dailykos--2020-04-15--Why J.D. Scholten Ran a Half Marathon (Without Training)

Last night , J.D .
Scholten , who ’ s running against Steve King to serve Iowa ’ s 4th district , ran a half marathon…..without training…..after drinking some whiskey the night before .
To raise money for an organization the provides food and medical services to our farmworkers .
You see , Sonny Perdue and the Trump Administration are trying to cut the pay of 250,000 H2A farmworkers in the middle of a pandemic .
Farmworkers are essential frontline workers , helping to put food on our tables and keep our grocery stores stocked .
Despite their critical work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they earn an average of only $ 11,000 a year -- and now the Trump Administration wants to slash their pay even further .
So , J.D .
Scholten ran a half marathon to support our farmworkers and all our frontline workers .
He ran by the hospital ... And the stockyards and the little league fields he used to play on and the mall where dozens of small businesses and shops are closed… .
He ran to the police department and back to honor 3 police officers in Sioux City , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have confirmed COVID-19 cases… And he finished !
A little over 14 miles in 2 hours .
Not bad for no training .
Pretty soon , he ’ ll be running Steve King out of Congress too .

Last night, J.D. Scholten, who’s running against Steve King to serve Iowa’s 4th district, ran a half marathon…..without training…..after drinking some whiskey the night before.
Why?
To raise money for an organization the provides food and medical services to our farmworkers.
You see, Sonny Perdue and the Trump Administration are trying to cut the pay of 250,000 H2A farmworkers in the middle of a pandemic.
Farmworkers are essential frontline workers, helping to put food on our tables and keep our grocery stores stocked. Despite their critical work every day ensuring our health and well-being, they earn an average of only $11,000 a year -- and now the Trump Administration wants to slash their pay even further.
So, J.D. Scholten ran a half marathon to support our farmworkers and all our frontline workers. He ran by the hospital...
And the stockyards and the little league fields he used to play on and the mall where dozens of small businesses and shops are closed….
He ran to the police department and back to honor 3 police officers in Sioux City, including Police Chief, Rex Mueller, who have confirmed COVID-19 cases…
And he finished! A little over 14 miles in 2 hours. Not bad for no training. Pretty soon, he’ll be running Steve King out of Congress too.
Iowa


dailykos--2020-04-15--There's still sports to watch!

There's still sports to watch!

