I think there are several things happening regarding the vaccine that warrant comments. In Europe, where they have a good health infrastructure, the EU bungled the acquisition of the vaccine because they were too concerned with finding a consensus among 27 countries as well as haggling over price. As a result, they have a woefully inadequate supply and the 1-euro savings per dose is a costly mistake.

At home in the US, supply issues seem to have been solved, but with no infrastructure distribution, it is like putting this increased supply through the same small funnel and expecting it to work. They are now trying to build this out, which is like attaching the doors to a car while racing down the highway. The failure to prepare for this in America will make the remarkable achievement of the vaccines less valuable in overcoming the pandemic and more people will die as a result.

Meanwhile, we see our old friend Mitch McConnell keeping his caucus together as he tries to be the counterbalance to Trump in his party. Evidently, the fact that it will keep the country from possibly addressing problems in a bi-partisan way is of no concern to him. I was amused, however, by his reaction to amending the filibuster rule in the Senate. He threatened that it would be a disaster and like a 100-car pile-up in the Senate.

Perhaps he hasn’t looked lately, but that is what he presided over for his six years as majority leader. If he thinks after the Merrick Garland court inaction that he has the stature to be an institutionalist, he is sadly mistaken. His bar seems to be what he would do, and we all know that is pretty low. Perhaps the Democrats will find a way to consider voting on civil rights legislation without a filibuster available. Or better still, limit it to three filibusters a year and make them talking filibusters. Who knows, maybe after talking for 24 hours without stopping, Cruz, Hawley, and Paul will be too tired to spread their gibberish on Fox for a few days. We could all use a break.