Realist, not conformist analysis of the latest financial, business and political news

AOC’s One To Talk About Mike Pence And Coronavirus

It’s possibly true that Mike Pence doesn’t have the deep scientific education that we’d want from a coronavirus Tsar. The list of his medical degrees is, after all, quite short. This doesn’t justify Alexandria Ocasio Cortez’s attack on the idea though:

If you were in search of a scientifically minded, steadying presence to guide the country through the potential fallout of the coronavirus, you could not do much worse than Vice-President Mike Pence. This being the Donald Trump administration, however, where qualifications and expertise are often seen as prohibitive factors for top jobs, that’s exactly who we’ve been given.

Cutting to the heart of the matter with her characteristic bluntness, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez this week pointed out the absurdity of placing Pence in charge of a potentially looming health crisis.

Her argument is that we shouldn’t be putting the ignorant in charge of things. Fair enough.

But then that’s the entire definition of political power isn’t it? That the ignorant – those chosen by their ability to harvest votes and by that ability only – get put in charge of things. There is no rational world in which Maxine Waters gets to run parts of the financial system for example. Or rather, no rational system of testing for competence which does so.

Similarly, competence would not lead us to AOC running the response to climate change. Sure, she’s got an economics degree but she woefully misunderstands the economics of this particular subject. Which, as the Stern Review has told us, means that we do not use government to plan matters. Assuming the problem does indeed exist we need to have the one and only one lever jammed into the price system and then allow the economy to chew through the problem.

As another example, Bernie doesn’t understand financial markets in the slightest. Politics might allow him to impose that entirely counter-productive Wall Street Tax – the opposite of what any testing for ability of knowledge would allow.

Assume AOC’s right, that Mike Pence is an ignoramus on matters pandemic. That’s just a demonstration of the manner that politics and politicians shouldn’t have power, isn’t it? At which point mine’s a beer love. In the bottle. Wouldn’t want to tax your known and demonstrated skills too much.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Total
0
Shares
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

9 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Addolff
Addolff
4 years ago

‘Believe in God? You’re not qualified to discuss science’.
Nothing but an Ad Hom against Pence for his Christian beliefs. The repulsive Adam Boulton did the same in an interview with Jeremy Hunt.
Only an idiot could be a scientist and a believer – you know, like Isaac Newton.

Bet they wouldn’t have mentioned it if he’d been a RoPer……….

Phoenix44
Phoenix44
4 years ago
Reply to  Addolff

It’s amazing how non-scientists fail to understand science, yet go on and on about science when they think it agrees with their opinions. Climate Deniers are always lambasted for not accepting “the science ” and if they don’t they are flat-earthers. But there’s not a single scientist that accepts everything in science – thankfully as otherwise sciencecwoulf never progress.

Spike
Spike
4 years ago

AOC got into a Twitter duel with Sen. Ted Cruz over her opinion, and fluffed up her own credentials, stating that her prowess was recognized by “MIT’s Lincoln Labs” – which turned out to be a reference to placing second in a high-school science fair. Not just incompetent but an impostor. Yes, this is part and parcel of “democracy.”

“To a battle of wits she comes unarmed.”
https://www.redstate.com/bonchie/2020/02/28/aoc-responds-to-ted-cruzs-science-jab-and-its-maximum-cringe/

Boganboy
Boganboy
4 years ago

You must believe in climate change because the ‘experts’ say so. You must do as these foreigners say because it’s ‘international law.’ I prefer democracy. Then at least I can give those bastards the finger.

As for Pence, I can see no reason why he should do much worse than anyone else. It doesn’t look to me that much can be done about coronavirus anyway.

John B
John B
4 years ago
Reply to  Boganboy

The most expeditious thing you can do is catch it as soon as possible, get over it (for most it is a slight Cold, others no symptoms at all) then you have immunity and can get on with the rest of your life.

If it is likely to be fatal for you, you already have major problems of which the Coronavirus is the least.

TD
TD
4 years ago

A very odd aspect about democracy is that we do tend to put the least capable and sleaziest among us in charge.

John B
John B
4 years ago
Reply to  TD

They are the only ones who apply for the job.

John B
John B
4 years ago

AOC being an expert on ignorance.

Phoenix44
Phoenix44
4 years ago

AOC, a politician, doesn’t even understand the role of politician. It’s not to be really knowledgable about everything (anything) – that’s why we have advisers – but to listen to what people say and then make sensible decisions.

But since AOC knows everything about everything, she doesn’t need advisors.

9
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x