How COVID-19 is affecting society

[Innula Zenovka]

Oopsie.

British PM Boris Johnson tests positive for coronavirus

 

[Rose Karuna]

This is reprehensible and terrifying: Millions of Americans are about to lose their health insurance in a pandemic | Wendell Potter

Not only are record numbers of people being laid off but guess what, they lose their health insurance in the middle of a pandemic. Ah yes, and people can say but COBRA .. well, not everyone can get COBRA if they work for a small company and on top of that, unemployment barely covers rent and food, how are they supposed to afford COBRA?

 

[Jolene Benoir]

This is reprehensible and terrifying: Millions of Americans are about to lose their health insurance in a pandemic | Wendell Potter

Not only are record numbers of people being laid off but guess what, they lose their health insurance in the middle of a pandemic. Ah yes, and people can say but COBRA .. well, not everyone can get COBRA if they work for a small company and on top of that, unemployment barely covers rent and food, how are they supposed to afford COBRA?

Yep, having health insurance tied to whatever company you work for has always been dicey and never moreso now. Cobra is insanely expensive for most folks,and since, by definition, they are going to be tossed off their plans for no longer working for said company, how in the hell are they supposed to be able to afford Cobra?

 

[Cindy Claveau]

How'd you like to be Thomas Massie about now? The Senate votes unanimously on the bill (unheard of) but rather than allow a House voice vote while Reps shelter at home, he forces EVERYONE to fly back to DC and go through the motions. WaPo: "During his seven years in Congress, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has established a reputation as a uniquely irascible congressional gadfly — one who is frequently at odds with his own party’s leadership, rarely votes for major bills negotiated with Democrats, and, to make an ideological point, is willing to use the House rule book to inconvenience his colleagues. "

Voted the most likely to get beaten up in the Congressional bathroom.

 

[Free]

Voted the most likely to get beaten up in the Congressional bathroom.

Does that go into the Congressional Record?

 

[Shiloh Lyric]

Does that go into the Congressional Record?

It should be a formal resolution.

 

[Salome]

 

[Jolene Benoir]

How'd you like to be Thomas Massie about now? The Senate votes unanimously on the bill (unheard of) but rather than allow a House voice vote while Reps shelter at home, he forces EVERYONE to fly back to DC and go through the motions. WaPo: "During his seven years in Congress, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has established a reputation as a uniquely irascible congressional gadfly — one who is frequently at odds with his own party’s leadership, rarely votes for major bills negotiated with Democrats, and, to make an ideological point, is willing to use the House rule book to inconvenience his colleagues. "

Voted the most likely to get beaten up in the Congressional bathroom.

Why do people like that even go into politics? I know, I know...starve the beast, blah blah, but really do they get so much more satisfaction out of that than you know, actually helping people, representing their constituents?

 

[Cristiano]

Mark Blum, actor in 'Desperately Seeking Susan' and 'You,' dies of coronavirus complications | CNN

Mark Blum, a veteran stage actor known for films including "Desperately Seeking Susan" and "Crocodile Dundee," has died due to complications from Covid-19, according to a statement released by the Screen Actors Guild.

www.cnn.com

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Pity the people of America. They do battle now with one of the greatest challenges in their history, led by a man who is not only among the worst ever occupants of the White House but whose character makes him the last person on the face of the Earth you would nominate to be in charge at this moment. On Thursday the US reached the top of the global league table for coronavirus infections, edging ahead of its closest rival for that honour, China. No law of nature dictated that outcome. Much of it is directly attributable to one dreadful fact: that Donald Trump is president of the United States.

Trump's narcissism has taken a new twist. And now he has American blood on his hands | Jonathan Freedland

The US president has been exposed by the coronavirus crisis. The only small comfort for the rest of the world is that he’s not their leader, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland

www.theguardian.com

 

[danielravennest]

Not that I know anything about the business or US tax law but could it not be the case that the cruise companies making the claims would be US companies selling cruises on the liner, acting as travel agents for the offshore company that owns the liner? They almost certainly belong, directly or indirectly, to the owners of the cruise liners, but I bet that's roughly how it's structured.

Commercial ships in general are registered in havens like Liberia, who have lax regulations and allows them to use cheap labor. Ships carrying goods between US ports are required by law to be US registered and use US crews.

 

[Archer]

This really resonated with me so I thought I'd share it with you.

 

[Sredni Eel]

Yep, having health insurance tied to whatever company you work for has always been dicey and never moreso now. Cobra is insanely expensive for most folks,and since, by definition, they are going to be tossed off their plans for no longer working for said company, how in the hell are they supposed to be able to afford Cobra?

Someone needs to Neidermeier that asshole.

 

[Brenda Archer]

This is reprehensible and terrifying: Millions of Americans are about to lose their health insurance in a pandemic | Wendell Potter

Not only are record numbers of people being laid off but guess what, they lose their health insurance in the middle of a pandemic. Ah yes, and people can say but COBRA .. well, not everyone can get COBRA if they work for a small company and on top of that, unemployment barely covers rent and food, how are they supposed to afford COBRA?

So this disaster is going to be what finally convinces people that employer based healthcare is not “cheaper” “better” or “better for the economy,” as if keeping health insurance companies in business was some kind of a duty.

I know rural hospitals have gone under in states that didn’t take the Medicaid expansion, and poor people there have even been jailed for medical debt related court problems. I wonder what’s going to happen in such places now, since having unemployment will put many people over the (extremely low) Medicaid income cutoff, and then they will show up in the ER when they can’t breathe - and still can’t pay.

I still do not put it past the greed heads to use the pandemic to squeeze the last out of the rural poor and hospitals.

 

[Zaida Gearbox]

John Kerry said that Massie tested positive for being an asshole and should be quarantined. Go Kerry!!

Fortunately, for us Hubman's employer is going to continue to pay for his health insurance for the time being. I could put him on mine, but it would be stupid expensive.

 

[Free]

 

[Innula Zenovka]

 

[Free]

>> " I'm not sure anyone even knows what it is."

I hope it's the death knell to your presidency.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Geometric progression is hard to grasp.

It's also very, very scary.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

The Four Possible Timelines for Life Returning to Normal: The coronavirus outbreak may last for a year or two, but some elements of pre-pandemic life will likely be won back in the meantime.

When Will Coronavirus Social Distancing Be Over? - The Atlantic

Family The Four Possible Timelines for Life Returning to Normal The coronavirus outbreak may last for a year or two, but some elements of pre-pandemic life will likely be won back in the meantime. Joe...

www.evernote.com