Virus thread, the political one.

[Mabouya]

The implication of a statement like this: "They don’t expect to win states that are getting blown to pieces with coronavirus,” is that they would focus on helping red states and swing states. Why should they waste their time and limited resources on states they already know they're going to loose with or without C19?

Then you hear on the news that Florida gets way more of what they request compared to NY, that NYC hospitals are publicly accused by Trump of hoarding ventilators and NYC nurses are accused of stealing PPE, and Trump tells Pence (again publicly) to not bother talking to governors who aren't "appreciative." As crazy as it may seem, it all seems to fit.

[GrantM]

Gabriel Sherman's reporting on the inside political maneuverings around the administration are generally frightening, highlighting the deep level of ignorance, lack of expertise, and general amateur hour nonsense we all assume is part of this administration. It takes on a new level of horrifying, however, when you realize that people are jockeying for political position in a time when hundreds of thousands of American lives are literally at stake, and the person the President is listening to the most is Jared Freakin' Kushner:

“The Campaign Panicked”: Inside Trump’s Decision to Back Off of His Easter Coronavirus Miracle | Vanity Fair

Trump's NY pal in a coma.
nothing says republican reality like the moment it hits them personally.
it seems like a stereotype, that got to be one because it's true.

I can't even bring myself to comment on the political calculation,
it's so craven. As if "doing your job well" wouldn't resonate with
every single potential voter. wtf.

-g

[ides1056]

I don't even have the read the Vanity Fair piece because it writes itself. This is the man in the White house. There's no surprise.

Vile, simply vile.

[Sbti]

Atlanta Governor Brian Kemp, Republic__ , just today closed schools and issued the statewide stay at home order. He just had the revelation in the past 24 hours that up to 25 percent of COVID-19 carriers may be asymptomatic was a “game-changer” and that new fact required further action.

Way to stay on top of things Kemp.

[thollandpe]

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone sound so soberly presidential as President Donald J. Trump did today at his coronavirus briefing, but then again, I am a goldfish and I have no recollection of anything that happened more than three seconds ago.

What the president said really showed that he had always taken the crisis seriously — and he certainly has for as long as I can recall, which, again, is not more than three seconds. Time barely exists for me. I live suspended in an eternal present, in which there is no Before and no After, only the Now, and wow — a castle! This is new!

But I must say: In this pastless, futureless, contextless void, I am really proud of the way the White House is dealing with this crisis and has dealt with it from the very beginning of my recollection (two seconds ago). They have always handled this disease with the level of gravity it deserved.

With no memory of anything that has happened before the past three seconds, I think the president is so absolutely right to correct people who think the coronavirus is just a flu. I cannot imagine who would say such a wrong thing. Those who downplay the virus and suggest it will go away without costing hundreds of thousands of lives are a danger, so we are lucky the president continues to bring the sober tone appropriate to the occasion, say I, a goldfish for whom all time is a blur and to whom each new event comes as a surprise, without precedent or consequence.”

From Alexandra Petri, I think the president struck a different tone today, but then again, I am a goldfish.

[Sbti]

the person the President is listening to the most is Jared Freakin' Kushner:
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“I know how to make this government run now"
- Prince Fucksupalot

[bcm119]

The wait and see response of Republican governors is making it very difficult to resist the simple explanation that these people just aren't very bright. The onus is shifting to them to disprove this theory.

[Chik]

Why a government would rely on mathematical modellers and behavioural scientists to come up with a response strategy is beyond me, but Downing Street isn't alone in idiocy, which admittedly is no consolation.

'Absolutely wrong': how UK's coronavirus test strategy unravelled | World news | The Guardian

[mjbabcock]

This is what incompetence looks like.
A Ventilator Stockpile, With One Hitch: Thousands Do Not Work - The New York Times

Bastards tout their fiscal cuts, downsizing government, tough negotiations on contracts...I see the ball dropped...again.

