COVID-19 Megathread 5: The Trumps catch COVID-19

[Calthrina950]

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/05/03/nolte-they-told-us-lockdowns-were-about-flattening-the-curve-they-lied/

What had been a national effort to save lives, a noble effort of national unity, has been twisted by Democrat governors into something unnecessarily punitive that reeks of a partisan power play to destroy President Trump’s re-election chances. Give me a better explanation.  Because this is the bottom line…

Unless you’re willing to wait for a cure (that is at least a year away or might never come at all), when there is no risk the health care system’s going to crash, what is the point of waiting one more day to open up the country when waiting doesn’t make us any safer?

Normal, non-partisan people are asking this question as well.

For every "normal, non-partisan" person who ask this, there are two or three also "normal, non-partisan" people who disagree and reject the premise. This is consistently supported by polling data.

The Right has so internalized the idea that it is the "silent majority" that it cannot fathom the idea that there would be an issue where it wouldn't only be in the minority, but in an overwhelming minority.

I haven't had the opportunity to ask you, but what is your opinion of what Governor Polis has done here in Colorado, thus far? I know from your posts that you are firmly of the "pro-measures" side: that is, the side which believes that the stay-at-home orders are necessary (which they are and have been), and that they take priority over those who want to throw society open (the "anti-measures" side).

[Calthrina950]

237k tests today 27.3k new cases today
Last Sunday: 206k tests and 27k cases that that

What are you trying to imply here?

[It’s so Joever]

237k tests today 27.3k new cases today
Last Sunday: 206k tests and 27k cases that that

What are you trying to imply here?

I think he’s just doing it so that we can see the numbers.
If I had to extrapolate from the data, this is a good thing and cases are going down, but it’s only two points so it’s not reliable to form a conclusion.

[💥💥 brandon bro (he/him/his)]

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/05/03/nolte-they-told-us-lockdowns-were-about-flattening-the-curve-they-lied/

What had been a national effort to save lives, a noble effort of national unity, has been twisted by Democrat governors into something unnecessarily punitive that reeks of a partisan power play to destroy President Trump’s re-election chances. Give me a better explanation.  Because this is the bottom line…

Unless you’re willing to wait for a cure (that is at least a year away or might never come at all), when there is no risk the health care system’s going to crash, what is the point of waiting one more day to open up the country when waiting doesn’t make us any safer?

Normal, non-partisan people are asking this question as well.

For every "normal, non-partisan" person who ask this, there are two or three also "normal, non-partisan" people who disagree and reject the premise. This is consistently supported by polling data.

The Right has so internalized the idea that it is the "silent majority" that it cannot fathom the idea that there would be an issue where it wouldn't only be in the minority, but in an overwhelming minority.

I haven't had the opportunity to ask you, but what is your opinion of what Governor Polis has done here in Colorado, thus far? I know from your posts that you are firmly of the "pro-measures" side: that is, the side which believes that the stay-at-home orders are necessary (which they are and have been), and that they take priority over those who want to throw society open (the "anti-measures" side).

Thanks for asking. Rhetorically he's doing well, but for the reopening... it's an interesting federalism exercise but my expectation is that he reopened statewide too early and trusted some localities to be responsible where perhaps he shouldn't have (specifically thinking about Weld and El Paso).

I'm also very, very doubtful that many small businesses will truthfully comply with recommended protocols for reopening, but I also don't know what a good enforcement mechanism there would look like. I think this month we're going to start seeing more serious pressure mounting to reopen more nationwide, and a lot of places (including CO) seem pretty unprepared, but we're going to be at a point where it's not going to be realistic to ask people to follow strict stay-at-home for much longer. So, I'm disappointed by the move but I understand why they did it and most other places are going to start facing the same decisions soon. I'm prepared to be wrong, though, if we don't see a significant second surge.

Most of the (blue) highly populated areas took the initiative to extend their stay at home orders locally; I know several are set to expire this week so we'll see if they choose to extend. I'm very nervous about the Ft. Morgan and Weld outbreaks associated with prison and packing plants, and for the heightened community spread so far. I'm also glad the state is reopened after ski season is done but in the next month we're going to see increased travel in rural communities for mountain recreation and that has the potential to be very bad. But then again without some sort of strict blockading on highways I don't really know what options the state has.

Your thoughts?

[lfromnj]

https://twitter.com/gobeheroes/status/1256813055947747329

[Meclazine for Israel]

"President Trump will hold those accountable, and on a timeline that is our own" - Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo Sunday night on ABC News.

https://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/video/chinas-coronavirus-response-classic-communist-disinformation-effort-pompeo-70478299

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/03/world/coronavirus-news.html

Rhetoric starting to increase that the origin of the Corona-virus was from within the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

If most intelligence people are saying it is not a genetically modified virus, that leaves the only possibility that the virus was extracted from bats in its original form.

