Stimulus Deal - Any Night Now!

The latest reporting from Politico is that the Senate has overcome some last minute objections by four Republican Senators and will vote out the stimulus deal while a nation sleeps.

My summary of the hold-up, based on stuff I read elsewhere: Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) had a problem with a wrinkle in the expanded unemployemtn insurance. Their concern was that the formula might allow some laid-off workers to collect more than the minimum wage, so they'd be paid more to stay home rather than take a minimum wage job. Was it a drafting error, they wondered, or was that Senatorial intent?

Apparently the latest compromise is this:

To mollify those concerns, leaders have agreed to allow an amendment vote on the floor, according to sources familiar with the matter. After that vote — which is expected to fail — senators can turn to final passage, sending it over to the House.

Whatever. There will be drama on the House side as well:

Pelosi had originally hoped to bring the bill up via unanimous consent after Senate passage, a voting method that would not force lawmakers to return to Washington. But she said later Wednesday that House leaders were looking at other options, noting that at least some Republicans were on their way to Capitol Hill to object to the legislation when it moves to the House.

Congressional leaders are now hoping to pass the package in the House with a voice vote — similar to unanimous consent in that members aren't required to be present but the lawmakers in the chamber can verbally register their opposition or support. The Democratic whip team is also figuring out a process for potential proxy voting, which would require a rule change but would mean fewer members have to return to the Capitol compared to a roll call vote.

Still, a single member could object and demand a roll call vote. Pelosi has already advised her members that they may need to return to Washington, telling Democrats Wednesday that House leaders are talking to Capitol Police and the attending physician in preparation.

Multiple members would not be able to attend votes, including the two lawmakers who are battling the coronavirus — Reps. Ben McAdams and Mario Diaz-Balart — as well as several others who are self-quarantining after possible exposure. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) also said Wednesday that he has developed symptoms of the virus — but cannot get a test because of the national scarcity — and will be self-quarantining at his home.

House Republican leaders have privately acknowledged that there's a strong possibility that a member will object to a unanimous consent agreement.

Some Republican will object just to force everyone to fly all over the country and pass this anyway. DC leading the nation by example as we try to pull together (while staying apart!) and get through this.

 

Comments

[MissMarple2]

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/kemp-closes-bars-issues-high-risk-quarantine-increases-snap-benefits-amid-covid-19-outbreak

Georgia governor issues EO.

[Pinandpuller]

If the Treasury does hand out checks are they going to be suspicious if 18,000 of them go to one address in Atlanta?

[MissMarple2]

Dinesh D'Souza and Dan Bongino expose biggest lies infecting coronavirus coverage https://t.co/qV7UutDX2m @FoxNews #AAG #AAG2020

— All American Girl (@AIIAmericanGirI) March 26, 2020

Video at the link. Six minutes.

[MissMarple2]

I have hit my limit. I will get here as early as I can tomorrow.

Nytol!

[Pinandpuller]

I heard ICE busted into a place and found 25 people sleeping on the floor.

This is America, buy a yoga mat!

[Narciso]

All these emails remind me of the initech supervisors

[Narciso]

In the uk as noted this morning the isis beattles can go free, but their victims are in lockdown because privacy rules.

[Narciso]

Putin ismt lock8ng down the country, watch the times and the post celebrate that move.

[Pinandpuller]

Movie theaters made $35,000 last week. What’s that with inflation?

[Narciso]

Those were all showings of bloodshot, after babylon ad vindiesels less stellar venture.

[Narciso]

The latter was a french novel, but tranalating it to english did no favors.

[Narciso]

And yet babylon ad makes more sense than this stimulus bill.

[Narciso]

Like a laser beam

https://mobile.twitter.com/AaronWorthing/status/1243022036563300352

[Pinandpuller]

No News is Good News:

The 2008 financial crisis wiped out 19% of newspaper revenue in the US — and it never came back.

