The coronavirus epidemic has been a tragedy for the nation. We might be able to get some of the economic uncertainty solved over the next year, but everyone that has lost a loved one – the number is approaching 50,000 – has had the virus take a part of their heart that will not be coming back.

To the extent that the virus proves even slightly beneficial to anything, we are going to note it. People need all the good news they can get, even though it will never outweigh all we’ve lost.

It is starting to appear that the epidemic is going to wipe out a few of the alt-right’s favorites.

Alex Jones had his android app taken off by Google because Jones disputed the spread of the virus and the need for proper social distancing. Additionally, it appears that Jim Bakker may finally disappear from the American political and religious landscape once and for all.

Bakker had been promoting whacky snake oil to “cure” the virus, a colloidal silver solution. Bakker asserted that the solution both treated the disease if a person was infected, while also protecting people from even getting the disease. Bakker’s recklessness has already resulted in him losing his ability to process credit card payments and may get him pulled off TV altogether. From our friends at Daily Kos:

Well, another deplorable may be on the verge of joining him—Jim Bakker. You may recall that he touted a colloidal silver solution as a treatment for coronavirus. Well, in the last few weeks, he’s lost the ability to take credit card payments and may be on the verge of being effectively pushed off television.

In the space of a few days in March, the state attorneys general of New York and Missouri, as well as the federal FDA and FTC, told Bakker in no uncertain terms to stop billing his “Silver Sol” as a coronavirus cure. Missouri’s attorney general, Eric Schmitt, even filed a civil suit against him. Schmitt’s move was critical, as it knocked the bottom out of any attempt on Bakker’s part to claim the deep state was ganging up on him. It would be one thing if it were just New York’s Letitia James, as well as the FDA and FTC, coming after him. But Schmitt is a no-questions-asked conservative.

It is tragic that we’ve gotten to a point where which attorney general brings the case makes a massive difference, but the reality is that it does, and having uber-conservative Schmitt bring the case gives the movement against Bakker far more credibility.

This week, Bakker’s pleas have grown increasingly desperate. He now claims that he may be on the brink of filing bankruptcy. Given Bakker’s past, this should be taken with a grain of salt. But Bakker really is in trouble on another front. Last week, according to the Springfield News-Leader, DirecTV pressed seven channels that carry Bakker to “carefully review” his show in order to make sure it meets DirecTV standards.

Bakker has already suffered a drastic reduction in television reach, Faithfull America circulated a petition asking Direct TV and Dish Network to drop Bakker. It also asked Roku to delete Bakker’s “PTL TV Network” channel from its platform. Last week, one of those channels, World Harvest Television, decided to unload him.

So, while the virus certainly will never ever be considered to be beneficial, there are positive unintended consequences. We get to see what clean air looks like over the L.A. basin, Trump has been exposed as an inept fool, the virus is showing that it attacks rich and poor, brown or white, making us all feel more connected, and it might result in exposing some of the Alt-Right as the conmen they have always been. We should appreciate whatever tiny benefit we see.

****

Peace, y’all

Jason

[email protected] and on Twitter @MiciakZoom