Roll out vaccine as soon as it’s ready

October 14, 2020

When will we have an effective, safe, vaccine against COVID-19? That depends. Federal public health officials who are in the know and without any political agendas have said deliveries of vaccine can be expected sometime in January. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services predicts a vaccine could be approved by the end of the year, but points out it will take time to distribute. Dr. Moncef Slaoui, described by The Associated Press as “leading the government’s vaccine effort,” elaborated on Friday. He said researchers may know as early as later this month whether one of ...

Michigan plot is domestic terrorism

October 13, 2020

If the authorities are correct in their allegations against a group accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the 13 men ought to be viewed with a mixture of horror and disgust. Real Americans do not attempt to change either society or government by force. Those who do so, no matter how foolish and, well, stupid they appear should be punished regardless of their ideology. Regardless of how you view her method of governing, Whitmer is absolutely right in describing those involved in the Michigan plot as “domestic terrorists.” State and federal authorities ...

It’s time for in-person fact checking during presidential debates

October 12, 2020

In the wake of the most egregious and embarrassing presidential debate in modern history, the Commission on Presidential Debates is examining ways to prevent a similar debacle in the three remaining events. A popular sentiment on social media — and mentioned by the commission later — is giving the moderator the ability to silence microphones of the two candidates. That’s a no-brainer after this interruption-fest and insult-a-thon between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. What’s really needed, though, is real-time fact-checking done in person at the debate, complete with the ...

Short Takes

October 9, 2020

Players need their parents in the stands THUMBS UP: Apparently political and public pressure led to the Minnesota State High School League to reconsider its prohibition on spectators for events in public school this fall. The Independent published two submissions in the Thursday edition. One was from state Rep. Chris Swedzinski, R-Ghent, who charged parents are frustrated that were banned from watching their children in competitions. The other was from Lakeview volleyball players. They also pleaded with the MSHSL to let the parents watch their games. We assume that similar voices ...

Respect COVID-19

October 8, 2020

There are some who had hoped that President Donald Trump’s coming down with COVID-19 would impress upon him the seriousness of the disease and get him to at least start wearing a facemask. But once he got back to the White House on Monday, off came the mask for a photo op and off he strolled, back into the White House, shedding the virus unfiltered for those on his staff that had not yet been infected. “Don’t be afraid of covid,” the president tweeted. Well, for those of us who don’t have a physician on call 24 hours a day and who don’t have a Marine Corps helicopter ...

System failed Breonna Taylor

October 7, 2020

Breonna Taylor’s family is right: The system failed her. She should be alive today, but she is not. It is too late to save Taylor, who died in a hail of bullets from three police officers in Louisville, Kentucky one night in March. It is not too late for law enforcement officials throughout the country to ask themselves if what went wrong in Louisville could happen in their towns, cities and counties. Grand jurors in Louisville investigated Taylor’s death and came up with violently controversial decisions. One of the three officers was indicted for reckless behavior because ...