Its my way or the highway (that I didn't fix) - Gov. Whitmer
Sorry to keep going on about Governor Whitmer, but as someone who lives in Michigan, I take what Whitmer says very serious as it literally and directly affects my personal well being, as well as my family, and all the people that I know.
In my last post, I discussed how Whitmer (failed) to provide people with the natural inclination to be productive people of society by taking away their ability to be value contributors. How did she do that? By blanket shutting down everything she deemed to be unessential.
She keeps insisting that her decisions are based off fact, pulled from data and science but we seldom (if ever) see any of this data much less any reasoning of her interpretation of this data and subsequent policies. She basically just issues statements that sound "official" but amount to mere political propaganda.
Flattening the curve
One of the most touted excuses for the lockdown was a social effort to flatten the curve. This was suppose to help ease the pressure on the healthcare system, to not let it get overrun, and not have it exceed operating capacity. But on the other side of this, why not let them conduct other medical services? Why let them go bankrupt? What is it that makes opening a factory more safe, than opening a construction site, or a retailer, or an office? Does this virus some how preferentially avoid Walmart and Kroger but gang up at small-fab shop?
Too often, we here her say important sounding words like "science" and "data-driven," and "facts" and then proceed to set goals which sound proactive, but the reality is, if you cared at all about data driving decisions, you'd show people that data. You'd show the science and discuss them, letting people make rebuttals.
Further, you'd also stop moving the goddamn goal posts once previous criteria were met in an effort to keep people locked down as long as possible. Right now, it doesn't matter whether her facts are even true or not. Her process is wrong. Her decisions are made without due process, and her reasoning seem more capricious and arbitrary than carefully thought out. This is of course until you look at the politics.
Oh it's politics for sure
Anyone with half a brain can see right through Whitmer and her policies. No where is it more obvious than keeping hospitals empty and subsequently bankrupting them. But now that the serious case numbers are coming down across the board, she's using that as a claim to victory, and now talking about getting people back to "in-person work."
I'm sorry folks, but that is not leadership, it's despotism. She isn't winning, she's merely posing.
Remember,Michigan did far far worse than similar, and neighbouring states. But the partisanship she stoked is so severe right now that the lefties don't demand the data nor explanations and think that she has done nothing wrong.
Besides, I thought her emergency powers were rescinded by legislature. How she has the power and authority to extend and enforce lockdown further is anyone's guess.
In any case, screw her. She can send in the cops in armoured vehicles to shut down people trying to stay above the poverty line, providing for their families. I suspect anyone brave enough to reopen will be well rewarded by a very much fed-up public.
"if you cared at all about data driving decisions, you'd show people that data."
You freedumbers in Michigan aren't smart enough to understand data. There is mountains of it explaining the necessity of the shutdown.