The future of the Progressive Left

[Chuckie Finster 22571]

The far right possess inherently evil beliefs.
The far left possess a belief system that makes them susceptible to become useful idiots to bad actors.
Both are intense threats to the future of this country.

[wildcat09 29146]

2 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

The far right possess inherently evil beliefs.
The far left possess a belief system that makes them susceptible to become useful idiots to bad actors.
Both are intense threats to the future of this country.

Though it's not obviously religious, there's something very calvinist about the whole thing from certain leftists. It's basically the same "we're irredeemable sinners who deserve cosmic punishment" as you see from a lot of right wing nutjobs.  

[MC Fresh Breath 4074]

11 minutes ago, wildcat09 said:

It's kindergarten level rhetoric and you should be embarrassed to be persuaded by it. You actually do get to vote on all of those things, indirectly.

Those two sentences back to back are pretty funny.  In that upcoming Presidential election which candidate will stop sending arms to Israel.  

Has the Pentagon budget gone up or down with bipartisan agreement?  I know, Bernie and a couple of others were against it

Was it good or bad that AIPAC ran out two members of 'the squad' recently.  Oh wait, that's a Putin thing, right?

[MC Fresh Breath 4074]

12 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

Speaking of old hits…You’re literally citing someone from RT as a great source a week after the justice department released evidence of RT funneling tens of millions of dollars to push Pro Kremlin narratives. The perpetrators responded with “well I believed those things anyway.” 
 

And here you are on this thread, citing actual authors published on RTs website, and have the temerity to say “well that doesn’t mean they’re pushing Russian narratives” and “well I agree with what this person on RT is saying.” 
 

gosh why would anyone be skeptical of your intentions?

I love the honesty always, Sydney.  Appreciate you always engaging in a genuine fashion.    I didn't cite or quote RT. I  quoted a substack post.  RT at times has apparently carried her posts.  Which apparenlty anyone is able to do.  Thus, I'm a russian influencer pushing a Putin perspective.  Like Brisket said, Putin would be against fracking. 

 

[MC Fresh Breath 4074]

11 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

The far right possess inherently evil beliefs.
The far left possess a belief system that makes them susceptible to become useful idiots to bad actors.
Both are intense threats to the future of this country.

Lol there it is.  I tend to think the threats come from the owners themselves. But you know, that's just crazy talk. 

[MC Fresh Breath 4074]

Also, since I have the russian research crew's attention, could someone let me know real quick if Putin is funding these guys or not? You know, before I become part of the problem and do that electorialism thing.

https://votesocialist2024.com/

I'm not as in tune as  some of you comrades folks.  

oh, and before you all get too much heartburn going.  don't worry, my State is going blue no matter who, so I only really just upset the apple cart here apparently.

Edited September 10 by MC Fresh Breath
stupid russian translator.

[SydneyCarton 47809]

10 hours ago, MC Fresh Breath said:

I love the honesty always, Sydney.  Appreciate you always engaging in a genuine fashion.    I didn't cite or quote RT. I  quoted a substack post.  RT at times has apparently carried her posts.  Which apparenlty anyone is able to do.  Thus, I'm a russian influencer pushing a Putin perspective.  Like Brisket said, Putin would be against fracking. 

 

Wait. Your defense here is that anyone can carry her posts, but you don’t believe the fact that RT doing it on the regular indicates that her opinions/views benefit Russia? Well ok. I guess the fact that RT praises Trump and Tucker Carlson isn’t indicative that Russia believes their views and stances advance their own interests. 
 

 

Edited September 10 by SydneyCarton

[linux 1639]

21 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

The far right possess inherently evil beliefs.
The far left possess a belief system that makes them susceptible to become useful idiots to bad actors.
Both are intense threats to the future of this country.

This is not true though, the unions still played the useful idiot patriotic part during the cold war and they got wiped for 30-40 years running, the Overton window defines all in politics, I loathe it I hate it but if you cede ground to your ideological enemy they will gobble it up and take your votes.

