thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-14--Officials Release Long-Delayed And Edited Down Coronavirus Reopening Guidance

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted six one-page “ decision tool ” documents that use traffic signs and other graphics to tell organizations what they should consider before reopening .
The tools are for schools , workplaces , camps , childcare centers , mass transit systems , and bars and restaurants .
The CDC originally also authored a document for churches and other religious facilities , but that wasn ’ t posted Thursday .
The agency declined to say why .
Early versions of the documents included detailed information for churches wanting to restart in-person services , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limiting the size of gatherings .
The faith-related guidance was taken out after the White House raised concerns about the recommended restrictions , according to government emails obtained by The Associated Press and a person inside the agency who didn ’ t have permission to talk with reporters and spoke on condition of anonymity .
And Roger Severino , director of the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services , said “ protections against religious discrimination aren ’ t suspended during an emergency .
This means the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as somehow being more dangerous or worthy of scrutiny than comparable secular behavior.
” President Donald Trump has championed religious freedom as a way to connect with conservative evangelical voters and has shown eagerness for in-person religious services to restart .
He consulted interfaith leaders last month for suggestions on how to reopen and said on a recent Fox News town hall that “ we have to get our people back to churches , and we ’ re going to start doing it soon.
” That longer document , which the AP obtained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to reopen while still limiting spread of the virus , including by spacing workers or students 6 feet apart and closing break rooms and cafeterias to limit gatherings .
Many of the suggestions already appear on federal websites but they haven ’ t been presented as reopening advice .
Some health experts and politicians have been pushing for the CDC to release as much guidance as possible to help businesses and organizations decide how to proceed .
“ They want to be able to tell their own employees the guidance of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , director of the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins University , said at a congressional hearing Wednesday .
“ They want to be able to tell their customers , ‘ We ’ ve done everything that ’ s been asked of us.
’ ” The guidance relates to another document released by the Trump administration on April 17 .
That phased-in reopening plan broadly outlines how to move away from stay-at-home orders , school closures and other measures designed to stop the spread of the new coronavirus that has caused more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 80,000 deaths .
“ America needs and must have the candid guidance of our best scientists unfiltered , unedited , uncensored by president Trump or his political minions .
The CDC report on reopening the country is an important piece of that guidance , ” Schumer said .
For example , an earlier draft of the one-page document on camps obtained by the AP asked organizers if their program would limit attendance to people who live nearby .
If the answer was no , the camp was advised not to reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was not in the version posted Thursday .
And in that document and others , language has been dropped that asked if the organization is in a community that is still requiring significant disease mitigation .
If the answer was yes , the organization was advised not to reopen .
For example , in the document for people who run child care centers , the older version obtained by the AP stated that CDC recommended “ checking for signs and symptoms of children and staff.
” The new guidelines add “ as @ @ @ @ @ @

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NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials on Thursday released some of their long-delayed guidance that schools, businesses and other organizations can use as states reopen from coronavirus shutdowns.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted six one-page “decision tool” documents that use traffic signs and other graphics to tell organizations what they should consider before reopening.
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The tools are for schools, workplaces, camps, childcare centers, mass transit systems, and bars and restaurants. The CDC originally also authored a document for churches and other religious facilities, but that wasn’t posted Thursday. The agency declined to say why.
Early versions of the documents included detailed information for churches wanting to restart in-person services, with suggestions including maintaining distance between parishioners and limiting the size of gatherings. The faith-related guidance was taken out after the White House raised concerns about the recommended restrictions, according to government emails obtained by The Associated Press and a person inside the agency who didn’t have permission to talk with reporters and spoke on condition of anonymity.
On Thursday, a Trump administration official also speaking on condition of anonymity said there were concerns about the propriety of the government making specific dictates to places of worship.
And Roger Severino, director of the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services, said “protections against religious discrimination aren’t suspended during an emergency. This means the federal government cannot single out religious conduct as somehow being more dangerous or worthy of scrutiny than comparable secular behavior.”
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President Donald Trump has championed religious freedom as a way to connect with conservative evangelical voters and has shown eagerness for in-person religious services to restart. He consulted interfaith leaders last month for suggestions on how to reopen and said on a recent Fox News town hall that “we have to get our people back to churches, and we’re going to start doing it soon.”
The CDC drafted the reopening guidance more than a month ago and it was initially shelved by the administration, the AP reported last week.
The agency also had prepared even more extensive guidance — about 57 pages of it — that has not been posted.
That longer document, which the AP obtained, would give different organizations specifics about how to reopen while still limiting spread of the virus, including by spacing workers or students 6 feet apart and closing break rooms and cafeterias to limit gatherings. Many of the suggestions already appear on federal websites but they haven’t been presented as reopening advice.
Some health experts and politicians have been pushing for the CDC to release as much guidance as possible to help businesses and organizations decide how to proceed.
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“They want to be able to tell their own employees the guidance of the federal government,” Dr. Tom Inglesby, director of the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins University, said at a congressional hearing Wednesday. “They want to be able to tell their customers, ‘We’ve done everything that’s been asked of us.’”
The guidance relates to another document released by the Trump administration on April 17. That phased-in reopening plan broadly outlines how to move away from stay-at-home orders, school closures and other measures designed to stop the spread of the new coronavirus that has caused more than 1.3 million reported U.S. illnesses and more than 80,000 deaths.
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, on Wednesday offered a resolution — blocked by Republicans — to encourage release of all the documents.
“America needs and must have the candid guidance of our best scientists unfiltered, unedited, uncensored by president Trump or his political minions. The CDC report on reopening the country is an important piece of that guidance,” Schumer said.
The decision tools have been undergoing review by different federal officials, and they’ve been edited from earlier versions.
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For example, an earlier draft of the one-page document on camps obtained by the AP asked organizers if their program would limit attendance to people who live nearby. If the answer was no, the camp was advised not to reopen. That local attendance limitation was dropped and was not in the version posted Thursday.
And in that document and others, language has been dropped that asked if the organization is in a community that is still requiring significant disease mitigation. If the answer was yes, the organization was advised not to reopen.
Many of the changes provide more wiggle room than what was in the initial versions.
For example, in the document for people who run child care centers, the older version obtained by the AP stated that CDC recommended “checking for signs and symptoms of children and staff.” The new guidelines add “as feasible” to the end.
Similar new language about feasibility appears in sections about promoting healthy hygiene such as hand washing and employees wearing cloth masks.
___
Dearen reported from Gainesville, Florida. AP reporters Mary Clare Jalonick, Zeke Miller and Elana Schor contributed to this report.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-14--Trump Annihilated Online Over Claim 'We'd Have Very Few Cases' Without Testing

In a bizarre attempt to explain away the United States ’ high COVID-19 case count and simultaneously boast about the number of tests conducted , President Donald Trump on Thursday claimed that without testing , there would be fewer coronavirus cases .
“ Don ’ t forget , we have more cases than anybody in the world .
But why ?
We do more testing , ” Trump said following a tour of a medical supply distributor in Allentown , Pennsylvania .
“ When you test , you have a case .
When you test , you find something is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t do any testing , we would have very few cases.
” He claimed that the media “ don ’ t want to write ” this “ common sense ” explanation for the U.S. case count , which on Thursday surpassed 1.4 million ― more than five times greater than any other country has reported .
More than 85,800 people in the U.S. have died .
It is true that the U.S. has conducted the most tests , however , testing per capita ― a much more meaningful metric as a measure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries , including Russia , Italy , Germany , Spain and Canada .
Experts continue to emphasize that widespread testing and contact tracing are the cornerstones of a successful strategy against the further spread of the virus .
With tests still not readily available for many Americans , the president has on multiple occasions tried to downplay the importance of testing , even though members of his White House inner circle are being tested every day .
“ So we have the best testing in the world .
It could be the testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maybe it is overrated , ” the president continued on Thursday .
“ You know , they always say we want more , we want more because they don ’ t want to give you credit.
” Ask any oncologist and they ’ ll tell you the secret to beating cancer is just never to get screened for it .
I mean , that ’ s just basic medicine .
https : //t.co/hWTIRxcYWw — Kevin M. Kruse ( @ KevinMKruse ) May 14 , 2020 This idiot is who so many of you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most important thing is his ratings and not your health and your death .
The man has n't got a single drop of human empathy or emotion in him .
A parasite sucking us dry .
https : //t.co/5tLgLQwl6H — Fred Wellman ( @ FPWellman ) May 14 , 2020 If you or I were this stupid , it might be funny .
For the President of the United States to be this stupid is really fucking dangerous .
https : //t.co/xWRJAi396F — Joe Walsh ( @ WalshFreedom ) May 14 , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we would have even more infections .
Testing lets us see the hidden enemy and isolate those who are infected to prevent further spread of # COVID19 .
That ’ s why your own @ WhiteHouse tests regularly and often .
Get it ?
# ThursdayThoughts https : //t.co/Cpn6PY3PpH — Ted Lieu ( @ tedlieu ) May 14 , 2020 What a bizarre thing to say , even by Trump ’ s low standards .
So does testing cause deaths , too ?
Is that why almost 1 of 3 deaths worldwide from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 85,000+ out of 300,000+ deaths ) https : //t.co/6M1vDgLIdz — Joe Scarborough ( @ JoeNBC ) May 14 , 2020

