crooksandliars--2020-04-06--Trump Pimps Snake Oil And Happy Talk, But There's A Long Road Ahead

An unbylined New York Times report dispenses with euphemisms while describing the president 's approach to the coronavirus crisis .
The unproven medical advice is more of Trump 's incessant hyping of hydroxychloroquinone , which has been found to be not particularly effective in a French study .
Trump went on to muse aloud about the possibility of relaxing social distancing guidelines somewhat for Easter services next week ( `` he had told advisers , 'maybe we could allow special for churches ' gatherings that were possibly outside with 'great separation ' '' ) .
Oh and he also wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussed a Saturday morning call he had with commissioners of most of the major sports to discuss the effects of coronavirus to the industry , emphasizing that he wants fans `` back in the arena '' as soon as they can be .
`` You know , they want to see basketball and baseball and football and hockey .
They want to see their sports .
They want to go out onto the golf courses and breathe nice clean , beautiful fresh air , '' Trump said .
`` No , I ca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think it 's going to be sooner rather than later . ''
Tossing off an optimistic assurance ( `` I think it 's going to be sooner rather than later '' ) is such a reflex for Trump , the lifelong huckster .
Meanwhile , he 's selling the upcoming week as a bad one -- as if we 'll pass through it and everything will be much better .
Alarmingly , so are some of the doctors who work with him .
U.S .
Surgeon General Jerome Adams warned Sunday amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be the “ hardest and the saddest ” of “ most Americans ’ lives.
” “ This is going to be the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans ’ lives , ” Adams said on “ Fox News Sunday . ''
“ This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment and our 9/11 moment only it ’ s not going to be localized , it ’ s going to be happening all over the country , ” Adams said .
He added , however , that there `` is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tunnel if everyone does their part for the next 30 days.
” Dr. Deborah Birx , White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator , warned the hardest hit U.S. hotspots could reach their mortality peaks , simultaneously , in the next week .
“ The Detroit area , the New York area , the Louisiana area ...
They ’ re all on the upside of the curve of mortality , ” Birx said at a White House briefing .
“ By the predictions that are in that healthdata.org , they ’ re predicting in those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together in the next six to seven days.
” Birx may be right about the timing of peak mortality in those three hot spots , but taken together , what she , Adams , and Trump are saying suggests that we just need to hang on for a week , or a couple of weeks , or thirty days , and everything will be just swell .
Dr. Birx is citing data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation -- its site is healthdata.org .
Its national model predicts peak mortality on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from now -- when it estimates that there will be 2,644 covid-19 deaths .
The model says that deaths will decline after that .
But even thirty days out , the numbers will still be bad -- on May 4 , a total of 1,391 deaths are anticipated .
The number does n't drop below 1,000 until May 11 , and does n't drop below 100 until June 11 .
We do n't even have shelter in place in eight states , all with Republican governors .
Georgia just instituted shelter in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the beaches .
Our situation is grim .
In the absence of effective treatments , it will be grim a month from now .
We are n't going to have just a bad week or two .
We 're going to have a bad spring , at least .
Published with permission of No More Mr. Nice Blog

An unbylined New York Times report dispenses with euphemisms while describing the president's approach to the coronavirus crisis.
Veering from grim warnings to baseless assurances in a single news conference, President Trump on Saturday predicted a surging death toll in what may be “the toughest week” of the coronavirus pandemic before also dispensing unproven medical advice. He suggested again that Americans might be able to congregate for Easter Sunday services.
The unproven medical advice is more of Trump's incessant hyping of hydroxychloroquinone, which has been found to be not particularly effective in a French study.
Trump went on to muse aloud about the possibility of relaxing social distancing guidelines somewhat for Easter services next week ("he had told advisers, 'maybe we could allow special for churches' gatherings that were possibly outside with 'great separation'"). Oh and he also wants sports to come back:
The president discussed a Saturday morning call he had with commissioners of most of the major sports to discuss the effects of coronavirus to the industry, emphasizing that he wants fans "back in the arena" as soon as they can be. "You know, they want to see basketball and baseball and football and hockey. They want to see their sports. They want to go out onto the golf courses and breathe nice clean, beautiful fresh air," Trump said. "No, I can't tell you a date, but I think it's going to be sooner rather than later."
Tossing off an optimistic assurance ("I think it's going to be sooner rather than later") is such a reflex for Trump, the lifelong huckster. Meanwhile, he's selling the upcoming week as a bad one -- as if we'll pass through it and everything will be much better. Alarmingly, so are some of the doctors who work with him.
U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams warned Sunday amid the coronavirus pandemic that the week ahead would be the “hardest and the saddest” of “most Americans’ lives.” “This is going to be the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans’ lives,” Adams said on “Fox News Sunday." “This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment and our 9/11 moment only it’s not going to be localized, it’s going to be happening all over the country,” Adams said. He added, however, that there "is a light at the end of the tunnel if everyone does their part for the next 30 days.”
And:
Dr. Deborah Birx, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator, warned the hardest hit U.S. hotspots could reach their mortality peaks, simultaneously, in the next week. “The Detroit area, the New York area, the Louisiana area ... They’re all on the upside of the curve of mortality,” Birx said at a White House briefing. “By the predictions that are in that healthdata.org, they’re predicting in those three hotspots, all of them hitting together in the next six to seven days.”
Birx may be right about the timing of peak mortality in those three hot spots, but taken together, what she, Adams, and Trump are saying suggests that we just need to hang on for a week, or a couple of weeks, or thirty days, and everything will be just swell.
Dr. Birx is citing data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation -- its site is healthdata.org. Its national model predicts peak mortality on April 16 -- more than a week from now -- when it estimates that there will be 2,644 covid-19 deaths.
The model says that deaths will decline after that. But even thirty days out, the numbers will still be bad -- on May 4, a total of 1,391 deaths are anticipated. The number doesn't drop below 1,000 until May 11, and doesn't drop below 100 until June 11.
And here's the kicker:
COVID-19 projections assuming full social distancing through May 2020
We don't even have shelter in place in eight states, all with Republican governors. Georgia just instituted shelter in place, then Republican governor Brian Kemp opened the beaches.
Our situation is grim. In the absence of effective treatments, it will be grim a month from now. We aren't going to have just a bad week or two. We're going to have a bad spring, at least.
Published with permission of No More Mr. Nice Blog


crooksandliars--2020-03-08--Sunday Morning Bobblehead Thread

Sunday Morning Bobblehead Thread

I think I 've mentioned this before , but I 'm on an immuno-suppressant due to several autoimmune issues .
The suppressant has kept me alive up til now because my own wonky immune system is no longer attacking my body , which left me with degeneration and crippling pain in my joints and bleeding ulcerations in my digestive system that brought me near death .
But that same immuno-suppressant also risks my life when faced with a fatal virus for which I can not fight .
It 's not the first time this has happened since I 've been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we 've had the Avian flu , SARS , H1N1 and even Ebola scares .
But I 've never been as fearful as I am now , because we 've never had an administration so invested in misinformation and incompetence .
And I do n't think we 've ever had a population so deeply embedded in the cult of personality that they will believe such a shameless grifting huckster like Donald Trump over science and medical expertise .
We truly have become the Dunning-Kruger Nation .
And the Trumpists ' nonchalance means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which this virus spreads with an order of magnitude that is frightening to consider .
Iran 's ( now considered a Level 3 hotspot for COVID-19 ) National Influenza Committee estimates that 30 - 40 percent of Iran 's population of 12 million will be infected with COVID-19 within the next two weeks .
That 's somewhere in the neighborhood of 400,000 people infected in TWO WEEKS .
Imagine what that means in Trump 's America with a population of 330 million and a public health task force more focused on fluffing Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that does n't mean that everyone who gets infected will get horribly sick .
But if they come into contact with people like me -- be they hourly employees unable to take off work , or gig economy workers doing deliveries to those of us afraid to brave Costco , or working on a campus with large student populations ( both of my kids are on college campuses with sizable international students percentages and spring break is coming up -- how many of these GenZers do you think are worried about washing their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care workers -- the risks are very high .
It 's not surprising that most of the deaths recorded so far ( and we do n't know how many people died of what doctors assumed was the flu or pneumonia because they lacked testing to confirm COVID-19 ) are vulnerable populations like the elderly or those with compromised health .
That number is going to rise , no matter how hard the Trump administration tries to gaslight us into believing it 's contained .
Trump 's biggest ally in this misinformation is Fox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed that Democratic voters were twice as likely as Republican voters to do even general precautions like hand washing and limiting travel ( FOR CRYING OUT LOUD , PEOPLE , WASH YOUR DAMN HANDS ! )
.
If any of these billionaires REALLY wanted to save the country from Trump , the single best thing they could do is take that ad money and buy out the Murdochs from Fox News and shut it down .
People will die because Fox News wants to fluff Donald Trump over keeping their viewers informed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but people like me .
And my nephew who had heart surgery at two days old .
And my friend who is going through cancer treatment .
And my elderly dad .
All our lives are now endangered even more because Fox News cares more about Donald Trump 's tantrums than American lives .
So what 's catching your eye this morning ?

