Biden and Trump: Some Accomplishments Expected and Achieved

Joe Biden’s Presidency will experience both accomplishments and failures, as has President Trump’s. In this article I focus on potential successes of Biden and actual successes of Trump.

The President is the leader of the United States government, at least of its executive branch. The U.S. flag symbolizes the government. This photo is of a flag flying near the county courthouses in Lexington, Kentucky in October 2016.

Below I’ll list some expected accomplishments of the Biden administration. Then I’ll list some actual accomplishments of the Trump administration.

First, Biden:

* Renewing Commitment to the World Health Organization--This organization is flawed as Trump noted, but it also does much good. It’s important for nations to work together on health issues. We can seek to improve the organization as an active member.

* Rejoining Paris Climate Accords--These accords unfairly set different standards for different nations, as Trump noted, but they are a step in the correct direction. Regardless of whether or not global warming will continue over the long term, taking actions to reduce pollution and cooperating with other nations is the proper thing to do. We still need to seek to modify the agreement though. 

* Restoring immigration from Muslim countries and the “dreamers” program--Trump correctly noted the problem of terrorist immigrants and excessive immigration that many European countries have faced. But Trump’s approach to solving it was divisive and excessive as I see it.

* Emphasizing positive rather than confrontational relationships with allies--Biden seems to be a moderate who will create more constructive and less confrontational international relations, a big plus.

* Minimum wage raise--The U.S. minimum wage hasn’t been increased since 2009. Many costs have increased substantially since then. Liberals want a raise to $15 an hour or more which would likely cost many jobs and be excessive in some rural areas where the cost of living is lower. Conservatives oppose any increase. I optimistically think Biden will succeed in creating a middle-of-the-road fair compromise of perhaps a $1 per hour raise each year over four years from the current $7.25 per hour to $11.25. But that’s my view, not a stated policy of Biden.

* COVID-19--Biden aims to create a task force to work on it. And states he will emphasize a mask mandate and other actions to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This accompanied by the likelihood of a vaccine in coming months may help reduce the COVID-19 problem. Trump’s reluctance to wear masks or emphasize social distancing has likely been counterproductive, and Biden’s approach will likely be more effective. But Biden will likely find issuing a mask mandate and enforcing it are two different things. Solving COVID-19 isn’t easy. Biden may be lucky enough to have a safe, effective vaccine available before he takes office though.

* Appointing a moderate Supreme Court justice--One or two Supreme Court vacancies will likely occur during the next four years. The most likely retiree is Stephen Breyer, a liberal. If Biden replaces Breyer with another liberal, it won’t change the balance of the court. But if Biden nominates a moderate instead of a liberal or conservative, he may move the court in the correct direction over the long term. I optimistically hope he does if/when an opening occurs. I am also optimistically hopeful Biden will resist calls by liberals to “pack the court” by seeking to expand the number of justices beyond its current nine for ideological reasons. Biden avoided discussing that during the campaign either to hide plans to do so from conservatives or to avoid upsetting his liberal supporters or because he didn‘t know his plans. I hope one of the latter two is true. 

* BidenCare HealthCare--ObamaCare made health care coverage much more expensive overall while millions remained uncovered or unable to afford coverage due to high deductibles and exclusions. It was a failure for most, except those who had expensive preexisting conditions or lacked any coverage before and qualified for subsidies or expanded Medicaid. Trump sought to eliminate the problems of ObamaCare, but wasn’t successful in implementing his own plan. I optimistically think that Biden will seek reforms that improve the current situation. But doing so won’t be easy. Personally, I’d support a single-payer system for basic health care similar to what Ralph Nader proposed, IF it is accompanied by much better preventive care. Some claim over 80% of health problems are preventable by improving diet, exercising properly, avoiding drug abuse, etc. We could have quality health care for all at a much cheaper price if we engaged in better preventive care. We need better treatment and better prevention. To get a single-payer system passed by the Senate, Biden will need to find a way to reduce costs before seeking to pass it. We can’t afford to provide multiple organ transplants, etc., for millions of drug abusers if it comes to that. There is a big division between persons paying huge costs for health insurance they can’t afford to use due to exclusions and deductibles, and drug addicts who pay nothing for insurance but get free clean needles that may not solve their underlying addictions.

