Senate Democrats pass COVID relief package: https://news.yahoo.com/senate-passes-bidens-1-9-204244063.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-democrats-overcome-impasse-reach-agreement-to-advance-covid-19-relief-bill-11615012575 . Why is there not one Republican vote for the bill? Republicans wish to characterize the COVID relief bill as partisan, even though the bill is very popular with the public. They also argue that the bill overspends. That’s a tough sell when Republicans passed a larger package where much of the aid went to larger businesses and the rich. That aid has now run out while huge numbers remain unemployed or underemployed. If Biden does lead an economic recovery, expect Republicans to claim the credit.
Here are the details of the Senate’s changes: https://www.indiarightnownews.com/heres-how-the-senate-pared-back-bidens-stimulus-plan/ (link updated 5/4/21). WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/stimulus-update-biden-covid-19-relief-package-11614095748 .
Will infrastructure bill be bipartisan?: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/key-house-democrat-opens-the-door-to-circumventing-republicans-on-multitrillion-dollar-infrastructure-package/ar-BB1ehMDR?li=BBnb7Kz . Voting rights needs to be the priority right now. However, when infrastructure comes along, there is already a lesson for Republicans. Infrastructure spending is very popular with the public. It should be paid for (that means tax reform and increases, which can also be done in a popular manner – tax corporations and the wealthy). If Republicans continue their united front to popular programs, Biden will start to look like FDR. That won’t turn out well for the GOP.
Speaking of FDR, Eleanor is in the news: https://www.yahoo.com/now/new-eleanor-roosevelt-barbie-thrills-historians-184153463.html . I get it. It’s still really weird.
Should experts make up the facts?: https://www.yahoo.com/now/people-should-be-worried-about-coronavirus-variants-expert-says-100020675.html . Yes, people should be worried about the variants. Yes, it’s good that the “expert” calls out that the 20% efficacy decline is a number she made up. The problem is, we know the efficacy decline is much greater for certain vaccines and certain variants. These variants are the most likely to become dominant. A booster shot or shots will likely be necessary, and the public should be told that.
Also, viruses are not generally considered to be alive – they are more like seeds. We have twin goals right now. First, vaccinate the global population to reduce the viral load and thereby reduce the chances for mutation. Second, identify variants by genomic sequencing and control them (first by contact tracing, testing and isolation; and then by booster vaccination). Currently, we suck at control. Yahoo needs a more-informed expert.
And, we do not yet know the long-term immune protection produced by the current vaccines. It is quite possible that booster shots will be required simply to re-energize immune protection.
WSJ: Brazilian variant raises concerns: https://www.wsj.com/articles/study-of-aggressive-covid-19-strain-in-brazil-suggests-limits-of-china-vaccine-11615063295 . This variant, of course, is already present in the US.
WSJ: Variants suggest need for two doses: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-scientists-skeptical-of-one-shot-regimen-for-pfizer-moderna-covid-vaccines-11615064919 . The idea is to raise immune levels as much as possible before the coming threat of the variants.
Europe hammered by UK variant: https://apnews.com/article/europe-england-coronavirus-pandemic-france-milan-2b4e8c5092db92c38194884a4b8049e4 . Being hammered by a variant is the major US risk right now. Note that schools are being hammered. As previously reported, the UK variant is much more transmissible among children. The US school analysis is outdated; we do not currently vaccinate schoolchildren. Our best chance to avoid a major surge is an expedited mRNA vaccine booster. We may have to shift production capacity to the booster. And we must also reach some rapid plan for vaccinating children.
Here comes the surge accelerator: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/06/health/spring-break-2021-coronavirus/index.html . More: https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/spring-break-veers-toward-normal-in-florida-despite-coronavirus-pandemic . Some find encouragement from recent Florida data: https://news.yahoo.com/why-florida-scientists-encouraged-comes-193200399.html . But there has been much controversy over Florida data in the past.
WSJ: Why the vaccine rollout has struggled: https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-covid-19-vaccine-rollout-falls-short-of-past-global-campaigns-11615035601 . But vaccine development times were much longer in the past, so that actual delivery had more time to gear up. Still, having Orange Julius in charge was a SNAFU beyond all magnitudes of previous presidential incompetence.
Move your arm after vaccination: https://bestlifeonline.com/news-side-effect-vaccine/ . Simple advice, positive result.
Vaccine passports: https://finance.yahoo.com/video/why-vaccine-passports-could-complicated-195811407.html . Because of variants, the multiplicity of vaccines, and long-term immunity, it’s unclear that a vaccine passport certifies meaningful protection.
Improved air flow is a no-brainer improvement: https://bgr.com/2021/03/05/coronavirus-safety-tips-open-window-air-circulation-filter-cdc/ . Fauci’s suggestion of a HEPA air filter in residential settings is a good one. We are looking at greater expense in commercial settings, but it is still a cost-effective investment.
Should obese people have vaccination priority?: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/03/06/covid-vaccine-cdc-states-prioritize-people-obesity-heres-why/6883235002/ . This article misinterprets its own facts. Here the person has an underlying medical condition, which is commonly a source of priority (which again, I disagree with and prefer an age-only system). The question is whether obesity alone (or smoking, for that matter) should be given priority. Again, the best answer to the priority question is to flood the country with vaccines.
