This is from a friend.
We. Are. So. Fucked!
Experts worry that the twin medical and economic crises could last far longer than we are prepared for, even into November's national election, forcing officials to contemplate the hugely difficult and expensive possibility of an entire nation voting by mail.
President Trump and members of Congress failed to heed repeated early warnings from U.S. intelligence agencies about the outbreak's potential severity, according to a blockbuster story in The Washington Post. Despite CIA and national intelligence reports from January and February that the coronavirus had the potential to sweep the globe, Trump continued to trust (and tweet) the Chinese government's false claims that its spread was being controlled. “The system was blinking red,” a U.S. official told The Post. “They just couldn’t get him to do anything about it.”
Civic life is being shuttered across the United States. Hospitals are warning of shortages or closures without emergency aid. At least 73 senior care centers in 22 states have reported infections. Many local court systems have effectively shut down, firefighters are calling in sick, and the mayor of Dayton is worried the city will soon lack funds to pick up the trash.
The president has touted a gargantuan $1 trillion-plus stimulus bill being hammered out in Congress, even as he resists pleas for the federal government to send medical supplies and other aid directly to the states. The U.S. government is “not a shipping clerk,” Trump told reporters this week.
As he was during the outbreak's early spread in January, Trump remains upbeat despite most evidence. At a news conference late this week he promised: “We’re going to be a rocket ship as soon as this thing gets solved.”
The Republicans have been trying to influence the vote for years. They will do nothing that will harm their influence no matter how in your face it is.
We all should be voting by mail, ballots exist if they need to be checked and they can be recounted quickly if there is a Internet crisis, meaning voting hacked. We have been doing this for years in Oregon and have not had a problem. It has been shown that when large numbers of people vote the Republicans do not do so well, so this option will probably not be used.
Just glad there is still a life here. So far there has been 1 reported possible case in this county (the big island Orcas) and non on this island. There are lots of projects around my property and my close friends labyrinth property. I should not be bored.
I thought I saw Island County with a 19 total.
@silverotter11 Island County is Whidbey. It's much larger with a higher population. We are San Juan Island County.
@JackPedigo Thank you for clearing tha tup!!
@silverotter11 I know with so many islands one can't keep them straight. Two islands, one just east of us (Guemes and Jack) are part of Skagit and one to the North, Lummi, is a part of Whatcom. Anacortes is actually on an island, Fidalgo. That's just in my area go south and there's Vashon/Maury, Mercer and Bainbridge. Tacoma and Olympia also have islands nearby. Isn't this state interesting???
@JackPedigo I have been to Doe Bay on Orcas . Bicycled around Lopez. Been on Widbey, Bainbridge, Vashon and Mercer. Did much more traveling about in the 80's and 90's. Google maps is great thing is I do not retain the images as well as when I'm holding a large paper map of an area. Some how seeing the big image of an area helps me zero in on the smaller detail. So I will zoom down to get the big are and then zoom in on the detail.
@silverotter11 A chart mentioned for our county, [sanjuanco.com] listed one on Orcas.
I should mention that on North Whidbey is a large naval air base. They are the bane of our existence with all their flight testings. This is a military area and I can see the disease spreading from there. Happily, it has been very quiet the last 2 weeks.
A former partner and I also visited Doe Bay and did some kayaking there (90's). Later we went to Eastsound and stayed at the Kangaroo house B & B. Of all the islands I liked Orcas the best. We also kayaked from Spencer Spit state park on Lopez to James Island. Didn't see much of the island and didn't think much of it. Funny how life has a way of changing one's view and future. Orcas is great for it's geography but the communities are too far apart and the general attitude seems very isolationists. I would expect most of the tRumpers would live there.
While you're googling around look at the NW corner of Fisherman's Bay and Cross Rd.
@JackPedigo Got it.
@silverotter11 Just hope the satellite didn't take the show when I was outside doing my nude sunbathing? lol
@JackPedigo Not sure which of the buildings at the intersection is yours since there wss no naked man in any of the yards.
It's a Do a lot of Nothing Rethuglican Senate, and a Do Damn Near Nothing Prez, except if it can engrandize his minuscule Ego..He and they have Fucked us everyway they can since January 2016!
The republicons don't seem to think America is worth saving unless they can remain in charge. They are doing everything they can to wipe the middle class out of existence, and the virus just helps them do that.
trrump's level of non - preparedness is criminal.
I agree.....someone who is supposed to be such a fantastic "businessman" should know that this lack of leadership would get a CEO removed pretty damn fast... Trumptard is going to take this country right into bankruptcy - that has been his MO for years. As for voting by mail - absolutely. It might be the only way to interrupt the plans the Russians have for interfering again.
"Hugely difficult & expensive"? They just sent out the Census forms, SS & VA checks go out every month, tax returns are filed on line, and etc etc etc.
They are terrified of people that don't have cars voting.
@MizJ very few people cannot get to the polls, there are always plenty of volunteers to fetch you, in fact they have phone banks here that call & ask if you need a ride, and scheduke a pickup.
@AnneWimsey It doesn't take a lot and that may not be true in all places.
@AnneWimsey NOT in the southern states!! It is very different down south. Many areas in the rural parts have poverty that is on a 3rd world level. N. and S. dakota have laws like you need a physical address to register and to vote. The Native Peoples reservations lack streets with names and postal addreses. That law was put in place to keep Native Peoples from voting.
@silverotter11 This may be a big enough deal that it may get in their faces and they may have to do something anyway.
@dalefvictor I sure hope so!!