oldmanfan

The Woodward tape. In his own voice.

I hope we re-establish alliances.

Cuomo screwed up putting back in nursing homes. And again, what they did or did not do have no bearing on what Trump did. His decisions are on him. It is astounding how many people will tie themselves in knots trying to defend a con man. And I’d love to meet you outside the confines of a message board. You act so tough here, but in reality I would guess you’re a sniveling little mama’s boy who acts out his fantasies of being a big guy with a big gun here.

It did not have to ravage our country. Trump lied about it and did not do enough to slow things down. Your false comparisons to other theoretics don’t mean squat. Obama was responsible for his actions in his administration, Trump in his. Should we go go back to Buchanan screwing up slavery to absolve Trump in your eyes? Where does it end? At your job, if you do something wrong is it your responsibility, or is it the fault of the last guy who had the job, or someone who never had the job, or anyone else but yourself? and to throw out another false construct, the millions of people dying was if we had done nothing to prevent disease transmission. Thankfully we had folks like Dr. Birx and Fauci that folks listened to, instead of the Orange one.

I don’t care what Hillary would have done or not done. I do not care what other elected leaders of other countries did. I care what our elected president did and he blew it. These “well, what about so and so” arguments are a better fit in a preschool playground. I will say Operation Warp Spped was a good thing.

And even if you’re right, which I would debate, he will be 20 times better than the current occupant, who only cares about himself and could give a damn about the country.

Again, he didn’t cause the virus but he demonstrated complete incompetence in handling it. Bush didn’t cause 9/11, but he rallied the nation. And then he didn’t cause Hurricane Katrina but completely botched the response. These sophomoric type of responses to try and defend a failed president need to stop. He screwed up, and he’s out. Period.

Biden does not have responsibility for Covid, the pathetic excuse for a President we’ve had for 4 years dies. Biden needs to knock off the silly attempts at humor; no one is in the mood. He wasn’t referring to Covid, he was referring to what he would have done if he disagreed with his boss when he was VP. What more would you like me to say about his statement?

Not everyone is California is wearing a mask, or if they are they are not wearing them consistently or correctly.. I know you live there, but open your eyes. I live in Indiana, and as stated above if I'm out (which I am frequently) there are people refusing to do so. The vast majority of observational studies indicate a difference in infection rates when comparing mask vs. no mask populations. The recent study from Kansas is a good one. Trends in County-Level COVID-19 Incidence in Counties With and Without a Mask Mandate — Kansas, June 1–August 23, 2020 Then you have a ton of lab studies demonstrating that masks will decrease aerosol and droplet transmission which are the main vectors for viral spread. Among the many studies showing this, I like the one from Duke in particular, primarily because it shows the benefit of certain types of masks and highlights which types of more "casual" masks such as the neck gaiters are not very helpful: Low-cost measurement of face mask efficacy for filtering expelled droplets during speech View ORCID ProfileEmma P. Fischer1, View ORCID ProfileMartin C. Fischer2,3,*, View ORCID ProfileDavid Grass2, View ORCID ProfileIsaac Henrion4, View ORCID ProfileWarren S. Warren2,3,5,6 and Eric Westman7 See all authors and affiliations Science Advances 02 Sep 2020: Vol. 6, no. 36, eabd3083 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd3083 And of course here is the CDC summary document on the efficacy of masks with 45 peer reviewed references on the effectiveness of masks: Scientific Brief: Community Use of Cloth Masks to Control the Spread of SARS-CoV-2 Updated Nov. 20, 2020 Masks are not a cure, they are a preventative measure. By combining masks (when you cannot keep proper distancing especially), distancing, and hand washing we can have a huge effect on keeping the virus from finding a host, and without a host it dies out. But stubbornness, ignorance, and what can only be described as a callous disregard for the health of family, friends, and others around us have caused more than 250k fellow citizens to die, with many more having survived but with uncertain future health due to longer lasting effects related to the virus. And the numbers of each continue to grow. All while the current occupant of the White House has abdicated any responsibility (which is not surprising as he stated several months ago he has no responsibility), while the Secretary of State is hosting parties all through the holiday season indoors with crowds and no masks. This using the virus as a political prop is absolutely shameful; the virus does not care about politics.

