All things political. Coronavirus Edition. (2 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?

 

[insidejob]

And I'm in NOLA like... I'm so relieved I get my 2nd vax dose in a week...

As if I needed another reason to really not like being stuck between Texas and Mississippi.

 

[insidejob]

Looks like someone just blew up a COVID test facility in a small Dutch town in the province of North Holland, report says it's intentional. No link - just got a notification on my phone.

 

[donato]

The reduction seems pretty logical IMO. I don’t think it matters as far as votes.

 

[Eeyore]

The party will push for a $10k student loan payoff, but $1400 is too much if you make over $80k.

There's about 7 progressive "Democrats" who are pushing for student loan relief. The rest of the party is about equal to 1980's Republicans in terms of social and economic policy.

 

[Eeyore]

Posting this article because I like the headline.

Republican Governors Celebrate COVID Anniversary With Bold Plan to Kill Another 500,000 Americans

Texas’s and Mississippi’s elected officials are duking it out for the country’s biggest dumbass.

www.vanityfair.com

 

[MT15]

All the Republicans know how to do is just obstruct things.

 

[DaveXA]

All the Republicans know how to do is just obstruct things.

This is hardly surprising. It's the Republican way.

 

[Saintman2884]

This is hardly surprising. It's the Republican way.

Maybe not surprising, but I don't think many GOP senators or lawmakers will lose too much sleep hearing an online rebuke from a left-leaning, partisan Democrat junkie celebrity who works in an entertainment Hollywood industry that's seen or percieved as being weird, cultish, or possessing out-of-touch hedonistic lifestyles or values that even many Americans laugh at or just shake their heads at or don't take seriously.

 

[Dragon]

Maybe not surprising, but I don't think many GOP senators or lawmakers will lose too much sleep hearing an online rebuke from a left-leaning, partisan Democrat junkie celebrity who works in an entertainment Hollywood industry that's seen or percieved as being weird, cultish, or possessing out-of-touch hedonistic lifestyles or values that even many Americans laugh at or just shake their heads at or don't take seriously.

Sorry - but I find her message far more important than the "characterization" you make of her...

So what if she lives a different livestyle? The fact that the GOP cares so little about the people who elected them can't be repeated enough! But in classical GOP style - they attack the messenger - not the message..

 

[Taurus]

Dragon. The pettiness and hypocrisy are the whole point for the GOP.
This might look bad if Democrats weren't vile Satanspawn hellbent on delivering 'Merica! into the lap of OMGSocialism!
But they are (and have done precious little to advertise/market/message their way out of it) and so everything they do must be opposed at every turn by not just every means necessary or every legal means, but by every means. Full stop.

The Pope himself could call them all directly out and...oh, yeah, the Pope is supposed to be arrested anytime here for his part in the Q-Kiddyporn ring.

The Right is in its own echo chamber now, hermetically sealed. The approbation of a Hollywood anything...elite, stagehand, electrician, director...is a mark of pride.

At some point soon, the DNC needs to realize that salesmanship is important. People vote their emotions and right now, a large swath of America loathes the Democrats. The ballot-splitting this last election is telling. People despise Trump, they're ok with Joe yet even when voting for Biden, they took care to vote for a Republican down-ballot. The Democrat party is that unpopular.

"We're gonna show up 81 million strong to put Joe Biden in the White House, but we're also going to put Susan Collins back into the Senate because Dems just suck."

 

[DaveXA]

Dragon. The pettiness and hypocrisy are the whole point for the GOP.
This might look bad if Democrats weren't vile Satanspawn hellbent on delivering 'Merica! into the lap of OMGSocialism!
But they are (and have done precious little to advertise/market/message their way out of it) and so everything they do must be opposed at every turn by not just every means necessary or every legal means, but by every means. Full stop.

The Pope himself could call them all directly out and...oh, yeah, the Pope is supposed to be arrested anytime here for his part in the Q-Kiddyporn ring.

The Right is in its own echo chamber now, hermetically sealed. The approbation of a Hollywood anything...elite, stagehand, electrician, director...is a mark of pride.