My only problem with that argument is "how did the scientists get it from a bat to bat spread over to human to human spread capability?". Under normal circumstance, animal to human transfer is enabled by an intermediary animal. That is where our Pangolin comes in.


(https://nypost.com/2020/05/03/pompeo-enormous-evidence-shows-coronavirus-began-in-wuhan-lab/)

So one way to check the validity of the "Wuhan lab" theory is to get expert virological research to confirm that we can isolate a Corona virion from bats and get it to jump to humans. If that is not possible, then the argument against the "Wuhan Lab" is lessened. Another possibility is that of an accidental transfer.

Mike Pompeo refused to answer the question about whether the virus was isolated and accidentally released into the community from the lab.

[T'Chenka]

https://twitter.com/gobeheroes/status/1256813055947747329

With a better rapper, this could be half-decent. Still FF music and I hope it triggers the idiots protesting.

[GoTfan]

I just saw a model that predicts 350,000 dead in the US alone by the end of June.

I lost hope I didn't even know I had.

Don't take this the wrong way. I'm only saying this out of love.

Your depression / pessimism / doomsday lust is poisoning your mind. When you find new data or news, the appetite of your doom and gloom is forcing you to put a negative spin on it instead of analyzing the information objectively. You need to starve that s___ out and force yourself into rational analysis despite it no longer being your default psychological algorithm.

Be well and be safe.

I get it. It's difficult to detach yourself from the real loss of life that's occuring from this, but sometimes it's the best option. Of course, not everyone is able to, but for me at least, it's better than giving in to anger and desperation.

Tried that. Doesn't work.

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

[Calthrina950]

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/05/03/nolte-they-told-us-lockdowns-were-about-flattening-the-curve-they-lied/

What had been a national effort to save lives, a noble effort of national unity, has been twisted by Democrat governors into something unnecessarily punitive that reeks of a partisan power play to destroy President Trump’s re-election chances. Give me a better explanation.  Because this is the bottom line…

Unless you’re willing to wait for a cure (that is at least a year away or might never come at all), when there is no risk the health care system’s going to crash, what is the point of waiting one more day to open up the country when waiting doesn’t make us any safer?

Normal, non-partisan people are asking this question as well.

For every "normal, non-partisan" person who ask this, there are two or three also "normal, non-partisan" people who disagree and reject the premise. This is consistently supported by polling data.

The Right has so internalized the idea that it is the "silent majority" that it cannot fathom the idea that there would be an issue where it wouldn't only be in the minority, but in an overwhelming minority.

I haven't had the opportunity to ask you, but what is your opinion of what Governor Polis has done here in Colorado, thus far? I know from your posts that you are firmly of the "pro-measures" side: that is, the side which believes that the stay-at-home orders are necessary (which they are and have been), and that they take priority over those who want to throw society open (the "anti-measures" side).

Thanks for asking. Rhetorically he's doing well, but for the reopening... it's an interesting federalism exercise but my expectation is that he reopened statewide too early and trusted some localities to be responsible where perhaps he shouldn't have (specifically thinking about Weld and El Paso).

I'm also very, very doubtful that many small businesses will truthfully comply with recommended protocols for reopening, but I also don't know what a good enforcement mechanism there would look like. I think this month we're going to start seeing more serious pressure mounting to reopen more nationwide, and a lot of places (including CO) seem pretty unprepared, but we're going to be at a point where it's not going to be realistic to ask people to follow strict stay-at-home for much longer. So, I'm disappointed by the move but I understand why they did it and most other places are going to start facing the same decisions soon. I'm prepared to be wrong, though, if we don't see a significant second surge.

Most of the (blue) highly populated areas took the initiative to extend their stay at home orders locally; I know several are set to expire this week so we'll see if they choose to extend. I'm very nervous about the Ft. Morgan and Weld outbreaks associated with prison and packing plants, and for the heightened community spread so far. I'm also glad the state is reopened after ski season is done but in the next month we're going to see increased travel in rural communities for mountain recreation and that has the potential to be very bad. But then again without some sort of strict blockading on highways I don't really know what options the state has.

Your thoughts?

