crooksandliars--2020-06-18--SCOTUS Upholds DACA, 5-4; Roberts Writes Opinion

SCOTUS does the right thing , 5-4 .
We 'll take it .
Bless the Dreamers !
PETE WILLIAMS : Well , it 's another big surprise .
The Supreme Court said the Trump administration wrongly tried to shut DACA down , so DACA is going to survive .
The Trump administration could try again to shut it down , but that seems like it would be unlikely , something that the government would try to do during an election year .
So here is what happened .
Remember , DACA , this is the program that says young people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigrant parents , can stay in the US if they meet certain conditions , they had to be under 16 and so forth .
About 800,000 young people known as `` Dreamers '' have taken advantage of the program , set up by executive order by President Obama and no one ever disputed if President Trump wanted to , he could , by executive order , shut it down , but that 's not what the Trump administration did .
Instead , the attorney general at the time , Jeff Sessions , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started , and so the Department of Homeland Security , based on that guidance , ordered that DACA should be shut down two years ago .
A number of states and the University of California System sued , saying no , that ca n't be right , that when you have a program that many people depend on , another law says that you ca n't shut it down without going through a certain set of procedures , and today the Supreme Court , by a 5-4 decision I think , i 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- yes , 5-4 decision , said they went about it the wrong way .
Now , surprisingly , this decision was written by the Chief Justice , John Roberts .
So we have another decision from a conservative Supreme Court with an outcome that would please I think the Democrats and the liberals .
So the issue here was , did the Trump administration go about shutting it down the wrong way , and the answer is yes .
Now , obviously they could try again , the court says , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to happen during an election year .
So bottom line , DACA continues .
The young people that are in the program , they have to read-up every two years .
We 'll see what the next step for the Trump administration is .
Back to you .

SCOTUS does the right thing, 5-4. We'll take it. Bless the Dreamers!
PETE WILLIAMS: Well, it's another big surprise.
The Supreme Court said the Trump administration wrongly tried to shut DACA down, so DACA is going to survive. The Trump administration could try again to shut it down, but that seems like it would be unlikely, something that the government would try to do during an election year.
So here is what happened. Remember, DACA, this is the program that says young people brought to the US by their illegal immigrant parents, can stay in the US if they meet certain conditions, they had to be under 16 and so forth. About 800,000 young people known as "Dreamers" have taken advantage of the program, set up by executive order by President Obama and no one ever disputed if President Trump wanted to, he could, by executive order, shut it down, but that's not what the Trump administration did.
Instead, the attorney general at the time, Jeff Sessions, said in his opinion, DACA was illegally started, and so the Department of Homeland Security, based on that guidance, ordered that DACA should be shut down two years ago. A number of states and the University of California System sued, saying no, that can't be right, that when you have a program that many people depend on, another law says that you can't shut it down without going through a certain set of procedures, and today the Supreme Court, by a 5-4 decision I think, i'm just double-checking my notes here, uhm -- yes, 5-4 decision, said they went about it the wrong way.
Now, surprisingly, this decision was written by the Chief Justice, John Roberts. So we have another decision from a conservative Supreme Court with an outcome that would please I think the Democrats and the liberals.
So the issue here was, did the Trump administration go about shutting it down the wrong way, and the answer is yes. Now, obviously they could try again, the court says, but again, I think that's unlikely to happen during an election year. So bottom line, DACA continues. The young people that are in the program, they have to read-up every two years. We'll see what the next step for the Trump administration is. Back to you.


crooksandliars--2020-06-18--Atlanta Cops Called Out Sick Last Night Because They're The Real Victims

My feelings about cops are ... .
complicated .
I 've known a lot of cops , I 've done the usual ride-alongs as a reporter , I 've seen them at their best , and I know them at their worst .
I do n't trust them as a rule , but I do understand the array of factors that make their jobs so stressful -- and in some respects , almost impossible .
That said , I 'm really , really sick of how , no matter what , cops are always the victim .
Always .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happens , AND WE CAN EVEN WATCH IT , the problem ca n't possibly be that cops are paranoid and shooting at everything -- it 's that we do n't appreciate them enough .
It 's a grievance cult .
Now , there 's no question that there are individual cops , maybe most of them , who are unhappy with the cowboy mentality bad cops have .
But they are n't the ones in the spotlight -- it 's these hardcore , paranoid bozos that even the good cops keep reelecting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the clowns are in charge , we 'll have a circus .
Look at how they called out in Atlanta last night .
I know this trick : It 's invariably accompanied with a chorus of `` Oh , you do n't like us ?
Fine , see what it 's like without us ! ''
Sigh .
The men with the guns and the almost unlimited freedom to use them are having a sad at the thought they might have to follow some rules .
`` Good morning , Steph .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this point , '' Catie Beck told Stephanie Ruhle this morning from Atlanta .
`` There 's some relief and vindication among protesters and demonstrators who have been looking for this justice for days and they 're relieved to hear the D.A .
say these charges yesterday .
But there 's also new outrage over hearing those details you just described .
How these officers treated Mr. Brooks ' body after he was shot in the back twice .
Those details were particularly disturbing to a lot of protesters yesterday .
And several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with just charges .
They want to see this go through the process .
They want to see justice on the other end of this which would mean a guilty verdict . ''
She interviewed Tomika Miller , Rayshard Brooks ' widow .
`` This is not something she 's at peace with yet .
Here 's what she had to say . ''
No matter how many charges they face , it 's not going to bring him back .
It 's not going to be a day where i see him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his kids again or trying to do the best in life and become the best man he wants to be for his family .
So I 'm glad about the charges , but I want to see them go through .
`` Catie , we 're also hearing from Rayshard Brooks himself in his own words .
What is that about ? ''
Ruhle said .
`` Well , a video has surfaced from a group called Reconnect , which is a start-up that deals with criminal justice reform .
They interviewed him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the criminal justice system , reintegrating himself back into society .
Here 's what he had to say .
I just feel like some of the system could , you know , look at us as individuals .
We do have lives .
You know , it 's just a mistake we made .
And not just do us as if we are animals .
`` Again , haunting words after District Attorney Paul Howard showed those images of one officer kicking Brooks , the other standing on his shoulders as he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made very clear that the crux of his decision was based on the fact he did not feel at any point Brooks really posed any threat to those officers .
And , therefore , he went with the steep charges he did against them . ''

My feelings about cops are .... complicated. I've known a lot of cops, I've done the usual ride-alongs as a reporter, I've seen them at their best, and I know them at their worst. I don't trust them as a rule, but I do understand the array of factors that make their jobs so stressful -- and in some respects, almost impossible.
That said, I'm really, really sick of how, no matter what, cops are always the victim. Always. And when something like the Rayshard Brooks killing happens, AND WE CAN EVEN WATCH IT, the problem can't possibly be that cops are paranoid and shooting at everything -- it's that we don't appreciate them enough. It's a grievance cult.
Now, there's no question that there are individual cops, maybe most of them, who are unhappy with the cowboy mentality bad cops have. But they aren't the ones in the spotlight -- it's these hardcore, paranoid bozos that even the good cops keep reelecting to head their unions. And as long as the clowns are in charge, we'll have a circus.
Look at how they called out in Atlanta last night. I know this trick: It's invariably accompanied with a chorus of "Oh, you don't like us? Fine, see what it's like without us!"
Sigh. The men with the guns and the almost unlimited freedom to use them are having a sad at the thought they might have to follow some rules.
"Good morning, Steph. Yeah, there is mixed reaction at this point," Catie Beck told Stephanie Ruhle this morning from Atlanta.
"There's some relief and vindication among protesters and demonstrators who have been looking for this justice for days and they're relieved to hear the D.A. say these charges yesterday. But there's also new outrage over hearing those details you just described. How these officers treated Mr. Brooks' body after he was shot in the back twice. Those details were particularly disturbing to a lot of protesters yesterday. And several told us we're not satisfied yet with just charges. They want to see this go through the process. They want to see justice on the other end of this which would mean a guilty verdict."
She interviewed Tomika Miller, Rayshard Brooks' widow. "This is not something she's at peace with yet. Here's what she had to say."
No matter how many charges they face, it's not going to bring him back. It's not going to be a day where i see him walk through the door or laughing with his kids again or trying to do the best in life and become the best man he wants to be for his family. So I'm glad about the charges, but I want to see them go through.
"Catie, we're also hearing from Rayshard Brooks himself in his own words. What is that about?" Ruhle said.
"Well, a video has surfaced from a group called Reconnect, which is a start-up that deals with criminal justice reform. They interviewed him about what his experience is like with the criminal justice system, reintegrating himself back into society. Here's what he had to say.
I just feel like some of the system could, you know, look at us as individuals. We do have lives. You know, it's just a mistake we made. And not just do us as if we are animals.
"Again, haunting words after District Attorney Paul Howard showed those images of one officer kicking Brooks, the other standing on his shoulders as he was fighting for life. The district attorney made very clear that the crux of his decision was based on the fact he did not feel at any point Brooks really posed any threat to those officers. And, therefore, he went with the steep charges he did against them."


crooksandliars--2020-06-18--John Bolton Tells ABC News Putin Believes He Can 'Play Trump Like A Fiddle'

I wonder just how many minutes Bolton worked for Trump before he came to this conclusion .
Fifteen ?
Five ?
However long it took for it to dawn on Bolton that Trump is an incompetent , dangerous boob , it did n't take him long at all to figure out that if he held on to all his insider information instead of testifying against Trump in his impeachment inquiry , he could feather his retirement nest with a couple of million bucks and still maintain his gold star membership in the Very Serious Right Wing Warmongers Club .
Via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not `` fit for office '' and does n't have `` the competence to carry out the job , '' his former national security adviser John Bolton told ABC News in an exclusive interview .
In an explosive new book about his 17 months at the White House , Bolton characterizes Trump as `` stunningly uninformed , '' ignorant of basic facts and easily manipulated by foreign adversaries .
But his assessment that Trump is not `` fit '' to be president is among the most stunning indictments of a sitting president by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American history .
`` There really is n't any guiding principle that I was able to discern other than what 's good for Donald Trump 's reelection , '' Bolton told ABC News chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz .
`` He was so focused on the reelection that longer-term considerations fell by the wayside , '' he added .
Bolton is being so tactful , hanging on with all his might to his standing as a potential player .
It 's nice to have irrefutable proof that Bolton , like Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own splendor .
It really has n't occurred to him yet that the Republican party is in the ICU on a ventilator -- and it ai n't coming home anytime soon , if at all .

