CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: March 23rd

March 20, 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: 341,632 (up from 252,014 Friday)
Total Confirmed Deaths Worldwide: 14,749 (up from 10,405 Friday)
Total Confirmed Recovered Worldwide: 99,041 (up from 89,044 Friday)
Total Confirmed Recovered Worldwide: 89,044 (up from 85,823 yesterday)
192 Countries have confirmed cases (up from 182 Friday) Only 2 Countries: the Marshall Islands and St Kitts do not have confirmed cases
5% of Active Cases are considered serious (requiring hospitalization) steady from 5% Friday but down from 19% in February
US has 35,070 Confirmed Cases and 458 Deaths, up from 14,365 cases and 217 deaths Friday

Over 1 Billion People Shelter In Place https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3076295/coronavirus-nearly-one-billion-people-are-confined

More than a billion people remained indoors in India for 14-hour curfew as Singapore banned all short-term visitors.
Nearly one billion people around the world were confined to their homes on Sunday, as US states implemented stay-at-home orders similar to those in Europe.
India started a 14-hour curfew on Sunday, expected to be extended by authorities Monday.
Singapore banned all short-term visitors from the Country through April.
The measures came as deaths from the global coronavirus pandemic surged to more than 14,700.
More than one-third of Americans were adjusting to life in various phases of lockdown – including in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, three of the country's most populous cities – with more states expected to ramp up restrictions.
Italy reported a one-day record number of deaths – nearly 800, with the country's overall toll shooting past 5,500 with more than 59,000 cases confirmed.

US Planting Season Here: Worker Shortage https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/economy/agricultural-industry-claims-pandemic-immigration-restrictions-could-hurt-food-supply

The farming industry is warning that immigrant visa restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic could mean a loss in farm labor sharp enough to hurt its ability to get many items to grocery store shelves.
"If the current policy holds, we will have some very serious shortages of labor," said David Puglia, president of the Western Growers Association.
Puglia said that the severity of the shortages would depend on the region and the commodity.
Asked if the labor problem could result in shortages on grocery store shelves, Puglia replied, "That's possible." He explained, "It would be very difficult at this late stage to close all of those labor gaps because this is all happening unplanned. We can't flip things around that quickly."
Crops that rely heavily on human-labor input include strawberries, blueberries, almonds, onions, beans, peas, melons, and tomatoes.

Not The Flu! https://www.propublica.org/article/a-medical-worker-describes--terrifying-lung-failure-from-covid19-even-in-his-young-patients

A Respiratory Therapist describes terrifying Lung Failure From COVID-19 — Even in His Young Patients
"It first struck me how different it was when I saw my first coronavirus patient go bad. I was like, Holy s%$#, this is not the flu! Watching this relatively young guy, gasping for air, pink frothy secretions coming out of his tube," said the therapist, on the condition of anonymity because he's not authorized by his Hospital to speak on such matters.
"Reading about it in the news, I knew it was going to be bad, but we deal with the flu every year so I was thinking: Well, it's probably not that much worse...But seeing patients with COVID-19 completely changed my perspective, and it's a lot more frightening," he said.
"It's causing acute respiratory distress syndrome, ARDS. That means the lungs are filled with fluid. And it's notable for the way the X-ray looks: The entire lung is basically whited out from fluid."
Patients with ARDS are extremely difficult to oxygenate. It has a really high mortality rate, about 40%. The way to manage it is to put a patient on a ventilator. The additional pressure helps the oxygen go into the bloodstream," he said.
"Normally, ARDS is something that happens over time as the lungs get more and more inflamed. But with this virus, it seems like it happens overnight. I've never seen anything like this."

Trump Activates National Guard Across 3 States https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/22/trump-activates-national-guard-in-california-new-york-and-washington-state-to-fight-coronavirus-outbreak.html

President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that he has activated the National Guard in California, New York and Washington state in order to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
"This is a War, we'll treat it like a War," the President said.
The administration emphasized that the deployment of guard members does not constitute martial law.
The state governors will retain command of the National Guard, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency will cover all costs of the missions to respond to the virus outbreak, the president said.
The White House said more than 1,110 troops would be deployed to start, with more to follow as needed.

