The all-new "US Politics and coronavirus" thread

[Stacyhs]

I thought I heard on today's news (Saturday) that the number was already over 100K.

We also have to remember that, unlike what Trump is saying, the number of actual deaths from the Coronavirus are far more likely to be under reported than over reported. Not everyone who died from complications of the virus were tested for it.

 

[The Great Zaganza]

there is a significant amount of "excess mortality" going on right now:

https://ourworldindata.org/excess-mortality-covid


https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2020/04/16/tracking-covid-19-excess-deaths-across-countries

 

[Meadmaker]

I thought I heard on today's news (Saturday) that the number was already over 100K.

The "official" number, i.e. the number reported by various agencies responsible for collecting the data, stands at slightly over 90,000 right now. There have been a couple of news stories recently giving reason to believe the official number may be lower than the real number.

 

[Norman Alexander]

What we are seeing here: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/15/coronavirus-death-toll-right-denies-figures

Especially apt is the closing paragraph:

A separate study, published at the end of April, revealed the stark consequences of prominent figures underplaying the impact of Covid-19. A group of researchers tracked the spread of coronavirus among viewers of Sean Hannity’s Fox News show, after Hannity spent weeks downplaying the threat.

“Greater exposure to Hannity,” the researchers wrote, “leads to a greater number of Covid-19 cases and deaths.”

 

[3point14]

Yep. Your dead mama don't count as long as my mama is OK.

Why are we suprised by this?

A loud section of the American people have been convinced that the existence of government is actually evil. Remember "I'm from the government and I'm here to help"?

Add into that the perversion, in some quarters, of what was a rugged American individualism and can-do attitude into an "I'm alright Jack, **** you" attitdue that's encouraged everyone to believe that what they want is the most important thing all the time and this sort of thing was going to happen whoever was president.

Seriously, if you think they're mad now, imagine how mad they'd be if it was Hillary who'd locked them up?

 

[3point14]

There's a lot of people that cannot stand being unemployed for a year or two.

When they began to shut everything down it definitely occurred to me that not only the disease might kill me, the cure could too.

Sorry, er, being unemployed for a year would be literally fatal to you???

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

I wonder if the GOP and Fox News have really thought through their strategy of deliberately killing off their supporters?

 

[Cheetah]

Just wondering, how bad does the economy have to be for it to cause more than 1000 deaths a day for an extended period, comparable to the pandemic.

 

[newyorkguy]

Yes with Saturday's numbers entered, we're over 90,000. Link

 

[Beelzebuddy]

Sorry, er, being unemployed for a year would be literally fatal to you???

What do you expect happens when your country ties livelihood to employment, and that employment goes away?

Yes with Saturday's numbers entered, we're over 90,000. Link

 

[3point14]

What do you expect happens when your country ties livelihood to employment, and that employment goes away?

Oh, from lack of resources? That makes sense. Wrong end of the stick completely, sorry.

 

[JoeMorgue]

Sorry, er, being unemployed for a year would be literally fatal to you???

It's called food. I need it to live.

 

[Sideroxylon]

I wonder if the GOP and Fox News have really thought through their strategy of deliberately killing off their supporters?

It about money not ideology.

 

[Safe-Keeper]

Yes with Saturday's numbers entered, we're over 90,000. Link

If the fatality rate stays at 20% (though fortunately it seems to be declining), then with one and a half million infected we're looking at 300 000+ deaths .

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

It's called food. I need it to live.

As I said above:

They could with the right government assistance. But I know that the US has a real issue when it comes to welfare.

Or, at least, when that welfare is aimed at poor people, rather than big businesses and farmers.

It's not a law of the universe, it's a choice by the government and society.

Spain has implemented universal basic income. That's a different choice.

 

[newyorkguy]

It's called food. I need it to live.

Aren't you being a tad dramatic? Haven't you said you're retired from the military?

 

[JoeMorgue]

Aren't you being a tad dramatic? Haven't you said you're retired from the military?

I am, but I recognize that I'm not everyone.

 

[JoeMorgue]

It's not a law of the universe, it's a choice by the government and society.

Spain has implemented universal basic income. That's a different choice.

We live in a capitalist society here in America and that's not changing on a timeframe worth discussing.

I don't care how poor people would fair in some alternative timeline. Right now they need jobs to survive.

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

Eric Trump is saying that coronavirus will go away the day after the election

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

We live in a capitalist society here in America and that's not changing on a timeframe worth discussing.

Capitalist societies also have welfare. And benefits of other kinds, including universal basic income.

I don't care how poor people would fair in some alternative timeline. Right now they need jobs to survive.

No, they need an income to live.