Common Enemies 5-on-1 Post 3/27/2020

This week's topic is Common Enemies. To many a common enemy is the great uniter - that unifying event or thing that will unite us and push us forward through these seemingly hopeless days of divisiveness in which we find ourselves mired. After all, is not the enemy of my enemy my friend?

For years the government of the United States embraced any leader or country that opposed our enemy -  a situation that gave us a strategic  ally in Iraq under the leadership of Saddam Hussein - in our struggles with Iran. That policy gave us Russia (actually the Soviet Union) as an ally against Nazi Germany and China as an ally against Japan during World War II. Clearly as a foreign policy tool we must be said to embrace as friends the enemy of our enemy when it suits us. Alas, we often change suits, and we have a very substantial closet with many suits.

But does our predilection for embracing the enemy of our enemy as our friend really serve us well? We certainly may not have been on the victorious side in World War II without the allies we had in the Soviet Union and China but where would we be today without our allies in Germany and Japan?  Need  we fear an alliance between Russia and China? What if we take foreign policy off the table?

If ever we had a circumstance that calls for unified action we are experiencing it today. The Covid-19 Pandemic calls for unified action on a level heretofore never witnessed. Humanity is facing off with Covid-19 and the survival of millions hangs in the balance. Covid-19 is a universal enemy - it cares not who or where it assaults mankind - rich western societies and the poorest cultures amongst us are equally at peril.

Though somewhat late (up to two months) to the party, 45 was moving in the right direction - or so it seemed.  In typical 45 fashion, our President has contradicted himself and his experts regularly in his briefing sessions. Here is a link to some of his stuff
Fact checking 45

The governor of Mississippi (Tate Reeves) on Tuesday signed an executive order that effectively overrode safety measures implemented by other officials during the coronavirus outbreak. It seems Mississippi's governor knows best how to protect its citizens. Reeves has, though, declared a state of emergency - care to wager whether that is a requirement for federal funding? 

Gov. Tate Reeves' order classified businesses including gun shops, department stores, and real-estate offices as "essential." It also urged employees to work from home "to the extent feasible." It sure makes me feel better to know that gun shops are essential. They cannot fight the next Civil War without those guns ya know, and surely some evil bastard will try to steal their grits or shine so the good citizens of Mississippi'd best be ready to defend them to the bitter end. And isn't it a pity that you cannot shoot those damned coronaviruses. Wait - if they declare coronavirus carriers non-essential then they'll just have to be considered collateral damage and that is to be expected in times of war. Good old Tate.

Tate advised citizens to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people but said that "this does not apply" to places such as offices, airports, and grocery and department store. One must disperse the virus efficiently.

Then there is the multi-trillion dollar rescue package bill just approved by the Senate. That'd be the bill in which the GOP blocked voting reforms that would make it much easier to cast ballots by mail in the fall presidential election that was unveiled Wednesday.

I am beginning to think we are incapable of even agreeing on something as basic as the Pandemic - and its threat. Of course the Millennials are blaming us Baby Boomers for all the problems we face these days. It's a  generational thing I suppose - regardless of the facts. And of course we have been told the virus is most dangerous for older people. Gotta love Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick who seems to say those older folks - the grandparents -are expendable when he says “No one reached out to me and said, ‘as a senior citizen, are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren?’" “And if that’s the exchange, I’m all in. That doesn’t make me noble or brave or anything like that. I just think there are lots of grandparents out there in this country like me." that would willingly sacrifice themselves for the greater good. Let's ask grandchildren if that is an acceptable approach, bearing in mind that younger people are now dying from the virus - or maybe we should just let the virus spread unchecked and let God sort it all out. We'll just let it burn itself out naturally and let those left standing take over.

We clearly have a common enemy in Covid-19, and we need to suppress that curve Dr Tony Fauci talks about. We need to be on the same page as we fight this thing and yes the battle will cause economic harm around the world. Recession and possibly Depression lie ahead. Been there, done that - and will do it again if required. The time to politicize everything is over. Regardless who is responsible for leading the fight, 45 will claim any  success is his. Let him. You need only listen to one of his updates to understand the truth. Let 45 beat his chest like an angry Orangutan. Just be sure to vote in November. And regardless how many times Mike Pence says thanks to your leadership Mr President you will know that 45 drug his heels and waited too long to get ahead of the curve on this one, and vote accordingly. 

Be sure to visit the other four bloggers in our group - there should be some interesting takes on our topic, They are Ramana, Padmum, Sanjana & Conrad 

One final note - Next Tuesday, 3/31 I board a big old jet airliner and head back to North Carolina. See ya next week, same bat time and different bat channel.