[Dcurrie911]

I’m confused. President Biden wants to spend an additional 1.6 Billion to increase testing, yet according to the CDC web site the daily numbers are decreasing drastically. Why?

CDC COVID Data Tracker

[Dcurrie911]

It is odd that no one is responding. For months all we have heard is how bad the numbers are are how we are in for a long dark winter. Yet when the CDC numbers show favorable. Not only favorable but great. No one seems to take note. Perhaps if we increase testing we can turn the graph around and achieve that bleak forecast.....

[Aloha1]

Testing means nothing and is only a snapshot at that point in time. The only people who should be tested are those who are experiencing symptoms and those who may have been exposed to someone with Covid. Test me today and I'm negative. Doesn't mean that I might be positive tomorrow.
Testing everyone is a waste of money and personnel resources . But some people think it's a great thing because "something is being done", go figure.

[Bill14564]

The numbers are improving, just as they did in May and August. Maybe the third time is the charm but I'm going to hold off a bit before celebrating.

It doesn't seem as though lack of testing is a big problem today or that increased testing is a solution.

[billethkid]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

The numbers are improving, just as they did in May and August. Maybe the third time is the charm but I'm going to hold off a bit before celebrating.

It doesn't seem as though lack of testing is a big problem today or that increased testing is a solution.

And hopefully we will see an impact of the vaccine inoculations as they continues to ramp up.

[Bucco]

Originally Posted by Dcurrie911

I’m confused. President Biden wants to spend an additional 1.6 Billion to increase testing, yet according to the CDC web site the daily numbers are decreasing drastically. Why?

CDC COVID Data Tracker

Pretty well been laid out...

“Biden has laid out a $50 billion plan that would boost the nation's testing capacity through the increase of rapid antigen tests, testing centers, expand lab test processing, provide uniform guidance for in-school COVID testing and establish a national pandemic testing board.”

Crushing the coronavirus: What'''s Biden'''s '''clear, unified approach''' on testing? - ABC News

“According to the Rockefeller Foundation, the United States needs 193 million tests monthly for schools and nursing homes "to open safely and in stages" -- a threshold the nation has never reached.”

There is now a National Plan

[Joe V.]

Originally Posted by Bucco

There is now a National Plan

... to waste more taxpayer money on feel good boondoggles.

[Bucco]

Originally Posted by Joe V.

... to waste more taxpayer money on feel good boondoggles.

Like, or is a National Plan in your mind a bad thing ?

[Cobullymom]

Originally Posted by Dcurrie911

I’m confused. President Biden wants to spend an additional 1.6 Billion to increase testing, yet according to the CDC web site the daily numbers are decreasing drastically. Why?

CDC COVID Data Tracker

Absolutely a huge waste of money, testing has been inaccurate all along, and a test is only as good as the moment it’s taken...2 hrs later someone could be exposed...it’s ridiculous...I know people who spend their lives being tested and tested...for what? If your having symptoms, get treated, and stay away from people till your better...If you want the vaccines get one, if you don’t thats your right. But we need to move on as a country...I’m sicker from listening to Covid crap every day, then the disease itself....and he is easily confused, and therefore confuses the country....

[J1ceasar]

The so called experts don't know a damn thing. The most recent expert on TV contradicted himself in the first two sentences. winter was supposed to get better cuz we were supposed to be in less contact with people outside due to the cold weather, the rate of infection in Florida is one half that of California and yet they're locked down and we aren't. Florida has less and is now at the top of the scale as far as giving shots. It proves you don't give politicians a chance to spend your money because they will just spend it yes this is not a political comment it's not yay or nay against anybody because they're all stupid at the end of the day

[allsport]

Because the only way to keep the numbers down is to stay on top of outbreaks and that can only be done by testing.

[Byte1]

Adding more to testing right now is nothing more than a political posturing. The vaccinations have been rolling out as they are produced and each state has their own responsibility to distribute the vaccine. If you are on the fence about getting the vaccination, you better think fast because with the thousands of illegal aliens being allowed into the country now, you better be prepared for a major increase in the spread of the multiple versions of the virus.
Too bad, handling the pandemic had to be so political.

[Sailohio]

Originally Posted by Dcurrie911

I’m confused. President Biden wants to spend an additional 1.6 Billion to increase testing, yet according to the CDC web site the daily numbers are decreasing drastically. Why?

CDC COVID Data Tracker

If you look at the actual allocations for the funds you will see most of the funds are going to non-Covid related organizations and States to bail out their bad decisions from the past. It is the way it is done in DC.

[dhdallas]

Originally Posted by Aloha1

Testing means nothing and is only a snapshot at that point in time. The only people who should be tested are those who are experiencing symptoms and those who may have been exposed to someone with Covid. Test me today and I'm negative. Doesn't mean that I might be positive tomorrow.
Testing everyone is a waste of money and personnel resources . But some people think it's a great thing because "something is being done", go figure.

Exactly. Even if you do have it, then what? Have some chicken soup & ride it out because there is no cure. Unless you are having serious breathing difficulties that require hospital admission & a ventilator, testing is pointless & a waste of money.

I was employed in the healthcare & emergency services during the 9/11 terrorism attacks. The government threw a ridiculous amount of money at every city and town, no matter how small or remote, to be used for terrorist attack response. To date over $2.8 trillion has been spent on anti terrorism measures.

