covid diary: day 59

Good grief. You'll never guess who said this today:

“I learned a lot from Richard Nixon, don’t fire people. I learned a lot by watching Richard Nixon. ... I did nothing wrong and there are no tapes in my case.”

 He did nothing wrong. There are no tapes. You know what does exist, though? More than 75,000 Americans dead because he refused to take action early (or even at all). A 14.7 percent unemployment rate, the highest since the Great Depression. A truly staggering 33.5 million unemployment claims since mid-March. A government — a nation — in shambles.

Meanwhile, he directs the Department of Justice to drop the charges against Mike Flynn, who pleaded guilty (twice!!!) to lying to the FBI and was working with foreign governments against our interests. He directs the theft of personal protective equipment from states in desperate need. He buries CDC guidance that could keep us all safe because it's not convenient for his purposes of reopening the economy at any cost. And let's be clear about what "at any cost" means — he's talking about sacrificing tens of thousands more people here. Because he sees the economy as the key to his reelection. America, are we really going to elect this disgusting grifter again? Do we just not want to have a country anymore?

Yesterday came the news that one of Trump's valets (you guys, he needs multiple valets? come ON!), the one who serves his meals, tested positive for COVID-19. And Trump was "lava-level mad" that his administration isn't doing more to protect him. He's not any kind of level of mad, or sad, or even concerned about the 75,000 dead citizens. He's not any kind of level of mad, or sad, or even concerned about the poor valet. He's lava-level mad because someone dared bring illness near him personally. So now every person who goes to the White House will be tested every single day, while ordinary Americans suffer and die and there is still not comprehensive testing. [Added later: Whoops! Looks like at least one person on the vice president's staff has also tested positive. It's almost like if you actually test people, you have a better idea of the scope of the problem and what needs to be done to manage it!]

On the state level, a lot of states are turning to a new idea for keeping down the number of infections: not reporting them. Or doing a combination of refusing access to tests (you can't have any diagnosed infections without any tests, amirite?) and severely restricting the information that is being made public. And hitting the trifecta: refusing access to tests, restricting the information that is being made public, AND publicly casting doubt on the accuracy of the existing numbers. (That's happening on the national level too. The president has been very vocal in the past couple of days in saying the numbers are inflated, that this is all fake news. But try telling that to the 75,000+ grieving families. Or to the entire scientific community, which believes that if anything, the numbers are way too low to reflect actual cases and deaths.)

Tonight, to celebrate completing the fourth elearning day of the week, Liam and I again went to try to get gyros. Unlike last night, we timed it just right and got through the line quickly. By the time we got our food and tried to leave, though, the cars were totally wrapped around the building and backed up through the adjacent parking lot, so that made a nice challenge for Liam to navigate. It was worth it, though, for delicious gyros.

Also tonight, Mike and I actually had time to sit down together and watch a movie, something we rarely do. It was The American President, which we have both seen more than once but just love. Man, we could use an Andrew Shepherd right now.

Nationwide cases: 1,283,846. Deaths: 77,178.