[Genuine Realist]

The Chinese narrative - of mis-, and dis-, information extending well into February matters, because I think it is essential to take the war against the virus out of the realm of partisan, and particularly Presidential politics. It's not a matter of pointless xenophobia. It's to take the realistic position that is pointless to look back at tactics that may or may not have succeeded at some time in the past. Finger pointing does us no good at all.

The nation and the world are going to face a fairly stark choice of lesser evils.

(a) The lockdown is necessary to save lives and prevent the collapse of our health systems. BUT it comes at of potentially ruinous damage to the economic system.

(b) An end to the lockdown is necessary at some point in time. BUT it will come at the cost of a measurable number of lives and damage to healthy individuals.

The goals are absolutely irreconcilable. There is going to be wild disagreement as to the right balance, and no way to determine any ultimate truth.

I think we'd better start with the assumption of good faith. Whenever the lockdown ends, it's going to be too soon, for those who believe Trump is the Devil. It's going to be too late for those who assume the Democratic Party is led by partisan economic ignoramuses. Speaking personally, although Trump has never had my vote and never will, I don't believe he's going to disregard the cost in human life at any time. Although the Democratic Party definitely has its share of crazies, I think the mainstream is fully aware that there is no dichotomy between human life and smallor even corporate business, that they are both essential elements of the larger society. Unemployment kills people as well as viruses.

Recognizing that the nation as a whole did not recognize the seriousness of this situation until early March gets us away from the worst of the name calling. The alternative is useless. If an inanely partisan reporter asks if 'Trump has blood on his hands', Trump fires back in his uniquely un-Presidential manner, with a series of tweets that show prominent Democrats labored under exactly the same false assumptions he did. No one gets anywhere.

We are all in this other, with of immense proportions, infinitely debatable decisions that have to be made going forward. We might at least begin by trusting one another.

[Genuine Realist]

The Chinese narrative - of mis-, and dis-, information extending well into February matters, because I think it is essential to take the war against the virus out of the realm of partisan, and particularly Presidential politics. It's not a matter of pointless xenophobia. It's to take the realistic position that is pointless to look back at tactics that may or may not have succeeded at some time in the past. Finger pointing does us no good at all.

The nation and the world are going to face a fairly stark choice of lesser evils.

(a) The lockdown is necessary to save lives and prevent the collapse of our health systems. BUT it comes at of potentially ruinous damage to the economic system.

(b) An end to the lockdown is necessary at some point in time. BUT it will come at the cost of a measurable number of lives and damage to healthy individuals.

The goals are absolutely irreconcilable. There is going to be wild disagreement as to the right balance, and no way to determine any ultimate truth.

I think we'd better start with the assumption of good faith. Whenever the lockdown ends, it's going to be too soon, for those who believe Trump is the Devil. It's going to be too late for those who assume the Democratic Party is led by partisan economic ignoramuses. Speaking personally, although Trump has never had my vote and never will, I don't believe he's going to disregard the cost in human life at any time. Although the Democratic Party definitely has its share of crazies, I think the mainstream is fully aware that there is no dichotomy between human life and smallor even corporate business, that they are both essential elements of the larger society. Unemployment kills people as well as viruses.

Recognizing that the nation as a whole did not recognize the seriousness of this situation until early March gets us away from the worst of the name calling. The alternative is useless. If an inanely partisan reporter asks if 'Trump has blood on his hands', Trump fires back in his uniquely un-Presidential manner, with a series of tweets that show prominent Democrats labored under exactly the same false assumptions he did. No one gets anywhere.

We are all in this other, with of immense proportions, infinitely debatable decisions that have to be made going forward. We might at least begin by trusting one another.