Muda69 Posted May 7, 2020 Share Posted May 7, 2020 “Community standards” now means no way are you to be allowed to decide for yourself. : https://spectator.org/the-youtube-memory-hole/ Quote The establishment nannies who run YouTube have struck again. This time they have removed the video of a compelling COVID-19 briefing by two California physicians who question the effectiveness and advisability of the social distancing lockdown that is well on its way to destroying our nation. I saw the video before YouTube made it disappear. The doctors spoke rationally and cited the available data in making a convincing case that the lockdown is, in fact, ineffective, medically contraindicated, and the exact opposite of sound public health policy. They also questioned why physicians are being pressured to classify deaths as being the result of COVID-19 in cases in which there are other more likely causes. After several million views, YouTube removed the video for violating its “community guidelines.” Apparently these guidelines require the suppression of any dissenting viewpoints that challenge the prevailing official orthodoxy. For a while, this briefing was posted on MSN.com, but, as of today, if you click on the link to that website you will receive this message: “We’re sorry, this video is not available.” Strange that. Fortunately the doctors’ presentation can still be accessed — at least for now — by clicking on this AIR.TV link. It runs for about an hour and is certainly worth your while. I found it to be so interesting and well-delivered that the time passed quickly. So, take a look and — here’s a novel and dangerous idea — decide for yourself whether or not these doctors make sense. But, before you watch the briefing, there is a video of researcher Judy Mikovits, Ph.D., regarding what she claims is the corruption of modern medical research by an unholy alliance of large pharmaceutical companies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and other moneyed interests to discourage and suppress the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 while promoting a strategy of developing and using new vaccines and treatments of questionable benefit and potential harm. According to her, this strategy is calculated to yield massive royalties and profits for the patent holders and manufacturers of these new drugs and vaccines. In making her argument, she takes direct aim at Dr. Tony Fauci, director of NIAID, and Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the CDC. I have no information regarding Dr. Mikovits and offer no endorsement of her views save that I share her concerns about the efforts to discourage the use of hydroxychloroquine, which has overwhelmingly proven to be a safe and successful treatment for COVID-19. In any event, Dr. Mikovits appears to be a rational and serious person, and, at the very least, she is entitled to be seen and heard. You can view her interview below. Again, take a look and decide for yourself if she is making sense. But you better hurry. Something tells me that Dr. Mikovits is about to take a trip down the YouTube memory hole for violating “community standards.” .... UPDATE: Well, that didn’t take long. Within two hours of this article being published online, Dr. Mikovits’ video was removed “for violating YouTube’s Terms of Service.” Again, I make no representations regarding the truth or falsity of her narrative. But, if YouTube doesn’t want us to hear her story, that’s good enough for me. So, you can access an equally inflammatory and alarming video of Dr. Mikovits on the BitChute website by clicking on this link. It runs 30 minutes and presents a framework for questioning why the use of inexpensive hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 has been shunted aside by those who are pushing for the much more lucrative development, manufacture, sale, and use of so-far untested vaccines and drugs. Anyone want to bet on how long it will take before she gets de-platformed again? For those who would like a less evanescent presentation of her story, Dr. Mikovits and Kent Heckenlively, JD have co-authored Plague of Corruption: Restoring Faith in the Promise of Science (foreword by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.) in which she details her chilling accusations against the medical research establishment. At least for now, it is available in hardback through Amazon.com. Who knows? If sales take off, our establishment betters may have to bring back good, old-fashioned physical book burnings. For our own good, of course. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muda69 Posted May 7, 2020 Share Posted May 7, 2020 Post-Lockdown: Insist on the Old Normal https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/post-lockdown-insist-on-the-old-normal/ Quote ... Everyone is wondering what life will look like at the end of the month. Lockdown bitter-enders insist that the return to normal will not be like flipping a light switch, to borrow Maryland governor Larry Hogan’s expression. Instead, they say, we will need to spend an indefinite period in a twilight zone of half-freedom where lockdown orders have been lifted but aggressive safety measures remain — a “new normal.” Based on descriptions of the new normal, I am not sure we should allow ourselves to get used to it. As eager as we are to get the lockdowns over with, we must not let desperation compel us to put up with things we shouldn’t. Ross Douthat thinks that long lines outside grocery stores of people waiting to come inside and shop “may become a permanent feature of the semi-normal landscape.” That’s absurd, and, like the hush phone, there are both good reasons and gut reasons why. One-way aisles and occupancy caps don’t do much to stop the spread of disease considering how little transmission takes place between shoppers who pass like ships in the night. Also, queuing down the block for groceries is just too grimly Soviet. Social distancing measures should remain in place even after schools and businesses reopen, many say. But enforced by whom? Continuing