Wednesday, April 08, 2020

The Isolation Diaries No. 14

Jan 22– “No, the coronavirus won’t become a pandemic. Not at all.” Donald J. Trump
March 17 -– “I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic.” Donald J. Trump
According to reporting in the Santa Barbara Independent, there are 174 cases of Covid-19 in the county. 
The nationwide death toll from the pandemic is close to 11, 000 (the figure will be higher by the time I post this), but the true figure is probably higher still as some deaths go unreported. African-American communities are being hit hard. Pandemics tend to punish the poor and neglected. 
I wonder if Trump is sending Hydroxychloroquine to his friend Boris Johnson.
The acting Secretary of the Navy, a twit named Thomas Modly, flew 8,000 miles to Guam to disparage Brett Crozier, the captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt. Modly’s diatribe was broadcast to the entire crew. Crozier was relieved of command for publicly raising concerns about Covid-19. Nothing more infuriates the Trump administration than a display of integrity and courage. Perpetrators of such acts must be summarily terminated and a subservient lackey appointed to take their place.  
As my sister-in-law told me a few days ago, every day is the same, but different. Should we try a Trader Joe’s run this morning, don masks and gloves and stand in line? 
I’m feeling down this morning. The sun’s out, birds are chirping, the deck is wet from last night’s rain. Why am I feeling this way? Anger is part of it, but not anger about the pandemic. I can wrap my head around the Coronavirus. No, my anger stems from watching Donald Trump lie every single day, and the knowledge that his lies and incompetence and greed and stupidity are causing people to die. I’m angry because Trump always escapes, wriggles off the hook, slips the noose. I know in my bones that he will win reelection in November, not fairly, but he will win. One stupid man, with help from hundreds of ethically and morally compromised people, can sink a nation. I’m angry because the federal government under Trump is inept and corrupt. Most of all, I’m angry because I feel powerless to do anything. That’s where it hurts most. 
How much personal protective equipment is coming into the United States from other countries? It’s a long fall from grace when the essential nation, the exceptional nation, needs aid from external sources because it’s too hollowed out to deal with a crisis. 
It’s a foregone conclusion that when it comes to the nuts and bolts of sending “stimulus” checks to individual Americans, and processing grants and loans for small businesses, the Trump Gang will make a shambles of it, in the same way the administration has failed in its response to Covid-19. The incompetence, cronyism, and grift that characterize the Trump Gang will strike again, and once again Trump will blame, boast, whine, deny and lie. Wait and see. Once we get to the other side of the outbreak, the only thing Trump will be focused on is his reelection. He won’t give two shits for the millions of people who at that point will be trying to put their lives and livelihoods back together.
Wisconsin, what the fuck happened to Wisconsin?  
Today was the first day I felt pinned under the weight of this moment.   


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