Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Benggaul]

That's right: in the last two months, cases/day have tripled. At least deaths are down...for now.

They've been going back up this week. Today's total is already higher than the previous Friday and there's another hour or so of reporting to come.
We've also broken 64k now.
EDIT: Haha, spoke too soon. 65k now.

[Breccia]

The Association of Texas Professional Educators, the largest teachers group in the state, urged Texas officials Friday to delay the resumption of on-campus instruction until the COVID-19 curve flattens.

Texas reported nearly 9,800 new cases of the virus Thursday and 105 deaths, marking the first time the daily death toll has exceeded 100.

The ATPE House of Delegates, which crafts the organization’s legislative agenda, voted Thursday to take the action, which the ATPE announced Friday in a Facebook post.

“ATPE is made up of the voices of 100,000 educators statewide, and these educators have together chosen to make their voices heard to ensure the safety of their community in the midst of the global pandemic,” said Executive Director Shannon Holmes.

“All along, ATPE has said that Texas students, parents, and educators deserve to be safe and have a firm understanding of the steps being taken to provide a safe learning environment, and this vote by our members strongly reaffirms our stance.”

The organization wants the state to require districts to include educators and parents in planning for the resumption of in-classroom instruction, allocate funds for substitutes in the event of mandatory quarantine of district personnel and to waive requirements for administration of the 2020-2021 STAAR and Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System or TELPAS tests.

Social media is amazing for getting local stories like this. I'm not even talking about the 100+ death count -- @Benggaul would have told us eventually, he's been great at that. No, I'm talking about the state's plans to return to school as normal being met with "fuck y'all" one hundred thousand times.

Which feeds us immediately into this follow-up article from the same source.

With Texas continuing to break records for new coronavirus deaths and hospitalizations this week, Gov. Greg Abbott reiterated Friday afternoon that things will continue to get worse. And if people keep flouting his new statewide mask mandate, he said, the next step could be another economic lockdown.

“Things will get worse, and let me explain why,” he told KLBK TV in Lubbock. “The deaths that we’re seeing announced today and yesterday — which are now over 100 — those are people who likely contracted COVID-19 in late May.

“The worst is yet to come as we work our way through that massive increase in people testing positive.”

Okay, nice try there Hey Abbott, "people testing positive" Fuck you. You have more people sick and dying. It isn't about the test results, fucktard, it's about the lethal virus.

Texans will also likely see an increase in cases next week, Abbott said, and people abiding by his face mask requirement might be the only thing standing between businesses remaining open and another shutdown.

Abbott has pushed that message repeatedly in television interviews this week. But he emphasized Friday that another shutdown was not imminent and he pointed to steps he has taken so far to scale back reopening in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus, including the mask order and a requirement that bars, once again, close their doors. He has also tightened restaurant capacity limits.

In three live television appearances Friday afternoon, Abbott acknowledged that his mask order — that Texans in counties with more than 20 cases wear masks in public — was neither popular nor convenient, but said it was important for everyone to join in the effort. His plea to Texans comes as nearly 80 Texas counties have opted out of the order order, while others are refusing to enforce it.

“It’s disappointing,” Abbott told CBS Tyler of government entities who defy his mandate.

“I realize that a murderer or rapist or robber is far more serious to concentrate on. However, I know this also: If we do not all join together and unite in this one cause for a short period of time of adopting the masks, it will lead to the necessity of having to close Texas back down,” he said. “That should be the last thing that any government wants.”

And just so we're clear about that earlier "fucktard" comment:

Nearly 9,700 people were in Texas hospitals on Thursday, too, the highest number since the pandemic began.

Not "positive tests". People in hospitals. People who are sick, possibly dying. And yes, yes, he's taking unexpected steps to warn people that he could have a second lockdown, that's a pretty brave move. I'm actually impressed. But don't you fucking dare gloss over the people sick and dying and instead talk about "people testing positive" like the problem is a slip of paper and not a sick or dying human being -- who probably voted for you.

And don't think I'm the only one who noticed.

In a statement following Abbott’s interviews, the Texas Democratic Party said any further shutdowns would be Abbott’s fault.

