The crowd has doubled in size. Aside from them not social distancing, @OrlandoPolice say organizers did not file for a special permit that’s required for a gathering of more than 100 people. Officers are here, but have not intervened. @WFTV #WFTV #COVID19


They are chanting, “Open up the state!” with some people adding, “Today!” The President yesterday announced a 3-phase approach to reopening our communities, with at least a two-week monitoring period between each phase.

Protest of ⁦Michigan’s stay-home order looked a lot like the rallies described in Mueller’s indictment against Russia’s 2016 propaganda campaign. Useful idiots have provided footage for attack ads if ⁦@GovWhitmer is VP candidate⁩. https://freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/04/15/lansing-capitol-protest-michigan-stay-home-order/5136842002/
@freep

Lincoln
@lincolnjackd
Hi @BarackObama! Like most high school/college seniors, I’m saddened by the loss of milestone events, prom & graduation. In an unprecedented time, it would give us great comfort to hear your voice. We ask you to consider giving a national commencement speech to the class of 2020.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease doctor in the United States, said there’s a chance sports can come back this year but with stipulations.

“There’s a way of doing that,” Fauci told Snapchat’s Peter Hamby on Wednesday in one interview of a week-long series. “Nobody comes to the stadium. Put them (athletes) in big hotels, wherever you want to play. Keep them very well surveilled ... and have them tested like every week and make sure they don’t wind up infecting each other or their family and just let them play the season out.”

...

Would people be OK with a spectator-less sport?

The option might be sports without spectators or no sports at all. In that case, Fauci — a former basketball player — thinks the decision is easy.

Three NYPD officers succumbed to the coronavirus between Sunday and Monday, according to the department. Det. Jeffrey Scalf and Det. Raymond Abear died on Monday. Aux. Capt. Mohamed Rahaman died a day earlier.

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea made the announcement via Twitter.

"In the last day, the NYPD family has suffered significant losses — 3 of our members lost their battles with #COVID19. Devastated, we mourn with their loved ones as we vow to #neverforget our fallen:"

In the last day, the NYPD family has suffered significant losses — 3 of our members lost their battles with #COVID19.

Devastated, we mourn with their loved ones as we vow to #neverforget our fallen:

Det. Jeffrey Scalf

Det. Raymond Abear

Aux. Capt. Mohamed Rahaman

Elections in a pandemic run two risks: spreading infection and diminishing democratic legitimacy. Iran’s COVID-19 cases surged after its February elections. Spain’s infections quintupled four days after a political rally in March; now Spain has requisitioned an ice rink to hold the dead. In Florida’s March primary, two poll workers contracted COVID-19, one of whom had handled voters’ driver’s licenses. In-person voting involves lining up and touching voting machines, which could be dangerous to voters without careful procedures. It also endangers poll workers, most of whom are over 60.

...

A solution is available: expanding absentee voting and drive-through voting.

Neither requires unrealistic procedures. Drive-through voting, which parts of Wisconsin already use, lets citizens vote from the safety of their cars, using machines that have been disinfected. Voting by mail is already the voting system in Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Utah, and Hawaii. Expanding absentee voting in other states would require simply setting aside — for one election — requirements to request a ballot in advance or to provide specific justifications for not voting in person.

But these changes in voting procedures do require political action now. First, Congress needs to approve funding. States that already are cash-strapped from the pandemic’s economic fallout will need money to cover expenses such as printing and mailing excess ballots. The recent stimulus was a good, bipartisan start — but provided less than a quarter of what is likely needed.