I think I've mentioned this before, but I'm on an immuno-suppressant due to several autoimmune issues. The suppressant has kept me alive up til now because my own wonky immune system is no longer attacking my body, which left me with degeneration and crippling pain in my joints and bleeding ulcerations in my digestive system that brought me near death. But that same immuno-suppressant also risks my life when faced with a fatal virus for which I cannot fight. It's not the first time this has happened since I've been on the medication; over the years, we've had the Avian flu, SARS, H1N1 and even Ebola scares. But I've never been as fearful as I am now, because we've never had an administration so invested in misinformation and incompetence.
And I don't think we've ever had a population so deeply embedded in the cult of personality that they will believe such a shameless grifting huckster like Donald Trump over science and medical expertise. We truly have become the Dunning-Kruger Nation.
And the Trumpists' nonchalance means that they are the perfect vessels for which this virus spreads with an order of magnitude that is frightening to consider. Iran's (now considered a Level 3 hotspot for COVID-19) National Influenza Committee estimates that 30 - 40 percent of Iran's population of 12 million will be infected with COVID-19 within the next two weeks. That's somewhere in the neighborhood of 400,000 people infected in TWO WEEKS. Imagine what that means in Trump's America with a population of 330 million and a public health task force more focused on fluffing Trump than giving out good information.
Now that doesn't mean that everyone who gets infected will get horribly sick. But if they come into contact with people like me-- be they hourly employees unable to take off work, or gig economy workers doing deliveries to those of us afraid to brave Costco, or working on a campus with large student populations (both of my kids are on college campuses with sizable international students percentages and spring break is coming up--how many of these GenZers do you think are worried about washing their hands?), or even health care workers--the risks are very high. It's not surprising that most of the deaths recorded so far (and we don't know how many people died of what doctors assumed was the flu or pneumonia because they lacked testing to confirm COVID-19) are vulnerable populations like the elderly or those with compromised health. That number is going to rise, no matter how hard the Trump administration tries to gaslight us into believing it's contained.
Trump's biggest ally in this misinformation is Fox News. An Reuters/Ipsos poll taken recently showed that Democratic voters were twice as likely as Republican voters to do even general precautions like hand washing and limiting travel (FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, PEOPLE, WASH YOUR DAMN HANDS!). If any of these billionaires REALLY wanted to save the country from Trump, the single best thing they could do is take that ad money and buy out the Murdochs from Fox News and shut it down. People will die because Fox News wants to fluff Donald Trump over keeping their viewers informed. Not only their geriatric audience will die, but people like me. And my nephew who had heart surgery at two days old. And my friend who is going through cancer treatment. And my elderly dad.
All our lives are now endangered even more because Fox News cares more about Donald Trump's tantrums than American lives.
ABC's “This Week" — Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders; Housing Secretary Ben Carson. Panel: Chris Christie, Rahm Emanuel, MaryAlice Parks and Alexi McCammond. NBC's “Meet the Press" — Sanders; Dr. Anthony Fauci, the National Institutes of Health's infectious diseases chief; Gov. Larry Hogan, R-Md. Panel: Matt Bai, Al Cardenas, Helene Cooper and Hallie Jackson. CBS' “Face the Nation" — Surgeon General Jerome Adams; Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.; Gov. Jay Inslee, D-Wash. Panel: Dan Balz, Joel Payne, Leslie Sanchez and Amy Walter. CNN's “State of the Union" — Sanders; Adams. Panel: David Urban, Alexandra Rojas, Linda Chavez and Bakari Sellers. CNN's “Fareed Zakaria GPS" — Hillary Clinton. CNN's “Reliable Sources" — Kathleen Sebelius, Elisabeth Rosenthal and Seema Yasmin; TJ Ducklo; David Sirota. Panel: Errin Haines, Sara Fischer and Joe Lockhart. “Fox News Sunday" — Sanders; Fauci; Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa. Fox News' “Sunday Morning Futures” — Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.); House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy; HUD Secretary Ben Carson.
So what's catching your eye this morning?


crooksandliars--2020-03-07--Seth Myers: Trump Keeps Lying About The Coronavirus Outbreak: A Closer Look

Seth Myers did a pretty good rundown of Trump 's disinformation campaign surrounding the coronavirus .
In particular , Trump himself spreading lies and rumors , usually ably abetted by his pals at Fox News .
As the coronavirus outbreak continues to get worse , Seth Meyers accused President Trump of “ trying to pretend the problem doesn ’ t exist , because he knows he ’ ll get blamed for it.
” That also explains why he even tried blaming President Obama for the nationwide test kit shortage this week .
“ You can ’ t blame Obama for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he left office !
” Meyers said .
While a “ source close to the coronavirus task force ” told CNN that “ it ’ s not clear where Trump got his information , ” the Late Night host said , “ I have an idea where he got it—the same place he gets all of his ideas .
I won ’ t say where it is but I just hope he washed his hands.
” But trying to blame Obama was nothing compared to what happened when Trump “ called into his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disinformation about the virus ” Wednesday night .
In an interview with Sean Hannity , Trump said that while the World Health Organization has put the death rate for the virus as high as 3.4 percent , he called that a “ false number ” and said he believed it was “ way under one percent , ” adding , “ this is just my hunch .
”

Seth Myers did a pretty good rundown of Trump's disinformation campaign surrounding the coronavirus. In particular, Trump himself spreading lies and rumors, usually ably abetted by his pals at Fox News.
Source: The Daily Beast
As the coronavirus outbreak continues to get worse, Seth Meyers accused President Trump of “trying to pretend the problem doesn’t exist, because he knows he’ll get blamed for it.” That also explains why he even tried blaming President Obama for the nationwide test kit shortage this week.
“You can’t blame Obama for something that didn’t exist when he left office!” Meyers said. While a “source close to the coronavirus task force” told CNN that “it’s not clear where Trump got his information,” the Late Night host said, “I have an idea where he got it—the same place he gets all of his ideas. I won’t say where it is but I just hope he washed his hands.”
But trying to blame Obama was nothing compared to what happened when Trump “called into his favorite propaganda network Fox News and spread disinformation about the virus” Wednesday night.
In an interview with Sean Hannity, Trump said that while the World Health Organization has put the death rate for the virus as high as 3.4 percent, he called that a “false number” and said he believed it was “way under one percent,” adding, “this is just my hunch.”


crooksandliars--2020-03-08--Hilarious SNL Cold Open Features Chats With Elizabeth Warren And Chris Matthews

Saturday Night Live 's cold open was a parade of hilarity , with spot on impersonations of Laura Ingraham , played by Kate McKinnon , Jeannine Pirro , played by Cecily Strong , and Darrell Hammond as Chris Matthews .
Oh , and the REAL LIFE Elizabeth Warren joined in the fun .
And no , she did not endorse anyone .
The cold open began with McKinnon playing Ingraham , talking abouthe Democratic hoax of the coronavirus .
She said `` the left continues to wage its deceitful , dishonest , and frankly gay smear campaign against President Trump.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ buying groceries , toilet paper , etc .
Pirro ( Cecily Strong ) popped in , rambling and drunk .
Hilariously , but not far from the truth , she said that FOX viewers aren ’ t at risk of infection , “ especially not our viewers , who skew elderly , are in bad health , live cloistered together in homes specifically for sick people , and have smoked their entire lives.
” Then a quick visit from Trump 's sons , Uday and Qusay , who talked about how great Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then Eric talked about how he had a fever .
Last guest was Darrell Hammond playing Chris Matthews , who did a SPOT ON impression .
Ingraham made a reference to Matthews being the `` newest member of the Fox News family . ''
But the real bombshell was when Warren came on the screen - the REAL Elizabeth Warren - not McKinnon doing a split screen , which is what I thought was going to happen .
After some funny back and forth , Warren talked about how people were calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and how she was doing - Warren ended with : “ I ’ m not dead , I ’ m just in the Senate , ” she said .
Easily one of the best of the season .

