Texas Slated To 100% Reopen Next Week. We're All Gonna Die.

[Xprimentyl]

So Texas governor Leeroy Jenkins, I mean, governor Greg Abbott has apparently decided the pandemic is over and the state is reopening fully as of March 10th and will rescind mask mandates. (Sorry, I don't know how to insert the more aesthetically pleasing preview of the article.)

It's such a "Texas" move, too; all or nothing, go big or go home. I mean, 100%? NO masks?? People around here have been bitching about the mask mandate and limited public capacities this entire time (because, y'know, we're the ONLY ones having to deal with this, right?) and now, they're going to take to the streets like COVID has just gone away because they've been told they're ALLOWED to, ENCOURAGED to.

Yes, we have vaccines, but they're still not readily available to any and everyone, so while they're trying to figure that out, the virus will likely spike again as people take governmental permission to return to normalcy as "See? There was never anything to worry about cuz Texas and YEEE-HAW!"

I know everyone wants to get back to normal; I do too, but some experts have projected at BEST, the vaccines might get us back to relative normalcy by August/September. We're opening up fully 6 MONTHS before that.

 

[SilentPony]

Governor Abbott needs to desperately distract people from the failed power grid, and Cruz needs any other talking point than Cancun, so they just decided Covid was over. I guess they assume Texans are so stupid they'll forget about their grandma freezing to death two weeks ago if they can swing by Charlie's Watering Hole for a Diablo Sammich and a coyote of Bud Lite. Time will tell if they're right. And we all know they're completely right.

 

[tippy2k2]

It seems like such incredibly stupid timing too as we can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel now. I can at least understand people getting frustrated and stir crazy last May when our "two week lockdown" turned into two months (despite no one really actually locking down but you hopefully know what I mean) but now we have a relatively reliable timeline for when we will be done with this ish.

Instead I guess they want to jump the gun because they don't want to wait a few more months for it to become far safer and unfortunately will likely just get a bunch of people killed (and even more unfortunate, the people flaunting their risk taking and the people who will pay for the risks are almost certainly not going to be the same people).

But hey, muh freedum so not much we can do except hope that the butchers bill in the end isn't that high

 

[Xprimentyl]

Governor Abbott needs to desperately distract people from the failed power grid, and Cruz needs any other talking point than Cancun, so they just decided Covid was over. I guess they assume Texans are so stupid they'll forget about their grandma freezing to death two weeks ago if they can swing by Charlie's Watering Hole for a Diablo Sammich and a coyote of Bud Lite. Time will tell if they're right. And we all know they're completely right.

I’m sure that’s not far from the truth at all. I hadn’t even thought along those lines because I’m still in shock that next week, every asshole with a Cowboys t-shirt will be allowed to cough in my face with impunity, but yeah, this has politics slathered all over it.

And they don’t have to assume Texans are stupid; they KNOW they are. They know that two weeks ago, we basically had nothing, so they hand us “everything” in 10-stories-tall quotes despite it being the last thing we need right now. People are still boiling water, for fuck’s sake! ERCOT is still under investigation! Oh, and we’re still reporting hundreds of COVID deaths a DAY, btw! I guess this is really a win/win for Texas government, though; either things go back to normal smoothly (unlikely) and we’re too busy sighing relief to remember the bullshit their lack of preparedness put us through during a desperate time, or COVID spikes again (HIGHLY likely,) and our collective plight is thrown back in with the masses and our shouts of despair are thrown at the feet of the virus that crippled the world.

 

[ObsidianJones]

If a state completely 100% opens before everyone else, they should quarantine themselves from the rest of America.

 

[Xprimentyl]

If a state completely 100% opens before everyone else, they should quarantine themselves from the rest of America.

Welp, they've always wanted to be independent of the Union; this is one way to do it, I guess.

 

[SilentPony]

It seems like such incredibly stupid timing too as we can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel now. I can at least understand people getting frustrated and stir crazy last May when our "two week lockdown" turned into two months (despite no one really actually locking down but you hopefully know what I mean) but now we have a relatively reliable timeline for when we will be done with this ish.

Instead I guess they want to jump the gun because they don't want to wait a few more months for it to become far safer and unfortunately will likely just get a bunch of people killed (and even more unfortunate, the people flaunting their risk taking and the people who will pay for the risks are almost certainly not going to be the same people).