I wonder just how many minutes Bolton worked for Trump before he came to this conclusion. Fifteen? Five? However long it took for it to dawn on Bolton that Trump is an incompetent, dangerous boob, it didn't take him long at all to figure out that if he held on to all his insider information instead of testifying against Trump in his impeachment inquiry, he could feather his retirement nest with a couple of million bucks and still maintain his gold star membership in the Very Serious Right Wing Warmongers Club. Via ABC News:
President Donald Trump is not "fit for office" and doesn't have "the competence to carry out the job," his former national security adviser John Bolton told ABC News in an exclusive interview. In an explosive new book about his 17 months at the White House, Bolton characterizes Trump as "stunningly uninformed," ignorant of basic facts and easily manipulated by foreign adversaries. But his assessment that Trump is not "fit" to be president is among the most stunning indictments of a sitting president by one of their own top advisers in American history. "There really isn't any guiding principle that I was able to discern other than what's good for Donald Trump's reelection," Bolton told ABC News chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz. "He was so focused on the reelection that longer-term considerations fell by the wayside," he added.
Bolton is being so tactful, hanging on with all his might to his standing as a potential player. It's nice to have irrefutable proof that Bolton, like Trump, is completely self-interested and impressed with his own splendor. It really hasn't occurred to him yet that the Republican party is in the ICU on a ventilator -- and it ain't coming home anytime soon, if at all.


crooksandliars--2020-06-19--'Manipulated Media': Twitter Slaps Down Trump's Faked Video

Via the Washington Post , Twitter labeled a Trump video as `` manipulated media '' last night : Twitter on @ @ @ @ @ step of appending a warning label to one of President Trump ’ s tweets after @ @ @ @ @ its policies on manipulated media .
The president tweeted a doctored version of a popular @ @ @ @ @ 2019 , which showed two toddlers , one black and one white , hugging .
@ @ @ @ @ , the video has been edited with ominous music and a fake CNN headline that @ @ @ @ @ runs from racist baby.
” “ Racist baby probably a Trump voter , ” the @ @ @ @ @ subsequent screen .
The video then cuts to the original clip of the children hugging @ @ @ @ @ the message “ America is not the problem .
Fake news is .
”

Via the Washington Post, Twitter labeled a Trump video as "manipulated media" last night:
Twitter on Thursday evening took the rare step of appending a warning label to one of President Trump’s tweets after the company determined it violated its policies on manipulated media.
The president tweeted a doctored version of a popular video that went viral in 2019, which showed two toddlers, one black and one white, hugging. In the version Trump shared, the video has been edited with ominous music and a fake CNN headline that says, “Terrified toddler runs from racist baby.”
“Racist baby probably a Trump voter,” the headline then says in a subsequent screen.
The video then cuts to the original clip of the children hugging, and then cuts to the message “America is not the problem. Fake news is.”


crooksandliars--2020-06-19--It's Starting To Show: Rural America More Vulnerable To COVID Than Cities

Rural areas seemed immune as the coronavirus spread through cities earlier this year .
Few rural cases were reported , and attention focused on the surge of illnesses and deaths in the big metro areas .
But that false sense of safety is now falling apart as infection rates explode in rural areas across the country .
Of the top 25 COVID-19 hot spots that popped up in the last two weeks , 18 were in non-metropolitan counties .
Arkansas , North Carolina and Texas all set records in mid-June for the number of people entering hospitals for COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from COVID-19 was up 35 % compared to three weeks earlier .
As a professor of rural sociology , I have been studying the challenges rural America faces in responding to this pandemic to improve how communities prepare and respond .
Being able to identify communities that are susceptible to the pandemic before people become ill would allow officials to target public health interventions to slow the spread of the infection and avoid deaths .
To do this , I developed a COVID-19 susceptibility scale to assess every county in the Lower 48 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak of COVID-19 will happen , but it means conditions are right for one to occur if the virus is carried in and takes hold .
Why rural populations are at high risk When you look at the factors that make a population more susceptible to the coronavirus , small communities and rural areas have higher risk factors , as a share of the population , than major cities do .
Rural areas tend to have older populations than the national average , with more chronic health conditions that raise the risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They have fewer health care providers and more uninsured residents , meaning residents often wait longer before seeking medical help .
They also tend to be home to large group facilities , such as prisons , meatpacking plants and nursing homes , where the virus can quickly spread to residents and employees can carry it back into the community .
In Iowa , for example , the Tyson plant in Storm Lake drove a 68 % increase in confirmed coronavirus cases during the past two weeks .
In New Mexico , where new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week of June , about half the new cases were at the rural Otero County Prison .
Anderson County , Texas , posted a 10-fold increase in cases when state officials counted infections in five prisons there .
The COVID-19 susceptibility scale uses 11 indicators of the disease based on initial reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Those fall into seven distinct risk components : population density ; people aged 65 and older ; people living in group quarters such as colleges , prisons and military bases ; employment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ processing facilities ; people with compromised health ; and the prevalence of diabetes .
Among people hospitalized with COVID-19 , more than 70 % have some underlying medical condition , often diabetes or lung or cardiovascular diseases .
Where the high-risk populations are Looking across the rural-urban continuum , the scale shows that populations in non-metropolitan counties are more susceptible to COVID-19 than in metropolitan ones .
That susceptibility increases when going from big cities to rural areas .
Why were big cities overrun with COVID-19 cases ?
While only 6 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to my scale , they tend to be our nation ’ s very large global cities .
A small number of COVID-19 cases in densely populated cities can spread rapidly causing numerically large outbreaks .
This can quickly overwhelm the health care system , even in large cities .
This is what happened in New York City , causing cases to spread across the northeastern U.S. About one-third of the most rural counties have susceptibility scores in the 80th percentile or higher , as do 29 % of semi-rural counties and 19 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city of 50,000 people or less .
A map of these susceptibility scores shows high-risk communities are concentrated in the Great Plains , Midwest , around the Great Lakes and in some parts of the South .
Some counties are at high risk on just one factor , but have low overall susceptibility .
Apache County in northeast Arizona , home to the Navajo Nation , is one example .
High rates of diabetes mortality make this group highly susceptible to COVID-19 .
However , the lower percentage of senior citizens and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In analyzing the data , some trends stand out .
• Rural counties are primarily susceptible due to their large senior populations .
COVID-19 outbreaks are likely to originate in care facilities for the elderly , posing risks for residents and workers alike .
• In semi-rural places , institutions like prisons and military bases add to the risk , as do high numbers of residents who are older or whose health is already compromised .
• Micropolitans are at above average susceptibility due to residents ’ health issues , large numbers of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Semi-rural and micropolitan counties typically provide employment and social services for a region , likely attracting higher-risk populations .
• By contrast , the populations of metropolitan counties have lower susceptibility , though the largest ones face a risk of community spread of the virus because of their high population densities .
Cities have lower percentages of older residents and people living in institutional settings .
However , a small number of cases in densely populated cities can trigger large outbreaks , driving national cases and deaths .
Researchers at Princeton came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of rural counties in a study published June 16 that modeled the impact if 20 % of the population in every U.S. county became infected .
By knowing how populations are susceptible to severe outbreaks , communities can tailor their responses .
In large metropolitan cities , susceptibility is clearly driven by high population densities , making business closures and shelter-in-place orders essential to slow community spread of COVID-19 .
But since rural areas are more sparsely populated , general shelter-in-place orders may be less effective .
Instead , rural and micropolitan communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerable populations quickly .
This includes people in poor health , older residents , people living in institutional settings and workers in large meat processing facilities .
To accomplish this , local agencies and providers will need to provide essential services , including food and health care .
In many areas , the monumental task of providing these services to a dispersed population will require volunteers and civic groups .
Lack of health care and social services makes rural communities particularly vulnerable .
Any state or national response will be hindered by logistical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over a large geographic area .
Limited broadband access means health planners can not rely solely on telemedicine to fill the gaps in rural areas .
Communities may also see social issues surface .
In micropolitan and small metro communities , susceptibility is linked to large meat packing plants whose workforces are predominately Hispanic .
Outbreaks may lead to people being treated as coronavirus carriers based solely on their ethnicity and may worsen the marginalization of people based on race .
Different communities have different vulnerabilities to COVID-19 , requiring distinctly different strategies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rural-urban continuum .
Such strategies should be developed now to prepare for the next COVID-19 wave .
[ You need to understand the coronavirus pandemic , and we can help .
Read The Conversation ’ s newsletter . ]
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

