The thing is, I have no problem with paying for government programs if the
government is serving my needs and those of my family and my fellow citizens. I
have no problem if the taxes that are paid, are proportional to the incomes of
the people who are paying them. I have no problem if corporations pay taxes
rather than using tricks to send their profits off shore so they can't be
taxed. I have no problem with big programs, if the money isn't going toward
graft.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Andy Baracco
Sent: Saturday, September 5, 2020 7:15 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: WHO Official Warns No Widespread Covid-19
Vaccine Expected Until Mid-2021
But it's you and me who pay their salaries and for their bloated programs.
Andy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Miriam Vieni" <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, September 05, 2020 3:45 PM
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: WHO Official Warns No Widespread Covid-19
Vaccine Expected Until Mid-2021
The government is not you and me. It is the people who have been elected to
office plus all of the people who have been appointed to various positions
plus the various spy agencies plus the Military, as well as all of the people
who are employed to keep the systems running. And those people who have been in
office for 20 and 30 years, are there because of wealthy donors whose
advertisements influence the public about how to vote. Unless you are one of
those wealthy donors or the C E O of a big corporation or bank, you have
absolutely no influence over what is being done in your name, and most likely,
you are unaware of what is being done in your name.
However, it has not always been this way, nor does it have to be. Government
programs can be responsive to the needs of the people. Blind people, in
particular, should be aware of that fact. Whether educated in a school for the
blind or in a public school with a resource room or itinerant teacher, blind
children are educated by the government. Rehabilitation services are provided
by government funds. And a large percentage of blind people have been employed
in government jobs. SSI, SDI, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security are
government programs, that all of us, especially blind people, are dependent on.
If we truly valued our government and wanted it to be responsive to our needs,
we would insist that public services which serve the needs of individual
citizens are properly funded, and we would resist funding for wars and
corporate welfare. We would change our system so that our individual votes
would count by outlawing big donations to campaigns and we would get rid of the
electoral college and the manipulations of districting. We would allow multiple
parties and get rid of the crooked two party system that now exists.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Andy Baracco
Sent: Saturday, September 5, 2020 6:23 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: WHO Official Warns No Widespread Covid-19
Vaccine Expected Until Mid-2021
Keep in mind that there is no entity out there somewhere called the government.
The government is you and me. Unlike the old USSR, the government does not
own the means of production. Thus, the government produces nothing. All that
government can do is to shift money around, i.
e. take from some and give to others. You won't get much objection from those
who are on the taking end, but you will probably get static from those who are
expected to give. The ongoing problem with government is that it doesn't
function efficiently because of antiquated equipment and practices.
I recall that when I worked for the government, we always had old computers and
were always one or two version of MS Windows behind. This inefficiency seems to
continue no matter which party is in power.
The thing to remember is that when we hear or read about some great government
program, it means that someone is shoving their hand into your pocket.
Andy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Miriam Vieni" <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, September 05, 2020 2:47 PM
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: WHO Official Warns No Widespread Covid-19
Vaccine Expected Until Mid-2021
If we are truly a Democracy, concerned about the welfare of our citizens,
the solution isn't educating people when they have no money and there are
no jobs available. The solution is for the government to provide money to
help individual people, rather than handing billions to big banks, fossil
fuel companies, and military contractors. Just opening up the economy or
pretending to go back to the way things were has been tried in several
states, and the result has been an upsurge in illness and death. All of that
homelessness in California is not new. It's a symptom of a financial system
that has been discounting the needs of the poor and the mentally ill for
years. It's the result of the attitude of most people that poverty and
illness are the fault of the people who suffer those conditions, rather than
the fault of a society that cares more about acquiring material success and
status than the needs of all the people.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Andy Baracco
Sent: Saturday, September 5, 2020 5:09 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: WHO Official Warns No Widespread Covid-19
Vaccine Expected Until Mid-2021
We can't stay shut down forever. Here in CA thousands of people have lost
their jobs. Homelessness has been a problem for years, but the numbers of
homeless have greatly increased now that people who lost their jobs can't
afford their rent. In turn this increased number of homeless are increasing
the spread of many diseases because they live, excrete, etc. on the
sidewalks, and driveways.
Sooner or later you have to balance risk vs. reward and do the best that you
can to educate people about safe practices and trust that most people will
do the right thing.
it's easy for these government bureaucrats to shut things down because their
jobs and lifestyle are secure. I don't think that Governor Newsom has to
worry about losing his job in the near future.
I understand that when NYC mayor Bill De Blasio was confronted with the
economic damage that keeping restaurants closed is causing, he said that
eating in a restaurant is an example of privilage, and that most people
can't afford to eat in a restaurant. This totally discounts the fact that
poor people work in these restaurants, and that the revenue generated by the
restaurants is a major source of income for the city, and helps everyone,
including the people who can't afford to eat in restaurants.
Andy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Miriam Vieni" <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, September 05, 2020 1:41 PM
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: WHO Official Warns No Widespread Covid-19
Vaccine Expected Until Mid-2021
Unfortunately, at this time, it would be n error to try to do things as we
did before this virus attacked. It has made clear how our society has
changed. The sickness and corruption of our society has been made manifest.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Saturday, September 5, 2020 4:06 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: WHO Official Warns No Widespread Covid-19
Vaccine Expected Until Mid-2021
What began as a short term shut down is beginning to look like a social
transformation.
Under capitalism, our government fears financial loss far worse than human
loss.
