As a Bulwark subscriber and ID physician, I’m disappointed to hear you were at IDWeek at the same time I was and I didn’t know it! Glad you are reporting on this conference though.
I can't help but note the irony here, that in fighting back against a right-wing takeover of government—which is absolutely necessary—we are inadvertently fulfilling the longstanding vision of American conservatives to privatize functions of the government.
But maybe this is what needs to happen—to have more government functions tied up in non-profit, independent organizations like the Federal Reserve or the Post Office. Maybe this is the "something more resilient" mentioned in the article. A way to shield our institutions from undue political influence.
But at the end of the day, we have *got* to do *something* about the right-wing propaganda complex. It's just this big, cancerous mass of stupid earning money for grifters and existing to confirm the priors of people invested in the narrative of hating the American left. And it's killing us.
The article mentions gaining back the public's trust, but how are our institutions supposed to do that when people just believe what they want to believe and use the Internet as a confirmation machine? We have to kill these culture wars. And fast.
Blue states are also taking action to provide vaccine guidance, though as noted above it does not take the place of federal programs. Michael Osterholm of CIDRAP has been a leader in bioterrorism and infectious disease for decades so I'm not surprised to see his name here. Public Health has always been a hard field to be in because when it works it's invisible. The food borne outbreak didn't spread and the vaccine campaign prevented individual measles cases from spreading. The field attracts those who are passionate about their work and they will find ways to make a difference even if it isn't at CDC.
Thank you for this reporting on how these knowledgeable, dedicated public servants are trying to continue their efforts for the benefit of public health. After this last 10 months, it’s so strange to think it’s possible that the MAHA people DO NOT WANT to reduce or mitigate harm from HIV or decrease overdoses, but instead hope they would just go ahead and die. We live in such harsh, cruel times.
Thank you so much for this reporting, Jonathan. I've considered The Bulwark a valuable source of information & insight since the early days. Your work makes membership a fantastic deal.
Excellent, hopeful piece, Jonathan. We need the Osterholms and Walenskys of this country continuing their amazing work. What a gift to the world to continue to research the efficacy and safety of vaccines. The regime is trying to destroy everything that is good, but it can't. Because good dedicated people are going to keep moving forward in any way we can. And I truly believe there are way more of us than there are of them.
It's great to see the scientific army stand up - what happened to the rest of the country?
I am saddened that our scholars at the Universities are silent. Also all our supposed law and order folk - how can the police, lawyers, and court employees stand still as this corruption continues.
Pardons for bribes is bad and not only releases dangerous people but also nullifies the court determined restitution ; Santos has a lot of other's money, Devon Archer has $32M of Oglala Sioux money - Trump get donations to his campaign fund. The 1/6 criminal in NY shows the same hate and dangerous behavior - but my law and order infrastructure is silent; ICE will replace them?
If you’re looking for another good public health resource here on Substack, I highly recommend checking out and subscribing to “Your Local Epidemiologist”
Let's do a little math. Some of the most brilliant minds on the planet are being suppressed and ejected by people with a collective IQ barely able to light a bulb. Think.. think... think.
Anecdotal but perhaps indicative. At my medical center to get my COVID and flu shots. Talking to retired couple ahead of me. They were there to get their flu shots, but weren't sure about the COVID booster. When I asked them why not, they began by saying, "Well, ya know, the CDC now says..." Need anecdotal info like mine. While traveling in Europe with my wife, both contracted COVID, but neither of us knew it (seemed like maybe a 24-hour flu), until we talked to our friend whom we had stayed with. She too - unboosted - had had COVID, and it had laid her low for around 10 days and she'd been quite sick. Don't need the CDC to convince me, but fear others do.
what the hell does ACIC stand for?
No matter how bitter and protracted the contest between politics and Nature, it is Nature that makes the final decision.
As a Bulwark subscriber and ID physician, I’m disappointed to hear you were at IDWeek at the same time I was and I didn’t know it! Glad you are reporting on this conference though.
