When reporting Covid deaths, why don't the newspapers etc. give us "compared to what"?

From the indefatigable Don Boudreaux:

DBx: How many of the pro-Covid-19 lockdowners or pro-obstructionists seem to be aware not merely that 95 percent of Covid deaths in the U.S. are of people ages 50 and above, but also that fully 41 percent of all Covid deaths in the U.S. are of residents of nursing homes?

 Not many, is my guess.

How many pro-lockdowners or obstructionists appear to know that, according to the CDC, the Covid infection fatality ratio for all Americans ages 50-69 is 0.005, while that for Americans ages 70 and older is 0.054?

Ditto. So:

When people call for – or even express their approval of – lockdowns and other government-imposed obstructions on economic and social activities, they almost never reveal any awareness of the above facts. Why not? Why do the media so rarely put Covid deaths in perspective? Why are reports of “surging” Covid cases reported with a tone and urgency suggesting that cases are nearly the equivalent of deaths?

May I give three cheers for those questions? Why not comparisons? As with flu deaths?

There's a hint, however. When they feature the death of a young person, not only because it's by and large sadder than the death of an old one, but because it happens so much less often. But they don't make that point, just the former. Weepers sell.

What reasonable person believes, in light of the above facts about Covid-19’s lethality and overwhelming disregard for the non-aged, that it is reasonable, prudent, and justified to massively upend economic and social intercourse, as has been done and as governments continue to do?

Indeed. Moreover:

 What sensible human being, in light of these facts, agrees to have government dictate the number of persons who are allowed to gather in private homes? To grind to a halt a great deal of productive activity? To shutter schools and have five- and six-year-old children “learn” through Zoom?

 More:

To trust executive government officials with powers never before exercised in the United States on such a scale and with such utter arbitrariness – that is, to trust executive government officials to be dictators, for that’s what they have become and that’s what they remain as I write these words in fear, sorrow, and anger?

 Damn. He's right.

Why are so many Americans, the vast majority of whom are at no real risk of suffering from Covid, treating fellow human beings as lethal monsters? 

Warily passing them on a walk. Keeping them at a distance just in case, though that's another question. It's governmental overreach he's talking about.

A commenter adds this, which I say is at the heart of our problem:

Evan Osborne

Alas, we have done it to ourselves. We have learned to trust that the government has our best interest in its heart when it does such things, and that it knows that interest. 

The road to serfdom, a wise man said. 

If there’s fraud in the 2020 election, then we must find it

 

 From the woman who bird-dogged the Hunter Biden scam:

There’s more evidence of voter fraud in the 2020 election than there ever was of Russia collusion, so America is owed a legal examination of the election irregularities alleged by the Trump campaign.

It’s not crazy to say this, despite the gaslighting from much of the media.

Basically, the election is down to roughly 120,000 votes of almost 150 million votes cast.

That’s 0.0008 percent, a tiny margin by anyone’s reckoning.

Etc.

She remains on the case at her paper, NY Post, even if Murdochs are pulling away from Trumpism.

Town-gown on S. Side

St. Xavier U. is “Campus Kong”? It has joined the club of universities led by Hungry Administrators Eager to Leave a Legacy of Infinite Expansion? Say it isn’t so, Mother McAuley (foundress of the Mercies, with girls’ school named after her next door). 

Yes, it’s true, unless you think 400 Far (far) South Siders (Mt. Greenwood neighborhood) can be wrong. They have signed Dolores Madlener’s petition that has already blocked the Making of Three Dormitories adjacent to St. Xav (say “Zav,” rhyming with salve). 

Not good enough for The Four Hundred, who want the three houses, bought up by Xav’s in the last three years and rented to families since then, to stay as family, not grad-student, residences. 

Daily Southtown has it, Sun-Times ran it too. Meeting 8/10, 6 p.m., fourth floor board room at 3700 W. 103rd St., where Xav’s flak-catchers meet the people and reportedly tell all about the Three Houses. 

Madlener tells this blog to pray. Sure, but keep in mind that if you live that far south, you should not be surprised at anything that happens to you. (Speaking with what was at the time an Oak Park, near west suburban, perspective.)

Fact-Checking Fauci

Dr. Fauci said worse is yet to come Covid-wise: Didn't lock down soon enough, and when we did, people wouldn't stay locked down.

There are several immediate problems with Fauci's arguments, including the fact that COVID cases are showing clear signs of a summer resurgence in the same European countries that allegedly tamed the virus through harsh lockdowns in the spring. 

Sure enough,

The American news media . . . seized on Fauci's narrative, and used it to call for renewed lockdowns. The New York Times and The Washington Post both editorialized in favor of a second stricter wave of nationwide lockdowns lasting until October – this despite there being no clear evidence that lockdowns actually work at taming the virus.

Hmm.