Vaccine priority issues in Florida: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/blacks-hispanics-are-being-short-changed-covid-19-vaccines-florida-n1259204 . Here is another issue raised by an age-only vaccine priority system. Florida houses a disproportionate number of white seniors, contributing to reduced vaccinations of minority groups. However, it appears that even if these numbers were adjusted for that issue, minorities are undervaccinated in Florida. To the extent that this reflects vaccine hesitancy in the black community, black churches are stepping up to fill the information gap: https://sports.yahoo.com/black-churches-may-hold-the-key-to-combating-covid-vaccine-hesitancy-in-black-community-173421328.html .
Vaccine skepticism is declining: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/541977-confidence-in-coronavirus-vaccines-has-grown-with-majority-now-saying-they . This is a win for everybody.
Canada approves J&J vaccine: https://apnews.com/article/canada-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-0e155e0690e67777ba2c8e1dd9f7db34 . Canada needs vaccine. We should help them, at least after May.
Federal statistics agencies propose restricting MSA’s to areas with over 100,000 people: https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-bismarck-census-2020-north-dakota-sheboygan-ad77e15f0f8cd13b8e398d2ca8339ca7 . Of the 392 MSA’s, the 144 with populations between 50,000 and 100,000 would become “Micropolitian Statistical Areas”.
It’s hard to judge from the map, since many of these communities are on state lines, but here are rough observations. Almost every state is affected, the exceptions being 4 New England states and Colorado. The spread suggests that more than 100 Congressional districts are affected. Pennsylvania has 10 affected communities, followed by Georgia and Alabama with 6 each.
The misstep with Manchin that almost derailed the stimulus package: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/06/politics/joe-manchin-covid-relief-negotiation/index.html . Manchin has clarified that he is a more important vote than Kamala Harris.
The Sunday shows: Three cups of Joe: https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/541967-sunday-shows-preview-manchin-makes-the-rounds-after-pivotal-role . Progressives should recalibrate their game plan for the next 2 years.
WSJ: The future of the $15 minimum wage: https://www.wsj.com/articles/democrats-minimum-wage-setback-could-kick-start-talks-with-republicans-11615057218 . The Democratic calculus is whether a compromise on this issue will help or hurt them in 2022. Democratic Senators could get primaried from the left. One possibility openly discussed is AOC taking on Schumer.
WSJ: Another uh-oh for Cuomo: https://www.wsj.com/articles/third-former-andrew-cuomo-aide-describes-inappropriate-workplace-treatment-11615081956 . There is now a strong case of a pattern of inappropriate behavior.
Frackin’ Ted stripped: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/americas-oldest-college-debate-society-votes-to-strip-ted-cruz-of-a-prestigious-princeton-honor-for-public-service/ar-BB1ejkQ6?li=BBnb7Kz . Will the sun finally set on this loser? Will Beto wait for 2024 or run against Abbott in 2022? Can we turn our attention to some other train wreck?
Here’s one: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-johnson/a-day-after-forcing-marathon-bill-reading-johnson-says-preference-to-leave-senate-idUSKCN2AY00Q . Will Ron “Weasely” Johnson go back on his commitment to voters? That’s the Republican playbook now, isn’t it?
Here’s another one: https://sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/tommy-tuberville-introduces-anti-trans-amendment-to-covid-relief-bill-gets-voted-down-160042675.html . Note that every Republican senator except Murkowski voted for this anti-trans amendment. The Republicans are now solidly for bigotry. This is clearly a losing strategy long term because of demographics. Can Democrats beat them in 2022, an “off- year” that typically favors the party out of power?
Here’s the third: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/541907-marjorie-taylor-greenes-delay-tactics-frustrate-gop . This is not how to win friends and influence people. The GOP is undoubtedly already searching for someone to primary her.
Chamber of Commerce becomes The Waffle House: https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/541873-chamber-of-commerce-to-not-judge-members-of-congress-solely-based-on . The bottom line is, 147 is a big number to small thinkers.
Some Democrats will never forget: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/a-ca-democrat-compiled-a-report-of-social-media-posts-by-gop-lawmakers-who-voted-to-overturn-the-2020-election-including-177-pages-on-paul-gosar/ar-BB1eihdV?li=BBnb7Kz .
Sorry about that insurrection thing: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/lesson-fully-received-an-18-year-old-charged-in-the-capitol-riot-says-he-was-wrong-and-begged-a-judge-to-release-him/ar-BB1ejXqF?li=BBnb7Kz . This emotion presumably applies to the majority of those now facing prison time. Actions have consequences.
The danger of older pipelines: https://earther.gizmodo.com/one-of-the-nation-s-largest-pipelines-caused-the-bigges-1846406684 . This would seem to be a classic Superfund site: https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-comprehensive-environmental-response-compensation-and-liability-act .
Mark Pavelich, “Miracle on Ice” star, dies; CTE suspected: https://sports.yahoo.com/mark-pavelich-who-assisted-on-game-winning-goal-in-miracle-on-ice-found-dead-004941754.html . If you watch one clip today, this is it. This game changed hockey, American sports, and the world. It unified the country. Will the US have another moment like it?