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‘WORST THING - WHAT WERE THEY THINKING’

Michigan Conservatives ‘Not Concerned’ About COVID-19 Block Ambulance During Protest Against Social Distancing - Daily Beast

“It was a political rally that is going to endanger peoples’ lives, because this is precisely how COVID-19 spreads,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said.

Apr. 16, 2020

Hundreds of opponents of Michigan’s social distancing measures rallied in their cars in the state capital on Wednesday, snarling traffic and even blocking a hospital entrance in a protest against an executive order intended to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus in the state.

“The cars were blocking one of our hospitals, so an ambulance literally wasn’t able to get into the bay for ten minutes,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, whose statewide stay-at-home order provoked the ire of many right-wingers and Trump supporters. The order banned residents from traveling to second homes, closed non-essential businesses, and limited outdoor activities in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.



[EMT DRIVER GETS OFF ON THE "IDIOT" PROTESTERS PREVENTING HIM FROM GETTING TO THE HOSPITAL]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t-GzuZukQs



“This is the kind of behavior that extends the needs for stay-at-home orders,” Whitmer said in a television interview Wednesday. “The worst thing that could have happened today...”

As the protesters raged outside of the Capitol—flouting social-distancing guidelines and the Facebook invitation for Operation Gridlock by assembling on the building’s front staircase—Whitmer’s office responded that while the protest could continue, it had to do so safely.

“Everyone has a right to protest and speak up. We recognize that some people are angry and frustrated, and that’s OK. The Governor will always defend everyone’s rights to free speech,” said Bobby Leddy, Whitmer’s deputy press secretary. “We just ask those who choose to protest these orders to do so in a manner that doesn’t put their health or the health of our first responders at risk...”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/michigan- ... ref=scroll

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Whitmer says protests against stay home order OK, but takes a shot at DeVos family involvement - Detroit Free Press

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Monday she doesn't have a problem with a planned protest Wednesday that is intended to create a traffic jam around the state Capitol to show how angry Michiganders are about a stay-at-home order intended to stop the spread of coronavirus.

But she drew the line at one of the hosts of the protest — the Michigan Freedom Fund, a Lansing-based organization that advocates for conservative policies, has strong ties to the west Michigan DeVos family and has been critical of Whitmer, especially her stay at home order, which lasts until May 1.

"This group is funded in large part by the DeVos family. And I think it's really inappropriate for a sitting member of the United States president's Cabinet to be waging political attacks on any governor, but obviously, on me here at home," Whitmer said Monday, referring to Betsy DeVos, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. "I think that they should disavow and encourage people to stay home and be safe."

[I guess it's understandable, but extremely stupid and childish, to support "Operation Gridlock". Gotta believe the DeVos family is losing a lot of money with the crumbling economy. I'm certain that they are anxious to get the economy moving again. The DeVos' sit in their cushy summer house, organizing demonstrations while the citizens risk their lives on the front lines. Maybe the DeVos' should join them ?!?!?]
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More:

Whitmer: Tough days ahead but normalcy 'on the horizon'

DeVos family spokesman Nick Wasmiller, said the family hasn't provided any funds or organizing for the protest, but understand the frustrations of Michiganders.

"As elements of the governor’s top-down approach appear to go beyond public safety. Michigan deserves competent governance – not baseless attacks," he said in a statement.

Greg McNeilly, chairman of the Michigan Freedom Fund and former spokesman for the DeVos family, shot back at Whitmer on Twitter: "Clearly she remains misinformed and disconnected with reality. Sad and beneath her....well, maybe not."

Tony Daunt, executive director of the Freedom Fund, said Whitmer's statement is "categorically false." The organization hasn't contributed any money to the event and and is simply promoting the event in its social media postings.

The protest is featured on the Freedom Fund's Facebook page, the organization is listed as one of the hosts and in a Facebook post today said that it had paid $250 for an ad to promote the protest.

And while Betsy DeVos hasn't contributed to candidates or political action committees since being a member of Trump's Cabinet, members of her family, including her husband, Dick DeVos, a 2006 Republican candidate for governor, have continued to make many political contributions.

Whitmer was referring to the "Operation Gridlock" protest, planned for noon Wednesday when drivers plan to create a traffic jam around the state Capitol.