* Personality--Biden’s personality is less divisive than Trump’s which I consider a plus. I hope he will be effective in interactions with Congressional leaders such as Pelosi and McConnell, as well as effective in choosing and appointing quality cabinet members. To succeed he needs to be effective in controlling the extreme liberal faction of his party while negotiating with moderates in the Republican party.     

Now, Trump:

* Renegotiated a trade agreement between Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.--NAFTA may have improved trade when implemented, but it had numerous flaws. And it was not a free trade agreement due to its thousands of pages that included favoritism for various groups. How would you like to be a businessperson seeking to do business internationally and having to read and adhere to a 10,000 page agreement? While not a one-page totally free trade agreement, the one the Trump administration implemented seems to be improved and certainly has a more accurate title. I confess though that I’ve not read either agreement entirely . . . and doubt anyone else has either.

* Border wall construction--Ideally I’d prefer being able to travel internationally as easily as one travels from one state to another. But due to terrorism, different national policies on  vaccinations against disease, limited capacity for immigrants, language barriers, etc., some limits are necessary. European nations overwhelmed by massive numbers of immigrants in recent years, and major problems due to them, have constructed barriers, fences and walls. The U.S. is wise to do so also. While a wall won’t be 100% effective and won’t be cheap, it’s more cost effective than enormously expensive military actions the U.S. has been involved in that have created more problems than they‘ve solved. 

* Reducing terrorism and international military actions--Trump effectively reduced the activity of terrorist groups and took actions to reduce the number of U.S. troops and military activity overseas. Too often our military actions created more problems than they solved.

* Raised tobacco minimum age for purchase to 21--Some health professionals claim tobacco use is the #1 preventable cause of death. The Trump administration’s action to raise the minimum age for tobacco use from 18 to 21 may dramatically decrease tobacco use over time. It’s a big first step toward reducing health care costs.

President Trump's most lasting accomplishment may be his appointment of three U.S. Supreme Court justices. This photo of the Supreme Court building was taken in June 2019.

* Appointed pro-life Supreme Court justices--I dislike the term of liberal and conservative Supreme Court justices, and would like to have open-minded moderates. But I am a conservative on the abortion issue, and grateful to Trump for appointing justices who are likely to rule on the side of life. I do recognize however that abortion is a symptom of the underlying problem of casual, selfish sex and not the root problem itself.

* Simplified federal tax forms--The Trump administration greatly shortened the 1040 tax form. And he opened the door for further simplifications. It is a shame that persons must devote hours to filling out tax forms or pay part of their income to professionals to fill them out for them.

* Lowered taxes--Trump lowered taxes for millions, if not most, persons while still increasing federal revenue. He even supported a payroll tax cut which, although I feel would be counterproductive due to its damage to the retirement funds, would have helped the working poor more than the wealthy.

* Eliminated the ObamaCare mandate and tried to repeal ObamaCare--Before ObamaCare the U.S. had the most expensive health care system in the world, with many lacking health insurance. ObamaCare made health care much more expensive, and millions still either lacked insurance or couldn’t afford to use it due to exclusions and deductibles.

* Moved Israeli embassy to Jerusalem--This controversial move had been proposed by other Presidential candidates but abandoned after their election, presumably due to career diplomats changing their minds. Trump did it. While I’d prefer Jerusalem be an international city, allowing Jews to have ownership while allowing visitation from others may be the most realistic approach to attaining peace there.

* Israeli relations--Trump helped negotiate normalized relations between Israel and three Arab nations. This may lead to more such agreements and put more pressure on Palestinians and Israelis to seek a fair and lasting peace agreement.

