It is hard to believe that it has now been 4 weeks that we have avoided any personal interactions. My wife and I mostly stay at home. Over the last four weeks we have gone into the office periodically, but have not allowed another soul in - not other staff, not clients and not vendors. No one.
The numbers. There were a total of 547,681 cases of coronavirus, with 21,692 deaths in the US, as reported earlier today on Fox. The states with the most cases are New York with 188,694, and 9,385 deaths; New Jersey with 61,850 cases and 2,350 deaths; Massachusetts with 25,475 cases and 756 deaths; Michigan with 24,638 cases and 1,487 deaths; and Pennsylvania with 22,833 cases and 507 deaths. States with less cases but higher numbers of deaths include Louisiana, 840; Illinois, 720; and California, 609. Some are postulating that millions may have been infected but never tested.
According to Fox, the most populous county in the country - Los Angeles County - has "extended its safer-at-home and business-closures orders through 5/15/20." Also according to Fox, Los Angeles County has 8,873 cases, with 265 deaths. Of course, all numbers in this and the preceding paragraph are already outdated. NBC also reported that 48% of employees in the County either lost their jobs or had their hours reduced. Total jobless claims for just the last 3 weeks in the USA now equal a whopping 16,780,000. That number is approximately the total number of people living in our four largest cities - New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston.
But not everyone is fixated on the coronavirus. The police chief of Seattle Tweeted this: "Washington State is no place for hate...hate has no place in our community. Report hate, including racist name calling, to 911. We are here to help, and will respond to investigate." And this: "Even racist name-calling should be reported to police. If you aren't sure if a hate crime occurred, call 911. We are here to help." Call 911 for racist name-calling? Seriously? Racist name-calling may be exceedingly bad behavior, but - absent a threat - it is definitely not a crime. It is, in fact, protected speech. At a time when the 911 emergency system is likely overburdened already, you want people to report name-calling? If I am not careful I would be inclined to call this police chief a name - but not based on race; no, it would be based on stupidity.
Speaking of stupidity, somebody(s) decided it would be a good idea to see if they could break the record for traveling by car from New York to Los Angeles. Given our near empty roads, they succeeded. It only took 26 hours and 38 minutes. Assuming they traveled the shortest route, they would had to have averaged 103 miles per hour. If they want to risk their own lives, that's their business. But there are still others on the roads, including many first responders out there trying to help others without idiots putting them at risk.
One letter writer or Op-Ed writer (I do not remember which) expressed the frustration that many of us are feeling, but did so in a way that may only be described as overblown: "I'm unable to get ready to celebrate freedom when I feel imprisoned in my own home." The celebration of freedom was in reference to Passover, when we Jews celebrate our departure from Egypt, when we went from being slaves to a free people. But "imprisoned" is too forceful a word. For most of us, our so-called imprisonment includes having the equivalent of a nearly unlimited library in our own homes - as long as we have internet access. Most of us have TV, often with numerous channels from which to choose old and new TV shows, and old and new movies. Many have yards allowing them to sit outside, weather permitting. And we are able to go for walks, jog or ride a bike. I get it. We cannot just pick up and go wherever we want whenever we want. It is frustrating. But it is not prison. And maybe we will all appreciate just how free a people we are once society returns to some semblance of normalcy.
I was not alone in feeling the pain of that young woman in Pennsylvania getting a citation for over $200 for the simple act of driving her car. (See the prior post.) Senator Ted Cruz had some advice for the authorities in Pennsylvania: "Resist authoritarianism and don't abuse power. Driving a car alone is not a public health threat." And conservative political commentator and author, Mark Levin, called it "outrageous fascistic behavior."
A Fox News poll conducted from April 4 through April 7, found Trump's approval rating at 49%, with 89% of Republicans approving. Trump's coronavirus team all got positive approval ratings, with Dr. Fauci getting 80%, Dr. Birx at 62%, Vice President Pence at 52% and President Trump at 51%. 57% agreed that the fight against the virus is going in the right direction, with 30% saying we are going in the wrong direction. And while 56% say that they approve of the Federal government's response, a much larger 77% approve of their state government's handling of the virus. But it seems to me that is how it should be. We should always feel that our more local state government is better at responding to the needs of residents than the more distant Federal bureaucracy. Still, a full 80% favor a nationwide stay-in-place order.
There was an interesting question posed by Fox, regarding how the virus may have affected people's interactions with others. 34% found people to be more friendly and compassionate, while a nearly equal number, 35%, found there to be no difference. And 21% felt that others were less friendly.
President Trump just recently declared a major disaster in Wyoming. The result was a first in US history, with a major disaster being declared simultaneously in all 50 states. The New York Times reported yesterday that the President is being pushed by "bankers, corporate executives and industrialists" to reopen the country, while "the medical experts beg for more time to curb the coronavirus." Trump: "I'm going to have to make a decision, and I only hope to G-d that it's the right decision." But the Times went on to tell us that "the decision on when and how to reopen is not entirely Mr. Trump's to make because he never ordered it closed. The stay-at-home edicts that have kept the vast bulk of Americans indoors were issued by governors state by state." So, let's pray to G-d that all our political leaders make the right decisions. And that a vaccine and anti-viral treatment are speedily developed.
Sunday, April 12, 2020
Sunday, April 5, 2020
The Coronavirus - Three Weeks Later
(Ed. note: In the last post I was highly critical of CNN commentator Chris Cuomo. Since then, it was announced that Cuomo, brother of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and son of former New York Governor Mario Cuomo, has been diagnosed with the coronavirus. Notwithstanding my political differences with him, I wish Cuomo a complete and speedy recovery.)
First, the numbers. The latest I saw (again, outdated already) are 330,991 cases in the US, with 9,437 deaths. The states with the most cases are New York with 122,177 cases and 4,159 deaths, New Jersey with 37,505 cases and 917 deaths, Michigan with 15,718 cases and 617 deaths, California with 14,055 cases and 325 deaths and Louisiana with 13,010 cases and 477 deaths.
The new unemployment numbers are both shocking and distressing. For the week ending March 28, there were 6.6 million new claims for unemployment benefits. Combined with the prior week's numbers, that is 10 million new claims in two weeks. It is good to hear stories of people able to afford it ordering take-out from their neighborhood restaurants. One friend advised me that they are continuing to pay their periodic cleaning person, without them actually going to clean the house.
The impact on society. The illnesses and deaths are tragic. The rise in unemployment is devastating. But what structural changes to society will we be seeing - and will they be temporary or permanent? LA Mayor Eric Garcetti said this: "if any non-essential businesses continue to operate in violation of the stay at home order, we're going to act to enforce the safer at home order and ensure their compliance...we want to thank you for turning folks in and making sure we are all safe...snitches get rewards." I certainly understand the need for everyone to comply, but encouraging neighbor to report on neighbor leaves me with an uneasy feeling.
And California Governor Gavin Newsom told us: "Absolutely, we see this as an opportunity (to) reshape the way we do business and how we govern." Among other things, Newsom referred to income inequality as issues "we've long been struggling to address." Again, in 2008 Rahm Emanuel said "you never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that, it's an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before."
In Pennsylvania, a 19 year old woman was ticketed for taking a ride in her car. That ticket cost her $202.25. The ticket indicated that the woman "failed to abide by the order of the Governor and Secretary of Health issued to control the spread of a communicable disease, requiring the closure of all non-life sustaining businesses as of 20:00 hours on 3/29/20. To wit, defendant states that she was 'going for a drive' after this violation was in effect."
On the other hand, there are nine states that, as of yesterday, have failed to issue stay at home orders. Those states are Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah and Wyoming. All those states have Republican governors. Some cities within those states have issued their own stay at home orders. In total, 311 million Americans are living under such orders. But the articles that I have read asking if the cure is worse than the illness have all been written by conservatives. I previously admitted that my initial reaction to the coronavirus story was that it was overblown. I quickly changed my outlook. Coronavirus is easily spread, and it seems in many instances to be lethal quickly. Nevertheless, is it unfair to just ask the question of how much society should change in dealing with this virus?
And anti-Trump columnist Bret Stephens asked in his 4/4/20 Op-Ed in the New York Times, if some countries might be using the virus as a pretext to become more authoritarian. For example, Philippine President Duterte "used the pandemic to issue shoot-to-kill orders against political protesters." And, as a big supporter of Israel, Stephens nevertheless said this: "In Israel, the government's decision to use cellphone data to track the movements of infected individuals quickly became a model and alibi for other states to pick up the practice, with no scruples about the data they collected."
In this election year, our democracy is clearly being affected. Neither Joe Biden nor Bernie Sanders is able to hold campaign rallies. President Trump is unable to do so as well, but he has the incumbent's advantage of regularly being in front of the camera. The Democrats have moved the dates of their convention from July 13 through July 16, to August 17 through August 20. The Republican convention is scheduled for August 24 through August 27. But who knows whether these conventions will be able to proceed in the usual fashion. Or how the November presidential election will be accomplished. Even now, Congress has no apparent mechanism for operating remotely. According to the 4/4/20 editorial in the New York Times, House Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader McConnell actually agree on something - Congress needs to meet in session in the Capitol. Is that still feasible? Shouldn't they already have had a back-up plan for working and voting remotely?
Here's an interesting statistic. For the first quarter of 2020, with major news stories including a presidential election, a presidential impeachment and the coronavirus, Fox News far eclipsed MSNBC and CNN in the ratings - an average of 3.4 million prime time viewers, versus 1.9 million for MSNBC and 1.4 million for CNN. Fox had the top 5 cable shows, and 13 out of the top 15 shows. Hannity had an average of 4.2 million viewers, Tucker Carlson had 4 million, then it was The Five, The Ingraham Angle and Special Report with Bret Baier. Rachel Maddow of MSNBC was sixth. CNN's top show was The Lead with Jake Tapper - coming in at number 22. There is a reason for the success of Fox.
First, the numbers. The latest I saw (again, outdated already) are 330,991 cases in the US, with 9,437 deaths. The states with the most cases are New York with 122,177 cases and 4,159 deaths, New Jersey with 37,505 cases and 917 deaths, Michigan with 15,718 cases and 617 deaths, California with 14,055 cases and 325 deaths and Louisiana with 13,010 cases and 477 deaths.
The new unemployment numbers are both shocking and distressing. For the week ending March 28, there were 6.6 million new claims for unemployment benefits. Combined with the prior week's numbers, that is 10 million new claims in two weeks. It is good to hear stories of people able to afford it ordering take-out from their neighborhood restaurants. One friend advised me that they are continuing to pay their periodic cleaning person, without them actually going to clean the house.
The impact on society. The illnesses and deaths are tragic. The rise in unemployment is devastating. But what structural changes to society will we be seeing - and will they be temporary or permanent? LA Mayor Eric Garcetti said this: "if any non-essential businesses continue to operate in violation of the stay at home order, we're going to act to enforce the safer at home order and ensure their compliance...we want to thank you for turning folks in and making sure we are all safe...snitches get rewards." I certainly understand the need for everyone to comply, but encouraging neighbor to report on neighbor leaves me with an uneasy feeling.
And California Governor Gavin Newsom told us: "Absolutely, we see this as an opportunity (to) reshape the way we do business and how we govern." Among other things, Newsom referred to income inequality as issues "we've long been struggling to address." Again, in 2008 Rahm Emanuel said "you never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that, it's an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before."
In Pennsylvania, a 19 year old woman was ticketed for taking a ride in her car. That ticket cost her $202.25. The ticket indicated that the woman "failed to abide by the order of the Governor and Secretary of Health issued to control the spread of a communicable disease, requiring the closure of all non-life sustaining businesses as of 20:00 hours on 3/29/20. To wit, defendant states that she was 'going for a drive' after this violation was in effect."
On the other hand, there are nine states that, as of yesterday, have failed to issue stay at home orders. Those states are Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah and Wyoming. All those states have Republican governors. Some cities within those states have issued their own stay at home orders. In total, 311 million Americans are living under such orders. But the articles that I have read asking if the cure is worse than the illness have all been written by conservatives. I previously admitted that my initial reaction to the coronavirus story was that it was overblown. I quickly changed my outlook. Coronavirus is easily spread, and it seems in many instances to be lethal quickly. Nevertheless, is it unfair to just ask the question of how much society should change in dealing with this virus?
And anti-Trump columnist Bret Stephens asked in his 4/4/20 Op-Ed in the New York Times, if some countries might be using the virus as a pretext to become more authoritarian. For example, Philippine President Duterte "used the pandemic to issue shoot-to-kill orders against political protesters." And, as a big supporter of Israel, Stephens nevertheless said this: "In Israel, the government's decision to use cellphone data to track the movements of infected individuals quickly became a model and alibi for other states to pick up the practice, with no scruples about the data they collected."
In this election year, our democracy is clearly being affected. Neither Joe Biden nor Bernie Sanders is able to hold campaign rallies. President Trump is unable to do so as well, but he has the incumbent's advantage of regularly being in front of the camera. The Democrats have moved the dates of their convention from July 13 through July 16, to August 17 through August 20. The Republican convention is scheduled for August 24 through August 27. But who knows whether these conventions will be able to proceed in the usual fashion. Or how the November presidential election will be accomplished. Even now, Congress has no apparent mechanism for operating remotely. According to the 4/4/20 editorial in the New York Times, House Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader McConnell actually agree on something - Congress needs to meet in session in the Capitol. Is that still feasible? Shouldn't they already have had a back-up plan for working and voting remotely?
Here's an interesting statistic. For the first quarter of 2020, with major news stories including a presidential election, a presidential impeachment and the coronavirus, Fox News far eclipsed MSNBC and CNN in the ratings - an average of 3.4 million prime time viewers, versus 1.9 million for MSNBC and 1.4 million for CNN. Fox had the top 5 cable shows, and 13 out of the top 15 shows. Hannity had an average of 4.2 million viewers, Tucker Carlson had 4 million, then it was The Five, The Ingraham Angle and Special Report with Bret Baier. Rachel Maddow of MSNBC was sixth. CNN's top show was The Lead with Jake Tapper - coming in at number 22. There is a reason for the success of Fox.
Sunday, March 29, 2020
The Coronavirus - Two Weeks Later
As of about 4pm today, the total worldwide cases numbered 716,101, with worldwide deaths totaling 33,854. The total number of cases in the US was at 137,294, with 2,414 deaths. Obviously, those numbers have become outdated as I am typing this. The New York Times reported yesterday that the death rate in Italy was 10.8%, in Spain 8%, and in Germany only 0.72%. Based on the US numbers above, the death rate here is 1.7%. With the focus on cases and deaths, it is easy to forget that the majority of cases involve mild to moderate symptoms, with most people recovering.
It remains the case that older people are more at risk, but there has been an increasing number of cases and deaths among people under 60 years old. Men are apparently somewhat more vulnerable than women. Those with compromised immune systems are at higher risk, as are those with certain pre-existing conditions, such as cardiovascular disease (congestive heart failure and clogged arteries, although I have read hypertension as well). Diabetes seems to be another pre-existing condition increasing one's risk.
As happens with a national crisis, the President's approval rating has improved. A Gallup poll from 3/13-3/22/20, reflected 60% approved of President Trump's handling of the virus. Broken down by party, 94% of Republicans approve, 60% of independents approve, but only 27% of Democrats approve. Trump's overall approval rating was at 49%. In an ABC/IPSOS poll from 3/18-3/19/20, 55% approved of Trump's handling of the virus. A Fox poll had Trump's approval at 51%. A Pew Research poll from 3/19-3/24/20 showed 48% saying Trump was doing an excellent or good job, with Republicans at 83% and Democrats only at 18%. Significantly, however, Pew had Trump's approval among blacks up from 8% in January to 18%, among Hispanics up from 27% to 37% and among women up from 37% to 44%. If the Democrats simply disagreed with Trump's policies or simply disliked him, Trump's overall approval rating would be even higher. But we know that many Democrats have a visceral hatred of the President - which nothing can change.
Case in point: Nancy Pelosi, who said: "His (Trump's) denial at the beginning was deadly, his delaying of getting of getting equipment...to where it is needed is deadly..." Yeah, thanks Pelosi for leaving town and delaying a final vote on the 2 trillion dollar stimulus. Not to mention that Pelosi and Schumer held up the Senate's vote on the stimulus until they were able to throw in some money for left-wing causes unrelated to the virus. Pelosi has frequently said she prays for Trump. I'm sure. And I'm sure she passed on those same sentiments on to her daughter Christine, who recently said "Rand Paul's neighbor was right." Paul tested positive for the coronavirus, and delayed his self-quarantine. But to say that Paul's neighbor was right? That guy broke 5 of Paul's ribs and Paul had to have part of his lung removed. What a lovely family.
Another hater, Chris Cuomo of CNN, said this: "The President should say himself what his fringe friends are saying...they're okay with a certain number of the frail and the greatest generation dying off to make the economy come back sooner...your actions show the same inclination." My apologies, but what an asshole! So, a few people on the "fringe" may have said what Cuomo claims, and therefore that is what the President wants. Trump had expressed his hope that churches could be full by Easter Sunday, two weeks from today on April 12. Today, however, based on the recommendation of both Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx, the President announced that the social distancing policies will remain in place through the end of April, and possibly beyond.
Of course, the Democrats and the mainstream media have another agenda beyond their hatred of Trump. We still have an election coming up in November. As presumed Democratic candidate Joe Biden is much less in the news these days, they clearly see a need to continue their non-stop attacks on Trump. Here's Rachel Maddow of MSNBC: "If he (Trump) keeps lying like he has been every day on stuff this important, all of us should stop broadcasting it (it being the now daily press briefings by Trump and the rest of his coronavirus team)." Funny. Not that long ago Trump was criticized for ending the White House daily press briefing. Now that Trump is doing it, Maddow does not want the media to broadcast it. She does not want the American people to even be able to hear from Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx. Another elitist who does not trust the American people to decide for themselves. And, of course, she wants to deny Trump the media attention while Biden is mostly sidelined.
The unemployment numbers for the week ending 3/21/20 reached 3.283 million people. That number far exceeded the prior record of 695,000 in one week. The states suffering with the most claims were Pennsylvania with 378,908, Ohio with 187,784, California with 186,809, Texas with 155,657 and New Jersey with 155,454. Eventually, the 2 trillion dollar stimulus was passed. The Senate voted in favor 96-0. The House approved it on a voice vote. It is my understanding that the payment being made to individuals may be based on your 2019 income if you have filed your tax returns. Otherwise, it is based on one's 2018 income. Individuals who earned up to $75,000 will get $1200, and if married filing jointly will receive $2400 if the total earnings were under $150,000. But the amount of the check is decreased for earners between $75,000 and $99,000, with those earning more getting zero. Those receiving unemployment benefits will receive an extra $600 a week for up to 4 months.
$377 billion will be allotted for federally guaranteed loans to small businesses. $117 billion is earmarked for hospitals. $500 billion is for a government lending program for companies in distress. But there is a catch for some businesses as the government will be able to take an equity share in some of those businesses, such as airlines. This is somewhat reminiscent of the 2008 bailout of banks and the auto industry. It seems, however, that government involvement will be far more significant this time. While I support the government's involvement in trying to financially help individuals and businesses, I hope the involvement does not need to be more than a temporary fix. When we are past this, business people should be running businesses, not government bureaucrats.
It remains the case that older people are more at risk, but there has been an increasing number of cases and deaths among people under 60 years old. Men are apparently somewhat more vulnerable than women. Those with compromised immune systems are at higher risk, as are those with certain pre-existing conditions, such as cardiovascular disease (congestive heart failure and clogged arteries, although I have read hypertension as well). Diabetes seems to be another pre-existing condition increasing one's risk.
As happens with a national crisis, the President's approval rating has improved. A Gallup poll from 3/13-3/22/20, reflected 60% approved of President Trump's handling of the virus. Broken down by party, 94% of Republicans approve, 60% of independents approve, but only 27% of Democrats approve. Trump's overall approval rating was at 49%. In an ABC/IPSOS poll from 3/18-3/19/20, 55% approved of Trump's handling of the virus. A Fox poll had Trump's approval at 51%. A Pew Research poll from 3/19-3/24/20 showed 48% saying Trump was doing an excellent or good job, with Republicans at 83% and Democrats only at 18%. Significantly, however, Pew had Trump's approval among blacks up from 8% in January to 18%, among Hispanics up from 27% to 37% and among women up from 37% to 44%. If the Democrats simply disagreed with Trump's policies or simply disliked him, Trump's overall approval rating would be even higher. But we know that many Democrats have a visceral hatred of the President - which nothing can change.
Case in point: Nancy Pelosi, who said: "His (Trump's) denial at the beginning was deadly, his delaying of getting of getting equipment...to where it is needed is deadly..." Yeah, thanks Pelosi for leaving town and delaying a final vote on the 2 trillion dollar stimulus. Not to mention that Pelosi and Schumer held up the Senate's vote on the stimulus until they were able to throw in some money for left-wing causes unrelated to the virus. Pelosi has frequently said she prays for Trump. I'm sure. And I'm sure she passed on those same sentiments on to her daughter Christine, who recently said "Rand Paul's neighbor was right." Paul tested positive for the coronavirus, and delayed his self-quarantine. But to say that Paul's neighbor was right? That guy broke 5 of Paul's ribs and Paul had to have part of his lung removed. What a lovely family.
Another hater, Chris Cuomo of CNN, said this: "The President should say himself what his fringe friends are saying...they're okay with a certain number of the frail and the greatest generation dying off to make the economy come back sooner...your actions show the same inclination." My apologies, but what an asshole! So, a few people on the "fringe" may have said what Cuomo claims, and therefore that is what the President wants. Trump had expressed his hope that churches could be full by Easter Sunday, two weeks from today on April 12. Today, however, based on the recommendation of both Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx, the President announced that the social distancing policies will remain in place through the end of April, and possibly beyond.
Of course, the Democrats and the mainstream media have another agenda beyond their hatred of Trump. We still have an election coming up in November. As presumed Democratic candidate Joe Biden is much less in the news these days, they clearly see a need to continue their non-stop attacks on Trump. Here's Rachel Maddow of MSNBC: "If he (Trump) keeps lying like he has been every day on stuff this important, all of us should stop broadcasting it (it being the now daily press briefings by Trump and the rest of his coronavirus team)." Funny. Not that long ago Trump was criticized for ending the White House daily press briefing. Now that Trump is doing it, Maddow does not want the media to broadcast it. She does not want the American people to even be able to hear from Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx. Another elitist who does not trust the American people to decide for themselves. And, of course, she wants to deny Trump the media attention while Biden is mostly sidelined.
The unemployment numbers for the week ending 3/21/20 reached 3.283 million people. That number far exceeded the prior record of 695,000 in one week. The states suffering with the most claims were Pennsylvania with 378,908, Ohio with 187,784, California with 186,809, Texas with 155,657 and New Jersey with 155,454. Eventually, the 2 trillion dollar stimulus was passed. The Senate voted in favor 96-0. The House approved it on a voice vote. It is my understanding that the payment being made to individuals may be based on your 2019 income if you have filed your tax returns. Otherwise, it is based on one's 2018 income. Individuals who earned up to $75,000 will get $1200, and if married filing jointly will receive $2400 if the total earnings were under $150,000. But the amount of the check is decreased for earners between $75,000 and $99,000, with those earning more getting zero. Those receiving unemployment benefits will receive an extra $600 a week for up to 4 months.
$377 billion will be allotted for federally guaranteed loans to small businesses. $117 billion is earmarked for hospitals. $500 billion is for a government lending program for companies in distress. But there is a catch for some businesses as the government will be able to take an equity share in some of those businesses, such as airlines. This is somewhat reminiscent of the 2008 bailout of banks and the auto industry. It seems, however, that government involvement will be far more significant this time. While I support the government's involvement in trying to financially help individuals and businesses, I hope the involvement does not need to be more than a temporary fix. When we are past this, business people should be running businesses, not government bureaucrats.
Sunday, March 22, 2020
The Coronavirus - One Week Later
As of noon today, Fox News reported 31,057 US cases and 390 deaths. By the time you read this, those numbers will be inaccurate. We pray not significantly inaccurate. At least 7 states have issued "stay at home" orders. The list includes California, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Ohio, Connecticut and Louisiana. Hawaii issued a 2 week quarantine order, punishable by a $5000 fine and one year in jail. Putting anybody but violent offenders in jails right now seems to me to be contraindicated.
The last I saw, New York had 15,168 cases, by far the most. New Jersey had 1,914, Washington had 1,793, California had 1,200, Michigan had 1,035 and Florida had 824 cases. New York City alone had 9,654 cases - nearly a third of the total US cases.
The California Governor and State Public Health Officer ordered "all individuals living in the State of California to stay home or at their place of residence except as needed..." Undoubtedly, other state's orders are similar. Of course, there are various exceptions, including health care providers, first responders - including social workers dealing with cases of abuse, plummers, electricians, exterminators, grocery stores, pharmacies, utility workers, gas stations, postal services, the media, banks and defense/national security related employees. Also excepted in California are professional workers (lawyers and accountants) "when necessary to assist in compliance with legally mandated activities and critical sector services." Whatever all that means.
California's Order prohibits dining in restaurants, although take-out and delivery is permitted. Also ordered closed are bars, nightclubs, entertainment venues, gyms, public events, convention centers and hair and nail salons. I saw on TV a picture of the Paramus, NJ mall parking lot. Empty! As of Thursday, there were 281,000 new initial claims for unemployment benefits. That was 33% higher than the week before. CNN reported that Goldman Sachs was predicting 2.25 million new initial claims.
I am still seeing a discussion by some of the need to quickly reduce the number of cases and deaths from coronavirus versus how much damage to the economy we should tolerate. I do not have the answer. But the number of cases and deaths is rising rapidly - as are the number of unemployed. One thing I do feel confident to say is that this virus, and the social and economic repercussions from it, is likely to have an impact on the election.
I remain reluctant to discuss the politics. However, I do need to make something clear. Whatever President Trump does or does not do, he will be severely criticized by the mainstream media and the Democrats. Just one case in point. On January 30, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus to be a "Public Health Emergency." On January 31 Trump barred entry into the US from China. Likely Democratic nominee for President, Joe Biden, called the action "hysterical xenophobia." And Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said it was "an excuse to further his (Trump's) ongoing war against immigrants." Yet, Dr. Anthony Fauci said shutting down air travel from China was likely a big help in curtailing the spread of the coronavirus in the US. So let's hear it for the Democrats who would favor political correctness over the safety and well-being of Americans. Oh wait, they already do that, as with protecting our borders.
In this time of social distancing and isolation, one of our daughters set up a virtual Shabbat on Friday night for our immediate family. We said and sang Shabbat prayers together, ate together and schmoozed for 2 1/2 hours. It was a nice way to catch up and keep in touch while being separated physically.
And, to end on a humorous note...On Thursday night my Rabbi at Chabad gave his weekly sermon online. He could not deliver the sermon on Shabbat (Friday night) because orthodox rabbis will not use electronic devices on Shabbat (with the exception being to save a life, as all the rules are superseded by the need to save a life). We were connected through Zoom. It was easy to log in, and to be able to see and hear the Rabbi. We were also able to hear and see one another. So they asked everyone to mute the sound on their computers so there would not be constant background noise while the Rabbi was speaking. One female congregant failed to mute her sound. During the sermon she could be heard yelling at someone "bullshit!" She provided some much needed laughter in these stressful times.
The last I saw, New York had 15,168 cases, by far the most. New Jersey had 1,914, Washington had 1,793, California had 1,200, Michigan had 1,035 and Florida had 824 cases. New York City alone had 9,654 cases - nearly a third of the total US cases.
The California Governor and State Public Health Officer ordered "all individuals living in the State of California to stay home or at their place of residence except as needed..." Undoubtedly, other state's orders are similar. Of course, there are various exceptions, including health care providers, first responders - including social workers dealing with cases of abuse, plummers, electricians, exterminators, grocery stores, pharmacies, utility workers, gas stations, postal services, the media, banks and defense/national security related employees. Also excepted in California are professional workers (lawyers and accountants) "when necessary to assist in compliance with legally mandated activities and critical sector services." Whatever all that means.
California's Order prohibits dining in restaurants, although take-out and delivery is permitted. Also ordered closed are bars, nightclubs, entertainment venues, gyms, public events, convention centers and hair and nail salons. I saw on TV a picture of the Paramus, NJ mall parking lot. Empty! As of Thursday, there were 281,000 new initial claims for unemployment benefits. That was 33% higher than the week before. CNN reported that Goldman Sachs was predicting 2.25 million new initial claims.
I am still seeing a discussion by some of the need to quickly reduce the number of cases and deaths from coronavirus versus how much damage to the economy we should tolerate. I do not have the answer. But the number of cases and deaths is rising rapidly - as are the number of unemployed. One thing I do feel confident to say is that this virus, and the social and economic repercussions from it, is likely to have an impact on the election.
I remain reluctant to discuss the politics. However, I do need to make something clear. Whatever President Trump does or does not do, he will be severely criticized by the mainstream media and the Democrats. Just one case in point. On January 30, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus to be a "Public Health Emergency." On January 31 Trump barred entry into the US from China. Likely Democratic nominee for President, Joe Biden, called the action "hysterical xenophobia." And Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said it was "an excuse to further his (Trump's) ongoing war against immigrants." Yet, Dr. Anthony Fauci said shutting down air travel from China was likely a big help in curtailing the spread of the coronavirus in the US. So let's hear it for the Democrats who would favor political correctness over the safety and well-being of Americans. Oh wait, they already do that, as with protecting our borders.
In this time of social distancing and isolation, one of our daughters set up a virtual Shabbat on Friday night for our immediate family. We said and sang Shabbat prayers together, ate together and schmoozed for 2 1/2 hours. It was a nice way to catch up and keep in touch while being separated physically.
And, to end on a humorous note...On Thursday night my Rabbi at Chabad gave his weekly sermon online. He could not deliver the sermon on Shabbat (Friday night) because orthodox rabbis will not use electronic devices on Shabbat (with the exception being to save a life, as all the rules are superseded by the need to save a life). We were connected through Zoom. It was easy to log in, and to be able to see and hear the Rabbi. We were also able to hear and see one another. So they asked everyone to mute the sound on their computers so there would not be constant background noise while the Rabbi was speaking. One female congregant failed to mute her sound. During the sermon she could be heard yelling at someone "bullshit!" She provided some much needed laughter in these stressful times.
Sunday, March 15, 2020
There Is Other News (Not Just The Coronavirus)
It is easy to forget that we are in a presidential election year, given the way the news about the coronavirus virus appears to be crowding out other news stories. It was not that long ago that the prognosticators were saying that Joe Biden was done, and Sanders would be the Democratic Party nominee. Then Super Tuesday happened. Now, the pressure is on Sanders to drop out. That seems unfair as it takes 1991 delegates to win the nomination, and Biden leads Sanders 890 to 736. That does not seem like an insurmountable lead. Sanders, in fact, announced he would not drop out. Then he added a new member to his campaign - one Phillip Agnew. Mr. Agnew has called Zionism (the national movement for a Jewish homeland) "a racist, exploitative, and exclusionary ideology." Agnew also said that Obama, when he defended Jews right to a homeland, was supporting "ethnic cleansing, slavery, genocide, exploitation, and appropriation." Sanders has aligned himself with more anti-Semites than any major presidential candidate has in modern times. Imagine if he staffed his campaign with racists, sexists, islamophobes, or anti-LGBTQ people. He would face daily attacks by the mainstream media and other Democrats.
Recently, Brian Williams of MSNBC, had Mara Gay, a member of the New York Times editorial board, as a guest. Gay commented on Twitter post she saw. The post said: "Bloomberg spent $500 million on ads. The US population is 327 million. He could have given each American $1 million and still have money left over. I feel like a $1 million check would be life-changing for people. Yet he wasted it all on ads and STILL LOST." Gay: "It's an incredible way of putting it. It's true. It's disturbing." It is disturbing - that these two opinion makers are unable to do simple math. $500 million divided by 327 million people comes to $1.53 per person. Not what I would call "life-changing." But when your agenda drives your discussion, then there is no need for thinking. What these two should have concluded was that the Democrats' claim that big money wins elections is a lie. It did not work for Tom Steyer and it did not work for Mike Bloomberg - two billionaires. They both lacked the personal connection to people. And the right message.
Speaking of Joe Biden (see top paragraph) he said this while campaigning before the South Carolina primary: "My name's Joe Biden. I'm a Democratic candidate for the United States Senate. Look me over. If you like what you see, help out. If not, vote for the other Biden." I do not say that to make fun of Biden. I point it out because it may be a gross understatement to say that he has merely lost a step. Plus, as William McGurn pointed out in a 3/3/20 Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal, Biden, under pressure from the left-wing of the party, has apologized for his prior policy positions, including a crime bill he sponsored, his votes to ban federal funding for abortions, and even for referring to Mike Pence as a "decent guy." Biden stands for one thing only - he is not Donald Trump. That seems to be enough for many in the Democratic Party.
Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader, was recently speaking at a pro-abortion rally in front of the US Supreme Court, while the Court was hearing arguments on an abortion related case. Schumer furiously yelled this: "I want to tell you, Gorsuch. I want to tell you, Kavanaugh. You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price...You won't know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions." It was outrageous for Schumer to threaten Supreme Court Justices, by name no less. Schumer is said to be a "moderate," compared, say, with Maxine Waters. But in 2018 Waters said this: "...and if you see anybody from that Cabinet (Trump's) in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd. And you push back on them. And you tell them they're not welcome anymore, anywhere..." These two politicians reflect the overall attitude of the Democratic Party - if they disagree with you, they have the right to harass you, to assault you, and for some, to batter you.
The Chief Justice, John Roberts, was so off-put by Schumer's comments that he issued a rebuke to Schumer. Rare for a Chief Justice to do. Roberts: "Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous. All Members of the Court will continue to do their job, without fear or favor, from whatever quarter." But some on the Left felt that Schumer's attack on the Court was justified because, you know, the Court now has a conservative majority. For example, one executive V.P. at People For the American Way noted that "he (Schumer) is acutely aware that Trump and the far right are packing the courts with extreme ideologues..." "Packing the court" now means appointing conservatives to the Left, turning its historical meaning (see below) on its head.
This attack on the Supreme Court by Democrats is not new. It's been happening ever since a conservative majority sits on the Court for the first time in decades. That's right - once the Court was majority conservative, it was time to attack, and to propose "reforms." Five Senators previously threatened the Court in an amicus (friend of the Court) brief: "The Supreme Court is not well. Perhaps the court can heal itself before the public demands it be 'restructured in order to reduce the influence of politics.'" That "restructuring" has included calls by Democrats to "pack" the Court (add to the number of justices on the Court after the next Democrat is elected President in order to allow the appointment of more left-wing justices), term limits for the justices (in order to get the conservatives off the bench), and limiting the jurisdiction of the Court. (Article 3 of the Constitution does not state how many justices must be on the Court. It does say what cases over which the Court has exclusive (original) jurisdiction, and where it may have appellate jurisdiction.)
After Elizabeth Warren dropped out of the presidential race, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow said this: "If Hillary Clinton can't win when she gets the nomination and you (Warren) can't get the nomination and neither can Kamala Harris, and neither can Amy Klobuchar, and neither can Kirsten Gillibrand...is it just that it can't be any woman ever?" I'm sure that's it. The country did not know Klobuchar or Gillibrand, and really did not know Harris (who stood for ?). As for Warren, she was popular, but many or her ideas overlapped with Sanders', who already had that left-wing base in his corner.
Finally, in a demonstration of left-wing hypocrisy, we have Human Rights Watch (HRW), an NGO. The Jerusalem Post reported that their executive Director, Ken Roth, "accepted a major donation (said to be $470,000) from a Saudi real estate tycoon by promising not to support advocacy of the LGBT community in the Middle East and North Africa." So, when Iran executed by hanging a man charged with violation of that country's anti-gay laws, HRW said...nothing. But, you can count on HRW to continue their ongoing criticisms of Israel. The Saudis are well known to use their money to buy influence; and use their money in the US to fund numerous mosques, and worse, to help fund major US universities. Not that the money would influence left-wing professors at all.
