crooksandliars--2020-04-19--Nancy Pelosi Calls Trump A 'Weak Leader' On Fox News

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) took the case against President Donald Trump to one of his favorite news networks on Sunday .
During an interview on Fox News , host Chris Wallace asked the Speaker why she had recently referred to Trump 's response to the coronavirus pandemic as `` weak . ''
`` I 'll tell you why I came to that , '' Pelosi recalled .
`` What I decided was the president has made many mistakes .
Okay , let 's have an after-action review of that . ''
`` But if he continued to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based ... what did he say ?
It 's a hoax , it 's magically going to go away ?
Okay , put that aside , '' she continued .
`` But to proceed with policies that were not science based , which are not evidence based and to blame others . ''
`` Name anybody , blame the governors , blame me , blame the World Health Organization , '' Pelosi said of Trump .
`` Leaders take responsibility .
So I said he 's a weak leader .
He does n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others . ''
The Speaker argued that Trump 's playbook `` might have been okay '' before the coronavirus pandemic .
`` But we can not continue down a path that is -- again -- I come back to science , science , science , '' she said , `` evidence , data on how we could go forward . ''

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) took the case against President Donald Trump to one of his favorite news networks on Sunday.
During an interview on Fox News, host Chris Wallace asked the Speaker why she had recently referred to Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic as "weak."
"I'll tell you why I came to that," Pelosi recalled. "What I decided was the president has made many mistakes. Okay, let's have an after-action review of that."
"But if he continued to put forth proposals that were not science based... what did he say? It's a hoax, it's magically going to go away? Okay, put that aside," she continued. "But to proceed with policies that were not science based, which are not evidence based and to blame others."
"Name anybody, blame the governors, blame me, blame the World Health Organization," Pelosi said of Trump. "Leaders take responsibility. So I said he's a weak leader. He doesn't take responsibility. He places blame on others."
The Speaker argued that Trump's playbook "might have been okay" before the coronavirus pandemic.
"But we cannot continue down a path that is -- again -- I come back to science, science, science," she said, "evidence, data on how we could go forward."


crooksandliars--2020-04-19--Chris Wallace Grills Mike Pence: Trump 'Fomenting Domestic Rebellion' During A Pandemic

Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday defended President Donald Trump for inciting protests in the middle of a pandemic .
During an interview on Fox New Sunday , host Chris Wallace noted that demonstrators calling for the economy to reopen were seen violating social distancing guidelines .
Pence , however , praised the president instead of answering the question .
`` We continue to see encouraging results , declining cases , declining hospitalizations because of what the American people have done , because of the president 's leadership , '' the vice president said .
`` We are slowing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when we can put the coronavirus in the past and reopen the American economy . ''
Pence continued for over a minute before Wallace interrupted .
`` But Mr. Vice President , '' Wallace said .
`` In a number of these cases , these protesters -- who are not social distancing -- are saying they do n't want to wait .
In many cases , they 're protesting your own guidelines to stop the spread . ''
The Fox News host pointed out that Gov .
Jay Inslee ( D-WA ) had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' after the president tweeted that states should `` liberate '' workers .
`` Liberate Minnesota , liberate Michigan and liberate Virginia , '' Wallace said , quoting the president 's tweets .
`` So what does the president mean because you 've got guidelines that are calling for social distancing and staying at home ? ''
`` Even your guidelines to reopen the country are very phased and gradual , '' the Fox News host added .
`` What does the president mean when he says liberate these states ? ''
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this country wants to reopen this country more than President Donald Trump , '' Pence insisted .
`` And on Thursday that president asked us to lay out guidelines for how the states can responsibly do that . ''
`` And in the president 's tweets and public statements , I can assure you he 's going to continue to encourage governors to find ways to safely and responsibly let America go back to work , '' the vice president concluded .

Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday defended President Donald Trump for inciting protests in the middle of a pandemic.
During an interview on Fox New Sunday, host Chris Wallace noted that demonstrators calling for the economy to reopen were seen violating social distancing guidelines.
Pence, however, praised the president instead of answering the question.
"We continue to see encouraging results, declining cases, declining hospitalizations because of what the American people have done, because of the president's leadership," the vice president said. "We are slowing the spread, we are hastening the day when we can put the coronavirus in the past and reopen the American economy."
Pence continued for over a minute before Wallace interrupted.
"But Mr. Vice President," Wallace said. "In a number of these cases, these protesters -- who are not social distancing -- are saying they don't want to wait. In many cases, they're protesting your own guidelines to stop the spread."
The Fox News host pointed out that Gov. Jay Inslee (D-WA) had accused Trump of "fomenting domestic rebellion" after the president tweeted that states should "liberate" workers.
"Liberate Minnesota, liberate Michigan and liberate Virginia," Wallace said, quoting the president's tweets. "So what does the president mean because you've got guidelines that are calling for social distancing and staying at home?"
"Even your guidelines to reopen the country are very phased and gradual," the Fox News host added. "What does the president mean when he says liberate these states?"
"The American people know that no one in this country wants to reopen this country more than President Donald Trump," Pence insisted. "And on Thursday that president asked us to lay out guidelines for how the states can responsibly do that."
"And in the president's tweets and public statements, I can assure you he's going to continue to encourage governors to find ways to safely and responsibly let America go back to work," the vice president concluded.


crooksandliars--2020-04-19--Scott Walker Criticizes 'Power-Hungry' Governors For Extending Stay-at-Home Orders

Scott Walker appeared with Faux News ' Neil Cavuto to discuss how to reopen the nation .
Walker started out accusing governors who have extended their states ' stay at home orders due to continued high number of cases or , like Wisconsin , are seeing a new spike in new cases - usually thanks to Republicans playing politics with people 's lives - are power hungry and are exceeding their authority .
This statement by Walker is breathtaking in its irony , since Walker is actually an expert in being power hungry and exceeding his authority .
While governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , starting with creating a fake economic crisis as an excuse to take away constitutional rights from workers - an act he repeated over and over during his tenure .
These power grabs continued as he amassed more and more power and methodically diminished the system of checks and balances .
But then Walker really loses all touch with human decency .
Walker - who 's never worked a day in his miserable life , much less ran a business - shared his `` expertise '' on how to restart the economy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , starting with manufacturing and construction - which just coincidentally happened to be two of his biggest donors .
But to keep workers safe , he recommended closing the break rooms and lunchrooms and all but keeping workers chained to the machinery .
Obviously , Walker has never been in a factory , much less worked in one , otherwise he would know how ludicrous an idea that is.
, There are seldom places for a worker to sit and the idea of trying to eat their lunches in spot is not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the workers ' health , especially if they are working with chemicals .
And if they are working with any sort of precision machinery , it could also cause damage to the machines themselves .
In some states , like Wisconsin , it 's also redundant , since many manufacturers and construction companies were already deemed to be essential and never shut down .
All that does not take into account the probability that workers will decide that going back to a job that is below competitive page or minimum wage , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives or those of their families .
Then again , Walker is merely expressing the common Republican viewpoint that workers are only there to be exploited , used to their limit and then callously discarded like so much garbage .
It is also dismissive of the simple , irrefutable fact that Republicans have been the cause of almost every financial crisis in this country 's history .
Why the hell should we trust them to get us out of one or at least not make it worse ?

Scott Walker appeared with Faux News' Neil Cavuto to discuss how to reopen the nation. Walker started out accusing governors who have extended their states' stay at home orders due to continued high number of cases or, like Wisconsin, are seeing a new spike in new cases - usually thanks to Republicans playing politics with people's lives - are power hungry and are exceeding their authority.
This statement by Walker is breathtaking in its irony, since Walker is actually an expert in being power hungry and exceeding his authority. While governor, Walker regularly grabbed for more power, starting with creating a fake economic crisis as an excuse to take away constitutional rights from workers - an act he repeated over and over during his tenure.
These power grabs continued as he amassed more and more power and methodically diminished the system of checks and balances.
But then Walker really loses all touch with human decency.
Walker - who's never worked a day in his miserable life, much less ran a business - shared his "expertise" on how to restart the economy. Walker recommended to do it in phases, starting with manufacturing and construction - which just coincidentally happened to be two of his biggest donors. But to keep workers safe, he recommended closing the break rooms and lunchrooms and all but keeping workers chained to the machinery. Obviously, Walker has never been in a factory, much less worked in one, otherwise he would know how ludicrous an idea that is., There are seldom places for a worker to sit and the idea of trying to eat their lunches in spot is not only extremely unappealing but can also be hazardous to the workers' health, especially if they are working with chemicals. And if they are working with any sort of precision machinery, it could also cause damage to the machines themselves.
In some states, like Wisconsin, it's also redundant, since many manufacturers and construction companies were already deemed to be essential and never shut down.
All that does not take into account the probability that workers will decide that going back to a job that is below competitive page or minimum wage, is not worth risking their health and lives or those of their families.
Then again, Walker is merely expressing the common Republican viewpoint that workers are only there to be exploited, used to their limit and then callously discarded like so much garbage. It is also dismissive of the simple, irrefutable fact that Republicans have been the cause of almost every financial crisis in this country's history. Why the hell should we trust them to get us out of one or at least not make it worse?


crooksandliars--2020-04-19--America Hasn't Flattened The Curve, And States Are Acting On Data That May Be Worse Than Worthless