* COVID-19 vaccine--President Trump has taken a leadership role in funding and promoting the development and production of a vaccine for COVID-19. It’s likely one or more vaccines will be produced in record time, probably before spring. Though Trump repeatedly misstated when a vaccine would be available, and it remains to be seen how safe and effective vaccines will be, Trump deserve much credit for pushing hard for a vaccine.

* Low unemployment rate before COVID-19--Before COVID-19 hit, the unemployment rate in the U.S. was very low. The economy seemed to be booming in some ways.

* Trade reform--Various countries have often behaved unfairly in their trade with the United States. Patent and copyright infringement, limited safety standards, low wages, high tariffs, and limitations imposed on imports created problems for U.S. companies. Trump sought to change this. I dislike Trump’s confrontational approach, but it was effective in producing constructive changes in some cases. As some have noted, Trump didn’t start a trade war, he just increased our fighting back in it.

* Criminal justice reform--The Trump administration passed a bipartisan criminal justice reform that helped many.

* Race relations--Trump has faced much criticism on this issue. But Trump reduced unemployment, creating record low unemployment for some minority groups before COVID-19. Trump condemned the George Floyd death and urged prosecution of the officer directly responsible for holding Floyd down and not offering aid. Floyd’s death was videotaped and widely reported by major news outlets and social media. This incident perhaps more than any since the Selma Bridge violence decades ago may do much to achieve police and civil rights reforms.

* Maverick--Trump is a maverick who for better or worse thinks for himself instead of following his party. Indeed, during his lifetime, he’s been registered as an independent and a Democrat, in addition to now being a Republican. He sought infrastructure improvements despite opposition from Republicans who opposed them. He reduced military troops overseas despite opposition from others in his party and military leaders. And he urged taking military action to remove the Syrian President from office after his alleged use of chemical weapons, though was urged not to by his Secretary of Defense who stated Syria was a friend of Russia and Russians would be furious, according to Bob Woodward in his book Fear: Trump in the White House. Being a maverick is okay as long as others intervene to limit errors. Trump may have been wrong on multiple occasions including his desire to remove Syria's leader, but at least he didn’t strictly follow what his party or military leaders advocated.

* Health care cost disclosures--Trump supported disclosing health care costs in advance and lowering drug costs by making U.S. costs more comparable to those internationally despite opposition from the drug industry whose lobbyists donate to many Congresspersons in both parties.        

Closing Thoughts

The above lists are not comprehensive. Furthermore, only time will tell what Biden’s accomplishments actually are.

Biden and Trump differ dramatically in their personalities and in their beliefs on how to run the country. But in their own way, each has constructive ideas.

And while many persons seek to retire at an early age in their 50s or 60s, both Biden and Trump chose to keep on serving their country in their 70s. I commend both for their dedication to helping others.

Biden will be 78 when he takes office in January. House Majority Leader Pelosi is 80. Senate Majority Leader McConnell is 78. There is likelihood that one or more of these leaders will either be called home sometime in the next four years or leave office for health-related reasons or some other reason. Therefore, change is likely to come in various ways.

It remains unknown which party will have a majority in the United States Senate the next two years. My guess is that Republicans will win both runoff elections in Georgia in January and hold a slim majority in the Senate. But, regardless of which party controls the Senate, it will be a close division, with a few swing votes being able to decide how votes go.

I hope and pray that persons on each side seek to listen and learn, and that fair resolutions to conflicts come. I know it is possible, but I’m not sure how probable.

NOTE: This article was last modified on November 17th, 2020.

Happy Father's Day

It’s great that the United States officially sets aside a day each year to honor dads. Father’s Day 2021 is June 20th, 2021.

Father’s Day did not become an official U.S. holiday until 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed into law a Congressional Resolution officially establishing Father’s Day as the third Sunday of June in the United States.