David J. Peters, Iowa State University
Rural areas seemed immune as the coronavirus spread through cities earlier this year. Few rural cases were reported, and attention focused on the surge of illnesses and deaths in the big metro areas. But that false sense of safety is now falling apart as infection rates explode in rural areas across the country.
Of the top 25 COVID-19 hot spots that popped up in the last two weeks, 18 were in non-metropolitan counties. Arkansas, North Carolina and Texas all set records in mid-June for the number of people entering hospitals for COVID-19. Georgia’s daily reported death toll from COVID-19 was up 35% compared to three weeks earlier.
As a professor of rural sociology, I have been studying the challenges rural America faces in responding to this pandemic to improve how communities prepare and respond.
Being able to identify communities that are susceptible to the pandemic before people become ill would allow officials to target public health interventions to slow the spread of the infection and avoid deaths. To do this, I developed a COVID-19 susceptibility scale to assess every county in the Lower 48 states. Susceptibility does not mean an outbreak of COVID-19 will happen, but it means conditions are right for one to occur if the virus is carried in and takes hold.
Why rural populations are at high risk
When you look at the factors that make a population more susceptible to the coronavirus, small communities and rural areas have higher risk factors, as a share of the population, than major cities do.
Rural areas tend to have older populations than the national average, with more chronic health conditions that raise the risk of developing more severe cases of COVID-19. They have fewer health care providers and more uninsured residents, meaning residents often wait longer before seeking medical help. They also tend to be home to large group facilities, such as prisons, meatpacking plants and nursing homes, where the virus can quickly spread to residents and employees can carry it back into the community.
In Iowa, for example, the Tyson plant in Storm Lake drove a 68% increase in confirmed coronavirus cases during the past two weeks. In New Mexico, where new cases rose 42% in the first week of June, about half the new cases were at the rural Otero County Prison. Anderson County, Texas, posted a 10-fold increase in cases when state officials counted infections in five prisons there.
The COVID-19 susceptibility scale uses 11 indicators of the disease based on initial reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those fall into seven distinct risk components: population density; people aged 65 and older; people living in group quarters such as colleges, prisons and military bases; employment in nursing homes; employment in meat processing facilities; people with compromised health; and the prevalence of diabetes. Among people hospitalized with COVID-19, more than 70% have some underlying medical condition, often diabetes or lung or cardiovascular diseases.
Where the high-risk populations are
Looking across the rural-urban continuum, the scale shows that populations in non-metropolitan counties are more susceptible to COVID-19 than in metropolitan ones. That susceptibility increases when going from big cities to rural areas.
Why were big cities overrun with COVID-19 cases? While only 6% of metropolitan counties are at high risk according to my scale, they tend to be our nation’s very large global cities. A small number of COVID-19 cases in densely populated cities can spread rapidly causing numerically large outbreaks. This can quickly overwhelm the health care system, even in large cities. This is what happened in New York City, causing cases to spread across the northeastern U.S.
About one-third of the most rural counties have susceptibility scores in the 80th percentile or higher, as do 29% of semi-rural counties and 19% of micropolitan counties, those with a city of 50,000 people or less. A map of these susceptibility scores shows high-risk communities are concentrated in the Great Plains, Midwest, around the Great Lakes and in some parts of the South.
Some counties are at high risk on just one factor, but have low overall susceptibility. Apache County in northeast Arizona, home to the Navajo Nation, is one example. High rates of diabetes mortality make this group highly susceptible to COVID-19. However, the lower percentage of senior citizens and other risk factors lowers the overall score.
In analyzing the data, some trends stand out.
Rural counties are primarily susceptible due to their large senior populations. COVID-19 outbreaks are likely to originate in care facilities for the elderly, posing risks for residents and workers alike.
In semi-rural places, institutions like prisons and military bases add to the risk, as do high numbers of residents who are older or whose health is already compromised.
Micropolitans are at above average susceptibility due to residents’ health issues, large numbers of meat processing plant workers and care facilities. Semi-rural and micropolitan counties typically provide employment and social services for a region, likely attracting higher-risk populations.
By contrast, the populations of metropolitan counties have lower susceptibility, though the largest ones face a risk of community spread of the virus because of their high population densities. Cities have lower percentages of older residents and people living in institutional settings. However, a small number of cases in densely populated cities can trigger large outbreaks, driving national cases and deaths.
Researchers at Princeton came to similar conclusions about the high susceptibility of rural counties in a study published June 16 that modeled the impact if 20% of the population in every U.S. county became infected.
Tailoring responses to a pandemic
By knowing how populations are susceptible to severe outbreaks, communities can tailor their responses.
In large metropolitan cities, susceptibility is clearly driven by high population densities, making business closures and shelter-in-place orders essential to slow community spread of COVID-19.
But since rural areas are more sparsely populated, general shelter-in-place orders may be less effective. Instead, rural and micropolitan communities will need to isolate members of specific vulnerable populations quickly. This includes people in poor health, older residents, people living in institutional settings and workers in large meat processing facilities.
To accomplish this, local agencies and providers will need to provide essential services, including food and health care. In many areas, the monumental task of providing these services to a dispersed population will require volunteers and civic groups.
Lack of health care and social services makes rural communities particularly vulnerable. Any state or national response will be hindered by logistical barriers to deploying health providers and supplies over a large geographic area. Limited broadband access means health planners cannot rely solely on telemedicine to fill the gaps in rural areas.
Communities may also see social issues surface. In micropolitan and small metro communities, susceptibility is linked to large meat packing plants whose workforces are predominately Hispanic. Outbreaks may lead to people being treated as coronavirus carriers based solely on their ethnicity and may worsen the marginalization of people based on race.
Different communities have different vulnerabilities to COVID-19, requiring distinctly different strategies to respond effectively to the pandemic across the rural-urban continuum. Such strategies should be developed now to prepare for the next COVID-19 wave.
[You need to understand the coronavirus pandemic, and we can help. Read The Conversation’s newsletter.]
David J. Peters, Associate Professor of Rural Sociology, Iowa State University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


crooksandliars--2020-06-19--Donald Trump Claims He Made Juneteenth ‘Very Famous’

The optics of a Trump rally in Tulsa , on Juneteenth would have been terrible at any time .
But coming in the middle of nationwide Black Lives Matter protests made the date untenable .
Trump claimed he rescheduled “ out of respect.
” In an interview in today ’ s Wall Street Journal , Trump tried to turn his misstep into a success story .
But he made it clear that his only interest in the holiday , like everything else , was in using it to make himself look good .
“ I did something good : I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told [ WSJ ’ s Michael ] Bender .
“ It ’ s actually an important event , an important time .
But nobody had ever heard of it.
” He hadn ’ t , at least , nor had others he asked .
Trump told Bender that “ a black Secret Service agent ” told him what the day meant .
His campaign manager , Brad Parscale , similarly didn ’ t know why the date was meaningful , according to a report in the New York Times .
“ Parscale conceded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holiday , multiple people familiar with the conversation said , ” according to the Times ’ s article .
“ But he responded that the campaign had held events on Jewish holidays , and last year held a ‘ Merry Christmas ’ rally in Battle Creek , Mich. , none of which were criticized as disrespectful to the people who celebrated those holidays .
He said he thought it would not be a problem The idea that Trump wasn ’ t alone in his ignorance is obviously untrue in general , given the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ untrue given that the Trump administration has repeatedly issued formal proclamations recognizing the holiday .
There is probably nothing Donald Trump won ’ t make about himself and nothing he won ’ t lie about to do it .