A quick check of the ever more reassuring University of Washington IHME model shows that America reached the peak number of deaths three days ago and is on it ’ s way to improvement .
Which is great .
Except for the part where that didn ’ t happen .
In between the previous update on April 13 and the latest update , the IHME equation consistently under-predicted deaths by 400 or more .
Then , after taking that into account , and following an update on Thursday , it went on to … under-predict deaths by 400 on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also cut the overall number of deaths by 8,000 in the latest update seem more than a little suspect .
Discounting additions made after New York rolled in thousands of previously unreported deaths earlier in the week , Friday marked the highest single day of reported deaths in the United States with over 2,500 .
It ’ s also becoming increasingly obvious that New York is far from alone in failing to account for cases and deaths that are happening outside of hospitals .
Across the nation , extended care facilities have become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff , and the rate of people dying in their own homes is up an order of magnitude .
All the evidence indicates that the number of cases of COVID-19 in the United States has not plateaued .
But the rate of testing has .
For weeks now , the COVID-19 Tracking Project has recorded not just the daily statistics on new cases and deaths across the nation , but the number of tests conducted state by state .
Some states have tested at relatively high rates .
For example , both Rhode @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rate that works out to almost 30 people out of 1000 .
But over half the states have tested at rates less than 10 people out of 1000—sometimes much less .
Puerto Rico , which has presumably been shipped supplies with the same reluctance that Trump has demonstrated in helping the island withe every other disaster , has tested at a rate of only 3 out of 1000 .
But the pure rate of testing doesn ’ t tell the whole story .
The over 500,000 tests administered in New York are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % positive—demonstrating that it ’ s still phenomenally difficult to get a test there .
Meanwhile , Vermont has conducted only 12,000 tests , but the rate of positives was just 6 % , which shows that Vermont … still isn ’ t doing enough tests .
What does genuinely adequate testing look like ?
Well , it ’ s not bad to consider the Iceland approach .
The isolated country of 364,000 has taken a radical approach to dealing with COVID-19 .
Rather than imposing social distancing across the board , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone .
Currently , Iceland has tested just under half the population , and while the 1,750 cases confirmed may seem relatively high for a nation whose population is roughly that of Wyoming ( 412 cases ) , the very low death rate shows that Iceland is doing a good job at finding the cases with mild or no symptoms — the kind of cases that aren ’ t even being considered for testing in most U.S. states .
The United States isn ’ t just far behind Iceland when it comes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind New Zealand , and Singapore , and Canada , and Hong Kong , and Switzerland , and … basically every nation which has been pointed out as a model for how the epidemic should be handled .
The United States has tested at almost the exact same rate as the successful program in South Korea , except for the little fact where South Korea went into testing at a high rate when the number of cases was tiny , allowing it to trace cases and effectively isolate those affected .
The U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exploded , meaning that the testing has mostly involved proving what was already clear — yes , this already hospitalized patient displaying severe respiratory distress does indeed have COVID-19 .
And that remains an enormous problem .
Because every study has demonstrated that not those with very light symptoms spread COVID-19 , but those with few symptoms are responsible for by far the majority of all cases .
In fact , 80 % of cases in some studies began through contact with someone not displaying clear symptoms for COVID-19 .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases have light symptoms , but because even those who later develop a more severe form of the disease are most contagious in the early days of the infection before those symptoms appear .
There ’ s also a very basic human factor in this—people are less likely to hang around with those who are sweating and coughing in the midst of a pandemic , while those who are sick are less likely to socialize .
With all that said , let ’ s look at where things stand … COVID-19 : Confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from : Daily Kos With Italy on the chart simply as means of demonstrating the raw scale of the epidemic in the United States , it ’ s clear that the number of new cases in the United States has not begun to diminish .
While the eye tends to generate some good news on looking at these values , I invite you to pick up a piece of paper , a nearby letter , or anything else with a straight edge and lay it against the screen .
What you ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line for the United States has barely changed since the end of March .
Really .
The genuine rate of growth has changed , but only slightly .
Here ’ s what it looks like in terms of new cases each day .
COVID-19 : New cases per day Image from : Daily Kos Since the first of the month , the number of new cases each day has wavered around in the same range between 25,000 and 35,000 cases a day .
There is no discernible trend in these numbers , certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of decline .
Instead , there are a series of dips and troughs that seem to correspond closely to … weekends .
The large dip centered on April 12 is pinned directly to Easter Sunday .
The decline around that date , and the dip a week before , is much more likely to be connected with reduced testing around those dates than it is on a genuine reduction in cases coming into testing facilities .
And , in fact , that whole period of 25,000-35,000 cases a day also represents something else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but of America ’ s ability to test for COVID-19 cases .
Throughout the same period , the range of tests conducted on a daily basis was 130,000 to 160,000 .
That means that , nationwide , about 20 % of all tests conducted have been positive .
Again , this is a number that shows people are only getting tested when displaying symptoms or with known contact .
In some states and areas , it takes both to warrant a test .
Even worse , the 160,000 rate came near the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last two weeks , the number of tests conducted each day has actually trended slightly downward .
Even as the number of known cases has increased , the number of tests hasn ’ t begun to keep up .
With 700,000 known cases , the United States is now testing at a rate below that it was employing when there were 300,000 known cases — which was , quick reminder , just two weeks ago .
In fact , this week the United States hit 600,000 cases on Tuesday , then passed 700,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the best possible view of the existing data , the United States has managed to straighten the line of growth .
That ’ s a precursor to genuinely flattening the curve , but it ’ s only a precursor .
However , it can be argued that testing over the last weeks hasn ’ t just failed to improve , it ’ s now much worse than it was at the beginning of the month when it comes to probing the defining the epidemic in a way that allows the nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ ve leveled the number of new cases being logged each day , but every indicator says we ’ ve done so only because we ’ ve hit the limits of current testing .
• Tests are still impossible to obtain for most people .
• Tests are not being used to sample the population at large .
• Tests are not being involved in a system of case tracking and quarantine .
Testing was America ’ s original failure in response to COVID-19 .
It continues to be the primary failure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but so inadequate that it generates a false sense of progress .
And that ’ s deadly .

A quick check of the ever more reassuring University of Washington IHME model shows that America reached the peak number of deaths three days ago and is on it’s way to improvement. Which is great. Except for the part where that didn’t happen. In between the previous update on April 13 and the latest update, the IHME equation consistently under-predicted deaths by 400 or more. Then, after taking that into account, and following an update on Thursday, it went on to … under-predict deaths by 400 on Friday. Which makes the way the model also cut the overall number of deaths by 8,000 in the latest update seem more than a little suspect.
Discounting additions made after New York rolled in thousands of previously unreported deaths earlier in the week, Friday marked the highest single day of reported deaths in the United States with over 2,500. It’s also becoming increasingly obvious that New York is far from alone in failing to account for cases and deaths that are happening outside of hospitals. Across the nation, extended care facilities have become overwhelmed by cases among both patients and staff, and the rate of people dying in their own homes is up an order of magnitude.
All the evidence indicates that the number of cases of COVID-19 in the United States has not plateaued. But the rate of testing has.
For weeks now, the COVID-19 Tracking Project has recorded not just the daily statistics on new cases and deaths across the nation, but the number of tests conducted state by state. Some states have tested at relatively high rates. For example, both Rhode Island and New York have tested at a rate that works out to almost 30 people out of 1000. But over half the states have tested at rates less than 10 people out of 1000—sometimes much less. Puerto Rico, which has presumably been shipped supplies with the same reluctance that Trump has demonstrated in helping the island withe every other disaster, has tested at a rate of only 3 out of 1000.
But the pure rate of testing doesn’t tell the whole story. The over 500,000 tests administered in New York are still showing a rate of over 40% positive—demonstrating that it’s still phenomenally difficult to get a test there. Meanwhile, Vermont has conducted only 12,000 tests, but the rate of positives was just 6%, which shows that Vermont … still isn’t doing enough tests.
What does genuinely adequate testing look like? Well, it’s not bad to consider the Iceland approach. The isolated country of 364,000 has taken a radical approach to dealing with COVID-19. Rather than imposing social distancing across the board, they’re simply testing everyone. Literally everyone. Currently, Iceland has tested just under half the population, and while the 1,750 cases confirmed may seem relatively high for a nation whose population is roughly that of Wyoming (412 cases), the very low death rate shows that Iceland is doing a good job at finding the cases with mild or no symptoms — the kind of cases that aren’t even being considered for testing in most U.S. states.
The United States isn’t just far behind Iceland when it comes to rate of testing, it’s behind New Zealand, and Singapore, and Canada, and Hong Kong, and Switzerland, and … basically every nation which has been pointed out as a model for how the epidemic should be handled. The United States has tested at almost the exact same rate as the successful program in South Korea, except for the little fact where South Korea went into testing at a high rate when the number of cases was tiny, allowing it to trace cases and effectively isolate those affected. The U.S. began significant testing only after cases had exploded, meaning that the testing has mostly involved proving what was already clear — yes, this already hospitalized patient displaying severe respiratory distress does indeed have COVID-19.
And that remains an enormous problem. Because every study has demonstrated that not those with very light symptoms spread COVID-19, but those with few symptoms are responsible for by far the majority of all cases. In fact, 80% of cases in some studies began through contact with someone not displaying clear symptoms for COVID-19. That’s not just because about half of all cases have light symptoms, but because even those who later develop a more severe form of the disease are most contagious in the early days of the infection before those symptoms appear. There’s also a very basic human factor in this—people are less likely to hang around with those who are sweating and coughing in the midst of a pandemic, while those who are sick are less likely to socialize.
With all that said, let’s look at where things stand …
COVID-19: Confirmed cases in US vs select countries Credit: Daily Kos
With Italy on the chart simply as means of demonstrating the raw scale of the epidemic in the United States, it’s clear that the number of new cases in the United States has not begun to diminish. While the eye tends to generate some good news on looking at these values, I invite you to pick up a piece of paper, a nearby letter, or anything else with a straight edge and lay it against the screen. What you’ll see is that the angle of the line for the United States has barely changed since the end of March. Really. The genuine rate of growth has changed, but only slightly. Here’s what it looks like in terms of new cases each day.
COVID-19: New cases per day Credit: Daily Kos
Since the first of the month, the number of new cases each day has wavered around in the same range between 25,000 and 35,000 cases a day. There is no discernible trend in these numbers, certainly not one that signals a prolonged period of decline. Instead, there are a series of dips and troughs that seem to correspond closely to … weekends. The large dip centered on April 12 is pinned directly to Easter Sunday. The decline around that date, and the dip a week before, is much more likely to be connected with reduced testing around those dates than it is on a genuine reduction in cases coming into testing facilities.
And, in fact, that whole period of 25,000-35,000 cases a day also represents something else: a flattening not of COVID-19 cases, but of America’s ability to test for COVID-19 cases. Throughout the same period, the range of tests conducted on a daily basis was 130,000 to 160,000. That means that, nationwide, about 20% of all tests conducted have been positive. Again, this is a number that shows people are only getting tested when displaying symptoms or with known contact. In some states and areas, it takes both to warrant a test.
Even worse, the 160,000 rate came near the start of this period. In the last two weeks, the number of tests conducted each day has actually trended slightly downward. Even as the number of known cases has increased, the number of tests hasn’t begun to keep up. With 700,000 known cases, the United States is now testing at a rate below that it was employing when there were 300,000 known cases — which was, quick reminder, just two weeks ago. In fact, this week the United States hit 600,000 cases on Tuesday, then passed 700,000 on Friday, just three days later.
In the best possible view of the existing data, the United States has managed to straighten the line of growth. That’s a precursor to genuinely flattening the curve, but it’s only a precursor.
However, it can be argued that testing over the last weeks hasn’t just failed to improve, it’s now much worse than it was at the beginning of the month when it comes to probing the defining the epidemic in a way that allows the nation to take appropriate action. Yes, we’ve leveled the number of new cases being logged each day, but every indicator says we’ve done so only because we’ve hit the limits of current testing.
Tests are still impossible to obtain for most people.
Tests are not being used to sample the population at large.
Tests are not being involved in a system of case tracking and quarantine.
Testing was America’s original failure in response to COVID-19. It continues to be the primary failure. The testing is not just inadequate, but so inadequate that it generates a false sense of progress. And that’s deadly.
Posted with permission from Daily Kos.


