Dr. Rick Bright: "Without better planning, 2020 could be the darkest winter in modern history. First and foremost, we need to be truthful with the American people."
"We have the world's greatest scientists. . .
c-span.org/video/?471986-…
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To summarize Dr. Rick Bright: The people are being lied to. Scientists cannot speak out without fear of retribution.
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Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) just asked: If we have no alternative treatments, what was wrong with pushing hydroxychloroquine out there? 🤦♀️
Dr. Bright: We first need to make sure the drugs are safe.
Duh, right?
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Gus Bilirakis wanted Dr. Bright to give his "reaction personally," to hearing about hydroxychloroquine.
Bright explained the kinds of controlled studies and evaluations required before he can give an opinion.
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He was met with indifference and excuses.
As a result of the delay "lives were lost."
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💠Much money and many years were spent trying to pin 4 deaths in a foreign attack on the Secretary of Stat
meanwhile
💠Real evidence that inaction by the administration killed people is ignored.
It's a feature of the GOP, not a bug.
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Democrats: Regulations based on science saves lives.
Republicans: Get rid of regulations. Let people do whatever we want.
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Then (snidely) Mullen says: “You can’t even manage your own hypertension.”😕🤦♀️
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Hudson (R-NC) says the hearing is a partisan and political attempt to undermine the Trump administration.
He's thanking Trump for his leadership and and blaming the previous administration.
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A few minutes later:
Rep. Long (R-MO): Why didn't you just bring your suggestions to your supervisor?
(Added that for fun, but actually, the House of Representatives has always had a few blockheads)
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Carter(R-GA): When did you sour on hydroxychloroquine?
Bright: When there was a push to make it broadly available not under close supervision of a physician.
Bright's mantra: We need a scientifically-based plan. There's no plan.
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Raise your hand if you can imagine this administration exchanging vaccines for favors🙋♀️
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Yet, there is an abundance of evidence that TRUMP-GOP policies are killing people.
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The GOP knows that Benghazi was politically motivated.
The GOP now accuses Bright and this committee of being politically motivated.
nymag.com/intelligencer/…
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The GOP doesn't believe that fairness or equality exists (they have a hierarchical view of the world) so they assume the Democrats are also trying to grab power.
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That's how you know they don't believe anyone has principles. So it's all about grabbing power.
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The reason Trump and pals are always feeling victimized is because when others assert their rights, Trump and pals feel that their place at the top of the hierarchy is being challenged.
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Nobody says "I don't believe in fairness."
Trump thinks the world is horribly unfair to him.
Hierarchical people shout "unfair" when others assert their rights.
thehill.com/homenews/admin…
People who don't believe in objective truth (see chart I'll attach in the next tweet) assume that Bright is shilling for the Democrats and trying to sabotage Trump.
What if we respond with something like this:
"What you're saying is that nobody has principles; Everyone acts in their own self-interests. I disagree. There ARE people in elected office with principles."
Now . . .
Now I'll take a stab at another hard question, this one from @gwshel ⤵️
We don't take the high road to move or win over the would-be fascists and oligarchs. . .
We say: We stand for fairness, equality, science, and truth. We prove it by taking the high road.
Then we ask: Are you a fairness person? Then join us.
If we try to cheat as well as unprincipled people, we'll lose. You can't out-Herod Herod.
So we distinguish ourselves by taking the high road.
Also, how about this idea ⤵️for how to respond to the "Trump lies, but all politicians lie" talking point.
In the Republican view, complete freedom from regulations isn't for everyone. They're hierarchical thinkers. Complete freedom is for the people at the top . . .
This is where libertarians depart from Republicans because they say "no regulations at all." No room to expand, but this also leads to hierarchy because it allows cheating.
Of course cheating (and crime) creates hierarchy. How do you think the African Americans were originally enslaved?