thedenverpost--2020-09-28--Broncos game balls and gassers: Buccaneers pass rush feasts as Denver offensive line is leaky once a

Broncos game balls and gassers: Buccaneers pass rush feasts as Denver offensive line is leaky once again

Tim Patrick — Courtland Sutton ’ s season-ending injury opened a door for the third-year wide receiver out of Utah .
Put up big numbers , and Patrick just might get himself a payday .
In his first audition as a potential WR1 , he gave the Broncos a much-needed spark near the end of the first half with a 27-yard reception on third-and-forever , and capped the drive with the team ’ s lone TD of the game — a 7-yarder from quarterback Jeff Driskel that ( briefly ) gave the Broncos life .
Shelby Harris — The Broncos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday , with statuesque Tom Brady often getting plenty of time to survey the field .
The pass-swatting Harris was one notable exception .
The 6-foot-2 , 290-pound defensive end not only had one of his patented pass deflections at the line , he also sacked Brady twice while delivering four of the team ’ s six QB hits .
Harris signed a one-year deal this offseason , betting on himself .
Keep this up , and a long-term contract will follow .
Justin Simmons — Film from this game will not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s bad enough getting beat deep by Old Tom Brady ( he was , on a 47-yard wobbler that was underthrown to Scotty Miller ) .
But to then be targeted in a one-on-one jump ball at the goal line — which was subsequently converted for a 1-yard touchdown by Mike Evans ?
Not what you expect from your Pro Bowl leader on defense .
Noah Fant — Three balls hit Fant ’ s hands in the third quarter .
All three fell to the ground .
Granted , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( high and wide from Driskel ) .
But the first two hit the first-round pick right between the 8 and 7 on the front of his jersey — drops that preceded a Tampa Bay safety to start the second half .
Later , Fant was absolutely bulldogged by Jason Pierre-Paul in pass protection , showing just why he struggles to be an every-down tight end .
Broncos offensive line — A week after giving up seven sacks , 12 knockdowns and five pressures on 52 drop-backs , Denver ’ s front five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 10 quarterback hits ) .
What ’ s worse , they let the One Who Got Away ( Shaquil Barrett ) abuse them to the tune of two sacks , two quarterback hits , and the aforementioned safety that saw rookie center Lloyd Cushenberry essentially give him a free run at Driskel .
And , yes , there was also a holding flag on Garett Bolles .
So there ’ s that .

Game balls
Tim Patrick — Courtland Sutton’s season-ending injury opened a door for the third-year wide receiver out of Utah. Put up big numbers, and Patrick just might get himself a payday. In his first audition as a potential WR1, he gave the Broncos a much-needed spark near the end of the first half with a 27-yard reception on third-and-forever, and capped the drive with the team’s lone TD of the game — a 7-yarder from quarterback Jeff Driskel that (briefly) gave the Broncos life.
Shelby Harris — The Broncos pass rush was non-existent for long periods Sunday, with statuesque Tom Brady often getting plenty of time to survey the field. The pass-swatting Harris was one notable exception. The 6-foot-2, 290-pound defensive end not only had one of his patented pass deflections at the line, he also sacked Brady twice while delivering four of the team’s six QB hits. Harris signed a one-year deal this offseason, betting on himself. Keep this up, and a long-term contract will follow.
Gassers
Justin Simmons — Film from this game will not be saved for the Justin Simmons time capsule. It’s bad enough getting beat deep by Old Tom Brady (he was, on a 47-yard wobbler that was underthrown to Scotty Miller). But to then be targeted in a one-on-one jump ball at the goal line — which was subsequently converted for a 1-yard touchdown by Mike Evans? Not what you expect from your Pro Bowl leader on defense.
Noah Fant — Three balls hit Fant’s hands in the third quarter. All three fell to the ground. Granted, one of them was a bit off target (high and wide from Driskel). But the first two hit the first-round pick right between the 8 and 7 on the front of his jersey — drops that preceded a Tampa Bay safety to start the second half. Later, Fant was absolutely bulldogged by Jason Pierre-Paul in pass protection, showing just why he struggles to be an every-down tight end.
Broncos offensive line — A week after giving up seven sacks, 12 knockdowns and five pressures on 52 drop-backs, Denver’s front five was leaky once again (six sacks, 10 quarterback hits). What’s worse, they let the One Who Got Away (Shaquil Barrett) abuse them to the tune of two sacks, two quarterback hits, and the aforementioned safety that saw rookie center Lloyd Cushenberry essentially give him a free run at Driskel. And, yes, there was also a holding flag on Garett Bolles. So there’s that.


thedenverpost--2020-09-27--Broncos up-down drill: Best and worst performances against the Buccaneers

DOWN : Shaq Barrett ’ s homecoming party .
Think he ’ s done proving a point to John Elway yet ?
The former Broncos and CSU pass-rusher was a one-man nightmare Sunday , racking up two sacks and three tackles for loss before we were halfway through the fourth quarter .
UP : Jeff Driskel in the hurry-up .
Trailing by 20 at home late in the second quarter , the Broncos switched to the no-huddle and it paid immediate dividends .
Driskel marched Denver 75 yards on five plays in just 2:05 , hitting Tim Patrick for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first half .
DOWN : The Tampa Sack Attack .
The Broncos surrendered three in the first half .
They ’ d allowed six with five minutes to go in the final quarter .
Forget Blake Bortles .
Brett Rypien might be the only healthy body left in a few weeks .
UP : Brandon McManus , long-distance cannon .
The Broncos placekicker ’ s 56-yard field goal make was his 13th from 50 yards or more since 2016 ( 13-for-28 ) .
And it would ’ ve been good from about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wounds .
Getting whupped on punt protection on your opening drive is the kind of brain cramp that opens the flood gates .
Handing the ball over to Tom Brady at your 10 to start the game ?
That ’ s not death by inches .
That ’ s death by miles .
UP : Jeff Driskel ’ s legs .
Escapability is a rare joy to behold after having to watch the Statue Of What Used To Be Joe Flacco get hammered , repeatedly , a year ago .
DOWN : Jeff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a dink-and-dunk league .
Which means short passes that extend drives and force defenses to cover every blade of grass .
Driskel ’ s inaccuracy ended far too many them .
UP : Shelby Harris ’ paw .
If the Nuggets are looking for a rim protector , maybe they should give No .
96 a call .
Harris ’ pass deflection of Brady in the first half was his fifth game with either a tipped pass or deflected kick in his last seven .
DOWN : Weird Shelby stats .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ records two or more sacks in a contest .
UP : Vic Fangio ’ s face shield .
A week after getting docked $ 100,000 for not wearing his mask enough against Pittsburgh , Fangio ditched the mask in favor of the plastic shield popularized by Kansas City coach Andy Reid .
UP : Successful marriage proposal .
It generated the loudest cheer of the first half .
During the two-minute warning , a Broncos fan on the video board proposed and got the desired answer .
UP : An actual home crowd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , anyway .
The empty seats , from a distance , resembled a midweek Mid-American Conference football game , but some of the old , familiar chants were still audible on the network broadcast .
UP : The South Park cutouts .
Fun to see the whole town masking up for this one .
At least Randy Marsh kept his shirt on .
One question : Can Butters play quarterback ?

DOWN: Shaq Barrett’s homecoming party. Think he’s done proving a point to John Elway yet? The former Broncos and CSU pass-rusher was a one-man nightmare Sunday, racking up two sacks and three tackles for loss before we were halfway through the fourth quarter.
UP: Jeff Driskel in the hurry-up. Trailing by 20 at home late in the second quarter, the Broncos switched to the no-huddle and it paid immediate dividends. Driskel marched Denver 75 yards on five plays in just 2:05, hitting Tim Patrick for a 7-yard score with 14 seconds left in the first half.
DOWN: The Tampa Sack Attack. The Broncos surrendered three in the first half. They’d allowed six with five minutes to go in the final quarter. Forget Blake Bortles. Brett Rypien might be the only healthy body left in a few weeks.
UP: Brandon McManus, long-distance cannon. The Broncos placekicker’s 56-yard field goal make was his 13th from 50 yards or more since 2016 (13-for-28). And it would’ve been good from about 66.
DOWN: More self-inflicted special-teams wounds. Getting whupped on punt protection on your opening drive is the kind of brain cramp that opens the flood gates. Handing the ball over to Tom Brady at your 10 to start the game? That’s not death by inches. That’s death by miles.
UP: Jeff Driskel’s legs. Escapability is a rare joy to behold after having to watch the Statue Of What Used To Be Joe Flacco get hammered, repeatedly, a year ago.
DOWN: Jeff Driskel’s touch. It’s a dink-and-dunk league. Which means short passes that extend drives and force defenses to cover every blade of grass. Driskel’s inaccuracy ended far too many them.
UP: Shelby Harris’ paw. If the Nuggets are looking for a rim protector, maybe they should give No. 96 a call. Harris’ pass deflection of Brady in the first half was his fifth game with either a tipped pass or deflected kick in his last seven.
DOWN: Weird Shelby stats. The Broncos are 0-3 since 2017 when Harris records two or more sacks in a contest.
UP: Vic Fangio’s face shield. A week after getting docked $100,000 for not wearing his mask enough against Pittsburgh, Fangio ditched the mask in favor of the plastic shield popularized by Kansas City coach Andy Reid.
UP: Successful marriage proposal. It generated the loudest cheer of the first half. During the two-minute warning, a Broncos fan on the video board proposed and got the desired answer.
UP: An actual home crowd. Well, 7.5% of one, anyway. The empty seats, from a distance, resembled a midweek Mid-American Conference football game, but some of the old, familiar chants were still audible on the network broadcast.
UP: The South Park cutouts. Fun to see the whole town masking up for this one. At least Randy Marsh kept his shirt on. One question: Can Butters play quarterback?


