thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Obama And Biden Release 'Socially Distanced Conversation' Video

Former President Barack Obama participated in a “ socially distanced conversation ” on video with his former vice president , presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
( Watch it below . )
The highly produced video from Biden ’ s campaign , released Thursday , shows the two leaders wearing masks before entering a room , and then sitting far apart when speaking face to face .
Much of the video contrasts President Donald Trump ’ s failure to contain the COVID-19 crisis with what Biden would do instead , as well as other areas where Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ You and I had experience dealing with health crises , public health crises , ” Obama tells Biden in the video .
“ I have confidence that you ’ re going to actually listen to the experts , and you ’ re going to pay attention to the science , and you ’ re not going to quit on trying to actually bend down the curve of disease and transmission rates.
” Obama also praised Biden for his “ willingness to listen and learn.
” “ It is a sign of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other people ’ s experiences , ” Obama said .
Biden ’ s campaign previously released excerpts from the conversation , including one featuring Obama and Biden discussing Trump ’ s failure to take responsibility for his disastrous response to the COVID-19 pandemic , and another of them discussing the death of Biden ’ s son Beau .
Though the pandemic has limited in-person campaigning , Obama previously participated in a digital fundraiser for Biden , in addition to Thursday ’ s video .

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Former President Barack Obama participated in a “socially distanced conversation” on video with his former vice president, presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. (Watch it below.)
The highly produced video from Biden’s campaign, released Thursday, shows the two leaders wearing masks before entering a room, and then sitting far apart when speaking face to face.
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Much of the video contrasts President Donald Trump’s failure to contain the COVID-19 crisis with what Biden would do instead, as well as other areas where Trump has failed to demonstrate any leadership or empathy.
“You and I had experience dealing with health crises, public health crises,” Obama tells Biden in the video. “I have confidence that you’re going to actually listen to the experts, and you’re going to pay attention to the science, and you’re not going to quit on trying to actually bend down the curve of disease and transmission rates.”
Obama also praised Biden for his “willingness to listen and learn.”
“It is a sign of leadership when you are willing to hear other people’s experiences,” Obama said.
Biden’s campaign previously released excerpts from the conversation, including one featuring Obama and Biden discussing Trump’s failure to take responsibility for his disastrous response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and another of them discussing the death of Biden’s son Beau.
Though the pandemic has limited in-person campaigning, Obama previously participated in a digital fundraiser for Biden, in addition to Thursday’s video.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Senate Passes Defense Bill With Provision Removing Confederate Names From Bases

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) - The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act , a $ 740 billion bill setting policy for the Pentagon that President Donald Trump has threatened to veto over a provision removing Confederate names from military bases .
The vote was 86-14 , one of the few times the Republican-led Senate has broken from the president , and could pave the way for a fight later this year with the White House .
The Senate and Democratic-led House of Representatives each passed versions of the bill , known as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-thirds majorities needed to override a veto .
The House bill also voted to include a provision to change the names of military facilities named after generals who fought on the pro-slavery side during the Civil War 155 years ago .
Tributes to the Confederacy , and slave owners - like base names and statues - have come under increasing scrutiny amid widespread protests over racial injustice sparked by police killings of Black Americans .
Now that the House and Senate have both passed versions of the bill , congressional negotiators will spend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compromise NDAA , reconciling differences between the two versions .
That compromise must pass both chambers before it can be sent for Trump ’ s signature or veto .
The requirement to change the base names is likely to survive the process because it was passed by both chambers .
Senate Republicans , who rarely break from Trump and have never overridden one of his vetoes , have urged the president to back off his veto threat .
One difference is that the Senate bill does not include an amendment - offered by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have restrained Trump ’ s plan to move troops from Germany to other parts of Europe .

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act, a $740 billion bill setting policy for the Pentagon that President Donald Trump has threatened to veto over a provision removing Confederate names from military bases.
The vote was 86-14, one of the few times the Republican-led Senate has broken from the president, and could pave the way for a fight later this year with the White House.
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The Senate and Democratic-led House of Representatives each passed versions of the bill, known as the NDAA, with far more than the two-thirds majorities needed to override a veto.
The House bill also voted to include a provision to change the names of military facilities named after generals who fought on the pro-slavery side during the Civil War 155 years ago.
Tributes to the Confederacy, and slave owners - like base names and statues - have come under increasing scrutiny amid widespread protests over racial injustice sparked by police killings of Black Americans.
Now that the House and Senate have both passed versions of the bill, congressional negotiators will spend several weeks negotiating on a final, compromise NDAA, reconciling differences between the two versions.
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That compromise must pass both chambers before it can be sent for Trump’s signature or veto.
The requirement to change the base names is likely to survive the process because it was passed by both chambers. Senate Republicans, who rarely break from Trump and have never overridden one of his vetoes, have urged the president to back off his veto threat.
One difference is that the Senate bill does not include an amendment - offered by Republican Senator Mitt Romney - that would have restrained Trump’s plan to move troops from Germany to other parts of Europe.
The House bill includes such a provision.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--There Is Still No Universal Paid Sick Leave In A Pandemic

Without this essential safety net , workers who were lauded as ‘ essential ’ over the past few months were treated as disposable .
They were forced to toil in crowded factories , warehouses and meatpacking plants .
The only other option was to go without a paycheck or a job during a time of historic unemployment .
Many went without the proper protective gear .
Workers got sick .
Some died .
The U.S. is the only high-income nation in the world that does not mandate or provide sick leave to its workers .
Plenty of advocates , economists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the alarm about sick leave when the pandemic started .
House Democrats tried to pass meaningful legislation in March .
Senate Republicans and the Trump administration sabotaged their efforts .
Even now , with 140,000 dead and cases skyrocketing , with parents agonizing about their children going back to school , there is little sign that real universal sick leave will be part of the fourth stimulus package Congress is negotiating .
Senate Republicans are expected to roll out a $ 1 trillion proposal later on Thursday , and it is not expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick leave issue is one of many failures by our leaders in this pandemic , but it ’ s a striking one .
Sick leave is a simple benefit that is easy to understand and implement .
It also does not cost employers very much .
One of the cheapest benefits , sick pay costs a few cents per hour , per worker , according to Labor Department data .
It ’ s egregious that we don ’ t have paid sick leave for workers in a pandemic .
We know it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Huckelbridge , director of the advocacy group Paid Leave for All Numbers like this could be even more significant for COVID-19 , a far deadlier disease .
But it will take time for researchers to dig into the specifics of how many people got sick and died because of lack of access to sick leave .
Workers at a poultry plant in Delaware , labeled “ essential ” by the president , were forced back to work while the virus swept through the factory , Jane Mayer reported in The New Yorker .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ professional classes hunkered down at home , grocery store clerks , delivery workers and plenty of other essential workers kept going to work .
Many did not have the option of sick leave , and they disproportionately fell ill. Democrats Tried To Make It Happen The workers left out were disproportionately women and people of color — who are overrepresented in front-line jobs where they are most at risk of getting sick .
Women make up 64 % of the workers in all the front-line industries , according to the Partnership — think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and child care workers .
Advocates and Democrats are continuing to push .

