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Yppej
6-9-20, 5:34am
This guy is the opposite of Rand Paul. He's not a doctor and he has to consult with other area governors, copying what they do but several weeks later, rather than thinking independently or - what a libertarian concept - letting people lead their lives at their own risk using their own judgment. After all, no one is forcing people to eat in a restaurant or get their hair cut.

https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/06/07/charlie-baker-cant-admit-he-blew-it/

i wonder when this is all over if anyone who overreacted will admit it.
LDAHL
6-9-20, 8:53am
The Massachusetts Attorney General has said, “Yes, America is burning. But that’s how forests grow.”
rosarugosa
6-9-20, 10:36am
Someone said early on (I think it was Dr. Fauci, but I'm not positive) that if we succeed, it will look like we over-reacted, and we need to be prepared to look like we over-reacted.
LDAHL
6-9-20, 11:19am
No matter what the final numbers are, I think it’s safe to assume that both sides of the overreaction question will mine the data to demonstrate they were right.
Tybee
6-9-20, 11:53am
Yes, no one ever admits they were wrong. History is writtten by the victors.
jp1
6-9-20, 12:09pm
The Massachusetts Attorney General has said, “Yes, America is burning. But that’s how forests grow.”

Sounds like he was channeling his inner Thomas Jefferson. "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
ApatheticNoMore
6-9-20, 12:11pm
what a libertarian concept - letting people lead their lives at their own risk using their own judgment. After all, no one is forcing people to eat in a restaurant or get their hair cut.

I reject right-wing libertarianism as having little to do with reality (nor do I want to get into a irrelevant discussion of left wing types like anarchism). But hey keep listening to Rush Limbaugh or whatever right-wing radio hack you prefer.

Because reality is people are BEING FORCED to cut peoples hair or work in restaurants. That's the real world. They are forced by economics especially if unemployment is cut off. So stop calling that freedom when there is no choice. Economics is as real a force to most as any government coercion. Government coercion can also be a problem too, sure, see Floyd, George, but that's not the topic here.

Basic income and THEN people have freedom of choice. Significant unionization or worker ownership (co-ops) and then people have at least more freedom of choice as workers get more say in the condition (which would include the safety) of their employment. Neither are the case so until then don't pretend it's not about force because it is. Actually in almost every developed country on earth workers have more say than in the U.S..

And don't pretend you aren't infecting and possibly killing such workers when you pretend it's all about you, and your precious choice, to buy things and ignore the existence of those who produce the things you buy, like you don't even see them. The very least you could do for these employees is wear a mask, THE LEAST.

People staying at home forever, uh I'd like them to stay at home till we had actual policy to deal with the virus, test-trace-quarantine-isolate and pay for it. But this country can't actually do competence in anything much anymore, so what can you do. Live and let die.
LDAHL
6-9-20, 1:14pm
Sounds like he was channeling his inner Thomas Jefferson. "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

It was a she, and I found her words to be surprising, coming from someone charged with enforcing the law. But no more surprising than bloody-minded sentiments about liberty coming from a driver of slaves, I suppose.
Teacher Terry
6-9-20, 1:22pm
Brazil and Sweden are examples of what not to do. It was painful to shutdown but necessary. Now masks are necessary for the common good.
JaneV2.0
6-9-20, 2:24pm
Brazil is subject to Bolsanaro, who is another of Trump's "strongmen." I feel very sorry for the citizens of Brazil, and for the rainforests he's systematically destroying.
bae
6-9-20, 2:46pm
... or - what a libertarian concept - letting people lead their lives at their own risk using their own judgment.

This is why we don't have speed limits on the roads, drunk driving laws, or food safety laws - because Freedom!
catherine
6-9-20, 3:32pm
Brazil is subject to Bolsanaro, who is another of Trump's "strongmen." I feel very sorry for the citizens of Brazil, and for the rainforests he's systematically destroying.

My DIL is Brazilian and a Republican. Let's just say that in order to keep peace in the family I don't bring Bolsanaro up in conversation.
Yppej
8-31-21, 2:14pm
I saw part of an interview with Charlie Baker over the weekend. He was asked why when earlier he said he was making his decisions based on his science, and nothing changed recently, he flipflopped and went from opposing masks in schools to mandating them under pressure from the teacher's unions. His lame response was that input from others is science even if they are not scientists.