The Neverending Thread for Political Shit

[pearlbeer]

I think its also time we stop being surprised and clutching our pearls. This shit has been going on and getting worse for the better part of a decade. The current form of the GOP has no interest nor ability in governing.

Agreed. I've now tried to explain 3 times why I think I was aiming at a different target that is still worth some time & effort trying to understand but since I can't articulate it, I'm probably wrong.

Understood. I'm with you, but applying common logic here is like trying to divide by zero.

[beantownbubba]

I think its also time we stop being surprised and clutching our pearls. This shit has been going on and getting worse for the better part of a decade. The current form of the GOP has no interest nor ability in governing.

Agreed. I've now tried to explain 3 times why I think I was aiming at a different target that is still worth some time & effort trying to understand but since I can't articulate it, I'm probably wrong.

Understood. I'm with you, but applying common logic here is like trying to divide by zero.

That's it! Pure genius, Mr. Beer. We need Chuck Norris!

[jr29]

The findings from the Biden classified document investigation have me as pessimistic and frustrated as I've been in quite a while. We're fucked.
We were probably already fucked, but we're even more likely to be fucked now.

[John A Arkansawyer]

The findings from the Biden classified document investigation have me as pessimistic and frustrated as I've been in quite a while. We're fucked.
We were probably already fucked, but we're even more likely to be fucked now.

The very same qualities which might've made Merrick Garland a good judge make him a shitty Attorney General.

That said, I'm still not pessimistic.

[beantownbubba]

This is the part that drives me crazy; the complete topsy-turviness of it all. Yeah, it's outrageous and undoubtedly would have been disqualifying in the BTT, but inviting Russia to do "whatever the hell it wants" in Europe is not just crazy, it is a complete reversal of the conservative mindset. How does this appeal to any American? How can anyone think that this is less dangerous to the US than funding Ukrainian resistance? Confronting this in black and white can it really be that there aren't 10 Republican senators who won't say "enough!"?

In related news, Tucker Carlson who we already know has no shame, went on TV, got used and abused by Putin for a couple of hours and essentially said, "yes, I really am that stupid." It turns out that he is shocked, shocked! that Putin actually has designs on Ukraine because he wants to control and own it. Who woulda thunk it? Ummmm, everyone except Tucker Carlson?

[John A Arkansawyer]

Confronting this in black and white can it really be that there aren't 10 Republican senators who won't say "enough!"?

Yes. They've bought the ticket, now they're taking the ride.

[beantownbubba]

Yes, yes, the special counsel's alleged report on Biden's handling of confidential documents was a gratuitous political hatchet job that never should have seen the light of day. Yes, the press continues to unfairly overweight and overreport Biden's possibly age-related slips/mistakes while underweighting and seriously underreporting Trump's. Yes, it is only this weekend that I am finally seeing articles about Biden's age and possible infirmities that also mention Trump's age and sometimes even some of his obvious problems. Let's take all that as a given and take one giant step back. What's really going on here?

I think that what we're witnessing is the complete breakdown of the American system of voting, elections and politics. There is no doubt that for better or worse we have a two party system. The two parties exercise almost complete dominion over the political life of this country. Virtually nobody can run for, much less win, office without the imprimatur of one of the two parties. And here we are, less than 10 months before a presidential election and the two parties seem intent on giving us a choice between an 81 year old man and a 77 year old twice impeached man facing 91 felony counts in multiple indictments. THIS is the problem, not the weaknesses, actual or alleged, of the two candidates. How can this system be judged as anything other than a complete failure? In this context, the specific attributes and demerits of the two candidates comes under the "all else is commentary" standard.*

*Challenged by a gentile to teach the Torah (i.e. the Old Testament) while standing on one leg, the legendary Rabbi Hillel said something like "That which is hateful to you do not do unto others" (i.e. the "Golden Rule). Hillel says, "all the rest is commentary, now go and study [all the rest]."

[John A Arkansawyer]

And here we are, less than 10 months before a presidential election and the two parties seem intent on giving us a choice between an 81 year old man and a 77 year old twice impeached man facing 91 felony counts in multiple indictments. THIS is the problem, not the weaknesses, actual or alleged, of the two candidates. How can this system be judged as anything other than a complete failure? In this context, the specific attributes and demerits of the two candidates comes under the "all else is commentary" standard.*

*Challenged by a gentile to teach the Torah (i.e. the Old Testament) while standing on one leg, the legendary Rabbi Hillel said something like "That which is hateful to you do not do unto others" (i.e. the "Golden Rule). Hillel says, "all the rest is commentary, now go and study [all the rest]."