More:

Nurses protest conditions at Detroit's Sinai-Grace, said they were told to leave

More:

Whitmer extends Michigan's stay home order until May 1

"Everyone, every citizen, every business owner needs to get out of their house, out of their chair and get in their car, or truck, or anything that is legal to drive on taxpayer funded roads. Then drive to Lansing to circle the Michigan Capitol Building," the Facebook post says. "Come prepared for a traffic jam in Lansing! We WANT gridlock."

The protest is being organized by the the Michigan Conservative Coalition, a group of supporters of President Donald Trump that was founded by state Rep. Matt Maddock, R-Milford, and is now run by his wife, Meshawn Maddock.

Whitmer said she has no problem with people feeling frustrated, angry and ready to protest her latest extended stay-at-home order, which is keeping businesses shuttered and Michiganders stuck in their houses in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus. She just hopes the drivers involved in the protest stay in their cars.

"It's OK to be frustrated. It's OK to be angry and if you vent your anger at me, that's OK too. I've got thick skin and I'm always going to defend your right to free speech," she said during a press conference Monday. "I just ask that those who are protesting these orders do so in a safe manner so that you don't get sick and you don't subject our first responders to risk either."

Gretchen Whitmer has demonstrated remarkable leadership, Patience, and Empathy under fire. Don't you wish Trump would show such Restraint and Leadership? If the shoe were on the other foot, I can only imagine what the Trump response would be.

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/ ... 985109001/

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Amid talk of restarting economy, virus keeps killing in NYC - AP

NEW YORK (AP) — Hopeful talk about getting people out of their homes and back to work in some parts of the country seems a far cry from the harsh reality in New York and its suburbs: Thousands of people infected with the coronavirus are still streaming into hospitals every day. Hundreds are still dying.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo noted the lack of major improvement Thursday as he announced another 606 deaths in the state and said current social isolation rules will stay in place through at least May 15. The number dying was down from a day earlier, but remains alarmingly high.

New York hospitals are still jammed with nearly 18,000 coronavirus patients, fewer than the crushing numbers authorities once feared but still at crisis levels that have barely budged for more than a week. Nearly 4,400 of those patients were on ventilators, the majority of whom, if past trends hold, are unlikely to survive.

The virus has also continued to rage through the metro area. In New Jersey, deaths have more than doubled in a week, to more than 3,500 as of Thursday. In Connecticut, fatalities rose 40% in the last week to over 970 overall. Most of the deaths in both states have been in the greater New York City area...

https://apnews.com/0add1013eaa53a88188b97b4f4f9543a

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17 Bodies Found in NJ Nursing Home After Anonymous Tip - NBC New York

An anonymous tip said the bodies had been moved there after being stored in a shed, the New York Times first reported

A phone call led police to a gruesome scene at a nursing home in New Jersey that has been ravaged by the coronavirus.

Police say they found 17 bodies piled inside a small morgue at the Andover Subacute and Rehabilitation Center in Sussex County. An anonymous tip said the bodies had been moved there after being stored in a shed, the New York Times first reported.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer later confirmed to NBC New York that prior to the disturbing discovery, he had received a call from one of the nursing home's administrators, also infected with COVID-19, that more body bags were needed. The congressman said 68 people have died inside the senior facility, 26 of whom had tested positive for the virus and two were staff members...

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/1 ... p/2376259/

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Trump Administration May Loosen Federal Nursing-Home Oversight Amid Pandemic - The Cut

In a puzzling — but perhaps not entirely surprising — display of bad timing, the Trump administration is reportedly thinking about relaxing federal oversight on nursing homes amid a viral pandemic that has already proved particularly dangerous for nursing homes.

According to the New York Times, the proposed plan has been in the works since at least last summer, before the coronavirus began spreading around the world. Since COVID-19 reached the United States, however, nursing homes have been especially vulnerable: The elderly appear more susceptible to the virus than other age groups, accounting for most of the deaths so far, and residents of long-term care facilities may also have the kinds of pre-existing conditions that put them at increased risk of contracting COVID-19. Combine that with close quarters, and the obligation for caregivers to remain in constant contact with their patients, and you can see where infection poses a special problem.

Still, the Trump administration would apparently like to eliminate the Oba-era requirement that nursing homes — which house roughly 2.5 million people nationwide, according to the Times — keep at least one infection-prevention specialist on hand.

