Virus thread, the political one.

[j44ke]

...

As my daughter who is twenty would say, I am not a snowflake. You are the snowflake.

I want that t-shirt.

[Tom]

No, it isn't Trumps job to lead us out of it. But it was his job at the outset to look to the scientists and say "What do you need me to do to make it so you can figure this out as quick as possible?". Then turn to the epidemiologists and say "Tell me the prognosis." Then turn to the health care providers and say "Tell me what you need based on what they just said." Then get in front of the cameras, look the public in the eye and say "This is serious shit. Take it seriously or we're all screwed. Work together and be responsible. Here's the experts to tell you what to expect and what to do." and step away from the microphone.

Day one.

But he's just not capable.

[theflashunc]

See this is where you are all making a mistake. This isn't Trump's problem to fix or lead us through. All he has to do, is get funding for government and private enterprise and get out of the way. The government is coming with huge amounts of money to throw at the problem. Of course, a lot will be wasted, but enough will find its way to really smart people who are going to fix things. That's how sh!t gets done.

It's ridiculous when he claimed credit for the great economy previously, its just as ridiculous for you to think one guy leads us out of this.

I hate Trump. I don't need him to fix anything. There are enough smart americans to get it done.

As my daughter who is twenty would say, I am not a snowflake. You are the snowflake.As JFK would say 'Don't ask what america can do for you, ask what you can do for america'. We all have to do a little doing right now... Self isolate when necessary, wash, etc etc

I am usually the cynic and dark one. I think you guys have lost your minds.

What you're discounting are the unique and specialized resources at the federal government's disposal that exist nowhere else in the private sector.

The largest healthcare system in the country? The VA. The Navy has a fleet of hospital ships. FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers specialize in building stuff in disaster areas, triaging and helping those who are desperate. The Department of Health and Human Services can facilitate getting supplies to affected areas. The Food and Drug Administration can review and faciltate testing and new treatments with the CDC. The Department of Agriculture, which administers our food stamps programs, can ensure no one goes hungry.

So yes, there is stuff the federal government can and should be doing, but isn't because it's run at the top by yes-men and morons. Here's a laundry list of all the agencies and organizations with the federal government currently not being used by the administration to help fight this thing.

Trump Finally Enlists Much of Government in Coronavirus Attack - The New York Times

[bcm119]

See this is where you are all making a mistake. This isn't Trump's problem to fix or lead us through. All he has to do, is get funding for government and private enterprise and get out of the way. The government is coming with huge amounts of money to throw at the problem. Of course, a lot will be wasted, but enough will find its way to really smart people who are going to fix things. That's how sh!t gets done.

It's ridiculous when he claimed credit for the great economy previously, its just as ridiculous for you to think one guy leads us out of this.

I hate Trump. I don't need him to fix anything. There are enough smart americans to get it done.

As my daughter who is twenty would say, I am not a snowflake. You are the snowflake.As JFK would say 'Don't ask what america can do for you, ask what you can do for america'. We all have to do a little doing right now... Self isolate when necessary, wash, etc etc

I am usually the cynic and dark one. I think you guys have lost your minds.

It may not be his job alone to lead us out of this. But it was his job to ensure there was a framework of authorities, ie. an established chain of command, in place for this exact type of scenario before it happened. It was the fed gov's job to grease the wheels of communication and data availability for this crisis, and to narrow the decision space for state and local government's responses. With the lack of that support from above, local leaders were playing a game of chicken, waiting for someone else to stick their neck out first and risk overreacting. How long did it take for Fauci to emerge as the messenger? If they were prepared properly it would've saved precious time.

[guido]

The Coronavirus and the Kursk Submarine Disaster | The New Yorker

[theflashunc]

It may not be his job alone to lead us out of this. But it was his job to ensure there was a framework of authorities, ie. an established chain of command, in place for this exact type of scenario before it happened. It was the fed gov's job to grease the wheels of communication and data availability for this crisis, and to narrow the decision space for state and local government's responses. With the lack of that support from above, local leaders were playing a game of chicken, waiting for someone else to stick their neck out first and risk overreacting. How long did it take for Fauci to emerge as the messenger? If they were prepared properly it would've saved precious time.

He could start turning his hotels into excess hospital wards. You know, the ones he never gave up control of when running for the Presidency.

[vertical_doug]

What you're discounting are the unique and specialized resources at the federal government's disposal that exist nowhere else in the private sector.

The largest healthcare system in the country? The VA. The Navy has a fleet of hospital ships. FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers specialize in building stuff in disaster areas, triaging and helping those who are desperate. The Department of Health and Human Services can facilitate getting supplies to affected areas. The Food and Drug Administration can review and faciltate testing and new treatments with the CDC. The Department of Agriculture, which administers our food stamps programs, can ensure no one goes hungry.

So yes, there is stuff the federal government can and should be doing, but isn't because it's run at the top by yes-men and morons. Here's a laundry list of all the agencies and organizations with the federal government currently not being used by the administration to help fight this thing.

