Many Americans who are alive today will die in the months ahead from a horrific disease for which there now is remarkably effective protection. In other words, their deaths are, right now, largely preventable.
I just received a belated reply to my comments on this story from a Frank Dracman. The reply was mean-spirited, using strong language and name-calling. I subscribed to this media to get away from this kind of vituperation., and still get input and feedback from others without being sworn at, called names, and attacked. I don't get news or look for comments on much of social media because of this kind of activity. I hope that's not going to happen here, too. I have enjoyed my subscription so far, but if it turns into another platform for conflict and nastiness, I won't b staying - sad. I love Dan Rather and Steady.
The former president encouraged the vaccine! I do not belong to a cult. The cult lies around the current "administration" and their lies, hatefulness, lawlessness and ignorance!
For the most part, people dislike change and are therefore susceptible to various media and charismatic politicians who encourage today's rebellion against science. It is unfortunate that many of these people may well die from this belief.
The Federal gov’t will continue to provide free vaccinations to everyone over 12.
For any fully vaccinated person who gets infected with COVID-19:
• The Federal Gov’t will pay for any deductible and co-pay for any COVID related medical care for insured persons.
• The Federal Gov’t will pay for all COVID related medical care for uninsured persons.
• The Federal Gov’t will pay the amount that would be received by unemployment compensation to anyone who has to miss more than 7 days due to COVID.
For those that are not fully vaccinated:
• Insurance companies will not be required to cover any medical expenses related to COVID.
• The Federal Gov’t will not pay for any medical expenses related to COVID. This includes Medicare and Medicaid.
• Medical providers and medical facilities can use all legal means of debt collection to recoup all unpaid bills related to COVID care.
Exceptions:
• These provisions do not apply to anyone under 12 who is ineligible to receive a vaccination.
• A licensed doctor can recommend that an at-risk person not get vaccinated due to a medical condition. Each state will have a Board of medical professionals review the applications. If approved, they will be exempted from these provisions. If rejected, all provisions will apply. If any single doctor has more than 25% of their recommendations rejected, they will no longer be allowed to make recommendations. Patients will have to seek alternative medical advice. This will prevent anti-vax doctors from making unnecessary applications based on beliefs rather than serious medical conditions.
This proposal avoids mandates and allows individual choice. It also requires individual responsibility for those choosing to avoid vaccinations, rather than passing on the responsibility to general society.
We council and commit people who are suicidal ... anyone NOT understanding the severity of their actions right now should be also be exposed to people who have suffered loss due to suicide and then perhaps they will realize its NOT all about them!
The so called "Patriots" are about as Unpatriotic as they possibly can be. They love their WW2 analogies and comparisons that they are holocaust victims? NO! They are willing saboteurs and or useful idiots for the enemy. The enemy in this case being Covid. Imagine if 20% to 30% of the population of London during the Blitz (Battle of Britain) had been running around cutting loose barrage balloons, tearing down blackout drapes and demanding Spitfires and Hurricanes not fly to meet the Luftwaffe in battle because *insert anti-Intercept fighter conspiracy here. That's my take. Also it's not just Americans. It's here in Canada too. The "But muyh Freedums!" crowd may be a smaller number, I would bet it's about the same population percentage.
To the guy who keeps posting over and over in this message board with "stay afraid etc". I call bull sir or ma'am! I call bull! You know better. I hope the crypto is worth misinforming your fellow North Americans to death. Scum.
This is a terrific Steady column! While much of the information makes me sad, Mr. Rather you have a way to help us not lose hope. Thank you for informing and inspiring me.
Dan, you always seem to “nail it” with your insightful comments. I do have hope for our country but, I’m still angry at the lack of action and compassion, from the previous administration. The lies have been overwhelming and the previous president continues to perpetuate more lies and delusion! For those who refuse to vaccinate, I can only say, let them have their anti-vaccine beliefs. When they contract this virus and if they survive, I can only hope they can pay for their hospital stay and can overcome or live with, any of the residual affects from this virus. You reap what you sow. I will use my compassion for those who were not involved if this division of hate that came from the previous administration. My compassion goes to those who are still waiting for their vaccinations or lost their life, while waiting. I really try hard to give all the benefit of the doubt but, it seems the media would rather report on what the former president is doing to continue to undermine our democracy along with his republican cohorts. I’m tired of the hate and stupidity that seems to derive from the big lie and continued delusions.
