5 ms·

You don't think the fact that this country just had the largest ever COVID wave (in terms of cases), which is in the process of ending, is at all related to the

by birken 5y ago

You don't think the fact that this country just had the largest ever COVID wave (in terms of cases), which is in the process of ending, is at all related to the decisions? Also of the scant 40 million people remaining in California, who haven't yet moved to Texas or Florida, public support for at least some "COVID protocols" are very high [1]. I'm not sure you are giving an impartial assessment of the facts. 1: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-02-24/california-voters-strongly-support-mask-and-vaccine-mandates-in-k-12-schools https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-02-24/californ...

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
calculatte 5y ago
The PR Firm Impact Research sent a report to the Democrats on Feb 22, 2022 urging them to lift all restrictions & claim victory for political points. Immediately after, restrictions lifted. Do your own assessment of the facts. Leaked memo https://punchbowl.news/impact-covid-positioning-strategy-memo/ https://punchbowl.news/impact-covid-positioning-strategy-mem...
- gdulli 5y ago
  With covid numbers falling from the inevitable January spike after the holidays, lifting omicron restrictions was always going to happen sometime this spring. (Barring some new deadly hypothetical variant.) But I don't doubt that both parties factor PR into all of their decisions, down to how they dress. The implication that a PR firm could dictate that the country would remain shut down until November despite covid numbers this low is silly. But I'm sure timing and messaging and other details are informed by PR studies. Whether from fear of losing their jobs or wanting to carry out the will of their constituents, lawmakers have to pay attention to what we think either way.
  - calculatte 5y ago
    And arguably the covid numbers were only high was because of dishonest and inflated counting. Now they are "low" because the risk policy was changed. https://fee.org/articles/the-cdc-changed-its-covid-risk-formula-the-results-are-stunning/ https://fee.org/articles/the-cdc-changed-its-covid-risk-form... Thinking PR doesn't dictate politics is what is really silly. If PR didn't matter, we wouldn't be inundated with ridiculous propaganda 24/7. They aren't "paying attention" to us, they are manufacturing consent and telling you what to think through all forms of media. Now, how long until this gets censored?
- birken 5y ago
  So you contend that "the Democrats" (who obviously are a fully united entity who never disagree) should have kept all the restrictions even though the Omicron wave is ending? What should they have done?
  - nostromo 5y ago
    It's just exposing the lie that "following the data" meant "following the polling data." That's fine, that's how democracy works. But it erodes trust in the political bodies that made all these rules and then just overturn them on a whim.
    - birken 5y ago
      If the public are also "following the data", then the polling data and scientific consensus are likely to be highly correlated. I don't think it is nefarious at all that the general public and political leaders come to the same conclusions at about the same time when both are reacting same set of factors.
      - calculatte 5y ago
        "We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." - William J. Casey, CIA Director (1981)
        hatware 5y ago
        It's amazing what people will ignore even though it's directly in front of their eyes.
  - greggman3 5y ago
    I don't care who's in charge. I care if suggestions/mandates fit the data. As of today, daily new cases in California are 2x-4x and deaths around 2x what they were in November. If in a week they are 1x then ok, open. But before then? Further, I guess it remains to be seen but I'd suspect lifting the restrictions will just rebound the numbers. Happy if I'm wrong though. I certainly would like to go to meetups, bars, etc...
xanaxagoras 5y ago
I don't see that where I am. Most people have stopped wearing masks in public. 2 months ago everyone was wearing one.
- birdyrooster 5y ago
  When I visited Ohio last summer, no one was wearing masks inside anywhere
- astrange 5y ago
  SFBA, having a lot of Asians, was already ready to wear masks without anyone asking and is probably just going to keep on doing it forever.
sjg007 5y ago
Midterms is the reason and California doesn't count. The happy path is that covid recedes over spring and summer as folks spend more time outside. If another variant crops up it may hit the deep south first like Delta did since they will be inside for AC reasons. But then you are close enough to November anyway. We will still have strict test before you fly requirements for international travelers and anyone who wants to fly to the USA has to be vaccinated (except for Americans returning).

by birken 5y ago

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

calculatte 5y ago

The PR Firm Impact Research sent a report to the Democrats on Feb 22, 2022 urging them to lift all restrictions & claim victory for political points. Immediately after, restrictions lifted. Do your own assessment of the facts. Leaked memo https://punchbowl.news/impact-covid-positioning-strategy-memo/ https://punchbowl.news/impact-covid-positioning-strategy-mem...

gdulli 5y ago
With covid numbers falling from the inevitable January spike after the holidays, lifting omicron restrictions was always going to happen sometime this spring. (Barring some new deadly hypothetical variant.) But I don't doubt that both parties factor PR into all of their decisions, down to how they dress. The implication that a PR firm could dictate that the country would remain shut down until November despite covid numbers this low is silly. But I'm sure timing and messaging and other details are informed by PR studies. Whether from fear of losing their jobs or wanting to carry out the will of their constituents, lawmakers have to pay attention to what we think either way.
- calculatte 5y ago
  And arguably the covid numbers were only high was because of dishonest and inflated counting. Now they are "low" because the risk policy was changed. https://fee.org/articles/the-cdc-changed-its-covid-risk-formula-the-results-are-stunning/ https://fee.org/articles/the-cdc-changed-its-covid-risk-form... Thinking PR doesn't dictate politics is what is really silly. If PR didn't matter, we wouldn't be inundated with ridiculous propaganda 24/7. They aren't "paying attention" to us, they are manufacturing consent and telling you what to think through all forms of media. Now, how long until this gets censored?
birken 5y ago
So you contend that "the Democrats" (who obviously are a fully united entity who never disagree) should have kept all the restrictions even though the Omicron wave is ending? What should they have done?
- nostromo 5y ago
  It's just exposing the lie that "following the data" meant "following the polling data." That's fine, that's how democracy works. But it erodes trust in the political bodies that made all these rules and then just overturn them on a whim.
  - birken 5y ago
    If the public are also "following the data", then the polling data and scientific consensus are likely to be highly correlated. I don't think it is nefarious at all that the general public and political leaders come to the same conclusions at about the same time when both are reacting same set of factors.
    - calculatte 5y ago
      "We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." - William J. Casey, CIA Director (1981)
      - hatware 5y ago
        It's amazing what people will ignore even though it's directly in front of their eyes.
- greggman3 5y ago
  I don't care who's in charge. I care if suggestions/mandates fit the data. As of today, daily new cases in California are 2x-4x and deaths around 2x what they were in November. If in a week they are 1x then ok, open. But before then? Further, I guess it remains to be seen but I'd suspect lifting the restrictions will just rebound the numbers. Happy if I'm wrong though. I certainly would like to go to meetups, bars, etc...

xanaxagoras 5y ago

I don't see that where I am. Most people have stopped wearing masks in public. 2 months ago everyone was wearing one.

birdyrooster 5y ago
When I visited Ohio last summer, no one was wearing masks inside anywhere
astrange 5y ago
SFBA, having a lot of Asians, was already ready to wear masks without anyone asking and is probably just going to keep on doing it forever.

sjg007 5y ago

Midterms is the reason and California doesn't count. The happy path is that covid recedes over spring and summer as folks spend more time outside. If another variant crops up it may hit the deep south first like Delta did since they will be inside for AC reasons. But then you are close enough to November anyway. We will still have strict test before you fly requirements for international travelers and anyone who wants to fly to the USA has to be vaccinated (except for Americans returning).