Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis, has found a way to get the “DEPLORABLE” statistics of how the latest “wave” of the Covid-19 crisis is impacting his state. Simply block the publication of statistics coming from state health agencies. I usually follow the statistics at “Worldometer.info” where, essentially, EVERY reported case of new infections, “serious/critical” illness from Covid, and deaths are tabulated. I’m finding it interesting that several republican led states are NOT reporting their results. Periodically, we see the results from Florida and you can see why DeSantis might be a bit “edgy” considering his brazen (and ignorant) decisions allowing the virus to run RAMPANT in his state – affecting many of the states around his.
Today, it was Florida, Iowa, South Dakota, Kansas, and Nebraska failing to report – all with republican governors and ALL having rapidly INCREASING numbers of people infected with the virus. Heck, Kristi Noem in South Dakota, who very well could be the WORST governor in the nation regarding attempting to protect her state from the ravages of this virus, seems to be very good at hiding the statistics of late. However, as an estimated 700,000 “biker dudes – and, of course, dudettes” converge on Sturgis South Dakota for their annual “rally” – we’re likely to see an even greater “spike” in South Dakota and the neighboring states in the next few weeks. (Actually, I started this rant a few days ago and, since, Montana and North Dakota’s NEW infections are rising almost exponentially – and, yep, still no reporting from South Dakota)
Will those statistics get published so that “we the people” have complete information as we attempt to fight off this pandemic – probably NOT. There are other states which are clearly being ravaged by the disease caused by Covid-19 which are NOT reporting the number of people who are DYING from the disease. Why? Who knows! Republicans have managed to turn this pandemic into a political issue – and, of course, they’re still calling it a “democrat hoax.” As if none of this is happening. (In South Dakota no reporting and places like Florida – occasional reporting, although, for example, today ANOTHER 25,000 NEW cases with hardly ANY deaths. Missouri, lately, around 4,000 NEW cases per day and NO reports of the numbers of people DYING. In these state and numerous other “red” states, you CAN’T get into a hospital – they’re FULL of Covid patients – and, of course, there are unvaccinated people in EVERY state, so this Delta variant is now just about EVERYWHERE.)
And, this you can count on! The front runners for the republican nomination for president in the next couple of years will be the governors who’ve done the WORST job of fighting the pandemic! Yep, you can count on that! For example, in “straw polls,” once you pull individual 1 out of the picture – which is likely to happen because he’ll be busy fighting his LEGAL battles in the various courthouses – it seems to be DeSantis as the “presumed front runner.” OMG – could all the voter suppression bills we’re seeing make something that dreadful possible? It’s as if DeSantis is “running to the bottom” in order to take himself to the “top” of the republican party.
Are republicans going to tabulate the number of school age children who DIE from the Delta variant in Florida because DeSantis has – if you haven’t been paying attention, grab your “seatbelt” – issued an order PROHIBITING schools from issuing “mask mandates.” Keep in mind, this past weekend there were OVER 28,000 new Covid infections in Florida EACH day! And, the Delta variant is “taking” more and more young people and children into Florida’s ICU’s – which, for all intents and purposes, are “full to the brim” with Covid patients – nearly 100% people who, for whatever reason, chose NOT to get vaccinated – or, worse, the CHILDREN of people who chose NOT to get vaccinated. Honestly, this brings up that word I hate, but it applies here: STUPID!
In my mind, not only is DeSantis STUPID, but those who choose to believe the garbage coming out of his mouth are STUPID. People are DYING by the hundreds – per DAY! – in Florida because, largely, their state government is “Missing in Action” in an attempt to mitigate the virus. (And, as I’ve said here many times, I believe DeSantis is REFUSING to allow the correct statistics regarding DEATHS from Covid in his state, and it continues) I saw this happening weeks ago, predicting what was happening in Florida would soon enough spread to those states around Florida and who knows how many more. Well, the verdict is in; It’s virtually EVERY state in the union. I live in Washington state, which has succeeded in vaccinating over 70% of her population. However, that leaves close to 30% unvaccinated (along with their children – we’re talking “adults” here) which is in excess of a million people (Washington has a population of near 8 MILLION) – therefore, even in this “blue state” there are close to 2,000 new cases of Covid-19 each day.
I’ve talked about my niece who works in a Covid ICU unit at one of the University of Washington hospitals in Seattle and my heart goes out to her and those on the same “team” for their dedication and hard work attempting to save as many LIVES as they can in the past year. Almost every member of the “team” contracted Covid prior to having access to the vaccines, but they all went right back to work once testing negative for the disease (er virus). I have to believe they’re all a bit frustrated with a WAVE of people who choose NOT to wear masks and have chosen NOT to get vaccinated. These medical personnel MUST be at or near burnout from the constant strain of dealing with this virus day in and day out – especially when MOST of those now in the hospital could have avoided this fate simply be getting the vaccine – which is readily available and it’s FREE. Yikes!
