Virus thread, the political one.

[robin3mj]

This is amazing. Thank you. I have a 7 year old and a 5 year old who don't really understand why we won't let them run around with all their friends right now. Things like this help a lot. Perhaps we should start a new thread with these kinds of things? Since we're all at home right meow...

Happy to.
We have 3 kids in K and below, and our little social universe has basically been a whirlwind of links to things to do to keep the kids on the move and engaged.

[ericpmoss]

Hey, how are we gonna pay for THAT? No pundit need tell me any bullshit about social programs being 'pie in the sky'.



How is this related? We just got told (again) that a national health care plan that would guarantee testing and care (for corona and anything else killing thousands, for that matter) is not realistic.

[guido]

Opinion | Step Aside for Powell and Pelosi - The New York Times

[guido]

Trump Tests Negative For Empathy | The New Yorker

[jclay]

Hey, how are we gonna pay for THAT? No pundit need tell me any bullshit about social programs being 'pie in the sky'.



How is this related? We just got told (again) that a national health care plan that would guarantee testing and care (for corona and anything else killing thousands, for that matter) is not realistic.

For a country that thinks it's the superduper-ist innovation and "can do" center of the world we sure make some stupid decisions and stupid arguments. Economically it would be a smart, beneficial and economically sound change to make. There's just too much evidence for me to brook disagreement. We're stuck in the quicksand of whatever you'd call our national, self identity myth. The only reason we can't do it is because we're too @%&* stupid to insist.

[mzilliox]

absolutley. this argument that "well we arent Denmark" so it wont work here is just crap. we are the greatest, but we cant make good things work for us? bullshit

they are right, we arent Denmark, those folks over there have a superior value system.

[guido]

Dr. Fauci Says He Has No Idea Who Locked Jared Kushner in Bathroom | The New Yorker

[guido]

At Party for Donald Trump Jr.’s Girlfriend, Donors Helped Pick Up the Tab - The New York Times

[BBB]

That NYT article picks up a number of threads; the virus, cluelessness about the virus, the blurring of private and political interests and the opacity of fundraising. You really don't have a current government, but instead a kakistocracy. Only the completely clueless would vote for Trump (again) in November. IMO of course.

[jclay]

That NYT article picks up a number of threads; the virus, cluelessness about the virus, the blurring of private and political interests and the opacity of fundraising. You really don't have a current government, but instead a kakistocracy. Only the completely clueless would vote for Trump (again) in November. IMO of course.

I want to think that this will make all countries and individuals, but most particularly the USA, a heck of a lot more circumspect about pretty much everything; what they demand in politicians and the political apparatus; the importance of our evidence based regulatory bodies; the importance to society of health care for all; rapidly addressing human destruction of the rest of the natural world; the need to spend our capital (intellectual, sweat and $) vastly more wisely and craft relationships that generate de-escalation wrt military weapons races, military engagements and counter productive foreign policies; the need for always improving relationships and communication between nations rather than our continuing attempts at hegemony; that sort of thing.

This situation should make the intent of the statement that Obama bobbled, "if you've got a business....you didn't build that" (on your own), clear: Nothing that any of us have accomplished was done in a vacuum and without the help of society.

As a tangential aside, we typically flip the tube on while taking care of morning activities; when running a little late the Andy Griffith Show is playing. Yesterday a very young Opie Taylor was running around with his toy gunbelt on. In spite of the fact that I and damn near every other boy of that era did the same thing at that age, I was suddenly gobsmacked. It's not that the realization is news, not at all, but for some reason that image, mentally juxtaposed to a photo of folks lining up outside a gun store in response to the Covid19 situation, there was an instantaneous crystal clarity, a laser's illumination of the straight line between that sort of behavioural programming of a child and our increasingly violent, fearful and gun centric culture. We are taught that shit, guns are normalized, from day 1. It's like a virus in the air we breathe or an addiction to crack that we not only can't kick, but for which further decent into that destructive path is the only possibility. It's awful.

Do kids in other countries grow up playing the same games?

[Will Neide]

Only the completely clueless would vote for Trump (again) in November.

I think that as well, and then I realize Biden is the other option. It's almost as if the Democrats are trying to throw the election.

[vertical_doug]

I am not at all confident this is bad for Trump. I can see both US and Europe shifting hard right, nationalistic and xenophobic. Afd in Germany, 5 Star in Italy and National Rally in France with Le Pen.

[bcm119]

I am not at all confident this is bad for Trump. I can see both US and Europe shifting hard right, nationalistic and xenophobic. Afd in Germany, 5 Star in Italy and National Rally in France with Le Pen.

