Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott in his infinite wisdom has decided to drop the mask mandate and says businesses can open 100%. What could possibly go wrong? Will Texas see a spike in COVID cases now?

https://www.texastribune.org/2021/03/02/greg-abbott-texas-announcement/

I'm a big believer in guinea pigs, and if they are Texans, all the better. Maybe Ted Cruz gets a variant.

Flatten the curve!

According to the LA Teacher's Union, white schools should open first.

Wrong thread, moron

AunBear89 said:

---

Wrong thread, moron

---

If the unions think it's racist to reopen and penalize those who don't in L.A., shouldn't the same line of reasoning apply elsewhere?

BearFarce2 said:

Blah blah blah false equivalency blah blah blah.

Many Texans want to secede from the Union. I say let'em, and wall'em off like a leper colony in the Middle Ages....and shoot any of them strong enough to climb the wall.




*The few times I have been embarrassed to be an American is in Europe and Mexico when a group of drunk, loud mouthed, ignorant Texans walked into the establishment I was in. F all of them.

I feel bad for my friends in Texas but I assume many will continue to wear masks and social distance. Maybe they're trying to prevent anyone else from moving to TX from CA by enacting braindead public health measures.

Unit2Sucks said:

---

I feel bad for my friends in Texas but I assume many will continue to wear masks and social distance. Maybe they're trying to prevent anyone else from moving to TX from CA by enacting braindead public health measures.

---

Actually, they feel bad for you.

okaydo said:

---

---

Yet CA, NY and Illinois are continuing to do just as poorly if not worse than FL or TX. I happen to be risk averse and would preach caution when we are so close but we seem to conveniently ignore that places like CA and NY screwing over the kids and increasing the suicide rate and mental illness did not result in lower infection rate than Florida. Bunch of Twitter scientists thinking they have this figured out.

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

calbear93 said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

---

When people continue to die.

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

---

When people continue to die.

---

You mean you will only open up when we have zero death from this? Is that the new goal post?

calbear93 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

---

When people continue to die.

---

You mean you will only open up when we have zero death from this? Is that the new goal post?

---

How many deaths are okay with you, 5, 500, 5000, 50,0000, or 515,000? What's your comfort level because I don't really get off on notifying families that their loved ones have died?

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

---

When people continue to die.

---

You mean you will only open up when we have zero death from this? Is that the new goal post?

---

How many deaths are okay with you?

---

So you answer the question with a question. I don't know but I don't pretend to act as if someone who has a different opinion on this subjective assessment is a moron and is ignoring objective facts. I would prefer none but I suppose I would not shut down driving, make beef illegal or reinstate prohibition because I am aiming for zero death.

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

---

When people continue to die.

---

You mean you will only open up when we have zero death from this? Is that the new goal post?

---

How many deaths are okay with you?

---

So far, it seems Cons are happy with 500,000+. Maybe they will draw the line at 7 digits.

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

---

When people continue to die.

---

You mean you will only open up when we have zero death from this? Is that the new goal post?

---

How many deaths are okay with you, 5, 500, 5000, 50,0000, or 515,000? What's your comfort level because I don't really get off on notifying families that their loved ones have died?

---

Maybe you should get better at doctoring then.

I suspect the Governor's decree will have little effect on Texas numbers. People who hate masks were already not wearing them and people who wear masks will still mostly wear them.

75bear said:

---

I suspect the Governor's decree will have little effect on Texas numbers. People who hate masks were already not wearing them and people who wear masks will still mostly wear them.

---

And vaccines are coming out. (Slowly perhaps, but they are coming.) Not sure I'd be predicting a lot of spikes going forward.

SFBear92 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

---

When people continue to die.

---

You mean you will only open up when we have zero death from this? Is that the new goal post?

---

How many deaths are okay with you, 5, 500, 5000, 50,0000, or 515,000? What's your comfort level because I don't really get off on notifying families that their loved ones have died?

---

Maybe you should get better at doctoring then

---

Your comment says a lot about who you are. If you get sick and come into my ER gasping for oxygen with eyes wide open scared to death that you're going to drown without being in the water, don't worry I will make sure your dumb ass lives and that your family is kept up to date on your condition and should you take a turn for the worse, I will make sure that your family gets to say goodbye to you via Zoom not because you are a great human being but because it is my job and I would move mountains for my patients, even the small-minded ones.

BearNIt said:

---

SFBear92 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

---

When people continue to die.

---

You mean you will only open up when we have zero death from this? Is that the new goal post?

---

How many deaths are okay with you, 5, 500, 5000, 50,0000, or 515,000? What's your comfort level because I don't really get off on notifying families that their loved ones have died?

