vdare--2020-03-23--Coronavirus 2020: Is the Cure Truly Worse Than the Disease?

Earlier , by Patrick J. Buchanan : Must We Kill the Economy to Kill the Virus ?
Is the coronavirus response from Washington worth the economic devastation resulting from shutting down America ’ s economy ?
WE CAN NOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF .
AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD , WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO !
As a businessman , he realizes the serious threat to America ’ s well being caused by closing the economy for an extended period .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off and on at will .
The costs accrued by businesses being frozen can not be easily fixed .
I think of a nearby street of small stores , restaurants and a movie theater — rents are normally so high that when a business moves out , the storefront may remain empty for months .
And that ’ s just one example of how costs are unforgiving .
Steve Hilton , on his Fox News show Sunday , pointed out that economic strife all by itself can cause sickness and death , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is a threat to life .
A healthy economy is a virtuous circle of businesses that have workers who spend their paychecks in other businesses and so on around and around .
Halting America ’ s dynamic economy is a terrible experiment that may end very badly , Hilton worries .
STEVE HILTON : You ’ ve been hearing everywhere else about the virus and the latest numbers and the medical response , but I want to focus tonight on what I think is an even bigger crisis , and that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human cost of the total shutdown policy .
No one should question the seriousness of this virus , and especially as I said last week , the need to avoid so many hospitalizations ; at the same time that our medical system can ’ t cope .
The chosen strategy is social distancing , and right now that involves extreme measures to shut down daily life .
But there is a huge gap between sensible social distancing and the total shutdown spreading across the country .
Just as the spread of coronavirus creates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected , this economic shutdown is creating a curve of the numbers of people affected — losing their jobs , their homes , their businesses .
I ’ m not sure that the people on TV have grasped how serious this is , to the extent they ’ re focusing on it at all .
They ’ re using completely the wrong frame of reference : they talk about a recession like the one we had in 2008 .
What planet are they on ?
We ’ ve never seen this before — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Businesses large , medium and small will lose all their revenue , not a slight reduction or even a steep reduction , like in a recession , but all of it gone — no income , nothing potentially for months , we ’ re told unless we change course .
The best case is the worst recession since the Second World War ; the moderate scenario is that it ’ s on a par with the Great Depression .
The worst case scenario where this shutdown continues for months is even worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about a V-shaped curve , a dramatic fall and a quick bounce-back — maybe .
But if the V is as deep as the Grand Canyon that is a hell of a climb .
In Washington today , the Senate failed to advance the latest coronavirus relief package , so negotiations will continue on what ’ s looking to be a two trillion dollar stimulus plan .
Let ’ s talk about that plan , and as we do , let ’ s remind ourselves what this is all about : men and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , worked every hour to follow their dreams and build a business .
Local businesses there are not just economic units but the lifeblood of a community .
Most of the people in Congress , most of the talking heads on TV — they ’ ve never started a business , and don ’ t understand business .
I have , and I do , so what I ’ m about to say comes not just from my perspective as someone who ’ s run policy at the heart of a large government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a small business — a number of them actually , including one a restaurant that was at the heart of its community .
President Trump gets this too : he understands business , He loves entrepreneurs , he loves America ’ s small businesses and farmers and all the workers who rely on them for living and to support their families .
So this economic curve we ’ re about to take a nosedive on — it is not just about money ; it ’ s about the heart and soul of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let ’ s make sure the Congressional stimulus package doesn ’ t miss the target .
Part of it will be spent sending a check to every American on April the sixth and another on May the 18th , but by April the sixth , hundreds of thousands of businesses will have closed and millions of people will be unemployed .
Worse , it will be those with the most precarious lives , least able to cope .
By May , my god millions of businesses will go under , and tens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money is always welcome for hard-pressed Americans but this is not about stimulus — it ’ s about survival , and the whole send-a-check scheme misunderstands why someone goes under or not .
If you ’ re a small business , you have bills to pay right now , not in April or May — now .
Payroll , rent , but you have no revenue , thanks to the government ’ s total shutdown , you have to let people go , so then they don ’ t have income to pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before you know it you have mass unemployment and families on the streets — millions of viable businesses murdered by the government .
The second part of the current congressional plan , a small business loan scheme , Larry Kudlow — who you ’ ll see later tonight on this show — he says it can work quickly , but even the help that ’ s supposed to be there right now doesn ’ t work .
A friend of mine tried to use the Small Business Administration emergency grant program this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ details were wrong , it is a total mess .
Businesses are folding today , tomorrow , Tuesday — who ’ s got time to fill out forms , send them into some giant bureaucracy , wait for an answer , even if it ’ s yes , then find yourself saddled by crippling loans for years ?
And don ’ t get me started on the third part of the so-called stimulus plan , bailouts for big business .
I think there is a quicker and simpler way to flatten the economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cover them for loss of revenue .
The problem is a pandemic isn ’ t covered , but if the government stood behind the insurance companies and said we ’ ll indemnify you for any coronavirus payouts , then the insurance companies could be getting money to businesses straight away , covering their revenue so they can stay afloat and keep people employed .
We can incentivize insurance companies to do it quickly .
By the way , quickly within seven days not April .
On top of that , announce a nationwide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residential or commercial .
Of course this would all cost a vast amount of money which they seem to be spending like water .
It went from one trillion to two in a couple of days ; quite frankly if they keep up the shot to hell , till the end of May , they ’ ll need five trillion ; if it ’ s till August twelve trillion .
This is an inconceivable amount of public money : it amounts to a total government takeover of the economy .
Are we ready @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Well even if we can ’ t , at least let ’ s spend the money we can afford in ways that actually save our businesses .
But there ’ s a much better way to flatten the economic curve .
Doctor Fauci says he ’ s fine overreacting : DR FAUCI : I like it when people are thinking I ’ m overreacting because that means we ’ re doing it just right .
HILTON : Well that ’ s easy for him to say .
He ’ ll still have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whatever happens .
Our ruling class and their TV mouthpieces whipping up fear over this virus , they can afford an indefinite shutdown .
Working Americans can ’ t ; they ’ ll be crushed by it .
You know that famous phrase , “ the cure is worse than the disease ” ?
That is exactly the territory we are hurtling towards .
You think it ’ s just a coronavirus that kills people — this total economic shutdown will kill people .
A UK study calculated that 130,000 people died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 .
The years of austerity for America to pay the cost of this shutdown will be worse , adjusting for the size of our economy — it ’ s over a million deaths .
The family thrown out of their home — the mom gets sick , the kids are orphans — her death won ’ t be counted .
The dad who ’ s been out of work for 30 years and finally got a job last month , and now he ’ s back on the scrap heap and turning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death won ’ t show up in a neat little box on cable news .
Poverty kills , despair kills .
This shutdown is deadly .
The president announced a 15-day plan to beat the virus .
After that let ’ s say , right , we came together to slow the spread , now let ’ s come together to protect the vulnerable .
Get the ventilators , get the beds , get the equipment cry heroic nurses and doctors , keep the ban on large gatherings , but stop the total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protection of the elderly and those most likely to need hospitalization .
Don ’ t turn a public health crisis into America ’ s worst catastrophe .
Save small business .
Flatten the curve , not the economy , and do it before it ’ s too late .

