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A socialist friend asked how I rank the U.S. and Trump for our response to coronavirus. I gave the country a B for response, but a D for planning.

Vlad want on to ask what I thought specifically of Trump. Here’s my reply.

I’m not sure enough of the timeline to give an honest assessment. Early on, the WHO was assuring everyone there was no risk of human to human transmission, and they criticized Trump for stopping flights from China.

I know Trump started off very dismissive of the virus and then changed his mind, but it’s hard to say what he should have known when.

Same for others. Pelosi was telling people to come out for various events, New Orleans still had Mardi Gras, and New York may have been a little slow to close. But a lot of that is 20-20 hindsight. It’s very hard for us to say now what they should have known or done back then.

To me, the bigger issue is how unprepared we are. We should have stockpiles of protective gear, sanitizers, hospital beds, ventilators, etc.

In Maryland, they’ve been trying to close hospitals for years — to move care into smaller facilities. Now they’re crying because they don’t have enough hospital space.

I’m generally opposed to centralization, but this is one area where some central planning is necessary.

I just learned this morning that Mike Lindell — the “my pillow” guy — used to be a crack addict. He overcame addiction, founded a very successful company, and is now using that company to serve the country in a time of need.

But … it’s so boring because it involves Jesus.

If he was a Satanist and did these things, he’d be a media darling and Time’s Man of the Year.

Michael Knowles had some video on his podcast of various fringe Evangelical leaders who have been commanding coronavirus to go away.

What do you think is going through their minds?

Some of them might actually believe that it will work. Okay. That’s fairly straight-forward and not all that interesting.

The prophets who interest me are the ones who are pretty sure that their declarations won’t do anything, but they’re doing them anyway.

Why?

First, what’s the short-term gain? Are their followers going to be impressed that they were so bold in their faith? Or have they painted themselves into a corner where this was their only possible option?

Second, what’s the longer-term game? When their words don’t come true, how are they going to explain that?

A lack of faith, probably. (On whose part?) Or maybe demonic activity. Or maybe God’s judgment.

What kinds of excuses do you think they have queued up to save face when coronavirus doesn’t obey them and run away?

Liquor sales are up. People are streaming videos. Some might be buying digital books. The game sites are certainly humming. Thermometers and other medical equipment are flying off the shelves.

What business would you like to be in right now? Preferably something unexpected.

Following “social distancing” rules, Pigweed and Crowhill once again broadcast from the land of Skype. They review two beers: Pastryarchy and a Scottish Wee heavy. Then they discuss human nature.

Is there a fundamental human nature, or is it totally malleable?

This is a key difference between the left and the right. The right takes humanity as a given, and tries to create a structure that accommodates man as he is. The left has a vision for a better society and tries to tweak man to fit in.

Conservatives are willing to tolerate equality, so long as it doesn’t get in the way of freedom, but liberals are willing to tolerate freedom so long as it doesn’t get in the way of equality.

You can’t ever enforce equality up to the highest-performing person. The only way to have equality is to bring the top down.

How does this relate to socialism, and to the effort to create a perfect man? The boys discuss this and many other topics.