I Am Scared

I am scared.

I freely admit it. I am scared of the coronavirus. But I am more scared of the complete lack of leadership of the current administration, its sole focus on the economy and its obsession with getting reelected. The barely literate president now is talking about getting the economy moving again by having businesses reopen, despite the opinions of physicians, epidemiologists and public health officials that returning to business as usual will see a huge increase in cases of covid-19. This will completely overwhelm our ill-prepared and under-equipped health care system.

I am scared of this virus. I am in a high risk group because of my age, and I'm not ready to sacrifice my life just so a bunch of greedy Republicans are worried about their stock portfolios. The lieutenant governor of Texas, a Republican (of course), thinks older people should be willing to sacrifice their lives so their grandchildren can grow up in a booming economy. So much for the so-called pro-life crowd. I am disgusted. 

And Moscow Mitch and his fellow senators are upset because Democrats refuse to pass their version of legislation (written with no input from Democrats) to help people struggling due to companies shutting down. Moscow Mitch's idea of 'help' includes a $500 BILLION gift to corporations that he and the corrupt president will hand out in secret and with no oversight. The president refused to pledge that he wouldn't accept a handout for his struggling hotels. In the meantime, workers who were barely getting by before the pandemic would get crumbs.

I am staying at home except for an occasional quick trip to the grocery store and walks outside by myself or with my dogs. I have washed my hands so many times they are raw. I sanitize door handles and countertops. I steam mop my tile floors. I change hand towels frequently. I bought 6 pounds of mandarin oranges so I can get more vitamin C in my diet. So no, I am not willing to sacrifice my life so the rich can get even richer. 

I am scared. And although I don't easily get stressed, I am stressed. I have lost 3-4 pounds (which is OK as I need to drop a few pounds). I am eating less and exercising more. And I am really angry about the way this pandemic is being handled in the US. From the president and his team ignoring early warnings about the coming pandemic, to the shortage of ventilators and protective equipment for our medical personnel, to governors refusing to shut down beaches and large crowds despite the warnings (all because of the money), I am angry. Knowing that the response to the pandemic has largely been left to the governors (and many have really stepped up to the challenge) and that the federal government is doing little to help -- that makes the situation worse and even more stressful.

So yes, I am scared. But if for no other reason, I intend to live long enough to see this entire group of greedy, heartless, self-serving bastards voted out of office.