With all due respect to Dr. Birx, she blew a lot of her credibility early on by being a bobble head for Trump. She demurred and sat hunched over in her chair as Trump extolled the virtues hydroxychloroquine, disinfectant injections and internal light cures. At no time has she, (or anyone else on the WH Coronavirus Task Force), displayed the mettle necessary to stand up to Trump and his staff and lay down the law with regards to effective pandemic mitigation; increased testing, contact tracing, masks, social distancing, stay at home, etc. And now she is ringing her hands trying to raise the alarm and the "I have my rights people" are not listening.
I understand that dealing with Trump and his band of liars and thieves is nigh on impossible but federal public health officials did the country a great disservice by placating Trump from the outset. And, for the most part, they continue to do so today. The best thing anyone in an impacted area can do is follow the protocols that decrease the risk of contracting the disease and keep one's family safe.
The burgeoning virus combined with the deadlocked relief negotiations, increased evictions, foreclosures, unemployment, hunger and more is setting up an explosive dynamic where violence will increase simply because desperate people do desperate things. We are falling in a deep hole. Climbing out is going to be a test of courage, endurance and resilience. I hope we make it.
I agree with your assessment of Dr. Brix. Dr. Fauci has been far more outspoken, but even he has seemed to be walking on eggshells. He needs to be free to speak without censure; I don’t feel that is the experience on the ground!
I agree in re Dr Fauci, and it is sad. It's likely they all have witnessed or been the victim of a Trump meltdown so they stay mum rather than provoke him. And look, when the president thinks a doctor who promotes a mix of christian-voodoo-space alien hogwash is praiseworthy, what the hell are you going to do?
I have family in Ontario who need my help to get them back to their phase 3 reopenings, both are essential workers. My daughter has been working clinics thruout and papa has been working from home partitme. Child-center closed in March. Schools are on the verge of resopening with very specific options for limited cohort size, more outside learning, use of masks in certain settings, and no parents allowed in the buildings. And they will shut down as needed it outbreaks occur.
Once the government decided to let me in, and that was an incredibly serious process that kept me near the border for 24 hours, i was sworn to strict quarantine and self-isolation. I am on day 5 now. I have received clear and serious instructions from the ministry of health at the border and by email. My phone is tracked to this location, I was called Saturday to see how it was going and did if I have questions. In other words, there is a clear and cohesive policy here.
It makes such a difference to take this seriously and offer one set of guidance for everyone. Such a missed opportunity saying to each other that we are all in this together and have each other’s backs. The first 2 months in my state of NC went this way with our Dem Gov Cooper. It wasn’t until the REopen NC protests began that incivil disobedience became popular and the anti-maxxers began deliberate gatherings. In NC it was like watching Trmp rallies. Then the churches sued for exemptions. We went from successfully flattening the curve to watching numbers rise again. And the young and frustrated seem to turn to each other for guidance as they ignore the mask-mandates and turn restaurants into saloons.
Up here looking in, our “independent” streak looks like fatal folly. Our government looks like self-serving crazy-making. My car is in the garage so I won’t make the neighbors nervous with my American tag. Some Americans who have gotten in to reunite with family are getting huge fines for treating the rules cavalierly before their isolation is up. They don’t want us spreading it, or causing a burden on their health system. But if I do get sick, they will care for me.
Just an illustration of how this looks elsewhere. These are our worst instincts, and I think the Fake-POTUS has debased us all by insisting on primal fear as the state of the union.
The use of the Census Bureau data to dictate distribution of funds and political representation is dictated by laws that can be changed and not the Constitution. The Census can be annulled by the incoming administration for the irregularities that Trump has imposed if they control both Houses and the exercise repeated to establish true population characteristics, levels and distribution. In the meantime the 2010 data can still be used untill credible results are obtained. It would be better than setting in stone the politically biased data for the next 10 years.
Just my thoughts as it isn't dictated by the Constitution. One often hears politicians say that they can't do something becauuse it is the law. They forget that they make and remake the laws.
He is actively working to screw up everything intentionally. This is what he has been doing since he was installed. He is a TRAITOR as are all who work for him and who support him in congress.