The optics of a Trump rally in Tulsa, on Juneteenth would have been terrible at any time. But coming in the middle of nationwide Black Lives Matter protests made the date untenable. Trump claimed he rescheduled “out of respect.”
In an interview in today’s Wall Street Journal, Trump tried to turn his misstep into a success story. But he made it clear that his only interest in the holiday, like everything else, was in using it to make himself look good.
From The Washington Post’s Philip Bump:
“I did something good: I made Juneteenth very famous,” Trump told [WSJ’s Michael] Bender. “It’s actually an important event, an important time. But nobody had ever heard of it.” He hadn’t, at least, nor had others he asked. Trump told Bender that “a black Secret Service agent” told him what the day meant. His campaign manager, Brad Parscale, similarly didn’t know why the date was meaningful, according to a report in the New York Times. “Parscale conceded he had not been aware of the holiday, multiple people familiar with the conversation said,” according to the Times’s article. “But he responded that the campaign had held events on Jewish holidays, and last year held a ‘Merry Christmas’ rally in Battle Creek, Mich., none of which were criticized as disrespectful to the people who celebrated those holidays. He said he thought it would not be a problem The idea that Trump wasn’t alone in his ignorance is obviously untrue in general, given the holiday’s history, but specifically untrue given that the Trump administration has repeatedly issued formal proclamations recognizing the holiday.
There is probably nothing Donald Trump won’t make about himself and nothing he won’t lie about to do it.


crooksandliars--2020-06-19--Speaker Pelosi Blasts Trump As ‘Ethically Unfit And Intellectually Unprepared’

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) responded to former National Security Adviser John Bolton ’ s book by calling President Donald Trump “ ethically unfit and intellectually unprepared to be president.
” At her weekly press conference on Thursday , Pelosi was asked if Democratic leaders would be willing to subpoena Bolton after he alleged that Trump may have committed addition impeachable offenses .
Pelosi said that Bolton was “ arrogant ” for refusing to testify at Trump ’ s impeachment hearings .
“ We did impeach the president of the United States , ” she reminded reporters before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump from office .
“ President Trump , by what we saw in the impeachment , by what others are being quoted as saying in terms of leaders in the president ’ s own administration , ” Pelosi continued , “ President Trump is clearly ethically unfit and intellectually unprepared to be the president of the United States.
” The Speaker , however , did not have kind words for Bolton despite the claims against Trump in his new book .
“ He chose royalty over patriotism , ” she remarked .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any money for a book that was a substitute for testifying before Congress.
” Pelosi said that Democrats are in discussions about the best way to perform oversight of the administration in light of the new allegations against Trump .

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) responded to former National Security Adviser John Bolton’s book by calling President Donald Trump “ethically unfit and intellectually unprepared to be president.”
At her weekly press conference on Thursday, Pelosi was asked if Democratic leaders would be willing to subpoena Bolton after he alleged that Trump may have committed addition impeachable offenses.
Pelosi said that Bolton was “arrogant” for refusing to testify at Trump’s impeachment hearings.
“We did impeach the president of the United States,” she reminded reporters before slamming Senate Republicans for refusing to remove Trump from office.
“President Trump, by what we saw in the impeachment, by what others are being quoted as saying in terms of leaders in the president’s own administration,” Pelosi continued, “President Trump is clearly ethically unfit and intellectually unprepared to be the president of the United States.”
The Speaker, however, did not have kind words for Bolton despite the claims against Trump in his new book.
“He chose royalty over patriotism,” she remarked. “I don’t want to pay any money for a book that was a substitute for testifying before Congress.”
Pelosi said that Democrats are in discussions about the best way to perform oversight of the administration in light of the new allegations against Trump.


crooksandliars--2020-06-19--Kaleigh McEnany Invokes Lincoln To Explain Why Trump Hires 'Wackos,’ And ‘Incompetents'

The new Trump campaign spokesperson , I mean White House press secretary , Kayleigh McEnany tried to defend Trump 's hiring of people who are , by Trump 's own description , `` dumb as a rock , '' `` overrated , '' `` way over their heads , '' `` whacko , '' and `` incompetent '' to high profile government jobs by invoking Abraham Lincoln .
Throughout Donald Trump 's campaign and election , he and his minions said he would only hire the very best people possible , because he has an instinct about these things .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has had three Chiefs of Staff , four Deputy Chiefs of Staff , four Communications Directors , and four Press Secretaries , four National Security Advisors , just to name a few .
Brookings has tracked his folly and writes , `` President Trump ’ s ' A Team ' turnover is 88 % as of June 19 , 2020 . ''
Time Magazine writes , `` Trump Has Now Had More Cabinet Turnover Than Reagan , Obama and the Two Bushes . ''
His entire administration is in constant flux and chaos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign policy , unprepared pandemic responses , and massive protests at home .
John Bolton , the former national security advisor who abruptly quit , and who refused to testify during Trump 's impeachment , is the latest high ranking official to come out and say Trump is not fit to lead this country in his new book .
Additionally , he offered up more impeachable offenses .
Trump , the Tweeter-in-Chief , replied : Many of his former cabinet members have come out publicly and blasted Trump , which is not the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
During today 's press briefing , NBC reporter Pete Alexander asked McEnany this important question : '' Why does the president keep hiring people who are ‘ dumb as a rock , ’ ‘ overrated , ’ ‘ way over their heads , ’ ‘ wacko , ’ and ‘ incompetent ’ ?
” McEnany , who has no defense for Trump 's impetuous and destructive behavior , decided to dig deep into the alternative facts folder that Kellyanne Conway has devised , and responded thusly : “ The president makes hiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likes to have countervailing view points . ''
McEnany continued , “ I spoke to him this morning about the hiring of John Bolton in particular and he said , ‘ I like to counterbalance my own opinion with individuals that oftentimes have the very opposite opinion of my own.
’ He likes the model of having a team of rivals , like what we saw in President Lincoln ’ s administration .
“ I ’ ve been a part of that .
I often see vigorous debate and the president uses his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to how to move forward .
So that ’ s what goes into his hiring practices and I think the team of rivals with President Lincoln worked quite well.
” Alexander pushed , “ There ’ s obviously value in hiring a team of rivals , it ’ s worked well in the past , but then if you ’ re going to hire rivals why hire rivals who are ‘ dumb as a rock , ’ ‘ overrated , ’ ‘ way over their heads , ’ ‘ wacko , ’ and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help the president ?
” McEnany obfuscated and said , “ Well sometimes the rivals prove those labels to be true and that ’ s particularly true in the case of John Bolton ...
I think John Bolton has proven himself to have those labels as true.
” WTF does that mean ?
it 's a mishmash of gibberish .
The kind of word salad that makes Sarah Huckabee Sanders look like a genius .

The new Trump campaign spokesperson, I mean White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany tried to defend Trump's hiring of people who are, by Trump's own description, "dumb as a rock," "overrated," "way over their heads," "whacko," and "incompetent" to high profile government jobs by invoking Abraham Lincoln.
I sh*t you not.
Throughout Donald Trump's campaign and election, he and his minions said he would only hire the very best people possible, because he has an instinct about these things. In the last 3-1/2 years, Trump has had three Chiefs of Staff, four Deputy Chiefs of Staff, four Communications Directors, and four Press Secretaries, four National Security Advisors, just to name a few.
Brookings has tracked his folly and writes, "President Trump’s 'A Team' turnover is 88% as of June 19, 2020." Time Magazine writes, "Trump Has Now Had More Cabinet Turnover Than Reagan, Obama and the Two Bushes." His entire administration is in constant flux and chaos, which has resulted in a failed foreign policy, unprepared pandemic responses, and massive protests at home.
John Bolton, the former national security advisor who abruptly quit, and who refused to testify during Trump's impeachment, is the latest high ranking official to come out and say Trump is not fit to lead this country in his new book. Additionally, he offered up more impeachable offenses. Trump, the Tweeter-in-Chief, replied:
Wacko John Bolton’s “exceedingly tedious”(New York Times) book is made up of lies & fake stories. Said all good about me, in print, until the day I fired him. A disgruntled boring fool who only wanted to go to war. Never had a clue, was ostracized & happily dumped. What a dope! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2020
Many of his former cabinet members have come out publicly and blasted Trump, which is not the norm, but it is for Trump. During today's press briefing, NBC reporter Peter Alexander asked McEnany this important question:
"Why does the president keep hiring people who are ‘dumb as a rock,’ ‘overrated,’ ‘way over their heads,’ ‘wacko,’ and ‘incompetent’?”
McEnany, who has no defense for Trump's impetuous and destructive behavior, decided to dig deep into the alternative facts folder that Kellyanne Conway has devised, and responded thusly:
“The president makes hiring decisions based on the fact that he likes to have countervailing view points."
McEnany continued, “I spoke to him this morning about the hiring of John Bolton in particular and he said, ‘I like to counterbalance my own opinion with individuals that oftentimes have the very opposite opinion of my own.’ He likes the model of having a team of rivals, like what we saw in President Lincoln’s administration.
“I’ve been a part of that. I often see vigorous debate and the president uses his gut and makes the best decision as to how to move forward. So that’s what goes into his hiring practices and I think the team of rivals with President Lincoln worked quite well.”
Alexander pushed, “There’s obviously value in hiring a team of rivals, it’s worked well in the past, but then if you’re going to hire rivals why hire rivals who are ‘dumb as a rock,’ ‘overrated,’ ‘way over their heads,’ ‘wacko,’ and ‘incompetent’? How does that help the president?”
McEnany obfuscated and said, “Well sometimes the rivals prove those labels to be true and that’s particularly true in the case of John Bolton...I think John Bolton has proven himself to have those labels as true.”
WTF does that mean? it's a mishmash of gibberish. The kind of word salad that makes Sarah Huckabee Sanders look like a genius.


crooksandliars--2020-06-19--Fox News Refers To Trump As 'Tweeter In Chief'

On Thursday the Supreme Court knocked back Trump 's xenophobic attempts to undermine Obama 's DACA executive order .
The high court said the Trump administration went about shutting it down the wrong way and had no solution for the almost eight hundred thousand DACA recipients .
That 's the trademark of the Trump administration .
Make sure to tear down everything the Obama administration has done and offer nothing as a solution or a fix .
Just eliminate .
On Fox News ' America 's Newsroom yesterday , their White House chief correspondent John Roberts joined the co-hosts and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration might do in response .
Roberts said the White House could continue this fight against DACA recipients , but it did n't look like a feasible option in the election year .
Roberts said , `` The blow-back that the White House would get for trying to do it again it 's probably more than they would want to bite off . ''
Robert said they are still waiting for a reaction from the White House but , `` I 'm sure we will hear from the tweeter in chief in just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hear from the tweeter-in-chief via Twitter .
Roberts , like most Fox News reporters and hosts , always refers to Donald as President Trump when discussing either his tweets , his comments or his actions , but not today .
Being described as a tweeter in chief is a complete put-down and criticism of Trump as a so-called president .
Given that Trump ca n't put down Twitter while a small business constituent speaks about her challenges with COVID19 , the put-down is well-earned .

