US 1st quarter GDP crashes
Are you enraged yet? Due to the government-imposed shutdowns due to the Wuhan panic, the gross domestic product (GDP) shrank 4.8% in the first quarter of 2020, the most since 2008.
Consumer expenditures, which comprise 67% of total GDP, plunged 7.6% in the quarter as all nonessential stores were closed and the cornerstone of the U.S. economy was taken almost completely out of commission. Durable goods spending tumbled 16.1% while expenditures on services were down 10.2%.
Exports dropped 8.7% while imports fell 15.3%, including a 30% drop in services.
The count of all goods and services produced in the U.S. shows that even though the first quarter saw only two weeks of shutdown, the impact was pronounced and set the stage for a second-quarter picture will be the worst in the post-World War II era.
As the article notes, we ain’t seen nothing yet. And it will only get even worse should our all-wise supreme leaders continue to stretch out this shut down, initially imposed under the big lie that it was merely intended to “flatten the curve” during the epidemic’s onset so that the healthcare system would not be overwhelmed.
It was not overwhelmed. In fact, it never would have been overwhelmed. As I said, it was a big lie.
Now the big lie is that these fascist government lock downs must be maintained in order to prevent the spread of the disease, a goal that is infinitely impossible but if accepted by the public will allow these petty dictators to keep their jackboots on our necks for the rest of time.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
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Are you enraged yet? Due to the government-imposed shutdowns due to the Wuhan panic, the gross domestic product (GDP) shrank 4.8% in the first quarter of 2020, the most since 2008.
Consumer expenditures, which comprise 67% of total GDP, plunged 7.6% in the quarter as all nonessential stores were closed and the cornerstone of the U.S. economy was taken almost completely out of commission. Durable goods spending tumbled 16.1% while expenditures on services were down 10.2%.
Exports dropped 8.7% while imports fell 15.3%, including a 30% drop in services.
The count of all goods and services produced in the U.S. shows that even though the first quarter saw only two weeks of shutdown, the impact was pronounced and set the stage for a second-quarter picture will be the worst in the post-World War II era.
As the article notes, we ain’t seen nothing yet. And it will only get even worse should our all-wise supreme leaders continue to stretch out this shut down, initially imposed under the big lie that it was merely intended to “flatten the curve” during the epidemic’s onset so that the healthcare system would not be overwhelmed.
It was not overwhelmed. In fact, it never would have been overwhelmed. As I said, it was a big lie.
Now the big lie is that these fascist government lock downs must be maintained in order to prevent the spread of the disease, a goal that is infinitely impossible but if accepted by the public will allow these petty dictators to keep their jackboots on our necks for the rest of time.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Just like how the Communist Chinese leadership of China strategically held all domestic flights and allowed international flights with the results of such actions being well known, “if we are going to get it, so is everyone else”. So too now the Democrat leadership will use this current virus situation and the declared national emergency to their own ends..
The political game continues and the people of America are the victims.
Figure it.
YOU HAVE SOME THINKING TO DO IF YOU…….
To [deleted]: Details
1. Rationalize and choose to not believe Tara Reade when you were more than happy to believe the clearly confused and probably lying Christine Blassy Ford.
2. Support open borders and the admission of illegal immigrants into the country and giving them free healthcare.
3. Still talk about the Russians conspiring with Trump after the Mueller report failed so miserably and proved the contrary.
4. Agree with Joe Biden that “The Chinese are not our enemy”.
5. Think that Bo Biden was put on the Burisma board of Directors and paid millions of dollars by the Russians because he brought something other than access to his father at the time, vice president Joe Biden, who provided protection for the company.
6. Are not aware or make excuses for the fact that the Russians paid the Clinton Foundation upwards of $125 million dollars for a favorable action on the Uranium One deal.
7. You have no issue as an American with Globalism.
8. You think the Constitution needs to be “updated” and it no longer applies as intended.
9. Think that James Comey, Andrew McCabe, John Brennan, James Clapper and the rest of the leadership of the ABC agencies in our government are not guilty of crimes against the country.
