Shelter in Place for Williamson County along with Travis County was ordered March 24, 2020. Roughly, 5 months have come and gone and initially, we were able to slow down the progress of COVID. May 1, 2020 the state was to begin reopening and mostly what followed after that was pretty predictable. Virus cases spread, deaths from the virus spread, and now roughly 5 months after the first efforts to contain the virus, we are no where near containing the virus. Throughout the state and nation, it is obvious the USA does not have a good handle on controlling this pandemic. Today the US death counts stands at 160,000 with 4.9M infections. Texas has a death count of 8,121.
One of the most obvious reasons is people across the country are listening to politicians instead of people who know what is going on. That is the problem and I personally can understand the problem. This administration and his party have continually told us not to trust those nefarious scientists because they are a part of a world wide conspiracy to do what?
Now, at some level, down deep where our little boats float on the water, we know dismissing the opinions of professionals and listening to non-professionals is not the smartest step. That is why you don't go to your mechanic to be diagnosed with a physical problem. That is why you bypass the flower shop and go to the people who can replace your worn out tires. That is why you don't call a lawn guy to fix your plumbing. And you might look at me and say, “Why would anyone do that?” To which I would reply, “Exactly, why would anyone do that, but day in and day out, people swear by the talking heads on their favorite cable news while ignoring the scientists and medical researchers devoting their lives to saving lives. If your relative believes what Sean Hannity says, and as a result puts themselves and others at risk which leads to getting COVID which leads to their early death, do you really believe you could drag Hannity into a court and prosecute him for “malpractice?” No, you couldn't, but he is free with his opinions that can put well meaning folks at extreme risk. It is why I believe folks like Hannity are toxic.
Another truth is the United States would benefit from an overhaul of campaign laws which currently allow non-stop campaigning, never ending money streams and mind numbing rhetoric going on and on.
There are some things I want to know about candidates. First I want to know what they have done before running for office. That is important to me. Second, I want to get a sense of the principles which guide them, the character which endures from year to year, and if they are people of integrity. When I have heard enough to settle those issues for me, I am ready to vote. Here is why. The representatives and even the president we elect in November may take office in a totally different world than the one I framed when I cast my ballot. Talk all you want about “what you gonna do” “what you wanta do” “your next great big idea” but the truth is, you may never have the opportunity to put those forward. No one(except for the Obama Administration) saw a pandemic in 2020 engulfing the world. No one foresaw a crippling shut down of the economy to try to get a handle on the pandemic.
It is foolish to believe(to me) that great leadership can tell you what they are “gonna do” and manage to make it happen. Dreams are valuable but the day in and day out of making reasonable laws that guide our society and culture is pretty tedious work. A lot of times it is thankless work.
So until this pandemic is corralled, workable vaccines are available to all who need and want them, small business owners get the help they need to survive, folks who have been laid off because their job is not there, pretty much everything else to me is smoke and mirrors. I learned that trick as a parent. When we would approach a McDonalds, I would get the kids to look out the other side. Smoke and mirrors.
Wash you hands, wear your mask for others, mind the gap, and be kind.
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