Saturday, March 14, 2020
Our health systems aren't built to handle a national crisis. That's why these early days are vital
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/9/1925933/-Our-health-systems-aren-t-built-to-handle-a-national-crisis-That-s-why-these-early-days-are-vital
"This is the whole point of current "self-quarantine" and "social distancing" measures, and the point of canceling large events in places with confirmed coronavirus cases. The expectation is not that the cancellation of large conferences and festivals will truly stop the virus' spread; individuals who are infected with the virus but don't know it will still likely go about their daily lives, sneezing and coughing and obligingly scattering the virus to new hosts. That is how viruses work. But by infecting fewer people, at a slower pace, the demand for medical services is itself slowed. This is also why public health experts have been so very alarmed at the Trump administration’s early-stages bungling, and especially at the continued unavailability or rationing of testing kits for the new coronavirus strain. When the disease reached epidemic levels in Wuhan, China, the government closed borders and instituted aggressive containment measures intended to block the epidemic from reaching farther, faster; that time was necessary to give China and all other countries more time to prepare for the virus' likely expansion. That was the point at which the United States was supposed to be ramping up testing (but the early tests were botched), breaking out the emergency plans for a pandemic (but Trump dissolved the national security team tasked with coordinating such plans), and making sure state and local governments were up to speed on what was going on. Instead, U.S. officials hesitated to make preparations for fear it would give Donald Trump the Angries. Trump himself contradicted officials who did make public statements, allegedly getting angry because he did not want the stock markets to go down in response. The net result is that the nation squandered weeks of preparedness time and we still, even today, have very little information about how the virus is spreading. That makes what happens next much more difficult."
"This is the whole point of current "self-quarantine" and "social distancing" measures, and the point of canceling large events in places with confirmed coronavirus cases. The expectation is not that the cancellation of large conferences and festivals will truly stop the virus' spread; individuals who are infected with the virus but don't know it will still likely go about their daily lives, sneezing and coughing and obligingly scattering the virus to new hosts. That is how viruses work. But by infecting fewer people, at a slower pace, the demand for medical services is itself slowed. This is also why public health experts have been so very alarmed at the Trump administration’s early-stages bungling, and especially at the continued unavailability or rationing of testing kits for the new coronavirus strain. When the disease reached epidemic levels in Wuhan, China, the government closed borders and instituted aggressive containment measures intended to block the epidemic from reaching farther, faster; that time was necessary to give China and all other countries more time to prepare for the virus' likely expansion. That was the point at which the United States was supposed to be ramping up testing (but the early tests were botched), breaking out the emergency plans for a pandemic (but Trump dissolved the national security team tasked with coordinating such plans), and making sure state and local governments were up to speed on what was going on. Instead, U.S. officials hesitated to make preparations for fear it would give Donald Trump the Angries. Trump himself contradicted officials who did make public statements, allegedly getting angry because he did not want the stock markets to go down in response. The net result is that the nation squandered weeks of preparedness time and we still, even today, have very little information about how the virus is spreading. That makes what happens next much more difficult."
The Republican Party is ideologically incapable of getting us out of this coronavirus crisis
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/9/1925893/-The-Republican-Party-is-ideologically-incapable-of-getting-us-out-of-this-crisis
"There is a lesson here for all Americans, one that is likely to grow more and more apparent in the coming weeks: Republicans are ideologically unprepared—in fact they are utterly incapable—of managing any crisis of this magnitude. Because their entire ideology assumes government is “bad,” they can’t adapt to any situation where government is clearly the only solution, whether its an economic crisis brought on by their own fiscal malfeasance, or here, a public health crisis of unprecedented proportions. They simply don’t have those tools in their tool kits. And they are so wedded to their ideology that they can’t even begin to comprehend just how complicated a crisis like this will be, or the measures that will necessary to protect Americans from disaster."
"There is a lesson here for all Americans, one that is likely to grow more and more apparent in the coming weeks: Republicans are ideologically unprepared—in fact they are utterly incapable—of managing any crisis of this magnitude. Because their entire ideology assumes government is “bad,” they can’t adapt to any situation where government is clearly the only solution, whether its an economic crisis brought on by their own fiscal malfeasance, or here, a public health crisis of unprecedented proportions. They simply don’t have those tools in their tool kits. And they are so wedded to their ideology that they can’t even begin to comprehend just how complicated a crisis like this will be, or the measures that will necessary to protect Americans from disaster."
A Federal Judge Condemned the “Roberts Court’s Assault on Democracy.’’ It’s About Time.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/03/federal-judge-condemns-roberts-courts-assault-on-democracy.html
"Adelman, who sits in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, goes on to methodically chronicle that which is hardly news to anyone who has observed the rightward turn of the Supreme Court. His article brings into clear relief the court’s systemic attack on voting rights for minority and other marginalized communities, by way of striking down a key section of the Voting Rights Act, as well as repeated blessing of voter suppression and decisions not to adjudicate political gerrymandering. He notes that the court privileges the wealthy and corporate interests at the expense of the public. He lays out in detail the rise of the conservative legal movement, starting with the infamous 1971 Lewis Powell memo that served as a right-wing call to arms and tracing its progress through the current well-funded effort to reverse the New Deal in the courts. The article ultimately portrays the slow movement of the Supreme Court to the right—and then the far right—through a long line of cases that reversed the Warren court’s protections for minority groups and poor and working-class Americans. It shows how the court has undermined unions and boosted corporate interests. The court, he notes, has greatly contributed to income inequality, health care inequality, and the hollowing out of the American middle class. Adelman ends with this caution: We are thus in a new and arguably dangerous phase in American history. Democracy is inherently fragile, and it is even more so when government eschews policies that benefit all classes of Americans. We desperately need public officials who will work to revitalize our democratic republic. Unfortunately, the conservative Justices on the Roberts Court are not among them. Color commentary aside, none of these facts is a matter of dispute. Indeed, most of the article is the descriptive stuff of triumphalist Federalist Society touchdown dances at national conferences. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, among others, has been chronicling this shift for years now."
"Adelman, who sits in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, goes on to methodically chronicle that which is hardly news to anyone who has observed the rightward turn of the Supreme Court. His article brings into clear relief the court’s systemic attack on voting rights for minority and other marginalized communities, by way of striking down a key section of the Voting Rights Act, as well as repeated blessing of voter suppression and decisions not to adjudicate political gerrymandering. He notes that the court privileges the wealthy and corporate interests at the expense of the public. He lays out in detail the rise of the conservative legal movement, starting with the infamous 1971 Lewis Powell memo that served as a right-wing call to arms and tracing its progress through the current well-funded effort to reverse the New Deal in the courts. The article ultimately portrays the slow movement of the Supreme Court to the right—and then the far right—through a long line of cases that reversed the Warren court’s protections for minority groups and poor and working-class Americans. It shows how the court has undermined unions and boosted corporate interests. The court, he notes, has greatly contributed to income inequality, health care inequality, and the hollowing out of the American middle class. Adelman ends with this caution: We are thus in a new and arguably dangerous phase in American history. Democracy is inherently fragile, and it is even more so when government eschews policies that benefit all classes of Americans. We desperately need public officials who will work to revitalize our democratic republic. Unfortunately, the conservative Justices on the Roberts Court are not among them. Color commentary aside, none of these facts is a matter of dispute. Indeed, most of the article is the descriptive stuff of triumphalist Federalist Society touchdown dances at national conferences. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, among others, has been chronicling this shift for years now."
Nationalist Governments Are Trying To Rewrite Holocaust History — By Targeting Museums
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/polin-poland-museums-stola_n_5e627901c5b647a5bd315aaa
"Poland’s attack on Stola is part of a wider trend of far-right and nationalist governments waging a culture war against academic and historical institutions around the world. Governments have presented these policies as a way to take back control from so-called liberal elites or putting a stop to inaccurate information, but in practice they consolidate historical memory in the hands of the ruling party. In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán praised the country’s anti-Semitic WWII-era leader and chased out a well-regarded liberal university. The government has passed laws to tighten control over theaters and cultural institutions, rewritten textbooks and banned gender studies. It also tried to put a pro-government historian in charge of a controversial Holocaust museum, resulting in widespread concern that the institution would whitewash the country’s role in the genocide. Meanwhile, Italy’s powerful far-right Lega Party proposed building a new museum in a former headquarters of Benito Mussolini’s Fascist party. Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro dismantled the Ministry of Culture, ordered the commemoration of the country’s 1964 military coup and defunded arts programs. Brazil’s Culture Secretary Roberto Alvim vowed earlier this year to launch an initiative to fund nationalist and religious art, although Alvim ended up losing his job after reporters found his remarks closely copied a 1933 speech from Nazi propagandist Joeseph Goebbels."
"Poland’s attack on Stola is part of a wider trend of far-right and nationalist governments waging a culture war against academic and historical institutions around the world. Governments have presented these policies as a way to take back control from so-called liberal elites or putting a stop to inaccurate information, but in practice they consolidate historical memory in the hands of the ruling party. In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán praised the country’s anti-Semitic WWII-era leader and chased out a well-regarded liberal university. The government has passed laws to tighten control over theaters and cultural institutions, rewritten textbooks and banned gender studies. It also tried to put a pro-government historian in charge of a controversial Holocaust museum, resulting in widespread concern that the institution would whitewash the country’s role in the genocide. Meanwhile, Italy’s powerful far-right Lega Party proposed building a new museum in a former headquarters of Benito Mussolini’s Fascist party. Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro dismantled the Ministry of Culture, ordered the commemoration of the country’s 1964 military coup and defunded arts programs. Brazil’s Culture Secretary Roberto Alvim vowed earlier this year to launch an initiative to fund nationalist and religious art, although Alvim ended up losing his job after reporters found his remarks closely copied a 1933 speech from Nazi propagandist Joeseph Goebbels."
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Trump Can’t Handle the Truth
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/09/opinion/trump-economy-coronavirus.html
"The point is that Trump’s luridly delusional response to the coronavirus and his conspiracy theorizing about Democrats and the news media aren’t really that different from the way the right dealt with the financial crisis a dozen years ago. True, last time the crazy talk wasn’t coming directly from the president of the United States. But that’s not the important distinction between then and now. No, what’s different now is that denial and the resulting delay are likely to have deadly consequences."
"The point is that Trump’s luridly delusional response to the coronavirus and his conspiracy theorizing about Democrats and the news media aren’t really that different from the way the right dealt with the financial crisis a dozen years ago. True, last time the crazy talk wasn’t coming directly from the president of the United States. But that’s not the important distinction between then and now. No, what’s different now is that denial and the resulting delay are likely to have deadly consequences."
