Cont: The Trump Presidency: Part 23

[JeanTate]

I had to check on the worst case scenario - absolutely no other source of information except what the OrangeIdiot allows - and those fears have been allayed (at least for now). My county is relatively isolated (and that helps in this case), and I called county public health and they confirmed that the information on their web site about covid-19 cases, deaths, hospitalizations, by city, age, etc., is totally a county operation. I'd expect that, but I just wanted to make sure.

This means that, if every county in the country can get its own data, then it should be possible to create a stream of actually accurate data county by county, state by state.

I guess I freaked out a bit at first about the possibility of not even have accurate information about how the pandemic is going in my local community, but I would forgive a lot of freak-outs by others, given the absolute s***-show we are in.

May not be 100% relevant, but the COVID Tracking Project attempts to obtain, and track, data from state (and territory) sources directly. They rate their sources, and provide access to all their data, as well as links to their sources and how they rate it.

As you note, a lot of data is generated at county level. Many of the state sources (Public Health Departments, of various names), but not all, have county-level data, and links to sources.

So, while it may be cumbersome, and will certainly have omissions and errors, there are work-arounds. Unlike his tax returns, Trump cannot hide the death and destruction caused by his failure of leadership.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

According to the news story, the dashboard tool disappeared from CDC's website, but it was back up again in a matter of hours to days. I don't know if it has all the same information. There was a strong backlash from public health officials on this, which I hope means that state officials and federal disease wonks will insist on transparency*.

And if they're a vaccine by November? I probably would give Donald Trump some small credit for the win. But if he takes the presidency, it's a given that the feds would **** up any massive inoculation event. Or maybe I'm wrong; states may be finding ways to work together to do it right.

ETA: By this I mean health officials really don't want to be seen cooking the books on this thing. Too much political downside for covering anything up. I could be wrong, but if I were an epidemiologist I'd want the best, most timely, most accurate information and would want to do things right.

Back up with a notice it will no longer be updated.

I still say this naive attempt to hide data like other dictators are able to do will fail badly based on the simple fact you cannot hide overflowing hospitals and climbing death rates.

In addition, the news media will suss out the data.

 

[Aridas]

I get a 500 server error on this, could you either paste some relevant bits or post a functioning link. Also I don’t recognize the ”opb.org domain, who is that?

Thanks to JoeMorgue for clarifying the source.

To poke at a couple of the most informative bits...

Federal law enforcement officers have been using unmarked vehicles to drive around downtown Portland and detain protesters since at least July 14. Personal accounts and multiple videos posted online show the officers driving up to people, detaining individuals with no explanation of why they are being arrested, and driving off.

<snip>

Officers from the U.S. Marshals Special Operations Group and Customs and Border Protection’s BORTAC, have been sent to Portland to protect federal property during the recent protests against racism and police brutality.

But interviews conducted by OPB show officers are also detaining people on Portland streets who aren’t near federal property, nor is it clear that all of the people being arrested have engaged in criminal activity. Demonstrators like O’Shea and Pettibone said they think they were targeted by federal officers for simply wearing black clothing in the area of the demonstration.

Part of the rest of the article focuses on an account from one of those taken, as it was, with a rather pertinent thing being...

Pettibone said he was put into a cell. Soon after, two officers came in to read him his Miranda rights. They didn’t tell him why he was being arrested. He said they asked him if he wanted to waive his rights and answer some questions, but Pettibone declined and said he wanted a lawyer. The interview was terminated, and about 90 minutes later he was released. He said he did not receive any paperwork, citation or record of his arrest.

<snip>

In a statement, the U.S. Marshals Service declined to comment on the practice of using unmarked vehicles, but said their officers had not arrested Pettibone.

“All United States Marshals Service arrestees have public records of arrest documenting their charges. Our agency did not arrest or detain Mark James Pettibone.”

They're not being especially honest about what they're doing, unsurprisingly.

I had to check on the worst case scenario - absolutely no other source of information except what the OrangeIdiot allows - and those fears have been allayed (at least for now). My county is relatively isolated (and that helps in this case), and I called county public health and they confirmed that the information on their web site about covid-19 cases, deaths, hospitalizations, by city, age, etc., is totally a county operation. I'd expect that, but I just wanted to make sure.

