coronavirus
Hero Nursing Home Chain Did All It Could To Stop COVID-19 Except When It Didn't
Pobody's Nerfect!
May 18, 2020 12:55 PM
One of the biggest nursing home chains in the country, Life Care Centers of America, has an itty-bitty problem following federal guidelines on infection control, according to federal inspection documents obtained by the Washington Post. The company insists it's really doing its very best in a difficult situation, so if you want to know who's really falling down on the job, it's the media, which is reporting on the deficiencies, like staff members who were observed by federal inspectors not wearing masks, not washing their hands, or not enforcing isolation of infected patients at several facilities run by Life Care, OK?
It's a very difficult situation, and we're all trying our best, especially the Republicans who want to make sure nobody gets sued for negligence during this pandemic.
<p>The <em>Post</em> is <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/major-nursing-home-chain-violated-patient-care-infection-control-standards-before--and-after--pandemic-started-records-show/2020/05/16/f407c092-90b1-11ea-a0bc-4e9ad4866d21_story.html#comments-wrapper" target="_blank">careful to point out</a> that the inspection reports from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which is responsible for regulating long-term care facilities, all cover the period <em>following </em>the nation's first widespread nursing home outbreak, at the Life Care Center of Kirkland, Washington, where more than 100 residents contracted COVID-19 and at least <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Health/family-files-1st-wrongful-death-lawsuit-life-care/story?id=70122496" target="_blank">37 have died.</a> The reports, based on inspections done over the last six weeks, don't include the Kirkland facility at all; rather, they cover a variety of other Life Care facilities' failures to follow federal infection-control regulations. The <em>Post</em> based its story on a "batch of inspection reports for 26 Life Care homes from CMS" as well as from the state of Michigan and from Life Care itself. The story notes that in 16 of the inspections, "regulators found no deficiencies." </p><p>But hoo boy, there's plenty of stuff that shouldn't be going on. In addition to reports of staff not washing their hands or following social distancing guidelines, the reports uncovered:<br></p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>A Denver home where the door to an isolation room was left open and the resident went out into the hall with no mask, sitting near the rooms of healthy residents. </li><li>A Denver-area home where a "nursing aide helping a resident with a soiled bedpan did not wash her hands when she was done."</li><li>A second Colorado facility where "a nursing assistant hovered 12 inches from the face of a coughing patient who was not wearing a mask."</li><li>A Kansas nursing home in which the infection control log didn't list two residents who had fevers. One of them died after going to a hospital with a 103-degree fever.</li><li>A Michigan home where a staffer moved a blood pressure monitor from an isolation room to a healthy patient's room without sterilizing the equipment. </li><li>A Detroit-area home where staff shared gowns, and "one nursing assistant acknowledged not knowing which patients had covid-19 and required isolation."</li><li>Another Michigan facility where "inspectors found residents in a hallway who were not wearing masks and an aide who delivered meals without wearing gloves or a gown, even though the residents were at risk of respiratory infection." </li></ul><div>The story also reminds us, AGAIN, that because the federal government has <a href="https://www.wonkette.com/massive-covid-19-deaths-may-slightly-delay-trump-push-to-deregulate-nursing-homes" target="_blank">only recently started keeping track</a> of outbreaks in nursing homes, there's simply <em>no way of knowing</em> whether Life Care facilities have more or fewer deaths than other chains, or, for that matter, "how often other chains have been cited for violations after the pandemic began." For all we know, maybe they're actually doing better than other chains, so let that worry you, too. And the <em>Post</em> points out that even facilities with very good ratings from federal and state inspectors have had outbreaks. That said, the more than 200 facilities owned by Life Care have, since Kirkland, </div><blockquote>seen at least 2,000 cases and 250 deaths among residents and staff, <a href="https://wpinvestigative.github.io/nursing_homes_covid19/index.html" target="_blank">according to a Post tally</a> of state data and local media accounts. Five Life Care nursing homes have experienced outbreaks of 100 or more cases.</blockquote><p>First, Life Care spokesperson Tim Killian has an incredibly good point: </p><blockquote>We have a virus that has attacked our vulnerable populations who have co-morbidities, and that has made this extremely difficult to manage [...] We need help. We need hands on the ground. We need money. We need equipment. We need doctors. And none of that is happening in a significant way anywhere in the country.</blockquote><p>But then Killian did his very best to sound like a corporate talking head from a classic "60 Minutes" story from the 1970s. You can almost see the ghost of Mike Wallace waiting to pounce on this carefully parsed stuff:</p><blockquote>Choosing a handful of reports, especially during this time of great difficulty, has allowed the press to paint a picture of our company that does not accurately reflect our values or the hard work we do every day to take care of our residents and staff.