Trump Administration Is Just Flat-Out Lying About Climate Change
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/03/the-trump-administration-is-just-flat-out-lying-about-climate-change
"The embedding of such misleading information is one of many attacks by the Trump administration on science—and comes amid a broader assault on expertise, whether coming from the intelligence community or the press. Trump has spent his first term rolling back environmental regulations, appointing fossil fuel company executives to environmental positions, and fostering a sense of uncertainty about the facts on climate change. Such deception could further erode public trust in the administration, including its scientific assessments that should, in theory, be apolitical. The Trump administration's fraught relationship to science has recently come to the forefront in its disorganized response to the coronavirus, with Trump’s mixed messages and self-serving politics helping create confusion at a moment in which the public is seeking answers."
"The embedding of such misleading information is one of many attacks by the Trump administration on science—and comes amid a broader assault on expertise, whether coming from the intelligence community or the press. Trump has spent his first term rolling back environmental regulations, appointing fossil fuel company executives to environmental positions, and fostering a sense of uncertainty about the facts on climate change. Such deception could further erode public trust in the administration, including its scientific assessments that should, in theory, be apolitical. The Trump administration's fraught relationship to science has recently come to the forefront in its disorganized response to the coronavirus, with Trump’s mixed messages and self-serving politics helping create confusion at a moment in which the public is seeking answers."
Trump Has Sabotaged America’s Coronavirus Response
https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/01/31/coronavirus-china-trump-united-states-public-health-emergency-response/
"For the United States, the answers are especially worrying because the government has intentionally rendered itself incapable. In 2018, the Trump administration fired the government’s entire pandemic response chain of command, including the White House management infrastructure. In numerous phone calls and emails with key agencies across the U.S. government, the only consistent response I encountered was distressed confusion. If the United States still has a clear chain of command for pandemic response, the White House urgently needs to clarify what it is—not just for the public but for the government itself, which largely finds itself in the dark. When Ebola broke out in West Africa in 2014, President Barack Obama recognized that responding to the outbreak overseas, while also protecting Americans at home, involved multiple U.S. government departments and agencies, none of which were speaking to one another. Basically, the U.S. pandemic infrastructure was an enormous orchestra full of talented, egotistical players, each jockeying for solos and fame, refusing to rehearse, and demanding higher salaries—all without a conductor. To bring order and harmony to the chaos, rein in the agency egos, and create a coherent multiagency response overseas and on the homefront, Obama anointed a former vice presidential staffer, Ronald Klain, as a sort of “epidemic czar” inside the White House, clearly stipulated the roles and budgets of various agencies, and placed incident commanders in charge in each Ebola-hit country and inside the United States. The orchestra may have still had its off-key instruments, but it played the same tune."
"For the United States, the answers are especially worrying because the government has intentionally rendered itself incapable. In 2018, the Trump administration fired the government’s entire pandemic response chain of command, including the White House management infrastructure. In numerous phone calls and emails with key agencies across the U.S. government, the only consistent response I encountered was distressed confusion. If the United States still has a clear chain of command for pandemic response, the White House urgently needs to clarify what it is—not just for the public but for the government itself, which largely finds itself in the dark. When Ebola broke out in West Africa in 2014, President Barack Obama recognized that responding to the outbreak overseas, while also protecting Americans at home, involved multiple U.S. government departments and agencies, none of which were speaking to one another. Basically, the U.S. pandemic infrastructure was an enormous orchestra full of talented, egotistical players, each jockeying for solos and fame, refusing to rehearse, and demanding higher salaries—all without a conductor. To bring order and harmony to the chaos, rein in the agency egos, and create a coherent multiagency response overseas and on the homefront, Obama anointed a former vice presidential staffer, Ronald Klain, as a sort of “epidemic czar” inside the White House, clearly stipulated the roles and budgets of various agencies, and placed incident commanders in charge in each Ebola-hit country and inside the United States. The orchestra may have still had its off-key instruments, but it played the same tune."
Trump’s Quiet Power Grab
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/02/trumps-quiet-power-grab/607087/
"Impartiality is anathema to Trumpism. That the Trump administration wants to upend a long-standing system for assuring both the reality and appearance of fairness in agency adjudication may be shocking. But it is not surprising. If you consider yourself on block watch for threats to democracy, take your eyes for a moment off the president’s Twitter feed and turn your attention to administrative law. Danger is lurking amid the complexity."
"Impartiality is anathema to Trumpism. That the Trump administration wants to upend a long-standing system for assuring both the reality and appearance of fairness in agency adjudication may be shocking. But it is not surprising. If you consider yourself on block watch for threats to democracy, take your eyes for a moment off the president’s Twitter feed and turn your attention to administrative law. Danger is lurking amid the complexity."
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
The presidency is an actual job: This idiot can't do it
https://www.salon.com/2020/03/10/the-presidency-is-an-actual-job-this-idiot-cant-do-it/
"For three years, Trump leaned heavily on his skills as a well-practiced New York con man, and, accordingly, continued to cultivate the fanboy adulation of his Red Hat cult as his exclusive audience. Thanks in part to the blinding velocity of the firehose of news and a successful whitewashing effort provided by Fox News, previous nightmares such as the president's incompetent, callous and punitive reaction to Hurricane Maria have whizzed on by without Trump experiencing any blunt-force damage to his low-40s approval polling. But now Americans at large are waking up to a grotesque, unavoidable reality: This isn't new. Trump has always been staggeringly out of his depth as president, routinely overwhelmed by the rigors and requirements of the gig, while appearing to act based solely on his own political and financial desperation. For those of us who are overwhelmingly aware of his record, Trump's lack of qualifications for such a crucial job have always been blindingly obvious. As the coronavirus expands its reach, however, average voters who are neither political commentators or adoring loyalists deeply embedded inside his cult of tyranny are just now catching up in shocked horror to Trump's inability to handle the job."
"For three years, Trump leaned heavily on his skills as a well-practiced New York con man, and, accordingly, continued to cultivate the fanboy adulation of his Red Hat cult as his exclusive audience. Thanks in part to the blinding velocity of the firehose of news and a successful whitewashing effort provided by Fox News, previous nightmares such as the president's incompetent, callous and punitive reaction to Hurricane Maria have whizzed on by without Trump experiencing any blunt-force damage to his low-40s approval polling. But now Americans at large are waking up to a grotesque, unavoidable reality: This isn't new. Trump has always been staggeringly out of his depth as president, routinely overwhelmed by the rigors and requirements of the gig, while appearing to act based solely on his own political and financial desperation. For those of us who are overwhelmingly aware of his record, Trump's lack of qualifications for such a crucial job have always been blindingly obvious. As the coronavirus expands its reach, however, average voters who are neither political commentators or adoring loyalists deeply embedded inside his cult of tyranny are just now catching up in shocked horror to Trump's inability to handle the job."
EXCLUSIVE: Why Washington State Is Desperate For Trump To Declare A COVID-19 Emergency
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/exclusive-why-washington-state-is-desperate-for-trump-to-declare-a-covid-19-emergency
"As Washington state grapples with what may be the country’s worst outbreak of novel coronavirus, the absence of a COVID-19 emergency declaration from President Trump has hamstrung its ability to respond to the crisis. The state would like to apply for a Medicaid waiver that would let Washington give people more options for where to receive care, so that it can lessen the pressure on its already overtaxed health system. The problem for the state is that one of the types of waivers currently under discussion — a waiver known as 1135 — can be triggered only by the President declaring an emergency or a disaster under the Stafford Act, something he has notably failed to do, despite all signs indicating that the coronavirus outbreak stands to be a major public health crisis."
"As Washington state grapples with what may be the country’s worst outbreak of novel coronavirus, the absence of a COVID-19 emergency declaration from President Trump has hamstrung its ability to respond to the crisis. The state would like to apply for a Medicaid waiver that would let Washington give people more options for where to receive care, so that it can lessen the pressure on its already overtaxed health system. The problem for the state is that one of the types of waivers currently under discussion — a waiver known as 1135 — can be triggered only by the President declaring an emergency or a disaster under the Stafford Act, something he has notably failed to do, despite all signs indicating that the coronavirus outbreak stands to be a major public health crisis."
US isn’t prepared for outbreak: This is a ‘coronavirus winter, and we’re in the first week,’ disease specialist says
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/10/us-isnt-prepared-for-outbreak-this-is-a-coronavirus-winter-and-were-in-the-first-week.html
"The U.S. is not prepared for what is coming as COVID-19 spreads rapidly across the country, public health and infectious disease specialist Dr. Michael Osterholm told CNBC on Tuesday. The virus has surpassed the containment stage, he said, and the U.S. government is not responding appropriately for the magnitude of spread the country will likely see. “Right now we’re approaching this like it’s the Washington D.C. blizzard, for a couple days we’re shut down,” said Osterholm, who is director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. “This is actually a coronavirus winter and we’re in the first week"."
"The U.S. is not prepared for what is coming as COVID-19 spreads rapidly across the country, public health and infectious disease specialist Dr. Michael Osterholm told CNBC on Tuesday. The virus has surpassed the containment stage, he said, and the U.S. government is not responding appropriately for the magnitude of spread the country will likely see. “Right now we’re approaching this like it’s the Washington D.C. blizzard, for a couple days we’re shut down,” said Osterholm, who is director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. “This is actually a coronavirus winter and we’re in the first week"."
Trump’s Media Attacks Are Always Shameful. But in the Middle of the Coronavirus Crisis, They’re Dangerous.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/03/trump-campaign-email-attacks-media-coronavirus/
"Trump’s long assault on the press has always been reprehensible. In the midst of a public health crisis, it is…well, what’s beyond reprehensible? Horrendous? Disgraceful? Reckless? Irresponsible? Disgracefully horrendous and recklessly irresponsible? Whatever the adjective, Trump and his campaign have opted to smear and vilify the organizations that are needed to keep the public informed about a national emergency that has the potential to turn into a national disaster. By now, Trump whacking the media has become a running joke—a fan favorite at his rallies. In front of his adoring crowds, he denounces the press and claims that the TV cameras are being turned off at this moment (to censor his censure), even as the networks broadcast the spectacle. Many Americans have become inured to these sort of attacks. But with the country engaged in a full-on crisis that threatens individuals, communities, and the entire economy, Trump’s crusade to torpedo the media has become a grave threat. But Trump’s remarks and this campaign email prove that the commander in chief cares about only one particular threat, and that is the political threat he faces. He realizes the truth is not on his side. And in the middle of this crisis, that makes Trump an immediate menace and a risk for everyone."