Just returned from a week on an island and no internet. Holy cow!
We are in a world of pain, but it feels like everyone is essentially in this alone. Government fails at nearly every point that matters, so one is left to their own resources, wit, skill or capacity, to get through this horror.
The thing that is most upsetting to me, is it appears the worse is yet to come. Tell me I'm wrong - please.
I feel this way as well. No leadership. Well, leadership from mayor all the way up is republican, so no leadership essentially. Completely feel like I’m alone, aside from these letters.
Me, too. But remember that we are together in this group therefore not truly alone, and there are others that feel like us. A good example is the Lincoln Project and their supporters. Leadership may feel lacking but we are not alone, together.
I agree. The numbers of people who have mobilized in these last few months, including the wall of moms, and the falling away of lock-step agreement by the Republicans are hopeful signs, inmho. And this is from someone who has felt existential dread from January 21, 2017.
I am an optimist who is energized by the people’s awakening, reckoning, and mobilization—even reaching some Republicans. But these clever attacks that have been popping up to disrupt the election and society at large, with indications that they go beyond Trump, are activating my existential dread big time. There is much more to overcome than just Trump, though that is absolutely a necessary start.
Are you speaking of the neo-nazi discovery in Germany? I’m sorry, I don’t have a link to that info at the moment, and do not remember where I saw the info. Perhaps someone else could track it down and confirm it?
In all the gloom and doom their are nonetheless a glimpse of some coming "Good News". NYT is reporting that Deutsche Bank is now seriously investigating the activities of their Trump/Kushner personal account executive. There is question of bribery by the "First Son-in-Law" over the "purchase" by the bank employee of an apartment in 2013. Their time will come!
In the short term, every little that we can all do will help and contribute to getting rid of these idiots and to creating a positive atmosphere thereafter in which we can rethink the system to ensure it doesn't happen again<;
Trump is vocally the chief opponent of anarchy yet his willingness to just do what he pleases despite precident and law makes him America's number one anarachist.
I read an interesting comment recently that stated that part of the reason for the Federal law enforcement in Portland was to intentionally push the edge of what Federal law enforcement could do. The way to do that is through the courts. If the current lawsuits in the courts against the feds for targeting legal observers, journalists, use of tear gas, and more, are decided in favor of the feds, then precedent will be set to expand what Federal law enforcement can do in the future.
Any thoughts on this? I do find it interesting that now that there are multiple lawsuits working their way through the courts, Federal law enforcement is being withdrawn.
That makes sense. Short term gain was the inflammatory videos and photos for Trump’s campaign and Republican propaganda. Long term gain would be court sanctioned expanded federal law enforcement deployed by Executive Order or DOJ.
Experiments to expand federal law enforcement, disabling the USPS, fueling unemployment and homelessness, to name a few—these are really smart discoveries for disruptive exploitation akin to Bin Laden. How are they popping up on so many fronts? These probes involve long range planning, a hallmark of Putin and the KGB, and smarter minds than Trump. Even if Trump is defeated in November, these nefarious forces remain in operation and a clear threat to our democracy.
Not to mention the experiments with pushing the boundaries of detentions and arrests. Snatched from the street into unmarked vans? Combing detainees’ Twitter accounts? Forced non-disclosure agreements for detainees such that we are not hearing what happened to them?
As bad as what is reported based on Dr. Birx's comments seems... it is still likely an understatement. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to look at the infection and mortality rates and do the math. The US will almost certainly be at 200,000 deaths by early September. It isn't impossible we will hit 300,000 in November. If the schools reopen broadly, then numbers could easily reach 500,000 by the end of the year.
I agree. The 300,000 deaths by year's end assumes an average of only 1,200 deaths per day between now and then. Fall and winter bring additional risks that exacerbate viral infections from all causes. COVID-19 has already shown that it is more dangerous under these conditions. Increased exposure to air pollution will play a key role.
With the increasing death toll, the end of the unemployment subsidy (which only applied if you were actually getting unemployment; if you never did, or if yours had run out, you are SOL), the end of the eviction prohibitions and utility cut-off prohibitions, capped by the total inability of the Senate to act like responsible adults, let alone responsible leaders, one consequence I fear on the horizon is a tsunami of homelessness.
