I should have started this subject years ago. Magical thinking refers to thinking that is clearly at odds with reality. The kick-off is this:
The White House is seeking to discredit Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease expert, as President Donald Trump works to marginalize him and his dire warnings about the shortcomings of the U.S. coronavirus response.
In a remarkable broadside by the Trump administration against one of its own, a White House official said Sunday that “several White House officials are concerned about the number of times Dr. Fauci has been wrong on things.” The official gave NBC News a list of nearly a dozen past comments by Fauci that the official said had ultimately proven erroneous. [NBC News]
And illustrating the absurdity of the situation is Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT):
Don’t let this feel normal.
It’s nuclear grade bananas to have White House staff sending reporters opposition research on their own top infectious disease doctor in the middle of a worsening pandemic that has already killed 130,000.
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) July 12, 2020
Evidently, Fauci’s message is at odds with the desired political message, and since politics always changes reality, it’s time to discredit the expert.
Or, to return to my old prism analogy, the jokers who made this decision have had their prism of politics firmly welded to their face. Reality is merely an annoying gnat to them, right up until their own relatives start dying.
While I have little sympathy with calls for term limits, as I dislike seeing experience being forced out the door, and the term-limited can always get elected to other posts, I can understand the frustration when something as irresponsible as this occurs. It’s just like the Soviets – sacrifice anyone, friend or foe, to keep power.
Keep an eye out for other Soviet tactics.
