Of all the annoying things Democrats have said during the pandemic — “Stay home.” “We’re in this together.” “Stacey Abrams is a serious contender for vice president” — the worst has got to be, “Listen to the experts.”
Joe Biden has said it dozens of times, most recently in a speech on Wednesday. “Mr. President, please listen to your public health experts,” he pleaded in his slurry remarks.
What makes this particular phrase so grating isn’t just its overt condescension — why are you ignoring the science?! — it’s that what it says is not really what Democrats mean.
There’s no one in charge right now who isn’t listening to what health experts have to say. To listen is to pay attention, digest the information, and then make decisions based on that and other factors that deserve consideration — such as the educational development of children and a rapidly deteriorating multitrillion-dollar economy.
That’s not what Democrats have in mind when they say that.
No, by, “Listen to your public health experts,” what Biden and his party really mean is, “Do exactly as we say.” And what do Democrats say? They say no one should leave their homes until there is universal, immediate access to unlimited testing; that no businesses should be open without “contact tracing” on a national scale; and that every family should receive thousands of dollars each month in ‘roided up unemployment benefits until those things are done.
Oh, and don’t forget the vaccine!
It’s true that health officials have warned that the more quickly states and local governments loosen their restrictions on social and economic activity, the more likely we were to see a rise in coronavirus infections. Naturally, with more infections, you might expect an increase in the death total.
That correlation does seem to exist. It also looks like there’s not much to be done about it that doesn’t involve allowing the economy to collapse completely, throwing tens of millions of people out of work, and stunting the growth of an entire generation of children by keeping them out of school for months on end.
New York instituted severe lockdown measures and yet still ended up with 32,000 deaths and counting. We’re supposed to pretend like that niggling fact is irrelevant because now that the virus is done ravaging that state, they’re seeing a lot fewer cases and deaths.
This would be like if I got F’s on my first three essays in English 101 but got an A on the final one and said to everyone else, “See? Why aren’t you doing things more like me?”
After 32,000-plus deaths, what else was there for the virus to do? Rob a bank?
We can “listen to the public health experts,” sure. They say people can reduce the spread by avoiding crowds as much as possible, by wearing a mask when in enclosed spaces with others, and by frequent hand-washing.
I’m sure they’re sincere when they say keeping to yourself with almost no physical interaction with others is the safest bet.
But that’s not an option, even if Democrats insist that it is.