"Trump’s long assault on the press has always been reprehensible. In the midst of a public health crisis, it is…well, what’s beyond reprehensible? Horrendous? Disgraceful? Reckless? Irresponsible? Disgracefully horrendous and recklessly irresponsible? Whatever the adjective, Trump and his campaign have opted to smear and vilify the organizations that are needed to keep the public informed about a national emergency that has the potential to turn into a national disaster. By now, Trump whacking the media has become a running joke—a fan favorite at his rallies. In front of his adoring crowds, he denounces the press and claims that the TV cameras are being turned off at this moment (to censor his censure), even as the networks broadcast the spectacle. Many Americans have become inured to these sort of attacks. But with the country engaged in a full-on crisis that threatens individuals, communities, and the entire economy, Trump’s crusade to torpedo the media has become a grave threat. But Trump’s remarks and this campaign email prove that the commander in chief cares about only one particular threat, and that is the political threat he faces. He realizes the truth is not on his side. And in the middle of this crisis, that makes Trump an immediate menace and a risk for everyone."
Trump Is Going to Cheat
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/02/hes-going-cheat/606643/
"If past is prologue, Trump will say absolutely anything necessary to attract and maintain support, including patent untruths. His pathological lying has been well documented and yet never ceases to stun. By one count, he has told more than 15,000 lies since taking office. A small sampling: After falsely declaring that Hurricane Dorian was headed toward Alabama, he displayed a doctored map to cover his tracks, and his chief of staff made the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration release a statement defending his lie. Trump also recently claimed that he rescued health coverage for people with preexisting conditions—even though he has gutted the Affordable Care Act and is suing to overturn it. One day after tweeting, “We will not be touching your Social Security or Medicare in Fiscal 2021 Budget,” his budget revealed cuts to both. How can Democrats run against a candidate who will simply deny his unpopular positions and make up nonexistent accomplishments? No amount of fact-checking can counter his constant stream of mendacity, which has become white noise in our political culture. Lying, of course, is only one challenge. The Democratic nominee will also have to contend with cheating."
"If past is prologue, Trump will say absolutely anything necessary to attract and maintain support, including patent untruths. His pathological lying has been well documented and yet never ceases to stun. By one count, he has told more than 15,000 lies since taking office. A small sampling: After falsely declaring that Hurricane Dorian was headed toward Alabama, he displayed a doctored map to cover his tracks, and his chief of staff made the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration release a statement defending his lie. Trump also recently claimed that he rescued health coverage for people with preexisting conditions—even though he has gutted the Affordable Care Act and is suing to overturn it. One day after tweeting, “We will not be touching your Social Security or Medicare in Fiscal 2021 Budget,” his budget revealed cuts to both. How can Democrats run against a candidate who will simply deny his unpopular positions and make up nonexistent accomplishments? No amount of fact-checking can counter his constant stream of mendacity, which has become white noise in our political culture. Lying, of course, is only one challenge. The Democratic nominee will also have to contend with cheating."
Trump Can Keep Lying About Coronavirus, But He Won’t Be Able To Hide The Deaths
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-lying-coronavirus_n_5e669d24c5b68d616458fefe
"President Donald Trump has gotten away with a staggering amount of lying over the course of his public life and has been particularly successful at using numbers to mislead and obfuscate. So far, Trump has lied about coronavirus a lot, and always to make it seem like things are better than they are. Trump lied when he said the number of Americans infected with coronavirus was declining even as health officials told him and the public the truth about it rising. He lied when he said there were enough coronavirus tests for every American even when Vice President Mike Pence ― who’s leading the administration’s response ― said that wasn’t true, and he lied when he blamed the shortage of tests on former President Barack Obama. He lied when he compared a year’s worth of influenza deaths to a few months’ worth of coronavirus fatalities in an effort to mislead Americans about the severity of the new disease. But his constant downplaying of the severity of the coronavirus outbreak is about to run headlong into reality."
"President Donald Trump has gotten away with a staggering amount of lying over the course of his public life and has been particularly successful at using numbers to mislead and obfuscate. So far, Trump has lied about coronavirus a lot, and always to make it seem like things are better than they are. Trump lied when he said the number of Americans infected with coronavirus was declining even as health officials told him and the public the truth about it rising. He lied when he said there were enough coronavirus tests for every American even when Vice President Mike Pence ― who’s leading the administration’s response ― said that wasn’t true, and he lied when he blamed the shortage of tests on former President Barack Obama. He lied when he compared a year’s worth of influenza deaths to a few months’ worth of coronavirus fatalities in an effort to mislead Americans about the severity of the new disease. But his constant downplaying of the severity of the coronavirus outbreak is about to run headlong into reality."
How Trump Got Trickled Down
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/10/opinion/trump-budget-2020.html
"One thing many people forget about the 2016 election is that as a candidate, Donald Trump promised to be a different kind of Republican. Unlike the mainstream of his party, he declared, he would raise taxes on the rich and wouldn’t cut programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid that ordinary Americans rely on. At the same time, he would invest large sums in rebuilding America’s infrastructure. He was lying. Trump’s only major legislative achievement, the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act, was absolutely standard modern Republicanism: huge tax cuts for corporations, plus tax breaks that overwhelmingly benefited the wealthy. The only unconventional aspect of the legislation was the variety of new tax scams it made possible, like the benefits for investors in “opportunity zones,” which were supposed to help poor communities but have actually enriched billionaire real estate developers. Trump also came very close to passing a health care “reform” that would have imposed savage cuts on Medicaid, eliminated protections for those with pre-existing conditions and taken away health insurance from more than 30 million Americans. And there has, of course, been no infrastructure bill; in fact, the Trump administration’s repeated proclamations of “Infrastructure Week” have become a running joke. Policy wonks are still poring over the latest Trump budget, released on Monday, but there was no hiding the same reverse Robin-Hoodism as in previous budgets: taking from the poor and middle class while giving to the rich. In other words, Trump in practice, as opposed to Trump in pretense, has turned out to be every bit as committed to trickle-down economics as Republicans in Congress have been for decades."
"One thing many people forget about the 2016 election is that as a candidate, Donald Trump promised to be a different kind of Republican. Unlike the mainstream of his party, he declared, he would raise taxes on the rich and wouldn’t cut programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid that ordinary Americans rely on. At the same time, he would invest large sums in rebuilding America’s infrastructure. He was lying. Trump’s only major legislative achievement, the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act, was absolutely standard modern Republicanism: huge tax cuts for corporations, plus tax breaks that overwhelmingly benefited the wealthy. The only unconventional aspect of the legislation was the variety of new tax scams it made possible, like the benefits for investors in “opportunity zones,” which were supposed to help poor communities but have actually enriched billionaire real estate developers. Trump also came very close to passing a health care “reform” that would have imposed savage cuts on Medicaid, eliminated protections for those with pre-existing conditions and taken away health insurance from more than 30 million Americans. And there has, of course, been no infrastructure bill; in fact, the Trump administration’s repeated proclamations of “Infrastructure Week” have become a running joke. Policy wonks are still poring over the latest Trump budget, released on Monday, but there was no hiding the same reverse Robin-Hoodism as in previous budgets: taking from the poor and middle class while giving to the rich. In other words, Trump in practice, as opposed to Trump in pretense, has turned out to be every bit as committed to trickle-down economics as Republicans in Congress have been for decades."
The right wanted to destroy the "administrative state": Coronavirus is why we need it
https://www.salon.com/2020/03/07/the-right-wanted-to-destroy-the-administrative-state-coronavirus-is-why-we-need-it/
"There is nothing like a potential pandemic to remind an easily distracted electorate that governance matters. As the coronavirus spreads, the death count rises and people all over the world begin to fear infection, the incoherent and dangerous reaction of the Trump administration offers a high-stakes indictment. This is what happens when you elect someone to run the federal government who has no prerequisite knowledge, experience or ability for public policy and administration. The Obama administration opened 49 overseas offices of the Centers for Disease Control, designed to proactively prevent viruses from reaching pandemic proportions. Over the objections of medical experts within his own administration, our current president has shut down 39 of them. One of these satellite CDC offices was in China. For the past two years, Trump's budget proposal has included reductions to the CDC and the National Institute of Health. If we want proof that elections have implications on the actual work of government — on not merely who is able to give inspiring or outrageous speeches with a title in front of his or her name — the House Democratic majority prevented those cuts from going into effect. Congress could not, however, prevent Trump from neglecting the fundamental responsibilities of his position. In 2018, the director of the National Security Council's global pandemic prevention effort resigned, and his entire staff subsequently did likewise. Trump has not replaced them, creating massive vulnerabilities in the U.S. response to the coronavirus outbreak. Concerned citizens can relax, though, because Trump has appointed Vice President Mike Pence as the "coronavirus czar." Pence's previous high-water mark in public health was denying, and then delaying, the implementation of clean needle exchange programs when he was governor of Indiana — a display of evangelical moralism that experts agree was partly responsible for the increase of HIV infection rates in the state."
"There is nothing like a potential pandemic to remind an easily distracted electorate that governance matters. As the coronavirus spreads, the death count rises and people all over the world begin to fear infection, the incoherent and dangerous reaction of the Trump administration offers a high-stakes indictment. This is what happens when you elect someone to run the federal government who has no prerequisite knowledge, experience or ability for public policy and administration. The Obama administration opened 49 overseas offices of the Centers for Disease Control, designed to proactively prevent viruses from reaching pandemic proportions. Over the objections of medical experts within his own administration, our current president has shut down 39 of them. One of these satellite CDC offices was in China. For the past two years, Trump's budget proposal has included reductions to the CDC and the National Institute of Health. If we want proof that elections have implications on the actual work of government — on not merely who is able to give inspiring or outrageous speeches with a title in front of his or her name — the House Democratic majority prevented those cuts from going into effect. Congress could not, however, prevent Trump from neglecting the fundamental responsibilities of his position. In 2018, the director of the National Security Council's global pandemic prevention effort resigned, and his entire staff subsequently did likewise. Trump has not replaced them, creating massive vulnerabilities in the U.S. response to the coronavirus outbreak. Concerned citizens can relax, though, because Trump has appointed Vice President Mike Pence as the "coronavirus czar." Pence's previous high-water mark in public health was denying, and then delaying, the implementation of clean needle exchange programs when he was governor of Indiana — a display of evangelical moralism that experts agree was partly responsible for the increase of HIV infection rates in the state."