Saturday Night Live's cold open was a parade of hilarity, with spot on impersonations of Laura Ingraham, played by Kate McKinnon, Jeannine Pirro, played by Cecily Strong, and Darrell Hammond as Chris Matthews. Oh, and the REAL LIFE Elizabeth Warren joined in the fun.
And no, she did not endorse anyone.
The cold open began with McKinnon playing Ingraham, talking abouthe Democratic hoax of the coronavirus. She said "the left continues to wage its deceitful, dishonest, and frankly gay smear campaign against President Trump.” She then mocked people for panic buying groceries, toilet paper, etc.
Pirro (Cecily Strong) popped in, rambling and drunk. Hilariously, but not far from the truth, she said that FOX viewers aren’t at risk of infection, “especially not our viewers, who skew elderly, are in bad health, live cloistered together in homes specifically for sick people, and have smoked their entire lives.” Then a quick visit from Trump's sons, Uday and Qusay, who talked about how great Donald Trump is doing handling the hoax scare and then Eric talked about how he had a fever. Last guest was Darrell Hammond playing Chris Matthews, who did a SPOT ON impression. Ingraham made a reference to Matthews being the "newest member of the Fox News family."
But the real bombshell was when Warren came on the screen - the REAL Elizabeth Warren - not McKinnon doing a split screen, which is what I thought was going to happen. After some funny back and forth, Warren talked about how people were calling her and asking if she was ok and how she was doing - Warren ended with: “I’m not dead, I’m just in the Senate,” she said.
Easily one of the best of the season.


crooksandliars--2020-03-08--Coronavirus Researcher Calls It The 'Most Frightening Disease I've Ever Encountered'

Appearing on Channel 4 in the UK a couple of days ago , Dr Richard Hatchett , who advised both the Bush and Obama administrations on pandemic preparedness called the coronavirus `` the most frightening disease '' he has ever seen , based on both the high rate of infectiousness and lethality .
He compared it to the Spanish Flu of 1918 which killed tens of millions .
Also noteworthy , Dr. Hatchett mentioned that the United States is particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 because of a lack of a centralized health system that other advanced industrialized nations enjoy , both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the various government agencies , state and federal , and also the excessive costs .
People will go untreated because they simply ca n't afford it here .
The 20-minute interview has since gone viral online .
Dr Richard Hatchett stated that the COVID-19 coronavirus has a deadly combination of `` infectiousness and the ability to cause severe disease or death '' .
The CEO of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations explained that the 1918 Spanish Flu was the last virus that `` combined those two qualities in the same way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` From what scientists know about this virus so far what concerns you the most about it ? ''
Dr Hatchett responded : `` The most concerning thing about this virus is the combination of infectiousness and the ability to cause severe disease or death .
`` We have not since 1918 , the Spanish Flu have we seen a virus that combined those two qualities in the same way . ''
During the same interview Dr Richard Hatchett described COVID-19 as the `` most frightening disease '' he has ever seen .

Appearing on Channel 4 in the UK a couple of days ago, Dr Richard Hatchett, who advised both the Bush and Obama administrations on pandemic preparedness, called the coronavirus "the most frightening disease" he has ever seen, based on both the high rate of infectiousness and lethality. He compared it to the Spanish Flu of 1918 which killed tens of millions.
Also noteworthy, Dr. Hatchett mentioned that the United States is particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 because of a lack of a centralized health system that other advanced industrialized nations enjoy, both in terms of mobilizing an effective response from the various government agencies, state and federal, and also the excessive costs. People will go untreated because they simply can't afford it here.
The 20-minute interview has since gone viral online.
Source: UK Express
Dr Richard Hatchett stated that the COVID-19 coronavirus has a deadly combination of "infectiousness and the ability to cause severe disease or death". The CEO of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations explained that the 1918 Spanish Flu was the last virus that "combined those two qualities in the same way." Host Cathy Newman said: "From what scientists know about this virus so far what concerns you the most about it?" Dr Hatchett responded: "The most concerning thing about this virus is the combination of infectiousness and the ability to cause severe disease or death. "We have not since 1918, the Spanish Flu have we seen a virus that combined those two qualities in the same way." During the same interview Dr Richard Hatchett described COVID-19 as the "most frightening disease" he has ever seen.
⚠#COVID19 “is the most frightening disease I've ever encountered in my career...because of the combination of infectiousness & a lethality that appears to be many-fold higher than flu.” Dr. Richard Hatchett, leading efforts to find a #coronavirus vaccine.pic.twitter.com/WFoVqSSeKW — Dr. Dena Grayson (@DrDenaGrayson) March 7, 2020
An outstanding interview on #COVID19 from CEO of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations - Dr Richard Hatchett [6th March 2020].
This might be the most important 20 minutes of television you watch this year. https://t.co/MUY4nSDTHn — David Outterside (@DaveTheBrief) March 6, 2020


crooksandliars--2020-04-08--Pat Robertson Wants The Church To 'Stop Cowering' And 'Command The Virus To Leave Us'

Oh , for the love of ...
Here we have the grifting , 183-year-old evangelist , Pat Robertson , going all balls to the wall against the COVID-19 virus .
Or so he thinks .
He 's unhappy that people appear to be following science , and taking counsel from doctors who advise social distancing and staying home as the best way to beat this novel coronavirus pandemic .
See , that means church pews are empty , and so are the coffers .
He can not say THAT , of course , though , so , he is appealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a capital `` M '' to `` go on the attack ! ''
ROBERTSON : We have cowered before this inert virus .
It has destroyed our economy .
It has put panic into our entire population ... .It is closing the churches of Jesus Christ , and people not able to go and worship together in their churches because of this bug .
And I think it 's time for the church to go on the attack .
Instead of just cowering in our cars and in our social distancing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stand up and we speak the word of god and command that thing to leave us .
We have authority in the name of Jesus Christ as his servants ...
Okay , first of all , do you really , during Holy Week , want to invoke imagery of the Church going on the attack ?
I 'm no religious scholar , but something tells me things like the Crusades , let alone the colonization of Africa , India and the Americas in the name of Christianity is n't a great reason to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all , If you have the authority to command this thing to leave us , why is it still here ?
ROBERTSON : Coming into Holy Week , I think it 's time in every congregation , instead of saying , `` Oh , we 're gon na be COVID-sensitive or we 're gon na catch something , '' let 's rebuke this thing in the name of Jesus !
And I want you to pray with me right now !
I just believe it 's time to go on the attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fearful !
[ ... ] Let 's not take it anymore !
Let 's not take it anymore !
And I want YOU to pray in your churches , every church , instead of covering yourself and huddling and all that stuff , speak out !
Pastors , every one of ya , in your churches !
Declare it !
Declare the victory in the name of Jesus .
My dude , you can declare all the victory you want , but it will not have one Billy Graham of impact on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is so inert , it would n't require a medical team 10 minutes to suit up in layers upon layers of PPE before they intubate a patient who has it .
Yet , here you are , telling your pastors to defy government orders to gather your faithful together , uncovered and unprotected , in person to pray the COVID away ( and , of course , pass that church plate ... ) And do n't mock people for wearing masks and staying home .
What is this `` COVID-sensitive '' bullshite ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurt my feelings to have my lungs fill with glue and die .
Call me soft .
ROBERTSON : We 're going to rebuke this thing .
We do not have to cower before an inert virus .
Who ever heard of such a thing ?
We 're God 's people !
And this is a bug which is terrorizing our entire population !
Actually , Pat ... Jews .
Jews have heard of such a thing as bugs terrorizing an entire population .
They were called locusts , and were one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Egyptians to help convince Pharaoh to let us flee the land , and slavery .
This story is told in Exodus , Pat , you should know it .
Passover ?
Happening tonight ?
Jesus was celebrating it at the Last Supper ?
Oh , never mind .
Regardless , it 's hard to fathom people believe they can speak this pandemic away , but it 's not hard to fathom `` church '' leaders like Robertson are willing to risk their followers lives if it means they can go back to fattening @ @ @ @

Oh, for the love of...
Here we have the grifting, 183-year-old evangelist, Pat Robertson, going all balls to the wall against the COVID-19 virus. Or so he thinks.
He's unhappy that people appear to be following science, and taking counsel from doctors who advise social distancing and staying home as the best way to beat this novel coronavirus pandemic. See, that means church pews are empty, and so are the coffers. He cannot say THAT, of course, though, so, he is appealing to his congregants' sense of Manhood with a capital "M" to "go on the attack!"
Stop "cowering," you wusses!
ROBERTSON: We have cowered before this inert virus. It has destroyed our economy. It has put panic into our entire population....It is closing the churches of Jesus Christ, and people not able to go and worship together in their churches because of this bug. And I think it's time for the church to go on the attack. Instead of just cowering in our cars and in our social distancing, I think it's time that we stand up and we speak the word of god and command that thing to leave us. We have authority in the name of Jesus Christ as his servants...
Okay, first of all, do you really, during Holy Week, want to invoke imagery of the Church going on the attack? I'm no religious scholar, but something tells me things like the Crusades, let alone the colonization of Africa, India and the Americas in the name of Christianity isn't a great reason to celebrate Christ's alleged rebirth.
Second of all, If you have the authority to command this thing to leave us, why is it still here?
ROBERTSON: Coming into Holy Week, I think it's time in every congregation, instead of saying, "Oh, we're gonna be COVID-sensitive or we're gonna catch something," let's rebuke this thing in the name of Jesus! And I want you to pray with me right now! I just believe it's time to go on the attack! We are not supposed to be fearful!
[...]
Let's not take it anymore! Let's not take it anymore! And I want YOU to pray in your churches, every church, instead of covering yourself and huddling and all that stuff, speak out! Pastors, every one of ya, in your churches! Declare it! Declare the victory in the name of Jesus.
My dude, you can declare all the victory you want, but it will not have one Billy Graham of impact on this "inert bug." If it is so inert, it wouldn't require a medical team 10 minutes to suit up in layers upon layers of PPE before they intubate a patient who has it. Yet, here you are, telling your pastors to defy government orders to gather your faithful together, uncovered and unprotected, in person to pray the COVID away (and, of course, pass that church plate...)
And don't mock people for wearing masks and staying home. What is this "COVID-sensitive" bullshite? Sorry, but yeah, it would hurt my feelings to have my lungs fill with glue and die. Call me soft.
ROBERTSON: We're going to rebuke this thing. We do not have to cower before an inert virus. Who ever heard of such a thing? We're God's people! And this is a bug which is terrorizing our entire population!
Actually, Pat... Jews. Jews have heard of such a thing as bugs terrorizing an entire population. They were called locusts, and were one of the ten plagues God inflicted on the Egyptians to help convince Pharaoh to let us flee the land, and slavery. This story is told in Exodus, Pat, you should know it. Passover? Happening tonight? Jesus was celebrating it at the Last Supper? Oh, never mind.
Regardless, it's hard to fathom people believe they can speak this pandemic away, but it's not hard to fathom "church" leaders like Robertson are willing to risk their followers lives if it means they can go back to fattening their bank accounts.


