All things political. Coronavirus Edition. (21 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?

 

[MT15]

China doesn't want it called that therefore bend the knee or you're racist.

good lord, bend the knee, seriously? i thought better of you.

 

[Heathen]

Looks like France is suspending rent payments for its citizens in the time of the virus:

Coronavirus: France President Macron suspends rent, taxes and utilities

 

[BobE]

good lord, bend the knee, seriously? i thought better of you.

And I thought better of a lot of people, It is obvious we will disagree so I'll happily let you have the last word. But out of curiosity what do you call it doing what China wants? It was called Wuhan virus until China decided they didn't want it called that and if you did you were a racist. Media/Tech/Hollywood and more do what ever China wants at the snap of a finger you can call it what ever phrase/term you would like but yea it is also called bending the knee.

 

[brandon]

And I thought better of a lot of people, It is obvious we will disagree so I'll happily let you have the last word. But out of curiosity what do you call it doing what China wants? It was called Wuhan virus until China decided they didn't want it called that and if you did you were a racist. Media/Tech/Hollywood and more do what ever China wants at the snap of a finger you can call it what ever phrase/term you would like but yea it is also called bending the knee.

I heard it called the Wuhan Coronavirus from the very beginning. When it was given a name (COVID-19) people swapped to that.

Calling it Wuhan flu was always a misnomer, as it’s not a flu virus, and probably a dog whistle. “Foreign virus” was a blatant dog whistle.

 

[MT15]

It wasn’t China who objected, not that I know of, it was given a name according to scientific conventions for naming new organisms, probably by the WHO. This effort to return to calling it by these earlier less scientific and less specific names is recent, and has an agenda.

What you just described (China objecting, and everyone “bending their knee” to China) isn’t what happened, not at all. What you just described is a lie somebody told you, probably someone who is interested in fanning the flames of xenophobia and well, yes, racism. They are manipulating you.

And I thought better of a lot of people, It is obvious we will disagree so I'll happily let you have the last word. But out of curiosity what do you call it doing what China wants? It was called Wuhan virus until China decided they didn't want it called that and if you did you were a racist. Media/Tech/Hollywood and more do what ever China wants at the snap of a finger you can call it what ever phrase/term you would like but yea it is also called bending the knee.

 

[JRad]

I heard it called the Wuhan Coronavirus from the very beginning. When it was given a name (COVID-19) people swapped to that.

Same. I never heard anything like “China virus” before I read it in this thread. I also stick almost exclusively to NPR/BBC though.

 

[zztop]

 

[Beach Friends]

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News Channel’s influential prime-time lineup is starting to reflect the changed realities of the coronavirus outbreak, without embracing old enemies.

The network most popular with President Donald Trump’s supporters has added a daily coronavirus-themed show and extended news hours, is practicing social distancing on the air and is frequently featuring guests like Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Nicole Saphier.

With the country hunkering down to protect against the virus’ spread, talk of “hysteria” and “panic” was gone Monday from the prime-time opinion lineup that is the network’s engine.

Sean Hannity promised “facts without fear” and said that “we are all Americans.” Laura Ingraham said federal guidelines restricting movement should be taken extremely seriously.

Some things remained consistent: There was time to criticize Democrats and non-Fox media..........

Fox News opinion stars adjust their tone on virus

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News Channel's influential prime-time lineup is starting to reflect the changed realities of the coronavirus outbreak, without embracing old enemies.

apnews.com

I thought the article was a little disingenuous in that it might leave the reader with the impression that there has been a shift in the way Tucker Carlson has been reporting on the virus. Tucker has always treated this virus seriously, and he has been leading with this virus very early on and has covered it extensively. In fact, medical experts have thanked him for being way out in front of this story.

One thing is definitely true, he is very critical of the Chinese government and the way it has handled the virus.

But, he has also pointed out from the very beginning that the United States is far too dependent on China for pharmaceuticals. Again, that is nothing new for Tucker - he has been doing that before anyone was really talking about the virus here in the U.S.

 

[TaylorB]

I represented a man who was mistakenly given another person’s prescription medication at a pharmacy and who suffered serious injuries as a result. When I deposed the pharmacy personnel, they would all say my client “purchased someone else’s medicine,” a phrasing they clearly got from the defense attorney who planned to use it with the jury. It was obviously designed to subtly shift the blame to my client.

While calling the novel coronavirus “Chinese Virus” is technically not inaccurate, it’s mostly designed to subtly remind people it’s not Trump’s fault and/or distract them. The fact that it also feels xenophobic is useful for Trump because it provokes a reaction from some that Trump’s people can call out as an overreaction, and anything that shifts the focus away from how Trump has actually handled this — particularly early on— is helpful to him. Adding a race debate into the mix is right out of his and Tucker Carlson’s playbook — if there’s one thing that unites the Fox viewership against the “woke” left it’s magnifying the distinction of how the two sides react to racially charged debates.

