US sets daily COVID-19 case record at over 91,000: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-record/u-s-breaks-daily-record-for-coronavirus-cases-with-over-91000-new-infections-idUSKBN27F0AI . It has always seemed politically risky for Trump to discourage mail-in voting. There could be weather or disease problems on Election Day. Here we are. Louisiana has indicated that restoring power to voting locations will be a priority after Hurricane Zeta. Wow, we’ve made it to Z in the Greek alphabet …
“Unrelenting” spread: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa/white-house-advisers-warn-of-unrelenting-covid-19-spread-idUSKBN27E1YT . And we still have PPE shortages, a lack of testing, and people not wearing masks. We’ve also passed 9 million total cases.
WSJ: COVID-19 hammers Europe: https://www.wsj.com/articles/europes-covid-19-cases-and-deaths-are-climbing-a-warning-for-the-u-s-11603992597 . And there is growing resistance to government restrictions: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fury-over-new-covid-lockdowns-in-europe-threatens-compliance-11603999654 . Will Germany start vaccinations before New Year’s?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/germany-aims-to-start-coronavirus-vaccination-this-year-11603989740 .
COVID-19 recovery data is poor: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-many-have-recovered-from-covid-19-cases-no-one-knows-11603963801 . Yes, we know that. We also believe that infections are 5 to 10 times the number of cases, so recoveries could be increased accordingly. The lack of reliable data means we also have no meaningful measure of herd immunity, except that we’re woefully short of approaching herd immunity. And then there’s the long-haulers …
COVID-19’s effect on the heart: https://apnews.com/article/how-does-virus-affect-heart-covid-7162ba1c14c13e2a89696c101a2a6a4b . This topic is worthy of study in the long-haulers.
WSJ: Transparency for negotiated drug prices?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-to-require-insurers-to-post-negotiated-drug-prices-11603990231 .
Remdesivir: Idiots in charge: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/10/very-very-bad-look-remdesivir-first-fda-approved-covid-19-drug . Did you ever think the FDA could become this compromised? Here’s more on the FDA and Michael Caputo from WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/health-agency-politicized-coronavirus-ad-campaign-house-committee-says-11603962000 . Wow, 274 celebrities paired down to 10, then 3, now 0. And we’ve lost our chance to see Shulem Lemmer. On the bright side, we’ve saved $250 million.
WSJ: International flights, testing and quarantines: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-transportation-officials-airlines-spar-with-cdc-over-testing-vs-quarantines-for-international-flights-11603996361 . Apparently the White House still does not understand that testing alone is an inadequate protocol. Of course, we could ask someone on Pence’s staff – oh wait, they’re all in quarantine, right?
WSJ: CRISPR gene editing has unintended consequences in human embryos: https://www.wsj.com/articles/crispr-gene-editing-can-lead-to-big-mistakes-in-human-embryos-11603983608 . Certainly, good to know. This does not strike me as surprising, though.
WSJ: Weekly jobless claims dip to 751,000, remain at record levels: https://www.wsj.com/articles/weekly-jobless-claims-coronavirus-10-29-2020-11603921724 . So this number is still above the record of 675,000 before the pandemic. This has been true for 32 consecutive weeks now. WSJ at least mentions that over 20 million Americans remain on unemployment.
Stimulus deal must wait for lame-duck session: https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-10-29/democrats-trump-eye-coronavirus-stimulus-deal-in-lame-duck-session . The Senate has adjourned for two weeks: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-relief-bill-senate-adjourns-until-after-election/ . They only stuck around to stick ACB on the Supreme Court. And look, the woman can’t even get the alphabet right … (ACB. It’s a joke, okay? Stay calm). Nancy gets out the cattle prod: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/stimulus-check-coronavirus-relief-pelosi-issues/ .
WSJ: China’s currency strengthening: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-strengthening-currency-is-increasingly-outside-beijings-control-11603963539 . Again, Mike? The Chinese currency is strengthening because they have a recovered economy. Meanwhile, the guys who are in charge of the world’s benchmark currency lost our chance to see Shulem Lemmer.
WSJ: New Tiffany-LVMH deal: https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiffany-lvmh-near-agreement-on-new-deal-terms-11603899275 . This is a bet that the rich get richer, which seems pretty safe.