Trump Is Counting on the Supreme Court to Save Him
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/03/mazars-lawsuit/607540/
"Although Trump is suing his accountants and his bankers as a private citizen, his case has been joined by the Department of Justice. Solicitor General Noel Francisco has signed an amicus brief on behalf of the United States. It is an astonishing document. It invites the Supreme Court to junk two centuries of precedent—and to substitute an entirely new system of judicial review of congressional subpoenas that involve a president. A legislative subpoena must therefore satisfy heightened requirements when it seeks information from the President. At the threshold, the full chamber should unequivocally authorize a subpoena against the President. Moreover, the legislative purpose should be set forth with specificity. Courts should not presume that the purpose is legitimate, but instead should scrutinize it with care. And as with information protected by executive privilege, information sought from the President should be demonstrably critical to the legislative purpose. A congressional committee cannot evade these heightened requirements merely by directing the subpoena to third-party custodians, for such agents generally assume the rights and privileges of their principal, as this Court has recognized in analogous cases. All the requirements in that above paragraph were devised for purposes of this litigation. None of them has ever been enforced—none of them has ever been imagined—in the previous 230 years of skirmishing between Congresses and presidents. Every must and should and cannot was invented in this very brief, for the immediate legal purposes of this president in this dilemma. The solicitor general might as well have said that subpoenas must be delivered by a sled pulled by flying reindeer, for all the connection between these demands and the previous constitutional history of the United States. As the House of Representatives noted in the brief it filed, previous Congresses have obtained the bank records of Presidents Andrew Johnson and Jimmy Carter, and the tax records of President Richard Nixon.'
"Although Trump is suing his accountants and his bankers as a private citizen, his case has been joined by the Department of Justice. Solicitor General Noel Francisco has signed an amicus brief on behalf of the United States. It is an astonishing document. It invites the Supreme Court to junk two centuries of precedent—and to substitute an entirely new system of judicial review of congressional subpoenas that involve a president. A legislative subpoena must therefore satisfy heightened requirements when it seeks information from the President. At the threshold, the full chamber should unequivocally authorize a subpoena against the President. Moreover, the legislative purpose should be set forth with specificity. Courts should not presume that the purpose is legitimate, but instead should scrutinize it with care. And as with information protected by executive privilege, information sought from the President should be demonstrably critical to the legislative purpose. A congressional committee cannot evade these heightened requirements merely by directing the subpoena to third-party custodians, for such agents generally assume the rights and privileges of their principal, as this Court has recognized in analogous cases. All the requirements in that above paragraph were devised for purposes of this litigation. None of them has ever been enforced—none of them has ever been imagined—in the previous 230 years of skirmishing between Congresses and presidents. Every must and should and cannot was invented in this very brief, for the immediate legal purposes of this president in this dilemma. The solicitor general might as well have said that subpoenas must be delivered by a sled pulled by flying reindeer, for all the connection between these demands and the previous constitutional history of the United States. As the House of Representatives noted in the brief it filed, previous Congresses have obtained the bank records of Presidents Andrew Johnson and Jimmy Carter, and the tax records of President Richard Nixon.'
Testing for the coronavirus might have stopped it. Now it’s too late.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/coronavirus-testing-united-states/2020/03/05/a6ced5aa-5f0f-11ea-9055-5fa12981bbbf_story.html
"The battle to keep covid-19 from becoming established in the United States is probably over without a single shot being fired. We were not outwitted, outpaced or outflanked. We knew what was coming. We just twiddled our thumbs as the coronavirus waltzed in. The first thing officials need when responding to an infectious disease is a way to test for it — a way to tell who has it and who is at risk. Dozens of such test procedures have been produced in the scant weeks since covid-19 announced itself to the world by shutting down Wuhan, China, a city the size of New York. Public health agencies around the globe have generated huge amounts of data on how well these tests work and have rolled them out on a massive scale. South Korea alone has tested more than 100,000 of its citizens. But the United States has lagged far behind the rest of the world in testing for the new coronavirus. As a result, outbreaks here are likely to be more numerous and more difficult to control than they would have been otherwise. I research infectious disease and how to fight it, so I know how important it is to detect outbreaks early. The covid-19 outbreak is the largest acute infectious-disease emergency most of us have experienced. And we may have let it go undetected here for too long."
"The battle to keep covid-19 from becoming established in the United States is probably over without a single shot being fired. We were not outwitted, outpaced or outflanked. We knew what was coming. We just twiddled our thumbs as the coronavirus waltzed in. The first thing officials need when responding to an infectious disease is a way to test for it — a way to tell who has it and who is at risk. Dozens of such test procedures have been produced in the scant weeks since covid-19 announced itself to the world by shutting down Wuhan, China, a city the size of New York. Public health agencies around the globe have generated huge amounts of data on how well these tests work and have rolled them out on a massive scale. South Korea alone has tested more than 100,000 of its citizens. But the United States has lagged far behind the rest of the world in testing for the new coronavirus. As a result, outbreaks here are likely to be more numerous and more difficult to control than they would have been otherwise. I research infectious disease and how to fight it, so I know how important it is to detect outbreaks early. The covid-19 outbreak is the largest acute infectious-disease emergency most of us have experienced. And we may have let it go undetected here for too long."
Presidential tweets can't paper over Trump's coronavirus failures
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/presidential-tweets-can-t-paper-over-trump-s-coronavirus-failures-n1153346
"For three years, a question about Trump has lingered in the background: what would happen when the nation's first amateur president faced a genuine crisis? One he couldn't overpower with spectacle and nonsense? One that required him to listen, learn, and lead with a steady hand? Such a crisis has arrived and Trump is making clear that he's not up to the task. The president's go-to moves are familiar -- lie, divert blame, contradict experts, tout a personal expertise that exists in his imagination -- but they are a poor fit for the dangerous circumstances."
"For three years, a question about Trump has lingered in the background: what would happen when the nation's first amateur president faced a genuine crisis? One he couldn't overpower with spectacle and nonsense? One that required him to listen, learn, and lead with a steady hand? Such a crisis has arrived and Trump is making clear that he's not up to the task. The president's go-to moves are familiar -- lie, divert blame, contradict experts, tout a personal expertise that exists in his imagination -- but they are a poor fit for the dangerous circumstances."
'Code for Massive Cuts': Audio Shows GOP Sen. Joni Ernst Telling Donors She Wants 'Changes' to Medicare, Medicaid
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/02/14/code-massive-cuts-audio-shows-gop-sen-joni-ernst-telling-donors-she-wants-changes
"The audio clip comes months after the Democratic super PAC American Bridge posted a video of Ernst telling a town hall audience in August that members of Congress should negotiate changes to Social Security "behind closed doors" to avoid scrutiny from advocacy groups and the press."
"The audio clip comes months after the Democratic super PAC American Bridge posted a video of Ernst telling a town hall audience in August that members of Congress should negotiate changes to Social Security "behind closed doors" to avoid scrutiny from advocacy groups and the press."
The White House Has Hired Two College Seniors to Fill Top Posts in Recent Weeks
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/03/white-house-hired-two-college-seniors-fill-top-posts.html
"In recent weeks, the White House has tapped two college seniors to take on key roles in the administration as there seems to be a premium on loyalty above all else. The most recent hire is Anthony Labruna, who is scheduled to start on Monday as deputy White house liaison at the Department of Commerce, according to Politico. Some in the department are reportedly “pretty concerned” that someone who is so young and inexperienced will take over a job that involves filling political vacancies with qualified people. “It’s not a job that you take a kid who doesn’t know anything about the government,” a source said. Labruna is set to graduate from Iowa State University in early May and had worked on Trump’s 2020 Iowa campaign. According to his Facebook page, Labruna is 22, which would make him one year younger than James Bacon, who was tapped late last month to be one of the top officials in the Presidential Personnel Office."
"In recent weeks, the White House has tapped two college seniors to take on key roles in the administration as there seems to be a premium on loyalty above all else. The most recent hire is Anthony Labruna, who is scheduled to start on Monday as deputy White house liaison at the Department of Commerce, according to Politico. Some in the department are reportedly “pretty concerned” that someone who is so young and inexperienced will take over a job that involves filling political vacancies with qualified people. “It’s not a job that you take a kid who doesn’t know anything about the government,” a source said. Labruna is set to graduate from Iowa State University in early May and had worked on Trump’s 2020 Iowa campaign. According to his Facebook page, Labruna is 22, which would make him one year younger than James Bacon, who was tapped late last month to be one of the top officials in the Presidential Personnel Office."
Trump Promised to Protect Medicare. That’s Not What He Said Two Weeks Ago.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/02/trump-promised-to-protect-medicare-thats-not-what-he-said-two-weeks-ago/
"During a January interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, CNBC’s Joe Kernen asked if cuts to entitlements, a euphemism for programs like Medicare and Social Security, would ever be on his agenda. “At some point they will be,” Trump answered. “It’ll be toward the end of the year. The growth is going to be incredible. And at the right time, we will take a look at that.” As the New York Times reported, it wasn’t the first time Trump threatened cuts to popular safety-net programs: The president has already proposed cuts for some safety-net programs. His last budget proposal called for a total of $1.9 trillion in cost savings from mandatory safety-net programs, like Medicaid and Medicare. It also called for spending $26 billion less on Social Security programs, the federal retirement program, including a $10 billion cut to the Social Security Disability Insurance program, which provides benefits to disabled workers."
"During a January interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, CNBC’s Joe Kernen asked if cuts to entitlements, a euphemism for programs like Medicare and Social Security, would ever be on his agenda. “At some point they will be,” Trump answered. “It’ll be toward the end of the year. The growth is going to be incredible. And at the right time, we will take a look at that.” As the New York Times reported, it wasn’t the first time Trump threatened cuts to popular safety-net programs: The president has already proposed cuts for some safety-net programs. His last budget proposal called for a total of $1.9 trillion in cost savings from mandatory safety-net programs, like Medicaid and Medicare. It also called for spending $26 billion less on Social Security programs, the federal retirement program, including a $10 billion cut to the Social Security Disability Insurance program, which provides benefits to disabled workers."
Trump budget would cut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security while expanding tax cuts for the rich
https://www.salon.com/2020/02/10/trump-budget-would-cut-medicare-medicaid-and-social-security-while-expanding-tax-cuts-for-the-rich/
"The plan also calls for a steep 8% cut to the Education budget; a 9% cut to the Health and Human Services Budget, including the Centers for Disease Control; and a 26% cut to the Environmental Protection Agency budget. The Interior Department would see a 13% budget cut; the Department of Housing and Urban Development would see a 15% cut; and both the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development would be slashed by 22%. However, Trump's budget proposal calls for an increase to the Homeland Security funding and $2 billion in additional funding for his border wall, down from $5 billion last year. Despite the deep cuts, the budget plan acknowledges that the proposal would fail to eliminate the deficit over the next decade. Trump's advisers vowed to eliminate the deficit by 2028, but it has only grown instead."
