The DC metro area dodges summer weather ills and hospital shortages – An attempt to blow up the Capitol and its unedifying sequel – Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Party takes a leaf from Donald Trump’s book – Impending full FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine – Evening statistics
It seems so strange to hear about some of the ills afflicting other areas of the country that appear to have bypassed the DC metro area entirely. In much of the western part of the country, for instance, people have been undergoing continual heat waves, drought, and wildfires. In this region we certainly have had a hot summer, but our heat waves have been interspersed with periods of less torrid temperatures and we certainly had nothing comparable to last year, when we endured 19 successive days of more than 90 degrees. Woodland streams have begun to run dry, as they generally do at this time of year; but this past week has seen moderating temperatures, as well as numerous rainstorms for the past several days and a good steady soaking rain for much of last night. From a purely local point of view, it has not been an especially troublesome summer, at any rate as far as weather is concerned.
Similarly, our hospitals are not running out of ICU beds. There have been increases in hospitalizations and in some cases patients have been diverted from certain hospitals in central Virginia to others; but in no case has anyone been obliged to wait in an improvised treatment area until a bed becomes available. This is due, no doubt, to the fact that the vaccination rate is significantly higher than the national average. Nearly 80% of Maryland’s adult population, 77.5% of DC’s adult population, and 76% of Virginia’s adult population have received at least one dose of a vaccine.
This is not to say we have not had our share of troubles. Yesterday one Floyd Ray Roseberry drove a black pickup truck onto the sidewalk in front of the Library of Congress and proceeded to deliver an hour-long rambling video in which he threatened to blow up the Capitol. The police managed to talk him into surrendering and to defuse the situation without any ill consequences. And that might have been the end of the matter, had not Representative Mo Brooks – he who had spearheaded the movement to overturn the ratification of the Electoral College vote in January – issued a statement which, after expressing rather perfunctory concern for the safety of the police and the first responders, added, “I understand citizenry anger directed at dictatorial Socialism and its threat to liberty, freedom, and the very fabric of American society.” That is to say, we have just been treated to the spectacle of a member of Congress expressing open sympathy for a would-be domestic terrorist. It is at times like these that we in the Washington DC metro area feel envious of those in other regions who have to cope with mere ordinary, natural disasters.
I have frequently had occasion to remark on how numerous American politicians have stooped to underhand methods in order to obtain campaign funds, but it appears that the tactics of their Canadian counterparts are no less murky. The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario has recently sent out fundraising letters – carefully crafted to resemble mail-order bills, with the phrase “INVOICE ENCLOSED” on the envelope, the word “INVOICE” in large bold letters in the top right corner of the letter, the phrase “Balance Due” underneath a three-column table whose headers are “DESCRIPTION,” “QUANTITY,” and “TOTAL,” and a one-line item for “Election Readiness Fund” as the sole table entry. The word “donation” (all lower-case) does not appear in the body of the letter – only on the detachable bottom that one customarily encloses with bill payments. So it is quite easy to see how people scanning their mail in a hurry could be fooled into thinking that it is simply another bill they incurred from ordering a product by telephone or even online.
Veronica Doyon, one of the recipients, was so incensed by this piece of duplicity that she posted an image of the letter on Reddit, adding “I couldn’t believe the gall of whoever put this together to try and tell me I owed them money while at the same time trying to ask me to voluntarily donate it.” The Ontario Liberal party has denounced the scheme and is calling for an investigation, but it is unclear whether such letters actually violate any election rules. Elections Ontario oversees the provincial elections to prevent fraud during the election process, but no one appears to know whether fundraising letters come under its purview. At least one recipient, however, has filed a complaint with the Ontario Provincial Police, who accordingly are determining whether a criminal investigation should be launched. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre is also looking into the matter. Even if the election rules do not cover such a situation, it is possible that such letters constitute a violation of Canada’s Post Corporation Act. The PC party has belatedly realized that it has the makings of a first-rate scandal on its hands and issued an apology of sorts yesterday, trying to foist the blame onto Responsive Marketing Group, one of its vendors. Someone within the party had to sign off on the letters’ format before they sent out, of course; but the PC party is maintaining a discreet silence about that.
The Pfizer vaccine may be receiving FDA approval soon, perhaps as early as next week. More than a few anti-vaxxers have alleged that their reluctance to take any of the COVID vaccines is due to the fact that they are currently qualified for emergency use authorization (EUA) only. A recent poll showed that about 30 percent of those still unvaccinated say they would be more likely to get a fully approved vaccine than an EUA vaccine. There still is the possibility of last-minute delays, but in any case the FDA gave a target date of early September for reaching a final decision and it appears to be on track. The need to sway the anti-vaxxers is more urgent than ever; today we have again seen a death toll of more than 1,000, well over 10% of the daily deaths worldwide.
Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 211,485,747; # of deaths worldwide: 4,426,477; # of cases U.S.: 38,384,240; # of deaths; U.S.: 644,281.