At some point soon, the DNC needs to realize that salesmanship is important. People vote their emotions and right now, a large swath of America loathes the Democrats. The ballot-splitting this last election is telling. People despise Trump, they're ok with Joe yet even when voting for Biden, they took care to vote for a Republican down-ballot. The Democrat party is that unpopular.

"We're gonna show up 81 million strong to put Joe Biden in the White House, but we're also going to put Susan Collins back into the Senate because Dems just suck."

Indeed. Well said. No matter what you think about either party, the Republicans have long had the edge in messaging and framing political topics and discussions. As messed up and vile some of their views are, they somehow manage to make Democrats look worse than they are. I mean, yeah the Democrats have control over the WH and Congress, but it's precarious at best, and could flip back the other way in '22.

I know many of us here hate the "both sides!" mantra, but in the general public, it's a pretty effective tool for Republicans.

 

[Dragon]

And I still wonder how so many people fall under the spell of so many lies... But as I had said before. This probably stems all the way back to the education system. DYK - we even have political debates at the secondary school level? Politicians from all parties are invited to talk and take questions from grades 8-13 before elections? (and trust me some of them hate it lol - those youngsters are not fazed by a member of parliment and WILL ask tough questions. Most of the kids are too young to vote but they sure knows BS when they hear it

 

[DaveXA]

And I still wonder how so many people fall under the spell of so many lies... But as I had said before. This probably stems all the way back to the education system. DYK - we even have political debates at the secondary school level? Politicians from all parties are invited to talk and take questions from grades 8-13 before elections? (and trust me some of them hate it lol - those youngsters are not fazed by a member of parliment and WILL ask tough questions. Most of the kids are too young to vote but they sure knows BS when they hear it

I don't know if they still do it today, but when I was a kid in school, we used to have mock debates and elections in school. It was a good way to learn about civics back then.

 

[porculator]

Getting rid of the mask mandate is just insane at this point in time. Houston is the only city in the country that has demonstrated every known variant right now. Texas only has 10% vaccinated, IIRC. Abbott is doing real harm to his constituents, yet again. One business is just not going to listen.

All businesses have that option, and they should use it if they're concerned (and most should.)

But its not like Texas is banning masks. They're just loosening a blanket restriction now that there is a vaccinated population out there that should feel free to de-mask if they want.

Every state is going to have to make this call at some point. People that have been vaccinated should feel free to not wear a mask, and they shouldn't have to wait until some magic 100% vaccination rate that will never happen. Short of having vaccine police checking everyones vaccine hall pass at every corner, this is the only way for that to happen.

 

[Optimus Prime]

All businesses have that option, and they should use it if they're concerned (and most should.)

But its not like Texas is banning masks. They're just loosening a blanket restriction now that there is a vaccinated population out there that should feel free to de-mask if they want.

Every state is going to have to make this call at some point. People that have been vaccinated should feel free to not wear a mask, and they shouldn't have to wait until some magic 100% vaccination rate that will never happen. Short of having vaccine police checking everyones vaccine hall pass at every corner, this is the only way for that to happen.

My understanding is Texas has vaccinated less than 10% of its population

I'd think the threshold should be at least 50% before we start talking about removing mandates

 

[DaveXA]

My understanding is Texas has vaccinated less than 10% of its population

I'd think the threshold should be at least 50% before we start talking about removing mandates

I think the percentage of high at risk individuals is more relevant than overall population. So I'd like to know how much of that 10% is in the 60+ or people with significant comorbidities groups. If those are vaccinated at a 50% clip, then I think starting to shift recommendations is warranted. I mean, if I was governor of a state, I probably wouldn't want to lift restrictions just yet. Once it's 40-50% overall, sure, but 10% overall is still too low imo.

I get why states are loosening things up though.

 

[bdb13]

Well holy crap Governor Kay Ivey decided to keep the mask mandate in place in Alabama for another five weeks.. good on her.

 

[insidejob]

I'm just grateful we have Edwards as governor right now and not Booby Jindal.