I haven't felt too bloggy lately. The news is anxiety-inducing and overwhelming and I feel better when I'm not digesting media about COVID-19. But, as I stated in my very first post, "the purpose of Little Sister Resister is firstly, to chronicle this moment in American History, from my Little Ol' Eyes."
And this is a moment. Not for America, but for the world. And so, I chronicle.
The official Federal response has been, quite simply, a shit show.
We've suffered
Confusion
Distrust
Skepticism
Frustration
Anger
Vexation
about the
Lies
Obfuscation
Idiocy
Ego
Recklessness
Cronyism
You know, U.S. business as usual.
IMPOTUS continues to be a transactional "leader" during the Covfefe-19 crisis, insisting that governors be appreciative before he'll cooperate in sending medical equipment to their states.
Our governor of California, Gavin Newsom, has earned high praise from 45, even though we are blue to the bone and have stupidly left our forest floors unraked and our water diverted to the ocean. Newsom has learned to play the game, and it has paid off.
Michigan and Washington, particularly, were in 45's crosshairs. But several governors fought back by calling him out. Ventilators and PPE were not being delivered as promised. No matter how nice they were.
Colorado has not received much of their requested equipment and supplies, but Florida has received all that they asked for.
This, my friends, is corruption and incompetence.
Corruption and incompetence laid bare by the appearance of SCROTUS's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who also piled on the governors while dangerously inserting himself into the crisis, costing precious time. His judgment is terrifying to say the least. Then he goes on TV proclaiming of the stockpile of medical equipment, "the notion of the federal stockpile was it’s supposed to be our stockpile, it’s not supposed to be states’ stockpiles that they then use." What the actual fuck is that supposed to mean?
...AND!
After his boneheaded comments, the HHS website was changed to reflect Jared's stoopid words.
The incompetence goes on and on. It's a deep, deep, dark rabbit hole. But probably the most tragic aspect of the "administration's" failure was simply the waste of time. Agent Orange knew early about the problem but chose to downplay it, letting the monster creep free among us, until now, weeks away from its peak, with 397,754 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 12,956 deaths in the United States as of this morning, April 8.
This tragedy is best exemplified in this ad. The ad is powerful, and I love Mika and Joe's treatment:
But we can all rest assured. Though this crisis is upending each and every one of our lives, SCROTUS's briefings are getting very good ratings (even better than The Bachelor!) and he is #1 on Facebook. Sleep well, my friends, with that knowledge.
Somebody tell that bag o' lies Just. Stop. Talking.
There's more to the shitshow....
- Fights with reporters like NBC's Peter Alexander and ABC's Jonathan Karl, among others.
- Disparities in testing and care - wealthy people and communities are getting easier access; people of color are affected disproportionately.
- Confusing messages about masks (Just wear one!).
- SCROTUS has sacked the top coronavirus watchdog and continues attacks on other overseers.
- Church services have continued around the country, with naysayers, blasting from both hips (literally), dying. "And the deniers shall be the first to perish from the earth" (Covid 1:9). Doesn't SCROTUS know he's killing his base?
- And a big stinky thing about anti-maleria medication hydroxychloroquine. The Snake Oil-Salesman-in-Chief has been pushing and pushing it harder as a treatment for COVID, despite there being a lack of evidence and its potentially deadly side effects. There is evidence of a small personal financial interest, and potentially a larger one for his circle, but his hype is probably more for the potential future "See?! I was right!" moment.
There is yet more incompetence and recklessness, much more than I could possibly work out here. The history books will have volumes written about this pandemic and the worldwide response, laying bare the rot of 45's incompetence. A black stain on our history.
His lack of leadership has caused conservative columnist Max Boot to finally agree: He is the worst president. Ever.
But you know what? There are leaders who are truly inspiring.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. He's been tough, truthful, and at the same time reassuring. Randy Rainbow agrees completely. Andy, we're all thirsty for what you're serving.
Andrew Cuomo: this is what a leader looks like.
Our California governor, Gavin Newsom. He was the first governor to issue a stay-at-home order, which, by the looks of the data, seems to be working to flatten the curve. California is in a good place at this point, such that Newsom is lending ventilators to four states and two territories. I prefer to listen to Newsom's updates vs. anything that comes out of Washington. He is straightforward, well-spoken, and frankly, easy on the eyes. This is what a leader looks like.
Captain Brett Crozier, the commander of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. Capt. Crozier raised alarms about the virus sweeping through his crew. He was relieved of duty, but obviously highly regarded by his sailors. He has since tested positive for coronavirus. He risked his career to bring attention to the plight on his ship. This is what a leader looks like.
The Queen. For the fifth time in her 68-year reign, other than her annual Christmas addresses, she spoke to her nation. Her words were hopeful and reassuring. This is what a leader looks like.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Dr. Fauci as been front and center on the "president's" coronavirus task force. He is often at the televised briefings, and somehow has held on to his job while pushing back against misinformation and stupidity. He knows when to hold 'em, knows when to fold 'em. But he doesn't have a very good poker face. It was the face palm heard 'round the world.
Note Fauci’s reaction when Trump makes a deep state joke at the podium pic.twitter.com/cbNBxgqhRO— Brandon Wall (@Walldo) March 20, 2020
Fauci is smart, works hard, and speaks the truth. This is what a leader looks like.
Seventeen-year-old Seattle high school senior Avi Schiffmann. You may have used his data to track the virus, as millions have. What you may not realize is that he rejected an $8 million offer to have advertising on his site.
Meet the teenager behind https://t.co/pCQaM7zz40, one of the largest covid-tracking websites in the world pic.twitter.com/0gOJ30X9Dv— QuickTake by Bloomberg (@QuickTake) April 8, 2020
Schiffmann realized he had the skills to help, and created the site for the good of all of us. This is what a leader looks like.
These leaders all have one thing in common. They tell the truth, they tell it plainly, and they are right there with us. We appreciate the truth. We need the truth. The truth can calm us, heal us, prepare us.
Now, for some additional links:
- Here is a pulmonologist from NYC, who gave his personal friends and family this level-headed information. Watch the video here. It's long, but it's full of great information.
- Here is a great resource full o' science information from the Science and Engineering Council of Santa Barbara.
- Here is projected data for each state. Track it, and watch how physical distancing is working.
- Here's another set of data, from which my friend Craig has been plotting weekly growth rates, showing that our efforts are paying off.
and, lastly, to that point, a reminder:
We'll be together again soon. For now, let's remain alone, together.
This article could've been written in about 4 paragraphs. A lot of bloat in here. Like to hear yourself talk much? Or were you high?
ReplyDelete"I have made this [letter] longer than usual, only because I have not had the time to make it shorter." - Blaise Pascal 🤣 Thanks for reading, Anonymouuuuu!
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