Politics - do not open if you are tired of it

OSUBucks wrote:

tps wrote:Congress and staff are exempt from vaccine mandate.

Practically all of them have already been vaccinated though about half of the GOP members won’t publicly admit it. They don’t want to alienate their anti vaccine supporters.

Doesn't matter. If they are mandating it finally federal employees, they should not be exempt regardless of their vaccination status. This is one of the reasons why some are reluctant. Also, why are USPS employees exempt as well?

Can't force things on "we the people" of those on power don't have to abide by the same rules.

Here is your boy Ramblin... speaking the truth. Very little to disagree about with this...
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/09/endemic-covid-manageable-risk-dual-threat-influenza/620044/

He states, "We’re not going to annihilate COVID. Instead, our goal must be to weaken its punch so that it becomes a risk we can adapt to. "

Something I've been saying since last summer.

dusty7 wrote:Regardless of what was/is done, I don't think we will ever get to 80%.  Right now we are at 75.4% of adult population, and 70% was Biden's goal in July.  Not sure why the 70% isn't enough anymore and why the "lucky" number has changed. Like many things, when you give the government control it is going to get screwed up and they won't give up control.

It’s not a lucky number.

In March the goal was 200 million vaccinations. Goal reached…new goal set

In July the goal was 70%. Goal reach…new goal set. It was a month late, but reached.

That’s what successful people do. They reach goals and set new ones.

Teetime wrote:

dusty7 wrote:Regardless of what was/is done, I don't think we will ever get to 80%.  Right now we are at 75.4% of adult population, and 70% was Biden's goal in July.  Not sure why the 70% isn't enough anymore and why the "lucky" number has changed. Like many things, when you give the government control it is going to get screwed up and they won't give up control.

It’s not a lucky number.

In March the goal was 200 million vaccinations. Goal reached…new goal set

In July the goal was 70%. Goal reach…new goal set. It was a month late, but reached.

That’s what successful people do. They reach goals and set new ones.

What is the goal now?  What is the end game? To test perfectly healthy people until you find enough positive cases to continue to control people for personal/political gain?  

Also, don't act like any of this is a decision by the president.  He is being told what to do 100% of the time by people who are in it for themselves and are not guided by science but by control.

The recall in California is a great example of the turning tide against the left. San Fran, Seattle, and Portland, all very liberal, are in shambles regards to crime, unemployment, and attempting to solve any social issue. But yeah, go ahead and continue to blame Trump.

Just to repeat, I don’t feel that my freedoms have been diminished since the start of this Pandemic. I can still do what I want. I don’t feel that there’s a Government plot to keep the Pandemic going in order to control people.
I do feel that the country is more divided that ever. A big part of the reason for that division is because of the actions of a single person, who has convinced at least a third of the country that he won an election that he actually lost. I hope that some day he receives the punishment he deserves for his crimes. I’m not a Democrat I’m Independent. I’ve never been crazy about people who are liars though and that’s what Trump is.

i start my weekly spit test this week.

The amount of spit needed for these tests is crazy from what I’ve heard.

OSUBucks wrote:I’ve never been crazy about people who are liars though and that’s what Trump is.

Joe Biden once said he didn't believe in a COVID vaccine mandate.  Is that considered a lie?

All politicians are liars. They often start off with good intentions then they eventually become corrupted because they discover they like having the power to control others.  Eventually, they begin to focus solely on re-election and realize they need money to be re-elected to their decisions become based upon who will give them money for the decisions they make. They do not look at the long-term positives or negatives of their decisions or the impact on their constituents, they only look at the money and the impact their vote will have on those that donate to them.  The entire system is bullshit is designed to keep those in power in power.  

Just look at the new Illinois Legislative Districts, drawn by the Dems, that have several new districts, (9 I believe) that place 2 incumbent Republicans against each other but create new Democratic districts. There is a reason why this is being challenged in courts and it is a possibility that the courts will be drawing the new districts but given that the courts are starting to make decisions based on politics rather than legal precedents, I am sure that the new map will be adopted, even though JBP said he would veto any map that is unfair, well unfair to the dems. Republicans do the same thing in other states as well.  Both parties are corrupted beyond repair and anyone who really trusts that they are making decisions with "the people" in mind need to wake up and see what is really going on.

https://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/columns/tom-kacich-for-state-sen-rose-its-go-bigger-or-go-home/article_15db7827-2eba-5988-893a-0d0ed5f022c3.html

https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/2021/09/01/illinois-democrats-pass-redrawn-legislative-district-maps/5676103001/

wth does this mean? protect the vaccinated?  they are vaccinated.
https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris/status/1437189302706974726


klain agrees this mandate via OSHA is a workaround, lol. he knows its not legal (see eviction moratorium).
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9976957/Republicans-furious-White-House-Chief-Staff-retweets-post-calling-vaccine-mandate-workaround.html

clown show

Wait what? An EXPERT study conducted by the WHO, and supported by some in the FDA, stated that boosters are unnecessary...“The currently available studies do not provide credible evidence of substantially declining protection against severe disease, which is the primary goal of vaccination,” said lead author Dr. Ana-Maria Henao-Restrepo, medical officer for vaccine research at WHO.

