The news stories were reported yesterday that members of Trump's White House staff with will in the first group to get the COVID-19 vaccine shot. I have absolutely no problem at all with the president of the United States and his staff getting the vaccine. Being president is certainly a critical job, and as far as "essential workers" go it's not only in the top 10, but probably even #1, and his support staff is significant for doing that work and keeping the White House operating smoothly on behalf of all Americans.
Alas, life is not always that simple. Given that, as of today, all of those specific staff members will be out of the jobs in just 38 days, and most (if not all) could likely do their jobs from home if they had to quarantine, and most staff -- no matter how essential their boss -- is largely support personnel, and that the White House has been denying the seriousness of the virus for nine months pushing the story that it's not much more than the flu or is a hoax, all of which has been at the center of, in fact, causing the very crisis that's made the vaccine all the more important, and that the White House has been knowingly (some might suggest, intentionally) throwing 20 indoor Christmas parties in December alone that's raised the risk of infection exponentially, and also that a major reason there is a particular limitation for the first round of vaccines is specifically because the White House itself turned down buying an additional 100 million doses -- it seems that rewarding people whose work, while important, is not remotely as actually essential as healthcare employees who for those same nine months have been actually screaming about how deadly serious the coronavirus is and have been actually fighting the coronavirus rather than spreading and denying it, nor whose need is as critical as that of elderly residents of nursing homes which have claimed around 40% of the victims because of their far-higher susceptibility to the infection might be considered perhaps a profoundly poor use of resource management. Meanwhile, in other parts of the United States, 16,737267 Americans have been infected by COVID-19. And 306,459 Americans have died of the disease. Again, that's 306,459 dead. Of an infection we were told by Trump back in February that "You have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down close to 0." And then "It's going to disappear. One day, it's like a miracle, it will disappear." And that it's just like the flu. And that it will "just" be 50,000 death (which is ghastly enough on its own). Or that now he hears it might be 60,000. And that it will be over soon. And you should take hydroxychloroquine, or maybe bleach or disinfectants or UV rays. And that he said doctors were profiting from all the mass death they were putting themselves at the frontline to stope. And that his experts who believe in alien sperm support him. And that his experts who believe in herd immunity and widespread infection think that should be our policy. And never mind that Trump cut the CDC budget. And fired the CDC expert in infectious diseases who was literally stationed in China. And that he and his transition team ignored the Pandemic Playbook that was left them by the Obama Administration -- along with well-stocked PPE, which has not been replenished and is now still in short supply. And all that Trump is doing now is whining about how he really won the election which he, of course, actually lost horribly by 7 million votes and is trying to undermine democracy while playing golf. And not a word about, as he whined, "COVID COVID COVID." But yes, let's reward the people at the center of a fascist administration who have helped make life a living hell and ripped at the fabric of American society. Because they're...what? -- "essential." Seriously, who in their even half-right mind thought this was not only a good idea, but one that would fly under the radar unnoticed without attracting public outrage?? Just the mere concept of it as a random thought for discussion is unacceptable. It's not shocking to discover that the anger it's provoked has been pronounced. Now, this is about Trump. And all his staff who enabled him, gave him support and are complicit. Did some work to provide some stability? Maybe, a small few, not most. But I don't know how many, if any, did -- and who of them are still there with only 38 days to go. I do know that in the end, whatever efforts may possibly have been made by a very few, he was still enabled And I hope all of them are safe, whoever they are, whatever their actions, and that none get infected and wish them all well, and hope they all get and take the vaccine. It's just that there are 320 million other Americans I'd like to see standing in line first, ahead of them.
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AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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