Two things: 1. Not everyone is wearing masks. Period. Ask anyone who is out in public. For example, I stopped for gas on Ky a month ago. Started going into the store to get a drink, 12 people waiting together in the checkout line side by side, not one mask. I backed out and went in my way. 2. Observational studies show effectiveness of masks, and lab studies show that masks limit droplet and aerosol spread. Google Duke mask study and read it. Or the 45 studies in the CDC document. Oh wait, asking you to read again, aren’t I? Not your strong suit.

Can you imagine these scenarios: Washington As the role model for the president if the new country and having to set the example: I take no responsibility Tyler after the first Presidential death: I take no responsibility Lincoln during the Civil War: I take no responsibility Teddy Roosevelt when trusts were destroying the country: I take no responsibility Wilson having to decide to send troops during WWI: I take no responsibility Franklin Roosevelt during the Depression and WWII: I take no responsibility Truman about the bomb and the Marshall Plan: I take no responsibility Eisenhower through Reagan during the Cold War: I take no responsibility Johnson and racial conflict: I take no responsibility Bush during the Iraq War: I take no responsibility Bush 2 and the reaction to 9/11: I take no responsibility Obama andvthe economic crisis when he entered office: I take no responsibility You can add others I’m sure. Could you imagine before 2016 having a President that would ever say to a national crisis: It’s not my responsibility?

From the article you quoted: Interpretation In this exploratory analysis, low levels of national preparedness, scale of testing and population characteristics were associated with increased national case load and overall mortality. Learn to read. And then go to the CDC and see the review of 45 papers showing a beneficial effect of masks

This has been gone over time and time again. In March Fauci said that to be sure that masks would get to front line workers taking care of patients. 1. I don’t give a damn what other leaders did. I care what ours did. And he lied when he knew about the severity. I am so sick and tired of this weak argument that you should excuse what he did because others did so. 2. China should be held to account. What did the orange baboon do initially? Praised their leader for how forthcoming he was, to try and save his trade deal. 3. He did not immediately enact the DPA, and as a result hospitals were out of supplies. And he disbanded the pandemic task force. And yes Obama should have made sure things were stocked as well. 4. It’s only one case. Then: It’s only 15 cases. Then: It will magically disappear. And so on. He lied. 5. He consistently disagreed with his advisors, most notably on masks. 6. For the American President to say he had no responsibility is perhaps the most disgusting thing ever said by any holder of the office. To say it was cowardly is an understatement. It was a complete abdication of the office. 6. The very minute they knew quarantining was needed the leaders from both parties should have been brought to the White House and a deal brokered to make sure small business was protected not big ones and Jared’s cronies. 7. The day the CDC and the advisory panel recommended masks, that very day, he should have been on TV with a national address wearing one, and telling every citizen it is their patriotic duty to do so. He should have pressured governors like his crony DeSantis to do the same 8. Lead!!!!!! All the above are leadership functions. And he failed spectacularly. And lap dogs like you just worship at his feet. Did you give money to his fund to fight the outcome of the election, because you know that goes into his pockets to pay his debts. We elected a con man, we got what we feared having a con man try to lead through a national crisis that has claimed over 250k lives and counting. And you lap dogs still fall for his crap.

One misguided statement beats 4 years of lying stupidity. Thank God Trump is gone in a few weeks.

No. And the phrase fake news needs to end.

I’m happy Biden is taking office but he should stop the tongue in cheek comedy. The country isn’t in the mood for it.