But wait a minute, hospitals are standing at the ready to start giving them next week? In just a week, COVID-19 vaccine boosters could begin to be available to all fully vaccinated Americans. But exactly who will be eligible and when won't be decided until two key scientific advisory committees meet days before the Biden administration's Sept. 20 start date.

The SCIENCE says to hold off but the POLITICS says "we gots one week, we best start getting geared up for mor jabs." This is the exact reason why people have stopped following the mitigations and have elected not to get vaxed. We are recieving mixed messages on the science and politics is starting to influence the science. A pathetic world we live in today.

dusty7 wrote:Wait what? An EXPERT study conducted by the WHO, and supported by some in the FDA, stated that boosters are unnecessary...“The currently available studies do not provide credible evidence of substantially declining protection against severe disease, which is the primary goal of vaccination,” said lead author Dr. Ana-Maria Henao-Restrepo, medical officer for vaccine research at WHO.

First of all, it wasn't technically a "study."  It was a VIEWPOINT published in The Lancet.  That viewpoint is basically an op-ed copywritten 2021 by the World Health Organization.  Here it is in its entirety:  https://www.thelancet.com/pb-assets/Lancet/pdfs/S0140673621020468.pdf

I believe what the authors are saying is that the data does not support boosters for the majority of the general population who have been vaccinated...NOT that boosters are completely unnecessary or even contraindicated.  Keep in mind the lead author of the article and one of the co-authors, are both from WHO.  What the WHO wants, before promoting boosters, is making sure that the unvaccinated become vaccinated. They don't want efforts to provide boosters to detract from efforts to jab more people who have avoided being jabbed up to now.  "Even if some gain can ultimately be obtained from boosting, it will not outweigh the benefits of providing initial protection to the unvaccinated," said  Dr. Ana Maria Henao-Restrepo, the lead author of the article and a medical officer at the WHO's Initiative for Vaccine Research.  WHO wants what it wants:  https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/08/who-extends-call-for-a-moratorium-on-covid-booster-doses-until-the-end-of-the-year.html

dusty7 wrote:The SCIENCE says to hold off but the POLITICS says "we gots one week, we best start getting geared up for mor jabs."

The World Health Organization, not SCIENCE as a whole, says to hold off.  Why?  Because the WHO wants vaccine EQUITY.  They want to vaccinate EVERYONE in the world first, before the wealthy countries begin distributing boosters.  They want the production, purchase, and distribution of the vaccine to be devoted to first and second doses.  THOSE are THEIR politics.

dusty7 wrote:This is the exact reason why people have stopped following the mitigations and have elected not to get vaxed.

No, it isn't.  The exact reason why Americans have stopped following the mitigations, or who fought the mitigations tooth and nail from the start, is because they are amateur libertarians who are following their political leaders, their pastors, their neighbors, and their favorite media talking heads.

Ramblin...you may be correct but you are a smart and well read individual.  You are more informed than the average American.  Part of my point is that people do not take the time to look beyond the headline.  All they see is boosters are not needed but the US is still pushing them.

And it won't be long until the 3x vaxed will be persecuting the 2x vaxed for being reluctant for tht 3rs shot they they read in the USA Today that it is unecessary.

And by the way, I know many non-right wingers who have stopped following all of the mitigations. Yeah they might mask up at tht grocery store and at work, but they still go out to eat, go to bars, and visit those who are unvaccinated while not wearing a mask.  It is not just right wing blow hards getting fed up.

And even more are becoming frustrated Puppet Biden. White House cut transmission today when he was asking a question
https://mobile.twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1437490555454427143?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1437490555454427143%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-37472953903136957189.ampproject.net%2F2108280007001%2Fframe.html

Also, I love this pic he took yesterday.  Nevermind the Trumpers in the photo, why in the hell is he not wearing a mask?  He needs a stern talking to by the puppet master. Mask up always, especially if you are around a lot of unvaxed individuals. Pretty sure none of those in the picture are vaxed. Shame on him.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9985887/amp/Biden-poses-pictures-MAGA-kids-9-11-memorial-Shanksville.html

I heard that Moderna is working on a Covid booster/ flu combo shot. I may be interested in that come November.