On Thursday the Supreme Court knocked back Trump's xenophobic attempts to undermine Obama's DACA executive order. The high court said the Trump administration went about shutting it down the wrong way and had no solution for the almost eight hundred thousand DACA recipients.
That's the trademark of the Trump administration. Make sure to tear down everything the Obama administration has done and offer nothing as a solution or a fix. Just eliminate.
On Fox News' America's Newsroom yesterday, their White House chief correspondent John Roberts joined the co-hosts and discussed the verdict and what the Trump administration might do in response.
Roberts said the White House could continue this fight against DACA recipients, but it didn't look like a feasible option in the election year.
Roberts said, "The blow-back that the White House would get for trying to do it again it's probably more than they would want to bite off."
Robert said they are still waiting for a reaction from the White House but, "I'm sure we will hear from the tweeter in chief in just a little while"
And we did hear from the tweeter-in-chief via Twitter.
These horrible & politically charged decisions coming out of the Supreme Court are shotgun blasts into the face of people that are proud to call themselves Republicans or Conservatives. We need more Justices or we will lose our 2nd. Amendment & everything else. Vote Trump 2020! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2020
Roberts, like most Fox News reporters and hosts, always refers to Donald as President Trump when discussing either his tweets, his comments or his actions, but not today.
Being described as a tweeter in chief is a complete put-down and criticism of Trump as a so-called president.
Given that Trump can't put down Twitter while a small business constituent speaks about her challenges with COVID19, the put-down is well-earned.


crooksandliars--2020-06-19--Matt Gaetz Uses Faux 'Son' As A Prop On Tucker Carlson

Calling a child `` your son '' without going through the proper channels of adoption ...
Hiding the fact you are mentoring them by claiming `` he 's a helper '' ...
Revealing his existence after you lose a debate on parenting Black boys ...
This whole Matt Gaetz/Nestor thing is very , very creepy .
The story revolving around Rep. Gaetz is that he claims he has a Cuban son after he clashed with Rep. Cedric Richmond on Wednesday .
I think it 's great that Rep. Gaetz took guardianship over Nestor when he was 12 , if that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Gaetz took to hide that fact , and the timing of his `` announcement , '' is unsettling and raises more questions than it answers .
Why lie about his existence up until this week ?
People Magazine is reporting that he is n't actually Rep. Gaetz 's son : the two-term Republican congressman surprised many with his Thursday announcement that he ’ s a parent , though he hasn ’ t adopted 19-year-old Nestor : “ Our family ’ s defined by love.
” Gaetz did not formally adopt Nestor ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s relationship with his biological family now ) .
He re-frames the matter , saying , “ Our relationship as a family is defined by our love for each other , not by any paperwork.
” Nestor , he says , “ is my son in every conceivable way , and I can ’ t imagine loving him anymore if he was my own flesh and blood.
” The law and order Congressman cares not for the law anymore .
What a shock .
Laws apply only to YOU .
The screaming match @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Richmond revolved around Black males being assaulted by law enforcement .
And this was the touchstone of his big reveal .
Gaetz is like every other a-hole who says they are n't racists because they 've dated a Black girl or have a Black friend .
This appeared to be a set up for Rep. Gaetz and why he said `` non-white '' children to Rep. Richmond instead of Black .
Tucker Carlson 's goal was to somehow get Rep. Richmond censored for -- -- white power reasons .
Being Latino in Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and huge political influence in the state , is not the same as driving while Black in Baltimore , or Minneapolis , or Atlanta .
Data compiled by CQ Roll Call — and previously confirmed by Gaetz ’ s office — did not list the congressman as having any children during his two terms so far in Congress or as a House candidate .
As recently as July 2019 , CQ Roll Call conducted biographical data checks , and Gaetz ’ s staff did not disclose Nestor Galban as his son when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Instead , his office confirmed that Gaetz was single with no children .
Why the ruse ?
There 's a lot of meme 's popping up on Twitter about this but you judge for yourself .
And if he has n't formally adopted Nestor then he 's not his son .
He 's not even his guardian .
That did n't stop Fox News ' Tucker Carlson from heavily promoting the notion that Nester is indeed his son .
Fox News has a symbiotic relationship with Republican members of Congress : Fox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Republican Congressmen scream during congressional hearings to provide dramatic pro-GOP soundbites for Fox 's primetime lineup .

Calling a child "your son" without going through the proper channels of adoption...
Hiding the fact you are mentoring them by claiming "he's a helper"...
Revealing his existence after you lose a debate on parenting Black boys...
This whole Matt Gaetz/Nestor thing is very, very creepy.
The story revolving around Rep. Gaetz is that he claims he has a Cuban son after he clashed with Rep. Cedric Richmond on Wednesday.
I think it's great that Rep. Gaetz took guardianship over Nestor when he was 12, if that's the case, but the steps that Gaetz took to hide that fact, and the timing of his "announcement," is unsettling and raises more questions than it answers.
Why lie about his existence up until this week?
People Magazine is reporting that he isn't actually Rep. Gaetz's son: the two-term Republican congressman surprised many with his Thursday announcement that he’s a parent, though he hasn’t adopted 19-year-old Nestor: “Our family’s defined by love.”
Gaetz did not formally adopt Nestor (and he declines to discuss Nestor’s relationship with his biological family now). He re-frames the matter, saying, “Our relationship as a family is defined by our love for each other, not by any paperwork.” Nestor, he says, “is my son in every conceivable way, and I can’t imagine loving him anymore if he was my own flesh and blood.”
The law and order Congressman cares not for the law anymore. What a shock.
Laws apply only to YOU.
Another Republican hypocrite.
The screaming match that the Florida Congressman had with Cedric Richmond revolved around Black males being assaulted by law enforcement.
And this was the touchstone of his big reveal.
Gaetz is like every other a-hole who says they aren't racists because they've dated a Black girl or have a Black friend.
This appeared to be a set up for Rep. Gaetz and why he said "non-white" children to Rep. Richmond instead of Black.
Tucker Carlson's goal was to somehow get Rep. Richmond censored for ---- white power reasons.
Being Latino in Florida, which has a large Cuban population and huge political influence in the state, is not the same as driving while Black in Baltimore, or Minneapolis, or Atlanta.
Roll Call has more:
Data compiled by CQ Roll Call — and previously confirmed by Gaetz’s office — did not list the congressman as having any children during his two terms so far in Congress or as a House candidate. As recently as July 2019, CQ Roll Call conducted biographical data checks, and Gaetz’s staff did not disclose Nestor Galban as his son when they were asked to confirm basic biographical information. Instead, his office confirmed that Gaetz was single with no children.
Why the ruse? There's a lot of meme's popping up on Twitter about this but you judge for yourself.
And if he hasn't formally adopted Nestor then he's not his son.
He's not even his guardian.
That didn't stop Fox News' Tucker Carlson from heavily promoting the notion that Nester is indeed his son.
Fox News has a symbiotic relationship with Republican members of Congress: Fox props up Republican congressmen and their propaganda, and Republican Congressmen scream during congressional hearings to provide dramatic pro-GOP soundbites for Fox's primetime lineup.
I think anyone who understands people can see that this whole "Matt Gaetz" scenario is not going to end well. — Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) June 19, 2020
To give Matt Gaetz the benefit of the doubt, to take him at his word, is to understand that he engaged in the most egregious and shameful exploitation of his own family in the history of US politics. — Stuart Max (@S2tweets) June 19, 2020


crooksandliars--2020-06-19--Trump Threatens Protesters Ahead Of Tulsa Rally

Friday morning , the so-called President of these United States picked up his phone and decided to spew a threat @ @ @ @ @ protesters , anarchists , agitators , looters or lowlifes who are going to Oklahoma please @ @ @ @ @ be treated like you have been in New York , Seattle , or Minneapolis , @ @ @ @ @ iPhone .
`` It will be a much different scene ! ''
You read that @ @ @ @ @ protesting the terrible racism that is a cancer eating this country alive , you just @ @ @ @ @ brutality , vigilantism ?
Whatever , it 's clearly , and unambiguously threatening others ' @ @ @ @ @ out .
In the category of `` there 's always a tweet , '' there @ @ @ @ @ it up nicely :

