CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: March 12th

March 12, 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: 127,809 (up from 126,611 yesterday)
Total Confirmed Deaths Worldwide: 4,641 (up from 4,365 yesterday)
68,327 Patients Have Recovered from COVID-19 Worldwide
125 Countries Have Confirmed cases (up from 120 yesterday), 4 more have suspected cases
11% of Active Cases are Considered Serious (Requiring Hospitalization), down from 12% yesterday, with 4% requiring ICU
US has 1,336 Confirmed Cases - and 38 Deaths
All 50 States Have at least 1 Confirmed Cases or 1 Presumptive Case Except Alabama, Maine, Idaho, Alaska and West Virginia

President Trump Bans Travel From Mainland Europe for 30 Dayshttps://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-makes-statement-on-coronavirus-wednesday-evening-watch-live-stream-today-2020-03-11/

UK travel not currently affected.
Ban limits human travel, cargo-only travel will not face restrictions at this time.
Order is effective as of today, March 12th, 2020.
President Trump indicated he would consider other travel bans from any hot spots as a means to follow CDC recommendations to prevent bringing more infected persons into the US.
Inbound travel to the US now restricted for over 1/3 of the world's population, including China, the EU, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Iran

Dr Anthony Fauci To Congress: COVID-19 is 10 Times More Lethal That The Fluhttps://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/11/top-federal-health-official-says-coronavirus-outbreak-is-going-to-get-worse-in-the-us.html

"I can say we will see more cases and things will get worse than they are right now," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told the House Oversight and Reform Committee.
Fauci said COVID-19 is at least 10 times "more lethal" than the seasonal flu, even if the mortality rate drops far below the World Health Organization's current estimate of 3.4%, according to CNBC news.
The COVID-19 outbreak is just weeks old in the U.S. How much worse it gets depends on two things, Fauci said: 1) containing the influx of infected people coming from other countries and 2) containing local outbreaks within the U.S. via Social Distancing and Isolation of the sick.
"Bottom line is it's going to get worse," Fauci concluded.

US Stocks Officially Enter a Bear Markethttps://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/10/dow-futures-point-to-a-loss-of-more-than-400-points-after-tuesdays-surge.html

US Stocks are down more than 20% from all-time highs reached just 3 weeks ago on February 12th.
The news comes as President Trump proposed cutting all US payroll taxes to 0% for the rest of the year, as well as Small Business Loans and the largest cash infusion into financial markets by the Fed since the 2009 Financial Crisis.

President Trump's Approval Rating Also Lowerhttps://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/trump-approval-ratings-nosedive-amid-coronavirus-outbreak

Daily tracking poll stood at +1 net approval rating (approve minus disapprove) on February 25th.
Flip to a -11 yesterday represents a 12 point swing in the online and phone-based survey.
The President's handing of Coronavirus cited as a major reason for the shift in voter attitudes.

Joe Biden Staffer Accuses Trump of Deciding to Let Coronavirus Get Out of Handhttps://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/03/11/joe-biden-staffer-claims-trump-decided-to-let-coronavirus-get-out-of-hand/

Senior Staffer, Digital Director of Biden's campaign tweeted, "Sure seems like this is getting out of hand and Donald Trump decided to let it be this way."
The tweet comes as Trump asked all Americans to "put politics aside, stop the partisanship, and unify as one nation and one family."
Calls for the staffer to apologize have gone unanswered by the Biden campaign.

WHO Finally Calls COVID-19 a Pandemichttps://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/who-declares-coronavirus-outbreak-a-global-pandemic

Surprising exactly zero people, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom made the announcement on Wednesday.
"This is the first pandemic caused by a coronavirus," Tedros said. "We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear."
"This is not just a public health crisis. It's a crisis that will touch every sector, so every sector and every individual must be involved in the fight," Tedros added. He said that countries needed to "strike a fine balance between protecting health, minimizing economic and social disruption, and respecting human rights."

