#watching it right after abbott elementary was a decision

[ambafaerie]

Just binged and finished the first season of Fleabag today.

[milfjuulpod]

Taken For A Ride

Downtown celebrating and socializing with your Abbott friends, Melissa seems to be more affectionate towards you than usual, and enjoying every second of it.

warnings: consumption of alcohol, smut, 18+

A/N: hey pookies long time no see, after taking a long break from writing i finally finished something i enjoyed. i hope u all enjoy reading it as much as i did writing it :)

After the stressful few days that was the smoking fiasco, it was needless to say everyone at Abbott Elementary was relieved when Janine was able to help out the troubled student, even if that meant it included the “no smoking” sign somehow being attached to the brick wall. Mr. Johnson never failed to amaze the rest of the crew.

“You know what would be an ironic way to congratulate Janine and celebrate today working out? Going out for drinks and dancing downtown this Friday,” Jacob pitched to the usual suspects on their way out the door for the afternoon.

“Please, you’ll come up with any reason to get us all out and do something. You’re almost as bad as Janine.” Ava retorted. “But…I do know of some PR event happening that night, I could get us all in after a few shots.”

Unsure of your own decision on Jacob’s idea, you just listened to a few of your friends go back and forth between places to go, before settling on somewhat of a decent plan for the weekend. Looking between faces, a pair of jade eyes met yours. Melissa was already looking at you, realizing that caused a light pink spread across your cheeks. Luckily everyone else was busy caught up in the details of it all. Shifting your eyes away from hers, you walked closer to Ava.

“I’ll be at both this event Ava speaks of and whatever bar you all decide beforehand, but I gotta run. Text me the details?” You asked, picking up your pace once you were met with agreement from everyone.

Truthfully, you didn’t have anywhere special to be, but here in the car was better than being a flustered mess in front of the redhead. Melissa had clearly taken a liking towards you. At first it was innocent, her walls slowly coming down in an effort of friendship. Slowly but surely, her favoritism towards you became more and more clear. She always made sure you were close to her when the two of you were in the same room, she would let her touches linger while she watched your face for any sort of reaction. If you didn’t know any better, you’d assume it wasn’t just curiosity, Melissa liked getting such a reaction from you.

You shook your head to clear your thoughts before beginning the drive home. The evening was filled with mundane tasks, grading, cleaning, planning, nothing too out of the ordinary. The rest of the week was similar, mundane, but easy. That was, until Friday. Shortly after you had gotten home from work and started getting ready to meet everyone out, you got a call from Melissa. “Hey you,” came from your end as soon as you picked up.

“Hey sweetheart, can you do me a favor?” Melissa asked over the speaker. You couldn’t see, but you knew she was twirling the end of her hair and lowering her voice on purpose, she always did when she wanted something.

“What is it now, Schemmenti?” You teased her.

“I need you to get ready as quickly as you can and come to my house.” She answered rather quickly.

“And why is that?”

“Because…I don’t know what to wear,” She admitted.

You couldn’t contain the laugh as soon as you heard her answer. She couldn’t be serious, right? “Mel, why do you need me to come all the way to your house for an opinion on an outfit? Can’t you just tell me what you’re wearing or send me pictures? Or, oh! Just FaceTime me.”

“C’mon hon, it can’t possibly take you long to get ready, you look incredible without even trying. Plus, we can carpool. Save the planet.”

You knew it wouldn’t take long for her to convince you. “Fine, I’ll text you when I’m on my way.”

After a few songs and quick outfit adjustments, you were out the door and on your way to Melissa’s. As far as you knew, the clubs Ava tended to go to were more on the luxurious side, so you hoped your bodycon skirt and baby tee were cute enough to get past security. The drive was nice, but not long enough for your nerves to calm down. You had only been to Melissa’s house a few times, you wondered what exactly you had gotten yourself into just as you pulled into the driveway and went up to her front door.

“Hey, did you at least pick out a couple options? Or am I going in completely blind?” You asked, taking a step into her house. Melissa didn’t answer you, though. Instead she quietly shut the door behind you two and very obviously looked you up and down. “This…This what you’re wearin’?” She asked before giving you a once over (again). 

“I was going to, why? Do I not look good?” You began looking at yourself in the mirror in the hallway of her home, trying to fix any imperfections you could have missed. So focused on fixing yourself up, you missed Melissa sneaking up and getting in your space. That is until you could see her dark eyes in the mirror, her lips so close to your ear as she said, “No baby, you look good. Follow me,” She said, and walked away like she didn’t just turn you into the darkest shade of red. 

Upstairs in her room, she motioned for you to sit on the bed while she went into her bathroom. You took a short amount of time to compose yourself and take in your surroundings. It wasn’t messy, but it was lived in, well loved. It was very Melissa, and you wouldn’t expect anything less of the woman. When she emerged, you realized she had color coordinated the two of you. Her white top underneath her jacket matched yours, and her black leather pants matched your skirt. 