I heard about Weld County, and I think that they are definitely going too far, moving ahead of the state's framework. And to an extent, you're right about El Paso County. The other day, the County Coroner, Dr. Leon Kelly, praised Polis' stay-at-home order and said that it bought additional time for us to ramp up our hospital capacity. At the same time, however, he claimed that all businesses could "reopen now", and that we would be able to meet any surge in cases. The County Board of Commissioners has also been thinking about making a request to Polis that they be allowed to lift additional restrictions, beyond what he has provided for in his plan. I haven't heard anything more about this, but wouldn't be surprised if they go forward with it. And as you know, El Paso County did not lockdown until Polis issued his statewide order; nor will it (or Colorado Springs) make mask-wearing mandatory, in contrast to Boulder, Denver, Aspen, and some other places, unless if an order comes from the Governor.

Overall, I think Polis has done a job with his response to this crisis. Obviously, there are things he could have done differently-i.e. acting ahead of the authorities in the Denver metropolitan area to issue a stay-at-home order. But overall, he's maintained a calm tone and has run his response in a professional manner. He has also been cognizant of the economic consequences for a shutdown that is too prolonged, and has been trying to balance them with the public health needs of our population.

[It’s so Joever]

Although orders are important and do help improve our chances of beating the virus, social pressure is just as helpful for many.
If you know someone who is not social distancing, make sure you make it clear they are ruining the lives of others and are being entitled, selfish, ***holes. (Don’t say the last part) At the very least, express your concern with them.
Tell others who are immunocompromised/have other reasons to be worried about the virus, of people (who they know) who aren’t social distancing. If we want to defeat the virus, we need to make sure people feel socially pressured to be cautious and maintain social distancing, especially in the absence of proper governance.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

https://twitter.com/observerlk/status/1256799141637681153

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1251185023459483653

[emailking]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1257041820124680192

[Dr. Arch]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1257041820124680192

Yet, he was still calling it a Democrat hoax and having rallies well into March. Absurdity.

[T'Chenka]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1257041820124680192

Yet, he was still calling it a Democrat hoax and having rallies well into March. Absurdity.

40,000 people approximately were let in from China and he's basically claiming that they were administered 40,000 COVID tests at the airport. Who actually believes that?

[EastAnglianLefty]

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/05/03/nolte-they-told-us-lockdowns-were-about-flattening-the-curve-they-lied/

What had been a national effort to save lives, a noble effort of national unity, has been twisted by Democrat governors into something unnecessarily punitive that reeks of a partisan power play to destroy President Trump’s re-election chances. Give me a better explanation.  Because this is the bottom line…

Unless you’re willing to wait for a cure (that is at least a year away or might never come at all), when there is no risk the health care system’s going to crash, what is the point of waiting one more day to open up the country when waiting doesn’t make us any safer?

Normal, non-partisan people are asking this question as well.

I think normal, non-partisan people might have to acknowledge that the measures taken by governors of both parties largely match (and are if anything looser) than measurements taken by governments all over the world that do not have Donald Trump on the ballot paper in November.

They might also acknowledge that Trump's approval ratings were already underwater and that delivering the worst shock to the economy since the Great Depression might be a teensy bit of an over-reaction.

[Smeulders]

[Link]

What had been a national effort to save lives, a noble effort of national unity, has been twisted by Democrat governors into something unnecessarily punitive that reeks of a partisan power play to destroy President Trump’s re-election chances. Give me a better explanation.  Because this is the bottom line…

Unless you’re willing to wait for a cure (that is at least a year away or might never come at all), when there is no risk the health care system’s going to crash, what is the point of waiting one more day to open up the country when waiting doesn’t make us any safer?

Normal, non-partisan people are asking this question as well.

There is so much wrong in those 5 lines that it is unclear where to begin. It is telling that they start with "Democrats are evil" and work backwards from there. Given that start, they can think of only 1 answer to the question "what is the point of waiting one more day to open up the country". Someone without those blinders on would easily come to correct answer to the question. Longer lockdowns give more time to prepare for post-lockdown virus suppression (testing capacity, setting up contact tracing, preparing quarantine capacity, workplace reorganization to allow distancing, ...) as well as lower the number of active cases, so that those suppression measures have a higher chance of being successful.

I also note that pretending lockdowns can not have any use anyway is convenient if your idol is pissing away the opportunities a lockdown provides.

[wbrocks67]

It's amazing that people are still dying by the thousands each day and there's still 60, 70%+ of the American public who want to continue what we're doing, and Republicans are trying to make it out like everyone has the same mindset as those ridiculous protesters.

[wbrocks67]

Mike DeWine was doing so good, and then he says today that making people wear masks 'went too far'. Ridiculous and a total slap in the face to the other many states who are doing it.

