CORONAVIRUS: April 23rd

April 23, 2020

WRITER

Glenn gives the latest coronavirus numbers, updating YOU on everything needed to know as Americans and officials monitor China's new COVID-19 virus:

Daily Stats as of 5:30 AM CT (from John's Hopkins)

Total Confirmed Cases Worldwide 2,658,794 (up from 2,573,471 Yesterday)
Total Confirmed Deaths Worldwide: 185,440 (up from 178,558 Yesterday)
Total Confirmed Recovered Worldwide: 730,039 (up from 701, 838 Yesterday)
The US has 849,144 Confirmed Cases and 47,784 Deaths, up from 819,175 cases and 45,343 deaths yesterday
The US has now tested 4,326,648 people, with 20% of tests showing positive for SARS-CoV-2

Was Flattening The Curve - a Myth? https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3081105/flattening-curve-wont-lead-coronavirus-turning-point-study-finds

Projections by Chinese-US team indicate South Korea and New Zealand are among the best in the global crisis at balancing economics with disease controls.
China has been effective in suppressing the epidemic quickly but the strategy comes at too high a cost, researchers say.
Attempts by authorities around the world to "flatten the curve" could be the worst way to fight the pandemic coronavirus, according to new projections by an international team of researchers.
The approach, which has been adopted by many countries in the hope that warmer weather and a future vaccine will help rein in the virus, could destroy economies while having little effect on cutting infections, the researchers led by Peking University Professor Liu Yu said.
"The turning point will never come, the peak value of case numbers will remain the same as if there are no such measures," the team, which included scientists from Harvard University in the United States, said in a non-peer-reviewed paper released last week.
"We strongly suggest they reconsider [the approach]."
The policy resulted in a major disruption to economic activity and social life but was not effective in isolating infected people from the rest of the population. To some extent, it was worse than doing nothing, they said.
"This choice still incurs 20-60 percent loss of economic output, but only achieves a 30-40 percent reduction in the number of cases, an extent which is insufficient to overturn the epidemic curve," the researchers said. "Our results show that this is usually the worst scenario in terms of cost-effectiveness."

COVID-19 A Thing of the Past by Summer https://nypost.com/2020/04/22/pence-says-coronavirus-may-be-largely-in-the-past-by-summer/

Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday that the White House believes the coronavirus epidemic will be "largely in the past" by this summer.
Pence gave the timeline in an interview with The Wall Street Journal podcast.
"We truly do believe as we move forward, with responsibly beginning to reopen the economy in state after state around the country, that by early June, we could be at a place where this coronavirus epidemic is largely in the past," Pence said.
"Americans are going to be able to enjoy a good summer," he said.
President Trump last week unveiled a three-phase plan for states to get their economies rolling again.
"We're closer to the end that most people know."

US Researchers Make Cells Immune to COVID-19 https://theweek.com/speedreads/910372/university-louisville-researchers-technology-could-block-coronavirus-from-infecting-human-cells

Scientists at the University of Louisville have found a way to teach cells to not accept the viral RNA of SARS-CoV-2, a new paper suggests.
A technology they developed could block the virus from infecting human cells.
It's based on a piece of synthetic DNA (also known as an aptamer) that targets and binds with a human protein called nucleolin.
Early research and experiments, led by researchers Paula Bates, John Trent, and Don Miller, indicate the aptamer may be effective at preventing the coronavirus from "hijacking" nucleolin to replicate inside the body at doses previously shown to be safe in patients.
The Louisville team has applied the same aptamer in a variety of ways, and it has reportedly emerged as a potential therapeutic drug for multiple types of cancer.
"Cells can be given instructions, and among those instructions can be to refuse to bind to Coronavirus." the lead scientist said. "We're close."

Ventilators A Death Sentence? https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/04/22/coronavirus-ventilators-survival/

Stats from New York's largest hospital system suggest that ventilator therapy is only about 10% effective on COVID-19 victims.
Over 88% of patients put on a ventilator succumb to the disease.
The US is currently manufacturing over 100,000 new ventilators for its strategic stockpile, a figure often quoted by President Trump.
Doctors suggest that the use of ventilators in COVID-19 victims may be used to late and should be applied earlier to be most effective.

75% of Chinese COVID-19 Test Kits Are 90% Accurate https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3081097/coronavirus-3-out-4-chinese-tests-kits-danish-study-found-have

After complaints from foreign buyers about substandard products, findings will be music to the ears of Chinese manufacturers, but study is not yet peer-reviewed.
Researchers looked at test kits used to identify COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit at North Zealand Hospital in the Danish city of Hillerod.
Chinese test kits were also found to be less than accurate in Germany and Australia, where governments have ceased using Chinese-made kits and switched to US or EU-based manufacturers.
China had previously offered COVID-19 test kits to dozens of countries including the US.
Trump had refused to allow US researchers to use Chinese-made kits, prompting many to criticise the speed at which the US launched widespread testing.