There are other right wing members of the republican party who are attempting to be as craven as DeSantis. For example, there’s Marjorie Taylor Greene who’s going around the country making FALSE claims about the attempt by the Biden administration to get as many Americans as possible vaccinated. She’s even compared the push for people to get vaccinated to the Holocaust. Yes, it’s disgusting, but that’s who she is. And, now “Twitter” has banned her for a week for spreading FALSE information about vaccines – although, she’ll be back doing so next week – count on it. I don’t do “Social media” but, from the outside, it appears to be culpable for much of the mis/disinformation spread throughout America in the past five or so years. It’s the favorite “vehicle,” for example, of the Russians – who are saying pretty much the same as people like Greene and DeSantis.
Of course, not to be outdone by Greene and DeSantis is Rand Paul. This is the guy who is so obnoxious he got attacked by one of his neighbors – who apparently didn’t like the way he was mowing his lawn? (Are we talking about two assholes here?) Well, this past weekend Mr. Paul made a video, about two minutes long, with a rant about how “we don’t have to do what” “they” – apparently, they is the government, of which Mr. Paul is a member – they are “mandating.” Of course, he (also) was referring to “masks” and “vaccines.” He pointed to the camera as he was talking to Nancy Pelosi (why? who knows) suggesting she would not cause “us” to “give in.” (my interpretation based on my weak memory – again, I’m an OLD white guy) Now, Mr. Paul is banned from his YouTube channel. (OK, for just one week, and like MTG, he’ll be right back at it once his “week” is up.)
Along with the Russians, individual 1 has been busy for over five years attempting to pry appart the natural “fault lines” which exist in America. They’ve used issues like race, trade deals, and abortion – among others – to cause Americans to believe “we are the enemy.” Not only have they wildly succeeded in hitting these “wedge issues” with a giant political “maul” (If you don’t know what a maul is, look it up – my sawmill days are resurfacing, it appears) Worst still, individual 1 has caused his CULT to believe our elections – of course ONLY for president – apparently ALL the other elections of various legislatures along with local initiatives were OK – just the FACT our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president got SLAUGHTERED in the election is the problem for republicans.
Well, tomorrow (likely today, yesterday, or ???? “whatever” – when you’re reading this) is August 13th, 2021 – the day the whacked out right wing conspiracy theorists have said is the day individual 1 will be re-instated as our president. Do you really believe this? Well, by the time you read this you’ll know these “whack jobs” are, well, WHACK JOBS! So, what is their NEXT ridiculous prediction. Maybe the next “theory” members of the CULT will follow will have something to do with the “pillow dude” – who’s facing a MULTI BILLION dollar defamation lawsuit from Dominion – the maker of SOME of the voting machines used in the elections. Maybe all the CULT members will buy pillows so the “pillow guy” can keep his face in the news.
America is being suffocated from within – and, HISTORY will BLAME individual 1 for being the catalyst – and, his “connection” to Russia will ultimately become public. Actually, as I’m writing this the Scots (Scotland) have an investigation into where individual 1 got the funds to purchase two golf courses in Scotland, including Turnberry. Rumors suggest individual 1 was using “laundered” Russian funds to purchase Turnberry and the other course in Scotland he purchased back in around 2006. The Scots suspect individual 1 used funds gained via organized crime and they’re demanding our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president show them were the money came from and where the money has been coming from since the purchases because neither property is “profitable.”
This look into the two golf courses may very well show the connection between individual 1 and the Russians. The “Royal and Ancient” Golf “home” has decided to take Turnberry out of the rotation for the “Open” championship. Individual 1 was FORCING various groups of Americans associated with out government (including members of the Air Force) to stay at Turnberry in order to cause “we the people” to help the property mitigate its losses. “We the people” need to see his taxes for the past 15 years at least. He’s a master “grifter” and, from all reports, he’s been cheating on his taxes for YEARS! Stay tuned…………….
Oh yes! Back to Mr. DeSantis (and some of the other republican governors attempting to make Joe Biden look bad by causing HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of their own citizens to be exposed to or infected with the Delta variant of the coronavirus. They’re all trying to be the “new” version of individual 1 and it’s frustrating to watch – in fact, it’s causing MANY Americans to get angry with them – while their followers are yelling at anyone who wants them to stop spreading this virus to the “rest of us.’ Just as individual 1 was “Missing in Action” regarding the fight against Covid-19, so are DeSantis, Noem, Abbot, and other republican governors right now. And, with the help of right wing media outlets supporting them, they are simply ALLOWING the virus to spread “willy nilly.” Apparently, in the republican party the worst you are at governing is the “litmus test” for support from the “base.” Yikes!!!
