Virus thread, the political one.

[guido]

Opinion | An Epidemic of Hardship and Hunger - The New York Times

"Covid-19 has had a devastating effect on workers. The economy has plunged so quickly that official statistics can’t keep up, but the available data suggest that tens of millions of Americans have lost their jobs through no fault of their own, with more job losses to come and full recovery probably years away.

But Republicans adamantly oppose extending enhanced unemployment benefits — such an extension, says Senator Lindsey Graham, will take place “over our dead bodies.” (Actually, over other people’s dead bodies.)"

[guido]

Has Trump Reached the Lying-to-Himself-and-Believing-It Stage of the Coronavirus Pandemic? | The New Yorker

"On Tuesday afternoon, Gretchen Whitmer, the Governor of Michigan, came on the line with a breaking-news bulletin. Just before our interview, Whitmer had heard that President Trump was talking about dismantling the coronavirus task force he had assembled to oversee the national response to the pandemic. Whitmer seemed stunned by this information—U.S. infections from COVID-19 were well over a million, the daily national death toll was often more than two thousand, and, in Whitmer’s hard-hit state, the crisis had already claimed more than four thousand of her constituents’ lives. “It’s just shocking,” she said, as we both tried to absorb the news. “Something new happens every day.”

By the next morning, Trump had, once again, changed his mind. He told reporters that he had no idea how “popular” the coronavirus task force was, and that it would remain in operation while shifting its emphasis toward reopening the economy and away from a public-health catastrophe that has already caused more U.S. deaths than the wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq combined. These are crazy times in American politics. What’s a governor, or anyone trying to make sense of Trump’s on-again, off-again war on the virus, supposed to say?"

[ericpmoss]

Team Blue's leaders suck almost as bad as Team Red's. We need guaranteed COVID treatment and re-patriation of PPE manufacturing, but what does "Mama Bear" Pelosi give us instead? Bailouts for corporate lobbyists. A pox on them all.

Bailing out the Lobbyists

[sine]

Germany also has vastly better testing and nationalized health care. My sister-in-law is German and living here in the US. She reports far more universal testing availability.

I agree with your point about having exported too much business to China.

I'm from Germany....my uncle was an insurance executive who sold among other products supplemental health insurance.

Yes, Germany is doing better than the US in terms of testing numbers as a percent of population. Germany is in a better position because she has manufacturing capabilities that many countries do not. The US has to import basic ingredients for test kits.

[j44ke]

Team Blue's leaders suck almost as bad as Team Red's. We need guaranteed COVID treatment and re-patriation of PPE manufacturing, but what does "Mama Bear" Pelosi give us instead? Bailouts for corporate lobbyists. A pox on them all.

Bailing out the Lobbyists

Doesn't sound like it is a done deal yet. In getting these stimulus/bailout bills through Congress these are the carrots that bring conservatives to the table so things can get done. Whether they make it through the process or not is open to discussion. And even if they do make it through legislation, I assume any monetary support would be subject to approval. So the Association of American Educators might get support, but the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers Association might not. So write your letters of opposition now if you see this as an issue that needs rectifying.

[takashi]

Ohio urges employers to report workers fearful of returning to work | World news | The Guardian

Fear of catching Covid-19 will now cost you more than sleep in Ohio. The Ohio state government has asked employers to report anyone who refuses to return to work because they are concerned about the coronavirus pandemic. Reported workers may be ineligible for unemployment benefits.

[j44ke]

Ohio urges employers to report workers fearful of returning to work | World news | The Guardian

Fear of catching Covid-19 will now cost you more than sleep in Ohio. The Ohio state government has asked employers to report anyone who refuses to return to work because they are concerned about the coronavirus pandemic. Reported workers may be ineligible for unemployment benefits.

This is part of why Feds want to limit liability for employers. If people are forced back to work under threat of losing benefits but the workplace is unsafe - where's OSHA? So you sue your employer? Where are the protections....

[guido]

This is part of why Feds want to limit liability for employers. If people are forced back to work under threat of losing benefits but the workplace is unsafe - where's OSHA? So you sue your employer? Where are the protections....

The only way to really fix this is in November.

[gregl]

The only way to really fix this is in November.

Sadly, many of those voters will blindly vote for the incumbent president in November because he's "sticking it to the man..." Never mind that the current administration is sticking it to the American workforce.

Greg

[Sbti]

Now a Pence staffer tests positive. What kind of shithole environment is this administration? Are they trying to be like a meat processing facility. Out, out damn virus! Pray that virus away!

[72gmc]

Ohio urges employers to report workers fearful of returning to work | World news | The Guardian

Fear of catching Covid-19 will now cost you more than sleep in Ohio. The Ohio state government has asked employers to report anyone who refuses to return to work because they are concerned about the coronavirus pandemic. Reported workers may be ineligible for unemployment benefits.

Ohio, helpfully illustrating why "leave it to the states / don't blame me" is so negligent as a WH strategy. One state defines personal safety concerns as "employee fraud" and undermines the national effort to contain the virus.