crooksandliars--2020-04-19--Conservative Ideology Will Kill People During This Pandemic

The coronavirus is reaching the heartland .
The bump in coronavirus cases is most pronounced in states without stay at home orders .
Oklahoma saw a 53 % increase in cases over the past week , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
Over same time , cases jumped 60 % in Arkansas , 74 % in Nebraska , and 82 % in Iowa .
South Dakota saw a whopping 205 % spike .
But do n't assume that the Republican governors ' attitudes toward lockdowns will hurt them politically .
Since long before the pandemic , American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a simple belief : If misfortune has come to your life , you probably deserve it .
If you 're broke , or unemployed , or have medical bills you ca n't pay , well , sorry , but you must have set up your life in such a way that misfortune came to you .
Maybe you made bad life choices .
Maybe you 're a sinner .
( Real Christians believe that everyone is a sinner , but American conservatives believe that some people -- not themselves -- are sinners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terrestrial punishments . )
One governor , Pete Ricketts of Nebraska , says outright that getting sick or dying from the coronavirus is your own damn fault .
It wo n't be long before reporters find covid-19 sufferers , or relatives of sufferers , in these states who absolve their governors of blame for the preventable spread of the virus -- because freedom , of course .
Posted with permission from No More Mr. Nice Blog

The coronavirus is reaching the heartland.
The bump in coronavirus cases is most pronounced in states without stay at home orders. Oklahoma saw a 53% increase in cases over the past week, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Over same time, cases jumped 60% in Arkansas, 74% in Nebraska, and 82% in Iowa. South Dakota saw a whopping 205% spike.
But don't assume that the Republican governors' attitudes toward lockdowns will hurt them politically.
Since long before the pandemic, American conservatives have fought government social programs based on a simple belief: If misfortune has come to your life, you probably deserve it. If you're broke, or unemployed, or have medical bills you can't pay, well, sorry, but you must have set up your life in such a way that misfortune came to you. Maybe you made bad life choices. Maybe you're a sinner. (Real Christians believe that everyone is a sinner, but American conservatives believe that some people -- not themselves -- are sinners in ways that God responds to with terrestrial punishments.)
One governor, Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, says outright that getting sick or dying from the coronavirus is your own damn fault.
"This is a program that depends on people exercising personal responsibility and their civic duty," Ricketts told Politico Wednesday. "This is about making that decision, not the heavy hand of government taking away your freedoms."
It won't be long before reporters find covid-19 sufferers, or relatives of sufferers, in these states who absolve their governors of blame for the preventable spread of the virus -- because freedom, of course.
Posted with permission from No More Mr. Nice Blog


crooksandliars--2020-04-20--Reporter Asks Trump: 'Is This Really The Time For Self-Congratulations?'

Here 's what CNN reporter Jeremy Diamond asked Trump at his daily campaign rally , er , press briefing Sunday : DIAMOND : Twenty-two million Americans are currently unemployed as a result of this .
Today we hit the grim milestone of 40,000 Americans now having died from the coronavirus .
Can you explain why you come out here and reading clips and showing clips of praise for you and your administration ?
Is this really the time for self-congratulations ?
TRUMP : I will tell you this .
What i 'm doing is , I 'm standing up for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such a an incredible job .
Not for me , but the men and women , admirals , vice president , if us might .
But all of the men and women , thousands , tens of thousands of them that built hospitals in New York and New Jersey and all over this country .
In record time .
A thousand beds in four days .
I 'm sticking up for those people people .
I 'm also sticking up for doctors and nurses and military doctors and nurses .
All I played @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the job the federal government has done .
Those people have been excoriated by some of the fake news .
`` It seems like he 's making your point because he played nothing about the people on the front lines .
All he talked about was him , him , him and what a great job he 's done .
He 's defending himself ? ''
Lemon said .
`` That 's right .
And that 's why it struck me as a remarkable split screen moment .
We have 22 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment as a result of this coronavirus crisis .
We now have more than 41,000 Americans who have died of the coronavirus crisis , '' Diamond said .
`` And I was sitting there in the briefing room watching the president talk about how wonderful everything is and how well his administration has done .
There 's a time for the president to perhaps tout what his administration as done and he can certainly make that case .
That 's his prerogative .
It struck me as a damning split screen to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It was n't just the clip he played from Governor Cuomo praiseing the government 's response .
It was also that he read a headline from an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal .
The headline is : 'Trump rewrites the book on emergencies ' and somehow he was claiming what he was reading was not about him , but about the hospital workers , and the doctors .
That 's clearly not what the president was focused on today . ''

Here's what CNN reporter Jeremy Diamond asked Trump at his daily campaign rally, er, press briefing Sunday:
DIAMOND: Twenty-two million Americans are currently unemployed as a result of this. Today we hit the grim milestone of 40,000 Americans now having died from the coronavirus. Can you explain why you come out here and reading clips and showing clips of praise for you and your administration? Is this really the time for self-congratulations? TRUMP: I will tell you this. What i'm doing is, I'm standing up for the men and women that have done such a an incredible job. Not for me, but the men and women, admirals, vice president, if us might. But all of the men and women, thousands, tens of thousands of them that built hospitals in New York and New Jersey and all over this country. In record time. A thousand beds in four days. I'm sticking up for those people people. I'm also sticking up for doctors and nurses and military doctors and nurses. All I played today was Governor Cuomo saying positive things about the job the federal government has done. Those people have been excoriated by some of the fake news.
Don Lemon couldn't believe it.
"It seems like he's making your point because he played nothing about the people on the front lines. All he talked about was him, him, him and what a great job he's done. He's defending himself?" Lemon said.
"That's right. And that's why it struck me as a remarkable split screen moment. We have 22 million Americans who have had to file for unemployment as a result of this coronavirus crisis. We now have more than 41,000 Americans who have died of the coronavirus crisis," Diamond said.
"And I was sitting there in the briefing room watching the president talk about how wonderful everything is and how well his administration has done. There's a time for the president to perhaps tout what his administration as done and he can certainly make that case. That's his prerogative. It struck me as a damning split screen to see the president saying that on grim milestone.
"It wasn't just the clip he played from Governor Cuomo praiseing the government's response. It was also that he read a headline from an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal. The headline is: 'Trump rewrites the book on emergencies' and somehow he was claiming what he was reading was not about him, but about the hospital workers, and the doctors. That's clearly not what the president was focused on today."


crooksandliars--2020-04-20--A Couple Of Badass Nurses Blocked Denver Protesters

You want to honor nurses ?
Well , I think their stance on these protests is pretty clear .
Some amazing shots in Denver by @ McclaranAlyson pic.twitter.com/nXvNxUhhfX These amazing photos by freelancer Alyson McClaran warmed my heart .
Yesterday a couple of Denver nurses decided they would protest the protesters by blocking their cars : Health care workers stand in the street in counter-protest to hundreds of people who gathered at the State Capitol to demand the stay-at-home order be lifted in Denver , Colo. , on Sunday , April 19 , 2020 .
Photos by Alyson McClaran pic.twitter.com/yanunDrVKj @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was calling them `` communists '' and telling them to go to China : These 2 incredible nurses were peacefully counter protesting at red lights in Denver Colorado where folks protesting the stay at home orders were blocking traffic for ambulances & driving recklessly , shouting obscenities .
The nurses were met with the likes of this woman .
pic.twitter.com/hyA6yfqMFR On the left is a salute to healthcare workers by Air Force Thunderbirds amid Denver Skyline , and on the right are people effectively giving the middle finger to doctors and nurses who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this virus under control .
# StayatHome pic.twitter.com/xfjJPGE4zC