</blockquote><p>Life Care's President, Beecher Hunter, said in an email to the <em>Post</em> that you can't go around expecting perfection, for all have sinned and fall short of the greatness of God, not to mention federal infection control rules: </p><blockquote>Life Care Centers of America and its affiliated facilities are not perfect; no organization is because it is made up of people, and people are imperfect human beings [...] Our healthcare heroes will from time to time unfortunately fall below our standards for resident care.</blockquote><p>Yeah, the place was founded by an evangelical, how could you tell? Mr. Hunter apparently had no comment on having a name that more properly belonged to a John Grisham character.</p><p>The <em>Post</em> also spoke to a number of current and former staffers at Life Care homes, who didn't paint a pretty picture either. A former receptionist at the Life Care Center of Nashoba Valley, near Boston, said she'd quit her job out of fear of the virus and what she saw as the company's inaction:<br></p><blockquote>"I was literally surrounded by covid," she said. "I just told my kids, 'Please never put me in one of those places. These people live their whole lives — there are teachers, poets and everything else — and this is what they're ending their lives with?' "</blockquote><p>Another former employee at the facility said the place was chronically short-staffed, and that she was "terrified for myself and my co-workers [...] It kept getting worse and worse and worse." Seems she wasn't alone in her concerns, either! </p><blockquote>Several caregivers at the home told The Post they had no time to wash their hands, change soiled linens or help immobile patients get out of bed. One nursing aide said she found herself caring for 30 patients at once, helping them into bathrooms with filthy toilets or out of beds soaked in urine.</blockquote><p>Local officials also said they'd had difficulty getting information from the company on what was going on in the home. Life Care spox Killian pointed out that an April 10 inspection had found no infection-control problems, but the <em>Post </em>undermines that achievement by noting that at the time, "dozens of people were infected and about 10 had died, including Maria Krier, a nurse who had quit her job at the end of March after developing a fever.<a href="https://www.wcvb.com/article/rep-lori-trahan-recognizes-courage-of-nurse-who-spoke-out-about-littleton-massachusetts-facility/32134587#" target="_blank"> She died</a> on the day of the inspection."</p><p>Killian complained that "This environment of sort of conspiracy theories and negative news stories that has set a narrative and tone . . . we think is simply incorrect" and also </p><blockquote>said local politicians and others created "acrimony" in the community by alleging that Life Care did not properly report the spread of infection.</blockquote><p>In conclusion, Mitch McConnell better hurry up and make sure these brave healthcare heroes don't get sued, because everything was fine and it's only politicians, the press, and disgruntled former employees saying otherwise. </p><p>[<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/major-nursing-home-chain-violated-patient-care-infection-control-standards-before--and-after--pandemic-started-records-show/2020/05/16/f407c092-90b1-11ea-a0bc-4e9ad4866d21_story.html#comments-wrapper" target="_blank">WaPo</a>]</p><p><strong>Yr Wonkette is supported entirely by reader donations! Help us keep the servers humming and the writers paid, and if you're sheltering in place, here's our <a href="https://amzn.to/33mKzZe" target="_blank">Amazon linky</a>, too.</strong></p><p></p><form name="donation" method="post" class="donation-form"><p class="subheadline">How often would you like to donate?</p><div class="form-row row--plan"><label class="plan-type__label"><input type="radio" name="plan_type" value="once" class="plan-type" required="" checked> Just once
</label><label class="plan-type__label"><input type="radio" name="plan_type" value="monthly" class="plan-type" required=""> Monthly
</label></div><div class="form-row row--amount"><p class="subheadline">Select an amount (USD)</p><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="200" data-value="2.00" data-amount="Two Dollars">$2</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="2500" data-value="25.00" data-amount="Twenty Five Dollars">$25</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="500" data-value="5.00" data-amount="Five Dollars">$5</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="5000" data-value="50.00" data-amount="Fifty Dollars">$50</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="1000" data-value="10.00" data-amount="Ten Dollars" checked>$10</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="10000" data-value="100.00" data-amount="One Hundred Dollars">$100</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="1500" data-value="15.00" data-amount="Fifteen Dollars">$15</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="50000" data-value="500.00" data-amount="Five Hundred Dollars">$500</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="2000" data-value="20.00" data-amount="Twenty Dollars">$20</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="100000" data-value="1000.00" data-amount="One Thousand Dollars">$1000</label></div><div class="row--buttons"><button type="submit" class="donate-button" data-payment="strip"><img src="https://assets.rbl.ms/18208879/2000x.png" alt="Credit cards" class="donate-button__img"></button><button type="submit" class="donate-button" data-payment="paypal"><img src="https://assets.rbl.ms/18208880/2000x.png" alt="PayPal" class="donate-button__img"></button></div></form><p></p>
Keep reading...
