hobgoblin
The great H.L. Mencken, a classical liberal when such creatures still existed, once wrote, "The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by an endless series of hobgoblins, most of them imaginary." I find myself repeating this quote more and more these days.

America, and the rest of the world, is in the throes of a panic that has never been seen before, outside the fanciful scripts of Hollywood. A new "super" virus, the Coronavirus, is being hyped nonstop by our state-controlled media as the new bubonic plague. The fear porn emanating from our television sets is relentless.

Attempting to urge calm, and discuss this subject rationally is very difficult. Hysterical shoppers have wiped the shelves clean in many stores. Toilet paper, for whatever reason, is being hoarded by nearly everyone. I have done what I can, with my own limited platform. I've had guests like the veteran medical fraud expert Jon Rappoport, and Dr. Steven Hotze, on my radio show "I Protest." Most listeners, and most of my contacts on social media, seem to agree that this thing is being wildly over hyped. Some agree with my growing suspicion that it is, in fact, a hoax.

Even establishment voices like Dr. Drew Pinsky and Dr. Oz are attempting to restore reason. Pinsky noted,
"A bad flu season is 80,000 dead, we've got about 18,000 dead from influenza this year, we have a hundred from corona. Which should you be worried about influenza or Corona? A hundred versus 18,000? It's not a trick question...What I have a problem with is the panic and the fact that businesses are getting destroyed that people's lives are being upended, not by the virus, but by the panic. The panic must stop. And the press, they really somehow need to be held accountable because they are hurting people."
Both Jon Rappoport and Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg are asking the questions all of us should be asking. Exactly how was this particular strain of the Coronavirus- COVID-19, identified? Rappoport claims that "presumptive" cases of the virus are being lumped in together with actual cases. To say that any reported numbers are unreliable in such a scenario is to put it mildly. But it may be worse than that. Someone on Twitter claims to have talked with the CDC, who admitted there is no present test for COVID-19. If that remarkable claim is true, then exactly how are any people being diagnosed as having it? Is every case "presumptive?"

Just in the last week, we've seen both the NBA and NHL suspend their seasons. The NCAA has cancelled March Madness, one of the most lucrative sporting events in the world. Businesses are closing. Virtually all events with large crowds have been cancelled. The CDC has recommended the banning of all gatherings with fifty or more people for eight weeks. So, if any revolutionaries out there were plotting to come together and don yellow jackets, it will have to be in groups of forty nine.

Washington, D.C. bars and restaurants have decreed that patrons may not come within less than six feet of one another. This brilliant idea was gleaned from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who advised, "In general, when going outside try to stay at least 6 feet away from others as ... If you can't stay 6ft away from other people, it's too close." How such a ridiculous edict would be enforced wasn't delineated by the good representative. Portable tape measures? What would be the penalties for breaching the six foot perimeter?

In 2009, this country was hit hard with the Swine Flu. Barack Obama, universally praised for his response, did nothing until 4,000 Americans had already died, when he declared a National Emergency. The CDC claimed that 59 million Americans contracted the disease, 265,000 were hospitalized, and over 12,000 died. As of now, headlines trumpet that "US death toll rises to 62." The numbers don't justify the reaction we've seen on the part of our leaders. Or the people. They don't even seem to qualify this "super" virus as a pandemic.

In fact, the wonder is that they keep trotting out these numbers, which pale in comparison to deaths from the regular flu every year, and continue to receive the same panicked response on the part of the public. At what point do Americans start to question this? Why is the country being basically shut down over something that doesn't appear nearly as dangerous as the normal, non "super" flu? If they are ordered to remain in their houses, how many Americans would protest?

These stringent measures are inconsistent and defy common sense. What is the difference between large crowds attending a ball game or a concert, and large crowds in stores and shopping malls? Not to mention the economic cost to all those businesses. The stock market is crashing, and is not responding as it normally does to seemingly good news like oil price drops and interest rate cuts. The conclusion is inescapable that the usual diabolical suspects are manipulating the buying and selling to eventually swoop in and devour the carcasses.

The rabbit hole here, as always, goes very deep. Bill Gates, representing the soulless eugenicists who have been running our world for a very long time, breathlessly fantasized about 33 million dying from this pandemic. His choice of the number 33 was not lost upon those in the conspiratorial world, who understand its significance in masonic and occult circles. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, quarantined in Italy, solemnly warned that "America must act now- and act big." Exactly how much "bigger" our leaders could react to a "pandemic" that has killed less than 100 people is something for the unwashed masses to ponder.

Then there is the constant drumbeat in response to the low numbers thus far, that this "super" virus cannot be stopped, and that things will get worse. Much worse. Media outlets, who have irresponsibly revved up the fear, have the audacity to run articles with headlines like, "5 Reasons Coronavirus is Way Worse Than You've Been Led to Believe." National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci declared, "things will get worse than they are right now. " Based on the progression thus far, these sentiments simply aren't justified. Are they talking about the virus, or the government's crackdown, getting worse?

We are told that this "super" virus is unimaginably contagious, which will lead to a frighteningly fast spread around the world. Donald Trump, a nearly 74 year old overweight man, was filmed shaking hands with a Brazilian official who had tested positive for the Coronavirus. It would be subsequently reported that Trump tested negative afterwards. Shouldn't a "super" bug be able to infect a vulnerable target of Trump's age rather easily?

"Conspiracy theorists" are having fun online by asking people if they know anyone who has this deadly disease. So far, judging from the responses, it appears that the virus hasn't struck anyone in the conspiracy world. Meanwhile, the wives of both Justin Trudeau and the prime minister of Spain have supposedly tested positive. And Tom "Oswald did it" Hanks, of all people, became the first celebrity to test positive. We can count on Tom to urge everyone to obey all orders.

With the unprecedented reaction to what has thus far been far less dangerous than the common flu, we should be asking why? Exactly what is the reason for this? On the surface, it appears to be just another way to trample on what remains of our civil liberties, in the guise of fighting to keep us healthy. We know they don't care about our health. They do care deeply about controlling us. If this is a trial run to see how Americans react to a Martial Law situation, our leaders must be thrilled.

And Donald Trump is playing the part of the fall guy here, as he so often has since becoming president. While Obama did basically nothing in the face of the Swine Flu epidemic, Trump acted comparatively swiftly. When he declared a National Emergency after 40 deaths in America, and banned air travel to and from most European countries, the entire establishment blasted it as being too little, too late. Many of his enemies have called this virus "Trump's Katrina." For the record, whatever one thinks about Trump, he cannot be blamed for COVID-19.

In fact, many Trump supporters believe the virus scare is merely another attempt to remove him from office, after the ridiculous "Russiagate" and impeachment charades failed. I don't think this is being done merely to get rid of Trump, although that may happen. Will they cancel elections? After all, there are large crowds at the polls. Already, the Democrats have cancelled the Louisiana primary, sparing the hapless Bernie Sanders another chance to be cheated electorally.

The entire countries of Italy and Spain have been closed off. Towns and communities all over the world are being quarantined. The overreaction on the part of the world is as historic as the overreaction here. Meanwhile, no one has explained why there appear to be few if any cases of the Coronavirus in Africa, India, or South America. Perhaps the heat? Well, what about Russia? Virtually nothing there, either. Did Vladimir Putin refuse to play ball, as he so often does?

Pointing out that half the deaths in America came from the same nursing home, and that those who have died have largely been very elderly, with underlying conditions, has done little to assuage a terrified populace.

Whatever this thing is, it isn't a random but inexplicably powerful virus strain that our leaders are battling with selfless decency.