Coronavirus politics and news.

[johnnyi]

How do you think the money should be distributed?

Personally, I think it should be given to individuals.

No agenda. What the plan should be.

1-Mortgage and rent freeze for anyone who's lost a job or can't be working right now. Banks can handle that It's a few months and they will get their money eventually.

2-Reduction in costs of utilities. Utility companies need to keep going and they need the money to pay employees.
Anyone who is affected gets a full or percentage reduction in their utility bills.

3- 400$ a month per individual. Add 200$ a month for every person in that household up to 1200$ a month.
A family of 4 gets 1000 bucks a month for groceries and incidentals. A family of 8 gets 1200.
This is offered through unemployment applications. Anyone behaving dishonestly will be given the harshest of punishment when this is over.

4-All necessary medical is covered.


Here's my math. In order to give 200 million people 400$ a month for 3 months, it would cost 240 billion
100 mil would be half that.
Save the other aspect of the incentive for after this and give that to SMALL businesses, first.

Let the CEOs off the giant companies, keep them afloat by surrendering their bonuses.
If you have a company with 1000 workers who make 50k a year and a couple guys who gets a 10 mil bonus?
Well give up bonuses to pay those people salaries for the first 4 months they are all out of work. Then they can ask for help.

I have been advocating for some form of your points. I'd expand the first point to include a moratorium on all rent, mortgage, credit cards, student loans and any other interest payments. Screw the banksters. Not sure how the utility payment plan in #2 would work or the accounting for it or whether it is just better to increase #3 payments. I'm OK with the government covering the co-pays for #4 for all services, plus 100% paid by the govt for Coronavirus related treatment.

As for the bonuses, I still haven't gotten over the insurance company executives getting their bonuses during the last bailout, when they were bailed out in the first place and should have suffered more than most instead of not at all.

Perhaps some Corporate bailouts are in order, perhaps not. I'm undecided. As I've previously stated, I would do it more as a partial reimbursement, if employers continue to pay workers who are unable to do their jobs because their businesses have been shut down (e.g. travel and hospitality industries).

[flimflamman]

Fact is the Dems are holding up the deal and not many seem to care

Thank God there adults in the room doing oversight.

[johnnyi]

Pelosi said the Republican bill before the Senate puts "corporations first, not workers and families."

The Democrats' latest bill, which is more than 1,400 pages long, would prevent corporations from using taxpayer money for stock buybacks, boost unemployment insurance, strengthen the child and earned income tax credits and inject nearly $40 billion into schools and universities to stabilize funding. It also directs billions of dollars in grant funding for states to carry out this year's election through the Election Assistance Commission.

Some elements of this proposal already exist in the bill that the Senate is negotiating.

Frankly I don't know what the D's strategy is, what I do know they are trying to protect workers and families. They clearly object to the R's attempt to push thru a bill that gives carte blanche to a $500B slush fund with NO oversight. Can you imagine?

It's never good to have no oversight. On the other hand, I don't know why the bill needs to be 1400 pages long. I agree with no stock buybacks, but also don't know which of the other provisions are needed, even if they sound good. For example, I read some of the stuff on the Election Assistance Commission provisions and it is very politically skewed. If there is an uptick of unemployment insurance for a month, the current system can handle it, but I'm OK with the Fed kicking in some money, since it is a national emergency. I'm not sure about increasing Food Stamps, if we are giving everybody money for food anyway during this emergency. Similarly, while it sounds good to increase child credits, this possibly could be covered by the stipend to each family. As for Universities, they can bite me, since they are overcharging Americans as it is, while fattening their enormous trust funds. They are as bad as large corporations in some respects.

[drt1010]

Andrew Cuomo: "No one should be talking about social darwinism for the sake of the stock market."

[OhSoSlick]

Andrew Cuomo: "No one should be talking about social darwinism for the sake of the stock market."

Also Cuomo:

Can't get his state under control. Highest rate and # of infections.

He can sit there and do all the talking he wants, #s prove he is not doing a good job.

He should have put an official stay in place order in, weeks ago. Many People in NYC are not following the suggestions. Time to make it official.

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[Kinkotheclown]

Don't know if you are trying to be disagreeable or not on the 100% comment, especially when you reiterate the point that there shouldn't be politics on it, which is what I said 100% about and also said that there is no place for pork on either side of the aisle and I further stand by my comment that anyone who thinks it is OK to pass a political agenda with this bill is being dishonest. You might not like my certitude about it, however, it is the same for either side of the aisle.

