COVID-19 (f/k/a "the Coronavirus")

[tower912]

The equivalent of Birmingham, Alabama has been eliminated.      Santa Clarita up next.   

[Jockey]

The New York Times reports that the Trump team "has decided not to trace the contacts of guests and staff members" at the superspreading White House Rose Garden celebration for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, the apparent source of infection for at least three Republican senators and numerous other people.

The Trump White House is going to dodge the question of how many people were infected by the Rose Garden event in the most obvious and criminal way: They've "decided" not to find out. They've also refused to give the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention authority to do that contact tracing themselves, despite the agency having scrambled a team to do just that.

[MU82]

The New York Times reports that the Trump team "has decided not to trace the contacts of guests and staff members" at the superspreading White House Rose Garden celebration for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, the apparent source of infection for at least three Republican senators and numerous other people.

The Trump White House is going to dodge the question of how many people were infected by the Rose Garden event in the most obvious and criminal way: They've "decided" not to find out. They've also refused to give the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention authority to do that contact tracing themselves, despite the agency having scrambled a team to do just that.

I put this in the POTUS thread.

It's borderline criminal negligence. Again.

[Jockey]

I put this in the POTUS thread.

It's borderline criminal negligence. Again.

It would actually be "news" if he made a policy on Covid that wasn't criminally negligent.

[rocky_warrior]

Now pentagon having issues:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/06/politics/pentagon-leadership-self-isolating-coronavirus/index.html

[Pakuni]

GOP official from Arkansas who hosted a mostly mask-less event last month died of COVID-19 today. This is pretty said. Regardless of political leanings, it seems this guy was sincere in serving his community. This is what happens when a health crisis gets politicized.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/steven-farmer-ak-republican-county-chair-dies-of-covid-19-weeks-after-committee-hosted-maskless-gathering?ref=home

[GooooMarquette]

GOP official from Arkansas who hosted a mostly mask-less event last month died of COVID-19 today. This is pretty said. Regardless of political leanings, it seems this guy was sincere in serving his community. This is what happens when a health crisis gets politicized.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/steven-farmer-ak-republican-county-chair-dies-of-covid-19-weeks-after-committee-hosted-maskless-gathering?ref=home

Yep - the unfortunate (and clearly foreseeable) effect of the leader of the party actively downplaying the benefit of masks, and ridiculing those who wear them.

[Jockey]

Yep - the unfortunate (and clearly foreseeable) effect of the leader of the party actively downplaying the benefit of masks, and ridiculing those who wear them.

These are very sad cases - and almost entirely preventable. He undoubtedly suffered. His family will continue to suffer. Solely because he trusted trump.

This won't be the last time this happens.

[GB Warrior]

The equivalent of Birmingham, Alabama has been eliminated.      Santa Clarita up next.

Citing Birmingham is not a way to get White supremacists Republicans concerned about this pandemic

[tower912]

Citing Birmingham is not a way to get White supremacists Republicans concerned about this pandemic

Fayetteville, Des Moines, Baton Rouge.

[shoothoops]

There is only one early voting location per county in Ohio. For example, Franklin County (Columbus) has 880,000 registered voters, and one location.

Harris County Texas, (Houston) population 4.7 million, over half of which are registered to vote, has one drop off location for early voting.

Lines for days, increasing the health risks for everyone.

[GooooMarquette]

An increase in infections leaves North Dakota 'perilously close' to the edge.

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/10/07/world/covid-coronavirus?action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage#an-increase-in-infections-leaves-north-dakota-perilously-close-to-the-edge

As President Trump returned from the hospital, still telling Americans not to be afraid of Covid-19, the coronavirus has exploded in North Dakota. In the past week, North Dakota reported more new cases per capita than any other state.

Hospitalizations for the virus have risen abruptly, forcing health care officials in some towns to send people to faraway hospitals, even across state lines to Montana and South Dakota.
...

Still, partly because these outbreaks were slow in coming, public health officials say they have struggled to convince the public that the situation is urgent or that limits like mask rules make sense. North Dakota is one of fewer than 20 states with no statewide mask mandate and many counties have resisted restrictions. But as the state reaches a boiling point, health officials say they hope people now will start to take the virus more seriously.


-----------------

Let's see. Global pandemic, no statewide mask mandate, general lack of hospital resources - what could possibly go wrong?

[MU82]

There is only one early voting location per county in Ohio. For example, Franklin County (Columbus) has 880,000 registered voters, and one location.

Harris County Texas, (Houston) population 4.7 million, over half of which are registered to vote, has one drop off location for early voting.

Lines for days, increasing the health risks for everyone.

When in doubt ... suppress!

[rocky_warrior]

When in doubt ... suppress!