crooksandliars--2020-04-09--WTF? Federal Funding For Coronavirus Testing Being Pulled

On March 13 , Donald Trump came to his daily coronavirus rally appearance with company .
With a great deal of inappropriate closeness and hand-shaking , Trump brought forth executives from Walgreens , Target , Walmart , CVS , with a promise that , across the nation , the parking lots of these companies would soon be filled with drive-through testing locations to identify and isolate those with COVID-19 .
Of course , this was the same press conference where Trump announced a website under development by “ 1700 engineers at Google ” which would would quiz Americans on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test facility .
The website didn ’ t exist .
And by April 1 the grand total of drive-through testing facilities on the parking lots of these companies came in at five .
And those five offered testing only to first responders and healthcare workers , not the general public .
But it doesn ’ t matter now , because Trump is pulling the funding for those sites—and for every other drive-through testing site .
Testing and isolation remains the only way to combat the spread of novel coronavirus until a vaccine becomes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other suppression measures is expressly meant to provide time for testing , case tracing , and isolation to break the transmission chain for COVID-19 .
Otherwise , any relaxation of measures that keep people apart will only generate a fresh spike of cases , presenting the nation with the same dilemma it faced when the epidemic began .
But Trump seems determined to destroy both aspects of the only workable solution .
Not only has he been pushing for an end to social distancing guidelines and a re-opening of many businesses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing sites .
As NPR reports , federal funding for testing sites will end on Friday .
That includes sites in some of the hardest hits areas of the country that are engaged in testing thousands of Americans .
Come Friday , federal funds—and federal contracts—will be withdrawn , leaving states and localities without the materials or labs necessary to conduct and process the tests .
States and cities right at the peak of the outbreak are about to lose much of their ability to conduct tests , because federal funds , contracts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the number of cases , and deaths , continues to soar .
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services claimed that “ many ” of the 41 affected sites would be “ transitioning ” to state-run sites , but didn ’ t say how many , or even how that was possible .
Trump ’ s actions with both the “ Google website ” and trotting out executives of major retailers was intended to show that the nation was implementing a broad program of testing , with easy availability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … as a show .
The stock market ate up the visibility of corporate execs at the center of the effort and the idea that the money guys were on the job , turning that day into a stock market gain that Trump bragged about for days to come .
But it never existed .
There was no nationwide access to testing for anyone who wanted it .
There was no website available to guide people on where they should go .
And now Trump isn ’ t even bothering to pretend .

On March 13, Donald Trump came to his daily coronavirus rally appearance with company. With a great deal of inappropriate closeness and hand-shaking, Trump brought forth executives from Walgreens, Target, Walmart, CVS, with a promise that, across the nation, the parking lots of these companies would soon be filled with drive-through testing locations to identify and isolate those with COVID-19. Of course, this was the same press conference where Trump announced a website under development by “1700 engineers at Google” which would would quiz Americans on their symptoms and pair them with the appropriate test facility.
The website didn’t exist. And by April 1 the grand total of drive-through testing facilities on the parking lots of these companies came in at five. And those five offered testing only to first responders and healthcare workers, not the general public. But it doesn’t matter now, because Trump is pulling the funding for those sites—and for every other drive-through testing site.
Testing and isolation remains the only way to combat the spread of novel coronavirus until a vaccine becomes available. Everything done through social distancing and other suppression measures is expressly meant to provide time for testing, case tracing, and isolation to break the transmission chain for COVID-19. Otherwise, any relaxation of measures that keep people apart will only generate a fresh spike of cases, presenting the nation with the same dilemma it faced when the epidemic began.
But Trump seems determined to destroy both aspects of the only workable solution. Not only has he been pushing for an end to social distancing guidelines and a re-opening of many businesses, Trump is also pulling federal funding for testing sites.
As NPR reports, federal funding for testing sites will end on Friday. That includes sites in some of the hardest hits areas of the country that are engaged in testing thousands of Americans. Come Friday, federal funds—and federal contracts—will be withdrawn, leaving states and localities without the materials or labs necessary to conduct and process the tests.
States and cities right at the peak of the outbreak are about to lose much of their ability to conduct tests, because federal funds, contracts, and facilities are going away even as the number of cases, and deaths, continues to soar. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services claimed that “many” of the 41 affected sites would be “transitioning” to state-run sites, but didn’t say how many, or even how that was possible.
Trump’s actions with both the “Google website” and trotting out executives of major retailers was intended to show that the nation was implementing a broad program of testing, with easy availability and coordinated processing. And it worked … as a show. The stock market ate up the visibility of corporate execs at the center of the effort and the idea that the money guys were on the job, turning that day into a stock market gain that Trump bragged about for days to come.
But it never existed. There was no nationwide access to testing for anyone who wanted it. There was no website available to guide people on where they should go. And now Trump isn’t even bothering to pretend.
Posted with permission from Daily Kos


crooksandliars--2020-05-16--Dear Men: Masks Don't Make You Look Weak, You Idiots

We need to talk .
Apparently , a large percentage of you do n't wan na wear masks in public because you think it makes you look weak/unmanly/uncool .
According to Business Insider , Mind you , the study shows that in countries where masks are mandatory , that feeling of stigma and difference in gender opinions disappears .
This proves unequivocally that men are indeed spineless jackasses who , when given a choice , will choose dumbf*ckery over common sense , because they wo n't do what is right if some moron might make fun of them .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something , and everyone else is doing it , they comply because again , they are spineless jackasses .
I say that with love , truly , I do .
If you are a man , or identify as such , and this does not apply to you , ( and/or you have an actual legitimate reason for not wearing a mask ) please insert Nancy Pelosi State Of The Union Clap here .
Braaaaavo .
If you feel the impulse to come here whining about my reverse sexism ( which is n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to procure extra masks to carry around and offer to men you see who are n't wearing them and inform that alllllll the cool manly dudes are wearing them .
Maybe include the little nugget , too , that men may be more at risk for being infected with COVID-19 than women .
Then you can let them know that even some of the most powerful men in our nation are wearing masks , and some of them are even Republicans .
I have to say , though , I am irrationally upset @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make the Johnny Cash crack before this dude did .
Did I spot Sen. Richard Burr in there ?
And look , fellas !
Another U.S .
Senator named Tim , Tim Scott is super manly in his mask !
And he is even a Republican from South Carolina !
Sporting the ever-popular Stars and Stripes motif !
For real , are you gon na tell me that dude looks WEAK ?
?
?
Here 's my very own Senator , Chris Van Hollen , who in my opinion is not getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ status , sporting a Baltimore Orioles mask : And if you STILL need me to play Alice to your fragile Ralph Kramden , here are pictures of many , many manly men who are pictured wearing their hot , sexy , strong masks .
Each and every one of them is a delectable snack .
You , too , can be heroes and strong , powerful protectors of your families and INDEED THE PLANET by wearing a mask when you go outside , you hunka hunka burnin ' love .
Okay , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does n't love a man in uniform , playing guitar , AND wearing a mask ?
HOT .
So , please .
Please wear your damn masks .
Wash your damn hands .
Women everywhere will swoon , I promise , ya jackasses .
And to prove it , I even bought the domain name , Maskuline.com and its variations .
I 'm not sure what the hell I 'm gon na do with it , but it was a good pun , it may become a hashtag , and my boss , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( WHO IS THE JACKASS NOW , I ASK YOU ? )
So , the least you can do to make up for the fact that I had to write about this ridiculousness , is to help get that hashtag trending .

