Victor Davis Hanson talks with cohost Sami Winc this weekend on our two years of pandemic and our current energy crisis, asking to where does the evidence lead us.
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14 thoughts on “National Concerns: The Pandemic and Energy Crisis”
Running over time? It’s never enough, so I replay it several times to try fully absorb everything! VDH podcasts are our sanity in the “interesting” times. Thank you so much for doing these!!
I look at the Republicans and I see Mitch and Lindsey: Senators Milk Toast and Small Beer. I look at the recent “gun control” vote and I see RINOS who have no clue how to deal with the real problems but have no problem curtailing citizens’ rights. I see a RINO with a pathological hate for Trump on the January 6 committee. Why would I think that a landslide victory for Republicans in November will change anything? The Republican Party requires a massive overhaul of leadership, starting with Senators Milk Toast and Small Beer.
Remember: we are a democratic republic designed to keep small factions from exercising too much power. The Democrats are learning that lesson the hard way right now. In order to advance the MAGA agenda, MAGAers will have to win moderate, independent, and even Democrats’ votes. How will moving the party’s establishment to the right of McConnell accomplish that goal?
I think it’s too late. The Republican leadership is not interested in risking their jobs for the Middle Class. Like the creation of a new party of Unionists back in 1854 from the ashes of the Whigs maybe a new Third Party can arise…but only with leadership of sane, sober and serious minded thinkers and doers like VDH.
You may have seen Macron’s message to Biden at the G7 about oil production. Informing Biden
that neither the UAE nor Saudi Arabia can bail the U.S. and Europe out on high oil prices.
Of course, Biden was a fool to end U.S. energy independence in his cave-in to climate zealots.
Biden’s folly drove global inflation and high oil prices made Putin wealthy enough to go back into Ukraine.
This was an own goal of epic proportions. It is comical for the Biden Regime to complain that inflation is
a worldwide problem. Comical since the obvious cause of this worldwide phenomenon was the extended
result of Biden’s own energy policy folly.
So Macron is correct to point out that Biden is disconnected from reality on oil production in the U.S.
But Biden is not alone in having been disconnected from reality. Germany, under Merkel shut down its’
nuclear plants and made itself dependent on Russia for energy. Merkel did the latter mainly to childishly
spite Trump. All of Europe, including France has banned fracking on European soil and made moves
similar to Biden to stifle oil production in Europe. All of Europe panders to the greens and talks about
green energy that has yet to deliver anything close to Europe’s energy demand. France and Germany
are now firing up dormant coal energy plants. Having given in to climate alarmists, now they must foul
the air with the filthy pollution of coal plants over clean nuclear plants, albeit with the nuclear waste problem.
This has
“I’m watching china and they’re locking down their cities, recently, and I’m thinking what do they know about this virus since they have hidden their own role in it and we didn’t know … it might help our scientist know its origin …”
Sami’s implicit assumption is that the lockdown and the other measures taken by China are indicators that they are very concerned about the new variant. Additionally, their secrecy certainly lends credence to their complicity in the creation of the virus. These are all valid points and worth discussing.
But there is another facet of the Chinese response that suggests they are not nearly as competent as we assume. We now know that masks and stringent lockdowns do not reduce the case load, but they do correlate with increased deaths. We also know the disruption of the economy is massive and long lasting. China’s actions demonstrate that they blindly flailing at shadows, much like our CDC in 2020-21. China is suffering from the usual problem with centralized control of modern societies: top-down, one-size fits all, and the desire to please the tyrant, all cause despots to embrace all sorts of foolery. Victor has mentioned Hitler’s fondness for gigantic, novel, futuristic weapons … the 80 ton tank and the V2, for example. Someone has Xi’s ear, and China willingly shoots itself in the foot by locking down Shanghai. This is good news. Stupid is as stupid does.
I agree. It’s also something Xi must see as a good excuse to “break” any independent thought or will in the Chinese people so that they will go along resignedly with whatever he wants. Finally, it’s cliche, but never forget the role shame and honor play when dealing with the Chinese. Wuhan was a shameful loss of control that hurt China’s global face. They are acting tough to make up for that.
I’m pretty sure a convicted felon can’t legally posses a firearm. The Federal 4473 firearms purchase form asks the specific question if you’ve ever been convicted of a felony.
Why is it that China won’t let World Health Organization go to Wuhan and investigate the origin of the virus?
Fear, honor, and Interest have generally been the cause of wars – Thucydides. They can also shed some light on this question.
Unlike his several predecessors (Deng, Jiang and Hu) who viewed the economic prosperity (Interest) as the source of legitimacy of their own and CCP’s rule, Xi doggedly believes that his destiny to bring Chinese Narrative to its grand finale, and his manliness & toughness to never again let Mother China be humiliated by the West, is an equally important, likely more important, source of legitimacy of his rule (Honor), and justification for his record-breaking endeavor to stay as the supreme leader for the third term, and possibly multiple terms to come. Since Deng, all Chinese leaders have kept to the two-term rule.