“Looks okay?” She asked, fluffing up her hair in the mirror once more before walking over to you. The redhead seemed to sway her hips more as she came closer, drawing more attention to the pants that hugged her tightly. 

            “Y-Yeah Mel, you look good.” You took the opportunity to stand back up and change the subject. “Are you ready to go? Who’s driving?” 

              Melissa gathered the rest of her things and motioned for you to continue ahead of her. “Barb is coming to pick us up, figured we could plan the rest out later since both our cars are at mine anyways,” she said, closing her door and following you down the stairs. You hadn’t considered that at the end of the night, you would be coming back to Melissa’s. Interesting. 

             The ride to the restaurant was nice, a bit of time to catch up for the work wives before meeting everyone else. You, on the other hand, zoned out for most of the ride. It wasn’t until Melissa turned around that you came back to life. “Hon, you in there?” Both her and Barbara were now looking at you, Barbara just stopping the car. 

       “Yeah, sorry. Just taking some me time before giving all my energy to the kids,” You replied, earning a scoff from both Melissa and Barbara. 

       “Those ‘kids’ are the same age as you sweetheart,” Barbara said, turning off the car and getting ready to go in. 

        “Doesn’t mean they don’t tire me out just like actual kids do,” You said, and shut the door behind you. You joined the two older women in stride, Melissa sneaking her hand on your lower back as you three entered the restaurant. It was easy to find your group of friends, all gathered at the high top closest to the bar. “So glad to see you could all make it!” Jacob enthusiastically said as you all sat down. “I have to say Jacob, I’m not mad at the place, so far.” Melissa teased her friend across the table. She reached for a menu in front of her, and turned to you. “Have you been here before?” She asked. 

        “I have, actually. It’s nice, the bar food is surprisingly decent and the bartenders know what they’re doing, which is a nice change of pace,” You answered honestly. The redhead laughed at your response, but it was clear she was genuinely listening to what you had to say. 

       After a few minutes, everyone had ordered a few appetizers and the first round of drinks, courtesy of Ava. “What? Yall think I don’t have principal money?” She laughed. “But you better make this first round worth it, all of yall. Drink up people!” The first round was quick to arrive, and the second round was close behind. “I’ll get this one, just in case I get too drunk and forget to pay for drinks later,” You said, half to your server and half to your friends. 

       Melissa’s hand snaked its way onto your thigh, squeezing it gently. “Don’t get too drunk now, I don’t want you puking in my bed later,” She said quietly to you. You laughed off her teasing, but couldn’t ignore her lingering touch on your thigh. The combination of the alcohol and Melissa’s touch made warmth spread throughout your entire body. 

        She didn’t stop there either. It seemed with each sip she took of her own drink, she was letting go of those walls and showing you more and more affection. As much as you loved the attention, it was driving you crazy. Every time she laughed she would lean into you, followed by meeting your eyes to see if you were laughing as hard as her. Whenever the redhead had a snarky comment to make, she would nuzzle into your hair and whisper it into your ear. Those times were the hardest to get through. 

        Luckily after the third round, everyone decided to change locations. Barbara was the only one who stopped after her first drink, leaving that version of Barbara for another time—someone had to wrangle in the kids. 

        “Alright everyone, whoever is coming to Ava’s club needs to follow me to my car, I’ll be dropping you hooligans off.” She laughed, but everyone knew she cared and would never hesitate to give any one of you a ride. Ava, Janine, Jacob, Melissa, and yourself followed Barbara’s trail in the parking lot. Gregory, despite many pleads from everyone, decided to head home. Something about getting up early for the perfect gardening weather, your memory was foggy since Melissa was drawing patterns on your back at the time. 

       “Wait, we have one too many…Someone has to sit lap. Couldn’t be me though, I get shotgun since I’m giving Barb the directions,” Ava told the group and quickly took her spot in the front. 

       “You’ll be fine, right hon? Besides, I’m a good seatbelt,” Melissa said to you, walking with you to the car and taking her spot without leaving you much choice. You took your seat, and silently prayed the club wasn’t too far away. As soon as Barbara started driving, Melissa had her hands on you. One splayed across your stomach and the other wrapped around your thigh. Luckily Ava was already in party mode and took over the music on the drive, leaving no room for conversation. If you tried talking, you fear it would be full of stutters and gasps. 

        Once everyone got comfortable in the car, Melissa took advantage of the position the two of you were in. She lowered her hand a bit on your stomach and tightened her grip on your thigh. You could feel her nails through your skirt and you attempted to close your legs more to get her to ease up, but of course it didn’t work. You felt her lips against the shell of your ear for a split second before you heard her voice. 

        “Stop squirming so much baby, or I’ll really have to hold you down.”

        Although the music was loud, you knew Melissa was close enough to hear the whine that escaped you. And if she didn’t, she certainly felt your body’s reaction to her. Just a minute later you were thanking your lucky stars as Barbara pulled up to the club and lowered the music. You knew you were blushing, way too warm, just an absolute mess thanks to the woman underneath you. 