Dear Men,
Y'all are morons.
We need to talk. Apparently, a large percentage of you don't wanna wear masks in public because you think it makes you look weak/unmanly/uncool. According to Business Insider,
"Men more than women agree that wearing a face covering is shameful, not cool, a sign of weakness, and a stigma," the study authors wrote.
Mind you, the study shows that in countries where masks are mandatory, that feeling of stigma and difference in gender opinions disappears. This proves unequivocally that men are indeed spineless jackasses who, when given a choice, will choose dumbf*ckery over common sense, because they won't do what is right if some moron might make fun of them. But when told by leaders they must do something, and everyone else is doing it, they comply because again, they are spineless jackasses.
I say that with love, truly, I do.
If you are a man, or identify as such, and this does not apply to you, (and/or you have an actual legitimate reason for not wearing a mask) please insert Nancy Pelosi State Of The Union Clap here. Braaaaavo. If you feel the impulse to come here whining about my reverse sexism (which isn't a THING) use that energy instead to procure extra masks to carry around and offer to men you see who aren't wearing them and inform that alllllll the cool manly dudes are wearing them. Maybe include the little nugget, too, that men may be more at risk for being infected with COVID-19 than women.
Then you can let them know that even some of the most powerful men in our nation are wearing masks, and some of them are even Republicans. I have to say, though, I am irrationally upset that I didn't get the chance to make the Johnny Cash crack before this dude did.
Tim Kaine once shot a man in Reno just to watch him die pic.twitter.com/ji9czgv6c4 — Michael Cohen (@speechboy71) May 12, 2020
Not a tuna melt, but it will have to do. https://t.co/o4ctBt4laj — Tim Kaine (@timkaine) May 12, 2020
This Senate ain’t big enough for the both of us, @jontester! https://t.co/hudOTCXaDb — Tim Kaine (@timkaine) May 16, 2020
Did I spot Sen. Richard Burr in there? And look, fellas! Another U.S. Senator named Tim, Tim Scott is super manly in his mask! And he is even a Republican from South Carolina! Sporting the ever-popular Stars and Stripes motif! For real, are you gonna tell me that dude looks WEAK???
It was a pleasure preparing meals with my staff for @WCKitchen @Nationals Park! @chefjoseandres and I will continue to find ways to create partnerships to help feed the hungry. #FEEDAct pic.twitter.com/GsfCa8S3tC — Tim Scott (@SenatorTimScott) May 13, 2020
Here's my very own Senator, Chris Van Hollen, who in my opinion is not getting NEARLY enough credit for his silver fox status, sporting a Baltimore Orioles mask:
The Baltimore Hunger Project is one of many Maryland volunteer organizations that has dramatically increased its efforts to provide food to needy families. Thank you! Congress boosted food assistance in the CARES Act, but much more is needed in the next round. pic.twitter.com/c0w5s9kito — Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) May 11, 2020
And if you STILL need me to play Alice to your fragile Ralph Kramden, here are pictures of many, many manly men who are pictured wearing their hot, sexy, strong masks. Each and every one of them is a delectable snack. You, too, can be heroes and strong, powerful protectors of your families and INDEED THE PLANET by wearing a mask when you go outside, you hunka hunka burnin' love.
MWWWAAAAAHHHH.
Okay, this shirt, though? LOLOLOL
And who doesn't love a man in uniform, playing guitar, AND wearing a mask? HOT.
So, please. Please wear your damn masks. Wash your damn hands. Women everywhere will swoon, I promise, ya jackasses. And to prove it, I even bought the domain name, Maskuline.com and its variations. I'm not sure what the hell I'm gonna do with it, but it was a good pun, it may become a hashtag, and my boss, Karoli said it was a good idea. (WHO IS THE JACKASS NOW, I ASK YOU?)
So, the least you can do to make up for the fact that I had to write about this ridiculousness, is to help get that hashtag trending.
Masks! They're #MASKULINE!


crooksandliars--2020-05-17--Armed Patriot Protesters Diversify Tactics By Showing Up To 'Defend' Defiant Small Businesses

As the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 pandemic progress , the strategies of the forces leading the protests around the ensuing lockdowns appear to be evolving with them .
Mass protests of the kind that have been organized in state capitals and large cities around the nation—mostly featuring motley crews of armed “ Patriot ” militiamen , “ Boogaloo Bois ” itching for a violent civil war , anti-vaccination fanatics , QAnon cultists , and a variety of conspiracy theorists , mingled with smatterings of ordinary businessmen put out of work—may be becoming too risky even for skeptics .
So now they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an emphasis on smaller gatherings—primarily to “ defend ” small businesses that seek to defy lockdown orders and reopen .
So the armed militiamen and other “ ReOpen ” protesters are now showing up on the streets outside taverns , tattoo parlors , hair salons , barber shops , and restaurants , claiming the governors ’ orders ordering them to close are “ unconstitutional.
” “ Rather than a shift in strategies , the ‘ ReOpen ’ protest groups are expanding their arsenal of tactics to dangerously and prematurely bring an end to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights , which has been monitoring the protests , told Daily Kos .
“ What started with ‘ gridlock ’ vehicle protests quickly shifted to armed rallies , followed by armed defiance by militia-backed business owners , even as more states are relaxing their restrictions.
” Mass rallies have proved problematic .
After more than 70 people in Wisconsin were found to have been infected with the novel coronavirus in the wake of having attended “ a mass event ” —roughly two weeks after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Capitol in Madison—the protest scene in that state has declined sharply .
Currently , no further large protests in Madison are in the works .
Thursday ’ s anti-lockdown protest in Lansing , Mich. , turned out to be a complete bust , with only a couple hundred showing up to march in the rain .
Other protests are still being planned around the nation , but there are fewer of them than two weeks ago , when they could be found occurring in nearly every state under lockdown .
However , smaller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses from law enforcement are starting to become more common : • In Ecton County , Texas , the sheriff and his deputies have been inundated with death threats following the arrests May 3 of six men who were brandishing their weapons outside an Odessa tavern that had opened illegally , ostensibly protecting its “ free speech rights.
” The groups that organized the original protest outside the tavern later protested outside the sheriff ’ s office and a home they believe is his residence .
• In Michigan , militiamen stood guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gretchen Whitmer ’ s lockdown orders by reopening , part of a protest event .
The event ’ s primary organizer was a real estate agent from the Grand Rapids area named Ryan Kelly , who told The Washington Post that he invited members of a local militia to the protests in Lansing as “ security.
” One militiaman told WILX : `` If we have enough people to block entry and people are willing to be arrested , then we 'll do that.
” • In the East Texas town of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man named Philip Archibald—many of them wearing the Hawaiian shirts that are the uniform of so-called “ Boogaloo Bois ” —showed up to patrol outside Crash N Burn Tattoos , which had announced it too was reopening in defiance of state lockdown orders .
Archibald led armed patrols outside a handful of other Texas businesses as they reopened illegally .
“ It ’ s not for looks , ” one of his cohorts told The New York Times .
“ We ’ re willing to die.
” • In Wickenburg , Ariz. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Horseshoe Café and other businesses in town that decided to defy Gov .
Dough Ducey ’ s lockdown orders .
“ You got to stand up for what you believe in , ” the café ’ s owner said .
“ This is America , this isn ’ t a communist country.
” Violent rhetoric has abounded at all these events , with ominous undertones .
“ We go out there because we want peace , but we prepare for war , ” one of the Odessa militiamen told The New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never happens , but at some point guns are going to have to cease to be a show of force and be a response to force , ” he said .
IREHR has been monitoring the lockdown protests around the nation , in large part because so many of them have primarily served as platforms for right-wing extremists to indulge in fear- and hate-mongering .
Despite the virus ’ lethal effects , it has seen the protests growing in intensity and number .
“ Militia-backed business rebellion has grabbed the spotlight for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ popular tactic , at least until the next round of mass rallies scheduled for Memorial Day weekend , ” Burghart told Daily Kos .
According to IREHR ’ s count , the leading states in numbers of lockdown protests have been California , Pennsylvania , Wisconsin , Washington , and Texas .
The protests are primarily organized by Facebook groups .
The site currently has 513 such groups on its platform , with a total of 1.9 million members .
“ Judging by the way many of these groups have started changing their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many in this nascent network of far-right COVID-19 protest groups are already thinking about how to remain visible and politically relevant in a post-reopen world , ” Burghart said .