Show less
2020 Congressional Elections
Insider-Trading Disney Villain Kelly Loeffler Will Lose Her Senate Seat In Either November Or January
The suspense is killing us. We hope it lasts.
May 17, 2020 11:30 AM
Kelly Loeffler, previously Number 6 from "Battlestar Galactica," is in big trouble. When Georgia's governor gives you a Senate seat with a side of curly fries, you shouldn't jeopardize your upcoming special election by reminding voters you exist, which Loeffler's done at the worst possible time, smack dab in the middle of a pandemic she might've profited from.
Thursday, Loeffler's office confirmed that the senator "forwarded documents and information" to the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Senate Ethics Committee. Loeffler wants us to believe, because she apparently thinks we're stupid, that "she and her husband acted entirely appropriately and observed both the letter and the spirit of the law" when they unloaded millions in stocks like drowning rats after attending "COVID-19 is a bummer" briefings. She also bought stock in Citrix, a tech company that offers teleworking and eLearning software, while simultaneously assuring her constituents that Krypton was merely shifting its orbit.
Jor El and the Council of Krypton | Superman youtu.be
<p>Georgia voters might not consider federal investigations into possible insider trading as serious as whatever email-related felonies Hillary Clinton committed, but it's still not a great look so close to the special election. According to an internal poll from a group backing Gov. Brian Kemp, <a href="https://www.ajc.com/blog/politics/new-internal-gop-poll-suggests-tight-prez-senate-races-georgia/VUuh6VQLw7SJVSMEfvGC5L/" target="_blank">the race for Loeffler's seat</a> is “wide open." The November special election is a “jungle primary" or a “nonpartisan blanket primary" or more to the point, “what the hell are these words I'm reading?" <em><a href="https://www.atlantamagazine.com/news-culture-articles/what-in-the-world-is-a-jungle-primary-and-whats-in-store-for-georgias/" target="_blank">Atlanta Magazine</a></em> describes it as an “election without a primary -- something of a battle royale." It is nothing like a "battle royale," <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab7eVVG3I8s" target="_blank">with or without cheese.</a> A battle royale is a battle involving many combatants that continues until only one fighter is left standing (or sitting -- it doesn't matter that much once everyone else is dead). The special election isn't winner take all. You have to secure a majority of votes, and that's unlikely with everyone and their non-insider-trading mothers running. We can expect a runoff in January between the top two candidates. </p><p>Loeffler must fend off Republican House <a href="https://www.wonkette.com/georgia-rep-doug-collins-movin-on-that-senate-race-like-a-tick-hound-in-heat" target="_blank">Rep. Doug Collins</a> and Democrats Rev. Raphael Warnock and Matt Lieberman. Collins has positioned himself as a Donald Trump stooge who isn't a pandemic profiteer. This has helped him <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/news/poll-georgia-senate-candidate-kelly-loeffler-trails-rep-collins-by-over-40-points-among-gop-voters/" target="_blank">thump Loeffler</a> in most recent polls. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee <a href="https://apnews.com/6cf9cf45cfcb7d75d11b7e1d53bb5050" target="_blank">has endorsed</a> Warnock, but Lieberman is the closest to denying Loeffler a second place finish. Finishing third means she'd lose her seat outright, and we'd all laugh and laugh until we started coughing and were afraid we had the coronavirus.</p><p>Lieberman is also former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman's son. His campaign launch ad is kind of adorable. Win or lose, I want a Netflix original series about his family. Neither Lieberman nor Loeffler probably ate grits until they were well past 30, but as a former Georgia resident, I'm willing to overlook that in Lieberman's case because he's running on a far more liberal platform than <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q84oP5JilU" target="_blank">his father</a> ever did. The younger Lieberman has also <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/can-a-lieberman-win-in-georgia/" target="_blank">made that clear</a> that “technically [he and his father] are two different people."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ea13b6b0be2edda93ebaef401ff11ee5"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3-zTa5fMFkI?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Matt Lieberman is running for U.S. Senate</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=61&v=3-zTa5fMFkI&feature=emb_logo" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
</small>
</p><p>Don't count Loeffler out just yet, though. She still has her secret weapon -- her leadership skills and relatability as a human-shaped politician. LOL! No, she's just rich as fuck. That's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2Z3rJMpCJY" target="_blank">her super power. </a> It's why Kemp picked her to fill retiring Sen. Johnny Isakson's seat over Collins, who Trump preferred. She's <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/georgia/articles/2020-04-15/loefflers-self-funding-buoys-her-money-total-in-senate-race" target="_blank">committed to spending $20 million</a> of her own hard-earned, blood-free money on the special election. She's also trying to rebrand herself as a philanthropist. </p><p>From the <a href="https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/kryptonite-loeffler-wealth-drives-campaign-but-threatens-too/OqdnxfbBClzLNKwlpnEGcI/" target="_blank">AJC:</a></p><blockquote>Rather than downplay her fortune, she's emphasized it. She shelled out a $1 million contribution to Albany's hard-hit hospital system, and her campaign hasn't been shy about advertising the meals or protective gear she's donated to health care workers, or that she's contributing her salary to charity.