South African COVID variant strain appears in UK: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/12/23/uk-to-widen-covid-lockdowns-as-new-strain-from-south-africa-found . This variant is also believed to be more infectious than earlier strains: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/23/south-african-covid-19-variant-may-be-more-effective-at-spreading . And as noted yesterday with the UK variant, both of these strains are likely already in the US. Donnie is leaving everyone to fend for themselves.
WSJ: How the Brits tracked down the new UK variant strain: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-british-scientists-tracked-down-the-new-covid-19-variant-11608750228 .
18,000 Americans died of COVID-19 last week: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-trends-graphic/u-s-loses-one-life-every-33-seconds-to-covid-19-in-deadliest-week-so-far-idUSKBN28W01Q . The positivity rates are above 10% in 31 states. We simply refuse to test adequately, and thousands die each week as a result.
Allergic vaccination reaction reported in New York: https://www.radio.com/wcbs880/news/local/nyc-health-care-worker-has-allergic-reaction-to-covid-19-vaccine?utm=newsbreak . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-city-health-care-worker-has-severe-adverse-reaction-to-covid-19-vaccine-11608760982 .
WSJ: States re-impose strict lockdowns: https://www.wsj.com/articles/states-impose-strictest-covid-19-lockdowns-since-spring-11608719403 .
Brazil bans travel from UK: https://www.garda.com/crisis24/news-alerts/421156/brazil-authorities-ban-direct-flights-from-uk-effective-dec-25-update-22 (link replaced 1/24/21).
Study says schools don’t increase community spread: https://www.usnews.com/news/education-news/articles/2020-12-23/new-study-cautiously-suggests-schools-dont-increase-spread-of-coronavirus . Unfortunately, as previously reported, the UK variant strain may significantly increase children’s transmissibility. If that’s true, and this variant becomes dominant in the US, this study is irrelevant.
WSJ: COVID long-haulers pursue experimental drugs: https://www.wsj.com/articles/experimental-drugs-aim-to-treat-long-haul-covid-11608569400 .
WSJ: Sinovac delays Phase III result release: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-sinovac-delays-covid-19-vaccine-trial-results-11608757865 .
US passes 1 million vaccination doses given: https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/ .
But US vaccinations are going slowly: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/slower-expected-covid-vaccines-are-not-being-given-quickly-projected-n1252225 .
WSJ: Weekly jobless claims at 803,000: https://www.wsj.com/articles/weekly-jobless-claims-coronavirus-12-23-2020-11608679957 .
WSJ: MGM explores sale – again: https://www.wsj.com/articles/mgm-holdings-studio-behind-james-bond-explores-a-sale-11608588732 . Let’s just say their content is aging. That’s not good.
WSJ: More details on relief bill: https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-is-in-the-900-billion-covid-19-aid-bill-11608557531 . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/stimulus-checks-round-2-when-will-they-arrive-how-much-will-they-be-11608561726 .
The Senate Republicans who voted against the relief package: https://www.nationalreview.com/news/why-six-senate-republicans-voted-against-the-covid-relief-bill/ . In other words, showboat BS from the usual suspects. Any Republican who says they exercise fiscal responsibility after the Trump tax cut is a complete joke.
The shutdown threat: https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-usa-trump/trump-veto-threat-raises-the-prospect-of-year-end-government-shutdown-idUSL1N2J314S .
Trump vetoes defense bill: https://www.axios.com/trump-vetoes-defense-bill-ndaa-0efb8628-81ad-4dcc-9bec-3d0b79988dd8.html . The alleged reasons: he wants a change to communications law, and doesn’t want the names of Confederate generals removed from US military bases. How can these possibly be priorities relative to the defense bill? And of course, the communications law issue has to do with his personal interests. There is no rational reason to name US military bases after the greatest domestic terrorists in our history, except to intimidate black troops. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-aid-package-in-limbo-after-trumps-surprise-demand-to-boost-direct-payments-11608739678 .
Trump’s corrupt pardons continue: https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/23/politics/trump-pardons-stone-manafort-kushner/index.html . The latest 26 includes dirty trickster Roger Stone, previously granted clemency; Paul Manafort, one of his crooked campaign managers; and Charles Kushner, convicted of tax evasion, witness tampering and illegal campaign contributions. He is also Jared’s father.
Besides the fact that Trump is pardoning his loyalist cronies, the pardons are not going through the normal DOJ vetting process. That’s because these people do not qualify for pardons until any rational objective test. And that’s why they are corrupt.
White House staffers receive departure instructions: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/23/trump-administration-departure-instructions-450224 . “When you receive your final check, grab your stuff and run for the exits. The FBI witness protection program is available to those staffers who believe their current identity cannot survive in the real world. However, the President will forget your name within 2 hours of your departure, if he ever knew it. Good luck and goodbye, whoever you are.”
Chris Christie and the stink: https://thehill.com/homenews/531424-nicolle-wallace-asks-chris-christie-if-hell-try-to-clean-the-trump-stink-off-of-you . Chris Christie couldn’t get elected dogcatcher in New Jersey right now.
Kevin McCarthy, another waste of space: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/23/house-proxy-votes-gop-lawsuit-450248 . The courts must seriously consider using their contempt powers against the lawyers filing this crap.
“Single dumbest election lawsuit”: https://lawandcrime.com/2020-election/lawyers-have-a-field-day-after-republicans-file-the-single-dumbest-election-lawsuit-of-the-entire-cycle/ . That’s quite a claim, but this is a new level of incoherence. Given that no one with a college education, let alone a legal degree, would seriously do anything like this, what is going on here? Is this just publicity-seeking? Mental illness? Will this end January 6? January 20? So many questions, and I tire of the answers …
Will Dominion break these clowns?: https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/23/politics/dominion-voting-trump-campaign-lawsuit-imminent/index.html . So far, Fox and Newsmax have backed down in the face of these legal threats. Free speech is not unlimited, and defamation is a big exception. Damages here could be considerable. More: https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-colorado-media-537ef789db98c14dcd4699c9f386a7b2 .
Brexit deal near, may be announced Thursday: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2020/dec/24/brexit-deal-united-kingdom-european-union-boris-johnson-live-news-updates . We’ve been here before, but the clock is definitely running out now