Friday morning, the so-called President of these United States picked up his phone and decided to spew a threat via Twitter.
"Any protesters, anarchists, agitators, looters or lowlifes who are going to Oklahoma please understand, you will not be treated like you have been in New York, Seattle, or Minneapolis," he pecked into his iPhone. "It will be a much different scene!"
You read that right. If you are protesting the terrible racism that is a cancer eating this country alive, you just got a threat. Police brutality, vigilantism? Whatever, it's clearly, and unambiguously threatening others' First Amendment rights to speak out.
Twitter reacted swiftly and decisively:
The protesters, anarchists, agitators, looters or lowlifes at your Plague-a-pallooza Hate Rally are gonna look like this... pic.twitter.com/XkzKOsmxFN — driftglass (@Mr_Electrico) June 19, 2020
Protesters?
You're threatening violence against people exercising their FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH? — Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) June 19, 2020
does the Tulsa arena have an underground bunker spider hole for you to hide in while your storm troopers gas peaceful protesters? we need to protect your delicate bone spurs, mister tough-talking president sir — Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) June 19, 2020
In the category of "there's always a tweet," there's this:
This sums it up nicely:


crooksandliars--2020-06-19--Amy Klobuchar Bows Out Of Biden Veepstakes: 'We Need A Woman Of Color'

I personally think Biden has already chosen his running mate but his early announcement that it would be a woman @ @ @ @ @ just how many amazing women there are in the Democratic Party .
That said , @ @ @ @ @ and bowed out .
AMY KLOBUCHAR : ...
Since I endorsed the vice president , @ @ @ @ @ this process at all .
But let me tell you this .
After what I @ @ @ @ @ , what I have seen across the country , this is a historic moment and @ @ @ @ @ moment .
and I truly believe as I actually told the vice president last night @ @ @ @ @ I think this is a moment to put a woman of color on that ticket @ @ @ @ @ many incredibly qualified women .
Right now my party , yes , but our nation @ @ @ @ @ hell of a way to do it .
And that 's just what I think @

I personally think Biden has already chosen his running mate but his early announcement that it would be a woman, elevated the discussion to just how many amazing women there are in the Democratic Party.
That said, Amy Klobuchar read the room and bowed out.
AMY KLOBUCHAR: ...Since I endorsed the vice president, I have never commented on this process at all. But let me tell you this. After what I have seen in my state, what I have seen across the country, this is a historic moment and America must seize on this moment. and I truly believe as I actually told the vice president last night when I called him that I think this is a moment to put a woman of color on that ticket. And there are so many incredibly qualified women. Right now my party, yes, but our nation, this is sure a hell of a way to do it. And that's just what I think.
Biden announces his running mate on August 1.


crooksandliars--2020-06-19--SEC Threat To Championship Games May Finally Change Mississippi's Flag

The NCAA 's Southeastern Conference on Thursday told the state of Mississippi it could miss out on SEC championship games @ @ @ @ @ its state flag , which includes a Confederate symbol .
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said @ @ @ @ @ It is past time for change to be made to the flag of the State @ @ @ @ @ The state has been under pressure to change the flag for years , but the @ @ @ @ @ the wake of the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody and the @ @ @ @ @ to systemic racism that have followed .

The SEC gets Mississippi's attention.
NBC News:
The NCAA's Southeastern Conference on Thursday told the state of Mississippi it could miss out on SEC championship games if it doesn't change its state flag, which includes a Confederate symbol.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement, "It is past time for change to be made to the flag of the State of Mississippi."
...The state has been under pressure to change the flag for years, but the demands have ramped up in the wake of the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody and the wide-ranging calls for an end to systemic racism that have followed.


crooksandliars--2020-06-19--Joe Biden Opens Up A Double-Digit Lead In Fox News Poll

Another poll sure to infuriate Trump .
Trump calls the Fox News polls , `` phony polls . ''
And Trump 's charge that Fox News got it even more wrong in 2016 is dubious .
Their final poll released the day of the election had Clinton 48-Trump 44 , with an MoE of +/-2.5 % .
The actual result was Clinton 48.2 % - Trump 46.1 % .
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden continues to lead President Donald Trump in the race for the White House , as majorities say racism , unemployment , and coronavirus pose a major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the latest Fox News Poll .
Biden supporters are far more likely to say fear that Trump might win is behind their vote choice ( 63 percent ) than to say it is enthusiasm for Biden ( 31 percent ) .
The opposite is true among those backing Trump , as almost twice as many of his supporters say enthusiasm is the motivation ( 62 percent ) rather than fear Biden could win ( 33 percent ) .
Fear is a big factor when it comes to turnout , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , more of those backing Trump ( 61 percent ) than Hillary Clinton ( 54 percent ) said fear motivated them .
“ Negative emotions like fear , anxiety , and anger , can be powerful motivators for political participation , ” says Daron Shaw , who conducts the Fox News Poll with Democrat Chris Anderson .
“ The lack of enthusiasm for Biden , however , does create an opening for Trump to define him as out of touch and not up to the task.
” In the head-to-head matchup , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50-38 percent margin .
That 12-point advantage is statistically significant , and up from Biden ’ s 8-point lead last month ( 48-40 percent ) .

Another poll sure to infuriate Trump. Trump calls the Fox News polls, "phony polls." And Trump's charge that Fox News got it even more wrong in 2016 is dubious. Their final poll released the day of the election had Clinton 48-Trump 44, with an MoE of +/-2.5%. The actual result was Clinton 48.2% - Trump 46.1%.
Source: Fox News
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden continues to lead President Donald Trump in the race for the White House, as majorities say racism, unemployment, and coronavirus pose a major threat to the stability of the country, according to the latest Fox News Poll.
Biden supporters are far more likely to say fear that Trump might win is behind their vote choice (63 percent) than to say it is enthusiasm for Biden (31 percent). The opposite is true among those backing Trump, as almost twice as many of his supporters say enthusiasm is the motivation (62 percent) rather than fear Biden could win (33 percent).
Fear is a big factor when it comes to turnout, and that could help Biden. In 2016, more of those backing Trump (61 percent) than Hillary Clinton (54 percent) said fear motivated them.
“Negative emotions like fear, anxiety, and anger, can be powerful motivators for political participation,” says Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll with Democrat Chris Anderson. “The lack of enthusiasm for Biden, however, does create an opening for Trump to define him as out of touch and not up to the task.”
In the head-to-head matchup, the poll finds Biden leads Trump by a 50-38 percent margin. That 12-point advantage is statistically significant, and up from Biden’s 8-point lead last month (48-40 percent).


crooksandliars--2020-06-19--Friday News Dump: Happy #Juneteenth, Covid-19 Continues To Spike, And Other News

So as Covid-19 continues its merry march through America , we find that protests seem to have little to do with the latest uptick .
It does seem to indicate an important fact : MASKS WORK !
“ Me .
Me .
Me .
Me .
Why aren ’ t they talking about me ?
Me .
Me .
Me .
Me .
On Twitter I bet I can find something wonderful about me .
Even if it is by me.
” https : //t.co/UPsYy08SFB He never checked Dahmer ’ s record , which stated that he was convicted for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appealed his firing three years later and the court ruled in his favor .
He was later promoted to president of the Milwaukee Police Association , and retired with pension in 2017 .
“ [ Trump ] didn ’ t hire very well .
He did not have experience at running government , and didn ’ t know how to put together a team that could work well with him , ” former acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney tells @ jimsciutto about the President ’ s appointees .
pic.twitter.com/eAtMJwRnFW It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bolton ’ s final public role is that of a traitor who damaged America by violating his sacred trust with its people .
To our friends around the world : you know that President @ realDonaldTrump 's America is a force for good in the world .
# Watchmen begins in Tulsa , 1921 and explores the legacy of systemic racism in America .
We ’ re proud to announce @ HBO will make all nine episodes available for free this weekend on https : //t.co/dvMR4HmhIR and On Demand , and will air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1PM ET .
pic.twitter.com/UBDLR3OYIV “ Father , remember when you attacked mom and pulled out her hair , cause you were mad that her plastic surgeon messed up you scalp reduction ?
Or the time you punched me in the face in front of my friends at Penn ?
You ’ re the best Dad ever ” @ DonaldJTrumpJr https : //t.co/TyW2YAtfRR Paul Krugman : “ If you wonder why the social safety net in the U.S. is so much weaker than those of other advanced countries , it comes down to just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ https : //t.co/xw5DtWZ85L An abandoned city bus , made famous by the book “ Into the Wild ” and the movie of the same name , was airlifted out of the Alaska backcountry .
The bus has long attracted adventurers to the area .
Some have had to be rescued or have died .
https : //t.co/Sywx2tRlsA pic.twitter.com/KNhezFliuN DEPT .
OF LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL Happy Father 's Day both to the men who did the job -- and the women who had to fill in that missing piece !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and have a great weekend !