I still think the left should be logical, but at the end of the day I will take self whipping over the conservative party turning neo nazi.

 

[wildcat09 29146]

Just now, MC Fresh Breath said:

Those two sentences back to back are pretty funny.  In that upcoming Presidential election which candidate will stop sending arms to Israel.  

Has the Pentagon budget gone up or down with bipartisan agreement?  I know, Bernie and a couple of others were against it

Was it good or bad that AIPAC ran out two members of 'the squad' recently.  Oh wait, that's a Putin thing, right?

Their voters "ran them out." Yes, AIPAC supported their opponents, but they lost in open elections, largely because they did some stupid shit and lost support of a lot of people who had previously voted for them.  You notice AOC and Omar didn't lose their primaries, because they're smarter politicians.

I'm sorry you don't get to wake up every day with a blowjob from Rachel McAdams and eat nothing but the finest steaks that are magically good for you too. But the way politics works in any democratic system is that various coalitions organize to elect politicians who will support policies that they like. And because the left has been utterly fucking worthless at politics for your entire lifetime (what a surprise, given how it's been made up of selfish and lazy people like you), the right has been better at politics.

That's not something that can get turned around in four years, especially when dumb motherfucking "leftists" like you actively oppose the results of progressive policies that you nominally supported. You know what really doesn't fucking help advance leftist causes? When stupid assholes like you actively oppose the president and the party's economic record after they enact what has been far and away the most progressive economic agenda since LBJ was in office, an agenda that has resulted in the strongest real wage increases (that means adjusted for inflation you economically illiterate shithead) for the working class in 50+ years. Or when stupid assholes like you oppose a president's opposition to an unprovoked invasion of another country by a shitty dictator-run colonial power just because they don't like America and your kneejerk contrarianism tells you that anyone who says bad things about American foreign policy must be good.  Yes, Biden sucks on Israel/Palestine, but you and the part of the left you listen to hated his foreign policy before 10/7, which at the time consisted of actually withdrawing our troops from Afghanistan and of supporting an ally against a hostile foreign invasion without getting American troops caught up in it. 

"Leftists" like you are worse than worthless. Just loser fucking GenX assholes who are too lazy to do the tiniest bit to advance any causes you supposedly support and spend all of your emotional energy trying to prevent anyone else from actually advancing those causes, pretending that you're just too morally pure to sully yourself with politics. Fuck you. Trump is promising mass murder and not only can you not be bothered to do your most basic civic duty to stop him, you're actively encouraging others to stay on the sidelines too.  People like you are why Reaganism took over American politics and why the Democratic party felt the need to triangulate behind Clinton in the first place. Politicians don't chase votes from nonvoters. If y'all had actually cared enough about the things you pretend to support to stay organized and politically active, America would be a much better and safer place right now, the fucking planet wouldn't be nearly as cooked, we wouldn't be mindlessly supporting Israel right now, and people like troph wouldn't need to be making fucking escape plans.

If you're not going to lead, and you're not going to follow those who do, then get out of the fucking way.  

[MC Fresh Breath 4074]

8 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

Wait. Your defense here is that anyone can vary her posts, but you don’t believe the fact that RT doing it on the regular indicates that her opinions/views benefit Russia? Well ok. I guess the fact that RT praises Trump and Tucker Carlson isn’t indicative that Russia believes their views and stances advance their own interests. 
 

 

No my defense was I didn't go to RT to find her posts.  And then I put two articles that are apparently all garbage because there's a line about Ukraine being a US proxy war in there and apparently RT put some of her older stuff up at some point in time.   Therefore, all points invalid.   OK.   I'm a big ol russian stooge.  

 

 

Edited September 10 by MC Fresh Breath

[MC Fresh Breath 4074]

1 minute ago, wildcat09 said:

Their voters "ran them out." Yes, AIPAC supported their opponents, but they lost in open elections, largely because they did some stupid shit and lost support of a lot of people who had previously voted for them.  You notice AOC and Omar didn't lose their primaries, because they're smarter politicians.