New Obstacles to Testing in the US: Lack of Crucial Reagent Chemicalshttps://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/10/coronavirus-testing-lab-materials-shortage-125212, https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/10/shortage-crucial-chemicals-us-coronavirus-testing/

In the latest challenge to US CDC efforts for widespread testing, the Chemical Reagent used to confirm the RNA presence of the virus is in short supply.
German-based Chemical giant Qiagen, with labs in Germany and Spain, is reportedly working 24/7 to ramp up production, citing global demand is simply far higher than current manufacturing capabilities.
The American Enterprise Institute indicated it estimates the US can currently run about 15,000 testing kits per day, but each kit relies on reagents at labs to confirm COVID-19. Through March 11th, approximately 8,554 Americans had been tested, compared to over 210,000 in S Korea, 61,000 in Italy and 26,000 in the UK.

Between 70 Million and 150 Million Will Become Infected with SARS-CoV-2, Congressional Doctor Projectshttps://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/11/up-to-150-million-americans-are-expected-to-contract-the-coronavirus-congressional-doctor-says.html

Closed-door briefing with Senior Congressional staffers was held on Wednesday, March 11th by Dr. Brian Monahan, the attending physician of Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Monahan made the comments during a closed-door meeting Tuesday that included Senate administrative office staff and personnel from both parties, but no senators, according to NBC News.
Monahan stressed the need for Social Distancing and Isolation, urging staffers to let employees and volunteers work from home whenever possible and to limit physical contact with others.
Dr. Marc Lipsitch, professor of Epidemiology at Harvard, said earlier this month that he believes about 40% to 70% of the world's population could eventually become infected with the virus, and of those, about 1% will die.

Fighting to Make 1% a Reality - Case Fatality Rate of 1% is a Goal, Not Automatic!

A 1% Case Mortality Rate for COVID-19 is not automatic. 1% or less is Achievable and Possible but assumes infected people get critical medical care.
Each person has a role to play to help the world ensure the death rate is 1% or less.
Your role is simple: Don't spread the disease. Prevent yourself from being exposed and prevent spreading it to others.
The goal is to delay, as much as possible, the peak of infections so as to not overwhelm Medical infrastructure.
As we have seen in China, Iran and Italy, Case Fatality Rates of 3.5% (China), 8% (Iran) and 6% (Italy) are probable with COVID-19 once Hospital systems become overwhelmed.
The goal for each American is simply this: Do everything you can to not get infected - Wash your hands, don't touch your face, clean surfaces regularly, socially distance yourself from others, etc.
And if you do get sick: Stay HOME! Don't go out, isolate yourself as much as possible. And if you must go out, wear a surgical mask or respirator to lower how much virus you're shedding to others.
No masks do not reduce your infective rate to zero, but they can capture most droplets you breathe or cough out, significantly reducing how much virus each person spreads.

Dockworker strike: Everything you need to know

Anadolu / Contributor | Getty Images

At midnight on September 30th, dockworkers across the East Coast went on strike, effectively cutting the country's import and export capabilities in half.

Don't go out and panic buy a pallet of toilet paper and instant ramen just yet. It's going to take some time for the full effects of the strike to be felt and hopefully, the strike will be good and over by then. But there are no guarantees, and this election cycle could get significantly more insane as we draw near to the election. And even if the strike is settled quickly, it shows growing cracks in our infrastructure and industrial capacity that needs to be addressed if America wants to maintain its global dominance.

Here is everything you need to know about the dockworker strike:

What do the dockworkers want?

Anadolu / Contributor | Getty Images

As with most strikes, pay is the driving factor behind this situation the country now finds itself in. The longshoremen want more pay, and with rising inflation who can blame them? After all, working the docks is hard and dangerous business, and fair compensation only seems... fair. But when you compare the wage of a dockworker, which is around $100,000 to $200,00 a year to the average income in America of $56,000, suddenly they seem significantly less sympathetic.

How much money are they asking for? For most Americans, a three percent raise is considered high, but the unions are asking up to 15 percent, depending on location. On top of that, they are asking for a 77 percent raise over the next six years. The West Coast dock workers recently made off with a 36 percent raise and were considered lucky. These increases in costs are just going to be transferred to the end consumer, and we'll likely see a jump in prices if these terms are accepted.