Republicans aren't the only ones who bought the ticket. In 2020, when the Democratic establishment came together around Joe Biden because he was (in their opinion) the safest choice, that sealed the deal. You don't get to be President without a hefty dose of self-confidence, and Biden has beaten Trump before. Of course he was going to run again. So here we are on the ride. Bumper cars, I think. Feral Republicans are running wild and Timid Democrats are still looking for the exit.*

*I'll see your Rabbi Hillel and raise you a William Butler Yeats: "The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity." And as Lou Reed challenges us, "Now you figure out where I'm at."

[Clams]

I think that what we're witnessing is the complete breakdown of the American system of voting, elections and politics.

You're about 8 years late on this observation bubba

[beantownbubba]

I think that what we're witnessing is the complete breakdown of the American system of voting, elections and politics.

You're about 8 years late on this observation bubba

Hmmmm. I don't know if I disagree with you or if we're talking about (or maybe emphasizing) different things.

[beantownbubba]

"The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity."

A good one and way too right way too often.

[jr29]

Confronting this in black and white can it really be that there aren't 10 Republican senators who won't say "enough!"?

Yes. They've bought the ticket, now they're taking the ride.

My Senator in 2016, Bob Corker, tried to say "enough" and it cost him his seat.
Mitt Romney tried.
Others have tried and most have lost their seats. Overwhelmingly, these fucks choose the path of least resistance. They have zero backbone.

[beantownbubba]

Congressional dysfunction from the POV of conservative commentator Jason Willick in today's WaPo:

"The Senate is designed to protect members’ independent judgment from the whims of the electorate. But sometimes the conceptual gap between the two is too large to sustain. On the other side, the House is meant to reflect voter sentiment — but if reflected too directly, that sentiment can lead to chaos and incoherence.

"Congressional Republican leaders are navigating both problems. Finding the right balance between deliberative judgment and popular opinion is the central challenge of constitutional democracy. As long as the personalistic Donald Trump show is center stage, the party is unlikely to reach a sustainable equilibrium. But as long as it proceeds in such a shambolic disequilibrium, it will remain vulnerable to opportunistic figures like him."

Quoting is not an endorsement of the use of "personalistic."

[beantownbubba]

The slings and arrows of daily political life are what they are, and don't change much from day to day. Some days I handle them better than others but on the whole I think I've gotten better at keeping my equilibrium. Recent events that haven't had the effect they might have include Congress being on vacation yet again despite funding running out on 3/1 and unfinished business including Ukraine; the incredible (even for politicians) hypocrisy and cynicism of voting down major border reform for no good reason and then blaming the lack of border reform for not funding Ukraine; and Trump comparing himself to Navalny (actually laughed at that one).

But the one constant, the one that just doesn't go away and sets me off every time are the never ending go fund me appeals for medical emergencies. Let me be clear: I am NOT complaining about the asks. What frosts me is that they continue to be necessary. This is so outrageous, so heartbreaking, so unnecessary. I never have and never will understand why every person in this country (or at least every citizen if you insist) is not covered for basic medical care and for medical emergencies. How can this be in a country this rich?*

* If truth be told I could and should say the same thing about hunger but for whatever reasons (some of which I can guess at and understand) people don't seem to mount as many funding requests for food or at least I am not as aware of them. Not only do we have the money to feed every person, as I understand it we actually have the food, it just gets distributed and wasted in very inefficient ways. But I digress.

Universal medical care ought to be at the top of everyone's political agenda and it ought to be one of the issues about which people express themselves directly with their votes (i.e. voting for candidates who want to expand medical coverage and against those who don't). The current situation is intolerable and inexplicable. Yes there are complicated issues of implementation but they are not insurmountable. And anyone who argues against universal care by saying something like "just look at the NHS in the UK, is that what you want?" either has access to an incredibly privileged level of care that most Americans don't, does not understand how universal care actually works in the countries that have it and/or does not understand how the average level of medical care in this country is declining on measures like longer wait times for everything from routine doctor visits to necessary tests to emergency room treatment; prescription drug shortages**; declining longevity relative to other countries and in some cases in absolute terms; and increasing cost.

