You are charitable in thinking that letting the fire burn isn’t a tactical move.
11 Likes
Let me tell you what it’s like outside the urban areas: no respect for the law, or people in authority (like scientists), And open flouting of the distancing guidelines because they’re the Real Americans. It’s scary, and people are dying because of it.
19 Likes
Why would you take Trump at (some of) his word and not evaluate his actions when making a comment like this?
He has advocated a slow roll sometimes on camera, but his Twitter echoes the protesters saying there should be no social distancing or protections.
He says they are following the experts, but has not accomplished any metric the experts set for him.
He says they will continue to work on making sure there isn’t multiple spikes of new cases, but has disbanded the shoddy task force and hung a mission accomplished banner.
Like, he may sometimes claim they have a plan that loosely aligns with what people say needs to be done - but all his actions say he wants people to just reopen. And here in Texas the only thing preventing “business as usual” being enforced are local governments and the businesses themselves. That’s going to be a common theme.
19 Likes
If what you say is true, why are infection rates so much higher in urban areas than rural areas?
Even adjusting for population size, metro counties have nearly three times as many confirmed coronavirus cases as non-metropolitan counties, and nearly four times as many deaths from COVID-19 as of April 27
Since I’m bored on day 40 or whatever of quarantine, it seems worth mentioning: either they’re quarantining more than you say, or quarantining isn’t the only factor?
Not sure how to read your post because it seems to argue both ways between urban and non-urban.
One issue may be institutions like hospitals, nursing homes and businesses. Some places which should be good at controlling infections are allowing covid to spread, much more than casual contact between people on the street.
2 Likes
We find that while metro counties still have significantly higher cases and deaths per capita, non-metro counties are experiencing faster growth rates, potentially signaling challenges ahead. Some counties with the highest rates of cases and deaths are located in Georgia, where the state has moved to significantly ease social distancing measures.
I’m pretty sure the article is pointing out that the worst is yet to come for rural areas given its actual thesis.
13 Likes
It says “potentially signaling challenges ahead”. And I sure hope they’re wrong because I can’t take much more quarantine.
For the most part it’s just easier in everyday life to social distance” I really rural areas. I won’t go too deep into it, just take my word. That said, there’s already ample evidence that once the virus embeds itself successfully in a rural community all hell breaks lose. I mean look at the meat packing facilities. I wouldn’t make an assumption that the virus never reached rural communities just because it takes longer to get there.
Further, only a small percentage of the population has been infected. Do you really want to see what happens when all of America is on fire like NYC? Stay inside man. I’m in DC and we aren’t even expected to peak until July by the “play it safe” models. Same models Trump was using until they started to paint an ugly picture. Now of course he just ignores them. Easing restrictions from total lockdown sure. It’s basically safe to go out in public as long as the crowds aren’t dense and you maintain your distance, but advocating people start riding the metro or going to the park or beach with groups of people or barbecuing, congregating in churches, malls, bars etc is very very dangerous right now. But you’re welcome to join the crowd if you want. But I wouldn’t get too relaxed about this just yet. We have many interesting months ahead of us. And maybe longer depending on how the vaccine progresses and how the virus mutates on the mean time.
11 Likes
You joking right? He is entirely suggesting going back to business as usual. Have you recently been rescued from a desert island or something? We’re talking about Donald J Trump.
22 Likes
I mean, there’s an argument to say that that was already a huge failure.
The actual moral response to that dilemma would have been to refuse the order to harm someone, even when ordered to do so by what you thought was the highest authority in existence. Holding the guy who was prepared to kill his own son on the orders of a voice in his head up as a virtuous and obedient father of all mankind is the point where unthinking obedience and bowing to petty authoritarianism got baked into far too much of the world’s culture.
I mean, sure Trump would fail worse, but that’s not a high bar.
15 Likes
I wish I was on a desert island, that sounds awesome. I don’t watch TV or anything like that, but everything I’m reading shows him saying he wants to ease restrictions, not end them. It’s hard to know what Trump’s position is since he changes it by the minute, but here’s the current White House proposal:
It’s divided into 3 phases, and even the 3rd phase, for regions with no virus at all (as far as I know, no region currently meets that criteria, but maybe I’m wrong) has restrictions and changes to behavior. There’s no Phase 4 with no restrictions whatsoever.
There been a severe disconnect between the Whitehouse “official policy” and everything DT says and does. His staff clearly has a different viewpoint than him and he’s the one with the tallest soapbox and the loudest megaphone.
15 Likes
Those three phases were likely designed by the science advisors, probably the same ones on or informing the task force that he wants to disband.
I can see winding down the task force as we get to phase 3 but at this point they shouldn’t even be scaling back the number of meetings.
Since ending the task force would be a sign of progress and the only one Type of progress he can control. As the task force is still needed, it is a performative “sign”
9 Likes
Real question to any conservative readers, is “owning the libs” worth this death toll? Are you still going to vote for him? Really? I thought most of you were “Christians”.
7 Likes
Does the task force shutdown mean the Feds will stop confiscating PPE and virus test kits?
3 Likes
I would dispute this. He was advocating full stadiums (no empty seats) for the beginning of football season. While we DO have to figure out how to relax lockdowns, I can’t CONCEIVE that filling up an arena is going to be a good idea for a long time. The idea is a fantasy, and he lives in a fantasy world.
7 Likes
FTFY
13 Likes
I am reminded of Wilfred Owen’s “The Parable of the Old Man and the Young.”
7 Likes
If it would do any good, that graph needs to be very widely circulated. The current flattening of the curve" may be illusory due to the overwhelming influence of the NYC hotspot currently, and the supreme effort being made there. If other locales think this means they are out of the woods (and they do) we will see another (or many more) hotspots flare up. As we are, in fact, seeing. Thing is, they are currently small enough to hide in the glare of NYC. Give it time.
16 Likes
This!
It’s a “feels like it’s over” sign for his base. Since they have no brains, “feels like” is what works.
6 Likes
