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The Coronavirus - a virus from eating bats, an accident or something sinister gone wrong?


swordfish

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TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO USE AMERICANS' LOCATION DATA TO TRACK THE CORONAVIRUS: https://www.wlfi.com/content/news/568926262.html

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The Trump administration is in discussions with the tech industry, including Facebook and Google, about how to use Americans' cellphone location data to track the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Facebook and Google confirmed to CNN that they are exploring ways to use aggregated, anonymized data to help in the coronavirus effort, after the Washington Post first reported the matter on Tuesday. In response to CNN's questions, Apple said it has not been a part of the location data discussions.

The location data conversations are part of a series of interactions between the White House and the tech industry about how Silicon Valley can contribute to the coronavirus response, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. Several informal working groups have been created under that initiative, including one focusing on expanding virtual education, another dealing with telehealth, a third examining how to limit the spread of coronavirus misinformation, and a fourth to explore the use of geolocation data for disease tracking.

The State Department is also engaged on the issue after receiving requests from multiple foreign governments about tapping into tech companies' knowledge of the movements of billions of people worldwide, according to one of the people familiar with the matter.

So far, the government has merely asked for generalized location insights that could, for example, show changes in highway traffic patterns or grocery store visits, said another of the people familiar. But, two of the people said, it raises the prospect of the government asking for further, more granular information that could pose privacy risks.

"I wish people would slow it down a bit, because I don't think people have fully thought it through," said one of the people, speaking on condition of anonymity to preserve professional relationships. Even inadvertent disclosure of the identity of an infected individual as a result of a detailed location tracking program could lead to social shaming, violence or worse, the person said.

Tech companies aren't alone in maintaining vast troves of customer location data. Telecom carriers that handle the smartphone communications of millions of Americans also have access to detailed location information. But it is unclear whether the Trump administration has asked them to provide that data, and if so, how granular it might be.

....

While the pandemic may provide more reasons to put privacy on the back burner, there need to be strong rules and safeguards regulating how data can be used in the current crisis, said Dipayan Ghosh, a former Facebook and Obama administration official who is now a fellow at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.

"There is a tremendous risk that governments could use technological capacities to monitor the spread of the virus to actually surveil their citizens," he said. "Should governments decide to track their citizens, they should establish clear guidelines as to what powers they do have, how they will conduct any monitoring, and what steps they are taking to protect privacy."

....

It's becoming pretty clear that this "crisis" is conditioning the general public for Martial Law.................

 

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1 hour ago, Muda69 said:

Well Bob, you got your wish.  As I drove by the Mulberry convenience store/gas station earlier this morning the table was empty and the surrounding chairs were turned up on top of it.  

Somebody must have snitched to the county board of health.  Was it you Bob?

And this little incident brings forth some interesting questions:

1.  I'm hoping these old men/farmers, obviously long time friends, are currently meeting in another place, perhaps at one of the men's kitchen table, to drink coffee, swap stories, and tell lies.   Should this kind of home assembly be banned during this current "crisis"?

2. Let's say John & Martha are getting stir crazy practicing "social distancing" during this "crisis" and decide to have a Saturday night dinner party.  So they invite a bunch of their friends to their home, and a number of them accept.   So later that evening the party is going well and a local LEO drives by John & Martha's home.  He notices that there are an unusual amount of vehicles parked outside the home for that time of day so he decides to investigate.  After he discovers the existence of the dinner party should he immediately demand all parties disperse?  Should he contact the local Board of Health and report an infraction?   Should John & Martha face at the very least some kind of misdemeanor charge of planning and hosting an unlawful assembly?

 

It wasn’t my “wish.” It was just a question that I answered based on current public health guidelines.

I don’t know what the enforcement mechanisms are for this. But at the least, they deserve condemnation for endangering the community so thoughtlessly.

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55 minutes ago, gonzoron said:

Says the guy who rarely types 140 characters of his own.

Yep, that would be you Chief.  All insults and zero content.  Oh, but you do specialize in re-posting insipid facebook memes.  So I guess you have that going for you.

 

 

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30 minutes ago, Bobref said:

It wasn’t my “wish.” It was just a question that I answered based on current public health guidelines.

I don’t know what the enforcement mechanisms are for this. But at the least, they deserve condemnation for endangering the community so thoughtlessly.

