January 10, 2021

Freedom of Speech is not Freedom of Reach

The "violating free speech" bullshit really angers me.

No one is silencing the speech, only limiting the avenues for spreading in an attempt to limit the damage it can do. (If you haven't seen it, check out the speech from Sasha Baron Cohen below)

To those concerned about the bans from certain social media platforms, publishers, or media outlets, I ask, would you have the NY Times forced to publish militant white supremacist or other loathsome speech because those people "have a right to be heard"? Obviously not. Does an outlet that has rules limiting content run the risk of being accused of being "unfair"? Sure. Outlets that limit content in ways that demonstrate what most would consider objectionable bias will get to be known for what they are. (Like Fox is known for what it is.) Calling rules governing unacceptable content "a violation of rights" is completely and utterly absurd.

Sure, within limits ("advocacy of the use of force" is unprotected when it is "directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action" ) everyone has a right to speak their minds, but no organization has an obligation to give them a megaphone. Simon and Shuster can't be forced to publish Hawley's claptrap any more than Regnery could be forced to publish a book by Bernie Sanders.

Any militant white supremacist or crazy conspiracy theorist can get a megaphone and shout their shit from a soapbox in the public square. Or raise funds to set up an internet host willing to host "anything goes" social media platforms.

Conservative social media sites are welcome to ban liberal voices as far as I'm concerned. The people occupying them have their minds closed anyway. Might as well make it explicit with rules that basically amount to "see no evil (social justice ideas), hear no evil (social justice ideas), speak no evil (social justice ideas)"

I am perfectly happy with outlets making their values clear in their rules. I am proud to participate in platforms that utterly reject right-wingnut insanity and hate speech. And if right-wingnut outlets want to make their rejection of sanity clear in their rules, fine. It would be up to us to find other avenues to try to reach those people (if we think we have a message that could possibly get through).

November 19, 2020

I think. . .

On "our side" we generally do a terrible job of focusing on big themes and goals. We get mired in details. The focus is on the "doable," not the vision of what we can and should be as a people. The details do not engage.

Change requires a couple ingredients that too few of us have.

1. A belief that this is OUR government, and if we want something, we can make it happen.

2. A vision of what we can and should be grounded in moral principle and the aspirational values expressed in the Declaration of Independence. (Values we have allowed to be violated since those words were written. But, I do not believe that past is prolog. I think more of us can internalize the vision. And that’s the first step in the journey to ACTUALLY starting to build "a more perfect union." )

A vast majority believe political change is the responsibility of elected officials and "professionals." That is, “politics” is not for us "regular people." That sort of alienation from our own government sets things up for anger and resentment and apathy against this “alien” government thing that is failing us. It opens the door to the sort of demonization we are seeing. The truth, that WE are the real movers IF we choose, is the antidote.

I think we can do a better job of engaging our fellow citizens and rekindling belief in some of the fundamental values that drive change. We need to focus on building the foundation: a vision of what is possible and a belief in our power to acheive it.

Hope is contagious. We will never get “everyone" on board. But uniting everyone is not necessary. We just need to reach the “critical mass” necessary to get the ball rolling.

For example, in the fight for universal health care we have repeatedly allowed it to be shot down with "can’t afford” this or that detailed plan before building a consensus on basic principles -- principles that, when more generally accepted, demand implementation of universal health care. Where there is a will, there is a way. The principles drive the definition of the goals and then we can lobby for a plan that fulfills the goals – including a plan for paying for it. (Like a wealth tax – but that is grounded in another set of principles.).

Quite some time ago, I started building a little web site. I wasn't able to follow through with making connections and building it into the sort of activist "clearinghouse" I envisioned, but some of what I wrote I think conveys what I'm talking about.

http://www.greatergoodusa.com/issues/universal-health-care/


I'm sure you didn't expect such a verbose answer to a simple question. Hope your not sorry you asked.

October 8, 2020

Letters to editors of newspapers and networks needed -- LOTS of letters

One way to lobby for a change in language is in letters to the editor. (Or to bring attention on any subject.)

Personally, I''ll be lobbying to change White Supremacists, White Extremists, White Power movement, Militias, etc. to "White Terrorists." As noted in other posts on the thread, I think this is more accurate and a simpler transition from current language. YMMV. There are other labels suggested on this thread, like Right-Wing Terrorists, you might prefer. I like including "White" because I think this ultimately boils down to racism -- not just "right-wing" beliefs.

In addition to writing to papers/news local to your state/city/region, below are some nationals and progressive-friendly magazines.

I've also included cable and network news contacts.