---

Maybe you should get better at doctoring then

---

Your comment says a lot about who you are. If you get sick and come into my ER gasping for oxygen with eyes wide open scared to death that you're going to drown without being in the water, don't worry I will make sure your dumb ass lives and that your family is kept up to date on your condition not because you are a great human being but because it is my job and I would move mountains for my patients, even the small-minded ones.

---

With all due respect, this still doesn't answer the question. There's no way to get to zero deaths (we never have zero flu deaths either), so what is the threshold you would accept?

Personally, I think Abbott is pulling the trigger a bit too early here, but there will be some point at which governments have to remove restrictions. When is that?

sycasey said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

SFBear92 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

---

When people continue to die.

---

You mean you will only open up when we have zero death from this? Is that the new goal post?

---

How many deaths are okay with you, 5, 500, 5000, 50,0000, or 515,000? What's your comfort level because I don't really get off on notifying families that their loved ones have died?

---

Maybe you should get better at doctoring then

---

Your comment says a lot about who you are. If you get sick and come into my ER gasping for oxygen with eyes wide open scared to death that you're going to drown without being in the water, don't worry I will make sure your dumb ass lives and that your family is kept up to date on your condition not because you are a great human being but because it is my job and I would move mountains for my patients, even the small-minded ones.

---

With all due respect, this still doesn't answer the question. There's no way to get to zero deaths (we never have zero flu deaths either), so what is the threshold you would accept?

Personally, I think Abbott is pulling the trigger a bit too early here, but there will be some point at which governments have to remove restrictions. When is that?

---

When we are vaccinated and have lower than 5000 deaths a year from COVID. Even then we will need to be careful that we don't enter a phase where we see a dramatic increase in infections without having most of the country vaccinated. Without vaccinations, we are at risk for repeated surges as the virus mutates and those who have not been vaccinated against the virus and its variants will become vectors for transmission of the virus and its various forms.

BearNIt said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

SFBear92 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

---

When people continue to die.

---

You mean you will only open up when we have zero death from this? Is that the new goal post?

---

How many deaths are okay with you, 5, 500, 5000, 50,0000, or 515,000? What's your comfort level because I don't really get off on notifying families that their loved ones have died?

---

Maybe you should get better at doctoring then

---

Your comment says a lot about who you are. If you get sick and come into my ER gasping for oxygen with eyes wide open scared to death that you're going to drown without being in the water, don't worry I will make sure your dumb ass lives and that your family is kept up to date on your condition not because you are a great human being but because it is my job and I would move mountains for my patients, even the small-minded ones.

---

With all due respect, this still doesn't answer the question. There's no way to get to zero deaths (we never have zero flu deaths either), so what is the threshold you would accept?

Personally, I think Abbott is pulling the trigger a bit too early here, but there will be some point at which governments have to remove restrictions. When is that?

---

When we are vaccinated and have lower than 5000 deaths a year from COVID. Even then we will need to be careful that we don't enter a phase where we see a dramatic increase in infections without having most of the country vaccinated. Without vaccinations, we are at risk for repeated surges as the virus mutates and those who have not been vaccinated against the virus and its variants will become vectors for transmission of the virus and its various forms.

---

So you want to wait a year to get that data?

Remember when the Republican talking point was that after the election, if Biden won, Covid would magically go away and the country would open up and go back to normal?

How do the Republicans explain that although Biden won Democrats are still being cautious about opening up the country?
Oh, that's right, Republicans have collective amnesia and will move onto the next theory just like QAnon adherents will when tRump isn't installed as POTUS on March 4.

sycasey said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

SFBear92 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

---

When people continue to die.

---

You mean you will only open up when we have zero death from this? Is that the new goal post?

---

How many deaths are okay with you, 5, 500, 5000, 50,0000, or 515,000? What's your comfort level because I don't really get off on notifying families that their loved ones have died?

---

Maybe you should get better at doctoring then

---

Your comment says a lot about who you are. If you get sick and come into my ER gasping for oxygen with eyes wide open scared to death that you're going to drown without being in the water, don't worry I will make sure your dumb ass lives and that your family is kept up to date on your condition not because you are a great human being but because it is my job and I would move mountains for my patients, even the small-minded ones.

---

With all due respect, this still doesn't answer the question. There's no way to get to zero deaths (we never have zero flu deaths either), so what is the threshold you would accept?

Personally, I think Abbott is pulling the trigger a bit too early here, but there will be some point at which governments have to remove restrictions. When is that?