As the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 pandemic progress, the strategies of the forces leading the protests around the ensuing lockdowns appear to be evolving with them. Mass protests of the kind that have been organized in state capitals and large cities around the nation—mostly featuring motley crews of armed “Patriot” militiamen, “Boogaloo Bois” itching for a violent civil war, anti-vaccination fanatics, QAnon cultists, and a variety of conspiracy theorists, mingled with smatterings of ordinary businessmen put out of work—may be becoming too risky even for skeptics.
So now they’re diversifying their tactics, with an emphasis on smaller gatherings—primarily to “defend” small businesses that seek to defy lockdown orders and reopen. So the armed militiamen and other “ReOpen” protesters are now showing up on the streets outside taverns, tattoo parlors, hair salons, barber shops, and restaurants, claiming the governors’ orders ordering them to close are “unconstitutional.”
“Rather than a shift in strategies, the ‘ReOpen’ protest groups are expanding their arsenal of tactics to dangerously and prematurely bring an end to COVID-19 stay-at-home directives,” Devin Burghart of the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights, which has been monitoring the protests, told Daily Kos. “What started with ‘gridlock’ vehicle protests quickly shifted to armed rallies, followed by armed defiance by militia-backed business owners, even as more states are relaxing their restrictions.”
Mass rallies have proved problematic. After more than 70 people in Wisconsin were found to have been infected with the novel coronavirus in the wake of having attended “a mass event”—roughly two weeks after a similar anti-lockdown protest at the state Capitol in Madison—the protest scene in that state has declined sharply. Currently, no further large protests in Madison are in the works.
Thursday’s anti-lockdown protest in Lansing, Mich., turned out to be a complete bust, with only a couple hundred showing up to march in the rain. Other protests are still being planned around the nation, but there are fewer of them than two weeks ago, when they could be found occurring in nearly every state under lockdown.
However, smaller protests aimed at “defending” reopening businesses from law enforcement are starting to become more common:
In Ecton County, Texas, the sheriff and his deputies have been inundated with death threats following the arrests May 3 of six men who were brandishing their weapons outside an Odessa tavern that had opened illegally, ostensibly protecting its “free speech rights.” The groups that organized the original protest outside the tavern later protested outside the sheriff’s office and a home they believe is his residence. In Michigan, militiamen stood guard outside an Owosso barbershop that defied Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s lockdown orders by reopening, part of a protest event. The event’s primary organizer was a real estate agent from the Grand Rapids area named Ryan Kelly, who told The Washington Post that he invited members of a local militia to the protests in Lansing as “security.” One militiaman told WILX: "If we have enough people to block entry and people are willing to be arrested, then we'll do that.” In the East Texas town of Shepherd, armed militiamen led by a man named Philip Archibald—many of them wearing the Hawaiian shirts that are the uniform of so-called “Boogaloo Bois”—showed up to patrol outside Crash N Burn Tattoos, which had announced it too was reopening in defiance of state lockdown orders. Archibald led armed patrols outside a handful of other Texas businesses as they reopened illegally. “It’s not for looks,” one of his cohorts told The New York Times. “We’re willing to die.” In Wickenburg, Ariz., protesters—many of them on motorcycles—turned up outside of the Horseshoe Café and other businesses in town that decided to defy Gov. Dough Ducey’s lockdown orders. “You got to stand up for what you believe in,” the café’s owner said. “This is America, this isn’t a communist country.”
Violent rhetoric has abounded at all these events, with ominous undertones. “We go out there because we want peace, but we prepare for war,” one of the Odessa militiamen told The New York Times. “I hope this never happens, but at some point guns are going to have to cease to be a show of force and be a response to force,” he said.
IREHR has been monitoring the lockdown protests around the nation, in large part because so many of them have primarily served as platforms for right-wing extremists to indulge in fear- and hate-mongering. Despite the virus’ lethal effects, it has seen the protests growing in intensity and number.
“Militia-backed business rebellion has grabbed the spotlight for the moment and is likely to remain a popular tactic, at least until the next round of mass rallies scheduled for Memorial Day weekend,” Burghart told Daily Kos.
According to IREHR’s count, the leading states in numbers of lockdown protests have been California, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Washington, and Texas. The protests are primarily organized by Facebook groups. The site currently has 513 such groups on its platform, with a total of 1.9 million members.
“Judging by the way many of these groups have started changing their names, one thing is certain: many in this nascent network of far-right COVID-19 protest groups are already thinking about how to remain visible and politically relevant in a post-reopen world,” Burghart said.


crooksandliars--2020-05-12--Fox Biz Host Pushes To 'Open Businesses Up Fast' Despite Pandemic

Before discussing a report from Moody Analytics examining which cities are most likely to have the strongest economic recoveries from the coronavirus pandemic , Fox Business host Stuart Varney joined this Monday 's Fox & Friends , and continued the network 's push to get all of the peons back to work ( or church ) as quickly as possible as they broadcast from the safety of their homes , consequences to their health and safety be damned .
Host Steve Doocy asked Varney about the `` jaw-dropping '' unemployment numbers , which are probably going to get worse before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by bringing up the very real social costs of forcing people to stay at home , such as increases in domestic abuse and alcoholism , but then proceeded to completely ignore the lessons from history when it comes to economic recovery from a pandemic : VARNEY : Look there are two reasons why we really need to get back to work and end the lockdown , as much as possible , in the immediate future .
Reason number one , there is an enormous social cost to the lockdown—child abuse , alcoholism , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clamped down in their houses in an abusive relationship .
There is untold cost , a social cost to continuing the lockdown indefinitely .
It 's a big cost .
The other point is , we 've got to open up our businesses as fast as possible to avoid absolute economic catastrophe .
Those number predictions on how high the unemployment rate is going to go are not unrealistic .
That 's why we have got to get back to work quickly .
Now look , it 's not going to be easy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are some people making more money staying home than if they went back to work .
That 's disincentive to go back .
Secondly , some people will be unwilling to return to work , because they fear infection .
And then there is a third reason , some businesses will indeed slim down because of this lockdown and wo n't require all of their workers back again .
So look , you 've got to open up , but it will be an uphill struggle , but we 've got to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social damage and the economic damage .
As the Independent reported last month , during the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 , cities that had stronger social distancing measures and longer lockdown measures , actually recovered faster than those that did n't , as discussed in this article comparing the difference in the response in the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul : The comparison between the twin cities is instructive today not just for what it tells us about the health benefits of social distancing , but also for what it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with it .
In 1918 , cities that committed earlier and longer to interventions like banning public gatherings and closing schools didn ’ t fare worse for disrupting their economies for longer .
Many of those cities actually had relatively larger gains in manufacturing employment , manufacturing output and bank assets in 1919 and into the next few years , according to a new study from researchers at the Federal Reserve of New York and Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( MIT ) .
This is particularly clear among Western cities that had more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit the east coast first .
For cities with the most aggressive interventions , there ’ s no trade-off apparent in this data between saving lives and hurting the economy .
“ If anything , these places do better , ” said Emil Verner , an economist at MIT , who wrote the paper with Sergio Correia and Stephan Luck of the Federal Reserve .
The outlook today is clearly grimmer .
The economy is now global , leaving local communities susceptible to coronavirus effects on the other side of the world .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy in the US is contingent on people getting together — on planes , in restaurants , at theatres , in tourism hubs .
But this lesson from 1918 is probably still true today : It ’ s the pandemic that really hurts the economy , not the things we do to try to contain it .
Opening up too quickly in areas where the number of cases is still on the rise is a recipe for disaster on all levels , and the decision by many states to do it may very @ @ @ @ @ @

Before discussing a report from Moody Analytics examining which cities are most likely to have the strongest economic recoveries from the coronavirus pandemic, Fox Business host Stuart Varney joined this Monday's Fox & Friends, and continued the network's push to get all of the peons back to work (or church) as quickly as possible as they broadcast from the safety of their homes, consequences to their health and safety be damned.
Host Steve Doocy asked Varney about the "jaw-dropping" unemployment numbers, which are probably going to get worse before they get better, and Varney responded by bringing up the very real social costs of forcing people to stay at home, such as increases in domestic abuse and alcoholism, but then proceeded to completely ignore the lessons from history when it comes to economic recovery from a pandemic:
VARNEY: Look there are two reasons why we really need to get back to work and end the lockdown, as much as possible, in the immediate future. Reason number one, there is an enormous social cost to the lockdown—child abuse, alcoholism, drug abuse, people being stuck and clamped down in their houses in an abusive relationship. There is untold cost, a social cost to continuing the lockdown indefinitely. It's a big cost. The other point is, we've got to open up our businesses as fast as possible to avoid absolute economic catastrophe. Those number predictions on how high the unemployment rate is going to go are not unrealistic. That's why we have got to get back to work quickly. Now look, it's not going to be easy, Steve. Point number one, there are some people making more money staying home than if they went back to work. That's disincentive to go back. Secondly, some people will be unwilling to return to work, because they fear infection. And then there is a third reason, some businesses will indeed slim down because of this lockdown and won't require all of their workers back again. So look, you've got to open up, but it will be an uphill struggle, but we've got to do that struggle to limit the loss—the social damage and the economic damage.
As the Independent reported last month, during the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918, cities that had stronger social distancing measures and longer lockdown measures, actually recovered faster than those that didn't, as discussed in this article comparing the difference in the response in the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul:
The comparison between the twin cities is instructive today not just for what it tells us about the health benefits of social distancing, but also for what it says about any economic costs that come with it. In 1918, cities that committed earlier and longer to interventions like banning public gatherings and closing schools didn’t fare worse for disrupting their economies for longer. Many of those cities actually had relatively larger gains in manufacturing employment, manufacturing output and bank assets in 1919 and into the next few years, according to a new study from researchers at the Federal Reserve of New York and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This is particularly clear among Western cities that had more time to prepare for a pandemic that hit the east coast first. For cities with the most aggressive interventions, there’s no trade-off apparent in this data between saving lives and hurting the economy. “If anything, these places do better,” said Emil Verner, an economist at MIT, who wrote the paper with Sergio Correia and Stephan Luck of the Federal Reserve. [...] The outlook today is clearly grimmer. The economy is now global, leaving local communities susceptible to coronavirus effects on the other side of the world. And so much of the modern service-sector economy in the US is contingent on people getting together — on planes, in restaurants, at theatres, in tourism hubs. But this lesson from 1918 is probably still true today: It’s the pandemic that really hurts the economy, not the things we do to try to contain it.
Opening up too quickly in areas where the number of cases is still on the rise is a recipe for disaster on all levels, and the decision by many states to do it may very well backfire, and quickly.


crooksandliars--2020-04-27--Mike Siegel Is Already Doing The Kind Of Work Progressive Members Of Congress Do

