The Mystery Behind Michigan Covid-19 Deaths

[XLFD]

I have a guilty secret to reveal.  I like reading the City Pulse, a newspaper available for free around the Lansing area, and one of those publications that have a very definitive progressive/liberal/socialist bend amongst their article-coverage and editorials.  I think the appeal to me is that they openly and unashamedly report with a leftist bias rather than claim they have total objectivity like most left-leaning media does, and for that matter, most right-leaning media does.

The last issue of February, dropped off to me by a friend, had the typical fare you would expect as you turn the pages. 

-- A cover touting a story explaining why black-owned businesses matter,

-- Two recurring comic strips poking fun at red states and Republican politicians,

-- An editorial urging the reader to take combatting climate change seriously,

-- Two op-eds, one urging racial justice, the other social equity that read the same,

-- An opinion piece on 'literacy' with multiple politically-left messages,

-- Another opinion piece telling us one other way the climate is in crisis,

-- Another opinion piece bemoaning the death of bipartisanship in Michigan,

-- One page of last weeks local news highlights, featuring BLM, pot, and gun control

These were among local ads needed to pay the bills of publishing the free weekly paper.  But something surprising and unexpected was on page ten entitled "Media Denied Access to Death Certificates of COVID victims", retitled:  "State blocks public access to death records on COVID-19" for the internet version.  Todd Heywood's investigative article goes on to acknowledge:

-- State officials are blocking access to death records in Michigan

-- Media outlets have been left unable to formally review and create verified lists of Michiganders who have died from the coronavirus.

-- Death certificates are unavailable, except when requested by name at a cost of $30 each

-- Officials are not able to create an administrative rule to allow an inspection of death records

-- The public has been left to rely on aggregated state reports without any death certificate records to verify the accuracy of the information.

-- Available databases are stripped of any individual-identifying information of those who died

-- Updated legal guidance no longer permits inspection/review of health dept. death records

-- Official CDC data shows that 6% of those who died from COVID-19 had only COVID-19 listed on their death certificate.

Heywood's conclusions, written for a very progressive audience, mirrors my findings when I tried to get records involving Covid deaths from the local health department in December.  I got nothing, even though their stated methodology and two news releases implied that they had partially-exempt records that should have been provided.  I later described why the health department's reasoning was not legally sound to the DHD#10's attorney to no positive effect. 

My conclusion was that the state and its health departments are illegally blocking FOIA requests for relevant health information during a time when it should be the most transparent: a state health emergency claimed to be a pandemic.  The conclusion readily leads to another conclusion that the state's health officials are keeping secrets and/or lying to us in a manner which does not further the public good (i.e. are engaging in corrupt behavior).  

Heywood mentions two other sources, the Mackinac Center for Public Policy (a conservative think tank group), and the Traverse City Record Eagle (the progressive epicenter of Northern Michigan) who are also being rebuffed in getting such records.  He also quotes two other members of the Michigan Press Association who fully believe what is happening is wrong.

"The data that is being withheld here is the same data that is underlying the state's decisions on COVID.  Regardless of what side of the spectrum you might be on, access to that information is essential to understand government's decisions. It's disappointing to see the government is unwilling to share this information that will help the public understand the pandemic and the policy decisions made as a result of it."  -- Steve Delie, MCPP

"Reporters at the Traverse City Record Eagle have also sought similar data from state health officials, including the name, age and county of residence of those who died of COVID-19 in Michigan.  State officials denied that request, instead offering a database of names, ages and counties of those who died."  -- Nate Payne, TCRE editor

"This is disappointing.  This is, as one member has expressed, an information tax." -- Lisa McGrew, MPA

The other former MPA representative, Dirk Milliman, believed transparency and streamlined access to records would help in dispelling conspiracy theories that arise when government unreasonably restricts access to public records.  Frankly, the conspiratorial actions by the state and local health departments in their failure to disclose these records lends no credence to the real 'conspiracy theory' that they are working diligently and openly for the public health and safety of the people. 

Their failure to disclose these records during the fourteen months of a health emergency which has crippled society in the process should assure to everyone that public health and safety is not the focus of their agenda.  That's clear to everyone paying attention, from the ultra liberal to the uber conservative and from the mega libertarian to the super statist.  Everybody.

The City Pulse would issue a follow-up story two weeks later where all of their left-leaning staff would sign on to Mr. Heywood's earlier plea and conclude:

Data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) indicate that only 6% of deaths due to COVID-19 listed the malady as the sole cause of death on the death certificate. Helping the public understand how many people have died from COVID-19 and what underlying conditions may have contributed to their deaths would go a long way toward countering the conspiracy narrative and provide Michigan residents with a better understanding of the science and data behind Whitmer’s pandemic orders.  
In the name of transparency and good government, we urge Whitmer to lift the lockdown on COVID-related death certificates.

[Willy]

Well done and You are correct X about the left leaning City Repulse. The City Repulse is as close to a Communist publication that we have in Michigan. The City Repulse supporters are advocates for sanctuary cities and all of the other twisted ideology of the left. It never ceases to amaze me how the left can, on rare occasions, see how criminal Government controlled by leftists can act. All of the other important issues such as Climate Change go unquestioned by these fools. Wouldn't it be amazing if they would actually do research to find the truth about all of the damaging policies the left has and is currently doing to strangle America. Thanks for the information X.

[XLFD]

That reputation as a willing mark for Marxism is precisely why I found it so shocking to find a reporter and then the whole staff wondering out loud about why was the state withholding records that account for deaths when one would have thought they would have gotten the memo:  "if you want government controlling everything, you have to acknowledge that they will control the flow, the content, and access of information to consolidate even more power."

Here's a common phrase you have heard over the last year:  "Covid-19 knows no boundaries."  Apparently it's learned over the last month that it knows Michigan's boundaries, as it has remained as the nation's hot spot over that time for cases of Covid-19.  The current map below showing hot counties shows an amazing phenomena, as the hot spots in our region effectively define lower Michigan.  Is there something about our peninsulas that make Covid-19 more malignant here, or is it our state government doctoring the numbers via a secretive, unaccountable health department in order to keep the Democratically-controlled executive branch ascendant?  The numbers are about as believable as those polls claiming Governor Whitmer' was at 70% approval for her handling of the plandemic.

[Willy]

That is very strange. Could you post a link to this map. I would like to compare Michigan to the rest of the Country. Did you know that NASA  x-rayd the Earth and found a fossil of unknown origin deep inside Michigan's crust. Doesn't surprise me. If the mitten fits we must convict.

[XLFD]

Sorry, I was neglectful in not providing the link, it's the New York Times Covid Heat Map.  I expect the numbers will continue strong into May and then start tapering off as the school flu season ends.  Mask mandates will continue through summer even though vaccines are available to all in order to facilitate the privacy of the social justice, social equity, BLM etc. protesters.

[Willy]

Thanks X.