Also AI Overview
...and that could be because the PPE worked...
True. Valid point. Could be. I was physically in the hospitals though working during the time. I didn't see the PPE taken to seriously. We created entire floors of isolation rooms. We were on stand by to do stuff. When it was reported that a local hospital was overrun and diverting patients I was taken back. I called the hospital staff and asked if that entire floor is filled and I needed to mobilize. He stated that there is not a single patient in it. Rather there was a bus crash and there ER was over run with patients. Interesting how that was reported.
They were also likely one of the most vaccinated populations, and at least in some cases are probably more proactive about their personal health (although many of my wife's colleagues turn that on its head).
Because of my susceptibility to serious damage or death from it, my doctor...who is of the if it dont kill you its not always a bad thing to catch it mindset...urged me and others around me to get masked and as soon as the vaccine came out...get that too.
That's well-stated. It's unfortunate because, of all the things you listed, the mask was easily the least disruptive to public life, but it was a much easier symbol to rally around than anything else. It's frustrating that we're devolving to throwing food about the mask (again) rather than having an honest good-faith discussion about the long-term damage and loss of public trust that school closures, prohibition of safe outdoor activities, and so many other policies caused.
Public Trust was lost yes sir
taxfoundation.org
There is disagreement on the effect of the tariffs. You can find sources to agree with opposing positions.
Not just fatalities.
The San Francisco Federal Reserve came out recently (late Nov?) with what they call a letter, that I found interesting. sorry for no link. I personally have not seen the impact from tariffs. But if the goal is to improve trade agreements with various countries than I am fine with them. More importantly the financial class did very well with off shoring and if these can encourage on shoring (and that remains to be seen) than I am good with trying them.
Free Markets!
Sure, of course...but the source of that info is heavily used by right leaning folks and widely respected.
Here's my take on it - the data that was collected and presented by public health officials throughout Covid was generally (I'm sure there are exceptions) sound and the best that was available in real-time; however, the actions that were recommended and taken based on that data were often misguided. Pretty much everything is management of risk, and many officials went way too far on minimizing risk without considering the impacts. The public trust in those officials was lost, and rightly so. But the public trust in data, period, was also lost, and that has way more harmful ramifications.
The Tax Foundation labels themselves as right leaning, you are correct. But my faith in ivory towers and pundits who don't have to operate in the world has been shaken. I don't know if they are correct or not, but I know what I have seen happening to middle America for last 3 decades
