thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-21--COVID-19 Outbreak At SDSU Threatens San Diego’s Economic Recovery

SAN DIEGO ( AP ) — The start of the semester at San Diego State University was , as always , a time for students to make and renew friendships on and off its urban campus and enjoy the beach and the city ’ s unmatched August weather .
The coronavirus meant far fewer people returned to campus this year but the parties , cookouts and other festivities that mark the start of the fall semester went on as usual for a week or two , then abruptly stopped as infections quickly mounted .
California has seen remarkable recent success @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 2.8 % for the last week is the lowest since the pandemic began , and hospitalizations dropped to a level not seen since the first week of April .
But the campus outbreak is large enough to put San Diego County over a state threshold for cases that mandates many businesses close or restrict indoor operations .
It is a dizzying and discouraging turn of events for the county of 3.3 million residents that less than a month ago was the only one in Southern California with virus case numbers low enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state ’ s four-tiered system for reopening .
They closed their Cowboy Star Restaurant and Butcher Shop in downtown San Diego on March 17 for three months , laying off all but one of 55 employees .
A June reopening lasted 19 days until cases began spiking again in California and Newsom ordered another round of closures .
When San Diego businesses got permission last month to open more indoor operations with restrictions — 25 % indoor capacity for restaurants — the Webers waited two weeks to train staff on sanitation measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they opened Sept. 15 , they learned the same day they would likely have to pull back again in a week unless there was a dramatic turnaround in San Diego .
California uses two metrics for its 58 counties : percentage of positive tests and per capita new cases .
Each of the four tiers for reopening include ranges for those categories and a county must meet both for two consecutive weeks before advancing to a higher tier .
If they fail on one or both counts for two weeks , they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Diego ’ s infection rate is low enough to advance to another tier but its per capita cases of 7.9 for every 100,000 people in weekly figures announced Sept. 15 is above the rate of 7 needed to stay put .
Without San Diego State , the rate would have dropped to 6 , according to county officials .
“ This is our life , ” Jon Weber said .
“ To walk away from it would be nearly impossible .
It would be like walking away from your child.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back the amount of housing available to students , ” said Adela de la Torre , San Diego State president .
“ We also wanted to be very , very clear that our classes would be virtual at a moment ’ s notice if we saw a spike at all .
That ’ s exactly what we did.
” San Diego is one of only two schools in the 23-campus California State system that had to pull back on in-person classes after they began .
De la Torre says that ’ s because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near campus , in contrast to the system ’ s many commuter schools .

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SAN DIEGO (AP) — The start of the semester at San Diego State University was, as always, a time for students to make and renew friendships on and off its urban campus and enjoy the beach and the city’s unmatched August weather.
The coronavirus meant far fewer people returned to campus this year but the parties, cookouts and other festivities that mark the start of the fall semester went on as usual for a week or two, then abruptly stopped as infections quickly mounted.
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James Floyd, a freshman from Davis, California, noticed a mood change when classmates began getting tested. “Once a friend got it, they got scared,” he said.
There have been larger outbreaks at U.S. colleges but none may be more impactful than the one at San Diego State.
California has seen remarkable recent success with the virus — the infection rate of 2.8% for the last week is the lowest since the pandemic began, and hospitalizations dropped to a level not seen since the first week of April. But the campus outbreak is large enough to put San Diego County over a state threshold for cases that mandates many businesses close or restrict indoor operations.
For some, it will mark the third closure since California instituted the nation’s first statewide shutdown order in March.
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It is a dizzying and discouraging turn of events for the county of 3.3 million residents that less than a month ago was the only one in Southern California with virus case numbers low enough to advance to a second level in the state’s four-tiered system for reopening.
The county argued that San Diego State cases — which have topped 800 among students — should be excluded from state tallies, like prisons are. Gov. Gavin Newsom rejected the proposal before it was even formally delivered.
“You can’t isolate as if it’s on an island, a campus community that is part of a larger community, so the answer is no,” Newsom said last week.