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In a bizarre attempt to explain away the United States’ high COVID-19 case count and simultaneously boast about the number of tests conducted, President Donald Trump on Thursday claimed that without testing, there would be fewer coronavirus cases.
“Don’t forget, we have more cases than anybody in the world. But why? We do more testing,” Trump said following a tour of a medical supply distributor in Allentown, Pennsylvania. “When you test, you have a case. When you test, you find something is wrong with people. If we didn’t do any testing, we would have very few cases.”
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He claimed that the media “don’t want to write” this “common sense” explanation for the U.S. case count, which on Thursday surpassed 1.4 million ― more than five times greater than any other country has reported. More than 85,800 people in the U.S. have died.
It is true that the U.S. has conducted the most tests, however, testing per capita ― a much more meaningful metric as a measure of success ― lags behind several other countries, including Russia, Italy, Germany, Spain and Canada. Experts continue to emphasize that widespread testing and contact tracing are the cornerstones of a successful strategy against the further spread of the virus.
With tests still not readily available for many Americans, the president has on multiple occasions tried to downplay the importance of testing, even though members of his White House inner circle are being tested every day.
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“So we have the best testing in the world. It could be the testing’s, frankly, overrated? Maybe it is overrated,” the president continued on Thursday. “You know, they always say we want more, we want more because they don’t want to give you credit.”
His comments were met with fierce backlash on Twitter.
Ask any oncologist and they’ll tell you the secret to beating cancer is just never to get screened for it.
I mean, that’s just basic medicine. https://t.co/hWTIRxcYWw — Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) May 14, 2020
The United States has:
- 4% of the global population
- 32% of global COVID-19 cases
- 28% of global COVID-19 deaths https://t.co/IrQ4QLQ5zD — Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) May 14, 2020
This idiot is who so many of you voted for. This idiot thinks the most important thing is his ratings and not your health and your death. The man hasn't got a single drop of human empathy or emotion in him. A parasite sucking us dry. https://t.co/5tLgLQwl6H — Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) May 14, 2020
He really has to be one of the dumbest people alive. https://t.co/XgCDBIZnpJ — George Conway, Noble Committee Chair (@gtconway3d) May 15, 2020
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If you or I were this stupid, it might be funny. For the President of the United States to be this stupid is really fucking dangerous. https://t.co/xWRJAi396F — Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) May 14, 2020
Dear @realDonaldTrump: Without testing, we would have even more infections. Testing lets us see the hidden enemy and isolate those who are infected to prevent further spread of #COVID19. That’s why your own @WhiteHouse tests regularly and often. Get it?#ThursdayThoughts https://t.co/Cpn6PY3PpH — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) May 14, 2020
Welcome to this week’s edition of “The Quiet Part Out Loud”..... https://t.co/75P7td0obv — Bradley Whitford (@BradleyWhitford) May 14, 2020
If I close my eyes, you can’t see me. https://t.co/R6ylJPVcw4 — S.E. Cupp (@secupp) May 14, 2020
What a bizarre thing to say, even by Trump’s low standards.
So does testing cause deaths, too?
Is that why almost 1 of 3 deaths worldwide from COVID-19 comes from the United States?
(85,000+ out of 300,000+ deaths) https://t.co/6M1vDgLIdz — Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) May 14, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-14--Lindsey Graham's New Hearings On The FBI Probe Of Michael Flynn Could Target Biden

Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) announced Thursday that his Judiciary Committee is about to launch an investigation into the FBI probe of booted national security adviser Michael Flynn — and take a new look at Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election .
But Graham pushed back Thursday against President Donald Trump ’ s demand that Barack Obama be called to testify about the mysterious “ Obamagate ” issue that Trump has raised without detail .
Trump fired Flynn in 2017 for lying about secret talks he was having with a former Russian ambassador and reputed Kremlin spymaster Sergey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week to drop charges against Flynn , even though Flynn had already pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI .
In a turnaround , Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday called Flynn a “ patriot ” and said he would be “ happy ” to see him back in the Trump administration , even though the basis of Flynn ’ s firing was that he had lied to Pence .
Flynn ’ s future is now in the hands of U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan , who on Wednesday appointed former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition to the Justice Department ’ s motion to dismiss the Flynn case before Sullivan will determine what action to take .
As part of the Flynn probe , Graham ’ s committee will first look into actions by Obama administration officials to view Flynn ’ s name in intelligence reports during the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election , the senator said .
“ We must determine if these requests were legitimate , ” Graham said , referring to requests by top Obama administration officials to “ unmask ” Flynn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name was revealed Wednesday on a list of officials who reportedly unmasked Flynn ’ s identity in redacted intelligence documents related to special prosecutor Robert Mueller ’ s Russia investigation .
As for Trump urging him to call Obama to testify in the hearings , Graham indicated that would be an overreach of executive power and that it could backfire by putting Trump in jeopardy after his time in the White House is over .
Trump has been saying that “ Obamagate ” is the “ biggest political crime ” in American history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crime he ’ s talking about .
Asked early this week at a press briefing what specific crime he was referring to , Trump insisted that the “ crime is very obvious to everybody ” — but still did not say what it might be .
If I were a Senator or Congressman , the first person I would call to testify about the biggest political crime and scandal in the history of the USA , by FAR , is former President Obama .
He knew EVERYTHING .
Do it @ LindseyGrahamSC , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nice Guy .
No more talk !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) May 14 , 2020 “ I am greatly concerned about the precedent that would be set by calling a former president for oversight , ” Graham said in his statement .
“ No president is above the law .
However , the presidency has executive privilege claims against other branches of government.
” He also told Politico in an interview : “ I don ’ t think now ’ s the time for me to do that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s even possible .
I have grave concerns about the role of executive privilege and all kinds of issues.
” He added : “ I understand President Trump ’ s frustration , but be careful what you wish for .
Just be careful what you wish for.
” Graham said that “ both presidents ” would be welcome to “ share their concerns about each other before the committee.
” While Trump is accusing Obama “ of being part of a treasonous conspiracy to undermine his presidency , ” Obama is suggesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of law ” by moving to dismiss the case against Flynn , Graham noted .
If “ nothing else , ” having both men testify “ would make for great television , ” he flippantly added .
“ However , I have great doubts about whether it would be wise for the country .
”

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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) announced Thursday that his Judiciary Committee is about to launch an investigation into the FBI probe of booted national security adviser Michael Flynn — and take a new look at Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
The hearings could end up targeting Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden.
But Graham pushed back Thursday against President Donald Trump’s demand that Barack Obama be called to testify about the mysterious “Obamagate” issue that Trump has raised without detail.
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The Judiciary Committee, which Graham chairs, plans to hold the Flynn hearings next month, the senator said in a statement.
Trump fired Flynn in 2017 for lying about secret talks he was having with a former Russian ambassador and reputed Kremlin spymaster Sergey Kislyak. But the Justice Department moved last week to drop charges against Flynn, even though Flynn had already pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI. In a turnaround, Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday called Flynn a “patriot” and said he would be “happy” to see him back in the Trump administration, even though the basis of Flynn’s firing was that he had lied to Pence.
Flynn’s future is now in the hands of U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan, who on Wednesday appointed former Judge John Gleeson to present arguments in opposition to the Justice Department’s motion to dismiss the Flynn case before Sullivan will determine what action to take.
As part of the Flynn probe, Graham’s committee will first look into actions by Obama administration officials to view Flynn’s name in intelligence reports during the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, the senator said.
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“We must determine if these requests were legitimate,” Graham said, referring to requests by top Obama administration officials to “unmask” Flynn’s name. Biden’s name was revealed Wednesday on a list of officials who reportedly unmasked Flynn’s identity in redacted intelligence documents related to special prosecutor Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
Such “unmasking” requests are common, including during Trump’s administration.
As for Trump urging him to call Obama to testify in the hearings, Graham indicated that would be an overreach of executive power and that it could backfire by putting Trump in jeopardy after his time in the White House is over.
Trump has been saying that “Obamagate” is the “biggest political crime” in American history — but has yet to explain what crime he’s talking about. Asked early this week at a press briefing what specific crime he was referring to, Trump insisted that the “crime is very obvious to everybody”— but still did not say what it might be.
If I were a Senator or Congressman, the first person I would call to testify about the biggest political crime and scandal in the history of the USA, by FAR, is former President Obama. He knew EVERYTHING. Do it @LindseyGrahamSC, just do it. No more Mr. Nice Guy. No more talk! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 14, 2020
“I am greatly concerned about the precedent that would be set by calling a former president for oversight,” Graham said in his statement. “No president is above the law. However, the presidency has executive privilege claims against other branches of government.”
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He also told Politico in an interview: “I don’t think now’s the time for me to do that. I don’t know if that’s even possible. I have grave concerns about the role of executive privilege and all kinds of issues.”
He added: “I understand President Trump’s frustration, but be careful what you wish for. Just be careful what you wish for.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-14--CDC Issues Alert About COVID-19 Illness In Children As Trump Presses To Open Schools