Or is the president's re-election the national effort? I haven't been watching the briefings.

[zachateseverything]

Ohio urges employers to report workers fearful of returning to work | World news | The Guardian

Fear of catching Covid-19 will now cost you more than sleep in Ohio. The Ohio state government has asked employers to report anyone who refuses to return to work because they are concerned about the coronavirus pandemic. Reported workers may be ineligible for unemployment benefits.

I live in Ohio. The other side of this is that employers are supposed to be going through heroics in order to provide a safe working environment for their employees. My employer went over workspace changes today. It's a pretty large departure from how things were two months ago.

[bcm119]

Doesn't sound like it is a done deal yet. In getting these stimulus/bailout bills through Congress these are the carrots that bring conservatives to the table so things can get done. Whether they make it through the process or not is open to discussion. And even if they do make it through legislation, I assume any monetary support would be subject to approval. So the Association of American Educators might get support, but the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers Association might not. So write your letters of opposition now if you see this as an issue that needs rectifying.

It is sad that the progressive left sees any hint of compromise as a mistake or sell out. There is no respect for strategic politics anymore. The Berniecrats posting memes about him being our generations FDR have no clue how much FDR compromised, nor how much respect he earned by doing so at the time.

[theflashunc]

It is sad that the progressive left sees any hint of compromise as a mistake or sell out. There is no respect for strategic politics anymore. The Berniecrats posting memes about him being our generations FDR have no clue how much FDR compromised, nor how much respect he earned by doing so at the time.

Purity politics, on either side, is poison.

That's not to say you can't credibly argue for what you want and demand better from our leaders, but our system is built on essentially everyone being unhappy with the outcome all the time. You're seeing GOP members screeching that they don't want Mnuchin negotiating anymore as they think he's giving too much away to Pelosi and the Democrats.

[suspectdevice]

It is sad that the progressive left sees any hint of compromise as a mistake or sell out. There is no respect for strategic politics anymore. The Berniecrats posting memes about him being our generations FDR have no clue how much FDR compromised, nor how much respect he earned by doing so at the time.

Politically,

It’s far too late for compromise with the Right. With literally a handful of exceptions Domestic politics is made up solely of center right or far right voices and ideologies.

I really believe the only solution that will be effective in this country is building new membership-based Left groups (like Our Revolution, but with rifles?) that can advocate outside “the political system” and help the American precariat and proletariat build durable bonds with people in developed nations that do so much better on all metrics of education and health.

Workers DO have power, that’s why the stock market plummeted when only “essential” workers were allowed to report to work. All that “wealth” that disintegrated, by definition, must have been surplus wealth confiscated and further financialized by a tiny but powerful minority, otherwise it wouldn’t have vanished, yeah?

We are 100 years into the global Counter-Revolution. Fighting for global revolution isn’t quite as popular now as it was during FDR’s days, not because it is less vital, but because our population is so profoundly stupid, and the 20th century saw the creation of Capitalism as the American Religion.

Direct action outside of “respectable” politics has a greater chance of turning around our national mess than anything at the ballot box.

[72gmc]

I live in Ohio. The other side of this is that employers are supposed to be going through heroics in order to provide a safe working environment for their employees. My employer went over workspace changes today. It's a pretty large departure from how things were two months ago.

Thanks for this. My reply was predicated on the use of the term "employee fraud" and my perception that individuals will feel less confident about returning to work when they're not hearing standards described at a national level. I'm sure many individual employers and individual states will do well by their people, but I'm also anticipating some will return to unsafe work spaces because they feel pressure from a state that pre-judges reluctance as fraud.

[Clean39T]

It is sad that the progressive left sees any hint of compromise as a mistake or sell out. There is no respect for strategic politics anymore. The Berniecrats posting memes about him being our generations FDR have no clue how much FDR compromised, nor how much respect he earned by doing so at the time.

The people FDR was compromising with were not the likes of Trump and his cronies. The right has destroyed the rule of law - how do you compromise with someone who isn't even willing to respect the basic principles of our (nearly dead) democracy?

[Clean39T]

The only way to really fix this is in November.

That or a virus that partially selects for stupidity - which this one may ultimately be doing, albeit with much collateral damage..

[Sbti]

Pence's press secretary tests positive. Guess who that is? Wife of children in cages/sharpie hair filler-inner guy..Stephen Miller! Karma....she be comin' 'round.

But it only leads to flu-like symptoms right?

[bcm119]

The people FDR was compromising with were not the likes of Trump and his cronies. The right has destroyed the rule of law - how do you compromise with someone who isn't even willing to respect the basic principles of our (nearly dead) democracy?

everything the crazy Right has achieved has been via ruthless, strategic politics and the support of a base who understands the power of the vote. There are literally millions of people who have very liberal political views who will willingly waive their right to vote against Trump this fall. He will likely win again because the left has been deluded into believing we have no power. When the right keeps winning despite widespread support for liberal ideas, they have won the misinformation game. Revolution isn't the answer, voting is.