The fact that the election was close, with Republicans failing to win races it was expected they would, has brought up a lot of discussion of how that happened. Lots of factors were at play. Including one that doesn’t get talked about much: excess COVID deaths.
Fascinating and yet not surprising. I continue to mask when entering the VERY few businesses where curbside is not available (my preferred way of shopping now.) And I still avoid gatherings. My county has been at a "high" level more times than not, yet the majority of people act as if there's no such thing as Covid. I don't know what the vaccination rate is here, but I suspect it's low. Despite having all my shots and boosters, I am wary. We still don't know the full implications of "long haul" Covid. Why play with fire when you know you're going to get burned?
Science tells the Truth once again. Amazing results from these studies. To the deniers of Science : Yes, if you don't take the precautions offered you, expect to reap the rewards of your stupidity.
Viruses don’t care about the political affiliations of their victims, they are definitely EEO, so aside from advanced age, the greatest factor in the excess death rate from Covid-19 was political motivation? So the MAGAts offed themselves by listening to the GOP leadership, including Der Fuhrer, thus refusing the vaccines as a test of political purity? That’s Social Darwinism in a nutshell and the GOP did it to themselves…
I am laughing out loud reading this stellar examination of Covid numbers and the election losses of gop "candidates"- unfortunately a few got through in FL, OH, and well, even here in MI but here at least they're out on their keisters thanks to the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission that actually created several competitive voting districts. I'm not sure the small dem majority in both houses of the legislature can figure out what to do and how to do it (since they've been hiding out behind the gop "majority" for 12 plus years. It is so convenient when you can't quite get anything done) but hope springs eternal. I learned the name of a new country today and just to be sure I did not f*** it up I copied it:
DEFECTIVE DEPLORABLE DUMBFUCKISTAN!!! I guess you know that "stan" is an Iranian word meaning country! I did not know that until I ran across in the NYT Crossword last week! And now on to my daily study of the Ukrainian language. Thank you TC for another great read. I think Dumbfuckastan will enter the vocabulary of the nation if we say it often enough! Have you the copyright?
"All of this is a polite way of saying there are now more deaths in Defective Deplorable Dumbfuckistan, i.e., MAGAworld. And when there are fewer Homo Saps around, that means we’re back on track to becoming majority Homo Sapiens again.
Back in January 2020, a scientist friend of mine told me: “Pandemics are Evolution’s IQ test: are you intelligent enough to take this information and modify your behavior in such a way as to maximize your likelihood of survival? The test is pass/fail.”
Harry Truman was right back in 1948: “The only ‘good Republicans’ are pushing up daisies.”
They are truly Making America Great Again with their departures."
Oh glory, you are so right. I recall thinking that the republicans were killing their own supporters with the Covid crap. I doubt that any MAGAt widow or widower would agree with this, but it’s a great byproduct of MAGAt deliberate ignorance, in my opinion.
BTW, media pundits can’t help but be amazed by the success of republican idiots in Tx and Fl. Well, duh. These state governments passed so many voter suppression measures that they made cheating legal. And sane people in both states are stuck with the bought insanity that RNC, etc foists on all of us.
Pundits also blather about how republicans will need to reassess their strategies. Another Duh, they did that in 2012 and decided that the tea party wasn’t crazy enough. The threat is not over, Republican evil has not evaporated, they are still the enemy of the people.
Between this and the earlier post "Well, Duhhh", I'm thoroughly entertained and enlightened for the day. My husband of 40 years and I, both boomers and childless, have been soooo careful and have not contracted/tested positive for Covid this whole time. That we're aware of; being the daughter of a scientist, I mind the caveat. And we've been thinking all along with the death rates so high in R controlled areas, that a fair number of them will self-darwin out and get 'em off the voter rolls....unless, they vote when dead.
Theoretically, the results are expected. Darwin’s theory predicted it--yet Repiglicans only resorted to abuse of the science to support their greedy ideas on economics (ie, “trickle down theory”). It just goes to show: Nature doesn’t take any bullshit from red-necks or Billionaires.
Frankly, I hope the stats are accurate on this one. People who endanger the public at large over personal dogma should be quarantined ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. They put children in harm’s way; May they rot in hell.
I’m guessing a good % of those moving to FL were vaccinated.(Don’t ask, don’t tell). Wait until they discover the “ freedom” state is #1 for cost of homeowner’s insurance,#1 for cost of employee/family health ins and in top 5 for car insurance. Oh, but we have those wonderful sales tax holidays…throw me a tax-free pool floaty to keep my head above water !
So all that free-dumb ended up killing off thousands of their own voters? I actually thought about that sorting process after the vaccine came out, but I can’t say I’m sorry the statistics verified it.
A fascinating read about the early handling of the pandemic and how badly the CDC (under pressure) screwed up, is “The Premonition: a Pandemic Story” by Michael Lewis. I remember being appalled by the handling of the infected cruise ship passengers, who disembarked in Washington and were escorted to quarantine by health workers in street clothes - no scrubs, PPE or even masks. Even I know better than to do that.
Florida covid19 wasn't being micromanaged by DeSantis for the first year. He basically let mayors and local authorities set policies during that time, and most of them didn't do things according to MAGAt brain facts. Our leaders up here in the NE actually did pretty well. As we got into 2021, that's when DeSantis starts to really do things and influence policy re masking, closures, etc. Of course DeSantis DID try to do whatever he could to make Florida's numbers look better from the beginning.
My point is that I think ot could have been worse.