The county Board of Supervisors dismissed a proposal to disregard state rules but met in a closed-door, emergency session last week to consider litigation.
Jon and Angie Weber said they won’t comply with orders to stop serving patrons inside their restaurant.
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They closed their Cowboy Star Restaurant and Butcher Shop in downtown San Diego on March 17 for three months, laying off all but one of 55 employees. A June reopening lasted 19 days until cases began spiking again in California and Newsom ordered another round of closures.
When San Diego businesses got permission last month to open more indoor operations with restrictions — 25% indoor capacity for restaurants — the Webers waited two weeks to train staff on sanitation measures and revamp its seasonal menu. When they opened Sept. 15, they learned the same day they would likely have to pull back again in a week unless there was a dramatic turnaround in San Diego.
California uses two metrics for its 58 counties: percentage of positive tests and per capita new cases. Each of the four tiers for reopening include ranges for those categories and a county must meet both for two consecutive weeks before advancing to a higher tier. If they fail on one or both counts for two weeks, they are bumped to a more restrictive tier.
San Diego’s infection rate is low enough to advance to another tier but its per capita cases of 7.9 for every 100,000 people in weekly figures announced Sept. 15 is above the rate of 7 needed to stay put. Without San Diego State, the rate would have dropped to 6, according to county officials.
If San Diego’s case rate registers above 7 again when weekly figures are announced Tuesday, restaurants could still seat outdoors and do takeout in a lower tier.
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Cowboy Star doesn’t have room for sidewalk service. “It’s demoralizing to open and close, open and close, hire and fire, hire and fire,” Jon Weber said.
The Webers say they have exhausted savings and can’t survive another closure. Without the restaurant they opened in 2008, they are unable to pay home loans.
“This is our life,” Jon Weber said. “To walk away from it would be nearly impossible. It would be like walking away from your child.”
The Webers, whose restaurant is 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the San Diego State campus, are upset with the governor, not the university.
It’s difficult to overstate the school’s stature in San Diego with its 300-acre (741-hectare) campus atop Montezuma Mesa and alumni that permeate every fabric of the city, including two recent mayors, baseball Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn and countless political and business figures.
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San Diego State began classes Aug 24 with about 8,000 of more than 35,000 students living on campus or taking at least one in-person class. About 2,400 students also lived on campus, roughly one-third the usual level.
When new cases topped 80 for four straight days, the school suspended in-person classes for four weeks starting Sept. 3. Dorms were locked down.
“The idea here was to really ratchet back the amount of housing available to students,” said Adela de la Torre, San Diego State president. “We also wanted to be very, very clear that our classes would be virtual at a moment’s notice if we saw a spike at all. That’s exactly what we did.”
San Diego is one of only two schools in the 23-campus California State system that had to pull back on in-person classes after they began. De la Torre says that’s because its students tend to live on or near campus, in contrast to the system’s many commuter schools.
About 75% of San Diego State cases originated in off-campus housing, where rents are high and it’s not unusual for three or four people to share a bathroom, she said.
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De la Torre said state authorities might consider hospitalization rates as a measurement for reopening, noting only one San Diego State student was hospitalized — briefly.
The Daily Aztec student newspaper credited administrators for a “measured” approach that included free testing and mandated masks on campus. Fraternity leaders banned in-person events before the semester began. The newspaper said a “smart reopening” once appeared possible.
“The start of the semester has made it abundantly clear that besides bringing 2,600 socially-starved 18 to 20-year-olds back to campus, the administration’s biggest failure was assuming students could handle that much responsibility,” the newspaper editorialized Sept. 1. “In real-time, we see the consequences of this miscalculation playing out: large groups of students partying, not wearing masks and cases on the rise.”
Miles Crawford, a junior, stayed in his campus apartment when classes resumed last month and is growing frustrated by the lockdown. The music major plans a year off if in-person learning doesn’t fully resume by next fall.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-21--RedState's Infamous Coronavirus Denier Works For Dr. Fauci: Report

A public relations official in Dr. Anthony Fauci ’ s office has been writing under a pseudonym for the right-wing website RedState , where he pushes disinformation about COVID-19 , according to an investigation by The Daily Beast published Monday .