Surging cases of a mysterious illness in children linked to COVID-19 has triggered an alert by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to warn physicians what to look out for .
Seventeen states have reported cases of what ’ s now labeled multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children ( MIS-C ) , which can affect several organs and has been fatal in rare instances .
New York has reported 102 cases .
Three of the children died , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday .
There ’ s also growing alarm across Europe about the cases .
Paris scientists noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Kawasaki disease in children , 82 % who had contracted COVID-19 .
Italy has reported a 30-fold hike .
The CDC alert also noted a study of recent cases in Britain .
The troubling news comes as President Donald Trump is pushing for schools to reopen .
On Wednesday , Trump criticized health expert Dr. Anthony Fauci ’ s warning Tuesday against reopening schools too quickly as he noted the troubling COVID-19 complications for children .
Trump called Fauci ’ s advice “ not an acceptable answer ” and urged that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The CDC alert urges physicians seeing instances of the inflammatory syndrome to report them to local departments so cases , treatments and outcomes can be tracked .
Children with the disease have had persistent fever and a variety of other symptoms , including low blood pressure , multi-organ complications and inflammation , the CDC alert said .
“ The children who get sick with this can have cardiovascular collapse and require supportive measures to maintain their blood pressure , or respiratory collapse requiring breathing support with a mechanical ventilator , ” Kentucky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this week .
During Fauci ’ s testimony Wednesday before the Senate Committee on Health , Education Labor and Pensions , Sen. Rand Paul ( R-Ky. ) derided the health expert as not the “ end all ” of coronavirus advice .
Paul noted that the illness didn ’ t seem to be a big deal for children .
Fauci replied : “ I have never made myself out to be the end all and only voice in this .
I ’ m a scientist , a physician and a public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the best scientific evidence.
” He noted he leaves economic advice to others .
He then warned of the troubling information about the “ strange inflammatory syndrome ” among children with COVID-19 and cautioned that there is still much unknown about the coronavirus .
“ I think we better be careful , if we are not cavalier , in thinking that children are completely immune to the deleterious effects , ” Fauci said .
Sen. Rand Paul : `` I do n't think you 're the end all .
I do n't think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make a decision . ''
Dr. Anthony Fauci : `` I have never made myself out to be the end all and only voice in this .
I 'm a scientist , a physician and a public health official . ''
pic.twitter.com/Nqlg3zOqn3 — CSPAN ( @ cspan ) May 12 , 2020

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Surging cases of a mysterious illness in children linked to COVID-19 has triggered an alert by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to warn physicians what to look out for.
Seventeen states have reported cases of what’s now labeled multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), which can affect several organs and has been fatal in rare instances. New York has reported 102 cases. Three of the children died, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday.
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There’s also growing alarm across Europe about the cases. Paris scientists noted a 20-fold increase in the illness similar to Kawasaki disease in children, 82% who had contracted COVID-19. Italy has reported a 30-fold hike. The CDC alert also noted a study of recent cases in Britain.
The troubling news comes as President Donald Trump is pushing for schools to reopen. On Wednesday, Trump criticized health expert Dr. Anthony Fauci’s warning Tuesday against reopening schools too quickly as he noted the troubling COVID-19 complications for children. Trump called Fauci’s advice “not an acceptable answer” and urged that “all schools open as soon as possible.”
NEW: Case definition for Kawasaki-like syndrome created based on 102 children in New York. First standardized criteria for a condition that is being called pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome: pic.twitter.com/q3TCnlSB3Y — Matt McCarthy (@DrMattMcCarthy) May 14, 2020
The CDC alert urges physicians seeing instances of the inflammatory syndrome to report them to local departments so cases, treatments and outcomes can be tracked. Children with the disease have had persistent fever and a variety of other symptoms, including low blood pressure, multi-organ complications and inflammation, the CDC alert said.
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“The children who get sick with this can have cardiovascular collapse and require supportive measures to maintain their blood pressure, or respiratory collapse requiring breathing support with a mechanical ventilator,” Kentucky Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack told CNN earlier this week.
During Fauci’s testimony Wednesday before the Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor and Pensions, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) derided the health expert as not the “end all” of coronavirus advice. Paul noted that the illness didn’t seem to be a big deal for children.
Fauci replied: “I have never made myself out to be the end all and only voice in this. I’m a scientist, a physician and a public health official. I give advice according to the best scientific evidence.” He noted he leaves economic advice to others.
He then warned of the troubling information about the “strange inflammatory syndrome” among children with COVID-19 and cautioned that there is still much unknown about the coronavirus.
“I think we better be careful, if we are not cavalier, in thinking that children are completely immune to the deleterious effects,” Fauci said.
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(Check out the comments by Rand and Fauci below.)
Sen. Rand Paul: "I don't think you're the end all. I don't think you're the one person that gets to make a decision."
Dr. Anthony Fauci: "I have never made myself out to be the end all and only voice in this. I'm a scientist, a physician and a public health official." pic.twitter.com/Nqlg3zOqn3 — CSPAN (@cspan) May 12, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-15--Maskless Anti-Lockdown Protester Invades Reporter's Social Distancing Space

I 'll probably never forget what happened today .
I was insulted .
I was berated .
I was practically @ @ @ @ @ to wear masks in the middle of a pandemic .
All the while , I @ @ @ @ @ story .
Here 's the finished product .
pic.twitter.com/HV2Hrcs7gi

I'll probably never forget what happened today.
I was insulted. I was berated. I was practically chased by people who refused to wear masks in the middle of a pandemic.
All the while, I was there to tell THEIR story. Here's the finished product. pic.twitter.com/HV2Hrcs7gi


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-15--Supercut Shows Fox News' Willingness To Turn Against Anyone Who Angers Donald Trump

Fox News ’ striking change in tone with its reporting on U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan is laid bare @ @ @ @ @ the progressive watchdog group Media Matters for America released on Thursday .
Personalities on the @ @ @ @ @ trashed Sullivan in recent days following his appointment of a former judge to argue against @ @ @ @ @ s bid to drop the case against former national security adviser Michael Flynn .
But @ @ @ @ @ shows , Fox ’ s stars haven ’ t always been so quick to call @ @ @ @ @ 2018 , they lavished him with praise , calling him a “ no-nonsense , straight @ @ @ @ @ unafraid of the swamp.
” Check out the montage here : Before attacking the judge @ @ @ @ @ , Sean Hannity and other Fox personalities used to praise his integrity pic.twitter.com/DkJa6QBqLp — Media @ @ @ @ @ May 14 , 2020

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What a difference two years makes.
Fox News’ striking change in tone with its reporting on U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan is laid bare in a new montage that the progressive watchdog group Media Matters for America released on Thursday.
Personalities on the widely watched conservative network have trashed Sullivan in recent days following his appointment of a former judge to argue against the Trump White House’s bid to drop the case against former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
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But, as the supercut below shows, Fox’s stars haven’t always been so quick to call Sullivan out. Only in 2018, they lavished him with praise, calling him a “no-nonsense, straight shooter” who is “unafraid of the swamp.”
Check out the montage here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-15--‘Ford To City: Drop Dead’ Is A Blueprint For Trump’s Hostility To ‘Blue State’ Aid

The coronavirus pandemic is devastating the budgets of state and local governments in the U.S. For Republicans , it ’ s also creating an opportunity : States and localities where they have little chance of actually winning elections may now be forced to take GOP-advocated steps like slashing spending , cutting jobs covered by public employee unions , gutting public employee pensions and stripping social services funding .
Over the course of years of protests , political action and elections in the 20th century , New York City had enacted a broad range of policies to help its working-class and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ network of municipal hospitals , fire and police stations , and schools .
City residents could receive a free college education at any of the 25 City University of New York ( CUNY ) campuses .
Working-class and poor residents also had access to health care and day care services they wouldn ’ t get elsewhere .
But New York could no longer afford its policies .
The city lost much of its tax base in the 1960s as federal and state government policies and infrastructure projects encouraged population flight to the suburbs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that paid lower wages .
Politicians dodged tough decisions about the city ’ s social spending by turning to borrowing and questionable accounting practices .
The debt papered over their political quandary for years , but ultimately allowed the financial sector to seize control of the city ’ s politics .
Bailing out the city would set a “ terrible ” precedent , Ford said in his speech .
He and his economic team saw aid as a moral hazard and they believed the city had brought its problems on itself .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservatism espoused by writer William F. Buckley Jr. : It was time to stand athwart history and yell stop .
In doing so , Ford and his team sought to reverse the New Deal social democratic politics that had dominated the nation for more than 40 years .
This posture also happened to provide a political advantage .
It helped Ford peel off some of the more conservative Republicans who might prefer former California Gov .
Ronald Reagan , his looming primary opponent .
Ford sought to pit the rest of the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and McConnell try to do today with states looking for federal relief .
“ Why , they ask , support advantages in New York that they have not been able to afford for their own communities ?
” Ford said about Americans outside the city .
“ If we go on spending more than we have , providing more benefits and more services than we can pay for , then a day of reckoning will come to Washington and the whole country just as it has to New York City , ” Ford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reckoning comes , who will bail out the United States of America ?
” Those old dogmas would soon dominate American politics .
Simon , Ford ’ s Treasury secretary , pointed to New York as a warning about the fate of the nation if corporations and conservatives did not seize control of politics in his best-selling 1978 jeremiad , “ A Time for Truth.
” If the country did not throw off the New Deal “ philosophy that has ruled our nation for forty years ” and rekindle that old-time dogma , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like New York .

