I stayed up late just thinking…while a song kept whirling around my cranium,…“WHAT I DID FOR LOVE.“ The lyric, “Kiss today goodbye and point me t’ward tomorrow” is so apropos for this moment in time. All of us are feeling some sort of stress and anxiety resulting from the pandemic, the economy, leadership (or more accurately, the lack of) in Washington. We can add problems with policing, and institutional racism as well. The sheer scale of all this may seem hopeless and without immediate answers.

If you are like me your head may feel like exploding every time you listen to the news about surging COVID-19 cases or the President in his current back-against-the-wall posture of incessant attacks on anything or anyone who doesn’t fall in line with his thinking. Even Dr. Fauci, a rare science and reality-based expert, is now being attacked by people associated with the White House. Is anyone listening? This has all the appearances of a regime in the last stages. Yes, I know,…very wishful thinking…but even a few of his acolytes are beginning to disagree, and some publicly…in a toned-down volume. Unexpected things can happen. We must be diligent and aware! Desperate people often do desperate things in times like this!

This photo in Time Magazine of mask-less supporters at the last Presidential rally in Tulsa is worth a million words. President Donald Trump is stoking the crowd into booing the media. A fascinating article in The Atlantic talks about the Role of Cognitive Dissonance in the Pandemic. “For example, when people feel a strong connection to a political party, leader, ideology, or belief, they are more likely to let that allegiance do their thinking for them and distort or ignore the evidence that challenges those loyalties.” “Because of the intense polarization in our country, a great many Americans now see the life-and-death decisions of the coronavirus as political choices rather than medical ones.”

The challenges facing a new President will be monumental and truly unprecedented! New and creative, bi-partisan actions must be initiated quickly to mitigate the catastrophic impact of COVID-19 on the fabric of American society. We must be nimble and ready to throw out what doesn’t work and try whatever it takes.

• JOB ONE will be to get COVID-19 under control. Hopefully, an effective vaccine is on the horizon. For older readers, this is an interesting article about…“Vaccines Made For Those 50-Plus.”
• A bipartisan group of experts in economics, public health, technology, and ethics from across the country, has released Pandemic Resilience: Getting it Done, a supplement to the Roadmap to Pandemic Resilience.
• We must have a 2020-21 version of Roosevelt’s “New Deal” for relief, reform, and recovery as the fallout from the economic, educational, and social disintegration has been devastating!
• Past obsessions to reduce government will be a historical footnote… simply because it will be an anachronism in the post-COVID-19 world. We need to rebuild, restructure, and re-energize government agencies with bright people who care about what they are doing. We don’t need larger agencies, but smarter well-funded ones! Important departments were never filled or have lost many talented people in the last three years who just couldn’t abide by Trumpism!
• A huge challenge is integrating students back into the classroom. Smart school districts working closely with the teachers, states, and the national government need a coordinated, flexible effort for a safe and effective result.
• The Trump “America First” era of withdrawal from global alliances, the WHO organization, and the Paris Climate Agreement was a disaster. We need smart re-engagement with the world. America’s future depends on the alignment with our partners for stronger security and coordination to fight a worldwide COVID-19 generated depression.
• AND WHO WILL PAY FOR ALL OF THIS? This will take sacrifice at many levels. Yes, the wealthy and corporations will pay more taxes. This will make many people unhappy but it MUST be done!
• And I believe we should move up the discussion and legislation for…”Healthcare For All.”
• AND THIS IS JUST FOR THE FIRST WEEK!

Mental health breaks are a necessity at the moment!

Much of this post came to me while riding my bike. Thank God for my bike! Even with deep thoughts one must stay upright, avoid potholes, and stay on the road. This could be a metaphor for the times!

Getting outside, whether in the big city, suburb or in the country is a must in order to handle today’s mega-stresses! The fresh air lifts your spirits and melts your worries…if only for a while.

A new day will happen soon. We can only hope and pray for our new leaders to be enlightened, science-savvy, and empathetic.

“Love is never gone…As we travel on…Love’s what we ‘ll remember…Kiss today goodbye…And point me to tomorrow.”