DL Open Thread: Mon., March 23, 2020
‘Wartime President’ Abdicates War Powers. But his poll numbers are going up, largely b/c of his daily campaign rallies masquerading as ‘Coronavirus Task Force’ briefings. Ceding all responsibility (and blame) to 50 governors so he can claim that it’s not his fault. It seems that Joe Biden has gone back into hibernation. Seriously, where the fuck is he? He needs to mobilize a shadow cabinet and get out there every day.
$500 Billion Slush Fund Kills Financial Rescue Bill. WTF was McConnell thinking? He was never gonna be able to get 60 votes for this. All he succeeded in doing was delaying genuine bipartisan action and guaranteeing another disastrous day on Wall Street. And, yes, the President was holding out hope that his companies would benefit from the slush fund.
Everything Falls Apart, Ctd. From our ‘wartime president’:
As public health officials and leaders around the world braced their populations for a struggle that could continue for months, President Trump signaled that measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus could have their limits.
“We cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself,” he wrote on Twitter. “At the end of the 15 day period, we will make a decision which way we want to go!”
Hey, what’s another 15 days in a pandemic? Updated numbers: 35,224 cases and 471 deaths in the US. Would it shock you to find out that Trump axed a position that was specifically designed to spot health pandemics in China? Didn’t think so. Would it shock you to learn that, while our country is in freefall, Trump has offered to help, wait for it, North Korea with its coronavirus issues? Didn’t think so. Still no large deliveries of masks, gowns, ventilators, testing kits. But production is going great guns and industry is really stepping up. Just ask Trumpence. As long as, you know, we don’t adopt policies like Venezuela’s. Trump really said that yesterday because ‘socialism’. You know who’s making a difference? One of our neighbors. Her workplace has been closed so she’s at home sewing masks for nurses.
Rand Paul Is A Careless Piece Of Shit. Suspected he might test positive. Didn’t stop him from using the gym, using the pool with other senators, and sharing lunch with his colleagues. R’s and D’s alike are royally pissed off at him. BTW, isn’t he a doctor? Why, yes, yes he is.
Gov. DeSantis Is A Dangerous Piece Of Shit. I know that many are in the running for this dubious distinction, but his reckless enabling of Florida spring breakers has likely done irreparable harm to attempts to slow down the spread of the virus.
Memo To Pence: Use The 25th Amendment. Get Rid Of Trump. I suspect that the outcry will grow, and grow quickly.
Carney’s ‘Essential/Non-Essential’ List. Excuse me for betraying some skepticism, but this list looks at least a little like it was heavily influenced by lobbyists. Liquor stores, essential. Book stores, non-essential. Just one small example. Take a look. Tell me what questions you have. I have quite a few.
What do you want to talk about?
On the “where’s Joe?” question, he was waiting for his house to be outfitted to be TV-friendly. The big holdup — I”m not making this up — was that the ceilings are too low to accommodate high-intensity TV lights.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/20/biden-coronavirus-plannings-139629
The reference to TV lights and low ceilings was apparently removed from the Politico article.
Wasn’t in the politico article, but I couldn’t find the one it was in. Read it yesterday on Eschaton.
Guess he’ll be a great President–as long as he can avoid low ceilings.
Would it be too snarky to suggest that his Presidency already has a low ceiling?
Posted this at BD by request, so I’ll post it here as well: Projections (as of 3 days ago) of covid-19 penetration under three different scenarios. Scroll to hear the bottom for county-by-county map.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/03/20/us/coronavirus-model-us-outbreak.html?searchResultPosition=5
This is where I got the figure of 100,000 cases in New Castle County by May 1. That’s the middle map, of moderate steps to confine it.
On a lighter note (and we definitely need some lighter notes):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJZuZzU2Vsg
Carney has insisted that “Childcare facilities are “controlled environments,” and “while children can transmit COVID-19, they are not at risk themselves for serious illness”.
Both of these statements by the Governor’s office are lies and I have pointed this out repeatedly.
I have listed irrefutable and sourced documentation and still see no attempts to rescind/correct these false, misleading and dangerous statements. This type of propaganda is irresponsible and could very well result in massive amounts of contagion spreading.
These false and misleading statements have been promulgated by Governor Carney for more than two weeks now and despite my multiple personal pleas to this administration the silence has been deafening. The governments unwillingness to specify exactly where (what business entities etc.) new cases are springing up will also enable the administration to hide the fact if the daycare environments have become incubators. This is a serious abuse of the public trust and presents a danger to the health of all Delawareans.
Rep. Kowalko
Please make sure that all those people who are struggling to keep their power turned on that during all this Bloom keeps getting their subsidy.
The Governor is so worried about public health that he’s keeping hotels open to tourists and real estate agents are still allowed to do showings. Thank God people from NY and NJ can still come here and walk through strangers homes then go to a nice hotel before ordering take out and infecting everyone in their path. The Governor’s order is a joke and completely unsafe. It’s only redeeming quality is if you print it out you can wipe your ass with it.
An unforeseen benefit in today’s TP starved world, other then that yet another political game that falls short of what is needed. Heard Carney speak yesterday, underwhelming vocal performance to say the least.
RuthAnn spoke with more passion.