We are in a crisis of the elite which has been simmering for quite a while. The pandemic has brought it more clearly into the open. The result is that people today are less likely to take politicians, the media, and “experts” seriously, for cause.
Related: COVID19, Umbrellas, and Frauds (Oh My!)
Yes, the people are revolting. We have good reason to do so. We should be using common sense and actual science to aid individuals and civil society. The “second COVID-19 wave” is not a reason to be rushing back into a total lockdown. States are heading into the second wave of pandemic lockdowns. Compliance by many Americans is more grudging this time around. And why is that?
The Anarchists, Antifa, BLM, and Islamists masquerading as Democrats appear eager to shut everything down. Their goal is to create government dependence. It has nothing to do with stopping the spread of the coronavirus. The lockdown policy stance ignores what science is telling us. Full lockdowns are not as effective as a targeted approach.
The personal behavior of political leaders suggests they don’t take their own proposals seriously. The alternative explanation is lockdowns are for the “masses.” They do not apply to the very important people like themselves. It is no wonder so many Americans are in a populist mood.
In the opening days of the COVID-19 outbreak, fear of the unknown drove extreme measures. They may have been justified to bend the curve and preserve the American health care system. We can have that debate.
Government has a role to play in public health. We can have a debate about who should exercise which power. Things like streamlining the process of approving rapid self-testing kits are a huge boon. But public health is too often being wielded by overzealous politicians as a social control tool. Our constitutional rights have been and continue to be trampled.
Too many of those politicians are demonstrating the absurd draconian rules they foist on Americans don’t really apply to themselves. Let’s look at some leading politicians. Leave it to the California governor to be the leading pandemic lockdown hypocrite.
Gov. Gavin Newsom was caught dining with a group of friends, advisers, and a powerful lobbyist. They were at The French Laundry. It is one of the country’s most expensive and exclusive high-end restaurants. Newsom’s dinner party came just hours after he was urging families not to travel and gather for the holidays. Laws are for thee not for me.
California’s rules for Thanksgiving were so strict as to be absurd. Californians were told that all gatherings must be outside. Restrooms could only be used if frequently sanitized. Gatherings should be two hours or less. Every guest must be seated 6 feet apart. And no singing. Newsom and his fellow French Laundry diners were neither 6 feet apart nor outside here? Laws are for thee not for me.
Then there’s House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She was caught going to a hair salon when San Francisco had banned the practice. Her excuse was that it was a setup to make her look bad. True or not mission accomplished. Laws are for thee not for me.
Just before Thanksgiving San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo tweeted, “Cases are spiking, in part because we’re letting our guard (and masks) down with family & friends… Let’s cancel the big gatherings this year and focus on keeping each other safe.” Liccardo then proceeded to have a gathering of eight people, comprising several households. Laws are for thee not for me.
California may be the home of the pandemic hypocrite but not the only one. There have been countless other examples around the country. Politicians and public officials have been zealous about shutting everything down. It is for our own good, you understand, but finding ways to personally skirt the rules.
Take for example District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser. She went to an Election Day party in Delaware. No problem except the state had been out put on a high-risk travel advisory. It was a trip the mayor calls “necessary.” Laws are for thee not for me.
The message from these activities is clear. We are not missing the message. The political class has deemed swamp slithering more important than their own law. Whatever silly little business, family matter, or religious gathering you think is essential… well, laws are for thee not for me.
It’s understandable that these politicians wish to go about their lives. But they cannot justify this when they are barring their fellow Americans from going to funerals and activities they deem absolutely necessary. Laws are for thee not for me is having an impact. The behavior is corrosive of the effect of peer pressure.
And it’s not just politicians betraying public trust with blatant double standards. Public health officials have made pronouncements. Lockdowns are necessary. People shouldn’t gather. Then ignore the guidelines for political movements they sympathize with. Laws are for thee not for me.
The media seems in on the game too. The almost ridiculous difference in coverage between rallies for President Trump and Biden street parties was beyond laughable. One is an example of a super spreader event. The other is a wonderful expression of democracy. Is this kind of one-sided coverage really a surprise? Laws are for thee not for me.
The individual cases of hypocrisy might be no more than a mockable trifle normally. But put them all together and they are examples of a larger phenomenon taking place in the United States. People are losing faith in once trusted institutions. We are being taught to look upon them with hostile suspicion. Laws are for thee not for me. Just think about it…