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky.) conducts a news conference after the Senate Republican policy luncheon on Tuesday. Tom Williams via Getty Images
We are months into this nightmare pandemic, and the United States still doesn’t have universal paid sick leave to protect Americans from contracting and transmitting a deadly virus.
Without this essential safety net, workers who were lauded as ‘essential’ over the past few months were treated as disposable. They were forced to toil in crowded factories, warehouses and meatpacking plants. The only other option was to go without a paycheck or a job during a time of historic unemployment. Many went without the proper protective gear. Workers got sick. Some died.
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The U.S. is the only high-income nation in the world that does not mandate or provide sick leave to its workers. Plenty of advocates, economists, public health experts and journalists sounded the alarm about sick leave when the pandemic started. House Democrats tried to pass meaningful legislation in March. Senate Republicans and the Trump administration sabotaged their efforts.
Even now, with 140,000 dead and cases skyrocketing, with parents agonizing about their children going back to school, there is little sign that real universal sick leave will be part of the fourth stimulus package Congress is negotiating. Senate Republicans are expected to roll out a $1 trillion proposal later on Thursday, and it is not expected to include sick leave.
The paid sick leave issue is one of many failures by our leaders in this pandemic, but it’s a striking one. Sick leave is a simple benefit that is easy to understand and implement. It also does not cost employers very much. One of the cheapest benefits, sick pay costs a few cents per hour, per worker, according to Labor Department data.
“It’s egregious that we don’t have paid sick leave for workers in a pandemic. We know it’s effective in curbing transmissions,” said Dawn Huckelbridge, director of the advocacy group Paid Leave for All. “We can’t reopen public spaces, schools or the economy as a whole if we don’t have it.”
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Republicans Ignored The Opportunity
Instead of making sure workers who are sick can stay home, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s priority is to stop workers from suing companies because they got sick at work. He’s worried about an epidemic ― of lawsuits.
Republicans are trying to whittle down unemployment benefits to force people back to work in one of the worst job markets in decades.
“It’s egregious that we don’t have paid sick leave for workers in a pandemic. We know it’s effective in curbing transmissions.” - Dawn Huckelbridge, director of the advocacy group Paid Leave for All
Yet, the evidence for the need for paid leave is clear. The lack of paid sick leave likely caused an additional 5 million cases of H1N1 flu during the 2009 epidemic, according to research published in the American Journal of Public Health in 2012. A separate study found that flu rates are 11% lower in states that guarantee sick leave.
Numbers like this could be even more significant for COVID-19, a far deadlier disease. But it will take time for researchers to dig into the specifics of how many people got sick and died because of lack of access to sick leave.
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Vulnerable Workers Got Sick
Anecdotally, we already know that vulnerable workers got sick during this pandemic because they had no choice but to come to work.
There were COVID-19 outbreaks in meatpacking plants, at prisons, in giant warehouses and among farmworkers. These were places where employees had no choice but to keep showing up to work during this crisis.
Workers at a poultry plant in Delaware, labeled “essential” by the president, were forced back to work while the virus swept through the factory, Jane Mayer reported in The New Yorker. In New York City, while the professional classes hunkered down at home, grocery store clerks, delivery workers and plenty of other essential workers kept going to work. Many did not have the option of sick leave, and they disproportionately fell ill.
At a prison in Ohio, correctional officers who tested positive for COVID-19 went back to work before they recovered, HuffPost’s Jessica Schulberg reported. They ran out of their 40 hours of sick time — a meager amount and far less than workers need to stay healthy or recover from COVID-19.
At the meatpacking plants, workers were offered attendance bonuses to keep coming in. Other companies offered staffers extra pay to come into work and paid them almost nothing if they needed to stay home.
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Perhaps the most shameful part about the lack of sick leave in this country is the brutal inequality. Ninety-percent of high-income workers — the people safely working at home — have paid sick leave, according to Labor Department data. For workers with low incomes, that number is 30%.
And even those low-wage earners who nominally have paid leave don’t get enough days, and for some, managers effectively bar them from taking that time off. The actual take-up rate is far lower. Only 8% of grocery store workers could get the time off needed to quarantine.
Democrats Tried To Make It Happen
In March, the House passed comprehensive paid sick leave ― an emergency policy offering two weeks of sick time, paid by employers who would receive tax credits, that would last through 2020. Those sick at home would get their full pay, up to $511 a day.
But Senate Republicans, under pressure from the White House and business interests, blew huge holes in the policy. Instead of covering all workers, anyone employed by a company with more than 500 workers were left out. Very small companies also got big exemptions.
Even more despicable was that when the law finally passed, Eugene Scalia’s Labor Department watered it down further ― carving out big exemptions for “health care workers,” which they defined as anyone working in the health care industry. That meant janitors in hospitals and cashiers in drugstores didn’t have access to paid sick time.
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Ultimately, up to 106 million people, or 83% of working people, were left out of the emergency paid leave proposal in the coronavirus bill, according to an analysis from the National Partnership for Women.
The workers left out were disproportionately women and people of color — who are overrepresented in front-line jobs where they are most at risk of getting sick. Women make up 64% of the workers in all the front-line industries, according to the Partnership — think grocery store workers, health care workers, and child care workers.
Democrats in the House took another shot in May, passing a $3 trillion relief bill, which would close the loopholes in the March bill and extend paid sick leave another year.
Republicans in the Senate ignored it, and McConnell has shown no sign of wanting to include paid sick leave provisions in this fourth bill.
Advocates and Democrats are continuing to push.
On Thursday, Democratic Sens. Patty Murray (Wash.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.) and Tammy Duckworth (Ill.) will join Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and the National Education Association president, as well as advocates from Paid Leave for All in calling on McConnell to pass paid sick leave, as well as family leave in the next bill.
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They remain hopeful.
“People want to go back to work. We want them to stay home if they’re sick. [Paid leave] is the only way to make sure it happens,” Murray told HuffPost on Thursday. “The Republicans are saying ‘no,’ and so that’s where we are.”
“Don’t give up on Nancy Pelosi,” Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) told HuffPost. “If I just had to listen to what Mitch McConnell wants in his bill, I’d be pretty depressed. It is a negotiation.”
Beyer is vice chair of the Democratic side of the Joint Economic Committee, which put out a comprehensive report on paid leave this week highlighting the fact that the United States stands alone in not offering the benefit.
“How could we be the richest country in the history of mankind and lag behind every other country?” Beyer asked. “Just from a business perspective, it doesn’t make any sense. The last thing you want is your workers coming into work sick.”
Igor Bobic contributed reporting.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Trump: U.S. In 'Very Good Shape' On Coronavirus Unless 'You Look South And West'

As the coronavirus continued to ravage large swaths of the country Thursday , President Donald Trump left Twitter critics aghast when he declared the country is in “ very good shape ” in terms of COVID-19 “ other than if you look south and west.
” Trump made the comment during his White House press briefing on the same day that coronavirus cases surpassed 4 million in the U.S .
He also announced the cancellation of Republican National Convention events in Jacksonville , Florida , due to coronavirus concerns .
Gesturing to a map of the nation peppered with large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have surged , Trump said : “ You see , from that , it ’ s in great shape , lots of it .
The Northeast has become very clean.
” “ The country is in very good shape other than if you look south or west .
Some problems .
That ’ ll all work out.
” Trump : The northeast has become very clean .
The country is in very good shape , other than if you look South and West pic.twitter.com/6hfaeRSCp6 — Acyn Torabi ( @ Acyn ) July 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times database , cases were decreasing in just two states and trending upward in 39 on Thursday .
The COVID Tracking Project ’ s latest report of nationwide data ― which it noted may be deflated due to erratic reporting from hospitals in some states ― indicated that hospitalizations are nearing an all-time high .
Other than if you look at all the states whose governors followed Trump 's guidance about reopening , the country is in good shape .
https : //t.co/2qkPJiS5Hm — Michael David Smith ( @ MichaelDavSmith ) July 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are dying from coronavirus are in very good shape except for dying from coronavirus .
He is the dumbest living organism .
https : //t.co/Hm32iLsLYZ — Spiro Agnew ’ s Ghost ( @ SpiroAgnewGhost ) July 23 , 2020 The country is in very good shape if you ignore the places that aren ’ t in very good shape More genius logic from the guy that can recognize an elephant https : //t.co/Hm8Uqp8VcM — Karl “ New Tone ” Devlet ( @ hesanihilist ) July 23 , 2020 “ The country is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you look south and west.
” — the most shocking and accidentally hilarious quote in presidential history — Adam Parkhomenko ( @ AdamParkhomenko ) July 23 , 2020 Okay , so the states that didn ’ t vote for him are starting to get out of the woods .
( With the notable exception of California . )
It ’ s the states that did vote for him that are now really feeling the pain .
And he thinks this is a positive development !
https : //t.co/GGy7WYhn3e — Eric Kleefeld ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The states that ignored me are in pretty good shape .
All the ones that placated me are pretty well f***ed . ''
https : //t.co/XJp35n0Dhq — Ron Marz ( @ ronmarz ) July 23 , 2020 I 'm actually Brad Pitt , other than if you look at my body and my face .
https : //t.co/4iVsqztPMU — Eric Schmeltzer 🇺🇸 ( @ JustSchmeltzer ) July 23 , 2020