---

When we are vaccinated and have lower than 5000 deaths a year from COVID. Even then we will need to be careful that we don't enter a phase where we see a dramatic increase in infections without having most of the country vaccinated. Without vaccinations, we are at risk for repeated surges as the virus mutates and those who have not been vaccinated against the virus and its variants will become vectors for transmission of the virus and its various forms.

---

So you want to wait a year to get that data?

---

I never said to wait a year. As we get more data we modify the speed and the level at which we open up things. If we see infections, hospitalizations, and deaths surging we tighten things up until they reach less than 500 infections per day and less than 5000 deaths a year. Based on the data collected projections can be made and action taken.

BearNIt said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

SFBear92 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

---

When people continue to die.

---

You mean you will only open up when we have zero death from this? Is that the new goal post?

---

How many deaths are okay with you, 5, 500, 5000, 50,0000, or 515,000? What's your comfort level because I don't really get off on notifying families that their loved ones have died?

---

Maybe you should get better at doctoring then

---

Your comment says a lot about who you are. If you get sick and come into my ER gasping for oxygen with eyes wide open scared to death that you're going to drown without being in the water, don't worry I will make sure your dumb ass lives and that your family is kept up to date on your condition not because you are a great human being but because it is my job and I would move mountains for my patients, even the small-minded ones.

---

With all due respect, this still doesn't answer the question. There's no way to get to zero deaths (we never have zero flu deaths either), so what is the threshold you would accept?

Personally, I think Abbott is pulling the trigger a bit too early here, but there will be some point at which governments have to remove restrictions. When is that?

---

When we are vaccinated and have lower than 5000 deaths a year from COVID. Even then we will need to be careful that we don't enter a phase where we see a dramatic increase in infections without having most of the country vaccinated. Without vaccinations, we are at risk for repeated surges as the virus mutates and those who have not been vaccinated against the virus and its variants will become vectors for transmission of the virus and its various forms.

---

So you want to wait a year to get that data?

---

I never said to wait a year. As we get more data we modify the speed and the level at which we open up things. If we see infections, hospitalizations, and deaths surging we tighten things up until they reach less than 500 infections per day and less than 5000 deaths a year. Based on the data collected projections can be made and action taken.

---

Per day is a valid metric, thanks.

BearNIt said:

---

SFBear92 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

---

When people continue to die.

---

You mean you will only open up when we have zero death from this? Is that the new goal post?

---

How many deaths are okay with you, 5, 500, 5000, 50,0000, or 515,000? What's your comfort level because I don't really get off on notifying families that their loved ones have died?

---

Maybe you should get better at doctoring then

---

Your comment says a lot about who you are. If you get sick and come into my ER gasping for oxygen with eyes wide open scared to death that you're going to drown without being in the water, don't worry I will make sure your dumb ass lives and that your family is kept up to date on your condition and should you take a turn for the worse, I will make sure that your family gets to say goodbye to you via Zoom not because you are a great human being but because it is my job and I would move mountains for my patients, even the small-minded ones.

---

I am a great human being. But I also understand that sometimes people are going to die and there's not a lot that we can do about it.

A zero-death standard was always ridiculous, but especially now with the vaccine out and infection rates declining, it's time to start thinking about how to reopen.

BearNIt said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

SFBear92 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

---

When people continue to die.

---

You mean you will only open up when we have zero death from this? Is that the new goal post?

---

How many deaths are okay with you, 5, 500, 5000, 50,0000, or 515,000? What's your comfort level because I don't really get off on notifying families that their loved ones have died?

---

Maybe you should get better at doctoring then

---

Your comment says a lot about who you are. If you get sick and come into my ER gasping for oxygen with eyes wide open scared to death that you're going to drown without being in the water, don't worry I will make sure your dumb ass lives and that your family is kept up to date on your condition not because you are a great human being but because it is my job and I would move mountains for my patients, even the small-minded ones.

---

With all due respect, this still doesn't answer the question. There's no way to get to zero deaths (we never have zero flu deaths either), so what is the threshold you would accept?

Personally, I think Abbott is pulling the trigger a bit too early here, but there will be some point at which governments have to remove restrictions. When is that?

---

When we are vaccinated and have lower than 5000 deaths a year from COVID.

---

That standard is ridiculous and will never be met. Annual flu deaths are much higher than that.

SFBear92 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

SFBear92 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

---

When people continue to die.

---

You mean you will only open up when we have zero death from this? Is that the new goal post?

---

How many deaths are okay with you, 5, 500, 5000, 50,0000, or 515,000? What's your comfort level because I don't really get off on notifying families that their loved ones have died?