The official is Bill Crews , an employee of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 2007 .
But he goes by “ streiff ” on Twitter and RedState , where he is secretly the managing editor , The Daily Beast reported .
Streiff is a COVID-19 troll with around 4,000 Twitter followers .
He regularly slams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
According to his RedState profile , he ’ s been involved with the site since 2004 .
“ [ T ] he odds of a mask protecting you from a virus are exactly the same a a chainlink fence protecting you from a mosquito .
You wear a mask and leave me the fuck alone , ” he tweeted in May , pushing the same mindset Fauci says has helped the uncontrolled spread of COVID-19 .
He ’ s also called mask-wearing “ a pseudo-religious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replying to people on Twitter encouraging the practice .
“ I ’ m not going to wear one to keep you from wetting yourself , ” he ’ s said .
He ’ s described Dr. Fauci as “ attention-grubbing and media-whoring ” and claimed that the pandemic is part of a conspiracy to overtake the country .
“ I think we ’ re at the point where it is safe to say that the entire Wuhan virus scare was nothing more or less than a massive fraud perpetrated upon the American people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fundamentally change the way the country lives and is organized and governed , ” he wrote in a RedState post in June .
Neither Streiff nor Crews immediately returned HuffPost ’ s requests to confirm or deny the allegations .
The Daily Beast said it was able to confirm Crews ’ double identity through “ public records , social media postings , and internal records from the National Institutes of Health , NIAID ’ s parent agency.
” Streiff has also hinted to being an NIAID employee several times on Twitter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ HuffPost ’ s request for comment on the allegations .

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An internal communications staffer in Dr. Anthony Fauci’s office has been writing under a pseudonym for the right-wing website RedState, where he pushes disinformation about COVID-19, according to an investigation by The Daily Beast published Monday.
The official is Bill Crews, an employee of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 2007. But he goes by “streiff” on Twitter and RedState, where he is secretly the managing editor, The Daily Beast reported.
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Streiff is a COVID-19 troll with around 4,000 Twitter followers. He regularly slams Fauci and the NIAID guidance about how to stop the spread of the coronavirus. According to his RedState profile, he’s been involved with the site since 2004.
“[T]he odds of a mask protecting you from a virus are exactly the same a a chainlink fence protecting you from a mosquito. You wear a mask and leave me the fuck alone,” he tweeted in May, pushing the same mindset Fauci says has helped the uncontrolled spread of COVID-19.
He’s also called mask-wearing “a pseudo-religious cult” and makes a habit of replying to people on Twitter encouraging the practice. “I’m not going to wear one to keep you from wetting yourself,” he’s said.
He’s described Dr. Fauci as “attention-grubbing and media-whoring” and claimed that the pandemic is part of a conspiracy to overtake the country.
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“I think we’re at the point where it is safe to say that the entire Wuhan virus scare was nothing more or less than a massive fraud perpetrated upon the American people by ‘experts’ who were determined to fundamentally change the way the country lives and is organized and governed,” he wrote in a RedState post in June.
Neither Streiff nor Crews immediately returned HuffPost’s requests to confirm or deny the allegations. The Daily Beast said it was able to confirm Crews’ double identity through “public records, social media postings, and internal records from the National Institutes of Health, NIAID’s parent agency.”
Streiff has also hinted to being an NIAID employee several times on Twitter.
The NIAID did not immediately reply to HuffPost’s request for comment on the allegations.
You can read the full Daily Beast story here.
UPDATE: Sept. 22 ― Crews on Monday “announced his intention to retire” following The Daily Beast’s report, NIAID spokeswoman Kathy Stover confirmed to HuffPost on Tuesday.
“[T]he Daily Beast reporting is accurate albeit Crews was not a press officer ― he worked in internal communications here at NIAID,” Stover said in an email to HuffPost. “Beyond that, I can’t offer any other details as it is now a personnel matter.”