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As the coronavirus continued to ravage large swaths of the country Thursday, President Donald Trump left Twitter critics aghast when he declared the country is in “very good shape” in terms of COVID-19 “other than if you look south and west.”
Trump made the comment during his White House press briefing on the same day that coronavirus cases surpassed 4 million in the U.S. He also announced the cancellation of Republican National Convention events in Jacksonville, Florida, due to coronavirus concerns.
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Gesturing to a map of the nation peppered with large red patches indicating hotspots where coronavirus cases have surged, Trump said: “You see, from that, it’s in great shape, lots of it. The Northeast has become very clean.”
“The country is in very good shape other than if you look south or west. Some problems. That’ll all work out.”
Trump: The northeast has become very clean. The country is in very good shape, other than if you look South and West pic.twitter.com/6hfaeRSCp6 — Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) July 23, 2020
According to a New York Times database, cases were decreasing in just two states and trending upward in 39 on Thursday. The COVID Tracking Project’s latest report of nationwide data ― which it noted may be deflated due to erratic reporting from hospitals in some states ― indicated that hospitalizations are nearing an all-time high.
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Twitter critics had some notes on Trump’s observation:
Other than if you look at all the states whose governors followed Trump's guidance about reopening, the country is in good shape. https://t.co/2qkPJiS5Hm — Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) July 23, 2020
Yeah, sure, just don't look at 2 of the 4 available directions. https://t.co/3QKBbZ3VBj — Jesse Damiani (@JesseDamiani) July 23, 2020
Yes and the people who are dying from coronavirus are in very good shape except for dying from coronavirus.
He is the dumbest living organism. https://t.co/Hm32iLsLYZ — Spiro Agnew’s Ghost (@SpiroAgnewGhost) July 23, 2020
The country is in very good shape if you ignore the places that aren’t in very good shape
More genius logic from the guy that can recognize an elephant https://t.co/Hm8Uqp8VcM — Karl “New Tone” Devlet (@hesanihilist) July 23, 2020
“The country is in very good shape, other than if you look south and west.” — the most shocking and accidentally hilarious quote in presidential history — Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) July 23, 2020
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Okay, so the states that didn’t vote for him are starting to get out of the woods. (With the notable exception of California.)
It’s the states that did vote for him that are now really feeling the pain. And he thinks this is a positive development! https://t.co/GGy7WYhn3e — Eric Kleefeld (@EricKleefeld) July 23, 2020
"The states that ignored me are in pretty good shape. All the ones that placated me are pretty well f***ed." https://t.co/XJp35n0Dhq — Ron Marz (@ronmarz) July 23, 2020
I'm actually Brad Pitt, other than if you look at my body and my face. https://t.co/4iVsqztPMU — Eric Schmeltzer 🇺🇸 (@JustSchmeltzer) July 23, 2020
I’m in great shape too, other than my muscles, heart and limbs https://t.co/yPOediqaPu — John Riley (@jriley8832) July 23, 2020
Trump today: "The country is in very good shape."
Reality: https://t.co/LdYq8KT72j — Swing Left (@swingleft) July 23, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--FBI Sees Surge In Firearm Background Check Requests By People Barred From Owning Guns

The number of people attempting to buy firearms who aren ’ t legally permitted to own them soared in March , according to newly released data from the FBI , prompting concerns from some gun safety advocates .
The data , obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request filed by Everytown for Gun Safety and first shared with Politico , showed a 147 % increase in federal background checks that ended in denial in March compared to the same time last year .
This March , 23,692 federal background checks ended in denial ― more than the 8,249 denials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previous March combined .
The surge in denials comes amid gun retailers ’ reports of record sales during the coronavirus crisis .
The FBI processed over 1.4 million firearm background checks in March , the same month President Donald Trump declared a national emergency in response to the pandemic .
Individuals seeking to purchase a gun from a federally licensed firearms dealer , such as Walmart or a mom and pop store , must submit to a federal background check .
The number of background checks in any given month is a strong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As Politico pointed out , there are significant loopholes in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System , allowing people who are legally prohibited from owning guns to slip through the cracks and purchase firearms .
One such loophole , commonly referred to as the “ Charleston loophole ” because it enabled mass murderer Dylan Roof to purchase the gun he used to kill nine Black churchgoers in 2015 , allows a gun sale to move forward if a background check is delayed more than three business days .
If the background @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are supposed to confiscate that weapon .
The data obtained by Everytown shows 76,558 background checks were delayed past three days in March , a 53 % increase over the same time last year .
“ This FBI data confirms our fear that America ’ s background check system is completely overwhelmed , which means that more guns are slipping through the cracks and being sold to prohibited purchasers , ” Everytown President John Feinblatt said in a statement .
Referencing the Senate majority leader , he added : “ Mitch McConnell can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Charleston loophole , but he ’ s too scared of the gun lobby ’ s waning political power to do anything , even as gun violence rises in the midst of a pandemic.
” The Democratic-controlled House passed a bipartisan bill last February that would , in part , extend the background check period to at least 10 days .
McConnell has not yet called a Senate vote on the proposed legislation .

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The number of people attempting to buy firearms who aren’t legally permitted to own them soared in March, according to newly released data from the FBI, prompting concerns from some gun safety advocates.
The data, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request filed by Everytown for Gun Safety and first shared with Politico, showed a 147% increase in federal background checks that ended in denial in March compared to the same time last year.
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This March, 23,692 federal background checks ended in denial ― more than the 8,249 denials the previous February and 9,558 denials the previous March combined.
The surge in denials comes amid gun retailers’ reports of record sales during the coronavirus crisis. The FBI processed over 1.4 million firearm background checks in March, the same month President Donald Trump declared a national emergency in response to the pandemic.
Individuals seeking to purchase a gun from a federally licensed firearms dealer, such as Walmart or a mom and pop store, must submit to a federal background check. The number of background checks in any given month is a strong indicator of gun sales at that time.
As Politico pointed out, there are significant loopholes in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, allowing people who are legally prohibited from owning guns to slip through the cracks and purchase firearms.
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One such loophole, commonly referred to as the “Charleston loophole” because it enabled mass murderer Dylan Roof to purchase the gun he used to kill nine Black churchgoers in 2015, allows a gun sale to move forward if a background check is delayed more than three business days. If the background check is later denied, federal agents are supposed to confiscate that weapon.
The data obtained by Everytown shows 76,558 background checks were delayed past three days in March, a 53% increase over the same time last year.
“This FBI data confirms our fear that America’s background check system is completely overwhelmed, which means that more guns are slipping through the cracks and being sold to prohibited purchasers,” Everytown President John Feinblatt said in a statement.
Referencing the Senate majority leader, he added: “Mitch McConnell can stop this by taking action to close the Charleston loophole, but he’s too scared of the gun lobby’s waning political power to do anything, even as gun violence rises in the midst of a pandemic.”
Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-N.J.) called data “terrifying” and bashed McConnell for refusing to take action on background check loopholes.
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“The Republican party is unfit to govern,” Pascrell tweeted.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Approval For Government Handling Of Coronavirus Hits A New Low

Only about a third of the public now approves of the federal responses to the pandemic , a new HuffPost/YouGov survey finds , marking a new record low .
Just 34 % of Americans approve of the way the U.S. government is handling issues related to the coronavirus , with 56 % disapproving .
The results represent a continuing erosion of trust in the U.S. response to the crisis .
In March and April , both the federal government and Trump specifically garnered positive ratings .
Approval for the government response reached as high as 57 % in late March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the issue reached the 50 % mark around that time .
Only about one-third of Americans now say they ’ re even somewhat confident that government statements about the coronavirus are reliable and accurate , with a roughly equal number saying the same of Trump ’ s statements on the issue .
About half of Americans , 49 % , currently say that they ’ re very concerned about the spread of coronavirus in the country .
That number reached as high as 58 % in early April , then steadily dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning to climb again .
Just 19 % of the public feels there are currently too many coronavirus-related restrictions in their area , with 36 % saying the level is about right , and 37 % saying that there are not enough restrictions .
Only a quarter of those living in the Northeast worry that their local restrictions are too lax , while 39 % of those in other parts of the country say the same .
Twenty-four percent of Americans want to see restrictions shutting down all nonessential businesses and activities in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say most businesses and activities should be restricted , but that a few should be allowed to reopen .
Another 24 % believe that most but not all nonessential businesses and activities should be reopened , while 11 % say that restrictions should be lifted entirely .
When half of those polled were asked a binary question ― whether or not they were trying to stay home as much as possible because of the outbreak ― about three-quarters said they were .
The rest of the respondents were given a middle option ― @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sometimes , but taking precautions .
In this group , 45 % said they were staying home as much as possible , 35 % that they were going out with precautions , and 16 % that they were living as normally as possible .
Two-thirds of the public believes that the outbreak will have a lasting effect on the U.S. , with just 20 % expecting things to soon go back to normal .