These amazing photos by freelancer Alyson McClaran warmed my heart. Yesterday a couple of Denver nurses decided they would protest the protesters by blocking their cars:
Health care workers stand in the street in counter-protest to hundreds of people who gathered at the State Capitol to demand the stay-at-home order be lifted in Denver, Colo., on Sunday, April 19, 2020. Photos by Alyson McClaran pic.twitter.com/yanunDrVKj — Alyson McClaran (@McclaranAlyson) April 20, 2020
Amazing photo- rabid MAGA supporters wanting lockdown lifted in Denver stopped by nurses. pic.twitter.com/t7AL4zTPR7 — Dom Joly (@domjoly) April 20, 2020
Tiananmen Square, but instead of standing down a Chinese tank, nurses in Denver are standing down SUVs with Fox-watching ignorami pic.twitter.com/uLNIVrF7TZ — Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) April 19, 2020
The woman in the front car was calling them "communists" and telling them to go to China:
This video of a nurse who is on the frontlines of this pandemic being told to “go to China” has gotta be the most insane thing I’ve seen on Twitter dot com in the 11 years I’ve been on this platform. And I used to report ISIS accounts for a living.pic.twitter.com/5E4Hi6P7DR — Mari Manoogian 🧼🤚🏽 (@MariManoogian) April 20, 2020
These 2 incredible nurses were peacefully counter protesting at red lights in Denver Colorado where folks protesting the stay at home orders were blocking traffic for ambulances & driving recklessly, shouting obscenities. The nurses were met with the likes of this woman. pic.twitter.com/hyA6yfqMFR — Sarah, RN (@shesinscrubs) April 20, 2020


crooksandliars--2020-04-20--If You Thought Anti-Quarantine Rallies Looked Familiar, You Were Right

As many of us suspected , there are many familiar right-wing names involved with these `` reopen our state '' rallies .
Polls show the vast majority of Americans support the quarantine , so what on earth makes people want to go out in a large group and risk getting COVID-19 ?
Melissa Ryan , who writes the very good Control-Alt-Delete newsletter , explains : A Who ’ s Who of the American Right is behind all of this..
The protest in Michigan , which I believe is the largest we ’ ve seen to date , was organized by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vos family .
Three of the largest Facebook groups are run by the Dorr Brothers , The Convention of States is hosting an interactive map called Open the States , tracking which states are planning protests and are linking to those groups ’ Facebook pages .
The organization ’ s head is Tea Party co-founder Mark Meckler .
The Guardian ’ s Jason Wilson reports that “ while protesters in Michigan , Ohio , Kentucky and other states claim to speak for ordinary citizens , many are also supported by street-fighting rightwing groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ militia groups , religious fundamentalists , anti-vaccination groups and other elements of the radical right.
” ( And the dark money groups that fund them . )
Is the Trump political operation behind this ?
I have no way of knowing that but I will say they fit into Trump ’ s political agenda and priorities perfectly .
Trump ’ s desire to reopen the economy sooner than later ( and against the advice of virtually every expert ) is well known .
As is Trump ’ s increasing conflict with several U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media attention and accolades some of them are receiving .
The protests allow Trump to claim he has the mandate to reopen the country sooner rather than later while also attempting to blame governors for his Administration ’ s own failures .
There are a couple of pieces to these efforts , and the one that certainly makes me believe this is tied to the Trump campaign is , some of the names turning up are tied to Republican data collection .
That 's the kind of information that was used so effectively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 by Steve Bannon , Facebook and Cambridge Analytica .
( See Christopher Wylie 's book `` Mindf*ck '' . )
Will Bunch writes here about the media is covering this faux movement : The Washington Post covered the story , although they did n't dig as deep as I would have liked :

As many of us suspected, there are many familiar right-wing names involved with these "reopen our state" rallies. Polls show the vast majority of Americans support the quarantine, so what on earth makes people want to go out in a large group and risk getting COVID-19? Melissa Ryan, who writes the very good Control-Alt-Delete newsletter, explains:
There are a couple of pieces to these efforts, and the one that certainly makes me believe this is tied to the Trump campaign is, some of the names turning up are tied to Republican data collection. That's the kind of information that was used so effectively to identify aggrieved potential Trump supporters in 2016 by Steve Bannon, Facebook and Cambridge Analytica. (See Christopher Wylie's book "Mindf*ck".)
Will Bunch writes here about the media is covering this faux movement:
...@Will_Bunch wrote a book on the Tea Party. "What I learned back then is why I’m troubled by the way the Times, cable TV and other outlets are covering 2020′s 'spontaneous'-not-really-right-wing rallies, because the real story is who stands behind them." https://t.co/jhbTGfpXx9 — Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) April 19, 2020
The Washington Post covered the story, although they didn't dig as deep as I would have liked:
Not spontaneous.
Not organic.
Facebook is allowing a trio of far-right, pro-gun provocateurs behind some of the largest Facebook groups to mobilize damaging anti-quarantine protests around the countryhttps://t.co/PHjtvOrr7C #COVID19 #coronavirus — David Beard (@dabeard) April 20, 2020
But ABC News? Wise up, guys. MAJOR FAIL.


crooksandliars--2020-04-20--Payroll Protection Program (PPP) Loans Aren't There For Most Small Businesses

You probably heard already that the PPP ( Paycheck Protection Program ) loan budget is drained , locking the House and the Senate in a death match for more money .
Trump and Mnuchin promised all American small businesses that this money would be available immediately .
Do you know who got the loans ?
How were they able to get applications in and processed so quickly ?
Was there preferential treatment ?
My adventure into trying to acquire a loan for Crooks and Liars was and still is quite the nightmare .
This is what happens when you you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this massive and then throw it against the wall and let the bankers figure out how to implement it .
Trump and Mnuchin were bragging that any financial institution would offer the loans whether you had an account or not .
This , of course , was false .
I was told on March 30th that the banks were working diligently on how to set up the applications , but the date for them to be unveiled was supposed to be on Friday , April 3 .
I called my Wells Fargo banker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was passed , and all week long the preferred banker was clueless as to what was happening minute to minute .
I was told he would schedule an appointment with me as soon as he had word .
April 3 came and went and the banks were clueless as to when loan documents would be ready .
I was told by a bank manager that it would take at least a few more days to finish up the online document .
However , with no warning , Wells Fargo released an application online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notifying any of us who had been asking .
The following Monday , I immediately submitted C & L 's basic information like name , email and company name and they told me they would get back to me .
There was no loan document available but I had to wait for an email from Wells Fargo .
THey told me not to call their customer service lines , since this was an online-process only .
It took them 10 days to get back to me and on the day they said I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broke that there was no more money for the program .
This is what happens when the president hates his own federal government and refuses to fill most job vacancies while hiring loyalist stooges who collect paychecks while getting nothing done .
If Trump wanted to truly stimulate the economy properly , he would have had the government handle these loans and cut out the banks entirely .
One of Trump 's traits as the president , outside of whittling down the federal government into a basic skeleton crew , is to always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fall guy .
ProPublica writes how impossible it is for Americans to receive their personal stimulus checks : Congress has approved billions of dollars of checks for Americans hard hit by the biggest round of layoffs in U.S. history .
But millions of Americans will have to wait months for that money — and millions more may never get the money at all .
That ’ s because the rescue legislation left it to the IRS , an agency gutted by Congress , to organize the complex logistics of delivering the money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the IRS has struggled , for-profit tax preparation companies , notably Intuit , the maker of TurboTax , have stepped in with websites to help people get their checks .
But Intuit is not just acting as a conduit : It is also misleading unwitting Americans by steering them to paid services that they could otherwise get for free .
Other countries were able to send out stimulus packages in record time , but not in the US , led by the Trump administration .
I 'm not an online novice and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the small business owners and individuals who are n't as internet savvy ?
I got my information to them as quick as I could and yet could n't score even an application , much less a loan .
Mnuchin and Trump said every other institution that could make the loans would be able to help all small business , but that was a lie also because unless you had a account with them ( Chase , US Bank , etc . )
before February 15 , 2020 , we could not apply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had an even worse time of it , because BofA expected them not only to have a business account , but also a business credit card with them .
Where 's the outrage on Fox News ?
Nary a peep out of them about the process at all .
Can you imagine if a Democratic president had been in charge ?
They 'd be howling .
Restaurants are among the hardest-hit businesses during the coronavirus shutdown .
The National Restaurant Assn .
estimates that 3 million restaurant employees lost their jobs in March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about $ 45 billion in revenue .
The industry is bleeding out .
But while the airlines enjoy a $ 25-billion bailout , the CARES Act — a federal stimulus package for businesses and individuals affected by the coronavirus pandemic — and its centerpiece , the Paycheck Protection Program , is the equivalent of a Band-Aid — one of the small ones that goes around your finger .
After the signing of the stimulus package on Friday March 27 , Trump on Friday and his treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin took a victory lap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses .
Depending upon what institution you bank with you either found an application online or you didn ’ t or you just submitted your name your company name your email and your phone number .
Andy Ricker , the owner and chef of Thai restaurant chain Pok Pok , wrote that his loan application was on hold and that he and other small business owners had been “ snookered by publicly traded companies who received millions and left independent small business in the gutter as the well ran dry.
” I spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business consultancy Sif Industries , and asked her if the PPP was providing relief for small businesses in need .
“ No , ” she said , “ this has not been an effective program to put money in the hands of small businesses.
” James , through webinars and online offerings , says she ’ s worked with hundreds of small businesses over the last three weeks , including bars and restaurants .
“ None of them have gotten money.
” But you can bet that the wealthiest `` small business '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example , the publicly traded Ruth Chris Steakhouse restaurant chain , who scored $ 20 million from the PPP while our local restaurants remain shuttered and may never open their doors again .
In fact , it appears that Wells Fargo in particular shuffled around their business clients to put the biggest at the front of the line .
I guess that 's my answer to why they never had an answer for me .
There 's a negotiation for more money for this program happening now .
Will we be shut out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
This administration wo n't do anything right .
Not when the banks are standing by to make millions while the rest of us hang on for dear life .
UPDATE : Public shaming may have worked with Shake Shack :

