Virus thread, the political one.

[Bobonli]

Glad to see the progress toward more available testing. Frightened at the ineptitude and obsequiousness on display.

"Some of these doctors say it will wash through, it will flow through. Interesting terms. And very accurate. In a number of weeks I think you will find it’s a very accurate term."

I had my 11 year old twins in the car when that sound bite played on the news, my son proclaimed, "He's an idiot!"
The next sound bite was "I don't take responsibility.." No surprise there. He hasn't taken responsibility for anything (but success) ever. I hope he melts down and the Cabinet has the balls to pull out the 25th Amendment.

[guido]

Opinion | Trump Meets Nemesis, Punisher of Hubris - The New York Times

[GrantM]

Kind of a haunting read-- the original story about the disbandment of the pandemic response team in 2018.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...xits-abruptly/

that's the problem with this particular type of incompetence.
on a sunny day these idiots think, why the fuck would anyone ever want an umbrella?
or as someone recently said, the type of Trump thinkers are standing
under an umbrella in a rainstorm, proclaiming it's not raining because
they aren't getting wet.

-g

[guido]

I pray Joe Biden picks a reasonable running mate. I'm done with DJT at this point.

62,984,827 to go...

[guido]

Mike Pence and the Farce of Trusting Donald Trump on the Coronavirus | The New Yorker

[guido]

Coronavirus: Trump declares state of emergency, says none of this is his fault - Vox

[htwoopup]

Putting this in as a direct quote from Quartz (a part of a longer piece). I thought of it being in the other thread but because it points out the errors of our, and some other nations’, leadership I thought it better here...

“ What’s telling now is the conviction, at least in some corners, that the response must be as borderless as the virus itself. Foundations run by Jack Ma and Alibaba, the Chinese tech giant he founded, this week pledged to ship half a million testing kits and 1 million masks to the US, following similar donations to Japan, Korea, Italy, Iran, and Spain. “Drawing from my own country’s experience, speedy and accurate testing and adequate personal protective equipment for medical professionals are most effective in preventing the spread of the virus,” Ma said. While many of us in coronavirus hot spots wonder whether it’s time to isolate ourselves, we would be wise to heed Ma’s advice: “At this moment,” he said, “we can’t beat this virus unless we eliminate boundaries to resources, and share our know-how and hard-earned lessons.” “

[Chik]

[Saab2000]

Systematic dismantling of CDC and eliminating an office specifically intended to confront these challenges and where are the buffoon apologists today?

Trump disbanded NSC pandemic unit that experts had praised

[bcm119]

Systematic dismantling of CDC and eliminating an office specifically intended to confront these challenges and where are the buffoon apologists today?

Trump disbanded NSC pandemic unit that experts had praised

Oh they're still out defending him. The narrative is the response would've been no different.

[htwoopup]

Systematic dismantling of CDC and eliminating an office specifically intended to confront these challenges and where are the buffoon apologists today?

Trump disbanded NSC pandemic unit that experts had praised

And, as I type this, the administration is trying to “unburden” nursing homes of an Obama era regulation that was put in to stop the spread of infection in nursing homes AND the White House budget director has said that he still intends to move forward with the proposed budget that cuts CDC and NIH another 50% (I think that was the number). Both articles in the NYT in the last day or so.

[rwsaunders]

A little humor for the virus/political thread...

[doomridesout]

Working from home, trapped inside, waiting for a baby to arrive in Sacramento. I'm absolutely praying for this to utterly destroy any political capital this administration has. I'll take the Biden proposition of "return to the safe and comfortable trajectory toward a mundane dystopian future for your children" this fall, just kick this fucker to the curb already.

[Tom]

Hey, I've got a great idea. Ban travel from highly affected areas and give everyone like two or three days to get back. That way, all those possibly exposed people can pack into the airports all at once with all those possibly unexposed people. You know, don't have big crowds and stick to the 'delay, flatten the curve' principle.

Geniuses.

[jclay]

And, as I type this, the administration is trying to “unburden” nursing homes of an Obama era regulation that was put in to stop the spread of infection in nursing homes AND the White House budget director has said that he still intends to move forward with the proposed budget that cuts CDC and NIH another 50% (I think that was the number). Both articles in the NYT in the last day or so.

Wheeeeeee!

What this sort of behaviour illuminates is the incredible strength and durability of blindered ideology. If you could turn that stuff into glue or bicycle frame tubes (or wing spars), carbon would be yesterday's hi-zoots material!

[jclay]

Here's another confirmed case tracking site. This one drills down to the nation or in our case the state level: Novel Coronavirus Infection Map

What surprises me, since I'm one of those idiots that thinks being for-warned is for-armed in such instances, is that I don't see the CDC or other epidemiological organs showing the range of estimated growth in infection and mortality. But then again, given this administration's culture of outright denial, then trivialization and then blaming others, all framed by general ineptitude where they aren't engaged in outright sabotage, plus chest beating, I suppose it's not surprising at all!

[Mark Walberg]

Take a look at this editorial in the most highly respected Scientific journal in the US, Science.
This editorial calls trump a moronic idiot for asking scientists to speed up making a vaccine, likening it to Kirk asking Scotty for more power, after Trump has previously been gutting support of science. It is an amazing read. I’ve never seen anything like this in Science before. Suddenly, Trump loves science !


Do us a favor | Science

[colker]

The virus enhances the authoritarian tendencies we are experiencing world wide. It´s all an authoritarian mindset needs to stop people from gathering and democracy born out of these gatherings grow.
I know scientists have a thing for control based on "we know better"...
I have no answer or plans.. I am just saying

[thollandpe]

I know scientists have a thing for control based on "we know better"...

The Enlightenment, a.k.a. the Age of Reason. Just a big power grab? Or maybe opposition to superstition, intolerance, and bigotry is still a good idea.

[vertical_doug]

Rep. Devin Nunes urges Americans to ‘go to your local pub,’ defying health experts’ warnings