We in Canada are looking at the US and are very concerned about the situation there. My husband and I follow many different countries' news outlets not just the US, so we feel we are getting objective and a wide scope of information on the issues. Possibly if the vaccine was FDA approved in Canada and the US it might convince more folks to get on board. In Ontario, we now have 79.16% of the population vaccinated with one shot and 55.24% with 2 shots. We continue to vaccinate great numbers each day. Our COVID 19 situation in Canada is not a political one. It never was one. So much of the success of each country/province/state has depended on their leadership. Informed leaders who give honest information from medical experts and scientists have allowed their populations to be successful in battling this deadly virus. Those misinformed are in a challenging situation and will cause deaths go up. You either will have the vaccine in your system or you will eventually have COVID 19 in your system. We have our anti-maskers and anti vaccine advocates in Canada, but they are a significant minority. If you are concerned about DNA altering, this is a great article from Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-genetic-idUSKBN29I30V.
We think of our dear 26 year old friend who is now a long hauler. Healthy woman, member of the university rowing team, works as a brain injury rehabilitator. She has had COVID for a year. Can hardly walk a mile now. We will forever remember and miss our dear friend David who did not live long enough to get his 2 shots. He was a beautiful, witty, healthy, independently wealthy, 75 year old gentleman with 5 grandchildren who insisted on seeing his family for Christmas. He was dead a month later. RIP dear David.
I am baffled why Republicans refuse to be vaccinated. They can't ll believe the lies of Fox and Trump. Do the people of Trump's base hate Biden so much they are willing to risk their life, so he doesn't succeed? That's a cult.
One of your best, Dan, Elliot and Steady Team. It is clear, succinct, and needs to be disseminated widely. I have included a link in my recent post "DISINFORMATION VERSUS INTELLIGENCE." Who's winning? I hope others will share this "Lies Beget Tragedy" as widely as possible.
Thanks for continuing your good work on behalf of all of us out here who are trying our best to stay the course and resist the idiotic behaviors of those who would threaten the democratic principles embedded in the American values of "liberty and justice for all."
I just received a belated reply to my comments on this story from a Frank Dracman. The reply was mean-spirited, using strong language and name-calling. I subscribed to this media to get away from this kind of vituperation., and still get input and feedback from others without being sworn at, called names, and attacked. I don't get news or look for comments on much of social media because of this kind of activity. I hope that's not going to happen here, too. I have enjoyed my subscription so far, but if it turns into another platform for conflict and nastiness, I won't b staying - sad. I love Dan Rather and Steady.
The former president encouraged the vaccine! I do not belong to a cult. The cult lies around the current "administration" and their lies, hatefulness, lawlessness and ignorance!
For the most part, people dislike change and are therefore susceptible to various media and charismatic politicians who encourage today's rebellion against science. It is unfortunate that many of these people may well die from this belief.
A Path to an Effective Vaccination Level
Lotteries didn’t work.
Free beer didn’t work.
Mandates won’t work.
Here’s an idea:
The Federal gov’t will continue to provide free vaccinations to everyone over 12.
For any fully vaccinated person who gets infected with COVID-19:
• The Federal Gov’t will pay for any deductible and co-pay for any COVID related medical care for insured persons.
• The Federal Gov’t will pay for all COVID related medical care for uninsured persons.
• The Federal Gov’t will pay the amount that would be received by unemployment compensation to anyone who has to miss more than 7 days due to COVID.
For those that are not fully vaccinated:
• Insurance companies will not be required to cover any medical expenses related to COVID.
• The Federal Gov’t will not pay for any medical expenses related to COVID. This includes Medicare and Medicaid.
• Medical providers and medical facilities can use all legal means of debt collection to recoup all unpaid bills related to COVID care.
Exceptions:
• These provisions do not apply to anyone under 12 who is ineligible to receive a vaccination.
• A licensed doctor can recommend that an at-risk person not get vaccinated due to a medical condition. Each state will have a Board of medical professionals review the applications. If approved, they will be exempted from these provisions. If rejected, all provisions will apply. If any single doctor has more than 25% of their recommendations rejected, they will no longer be allowed to make recommendations. Patients will have to seek alternative medical advice. This will prevent anti-vax doctors from making unnecessary applications based on beliefs rather than serious medical conditions.
This proposal avoids mandates and allows individual choice. It also requires individual responsibility for those choosing to avoid vaccinations, rather than passing on the responsibility to general society.
call for army of truth spreaders, organize, identify, evangelize.