thedenverpost--2020-09-27--Broncos dominated by Buccaneers, fall to 0-3 for second consecutive season

They are worse than Washington and Carolina , teams starting over with first-year coaches .
They are worse than Jacksonville and Detroit , teams who are undoubtedly flawed .
And they are worse than Miami , a team starting a 37-year-old quarterback .
Ladies and gentleman , let us introduce you to the 2020 Broncos , an NFL also-ran whose season is spiraling down the drain before the first significant Denver metropolitan area snow sticks to the pavement .
Sunday ’ s 28-10 snoozer-of-a-loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Empower Field at Mile High dropped the Broncos to 0-3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in franchise history .
Their offense can ’ t protect the quarterback ( 13 sacks allowed in the last two games ) .
Their defense struggles to harass the quarterback ( four sacks in three games ) .
Their special teams is uniquely awful ( a safety allowed last week and a blocked punt allowed this week to the Buccaneers ) .
And their coaching staff needs to quickly act or , gulp , this season could be headed toward a 3-13/4-12 train-wreck that results in myriad pink slips .
The Tennessee loss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late lead .
The Pittsburgh loss was bad — the Broncos lost Drew Lock and Courtland Sutton in the first half and spotted the Steelers a 17-3 lead .
But the Tampa Bay loss was different — a different kind of bad since the Broncos did little to get the 5,700 fans out of their seats .
As soon as Tampa Bay turned a blocked punt into a 7-0 lead just 5:02 into the game , a feeling of inevitably gripped the stadium .
“ We just have to all look in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re way too talented to be 0-3 and we ’ re way too talented to be losing these games , ” said receiver Tim Patrick , who scored the Broncos ’ only touchdown .
“ Thank God we have this quick turnaround.
” The Broncos will board their charter plane Wednesday afternoon for the trip to New Jersey and Thursday night ’ s game against the winless and hapless New York Jets .
The positive of a quick turnaround : The Broncos can begin grinding on the next opponent instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The negative of a quick turnaround : The Broncos don ’ t have a starting quarterback for the game .
Even last year , when the Broncos ’ offense was consistently impotent , coach Vic Fangio never made an in-game quarterback change .
After practice Friday , Fangio said Jeff Driskel was his starter “ right now.
” Right now lasted less than a game .
Driskel ( 17-of-30 for 176 yards , one touchdown and one interception ) was benched with 9:56 remaining for Brett Rypien .
“ We were struggling with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get a new guy in there and see if he could get the ball out of his hands a little quicker , direct the protections and provide a little spark there , ” Fangio said .
Said Driskel : “ As a competitor , you want to be out there and finish the game .
But ( Fangio ) made a decision and we rolled with it.
” Rypien completed his first eight passes before a fourth-down interception at the goal line .
In Broncos Country , that counts as a spark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fangio returning to Driskel .
So will it be Rypien ( called up from the practice squad Friday ) or Blake Bortles ( two Broncos practices under his belt ) ?
Bortles , even though he ’ s new to town , may be the best option because of his experience in general and his experience in playing on short weeks in particular .
But at least Rypien gave the coaches something to think about .
He looked in command while directing a no-huddle situation .
“ I ’ ve been preparing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Rypien said .
“ The drive went pretty well .
Obviously , I wanted to finish it better on fourth down.
” Once Fangio answers the question about his Thursday night quarterback , issues that are just as serious need to be addressed .
What does their defense do well ?
They allowed Tampa Bay to convert 8-of-16 third downs , failed to create a takeaway to acquire any momentum and allowed three Tom Brady completions of at least 30 yards .
Can their offensive line be salvaged ?
The Broncos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 knockdowns and five pressures ) to Pittsburgh and six sacks , including a safety , to Tampa Bay .
Who can the Broncos actually beat ?
The Jets will be looking at Thursday as their Homecoming Game .
After that for the Broncos is a trip to New England and home games against Miami and Kansas City before the bye .
Yes , it ’ s possible : The Broncos could be 0-7 at their bye .
Play like they did against Tampa Bay and a goose-egg entering November is on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in building leads of 10-0 , 17-3 and 23-3 .
They spent the second half in semi-cruise control .
The Broncos ’ first six possessions : Blocked punt , punt , punt , field goal and punt .
Driskel ’ s only bright spot was a two-minute drill to end the first half with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Patrick .
• “ I ’ m prepared to cry today ” : Limited Broncos fans allowed at Empower Field for first time this season in “ eerie ” loss to Tampa Bay • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disarray during loss to Tampa Bay • Broncos game balls and gassers : Buccaneers pass rush feasts as Denver offensive line is leaky once again • Broncos up-down drill : Best and worst performances against the Buccaneers • Broncos dominated by Buccaneers , fall to 0-3 for second consecutive season “ I know we have a young group on the offense as a whole and I think we aren ’ t where we can be , ” Glasgow said .
“ Frankly , that is a case for optimism , but at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation is we ’ re underperforming and underachieving .
That ’ s something we have to work through as an offense.
” The Broncos have a lot of things to work through and a short time to work through them .
Already in the AFC West cellar , the Broncos are on the cusp of taking up residence in the NFL cellar .
That ’ s how bad September has been … and how bad October could get .

They are worse than Washington and Carolina, teams starting over with first-year coaches.
They are worse than Jacksonville and Detroit, teams who are undoubtedly flawed.
And they are worse than Miami, a team starting a 37-year-old quarterback.
Ladies and gentleman, let us introduce you to the 2020 Broncos, an NFL also-ran whose season is spiraling down the drain before the first significant Denver metropolitan area snow sticks to the pavement.
Sunday’s 28-10 snoozer-of-a-loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Empower Field at Mile High dropped the Broncos to 0-3 in consecutive years for the first time in franchise history.
Their offense can’t protect the quarterback (13 sacks allowed in the last two games). Their defense struggles to harass the quarterback (four sacks in three games). Their special teams is uniquely awful (a safety allowed last week and a blocked punt allowed this week to the Buccaneers). And their coaching staff needs to quickly act or, gulp, this season could be headed toward a 3-13/4-12 train-wreck that results in myriad pink slips.
The Tennessee loss was bad — the Broncos blew a late lead. The Pittsburgh loss was bad — the Broncos lost Drew Lock and Courtland Sutton in the first half and spotted the Steelers a 17-3 lead. But the Tampa Bay loss was different — a different kind of bad since the Broncos did little to get the 5,700 fans out of their seats.
As soon as Tampa Bay turned a blocked punt into a 7-0 lead just 5:02 into the game, a feeling of inevitably gripped the stadium.
“We just have to all look in the mirror and just figure this out because we’re way too talented to be 0-3 and we’re way too talented to be losing these games,” said receiver Tim Patrick, who scored the Broncos’ only touchdown. “Thank God we have this quick turnaround.”
The Broncos will board their charter plane Wednesday afternoon for the trip to New Jersey and Thursday night’s game against the winless and hapless New York Jets.
The positive of a quick turnaround: The Broncos can begin grinding on the next opponent instead of wallowing in the first three losses.
The negative of a quick turnaround: The Broncos don’t have a starting quarterback for the game.
No, really.
Even last year, when the Broncos’ offense was consistently impotent, coach Vic Fangio never made an in-game quarterback change. After practice Friday, Fangio said Jeff Driskel was his starter “right now.”
Right now lasted less than a game.
Driskel (17-of-30 for 176 yards, one touchdown and one interception) was benched with 9:56 remaining for Brett Rypien.
“We were struggling with our pass offense and I just wanted to get a new guy in there and see if he could get the ball out of his hands a little quicker, direct the protections and provide a little spark there,” Fangio said.
Said Driskel: “As a competitor, you want to be out there and finish the game. But (Fangio) made a decision and we rolled with it.”
Rypien completed his first eight passes before a fourth-down interception at the goal line. In Broncos Country, that counts as a spark.
It’s hard to imagine Fangio returning to Driskel. So will it be Rypien (called up from the practice squad Friday) or Blake Bortles (two Broncos practices under his belt)?
“We’ll make that call quickly,” Fangio said.
Bortles, even though he’s new to town, may be the best option because of his experience in general and his experience in playing on short weeks in particular. But at least Rypien gave the coaches something to think about. He looked in command while directing a no-huddle situation.
“I’ve been preparing to be ready to go at any time,” Rypien said. “The drive went pretty well. Obviously, I wanted to finish it better on fourth down.”
Once Fangio answers the question about his Thursday night quarterback, issues that are just as serious need to be addressed.
What does their defense do well? They allowed Tampa Bay to convert 8-of-16 third downs, failed to create a takeaway to acquire any momentum and allowed three Tom Brady completions of at least 30 yards.
Can their offensive line be salvaged? The Broncos allowed 24 disruptions (seven sacks, 12 knockdowns and five pressures) to Pittsburgh and six sacks, including a safety, to Tampa Bay.
Who can the Broncos actually beat? The Jets will be looking at Thursday as their Homecoming Game. After that for the Broncos is a trip to New England and home games against Miami and Kansas City before the bye.
Yes, it’s possible: The Broncos could be 0-7 at their bye.
Play like they did against Tampa Bay and a goose-egg entering November is on the table.
The Buccaneers were never threatened in building leads of 10-0, 17-3 and 23-3. They spent the second half in semi-cruise control.
The Broncos’ first six possessions: Blocked punt, punt, punt, field goal and punt. Driskel’s only bright spot was a two-minute drill to end the first half with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Patrick.
“I know we have a young group on the offense as a whole and I think we aren’t where we can be,” Glasgow said. “Frankly, that is a case for optimism, but at the same time, the reality of the situation is we’re underperforming and underachieving. That’s something we have to work through as an offense.”
The Broncos have a lot of things to work through and a short time to work through them.
Already in the AFC West cellar, the Broncos are on the cusp of taking up residence in the NFL cellar. That’s how bad September has been … and how bad October could get.