I

AOC's speech at the convention and has shown exactly what she is.  Another bright eyed who goes in and the system corrupts.  But have known that for a while.  Calling Pelosi mama bear and caving on so much, well as you note its workign out for her.  And Omar is in a unqiuely safe space for the moment.

your entire lifetime (what a surprise, given how it's been made up of selfish and lazy people like you), the right has been better at politics.

angry nonsensical rant

Lulz.  I'm selfish and lazy? Because I engaged here?  WTF kind of reasoning is that?  Who the fuck are you besides some random anonymous online prick?  You know nothing about me.  What I do or don't do.  The one thing you get right is the left is bad at politics.  They're fractured and often lack coherent organization.  But the money and the two main parties do nothing to help that.   And the rest of your random off putting rant is even worse.  Go to bed gramps. 

And fuck you too while I'm at it. 

[SydneyCarton 47809]

4 minutes ago, MC Fresh Breath said:

IfNo my defense was I didn't go to RT to find her posts.  And then I put two articles that are apparently all garbage because there's a line about Ukraine being a US proxy war in there and apparently RT put some of her older stuff up at some point in time.   Therefore, all points invalid.   OK.   I'm a big ol russian stooge.  

 

 

You’re a stooge alright. Wildcat’s post was great and accurate, but I’m not so sure you’re not just a single issue anti Israel everything, and any other “progressive” points you claim to believe in are just lip service until the next time you can attempt to paint anything as a Zionist conspiracy. 
 

“I didn’t go to RT to find her posts!” Oh, well I didn’t go to Project2025 to read the entire document, so I guess quoting the Heritage Foundation and pushing the Project 20205 talking points I was passed doesn’t make me a stooge! Great news everybody!

[MC Fresh Breath 4074]

Just now, SydneyCarton said:

You’re a stooge alright. Wildcat’s post was great and accurate, but I’m not so sure you’re not just a single issue anti Israel everything, and any other “progressive” points you claim to believe in are just lip service until the next time you can attempt to paint anything as a Zionist conspiracy. 
 

“I didn’t go to RT to find her posts!” Oh, well I didn’t go to Project2025 to read the entire document, so I guess quoting the Heritage Foundation and pushing the Project 20205 talking points I was passed doesn’t make me a stooge! Great news everybody!

fine, i'll go find another progressive that makes the same points.  i'm sure they'll be blessed by the anti-russian propaganda concerned.    and yeah, genocide would be a stupid single issue for sure.  not that i have to justify myself to you, sydney.

 

[wildcat09 29146]

3 minutes ago, MC Fresh Breath said:

AOC's speech at the convention and has shown exactly what she is.  Another bright eyed who goes in and the system corrupts.  But have known that for a while.  Calling Pelosi mama bear and caving on so much, well as you note its workign out for her.  And Omar is in a unqiuely safe space for the moment.

 

 

You're a Jimmy Dore fan, which makes you even more contemptible than the average Ben Shapiro viewer. You're a leftist who doesn't actually give a single shit about any of the things you purport to care about, but use those issues to attack liberals for not being pure enough in a mission to help conservatives maintain political power.

[MC Fresh Breath 4074]

Just now, wildcat09 said:

You're a Jimmy Dore fan, which makes you even more contemptible than the average Ben Shapiro viewer. You're a leftist who doesn't actually give a single shit about any of the things you purport to care about, but use those issues to attack liberals for not being pure enough in a mission to help conservatives maintain political power.

Nope.  Haven't watched Dore in forever.  He's on off the rails looney that actually is way more right than supposed left.  Oh, and fuck you again. 

 

 

[MC Fresh Breath 4074]

[Biff Tannen 45439]

This is going well

['stache 21729]

I ain't reading all of that, but Russian propaganda isn't just about the positions they push, in this situation, it's to convince gullible leftists to stay home under the guise that "they're both the same" which is objectively 100% pure horseshit. If that's truly how you feel, fine, stay home, you can join the crew of constant complainers who take legitimate joy out of your ideological purity. Fortunately, it looks like she'll probably win anyway, and you can continue jerking yourself off about how you and your online friends are the only true progressives. 