Earlier, by Patrick J. Buchanan: Must We Kill the Economy to Kill the Virus?
Is the coronavirus response from Washington worth the economic devastation resulting from shutting down America’s economy?
That’s a question President Trump asked in a recent tweet:
WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF. AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD, WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO!
As a businessman, he realizes the serious threat to America’s well being caused by closing the economy for an extended period. It’s not like a light you can switch off and on at will. The costs accrued by businesses being frozen cannot be easily fixed. I think of a nearby street of small stores, restaurants and a movie theater — rents are normally so high that when a business moves out, the storefront may remain empty for months. And that’s just one example of how costs are unforgiving.
Steve Hilton, on his Fox News show Sunday, pointed out that economic strife all by itself can cause sickness and death, so it’s not just a virus that is a threat to life.
A healthy economy is a virtuous circle of businesses that have workers who spend their paychecks in other businesses and so on around and around. Halting America’s dynamic economy is a terrible experiment that may end very badly, Hilton worries.
STEVE HILTON: You’ve been hearing everywhere else about the virus and the latest numbers and the medical response, but I want to focus tonight on what I think is an even bigger crisis, and that is the economic, social and above all human cost of the total shutdown policy.
No one should question the seriousness of this virus, and especially as I said last week, the need to avoid so many hospitalizations; at the same time that our medical system can’t cope. The chosen strategy is social distancing, and right now that involves extreme measures to shut down daily life. But there is a huge gap between sensible social distancing and the total shutdown spreading across the country.
Just as the spread of coronavirus creates a curve of the number of people infected, this economic shutdown is creating a curve of the numbers of people affected — losing their jobs, their homes, their businesses.
I’m not sure that the people on TV have grasped how serious this is, to the extent they’re focusing on it at all. They’re using completely the wrong frame of reference: they talk about a recession like the one we had in 2008. What planet are they on? We’ve never seen this before — a total self-imposed shutdown of the economy. Businesses large, medium and small will lose all their revenue, not a slight reduction or even a steep reduction, like in a recession, but all of it gone — no income, nothing potentially for months, we’re told unless we change course.
The best case is the worst recession since the Second World War; the moderate scenario is that it’s on a par with the Great Depression. The worst case scenario where this shutdown continues for months is even worse than the Great Depression. We hear about a V-shaped curve, a dramatic fall and a quick bounce-back — maybe. But if the V is as deep as the Grand Canyon that is a hell of a climb.
In Washington today, the Senate failed to advance the latest coronavirus relief package, so negotiations will continue on what’s looking to be a two trillion dollar stimulus plan. Let’s talk about that plan, and as we do, let’s remind ourselves what this is all about: men and women across America who have risked everything, worked every hour to follow their dreams and build a business.
Local businesses there are not just economic units but the lifeblood of a community. Most of the people in Congress, most of the talking heads on TV — they’ve never started a business, and don’t understand business. I have, and I do, so what I’m about to say comes not just from my perspective as someone who’s run policy at the heart of a large government, but someone who’s run a small business — a number of them actually, including one a restaurant that was at the heart of its community.
President Trump gets this too: he understands business, He loves entrepreneurs, he loves America’s small businesses and farmers and all the workers who rely on them for living and to support their families. So this economic curve we’re about to take a nosedive on — it is not just about money; it’s about the heart and soul of this country.
In the hours ahead, let’s make sure the Congressional stimulus package doesn’t miss the target. Part of it will be spent sending a check to every American on April the sixth and another on May the 18th, but by April the sixth, hundreds of thousands of businesses will have closed and millions of people will be unemployed.
Worse, it will be those with the most precarious lives, least able to cope. By May, my god millions of businesses will go under, and tens of millions will be unemployed. Look more money is always welcome for hard-pressed Americans but this is not about stimulus — it’s about survival, and the whole send-a-check scheme misunderstands why someone goes under or not.
If you’re a small business, you have bills to pay right now, not in April or May — now. Payroll, rent, but you have no revenue, thanks to the government’s total shutdown, you have to let people go, so then they don’t have income to pay their rent or their mortgage, and before you know it you have mass unemployment and families on the streets — millions of viable businesses murdered by the government.
The second part of the current congressional plan, a small business loan scheme, Larry Kudlow — who you’ll see later tonight on this show — he says it can work quickly, but even the help that’s supposed to be there right now doesn’t work.
A friend of mine tried to use the Small Business Administration emergency grant program this week: the website was wrong, the details were wrong, it is a total mess. Businesses are folding today, tomorrow, Tuesday — who’s got time to fill out forms, send them into some giant bureaucracy, wait for an answer, even if it’s yes, then find yourself saddled by crippling loans for years?
And don’t get me started on the third part of the so-called stimulus plan, bailouts for big business. I think there is a quicker and simpler way to flatten the economic curve: businesses have insurance policies to cover them for loss of revenue. The problem is a pandemic isn’t covered, but if the government stood behind the insurance companies and said we’ll indemnify you for any coronavirus payouts, then the insurance companies could be getting money to businesses straight away, covering their revenue so they can stay afloat and keep people employed.
We can incentivize insurance companies to do it quickly. By the way, quickly within seven days not April. On top of that, announce a nationwide policy of no evictions or foreclosures, residential or commercial.
Of course this would all cost a vast amount of money which they seem to be spending like water. It went from one trillion to two in a couple of days; quite frankly if they keep up the shot to hell, till the end of May, they’ll need five trillion; if it’s till August twelve trillion.
This is an inconceivable amount of public money: it amounts to a total government takeover of the economy. Are we ready for that? Can we afford that? Well even if we can’t, at least let’s spend the money we can afford in ways that actually save our businesses.
But there’s a much better way to flatten the economic curve. Doctor Fauci says he’s fine overreacting:
DR FAUCI: I like it when people are thinking I’m overreacting because that means we’re doing it just right.
HILTON: Well that’s easy for him to say. He’ll still have a job at the end of this, whatever happens. Our ruling class and their TV mouthpieces whipping up fear over this virus, they can afford an indefinite shutdown. Working Americans can’t; they’ll be crushed by it.
You know that famous phrase, “the cure is worse than the disease”? That is exactly the territory we are hurtling towards. You think it’s just a coronavirus that kills people — this total economic shutdown will kill people.
A UK study calculated that 130,000 people died avoidably from austerity there between 2012 and 2017. The years of austerity for America to pay the cost of this shutdown will be worse, adjusting for the size of our economy — it’s over a million deaths.
The family thrown out of their home — the mom gets sick, the kids are orphans — her death won’t be counted. The dad who’s been out of work for 30 years and finally got a job last month, and now he’s back on the scrap heap and turning back to drink and drugs — his death won’t show up in a neat little box on cable news.
Poverty kills, despair kills. This shutdown is deadly. The president announced a 15-day plan to beat the virus. After that let’s say, right, we came together to slow the spread, now let’s come together to protect the vulnerable. Get the ventilators, get the beds, get the equipment cry heroic nurses and doctors, keep the ban on large gatherings, but stop the total shutdown for everyone and start the total protection of the elderly and those most likely to need hospitalization.
Don’t turn a public health crisis into America’s worst catastrophe. Save small business. Flatten the curve, not the economy, and do it before it’s too late.


vdare--2020-03-23--As Coronavirus Spreads in the Capitol, Why Can’t Congress Vote Remotely?

As coronavirus spreads in the Capitol , why can ’ t Congress vote remotely ?
… Congress has a rule : No voting remotely , no matter what .
A bipartisan group of younger lawmakers is trying to change that .
For the past four Congresses , Rep. Eric Swalwell ( D-Calif. ) has introduced a resolution to allow Congress to vote remotely on noncontroversial bills such as naming post offices .
Eric A .
“ Rick ” Crawford ( R-Ark . )
has also joined in recent Congresses to introduce it .
But now that Congress is getting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downright dangerous , it ’ s possible the centuries-old practice of in-person voting could change .
Three members of Congress have tested positive for the virus , and more than two dozen have gone into quarantine after brushes with it , meaning they could miss important votes on bailout packages .
The U.S. Capitol building isn ’ t terribly spacious relative to the large number of people who crowd into it .
As I ’ ve long mentioned , the real power players in almost every society rely on face to face contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even having your own TV show is quite as effective : E.g.
, when Tucker Carlson decided he had to get through to Trump on the threat , he drove to Mar-a-Lago and talked to the President in person .
But it ’ s time for legislative bodies to vote themselves emergency powers to vote remotely ( and authorize subordinate deliberative bodies to do the same ) .
Also , suspend rules against wearing masks on the floor .
In general , everybody needs to be gameplanning for dire scenarios and looking for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ works .
But no permanent changes .
Put an expiration date on all temporary changes in response to the emergency .

From the Washington Post:
As coronavirus spreads in the Capitol, why can’t Congress vote remotely? Amber Phillips
March 23, 2020 at 9:56 a.m. PDT … Congress has a rule: No voting remotely, no matter what. A bipartisan group of younger lawmakers is trying to change that. For the past four Congresses, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) has introduced a resolution to allow Congress to vote remotely on noncontroversial bills such as naming post offices. Eric A. “Rick” Crawford (R-Ark.) has also joined in recent Congresses to introduce it. And it has gone nowhere. But now that Congress is getting to a situation where face-to-face voting could be downright dangerous, it’s possible the centuries-old practice of in-person voting could change. Three members of Congress have tested positive for the virus, and more than two dozen have gone into quarantine after brushes with it, meaning they could miss important votes on bailout packages.
The U.S. Capitol building isn’t terribly spacious relative to the large number of people who crowd into it.
On Sunday, President Trump said he’d support remote voting. Top House Democrats have privately floated it. In the Senate, there’s a new bipartisan proposal to vote remotely for up to 30 days.
As I’ve long mentioned, the real power players in almost every society rely on face to face contact to a very high degree. Not even having your own TV show is quite as effective: E.g., when Tucker Carlson decided he had to get through to Trump on the threat, he drove to Mar-a-Lago and talked to the President in person.
But it’s time for legislative bodies to vote themselves emergency powers to vote remotely (and authorize subordinate deliberative bodies to do the same). Also, suspend rules against wearing masks on the floor.
In general, everybody needs to be gameplanning for dire scenarios and looking for existing rules that would gum up the works.
But no permanent changes. Put an expiration date on all temporary changes in response to the emergency.
[Comment at Unz.com]


vdare--2020-03-23--Patrick J. Buchanan: Must We Kill the Economy to Kill the Virus?