</blockquote><p>Girlfriend pulled $20 million from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPX5mRSQ3pw" target="_blank">her money bin</a> for a Senate campaign. It's a given she's not interested in the <a href="https://smartasset.com/retirement/congress-retirement-plans" target="_blank">$174,000 annual salary,</a> especially when there are other benefits such as prestige, power, and knowing in advance when to dump stocks. She could've just given $20 million to charity and stayed home in her $10 million <a href="https://www.buckhead.com/buckhead-man-jeffrey-sprecher-buys-nyse/" target="_blank">Tuxedo Park estate</a> that even has its own name, <em>Descante</em>. (It features "dinosaur footprints in the kitchen floor, a 1500-year-old Etruscan statue, 17th century fireplaces imported from Cambridge University and 170-year-old parquet flooring from Versailles.")</p><p>The coronavirus hit Albany, Georgia, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/30/us/coronavirus-funeral-albany-georgia.html" target="_blank">“like a bomb,"</a> and while no one is going to turn their nose up at $1 million, it's chump change compared to Loeffler's estimated <a href="https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/kelly-loeffler-outlines-millions-assets-financial-disclosures/bU0AYQgXQXD1y7E8VtECXI/" target="_blank">$300 million fortune. </a> It's less than half a percent! The <a href="https://www.deptofnumbers.com/income/georgia/" target="_blank">median household salary</a> in Georgia is roughly $56,000, and that's income not net worth. Still, if the average Georgian donated $250, their beneficence is on par with Loeffler's. </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d2f9ef94afdc07e6c9753d0573575021"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Nl_Qyk9DSUw?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Arrested Development: Lucille Bluth Banana Quote</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl_Qyk9DSUw" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
</small>
</p><p>Donate to Matt Lieberman's campaign <a href="https://liebermanforsenate.com" target="_blank">here.</a> Or <a href="https://secure.actblue.com/donate/wfg_ads-a?amount=25&recurring=1&amounts=25,50,100,250,500,1000,2800&refcode=ads_alw_gs_brand_d2d_nat&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_dLA4Om46QIVfT6tBh3RfwEMEAAYASAAEgKT4fD_BwE" target="_blank">Rev. Warnock's</a>. Or both. Did I mention how much Loeffler sucks?<br></p><p>[<a href="https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/kryptonite-loeffler-wealth-drives-campaign-but-threatens-too/OqdnxfbBClzLNKwlpnEGcI/" target="_blank">Atlanta Journal-Constitution</a> / <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/sen-kelly-loeffler-turns-over-pre-covid-crash-stock-sale-documents-to-feds" target="_blank">The Daily Beast</a>]<br></p><p><em>Follow Stephen Robinson on </em><em><a href="https://twitter.com/SER1897" target="_blank">Twitter.</a></em></p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/33mKzZe" target="_blank">Do your Amazon shopping through this link, because reasons</a>.</p><p><strong>Yr Wonkette is supported entirely by reader donations. Please click the clickie, if you are able!</strong></p><p></p><form name="donation" method="post" class="donation-form"><p class="subheadline">How often would you like to donate?</p><div class="form-row row--plan"><label class="plan-type__label"><input type="radio" name="plan_type" value="once" class="plan-type" required="" checked> Just once
</label><label class="plan-type__label"><input type="radio" name="plan_type" value="monthly" class="plan-type" required=""> Monthly
</label></div><div class="form-row row--amount"><p class="subheadline">Select an amount (USD)</p><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="200" data-value="2.00" data-amount="Two Dollars">$2</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="2500" data-value="25.00" data-amount="Twenty Five Dollars">$25</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="500" data-value="5.00" data-amount="Five Dollars">$5</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="5000" data-value="50.00" data-amount="Fifty Dollars">$50</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="1000" data-value="10.00" data-amount="Ten Dollars" checked>$10</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="10000" data-value="100.00" data-amount="One Hundred Dollars">$100</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="1500" data-value="15.00" data-amount="Fifteen Dollars">$15</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="50000" data-value="500.00" data-amount="Five Hundred Dollars">$500</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="2000" data-value="20.00" data-amount="Twenty Dollars">$20</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="100000" data-value="1000.00" data-amount="One Thousand Dollars">$1000</label></div><div class="row--buttons"><button type="submit" class="donate-button" data-payment="strip"><img src="https://assets.rbl.ms/18208879/2000x.png" alt="Credit cards" class="donate-button__img"></button><button type="submit" class="donate-button" data-payment="paypal"><img src="https://assets.rbl.ms/18208880/2000x.png" alt="PayPal" class="donate-button__img"></button></div></form><p></p>
Keep reading...