The coronavirus pandemic is devastating the budgets of state and local governments in the U.S. For Republicans, it’s also creating an opportunity: States and localities where they have little chance of actually winning elections may now be forced to take GOP-advocated steps like slashing spending, cutting jobs covered by public employee unions, gutting public employee pensions and stripping social services funding.
That’s at the goal behind President Donald Trump’s dismissive claims that states seeking help during the pandemic are Democratic-run and mismanaged, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s derisive statement that proposed funding for struggling governments would amount to “Blue State Bailouts.”
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It’s not just about failing to help citizens who don’t vote like them. It’s about using the power of the federal government to snuff out state policies across the country that they dislike.
There’s a precedent for this. President Gerald Ford opposed federal funds for New York City in 1975 when the city was at risk of defaulting on its debts. The resulting Daily News headline, which famously read “Ford to City: Drop Dead,” is being resurrected now by Democrats and the media.
“My question is, Mr. Trump, Mr. President, are you going to save New York City or are you telling New York City to drop dead?” Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) said last month. “Which one is it?”
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The comparison is more apt than they may realize. Trump is following a long-running conservative game plan that uses fiscal crises to wage class warfare.
Ford To City: Drop Dead
The New York Daily News front page on Oct. 30, 1975, slammed President Gerald Ford's vow to veto federal aid for New York City. New York Daily News Archive via Getty Images
Ford, the unelected inheritor of Richard Nixon’s second presidential term, gave a speech at the National Press Club in Washington on Oct. 29, 1975, about New York City’s impending debt default.
Over the course of years of protests, political action and elections in the 20th century, New York City had enacted a broad range of policies to help its working-class and poor residents. The city built a network of municipal hospitals, fire and police stations, and schools. City residents could receive a free college education at any of the 25 City University of New York (CUNY) campuses. Working-class and poor residents also had access to health care and day care services they wouldn’t get elsewhere.
To both its supporters and its critics, the city stood as an “example of the central role that government might play in addressing problems of poverty, racism, and economic distribution,” historian Kim Phillips-Fein wrote in her 2017 book “Fear City: New York’s Fiscal Crisis and the Rise of Austerity Politics.”
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But New York could no longer afford its policies. The city lost much of its tax base in the 1960s as federal and state government policies and infrastructure projects encouraged population flight to the suburbs and job flight to states and countries that paid lower wages. Politicians dodged tough decisions about the city’s social spending by turning to borrowing and questionable accounting practices. The debt papered over their political quandary for years, but ultimately allowed the financial sector to seize control of the city’s politics.
By the time Ford took the podium at the National Press Club, city leaders had already come hat in hand to press Congress and the Ford administration for federal funds to forestall an imminent default or bankruptcy. The president and his advisers, including Treasury Secretary William Simon and Council of Economic Advisers chair Alan Greenspan, opposed federal aid for New York City.
Bailing out the city would set a “terrible” precedent, Ford said in his speech. He and his economic team saw aid as a moral hazard and they believed the city had brought its problems on itself. The moment called for the kind of traditional conservatism espoused by writer William F. Buckley Jr.: It was time to stand athwart history and yell stop.
In doing so, Ford and his team sought to reverse the New Deal social democratic politics that had dominated the nation for more than 40 years. This posture also happened to provide a political advantage. It helped Ford peel off some of the more conservative Republicans who might prefer former California Gov. Ronald Reagan, his looming primary opponent.
“There is a profound lesson for all Americans in the financial experience of our biggest and our richest city,” Ford said. New York City’s situation showed the “practical limit” to “our public bounty.” He promised to veto any bill that would provide bailout funds to the city.
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Ford sought to pit the rest of the country against New York City, as Trump and McConnell try to do today with states looking for federal relief. “Why, they ask, support advantages in New York that they have not been able to afford for their own communities?” Ford said about Americans outside the city.
“If we go on spending more than we have, providing more benefits and more services than we can pay for, then a day of reckoning will come to Washington and the whole country just as it has to New York City,” Ford said. “When that day of reckoning comes, who will bail out the United States of America?”
The Daily News headline, “Ford To City: Drop Dead” in 144-point type, blared across the tabloid’s front page the very next day. A New York Times editorial lampooned the president as “a bemused stranger from another time and place” promoting “the political and economic dogmas of an 18th-century rural confederacy.”
Those old dogmas would soon dominate American politics. Simon, Ford’s Treasury secretary, pointed to New York as a warning about the fate of the nation if corporations and conservatives did not seize control of politics in his best-selling 1978 jeremiad, “A Time for Truth.” If the country did not throw off the New Deal “philosophy that has ruled our nation for forty years” and rekindle that old-time dogma, Simon wrote, it would wind up like New York.
In reality, Ford’s veto threat was a bargaining tactic. Politicians in New York city and state, the bankers, and the technocrats overseeing their negotiations would reach a financial deal that the president could accept. The city did not default or declare bankruptcy. Ford signed legislation that put federal government backing behind $2.3 billion in loans.
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“The only way we have achieved results is to be difficult,” he said during a trip to Europe amid the negotiations. “This has been a sort of brinksmanship by the administration forcing New York City and New York state to take responsible action.”
The result was a “planned shrinkage” of New York City’s social spending ― and with it, the rewriting of the city’s social contract.
“Underneath all the technicalities of the refinancing agreements was a promise to fundamentally restructure how New York City worked ― to drastically cut the budget and shift spending away from social services,” Phillips-Fein wrote.
Blue State Bailouts
President Donald Trump and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (far left) publicly oppose relief funding for states as they face budget shortfalls caused by the coronavirus pandemic. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Forty years ago, the conservative movement that saw New York City’s budget crisis as a key battle in undoing the New Deal order swept into national power on Reagan’s back. And today Republican leaders are still working hard to root out the vestiges of social democracy around the country, like public employee unions and state and municipal social spending.
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McConnell has made his rhetorical targets clear. “We’re not interested in solving their pension problems for them,” the Kentucky senator said on April 22.
Like Ford’s stance, the blanket opposition from Trump and McConnell to state and local relief funding is a bargaining position.
“The Democrats have to do what they have to do,” Trump said on May 8, adding, “We want to see what they have. But I can’t say that we are in a rush.”
“We’re looking to help states, but we’re not bailing out states’ finances,” Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on May 3.
This time, however, the efforts to force a reorientation of policy priorities in so-called “blue states” through austerity are based on a crisis opposite to that faced by Ford and New York City.
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The states are not asking for money because they deployed debt to delay tough political decisions. They aren’t asking for money because of poor management. Practically every state is looking at a historic shortfall in tax revenue today due to a once-in-a-century viral pandemic.
Ford and his team hoped that restraining the policies of New York City would change the behavior of other municipalities in dire financial straits and stall a contagion of fiscal collapse. This time around, the refusal to provide aid to states is what could create long-term financial damage while deepening the pandemic-induced depression.
That is perhaps why some Republican lawmakers are not on board with using the pandemic to alter state budgets.
But Trump and his team of advisers have pushed these downward-punching class war policies as their preferred approach for the next relief bill. Larry Kudlow, the chair of the National Economic Council, has floated a combination of tax cuts and business incentives that can be extended after the crisis ends.
Trump knows these kinds of policies well, as they are what made his career in post-debt-crisis New York City. The city didn’t just save money when it slashed its budget for social services, imposed tuition on CUNY students and shuttered firehouses, police stations, day care centers and hospitals. It redirected that money to the rich through business tax incentives. Trump was first in line. He received a massive, 40-year tax break to redevelop the Commodore Hotel into the lux glass-encased Grand Hyatt New York it is today.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-15--FDA Warns Rapid Coronavirus Test Touted By White House May Give False Negatives

The agency said the Abbott ID NOW point-of-care test , which was given emergency authorization by the FDA in March , may return false negatives in some cases where patients actually have the coronavirus .
The FDA said it had received 15 reports that the device didn ’ t reflect accurate results .
“ We are still evaluating the information about inaccurate results and are in direct communications with Abbott about this important issue , ” Tim Stenzel , director of the FDA ’ s office of in vitro diagnostics , said in a statement.
“ This test can still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive cases in minutes .
Negative results may need to be confirmed with a high-sensitivity authorized molecular test.
” The agency noted it was sharing its concerns publicly “ in the spirit of transparency , ” clarifying that “ no diagnostic test will be 100 % accurate.
” More than 1.4 million people in the U.S. have been infected with the coronavirus and more than 85,000 have died .
Cases have continued to climb , but President Donald Trump and other lawmakers have urged some regions to reopen in an effort to kickstart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The FDA stressed Thursday that any patient tested for COVID-19 who was given negative results but had ongoing symptoms consistent with the virus should have their results confirmed by another test .
The Abbott device has been used at the White House to screen staff members and visitors and can provide rapid results .
Trump himself trotted out the machine during a news conference , calling the results “ highly accurate ” and saying the device made the fight against infections a “ whole new ballgame.
” But the White House has itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Two staff members have tested positive for the virus in recent days — an aide to Vice President Mike Pence and a valet to the president — and one adviser said it had become “ scary to go to work.
” A preliminary study reported earlier this week cast doubt on the efficacy of the Abbott device .
A group of researchers from New York University said the machine missed between a third to nearly half of positive cases caught on a competing device , although the study has not yet been peer-reviewed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the samples were tested correctly in this study , ” the company told The Washington Post in a statement .
“ This rate has been previously shared with the FDA .
In communications with the users of the test , it is performing as expected .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The Food and Drug Administration warned Thursday a coronavirus test touted by the White House may provide false results.
The agency said the Abbott ID NOW point-of-care test, which was given emergency authorization by the FDA in March, may return false negatives in some cases where patients actually have the coronavirus. The FDA said it had received 15 reports that the device didn’t reflect accurate results.
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“We are still evaluating the information about inaccurate results and are in direct communications with Abbott about this important issue,” Tim Stenzel, director of the FDA’s office of in vitro diagnostics, said in a statement.“This test can still be used and can correctly identify many positive cases in minutes. Negative results may need to be confirmed with a high-sensitivity authorized molecular test.”
The agency noted it was sharing its concerns publicly “in the spirit of transparency,” clarifying that “no diagnostic test will be 100% accurate.”
President Donald Trump opens a box containing a 5-minute test for COVID-19 from Abbott Laboratories on March 30. ASSOCIATED PRESS
More than 1.4 million people in the U.S. have been infected with the coronavirus and more than 85,000 have died. Cases have continued to climb, but President Donald Trump and other lawmakers have urged some regions to reopen in an effort to kickstart an economy devastated by the pandemic.
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The FDA stressed Thursday that any patient tested for COVID-19 who was given negative results but had ongoing symptoms consistent with the virus should have their results confirmed by another test.
The Abbott device has been used at the White House to screen staff members and visitors and can provide rapid results. Trump himself trotted out the machine during a news conference, calling the results “highly accurate” and saying the device made the fight against infections a “whole new ballgame.”
But the White House has itself been rattled by the ongoing pandemic. Two staff members have tested positive for the virus in recent days — an aide to Vice President Mike Pence and a valet to the president — and one adviser said it had become “scary to go to work.”
In the spirit of transparency, FDA is alerting the public to early data suggesting potential inaccurate results during the Abbott ID NOW point of care #COVID19 test, specifically false negative results. https://t.co/rayPkde8oy pic.twitter.com/15Rh4Y50YN — U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) May 15, 2020
Reuters notes Abbott Laboratories has already distributed more than 1.8 million ID NOW tests around the country
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A preliminary study reported earlier this week cast doubt on the efficacy of the Abbott device. A group of researchers from New York University said the machine missed between a third to nearly half of positive cases caught on a competing device, although the study has not yet been peer-reviewed.
Abbott has rejected those findings and sought to soothe investors on Thursday evening.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-15--Lockdown At Terminal Island Federal Prison Curbs Deadly Coronavirus Outbreak

