The Biden Administration is acting Trumpian in its non response, by the way. Jha and others are putting a positive spin on everything, so much so that it’s blatantly political. Optimism is great, but not if it’s unwarranted. I wish they leveled with us more. No fear-mongering, just level with the people. For example, our booster rates really do need to increase, at least for the vulnerable populations. Biden should make this a number one priority.
You are very right. There is no other way to put it. I don’t think history will look back on this kindly.
Not to be political but Biden has been very very bad. I voted for him. I will NOT be voting for him again no matter what he does the next 2 years. Unfortunately and I hate to say it our country was in a better place 3 years ago.
Disappointed in Biden, too, though I never expected him to be a savior. I’m just glad he’s not as corrupt, hateful, and anti-democratic as his predecessor.
Were we in a better place in 2019? Really difficult to gauge, in light of the fact that a lot has happened globally (not just in this country) since then. Covid-19, obviously, but also domestic turmoil, as well as international crises. It hasn’t been a smooth ride, needless to say, in which you might be able to freely compare one year to another.
I’m an economist so I’ll evaluate this aspect of where we stand today. Overall, the U.S. economically has fared quite well compared to all its peers. They have the same inflationary pressures, yet suffer from worse unemployment and more stagnant wages. Take a look at the value of the dollar compared to the Euro and pound. The dollar is soaring and has been for more than a year. Some of this has to do with the U.S. doing relatively better than its peers. Some of it has to do with the U.S. being considered a safe haven for foreign capital and for treasury bill purchases. The rhetoric in the media suggests we’re somehow falling apart at the seams. Well, the reality is quite different. I’m the first person to criticize the U.S., as you know. Yet, I’m also very aware of its being an oasis of stability in so many ways, compared to many of its peers.
Recession won’t be mild in Europe or the UK – it’s already there – while it will be mild here if it even comes to pass. Is this due to Biden’s policies? No. Presidents have limited impact on things like inflation or the economy when the shocks to the system – Covid-19 first, then other shocks such as Ukraine – are external.
We’ve got many problems. We’re also a nation that never hides its problems. They’re transparent, to be seen by everyone. We thrash around with our problems, debate them, get into fights about them, and rarely solve them. Europeans – for all the love I have for them – are extraordinarily smug about themselves and their problems. They always act as if it’s someone else who has the big problems. Well, I’ve got news for them. I lived there for decades. They’ve got big problems, too, and sometimes they don’t face them like we do, head on.
Excellent comment, Joshua . Three years ago we were brewing a man who was plotting to overthrow our government. I’d say we have not been in a good place since Obama.
I fault Biden on some issues it fully support others ….but he is between a rock and a hard place …..media enters into that as you wisely pointed out as well as the extreme right and left.
Olive you have me laughing out loud….you said you didn’t want to get political and then moved into a political rant. Fool me once.,…and all of that 😉
This whole pandemic thing in 50 years will mainly be a pandemic political battle, unfortunately.
While there are political decisions made regarding the pandemic (both the Trump and Biden Administrations have done so), the pandemic itself wasn’t a political battle. Nor will it be considered that. Independent of politics, the pandemic has been a global phenomenon that has reduced life expectancy in many countries (which certainly doesn’t happen during a non-pandemic period) and imposed an enormous strain on hospitals, healthcare workers, and also essential workers of all kind. Consider, for example, the thousands of public transit workers (NYC alone, the toll was ~125), police officers (more died of Covid in 2020 than were killed in the line of duty), and teachers who died worldwide. There’s nothing political about these numbers.
I agree that there should not be anything political. I believe however too many decisions are made with one’s political future in mind.
Spot on, Vicki, especially the phrase “with one’s political future in mind.” I must say, there are very few politicians who aren’t looking towards the next election, and therefore frame things in certain ways rather than others, or obfuscate, etc … It’s human, I guess.
It is new to this extreme. I have don’t agree with a lot of Liz Chaney’s stances, but I said the other day, if we ever want an example of putting country ahead of political future, we only need to look to her.
Thanks TK.