US Senate In Turmoil As Rand Paul Tests Positive for COVID-19 https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/488943-rand-pauls-coronavirus-diagnosis-sends-shockwaves-through-senate

Republican Absenteeism expected to disrupt Senate Balance of Power.
Paul is the first known case of a senator contracting the disease and set off a domino effect throughout the chamber as colleagues tried to recall the last time they were in close contact with Paul, who was in the Capitol complex as recently as Sunday.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) told reporters on Sunday afternoon that senators would have to weigh whether they would need to self-quarantine. He later announced he would.
He was preceded by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who became the first senator to announce he would self-quarantine because of Paul.
"Upon learning that my colleague Sen. Paul tested positive for COVID-19, I consulted the Attending Physician of the U.S. Congress Dr. Harding," Lee said in a statement. "Given the timing, proximity, and duration of my exposure to Sen. Paul, she directed me to self-quarantine for 14 days."
They join a handful of their colleagues who have had to isolate after being exposed to someone who tested positive for the coronavirus. Sens. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) are already self-quarantined for exposure unrelated to Paul. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) had also self-quarantined for unrelated cases but are out of isolation.
With five GOP senators in quarantine, the margin in the Senate is temporarily 48 Republicans and 47 Democrats.

Senate Democrats Block COVID-19 Stimulus & Relief Plan https://nypost.com/2020/03/22/proposed-trillion-dollar-coronavirus-stimulus-bill-blocked-by-senate-democrats/

The trillion-dollar coronavirus stimulus package that would help offset the devastating economic effects of the virus hit a roadblock Sunday night as Democrats blocked a procedural vote on the measure.
The procedural vote was deadlocked at 47, with five Republicans not in the chamber, including Sen. Rand Paul, who announced Sunday that he has the virus.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had said that the bill — which has grown to as much as $1.8 trillion — includes direct-deposit checks to Americans and expanded unemployment benefits.
Democrats want more money guaranteed toward child care, expanded funding for women's health care and more of the aid package guaranteed to go toward hospitals and health care workers. "As Republicans have written this, it's a blank check for Trump and Mnuchin," Senator Chuck Schumer said.

Acts of Kindness Abound https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus-acts-kindness-abound-us-182309839.html

From grocery shopping for the elderly to delivering meals or offering free classes online, acts of kindness during the coronavirus pandemic are providing uplifting moments of joy in a United States beset by anxiety.
In California, the most populous state in the nation and one of the hardest hit by the virus, thousands are using internet apps to offer their services to neighbors in need.
In San Diego, for example, a Facebook group created to coordinate volunteer efforts -- San Diego Community Volunteers -- said it has seen a huge uptick in the number of people offering to help, going from 50 members to 400 in a matter of days.
Elsewhere, the popular restaurant chain Puesto, which was forced to shut down because of the virus, gave away some 500 free care packages this week. "We will come back strong with tacos for everyone," the restaurant said in an Instagram post after announcing it was shutting down.
Supermarkets across the country have also reached out to help seniors, putting in place special hours for people 65 and over to ensure they avoid crowds.
The supermarket chain Raley's, based in northern California, said that as of March 21, it was starting a special program offering a pre-selected bag of groceries at a reduced price for seniors and people in need.
In Walnut Creek, near San Francisco, where residents have been ordered to stay home, a dentist is offering free emergency dental services to ease the congestion at hospital emergency rooms.
In the small town of Coos Bay, also in Oregon, coffee shop owner John Beane is hosting virtual story-times for kids after shutting down his cafe. "We come from the theatre and stories which are always a part of the shop," Beane, the owner of So It Goes Coffeehouse, told AFP. "Some of the very best parts of our work are the brilliant and curious children that we see every day."
In Washington state, the city of Seattle -- the country's coronavirus Ground Zero -- music venues are trying to soothe fears over the pandemic by broadcasting live virtual concerts.

Relying on Amazon Prime for Food & Essentials? Houston, We May Have a Problem https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/3/22/21190372/amazon-prime-delivery-delays-april-21-coronavirus-covid-19

·Amazon had announced earlier this week that it would start prioritizing the most in-demand essential items in its warehouses, as the e-commerce giant struggles to keep up with customer demand during the Covid-19 pandemic.

·On Sunday, customers and Amazon merchants posted on social media platforms saying certain non-essential items were showing April 21 delivery dates, even though they were listed as in-stock and shipping with Amazon's Prime express shipping service.

·During normal times, Amazon Prime deliveries typically arrive in one or two days in the US.

·Now, some Prime deliveries for in-stock items are showing five-day delivery promises on the lower end, but those waits are as long as a month on some items, including household goods such as groceries.

·An Amazon spokesperson confirmed on Sunday evening that the new April 21 delivery dates are not the result of a technical bug or error; they accurately reflect Amazon's current reality.

·"To serve our customers in need while also helping to ensure the safety of our associates, we've changed our logistics, transportation, supply chain, purchasing, and third-party seller processes to prioritize stocking and delivering items that are a higher priority for our customers," the spokesperson said in a statement. "This has resulted in some of our delivery promises being longer than usual."

·The significant delivery delays showcase just how much shoppers are turning to online shopping during the global health crisis, and how even an online retailer as technologically-advanced and powerful as Amazon can only do so much to handle such an unexpected, once-in-a-generation shopping rush.

·Amazon recently noted it planned on hiring as many as 100,000 new employees to help deal with ongoing demand but indicated new hires could take weeks or months to come online to relieve delays.

GLENN

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

GLENN

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

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

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.

Labor Day EXPOSED: The Marxist roots you weren’t told about

JOSEPH PREZIOSO / Contributor | Getty Images

During your time off this holiday, remember the man who started it: Peter J. McGuire, a racist Marxist who co-founded America’s first socialist party.

Labor Day didn’t begin as a noble tribute to American workers. It began as a negotiation with ideological terrorists.

In the late 1800s, factory and mine conditions were brutal. Workers endured 12-to-15-hour days, often seven days a week, in filthy, dangerous environments. Wages were low, injuries went uncompensated, and benefits didn’t exist. Out of desperation, Americans turned to labor unions. Basic protections had to be fought for because none were guaranteed.

Labor Day wasn’t born out of gratitude. It was a political payoff to Marxist radicals who set trains ablaze and threatened national stability.

That era marked a seismic shift — much like today. The Industrial Revolution, like our current digital and political upheaval, left millions behind. And wherever people get left behind, Marxists see an opening.

A revolutionary wedge

This was Marxism’s moment.

Economic suffering created fertile ground for revolutionary agitation. Marxists, socialists, and anarchists stepped in to stoke class resentment. Their goal was to turn the downtrodden into a revolutionary class, tear down the existing system, and redistribute wealth by force.

Among the most influential agitators was Peter J. McGuire, a devout Irish Marxist from New York. In 1874, he co-founded the Social Democratic Workingmens Party of North America, the first Marxist political party in the United States. He was also a vice president of the American Federation of Labor, which would become the most powerful union in America.

McGuire’s mission wasn’t hidden. He wanted to transform the U.S. into a socialist nation through labor unions.

That mission soon found a useful symbol.

In the 1880s, labor leaders in Toronto invited McGuire to attend their annual labor festival. Inspired, he returned to New York and launched a similar parade on Sept. 5 — chosen because it fell halfway between Independence Day and Thanksgiving.

The first parade drew over 30,000 marchers who skipped work to hear speeches about eight-hour workdays and the alleged promise of Marxism. The parade caught on across the country.

Negotiating with radicals

By 1894, Labor Day had been adopted by 30 states. But the federal government had yet to make it a national holiday. A major strike changed everything.

In Pullman, Illinois, home of the Pullman railroad car company, tensions exploded. The economy tanked. George Pullman laid off hundreds of workers and slashed wages for those who remained — yet refused to lower the rent on company-owned homes.

That injustice opened the door for Marxist agitators to mobilize.

Sympathetic railroad workers joined the strike. Riots broke out. Hundreds of railcars were torched. Mail service was disrupted. The nation’s rail system ground to a halt.

President Grover Cleveland — under pressure in a midterm election year — panicked. He sent 12,000 federal troops to Chicago. Two strikers were killed in the resulting clashes.

With the crisis spiraling and Democrats desperate to avoid political fallout, Cleveland struck a deal. Within six days of breaking the strike, Congress rushed through legislation making Labor Day a federal holiday.

It was the first of many concessions Democrats would make to organized labor in exchange for political power.

What we really celebrated

Labor Day wasn’t born out of gratitude. It was a political payoff to Marxist radicals who set trains ablaze and threatened national stability.

Kean Collection / Staff | Getty Images

What we celebrated was a Canadian idea, brought to America by the founder of the American Socialist Party, endorsed by racially exclusionary unions, and made law by a president and Congress eager to save face.

It was the first of many bones thrown by the Democratic Party to union power brokers. And it marked the beginning of a long, costly compromise with ideologues who wanted to dismantle the American way of life — from the inside out.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.