All purpose news and politics thread part VI: This Is Not The Time For Posing

[scourge]

Democrats have different sins. They went much further with limits on in-person learning, hurting the ability of millions of Americans (if not more) to reach their full potential.

Yeah, naw.
That's total BS and completely ignores the PANDEMIC that was y'know...KILLING PEOPLE.
So no...it wasn't a 'sin'.

[kidfresh512]

Democrats have different sins. They went much further with limits on in-person learning, hurting the ability of millions of Americans (if not more) to reach their full potential.

The GOP care about children's education and full potential now? The same GOP led states that ALWAYS sit at the bottom of every metric of education as well as healthcare? They are more worried about what books to ban, than they are about the children learning.



Meanwhile....

Sen. Ron Johnson Tries To Squirm Out Of Threats He Made To Social Security

Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson has angrily denied that he ever threatened the Social Security program — even though he has.

Johnson, a devoted Trump ally who is trailing in the polls in the upcoming midterms, last month proposed that funding for Social Security (and Medicare) be decided year by year as part of “discretionary” spending programs. That would subject funding to a potentially fierce partisan political battle annually, jeopardizing a predictable income for some 69 million Americans — most of whom have paid into the program their entire working lives.

Johnson insisted Sunday on “Fox & Friends” that claims he’s out to gut Social Security are a “lie.”

“All the Democrats can do is lie about me,” said the testy senator. “The most outrageous lie they’re telling about me right now is that I want to cut or end Social Security ... what elected official would ever want to cut Social Security? It is absurd on its face. I want to save Social Security.”

Johnson warns in his campaign website that Social Security benefits may have to be “cut” without enough money to support the program. Yet Johnson enthusiastically voted during the Trump administration to slash corporate taxes 40%, sucking an estimated $2.3 trillion out of the American Treasury over 10 years.

Democrats lie about me lol. He is the one that said it but, pointing it out is "lies".

[hyped78]

I think large majority of MP’s (Labour as well as Conservative) are out of touch with the plights of ordinary citizen!

To be (slightly) pedantic I can only vote for who-ever stands in my constituency…I can’t vote for Starmer because I don’t live in area he represents. But I will very likely vote Labour at next election, and actually do prefer Starmer to Truss and Sunak.

Well, funny enough I live in Starmer’s constituency… but I can’t vote (only for local elections)

Yeah, naw.
That's total BS and completely ignores the PANDEMIC that was y'know...KILLING PEOPLE.
So no...it wasn't a 'sin'.

You don’t think the Covid lockdowns created an array of problems, especially for school kids?

I am triple vaccinated, was a mask wearer and fully complied with all three UK lockdowns, but obviously the lockdowns had immense economic, social and psychological cost, especially on school kids. There’s no shortage of literature on that, for example:

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown...ents-catch-up/
https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/...ished-learning

[AnakinFlair]

Well, funny enough I live in Starmer’s constituency… but I can’t vote (only for local elections)



You don’t think the Covid lockdowns created an array of problems, especially for school kids?

I am triple vaccinated, was a mask wearer and fully complied with all three UK lockdowns, but obviously the lockdowns had immense economic, social and psychological cost, especially on school kids. There’s no shortage of literature on that, for example:

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown...ents-catch-up/
https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/...ished-learning

While that may be true, you know what else lockdowns did to kids? IT KEPT THEM ALIVE.

[The Cool Thatguy]

Democrats have different sins. They went much further with limits on in-person learning, hurting the ability of millions of Americans (if not more) to reach their full potential.

Keeping kids alive is a sin now?

Maybe if Republicans had actually gone along with the experts, the damn pandemic wouldn't have dragged on so long.

[hyped78]

While that may be true, you know what else lockdowns did to kids? IT KEPT THEM ALIVE.

By now we know that the mortality rates below a certain age are negligible (check CDC statistics, for example). And while I understand that the first wave of lockdowns were prudent in the face of uncertainty and lack of a vaccine, it’s harder to justify later lockdowns.

https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-survival/covid-19/

The cost of opportunity?
https://news.sky.com/story/how-nearl...chool-12687778

(UK)
“According to latest Digital NHS statistic, a record number of more than 400,000 children a month are being treated for mental health problems, and more are struggling to be diagnosed.”