---

Maybe you should get better at doctoring then

---

Your comment says a lot about who you are. If you get sick and come into my ER gasping for oxygen with eyes wide open scared to death that you're going to drown without being in the water, don't worry I will make sure your dumb ass lives and that your family is kept up to date on your condition not because you are a great human being but because it is my job and I would move mountains for my patients, even the small-minded ones.

---

With all due respect, this still doesn't answer the question. There's no way to get to zero deaths (we never have zero flu deaths either), so what is the threshold you would accept?

Personally, I think Abbott is pulling the trigger a bit too early here, but there will be some point at which governments have to remove restrictions. When is that?

---

When we are vaccinated and have lower than 5000 deaths a year from COVID.

---

That standard is ridiculous and will never be met. Annual flu deaths are much higher than that.

---

Yeah, is that a worldwide number or just in a particular area?

SFBear92 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

SFBear92 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

---

When people continue to die.

---

You mean you will only open up when we have zero death from this? Is that the new goal post?

---

How many deaths are okay with you, 5, 500, 5000, 50,0000, or 515,000? What's your comfort level because I don't really get off on notifying families that their loved ones have died?

---

Maybe you should get better at doctoring then

---

Your comment says a lot about who you are. If you get sick and come into my ER gasping for oxygen with eyes wide open scared to death that you're going to drown without being in the water, don't worry I will make sure your dumb ass lives and that your family is kept up to date on your condition not because you are a great human being but because it is my job and I would move mountains for my patients, even the small-minded ones.

---

With all due respect, this still doesn't answer the question. There's no way to get to zero deaths (we never have zero flu deaths either), so what is the threshold you would accept?

Personally, I think Abbott is pulling the trigger a bit too early here, but there will be some point at which governments have to remove restrictions. When is that?

---

When we are vaccinated and have lower than 5000 deaths a year from COVID.

---

That standard is ridiculous and will never be met. Annual flu deaths are much higher than that.

---

Yes, annual flu deaths are much higher but this is not the flu. I'm sure you are a great person just not in this instance "Maybe you should get better at doctoring". Only time will tell till then 4600 hospital admissions per day was the low coming out of February, 50,000 positive COVID daily, and about 1800 deaths per day over the last 7 days. We are a long way from this getting to acceptable levels.

BearNIt said:

---

SFBear92 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

SFBear92 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

---

When people continue to die.

---

You mean you will only open up when we have zero death from this? Is that the new goal post?

---

How many deaths are okay with you, 5, 500, 5000, 50,0000, or 515,000? What's your comfort level because I don't really get off on notifying families that their loved ones have died?

---

Maybe you should get better at doctoring then

---

Your comment says a lot about who you are. If you get sick and come into my ER gasping for oxygen with eyes wide open scared to death that you're going to drown without being in the water, don't worry I will make sure your dumb ass lives and that your family is kept up to date on your condition not because you are a great human being but because it is my job and I would move mountains for my patients, even the small-minded ones.

---

With all due respect, this still doesn't answer the question. There's no way to get to zero deaths (we never have zero flu deaths either), so what is the threshold you would accept?

Personally, I think Abbott is pulling the trigger a bit too early here, but there will be some point at which governments have to remove restrictions. When is that?

---

When we are vaccinated and have lower than 5000 deaths a year from COVID.

---

That standard is ridiculous and will never be met. Annual flu deaths are much higher than that.

---

Yes, annual flu deaths are much higher but this is not the flu.

---

It's also not cancer or AIDS.

BearNIt said:

---

SFBear92 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

BearNIt said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

calbear93 said:

---

okaydo said:

---

---

Also, when do experts here think we should open up and what capacity? If there is no standard for right, how do you know what is wrong?.

---

---

When people continue to die.

---

You mean you will only open up when we have zero death from this? Is that the new goal post?

---

How many deaths are okay with you, 5, 500, 5000, 50,0000, or 515,000? What's your comfort level because I don't really get off on notifying families that their loved ones have died?

---

Maybe you should get better at doctoring then

---

Your comment says a lot about who you are. If you get sick and come into my ER gasping for oxygen with eyes wide open scared to death that you're going to drown without being in the water, don't worry I will make sure your dumb ass lives and that your family is kept up to date on your condition and should you take a turn for the worse, I will make sure that your family gets to say goodbye to you via Zoom not because you are a great human being but because it is my job and I would move mountains for my patients, even the small-minded ones.

---

Yogi, like almost all Bernie Crybabies, is that blind date from Mills College that didn't work out 50 years ago, and she is going to come out of the shrubs and stab you when you get your Sunday paper in the driveway one of these days. Bernie Babies are the most articulate advocates that the intellectually challenged Right have.