Earlier by Patrick J. Buchanan : Are Americans All-In for a Long Coronavirus War ?
`` We can not let the cure be worse than the problem itself , '' tweeted the president on Sunday night , adding that , after the current 15-day shutdown , `` we will make a decision as to which way we want to go . ''
President Trump is said to be privately expressing a deepening concern at the damage the coronavirus shutdown is doing to the U.S. economy and debating whether it can be safely reopened .
Though castigated for his remark , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is rightly using extreme measures to meet the threat and control the virus that threatens the lives of millions of Americans , with the elderly sick foremost among them .
And we need to do so without killing the economy upon which scores of millions of other Americans depend .
Clearly , America was unprepared for this pandemic .
And there will be time enough to assess responsibility for the lack of surgical masks , medical gowns , rubber gloves , respirators , ventilators and hospital beds .
The immediate imperative is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get it delivered to doctors , nurses and hospital staff , the front-line troops in the battle to control the virus .
However , during this shutdown , all `` nonessential businesses '' are being closed and their workers sent home to shelter in place and to keep `` social distance '' from friends and neighbors to minimize the risk of spreading this easily transmissible virus .
Unfortunately , what is `` nonessential '' to some—bars , restaurants , hotels , stores , cruise ships , tourist sites , shops , malls—are places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for millions of other Americans .
Close the businesses where these Americans work and you terminate the paychecks on which they depend to pay the rent and buy the food and medicines they and their families need to shelter and live .
And if the salaries and wages on which workers depend are cut off , how are these millions of newly unemployed supposed to live ?
How do those who follow the instructions of the president and governors to remain in their homes get their prescriptions filled and buy the food to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shutdown be sustained if the necessities of life for the unemployed and unpaid begin to run out ?
Is it necessary to create an economic and social crisis to solve the medical crisis ?
`` We had to destroy the village in order to save it , '' was a remark attributed to a U.S. Army officer in the Vietnam War .
Must we cripple or destroy the economy to rescue the American nation from the coronavirus crisis of 2020 ?
Then there is the matter of time .
Many Americans can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for two or four weeks .
Far fewer can survive without income for two or four months .
If we shut down the economy , what will we have when the medical crisis passes , be that in May , June , July , August or September ?
Will all those nonessential businesses we put to sleep come back to life ?
The free market system that is the legacy of Hamilton and the Founding Fathers is the world 's best design for the distribution of goods and services and ensuring prosperity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is decades beyond what it was in the early 20th century , there are government programs to provide the necessities of life for those who can no longer access or afford them .
But businesses are needed to deliver the goods .
And if , by government command , America 's free economy is partly shut down as unessential in this medical crisis , the government could be responsible for imposing the conditions that lead to social disorder .
At some point , the country is going to have to open up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let the market work to provide food—or people will engage in panic buying , hoarding and using any means to get what they need for themselves and their families .
Reports of folks in this heavily armed nation stocking up on guns and ammunition suggest a widespread apprehension of what may be coming .
If the medical crisis is allowed to induce an economic crisis that leads to a social crisis , the American political system , our democratic system , may itself be severely tested .
Lest we forget : In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in which the issue was whether the American Union would be severed into two nations , Abraham Lincoln suspended the right of habeas corpus , shut down state legislatures , closed newspapers , jailed journalists and was prepared to arrest the Chief Justice .
And for the dictatorial measures he took , and for waging the bloodiest war in U.S. history , against fellow Americans , Lincoln is now regarded by many as our greatest president .
Patrick J. Buchanan needs no introduction to VDARE.COM readers ; his books State of Emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of America , and Suicide of a Superpower : Will America Survive to 2025 ?
are available from Amazon.com .
Patrick J. Buchanan is the author of “ The Greatest Comeback : How Richard Nixon Rose From Defeat to Create the New Majority .
His latest book , published May , 2018 , is “ Nixon ’ s White House Wars : The Battles That Made and Broke a President and Divided America Forever.
” See Peter Brimelow ’ s review : “ Wheel And Fight ” —Pat Buchanan ’ s Nixon Book @ @ @ @ @ @

Earlier by Patrick J. Buchanan: Are Americans All-In for a Long Coronavirus War?
"We cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself," tweeted the president on Sunday night, adding that, after the current 15-day shutdown, "we will make a decision as to which way we want to go."
President Trump is said to be privately expressing a deepening concern at the damage the coronavirus shutdown is doing to the U.S. economy and debating whether it can be safely reopened.
Though castigated for his remark, Trump has a point.
The U.S. is rightly using extreme measures to meet the threat and control the virus that threatens the lives of millions of Americans, with the elderly sick foremost among them. And we need to do so without killing the economy upon which scores of millions of other Americans depend.
Clearly, America was unprepared for this pandemic.
And there will be time enough to assess responsibility for the lack of surgical masks, medical gowns, rubber gloves, respirators, ventilators and hospital beds.
The immediate imperative is to produce those beds and that equipment and get it delivered to doctors, nurses and hospital staff, the front-line troops in the battle to control the virus.
However, during this shutdown, all "nonessential businesses" are being closed and their workers sent home to shelter in place and to keep "social distance" from friends and neighbors to minimize the risk of spreading this easily transmissible virus.
Unfortunately, what is "nonessential" to some—bars, restaurants, hotels, stores, cruise ships, tourist sites, shops, malls—are places of employment and indispensable sources of income for millions of other Americans.
Close the businesses where these Americans work and you terminate the paychecks on which they depend to pay the rent and buy the food and medicines they and their families need to shelter and live. And if the salaries and wages on which workers depend are cut off, how are these millions of newly unemployed supposed to live?
How do those who follow the instructions of the president and governors to remain in their homes get their prescriptions filled and buy the food to feed their families?
How long can the shutdown be sustained if the necessities of life for the unemployed and unpaid begin to run out? Is it necessary to create an economic and social crisis to solve the medical crisis?
"We had to destroy the village in order to save it," was a remark attributed to a U.S. Army officer in the Vietnam War. Must we cripple or destroy the economy to rescue the American nation from the coronavirus crisis of 2020?
Then there is the matter of time. Many Americans can survive on what they have on hand for two or four weeks. Far fewer can survive without income for two or four months.
If we shut down the economy, what will we have when the medical crisis passes, be that in May, June, July, August or September?
Will all those nonessential businesses we put to sleep come back to life?
The free market system that is the legacy of Hamilton and the Founding Fathers is the world's best design for the distribution of goods and services and ensuring prosperity. And in a population where life expectancy is decades beyond what it was in the early 20th century, there are government programs to provide the necessities of life for those who can no longer access or afford them.
But businesses are needed to deliver the goods.
And if, by government command, America's free economy is partly shut down as unessential in this medical crisis, the government could be responsible for imposing the conditions that lead to social disorder.
At some point, the country is going to have to open up the supply chains and take the risks to let the market work to provide food—or people will engage in panic buying, hoarding and using any means to get what they need for themselves and their families.
Reports of folks in this heavily armed nation stocking up on guns and ammunition suggest a widespread apprehension of what may be coming.
If the medical crisis is allowed to induce an economic crisis that leads to a social crisis, the American political system, our democratic system, may itself be severely tested.
Lest we forget: In the greatest crisis in this nation's history, in which the issue was whether the American Union would be severed into two nations, Abraham Lincoln suspended the right of habeas corpus, shut down state legislatures, closed newspapers, jailed journalists and was prepared to arrest the Chief Justice. And for the dictatorial measures he took, and for waging the bloodiest war in U.S. history, against fellow Americans, Lincoln is now regarded by many as our greatest president.
COPYRIGHT 2020 CREATORS.COM
Patrick J. Buchanan needs no introduction to VDARE.COM readers; his books State of Emergency: The Third World Invasion and Conquest of America, and Suicide of a Superpower: Will America Survive to 2025? are available from Amazon.com. Patrick J. Buchanan is the author of “The Greatest Comeback: How Richard Nixon Rose From Defeat to Create the New Majority.
His latest book, published May, 2018, is “Nixon’s White House Wars: The Battles That Made and Broke a President and Divided America Forever.”
See Peter Brimelow’s review: “Wheel And Fight”—Pat Buchanan’s Nixon Book Provides Road Map For Trump.


vdare--2020-03-23--Border Closed To "Nonessential" Travel. How Do You Define It? Mexican President Still Considers Bord

Border Closed To "Nonessential" Travel. How Do You Define It? Mexican President Still Considers Border Open.

I wrote my previous article from Mexico and I was hoping that I would be able to get across the border to return to the U.S. That turned out not to be a problem .
Our family successfully crossed the border and are at home in the United States .
The border was , by the agreement of the U.S. and Mexico , closed to `` nonessential travel '' shortly after midnight on March 21 .
But how tight is it ?
That might depend on where you are and how you define `` nonessential '' .
The Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border and barring migrants illegally crossing the border from entering the US .
Citing the `` unscreened '' and `` unvetted '' people who come into the US from the southern border , President Donald Trump said the border would be sealed off `` mostly , and even beyond , but mostly during this global pandemic . ''
Trump administration limits nonessential travel between US and Mexico by Priscilla Alvarez , Geneva Sands , Betsy Klein , Jennifer Hansler , CNN , March 20 , 2020 “ Nonessential travel ” ?
There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ define “ nonessential travel ” ?
Shouldn ’ t that always be the case ?
The plan was developed in conjunction with the Mexican government .
…Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said , `` After the meetings we have had , very intense and long last two days and nights , what has been achieved is that the measures for reducing the risk of propagation of the virus will not affect the substantive economy activities of Mexico and the United States and of the border region . ''
Ebrard also maintained that all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Several days later , Mexican President AMLO still didn ’ t consider the border as being closed .
This is what he said in his morning press conference on March 23 : ” …we managed to keep the border with the United States from being closed , for that I thanked President Trump .
The fundamental thing is that commerce , the economy , the free flow , the movement of persons who must go the United States or to come to Mexico for reasons of health , education , personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do it [ cross the border ] .
Only those visits which are not considered necessary are limited .
[ LOL , what ’ s left ? ]
…Imagine the damage of closing the border .
Even with the Coronavirus , AMLO doesn ’ t want to close the border with the United States .
According to the Washington Examiner Customs and Border Protection officials are defying the Trump administration ’ s directive to block all nonessential foreign travel into the United States from Mexico , allowing noncitizens claiming to be on shopping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two officials involved in the implementation of the order .
CBP employees in Arizona told the Washington Examiner Saturday they were instructed Friday night at the start of the executive order and again this morning not to turn around noncitizens who said they were coming in to shop , visit family , or for medical appointments .
By Saturday morning [ March 21 ] , “ hundreds ” of vehicles that should have been blocked at the port of entry had been allowed through , two officials said .
“ We 're letting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much the gist of it , ” one official said .
“ Nobody 's enforcing it .
It was put up — the president put it out .
The chief patrol put it out .
And we 're just not doing it.
” Claim they 're going shopping : Border officials allow hundreds of Mexican vehicles to cross despite Trump ban , by Anna Giaritelli , Washington Examiner , March 21 , 2020 At the end of their article there is an update : That was Arizona .
Meanwhile , farther west , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an article entitled Coronavirus border travel restrictions start to impact daily life by Gustavo Solis , March 21 , 2020 .
The article included three anecdotes about Mexicans who weren ’ t allowed in : 1 ) A Tijuana factory worker who works in a respirator factory , who pays his phone bill on the U.S. side because it ’ s cheaper , 2 ) A 63-year old grandmother intending to go to San Diego to care for her grandchildren while their mother works from home but “ require so much attention that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done ” .
3 ) A Mexican who has a post office box in San Diego .
However , getting into Mexico does n't seem to be a problem .
A tighter U.S.-Mexican border would be better for both countries , though the Mexican government and many Mexicans don ’ t see it that way now .