Dads’ Roles

Dads fulfill a special role. Society’s future depends on the children and grandchildren that are growing up. Quality parenting is a key for their successful development. Fathers traditionally have provided them financial support, some discipline, training, and love.

Fathers teach their children various skills. I remember my dad helping me develop various interests and abilities, from riding a bicycle to the “look it up” habit that helped me access accurate information from encyclopedias and other sources. 

Memories

My dad passed on to heaven April 27th, 2013 at age 82. Father's Day 2021 will be my ninth Father's Day without dad. I cherish many wonderful memories of him and look forward to a reunion with him in heaven.

I am glad that I kept in touch with dad during my adult years. I phoned regularly, as well as renting a car and visiting a few times a year. I'm glad I got to visit him for a few days during his final hospitalization in April 2013 and to enjoy some phone conversations with him during those last days. Below are some photos of my dad. The first one is from 1967 when he was standing at Sky Bridge in the Red River Gorge area of Kentucky. Below that is one of him in his Wayland High School football uniform; he told me he played guard on offense and defense. Following are two from his college days at VPI. Then there's one of him holding his younger daughter Deborah in August 1975 on a vacation trip. Below that is one of him standing in the dining room of his house in Jenkins, Kentucky in 1990. Then one of him standing in the vicinity of where an amphitheater was later built in Jenkins, Kentucky. In the final photo, he is sitting on the porch of his house in Jenkins, Kentucky.

I urge adult children whose dads remain alive to keep in contact with them via visits, phone calls, emails, text messages, etc. Say “I Love You,” and thank them specifically for some of the things you remember them doing for you.

During my childhood, dad worked long hours at his job and other career-related activities. Dad didn't say "I love you" much when I was a boy, which was probably common for dads in the 1960s and 1970s. But he demonstrated his love in numerous ways. He worked to support his family. And he taught me many things. He also devoted time to playing games with me despite his busy schedule.

In his later years, we said "I love you" to each other often. We did it much more during my adulthood than when I was a child. And dad often took the initiative in saying that first.

Dad taught me the importance of an education and the importance of asking questions and looking things up in books. He taught me how to drive a car--I was less nervous with the police officer when I took the test than with dad during my training. And I passed my driver's exam the first time.

I cherish many happy memories of joyful times with dad. We hiked together in various scenic areas in southeastern Kentucky when I was a boy. We played lots of fun games of Rook,® chess, croquet, etc.

Dad did a lot for lots of people. During the course of his lifetime, in addition to his career as a mining engineer and land surveyor, he became involved in numerous other activities. At various times, among other things, he served as a Boy Scout troop leader, church deacon, church as well as county church conference treasurer, held offices in the Kentucky Society of Professional Engineers, and at one point I think he was even a PTA president. He possessed numerous strengths. Of course, as a human being he also had human weaknesses. But I feel fortunate to have had him as my dad and prefer to focus on his positive aspects and my many happy memories rather than his shortcomings. Whether your dad did achieved more or less than mine, your dad contributed to making you who you are. Seek to appreciate him for being the individual he is or was and for his achievements.

Dad’s Passing On to Heaven and Afterward

Dad's passing on to heaven wasn't totally unexpected. A few decades ago, he said a doctor told him he was a walking dead man. Dad had various health problems.

Still, when dad and I talked on the phone the afternoon of April 26, 2013, I hoped he would be released from the hospital in a few days. But he took a major turn for the worse that evening and passed on to heaven shortly after 2 a.m. on Saturday, April 27.

Often a dad’s death comes unexpected. Say “I love you” to your dad and show him love regularly. You never know when it may be your last chance to.

The visitation (April 28, 2013) and funeral (April 29, 2013) went well. Fellowship with relatives and friends made it a special time. The funeral messages offered a nice celebration of dad's life and his passing on to heaven.

Closure has largely come, I guess. But I still typically think briefly about dad at least a few times a day, even eight years later. I cherish wonderful memories while looking forward to that reunion in heaven.