        “Alright kiddos, have fun and be safe! Everyone please get home safely, and make good decisions!” Barbara said her goodbye, and everyone thanked her as they made their exit. Ava led the way to the bouncer, and though you took the opportunity in the cold air to calm down, Melissa stayed close by. Even when Jacob started talking about the famous drinks they had here, she pretended to listen all while keeping her beautiful green eyes focused on you. She was driving you insane. 

       As soon as Ava got everyone to their VIP spot and drink orders were placed, you took off to the bathroom. Cold water and alone time was exactly what you needed. You stood in front of the bathroom mirror obsessively looking yourself over, worried that the whole club would somehow be able to tell Melissa had you wrapped around her finger and was tugging on the string like a play toy. Focused on the cool water on your hands as you began to turn on the sink, you missed the sound of the door opening. 

        “Everything okay, hon? You left pretty quickly. Don’t tell me Jacob’s list of ingredients scared you from the drink you ordered,” Melissa’s voice was heard from behind you. Quickly you turned off the faucet and faced her, your body betraying your mind in an instant. “Please, not much could scare me off from a drink at a place with a bar like this one,” you joked. She took a few steps closer, inching you against the back of the counter. 

        “Then what’s going on, amore?” She asked, but there was a tone in her voice you couldn’t pinpoint. The nickname didn’t help your state either, it never did. “N-Nothing Mel, everything’s okay.” You would’ve walked away at this point if you didn’t feel cornered by such a beautiful woman. 

        As if a switch flipped in her, Melissa put her hands by your sides on the counter and pressed herself against you gently. “Don’t lie to me, I could sit here all night,” she said lowly. 

       “Melissa…” was all you were able to get out. She pushed herself against you harder, her breasts flush with yours at this point. “I’ll ask you one more time. What’s going on?”

       “I…You’ve been teasing me all night,” You felt Melissa put her hands over yours on the counter and squeeze them gently. “Mmm, I haven’t been that mean, have I? I figured most of my attitude tonight was directed towards Janine, not you dolcezza mia,” She tightened her grip on your hands with her last two words. If she wasn’t making your body feel on fire, you would’ve rolled your eyes just then. 

       “You know that’s not what I mean Melissa,” You said sharply, growing tired of this game with her. “Oh, this teasing then?” She asked, and a second later had her thigh pressed against your core, bodies closer than they ever have been. You groaned at the feeling and had to fight every urge to not grind against her in that moment. All you could do was nod, which drove Melissa crazy. You didn’t know it yet, but she loved teasing you until you couldn’t take it anymore, making you beg and plead for what you want. 

         “Aww, you poor thing, let me help you then.” Melissa slowly began rubbing her thigh back and forth against you, and captured your lips in hers to keep you quiet. She let go of your hands and let you touch her, and you wasted no time pulling her closer. The older woman moaned at how tightly and desperately you pulled at her. She broke apart the kiss to continue her way down your jaw and throat, and you felt her use her leg to open yours even more. 

       “Melissa…S-Someone could walk in,” you said between gasps. “No they won’t, I locked the door behind me,” She stopped kissing you for a moment to smile up at you, and you realized Melissa had planned this, and you went right along with it. In your moment of distraction, Melissa had pulled your skirt up, and it wasn’t until you felt her nails on your thighs again you realized it. “God, Melissa, you’ve been teasing me all night…please,” You muttered. 

        “Please what, my love?” You rolled your eyes at her response, to which Melissa dug her nails harder into your skin. 

        “Please touch me, fuck me, I need to feel you. I need you.” At your words Melissa brought her lips back up to yours, ever so slightly brushing them together. “Good girl.”

        Melissa tugged your underwear to the side and slowly drew a finger up and down your center. The bathroom was filled with your moans and Melissa’s gentle shushes and kisses across your body. She didn’t hesitate giving you exactly what you wanted, the feeling of her fingers inside you bringing you closer and closer to the edge every passing second. Her lips felt so soft as they left red and purple marks along your neck, her perfume surrounded you entirely, all you could feel was her. Opening your eyes, you looked at her. Her red hair falling across the two of you, the way her pants looked so good on her tonight, her fingers pumping in and out of you. 

        “Baby I’m s-so close…please Melissa,” You moaned. She kissed her way back up, stopped right by your ear again and said, “Let go sweetheart, let it all go for me.” After a few more touches, you rode your orgasm out against Melissa, overstimulated from the senses. She let you catch your breath, every once in a while planting a gentle kiss somewhere she left a mark earlier. Once you opened your eyes and met her green ones again, she spoke up. “Hi beautiful.”

        “Hi,” you giggled out. You felt higher than ever, post alcohol and orgasm. Melissa took your hands again and helped you stand up straight, adjusting your skirt in the process. It was sweet seeing her like this, so caring without having to say a word. You pulled her back up to you, kissing her again. This time it was less rushed, and you hoped she could feel your admiration and gratefulness in it all. 

         “I guess we should go back out there before our drinks get watered down,” Melissa said once the two of you finally pulled apart. “Yeah, I guess. But only if you let me hear what your moans sound like when we get home,” You replied. 