President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at the White House in Washington on July 21. AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Only about a third of the public now approves of the federal responses to the pandemic, a new HuffPost/YouGov survey finds, marking a new record low.
Just 34% of Americans approve of the way the U.S. government is handling issues related to the coronavirus, with 56% disapproving.
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President Trump’s ratings on the pandemic are similarly underwater, with 38% approving and 58% disapproving.
The results represent a continuing erosion of trust in the U.S. response to the crisis. In March and April, both the federal government and Trump specifically garnered positive ratings. Approval for the government response reached as high as 57% in late March, while Trump’s approval rating on the issue reached the 50% mark around that time.
Results of a new HuffPost/YouGov tracking poll on the coronavirus pandemic. Ariel Edwards-Levy/HuffPost
Only about one-third of Americans now say they’re even somewhat confident that government statements about the coronavirus are reliable and accurate, with a roughly equal number saying the same of Trump’s statements on the issue.
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About half of Americans, 49%, currently say that they’re very concerned about the spread of coronavirus in the country. That number reached as high as 58% in early April, then steadily dropped to 36% in early June before beginning to climb again.
Just 19% of the public feels there are currently too many coronavirus-related restrictions in their area, with 36% saying the level is about right, and 37% saying that there are not enough restrictions. Only a quarter of those living in the Northeast worry that their local restrictions are too lax, while 39% of those in other parts of the country say the same.
Twenty-four percent of Americans want to see restrictions shutting down all nonessential businesses and activities in their area, with another 31% say most businesses and activities should be restricted, but that a few should be allowed to reopen. Another 24% believe that most but not all nonessential businesses and activities should be reopened, while 11% say that restrictions should be lifted entirely.
When half of those polled were asked a binary question ― whether or not they were trying to stay home as much as possible because of the outbreak ― about three-quarters said they were. The rest of the respondents were given a middle option ― that they were choosing to go out sometimes, but taking precautions. In this group, 45% said they were staying home as much as possible, 35% that they were going out with precautions, and 16% that they were living as normally as possible.
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Two-thirds of the public believes that the outbreak will have a lasting effect on the U.S., with just 20% expecting things to soon go back to normal.
The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted July 17-19 among U.S. adults, using a sample selected from YouGov’s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the adult U.S. population.
HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov to conduct daily opinion polls. You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov’s nationally representative opinion polling. More details on the polls’ methodology are available here.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Potential Biden VP, Pitches A 'Marshall Plan For Coal Country’

But the economics of coal have only gotten worse .
Despite his administration ’ s gutting of pollution rules , coal plants closed at a faster clip during Trump ’ s first three years in office than during Barack Obama ’ s entire second term .
Republicans also cut safety regulations and made it easier for the rich owners of coal companies to abandon their workers ’ pensions and health care plans even as black lung disease spiked across Appalachia .
Miners in Kentucky ’ s Harlan County last year staged one of the biggest coal strikes in recent memory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has relied on the sacrifices made by coal country — and coal workers — to industrialize and power our nation with affordable energy , ” Duckworth said in a statement .
“ Mineworkers spent their days in difficult and sometimes dangerous conditions to provide a good life for their families and help the rest of our country succeed .
We can ’ t afford to leave them behind.
” The proposal invests directly into coal communities , calling for the opening of new labor offices in the Department of Energy aimed at managing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industries .
The bill ups the federal minimum wage to $ 15 an hour , expands Medicare coverage and guarantees tuition-free college to coal workers and their families .
It also provides loans to buy homes in communities within 50 miles of a coal plant .
There ’ s money to clean up the pollution those plants left behind that causes respiratory disease and cancer .
The legislation earmarks $ 200 million annually for four years to go to states and tribes to secure and remediate abandoned mines and requires that instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies decommission these vast complexes , which will provide jobs in dismantling them .
Yet Duckworth ’ s proposal falls short of the ambitious targets to reduce the nation ’ s output of planet-heating emissions that Democrats have increasingly rallied behind .
Despite a lofty name harkening back to the U.S. program to help rebuild Europe after World War II , this “ Marshall Plan ” lays out no explicit strategies to phase out fossil fuels or to expand health care and job guarantee programs universally .
Designing safety net measures to apply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Franklin Roosevelt used to make them more popular and therefore harder for future administrations to limit or defund .
But this bill extends Medicare only to miners and coal plant workers who have lost jobs and does not cover their families .
Carbon capture proponents say the technology can help cut emissions from newer natural gas plants and would allow them to compete on price with solar and wind power once federal support increases .
Congress passed a lucrative tax credit for carbon capture technology in 2018 , but opaque rules on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service proposed new regulations to clarify how the credits work , giving the industry a boost .
And there ’ s little doubt that carbon capture tech is needed to cut emissions from hard-to-decarbonize heavy industries such as concrete and steel manufacturing .
“ Coal is already economically uncompetitive as a power source with natural gas and renewables in most places , so adding a huge cost for doing carbon capture on coal plants doesn ’ t make a whole lot of sense , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis , a nonprofit research group .
“ Especially when you consider that if you spent the same amount of money on renewables , you would get zero carbon in the first place and support a new and growing industry with a lot of jobs and without the mess of coal.
” Captured carbon dioxide is primarily used by oil companies to extract the dregs of nearly exhausted wells , in a process known as enhanced oil recovery .
Selling that oil can cover the cost of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ underground .
But the current low prices of oil and gas , driven by a supply glut , cast doubt over the viability of that usage , Feaster said .
There ’ s also the fact that scientists say the use of oil , like coal , needs to be dramatically scaled down .
Coal is already economically uncompetitive as a power source with natural gas and renewables in most places , so adding a huge cost for doing carbon capture on coal plants doesn ’ t make a whole lot of sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis Pipelines to store captured CO2 in vast geological caverns could ultimately form the backbone of a new industry that would sequester emissions sucked out of the atmosphere using a nascent technology known as direct air capture ― essentially giant fan structures vacuuming carbon pollution from the air .
There ’ s potential to use such technology in coal country .
Because CO2 is evenly mixed into the atmosphere , research suggests direct air capture technology could be set up almost anywhere .
Recent studies by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even with dramatic emissions cuts and extensive forest growth , such technology is likely necessary to keep global warming within a relatively safe range .
An industry at scale could also create 300,000 jobs .