We council and commit people who are suicidal ... anyone NOT understanding the severity of their actions right now should be also be exposed to people who have suffered loss due to suicide and then perhaps they will realize its NOT all about them!
The so called "Patriots" are about as Unpatriotic as they possibly can be. They love their WW2 analogies and comparisons that they are holocaust victims? NO! They are willing saboteurs and or useful idiots for the enemy. The enemy in this case being Covid. Imagine if 20% to 30% of the population of London during the Blitz (Battle of Britain) had been running around cutting loose barrage balloons, tearing down blackout drapes and demanding Spitfires and Hurricanes not fly to meet the Luftwaffe in battle because *insert anti-Intercept fighter conspiracy here. That's my take. Also it's not just Americans. It's here in Canada too. The "But muyh Freedums!" crowd may be a smaller number, I would bet it's about the same population percentage.
To the guy who keeps posting over and over in this message board with "stay afraid etc". I call bull sir or ma'am! I call bull! You know better. I hope the crypto is worth misinforming your fellow North Americans to death. Scum.
This is a terrific Steady column! While much of the information makes me sad, Mr. Rather you have a way to help us not lose hope. Thank you for informing and inspiring me.
Dan, you always seem to “nail it” with your insightful comments. I do have hope for our country but, I’m still angry at the lack of action and compassion, from the previous administration. The lies have been overwhelming and the previous president continues to perpetuate more lies and delusion! For those who refuse to vaccinate, I can only say, let them have their anti-vaccine beliefs. When they contract this virus and if they survive, I can only hope they can pay for their hospital stay and can overcome or live with, any of the residual affects from this virus. You reap what you sow. I will use my compassion for those who were not involved if this division of hate that came from the previous administration. My compassion goes to those who are still waiting for their vaccinations or lost their life, while waiting. I really try hard to give all the benefit of the doubt but, it seems the media would rather report on what the former president is doing to continue to undermine our democracy along with his republican cohorts. I’m tired of the hate and stupidity that seems to derive from the big lie and continued delusions.
It would be interesting to know how many Republicans in Congress, and their family members, have had the vaccine. . .
We in Canada are looking at the US and are very concerned about the situation there. My husband and I follow many different countries' news outlets not just the US, so we feel we are getting objective and a wide scope of information on the issues. Possibly if the vaccine was FDA approved in Canada and the US it might convince more folks to get on board. In Ontario, we now have 79.16% of the population vaccinated with one shot and 55.24% with 2 shots. We continue to vaccinate great numbers each day. Our COVID 19 situation in Canada is not a political one. It never was one. So much of the success of each country/province/state has depended on their leadership. Informed leaders who give honest information from medical experts and scientists have allowed their populations to be successful in battling this deadly virus. Those misinformed are in a challenging situation and will cause deaths go up. You either will have the vaccine in your system or you will eventually have COVID 19 in your system. We have our anti-maskers and anti vaccine advocates in Canada, but they are a significant minority. If you are concerned about DNA altering, this is a great article from Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-genetic-idUSKBN29I30V.
We think of our dear 26 year old friend who is now a long hauler. Healthy woman, member of the university rowing team, works as a brain injury rehabilitator. She has had COVID for a year. Can hardly walk a mile now. We will forever remember and miss our dear friend David who did not live long enough to get his 2 shots. He was a beautiful, witty, healthy, independently wealthy, 75 year old gentleman with 5 grandchildren who insisted on seeing his family for Christmas. He was dead a month later. RIP dear David.
Dan, I frankly have not been responding or reading "Steady" , because someone or some algorithm there is not responding to me.
Nope, I read it but found it to be ridiculously biased, meant to create fear and further politically divide. Trash.
Try the song, "Second Wave". The chorus repeats: "Lies and Rumors/ Spread the Virus/Second Wave." The song is about this Steady subject. https://patrickames.bandcamp.com/track/second-wave
I am baffled why Republicans refuse to be vaccinated. They can't ll believe the lies of Fox and Trump. Do the people of Trump's base hate Biden so much they are willing to risk their life, so he doesn't succeed? That's a cult.
One of your best, Dan, Elliot and Steady Team. It is clear, succinct, and needs to be disseminated widely. I have included a link in my recent post "DISINFORMATION VERSUS INTELLIGENCE." Who's winning? I hope others will share this "Lies Beget Tragedy" as widely as possible.
Thanks for continuing your good work on behalf of all of us out here who are trying our best to stay the course and resist the idiotic behaviors of those who would threaten the democratic principles embedded in the American values of "liberty and justice for all."