"The plan also calls for a steep 8% cut to the Education budget; a 9% cut to the Health and Human Services Budget, including the Centers for Disease Control; and a 26% cut to the Environmental Protection Agency budget. The Interior Department would see a 13% budget cut; the Department of Housing and Urban Development would see a 15% cut; and both the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development would be slashed by 22%. However, Trump's budget proposal calls for an increase to the Homeland Security funding and $2 billion in additional funding for his border wall, down from $5 billion last year. Despite the deep cuts, the budget plan acknowledges that the proposal would fail to eliminate the deficit over the next decade. Trump's advisers vowed to eliminate the deficit by 2028, but it has only grown instead."
The Trump administration has contradicted itself on coronavirus no fewer than 14 times in less than a month
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/03/09/trump-administration-has-contradicted-itself-coronavirus-no-fewer-than-14-times-less-than-month/
"Initially, warmer weather would kill it. Then it wouldn’t. The number of cases would soon be close to zero. Then they rose. It should be treated like the flu. Except Americans should know it is deadlier. As many as 1 million people could be tested by the end of last week. Until they weren’t. As President Trump has tried to contain the potential health, economic and political consequences of the coronavirus over the past month, he and administration officials have repeatedly undercut one another’s messaging about their efforts to combat the virus. We show exactly how in the video above. Over the past 30 days, Trump and members of his administration have contradicted other Trump officials at least 14 times on various parts of the coronavirus response. Often, Trump has sought to play down the threat with a mix of selectively presented facts and false statements. At other points, Trump officials have focused some of their remarks on praising the president during interviews and press gaggles about the virus. “A lot of people think [the coronavirus] goes away in April with the heat,” Trump said Feb. 10. Three days later, Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told CNN, “This virus is probably with us beyond this season or beyond this year.” Laying out his administration’s response to the virus at a news conference on Feb. 26, Trump said Americans should “view this the same as the flu.” One week later, Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told Congress that the coronavirus mortality rate is “multiple times” higher than the seasonal flu. Later that day, Trump told Fox News that based on his “hunch,” the World Health Organization’s coronavirus mortality rate was a “false number.” On multiple occasions, Trump has suggested that a coronavirus vaccine may be available sooner than expected, even as Fauci has repeatedly said a potential vaccine wouldn’t be available for at least a year."
"Initially, warmer weather would kill it. Then it wouldn’t. The number of cases would soon be close to zero. Then they rose. It should be treated like the flu. Except Americans should know it is deadlier. As many as 1 million people could be tested by the end of last week. Until they weren’t. As President Trump has tried to contain the potential health, economic and political consequences of the coronavirus over the past month, he and administration officials have repeatedly undercut one another’s messaging about their efforts to combat the virus. We show exactly how in the video above. Over the past 30 days, Trump and members of his administration have contradicted other Trump officials at least 14 times on various parts of the coronavirus response. Often, Trump has sought to play down the threat with a mix of selectively presented facts and false statements. At other points, Trump officials have focused some of their remarks on praising the president during interviews and press gaggles about the virus. “A lot of people think [the coronavirus] goes away in April with the heat,” Trump said Feb. 10. Three days later, Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told CNN, “This virus is probably with us beyond this season or beyond this year.” Laying out his administration’s response to the virus at a news conference on Feb. 26, Trump said Americans should “view this the same as the flu.” One week later, Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told Congress that the coronavirus mortality rate is “multiple times” higher than the seasonal flu. Later that day, Trump told Fox News that based on his “hunch,” the World Health Organization’s coronavirus mortality rate was a “false number.” On multiple occasions, Trump has suggested that a coronavirus vaccine may be available sooner than expected, even as Fauci has repeatedly said a potential vaccine wouldn’t be available for at least a year."
Monday, March 9, 2020
President Trump Is Unfit for This Crisis. Period.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/09/opinion/trump-corona-cdc.html
"Whose side is the Trump administration on? Based on every public appearance we’ve seen so far — whether it’s from a cabinet member or the director of the Centers for Disease Control or the president himself — the answer is clear: not the public’s. President Trump, hellbent on re-election, is focused on massaging numbers and silencing bearers of bad news. That’s what autocrats do. And it’s endangering lives."
"Whose side is the Trump administration on? Based on every public appearance we’ve seen so far — whether it’s from a cabinet member or the director of the Centers for Disease Control or the president himself — the answer is clear: not the public’s. President Trump, hellbent on re-election, is focused on massaging numbers and silencing bearers of bad news. That’s what autocrats do. And it’s endangering lives."
Trump Weekends in Florida as Fear of the Coronavirus Rises
https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/trump-weekends-in-florida-as-fear-of-the-coronavirus-rises
"Trump, meanwhile, evidently decided that the situation isn’t serious enough to keep him in Washington. From the beginning, he has sought to minimize the seriousness of the emerging epidemic, and he is still at it. That’s when he’s not praising himself for how he and the U.S. government have responded to the crisis or offering himself as an expert. During a remarkable press conference at the Atlanta headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on Friday, Trump mentioned an uncle who had taught science at M.I.T. and said, “I like this stuff. I really get it. People are surprised that I understand it. Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability. Maybe I should have done this instead of running for President"."
"Trump, meanwhile, evidently decided that the situation isn’t serious enough to keep him in Washington. From the beginning, he has sought to minimize the seriousness of the emerging epidemic, and he is still at it. That’s when he’s not praising himself for how he and the U.S. government have responded to the crisis or offering himself as an expert. During a remarkable press conference at the Atlanta headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on Friday, Trump mentioned an uncle who had taught science at M.I.T. and said, “I like this stuff. I really get it. People are surprised that I understand it. Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability. Maybe I should have done this instead of running for President"."
Trump Bears Full Responsibility for Botched Response to Coronavirus in US
https://truthout.org/articles/trump-bears-full-responsibility-for-botched-response-to-coronavirus-in-us/
"A serious president would have been taking the lead in organizing an international response. But Trump was busy doing other things. In addition to his golf games, Trump was holding campaign rallies and fundraisers around the country. When he wasn’t traveling, he was busy on Twitter making boasts about the economy, lying about his poll results and directing schoolyard taunts against his political opponents. With such a busy schedule, how could we expect Trump to have time to worry about a pandemic? It gets worse. Trump had dismantled the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) team to deal with pandemics. The CDC was also coping with Trump budget cuts, and is facing another cut of 16 percent slated for next year. Trump also attacked those who tried to warn of the risks of the virus. He claimed the whole thing was a Democratic hoax, and said that the United States had 15 cases and that the number would fall quickly. He then went full Trumpian in his management style, pushing aside the public health experts at the CDC, and putting Vice President Mike Pence in charge of protecting the country from the pandemic. Pence’s main credentials for this task are a disbelief in science (he doesn’t believe in evolution or global warming) and a failed effort to stem the spread of AIDS when he was governor of Indiana. Trump also attempted to clamp down on any accurate, concrete information that would contradict his “no-big-deal” story. He required that Pence clear all statements from the CDC. Using his famed vindictiveness, he also retaliated against a Health and Human Services whistleblower who reported that people exposed to coronavirus on a cruise ship were greeted by health care workers without protective gear or training. In short, the fact that we are likely facing a serious pandemic, unlike any we have seen in more than a century, is 100 percent Trump’s fault. Because of his vanity and ineptitude, people will die, and many more will get sick."
"A serious president would have been taking the lead in organizing an international response. But Trump was busy doing other things. In addition to his golf games, Trump was holding campaign rallies and fundraisers around the country. When he wasn’t traveling, he was busy on Twitter making boasts about the economy, lying about his poll results and directing schoolyard taunts against his political opponents. With such a busy schedule, how could we expect Trump to have time to worry about a pandemic? It gets worse. Trump had dismantled the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) team to deal with pandemics. The CDC was also coping with Trump budget cuts, and is facing another cut of 16 percent slated for next year. Trump also attacked those who tried to warn of the risks of the virus. He claimed the whole thing was a Democratic hoax, and said that the United States had 15 cases and that the number would fall quickly. He then went full Trumpian in his management style, pushing aside the public health experts at the CDC, and putting Vice President Mike Pence in charge of protecting the country from the pandemic. Pence’s main credentials for this task are a disbelief in science (he doesn’t believe in evolution or global warming) and a failed effort to stem the spread of AIDS when he was governor of Indiana. Trump also attempted to clamp down on any accurate, concrete information that would contradict his “no-big-deal” story. He required that Pence clear all statements from the CDC. Using his famed vindictiveness, he also retaliated against a Health and Human Services whistleblower who reported that people exposed to coronavirus on a cruise ship were greeted by health care workers without protective gear or training. In short, the fact that we are likely facing a serious pandemic, unlike any we have seen in more than a century, is 100 percent Trump’s fault. Because of his vanity and ineptitude, people will die, and many more will get sick."
Trump struggles to explain why he disbanded his global health team
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-struggles-explain-why-he-disbanded-his-global-health-team-n1153221
"It's worth emphasizing that this is Trump's second explanation related to his decision to disband his global health security team. "I'm a business person," he explained two weeks ago in response to a similar question. "I don't like having thousands of people around when you don't need them. When we need them, we can get them back very quickly." As it turns out, the administration cannot actually reassemble such a team "very quickly," though Trump, still unfamiliar with how much of the executive branch works, may not have known that. It set the stage for this new argument: Trump dissolved the White House's pandemic team because he had no idea he might need a pandemic team. Except, that's not an especially satisfying answer. The whole point of having a team focused on epidemiological threats is (a) viral outbreaks can happen; (b) one never knows when they'll happen; and (c) countries want to be prepared when they do happen. According to the president, "you can never really think is going to happen," but the National Security Council's team existed precisely because officials recognized the possible hazard. Indeed, as the New York Times noted overnight that President Barack Obama established the Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense at the National Security Council after the 2014 Ebola outbreak, making clear that some folks were acutely aware of possibilities like these. It's as if the president is unfamiliar with the idea of insurance on a conceptual level."
"It's worth emphasizing that this is Trump's second explanation related to his decision to disband his global health security team. "I'm a business person," he explained two weeks ago in response to a similar question. "I don't like having thousands of people around when you don't need them. When we need them, we can get them back very quickly." As it turns out, the administration cannot actually reassemble such a team "very quickly," though Trump, still unfamiliar with how much of the executive branch works, may not have known that. It set the stage for this new argument: Trump dissolved the White House's pandemic team because he had no idea he might need a pandemic team. Except, that's not an especially satisfying answer. The whole point of having a team focused on epidemiological threats is (a) viral outbreaks can happen; (b) one never knows when they'll happen; and (c) countries want to be prepared when they do happen. According to the president, "you can never really think is going to happen," but the National Security Council's team existed precisely because officials recognized the possible hazard. Indeed, as the New York Times noted overnight that President Barack Obama established the Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense at the National Security Council after the 2014 Ebola outbreak, making clear that some folks were acutely aware of possibilities like these. It's as if the president is unfamiliar with the idea of insurance on a conceptual level."