It ’ s hard to celebrate what has happened at Terminal Island , a coastal facility with what BOP has marketed to potential interns as “ impressive ocean views , ” as a success story .
Along with the deaths , inmates were cut off from email and phone calls for weeks , unable to reach desperate family members searching for information on their loved ones .
And a congresswoman who visited the prison this week expressed concern about the “ terrible situation ” prisoners were in and the facility ’ s ability to implement social distancing in the prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot to the top of the BOP ’ s outbreak list not necessarily because the disease was especially virulent there , but because it was among the first of the federal institutions to implement widespread testing of its prisoner population .
The results underscored how quickly COVID-19 can spread in the low-security prison setting where inmates constantly interact in cramped communal settings .
The federal prison in Lompoc , California , a low-security facility prison located nearly three hours northwest of Terminal Island that recently overtook it atop the BOP ’ s coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early May .
Working with a private company , BOP found that COVID-19 had torn through the facility : 882 of its 963 inmates were listed as positive as of Wednesday , and just 25 had recovered .
Like Terminal Island , Lompoc officials restricted inmates ’ phone and email access and worked to separate inmates by their COVID-19 status .
‘ There Really Is No Way To Maintain Six Feet ’ The BOP announced the most recent death of an inmate there on Wednesday ― James Lino , a 65-year-old who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ventilator since April 18 .
Lino was serving a 34-month sentence for conspiracy to distribute and possess more than 50 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute , and had been at Terminal Island since February 2019 .
Barragán said she had difficulty communicating with many of the prisoners under the tour ’ s conditions , but that many were yelling out to the warden asking for air conditioning and to be allowed to talk to their families .
Terminal Island inmates have only recently been able to communicate with their families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the BOP .
“ All they have is a little cloth mask , ” she said .
“ We ’ re in a full gown , we ’ re in a full N-95 mask that seals on your face ... We have a face shield on .
We were fully loaded with protection , and you can only imagine what they felt like when we walked in and they ’ ve got nothing , and their families can ’ t give them anything.
” “ It ’ s been a lot of work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotels because they don ’ t want to bring it home , ” Reynoso told HuffPost .
“ They don ’ t see their children right now , they don ’ t want to risk it .
So staff is giving up a lot of life to be able to run the prisons.
” “ Every single staff member has to learn to do every other job , because we ’ re the ones doing everything now ( rather than inmates ) , from cleaning to cooking , ” Reynoso said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I needed to help out and I ’ ve got to do a little bit of cooking now.
” “ The most important thing we can do is to get people out , both to protect particularly vulnerable people who , if they become infected with the virus are at very grave risk of serious illness or death , and to protect those who are left behind to enable them to practice social distancing and enhance sanitation , ” Fathi said .
“ So cutting the population helps both groups , both those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left behind .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A week ago, Terminal Island federal prison in San Pedro, California, had the biggest known coronavirus outbreak in the federal penal system. More than 700 inmates ― nearly 70% of the low-security facility’s population ― had tested positive for COVID-19.
But a proactive testing and segregation strategy that Bureau of Prisons officials and the Los Angeles Department of Public Health implemented late last month has seemingly produced a rapid reduction in the cases. Faced with the health crisis, officials took dramatic steps ― a lockdown of the facility, mandated testing of all prisoners, and separating inmates by their COVID-19 status.
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After what the bureau termed an “aggressive testing and quarantine mitigation strategy,” more than 567 inmates have recovered, while 130 remain infected. Eight inmates have died in the pandemic.
It’s hard to celebrate what has happened at Terminal Island, a coastal facility with what BOP has marketed to potential interns as “impressive ocean views,” as a success story. Along with the deaths, inmates were cut off from email and phone calls for weeks, unable to reach desperate family members searching for information on their loved ones. And a congresswoman who visited the prison this week expressed concern about the “terrible situation” prisoners were in and the facility’s ability to implement social distancing in the prison environment going forward.
Yet Terminal Island’s actions show how critical testing can be in slowing the spread of COVID-19, which has ripped through prisons across the country. And had Terminal Island’s testing system been implemented a bit earlier, it likely would have saved additional lives.
Terminal Island temporarily shot to the top of the BOP’s outbreak list not necessarily because the disease was especially virulent there, but because it was among the first of the federal institutions to implement widespread testing of its prisoner population. The results underscored how quickly COVID-19 can spread in the low-security prison setting where inmates constantly interact in cramped communal settings.
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An emotional protest this evening at the Terminal Island federal prison, where hundreds of inmates have tested positive for #COVID19. At least six inmates have died of the virus. @LAist @KPCC
“These are fathers, these are sons,” families of incercetated people chant. pic.twitter.com/6sckypPCG0 — Emily Elena Dugdale (@eedugdale) May 9, 2020
Terminal Island began mandatory testing on April 23, after two prisoners had already died and a few others were hospitalized on their deathbeds. The testing regime revealed hundreds of inmates were infected with COVID-19, though officials said the vast majority were asymptomatic.
“The reason the numbers [were] so high at Terminal Island is because we are testing every single inmate,” said John Kostelnik, the western regional vice president of BOP’s union. “We tested everyone, and that’s why the numbers are so high.”
Kostelnik told HuffPost that only about 10% of the inmates were symptomatic when testing started last month. He said it was “extremely difficult” to practice social distancing at Terminal Island, where most prisoners live in open dormitories with bunk beds.
Those inmates testing positive began a 14-day stay with other infected inmates. Those who tested negative were retested after 10 days, and those who then came up positive were removed from the group. The “systematic attrition process,” said BOP, “significantly shortens the overall span of the virus infection within the prison.”
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The federal prison in Lompoc, California, a low-security facility prison located nearly three hours northwest of Terminal Island that recently overtook it atop the BOP’s coronavirus outbreak list, began universal testing in early May. Working with a private company, BOP found that COVID-19 had torn through the facility: 882 of its 963 inmates were listed as positive as of Wednesday, and just 25 had recovered. Like Terminal Island, Lompoc officials restricted inmates’ phone and email access and worked to separate inmates by their COVID-19 status.
‘There Really Is No Way To Maintain Six Feet’
The fact that a bigger outbreak may have been curbed doesn’t mean all is well at Terminal Island.
The BOP announced the most recent death of an inmate there on Wednesday ― James Lino, a 65-year-old who had been hospitalized since April 16 and on a ventilator since April 18. Lino was serving a 34-month sentence for conspiracy to distribute and possess more than 50 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and had been at Terminal Island since February 2019.
One of the most recent Terminal Island inmates to die was Scott Douglas Cutting, Sr., a 70-year-old serving a two-year sentence for aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. Other Terminal Island inmate deaths include a 73-year-old incarcerated on a child pornography distribution charge, another 73-year-old imprisoned on a child pornography production charge, a 59-year-old convicted of a methamphetamine charge, an 80-year-old serving a sentence for child sexual abuse, a 54-year-old convicted of extensive drug charges, and 58-year-old serving an immigration charge.
Democratic Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán, whose district includes the prison, is one of the few outsiders to visit Terminal Island since the lockdown began. In an interview with HuffPost after her visit this week, Barragán she was concerned about the living conditions for inmates who had tested positive for COVID-19.
“There were like 70 inmates in this small room where there’s just bunk beds,” she said. “There really is no way to maintain six feet of social, physical distancing that we’re being asked to do.”
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Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragan speaks to the media about what she saw while touring the Terminal Island FCI in San Pedro. pic.twitter.com/AHDoiTb1cl — Brittany Murray (@BrittanyMMurray) May 12, 2020
Barragán said she had difficulty communicating with many of the prisoners under the tour’s conditions, but that many were yelling out to the warden asking for air conditioning and to be allowed to talk to their families. Terminal Island inmates have only recently been able to communicate with their families in five-minute phone calls, according to the BOP.
Barragán described touring the facility with the warden while wearing extensive personal protective equipment as she looked upon inmates living in the close quarters amid the pandemic with only the bare minimum protective equipment.
“All they have is a little cloth mask,” she said. “We’re in a full gown, we’re in a full N-95 mask that seals on your face... We have a face shield on. We were fully loaded with protection, and you can only imagine what they felt like when we walked in and they’ve got nothing, and their families can’t give them anything.”
Alex Reynoso, a BOP employee at Terminal Island and union official, said the pandemic has created arduous conditions for corrections officers.
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“It’s been a lot of work. Some staff members are staying at hotels because they don’t want to bring it home,” Reynoso told HuffPost. “They don’t see their children right now, they don’t want to risk it. So staff is giving up a lot of life to be able to run the prisons.”
“Every single staff member has to learn to do every other job, because we’re the ones doing everything now (rather than inmates), from cleaning to cooking,” Reynoso said. “I don’t cook, but I needed to help out and I’ve got to do a little bit of cooking now.”
Officially, 15 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19. But while inmate testing has been mandatory, BOP can’t compel that for staff members, meaning the true extent of the outbreak at Terminal Island staffers isn’t known.
“I feel like we need to be treated more by the public as first responders,” Reynoso said. “It’s just amazing what (staff members) do. We’re talking about 12 hour days. That alone drains your body.”
‘Get People Out’
Barragán has advocated releasing more Terminal Island prisoners to home confinement, especially because the vast majority of inmates there require only low-security measures. So far, only a handful of Terminal Island prisoners have been approved for home confinement.
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“These inmates have nowhere to go. They certainly didn’t bring it from the outside,” Barragán said. “The people who are exposing them are really people who are coming in and out, like staff and officers.”
David Fathi, director of the ACLU’s National Prison Project, said that even at Terminal Island, it’s “not too late” to consider release for those prisoners who haven’t tested positive for COVID-19.
“The most important thing we can do is to get people out, both to protect particularly vulnerable people who, if they become infected with the virus are at very grave risk of serious illness or death, and to protect those who are left behind to enable them to practice social distancing and enhance sanitation,” Fathi said. “So cutting the population helps both groups, both those who are released… and those who are left behind.”
The vast majority of inmates at the Terminal Island prison require only low-security measures. But only a handful of them have been approved for home confinement so far. Christina House / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
But Kostelnik, the BOP union official who helped organize Barragán’s tour, thinks proposals for much wider use of home confinement aren’t feasible. He said more than 300 of Terminal Island’s inmates are sex offenders, which makes them ineligible for such status. A history of violence also disqualifies many other inmates for home confinement.
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Kostelnik criticized Barragan’s comments on the conditions at Terminal Island and said she should’ve done more to thank officers who are “putting their own safety and wellbeing in danger” to keep the prison running.
“One thing that should be acknowledged that the congresswoman failed to recognize is that we were able to test over 1,000 inmates in quick time, which was the result of hard work and many hours for our medical staff and correctional officers,” Kostelnik told HuffPost. “We are doing everything feasible to protect the community and inmates, alike.”
Universal testing of inmates won’t be enough to stop coronavirus deaths behind bars, Fathi said. The most effective way to save inmates’ lives is to reduce prison density. Just over 2,500 inmates ― a small fraction of the BOP’s population of nearly 140,000 ― have been placed on home confinement since late March.
“Really, the only thing that the experts are telling us can make a meaningful difference in slowing the spread of the virus in prison is to cut the population,” he said. “On that score, the bureau has failed miserably.”
Do you have a friend or loved one incarcerated at a jail or prison with a coronavirus outbreak? Tell them to write HuffPost: PO Box 65801 Los Angeles, CA 90065.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-15--Detroit Democratic Activist’s Death From COVID-19 Leaves A ‘Big Void’