Latest on BA5
https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/13/world/coronavirus-newsletter-intl-07-13-22/index.html
This sucks; no other way of putting it: https://twitter.com/DrWilliamKu/status/1546874367400886273
The Biden Administration is acting Trumpian in its non response, by the way. Jha and others are putting a positive spin on everything, so much so that it’s blatantly political. Optimism is great, but not if it’s unwarranted. I wish they leveled with us more. No fear-mongering, just level with the people. For example, our booster rates really do need to increase, at least for the vulnerable populations. Biden should make this a number one priority.
You are very right. There is no other way to put it. I don’t think history will look back on this kindly.
Not to be political but Biden has been very very bad. I voted for him. I will NOT be voting for him again no matter what he does the next 2 years. Unfortunately and I hate to say it our country was in a better place 3 years ago.
Disappointed in Biden, too, though I never expected him to be a savior. I’m just glad he’s not as corrupt, hateful, and anti-democratic as his predecessor.
Were we in a better place in 2019? Really difficult to gauge, in light of the fact that a lot has happened globally (not just in this country) since then. Covid-19, obviously, but also domestic turmoil, as well as international crises. It hasn’t been a smooth ride, needless to say, in which you might be able to freely compare one year to another.
I’m an economist so I’ll evaluate this aspect of where we stand today. Overall, the U.S. economically has fared quite well compared to all its peers. They have the same inflationary pressures, yet suffer from worse unemployment and more stagnant wages. Take a look at the value of the dollar compared to the Euro and pound. The dollar is soaring and has been for more than a year. Some of this has to do with the U.S. doing relatively better than its peers. Some of it has to do with the U.S. being considered a safe haven for foreign capital and for treasury bill purchases. The rhetoric in the media suggests we’re somehow falling apart at the seams. Well, the reality is quite different. I’m the first person to criticize the U.S., as you know. Yet, I’m also very aware of its being an oasis of stability in so many ways, compared to many of its peers.
Recession won’t be mild in Europe or the UK – it’s already there – while it will be mild here if it even comes to pass. Is this due to Biden’s policies? No. Presidents have limited impact on things like inflation or the economy when the shocks to the system – Covid-19 first, then other shocks such as Ukraine – are external.
We’ve got many problems. We’re also a nation that never hides its problems. They’re transparent, to be seen by everyone. We thrash around with our problems, debate them, get into fights about them, and rarely solve them. Europeans – for all the love I have for them – are extraordinarily smug about themselves and their problems. They always act as if it’s someone else who has the big problems. Well, I’ve got news for them. I lived there for decades. They’ve got big problems, too, and sometimes they don’t face them like we do, head on.
Excellent comment, Joshua . Three years ago we were brewing a man who was plotting to overthrow our government. I’d say we have not been in a good place since Obama.
I fault Biden on some issues it fully support others ….but he is between a rock and a hard place …..media enters into that as you wisely pointed out as well as the extreme right and left.
Olive you have me laughing out loud….you said you didn’t want to get political and then moved into a political rant. Fool me once.,…and all of that 😉
This whole pandemic thing in 50 years will mainly be a pandemic political battle, unfortunately.
While there are political decisions made regarding the pandemic (both the Trump and Biden Administrations have done so), the pandemic itself wasn’t a political battle. Nor will it be considered that. Independent of politics, the pandemic has been a global phenomenon that has reduced life expectancy in many countries (which certainly doesn’t happen during a non-pandemic period) and imposed an enormous strain on hospitals, healthcare workers, and also essential workers of all kind. Consider, for example, the thousands of public transit workers (NYC alone, the toll was ~125), police officers (more died of Covid in 2020 than were killed in the line of duty), and teachers who died worldwide. There’s nothing political about these numbers.
I agree that there should not be anything political. I believe however too many decisions are made with one’s political future in mind.
Spot on, Vicki, especially the phrase “with one’s political future in mind.” I must say, there are very few politicians who aren’t looking towards the next election, and therefore frame things in certain ways rather than others, or obfuscate, etc … It’s human, I guess.
It is new to this extreme. I have don’t agree with a lot of Liz Chaney’s stances, but I said the other day, if we ever want an example of putting country ahead of political future, we only need to look to her.
I apologize if this has already been posted here.
https://twitter.com/andy23tran/status/1547244767733506050?s=21&t=uKWh4LaZ0xKRB3NrJ8sStg
C-19
7-14
ready