I have actually stayed out of this political commentary for the most part, but let's all be reasonable here. We should not interject climate change into a bill about sending out checks to prevent people from starving. Also, I agree with not including any goodies for the Religious right, but I don't know where your commentary is coming from, since I didn't see any pro-life / anti -pro-choice agenda in the bill. Democrats put a force the airlines to reduce greenhouse gases while to my knowledge, there was no force the doctors to reduce abortions.

As for the President's comments, the data is out there. The virus will probably (key word is probably) peak at some time and level off as it did in South Korea and China and for the first time had less new cases yesterday in Italy than the previous day. I do believe that he is trying to be encouraging and optimistic, but that he is too optimistic. We all know that there is a race to a cure / treatment and I thank Drt for his chart showing 12 clinical trials in US, alone. We also know that during a pandemic, any treatment that shows efficacy is likely to be shared early for sickest patients for humanitarian reasons. So, when the President says it will probably be less than 3-4 months and the head of the CDC says it will likely take more than 2-3 weeks, I have no problem interpreting that to mean that both could be correct or both could be incorrect. My guess, and let's be honest here because it is only a guess, is that it will take more than a month, but I do not believe that it will wipe out humanity, just be very disruptive.

The virus took 2 months to reach 100K. It took another 2 weeks to reach 200k. It took one week to increase another 100k
The olympics were postponed. India is on a 21 day restriction.

For the record, here are some other comments he's made

Late January
“No. Not at all. And we have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.”

Jan 30
"Johnson & Johnson to create coronavirus vaccine."
“We have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country at this moment — five. And those people are all recuperating successfully.”


Early Feb
“Looks like by April, you know, in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away,”
Yep, tell that to Brazil where it's running rampant in that warmer weather that's gong to kill it.

“the Democrat policy of open borders” had brought the virus into the country. He lashed out at “Do Nothing Democrat comrades.” (But no one should politicize this...)

Also, how about the fact that while you did ban travel from china, there were still actually flights coming in and out of china to the US along with boats carrying tons of commodities? So yeah, good on you for slowing travel but you didn't stop it. You restricted it.

Feb. 26, “We’re going down, not up. We’re going very substantially down, not up.”
Feb. 27, “It’s going to disappear. One day — it’s like a miracle — it will disappear.”
Feb. 29, he said a vaccine would be available very quickly and very rapidly and praised his administration’s actions as “the most aggressive taken by any country.”

March 2
“We’re talking about a much smaller range” of deaths than from the flu.
March 7, h “I’m not concerned at all.”
March 10, “It will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away.”

So while he was saying that, we could have been taking more aggressive steps that were in fact recommended by the WHO and CDC

There is no testing kit shortage, nor has there ever been.” Trump, while touring the C.D.C. on March 6, said, “Anybody that wants a test can get a test.”
Lie. Drs are not even seeing patients in many cases but instead doing things via skype/zoom. Even if it's suspected you have it, you don't get a test. You get quarantined unless you become very sick


If you don't see a man who's lying, I just think you want to avoid seeing it.
He has downplayed this. He has half the country thinking, it will just go away. I hope it does. I hope like SARS it just burns itself out but it doesn't look that way, does it? Do you honestly believe that things will be ok enough to get back to normal in a few weeks?
He is more focused on the economy than he is on the safety of the people in this country.

Not to mention that there are experts who believe this is just the first wave of the virus.
Trump has had too many mixed messages.

[Kinkotheclown]

I have been advocating for some form of your points. I'd expand the first point to include a moratorium on all rent, mortgage, credit cards, student loans and any other interest payments. Screw the banksters. Not sure how the utility payment plan in #2 would work or the accounting for it or whether it is just better to increase #3 payments. I'm OK with the government covering the co-pays for #4 for all services, plus 100% paid by the govt for Coronavirus related treatment.

As for the bonuses, I still haven't gotten over the insurance company executives getting their bonuses during the last bailout, when they were bailed out in the first place and should have suffered more than most instead of not at all.