10. You read the New York Times and the Washington Post, watch CNN or MSNBC and think that they are actually doing journalism.
You are a Democrat if you agree with any of these propositions, and that being said you really must reconsider your politics and what it is that you think that you support.
Are you enraged yet?
No, getting all emotional hinders good judgement.
Your are a Socialist and a Liberal, by definition you are emotional and irrational.
For a rational person to become enraged only serves to sharpen and focus in order to prepare to take action. To become enraged as a Socialist or a Liberal serves only to raise the level of irrationality to the next level, really irrational.
“Your are a Socialist and a Liberal, by definition you are emotional and irrational.”
You’re only saying that because you get all emotional when it comes to socialists and liberals.
You’ll not find me advocating any socialist policies anywhere because I’m not a socialist, and I’m not a liberal either (as you’d define the word), people are individuals, I’ve seen no evidence that Conservatives are any more immune to emotional over-reactions than those they often attack. If you want to find people perhaps slightly more able to put aside emotion you should look to Libertarians and Classic Liberals.
Bob,
You link to your posting from March 26, where you wrote
In the end however I am quite willing to bet that they will not rise much higher than what was seen in 2018-2019
As of tomorrow, that number is reached.
If you say that those C19 deaths are inflated numbers by wrongly counting other causes as C19 cases, I counter with that (if I’m informed correctly, that is) the CDC counts deaths from pneumonia as flu deaths, so those numbers are “inflated” as well.
Those 61,000 flu deaths happened unmitigated while tomorrow’s 61,000 C19 deaths happened despite nationwide measures, i.e. the unmitigated numbers would be (way) higher.
Just judging from the current somewhat linear growth of daily new cases, we can derive that the number of deaths will continue to grow far beyond the 61,000.
I lost my bet with the Swedish numbers. Under your posting I also made the wrong prediction “By April 15 we’ll have beaten those 61,000 flu deaths from 2018/19 with more C19 deaths.” I was wrong about 15 days. And you’ll lose your bet (the “much higher” part) about the numbers compared to the worst flu season very soon. We’re all losers in this game, Bob.
—
Cotour,
We both know that it’s important to dehumanize the other side as dumb and evil; makes it easier to dismiss or slaughter them. But really, do we have to engage in this kind of black and white? Would you really rely on this kind of “analysis” when you have to risk your life and property in order to fight them?
You know that the libtards say the same about us. The most funny thing would be when both sides are right. Humans tend to be irrational, emotional, dumb, easy to manipulate. We’re error-prone beings and love to fall for the polarization game that politicians, the media, and other interest groups throw at us. Feels so good to be on the right side of history.
“people are individuals,”
Im objectively talking about politics, your statement above indicates that your perspective is subject and emotional. Reconcile.
No cotour, people are individuals, believe it or not that’s an indisputable fact, and in any group you’ll get a range of people, in all terms, including their susceptibility to getting carried away by emotions like rage.
Ian C:
If you are referring to my list above, there is nothing there that is not factual and I am just suggesting that reasonable Democrats might step back and think about what it is that they think they think.
And if you are talking about this statement: “Your are a Socialist and a Liberal, by definition you are emotional and irrational.” I also stand firmly behind it because it too is based in fact.
Andrew W: “people are individuals, believe it or not that’s an indisputable fact, ” Your being overly literal.
And by being overly literal you are being emotional, you are unable to rationally make a distinction.
Ian, inflated influenza numbers aren’t incentivized in the form of Federal dollars.
Inflated COVID numbers ARE incentivized through federal money, so the numbers are instantly questionable, see NYC and PA. (Oopsie, we have another 4K deaths that are due to COVID even though there were no tests…)
commodude,
so the numbers are instantly questionable
True. I’m not trying to argue against that. That’s why we should look a excess mortality and draw conclusions.
