. . . this lengthy but by no means too long piece by Ed Yong in The Atlantic. He pulls no punches in demolishing the sheer idiocy, incompetence, psychopathy and mendacity of the current "administration" in bringing catastrophe on the U.S. However, he puts it in the context of our radical underinvestment in public health infrastructure, which the administration exacerbated but which already existed; the deeply embedded inequalities, including institutional racism; the lack of rights and protection for workers; and the denial and rejection of science and expertise which have long had the country on the path of decline.
It is a comprehensive and compelling documentation of our failures. American exceptionalism indeed. I'll just give you the conclusion. (And do not attempt to comment if you have not read the whole thing.)
COVID‑19 is an assault on America’s body, and a referendum on the ideas that animate its culture. Recovery is possible, but it demands radical introspection. America would be wise to help reverse the ruination of the natural world, a process that continues to shunt animal diseases into human bodies. It should strive to prevent sickness instead of profiting from it. It should build a health-care system that prizes resilience over brittle efficiency, and an information system that favors light over heat. It should rebuild its international alliances, its social safety net, and its trust in empiricism. It should address the health inequities that flow from its history. Not least, it should elect leaders with sound judgment, high character, and respect for science, logic, and reason.
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