Some candidates -- whether incumbents or challengers -- are faring better than others during this pandemic .
Candidates who have grown proficient on social media have vibrant campaigns up and running .
Others do n't .
One candidate who has adapted well is Austin-based progressive Mike Siegel .
Not only has he been successful in online organizing and reaching out to small donors , he has continued his work as an advocate for his Texas base .
The latest project -- pandemic-era workplace protections -- has attracted attention in DC as well .
This is what Mike wrote for us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , please chip into his campaign fund at the Take Back Texas Act Blue thermometer below .
Fighting for OSHA Expansion in a # Hashtag Age -by Mike Siegel OSHA emerged from the Civil Rights Movement -- part of a national demand for a `` Safety Bill of Rights '' and it took the lead in fighting asbestos exposure and other carcinogens .
Four decades of Goldwater-Reagan-Norquist attacks ( the people who want to shrink government down to size and `` drown it in a bathtub '' ) have left us with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what it was -- a shadow of its original vision .
But now , more than ever , we need a strong OSHA .
To protect our workforce at a time unprecedented threats to worker safety .
To Stop the Spread , Slow the Curve , and help America `` re-open '' again .
Last week I was making calls to labor organizations across Texas , to thank them for their support and to see how we can work together in the days and weeks to come .
As I spoke to organizers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brotherhood of Electrical Workers , from the American Federation of School , County and Municipal Employes , I heard a common theme : job safety .
A patchwork of regulations .
A lot of fancy words on paper about social distancing and PPE -- from the CDC , from the State of Texas , from counties and cities -- but no enforcement .
In other words , every day , across Texas and this country , our workers are making a terrible choice : earn a paycheck or protect your health .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the COVID-19 pandemic , the federal government ’ s role in protecting worker safety was limited .
As one steelworker told me , even when a facility like a chemical plant had a major accident or release of toxic chemicals , OSHA wasn ’ t likely to show up .
If a worker filed an anonymous complaint , OSHA would send a fax to the company and ask for a remediation plan .
The company would fax back its remediation plan .
Case closed .
In response to COVID-19 , OSHA has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes pains to say how they are recommendations only .
Here in Texas , the state has not developed its own occupational safety agency , so we are stuck with what the federal government offers .
Cities and counties have code enforcement departments , and places like Austin have made efforts to respond to COVID-19 concerns at work places , but there is no agency that is equipped to make sure workers have the PPE they need , or the space necessary to avoid spreading the virus .
For the last week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to raise awareness of the lack of workplace safety , at the same time that Texas Governor Greg Abbott publicizes his plans to “ re-open ” the state .
Building on the efforts of Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin and over 50 House Democrats , who filed a “ Reopen America Act of 2020 ” to ensure testing and PPE before the country attempts to return to normal , I joined with Texas unions , labor councils and regional federations to propose expanded OSHA compliance and investigative capacity to ensure safe workplaces in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Texas 10th could care less about work-place safety ; this is a guy who can ’ t even be bothered to wear a mask in the House of Representatives during the session this past Thursday .
But this is an opportunity for me to show what representation looks like for workers in a right-to-work state who face state leadership that wants us to sacrifice our lives for the sake of the economy .
The unions I am working with -- a powerful mix including building and construction trades , teachers , city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much appreciated my willingness to put the work in on their behalf .
And multiple sponsors of the bill , including Rep. Raskin , responded enthusiastically to our proposal , and are considering an amendment to the Reopen America Act .
The press ?
Not so interested .
And I get it .
Just saying the phrase , “ Occupational Safety and Health Administration ” is enough to put voters to sleep .
But this is what government is supposed to do : take care of the most vulnerable , and perform the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipped or willing to do .
So let ’ s make OSHA cool again .
And make sure that , when we do restart our country , our government will be ready to make workplaces safe .

Some candidates-- whether incumbents or challengers-- are faring better than others during this pandemic. Candidates who have grown proficient on social media have vibrant campaigns up and running. Others don't. One candidate who has adapted well is Austin-based progressive Mike Siegel. Not only has he been successful in online organizing and reaching out to small donors, he has continued his work as an advocate for his Texas base.
The latest project-- pandemic-era workplace protections-- has attracted attention in DC as well. This is what Mike wrote for us about it today. If you like it, please chip into his campaign fund at the Take Back Texas Act Blue thermometer below.
Fighting for OSHA Expansion in a #Hashtag Age
-by Mike Siegel
Let’s make OSHA cool again.
OSHA emerged from the Civil Rights Movement-- part of a national demand for a "Safety Bill of Rights" and it took the lead in fighting asbestos exposure and other carcinogens.
Four decades of Goldwater-Reagan-Norquist attacks (the people who want to shrink government down to size and "drown it in a bathtub") have left us with an agency that is a shell of what it was-- a shadow of its original vision.
But now, more than ever, we need a strong OSHA. To protect our workforce at a time unprecedented threats to worker safety. To Stop the Spread, Slow the Curve, and help America "re-open" again.
Last week I was making calls to labor organizations across Texas, to thank them for their support and to see how we can work together in the days and weeks to come. As I spoke to organizers from United Steelworkers, from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, from the American Federation of School, County and Municipal Employes, I heard a common theme: job safety. A patchwork of regulations. A lot of fancy words on paper about social distancing and PPE-- from the CDC, from the State of Texas, from counties and cities-- but no enforcement.
In other words, every day, across Texas and this country, our workers are making a terrible choice: earn a paycheck or protect your health. You can’t do both.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government’s role in protecting worker safety was limited. As one steelworker told me, even when a facility like a chemical plant had a major accident or release of toxic chemicals, OSHA wasn’t likely to show up. If a worker filed an anonymous complaint, OSHA would send a fax to the company and ask for a remediation plan. The company would fax back its remediation plan. Case closed.
In response to COVID-19, OSHA has issued Guidelines on Preparing Workplaces, but takes pains to say how they are recommendations only. Here in Texas, the state has not developed its own occupational safety agency, so we are stuck with what the federal government offers. Cities and counties have code enforcement departments, and places like Austin have made efforts to respond to COVID-19 concerns at work places, but there is no agency that is equipped to make sure workers have the PPE they need, or the space necessary to avoid spreading the virus.
For the last week, I’ve been working with unions to raise awareness of the lack of workplace safety, at the same time that Texas Governor Greg Abbott publicizes his plans to “re-open” the state.
Building on the efforts of Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin and over 50 House Democrats, who filed a “Reopen America Act of 2020” to ensure testing and PPE before the country attempts to return to normal, I joined with Texas unions, labor councils and regional federations to propose expanded OSHA compliance and investigative capacity to ensure safe workplaces in the COVID era.
The current representative in the Texas 10th could care less about work-place safety; this is a guy who can’t even be bothered to wear a mask in the House of Representatives during the session this past Thursday.
But this is an opportunity for me to show what representation looks like for workers in a right-to-work state who face state leadership that wants us to sacrifice our lives for the sake of the economy.
The unions I am working with-- a powerful mix including building and construction trades, teachers, city workers and theatrical stage employees-- very much appreciated my willingness to put the work in on their behalf.
And multiple sponsors of the bill, including Rep. Raskin, responded enthusiastically to our proposal, and are considering an amendment to the Reopen America Act.
The press? Not so interested. And I get it. Just saying the phrase, “Occupational Safety and Health Administration” is enough to put voters to sleep.
But this is what government is supposed to do: take care of the most vulnerable, and perform the functions that the private market is not equipped or willing to do.
So let’s make OSHA cool again. And make sure that, when we do restart our country, our government will be ready to make workplaces safe.


crooksandliars--2020-02-26--Iran's Deputy Health Minister: I Have Coronavirus

One day after downplaying the outbreak on national tv , Harirchi today confirmed that he has contracted the virus himself .
Iran ’ s deputy health minister said he has contracted the coronavirus and placed himself in isolation , a day after appearing feverish at a press conference in which he downplayed its spread in the shrine city of Qom and said mass quarantines were unnecessary .
Iraj Harirchi posted a video on social media on Tuesday acknowledging he had caught the virus , which appears to be taking rapid hold in parts of Iran .
The news has underscored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed a tipping point , before authorities had been able to gauge its full extent .
Images of one of the country ’ s most senior public health officials appearing sweaty and pale and acknowledging he had contracted the disease left many Iranians deeply troubled and are likely to further paralyse a county reeling from its rapid onset .
In the short video , Hirachi acknowledged that “ many may get infected ” echoing concerns that have taken root in the rest of the Middle East , which is home to millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

One day after downplaying the outbreak on national tv, Harirchi today confirmed that he has contracted the virus himself.
Source: The Guardian
Iran’s deputy health minister said he has contracted the coronavirus and placed himself in isolation, a day after appearing feverish at a press conference in which he downplayed its spread in the shrine city of Qom and said mass quarantines were unnecessary.
Iraj Harirchi posted a video on social media on Tuesday acknowledging he had caught the virus, which appears to be taking rapid hold in parts of Iran. The news has underscored widespread fears that the outbreak may have passed a tipping point, before authorities had been able to gauge its full extent.
Images of one of the country’s most senior public health officials appearing sweaty and pale and acknowledging he had contracted the disease left many Iranians deeply troubled and are likely to further paralyse a county reeling from its rapid onset. In the short video, Hirachi acknowledged that “many may get infected” echoing concerns that have taken root in the rest of the Middle East, which is home to millions of people living in densely packed refugee camps.


