All things political. Coronavirus Edition. (4 Viewers)

[Maxp]

I fear we are really going to be in a bad place due to the obvious cuts to the federal agencies that deal with infectious disease, but also the negative effect the Affordable Care act has had on non urban hospitals. Our front line defenses are ineffectual and our ability to treat the populous is probably at an all time low. Factor in the cost of healthcare and I can see our system crashing. What do you think about the politics of this virus?

 

[wardorican]

The only potential positive is that he's tying it to the Omnibus bill..

McConnell: COVID-19 relief will be added to omnibus spending package

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday that any deal reached on a coronavirus relief package will be added to a year-end omnibus spending bill, which means Senate Republicans will insist on limiting the size of a new coronavir

thehill.com

 

[wardorican]

Juxtaposition.

 

[wardorican]

U.S. plans for first COVID vaccines as pandemic deaths surge again

Top U.S. health officials announced plans on Tuesday to begin vaccinating Americans against the coronavirus as early as mid-December, as nationwide deaths hit the highest number for a single day in six months. "Within 24 hours, maybe at most 36 to 48 hours, from the approval, the vaccine can be...

www.yahoo.com

A Food and Drug Administration panel of outside advisers will meet on Dec. 10 to discuss whether to recommend that the FDA authorize emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine. They are expected to review Moderna's candidate a week later.

The U.S. Transportation Department said on Tuesday it has made preparations to enable the "immediate mass shipment" of COVID-19 vaccines and completed all necessary regulatory measures.

First in line for vaccinations could be about 21 million healthcare workers and 3 million residents in long-term care facilities, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said.

A CDC advisory panel is due to vote on Tuesday on recommendations for which Americans should get the vaccine first. The CDC will take the recommendation into account and provide guidance to the states to assist governors in their decisions about vaccine distribution priorities.

 

[DaveXA]

Juxtaposition.

Insanity.

 

[wardorican]

Thinking about the possibility of them extending the federal unemployment boost...

If they make it retroactive, They'd owe me 9 weeks. Regardless if they keep it at $600/week or knock it down to $300/week, that's a noticeable chunk of money.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

So much for that wish...

McConnell offering new coronavirus relief bill after talks with Mnuchin, Meadows

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday circulated a new coronavirus relief proposal that could garner support from the White House among Senate Republicans on Tuesday.McConnell, …

thehill.com

Hopefully they edit that soon, I believe they meant, "appeared to pour cold water on"

I really hate that dude. Damn you, Kentucky.

 

[wardorican]

White House warns COVID-19 cases at dire levels, says patient care could be compromised

The White House coronavirus task force is issuing a dire warning to states, writing that given the already rampant spread of the virus across the U.S., a further surge in cases following Thanksgiving threatens to overwhelm the health care system a

thehill.com

The Task force is saying this.

The White House coronavirus task force is issuing a dire warning to states, writing that given the already rampant spread of the virus across the U.S., a further surge in cases following Thanksgiving threatens to overwhelm the health care system and compromise patient care.

“We are in a very dangerous place due to the current, extremely high COVID baseline and limited hospital capacity; a further post-Thanksgiving surge will compromise COVID patient care, as well as medical care overall,” reads the White House report sent to states and obtained by The Hill.

The report includes a series of urgent warnings, a stark contrast to President Trump himself, who has been largely quiet on the coronavirus crisis recently and has focused on vaccine development when he does discuss it.


The warnings come as the United States is reporting a record-setting level of more than 150,000 new cases every day. More than 98,000 people are in hospitals with COVID-19, placing extreme stress on the facilities' capacity. Experts fear that a further surge will come soon in the wake of Thanksgiving gatherings and travel.

The report, dated Nov. 29 and first reported Wednesday by CNN, warns that state responses to mitigate the spread of the virus “remain inadequate” in "many areas."

 

[insidejob]

 

[DaveXA]

I'm 100% for this. At least people will actually put it to good use.

 

[insidejob]

I'm 100% for this. At least people will actually put it to good use.

Apparently 82% of Americans agree with you. That's apparently why it'll never happen too.

 

[DaveXA]

Apparently 82% of Americans agree with you. That's apparently why it'll never happen too.

Yeah, I don't get it. Apparently, Congress doesn't care what their constituents think.

 

[cuddlemonkey]

Yeah, I don't get it. Apparently, Congress doesn't care what their constituents think.

They haven't for a long time.

 

[insidejob]

Yeah, I don't get it. Apparently, Congress doesn't care what their constituents think.

I was listening to WWL earlier and the idiotic notion that anyone who'd qualify for what amounts to less than $4/day based on the last stimulus isn't even proposed in this bill is because people who aren't literally starving and homeless would get paid (former sheriff and now expert on EVERYTHING says this is the reason Congress doesn't want individual payments in the stimulus bill).

For chrissakes, it's a stimulus bill, not lifetime welfare for everyone making less than $100K/year. Those people who are working who'd still qualify would inject that money into the economy and those who are completely destitute (COVID caused or not) would be able to "stimulate the economy" by eating and having a roof over their heads - if they're lucky.

