Liberals did not polarize the pandemic
Via Brad DeLong:
Berlinski understates her case.
The notion that liberals claim to “follow the science” and conservatives claim to do something else (what exactly?) is wrong. Everyone appeals to science in a pandemic. Conservatives claim that the science favors their preferred policies, and that people who disagree with them are corrupt, incompetent, or even tyrannical. It is these charges of corruption and incompetence that turn what should be an uncertain debate over how to respond to a difficult situation into a politicized stew of outrage and resentment.
You can certainly criticize the policies and messaging of public health officials and the Biden administration, but don’t lose sight of the big picture. Conservative politicians, media, pundits, and think tanks used the policy debate over Covid-19 to stoke polarization by constantly dialing the outrage up to 11. Some did it as part of their ongoing effort to motivate conservative voters and to discredit government, some no doubt did it for personal financial gain, career advancement, or public attention.
@Eric,
The problem is that science relies on arguments from evidence and anti-science relies on arguments from authority. Thus, anti-science projects their approach, argument from authority, on science. That’s why they attack Fauci and invoke cultural identity instead of actually engaging with the data. Science is hard. Opinions are like nose hairs–everybody’s got ’em.
But science is saving lives while anti-science is killing people.
You might think that it was ‘science’ during the Trump years that came up with the fantastic mRNA vaccines that have given the world much hope that civilization will not be utterly destroyed by covid, they would be able to take much credit.
Ironically (to put it mildly), since their posture that Free Will is of overiding importance, and that includes not taking vaccines if you just don’t want to really gets in the way of taking credit.
Follow this logic, it makes sense to GOP followers that it is preferable for civilization to be ruined, if it means that the GOP will benefit (even though their base may be disproportionately reduced.) Go figure. Hopefully enough of them will still be around in 2024 to get Trump back in office – that’s enough for them.
HL Mencken: “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people.”
In other words, ‘there’s a sucker born every minute’ – PT Barnum
mRNA vaccines – a new era
Nature Reviews Drug Discovery – pdf (2018)
The Tangled History of mRNA vaccines
Nature journal – pdf (2021)
Also, ironically, mRNA vaccine research began seriously in 1987, after earlier work in 1978. So, alas, Trump doesn’t actually deserve any credit at all.
Knowing this, will he now take some anyway?
Nature: “RNA in general had a reputation for unbelievable instability.”
Hmmm.
@Fred,
As a practicing molecular biologist for the past 40 years, I can confirm that RNA has a reputation for instability. The key to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines is chemical modification of the RNA to increase stability. Indeed, the name “Moderna” refers to *Mod*ified *RNA*. Even as modified, the vaccines have to be stored at much lower temperatures than other vaccines.
Trump had nothing to do with this, or with any other aspect of the mRNA vaccine design.
This pandemic is the first time I have ever heard presumed parents demanding that school boards;
1) violate state laws in order to
2) make it more likely for their children to become ill.
I don’t know if what I am reading about the people who are anti-vax and anti-mask and anti-anything public health is real or satire. At one time I would have said definitely satire, but the arguments at the local school board meeting refute that assumption.
Someone must be benefitting by convincing a good percentage of the American public to believe utter nonsense, but I fail to see how it can be a good thing in the long run, or even the short run if they insist on offering themselves up as sacrifices to Covid-19.
On TV, the insane mob finally wakes up, but I don’t see that happening in real life.
Eric:
Conservative politicians, media, pundits, and think tanks used the policy debate over Covid-19 to stoke polarization by constantly dialing the outrage up to 11. Some did it as part of their ongoing effort to motivate conservative voters and to discredit
government, Biden and Democrats, some no doubt did it for personal financial gain, career advancement, or public attention.This is political with no basis in reality. One would not expose themselves to Measles, Shingles, or other commutable disease. Why Covid? There is no choice and the silly people rebel against a mandate in the name of freedom. To which their freedom to choose infringes upon my freedom to be in a safer environment.
trump loved playing them off against one another the same as he enjoyed watch his lackies attack the capitol. I wonder about SCOTUS and how they would react if the insurrectionists showed up at the door of SCOTUS.
The GOP is using Covid as a web issue.
They will use practically anything as a web issue,
The Dems are reflecting this back on the GOP, and why shouldn’t they?
When you’re right, you’re right.
@Dobbs,
I think the phrase you’re looking for is “wedge issue.”
Yes, of course. Although the terms may be synonymous.
Dems are quite pathetic at pushing wedge issues, it seems.
This is a variation of the ‘Liberals made me become a Nazi!’ defense conservatives adopted to explain their embrace of Full-Blown Fascism.
Ok Eugene
You are on.