crooksandliars--2020-02-26--Fox News Is Covering For Trump's Coronavirus Sabotage

Donald Trump has made the U.S. more vulnerable to the coronavirus .
But Fox News is pretending he is protecting us .
Media Matters has an excellent rundown of Trump 's dishonest incompetence surrounding the coronavirus , aka COVID-19 : Trump ’ s initial reaction to the COVID-19 outbreak was to downplay concerns about it , telling CNBC in a January interview that it was “ totally under control ” and “ it ’ s going to be just fine.
” Trump also claimed the disease would “ miraculously ” go away by April -- which was contradicted by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( CDC ) .
And two weeks after hundreds of Americans were trapped on a cruise ship in a Japanese port under quarantine because some passengers tested positive for COVID-19 , the Trump administration evacuated them to the U.S .
But the administration flew home passengers it knew were infected on a flight with other uninfected passengers , against the CDC ’ s advice -- a decision which reportedly angered Trump , who wasn ’ t informed about that decision and who said he should have been the one to make it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Foreign Policy called , “ Trump Has Sabotaged America ’ s Coronavirus Response.
” The article states , “ As it improvises its way through a public health crisis , the United States has never been less prepared for a pandemic.
” In great detail , Pulitzer Prize winning author Laurie Garrett explains how the Trump administration has systematically dismantled the infrastructure for any pandemic response .
But Fox is not just hiding the truth from its viewers , it ’ s deliberately misleading about it .
For example , on today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s flagship “ straight news ” show , anchor Shannon Bream began her report by chirping credulously , “ President Trump says the coronavirus is very much under control in the U.S. ” In a report from Fox 's Jonathan Serrie , we saw World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus saying that the disease has “ not yet ” become a pandemic .
What got left out is that Dr. Tedros also warned , the window of opportunity is narrowing , ” and “ We need to act quickly before it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more happy news : “ WHO officials say they ’ re encouraged the virus ’ DNA has shown no significant change .
And the number of new cases in China has been declining since the beginning of the month , ” Serrie said .
Serrie also relayed that the White House “ will likely ” request $ 1 billion in supplemental funds to “ help federal , state and local agencies ” prepare for a response and “ also encourage the development of vaccines.
” But according to Garrett , having destroyed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has “ now resorted to improvisation.
” It seems no accident that Serrie ’ s report included no details about any current federal plans .
Media Matters has a roundup of other coronavirus happy talk on Fox .
It includes Fox Business host Lou Dobbs congratulating acting Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli as well as the rest of the administration and Trump “ for what you are doing , because within this country , it seems to be under control and every safeguard taken.
” Look , I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems quite possible that the epidemic leaves the U.S. unscathed .
I certainly hope so .
But there are real risks and real anxiety .
At a time like this , we need calm , clear-eyed truth-telling from both our government and our media .
Sadly , we are not likely to get it either from the Trump administration or from his propagandists at Fox News .
You can watch some of the dishonest propaganda above , from the February 18 , 2020 Lou Dobbs Tonight .
Here is Shannon Bream 's , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 Special Report .

Donald Trump has made the U.S. more vulnerable to the coronavirus. But Fox News is pretending he is protecting us.
Media Matters has an excellent rundown of Trump's dishonest incompetence surrounding the coronavirus, aka COVID-19:
Trump’s initial reaction to the COVID-19 outbreak was to downplay concerns about it, telling CNBC in a January interview that it was “totally under control” and “it’s going to be just fine.” Trump also claimed the disease would “miraculously” go away by April -- which was contradicted by the director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). And two weeks after hundreds of Americans were trapped on a cruise ship in a Japanese port under quarantine because some passengers tested positive for COVID-19, the Trump administration evacuated them to the U.S. But the administration flew home passengers it knew were infected on a flight with other uninfected passengers, against the CDC’s advice -- a decision which reportedly angered Trump, who wasn’t informed about that decision and who said he should have been the one to make it.
Media Matters also cites a terrifying article in Foreign Policy called, “Trump Has Sabotaged America’s Coronavirus Response.” The article states, “As it improvises its way through a public health crisis, the United States has never been less prepared for a pandemic.” In great detail, Pulitzer Prize winning author Laurie Garrett explains how the Trump administration has systematically dismantled the infrastructure for any pandemic response.
But Fox is not just hiding the truth from its viewers, it’s deliberately misleading about it. For example, on today’s Special Report, Fox’s flagship “straight news” show, anchor Shannon Bream began her report by chirping credulously, “President Trump says the coronavirus is very much under control in the U.S.”
In a report from Fox's Jonathan Serrie, we saw World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus saying that the disease has “not yet” become a pandemic. What got left out is that Dr. Tedros also warned, the window of opportunity is narrowing,” and “We need to act quickly before it closes completely.” Instead, we got more happy news: “WHO officials say they’re encouraged the virus’ DNA has shown no significant change. And the number of new cases in China has been declining since the beginning of the month,” Serrie said.
Serrie also relayed that the White House “will likely” request $1 billion in supplemental funds to “help federal, state and local agencies” prepare for a response and “also encourage the development of vaccines.” But according to Garrett, having destroyed the federal disease-fighting structure, the Trump administration has “now resorted to improvisation.” It seems no accident that Serrie’s report included no details about any current federal plans.
Media Matters has a roundup of other coronavirus happy talk on Fox. It includes Fox Business host Lou Dobbs congratulating acting Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli as well as the rest of the administration and Trump “for what you are doing, because within this country, it seems to be under control and every safeguard taken.”
Look, I’m not trying to fear monger. It seems quite possible that the epidemic leaves the U.S. unscathed. I certainly hope so. But there are real risks and real anxiety. At a time like this, we need calm, clear-eyed truth-telling from both our government and our media. Sadly, we are not likely to get it either from the Trump administration or from his propagandists at Fox News.
You can watch some of the dishonest propaganda above, from the February 18, 2020 Lou Dobbs Tonight. Here is Shannon Bream's, below, from the February 24, 2020 Special Report.
Published with permission of NewsHounds


crooksandliars--2020-02-26--Larry Kudlow Lies His Face Off About Coronavirus Being 'Contained'

Larry Kudlow , Trump 's National Economic Council Director , went on CNBC to string together an impressive set of fairy tales about the coronavirus in the United States .
First he claimed near `` airtight '' containment .
`` We have contained this , we have contained this .
I won ’ t say airtight but pretty close to airtight , ” he told Kelly Evans .
Meanwhile , the CDC told the public that it is not a matter of if , but when the virus will begin spreading in the United States .
According to the New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such things as working remotely , schools closing , and telemedicine .
Secondly , Kudlow is n't at all worried about the economic side of the potential pandemic .
Sure , there may be `` stumbles , '' he shrugged , maybe some supply chain problems , but he said , `` I think we can deal with those issues at a later time when the emergency passes , as it will .
But I ’ m not at all convinced that we can ’ t get hold of what we need here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We also have the capacity to produce more in all these areas.
” I 'm no economist , but should we really wait until after an emergency passes to deal with supply chain issues that contribute to said emergency ?
Furthermore , I understand markets correct , and all , but the Dow losing nearly 2,000 points in two days is just a little oopsie ?
Unconnected to the potential impact of a mass outbreak of coronavirus in the U.S. ?
I do n't know , I 'd tend to believe the Centers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Larry 's any day .
Whether he was trying to massage the stock market in an upward direction or massage Trump 's ego , or both , he 's not exactly a reliable barometer for the U.S. economy OR our state of preparedness for a health emergency .

Larry Kudlow, Trump's National Economic Council Director, went on CNBC to string together an impressive set of fairy tales about the coronavirus in the United States.
First he claimed near "airtight" containment. "We have contained this, we have contained this. I won’t say airtight but pretty close to airtight,” he told Kelly Evans. Meanwhile, the CDC told the public that it is not a matter of if, but when the virus will begin spreading in the United States. According to the New York Times,
Officials at the C.D.C. said they did not know whether spread of the disease to the United States would be mild or severe. But Americans should be ready for a significant disruption to their daily lives, Dr. Messonnier said.
It recommended preparing for such things as working remotely, schools closing, and telemedicine.
Secondly, Kudlow isn't at all worried about the economic side of the potential pandemic. Sure, there may be "stumbles," he shrugged, maybe some supply chain problems, but he said, "I think we can deal with those issues at a later time when the emergency passes, as it will. But I’m not at all convinced that we can’t get hold of what we need here in the U.S. We have stockpiles. We also have the capacity to produce more in all these areas.”
I'm no economist, but should we really wait until after an emergency passes to deal with supply chain issues that contribute to said emergency? Furthermore, I understand markets correct, and all, but the Dow losing nearly 2,000 points in two days is just a little oopsie? Unconnected to the potential impact of a mass outbreak of coronavirus in the U.S.?
I don't know, I'd tend to believe the Centers for Disease Control's assessment over Laphroaig Larry's any day. Whether he was trying to massage the stock market in an upward direction or massage Trump's ego, or both, he's not exactly a reliable barometer for the U.S. economy OR our state of preparedness for a health emergency.