I suppose harmful conspiracy theories are inevitable in any kind of public crisis. We saw them during the 1918 flu pandemic too. But when you have the nation's president fanning the flames of those conspiracies, that's a whole different story.

When you have one political party making its bones on fanning those conspiracy theories, the flames burst into a bonfire.

Can you imagine how much better things would have been by now if our national leadership had unified with positivity behind encouraging precautions and vaccinations?

I've seen that kind of national coming together during crises before, and I find myself shocked that it didn't happen with covid. And honestly, one man bears the primary blame.