The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight is struck again: https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-republican-party-hackers-stole-641a8174e51077703888e2fa89070e12 . It’s just an incompetence festival up and down the ticket.
WSJ: Democrats target state legislatures: https://www.wsj.com/articles/democrats-seek-gains-in-state-legislatures-during-critical-census-year-11603963802 . Citizens United in my opinion was crappy law. It has also turned out to be crappy politics, an unusual misstep from John Roberts.
Biden makes Equality Act a domestic and global priority: https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-election-biden-lgbtq-idUSKBN27E0F9 . Equality, what a concept … that Declaration of Independence thing, right?
Apparently we all have our equality issues: https://sports.yahoo.com/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-vanity-fair-professional-style-221040863.html . War paint? Really? However, attractive presentation is a part of American society. Is that why this article is on the sports page?
Documentation is important; otherwise you’re just a laughingstock: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tucker-carlson-lost-his-papers_n_5f9a1b71c5b61d63241f32e4 .
The “alternate universe” approach: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/one-battleground-state-two-rallies-radically-different-versions-reality-n1245204 . Right. The most important word in the documentation of this event is “young”. Apparently one of these universes is occupied by old people in red hats, who are being left out in the cold.
Trump rallies turn voters against him: https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-10-28/trumps-rallies-are-turning-voters-against-him . Actually, a majority were against him in 2016.
WSJ: Republicans are friends of voting: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pandemic-spurs-election-2020-polling-site-changes-11603972068 . Uh-huh. How does WSJ overlook commenting on Texas? Governor Abbott reduced ballot drop-off sites to one per county: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/texas-supreme-court-upholds-governor-s-order-one-ballot-drop-n1245042 . Houston (Harris County, population 4.8 million) was forced from 14 locations down to one. Voter suppression needs to end everywhere in the US, presumably starting January 21, 2021. How can we not be the country of voter encouragement? New questions in Minnesota voting by mail: https://www.wsj.com/articles/appeals-court-throws-minnesota-ballot-deadline-into-disarray-11604025415 .
WSJ: The possibility of voter intimidation and election violence: https://www.wsj.com/articles/states-prepare-to-guard-against-potential-voter-intimidation-and-violence-around-election-day-11603973548 . Nationwide mail-in voting should happen going forward, and will happen if violence occurs.
Record early voting continues: https://electproject.github.io/Early-Vote-2020G/index.html . As of 11:59 pm Eastern 10/29, 81.4 million votes have been cast, 53.0 million by mail and 28.4 million in person. For states reporting party affiliation, 18.3 million Democrats and 11.7 million Republicans have voted. The Democratic advantage holds level from yesterday at 6.6 million.
Projections have been that 150 to 160 million will vote in this year’s election. Even at 160 million, 81.4 million represents over 50% of the total vote, with 4 days to go before Election Day. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/mail-balloting-is-fueling-historic-early-voting-in-the-2020-election-11602591220 .
WSJ: We may not know the results on Election Night: https://www.wsj.com/articles/will-we-know-who-is-elected-president-on-election-night-a-guide-to-possible-delays-11596629410 . This is poor reporting at best. We know the potential swing states, and depending on your view, there are 4 to 9 of them. This means we can call 41 to 46 of them (and DC) right now with no real risk. The real problem in getting to final is that states are receiving an extraordinary number of ballots by mail. Many cannot begin counting until Election Day. However, many of those states have prepared for that issue. Also, exit polling will be less reliable this year because a greater percentage of voters are voting early or by mail.
What to do? Biden will retake at least 2 of the 3 states lost from the upper Midwest (Michigan and Wisconsin) and probably Pennsylvania. If that happens, Trump is done. Don’t worry until you hear otherwise on these 3. In the meantime, if Biden takes Florida or Texas, it’s also over. The same is probably true if Arizona or Georgia move to Biden. So, assume Biden will win and watch these states. We will probably have a very good idea on Election Night, and almost certainly the next evening. And that’s less than a week away.
WSJ: Wisconsin football: https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-covid-19-outbreak-at-wisconsin-pushes-college-football-toward-the-edge-11603972812 . This is so tone-deaf with the daily COVID-19 case record and outbreaks across the country.