Gaetz Blames Florida's Spike In COVID Cases On 'Strategic' Testing

[TomCADem]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Omaha Steve (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: TPM

Matt Gaetz (R-FL) echoed on Sunday what’s become a familiar GOP excuse for the appearance of a large number of positive coronavirus cases in his state: more testing. But now, it’s not just more testing that’s to blame, it’s an uptick in “strategic” testing that targets areas where a high incidence of the virus is expected that has caused record-setting caseloads of the virus in the Southern state.

“I would say the positivity rate is in part a consequence of the strategic work we are doing in Florida to go into areas that are more likely to have high coronavirus,” Gaetz told Fox News’ Steve Hilton in an interview on Sunday. “So if you’re just sitting back and waiting for people to show up you can maintain a low positivity rate, but then you’re not on offense against the disease.”

Making no mention of the state’s overall failure to enforce recommendations of health experts and the CDC, Gaetz instead suggested that rising cases in Florida which soared to 9,500 on Saturday are the unfortunate consequence of going into areas where the virus has rampantly infected large swaths of people. Spikes in cases are emerging from those efforts, he said.

Gaetz’s comments come as COVID-19 cases surge along the Sun Belt. Even Vice President Mike Pence – in a long-awaited reversal – began urging Americans over the weekend to wear face masks to slow the spread of the virus as some hospitals buckle under the pressure of demand for new beds to accommodate the infected.

Read more: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/gaetz-blames-florida-spike-strategic-testing

---

Republicans are doubling down on arguments that COVID-19 spread is a a hoax.

[Faux pas]

1. What

are they gonna do when they've killed off all their constituents?

[Warpy]

12. They'll only kill about 5% of them

and maim another 10% and I'm not sure that's enough to swing this little pimple's district out of his favor.

He's just being a good little Chump and echoing his tin god's wisdom.

[forgotmylogin]

15. What does it matter if you have positive tests where they came from?

If you want the percentage to go down, you need to test EVERYONE. You need more negative tests if you want correct representation.

There was so much brouha at the beginning how they had limited tests and only wanted to use them if people displayed potential infection so as not to waste them.

You want a better ratio, FratMatt, put down the bottle and get tests for everyone.

[Iliyah]

2. Blame, blame, blame . . .

Someone in the music industry could put some music to that.

I guess the COVID-19 deaths are overblown as well.

SICK.

[packman]

3. Gaetz, so damn dumb - and he's my Congressman

Obviously subscribed to the Trump, "If we had less testing, we'd have less cases" creed

[Newest Reality]

4. I only wonder...

I only wonder what infected, puss covered, bloody, sagging hemorrhoid Gaetz leaked out of and why he is allowed to be in government at all.

Gee whiz, you usually treat something like that with antibiotics, pop it, or cut it out. You don't let it make decisions.

We seem to have no way to vet potential political actors at all now. I mean, even better noxious leakage would be an improvement at this stage.

No, really, at least some basic aptitude and psychological tests would be nice. You have to do more to get a driver's license, but we are allowing incompetent clowns to drive our county? What?

That could be why we are most certainly in an old, broken down reefer with the pedal down and heading for a brick wall with a cliff on the other side. It comes as no surprise.

Even the right means in the wrong hands will give bad results.

[Happy Hoosier]

5. Let's say that's true....

All that would mean is that we were doing a shitty job of testing before and the pandemic is, in fact, much worse than was believed. Trump failure.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

6. Gee Matt! You so STUPID!!!!

Going to Bars, Restuarants, Bowling alleys, the Beaches, festivals where people congregate, HAD NOTHING to do with COVID spikes.

He must have taken his head out of Trump's ass just long enough to make that assertion.

[Paladin]

7. What is that moron even trying to say?

What a brain-dead asswipe......

[FM123]

8. Nope! It is because of idiots just like you that insist on going out to socialize with NO masks on!

[Bengus81]

9. Please Gaetz...go to the beach and hang around a few hundred people

Love to see that POS get Covid. NO...I don't care.

[patphil]

10. That "strategic" testing must be going on all over the state.

It's evident from the maps that the virus is widespread.
Every city in the state is having large number of cases.
Of course the testing will be concentrated in the areas of high population density because that's where the cases are, but in a state of 20 million people, that's going to include most of the state.
This is just typical Gaetz bullshit.

[manhattan123]

11. Has Nestor been tested?

[Zambero]

13. A "hoax" gone wrong!

Time for Gaslighter Gaetz to don his gasmask, crawl into a deep hole, and remain there until (much) further notice.

[Grins]

14. Going where the virus is rampant...?

“...going into areas where the virus has rampantly infected large swaths of people.”

And he’s against that? Isn’t that where they should be going? Running “toward the sound of the guns”, as it were? The alternative being...?

[Omaha Steve]

16. After a review by forum hosts....LOCKING

Gaetz (R-FL) is NOT LBN material in this case.