This essay, the seventh in a series on the pandemic, includes, among other subjects, an analysis of the 2020 election and critique of the Trump Voter. It concludes with a William Stafford poem, "A Ritual to Read to Each Other."
Pandemic Mangle
Pandemic Jangle
Donald Trump and the Republican Party have made white supremacy their core issue in the campaign, and the President threatens to stay in office even if he loses. He's made himself a threat to democracy. In the meantime, the COVID-19 pandemic spreads unabated. There is no national plan to confront it. How could this be happening?
Pandemic Gamble
One thing seems clear. Trump intends to stay in office indefinitely, no matter what. He will use any means to do so. All his efforts are intended to realize that result. The election is our next, best chance to intervene. My advice is to focus on the election. Focus on voting and on helping other voters vote.