[Matthew Strongin]

The wait and see response of Republican governors is making it very difficult to resist the simple explanation that these people just aren't very bright. The onus is shifting to them to disprove this theory.

Florida's Republican DeSantis finally issued statewide orders yesterday, going into effect tonight. Nothing changes for me as the new state orders are the same as the Miami-Dade county orders have been for some time now (our county mayor, also an R, has been solid in his response). It's no coincidence that DeSantis changed his position on a statewide lockdown once the virus spread outside of the blue section of the state. But at least he's transparent about his loyalties, using the introductory text of his "stay at home" order to 1) blame blue South Florida, 2) blame New Yorkers, 3) blame the states around North Florida and 4) suck up to Trump.

[vertical_doug]

Why a government would rely on mathematical modellers and behavioural scientists to come up with a response strategy is beyond me, but Downing Street isn't alone in idiocy, which admittedly is no consolation.

'Absolutely wrong': how UK's coronavirus test strategy unravelled | World news | The Guardian

Political leaders failed us in they were ultimately willing only to make politically easy decisions. They needed to exhibit real leadership and make a politically unpopular decision early. Instead they waited until evidence was plain as the nose on your face to make the decision so the population as a whole would accept it. I had higher expectations for Bojo, and he really dropped the ball. I never expect much from Trump. I think we underestimate the damage the 'its just a flu' narrative in feb and its a hoax did to public opinion. At least 50% of the population was unwilling to accept the hard decision.

I think the only one here who showed real initiative was Cuomo. He was the first moving with the containment in New Rochelle and in my opinion really got the ball moving. The mayor of San Fran also did an outstanding job.

You can go look at Covid19 thread and posts 308-316 were the hard containment was discussed when total US infections were at 1,000. In my opinion, every death above 3000 is a needless death in the United States.

From a global point of view, love us or hate us, the US is still a leader. If the US had acted more decisively, other parts of the world would have followed. Except maybe Bolsonaro.

[Matthew Strongin]

This is what incompetence looks like.
A Ventilator Stockpile, With One Hitch: Thousands Do Not Work - The New York Times

Bastards tout their fiscal cuts, downsizing government, tough negotiations on contracts...I see the ball dropped...again.

Incompetence is an understatement. It's negligence. Add this to the list of things this administration has done to ensure we are absolutely unprepared for a threat of this nature.

[Chik]

Political leaders failed us in they were ultimately willing only to make politically easy decisions. They needed to exhibit real leadership and make a politically unpopular decision early. Instead they waited until evidence was plain as the nose on your face to make the decision so the population as a whole would accept it. I had higher expectations for Bojo, and he really dropped the ball. I never expect much from Trump. I think we underestimate the damage the 'its just a flu' narrative in feb and its a hoax did to public opinion. At least 50% of the population was unwilling to accept the hard decision.

I think the only one here who showed real initiative was Cuomo. He was the first moving with the containment in New Rochelle and in my opinion really got the ball moving. The mayor of San Fran also did an outstanding job.

You can go look at Covid19 thread and posts 308-316 were the hard containment was discussed when total US infections were at 1,000. In my opinion, every death above 3000 is a needless death in the United States.

From a global point of view, love us or hate us, the US is still a leader. If the US had acted more decisively, other parts of the world would have followed. Except maybe Bolsonaro.

Abe and Aso still have their heads in the sand. Criminal.

[vertical_doug]

Abe and Aso still have their heads in the sand. Criminal.

Chik, I assume you are a Japanese Expat living in Belgium and gives you a good eye for skepticism. It's just not Abe and Aso. I think the Japanese population thinks because they wear facemasks, wash their hands more and are generally conscientious about not spreading colds, it will be okay in Japan. At least that is the impression my wife and I get from our friends in Japan. They are worried, but hoping cultural superiority saves the day. I must admit I sometimes fall into this camp because compared to London and New York, Tokyo is spotless. But that doesn't really matter to the virus.