Perhaps when Mr. Trump gets his new tracking app for all U.S citizens we will all be able to see at glance when and where this kind of "community endangerment" is occurring and the community can react in kind:

mob1.jpg?w=584 

Edited by Muda69
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Law on Holcomb’s side despite conservative backlash over COVID-19 measures: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2020/03/18/after-holcombs-coronavirus-order-some-conservatives-worry-drastic-measures-failing-abide-governors-o/5070218002/

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Rep. Jim Lucas, a Republican lawmaker in southern Indiana, fears the impact on small businesses following Gov. Eric Holcomb's order to shut down many restaurants and bars this week.

Rep. Curt Nisly, a Republican in northern Indiana, insists the governor is overreaching on his authority.

And Rob Kendall, a conservative radio personality on WIBC, went so far as to caution: Once you hand over a freedom to the government, you may as well say goodbye to the American way of life. 

As medical professionals have warned that a rapid spread of the coronavirus could lead to more patients than there are hospital beds, they have also been urging government leaders to act swiftly to limit public exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19. 

But some conservative voices, representing a small but vocal group of Hoosiers, are already bubbling up just days after Holcomb signed his executive order. They are worried about the implications of broad government action during a time of widespread panic over the coronavirus. Some question the governor's authority. Some see it as creeping authoritarianism.

Holcomb, though, is following the guidance that numerous doctors have shared across the country. He said government intervention is necessary during a public health emergency.

...

Legal experts, meanwhile, are pointing to Indiana code to say the governor is well within his rights.

"The governor absolutely has the authority to require the closure of bars, night clubs and restaurants," said Joshua Claybourn, an Evansville attorney who has a few municipal clients. "If you're a bar or restaurant owner, you definitely are going to need to comply with this executive order."

And while IndyStar is not aware of anyone who has defied the order, those who do could be slapped with a Class B misdemeanor charge

 ...

Several vocal critics of the approach told IndyStar they understand the virus is a public health threat, but they worry Holcomb and other elected leaders, driven by the fear of their constituents, are overreacting by shutting down private businesses and severely limiting public gatherings.

"I want to make this crystal clear right off the bat: every death is tragic. We have to take it serious," Rep. Lucas, from Seymour, told IndyStar. "But there hasn't been near this level of response on any of the other pandemics we've encountered and got through."

Rob Kendall, who produces the Chicks on the Right radio show and who hosts his own show Sundays on WIBC, has been vocal about his concerns on social media and on air.

Much of it has been hyperbole, such as referring to Holcomb as a "Soviet strongman," but he's also raising questions about what Americans are willing to sacrifice in the name of public safety. 

"The founders set up a brilliant system, and it exists in times of peace and it exists in times of chaos, and we have rights and we have liberties and there are parameters around the government for a reason," Kendall told IndyStar in an interview. "Once government takes rights from you, you'll never get them back. And they'll always point back to this on the next thing, maybe something not even as close to as serious as what we're going through right now. And they'll say, 'Well, we did it then. And you gave in then.'" 

Asked for what kind of response he's received from his social media followers and listeners, Kendall said people are split.

Some agree with him, he says, but just as many disagree in the name of public safety.

"And don't get me wrong, I'm voluntarily doing all the things the governor is suggesting, as would probably 98% of the people," Kendall said. "But it's when you come out and mandate something that you don't have the ability to mandate, and you're causing immense financial harm to hundreds of thousands of people. That's not right."

That concern lines up with Nisly, a Republican lawmaker from Milford. He declined IndyStar's request for an interview, but he wrote a letter to the governor this week that challenged Holcomb's authority to shut down businesses. 

"If you start at restaurants, what is next? Are you going to shut down walk-in shopping at supermarkets for the same cause?" Nisly wrote. "I believe that if you leave this in the hands of ordinary Hoosiers, you will see that we are capable of handling difficult times just fine without government interference." 

Lucas, the lawmaker from Seymour, also wondered why it's necessary to close some businesses, such as restaurants and bars, while allowing hundreds or thousands of people to continue to work inside factories.

...

Given the rarity of what's happening, though, it's unclear who might be tasked with enforcing the governor's executive order.

"The governor expects those businesses to comply with the directive for the safety of Hoosiers in their communities," said Rachel Hoffmeyer, Holcomb's spokeswoman, in an email to IndyStar, "without the need to call for enforcement measures." 