I wrote my previous article from Mexico and I was hoping that I would be able to get across the border to return to the U.S.
That turned out not to be a problem. Our family successfully crossed the border and are at home in the United States.
The border was, by the agreement of the U.S. and Mexico, closed to "nonessential travel" shortly after midnight on March 21. But how tight is it?
That might depend on where you are and how you define "nonessential".
From CNN:
The Trump administration is limiting nonessential travel on the US-Mexico border and barring migrants illegally crossing the border from entering the US. Citing the "unscreened" and "unvetted" people who come into the US from the southern border, President Donald Trump said the border would be sealed off "mostly, and even beyond, but mostly during this global pandemic." Trump administration limits nonessential travel between US and Mexico, by Priscilla Alvarez, Geneva Sands, Betsy Klein, Jennifer Hansler, CNN, March 20, 2020
“Nonessential travel”? There’s the rub, how do you define “nonessential travel”?
As for illegal aliens,
At the direction of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Homeland Security will suspend entry of all migrants "seeking to enter the US without proper travel documentation" -- for both the northern and southern border, Wolf said Friday. Migrants who are apprehended at the border will either be quickly removed or repatriated to their origin country, Wolf added.
Shouldn’t that always be the case?
The plan was developed in conjunction with the Mexican government.
…Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said, "After the meetings we have had, very intense and long last two days and nights, what has been achieved is that the measures for reducing the risk of propagation of the virus will not affect the substantive economy activities of Mexico and the United States and of the border region." Ebrard also maintained that all "essential movements shouldn't be affected."
Several days later, Mexican President AMLO still didn’t consider the border closed. This is what he said in his morning press conference on March 23:
”…we managed to keep the border with the United States from being closed, for that I thanked President Trump. The fundamental thing is that commerce, the economy, the free flow, the movement of persons who must go the United States or to come to Mexico for reasons of health, education, personal development, family matters, they can do it [cross the border]. Only those visits which are not considered necessary are limited. [LOL, what’s left?] …Imagine the damage of closing the border. Versión estenográfica de la conferencia de prensa matutina | Lunes 23 de marzo de 2020 (“Stenographic Version of the Morning Press conference, Monday March 23, 2020”), Presidential Website, March 23, 2020
Even with the Coronavirus, AMLO doesn’t want to close the border with the United States.
(As of the night of March 22, Mexico had 316 cases of coronavirus, 64% being male.)
According to the Washington Examiner
Customs and Border Protection officials are defying the Trump administration’s directive to block all nonessential foreign travel into the United States from Mexico, allowing noncitizens claiming to be on shopping trips to continue entering, according to two officials involved in the implementation of the order. CBP employees in Arizona told the Washington Examiner Saturday they were instructed Friday night at the start of the executive order and again this morning not to turn around noncitizens who said they were coming in to shop, visit family, or for medical appointments. By Saturday morning [March 21], “hundreds” of vehicles that should have been blocked at the port of entry had been allowed through, two officials said. “We're letting them through. And that's pretty much the gist of it,” one official said. “Nobody's enforcing it. It was put up — the president put it out. The chief patrol put it out. And we're just not doing it.” Claim they're going shopping: Border officials allow hundreds of Mexican vehicles to cross despite Trump ban, by Anna Giaritelli, Washington Examiner, March 21, 2020
At the end of their article there is an update:
UPDATE: Saturday night, after publication of this story, sources used for this article said agents in the areas they were aware of had started turning away Mexicans claiming they wanted to enter to shop or for tourism.
That was Arizona. Meanwhile, farther west, San Diego Union-Tribune came out with an article entitled Coronavirus border travel restrictions start to impact daily life, by Gustavo Solis, March 21, 2020.
U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, people with work visas, and those traveling for education or medical reasons are still allowed to travel freely across the border with proper documentation. The travel restrictions created an unusually quiet scene at the border Saturday morning (March 21).The sidewalks, usually bustling with people running errands, were empty, as were the pedestrian lanes into San Diego. U.S. citizens and green-card holders who crossed into San Diego Saturday morning noted that the new travel restrictions had virtually no direct impact on them. “It’s business as usual,” said Neil Adams, a U.S. citizen who was coming back to San Diego after a couple of days of eating fresh lobster and visiting family in Rosarito. But for many others whose lives straddle both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border…the restrictions are already having an impact.
The article included three anecdotes about Mexicans who weren’t allowed in: 1) A Tijuana factory worker who works in a respirator factory, who pays his phone bill on the U.S. side because it’s cheaper, 2) A 63-year old grandmother intending to go to San Diego to care for her grandchildren while their mother works from home but “require so much attention that their mother cannot get any work done.” 3) A Mexican who has a post office box in San Diego.
However, getting into Mexico doesn't seem to be a problem.
The new travel restrictions were not as heavily enforced for people traveling from the U.S. into Mexico at San Ysidro Saturday morning. A San Diego Union-Tribune reporter crossing south walked by Mexican customs officials without showing a passport or being asked any questions about the purpose of the trip.
A tighter U.S.-Mexican border would be better for both countries, though the Mexican government and many Mexicans don’t see it that way now.


vdare--2020-03-23--Trump-Voter-Mocking Max Boot In 2009 (As 17, 000 Died From Swine Flu)  "Let’s Remove the Masks and T

Trump-Voter-Mocking Max Boot In 2009 (As 17, 000 Died From Swine Flu)  "Let’s Remove the Masks and Take a Deep Breath"

Max Boot was always an annoying and dangerous neocon , but the Trump Era seems to have driven him over the edge , long before China Virus happened .
The Zman put it this way : The headline at RedState is CNN ’ s Max Boot Mocks Trump Voters Sheltering in Homes , Says How Good They Had It With Obama , Weeps Hillary Not in Charge RedState 's Nick Arama has clicked through to Boot 's actual column Washington Post column , and it 's normal hateful Boot : Utterly lacking in empathy , Trump is incapable of rallying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , “ What do you say to Americans who are watching you right now who are scared ?
, ” Trump launched into a tirade against the reporter who asked the question .
Like the snake-oil salesman that he is , his version of reassurance is to tout miracle cures that have not been verified by medical science .
I weep in anger and frustration imagining what might have been if Hillary Clinton — a sane , sensible adult — had won .
We couldn ’ t have avoided the coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We could be South Korea ( 102 deaths ) rather than Italy ( 4,825 deaths and counting ) .
Under Hillary Clinton ( or Barack Obama for the matter ) they would have had none of the good economy that Trump brought because of his positive business , tax , and deregulation policies .
But let ’ s look at what would have happened if they were in charge .
We can make some surmises based upon their past actions as well as statements now .
They let over 17,000 people die @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t give a darn about that , no reason to panic .
This was Boot 's 2009 Tweet [ Archive ] which RedState found from 2009 .
It 's a screenshot , because it 's the kind of thing Boot is likely to delete : Here 's what RedState did n't have , because Boot , in 2009 , messed up the link .
Let ’ s Remove the Masks and Take a Deep Breath Watching hysteria build around the swine flu outbreak — so similar to the unwarranted hysteria about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have been skeptical that a catastrophe is really likely to unfold .
Advances in medicine have been so great in recent decades — particularly the development of antibiotics and antivirals and in gene sequencing — that it seems to me highly unlikely we will see another pandemic of the order of the 1918 Spanish flu outbreak which killed tens of millions .
But as a layman — and one whose last science course was in high school ( ! )
— I don ’ t feel qualified to question the alarmists .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ gratified to read in this morning ’ s Wall Street Journal this article by Peter Palese .
Unlike me , he knows a lot about the subject ; he ’ s the chairman of the department of microbiology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York .
And he also thinks the scare-mongering is overblown .
The headline sums up his argument : “ Why Swine Flu Isn ’ t So Scary.
” He concludes : “ The most likely outcome is that the current swine virus will become another ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Perhaps Joe Biden should read this before he advises Americans again to stay off of airplanes .
Here 's a list of VDARE.com 's Boot coverage in the pre-Coronavirus Trump Era , during which he had already gone completely crazy : • Public Service Announcement For Max Boot : Say `` Tear Down '' , Not `` Burn Down '' • Greenberg : Let Us Praise Frum , Boot , Cohen , Rubin , Kirchick , Stephens , Cathy Young , and Bill Kristol for Resisting `` The Pressures of Tribalism '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Worrying About Protecting U.S. Border When There 's an Insurgency in Mali ?
• Max Boot 's Not Really Getting the Joke • Max Boot , Mr .
Invade the World/Invite the World , Discovers White Privilege Under Trump • Will Marco Rubio Disavow His Foreign Policy Advisor Max Boot for Endorsing Stalin Over Trump ?
• Max Boot : `` I Would Sooner Vote for Josef Stalin Than I Would Vote for Donald Trump ”