** I personally know of delayed cancer treatments because of the lack of the appropriate drugs. And as most people know, delay in cancer treatment can be deadly.

I venture to guess that I am one of the few people reading this who has actually experienced a medical emergency in a country with universal care and while one experience is not definitive it is instructive. The care was excellent; absolutely first rate despite language barriers and the cost was about $35 (depending on the exchange rate) including surgery, an overnight hospital stay and two follow-up visits. That is not a typo. There are no zeros in that number. This is not ancient history, it happened in 2023.

[Clams]

But the one constant, the one that just doesn't go away and sets me off every time are the never ending go fund me appeals for medical emergencies. Let me be clear: I am NOT complaining about the asks. What frosts me is that they continue to be necessary. This is so outrageous, so heartbreaking, so unnecessary. I never have and never will understand why every person in this country (or at least every citizen if you insist) is not covered for basic medical care and for medical emergencies. How can this be in a country this rich?*

* If truth be told I could and should say the same thing about hunger but for whatever reasons (some of which I can guess at and understand) people don't seem to mount as many funding requests for food or at least I am not as aware of them. Not only do we have the money to feed every person, as I understand it we actually have the food, it just gets distributed and wasted in very inefficient ways. But I digress.

Yes you could bring this right back to the Vision Video singer's spot-on rant at HHC last Thursday night. Maybe if we didn't fund horrible never ending wars in Afghanistan, Ukraine, Gaza, Africa and all over the globe then maybe we'd have the wherewithal to help people pay for medical care and food and housing and schools and roads and infrastructure and everything else we could be doing with the trillions of dollars that go to the military/industrial/political machine. The money needed to solve our problems is there. It's just being endlessly and horribly mismanaged by the holders of the purse strings in the good ol' US of A.

[beantownbubba]

But the one constant, the one that just doesn't go away and sets me off every time are the never ending go fund me appeals for medical emergencies. Let me be clear: I am NOT complaining about the asks. What frosts me is that they continue to be necessary. This is so outrageous, so heartbreaking, so unnecessary. I never have and never will understand why every person in this country (or at least every citizen if you insist) is not covered for basic medical care and for medical emergencies. How can this be in a country this rich?*

* If truth be told I could and should say the same thing about hunger but for whatever reasons (some of which I can guess at and understand) people don't seem to mount as many funding requests for food or at least I am not as aware of them. Not only do we have the money to feed every person, as I understand it we actually have the food, it just gets distributed and wasted in very inefficient ways. But I digress.

Yes you could bring this right back to the Vision Video singer's spot-on rant at HHC last Thursday night. Maybe if we didn't fund horrible never ending wars in Afghanistan, Ukraine, Gaza, Africa and all over the globe then maybe we'd have the wherewithal to help people pay for medical care and food and housing and schools and roads and infrastructure and everything else we could be doing with the trillions of dollars that go to the military/industrial/political machine. The money needed to solve our problems is there. It's just being endlessly and horribly mismanaged by the holders of the purse strings in the good ol' US of A.

I heard there was a rant by the Vision Video singer but I missed their set so don't know what he actually said.

Gotta disagree with you in significant part, Clams. First you lump together things that are not alike, least controversially (I assume) Afghanistan and Ukraine. But beyond that and the real source of my disagreement is that I don't think our funding priorities would change much at all if we cut our "defense" budget substantially. I bet that a majority would prefer either tax cuts or debt repayment to using that money more wisely and humanely for what is, or used to be, called the common good. We're not really having the old-fashioned "guns v. butter" debate in this country because there is not enough support for butter. So to me it's more than mismanagement, more than dubious priorities. I think there's something fundamentally wrong with us collectively.

[brettac1]

The answer to why is capitalism. It's not all that complicated nor does it require any sort of soul-searching. There's money to be made and that is the only thing that matters. Whether it's selling weapons to both parties involved in a war or using Ticketmaster dynamic pricing for life-saving drugs, you can bet the US political system supports it. Both parties, full-throatedly. Then heaven forbid when someone in Congress tries to push for universal healthcare, they get called unserious or unrealistic or get told that it's not the right time. The number of elected officials that actually prioritize improving the lives of people living in the country is insignificant. Pretty awesome.