“By reopening Texas prematurely, Abbott put all of us at risk for rising cases and a second shutdown,” said spokesman Abhi Rahman. “That’s exactly what has happened so far. Abbott’s mismanagement of the coronavirus crisis has made Texas one of the most dangerous states to live in, completely tanked our economy, and shown the entire world just how incompetent Trump and Abbott are.”

If you don't focus on the content, but instead focus on the test results, your voters will ensure that this election is your final exam. And you'll fail.

EDIT: Something something expelled, something something GOP GPA, something something Graham's wife.

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EDIT: Haha, spoke too soon. 65k now.

So...rethinking that 70k yet?

[Thepersona]

Oh my God.



Fuck, no. They're taking back some of their steps to reopen, and that's it. Abbott at least yelled "put on your masks or I'll take more steps back" but since then he has not. I mean...everyone could wear a mask starting 24 hours ago but cases would still rise for a while anyhow, because incubation.

In other news: Fauci hasn't briefed Trump in two months.

I want every man, woman, child, Alliance member, and/or carbon-based life form on these forums to look back at the last two months. Spoiler alert: they look like this:



That's right: in the last two months, cases/day have tripled. At least deaths are down...for now.

Considering that the standard of care is much better now than 2 months ago, and that the cases are more spread out in the US (so no completely overwhelmed healthcare like in NYC) that's a good thing?

[Breccia]

Considering that the standard of care is much better now than 2 months ago, and that the cases are more spread out in the US (so no completely overwhelmed healthcare like in NYC) that's a good thing?

Um...not enough, at least.

First of all, if it does hit, say, a nursing home in West Bumblefuck, Missikansas, it might overwhelm local sources.

Second of all, Florida and Texas are running out of beds in key locations.

But overall, I hope you're right. 60k cases spread proportionally by population is far better than 10k all in the same spot.

- - - Updated - - -

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

New York to deliver remdesivir to Florida after DeSantis dismisses offer for help

Today, on behalf of all New Yorkers, we will deploy Remdesivir to help Florida care for patients as it waits for further supply from the federal government. We will stand by our fellow Americans every step of the way as our nation fights COVID-19 together

-- Cuomo, Trollmaster General of New York State

[Thepersona]

Um...not enough, at least.

First of all, if it does hit, say, a nursing home in West Bumblefuck, Missikansas, it might overwhelm local sources.

Second of all, Florida and Texas are running out of beds in key locations.

But overall, I hope you're right. 60k cases spread proportionally by population is far better than 10k all in the same spot.

yeah, i hope u're right. The only good thing about this is that as time goes by, our knowledge of treatments and paliative care is getting better by the day, so the overall CFR is going down. I'd have much higher hopes if i get sick now (or in the coming weeks) than in march (this is considering a non overwhelmed healthcare system, and this is important).

[Benggaul]

I'm not even talking about the 100+ death count -- @Benggaul would have told us eventually, he's been great at that.

So...rethinking that 70k yet?

I didn't mention yesterday that Texas passed 100 deaths because it had already done that the day before. Yesterday was "only" the second-highest they've hit.

And I already conceded that 70k is a possibility. I just don't want to think about it until it happens, really. It's already bad enough that cases are about triple what they were a month or so ago.

Considering that the standard of care is much better now than 2 months ago, and that the cases are more spread out in the US (so no completely overwhelmed healthcare like in NYC) that's a good thing?

This is the point I was trying to make last month when this started kicking off. But that was before hospitals started getting overwhelmed in Texas, Arizona and Florida. Unless the new cases start tapering off and giving their local healthcare facilities a chance to breathe it's going to get pretty fucking gruesome. Especially since neighboring states in the south are also now seeing increases in cases, meaning soon they won't be able to take patients from the states that are struggling because they might be stretched thin themselves.

[Breccia]

Oh for fuck's sake.



See signature, add at least two "fucks" and a "tard" anywhere you think they'll fit.

[Breccia]

our knowledge of treatments and paliative care is getting better by the day

Hydroxychloroquine

No really, that's got to be a major reason deaths are down despite cases tripling.