Max Boot was always an annoying and dangerous neocon, but the Trump Era seems to have driven him over the edge, long before China Virus happened.
The Zman put it this way:
Here's the latest example.
The headline at RedState is CNN’s Max Boot Mocks Trump Voters Sheltering in Homes, Says How Good They Had It With Obama, Weeps Hillary Not in Charge
As they shelter in their homes and the economy grinds to a halt, I wonder if Trump voters now realize how good they had it under Obama?
Perhaps at least they will stop bragging about Trump’s economy now that the stock market has crashed? https://t.co/lOeyGBQ6AE — Max Boot 🇺🇦🇺🇸 (@MaxBoot) March 22, 2020
RedState's Nick Arama has clicked through to Boot's actual column Washington Post column, and it's normal hateful Boot:
Utterly lacking in empathy, Trump is incapable of rallying a shell-shocked nation. When asked on Friday, “What do you say to Americans who are watching you right now who are scared?,” Trump launched into a tirade against the reporter who asked the question. Like the snake-oil salesman that he is, his version of reassurance is to tout miracle cures that have not been verified by medical science. I weep in anger and frustration imagining what might have been if Hillary Clinton — a sane, sensible adult — had won. We couldn’t have avoided the coronavirus, but we could have ameliorated its effects. We could be South Korea (102 deaths) rather than Italy (4,825 deaths and counting).
RedState argues that
Under Hillary Clinton (or Barack Obama for the matter) they would have had none of the good economy that Trump brought because of his positive business, tax, and deregulation policies. But let’s look at what would have happened if they were in charge. We can make some surmises based upon their past actions as well as statements now. They let over 17,000 people die with the Swine flu, and Max didn’t give a darn about that, no reason to panic.
This was Boot's 2009 Tweet [Archive] which RedState found from 2009. It's a screenshot, because it's the kind of thing Boot is likely to delete:
Here's what RedState didn't have, because Boot, in 2009, messed up the link.
In Commentary Magazine's blog, Max Boot wrote this[Archive]:
Let’s Remove the Masks and Take a Deep Breath Max Boot May 02, 2009 Watching hysteria build around the swine flu outbreak — so similar to the unwarranted hysteria about avian flu not so long ago — I have been skeptical that a catastrophe is really likely to unfold. Advances in medicine have been so great in recent decades — particularly the development of antibiotics and antivirals and in gene sequencing — that it seems to me highly unlikely we will see another pandemic of the order of the 1918 Spanish flu outbreak which killed tens of millions. But as a layman — and one whose last science course was in high school (!) — I don’t feel qualified to question the alarmists. That’s why I was so gratified to read in this morning’s Wall Street Journal this article by Peter Palese. Unlike me, he knows a lot about the subject; he’s the chairman of the department of microbiology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. And he also thinks the scare-mongering is overblown. The headline sums up his argument: “Why Swine Flu Isn’t So Scary.” He concludes: “The most likely outcome is that the current swine virus will become another (fourth) strain of regular seasonal influenza.” Perhaps Joe Biden should read this before he advises Americans again to stay off of airplanes.
Here's a list of VDARE.com's Boot coverage in the pre-Coronavirus Trump Era, during which he had already gone completely crazy:


vdare--2020-03-23--This Day In VDARE.com History, 2017: Health Care And Nationalism: The Case of Poland

Originally published on this day in 2017 .
Watching President Trump push Paul Ryan 's health care bill is like watching a horror movie where the ditzy babysitter insists on going into the dark basement where the ax murderer is hiding .
You know what 's coming .
You are screaming at the television demanding she turn back .
And yet she walks on .
Michael Brendan Dougherty at The Week blasts the bill as a `` set of lies all the way down '' and argues Trump needs to return to his core agenda to avoid political disaster .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ their first big legislative push to fail , Republicans really would be better off .
This party no longer knows what it believes about entitlement reform or health care and it should n't pretend to know .
After watching Obama 's reforms blow up in his face merely for causing some health-insurance policies to be canceled , the GOP should know that passing a law that will disrupt the coverage of millions will be political suicide .
It 's time for the GOP to take a time-out on this fiasco and focus their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : immigration , infrastructure , and trade .
[ These are the bald-faced lies Republicans are telling about health care , March 23 , 2017 ] Hard to disagree .
But what is the nationalist position on health care ?
Richard Spencer at AltRight.com argues the current multicultural America precludes implementing a rational health care policy .
He says just impose a single payer system and be done with it .
But even in largely homogeneous countries , nationalist governments have taken the lead on implementing these policies .
Take the patriotic government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Left and strengthened its grip on power with universal health care .
( Ignore the effeminate name-calling and squealing from the source . )
[ D ] espite the barrage of critical opinions from the western world , which Poles have historically aspired to , PiS [ Law and Justice ] remains the most popular party in Poland , currently polling at 38 % , which is higher than the combined support of all other parliamentary parties put together .
There are several reasons for this , revealing dynamics observable not only in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further west as well .
While PiS is strongly rightwing on social issues , its economic approach can be described as leftist .
It emphasises the need to tackle inequality and propagates strong welfare policies .
It introduced unconditional monthly cash payments equivalent to £100 for all parents who have more than one child towards the upkeep of each subsequent child until he or she is 18 .
So if you have three children , you get £200 per month and so forth .
For parents with one child , the payment is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government ever embarked on such a generous social programme .
PiS ’ s approach puts many Polish leftists in a bind .
On the one hand , they deplore the party ’ s unashamedly xenophobic rhetoric ; on the other , they like its economic views , especially in comparison to the main opposition parties , Civic Platform and Nowoczesna , both dominated by folk still enamoured with Hayek .
In effect , some on Poland ’ s left are not as mobilised against PiS as they could be .
[ Xenophobic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how Poland 's right rules , by Remi Adekoya , The Guardian , October 25 , 2016 ] Donald Trump needs to deliver for his base of white , working class voters .
Cutting taxes for the rich , which is what Ryancare ( which will inevitably be called Trumpcare ) essentially is , is not the way to do it .
Doing literally nothing is a better idea than what the GOP is doing now .
As we said here months ago , if Trump tries to govern as a `` normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his blood , he 'll meet with Nixon 's fate .
It 's time to think outside the Beltway Right box and become the true nationalist leader his supporters hoped he would be .

Originally published on this day in 2017.
Watching President Trump push Paul Ryan's health care bill is like watching a horror movie where the ditzy babysitter insists on going into the dark basement where the ax murderer is hiding. You know what's coming. You are screaming at the television demanding she turn back. And yet she walks on.
Michael Brendan Dougherty at The Week blasts the bill as a "set of lies all the way down" and argues Trump needs to return to his core agenda to avoid political disaster.
As embarrassing as it would be for their first big legislative push to fail, Republicans really would be better off. This party no longer knows what it believes about entitlement reform or health care and it shouldn't pretend to know. After watching Obama's reforms blow up in his face merely for causing some health-insurance policies to be canceled, the GOP should know that passing a law that will disrupt the coverage of millions will be political suicide. It's time for the GOP to take a time-out on this fiasco and focus their energy on Trump's more populist agenda: immigration, infrastructure, and trade. [These are the bald-faced lies Republicans are telling about health care, March 23, 2017]
Hard to disagree. But what is the nationalist position on health care? Richard Spencer at AltRight.com argues the current multicultural America precludes implementing a rational health care policy. He says just impose a single payer system and be done with it.
[W]e can’t ignore the politics of this. If Trumpcare passes, leftists can credibly claim that Trump has betrayed his populist vision. They will recycle the hoary script about nationalism and “scapegoating” immigrants as a means of pushing through a draconian agenda. And they’ll have a point! This is the script they’ve used for decades, and it’s astonishing how the House Republicans seem determined to fit the caricature. Like the Satsuma Rebellion, it’s time for supporters of the Emperor to rise against him in his name. And it is time for the Alt-Right to push for a “public option”—the single-payer system that Obama’s didn’t have the balls to implement. [Why Trump Must Champion Universal Healthcare, March 23, 2017]
But even in largely homogeneous countries, nationalist governments have taken the lead on implementing these policies. Take the patriotic government of Poland, which has outflanked the Left and strengthened its grip on power with universal health care. (Ignore the effeminate name-calling and squealing from the source.)
[D]espite the barrage of critical opinions from the western world, which Poles have historically aspired to, PiS [Law and Justice] remains the most popular party in Poland, currently polling at 38%, which is higher than the combined support of all other parliamentary parties put together. There are several reasons for this, revealing dynamics observable not only in the wider eastern European region, but further west as well. While PiS is strongly rightwing on social issues, its economic approach can be described as leftist. It emphasises the need to tackle inequality and propagates strong welfare policies. It introduced unconditional monthly cash payments equivalent to £100 for all parents who have more than one child towards the upkeep of each subsequent child until he or she is 18. So if you have three children, you get £200 per month and so forth. For parents with one child, the payment is conditional on low income. No previous government ever embarked on such a generous social programme. PiS’s approach puts many Polish leftists in a bind. On the one hand, they deplore the party’s unashamedly xenophobic rhetoric; on the other, they like its economic views, especially in comparison to the main opposition parties, Civic Platform and Nowoczesna, both dominated by folk still enamoured with Hayek. In effect, some on Poland’s left are not as mobilised against PiS as they could be. [Xenophobic, authoritarian — and generous on welfare: how Poland's right rules, by Remi Adekoya, The Guardian, October 25, 2016]
Donald Trump needs to deliver for his base of white, working class voters. Cutting taxes for the rich, which is what Ryancare (which will inevitably be called Trumpcare) essentially is, is not the way to do it. Doing literally nothing is a better idea than what the GOP is doing now.
Q-poll: Whites w/o a college degree (Trump’s base) oppose AHCA by 26 points. https://t.co/fhIVqTOogE pic.twitter.com/YG6xGUrIdf — David Weigel (@daveweigel) March 23, 2017
As we said here months ago, if Trump tries to govern as a "normal" Republican when his enemies are baying for his blood, he'll meet with Nixon's fate. It's time to think outside the Beltway Right box and become the true nationalist leader his supporters hoped he would be.


vdare--2020-03-24--East-Asian Americans Under Attack. But Who Are The Attackers?