Italy Locks Down Entire Country To Help Prevent Spread Of Coronavirus
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/italy-lockdown-coronavirus_n_5e66ab53c5b605572809d54d
"Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced all of Italy is on lockdown as the country works to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The northern part of the country, which includes 16 million people, had already been on lockdown. The new lockdown goes into effect on Tuesday and lasts until April 3. Conte said travel within the country should only occur if completely necessary. Public gatherings, like sporting events, are canceled. “Stay at home,” Conte said in a press conference Monday. People should only travel for urgent work or emergencies, the PM said. Schools and universities will stay closed, as well as theaters and gyms. The government’s decree also calls for banning public events like weddings and funerals. The country, which has about 60 million people living in it, had over 9,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and at least 463 dead as of Monday."
"Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced all of Italy is on lockdown as the country works to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The northern part of the country, which includes 16 million people, had already been on lockdown. The new lockdown goes into effect on Tuesday and lasts until April 3. Conte said travel within the country should only occur if completely necessary. Public gatherings, like sporting events, are canceled. “Stay at home,” Conte said in a press conference Monday. People should only travel for urgent work or emergencies, the PM said. Schools and universities will stay closed, as well as theaters and gyms. The government’s decree also calls for banning public events like weddings and funerals. The country, which has about 60 million people living in it, had over 9,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and at least 463 dead as of Monday."
Dow sinks 2,000 points in worst day since 2008, S&P 500 drops more than 7%
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/08/dow-futures-drop-700-points-as-all-out-oil-price-war-adds-to-coronavirus-stress.html
"The Dow dropped 2,013.7 points — 7.79% — as Boeing, Apple, Goldman Sachs and Caterpillar cut the index by at least 100 points each. The Dow ended the day at 23,851.02 and represented its single-worst day since Oct. 15, 2008, when it fell 7.87%. The S&P 500 plunged 7.6% to 2,746.56 as investors punished financials and energy stocks. Energy names in the S&P 500, including Exxon Mobil, Hess and Marathon Oil, finished the day down more than 20%. Financial stocks ended down more than 10%. The equity benchmark suffered its worst day since Dec. 1 2008. The Nasdaq Composite fell 7.29% to end the day at 7,950.68. The massive sell-off triggered a key market circuit breaker minutes after the opening bell. Trading was halted for 15 minutes until reopening at 9:49 a.m. ET."
"The Dow dropped 2,013.7 points — 7.79% — as Boeing, Apple, Goldman Sachs and Caterpillar cut the index by at least 100 points each. The Dow ended the day at 23,851.02 and represented its single-worst day since Oct. 15, 2008, when it fell 7.87%. The S&P 500 plunged 7.6% to 2,746.56 as investors punished financials and energy stocks. Energy names in the S&P 500, including Exxon Mobil, Hess and Marathon Oil, finished the day down more than 20%. Financial stocks ended down more than 10%. The equity benchmark suffered its worst day since Dec. 1 2008. The Nasdaq Composite fell 7.29% to end the day at 7,950.68. The massive sell-off triggered a key market circuit breaker minutes after the opening bell. Trading was halted for 15 minutes until reopening at 9:49 a.m. ET."
Italy’s Coronavirus Response Is a Warning From the Future
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/03/italy-coronavirus-covid19-west-europe-future/607660/
"Italians woke up on Sunday morning, and it was already the future. Overnight, the government announced the most dramatic measures yet taken by a democracy to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Other Western countries are watching closely, worried they may soon have to follow Italy’s lead. Rome placed severe travel restrictions on the entire Lombardy region surrounding Milan—the country’s economic, fashion, and media capital—and on 14 other provinces across the wealthy north, including Venice and parts of the Emilia Romagna region. In this area of 16 million people, the coronavirus’s European epicenter, where the number of cases has been rising rapidly, Italy banned all public gatherings—no weddings, funerals, concerts, sporting events, discos, bingo games, video arcades, or Mass—until April 3. While trains and planes are still operational, and running on time, the government is forbidding people from leaving unless absolutely necessary."
"Italians woke up on Sunday morning, and it was already the future. Overnight, the government announced the most dramatic measures yet taken by a democracy to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Other Western countries are watching closely, worried they may soon have to follow Italy’s lead. Rome placed severe travel restrictions on the entire Lombardy region surrounding Milan—the country’s economic, fashion, and media capital—and on 14 other provinces across the wealthy north, including Venice and parts of the Emilia Romagna region. In this area of 16 million people, the coronavirus’s European epicenter, where the number of cases has been rising rapidly, Italy banned all public gatherings—no weddings, funerals, concerts, sporting events, discos, bingo games, video arcades, or Mass—until April 3. While trains and planes are still operational, and running on time, the government is forbidding people from leaving unless absolutely necessary."
The U.S. Isn’t Ready for What’s About to Happen
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/03/us-isnt-ready-whats-about-happen/607636/
"Trump’s initial impulse to downplay the risk, at least until the stock market took note, wasn’t just fanciful; it was dangerous. He has consistently minimized the number of sick, blamed Barack Obama’s administration for a shortage of test kits, and publicly mused about the potential of a vaccine being found quickly. The American response to the new disease should be based on something more than hunches and magical thinking. The whole time, people like me have been dutifully advising friends, family, and everyone else to take prudent precautions and avoid panicking. That’s still good advice, because any measures that slow the spread of the disease and lower the death rate could save thousands of lives. But Americans should also understand that even the best preparation humanly possibly wouldn’t be perfect—and that what the United States has done so far falls far short of that. Especially at this point, even a more vigorous response will not preclude a lot of people from getting sick. Preventing all infections is no longer a possibility, and the measure of success is how much public-health authorities can reduce the number of people who die or fall seriously ill."
"Trump’s initial impulse to downplay the risk, at least until the stock market took note, wasn’t just fanciful; it was dangerous. He has consistently minimized the number of sick, blamed Barack Obama’s administration for a shortage of test kits, and publicly mused about the potential of a vaccine being found quickly. The American response to the new disease should be based on something more than hunches and magical thinking. The whole time, people like me have been dutifully advising friends, family, and everyone else to take prudent precautions and avoid panicking. That’s still good advice, because any measures that slow the spread of the disease and lower the death rate could save thousands of lives. But Americans should also understand that even the best preparation humanly possibly wouldn’t be perfect—and that what the United States has done so far falls far short of that. Especially at this point, even a more vigorous response will not preclude a lot of people from getting sick. Preventing all infections is no longer a possibility, and the measure of success is how much public-health authorities can reduce the number of people who die or fall seriously ill."
Trump Plays Golf While Coronavirus Cases Surge
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/03/trump-plays-golf-coronavirus-cases-surge.html
"Around the world, leaders and health authorities were struggling to try to get a handle on the rapidly spreading coronavirus. But in the United States, President Donald Trump seems to have thought it would be a great time to hit the links with professional baseball players. On Sunday, the commander in chief played golf with current and former Washington Nationals players at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach."
"Around the world, leaders and health authorities were struggling to try to get a handle on the rapidly spreading coronavirus. But in the United States, President Donald Trump seems to have thought it would be a great time to hit the links with professional baseball players. On Sunday, the commander in chief played golf with current and former Washington Nationals players at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach."
Ignore Everything Trump Says About Coronavirus
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/coronavirus-advice-trump-fox-news-962594/
"Trump clearly has no idea what he’s talking about, and every American would be wise to categorically dismiss anything that comes out of his mouth regarding the coronavirus. He’s only concerned with it so far as it will affect his ability to win reelection this fall, and he will do or say anything to ensure it doesn’t." The president told Sean Hannity that people are getting over the virus by “sitting around” and “going to work”
"Trump clearly has no idea what he’s talking about, and every American would be wise to categorically dismiss anything that comes out of his mouth regarding the coronavirus. He’s only concerned with it so far as it will affect his ability to win reelection this fall, and he will do or say anything to ensure it doesn’t." The president told Sean Hannity that people are getting over the virus by “sitting around” and “going to work”
Psst, After You Wash Your Hands, Clean Your Smartphone
https://slate.com/technology/2020/03/coronavirus-clean-phone-wash-hands.html
"While people typically transmit COVID-19 by spewing respiratory droplets with a cough or sneeze, a recent study in the Journal of Hospital Infection found, after swabbing the mobile devices of 250 hospital staff, that coronaviruses can survive on the kinds of smooth glass and plastic found in smartphones for up to nine days. Kenneth Mak, the director of the Singapore Ministry of Health’s medical services, told reporters in February that cleaning phones is an even more important anti-coronavirus measure than wearing face masks. Your phone is, as public health professor Peter Hall put it recently in the Conversation, a “portable petri dish.” Touching an infected surface, or your face, and then a phone is an easy way for the virus to find a home on your screen. The mucus that carries the coronavirus can then dry on your phone, allowing the disease to last longer. A 2019 survey found that people touch their phones 2,617 times per day on average, and experts estimate that the devices generally host 10 times more bacteria than toilet seats, mostly because people don’t commonly clean them as often. Wash your hands! Then wash your phone. “The rule of thumb is that you need to clean it when it’s been exposed to a risk,” says Michael Schmidt, a microbiology and immunology professor at the Medical University of South Carolina. “When you’ve been out in public and you return home, that’s when I would clean the phone to make certain that the phone is safe in your residence, so you don’t have to be washing your hands continuously subsequent to using it.” Apple instructs users to clean iPhones by first unplugging all cables and then rubbing them down with a microfiber cloth and warm soapy water. Google similarly recommends cleaning the backs and sides of Pixels with cleaning wipes or household soap, and to hand-wash the case fabric with mild soap or laundry detergent."
"While people typically transmit COVID-19 by spewing respiratory droplets with a cough or sneeze, a recent study in the Journal of Hospital Infection found, after swabbing the mobile devices of 250 hospital staff, that coronaviruses can survive on the kinds of smooth glass and plastic found in smartphones for up to nine days. Kenneth Mak, the director of the Singapore Ministry of Health’s medical services, told reporters in February that cleaning phones is an even more important anti-coronavirus measure than wearing face masks. Your phone is, as public health professor Peter Hall put it recently in the Conversation, a “portable petri dish.” Touching an infected surface, or your face, and then a phone is an easy way for the virus to find a home on your screen. The mucus that carries the coronavirus can then dry on your phone, allowing the disease to last longer. A 2019 survey found that people touch their phones 2,617 times per day on average, and experts estimate that the devices generally host 10 times more bacteria than toilet seats, mostly because people don’t commonly clean them as often. Wash your hands! Then wash your phone. “The rule of thumb is that you need to clean it when it’s been exposed to a risk,” says Michael Schmidt, a microbiology and immunology professor at the Medical University of South Carolina. “When you’ve been out in public and you return home, that’s when I would clean the phone to make certain that the phone is safe in your residence, so you don’t have to be washing your hands continuously subsequent to using it.” Apple instructs users to clean iPhones by first unplugging all cables and then rubbing them down with a microfiber cloth and warm soapy water. Google similarly recommends cleaning the backs and sides of Pixels with cleaning wipes or household soap, and to hand-wash the case fabric with mild soap or laundry detergent."