Fascinating and yet not surprising. I continue to mask when entering the VERY few businesses where curbside is not available (my preferred way of shopping now.) And I still avoid gatherings. My county has been at a "high" level more times than not, yet the majority of people act as if there's no such thing as Covid. I don't know what the vaccination rate is here, but I suspect it's low. Despite having all my shots and boosters, I am wary. We still don't know the full implications of "long haul" Covid. Why play with fire when you know you're going to get burned?
Hold my beer while I die of my own cognitive dissonance. It's incredibly ironic, which gives my petty humanness great satisfaction.
Science tells the Truth once again. Amazing results from these studies. To the deniers of Science : Yes, if you don't take the precautions offered you, expect to reap the rewards of your stupidity.
Wow.
Yay science.
And just who is hysterical now, you white fascist crackers?
🗽
Viruses don’t care about the political affiliations of their victims, they are definitely EEO, so aside from advanced age, the greatest factor in the excess death rate from Covid-19 was political motivation? So the MAGAts offed themselves by listening to the GOP leadership, including Der Fuhrer, thus refusing the vaccines as a test of political purity? That’s Social Darwinism in a nutshell and the GOP did it to themselves…
I am laughing out loud reading this stellar examination of Covid numbers and the election losses of gop "candidates"- unfortunately a few got through in FL, OH, and well, even here in MI but here at least they're out on their keisters thanks to the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission that actually created several competitive voting districts. I'm not sure the small dem majority in both houses of the legislature can figure out what to do and how to do it (since they've been hiding out behind the gop "majority" for 12 plus years. It is so convenient when you can't quite get anything done) but hope springs eternal. I learned the name of a new country today and just to be sure I did not f*** it up I copied it:
DEFECTIVE DEPLORABLE DUMBFUCKISTAN!!! I guess you know that "stan" is an Iranian word meaning country! I did not know that until I ran across in the NYT Crossword last week! And now on to my daily study of the Ukrainian language. Thank you TC for another great read. I think Dumbfuckastan will enter the vocabulary of the nation if we say it often enough! Have you the copyright?
"All of this is a polite way of saying there are now more deaths in Defective Deplorable Dumbfuckistan, i.e., MAGAworld. And when there are fewer Homo Saps around, that means we’re back on track to becoming majority Homo Sapiens again.
Back in January 2020, a scientist friend of mine told me: “Pandemics are Evolution’s IQ test: are you intelligent enough to take this information and modify your behavior in such a way as to maximize your likelihood of survival? The test is pass/fail.”
Harry Truman was right back in 1948: “The only ‘good Republicans’ are pushing up daisies.”
They are truly Making America Great Again with their departures."
Definitely, the MAGAts failed the pandemic IQ test.  I had been wondering if the “excess” deaths played a role.
MAGA: A viral cult of of personality masquerading as a political movement that brings an increased risk of death to all hosts whose minds it occupies.
Vote D. Democracy saves lives.
Oh glory, you are so right. I recall thinking that the republicans were killing their own supporters with the Covid crap. I doubt that any MAGAt widow or widower would agree with this, but it’s a great byproduct of MAGAt deliberate ignorance, in my opinion.
BTW, media pundits can’t help but be amazed by the success of republican idiots in Tx and Fl. Well, duh. These state governments passed so many voter suppression measures that they made cheating legal. And sane people in both states are stuck with the bought insanity that RNC, etc foists on all of us.
Pundits also blather about how republicans will need to reassess their strategies. Another Duh, they did that in 2012 and decided that the tea party wasn’t crazy enough. The threat is not over, Republican evil has not evaporated, they are still the enemy of the people.
Between this and the earlier post "Well, Duhhh", I'm thoroughly entertained and enlightened for the day. My husband of 40 years and I, both boomers and childless, have been soooo careful and have not contracted/tested positive for Covid this whole time. That we're aware of; being the daughter of a scientist, I mind the caveat. And we've been thinking all along with the death rates so high in R controlled areas, that a fair number of them will self-darwin out and get 'em off the voter rolls....unless, they vote when dead.
Theoretically, the results are expected. Darwin’s theory predicted it--yet Repiglicans only resorted to abuse of the science to support their greedy ideas on economics (ie, “trickle down theory”). It just goes to show: Nature doesn’t take any bullshit from red-necks or Billionaires.
Frankly, I hope the stats are accurate on this one. People who endanger the public at large over personal dogma should be quarantined ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. They put children in harm’s way; May they rot in hell.
The purest example of natural selection we will ever see. I hope.
I’m guessing a good % of those moving to FL were vaccinated.(Don’t ask, don’t tell). Wait until they discover the “ freedom” state is #1 for cost of homeowner’s insurance,#1 for cost of employee/family health ins and in top 5 for car insurance. Oh, but we have those wonderful sales tax holidays…throw me a tax-free pool floaty to keep my head above water !
So all that free-dumb ended up killing off thousands of their own voters? I actually thought about that sorting process after the vaccine came out, but I can’t say I’m sorry the statistics verified it.
A fascinating read about the early handling of the pandemic and how badly the CDC (under pressure) screwed up, is “The Premonition: a Pandemic Story” by Michael Lewis. I remember being appalled by the handling of the infected cruise ship passengers, who disembarked in Washington and were escorted to quarantine by health workers in street clothes - no scrubs, PPE or even masks. Even I know better than to do that.
Florida covid19 wasn't being micromanaged by DeSantis for the first year. He basically let mayors and local authorities set policies during that time, and most of them didn't do things according to MAGAt brain facts. Our leaders up here in the NE actually did pretty well. As we got into 2021, that's when DeSantis starts to really do things and influence policy re masking, closures, etc. Of course DeSantis DID try to do whatever he could to make Florida's numbers look better from the beginning.
My point is that I think ot could have been worse.
I was thinking about this a lot before the election.