How deep is the ocean ?
How high is the sky ?
How mealy-mouthed about race are our major news @ @ @ @ @ Times just ran a 2,000-word story about East Asians being `` Spit on , yelled @ @ @ @ @ persons who blame them for the coronavirus .
But who are those persons ?
For @ @ @ @ @ I refer readers to Ying Ma 's 2011 book Chinese Girl in the Ghetto , @ @ @ @ @ 2006 ) , here ( 2010 ) , here ( 2011 ) , and here @ @ @ @ @ , one answer to the above question , no thanks to the NYT .

How deep is the ocean? How high is the sky? How mealy-mouthed about race are our major news outlets?
The New York Times just ran a 2,000-word story about East Asians being "Spit on, yelled at, attacked" by persons who blame them for the coronavirus. But who are those persons?
"Bigots" ... "a man" ... "bullies" ... "the man" ... [Spit On, Yelled At, Attacked: Chinese-Americans Fear for Their Safety, by Sabrina Tavernise and Richard A. Oppel Jr.; New York Times, March 23rd 2020]
For deeper insights into the matter I refer readers to Ying Ma's 2011 book Chinese Girl in the Ghetto, mentioned by us here (2006), here (2010), here (2011), and here (2017).
Below, one answer to the above question, no thanks to the NYT.
Can't load tweet https://twitter.com/tonyysays/status/1224801488956002305: Sorry, that page does not exist


vdare--2020-03-23--Will Dems Really Let Trump Out-Populist Them With Coronavirus UBI?

Incredibly , Democrats blocked a coronavirus stimulus package on Monday , fueling continuing market instability and the sense that no one is in charge [ Coronavirus Negotiations Stall Out Amid Democrats ’ Push for Long-Favored Policies , by Charles Lain Lehman , Washington Free Beacon , March 23 , 2020 ] .
Republicans can be criticized for a stimulus package that offers huge amounts of money to bail out certain industries .
But the Democrats are clearly focused on using this crisis as a kind of payday for their various client groups , especially non-whites , Leftist activist groups , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , President Donald J. Trump has thus been presented with the opportunity to seize a true populist mandate by offering direct financial aid ( Universal Basic Income ) to ordinary American citizens without regard to ethnicity or income–just in time to secure his re-election .
Of course the Cato Institute and Conservatism Inc. won ’ t like it .
But they didn ’ t like it either when Trump similarly seized on the immigration issue in the 2016 election—and won .
Trump may have understated the severity of the coronavirus a few weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to blame him .
Had he appeared on television calling for Americans to stay home from work , travel restrictions , and massive government stimulus programs , he would have been savaged by both the Left and the Right .
We shouldn ’ t forget that , until the scale of the crisis became truly undeniable just a week or two ago , most Main Stream Media commentators were lecturing Americans that the real problem was anti-Asian racism , not a disease that could kill untold thousands of people [ The actual danger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington Post , January 30 , 2020 ] .
Similarly , President Trump ’ s worry that a nationwide shutdown could be worse than the virus itself is a valid concern , despite current MSM scoffing [ Trump Says Coronavirus Cure Can not ‘ Be Worse Than the Problem Itself , by Maggie Haberman and David Sanger , MSN , March 23 , 2020 ] .
The virus is serious , but the amount of human suffering caused by a wholesale collapse of the global economy could be even worse [ The Worst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Here Yet , Banks and Investors Warn , by Anna Hirtenstein and Akane Otani , Wall Street Journal , March 22 , 2020 ] .
President Trump is being asked to do the impossible–project calm and confidence while simultaneously telling people not to leave their houses or they and everyone they love is going to die .
If he declared martial law or used naked force ( and Chinese-style tactics ) to keep people from gathering , he ’ d be accused of authoritarianism , if not outright fascism .
Trump is reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge groups of the population are ignoring it anyway .
While the Huffington Post and other journos are laughing at him , this is another example of Trump asking the obvious question that for some reason we aren ’ t allowed to mention [ Trump Considers Defying Health Experts , Ending Social Distancing Amid Coronavirus Pandemic , by Lydia O ’ Connor , Huffington Post , March 23 , 2020 ] .
Would journalists really prefer that President Trump use the military to force people to stay indoors—especially if this leads to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by force ?
What ’ s truly needed in such circumstances is a coordinated national response that transcends parties , but we aren ’ t going to get it .
Not long ago , Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said “ conceptually , I think we ’ re there ” when it came to a stimulus package [ Schumer : Democratic Coronavirus Financial Relief Plan Is “ Unemployment Insurance on Steroids ” by Tim Hains , RealClearPolitics , March 22 , 2020 ] .
Now , suddenly , Democrats say it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instead , the Democrats are proposing their monstrous bill with racial-socialist set-asides for various non-white groups , diversity requirements etc .
[ Nancy Pelosi Coronavirus Relief Bill Demands Racial , Gender Diversity From Corporate Recipients , by Charlie Spiering , Breitbart , March 23 , 2020 ] .
Of course , Republicans are hardly innocent in this situation too .
Hundreds of billions of dollars for specific market sectors necessarily means that government is picking winners and losers in a nominally capitalist economy [ Senate fails to advance coronavirus stimulus bill for second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carney , The Hill , March 23 , 2020 ] .
And Republicans are walking into a trap by not also requiring companies to maintain payrolls [ The Coronavirus Bailout Stalled .
And It ’ s Mitch McConnell ’ s Fault , New York Times , March 23 , 2020 ] .
This doesn ’ t mean that such requirements would be effective ; any government plan that requires businesses to commit to personnel decisions months in advance is practically an invitation for economic disaster .
On theoretical grounds , Republicans may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , on political grounds , it looks like the 2008 Bush bailouts all over again—which gave us President Barack Obama .
The best method is also the one there seemed to be a consensus around just a few days ago : direct aid to American citizens in the form of checks from the federal government ( D. Trump , proprietor ) .
Americans don ’ t need low-interest loans , weird racial caste schemes , or bailouts of certain companies and industries that will receive taxpayer-funded salvation at the expense of other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a universal program with maximum participation so they can afford to stay home until the virus burns itself out or a vaccine/treatment is developed .
This is precisely what Trump was proposing less than a week ago [ Cash assistance for Americans gains steam as coronavirus roils economy , by Jordan Carney and Sylvan Lane , The Hill , March 17 , 2020 ] .
It ’ s also what I was suggesting all the way back in 2013 in a VDARE.com webinar talk prophetically called The End Of Conservatism Inc. And The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only , among other breaks from libertarian orthodoxy .
And it was also the main idea behind Andrew Yang ’ s quixotic bid for the Democratic nomination .
In normal circumstances , UBI is difficult to implement because it gives people an incentive to stop working and because lobbyists and special interest groups will obviously oppose a broad-based , universal program in favor of complexity that they can manipulate .
However , in today ’ s extraordinary circumstances , changing incentives and maximum participation are precisely what you want .
In this current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home for at least a couple weeks and not feel that they must go into work , potentially spreading disease .
President Trump thus has a remarkable opportunity if he ’ s willing to make one of those breaks with Republican orthodoxy that he showed he was eminently capable of during the 2016 campaign .
Government bailouts for private industries , huge sums of taxpayer money funneled through individual companies , and a stimulus program practically written by lobbyists is a political loser [ Lobbyists pile on to get wins for clients into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Ted Mann , The Wall Street Journal , March 21 , 2020 ] .
It ’ s probably not going to work anyway [ Congress is working on a massive coronavirus relief package – it might not be enough for businesses , by Lauren Hirsch , CNBC , March 21 , 2020 ] .
In contrast , direct cash payments to Americans also attacks the main problem—the disease , not some underlying glitch in the financial system .
It ’ s a question of giving Americans enough money to survive , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will use their privileged position in the American racial caste system to lecture us about why white privilege can still apparently survive a pandemic and minorities need still more [ Watch–AOC : Coronavirus Hardships in U.S .
Worsened By ‘ Inequities of Race and Immigration Status , by Hannah Bleau , Breitbart , March 22 , 2020 ] And there is one amusing problem with a temporary UBI program–amazingly , journos want it for illegals too [ This is why Trump must give bailout checks to undocumented immigrants , by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 ] .
Amazingly , the Democrats are not merely handing Trump the economic populism issue , they ’ re going to add immigration patriotism as the cherry on top .
James Kirkpatrick [ Email him |Tweet him @ VDAREJamesK ] is a Beltway veteran and a refugee from Conservatism Inc. His latest book is Conservatism Inc. : The Battle for the American Right .
Read VDARE.com Editor Peter Brimelow 's Preface here .

