October 7, 2020

Damning evidence

The New England Journal is 208 years old and has remained non-partisan until today. Today the New England Journal of Medicine published an editorial signed by all 34 of its editors who are US citizens. As scientists and healers, researchers and epidemiologists, they cannot ignore the damage done. Entitled “Dying in a Leadership Vacuum”, they describe the president and his people thus, “They have taken a crisis and turned it into a tragedy”. It is free to read. Please do. Link is below.

It lays out the failures of the US’s approach to the Covid-19 pandemic in damning clarity. Heartbreaking and terrifying, we have the highest excess death rate in the world. Heartbreaking and terrifying, because we are still vulnerable to the failures, lies, and obstruction from our president and members of his party. The damage is real and will continue if we do not make a change in the upcoming election. If you have not voted yet, please do. Please help your friends and families understand the importance of choosing new leaders. Our lives and the lives of our loved ones really do depend on it.

From the editorial: “Anyone else who recklessly squandered lives and money in this way would be suffering legal consequences. Our leaders have largely claimed immunity for their actions. But this election gives us the power to render judgment. Reasonable people will certainly disagree about the many political positions taken by candidates. But truth is neither liberal nor conservative. When it comes to the response to the largest public health crisis of our time, our current political leaders have demonstrated that they are dangerously incompetent. We should not abet them and enable the deaths of thousands more Americans by allowing them to keep their jobs." 

Because we know to wash our hands, cover our noses, keep safe six, and stay outside as much as possible. Those actions keep us safe. Our voting actions can help keep others safe.

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2029812?query=featured_home

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/07/health/new-england-journal-trump.html