The fact that COVID has cost so much damage and loss of life in the world would make a thorough investigation of the virus in Wuhan by the WHO, an organization established and manipulated by the West, look like an interrogation, or worse yet, a punishment, in the eyes of many Chinese people, hence will undoubtedly undermine Xi’s legitimacy and his long-desired & orchestrated plot for the third term (Fear).
An observable trait of autocrats is Honor and Fear will give them much more driving force than Interest.
Why did China lock down Shanghai entirely for two Months recently (Apr. and May 2022)?
Xi brazenly boosted to WHO and the world that it was himself who personally devised the ingenious Chinese Zero-Covid strategy and implemented it. Xi and his confederates want to boast the stark contrast between China’s peace & prosperity and the West’s chaos from mid-2020 to late 2021 as their biggest accomplishment that can server as the justification for Xi’s third term.
So, Xi is reluctant to adapt to the new features of Omicron as other countries did by easing the restrictions and only focusing on those most vulnerable. He has invested too much on the Zero-Covid policy, and the policy has caused enormous damage to the Chinese economy. It is abhorred by a vast number of Chinese people. Xi fears that abolishing, or only easing it, would signal that he has made a disastrous mistake, such threaten his chance at the third term.
Xi is in a similar position toward the Zero-Covid policy as Putin and Biden are toward their respective decision to invade Ukraine or ban fracking and Keystone Pipeline. Retreating means failure and humiliation. Zero-Covid policy is the Chinese version of political correctness.
The only option left for Xi is to hold fast to the zero-covid policy and implement it with unprecedented rigorousness to demonstrate to the Chinese people that he is still Omniscient and Almighty, so that Xi’s open and hidden challengers can be kept at bay.
Here’s something for you Covid pondering, just anecdotal. I got Covid in December, 2021, Omicron I believe although I did not get tested by the doctor. I have had three shots, Phizer. I had a serious fever that lasted overnight, home tested positive the next morning but felt better right away. I stayed home and home tested each morning for the next seven days and kept testing positive so i finally just gave up and went back to work. I have no lingering effects that I can tell.
I am 68 just like you. I have R-Arthritis and have taken Hydroxychloroquine for years. It wasn’t sufficient to control my immune system, so i also started taking Embrel injections which really works to control my immune system. I originally wondered if these would make my Covid worse if I got it, and then now wonder if the immune system tamper(Embrel) is responsible for me having nearly no symptoms and certainly no long Covid.
Running over time? It’s never enough, so I replay it several times to try fully absorb everything! VDH podcasts are our sanity in the “interesting” times. Thank you so much for doing these!!
To summarize the important details of what was wrong with the COVID response in the US, see Dr. Scott Atlas’ three lectures:
https://www.policyed.org/lessons-hoover-policy-boot-camp/reviewing-policy-responses-covid-19-scott-atlas/video
I look at the Republicans and I see Mitch and Lindsey: Senators Milk Toast and Small Beer. I look at the recent “gun control” vote and I see RINOS who have no clue how to deal with the real problems but have no problem curtailing citizens’ rights. I see a RINO with a pathological hate for Trump on the January 6 committee. Why would I think that a landslide victory for Republicans in November will change anything? The Republican Party requires a massive overhaul of leadership, starting with Senators Milk Toast and Small Beer.
Remember: we are a democratic republic designed to keep small factions from exercising too much power. The Democrats are learning that lesson the hard way right now. In order to advance the MAGA agenda, MAGAers will have to win moderate, independent, and even Democrats’ votes. How will moving the party’s establishment to the right of McConnell accomplish that goal?
I think it’s too late. The Republican leadership is not interested in risking their jobs for the Middle Class. Like the creation of a new party of Unionists back in 1854 from the ashes of the Whigs maybe a new Third Party can arise…but only with leadership of sane, sober and serious minded thinkers and doers like VDH.
You may have seen Macron’s message to Biden at the G7 about oil production. Informing Biden
that neither the UAE nor Saudi Arabia can bail the U.S. and Europe out on high oil prices.
Of course, Biden was a fool to end U.S. energy independence in his cave-in to climate zealots.
Biden’s folly drove global inflation and high oil prices made Putin wealthy enough to go back into Ukraine.
This was an own goal of epic proportions. It is comical for the Biden Regime to complain that inflation is
a worldwide problem. Comical since the obvious cause of this worldwide phenomenon was the extended
result of Biden’s own energy policy folly.
So Macron is correct to point out that Biden is disconnected from reality on oil production in the U.S.
But Biden is not alone in having been disconnected from reality. Germany, under Merkel shut down its’
nuclear plants and made itself dependent on Russia for energy. Merkel did the latter mainly to childishly
spite Trump. All of Europe, including France has banned fracking on European soil and made moves
similar to Biden to stifle oil production in Europe. All of Europe panders to the greens and talks about
green energy that has yet to deliver anything close to Europe’s energy demand. France and Germany
are now firing up dormant coal energy plants. Having given in to climate alarmists, now they must foul
the air with the filthy pollution of coal plants over clean nuclear plants, albeit with the nuclear waste problem.
This has
My previous comment was too long and did not fit.