If it comes to that, Claybourn said Indiana law empowers law enforcement agencies at both the state and local level to enforce the order

In Marion County, where Dr. Caine's public health order is in effect through April 6, the health department said it will seek voluntary compliance before pushing for penalties. 

If necessary, the department can take an emergency violation notice to court.  

"However, we seek compliance first as in any matter," said Curt Brantingham, a health department spokesman, in an email to IndyStar. "Our goal is protect public health, especially during this time."

For Lucas, he's already looking ahead to the potential long-term impacts of current government action. 

Businesses are shut down. Schools are closed. Employees aren't making money. Kids are relying on schools for food.

"I don’t have all the information the governor has, so I trust him on this, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about the drastic measures we're seeing already this early in the game," Lucas said. "And we're only a couple days into this ... What's going to happen one week from now? Or two weeks from now?

 

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2 hours ago, swordfish said:

And so did the WHO.....But your linked story fails to mention that......(Orange man bad, its all Trump's fault)

https://dailycaller.com/2020/03/18/flashback-who-china-coronavirus-contagious/?fbclid=IwAR1rTVrLJpbxlLCxuZ_qPyhKbu9axGR_ESREufvn4wy3kzcoOlQ_wmTjx00

The World Health Organization (WHO) tried to cam fears of a pandemic on Jan. 14 by repeating China’s claim that coronavirus was not contagious among humans.

“Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in #Wuhan, #China,” the WHO tweeted.

My post wasn't a question of blaming Trump.  It was in response to a video that tried to make it seem bad that the media would "defend China."  Mr. Carlson has repeated tried to make the media and anyone else who might not buy in hook, line, and sinker to what the President is saying as somehow "at fault" or worse "un-American."  I merely pointed out that there's a fundamental shakiness to Mr. Carlson's underlying inferences and charges and that our own president would fall in that category too if we are examining it in detail.  Nothing more, nothing less.

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1 hour ago, Muda69 said:

Yep, that would be you Chief.  All insults and zero content.  Oh, but you do specialize in re-posting insipid facebook memes.  So I guess you have that going for you.

 

 

Why do you call them insipid if you can’t see them? 

Thats not something a grown man would do.

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42 minutes ago, gonzoron said:

Why do you call them insipid if you can’t see them? 

Thats not something a grown man would do.

Because it's Facebook.  A hive of insipidness.

Correct, you as a supposedly grown man shouldn't be a member.

 

 

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Police show up at Louisiana church that was defying coronavirus state order: https://www.foxnews.com/us/coronavirus-police-church-defy-state-order

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Police responded Tuesday night to a Louisiana church where hundreds had congregated despite the state's ban on gatherings of more than 50 people — part of the effort to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Tony Spell, pastor of Life Tabernacle Church in Baton Rouge, said no "dictator law" could keep people from worshipping God, according to the local news.

“The virus, we believe, is politically motivated,” Spell told WAFB. “We hold our religious rights dear and we are going to assemble no matter what someone says.”

Spell said his church, which normally has more than 1,000 attendees on Sunday across five locations, will be distributing “anointed handkerchiefs” to provide members with “healing virtues.”

 

A police officer told the pastor that the National Guard will break up future gatherings that violate the public health rules issued by Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards.

However, Louisiana National Guard Colonel Ed Bush said Wednesday that is not accurate.

“The National Guard has not been tasked with enforcing any of the curfew, social distancing or meeting requirements as set by the governor,” Bush said. “Our focus right now is completely with helping state agencies with preparedness and medical readiness."

Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., sent a letter to Edwards last week saying the proclamation is unconstitutional when applied to houses of worship.

“I agree that all our constituents and religious leaders should follow the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC),” Higgins wrote. “However, the decision to gather should be the choice of the individual or institution and not a mandate by any government entity. The state has no authority to enforce this proclamation nor any ban on worship.

The majority of religious leaders and services have gone online, especially after the White House issued even more strict recommendations Monday, saying people should not gather in groups of more than 10.

...

 

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33 minutes ago, Muda69 said:

Because it's Facebook.  A hive of insipidness.

Since you didn't answer my question the first time, I'll ask again: Why do you say this if you can't see it?

 

34 minutes ago, Muda69 said:

Correct, you as a supposedly grown man shouldn't be a member.