thedenverpost--2020-09-28--Guest commentary: From 1619 to 1776, American history must be taught honestly

A string of numbers .
A code ?
A password ?
Once separated in the center , the meaning instantly becomes clear to historians and history teachers .
These numbers represent dates , two years fraught with meaning .
Rather than clinging to a politically motivated invented past , we need to think historically about these two dates together .
This unlocks a deeper understanding about American history ; ignoring the rules of history leads to disaster .
1619 is the year Africans were first forced to land on the shores of what was to become the United States .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the symbolic beginning of American history in her groundbreaking 1619 Project .
Her goal was to place “ the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of our national narrative.
” Historians agree on the seminal significance of the Black experience in American history , and that oppression of Black Americans by white Americans has been an important part of this experience .
It is an undeniable fact of the American past , one that must be taught in American schools .
President Trump does not think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project for its attempt to make students “ ashamed of their own history ” and for “ rewriting American history to teach our children that we were founded on the principle of oppression , not freedom.
” Instead , Trump announced that he was going to create a “ 1776 Commission ” to “ help restore patriotic education to our schools , ” an effort to replace historical thinking with a form of brainwashing .
Of course , the 1776 half of the string of numbers in the title refers to the year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Declaration of Independence .
From the beginning , American students have been taught about Thomas Jefferson penning the Declaration and its ideals of life , liberty and the pursuit of happiness .
This has always stood at the heart of the American history curriculum in schools in Colorado and throughout the nation .
From Abraham Lincoln to Susan B. Anthony to Franklin Roosevelt to the Rev .
Dr. Martin Luther King , Jr. to Cesar Chavez , Americans have acted upon these ideals and left their mark on history .
This is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and one that must be taught in American schools .
From the point of view of history educators , there are two fundamental reasons that both of these “ narratives ” must be taught , and must be taught together .
First , they are inextricably bound together .
Historians have effectively pointed out that the enslavement of Africans and African-Americans paradoxically fostered beliefs in equality , democracy and independence amongst the white population , beliefs that found promise in a Declaration of Independence written by a slaveowner .
At the same time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led to the destruction of slavery and the crafting of Constitutional amendments that hold promise of finally achieving the Declaration ’ s promises of equality .
The most important reason to teach the “ narrative of 1619 ” and the “ narrative of 1776 ” is that they both happened .
Historical thinking requires research into the facts of the past .
History teachers have a duty to incorporate ALL of the facts from the past , not merely the “ alternative facts ” beloved by President Trump and his advisors .
Good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pre-packaged narrative based on an ideological viewpoint .
Good history teachers prepare their students to dig into the past , reading and analyzing every available source and making their claims based on the sources .
Feeding them a narrative , whether it is a narrative of “ patriotism ” or a narrative of “ oppression ” , is not what history teachers do .
Ignoring the historical method , just as ignoring the scientific method , leads to danger .
Misunderstanding the ways of science leads to death by the scourge of pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that evidence builds a narrative instead of the other way around leads to failed policy , 20,000 presidential lies , impeachment and , potentially , the failure of the American experiment .
Fritz Fischer is a professor of history and faculty trustee at the University of Northern Colorado .
He is past chairman of the National Council for History Education .
To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail .

16191776
A string of numbers. A code? A password? Once separated in the center, the meaning instantly becomes clear to historians and history teachers. These numbers represent dates, two years fraught with meaning. Rather than clinging to a politically motivated invented past, we need to think historically about these two dates together. This unlocks a deeper understanding about American history; ignoring the rules of history leads to disaster.
1619 is the year Africans were first forced to land on the shores of what was to become the United States. Nikole Hannah Jones used this fact as the symbolic beginning of American history in her groundbreaking 1619 Project. Her goal was to place “the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of our national narrative.” Historians agree on the seminal significance of the Black experience in American history, and that oppression of Black Americans by white Americans has been an important part of this experience. It is an undeniable fact of the American past, one that must be taught in American schools.
President Trump does not think so. Trump explicitly attacked the 1619 project for its attempt to make students “ashamed of their own history” and for “rewriting American history to teach our children that we were founded on the principle of oppression, not freedom.” Instead, Trump announced that he was going to create a “1776 Commission” to “help restore patriotic education to our schools,” an effort to replace historical thinking with a form of brainwashing.
Of course, the 1776 half of the string of numbers in the title refers to the year of the writing and signing of the Declaration of Independence. From the beginning, American students have been taught about Thomas Jefferson penning the Declaration and its ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This has always stood at the heart of the American history curriculum in schools in Colorado and throughout the nation. From Abraham Lincoln to Susan B. Anthony to Franklin Roosevelt to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to Cesar Chavez, Americans have acted upon these ideals and left their mark on history. This is also an undeniable fact of the American past and one that must be taught in American schools.
From the point of view of history educators, there are two fundamental reasons that both of these “narratives” must be taught, and must be taught together. First, they are inextricably bound together. Historians have effectively pointed out that the enslavement of Africans and African-Americans paradoxically fostered beliefs in equality, democracy and independence amongst the white population, beliefs that found promise in a Declaration of Independence written by a slaveowner. At the same time, it is indeed these ideals that led to the destruction of slavery and the crafting of Constitutional amendments that hold promise of finally achieving the Declaration’s promises of equality.
The most important reason to teach the “narrative of 1619” and the “narrative of 1776” is that they both happened. Historical thinking requires research into the facts of the past. History teachers have a duty to incorporate ALL of the facts from the past, not merely the “alternative facts” beloved by President Trump and his advisors. Good history teaching must not begin with a pre-packaged narrative based on an ideological viewpoint. Good history teachers prepare their students to dig into the past, reading and analyzing every available source and making their claims based on the sources. Feeding them a narrative, whether it is a narrative of “patriotism” or a narrative of “oppression”, is not what history teachers do.
Ignoring the historical method, just as ignoring the scientific method, leads to danger. Misunderstanding the ways of science leads to death by the scourge of pandemic and destruction of an environment. Misunderstanding that evidence builds a narrative instead of the other way around leads to failed policy, 20,000 presidential lies, impeachment and, potentially, the failure of the American experiment.
Fritz Fischer is a professor of history and faculty trustee at the University of Northern Colorado. He is past chairman of the National Council for History Education.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-09-28--Service resumes on all RTD commuter lines after system outage

RTD ’ s commuter rail lines resumed service around 6:35 a.m. after a “ system outage ” that suspended service @ @ @ @ @ .
The University of Colorado A Line , B , N and G lines were @ @ @ @ @ alerts sent by the Regional Transportation District to riders shortly after 3 a.m. Monday .
@ @ @ @ @ normal schedules , RTD is asking riders to allow extra time on trips coming into @ @ @ @ @ full story from our partners at thedenverchannel.com .

RTD’s commuter rail lines resumed service around 6:35 a.m. after a “system outage” that suspended service for several hours Monday morning.
The University of Colorado A Line, B, N and G lines were all down, according to alerts sent by the Regional Transportation District to riders shortly after 3 a.m. Monday.
As the trains resume their normal schedules, RTD is asking riders to allow extra time on trips coming into Union Station.
Read the full story from our partners at thedenverchannel.com.


thedenverpost--2020-09-28--Broncos Q-and-A: What happened on blocked punt to set tone for entire game?

Question : What happened on the blocked punt early in the game ?
Answer : Talk about starting with a special teams snafu .
Three things happened — Patrick O ’ Connor used a quick get-off to gain outside leverage on long snapper Jacob Bobenmoyer .
One Broncos player , Malik Reed , flared outside to start covering .
Another Broncos player , Trey Marshall , flared inside to start covering .
That left O ’ Connor with a free run at Sam Martin to block the punt .
Tampa Bay had third-and-goal from the 10-yard line after the blocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Broncos would have forced a field goal .
But there appeared to be miscommunication in who was covering Chris Godwin .
Our guess is cornerback Essang Bassey thought he had a different assignment .
That allowed Godwin to catch Tom Brady ’ s pass at the 4 and score the touchdown .
Q : The Broncos were 29th on third down entering the game and went 5-of-14 on Sunday .
What was the biggest issue ?
A : The Broncos weren ’ t good enough on first and second downs , creating long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Broncos needed seven , 10 , 11 , eight , 15 , 13 and 20 yards on third down .
They converted a third-and-7 ( nine-yard Jeff Driskel scramble ) and a third-and-20 ( 27-yard Tim Patrick catch ) .
Poor production on first and second downs is usually due to a poor running game .
The Broncos ’ first-half designed run plays gained 4 , 2 , -2 , -1 , 2 and 9 yards .
Hurry back , Phillip Lindsay .
Q : How bad was the start of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first half with a touchdown to get within 23-10 ?
A : Awful .
First drive : Tight end Noah Fant dropped pass , right guard Graham Glasgow holding penalty , Fant dropped pass and safety by Buccaneers outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett .
Second drive : Batted down pass , eight-yard rush by Melvin Gordon and batted down pass .
A : I was surprised because Tampa Bay was cruising along with an 18-point lead and Brett Rypien had never played an NFL regular-season snap .
But Fangio gave Rypien the Broncos ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a test drive to see if Rypien is capable of playing Thursday against the Jets .
The other theory is Fangio saw Driskel taking a ton of punishment and wanted to keep him healthy for Thursday .
I ’ ll go with Rypien getting an audition .
He was 8-of-8 passing for 53 yards before his fourth-down interception .
The coaches obviously felt Driskel was holding onto the football too long and wanted to change things up .
Q : No lineup changes on a short week , right , except for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Broncos won ’ t practice Monday and will have walk-throughs on Tuesday and Wednesday .
That ’ s it .
But if the Broncos drop to 0-4 by losing to the New York Jets or even if they muddle along in a win , the mini-bye weekend will be a chance for the coaching staff to examine every part of the depth chart .