[DigglerontheHoof 20965]

19 minutes ago, MC Fresh Breath said:

You're an idiot.  No one likes Cheney.  The idea is to get other shitbags to not vote for Trump.  The enemy of my enemy is my friend.  Don't be a fucking moron. 

[Chuckie Finster 22571]

40 minutes ago, MC Fresh Breath said:

AOC's speech at the convention and has shown exactly what she is.  Another bright eyed who goes in and the system corrupts.  But have known that for a while.  Calling Pelosi mama bear and caving on so much, well as you note its workign out for her.  And Omar is in a unqiuely safe space for the moment.

 

 

This is really the perfect post to illustrate what everyone is saying.  Performative outrage and purity tests are more important than actually getting shit done.

Instead of recognizing the benefits to having someone like AOC enter the inner circle of the Democratic Party, she is vilified for daring to find common ground with those closer to the center.

When words are more important than progress (lol “progress”ives), then you become extremely susceptible to sources who tell you what you want to hear.  It’s how you accidentally end up linking posts to RT without realizing it.

[Loch Ness Monster 3533]

Consider myself more progressive but man, they truly are the most unorganized do-nothing complainer circle jerk purity test sobs around.

See plenty of Pro-Palestine tiktokers getting thousands of American eyeballs. Definitely empathize with the cause unfortunately they often promote not voting or Jill Stein so yeah pretty much worthless and can be ignored. Why pander to them when the Never Trumpers are a much bigger pool of actual voters? No one wants to be held hostage by a small group of crybabies threatening to not even vote.

[washparkhorn 9931]

Serenity Now!

[safe sex 11628]

I want my politicians to get shit done, and if making nice with the best and most powerful Speaker of the House in history is what it takes to start that process, I'm all for it.

[wildcat09 29146]

3 minutes ago, safe sex said:

I want my politicians to get shit done, and if making nice with the best and most powerful Speaker of the House in history is what it takes to start that process, I'm all for it.

No no, she’s supposed to be a leftist Matt Gaetz who does nothing but shut down the government. That’s the true leftist goal, please just ignore how much the right loves shutting down the government.

[Dutchrudder 11087]

11 hours ago, Loch Ness Monster said:

Consider myself more progressive but man, they truly are the most unorganized do-nothing complainer circle jerk purity test sobs around.

See plenty of Pro-Palestine tiktokers getting thousands of American eyeballs. Definitely empathize with the cause unfortunately they often promote not voting or Jill Stein so yeah pretty much worthless and can be ignored. Why pander to them when the Never Trumpers are a much bigger pool of actual voters? No one wants to be held hostage by a small group of crybabies threatening to not even vote.

It's disappointing to see, because solidifying those far left votes in some swing states would allow the party to go more left and actually do some of the things these people supposedly care about. The fact that they can't count on the Green Party type votes forces the Democrat party platform to go more towards the center in order to gain more independent votes to replace the lost votes of the far left. It's a self-defeating attitude that only helps the other side accomplish their goals of dismantling government, civil rights and removing regulations. 

[Blotto 23366]

12 hours ago, DigglerontheHoof said:

You're an idiot.  No one likes Cheney.  The idea is to get other shitbags to not vote for Trump.  The enemy of my enemy is my friend.  Don't be a fucking moron. 

I think I've zeroed in on where your advice starts to fall apart.

[MC Fresh Breath 4074]

On 9/9/2024 at 6:48 PM, wildcat09 said:

 

I'm sorry you don't get to wake up every day with a blowjob from Rachel McAdams and eat nothing but the finest steaks that are magically good for you too. But the way politics works in any democratic system is that various coalitions organize to elect politicians who will support policies that they like. And because the left has been utterly fucking worthless at politics for your entire lifetime (what a surprise, given how it's been made up of selfish and lazy people like you), the right has been better at politics.