So as Covid-19 continues its merry march through America, we find that protests seem to have little to do with the latest uptick. It does seem to indicate an important fact: MASKS WORK!
Early Data Show No Uptick in Covid-19 Transmission From Protests - WSJ https://t.co/KlEctMsvp7 — Stephanie Armour (@StephArmour1) June 19, 2020
Selected states with Covid outbreaks underway. States with large increases in cases, coupled to rising positivity rates, have expanding outbreaks and are areas of significant concern. pic.twitter.com/vbULnmAPwT — Scott Gottlieb, MD (@ScottGottliebMD) June 18, 2020
Trump to @WSJ: Covid testing is "overrated" and some Americans may be wearing masks to signal disapproval of him—not as a preventative measure. “I personally think testing is overrated, even though I created the greatest testing machine in history."https://t.co/3WUrthMx0q — Michael C. Bender (@MichaelCBender) June 18, 2020
As of June 15, forecasts suggest the number of #COVID19 deaths will continue to slow nationally with 129,000 to 145,000 deaths by July 11. However, 9 states are likely to report more deaths in the next 4 weeks than the previous 4 weeks: https://t.co/Ft6cgmaMPX pic.twitter.com/TsxPOgsymN — CDC (@CDCgov) June 18, 2020
In shift, Florida Keys now requiring face masks until June 2021 https://t.co/b8k0ECI3t8 pic.twitter.com/5EQjlm3kSc — South Florida Sun Sentinel (@SunSentinel) June 18, 2020
With coronavirus infections hitting record levels, Democratic mayors in some Republican-run states are going out on their own to mandate face masks — and some governors are going along https://t.co/RNOsQNDZSy — Bloomberg Politics (@bpolitics) June 19, 2020
FACT CHECK: The coronavirus epidemic is NOT “dying out” Mr President.
➡ US just had 15% increase in cases compared to last week. https://t.co/fajYoWnV51 — Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) June 19, 2020
A grim new projection from the CDC now predicts up to 145,000 deaths from the #coronavirus by July 11th.
That potentially means 26,000 deaths in just the next few weeks. pic.twitter.com/h6ANPrrZne — CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) June 19, 2020
***********************************************************************
“Me. Me. Me. Me. Why aren’t they talking about me? Me. Me. Me. Me. On Twitter I bet I can find something wonderful about me. Even if it is by me.” https://t.co/UPsYy08SFB — Samantha Power (@SamanthaJPower) June 19, 2020
Mattis Speechwriter Says He ‘Can Confirm’ Bolton’s Claim Trump Wanted Journalists Imprisoned https://t.co/zt2laHUf1D via @thedailybeast — Suburban Guerrilla Ω (@SusieMadrak) June 19, 2020
"About one in five Americans were Black when James Madison’s 'Three-Fifths Compromise,' which counted just 3 out of every 5 slaves as people, was enshrined in the Constitution. The white man who made that proposal personally owned over 100 human beings."https://t.co/ga4KyahBYd — Greg Olear (@gregolear) June 19, 2020
Amy Klobuchar says Joe Biden's running mate should be a woman of color as she withdraws from the VP race #BidenHarris2020 #BringItOn #EyesOnThePrize #ExpectUs #DraftKamalaCommittee 🤩🔥💅🏾https://t.co/3YEc0qCtg5 — Propane Jane™ (@docrocktex26) June 19, 2020
AMC Theater CEO Adam Aron says their cinemas won't require masks upon reopening because they didn't "want to be drawn into a political controversy" https://t.co/zNjy9wzGMK — Variety (@Variety) June 18, 2020
John Balcerzak was one of the two police officers who were called to investigate the 911 call about a drugged, bleeding 14 year old Laotian immigrant who escaped from Jeffery Dahmer. The policemen made gay jokes and left. The boy was raped, killed, and dismembered that night. https://t.co/kQy78imxSx — Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) June 19, 2020
Balcerzak was fired but appealed his termination and was reinstated to the police department. He retired in 2017, when he was celebrated (see above). We need to eliminate police unions. — Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) June 19, 2020
He never checked Dahmer’s record, which stated that he was convicted for abusing Konerak’s brother. He appealed his firing three years later and the court ruled in his favor. He was later promoted to president of the Milwaukee Police Association, and retired with pension in 2017. — Sarah McGonagall (@sarahmcgphoto) June 19, 2020
“When I was a little girl, in Texas, I thought Juneteenth belonged to us; meaning to the state of Texas, generally, and to black Texans, specifically.” https://t.co/K4wjOsJPFk — The New Yorker (@NewYorker) June 19, 2020
Juneteenth commemorates the June 19, 1865 (155 years) announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas; the last remaining enslaved people in the US.
In 1980, Texas was the 1st to make it a holiday.
Ps- the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863.#JuneteenthDay pic.twitter.com/GDbE7SBApz — Wichita Life (@wichitalifeict) June 19, 2020
(Um, he hired you, Mick, so that proves your point!)
“[Trump] didn’t hire very well. He did not have experience at running government, and didn’t know how to put together a team that could work well with him,” former acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney tells @jimsciutto about the President’s appointees. pic.twitter.com/eAtMJwRnFW — New Day (@NewDay) June 19, 2020
“The military type personality is just one that doesn’t work well with Donald Trump.” - Mulvaney on @NewDay
He ends with unsolicited defense of Mike Pompeo - implicitly saying that he would never call the President “full of sh*t” as Bolton alleged. — John Avlon (@JohnAvlon) June 19, 2020
The final delegitimization of the Confederacy - a traitorous rebellion of murderous white supremacists who lacked both honor and humanity - is one decent thing 2020 America can hang its hat one. — Tom Watson (@tomwatson) June 19, 2020
It is both sad and dangerous that John Bolton’s final public role is that of a traitor who damaged America by violating his sacred trust with its people. To our friends around the world: you know that President @realDonaldTrump's America is a force for good in the world. — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) June 19, 2020
Sad news. Actor Ian Holm has died, his agent has confirmed. Lord of the Rings, Alien, Chariots of Fire and so much more pic.twitter.com/AkY8cPV5Wr — lizo mzimba (@lizo_mzimba) June 19, 2020
Come on, let's see more of this: Top State Department official resigns in protest of Trump’s response to racial tensions in the country https://t.co/ycfEQOsYRA — Jon Lee Anderson (@jonleeanderson) June 19, 2020
When the American people needed to hear from John Bolton, he put his book royalties ahead of his loyalties to our Constitution and to our republic.
Although he speaks to a fundamental truth about the President’s unfitness, the con continues. pic.twitter.com/FfrvKEjjSM — Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) June 18, 2020
Houses of Parliament's art has a lot of racist history, says its curator https://t.co/xLPRyufl1c — The Guardian (@guardian) June 19, 2020
#Watchmen begins in Tulsa, 1921 and explores the legacy of systemic racism in America. We’re proud to announce @HBO will make all nine episodes available for free this weekend on https://t.co/dvMR4HmhIR and On Demand, and will air a marathon of the series tomorrow at 1PM ET. pic.twitter.com/UBDLR3OYIV — Watchmen (@watchmen) June 18, 2020
Shrug. 2024 election, man. Lotta wannabe Presidents in that list . https://t.co/ETDoLQkrbH — Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) June 19, 2020
Atlanta Police Call in Sick After Officer Charged With Murder https://t.co/8tLt2AWpGy — (((RuggedAmethyst))) (@GrooveSDC) June 19, 2020
Keedron Bryant, a 12-year-old black boy, signed by major US record label, after song I Just Wanna Live goes viral https://t.co/zUjnnh6jvh — BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) June 19, 2020
“Father, remember when you attacked mom and pulled out her hair, cause you were mad that her plastic surgeon messed up you scalp reduction? Or the time you punched me in the face in front of my friends at Penn? You’re the best Dad ever” @DonaldJTrumpJr https://t.co/TyW2YAtfRR — NoelCaslerComedy (@CaslerNoel) June 19, 2020
“Our bodies were loot. The forced extraction of our labor was loot. A system of governance that suppressed our wages, relieved us of property and excluded black people from equal schools and public accommodations is a form of looting." - Robin D.G. Kelley https://t.co/hc37QNRKme — Clint Smith (@ClintSmithIII) June 19, 2020
“The world has changed a lot since 2012, and I think the Trump Organization is ill-suited for this new world." https://t.co/4tzWtKf6AH — Mother Jones (@MotherJones) June 19, 2020
This is a perfect illustration of a major problem with policing in America that we must address. Moundsville does not need an MRAP no matter what it "offers". https://t.co/blpoUAxRon — Justin Hendrix (@justinhendrix) June 19, 2020
Why the new case against Bill Barr could be a game-changer | Raw Story https://t.co/8oQqtKMQNL via rawstory — 🕊Sharon ⚖ #RidenWithBiden2020 (@nhdogmom) June 19, 2020
Biden campaign rejects Trump effort to push for more debates https://t.co/prv5FbUZKt pic.twitter.com/MZWbGxGOfK — The Hill (@thehill) June 19, 2020
And here are two more essays that powerfully express the hope, heart, grief, and rage that are driving this moment of potential change.
Racism Is Terrible. Blackness Is Not: https://t.co/64b0Xms1LE
The Trayvon Generation: https://t.co/HtnRelulCP — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 16, 2020
Both New York and Virginia's state governments are observing Juneteenth this year. https://t.co/BcJ9JMpMmB — Slate (@Slate) June 19, 2020
The Red Arrows and La Patrouille de France soared over Paris and London to mark the 80th anniversary of General Charles de Gaulle's radio address calling for resistance to the Nazi occupation of France during World War Two pic.twitter.com/gG8bLiI7KR — Reuters (@Reuters) June 19, 2020
#Juneteenth original order found in National Archives - The Washington Post https://t.co/SBq6TVxXZJ — PETER MAER (@petermaer) June 19, 2020
Paul Krugman: “If you wonder why the social safety net in the U.S. is so much weaker than those of other advanced countries, it comes down to just one word: *race.*” https://t.co/xw5DtWZ85L — Deanie Mills (@deaniemills) June 19, 2020
Because I am a masochist, I clicked on this guy's Twitter feed. Almost immediately I found a video of him telling BLM protesters they were ignorant.
A man says he was kicked off a flight for not wearing a mask. Now he’s been banned. https://t.co/JecuJKXRPK — hilzoy (@hilzoy) June 19, 2020
An abandoned city bus, made famous by the book “Into the Wild” and the movie of the same name, was airlifted out of the Alaska backcountry.
The bus has long attracted adventurers to the area. Some have had to be rescued or have died. https://t.co/Sywx2tRlsA pic.twitter.com/KNhezFliuN — ABC News (@ABC) June 19, 2020
MLK's daughter shared a powerful message about how people react to these two photos - Upworthy #WednesdayWisdom https://t.co/uMzt64SpXE — Timothy Jones (@tdj6899) May 27, 2020
DEPT. OF LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL
With everything this young lady has been through, she comes out shining. Let this be a lesson to all who have trials and tribulations. 💙
"Malala Yousafzai celebrates completing Oxford University degree" https://t.co/DMsPrJa0cb — Bridget Simonds (@bridgetsimonds0) June 19, 2020
"I hope he would be really proud." https://t.co/NRt3f79Syk — ABC News (@ABC) June 19, 2020
Nala Cat is SHOCKED... but @ what?
I wanna hear your weirdest, funniest, most off-the-wall answers. Post em here: https://t.co/e9xf88f6oD pic.twitter.com/OMTKD9Xpax — Joseph Gordon-Levitt (@hitRECordJoe) June 19, 2020
I don’t think I could explain why, but goddamnit this really moves me. Watch the whole thing. Please.pic.twitter.com/ybPIexlRPR — Ken Olin (@kenolin1) June 18, 2020
America's 'most dangerous city' defunded its police department 7 years ago. It's been a stunning success. - Upworthy https://t.co/dkz4TX5ePp — Howard Dean (@GovHowardDean) June 10, 2020
"Former social worker Amy Jandrisevits took to making an inclusive line of dolls that help make kids with special needs feel represented." ❤
Read the full article by @Upworthyhttps://t.co/wHuhC5C1B5 🙌 pic.twitter.com/rLjSSkoxsv — The Female Lead (@the_female_lead) May 12, 2020
WELCOME TO THE WORLD: Newborn otter pups Bubble and Squeak ventured outside for the first time last week, days before London Zoo reopened its doors to the public. https://t.co/qqbTzL9qNa pic.twitter.com/A2DgdRc6uv — ABC News (@ABC) June 19, 2020
Newborn star's X-rays shine light on our solar system's early days https://t.co/VTRVtl2N0h pic.twitter.com/4HjXDqxVUw — SPACE.com (@SPACEdotcom) June 19, 2020
Happy Father's Day both to the men who did the job -- and the women who had to fill in that missing piece! Wash your hands, wear your masks, and have a great weekend!