“Stefan Phillips says his son has been unable to attend a school for two years due to crippling anxiety brought on by the pandemic. He says it's been heartbreaking to watch as a father and he hasn't been given enough help to support his son into returning. COVID hit two years ago, being locked in his bedroom, now he won't go anywhere. His anxiety is through the roof, he won't leave the house.”

And from that UNICEF link, WW:
“The available evidence indicates the direct impact of COVID-19 on child, adolescent and youth mortality to be limited. However, there is concern that the indirect effects of the pandemic on mortality in these age groups stemming from strained health systems, household income loss, and disruptions to care-seeking and preventative interventions like vaccination may be more substantial.”

Or https://www.ncmd.info/news/covid-deaths-children-rare/

[Mister Mets]

While that may be true, you know what else lockdowns did to kids? IT KEPT THEM ALIVE.

Keeping kids alive is a sin now?

Maybe if Republicans had actually gone along with the experts, the damn pandemic wouldn't have dragged on so long.

It became apparent rather quickly (by the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year) that the effects of Covid on healthy children were minor. This is pretty well known.

[seismic-2]

It became apparent rather quickly (by the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year) that the effects of Covid on healthy children were minor. This is pretty well known.

It was known early on that children were less prone to become ill from Covid-20 (although of course some did in fact become seriously ill, and some died). However, as soon as it became apparent that asymptomatic people could transmit the virus, school boards became understandably concerned that seemingly healthy children could nevertheless pass the virus among themselves and then infect their teachers and school staff, as well as their parents and other family members (especially their grandparents) when they got home.

[The Cool Thatguy]

It became apparent rather quickly (by the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year) that the effects of Covid on healthy children were minor. This is pretty well known.

Healthy kids could still spread it, remember?

[WestPhillyPunisher]

How a Record Cash Haul Vanished for Senate Republicans







This was a pretty interesting article while it's heartening to see GOP efforts sinking while wasting tons of cash. This is just one segment of their failures in what could be massive disappointment if they do worse than expected in the Senate campaigns. It certainly doesnt help that on top of the cash woes they are also having to deal with absolutely awful candidates. They already were hamstrung with having no real policies to run on except hate. They have these wacky candidates who are just completely unappealing, and their entire campaigns are hinged on voters to want to vote for them just because they are not Democrats.

And how many millions were flushed down the toilet on legal fees to keep Trump out of jail since he damn sure wasn’t spending HIS money when he can spend the GQP’s instead?

[hyped78]

It was known early on that children were less prone to become ill from Covid-20 (although of course some did in fact become seriously ill, and some died). However, as soon as it became apparent that asymptomatic people could transmit the virus, school boards became understandably concerned that seemingly healthy children could nevertheless pass the virus among themselves and then infect their teachers and school staff, as well as their parents and other family members (especially their grandparents) when they got home.

Healthy kids could still spread it, remember?

So isolate vulnerable people, e.g. grandparents, and let kids go to school. The (bad) results are plain to see.

Anyways, hindsight is 20/20, I’ll give you that.

[Username taken]

It became apparent rather quickly (by the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year) that the effects of Covid on healthy children were minor. This is pretty well known.

That wasn't just the only fear. Kids could get covid and spread it.

Before the lockdown, I had to pull out my kids from school because they used to spend a significant amount of time with my mother (who was already over 60 at the time).

Speaking more broadly (and not entirely related to this topic) part of the reason that we get vaccines as kids is so they don't spread communicable diseases to adults.
.

[Username taken]

So isolate vulnerable people and let kids go to school

How would you do this without separating kids from their parents?

I remember people actually floated the idea but it was noted that it was virtually impossible to keep kids (especially younger ones) away from adults.

[hyped78]

How would you do this without separating kids from their parents?

I remember people actually floated the idea but it was noted that it was virtually impossible to keep kids (especially younger ones) away from adults.

That’s why I noted that once people got vaccinated, subsequent lockdowns made less and less sense. Before the vaccine sure, but after folks got vaccinated the risk went down considerably.

Also, the risk for a 40-year-old is statistically far inferior to that of a 70-year-old.

But I see your point - some of the other posters had framed it as needed to protect children’s lives, which is incorrect. I agree more with the way you framed it, to be clear.

And we are talking about saving lives, but the lockdowns generated economic and social costs that also took lives:
https://www.theguardian.com/business...1bn-study-says

[The Cool Thatguy]

Explain to me why the damage done from the lockdowns falls exclusively on Democrats, when it was largely Republicans who fought against every measure meant to mitigate the pandemic, thus drawing it out?