(I know that enemy-of-the-people sources like WaPo and NYT are immediately dismissed, I hope Fox is trusted a tiny bit more around here.)
https://www.foxnews.com/science/more-than-15000-excess-deaths-linked-to-coronavirus-in-us
I hope Fox is trusted a tiny bit more around here.
If 1/2 of that excess were in NYS and the 14% infection rate there is accurate that would put the fatality rate at about 1.1%
Ian,
I actually don’t believe most of the MSM, be it Fox (which has taken a definite leftward lean since the sons took over), CNN, or WaPost, et. al. They all have an axe to grind.
Given the politicization of EVERYTHING, it’s difficult to believe any numbers related to this. It’s a sad state of affairs, but it’s the truth we live. Advertising money is more valuable than integrity. The NGOs aren’t to be trusted either, as their political ambitions aren’t even hidden.
These are the Crazy Years.
Cotour,
If you take the position that any not with me are against me, and post a long list of things they MUST agree with, you will swim eternally in an ocean of enemies. “My way or the highway” only works in limited situations and is dependent on force to back it up. By your statement, if I disagree with even one of your positions, I am a Democrat and your enemy.
People that try to force their positions on me have a poor track record. I would rather be an enemy than a puppet, which you seem to demand. Hubris is not a good platform. Even agreeing with much of what you say doesn’t incline me to follow your path.
Im just using simple facts, most of my own friends are Democrats of one persuasion or the other.
“You are a Democrat if you agree with any of these propositions, and that being said you really must reconsider your politics and what it is that you think that you support.”
I suggested that they reconsider their thought process, no demand, no force as you imply.
So where exactly does that leave you?
Do you disagree with any of my propositions? Do you find them to be false?
“Choco rations going up”
https://youtu.be/ciD6G_bT1Ps
0:08
@Andrew_W
Your are a verified liar (falsely claimed that you were involved with agriculture), your words are illegitimate. Every single person who advocated indefinite lockdowns for healthy people have been revealed to be a limpwristed urbanite who doesn’t know where their food comes from.
R7 Rocket, You remind me of week old retained placenta.
Ian C. wrote: “As of tomorrow, that number is reached.”
Only the official number reaches 2018-2019. Unfortunately, this year’s official number includes far more deaths than just those who died of the virus, so we don’t know what the real number is. Any comparison with any other year is bogus, as this year’s numbers are known to be too high. We can be fairly certain that the number has not yet been reached.
“Those 61,000 flu deaths happened unmitigated”
How untrue. There were vaccinations offered and taken for the 2018-2019 flu season, and people tend to take other precautions during every flu season, too. The main difference is that this year those other precautions, and additional precautions, were mandated by overbearing governments that should have been provided accurate projections, not lies.
“I counter with …”
The U.S. is now including far, far more than just pneumonia fatalities.
“we should look a excess mortality and draw conclusions.”
Neither accurate nor useful conclusions can be drawn from excess mortality, because of several reasons. For instance there could be normal variation, patients that otherwise would be receiving care are not, and changes in behavior due to the media-induced panic can cause different death rates. An excess mortality is only .assumed .to be caused by COVID. Correlation cannot be assumed as causation.
I worry that people who should know better do not understand such basic concepts of data.
R7 Rocket, you go on to say “Every single person who advocated indefinite lockdowns for healthy people have been revealed to be a limpwristed urbanite who doesn’t know where their food comes from.”
I’ve no idea why you feel the need to address that to me. Possibly you’d like to go on and tell me of your adventures in line dancing and flower arranging, if so, please restrain yourself.
Edward,
The main difference is that this year those other precautions, and additional precautions, were mandated
Good point, my wording is misleading. Still, what I wanted to say is that compared to the seasonal flu the measures against C19 were way harsher. And yet we reached the number of deaths — according to the official numbers.
Neither accurate nor useful conclusions can be drawn from excess mortality
I covered those points elsewhere on BtB. I don’t expect you to have read them. But when I mention excess mortality, I usually name C19 and non-C19 deaths (from lack of treatment) explicitly.