Tuesday, July 28, 2020

What an American Observer has seen here in Eastern Ontario

You are probably familiar with David Frum, a conservative journalist and former Bush speechwriter. But he is fair-minded and doesn't sing from the pro-Trump hymnal. I have to admire someone who can be both conservative and anti-Trump.

He was born in Canada, lives in the States, but has been holidaying not to far from us in eastern Ontario. He recently posted this article about what he has found here during the pandemic, and he goes on from there to speak about how it could have been in the USA but isn't.

There are a number of descriptions of what he observed and experienced hereabouts early on in the article which I hope you will choose to read, but I'll post some snippets from near the end of his piece.
What the Canadian example does show, however, is what the United States could have looked like if the U.S. effort had not been led by malicious, self-seeking incompetents ... the worst would be over ...

Instead, the Trump administration and Trump-swayed governors have turned a crisis into a catastrophe—a catastrophe that continues to get uniquely worse in the United States even as it ebbs almost everywhere else in the developed world ... Within less than six months of the first cases, it became apparent what to do. Almost everybody else in the developed world then did it. Almost everybody else in the developed world is now collecting the benefits of having done it. Donald Trump, following the imperatives of his own ego, refused to do it ...
Meanwhile, in our local health district which comprises three counties and is rather large in area if not in population, there are no active cases. Isn't that great?

And despite a recent uptick in some areas, Ontario's daily new case numbers remain below 200 and sometimes very close to 100.

18 comments:

Should Fish More said...

I have a friend living in Vietnam, he's been there since October. Vietnam has just over 93 million people, and has had 0 (zero) deaths, and around 500 cases altogether. They just had a recent case where his lives in Danang, the first in a couple months.

William Kendall said...

Very well said, which coming from David Frum, you expect.

gigi-hawaii said...

I am not familiar with David Frum. Here in Hawaii, we are struggling with an uptick of cases. The mayor of Honolulu has shut down the bars again because of this uptick.

Thickethouse.wordpress said...

How does he happen to be on holiday in Canada? Did he get stuck there when the border closed? My family was very sad that they were not able to have their planned holiday in Algonquin Provincial Park this year. We've been going there for nearly 40 years.

The state of things in the US is very discouraging. I wear a mask so I will be alive on November 3rd. (That's not the only reason of course!)

Mage said...

We had 0 deaths yesterday.

Marcia said...

The mess here in USA can be played at the feet of this incompetent president. It's so very obvious except to those with blinders on. Canada should be proud of how they've handled this pandemic.

Marie Smith said...

We have zero cases, the latest of 36 is recovered. We’ll see how long it lasts this time. We got over two months previously.

This is a long way from over. I hope we know how to deal with it better now.

Red said...

Everyone of us has to be vigilant. The more this goes on the more protection I have to take.

Barbara Rogers said...

We're in the midst of an upswing. A few weeks ago Buncombe County (where I live in NC) offered free tests at 3 sites. Lots of people got tested, but waited 8 days sometimes for results because the labs didn't have the re-agent, or other problems. A week ago the tests were all stopped because of this. Now we're seeing the results of more tests...more cases. tRump was right, tests=cases. But there are still many hospital beds filled. And our increase is at 43% I think over a week ago ...don't have the exact number in my head. Yes, keep safe everyone.

Blondi Blathers said...

Good article, thanks for bringing it to our attention.
Very few here are wearing masks at this point; there have been no cases in our area and although people are being careful to keep their distance and such, I've seen only two (smart, by the way) women wearing masks at the grocery store and I've yet to wear mine but it's probably time. I hope by the time we hear of someone local with Covid-19, it won't be too late. I carry my mask, homemade by a friend, in my purse -- ready for action if requested by a business to wear it, or advised by public health officials to do so. In the office I keep at least six feet from people who come in, and swab everything down with rubbing alcohol when they leave. We have to continue being vigilant -- schools open in September and that's going to be a disaster, I'm afraid. -Kate

Joanne Noragon said...

We are prime laughing stock.

Jenn Jilks said...

I really like Frum!

Margaret said...

Those are certainly wise words from Frum, and I think there are some conservatives who are seeing how dangerous Trump is. Not enough of them though. We had cases going down, and now they're up again. It's discouraging, and more so because of people's attitudes. We're ALL tired of this, but it doesn't mean that it's going to magically disappear. Sigh.

DJan said...

I'll go read the rest of that article. He is a good writer. Thanks for the recommendation. I am very sad and depressed over the state of my country. If Canada would have me, I'd move in a flash. But they don't want me because of my age, and now the border is closed. :-(

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Not only do I admire David Frum I admired his mother Barbara Frum greatly. She died far too early. I somehow always hope that David will move back to Canada. He already spends a good deal of time here.

Mage said...

Yes, well written. We remain in isolation at home.

Vicki Lane said...

It's sad, living in an idiocracy. We are doing our best to stay safe and alive to vote the Orange Disaster OUT.

dellgirl said...

This is interesting and very informative, thanks for sharing it. I continue to pray God has a good ending in store for us. Wishing you all the best. Stay Safe, my friend!