1. A fairly grim thread coming. America is handling the #coronavirus like Iran, so it's likely what happens here will be like what's happening in Iran. In Iran, 8% of their parliament has been infected. Political leaders are dying. businessinsider.com/another-senior…
2. Politicians meet a lot of people, which means they are likely to be infected by a contagious virus. Already a massive AIPAC conference had coronavirus infected people, and AIPAC attendees were doing lots of meetings with Congress. politico.com/news/2020/03/0…
3. Congress is also old, roughly 60 years old on average. Hoyer is 80, Pelosi and Clyburn are 79, McConnell is 78. Other leaders are old. Trump is 73, Bernie is 78, Biden is 77, Warren is 70.
The coronavirus case fatality rate is much higher for people in their 70s.
The coronavirus case fatality rate is much higher for people in their 70s.
4. On the Supreme Court, Clarence Thomas is 71, Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 86, and Stephen Breyer is 81.
It's much broader. America is a young country owned and run by old people. The average age of a billionaire in America is 66.
It's much broader. America is a young country owned and run by old people. The average age of a billionaire in America is 66.
5. Donald Trump is psychologically incapable of dealing with something he can't control, and he hasn't figured out how to assert a sense of control over the #coronavirus. So he does what wealthy reactionaries do. He denies the problem and screams at subordinates.
6. Trump's psychological problem isn't unique. Think about how hard it is to stop shaking hands, how people laugh or feel uncomfortable when you openly discuss the need for social distancing. That's denying a truth out of a psychological need for *control.* We all feel it.
7. My guess is that most billionaires and powerful people do not believe the #coronavirus is meaningful. America's political and social leadership is full of old reactionary spoiled nightmares who scream at subordinates. They either deny it or act insane. marketwatch.com/story/cnbcs-ri…
8. As @jonst0kes points out in this thread, the plan is to simply refuse to acknowledge the #coronavirus is happening and just pretend it's the flu. Jon thinks such a cover-up will work. We still don't know how many people died during Katrina.
9. I don't think such a cover-up will work. Katrina killed the powerless. So did Hurricane Maria. This disease is going to kill the powerless AND the powerful.
The difference between a crisis and a tragedy is just that. A crisis affects the elites.
The difference between a crisis and a tragedy is just that. A crisis affects the elites.