Unrelated: Bloomberg reports that Facebook is quietly considering the decision to ban political ads.

"Why the fuck would they do that?"

Let's talk numbers. In June, Biden and Trump spent $25 million in FB ads combined. By contrast, the Coca-Cola boycott for 30 days cost Facebook seven billion dollars.

"But that--"

Facebook set themselves up with a model that does not police their content very well, and Trump is a hate-filled liar. It's far easier for Facebook to simply say "I'll take the six billion, nine-hundred seventy-five million instead" block all the ads so they can pretend to be neutral. Yes, pretend. Allowing Trump to spew hate-filled lies that would kick anyone else off is not neutral, that's "I'd rather have Trump's money".

While this is still "talking behind closed doors" and, yes, it might hurt their stock price a little, losing their other advertisers will hurt more. This step will at least give them the option of shrugging and saying "hey, we're blocking Biden too, it's not rigged".

[Resurgo]

Umm.. @Breccia ?
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pre...stone-sentence

Kinda wonder how the rank and file DoJ are going to respond to this...

[Breccia]

So let's talk about Trump putting people to death on purpose for once.

Maybe you've heard the news about Daniel Lee. And maybe, like me, you completely forgot because that name is too common to stand out. Lee is Trump's first execution, and in fact the first federal execution since 2003.

Already, this has sparked concern, most notably the EU who aren't fans of executions in general. But Trump is serious, as this Reuters report goes into detail:

If the Trump administration carries out the first federal execution since 2003 on Monday, as scheduled, it will mark the culmination of a three-year campaign to line up a secret supply chain to make and test lethal-injection drugs, a Reuters investigation has found.

Intent on enforcing the death penalty, President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice had started building the network of contractors it would need by May 2017, federal procurement records show. Since then, it has pursued a new drug protocol that could survive legal challenges through firms whose identities it has fought to keep hidden. Without the secrecy, the government has argued in court filings, its ability to procure the drugs would be “severely impaired” because the companies are not willing to supply or test execution drugs if they are publicly identified.

So, yes, Trump has been pushing this for over three years. Granted, asking for the death penalty is hardly new for Trump, even for innocent people who happen to be African-American. Lee was originally to be executed last year but the...um...did I legit post "the Arkansas Democrat"? Isn't that an oxymoron? Anyhow

The judge found a significant possibility that the Government was aware of, and failed to disclose, evidence undermining a key basis for [Lee's] death sentence

But Barr pushed forward, and the execution is back on. And the man is convicted of being a white supremacist who killed an eight-year-old child, so it's not like I'm going to lose sleep over this (you see my post history, I never sleep) For all of Trump's many failures and accidental deaths, at long last, he will actually got one thing rig--

"A judge blocked it."

The fuck? Why?

"Coronavirus."

Judge blocks first federal execution in 17 years over coronavirus threat to victims' families

Chief District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson ruled that 47-year-old Daniel Lee’s scheduled execution on Monday would be delayed after the family of his victims said doing so would put them in “to potentially deadly peril” as COVID-19 cases resurge and the virus is also ravaging America’s prisons.

Judge Magnus-Stinson said in her order that she is granted the preliminary injunction until the Justice Department is in compliance with the federal law and “reasonable consideration of the plaintiffs' right to be present for the execution.”

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Holy shit. Trump is so incompetent, he can't even kill a convicted murder tied down to a table right with three years practice. What an incompetent fat fucking orange fat obese fatass moron.

- - - Updated - - -

Kinda wonder how the rank and file DoJ are going to respond to this...

I saw rumors of this. Can't wait to hear the defense on this one.

EDIT: Oh, also, we might finally see, after all this time, someone try to take the Fifth and be told "You can't do that anymore".

[Benggaul]

Okay, well, I guess I should just stop giving updates because apparently I don't know WHAT the fuck I'm talking about anymore.

71,072 new cases and the reporting's not done yet.

[Breccia]

71,072 new cases and the reporting's not done yet.

Cross-posting because Fuck Trump. This time, I'm going to comment heavily.