      Melissa giggled and led the two of you to the door, “Deal.”

[tableintheteacherslounge]

Abbott Elementary S03E05 thoughts

I LOVE YOU BARBARA HOWARD

That cold open was funny as hell - “Brother, sister, and maam” I burst out laughing in the first minute

What did Jacob and Gregory experience at Melissa’s bar??

“But that was last week” melissa are u okay? Are u refusing to admit your breakup hurt?

The bros <3 i lovee jacob and gregory’s friendship and the way it has developed SO MUCH

“Now im just one musketeer and theyre two assholes who dont invite me to things” IS SO FUNNY 😭😭😭

“Step practice is more important than homework, if any of ur teachers disagree i can and will fire them” Ava 😭😭 she’s been 10/10 this season but especially this episode, one liner after one liner, getting janelle that emmy I see you

Don’t mind me just a workwives shipper noting the difference in reaction barb has between ava touching her and melissa touching her

SISTER SLOSS I AM IN YOUR WALLS I HATE YOU HOW DARE U INSULT BARB - and the way Barb then covers her lips no it makes me so sad (AND the way she wears neutral colours the rest of the ep)

This whole barb scene is just great jacob moment after great jacob moment, but the darts skills are particularly relatable

It makes me so sad that jacob and zach have been fighting, I know a break up is the best thing but :( I thought they’d get married and janine would be a bridesmaid (if not maid of honour)

Honeymoon, hell, stuck here 😭💔

“It just so happens its never me” 😣 barb honey 🥺🫂

“WHAT IS A CHOIR IF NOT A SORORITY FOR THE LORD” see one liner after one liner!!!!

Okay this whole melissa story imma just summarise here - I don’t get it. Melissa introducing herself to someone is straight out of character (is it meant to be development? idk i dont get it), the fact they actually were qualified and janine and mel were wrong feels flat - it would’ve felt like a better end of the story if they were right, it didn’t even feel like there was a beginning middle and end just they suspected the teacher and were wrong. Something was missing, maybe it’s because Janine’s at the district idk, but this whole arc felt rushed and shoe horned in to the ep.

As soon as janine said she was making a tough decision I couldn’t wait to see what actually dumb unimportant thing it was so v happy to be right

Jacob just end it instead of dragging out the pain 💔

Jacob watching the eras tour! I’m desperate to know his favourite era

“Sorry I had to take that” “we saw you dial” lmao

“No sister sloss its the same one” “Same several” OOH THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTING

I’ve actually wondered about Barb’s piercings for ages bc it seems ooc so seeing it addressed was for me actually

The gasps and the sponge squeeze LARRY OWENS U WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS

Love love love the casual non binary rep and that it was just normal

Barb opening up to ava 🥺🩷 I loved this moment so much, Barb’s faith is such a big part of who she is and to know that it hasn’t always been simple and straightforward and what singing in the choir means to her it’s just so 🥺

Not to make everything gay but the pause and look to camera for “I’m … friends with some of abbott’s more colourful teachers” barb did u almost come out? (And does colourful mean 🏳️‍🌈 [and does that include melissa] or shady (definitely includes melissa)

Ava setting up barb’s concert 🥹🥹🥹🥹 I’ll cry

Melissa was so so proud oh my goodness 😭 proudest wife ever

Give me Barbara’s full album

Let me hear her whistle tone

Overall:

I’ll miss u larry owens please come back

Janelle and chris are coming for their emmys / nominations

Barb 🥺🩷

Idk what that melissa janine story was

Still need more mr johnson

[its-only-v]

Teachers & automakers

January is turning out to be a good month for shows, but they are on a weekly release schedule. Euphoria’s back and getting crazier than ever and Peacemaker’s here to obliterate The Boys’ place as the only superhero show with “adult” sensibilities. To make you feel like we are truly back in the time of pre-Netflix season-long episode dumps, I’m going to give you two more weekly shows to add to your list.

Both of today’s sitcoms have a lot of overlap for me. They both: 1.) aired their pilot episodes in early December, disappeared for the rest of the month, and returned this year with a regular weekly line-up 2.) are workplace comedies with a diverse cast 3.) feature humor mixed with social commentary 4.) release new episodes on Tuesdays 5.) are created by people that I’ll pretty much watch anything by

They also both start with A. Without further ado:

Abbott Elementary (2021- )

Abbott Elementary is a show about elementary school teachers created and starring Quinta Brunson, who you may have seen in old Buzzfeed videos, The Black Lady Sketch Show, or from the newest season of Miracle Workers. She plays an earnest young teacher in this sitcom who is determined to provide a happy, fulfilling education experience to the kids in her classroom. Even when they don’t have rugs for naptime. Or schoolbooks so old she had to tape in printed pictures of the newer American presidents. Or enough money for other supplies so she has to try making viral videos to get people to donate items on the wishlist. Schools like this exist, but so do the strong teachers who make it happen. The show’s title is even named after one such teacher. But we wouldn’t be watching this if it wasn’t funny, despite the bleak-ish environment. Just look at this.

