Coronavirus:

[Neil]

Some here seem to think that criticism of Trump's response to the crisis is political. Those people are incorrect. The ideologues in this country are the right wing fanatics (and occasional left wing fanatics) and the Republican party, which resembles at least embryologically the National Socialist party of the 1930s in Germany. Ideology and its deficits are not a problem, in general for those of us who will likely vote straight Democratic in November. We want a society that doesn't impoverish its poor and middle class, working class to enrich the fabulously wealthy, a society that favors truths and scientific advances, a society that provides education and health care to all without bankrupting them. A society less committed to corruption and cronyism than Trump and his clown car of fools provide.

That said, let me say that DiBlasio made some incredibly stupid decisions in NYC. Cuomo had limited ability to do anything in NYC due to his poor relationship with DiBlasio. But Cuomo at least rose to the occasion finally. To give you an idea of just how badly DiBlasio failed, we here 300 miles away instituted social distancing, closing schools, with 1 or 2 cases, BEFORE NYC did. End of non-political rant .

No matter how things turn out, Trump and his cronies are ideologic madmen who would take us back more than a century of scientific and social progress so they can live out their last years in some fantasy land of white patriarchy. How's that for ideologic positioning? These guys are dead men walking, but don't get it. Women and people of color, including, horror of horror, people from foreign countries are here to stay, just like the Irish, the Italians and Eastern Europeans were in the 19th and early 20th century. Oh, and did I mention Trump's German ancestors from a fairly recent time? Immigration made this country great, not that pathetic piece of human hatred in the White House. He couldn't make a milk shake great if his life depended on it.

[robert.]

None of the choices are better.

[up148]

I only saw your additional emails this morning. Look in the mirror Neil. You talk about zealots, you are over the top. My comments were about political hypocrites of which you are one and IMHO the Dems lead the pack. You say you are christian and I commend you for your donations and care and your feelings. But, you follow a party who believes in abortion (is this christian) and blindly supports the ACLU who have campaigned to removed the word "God" from our daily lives. I vilify the ACLU, they are the hand of the devil while pretending to be our saviors of American rights. We have pretty much removed pray in classrooms, while allowing muslems this right. The fabric of America has been changing for decades and the Democratic party is behind a lot of it.

We are diabolically opposed, so lets drop it and PRAY we never meet in public...not sure I could contain myself.

Enough said.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Well, then, all the more, if you do "meet in public," wear your masks and be sure to stay 6' feet apart.
That ought to cover anything untoward happening that might well be unworthy of either of you.

Jus sayin' .

[v8vega]

Republicans want a society where we have freedom of worship, where we aren't taxed to death for deadbeats who refuse to lift a finger to help themselves, where a all powerful goverment doesn't have their hand in every aspect of our lives, where out tax money doesn't go to public employee unions pensions so they can live like kings, where we have freedom.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

[Neil]

"PRAY we never meet in public...not sure I could contain myself."

Why not just plan to burn people like me at the stake, the traditional approach folks like you have for people who disagree with you?

Saves space in the graveyards for the truly worthy, so it's cost effective.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

"PRAY we never meet in public...not sure I could contain myself."

Why not just plan to burn people like me at the stake, the traditional approach folks like you have for people who disagree with you?

Saves space in the graveyards for the truly worthy, so it's cost effective.

Oh, no......

Let's get the Soylent Green factory working - waste not, want not. Everybody over the age of 70 march on down.

[Neil]

For those of you living in your own reality, let me point out that I am slightly to the left of center in political views. I am not in favor of reparations for slavery, favoritism towards any group for jobs, university admission, etc., abolish of capitalism, government control of the means of production, restrictions on religious worship (well, human sacrifice is out) or generally institutionalizing concepts of group victimhood.

Abortion is a tough one. But in weighing the interests of a woman to have control over her body and a non-viable embryo's right to reach viability, I come down on the former taking precedence over the latter. I am not in favor of infanticide or third trimester abortions. Once a fetus is viable, they are a human being to be sure. I'm also against genital mutilation as a religious undertaking.

As far as allowing prayer in public schools, etc. Rather similar to the 2nd amendment absolutists I believe the framers wanted us to keep religion out of public life and cherished in the religious institutions and families where it belongs. The constitution is quite clear on this one. Just as Christians have no right to conduct religious services in public schools, neither do Muslims, Jews or Hindus, and there shall be no Wiccan services either.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

For those of you living in your own reality, let me point out that I am slightly to the left of center in political views. I am not in favor of reparations for slavery, favoritism towards any group for jobs, university admission, etc., abolish of capitalism, government control of the means of production, restrictions on religious worship (well, human sacrifice is out) or generally institutionalizing concepts of group victimhood.

Abortion is a tough one. But in weighing the interests of a woman to have control over her body and a non-viable embryo's right to reach viability, I come down on the former taking precedence over the latter. I am not in favor of infanticide or third trimester abortions. Once a fetus is viable, they are a human being to be sure. I'm also against genital mutilation as a religious undertaking.

As far as allowing prayer in public schools, etc. Rather similar to the 2nd amendment absolutists I believe the framers wanted us to keep religion out of public life and cherished in the religious institutions and families where it belongs. The constitution is quite clear on this one.

Sounds about right.

[Neil]

"Sounds about right."

Thanks. Although being painted as some kind of Bolshevik crazed radical threat by some, I don't think so. (Although I always thought Trotsky looked kind of cute in his photos.). Stalin was a murderous *******, even if he did have enviable hair.

Being an FDR Democrat doesn't make one a socialist, although many people in that time thought FDR was a socialist. The way Donald Trump is a Christian, perhaps?

[HONDO74]

"Sounds about right."

Thanks. Although being painted as some kind of Bolshevik crazed radical threat by some, I don't think so. (Although I always thought Trotsky looked kind of cute in his photos.). Stalin was a murderous *******, even if he did have enviable hair.

Being an FDR Democrat doesn't make one a socialist, although many people in that time thought FDR was a socialist. The way Donald Trump is a Christian, perhaps?

1936 Constitution of the Soviet Union also known as the Stalin Constitution
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1936_Cons ... viet_Union

Socialist democracy. AKA Bernie Sanders dream for the United States.

Many who lauded Stalin's Soviet Union as the most democratic country on earth lived to regret their words.

[Neil]

Stalin was a socialist the way Al Capone and Meyer Lansky were small businessmen.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Stalin was a socialist the way Al Capone and Meyer Lansky were small businessmen.

Now that's funny.

Anyway, I thought Stain was a communist but the metaphor still works.

But I'm not sure what Stalin has to do with the people dying in this country every day from this disease. Seems like a lot of deflection and slight of hand to avoid looking at where we are today.

[HONDO74]

But I'm not sure what Stalin has to do with the people dying in this country every day from this disease. Seems like a lot of deflection and slight of hand to avoid looking at where we are today.

I'm not the one that brought Stalin into the conversation.

Or burning someone at the stake.