COVID-19 Mega thread

[Badger]

The legislation, as it stands now, includes provisions for free testing for coronavirus, bolstering of unemployment insurance, paid medical leave for those out of work due to the disease and additional money to ensure children continue to get subsidized lunches if schools close.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/12/kevin-mccarthy-republicans-to-oppose-democratic-coronavirus-bill-126962

Not even an explanation as to why Republicans are against this.  It's like they want to get slaughtered in November.

I mean, what even is their thought process here?  Killing people to own the libs?

I haven't read anything definitive, but as I think I understand it, emphasis think, the Republicans are supportive in principle, but just feel that Federal money should be used to compensate employers for the ordered additional sick time. While there's obviously a danger of crony capitalism here, to give the devil their due there's at least some arguments we made there.

I have to admit that, after thinking about it, if President Obama had proposed something like this width including using government revenue to at least partially yeah, even largely, compensate businesses for this Federal Mandate of paying for additional sick time, I'm not sure I would necessarily opposed it. That said, I m h o the businesses need to have at least some skin in the game as opposed to getting a 100% reimbursement . The exact ratio of  business contribution versus  government contribution I'm undecided about fwiw.

[Badger]

WTF?

https://twitter.com/AnaCabrera/status/1238126303238410243?s=20

Jesus effing Christ! This is medical malpractice by a legislature. Or at least its majority party.

[Badger]

WTF?

https://twitter.com/AnaCabrera/status/1238126303238410243?s=20

Lamar needs time to hear from both sides - the virus and patients - before making his decision. 

Elected Republicans are an existential threat to our national security.

"But Biden and Trump are basically the same!"

(Sorry to inject primary politics, but this situation is a worthy reminder for people feeling so that nothing could be further from reality)

[Badger]

https://mobile.twitter.com/gabstargardter/status/1238118508166348800

Maybe he should be self-isolating?

Trump is already the most self-isolated person on earth, and was so even before he ran for president.

[Badger]

https://twitter.com/senatemajldr/status/1238152886980395009

Senate recess delayed to deal with Corona issues.

Good.

[Badger]

Re: Biden, this is the speech that I hoped Trump would give last night.  

He didn't appear to be "senile" either.

heck if you watched this speech back to back with the one trump gave last night you would think that it was trump himself who is going senile and losing his mind lol

Well, that is not a coincidence.

Seriously, I am having a difficult time comprehending anyone taking much seriousness in the Joe Biden is senile meme, when we have a president currently in office who is with possibly the exception of Reagan the one who has demonstrated the most overt signs of mental deterioration of any president in history.

Furthermore, there are some serious differences between his and Reagan's onset of dementia. First, even if you disagree with their hard right politics, the people Reagan surrounded himself with were at least competent and experienced professionals on how to run the government ( other than Nancy herself). Secondly, whereas Reagan's senility manifested itself in forgetfulness and occasional Woolley headedness, Trump's does in just downright bizarre and to put it nicely erratic thought patterns that just feed into his narcissistic megalomania, which of course directly impacts every aspect of his presidency. Third, unlike Reagan's second-term when he started to slip in earnest, Trump is actually trying to run for re-election when he's within a year or two of needing if not committed to a home, at least family members to take over a power of attorney to handle his matters.

[Badger]

Went to the grocery store just now and it was packed. Toilet paper was completely sold out.

[Badger]

The 40-45% of the country that is in the Trump cult will just blame the Dems/everyone but Trump. There is no hope for their kind.

[Badger]

Does anybody else find this thread gratuitous and gruesome?

Not to mention ghoulish, yes.

Seriously, it's one thing to soberly discuss population spreads and anticipated mortality rates, but quite another to enter a betting pool is to the number of deaths arising from a worldwide pandemic.

[Badger]

Does anybody else find this thread gratuitous and gruesome?

Not to mention ghoulish, yes.

Seriously, it's one thing to soberly analyze population spreads and anticipated mortality rates, but quite another to enter a betting pool as to the number of deaths anticipated from an ongoing worldwide pandemic.

[Badger]

Gov. Whitmer of MI has closed all k-12 schools public and private until April 6

https://twitter.com/wxyzdetroit/status/1238298185380003847?s=20

Ohio has closed all public schools for the next 3 weeks, starting Monday

[Badger]

Does anybody else find this thread gratuitous and gruesome?

Not to mention ghoulish, yes.

Seriously, it's one thing to soberly analyze population spreads and anticipated mortality rates, but quite another to enter a betting pool as to the number of deaths anticipated from an ongoing worldwide pandemic.

No worse than the typical Cold War discussion about it going hot.

Big difference. Speculation about the Cold War going hot was always 100% theoretical. Betting about the number of deaths from Coronavirus is an ongoing tragedy where people are dying from everyday and maybe more being infected.