to make cops responsible for enforcing a six-feet-apart rule will only lead to more viral videos like this week’s from New York, which depicts the violent conclusion of what started as a social distancing stop. The New York City Police Benevolent Association says officers shouldn’t be enforcing “vague guidelines and mixed messages.” It wants the mayor to “get cops out of the social distancing enforcement business altogether.” The PBA is right. The alternative is for Americans to get accustomed to being hustled along by police for the crime of picnicking on the grass or reading a book on a park bench, which would be an ominous thing to start shrugging off. Australia is making its new normal conditional upon citizens downloading a location-tracking app modeled on Singapore’s. The prime minister insists the app is voluntary, but business groups like Restaurant and Catering Australia are already considering requiring diners and shoppers to download the app before being served. The government says its goal is for 40 percent of the population to download the app, a target still more than halfway off after its first week in the app store. “Downloading the COVIDSafe app is the major obstacle now between us freeing up a lot of these restrictions in a cautious way,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said, not disguising the ultimatum. The last time the Australian government requested emergency permission to track its citizens’ phones was the metadata retention law of 2015. As with COVIDSafe, repeated assurances were made about privacy and civil liberties. Later it was revealed that users’ metadata had been used by local city councils in order to track down litterbugs and other mundane offenders who had nothing to do with the law’s original justification, counter-terrorism. The United States is not Singapore, and there are certain restrictions on our liberty that we won’t tolerate. A government location-tracking app should be one of them. Such excessive post-lockout safety measures are not needed to deal with a disease that is no longer in danger of overloading our hospital capacity. More importantly, Americans’ gut aversion to being overpoliced is worth preserving. Ordinary aspects of pre-coronavirus life should not be sacrificed in order to give those still attached to the lockdowns a psychological on-ramp or a face-saving pretense that their doomsday forecasts were more accurate than they were. Except for open plan offices. Ban those permanently, for the good of the nation’s health. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonzoron Posted May 7, 2020 Share Posted May 7, 2020 3 hours ago, Muda69 said: Yeah, and I'm sure those are real names being used 100% of the time. How naive. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swordfish Posted May 7, 2020 Author Share Posted May 7, 2020 While SF can appreciate a good "Big Butts" dialogue most times, SF is wondering why the Supreme Court of Texas had to step into this one in Texas...... https://www.foxnews.com/politics/abbott-issues-executive-order-eliminating-jail-as-punishment-for-violating-coronavirus-restrictions?fbclid=IwAR2QRY6Lp1hNyPiovgk6od19warqNohhQX7_-1CumVJKnJd96uxtp7MpTtw The Texas Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the release of salon owner Shelley Luther, who was jailed for opening in violation of the state's rules, as Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order retroactively eliminating jail time as a consequence for violating the state's coronavirus restrictions. Shortly after Abbott's announcement, the Supreme Court of Texas ordered Luther’s release. An attorney for Luther, who is with her at the jail, told Fox News they don’t know the timing yet of when she will be freed.Video "Throwing Texans in jail who have had their businesses shut down through no fault of their own is nonsensical, and I will not allow it to happen,” Abbott said in a statement. “That is why I am modifying my executive orders to ensure confinement is not a punishment for violating an order. This order is retroactive to April 2nd, supersedes local orders and if correctly applied should free Shelley Luther." On Wednesday, Abbott, the state's Attorney General Ken Paxton and Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick called for Luther's release after she was jailed by Dallas County State District Judge Eric Moyé. The officials said he had abused his discretion and emphasized that the woman was keeping her business open in order to feed her family. Greg Abbott ✔@GregAbbott_TX Throwing Texans in jail whose biz's shut down through no fault of their own is wrong. I am eliminating jail for violating an order, retroactive to April 2, superseding local orders. Criminals shouldn’t be released to prevent COVID-19 just to put business owners in their place. 48.5K 10:32 AM - May 7, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 20.2K people are talking about this "As a mother, Ms. Luther wanted to feed her children," Paxton said in a letter to the judge asking him to free her. "As a small business owner, she wanted to help her employees feed their children. Needless to say, these are laudable goals that warrant the exercise of enforcement discretion." On Thursday, Paxton praised the governor for ensuring that people would not be jailed for flouting the state's coronavirus restrictions. "I applaud Gov. Abbott’s decision to ensure that penalties for violating public health orders are reasonable and not excessive. All Texans are trying to get through this crisis together and no one should be put in jail unnecessarily," he said. Abbott said it was not just that as the state was reducing its prison populations because of the coronavirus that it was also throwing entrepreneurs in jail. "It may also ensure that other Texans like Ana Isabel Castro-Garcia and Brenda Stephanie Mata who were arrested in Laredo, should not be subject to confinement," Abbott said of the order. "As some county judges advocate for releasing hardened criminals from jail to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it is absurd to have these business owners take their place.” Attorney General Ken Paxton ✔@KenPaxtonTX Shelley Luther should immediately be released from jail. Locking her up is a misguided abuse of power, especially considering Dallas County released real criminals to “protect them from COVID-19.” Release her now so she can return to her family. 