Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
GW Bush: ‘I’m Not Leaving. If a Plane Hits Us, I’ll Just Die.’
Those who know me know that I am not a fan of George W. Bush. I was one of those conservatives who was against the invasion of Iraq and still think it was a big mistake. That being said, I own a copy of Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House because I wanted to get a measure of both men.
Thinking about this whole quarantine and how it continues to fall apart as I go for my daily walks brought me back to this passage from the book.
September 13th, 2001. (Page 138)
When the motorcade got back to the White House just after noon, Card jumped into Bush’s car before he could get out.
“We’ve got another threat on the White House,” Card said. “Were taking it seriously.”
Bush was mad. “Why are you telling me this in here?”…”You could have waited till I get to the Oval Office.”
He marched back into the building and continued the conversation in the Oval Office. He was tired and surly. Whatever intelligence they had, he was not going to respond. If they were worried, they could send non-essential personnel home, and make sure Cheney was at a separate location.
“I’m not leaving,” Bush said irritably. “If a plane hits us, I’ll just die.”
Then he turned to the Navy Steward. “And Ferdie, I’m hungry. I’ll have a hamburger.”
Karen Hughes: “You might as well add cheese.”
The fact is that is the sentiment that more and more people will feel in the days coming. We can’t just live in fear and hope for the best.
Much as we can’t let the terrorists win, neither can we let this virus.
I have some other reports coming in. I saw another 25 people violate social distancing yesterday. In fact, there were so many people walking on one street, it was impossible not to. I might take some photos later today of the rule breakers just to show it’s happening.
My conservative premier wants everyone to shelter in place until a vaccine is created. The fact is, we might never get a vaccine. I already see doctors saying that in The Guardian. They have been working on the AIDS vaccine for 40 years. They are breaking the rules to get us one, and I sure they hope they do. But even with a flu vaccine, thousands of people still die from the flu.
A friend is asking why they are giving $800 tickets to families playing in the park, but hundreds of people queue around the local shopping mall and the cops go nowhere near them.
I answered that the cops know that a) those people don’t have any money, and b) they might start a riot if they tried.
I pointed out to a Warren supporter the protests in Sacramento yesterday. His response was “we will just have to increase the lockdown or get harsher on restrictions.”
To which I responded, “Do you think we have enough troops for that? There may be rioting soon, do you think American soldiers will fire on American Citizens who want their jobs back? ‘Cause that’s what it might come down to.”
It’s not like you can lock people up. They emptied the prisons so people wouldn’t get the virus, remember?
The quarantine is failing; our governments need to recognize that and start coming up with new plans. Ones that reflect the reality on the ground, not how we wish them to be.
Published in General
Tory,
Your comment about not letting the virus win is classic. This should be repeated often and in as many places where others will see it as possible. Regretfully, the situation with a vaccine is worse than what you are saying. Even if a vaccine is discovered tomorrow morning it couldn’t be implemented for at least a year. Hydroxychloroquine is a well know drug whose side effects are well documented. It is only administered to a small number of patients who have a dangerous case of the virus already. An unknown new vaccine would be administered to the entire population, most of whom are perfectly healthy. If only a small percentage of the entire population experienced life-threatening side effects then the vaccine would be worse than the virus. The vaccine requires long term testing before it is released.
Forget the vaccine. Your comment that we can’t let the virus win is what matters. We have bought a little time with the lockdown and we have used it well to marshall our forces against the virus. We should now lift the lockdown in phases and face the consequences whatever they are.
Regards,
Jim
The vaccine and testing arguments are exercises in moving the goalpost. Not that there’s anything wrong with more testing or with a vaccine, but waiting for either to hit any area not already hit is not a good option.
That is my impression. But people are voting with there feet. I already here of illegal speak easies. I believe the underground economy will start going soon enough.
It’s like holding your breath because someone has a gun to your head and tells you he will pull the trigger if you take a breath. If the governors wait too long to issue the order, the economies will open up anyway on their own. Best to maintain the semblance of law and order and take the gun away from the head before the breath is taken.
Well, I don’t know about soldiers, but I’m pretty sure there are cops who will blindly blaze away. I mean, I never thought I’d see reports of such things as cops handcuffing a father who was playing with his 6 year-old daughter in an empty park, or cops citing a surfer off of an empty beach. Yet we have seen those reports and more.
Makes me think that all the folks who say, “The cops would never obey an order for mass confiscation of guns” might just be wrong.
Exactly. We cannot continue to put life on hold forever – not even for a few more months. The time to do that has passed. Open things up. Let those who would prefer to stay home stay home. Let the rest of us get back to work, trying to salvage and/or reforge our lives.
That incident was so crazy. The officer violated social distance to make the arrest. Putting himself and others in jeopardy. I think maybe the cop was just stupid.
It would be interesting to know what was going through his mind at the time.
Said it before and I’ll reiterate; one big unintended consequence re; the Volstead Act was it made criminals of millions of ordinary Americans whom wouldn’t even jaywalk normally……it eroded the rule of law in a general sense by making it ‘ok’ for folks to just take a drink…..slippery slope and all that.
–What are the chances realistically of getting a vaccine at all. All these guys say its 18 months, but I know they have been working on AIDS for 40 years and havent cracked it. Seriously can you give me a percentage or ratio?
Thanks
Presuming something normally ‘goes through his mind’. Modern cops are drones. They might be good people with good intentions, but they aren’t paid to think. That’s a career killer.
Tory,
Our capabilities with virus-related and other molecular biological problems are fantastically better than they used to be. I wouldn’t be surprised if this virus is cracked sooner than later (vague & noncommital enough for you). However, my point is that they won’t release it to be used until they’ve got a really good handle on its side effects. Because it would be given to the entire U.S. population even though most of us are perfectly healthy even a small percentage of dangerous side effects would make the vaccine more dangerous than the virus itself is now. (On the other hand, Hydroxychloroquine is only given to very few people already infected who have a bad prognosis. The side effects are already well known and so are the ways to ameliorate these side effects. Thus fast-tracking, doing it right now, is the way to go with Hydroxychloroquine.)
What this adds up to is that we must bite the bullet and start opening up the economy (phased). We are much better prepared (adequate hospital beds & supplies & crude but effective treatments) and have a clearer prognosis handle (some real antibody testing) than six weeks ago. That’s as good as it’s going to get.
It’s time to go for it.
Regards,
Jim
There is a report that the Sabin oral polio vaccine may create a nonspecific resistance to other viruses including Covid and even Influenza. It’s on this podcast on virology.
https://www.microbe.tv/twiv/twiv-604/?fbclid=IwAR0l5xw0M1aTx_s3NsYS1Aaj4YJzJZKn1djn-tmZETw2KzeVJPAZkkg3kRM
The 55 mph national speed limit had a similar effect.
I saw that on University of Maryland Virology dept. I think the article said (this was last week) perhaps a weak live vaccine of polio and/or tuberculosis.
The connection to tuberculosis makes sense to me (not a doctor, not a scientist, but I am an ‘expert’)
Both are respiratory or pulmonary illnesses?
Also, George W Bush told FEMA to create a plan for pandemics. Arnold Schwarzenegger did the same thing in California.
Successive governments let those plans and in Arnolds case a massive stockpile lapse. Sold all the stuff off as to expensive.
BCG was a preview of immunotherapy? Immune checkpoint inhibitors have successfully treated some melanoma patients.
Must be why I was never promoted.