Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The gop is a fucking disgrace.

We can show the world that autocracy can be defeated.

Human rights are not a matter of opinion!

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

The fundamental promise of conservatism all over the world is a return to an idealized past that never existed.

Quote tweet friends, screenshot enemies.

If you still can’t see these things even now, maybe politics isn’t your forte and you should stop writing about it.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

“Just close your eyes and kiss the girl and go where the tilt-a-whirl takes you.” ~OzarkHillbilly

The unpunished coup was a training exercise.

Trump’s cabinet: like a magic 8 ball that only gives wrong answers.

If you are still in the gop, you are either an extremist yourself, or in bed with those who are.

Not all heroes wear capes.

She burned that motherfucker down, and I am so here for it. Thank you, Caroline Kennedy.

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

They think we are photo bombing their nice little lives.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

Prediction: the gop will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

You are here: Home / Healthcare / COVID-19 / Open Thread: DeathSantis Gets A Lock on the 2024 Death Cult Nomination

Open Thread: DeathSantis Gets A Lock on the 2024 Death Cult Nomination

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Assuming Trump isn’t around to contest it. Assuming DeSantis is still around…

… The proof is in the pudding: Florida’s case rate has jumped 60 percent over the past two weeks.

A dive beneath the surface of that data further shows the real catastrophe that’s unfolding. After all, with vaccinations protecting most people from severe illness, case counts themselves only say so much. But Florida hospitalizations have also been steadily rising, hitting 14,787 on Tuesday…

If Florida were a foreign country, the feds would consider banning travel from it, said Dr. Johnathan Reiner of the George Washington University School of Medicine, referring to the COVID-19 situation in the state this weekend.

“The viral load in Florida is so high right now, there are really only two places on the planet where it’s higher,” he told CNN. Those places, he added, are Botswana, and another U.S. state, Louisiana…


Next stop on the Trumpkin train: ‘Miracle cure’ + (probably) kickbacks!

Reader Interactions

80Comments

  1. 1.

    Mary G

    Nobody deserves a fall from grace more than this guy. I hope parents in Florida know who to blame when their kids come down with a virus that frightens doctors.

  2. 2.

    West of the Rockies

    DeSantis just looks so damn joyless… he’s mostly just authoritarian resentment, colored with a visceral thirst for power and the stench of impending chaos.

  3. 3.

    West of the Rockies

    Anyone have a guess as to when an indictment might thunder down upon Gaetz, another reptilian Floridian?

  4. 4.

    dr. bloor

    As long as the mediots insist on framing his homicidal negligence as “a bold strategy, Cotton, let’s see if it pays off,” he’s the frontrunner for the nomination in ’24.

  5. 5.

    Brachiator

    lots of people dunk on DeSantis for being terrible on Covid. But this is a deep systematic look at the record and it’s pretty devastating

    The crazy thing is that this is fine with the GOP death cult. They have made the calculation that their freedom and a roaring economy is worth a few deaths. Worth a lot of deaths. Worth countless deaths.

    And yeah, this Florida guy looks good for the GOP presidential nomination right now, even a possible VP choice if Trump runs again and doesn’t select Ivanka as his VP pick and prom date.

  6. 6.

    Ken

    I still have hopes that Abbott can come from behind, with Texas’ lower density being offset by its greater population and lower vaccination rate.

    Well, “hopes” isn’t really the right word…

  9. 9.

    JMG

    This is a guy who didn’t win by all that much in 2018 and is assumed to be bulletproof mainly because Washington political reporters assume “Republicans win” is the default state of American politics. I don’t believe the slogan “those of you who’re still alive here, we really owned those libs” is a particularly winning one.

  11. 11.

    Scout211

    miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article253442554.html

    Apparently realizing that he can’t dock school board members’ and superintendent’s salaries, he is calling on them to dock their own pay.

    Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration signaled earlier this week that it would slash the pay of Florida school superintendents and school board members who defy the governor on school masks .

    But now — as two Florida districts, including Broward County Public Schools, remain defiant — the governor’s office is acknowledging the state has no control over local employees’ pay. His spokesperson called on “activist, anti-science school board members” to dock their own salaries if the state follows through with financial sanctions against their district.

  12. 12.

    Scout211

    Not Florida, but that emergency petition to the Supreme Court by the students of Indiana University to block the vaccine requirement was turned down by Amy Coney Barrett.

    cnn.com/2021/08/12/politics/supreme-court-indiana-university-vaccine-mandate/index.html

    (CNN)Justice Amy Coney Barrett declined a request to block Indiana University’s vaccine mandate, signaling that similar policies going into effect amid a Covid-19 surge could pass legal muster.
    Barrett, who has jurisdiction over the appeals court involved in the case, acted alone without referring the matter to the full court.

