Second Wave (China: taxi, living, shop)

[DKM]

Originally Posted by Foamposite

It's obvious that many on the left are hoping for failure just so they can say "told you so"! Anyway, I wish the best for everyone and hope that the hospitalization stay managable.

But a 1.5+ year lockdown is just not feasible, even after 3 months there is a strong lockdown fatigue already.

I'm a conservative. I don't hope for failure, I hope people in Texas start taking basic precautions now. We can be open with a few restrictions.

[As Above So Below...]

Originally Posted by Foamposite

Singapore not authoritarian? I highly doubt that



They won't admit it but it's obvious

How many times have you been to Singapore? I’ve been 7. My grandparents lived there for 6 years.

Singapore is a democracy. To say it is authoritarian is a poorly informed opinion.

[supfromthesite]

favoring or enforcing strict obedience to authority, especially that of the government, at the expense of personal freedom.

This is the definition of authoritarian. I don't see how just because it is a democracy it should be excluded. At the very least, compared to America, it most certainly is.

Unless it is used for medical purposes (like nicotine gum, for example), chewing gum is generally banned in Singapore. Furthermore, if you are caught selling chewing gum, you could face a penalty as high as SGD100,000.

[Foamposite]

Originally Posted by supfromthesite

This is the definition of authoritarian. I don't see how just because it is a democracy it should be excluded. At the very least, compared to America, it most certainly is.

Exactly. Just becausse it isn't Stalinist doesn't mean it's not authoritarian.

[As Above So Below...]

Originally Posted by supfromthesite

This is the definition of authoritarian. I don't see how just because it is a democracy it should be excluded. At the very least, compared to America, it most certainly is.

So...because gum is banned it’s authoritarian??? Your argument is basically because there are laws at all, it’s authoritarian.

Jesus Christ there’s so many provincial posters on here. North Korea is authoritarian. Nobody is going to stop you from living your life how you want it in Singapore. In Singapore you have the right to freedom of speech and expression. You get to vote for the politicians you want. Those things are completely absent in an authoritarian regime.

And answer me this: how many times have you BEEN THERE?

[Foamposite]

Originally Posted by DKM

I'm a conservative. I don't hope for failure, I hope people in Texas start taking basic precautions now. We can be open with a few restrictions.

Texas still has less deaths per capita than New York (which is finally considered to be on the verge of beating this).

I'm sure there are things that can be done, but suggestinf a full lockdown at this point would likely not be popular with the people of Texas or any state to the right of California.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Foamposite

Texas still has less deaths per capita than New York (which is finally considered to be on the verge of beating this).....

I should HOPE (far) less / capita!!! NY was at the forefront of USA spread (due to crowded population and proximity to visitors from Europe. Texas had 6 extra weeks to get their xxx together, and 6 weeks later it still doesn't get it...

Daily stats (2184) for Texas are terrible (zero would be a desired and attainable number)

Once the cat is out of the bag... gotta get serious if you don't want a pandemic

And what is NY doing to control #? (Nothing? as is Texas). (?) Don't think so. + they now have a degree of herd-immunity (Which Texas will never have, too spread out). Lots more people will die, and economy will be set back a few more yrs to recover. All of that is unnecessary.

[animalcrazy]

Originally Posted by Foamposite

Comparing anywhere in the US to authoritatian Asian countriew is silly

How about reading the CDC's timeline in 2003 and their response to SARS when it hit our soil. It was contained in 6 months. Then go back and compare the timeline to this SARS outbreak.

Authoritarianism has nothing to do with a stellar response that has stopped a pandemic in its tracks with zero disruption to the economy in Taiwan, and a handful of deaths. The Vice President is an epidemiologist. It was all about honest transparency and following the science with an early start.

Taiwan has a command center for epidemics, you know like we had once upon a time in 2018. "Extensive testing and contact tracing through the public health system prevented the disease from spreading." Schools were closed, just like here, only early while Trump was gas lighting and out and out lying? Taiwan was on it like white on rice. Just like we were with a once competent and strong CDC in 2003. The CDC " committed more than 800 medical experts and staff to work on the SARS response. Deployed medical officers, epidemiologists, and other specialists to assist with on-site investigations around the world." Source: CDC Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Basic Fact Sheet.

Google CDC timeline for Covid 2019. What you get is some lame response "The CDC is closely monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus...." Monitoring? A botched test early on? What happened to our once stellar CDC? Once upon a time we had all the best people in place to handle this. That's all gone.

Taiwan has "all the best people" in place to handle this pandemic with a handful of deaths and zero disruption to their economy. Get the Covidiots to wear a mask here and you get some trained seal response from dear leader that this is nothing to worry about. It will be gone by Easter and the churches full. Authoritarianism? It has nothing to do with what should have been an early aggressive response vs lying and gas lighting the morons. It's been proven that early social distancing would have saved over 30,000 lives. Masks are mandatory in the businesses here, after months of idiotic delay. We're free all right. Free to be morons and spread a highly contagious SARS virus making us number one in the world for infection rates and death. That's better than an authoritarian country the followed the science and got it right from day one? I don't think so.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by animalcrazy

How about reading the CDC's timeline in 2003 and their response to SARS when it hit our soil. It was contained in 6 months. Then go back and compare the timeline to this SARS outbreak.

Authoritarianism has nothing to do with a stellar response that has stopped a pandemic in its tracks with zero disruption to the economy in Taiwan, and a handful of deaths.

... We're free all right. Free to be morons and spread a highly contagious SARS virus making us number one in the world for infection rates and death. That's better than an authoritarian country the followed the science and got it right from day one? I don't think so.

well put, and likely not a 'popular viewpoint' in Texas

But, we're not here to be popular, just honest.

[supfromthesite]

Originally Posted by As Above So Below...

So...because gum is banned it’s authoritarian??? Your argument is basically because there are laws at all, it’s authoritarian.

Jesus Christ there’s so many provincial posters on here. North Korea is authoritarian. Nobody is going to stop you from living your life how you want it in Singapore. In Singapore you have the right to freedom of speech and expression. You get to vote for the politicians you want. Those things are completely absent in an authoritarian regime.

And answer me this: how many times have you BEEN THERE?

You say North Korea is authoritarian. Have you been there? How many times?

Chewing gum is not just "there are laws at all". That is a very extreme law. You clearly can't live your life how you want in Singapore. You can't even chew gum for ****s sake.

Possession or consumption of cannabis in Singapore can result in a maximum of 10 years in prison, with a possible fine of S$20,000, as well as caning,[1] under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Trafficking, import or export of more than 500 grams may result in the death penalty.

Importing a drug that is less harmful than alcohol can literally result in the death penalty.

I would say even America is an authoritarian country. It didn't used to be, but it is now. Compared to America, Singapore is much moreso.

None of this is to talk bad about Singapore. Their economy is far superior to ours. They have lower taxes and a more free market. But they are still authoritarian. Is this necessarily a bad thing? Well, it seems to work out just fine for them.

I'm not sure I would prefer living in America to Singapore. If I were ethnically Asian, it would be a nobrainer which I would prefer.