I lived in a small N/W PA town of about 5000 people. We received thousands of dollars to buy “moon suits”, respirators, drugs to counteract the effects of ricin, training seminars led by highly paid lecturers, etc. A local ambulance service even got enough money to relocate its dispatch room from a corner room to an interior room to be less susceptible from an attack.

It was always good for a laugh every year when our hospital would get out one of the two moon suits and we would watch some unlucky employee struggle for about a half-hour to put it on. Trust me, no one would ever mount a terrorist attack on this town.

Now we are seeing the same “knee-jerk” reaction to COVID-19. Since March last year, the federal government has already enacted two big COVID relief bills affecting elementary and secondary education, and there is another, colossal bill on the way. The bills provide nearly $212 billion for K-12 schools. This is a huge sum considering that in a normal year – 2018 – we spent a total of $832 billion on elementary and secondary education.

The relief far exceeds the need. The CDC estimated in December that the cost of providing full anti‐​COVID measures in schools, including materials and staff, is about $442 per student – roughly one‐​ninth of what public schools could receive from all relief efforts. In other words, schools are getting approximately 9 times as much money they actually need. Think they might give any of that surplus back? Guess again.

CNBC reported today it is expected that the U.S. will spend $4 billion on international Covid vaccination efforts. Not on vaccinating U.S. citizens but for vaccinating the rest of the world; but all those foreign countries love the U.S. don’t they?

Probably sooner rather than later as a direct result of overall runaway spending and ignoring the monstrous budget deficit, this economy is going to crash like never seen before. The 1929 stock market crash will look like a minor market correction in comparison. Inflation will soar to the point where the U.S. dollar will be almost (or even) completely worthless. Failed economies have brought about the destruction of many powerful nations and empires throughout history. We are not immune to suffering the same fate.

Will reckless COVID spending be the proverbial “straw that breaks the camel’s back”? Time will tell.

Sources-
CNBC
CDC
The Cato Institute - a public policy research organization — a think tank — dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. Its scholars and analysts conduct independent, nonpartisan research on a wide range of policy issues.
The Stimson Study Group on Counterterrorism Spending - directed by Stimson
Fellow Laicie Heeley, consisted of these six senior-level participants who have
backgrounds from stakeholder constituencies including the U.S. government,
academia, and the private sector

[Bucco]

Originally Posted by dhdallas

Exactly. Even if you do have it, then what? Have some chicken soup & ride it out because there is no cure. Unless you are having serious breathing difficulties that require hospital admission & a ventilator, testing is pointless & a waste of money.

I was employed in the healthcare & emergency services during the 9/11 terrorism attacks. The government threw a ridiculous amount of money at every city and town, no matter how small or remote, to be used for terrorist attack response. To date over $2.8 trillion has been spent on anti terrorism measures.

I lived in a small N/W PA town of about 5000 people. We received thousands of dollars to buy “moon suits”, respirators, drugs to counteract the effects of ricin, training seminars led by highly paid lecturers, etc. A local ambulance service even got enough money to relocate its dispatch room from a corner room to an interior room to be less susceptible from an attack.

It was always good for a laugh every year when our hospital would get out one of the two moon suits and we would watch some unlucky employee struggle for about a half-hour to put it on. Trust me, no one would ever mount a terrorist attack on this town.

Now we are seeing the same “knee-jerk” reaction to COVID-19. Since March last year, the federal government has already enacted two big COVID relief bills affecting elementary and secondary education, and there is another, colossal bill on the way. The bills provide nearly $212 billion for K-12 schools. This is a huge sum considering that in a normal year – 2018 – we spent a total of $832 billion on elementary and secondary education.

The relief far exceeds the need. The CDC estimated in December that the cost of providing full anti‐​COVID measures in schools, including materials and staff, is about $442 per student – roughly one‐​ninth of what public schools could receive from all relief efforts. In other words, schools are getting approximately 9 times as much money they actually need. Think they might give any of that surplus back? Guess again.

CNBC reported today it is expected that the U.S. will spend $4 billion on international Covid vaccination efforts. Not on vaccinating U.S. citizens but for vaccinating the rest of the world; but all those foreign countries love the U.S. don’t they?

Probably sooner rather than later as a direct result of overall runaway spending and ignoring the monstrous budget deficit, this economy is going to crash like never seen before. The 1929 stock market crash will look like a minor market correction in comparison. Inflation will soar to the point where the U.S. dollar will be almost (or even) completely worthless. Failed economies have brought about the destruction of many powerful nations and empires throughout history. We are not immune to suffering the same fate.

Will reckless COVID spending be the proverbial “straw that breaks the camel’s back”? Time will tell.

Sources-
CNBC
CDC
The Cato Institute - a public policy research organization — a think tank — dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. Its scholars and analysts conduct independent, nonpartisan research on a wide range of policy issues.
The Stimson Study Group on Counterterrorism Spending - directed by Stimson
Fellow Laicie Heeley, consisted of these six senior-level participants who have
backgrounds from stakeholder constituencies including the U.S. government,
academia, and the private sector

To your comment on the deficit....

I could not agree more. I have been beating this drum for about 3 years now, but seems those elected don't give a hoot. We were told it's no problem for the last years, and for once i hope they had a secret response because i agree totally that the deficit, heretofore totally ignored, will bite us

While I agree with you on the problem, the cause precedes Covid aid. If you check the deficit numbers, I think you will find that to be true