How we as a country could endure a pandemic (still happening btw) and do *nothing* in regards to healthcare is truly breathtaking. Only this decomposed political system could produce that result.

TLDR: These people are by and large just fucking ghouls.

[pearlbeer]

Is jerking off legal in Alabama? (asking for a friend)

[Clams]

Is jerking off legal in Alabama? (asking for a friend)

There def should be legislation to ban it. After all, each of those sperms is practically a full grown child and you're a mass murderer for putting that kleenex in the trash can.

[tinnitus photography]

hey BtB, i saw a facebook post that eerily mirrored yours:

I had to go back to work while I'm here in Portland and I just got my benefits package. I'm an RN and the hospital I work for owns the health insurer that runs the plans (kind of like Kaiser but not quite). To insure my family (medical, dental, vision) will cost me over $600 per month in premiums alone. There is a $1000 deductible before coverage kicks in and then they pay 80% of all costs up to an out-of-pocket maximum of $3,000 per individual (or $6,000 per family).

So, assuming that I will use this plan to access some care, I'm out $7200 before I even see a doctor. If one of us needs surgery or has an emergency, and we have to max out the coverage, that's another $1000 in deductibles (payable by each member of the family) before they start paying their 20% and that 20% maxes out at $3000 person, at which point they pay 100% for the rest of the year. So it could run me a total of $11,200 if we have anything major and potentially another $5000 if something big were to happen to us. Granted, I make a good wage but even the premiums alone are about 10% of my income off the top. I don't imagine I'm alone in paying these prices either.

Private healthcare costs in France: $44-100 euros per month per person with no out of pocket costs. France doesn't tax US Social Security, Public pensions, or 401K withdrawals. Even if I have to learn French and eat snails, I'm going back there.

[beantownbubba]

hey BtB, i saw a facebook post that eerily mirrored yours:

I had to go back to work while I'm here in Portland and I just got my benefits package. I'm an RN and the hospital I work for owns the health insurer that runs the plans (kind of like Kaiser but not quite). To insure my family (medical, dental, vision) will cost me over $600 per month in premiums alone. There is a $1000 deductible before coverage kicks in and then they pay 80% of all costs up to an out-of-pocket maximum of $3,000 per individual (or $6,000 per family).

So, assuming that I will use this plan to access some care, I'm out $7200 before I even see a doctor. If one of us needs surgery or has an emergency, and we have to max out the coverage, that's another $1000 in deductibles (payable by each member of the family) before they start paying their 20% and that 20% maxes out at $3000 person, at which point they pay 100% for the rest of the year. So it could run me a total of $11,200 if we have anything major and potentially another $5000 if something big were to happen to us. Granted, I make a good wage but even the premiums alone are about 10% of my income off the top. I don't imagine I'm alone in paying these prices either.

Private healthcare costs in France: $44-100 euros per month per person with no out of pocket costs. France doesn't tax US Social Security, Public pensions, or 401K withdrawals. Even if I have to learn French and eat snails, I'm going back there.

And this post doesn't even consider the arguments with insurance companies and middlemen to get coverage for specific treatments and drugs or the difficulties in getting in to see the doctor (or other professional) you need to see. The system is broken. But s/he really ought to learn to like eating snails

[beantownbubba]

As you may know I am a huge fan of Professor Heather Cox Richardson and her substack blog. But even so, her most recent column, the one dated 2/21 is outstanding. Her ability to synthesize apparently disparate events and to weave the big picture story from the many small picture events that take most of our attention is unparalleled. I think it's available to everyone so here's the link:

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.c ... dium=email

[pearlbeer]

I was a bit shocked to recently read that Biden is 'preparing some serious sanctions' against Russia for the death of Navalny.

A few gripes (mainly media reporting) before my main gripe.
1) It's a murder, not just a death.
2) While sad, I don't think this should shock anyone at all.
3) There is no doubt who should be held responsible.

But sanctions? What is left to sanction? Didn't we drop the hammer repeatedly post invasion? Didn't we kick Russia out of Swift (the global banking standard)?

WTF is left to sanction and why the hell WOULD there be something left to sanction?