Still , the disease worked its way through his body with brutal efficiency .
Eileen , his wife of 55 years , summoned an ambulance when he began to have trouble breathing .
Wilson died on April 22 , eight days after being admitted to the hospital .
As with the more than 1,200 other Detroiters who have fallen to COVID-19 , Wilson spent his last days on Earth all alone .
Eileen hadn ’ t been able to speak to him since he left their home in northwest Detroit .
Previously , Wilson was also a vice president of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city hall manager under then-Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer .
When he wasn ’ t raising his grandchildren in his home with his wife , Eileen , or visiting his aging mother , he was busy working the grill to hand out hamburgers and hotdogs to city cops during police appreciation week and planting marigolds , geraniums and impatiens as part of a neighborhood beautification program .
The only day that did not involve a community or political meeting of any kind , his wife recalled , was Sunday , when he could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scholastica Catholic Church .
He understood that there were people who were doing things that were not great for us , but his idea was that those were misunderstandings and that we could overcome them and find ways to work together .
More religious residents would lambaste him on the radio for trying to transform Detroit into a “ sin city , ” but he would stand his ground , according to Eileen .
He stuck to his belief in the economic benefits , noting that gamblers were just going across the border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city of critical revenue .

Thomas A. Wilson Jr. dedicated his life to electing Democrats, championing Detroit and advancing education. Thomas A. Wilson Jr./Facebook
Soon after the state of Michigan created the Education Achievement Authority in 2012, it prompted criticism from Detroiters for stripping city parents of control over their kids’ schools and subjecting low-income Black residents to experimental education methods.
Thomas A. Wilson Jr., a retired physical education teacher, led the charge, writing letters to the editor, phoning in to his favorite radio talk shows and persistently lobbying state lawmakers about it. Through it all, he stayed positive, flashing a pearly white smile underneath his signature mustache, recalled former Michigan state Sen. Bertram Johnson, who was often on the receiving end of Wilson’s articulate charm offensives.
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“Tom didn’t beat you up,” Johnson said. “He just did it with such poise and grace.”
“I had this phrase, ‘You can improve me with information,’” he added. “And that’s what Tom would do.”
Johnson credits the activism of Wilson and others like him for pushing the Michigan Legislature to shutter the EAA a few years later.
Wilson, a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, planned to bring that same rigor and passion to the effort to help former Vice President Joe Biden defeat Donald Trump in Michigan, a key battleground state in the presidential election.
Asked in March whether Biden could turn out the voters who stayed home when Hillary Clinton was the Democratic presidential nominee in 2016, Wilson told HuffPost, “Yeah, and I’m going to help him.”
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He would never get the chance. In mid-April, Wilson got sick from the novel coronavirus. Wilson did not drink or smoke, and he swam 50 laps at a local pool three times a week. He did not take any medication aside from his daily vitamins.
Still, the disease worked its way through his body with brutal efficiency. Eileen, his wife of 55 years, summoned an ambulance when he began to have trouble breathing. Wilson died on April 22, eight days after being admitted to the hospital. As with the more than 1,200 other Detroiters who have fallen to COVID-19, Wilson spent his last days on Earth all alone. Eileen hadn’t been able to speak to him since he left their home in northwest Detroit.
“It was devastating,” Eileen said. “I feel very disgusted by it because I just feel he shouldn’t have had to go out like that.”
In addition to Eileen, Wilson leaves behind his mother Ruth; his two kids, Thomas and Shaughn; his three grandchildren, Thomas, Tariq and Taiquon; and a vast community of neighbors and fellow activists who knew him on a first-name basis.
Local Democratic officials admit that it will be a challenge to replace his organizing power ahead of the general election in November.
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“It’s a big void,” said Rick Blocker, chairman of the Democratic Party in Michigan’s 14th Congressional District, in which Wilson served as sergeant-at-arms. “He never asked for the spotlight. He just always wanted to be a soldier.”
Johnson said there is “no deeper, no smarter, no more conscientious individual in the city of Detroit. Losing him, you might as well tell me the sun is not going to come out for a while.”
I met Wilson on March 9, while he was waiting in line to enter an election eve rally for Joe Biden at Detroit’s Renaissance High School. Biden’s massive primary victory over Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) the following day all but clinched the Democratic presidential nomination for him.
At the time, I was completing a freelance assignment for Al Jazeera English’s documentary series, “Faultlines.” Our episode on the conflict within the Democratic Party came out Wednesday.
Watch the full, 25-minute documentary here.
Wilson, who introduced himself wryly as the “one, the only, the inimitable Thomas A. Wilson Jr.,” ended up giving us one of the more colorful embodiments of skepticism toward Sanders’ progressive agenda.
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“I admire the man for what he’s trying to do, but Bernie, he talks a lot of ‘eargasm,’” Wilson said. “It sounds good to the ear, but when the bottom line comes down, when the rubber hits the road, there’s no free lunch.”
We interviewed Tom Wilson for "America's Divided Democrats." A politically active Detroiter, Wilson has sadly since passed away from COVID-19.@danielmarans joins @SHDetroit on @wdet tomorrow at 9:40am ET to talk about our brief brush with Tom. Watch our interview, then tune in. pic.twitter.com/a4xg4ByJ6f — Fault Lines (@AJFaultLines) May 14, 2020
A true pillar of his community, Wilson’s list of responsibilities, political leadership roles and hobbies would put even the most well-rounded renaissance man to shame.
“He did it all ― literally,” said state Rep. Sherry Gay-Dagnogo (D). “He was larger than life as an activist. He gave of his time and his life in advocating what was best for our city.”
In addition to his duties as the 14th District party’s sergeant-at-arms, Wilson was a board member of the Black caucus of the Wayne County Democratic Party, a precinct delegate for the state Democratic Party, an active member of Detroit’s teachers union, a leading education advocate, a frequent letter writer to the Detroit Free Press and a longstanding participant in the city’s elite political listserve known simply as the email group, or EMG.
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Previously, Wilson was also a vice president of his neighborhood block association and a neighborhood city hall manager under then-Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer. When he wasn’t raising his grandchildren in his home with his wife, Eileen, or visiting his aging mother, he was busy working the grill to hand out hamburgers and hotdogs to city cops during police appreciation week and planting marigolds, geraniums and impatiens as part of a neighborhood beautification program. The only day that did not involve a community or political meeting of any kind, his wife recalled, was Sunday, when he could be found serving as an usher at St. Scholastica Catholic Church.
After his death, condolences poured in from the highest echelons of Michigan’s Democratic power structure. Eileen, an occupational therapist, received sympathy phone calls from Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-Mich.) and Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.).
In the absence of the kind of celebratory funeral he would have received under ordinary circumstances, neighbors conducted a 20-car “drive-by” funeral procession outside his home.
“I’m not saying he broke the mold, but they’ll have to go some to beat him,” Eileen said. “They don’t make people like that anymore.”
Stephen Henderson, host of Detroit Public Radio’s “Detroit Today,” delivered a tearful on-air homage to Wilson, who he identified as the show’s most frequent caller. He would call every day, often lighting up the phones before the show had even begun.
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Henderson told HuffPost that Wilson’s commentary over the years was characterized by relentless optimism and a welcoming attitude toward outsiders that was rare in a city scarred by economic, racial and social trauma.
“He understood that there were people who were doing things that were not great for us, but his idea was that those were misunderstandings and that we could overcome them and find ways to work together.” - Stephen Henderson, host, "Detroit Today," Detroit Public Radio
“He understood that there were people who were doing things that were not great for us, but his idea was that those were misunderstandings and that we could overcome them and find ways to work together,” Henderson said.
The beneficiaries of Wilson’s compassionate approach to politics ranged from new Detroit residents gentrifying the city to Michiganders who had opted to elect President Donald Trump in 2016.
“I remember him saying, ‘These are people who are hurting,’” Henderson said. “They were attracted to somebody who he didn’t like, but he understood where they were coming from.”
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Wilson was also not afraid to champion controversial causes, such as the legalization of casino gambling in Detroit in the late 1990s.
More religious residents would lambaste him on the radio for trying to transform Detroit into a “sin city,” but he would stand his ground, according to Eileen. He stuck to his belief in the economic benefits, noting that gamblers were just going across the border to Windsor, Ontario, depriving the city of critical revenue.
“He would just say, ’I hear that big sucking sound from Windsor that’s taking all the money away from Detroit,” Eileen said, laughing as she remembered it. “He had some real cojones.”
Wilson was born in Landgraff, West Virginia, the oldest of four children. His family moved to Detroit when he was a boy so his father could take a job at a Chrysler plant.
Thanks to scholarship funding, Wilson became the first person in his family to obtain a college degree, graduating from Wayne State University in 1971. He was a fullback on his college football team. In our interview with him in March, Wilson called himself a “BMOC ― big man on campus.”
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Wilson had varied tastes ― relishing country music as well as jazz, blues and some rock ‘n’ roll.
Likewise, he mixed his solemn political pronouncements with a generous helping of humor.
At the end of my interview with Wilson, he shook my hand, saying, without batting an eye, “I’ll send you a bill.”
Wilson’s allegiance to the Democratic Party was rooted in his appreciation of the party’s support for Black civil rights and opportunities for social mobility of the kind he enjoyed, according to Eileen.
Eileen recalled their work registering hundreds of voters during Barack Obama’s first presidential run in 2008. She credits her husband “indoctrinating” her about the value of political organizing. She plans to work hard ― in whatever way public health conditions permit ― to throw Trump out of office.
“That would be part of his legacy,” she said. “We talked about it nightly and daily.”
Eileen blames Trump for Wilson’s death, pointing, in particular, to the president’s closure of a White House National Security Council office dedicated to fighting pandemics and similar threats. (The department, known as the Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense, was, in fact, merely restructured and placed under different supervision, though critics maintain that the lack of an office dedicated to those matters exclusively hampered the federal government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak.)
“He’s got a lot of blood on his hands for that,” Eileen said.
Wilson’s younger sister, Sheryl West, a retired transportation worker in Tampa, Florida, also hopes to do her part to help Biden win Florida in Wilson’s memory.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-15--White House Claims U.S. Will Have Full Coronavirus Vaccine 'By The End Of This Year'