Trump Finally Enlists Much of Government in Coronavirus Attack - The New York Times

I am not discounting. As a friend of mine working for enforcement on environmental issues once said to me, "it doesn't matter what regulations you have, if the government doesn't budget for it, it doesn't happen'.

The government is now throwing money at the problem. Things will happen both inside the government and out.

[jclay]

No, it isn't Trumps job to lead us out of it. But it was his job at the outset to look to the scientists and say "What do you need me to do to make it so you can figure this out as quick as possible?". Then turn to the epidemiologists and say "Tell me the prognosis." Then turn to the health care providers and say "Tell me what you need based on what they just said." Then get in front of the cameras, look the public in the eye and say "This is serious shit. Take it seriously or we're all screwed. Work together and be responsible. Here's the experts to tell you what to expect and what to do." and step away from the microphone.

Day one.

But he's just not capable.

Exactly.

We're about to get a very expensive object lesson in what happens when you put incompetent and destructive people, who think government is fundamentally illegitimate and work tirelessly to sell it off and otherwise undermine it, in charge of government.

And that sort of administration is what happens when you allow money, special interests and gerrymandering affect the suite of candidates offered, and the outcome of elections.

[mzilliox]

what the? have we really lost track of why we have a president? Its absolutely the presidents job to lead this. wtf else do we vote for and give power to these jerks for than this very thing. its also showing us that voting for a jerk who only cares about money only gets you any sort of action about money. maybe next time if we want our leader to do anything besides try and interfere with the economy, we could vote for a statesman or woman? just a thought, leave money to money people, do governing.

didnt get the nickname "leader of the free world" for sitting around and lying?

yeah i get it, we have work and responsibility too, but guess what, some folks are out there waiting for the disaster, a bit of leadership would really go a long way. at least dont lie.

[thollandpe]

Three weeks ago, on the same day that IMPOTUS says "It's going to disappear. One day, It's like a miracle. It will disappear... It could get worse before it gets better. It could maybe go away. We'll see what happens."

That very same day, Sen. Richard Burr, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, tells a small private meeting of well-heeled constituents at the Capitol Hill Club, "There's one thing that I can tell you about this, it is much more aggressive in its transmission than anything that we have seen in recent history. It is probably more akin to the 1918 pandemic."

Holy dereliction of duty, Batman.
Intelligence Chairman Raised Virus Alarms Weeks Ago, Secret Recording Shows - NPR Morning Edition

He's not up for re-election until 2022, but I hope that seals his fate.

[mzilliox]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...wpisrc=nl_most

Even as late as the weekend before last, Trump said at his infected Mar-a-Lago resort that: “They’re trying to scare everybody, from meetings, cancel the meetings, close the schools — you know, destroy the country. And that’s okay, as long as we can win the election.”

leadership eh? what a farce. where's his defenders in this thread? are there any left?

[guido]

Glenn and Corso have been a bit quieter...

[j44ke]

Trump won’t get blamed for coronavirus. Scientists will. Doctors will. Hospitals will. China will. He knows that. He’ll be blamed for the economy. That’s why he’s focused on propping up perceptions and diminishing worries about long term damage. He doesn’t need recovery, just an upward trend so he can say “See?” Whatever happens after November is immaterial.

[j44ke]

Glenn and Corso have been a bit quieter...

If I remember correctly, Corso has family members who would be at risk due to pre-existing medical conditions. We can excuse his absence I think.

[claritycycler]

Today's trump(and sycophants) press conference: more happy talk, fake news media rant, no details, no real time data now as in today and tomorrow("very soon"), states and governors responsible for their own(trump states feds are "not shipping clerks"), long rambling answers with no content, no answer regarding huge shortage of all critical protective measures for caregivers(who are putting their lives on the line), no tests for most of the country. More bullshit from a president who has is head in his ass.

Cases now include young children, nearly 40% of hospitalizations in 20-54 age group, no financial aid to hospitals -- it has to happen now, immediately, fuck the regular channels/red tape to do it. Really, WTF.

I'm restraining myself from continuing.

[guido]

If I remember correctly, Corso has family members who would be at risk due to pre-existing medical conditions. We can excuse his absence I think.

You and I are both Asthmatic and in the beginning of the age groups at risk. Doesn't seem to shut us up any...

[gregl]

Trump won’t get blamed for coronavirus. Scientists will. Doctors will. Hospitals will. China will.

And Trump will be in front of a microphone/camera blaming everyone but himself. The epitome of a bad leader.

Greg

[htwoopup]

In all crisis, it is still good to laugh. And this laugh is political so I gues it belongs in this thread. Hopefully, it will make you smile as eff’d up as it is....

[j44ke]

You and I are both Asthmatic and in the beginning of the age groups at risk. Doesn't seem to shut us up any...

We’ve lived well haven’t we, amigo? :-)

[guido]

We’ve lived well haven’t we, amigo? :-)

Indeed.