crooksandliars--2020-06-19--'The Companies You Run Should Be Sued Into Bankruptcy': Joe Scarborough Rips Social Media

If Joe Scarborough is going to pick a fight , he picked the right one .
He 's been righteously ranting about Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg for a while , and now he 's taking his crusade to the Washington Post for a congressional audience : He wrote about how members of Mark Zuckerberg 's own family foundation sent him a letter this month .
`` Those scientists pleaded with the Facebook chief executive to stop the social network from spreading racial misinformation , incendiary language that harms people , especially in our current climate that is grappling with racial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with little more than a dribble of crocodile tears while proclaiming his concern over the raw sewage of propaganda that he allows his site to spew daily , the CEO profits mightily off hate groups and conspiracy theorists whose dangerous ideas are given a long reach on Facebook . ''
He went on to say that federal officer David Patrick Underwood was allegedly murdered by a member of the far right Boogaloo group who promoted violent action via Facebook , and also published the fake charge that the 75-year-old man battered by Buffalo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for attacks .
`` One wonders what awaits the peace activist when he finally leaves his hospital bed .
Will the Facebook founder shed a tear for the battered senior citizen if a cruel fate is ahead of him because of the conspiracy theories allowed on the website ?
And will the Facebook founder attend the funerals of those that fell prey to the lies of a conspiracy movie that attacked Dr. Fauci , and dismissed Covid-19 as a plot hatched by a cabal of elites using the virus to make money and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , referring to the Plandemic movie spread on Facebook .
`` Why are Facebook and its founder not responsible for the damage caused by spreading such conspiracy theories ?
The more critical question now is why Congress continues to allow Silicon Valley billionaires such as Zuckerberg , Sandberg , and Twitter 's Jack Dorsey , whose company is likewise not liable for its reckless and damaging practice to rake in billions by publishing violent rhetoric , deadly disinformation , deranged conspiracy theories and foreign interference that debases america 's culture and erodes our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these conglomerates luxuriate in absolute immunity from the harm they cause to Americans ' life .
Citizens can hold car companies , airline corporations , restaurants and doctors and small business owners liable for problems they cause , yet tech billionaires bear no personal responsibility for the wrecked lives and damaged democracies that lay shattered at their feet . ''
He called Zuckerberg , Sandberg , and Dorsey `` vapid vulgarians '' who put at risk American 's health and elections at risk .
`` Worse , Americans ca n't even trust that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undermine this year 's presidential election .
You have already proved yourself capable of turning a blind eye to foreign interference , so long as the advertising checks clear .
`` That is but one reason the monopolies you lord over should be broken into pieces , the immunity that holds you harmless should be stripped away at once and the companies you run should be sued into bankruptcy .
Perhaps then American democracy will have a fighting chance to survive . ''
I agree with him .
They are a danger to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too , you should let your Congress members know .
Maybe public opinion can force them to grow a spine .

If Joe Scarborough is going to pick a fight, he picked the right one. He's been righteously ranting about Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg for a while, and now he's taking his crusade to the Washington Post for a congressional audience:
He wrote about how members of Mark Zuckerberg's own family foundation sent him a letter this month.
"Those scientists pleaded with the Facebook chief executive to stop the social network from spreading racial misinformation, incendiary language that harms people, especially in our current climate that is grappling with racial injustice. Zuckerberg responded to these pleas with little more than a dribble of crocodile tears while proclaiming his concern over the raw sewage of propaganda that he allows his site to spew daily, the CEO profits mightily off hate groups and conspiracy theorists whose dangerous ideas are given a long reach on Facebook."
He went on to say that federal officer David Patrick Underwood was allegedly murdered by a member of the far right Boogaloo group who promoted violent action via Facebook, and also published the fake charge that the 75-year-old man battered by Buffalo police was "antifa" and called for attacks.
"One wonders what awaits the peace activist when he finally leaves his hospital bed. Will the Facebook founder shed a tear for the battered senior citizen if a cruel fate is ahead of him because of the conspiracy theories allowed on the website? And will the Facebook founder attend the funerals of those that fell prey to the lies of a conspiracy movie that attacked Dr. Fauci, and dismissed Covid-19 as a plot hatched by a cabal of elites using the virus to make money and seize power?," he wrote, referring to the Plandemic movie spread on Facebook.
"Why are Facebook and its founder not responsible for the damage caused by spreading such conspiracy theories? The more critical question now is why Congress continues to allow Silicon Valley billionaires such as Zuckerberg, Sandberg, and Twitter's Jack Dorsey, whose company is likewise not liable for its reckless and damaging practice to rake in billions by publishing violent rhetoric, deadly disinformation, deranged conspiracy theories and foreign interference that debases america's culture and erodes our very democracy.
"Congress still lets these conglomerates luxuriate in absolute immunity from the harm they cause to Americans' life. Citizens can hold car companies, airline corporations, restaurants and doctors and small business owners liable for problems they cause, yet tech billionaires bear no personal responsibility for the wrecked lives and damaged democracies that lay shattered at their feet."
He called Zuckerberg, Sandberg, and Dorsey "vapid vulgarians" who put at risk American's health and elections at risk.
"Worse, Americans can't even trust that you won't allow foreign spies to undermine this year's presidential election. You have already proved yourself capable of turning a blind eye to foreign interference, so long as the advertising checks clear.
"That is but one reason the monopolies you lord over should be broken into pieces, the immunity that holds you harmless should be stripped away at once and the companies you run should be sued into bankruptcy. Perhaps then American democracy will have a fighting chance to survive."
I agree with him. They are a danger to democracy, and if you agree, too, you should let your Congress members know. Maybe public opinion can force them to grow a spine.


crooksandliars--2020-06-20--Cartoon:  Racism Vs. Opportunity

Cartoon:  Racism Vs. Opportunity

When it came down to it , the fate of 700,000 immigrants brought to the U.S. as children hung on @ @ @ @ @ the White House have to tell the whole truth in justifying its move to deport @ @

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