Closing Thoughts

This Father's Day (June 20, 2021) I plan to devote some time to quiet reflection about my many wonderful memories of dad. And I plan to budget extra time for prayer to God, my Heavenly Father.

If your dad is alive, I urge you to seek to contact him on Father’s Day and regularly afterward. If his health is poor and you are the primary caregiver, bless you for helping repay your dad for what he’s done for you.

I urge readers to cherish happy memories of their dads. And I urge those whose dads still live Earthly lives to keep in contact with them and to tell them that they love them. Their next conversation with daddy may be their last one.

I miss dad. But I look forward to seeing him again someday in heaven. And I love my many marvelous memories. Yes, I will be remembering dad on Father's Day. I hope you will remember your dad too.

NOTE:

This article submitted to Google Blogger on Jane 20, 2020 is virtually identical to one submitted to Craft News Report, a website operated by the author's friend Paul Craft, earlier the same day, on June 20th 2020. Part of it is reprinted/adapted from an article the author wrote in 2013 just before his first Father‘s Day without his dad. This article was last revised on May 19th, 2021.

We Need Reform Now: Flag Day, Flags, Statues, and Policies

The United States flag. Worthy of respect? A symbol of evil? Maybe some of both? June 14th is Flag Day in the United States. It's a day for honoring the United States flag. President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed Flag Day in 1916.

Flags, statues, and other symbols have a variety of meanings for various persons.

This has been illustrated again in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, a few weeks before Flag Day. His murder led to renewed calls for much-needed police reform. Among other things, protesters chose to avoid standing for the national anthem at sports events and damaged statues.

Constructive reform is good. Wonderful! We need change. I hope reforms come soon and existing laws are enforced more effectively.

However, we need to do things the correct way. It’s wrong to vandalize statues instead of legislating to remove them. It’s wrong to destroy the property of others. It’s wrong to kill or injure innocent people.

Confederate Flags

Lots of persons are urging that Confederate flags be removed from public display. I agree.

Now is an especially good time to enact change while George Floyd’s murder remains in our minds. I think everyone (or almost everyone) who saw that video of George Floyd being kneed for 8 minutes give or take a minute, including a few minutes after he became unresponsive, even though he was handcuffed and stating he couldn’t breathe, agrees that we need to prevent such things from happening, and the officers responsible for his death needed to be prosecuted.

What does this have to do with Confederate flags? Confederate flags have negative connotations for many African-Americans and others. These flags are increasingly banned in many places, just as Nazi flags are banned in Germany.

For some, the Confederate flag may symbolize quality aspects of southern life, not slavery and discrimination. But the fact is that the Confederate flag designs came into being during a secession and war that was primarily fought over the issue of slavery. Furthermore, in recent years Confederate flags have been used as symbols by white supremacist groups and persons opposed to civil rights, equal rights.

As I see it, Confederate flags belong in history museums rather than on public display out of context. But as a proponent of freedom of speech, I support the right of private citizens to display a Confederate flag on their own private property--though I think it would be better if they didn’t.

Statues of Southern Leaders

Statues of prominent Southern leaders such as Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis are controversial too. In 2020 a statue of Jefferson Davis (who was born in Kentucky) was removed from Kentucky’s state capitol building rotunda where it existed with a few other statues including those of Abraham Lincoln and Henry Clay.

I agree with the decision to remove the statue. However, I would prefer to have it placed in the Kentucky Historical Society museum rather than in the county where Jefferson Davis was born.

Indeed, I’d prefer to move the other statues in the rotunda to the history museum also. The state capitol building ought to be a place for all Kentuckians, not a place to honor a few specific individuals.

All human individuals have strengths and weaknesses. Henry Clay was called the “Great Compromiser” for his efforts to attain compromises between the north and south. But he was a slave owner. Robert E. Lee had numerous good qualities; in fact, he was apparently Abraham Lincoln’s first choice to lead the Union Army in the Civil War, but Virginia’s vote to secede (and maybe other factors) led to Lee declining the opportunity.