But, yeah, lets keep giving money to corporations and governments while giving individuals the middle finger because that's what 83% of Americans want. I want to punch McConnell, his ilk and those who support him and his ilk (while screwing themselves over because 'Merica) in the throat. I'm sick of people using COVID and any and everything about it to punish people they don't like.

Don't think I'm ranting at you because I quoted your post though. It was just a springboard for what I was thinking about on my lunch break.

 

[wardorican]

I was listening to WWL earlier and the idiotic notion that anyone who'd qualify for what amounts to less than $4/day based on the last stimulus isn't even proposed in this bill is because people who aren't literally starving and homeless would get paid (former sheriff and now expert on EVERYTHING says this is the reason Congress doesn't want individual payments in the stimulus bill).

For chrissakes, it's a stimulus bill, not lifetime welfare for everyone making less than $100K/year. Those people who are working who'd still qualify would inject that money into the economy and those who are completely destitute (COVID caused or not) would be able to "stimulate the economy" by eating and having a roof over their heads - if they're lucky.

But, yeah, lets keep giving money to corporations and governments while giving individuals the middle finger because that's what 83% of Americans want. I want to punch McConnell, his ilk and those who support him and his ilk (while screwing themselves over because 'Merica) in the throat. I'm sick of people using COVID and any and everything about it to punish people they don't like.

Don't think I'm ranting at you because I quoted your post though. It was just a springboard for what I was thinking about on my lunch break.

Honestly, I'd rather just see a massive unemployment and underemployment (however they could do that one), vs just stimulus checks.

$3000 per person doesn't go far when you aren't working and need to pay rent, buy food, etc. Especially when we're considering making up for August, September, October, November, then cover December, January, February, March... then maybe more?

4 past months and 4 months ahead.. will $3000 get you far for 8 months worth of bills?

 

[wardorican]

And programs like the PPP were only successful if the business has scruples...

Trump Organization, Kushner Companies benefited from pandemic relief loans: report

Businesses at properties owned by the Trump Organization and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner’s family reportedly received more than two dozen Paycheck Protectio

thehill.com

Ignoring the Kushner/Trump connection, which I personally find weak and unconvincing. (These are business that lease space at Trump and Kushner properties)

The bigger issue is examples like this...

ERTISEMENT
Among the loans was one for $2,164,543 to the Triomphe Restaurant Corp., located at Trump International Hotel & Tower in New York City. The company reported the money was not used to keep any jobs. The restaurant later closed

So, what was it used for? Isn't it the Paycheck Protection Program?

Additionally, NBC reported that two tenants at Trump Tower in New York received more than $100,000 and only kept three jobs, while four tenants at the Kushner Companies-owned 666 5th Avenue received a total of more than $204,000 and held just six jobs.

A company called LB City Inc., which is located at Kushner Companies' Bungalow Hotel in Long Branch, N.J., kept 155 jobs after receiving a loan for $505,552.50.

The SBA data also showed that more than 100 loans were given to companies where no business name was listed or which stated there was “no name available,” according to NBC.

$200k gets you 6 jobs for one company, but $500k can get you 155? Guess it depends on the wage..

 

[insidejob]

Honestly, I'd rather just see a massive unemployment and underemployment (however they could do that one), vs just stimulus checks.

$3000 per person doesn't go far when you aren't working and need to pay rent, buy food, etc. Especially when we're considering making up for August, September, October, November, then cover December, January, February, March... then maybe more?

4 past months and 4 months ahead.. will $3000 get you far for 8 months worth of bills?

Absolutely not but that doesn't make the situation any less awful and the damage that could and should have been prevented any less permanent. The fact that the stock market is setting records while unemployment, homelessness, credit scores for millions of people being ruined, food banks running out of food, etc. being currently accepted as American as apple pie is a pretty bleak fact. Individual people and families are the ones hurting because the corporations aren't and that's beyond forked up, IMO.

 

[insidejob]

I agree that it is important to remember who the deniers were after the dust settles. After what's projecting to be more than a half million dead Americans. After strengthening things like the 25th Amendment and the Emoluments Clause or just scrapping them altogether.

 

[DaveXA]

And programs like the PPP were only successful if the business has scruples...

Trump Organization, Kushner Companies benefited from pandemic relief loans: report

Businesses at properties owned by the Trump Organization and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner’s family reportedly received more than two dozen Paycheck Protectio

thehill.com

Ignoring the Kushner/Trump connection, which I personally find weak and unconvincing. (These are business that lease space at Trump and Kushner properties)

The bigger issue is examples like this...



So, what was it used for? Isn't it the Paycheck Protection Program?



$200k gets you 6 jobs for one company, but $500k can get you 155? Guess it depends on the wage..

Virginia has ridiculously narrow definition and rules to qualify for unemployment benefits. When I applied, they said I didn't qualify and gave no explanation. Wife has applied a few times, finally 6 months after she applied, she got a letter notifying her that she qualified, then 2 days later got a letter that she actually didn't qualify. No state benefit, and no $600/week she was supposed to get. I hate Virginia's unemployment benefits setup. It's stupid and doesn't work.