Show less
Right Wing Extremism
Armed Thugs Close Michigan Legislature, Hooray For Democracy!
Someday the Tyranny Against Haircuts may end.
May 15, 2020 01:50 PM
A bunch of armed loons showed up at the Michigan state Capitol in Lansing Thursday to once more demand an end to the state's stay at home order. But this time they weren't able to go inside and scream in cops' faces or walk around with guns in the House gallery, because the Lege decided to adjourn Wednesday without holding a planned Thursday session. The state House and Senate will instead return to work on Tuesday. The Detroit News reports about 300 protesters showed up this time, considerably fewer than the April 30 rightwing rally for the right to spread infectious disease without constraint, as the Founders wanted.
Yesterday's rally was organized by a group calling itself "Michigan United for Liberty," yet another wingnut group connected to anti-vaxxer death cults. The group gave the protest the not-at-all-threatening theme "Judgement Day." But that can't be threatening, not with a friendly font like this!
The armed crowd also included members of the "Michigan Liberty Militia," which we'll assume isn't formally related to the anti-vaxxers, but who knows — they're all united by a desire to give the word "Liberty" a bad name, and to breathe freely right in your face, no matter what they're infected with. (Freedom. They are infected with FREEDOM.)
<p>The Liberty lovers' private Facebook group was taken down by Facebook earlier this week after the <em>Detroit Metro Times</em> <a href="https://www.metrotimes.com/news-hits/archives/2020/05/11/whitmer-becomes-target-of-dozens-of-threats-on-private-facebook-groups-ahead-of-armed-rally-in-lansing" target="_blank">reported </a>it was one of four Facebook groups filled with "paranoid, sexist, and grammar-challenged rants, with members encouraging violence" as well as brave manly vows to ignore Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's public health orders, because masks that could prevent them from spreading contagion are communist. Three other groups had messages deleted by Facebook for violating its rules, but remain up. Messages in the private groups called for Whitmer to be hanged, lynched, shot, beaten, beheaded, or otherwise subjected to other patriotic expressions of dissatisfaction with her tyranny, because that's what America is all about. Here, have a sampling of patriotic free expression:</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
<iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1259864848935968769" id="twitter-embed-1259864848935968769" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1259864848935968769&created_ts=1589210161.0&screen_name=shannonrwatts&text=Ahead+of+an+armed+rally+planned+for+the+Capitol+building+in+Lansing%2C+Michigan%2C+this+coming+Thursday%2C+groups+are+pro%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FOyQc5cKnh9&id=1259864848935968769&name=Shannon+Watts" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="4911a1b7c3cf3a4e26fbc9d431d3ec30"></iframe>
</p><p>Republicans in the Michigan legislature <a href="https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2020/05/michigan-republicans-condemn-social-media-threats-as-democrats-call-for-gun-ban-in-capitol.html" target="_blank">condemned the threats</a> earlier this week, but they haven't yet signed on to a proposed resolution by Democratic state Sen. Dayna Polehanki<span style="background-color: initial;"> that would ban firearms from the Capitol building, except for guns carried by law enforcement. In a floor speech, Polehanki said she supported the right to protest and the right to bear arms, but for fuck's sake. She also noted that Michigan is alone among midwestern states in allowing guns inside its Capitol building, as if the good people of the Wolverine state needed to kowtow to what those socialists in Indiana or Iowa think. </span><br></p><blockquote>Days ago, men in combat gear with rifles around their necks taunted us, and the world saw it and the world was aghast. [...] Intimidating us with guns is an affront to the democratic process.</blockquote><p>Looks like <em>somebody</em> doesn't understand that the only reason she has freedom of speech is that armed civilians are willing to shoot her to protect the First Amendment and the rest of the Constitution.</p><p>One gentleman, perhaps inspired by George Washington, showed up for the protest carrying an axe, which somehow made people carrying semiautomatic rifles nervous. Axe-man got involved in a scuffle that involved another gentleman — perhaps a spiritual successor of James Madison — who had a naked Barbie doll hanging from a noose tied to his American flag. As far as we can tell, axe guy came to the defense of noose guy after a woman tried to take the naked Barbie away. Happily, no arms were fired or chopped off. </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
<iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1260954624967786497" id="twitter-embed-1260954624967786497" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1260954624967786497&created_ts=1589469984.0&screen_name=JoshuaPotash&text=A+fight+broke+out+at+the+protest+involving+the+ax+carrying+man.%0A%0ASpeaker+calls+for+the+police%2C+whose+faces+they+spi%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2F5wbnnGLzJh&id=1260954624967786497&name=Joshua+Potash" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="b46647a30dbd45d82ce592be34f08f2c"></iframe>
