Some things that confuse even me

Where does the Trumpists’ virulent antipathy to the Affordable Care Act comes from?

Yes, it’s an incredibly irresponsible piece of legislation, even by the loose fiscal standards of the Democrats, but I rarely hear a peep about its reckless entitlement. What I’ve had to see of it in operational detail, however, has looked pretty cleverly, even intelligently, thought out.

Unfortunately, all healthcare finance today is based on an insurance scam dating back to some wartime wage-and-price control issues from WWII: The 1942 Stabilization Act was passed with provisions designed to limit employers bidding for workers on the basis of cash pay; the actual result of the act was that some employers began to offer health insurance benefits instead. And insurance may not be the best financial approach to paying for medical care.

Where does the anti-Catholic bias come from?

In the past, it was a fear that a Roman Catholic’s loyalty would be divided between America and Rome. Well, we’ve had to come to terms with an administration headed by an agent of influence for the Russians; I’ll take Francis over Vladimir any day. And I’m a solid back-pew Episcopalian.

Today, the enmity seems rise more from the perception that practicing Catholics have an expansive view of the sanctity of life and a repressive view of the joy of sex. In any case, there has been no suggestion that Amy Coney Barrett will be more loyal to the Vatican than the Constitution.

How has political hatred has gotten this far in America?

Transportation dollars and anarchist cities: The Transportation Department said it will use a presidential memo calling for punishing “anarchist jurisdictions” when deciding which cities should get money under coronavirus grant program meant to spur innovative “exposure mitigation measures,” such as contactless payment systems and improved disinfection techniques. What part of Syria is the Secretary of Transportation from? (oops, that's "what part of Kentucky")

Publicizing death rates by partisan voting results: "The maps of the changing political geography of COVID-19 make this vividly clear. From mid-March to June, the excess death rates were highest in states leaning Democratic, and the more strongly they tilted in that direction, the greater the excess. However, in mid-July, the pattern reversed, with the burden of excess death rates growing highest in Republican leaning states. As we enter the fall, the rates of excess deaths are now highest in the states that lean most Republican." Who would release an analysis like this to the public? Why an Ivy League university, of course.