President Donald Trump and his administration confidently proclaimed Friday that the U.S. will be able to distribute a full-scale coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year , despite most public health experts estimating it could take at least 12 to 18 months , if not longer .
“ Winning matters , and we will deliver by the end of this year a vaccine at scale , ” Defense Secretary Mark Esper said .
Former pharmaceutical executive Moncef Slaoui and Army Gen. Gustave Perna will lead an effort that is already narrowing down vaccine candidates , Trump announced , adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used in a clinical trial .
“ We are looking to get it by the end of the year if we can , maybe before , ” he said .
Asked if the vaccine would be fully available and not just partially available on an emergency basis , Trump asserted it would be .
“ We are looking for a full vaccine for everyone that wants to get it , ” he said .
“ Not everybody is going to want to get it , but we ’ re looking at a full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alex Azar suggested the vaccine may be developed under an emergency authorization , and claimed it would be “ available for the entire American population by January.
” Trump has previously made unfulfilled promises — for example , repeatedly declaring that everyone would be able to access a COVID-19 test .
He made this claim as early as March , and again on Monday .
Many areas of the U.S. are still reporting testing shortages , and tests are often limited to people in certain circumstances , such as front-line workers or people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also spreads via people who are asymptomatic .

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President Donald Trump and his administration confidently proclaimed Friday that the U.S. will be able to distribute a full-scale coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year, despite most public health experts estimating it could take at least 12 to 18 months, if not longer.
“Winning matters, and we will deliver by the end of this year a vaccine at scale,” Defense Secretary Mark Esper said.
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Former pharmaceutical executive Moncef Slaoui and Army Gen. Gustave Perna will lead an effort that is already narrowing down vaccine candidates, Trump announced, adding that the most promising ones will be used in a clinical trial.
“We are looking to get it by the end of the year if we can, maybe before,” he said.
Asked if the vaccine would be fully available and not just partially available on an emergency basis, Trump asserted it would be.
“We are looking for a full vaccine for everyone that wants to get it,” he said. “Not everybody is going to want to get it, but we’re looking at a full vaccine.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar suggested the vaccine may be developed under an emergency authorization, and claimed it would be “available for the entire American population by January.”
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Trump has previously made unfulfilled promises — for example, repeatedly declaring that everyone would be able to access a COVID-19 test. He made this claim as early as March, and again on Monday.
Many areas of the U.S. are still reporting testing shortages, and tests are often limited to people in certain circumstances, such as front-line workers or people showing symptoms, even though the virus also spreads via people who are asymptomatic.
Widespread testing capability is a key part of reopening the economy, public health experts have warned.
Trump claimed Friday with no evidence that many states have “excess testing capacity.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-15--The Child Care Industry Is About To Collapse. There’s No Bailout Coming.

Only six of her usual 12 kids are still attending , and they ’ re only doing half-days .
The @ @ @ @ @ children of essential workers , and the rest are at home with parents who are @ @ @ @ @ their kids to day care during a pandemic .
Those parents are asking Cole to @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re not paying her .
There is this historic , long-standing underfunding that @ @ @ @ @ , a byproduct of racism .
And now we are having to convince people that @ @ @ @ @ enough but now we need so much more , and we need it fast .
@ @ @ @ @ policy analyst at the Center for Law And Policy