Perhaps some Corporate bailouts are in order, perhaps not. I'm undecided. As I've previously stated, I would do it more as a partial reimbursement, if employers continue to pay workers who are unable to do their jobs because their businesses have been shut down (e.g. travel and hospitality industries).

I am fine with corporate bailouts when the owners/ CEOs have used a percentage of their own worth and assets to save their company.

But if a CEO for Holiday inn makes a 100 mil bonus, he should sacrifice 75 mil to cover the employees. You are still 25 mil ahead.

[Kinkotheclown]

Also Cuomo:

Can't get his state under control. Highest rate and # of infections.

He can sit there and do all the talking he wants, #s prove he is not doing a good job.

He should have put an official stay in place order in, weeks ago. Many People in NYC are not following the suggestions. Time to make it official.

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It's because of NYC. I think Cuomo's done a solid job. I agree that he should have done shelter in place earlier but it's the last resort.
When this virus starts really affecting the middle of the country, it is going to hit the fan. I hope it doesn't happen but those areas will not have anywhere near the recourses and people to control it.

[OhSoSlick]

It's because of NYC. I think Cuomo's done a solid job. I agree that he should have done shelter in place earlier but it's the last resort.
When this virus starts really affecting the middle of the country, it is going to hit the fan. I hope it doesn't happen but those areas will not have anywhere near the recourses and people to control it.

Yeah I guess more blame can be put on Mayor douche as well. However, Cuomo can put things in place the mayor doesn't have the power to. The amount of people just acting like it's not a big deal in the city is just mind boggling. I think it's also a lot easier to avoid people in the middle of the country. But in terms of resources, yes they have much less.

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[drt1010]

Also Cuomo:

Can't get his state under control. Highest rate and # of infections.

He can sit there and do all the talking he wants, #s prove he is not doing a good job.

He should have put an official stay in place order in, weeks ago. Many People in NYC are not following the suggestions. Time to make it official.

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I disagree with the bolded. NYC has the highest concentration in the country. Imo he acted decisively. A huge problem confronting him. Pleading for help from FED and getting very little at this juncture.

[goingfor28]

The virus took 2 months to reach 100K. It took another 2 weeks to reach 200k. It took one week to increase another 100k
The olympics were postponed. India is on a 21 day restriction.

For the record, here are some other comments he's made

Late January
“No. Not at all. And we have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.”

Jan 30
"Johnson & Johnson to create coronavirus vaccine."
“We have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country at this moment — five. And those people are all recuperating successfully.”


Early Feb
“Looks like by April, you know, in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away,”
Yep, tell that to Brazil where it's running rampant in that warmer weather that's gong to kill it.

“the Democrat policy of open borders” had brought the virus into the country. He lashed out at “Do Nothing Democrat comrades.” (But no one should politicize this...)

Also, how about the fact that while you did ban travel from china, there were still actually flights coming in and out of china to the US along with boats carrying tons of commodities? So yeah, good on you for slowing travel but you didn't stop it. You restricted it.

Feb. 26, “We’re going down, not up. We’re going very substantially down, not up.”
Feb. 27, “It’s going to disappear. One day — it’s like a miracle — it will disappear.”
Feb. 29, he said a vaccine would be available very quickly and very rapidly and praised his administration’s actions as “the most aggressive taken by any country.”

March 2
“We’re talking about a much smaller range” of deaths than from the flu.
March 7, h “I’m not concerned at all.”
March 10, “It will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away.”

So while he was saying that, we could have been taking more aggressive steps that were in fact recommended by the WHO and CDC

There is no testing kit shortage, nor has there ever been.” Trump, while touring the C.D.C. on March 6, said, “Anybody that wants a test can get a test.”
Lie. Drs are not even seeing patients in many cases but instead doing things via skype/zoom. Even if it's suspected you have it, you don't get a test. You get quarantined unless you become very sick


If you don't see a man who's lying, I just think you want to avoid seeing it.
He has downplayed this. He has half the country thinking, it will just go away. I hope it does. I hope like SARS it just burns itself out but it doesn't look that way, does it? Do you honestly believe that things will be ok enough to get back to normal in a few weeks?
He is more focused on the economy than he is on the safety of the people in this country.

Not to mention that there are experts who believe this is just the first wave of the virus.
Trump has had too many mixed messages.

I'm sure most of his words about it are just telling people what they want to hear. He isn't a Dr or a scientist or anything so not like he, or most other people in government, can truly speak on what/when/where/how this virus is going to act.

