Pandemic havoc

The US has more than a million Covid-19 cases and more than 150,000 deaths - the worst numbers of any country no matter how you look at them. Weekly unemployment claims have exceeded 1 million for months. And today we learnt the economy shrank by over 9% in the second quarter of 2020, equivalent to an annual rate of almost 33%. By the conventional measure this puts us firmly in a recession (2 consecutive quarters with negative GDP). Any unbiased observer would have no trouble laying the responsibility for this debacle at the feet of president Trump. After all, countries with far fewer material and intellectual resources than the US have fared better. The problem, clearly, is his insistence on politicizing a public health issue. His recent half-hearted endorsement of masks is a recognition of his polling numbers, not a change of mind. He continues to send mixed messages based on political expedience. As if to mock us, on top of all this he continues to promote his personal financial interests at our expense, witness his recent stand on the proposed new FBI building. It's fair to say any president of either party running for re-election under these circumstances would not stand a chance. The final straw has to be his floating the idea today of postponing the election because of alleged rigging due to mail-in voting with little objection from Republicans in Congress. Part of the reason for this president's resilience is Republicans at all levels in federal and state governments and the judiciary who continue to shamelessly tilt the field in his favor and enable his behavior because of their fear of his supporters who wield the power of the primary in the Republican party. As I have said before in these posts, voters in the middle of the road have a say and must not remain silent. No effort must be spared to ensure that we vote this November. Bottom line, we have to believe that reasonable people of all stripes can make a difference. We may not be a majority, but we can influence the outcome.