Morning Reading – Monday, January 4, 2021
Let’s hope American democracy survives this week. This morning’s stock market action certainly reflects uncertainty – about both this as well as the state of the Covid pandemic. It’s a time to be hopeful about this new year – but we’ve got these huge irritants from 2020 still lingering and fouling everything up.
A moment of grave danger for US democracy | Financial Times
Extraordinary as it may seem, what amounts to an undeclared coup d’état is being attempted in the US. It will almost certainly fail. But the next two weeks will severely test the strength of America’s institutions — and the courage of its public officials.
“But as infection rates in the Bay Area climb during the winter surge, and I.C.U. beds finally start to fill up, the lesson to take from Berkeley, San Francisco, and many other successful cities isn’t that, by listening to science, an educated and careful population can stop the spread. It’s that, even within a city that has systematically priced out the most vulnerable populations, an outbreak can still happen. The virus will find vulnerable people where they live—even if it’s in barns on the outer edges of the city, even if almost nobody knows they exist.”
What the San Francisco Bay Area Can Teach Us About Fighting a Pandemic – The New Yorker
“But as infection rates in the Bay Area climb during the winter surge, and I.C.U. beds finally start to fill up, the lesson to take from Berkeley, San Francisco, and many other successful cities isn’t that, by listening to science, an educated and careful population can stop the spread. It’s that, even within a city that has systematically priced out the most vulnerable populations, an outbreak can still happen. The virus will find vulnerable people where they live—even if it’s in barns on the outer edges of the city, even if almost nobody knows they exist.”
Airline workers face mask resistance with scant government backup – The Washington Post
As the man returned from the lavatory with a mask dangling from one ear, a flight attendant asked him to put it on properly. “Why? Is something going on that I should know about?” the passenger asked, before grabbing the mask and ripping the string. “Damn it, I guess I can’t wear it now.”
We Must Keep This Republic – The Atlantic
“These past four years and this week have shown, as no doubt the weeks, months, and years to come will show, that the challenge remains—that free and democratic government was, is, and will always be a fraught and uncertain enterprise. But despite the damage, on the evidence, the people of the United States and their institutions will meet that challenge.”
Divided U.S., Not Covid, Is the Biggest Risk to World in 2021, Survey Finds – Bloomberg
“With the global economy still in the teeth of the Covid-19 crisis, the Eurasia group sees a divided U.S. as a key risk this year for a world lacking leadership.”
Predictions for the state of travel in 2021 from our editor – The Points Guy
“If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is how important human interaction is and that one of the most amazing aspects of travel is that it teaches us about others. As we all venture out in 2021, I hope that we view our trips through a new lens and realize just how lucky we are to travel.”
Heartbreak, it seems, is never out of style.