Someone in the comments made reference to desperate people doing desperate things. Well, I think we're about to see that played out in real time. And lest we forget, many of them are armed.
This is my worry as well. I've noticed just in the grocery parking lot that people are asking for money and expressing about their new situation. That is before everything goes over the cliff. And this was so unnecessary; with a little discipline and leadership at the federal level, we could have avoided much of this.
Regarding COVID-19, as we enter the fall and winter and air pollution increases, it is likely that morbidity and mortality will increase. Equally, the protection from increased levels of vitamin D that normal exposure to sunlight has afforded over the summer months, will wane. We discuss these two issues in an open access (free) peer reviewed article in Frontiers in Public Health here https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00232/full
In addition, social distancing, wearing masks, washing hands and keeping as many interactions outdoors, are all needed to flatten the curves both for cases and deaths. Please share these links.
Is the Republican Party disintegrating? Are we going to see a Lincoln Party emerge? Perhaps a Tea Party as well? Will 45 be left standing alone in the middle of his golf course?
This is absolutely worth reading, for so many reasons.
My takeaway, in a nutshell, is that this administration is the overwhelming worst ever, combining flaming incompetence with sheer malevolence and chaotic willfulness. It's terrifying, and I really do wonder if the GOP is floating the idea of nominating someone other than OOO-45 at the convention. Maybe Cheney?
I have to say that my first thought when I read that the “press” will not be allowed to attend the convention was “Is it possible they won’t nominate tRump?!” How would that be possible given his delegates won in primaries? What horrible temper tantrum could/would he throw?
Assuming we survive all this, I think in the (hopefully) post-Trump period, it will undoubtedly take perhaps a full dozen years or so, at least, to wade through all the revelations of improprieties committed in just the past 3.5 years. The sheer volume will be staggering. We will more than likely be alarmed anew about how close we came to collapse. Historians of the future will be gobsmacked that all of this was allowed to happen. A "perfect storm" of so many factors. (Notice I'm TRYING to be optimistic that we can eventually right the ship of our government!) There'll be enough fodder here for countless books and exposés from various people in the middle of all this. However, I think it's safe to say the next 6 months for us (in the present) will be extremely turbulent. I wish I could go to sleep and wake up on the other side of it, but I AM trying to look beyond to a better day! For now: get ready and hunker down.
One legal commentator on Twitter this morning, in response to a NYT article about the NY Attorney General's office opening a broad investigation of fraud and other crimes in the Trump organization, commented that Trump's move to Florida will severely impact any investigation or indictment. Florida is one of only three states in the U.S. that does not have an extradition treaty with other states. Once he is done with the Presidency, he will go back to Florida where prosecutors from NY cannot depose him or serve him with a subpoena that is enforceable. It's a debacle in the making. https://twitter.com/stonecold2050/status/1290332657197309952?s=20
With Florida escape in sight, maybe that’s how an investigation under Barr can put on the appearance of being pursued vigorously and “fairly” at this time. So that would leave it for a filing by the South Florida US Attorney on an alleged crime committed in their jurisdiction. That turned out favorably for Trump’s former neighbor Jeffrey Epstein.
With all due respect to Dr. Birx, she blew a lot of her credibility early on by being a bobble head for Trump. She demurred and sat hunched over in her chair as Trump extolled the virtues hydroxychloroquine, disinfectant injections and internal light cures. At no time has she, (or anyone else on the WH Coronavirus Task Force), displayed the mettle necessary to stand up to Trump and his staff and lay down the law with regards to effective pandemic mitigation; increased testing, contact tracing, masks, social distancing, stay at home, etc. And now she is ringing her hands trying to raise the alarm and the "I have my rights people" are not listening.
I understand that dealing with Trump and his band of liars and thieves is nigh on impossible but federal public health officials did the country a great disservice by placating Trump from the outset. And, for the most part, they continue to do so today. The best thing anyone in an impacted area can do is follow the protocols that decrease the risk of contracting the disease and keep one's family safe.