The story has been updated to correct that Crews works in NIAID’s internal communications department and was not a public relations official.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-21--Front Runner For Trump's Supreme Court Pick Is A Catholic Who Opposes Abortion

Liberals say Barrett ’ s legal views are too heavily influenced by her religious beliefs and fear her ascent to the nation ’ s highest court could lead to a scaling back of hard-fought abortion rights .
She also would replace the justice who is best-known for fighting for women ’ s rights and equality .
President Donald Trump has said he ’ ll nominate a woman and Barrett is thought to be at the top of his list of favorites .
The Chicago-based 7th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals judge was considered a finalist in 2018 for Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court , which eventually went to Brett Kavanaugh after Justice Anthony Kennedy retired .
Barrett ’ s selection now could help Trump energize his base weeks before Election Day .
At just 48 , Barrett would be the youngest justice and her tenure could last for decades .
She ’ s made her mark in law primarily as an academic at the University of Notre Dame , where she began teaching at age 30 .
She first donned judges ’ robes in 2017 after Trump nominated her to the 7th Circuit .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justice with little prior experience as a judge : John Roberts and Clarence Thomas spent less time as appellate judges before their Supreme Court nominations and Elena Kagan had never been a judge before President Barack Obama nominated her in 2009 .
When Barrett ’ s name first arose in 2018 as a possible Trump pick , even some conservatives worried her sparse judicial record made it too hard to predict how she might rule .
Nearly three years on , her judicial record now includes the authorship of around 100 opinions and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her clear and consistent conservative bent .
She has long expressed sympathy with a mode of interpreting the Constitution , called originalism , in which justices try to decipher original meanings of texts in assessing if someone ’ s rights have been violated .
Many liberals oppose that strict approach , saying it is too rigid and doesn ’ t allow the Constitution to change with the times .
Barrett ’ s fondness for original texts was on display in a 2019 dissent in a gun-rights case in which she argued a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be automatically barred from owning a gun .
All but a few pages of her 37-page dissent were devoted to the history of gun rules for convicted criminals in the 18th and 19th centuries .
In the 2017 White House questionnaire , Barrett was asked if it was her view that abortion was always immoral .
She didn ’ t answer the question directly but said : “ If I am confirmed ( to the 7th Circuit ) , my views on this or any other question will have no bearing on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge.
” In a 2013 Texas Law Review article , Barrett listed fewer than 10 cases she said are widely considered “ super-precedents , ” ones that no justice would dare reverse even if they believed they were wrongly decided .
Among them was Brown vs. Board of Education , which declared racial segregation in schools unconstitutional .
An 2018 ruling by a 7th Circuit panel declared unconstitutional an Indiana law requiring the burial of fetal remains after an abortion or miscarriage , and prohibiting clinics from treating the remains as waste .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Pence , also barred abortions on the basis on the race , sex or disabilities of the fetus .
Barrett joined three conservative judges in asking for the ruling to be tossed and for the full court to rehear the case .
They didn ’ t have the votes to force a rehearing .
But they issued a joint dissent on the rehearing decision , clearly suggesting they thought the Indiana law was constitutional .

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CHICAGO (AP) — A front-runner to fill the Supreme Court seat vacated by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a federal appellate judge who has established herself as a reliable conservative on hot-button legal issues from abortion to gun control.
Amy Coney Barrett, a devout Catholic, is hailed by religious conservatives and others on the right as an ideological heir to conservative icon Antonin Scalia, the late Supreme Court justice for whom she clerked.
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Liberals say Barrett’s legal views are too heavily influenced by her religious beliefs and fear her ascent to the nation’s highest court could lead to a scaling back of hard-fought abortion rights. She also would replace the justice who is best-known for fighting for women’s rights and equality.
President Donald Trump has said he’ll nominate a woman and Barrett is thought to be at the top of his list of favorites. The Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judge was considered a finalist in 2018 for Trump’s second nomination to the high court, which eventually went to Brett Kavanaugh after Justice Anthony Kennedy retired. Barrett’s selection now could help Trump energize his base weeks before Election Day.