The coronavirus is shaping up to be worse. This is a media extinc tion event and the layoffs and closures have already started:

https://twitter.com/craigsilverman/status/1242271206830637058?s=21

[Pinandpuller]

Since the 1998 bailout of Long Term Capital(& more importantly their counterparty's)corporate USA(especially Finance)has known they're backstopped by 'Daddy printing press". It's the definition of moral hazard. Regardless of how reckless they act, there's always a bailout coming.

https://twitter.com/dfl120/status/1242874954791690240?s=21

[jim nj]

I was robbed. lots of willowed posts to follow. I'm en fuego tonight.

[jim nj]

https://hotair.com/archives/allahpundit/2020/03/25/kinsa-health-map-shows-fever-rates-decreasing-virtually-everywhere-united-states/

This is interesting. I hadn't seen this before. The article explains the map a little. Below is a direct link to the map:

https://healthweather.us/

Posted by: jim nj | March 26, 2020 at 01:40 AM

[jim nj]

Worldometers look see

date total change %change
3/23 46,145 +11,390 32.7%
3/24 54,881 +8,736 18.9%
3/25 68,489 +13,608 24.7%

The 3/24 results last night had me thinking we've turned a corner, but I didn't want to say that out loud. I mean a lower absolute number and a lower %change rate. I know we're going to have to see several days worth of lower results before we call a trend.

NY accounts for 48.2% of all cases. Looking at my notes NY has wandered around a little, 45%,48%, 50.3% and today's 48.2%.

While that does mean that NY is THE hot-spot, it also means that the other 49 states are matching NY collectively.

I'm kind of wondering about that, I think one of the press conferences mentioned that the test back-log would be cleared by Wednesday and that they were prioritizing in-patient and health care worker tests. That might account for some of the rise, testing the worst first.

484,062 total test results known; 6,321 hospitalized, 9.2% of the total cases, 3,805 hospitalized in NY alone.

I think we are are at point now where we have sufficient testing capacity that testing criteria can be loosened further and we will find people with milder cases. That will keep the numbers up, It may not indicate how many hospital beds and ventilators we will need in the future.

Posted by: jim nj | March 26, 2020 at 02:44 AM

[jim nj]

Italy and the US will probably pass China in the total number of cases in 2-3 days. Spain, at the current rate of growth, maybe 5-7 days.

Italy and Spain have already passed China in total deaths.

The problem is that China had one "loud" epicenter for the virus and was able to suppress it with draconian efforts while allowing it to escape to the US, Europe and elsewhere with multiple "quiet" epicenters. And those "quiet" epicenters spawned even more "quiet" epicenters. And then they turned "loud" and it was too late to impose draconian measures.

Sure you could try to implement a quarantine on an area to prevent further infections outside of that area. The problem being that it was already outside of the quarantine area.

If China had been straight with us, and concerned about us, it would have banned flights out of China before Trump did.

But WHO said that was a rash action and the Europeans were swayed by that bad advice from WHO and allowed flights to continue.

G-7 may be unwilling to issue a formal communique calling it the "Wuhan Virus" for diplomatic etiquette concerns, but they damn well know it's the "Wuhan Virus."

Posted by: jim nj | March 26, 2020 at 03:20 AM

[jim nj]

Every country is gathering statistics and will create an "after-action" report on what could have been done better.

Every country will find multiple areas of failure, but the basic glaring error will be don't trust China or WHO.

Posted by: jim nj | March 26, 2020 at 03:26 AM

[jim nj]

https://americanmind.org/features/the-coronacrisis-and-our-future-discontents/the-chinese-communist-party-v-america/

The Chinese Communist Party v America

"President Trump has taken bold and decisive steps to stop the spread of the Wuhan virus across America. In doing so, he has become a wartime president. But the enemy he is fighting is the Chinese Communist Party. Long before this crisis, the CCP was waging political and economic war against the United States. The Wuhan virus is merely another weapon in this war. As a nation we need to understand this immediately, since the first casualty has been the material well-being of the American people."