15.6K 1:15 PM - May 6, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 9,356 people are talking about this On Thursday night, Abbott said on Fox News' "Hannity" that citizens' liberty needed to be balanced with the need to slow the coronavirus' spread. "There is [a balance that needs to be struck], Sean, and that is why we are now in Texas opening up things like hair salons and barbershops," Abbott told host Sean Hannity. "But Sean, you need to know this: The problem that we're dealing with is far worse than what you've articulated in Dallas County." Luther, after her arrest for operating her salon in violation of Abbott's executive order, was given three choices by the judge: She could offer an apology for selfishness, pay a fine and shut down until Friday, or serve jail time. "I have to disagree with you, sir, when you say that I'm selfish because feeding my kids is not selfish," she told the judge. "I have hairstylists that are going hungry because they would rather feed their kids. So sir, if you think the law is more important than kids getting fed, then please go ahead with your decision. But I am not going to shut the salon." The dustup Wednesday over Luther's actions came after two Texas Republican lawmakers got illegal haircuts at another business in protest of the fact that hair salons and barbershops were not part of the initial wave of businesses to reopen under the governor's plan. "Hairstylists and the cosmetology industry don’t have a lot of lobbyists in the Capitol advocating for them, whereas maybe the big-box stores and large restaurant chains do and sadly they were overlooked when this should have been an industry that was opened first, because of how regulated they are and the health standards they have to comply with," state Rep. Briscoe Cain said, according to Fox 26 Houston. He was joined by Rep. Steve Toth in his act of civil disobedience. Abbott this week moved up the timeline for hair salons, barbershops and tanning salons to open to Friday after they were initially slotted to reopen in mid-May under the state's plan to get its economy going again. I mean after the State AG, and the Governor both called for her release, then the Governor amended his E.O., wouldn't the Judge be compelled to release her? Maybe this was political afterall....... Did it again Muda...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonzoron Posted May 7, 2020 Share Posted May 7, 2020 (edited) 6 minutes ago, swordfish said: Did it again Muda...... You and @Muda69 are hitting the "submit" button twice before the first one uploaded. Use a little patience. Or just copy and paste the link, it's much easier. Edited May 7, 2020 by gonzoron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muda69 Posted May 7, 2020 Share Posted May 7, 2020 5 minutes ago, gonzoron said: You and @Muda69 are hitting the "submit" button twice before the first one uploaded. No, I'm not. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muda69 Posted May 7, 2020 Share Posted May 7, 2020 U.S. Field Hospitals Stand Down, Most Without Treating Any COVID-19 Patients https://www.npr.org/2020/05/07/851712311/u-s-field-hospitals-stand-down-most-without-treating-any-covid-19-patients Quote As hospitals were overrun by coronavirus patients in other parts of the world, the Army Corps of Engineers mobilized in the U.S., hiring private contractors to build emergency field hospitals around the country. The endeavor cost more than $660 million, according to an NPR analysis of federal spending records. But nearly four months into the pandemic, most of these facilities haven't treated a single patient. Don't see the graphic above? Click here. Public health experts say this episode exposes how ill-prepared the U.S. is for a pandemic. While they praise the Army Corps for quickly providing thousands of extra beds, experts say there wasn't enough planning to make sure these field hospitals could be put to use once they were finished. "It's so painful because what it's showing is that the plans we have in place, they don't work," said Robyn Gershon, a professor at New York University's School of Global Public Health. "We have to go back to the drawing board and redo it." But the nation's governors — who requested the Army Corps projects and, in some cases, contributed state funding — say they're relieved that these facilities didn't get more use. They say early models predicted a catastrophic shortage of hospital beds, and no one knew for sure when or if state-at-home orders would reduce the spread of the coronavirus. "All those field hospitals and available beds sit empty today," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, said last month. "And that's a very very good thing." Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, said: "These 1,000-bed alternate care sites are not necessary, they're not filled. Thank God." Senior military leaders also say the effort was a success — even if the beds sit empty. Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was asked at a press conference if it bothered him to see the field hospitals go unused. "For gosh sakes no," Hyten said. "If you see beds full, that means the local capacity of the local hospitals to handle this have been overwhelmed. And now we're into an emergency situation." The Army Corps started building more than 30 field hospitals, retrofitting convention centers and erecting climate controlled tents, in mid-March. Agency officials pushed to get these facilities done fast — limiting the bidding process, and often negotiating directly with contractors they knew could deliver on time. .... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonzoron Posted May 7, 2020 Share Posted May 7, 2020 1 hour ago, swordfish said: While SF can appreciate a good "Big Butts" dialogue most times, SF is wondering why the Supreme Court of Texas had to step into this one in Texas...... https://www.foxnews.com/politics/abbott-issues-executive-order-eliminating-jail-as-punishment-for-violating-coronavirus-restrictions?fbclid=IwAR2QRY6Lp1hNyPiovgk6od19warqNohhQX7_-1CumVJKnJd96uxtp7MpTtw The Texas Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the release of salon owner Shelley Luther, who was jailed for opening in violation of the state's rules, as Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order retroactively eliminating jail time as a consequence for violating the state's coronavirus restrictions. Shortly after Abbott's announcement, the Supreme Court of Texas ordered Luther’s release. An attorney for Luther, who is with her at the jail, told Fox News they don’t know the timing yet of when she will be freed.Video "Throwing Texans in jail who have had their businesses shut down through no fault of their own is nonsensical, and I will not allow it to happen,” Abbott said in a statement. “That is why I am modifying my executive orders to ensure confinement is not a punishment for violating an order. This order is retroactive to April 2nd, supersedes local orders and if correctly applied should free Shelley Luther." On Wednesday, Abbott, the state's Attorney General Ken Paxton and Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick called for Luther's release after she was jailed by Dallas County State District Judge Eric Moyé. The officials said he had abused his discretion and emphasized that the woman was keeping her business open in order to feed her family. Greg Abbott ✔@GregAbbott_TX Throwing Texans in jail whose biz's shut down through no fault of their own is wrong. I am eliminating jail for violating an order, retroactive to April 2, superseding local orders. Criminals shouldn’t be released to prevent COVID-19 just to put business owners in their place. 48.5K 10:32 AM - May 7, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 20.2K people are talking about this "As a mother, Ms. Luther wanted to feed her children," Paxton said in a letter to the judge asking him to free her. "As a small business owner, she wanted to help her employees feed their children. Needless to say, these are laudable goals that warrant the exercise of enforcement discretion." On Thursday, Paxton praised the governor for ensuring that people would not be jailed for flouting the state's coronavirus restrictions. "I applaud Gov. Abbott’s decision to ensure that penalties for violating public health orders are reasonable and not excessive. All Texans are trying to get through this crisis together and no one should be put in jail unnecessarily," he said. Abbott said it was not just that as the state was reducing its prison populations because of the coronavirus that it was also throwing entrepreneurs in jail. "It may also ensure that other Texans like Ana Isabel Castro-Garcia and Brenda Stephanie Mata who were arrested in Laredo, should not be subject to confinement," Abbott said of the order. "As some county judges advocate for releasing hardened criminals from jail to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it is absurd to have these business owners take their place.” Attorney General Ken Paxton ✔@KenPaxtonTX Shelley Luther should immediately be released from jail. Locking her up is a misguided abuse of power, especially considering Dallas County released real criminals to “protect them from COVID-19.” Release her now so she can return to her family. 15.6K 1:15 PM - May 6, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 9,356 people are talking about this On Thursday night, Abbott said on Fox News' "Hannity" that citizens' liberty needed to be balanced with the need to slow the coronavirus' spread. "There is [a balance that needs to be struck], Sean, and that is why we are now in Texas opening up things like hair salons and barbershops," Abbott told host Sean Hannity. "But Sean, you need to know this: The problem that we're dealing with is far worse than what you've articulated in Dallas County." Luther, after her arrest for operating her salon in violation of Abbott's executive order, was given three choices by the judge: She could offer an apology for selfishness, pay a fine and shut down until Friday, or serve jail time. "I have to disagree with you, sir, when you say that I'm selfish because feeding my kids is not selfish," she told the judge. "I have hairstylists that are going hungry because they would rather feed their kids. So sir, if you think the law is more important than kids getting fed, then please go ahead with your decision. But I am not going to shut the salon." The dustup Wednesday over Luther's actions came after two Texas Republican lawmakers got illegal haircuts at another business in protest of the fact that hair salons and barbershops were not part of the initial wave of businesses to reopen under the governor's plan. "Hairstylists and the cosmetology industry don’t have a lot of lobbyists in the Capitol advocating for them, whereas maybe the big-box stores and large restaurant chains do and sadly they were overlooked when this should have been an industry that was opened first, because of how regulated they are and the health standards they have to comply with," state Rep. Briscoe Cain said, according to Fox 26 Houston. He was joined by Rep. Steve Toth in his act of civil disobedience. Abbott this week moved up the timeline for hair salons, barbershops and tanning salons to open to Friday after they were initially slotted to reopen in mid-May under the state's plan to get its economy going again. I mean after the State AG, and the Governor both called for her release, then the Governor amended his E.O., wouldn't the Judge be compelled to release her? Maybe this was political afterall....... Did it again Muda...... . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howe Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 17 hours ago, swordfish said: While SF can appreciate a good "Big Butts" dialogue most times, SF is wondering why the Supreme Court of Texas had to step into this one in Texas...... https://www.foxnews.com/politics/abbott-issues-executive-order-eliminating-jail-as-punishment-for-violating-coronavirus-restrictions?fbclid=IwAR2QRY6Lp1hNyPiovgk6od19warqNohhQX7_-1CumVJKnJd96uxtp7MpTtw The Texas Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the release of salon owner Shelley Luther, who was jailed for opening in violation of the state's rules, as Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order retroactively eliminating jail time as a consequence for violating the state's coronavirus restrictions. Shortly after Abbott's announcement, the Supreme Court of Texas ordered Luther’s release. An attorney for Luther, who is with her at the jail, told Fox News they don’t know the timing yet of when she will be freed.Video "Throwing Texans in jail who have had their businesses shut down through no fault of their own is nonsensical, and I will not allow it to happen,” Abbott said in a statement. “That is why I am modifying my executive orders to ensure confinement is not a punishment for violating an order. This order is retroactive to April 2nd, supersedes local orders and if correctly applied should free Shelley Luther." On Wednesday, Abbott, the state's Attorney General Ken Paxton and Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick called for Luther's release after she was jailed by Dallas County State District Judge Eric Moyé. The officials said he had abused his discretion and emphasized that the woman was keeping her business open in order to feed her family. Greg Abbott ✔@GregAbbott_TX Throwing Texans in jail whose biz's shut down through no fault of their own is wrong. I am eliminating jail for violating an order, retroactive to April 2, superseding local orders. Criminals shouldn’t be released to prevent COVID-19 just to put business owners in their place. 48.5K 10:32 AM - May 7, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 20.2K people are talking about this "As a mother, Ms. Luther wanted to feed her children," Paxton said in a letter to the judge asking him to free her. "As a small business owner, she wanted to help her employees feed their children. Needless to say, these are laudable goals that warrant the exercise of enforcement discretion." On Thursday, Paxton praised the governor for ensuring that people would not be jailed for flouting the state's coronavirus restrictions. "I applaud Gov. Abbott’s decision to ensure that penalties for violating public health orders are reasonable and not excessive. All Texans are trying to get through this crisis together and no one should be put in jail unnecessarily," he said. Abbott said it was not just that as the state was reducing its prison populations because of the coronavirus that it was also throwing entrepreneurs in jail. "It may also ensure that other Texans like Ana Isabel Castro-Garcia and Brenda Stephanie Mata who were arrested in Laredo, should not be subject to confinement," Abbott said of the order. "As some county judges advocate for releasing hardened criminals from jail to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it is absurd to have these business owners take their place.” Attorney General Ken Paxton ✔@KenPaxtonTX Shelley Luther should immediately be released from jail. Locking her up is a misguided abuse of power, especially considering Dallas County released real criminals to “protect them from COVID-19.” Release her now so she can return to her family. 15.6K 1:15 PM - May 6, 2020 Twitter Ads info and privacy 9,356 people are talking about this On Thursday night, Abbott said on Fox News' "Hannity" that citizens' liberty needed to be balanced with the need to slow the coronavirus' spread. "There is [a balance that needs to be struck], Sean, and that is why we are now in Texas opening up things like hair salons and barbershops," Abbott told host Sean Hannity. "But Sean, you need to know this: The problem that we're dealing with is far worse than what you've articulated in Dallas County." Luther, after her arrest for operating her salon in violation of Abbott's executive order, was given three choices by the judge: She could offer an apology for selfishness, pay a fine and shut down until Friday, or serve jail time. "I have to disagree with you, sir, when you say that I'm selfish because feeding my kids is not selfish," she told the judge. "I have hairstylists that are going hungry because they would rather feed their kids. So sir, if you think the law is more important than kids getting fed, then please go ahead with your decision. But I am not going to shut the salon." The dustup Wednesday over Luther's actions came after two Texas Republican lawmakers got illegal haircuts at another business in protest of the fact that hair salons and barbershops were not part of the initial wave of businesses to reopen under the governor's plan. "Hairstylists and the cosmetology industry don’t have a lot of lobbyists in the Capitol advocating for them, whereas maybe the big-box stores and large restaurant chains do and sadly they were overlooked when this should have been an industry that was opened first, because of how regulated they are and the health standards they have to comply with," state Rep. Briscoe Cain said, according to Fox 26 Houston. He was joined by Rep. Steve Toth in his act of civil disobedience. Abbott this week moved up the timeline for hair salons, barbershops and tanning salons to open to Friday after they were initially slotted to reopen in mid-May under the state's plan to get its economy going again. I mean after the State AG, and the Governor both called for her release, then the Governor amended his E.O., wouldn't the Judge be compelled to release her? Maybe this was political afterall....... Did it again Muda...... The judge is a Democrat activist and a lunatic. Dallas began releasing 1,00 inmates, some of which were convicted of felonies, three weeks ago to "save the inmates from the coronavirus" yet this lady was sent to jail for feeding her family. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muda69 Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 Andrew Cuomo's Morally Grotesque Rationale for Maintaining COVID-19 Lockdowns https://reason.com/2020/05/07/andrew-cuomos-morally-grotesque-rationale-for-maintaining-covid-19-lockdowns/ Quote New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo continues to show that he cannot be trusted to properly weigh the costs and benefits of COVID-19 lockdowns. While conceding the unavoidable tradeoff between lives and livelihoods, he insists that preventing even one death is worth any amount of economic pain. "The faster we reopen," Cuomo told reporters this week, "the lower the economic cost, but the higher the human cost, because the more lives lost. That, my friends, is the decision we are really making." Cuomo misleadingly implies that the economic burden of lockdowns—lost jobs, shuttered businesses, a precipitous drop in spending and output, unemployment at a level not seen since the Great Depression, tens of millions of Americans struggling to pay their bills and feed their children—is not a "human cost." Who is hurt by this suppression of economic activity? Robots? Policy makers should be trying to balance the interests of vulnerable people on both sides of this equation: medically vulnerable people who are especially likely to die if they get COVID-19 and economically vulnerable people who can't afford to sit on their couches and watch TV all day. At least Cuomo said "the decision we are really making" involves accepting more infections, and therefore more deaths, as the cost of relieving some of this suffering. That will no doubt be true as legal restrictions on movement and work are relaxed, even as we try to minimize that cost through less sweeping social distancing measures, including both voluntary actions and more carefully targeted regulations. But then Cuomo took it all back. "How much is a human life worth?" he asked. "That is the real discussion that no one is admitting, openly or freely. That we should. To me, I say the cost of a human life, a human life is priceless. Period." Although Cuomo thinks "no one is admitting" that decisions about COVID-19 control measures require putting a value on human life (either implicitly or explicitly), some of us have been raising that point for months. Maybe that value should be in the neighborhood of $10 million—a figure often used to assess the cost-effectiveness of health and safety regulations, derived from the extra pay that people demand for risky jobs. Maybe the value should be adjusted based on how many years someone can be expected to live. But even if you think $10 million is too low or reject the idea of taking into account life-years as well as lives, the value cannot be infinite, as Cuomo has been insisting since March. "A human life is priceless" may sound like a nice sentiment, but its moral implications are grotesque. It requires us to ignore any amount of suffering that's not reflected in mortality statistics, as long as the policy that inflicts it can be expected to prolong even one person's life. That is not the way regulatory agencies usually make decisions. If it were, the government would not only have to radically rethink speed limits; it would have to seriously contemplate abolishing cars altogether. It would have to insist on zero pollution emissions, no matter how much achieving that goal would cost in terms of productivity and living standards. It would have to ban all risky activities that kill even a handful of people each year, regardless of how much enjoyment or utility they provide. Policies like these, of course, might lead to deaths from other causes, just as measures aimed at mitigating the impact of COVID-19—such as bans on potentially lifesaving "elective" surgery, or recession-inducing lockdowns that could drive up the suicide rate—might kill some people in an effort to save others. But if we take Cuomo at his word, the relevant consideration is the net impact on mortality and nothing else, no matter how many people are affected or how much they value the things they are forced to sacrifice. That position is not just impractical but immoral. Even people who have qualms about a consistently applied utilitarianism should be willing to concede that there is something fundamentally wrong with Cuomo's approach, which implies that postponing one person's death by a few years is worth throwing millions of others out of work. Even Donald Trump, for all his manifest failings, seems to be a better moral philosopher than Cuomo. Yesterday a reporter posed this question to the president: "It seems [there is] little question that, by beginning the reopening process and continuing it, there will likely be more cases of coronavirus, more deaths than there would have been had everything stayed shut down. Will the nation just have to accept the idea that, by reopening, there will be more cases, there will be more deaths?" Trump conceded that "it could very well be the case," although he alluded to precautions aimed at limiting the impact on people who are elderly or have serious preexisting medical conditions. Then he added: "We have to get our country open again….People want to go back. You're going to have a problem if you don't do it. If you don't do it, you've got a very big problem." Trump's critics no doubt will portray that formulation as the crass elevation of mere economic concerns above "human life," which Cuomo informs us is "priceless." But economic concerns—the voluntary transactions through which people not only support themselves and their families but find pleasure and meaning—are also very much about human life. Pretending otherwise can only lead to policies that impoverish all of us in the vain hope of creating a world without risk. It's becoming increasingly clear these politicians insistence on maintaining lock downs is more about controlling the populace and the power it gives those officials. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swordfish Posted May 8, 2020 Author Share Posted May 8, 2020 Early on - SF was kind of impressed with Cuomo's handling of the virus in NY, and his "apparent" bi-partisanship and appreciation with the WH task force. But after he went ballistic demanding 40,000 ventilators, (When his state didn't even need the 4,000 he got and even gave some away) demanded the Federal Government do more - FEMA helped by building the beds and rooms (in the Javits Center 2,500 beds, 141 were full) transferred the CG ship Comfort (with 1,000 beds, treated less than 50), and contracted to build a $40 million hospital in the Bronx (which was scrapped by Cuomo) SF became very weary of his antics. Now he's wanting to tax the people who came to NY's aid (at his request) and earned any income. YES - NYC had it bad, but look at the dynamics, population density, subways not being sanitized, and then the Governor forcing nursing homes to accept Covid patients (along with body bags).... all of these things combined made a really bad situation even worse and literally caused many more deaths. Any admiration I had towards NY Governor Cuomo has faded very fast...... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howe Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 1 hour ago, Muda69 said: Andrew Cuomo's Morally Grotesque Rationale for Maintaining COVID-19 Lockdowns https://reason.com/2020/05/07/andrew-cuomos-morally-grotesque-rationale-for-maintaining-covid-19-lockdowns/ It's becoming increasingly clear these politicians insistence on maintaining lock downs is more about controlling the populace and the power it gives those officials. Precisely. Yet nearly every democrat across America will pretend the illegal lock downs are for “public safety”. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonzoron Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howe Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 On 5/6/2020 at 3:22 PM, Muda69 said: Except in your case, where if you would ever disagree with BarryO you would be disagreeing with yourself........... BARRYOSAMA and gonzoron reacted with the "disdain" function within 60 seconds of each other no less than four times during the past 2 hours. gonzoron and BARRYOSAMA reacted to a post in a topic The Democrat's roster for a Trump - beater in 2020 30 minutes ago gonzoron and BARRYOSAMA reacted to a post in a topic The Coronavirus - a virus from eating bats, an accident or something sinister gone wrong? 31 minutes ago BARRYOSAMA and gonzoron reacted to a post in a topic The Democrat's roster for a Trump - beater in 2020 2 hours ago BARRYOSAMA, Muda69 and gonzoron reacted to a post in a topic The Coronavirus - a virus from eating bats, an accident or something sinister gone wrong? 2 hours ago 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonzoron Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muda69 Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 Why yes, only the GOP side of the uni-party has ever staged an action for PR purposes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonzoron Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 1 minute ago, Muda69 said: Why yes, only the GOP side of the uni-party has ever staged an action for PR purposes. Yeah, kinda ironic that we haven't seen any PR from the Libertarian Party during the lockdown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muda69 Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 Just now, gonzoron said: Yeah, kinda ironic that we haven't seen any PR from the Libertarian Party during the lockdown. Since I'm not a member of the Libertarian Party I can't answer for them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muda69 Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 IU student files lawsuit, seeks reimbursement after class moved online due to coronavirus https://www.indystar.com/story/news/education/2020/05/08/iu-student-files-lawsuit-seeks-reimbursement-after-classes-moved-online-coronavirus/3094828001/ Quote An Indiana University student is suing the university, asking for a reimbursement of some tuition and fees paid for the spring semester that was disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. Like most colleges and universities around the country, IU moved to online instruction to address concerns about the potential for the virus to spread quickly through classrooms and campuses. The university extended its spring break by one week and began delivering instruction online March 30. Justin Spiegel, an undergraduate student studying informatics at IU’s Bloomington campus, is asking for some of his tuition money back, as well as a reimbursement for certain fees. And he’s not just asking for himself. The case has been filed as a class action suit, opening up the door for any other student enrolled in the spring 2020 semester to join. Spring enrollment at the Bloomington campus was 41,293. Spiegel, an Illinois resident, filed the lawsuit in Monroe County Circuit Court Wednesday. The suit seeks to have two classes certified: those who paid tuition and then were denied in-person instruction and those who paid fees for on-campus services like transportation and health care that are no longer available to them. The university is reimbursing students a pro-rated share of their housing fees for those that were forced to leave their dorms for the remainder of the semester. A university spokesperson issued a statement Friday morning and said the lawsuit is taking advantage of the crisis. “In the midst of a global pandemic that has wreaked havoc on our entire way of life, Indiana University has acted responsibly to keep our students safe and progressing in their education,” said Chuck Carney, spokesperson for the university. “We are deeply disappointed that this lawsuit fails to recognize the extraordinary efforts of our faculty, staff, and students under these conditions while it seeks to take advantage in this time of state and national emergency.” The lawsuit does not argue that the decision to close campus and move to remote instruction was wrong — just that online instruction is not worth what students paid when they enrolled for in-person, on-campus classes. "The true college experience encompasses much more than just the credit hours and degrees," the complaint states. Students, the suit argues, are also paying for face-to-face interaction with professors, mentors, and peers; for access to facilities like computer labs; and for the opportunity to participate in on-campus and extracurricular activities. An interesting case. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonzoron Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 8 minutes ago, Muda69 said: Since I'm not a member of the Libertarian Party I can't answer for them. Yet you can answer for the GOP? Riiiiiiight. 11 minutes ago, Muda69 said: Why yes, only the GOP side of the uni-party has ever staged an action for PR purposes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muda69 Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 5 minutes ago, gonzoron said: Yet you can answer for the GOP? Riiiiiiight. If a simple observation equals an "answer" then yes. But most intelligent people would not equate the two, unlike you. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swordfish Posted May 8, 2020 Author Share Posted May 8, 2020 3 hours ago, swordfish said: Early on - SF was kind of impressed with Cuomo's handling of the virus in NY, and his "apparent" bi-partisanship and appreciation with the WH task force. But after he went ballistic demanding 40,000 ventilators, (When his state didn't even need the 4,000 he got and even gave some away) demanded the Federal Government do more - FEMA helped by building the beds and rooms (in the Javits Center 2,500 beds, 141 were full) transferred the CG ship Comfort (with 1,000 beds, treated less than 50), and contracted to build a $40 million hospital in the Bronx (which was scrapped by Cuomo) SF became very weary of his antics. Now he's wanting to tax the people who came to NY's aid (at his request) and earned any income. YES - NYC had it bad, but look at the dynamics, population density, subways not being sanitized, and then the Governor forcing nursing homes to accept Covid patients (along with body bags).... all of these things combined made a really bad situation even worse and literally caused many more deaths. Any admiration I had towards NY Governor Cuomo has faded very fast...... https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2020/05/06/majority-of-new-coronavirus-cases-in-new-york-are-from-people-staying-at-home-not-traveling-or-working/?fbclid=IwAR1Bm9gZx_6zIMWTk83S9dqQ-Lr1fPnbGmcIV_NBRC0TrfxNtZLFqbwrUfk#446f9b001655 Majority Of New Coronavirus Cases In New York Are From People Staying At Home—Not Traveling Or Working TOPLINE New York Governor Andrew Cuomo shared initial survey results of hospitalized coronavirus patients during a Wednesday press conference, which said 66% of respondents were at home before being admitted, showing that the virus has continued to spread during lockdown, even as New York prepares for an eventual reopening. KEY FACTS About 1,200 patients were surveyed from 113 hospitals over a three-day period, Cuomo said; his office did not respond to a request for comment by Forbes. In addition to mostly coming from their homes, surveyed patients were more likely to be over 51 years old, and either nonessential workers, retired or unemployed. 96% of the surveyed patients had co-morbidities, which means nearly all had another chronic medical condition prior to catching coronavirus. The survey also found that COVID-19 disproportionately affects African Americans and Hispanics living in the New York City area. The New York survey appears to be unique in that it released results on where patients came from before being hospitalized. Some of the survey’s results on ethnicity and age appeared to match a Centers for Disease Control study of hospitalized patients released April 8, 2020, which showed that older people and African Americans were more likely to have COVID-19. CRUCIAL QUOTE “They’re not working, they’re not traveling, they’re predominantly downstate, predominantly minority, predominantly older,” said Cuomo. “Much of this comes down to what you do to protect yourself.” KEY BACKGROUND The survey was conducted because while new COVID-19 hospitalizations are down in New York, they are declining at a much slower rate than Cuomo would like, he said. Cuomo did not provide an explanation as to why so many of the surveyed patients were coming from their homes, but he did say it reaffirms precautions such as mask-wearing and handwashing to protect more vulnerable people. Cuomo said he was surprised by the survey results, because he expected more patients would be essential workers or using public transportation. “That’s not the case,” he said. TANGENT Cuomo also revealed that an upstate agricultural greenhouse was experiencing an outbreak that he compared to the state’s first outbreak in New Rochelle, as well as outbreaks seen at meat plants across the country. “It’s not about meat or vegetables, it’s about worker density and large gatherings,” Cuomo said of the spread. No kidding - that's just great......Then why the F did we have to stay at home...... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonzoron Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 26 minutes ago, swordfish said: Then why the F did we have to stay at home...... So you wouldn't catch Wind Cancer? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muda69 Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 Well played CVS, well played. 1 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonzoron Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 2 hours ago, TrojanDad said: Just like Forrest and Jenny...GonzMoron and BOPoopypants are just like peas and carrots!!! Ahhh, Forrest Gump. The movie where the Lieutenant gets his legs blown off and he wasn't even fighting in a real war. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts