All purpose news and politics thread part v: The quickening

[TheManInBlack]

With a negative net worth of $65 billion and an additional $140 billion in unfunded liabilities, the USPS originally expected to run out of liquidity by 2021 without intervention. That has accelerated rapidly because of COVID-19. Fewer people and businesses are sending mail because of the outbreak, which could hasten the decline of the Postal Service and close its doors as early as June, officials warned.

I don't buy this. At all. I work logistics and security at several post offices in Canada with a history in the USPS (dual citizen) and the increase in sent mail is insane. With everyone stuck at home, the only place they have to shop is online. In Ontario where I am at the moment, we have had almost double the amount of packages in the last few weeks alone. It's almost as bad as the Christmas rush. We've had to bring in workers on the weekend to handle the load. Decline in mail? BS.

[PaulBullion]

I don't buy this. At all. I work logistics and security at several post offices in Canada with a history in the USPS (dual citizen) and the increase in sent mail is insane. With everyone stuck at home, the only place they have to shop is online. In Ontario where I am at the moment, we have had almost double the amount of packages in the last few weeks alone. It's almost as bad as the Christmas rush. We've had to bring in workers on the weekend to handle the load. Decline in mail? BS.

Isn't also some government business (like filing for unemployment) now done by mail instead of in person? Though I guess some can be done online.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

U.S. Overtakes Italy With Largest Number Of Coronavirus Deaths

According to Johns Hopkins data, the U.S. has set a grim new global record of 20,000 dead.

**********

More instances of Trump's disastrous mishandling and blatant maliciousness regarding the coronavirus crisis:

Trump Leaves Trail Of Unmet Promises In Coronavirus Response

Trump Administration Tells Employers Not To Worry About Recording COVID-19 Cases

Trump Reportedly Weighed Letting COVID-19 ‘Wash Over’ U.S., But Was Warned Of Grim Toll

**********

Surgeon General Singles Out People Of Color To Stop Alcohol, Drugs In COVID-19 Fight

Jerome Adams then said he didn’t mean to offend and his advice was for “all Americans.” He was addressing the disproportionate rate of minority deaths. That sounded like something Kid Jackboot (Stephen Miller) would say. As a black man, I found that wholly repugnant.

**********

Sailors Reportedly ‘Struggling’ And ‘Upset’ Over Capt. Crozier’s Ouster, Official Reveals

“I certainly don’t question his motives,” Vice Adm. Bill Merz said of Crozier, who was relieved from the USS Roosevelt after speaking out about the coronavirus.

**********

Anti-Muslim Propaganda Is Seeping Into Online Discourse About The Coronavirus

Far-right groups and websites across the globe have taken advantage of people’s fears and vulnerabilities in order to push disinformation to vilify Muslims.

**********

FDA To Alex Jones: Stop Selling Fake Coronavirus Cures

The conspiracy theorist has been hawking “unapproved and unauthorized products” that falsely claim to combat COVID-19, the agency said. Jones should be arrested and/or sued if anyone dies using that **** he's hawking.

[worstblogever]

It on this date in 2015 that “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day” had a profile of Charles Key, a former member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives who was nationally noteworthy for being an Oklahoma City Bombing Truther, who garnered a fanatical support base from right wing militia groups who believed that Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were framed, and after 1998 hearings confirmed the guilty parties were in fact, those militia goons, Charles Key denounced the jury he picked's decision. As a legislator, though, Key pushed for the 10th Amendment to be used to nullify everything from the Affordable Care Act to firearms laws, and even co-sponsored Oklahoma's attempt to ban Sharia Law in their state, as if there is a huge Muslim population there in the first place.Key was thankfully forced out of office due to term limits.



In 2016, 2017, 2018, as well as 2019, “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day” presented profiles of Colorado State Senator Vicki Marble, who was first elected in 2012 with the help of Glenn Beck's 9/12 Tea Party movement. Since reaching office, she has been an utter embarrassment for the Colorado GOP. Marble's first debut in the news cycle about being, for lack of a better term, a marble-head was in April of 2013, where in a discussion over the pre-school education budget, she decided it would be a good time to rant about an MSNBC commercial promoting Melissa Harris-Perry's show, and also to compare Democrats' plans to Communism and ideas Hitler and the Third Reich had. She then had people paying attention when she spoke, and it didn't take too much longer for her to deliver. In August of 2013, when she decided to weigh in on the floor of the Colorado State Senate about the poverty levels of African Americans and Hispanics, and blamed the genetic health problems "the black race" faces on their love of barbecue and chicken. And guess what? Vicki Marble refused to apologize for her statement, even as the Chairman of the Colorado Republican Party threw her under the us for what she said. In her mind, she didn't do anything wrong, she was just "trying to start a dialogue". But as her first year in office was coming to a close, Vicki Marble brought colossally stupid to the table, instead of just her inflammatory and bigoted remarks previously when she began calling for legislation to prevent people from using food stamps to buy pot brownies from Colorado marijuana dispensaries... because she was afraid that was happening after she read an article on a parody news site about it. Marble's voting record has also seen an obsessive fascination with gun rights where even in light of the Aurora, Colorado mass shooting, she's been voting against any and all gun control bills, including co-sponsoring a bill to allow domestic violence offenders to continue to own a firearm, in spite of studies that show they are more likely to use those weapons against their accusers. On social issues... for whatever reason, Marble voted against Colorado's attempt to repeal the classification of adultery as a criminal offense in the state, and she also made news for being so anti-abortion that she sponsored a bill to amend the definition of assault and homicide to include any fetus "from conception through birth", which is the most overwhelming wide range of time in any of those end-around attempts at repealing Roe v. Wade we've ever seen from a Republican. And that's saying something.

In spite of getting lambasted by the Denver Post for being a "hateful dissident" in opinion editorials, and having lackluster fundraising, Marble was re-elected rather easily with 58% of the vote in 2016. She has entered her second term in office, attempting to find ways to allow people to find loopholes to getting their kids vaccinated, and sponsoring a repeal of Colorado's rather modest gun control law to outlaw large-capacity ammunition magazines (the kind that was used to carry out the Aurora Massacre).

That is, until October of 2017, when Vicki Marble went to visit a Cub Scout troop, and an 11-year old kid present asked her why she voted to allow domestic abusers to continue to have access to firearms, and why she made her comments about African Americans liking chicken back four years earlier. Now, staring a child in the eyes and admitting you made a mistake would be the human thing to do, but apparently, that sort of morality is beyond Vicki Marble, who LIED to the face of a Boy Scout and told him the story was “made up by the media”. (Not according to the record in the legislature it’s not, Vicki.) A week later, she wrote an op-ed in her local newspaper, changing her story again and admitting she DID say those things, and that they were “widely recognized as true”, but her remarks were “twisted by the PC police”. Can the optics get any worse? Marble threw enough of a fit that the Cub Scout was thrown out of his troop for asking the question Marble didn’t like (another troop quickly invited him to join, instead).

But more alarmingly, she’s shown herself unable to accept the reality that Colorado has begun trending towards being a blue state, with a Democratic Governor, and a Democratic majority in the state legislature. Twice in March of 2019, she has responded to her frustration over oil and gas tax breaks that she sponsored not getting anywhere in the Colorado State Senate, she took to social media, and twice called on Northern Colorado (the more conservative part) to “SECEDE: from the state and form its own". And that’s not a misquote, or a misuse of capitalization, when she writes the word, it’s in all caps so you know she’s serious.

She then began prodding her followers to potentially commit a domestic terror attack, telling one, "Let the ‘Ambush begin….you know what I mean…. Kyle.” When a local reporter tried following up to find out if she was serious and what the hell she was playing at, she threatened HIM, saying, "I’m coming after you." After much criticism, she tried blaming it on her constituents, saying she’s being hearing talk of secession from THEM (even if that’s the case, she’s been caught throwing gas on that fire.)

As Vicki Marble approaches the end of her career in the Colorado State Senate due to term limits in 2020, she’s quickly becoming the target of ethics investigations, because she’s blissfully unaware of the fact that it’s a conflict of interests and pretty corrupt to have the employees of oil and gas companies who donate money to your campaign also pay for town halls you host in public restaurants, then shrug and claim you had “no idea” who actually was footing the bill. Because we all know ignorance absolves you of a crime, right? Instead of just going away when her 8 years in the State Senate are over, Marble has opted to take a step down and instead, run for the Colorado House of Representatives in 2020. This could mean the Colorado state legislature won’t be rid of her for another 8 years.

GREEEEAAAAT…

[Darkspellmaster]

U.S. Overtakes Italy With Largest Number Of Coronavirus Deaths

According to Johns Hopkins data, the U.S. has set a grim new global record of 20,000 dead.

**********

More instances of Trump's disastrous mishandling and blatant maliciousness regarding the coronavirus crisis:

Trump Leaves Trail Of Unmet Promises In Coronavirus Response

Trump Administration Tells Employers Not To Worry About Recording COVID-19 Cases

Trump Reportedly Weighed Letting COVID-19 ‘Wash Over’ U.S., But Was Warned Of Grim Toll

**********

Surgeon General Singles Out People Of Color To Stop Alcohol, Drugs In COVID-19 Fight

Jerome Adams then said he didn’t mean to offend and his advice was for “all Americans.” He was addressing the disproportionate rate of minority deaths. That sounded like something Kid Jackboot (Stephen Miller) would say. As a black man, I found that wholly repugnant.

**********

Sailors Reportedly ‘Struggling’ And ‘Upset’ Over Capt. Crozier’s Ouster, Official Reveals

“I certainly don’t question his motives,” Vice Adm. Bill Merz said of Crozier, who was relieved from the USS Roosevelt after speaking out about the coronavirus.

**********

Anti-Muslim Propaganda Is Seeping Into Online Discourse About The Coronavirus

Far-right groups and websites across the globe have taken advantage of people’s fears and vulnerabilities in order to push disinformation to vilify Muslims.

**********

FDA To Alex Jones: Stop Selling Fake Coronavirus Cures

The conspiracy theorist has been hawking “unapproved and unauthorized products” that falsely claim to combat COVID-19, the agency said. Jones should be arrested and/or sued if anyone dies using that **** he's hawking.

Seems to me that there's a number of cases of every group trying to place blame on others. If I've read right recently Muslims are just the latest in the "point the finger game" that several governments are playing.

[PaulBullion]

The Kansas Supreme Court sided with Gov. Laura Kelly's order limiting religious gatherings to 10 people.

The Kansas GOP failed with their scheme to get more people killed.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Seems to me that there's a number of cases of every group trying to place blame on others. If I've read right recently Muslims are just the latest in the "point the finger game" that several governments are playing.

Muslims in America have been the whipping boy/bogeyman/villain du jour ever since 9/11, and precious little has changed since then. My concern are for Asian-Americans who could become the next target, what with Trump and the GOP's manic insistence on calling COVID-19 "Chinese" coronavirus. There had been two such attacks on Asians here in Philadelphia where I live and heaven only knows if that sort of violence could become widespread.

The Kansas Supreme Court sided with Gov. Laura Kelly's order limiting religious gatherings to 10 people.

The Kansas GOP failed with their scheme to get more people killed.

Common sense to prevent people from dying, what a concept!

[PaulBullion]

Muslims in America have been the whipping boy/bogeyman/villain du jour ever since 9/11, and precious little has changed since then. My concern are for Asian-Americans who could become the next target, what with Trump and the GOP's manic insistence on calling COVID-19 "Chinese" coronavirus. There had been two such attacks on Asians here in Philadelphia where I live and heaven only knows if that sort of violence could become widespread.



Common sense to prevent people from dying, what a concept!

At least one pastor has announced that he will hold services anyway and break the law.

[shooshoomanjoe]

Here's a little fun fact on the Biden vs Bernie thing. Biden helped in securing an additional $600 a week of unemployment insurance; which the dems helped Americans receive this boost during the pandemic. Bernie has always been an advocate for a livable wage but he paid his staff less than $13 an hour. His staff's union had to fight Bernie for them to finally receive that livable wage from Bernie.

[numberthirty]

Here's a little fun fact on the Biden vs Bernie thing. Biden helped in securing an additional $600 a week of unemployment insurance; which the dems helped Americans receive this boost during the pandemic. Bernie has always been an advocate for a livable wage but he paid his staff less than $13 an hour. His staff's union had to fight Bernie for them to finally receive that livable wage from Bernie.

Lemme see if I got this straight...

From the article you sighted -

The Sanders campaign made history in March when it announced that all employees below the rank of deputy director would be represented by a union.

“We’re honored that his campaign will be the first to have a unionized workforce,” Shakir said in a statement at the time. Other campaigns have followed suit, with workers unionizing in at least two other active campaigns: those of Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) and former housing secretary Julián Castro.

The guy who made sure his campaign workers unionized so that they could collectively bargain for wages and benefits(which obviously happened...) is what?

Some kind of a bad guy?

And compared to who?

The same Joe Biden that went to bat for creditors?

You're kidding me, right?

[shooshoomanjoe]

Lemme see if I got this straight...

From the article you sighted -



The guy who made sure his campaign workers unionized so that they could collectively bargain for wages and benefits(which obviously happened...) is what?

Some kind of a bad guy?

And compared to who?

The same Joe Biden that went to bat for creditors?

You're kidding me, right?

Why not pay them 15 without having the union fight for it?

[numberthirty]

Why not pay them 15 without having the union fight for it?

Makes it sound like you're not entirely solid on the entire point of having a union.

Meanwhile, let's take a look at something Warren had to say about how well Biden has looked out for the little guy over the years...

https://www.gq.com/story/joe-biden-bankruptcy-bill

How Biden Helped Strip Bankruptcy Protection From Millions Just Before a Recession

This year, more women will file bankruptcy papers than will receive college diplomas. More women with children will search for a bankruptcy lawyer than will seek subsidized day care. And in a statistic with special significance for Senator Biden, more women will be victimized by predatory lenders than will seek protection from an abusive husband or boyfriend... The point is simply that family economics should not be left to giant corporations and paid lobbyists, and senators like Joe Biden should not be allowed to sell out women in the morning and be heralded as their friend in the evening. Middle-class women need help, and right now no one is putting their economic interests first.

[shooshoomanjoe]

Makes it sound like you're not entirely solid on the entire point of having a union.

Meanwhile, let's take a look at something Warren had to say about how well Biden has looked out for the little guy over the years...

https://www.gq.com/story/joe-biden-bankruptcy-bill

A straw man argument again? My point is that Bernie wants employers to pay their employees $15 but he was paying his $13. But since you want to go off course again, Biden now endorses Warren's bankruptcy plan.

[numberthirty]

A straw man argument again? My point is that Bernie wants employers to pay their employees $15 but he was paying his $13. But since you want to go off course again, Biden now endorses Warren's bankruptcy plan.

He put the means in place for them to get fifteen dollars an hour in writing.

Your point?

It ain't much of a point. He gave them the means to rectify a situation where a longer work week amounted to thirteen an hour. After he did that, he put fifteen an hour in writing.

As for Biden, lemme know when that retroactively helps the women Warren was talking about at the time.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

At least one pastor has announced that he will hold services anyway and break the law.

A pastor here in Philly had vowed to hold Easter services as of yesterday, but changed his mind early this morning. At least he had a legitimate reason since he serves a poor, mostly black neighborhood where not all of his congregation have internet access to watch services online. That, I understand, but it still wasn't good enough of a reason to go against the dictates of social distancing. I'm glad that pastor came around to realizing the best course of action was to keep his church closed.