So .
The game has been something else and nothing less than interesting .
Since the beginning , it was a small and rather insignificant thing that many didn ’ t give much mind .
As time went on , more people took notice and eventually , action amid this crisis that is now where near the end .
The big question is…when will it end ?
As to date , we have been watching the game ( not in person due to ‘ social distancing ' ) , on TV , computer , phones and all other media .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ swing , as are the precautions being taken now .
As we watch the game , we have seen no reason to fear that Team Humanity would have a problem and defeat Team COVID-19 .
When the first sights of this rose up in China , it was looked at like SARS was back-in-the-day ( very similar and a close cousin of COVID ) .
It was a finite issue and even died out when it crossed borders and oceans .
SARS was a sorry contender in the arena and didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Team SARS proved to be a disappointment indeed .
Although it did make minor impacts , such as on pop culture shows , like ‘ Family Guy ’ .
When Peter Griffin was on a crowded subway train with a group of Asian folks from the Far East when he got an idea .
Turning to them , Peter said .
“ All of you .
Cough really hard and long.
” When they did that , the rest of the passengers moved away from them as far from them as possible .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the subway car in question .
That was a joke then and not taken all that seriously .
Is anyone laughing now ?
I can attest that the humor of it is like a boomerang and has hit us all in the face , head on and hard !
If that situation in reality would have happened now , I am sure that a team of Hazmat personnel would jump the lot of them and quarantine them , collectively and in a swift manner .
SARS did it ’ s best to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bowl playoffs of perilous diseases .
They didn ’ t cover the point spread and years went by without incident .
However , enter Team COVID-19 ( the Corona Virus ) .
Now this is a team that is formidable !
COVID has game and in a big way !
For starters , it was underestimated .
News and media helped with that one in general , though not intentionally , but it did so effectively , nevertheless .
In late 2019 , no one was really looking at this as the ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from that .
It was holiday time and not one source was focusing or addressing the matter much .
All we knew was that there was an outbreak in China , and China , being China , had swung in full force and taken the actions that most others should have when COVID developed into a real issue for not only the Far East nation , but others as well .
Team COVID was allowed to train discreetly without interference .
As time progressed , to a scant few that knew better then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 had became something to not only notice , but fear and with good reason .
However , the world turned and not much attention was given in response to the same .
New Year ’ s Eve 2019 had been the landmark and start of a serious game with a kick ass team in the mix .
Humans and even animals were going to be affected by all , but it still was in its infancy and not much had been done about that one to date .
No one thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was on that level of the virus and our reactions to the same .
Fan base had grown slowly , but surely , and suddenly we had the event of the second decade of the 21st Century and 2nd Millennium .
Team Humanity versus Team COVID-19 .
Truly anything but boring , rest assured .
A real crowd pleaser indeed .
Fans .
Let ’ s get something straight right from the start , this is no ordinary game !
Too much is at stake and there is no room for dissention among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the mainstay and the main factor that is needed for Team Humanity .
In the beginning , there were only a limited number of people affected and scant deaths .
However , the deaths only affected the very old and very young , as is almost always the case with physical calamities throughout history , it rose up in the ranks .
Little mind paid to it in the beginning of 2020 .
As time went on , more and more places in China had become rather daunting .
Shutdowns there had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and all waited for what was thought of as ‘ not much ado about nothing ’ .
Team COVID then made its presence known globally , piecemeal as it were at the time .
It reached out and made beachheads on Europe , North America , Africa , South America and Australia .
All the continents were suddenly in the game but slow to realize it , except for the scant few in the beginning , though that number had increased .
WHO ( World Health Organization ) was alerted and responded in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us in the ‘ Good ‘ ol U. S. of A.
’ , were inept in seeing the problem as a problem and continued with business as usual .
We in the U.S. were not alone .
Europe went on with their business and pleasure , as did everyone else , though more attention was paid to the game that had started with little change in the scores .
So COVID was on the field and playing the game and in a big way .
Slow progression was their thing and strength .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ much like in American football and Team Humanity received it , though they had pretty much stood and wondered , ‘ What do we do next ?
’ .
In a flash , sacking the receiver was the key .
The ball was now near the touchback line and Team Humanity was in for it from the start .
They were in the bad end of things and didn ’ t have any plays ready to retort with in response COVID ’ s great advance .
Suddenly , it wasn ’ t just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing either , rather it had become a major league sports game with little known about the game plan .
Sad to say , there really wasn ’ t a game plan in the first place , rather a frantic response to all in a chaotic fashion .
The main players were in a daze and trying to figure out their next play .
Deaths occurring more in frequency and in more places made the game in favor of Team COVID .
The sick affected , but not killed , served only as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ underestimate such unfolding events .
So standing close to the touchback line , Team Humanity had reckoned , ‘ What happened ?
’ January 2020 proved to be the launching pad of media coverage , which was responding to the current events but without what the anecdote was or what it might be to counter all .
More importantly , there was no foreseeing how matters would come to call in the beginning up until now in the present .
February had shown that our plays sucked and we were not getting anywhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more serious and some progress had been made , but not much .
It wasn ’ t until the end of the month did all realize , ‘ We are really in a world of dung !
’ and it showed no signs of stopping .
Dead bodies all over displayed to everyone that this was quickly becoming a pandemic of sorts and needed immediate addressing .
As the sick piled into hospitals and clinic , the picture became clearer and us fans of the game knew that issues had come up and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ignored even if one wished it to be the case .
Enter the reaction of Team Humanity .
What occurred next astonished the globe collectively .
President Trump was just starting to understand , or seemingly appeared to understand , the situation .
He and his administration had gathered their heads together in a futile attempt at trying to deal with the situation .
It is sad to say that the plays called were generally bad or ineffective , sometimes both .
A slew of pressing issues had been held as important , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from what was and is still needed .
Immigration , drug wars , economic and business dilemmas , along with so many items were focused on rather than taking the problem ‘ head on ’ , as it should have been from the start .
Perhaps the gravity of it was not really appreciated until March and April .
That seems to be the case and justifies certain reactions .
Team COVID had made a field goal , not a touchdown .
It was enough to disrupt the confidence of Team Humanity and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reluctance in initiating ‘ lock downs ’ , ‘ wearing masks ’ , ‘ seeking medical help ’ , along with much else , led to the presently daunting picture we are all seeing now .
Suddenly , Trump had gotten maybe some comprehension and said publicly , “ It ’ s bad.
” From there too , when it was discussed what the probable outcome of how many dead there would be as a result , his response was , “ If we only have 100,000 deaths or so , then were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caused an outrage among us all , me included , that such a statement could be uttered by the ‘ Commander and Chief ’ of the ‘ United States of America ’ .
As I reflected on that , I realized as a fan…FUMBLE !
INTERCEPTION !
Team COVID had effectively taken the ball away and was ready to either run it or pass .
Either would result in their gain and everyone else ’ s loss , respectively .
True .
He was not to blame for all of this , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has given the opposing team a grave advantage .
Though other world leaders were not much better , they seemed to posses the edge in at least taking it seriously and responding in kind .
We Americans were close to the very last to do much of anything about it all , leading to the mess that sits before us staring and formulating a plan .
Might explain the fact that we have the most cases and deaths worldwide .
‘ We are number one again !
’ .
Yea !
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Again seems to be working in a negative way ) .
It begs the question , ‘ Why were we so slow to react and with such too-little-too-late consolidation in an effort to regain control ?
Though some control has been gained by ‘ social distancing ’ , ‘ washing hands ’ and ‘ wearing masks and gloves ’ , it is because of slow reactions , for whatever reasons , as the main culprit to all .
Team COVID-19 has humiliated us , killed us and made us sick , disrupted routine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presenting the challenge as how this may all end .
The team has made touchdowns and field goals in the meantime .
I am hopeful and am a die-hard fan of Team Humanity , though much is left to be desired in my opinion .
It will take time and effort for us to win , but how much of either is the grand question .
This can be over in short order , but I am a pessimist about that one , not a fan .
I do favor that it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a few weeks will do it , no .
A couple months to half a year is more likely and I calculate that time when various victories ( touchdowns and field goals ) , will be made and vindicate all .
Though it is a variable , I feature that to be the case .
History can give us some real pointers as how to deal with this , along with any other disease ( s ) , that might well occur and demand our undivided attention .
Milan , Italy is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Death ( Bubonic Plague ) had struck in Europe and Asia in 1348 AD , it was much worse than this deal we have now , but was a pandemic , nonetheless .
They had little medical knowledge and resources to deal with the envelopment , but some actions warrant recognition and praise , both .
In Milan , a family had been discovered to have the plague and city officials mandated that they be walled in and kept within the confines of their home .
It could be considered as the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
It worked !
The family unfortunately perished from their contamination , but the city was saved without more incidents whatsoever .
I see that as effective and commendable .
This was also the case with Venice , Italy .
Ships from Asia and elsewhere arriving there were kept away from the docks for a period of one month ( 30 days ) prior to allowing the ship and its crew entry to port .
Again .
Genius !
Pure and simple .
Sadly , Italy presently has the opposite effect now with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deal with their part of the ‘ dung sandwich ’ , which we are all taking a bite out of as a global community .
However , it does show as a shining light of hope that all is not lost , which it isn ’ t , but is far from being solved , just the same .
Why did so much tom foolery go on prior to reaction to the same ?
That can ’ t be explained totally for that would take way too much time , but there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them can conclude that yes , ‘ This is why things are so messed up and chaotic.
’ It is also fair to say that denial and rationalization are to blame as well .
‘ Gee !
A pandemic ?
Can ’ t be .
There are so many things , such as Ebola , E-Coli , Salmonella , AIDS , Strep-B Flesh Eating Virus , along with much more , that haven ’ t presented a doomsday scenario or a pandemic of sorts .
Why should something like the Corona Virus even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t sound all that bad like plague or anything else.
’ It is only fair to say that most people would believe and subscribe to that thinking .
Let ’ s face it .
There is so much going on that has not caused a major disruption , there wasn ’ t much of a chance that COVID-19 would do that .
No worries .
Right !
No worries .
Just the realization that if it had been taken as a serious threat and dealt with on those lines , we would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This game has had nothing but surprise and intrigue for us fans .
Though I am fairly confident that this too , ‘ shall pass ’ , it will leave its marked regardless of all else .
We must conclude that things will never be the same again once all is said and done .
Business as usual has been shaken to the core .
Toilet paper ?
Wow !
I was thrilled and happy to see some of the stuff back at my local Wal Mart .
Although rations are in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and paper towels are in place , still , it was comforting to see the sight of products that make for a formidable civilization , nonetheless .
More than half the people were distancing and wearing masks , and none of those not wearing any were sick , coughing , sneezing or anything else .
That right now is a welcomed progress .
It is on a small scale of things , but I think that all should take notice , nevertheless .
In Aurora , Colorado , people are not getting much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
Small yet we ’ ll take it and forge on from here .
It is my hope that all reading that line will take it to heart .
We will win !
Just how long and what will it take .
That is another thing altogether .
The bookies favor Team Humanity .
As stated , I figure six months probably tops , will be the fairest and realistic estimate for the final game .
Weeks ?
Wishful thinking and not at all clear .
One or two months ?
More reasonable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit too early for many things involved .
Six months ?
!
It is simple .
There are not only the deaths , sicknesses , and containment to deal with .
The biggest part will be the aftermath when the game is over .
At this moment , I think we are close to ‘ half time ’ , as in the NFL ( God !
I miss sports big time !
! )
.
When the smoke clears and all is said and done , there will be so much work to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that can not be avoided .
This is going to cost trillions of dollars in whatever currency .
Workers will need not only to resume in refilling forced vacancies in their jobs and occupations , they ’ ll become the front line in regaining what was lost , which is quite a bit .
I am betting even money that promise will be fulfilled to an acceptable degree .
Social distancing will end , I am sure , but it requires that we do so slowly , yet progressively .
There is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place .
Worries ?
Sure .
Way less than before though , rest assure .
The medical ‘ Curve ’ will come to call and this too , shall pass .
In the meantime , we are all forced to deal , no realistic choice whatsoever .
Therefore , we are all in this together !
Make no mistake .
Cooperation is needed now more than ever and is not an option .
Team Humanity must win !
Trivial matters must be kept at bay and importance overrides that in a big way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we , all as groups and individuals collectively , do and how .
A word of adamant advice…DON ’ T HOARD !
That only leads to depletion of much needed things and doesn ’ t help solve the matter at all .
A calm response is demanded .
You can stock pile by buying one thing or two and keep a portion of that for ‘ just in case ’ .
But don ’ t go and purchase a truckload of TP or anything else for that matter .
That just makes thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those that do it for I can feature another person getting mad that you have tons of stuff and they have none .
It only leads to problems .
Systematically , get social .
Mind you , I am not saying go and hang with a bunch of people immediately right now .
No .
What I mean is that we should find each other on the phone , social media and elsewhere , and determine who isn ’ t sick and get back with one another in an organized and slow fashion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can overcome this bucket of guano in an effective manner .
We need to want things to be better and follow through , just the same .
Hopefully we will have learned lessons from this and will move forward , not backwards .
We have to drop all differences of any kind and en masse , take this on with vigilance .
That warrants the development of a wish list , one of which is my own creation .
Anyone can come up with one and I find that it is therapeutic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the notion of , ‘ What next ?
’ We are at a stage of ‘ Quid Nunc ’ ( Latin for , ‘ What now ’ ) .
Dealing with that is no less than a challenge , but I am sure that in the game , we ’ ll cover the point spread .
The odds are in favor of Team Humanity .
Play on Humanity !
We are the team , man .
• None I wish all sports to be restored and continued from where they left off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they were kicking butt .
Can ’ t lose that or any other of my beloved teams , nor can anyone else .
• None I wish that all people will return to their jobs and with everything they had prior to COVID-19 .
• None I wish we all could get leadership ( not dictatorship ) that works in an honest and effective manner and not motivated simply by ‘ saving face ’ .
• None I wish that the necessary supplies and personnel are ready for the next potential pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this incident .
Does anyone think , FEMA ?
• None I wish that we could all appreciate life more after this and not take anything for granted .
This proves that conclusively .
• None I wish that friendships and alliances that were formed during this period last well into the future and set the foundation for a better world .
Never forget people !
• None I wish that those people that didn ’ t contribute to the common good be held accountable and not allowed to escape their legal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blank checks and pardons , please !
• None I wish that all individuals have emergency supplies for the ready when anything else occurs .
Some training in First Aid and such would be most helpful .
• None I wish that we can forge a campaign in curing this , economic woes , ecological issues , social discord , and all the issues that require formidable solutions .
Let ’ s go !
Are we still here ?
Let ’ s go !
!
I am watching the game unfold and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is organized and taking ground and keeping much of it .
However , the score is not staying on their side for long .
Team Humanity is gaining ground too and making scores .
Too early to tell , but if I was a sports book , I would give us the favor of +7 points by the end of the game .
It is a Game that must be won by us collectively .
You know and see the players .
You see the plays being made .
As with any event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for all involved and watching .
However , I really predict a victory for my side…Team Humanity .
I say , let ’ s win this one for us all !
Inner resolve and reactions are the keys .
Spirit is the fuel .
Blessings and best wishes to everyone on the planet .
And keep watching the game , it ’ s not boring at all .

