COVID JUSTICE

 I read yesterday that the government is spending $100 million in various programs to persuade people to be inoculated against Covid. Apparently close to half of the United States population has not been inoculated even though the vaccine is free and readily available.

The reasons for vaccine refusal are several; i) well, if I get sick, I got sick, ii) it's no worse than a bad cold, iii) I don't trust the government’s assertion that it is safe.

 Beyond that there is a host of nutsy conspiracy-themes, such as iv) the vaccine contains a marker so the government will always know where I am, v) the vaccine is really only for people over 60 and younger people are not seriously affected by Covid, you can get Covid from the vaccine, etc., etc.

Meanwhile, 97% of Covid hospital patients are unvaccinated, the incidence of disease is on the rise among the unvaccinated, and in some areas hospitals are reaching a point of maximum capacity.

Finally, we are seeing “breakthroughs” of fully vaccinated people, apparently caused exposure to the powerful variant Delta, a variance developed in people with Covid. So the unvaccinated who contracted Covid are not only at risk for their own health and that of other unvaxed contacts, they germinate variances that threaten the health of vaccinated people.

And while all this is going on, Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, and a few others at Fox —(millions of watchers) derogate the vaccine. While the entire Fox on-air contingent is split on the issue, the network is still broadcasting colloquies on its shows where anti-vax talking heads criticize the government effort to persuade people to get inoculated. And when reminded that a refusal to be vaccinated could lead to a listener’s death, one Fox personality responded "That's their choice. It's not the government’s job to protect anybody.”

What to do to prevent a repeat of the worst days of 2020-21?

Two options come to my disordered mind. The first is on the minds of many, but nobody else is willing to say it:

One; Close ICU units to unvaccinated patients. Make no effort to treat any unvaccinated patient. Just isolate them. They either get better by themselves, or they die. That was their choice. 

In contrast, the following paragraphs are not a common idea. Indeed, I never heard anyone even mention it. That may or may not be a reflection of its merits.

Two: Sue Fox, and its anti-vax on-air personalities. Not all speech is protected by the First Amendment. In New York State there is a tort entitled "intentional infliction of emotional distress.” So if you could prove following factors, you might have a case: 

1. A speaker who believed inoculation was beneficial, (the proof was he was inoculated but refuses to admit it,) and
2. The speaker nevertheless makes false anti-vax statements because it is economically advantageous to him, and
3. A listener who hears those statements, and because he relies on them, refuses inoculation, and
4. The listener dies from Covid, and
5. His death causes extreme emotional distress to one or more members of his family, THEN,
6. Would you have made out a case of intentional infliction of emotional distress?

Just wondering.

A bientot.

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WATERGATE II

OK, the novel is finished, (a fictional story about a vice president charged with a crime) and if I get a publisher, you'll be the first to know.  Now back business.

1n 1970, it was discovered that the President of the United States, his White House Counsel, his Chief of Staff, his Attorney General, and their minions, were behind a scheme to spy on the Democratic party.  The facts rolled out slowly, but when they were plainly evident, there was such an outrage against this move against our democracy that leaders in the president’s own party forced his resignation, and everybody else involved in the scheme went to jail.

But if you want to be depressed -- and I do not see how you could be anything but –take a look at where we are 50 years later. It has been disclosed that the sitting President of the United States had employed minions from his ever-obedient Attorney General to spy on Democratic congressmen who had led the fight for a clearly earned impeachment of the president.

In 1970, if you wanted to read someone’s mail, you broke into their space at the Watergate complex.  In 2020, if you wanted to read someone's mail, you broke into their space at Apple. No need for burglars’ tools or duct tape, just a cooperating Department of Justice.

The 2020 Republicans rejected their predecessor’s response. This time, they just said, “Eh, so what?"

The latest outrage is even worse. On January 6, we had an insurrection riot at the Capitol building in the midst of a vote by both houses of Congress to certify the results reported by the Electoral College. What could be more basic to our Constitutional democracy than to certify the people’s choice as their next President?  While there seemed to be no reasonable doubt as to who was involved, and what the purpose was, a small but vocal group raised a lot of smoke and dust.  The result was a call for an inquiry. Legislation to create a non-partisan investigatory commission was rejected by the Republicans who, by reason of the filibuster rule, have a veto over most legislation coming to the floor of the Senate.

The heroine of the day was House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who basically said, ”OK, we’ll go around the Senate and will have a bipartisan committee of the House of Representatives do the inquiry.”

 “Nope”, said the House  Republicans, “we refuse to participate.” 

So Pelosi said, ”OK, I will appoint a select investigatory committee, and I will even consult with the Minority leader (who will be a witness adverse to Trump!) about whom he recommends as the Republican members of the committee. Surprise, surprise, the Minority leader rejected the proposal, and the Republicans, having refused to participate in a bipartisan committee, now accuse the Democrats of going it alone without their participation!

Pelosi will appoint the Democrats and Republicans she wants.

Bottom line: Our democratic processes have fallen to a new low and it becomes absolutely imperative for the Democratic party to accomplish four things in the next 16 months:

1. 1.Gain a firm majority in the House.
2. 2.Gain a firm majority in the Senate.
3. 3.Revoke the filibuster rule.
4. 4.Add four additional justices to the Supreme Court (See today’s NYT:                  “Court sustains Arizona restrictive voting rules.”)

Get busy!

 

A bientot.

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