Watch the Trailer

American Auto (2021- )

I hope you haven’t forgotten Superstore because it was an excellent sitcom that just ended last year (Take this as a bonus rec if you haven’t seen it). Its creator Justin Spitzer is back with another sitcom, and this time it’s about life at an automobile company, Payne Motors. It stars Jon Barinholtz as one of the leads. He played Marcus in Superstore who did things like this and now plays a kind of similar character, Wesley Payne, who isn’t the CEO despite his family having founded the company. The new CEO is instead Katherine Hastings, who was previously the CEO of a drug company. Katherine is not just not really “into” cars, she doesn’t even know how to drive. What she is great at is looking competent enough, but really, the senior management’s expertise is all smoke and mirrors. They build a car that’s accidentally racist, have to deal with a PR disaster when one of their cars is used by a serial killer, and make tough decisions about whether to open their new factory in the US bringing new jobs or a cheaper authoritarian country that may or may not have human rights abuses. Their Glassdoor reviews must be fun, huh? At least they’re not in charge of running the country.

Watch the Trailer

Until next time,

V

[orbemnews]

Analysis: What's behind Texas governor's 'Neanderthal thinking'? “I hope everybody’s realized by now, these masks make a difference. We are on the cusp of being able to fundamentally change the nature of this disease because of the way in which we’re able to get vaccines in people’s arms,” Biden said when asked about the decisions by Abbott and Reeves. “The last thing — the last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime, everything’s fine, take off your mask, forget it. It still matters,” Biden told reporters Wednesday in the Oval Office. What Abbott really meant was: An Abbott spokeswoman clarified Wednesday that the governor was not saying, by ending the mask mandate, that Texans should not wear masks. “The Governor was clear in telling Texans that COVID hasn’t ended,” his spokeswoman said. “We must now do more to restore livelihoods and normalcy for Texans.” What medical advice did Abbott get? The truth may be more political maneuvering than Neanderthal thinking, which is more sinister. There are smart people in Texas who know better. The governor just didn’t talk to them. That Abbott, still reeling from the power and water shortages that called his leadership into question last week, reportedly didn’t consult his state’s chief medical officer before ending the mask mandate makes it hard to see the decision as anything but political. Let their people go. Sen. John Cornyn rejected Biden’s criticism and said Texans are ready to throw off the yoke of government intervention, if mask mandates can be considered onerous. “At some point, the government needs to quit making arbitrary rules that do not have any demonstrable connection with the public health,” the Texas Republican said. Dude. Arbitrary? Recent CDC data suggests the most effective masking is double masking, or knotted masking, not optional masking. Here’s their mask guidance. Read it.  The list of people and corporations disagreeing with the end of mask mandates is long. Don’t leave your mask at home yet. As CNN Business reports, masks won’t exactly be going away. “Leading US grocery chains, pharmacies, retailers and auto manufacturers, including Target (TGT), Kroger (KR), CVS (CVS), Walgreens (WBA), Best Buy (BBY), Macy’s (M) JCPenney (JCP), Toyota (TM), GM (GM) and others, say they will continue to require mask wearing at their stores and facilities by both employees and customers.” “There are exceptions, however, and some business advocates are concerned that the end of these states’ mask mandates will create new challenges for companies and their workers.” Where is the middle ground? Opening too soon. While it’s easy to roll your eye at Abbott ending all restrictions and allowing businesses to open at will, it’s also completely legitimate to wonder where the right place is. Texas will allow all businesses of any type to open 100%. In many other places in the country, any sort of indoor dining and exercise is prohibited. Taking so long to open. In my neighborhood in Virginia, parents are looking at the possibility of sending their kids to in-person public school for the first time in a year after the governor issued an order requiring schools to open by March 15. Arizona’s governor issued a similar order Wednesday. The details border on farce. It appears my two elementary schoolers will go to school two days a week, but they’ll be getting virtual instruction there either from teachers not returning in person or teachers in different rooms. My middle schooler’s teachers are split in half between those returning and those staying virtual. He may get some in-person instruction, but since the school district is hewing strictly to the CDC’s guidance on 6 feet of separation for children, he may be getting instruction from a teacher streaming from a different room in the school.  It won’t be the grand return to school any of the 40% of students who opted for in-person instruction might have envisioned.  Vaccine priorities. Virginia has been vaccinating teachers for weeks, although many in our district are not returning. I was flabbergasted to see Wednesday that Texas announced it would prioritize teachers only after the governor announced the end of restrictions on businesses. Texas reality vs. Virginia reality. I went to CNN’s superstar Dallas-based national correspondent Ed Lavandera to ask not only about Abbott’s move, but also what he’s seen in his travels this year. Our conversation is below. Shifting the burden for safety away from the government WHAT MATTERS: What’s going to be the practical effect of this order by Gov. Abbott on Texans and Texas businesses? LAVANDERA: The governor’s executive order ends all the restrictions and operating limits placed on businesses during the coronavirus pandemic starting on Wednesday, March 10. Gov. Greg Abbott is essentially shifting the burden and responsibility of enforcing medical guidelines over social distancing and mask wearing. Businesses will now be allowed to operate at full capacity but can still require employees and customers to follow public health safety measures, like mask wearing.  The governor has made clear in the last year that local jurisdictions at the county and city level do not have the authority to issue stricter public health measures, which has caused tension between many city leaders and the governor. However, the latest executive order does say counties can tighten business restrictions, in a limited capacity, if the hospitalization rate reaches a specific threshold. (If the number of Covid-19 patients in a hospital region reaches more than 15% of total capacity for seven straight days, then the restrictions can be implemented.) A big question mark moving forward is how will the public respond? When Abbott started reopening the state last spring and issued the mask mandate last summer, there was great confusion over enforcement and many businesses were put in a tough place. We’ll be watching closely to see how businesses that choose to require masks will deal with customers who refuse to wear them. Texas cities vs. red Texas WHAT MATTERS: The view from here in Washington is that Texas is a state rapidly changing from deep red to purple. Do those changes factor into how Texans have viewed Covid restrictions and mask requirements? LAVANDERA: The pandemic has exposed the growing divide between the Democratic leadership in the most populated cities in Texas (Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin) and the conservative Republican officials fully in control of state government. Texas is a rapidly growing state that’s seen its population explode to roughly 29 million. The myth is that these new transplants are making the state more liberal, but in my conversations with political observers that’s a questionable theory. It’s not a purple state, yet.   When you drive around the state, as I have extensively for the last year, there is a clear divide in how politics has clouded perceptions of the medical guidelines during this pandemic. Gov. Abbott is leaning heavily into the idea that government should not be telling businesses and people how to do things. That sentiment plays well with a large segment of the population. The governor said during the reopening announcement that “Texans have mastered the daily habits to avoid getting Covid.” That’s quite a statement in a state that has seen 2.6 million cases and 44,000 deaths. But the governor’s decision has left many local leaders, especially in the state’s biggest cities, dumbfounded by his push to ease pandemic restrictions so soon. The old rule of Texas politics applied to Covid WHAT MATTERS: There are reports Abbott didn’t consult all of his medical advisers, which only amplifies the feeling that this is a political decision by a governor already struggling after the power and water fiasco.  LAVANDERA: The way Gov. Abbott rolled out this decision is a revealing window into the political forces at play. Instead of calling a news conference in Austin and taking questions from reporters on the intricacies of how this reopening would roll out, Gov. Abbott announced the reopening of the Texas economy at a restaurant in the West Texas town of Lubbock surrounded by a political friendly crowd. He took no questions. Gov. Abbott faces a difficult political reality. On the left, Democrats have been inspired by big gains at the local level and the surprising performance by Beto O’Rourke in the 2018 Senate race against Ted Cruz. (Although that excitement has been tempered to some extent by Donald Trump’s performance in the 2020 presidential election.) Those big city leaders have pushed for more government-led efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus. And on the right, Gov. Abbott has received a great deal of heat and pushback from the most right-wing, Trump-like elements of the Republican Party in Texas. These are the conservative voices that have opposed the governor’s pandemic restrictions on businesses and lampooned mask wearing. Gov. Abbott finds himself in the middle of those political winds and there is talk that a more conservative figure could challenge him in the 2022 gubernatorial primary. An old Texas progressive activist named Jim Hightower once wrote, “There’s nothing in the middle of the road but yellow stripes and dead armadillos.” No politician wants to be the armadillo. What else? We won’t know the toll these restrictions will have on US communities for some time. States are looking at extreme revenue shortfalls, which could affect funding for schools, roads and all sorts of projects for years. The first year of the pandemic was not as devastating on state coffers as expected, probably because of federal aid to businesses and the unemployed. Now Democrats want to keep the spigot of federal money running, although what they can pass through the Senate remains very much in question. Republicans, now in the minority at the federal level, are looking to move on from Covid.  Fewer will get checks with Senate bill. Democrats in the Senate and the White House have agreed to a more narrowly targeted set of stimulus checks and will cut out couples making more than $160,000 and individuals making more than $80,000 per year. Those additional families would have gotten partial payments under the House plan. People need health insurance. There have been hundreds of thousands of sign-ups for Obamacare exchanges during a special enrollment period ordered by Biden. Pence was targeted by rioters! But he’s not rejecting the big lie. Pence pushes false election fraud claims in denouncing Democratic reform bill First look  — The 10 Senate seats most likely to flip in 2022. Writes CNN’s Simone Pathe: This cycle, only one senator is running for reelection in a state carried by the opposite party’s 2020 presidential candidate: GOP Sen. Ron Johnson. His Wisconsin seat is the third most likely to flip, but the two-term senator is the most vulnerable Republican incumbent. Unsatisfactory — Lawmakers raise concerns over reports of National Guard troops being served ‘raw, moldy food’ at Capitol  New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo apologizes again. He had spent a week away from cameras. This is going to be hard to achieve. Biden’s energy secretary vows to ‘leave no worker behind’ in the clean energy revolution Why is the National Guard still camped out at the Capitol? Conspiracy theorists think March 4 is the real Inauguration Day — it was, until the 20th Amendment changed things. There’s chatter online that has authorities concerned. Source link Orbem News #Analysis #Governors #Neanderthal #Politics #Texas #Thinking #What'sbehindTexasgovernor's'Neanderthalthinking'oncoronavirus?-CNNPolitics #Whats

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Analysis: What's behind Texas governor's 'Neanderthal thinking'?

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/analysis-whats-behind-texas-governors-neanderthal-thinking/

Analysis: What's behind Texas governor's 'Neanderthal thinking'?

“I hope everybody’s realized by now, these masks make a difference. We are on the cusp of being able to fundamentally change the nature of this disease because of the way in which we’re able to get vaccines in people’s arms,” Biden said when asked about the decisions by Abbott and Reeves.

“The last thing — the last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime, everything’s fine, take off your mask, forget it. It still matters,” Biden told reporters Wednesday in the Oval Office.

What Abbott really meant was: An Abbott spokeswoman clarified Wednesday that the governor was not saying, by ending the mask mandate, that Texans should not wear masks.

“The Governor was clear in telling Texans that COVID hasn’t ended,” his spokeswoman said.

“We must now do more to restore livelihoods and normalcy for Texans.”

What medical advice did Abbott get? The truth may be more political maneuvering than Neanderthal thinking, which is more sinister. There are smart people in Texas who know better. The governor just didn’t talk to them. That Abbott, still reeling from the power and water shortages that called his leadership into question last week, reportedly didn’t consult his state’s chief medical officer before ending the mask mandate makes it hard to see the decision as anything but political.

Let their people go. Sen. John Cornyn rejected Biden’s criticism and said Texans are ready to throw off the yoke of government intervention, if mask mandates can be considered onerous.

“At some point, the government needs to quit making arbitrary rules that do not have any demonstrable connection with the public health,” the Texas Republican said.

Dude. Arbitrary? Recent CDC data suggests the most effective masking is double masking, or knotted masking, not optional masking. Here’s their mask guidance. Read it. 

The list of people and corporations disagreeing with the end of mask mandates is long.

Don’t leave your mask at home yet. As Appradab Business reports, masks won’t exactly be going away.

“Leading US grocery chains, pharmacies, retailers and auto manufacturers, including Target (TGT), Kroger (KR), CVS (CVS), Walgreens (WBA), Best Buy (BBY), Macy’s (M) JCPenney (JCP), Toyota (TM), GM (GM) and others, say they will continue to require mask wearing at their stores and facilities by both employees and customers.”

“There are exceptions, however, and some business advocates are concerned that the end of these states’ mask mandates will create new challenges for companies and their workers.”

Where is the middle ground?

Opening too soon. While it’s easy to roll your eye at Abbott ending all restrictions and allowing businesses to open at will, it’s also completely legitimate to wonder where the right place is.

Texas will allow all businesses of any type to open 100%. In many other places in the country, any sort of indoor dining and exercise is prohibited.

Taking so long to open. In my neighborhood in Virginia, parents are looking at the possibility of sending their kids to in-person public school for the first time in a year after the governor issued an order requiring schools to open by March 15. Arizona’s governor issued a similar order Wednesday.

The details border on farce. It appears my two elementary schoolers will go to school two days a week, but they’ll be getting virtual instruction there either from teachers not returning in person or teachers in different rooms.

My middle schooler’s teachers are split in half between those returning and those staying virtual. He may get some in-person instruction, but since the school district is hewing strictly to the CDC’s guidance on 6 feet of separation for children, he may be getting instruction from a teacher streaming from a different room in the school. 

It won’t be the grand return to school any of the 40% of students who opted for in-person instruction might have envisioned. 

Vaccine priorities. Virginia has been vaccinating teachers for weeks, although many in our district are not returning. I was flabbergasted to see Wednesday that Texas announced it would prioritize teachers only after the governor announced the end of restrictions on businesses.

Texas reality vs. Virginia reality. I went to Appradab’s superstar Dallas-based national correspondent Ed Lavandera to ask not only about Abbott’s move, but also what he’s seen in his travels this year. Our conversation is below.

Shifting the burden for safety away from the government

WHAT MATTERS: What’s going to be the practical effect of this order by Gov. Abbott on Texans and Texas businesses?

LAVANDERA: The governor’s executive order ends all the restrictions and operating limits placed on businesses during the coronavirus pandemic starting on Wednesday, March 10.

Gov. Greg Abbott is essentially shifting the burden and responsibility of enforcing medical guidelines over social distancing and mask wearing.

Businesses will now be allowed to operate at full capacity but can still require employees and customers to follow public health safety measures, like mask wearing. 