When you write, cite a recent article (articles) that have instances of the objectionable term. Make a short case for a new, more meaningful and accurate, label. Note the the problematic language is used everywhere.

Best to keep it under 200 words, whether or not the outlet provides this as a guideline.

National Newspapers

--------------------------
WaPo
Write to letters@washpost.com or to: Letters to the Editor, The Washington Post, 1301 K Street NW, Washington DC 20071.

Guidelines: [F]ewer than 200 words and take as their starting point an article or other item appearing in The Post.

------------------
NYTimes
letters@nytimes.com

Guidelines: Letters should be exclusive to The New York Times or The International New York Times. We do not publish open letters or third-party letters. -- That is, customize for NYTimes citing a few articles with the objectionable term and noting that the term is pervasive.

---------------------
USA Today
letters@usatoday.com -- also need to be under 200 words (fewer the better).

Progressive Magazines

-------------------
The Atlantic
letters@theatlantic.com

----------------
Mother Jones
backtalk@motherjones.com
or send snail mail to Backtalk, Mother Jones, P.O. Box 584, San Francisco, CA 94104-0584.

--------------
The American Prospect
David Dayen, Executive Editor, ddayen@prospect.org

The American Prospect
1225 I Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20005
(202) 776-0730
info@prospect.org

-----------------
Harper's
Harper’s Magazine
666 Broadway, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10012
212-420-5720

To email us about articles in the magazine:
letters@harpers.org

-------------
The Nation
https://www.thenation.com/letters-editor-0/

--------------
Washington Monthly
1200 18th Street NW
Suite 330
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202-955-9010, Fax: 202-955-9011

Cable News and other network news

CNN
https://www.cnn.com/feedback

MSNBC
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, N.Y. 10112

ABC News
https://abcnews.go.com/contact
List of contacts for specific shows
https://abcnews.go.com/contact

NBC News
Assistant Managing Editor for Politics
Gregg Birnbaum / Gregg.Birnbaum@nbcuni.com

Assistant Managing Editor for News
Tim Perone / Tim.Perone@nbcuni.com

CBS News
Different contacts for evening weekday and weekend news. See https://www.cbsnews.com/news/contact-information-01-08-1998/

March 29, 2020

Timeline and failures -- lost shot at containment

Re-posted as OP by request
___________________________

Actual sequence of events follows "what could have been".

Just imagine...

-- If the CDC had started sourcing and distributing sample collection materials the week of 1/13, and simultaneously moved to develop and distribute tests and testing supplies to public health entities (there are about 3000 of them) as rapidly as possible.

-- If the public health emergency had been declared 1/13 to empower more rapid preparation and response.

-- If the FDA had used its EUA power as soon as the public health emergency was declared to allow labs across the country to develop, distribute, and process tests.

-- If the public health emergency declaration had conveyed the reality of what we were facing. (i.e., Had conveyed a clear picture of what would come if we failed to act, and act quickly. The grim reality was obvious as soon as it was clear how readily it was transmitted in China and how high the mortality rate was.)

-- If, in response to clear warnings, states and and feds had recognized the need to pass funding bills to get critical testing, tracing, and containment programs off the ground and create specialized task forces to coordinate across states and public health entities (A big job that requires dedicated management and staff -- something we still don't have).

-- If federal authorities paid attention to epidemiologists' models and health expert metrics of projected incidence, hospitalizations, actual resources vs. needed resources, and began to source and use powers to order increased production of PPE, ventilators, and put plans in place for how to address possible/probable shortage of beds and other critical resources.

-- If, as soon as testing was available, the power to order tests had been put in the hands of doctors and a public information campaign had been initiated to advise anyone having symptoms, or who suspected exposure, to immediately self-quarantine and seek testing.

Even if it took until the beginning of Feb to get "rolling," we would have been mobilized to detect cases that had been contracted in mid-January. With fewer cases to detect, public health entities would have been able to ramp up efforts to trace source and contacts of every case detected (and have time to bring personnel on board to make it possible to trace if/when numbers increased -- funded by those emergency bills).

Perhaps all this is too much to expect of any government, but I don't think so.

The first "sin" was the inability of the DT administration to confront the grim facts about the probable (if not guaranteed) consequences of failing to act early and quickly. In our interconnected world, it was ridiculous to think the crisis in China would somehow, magically, be be limited to China without action on the part of other nations. Effective containment required coordinated mobilization across national borders. Or, failing that, mobilization within our own borders.

Of course, I could be flat wrong and containment efforts would have failed, however early they had been initiated.

We'll never know because our government didn't bother to try.