Question: What happened on the blocked punt early in the game?
Answer: Three things happened — Patrick O’Connor used a quick get-off to gain outside leverage on long snapper Jacob Bobenmoyer. One Broncos player, Malik Reed, flared outside to start covering. Another Broncos player, Trey Marshall, flared inside to start covering. That left O’Connor with a free run at Sam Martin to block the punt. “We should have done better with the guard (Reed) next to the center (Bobenmoyer) and helped him a little bit and our personal protector (Marshall) needs to be the last line of defense and he can help also,” coach Vic Fangio said Monday.
Q: The Broncos were 29th on third down entering the game and went 5-of-14 on Sunday. What was the biggest issue?
A: The Broncos weren’t good enough on first and second downs, creating long third-down situations. In the first half, the Broncos needed seven, 10, 11, eight, 15, 13 and 20 yards on third down. They converted a third-and-7 (nine-yard Jeff Driskel scramble) and a third-and-20 (27-yard Tim Patrick catch). Poor production on first and second downs is usually due to a poor running game. The Broncos’ first-half designed run plays gained 4, 2, -2, -1, 2 and 9 yards. Hurry back, Phillip Lindsay.
Q: How bad was the start of the second half offensively after finishing the first half with a touchdown to get within 23-10?
A: Awful. First drive: Tight end Noah Fant dropped pass, right guard Graham Glasgow holding penalty, Fant dropped pass and safety by Buccaneers outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett. Second drive: Batted down pass, eight-yard rush by Melvin Gordon and incompletion.
Q: Was Fangio’s decision to bench Jeff Driskel a surprise?
A: I was surprised because Tampa Bay was cruising along with an 18-point lead and Brett Rypien had never played an NFL regular-season snap. But Fangio gave Rypien the Broncos’ final offensive possession. I think it was a test drive to see if Rypien is capable of playing Thursday against the Jets. The other theory is Fangio saw Driskel taking a ton of punishment and wanted to keep him healthy for Thursday. I’ll go with Rypien getting an audition. He was 8-of-8 passing for 53 yards before his fourth-down interception. The coaches obviously felt Driskel was holding onto the football too long and wanted to change things up. Fangio will name a starting quarterback on Tuesday for Thursday’s game at the Jets.
Q: No lineup changes on a short week, right, except for quarterback?
A: Probably so. The Broncos won’t practice Monday and will have walk-throughs on Tuesday and Wednesday. That’s it. Fangio said changes at right tackle (Demar Dotson replacing Elijah Wilkinson) and center (Austin Schlottmann replacing Lloyd Cushenberry) aren’t currently being considered. Defensive end Jurrell Casey tore his biceps tendon and is out for the year. The Broncos are already without reserve ends DeMarcus Walker (calf) and Dre’Mont Jones (knee). That could thrust DeShawn Williams into the starting lineup. But if the Broncos drop to 0-4 by losing to the New York Jets or even if they muddle along in a win, the mini-bye weekend will be a chance for the coaching staff to examine every part of the depth chart.


thedenverpost--2020-09-28--Douglas County commissioner candidate’s military record prompts allegations of misrepresenting servi

Douglas County commissioner candidate’s military record prompts allegations of misrepresenting service

The military record of a Republican candidate for Douglas County commissioner has sparked criticism from political opponents and veterans , with the county ’ s sheriff breaking with his own party to support the Democrat in the race .
On his campaign biography , George Teal , a Castle Rock town council member , touts himself as a veteran of Operation Desert Storm , the 1991 military campaign to expel occupying Iraqi forces from Kuwait .
But Teal served in Germany during the Gulf War , never seeing combat .
In May , Teal was disqualified from the Veterans of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s VFW commander expressing concern in a letter to the Castle Rock mayor that Teal ’ s characterization on the city website was a “ misrepresentation of his actual service.
” “ He didn ’ t serve in a combat zone , ” Bruce Dolan , the Colorado VFW ’ s state adjutant and quartermaster , told The Denver Post .
“ This is a combat veteran ’ s organization.
” Ryan Lynch , a spokesman for Teal , said the candidate was actually recruited by the VFW years ago , and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision , he said , was political gamesmanship .
“ He ’ s been very clear from the beginning of this campaign , and throughout his military career , that he was never in combat in Desert Storm , ” Lynch said .
“ He was deployed in support of Desert Storm.
” At no point did Teal lie about his military service , the spokesman said .
Jay Ledbetter served with Teal in Germany , calling him an “ outstanding soldier.
” Their battalion was ready to jump into battle should another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seemed like a good possibility at the time , he said .
“ Some people want to make the distinction that unless you got sand in your boots you didn ’ t really serve , and that ’ s garbage , ” Ledbetter said .
But the way Teal marketed his military background was one reason Tony Spurlock , the Douglas County sheriff , elected to back Teal ’ s Democratic opponent , Lisa Neal-Graves .
“ If you lie about your military experience because you have to pretend you ’ re something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else are you going to do ?
” Spurlock told The Post .
“ He ’ s a pretender.
” The sheriff made waves last week when he endorsed Neal-Graves , and on Thursday night he tweeted a list of reasons why he chose to split from his party in response to an outpouring of questions from constituents .
“ In my opinion , he ’ s dangerous , ” Spurlock said of Teal .
Neal-Graves said her opponent ’ s decision to “ stretch the truth even modestly speaks to who he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s not as a leader.
” For veterans , any allegations of embellishment of military service are taken seriously .
“ It ’ d be kind of like you slept with my mother — that ’ s how serious we are , ” the VFW ’ s Dolan said .
“ We ’ ve been there ; we ’ ve seen people get killed and maimed — then people who ’ ve never had any part of that try to say they have , too.
” Joe Chenelly , the national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization representing 250,000 members , said mischaracterizations of one ’ s service raise major red flags .
Especially since veterans know the different between a war-era veteran and a war veteran , he said .
“ My question would be for that person : Why ?
” Chenelly said .
“ What you did is honorable .
Why change it and make it something that it wasn ’ t ?
Be proud of your service .
”

The military record of a Republican candidate for Douglas County commissioner has sparked criticism from political opponents and veterans, with the county’s sheriff breaking with his own party to support the Democrat in the race.
On his campaign biography, George Teal, a Castle Rock town council member, touts himself as a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, the 1991 military campaign to expel occupying Iraqi forces from Kuwait.
But Teal served in Germany during the Gulf War, never seeing combat.
In May, Teal was disqualified from the Veterans of Foreign Wars, with the state’s VFW commander expressing concern in a letter to the Castle Rock mayor that Teal’s characterization on the city website was a “misrepresentation of his actual service.”
“He didn’t serve in a combat zone,” Bruce Dolan, the Colorado VFW’s state adjutant and quartermaster, told The Denver Post. “This is a combat veteran’s organization.”
Ryan Lynch, a spokesman for Teal, said the candidate was actually recruited by the VFW years ago, and was accepted into the organization. The recent decision, he said, was political gamesmanship.
“He’s been very clear from the beginning of this campaign, and throughout his military career, that he was never in combat in Desert Storm,” Lynch said. “He was deployed in support of Desert Storm.”
At no point did Teal lie about his military service, the spokesman said.
Jay Ledbetter served with Teal in Germany, calling him an “outstanding soldier.” Their battalion was ready to jump into battle should another unit have suffered massive casualties, which seemed like a good possibility at the time, he said.
“Some people want to make the distinction that unless you got sand in your boots you didn’t really serve, and that’s garbage,” Ledbetter said.
But the way Teal marketed his military background was one reason Tony Spurlock, the Douglas County sheriff, elected to back Teal’s Democratic opponent, Lisa Neal-Graves.
“If you lie about your military experience because you have to pretend you’re something that you’re not, what else are you going to do?” Spurlock told The Post. “He’s a pretender.”
The sheriff made waves last week when he endorsed Neal-Graves, and on Thursday night he tweeted a list of reasons why he chose to split from his party in response to an outpouring of questions from constituents.
“In my opinion, he’s dangerous,” Spurlock said of Teal.
Neal-Graves said her opponent’s decision to “stretch the truth even modestly speaks to who he is as a leader — or who he’s not as a leader.”
For veterans, any allegations of embellishment of military service are taken seriously.
“It’d be kind of like you slept with my mother — that’s how serious we are,” the VFW’s Dolan said. “We’ve been there; we’ve seen people get killed and maimed — then people who’ve never had any part of that try to say they have, too.”
Joe Chenelly, the national executive director of AMVETS, a veteran organization representing 250,000 members, said mischaracterizations of one’s service raise major red flags. Especially since veterans know the different between a war-era veteran and a war veteran, he said.
“My question would be for that person: Why?” Chenelly said. “What you did is honorable. Why change it and make it something that it wasn’t? Be proud of your service.”


thedenverpost--2020-09-28--Colorado poised to take another major step in regulating oil, gas industry — this time on well setba

Colorado poised to take another major step in regulating oil, gas industry — this time on well setbacks

