Your 2nd and 3rd points illustrate the cultural problem the parent comment mentioned. The “the government is incompetent” trope contributes to the distrust that

Your 2nd and 3rd points illustrate the cultural problem the parent comment mentioned. The “the government is incompetent” trope contributes to the distrust that’s making it harder to deal with the virus. Like when you say the government is fucking things up, what are talking about here. Federal, state, city level? Because they each have approached the pandemic very differently and it’s unfair to put them all under the same umbrella. I’m pretty happy with the way my local government has responded. It hasn’t been perfect, but I also don’t expect them to deal with a once-in-a-century pandemic without hiccups. I know at least here in the US it’s common to paint “the government” as incompetent, and overpaid. But when parts of the population are angrily protesting that they can’t get haircuts and flying to FL to party during spring break, it’s no wonder it hasn’t been easy to get this under control. I don’t envy the positions of some government officials.