$64 million in aid (ransom) to taliban.

Mandates are different from duly passed laws

Vaccines (or weekly tests) are mandatory...UNLESS u work for a company with fewer than 100 workers or u are a member of congress or work for the usps or are an illegal alien.
Why would anyone be skeptical?

I’m glad we’re finally out of Afghanistan though the withdrawal was poorly handled by the Biden Administration . The negotiations for withdrawal, including the release of 5000 Taliban prisoners, was agreed upon by the Trump Administration before he left office .
I feel for the people who have pre existing conditions who on the advice of their Doctor aren’t getting vaccinated. It’s only because of millions of eligible adults who refuse the vaccine that Biden has issued these mandates.

OSUBucks wrote:I’m glad we’re finally out of Afghanistan though the withdrawal was poorly handled by the Biden Administration . The negotiations for withdrawal, including the release of 5000 Taliban prisoners, was agreed upon by the Trump Administration before he left office .
I feel for the people who have pre existing conditions who on the advice of their Doctor aren’t getting vaccinated. It’s only because of millions of eligible adults who refuse the vaccine that Biden has issued these mandates.

But why not mandate for Congress and USPS?

In the article I posted yesterday, hospitals who are already having a hard time finding staff, are having nurses and doctors quit over the vaccine mandates. One hospital, mentioned in the article, had to shut down labor and delivery.

As I said, many younger people are waiting to see studies on the potential effects on reproductive health before they get vaxed. As of now there are no conclusive studies so they are holding off.

dusty7 wrote:Ramblin...you may be correct but you are a smart and well read individual.  You are more informed than the average American.  Part of my point is that people do not take the time to look beyond the headline.  All they see is boosters are not needed but the US is still pushing them.

That's because of people like you who make statements calling a viewpoint an expert study and making statements like boosters are unnecessary, when that is not what the viewpoint said.

dusty7 wrote: by the way, I know many non-right wingers who have stopped following all of the mitigations. Yeah they might mask up at tht grocery store and at work, but they still go out to eat, go to bars, and visit those who are unvaccinated while not wearing a mask.  It is not just right wing blow hards getting fed up.

I'm that person you just described. Not the right wing blow hard, but the non-right winger who doesn't follow all the mitigations all the time. I follow them when they make sense to me. Not wearing a mask around someone who is unvaccinated does not make sense to me. If I am in my office building after hours, I'm not wearing a mask. If I want to go out to eat, I go out to eat and wear my mask when I go to and from the table. I wear my mask when I am around others who I don't know. I will be at a family party this weekend with a couple of dozen people, all of whom are vaccinated. I will not wear a mask. It's not that I am fed up with mitigations. I am glad they are in place.

dusty7 wrote:As I said, many younger people are waiting to see studies on the potential effects on reproductive health before they get vaxed.  As of now there are no conclusive studies so they are holding off.  

You sound like Trump.  "A lot of people are saying [insert point you are trying to make]."

I call B.S. on your "point."  Do you have anything other than anecdotal reports to support your assertion?

I believe (note that this is my opinion, not an attempt to sound authoritative) that young people are holding off getting vaxxed primarily because they believe themselves to be in an age group that is minimally affected by the virus. That, and apathy.

There is no evidence that pregnant women or those trying to get pregnant are putting themselves at any risk by getting the Covid vaccine. There is risk if you don’t get the vaccine though. There are people
that will refuse to get vaccinated regardless of the argument presented. More than 90% of our Covid patients in our ICU’s in the US are unvaccinated people.

ramblinman wrote:

I'm that person you just described.  Not the right wing blow hard, but the non-right winger who doesn't follow all the mitigations all the time.  I follow them when they make sense to me.  Not wearing a mask around someone who is unvaccinated does not make sense to me.   If I am in my office building after hours, I'm not wearing a mask.  If I want to go out to eat, I go out to eat and wear my mask when I go to and from the table.  I wear my mask when I am around others who I don't know.  I will be at a family party this weekend with a couple of dozen people, all of whom are vaccinated.  I will not wear a mask.   It's not that I am fed up with mitigations.  I am glad they are in place.