(FYI, my wife is Japanese and children have dual passports)

[Chik]

Chik, I assume you are a Japanese Expat living in Belgium and gives you a good eye for skepticism. It's just not Abe and Aso. I think the Japanese population thinks because they wear facemasks, wash their hands more and are generally conscientious about not spreading colds, it will be okay in Japan. At least that is the impression my wife and I get from our friends in Japan. They are worried, but hoping cultural superiority saves the day. I must admit I sometimes fall into this camp because compared to London and New York, Tokyo is spotless. But that doesn't really matter to the virus.

(FYI, my wife is Japanese and children have dual passports)

Complacency / wilful ignorance especially amongst the younger ones is appalling. But then, they need to be told what to do, just like they need to be told not to lean against the doors on the train.

[guido]

Kelly Loeffler stock sales: Georgia senator sold at least $18 million more than previously reported - Vox

[jclay]

Why a government would rely on mathematical modellers and behavioural scientists to come up with a response strategy is beyond me, but Downing Street isn't alone in idiocy, which admittedly is no consolation.

'Absolutely wrong': how UK's coronavirus test strategy unravelled | World news | The Guardian

I understand your point but we should differentiate:

The scientists and mathematical modellers within the legitimate epidemiological community knew how this would play out. The conservative and gutless politicians who's CVs are pretty much limited to demagoguery, inflaming their base and trying to tear down government didn't like the answers and forgot Rule #1 : The natural world works the way it works; it doesn't care what you think.

And it's those guys, who picked the brand of scientists and modellers that gave them the sorts of answers they wanted that are to blame; they are incompetent and were grossly negligent.

Now we have an undeniable, global train wreck on our hands. My general suggestion would be this: If you don't want stupid and destructive decisions, don't support stupid and destructive politicians. They're easy to spot.

This is the man in the White house. There's no surprise.

Vile, simply vile.

There's the root, right there. If you voted for Trump, BoJo or similar it's time to wake up, put on your big boy pants and start thinking a bit more critically.

[Too Tall]

"Now we have an undeniable, global train wreck on our hands. My general suggestion would be this: If you don't want stupid and destructive decisions, don't support stupid and destructive politicians. They're easy to spot. "

Easy for some folks to spot. Often said sometimes observed too often we vote against not for.

[Chik]

I was seeing a bunch of my old schoolmates from Japan posting on FB photos of their lunches, dinners, drinking sessions and weekend rounds of golf with a half dozen of the old boys. I finally had to call one out (privately) and told him to get his shit together. He actually appreciated it and stopped with all the silliness. Within my network, most are well aware of the risks and the steps that need to be taken. Many are fiercely critical of the Abe administration.

However, if you see photos from the Shibuya crossing or Takeshita Dori, the masses are clearly yet to understand and acknowledge the danger. Also, some of the media coverage promote the "we're above this trivial bug" sentiment.

The Japanese love to talk about "common sense" (joushiki), but often it seems lacking when it's to do with something that hasn't already been codified.

[Chik]

I understand your point but we should differentiate:

The scientists and mathematical modellers within the legitimate epidemiological community knew how this would play out. The conservative and gutless politicians who's CVs are pretty much limited to demagoguery, inflaming their base and trying to tear down government didn't like the answers and forgot Rule #1 : The natural world works the way it works; it doesn't care what you think.

And it's those guys, who picked the brand of scientists and modellers that gave them the sorts of answers they wanted that are to blame; they are incompetent and were grossly negligent.

Now we have an undeniable, global train wreck on our hands. My general suggestion would be this: If you don't want stupid and destructive decisions, don't support stupid and destructive politicians. They're easy to spot.



There's the root, right there. If you voted for Trump, BoJo or similar it's time to wake up, put on your big boy pants and start thinking a bit more critically.

Yes, I suspect the modellers and behavioural scientists who were engaged for the job were not qualified for this type of work. I can't understand why they were let loose without oversight by an epidemiologist and a public health expert. Both the chief medical officer and the chief scientific officer should probably resign.