Selfishness

All of us know Democrats (and they almost always are progressive Democrats) who have completely isolated themselves from society for the past 9 months. Gripped by a form of hysteria that has been fostered by a corrupt and dishonest media, these fervent members of Team Apocalypse have been battered by fear, uncertainty and doubt and as a result, have taken truly extreme measures (with little, if any, scientific basis) to protect themselves.[1]

Out of irrational fear of COVID-19 they have metaphorically hidden in their basements, venturing out (if they do so at all) only to buy food and other absolutely necessities. They have banned friends and families from visiting their homes, and would never go anywhere that has more that just a few people. They refuse to allow even their relatives or children to make physical contact, and in a fit of moral preening, condemn and criticize anyone who does. They are strong, strong proponents of mandatory masking, generally support indefinite lockdowns, and have regularly questioned the safety and efficacy of vaccines (mainly because they were developed under the leadership of the evil Donald Trump). 

It might surprise you to learn that I have no problem with any of that—up to a point. If progressive Democrats want to remain in their basements, wear masks in the backyard, lock down themselves and their families, and refuse to take the vaccine, good for them. It's their decision to lose months or years of their lives, even if science (oh, yes, even as they insist that they're "following the science") tells us the benefits of these measures are questionable at best and the threat of death from the virus for most them is vanishingly small.

But when these fervent members of Team Apocalypse project their hysteria (there is no better way to describe it) outward and demand that all of us should be forced to mask-up everywhere, and even worse, that the nation be locked down yet again, I draw the line. 

But why? After all, the science tells us ... wait ... the science? There is considerable scientific evidence that masks do relatively little to stop the spread of COVID-19 (despite the dishonest media and public health hype). Masks do, unquestionably, make some people feel safer, but in reality, their efficacy in stopping the spread is estimated between 2 and 5 percent. That's not a lot.

And lockdowns? They are demonstrably bad. In fact, catastrophically bad. But then again, at least some of us recognized that back in March and April. 

But not the petty tyrants who run some blue states and cities. Just yesterday, Mayor Bill DeBlasio of NYC, a progressive's progressive, yet again closed schools, because ... "cases!!!" No matter that the CDC notes that children are at close to zero risk from COVID-19 and student-to-teacher transmission of the virus is very, very low. It seems that progressives just love lockdowns, the actual science be damned.

I cringe when highly educated remote workers, or government workers who will be paid for not showing up during a lockdown, or people of means who have fled the cities for second homes, or those who are retired come out in favor of yet another lockdown. They tell us that it's all about "stopping the spread," about overrun hospitals (there are few if any, despite the dishonest media and public health hype) and about "caring." Yeah, always about "caring" and empathy for their fellow citizens.

No ... actually it isn't about caring or empathy ... it about selfishness. If that seems harsh, think of it this way. There are tens of millions of people who cannot work out of their homes, who do not have the luxury of not working at all (i.e., they are not retired) and don't have the means to escape to a "safer" place. They are under enormous financial pressure already—rent or mortgages that are past due, little money to buy the necessities they need, their children unable to go to schools that blue state government bureaucrats refuse to open, difficulty in getting health care for conditions that have nothing to do with the virus ... it never ends.

They are factory workers, food service employees, gig workers, waiters and waitresses, employees of small businesses that have been deemed to be "non-essential," small landlords who cannot collect rent from out-of-work people who cannot pay it, millions of service employees who are out of work, the working poor, and yeah, the shrinking pool of taxpayers who have been asked to provide trillions in "stimulus money" to keep those tens of millions from starving, and will now be asked to provide trillions more.

Those people are hurting big time and every time you hear someone like Joe Biden or his emerging Team of 2s suggest that another lockdown might be considered, it's a clear indication that he and the people who support his lockdown strategy simply don't care. 

Sure, Joe and his cadre of remote workers, people of means and retirees will weather another  lockdown just fine. But the rest, well screw 'em. It's all about fear and "stopping the spread" ... even if the science and recent history indicates that lockdowns do little if any good and the consequences to lives and livelihoods will be ruinous. 

Actually, mandates and lockdowns are all about allowing petty tyrants at the local, state and federal level to exert power over their subjects. Supporting these petty tyrants isn't an act of "caring," it's an act of selfishness, but don't say that to fearful progressives who are hiding in their basements.

FOOTNOTE:

[1] There are obvious exceptions. People with suppressed immune systems (e.g., cancer patients) and those with significant health risks (e.g., severe asthma, COPD, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, other pulmonary and heart problems) do need to be very careful (as they would for any SARS-like illness) and in their case, isolation is justified.