At just 48, Barrett would be the youngest justice and her tenure could last for decades. She’s made her mark in law primarily as an academic at the University of Notre Dame, where she began teaching at age 30. She first donned judges’ robes in 2017 after Trump nominated her to the 7th Circuit.
But she wouldn’t be the only justice with little prior experience as a judge: John Roberts and Clarence Thomas spent less time as appellate judges before their Supreme Court nominations and Elena Kagan had never been a judge before President Barack Obama nominated her in 2009.
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Barrett mentioned Kagan when asked in a White House questionnaire in 2017 about which justices she admired most, saying Kagan brought to the bench “the knowledge and skill she acquired as an academic to the practical resolution of disputes.”
When Barrett’s name first arose in 2018 as a possible Trump pick, even some conservatives worried her sparse judicial record made it too hard to predict how she might rule. Nearly three years on, her judicial record now includes the authorship of around 100 opinions and several telling dissents in which Barrett displayed her clear and consistent conservative bent.
She has long expressed sympathy with a mode of interpreting the Constitution, called originalism, in which justices try to decipher original meanings of texts in assessing if someone’s rights have been violated. Many liberals oppose that strict approach, saying it is too rigid and doesn’t allow the Constitution to change with the times.
Barrett’s fondness for original texts was on display in a 2019 dissent in a gun-rights case in which she argued a person convicted of a nonviolent felony shouldn’t be automatically barred from owning a gun. All but a few pages of her 37-page dissent were devoted to the history of gun rules for convicted criminals in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Amy Coney Barrett, a 7th Circuit Court of Appeals judge, is thought to be at the top of President Donald Trump's list of favorites for the Supreme Court. Matt Cashore/Notre Dame University/Handout/Reuters
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And, all indications are that Barrett is staunchly opposed to abortion, though she has often side-stepped answering questions about the topic.
In the 2017 White House questionnaire, Barrett was asked if it was her view that abortion was always immoral. She didn’t answer the question directly but said: “If I am confirmed (to the 7th Circuit), my views on this or any other question will have no bearing on the discharge of my duties as a judge.”
In a 2013 Texas Law Review article, Barrett listed fewer than 10 cases she said are widely considered “super-precedents,” ones that no justice would dare reverse even if they believed they were wrongly decided. Among them was Brown vs. Board of Education, which declared racial segregation in schools unconstitutional.
One she didn’t include on the list: Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark case that affirmed a woman’s right to abortion. Scholars don’t include it, she wrote, because public controversy swirling around it has never abated.
Abortion and women’s rights were the focus of a bruising 2017 confirmation process after Barrett’s nomination to the 7th Circuit.
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Others pointed to Barrett’s membership of the University of Notre Dame’s “Faculty for Life” group — and that she had signed a 2015 letter to Catholic bishops affirming the “value of human life from conception to natural death.”
Sen. Dianne Feinstein told Barrett her views suggested religious tenets could guide her thinking on the law, the California Democrat telling Barrett: “The conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you.”
Barrett responded that her views had evolved and that she agreed judges shouldn’t “follow their personal convictions in the decision of a case, rather than what the law requires.”
Sen. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, criticized Democrats for pressing Barrett on her faith, saying it could be seen as a “religious test” for the job.
The Senate eventually confirmed her in a 55-43 vote, with three Democrats joined the majority.
Her nearly three-year stint as a judge has included at least one abortion-related case.
An 2018 ruling by a 7th Circuit panel declared unconstitutional an Indiana law requiring the burial of fetal remains after an abortion or miscarriage, and prohibiting clinics from treating the remains as waste. The law, signed by then-Gov. Mike Pence, also barred abortions on the basis on the race, sex or disabilities of the fetus.
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Barrett joined three conservative judges in asking for the ruling to be tossed and for the full court to rehear the case. They didn’t have the votes to force a rehearing. But they issued a joint dissent on the rehearing decision, clearly suggesting they thought the Indiana law was constitutional.