</p><p>It's not entirely clear whether the Federalists or the Whigs came out on top of the intense discussion. WXYZ <a href="https://www.wtkr.com/news/coronavirus/ax-wielding-man-removed-from-michigan-anti-shutdown-protests-but-no-citations-or-arrests-made" target="_blank">reports</a> no arrests were made, but the axe was confiscated. The <em>Detroit News</em> <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2020/05/14/protesters-begin-gathering-thursday-demonstration/5186937002/" target="_blank">adds </a>that as Noose Guy was escorted into the Capitol for his safety, <br></p><blockquote>The crowd yelled at the police, saying they paid for the officers' salaries and that they should arrest Whitmer.</blockquote><p>Those Blue Lives sure matter, don't they? Also, what the hell is <a href="https://www.wtkr.com/news/coronavirus/ax-wielding-man-removed-from-michigan-anti-shutdown-protests-but-no-citations-or-arrests-made" target="_blank">this bullshit</a> from that WXYZ story?</p><blockquote>Unlike two weeks ago, the legislature is not in session, so protestors – armed or not – didn't have access to inside the capitol.</blockquote><p>Seems a tad disingenuous to note the Lege was "not in session" without mentioning the session was cancelled because armed crazy people threatening violence were anticipated. </p><p>In conclusion, it's only May, Michigan's stay at home order remains in place until the end of the month, and we have a long six months, and possibly a <a href="https://www.wonkette.com/your-new-science-boyfriend-rick-bright-has-some-things-to-say-to-congress-a-liveblog" target="_blank">massive second wave</a> of coronavirus outbreaks, until the election. </p><p>[<a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2020/05/14/protesters-begin-gathering-thursday-demonstration/5186937002/" target="_blank">Detroit News</a> / <a href="https://www.metrotimes.com/news-hits/archives/2020/05/11/whitmer-becomes-target-of-dozens-of-threats-on-private-facebook-groups-ahead-of-armed-rally-in-lansing" target="_blank">Detroit Metro Times</a> / <a href="https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2020/05/michigan-republicans-condemn-social-media-threats-as-democrats-call-for-gun-ban-in-capitol.html" target="_blank">MLive </a>/ <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-14/michigan-cancels-legislative-session-to-avoid-armed-protesters" target="_blank">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wtkr.com/news/coronavirus/ax-wielding-man-removed-from-michigan-anti-shutdown-protests-but-no-citations-or-arrests-made" target="_blank">WXYZ</a>]</p><p><strong>Yr Wonkette is supported entirely by reader donations. Help us keep the servers humming and the writers paid, and if you're sheltering in place, here's our <a href="https://amzn.to/33mKzZe" target="_blank">Amazon linky</a>, too.</strong></p><p></p><form name="donation" method="post" class="donation-form"><p class="subheadline">How often would you like to donate?</p><div class="form-row row--plan"><label class="plan-type__label"><input type="radio" name="plan_type" value="once" class="plan-type" required="" checked> Just once
</label><label class="plan-type__label"><input type="radio" name="plan_type" value="monthly" class="plan-type" required=""> Monthly
</label></div><div class="form-row row--amount"><p class="subheadline">Select an amount (USD)</p><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="200" data-value="2.00" data-amount="Two Dollars">$2</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="2500" data-value="25.00" data-amount="Twenty Five Dollars">$25</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="500" data-value="5.00" data-amount="Five Dollars">$5</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="5000" data-value="50.00" data-amount="Fifty Dollars">$50</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="1000" data-value="10.00" data-amount="Ten Dollars" checked>$10</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="10000" data-value="100.00" data-amount="One Hundred Dollars">$100</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="1500" data-value="15.00" data-amount="Fifteen Dollars">$15</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="50000" data-value="500.00" data-amount="Five Hundred Dollars">$500</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="2000" data-value="20.00" data-amount="Twenty Dollars">$20</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="100000" data-value="1000.00" data-amount="One Thousand Dollars">$1000</label></div><div class="row--buttons"><button type="submit" class="donate-button" data-payment="strip"><img src="https://assets.rbl.ms/18208879/2000x.png" alt="Credit cards" class="donate-button__img"></button><button type="submit" class="donate-button" data-payment="paypal"><img src="https://assets.rbl.ms/18208880/2000x.png" alt="PayPal" class="donate-button__img"></button></div></form><p></p>
Keep reading...