Abraham Lincoln is hailed by many as the greatest U.S. President in history, but his election and policies led to a war that killed a huge number of persons and to divisions that still exist today in this country. Indeed, many of the freed slaves who often had limited ability to read and write, and limited resources in other ways, went north to live in slums. In some cases their descendants remain in them now.

Numerous nations around the world ended slavery without a war, and I’m confident that the United States could have with better leadership too. Maybe not as quickly, but in a better way. Sadly, African-Americans even today suffer because of the improper way the Civil War took place and the aftermath of it.

Jefferson Davis was not an evil man. Abraham Lincoln was not a saint. Davis did much wrong. So did Lincoln. Civil War Monument and U.S. Flag The best approach to creating monuments is providing a balanced perspective, one that presents both sides. "Brothers Once More" is the theme of a civil war monument beside U.S. Route 23 near the top of the mountain above Jenkins, Kentucky that is pictured below. Well done! On one side the structure depicts both Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. The other side depicts a military leader from the Union and one from the Confederacy. The monument focuses on unity, the nation being united again. The area near the monument features multiple United States and Confederate flags of different designs, but my U.S. flag photo is from a different location.

The United States Flag

United States flag photographed Oct. 23, 2016 near the Lexington, Kentucky courthouses

For many, including me, the United States flag is a positive symbol that reflects much of what is good about this nation. 

But, just as the Nazi flag and the Confederate flag symbolize evil to many, so does the United States flag.

Read history. Learn about the numerous times the United States military intervened for selfish reasons in Central and South American nations (and elsewhere), sometimes helping overthrow the nations’ legitimate governments.

Our nation stole land from the Native American Indians. Our nation enslaved African-Americans and Native Americans. Our nation intervened in Hawaii to protect sugar interests. Our nation took land from Mexico. Etc.,  Etc., Etc.

As long as the United States is in existence (which I hope is for a long time), the United States flag needs to remain as a symbol of the country. Persons have no right to vandalize flags at public buildings.

However, persons have a right to freedom of speech, a right to refuse to salute the flag. Jehovah’s Witnesses who put God, Jehovah, above the flag, have a right to do it and to refuse to stand for the national anthem. Native American Indians who choose not to support the flag have a right to do so. Maybe persons who disagree with such Native American Indians could leave the United States, since our ancestors who immigrated here took the land unlawfully from the Indians.     

Broaden Our Horizons

Going to school in southeastern Kentucky in the 1960s and 1970s, at times I attended segregated schools that were all white. In one town we lived in, I didn’t even know a large number of African-Americans lived in the town until one day I saw a gathering of many of them on a hill on the other side of the railroad tracks. I learned they were there and knew they deserved an education.

Growing up in the 1960s and early 1970s, I thought all Russians were evil Communists. I later learned that Russian people are human beings who love their families and want to avoid the horrors of war as we do.

Studying history superficially, I thought all Germans were evil in World War II as they obeyed Hitler. I learned later that huge numbers of “Christians” in Germany supported Hitler.

Growing up in southeastern Kentucky, I thought the United States supported freedom and democracy for everyone. I learned more later about the evil way we opposed freedom and democracy for women, Native Americans, African-Americans, residents of Central and South American countries, etc.

I learned how the United States government instituted and backed military coups to overthrow governments elected by the people in various countries in Central America and elsewhere.

I learned that there are secretive organizations that require prospective members to go through initiation rites, including hazing. These require prospective initiates to do wrong, thus enabling the organizations to get power over them. This is wrong too.

Hillbillies and African-Americans

The hillbillies (I like the term Appalachian-Americans too but am proud to be called a hillbilly.)  who immigrated to Appalachia and built log cabins, farmed, got water from springs, and built outhouses for toilets lived a tough life in many ways.