You probably heard already that the PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) loan budget is drained, locking the House and the Senate in a death match for more money.
Trump and Mnuchin promised all American small businesses that this money would be available immediately.
Do you know who got the loans? How were they able to get applications in and processed so quickly? Was there preferential treatment?
My adventure into trying to acquire a loan for Crooks and Liars was and still is quite the nightmare.
This is what happens when you you have an anti-government administration make a move this massive and then throw it against the wall and let the bankers figure out how to implement it.
Trump and Mnuchin were bragging that any financial institution would offer the loans whether you had an account or not. This, of course, was false.
I was told on March 30th that the banks were working diligently on how to set up the applications, but the date for them to be unveiled was supposed to be on Friday, April 3. I called my Wells Fargo banker starting the following Monday after the stimulus was passed, and all week long the preferred banker was clueless as to what was happening minute to minute. I was told he would schedule an appointment with me as soon as he had word.
April 3 came and went and the banks were clueless as to when loan documents would be ready. I was told by a bank manager that it would take at least a few more days to finish up the online document.
However, with no warning, Wells Fargo released an application online on Saturday, April 4th --without notifying any of us who had been asking.
The following Monday, I immediately submitted C&L's basic information like name, email and company name and they told me they would get back to me. There was no loan document available but I had to wait for an email from Wells Fargo. They told me not to call their customer service lines, since this was an online-process only.
It took them 10 days to get back to me and on the day they said I could file an application, the news broke that there was no more money for the program.
This is what happens when the president hates his own federal government and refuses to fill most job vacancies while hiring loyalist stooges who collect paychecks while getting nothing done.
If Trump wanted to truly stimulate the economy properly, he would have had the government handle these loans and cut out the banks entirely.
One of Trump's traits as the president, outside of whittling down the federal government into a basic skeleton crew, is to always make sure he has a scapegoat and a fall guy.
ProPublica writes how impossible it is for Americans to receive their personal stimulus checks:
Congress has approved billions of dollars of checks for Americans hard hit by the biggest round of layoffs in U.S. history. But millions of Americans will have to wait months for that money — and millions more may never get the money at all. That’s because the rescue legislation left it to the IRS, an agency gutted by Congress, to organize the complex logistics of delivering the money to those entitled to it. As the IRS has struggled, for-profit tax preparation companies, notably Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, have stepped in with websites to help people get their checks. But Intuit is not just acting as a conduit: It is also misleading unwitting Americans by steering them to paid services that they could otherwise get for free.
Other countries were able to send out stimulus packages in record time, but not in the US, led by the Trump administration.
I'm not an online novice and I was left in the dark. What about the small business owners and individuals who aren't as internet savvy?
I got my information to them as quick as I could and yet couldn't score even an application, much less a loan.
Mnuchin and Trump said every other institution that could make the loans would be able to help all small business, but that was a lie also because unless you had a account with them (Chase, US Bank, etc.) before February 15, 2020, we could not apply to them. Bank of America customers had an even worse time of it, because BofA expected them not only to have a business account, but also a business credit card with them.
Where's the outrage on Fox News? Nary a peep out of them about the process at all. Can you imagine if a Democratic president had been in charge? They'd be howling.
LA Times:
Restaurants are among the hardest-hit businesses during the coronavirus shutdown. The National Restaurant Assn. estimates that 3 million restaurant employees lost their jobs in March, a month in which restaurants lost about $45 billion in revenue. The industry is bleeding out. But while the airlines enjoy a $25-billion bailout, the CARES Act — a federal stimulus package for businesses and individuals affected by the coronavirus pandemic — and its centerpiece, the Paycheck Protection Program, is the equivalent of a Band-Aid — one of the small ones that goes around your finger. After the signing of the stimulus package on Friday March 27, Trump on Friday and his treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin took a victory lap claiming they are trying to save small businesses. Depending upon what institution you bank with you either found an application online or you didn’t or you just submitted your name your company name your email and your phone number. That’s left independent business owners bewildered, disappointed and angry. Andy Ricker, the owner and chef of Thai restaurant chain Pok Pok, wrote that his loan application was on hold and that he and other small business owners had been “snookered by publicly traded companies who received millions and left independent small business in the gutter as the well ran dry.” I spoke to Jill James, owner of small business consultancy Sif Industries, and asked her if the PPP was providing relief for small businesses in need. “No,” she said, “this has not been an effective program to put money in the hands of small businesses.” James, through webinars and online offerings, says she’s worked with hundreds of small businesses over the last three weeks, including bars and restaurants. “None of them have gotten money.”
But you can bet that the wealthiest "small business" were funded first. Like, for example, the publicly traded Ruth Chris Steakhouse restaurant chain, who scored $20 million from the PPP while our local restaurants remain shuttered and may never open their doors again.
In fact, it appears that Wells Fargo in particular shuffled around their business clients to put the biggest at the front of the line.
USAToday:
The lawsuit filed on behalf of small business owners on Sunday alleges that Wells Fargo unfairly prioritized businesses seeking large loan amounts, while the government's small business agency has said that PPP loan applications would be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. The move by Wells Fargo meant that the bank would receive millions more dollars in processing fees, according to the lawsuit. "Making matters worse, Wells Fargo concealed from the public that it was reshuffling the PPP applications it received and prioritizing the applications that would make the bank the most money," the lawsuit filed in California alleged.
I guess that's my answer to why they never had an answer for me.
There's a negotiation for more money for this program happening now. Will we be shut out again while McDonald's gets a loan?
This administration won't do anything right. Not when the banks are standing by to make millions while the rest of us hang on for dear life.
UPDATE: Public shaming may have worked with Shake Shack:


crooksandliars--2020-04-20--Keep AOC In The House

Keep AOC In The House

As you know , the DCCC has a rule about primaries .
It was promulgated by Cheri Bustos : any political operative who works against an incumbent Democrat is immediately cut off from the DCCC campaign cash flow and ostracized by the Democratic Party establishment .
The # DCCCBlacklist has had a chilling effect on progressives challenging crooked conservatives across the country .
Although Marie Newman won her race against Blue Dog Dan Lipinski , she was the only progressive to win in Illinois and another high profile primary race , saw right-wing fake Democrat Henry Cuellar , heavily backed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenge by progressive Jessica Cisneros .
The DCCC has interfered against progressive candidates challenging corrupt political boss Gregory Meeks in Queens , anti-working class Blue Dog Kurt Schrader in Oregon , `` ex '' -Republican-turned Blue Dog Tom O'Halleran in Arizona , and against a whole slew of Wall Street backed New Dems .
But you know when the DCCC , suspends their rule ?
When establishment candidates challenge progressive incumbents .
They have n't raised a finger to help defend Ilhan Omar in Minneapolis or Rashida Tlaib in Detroit -- and now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AOC , the DCCC , Cheri Bustos is uncharacteristically silent .
Andrew Cuomo 's chief political operative , Maggie Moran , is one of the chief point-persons in the jihad against AOC .
Moran is helping conservative Republican -- currently pretending to be a conservative Democrat -- Michelle Caruso-Cabrera , raise money and find staffers for the primary .
In her 2010 book , Caruso-Cabrera advocated several Republican positions , including ending both Social Security and Medicare which she wrote are `` pyramid Schemes . ''
Does Bustos want to see someone spouting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rhetorical question , but still .
Caruso-Cabrera has already raised a million dollars from Wall Street titans -- including billionaire Republicans -- and Moran has helped her set up a dark money super PAC for what they are planning to make into a ten million dollar attack machine to smear AOC .
The Chamber of Commerce , which is virtually an arm of the Republican Party , has endorsed Caruso-Cabrera , and is helping Moran solicit Republican money for the campaign .
Blue America endorsed AOC -- as well as Rashida and Ilhan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them surpass other freshmen and take leadership roles in Congress on behalf of working class families .
This may make the DCCC uncomfortable but we 're asking you to go the the Blue America Worthy Incumbents Act Blue page and contribute what you can to these 3 very worthwhile women .
Thanks for always doing what you can to make a better world for all of us ,