____________________________________

Timeline

1/13
Test developed by the department of virology at Berlin’s Charité university hospital with help from experts in Rotterdam, London and Hong Kong available.

CDC inexplicably declines to develop and use this test, opting, instead, to come up with their own.

1/19
Virus is already circulating, undetected, in WA state, and probably elsewhere. (Based on analysis of genetic samples from a 1/20 case and a later case, researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington found the virus had probably been circulating undetected for at least 6 weeks prior to 3/1 -- finding announced 3/1)

1/31
Azar (DHS) declares public health emergency. Among other things, this triggers FDA emergency use authorization (EUA) power which they DID NOT exercise until 2/29 (see later). The emergency declaration should have come at least two weeks earlier. In an interconnected world, the grim reality of what we would face if we did not make preparations to act, and act quickly, was obvious as soon as it was clear how readily it was transmitted in China and how high the mortality rate was.

In re: EUA power. Normally, hospitals and labs need FDA permission to use their own laboratory developed tests (LDTs). EUA power allows labs to move forward with test distribution and processing while the FDA reviews information about the test they submitted.

If the FDA had started exercising its EUA power immediately upon declaration of a public health emergency, as they should have, labs at university medical centers, hospitals, private labs, etc., could have moved forward with their own tests or a version of the reliable test that was available on Jan 13. (FDA did not exercise this power until 2/29, as noted later in the timeline.)

2/3
China travel ban
After not testing anybody, and doing no screening on anybody for 3 weeks, DT issues a travel ban on China 2/3. Only returning Americans and foreign nationals with "pre-clearance" are allowed entry.

Selected airports are designated to receive planes and screen passengers as they come in. Anyone who visited China in the past two-weeks is screened. If they have symptoms they are told to go home and quarantine. No testing to determine actual status (because we don't have a test). Everyone else on plane already exposed. (More to it than that -- re-routing to original destination and whatnot.)

2/5
CDC finally begins distributing their own test.

Shortly after distribution begins, recipients find problems with the test. Apparently it has been distributed without proper quality control checks. Testing by states put on hold. States are directed to send samples to CDC. CDC has very strict criteria for testing to limit number of tests and resultant backlog. The number of people tested is extremely limited.

2/23
First community transfer confirmed in CA. (Virus has therefore been circulating, undetected, there, too.)

2/27
CDC has fixed the test issue. Most states still not getting kits. They continue being directed to send samples to CDC for testing with overly strict criteria. Even with limits and test "rationing" there are backlogs.

2/29
FDA finally begins to use its EUA power to empower labs to distribute/process tests independent of the CDC. A crucial six weeks has been lost.

2/29
DT expands travel ban to include Iran.

2/29
Governor Inslee declares state of emergency in WA (first state)

2/30
Cuomo declares disaster emergency in NY

3/1
With extremely limited testing, 42 cases in the US are confirmed. 2 deaths are attibuted to COVID-19.

People who have symptoms are directed to "self-quarantine."

3/3
Newsom declares state of emergency in CA.

3/8
497 cases have been detected. 22 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19. Test capacity continues to be so severely limited we really have no idea how many COVID-19 cases there are. Most states are still being directed to send tests to the CDC for processing. Backlog.

3/15
3,497 cases have been detected. 62 deaths attributed to COVID-19.* Some states are ramping up testing, but a vast majority continue to face severe sample collection materials shortage and/or extremely limited test processing capacity. The limitations are so severe there is no way to estimate likely incidence per capita in most regions, or to create region-specific data-driven models. In absence of anything else, preparations are necessarily based on worse case scenarios everywhere.

Statewide closure orders begin with Inslee in WA ordering closure of all bars, restaurants, recreational and entertainment facilities. NY follows March 16, and CA follows March 17, with even more restrictive "Shelter in Place" orders. More detailed state-by-state action summary here.

3/22
29,046 cases detected.

300 deaths attributed to COVID-19*

Testing still so limited the actual numbers remain essentially unknown.
Hospital admissions with COVID-19-like symptoms that resulted in death were only counted if diagnosis was confirmed by test (which was not happening with any sort of consistency)

3/29
https://covidtracking.com/data/ 7pm ET

139,061 cases detected

2,428 deaths attributed to COVID-19*

Hospitalized 19,730 (not all states report this so the actual number is probably much higher)

Continued limited testing. Actual numbers higher.
Only 254 tested per 100,000 (US)

Wide range by state. For example:
Approx 800 tested per 100,000 in NY and WA
Approx 90 tested per 100,000 in TX

+++++++++++++++++
April 7th update

3/29

12,709 deaths attributed to COVID-19*

* Underestimate. People with COVID-19-like symptoms who died before testing began to ramp up in mid-March were often not counted as COVID-19 deaths because the diagnosis was never confirmed by testing. People dying at home, and even in the hospital, were not always, and still are not always tested to confirm COVID-19 status, These cases of likely COVID-19 are not counted in reported deaths.