A day after a state commission last week approved one-of-a-kind rules for monitoring emissions from Colorado oil and gas sites , another one voiced support for what could be the largest statewide well setbacks in the country .
However , the requirement for at least 2,000 feet between oil and gas wells and homes would likely come with exceptions that could in practice result in shorter setbacks in certain cases .
The proposed setbacks being considered by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission and the emissions-monitoring rules approved Wednesday by the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission are part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both panels have been holding public hearings , meeting with interest groups and writing rules to carry out the stated purpose of SB 181 , which was a change in focus from fostering oil and gas development to regulating it in a way that protects the public and the environment .
The oil and gas commission took a straw poll Thursday on the proposed setbacks and is expected to formally vote on that rule and several others in November .
The COGCC and some environmental groups said they believe the 2,000-foot distance would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country .
“ We ’ re thankful to the commissioners for listening to the testimony of impacted residents and listening to the science of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment study , which really was aligned with the stories that people have been telling for a very long time about the distance around which complaints and impacts show up , ” said Emily Hornback , executive director of the Western Colorado Alliance .
The alliance is concerned about how the proposed exceptions to the 2,000-foot setback would be applied , Hornback @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face site-specific limitations .
The 2,000-foot setback from schools and child care facilities couldn ’ t be waived under the proposed rules .
Hearings would be held on requests for exceptions .
“ Our organization has never been out to completely stop drilling in Western Colorado .
We understand its role in our economy .
Our neighbors and friends and family are employed in the industry , ” Hornback said .
But industry representatives and supporters said 2,000-foot setbacks will devastate the oil and gas industry because it will severely limit where companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cascade across Colorado ’ s economy , they warn , because the industry supports thousands of jobs and generates billions of dollars in tax revenue for state and local governments and schools .
“ The COGCC is meeting to discuss rules and regulations that are going to have a dire impact on the oil and gas industry here in the state , possibly shutting it down , ” said state Sen. John Cooke , a Republican who represents Weld County , the state ’ s largest oil-producing county .
During a call with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislators said approving 2,000-foot setbacks would defy voters ’ wishes .
In 2018 , Colorado voters rejected a ballot measure requiring new wells be at least 2,500 feet from occupied buildings and other sites .
“ In 2018 , Proposition112 was soundly defeated .
Yet this governor and his appointees have decided to go rogue and not do what the people of Colorado have shared that they want accomplished , ” said state Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg , R-Sterling .
Last week , members of the Denver Petroleum Club expressed its opposition to 2,000-foot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jared Polis .
“ The industry said this is Proposition112 all over again .
That ’ s just flatly inaccurate , ” said Mike Freeman , a Denver-based attorney with Earthjustice , who is representing community and environmental groups in the hearings .
The 2018 initiative would have imposed 2,500-foot setbacks , with no exceptions , and would have included waterways , parks and other sites besides occupied buildings , said Freeman .
He said he ’ s not aware of another state with setbacks of 2,000 feet or longer .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in protecting public health and the environment , ” said Freeman , adding that he will watch closely as exceptions are approved .
Senate Bill 181 made it through the legislature after Polis , a Democrat , was elected in 2018 and Democrats took control of both chambers of the Colorado General Assembly .
The law gives local governments more authority to regulate oil and gas when it comes to what happens on the surface .
“ When we embarked on the historic passage of Senate Bill 181 , we knew fundamental changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , safety and the environment , provide local governments a seat at the table , and cultivate more regulatory certainty for industry in the wake of years of ballot initiatives , ” the governor ’ s office said in an email Friday , “ And while we don ’ t provide comments on the specifics of an ongoing regulatory process , we have full faith in our staff and Commissioners at the Oil and Gas Commission to implement the legislation in a manner that achieves these critical objectives while working with a diverse @ @ @ @ @

A state commission has given preliminary approval to what could be the largest statewide setbacks for oil and gas wells in the country.
The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission voted Monday for 2,000-foot setbacks. A final vote on that rule and many others is expected in early November.
The COGCC said it believes the 2,000 feet of space that would be required between homes, schools and oil and gas wells would be the largest in the country.
However, the requirement comes with exceptions that could in practice result in shorter setbacks in certain cases, including when topography or technology can provide comparable protections at a shorter distance.
The setbacks and a first-of-its-kind emissions-monitoring rules for wells approved Sept. 23 by the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission are part of the implementation of Senate Bill 181. Both panels have been holding public hearings, meeting with interest groups and writing rules to carry out the stated purpose of SB 181, which was a change in focus from fostering oil and gas development to regulating it in a way that protects the public and the environment.
If given final approval, the 2,000-foot setbacks would likely be the largest in the country, Kristy Hartman, the energy program director at the National Conference of State Legislatures, said in an email. She said the only other state she know with a setback of up to 2,000 feet is Michigan and it applies only to specific water resources.
“We’re thankful to the commissioners for listening to the testimony of impacted residents and listening to the science of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment study, which really was aligned with the stories that people have been telling for a very long time about the distance around which complaints and impacts show up,” said Emily Hornback, executive director of the Western Colorado Alliance.
The alliance is concerned about how the proposed exceptions to the 2,000-foot setback would be applied, Hornback said, but understands that companies might face site-specific limitations.
The 2,000-foot setback from schools and child care facilities couldn’t be waived under the proposed rules. Hearings would be held on requests for exceptions.
“Our organization has never been out to completely stop drilling in Western Colorado. We understand its role in our economy. Our neighbors and friends and family are employed in the industry,” Hornback said.
But industry representatives and supporters said 2,000-foot setbacks will devastate the oil and gas industry because it will severely limit where companies could drill. That in turn would cascade across Colorado’s economy, they warn, because the industry supports thousands of jobs and generates billions of dollars in tax revenue for state and local governments and schools.
“The COGCC is meeting to discuss rules and regulations that are going to have a dire impact on the oil and gas industry here in the state, possibly shutting it down,” said state Sen. John Cooke, a Republican who represents Weld County, the state’s largest oil-producing county.
During a call with reporters last week, Cooke and other GOP legislators said approving 2,000-foot setbacks would defy voters’ wishes. In 2018, Colorado voters rejected a ballot measure requiring new wells be at least 2,500 feet from occupied buildings and other sites.
“In 2018, Proposition 112 was soundly defeated. Yet this governor and his appointees have decided to go rogue and not do what the people of Colorado have shared that they want accomplished,” said state Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling.
Last week, members of the Denver Petroleum Club expressed their opposition to 2,000-foot setbacks in a letter to Gov. Jared Polis.
“The industry said this is Proposition 112 all over again. That’s just flatly inaccurate,” said Mike Freeman, a Denver-based attorney with Earthjustice, who is representing community and environmental groups in the hearings.
The 2018 initiative would have imposed 2,500-foot setbacks, with no exceptions, and would have included waterways, parks and other sites besides occupied buildings, said Freeman. He said he’s not aware of another state with setbacks of 2,000 feet or longer.
“This really would make Colorado a national leader in protecting public health and the environment,” said Freeman, adding that he will watch closely as exceptions are approved.
Asked Monday about warnings from the industry that the setbacks will render most areas off-limits in Colorado to drilling, COGCC Chairman Jeff Robbins said, “We fundamentally disagree with that statement from industry.”
The setbacks with the accompanying exceptions will allow for what is required under SB181, “which is approval of permits that are protective of health, safety, welfare the environment and wildlife resources,” Robbins added.
Senate Bill 181 made it through the legislature after Polis, a Democrat, was elected in 2018 and Democrats took control of both chambers of the Colorado General Assembly.
The law gives local governments more authority to regulate oil and gas when it comes to what happens on the surface.
“When we embarked on the historic passage of Senate Bill 181, we knew fundamental changes were necessary to enhance protection of health, safety and the environment, provide local governments a seat at the table, and cultivate more regulatory certainty for industry in the wake of years of ballot initiatives,” the governor’s office said in an email Friday, “And while we don’t provide comments on the specifics of an ongoing regulatory process, we have full faith in our staff and Commissioners at the Oil and Gas Commission to implement the legislation in a manner that achieves these critical objectives while working with a diverse set of stakeholders.”


thedenverpost--2020-09-28--Usually political hotbeds, Colorado’s college campuses quiet as voter registration, campaigning ramp

Usually political hotbeds, Colorado’s college campuses quiet as voter registration, campaigning ramps up