Under the new plan, those specialists would just have to spend “sufficient time” at facilities, a vague requirement that Anthony Chicotel, a staff lawyer for California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, described to the Times as “alarming,” because “it adds up to less time, less infection control...”

https://www.thecut.com/2020/03/trump-ad ... sight.html

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U.S. coronavirus deaths top 32,000 as White House drafts plan to reopen economy - NBC News

Good morning, NBC News readers.

As President Donald Trump looks to reopen the economy, the U.S. death toll from coronavirus has climbed to more than 32,000 people.

Here's what we're watching this Thursday morning.

Coronavirus deaths in nursing homes more than doubled in a week. Families fear the actual number could be way higher.

The number of reported coronavirus deaths in long-term care facilities has more than doubled to 5,670 since last week, according to state health data gathered by NBC News

Amid the high mortality rate, families with loved ones in nursing homes are worried they are being left in the dark, as the federal government does not keep track of the deaths or require these facilities to report outbreaks to other residents.

White House drafts patchwork plan to ease social distancing and reopen economy

A draft plan to reopen the economy being circulated by the Trump administration would advise areas with low numbers of coronavirus infections to begin pulling back on social distancing measures after May 1, with harder-hit areas possibly having to wait an additional month or more.

'Lock her up!': Anti-Whitmer lockdown protestors swarm Michigan Capitol, some carrying firearms

Demonstrators, some carrying firearms, descended on the state capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on Wednesday to protest Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's restrictive stay-at-home order, clogging the streets with their cars while scores ignored organizers' pleas to stay inside their vehicles.

"Stay in your dam[n] car and put the freaking rifles away ... You're going to ruin this for everyone!" a commenter posted amid fierce social media reaction to the gathering.

[WOW! IMAGINE DEMOCRATS SHOWING UP TO A DEMONSTRATION BRANDISHING FIREARMS!!! BUT RIFLES????? WTF!!! IS THIS A REPUBLICAN THING THESE DAYS???]

And one Michigan health worker blasted the "idiots"protesting the stay-home who were preventing him from getting to the hospital to treat coronavirus victims.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/morning-br ... k-n1185106

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Here is a great 5 minute video from Rep. Crenshaw with the facts about our government and medias response to the Wuhan virus. Don't be lazy and ignorant like Joe Z and just regurgitate far left talking points from their propaganda arm in the media. Take 5 minutes and watch the facts. The actual statements, headlines, and dates.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/sta ... 8314770432

Hi HB - as you know I don't ordinarily comment in this folder. This is due to the fact that the divide in this country is already monstrous and I don't feel inclined to add to it. That said, there's a reason there's a folder for this so you guys go to it.

OK, I listened to your video all the way through and totally enjoyed it. Smart man with composure.

I especially agreed with his points that we need to look to the present and future other than point to the past. Hell, you can always find ways to blame the other side if you look hard enough and have a reason to do so. Both sides....guilty.

I like the way he isn't looking to blame - there'e enough of that going on. To me, the whole political system is completely broken, probably will always be so until people stop being so short sighted. I support term limits as a short term answer but that's another story.

That said, let's move to the present time. This whole issue has been one sided. By that I mean the whole country panicked and shut everything down...and possibly/probably rightfully so. How this was done, by terrorizing the population, well I did think and still think it's an over-dramatization. But again that's the past.

I tend to support the (generally) Republican push to get those restrictions modified so that people can get back to work. Trump once said "the cure can't be worse than the sickness" or something like that.

Well you can argue the first 6 weeks. But I do think now that that's done I think the "cure" is now worse than the sickness. Time to move, carefully of course, back to normalizing. One step at a time - but let's get moving on it.

The balance was out of whack. Sometimes that is necessary temporarily. Time to restore it.

If you remember, TFIR, when it first broke out here, it was so contagious that all the models were predicting really grim numbers. We ended up with just a small portion of that. So I think the shutdown did help a lot. I think the video above even mentioned how some countries in worse shape than ours per capita shut down later than us. We can only imagine what would have happened.

I think each area needs to decide when to open back up again. Leave it to state and local officials. They know what is going on in their area.

For instance ... I mentioned in Browns folder but you may not know, I have a pre-existing lung condition so my wife and my doctor both warned me to stay inside. Doc wrote me a note, so took time off of work. I took it seriously.

But in Montana, we only had 11 new cases Friday and Saturday, and zero new cases Sunday. My county hasn’t had a new case in a week. The rumor is the governor here in Montana is thinking about lifting restrictions later this week, around Friday.