COVID-19: The game continues
By
Mike Arroyo
April 14, 2020
So. The game has been something else and nothing less than interesting. Since the beginning, it was a small and rather insignificant thing that many didn’t give much mind. As time went on, more people took notice and eventually, action amid this crisis that is now where near the end. The big question is…when will it end? As to date, we have been watching the game (not in person due to ‘social distancing'), on TV, computer, phones and all other media. Discussions about all this are in full swing, as are the precautions being taken now. As we watch the game, we have seen no reason to fear that Team Humanity would have a problem and defeat Team COVID-19. When the first sights of this rose up in China, it was looked at like SARS was back-in-the-day (very similar and a close cousin of COVID). It was a finite issue and even died out when it crossed borders and oceans. SARS was a sorry contender in the arena and didn’t get anywhere fast. Simply put, Team SARS proved to be a disappointment indeed. Although it did make minor impacts, such as on pop culture shows, like ‘Family Guy’. When Peter Griffin was on a crowded subway train with a group of Asian folks from the Far East when he got an idea. Turning to them, Peter said. “All of you. Cough really hard and long.” When they did that, the rest of the passengers moved away from them as far from them as possible. They gained a lot of space in the subway car in question. That was a joke then and not taken all that seriously. Is anyone laughing now? I can attest that the humor of it is like a boomerang and has hit us all in the face, head on and hard! If that situation in reality would have happened now, I am sure that a team of Hazmat personnel would jump the lot of them and quarantine them, collectively and in a swift manner. SARS did it’s best to be the one that got to the Super Bowl playoffs of perilous diseases. They didn’t cover the point spread and years went by without incident. However, enter Team COVID-19 (the Corona Virus). Now this is a team that is formidable! COVID has game and in a big way! For starters, it was underestimated. News and media helped with that one in general, though not intentionally, but it did so effectively, nevertheless. In late 2019, no one was really looking at this as the ‘new threat’ of 2020. Far from that. It was holiday time and not one source was focusing or addressing the matter much. All we knew was that there was an outbreak in China, and China, being China, had swung in full force and taken the actions that most others should have when COVID developed into a real issue for not only the Far East nation, but others as well. Team COVID was allowed to train discreetly without interference. As time progressed, to a scant few that knew better then and especially now, had discovered elements of COVID-19 had became something to not only notice, but fear and with good reason. However, the world turned and not much attention was given in response to the same. New Year’s Eve 2019 had been the landmark and start of a serious game with a kick ass team in the mix. Humans and even animals were going to be affected by all, but it still was in its infancy and not much had been done about that one to date. No one thought that the next sports event to follow was on that level of the virus and our reactions to the same. Fan base had grown slowly, but surely, and suddenly we had the event of the second decade of the 21st Century and 2nd Millennium. Team Humanity versus Team COVID-19. Truly anything but boring, rest assured. A real crowd pleaser indeed.
Fans. Let’s get something straight right from the start, this is no ordinary game! Too much is at stake and there is no room for dissention among our ranks. Unity and cooperation must be the mainstay and the main factor that is needed for Team Humanity. In the beginning, there were only a limited number of people affected and scant deaths. However, the deaths only affected the very old and very young, as is almost always the case with physical calamities throughout history, it rose up in the ranks. Little mind paid to it in the beginning of 2020. As time went on, more and more places in China had become rather daunting. Shutdowns there had taken full effect while the world turned and all waited for what was thought of as ‘not much ado about nothing’. Team COVID then made its presence known globally, piecemeal as it were at the time. It reached out and made beachheads on Europe, North America, Africa, South America and Australia. All the continents were suddenly in the game but slow to realize it, except for the scant few in the beginning, though that number had increased. WHO (World Health Organization) was alerted and responded in kind. Unfortunately, many, including us in the ‘Good ‘ol U. S. of A.’, were inept in seeing the problem as a problem and continued with business as usual. We in the U.S. were not alone. Europe went on with their business and pleasure, as did everyone else, though more attention was paid to the game that had started with little change in the scores. So COVID was on the field and playing the game and in a big way. Slow progression was their thing and strength. Team COVID kicked off the ball, much like in American football and Team Humanity received it, though they had pretty much stood and wondered, ‘What do we do next?’. In a flash, sacking the receiver was the key. The ball was now near the touchback line and Team Humanity was in for it from the start. They were in the bad end of things and didn’t have any plays ready to retort with in response COVID’s great advance. Suddenly, it wasn’t just a China thing, or an overseas thing either, rather it had become a major league sports game with little known about the game plan. Sad to say, there really wasn’t a game plan in the first place, rather a frantic response to all in a chaotic fashion. The main players were in a daze and trying to figure out their next play. Deaths occurring more in frequency and in more places made the game in favor of Team COVID. The sick affected, but not killed, served only as a reminder that we can’t underestimate such unfolding events. So standing close to the touchback line, Team Humanity had reckoned, ‘What happened?’ January 2020 proved to be the launching pad of media coverage, which was responding to the current events but without what the anecdote was or what it might be to counter all. More importantly, there was no foreseeing how matters would come to call in the beginning up until now in the present. February had shown that our plays sucked and we were not getting anywhere fast. Reporting of it was becoming more serious and some progress had been made, but not much. It wasn’t until the end of the month did all realize, ‘We are really in a world of dung!’ and it showed no signs of stopping. Dead bodies all over displayed to everyone that this was quickly becoming a pandemic of sorts and needed immediate addressing. As the sick piled into hospitals and clinic, the picture became clearer and us fans of the game knew that issues had come up and made Team COVID something not to be ignored even if one wished it to be the case. Enter the reaction of Team Humanity. What occurred next astonished the globe collectively. President Trump was just starting to understand, or seemingly appeared to understand, the situation. He and his administration had gathered their heads together in a futile attempt at trying to deal with the situation. It is sad to say that the plays called were generally bad or ineffective, sometimes both. A slew of pressing issues had been held as important, though many think more like diversions, from what was and is still needed. Immigration, drug wars, economic and business dilemmas, along with so many items were focused on rather than taking the problem ‘head on’, as it should have been from the start. Perhaps the gravity of it was not really appreciated until March and April. That seems to be the case and justifies certain reactions. Team COVID had made a field goal, not a touchdown. It was enough to disrupt the confidence of Team Humanity and its fan base as a whole. Reluctance in initiating ‘lock downs’, ‘wearing masks’, ‘seeking medical help’, along with much else, led to the presently daunting picture we are all seeing now. Suddenly, Trump had gotten maybe some comprehension and said publicly, “It’s bad.” From there too, when it was discussed what the probable outcome of how many dead there would be as a result, his response was, “If we only have 100,000 deaths or so, then were are doing pretty good.” That alone caused an outrage among us all, me included, that such a statement could be uttered by the ‘Commander and Chief’ of the ‘United States of America’. As I reflected on that, I realized as a fan…FUMBLE! INTERCEPTION! Team COVID had effectively taken the ball away and was ready to either run it or pass. Either would result in their gain and everyone else’s loss, respectively. True. He was not to blame for all of this, but expectations of him have fallen way short and has given the opposing team a grave advantage. Though other world leaders were not much better, they seemed to posses the edge in at least taking it seriously and responding in kind. We Americans were close to the very last to do much of anything about it all, leading to the mess that sits before us staring and formulating a plan. Might explain the fact that we have the most cases and deaths worldwide. ‘We are number one again!’. Yea! What a prize! (Make America Great Again seems to be working in a negative way). It begs the question, ‘Why were we so slow to react and with such too-little-too-late consolidation in an effort to regain control? Though some control has been gained by ‘social distancing’, ‘washing hands’ and ‘wearing masks and gloves’, it is because of slow reactions, for whatever reasons, as the main culprit to all. Team COVID-19 has humiliated us, killed us and made us sick, disrupted routine life and all else, along with presenting the challenge as how this may all end. The team has made touchdowns and field goals in the meantime. I am hopeful and am a die-hard fan of Team Humanity, though much is left to be desired in my opinion. It will take time and effort for us to win, but how much of either is the grand question. This can be over in short order, but I am a pessimist about that one, not a fan. I do favor that it will end, but I am not thinking that a few weeks will do it, no. A couple months to half a year is more likely and I calculate that time when various victories (touchdowns and field goals), will be made and vindicate all. Though it is a variable, I feature that to be the case.