Show less
coronavirus
White House Forces CDC To Edit Reopening Recs Down To Helpful Haiku, So We're All Good Now
You first.
May 15, 2020 11:44 AM
It's never a good sign when not a single person at the agency rolling out a policy will put his or her name on it. If the poor slob pitching the product insists on anonymity with reporters, then he's probably flogging a pile of shit that he doesn't want to appear in a Google search next to his name. Case in point: the watered-down reopening guidelines the White House finally allowed the CDC to publish last night.
"This was an effort on our part to make some decision trees we thought might be helpful to those moving forward with opening their establishment," a "spokesperson" told the Washington Post.
Politico spoke directly to the agency itself: "The CDC said its newly released tools are meant to give state and local areas control over their reopening strategies."
And the New York Times reports, "A C.D.C. spokesman said that further decision charts may be issued, and that the ones that had been published had emphasized the need for employers to work closely with local health officials."
The CDC has a whole list of spokespeople with particular subject matter expertise. But not one of them wanted to put their name on this piece of crap official document. Which is kind of a "tell."
<p>AP got a copy of the real, detailed guidelines last week after White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows shitcanned them for being <a href="https://www.wonkette.com/time-for-todays-episode-of-we-dont-need-no-f-ckin-cdc" target="_blank">"too prescriptive."</a> Probably a coincidence that Indiana Senator Mike Braun used that same language on the floor of the Senate, right?</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
<iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1260581571964387329" id="twitter-embed-1260581571964387329" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1260581571964387329&created_ts=1589381041.0&screen_name=atrupar&text=.%40SenatorBraun+on+Schumer+resolution+demanding+CDC+guidelines+for+reopening+the+country+be+released%3A+%22Are+we+really%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FPK5Vmids4Y&id=1260581571964387329&name=Aaron+Rupar" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="763626ddf61966abeffbeac4c548a968"></iframe>
</p><p>Press Secretary Kayleigh <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/05/01/kayleigh-mcenany-promises-reporters-i-will-never-lie-you/" target="_blank">"I Will Never Lie to You"</a> McEnany was duly dispatched to tell the White House press corp that the document published by the AP was a preliminary version, awaiting final approval from CDC head Dr. Robert Redfield, which prompted the immediate <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/cdc-white-house-not-same-page-coronavirus-reopening-document-shows-n1205991" target="_blank">leak</a> of emails showing that he'd actually approved them weeks earlier and had been trying to get the White House to sign off since April 10. And then, for good measure, someone inside the CDC passed the AP a <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6889330-Guidance-for-Opening-Up-America-Again-Framework.html" target="_blank">63-page unpublished draft</a> of guidelines specifying in granular detail exactly what steps institutions needed to take to safely reopen. Whoops!<br></p><p>Which put the White House in an awkward position, since Trumpland had told the CDC its detailed decision-making rubric for reopening schools, restaurants, day care facilities, religious institutions, and public transit would "never see the light of day," according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/7a00d5fba3249e573d2ead4bd323a4d4?utm_medium=AP&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter" target="_blank">AP</a>, and now everyone in DC had a copy of it. Meanwhile in the absence of federal guidance, states like Georgia, Florida, and Texas are already opening up using plans based as much on the demands of businesses as on public health best practices. So the White House went back to the CDC and told them to revive the guidelines, but this time replace all that annoying detail with graphics and pablum.</p><p>So this ... </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzI4MjU1OS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwNzE2MTE2Mn0.rkQcChigcIhocKDPSoo-ZjSUYrfM8Q4oQPcrVHaH91Y/img.png?width=980" id="8b7c7" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5ada8ca2a97786266b05c3beb60727c1" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
</p><p>... became this.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzI4MjU1OC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNTQ3OTg0NX0.PNw0hTg28BHkRAcpP9hASgW7pZsGmDiE7Pm4Nj0kgag/img.png?width=980" id="cb0ee" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6990ed0e291f9ce78cdb94a988e11a30" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