On Tuesday — National Voter Registration Day — the Auraria campus in downtown Denver was practically barren , so uninhabited that a shout of “ Are you registered to vote ?
” easily cleared the plexiglass shield in front of New Era Colorado ’ s tent and echoed down the walkways .
Gone were pre-pandemic features like circus performers and walls lined with fresh goodies for the taking , temptations that in years past lured hordes of college students headed to class to the youth civic engagement group ’ s voter-registration booths .
Instead , a select few New Era @ @ @ @ @ @ @ university pavement to help young people register to vote , at a distance , and distribute their notoriously profane voter advocacy merchandise along with coffee drinks , chips , extra face coverings and hand sanitizer .
“ There are no longer huge masses of young people scurrying across the campus , ” said Nicole Hensel , executive director of New Era Colorado .
“ Foot traffic looks different .
Normally , we go up to everyone and ask them if they ’ re registered to vote .
This year , things look a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an election year typically are a hub of voter-registration activity , campaign events , polling centers and political advocacy as those newly eligible to cast ballots learn how .
In the COVID-19 age , when gatherings are discouraged and colleges are getting called out by state public health officials for driving cases of the virus up in Colorado , youth voter education had to pivot .
Professors across the state are inviting civic-minded organizations to hop into their Zoom classrooms and walk students through voter registration .
Universities are ramping up online efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ livestreams with election officials .
Student organizers are counting on their social media savvy to influence new voters , longing for the days when packed campus lawns meant a plethora of meaningful interactions .
In the 2016 presidential election cycle , New Era Colorado — the largest young voter registration organization in the state , which also advocates for left-leaning policies — registered 55,000 voters .
At the end of the 2018 election cycle , they registered more than 43,000 .
So far this year , another presidential election cycle , New Era @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our transition to online voter registration during the height of the pandemic had led to increases in our online voter registration as we paused our field program in March and just began resuming in August , ” Hensel said .
Not only has the novel coronavirus altered the ways political activity is hosted at colleges , but experts worry COVID-19 ’ s impacts on campuses across the state may disrupt the youth vote entirely .
“ One of our major concerns that we have right now — as if we need anything else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleges and universities do suddenly need to move remote due to the pandemic , young people are going to need to do a massive updating of their addresses to make sure their voter files aren ’ t inactive , ” Hensel said .
“ We already do a lot of reminding students to update their addresses because young people move around a lot , but it ’ s not as common for that to happen in September or October of an election year.
” The University of Colorado Boulder switched to remote learning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surge , forming the biggest outbreak in the state .
The school will remain online-only for at least two weeks .
CU Boulder , in particular , has been a hotbed of political activity during presidential election campaigns .
President Barack Obama drew thousands during two visits in 2012 .
Three years later , the campus hosted a Republican presidential primary debate , which CU leaders said was the largest media event in the campus ’ s 140-year history .
Now , CU Boulder political science professor Anand Sokhey just misses the days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by while students trickled in to educate them on voting logistics .
“ When you don ’ t have these institutions operating reliably in the same ways , what do you do ?
” Sokhey said .
Sokhey said the political science department has been reaching out to students in a nonpartisan fashion to inform them about voting resources from reliable sources .
“ It ’ s going to introduce a potential level of confusion if you have students and campuses in transition over the Election Day period or right up to it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Colorado College sent students packing at the beginning of September due to COVID-19 , inciting a mad dash by New Era employees to digitally reach the scattering students and remind them to update their addresses to ensure they get their ballots .
Students who left their Colorado campus this semester and headed home can decide whether they would like their vote to count in their college town or wherever they ’ re newly stationed , but they need to let the state know where to reach them .
Those needing to update @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first time can visit registerincolorado.org .
In past election years , Elizabeth Parmelee said staff at Metropolitan State University of Denver drove around a bustling Auraria campus in golf carts , making a compelling racket asking students if they were registered to vote , helping walk them through the process if needed and handing out prized “ rock the vote ” buttons .
MSU Denver was recognized by a national awards program , the All In Campus Democracy Challenge , for having the highest undergraduate student voting rate , 65.3 % , among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 .
“ All evidence suggests that students who vote while they ’ re in college continue to be engaged more in democracy , so part of our motivation is to make sure all of our students get caught up in the excitement of voting and… continue to grow more as members of their communities and participants in democracy , ” said Parmelee , who oversees voter activation activities at MSU Denver .
Now the campus is relying more heavily on social media to educate its students about voting logistics .
On Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Janine Davidson and Denver Clerk and Recorder Paul Lopez held a virtual event where the pair talked about the importance of early voting .
Kelly Mutz , a 29-year-old MSU Denver student , is the university ’ s civic and community initiative assistant tasked with how best to reach a population known for low voter turnout at a time when there are seemingly endless obstacles , worries and discouragements demanding their attention .
“ Right now with students being at home and feeling both overwhelmed and bored at the same time , looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mutz said .
“ But it can be a challenge to organize so much remotely.
” For example , Mutz said , with so few in-person events to snap photos of , there are few fresh images to attach to social media posts encouraging student voting , but Mutz and her colleagues are innovating around the issue through graphic design and archived photos .
Joey Fratino , president of CU Boulder ’ s College Republicans , said COVID-19 has put a damper on the organization ’ s most fruitful recruiting tool : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the people on campus lean Democrat , ” Fratino said .
“ Tabling — that ’ s our most effective means to advance the conservative cause .
It ’ s a lot easier to get people to discuss their political views face-to-face .
It ’ s not great via social media , where people just want to argue .
Losing those face-to-face conversations is hard for our club.
” Fratino said the student organization — about 20 consistent members strong , but dwindling as Zoom meetings this semester stretch on — is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ host guest speakers .
During a normal academic year , Fratino said the group would host in-person events including voter registration help .
“ Obviously , this year that ’ s not possible , ” Fratino said .
“ Hopefully whenever we start in-person , we ’ ll be able to get members to come back .
”

On Tuesday — National Voter Registration Day — the Auraria campus in downtown Denver was practically barren, so uninhabited that a shout of “Are you registered to vote?” easily cleared the plexiglass shield in front of New Era Colorado’s tent and echoed down the walkways.
Gone were pre-pandemic features like circus performers and walls lined with fresh goodies for the taking, temptations that in years past lured hordes of college students headed to class to the youth civic engagement group’s voter-registration booths.
Instead, a select few New Era employees — all masked — hit the university pavement to help young people register to vote, at a distance, and distribute their notoriously profane voter advocacy merchandise along with coffee drinks, chips, extra face coverings and hand sanitizer.
“There are no longer huge masses of young people scurrying across the campus,” said Nicole Hensel, executive director of New Era Colorado. “Foot traffic looks different. Normally, we go up to everyone and ask them if they’re registered to vote. This year, things look a little bit different.”
College campuses during an election year typically are a hub of voter-registration activity, campaign events, polling centers and political advocacy as those newly eligible to cast ballots learn how. In the COVID-19 age, when gatherings are discouraged and colleges are getting called out by state public health officials for driving cases of the virus up in Colorado, youth voter education had to pivot.
Professors across the state are inviting civic-minded organizations to hop into their Zoom classrooms and walk students through voter registration. Universities are ramping up online efforts for voter education like Instagram takeovers and livestreams with election officials. Student organizers are counting on their social media savvy to influence new voters, longing for the days when packed campus lawns meant a plethora of meaningful interactions.
In the 2016 presidential election cycle, New Era Colorado — the largest young voter registration organization in the state, which also advocates for left-leaning policies — registered 55,000 voters. At the end of the 2018 election cycle, they registered more than 43,000.
So far this year, another presidential election cycle, New Era has registered more than 24,000.
“Our transition to online voter registration during the height of the pandemic had led to increases in our online voter registration as we paused our field program in March and just began resuming in August,” Hensel said.
Not only has the novel coronavirus altered the ways political activity is hosted at colleges, but experts worry COVID-19’s impacts on campuses across the state may disrupt the youth vote entirely.
“One of our major concerns that we have right now — as if we need anything else to worry about — is that if colleges and universities do suddenly need to move remote due to the pandemic, young people are going to need to do a massive updating of their addresses to make sure their voter files aren’t inactive,” Hensel said. “We already do a lot of reminding students to update their addresses because young people move around a lot, but it’s not as common for that to happen in September or October of an election year.”
The University of Colorado Boulder switched to remote learning last week as COVID-19 cases on campus surge, forming the biggest outbreak in the state. The school will remain online-only for at least two weeks.
“A potential level of confusion”
CU Boulder, in particular, has been a hotbed of political activity during presidential election campaigns. President Barack Obama drew thousands during two visits in 2012. Three years later, the campus hosted a Republican presidential primary debate, which CU leaders said was the largest media event in the campus’s 140-year history.
Now, CU Boulder political science professor Anand Sokhey just misses the days his big lecture classes featured folks dropping by while students trickled in to educate them on voting logistics.
“When you don’t have these institutions operating reliably in the same ways, what do you do?” Sokhey said.
Sokhey said the political science department has been reaching out to students in a nonpartisan fashion to inform them about voting resources from reliable sources.
“It’s going to introduce a potential level of confusion if you have students and campuses in transition over the Election Day period or right up to it,” Sokhey said.
Colorado Springs’ Colorado College sent students packing at the beginning of September due to COVID-19, inciting a mad dash by New Era employees to digitally reach the scattering students and remind them to update their addresses to ensure they get their ballots.
Students who left their Colorado campus this semester and headed home can decide whether they would like their vote to count in their college town or wherever they’re newly stationed, but they need to let the state know where to reach them. Those needing to update their registration information or register for the first time can visit registerincolorado.org.
In past election years, Elizabeth Parmelee said staff at Metropolitan State University of Denver drove around a bustling Auraria campus in golf carts, making a compelling racket asking students if they were registered to vote, helping walk them through the process if needed and handing out prized “rock the vote” buttons.
A challenge to organize on campuses
MSU Denver was recognized by a national awards program, the All In Campus Democracy Challenge, for having the highest undergraduate student voting rate, 65.3%, among almost 600 college and university campuses in 2016.
“All evidence suggests that students who vote while they’re in college continue to be engaged more in democracy, so part of our motivation is to make sure all of our students get caught up in the excitement of voting and… continue to grow more as members of their communities and participants in democracy,” said Parmelee, who oversees voter activation activities at MSU Denver.
Now the campus is relying more heavily on social media to educate its students about voting logistics.
On Thursday, for example, MSU Denver President Janine Davidson and Denver Clerk and Recorder Paul Lopez held a virtual event where the pair talked about the importance of early voting.
Kelly Mutz, a 29-year-old MSU Denver student, is the university’s civic and community initiative assistant tasked with how best to reach a population known for low voter turnout at a time when there are seemingly endless obstacles, worries and discouragements demanding their attention.
“Right now with students being at home and feeling both overwhelmed and bored at the same time, looking to social media is really important,” Mutz said. “But it can be a challenge to organize so much remotely.”
For example, Mutz said, with so few in-person events to snap photos of, there are few fresh images to attach to social media posts encouraging student voting, but Mutz and her colleagues are innovating around the issue through graphic design and archived photos.
Making the case face-to-face
Joey Fratino, president of CU Boulder’s College Republicans, said COVID-19 has put a damper on the organization’s most fruitful recruiting tool: in-person conversation.
“Ninety percent of the people on campus lean Democrat,” Fratino said. “Tabling — that’s our most effective means to advance the conservative cause. It’s a lot easier to get people to discuss their political views face-to-face. It’s not great via social media, where people just want to argue. Losing those face-to-face conversations is hard for our club.”
Fratino said the student organization — about 20 consistent members strong, but dwindling as Zoom meetings this semester stretch on — is still gathering online for virtual discussions and to host guest speakers. During a normal academic year, Fratino said the group would host in-person events including voter registration help.
“Obviously, this year that’s not possible,” Fratino said. “Hopefully whenever we start in-person, we’ll be able to get members to come back.”