But even they didn’t suffer like the African-Americans who were slaves, prevented from attending schools, beaten, forcibly segregated, etc.

And many in my generation of hillbillies, including me, were blessed with reasonably good schools, stores, homes, etc., thanks to the coal companies and the prosperity they brought. Yes, coal companies did evil to some, but they did good for many too, including me.

I think it’s unfair to compare the hardships encountered by us hillbillies with those endured by African-Americans.  

Changes

Police and military brutality needs to cease. No-knock warrants need to cease. Yes, maybe in some cases evidence will be destroyed after officers knock. But my guess is that in such cases there was typically relatively little evidence to start with. The risks outweigh the potential rewards.

One of the things that separate the United States from many other nations is our relative freedom of speech and freedom of the press. We can read about and see pictured online many of the evils our government has done if we do research instead of just following propaganda from one particular group.

However, tearing down public statues is not the answer. Instead, I support relegating many inappropriate statues to museums with accompanying placards that explain their context.

Furthermore, we need to separate individuals from individual sins. As a Christian, I believe we all have sinned and fall short of God’s perfect will for us. But we can love one another and help one another. We can seek positive change. And we can do it peacefully.

NOTE:

This article submitted to Google Blogger on June 14, 2020 is a longer version of one published earlier the same day on Craft News Report, a website operated by his friend Paul Craft. This Blogger article was last revised on June 2, 2021.

Facts, Statistics, Opinions, Errors, and Lies: Interpreting News

“News” isn’t always news. Much of what the news media, scientists, politicians, so-called “experts,” and others seek to pass off as facts actually are just statistics, opinions, or deliberate lies.

It’s important to seek to interpret what one reads, hears, and sees critically to seek to discern the facts, the truth.

COVID-19 Example

For example, when numerous news media sources reported on Sunday, June 7, 2020, that almost 7 million persons had contracted COVID-19 and over 400,000 had died, that was not a fact. It was a statistic based on an interpretation of particular data received by a particular organization, Johns Hopkins University, which is gathering information from various sources around the world.

And when a John's Hopkins webpage today, February 14, 2023*, states that worldwide there have been 673,127,746 COVID-19 cases and 6,855,628 deaths, that is also a statistic, not an exactly correct number.

I commend Johns Hopkins for the time and effort they take to assemble data from numerous resources and for updating their numbers frequently each day. Their statistics may be the best we have available. But, as they know, the statistics are not exactly accurate.

The percentage of persons tested varies by country and by region within countries. Many who have (or have had) the disease have never been tested. Furthermore, the tests aren’t always accurate. And many at-home test results are not reported publicly to officials.

Many who die without being tested aren’t counted as COVID-19 deaths. Furthermore, many deaths may be counted as being due to the virus even though the persons weren’t tested and had other health issues.

Even if Johns Hopkins does a perfect job of assembling the available data, don’t expect their statistics to be accurate, because the original data they used is not accurate. They know that. But the media that wants a short sound bite, often doesn‘t go into a lot of details to explain that.

The fact is that we humans will never know the actual number of persons who contract COVID-19 or that die from it. However, I am thankful for the statistics Johns Hopkins provides, even though I know they are potentially in error by a large amount.

Let’s discuss the differences between facts, statistics, opinions, and lies. 

Facts

Facts are things that are 100% true. They don’t change. And much of what is reported in the news as being “factual” actually is not. 

For example, with breaking news stories and often even with other stories, news media eager to report quickly state “facts” that aren’t facts. Anytime you read, watch, or listen to news coverage of a breaking news story, accept that many things being presented as “facts” are not verifiable facts. The reporters don’t know yet. Maybe they never will.

Furthermore, a statement by an official is not a fact. Neither is a press release from a political official, corporation, or another source. The press release is likely biased, presenting views in a way that benefits the particular source submitting the press release.

