Wednesday 1 April 2020

Fighting Fake News with REAL 1/4/20; 240,000 Americans to die; Locked Up Humour; LNP- never say never change in a day; Quid Pro Quo it's true meaning revealed again;





Trump Administration says up to 240,000 Americans to die from coronavirus

By Matthew Knott
The Trump administration expects between 100,000 and 240,000 Americans will die after contracting the coronavirus if social distancing is maintained, a figure the US President said was "very sobering".
If 240,000 Americans die from the virus, it would be four times as many American casualties as the Vietnam War and 80 times the number of people who died in the September 11 attacks.


President Trump stands before a screen showing the projected curve of infections in the US. Up to 240,000 Americans could die.
President Trump stands before a screen showing the projected curve of infections in the US. Up to 240,000 Americans could die.

More than 700 deaths from the virus were recorded in a single day on Tuesday (Wednesday) in the US, topping the previous peak reached the day before.

 What Andrew Bolt and Murdoch Media report as a trivial flu





 The Originality of the LNP never fails to amaze

Just a few days ago, this from Finance Minister, Mathias Cormann:

“No, we will not look at a UK-style system (income support) because in an Australian context that just wouldn’t work,”

One week later: “But we are going to do it in an Australian way”. Kaboom, income support for six million Australians.

Stimulae
Apart from the assorted state government stimulus initiatives, the Federal Government has been notching up stimulus at the rate of more than one per week.
On March 12, a $17.6 billion stimulus – a $4.76 billion doubling in Newstart allowances, now dubbed Jobseeker, and $6.7 billion for business wage subsidies. The former an extremely welcome relief for the poorest Australians and economically sensible as they are sure to spend it. The latter, a “trickle down” initiative as businesses but only partially effective as businesses were dropping customers and closing doors by the day.
On March 19, a $90 billion three-year funding facility was declared by the Reserve Bank to help banks continue to lend to business, and another $15 billion aimed at second-tier banks and other lenders. Another trickle down initiative, essentially a liquidity fillip for the banks who are more likely to lend it to large corporations more likely to pay it back.
On March 22, a $66 billion package, including a $550 coronavirus supplement to Jobseeker and a second $750 payment to welfare recipients. This was designed to keep small business keep their workers but it was flawed in that it incentivised employers to keep higher paid workers and discard those on lower incomes.
On March 30, the big $130 billion income support package followed income support measures in other countries. This is very welcome and benefits some six million Australians but is designed to entrench the employer/employee relationship and fails to support the millions of Australians who fall through the eligibility cracks.
 Cufflinked Comrades: neo-conservative socialists and the victims of the big bail-out - Michael West



 

The Coronavirus CrisisThe Coronavirus CrisisIn Exchange for Aid, Trump Wants Praise From Governors He Can Use in Campaign

Quid Pro Quo 50 Purrrr-fect Calls
 “Imagine living in a part of Louisiana or Texas that’s prone to devastating hurricanes and flooding,” Karlan said. “What would you think if you lived there, and your governor asked for a meeting with the president to discuss getting disaster aid that Congress has provided for — what would you think, if that President said, ‘I would like you to do us a favour. I’ll meet with you, and I’ll send the disaster relief once you brand my opponent a criminal.”



How to shut Andrew Bolt down

 STOP ADVERTISING

News Corp community newspapers to cease printing papers

By Zoe Samios
The Manly Daily, The Wentworth Courier and The Diamond Valley Leader are among a group of 60 newspapers forced to stop print publication due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
News Corp Australia announced on Wednesday morning it would turn its 60 community newspaper mastheads to digital-only products and suspend print publication from April 9 due to rapid declines in advertising revenues.
Community title readers will be given a free 28-day digital subscription to access the titles and News Corp's metro mastheads the Herald Sun, The Daily Telegraph, The Courier-Mail and The Advertiser online.
News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller said the decision to suspend printing had been "forced" and had not been taken lightly.
"The suspension of our community print editions has been forced on us by the rapid decline in advertising revenues following the restrictions placed on real estate auctions and home inspections, the forced closure of event venues and dine-in restaurants in the wake of the coronavirus emergency," Mr Miller said

FAKE NEWS

TONIGHT: LOSING NOT JUST OUR MINDS BUT OUR HEARTS IN THIS PANIC

On The Bolt Report on Sky at 7pm: still just 20 deaths, the latest 95 years old. What's the human cost of locking up everyone, rather than detaining the infectious and protecting the old? And have we lost our heart - trying to turn away a ship? Have we lost our mind - banning couples from visiting each other? And why a pay rise for public servants? 

Just 20 deaths note Bolt doesn't mention that  4,860 cases that have been diagnosed and growing let alone the unknown cases and carriers to date as only some 240,000 people have been tested since January. Bolt is doing everything counter to what the experts and our authorities are saying on the matter. Laws have been introduced to obey those instructions. Bolt is arguably saying isn't necessary! Isn't he breaking the law? 
He's not Derryn Hinch daring the government to charge him but why hasn't he been charged? Do News Corp and Sky have that much power that their employees can invite the public to not just ignore but break the law?
The best advice given by medical experts, virologists, and epidemiologists, given the circumstances, that we don't have the equipment or even the manpower to test all Australians again and again and again let alone the capacity to treat them. So the herd immunity approach wouldn't be practical here.  That seems the case in Sweden and  Netherlands which remain among the top affected countries in the world. The UK  considered it as an option and were convinced not to go ahead with it. Bolt certainly doesn't provide any convincing arguments for doing it. He keeps pointing to Taiwan, South Korea Singapore and Hong Kong but they don't enhance his argument as Australia is so very very different a place. To quote Waleed Aly the case is not that simple Waleed, and he is talking to you Bolt because it seems you are so very very simple.
Bolt is reminiscent of the cotton plantation owners of the deep South in America their slaves were dispensible their business not.  Bolt, in the same way, is telling Australians Coronavirus or not to get back to work and get your flatlined wages and ensure that the Corporate CEOs get the bulging bonuses and the company profits are going to be shared with shareholders.
Bolt is an isolate he gets paid here but spends a good part of his wages out of the country he certainly doesn't practice what he preaches and is one of the least productive Australians preaching what productive Australians ought to do.

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