I'm lost as to why any democratic-NATO-adjecent-type country would do anything with Russia. Speaking of "sanctions"...are there any, really? Where is the crippling of the Russian economy and potential collapse of currency we were all promised? Where are the good and food shortages? It's been years now of war in the Ukraine with the US throwing nearly a trillion dollars their way. That's about half the GDP of Russia. So, I'm at a total loss as to how and why we levee additional sanctions. Are they a punishment, will they deter future acts? Did our "most serious sanctions ever" previously do shit to slow or stop the invasion in Ukraine?

I don't get it.

Wait...

Maybe I do.

Maybe it's just about money and greed, like every-fucking-thing else is about these days.

The Human Race - killed by their own greed and stupidity. RIP.

[beantownbubba]

The slings and arrows of daily political life are what they are, and don't change much from day to day. Some days I handle them better than others but on the whole I think I've gotten better at keeping my equilibrium. Recent events that haven't had the effect they might have include Congress being on vacation yet again despite funding running out on 3/1 and unfinished business including Ukraine; the incredible (even for politicians) hypocrisy and cynicism of voting down major border reform for no good reason and then blaming the lack of border reform for not funding Ukraine; and Trump comparing himself to Navalny (actually laughed at that one).

More chuckles from me, but truly a new low in norm breaking so I thought worthy of mention for that reason: The Maricopa County DA is refusing to extradite a man accused of murder in NY because she says the NY DA is not tough enough on crime. This is performative grandstanding, nothing more, but it does break new ground. Refusing an extradition request because in your judgment your peer might not handle the matter the way you would? I never could have imagined this as recently as, oh, yesterday.

[beantownbubba]

It's a murder, not just a death.

From what I've seen (admittedly random and not conclusive) the media has been mixed on this w/ at least some of the MSM referring to this as murder and to Putin as a murderer. It could be better but by recent standards I think it's not too bad.

But sanctions? What is left to sanction? Didn't we drop the hammer repeatedly post invasion? Didn't we kick Russia out of Swift (the global banking standard)?

WTF is left to sanction and why the hell WOULD there be something left to sanction?

Right?

Speaking of "sanctions"...are there any, really? Where is the crippling of the Russian economy and potential collapse of currency we were all promised? Where are the good and food shortages? ... So, I'm at a total loss as to how and why we levee additional sanctions. Are they a punishment, will they deter future acts? Did our "most serious sanctions ever" previously do shit to slow or stop the invasion in Ukraine?

I don't get it.

Me neither. The lack of impact of already imposed sanctions seems incredible to me. I don't understand the fine points but it just doesn't seem that it should be this way.

BTW, the ellipsis is because I think your trillion dollar number is way high. I think it's less than a quarter of that. Still a lot of money of course.

[beantownbubba]

But s/he really ought to learn to like eating snails

PS It helps a lot if you call them escargots.

[Clams]

But sanctions? What is left to sanction? Didn't we drop the hammer repeatedly post invasion? Didn't we kick Russia out of Swift (the global banking standard)?

WTF is left to sanction and why the hell WOULD there be something left to sanction?

Biden to Putin:

[pearlbeer]

BTW, the ellipsis is because I think your trillion dollar number is way high. I think it's less than a quarter of that. Still a lot of money of course.

As usual you are right, btb. In my defense, I was only off by one zero. I still stand by my main point however. Hyperbole FTW!

[beantownbubba]

Sort of sorry for the mixed movie references.

It's Florida, Jake.

Always has been and always will be, Elwood.

It was one thing when the most likely victims were the elderly, the fat and the otherwise not suitable for prime time. But now they're taking direct aim at kids. "They" being the vaccine deniers, the faux libertarians, the mis- and dis-information distributors and accelerators, the cynical political operatives willing to endanger lives for perceived political advantage, Joseph Ladapo, the Surgeon General of Florida and his sponsor, the failed presidential candidate, bully and all-around loser, Ron DeSantis.

There is a measles outbreak at a Florida school. Ladapo is leaving it up to parents and guardians whether to keep unvaccinated, exposed kids home for the recommended 21 day incubation period. This is staggeringly stupid and dangerous. The only thing that could ever truthfully be said against the COVID vaccines was that there were no longitudinal studies, i.e. nobody knew/knows what the long-term effects of the vaccine might be. There were very good reasons to believe it was safe and it was certainly effective, but nobody could say w/ certainty that the vaccines were safe in the long term. Not true of measles vaccines which have been proven safe and effective over decades. In fact until the deniers started in with their act, measles was almost eradicated in the US. And now it's back. It doesn't take a genius to draw a direct line from that resurgence to the anti-vaxxers.