Incredibly, Democrats blocked a coronavirus stimulus package on Monday, fueling continuing market instability and the sense that no one is in charge [Coronavirus Negotiations Stall Out Amid Democrats’ Push for Long-Favored Policies, by Charles Lain Lehman, Washington Free Beacon, March 23, 2020]. Republicans can be criticized for a stimulus package that offers huge amounts of money to bail out certain industries. But the Democrats are clearly focused on using this crisis as a kind of payday for their various client groups, especially non-whites, Leftist activist groups, and unions. With his eerie luck, President Donald J. Trump has thus been presented with the opportunity to seize a true populist mandate by offering direct financial aid (Universal Basic Income) to ordinary American citizens without regard to ethnicity or income—just in time to secure his re-election.
Of course the Cato Institute and Conservatism Inc. won’t like it. But they didn’t like it either when Trump similarly seized on the immigration issue in the 2016 election—and won.
Trump may have understated the severity of the coronavirus a few weeks ago, but it’s hard to blame him. Had he appeared on television calling for Americans to stay home from work, travel restrictions, and massive government stimulus programs, he would have been savaged by both the Left and the Right. We shouldn’t forget that, until the scale of the crisis became truly undeniable just a week or two ago, most Main Stream Media commentators were lecturing Americans that the real problem was anti-Asian racism, not a disease that could kill untold thousands of people [The actual danger of coronavirus, by Jessica Hauger, Washington Post, January 30, 2020].
Similarly, President Trump’s worry that a nationwide shutdown could be worse than the virus itself is a valid concern, despite current MSM scoffing [Trump Says Coronavirus Cure Cannot ‘Be Worse Than the Problem Itself, by Maggie Haberman and David Sanger, MSN, March 23, 2020]. The virus is serious, but the amount of human suffering caused by a wholesale collapse of the global economy could be even worse [The Worst of the Global Selloff Isn’t Here Yet, Banks and Investors Warn, by Anna Hirtenstein and Akane Otani, Wall Street Journal, March 22, 2020].
President Trump is being asked to do the impossible—project calm and confidence while simultaneously telling people not to leave their houses or they and everyone they love is going to die. If he declared martial law or used naked force (and Chinese-style tactics) to keep people from gathering, he’d be accused of authoritarianism, if not outright fascism.
Trump is reportedly questioning the point of social distancing if huge groups of the population are ignoring it anyway. While the Huffington Post and other journos are laughing at him, this is another example of Trump asking the obvious question that for some reason we aren’t allowed to mention [Trump Considers Defying Health Experts, Ending Social Distancing Amid Coronavirus Pandemic, by Lydia O’Connor, Huffington Post, March 23, 2020].
Would journalists really prefer that President Trump use the military to force people to stay indoors—especially if this leads to the spectacle of American troops restraining non-white communities by force?
What’s truly needed in such circumstances is a coordinated national response that transcends parties, but we aren’t going to get it. Not long ago, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said “conceptually, I think we’re there” when it came to a stimulus package [Schumer: Democratic Coronavirus Financial Relief Plan Is “Unemployment Insurance on Steroids” by Tim Hains, RealClearPolitics, March 22, 2020]. Now, suddenly, Democrats say it’s just a handout to Big Business. Instead, the Democrats are proposing their monstrous bill with racial-socialist set-asides for various non-white groups, diversity requirements etc. [Nancy Pelosi Coronavirus Relief Bill Demands Racial, Gender Diversity From Corporate Recipients, by Charlie Spiering, Breitbart, March 23, 2020].
Of course, Republicans are hardly innocent in this situation either. Hundreds of billions of dollars for specific market sectors necessarily means that government is picking winners and losers in a nominally capitalist economy [Senate fails to advance coronavirus stimulus bill for second time in two days, by Jordain Carney, The Hill, March 23, 2020]. And Republicans are walking into a trap by not also requiring companies to maintain payrolls [The Coronavirus Bailout Stalled. And It’s Mitch McConnell’s Fault, New York Times, March 23, 2020]. This doesn’t mean that such requirements would be effective; any government plan that requires businesses to commit to personnel decisions months in advance is practically an invitation for economic disaster. On theoretical grounds, Republicans may be right to argue against such requirements. However, on political grounds, it looks like the 2008 Bush bailouts all over again—which gave us President Barack Obama.
The best method is also the one there seemed to be a consensus around just a few days ago: direct aid to American citizens in the form of checks from the federal government (D. Trump, proprietor). Americans don’t need low-interest loans, weird racial caste schemes, or bailouts of certain companies and industries that will receive taxpayer-funded salvation at the expense of other companies. What Americans need is a universal program with maximum participation so they can afford to stay home until the virus burns itself out or a vaccine/treatment is developed. This is precisely what Trump was proposing less than a week ago [Cash assistance for Americans gains steam as coronavirus roils economy, by Jordan Carney and Sylvan Lane, The Hill, March 17, 2020].
It’s also what I was suggesting all the way back in 2013 in a VDARE.com webinar talk prophetically called The End Of Conservatism Inc. And The Way Forward—a national minimum income for citizens only, among other breaks from libertarian orthodoxy. And it was also the main idea behind Andrew Yang’s quixotic bid for the Democratic nomination.
In normal circumstances, UBI is difficult to implement because it gives people an incentive to stop working and because lobbyists and special interest groups will obviously oppose a broad-based, universal program in favor of complexity that they can manipulate.
However, in today’s extraordinary circumstances, changing incentives and maximum participation are precisely what you want. In this current situation, you want Americans to stay home for at least a couple weeks and not feel that they must go into work, potentially spreading disease.
President Trump thus has a remarkable opportunity if he’s willing to make one of those breaks with Republican orthodoxy that he showed he was eminently capable of during the 2016 campaign.
Government bailouts for private industries, huge sums of taxpayer money funneled through individual companies, and a stimulus program practically written by lobbyists is a political loser [Lobbyists pile on to get wins for clients into coronavirus stimulus package, by Brody Mullins and Ted Mann, Wall Street Journal, March 21, 2020]. It’s probably not going to work anyway [Congress is working on a massive coronavirus relief package—it might not be enough for businesses, by Lauren Hirsch, CNBC, March 21, 2020].
In contrast, direct cash payments to Americans also attacks the main problem—the disease, not some underlying glitch in the financial system. It’s a question of giving Americans enough money to survive, not reforming Wall Street.
Naturally, politicians like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will use their privileged position in the American racial caste system to lecture us about why white privilege can still apparently survive a pandemic and minorities need still more [Watch—AOC: Coronavirus Hardships in U.S. Worsened By ‘Inequities of Race and Immigration Status,' by Hannah Bleau, Breitbart, March 22, 2020]
And there is one amusing problem with a temporary UBI program–amazingly, journos want it for illegals too [This is why Trump must give bailout checks to undocumented immigrants, by Daniel Newhauser, VICE, March 19, 2020].
Amazingly, the Democrats are not merely handing Trump the economic populism issue, they’re going to add immigration patriotism as the cherry on top.
James Kirkpatrick [Email him |Tweet him @VDAREJamesK] is a Beltway veteran and a refugee from Conservatism Inc. His latest book is Conservatism Inc.: The Battle for the American Right. Read VDARE.com Editor Peter Brimelow's Preface here.


vdare--2020-03-24--This Day In VDARE.com History: Nicholas Kristof Feels Depression, But No Guilt, Over Country Formerl

This Day In VDARE.com History: Nicholas Kristof Feels Depression, But No Guilt, Over Country Formerly Known As Rhodesia

Much earlier by Peter Brimelow : Ian Smith 's Rhodesia Is Worth Remembering , Human Events , May 26 , @ @ @ @ @ Depression , But No Guilt , on this day in 2005 .
Nicholas Kristof updated @ @ @ @ @ years later [ Postcard From Zimbabwe , August 2010 , alternate link ] in which @ @ @ @ @ white rule , and against the false consciousness of the blacks who missed it : @ @ @ @ @ cringed as I heard Africans wax nostalgic about a nasty , oppressive regime run by @ @ @ @ @ Black Zimbabweans responded that at least that regime was more competent than today ’ s @ @ @ @ @ by the tiny black elite that surrounds Mr. Mugabe .
He continued to celebrate the @ @ @ @ @ betrayed Rhodesia to its death , and hoped that ( now black-ruled ) South Africa @ @ @ @ @ as if Mugabe , rather than black rule was the problem .
The Zimbabwean Government @ @ @ @ @ in this very recent Bloomberg headline : Below , the view from 2005 :

Much earlier by Peter Brimelow: Ian Smith's Rhodesia Is Worth Remembering, Human Events, May 26, 1979
Published here, as Depression, But No Guilt, on this day in 2005. Nicholas Kristof updated it with more reporting five years later [Postcard From Zimbabwe, August 2010, alternate link] in which he continued his rant against white rule, and against the false consciousness of the blacks who missed it:
Over and over, I cringed as I heard Africans wax nostalgic about a nasty, oppressive regime run by a tiny white elite. Black Zimbabweans responded that at least that regime was more competent than today’s nasty, oppressive regime run by the tiny black elite that surrounds Mr. Mugabe.
He continued to celebrate the "worldwide pressure" that betrayed Rhodesia to its death, and hoped that (now black-ruled) South Africa could do it again, as if Mugabe, rather than black rule was the problem. The Zimbabwean Government knows better, as seen in this very recent Bloomberg headline:
Zimbabwe Gives Land Back to White Farmers After Wrecking Economy, by Godfrey Marawanyika and Antony Sguazzin, March 13, 2020.
Below, the view from 2005:


vdare--2020-03-24--Democrat Coronavirus/China Virus Stimulus Bill Forces Corporations To Fund "Inclusion Initiatives" (

Democrat Coronavirus/China Virus Stimulus Bill Forces Corporations To Fund "Inclusion Initiatives" (Anti-White Hiring Practices) For 5 Years