Too Soon To Reopen After All? https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-reverses-course-says-too-soon-georgia-reopen-n1190061

The president said he told Gov. Brian Kemp "I disagree strongly" with his decision to reopen nail salons and tattoo parlors — but he won't stop him.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he "strongly disagrees" with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's decision to allow businesses like barbershops and nail salons to reopen, a day after he praised him during the White House briefing.
"I told the governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, that I disagree strongly with his decision to open certain facilities," Trump said at his daily coronavirus briefing Wednesday. "But at the same time, he must do what he thinks is right. I want him to do what he thinks is right. But I disagree with him on what he's doing."
Kemp tweeted after the president's remarks that he appreciated Trump's "bold leadership and insight during these difficult times," but he didn't back down.
"Our next measured step is driven by data and guided by state public health officials. We will continue with this approach to protect the lives - and livelihoods - of all Georgians," Kemp wrote.
Numerous researchers have warned that opening up economic activity too soon may result in a fresh outbreak of COVID-19.

YOUR VOICE

Warning: 97% fear Gen Z’s beliefs could ignite political chaos

GLENN

Civics isn’t optional—America's survival depends on it

GLENN

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

The critical difference: Rights from the Creator, not the state

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

POLL: Is Gen Z’s anger over housing driving them toward socialism?

NurPhoto / Contributor | Getty Images

A recent poll conducted by Justin Haskins, a long-time friend of the show, has uncovered alarming trends among young Americans aged 18-39, revealing a generation grappling with deep frustrations over economic hardships, housing affordability, and a perceived rigged system that favors the wealthy, corporations, and older generations. While nearly half of these likely voters approve of President Trump, seeing him as an anti-establishment figure, over 70% support nationalizing major industries, such as healthcare, energy, and big tech, to promote "equity." Shockingly, 53% want a democratic socialist to win the 2028 presidential election, including a third of Trump voters and conservatives in this age group. Many cite skyrocketing housing costs, unfair taxation on the middle class, and a sense of being "stuck" or in crisis as driving forces, with 62% believing the economy is tilted against them and 55% backing laws to confiscate "excess wealth" like second homes or luxury items to help first-time buyers.

This blend of Trump support and socialist leanings suggests a volatile mix: admiration for disruptors who challenge the status quo, coupled with a desire for radical redistribution to address personal struggles. Yet, it raises profound questions about the roots of this discontent—Is it a failure of education on history's lessons about socialism's failures? Media indoctrination? Or genuine systemic barriers? And what does it portend for the nation’s trajectory—greater division, a shift toward authoritarian policies, or an opportunity for renewal through timeless values like hard work and individual responsibility?

Glenn wants to know what YOU think: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from? What does it mean for the future of America? Make your voice heard in the poll below:

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

Do you think the Gen Z support for Trump is an opportunity for conservatives to win them over with anti-establishment reforms that preserve liberty?

Americans expose Supreme Court’s flag ruling as a failed relic

Anna Moneymaker / Staff | Getty Images

In a nation where the Stars and Stripes symbolize the blood-soaked sacrifices of our heroes, President Trump's executive order to crack down on flag desecration amid violent protests has ignited fierce debate. But in a recent poll, Glenn asked the tough question: Can Trump protect the Flag without TRAMPLING free speech? Glenn asked, and you answered—thousands weighed in on this pressing clash between free speech and sacred symbols.

The results paint a picture of resounding distrust toward institutional leniency. A staggering 85% of respondents support banning the burning of American flags when it incites violence or disturbs the peace, a bold rejection of the chaos we've seen from George Floyd riots to pro-Palestinian torchings. Meanwhile, 90% insist that protections for burning other flags—like Pride or foreign banners—should not be treated the same as Old Glory under the First Amendment, exposing the hypocrisy in equating our nation's emblem with fleeting symbols. And 82% believe the Supreme Court's Texas v. Johnson ruling, shielding flag burning as "symbolic speech," should not stand without revision—can the official story survive such resounding doubt from everyday Americans weary of government inaction?

Your verdict sends a thunderous message: In this divided era, the flag demands defense against those who exploit freedoms to sow disorder, without trampling the liberties it represents. It's a catastrophic failure of the establishment to ignore this groundswell.

Want to make your voice heard? Check out more polls HERE.