I'll make sure to give @Bobref, @swordfish, @Impartial_Observer, @TrojanDad, @Yuccaguy, @Irish Line Momma, @Irishman, @DanteEstonia, @Ultimate Warrior your message. 

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8 minutes ago, gonzoron said:

Since you didn't answer my question the first time, I'll ask again: Why do you say this if you can't see it?

Yes, I did.  You lack of reading comprehension is not my problem.

9 minutes ago, gonzoron said:

By all means please do.

 

Ramp up the fear:  https://www.indystar.com/story/news/health/2020/03/19/indianapolis-coronavirus-updates-top-news-covid-19-indiana/5073723002/

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All Indiana schools will remain closed until at least May 1.

Gov. Eric Holcomb announced new steps to combat the spread of COVID-19 Thursday, including the prolonged closure of schools. 

"We recognize how hard all of these efforts are on Hoosiers," Holcomb said at a press conference Thursday afternoon.

Holcomb also announced the cancellation of all state testing — including the ISTEP10 and ILEARN assessments — set to be given later this spring. The state has already asked for testing forgiveness from the U.S. Department of Education, but has not received it yet.

Holcomb did not go so far as to cancel school for the rest of the year. Kansas became the first state to take that step on Tuesday.

Holcomb also announced he will extend the current state of emergency another 30 days when it expires April 5. Other actions the state announced include:

  • The state of Indiana will delay state income tax payments from April 15 to July 15. 
  • Unemployment benefits will be paid to individuals who file their initial unemployment claims late.
  • No residential eviction proceedings or foreclosure actions may be initiated during the public health emergency. This does not relieve the individual of obligations to pay rent or mortgage payments.
  • Participants in the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) and the Children’s Health Insurance Program are not required to make premium payments.
  •  The commissioner of the state Department of Insurance will request that insurers institute a 60-day moratorium on policy cancellations for non-payment of premiums. 
  • The commissioner will request that health insurers not increase prices or coverage costs that involve medical care for COVID-19.
  • The state’s application to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was approved on Wednesday. This program provides targeted, low-interest loans of up to $2 million to help small businesses and nonprofits overcome the temporary loss of revenue as a result of coronavirus. 

 

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Government Is No Match for the Coronavirus: https://mises.org/wire/government-no-match-coronavirus

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The coronavirus is reminding everyone that you cannot rely on government and that ultimately it is the private sector that will provide the solutions. Many nonmedical government officials and members of the media are predicting massive cases of COVID-19 and death, when in fact no one can predict the outcome. What we do know is that government has created a full-blown national panic, when at this point the normal flu season is far more deadly.

Decentralization is critical to a functioning society but often precluded by federal regulations.

The Washington Post reported the following about the Centers for Disease Control:

The problems started in early February, at a CDC laboratory in Atlanta.

A technical manufacturing problem, along with an initial decision to test only a narrow set of people and delays in expanding testing to other labs, gave the virus a head start to spread undetected—and helped perpetuate a false sense of security that leaves the United States dangerously behind.

Tests begin with the CDC to insure quality, which is exactly the wrong approach. It assumes that the government can outperform the best medical industry in the world. Even at this hour the CDC has failed, shipping test kits that are defective.

The CDC does not have a solution, but it also becomes the classic blocker to progress. Labs cannot act without a lengthy approval process from CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These government controls violate the principle of subsidiarity (that problems should be solved at the lowest level possible). Ultimately care is provided by local hospitals, care facilities, and labs.

South Korea’s rapid testing allowed for early treatment and containment of the virus. These test kits were created in three weeks. Many labs in the US could have solved the test kit problem but were restrained by the FDA and CDC. The South Koreans offered to help us, but was the CDC listening? Evidently not.

At the president’s request on Friday, America’s robust private sector, including Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Roche Laboratories, and LabCorp, came up with a solution for mass testing. Roche has received fast-track FDA approval for its COVID-19 diagnostic test. This testing will be done via drive-thru in parking lots. This minimizes contact and allows for mass testing of thousands across the country. The more Americans are tested, resulting in a lower percentage of deaths, the more the testing will have a calming effect on our citizens.

Americans consider regulators and government to be sacrosanct, but in fact government agencies are slow and often fail us. Think of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which allowed Boeing engineers to bypass basic engineering standards, resulting in the crash of two Boeing 737 MAX airliners and the grounding of nine hundred planes around the world.

