The all-new "US Politics and coronavirus" thread

[TragicMonkey]

Florida, Georgia and Texas -- all states that have begun 'reopening' -- all saw spikes in new cases yesterday. Makes you wonder, in states where reopening is or has become a political issue, what do they do if new cases start increasing? Re-shutdown? Will they have the political willpower to reverse course?

Click to enlarge.

Missouri begins "re-opening" Monday; both Missouri and Illinois cases rose this weekend.

 

[Stacyhs]

Missouri begins "re-opening" Monday; both Missouri and Illinois cases rose this weekend.

Then maybe they need to rethink opening.

 

[Mumbles]

I thought distrust of the government was baked in with American society, what with the guns to protect themselves of tyrannical versions of it and what not.

In which case it could be reasonable to suggest they might be less likely to follow these rules from above, lockdown or social distancing or whatever they may be, even if it hurts them.

Is that a factor? or am I just being racist?

It's something white conservatives like to tell them selves. I note that category in particular since the left tends to consider themselves fans of *smart* government, and most nonwhite people will, if they consider it, gladly point out that many white conservatives actually want government that gives them money, and nonwhite people violence and oppression - thus the obvious hypocrisy of demands that nonwhite people "just obey, stop resisting", next to with applause for ill-dressed cosplaytrioits screaming and waving guns at cops.

(this is a simplification, of course...but plainly not much of one)

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Life for nannies among the upper one percent:

https://www.thecut.com/2020/04/nannies-working-during-coronavirus.html

And here I am paranoid because I came too close to the postman today when he handed me my mail. Now I'm worried because of not thinking before I took the mail from him.

 

[William Parcher]

Florida, Georgia and Texas -- all states that have begun 'reopening' -- all saw spikes in new cases yesterday. Makes you wonder, in states where reopening is or has become a political issue, what do they do if new cases start increasing? Re-shutdown? Will they have the political willpower to reverse course?

I still think that the Republicans are playing with the test kits and the numbers to actually create spikes for the purpose of scaring the hell out of dementia Biden so that he doesn't even want to run for President. They are evil.

 

[TragicMonkey]

Then maybe they need to rethink opening.

It's Missouri, we barely get thinking the first time, doing it twice is asking far too much!

 

[a_unique_person]

They don't start shooting - that's what went wrong. They are not even a militia. Militias shoot their guns. Trump is a fool if he thinks he's going to get a shooting militia in this country. The clowns won't do it.

You haven't heard of the events where they have been shooting, then?

 

[DetectedMotion]

The more freedoms one exercises the better.

Gee Bob, why would you or these people give a damn if they become a part of prolonging the Pandemic?
But hey, at least those few got to express their freedom at the potential expense of many.

 

[The Atheist]

If I wanted to make a propaganda video depicting the opposition as complete *******, I couldn't have done better.

False flag operation by antifa.

 

[DetectedMotion]

April has come and gone and the virus hasn't just "disappeared like a miracle". Is it possible God's anointed was....gulp....wrong?

No, he was just being "sarcastic". He didn't specify which year.

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

Florida, Georgia and Texas -- all states that have begun 'reopening' -- all saw spikes in new cases yesterday. Makes you wonder, in states where reopening is or has become a political issue, what do they do if new cases start increasing? Re-shutdown? Will they have the political willpower to reverse course? Google tracking link

Click to enlarge.

Those look more like normal variance than they do spikes. And issues with reporting mean that these kinds of charts should only be used for general trends, rather than for actual numbers at any given time.

Besides, when did the states actually re-open, and what form does that re-opening take?

 

[phiwum]

Florida, Georgia and Texas -- all states that have begun 'reopening' -- all saw spikes in new cases yesterday. Makes you wonder, in states where reopening is or has become a political issue, what do they do if new cases start increasing? Re-shutdown? Will they have the political willpower to reverse course? Google tracking link

Click to enlarge.

The spike surely can't be caused by the reopenings, can it? It seems awfully early for that to be the case.

Obviously, any spike is cause for concern that the reopenings are premature.

 

[dann]

They do, but unfortunately, all their sheets were at the laundries that are all closed.

And if the laundries are Chinese, they'll suspect them of having infected the sheets with coronavirus.

 

[TragicMonkey]

The spike surely can't be caused by the reopenings, can it? It seems awfully early for that to be the case.

Obviously, any spike is cause for concern that the reopenings are premature.

If you tell people X is happening on Monday many will decide that means it's pretty much good to get an early start. Like starting to slack off a month before graduation in one's senior year.

 

[BobTheCoward]

Gee Bob, why would you or these people give a damn if they become a part of prolonging the Pandemic?
But hey, at least those few got to express their freedom at the potential expense of many.

Just as I don't think drunk driving should be a crime, so clearly I think one should only be in trouble if they actually spread the virus from themselves to someone else.

 

[bruto]

Just as I don't think drunk driving should be a crime, so clearly I think one should only be in trouble if they actually spread the virus from themselves to someone else.

I'm surprised you go even that far. Isn't spreading the virus a consequence of the freedom being exercised? You're just changing a constraint to the past when it's too late anyway. I would have thought a true libertarian would place the entire burden of protection on the recipient.

 

[Mader Levap]

As far I am concerned, libertarians are parasites on society and should be treated accordingly.

 

[newyorkguy]

The Google tracker reports the number of new cases reported. They're real numbers. On May 1st, both Georgia and Texas reported the highest number of new cases in almost three weeks. That's not a normal variance, is it?

The White House guidelines state the criteria for reopening economies is "The data driven conditions each region or state should satisfy before proceeding to a phased opening."

Downward trajectory of documented cases within a 14-day period. Link

Even the White House has advised states to wait until cases are on a downward trajectory for fourteen days and neither Georgia or Texas met that condition. Both states are still at a high level of new cases. Even trump criticized Georgia for reopening. CNN reported:

Public health officials warned that [Georgia Governor] Kemp is moving too quickly, some business owners said they would keep their doors closed and mayors said they feared Kemp's action would deepen the coronavirus crisis in their communities. Link

If new cases in these two states continue to spike, what's going to happen?

 

[TragicMonkey]

As far I am concerned, libertarians are parasites on society and should be treated accordingly.

Libertarians always put me in mind of American settlers of the west: "I'm independent and strong and go my own way without outside help or interference....OMG Indians SAVE ME, FEDERAL TROOPS! Also can I have some money and special treatment."

 

[dann]

I'm surprised you go even that far. Isn't spreading the virus a consequence of the freedom being exercised? You're just changing a constraint to the past when it's too late anyway. I would have thought a true libertarian would place the entire burden of protection on the recipient.

Virus wants to be free!
But people should be free to shoot anybody that is about to get closer than 6 feet.