No, these are not new pet names, but rather two terms used in the ongoing pandemic. Along with them we have 'leapfrogging', a term used to try to explain what common sense should have made clear long ago. The problem with all these terms and, in fact, much of the news these days, particularly that emanating from the WH, has huge sprinklings of not fairy dust, but doubt and uncertainty.
"Never let the truth get in the way of a good story." This saying, of unknown authorship, seems to be the guiding mantra of the WH today and indeed for the past three and a half years. The truth is that societal outlier, long ignored, wasting away by the roadside, recognized by very few. In fact, it is as if truth has disappeared into the 'old files' lot, those files long ago discarded and/or deemed unimportant - or damaging, needing to be hidden.
So what are the pouches of the title? On the day after Trump stated that deaths will not exceed more than 50,000-60,000, a figure topped that very day, the federal government placed an order for over 100,000 "human remains pouches" - body bags. Again a lie, again an attempt to deny the truth to the public, again a deep aversion to truth, any truth, which will negate the positions and false statements of Trump and his spokespeople.
And Bubbles? Nope, not some ditzy exotic dancer, but a new concept that actually could work, but also signals a new path for the country and the world, not necessarily a good one for the long term future. It could change the political and economic landscape in a drastic manner. It is a term which can go from micro to macro.
At the lowest level, it might mean that two families choose to make a bubble: - only these two families will interact with each other during this or any other such time. It can grow into a regional bubble, wherein say, several states willl make plans together in terms of trade, of travel, of economic and other ties. It could even have regions within regions creating and interacting within their own bubbles. Finally, we can have international bubbles wherein countries will limit travel to and from their countries to only those from the bubbled countries other than for business, and that, under strict, maybe even harsh, terms.
Now think of the then futuristic novels of 1984 genre. The world split into three major bubbles, always at war with each other, always with the governing mantra of any bubble being the lie, the story to obfuscate and eliminate the truth. It did not matter whether the 'truth' changed from one minute to the next for that was the 'truth' of the moment. Ring any bells?
Our countries would be different, perhaps not even existing any longer. Our whole thinking would have been changed, and all to suit the few in power as the rest of the population labored away in horrendous and hopeless situations, always kept in the darkness of ignorance. We must be wary of these trends, insuring they do not shred society, even as we return the economy of the world to working order. But understand that the concept is out there, well advanced in talks between New Zealand and Australia, both countries which have basically surmounted the pandemic with very few new cases. And why is that? Because they listened. Because they trusted their leaders. Huh!!
Finally, we have the idea of leapfrogging, jumping over, skipping steps, on the way toward some promised goal, even if neither realistic nor safe, demanding of great care and supervision, much thought into implementation, and planning for glitches. That certainly is not, any of it, a boasting point for this administration and as for future ones - only time will tell. But it all signals for a beware sign, trouble ahead, slippery when wet, or any other matching warning.
In a most immediate application, Fauci warns of the dangers of leapfrogging in opening up the economy, in lessening the restrictions on societal interactions. If we are careless, leapfrog over necessary steps, we will face a rebound, a second, third or however many waves there are, of this or any new pandemic coming down the pike. In the desire to jumpstart our shattered economy, the temptation is there, the need great, but the safety issue is primary. If we skip that, if we lessen the restrictions too quickly, if we do not reshape society and employment then we will lose the battle.
As usual, the issue has divided on partisan support, with the Republicans discounting the human safety needs, with big corporations and their lobbyists pushing for a full start, 0 to 60 in 30 seconds, while the Democrats are stressing that all must be meshed together carefully, with supervision and safeguards for the spending of these massive and tempting funds, for their proper distributions and for the betterment of the people.
We must learn or relearn the recognition of truth, the necessity of truth. We must demand transparency and not increase the use of fear, of punishment for the 'crime' of telling the truth, for revealing the lies, for pulling back the curtains of falsehoods and fake stories, particularly those which glide over the truth as is rampant in this administration, which do not serve any purpose other than to divide the country into an almost irreparable chasm of differences and hatred.
There is no getting around it. This is a time of mammoth societal changes, of recognitions that the world we knew only last year, is no longer and will never return. The configurations of society will, must, change. But we must not lose our humanity, our values of truth, of honor, of righteous behavior, of caring for others, of a strong safety net, of a long delayed ending of prejudice, a recogniton that we are all on this space orb together. If Trump talks of his Space Force and his 'Operation Warp Project', jumping, as usual, leapfrogging, into his space on this issue, then we are in trouble. Pushing drugs and not yet there vaccines into production before safety testing, well, look for new 'truths', new stories, altered to define new histories.
Process and procedure. The necessary path to follow, despite the urgency. What goes too fast, with too much leapfrogging, will kill more than before, increase pressure on the world to change in its political divisions and unions, and certainly, more "human remains pouches' will be needed and ordered. Corners must be cut very carefully and by as little as possible. There are lives at stake and we must not kill more in the name of saving others in a path that might never even work.
Furthermore, I do not know about you, but in an administration whose leader suggests using an injection or pill or drink of cleaning agents such as Lysol, as a means of 'disinfecting', well, I need to know what is in that vaccine, who has taken it already, and finally, how will it be distributed fairly and safely. Not an easy task, for any administration, but in particular for this one, headed by a 'stable geni-ass'.
In the meanwhile, follow the rules, keep your distances safe, wear protection as annoying as it is, and certainly, do not drink the new version of that infamous Kool-Aid! Think before jumping into action. Think of safety. Think truth.
All the while - be well, stay safe.
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