Did SARS really just randomly die down? I was too young then to really pay attention or care about paying attention to it. All I know about SARS was it was a thing that happened, it was bad and we survived it.

Looking at numbers, COVID19 has already crushed SARS in terms of number of people affected by it. By a lot.

[Kinkotheclown]

I'm sure most of his words about it are just telling people what they want to hear. He isn't a Dr or a scientist or anything so not like he, or most other people in government, can truly speak on what/when/where/how this virus is going to act.

Did SARS really just randomly die down? I was too young then to really pay attention or care about paying attention to it. All I know about SARS was it was a thing that happened, it was bad and we survived it.

Looking at numbers, COVID19 has already crushed SARS in terms of number of people affected by it. By a lot.

SARS did just sort of die down.

I know he's saying what people want to hear but that isn't smart. Leading means being able to look people in the eye and tel, the truth, even if it means saying you don't know

He thinks he's an expert and he's playing one.
“I like this stuff. I really get it. People are surprised that I understand it,” the president went on. He started talking about his tour of the CDC he’d taken before his talk to the press. “Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability. Maybe I should have done that instead of running for president.”


I have never loved the dude as the President but I still believe he got the dookie end of the stick in many cases and he'd done a much better job than for which he was given credit but for this crisis, he's been foolish and his attitude and how he's represented the virus have been political. He literally blamed the democrats fo the virus. If you look at stats for how people view this, his core group, thinks it's no big deal and as I said, I hope it never hits them because if it does, they will be in trouble.
So he's lying to keep his base calm and then giving half truths to the rest. He should STFU and tell us what the CDC, WHO and Pandemic experts say, not his spin.

[Kinkotheclown]

Yeah I guess more blame can be put on Mayor douche as well. However, Cuomo can put things in place the mayor doesn't have the power to. The amount of people just acting like it's not a big deal in the city is just mind boggling. I think it's also a lot easier to avoid people in the middle of the country. But in terms of resources, yes they have much less.

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The kicker is the silent carriers. In a smaller area, people will have their guard down because the President says things are fine.

[goingfor28]

SARS did just sort of die down.

I know he's saying what people want to hear but that isn't smart. Leading means being able to look people in the eye and tel, the truth, even if it means saying you don't know

He thinks he's an expert and he's playing one.
“I like this stuff. I really get it. People are surprised that I understand it,” the president went on. He started talking about his tour of the CDC he’d taken before his talk to the press. “Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability. Maybe I should have done that instead of running for president.”


I have never loved the dude as the President but I still believe he got the dookie end of the stick in many cases and he'd done a much better job than for which he was given credit but for this crisis, he's been foolish and his attitude and how he's represented the virus have been political. He literally blamed the democrats fo the virus. If you look at stats for how people view this, his core group, thinks it's no big deal and as I said, I hope it never hits them because if it does, they will be in trouble.
So he's lying to keep his base calm and then giving half truths to the rest. He should STFU and tell us what the CDC, WHO and Pandemic experts say, not his spin.

I don't necessarily blame him for telling people what they want to hear though. If he came out and said "we might be royally ****ed. No end in sight. This might take a year or more" most of the general public would probably go batshit crazy and into a full on panic. That wouldn't be good either imo.

[johnny ny]

SARS did just sort of die down.

I know he's saying what people want to hear but that isn't smart. Leading means being able to look people in the eye and tel, the truth, even if it means saying you don't know

He thinks he's an expert and he's playing one.
“I like this stuff. I really get it. People are surprised that I understand it,” the president went on. He started talking about his tour of the CDC he’d taken before his talk to the press. “Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability. Maybe I should have done that instead of running for president.”


I have never loved the dude as the President but I still believe he got the dookie end of the stick in many cases and he'd done a much better job than for which he was given credit but for this crisis, he's been foolish and his attitude and how he's represented the virus have been political. He literally blamed the democrats fo the virus. If you look at stats for how people view this, his core group, thinks it's no big deal and as I said, I hope it never hits them because if it does, they will be in trouble.
So he's lying to keep his base calm and then giving half truths to the rest. He should STFU and tell us what the CDC, WHO and Pandemic experts say, not his spin.

sars was nowhere near as contagious as this new virus.. this virus will be with us for years to come.