The clips of people in the media calling it Wuhan virus are mostly from very early on, when it was necessary to specify the origin of the virus as people learned it was even a thing. Now that the entire world understands “coronavirus” or “COVID-19” to mean the virus that came from Wuhan, the people that insist on calling it “Chinese Virus” consist entirely of people who perceive benefit from either shifting the blame away from Trump or provoking a fight about whether it’s racist. It was always going to provoke that reaction given that there’s already a xenophobic mentality floating around the virus with Asian people, restaurants, businesses, etc. What matters to Trump isn’t whether it’s racist, but whether enough people will perceive it as racist that it starts a fight. It’s working, so from now on that’s what he and Fox people will keep calling it.

I suppose in a sense that means I’m taking Trump’s and Tucker’s bait by even reacting to it, but I think it’s important to describe that tactic so we can address it head on and hopefully start to ignore it in favor of more informative discussions about the ongoing crisis.

 

[RobF]

And I thought better of a lot of people, It is obvious we will disagree so I'll happily let you have the last word. But out of curiosity what do you call it doing what China wants? It was called Wuhan virus until China decided they didn't want it called that and if you did you were a racist. Media/Tech/Hollywood and more do what ever China wants at the snap of a finger you can call it what ever phrase/term you would like but yea it is also called bending the knee.

This isn't accurate. It's been referred to, overwhelmingly, as just 'coronavirus' (or occasionally 'novel coronavirus'), pretty much everywhere. Covid 19 has started to be used once it was given that proper name. People calling it "chinese virus" or "wuhan flu" or "wuhan virus", have been, and are, in the minority to a huge extent right from the outset.

Look: https://trends.google.com/trends/ex...,chinese virus,wuhan flu,covid 19,wuhan virus

 

[zztop]

So this happened: The house passed a bill that would provide free coronavirus testing and provisions for unemployment insurance and paid sick leave.

should pass the senate, seemingly.

Enter Rand Paul, which introduced an amendment which would “require a social security number for purposes of the child tax credit, and to provide the President the authority to transfer funds as necessary, and to terminate United States military operations and reconstruction activities in Afghanistan.”

Mitch McConnell, has agreed to take up the amendment today. While not expected to pass, the senate will slow down the overall bill’s passage.

 

[MT15]

This guy explains what he sees going on with this new narrative far better than I can. It’s a thread.

 

[GMRfellowtraveller]

I represented a man who was mistakenly given another person’s prescription medication at a pharmacy and who suffered serious injuries as a result. When I deposed the pharmacy personnel, they would all say my client “purchased someone else’s medicine,” a phrasing they clearly got from the defense attorney who planned to use it with the jury. It was obviously designed to subtly shift the blame to my client.

While calling the novel coronavirus “Chinese Virus” is technically not inaccurate, it’s mostly designed to subtly remind people it’s not Trump’s fault and/or distract them. The fact that it also feels xenophobic is useful for Trump because it provokes a reaction from some that Trump’s people can call out as an overreaction, and anything that shifts the focus away from how Trump has actually handled this — particularly early on— is helpful to him. Adding a race debate into the mix is right out of his and Tucker Carlson’s playbook — if there’s one thing that unites the Fox viewership against the “woke” left it’s magnifying the distinction of how the two sides react to racially charged debates.

The clips of people in the media calling it Wuhan virus are mostly from very early on, when it was necessary to specify the origin of the virus as people learned it was even a thing. Now that the entire world understands “coronavirus” or “COVID-19” to mean the virus that came from Wuhan, the people that insist on calling it “Chinese Virus” consist entirely of people who perceive benefit from either shifting the blame away from Trump or provoking a fight about whether it’s racist. It was always going to provoke that reaction given that there’s already a xenophobic mentality floating around the virus with Asian people, restaurants, businesses, etc. What matters to Trump isn’t whether it’s racist, but whether enough people will perceive it as racist that it starts a fight. It’s working, so from now on that’s what he and Fox people will keep calling it.

I suppose in a sense that means I’m taking Trump’s and Tucker’s bait by even reacting to it, but I think it’s important to describe that tactic so we can address it head on and hopefully start to ignore it in favor of more informative discussions about the ongoing crisis.

Good insight
Ironically the ‘foreign virus’ stuff shows the inadequacy of xenophobia- virus, pollution, climate change, et al, are not contained by borders
Propagandizing fear and isolationism will only exacerbate the problems

 

[wardorican]

Rand Paul gonna Rand Paul....

Coronavirus: Rand Paul holds up Senate vote on rescue package with doomed amendment

As the US Senate prepares to pass a bill to help fund and speed up the response to coronavirus epidemic, Kentucky senator Rand Paul has introduced an amendment that will slow down the bill’s passage – even though the amendment has no chance of passing.The bill being debated, which would provide...

www.yahoo.com

As the US Senate prepares to pass a bill to help fund and speed up the response to coronavirus epidemic, Kentucky senator Rand Paul has introduced an amendment that will slow down the bill’s passage – even though the amendment has no chance of passing.