Recently, Brian Williams of MSNBC, had Mara Gay, a member of the New York Times editorial board, as a guest. Gay commented on Twitter post she saw. The post said: "Bloomberg spent $500 million on ads. The US population is 327 million. He could have given each American $1 million and still have money left over. I feel like a $1 million check would be life-changing for people. Yet he wasted it all on ads and STILL LOST." Gay: "It's an incredible way of putting it. It's true. It's disturbing." It is disturbing - that these two opinion makers are unable to do simple math. $500 million divided by 327 million people comes to $1.53 per person. Not what I would call "life-changing." But when your agenda drives your discussion, then there is no need for thinking. What these two should have concluded was that the Democrats' claim that big money wins elections is a lie. It did not work for Tom Steyer and it did not work for Mike Bloomberg - two billionaires. They both lacked the personal connection to people. And the right message.
Speaking of Joe Biden (see top paragraph) he said this while campaigning before the South Carolina primary: "My name's Joe Biden. I'm a Democratic candidate for the United States Senate. Look me over. If you like what you see, help out. If not, vote for the other Biden." I do not say that to make fun of Biden. I point it out because it may be a gross understatement to say that he has merely lost a step. Plus, as William McGurn pointed out in a 3/3/20 Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal, Biden, under pressure from the left-wing of the party, has apologized for his prior policy positions, including a crime bill he sponsored, his votes to ban federal funding for abortions, and even for referring to Mike Pence as a "decent guy." Biden stands for one thing only - he is not Donald Trump. That seems to be enough for many in the Democratic Party.
Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader, was recently speaking at a pro-abortion rally in front of the US Supreme Court, while the Court was hearing arguments on an abortion related case. Schumer furiously yelled this: "I want to tell you, Gorsuch. I want to tell you, Kavanaugh. You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price...You won't know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions." It was outrageous for Schumer to threaten Supreme Court Justices, by name no less. Schumer is said to be a "moderate," compared, say, with Maxine Waters. But in 2018 Waters said this: "...and if you see anybody from that Cabinet (Trump's) in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd. And you push back on them. And you tell them they're not welcome anymore, anywhere..." These two politicians reflect the overall attitude of the Democratic Party - if they disagree with you, they have the right to harass you, to assault you, and for some, to batter you.
The Chief Justice, John Roberts, was so off-put by Schumer's comments that he issued a rebuke to Schumer. Rare for a Chief Justice to do. Roberts: "Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous. All Members of the Court will continue to do their job, without fear or favor, from whatever quarter." But some on the Left felt that Schumer's attack on the Court was justified because, you know, the Court now has a conservative majority. For example, one executive V.P. at People For the American Way noted that "he (Schumer) is acutely aware that Trump and the far right are packing the courts with extreme ideologues..." "Packing the court" now means appointing conservatives to the Left, turning its historical meaning (see below) on its head.
This attack on the Supreme Court by Democrats is not new. It's been happening ever since a conservative majority sits on the Court for the first time in decades. That's right - once the Court was majority conservative, it was time to attack, and to propose "reforms." Five Senators previously threatened the Court in an amicus (friend of the Court) brief: "The Supreme Court is not well. Perhaps the court can heal itself before the public demands it be 'restructured in order to reduce the influence of politics.'" That "restructuring" has included calls by Democrats to "pack" the Court (add to the number of justices on the Court after the next Democrat is elected President in order to allow the appointment of more left-wing justices), term limits for the justices (in order to get the conservatives off the bench), and limiting the jurisdiction of the Court. (Article 3 of the Constitution does not state how many justices must be on the Court. It does say what cases over which the Court has exclusive (original) jurisdiction, and where it may have appellate jurisdiction.)
After Elizabeth Warren dropped out of the presidential race, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow said this: "If Hillary Clinton can't win when she gets the nomination and you (Warren) can't get the nomination and neither can Kamala Harris, and neither can Amy Klobuchar, and neither can Kirsten Gillibrand...is it just that it can't be any woman ever?" I'm sure that's it. The country did not know Klobuchar or Gillibrand, and really did not know Harris (who stood for ?). As for Warren, she was popular, but many or her ideas overlapped with Sanders', who already had that left-wing base in his corner.
Finally, in a demonstration of left-wing hypocrisy, we have Human Rights Watch (HRW), an NGO. The Jerusalem Post reported that their executive Director, Ken Roth, "accepted a major donation (said to be $470,000) from a Saudi real estate tycoon by promising not to support advocacy of the LGBT community in the Middle East and North Africa." So, when Iran executed by hanging a man charged with violation of that country's anti-gay laws, HRW said...nothing. But, you can count on HRW to continue their ongoing criticisms of Israel. The Saudis are well known to use their money to buy influence; and use their money in the US to fund numerous mosques, and worse, to help fund major US universities. Not that the money would influence left-wing professors at all.
The Coronavirus
My initial reaction to the news about this virus was that it was an overblown story. I was quite annoyed with the mainstream media reporting every new case and every death. The result seemed to be nothing other than mass hysteria. After all, imagine if they reported every case of the flu every year, and every one of the estimated yearly 20,000 to 60,000 deaths. Or, if they reported every injury from every auto accident, along with the 30,000 to 40,000 deaths per year. I still think it's too much reporting. As of this post, the number of US cases is over 3000, and the number of deaths is 61. The CDC estimates 9.3 million to 45 million cases of the flu per year.
Notwithstanding my personal reaction, it appears that China was able to significantly reduce the number of cases by restricting movement. Shortly thereafter, but apparently not soon enough, Italian leaders essentially shut down the country. Since then, Spain, France and Israel have shuttered much of their countries. No restaurants, cafes, bars, gyms, theaters, museums. In the US, major sporting events have been cancelled - the NBA and NHL suspending play, MLB delaying the start of the baseball season, and the NCAA cancelling March Madness. Large events are being cancelled. Some states and communities are limiting gatherings to 250 or 500 people. In Israel, the limit is 10 people, the minimum number required for a "minyan" (quorum), the number of people required to engage in certain prayers. Many school districts have closed, as have a large number of colleges and universities.
I do not recall anything like this in my lifetime. As someone in the high risk group, I certainly do not want to catch this virus, nor would I want to spread it to others. They tell us that this virus is far more easily transmitted to others than the flu. Hence, the need for "social distancing." Since Friday, and notwithstanding my initial refusal to go along with the conventional wisdom, we have been practicing social distancing. We have not left the house over the weekend, with the exception of doing some grocery shopping.
Many of the experts also tell us that, aside from being spread more easily than the flu, the mortality rate is higher. I have seen numbers saying 3.4% higher to 10% higher. I am not buying that. Not yet anyway. After all, we are told that for most people who get the coronavirus, they are likely to get a mild to moderate case. If that is correct, then thousands (millions?) will never see a doctor or ER, and will simply self-medicate until they feel better. Those people will never enter the system as part of the reported or known cases. Therefore, if we do not know the total number of cases, we cannot possibly calculate the percentage of fatalities. What we can say is that the elderly, and those with underlying health problems or immune problems, are most at risk.
The economic consequences of society's reaction to this virus have the potential to be devastating. It is estimated that the NCAA alone is losing one billion dollars from the cancellation of the college basketball playoffs (March Madness). The NBA anticipates similar losses. Then we have the vendors who operate at these sports arenas and stadiums, and their suppliers, and all the restaurants and bars in the vicinity of where the now cancelled sporting events would have taken place. Then, you have the businesses shutting down completely for the time being, with others telling their employees to work remotely from home where feasible. Major stores (Walmart and Ralph's, for example) have reduced the number of hours they are open to the public.
The politics. Frankly, I am somewhat reluctant to get into the politics surrounding this virus. Not because Trump was not at his best in his initial speech to the country. That was clear. He has done better since. Some of the attacks on the President by the Democrats and the mainstream media are completely unwarranted. As with natural disasters, there will be a need for financial aid to states and businesses. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said this: "If you're providing liquidity to good businesses that just need liquidity for 3 to 6 months, that's not a bailout." That may be semantics. However, contrary to what one might expect from my conservative outlook, I see this as a time when we need to join together. That has been one of my concerns with this virus. After 9/11, the country was united. After the Northridge earthquake, Southern Californians helped one another.
This crisis seemed different. People seemed to be more selfish, what with the hoarding of toilet paper and water. Then there was the young guy who purchased 17,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, thinking he would cash in by selling them at a huge mark-up. I understand that Amazon and others prevented him from doing so. As a firm believer in capitalism, I admire his entrepreneurial spirit. I do not admire his timing, nor his desire to take advantage of a crisis situation. The same for people who are hoarding face masks, which affects the ability of doctors, nurses and hospital staff (those who need them the most) to get those masks. This morning, as I was thinking about what might be done to help people, rather than take advantage of people, I emailed one of my Rabbis at Chabad. I suggested that it would be nice for younger, healthy people to volunteer to do the grocery shopping for the elderly, sick and disabled, given the long lines at many markets and Costco and other places. He replied that he was in the process of sending out an email to the Chabad community announcing just that. I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that our son and his new bride, and our daughter, had announced on Facebook that they were ready to help pick up food and medications for those who could not or should not leave their homes. That is the spirit that I hope we will see more of - Americans reaching out to help their fellow Americans.
Notwithstanding my personal reaction, it appears that China was able to significantly reduce the number of cases by restricting movement. Shortly thereafter, but apparently not soon enough, Italian leaders essentially shut down the country. Since then, Spain, France and Israel have shuttered much of their countries. No restaurants, cafes, bars, gyms, theaters, museums. In the US, major sporting events have been cancelled - the NBA and NHL suspending play, MLB delaying the start of the baseball season, and the NCAA cancelling March Madness. Large events are being cancelled. Some states and communities are limiting gatherings to 250 or 500 people. In Israel, the limit is 10 people, the minimum number required for a "minyan" (quorum), the number of people required to engage in certain prayers. Many school districts have closed, as have a large number of colleges and universities.
I do not recall anything like this in my lifetime. As someone in the high risk group, I certainly do not want to catch this virus, nor would I want to spread it to others. They tell us that this virus is far more easily transmitted to others than the flu. Hence, the need for "social distancing." Since Friday, and notwithstanding my initial refusal to go along with the conventional wisdom, we have been practicing social distancing. We have not left the house over the weekend, with the exception of doing some grocery shopping.
Many of the experts also tell us that, aside from being spread more easily than the flu, the mortality rate is higher. I have seen numbers saying 3.4% higher to 10% higher. I am not buying that. Not yet anyway. After all, we are told that for most people who get the coronavirus, they are likely to get a mild to moderate case. If that is correct, then thousands (millions?) will never see a doctor or ER, and will simply self-medicate until they feel better. Those people will never enter the system as part of the reported or known cases. Therefore, if we do not know the total number of cases, we cannot possibly calculate the percentage of fatalities. What we can say is that the elderly, and those with underlying health problems or immune problems, are most at risk.
The economic consequences of society's reaction to this virus have the potential to be devastating. It is estimated that the NCAA alone is losing one billion dollars from the cancellation of the college basketball playoffs (March Madness). The NBA anticipates similar losses. Then we have the vendors who operate at these sports arenas and stadiums, and their suppliers, and all the restaurants and bars in the vicinity of where the now cancelled sporting events would have taken place. Then, you have the businesses shutting down completely for the time being, with others telling their employees to work remotely from home where feasible. Major stores (Walmart and Ralph's, for example) have reduced the number of hours they are open to the public.
The politics. Frankly, I am somewhat reluctant to get into the politics surrounding this virus. Not because Trump was not at his best in his initial speech to the country. That was clear. He has done better since. Some of the attacks on the President by the Democrats and the mainstream media are completely unwarranted. As with natural disasters, there will be a need for financial aid to states and businesses. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said this: "If you're providing liquidity to good businesses that just need liquidity for 3 to 6 months, that's not a bailout." That may be semantics. However, contrary to what one might expect from my conservative outlook, I see this as a time when we need to join together. That has been one of my concerns with this virus. After 9/11, the country was united. After the Northridge earthquake, Southern Californians helped one another.
This crisis seemed different. People seemed to be more selfish, what with the hoarding of toilet paper and water. Then there was the young guy who purchased 17,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, thinking he would cash in by selling them at a huge mark-up. I understand that Amazon and others prevented him from doing so. As a firm believer in capitalism, I admire his entrepreneurial spirit. I do not admire his timing, nor his desire to take advantage of a crisis situation. The same for people who are hoarding face masks, which affects the ability of doctors, nurses and hospital staff (those who need them the most) to get those masks. This morning, as I was thinking about what might be done to help people, rather than take advantage of people, I emailed one of my Rabbis at Chabad. I suggested that it would be nice for younger, healthy people to volunteer to do the grocery shopping for the elderly, sick and disabled, given the long lines at many markets and Costco and other places. He replied that he was in the process of sending out an email to the Chabad community announcing just that. I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that our son and his new bride, and our daughter, had announced on Facebook that they were ready to help pick up food and medications for those who could not or should not leave their homes. That is the spirit that I hope we will see more of - Americans reaching out to help their fellow Americans.
Saturday, February 29, 2020
The Great Divide
This past week I was having lunch one day with three fellow Jews. One asked why I thought there was an increase in anti-Semitism. My reply was not well received. I spoke about the growth of the Left, and how Leftists had come to increasingly dominate the Democratic Party. I mentioned how the Left despises Israel, and how that hatred of Israel spills over into a hatred of Jews in general, especially if those Jews show even the slightest support for the Jewish nation. I pointed out that it was Leftists who shouted down pro-Israel speakers on college campuses across the country. I discussed that an anti-Semite such as Ilhan Omar was able to make one anti-Semitic comment after the next, while the Speaker of the House not only refused to condemn her, but actually excused her comments and defended her. Of course, I acknowledged the anti-Semitic, white supremacist, Neo-Nazis as also being a serious problem. Unlike the Left, however, the Neo-Nazis have no home in any mainstream political party. "Too political" an explanation I was told.
I was frustrated. Not because they disagreed with me - that I am used to. It was as if they simply were not comprehending what I was saying. An Op-Ed in the 2/25/20 Wall Street Journal referred to an Axios poll from 2018. "61% of Democrats thought of Republicans as racist, bigoted or sexist. About half of Republicans described Democrats as ignorant or spiteful." (Charles Lipson's Op-Ed.) I prefer "uninformed" to "ignorant." My explanation was too political? The greatest perpetrators of anti-Semitism in history were the National Socialists in Germany - a POLITICAL party also known as the Nazis.
Which brings me to this current election season. Notwithstanding Joe Biden's victory today in South Carolina, Bernie Sanders has a strong possibility of becoming the Democratic nominee for President. Sanders spent his honeymoon in the USSR! "No one who shares Middle America's core values of freedom, democracy and entrepreneurship would choose to honeymoon in the Soviet Union." (Joseph Sternberg in an Op-Ed in the 2/28/20 WSJ.) But that was not all. No, Sanders saw fit to praise the Soviet subway system, and praised worker programs and youth programs. The Soviets killed tens of millions of their own people. They had the gulags. They had the KGB to make sure no one dared attempt to speak freely. They had breadlines and empty store shelves. But Sanders saw fit to talk about their subway system. Sanders is what the Soviets would call a "useful idiot."
Sanders also has been speaking admirably of Castro and Cuba, as well as other Communist regimes. "You know, when Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program? Is that a bad thing?" No, it's great. It allowed him to make sure the people could read only what he wanted them to read - only his Communist propaganda. The killings, imprisonment of political dissidents, government control of the press, nationalization of private businesses, "appropriation" (stealing) of private property - not really worth mentioning. After all, Castro had a literacy program.
Being a Leftist first, and a Jew somewhere way down the line, Sanders is an anti-Semite, and has affiliated his campaign with a number of anti-Semites. (Accused anti-Semites include Linda Sarsour, who acts as a surrogate for Sanders, Matthew Duss, who is his foreign policy adviser and Faiz Shakir - his campaign manager. Google them.) At one of the recent debates, Sanders referred to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a "reactionary racist." While he always managed to find nice words for murdering Communist regimes, not so for Israel or Netanyahu. Israel is the only democratic country in the Middle East. Netanyahu was instrumental early on in shifting the Israeli economy from socialism to a free market economy. The result has been an explosion of free enterprise and high-tech, unsurpassed by almost any other country in the world. Equally bad, not a single one of the other Democratic candidates on stage pushed back against the false description of Netanyahu.
The American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is the largest pro-Israel lobbying group in Washington. In the past, leaders of both parties attended and spoke at AIPAC's annual convention. Sanders: "I remain concerned about the platform AIPAC provides for leaders who express bigotry and oppose basic Palestinian rights. For that reason I will not attend their conference." Honeymooning in a country that murdered millions was okay, but speaking at AIPAC, which advocates for a two-state solution in the Middle East is unacceptable. Elizabeth Warren also said she would not attend AIPAC, as did Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, along with former candidates Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand and Beto O'Rourke.
In my 7/17/16 post I discussed "Classical Liberalism." Leftists, which make up a growing portion of the Democratic Party, are not liberals. Many, no doubt, started out as classical liberals, but just went along when the party abandoned such liberal ideals as free speech, tolerance for opposing views and support for a free market economic system (capitalism). In the Sternberg Op-Ed he discussed why Jeremy Corbyn, the Labor Party leader in the UK, suffered such a dramatic defeat in their recent election. Corbyn and Sanders are alike in a number of ways. Support for a socialist program. Support for the Palestinians over Israel. Sternberg: "British voters concluded that the danger of a leader who didn't share their values was greater than the risk even of Brexit."
I have said it many times before. The reason for the great divide in this country is values. A Democratic Party that once shared in the American value system now has a Leftist vision for the country and the world. As Sternberg noted, Corbyn lost in a country that had suffered under socialist policies, and when they had enough of the poverty of socialism they voted in Margaret Thatcher. In the 1930's, some in the US had a flirtation with socialism and communism, but the American people have never had to live under such a regime. One hopes that they do not need to experience socialism to reject it. "Socialism of any type and shade leads to a total destruction of the human spirit and to a leveling of mankind into death." Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, political prisoner of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
I was frustrated. Not because they disagreed with me - that I am used to. It was as if they simply were not comprehending what I was saying. An Op-Ed in the 2/25/20 Wall Street Journal referred to an Axios poll from 2018. "61% of Democrats thought of Republicans as racist, bigoted or sexist. About half of Republicans described Democrats as ignorant or spiteful." (Charles Lipson's Op-Ed.) I prefer "uninformed" to "ignorant." My explanation was too political? The greatest perpetrators of anti-Semitism in history were the National Socialists in Germany - a POLITICAL party also known as the Nazis.
Which brings me to this current election season. Notwithstanding Joe Biden's victory today in South Carolina, Bernie Sanders has a strong possibility of becoming the Democratic nominee for President. Sanders spent his honeymoon in the USSR! "No one who shares Middle America's core values of freedom, democracy and entrepreneurship would choose to honeymoon in the Soviet Union." (Joseph Sternberg in an Op-Ed in the 2/28/20 WSJ.) But that was not all. No, Sanders saw fit to praise the Soviet subway system, and praised worker programs and youth programs. The Soviets killed tens of millions of their own people. They had the gulags. They had the KGB to make sure no one dared attempt to speak freely. They had breadlines and empty store shelves. But Sanders saw fit to talk about their subway system. Sanders is what the Soviets would call a "useful idiot."
Sanders also has been speaking admirably of Castro and Cuba, as well as other Communist regimes. "You know, when Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program? Is that a bad thing?" No, it's great. It allowed him to make sure the people could read only what he wanted them to read - only his Communist propaganda. The killings, imprisonment of political dissidents, government control of the press, nationalization of private businesses, "appropriation" (stealing) of private property - not really worth mentioning. After all, Castro had a literacy program.
Being a Leftist first, and a Jew somewhere way down the line, Sanders is an anti-Semite, and has affiliated his campaign with a number of anti-Semites. (Accused anti-Semites include Linda Sarsour, who acts as a surrogate for Sanders, Matthew Duss, who is his foreign policy adviser and Faiz Shakir - his campaign manager. Google them.) At one of the recent debates, Sanders referred to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a "reactionary racist." While he always managed to find nice words for murdering Communist regimes, not so for Israel or Netanyahu. Israel is the only democratic country in the Middle East. Netanyahu was instrumental early on in shifting the Israeli economy from socialism to a free market economy. The result has been an explosion of free enterprise and high-tech, unsurpassed by almost any other country in the world. Equally bad, not a single one of the other Democratic candidates on stage pushed back against the false description of Netanyahu.
The American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is the largest pro-Israel lobbying group in Washington. In the past, leaders of both parties attended and spoke at AIPAC's annual convention. Sanders: "I remain concerned about the platform AIPAC provides for leaders who express bigotry and oppose basic Palestinian rights. For that reason I will not attend their conference." Honeymooning in a country that murdered millions was okay, but speaking at AIPAC, which advocates for a two-state solution in the Middle East is unacceptable. Elizabeth Warren also said she would not attend AIPAC, as did Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, along with former candidates Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand and Beto O'Rourke.
In my 7/17/16 post I discussed "Classical Liberalism." Leftists, which make up a growing portion of the Democratic Party, are not liberals. Many, no doubt, started out as classical liberals, but just went along when the party abandoned such liberal ideals as free speech, tolerance for opposing views and support for a free market economic system (capitalism). In the Sternberg Op-Ed he discussed why Jeremy Corbyn, the Labor Party leader in the UK, suffered such a dramatic defeat in their recent election. Corbyn and Sanders are alike in a number of ways. Support for a socialist program. Support for the Palestinians over Israel. Sternberg: "British voters concluded that the danger of a leader who didn't share their values was greater than the risk even of Brexit."
I have said it many times before. The reason for the great divide in this country is values. A Democratic Party that once shared in the American value system now has a Leftist vision for the country and the world. As Sternberg noted, Corbyn lost in a country that had suffered under socialist policies, and when they had enough of the poverty of socialism they voted in Margaret Thatcher. In the 1930's, some in the US had a flirtation with socialism and communism, but the American people have never had to live under such a regime. One hopes that they do not need to experience socialism to reject it. "Socialism of any type and shade leads to a total destruction of the human spirit and to a leveling of mankind into death." Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, political prisoner of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
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