Impeachment and Jaime Herrera Beutler

In the last two elections, I have supported, and contributed to, Carolyn Long in her campaigns to unseat Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler, and ‘Flip the Third’ Congressional District - and have been disappointed that neither of these efforts were a success.  

I can’t say that I will reconsider my choice next time.  It will really depend upon the qualifications of the candidates.  But I will say that today the Third Congressional District of Washington is represented by an individual who is displaying rare courage.  

This is not just political courage - though her vote to impeach may well cost her her seat.  But it’s also personal courage, a week after an insurrectionist mob invaded the Capitol, particularly targeting those Republicans they considered disloyal to the Current Occupant of the White House.  There were more troops bivouacked in the Capitol than at any time since the Civil War.  And many of these same people are targeting members at their homes.  

I just called her local office to thank her for her courage in support of our constitution.  I imagine most of the calls they are getting are less thankful than mine.  If you would care to add your voice either way, the number is (360) 695-6292.

https://www.columbian.com/news/2021/jan/12/herrera-beutler-mum-on-aftermath-of-capitol-siege-impeachment-vote/ 

Herd Immunity

 Let’s start the year off with a little knowledge bomb.  

The term ‘herd immunity’ has taken on a life of its own, and is most popular with people who don’t know what it means.  

Herd immunity is not the same as individual immunity.  The stubborn, the foolish, and the unlucky will continue to get sick and die.  Achieving some nebulous level of vaccination in our society will do nothing to save the lives of those who persist in foolish behavior like tongue-kissing strangers on the street, not wearing a mask, or maintaining distance from others.  

What ‘herd immunity’ means is that those who contract this disease have a reduced incidence of passing it on to others—and reinvigorating the global pandemic—since the majority of those whom they contact will be immunized against it.  

And societal herd immunity provides no protection to stubborn subgroups, who have lower levels of immunization, and continue to mingle without protection.  All one has to do is look at the last few years of localized outbreaks of measles and mumps among the anti-vaxxer cult community to get the point.  We have had societal herd immunity against those diseases for decades, but that does not protect fools.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTRKCXC0JFg