March 8, 2020

Colossal failures and loss of critical weeks of testing and containment -- we need answers!

Excerpt from informative article (Politico)

And this, from an article in The Guardian:


I want to hear that congressional committees are conducting robust inquiries on the effectiveness of efforts going forward, rapidly compiling national and state program recommendations from experts outside the DT admin, and appropriating additional emergency funds to implement. I want to hear they are investigating the stink that surrounds the disastrous actions to date. I want to see the paper trail (emails, memos, meeting notes, guidelines...).

I would also love to see someone like Jane Mayer dig into questions like these:

Why did the CDC decide they needed to produce their own test, rather than use the reliable test already developed by Jan 13? (The CDC effort apparently took an additional 3 weeks.) What process/reasoning, went into that disastrous decision?

Why didn't the FDA immediately trigger a regulatory workaround enabling qualified medical centers to roll out tests that they had designed themselves? (BTW, AP fact check reports that the regulatory limitation was implemented by the Trump admin, NOT Obama's, as DT and other admin officials claimed.)

What failures in process allowed the CDC test "performance issues" to go undetected until AFTER they began distributing their test around Feb 5? (Problems identified by recipients, NOT the CDC.) What the hell happened to quality control?

Why did most states have to continue to send their samples to CDC for an additional 4 weeks (through March 2), causing a "bottleneck"? (A bottleneck that led the agency to put in place extremely restrictive criteria for testing to ease the burden.)

Time will tell how quickly we can put in place the means to collect samples from those who need to be tested,** and have those samples transported to, and processed by, labs with the capacity to produce rapid results. Test kits, by themselves, are of no use. There needs to be a system in place. (And no, it is not "too late." If we fail to put efforts into both containment AND building capacity to treat, we will have many more people to treat, putting an even greater burden on the system.)

Time will also tell how high a price in precious lives this nation will pay for the loss of critical weeks.

One thing we know is that the magnitude of the crisis will be far higher than it would have been if the administration hadn't pursued its lie, ignore, deny, dismiss "strategy" to "protect" the stock market. Of course, their strategy will certainly backfire. As the crisis accelerates as a result their colossal failures, so too will the affect on stocks.

_________
** "those who need to be tested" must include all contacts traced from known cases, as well as symptomatic people, particularly those who live, work, and otherwise have, or have had, contact with vulnerable people. Such testing will likely require staffing of tracing task forces, as well as training, equipping, and deploying people to collect samples "in place."

August 21, 2017

Disrupt, distract, dissipate, while busily transforming our governement in ways...

...that are likely to take many, many years to repair.

Amid the distraction of the chaotic horror show he is definitely "getting things done."



Some of the things tracked on presterity.org:


I fear that the actions that are big enough, or implemented at a level high enough, to make the news are just the tip of the iceberg compared to damage being done by the systematic decimation of executive regulatory functions going on at every level. And this doesn't even touch on his abusive use of executive power over foreign policy, which is making the world a more dangerous .place, not to mention his withdrawal from efforts to use of our influence and dollars to advance human rights.

Human beings are naturally pulled in when confronted with something that is beyond understanding. As we witness DT's evermore explosive and bizarre verbal diarrhea, our attention is diverted. At the same time, we are being overwhelmed by the shear volume and breadth of the damaging actions he's pulling off. Generalized opposition is strong, but a whole lot is getting by without fanfare or organized opposition.

August 19, 2017

NYTimes: How to Make Fun of Nazis

We've got to be able to come up with something equivalent. Let's work to turn every hate group rally into a pledge drive for the Southern Poverty Law Center (other suggestions welcome). Call on sane people to contribute X dollars to anti-hate cause for every every hateful person who shows up at the rally. Put up a big fund raising thermometer. Cheers and thanks to the assholes who show up for their part in raising money for such a wonderful cause.

August 16, 2017

DT is mentally ill: Antisocial Personality Disorder and Narcissistic Personality Disorder

DT is mentally ill. He meets the criteria for Antisocial and Narcissistic Personality Disorders. And based on public conduct, I have no doubt that an evaluation would put him way up on the Psychopathy Checklist.