Trump used his Fox News town hall to again mislead Americans about coronavirus
https://www.vox.com/2020/3/6/21167675/trump-fox-news-town-hall-coronavirus-health-care
"One night after an interview with Sean Hannity in which he cited a “hunch” to make a case that the coronavirus mortality rate is actually far lower than the one identified by the World Health Organization (WHO), President Donald Trump was back on Fox News Thursday night once again misleading people about the public health crisis caused by the virus."
"One night after an interview with Sean Hannity in which he cited a “hunch” to make a case that the coronavirus mortality rate is actually far lower than the one identified by the World Health Organization (WHO), President Donald Trump was back on Fox News Thursday night once again misleading people about the public health crisis caused by the virus."
Trump Org charged taxpayers eight times more for Secret Service stays than it claimed: documents
https://www.salon.com/2020/03/06/trump-org-charged-taxpayers-eight-times-more-for-secret-service-stays-than-it-claimed-documents/
"The report found that taxpayers spent more than $471,000 on Trump properties, but the new receipts show that the Trump Organization charged Secret Service an additional $157,000 since 2017, bringing the total to more than $628,000."
"The report found that taxpayers spent more than $471,000 on Trump properties, but the new receipts show that the Trump Organization charged Secret Service an additional $157,000 since 2017, bringing the total to more than $628,000."
Under President Trump, income growth has slowed across the U.S.
https://www.newsweek.com/income-growth-slowed-across-us-under-donald-trump-1488871
"New analysis of government data shows that, since Donald Trump took office, inflation-adjusted income growth has slowed significantly across the U.S. All but two states saw a decline in growth of real median household income under Trump – including Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Florida, four states widely regarded as the key electoral battlegrounds that will likely determine the 2020 presidential election. Middle-class incomes grew at a rate of 2.7 percent from 2016 through 2018, compared to a 5.8 percent growth rate from 2014 through 2016 when accounting for inflation."
"New analysis of government data shows that, since Donald Trump took office, inflation-adjusted income growth has slowed significantly across the U.S. All but two states saw a decline in growth of real median household income under Trump – including Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Florida, four states widely regarded as the key electoral battlegrounds that will likely determine the 2020 presidential election. Middle-class incomes grew at a rate of 2.7 percent from 2016 through 2018, compared to a 5.8 percent growth rate from 2014 through 2016 when accounting for inflation."
As Americans Continue To Get Coronavirus, Trump Shows He Doesn’t Really Care
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/coronavirus-trump-doesnt-care_n_5e63ca67c5b68d6164551e41
"At least 17 people in the U.S. have died from the coronavirus and more than 200 people in the country are infected. That number could be much higher, but the CDC has bungled its response and limited the number of diagnostic tests that can be administered. None of these facts stopped the president from patting himself on the back as he bragged about being as smart as the public health experts tasked with handling the situation. “People are really surprised I understand this stuff,” Trump said during a press briefing at the CDC. “Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability.” He doesn’t. In fact, he has disputed a report from World Health Organization scientists that put the death rate from the virus at 3.4%. “I think the 3.4% is really a false number,” Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Wednesday. “Now, and this is just my hunch, and — but based on a lot of conversations with a lot of people that do this.” In a meeting with health experts on Monday, Trump asked why doctors don’t just administer the flu vaccine to combat the virus. “But the same vaccine could not work?” he said. “You take a solid flu vaccine — you don’t think that would have an impact or much of an impact on corona?” It would not have an impact, the experts told him. During Friday’s visit to the CDC, Trump bragged about having “beautiful” coronavirus testing kits, and bizarrely claimed they were as “perfect” as the phone call that got him impeached. And when asked about infected passengers on a cruise ship anchored near San Francisco, Trump strongly indicated that he cares about bad PR — in the form of a higher number of infected Americans — above all else."
"At least 17 people in the U.S. have died from the coronavirus and more than 200 people in the country are infected. That number could be much higher, but the CDC has bungled its response and limited the number of diagnostic tests that can be administered. None of these facts stopped the president from patting himself on the back as he bragged about being as smart as the public health experts tasked with handling the situation. “People are really surprised I understand this stuff,” Trump said during a press briefing at the CDC. “Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability.” He doesn’t. In fact, he has disputed a report from World Health Organization scientists that put the death rate from the virus at 3.4%. “I think the 3.4% is really a false number,” Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Wednesday. “Now, and this is just my hunch, and — but based on a lot of conversations with a lot of people that do this.” In a meeting with health experts on Monday, Trump asked why doctors don’t just administer the flu vaccine to combat the virus. “But the same vaccine could not work?” he said. “You take a solid flu vaccine — you don’t think that would have an impact or much of an impact on corona?” It would not have an impact, the experts told him. During Friday’s visit to the CDC, Trump bragged about having “beautiful” coronavirus testing kits, and bizarrely claimed they were as “perfect” as the phone call that got him impeached. And when asked about infected passengers on a cruise ship anchored near San Francisco, Trump strongly indicated that he cares about bad PR — in the form of a higher number of infected Americans — above all else."
Coronavirus Researcher Calls It The 'Most Frightening Disease I've Ever Encountered'
https://crooksandliars.com/2020/03/coronavirus-researcher-calls-it-most
"Appearing on Channel 4 in the UK a couple of days ago, Dr Richard Hatchett, who advised both the Bush and Obama administrations on pandemic preparedness called the coronavirus "the most frightening disease" he has ever seen, based on both the high rate of infectiousness and lethality. He compared it to the Spanish Flu of 1918 which killed tens of millions. Also noteworthy, Dr. Hatchett mentioned that the United States is particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 because of a lack of a centralized health system that other advanced industrialized nations enjoy, both in terms of mobilizing an effective response from the various government agencies, state and federal, and also the excessive costs. People will go untreated because they simply can't afford it here. The 20-minute interview has since gone viral online."
"Appearing on Channel 4 in the UK a couple of days ago, Dr Richard Hatchett, who advised both the Bush and Obama administrations on pandemic preparedness called the coronavirus "the most frightening disease" he has ever seen, based on both the high rate of infectiousness and lethality. He compared it to the Spanish Flu of 1918 which killed tens of millions. Also noteworthy, Dr. Hatchett mentioned that the United States is particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 because of a lack of a centralized health system that other advanced industrialized nations enjoy, both in terms of mobilizing an effective response from the various government agencies, state and federal, and also the excessive costs. People will go untreated because they simply can't afford it here. The 20-minute interview has since gone viral online."
Coronavirus: Italy Puts Quarter of Its Population on Lockdown as Cases Soar
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/03/coronavirus-italy-quarter-population-lockdown-cases-soar.html
"Italy’s government has implemented the most restrictive measures outside China to try to contain the rapidly spreading coronavirus. Early Sunday, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree that virtually locks down large parts of the country’s wealthy northern region, affecting a quarter of its population. The extraordinary move amounts to the country sacrificing much of its fragile economy in an effort to try to slow the increase of new cases."
"Italy’s government has implemented the most restrictive measures outside China to try to contain the rapidly spreading coronavirus. Early Sunday, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree that virtually locks down large parts of the country’s wealthy northern region, affecting a quarter of its population. The extraordinary move amounts to the country sacrificing much of its fragile economy in an effort to try to slow the increase of new cases."
You Might Be Buying a Hand Sanitizer That Won’t Work for Coronavirus
https://www.propublica.org/article/coronavirus-hand-sanitizers-cdc-recommended-alcohol
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends rubbing on hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol when you aren’t able to wash your hands. Huge pumps and multipacks of bottles are flying off store shelves. But “alcohol-free” products — which are not recommended by the CDC — are also getting snatched up in the consumer frenzy. Some of the hand sanitizers made by the brands Purell and Germ-X rely on benzalkonium chloride instead of alcohol as the active ingredient. Such non-alcohol antiseptic products may not work as well for many types of germs, the CDC says, or may merely reduce the growth of germs rather than killing them. They may be better than nothing, experts say. But people are buying them without knowing the difference."
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends rubbing on hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol when you aren’t able to wash your hands. Huge pumps and multipacks of bottles are flying off store shelves. But “alcohol-free” products — which are not recommended by the CDC — are also getting snatched up in the consumer frenzy. Some of the hand sanitizers made by the brands Purell and Germ-X rely on benzalkonium chloride instead of alcohol as the active ingredient. Such non-alcohol antiseptic products may not work as well for many types of germs, the CDC says, or may merely reduce the growth of germs rather than killing them. They may be better than nothing, experts say. But people are buying them without knowing the difference."
Trump’s Most Dangerous Destruction Yet
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/02/trumps-most-dangerous-destruction-yet/607021/
"A politicized intelligence apparatus can be used both to deny truths the president doesn’t like and to justify falsehoods the president wants to propagate—not to mention create an environment of distrust so that people don’t know what to believe. This is really dangerous stuff. Removing intelligence officers for having the temerity to give their unvarnished assessments is a recipe for groupthink and analytic distortions based on what people think the boss wants to hear. Remember, these are the people the president needs to rely on when he decides whether to take military action. Do we really want them worrying about whether he will like their honest assessment, about whether telling the truth to Congress will give the opposition party information to use against the boss during an election season, or about whether they can blow the whistle on political lies about intelligence without retribution?"
"A politicized intelligence apparatus can be used both to deny truths the president doesn’t like and to justify falsehoods the president wants to propagate—not to mention create an environment of distrust so that people don’t know what to believe. This is really dangerous stuff. Removing intelligence officers for having the temerity to give their unvarnished assessments is a recipe for groupthink and analytic distortions based on what people think the boss wants to hear. Remember, these are the people the president needs to rely on when he decides whether to take military action. Do we really want them worrying about whether he will like their honest assessment, about whether telling the truth to Congress will give the opposition party information to use against the boss during an election season, or about whether they can blow the whistle on political lies about intelligence without retribution?"