The burgeoning virus combined with the deadlocked relief negotiations, increased evictions, foreclosures, unemployment, hunger and more is setting up an explosive dynamic where violence will increase simply because desperate people do desperate things. We are falling in a deep hole. Climbing out is going to be a test of courage, endurance and resilience. I hope we make it.
Wringing her hands. I hate auto spell check.
I agree with your assessment of Dr. Brix. Dr. Fauci has been far more outspoken, but even he has seemed to be walking on eggshells. He needs to be free to speak without censure; I don’t feel that is the experience on the ground!
I agree in re Dr Fauci, and it is sad. It's likely they all have witnessed or been the victim of a Trump meltdown so they stay mum rather than provoke him. And look, when the president thinks a doctor who promotes a mix of christian-voodoo-space alien hogwash is praiseworthy, what the hell are you going to do?
I have family in Ontario who need my help to get them back to their phase 3 reopenings, both are essential workers. My daughter has been working clinics thruout and papa has been working from home partitme. Child-center closed in March. Schools are on the verge of resopening with very specific options for limited cohort size, more outside learning, use of masks in certain settings, and no parents allowed in the buildings. And they will shut down as needed it outbreaks occur.
Once the government decided to let me in, and that was an incredibly serious process that kept me near the border for 24 hours, i was sworn to strict quarantine and self-isolation. I am on day 5 now. I have received clear and serious instructions from the ministry of health at the border and by email. My phone is tracked to this location, I was called Saturday to see how it was going and did if I have questions. In other words, there is a clear and cohesive policy here.
It makes such a difference to take this seriously and offer one set of guidance for everyone. Such a missed opportunity saying to each other that we are all in this together and have each other’s backs. The first 2 months in my state of NC went this way with our Dem Gov Cooper. It wasn’t until the REopen NC protests began that incivil disobedience became popular and the anti-maxxers began deliberate gatherings. In NC it was like watching Trmp rallies. Then the churches sued for exemptions. We went from successfully flattening the curve to watching numbers rise again. And the young and frustrated seem to turn to each other for guidance as they ignore the mask-mandates and turn restaurants into saloons.
Up here looking in, our “independent” streak looks like fatal folly. Our government looks like self-serving crazy-making. My car is in the garage so I won’t make the neighbors nervous with my American tag. Some Americans who have gotten in to reunite with family are getting huge fines for treating the rules cavalierly before their isolation is up. They don’t want us spreading it, or causing a burden on their health system. But if I do get sick, they will care for me.
Just an illustration of how this looks elsewhere. These are our worst instincts, and I think the Fake-POTUS has debased us all by insisting on primal fear as the state of the union.
Makes me proud to be Canadian. And the control is not about imposing strict obedience, it's about caring for people.
The use of the Census Bureau data to dictate distribution of funds and political representation is dictated by laws that can be changed and not the Constitution. The Census can be annulled by the incoming administration for the irregularities that Trump has imposed if they control both Houses and the exercise repeated to establish true population characteristics, levels and distribution. In the meantime the 2010 data can still be used untill credible results are obtained. It would be better than setting in stone the politically biased data for the next 10 years.
Thank you, Stuart! My heart rate is somewhat back to normal—if there is such a thing these days!
Can’t find anything about Census annulment. What is your source?
Just my thoughts as it isn't dictated by the Constitution. One often hears politicians say that they can't do something becauuse it is the law. They forget that they make and remake the laws.
He is actively working to screw up everything intentionally. This is what he has been doing since he was installed. He is a TRAITOR as are all who work for him and who support him in congress.
Just returned from a week on an island and no internet. Holy cow!
We are in a world of pain, but it feels like everyone is essentially in this alone. Government fails at nearly every point that matters, so one is left to their own resources, wit, skill or capacity, to get through this horror.
The thing that is most upsetting to me, is it appears the worse is yet to come. Tell me I'm wrong - please.
I feel this way as well. No leadership. Well, leadership from mayor all the way up is republican, so no leadership essentially. Completely feel like I’m alone, aside from these letters.
Me, too. But remember that we are together in this group therefore not truly alone, and there are others that feel like us. A good example is the Lincoln Project and their supporters. Leadership may feel lacking but we are not alone, together.