Posted by: jim nj | March 26, 2020 at 03:39 AM

[jim nj]

https://www.ft.com/content/223271e6-6cfa-11ea-89df-41bea055720b?segmentId=b385c2ad-87ed-d8ff-aaec-0f8435cd42d9

Murky data calls into question quarantine strategy
Seasonal flus teach the virtues of calmly dealing with things as they come

If China had cooperated with the world early on and invited in outside help we all would have had a chance to develop better statistics from the vert git go. That would have made it easier to avoid our current situation. If WHO hadn't acted like a lapdog to China ditto.

I expect the G-7 will call for a new head of the WHO. He, like the CCP, is responsible for thousands of needless deaths.

Posted by: jim nj | March 26, 2020 at 03:53 AM

[jim nj]

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/03/eu-europe-borders-coronavirus.html

The Coronavirus Could Destroy the EU
The union was already reeling from crisis after crisis. It may not survive this one.

If the concept was to create a United States of Europe to rival the United States of America it has failed to live up to that so many times before that this is just the newest, worst demonstration of an inability to pull together in a coordinated fashion.

They don't share and when a country that isn't be helped decides to act in its own self-interest it's cast as right-wing. They always castigate Hungary even though other counties have instituted similar border controls.

I have no idea if Hungary's leader Victor Orban is a good or bad person, but he seems to be the EU's squirrel.

EU countries aren't sharing medical supplies. Haven't come to the aid of Italy, but "Oh look, Victor Orban."

Posted by: jim nj | March 26, 2020 at 04:22 AM

[jim nj]

If you're wondering, yes I have a LOT of open tabs to comment on all lined up.

Next:
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/coronavirus/

This is good. Deaths per million. Confirmed cases per million. Fatality rate per country.

The range of numbers is astounding. If you used any of the country stats to build a model it wouldn't fit another country.

Spend some time pondering this. It's worth a bookmark and I'm going to add it to my open tabs on Covid-19.

Posted by: jim nj | March 26, 2020 at 04:33 AM

[jim nj]

China lied, people died.

https://thefederalist.com/2020/03/24/china-is-lashing-out-because-wuhan-flu-has-unmasked-it-to-the-world/

China Is Lashing Out Because Wuhan Flu Has Unmasked It To The World
Communist China’s leaders are afraid because they feel a parallel to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, which hardened everyone’s resolve and awakened a sleeping giant.

Pearl Harbor. The Huawei Flu. The perhaps accidental revelation of their plan for world domination. The rare earth monopoly. The pharmaceutical precursor monopoly. All the other earlier state-financed industries that over-produced and put foreign competitors out of business.

In one swell foop they have impoverished all of their customers. How do you rebuild the domestic economies of Europe and the US? By importing goods from China? No, you favor domestic industries.

I can't imagine the 5G network being built out with cheap Chinese equipment any longer. Not when there are US and European manufacturers that will need the orders for new equipment, can supply the equipment, and that that money will be respent in the US and Europe instead of in China.

The US was losing the security argument with some China-friendly EU countries that wanted cheap 5G. I expect that to change.

[jim nj]

bringing Barbara over too:

jim nj,

Is it fair to say that we really don't know what is happening in China right now wrt numbers of infected, numbers who have died, numbers still under treatment, and numbers "cured" or released? How many are still hospitalized and how many have returned to their "normal" lives.

I've read that China is no longer putting out reports about the COVID-19 patients. It would be especially good to know if and how many of the patients who have been treated and released have experienced a relapse of the COVID-19. It would also be important to know how far the virus has spread and which large cities and government operations have been affected and to what extent

Posted by: Barbara | March 26, 2020 at 05:19 AM

[jim nj]

WTF! Nobody mentioned there was a new thread on the old thread.

TM pulled a fast one on me by starting a new thread so late.

Typhus pad signed me out and when I logged back in I was gobsmacked to see that I was talking to myself and that nobody was benefiting from my superior knowledge :)

"There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone."

[jim nj]

https://nypost.com/2020/03/24/an-easter-rebirth-for-our-economy-hallelujah-goodwin/

The symbolism scares people of a liberal bent. Christ arose on Easter. That Cuomo, deBlasio, the head of WHO, and others would all take umbrage at this idea speaks volumes.

[Pinandpuller]

Democrats are saying take vitamin C if you want to protect yourself from Wuhan Flu!

So I decided to eat industrial citric acid! And now I'm dying!

Thanks Democrats.

https://twitter.com/quincy_l_jones/status/1243112336438657024?s=21

[Pinandpuller]

This may be one of the latest threads ever, jim.

[henry]

Nice content Jim, glad to read it twice!

As for the poison bailout... AOC will gum up the works in theHouse. It’s what she does.

[jim nj]

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2020/03/25/the_new_york_times_goes_low_and_personal_against_fox_news_142760.html

The New York Times Goes Low and Personal Against Fox News

CNN ran a similar article about FOX for not fact-checking Trump in real-time for his town hall appearance. And the fact-check they proposed was really lame.

When Trump says we're waging war against an invisible enemy some of us also see the visible enemy.

China lied, people died.

China lied, people died.

What is so hard for the American press to grasp that and that any subsequent failures here in the US are a function of the above.

China lied, people died.

[hoyden]

jim nj thank you for the informative links.

[jim nj]

PIN,

Yeah. First night in a while that I had a good ISP connection and I was on a roll. I've never been "willowed" before. It's a plot. I will not be silenced :)

[anonamom]

I knew it was coming! Epidemiologist food fight! This Oxford gals' model shows a different pandemic--and it may be almost over.

They are going to start fingerprick Antibody testing at the drugstores in UK in a few days, so we'll see who is right fairly soon.

Shamelessly moved from Insty:

Glenn Reynolds says: I HOPE THIS IS TRUE, BUT I WOULDN’T TAKE ANY ACTION BASED ON IT: New Oxford study suggests millions of people may have already built up coronavirus immunity.

The Oxford research suggests the pandemic is in a later stage than previously thought and estimates the virus has already infected at least millions of people worldwide. In the United Kingdom, which the study focuses on, half the population would have already been infected. If accurate, that would mean transmission began around mid-January and the vast majority of cases presented mild or no symptoms.

The head of the study, professor Sunetra Gupta, an Oxford theoretical epidemiologist, said she still supports the U.K.’s decision to shut down the country to suppress the virus even if her research winds up being proven correct. But she also doesn’t appear to be a big fan of the work done by the Imperial College team. “I am surprised that there has been such unqualified acceptance of the Imperial model,” she said.

If her work is accurate, that would likely mean a large swath of the population has built up resistance to the virus. Theoretically, then, social restrictions could ease sooner than anticipated. What needs to be done now, Gupta said, is a whole lot of antibody testing to figure out who may have contracted the virus.

Prof Reynolds adds:

Before I’d rely on this to loosen anything, I’d want to see that lots of people had antibodies, and that those antibodies were reliably protective.

https://news.yahoo.com/oxford-study-suggests-millions-people-221100162.html

[henry]

Oxford guy says Imperial College epidemic model sucks.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/oxford-epidemiologist-heres-why-that-doomsday-model-is-likely-way-off

[henry]

GMTA, and so do we. ;)

[hrtshpdbox]

WTF! Nobody mentioned there was a new thread on the old thread.

Yeah, so much varying mileage, I've posted a "First" on threads and been chastised for not alerting everyone on the old thread.

Jobless claims today will be at least 2 million, meaning a number at least five times worse than ever recorded. Worst newly unemployed numbers ever, caused by Flu Hysteria.

I was wrong about Trump, I thought he'd really fallen for all this crap. He knows he's still going to be the victim of the left's theatrics ("here's the appropriately spaced mourners at Joe McGillcuddy's funeral, Joe died because Donald Trump gave his "all clear" too soon"), but he realizes those theatrics will occur regardless of when he stops the nonsense. Trump can say, "we've given this process some time, it's helped to thwart new cases, we've all learned how to wash our hands and now it's time to get back to work", and then he'll have to just hope that people agree with him enough to vote for him - I think they will.

It will only take two or three years for the economy to get back to where it was before the Flu Hysteria.

[hrtshpdbox]

Before I’d rely on this to loosen anything, I’d want to see that lots of people had antibodies, and that those antibodies were reliably protective.

What's important is that no one leave their houses until most of us have reliable antibodies. Reliable antibody test kits to be distributed in early 2023, no one on the streets until then or Grandma dies.

[henry]

33 states plus DC on lockdown. What percent of GDP is that?

[anonamom]

We are so damned lucky Donald J Trump is POTUS.

There is not a politician in this country who has the cajones to do what he's going to do in the next week or so.

(And not a one of them who's come to my attention who could be called a statesman.)

[hrtshpdbox]

If they're all blue states, henry, then probably about 5 pct.

[henry]

Read it and weep. Full text of bill. (per ZH)

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/coronavirus-bill-may-suffer-further-delay-after-gop-senators-demand-fix-massive-drafting

[hrtshpdbox]

Somehow the Dems put 200 million dollars funding in there to add Obama to Mt Rushmore, which only half of the GOP Senators feel is a good idea.

[henry]

Nice, the bill defunds the border wall.

Trump should veto on that basis alone.

[anonamom]

Antibody fingerprick testing to start in UK

https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/game-changer-britain-days-away-from-releasing-millions-of-coronavirus-finger-prick-tests-20200326-p54dyy.html

[hrtshpdbox]

That these morons can't get one sane member from each party to craft a bill that solely addresses the relevant subject at hand - it's just a mindblower each and every time it happens, which is each and every time a bill is written.

Four sane people, two from each chamber, and that's too much to ask.

[anonamom]

Agree w above.

Write the 20 page bill we need and pass it by Saturday.

[hrtshpdbox]

Proof That We're Through Dep't:

Obama economist gives Congress an "A" on stimulus bill, but fears it's still not enough

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/obama-top-economist-on-2-trillion-stimulus-im-still-worried-its-not-enough-091058725.html

[jim nj]

Well I've caught up on the new thread now. It's funny to see what looks like my rapid fire posting of "willowed" posts.

I wish I was as fast on my feet as that condensed version looks.

PIN had a very good point above that SBW has also mentioned. Good newspapers, and bad, are going to lose an awful lot of advertising revenue.

It would be a shame if businesses were able to re-open and not tell anyone about it in their now defunct local newspaper.

And I thought of the paid "in memorial" ads that run in the obit pages.

SBW, could some kind of commercial variation of that idea work?

Some kind of we've supported the Rome Sentinel for all these years ads at a cheap rate because the Rome Sentinel is important for us. Mini-buck ads to keep your advertising ad staff employed for the short-term. A credit from that to apply toward a real roll-out of ads. And then a gradual resumption of full-rate ads?

Turn the businesses into reporters and create local interest stories about what local businesses are going through.

It's basically a human interest story, or stories, that almost all of your readers are going to have an interest in.

[Another Bob]

JimNJ: https://fee.org/articles/oxford-based-group-stops-using-who-data-for-coronavirus-reporting-citing-errors/

I, of course, have little basis to pick one organization over the other, except on the basis that international, UN-affiliated anythings must be presumed corrupt until proven otherwise.

[henry]

Market futures suggest a down stock market. So media blame “record unemployment” instead of “toxic porkulus” as reason.

[James D.]

China lied, people died.

What is so hard for the American press to grasp that and that any subsequent failures here in the US are a function of the above.

Because grasping that and admitting it would mean going against their paymasters.

[jim nj]

If there are goodies in the bill that are poison pills Trump should veto it and start over.

Or do a conditional acceptance signing where they note everything that doesn't conform to law and won't be enforced.

The latter might be better. Go broad stroke and leave it to languish in the court system for years.

[James D.]

hrt @ 6:32

The problem is, they aren't morons. 95% of them will get reelected as many times as they like without breaking a sweat, and 100% of them will retire with unimaginably lavish lifetime benefits paid for by you and me.

There's unlikely ever to be any sort of actual price for their behavior, so why would they change it?

[henry]

Yep, record unemployment orangemanbad is today’s theme. Idiots don’t realize that helps Trump reopen the economy in the face of 33 1/3* dumbass Governors.

* DC

[henry]

Still waiting for a report on chloroquine effectiveness in NY. What are they hiding?

[Another Bob]

https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/17/a-fiasco-in-the-making-as-the-coronavirus-pandemic-takes-hold-we-are-making-decisions-without-reliable-data/

Nothing fundamentally new here, but the links might have something.

The comments were, to a point, funny. All but one is to varying degrees disagreeing with the author, but none really addressing his point.

And this one: “ The fact that COVID19’s viral shed factor is 1,000 times greater than influenza”. I’m highly suspicious of those kind of nice round numbers. Is this a true fact?

[anonamom]

Hiding? Outcomes.
They just started last week. They won't know who died for a few more.

[jim nj]

AB,

That's what I and others have looked at. The change in the WHO reporting deadline and other inconsistencies seem to be deliberate attempts to obscure real data.

And the last WHO report I saw has gone back to the previous 10:00 CET deadline. Another discontinuity.
It's like buying a used car when the salesman doesn't realize you have a CarFax report in your lap.

[Jj532aa]

Not that it matters, but I 'contacted the president' yesterday morning and asked him not to sign this Pelosi-Schumer bill. I said, move the money from someplace else. :) Now I know that wouldn't or couldn't happen. Leftist judges would stop that immediately. It probably wouldn't be in the best interest of the economy (right now), but I'd almost rather take a dagger to the heart than let the left win.

Our governor has issued an order for anyone over 60 or immunocompromised to shelter at home until April 30 (except grocery or prescription trips). That took a while to soak in -- I thought what about dog walking in the park? I think I read they're going to issue guidelines for that.

We had men here Monday and Tuesday landscaping, redoing the flower beds, cutting down a holly tree and taking out three overgrown nandinas from an area at the end of our pool. That day the city council announced no non-essential businesses could stay open. The man who owns the landscaping business kept asking, what did they say? what do they mean? who is essential? (It had been announced on local radio.) I just shrugged, and guessed bars, massage parlors, gyms, exercise studios?

[Jj532aa]

I forgot to just sign that with joan.

[henry]

@WSJEcon

Newsletter: The American jobs machine has shut down

https://twitter.com/wsjecon/status/1243136263294791680?s=21

[Another Bob]

“ There is not a politician in this country who has the cajones to do what he's going to do in the next week or so.”

And that would be what?

[MissMarple2]

Good morning!

It's a lovely morning, and I intend to go outside later today and prune roses, pick up sticks, and enjoy temperatures in the 70's and some sunshine!

[jim nj]

nytol

[Jj532aa]

jim in nj: loved all of your posts, thanks for your work and analysis. I emailed most of them to my sister and daughter.

[James D.]

henry @ 7:25

Nice use of the passive voice in that headline. As though everything just happened of its own accord, without the contrivance of Democrat politicians and msm hair-on-fire jackasses.

[MissMarple2]

Latin Trumper
@RealDuckies
·
4m
All the media hysteria is on medical supplies they “might” not get “in case” of a massive overload at hospitals.

All they’ve done is make everyone aware of

The Swine Flu catastrophe
China’s manufacturing strong hold on us
Obama’s failure to replenish

#EnemyOfThePeople

[Buckeye]

Very disappointing to wake up and find that no one blew Pelosi’s head off last night.

Mitch Rapp must have succumbed to -19.

[henry]

James D, Off to look behind the firewall. Tired of reading Covid19 tax deferral regs and it’s only 6:30 here.

[jimmyk]

Some of the sites update faster than the others do.

The statistics come from a lot of different sources and in different formats so sometimes the aggregators make mistakes in interpretation and then correct them later.

The problem is that the numbers are quite different going back a week. And if it were just timing they'd more or less add up cumulatively but they don't. Not really complaining, just pointing out that it's hard with such noisy data to detect "turning points," or "points of inflection." And that's data on deaths. Data on tests and cases are even harder to interpret.

[jimmyk]

If there are goodies in the bill that are poison pills Trump should veto it and start over.

Or he could say, "For the good of the country, I'm going to sign this, but everyone should know what the Democrats of porked up this bill with." And then read off the items.

Defunding the wall should be a deal-breaker though, just on principle.

[henry]

Reading it, the authors are doomsayers arguing cities and states have no choice in shutting down no matter what Trump says. (Passive #neverTrump?) the point out that business cash flow shut off abruptly, and that is driving layoffs. We have just begun to lay off, or something.

They may be right. The parade of “we got shut down and can’t pay, but don’t cut off our essential payroll and accounting” has started at my shop. My vendors are busy raising prices and saying FU pay on time to me (big cloud infrastructure types). What can’t go on won’t. That bill will not help.

Open the damn economy while you still can. It won’t exist by Easter.

[Buckeye]

Antibody testing status

https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/03/25/a-coronavirus-immunity-test-is-on-the-way.aspx

Several private U.S.-based companies, such as Biomerica and Chembio Diagnostics, have already begun to sell blood tests for COVID-19 antibodies in international markets. The tests use blood from a finger prick and are easy to administer. They're also relatively inexpensive, with some costing less than $10. And some of these tests can deliver results in as little as 10 minutes.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is also developing its own antibody test, but the federal government might choose to allow the use of other tests if the CDC's version is not ready soon.

“We’re from the CDC and we are here to help fuck you over”

[MissMarple2]

https://dailycaller.com/2020/03/25/senate-passes-2-trillion-coronavirus-emergency-relief-package/

I woke up right after this had passed, around 3 AM. I want to know what wound up being in it, and if Pelosi will allow the House to vote on it today.

As I understand it, the Green New Deal stuff and the money for Planned Parenthood was pulled.

We will see. The problem is that I cannot trust anyone reporting on what's in it. The press seems determined to make this another Trump disaster even though he hasn't had anything to do with the crap Pelosi has pulled.

[Buckeye]

Trump should place troops on the borders with orders to shoot on sight.

[Extraneus]

President Trump: I’ll Sign Relief Package Immediately

[MissMarple2]

https://dailycaller.com/2020/03/25/new-york-coronavirus-white-house/

New York Health Commissioner tells people who have recently been to New York (fast becomint the epicenter of the China virus) that they should NOT quarantine, contradicting the White House.

[Jj532aa]

I think, having been raised by parents who grew up during a frightening time, (father born in 1910 mother 1915) depression, WWII, really tough times, rationing, mother's brother killed in Germany during WWII, just so many harsh and scary events) that I've always wondered when it was going to happen to my generation (born 1941). I can't believe that it is happening to my children and grandchildren instead of me.

I am old, will be 79 in May and can self isolate here with my husband. We have the world at our fingertips with the internet. Our back yard is lovely in the spring and summer, so I can be outside as much as I want. But I keep thinking, will I ever get to touch my grandchildren again? I drove to Tulsa early in the morning and drove home again in the evening when our first granddaughter was born and took care of her. Rocking her was so sweet. When she got to be a toddler and we could chat, I'd take her for walks around the block, and we'd pick those little purple flowers that when I was a child looked to me like orchids, but are actually weeds, though I've always read that weeds are just plants out of place. :) She and I would take an empty shoebox outside, dig in the dirt, and make homes for pillbugs. Maybe that's why she's not afraid of insects today. One time when she had a bad virus or flu, fever, she turned to me, raised her arms to be picked up and rocked, and said, 'Oh, Annie, I wish I could feel better.' She laid her head against my neck, wrapped her arms around my shoulders, and slept for a couple of hours. I could feel the heat of her fever. She couldn't have been more than 15 or 16 months old. I can remember saying, 'I wish you did, too, baby.'

I can't imagine not getting to hug that child again.

[henry]

Fauci said they should quarantine... not Trump.

[Another Bob]

About that vent shortage?

https://www.prismahealth.org/VESper/

[MissMarple2]

Matt Schlapp
@mschlapp
·
7m
To show respect for the many Americans suffering economically or fighting for their health due to the Corona virus I call on Kennedy Ctr Chair David Rubenstein to return the $25 million in the soon to pass Cares Act or redirect it to a DC charity helping victims. Show us You care

[MissMarple2]

About the Kennedy Center:

I am ok with the portion of the money that would be allocated to wages for janitors, maintenance guys, etc. I would like to see exactly what that money is FOR, besides making Nadler look like a big shot.

[Another Bob]

On what basis does the “New York Health Commissioner” say this?

[henry]

Miss M, inflated salaries and galas for the management... the usual things non profits spend money on.

[MissMarple2]

henry,

That's what I mean. I want to know what it is going for, EXACTLY.

[Extraneus]

Don't despair, Joan. You'll see her again, probably in a few weeks. Meanwhile, do you have Skype or FaceTime?

[Extraneus]

Pelosi Delays Stimulus Package Until Her New Souvenir Pens Come In

[anonamom]

NEW

[rse]

Oh. My.

Topic #2: Making a powerful case for the role of government
To come through this crisis we need governments to act. There are actions that only governments can take - and our communications can shape a robust mandate for this critical leadership.

An effective narrative about government responsibility is also a powerful antidote to us-vs-them thinking.

If government responsibility goes off the radar, we fail to get the action we need - and stigmatized groups can quickly become targets. Our narratives can help prevent simmering ageist or xenophobic resentments from boiling over into full-blown questioning of which lives are worth saving and at what cost.

But government responsibility is also a topic we must navigate carefully. When people see governments as wholly useless or corrupt, it perpetuates inaction and drives disengagement. A singular focus on partisanship, special interests, or dissatisfaction with elected leaders can obscure the potential for an effective government response. When we trigger the idea that government is all about the people in power, it's harder to focus attention on the powerful structures that we have, and need, to mount an effective response.

[Jane]

It’s going for free admission for Pelosi and friends for life.

Matt Schlapp is right!

Good Morning!

[Melinda]

Pneu.

[JimNorCal]

new

[Jj532aa]

Our daughter and my husband have facetime. She's been facetiming us when she gets home in the evening. I'm on an android. I used to have Skype years ago. Can't remember why I quit. Our two granddaughters, 15, 13, have iphones, and 10 year old grandson has an ipad. The girls have done tiktoks, dancing, singing, and sent them to us. :) Cute. My sister and I have been WhatsApping video calls to each other, though she came by yesterday. We're not supposed to do that -- be out on errands unless it's for groceries or prescriptions. She had found a box of the clear, disposable safety gloves in her cabinets and had offered them to our daughter, who said, "marvelous" -- her group has moved into a fire station on the campus that had been converted into the medical examiner's office awhile back. She's in and out a lot to the different campuses and clinics, so I'm sure she's touching lots of surfaces and was pleased to have extra gloves in a pinch. One day I told her I'd been practicing not touching my face, hand washing after picking things up, etc., and it drove me crazy; and I didn't know how she was standing the frenetic pace she was living. She said, 'it's been hard. You feel like you have arms and nothing on the end.'

I ordered her three different boxes of latex disposable safety protective gloves from different places on amazon. All orders were accepted, one has been shipped. I hadn't tried to order anything like that because I assumed they'd vanished like toilet paper. I hope the gloves are shipped to me.

There's something about touching people, though. We're not a family of huggers. I've never liked to hug friends; I didn't use to hug my sisters or mother when I came home from London. But, it's the grandchildren. Maybe because I touched and held them when they were babies. When the girls come in, especially the oldest, I want to be close. She is lovely, her skin, hair. I drink in her essence -- youth, sun, vibrance, silk, velvet, satin -- she smells clean and pure, like springtime all the time. :)

Well, I guess this has helped me get that off my chest. Sorry to spill it all over here. Guess it's been building up since the first of this business.

[JimNorCal]

My county is a hotspot. No one we know personally is sick though, so far

This report says about half the folks in 1 hospital are positive for the virus
Spokesperson for hospital say the count is down from that now. The article says "many" (a handful? A dozen?) of the people on ventilators are in their 30s and 40s.
The wife doesn't want me to go outdoors anymore :( :(

https://www.bing.com/amp/s/news.yahoo.com/amphtml/nearly-half-patients-one-kaiser-203310860.html