The Trump Presidency

[Calliander]

further crippling economies and ruining people's lives with job losses, financial peril, mental health problems, homelessness, etc etc.

You bring up a good point. This part doesn't have to be difficult, though. We're expending effort to avoid helping people because [clutches pearls] rich folks might have to pay more in taxes to achieve it and oh goodness their hard-earned money.

Hypothetically the only way a lockdown could have achieved that is a synchronized lockdown of the entire country for a finite amount of time

We could have done this, too, though with the rampant stupidity in this country I agree w/your concern about being able to enforce something like it. I'm in CT – blue state, responsible governor (at least regarding this virus), police stops to see if travelers have an essential business letter, etc. The times I've had to go out, more people have no mask than do, hardly anyone maintains 6 feet of space, people don't cover when they cough or sneeze, they're yelling at store employees for having to wait... it's a mess.

But NYC's 66% thing is a great measure – it means that a good percentage of people are either misrepresenting about staying home or they aren't doing as good of a job avoiding exposure.

I don't really agree with Drew on a lot of stuff but he is right about that. Considering all the gross shit people have probably stepped on without noticing, The last thing I want to do is track that in my home.

Yeah, wait, are people arguing with him about taking shoes off in the house?

Anyway, with Trump being a germaphobe and people a little too close to him testing positive, I wonder if he's experiencing any anxiety as a result?

[station82o]

If Trump is experiencing anxiety, it'll just manifest in other ways. He's not going to show it, not when his base is so vehemently in favor of ending lockdowns. See here's the danger for democrats ---- at this point, they're thinking the election will be a referendum on Trump's handling of the virus. But if more people lose their jobs in the coming weeks and months, they're going to eyeball who their governor is and what party is it that's responsible for them not being able to have kept their job by allowing businesses to open up soon. The states in favor of longer lockdowns are democratically controlled, and while they may feel that people are perceiving them as the responsible, competent ones, when it comes time to vote in November, a person's individual financial/economic state will matter more than anything else. They'll remember that Trump was in favor of reopening sooner and give him the nod. I don't like Trump myself, but I'm predicting the democrats overplay this situation, and they lose independent voters in swing states like Michigan and Pennsylvania whose governors seem to be the most hellbent on keeping the lockdowns going. Trump wins reelection.

[Calliander]

Let's be clear: He's going to be reelected.

But if more people lose their jobs in the coming weeks and months, they're going to eyeball who their governor is and what party is it that's responsible for them not being able to have kept their job by allowing businesses to open up soon.

And yup. It's at once frustrating and disheartening to know that the dumb narratives from bad actors peddled by irresponsible news programs will only lead to the Democrats – who think this will count against him. People lose their jobs because of the necessary restrictions, but because a legitimate bill to help would never make it through the Senate to Trump's desk and Democrats are still too focused on playing fair to push a clear message pointing that out, they can easily blame the shelter in place orders.

It's so stupid and there's no fix. We just have to hit rock bottom, unfortunately.

[kedawa]

And then you have to elect Dwayne Johnson president.

[station82o]

If there was a credible third party ---- say one that was more based on realistic political ideas (pulling from left and right.... I guess a center party) that could be on the ballot in all 50 states and run a charismatic candidate, I think the political malaise in the country right now would be enough to have a lane open for that kind of upset. In other years probably not, but right now there seems to be enough equalized discontent with the two candidates that I could see it happening.

[kedawa]

You don't even really have a left wing party to begin with.
Let the democrats be the centrist party for corny family men, and create something left of that.

[Vasteel]

Civilized nations (asia, nordics, most commonwealth etc) just don’t wear their outdoor shoes inside.

The results of that ethnographic research have come in.

[Satsuki]

looooooool

[Drewbacca]

Coronavirus put a hold on onsite research.

[Frogacuda]

If Trump is experiencing anxiety, it'll just manifest in other ways. He's not going to show it, not when his base is so vehemently in favor of ending lockdowns. See here's the danger for democrats ---- at this point, they're thinking the election will be a referendum on Trump's handling of the virus. But if more people lose their jobs in the coming weeks and months, they're going to eyeball who their governor is and what party is it that's responsible for them not being able to have kept their job by allowing businesses to open up soon. The states in favor of longer lockdowns are democratically controlled, and while they may feel that people are perceiving them as the responsible, competent ones, when it comes time to vote in November, a person's individual financial/economic state will matter more than anything else. They'll remember that Trump was in favor of reopening sooner and give him the nod. I don't like Trump myself, but I'm predicting the democrats overplay this situation, and they lose independent voters in swing states like Michigan and Pennsylvania whose governors seem to be the most hellbent on keeping the lockdowns going. Trump wins reelection.

Yeah, for most people, the economic effects are going to feel a lot more "real" than the medical effects. Half the people you know are out of work, but maybe a friend of a friend died of corona. Conservatives are already broadly disinclined to think/care about things that don't impact them personally.