Houston, we have a lot of problems
In my previous post I said I wasn't going to talk any more about the election or COVID's influence on the election. It's still the same day. As the owner of this obscure, quiet corner of the internet, I'm exercising my right to a same day waiver. It's good to be the master of one's domain....mwaahahaha. (written in maniacal laugh font)
We are in bizarro world. A constant cycle of outrage and incomplete information fed to us in 280 character tweets. The world's most important issues tossed out to the hungry mob in the modern day equivalent of telegrams. Not good.
Twitter will be an integral component of our undoing. I'm not being holier than thou. I spent a good portion of today on that terrible platform. One part honest curiosity about what it's doing to us, nine parts I can't look away. Squirrel!
I'm amazed by the amount of discussion about the possibility that Trump is faking this. He and his administration are largely to blame for that, but not entirely. Do the math. What would it take for Trump to fake this, and to what uncertain end? Seven or eight other people testing positive at an event that Trump was at shortly before testing positive? The White House medical staff fraudulently claiming a positive result for Trump? Allowing for the PR disaster that Trump may have knowingly endangered deep-pockets donors in New Jersey? Ensuring that the Walter Reed staff is either in on the conspiracy or is not able to detect the fraud?
I know some people who are suggesting that his team knows he has a mild case and is exploiting it to make it look like a strong, miraculous recovery. We've been following this disease for seven months. We know that its effects on people are unpredictable. Even more unpredictable when people are old and overweight. Not shaming anyone, I have a seat in that rowboat. Man, I hope we don't tip it.
I laugh (cry) when people suggest we should have followed Sweden's model. It would be impossible for us to follow Sweden's model. It sounds like Swedes trust their government and their fellow citizens. Americans decry Scandinavia's socialism (socialism, haha!) and then wonder why we can't be Sweden. (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland, this is a good place for me to point out that I have a hugely influential blog of about 10 readers give or take 7...I'd love to come spend the remaining years of my life researching your various approaches to the pandemic...hit me up. Big Beowulf fan, Thor is the awesomest Avenger, open to the idea of saunas and hygge, and I live a few miles from a Nordic museum...that pretty much qualifies as a background check right there.)
The coverage of Trump's hospital stay has been frustrating. I'm craving some even-handedness and consistency. If you treat us like adults, maybe we'll start acting like adults or demanding to be treated like adults. Hope springs eternal.
For the most part there are only two speeds in American media. Trump is the devil or Trump is an angel.
His pass and review (opposite style) today for his fans is a perfect example. Fox News celebrated its guy going out to thank his supporters with a brief nod to questions about risk and safety. The other media entities portrayed it as a wildly reckless dog and pony show.
I contend that if it had been Obama or Biden, the coverage would have done a 180 turn across the board. Fox News would have rolled out story after story of Secret Service officers roasting Obama or Biden for their wanton disregard of the safety of Secret Service officers and medical staff. The other media entities would have focused on Obama/Biden's efforts to safely bolster the spirits of supporters. And that's the problem. Please, give us nuance, complexity, and depth. We can handle it.
For what it's worth, I think Trump's actions were foolish, unnecessary, and reckless. But I can reach that conclusion on my own if I am presented with the Who What Where Why When How, even if the information discusses risk mitigation strategies and rationales, flawed as they may be.
PS - if you win again, please go to school on the virus when it surfaces, go to school immediately on climate change, and when you're trying to kill the Affordable Care Act, please think about your taxpayer-funded Walter Reed healthcare plan and the healthcare one gets when they inherit millions from dad.