</p><p>And if you are a parent waiting to see if your child's summer camp is going to open (IT ME!), you're probably still shit outta luck. Because that little flow chart means <em>nothing</em>. No more phases, or mention of closing back up if someone in the facility is sick; no guidance on whether kids can swim in the pool, or play sports.</p><p>As Politico notes, the detailed internal draft suggests that camps should keep kids off playgrounds and out of the cafeteria. That little one-page flow chart would have 'em climbing all over the jungle gym and swapping gummy bears at lunch. Did you get an email this week from your kid's camp saying they'll make a decision by June 1? Is that helpful? (Again, IT ME.)</p><p>And can you guess what else is missing from the new and "improved" CDC guidance? </p><p>Well, the old rubric for religious institutions looked like this.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzI4MjYxOS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5NjQ4NDYxNX0.GEMXk4ZmKfkDN_q54ybwSum-06wcMI4vFrhAlC6SIQ4/img.png?width=980" id="a9e8a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0250092a32a33654d71475162bf634df" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
</p><p>And here's the new one.</p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzI4MjYxOC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5NzkxOTMzNn0.wrmjHIPmxNG-o-kUGZKBANJ4-F256aVIfsdFWyf_A9o/img.png?width=980" id="e7c72" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b0fd8f84fbba78793d2e77702f65d39a" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
</p><p>That's right, they do not exist. Because according to Bill Barr, it's unlegal to restrict religious assembly during a viral pandemic. It says so in the First Amendment. Or maybe it's the Geneva Convention? Could be the Treaty of Versailles. But if you check Newton's Second Law of Thermodynamics, it's definitely in there. </p><p>Anyway, the point is, now the Democrats can shut up already about needing guidance from the CDC. Just look at this little flow chart, and everything will be totally fine. THE END.</p><p>[<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/14/cdc-guidance-reopening-coronavirus-259565" target="_blank">Politico</a>]<br></p><p><strong>Follow Liz Dye on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/5DollarFeminist" target="_blank">RIGHT HERE!</a></strong></p><p><strong>Please click here to support your Wonkette. And if you're ordering your quarantine goods on Amazon, <a href="https://amzn.to/2wbH77j" target="_blank">this is the link to do it.</a></strong></p><p></p><form name="donation" method="post" class="donation-form"><p class="subheadline">How often would you like to donate?</p><div class="form-row row--plan"><label class="plan-type__label"><input type="radio" name="plan_type" value="once" class="plan-type" required="" checked> Just once
</label><label class="plan-type__label"><input type="radio" name="plan_type" value="monthly" class="plan-type" required=""> Monthly
</label></div><div class="form-row row--amount"><p class="subheadline">Select an amount (USD)</p><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="200" data-value="2.00" data-amount="Two Dollars">$2</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="2500" data-value="25.00" data-amount="Twenty Five Dollars">$25</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="500" data-value="5.00" data-amount="Five Dollars">$5</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="5000" data-value="50.00" data-amount="Fifty Dollars">$50</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="1000" data-value="10.00" data-amount="Ten Dollars" checked>$10</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="10000" data-value="100.00" data-amount="One Hundred Dollars">$100</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="1500" data-value="15.00" data-amount="Fifteen Dollars">$15</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="50000" data-value="500.00" data-amount="Five Hundred Dollars">$500</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="2000" data-value="20.00" data-amount="Twenty Dollars">$20</label><label class="amount__label"><input type="radio" name="amount" class="amount" value="100000" data-value="1000.00" data-amount="One Thousand Dollars">$1000</label></div><div class="row--buttons"><button type="submit" class="donate-button" data-payment="strip"><img src="https://assets.rbl.ms/18208879/2000x.png" alt="Credit cards" class="donate-button__img"></button><button type="submit" class="donate-button" data-payment="paypal"><img src="https://assets.rbl.ms/18208880/2000x.png" alt="PayPal" class="donate-button__img"></button></div></form><p></p>
Keep reading...
Show less
Newsletter
©2018 by Commie Girl Industries, Inc