The dissent, written by Judge Frank Easterbrook, argued that Indiana’s law would have been upheld “had it concerned the remains of cats or gerbils.”
Barrett was raised in New Orleans, the eldest child of a lawyer for Shell Oil Co. She earned her undergraduate degree in English literature in 1994 at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn. She and her husband, Jesse Barrett, a former federal prosecutor, both graduated from Notre Dame Law School. They have seven children, including two adopted from Haiti and one with special needs.
Before her clerkship with Scalia from 1998 to 1999, Barrett served as law clerk for Laurence Silberman for a year at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Between clerkships and entering academia, she worked from 1999 to 2001 at the Miller, Cassidy, Larroca & Lewin law firm in Washington, D.C.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-21--South Dakota To Hold Potential Superspreader Event Co-Sponsored By Health Care Firm

Mat Hayward via Getty Images As part of South Dakota 's Sportsmen 's Showcase , country singer Chris Young is set to give a concert .
In the wake of an August superspreader event that may have led to more than 250,000 cases of COVID-19 , South Dakota is holding yet another potential superspreader event next month ― and this one is co-sponsored by a nonprofit health care company .
The trade show , to be held at the Sioux Falls Convention Center & Arena at the end of October , could bring together nearly 100 exhibitors .
There will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chris Young , which is specifically sponsored by Sanford Health .
“ This event is all about showcasing everything our great state has to offer to help drive continued economic growth , ” said Paul Hanson , president and CEO of Sanford Health , Sioux Falls region , in the press release .
“ We ’ re honored to play a role in supporting this longstanding South Dakota tradition.
” Nowhere on the site for the Sportsmen ’ s Showcase and concert does it indicate that there is a pandemic going on or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for attendees to protect themselves .
The concert is expected to draw about 5,000 people , per The Daily Beast .
The move is particularly odd for Young , who previously canceled a string of tour dates this summer because of the pandemic .
It ’ s unclear why he chose to go forward with this particular concert .
Representatives for Young , the Sportsmen ’ s Showcase media team , and Sanford Health did not respond to HuffPost ’ s requests for comment on what , if anything , the event will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The trade show and concert are happening on the heels of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally , an annual 10-day event held last month that brought an estimated 460,000 people to South Dakota .
The rally may have been ground zero for as many as 266,000 coronavirus cases , per a working paper published by the IZA Institute of Labor Economics .
“ The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally represents a situation where many of the ‘ worst-case scenarios ’ for super-spreading occurred simultaneously , ” four economists wrote , “ the event was prolonged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved a large out-of-town population , and had low compliance with recommended infection countermeasures such as the use of masks.
” That event was sponsored by South Dakota Gov .
Kristi Noem ( R ) , who is also co-sponsoring next month ’ s event .
Noem ’ s statement on the Sportsmen ’ s Showcase website says it will provide “ an opportunity to highlight the outdoor recreation industry in the state of South Dakota.
” “ I encourage all South Dakotans to come check out the show in celebration of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she says .
“ It wasn ’ t peer-reviewed , wasn ’ t conducted by health experts , and doesn ’ t track with the data here in South Dakota , ” he said via email , before adding that the governor “ has provided South Dakotans with up-to-date science , facts , and data and trusted them to use that information to make the best decisions for themselves and their loved-ones.
” “ We ’ ve remained focused on our hospitalization rate ; we ’ re encouraged by the fact that only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently occupied by COVID patients , ” he said , referring people to covid.sd.gov for specific data .

As part of South Dakota's Sportsmen's Showcase, country singer Chris Young was also going to give a concert, but that has been canceled. Mat Hayward via Getty Images
UPDATE: The Chris Young concert planned as part of the inaugural Governor Noem’s Sportsmen’s Showcase and Concert has been canceled, though the rest of the event is still going forward. A spokesperson for co-sponsor Sanford Health told HuffPost via email on Tuesday that they are “proud to be supporting the Governor’s Sportsmen’s Showcase because of its significant economic impact to South Dakota,” but that the “concert has since been cancelled.”
