Monday, May 11, 2020

Caesar Decrees - Day 56

Well, it looks like our lord tyrant, John Bel Edwards has finally decided that we can start to reopen, in a limited way.  We go into Phase 1 on Friday, May 15th.  He gave us some indication of what that might look like, but cautioned us to read his regal decree, which will be made public very soon. However, the Baton Rouge Advocate has some inkling and has already published a best-guess.

I believe that Edwards decided that the data was so overwhelming that he could no longer rationalize a shutdown, as much as he desperately wanted to keep us shut down.  The longer we're shut down, the more he can rely on federal dollars.  So, rather than risk armed insurrection, he has decided to reopen parts of he economy.

The Governor has a convenient "chogy-boy" to trot out with what are generally bullshit chars and graphs.  Dr Alex Billoux tries his best to put a scientific spin on the press conferences, but generally fails to get the tough questions from the press.  If the press were doing their homework, he'd leave in tears at the end of every press conference, but generally the media is complicit in every public appearance.

I suspect that Louisiana will open up a lot faster than Bel Edwards wants us to.  Like the apocryphal tale of the boy with his finger in the dike, he's going to have problems holding back the flood.  People are tired, and we just don't much believe anything he or his sycophants are saying.  The data is public for all to see,

The petty tyrant says that he is going to roll out an army of contact tracers.  No one that I know intends to cooperate with them.  I certainly won't.  Most folks don't even answer the phone if they do't recognize the number.  When a reported asked Billoux about that last week, the idiot didn't have an answer.  That's pretty basic.

5 comments:

Old NFO said...

Yep, don't think contact tracing is going to work very well...

Judy said...

LOL, Mine will be real easy: doctor's office, the landscaper and the grocery store pick-up lane. I'm a recluse on my good days and positively a hermit monk on my antisocial days.

Anonymous said...

Be thankful, I have to live in Peoples Republic of Wisconsin. Our Q-Tip in charge has us "shutdown" until the 26th of May. We at least have a few GOOD County Sheriffs that are Ignoring his UNCONSTITUTIONAL edicts. Keep the faith Paw Paw. JSWIII

BobF said...

Here in Florida any positive for COVID is reported to law enforcement. I can't think of any better reason to NOT get tested. Law enforcement is not allowed access to concealed carry permittees but they get medical info? Nuts. If I am in the hospital they will do whatever with me as patients are meat upon entry, but not until then.

Steve Sky said...

The contact tracing goes further than that. In CA, contract tracing was going to be used to possibly remove people from their homes and quarantine them, although the CA rep later backed away from that public comment. However, Rep. Bobby Rush(D) has introduced The TRACE ACT - HR 6666 to implement contract tracing on a national scale.

According to the text of the bill: “To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to eligible entities to conduct diagnostic testing for COVID-19, and related activities such as contact tracing, through mobile health units and, as necessary, at individuals’ residences, and for other purposes.”

It's the "other purposes" that sends a shiver up my spine.

link