Weekday Reading #9


An Expression of Contempt for the Electorate (Quadrant)

Among the many consequences of the making of a pandemic order is that, at the Premier’s command, any individual in Victoria will be at risk of being detained, having his or her movements restricted, and being moved from place to place. The Premier will have power to prohibit gatherings, whether public or private, in a pandemic management area. The Premier will also have power to compel the provision of information (including about the identity of any person) and documents or to require the keeping of records, and any individual will risk detention for a refusal or failure to undergo a medical examination or a medical test. The proposed new regime can be extended for as long as the Premier forms the requisite state of mind and infringements of it attract extremely harsh penalties.

Abandoning Defensive Crouch Conservatism (The PostLiberal Order)

The assumption of a “defensive crouch” came naturally to American “conservatives”: it has been the pose of American conservatism since its rise in the twentieth century. Mid-century conservatism arose as a defensive response to an advancing liberalism. It began as an effort to defend liberalism, the “good” liberalism constructed in mid-century and attributed to the Founding Fathers and the Constitution, a politics based upon as an avoidance of any idea of the Good in politics and economics. This stance attracted widespread support and donations, leading to the creation of countless institutions that were devoted to the protection of “good liberalism.” It was a defensive crouch conservatism, occupying the ground that was, until fairly recently, occupied by their opponents.

The Whole “Trumpism After Trump” Thing is Premature — He’s Not Finished Yet (Revolver)

There are issues with Trump’s electability, but people often forget the main problem here.  It’s not due to his controversial remarks or his actions while in office. It’s the fact that he’s unpersoned. Trump can’t have a Twitter or Facebook account. Videos of his speeches get taken down from YouTube for violating its dubious “Terms of Service.” This censorship can be extended to TV networks refusing to run his ads and financial institutions cancelling his accounts. There’s even the chance venues would refuse to host Trump rallies due to regime pressure. It’s hard to run a 21st century presidential campaign when you’re banned from every single social media platform, payment processor, and TV station.

Booster Doses are Extremely Dangerous and They Will Make Everything Worse (eugyppius)

When Israel rolled out boosters in August, they also saw spikes in infections and deaths. It is the same phenomenon we observed after dose 1. Only the second dose does not enhance infections, presumably because it is administered in the protective shadow of the first one. As with everything involving this virus and our vaccines, there are probably multiple causes at work here. For about ten days following vaccination, the vaccinated are more susceptible to infection, and a subset of them probably become minimally symptomatic super-spreaders.

Nudge Nudge (First Things)

Between March and June last year, as the pandemic put the U.K. advertising market into steep decline, there was one exception: Public Health England, a government agency that became the country’s largest spender on ads. “Stay at home,” PHE told the public on television, radio, and the internet. “If you go out, you can spread it.” Those who ventured outdoors confronted further ominous warnings on street signage, in public transportation announcements, almost everywhere the foot could step. “Control the virus.” “Protect the NHS.” “Maintain social distancing.” A particularly harrowing campaign drew the eye in to a close-up of a patient struggling to breathe through an oxygen mask. “Look him in the eye. And tell him you always keep a safe distance.”


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bemused
bemused
November 19, 2021 4:23 pm
Zipster
Zipster
November 19, 2021 4:25 pm

The proposed new regime can be extended for as long as the Premier forms the requisite state of mind and infringements of it attract extremely harsh penalties.

of course they attract harsh penalties, that’s what fascists do.

Okef
Okef
November 19, 2021 5:27 pm

Softening of the pandemic laws, Vic Kaligoola said?
So the mssge for Zoe from Ballarat would be:
no more hand-cuffing
in front of you children for fb communication,
just hand-cuffing out of their sight.

Ellen of Tasmania
Ellen of Tasmania
November 19, 2021 9:00 pm

On the HighWire this week:

“EPISODE 242: THE VANDEN BOSSCHE INTERVIEW

FDA to Disclose Pfizer Data…in 56 years?!; Biden’s Mandate On Hold; CDC Whiffs On Natural Immunity; Vaccine Expert’s Dire Mass Covid Vaccination Warning

Guests: Aaron Siri, Esq., Geert Vanden Bossche, PhD, DVM”

The interview with Vanden Bossche is pretty powerful and he certainly thinks the boosters are dangerous. If you’re thinking about getting your kids vaxxed, this is a must see before making that decision.

https://thehighwire.com/watch/

DDinAus
DDinAus
November 19, 2021 9:09 pm

It could be helpful to have a comparison of the existing NSW power exercised by Minister Hazzard and those being attempted in VIC.

Rabz
November 19, 2021 9:42 pm

Abandoning Defensive Crouch Conservatism

Which I read as “Abandoning Defensive Couch Conservatism”

Time to get the eyes checked.

Oh wait, I can’t, being a leper. 🙁

Knuckle Dragger
Knuckle Dragger
November 20, 2021 12:27 am

at the Premier’s command, any individual in Victoria will be at risk of being detained, having his or her movements restricted, and being moved from place to place. The Premier will have power to prohibit gatherings, whether public or private, in a pandemic management area.

I see they’ve dispensed with the ‘Chief Health Officer directions’ made ‘on the best available health advice’ then. Now it’s ‘the Premier says’.

A bit of mask slippage going on, I reckon.

Vicki
Vicki
November 20, 2021 7:13 am

Re: the change in “Chief Medical Officer” directions – I reckon it reflects growing problem of Andrews with Brett Sutton.

Kneel
Kneel
November 20, 2021 9:35 am

“Re: the change in “Chief Medical Officer” directions – I reckon it reflects growing problem of Andrews with Brett Sutton.”

Saves old mate finding a compliant CHO – “because I said so” is now all that is needed.

Cut out the middle man.
Or remove the fig leaf.
Depending on how you look at it…

Old bloke
Old bloke
November 20, 2021 1:34 pm

Among the many consequences of the making of a pandemic order is that, at the Premier’s command, any individual in Victoria will be at risk of being detained, having his or her movements restricted, and being moved from place to place.

This is also reflected in the amendments the Morrison misgovernment is making to the Federal BioSecurity Act. These amendments will authorise all state premiers, not just Dictator Dan, to remove all unvaxxed people from normal society and forcibly detain them indefinitely at some other location.

Rockdoctor
Rockdoctor
November 22, 2021 6:57 pm

just hand-cuffing out of their sight.

Yup just like Tropher Field. No matter how thet tart it up it still is mutton…

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