That's not so, pretending that you're just too morally pure to sully yourself with politics. Fuck you.

Of all the strawmen you set up, calling me the problem is actually maybe dead on.

Guess I was the problem when I voted for Obama

Guess I was the problem when I voted for Hillary (while quietly holding my nose) and then being told later that I (well, and Russia) was at fault for her loss because I liked what Sanders had to say.

Guess I was the problem when I met with Lloyd Bentsen.

Guess I was the problem when I volunteered for Beto.

Guess I was the problem when I marched with women against Trump.

In all those things perhaps I really was the problem as I thought perhaps things could be changed from within and pushed left.  As drone bombings continued, as Guantanamo was never closed, as war increased, as bipartisan agreement always meant a larger Pentagon budget. As corporations were bailed out while consumers were left to rot on the vine. As now the candidates over who is most conservative (fracking, border, Israel).  

Oh, and I'm fucking lazy says the asshole with 11.8k posts on this board.  Says the douchebag who would rather insult a character he's created in his head and then proceed to lecture that character on how politics work.  Who has no knowledge of my participation and what sides I worked for.   Sure, I'm the naive one.   Fuck you, you anonymous no nothing pussy.   

 

 

[MC Fresh Breath 4074]

On 9/9/2024 at 7:32 PM, DigglerontheHoof said:

You're an idiot.  No one likes Cheney.  The idea is to get other shitbags to not vote for Trump.  The enemy of my enemy is my friend.  Don't be a fucking moron. 

sure thing
"honored to have their support"

 

maybe go check Stewart's reaction, which is what hers should have been.

 

I'm out.  Enjoy the cult.

[wildcat09 29146]

Why do you want a pat on the head for doing the bare minimum? And why did you modify my post that you quoted like that?

[DigglerontheHoof 20965]

1 minute ago, MC Fresh Breath said:

sure thing
"honored to have their support"

 

maybe go check Stewart's reaction, which is what hers should have been.

 

I'm out.  Enjoy the cult.

[956 Worldwide 34242]

When Kamala, who is running for president, heard Dick Cheney had endorsed her, she should have responded just like a TV comedian. She should have said “fuck him and his bloodstained endorsement, I don’t need it. And fuck anyone who might think of voting for me based on it, I don’t want your filthy and stupid votes.” Then she should have looked at the camera and explained that she is exactly the same type of progressive that MC Fresh Breath is.

 

['stache 21729]

7 minutes ago, 956 Worldwide said:

When Kamala, who is running for president, heard Dick Cheney had endorsed her, she should have responded just like a TV comedian. She should have said “fuck him and his bloodstained endorsement, I don’t need it. And fuck anyone who might think of voting for me based on it, I don’t want your filthy and stupid votes.” Then she should have looked at the camera and explained that she is exactly the same type of progressive that MC Fresh Breath is.

 

JFC, you are one stupid mother fucker. Where has she said she agrees with him on literally any issue? Did she offer some concession for their "endorsement"? Of course fucking not. Are you seriously too dense to see it's solely about mutual hatred for the senile fuck screaming about cats and dogs? Get the fuck over yourself.

Edited September 12 by 'stache

[Hmbre97 6297]

JFC, you are one stupid mother fucker. Where has she said she agrees with him on literally any issue? Did she offer some concession for their "endorsement"? Of course fucking not. Are you seriously too dense to see it's solely about mutual hatred for the senile fuck screaming about cats and dogs? Get the fuck over yourself.

I think (hope) he's being sarcastic

[Blotto 23366]

21 minutes ago, 'stache said:

JFC, you are one stupid mother fucker. Where has she said she agrees with him on literally any issue? Did she offer some concession for their "endorsement"? Of course fucking not. Are you seriously too dense to see it's solely about mutual hatred for the senile fuck screaming about cats and dogs? Get the fuck over yourself.

