First, the United States faced longstanding challenges in confronting a major pandemic.
It is a large country at the nexus of the global economy, with a tradition of prioritizing individualism over government restrictions.
That tradition is one reason the United States suffers from an unequal health care system that has long produced worse medical outcomes — including higher infant mortality and diabetes rates and lower life expectancy — than in most other rich countries.
“As an American, I think there is a lot of good to be said about our libertarian tradition,” Dr. Jared Baeten, an epidemiologist and vice dean at the University of Washington School of Public Health, said. “But this is the consequence — we don’t succeed as well as a collective.”
The second major theme is one that public health experts often find uncomfortable to discuss because many try to steer clear of partisan politics.
But many agree that the poor results in the United States stem in substantial measure from the performance of the Trump administration.
In no other high-income country — and in only a few countries, period — have political leaders departed from expert advice as frequently and significantly as the Trump administration.
President Trump has said the virus was not serious; predicted it would disappear; spent weeks questioning the need for masks; encouraged states to reopen even with large and growing caseloads; and promoted medical disinformation.
Together, the national skepticism toward collective action and the Trump administration’s scattered response to the virus have contributed to several specific failures and missed opportunities, Times reporting shows:
a lack of effective travel restrictions;
repeated breakdowns in testing;
confusing advice about masks;
a misunderstanding of the relationship between the virus and the economy;
With unemployment at Depression levels, enhanced unemployment benefits expired, and millions of Americans on the verge of eviction or foreclosure in the midst of a pandemic, Donald Trump and the Republican majority in the Senate are revealing just how dysfunctional they are.
The president is reduced to throwing spitballs at negotiations he has absented himself from; the self-described master dealmaker can’t or won’t sit in the same room with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell also is AWOL, his caucus too divided to pass anything without Democratic votes.
Republican senators like Lindsay Graham say that as much as 50 percent of the Republican caucus opposes even McConnell’s plan.
The final deal will measure not only how much pain Republican senators choose to inflict on the vulnerable but also whether they will aid and abet Trump’s final, desperate efforts to sow chaos in the November elections.
We’re in this position—with the enhanced unemployment benefits as well as the moratorium on foreclosures and evictions allowed to expire without a deal—largely because McConnell chose not to reply to the House Heroes bill for two months, saying he hadn’t felt the “urgency of acting.”
Even in July, after it became clear that Trump’s “rocket ship” recovery was delusional, McConnell and the White House couldn’t agree on a bill, with McConnell cobbling together a token effort that his caucus never endorsed.
Senate Republicans are mostly united around what they don’t want.
No to extending the additional $600-a-week-unemployment benefit.
No to aid to states and localities facing deficits that are already forcing mass layoffs.
No to aid to the US Postal Service.
The only thing McConnell wants is absolute immunity for business owners from negligence that leaves workers vulnerable to Covid-19.
Voting for a 3rd Party candidate sends no message. It really is just a waste. One of two candidates is going to be inaugurated on January 20. Period. You have to decide which of those will make the best President.
The only “message” a Trump victory will send is that Trumpism works.
Unless they get rid of the Electoral College, there will be two major parties. That’s the system. You need a majority of the College to win, so three strong candidates just means Congress picks the President. Voting for Jo Jorgenson, Jill Stein, or Deez Nuts will not change the system.
And Jo Jorgenson isn’t even on the ballot in all 50 States.
So millions of Americans going hungry and getting evicted, and Republicans spring into … vacation. See you in a view weeks. What?…
So we read Trump all wrong. “American carnage” wasn’t about what he was going to reverse, which we were rightfully mystified by. It was his promise of what he would bring to America.
I dunno, Carmen. You’re the one who’s going to have to live with herself. Will you be able to look at that kid in the mirror every day if you do something that might [shudder] make a difference?
It still seems likely to me that Carmen will end up voting for Biden, not out of any enthusiasm but as the best means to ridding the country of the skunk.
By the way, it seems to me that this is the first cycle where Carmen actually talks about voting for someone rather than supporting a candidate; in-universe, she’s still a child, with no more ability to vote than a coyote… I could be wrong, though.
nothing wrong with libertarians… assuming they actually are libertarians (which are fiscally conservative and socially liberal). Now, i don’t buy into their extremely limited government but i do agree with a number of the basic theories.
But removing Trump, who is an anathema to libertarian and conservative philosophies, along with centrist and liberal ones, is what’s most important. After that, using the next 4 years to pull power away from very vocal but minority extremists and then we can talk about policy positions and nuances.
Read through the 18 comments that appeared. They can be boiled down to my guy is good yours is bad, but no mention of the Libertarian candidate Jo Jorgensen. Take a look https://jo20.com/
kaffekup over 4 years ago
It’s ok, Carmen, they’re very serious people.
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/05/libertarians-decide-to-become-a-joke-in-2020.html
braindead Premium Member over 4 years ago
Is being bitten by a rabid bat a qualification for being libertarian?
.
168,000 and counting with kids in Georgia ready to make their contributions, along with the Sturgis bikers.
.
#TraitorTrump
jmworacle over 4 years ago
One must weigh all options.
Silly Season over 4 years ago
First, the United States faced longstanding challenges in confronting a major pandemic.
It is a large country at the nexus of the global economy, with a tradition of prioritizing individualism over government restrictions.
That tradition is one reason the United States suffers from an unequal health care system that has long produced worse medical outcomes — including higher infant mortality and diabetes rates and lower life expectancy — than in most other rich countries.
“As an American, I think there is a lot of good to be said about our libertarian tradition,” Dr. Jared Baeten, an epidemiologist and vice dean at the University of Washington School of Public Health, said. “But this is the consequence — we don’t succeed as well as a collective.”