Statistics

Statistics provide useful information. But they can be presented and interpreted in various ways. And their quality depends on the quality of the data used to assemble them. To help determine the quality of the information, seek to determine the original source(s) of the data, the type of data, and how it is being presented. Remember the example I used earlier about statistics on COVID-19?

I took a few statistics courses in college and later tutored some college students in introductory statistics. I know statistics have limitations. Below is a photo of statistics books I own. I confess I seldom refer to them and remember little I learned from them, though I acknowledge that statistics can be useful.

Opinions   

Opinions are views expressed by some particular person or group. When opinions are supported by facts and quality statistics, they can be very helpful. But emotional, one-sided opinion pieces that lack support and/or deliberately distort the available information are counterproductive.

If you only consider opinions of one group (Democrats or Republicans?), you’re probably getting a very limited perspective. Sadly, too often charismatic speakers or writers can distort public opinion via their biased statements. 

Errors and Lies

Persons make mistakes and opinions can be wrong. These are errors. When “errors” are deliberate, they become not just errors, but also lies.

How often do politicians and others lie? Much too often. Furthermore, in this age of email, Twitter, Facebook, etc., persons can post lies quickly to millions of persons.

People like unusual stories. Sensationalism often makes the news headlines. On social media websites that have little moderation or editing, “fake news” that presents an emotional story can be spread quickly and create outrage or other emotions in those who see or read it before it can be corrected.

     

More Examples of Facts Versus Fiction Related to COVID-19

When someone tells you that distancing helps prevent the spread of COVID-19, you can accept that as a fact. For example, other things being equal, if you are 100 miles away from the nearest case, I’m confident you are unlikely to contract the disease.

But if someone tells you 3 feet, 6 feet, or 10 feet is a safe distance, that is just an opinion based on limited information. In those cases, your safety may depend on how long you are that close, whether you are indoors or outdoors, what type of ventilation system the building has or whether the wind is blowing outside and in which direction, whether the person with the disease is coughing, sneezing, talking, singing, etc., and maybe many other factors as well, including the status of your immune system. We don’t know. Even the experts don’t know. And what I wrote here is my opinion, not a fact.

However, if you are hugging, kissing, and speaking to someone less than a foot away, it’s almost certain you can contract the virus if they have it and are contagious. But deciding exactly how far away for how long is safe, is not known.

Wearing a facial mask over the nose and mouth certainly can help reduce the spread of the disease. When in the early going, we were told it didn’t, that was at best an erroneous opinion expressed by people who should have known better and possibly an intentional lie provided since they felt quality face masks were in short supply.

Any type of covering would reduce the spread a bit in my opinion, but I'm not a medical professional and can't give any medical advice. And a quality face mask (such as an N95 one) that covers one’s nose and mouth, along with goggles to protect the eyes, would seem to be reasonably effective at reducing the disease’s spread, if not eliminating it.

Of course problems can arise from potential (or actual) shortages of quality masks and goggles. Furthermore, wearing them could contribute to vision problems from fogged-up glasses, breathing difficulties, and other harmful side effects.

Much remains unknown to us and the experts, despite the confidence with which so-called experts proclaim particular “facts.”

Closing Thoughts

Don’t rush to accept news statements as being facts. Seek to learn more about situations. Seek the truth about the stories in the headlines--or at least accept the possibility that what is reported is not accurate.

Finally, if you can get beyond the short sound bites of feature stories in the news headlines to learn more about other aspects and about other events that get less news coverage, that’s even better. Much better.

ENDNOTE:

"Johns Hopkins University of Medicine: Coronavirus Resource Center: COVID-19 Dashboard"; webpage accessed February 14, 2023; webpage stated it was last updated February 14, 2023, 1:20 p.m.; https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

NOTE:

This article posted on June 7, 2020, was adapted from one the author submitted to Craft News Report, a website operated by his friend Paul Craft, earlier the same day.

This article was last revised on February 14, 2023.