Tuesday, August 4th, 2020
Mostly this blog has been about our day to day life in the era of COVID, how we cope and what the virus is doing. Yes, it has had some political thoughts, but mostly on COVID-19 related policies and their implications and how I have difficulties understanding this country and its people. That is not to say my home country does not have its problems, far from, but the fundamental fabric of its society, and pretty much every other society I have lived in, I understand and share the core values. The rest is about how to improve and there my opinions may well differ. Today’s thoughts veer of that track.
I have always been a political person; not only interested, but also active in politics. Coming from a political household, with a father who held office, this is hardly surprising. Following the news I am at a stage where I just cannot take it anymore. Today I need to digress from pure virus reporting.
Firstly, there was a 37 min interview screened on Axios with Swan interviewing Trump and the entire show is a disaster. If you can bring yourself to watch 37 minutes with this idiot just google it and watch the clip on YouTube or check out Twitter which is exploding with comments and none of them are flattering for the president.
Which leads me to secondly, I am terrified that he will be re-elected on November 3rd. It would not be good for the world, but for this country it would be a complete catastrophe. However, that is not all, I am really concerned that he will win through foul play. Voter suppression has been going on for a long time as has gerrymandering. Republican States are closing polling stations, particularly in areas with high democratic voter turn out and making registration ever harder. Upcoming evictions will leave millions not only homeless but unable to vote as a voter registration needs an address, the one thing people on the street or in shelters will not have. And as if all of that were not enough, the administration is not only on a war path against mail-in ballots, but the orange agent has made one of his croonies head of the postal service. A few weeks into the creep’s tenure the results are already devastating. In swing States such as Pennsylvania some people have not received mail in three weeks! And now the moron in chief is encouraging vote by mail in selected States, precisely in the swing State of Florida, which guess what, is where he is registered to vote. And as if all of that is not enough the census has been shortened. They will lead to many especially less privileged people not being counted, skewing funding resources towards the wealthy. These all are practices of at best dodgy regimes and not becoming for a nation considering itself a democratic, never mind the “the greatest” democracy. I am at this stage praying that anyone, but Trump, will be elected on November 3rd, 2020; but I am by no means hopeful.
While the democracy is at risk, the virus of course continues its spread. Of the 18.4 million confirmed cases globally the USA reports 4.85million cases. Infections are up by “only” 44k. This decrease is largely due to less testing as the hurricane made landfall and many testing sites in Florida, the Carolinas and Maryland where closed.
And things in the US are just getting worse with thousands of positive tests unreported. Seeing rapid tests will be rolled out nationwide we will soon have no idea how bad it really is. At least some States are now coordinating on testing with a joined, bi-partisan testing strategy.
On a more cheerful note, the etiquette business now expanding its services to correct Corona etiquette.
05.08.2020 02:36
Dave
You're right to be worried. That interview was hard to watch. To me, it's clear he is in the early stages of dementia (remember his father had Alzheimer's). If he wins again, get ready for Dark Ages 2