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In 2016, Republicans painted coal country red as the GOP blamed environmental regulations for the industry’s demise and Donald Trump vowed to bring it roaring back.
But the economics of coal have only gotten worse. Despite his administration’s gutting of pollution rules, coal plants closed at a faster clip during Trump’s first three years in office than during Barack Obama’s entire second term. Republicans also cut safety regulations and made it easier for the rich owners of coal companies to abandon their workers’ pensions and health care plans even as black lung disease spiked across Appalachia. Miners in Kentucky’s Harlan County last year staged one of the biggest coal strikes in recent memory.
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Now Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a contender to serve as presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s running mate, is pitching an alternative vision. A new bill unveiled Thursday would provide federal loans, grants and job programs to clean up and redevelop polluted, economically depressed communities where mining and power stations were once the lifeblood.
But the plan also offers billions in loans to retrofit newer coal plants with so-called “clean coal” technology ― an approach that Biden once opposed and money that critics say would be better spent on clean energy.
“For centuries, our nation has relied on the sacrifices made by coal country — and coal workers — to industrialize and power our nation with affordable energy,” Duckworth said in a statement. “Mineworkers spent their days in difficult and sometimes dangerous conditions to provide a good life for their families and help the rest of our country succeed. We can’t afford to leave them behind.”
The 60-page legislation mirrors bipartisan bills that previously passed in the House of Representatives, and has already garnered strong union support, including from the United Mine Workers of America. But the proposal, dubbed the Marshall Plan for Coal Country Act, seems unlikely to go far in the Republican-controlled Senate.
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The proposal invests directly into coal communities, calling for the opening of new labor offices in the Department of Energy aimed at managing workers’ transition from coal to other industries. The bill ups the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, expands Medicare coverage and guarantees tuition-free college to coal workers and their families. It also provides loans to buy homes in communities within 50 miles of a coal plant.
There’s money to clean up the pollution those plants left behind that causes respiratory disease and cancer. The legislation earmarks $200 million annually for four years to go to states and tribes to secure and remediate abandoned mines and requires that instead of leaving shuttered coal plants to rust, companies decommission these vast complexes, which will provide jobs in dismantling them.
Another provision amends bankruptcy law to prevent coal executives from giving themselves bonuses and golden parachutes while dodging the costs of mine and plant cleanup and workers’ health care and pensions.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a contender to serve as Joe Biden’s running mate, is proposing a "Marshall Plan for Coal Country." Greg Nash/Pool via ASSOCIATED PRESS
Yet Duckworth’s proposal falls short of the ambitious targets to reduce the nation’s output of planet-heating emissions that Democrats have increasingly rallied behind. Despite a lofty name harkening back to the U.S. program to help rebuild Europe after World War II, this “Marshall Plan” lays out no explicit strategies to phase out fossil fuels or to expand health care and job guarantee programs universally. Designing safety net measures to apply to all was a strategy that Depression-era President Franklin Roosevelt used to make them more popular and therefore harder for future administrations to limit or defund. But this bill extends Medicare only to miners and coal plant workers who have lost jobs and does not cover their families.
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A central component of its economic development scheme is a $15 billion loan program to equip newer coal power stations with carbon capture technology, an expensive retrofit that prolongs the plants’ lifespans.
Carbon capture proponents say the technology can help cut emissions from newer natural gas plants and would allow them to compete on price with solar and wind power once federal support increases. Congress passed a lucrative tax credit for carbon capture technology in 2018, but opaque rules on how it worked stalled projects. Last month, the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service proposed new regulations to clarify how the credits work, giving the industry a boost. And there’s little doubt that carbon capture tech is needed to cut emissions from hard-to-decarbonize heavy industries such as concrete and steel manufacturing.
The bill limits the carbon capture funding to plants with “not less than 8 years of 19 economic operational life left” and requires those facilities to shut down without retrofits. Duckworth’s office estimated that the program would apply to only eight to 10 existing plants.
But some energy industry analysts say that equipping any coal power stations with carbon capture retrofits is a bad investment.
“Coal is already economically uncompetitive as a power source with natural gas and renewables in most places, so adding a huge cost for doing carbon capture on coal plants doesn’t make a whole lot of sense,” said Seth Feaster, an analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, a nonprofit research group. “Especially when you consider that if you spent the same amount of money on renewables, you would get zero carbon in the first place and support a new and growing industry with a lot of jobs and without the mess of coal.”
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Biden himself made a similar argument on the campaign trail in 2008, telling an activist that he only supported using carbon capture technology on coal plants in developing countries such as China. (The Obama campaign later walked the statement back, and the unity task for Biden and his erstwhile rival for the nomination Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders assembled included the technology in its climate recommendations.)
“We’re not supporting clean coal,” Biden said. “No coal plants here in America.”
Captured carbon dioxide is primarily used by oil companies to extract the dregs of nearly exhausted wells, in a process known as enhanced oil recovery. Selling that oil can cover the cost of capturing, liquefying and pumping the CO2 underground. But the current low prices of oil and gas, driven by a supply glut, cast doubt over the viability of that usage, Feaster said. There’s also the fact that scientists say the use of oil, like coal, needs to be dramatically scaled down.
“Coal is already economically uncompetitive as a power source with natural gas and renewables in most places, so adding a huge cost for doing carbon capture on coal plants doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.” - Seth Feaster, an analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis
There are no obvious provisions in the bill to support increased natural gas extraction in coal-producing states, and Duckworth’s office said the bill wasn’t written to provide such benefits.
The same $15 billion fund is also available for pipeline projects to carry captured and liquefied carbon dioxide to underground storage facilities.
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Pipelines to store captured CO2 in vast geological caverns could ultimately form the backbone of a new industry that would sequester emissions sucked out of the atmosphere using a nascent technology known as direct air capture ― essentially giant fan structures vacuuming carbon pollution from the air. There’s potential to use such technology in coal country. Because CO2 is evenly mixed into the atmosphere, research suggests direct air capture technology could be set up almost anywhere. Recent studies by the consultancy Rhodium Group found that, even with dramatic emissions cuts and extensive forest growth, such technology is likely necessary to keep global warming within a relatively safe range. An industry at scale could also create 300,000 jobs.
But it would take massive federal support to even start such an industry, and the Marshall Plan for Coal Country Act makes no mention of it.
Still, the bill is “putting out a lot of good ideas” and offers “a vision to the future of what we need, something we can build on and continue the conversation,” said Thom Kay, the senior legislative representative at Appalachian Voices, an advocacy group focused on environmental restoration and anti-poverty work.
“They’re the ones who named it the Marshall Plan, which seems like it should include everything,” Kay said. “But I don’t think it’s fair to expect this bill to include everything and the kitchen sink that’s needed for the coal community transition.”
The Marshall Plan for Coal Country Act on Scribd


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Image Reveals First Ever Look At 2 Exoplanets Rotating Around A Sun-Like Star

The first image of a multiplanetary system in space revolving around a star similar to our solar system ’ s sun has been captured by the European Southern Observatory .
The picture was taken via the observatory ’ s Very Large Telescope , which is located in Chile ’ s Atacama Desert and has been touted as the “ world ’ s most advanced optical instrument.
” It is actually composed of eight separate telescopes — four large and four small — that can be used independently or combined together to capture one distinct image .
The image shows a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million years old that has been named TYC 8998-760-1 , according to an ESO news release .
Alexander Bohn of the Netherlands ’ Leiden University , who led the research into the star , called it “ a very young version of our own sun.
” The image also shows two exoplanets — meaning planets orbiting around a star other than the sun — and they have been dubbed TYC 8998-760-1b and TYC 8998-760-1c .
Both planets are suspected to be gas giants , a term used to refer to planets primarily composed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jupiter and Saturn .
The VLT also captured the first image of an exoplanet back in 2004 , but the new image is a milestone as the first instance of astronomers ’ observing more than a single planet rotating around a star .
The star TYC 8998-760-1 with its two exoplanets , TYC 8998-760-1b ( the noticeable dot in the image 's center ) and TYC 8998-760-1c ( the dimmer dot near the lower right side ) .
The other dots surrounding the star are background stars .
“ This discovery is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar to our solar system , but at a much earlier stage of its evolution , ” Bohn said , adding that observing these faraway stars and planets would be vital in the ongoing search for space environments capable of supporting life .
“ The possibility that future instruments ... will be able to detect even lower-mass planets around this star marks an important milestone in understanding multiplanet systems , with potential implications for the history of our own solar system , ” Bohn said .

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The first image of a multiplanetary system in space revolving around a star similar to our solar system’s sun has been captured by the European Southern Observatory.
The picture was taken via the observatory’s Very Large Telescope, which is located in Chile’s Atacama Desert and has been touted as the “world’s most advanced optical instrument.” It is actually composed of eight separate telescopes — four large and four small — that can be used independently or combined together to capture one distinct image.
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The image shows a star roughly 300 light-years away and 17 million years old that has been named TYC 8998-760-1, according to an ESO news release. Alexander Bohn of the Netherlands’ Leiden University, who led the research into the star, called it “a very young version of our own sun.”
The image also shows two exoplanets — meaning planets orbiting around a star other than the sun — and they have been dubbed TYC 8998-760-1b and TYC 8998-760-1c. Both planets are suspected to be gas giants, a term used to refer to planets primarily composed of helium and hydrogen, such as Jupiter and Saturn.
The VLT also captured the first image of an exoplanet back in 2004, but the new image is a milestone as the first instance of astronomers’ observing more than a single planet rotating around a star.
The star TYC 8998-760-1 with its two exoplanets, TYC 8998-760-1b (the noticeable dot in the image's center) and TYC 8998-760-1c (the dimmer dot near the lower right side). The other dots surrounding the star are background stars. ESO/Bohn et a
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A zoomed-in view of star TYC 8998-760-1 and its two exoplanets. ESO/Bohn et al.
“This discovery is a snapshot of an environment that is very similar to our solar system, but at a much earlier stage of its evolution,” Bohn said, adding that observing these faraway stars and planets would be vital in the ongoing search for space environments capable of supporting life.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Late Rep. John Lewis To Lie In State At U.S. Capitol

The body of John Lewis , the late Georgia congressman and civil rights icon , will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda next week , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) announced Thursday in a joint statement .
Lewis will first be honored at an invitation-only ceremony Monday , the lawmakers said .
The public will be allowed to pay their respects “ in a socially-distant manner ” later that day and on Tuesday .
Pelosi and McConnell said mourners would be required to wear masks .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Capitol Rotunda .
Pelosi and McConnell release details of the Capitol services .
pic.twitter.com/bzL1IgElaN — Manu Raju ( @ mkraju ) July 23 , 2020 As Politico noted , Lewis , a Democrat , will be the second Black lawmaker to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol .
Former Rep. Elijah Cummings ( D-Md . )
, who died last year , was the first .
Only about three dozen people , including 12 presidents and four Unknown Soldiers , have been honored in this way .
Lewis , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was dubbed the “ conscience of Congress , ” died last week at the age of 80 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer .
“ I have been in some kind of fight ― for freedom , equality , basic human rights ― for nearly my entire life , ” Lewis said in a December 2019 statement about his diagnosis .
“ I have never faced a fight quite like the one I have now .
”

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The body of John Lewis, the late Georgia congressman and civil rights icon, will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda next week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced Thursday in a joint statement.
Lewis will first be honored at an invitation-only ceremony Monday, the lawmakers said. The public will be allowed to pay their respects “in a socially-distant manner” later that day and on Tuesday.
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Pelosi and McConnell said mourners would be required to wear masks.
The late John Lewis to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda. Pelosi and McConnell release details of the Capitol services. pic.twitter.com/bzL1IgElaN — Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 23, 2020
As Politico noted, Lewis, a Democrat, will be the second Black lawmaker to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol. Former Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), who died last year, was the first.
Only about three dozen people, including 12 presidents and four Unknown Soldiers, have been honored in this way.
Lewis, who helped organize the 1963 March on Washington and was dubbed the “conscience of Congress,” died last week at the age of 80 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Virginia High School Changes Namesake From Robert E. Lee To Rep. John Lewis

