The pneumoniavirus’s biggest casualty is Democratic politics. As the party of ostensibly “helping people”, Democratic governors gambled that “taking action” would sway public opinion in their direction. Michigan, Minnesota, and Virginia governors did not need to create the greatest restrictions among the States. But, their Democratic Party’s moral compass guided them there. They might have added a dose or two of theatrics—especially understandable when one is in the DNC spotlight for the VP candidacy; clear your throat while saying, “Michigan.”
It is a fascinating turn of the usual pendulum: States stepping on Constitutional rights while the Federal government defends them, all the while, States calling for more Federal powers while they object to the Federal powers stopping them.
The other factor is kookery. Since when did young Democratic voters, especially Sanders supporters, trust numbers put out by a Republican-controlled Federal government? Requirements for deciding “cause of death” do not include a diagnosis of disease, yet a disease is being declared the cause of death for many who have not been diagnosed. Those numbers come from a Republican-controlled Federal government, then Democratic voters enshrine those numbers to support Democratic governors’ action.
What numbers are made-up and what is real remains another question that can’t be answered now. The big takeaway is a meltdown in the Democratic voter base. Their justification of numbers doesn’t make sense, nor does their idea that steps toward martial law will be popular. We could be looking at an even greater, greater Republican victory this November. That’s interesting since the reported number of pneumoniavirus deaths hasn’t come close to the number of abortions.
Trump
Roger Stone denied new trial; gag order lifted // CNN
Oh Thank God: Trump Appoints Ivanka and Jared to Council to Reopen America // Vanity Fair
Federal System
U.S. coronavirus crisis takes a sharp political turn // Yahoo News
State & Local
Defiant healthcare workers clash with anti-lockdown protesters in Colorado // Daily Mail
Michigan manbaby protest: Wait, we thought conservatives were ‘rugged individuals’ // Salon
US in the UN
Trump announces formal freeze on WHO funding, pending an investigation // STAT
What you need to know about Trump’s suspension of WHO funding // Quartz
Global condemnation of Trump’s decision to suspend WHO funding during pandemic // Times of Israel
Prices, Rates, Oil & Food
Rep. Doug Collins on bringing the supply chain back to the US // YouTube @ Fox Business
Science, Weather & Health
U.S. coronavirus death toll passes 35,000, cases top 700,000 // Yahoo News
Wild animals are reclaiming cities during coronavirus lockdown // NY Post
Stanford study suggests coronavirus is more widespread than realized // The Spectator
Coronavirus began months earlier and not in Wuhan, bombshell UK report claims // Daily Star
No plan in sight: Test troubles cloud Trump recovery effort // AP