As you know, the DCCC has a rule about primaries. It was promulgated by Cheri Bustos: any political operative who works against an incumbent Democrat is immediately cut off from the DCCC campaign cash flow and ostracized by the Democratic Party establishment. The #DCCCBlacklist has had a chilling effect on progressives challenging crooked conservatives across the country.
Although Marie Newman won her race against Blue Dog Dan Lipinski, she was the only progressive to win in Illinois and another high profile primary race, saw right-wing fake Democrat Henry Cuellar, heavily backed by the DCCC, beat back a challenge by progressive Jessica Cisneros.
The DCCC has interfered against progressive candidates challenging corrupt political boss Gregory Meeks in Queens, anti-working class Blue Dog Kurt Schrader in Oregon, "ex"-Republican-turned Blue Dog Tom O'Halleran in Arizona, and against a whole slew of Wall Street backed New Dems.
But you know when the DCCC, suspends their rule? When establishment candidates challenge progressive incumbents.
They haven't raised a finger to help defend Ilhan Omar in Minneapolis or Rashida Tlaib in Detroit-- and now that Wall Street has declared war on AOC, the DCCC, Cheri Bustos is uncharacteristically silent.
Andrew Cuomo's chief political operative, Maggie Moran, is one of the chief point-persons in the jihad against AOC. Moran is helping conservative Republican-- currently pretending to be a conservative Democrat-- Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, raise money and find staffers for the primary. In her 2010 book, Caruso-Cabrera advocated several Republican positions, including ending both Social Security and Medicare which she wrote are "pyramid Schemes."
Does Bustos want to see someone spouting that nonsense replace AOC in Congress? Rhetorical question, but still. Caruso-Cabrera has already raised a million dollars from Wall Street titans-- including billionaire Republicans-- and Moran has helped her set up a dark money super PAC for what they are planning to make into a ten million dollar attack machine to smear AOC. The Chamber of Commerce, which is virtually an arm of the Republican Party, has endorsed Caruso-Cabrera, and is helping Moran solicit Republican money for the campaign.
Blue America endorsed AOC-- as well as Rashida and Ilhan-- in 2018 and we have watched them surpass other freshmen and take leadership roles in Congress on behalf of working class families. This may make the DCCC uncomfortable but we're asking you to go the the Blue America Worthy Incumbents Act Blue page and contribute what you can to these 3 very worthwhile women.
Thanks for always doing what you can to make a better world for all of us,
Howie, for the entire Blue America team


crooksandliars--2020-04-20--Trump Adviser Stephen Moore Lectures Americans To ‘Re-Open’ From His Remote Location

Stephen Moore , the economist forced to withdraw from consideration as a Trump lackey for the Fed , is now on Trump ’ s “ economic task force ” designed to push others to risk their lives in the COVID-19 pandemic .
You may recall the unqualified Moore withdrew his name under Republican pressure .
He was also dubbed the “ worst economist in the world , ” with plenty of evidence for such a conclusion , by Media Matters .
Yet on Fox News Friday , Moore was introduced as a “ widely respected writer on all things financial.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Moore is a member of Trump ’ s botched-before-it-began “ Opening Our Country Council.
” Nor did Cavuto mention that Moore is working on promoting protests defying Wisconsin ’ s stay-at-home orders – from the safe distance of a remote studio .
Worse , Moore has had the nerve to liken Wisconsin protesters to civil rights icon Rosa Parks .
Never mind that Parks never worked to spread a contagion to others .
If Cavuto knew about that tasteless comparison , he kept it to himself .
Moore said that the surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four weeks , as Fox displayed ) “ created a little bit of a tipping point here.
” He added , “ I think Americans are starting to see the kind of carnage that is created when you shut down a $ 20 trillion economy .
I think you ’ re going to start to see some states as early as next week , Neil , starting to open.
” Yet Moore seems ready to turn figurative carnage into the real thing .
He claimed he wanted to keep people safe but said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushing them to shed stay-at-home orders .
Moore cited the states of Arizona and Nebraska as possibly opening .
He baselessly suggested that red states ’ governors have done a better job of keeping the coronavirus spread in check and fear mongered about the local officials in blue states .
In fact , hot spots have been erupting in red states without stay-at-home orders .
MOORE : These red states frankly , the more Republican states - I just listened to your discussion with Governor Walker , you know , Wisconsin may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the way , your mayor there in New York is now saying what ?
That New York City might not open up until after the fourth of July .
I mean , that ’ s crazy .
By the way you do that , New York City ’ s no longer going to be the financial center of the country .
It ’ s going to move somewhere else , and Times Square may as well .
… [ States ] “ like California and New York and Illinois [ may ] really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that v-shaped recovery that we all want to see .
Yet , even as Moore spoke , a lower-third banner read , “ Pew Poll : 66 % of Americans are concerned that state governments will lift stay-at-home-orders too quickly.
” Moore pushed on for what he surely knows will mean more illness and death – while claiming to care about safety : MOORE : Saving lives comes first .
But you know when you see 22 million people in unemployment lines and you see those pictures of what ’ s happening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mile long for the food banks , people are really suffering out there .
And you know , the left tries to make this as lives versus the economy , but you have to do both .
We don ’ t have a society if we don ’ t have an economy that is producing things like goods and services , and I do think that finally the American people are starting to say wait a minute , yes , we want to remain safe , yes , we want to remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be a way to do this , keeping people safe and healthy and getting people back on the job and these businesses up and running because if we don ’ t … you can pretty much wipe out the entire year of 2020 , and it ’ s going to be a brutal recovery .
Also not mentioned ?
A majority of Americans ( 61 % ) want a stay at home order enacted by President Trump .
You can watch Moore prove his “ pro-life ” views only apply to fetuses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 Your World .

Stephen Moore, the economist forced to withdraw from consideration as a Trump lackey for the Fed, is now on Trump’s “economic task force” designed to push others to risk their lives in the COVID-19 pandemic.
You may recall the unqualified Moore withdrew his name under Republican pressure. He was also dubbed the “worst economist in the world,” with plenty of evidence for such a conclusion, by Media Matters.
Yet on Fox News Friday, Moore was introduced as a “widely respected writer on all things financial.” Host Neil Cavuto did not mention that Moore is a member of Trump’s botched-before-it-began “Opening Our Country Council.” Nor did Cavuto mention that Moore is working on promoting protests defying Wisconsin’s stay-at-home orders – from the safe distance of a remote studio.
Worse, Moore has had the nerve to liken Wisconsin protesters to civil rights icon Rosa Parks. Never mind that Parks never worked to spread a contagion to others. If Cavuto knew about that tasteless comparison, he kept it to himself.
Moore said that the surge in jobless claims (22 million in four weeks, as Fox displayed) “created a little bit of a tipping point here.” He added, “I think Americans are starting to see the kind of carnage that is created when you shut down a $20 trillion economy. I think you’re going to start to see some states as early as next week, Neil, starting to open.”
Yet Moore seems ready to turn figurative carnage into the real thing. He claimed he wanted to keep people safe but said nothing about how to do so while pushing them to shed stay-at-home orders.
Moore cited the states of Arizona and Nebraska as possibly opening. He baselessly suggested that red states’ governors have done a better job of keeping the coronavirus spread in check and fear mongered about the local officials in blue states. In fact, hot spots have been erupting in red states without stay-at-home orders.
MOORE: These red states frankly, the more Republican states - I just listened to your discussion with Governor Walker, you know, Wisconsin may be a lagging state and Michigan. By the way, your mayor there in New York is now saying what? That New York City might not open up until after the fourth of July. I mean, that’s crazy. By the way you do that, New York City’s no longer going to be the financial center of the country. It’s going to move somewhere else, and Times Square may as well. …[States] “like California and New York and Illinois [may] really slow down the rapid kind of expansion, that v-shaped recovery that we all want to see.
Yet, even as Moore spoke, a lower-third banner read, “Pew Poll: 66% of Americans are concerned that state governments will lift stay-at-home-orders too quickly.”
Moore pushed on for what he surely knows will mean more illness and death – while claiming to care about safety:
MOORE: Saving lives comes first. But you know when you see 22 million people in unemployment lines and you see those pictures of what’s happening in Pittsburgh with people standing in line a mile long for the food banks, people are really suffering out there. And you know, the left tries to make this as lives versus the economy, but you have to do both. We don’t have a society if we don’t have an economy that is producing things like goods and services, and I do think that finally the American people are starting to say wait a minute, yes, we want to remain safe, yes, we want to remain healthy, but there’s got to be a way to do this, keeping people safe and healthy and getting people back on the job and these businesses up and running because if we don’t … you can pretty much wipe out the entire year of 2020, and it’s going to be a brutal recovery.
Also not mentioned? A majority of Americans (61%) want a stay at home order enacted by President Trump.
You can watch Moore prove his “pro-life” views only apply to fetuses above, from the April 17, 2020 Your World.
Posted with permission from News Hounds.


crooksandliars--2020-04-20--Piers Morgan Blasts His Old Friend: Trump 'Failing The American People On Every Level'

Former Celebrity Apprentice winner Piers Morgan has no use for the petty partisanship and utter lack of empathy Donald Trump and Boris Johnson have displayed during this crisis , but his harshest criticism was reserved for Trump .
“ It ’ s not about partisan politics anymore , it ’ s about plain war crisis leadership , ” Morgan told CNN 's Brian Stelter on Reliable Sources .
“ It ’ s a very different thing .
What I ’ ve noticed with Boris Johnson and with Donald Trump is an apparent inability to segue into being war leaders .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ games of party politics.
” Morgan demonstrated a flair for the obvious in that statement , but hey , he admits he thinks of Trump as a friend .
Still , the White House briefings are a source of `` mounting horror '' for him , because he expects a certain tone and seriousness from Trump that simply is n't there and which he simply can not deliver .
“ All that is required from the president in [ moments of crisis ] , and any world leader , frankly , they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have to be honest , they have to be accurate , entirely factual with what they ’ re telling the people and they have to have an ability to show empathy , ” he said , showing his frustration .
“ On almost every level of that , Donald Trump at the moment is failing the American people , ” he continued .
“ He ’ s turning these briefings into a self-aggrandizing , self-justifying , overly defensive , politically partisan—almost like a rally to him.
” DO YOU THINK ?
Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They ARE rallies , right down to the media bashing and the rah-rahs for favored cronies .
It 's admirable that Piers Morgan is giving Trump advice , but I do n't expect it will be followed anytime soon .
He closed off his time with Stelter by saying that Trump `` has to put the country before himself.
” “ He has to put Americans before electioneering , '' Morgan continued .
`` He has to remind himself every day what can I do today to prevent more lives being killed ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ points.
” Trump does not know how to put anyone before himself .
He does n't know today and he wo n't know tomorrow .
It is completely and utterly outside of his emotional maturity .
He only understands this crisis in terms of how it affects HIM , dead Americans be damned .

