Problem-solving has never been one of my strong suits. My late husband, a.k.a. Hubby, who was wise and always cool, calm, and collected, was my problem-solver. Now I am forced to think things out and attempt to solve my own problems. Asking for help from my children is an option, but I try to keep my requests to a minimum as I so often need their help with anything related to technology. So I am proud to announce that things have turned around and that I finally learned to deal with some of my problems.
One problem started with Fauci and his penchant for changing his mind every other day. It was not too long ago that this doctor, who has been touted as the foremost infectious disease specialist in the nation, as well as chief medical adviser to the president, said that he was pleased with the cooperation he gets from President Trump. He told the American public, on national television, that Trump listens to his advice. Fauci’s kind words lasted well into Trump’s presidency, but since that presidency is now over, so is Fauci’s praise of him.
As soon as Trump was out and Biden was in, the doctor did an about-face by announcing that he felt “liberated” to now be dealing with Biden instead of with Trump. Huh? Dr. Fauci is not affiliated or registered with any political party, nor does he endorse any political party. Nevertheless, it is clear that he plays politics. The man simply goes with the flow, and the “flow” now dictates praise of Biden, which indicates dismissal of Trump. This is what works best for Dr. Fauci.
His change of heart, while distasteful, was not surprising. It has long been known that Sir Anthony (my pet name for him) frequently vacillates. Initially, this widely respected infectious disease expert said that masks were unnecessary but, within a short period of time, he reversed course and said that masks were not only necessary, but imperative. The guy swings back and forth so often that it is a wonder he does not get dizzy. But it is not his dizziness that concerns me; it is my dizziness, and I was getting dizzy from listening to him. However, to my credit, I came up with a plan that solved my problem: I do not entirely dismiss his medical bulletins but I listen to him only every other time he speaks. That works for me because it is the only way to get a measure of consistency from this man. If only this method would work with most of the other things in the news.
At one time I tried doing the same thing with Governor Cuomo, but that did not work out well. Unlike Fauci, Cuomo is consistent. In Fauci’s case, consistency would be a good thing, but not in the case of King Cuomo (my pet name for him). That man reminds me of a dog with a bone that he will not give up. He never takes responsibility for a single one of his errors and poor decisions. He does not cause me to feel dizzy as Fauci does, but he does make me ill.
In 2007, Joe Biden said he would not allow cities to ignore federal law by refusing to hand over illegal immigrants who have committed crimes. A few months ago he reversed that position and said that undocumented immigrants arrested by local police should not be handed over to immigration officials. This gives new meaning to the term “doing a 180.” Unfortunately, most politicians often do “180s.” Biden promised not to ban fracking, but his crackdown on fossil fuels tightens fracking regulations, which sounds much like the same thing. Biden promised that he had a plan to eliminate COVID-19. I was waiting to hear that plan, but my hopes were dashed last week when he said, “Nothing can change the trajectory of COVID-19. As I suspected all along, there never was a plan for that.
However, the Biden administration has come up with one plan. Thousands of elderly people have yet to be vaccinated, but it was announced last week that those imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay should get the vaccine. Huh? I do not entirely disagree with giving injections to the terrorists detained at Gitmo; I just disagree about what they should be injected with!
Biden looks old and tired. It is clear that he is being pushed far left by AOC and Bernie Sanders. We have an empty suit in the Oval Office. But this empty suit made millions for his family and for himself by cashing in on the family name when he was Obama’s vice president. Unlike Biden, Donald Trump was energetic; however, he was no prize either. To his credit, though, Trump did bring industry back to this country, something Obama said would never happen. He did “participate” in the decimation of ISIS, something Obama compared to a JV team. And he did make us energy independent, which Biden promptly ended by his executive order to cancel the Keystone Pipeline.
During his campaign, Biden said that one who uses executive orders without consensus is a dictator. Apparently, he changed his mind about that, as he has signed forty of them since taking office. Trump is not a white supremacist, despite that assertion by those on the left, but he does make ridiculous remarks. The man is a master at misspeaking and his personality leaves much to be desired. “The Donald,” as he was called by one of his earlier wives, has stepped all over his own feet or, as Hubby would have said, he is like a cow that gives a great pail of milk and then kicks the pail over.
Fauci, Cuomo, Biden, and Trump all give me “agita” to one degree or another. And listening to the likes of Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and Adam Schiff also does not make me feel good. The obvious and best solution would be to stop listening to all news programs. I made a promise to myself that I would do that, but thus far I have been unsuccessful due to my worry about missing something important. That has not happened yet. That’s just the way it is.
Hannah Berman lives in Woodmere and gives private small-group lessons in mah-jongg and canasta. She can be reached at Savtahannah@aol.com or 516-295-4435. Read more of Hannah Berman’s articles on 5TJT.com.