But I am unwilling to return to my old comings and goings, testing to see if
I am one of the "fittest" in the human herd. The long term damage many are
suffering from even after an apparent recovery, suggests that this is far
more than a stronger version of the Flu.
On the Fourth Friday of September, our Chapter, the Jefferson County Council
of the Blind is scheduled to meet in the banquet room at the Road House
Restaurant in Port Townsend. But since all our members are well up in
years, and our youngest is 68, we are very reluctant to run the risk of
contacting COVID-19. All the officials in the nation can order us to resume
"normal activities", but we know that for most of us catching this virus
could well be a death sentence.
I'm at a loss as to what to do.
We used to have 25 members, about 8 or 10 of them were movers and shakers.
But one by one they have died or moved into Assisted Living.
When Sue Ammeter died, the active members now stand at 2...Cathy and myself.
I'm going to suggest to the members that we pay dues for anyone wanting to
continue belonging for the next year, but that we continue keeping in
contact via email and telephone. At least we need to stay shuttered until
after the First of the year.
Carl Jarvis
On 9/4/20, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Published on
Friday, September 04, 2020
byCommon Dreams
WHO Official Warns No Widespread Covid-19 Vaccine Expected Until
Mid-2021 The sobering comments from a spokesperson for the global
health agency come on the heels of the CDC asking states to prepare
for potential distribution of a Covid-19 vaccine by November 1.
byBrett Wilkins, staff writer
A scientist at work in the mAbxience laboratory in Garin, Argentina,
where an experimental coronavirus vaccine for Latin America is being
developed.
(Photo: Juan Mabromata/AFP/Getty Images) A scientist works at the
mAbxience biosimilar monoclonal antibody laboratory plant in Garin,
Buenos Aires province, on August 14, 2020, where an experimental
coronavirus vaccine will be produced for Latin America.
(Photo:
Juan Mabromata/AFP/Getty Images)
A World Health Organization spokesperson said on Friday that
widespread vaccination against Covid-19 is not expected until
mid-2021, a statement that stood in stark contrast with President
Donald Trump's recent claim that a vaccine could be ready by the
November general election.
Speaking at a United Nations briefing in Geneva, WHO spokesperson
Margaret Harris said that none of the candidate vaccines currently in
advanced clinical trials has shown "a clear signal" of being at least
50% effective, the minimum level of acceptability according to many
scientists.
"We are really not expecting to see widespread vaccination until the
middle of next year," said Harris, who explained that "phase three
[clinical trials] must take longer because we need to see how truly
protective the vaccine is and we also need to see how safe it is."
"A lot of people have been vaccinated and what we don't know is
whether the vaccine works," she added. "At this stage we do not have
the clear signal of whether or not it has the level of worthwhile
efficacy and safety."
Harris' remarks stood in contrast to an August 6 claim by Trump that a
Covid-19 vaccine could be available by early November. Experts have
repeatedly countered that an effective vaccine would take until at
least the middle of next year to develop, produce and distribute. Dr.
Walter Orenstein, associate director of the Emory Vaccine Center in
Atlanta, said that vaccine development in less than a year would be a
"miracle."
On Thursday, Dr. Moncef Slaoui, the administration's own chief vaccine
adviser, told NPR that it was "extremely unlikely" that a vaccine
would be available as the "October surprise" Trump seeks to boost his
reelection chances.
Medical experts and health officials have warned that the
administration's politically motivated push to rush a Covid-19 vaccine
to production before the presidential election, and its stated
willingness to fast-track unproven experimental vaccines, poses
serious public health risks.
On August 27, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director
Robert Redfield sent a letter to state governors urging them to select
and prepare locations for potential Covid-19 vaccine distribution on
November 1.
Officials in at least three states-California, New York, and
Washington-have suggested they would refuse to distribute vaccines
they deemed to be inadequately vetted or politically motivated
"If the U.S. FDA were to proceed with an abbreviated process and
approve a vaccine through the Emergency Use Authorization I think that
would raise concern," said Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine
Center for Disease Control and Prevention, on Thursday.
More than 170 nations are currently in talks to join the Covid-19
Vaccines Global Access (Covax) Facility, a WHO-led global initiative
to fast-track development, production, and equitable worldwide
distribution of a coronavirus vaccine. Covax aims to deliver two
billion doses of vaccines by the end of 2021.
Conspicuously absent from the list of participating countries is the
United States, as the Trump administration claimed on Tuesday that it
"will not be constrained by multilateral organizations influenced by
the corrupt World Health Organization and China."
Trump-who has been widely criticized for his handling of the pandemic
in a nation that has by far suffered the most Covid-19 cases and
deaths in the world-has long been at odds with the WHO. The president
has called the agency "a puppet of China" and has claimed without
evidence that it caved to pressure from Beijing "to mislead the world"
about the nascent pandemic.
In July, Trump followed through on an earlier threat to withdraw from
the WHO by formally notifying the agency that the U.S. would leave it
in July 2021. The American Medical Association strongly opposed the
move, calling it a "major setback to science, public health, and the
global coordination of efforts needed to defeat Covid-19" and warning
that it "puts the health of our country at grave risk."
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden responded to Trump's WHO
withdrawal announcement by saying the U.S. would rejoin the the
organization on his first day in office.
On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced it will not pay $80
million in WHO dues owed for 2019 and 2020 and will instead redirect
the money to help pay its United Nations bill. Georgetown Law
professor Lawrence Gostin slammed the move as "unethical... and
patently unlawful."