I mean, I haven't researched details, to see if any of this is correct but for Houston he clearly says one "drop off" location.  If you've already done your voting and just need to drop it off, I doubt there are any lines since it takes about 3 seconds to drop off a ballot.  Also, I'm guessing they could mail it back instead of driving to the drop-off location.

And for 27 day early voting, I doubt Franklin County has any lines either. 

So, I know you're both using your jump to conclusions mat judiciously, but these don't seem like suppression efforts...at this point.

Edit: OK.  I stand corrected on Franklin County - they had lines today.  But I read it as they're were surprised SO many people were excited to vote this early.
https://www.nbc4i.com/news/your-local-election-hq/franklin-county-voters-turnout-in-scores-for-first-day-of-early-voting/

"This is probably one of the busiest early voting periods that there's ever been," said Columbus voter Jesse Jackson.

edit 2:  And I've just educated myself on Houston too.  They have unfortunately limited boxes,  but mail-in is still an option.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/03/texas-mail-in-ballot-drop-off-sites

So, what has this to do with COVID-19?  I donno.

[Jockey]

I mean, I haven't researched details, to see if any of this is correct but for Houston he clearly says one "drop off" location.  If you've already done your voting and just need to drop it off, I doubt there are any lines since it takes about 3 seconds to drop off a ballot.  Also, I'm guessing they could mail it back instead of driving to the drop-off location.

I think you are missing the point. There will be lines, but that is not the point. Harris County - where Houston is located - is about 1800 square miles. So some people may need to drive 30-40 miles for the privilege of waiting in line.

And, yes, people will need to use the drop box to counteract the consequences of voter suppression by the Post Office. To make sure their ballot actually arrives where it needs to go.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Harris county is bigger than many New England states.  My town has two drop boxes.  I could drive a mile or two miles (my choice).  Turned in my COVID 'absentee' ballot last night—whole thing took 15 mins. 

[shoothoops]

I mean, I haven't researched details, to see if any of this is correct but for Houston he clearly says one "drop off" location.  If you've already done your voting and just need to drop it off, I doubt there are any lines since it takes about 3 seconds to drop off a ballot.  Also, I'm guessing they could mail it back instead of driving to the drop-off location.

And for 27 day early voting, I doubt Franklin County has any lines either. 

So, I know you're both using your jump to conclusions mat judiciously, but these don't seem like suppression efforts...at this point.

Edit: OK.  I stand corrected on Franklin County - they had lines today.  But I read it as they're were surprised SO many people were excited to vote this early.
https://www.nbc4i.com/news/your-local-election-hq/franklin-county-voters-turnout-in-scores-for-first-day-of-early-voting/
edit 2:  And I've just educated myself on Houston too.  They have unfortunately limited boxes,  but mail-in is still an option.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/03/texas-mail-in-ballot-drop-off-sites

So, what has this to do with COVID-19?  I donno.

https://twitter.com/AnnaBrichacek/status/1313812938587865089?s=19

What does it have to do with COVID-19? Why do you think many people are voting in person early, absentee, by mail etc? 

[rocky_warrior]

Again, still nothing to do with Covid,  but I did appreciate the "COVID 'absentee' ballot " line.  Decent attempt at tie-in.

[shoothoops]

Again, still nothing to do with Covid,  but I did appreciate the "COVID 'absentee' ballot " line.  Decent attempt at tie-in.

It has everything to do with COVID-19. But you are also someone that doesn't understand that voting is a human rights issue and not a political issue. So I don't expect you to understand that this is COVID-19 related. 👍✌️

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Again, still nothing to do with Covid,  but I did appreciate the "COVID 'absentee' ballot " line.  Decent attempt at tie-in.

Sorry I meant it more that my state allows that as a valid reason for obtaining an absentee ballot.  That is not true everywhere. 

[shoothoops]

COVID-19 becomes the 3rd leading cause of death in the United States:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/covid-19-is-now-the-third-leading-cause-of-death-in-the-u-s/

[tower912]

That is a really bad flu.

[rocky_warrior]

Just the flu my ass!  Do minks frequently die of the flu?  (I actually don't know...)

https://www.channel3000.com/taylor-county-mink-test-positive-for-coronavirus/

edit:  turns out, minks do frequently contract the flu.  I haven't found stats on death rates vs Covid-19: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6612982/

[Pakuni]

Where you get your news shapes how you view the national response to the pandemic, even more than party affiliation.

90 percent of Republicans who get their news from Fox and talk radio think the US did everything it could have to control the outbreak.
Only 46 percent of Republicans who don't watch Fox News say the same.

https://www.journalism.org/2020/10/07/before-trump-tested-positive-for-coronavirus-republicans-attention-to-pandemic-had-sharply-declined/

[jesmu84]

Lindsey graham refuses to get tested before his next debate.

Pretty obvious that any senate republican, but especially on the judiciary committee, will not get tested or admit to positive test before confirmation.