Yeah about that.....

['stache 21729]

11 minutes ago, Blotto said:

Yeah about that.....

Sorry I thought it was the other guy, lol, sounded like the logical next step in his dumbassery.

[Chuckie Finster 22571]

1 hour ago, MC Fresh Breath said:

sure thing
"honored to have their support"

 

maybe go check Stewart's reaction, which is what hers should have been.

 

I'm out.  Enjoy the cult.

[SydneyCarton 47809]

1 hour ago, 'stache said:

Sorry I thought it was the other gal, lol, sounded like the logical next step in her dumbassery.

FIFY

[wildcat09 29146]

Hey look, more positive results from democratic policies!

Quote

For the first time in decades, public health data shows a sudden and hopeful drop in drug overdose deaths across the U.S.

"This is exciting," said Dr. Nora Volkow, head of the National Institute On Drug Abuse [NIDA], the federal laboratory charged with studying addiction. "This looks real. This looks very, very real."

National surveys compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention already show an unprecedented decline in drug deaths of roughly 10.6 percent. That's a huge reversal from recent years when fatal overdoses regularly increased by double-digit percentages.

Some researchers believe the data will show an even larger decline in drug deaths when federal surveys are updated to reflect improvements being seen at the state level, especially in the eastern U.S.

"In the states that have the most rapid data collection systems, we’re seeing declines of twenty percent, thirty percent," said Dr. Nabarun Dasgupta, an expert on street drugs at the University of North Carolina.

According to Dasgupta's analysis, which has sparked discussion among addiction and drug policy experts, the drop in state-level mortality numbers corresponds with similar steep declines in emergency room visits linked to overdoses.

Dasgupta was one of the first researchers to detect the trend. He believes the national decline in street drug deaths is now at least 15 percent and could mean as many as 20,000 fewer fatalities per year.

"Today, I have so much hope"
After years of wrenching drug deaths that seemed all but unstoppable, some researchers, front-line addiction workers, members of law enforcement, and people using street drugs voiced caution about the apparent trend.

Roughly 100,000 deaths are still occurring per year. Street drug cocktails including fentanyl, methamphetamines, xylazine and other synthetic chemicals are more poisonous than ever.

"I think we have to be careful when we get optimistic and see a slight drop in overdose deaths," said Dan Salter, who heads a federal drug interdiction program in the Atlanta-Carolinas region. "The last thing we want to do is spike the ball."

But most public health experts and some people living with addiction told NPR they believe catastrophic increases in drug deaths, which began in 2019, have ended, at least for now. Many said a widespread, meaningful shift appears underway.

"Some of us have learned to deal with the overdoses a lot better," said Kevin Donaldson, who uses fentanyl and xylazine on the street in Burlington, Vermont.

According to Donaldson, many people using fentanyl now carry naloxone, a medication that reverses most opioid overdoses. He said his friends also use street drugs with others nearby, ready to offer aid and support when overdoses occur.

He believes these changes - a response to the increasingly toxic street drug supply - mean more people like himself are surviving.

"For a while we were hearing about [drug deaths] every other day. When was the last one we heard about? Maybe two weeks ago? That's pretty few and far between," he said.

His experience is reflected in data from the Vermont Department of Health, which shows a 22 percent decline in drug deaths in 2024.

"The trends are definitely positive," said Dr. Keith Humphreys, a nationally respected drug policy researcher at Stanford University. "This is going to be the best year we've had since all of this started."

"This is going to be the best year we've had since all of this started." - Keith Humphreys, Stanford University

"A year ago when overdose deaths continued to rise, I was really struggling with hope," said Brad Finegood, who directs the overdose crisis response in Seattle.

Deaths in King County, Washington, linked to all drugs have dropped by 15 percent in the first half of 2024. Fatal overdoses caused by street fentanyl have dropped by 20 percent.

"Today, I have so much hope," Finegood said.