A school board is renaming a high school in Springfield , Virginia , after the civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis , who died last week .
The longtime civil rights activist fought for voting rights , equality and racial justice for his entire career .
In 1964 , he helped organize the historic March on Washington , alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and others .
In December , Lewis revealed that he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer .
BREAKING : the school board for @ fcpsnews has approved a new name for Robert E. Lee High @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will honor the late congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis : John R. Lewis High School .
Unanimous vote !
pic.twitter.com/1O7tLR9GTY — Heather Graf ( @ ABC7HeatherGraf ) July 23 , 2020 All members of the school board initially voted to strip the school ’ s former name in June amid ongoing protests over systematic racism , police brutality and the death of George Floyd , a Black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck .
That same month , protesters in Virginia called for a statue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monument Avenue in the state ’ s capital of Richmond to be removed .
The Fairfax County School Board began discussing changing the Springfield school ’ s name after Gov .
Ralph Northam ( D ) announced that his administration would be removing the statue of Lee .
The school board was considering using Lewis ’ name for the school weeks before his death .
The congressman was one of several historical figures being considered , including former President Barack Obama , human rights activist Mildred Loving and labor activist Cesar Chavez .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on possible new names for the school over the course of the month .
The name of the school should reflect the “ diversity and multiculturalism ” of the community , Fairfax School Board Chair Ricardy Anderson said in a statement .
“ Rep .
Lewis was a champion of the Civil Rights movement , and our Board strongly believes this is an appropriate tribute to an individual who is a true American hero , ” the statement read .
“ We will also honor his life ’ s work by continuing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service in the work that we do.
” The new name takes effect at the start of the 2020-2021 school year .

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A school board is renaming a high school in Springfield, Virginia, after the civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis, who died last week.
The Georgia congressman’s name will replace that of Confederate Gen. Robert E Lee.
The Fairfax County School Board voted unanimously to give the honor to Lewis on Thursday.
The longtime civil rights activist fought for voting rights, equality and racial justice for his entire career. In 1964, he helped organize the historic March on Washington, alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and others.
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In December, Lewis revealed that he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
BREAKING: the school board for @fcpsnews has approved a new name for Robert E. Lee High School in Springfield.
The new name will honor the late congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis: John R. Lewis High School.
Unanimous vote! pic.twitter.com/1O7tLR9GTY — Heather Graf (@ABC7HeatherGraf) July 23, 2020
All members of the school board initially voted to strip the school’s former name in June amid ongoing protests over systematic racism, police brutality and the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck.
That same month, protesters in Virginia called for a statue of Lee that had long stood on Monument Avenue in the state’s capital of Richmond to be removed.
The Fairfax County School Board began discussing changing the Springfield school’s name after Gov. Ralph Northam (D) announced that his administration would be removing the statue of Lee.
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The school board was considering using Lewis’ name for the school weeks before his death.
The congressman was one of several historical figures being considered, including former President Barack Obama, human rights activist Mildred Loving and labor activist Cesar Chavez.
The public was allowed to submit comments on possible new names for the school over the course of the month.
The name of the school should reflect the “diversity and multiculturalism” of the community, Fairfax School Board Chair Ricardy Anderson said in a statement.
“Rep. Lewis was a champion of the Civil Rights movement, and our Board strongly believes this is an appropriate tribute to an individual who is a true American hero,” the statement read. “We will also honor his life’s work by continuing to promote equity, justice, tolerance and service in the work that we do.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Manson Family Member Leslie Van Houten Recommended For Parole

After a hearing at the women ’ s prison in Chino , California , commissioners of the Board of Parole Hearings found for the fourth time that Van Houten was suitable for release , according to the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation .
After a 120-day review process , her case will again rest with California Gov .
Gavin Newsom , who could deny parole , although that move could be challenged in court .
“ As with any parole suitability recommendation , when the case reaches the Governor ’ s Office , it will be carefully reviewed on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsom ’ s press secretary , said in a statement .
Van Houten was 19 when she and other cult members fatally stabbed the LaBiancas , carved up Leno LaBianca ’ s body and smeared the couple ’ s blood on the walls .
The slayings came the day after other Manson followers , not including Van Houten , killed pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four others .
Details of the parole hearing weren ’ t immediately released but Van Houten ’ s attorney , Rich Pfeiffer , said in an email that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he expects Newsom to reverse the decision again , “ but the courts will have a harder time denying a writ than they did in the past.
” In May , an appeals court denied Pfeiffer ’ s request to release Van Houten on bail or her own recognizance .
His motion argued that her age put her at high risk of contracting COVID-19 and noted that another prisoner in her housing unit had been infected .
At her 2017 parole hearing , Van Houten described a troubled childhood .
She said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when she was 14 .
Soon after , she said , she began hanging out with her school ’ s outcast crowd and using drugs .
When she was 17 , she and her boyfriend ran away to San Francisco ’ s Haight-Ashbury District during the city ’ s Summer of Love .
She was traveling up and down the California coast when acquaintances led her to Manson .
He was holed up at an abandoned movie ranch on the outskirts of Los Angeles where he had recruited what he called a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be a race war he would launch by committing a series of random , horrifying murders .

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California panel on Thursday recommended that Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten be paroled after serving nearly five decades in prison.
After a hearing at the women’s prison in Chino, California, commissioners of the Board of Parole Hearings found for the fourth time that Van Houten was suitable for release, according to the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
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After a 120-day review process, her case will again rest with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who could deny parole, although that move could be challenged in court.
Newsom blocked her release once and his predecessor Jerry Brown did it twice.
“As with any parole suitability recommendation, when the case reaches the Governor’s Office, it will be carefully reviewed on its merits,” Vicky Waters, Newsom’s press secretary, said in a statement.
Van Houten, 70, is serving a life sentence for helping Manson and others kill Los Angeles grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary, in August 1969.
Van Houten was 19 when she and other cult members fatally stabbed the LaBiancas, carved up Leno LaBianca’s body and smeared the couple’s blood on the walls.
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The slayings came the day after other Manson followers, not including Van Houten, killed pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four others.
Details of the parole hearing weren’t immediately released but Van Houten’s attorney, Rich Pfeiffer, said in an email that it “went really well.”
Pfeiffer said he expects Newsom to reverse the decision again, “but the courts will have a harder time denying a writ than they did in the past.”
In May, an appeals court denied Pfeiffer’s request to release Van Houten on bail or her own recognizance. His motion argued that her age put her at high risk of contracting COVID-19 and noted that another prisoner in her housing unit had been infected.
At her 2017 parole hearing, Van Houten described a troubled childhood. She said she was devastated when her parents divorced when she was 14. Soon after, she said, she began hanging out with her school’s outcast crowd and using drugs. When she was 17, she and her boyfriend ran away to San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury District during the city’s Summer of Love.
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She was traveling up and down the California coast when acquaintances led her to Manson. He was holed up at an abandoned movie ranch on the outskirts of Los Angeles where he had recruited what he called a “family” to survive what he insisted would be a race war he would launch by committing a series of random, horrifying murders.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--3 Ways Postal Banking Could Help Save Our COVID-Ravaged Economy

President Lyndon B. Johnson “ ended the postal banking system at the behest of the bankers because they argued that it was unnecessary , ” said Mehrsa Baradaran , an associate dean at the University of Georgia School of Law and author of “ How the Other Half Banks ” and “ The Color of Money : Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap.
” Up until the late 1960s , the banking sector was much different than it is today , Baradaran noted ― banks were heavily regulated and only allowed to have one or two branches .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to 3 % .
“ The postal bank was offering less , ” she said .
“ Most communities had access to a bank , a credit union or a thrift , so deposit accounts at the post office were redundant for some communities.
” Baradaran has been a longtime proponent of postal banking as the answer to reversing inequality within the banking industry .
Recently , she authored a report for the Justice Collaborative Institute that examines how postal banking could be especially beneficial in light of the coronavirus .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to our current banking system that postal banking could accomplish : The coronavirus has only compounded these issues .
For example , individuals with bank accounts on file with the Internal Revenue Service received their stimulus checks within weeks , while those in line for paper checks had to wait much longer ( with many still waiting ) .
And again , it ’ s communities of color ― particularly Black communities ― that are disproportionately impacted by the physical and financial devastation of the pandemic .
Prabhakar said that postal banking would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most underserved and underprivileged segments of U.S. society , which also happen to be those most affected by the current pandemic and its associated financial impacts .
“ The core offerings would remain paper- and cash-based , but this would be well-suited to demographics with limited technology access and reliance on cash , ” he said .
The postal service was already struggling prior to the pandemic .
Over the past 11 years , it ’ s lost $ 69 billion .
The rise of email , of course , has cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2006 , Congress required the agency to fund retiree health benefits 75 years in advance , a plan which required an extra $ 5.6 billion payment per year for 10 years ( USPS defaulted on the payments in 2012 ) .
Now , thanks to the extra pressures from the coronavirus , the USPS may run out of cash by September without financial assistance from the government .
“ We anticipate that our business will suffer potentially dire consequences for the remainder of the year , ” Postmaster General and CEO Megan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press release .
“ At a time when America needs the Postal Service more than ever , the pandemic is starting to have a significant effect on our business with mail volumes plummeting as a result of the pandemic.
” So Why Haven ’ t We Reinstituted Postal Banking In The U.S. ?
“ Of course we ’ d have to make sure it was run well , but the post office is not an organization that is primarily driven by profits , ” she said .
“ As long as it remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predatory services to the communities it serves than the current payday lenders , check cashers and alternative service providers .
”