History can give us some real pointers as how to deal with this, along with any other disease(s), that might well occur and demand our undivided attention. Milan, Italy is a fine example. When the Black Death (Bubonic Plague) had struck in Europe and Asia in 1348 AD, it was much worse than this deal we have now, but was a pandemic, nonetheless. They had little medical knowledge and resources to deal with the envelopment, but some actions warrant recognition and praise, both. In Milan, a family had been discovered to have the plague and city officials mandated that they be walled in and kept within the confines of their home. It could be considered as the first quarantine performed by civilization. Guess what? It worked! The family unfortunately perished from their contamination, but the city was saved without more incidents whatsoever. I see that as effective and commendable. This was also the case with Venice, Italy. Ships from Asia and elsewhere arriving there were kept away from the docks for a period of one month (30 days) prior to allowing the ship and its crew entry to port. Again. Genius! Pure and simple. Sadly, Italy presently has the opposite effect now with being hit hard in February and trying to deal with their part of the ‘dung sandwich’, which we are all taking a bite out of as a global community. However, it does show as a shining light of hope that all is not lost, which it isn’t, but is far from being solved, just the same. Why did so much tom foolery go on prior to reaction to the same? That can’t be explained totally for that would take way too much time, but there are so many factors that one witnessing them can conclude that yes, ‘This is why things are so messed up and chaotic.’ It is also fair to say that denial and rationalization are to blame as well. ‘Gee! A pandemic? Can’t be. There are so many things, such as Ebola, E-Coli, Salmonella, AIDS, Strep-B Flesh Eating Virus, along with much more, that haven’t presented a doomsday scenario or a pandemic of sorts. Why should something like the Corona Virus even be a tacit concern? Doesn’t sound all that bad like plague or anything else.’ It is only fair to say that most people would believe and subscribe to that thinking. Let’s face it. There is so much going on that has not caused a major disruption, there wasn’t much of a chance that COVID-19 would do that. No worries. Right! No worries. Just the realization that if it had been taken as a serious threat and dealt with on those lines, we would not be facing what we are facing now. This game has had nothing but surprise and intrigue for us fans. Though I am fairly confident that this too, ‘shall pass’, it will leave its marked regardless of all else. We must conclude that things will never be the same again once all is said and done.
Business as usual has been shaken to the core. Toilet paper? Wow! I was thrilled and happy to see some of the stuff back at my local Wal Mart. Although rations are in order with only one-unit purchases for TP and paper towels are in place, still, it was comforting to see the sight of products that make for a formidable civilization, nonetheless. More than half the people were distancing and wearing masks, and none of those not wearing any were sick, coughing, sneezing or anything else. That right now is a welcomed progress. It is on a small scale of things, but I think that all should take notice, nevertheless. In Aurora, Colorado, people are not getting much sicker or dying in droves. Victory! Small yet we’ll take it and forge on from here. It is my hope that all reading that line will take it to heart. We will win! Just how long and what will it take. That is another thing altogether. The bookies favor Team Humanity.
As stated, I figure six months probably tops, will be the fairest and realistic estimate for the final game. Weeks? Wishful thinking and not at all clear. One or two months? More reasonable and feasible, though still a wee bit too early for many things involved. Six months?! It is simple. There are not only the deaths, sicknesses, and containment to deal with. The biggest part will be the aftermath when the game is over. At this moment, I think we are close to ‘half time’, as in the NFL (God! I miss sports big time!!). When the smoke clears and all is said and done, there will be so much work to do and recovery a mandate for everyone that cannot be avoided. This is going to cost trillions of dollars in whatever currency. Workers will need not only to resume in refilling forced vacancies in their jobs and occupations, they’ll become the front line in regaining what was lost, which is quite a bit. I am betting even money that promise will be fulfilled to an acceptable degree. Social distancing will end, I am sure, but it requires that we do so slowly, yet progressively. There is no doubt in my mind that shall take place. Worries? Sure. Way less than before though, rest assure. The medical ‘Curve’ will come to call and this too, shall pass. In the meantime, we are all forced to deal, no realistic choice whatsoever. Therefore, we are all in this together! Make no mistake. Cooperation is needed now more than ever and is not an option. Team Humanity must win! Trivial matters must be kept at bay and importance overrides that in a big way! Focus must be placed on what we, all as groups and individuals collectively, do and how. A word of adamant advice…DON’T HOARD! That only leads to depletion of much needed things and doesn’t help solve the matter at all. A calm response is demanded. You can stock pile by buying one thing or two and keep a portion of that for ‘just in case’. But don’t go and purchase a truckload of TP or anything else for that matter. That just makes thing worse and might even warrant violence against those that do it for I can feature another person getting mad that you have tons of stuff and they have none. It only leads to problems. Systematically, get social. Mind you, I am not saying go and hang with a bunch of people immediately right now. No. What I mean is that we should find each other on the phone, social media and elsewhere, and determine who isn’t sick and get back with one another in an organized and slow fashion. That is the only way we can overcome this bucket of guano in an effective manner. We need to want things to be better and follow through, just the same. Hopefully we will have learned lessons from this and will move forward, not backwards. We have to drop all differences of any kind and en masse, take this on with vigilance. That warrants the development of a wish list, one of which is my own creation. Anyone can come up with one and I find that it is therapeutic and will quell our fears for the future and the notion of, ‘What next?’ We are at a stage of ‘Quid Nunc’ (Latin for, ‘What now’). Dealing with that is no less than a challenge, but I am sure that in the game, we’ll cover the point spread. The odds are in favor of Team Humanity. Play on Humanity! We are the team, man.
My Wish List –
I wish all sports to be restored and continued from where they left off. The Colorado Avalanche is my team and they were kicking butt. Can’t lose that or any other of my beloved teams, nor can anyone else.
I wish that all people will return to their jobs and with everything they had prior to COVID-19.
I wish we all could get leadership (not dictatorship) that works in an honest and effective manner and not motivated simply by ‘saving face’.
I wish that the necessary supplies and personnel are ready for the next potential pandemic and are able to have learned from this incident. Does anyone think, FEMA?
I wish that we could all appreciate life more after this and not take anything for granted. This proves that conclusively.
I wish that friendships and alliances that were formed during this period last well into the future and set the foundation for a better world. Never forget people!
I wish that those people that didn’t contribute to the common good be held accountable and not allowed to escape their legal, moral and ethical responsibilities. No more blank checks and pardons, please!
I wish that all individuals have emergency supplies for the ready when anything else occurs. Some training in First Aid and such would be most helpful.
I wish that we can forge a campaign in curing this, economic woes, ecological issues, social discord, and all the issues that require formidable solutions. Let’s go! Are we still here? Let’s go!!
I am watching the game unfold and it is near half time. Team COVID is organized and taking ground and keeping much of it. However, the score is not staying on their side for long. Team Humanity is gaining ground too and making scores. Too early to tell, but if I was a sports book, I would give us the favor of +7 points by the end of the game. It is a
Game that must be won by us collectively. You know and see the players. You see the plays being made. As with any event, it has its ups and downs for all involved and watching. However, I really predict a victory for my side…Team Humanity. I say, let’s win this one for us all! Inner resolve and reactions are the keys. Spirit is the fuel.
Blessings and best wishes to everyone on the planet. And keep watching the game, it’s not boring at all.
Mike da Dawg
(Alive in Aurora, Colorado and loving it!)
************************************************************************