I agree. The numbers of people who have mobilized in these last few months, including the wall of moms, and the falling away of lock-step agreement by the Republicans are hopeful signs, inmho. And this is from someone who has felt existential dread from January 21, 2017.
I am an optimist who is energized by the people’s awakening, reckoning, and mobilization—even reaching some Republicans. But these clever attacks that have been popping up to disrupt the election and society at large, with indications that they go beyond Trump, are activating my existential dread big time. There is much more to overcome than just Trump, though that is absolutely a necessary start.
You make a good point ...
World of pain is the operative phrase. Pandemic, and then Europe also has political problems looming.
Are you speaking of the neo-nazi discovery in Germany? I’m sorry, I don’t have a link to that info at the moment, and do not remember where I saw the info. Perhaps someone else could track it down and confirm it?
Yes, the NYT link in the post about Germany—you found it. I didn’t want to be redundant.
What in the heck does Russia have on Trump? It must be something huge. Gigantic. Big. Big like no one has ever seen before.
My guess is huge money laundering.
I think they own him, tbh.
Treason?
Treason by now. Trump hides the contents of his frequent conversations with Putin. You can bet your first born child that Putin has recordings.
Don't you recall the "pee pee" tapes?
In all the gloom and doom their are nonetheless a glimpse of some coming "Good News". NYT is reporting that Deutsche Bank is now seriously investigating the activities of their Trump/Kushner personal account executive. There is question of bribery by the "First Son-in-Law" over the "purchase" by the bank employee of an apartment in 2013. Their time will come!
In the short term, every little that we can all do will help and contribute to getting rid of these idiots and to creating a positive atmosphere thereafter in which we can rethink the system to ensure it doesn't happen again<;
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/02/business/kushner-deutsche-trump-rosemary-vrablic.html
Trump is vocally the chief opponent of anarchy yet his willingness to just do what he pleases despite precident and law makes him America's number one anarachist.
Since when did we expect any coherent line of thought from him!
That is consistent with 45's perpetual projection of his own flaws onto other people.
I read an interesting comment recently that stated that part of the reason for the Federal law enforcement in Portland was to intentionally push the edge of what Federal law enforcement could do. The way to do that is through the courts. If the current lawsuits in the courts against the feds for targeting legal observers, journalists, use of tear gas, and more, are decided in favor of the feds, then precedent will be set to expand what Federal law enforcement can do in the future.
Any thoughts on this? I do find it interesting that now that there are multiple lawsuits working their way through the courts, Federal law enforcement is being withdrawn.
That makes sense. Short term gain was the inflammatory videos and photos for Trump’s campaign and Republican propaganda. Long term gain would be court sanctioned expanded federal law enforcement deployed by Executive Order or DOJ.
We’re looking at US courts possibly validating KGB tactics for suppression of opposing ideology.
Wishing not to have these thoughts...
Experiments to expand federal law enforcement, disabling the USPS, fueling unemployment and homelessness, to name a few—these are really smart discoveries for disruptive exploitation akin to Bin Laden. How are they popping up on so many fronts? These probes involve long range planning, a hallmark of Putin and the KGB, and smarter minds than Trump. Even if Trump is defeated in November, these nefarious forces remain in operation and a clear threat to our democracy.
Not to mention the Trump family’s close ties to the bone saw Saudi prince.
Not to mention the experiments with pushing the boundaries of detentions and arrests. Snatched from the street into unmarked vans? Combing detainees’ Twitter accounts? Forced non-disclosure agreements for detainees such that we are not hearing what happened to them?
NDAs signed under extreme duress won’t be valid. Trump thinks NDAs are the divine answer to his lawlessness.
The comment stressed that the government can't sue itself, so they have to push to get themselves sued to expand their reach.
As bad as what is reported based on Dr. Birx's comments seems... it is still likely an understatement. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to look at the infection and mortality rates and do the math. The US will almost certainly be at 200,000 deaths by early September. It isn't impossible we will hit 300,000 in November. If the schools reopen broadly, then numbers could easily reach 500,000 by the end of the year.