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Operating a child care center was never a big money-maker in the best of times, but running one during a pandemic is basically like taking a bunch of money and setting it on fire.
Arlean Cole, who runs a child care center called Arlean’s Little Treasures out of her home in Harvest, Alabama, says she’s spending about $3,500 a month in overhead costs to stay open right now. She’s only bringing in about half that amount in tuition.
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Only six of her usual 12 kids are still attending, and they’re only doing half-days. The ones coming in are the children of essential workers, and the rest are at home with parents who are teleworking and reluctant to send their kids to day care during a pandemic. Those parents are asking Cole to hold their spots, and they’re not paying her.
Cole is down to just one employee, from her usual three. The 44-year-old mother of six children, who has been running her own day care for seven years, isn’t sure how much longer she can stay in business.
“It’s like I’m working for free,” Cole told HuffPost. “I give myself two or three months. If it doesn’t go back to what it was, I’ll have to close down or drastically cut it to two or three kids.”
She paused, then added, “I can’t survive on that.”
Kids playing at Arlean’s Little Treasures in Harvest, Alabama, before the coronavirus pandemic. Arlean Cole
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Parents around the country are wondering when it will be safe to send their kids back to day care, but soon they might not even have the choice. Many child care centers, even the ones that are open now, may not be around much longer.
According to one estimate, half of licensed operators won’t make it through the pandemic; another survey found that only 11% of child care providers believe they can survive indefinitely without help.
And help is not where it should be, say advocates and child care providers. They were pushing for at least a $50 billion bailout from Congress, something that close to 30 Democratic senators support. But the stimulus bill House Democrats unveiled this week includes far less than that: $7 billion in block grants to states to use on child care.
That’s a lot of money ― in normal times ― for an industry that has been chronically underfunded for decades. Indeed, the money in the HEROES Act, when combined with the $3.5 billion in grants that Congress tucked into the CARES Act back in March, amounts to more than the federal government typically spends on child care in a given year, said Rebecca Ullrich, a senior policy analyst at the Center for Law And Policy who works on early childhood education.
But these are pandemic times. About 60% of child care centers are shut down entirely. These businesses operate on thin margins, relying primarily on tuition from parents.
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It would cost $9.6 billion a month to give operators enough runway to last through six months of shutdowns, according to an estimate Ullrich helped put together.
“There is this historic, long-standing underfunding that is a byproduct of sexism, a byproduct of racism. And now we are having to convince people that not only it was never enough but now we need so much more, and we need it fast.” - Rebecca Ullrich, a senior policy analyst at the Center for Law And Policy
In a letter to House leadership sent Wednesday, advocates from 45 different groups, including Ullrich’s organization, the National Women’s Law Center, National Association of Elementary School Principals, and the Children’s Defense Fund, are urging representatives for more.
“Our nation’s child care system is on the brink of collapse, with serious implications both now and in the future,” reads the letter. “Without sufficient relief, there will not be a child care system to return to as we look to rebound from this crisis.”
Policymakers Aren’t Getting It
“I don’t think policymakers are understanding how big the problem is and how much it’s going to take to fix it,” said Katie Hamm, vice president of early childhood policy at the Center for American Progress. “I think people are underestimating how much child care providers can really bear before they just collapse.”
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Advocates point out that child care needs a bailout as much as, if not more than, say, the airline industry. “We aren’t balking at giving the airlines a bailout or any other companies; we shouldn’t be balking at giving child care a bailout,” Hamm said.
Even large child care operators are hurting. The YMCA, a national nonprofit with branches around the country that offer services to more than 8 million children a day during non-pandemic times, could lose as much as $2.5 billion if coronavirus-related closures stretch into the summer, said Heidi Brasher, a senior director at YMCA of the USA.
The organization pivoted to handle child care for essential workers during the crisis ― 1,071 centers are still open, fewer than half ― but the money coming in is a fraction of what it was before. And like everyone else, individual centers are seeing higher costs and reduced revenues.
“It’s a struggle every day for YMCAs to figure out how they’ll continue to operate. Already about 95% of employees have been laid off or furloughed,” she said. “As nonprofits, they operate at 2% to 3% margin. You can quickly see that will run out.”
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Is The Neglect Sexist?
Advocates were truly expecting more from Congress. After all, child care seems to be on everyone’s minds in this crisis. Parents around the country are struggling to care for children home from school. Policymakers seem to be finally paying attention to the issue, experts have been saying for weeks.
As the focus in the U.S. turns to getting people back to work, there’s been a wide recognition it would be impossible without an operational child care infrastructure.
And then this stimulus package dropped.
“I was completely surprised,” said Linda Smith, director of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s early childhood development initiative. “We expected there would be more consideration for this whole issue given the complexity of family’s lives and going back to work.”
Child care is an industry that has long been overlooked and undervalued. Taking care of young children — “women’s work” — hasn’t been seen as skilled labor. And when caring for children finally did become more of an occupation, it was something done by women of color in the homes of more affluent middle-class or higher-income white women.
“There is this historic, long-standing underfunding that is a byproduct of sexism, a byproduct of racism,” Ullrich said. “And now we are having to convince people that not only it was never enough but now we need so much more, and we need it fast.”
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“It’s been a really uphill battle to make that case,” she added.
It’s not hard to conclude that the child care crisis is getting short shrift because it’s a woman’s crisis: 94% of child care workers are women, and a majority are women of color.
The whole industry is subsidized — not by government funds, really, but by the cheap labor these women provide. The average hourly pay for a child care worker is $11; many women earn the minimum wage or close to it, including some women with decades of experience.
More than 330,000 child care workers lost their jobs in April.
And for each one woman working as a caregiver, several more women — mothers — depend on her. Mothers around the country can’t go back to work if their child care center shutters.
It’s Complicated
Part of the problem is that the child care industry is unlike any other — a private sector operation doing something that is very much in the public interest.
It’s primarily made up of small private operators like Cole, who works from her home. Close to 90% of the industry is private. But there are also large nonprofit players like the YMCA and a couple of big for-profits like Bright Horizons, which services the employees of big companies.
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“Child care is probably one of the most complicated things we have in the country,” Smith said. “The child care system in this country ― there really isn’t a system. We use that term loosely.”
Some money does come in from federal and state governments, but it’s nothing like what K-12 education gets.
No one is particularly worried that their local elementary or high school is going to vanish when the pandemic recedes. State and local taxes fund schools — and there’s federal funding, too. In fact, there is close to $60 billion for K-12 schools in the HEROES Act.
In contrast, child care is a market-based industry. It survives based, sort of, on supply and demand. Right now demand is low, and the industry needs a bailout to prop up that demand until it returns.
Cole fears that’s going to take a long time.
“Everybody’s petrified of a second phase,” she said. Like other providers, she worries about recent reports of illness surfacing in young children. “Parents are just extremely nervous.”
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Even though she has fewer children coming in for shorter days, Cole is doing more work. The toys need to be cleaned and sanitized daily; there are check-ins and temperature screenings to do each day.
She has also struggled to simply secure the cleaning supplies that are absolutely essential right now. So far, she’s been relying on parents to donate items she can’t find in stores. The Facebook page for her child care center is sprinkled with photos of Lysol cleaner, bleach and toilet paper, accompanied by messages reading “Thank you for the supplies.” Over and over.
Some child care providers have been able to get money through the Payment Protection Act, a small business loan program Congress established in March. Businesses get loans and don’t have to pay them back if they keep a certain percentage of employees on the payroll.
Cole just learned this month that she can get $8,000 through a second round of funding to the program, but she’s pretty sure she’ll have to pay back the loan. Plus, the money will likely only get her through a couple of more months.
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“I would actually be better off closed. I really would,” she said. “People say, ‘You’re in it for the money.’ I mean, yeah, this is a job.” She’s staying open now for the parents and for her one employee more than anything else.
Cole’s six children range in age from 11 to 17. The house can get kind of wild.
“We call it the zoo,” she said, laughing. Her husband makes himself scarce during the day. “When he knows day care is about to open, he’s gone. And he’ll come back when we’re closed. He’ll even call, and ask, ‘Is everybody gone?’”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-15--Whoopi Goldberg Asks Chris Christie Who He's Willing To Sacrifice To Reopen Economy

“ We sent our young men during World War II over to Europe , out to the Pacific , knowing , knowing that many of them would not come home alive , ” he said earlier this month .
“ And we decided to make that sacrifice because what we were standing up for was the American way of life .
In the very same way now , we have to stand up for the American way of life.
” But Christie didn ’ t have an easy answer when he appeared on “ The View ” Friday and Whoopi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own family members should die .
“ You upset a lot of people last week for saying that the country needs to reopen because people are going to die no matter what , ” Goldberg said .
“ You compared it to lives lost during World War II , calling it a sacrifice for the American way of life .
So I ’ m asking , since you ’ re suggesting that I sacrifice , who are you sacrificing ?
Who are you going to give up in your family ?
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whoopi , and that ’ s what people who don ’ t understand what ’ s going on keep saying , ” Christie said .
“ We have 36.5 million people unemployed .
We have in seven different states now the suicide rate going up.
” “ Who are you willing to sacrifice to die , Chris ?
” she said .
“ You ’ re saying people should be willing to sacrifice family to die .
Who are you willing to give up ?
” “ Whoopi , that ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding , “ lives are going to be lost inevitably in this , no matter what we do.
” Goldberg then asked Christie , “ So you didn ’ t say some Americans have to make the ultimate sacrifice ?
You did not say that ?
” Christie then claimed he said some Americans “ will make that sacrifice no matter what we do , ” before arguing that economic problems could lead to more deaths if the economy doesn ’ t open up .
“ The balance is that there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lines , people who are losing their homes , people who are losing their livelihood which is leading to depression , which is leading to suicide , which is leading to addiction , which is leading to domestic violence , ” he said .
“ I saw all these things happen after Hurricane Sandy , when people wound up losing their homes , losing their livelihoods .
These things happen .
What I ’ m saying is , we have to balance .
”

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“We sent our young men during World War II over to Europe, out to the Pacific, knowing, knowing that many of them would not come home alive,” he said earlier this month. “And we decided to make that sacrifice because what we were standing up for was the American way of life. In the very same way now, we have to stand up for the American way of life.”
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But Christie didn’t have an easy answer when he appeared on “The View” Friday and Whoopi Goldberg asked him point-blank which of his own family members should die.
“You upset a lot of people last week for saying that the country needs to reopen because people are going to die no matter what,” Goldberg said. “You compared it to lives lost during World War II, calling it a sacrifice for the American way of life. So I’m asking, since you’re suggesting that I sacrifice, who are you sacrificing? Who are you going to give up in your family?”
Christie wouldn’t answer the question directly. Instead, he claimed people didn’t understand what he was saying.
“It’s a false choice, Whoopi, and that’s what people who don’t understand what’s going on keep saying,” Christie said. “We have 36.5 million people unemployed. We have in seven different states now the suicide rate going up.”
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Realizing the governor didn’t mention which family member should, to use “Hunger Games” parlance, volunteer as tribute, Goldberg asked again.
“Who are you willing to sacrifice to die, Chris?” she said. “You’re saying people should be willing to sacrifice family to die. Who are you willing to give up?”
“Whoopi, that’s not what I said,” Christie retorted, adding, “lives are going to be lost inevitably in this, no matter what we do.”
Goldberg then asked Christie, “So you didn’t say some Americans have to make the ultimate sacrifice? You did not say that?”
Christie then claimed he said some Americans “will make that sacrifice no matter what we do,” before arguing that economic problems could lead to more deaths if the economy doesn’t open up.
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“The balance is that there are people who are standing on food bank lines, people who are losing their homes, people who are losing their livelihood which is leading to depression, which is leading to suicide, which is leading to addiction, which is leading to domestic violence,” he said. “I saw all these things happen after Hurricane Sandy, when people wound up losing their homes, losing their livelihoods. These things happen. What I’m saying is, we have to balance.”