WHO says countries may have to return to "total lockdown," after cases double worldwide in 6 weeks

Country-wide lockdowns may not be a thing of the past, according to the World Health Organization. Global coronavirus cases continue to climb, with over 12 million now reported worldwide – more than double the amount of confirmed cases reported six weeks ago.

Dr. Michael Ryan, executive director of WHO's Health Emergencies Program, said at a press conference Friday that countries may have to go into lockdown again — or for the first time.

"We all want to avoid whole countries going back into total lockdown, that is not a desire that anybody has," he said. "But there may be situations in which that is the only option."

Ryan called whether or not mass lockdowns will again be required the "fundamental question" facing every community, and every society.

"Once lockdowns were ended there was always the risk that the disease could bounce back," he said.

The WHO has advised countries to open slowly, paying close attention to their data to move cautiously between different phases of reopening. Ryan said countries should be "ready to move backwards or forwards" depending on the numbers they are seeing.

"Accept the fact that in our current situation it is very unlikely that we can eradicate or eliminate this virus," he said, noting that this gives the virus an opportunity to reemerge.

Ryan compared coronavirus outbreaks to forest fires. Small fires, he said, are easy to put out but difficult to recognize. He advised every country and community to implement a system where it can detect the "small embers," allowing it to only lock down small areas in order to contain the virus.

"When the virus is present there is a risk of spread," he said.

Maria Van Kerkhove, head of the WHO's emerging diseases unit, echoed Ryan's analogy. "We know how quickly these embers can turn into forest fires," she said, adding that it's something we all need to anticipate.

Bolded for emphasis. Bolded and orange for "get a rake, you morbidly obese fucktard".

The WHO did not say "Trump" "USA" or "Hydroxychloroquine" out loud, but today's lesson is about context clues. As I just posted earlier this hour, the US didn't just double, it tripled, in the last six weeks. Trump can scream into the wind about the WHO, but a murderer is allowed to yell at the jury, too, doesn't make him less guilty. At best, he could try to get Trump to hold the execution so he'd live forever.

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Oh, and of course there's more. Why would today stop? Why would the Shitshow ever stop?

In Houston, overwhelmed ICUs leave COVID-19 patients waiting in ER

Bla bla bla, all the beds are full, why didn't anyone warn cough cough *dies*

Fuck this timeline. Fuck every inch of this timeline and twice on Friday evenings. I'm cracking open the pint of Pucker Up I saved for a special occasion.

[PhaelixWW]

Trump officially commutes Roger Stone's sentence.


"Party of Law and Order"... ugh.

[Edge-]

Umm.. @Breccia ?
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pre...stone-sentence

Kinda wonder how the rank and file DoJ are going to respond to this...

We can only hope mass-walkouts. But probably not.

Trump is determined to go down in history as the most transparently corrupt president ever. I have never been so ashamed and appalled to be an American as I have been in the year 2020.

[Zaydin]

So Trump was supposed to hold a rally in New Hampshire tomorrow, but the campaign canceled it at the last minute, citing an approaching tropical storm as the reason for it. In a development that shouldn't shock anyone, a more likely reason they canceled the rally was due to fears of low turnout, not wanting a repeat of Tulsa. The tropical storm just gave them a convenient excuse.

[zorkuus]

Trump officially commutes Roger Stone's sentence.


"Party of Law and Order"... ugh.

AHAHAHAHA!

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Third world shithole banana republic. Fuck you america. Please just implode already you stupid cunts.
[Infraction]

[Zaydin]

Trump officially commutes Roger Stone's sentence.


"Party of Law and Order"... ugh.

So in Trump world, it's safe to send peoples kids back to school but it's too dangerous for a lifelong crook like Roger Stone to go to prison.

[Sorshen]

Trump officially commutes Roger Stone's sentence.


"Party of Law and Order"... ugh.

Actual, daylight clear corruption, lol...

[Zaydin]

Actual, daylight clear corruption, lol...

And odds are Congressional Republicans will be running from the press to avoid commenting on this.

[solinari6]

EDIT: Oh, also, we might finally see, after all this time, someone try to take the Fifth and be told "You can't do that anymore".

Isn't that only true for pardons? I thought commute was different?