Final Thought: I mentioned above I’m an “old white guy” and, as I was typing those words I couldn’t help thinking about how long it took me to understand the concept of “white privilege.” That is despite the FACT I spent 10 years working in tandem (team teaching) with an African American who, despite the FACT he’s “gone home,” will always be one of my heroes. I’ve had the fortune to have close relationships with several African Americans during my life, yet it still took me years to internalize the privilege I took for granted while listening to the many stories my friends shared with me about their life experiences – FAR different to my own.
My teaching partner graduated from High School in Youngstown, Ohio back in the early sixties being unable to read – he was simply pushed through, as happens still to this day. He joined the Air Force where he spent close to a decade in Thailand during the Viet Nam “war.” During that time he learned to read by reading his Bible and during the years after he left the Air Force (20 years of service – including a bullet next to his heart which may have ultimately been the cause of his death nearly 40 years later – it was too close to be removed) he started a small church, graduated with an undergraduate degree from a university, got a Master’s degree in Teaching, and ultimately a “doctor of divinity” all while dealing with the handicap of being a Black man in America.
My friend NEVER complained – in fact, when I would visit his church, one of his favorite worship songs was titled “I will not complain.” As I would hang out with him and with those in his church it was then I FINALLY internalized what “white privilege” actually means. I really question if I would have been strong enough to make it to where I am today without it. And, I wasn’t born into a “wealthy” family – in fact, for most of my youth I was raised by a “single Mom” who was working for minimum wages along with the small alimony she got from my Dad. I worked nearly full time during High School at a restaurant ($1.25 per hour back then) in order to have money to drive a car and have spending money. I seriously doubt, had I been Black, if I would have gotten that job. Had my family not been white, I don’t believe we would have been welcome in our little community. Oh yes, my Father was a racist who regularly used the so-called “N” word.
I began to realize the effect of my upbringing when I started playing basketball after I graduated from High School at the local Community College. About half my teammates were African Americans and my first reaction was “fear” because I’d never been around a Black person before and I was raised by a racist in all white schools. I was almost instantly ashamed of myself and soon became good friends with my Black teammates. I actually became angry at my Father, who had divorced my Mom years earlier and was remarried. I chose not to speak to him for years after I”d heard one too many “N” words coming from his mouth. Still, it took me years to fully understand what it meant to benefit from “white privilege.”
I say this because I believe MANY of the so-called “base” of the republican party – who now seem to be in a CULT – are motivated by the FEAR of the reality their “white privilege” is being challenged as our society becomes more diverse. Racism has become a “flash point” for me when I’m trying to dialogue with someone who disagrees with me. When I start hearing the “dog whistle” stuff being regurgitated – like, someone I know complaining about his own adopted daughter living off public assistance – as if he’d prefer she be on the street (She’s African American and was a “special needs child”) – I’m just losing my ability to tolerate it.
My point is, I’ve been around numerous African Americans who are, from my perspective, much STRONGER than myself – and, I’m talking about internal strength including spiritual strength – and, yet are forced to live on much less – I can’t help but realize how much I’ve benefited from being white. And, if America is to continue pursuing the goal of being a “more perfect union” I believe it is imperative for MORE of “white Americans” to internalize what it means to have “white privilege” and how that “privilege” is at the root of so many of our problems.
I have to add – there are issues with Native Americans which are going under the “radar” – I occasionally donate to “Indian Schools” in South and North Dakota and, it appears to me, “we the people” long ago stopped honoring the “agreements” (i.e. “Treaties”) made with the various Native American tribes. Additionally, it’s no secret many of the “right wing” members of individual 1’s CULT are what you’d have to call “haters.” People in the Asian communities, Latinx communities, LGBTQ communities, African American communities, Jewish communities, etc. have felt the violence which seems to originate out of the mouths of people like individual 1 and those who are his sycophants. God help us if we can’t figure out how to bridge these “divides.”
OBTW – Florida is AVERAGING more than 25,000 NEW cases of covid per day and her hospitals are at or near capacity. (In some cased over capacity) And, they don’t have enough doctors and nurses to address the numbers of SICK patients. My youngest daughter is a nurse and I say “God Bless those doctors and nurses who have been working OVERTIME for almost two years now in a desperate – in many cases – attempt to save the lives of patients, now, who refused to get vaccinated when it was available and FREE. The docs and nurses are, likely, getting angry with those who call Covid a “democrat hoax” and then need their help in the hospital. And, I don’t blame them one bit! Right wingers are threatening health care professionals who tell the TRUTH about this pandemic with violence. It really is, in my view, time for our Justice Department to “clamp down” on those who are threatening violence and those who are INCITING violence.