Former Celebrity Apprentice winner Piers Morgan has no use for the petty partisanship and utter lack of empathy Donald Trump and Boris Johnson have displayed during this crisis, but his harshest criticism was reserved for Trump.
“It’s not about partisan politics anymore, it’s about plain war crisis leadership,” Morgan told CNN's Brian Stelter on Reliable Sources. “It’s a very different thing. What I’ve noticed with Boris Johnson and with Donald Trump is an apparent inability to segue into being war leaders. They’re still playing the old games of party politics.”
Morgan demonstrated a flair for the obvious in that statement, but hey, he admits he thinks of Trump as a friend. Still, the White House briefings are a source of "mounting horror" for him, because he expects a certain tone and seriousness from Trump that simply isn't there and which he simply cannot deliver.
“All that is required from the president in [moments of crisis], and any world leader, frankly, they have to be calm, show authority, they have to be honest, they have to be accurate, entirely factual with what they’re telling the people and they have to have an ability to show empathy,” he said, showing his frustration.
“On almost every level of that, Donald Trump at the moment is failing the American people,” he continued. “He’s turning these briefings into a self-aggrandizing, self-justifying, overly defensive, politically partisan—almost like a rally to him.”
DO YOU THINK? Not "almost" like a rally. They ARE rallies, right down to the media bashing and the rah-rahs for favored cronies.
It's admirable that Piers Morgan is giving Trump advice, but I don't expect it will be followed anytime soon. He closed off his time with Stelter by saying that Trump "has to put the country before himself.”
“He has to put Americans before electioneering," Morgan continued. "He has to remind himself every day what can I do today to prevent more lives being killed? Not how can I score more petty points.”
Trump does not know how to put anyone before himself. He doesn't know today and he won't know tomorrow. It is completely and utterly outside of his emotional maturity. He only understands this crisis in terms of how it affects HIM, dead Americans be damned.


crooksandliars--2020-04-20--Georgia's Stupid Governor To Reopen Some Businesses As Early As Friday

Georgia could have been sensible and elected Stacey Abrams .
And maybe they did , seeing as Brian Kemp was also Secretary of State in charge of counting the votes .
But be that as it may , they now have him in office and they keep paying the price for it .
As Dr. Fauci and others have warned , opening things too early will do more harm than good .
And even public opinion is solidly against it , showing poll numbers of 71 % of Americans against , and even 56 % of Republicans .
Georgia Gov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses in the state would be able to reopen this week in a `` small step forward '' out of the social distancing measures meant to mitigate the novel coronavirus pandemic .
Kemp , a Republican , said specifically that fitness centers , bowling alleys , body art studios , barbers , hair and nail salons , and massage therapy businesses can reopen as early Friday , April 24 .
Theaters and restaurants will be allowed to open on Monday , April 27 while bars and night clubs will remain closed for now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local ordinance can restrict the openings , which will be implemented statewide .
`` In the same way that we carefully closed businesses and urged operations to end to mitigate the virus ' spread , today we 're announcing plans to incrementally and safely reopen sectors of our economy , '' Kemp told reporters .
The move comes alongside similar announcements from the Republican governors of South Carolina and Tennessee after President Donald Trump unveiled new guidelines last week meant to help states loosen their social distancing restrictions .

Georgia could have been sensible and elected Stacey Abrams. And maybe they did, seeing as Brian Kemp was also Secretary of State in charge of counting the votes. But be that as it may, they now have him in office and they keep paying the price for it. As Dr. Fauci and others have warned, opening things too early will do more harm than good. And even public opinion is solidly against it, showing poll numbers of 71% of Americans against, and even 56% of Republicans.
Source: CNN
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced Monday that certain businesses in the state would be able to reopen this week in a "small step forward" out of the social distancing measures meant to mitigate the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Kemp, a Republican, said specifically that fitness centers, bowling alleys, body art studios, barbers, hair and nail salons, and massage therapy businesses can reopen as early Friday, April 24. Theaters and restaurants will be allowed to open on Monday, April 27 while bars and night clubs will remain closed for now, Kemp added.
Notably, no local ordinance can restrict the openings, which will be implemented statewide.
"In the same way that we carefully closed businesses and urged operations to end to mitigate the virus' spread, today we're announcing plans to incrementally and safely reopen sectors of our economy," Kemp told reporters.
The move comes alongside similar announcements from the Republican governors of South Carolina and Tennessee after President Donald Trump unveiled new guidelines last week meant to help states loosen their social distancing restrictions.


crooksandliars--2020-04-20--Virtual Town Hall With Students For Biden To Discuss Gun Violence

`` I absolutely believe that in this country if you are 18 years of age , you should not be @ @ @ @ @ , and I will support a law that takes that right away , '' Rubio @ @ @ @ @ hall in Florida .

Can you help us out?
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crooksandliars--2020-04-20--Trump Continues To Lie About North Korea: 'If I Wasn't President We'd Be At War'

During one of Trump 's dog and pony shows last week , he said he received a very nice letter from North Korea .
And of course , that was a lie .
A day later North Korea 's Foreign Ministry said , “ There was no letter addressed recently to the U.S. president by the supreme leadership ” of the North . ''
Our country is in chaos because of narcissistic buffoon Trump , who has a penchant for lying and changing course moment to moment and after every conversation he has with his favorite Fox News hosts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have continued to openly test missiles .
During a coronavirus/reelection briefing Trump admitted North Korea was continuing to test missiles .
A reporter asked him what his message is to hostile countries who may be taking advantage during the pandemic .
Trump said he does n't see that because he has a very good relationship with Russia and his pal and mentor Vladimir Putin .
`` Yeah , sure , North Korea has seen their testing short range missiles -- been doing it a long time , '' he agreed .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently , it was a nice note .
I think we are doing fine . ''
`` Look , if I was n't elected you would right now be at war with North Korea , okay ? ''
Trump sneered .
Trump continued to lie about the state of our military saying that President Obama left no ammunition for our soldiers and repeating the lie that if he was n't president we 'd be at war with North Korea right now .
This is outrageous of course on so many levels , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at his monumental gaslighting .
Trump tried and failed to win a Nobel Peace Prize by making a fool of himself when he agreed to meet on equal footing with North Korea 's authoritarian dictator Kim Jong-un back in 2018 and it has gotten progressively worse .
It 's always a good thing for any administration to negotiate for peace with any hostile nation but Trump used this as another PR event to promote himself instead of the serious situation that it is .
The only thing he 's really done is helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jong-un .

During one of Trump's dog and pony shows last week, he said he received a very nice letter from North Korea.
And of course, that was a lie.
A day later North Korea's Foreign Ministry said, “There was no letter addressed recently to the U.S. president by the supreme leadership” of the North."
We are about to look into the matter to see if the U.S. leadership seeks anything in feeding the ungrounded story into the media,” it said, warning that the relationship between Mr. Kim and Mr. Trump should not “be misused for meeting selfish purposes,” or “for diversion.”
Our country is in chaos because of narcissistic buffoon Trump, who has a penchant for lying and changing course moment to moment and after every conversation he has with his favorite Fox News hosts.
Since Trump met with North Korea, they have continued to openly test missiles. During a coronavirus/reelection briefing Trump admitted North Korea was continuing to test missiles.
A reporter asked him what his message is to hostile countries who may be taking advantage during the pandemic.
Trump said he doesn't see that because he has a very good relationship with Russia and his pal and mentor Vladimir Putin.
"Yeah, sure, North Korea has seen their testing short range missiles -- been doing it a long time," he agreed. "I received a nice note from him recently, it was a nice note. I think we are doing fine."
"Look, if I wasn't elected you would right now be at war with North Korea, okay?" Trump sneered.
Trump continued to lie about the state of our military saying that President Obama left no ammunition for our soldiers and repeating the lie that if he wasn't president we'd be at war with North Korea right now.
This is outrageous of course on so many levels, but now our media just blinks its eyes at his monumental gaslighting.
Trump tried and failed to win a Nobel Peace Prize by making a fool of himself when he agreed to meet on equal footing with North Korea's authoritarian dictator Kim Jong-un back in 2018 and it has gotten progressively worse.
It's always a good thing for any administration to negotiate for peace with any hostile nation but Trump used this as another PR event to promote himself instead of the serious situation that it is.
The only thing he's really done is helped raise the popularity and profile of Kim Jong-un.
Follow John Amato on Twitter


crooksandliars--2020-04-20--Hundreds Gather At Capitol In Harrisburg For Anti-Quarantine Rally

Another day , another rally that makes America look like laughingstocks of the world .
Amazing what a few hundred people can accomplish when they get together ( with some help from rightwing astroturf groups ) for the common stupid .
HARRISBURG — Hundreds of people , both in cars and on foot , gathered outside the state Capitol in Harrisburg on Monday for a rally to “ reopen ” Pennsylvania .
Pennsylvania residents are currently under a stay-at-home order , which public health experts consider essential to slow the spread of the coronavirus and keep infections at a manageable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 33,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state , according to the Department of Health , as well as 1,204 confirmed deaths .
And who are the knuckleheads who organized this protest ?
Gun nuts and Republicans .
Why , of course .
Monday ’ s demonstration was planned in part by Chris Dorr , an Ohio-based far-right activist who organized similar protests with his brothers in other states .
Dorr also spearheaded Pennsylvania Firearms Association , a registered 501 ( c ) 4 , which claims there is a “ war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who helped organize a “ back-to-work ” rally that was moved to Monday , is an ER nurse and a Republican running for a state House seat in Montgomery County .
She said on Facebook she would no longer attend in person because she didn ’ t “ want to risk the health of potential patients should I happen to come in contact with a COVID-19 infected person.
” “ With that said , I still 100 % support the cause , as well as the people ’ s right to assemble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she wrote in a post , which later appeared to be deleted .
An ER nurse ?
Let that sink in .
Other nurses were not quite so sanguine about these assholes .
An epidemiologist weighed in with his opinion .
But what can one truly expect from `` good people '' such as these when this joker is egging them on .