    Barrett’s action marks the first time the justices have been asked to weigh in on the legality of a mandate that private and public entities increasingly believe will combat the spread of Covid-19.
     

  16. 16.

    smith

    The media slobbering all over DeSantis for his covid strategy is all the more galling when you look at infection rates per capita over the course of the pandemic. Florida has been decidedly middle of the pack at all times, except during last summer’s surge and right now, both times when it’s been among the worst. The is NO point in the last 18 months where you could look at FL and marvel at how well they’re doing.

  17. 17.

    MagdaInBlack

    I keep asking myself who gains from this, and I haven’t found an answer. But then I’m looking at it from a (relatively) sane point of view.

    Do I listen to too much Thom Hartmann?  Is it really, as he suggests, about crashing the economy so the GOP can take the White House next round?

  18. 18.

    Comrade Colette

    So this really belongs in the California governor recall election thread below, but it’s dead. My son turned 18 a couple of months ago and is registered to vote. Today we got our recall elections ballots in the mail. I had to apologize to him that his first-ever vote will be cast in this clusterfuck. He’s already unenthusiastic about voting or any other political action; I hope this doesn’t turn him off for good.

    ETA: at least the equally dumbass but less expensive recall effort for the San Francisco District Attorney, Chesa Boudin, failed to get enough signatures to qualify for the ballot for now. I begrudge every penny spent on this bullshit.

  20. 20.

    Anyway

    OT. Took the day off and went to the Phillies game with friends I hadn’t seen in a while. It was a hot day but we managed a little tailgating. Good game with some tension in the last out. So nice to hang out …

  23. 23.

    Morzer

    Ron DeInsanity is never going to beat out the Loser of Mar-a-Lardo, but he’ll kill a lot of folks trying.

  24. 24.

    Leto

    @Anyway: always nice to see a fellow Philly neighbor; my base gave my wife and I tickets to a game back in 2017 when we first got here. Had a really nice time, but definitely agree that today was too dang hot.

  25. 25.

    Ruckus

    @debbie:

    That’s not advice.

    And if you are looking at a religious angle, he has to be in direct contact with the devil. Although I can’t imagine that the devil wants Covid in hell, even he has standards.

  28. 28.

    bluehill

    @Comrade Colette: Low turnout special election combined with an uninspiring incumbent …

    Does DGA have an election fund? If so, better direct some of that GOTV money to this election.

  31. 31.

    Roger Moore

    @smith:

    The pro-DeSantis argument was never that Florida was particularly successful at stopping COVID; it was that they had relatively few government interventions to stop COVID while still staying in the middle of the pack.  People were constantly saying that COVID in Florida was going to explode if the state government didn’t do anything, but they weren’t really that much worse than California.

    There is a grain of truth to that- Florida’s numbers weren’t any worse than a bunch of states that were much more aggressive in imposing rules to stop the spread- but also a lot of BS.  People never strictly went by what their state governments said.  Plenty of people here in California ignored the strictest rules, and plenty of people in Florida wore masks even when the state government didn’t require them.  If anything, that’s an argument that the governor wasn’t nearly as important as people give him credit (or blame) for, not that DeSantis is some kind of genius.

    The thing that’s happening now, though, is that DeSantis has gone beyond being governor log.  Rather than just letting people do sensible things without forcing them, he’s actually interfering with people who want to take sensible precautions.  I think that’s going to wind up blowing up in his face.

  34. 34.

    James E Powell

    @JMG:

    This is a guy who didn’t win by all that much in 2018 and is assumed to be bulletproof mainly because Washington political reporters assume “Republicans win” is the default state of American politics.

    I think that he is regarded as lock for re-election because his popularity with Republican voters hasn’t declined & the Florida Democratic Party doesn’t seem to be a threat to win a statewide election.

  36. 36.

    CaseyL

    @James E Powell: According to my Mom, who has lived in Florida for 60+ years, the most redneck parts of Florida are divided into dozens of tiny counties, while the hugely populated areas are all in a couple large counties (e.g., Dade and Broward), which means the rednecks will always dominate the State Legislature.

    Statewide elections woulda coulda shoulda been a different ball of wax, when once upon a time Broward and Dade were more reliably Democratic.  But Dade is pretty well dominated by Cuban and Venezuelan immigrants, for whom Democrats are anathema. Broward is about the only “blue” part of Florida left, and it is not enough to swing the whole state.

  37. 37.

