Letter to the Editor-LA Times

[Honeyman]

This was in the paper today. Expresses my thoughts far more eloquently than I ever could.

To the editor: Historians will one day look back at this pandemic and wonder how the party that produced Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan sat in silence and watched the total incompetence and shameful conduct of the Trump administration. (“Trump’s new 2020 message — it’s not my fault,” May 8 )

Instead of expressing outrage, the lapel-pin patriots sat silently while President Trump trashed our allies and groveled at some of the worst the world had to offer. Emperor Caligula is alleged to have wanted to make his horse a consul. The 21st century equivalent is Trump putting ineffectual family members and cronies into positions of power. Instead of honesty when we most badly needed it, we got rants about him being a victim who was not responsible for anything.

But my friends on the left shouldn’t be too smug. With their absurd insistence on political correctness, they contributed to an environment where Trump’s rants seemed more relatable. Instead of believing that every alleged victim needed to be heard, they acted as though every alleged victim needed to be believed. The result was the circular firing squad we have now.

We’re reaping what we have sown. With more than 85,000 people dead from COVID-19, the economy in ruins and our place in the world undermined, the Republican Party still lacks the moral fiber to call out the president. We still have a chance to make it better — not right, only better. If we reelect Trump, this country will be forever changed. Those of you who say voting doesn’t matter, think about your 85,000 dead fellow Americans.

Peter Del Re, Long Beach

[screen glare]

Only by election day - it will be more than a million on Trump’s Death Clock.

[bmw]

Completely disagree. Depending on how bad the fallout is (and I suspect it will last for many years), historians may well look back on this and wonder "what in the hell were we thinking shutting down the world economy?"

Trump had it right more than a month ago: The cure can't be worse than the disease.

The number of people who ultimately die as a direct result of being infected with the Coronavirus will pale in comparison to the number of people who die from starvation, disease, mental illness, and various other causes - all of which will come as a direct result not of the virus itself, but rather a result of shutting down the economy. That number will end up in the tens, if not hundreds, of millions. And for what? Absolutely nothing. Once the coronavirus broke containment back in late February, it was destined to infect a certain number of people (that number yet unknown) REGARDLESS of government action. Lockdowns will ultimately do virtually nothing to actually save lives.

[Turkeytop]

Trump in 2020. America adores Trump.

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Completely disagree. Depending on how bad the fallout is (and I suspect it will last for many years), historians may well look back on this and wonder "what in the hell were we thinking shutting down the world economy?"

Trump had it right more than a month ago: The cure can't be worse than the disease.

The number of people who ultimately die as a direct result of being infected with the Coronavirus will pale in comparison to the number of people who die from starvation, disease, mental illness, and various other causes - all of which will come as a direct result not of the virus itself, but rather a result of shutting down the economy. That number will end up in the tens, if not hundreds, of millions. And for what? Absolutely nothing. Once the coronavirus broke containment back in late February, it was destined to infect a certain number of people (that number yet unknown) REGARDLESS of government action. Lockdowns will ultimately do virtually nothing to actually save lives.

Tens or hundreds of millions? This prediction is more asinine than the ones the folks freaking out about the virus came up with...

[TC Talks]

I always roll my eyes when a Republican cites the party of Lincoln.

Don't get any hope that Republicans have any concern about Americans. It's not just Trump, BMW validates this with every posts.

[bmw]

Tens or hundreds of millions? This prediction is more asinine than the ones the folks freaking out about the virus came up with...

Yes. Tens or hundreds of millions. I did not just pull that number out of my ass, either. You and others just don't want to believe it.

Let's look first at starvation. The World Food Program briefed the UN last month on the economic impact of the world-wide lockdowns. Per NBC News:

As a result of the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent economic ramifications, the food agency found an additional 130 million people could be on the brink of starvation by the end of the year. The working poor would be hit the hardest as a result of the decline in tourism and exports, collapse of oil prices and any declines to foreign aid.

The resulting death toll could outpace that of the coronavirus with 300,000 people dying due to starvation every day over a three-month period, the agency reported.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/u-n- ... n-n1189326

That's 10 million people dead in a 3-month period due solely to the economic fallout. JUST IN THREE MONTHS. That number alone over the next few years could easily exceed 30 or 40 million.

Now, how about one specific disease? Tuberculosis. This one from CNBC:

Global lockdown measures as a result of the coronavirus pandemic could lead to millions of people contracting tuberculosis (TB) over the coming years, according to a new study.

