COVID-19 lockdowns are revealing an ugly class divide.

Protests show two Americas — those who lost their jobs and those still getting paid

This an excellent article I stumbled upon, well worth a read. It's from USA Today.

OK, so the country has been shut down for about a month, and we’re seeing cracks start to form. While some epidemiologists are talking about keeping things closed down for months longer, we’re also seeing growing public protests around the nation, as people call for restarting things.

Others shame them as “virus deniers” and accuse the protesters of wanting people to die. But it’s hard not to notice a class divide here. As with so many of America’s conflicts, the divide is between the people in the political/managerial class on the one hand and the people in the working class on the other. And as usual, the smugness and authoritarianism are pretty much all on one side.

For the most part, the people supporting extending the lockdown are those that are still getting paid, or are otherwise not being financially hurt by this.

There really are two Americas here: Those still getting a paycheck from government, corporations or universities, and those who are unemployed, or seeing their small businesses suffer due to shutdowns. And the America still getting paid is, so far, not showing a whole lot of sympathy for the America that isn’t.

I've been working from home, but I'll tell you now I don't know what I'd do if I got laid off, and had to worry about how long I'd be able to pay my bills while almost the entire economy is frozen (meaning the chance of finding a new job is essentially 0).

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

Saw an interesting line, don't know where it's from. . .

If half the Covid-19 deaths in the US were in Montana, would New York shut down?

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

Saw an interesting line, don't know where it's from. . .

If half the Covid-19 deaths in the US were in Montana, would New York shut down?

I bet it wouldn't even make the news in New York. It might get a 30-second mention at the end of the broadcast, at best.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

Saw an interesting line, don't know where it's from. . .

If half the Covid-19 deaths in the US were in Montana, would New York shut down?

Hey now!!!

Leave my little state out of this mess!!!

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

I dont know. at least in my echo chamber of the pole I talk with (friends and family). I think the divide is more political. which is a head scratcher tp me? The friends that I have talk to who hate Donald trump are people who say yeah we need to be shutdown and this virus is dangerous, have you seen the semi trucks of dead bodies, we shouldn;t open up until we have more testing. That's whats usually been said by them when I make arguments about the economy. I havent really heard anyone on the left support reopening? If someone mcould point me to some people on the left who are for reopening, I would be very interested in that.

I think the divide is more political on the lockdown front.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

COVID-19 lockdowns are revealing an ugly class divide.

Absolutely correct! Everyone hates New York, California and Chicago.

I still have a job & I'd like to see the lockdowns removed. Its more of a left vs right divide, not job vs no job. Leftists want power/control & conservatives want liberty/freedom. Same is true with COVID19 lockdowns. COVID19 is also transmitted by animals. Wild animals are still able to move freely. Once the leftists get all wild animals to lockdown maybe I'll consider it for myself. The more people who are unemployed the more power/control leftist politicians have over them. This is why AOC is encouraging workers to boycott their jobs, so they're unemployed & easily controlled.

The only people this whole mess is going to be good for is LAWYERS!!

And you can quote me on that!!

For the next 10 years.



And what are most of the people in politics?? LAWYERS!!

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

Nancy Pelosi is the poster child for the 'do as I say, not as I do' crowd - a bunch of self-entitled assholes who are 100% oblivious to average joes way of life and the struggles plebs like us go through just to keep our heads above water.

Some starve, some have 7 different ice-cream flavours to choose from - democrats call that 'equality'.

I want these ended and both husband and I are still working, but we're also acutely aware that the essential/non-essential line is pretty arbitrary and capricious. There are also people pretty important to us and our lives who are in that non-essential category who are getting hurt by this, and our hearts bleed for them. We want the people we care about to be able to do what they can to make themselves whole as soon as they can.

I still have a job, and think many areas of the nation should be opened, we cannot shut down for 6-18 months like gates says its not feasible.

I asked this before in another thread, “is it time to revolt?” This is another case of giving up liberty and freedom for government “safety”. I’d rather be sick with the Covid free then possibly still get sick anyways under government control. I think it’s high time to remind the fat cats what’s what. This won’t just end and things go back to normal again.

Other than those in professional fields (medical, law enforcement, and the like),

The only people I see still working through all of this are the working-class in the service industry: delivery drivers, store clerks, postal carriers, food service workers, farm workers...

The economic impact of this pandemic seems to have hit the so-called “middle-class”,especially those who would have thought that they were safe from such hardships, the hardest.

The rich are cosseted, the poor are inured.

The middle is screaming because it is neither.

There are going to be a lot of big heads in people who are now called heros because they worked through this. I consider them brave and deserving praise but not heros. A guy who runs into a burning building to save someone is a hero, not a nurse who might get a virus that actually might give them mild symptoms. We should consider those people that are in a higher risk class of having a severe case but are still working because their services are very important at helping our people as near heros...we need a new classification for this. A soldier that is at risk in his military career is not a hero until he does something over and above his job. I have a lot of respect for our fire department workers and EMS and policemen and soldiers, but hero status should not be given to those doing a normal risky job. I worked at risky jobs a lot and I am not a hero, neither is someone who falls off a roof while putting a roof on someone's house. The same goes for healthcare workers. we need another classification for these kind of people.

a reply to: Bhadhidar
I’m a machinist and welder, my company I work for is small but we make a lot of things for the DOD, Pharmaceutical, food processing, and the oil and gas industry on top of various other things. Our doors are still open and I go to the shop everyday fortunately except because of curfew and other bs overtime is canked. Other issues are things we machine for other companies that are closed are now sitting in storage cause no one can pay for them and no one will come pick up their stuff. We are taking losses financially due to machine work complete then the buyer is shut down. Crazy.

It's a tough situation. People need to work to live, but what happens if we go back to work and the virus explodes forcing another larger lockdown?

I understand the protestors concerns. However, the dopes with signs saying covid is a hoax only give ammunition for oppossition to belittle the whole group as morons.

originally posted by: Lumenari

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

Saw an interesting line, don't know where it's from. . .

If half the Covid-19 deaths in the US were in Montana, would New York shut down?

Hey now!!!

Leave my little state out of this mess!!!

Can I come live with you and your wife!? NYS sux!!!!!

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

Hmm i don`t know.. Maybe..

I was having a talk with a friend of mine the other day, he is already retired by the way and filthy rich, and i was thinking and talking about how travelling and airplanes are going to come back, just speculating.

He said to me that air travel should come back, but should only be available for the rich, and tickets should cost about 20 big ones.

I thought it was a weird thing to say.

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

A big class-divided is developing over bailing out certain states also.

The only reason non-managerial people are not protesting is they are being paid off in the form of $600 a week. They don't realize that's only for 12 weeks and they may not have a job when its over.

I was probably one of the few liberals here on ATS and I want it opened up. Yes, I was laid off and I probably will get unemployment. It's a less than I make now but short-term, I will be ok.

I worry what's going to happen in six months. Unemployment is going to run out and businesses will have closed permanently. What's going to be left is what was able to stay open: Walmart, grocery stores and fast food. Crappy jobs.

And all those people who are thrilled about working at home be careful what you wish for you just might get it.
If a company thinks work can be done anywhere, they're not going to choose American workers. You don't need a Green card if you can live in another country and do work remotely. There will be a massive shift in most middle class jobs and not just IT.