One of the most difficult and enraging things to process from the last year and the epidemic was the intentional, read that word again, intentional, advocacy to ignore and distrust the doctors and CDC’s advice (indeed, the CDC was muzzled, only the White House could speak). The federal government’s policy was to do what Donald Trump determined was best. Of course, all non-MAGAs know that Trump’s determination as to what to do was based solely upon what benefitted him the most.

What “benefitted” Trump cost over half a million lives and please, please, never forget the people who suffered an extremely intense case, ICU care, and lived, but now face a life of total unknowns. Their hearts are scarred, their lungs are worse, some believe that the virus managed to cross the blood-brain barrier and can cause crushing depression.

It is still happening. Fox News host Howard Kurtz, the media guy that monitors the media, put together a panel that conflated CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta with Fox News host Tucker Carlson when it comes to reporting on the efficacy of vaccines. Dr. Sanjay Gupta is America’s neurosurgeon. He also happens to be America’s family doctor on CNN. Tuck-ffff is a trust-fund baby looking for ratings. Oh, and Tucker does not have a Medical Doctorate, an “MD.” But Tucker believes he understands this dilemma.

Thank God Will Cain was also on the show to speak sensibly about who knows what: Transcript from Crooks and Liars:

TUCKER CARLSON: “It seems possible there may be more going on here. It is possible in fact that this vaccine is more dangerous than they’re indicating it is. And federal authorities today appeared to acknowledge that.”

“So maybe it doesn’t work, and they’re simply not telling you that. Well, you’d hate to think that, especially if you’ve gotten two shots. But what’s the other potential explanation? We can’t think of one,” Carlson said last week.

So that was a clip from Carlson’s show last week. Note that it is entirely based upon a conspiracy theory, the MAGA’s life force. Maybe it doesn’t work and they’re not telling people that. Especially if you’ve gotten two shots. He cannot think of another explanation. Explanation for what? Because it needs a booster after first kicked in? That’s one explanation. But it is not Tucker’s job to try to think of an explanation, it is his job to bring on one of the experts in vaccines to give him an explanation.

This is reckless television of the type that should get him sued by viewers that relied upon him and died, without explanation. But Will Cain was there to jam some truth into the situation:

WILL CAIN: I also understand basic math,” Cain told Kurtz. “What are we looking at? A 1 in 1 million problem that might exist. Do you know the risks we take throughout our day that take a greater risk than 1 in 1 million. I mean, this is the equivalent of reporting on shark attacks stories as though they are a major problem.”

“And it’s worse than that, Howie,” he continued. “It’s worse than the shark attack, you know, hyperinflation import of that story because now people are going to be afraid to take a vaccine — in fact, they can’t because it’s been taken off the market — with such minuscule risks. I don’t know what we’re doing. We’re not being led by science.”

“The system is not working and the media is spreading fear on purpose,” Cain insisted, prompting laughter from Elleithee.

“Wait, why on purpose?” Kurtz wondered.

“Because it’s good for ratings,” Cain stated. “They’ve been doing it for a year. I think I’m speaking an absolute objective truth. They’ve been overhyping, overinflating the fear of walking outside.“

“All of this is anti-science,” he added. “All of it is something beyond being driven by the data. You tell me? What’s it driven by? A thirst to hang on to power, fear porn, virtue signaling. It’s not by data and science.”

We here are media, like Tucker, just mid-level, not at FOX level (but we’re growing). We understand ratings. We know that our readers cannot stand certain people and will read every story about that person. We know that hyped-up outrageous stories gets more clicks.

We just can’t do it. We can’t do it and live with ourselves. We admit we’re speculating at times, we are monitored by Newsguard whether our analysis of facts is based upon the truth, real facts, we’re passing their test with ease. HOW IS IT that a guy like Tucker Carlson can sit on FOX with a massive audience, and say that HE cannot think of any other explanation (they are published in the medical updates). How can Tucker even cast doubt on whether they work because a person needs two?

How outrageous. How many will die directly because they watched that one show? The data – the scientific facts – are too clear. The virus keeps over 90% from getting the disease, and keeps nearly all out of the hospital. Deaths are as rare as car crashes. That is data, it is not hidden. A second shot is a booster. Science has shown that the first Pfizer shot provides “robust protection,” but because this epidemic is so serious, a second shot boosts that “robust protection to maximum protection” because the period over three weeks is when your body really starts putting out the antibodies from the first shot. Boost it.

This is outrageous. We stick to facts. We need ratings. We don’t do fear p0rn. We try to attract eyeballs by taking real facts already reported and examining them on a bit deeper level. We won’t be sued. Tucker however… and it will be too late for the estates of the people doing the lawsuits. He is literally endangering lives, intentionally, for money. Someone will die because Tucker wants the money.

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Peace, y’all
Jason
[email protected] and on Twitter @JasonMiciak