dailykos--2020-04-13--Any Bravery Left, in our Sick New World?

Let 's start with some context .
The Great Depression of the 1930 's was a worldwide event , the economic effects reached at least 90 % of the world 's population in significant ways .
World War II , that followed ( with the two events developing over 15 years or so ) also had economic effects that probably reached at least 90 % of the world , and the significant political effects were also up in the 90 % levels , with many populations affected by civil wars , refugee flows and urban warfare .
My best judgment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus catastrophe is already , for all living generations , our version of the Great Depression .
If it goes on with shutdowns of events over 10 people over large portions of one 's country for the next four or six months – or with massive die-offs in the countries that have n't locked down enough in that time period – or if comes roaring back in the fall after an attempt to return to normal in the summer – the Corona virus will be our World War II as well .
Nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in social attitudes , in institutions , in politics high and low , and in economics high and low .
It is already Massive , and the worst is the huge number of uncertainties surrounding our scientific knowledge of the virus and its effects – on top of al lthe usual local political , economic and personal uncertainties we all face every day .
There are so many questions for which even the best authorities just ca n't provide definite answers .
What 's the death rate ?
Why the large disparity between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
How deep an economic hole could we fall into ?
Do existing tests have a big false negative rate ?
Can we get medical equipment to where it 's needed ?
The questions go on and on .
I 'm not the guy who 's here to give my predictions and prognostications and surmises on just how it will all turn out , on just what the huge adjustments that we will be making , will turn out to be .
I am the guy who 's here to pound on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and everybody else 's thoughts and actions ) is what will determine and create that future history that all of us – all of us who survive -- will be experiencing .
The zillions of hourly and daily thoughts and actions of all the world 's 8 billion people over the next year and more will be what determines our human future , our individual and social/national/global futures as well .
As a caution to all , including myself , against trusting your latest great insight , it is very easy for individuals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ the world is going one way ” even though the muddled mass of global humanity may be moving in quite a different way .
I am the historian who says that we could understand nearly all historical situations , assuming we could get the data on people 's thoughts and actions .
Of course that 's near impossible for the past ( barring great archaeological discoveries ) yet for us , now , in the 21st Century of drones and data banks , it does become ( at least theoretically ) possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago – a Science of History that includes Every Single Person on this earth .
If this sounds ridiculous to you , you should consider that the Chinese government ( with the help of American technology companies ) is certainly trying to construct a database of the thoughts and actions of any one of the billions of persons under their control , and probably anyone else they can get to .
I am also the historian who has tried to develop an understanding of how our zillions of everyday thoughts and actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our histories and our cultures , the data that the social sciences are attempting to explain .
And I 've tried to provide some tools to help you in analyzing the social science data that you can get , from your everyday life , from your interactions with others , and from simple basic research you can do on people and situations in your life .
I 've been developing these tools for over forty years , and I believe they 've helped me in my life situations .
So if you do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do invite you to visit my high-class , no clickbait , deeply longform website that 's been going for 10 years now ( and according to Cloudflare service has received hundreds of thousands of readers coming in for over 3 million hits in the last four years ) .
The whole site ( with lots of autobiography , my best published work and other recent articles ) is the size of a small book ; read my article on why polling is never as accurate as claimed , or my article on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progressive society .
My main article on how we simultaneously create history and the social sciences with our every thought and action is at least a 20-30 minute read , 9200 words or about 14-24 book pages depending on format .
Please take your time to read it , in my old age I 'm finding that my clearest writing usually means adding more words to help distinguish all the shades of gray we encounter in the human historical panorama .
In my old age , I 'm also coming to realize that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a personal ability to understand and accept uncertainty and risk .
I 've always tried to accept that there are huge uncertainties in all our human situations , whether at the world-historical level , or the personal level of “ what is my friend thinking/trying to do ” in some particular situation .
I 've always tried to accept that there are great amounts of risk in every significant action I might take .
I look at other people , and I see a lot of you tearing yourselves apart because you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important toy ou , you crave it , and want it , and that 's understandable .
Yet we hardly ever have the kind of data on our fellow human beings that could allow us to make “ absolutely certain ” judgments on them , and they always have the theoretical possibility of doing something new .
In human situations and social environments , a lot of us ca n't even have certainty in ourselves , that 's a big first step .
Yes , small groups that work together closely and communicate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each other .
Beyond that there is very little certainty to be found .
It gets worse the larger the group , so considering the whole human population is the most uncertain area of all .
And so here we all are .
A global , life-and-death crisis with huge economic , political and personal effects reaching over 97-98 % of human populations , about which we can not be too certain in any direction of analysis or planning .
The fact that the USA is led by a severely mentally-ill individual supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and that two-thirds of the world lives under dictatorships whose decisions may be far from what any citizen of their nation or other nations desires , means the global outcomes are likely very bleak , poor and depressing .
And again , it is highly likely that many of our current institutions and social arrangements and personal preferences are actually going to be completely reformed after the effects of this pandemic , because that 's what happens when many many people 's personal lives are entirely disrupted by world-shaking events like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Corona virus catastrophe is one of those events .
Yet I do have to be an optimist in my personal life , I 'm always trying to see a way out of whatever mess I 'm in ( including the world-historical messes way above my level of influence . )
And so I 'm trying to rouse and raise my own efforts and visions in this crisis , and I want to urge you to rouse yourself and raise yourself as well .
We desperately need bravery and courage in this Sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to provide it .
Please , face down your fears , do your best to help create the better human societies that we all need very much .
All the other problems of human society are still out there , needing to be reformed by our thoughts and actions .
Big changes will come from the crisis – we need to be insisting that these changes really work to the benefit of the majority of the population .
The children and grandchildren we will hopefully be leaving our legacy to will need those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Let's start with some context. The Great Depression of the 1930's was a worldwide event, the economic effects reached at least 90% of the world's population in significant ways. World War II, that followed (with the two events developing over 15 years or so) also had economic effects that probably reached at least 90% of the world, and the significant political effects were also up in the 90% levels, with many populations affected by civil wars, refugee flows and urban warfare.
My best judgment as a historian is that the Corona virus catastrophe is already, for all living generations,our version of the Great Depression.
If it goes on with shutdowns of events over 10 people over large portions of one's country for the next four or six months – or with massive die-offs in the countries that haven't locked down enough in that time period – or if comes roaring back in the fall after an attempt to return to normal in the summer – the Corona virus will be our World War II as well.
Nearly every society will be undergoing massive changes in social attitudes, in institutions, in politics high and low, and in economics high and low. It is already Massive,and the worst is the huge number of uncertainties surrounding our scientific knowledge of the virus and its effects – on top of al lthe usual local political, economic and personal uncertainties we all face every day.
There are so many questions for which even the best authorities just can't provide definite answers. What's the death rate? Why the large disparity between many mild cases and the worst cases? How deep an economic hole could we fall into? Do existing tests have a big false negative rate? Can we get medical equipment to where it's needed? The questions go on and on.
I'm not the guy who's here to give my predictions and prognostications and surmises on just how it will all turn out, on just what the huge adjustments that we will be making,will turn out to be.
I am the guy who's here to pound on the point that your thoughts and actions (and everybody else's thoughts and actions) is what will determine and create that future history that all of us – all of us who survive -- will be experiencing. The zillions of hourly and daily thoughts and actions of all the world's 8 billion people over the next year and more will be what determines our human future, our individual and social/national/global futures as well.
As a caution to all, including myself,against trusting your latest great insight, it is very easy for individuals in relatively small subcultures to feel that “the world is going one way” even though the muddled mass of global humanity may be moving in quite a different way.
I am the historian who says that we could understand nearly all historical situations, assuming we could get the data on people's thoughts and actions. Of course that's near impossible for the past (barring great archaeological discoveries)yet for us, now, in the 21st Century of drones and data banks, it does become (at least theoretically) possible to do something I wrote about 40 years ago – a Science of History that includes Every Single Person on this earth.
If this sounds ridiculous to you, you should consider that the Chinese government (with the help of American technology companies) is certainly trying to construct a database of the thoughts and actions of any one of the billions of persons under their control, and probably anyone else they can get to.
I am also the historian who has tried to develop an understanding of how our zillions of everyday thoughts and actions do in fact create the data of our histories and our cultures, the data that the social sciences are attempting to explain. And I've tried to provide some tools to help you in analyzing the social science data that you can get, from your everyday life, from your interactions with others, and from simple basic research you can do on people and situations in your life. I've been developing these tools for over forty years, and I believe they've helped me in my life situations.
So if you do have more time on your hands, I do invite you to visit my high-class, no clickbait, deeply longform website that's been going for 10 years now (and according to Cloudflare service has received hundreds of thousands of readers coming in for over 3 million hits in the last four years). The whole site (with lots of autobiography, my best published work and other recent articles) is the size of a small book; read my article on why polling is never as accurate as claimed, or my article on reforming the advertising industry for a more progressive society.
My main article on how we simultaneously create history and the social sciences with our every thought and action is at least a 20-30 minute read, 9200 words or about 14-24 book pages depending on format. Please take your time to read it, in my old age I'm finding that my clearest writing usually means adding more words to help distinguish all the shades of gray we encounter in the human historical panorama.
In my old age, I'm also coming to realize that a lot of my personal success comes from a personal ability to understand and accept uncertainty and risk. I've always tried to accept that there are huge uncertainties in all our human situations, whether at the world-historical level, or the personal level of “what is my friend thinking/trying to do” in some particular situation. I've always tried to accept that there are great amounts of risk in every significant action I might take. I look at other people, and I see a lot of you tearing yourselves apart because you're longing for certainty in some situation important toy ou, you crave it, and want it, and that's understandable.
Yet we hardly ever have the kind of data on our fellow human beings that could allow us to make“absolutely certain” judgments on them, and they always have the theoretical possibility of doing something new. In human situations and social environments, a lot of us can't even have certainty in ourselves, that's a big first step. Yes, small groups that work together closely and communicate can have a very pleasant certainty in each other. Beyond that there is very little certainty to be found. It gets worse the larger the group, so considering the whole human population is the most uncertain area of all.
And so here we all are. A global,life-and-death crisis with huge economic, political and personal effects reaching over 97-98% of human populations, about which we cannot be too certain in any direction of analysis or planning. The fact that the USA is led by a severely mentally-ill individual supported by a party in denial of reality, and that two-thirds of the world lives under dictatorships whose decisions may be far from what any citizen of their nation or other nations desires, means the global outcomes are likely very bleak, poor and depressing. And again, it is highly likely that many of our current institutions and social arrangements and personal preferences are actually going to be completely reformed after the effects of this pandemic, because that's what happens when many many people's personal lives are entirely disrupted by world-shaking events like the Great Depression and World War II. The Corona virus catastrophe is one of those events.
Yet I do have to be an optimist in my personal life, I'm always trying to see a way out of whatever mess I'm in (including the world-historical messes way above my level of influence.) And so I'm trying to rouse and raise my own efforts and visions in this crisis, and I want to urge you to rouse yourself and raise yourself as well. We desperately need bravery and courage in this Sick New World. We need each other to provide it. Please, face down your fears, do your best to help create the better human societies that we all need very much. All the other problems of human society are still out there, needing to be reformed by our thoughts and actions. Big changes will come from the crisis – we need to be insisting that these changes really work to the benefit of the majority of the population.
The children and grandchildren we will hopefully be leaving our legacy to will need those better societies even more than we do.


