.@GavinNewsom has made lots of showy announcements, vowing California would lead a smooth, equitable vaccine distribution plan across the state's 58 counties. He has propped up his administration as a leader & sought to reassure the public that he can handle it. Some comments:

Oct. 19: "We have long been in the vaccination business. Our experience with mass vaccinations makes us a unique partner with the CDC and DOD, based on the scale and scope of the vaccinations that occur on an annual basis here in the state of California."
Nov. 16: “Rather than criticizing the [Trump] administration, rather than lamenting about what could or should be done, we engaged proactively and continue to engage proactively to make sure we have a plan for safe and equitable distribution of the vaccine.”
Dec. 3: “There is light at the end of the tunnel. We are a few months away from truly seeing real progress with the vaccine, real distribution, real accessibility, real availability... You’ll be hearing good news on top of other good news."
Dec. 7: "Hope is on the horizon with a vaccination. We continue to accelerate our planning and preparedness for a safe, and equitable vaccine distribution," Newsom said. "I really believe this-you’re going to start hearing good news, and numbers that continue to significantly..."
Dec. 15: “We started this Vaccinate All 58 campaign, recognizing that all Californians need to be included in this vaccination process and we can’t leave folks behind...There is light at the end of the tunnel."
Jan. 4: “We are working aggressively to accelerate our pace. You’re going to start seeing more rapid distribution of this vaccine, I can assure you of that.”
Jan. 11: “We continue to do more to support the needs of getting these vaccines delivered, not only to our partners all up and down the state of California - thousands of them, but administered into people’s arms.”
Jan. 15: On expanding vaccination eligibility to people age 65 and older: “The vast majority of our counties will be moving very, very shortly in that direction.” State health official later said it would take until June to vaccinate Californians age 65 and older.
From the beginning, Newsom said his detailed vaccine advisory process, with input from multiple committees and dozens of stakeholders, would provide a clear and fair process that Newsom said "I hope gives people a little more confidence that we’re going to do things right."
Major changes are underway, but meanwhile people remain in chaos and it's unclear how the state's new changes will work, lots of remaining questions. We are waiting on major details, including details of the contract with insurance giant Blue Shield of California.
What stood out to me the most is how closely people are paying attention to @GavinNewsom's rhetoric on vaccinations, and how misled they feel - including Democrats who voted for him. “I know he’s trying, but honestly, at this point, I’m so soured." https://t.co/ffaGlTXP1I

More from Society

Patriotism is an interesting concept in that it’s excepted to mean something positive to all of us and certainly seen as a morally marketable trait that can fit into any definition you want for it.+


Tolstoy, found it both stupid and immoral. It is stupid because every patriot holds his own country to be the best, which obviously negates all other countries.+

It is immoral because it enjoins us to promote our country’s interests at the expense of all other countries, employing any means, including war. It is thus at odds with the most basic rule of morality, which tells us not to do to others what we would not want them to do to us+

My sincere belief is that patriotism of a personal nature, which does not impede on personal and physical liberties of any other, is not only welcome but perhaps somewhat needed.

But isn’t adherence to a more humane code of life much better than nationalistic patriotism?+

Göring said, “people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”+

You May Also Like

1/“What would need to be true for you to….X”

Why is this the most powerful question you can ask when attempting to reach an agreement with another human being or organization?

A thread, co-written by @deanmbrody:


2/ First, “X” could be lots of things. Examples: What would need to be true for you to

- “Feel it's in our best interest for me to be CMO"
- “Feel that we’re in a good place as a company”
- “Feel that we’re on the same page”
- “Feel that we both got what we wanted from this deal

3/ Normally, we aren’t that direct. Example from startup/VC land:

Founders leave VC meetings thinking that every VC will invest, but they rarely do.

Worse over, the founders don’t know what they need to do in order to be fundable.

4/ So why should you ask the magic Q?

To get clarity.

You want to know where you stand, and what it takes to get what you want in a way that also gets them what they want.

It also holds them (mentally) accountable once the thing they need becomes true.

5/ Staying in the context of soliciting investors, the question is “what would need to be true for you to want to invest (or partner with us on this journey, etc)?”

Multiple responses to this question are likely to deliver a positive result.