Another Update on the Axis of Evil

It is actually a bit of comic relief to watch the Slavitt and Osterholm show.  Kashkari seemed to be the smartest of the bunch and I think he pretty quickly realized he was dealing with ignorant buffoons who were making fools of themselves with their predictions and recommendations.  So I think, like Mussolini, he wasn’t really up for the fight and has dropped out early.  Slavitt has distinguished himself further by issuing a barrage of what he apparently thinks are funny tweets aimed at new White House coronavirus advisor Dr. Scott Atlas.  Note the doctor title, don’t believe Slavitt has that and he doesn’t actually appear to have familiarized himself with even basic research and data on the epidemic.  Dr. Atlas is from Stanford, a somewhat prominent medical institution as I recall.  Slavitt has no specific reasoned criticisms of Dr. Atlas, just sophomoric jokes.

Mr. Slavitt also appears to think tweets disappear.  He issued one today claiming his advice had something to do with the southern and southwestern states doing a better job handling their case wave, far better than Cuomo, who Slavitt has slavishly butt-kissed for having a per capita death rate three times the national average.  Unfortunately for Andy, the anti-Andy gang quickly found his doomsday tweets from the time, all of which weren’t close to the actual outcome.  And it became an occasion for the twitter mob to remind Andy that just a few weeks ago he predicted such apocalyptic  doom that he was recommending a complete lockdown with everyone banned to their houses, no excuses, no interstate travel permitted, and so on.  Of course, we should all hope Andy keeps tweeting because he is like a magic charm, as soon as he predicts doom, things show a dramatic improvement.

But the good Prof. Osterholm, who is apparently a shell of his former self, has set a high bar.  First, he was a primary advisor on the Minnesota model, which at this point can only be viewed as an attempt by the Onion to do a parody on epidemic models.  He has consistently forecast the most extreme case and mortality outcomes, seemingly forgetting basic epidemiologic principals.  And he has constantly called for complete lockdowns, even when it should be apparent to an expert epidemiologist what the shape of the pandemic is and that the worst has likely passed.  And he most recently spread intense fear rearding the Sturgis rally, claiming it would be a national catastrophe.  Not quite panning out that way.  Time for the good Professor to retire to his easy chair, pipe in hand, and stare vacantly into a cozy fire while listening to his beloved Minnesota Twins.

But these are the experts we should listen to in deciding policy.