So I talked to my boss over the weekend and was actually thinking about starting back to work today. But we settled on next week to be safe, after restrictions are lifted here. And I’m feeling good about that, unless some unforeseen breakout happens here.

But you know how some of the bigger cities are, they are not going to be ready this week. Just let State and local officials deciide. And a lot of areas should be ready now or very near future.

My frustration is with those playing politics with this.

Joe hasn’t posted here in forever. He wasn’t posting here when the economy was blowing up and we had record unemployment numbers. Joe was hiding somewhere. But just like a good progressive, he won’t let a good crisis go to waste. Here he is trying to make hay.

I never agreed with you on much, Joe. But I used to say you were a good guy. I can’t even say that anymore.

When Trump issued the travel bad he was called a racist and a xenophobic. Democrats said it was not warranted.

Now they are falling all over themselves to re-write their headlines. And act like Trump didn’t act fast enough and he has blood on his hands.

Joe and his ilk are just an embarrassment.

This country used to put partisan divides aside in hard times during national crises. Not anymore.

The Democrats and the media played right into the Russians hands during that entire hoax. Used the Russians own fictional dossier handed to them by a former British spy being paid by a Russian oligarch. Helped the Russians dirty our election system, weaken a U.S. President, and hurt our country.

Now they’re doing it again. Repeating Chinese communist talking points and helping the CCP tear us apart even more.

Never thought I’d see the day.

I’m not old enough to remember the very radical element of the left from the late 60’s and early 70’s. But it seems to me they are controlling the left in this country now. Bernie’s bro’s. The followers of AOC and the other 3. Antifa types. And they are willing to burn this government down to get what they want. Everything they want.

It’s just disgusting.

Since sexual assault allegations came out against Joe Biden CNN has done 1 article about it.

Over the exact same time frame in 2018 they had done over 700 on the Kavanaugh allegations.

That is everything you need to know about CNN.

Joe, I will type slowly for you.

Trump closed travel from China earlier than Europe and others.

This took guts. He was called a racist and Xenophobe by democrats.

Italy, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom, France, Belgium, and Portugal has 309 million population. They have had 93,000 deaths.

United States has 328 million population. We have had 45,000 deaths.

Hillbilly wrote:If you remember, TFIR, when it first broke out here, it was so contagious that all the models were predicting really grim numbers. We ended up with just a small portion of that. So I think the shutdown did help a lot. I think the video above even mentioned how some countries in worse shape than ours per capita shut down later than us. We can only imagine what would have happened.

I think each area needs to decide when to open back up again. Leave it to state and local officials. They know what is going on in their area.

For instance ... I mentioned in Browns folder but you may not know, I have a pre-existing lung condition so my wife and my doctor both warned me to stay inside. Doc wrote me a note, so took time off of work. I took it seriously.

But in Montana, we only had 11 new cases Friday and Saturday, and zero new cases Sunday. My county hasn’t had a new case in a week. The rumor is the governor here in Montana is thinking about lifting restrictions later this week, around Friday.

So I talked to my boss over the weekend and was actually thinking about starting back to work today. But we settled on next week to be safe, after restrictions are lifted here. And I’m feeling good about that, unless some unforeseen breakout happens here.

But you know how some of the bigger cities are, they are not going to be ready this week. Just let State and local officials deciide. And a lot of areas should be ready now or very near future.

Nice post HB - agree.

Joe, I will type slowly for you.
Trump closed travel from China earlier than Europe and others.
This took guts. He was called a racist and Xenophobe by democrats.

From Axiios Apr 4, 2020:

(I'm typing this slower )

Nearly 40,000 Americans and authorized travelers have come into the U.S. from China since President Trump imposed travel restrictions more than two months ago, the New York Times reports.

Why it matters:

Trump has suggested that his action to ban foreigners from entering the U.S. if they were in China before early February has contributed to lower COVID-19 cases and fatalities in the U.S.

"I cut off China very early. And if I didn’t, we would have a chart that you wouldn’t believe," Trump said at a briefing on Friday, referring to White House models on where the virus has spread in the U.S. and how many deaths have occurred.

Details:

279 flights from China have arrived in the U.S. since Trump's travel restrictions were announced, "and screening procedures have been uneven," the Times notes.