But hey, muh freedum so not much we can do except hope that the butchers bill in the end isn't that high

Here's another thought. Its too soon to reopen. They know that, they're counting on it. A safe, vaccinated end to Covid?! Its 4 years before Trump can run again, they need to keep Covid going the entirety of the Biden presidency so Trump has a talking point. I wouldn't be shocked at all if the GOP decided to actively sabotage Covid relief and health/safety practices specifically to be able to blame Biden. So what if it costs a few million lives, its not like Cruz has anything to worry about for re-election, and its going to kill the old people and the brown people first, so who really cares?

 

[Worgen]

Someone find out what HEB thinks of this. They are more trustworthy then our state politicians.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Here's another thought. Its too soon to reopen. They know that, they're counting on it. A safe, vaccinated end to Covid?! Its 4 years before Trump can run again, they need to keep Covid going the entirety of the Biden presidency so Trump has a talking point. I wouldn't be shocked at all if the GOP decided to actively sabotage Covid relief and health/safety practices specifically to be able to blame Biden. So what if it costs a few million lives, its not like Cruz has anything to worry about for re-election, and its going to kill the old people and the brown people first, so who really cares?

I don't think that's the case. I mean, how sick would that be? Weaponizing the virus for political gain is something out of a sci-fi film, and the concerted effort from the GOP to do something so atrocious couldn't possibly fly in this day and age.

Listening to the news now. Abbott is ardently stating that he "does not believe the pandemic is over," but he "trusts Texans to continue to take necessary precautions to keep themselves and their families safe." Also, the mask mandate was apparently "prolonging the time it's take to reach herd immunity."

... Yeah, we're culling the herd. I guess when thousands are dead, the strain on the paper-thin, federally-independent power grid can be mitigated. Killing two birds with one stone and thousands of corpses.

Get me the fuck outta here.

 

[SilentPony]

I don't think that's the case. I mean, how sick would that be? Weaponizing the virus for political gain is something out of a sci-fi film, and the concerted effort from the GOP to do something so atrocious couldn't possibly fly in this day and age.

Oh sweet summer child...

 

[Xprimentyl]

Oh sweet summer child...

Lol, I get it; I'm just harboring the hope that a conspiracy THAT grand, in a world where much smaller infractions are exposed on the internet almost immediately, wouldn't be possible. There HAVE to be at least SOME redeemable people on the right that when tasked with perpetuating such heinous actions would say no and whistle-blow. Besides, Trump wasn't exactly the best face of the GOP (if he was the very embodiment of the worst of the them,) so why literally kill people in the hopes that 4 years from now, we might re-elect the guy who arguably allowed it to become as bad as it has?

Also consider that Abbott's decision to re-open Texas like ain't shit wrong is in a silo. If shit hits the fan again (as it likely will,) how could anyone even begin to point the finger at a one-month-old administration? I'm sure there are those who would try, but those same people stormed the Capitol and took and shared selfies while committing federal crimes, so I wouldn't consider them the most reputable sources of information...

 

[SilentPony]

Lol, I get it; I'm just harboring the hope that a conspiracy THAT grand, in a world where much smaller infractions are exposed on the internet almost immediately, wouldn't be possible. There HAVE to be at least SOME redeemable people on the right that when tasked with perpetuating such heinous actions would say no and whistle-blow. Besides, Trump wasn't exactly the best face of the GOP (if he was the very embodiment of the worst of the them,) so why literally kill people in the hopes that 4 years from now, we might re-elect the guy who arguably allowed it to become as bad as it has?

See I think Republicans long ago came to the conclusion Trump is a useful idiot. He doesn't know shit about shit, can barely talk, can't read, and even his cabinet and staff thought he was suffering from dementia.
But his base is fanatic. They follow him like ducklings following their mother. They vote in blocks. They donate in blocks.
Let's take Cruz. His reputation is in the shit. Why should he support the reopen? Because when it fails, in 2 years he can begin campaigning and taking donations on a "Donald Trump was right, Biden is a fuck up" platform, and even though neither Trump nor Biden fucked over Texas, Texans will eat that shit up like its barbequed ribs during a Cowboy's game. They're marks, dupes, suckers. And reopening Texas will just happen to create an environment rich for blaming Biden, AOC and democrats(and probably dirty Mexicans coming over the border) for the spread of Covid, and it will just so happen Republican lawmakers will be taking tax free donations to fight those sneaky Democrats, and isn't it great we all forgot about the frozen bodies and failed electrical grid.

Personally I think any redeemable Republican who its just a reasonable conservative with traditional conservative views left 5 years ago and it keeping real quiet. Currently the only Republicans left are ruthless, cutthroat power mongers who would sell their own children if it got them re-elected. Why would we ever think they wouldn't sacrifice 2 million Americans if it allowed them to retake the House and Senate? 4 million to guarantee Biden is a 1 term president.

