(NOTE: Here is a draft of the Supreme Court opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade.)
***
On the very day I got my second Covid booster shot, I kept thinking about how much the pandemic has revealed the strengths and weaknesses of our democratic, capitalist society.
It still seems borderline miraculous to me that the drug industry, much-maligned for plenty of legitimate reasons, nevertheless was able so quickly to come up with the vaccines.
And although there have been glitches and inequities in the distribution of those vaccines globally, here in the U.S. the process has been nearly seamless.
The shots are free to us, even though we do not have a national health system, because the federal government pays for them. The drug companies have made large profits, but that’s what capitalism is all about.
You can argue that the massive government expenditures in the vaccines and stimulus payments, etc., has led directly to inflation and many economists would agree with you. Inflation sucks, especially for anybody who isn’t scandalously rich, but it is in fact a natural result of the Trump and Biden administrations doing the right thing in a public health emergency.
The investment was worth it, even with inflation, because the bottom line is that for the overwhelming majority of Americans, Covid is no longer a major concern. Don’t forget that we lost a million lives in the process. And sure, the virus keeps mutating, as viruses are wont to do, but only into less lethal if somewhat more contagious forms.
More of my family members have been diagnosed with Covid recently but everybody has recovered quickly. At this point it’s no more of a concern than the flu, i.e., it’s a nasty bug but one should be able to survive it, particularly if one uses common sense and gets vaccinated.
Of course there are still millions of Americans willing to roll the dice and avoid getting the freely available shots. Many of them have been badly misled by scare-mongers, but that also is typical of the free expression characteristic of a democracy.
We don’t shut up the idiots among us as attractive as that prospect might be at times. It is called the First Amendment and it’s not always pretty.
Democracy and capitalism are only ideas, it is true, and quite imperfect ones at that. But they remain pretty much the best we as a species have come up with. I’m as critical of U.S. systems as anyone but what credible alternative is there?
None.
But that’s still no excuse for us to overlook the excesses that our system inevitably produces. Concentrated corporate power inevitably leads to abuses that harm people and the environment. Strong regulation is necessary. Over-regulation strangles creativity.
Everything, in the end, requires balance. That’s where we come in.
We vote.
Today’s Stories (35):
Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade published by Politico (CNN)
Russia's war escalates in eastern Ukraine even as Mariupol ceasefire enables evacuations from Azovstal steel plant (CBS)
Humanitarian organizations worked to evacuate more civilians from Mariupol, but hundreds of people remained trapped in the Azovstal steel works, the last stronghold of resistance to the Russian siege. People stuck there were running out of water, food and medicine. (Reuters)
Ukraine Says It Sank Two Russian Naval Boats, as New Blasts Hit Russian Border Area (WSJ)
Pelosi Visit to Ukraine Signals Growing U.S. Resolve Against Russia (NYT)
Russia's neighbor Finland will almost certainly apply for membership in NATO, Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde said. The Ukraine invasion has forced Sweden and Finland to review beliefs that military neutrality is the best means of ensuring national security. (Reuters)
Putin is inching towards his nukes, threatening to annihilate the world if he fails to capture Ukraine, says foreign affairs expert (Yahoo)
Energy ministers from European Union countries were expected to hold emergency talks as the bloc strives for a united response to Moscow's demand that European buyers pay for Russian gas in roubles or face their supply being cut off. (Reuters)
Ukraine is the focus, but Russian troops are in several ex-Soviet republics (NPR)
How the ‘jack-in-the-box’ flaw dooms some Russian tanks (WP)
Ukrainian evacuee recounts terror in the bunkers of Azovstal (Reuters)
Mass flight of tech workers turns Russian IT into another casualty of war (WP)
Inside China’s Zero-Covid Fortress, Xi Admits No Doubts (NYT)
BA.2.12.1 is about 25% more transmissible than the BA.2 subvariant currently dominating coronavirus cases nationwide, according to preliminary research. (WP)
Beijing teeters on edge of Covid lockdown (Financial Times)
Western officials have largely lost hope that the Iran nuclear deal can be resurrected, forcing them to weigh how to limit Iran's atomic program even as Russia's invasion of Ukraine divides the big powers. (Reuters)
As Iran-Taliban tensions rise, Afghan migrants in tinderbox (AP)
Nearly risk-free I bonds to deliver a record 9.62% interest for the next six months (CNBC)
Fed to fight inflation with fastest rate hikes in decades (AP)
Six months before crucial midterms, Biden faces many challenges (WP)
Some Hispanic voters in Arizona and Colorado who usually vote Democrat told Reuters that soaring inflation is causing them to seriously consider voting for Republicans. Even a small loss of support among Hispanics could mean the loss of the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate for Democrats. (Reuters)
Bidenworld wants to make the midterms more about Trump and hopes Elon Musk helps (Politico)
Judge rebukes GOP effort to delegitimize Jan. 6 committee (WP)
Saturn's weird moon Titan looks a bit like Earth, and scientists might finally know why (Space.com)
Strange Galactic Signal Coming From the Center of the Galaxy Has Potential New Explanation (SciTechDaily)
Strange Mars rock type points to extremely violent volcanic eruptions (Space.com)
There’s an aquatic jungle off the coast of Northern California, but 95 percent of it has vanished in less than a decade. (Cal Today)
Vacuuming carbon from the air could help stop climate change. Not everyone agrees (NPR)
Unrelenting heat in India pushes April power demand to record high (Reuters)
India heatwave: Scorching temperatures affecting poor the most (BBC)
Scientists say they have nailed down the ideal amount of sleep in middle and old age — 7 hours (CNN)
Elon Musk Is Right That Twitter Should Follow the First Amendment (Atlantic)
The Weirdest Coaching Staff in Baseball Has Made the Giants a Powerhouse
The San Francisco Giants have a coaching staff unlike any other, and their success is forcing the sport to rethink who is qualified to be in a major-league dugout. (WSJ)
Woman Knows To Stay Away From Certain Parts Of Own Psyche At Night (The Onion)
***
Today’s Lyrics:
“Why Not Me?
The Judds
Songwriters: Brent Maher / Harlan Howard / Sonny Throckmorton
You've been lookin' for love all around the world
Baby, don't you know this country girl's still free?
Why not me?
Well, you've finally come down to your old hometown
Your Kentucky girl's been waiting patiently
Why not me?Why not me on a rainy day?
Why not me to love your cares away?
Why not me?
Why not me when the nights get cold?
Why not me when you're growin' old?
Why not me?You've been searchin' from here to Singapore
Ain't it time that you notice the girl next door, baby
Why not me?
Oh you had to see if the world was round
It's time that you learned how good settlin' down could be
Why not me?Why not me on a rainy day?
Why not me to love your cares away?
Why not me?
Why not me when the nights get cold?
Why not me when you're growin' old?
Why not me?You've been lookin' for love all around the world
Baby, don't you know this country girl's still free?
Why not me?
Why not me?
Baby, Why not me?
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