And how do the elite, the pointy headed coastal effete intelligentsia respond? With a loud, grating, wholly ineffective and indeed effete "you're not following the science." Well, sometimes you just have to say what the fuck. The response should not be "you're not following the science," the response should be "your kid(s) will be vaccinated or they will be expelled. Period. No exceptions." Some things are right and some things are wrong. Endangering your own kids is wrong, endangering other kids is fucking unacceptable. Endangering other kids based on fantasies is not only fucking unacceptable, to my way of thinking it is fucking criminal.

You heard it here first: You know all those Christian and/or racist advocates for charter schools as publicly paid alternatives to traditional public schools who couch their arguments in high minded appeals to parental choice? Boy are they about to be surprised when people with common sense start taking advantage of that option to create schools based on a vaccinated student body. Be careful what you wish for, the law of unintended consequences and all that.

In case I haven't been clear, this is incomprehensible to me. Just flat out nuts. Inexcusable.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2 ... 6816eea1ec

[brettac1]

Sort of sorry for the mixed movie references.

It's Florida, Jake.

Always has been and always will be, Elwood.

It was one thing when the most likely victims were the elderly, the fat and the otherwise not suitable for prime time. But now they're taking direct aim at kids. "They" being the vaccine deniers, the faux libertarians, the mis- and dis-information distributors and accelerators, the cynical political operatives willing to endanger lives for perceived political advantage, Joseph Ladapo, the Surgeon General of Florida and his sponsor, the failed presidential candidate, bully and all-around loser, Ron DeSantis.

There is a measles outbreak at a Florida school. Ladapo is leaving it up to parents and guardians whether to keep unvaccinated, exposed kids home for the recommended 21 day incubation period. This is staggeringly stupid and dangerous. The only thing that could ever truthfully be said against the COVID vaccines was that there were no longitudinal studies, i.e. nobody knew/knows what the long-term effects of the vaccine might be. There were very good reasons to believe it was safe and it was certainly effective, but nobody could say w/ certainty that the vaccines were safe in the long term. Not true of measles vaccines which have been proven safe and effective over decades. In fact until the deniers started in with their act, measles was almost eradicated in the US. And now it's back. It doesn't take a genius to draw a direct line from that resurgence to the anti-vaxxers.

And how do the elite, the pointy headed coastal effete intelligentsia respond? With a loud, grating, wholly ineffective and indeed effete "you're not following the science." Well, sometimes you just have to say what the fuck. The response should not be "you're not following the science," the response should be "your kid(s) will be vaccinated or they will be expelled. Period. No exceptions." Some things are right and some things are wrong. Endangering your own kids is wrong, endangering other kids is fucking unacceptable. Endangering other kids based on fantasies is not only fucking unacceptable, to my way of thinking it is fucking criminal.

You heard it here first: You know all those Christian and/or racist advocates for charter schools as publicly paid alternatives to traditional public schools who couch their arguments in high minded appeals to parental choice? Boy are they about to be surprised when people with common sense start taking advantage of that option to create schools based on a vaccinated student body. Be careful what you wish for, the law of unintended consequences and all that.

In case I haven't been clear, this is incomprehensible to me. Just flat out nuts. Inexcusable.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2 ... 6816eea1ec

In regards to the "we don't know the long-term effects of the vaccine" take, we know even less about the long-term impacts of repeated COVID infection that people are essentially forced to subject themselves to at this point in order to earn a paycheck. I'm personally wagering that it's... not good.

I'd also point out that in general that's how the anti-vax movement works. It's going to start out arguing from whatever the most socially acceptable position is and then move crazier as each one of them gets debunked. Billions upon billions of doses of this vaccine (both mRNA and more conventional platforms) have been administered in the last 3.5 years with no mass death event or anything remotely close to that. So, long-term repercussions have been sorted out. Now it's moved onto weirdness about how it alters your DNA or some shit like that.

Also, here's something else along the same lines:
https://www.vice.com/en/article/jg543y/ ... reddit.com

Essentially, if Fauci was near something, questioning its validity is a very lucrative move.