The Very Embarrassing Comparison of Missouri vs New York City in this Pandemic

Check this out. First, New York.

New York City sets record of 58 straight days with no pedestrian fatalities

So great for them, right?  Kudos, New York City. Way to go. No one being killed on the streets. Makes sense. Little to no traffic, so great results.

But here in Missouri?

Our own Show Me State?

Check out these statistics.

'Triple digits keep rolling in' 

Missouri troopers clock drivers speeding during pandemic

We're speeding more. And not just speeding but a lot of us out there are pushing triple digits--100 miles per hour and more.

As Missouri plans to reopen some businesses this May 4, one thing you can rely on is a lot more traffic along major interstates.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said some drivers have been using the stay-at-home order to their advantage.

"We've noticed roughly a 40% decrease statewide in the amount of traffic that's out there," said Capt. John Hotz at MSHP headquarters in Jefferson City.

With less traffic, he said drivers are using this time to test their engines, turning interstates into raceways.

"As 80 miles an hour used to be considered a high speed, we've seen quite a few speeds in the 100+ mph range," said Hotz.

Troopers across Missouri tweeted some of those speeds. One showing a motorist going as fast as 145 mph.

That's bad enough right? But then, consequently, more of us are also dying on the roads.

Missouri traffic fatalities up in 2020

Pandemic's hidden impact: 

Increases in traffic deaths

So get that?

Traffic is down and down significantly across the state. Way down. But we're SPEEDING MORE and MORE OF US ARE DYING.

Isn't that wonderful?

And sure, you can say it's not fair comparing a city to an entire state but come on. Don't you think at least ONE of these statistics should be good, improved for us here is Misery?  I mean Missouri?

We are, most all of us, not on the roads and streets and highways nearly as much and it shows and we're paying less in car insurance because of it but we're getting WORSE RESULTS? IN ALL EXAMPLES?

Insane. This is insane.

Come on, folks.

We can do better than this.

A lot better.

We have to.

Missouri Teen Hits the Political Big Time

There is a pretty terrific article about what seems to be a very bright, hard-working teenager in St. Louis today in the New York Times.

Homework? First I Need to Get to the Bottom of This Comey Story

It seems this 15 year old from St. Louis has been writing away about national politics now for years. From his website:

Gabe Fleisher is an eighth grader from University City, Missouri, with a passion for politics and history, as well as for informing and engaging people in the news.

What he does, according to that same site:

"At Wake Up to Politics, the daily goal for the past five years has been the same - to inform readers with the most non-partisan and comprehensive yet understandable version of the news that really matters."

"That goal is put into a daily political newsletter, sent out around 8:00 AM every weekday morning. Every day, Wake Up To Politics strives to give you a look at the day's news that matters - and a glimpse into what our leaders are doing. That includes news on the President, Congress, the courts, elections, history, a daily trivia question, and more."

He's been writing since he was 8 years old and has some huge names in the nation and media, following him and his output. People like:

Gene B. Sperling, contributing editor at The Atlantic; the MSNBC anchor Steve Kornacki; Major Garrett, chief White House correspondent for CBS News; the “Daily Show” correspondent Roy Wood Jr. (who on Twitter called Wake Up “one of the best political newsletters to hit my inbox”); the author Mark Halperin; and Jim VandeHei, the founder of Axios and a founder of Politico — as well as reporters for The New York Times, The Washington Post and USA Today, many of whom are among Gabe’s nearly 5,000 Twitter followers. (Twitter’s chief executive, Jack Dorsey, is also a follower.)
Incredible kid, it seems.

Could be a great link to have and keep up with for you, on politics.

Links:

Wake Up To Politics

Wake Up To Politics - Home | Facebook

U. City's Gabe Fleisher Continues To 'Wake Up To Politics

Missouri 6th-grader builds following

University City fourth-grader is political junkie

Local teen informing thousands with political newsletter