This means that, if every county in the country can get its own data, then it should be possible to create a stream of actually accurate data county by county, state by state.

I guess I freaked out a bit at first about the possibility of not even have accurate information about how the pandemic is going in my local community, but I would forgive a lot of freak-outs by others, given the absolute s***-show we are in.

Yes, this is supposed to be public information, at last check. It's just a matter of it being immensely more problematic for many that don't already have the infrastructure in place to get and collate the data from the local sources, which is plenty problematic and disruptive in and of itself.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Gee - a long link to twitter, again with no summary of what I can expect at the link which I CANNOT VIEW because it's to twitter. I'll hunt for it myself when I have time. Blue Mountain's link project is looking more relevant than ever here.

Thanks JoeMorgue. Hadn't seen those letters before, thought it might be an advocacy group or something.

Try the original link again, it opened for me.

Federal Law Enforcement Use Unmarked Vehicles To Grab Protesters Off Portland Streets

 

[Andy_Ross]

I have seen videos of the same thing happening since the middle of last month. Armed men in military uniform with no markings putting people in to unmarked vehicles.

 

[p0lka]

I have seen videos of the same thing happening since the middle of last month. Armed men in military uniform with no markings putting people in to unmarked vehicles.

It's almost like they want people to intervene.

 

[Tero]

Campaign event with "regulation" stunt at WH
https://twitter.com/markknoller/status/1283914446365167617
Asked who would pay for the crane and pickup trucks used in Pres Trump's South Lawn event this afternoon on deregulation,
@JuddPDeere45
said costs would be covered by several of the Federal agencies taking part. That would include DOT, Labor, Commerce, HHS, SBA and EPA.

 

[JoeMorgue]

Is it time to rethink leaving so much vital power in the withered claws of the extremely old?

Or just make it so one 87 year old going through her third bout of cancer treating isn't the

Even in America (insert all the "America is the Florida/Texas of the world memes" here) the margin of error between being and not being in a functioning democracy shouldn't be this goddamn narrow.

 

[grunion]

Sounds like another traitorous order coming from the Commander-In-Chief in 3...2...

In a carefully worded memo that Defense Department officials said they hoped would avoid igniting another defense of the flag from President Trump, Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper issued guidance that lists the types of flags that can be displayed on military installations — in barracks, on cars and on signs.

According to the guidance, appropriate flags include those of American states and territories, military services and other countries that are allies of the United States. The guidance never specifically says that Confederate flags are banned, but they do not fit in any of the approved categories — and any such flags are prohibited.

“Problem solved — we hope,” one Defense Department official said on Friday, speaking on the condition of anonymity so as not to anger Mr. Trump.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump interrupted an interview with Chris Wallace after the Fox News host told him that Joe Biden does not want to “defund” police departments.

Trump claimed Biden wants to defund the police.
“Sir, he does not,” Wallace interjected.
Trump made claims about the 'charter' that Biden signed with Bernie
“It says nothing about defunding the police,” Wallace insisted.

Trump replied “Oh really? It says abolish. It says — let’s go. Get me the charter, please,” Trump said, interrupting the interview.

An aide gave him a copy of the charter but Trump failed to find anything about defunding the police.

Trump fact checked himself
Wonder if he will still keep making the claim


https://www.rawstory.com/2020/07/wa...im-joe-biden-doesnt-support-defunding-police/

 

[JoeMorgue]

He poisoned the well, knowing full and goddamn well his followers heard "Biden wants to get rid of the police" and the rest was just so much noise.

 

[Stacyhs]

Trump interrupted an interview with Chris Wallace after the Fox News host told him that Joe Biden does not want to “defund” police departments.

Trump claimed Biden wants to defund the police.
“Sir, he does not,” Wallace interjected.
Trump made claims about the 'charter' that Biden signed with Bernie
“It says nothing about defunding the police,” Wallace insisted.

Trump replied “Oh really? It says abolish. It says — let’s go. Get me the charter, please,” Trump said, interrupting the interview.

An aide gave him a copy of the charter but Trump failed to find anything about defunding the police.

Trump fact checked himself
Wonder if he will still keep making the claim


https://www.rawstory.com/2020/07/wa...im-joe-biden-doesnt-support-defunding-police/

Damn. I was hoping to see Trump trying to find it and not being able to. But, still...classic! Good for Wallace correcting him and standing his ground. More journalists/interviewers need to call out Trump immediately when he lies.