 

[Xprimentyl]

See I think Republicans long ago came to the conclusion Trump is a useful idiot. He doesn't know shit about shit, can barely talk, can't read, and even his cabinet and staff thought he was suffering from dementia.
But his base is fanatic. They follow him like ducklings following their mother. They vote in blocks. They donate in blocks.
Let's take Cruz. His reputation is in the shit. Why should he support the reopen? Because when it fails, in 2 years he can begin campaigning and taking donations on a "Donald Trump was right, Biden is a fuck up" platform, and even though neither Trump nor Biden fucked over Texas, Texans will eat that shit up like its barbequed ribs during a Cowboy's game. They're marks, dupes, suckers. And reopening Texas will just happen to create an environment rich for blaming Biden, AOC and democrats(and probably dirty Mexicans coming over the border) for the spread of Covid, and it will just so happen Republican lawmakers will be taking tax free donations to fight those sneaky Democrats, and isn't it great we all forgot about the frozen bodies and failed electrical grid.

Personally I think any redeemable Republican who its just a reasonable conservative with traditional conservative views left 5 years ago and it keeping real quiet. Currently the only Republicans left are ruthless, cutthroat power mongers who would sell their own children if it got them re-elected. Why would we ever think they wouldn't sacrifice 2 million Americans if it allowed them to retake the House and Senate? 4 million to guarantee Biden is a 1 term president.

... You make me sad to be alive and human that I can't argue that rationale.

 

[Baffle]

"Too many people survived those insane temperatures, what should we do?"

 

[Buyetyen]

More proof to my theory that there is something inherently masochistic about being Texan.

 

[Bartholen]

Stuff like this is why I firmly believe that republicans are against, and anathema to, all life. Not just to themselves, or the people around them, or even to every plant and animal in their state, but to every living organism across the globe. They are the eldritch lovecraftian horror from beyond the veil of space and time that will drag the world screaming into oblivion.

I once read the following statement about nazis somewhere that's apparently used in Germany:

"You can be only two of three things: intelligent, a decent human being, or a nazi. If one is intelligent and a nazi, they can't be a decent human being. If one is a decent human being and a nazi, they can't be intelligent. If one is both intelligent and a decent human being, they can't be a nazi."

Honestly, what reasons are there to not just apply that same standard to republicans?

 

[Silvanus]

There was a big DC comics plot-line in which Gotham City suffered an outbreak of an enormous contagion, followed by a city-wide breakdown of law-and-order. The rest of the US quarantined the city and prevented anyone entering or leaving. Shortly afterwards the city had been carved up into spheres of influence ruled by various criminal gangs.

Oops, wrong thread! /s

 

[Xprimentyl]

More proof to my theory that there is something inherently masochistic about being Texan.

It can't be masochistic when you're genetically impervious to anything adverse cuz TEXAS!!!

I swear, if these people thought any more highly of themselves, their heads would collectively explode in millions of geysers to rival that of Old Faithful. I've got countless Facebook "friends" who can't wait for next week, calling anyone who decides to wear a mask or stay home after next week "pussies" and "cowards" and "sheep." People are planning parties and inviting people out to bars for celebratory shots. One person I know is putting on a concert.

It's going to be bad. This virus cares nothing about permission from some arbitrary guy with the title of state governor, nor does it care how tired folks are of being precautious to avoid it. It's waiting in the wings to pounce on every, idiotic soul that feels it knows more than reality has shown. I hate this fucking place.

 

[Phoenixmgs]

It ain't gonna be much different 100% open than it is now. All the places that are high-risk are already mask-less anyway. I very much doubt Texas' infection rate is gonna change that much over this because people are already getting together anyway and all the people that aren't will probably stay that way.

I know everyone wants to get back to normal; I do too, but some experts have projected at BEST, the vaccines might get us back to relative normalcy by August/September. We're opening up fully 6 MONTHS before that.

Biden just said all adults should be able to get vaccinated by end of May. Why would August/September be the time we "might" get back to normalcy?

 

[warmachine]

Nowhere near enough vaccinated to create herd immunity, too cold for open windows and outdoor behaviour, and plenty of nutcases who'll throw away their masks and walk into bars with like minded people. This can only create huge outbreaks and people dying untreated in overloaded hospitals. When that becomes obvious, many will go back into isolation. Except for those who can't afford to not work. Thousands will die and the economy will tank anyway. You'd think a politician would understand how people behave.

The question is, when this fucks up, who will get the blame?