Actually, I think DeWine made the right call here. Like I've said before, I supported the mask advisories which the CDC and Surgeon-General issued at the beginning of last month, as well as that issued here in Colorado. But mandating that individuals wear masks, with all of the legal penalties and the rest attached to it, does invite questions of constitutionality. This is to say nothing of the fact that such a mandate in my view would be a "one size fits all" kind of solution, given the varying conditions present among local jurisdictions, to say nothing of the health/mental state of varying individuals.

It's irresponsible. The CDC guidelines are to wear masks. It's not a lot to ask someone just to wear a mask in a restaurant or a store. Him saying that completely undermines the entire guidelines and everything that has come from health officials. I don't give a f**k whether he doesn't like the "government telling people what to do." This is a health crisis with thousands of people dying each day. People are just being selfish and ignorant - that's it. It's a ing mask.

[Brittain33]

Constitutionality allows for public health measures, always has.

[emailking]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1257283775375040512

[Calthrina950]

Mike DeWine was doing so good, and then he says today that making people wear masks 'went too far'. Ridiculous and a total slap in the face to the other many states who are doing it.

Actually, I think DeWine made the right call here. Like I've said before, I supported the mask advisories which the CDC and Surgeon-General issued at the beginning of last month, as well as that issued here in Colorado. But mandating that individuals wear masks, with all of the legal penalties and the rest attached to it, does invite questions of constitutionality. This is to say nothing of the fact that such a mandate in my view would be a "one size fits all" kind of solution, given the varying conditions present among local jurisdictions, to say nothing of the health/mental state of varying individuals.

It's irresponsible. The CDC guidelines are to wear masks. It's not a lot to ask someone just to wear a mask in a restaurant or a store. Him saying that completely undermines the entire guidelines and everything that has come from health officials. I don't give a f**k whether he doesn't like the "government telling people what to do." This is a health crisis with thousands of people dying each day. People are just being selfish and ignorant - that's it. It's a ing mask.

So you want to make mask-wearing mandatory? That's your opinion, and your entitled to it. It amazes me how something as simple as mask-wearing has become such a cultural and political flashpoint during this time.

[Badger]

https://twitter.com/TheBushCenter/status/1256607729151619073
I'm sure this has been posted already, but Donald Trump is the best thing that could've possibly happened to George W Bush's legacy. Just having someone show basic human compassion is incredibly refreshing.

A person can be a good human being and a stinky president at the same time.

I think overall GWB is a decent human being, and he tended to show real empathy for people, so this kind of message isn't out of character or all that surprising.

It is, however, silly to imply that his being a decent human being somehow forgives his political obliviousness to the stupidity of tax cuts and starting a war without any way to pay for it and all the other political mistakes he made.

Also, GWB is backing up the messaging of the White House here, calling it an "invisible enemy" and framing this as a war. Not a fan of that rhetorical choice at all. The rest is exactly what a president should be saying, so I appreciate that.

Respectfully disagree. W. Repeatedly and consistently demonstrated a shocking lack of basic human empathy , perhaps stemming from the same extremely privileged and predestined for success upbringing the Trump hat. He merely seems empathic as a person because, compared to a bona fide sociopath like Trump, he's practically Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

[RI]

No Detectable Surge in SARS-CoV-2 Transmission due to the April 7, 2020 Wisconsin Election

[wbrocks67]

Mike DeWine was doing so good, and then he says today that making people wear masks 'went too far'. Ridiculous and a total slap in the face to the other many states who are doing it.

Actually, I think DeWine made the right call here. Like I've said before, I supported the mask advisories which the CDC and Surgeon-General issued at the beginning of last month, as well as that issued here in Colorado. But mandating that individuals wear masks, with all of the legal penalties and the rest attached to it, does invite questions of constitutionality. This is to say nothing of the fact that such a mandate in my view would be a "one size fits all" kind of solution, given the varying conditions present among local jurisdictions, to say nothing of the health/mental state of varying individuals.

It's irresponsible. The CDC guidelines are to wear masks. It's not a lot to ask someone just to wear a mask in a restaurant or a store. Him saying that completely undermines the entire guidelines and everything that has come from health officials. I don't give a f**k whether he doesn't like the "government telling people what to do." This is a health crisis with thousands of people dying each day. People are just being selfish and ignorant - that's it. It's a ing mask.

So you want to make mask-wearing mandatory? That's your opinion, and your entitled to it. It amazes me how something as simple as mask-wearing has become such a cultural and political flashpoint during this time.

It should be mandatory. Republicans are the ones making it a political issue, since they are also driving the protests. Again, health officials say masks should be used. That should be the *end* of that.