A Misunderstood Virus and the 2024 Election
In recent years, global health crises have emerged with alarming frequency, and with each new outbreak, there seems to be a pattern of political opportunism. The latest health scare, the resurgence of Monkeypox—now called Mpox—raises concerns not just about public health, but also about the potential for political manipulation.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the rapid spread of Mpox in African countries a global health emergency. This marks the second time in three years that Mpox has been classified as such, with the previous outbreak in 2022 affecting nearly 100,000 people worldwide. This time, the threat is deadlier, with the Democratic Republic of Congo reporting over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths since the beginning of this year alone.
Amidst the alarming statistics and the real human toll of this outbreak, there is a growing concern that this crisis will be used by the Democratic Party in the United States to further their agenda, particularly in relation to elections. The 2020 election saw the widespread implementation of mail-in balloting and ballot harvesting, ostensibly as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These practices, while framed as necessary for public safety, have been criticized for their potential to undermine election integrity.
As the Mpox crisis unfolds, it’s crucial to be vigilant about the possibility of these same tactics being employed again. The announcement of a global health emergency provides a convenient pretext for pushing policies that could influence the upcoming elections. The script is familiar: raise the alarm, implement emergency measures, and then quietly embed changes to the voting system that benefit one political side.
The CDC has already urged clinicians and the public in the United States to be alert for the virus. While preparedness is necessary, the concern lies in the potential overreach of response measures. If history is any indication, we could soon see calls for expanded mail-in balloting and other measures under the guise of protecting public health.
It’s worth noting that the 2022 Mpox outbreak was largely contained within specific communities, and through targeted interventions, the spread was significantly reduced. Yet, the narrative surrounding the new outbreak paints a picture of a more virulent strain, spreading rapidly and posing a greater threat to the general population. This framing can easily be used to justify far-reaching measures that go beyond public health needs.
The Democrats’ eagerness to adopt emergency measures during the COVID-19 pandemic was met with mixed reactions, with many Americans feeling that their civil liberties were encroached upon. The introduction of mail-in balloting and ballot harvesting during this period was seen by some as a necessary adaptation to the pandemic, but by others as a gateway to potential voter fraud.
As we face this new health crisis, it’s important to remember the lessons of the past. Vigilance is not just about monitoring the spread of the virus but also about scrutinizing the responses from those in power. While public health is paramount, it should not be used as a Trojan horse for political gain.
The Mpox outbreak is real, and the threat to public health should be taken seriously. However, we must also remain alert to the possibility of political exploitation. The balance between protecting public health and preserving the integrity of our democratic processes is delicate, and it’s up to us to ensure that one does not come at the expense of the other.
As the situation develops, we must hold our leaders accountable, ensuring that any measures taken are truly in the public interest and not a means to an end for political advantage. The American people deserve transparency and honesty, not opportunism disguised as concern.