I can't help but note the irony here, that in fighting back against a right-wing takeover of government—which is absolutely necessary—we are inadvertently fulfilling the longstanding vision of American conservatives to privatize functions of the government.
But maybe this is what needs to happen—to have more government functions tied up in non-profit, independent organizations like the Federal Reserve or the Post Office. Maybe this is the "something more resilient" mentioned in the article. A way to shield our institutions from undue political influence.
But at the end of the day, we have *got* to do *something* about the right-wing propaganda complex. It's just this big, cancerous mass of stupid earning money for grifters and existing to confirm the priors of people invested in the narrative of hating the American left. And it's killing us.
The article mentions gaining back the public's trust, but how are our institutions supposed to do that when people just believe what they want to believe and use the Internet as a confirmation machine? We have to kill these culture wars. And fast.
Blue states are also taking action to provide vaccine guidance, though as noted above it does not take the place of federal programs. Michael Osterholm of CIDRAP has been a leader in bioterrorism and infectious disease for decades so I'm not surprised to see his name here. Public Health has always been a hard field to be in because when it works it's invisible. The food borne outbreak didn't spread and the vaccine campaign prevented individual measles cases from spreading. The field attracts those who are passionate about their work and they will find ways to make a difference even if it isn't at CDC.
Thank you for this reporting on how these knowledgeable, dedicated public servants are trying to continue their efforts for the benefit of public health. After this last 10 months, it’s so strange to think it’s possible that the MAHA people DO NOT WANT to reduce or mitigate harm from HIV or decrease overdoses, but instead hope they would just go ahead and die. We live in such harsh, cruel times.
Thank you so much for this reporting, Jonathan. I've considered The Bulwark a valuable source of information & insight since the early days. Your work makes membership a fantastic deal.
Excellent, hopeful piece, Jonathan. We need the Osterholms and Walenskys of this country continuing their amazing work. What a gift to the world to continue to research the efficacy and safety of vaccines. The regime is trying to destroy everything that is good, but it can't. Because good dedicated people are going to keep moving forward in any way we can. And I truly believe there are way more of us than there are of them.
Waddayamean 'Trying'
Great piece. Thank you. And thank them.
It's great to see the scientific army stand up - what happened to the rest of the country?
I am saddened that our scholars at the Universities are silent. Also all our supposed law and order folk - how can the police, lawyers, and court employees stand still as this corruption continues.
Pardons for bribes is bad and not only releases dangerous people but also nullifies the court determined restitution ; Santos has a lot of other's money, Devon Archer has $32M of Oglala Sioux money - Trump get donations to his campaign fund. The 1/6 criminal in NY shows the same hate and dangerous behavior - but my law and order infrastructure is silent; ICE will replace them?
If you’re looking for another good public health resource here on Substack, I highly recommend checking out and subscribing to “Your Local Epidemiologist”
The genius of America is in the forming of voluntary associations, said de Tocqueville. Let's hope we can pull that off again.
Let's do a little math. Some of the most brilliant minds on the planet are being suppressed and ejected by people with a collective IQ barely able to light a bulb. Think.. think... think.
What could possibly go wrong?
Anecdotal but perhaps indicative. At my medical center to get my COVID and flu shots. Talking to retired couple ahead of me. They were there to get their flu shots, but weren't sure about the COVID booster. When I asked them why not, they began by saying, "Well, ya know, the CDC now says..." Need anecdotal info like mine. While traveling in Europe with my wife, both contracted COVID, but neither of us knew it (seemed like maybe a 24-hour flu), until we talked to our friend whom we had stayed with. She too - unboosted - had had COVID, and it had laid her low for around 10 days and she'd been quite sick. Don't need the CDC to convince me, but fear others do.
Attaining power is one thing, but MAGA/MAHA's actions seem consistent with someone doing Putin's bidding. Or, just extremely overconfident stupidity.