The bill being debated, which would provide free coronavirus testing and provisions for unemployment insurance and paid sick leave, has already been passed by the House of Representatives. While some Senators have voiced misgivings about it, with some saying it does not go far enough, the bill looks very likely to pass without dramatic alterations.

Mr Paul’s amendment, however, has no bearing on the substance on the substance of the bill. Instead, it would “require a social security number for purposes of the child tax credit, and to provide the President the authority to transfer funds as necessary, and to terminate United States military operations and reconstruction activities in Afghanistan.”

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, the other senator from Kentucky, has agreed to take up the amendment on Wednesday. It is not expected to pass, but by debating it, the Senate will slow down the overall bill’s passage.

I wouldn't mind if he was trying to throw in a "how are we going to pay for this" comment, and maybe discuss removing the tax cut on the wealthiest Americans (I'd leave the corporate tax cut alone right now.. would be awful timing).

I hope everyone realizes, whomever is the next president is going to have to walk back these tax cuts.

 

[Saintamaniac]

Habitual liars are going to lie out of habit. You have trump 2 weeks ago essentially saying that the virus was another hoax by the democrats but now it's real. We are supposed to forget the fact that he called it another hoax by the democrats. Forget the old lies. Believe the new lies.

 

[coldseat]

Looks like France is suspending rent payments for its citizens in the time of the virus:

Coronavirus: France President Macron suspends rent, taxes and utilities

Damn socialist always trying to control their people and ruin business.

 

[Beach Friends]

I

I represented a man who was mistakenly given another person’s prescription medication at a pharmacy and who suffered serious injuries as a result. When I deposed the pharmacy personnel, they would all say my client “purchased someone else’s medicine,” a phrasing they clearly got from the defense attorney who planned to use it with the jury. It was obviously designed to subtly shift the blame to my client.

While calling the novel coronavirus “Chinese Virus” is technically not inaccurate, it’s mostly designed to subtly remind people it’s not Trump’s fault and/or distract them. The fact that it also feels xenophobic is useful for Trump because it provokes a reaction from some that Trump’s people can call out as an overreaction, and anything that shifts the focus away from how Trump has actually handled this — particularly early on— is helpful to him. Adding a race debate into the mix is right out of his and Tucker Carlson’s playbook — if there’s one thing that unites the Fox viewership against the “woke” left it’s magnifying the distinction of how the two sides react to racially charged debates.

The clips of people in the media calling it Wuhan virus are mostly from very early on, when it was necessary to specify the origin of the virus as people learned it was even a thing. Now that the entire world understands “coronavirus” or “COVID-19” to mean the virus that came from Wuhan, the people that insist on calling it “Chinese Virus” consist entirely of people who perceive benefit from either shifting the blame away from Trump or provoking a fight about whether it’s racist. It was always going to provoke that reaction given that there’s already a xenophobic mentality floating around the virus with Asian people, restaurants, businesses, etc. What matters to Trump isn’t whether it’s racist, but whether enough people will perceive it as racist that it starts a fight. It’s working, so from now on that’s what he and Fox people will keep calling it.

I suppose in a sense that means I’m taking Trump’s and Tucker’s bait by even reacting to it, but I think it’s important to describe that tactic so we can address it head on and hopefully start to ignore it in favor of more informative discussions about the ongoing crisis.

I think you are incorrect, at least with regards to Tucker. He has been sounding the alarm on China well before the virus was around. He's not a fan of the Chinese government and who can argue that there is not good reason for that.

He has been very consistent on drawing attention to that nation's treatment of Muslims, their treatment of Hong Kong protestors, their influence on American companies, the lack of freedom of speech in that nation and how American companies have acquiesced in that suppression, and the list goes on.

Notably, he was pointing out that the United States is far too dependent on China for medical supplies and pharmaceuticals, particularly antibiotics before any of this occurred. And he was spot on.

Furthermore, when I hear someone lumping Tucker and Hannity together with respect to coverage of Trump and the GOP I know they probably are just making that assumption based on the fact they are on the same network. Tucker shows a lot more independence than one who is unfamiliar with his show might think. He's certainly not going to go Don Lemon in his coverage, but I have seen him hit Republicans without mercy.

BTW, his show airs Monday through Friday at 7:00pm CST.

 

[SystemShock]

And I thought better of a lot of people, It is obvious we will disagree so I'll happily let you have the last word. But out of curiosity what do you call it doing what China wants? It was called Wuhan virus until China decided they didn't want it called that and if you did you were a racist. Media/Tech/Hollywood and more do what ever China wants at the snap of a finger you can call it what ever phrase/term you would like but yea it is also called bending the knee.

Like I said on another board, I believe in compromise, so that is why, when referring to the virus, I refer to it as "covid-19, which originated in Wuhan, China".

I almost went with "covid-19, which originated in an unsanitary market in Wuhan, China, where they trade in meat of endangered species"... but I thought that was too long