As Americans hold their collective breath to avoid getting the China Virus , never forget our leaders want to make sure you can never , ever socially distance yourself from glorious diversity once this crisis passes ( and it will pass , just as all pandemics do ) .
Pelosi ’ s Coronavirus Stimulus Bill Mentions ‘ Diversity ’ 32 Times : 1,100-page bill would force all corporations receiving aid to fund ‘ inclusion initiatives ’ for at least 5 years , by Andrew Stiles , Free Beacon , March 23 , 2020 The word “ diversity ” appears 32 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) unveiled on Monday .
Pelosi released her plan as critics questioned the priorities of Democratic lawmakers facing the China-caused pandemic .
Senate Democrats voted Sunday to block a coronavirus stimulus package worth up to $ 1.8 trillion , and continued voting down procedural motions on the bill Monday .
Democrats in the upper chamber were reportedly upset that the legislation does not do enough to increase fuel-emissions standards for the airline industry or to provide additional tax credits to promote wind and solar energy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ky. ) said Senate negotiations over the relief package were going well until Pelosi imposed herself on the process .
Democratic obstruction gave the House speaker time to introduce her own coronavirus relief package in the House .
At more than 1,100 pages , the “ Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act ” is in keeping with the controversial comments Majority Whip James Clyburn ( D. , S.C. ) reportedly made on a conference call with Democratic lawmakers last week .
“ This is a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in reference to the drafting of the House Democratic response bill .
The Pelosi bill focuses on “ diversity , ” for example , more than one might expect from an emergency economic relief package .
The plan includes a section on “ Improving Corporate Governance Through Diversity ” that aims to “ ensure that corporate boards reflect the diversity and perspectives of the communities and consumers impacted by the hardships due to the coronavirus disease.
” The word “ inclusion ” appears 14 times in the text of the bill .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , titled “ Diversity Report , ” would establish a congressional oversight panel requiring any corporation that receives federal aid related to coronavirus to provide “ diversity data ” to congress .
The panel would publish a report on its findings the following year .
The required data would include demographic information about the corporation ’ s employees and board members in terms of “ race , gender , and ethnic identity.
” The panel would also demand demographics data on the corporation ’ s suppliers , service providers , consultants , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company .
The “ Diversity Report ” section also requires companies to compare the salaries of employees based on gender and race and furnish information on the “ number of staff and budget dedicated to diversity and inclusion initiatives.
” Furthermore , the House bill states that all corporations receiving federal aid “ must maintain officials and budget dedicated to diversity and inclusion initiatives for no less than 5 years after disbursement of funds.
” The House , meanwhile , is not even in session right now .
It would not be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coming days , so any bipartisan deal on a stimulus package is almost certain to be hammered out in the Senate .

As Americans hold their collective breath to avoid getting the China Virus, never forget our leaders want to make sure you can never, ever socially distance yourself from glorious diversity once this crisis passes (and it will pass, just as all pandemics do).
Pelosi’s Coronavirus Stimulus Bill Mentions ‘Diversity’ 32 Times: 1,100-page bill would force all corporations receiving aid to fund ‘inclusion initiatives’ for at least 5 years, by Andrew Stiles, Free Beacon, March 23, 2020
The word “diversity” appears 32 times in the coronavirus relief bill House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) unveiled on Monday. Pelosi released her plan as critics questioned the priorities of Democratic lawmakers facing the China-caused pandemic.
Senate Democrats voted Sunday to block a coronavirus stimulus package worth up to $1.8 trillion, and continued voting down procedural motions on the bill Monday. Democrats in the upper chamber were reportedly upset that the legislation does not do enough to increase fuel-emissions standards for the airline industry or to provide additional tax credits to promote wind and solar energy.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said Senate negotiations over the relief package were going well until Pelosi imposed herself on the process. Democratic obstruction gave the House speaker time to introduce her own coronavirus relief package in the House. At more than 1,100 pages, the “Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act” is in keeping with the controversial comments Majority Whip James Clyburn (D., S.C.) reportedly made on a conference call with Democratic lawmakers last week. “This is a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision,” said Clyburn, in reference to the drafting of the House Democratic response bill.
The Pelosi bill focuses on “diversity,” for example, more than one might expect from an emergency economic relief package. The plan includes a section on “Improving Corporate Governance Through Diversity” that aims to “ensure that corporate boards reflect the diversity and perspectives of the communities and consumers impacted by the hardships due to the coronavirus disease.” The word “inclusion” appears 14 times in the text of the bill.
One section of the House Democratic bill, titled “Diversity Report,” would establish a congressional oversight panel requiring any corporation that receives federal aid related to coronavirus to provide “diversity data” to congress. The panel would publish a report on its findings the following year.
The required data would include demographic information about the corporation’s employees and board members in terms of “race, gender, and ethnic identity.” The panel would also demand demographics data on the corporation’s suppliers, service providers, consultants, and the various financial institutions utilized by the company.
The “Diversity Report” section also requires companies to compare the salaries of employees based on gender and race and furnish information on the “number of staff and budget dedicated to diversity and inclusion initiatives.”
Furthermore, the House bill states that all corporations receiving federal aid “must maintain officials and budget dedicated to diversity and inclusion initiatives for no less than 5 years after disbursement of funds.”
The House, meanwhile, is not even in session right now. It would not be able to cast votes on the legislation in the coming days, so any bipartisan deal on a stimulus package is almost certain to be hammered out in the Senate.


vdare--2020-03-23--Trump-Voter-Mocking Max Boot In 2009 (As 17,000 Died From Swine Flu) : "Let’s Remove the Masks and T

Trump-Voter-Mocking Max Boot In 2009 (As 17,000 Died From Swine Flu) : "Let’s Remove the Masks and Take a Deep Breath"

Max Boot was always an annoying and dangerous neocon , but the Trump Era seems to have driven him over the edge , long before China Virus happened .
The Zman put it this way : The headline at RedState is CNN ’ s Max Boot Mocks Trump Voters Sheltering in Homes , Says How Good They Had It With Obama , Weeps Hillary Not in Charge RedState 's Nick Arama has clicked through to Boot 's actual column Washington Post column , and it 's normal hateful Boot : Utterly lacking in empathy , Trump is incapable of rallying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , “ What do you say to Americans who are watching you right now who are scared ?
, ” Trump launched into a tirade against the reporter who asked the question .
Like the snake-oil salesman that he is , his version of reassurance is to tout miracle cures that have not been verified by medical science .
I weep in anger and frustration imagining what might have been if Hillary Clinton — a sane , sensible adult — had won .
We couldn ’ t have avoided the coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We could be South Korea ( 102 deaths ) rather than Italy ( 4,825 deaths and counting ) .
Under Hillary Clinton ( or Barack Obama for the matter ) they would have had none of the good economy that Trump brought because of his positive business , tax , and deregulation policies .
But let ’ s look at what would have happened if they were in charge .
We can make some surmises based upon their past actions as well as statements now .
They let over 17,000 people die @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t give a darn about that , no reason to panic .
This was Boot 's 2009 Tweet [ Archive ] which RedState found from 2009 .
It 's a screenshot , because it 's the kind of thing Boot is likely to delete : Here 's what RedState did n't have , because Boot , in 2009 , messed up the link .
Let ’ s Remove the Masks and Take a Deep Breath Watching hysteria build around the swine flu outbreak — so similar to the unwarranted hysteria about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have been skeptical that a catastrophe is really likely to unfold .
Advances in medicine have been so great in recent decades — particularly the development of antibiotics and antivirals and in gene sequencing — that it seems to me highly unlikely we will see another pandemic of the order of the 1918 Spanish flu outbreak which killed tens of millions .
But as a layman — and one whose last science course was in high school ( ! )
— I don ’ t feel qualified to question the alarmists .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ gratified to read in this morning ’ s Wall Street Journal this article by Peter Palese .
Unlike me , he knows a lot about the subject ; he ’ s the chairman of the department of microbiology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York .
And he also thinks the scare-mongering is overblown .
The headline sums up his argument : “ Why Swine Flu Isn ’ t So Scary.
” He concludes : “ The most likely outcome is that the current swine virus will become another ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Perhaps Joe Biden should read this before he advises Americans again to stay off of airplanes .
Here 's a list of VDARE.com 's Boot coverage in the pre-Coronavirus Trump Era , during which he had already gone completely crazy : • Public Service Announcement For Max Boot : Say `` Tear Down , '' Not `` Burn Down '' • Greenberg : Let Us Praise Frum , Boot , Cohen , Rubin , Kirchick , Stephens , Cathy Young , and Bill Kristol for Resisting `` The Pressures of Tribalism '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Worrying About Protecting U.S. Border When There 's an Insurgency in Mali ?
• Max Boot 's Not Really Getting the Joke • Max Boot , Mr .
Invade the World/Invite the World , Discovers White Privilege Under Trump • Will Marco Rubio Disavow His Foreign Policy Advisor Max Boot for Endorsing Stalin Over Trump ?
• Max Boot : `` I Would Sooner Vote for Josef Stalin Than I Would Vote for Donald Trump ”


vdare--2020-03-22--Jim Miller: The Biggest Prediction Failure Was of the Financial Markets

I think it was only a month ago that the stock market first dropped sharply , and that was also @ @ @ @ @ brief Bernie Boom .
I sort of think that part of the problem was that @ @ @ @ @ Era news has been too interesting day to day for many people to want to @ @ @ @ @ new topic .
For example , the Trump impeachment trial in the Senate didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ .
I ’ m less interested in partisan bickering than most , but still , @ @ @ @ @ only once about coronavirus in January .
Sorry about that .

Smith college economist Jim Miller observes:
The biggest prediction failure was of the financial markets. A market crash in early Feb would have been a wake up call to the world. We pay $$$ to our best and brightest to work in finance, and prediction is a huge part of their job. They let us down. — James Miller (@JimDMiller) March 22, 2020
I think it was only a month ago that the stock market first dropped sharply, and that was also in part due to the brief Bernie Boom.
I sort of think that part of the problem was that the main throughlines of Trump Era news has been too interesting day to day for many people to want to change the subject to some new topic. For example, the Trump impeachment trial in the Senate didn’t end until February 12.
I’m less interested in partisan bickering than most, but still, I only managed to blog only once about coronavirus in January. Sorry about that.
[Comment at Unz.com]