# Why do Republicans want to end the corona virus restrictions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 19, 2020, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-republicans-want-to-end-the-corona-virus-restrictions/852128 "2020-04-19T16:17:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-republicans-want-to-end-the-corona-virus-restrictions/852128/281 "2020-05-11T07:11:51Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Read it again, I was complaining about the Worldameter. Just that your falsehood claim does not follow from it, it is more likely that masks, testing and contact tracing are the reason rather than being unknown or because of something special with Asians. Also less of a “Fuck you, I’m 'merican! You can’t tell me what to do!” attitude. Ordinary Republicans and Conservatives want to end the restrictions because: a) They are concerned about their jobs or business b) They find having to work from home, home school their kids and not be able to go anywhere extremely inconvenient c) They are ideologically opposed to “Big Government” things like mandatory shutdowns, mass payments, and lots of rules. So in typical Republican fashion, they use wishful thinking to pick apart and question any discrepancies or unknowns in what is largely imperfect data that doesn’t line up with the results they want. And I assume that because Republicans tend to live in less dense rural and suburban areas (and many of the wealthier ones can work from home anyway), they feel that the actual risk to them is relatively low. So in their mind, they have to freeze their lives due to something that is largely a dense city / New York problem. ---
**Author:** ![Frankenstein\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ccd318/32.png) [@Frankenstein\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frankenstein_Monster)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-republicans-want-to-end-the-corona-virus-restrictions/852128/282 "2020-05-11T12:39:27Z")
Someone linked to [this opinion piece](https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/comparing-covid-19-deaths-to-flu-deaths-is-like-comparing-apples-to-oranges/) in another thread. Just had to come back to clarify how that agrees with what I said. Official flu death stats are compiled by counting J11’s on death certificates. Maybe in the U.S. they throw in J18 (I noticed that too). Not in my country though. Apparently the CDC publishes that count and it “range[s] from 3,448 to 15,620”. Then, because everybody agrees that is a severe undercount, they publish another number which is five times larger. I think the author of that piece refers to the excess death estimate, which I also mentioned (his description is wrong though). At least, that’s the case for the government in my country. Anyway, there is no confusion whatsoever in the official government stats about which number is which. As opposed to numbers breathlessly reported in the fake news. The point of the article stands: be careful when comparing numbers to make sure they are comparable. My point also stands: the larger number is not due to counting of COVID-19 numbers “liberally” on death certificates. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-republicans-want-to-end-the-corona-virus-restrictions/852128/283 "2020-05-14T18:26:38Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > You think hospitals right now are under utilized? I don’t know about your hospitals, but [mine are](https://www.vhha.com/communications/virginia-hospital-covid-19-data-dashboard/), yes. 22% of ventilators are in use across my state. I’m no sciencetician m.d., but that seems low to me. My governor (D., VA) [agrees](https://www.nbc12.com/2020/05/13/northam-most-commonwealth-can-enter-phase-one-friday/). But not for [all of us](https://wtop.com/coronavirus/2020/05/virginia-coronavirus-update-may-11/). You see that? A county-by-county strategy to gradually open up, based on numbers and science, not fear or hope. I’d personally like another week, but hey, he’s the governor, not me. > [@](#): > > And when it floods, you’re screwed. That’s the point. But it’s not going to flood. That’s the point. You don’t let it flood. COVID’s not magic. We know how it works. We know how things like it work. We’re at 22% for ventilators and have over 8,000 empty beds but 1,500 occupied. We have the “cap space.” ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-republicans-want-to-end-the-corona-virus-restrictions/852128/284 "2020-05-14T20:33:19Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > {…} But it’s not going to flood. That’s the point. You don’t let it flood. COVID’s not magic. We know how it works. {…} > [@SARS-CoV-2](#): > > No, not magic, just kicking humanity’s ass! > We find it highly amusing that you think you are in control of this. > Give us a call when you figure out an effective treatment protocol! > (And don’t hold your breath while you’re waiting for that vaccine!) CMC fnord! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-republicans-want-to-end-the-corona-virus-restrictions/852128.md?page=14)