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In a world seemingly dominated by shiny startups and flashier brands, the United States Postal Service may seem like a dusty institution. But what if your local post office could do much more than sell you stamps?
From low-interest loans to fee-free bank accounts, “postal banking” could be the answer to providing low-cost financial services to those who need them most, especially in an economy ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic.
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Here’s a look at the potential benefits of postal banking and why some experts say we haven’t brought it back.
What Is Postal Banking?
Postal banking previously existed in the U.S. with notable success. Known as “poor man’s banks,” post offices offered a number of financial services between 1911 and 1966, including savings accounts with modest interest rates. Postal banking was particularly popular during the Great Depression, when many commercial banks failed. Eventually, the system was quietly killed.
President Lyndon B. Johnson “ended the postal banking system at the behest of the bankers because they argued that it was unnecessary,” said Mehrsa Baradaran, an associate dean at the University of Georgia School of Law and author of “How the Other Half Banks” and “The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap.”
Up until the late 1960s, the banking sector was much different than it is today, Baradaran noted ― banks were heavily regulated and only allowed to have one or two branches. They were also allowed to offer interest rates up to 3%. “The postal bank was offering less,” she said. “Most communities had access to a bank, a credit union or a thrift, so deposit accounts at the post office were redundant for some communities.”
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Still, many other neighborhoods were reliant on the postal banking system and remain underserved today.
“Today, banks have merged and conglomerated and many communities have lost their bank,” Baradaran said.
The Postal Service still offers some limited banking services today, such as issuing money orders and cashing Treasury checks, but it’s a far cry from what used to exist. The closing of bank branches in certain areas has, in part, allowed predatory financial companies, such as payday lenders, to gain a foothold in and zap wealth from underbanked communities.
Meanwhile, postal banking remains alive and well in many nations, including Italy, Switzerland and Australia.
“The combination of postal and banking services makes a lot of sense, particularly in the economic evolution of those countries because of their affinity for government-provided services, and the traditionally high cost of private-sector banking,” said Vinay Prabhakar, vice president of product marketing for Volante Technologies, a global financial technology company.
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As November’s presidential election looms, more attention is being focused on postal banking and how it could help our economy. Former Democratic White House contenders Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Bernie Sanders (Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) each made postal banking a key component of their campaign platforms, for example.
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden hasn’t explicitly called for postal banking in the past. However, last week, he and Sanders proposed via their “Unity Task Force” that the “government should provide easily accessible service locations, especially postal banking to make it possible for everyone to access physical banking locations.”
Baradaran has been a longtime proponent of postal banking as the answer to reversing inequality within the banking industry. Recently, she authored a report for the Justice Collaborative Institute that examines how postal banking could be especially beneficial in light of the coronavirus. She writes that there are three key improvements to our current banking system that postal banking could accomplish:
“Provide consumer financial services to underbanked communities, and help vulnerable populations achieve financial security and build savings;
Create a public option to compete with private banks; and
Strengthen the USPS, a vital part of our nation’s infrastructure.”
1. Access For The Unbanked
For most people, banking is as integral to daily life as shopping at the grocery store and visiting the dentist. Yet 8 million U.S. households, made up of 14.1 million adults and 6.4 million children, did not have a checking or savings account as of 2017, according to the FDIC.
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Known as the “unbanked,” these individuals lack access to safe, secure and affordable banking services and instead rely on fringe financial services such as check cashing, payday loans, pawn shop loans and tax refund advances. Another 24.2 million households were considered “underbanked” in 2017, meaning they had a bank account but also obtained financial products or services outside of the banking system.
People of color are more likely to be unbanked: About 4% of white households do not have bank accounts, while 20% of Hispanic households and 21% Black households are unbanked.
Being unbanked or underbanked is expensive, hampering a person’s ability to save money and become financially secure. The average payday loan borrower, for instance, spends over $500 a year in interest. A worker who earns $22,000 a year and doesn’t have a bank account spends $800 to $900 a year in check-cashing fees alone, according to research cited by PBS.
The coronavirus has only compounded these issues. For example, individuals with bank accounts on file with the Internal Revenue Service received their stimulus checks within weeks, while those in line for paper checks had to wait much longer (with many still waiting). And again, it’s communities of color ― particularly Black communities ― that are disproportionately impacted by the physical and financial devastation of the pandemic.
Prabhakar said that postal banking would provide low-cost and accessible banking services to the most underserved and underprivileged segments of U.S. society, which also happen to be those most affected by the current pandemic and its associated financial impacts. “The core offerings would remain paper- and cash-based, but this would be well-suited to demographics with limited technology access and reliance on cash,” he said.
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2. Competition For Private Banks
Originally, post offices were meant to complement, rather than compete with, private banks. However, with the loss of low-cost postal banking services and continued deregulation of the banking industry, major financial institutions could use some competition.
Even though banks receive billions of dollars in federal funding each year, they are private businesses with no incentive or requirement to serve the best interests of customers. Bank fees have steadily increased over the years, pushing away low-income (i.e. low-profit) customers. In fact, at some large regional banks, fees account for nearly 40% of revenue.
Banks have also been closing down branches in areas that aren’t profitable, particularly rural and impoverished communities, creating banking deserts. “The banking sector has a long history of excluding communities of color and avoiding opening branches in zip codes where Black residents predominate,” Baradaran said.
Postal banks, on the other hand, have the opposite history. Even before the Great Depression, postal banking customers were predominantly in segregated northern cities. “The postal banks attracted both recent immigrants and Black residents,” she said. “Today, the post office still serves every community regardless of costs.”
There’s a post office for every ZIP code in the country, and 59% of post offices exist in ZIP codes with zero or one bank branch.
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Baradaran’s report also noted that distrust of financial institutions is the second-most common reason some households lack bank accounts. (The fact that the coronavirus pandemic only made big banks even bigger underscores reasons for that distrust.) In contrast, a survey by global intelligence company Morning Consult found that the USPS is the most trusted brand in the country.
3. Help For A Dying USPS
The postal service was already struggling prior to the pandemic. Over the past 11 years, it’s lost $69 billion. The rise of email, of course, has cut into first-class mail usage. Plus, in 2006, Congress required the agency to fund retiree health benefits 75 years in advance, a plan which required an extra $5.6 billion payment per year for 10 years (USPS defaulted on the payments in 2012). Now, thanks to the extra pressures from the coronavirus, the USPS may run out of cash by September without financial assistance from the government.
“We anticipate that our business will suffer potentially dire consequences for the remainder of the year,” Postmaster General and CEO Megan J. Brennan said in an early May press release. “At a time when America needs the Postal Service more than ever, the pandemic is starting to have a significant effect on our business with mail volumes plummeting as a result of the pandemic.”
In response, President Donald Trump called the Postal Service “a joke” and said he would not authorize additional funding unless it raised its prices on packages.
Postal banking could help offset some of the losses. The Postal Service estimates that offering banking services could add $8 billion to $10 billion in revenue a year. And it’s an institution worth saving, Baradaran stressed.
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“The USPS is the very embodiment of the best of our democracy and I think it is the most underappreciated organization in America,” she said.
So Why Haven’t We Reinstituted Postal Banking In The U.S.?
Prabhakar said the reason postal banking hasn’t made a comeback in the U.S. is largely cultural.
“We have a deep-seated distrust of government organizations taking on functions which we may feel are best served by private enterprises,” he said.
Financial services provided by the Postal Service at a reasonable cost would potentially take business away from the private sector.
Barandaran noted, “We are captivated by a myth that private markets can work better than public services. They do work better ― for the wealthy.”
Prabhakar added that any expansion of services would require an increase in the USPS budget, which many political figures oppose even if these expenditures could be balanced by increased revenue in the long run.
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Not surprisingly, financial institutions have been some of the biggest critics of postal banking. They argue that we shouldn’t hand over the responsibility of providing financial services to a federal organization that operates at a massive deficit each year, especially considering that postal banks would end up filling the gap for communities with higher default rates.
But Baradaran said that compared to the current system, postal banking would be a win-win.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--What Other Countries Can Teach The U.S. About Safely Reopening Schools