The second major theme is one that public health experts often find uncomfortable to discuss because many try to steer clear of partisan politics.
But many agree that the poor results in the United States stem in substantial measure from the performance of the Trump administration.
In no other high-income country — and in only a few countries, period — have political leaders departed from expert advice as frequently and significantly as the Trump administration.
President Trump has said the virus was not serious; predicted it would disappear; spent weeks questioning the need for masks; encouraged states to reopen even with large and growing caseloads; and promoted medical disinformation.
Together, the national skepticism toward collective action and the Trump administration’s scattered response to the virus have contributed to several specific failures and missed opportunities, Times reporting shows:
a lack of effective travel restrictions;
repeated breakdowns in testing;
confusing advice about masks;
a misunderstanding of the relationship between the virus and the economy;
and inconsistent messages from public officials.
~
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/06/us/coronavirus-us.html
Silly Season over 4 years ago
With unemployment at Depression levels, enhanced unemployment benefits expired, and millions of Americans on the verge of eviction or foreclosure in the midst of a pandemic, Donald Trump and the Republican majority in the Senate are revealing just how dysfunctional they are.
The president is reduced to throwing spitballs at negotiations he has absented himself from; the self-described master dealmaker can’t or won’t sit in the same room with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell also is AWOL, his caucus too divided to pass anything without Democratic votes.
Republican senators like Lindsay Graham say that as much as 50 percent of the Republican caucus opposes even McConnell’s plan.
The final deal will measure not only how much pain Republican senators choose to inflict on the vulnerable but also whether they will aid and abet Trump’s final, desperate efforts to sow chaos in the November elections.
We’re in this position—with the enhanced unemployment benefits as well as the moratorium on foreclosures and evictions allowed to expire without a deal—largely because McConnell chose not to reply to the House Heroes bill for two months, saying he hadn’t felt the “urgency of acting.”
Even in July, after it became clear that Trump’s “rocket ship” recovery was delusional, McConnell and the White House couldn’t agree on a bill, with McConnell cobbling together a token effort that his caucus never endorsed.
Senate Republicans are mostly united around what they don’t want.
No to extending the additional $600-a-week-unemployment benefit.
No to aid to states and localities facing deficits that are already forcing mass layoffs.
No to aid to the US Postal Service.
The only thing McConnell wants is absolute immunity for business owners from negligence that leaves workers vulnerable to Covid-19.
~
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/coronavirus-republicans-stimulus-package/
Ignatz Premium Member over 4 years ago
Voting for a 3rd Party candidate sends no message. It really is just a waste. One of two candidates is going to be inaugurated on January 20. Period. You have to decide which of those will make the best President.
The only “message” a Trump victory will send is that Trumpism works.
Unless they get rid of the Electoral College, there will be two major parties. That’s the system. You need a majority of the College to win, so three strong candidates just means Congress picks the President. Voting for Jo Jorgenson, Jill Stein, or Deez Nuts will not change the system.
And Jo Jorgenson isn’t even on the ballot in all 50 States.
William Robbins Premium Member over 4 years ago
So millions of Americans going hungry and getting evicted, and Republicans spring into … vacation. See you in a view weeks. What?…
So we read Trump all wrong. “American carnage” wasn’t about what he was going to reverse, which we were rightfully mystified by. It was his promise of what he would bring to America.
Kip W over 4 years ago
I dunno, Carmen. You’re the one who’s going to have to live with herself. Will you be able to look at that kid in the mirror every day if you do something that might [shudder] make a difference?
RobinHood over 4 years ago
Rick and Morty in 2020
Wubba Lubba Dub Dub
fuzzbucket Premium Member over 4 years ago
What are Joe’s thoughts about the South China Sea and the Hormuz Strait?
Durak Premium Member over 4 years ago
Libertarians are like communists, they should not run for office. Both might work as a personal philosophy but not as a basis for government.
Bernardo de la Paz, 2020!
MaryBethJavorek1 over 4 years ago
so, you really want four more years in hell?
fritzoid Premium Member over 4 years ago
It still seems likely to me that Carmen will end up voting for Biden, not out of any enthusiasm but as the best means to ridding the country of the skunk.
By the way, it seems to me that this is the first cycle where Carmen actually talks about voting for someone rather than supporting a candidate; in-universe, she’s still a child, with no more ability to vote than a coyote… I could be wrong, though.
BRBurns1960 over 4 years ago
There really are only 3 choices this year, Trump, not Trump, and close your eyes and hope the tiger doesn’t eat you.
streetbeater over 4 years ago
Libertarians believe “That government is best which governs least”.
From what I can see, this is pretty much what we have now, and yet Scott seems to be second guessing his position. Buyer’s remorse?
As a pedantic side note, when I looked up the quote to make sure I got it right, I learned this:
“An aphorism often erroneously attributed to Thomas Jefferson.”
Source: https://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/government-best-which-governs-least-spurious-quotation#:~:text=%22The%20best%20government%20is%20that,because%20its%20people%20discipline%20themselves.%22
Timothy Madigan Premium Member over 4 years ago
nothing wrong with libertarians… assuming they actually are libertarians (which are fiscally conservative and socially liberal). Now, i don’t buy into their extremely limited government but i do agree with a number of the basic theories.
But removing Trump, who is an anathema to libertarian and conservative philosophies, along with centrist and liberal ones, is what’s most important. After that, using the next 4 years to pull power away from very vocal but minority extremists and then we can talk about policy positions and nuances.
OldManOfHockey1 over 4 years ago
Read through the 18 comments that appeared. They can be boiled down to my guy is good yours is bad, but no mention of the Libertarian candidate Jo Jorgensen. Take a look https://jo20.com/