    James E Powell

    @smith:

    The press/media promotion of DeSantis is in sharp contrast with their treatment of governors who didn’t do things that made more people get sick & die.

    No one outside of their states has heard a word about Kate Brown, Jay Inslee, or Tim Walz. California is doing well despite all its many challenges, but the only thing they say about Newsom is he had a maskless dinner at the French Laundry. It’s the EMAILS!!! of the recall campaign.

  38. 38.

    VOR

    @Roger Moore: I have little faith in the COVID statistics coming out of Florida. One known way data was massaged was the exclusion of all non-Florida residents from the tally. That means all those snowbirds wintering in Florida were not counted.

  39. 39.

    Leto

    @Gin & Tonic: you know, I’ve heard of the musical but have never seen it. That’s some flashy dancing though. I see that they also did a 2019 Tony Awards show presentation that looks pretty good too.

  42. 42.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Roger Moore:

    Plenty of people here in California ignored the strictest rules, and plenty of people in Florida wore masks even when the state government didn’t require them.

    anecdata, but two different friends whose wealthy parents live in trumpy enclaves on opposite sides of the state (Marco Island and…. Boca? I forget exactly) said those rich old people were very careful with their own health

  43. 43.

    Gin & Tonic

    @VOR: Another factor skewing the vaccination data is the foreigners flying into FL to get vaccinated. A *lot* of Latin Americans with the means did so (pretty much all my DIL’s extended family from CDMX, f’rinstance.)

  44. 44.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Leto: Not necessarily wild about the musical, but that’s perhaps my fave Cole Porter tune. I mean, who could write

    According to the Kinsey report
    Every average man you know
    Much prefers his lovey dovey to court
    When the temperature is low

    ?

  45. 45.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @scav: What did Cheney do in the summer of 2000? Open a PO Box in Wyoming? Of course, he was going home…. Thinking about it, FL is the only state that I can think of where trump owns property and has a political base (NY, NJ, VA, CA, IL… am I missing any?)

  46. 46.

    mrmoshpotato

    “The reality of it is people are dying. [Gov. DeSantis’] state is in a Covid mess. It is a hot mess. If it were a country, it would be leading the globe in the number of deaths and infection rates,” @MichaelSteele says.

    I love quotes like this.  Mike, tell us more about the hot mess party that you chaired for 2 years – including during the racist “Tea Party.”

  48. 48.

    West of the Rockies

    To answer my own question, the Daily Kos lead story presently has someone saying Gaetz could be indicted by late August or early September.

  49. 49.

    Nettoyeur

    @Brachiator: Thanks to deSantis and Abbott, we are heading to  700K total COVID deaths.  This is greater than the total of all US combat deaths in the 20th C.

  50. 50.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Did we do this already?

    Brian Stelter @brianstelter
    Rachel @Maddow, the highest-rated host on MSNBC, has held talks about leaving the cable news channel and launching her own new media ventures, according to sources who have spoken with her. Here are some of the possibilities…

    I’m guessing NBC is getting out the same money-trucks it used when Ted Danson let it be known he was bored playing Sam Malone after ten years. But who knows?

  52. 52.

    zhena gogolia

    @Gin & Tonic:

    I thought it was Much prefers to play his favorite sport

    At least that’s how it is on my original cast album

    With the inimitably great ALFRED DRAKE, who originated the role of Fred Graham, and whom Howard Keel is not worthy to tie the shoes of.

  53. 53.

    Cermet

    While not relevant to this thread, nice to see that the fall of Afghanistan is rapidly accelerating; our useless bombing that also kills civilians will, at least, end sooner rather than later.

  55. 55.

    scav

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: I doubt they’d be worried about geographically balancing the ticket and we are talking TFG who’s tether to the logical is antagonistic.  It would probably appeal to his ego to claim the White House as his real (usurped!) residence (Pence did that too, with the governor’s mansion, no?) and the rabid fans would cheer. Or run a reality show contest with states vying to provide him with a mansion and the honor of being his residence. Who knows.

  56. 56.

    Gin & Tonic

    @zhena gogolia: I’ve seen it both ways, but I agree yours is better (although Ella sings the “lovey-dovey” version, and I can listen to her all day long.)

  60. 60.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Adam Liptak @adamliptak 5h
    NEW: Justice Amy Coney Barrett turns down request from students at Indiana University to block its vaccine mandate.

    I wondered why she was trending. Not what I was hoping for, but I’ll take it.

  61. 61.

    Mary G

    Small study on breakthrough infections in people with autoimmune disease is out on pre-print, per creakyjoints.org:

    “In contrast to outcomes of breakthrough infections in the general population reported to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we observed a larger proportion of patients who required hospitalization (40 percent vs. 10 percent) or died (13 percent vs. 2 percent),” the authors wrote.

