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What Republicans Fear More Than COVID-19
Do you wear a mask or a MAGA hat?
Motivated by our fear of mass death, we made big changes and we made them fast. So-called socialist pipe dreams now seem reasonable. We have had a taste of universal healthcare and sick leave, Universal Basic Income, tele-medicine, distance learning and remote work.
So far, the mass deaths from COVID-19 have been mostly limited to a few hot spots in blue states. This is nearly certain to change soon, of course. But it’s no wonder there’s an effort to immediately yank things back to how they were before people begin to realize a better, more equitable world and a cleaner environment are absolutely possible.
The plan so far is pretty transparent: They are appealing to people’s sense of faith and freedom and are instilling distrust in scientists and experts. And it’s working well.
The people who scoff at masks are quite happy to don MAGA hats. Those who are outraged by demonstrations for racial justice and women’s rights are now demonstrating for their right to spread sickness. Many who believe financial problems are no excuse for an abortion turn out to be quite comfortable citing financial reasons for letting the elderly die.
The goal isn’t for more people to die, of course. The goal is just to keep people from thinking for themselves. Our…