I agree. The 300,000 deaths by year's end assumes an average of only 1,200 deaths per day between now and then. Fall and winter bring additional risks that exacerbate viral infections from all causes. COVID-19 has already shown that it is more dangerous under these conditions. Increased exposure to air pollution will play a key role.
sad and true
With the increasing death toll, the end of the unemployment subsidy (which only applied if you were actually getting unemployment; if you never did, or if yours had run out, you are SOL), the end of the eviction prohibitions and utility cut-off prohibitions, capped by the total inability of the Senate to act like responsible adults, let alone responsible leaders, one consequence I fear on the horizon is a tsunami of homelessness.
Someone in the comments made reference to desperate people doing desperate things. Well, I think we're about to see that played out in real time. And lest we forget, many of them are armed.
This is my worry as well. I've noticed just in the grocery parking lot that people are asking for money and expressing about their new situation. That is before everything goes over the cliff. And this was so unnecessary; with a little discipline and leadership at the federal level, we could have avoided much of this.
Regarding COVID-19, as we enter the fall and winter and air pollution increases, it is likely that morbidity and mortality will increase. Equally, the protection from increased levels of vitamin D that normal exposure to sunlight has afforded over the summer months, will wane. We discuss these two issues in an open access (free) peer reviewed article in Frontiers in Public Health here https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00232/full
Short posts for lay audience (also freely available) can be found here http://www.bodymindscience.info/2020/05/30/innate-immunity-the-bodys-first-response-to-microbial-challenges/
http://www.bodymindscience.info/2020/05/26/vitamin-d-whats-all-the-fuss/
In addition, social distancing, wearing masks, washing hands and keeping as many interactions outdoors, are all needed to flatten the curves both for cases and deaths. Please share these links.
Thank you. Shared.
Is the Republican Party disintegrating? Are we going to see a Lincoln Party emerge? Perhaps a Tea Party as well? Will 45 be left standing alone in the middle of his golf course?
Its happened before!
Thank you for these terrific letters.
This is absolutely worth reading, for so many reasons.
My takeaway, in a nutshell, is that this administration is the overwhelming worst ever, combining flaming incompetence with sheer malevolence and chaotic willfulness. It's terrifying, and I really do wonder if the GOP is floating the idea of nominating someone other than OOO-45 at the convention. Maybe Cheney?
I have to say that my first thought when I read that the “press” will not be allowed to attend the convention was “Is it possible they won’t nominate tRump?!” How would that be possible given his delegates won in primaries? What horrible temper tantrum could/would he throw?
Assuming we survive all this, I think in the (hopefully) post-Trump period, it will undoubtedly take perhaps a full dozen years or so, at least, to wade through all the revelations of improprieties committed in just the past 3.5 years. The sheer volume will be staggering. We will more than likely be alarmed anew about how close we came to collapse. Historians of the future will be gobsmacked that all of this was allowed to happen. A "perfect storm" of so many factors. (Notice I'm TRYING to be optimistic that we can eventually right the ship of our government!) There'll be enough fodder here for countless books and exposés from various people in the middle of all this. However, I think it's safe to say the next 6 months for us (in the present) will be extremely turbulent. I wish I could go to sleep and wake up on the other side of it, but I AM trying to look beyond to a better day! For now: get ready and hunker down.
One legal commentator on Twitter this morning, in response to a NYT article about the NY Attorney General's office opening a broad investigation of fraud and other crimes in the Trump organization, commented that Trump's move to Florida will severely impact any investigation or indictment. Florida is one of only three states in the U.S. that does not have an extradition treaty with other states. Once he is done with the Presidency, he will go back to Florida where prosecutors from NY cannot depose him or serve him with a subpoena that is enforceable. It's a debacle in the making. https://twitter.com/stonecold2050/status/1290332657197309952?s=20
With Florida escape in sight, maybe that’s how an investigation under Barr can put on the appearance of being pursued vigorously and “fairly” at this time. So that would leave it for a filing by the South Florida US Attorney on an alleged crime committed in their jurisdiction. That turned out favorably for Trump’s former neighbor Jeffrey Epstein.