The governor has made clear in the last year that local jurisdictions at the county and city level do not have the authority to issue stricter public health measures, which has caused tension between many city leaders and the governor. However, the latest executive order does say counties can tighten business restrictions, in a limited capacity, if the hospitalization rate reaches a specific threshold. (If the number of Covid-19 patients in a hospital region reaches more than 15% of total capacity for seven straight days, then the restrictions can be implemented.)

A big question mark moving forward is how will the public respond? When Abbott started reopening the state last spring and issued the mask mandate last summer, there was great confusion over enforcement and many businesses were put in a tough place. We’ll be watching closely to see how businesses that choose to require masks will deal with customers who refuse to wear them.

Texas cities vs. red Texas

WHAT MATTERS: The view from here in Washington is that Texas is a state rapidly changing from deep red to purple. Do those changes factor into how Texans have viewed Covid restrictions and mask requirements?

LAVANDERA: The pandemic has exposed the growing divide between the Democratic leadership in the most populated cities in Texas (Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin) and the conservative Republican officials fully in control of state government.

Texas is a rapidly growing state that’s seen its population explode to roughly 29 million. The myth is that these new transplants are making the state more liberal, but in my conversations with political observers that’s a questionable theory. It’s not a purple state, yet.  

When you drive around the state, as I have extensively for the last year, there is a clear divide in how politics has clouded perceptions of the medical guidelines during this pandemic. Gov. Abbott is leaning heavily into the idea that government should not be telling businesses and people how to do things. That sentiment plays well with a large segment of the population.

The governor said during the reopening announcement that “Texans have mastered the daily habits to avoid getting Covid.” That’s quite a statement in a state that has seen 2.6 million cases and 44,000 deaths. But the governor’s decision has left many local leaders, especially in the state’s biggest cities, dumbfounded by his push to ease pandemic restrictions so soon.

The old rule of Texas politics applied to Covid

WHAT MATTERS: There are reports Abbott didn’t consult all of his medical advisers, which only amplifies the feeling that this is a political decision by a governor already struggling after the power and water fiasco. 

LAVANDERA: The way Gov. Abbott rolled out this decision is a revealing window into the political forces at play. Instead of calling a news conference in Austin and taking questions from reporters on the intricacies of how this reopening would roll out, Gov. Abbott announced the reopening of the Texas economy at a restaurant in the West Texas town of Lubbock surrounded by a political friendly crowd. He took no questions.

Gov. Abbott faces a difficult political reality. On the left, Democrats have been inspired by big gains at the local level and the surprising performance by Beto O’Rourke in the 2018 Senate race against Ted Cruz. (Although that excitement has been tempered to some extent by Donald Trump’s performance in the 2020 presidential election.)

Those big city leaders have pushed for more government-led efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus. And on the right, Gov. Abbott has received a great deal of heat and pushback from the most right-wing, Trump-like elements of the Republican Party in Texas. These are the conservative voices that have opposed the governor’s pandemic restrictions on businesses and lampooned mask wearing. Gov. Abbott finds himself in the middle of those political winds and there is talk that a more conservative figure could challenge him in the 2022 gubernatorial primary. An old Texas progressive activist named Jim Hightower once wrote, “There’s nothing in the middle of the road but yellow stripes and dead armadillos.” No politician wants to be the armadillo.

What else?

We won’t know the toll these restrictions will have on US communities for some time. States are looking at extreme revenue shortfalls, which could affect funding for schools, roads and all sorts of projects for years.

The first year of the pandemic was not as devastating on state coffers as expected, probably because of federal aid to businesses and the unemployed.

Now Democrats want to keep the spigot of federal money running, although what they can pass through the Senate remains very much in question. Republicans, now in the minority at the federal level, are looking to move on from Covid. 

Fewer will get checks with Senate bill. Democrats in the Senate and the White House have agreed to a more narrowly targeted set of stimulus checks and will cut out couples making more than $160,000 and individuals making more than $80,000 per year. Those additional families would have gotten partial payments under the House plan.

People need health insurance. There have been hundreds of thousands of sign-ups for Obamacare exchanges during a special enrollment period ordered by Biden.

Pence was targeted by rioters! But he’s not rejecting the big lie. Pence pushes false election fraud claims in denouncing Democratic reform bill

First look  — The 10 Senate seats most likely to flip in 2022. Writes Appradab’s Simone Pathe: This cycle, only one senator is running for reelection in a state carried by the opposite party’s 2020 presidential candidate: GOP Sen. Ron Johnson. His Wisconsin seat is the third most likely to flip, but the two-term senator is the most vulnerable Republican incumbent.

Unsatisfactory — Lawmakers raise concerns over reports of National Guard troops being served ‘raw, moldy food’ at Capitol 

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo apologizes again. He had spent a week away from cameras.

This is going to be hard to achieve. Biden’s energy secretary vows to ‘leave no worker behind’ in the clean energy revolution

Why is the National Guard still camped out at the Capitol? Conspiracy theorists think March 4 is the real Inauguration Day — it was, until the 20th Amendment changed things. There’s chatter online that has authorities concerned.