 

[Bob001]

Trump interrupted an interview with Chris Wallace after the Fox News host told him that Joe Biden does not want to “defund” police departments.

Trump claimed Biden wants to defund the police.
“Sir, he does not,” Wallace interjected.
Trump made claims about the 'charter' that Biden signed with Bernie
“It says nothing about defunding the police,” Wallace insisted.

Trump replied “Oh really? It says abolish. It says — let’s go. Get me the charter, please,” Trump said, interrupting the interview.

An aide gave him a copy of the charter but Trump failed to find anything about defunding the police.

Trump fact checked himself
Wonder if he will still keep making the claim
https://www.rawstory.com/2020/07/wa...im-joe-biden-doesnt-support-defunding-police/

Do we think he could actually read it? The real question is what Fox commentators were telling him what Biden allegedly thought.

 

[Stacyhs]

Do we think he could actually read it? The real question is what Fox commentators were telling him what Biden allegedly thought.

No, I don't think he could have processed what he was reading* enough even if it had been there. But I would so have enjoyed watching him trying to find it!

*Mary Trump believes what I've said for a long time: he has an undiagnosed reading processing disability.

 

[Segnosaur]

From: CNBC
President Donald Trump’s properties have made over $17 million from the Trump campaign and his joint fundraising committees since 2016. That includes close to $400,000 recently paid by Trump Victory, Trump’s joint fundraising committee with the Republican National Committee...

I guess the question is, how should people feel:

- Annoyed/upset, because Trump seems to be running yet another scam
- Happy, because the people he is scamming is the Republican party, a group who is almost as corrupt as he is (if not more).

 

[alfaniner]

Damn. I was hoping to see Trump trying to find it and not being able to. But, still...classic! Good for Wallace correcting him and standing his ground. More journalists/interviewers need to call out Trump immediately when he lies.

I heard some talk about having a fact-checker at the debates. I don't know how that would work but I would find it amusing to see Trump (and Biden, if necessary) called out immediately for lies. I highly doubt it would be done on the debates moderated on the Fox Network though.

 

[Stacyhs]

I heard some talk about having a fact-checker at the debates. I don't know how that would work but I would find it amusing to see Trump (and Biden, if necessary) called out immediately for lies. I highly doubt it would be done on the debates moderated on the Fox Network though.

Sure Fox would: Tucker Carlson and/or Sean Hannity

 

[Trebuchet]

Gee - a long link to twitter, again with no summary of what I can expect at the link which I CANNOT VIEW because it's to twitter. I'll hunt for it myself when I have time. Blue Mountain's link project is looking more relevant than ever here.

Thanks JoeMorgue. Hadn't seen those letters before, thought it might be an advocacy group or something.

What's stopping you from from viewing it on Twitter? You don't have to have an account to read it or watch videos. I do it pretty much every day.

ETA
I pray to the Gods of the Jedi religion that no one in the White House tells him that he needs to have his own police force with special extra-judicial powers.

Too late. See the Portland Thread.
http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=345489

Trump Retweeted

Josh Hawley
@HawleyMO

This morning I have asked the Department of Justice to open a civil rights investigation into the St Louis Circuit Attorneys Office. Targeting law abiding citizens who exercise constitutionally protected rights for investigation & prosecution is an abuse of power

WTF is this all about? Also the TVA one?

 

[carlitos]

What's stopping you from from viewing it on Twitter? You don't have to have an account to read it or watch videos. I do it pretty much every day.






one?

It has something to do with what I’m reading on and the way they are posted. When someone just posts a link, my phone tries to open up the Twitter app which I do not have and I cannot see anything. On my computer, it works no problem, and just now I scrolled up to a post that QUOTED the Twitter link and the video is viewable in Tapatalk as embedded when the link is quoted, but not when the link was originally posted. Weird.

 

[Ladewig]

No, I don't think he could have processed what he was reading* enough even if it had been there. But I would so have enjoyed watching him trying to find it!

*Mary Trump believes what I've said for a long time: he has an undiagnosed reading processing disability.

I think his problems start before his brain starts to process the letters - I’m not convinced that he could see even the page numbers on a document written with a normal font and size.