The  People Count

I spoke to my brother this morning by phone because he is currently recovering from COVID-19 related pneumonia and I can not visit him .
My nephew is in the last four days of his quarantine in Georgia where he serves as a member of the U.S. Army .
My sister works as a cardiac telemetry tech in a Virginia hospital and is fearful of infecting her granddaughter and daughter .
I have written before of my neighbor who works in a NICU unit of a local hospital and trudges day after day into potential danger .
You have heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launched a wave of death in the black community .
My oldest son , fortunately , can work from home but my youngest son , a husband , and father of six , with his oldest preparing to miss her college graduation ceremony , does not have that luxury .
The thing , all the above-named people have in common with me , aside from family and friendship , is that they are all black .
The federal government under the leadership of Donald Trump has been derelict in alerting all of us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has been slow to acknowledge and respond and now is picking and choosing who is equipped to combat it with ventilators and protective wear .
Had he not called the Democratic Governor of Washington State [ Jay Inslee ] a “ snake ” and the Democratic Governor of Michigan [ Gretchen Whitmer ] who were begging for help , “ the woman in Michigan ” I might concede that it was the luck of the draw , but we know better .
I have to wonder in his heart of heart when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , does a man who thinks Africa and the Caribbean are crap-holes , cares anything about me or my family ?
Our self-proclaimed wartime president is displaying a vindictive attitude befitting a child not a leader .
Daily briefings full of implied , and implicit invectives , sulking at the side of the stage when he is not the center of attention , and inserting himself into questions not directed at him and are far beyond his intellectual reach .
These are the types of opaque tactics that cause unwarranted suspicions and lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government .
Before you dismiss the potential dangers , remember a man from North Carolina drove hundreds of miles to free what he believed to be children held against their will in the basement of a pizza parlor in Washington D.C. , a family restaurant , that literally has no basement .
Parents of the slaughtered children of Newtown have been forced to sell their homes and in some cases hire protection against crazed theorists who proposed that Obama was behind “ fake killings ” to take their guns .
Of course , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conspiracy theory that he was going to invade Texas and jail the resisters at an abandoned Walmart .
I know you shake your head and think how anyone can believe these things ; It is because we have a sector of America and the world who traffic in self -serving conspiracies for money , fame , infamy or all three .
So during this period of hibernation take a moment to hug your children , kiss your spouses and know there is a world of dedicated people , not just in my family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you to value their safety with your vote .

I spoke to my brother this morning by phone because he is currently recovering from COVID-19 related pneumonia and I cannot visit him. My nephew is in the last four days of his quarantine in Georgia where he serves as a member of the U.S. Army. My sister works as a cardiac telemetry tech in a Virginia hospital and is fearful of infecting her granddaughter and daughter. I have written before of my neighbor who works in a NICU unit of a local hospital and trudges day after day into potential danger. You have heard a lot about how this virus has launched a wave of death in the black community. My oldest son, fortunately, can work from home but my youngest son, a husband, and father of six, with his oldest preparing to miss her college graduation ceremony, does not have that luxury.
The thing, all the above-named people have in common with me, aside from family and friendship, is that they are all black. The federal government under the leadership of Donald Trump has been derelict in alerting all of us to the danger of the virus, he has been slow to acknowledge and respond and now is picking and choosing who is equipped to combat it with ventilators and protective wear. Had he not called the Democratic Governor of Washington State [Jay Inslee] a “snake” and the Democratic Governor of Michigan [Gretchen Whitmer] who were begging for help, “the woman in Michigan” I might concede that it was the luck of the draw, but we know better. I have to wonder in his heart of heart when he hears the numbers of black deaths, does a man who thinks Africa and the Caribbean are crap-holes, cares anything about me or my family?
Our self-proclaimed wartime president is displaying a vindictive attitude befitting a child not a leader. Daily briefings full of implied, and implicit invectives, sulking at the side of the stage when he is not the center of attention, and inserting himself into questions not directed at him and are far beyond his intellectual reach. These are the types of opaque tactics that cause unwarranted suspicions and lead to wacky conspiracy theories and distrust of government. Before you dismiss the potential dangers, remember a man from North Carolina drove hundreds of miles to free what he believed to be children held against their will in the basement of a pizza parlor in Washington D.C., a family restaurant, that literally has no basement.
Parents of the slaughtered children of Newtown have been forced to sell their homes and in some cases hire protection against crazed theorists who proposed that Obama was behind “fake killings” to take their guns. Of course, that was part and parcel to another conspiracy theory that he was going to invade Texas and jail the resisters at an abandoned Walmart. I know you shake your head and think how anyone can believe these things; It is because we have a sector of America and the world who traffic in self -serving conspiracies for money, fame, infamy or all three.
So during this period of hibernation take a moment to hug your children, kiss your spouses and know there is a world of dedicated people, not just in my family but yours as well, who need you to value their safety with your vote.
Vote in 2020 for Change.
.


dailykos--2020-04-10--"Rep. Tom Winter Uses Campaign Donations; Talks Rural Healthcare During MSNBC Appearance"

Rep. Tom Winter announced today that he has used more than $ 5,000 in campaign funds to purchase personal protective equipment ( PPE ) for local first responders and health organizations on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic .
Winter , who is seeking to represent Montanans in the U.S. House of Representatives , is a former EMT and healthcare small-business owner who has made rural healthcare issues a focus of his campaign .
The PPE -- approximately 1,800 KN95 masks -- will be delivered to western volunteer fire crews , EMS workers , tribal health clinics , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Montanans know our rural healthcare facilities were in crisis before the coronavirus .
We ’ re overloading an already overloaded system , and the federal government is failing in its most basic responsibilities , ” Rep. Winter said .
“ I ’ ve heard from first responders , nurses and rural hospital staff who are afraid to do their jobs or go home to their families at the end of the day because they don ’ t have the protective equipment they need to keep themselves safe .
As a state legislator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything in my power to keep my community safe .
Right now , that means using campaign funds to purchase PPE .
”

Rep. Tom Winter announced today that he has used more than $5,000 in campaign funds to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) for local first responders and health organizations on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. Winter, who is seeking to represent Montanans in the U.S. House of Representatives, is a former EMT and healthcare small-business owner who has made rural healthcare issues a focus of his campaign.
The PPE -- approximately 1,800 KN95 masks -- will be delivered to western volunteer fire crews, EMS workers, tribal health clinics, and rural medical centers across the state.
“Montanans know our rural healthcare facilities were in crisis before the coronavirus. We’re overloading an already overloaded system, and the federal government is failing in its most basic responsibilities,” Rep. Winter said. “I’ve heard from first responders, nurses and rural hospital staff who are afraid to do their jobs or go home to their families at the end of the day because they don’t have the protective equipment they need to keep themselves safe. As a state legislator and a candidate, I will do everything in my power to keep my community safe. Right now, that means using campaign funds to purchase PPE.”


dailykos--2020-04-09--No votes of luxury, or of spite.

No votes of luxury, or of spite.

The first time I voted was when I was also in a relationship with my first serious girlfriend .
She was smart , witty , and a wonderful musician .
I remember heatedly arguing as the election approached because she was disgusted with the system , and was determined to vote write in for TV comedian Pat Paulsen , who was `` running '' as a gag .
I was determined to vote for George McGovern , a good , decent , honest man who promised to end the war in Vietnam .
Although this was half a century ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some insight into today .
My girlfriend had a little TV .
She knew full well about the My Lai Massacre .
Every night she saw more bodies , including innocent women and children piling up on both sides .
She knew about the bombing of Cambodia .
Both of us knew this , yet , there was a big difference between us as well .
She was not eligible for the draft .
She did not have `` skin in the game '' to motivate her .
She was not a heartless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` radicalized '' the way I was , which had a lot to do with facing real life consequences of the right to vote .
No one was going to drag her from her comfy apartment , French horn and piano lessons and take her to either Leavenworth Federal Pen.
, or an induction center , where she would have to report for basic training into the fine art of killing fellow human beings .
She would never face the choice of fleeing to Canada .
Her vote was one of luxury .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ostensibly progressive see things the same way as she .
They may feel insulated by a certain amount of privilege .
But sadly , we can afford no votes of luxury — or of pure spite — today .
At this moment , we are just desperately clinging to what remains of our tattered democracy , and trying to right the ship before we have to head for the lifeboats or drown .
It 's up to each of us to consider not only our personal situation , but those of millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't take our responsibility seriously .

The first time I voted was almost 50 years ago now, when I was in a relationship with my first serious girlfriend. She was very pretty, smart, witty, and a wonderful musician. I remember arguing as the election approached, because she was disgusted with the system, and was determined to vote write in for the very funny TV comedian Pat Paulsen, who was "running" as a gag. I was determined to vote for George McGovern, a good, decent, honest man who had promised to end the war in Vietnam.
Although this was half a century ago (!) I think it offers some insight today. My girlfriend knew full well about the My Lai Massacre. She saw the bodies, including innocent women and children, piling up on both sides. She knew about the bombing of Cambodia. Both of us knew this, yet, there was a notable difference between us.


dailykos--2020-04-09--Trump's vaunted "travel ban" accomplishment also isn't true.

Anyone who has spent even a few minutes watching Trump at one of his daily Coronavirus campaign rallies has undoubtedly heard Trump crow about his singular supposed achievement : courageously imposing a travel ban on passengers traveling from China .
It is his all-purpose answer to a question on any subject .
And in Trump ’ s telling , this was his Winston Churchill moment , as he imposed the travel ban before any other world leader and did so in the teeth of ( nonexistent ) domestic political opposition .
But as Kevin Drum helpfully reminds us , none @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not issue his “ travel ban ” until after all the major U.S. airliners had already adopted this policy .
Here is the New York Times on January 31 : Moving to counter the spreading coronavirus outbreak , the Trump administration said Friday that it would bar entry by most foreign nationals who had recently visited China and put some American travelers under a quarantine as it declared a rare public health emergency .
The temporary restrictions followed announcements by American Airlines , Delta Air Lines and United Airlines that they would suspend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China for several months .
Trump didn ’ t act until after the three biggest American airlines , along with nearly every other international airline , had already suspended flights to China .
In other words , when it didn ’ t really matter anymore .
He didn ’ t have the guts to do it before then .
In addition , Trump was not the first world leader to enact a travel ban from China either .
As the WashPo debunks Trump ’ s claim , it “ adds up to 38 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same time the U.S. restrictions were put in place.
” And the same article notes that the broad exemptions in Trump ’ s policy still allowed 40,000 people on direct fights from China to arrive just in the two months after the policy was enacted .
The Republicans ’ spin machine will be in full mode to re-write reality in the run-up to the election , and this heroic travel ban myth has been the best thing that they could come up with so far .
Given how Trump falls back on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is a real public service to point out that the whole argument is ( yet again ) an utter fiction .

