. should help to reduce the abuses of predator banks and predator landlords. may not be as expensive in the long run as you’d think.
i did not address some important details in this comment. others who note the lack should think of fixes and not just dismiss the whole idea because i didn’t think to mention them.
As for the coronavirus, beyond the tragic 525,000 deaths in the United States, there have been persistent reports of lingering or so-far lasting effects of the infection. A few countries such as New Zealand and Thailand and China have sought to stop all infections, but the US has not and is relying on vaccines which will gradually be more inclusive. Israel however shows that a high level of vaccines still leave thousands of cases each day.
Caution seems necessary, and I live in an otherwise fortunate community or neighborhood that is listed as “extremely high-risk” day after day after day.
anne:
You are very correct on the caution part. It angers me also. As a minority, their supposed freedom to do as they wish to do endangers us. Such ignorance.
As for poverty or homelessness in this country, China after years of concerted effort has finally ended severe poverty for hundreds of millions of people. I think this a monumental accomplishment, but here and in Britain the accomplishment has been given almost no attention or even dismissed. Such an accomplishment, for me, should be a reason or even an example for efforts here. *
* An important official in the Biden administration however has just now chosen to vilify China, with no evidence presented. So how can China possibly be used as a social example here?
In Richmond VA pandemic response for dining in is easily more robust within establishments that generally cost $100 per seated meal as compared to establishments that generally cost $10 per seated meal. That works for me since I would rather eat my own cooking at home anyway. But on those few occasions where we do still dine out with the in-laws, then I am stuck with the tab. Actually that works for me as well, but I wanted to comment on the obvious economics of pandemic dining out which goes more to social distancing and fewer customers than masks, which are cheap enough now to have negligible additional operating expense. The masks rebellion is simply a matter of mass delusion and insane individualism.