By any means necessary: Trump's prepared to cheat again in 2020 — and lie about it shamelessly
https://www.salon.com/2020/02/24/by-any-means-necessary-trumps-prepared-to-cheat-again-in-2020--and-lie-about-it-shamelessly/
"Trump claims he will protect Medicare and Medicaid ("and the Democrats won't") when his budget actually cut them. He says he's built hundreds of miles of new wall along the Mexican border when he's actually only replaced existing barriers and added one new mile. He says he's passed numerous bills — and was the only one who could do it! — which were actually passed by his predecessors. And of course he says the nation is making vast sums of money from his trade war when, in reality, it's Americans who pay for the tariffs while Trump is handing out millions of dollars in bailouts to farmers who are hurt by them. The entire premise of his "promises made, promises kept" mantra is built on the most bald-faced flagrant lie. He has actually accomplished almost nothing during his term aside from tax cuts for the wealthy. But with the help of the right-wing propaganda media, he's managed to convince his followers that everything good in their lives is directly attributable to him. We know Trump will cheat again, in an even more insidious way, because he already did. While he was cleared of criminal conspiracy charges for his eagerness to accept help from the Russian government in 2016, only a month ago he was impeached for trying to extort another government into doing the same thing for him in 2020. His acquittal by his accomplices in the Senate doesn't change those facts."
"Trump claims he will protect Medicare and Medicaid ("and the Democrats won't") when his budget actually cut them. He says he's built hundreds of miles of new wall along the Mexican border when he's actually only replaced existing barriers and added one new mile. He says he's passed numerous bills — and was the only one who could do it! — which were actually passed by his predecessors. And of course he says the nation is making vast sums of money from his trade war when, in reality, it's Americans who pay for the tariffs while Trump is handing out millions of dollars in bailouts to farmers who are hurt by them. The entire premise of his "promises made, promises kept" mantra is built on the most bald-faced flagrant lie. He has actually accomplished almost nothing during his term aside from tax cuts for the wealthy. But with the help of the right-wing propaganda media, he's managed to convince his followers that everything good in their lives is directly attributable to him. We know Trump will cheat again, in an even more insidious way, because he already did. While he was cleared of criminal conspiracy charges for his eagerness to accept help from the Russian government in 2016, only a month ago he was impeached for trying to extort another government into doing the same thing for him in 2020. His acquittal by his accomplices in the Senate doesn't change those facts."
Donald Trump's disinformation campaign juggernaut: It's gaining speed
https://www.salon.com/2020/02/29/donald-trumps-disinformation-campaign-juggernaut-its-gaining-speed/
"You may be forgiven if you are under the impression that the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus outbreak is just one more example of his incompetence, aggressive ignorance, contempt for science and outright abuse of government. But it's worse than that. For the White House, and especially for Donald Trump's re-election campaign, it's an opportunity to put into play the massive disinformation apparatus they have built for the 2020 presidential race."
"You may be forgiven if you are under the impression that the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus outbreak is just one more example of his incompetence, aggressive ignorance, contempt for science and outright abuse of government. But it's worse than that. For the White House, and especially for Donald Trump's re-election campaign, it's an opportunity to put into play the massive disinformation apparatus they have built for the 2020 presidential race."
The Trump Administration’s Contemptuous, Pro-Corporate Response to Coronavirus
https://prospect.org/health/the-trump-administrations-contemptuous-pro-corporate-response-to-coronavirus/
"The roots of this crisis go back years and reflect deep-seated enmity to government experts. Each subsequent presidential budget has included ever more draconian, inhumane, and downright offensive cuts to the most basic government services, including those that would leave us prepared to take on a global pandemic. In 2017, Trump tried to slash the Centers for Disease Control’s budget to levels which a former director called “unsafe at any level of enactment.” In 2018, onlookers warned that Trump was “setting up the US to botch a pandemic response.” And in 2019, he went ahead and fired the government’s entire pandemic response chain of command. Even as the coronavirus spread, the administration was suggesting deeper cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health. And from the outside, commentators at the Heritage Foundation were cheerleading the president’s suggested budget cuts, while encouraging the administration to go further. While the budget proposals reveal administration priorities, so do the men and women Trump has empowered. Principal among them is a man whose primary qualification appears to be a lifelong devotion to enriching Big Pharma. When President Trump announced former pharmaceutical executive Alex Azar as his nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Azar’s colleagues in the pharmaceutical and health insurance industries felt relief that they had a friend in the Trump administration. Trump called Azar “a star for better healthcare and lower drug prices,” but the pharma and health insurance execs knew better: Azar’s expertise lies in jacking up medicine prices, not public health or research."
"The roots of this crisis go back years and reflect deep-seated enmity to government experts. Each subsequent presidential budget has included ever more draconian, inhumane, and downright offensive cuts to the most basic government services, including those that would leave us prepared to take on a global pandemic. In 2017, Trump tried to slash the Centers for Disease Control’s budget to levels which a former director called “unsafe at any level of enactment.” In 2018, onlookers warned that Trump was “setting up the US to botch a pandemic response.” And in 2019, he went ahead and fired the government’s entire pandemic response chain of command. Even as the coronavirus spread, the administration was suggesting deeper cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health. And from the outside, commentators at the Heritage Foundation were cheerleading the president’s suggested budget cuts, while encouraging the administration to go further. While the budget proposals reveal administration priorities, so do the men and women Trump has empowered. Principal among them is a man whose primary qualification appears to be a lifelong devotion to enriching Big Pharma. When President Trump announced former pharmaceutical executive Alex Azar as his nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Azar’s colleagues in the pharmaceutical and health insurance industries felt relief that they had a friend in the Trump administration. Trump called Azar “a star for better healthcare and lower drug prices,” but the pharma and health insurance execs knew better: Azar’s expertise lies in jacking up medicine prices, not public health or research."
As a Businessman, Trump Was the Biggest Loser of All
https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/as-a-businessman-trump-was-the-biggest-loser-of-all
"Even now, there are a lot of Americans who believe that the President is a savvy and successful businessman who knows what he is doing. The actual record, which, thanks to the Times, we now know a good deal more about, suggests the exact opposite. It reveals Trump to be a reckless conman who burned money and relied on his father, even as he was fashioning a myth that eventually took him all the way to the White House. No wonder he is so averse to allowing the American public to see any more accurate information about his financial history."
"Even now, there are a lot of Americans who believe that the President is a savvy and successful businessman who knows what he is doing. The actual record, which, thanks to the Times, we now know a good deal more about, suggests the exact opposite. It reveals Trump to be a reckless conman who burned money and relied on his father, even as he was fashioning a myth that eventually took him all the way to the White House. No wonder he is so averse to allowing the American public to see any more accurate information about his financial history."
D.C. Appeals Court Rules Don McGahn Can Defy a Subpoena From Congress
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/02/dc-circuit-don-mcgahn-defy-subpoena.html
"By refusing the invitation to check an imperial executive, the panel just established the ongoing reality of an imperial executive. The decision can still be appealed to the full court or the Supreme Court. But barring a reversal, Congress may need to get creative. As an alternative, Judge Griffith suggested Congress order the Sergeant-at-Arms to arrest and detain their desired witnesses."
"By refusing the invitation to check an imperial executive, the panel just established the ongoing reality of an imperial executive. The decision can still be appealed to the full court or the Supreme Court. But barring a reversal, Congress may need to get creative. As an alternative, Judge Griffith suggested Congress order the Sergeant-at-Arms to arrest and detain their desired witnesses."
Trump's assault on truth and science got us here — and things could get a lot worse
https://www.salon.com/2020/02/28/trumps-assault-on-truth-and-science-got-us-here--and-things-could-get-a-lot-worse/
"Trump's corruption of the federal government has created a hollowed-out state. We'll all pay for that now" Trump's corruption of the federal government has created a hollowed-out state. We'll all pay for that now"
"Trump's corruption of the federal government has created a hollowed-out state. We'll all pay for that now" Trump's corruption of the federal government has created a hollowed-out state. We'll all pay for that now"
Trump complains that Fox News has the “worst polls” after network finds him losing to every Democrat
https://www.salon.com/2020/02/28/trump-complains-that-fox-news-has-the-worst-polls-after-network-finds-him-losing-to-every-democrat/
"Trump's complaints about polling are not limited to mainstream surveys, Robert Maguire of the watchdog group Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washinton (CREW), noted. "Trump's very big brain tells him he's winning, so when polls call that into question his first reaction is that it must be the pollsters' fault," he wrote. "For instance, last year, when internal polls showed Trump underwater in key states, his campaign addressed it by firing the pollsters"."
"Trump's complaints about polling are not limited to mainstream surveys, Robert Maguire of the watchdog group Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washinton (CREW), noted. "Trump's very big brain tells him he's winning, so when polls call that into question his first reaction is that it must be the pollsters' fault," he wrote. "For instance, last year, when internal polls showed Trump underwater in key states, his campaign addressed it by firing the pollsters"."
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Jesus Would Be Maligned As ‘Radical’ By Today’s Congress
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-faith_n_5e580e16c5b6450a30bbd0f7
"The lawmaker suggested that Jesus himself would be “maligned as a radical” by today’s Congress for his message of love and inclusion. She said it strikes her that “if Christ himself walked through these doors and said what he said thousands of years ago ― that we should love our neighbor and our enemy, that we should welcome the stranger, fight for the least of us, that it is easier ... for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into a kingdom of heaven ― he would be maligned as a radical and rejected from these doors.” Ocasio-Cortez was speaking at a Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on the ways the Trump administration has tried to undermine LGBTQ rights."
"The lawmaker suggested that Jesus himself would be “maligned as a radical” by today’s Congress for his message of love and inclusion. She said it strikes her that “if Christ himself walked through these doors and said what he said thousands of years ago ― that we should love our neighbor and our enemy, that we should welcome the stranger, fight for the least of us, that it is easier ... for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into a kingdom of heaven ― he would be maligned as a radical and rejected from these doors.” Ocasio-Cortez was speaking at a Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on the ways the Trump administration has tried to undermine LGBTQ rights."
20 ways Americans benefit from socialism every day
https://www.frontpagelive.com/2020/02/27/20-ways-americans-benefit-from-socialism-every-day/
"In case you didn’t know, Donald Trump and his cronies continuously exploit socialism with their tax breaks and subsidies to build luxury buildings. And America’s wealthiest family, the greedy Waltons, rely on socialism to subsidize their low-paid Walmart workers with Medicaid and food stamps. That’s right. There’s always been plenty of socialism to go around in the U.S. of A."
"In case you didn’t know, Donald Trump and his cronies continuously exploit socialism with their tax breaks and subsidies to build luxury buildings. And America’s wealthiest family, the greedy Waltons, rely on socialism to subsidize their low-paid Walmart workers with Medicaid and food stamps. That’s right. There’s always been plenty of socialism to go around in the U.S. of A."
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