One of the many challenges of reopening classrooms in the United States is that there isn ’ t much good data , if any , about what could happen .
Will in-person learning lead to a jump in the transmission of COVID-19 ?
Will students and teachers get sick ?
How many ?
How sick ?
There is so much that health officials , teachers , parents and kids will simply be forced to learn in real time .
And what works in another population , in another country , may be very different from what works in this population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many different ways in which schools have reopened around the world , and it ’ s hard to put in a capsule to say ‘ This is the best way ’ or ‘ This is potentially something we can replicate , ’ ” said Dr. Ibukun Akinboyo , an assistant professor in the pediatrics department at Duke University School of Medicine .
Yet there is something to be gained by looking at other countries that have reopened before the United States .
Schools and administrations can at least consider adopting some of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their missteps before they become our own .
Here ’ s what experts have to say about it .
Lesson 1 : Take it slow and be deliberate .
But experts warn that Israel reopened too much , too soon .
And having students return to the classroom at the same time that other parts of the economy were reopened has made it impossible to get a handle on where the new cases are coming from .
As Hagai Levine , an epidemiologist at the Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cautioned in an article in The Daily Beast : “ The government decided to open the entire system all at once on May 17 .
What happened next was entirely predictable.
” “ The key is stepwise implementation — it ’ s not a red light , then suddenly a green light thing , ” said Dr. Sandra Kesh , an infectious disease specialist with Westmed Medical Group in New York .
Schools and districts need to have the ability to track what is happening as they reopen so they can course-correct as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widespread access to testing , which continues to be a problem in the U.S. , is a big part of that process .
Lesson 2 : Be creative about eking out social distance .
Finding that kind of room in classrooms is difficult , but reopened schools around the world have taken distance very seriously .
In Denmark , for example , students must sit at least 6.5 feet apart .
Classes have been held outside , often in parks , when possible .
( There has been some talk of that happening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way of action on behalf of districts looking to pursue the outdoor option . )
Schools around the world have also been quite creative in their approach to reminding students to maintain social distance .
At one preschool in France , staff painted smiley faces on the courtyard blacktop to make it clear where kids should stand .
In Taiyuan , China , some children have begun wearing wings to help them stay far enough apart .
Of course , props — however cute or original — are not enough .
One reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as many districts here , are sticking to a hybrid model ( keeping kids home on certain days of the week ) is to cut down on the number of students in the classroom at any given time to help maintain social distance .
Young kids might be less likely to transmit the virus , but they are also less likely to follow social distancing rules .
Older kids might be able to wear masks all day long , but this could be a struggle for younger kids , which is why in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been required for children 7 and older but not younger students .
As Dr. Nathaniel Beers , a pediatrician at Children ’ s National Hospital in Washington , D.C. , previously told HuffPost , some districts in the U.S. appear to be taking this into account , requiring masks for children in second grade and above but only encouraging them for first graders and kindergartners or even younger children .
Lesson 4 : Open only if community spread is low .
Here in the U.S. , President Donald Trump is calling for schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 is surging across much of the country .
But elsewhere in the world , successful school reopenings have happened only when the spread of the coronavirus was relatively under control .
That is not to say , however , that in areas where there is not significant community spread of COVID-19 that schools could not reopen safely , she added .
But those are decisions that should be made locally and with an understanding that what is happening in any given city , county or state will likely be reflected in its @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
One of the many challenges of reopening classrooms in the United States is that there isn’t much good data, if any, about what could happen. Will in-person learning lead to a jump in the transmission of COVID-19? Will students and teachers get sick? How many? How sick?
There is so much that health officials, teachers, parents and kids will simply be forced to learn in real time. And what works in another population, in another country, may be very different from what works in this population, here.
Advertisement
“There are so many different ways in which schools have reopened around the world, and it’s hard to put in a capsule to say ‘This is the best way’ or ‘This is potentially something we can replicate,’” said Dr. Ibukun Akinboyo, an assistant professor in the pediatrics department at Duke University School of Medicine.
Yet there is something to be gained by looking at other countries that have reopened before the United States. Schools and administrations can at least consider adopting some of their current best practices and can learn from their missteps before they become our own. Here’s what experts have to say about it.
Lesson 1: Take it slow and be deliberate.
Israel’s effort to reopen schools has made headlines, and not because it has gone well. Students and staff have experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases since schools started to reopen in May, prompting many to call the decision to bring students back into the classroom a “disaster.”
But experts warn that Israel reopened too much, too soon. And having students return to the classroom at the same time that other parts of the economy were reopened has made it impossible to get a handle on where the new cases are coming from. As Hagai Levine, an epidemiologist at the Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, cautioned in an article in The Daily Beast: “The government decided to open the entire system all at once on May 17. What happened next was entirely predictable.”
Advertisement
The lesson, then, for American school districts may be that instead of reopening schools while simultaneously lifting other restrictions (on bars, restaurants, larger gatherings, etc.), it is better to focus on small, incremental steps.
“The key is stepwise implementation — it’s not a red light, then suddenly a green light thing,” said Dr. Sandra Kesh, an infectious disease specialist with Westmed Medical Group in New York. Schools and districts need to have the ability to track what is happening as they reopen so they can course-correct as soon as possible. Of course, widespread access to testing, which continues to be a problem in the U.S., is a big part of that process.
Lesson 2: Be creative about eking out social distance.
Getty Images Elementary school students wear wings to maintain social distance in Taiyuan, China.
In its recommendations for safely reopening American schools, the American Academy of Pediatrics said schools should aim for at least 6 feet between students’ desks or seats when possible, although it added that 3 feet might be enough.
Finding that kind of room in classrooms is difficult, but reopened schools around the world have taken distance very seriously. In Denmark, for example, students must sit at least 6.5 feet apart. Classes have been held outside, often in parks, when possible. (There has been some talk of that happening in the U.S. but little in the way of action on behalf of districts looking to pursue the outdoor option.)
Advertisement
Schools around the world have also been quite creative in their approach to reminding students to maintain social distance. At one preschool in France, staff painted smiley faces on the courtyard blacktop to make it clear where kids should stand. In Taiyuan, China, some children have begun wearing wings to help them stay far enough apart.
Of course, props — however cute or original — are not enough. One reason why many schools abroad, as well as many districts here, are sticking to a hybrid model (keeping kids home on certain days of the week) is to cut down on the number of students in the classroom at any given time to help maintain social distance.
Lesson 3: Tailor plans to kids’ ages.
When Denmark and Finland reopened schools last spring, they started with elementary school children, then gradually welcomed older students. That’s because there is some evidence — by no means conclusive — that younger children don’t spread COVID-19 as readily as teenagers and adults do.
That’s not to say that U.S. schools should open for younger kids first, but districts should certainly be considering the many ways in which age influences risk.
Young kids might be less likely to transmit the virus, but they are also less likely to follow social distancing rules. Older kids might be able to wear masks all day long, but this could be a struggle for younger kids, which is why in places like Israel, they’ve been required for children 7 and older but not younger students. As Dr. Nathaniel Beers, a pediatrician at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., previously told HuffPost, some districts in the U.S. appear to be taking this into account, requiring masks for children in second grade and above but only encouraging them for first graders and kindergartners or even younger children.
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Lesson 4: Open only if community spread is low.
Here in the U.S., President Donald Trump is calling for schools to reopen at the same time that COVID-19 is surging across much of the country. But elsewhere in the world, successful school reopenings have happened only when the spread of the coronavirus was relatively under control.
“Across Europe and many Asian countries, schools have reopened in the context of lower community spread or lower community prevalence,” said Akinboyo. “I have not yet seen a country that has reopened schools in the context of what’s going on in the United States.”
That is not to say, however, that in areas where there is not significant community spread of COVID-19 that schools could not reopen safely, she added. But those are decisions that should be made locally and with an understanding that what is happening in any given city, county or state will likely be reflected in its schools.
“The community predicts the school prevalence of COVID-19 and not necessarily vice versa,” said Akinboyo. “We’re not necessarily seeing that school reopenings by themselves have led to a sudden spike among communities that have low prevalence.”
Below, photos of what schools and classrooms look like around the world lately.