Do you understand the issue on masking in a restaurant? You wear a mask walking to your table but then immediately take it off once you sit down? That doesn't make any sense to me. You are sitting in a room for an extended period of time with people breathing, talking, and potentially spreading the virus but got to make sure you are safe in that short 30-second walk to the table.

The CDC defines close contact as within 6 feet of someone for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. Unless that walk to the table takes 15 minutes with the host or hostess, I think you are safe, based on CDC guidelines to take off the mask. The same goes for a quick trip into a gas station. What is the point of the mask if you have minimal contact with anyone within the facility and by definition, there is no close contact with any other individual within the facility?

As for you teachers here, are your schools prepared for the Sept 20 deadline of being fully vaccinated for testing each week?

Are they giving you additional COVID days if you test positive but are asymptomatic? What if you are fully vaccinated but test positive or are showing symptoms, are you still getting days? What if the test is positive, can you get another test from a Dr. to prove that you are negative?

I don't get the point of testing healthy people.

dusty7 wrote:
As for you teachers here, are your schools prepared for the Sept 20 deadline of being fully vaccinated for testing each week?

Are they giving you additional COVID days if you test positive but are asymptomatic?  What if you are fully vaccinated but test positive or are showing symptoms, are you still getting days? What if the test is positive, can you get another test from a Dr. to prove that you are negative?

I  don't get the point of testing healthy people.  

i think so. they are using the boy's and girl's locker rooms for testing sites since we don't dress for pe anymore. we are doing the shield testing. it's a 24 hour turn around compared to the 15 minute testing by binax. parents had to sign off for their kids to get tested.

if i test positive, i'm sent packing. if i'm positive at school, a 2nd test saying i'm negative can not over ride the school test.

and i have to use my sick days.

at least shg is not making me take a second test. i'll be allowed to use my school results at shg.

i've read the saliva based testing has a much higher 'false negative' margin of error.

net wrote:

dusty7 wrote:
As for you teachers here, are your schools prepared for the Sept 20 deadline of being fully vaccinated for testing each week?

Are they giving you additional COVID days if you test positive but are asymptomatic?  What if you are fully vaccinated but test positive or are showing symptoms, are you still getting days? What if the test is positive, can you get another test from a Dr. to prove that you are negative?

I  don't get the point of testing healthy people.  

i think so. they are using the boy's and girl's locker rooms for testing sites since we don't dress for pe anymore. we are doing the shield testing. it's a 24 hour turn around compared to the 15 minute testing by binax. parents had to sign off for their kids to get tested.

if i test positive, i'm sent packing. if i'm positive at school, a 2nd test saying i'm negative can not over ride the school test.

and i have to use my sick days.

at least shg is not making me take a second test. i'll be allowed to use my school results at shg.

i've read the saliva based testing has a much higher 'false negative' margin of error.

I think ours is pretty much the same. We still haven't received any information other than they are still figuring things out.

I believe we are using BinaxNOW, completing testing in the nurses office during your prep, but I think you get to pick the day. Many are worried due to the inaccuracy of the BinaxNow test that they will be forced to use sick days when they are not even positive. If our students test positive, they are asked to test again at a Drs. office to rule out a false positive. I hope this is the same for the teachers.

At this time we have to use our sick days but I think our Union is fighting that issue. With the sub shortages in our area, there is going to be a lot of period subbing or even the admins having to sub.

dusty7 wrote:

ramblinman wrote:

I'm that person you just described.  Not the right wing blow hard, but the non-right winger who doesn't follow all the mitigations all the time.  I follow them when they make sense to me.  Not wearing a mask around someone who is unvaccinated does not make sense to me.   If I am in my office building after hours, I'm not wearing a mask.  If I want to go out to eat, I go out to eat and wear my mask when I go to and from the table.  I wear my mask when I am around others who I don't know.  I will be at a family party this weekend with a couple of dozen people, all of whom are vaccinated.  I will not wear a mask.   It's not that I am fed up with mitigations.  I am glad they are in place.

Do you understand the issue on masking in a restaurant?  You wear a mask walking to your table but then immediately take it off once you sit down? That doesn't make any sense to me.  You are sitting in a room for an extended period of time with people breathing, talking, and potentially spreading the virus but got to make sure you are safe in that short 30-second walk to the table.

Wearing a mask is not as much about keeping me safe as it is helping to prevent me from spreading the virus to others.

Gen Mark Milley is a traitor. Trump f*cked up that choice.

tps wrote:Gen Mark Milley is a traitor. Trump f*cked up that choice.

I agree in that he had a hand in the bungled withdrawal from Afghanistan. I do agree with him though in that Trump is mentally unstable.