thedenverpost--2020-09-28--Denver weather: Smoky and cool with temperatures in the 60s Monday

Denver ’ s staying smoky and cool for another day .
While sunny skies are in the forecast , the @ @ @ @ @ 62 degrees in the metro area , according to the National Weather Service .
It @ @ @ @ @ from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and winds may gust up to 18 mph .
@ @ @ @ @ of 43 in the evening with light winds between 5 to 8 mph .
It @ @ @ @ @ degrees on Tuesday with possible wind gusts up to 15 mph .
The evening ’ @ @ @ @ @ be 47 .
Sunny skies are expected through the week with highs of 77 , @ @ @ @ @ , Thursday and Friday , respectively .
The lows will be in the mid 40s @

Denver’s staying smoky and cool for another day.
While sunny skies are in the forecast, the temperature will rise to just 62 degrees in the metro area, according to the National Weather Service. It is expected to be smoky from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and winds may gust up to 18 mph.
There will be a low of 43 in the evening with light winds between 5 to 8 mph.
It will warm up to 77 degrees on Tuesday with possible wind gusts up to 15 mph. The evening’s low is expected to be 47.
Sunny skies are expected through the week with highs of 77, 69 and 75 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, respectively. The lows will be in the mid 40s.


thedenverpost--2020-09-28--Ask Amy: Prospective parents worry about racist relatives

Dear Amy : My brother ’ s wife has been posting a lot of racist content and wild conspiracy theories to her social media accounts .
My husband and I have asked her to reconsider her positions , but she has doubled down ( more than once ) and asserted her right “ as a white Christian ” to say these things .
My niece ( 16 ) said , “ Eew .
I ’ d never be friends with a black person.
” My brother told me that they would never apologize for their beliefs .
My husband and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foster parents .
In our area , 62 percent of children in foster care are children of color .
We ’ ve told my parents that we need to cut contact with my brother ’ s family .
My mother is pushing me to let them “ set the record straight.
” I ’ m not comfortable forcing children of color to interact with them , knowing the kind of hate they hold in their hearts .
I ’ m not comfortable with them around white children we might foster , either .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and so we are currently not speaking to them , either .
Do I owe my brother ’ s family yet another chance to explain themselves ?
Even if they promise to stop publicly stating these racist things , how can I trust them to be kind to children of color in my care ?
How can I have a relationship with my parents , even if I can ’ t have one with my brother ?
— Trying to Do the Right Thing Dear Trying : Like any prospective parents , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protect your child from physical or psychic harm .
Just as your brother and his wife are describing their world to their daughter , you will honestly describe your world to your child .
There seems little point in trying to force these people to renounce their racist ideology .
They are showing you who they are .
Believe them .
You should not follow them on social media .
You should not involve your mother .
You don ’ t actually have to declare an estrangement — you can simply make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you will naturally minimize time spent with them because they seem awful , and you don ’ t like them ( they don ’ t seem to like you , either ) .
For many of us , however , the very definition of “ family ” is to occasionally share space with loudmouths , blowhards , racists , or people you simply don ’ t like .
In time , you can explain to your child why you don ’ t like them .
Relieve your mother of her desire to mediate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not necessary .
Dear Amy : My girlfriend ( live-in partner ) is 22 .
We ’ ve been living together for almost three years .
During that time , however , she has kept close relationships with a number of other men she just refers to as her “ friends.
” She refuses to allow me to see her phone , keeps it locked when she ’ s not on it , and gets crazy mad if I even look at her when she ’ s on her phone .
Before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday and/or Saturday night with one of her male friends , leaving me home alone .
They would usually end up at another male friend ’ s apartment .
She insists it ’ s all innocent , and maybe it is on her part ( am I being naive ? )
, but I can ’ t believe it ’ s always innocent .
If I ask her about what she is doing , she gets angry and complains that I don ’ t respect her boundaries and that I ’ m being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t mean anything , then why is it all kept a secret ?
Dear Paranoid ?
: There is paranoid , and then there is gaslighting .
You are experiencing the latter .
Because your girlfriend is so big on boundaries , I think it would be a good idea for you to establish some .
For starters , she ( or you ) should move out .
She is not interested in being in the kind of relationship you want to have .
Dear Amy : As a genealogist who values @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice to “ Half-Sister ” to not share some letters she found .
You ask , “ What good would be served ?
” Look what a great life “ Barb ” was offered by her adoptive parents because of the loving decision of her birth mother to have her adopted .
The letters address real life and how people work through problems .
Barb needs these letters .
Dear History Keeper : Many adoptees ( and others ) have let me know that they disagree with my advice — to offer this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letters written between her two biological parents .
I stand corrected .
Thank you all .

Dear Amy: My brother’s wife has been posting a lot of racist content and wild conspiracy theories to her social media accounts.
My husband and I have asked her to reconsider her positions, but she has doubled down (more than once) and asserted her right “as a white Christian” to say these things. My niece (16) said, “Eew. I’d never be friends with a black person.”
My brother told me that they would never apologize for their beliefs.
My husband and I are beginning the journey of becoming foster parents. In our area, 62 percent of children in foster care are children of color. We’ve told my parents that we need to cut contact with my brother’s family. My mother is pushing me to let them “set the record straight.”
I’m not comfortable forcing children of color to interact with them, knowing the kind of hate they hold in their hearts. I’m not comfortable with them around white children we might foster, either. My parents refuse to accept this, and so we are currently not speaking to them, either.
Do I owe my brother’s family yet another chance to explain themselves? Even if they promise to stop publicly stating these racist things, how can I trust them to be kind to children of color in my care? How can I have a relationship with my parents, even if I can’t have one with my brother?
— Trying to Do the Right Thing
Dear Trying: Like any prospective parents, you want to “childproof” your surroundings to protect your child from physical or psychic harm.
Just as your brother and his wife are describing their world to their daughter, you will honestly describe your world to your child.
There seems little point in trying to force these people to renounce their racist ideology. They are showing you who they are. Believe them.
You should not follow them on social media. You should not involve your mother. You don’t actually have to declare an estrangement — you can simply make choices as you go.
Yes, you will naturally minimize time spent with them because they seem awful, and you don’t like them (they don’t seem to like you, either).
For many of us, however, the very definition of “family” is to occasionally share space with loudmouths, blowhards, racists, or people you simply don’t like.
In time, you can explain to your child why you don’t like them.
Relieve your mother of her desire to mediate; simply tell her that it is not necessary.
Dear Amy: My girlfriend (live-in partner) is 22. We’ve been living together for almost three years. During that time, however, she has kept close relationships with a number of other men she just refers to as her “friends.”
She refuses to allow me to see her phone, keeps it locked when she’s not on it, and gets crazy mad if I even look at her when she’s on her phone.
Before the pandemic she would go out drinking on Friday and/or Saturday night with one of her male friends, leaving me home alone. They would usually end up at another male friend’s apartment.
She insists it’s all innocent, and maybe it is on her part (am I being naive?), but I can’t believe it’s always innocent.
If I ask her about what she is doing, she gets angry and complains that I don’t respect her boundaries and that I’m being paranoid.
If all of this doesn’t mean anything, then why is it all kept a secret?
— Paranoid?
Dear Paranoid?: There is paranoid, and then there is gaslighting. You are experiencing the latter.
Because your girlfriend is so big on boundaries, I think it would be a good idea for you to establish some. For starters, she (or you) should move out. She is not interested in being in the kind of relationship you want to have.
Dear Amy: As a genealogist who values family stories, I disagree with your advice to “Half-Sister” to not share some letters she found. You ask, “What good would be served?”
Look what a great life “Barb” was offered by her adoptive parents because of the loving decision of her birth mother to have her adopted. The letters address real life and how people work through problems. Barb needs these letters.
— History Keeper
Dear History Keeper: Many adoptees (and others) have let me know that they disagree with my advice — to offer this newly discovered half-sister an edited selection of letters written between her two biological parents. I stand corrected. Thank you all.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)


thedenverpost--2020-09-28--Trump’s tax revelation could tarnish image that fueled rise