As many as 6.3 million people are expected to develop TB as cases go undiagnosed and untreated between now and 2025, a study published by Stop TB Partnership on Wednesday showed, with 1.4 million people predicted to die during this time.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/06/coronav ... losis.html

Moving on. One specific cause of death. Suicide. Let's look just at Australia. Headline:

The silent COVID-19 death toll: Far more Australians will kill themselves because of coronavirus lockdown than those who die of the virus, experts say

That one per The Daily Mail (uk)

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... kdown.html

==============================

All of that is just the tip of the iceberg. Many, many millions of people are going to die as a direct result of how we responded to this virus - our response of which saved NOWHERE NEAR the number of lives that it will ultimately take.

[bmw]

Don't get any hope that Republicans have any concern about Americans. It's not just Trump, BMW validates this with every posts.

Oh, give it a rest already. I said it once and I'll say it again - the fact that I am looking at the bigger picture and you're stuck in a narrow zone of thinking doesn't mean I somehow don't have concern about Americans. I have great concern over the future of our country and the people who live in it. I could just as easily argue that you and others who support strict lockdown measures only care about yourselves and nobody else.

Source: unknown:

To those calling it selfish and reckless to reopen. You want a shutdown but you expect your garbage to be picked up. You also expect stores to be open with food and supplies. You expect farmers, packers, and pickers to generate the supplies. You expect truck drivers to deliver them. You expect Amazon to ship your packages while you sit at home. You expect the driver to leave it on your doorstep. You expect your phone and cable to work, the power to stay on, and the water to stay running. You expect your mail to show up rain or shine. The entire premise of shelter in place is based on the idea that "others" must risk their health so you can can protect yours. There is nothing virtuous about expecting others to work in order to support your needs while yourself staying home and claiming that we need to stay shut down.

[screen glare]

“The cure must not be worse than the disease.”

Really? What about the oft prescribed chemotherapy for cancer?

I rest my case.

[TC Talks]

So BMW is learning the difference between essential and non-essential. It was heartwarming the way Trump tried to force workers back to the meat processing plants. We can live without it for a while, that was all about his donors.

[screen glare]

Why are we arguing? What’s the use of debating when there’s no contest? The virus wins. And it will take more Americans, or fewer Americans depending on what we do to curtail it, or do not do to find and corral it.

I believe a vaccine will be developed and eventually everyone who needs it here will be able to obtain it. As will all the world.

Until then we must try to save lives.

If we rush back to commerce before the CDC guidelines are met - we’ll defeat reviving the American economy. We’ll instead reverse the slowing of the spread and increase the numbers of cases/deaths - plus swamp our hospitals and medical professionals.

The federal government under the leadershit of a reality TV narcissist refuses to take the bull by the horns, or more precisely does not know how to, and has left this country vulnerable to the worst case scenario - which we see teeming and screaming and dying all around us.

We no longer look like the greatest most powerful country in the world.

We look shockingly disorganized, and rudderless, while watching our mentally ill, dangerous, preening president - wallow in self-pity.

[Matt]

Why are we arguing? What’s the use of debating when there’s no contest? The virus wins. And it will take more Americans, or fewer Americans depending on what we do to curtail it, or do not do to find and corral it.

I believe a vaccine will be developed and eventually everyone who needs it here will be able to obtain it. As will all the world.

Until then we must try to save lives.

If we rush back to commerce before the CDC guidelines are met - we’ll defeat reviving the American economy. We’ll instead reverse the slowing of the spread and increase the numbers of cases/deaths - plus swamp our hospitals and medical professionals.

The federal government under the leadershit of a reality TV narcissist refuses to take the bull by the horns, or more precisely does not know how to, and has left this country vulnerable to the worst case scenario - which we see teaming and screaming and dying all around us.

We no longer look like the greatest most powerful country in the world.

We look shockingly disorganized, and rudderless, while watching our mentally ill, dangerous, preening president wallowing in self-pity.

Except for, you know, facts: https://www.google.com/amp/s/news.yahoo ... 33256.html

[bmw]

So I take it nobody is going to refute my claim that our actions are going to kill tens to hundreds of millions of Americans - a number far higher than the virus will kill?

I link to 3 separate studies and the response is **crickets**

[screen glare]

Matt my boy - perhaps you’ve not heard - the virus can incubate for up to two weeks while those infected and spreading it don’t feel sick at all. Yet.

So get back to us in three weeks, lil’ wipper snapper. And let’s see if the reopened areas are seeing a decline.

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So I take it nobody is going to refute my claim that our actions are going to kill tens to hundreds of millions of Americans - a number far higher than the virus will kill?

I link to 3 separate studies and the response is **crickets**

Worldwide I might believe... but just Americans? Tens to Hundreds of millions? There are only 330 million... so now you’re saying between 10 and 33% of the population will die due to social side effects? Now you’re simply smoking something good...