We all know that any time we expect service from the government, it will be slow and painful vs. the private sector, which is mostly fast and courteous. In spite of some minor shortages, due to hoarding, the private sector is supplying us with gas, food, prepared meals, medical supplies, and healthcare.

The coronavirus crisis must cause us to rethink government. The Trump administration has restricted new regulation and reduced arcane strictures, which has resulted in a booming economy. It is absolutely true that most private industry can be trusted, because the alternative for poor or unscrupulous providers is failure. Private industry can be sued and suffer financial decline, unlike government, which simply demands more money for poor performance. Business or individuals that commit fraud are subject to civil and criminal penalties.

The federal government spends 21 percent of our national GDP. All federal spending money comes from business and citizens, which restricts their ability to allocate those funds to their families and to spur economic growth. American entrepreneurs are excellent capital allocators, creating the jobs and technologies that keep us safe and allow a very high standard of living for most citizens.

In spite of enormous federal deficits, every protected class of workers and business expects the government to bail it out during a crisis, from airlines and cruise ships to government workers. We will now witness a litany of spending beginning with $8 billion for the coronavirus, moving to a $50 billion pork-laden House bill, and a third spending bill coming from the Treasury.

This system is grossly unfair, as working-class individuals and small businesses do not get paid when businesses shut down.

It’s time we heed the advice of President Ronald Reagan: government is the problem, not the solution.

The welfare-warfare state is not only consuming a large portion of our national income, but, worse, it is also spending far beyond its means, creating debt now surpassing $23 trillion (vs. under $6 trillion in the year 2000).

The solution is to reduce federal spending to 18 percent of GDP, which will downsize or eliminate many counterproductive agencies and allow American business and individuals to perform and innovate.

If you are unconvinced, think of Walmart now offering ultra low-cost medical services along with a host of competitors including CVS and Walgreens. Gas is very cheap because of our fracking industry. An abundance of high-quality food is available from thousands of grocery stores, restaurants, and now home delivery from many sources.

Americans are hard working, resilient, and innovative. The time has come to unleash this talent to create a higher living standard and solutions to the most perplexing national challenges.

As one of the comments to the excellent commentary states:

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//The coronavirus is reminding everyone that you cannot rely on government and that ultimately it is the private sector that will provide the solutions.//

As should be obvious, government has shut down much of the private sector "to keep us safe." Restaurants, bars, casinos, theaters, live sporting events, schools, factories, universities, etc. In my little town in Colorado, the only places open are government offices -- the courts, police dept. county offices. The private sector can't save squat if it's not open.

 

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China Coronavirus or Wuhan Virus......SF didn't think China or Wuhan was a race.......Asian or yellow person flu - OK, I get it, racist......

MERS = Middle East Respiratory Syndrome

Spanish Flu = Obvious

Zika Virus = Named after the Ziika Forest in Uganda (origin)

Ebola - Named after a river close to the origin https://www.livescience.com/48234-how-ebola-got-its-name.html

https://qz.com/1820422/coronavirus-why-wont-who-use-the-name-sars-cov-2/

It started out as the “Wuhan virus”, with everyone from researchers to news outlets—including those inside China—referring to it as such. Then it was the “Wuhan coronavirus” and “China coronavirus,” and subsequently 2019-nCoV. Finally, on Feb. 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) gave the disease an official name: Covid-19.

To be clear, Covid-19 refers to the disease. “Co” refers to corona, “vi” to virus, and “d” to disease. The virus that causes the disease is SARS-CoV-2, which was named by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. The “SARS” part of the name refers to the new coronavirus’ genetic link to the virus that caused the 2003 SARS outbreak. So one tests positive for SARS-CoV-2, not Covid-19, as it’s the virus and not the disease that does the infecting. The WHO lays out this distinction clearly on its website.

 

But despite the virus having a full name, the WHO almost never refers to it as SARS-CoV-2. Instead, it uses “the virus responsible for Covid-19” and “Covid-19 virus.” Technically, the latter is redundant: spelled out, it would essentially read “coronavirus disease virus.”

The broader contention over how to label the new coronavirus underscores how in the combustible mix of a public health crisis and geopolitical rivalries, names do far more than convey information. They draw battle lines. And as countries grapple with spiralling case counts and overrun emergency rooms, a fierce struggle is underway to command the pandemic’s narrative.