Agree. If we get out of this with any less carnage than our worst fears, all of his denials and claims this was a hoax will be forgotten. In times of crisis presidents usually get the benefit of the doubt. When the dust settles, any attempts by the democrats to remind the populace of his bungled response will be seen as politicizing, divisive, and anti-american.

[theflashunc]

Agree. If we get out of this with any less carnage than our worst fears, all of his denials and claims this was a hoax will be forgotten. In times of crisis presidents usually get the benefit of the doubt. When the dust settles, any attempts by the democrats to remind the populace of his bungled response will be seen as politicizing, divisive, and anti-american.

The administration has not even given direction to the Army Corps of Engineers right now, per the New York Times. This is making Bush's handling of Katrina look like the A-Team swept into New Orleans to solve that crisis.

This, I fear, will not be going away anytime soon.

[gregl]

Agree. If we get out of this with any less carnage than our worst fears, all of his denials and claims this was a hoax will be forgotten. In times of crisis presidents usually get the benefit of the doubt. When the dust settles, any attempts by the democrats to remind the populace of his bungled response will be seen as politicizing, divisive, and anti-american.

American voters hate idiots. Unless it's the idiot they voted for. Then they will rally round the idiot and support him through crises. Witness Bush 43 getting re-elected because he was a "wartime president" - who created the war... Trump voters will line up at the polls in November, even if it requires an oxygen tank and chem-bio protection suit.

Greg

[HorsCat]

American voters hate idiots. Unless it's the idiot they voted for. Then they will rally round the idiot and support him through crises. Witness Bush 43 getting re-elected because he was a "wartime president" - who created the war... Trump voters will line up at the polls in November, even if it requires an oxygen tank and chem-bio protection suit.

Greg

IMO, one needs to distinguish between hardcore died-in-the-wool Trump magafokkers (the Gaylord Fokker variety, lest anyone accuse me of casting unnecessary aspersions) and people who - irresponsibly, in my view, but still in good faith - voted for Trump over Hillary "because something new and different so what they hey." Trump only won by approx 70,000 votes across 3 states. With the current shit-storm, which in a sense is only a giant cherry on an already massive pile of the radioactive dung heap that is Donald J. Trump, you don't need to peel off that many voters to give a guy like Joe Biden, warts and all, the presidency. I would be surprised if the dual whammy of the virus + economic meltdown doesn't kill his presidency. Still, much as I despise him, his resilience and ability to evade accountability for anything his entire life is impressive so there's that, too.

[Matthew Strongin]

IMO, one needs to distinguish between hardcore died-in-the-wool Trump magafokkers (the Gaylord Fokker variety, lest anyone accuse me of casting unnecessary aspersions) and people who - irresponsibly, in my view, but still in good faith - voted for Trump over Hillary "because something new and different so what they hey." Trump only won by approx 70,000 votes across 3 states. With the current shit-storm, which in a sense is only a giant cherry on an already massive pile of the radioactive dung heap that is Donald J. Trump, you don't need to peel off that many voters to give a guy like Joe Biden, warts and all, the presidency. I would be surprised if the dual whammy of the virus + economic meltdown doesn't kill his presidency. Still, much as I despise him, his resilience and ability to evade accountability for anything his entire life is impressive so there's that, too.

Yeah, I'm just wondering what happens to the "economy" supporters when they recognize that the market is now lower than when DJT took office and every hail mary his administration throws just results in further downward spiraling. It's like the market has no faith in his ability to lead us through this.

[gregl]

Yeah, I'm just wondering what happens to the "economy" supporters when they recognize that the market is now lower than when DJT took office and every hail mary his administration throws just results in further downward spiraling. It's like the market has no faith in his ability to lead us through this.

It will all depend on the state of the economy come November 3, 2020. If the markets have recovered somewhat, his supporters will be out in force. He's the radiation-proof cockroach of presidential candidates...

Greg

[jclay]

It's like the market has no faith in his ability to lead us through this.

As well it shouldn't; the dice have already been rolled and come up craps: Trump's denial and abrogation cost the USA more than a few weeks and the market is reacting rationally to it's growing awareness that in so doing, Trump has bought us an economic and jobs situation that will get very dismal indeed.

[vertical_doug]

As well it shouldn't; the dice have already been rolled and come up craps: Trump's denial and abrogation cost the USA more than a few weeks and the market is reacting rationally to it's growing awareness that in so doing, Trump has bought us an economic and jobs situation that will get very dismal indeed.

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.