The Ministry of Covid Compliance is reminding us this week how the virus has a genetic targeting mechanism able to differentiate between essential cans of vegetables, bottles of liquor, lottery tickets and non-essential products like sneakers and paint.  Thus the Ministry is able to help us better understand the lock-down policy.

We’ve been piling into crowded supermarkets for seven weeks buying food, and we are allowed to purchase liquor and lottery tickets. Those purchases are deemed safe by the state; however, it is critical for viral control that we not purchase sneakers or other hazardous items which pose a greater threat of proximity transmission.

Similarly the COVID-19 virus seems incapable of keeping up with the speed of passenger vehicles, buses, airplanes and trains.  However, once you exit your COVID compliant transportation, the virus can swoop down and attack you if you are in the proximity of a open-space park or beach. 

The Ministry appreciates our compliance in avoiding the dangerous virus freedom zones; and is thankful for compliant citizens who do not question the complex data analysis that goes into regional scientific tracking systems. 

To avoid an increased infection rate it is critical for American citizens to only visit Home Depot, Lowes, Costco, WalMart & other large institutional retail systems with influential lobbying offices near the Covid Mitigation Ministry.   

Effective compliance and mitigation requires that everyone must avoid the small business operations where the virus is more prone to hide out and attack consumers.  The scientific data-hubs in/around K-Street in Washington DC must lead our careful decision-making.

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White House Advisor to the President Kevin Hassett discusses the importance of using May to get as many states open as possible.  The President has asked for data daily to measure the amount of the economy that is reopening.  As the economy opens there’s less need for a ‘phase-4’ relief/bailout bill.

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The Rebel Alliance is pushing back against the insufferable and silly rules of the little blue dictators hiding amid their governor mansions. Yes comrades, the pesky red subversives have taken to the street and realized ‘hey wait, there are more of us, than them‘…

“Have Tar, Need Feathers” – If the COVID Compliance Ministry tries to stop the uprisings, there could be trouble. As a result, some of the little Blue Dictators are retreating to their safe space:

CALIFORNIA – […] Reports on Friday estimated that there were more than 500 people who turned out in Huntington Beach to protest after Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) closed Orange County beaches in response to massive gatherings last weekend that went against stay-at-home orders.

Orange County had previously opened its beaches, and even after the large gatherings drew a rebuke from Newsom, the city of Newport had voted to keep them open.

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President Trump participates in a presidential ceremony to recognize heroism in combating the coronavirus pandemic. The event is titled: “hard work, heroism and hope” and the anticipated start time is 4:15pm ET.  [Video Added]

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National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow appears on CNBC to answer growing questions about whether there is a White House plan to punish China.  Kudlow is careful to tamp down any specific reports, while affirming there will be retaliatory measures.

Additionally, Director Kudlow discusses the status of the economy, the current claims under the Payroll Protection Program, and what efforts might yet come.

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Amid another troubling week for initial unemployment claims showing 3.8 million workers filing for financial assistance President Trump’s Senior Economic Advisor Kevin Hassett appears on Fox News to discuss the status of the economic shut-down.

Hassett notes his current estimate for total workforce unemployment around 19 percent. Additionally, Hassett outlines how the economic data lags the economic activity, so there is much more bad news to come.   That said, with massive influx of federal spending to fill the gap, the White House has now shifted focus toward how best to reignite the economy.

Kevin Hassett has a forward outlook of optimism and notes there is pent-up demand which can re-launch the economy. The economy was so strong prior to the shutdown it is possible to look forward and remain optimistic.

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Earlier today President Trump hosted New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy in the Oval Office to discuss the latest COVID-19 mitigation efforts.  President Trump and Governor Murphy take questions from the press pool:

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The Department of Labor released their weekly report showing first-time filings for unemployment insurance hit 3.84 million last week. Though the worst appears to be in the past, the total number of claims in the past six weeks now exceeds 30 million.

The surge in unemployment claims is an outcome of decisions to shut-down the U.S. economy to control the coronavirus spread. Some states and local regions have recently started to bring their respective economies back online; however, most of the key U.S. infrastructure remains on lockdown.

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President Trump participates in a roundtable discussion with various industry executives on the plan for reopening the American economy. Anticipated start time 4:00pm ET.

White House Livestream Link – Fox News Livestream – RSBN Livestream

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National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow argues the worst of the coronavirus pandemic is over and the U.S. economy is getting ready to reopen. Kudlow outlines the scale of the current economic relief package how any further discussion should focus on policies to launch the economic recovery.

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The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released the first quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) advanced estimate and the result is a 4.8% decline in economic activity. [BEA Here]

The revised fourth quarter GDP shows the economy was growing at 2.1 percent prior to the COVID-19 shutdown.  The severity of the change in GDP reflects a severe drop in consumer spending, essentially bringing the economy to a halt in March as the entire nation went into lock-down.  As the BEA explains:

The decline in first quarter GDP was, in part, due to the response to the spread of COVID-19, as governments issued “stay-at-home” orders in March. This led to rapid changes in demand, as businesses and schools switched to remote work or canceled operations, and consumers canceled, restricted, or redirected their spending.

The full economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be quantified in the GDP estimate for the first quarter of 2020 because the impacts are generally embedded in source data and cannot be separately identified. (more)

Digging down into the details the data shows what we all have seen.  There is some specific data that is noteworthy in the tables.

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