The other major ticket item is protection against automation. Autonomous ports are quickly becoming a reality, with major ports in China that are capable of handling vast amounts of cargo being run by a single office, not an army of dock workers. Naturally, the longshoremen are concerned that their jobs are at risk of being replaced by machines that can work harder, longer, for cheaper, and without risk of injury.

How will it affect Americans?

Joe Raedle / Staff | Getty Images

Don't panic yet!

It is going to take some time for consumers to feel the effects of the strike and it is possible that a resolution could happen at any time.

Week one should be pretty much business as usual. It might be a good idea to stock up on fruit and other perishables, but there is no need to go COVID-lockdown-crazy yet.

Week two is when you'll first start feeling the pinch. Fresh fruits and veggies will become scarce, along with other imported goods like shoes, toys, and TVs. Prices will start to creep up as the shelves will start to look a little sparse. The supply of tools, lumber, and other hardware materials will also begin to dry up.

By week three, the cracks in the system will really start to show. Entire industries will begin to slow down, or even stop. Factory workers will get furloughed and sent home without pay. Stores will have to ration items, prices will be sky-high, and online orders will come to a standstill. At this point, the strike will have escalated into a full-blown crisis, and even if it was resolved immediately, it would still take weeks to restore everything to working order.

At the four-week mark, the situation will have developed into a national security crisis, and as Glenn describes, a poly-crisis. Small business will be closing their doors, entire brands will be out of stock, and everything that remains will be so expensive it is unaffordable. By this point, the holiday season will be drawing near and there will be a rush on any sort of gift or decor items left. At this point, irreparable damage to our economy will have occurred and it will be months if not years before it can be mended.

While that sounds bleak, with the election just around the corner, it seems unlikely that the Biden-Harris administration will let it get that bad. That being said, their administration has not been characterized by good decision-making and reasonable policy, so there are no guarantees.

What can be done?

The Washington Post / Contributor | Getty Images

The big question is "Why hasn't Biden already done something?"

President Biden, who ran on the image of a blue-collar, union-worker, has been uncharacteristically absent from the issue. Despite his earlier involvement in a train strike, Biden has declared that involvement in union fights is not a presidential issue unless it getsreally bad.

So where's the line? At what point will he step in? He has to understand that an economic crisis right before the election will reflect poorly on Kamala.

Join Glenn TONIGHT for BlazeTV's exclusive VP debate coverage!

Anna Moneymaker / Staff, Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

Join Glenntonight for Vice Presidential debate coverage you do not want to miss!

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See you TONIGHT at 8 PM ET for an event you do NOT want to miss it!

POLL: Can the VP debate affect the election?

DOMINIC GWINN / Contributor, Dia Dipasupil / Staff | Getty Images

The first (and likely only) Vice President debate will be held on CBS News on Tuesday, October 1st.

The debate takes place at 9 p.m. Eastern Time and will be the first time we see J.D. Vance and Tim Walz face off in person. Typically, the VP debate is little more than a formality, and rarely does it affect the election in any significant way. But this is no ordinary election. The stakes are higher than they have been in years, and Trump and Harris are still in a razor-thin race, according to the polls. Both Vance and Walz are relative newcomers to the national stage and still have room to make an impression on the American people, and with the race as tight as it is, that might make all the difference.

So what do you think? Can this VP debate make an impact on the election? Are you going to tune in? And what sort of questions and issues need to be brought up? Let us know in the poll below:

Will this VP debate be important in the overall election?

Are you going to watch the VP debate?

Should the debaters be asked about the Biden-Harris administration's failing economy?

Should the debaters be asked about climate change and energy policy?

Should the debaters be asked about the rise of globalism?

Five things that PROVE Kamala's plan for climate authoritarianism

Jeff Swensen / Stringer | Getty Images

If you wanted to cripple America for years, what would be the best way to go about it?

If your mind immediately went to the power grid, you think a lot like Glenn. For decades the secret to America's growth and prosperity has been its abundant and relatively cheap energy. Electricity has been so cheap for so long that many Americans take it for granted, though raising prices has put it back on many people's radars.