Why the sudden and hopeful shift? Most experts say it's a mystery
While many people offered theories about why the drop in deaths is happening at unprecedented speed, most experts agreed that the data doesn't yet provide clear answers.

Some pointed to rapid improvements in the availability and affordability of medical treatments for fentanyl addiction. "Expansion of naloxone and medications for opioid use disorder — these strategies worked," said Dr. Volkow at NIDA.

"We've almost tripled the amount of naloxone out in the community," said Finegood. He noted that one survey in the Seattle area found 85 percent of high-risk drug users now carry the overdose-reversal medication.

Dr. Rahul Gupta, the White House drug czar, said the drop in drug deaths shows a path forward.

"This is the largest decrease on record and the fifth consecutive month of recorded decreases," he said.

Gupta called for more funding for addiction treatment and healthcare services, especially in Black and Native American communities where overdose deaths remain catastrophically high.

"There is no way we're going to beat this epidemic by not focusing on communities that are often marginalized, underserved and communities of color," Gupta said.

But even some researchers who support wider public health and harm reduction programs said it's unlikely those efforts alone are causing such a sudden decline in drug deaths.

"We don't have anything that would predict this magnitude of effect this quickly," said Dasgupta, the researcher at North Carolina University, who described the reversal as hopeful and also mysterious.

Addiction experts pointed to a number of possible factors, other than public health strategies, that could be contributing to the drop in fatal overdoses, including the changing make-up of the street drug supply.

Fentanyl may be harder to find and less pure in some areas because of law enforcement efforts targeting Mexican drug cartels.

The chemical xylazine is also being mixed with fentanyl by drug gangs. While toxic in humans, causing lesions and other serious long-term health problems, xylazine may delay the onset of withdrawal symptoms in some users. Dasgupta said it's possible that means people are taking fewer potentially lethal doses of fentanyl per day.

Other experts pointed to the end of the COVID pandemic, combined with the high number of people who have already died from drug overdoses, as possible causes of the abrupt change.

Dr. Daniel Ciccarone, a physician and addiction researcher at the University of California San Francisco, said a debate is already underway over what triggered the improvement and what might happen next.

"This is where we're all going to differ. Everyone is going to come out and claim that what they did is what caused the decline," he said.

But Ciccarone agreed that for now, the improvements appear real: "What makes it fascinating is the speed at which it's happening."

"Overdose deaths in Ohio are down 31 percent"
Indeed, in many states in the eastern and central U.S. where improvements are largest, the sudden drop in drug deaths stunned some observers who lived through the darkest days of the fentanyl overdose crisis.

"This year overdose deaths [in Ohio] are down 31 percent," said Dennis Couchon, a harm reduction activist. "The deaths were just plummeting. The data has never moved like this."

"While the mortality data for 2024 is incomplete and subject to change, Ohio is now in the ninth consecutive month of a historic and unexpected drop in overdose deaths," said the organization Harm Reduction Ohio in a statement.

Missouri is seeing a similar trend that appears to be accelerating. After dropping by 10 percent last year, preliminary data shows drug deaths in the state have now fallen roughly 34 percent in the second quarter of 2024.

"It absolutely seems things are going in the right direction, and it's something we should feel pleased about," said Dr. Rachel Winograd, director of addiction science at the University of Missouri St. Louis, who also noted that drug deaths remain too high.

"It feels wonderful and great," said Dr. Mark Levine, head of the Vermont Health Department. "We need encouraging data like this and it will help sustain all of us who are actively involved in trying to have an impact here."

Levine, too, said there's still "plenty of work left to do."

Some survivors of the overdose crisis said while the situation on the streets remains grim for many people, they believe the public health response is keeping more people alive.

Eric Breeyear, who lives in a recovery shelter called Good Samaritan Haven in Barre, Vermont, said he was given naloxone repeatedly after experiencing fentanyl overdoses.

In recovery for roughly a year, Breeyear takes a prescription medication called suboxone to reduce opioid-fentanyl cravings.