Anyone who has spent even a few minutes watching Trump at one of his daily Coronavirus press briefing campaign rallies has undoubtedly heard Trump crow about his singular supposed achievement: courageously imposing a travel ban on passengers traveling from China. It is his all-purpose answer to a question on any subject. And in Trump’s telling, this was his Winston Churchill moment, as he imposed the travel ban before any other world leader and did so in the teeth of (nonexistent) domestic political opposition.
But as Kevin Drum helpfully reminds us, none of this is true. Trump did not issue his “travel ban” until after all the major U.S. airliners had already adopted this policy .
Here is the New York Times on January 31: Moving to counter the spreading coronavirus outbreak, the Trump administration said Friday that it would bar entry by most foreign nationals who had recently visited China and put some American travelers under a quarantine as it declared a rare public health emergency. The temporary restrictions followed announcements by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines that they would suspend air service between the United States and China for several months. Trump didn’t act until after the three biggest American airlines, along with nearly every other international airline, had already suspended flights to China. In other words, when it didn’t really matter anymore. He didn’t have the guts to do it before then.
In addition, Trump was not the first world leader to enact a travel ban from China either. As the WashPo debunks Trump’s claim, it “adds up to 38 countries taking action before or at the same time the U.S. restrictions were put in place.” And the same article notes that the broad exemptions in Trump’s policy still allowed 40,000 people on direct fights from China to arrive just in the two months after the policy was enacted.
The Republicans’ spin machine will be in full mode to re-write reality in the run-up to the election, and this heroic travel ban myth has been the best thing that they could come up with so far. Given how Trump falls back on this canard every time he is challenged, it is a real public service to point out that the whole argument is (yet again) an utter fiction.


dailykos--2020-04-09--The House Need to Pass Phase Four First

The House Need to Pass Phase Four First

We need to quit letting Mitch McConnell kick our collective asses .
It ’ s time to go on offense .
This morning we found out that 6.6 million MORE Americans filed for unemployment benefits in a single week .
Funds for the small business loan portion of the stimulus are rapidly depleting .
Economists predict unemployment to spike to a rate of 20 percent or more .
It ’ s already apparent that the first round of stimulus was not enough .
Even to Republicans .
This week Republicans in the Senate beat us to the punch just as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Yes , Democrats were pushing for one first .
Yes , Democrats have been saying all along the initial bill isn ’ t big enough and more has to be done .
But on each occasion the party that had a plan on the table , voted on and passed first was the GOP .
Yes it ’ s political maneuvering and posturing on his part .
Yes , in both cases the bills they put forward were woefully inadequate .
But being first matters because of how these things get reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about how they get reported on Fox News or OAN .
I ’ m talking about the headlines and stories most winnable voters tend to glance at and maybe skim through .
People who aren ’ t political junkies like us .
Political junkies already know who they are voting for .
So here ’ s liberal enemy of the president CNN ’ s report on the recent bill : Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made clear Wednesday evening that he would move ahead with an attempt to pass the funding increase , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been announced to stave off an impasse .
`` Tomorrow morning , I 'll ask unanimous consent to pass standalone emergency funding for the hugely popular Paycheck Protection Program that is saving small-business jobs as we speak .
As the rest of the CARES Act continues to come online , this key part is already low on funds , '' McConnell tweeted .
The unanimous consent request is expected to fail and Democrats are expected to offer an alternative which will also most likely be blocked .
The pro forma session of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a.m .
ET .
This is the narrative most middle of the road news outlets are going with .
Senate Republicans have a plan ready .
Democrats are blocking it .
This is a repeat of the initial stimulus bill .
If you don ’ t believe me , look at tall the “ mainstream ” news outlets that ran some version of the headline “ Democrats Block Stimulus ” the first time around .
Now we can sit here and whine that the media doesn ’ t give the full story and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the far better response would be to beat him at his own damn game !
We need the House to Pass Phase Four First !
We already know what needs to go into it .
We already know that it needs to be big .
We need to put together a comprehensive plan that will actually do the job responding to this pandemic and we need to put it out there for the American people to see .
Then when they see what we have to offer them let Mitch McConnell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way and block it .
And then bang that gavel over his head all the way to November .
This isn ’ t just a political priority .
It ’ s a deeply moral one .
We know millions are already hurting under the economic strain .
We know our ideas will better help all of us through it .
So it is imperative we set the parameters of the next debate with our plan !
Briefly , I think the next bill needs to address these four big categories at the very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No one should have to endanger their health and safety in order to exercise their right to vote .
Voting reform and election protection should be a nonnegotiable part of the next bill and we should keep those images from Wisconsin in the forefront of that debate .
Don ’ t let anyone forget why that debacle happened .
It is criminal that the first bill did virtually nothing to help renters who make up roughly a third of all American households .
I myself have always been a renter .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what will happen down the road ?
Eviction moratoriums just kick the problem down the road .
We need to fix the housing crisis before millions lose housing during a shelter at home pandemic .
We can not rely on the Trump administration to obtain the equipment needed and get it to the states .
Small town and rural hospitals are closing just as they will be needed for a crisis .
States are strapped for cash as they try to pick up the tabs for millions of uninsured .
We need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to and be able to afford the care they need so ALL of us can get through this crisis .
There are definitely more areas that need to be addressed than just these three .
But these three are the vital umbrella categories that have to be big and bold .
We need to urge Speaker Pelosi and ALL House Democrats to come together six feet apart and put this bill together .
Don ’ t wait for a bipartisan agreement .
Put our plan out there .
Put it out there first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one having to explain why he is holding up help to the American people .

We need to quit letting Mitch McConnell kick our collective asses. It’s time to go on offense.
This morning we found out that 6.6 million MORE Americans filed for unemployment benefits in a single week. Funds for the small business loan portion of the stimulus are rapidly depleting. Economists predict unemployment to spike to a rate of 20 percent or more. It’s already apparent that the first round of stimulus was not enough. Even to Republicans.
This week Republicans in the Senate beat us to the punch just as they did on the initial stimulus bill. Yes, Democrats were pushing for one first. Yes, Democrats have been saying all along the initial bill isn’t big enough and more has to be done. But on each occasion the party that had a plan on the table, voted on and passed first was the GOP.
Yes it’s political maneuvering and posturing on his part. Yes, in both cases the bills they put forward were woefully inadequate. But being first matters because of how these things get reported. And I’m not talking about how they get reported on Fox News or OAN. I’m talking about the headlines and stories most winnable voters tend to glance at and maybe skim through. People who aren’t political junkies like us. Political junkies already know who they are voting for.
So here’s liberal enemy of the president CNN’s report on the recent bill:
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made clear Wednesday evening that he would move ahead with an attempt to pass the funding increase, despite the fact that no bipartisan deal had been announced to stave off an impasse. "Tomorrow morning, I'll ask unanimous consent to pass standalone emergency funding for the hugely popular Paycheck Protection Program that is saving small-business jobs as we speak. As the rest of the CARES Act continues to come online, this key part is already low on funds," McConnell tweeted. The unanimous consent request is expected to fail and Democrats are expected to offer an alternative which will also most likely be blocked. The pro forma session of the Senate will take place at 10 a.m. ET.
This is the narrative most middle of the road news outlets are going with. Senate Republicans have a plan ready. Democrats are blocking it. This is a repeat of the initial stimulus bill. If you don’t believe me, look at tall the “mainstream” news outlets that ran some version of the headline “Democrats Block Stimulus” the first time around.
Now we can sit here and whine that the media doesn’t give the full story and about how much we hate Mitch McConnell. But the far better response would be to beat him at his own damn game!
We need the House to Pass Phase Four First!
We already know what needs to go into it. We already know that it needs to be big. We need to put together a comprehensive plan that will actually do the job responding to this pandemic and we need to put it out there for the American people to see. Then when they see what we have to offer them let Mitch McConnell be the one to stand in the way and block it. And then bang that gavel over his head all the way to November.
This isn’t just a political priority. It’s a deeply moral one. We know millions are already hurting under the economic strain. We know our ideas will better help all of us through it. So it is imperative we set the parameters of the next debate with our plan!
Briefly, I think the next bill needs to address these four big categories at the very least:
Voters
Wisconsin was a disgrace. No one should have to endanger their health and safety in order to exercise their right to vote. Voting reform and election protection should be a nonnegotiable part of the next bill and we should keep those images from Wisconsin in the forefront of that debate. Don’t let anyone forget why that debacle happened.
Renters
It is criminal that the first bill did virtually nothing to help renters who make up roughly a third of all American households. I myself have always been a renter. I’m okay for now but who knows what will happen down the road? Eviction moratoriums just kick the problem down the road. We need to fix the housing crisis before millions lose housing during a shelter at home pandemic.
Health Providers
We cannot rely on the Trump administration for anything to obtain the equipment needed and get it to the states. Small town and rural hospitals are closing just as they will be needed for a crisis. States are strapped for cash as they try to pick up the tabs for millions of uninsured. We need to make sure every American will have access to and be able to afford the care they need so ALL of us can get through this crisis.
There are definitely more areas that need to be addressed than just these three. But these three are the vital umbrella categories that have to be big and bold.
We need to urge Speaker Pelosi and ALL House Democrats to come together six feet apart and put this bill together. Don’t wait for a bipartisan agreement. Put our plan out there. Put it out there first. And let Mitch McConnell be the one having to explain why he is holding up help to the American people.