In recent days, as the number of new reported cases slows in China, the country has sought to play up the storyline that it bought the world time, even suggesting that the US is to blame for the virus. Meanwhile, US politicians including president Donald Trump have insisted on using terms like ”Chinese Virus,” and a White House official called it “kung-flu” in front of a Chinese-American journalist. In this context, what the WHO—as a neutral, international agency—calls the virus suddenly carries a lot of weight.

The WHO writes on its website that it steers clear of SARS-CoV-2 because “using the name SARS can have unintended consequences in terms of creating unnecessary fear for some populations, especially in Asia which was worst affected by the SARS outbreak in 2003.” At a press briefing on Feb. 13 (pdf), WHO executive director Michael Ryan noted that SARS-CoV-2 is a technical term for virologists in labs, while Covid-19 is a term for the average person. “We’re trying to relate the virus to the world, the experience that people have with the virus… so I don’t think there’s any inconsistency,” he said.

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2 minutes ago, BARRYOSAMA said:

In utterly shocking news....

https://www.foxnews.com/media/tucker-carlson-calls-on-sen-burr-to-explain-reported-1-6-million-stock-sale-or-resign

Warns his wealthy donors of stock market collapse and sells off his stock while lying to his constituents.....

When AOC and Tucker Carlson call you a scumbag.....you are 99.9% a scumbag.

Unfortunately not the only Congressmen: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/aoc-calls-senate-intel-chair-richard-burr-resign-stock-selloff-n1164401

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Disclosure records also show that three other senators sold major holdings around the same time, including Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., and James Inhofe, R-Okla., according to The New York Times.

 

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3 minutes ago, BARRYOSAMA said:

In utterly shocking news....

https://www.foxnews.com/media/tucker-carlson-calls-on-sen-burr-to-explain-reported-1-6-million-stock-sale-or-resign

Warns his wealthy donors of stock market collapse and sells off his stock while lying to his constituents.....

When AOC and Tucker Carlson call you a scumbag.....you are 99.9% a scumbag.

We can agree on something (mark your calendars everyone - BO & SF agreed) However - The bigger story should be how these poor career politicians accumulate so much money.......#termlimits

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Here’s how to report gatherings of 10 or more people to authorities: https://wkow.com/2020/03/19/heres-how-to-report-gatherings-of-10-or-more-people-to-authorities/?fbclid=IwAR1vPe9lwDHPBdxI9bzALs2BiX0gQHjvmbFyDfxhiKZToU9m16o7AouSNj8

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Dane County residents now have a method to report violations of the governor's ban on gatherings of 10 or more people.

Public Health Madison and Dane County set up an online form that can be used to submit a violation of Gov. Tony Evers' order.

The form asks for some basic information before offering several fields to describe the gathering.

You can find a link to the form here.

Those living outside of Dane County should contact their local law enforcement or health department.

The penalties were outlined in the governor's order. READ THE ORDER HERE.

PENALTIES, under Wisconsin statute 252.25: Any person who willfully violates or obstructs the execution of any state statute or rule, county, city or village ordinance or departmental order under this chapter and relating to the public health, for which no other penalty is prescribed, shall be imprisoned for not more than 30 days or fined not more than $500 or both.

If you see something, say something.  Right?

Disgusting.

 

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Stop Looking for 'Leadership' During the COVID-19 Outbreak: https://reason.com/2020/03/20/stop-looking-for-leadership-during-the-covid-19-outbreak/

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As the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S., pundits and opposition politicians pounded President Trump for displaying a "lack of leadership" in response to the deadly virus. And it's true that, as always, the president was prone to minimizing inconvenient developments, bristling at critics, and contradicting members of his own team. Without a strong, focused figure in the White House (maybe somebody less deplorable?), we can't possibly pull through this crisis, the opponents suggested. But that's ridiculous; anybody making their responses to events contingent on political office not being held by narcissistic ass-clowns is putting their fate in the hands of circumstances they can't control. They're making a false virtue of dependency.

That's not to say we shouldn't listen to people who have expertise. Epidemiologists shared widely reported warnings in January of "the spread of 2019-nCov within and outside mainland China."