He told NPR there is "probably a 100 percent chance" he would have died without the medical help that is now far more widely available.

"I'm happy people's lives are being saved, but on every street I see somebody in the middle of an overdose that could potentially be fatal," Breeyear said.

He said being revived after repeated overdoses isn't enough. He wants more done to help people in severe addiction heal and enter recovery, as he has done.

Dasgupta, the researcher at the University of North Carolina, agreed more needs to be done to help people in addiction recover when they're ready.

But he said keeping more people alive is a crucial first step that seemed impossible only a year ago.

"A fifteen or twenty percent [drop in deaths] is a really big number, an enormous impact," he said, calling for more research to determine how to keep the trend going.

"If interventions are what's driving this decline, then let's double down on those interventions."

But sure, let's ignore stuff like this so we can continue to pretend that Dems are actually just as bad if not worse than Republicans. 

[Dutchrudder 11087]

1 hour ago, wildcat09 said:

Hey look, more positive results from democratic policies!

But sure, let's ignore stuff like this so we can continue to pretend that Dems are actually just as bad if not worse than Republicans. 

Is there some policy or change in tactics that can be pointed to as the reason for the decline? Did some congressional act make naloxone more available to help prevent deaths?  The article doesn't really explain why the death rates are dropping. 

[Biff Tannen 45439]

16 minutes ago, Dutchrudder said:

Is there some policy or change in tactics that can be pointed to as the reason for the decline? Did some congressional act make naloxone more available to help prevent deaths?  The article doesn't really explain why the death rates are dropping. 

Yeah, this was a weird bump.

Quote

Why the sudden and hopeful shift? Most experts say it's a mystery
While many people offered theories about why the drop in deaths is happening at unprecedented speed, most experts agreed that the data doesn't yet provide clear answers.

 

[pyrohornIII 4783]

10 hours ago, wildcat09 said:

Hey look, more positive results from democratic policies!

But sure, let's ignore stuff like this so we can continue to pretend that Dems are actually just as bad if not worse than Republicans. 

I don't know about the OD stuff, but I do know that tons of money has flowed into counties all across the country from Biden's programs for the CARES act (which morphed into the American Rescue Plan Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and all the money that gone into the infrastructure act (which is extremely hard to trace in Texas).  Here's a link to click on to check out how your county fared.  This link is only for Texas counties,  and yes it says Lubbock, because Lubbock county is highlighted in this link.    https://www.lubbockcounty.gov/egov/documents/1640033710_62425.pdf

[Loch Ness Monster 3533]

My 2 cents as a fellow progressive- Some of you fucks voted for Ralph Nadar in 2000 and got Bush and Dick Cheney elected. Over a 100,000 Iraqi's went on to die and millions had their lives displaced. 

Trump will give a blank check to Netanyahu 100%.

Vote and choose wisely.

[Gourmand 7774]

On 9/18/2024 at 9:47 PM, pyrohornIII said:

I don't know about the OD stuff, but I do know that tons of money has flowed into counties all across the country from Biden's programs for the CARES act (which morphed into the American Rescue Plan Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and all the money that gone into the infrastructure act (which is extremely hard to trace in Texas).  Here's a link to click on to check out how your county fared.  This link is only for Texas counties,  and yes it says Lubbock, because Lubbock county is highlighted in this link.    https://www.lubbockcounty.gov/egov/documents/1640033710_62425.pdf

Can you point to the source of this link? It's a .pdf with counties and dollar amounts but no description. Would like to use as a resource for pointing to my dipshit co-workers and acquaintances who reflexively think "Deep state/gummint bad!!" and say dumb shit like Lets Go Brandon.

[SydneyCarton 47809]

1 hour ago, Gourmand said:

Can you point to the source of this link? It's a .pdf with counties and dollar amounts but no description. Would like to use as a resource for pointing to my dipshit co-workers and acquaintances who reflexively think "Deep state/gummint bad!!" and say dumb shit like Lets Go Brandon.

Are you also planning on teaching them to read first?