WASHINGTON — The bombshell revelations that President Donald Trump paid just $ 750 in federal income taxes the year he ran for office and paid no income taxes at all in many others threaten to undercut a pillar of his appeal among blue-collar voters and provide a new opening for his Democratic rival , Joe Biden , on the eve of the first presidential debate .
Trump has worked for decades to build an image of himself as a hugely successful business mogul — even choosing that moniker as his Secret Service code name .
But The New York Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 750 in federal income taxes in 2016 , the year he won the presidency , and in 2017 , his first year in office .
He paid no income taxes whatsoever in 10 of the previous 15 years , largely because he reported losing more money than he made , according to the Times , which obtained years ’ worth of tax return data that the president had long fought to keep private .
The development comes at a particularly precarious moment for Trump , whose Republican campaign is struggling to overcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the pandemic .
It hands Biden an easy attack line heading into Tuesday ’ s debate .
And with early voting already happening in some states and Election Day just over a month away , Trump may be running out of time to turn his campaign around .
“ Donald Trump needs this election to be about Joe Biden as a choice , ” said longtime GOP consultant Alex Conant .
“ This keeps the focus squarely on Trump ’ s character and the chaos going into the most important night of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course , Trump has repeatedly faced — and survived — devastating turns that would have sunk any other politician .
That includes , most notably , the stunning “ Access Hollywood ” tape released in October 2016 , in which Trump was recorded bragging about kissing and groping women without their permission .
The video ’ s release came just two days before Trump was set to face then-candidate Hillary Clinton in their second debate and was considered a death knell to his campaign at the time .
At this point in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many states and so few voters still undecided , it is unclear whether any new discoveries about Trump would make any difference .
Trump ’ s support over the years has remained remarkably consistent , polls over the course of his presidency have found .
Yet the tax allegations go to the very heart of Trump ’ s appeal , especially among the blue-collar voters in states like Pennsylvania , Wisconsin and Michigan who propelled him to the presidency in 2016 .
Trump was supported by about two-thirds of white voters without college @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Pew Research Center , versus only about 2 in 10 nonwhite noncollege graduates .
Indeed , in a Gallup poll from February 2016 , Republicans who wanted to see Trump win their party ’ s nomination cited his experience as a businessman as the second-most important reason they backed him , surpassed only by his status as a nonpolitician and an outsider .
Even today , when asked to explain their support for Trump , voters often point to his success in business as evidence of his acumen .
And they often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up a great deal to serve as president , citing his sacrifice as evidence that he ran for the job not out of self-interest , but because he cares about improving the lives of people like them .
But the image of a man flying around in private jets from one luxury property to another and paying less in taxes than millions of Americans with far more modest lifestyles could prompt a backlash similar to the one 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney faced after he was secretly recorded at a closed-door fundraiser saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t pay income taxes were “ dependent upon government ” and would never vote for him .
″ ( M ) y job is not to worry about those people .
I ’ ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives , ” Romney said .
Roughly half of Americans pay no federal income taxes , but the average income tax paid in 2017 was nearly $ 12,200 , according to the IRS .
Democrats wasted no time in seizing on the news , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already selling stickers saying “ I paid more income taxes than Donald Trump ” on Sunday night .
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer tweeted an emoji calling on followers to raise their hands “ if you paid more in federal income tax than President Trump.
” “ That ’ s why he hid his tax returns .
Because the whole time , he wasn ’ t paying taxes .
But you were , ” added Sen. Chris Murphy , D-Conn. And Rep. Richard Neal , D-Mass.
, chair of the House Ways and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highlights the importance of the House Democratic lawsuit against the Trump administration to access Trump ’ s tax returns .
“ This reporting shines a stark light on the vastly different experience people with power and influence have when interacting with the Internal Revenue Service than the average American taxpayer does , ” he said in a statement .
In addition to the news about Trump ’ s annual payments , the Times found that many of his best-known businesses , including his golf courses , reported huge losses , and that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reelection , his finances are under particular stress thanks to “ hundreds of millions of dollars in debt coming due that he has personally guaranteed.
” Trump is also under audit over a $ 72.9 million tax refund that could cost him more than $ 100 million if the IRS rules against him , the Times revealed .
The development comes after Biden recently stepped up his efforts to paint Trump as a charlatan who has lied to his working-class supporters .
In contrast , Biden has tried to highlight his own middle-class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , is “ Scranton vs. Park Avenue , ” pitting Biden ’ s boyhood hometown in Pennsylvania against Manhattan , where Trump built his branding empire and reality television career .
“ This clearly plays straight into that contrast that Biden has opened up , ” said Joe Trippi , a veteran strategist of multiple Democratic presidential campaigns .
Trippi said coming into the debate , Biden now has something he can concretely point to as he tries to sway the slim margin of voters who remain undecided .
“ You move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and you ’ re talking about Biden winning in places like Ohio , ” Trippi said .
Conant , who worked on Florida Sen. Marco Rubio ’ s 2016 presidential campaign , noted how defensive Trump became when Rubio , during a primary debate , charged that Trump “ would be selling watches in Manhattan ” had he not inherited tens of millions of dollars from his father , Fred .
Trump raised an index finger in the air , yelling , “ No , no , no , no , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insisted that he had instead borrowed money .
“ That is so wrong , ” he said .
“ So long as this campaign is all about Trump , ” Conant said , “ he ’ s going to lose.
” Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Atlanta , Josh Boak in Baltimore , and Darlene Superville and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report .

WASHINGTON — The bombshell revelations that President Donald Trump paid just $750 in federal income taxes the year he ran for office and paid no income taxes at all in many others threaten to undercut a pillar of his appeal among blue-collar voters and provide a new opening for his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, on the eve of the first presidential debate.
Trump has worked for decades to build an image of himself as a hugely successful business mogul — even choosing that moniker as his Secret Service code name. But The New York Times on Sunday revealed that he paid just $750 in federal income taxes in 2016, the year he won the presidency, and in 2017, his first year in office. He paid no income taxes whatsoever in 10 of the previous 15 years, largely because he reported losing more money than he made, according to the Times, which obtained years’ worth of tax return data that the president had long fought to keep private.
The development comes at a particularly precarious moment for Trump, whose Republican campaign is struggling to overcome criticism of the president’s handling of the pandemic. It hands Biden an easy attack line heading into Tuesday’s debate. And with early voting already happening in some states and Election Day just over a month away, Trump may be running out of time to turn his campaign around.
“Donald Trump needs this election to be about Joe Biden as a choice,” said longtime GOP consultant Alex Conant. “This keeps the focus squarely on Trump’s character and the chaos going into the most important night of the campaign, the debate.”
Of course, Trump has repeatedly faced — and survived — devastating turns that would have sunk any other politician. That includes, most notably, the stunning “Access Hollywood” tape released in October 2016, in which Trump was recorded bragging about kissing and groping women without their permission. The video’s release came just two days before Trump was set to face then-candidate Hillary Clinton in their second debate and was considered a death knell to his campaign at the time.
At this point in the race, with voting already underway in many states and so few voters still undecided, it is unclear whether any new discoveries about Trump would make any difference. Trump’s support over the years has remained remarkably consistent, polls over the course of his presidency have found.
Yet the tax allegations go to the very heart of Trump’s appeal, especially among the blue-collar voters in states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan who propelled him to the presidency in 2016. Trump was supported by about two-thirds of white voters without college degrees, according to an analysis by the Pew Research Center, versus only about 2 in 10 nonwhite noncollege graduates.
Indeed, in a Gallup poll from February 2016, Republicans who wanted to see Trump win their party’s nomination cited his experience as a businessman as the second-most important reason they backed him, surpassed only by his status as a nonpolitician and an outsider.
Even today, when asked to explain their support for Trump, voters often point to his success in business as evidence of his acumen. And they often repeat his talking point that he gave up a great deal to serve as president, citing his sacrifice as evidence that he ran for the job not out of self-interest, but because he cares about improving the lives of people like them.
But the image of a man flying around in private jets from one luxury property to another and paying less in taxes than millions of Americans with far more modest lifestyles could prompt a backlash similar to the one 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney faced after he was secretly recorded at a closed-door fundraiser saying that the 47% of Americans who don’t pay income taxes were “dependent upon government” and would never vote for him.
″(M)y job is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives,” Romney said.
Roughly half of Americans pay no federal income taxes, but the average income tax paid in 2017 was nearly $12,200, according to the IRS.
Democrats wasted no time in seizing on the news, with the Biden campaign’s online store already selling stickers saying “I paid more income taxes than Donald Trump” on Sunday night.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer tweeted an emoji calling on followers to raise their hands “if you paid more in federal income tax than President Trump.”
“That’s why he hid his tax returns. Because the whole time, he wasn’t paying taxes. But you were,” added Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.
And Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, said the new report highlights the importance of the House Democratic lawsuit against the Trump administration to access Trump’s tax returns.
“This reporting shines a stark light on the vastly different experience people with power and influence have when interacting with the Internal Revenue Service than the average American taxpayer does,” he said in a statement.
In addition to the news about Trump’s annual payments, the Times found that many of his best-known businesses, including his golf courses, reported huge losses, and that, as he faces an uphill battle for reelection, his finances are under particular stress thanks to “hundreds of millions of dollars in debt coming due that he has personally guaranteed.” Trump is also under audit over a $72.9 million tax refund that could cost him more than $100 million if the IRS rules against him, the Times revealed.
The development comes after Biden recently stepped up his efforts to paint Trump as a charlatan who has lied to his working-class supporters. In contrast, Biden has tried to highlight his own middle-class upbringing.
The election, Biden has said, is “Scranton vs. Park Avenue,” pitting Biden’s boyhood hometown in Pennsylvania against Manhattan, where Trump built his branding empire and reality television career.
“This clearly plays straight into that contrast that Biden has opened up,” said Joe Trippi, a veteran strategist of multiple Democratic presidential campaigns.
Trippi said coming into the debate, Biden now has something he can concretely point to as he tries to sway the slim margin of voters who remain undecided.
“You move a few points of working class voters, and you’re talking about Biden winning in places like Ohio,” Trippi said.
Conant, who worked on Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign, noted how defensive Trump became when Rubio, during a primary debate, charged that Trump “would be selling watches in Manhattan” had he not inherited tens of millions of dollars from his father, Fred.
Trump raised an index finger in the air, yelling, “No, no, no, no,” as he sought to interrupt Rubio and insisted that he had instead borrowed money. “That is so wrong,” he said.
“So long as this campaign is all about Trump,” Conant said, “he’s going to lose.”
Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Atlanta, Josh Boak in Baltimore, and Darlene Superville and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.