letter to the editor

Trump, virus, and authoritarian status quo

Mon, 12/07/2020 - 4:00pm

Dear Editor:

I watched Trump in Valdosta, Georgia and his tone was much more subdued than during the campaign. I think he now realizes that the entire political establishment of both parties was always opposed to him, and that they had no choice but to cheat him out of an easy win. Even the quisling governor here in Georgia, who owes his election to Trump, had not the guts to show up. Trump fought hard, and obviously received many more honest votes than Biden did in every swing state where the outcome is still in doubt. Unfortunately though, Barr and Roberts have already shown that both the Department of Justice and the U.S. Supreme Court will remain risk-averse, and so it is solely up to three or more of the Republican swing state legislatures to show some spine and do the right thing. But they will not, and the reason is as old as the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the assassination of Julius Caesar — status quo bias.

The latest virus outbreak is mainly people testing positive with an overly sensitive test, combined with seasonal flu patients maxing out hospitals in healthcare-deficient cities and states. CDC weekly total deaths comprise, as before, very sick people with co-morbidities who likely would have died with or without Wuhan, and the worldwide recovery rate remains at 99.8%. The situation is still what it has always been — political, and the lockdowns are what they always were — authoritarian.

Phil Molvar

Southport

and Saint Marys, Georgia