Passengers arrived this past week from Beijing to California and New York under travel exemptions that exist for Americans and some others.

The big picture:

At least 430,000 people have flown to the U.S. from China since Dec. 31, when China first informed the World Health Organization about cases of novel coronavirus in Wuhan, the Times reports.

Most passengers arrived in January at airports in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Newark, Chicago and Detroit.

"Thousands of them flew directly from Wuhan," the original epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, per the NYT.

The Trump administration first imposed travel restrictions from China into the United States on Jan. 31,

[ A LOT OF GUTS TO IMPOSE THE CHINA TRAVEL BAN AFTER THE HORSE WAS ALREADY OUT OF THE BARN!

THAT'S BEEN THE CASE THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE PANDEMIC ORDEAL! TRUMP HAS BEEN WOEFULLY LATE TO RESPOND IN EVERY INSTANCE - HE'S COSTING US LIVES........DAILY ]

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FactCheck.org® A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center:

Trump’s Snowballing China Travel Claim
By Lori Robertson

Posted on April 10, 2020 | Updated on April 15, 2020

https://www.factcheck.org/2020/04/trump ... vel-claim/

United States has 328 million population. We have had 45,000 deaths.

Only 45,000 deaths! Wow!

Update: Make that 50,000 by Friday and counting.

Not a Joke:

The Trump Admin Hired a Dog Breeder to Run Its Coronavirus Task Force

Don’t worry, Brian Harrison also has virtually no public health experience.

This country used to put partisan divides aside in hard times during national crises. Not anymore.

C'Mon Hillbilly. The worst culprit in partisan divides (in ANY times) is Trump.

The Democrats and the media played right into the Russians hands during that entire hoax. Used the Russians own fictional dossier handed to them by a former British spy being paid by a Russian oligarch. Helped the Russians dirty our election system, weaken a U.S. President, and hurt our country.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.

Speaking of hoaxes...............Still think the pandemic is a hoax?

Trump's most misleading coronavirus claims

‘It’s going to disappear. One day it’s like a miracle – it will disappear’

‘Anybody that needs a test gets a test. We – they’re there. They have the tests. And the tests are beautiful’

‘I’ve always known this is a real – this is a pandemic. I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic. I’ve always viewed it as very serious’

Americans will have access ‘to vaccines, I think, relatively soon’

‘You can call it a germ, you can call it a flu, you can call it a virus, you know you can call it many different names. I’m not sure anybody even knows what it is’

Since sexual assault allegations came out against Joe Biden CNN has done 1 article about it.
Over the exact same time frame in 2018 they had done over 700 on the Kavanaugh allegations.
That is everything you need to know about CNN.

I'm not a big Joe Biden fan. If Trump can survive 25 sexual assault claims, Biden should be able to survive one. That claim against Biden was around 30 years ago. I welcome an investigation. ( ONLY If Biden gets the same considerations from the Senate that Kavanaugh got.)

At least 3 women accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault. Christine Blasey Ford says Kavanaugh assaulted her in high school 1998, 22 years ago.

Too bad Senate republicans refused a complete investigation against Kavanaugh. The Senate proceeded in lockstep with the president in order to get Kavanaugh his supreme court confirmation. What a joke? Ford was a most credible accuser. Kavanaugh was suspect at best.

Deborah Ramirez was refused an investigation by the Senate.

A report stated that the F.B.I. interviewed none of the 25 individuals, brought by Ramirez’s legal team to the agency’s attention, who may have had corroborating evidence in her allegations. Additionally, many of those potential witnesses named by Ramirez “tried in vain” to reach the F.B.I. on their own, The Times said.

Julie Swetnick was the third woman to accuse Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct. Julie Swetnick was excluded from any FBI investigations. Swetnick's requests to speak with the FBI were refused.

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VENICE Venice canals run clear, dolphins appear in Italy’s waterways amid coronavirus lockdown

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Clearer water, cleaner air: The environmental effects of coronavirus

Cleaner Water, Cleaner Air -- It's a beautiful thing.

So! Why has Trump declared a war on the EPA basically gutting the system.

95 Environmental Rules Being Rolled Back Under Trump

President Trump has made eliminating federal regulations a priority. His administration, with help from Republicans in Congress, has often targeted environmental rules it sees as burdensome to the fossil fuel industry and other big businesses.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/201 ... backs.html

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