The CCP Virus death panic is garbage. It’s hard to trust government and otherwise official institutional numbers when regular deaths of older people are always counted as COVID-19 deaths if the deceased had it, whether this viral strain was the dispositive factor, or had any connection to someone who had it. That last part is particularly mendacious.

There are lots of people walking around who have the CCP Virus but don’t know it, and never had symptoms. Some people did get sick but to them it was a regular cold this winter, having never suspected CCP Virus to be involved. Both groups are immune and not contagious, having caught and recovered from CCP Virus before the panic began (there was huge daily China-U.S. traffic going on for months before we stupidly shut down our economy).

Read this article. Conclusion: “In brief: our betters are destroying futures based on bullshit data.”

What to do? If you still have income, keep acting normal. You might not be able to sit next to other people at a restaurant like a normal human being, but buy take out. Continue shopping when and where you can. If you have any reason to travel, buy a ticket and go. Believe me, the airplanes are empty and you’ll still be able to socially distance – you’ll probably have your own row for your party (although you should buy food and bring it, because you’re probably only getting a “shelf-stable” snack box).

As to public policy, we need to determine which jurisdictions, down to the county level, are suffering today from excess deaths known to be dispositively caused by the CCP Virus (and not just associated with it). If it is less than 5% of the total, that jurisdiction should end social distancing. Remember: as unemployment goes up, so do suicides – those who despair at the loss of work or their dependents. The economic shutdown policy over the CCP Virus favors certain deaths over others, allowing productive, working job-seekers to die deaths of despair (suicide, drug or alcohol overdose) while keeping very old persons alive a few months more. Nothing against old persons, but we can sequester them.

Politics: Early in the presidential race of 1996, President Bill Clinton had the advantage of incumbency while eventual Republican nominee Bob Dole had to fight for the nomination for most of the primary season. Clinton’s campaign produced some television commercials criticizing Dole (then Senate majority leader) and House Speaker Newt Gingrich with typical lefty talking points about how he was coming to murder your puppy. Here it is:

It was dishonest, endlessly repeated, super effective, and most importantly, very early. Clinton defined Dole for everyone all summer and Dole couldn’t fight back. Clinton thumped the older and sometimes confused Senator Dole (who referred to the “Brooklyn Dodgers,” even though that team had moved to Los Angeles a generation prior, at a campaign stop) in the electoral college, 379-159.

And now – we have former VP Joe Biden, aged, confused, and corrupt, as the presumptive Democratic nominee because Senator Bernie Sanders dropped out of the race. I began to think: President Trump would be smart to define Biden endlessly between now and November in the minds of voters, tagging him as the corrupt Manchurian candidate who is really in cahoots with China. And here you go:

If Trump keeps it going, he’s going to thump Biden by defining him as the China guy.

Speaking of China, here’s an embarrassment of links:

1. Powerline: “Don’t Let China Off the Hook.” China lied to the WHO about human-to-human transmission and violated the terms as a party to the 2005 International Health Regulations. Kick ’em out of the WHO.
2. Federalist: “The Real Coronavirus Chronology …” Everyone in the U.S. Government ignored reality for too long. Trump woke up earlier than Biden did.
3. Gatestone Institute: “Coronavirus Cover-Up.” China persecuted over 5,000 Chinese patriots who wanted to tell the world about the virus – had they been allowed to speak, China’s international reputation would not be in tatters.
4. Daily Telegraph Australia: “Via Local Commie Underlings, Beijing Officially Disapproves.” Epic takedown of the Australian Consulate General of the PRC’s attempt to mold public opinion down under.
5. Center for Security Policy: “Wuhan Virus.” A detailed look at the CCP’s malign actions related to their virus.

Whew! That’s enough.