Lying and "distorting reality" are hallmarks. He breaks every rule in the book in pursuit of his own ends. He lies and distorts reality to rationalize and justify his wrongful conduct. To puff up his over-inflated ego he stereotypes and denigrates those he sees as out-groups. His callous disregard for others and sense of entitlement appear to know no bounds. He weaves grandiose tales of his fearsome power, omnipotence, and unequaled brilliance. He is proudly abrasive and offensive. He clearly enjoys humiliating and embarrassing others, but reacts to any perceived slight to his own person, appearance, or accomplishments aggressively and vindictively.

I'm sure there have been U.S. presidential candidates, and presidents, who could be diagnosed with a personality disorder of some sort, but I can't think any of who exhibited this level of psychopathy. I can't think of any who met as many diagnostic criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder, or who met as many criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

Regarding Personality Disorders in general

I think it is pretty clear that DT exhibits these defining features.



DT meets A. He shows "Disregard for and violation of the rights of others." He exhibits at least four of the seven "sub-features."
Specifically 1 (sexual assault clearly warrants arrest), 2, 3, and 7 (I don't think there would be any argument on these three). Arguably he exhibits some of the remaining features. For example, he probably meets 3. He is clearly "irritable and aggressive," but I don't know of any reports of physical assaults in adulthood.

He only needs three of the sub-features to meet the criteria for A "Disregard for and violation of the rights of others"

He is certainly over 18, and from descriptions of him as a kid in [link:http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/the-choice-2016/transcript/"Frontline: The Choice 2016]" he exhibited the same characteristics (plus physical aggression) from a young age.




On this one I'd say he's nine for nine (and only needs five for diagnosis).

The "Psychopathy Checklist" is highly correlated with the criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder and Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Scoring is based on a structured interview, but, given the degree to which DT meets the criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder and Narcissistic Personality Disorder, I have no doubt that DT's psychopathy score is very high.

March 24, 2017

What I want to see is a Dem "ACA fix" bill that adds the Public Option.

Right now we are engaged in a losing "ACA sucks" v. No it doesn't" argument. We need to move the fight to "our turf." Dems need to introduce a competing ACA "fix" that adds the public option. And they need to launch a coordinated effort to "sell" it to the public. They should be out their calling on people to contact Reps to tell them the Dem bill is what they REALLY want. And if/when it is blocked this session, call on people to elect Dems in 2018 so we CAN get it done.

Repubs claim "their" bill will reduce premiums. It's a lie, but people will be/are being duped by it. Without a competing bill, all we can say is "their bill won't lower premiums." And that's a classic "Don't think of an elephant" loser (See Lakoff). With a competing bill that has the public option -- which actually WILL cut costs through polling and negotiation -- we've got something positive to advocate. We need to do more than fight for the status quo if we want to move our health care system in the right direction (or stop reversal).

ACA is in fact not great. It needs fixing. The right kind of fixing. Let's accept the reality that the Republican noise machine has successfully demonized ACA. We are not going to be able to undo that damage. The only way to really protect what we've got is to change the game.

March 23, 2017

STOP GORSUCH Petitions/Actions

Of course, number 1 is calling/faxing your Senators (even Repubs so they can't say "nobody in my state is against Gorsuch&quot

STOP GORSUCH PETITIONS/ACTIONS

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/filibuster-the-gorsuch

https://act.weareultraviolet.org/sign/scotus_hearing_filibuster/

https://act.credoaction.com/sign/Block_Trumps_Court/

https://peoplesdefense.org

https://peoplesdefense.org/gorsuch/

http://act.democracyforamerica.com/sign/stop-trump-scotus/?source=website

http://actnow.prochoiceamerica.org/sign/170307_opposegorsuch_website/?source=webalert#.WNMPjjFtldg

https://secure.pfaw.org/site/SPageNavigator/action.html?survey_id=11726&autologin=true

http://act.standupamerica.com/page/s/stand-up-for-the-supreme-court

http://act.demandprogress.org/sign/block-neil-gorsuch/

https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/urge-senate-dems-to-filibuster-against-neil-gorsuch?link_id=1&can_id=c47a3e271a5d71005a448bde8c548114&source=email-action-alert-no-justice-no-seat-stop-gorsuch&email_referrer=action-alert-no-justice-no-seat-stop-gorsuch&email_subject=action-alert-no-justice-no-seat-stop-gorsuch

Tweet links for Judiciary committee
http://www.lambdalegal.org/blog/201703_judge-neil-gorsuch-thinks-constitutional-values-immutable


Even if you've already called/faxe your Senators, might want to do it again to say NO Deals like this bullshit:
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/gorsuch-democrats-supreme-court-236384