    Of course, one of the drugs I’m on is singled out:

    These individuals were also taking rituximab; the study found that most breakthrough cases happened to people who were on this drug compared to other medications.

    It’s only 16 people and only six had to be hospitalized, so I’ve decided if even after all my efforts I catch COVID I’ll be one of the 10. The two who died had a much more severe lung disease than I do, so my odds are better than I thought.

  63. 63.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Ann Miller had interesting antecedents. Wikipedia:

    Johnnie Lucille Collier (other sources give other birthnames, such as Lucille Collier[2] and Lucy Ann Collier)[3][4] was born in Chireno, Texas, to Clara Emma (née Birdwell) and John Allison Collier, a criminal lawyer who represented the Barrow gang, Machine Gun Kelly, and Baby Face Nelson, among others.

  64. 64.

    mrmoshpotato

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    John Allison Collier, a criminal lawyer who represented the Barrow gang, Machine Gun Kelly, and Baby Face Nelson, among others. 

    We’re bustin’ outta here, ya see? Naaaawwwww!

  67. 67.

    SFAW

    @Scout211:

    His spokesperson called on “activist, anti-science school board members” to dock their own salaries if the state follows through with financial sanctions against their district.

    Why would covidiots dock their own pay? I’m confused

  74. 74.

    Scout211

    @SFAW:

    The school board members  who the Governor’s spokesperson is talking about are those from the districts that are defying DeSantis’ no-mask mandate orders. Definitely not Covidiots. The Governor is still making threats to cut funds to the school districts that defy his no mask mandate order but now he is insisting that they cut their own pay first. It’s not clear that he can cut district funds, but he still threatens.

  75. 75.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Steeplejack:

    Ah, have never seen that. And can’t, as I don’t get TCM.

    Loved the book, though, and the 1952 (?) movie.

    ETA: Ramón Novarro would be great in the lead role. I’ll have to make a point of seeing that.

  76. 76.

    Kent

    The competition for worst governor isn’t over quite yet.  South Dakota’s Kristi Noem says “hold my beer”

    They are going ahead right now with the biggest Sturgis fest in history.  inforum.com/news/government-and-politics/7150704-Gov.-Kristi-Noem-is-the-new-star-at-the-2021-Sturgi…

    STURGIS, S.D. — Call it South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s victory lap.

    On Monday, Aug. 9, the conservative firebrand auctioned off “True Grit,” an oil painting showing the governor on a horse during Custer State Park’s annual Buffalo Roundup.

    The charity auction in Deadwood, South Dakota, was in the heart of roaring Harley-Davidsons and the 81st Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Next, Noem rode 50 miles on a denim blue Indian motorcycle into Vanocker Canyon and eventually out onto the plains of the Buffalo Chip campground.

    “South Dakota is getting recognition that it’s never got before,” said Rod Woodruff, owner of the Chip, seated in a tent next to Noem in her signature baseball cap Monday. “And it’s a direct result of the respect this governor has for the freedom and liberties of the citizens.”

    Of course the problem is that, unlike Florida, most of those folks don’t actually live there so whatever epic super-spreader event they cook up is going to explode across the entire center of the country.

  77. 77.

    Richard

    I would like to know more about his family and friends. I would like to know more about his business dealings.

    I don’t trust this guy. He looks like bad news. His baby blue eyes look like they are full of lies.

    Also, we have cause for complaint. Isn’t this guy the governor of Florida? Is it true that in Florida they have a covid problem? Is it true that he wants to be next president of the USA?

    Sorry, i will wipe my ass with a corncob before that happens.

  78. 78.

    SFAW

    @Scout211:

    The school board members  who the Governor’s spokesperson is talking about are those from the districts that are defying DeSantis’ no-mask mandate orders. Definitely not Covidiots.

    Yes, I know. I was being ironic. Or allegorical. Or bathetic. Or something something.

    In case that wasn’t clear: DeathSantis referred to That Particular Group He Hates (Today) as “anti-science,” when it’s his own supporters, not the defiant boards/supers, who are anti-science.

  80. 80.

    Feckless

    Federal aid to Florida?
    FUCK THEM.
    free to be stupid MUST mean free to pay for it yourself
    Federal aid to Florida is nothing more than a subjugated slave states’s tribute to it’s de facto barbarian tyrants.
    Arrest the parents of the kids in the ICU for abuse and negligence. Ship the innocent sick to a non death cult state and let the rest stew in their own evil lies.
    FUCK FLORIDA.

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