Please disregard it.
I did send the full text to Jack Fowler.
Sami at about 35:40 …
“I’m watching china and they’re locking down their cities, recently, and I’m thinking what do they know about this virus since they have hidden their own role in it and we didn’t know … it might help our scientist know its origin …”
Sami’s implicit assumption is that the lockdown and the other measures taken by China are indicators that they are very concerned about the new variant. Additionally, their secrecy certainly lends credence to their complicity in the creation of the virus. These are all valid points and worth discussing.
But there is another facet of the Chinese response that suggests they are not nearly as competent as we assume. We now know that masks and stringent lockdowns do not reduce the case load, but they do correlate with increased deaths. We also know the disruption of the economy is massive and long lasting. China’s actions demonstrate that they blindly flailing at shadows, much like our CDC in 2020-21. China is suffering from the usual problem with centralized control of modern societies: top-down, one-size fits all, and the desire to please the tyrant, all cause despots to embrace all sorts of foolery. Victor has mentioned Hitler’s fondness for gigantic, novel, futuristic weapons … the 80 ton tank and the V2, for example. Someone has Xi’s ear, and China willingly shoots itself in the foot by locking down Shanghai. This is good news. Stupid is as stupid does.
I agree. It’s also something Xi must see as a good excuse to “break” any independent thought or will in the Chinese people so that they will go along resignedly with whatever he wants. Finally, it’s cliche, but never forget the role shame and honor play when dealing with the Chinese. Wuhan was a shameful loss of control that hurt China’s global face. They are acting tough to make up for that.
I’m pretty sure a convicted felon can’t legally posses a firearm. The Federal 4473 firearms purchase form asks the specific question if you’ve ever been convicted of a felony.
Why is it that China won’t let World Health Organization go to Wuhan and investigate the origin of the virus?
Fear, honor, and Interest have generally been the cause of wars – Thucydides. They can also shed some light on this question.
Unlike his several predecessors (Deng, Jiang and Hu) who viewed the economic prosperity (Interest) as the source of legitimacy of their own and CCP’s rule, Xi doggedly believes that his destiny to bring Chinese Narrative to its grand finale, and his manliness & toughness to never again let Mother China be humiliated by the West, is an equally important, likely more important, source of legitimacy of his rule (Honor), and justification for his record-breaking endeavor to stay as the supreme leader for the third term, and possibly multiple terms to come. Since Deng, all Chinese leaders have kept to the two-term rule.
The fact that COVID has cost so much damage and loss of life in the world would make a thorough investigation of the virus in Wuhan by the WHO, an organization established and manipulated by the West, look like an interrogation, or worse yet, a punishment, in the eyes of many Chinese people, hence will undoubtedly undermine Xi’s legitimacy and his long-desired & orchestrated plot for the third term (Fear).
An observable trait of autocrats is Honor and Fear will give them much more driving force than Interest.
Why did China lock down Shanghai entirely for two Months recently (Apr. and May 2022)?
Xi brazenly boosted to WHO and the world that it was himself who personally devised the ingenious Chinese Zero-Covid strategy and implemented it. Xi and his confederates want to boast the stark contrast between China’s peace & prosperity and the West’s chaos from mid-2020 to late 2021 as their biggest accomplishment that can server as the justification for Xi’s third term.
So, Xi is reluctant to adapt to the new features of Omicron as other countries did by easing the restrictions and only focusing on those most vulnerable. He has invested too much on the Zero-Covid policy, and the policy has caused enormous damage to the Chinese economy. It is abhorred by a vast number of Chinese people. Xi fears that abolishing, or only easing it, would signal that he has made a disastrous mistake, such threaten his chance at the third term.
Xi is in a similar position toward the Zero-Covid policy as Putin and Biden are toward their respective decision to invade Ukraine or ban fracking and Keystone Pipeline. Retreating means failure and humiliation. Zero-Covid policy is the Chinese version of political correctness.
The only option left for Xi is to hold fast to the zero-covid policy and implement it with unprecedented rigorousness to demonstrate to the Chinese people that he is still Omniscient and Almighty, so that Xi’s open and hidden challengers can be kept at bay.
Here’s something for you Covid pondering, just anecdotal. I got Covid in December, 2021, Omicron I believe although I did not get tested by the doctor. I have had three shots, Phizer. I had a serious fever that lasted overnight, home tested positive the next morning but felt better right away. I stayed home and home tested each morning for the next seven days and kept testing positive so i finally just gave up and went back to work. I have no lingering effects that I can tell.
I am 68 just like you. I have R-Arthritis and have taken Hydroxychloroquine for years. It wasn’t sufficient to control my immune system, so i also started taking Embrel injections which really works to control my immune system. I originally wondered if these would make my Covid worse if I got it, and then now wonder if the immune system tamper(Embrel) is responsible for me having nearly no symptoms and certainly no long Covid.
Victor, there is some new information on the mRNA vaccines. Please see this article :
https://brownstone.org/articles/are-the-covid-mrna-vaccines-safe/
The bottom line is that your problems with the vaccine were widespread.