Ok, here we go again: 1. Don’t lie. He lied to the American people about the seriousness of the virus. We heard that on the Woodward tapes. 2. Immediately suspend ALL incoming travel from China 3. Immediately hold a summit with all governors, regardless of blue or red, and find out what they needed, then immediatelyenact his powers to mandate private sector to start making necessary supplies. Immediately, not a couple moths later. 4. Take air time as soon as we knew the virus was out there, and do a national address recognizing the seriousness, and stressing preventive measures. And as important new measures were found by research, do another such as when masking was found to be important. Don’t talk about such completely idiotic things as it’s only one patients, or that things would magically just end when you know it won’t. Have the guts early on to tell the public why they have to quarantine. 5. Actually listen to your scientific advisors. Have them communicate daily with the public and back them up instead of arguing. 6. When someone asks you what responsibility you have, you tell them as President you have the ultimate responsibility for what is being done. Instead of cowardly saying you have no responsibility. 7. When it became clear there was going to be an economic crisis, call the leaders of both parties to the White House, lick them in a room and not let them out till a deal is gone. 8. When things like hand washing, distancing and especially masks at mitigating factors became apparent as ways to decrease spread, be a public advocate for each. Wear a mask at all times, demand the people do likewise. Set the example. This is a start. These are what leaders do, not the fraud that’s posed as a leader. That is crap. Insisting that people followed the mitigating strategies, especially masking, would have saved many.

I’ve explained what he should have done before. You are too stubborn to accept that leaders are elected to lead, and you are too ignorant to accept that he lost the election. Get over yourself and join the real world.

This is the one thing they Founding Fathers did wrong. Giving the Executive branch unmitigated pardon power smacks too much of a king with unfettered power and is a main exception to checks and balances.

Trump didn’t create the virus. He created the horrible response to it that has led to over 250k deaths in our country.

How is this guy a coach of any kind in the NFL?

All the best to you and your family Steve H. Thanks for all you did for the Bills!

Agreed.

As both a scientist and a Christian, I must tell you that, sadly, there are many that fit your last sentence. I am not a big social media guy but I have been on Facebook to defend science since the pandemic started. And it is frightening how many invoke God to deny science. I can’t count how many people refuse to wear masks as the most glaring example because they refuse to accept actual data and fact, and then hide behind religion as a rationale for it, saying that they follow God and not science. It’s sickening. As bad as the deaths and morbidity and economic impact are of the pandemic, what may be the worst consequence is we have so many people who simply, stubbornly refuse to accept facts. God help our society.

First of all, science and religion are not mutually exclusive. I am a scientist and also a man of faith. I've been doing clinical work and research for over 40 years, and faithfully attend church and have served as council president, evangelism deacon, and other roles at my church. I believe God gives us all spiritual gifts He expects us to use to advance His kingdom, and for scientists it is using our brains and talents to discover new things and help alleviate disease. Francis Collins, head of the NIH, is both a devout Christian and brilliant scientist and I would refer anyone with an interest in this subject to read some of his writings on the subject. As to this Supreme Court ruling, as far as it comes to the Covid thing I am in agreement. Churches should not have different rules as far as restriction of numbers of people per amount of space and such as any other place. However, I would also agree with churches using their heads as far as their services. My church now limits the number who can attend to a level where we can perform appropriate distancing, we require masks, the choirs are not present because that increases spread, and our services are streamed live for members and others who feel safer worshipping from home. So long as the churches in NYS and Cali do the same, great. But if they choose to worship in a way that violates the state health code (no masks, no social distancing, etc.) in violation of guidelines for other public areas, then they should be closed down because at that point they threaten the health and well being of the entire community. I am concerned that this Court will take the phrase "religious freedom" to ridiculous ends. For example, we prescribe birth control pills for women to treat different reproductive disorders, not necessarily for birth control per se. And at least one or two patients have told us they've a had a pharmacist say he won't fill it because he rejects birth control based on his religious beliefs. That's crap. A pharmacist who refuses to fill a legal prescription written by a licensed physician has two choices: fill it or quit being a pharmacist. You religious beliefs don't mean my health is jeopardized. A similar thought with the bakers and baking cakes for a gay couple. Baking a cake has nothing to do with religion in my opinion.