It is one thing to see someone who is plugged in and invested in an area lending an emperical voice to a subject. It is another when that person has as a vocation that is reliant upon facts and yet displays an aversion to the same.
Billy Corben is a noted documentary film maker who has produced titles for outlets such as HBO, Netflix, and ESPN. He is also a resident of South Florida and as such has an interest in how the state deals with the Covid outbreak. He also has an animosity to Governor Ron DeSantis.
We see that Corben lapses into the common practice by many to heap scorn on the governor who has dared to free up the citizens of the state during the pandemic. Despite the facts that DeSantis worked early on in the outbreak to try shielding the elderly who were affected, and has seen better statistical results than less populated states, Corben sends out a ruling by a publication on how poorly he has supposedly performed.
“DeSantis has created a statewide environment of depraved indifference to human life and either engaged in or tolerated a conspiracy to suppress information affecting Floridians’ mortal safety, and in any other circumstance we would call him a murderer.” https://t.co/lKe0LDFsCZ
— Billy Corben (@BillyCorben) December 29, 2020
The New Republic piece is rife with biased journalism; sophomoric vulgarities help to sell a passel of rumors meant to impugn the record of DeSantis, but this was enough to impress Corben. What did not impress the film maker – contradictory facts.
Florida has a lower death rate, per capita, than New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Michigan, Illinois and DC, despite having the 5th oldest population in the country (higher than all 7 of the states I mentioned). So, you're wrong…
— Duke Silver (@RVerbich215) December 29, 2020
Recommended
Wait, that cannot be correct. Otherwise it would meaan things are not so bad and the governor is actually doing —
Except Florida isn’t even in the top 10 for covid deaths. pic.twitter.com/X1KYH7NRan
— Gregg (@TheRealGreggD) December 29, 2020
Well, that’s inconveenient.
Here are the top 20 states in terms of deaths per million population. Could you help me out and tell me where Florida is on that list? pic.twitter.com/OpFZrfLxA8
— James Wahoo (@RichmondWahoo) December 29, 2020
This is demonstrably untrue.https://t.co/qAeqZHZGF8
— Jordan Roga (@jordanhroga) December 29, 2020
NY State Pop – ~20 M
Florida Pop – ~ 22 MNY Covid Deaths ~ 37 K
FL Covid Deaths ~ 21 KNY Citizen Avg Age ~ 39
FL Citizen Avg Age ~ 42If DeSantis is a murderer, what is Cuomo?
— Seth Gay (@SethTGay) December 29, 2020
He’s a Democrat, which immunizes him from criticism.
— Steve Tefft?? (@stevetefft) December 29, 2020
Truth.
After a time Corben tired of seeing so many similar responses that delivered so many contradictory data points that he snarkily resorted to issuing a poll.
I've made it easier to reply to this tweet: just choose from these popular options.
— Billy Corben (@BillyCorben) December 29, 2020
What is most amusing is that as Corben is being dismissive it does not occur to him to consider exactly WHY so many were responding in such a uniform fashion. Perhaps there could be something worth looking into with all of these statistics? Nah, DeSantis is a GOP governor, so he is simply a scounrel by default.
You should move, I hear California or New York are lovely right now.
— B (@Texan__Pride) December 29, 2020
This – right – here.
If California and New York are such warmly regarded success stories why do we keep seeing reports of people fleeing those locales? Further, if Florida is such a Covid hellscape, one lorded over by the demonic Ron DeSantis, why are so many people still flocking to the state?
Maybe that mystery can be the topic of Corben’s next documentary.
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