There are forces on the Left, including Kamala Harris, who is working to be "unburdened by what has been," and plunge America into a dystopian future where only the elite can afford "luxuries" like A/C and dishwashers. While Kamala has either remained silent or been dismissive of her radical climate policies, here are things that prove that Kamala has disastrous plans for our energy future:

Kamala endorsed the Green New Deal

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

In 2019, then-Senator Harris was proud to co-sponsor the Green New Deal. This was, by all metrics, the most authoritarian legislation in U.S. history. It was so over the top, cartoonishly evil, that it hardly seemed real. It aimed to ban all coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear power, and dismantle and rebuild every aspect of our lives, from what we eat to how we travel (for the worse). It also aimed to provide economic security to those "unwilling to work," aka, money for nothing.

Had several failed climate actions

Alex Wong / Staff | Getty Images

After the Green New Deal was defeated, Kamala tried several times to pass something similar. First was the "Comprehensive Climate Plan" which she introduced during her 2019 presidential bid. This plan had a staggering 10 TRILLION DOLLAR price tag, which is double the entire U.S. federal budget and aimed at exceeding the Paris Agreement climate goals.

In 2020, she introduced the Climate Equity Act, which would have created another government office called the "Climate and Environmental Equity Office.” This office would review all congressional bills and judge their potential impact on "communities that have experienced environmental injustice or are vulnerable to climate injustice.” As if that wasn't overreaching enough, it would also require every government agency to publish a biannual "climate and environmental justice accountability agenda.”

Finally, she pushed the “Environmental Justice for All Act,” which is exactly what it says on the tin. It boils down to a bunch of new rules and advisory bodies that would give cash handouts to "environmental justice communities." Fortunately, just like the other two this one never saw the light of day.

Inflation reduction act

Michael M. Santiago / Staff | Getty Images

The crowning jewel of Kamala's "historic" vice presidency was when she cast the tie-breaking vote to pass the Green New Deal Jr, otherwise known as the Inflation Reduction Act. While it was obvious from the beginning that the Inflation Reduction Act had nothing to do with inflation, and was just a climate change bill in disguise, Biden recently confirmed this to all the nay-sayers. Kamala confirmed that this was more than just another Biden gaffe when she admitted that it is "the single largest climate investment in American history.”

So what fruits does this wonderful piece of legislation have to offer? 60 out of the promised 2,000+ EV school buses. It is unclear if the delay is caused by schools backing out of the program due to the technological limitations of the busses or the outrageous cost- more than three times that of a traditional bus. Kamala's vision of the future sure is bright.

Skyrocketing home prices

PATRICK T. FALLON / Contributor | Getty Images

If the Inflation Reduction Act is the greatest climate bill ever, then we have a pretty good idea of how it affects the average American: poorly. Over the past year, U.S. electricity prices have risen 3.6 percent, which outpaces inflation. Current estimates suggest the average American is paying 5,000 dollars a year more on utilities than they were before Biden and Kamala took office. Not to mention all the new green mandates enforced on new homes, which on average is adding 31,000 dollars to the price of homes.

Judging by the climate-leading state of California, this is pretty standard. Californians' electricity bill has gone up over three times faster than the rest of the nation since 2008 and Californians collectively owe more than 2 billion dollars in unpaid utility bills. Not to mention the havoc green energy is playing on the electric grid.

Ban fracking

Spencer Platt / Staff | Getty Images

Over the last fifteen years, the U.S. has reduced our emissions more than any other nation, but this was accomplished despite the authoritarian legislation, not because of it. Natural free-market developments have encouraged a transition from coal to natural gas, largely due to fracking, which has dramatically increased the availability of the fuel. A whopping 43 percent of American electricity is generated by natural gas, meaning its price has a huge impact on the cost of energy. So naturally the Biden-Harris administration has cracked down on natural gas and oil exploration, and in 2019 Kamala stated that she favored banning fracking. She has since walked back that statement, but seeing how hostile the administration has been towards fracking it's almost certain that a Kamala presidency would spell doom for natural gas.

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