dailykos--2020-04-15--💾 Current Newest Groups in DK, How to Follow or Post Diaries For Them, & so forth

Why be in groups ?
Especially if you ’ re not really the type ?
See top image .
All organized groups —DK ’ s included , and not the local/geographic groups alone— embody potential force for real-world change , and NEVER has that mattered more than this November ’ s ballot-box .
You can post about kittens and puppies at the same time as about how to help get out the Dem vote .
Ditto posting about space or gardening or history or , of course , politics .
DK has possibly over a thousand groups and diary series @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some defunct and some long-running , others in-between .
But you don ’ t have to literally join any to read and comment at diaries originated or reblogged at a group ; just click on their blogview or on their diary-list page ( that ’ s the group-name link in the listings below ) , bookmark the page in your browser , and drop by whenever you like .
Same for groups you discover here by any other route .
If you want automatic delivery to your of diaries at a particular group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t work for that , ‘ tho ’ — click on the group ’ s name below , and on the page you get you ’ ll see —centered nearish the top— ♥ to click on .
( It ’ ll become and that ’ s how you know you did it rite . )
 You ’ ll also see there the buttons/links for page , page , etc .
If you ’ ve posted enough diaries that you ’ ve got the hang of how that ’ s done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for ” a given group based on its profile/mission-statement , use the members page to find an admin who is currently active , and then kosmail to that admin your request to join , with maybe a link or 2 to diaries you ’ ve already posted , so they can see your work if they ’ d like to .
( You may need to click on individual names at the members page , to reach their personal profile pages and see how recently they ’ ve commented as the best measure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) For more how-to , click on # NewDKGroups in this diary ’ s TAG LIST in the left margin — all the past diaries in this series have pretty extensive info and links to yet more !
You can hover on that tag until the outline of a heart shows , and then click on it , to get future diaries in this series delivered to yr stream .
Exposing why Donald Trump must be defeated in 2020

Why be in groups? Especially if you’re not really the type? See top image. All organized groups —DK’s included, and not the local/geographic groups alone— embody potential force for real-world change, and NEVER has that mattered more than this November’s ballot-box.
We haz posted about kittehs and getting out the vote before, after all!
You can post about kittens and puppies at the same time as about how to help get out the Dem vote. Ditto posting about space or gardening or history or, of course, politics.
DK has possibly over a thousand groups and diary series across a huge range of interests, some defunct and some long-running, others in-between. But you don’t have to literally join any to read and comment at diaries originated or reblogged at a group; just click on their blogview or on their diary-list page (that’s the group-name link in the listings below), bookmark the page in your browser, and drop by whenever you like.
How to find your Activity Stream — click on your name on yr blogview page & this menu drops down. Click there!
Same for groups you discover by any other route here.
If you want automatic delivery to your Activity Stream of diaries originated at a particular group —many groups only reblog, so this won’t work for that, ‘tho’— click on the group’s name below, and on the page you get you’ll see —centered nearish the top— ♥ Follow to click on. (It’ll become Unfollow and that’s how you know you did it rite.)
 You’ll also see there the buttons/links for Profile page, Members page, etc. If you’ve posted enough diaries that you’ve got the hang of how that’s done and you would like to write “for” a given group based on its profile/mission-statement, use the members page to find an admin who is currently active, and then kosmail to that admin your request to join, with maybe a link or 2 to diaries you’ve already posted, so they can see your work if they’d like to. (You may need to click on individual names at the members page, to reach their personal profile pages and see how recently they’ve commented as the best measure of how active they currently are.)
For more how-to, click on #NewDKGroups in this diary’s TAG LIST in the left margin — all the past diaries in this series have pretty extensive info and links to yet more! You can hover on that tag until the outline of a heart shows, and then click on it, to get future diaries in this series delivered to yr stream.
NEW GROUPS
Resistance Words will collect or coin words useful for Democratic discussion —including those whose definition incorporates statistical concepts— so that our content can be released on a creative commons license of attribution only, as a contribution to the resolution of larger real-world issues. This will be a standardized-format strictly curated group for diaries consisting of words, concepts and definitions only. Diarists must be meticulous to not infringe on any copyrights or trademarks, and all images should be in the public domain, original works, or licensed under an appropriate creative commons license. Kossacks are welcome to submit ideas for new words or entire articles, and the administrator and editors will supply advice, guidance, suggestions, and the title image for diaries, but submissions may be edited as the administrator assigns. Please use Kosmail and send a message to Jonathan Gordon (linkage) if you'd like to participate. The group was created Feb 5, 2020
.
mettle fatigue … If you'd like to originate diaries under our banner and with our group name in your 'by'-line, kosmail to mettle fatigue to request to join the group, with a link or 2 to your past diaries included in the message, and please have a look at this tutorial, RSTA and Rural&SmallTownAmerikos .— Created Mar 31, 2020 We're here to originate and reblog diaries on politics, environment, healthcare, economy, volunteerism, etc of concern these communities in any or all US states, territories and possessions… Anyone outside the group with reblogging requests, for now please kosmail/send a message (with the link/URL of the diary included) to admin… If you'd like to originate diaries under our banner and with our group name in your 'by'-line, kosmail to mettle fatigue to request to join the group, with a link or 2 to your past diaries included in the message, and please have a look at this tutorial, How to Queue Drafts to Groups You're In, to Publish'em There; & How to Republish/Reblog Diaries too. rev'd 2020 if you're new to that how-to or could use a refresher. Our group tags areand.— Created Mar 31, 2020
.
This group is for QA stuff. — Created Apr 1, 2020 by Daily Kos staff.
.
— Created Apr 6, 2020 by Daily Kos staff.
.
This group is committed to exposing all of the reasons why Donald Trump must be defeated ! His evil character, his narcissism, how self-centered he is, his incompetence, his bigotry, his lies, his idiocy, his criminal behavior, and his terrible policies. — Created April 11, 2020
.
A group of Daily Kos readers interested in participating in virtual events. — Created Apr 11, 2020
.
.
.


dailykos--2020-04-08--How corporate greed is hurting us during COVID-19

It ’ s no secret that J.D .
Scholten , congressional candidate for Iowa ’ s 4th district , is a big advocate for antitrust laws -- but the ongoing pandemic is showing just how important the enforcement of these laws truly is .
Years ago , the government granted a small California company a federal contract to develop a new portable ventilator ( the type of machine we are lacking right now ) .
Well , this small company was purchased by a multi-billion dollar conglomerate , and no machines were made .
When our companies don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for them to keep making the less profitable but potentially life-saving products .
They are more inclined to mass-produce whatever makes them the most money .
Over the last decade , we ’ ve seen pharmaceutical and medical supplies companies merge , cut production , and raise prices .
We have noticed the squeeze on the industry , but now , during a worldwide pandemic , we are less prepared than we should have been .
The greed of these companies is astounding and infuriating , and it ’ s one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress .
We need to protect small companies from monopolies .
Our country was founded on principles of free enterprise and freedom from monopolies -- Thomas Jefferson even wanted freedom from monopolies enshrined in the First Amendment .
True colors come to light during times of crisis .
We are seeing that decades of corporate greed and no enforcement of antitrust laws are exacerbating this ongoing pandemic .
This is why we have to vote -- we need to demand action NOW .
We have to put a stop to this .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @

It’s no secret that J.D. Scholten, congressional candidate for Iowa’s 4th district, is a big advocate for antitrust laws -- but the ongoing pandemic is showing just how important the enforcement of these laws truly is.
Years ago, the government granted a small California company a federal contract to develop a new portable ventilator (the type of machine we are lacking right now). Well, this small company was purchased by a multi-billion dollar conglomerate, and no machines were made.
When our companies don’t have competition, there is no incentive for them to keep making the less profitable but potentially life-saving products. They are more inclined to mass-produce whatever makes them the most money.
Over the last decade, we’ve seen pharmaceutical and medical supplies companies merge, cut production, and raise prices. We have noticed the squeeze on the industry, but now, during a worldwide pandemic, we are less prepared than we should have been.
The greed of these companies is astounding and infuriating, and it’s one of the reasons why J.D. is running for Congress.
We need to protect small companies from monopolies. Our country was founded on principles of free enterprise and freedom from monopolies -- Thomas Jefferson even wanted freedom from monopolies enshrined in the First Amendment.
True colors come to light during times of crisis. We are seeing that decades of corporate greed and no enforcement of antitrust laws are exacerbating this ongoing pandemic. This is why we have to vote -- we need to demand action NOW.
We have to put a stop to this. The level of ongoing complacency is heartbreaking.
Iowa