DL Open Thread: Friday, October 16, 2020

Trump’s Insanity On Full Display.  The hamster powering the wheel that is his brain has died.  85% of mask wearers get COVID?  The AP Fact Check:

CORONAVIRUS

TRUMP: “Just the other day they came out with a statement that 85% of the people that wear masks catch it so … that’s what I heard and that’s what I saw.” — town-hall event in Miami.

TRUMP, on his rallies: “What I do is outside is a big thing. And if you look at those, people, they really are wearing masks. I’ll tell you, I looked last night in Iowa — there were many, many people wearing masks. But then you see CDC comes out with a statement that 85% of the people wearing masks catch it.” — Fox Business interview.

TRUMP, looking out over his crowd: “Look at all the masks. You know, they keep saying, ‘nobody wears a mask, wear the mask.’ Although then they come out with things today. Did you see CDC? That 85% of the people wearing a mask catch it, OK?” — remarks at rally during the day in Greenville, North Carolina.

THE FACTS: He’s botching the study’s findings, repeatedly. The study cited, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, did not find that 85% of mask wearers catch COVID-19. If that were the case, the majority of Americans would be infected.

It found something quite different: that 85% of the small group of COVID-19 patients surveyed — about 150 on this question — reported they had worn a mask often or always around the time they would have become infected.

The group’s exposure to potentially infected people in the community varied. Most reported shopping or being in a home with multiple people. But they were twice as likely to have eaten at a restaurant, where masks are set aside for the meal, than were uninfected people in a control group.

Most studies have shown that wearing masks reduces the transmission of the virus by blocking respiratory droplets. Several studies have also shown that masks could offer some protection for the people who wear them.

The findings were in a CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published last month.

QAnon is a thing?  I hope he IS the ratings king.  In fact, I didn’t watch it, wouldn’t mind a replay, though.  Didn’t watch Biden either.

White House Knew Rudy Peddled Russian Disinformation.  Hey, that was his job.  Rudy’s daughter urges people to vote for Biden.

How Rethug Judges Are Destroying Public Health Laws.  To state the obvious, this will not end with Trump’s defeat.

Ammon Bundy’s New Army.  All the wingnuts under one umbrella.

OSHA To Employers: We Don’t Care About Outbreaks Among Your Workers.  Please, just sweep it (and them) under the rug.

Pa’s Vote-By-Mail Program Is Effed Up.  Whatever could possibly go wrong does go wrong.

Call Long Voter Lines What They Are: Voter Suppression.  One more way to ensure continued minority rule.

Why 4998 Died In American Jails Without Their Days In Court.  Reuters uncovers what the US government hides from the public. Great reporting.

Wilmington City Council Again Fails To Attack Blight.  Some of those voting no, including the utterly-worthless Zanthia Oliver, have abandoned and decrepit buildings all over their districts.

What do you want to talk about?