Another day, another rally that makes America look like laughingstocks of the world. Amazing what a few hundred people can accomplish when they get together (with some help from rightwing astroturf groups) for the common stupid.
Source: Spotlight PA/Philadelphia Inquirer
HARRISBURG — Hundreds of people, both in cars and on foot, gathered outside the state Capitol in Harrisburg on Monday for a rally to “reopen” Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania residents are currently under a stay-at-home order, which public health experts consider essential to slow the spread of the coronavirus and keep infections at a manageable level for hospitals. There are more than 33,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state, according to the Department of Health, as well as 1,204 confirmed deaths.
And who are the knuckleheads who organized this protest? Gun nuts and Republicans. Why, of course.
Monday’s demonstration was planned in part by Chris Dorr, an Ohio-based far-right activist who organized similar protests with his brothers in other states. Dorr also spearheaded Pennsylvania Firearms Association, a registered 501(c) 4, which claims there is a “war against the Second Amendment.” Annamarie Scannapieco, who helped organize a “back-to-work” rally that was moved to Monday, is an ER nurse and a Republican running for a state House seat in Montgomery County. She said on Facebook she would no longer attend in person because she didn’t “want to risk the health of potential patients should I happen to come in contact with a COVID-19 infected person.” “With that said, I still 100% support the cause, as well as the people’s right to assemble peaceful to rally or protest,” she wrote in a post, which later appeared to be deleted.
An ER nurse? Let that sink in. Other nurses were not quite so sanguine about these assholes.
"Jesus is my vaccine."
An epidemiologist weighed in with his opinion.
⚠Jesus is not a vaccine⚠
But I’m not a immunology theologian, so what do I know. #COVID19
(Photo from screenshot of protest in Harrisburg, PA). pic.twitter.com/PXzLsdt7I5 — Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) April 20, 2020
“Jesus is my vaccine” is one of the more colorful messages here. pic.twitter.com/vw5qolIlHC — Miguel Marquez (@miguelmarquez) April 20, 2020
If the Harrisburg protestors were Asian Americans or people of color gathering like this in the middle of a pandemic, the army would be there in 10 seconds flat to round them all up into Guantanamo Bay. White privilege lets you do anything in our country. pic.twitter.com/z2AmOeGMAZ — Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) April 20, 2020
There should be separate MAGA hospitals staffed by MAGA doctors like Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil to treat MAGA protesters from Harrisburg who become #COVID19 patients.pic.twitter.com/1DXOGNlIX5 — Nancy Levine 🏡#StayHome (@nancylevine) April 20, 2020
I live in Harrisburg PA. The open PA. protest is going by my house right now. Or as my daughter called it the moron parade. — Kevin Ryan (@tattooedbee717) April 20, 2020
Watching these idiots in Harrisburg, PA with no masks, no distancing, and young children.
INSANE. pic.twitter.com/mQTVgcRnPt — BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) April 20, 2020
But what can one truly expect from "good people" such as these when this joker is egging them on.


crooksandliars--2020-04-20--Dr. Fauci Predicts 'Re-Open' Protesters Will Regret Defying Governors' Orders

There are more of these absurd `` Re-Open ( Insert State Here ) '' rallies today .
On Saturday there was a rally in Annapolis , Maryland , protesting one of the few Republican governors who has acted quickly and decisively to protect his citizens from COVID-19 , Larry Hogan .
On Friday , Hogan addressed his critics during a news conference , saying he understood the frustration caused by the restrictions but emphasized their necessity .
“ I completely understand why people are anxious to get things going .
I want to get our economy back and get things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as much as anybody does , ” Hogan said .
“ But we ’ re also going to have to do that in a safe manner.
” There is one today in Pennsylvania .
Aside from the disgusting astroturfing behind the organization and funding of the protests , there is , of course , the health dangers they foment .
Dr. Anthony Fauci agreed , and said so on Good Morning America today with George Stephanopoulous .
Stephanopoloulos asked about the calls to have Fauci fired , and the economic pain faced by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oppressed '' by the measures set in place by their governors .
Fauci did n't dignify the calls to fire him with a response , but he did make a prediction about both the economic and health consequences of the protests and those participating .
FAUCI : Yeah , mean , I think the I the is message is that clearly , this is something that is hurting , from the standpoint of economics , from the standpoint of things that have nothing to do with the virus ; but unless we get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovery economically is not gon na happen .
So , what you do , if you jump the gun , and go into a situation where you have a big spike , you 're gon na set yourself back .
So , as painful as it is to go by the careful guidelines of gradually phasing into a re-opening , it 's gon na backfire .
That 's the problem .
In other words , the protestors are asking after having taken one step forward health-wise , and two steps back economically , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exchange for barely one step forward economically .
Or more explicitly , still , you ca n't work if you 're dead .

There are more of these absurd "Re-Open (Insert State Here)" rallies today. On Saturday there was a rally in Annapolis, Maryland, protesting one of the few Republican governors who has acted quickly and decisively to protect his citizens from COVID-19, Larry Hogan.
From the Capital Gazette:
On Friday, Hogan addressed his critics during a news conference, saying he understood the frustration caused by the restrictions but emphasized their necessity. “I completely understand why people are anxious to get things going. I want to get our economy back and get things opened up as quickly as possible just as much as anybody does,” Hogan said. “But we’re also going to have to do that in a safe manner.”
There is one today in Pennsylvania. Aside from the disgusting astroturfing behind the organization and funding of the protests, there is, of course, the health dangers they foment.
Dr. Anthony Fauci agreed, and said so on Good Morning America today with George Stephanopoulous. Stephanopoloulos asked about the calls to have Fauci fired, and the economic pain faced by some of those claiming to be "oppressed" by the measures set in place by their governors. Fauci didn't dignify the calls to fire him with a response, but he did make a prediction about both the economic and health consequences of the protests and those participating.
FAUCI: Yeah, mean, I think the I the is message is that clearly, this is something that is hurting, from the standpoint of economics, from the standpoint of things that have nothing to do with the virus; but unless we get the virus under control, the real recovery economically is not gonna happen. So, what you do, if you jump the gun, and go into a situation where you have a big spike, you're gonna set yourself back. So, as painful as it is to go by the careful guidelines of gradually phasing into a re-opening, it's gonna backfire. That's the problem.
In other words, the protestors are asking after having taken one step forward health-wise, and two steps back economically, to take 15 steps back health-wise in exchange for barely one step forward economically. Or more explicitly, still, you can't work if you're dead.


crooksandliars--2020-04-20--Trump Waves Around Q-Tips And Swabs To Pretend He Has A Clue

Last night , once again Donald Trump exposed the level of his uneducated and idled brain by waving around much-needed swab ( s ) as a prop ( which are essential in conducting testing for the coronavirus ) and then takes out a Q-tip , explaining how similar they are .
`` It looks innocent , '' he said .
This was all a staged act , since I doubt Trump walks around with a Q-tip in his pocket , but this explains why the United States is in such chaos after the outbreak of the virus .
Does he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what a swab is ?
He talks like a child just learning to read .
Trump said , `` I have something here .
A swab .
It looks innocent .
Not very complicated .
Anybody like to see what it looks like ?
Should I open it ?
Open it up .
I will .
I will .
This is what it ’ s about .
Right ?
Does it remind you of something ?
Does it remind you of this ?
One ’ s a swab , one ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s very sophisticated actually .
It ’ s a little bit like — but this is the swab .
We ordered a lot of them .
They have a lot of them . ''
Wow , he ordered a lot of them .
How informative .
And oh , my God a swab is much bigger than a Q-tip .
Who knew ?
Trump was bragging about how great his administration 's response to testing has been , even though we 've only tested about 1 % of our people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , good luck finding one .
Trump is finally using the DPA to produce 20 million swabs a month , and when asked why he did n't do this before , he blamed the states , saying that governors “ do n't know quite where they are , ” and need the federal government ’ s help .
Maybe nurses were stealing the swabs , taking them out the back door , and selling them on the black market ?
Everything he does and says is for the cameras and not for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his megalomania gone wild .

Last night, once again Donald Trump exposed the level of his uneducated and idled brain by waving around much-needed swab(s) as a prop (which are essential in conducting testing for the coronavirus) and then takes out a Q-tip, explaining how similar they are.
"It looks innocent," he said.
It's a f**king swab.
This was all a staged act, since I doubt Trump walks around with a Q-tip in his pocket, but this explains why the United States is in such chaos after the outbreak of the virus.
Does he believe the American people have no idea what a swab is?
He talks like a child just learning to read.
Trump said, "I have something here. A swab. It looks innocent. Not very complicated. Anybody like to see what it looks like? Should I open it? Open it up. I will. I will. This is what it’s about. Right? Does it remind you of something? Does it remind you of this? One’s a swab, one’s a Q-tip. It’s actually different. It’s very sophisticated actually. It’s a little bit like — but this is the swab. We ordered a lot of them. They have a lot of them."
Wow, he ordered a lot of them. How informative. And oh, my God a swab is much bigger than a Q-tip. Who knew?
Trump was bragging about how great his administration's response to testing has been, even though we've only tested about 1% of our people, and if you need a test, good luck finding one.
Trump is finally using the DPA to produce 20 million swabs a month, and when asked why he didn't do this before, he blamed the states, saying that governors “don't know quite where they are,” and need the federal government’s help.
Maybe nurses were stealing the swabs, taking them out the back door, and selling them on the black market?
Everything he does and says is for the cameras and not for the American people. This is another instance of his megalomania gone wild.