"The more we learn about it, the greater the possibility is that transmission will not be able to be controlled with public health measures," Toronto-based Allison McGeer, an infectious disease specialist, cautioned at roughly the same time.

Even China's awful political rulers, who muzzled medical whistleblowers after they warned of the disease (there's leadership!), admitted by the end of the month that the situation was out of control.

Just weeks later, the World Health Organization, as clumsy and prone to stroking authoritarian regimes as it is, said the virus had "pandemic potential," while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned of "severe" disruptions to American life from "community spread" of the new virus.

Anybody paying attention had the opportunity to get ready for what was comingif they were allowed to do so by our fearless leaders.

It's worth noting that, when political officials act, their most positive efforts come from getting out of the waythat is, by undoing the "leadership" they demonstrated on earlier matters.

President Trump announced "compassionate use" easing of restrictions on patients' use of drugs that don't yet have FDA approval for treating COVID-19.

Congress extended liability protection for makers of protective N95 face masks so that hospitals can directly purchase equipment that isn't specifically approved for medical purposes under cumbersome FDA rules.

Eased regulation enforcement, announced by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), means the government won't take action against health insurers who modify their catastrophic plans to cover COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment for their customers.

Licensed physicians can also now practice across state lines, under CMS waivers that ease a host of other rules that bind the practice of medicine in red tape. The feds played catch-up on that one: states including Arizona, California, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington had already moved to ease restrictive licensing of medical providers before the feds jumped on the issue.

Even the Transportation Security Administration is joining in, modifying its insistence that doom is found in any liquid container of more than 3.4 ounce capacity so that travelers can carry 12-ounce bottles of hand sanitizer on airplanes.

"The coronavirus is forcing authorities to admit many of their regulations are unnecessary," Reason's Nick Gillespie noted.

After so much obstruction of innovation and the flexibility that individuals and organizations might have brought to situations like the current pandemic, some officials are undoing a bit of the damage they and their predecessors inflicted on us. They should be thanked for that, even as we recognize that such damage was the "leadership" they exercised in the past.

But, in response to a dependent public accustomed to wait to be told what to do, we're getting that leadership good and hard, too.

Panicky curfews and shelter-in-place orders around the country already disrupt life for millions of Americans, including their ability to make a living. But how much good can they do when researchers say "such measuresmost notably, large scale social distancing will need to be in place for many months, perhaps until a vaccine becomes available"?

There's no doubt that we need to adapt to the pandemic, but completely suspending normal interactions and economic activity might have us all starving in the dark before the end of the 18 months anticipated until we can line up for our shots. Those curfews and shelter-in-place orders are unsustainable beyond the short term and are likely to hurt worse than the disease itself (unemployment claims are already jumping).

To address shortages in medical supplies, President Trump invoked the long-dormant Defense Production Act, which gives the federal government extraordinary power to bully the private sector into accepting government contracts and "to allocate materials, services, and facilities." If the elements of the law are actually put into effect, they "amount at least in some measure to switching from a market economy to a command economy," cautioned George Washington University's Michael Abramowicz at the Volokh Conspiracy.

Why would Trump need to evoke command economy powers when companies are already responding to high demand and rising prices by "running round the clock" and "increasing capacity"? To demonstrate leadership, of course!

And if you're looking for the latest round of taxpayer-funded government goodies, Congress has a $1 trillion-dollar treat for us all. It's a measure that borrows yet again against the future to offset some of the harm government has inflicted on small businesses and individuals forcibly sidelined across the country.

Americans will be paying for the new spending spree long after we've forgotten that we were already paying off old spending sprees. There is your leadership.

"Nothing makes government grow like a crisis," as I warned last week. "Even after the public panic retreats, the politicians' calculations subside, and COVID-19 becomes more knowable and treatable, we'll be left with the permanent swelling of government."

Americans have been led to that world of ever-growing government power by our own complacency, our insistence that somebody lead us, even if it's off a cliff. We could inform ourselves, make our own decisions, and voluntarily work together, and many of us are doing just that. But too many of us depend on others to decide for us, tell us what to do, and point us in a direction, any direction.

If you really want politicians to do something helpful, ask them to stop "leading" and to get out of the way.

Agreed.  I don't recall seeing in the U.S. Constitution where one of the defined duties of the POTUS is to be a "leader".  Our own laziness, complacency, and cowardice have led us to that point.

 

 

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