“The health and safety of our patients and communities remain our priority,” Sanford Health said.
Young tweeted the news that he’d be canceling the show on Monday afternoon.
As we’ve done with all of my concert dates since early this year, everyone’s safety is the top priority so we've canceled our show on 10/24 in SD. — ChrisYoungMusic (@ChrisYoungMusic) September 21, 2020
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PREVIOUSLY:
In the wake of an August superspreader event that may have led to more than 250,000 cases of COVID-19, South Dakota is holding yet another potential superspreader event next month ― and this one is co-sponsored by a nonprofit health care company.
Sanford Health, based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is presenting the inaugural Governor Noem’s Sportsmen’s Showcase and Concert, which a state government press release describes as an indoor “family-friendly trade show specializing in all things outdoors, including hunting, fishing, recreation and more.”
The trade show, to be held at the Sioux Falls Convention Center & Arena at the end of October, could bring together nearly 100 exhibitors. There will also be a concert by country singer Chris Young, which is specifically sponsored by Sanford Health.
“This event is all about showcasing everything our great state has to offer to help drive continued economic growth,” said Paul Hanson, president and CEO of Sanford Health, Sioux Falls region, in the press release. “We’re honored to play a role in supporting this longstanding South Dakota tradition.”
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Nowhere on the site for the Sportsmen’s Showcase and concert does it indicate that there is a pandemic going on or that provisions have been put in place for attendees to protect themselves. The concert is expected to draw about 5,000 people, per The Daily Beast.
The move is particularly odd for Young, who previously canceled a string of tour dates this summer because of the pandemic. It’s unclear why he chose to go forward with this particular concert.
Representatives for Young, the Sportsmen’s Showcase media team, and Sanford Health did not respond to HuffPost’s requests for comment on what, if anything, the event will be doing in response to the pandemic.
The trade show and concert are happening on the heels of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, an annual 10-day event held last month that brought an estimated 460,000 people to South Dakota. The rally may have been ground zero for as many as 266,000 coronavirus cases, per a working paper published by the IZA Institute of Labor Economics.
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“The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally represents a situation where many of the ‘worst-case scenarios’ for super-spreading occurred simultaneously,” four economists wrote, “the event was prolonged, included individuals packed closely together, involved a large out-of-town population, and had low compliance with recommended infection countermeasures such as the use of masks.”
That event was sponsored by South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R), who is also co-sponsoring next month’s event. Noem’s statement on the Sportsmen’s Showcase website says it will provide “an opportunity to highlight the outdoor recreation industry in the state of South Dakota.”
“I encourage all South Dakotans to come check out the show in celebration of what this state has to offer,” she says.
Noem’s communications director, Ian Fury, told HuffPost that the aforementioned working paper was “fake news” and “built on faulty assumptions and has been called into question by numerous data scientists.”
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“It wasn’t peer-reviewed, wasn’t conducted by health experts, and doesn’t track with the data here in South Dakota,” he said via email, before adding that the governor “has provided South Dakotans with up-to-date science, facts, and data and trusted them to use that information to make the best decisions for themselves and their loved-ones.”
Fury said Noem is “continuing that approach as it pertains to this event.”
“We’ve remained focused on our hospitalization rate; we’re encouraged by the fact that only 5% of our ICU beds are currently occupied by COVID patients,” he said, referring people to covid.sd.gov for specific data.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-21--CDC Reverses Guidelines Stating The Coronavirus Is Airborne Virus [UPDATE]

UPDATE : 12:40 p.m. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reversed an update made to its coronavirus guidance that stated COVID-19 is an airborne virus .
The health agency said that update , posted to its website on Friday , was made in error .
“ A draft version of proposed changes to these recommendations was posted in error to the agency ’ s official website , ” the CDC said in a statement posted to its website on Monday .
“ CDC is currently updating its recommendations regarding airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 ( the virus that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been completed , the update language will be posted.
” Despite supporting evidence from scientific communities , the World Health Organization has also not concluded that the coronavirus is an airborne virus .
However , it said in July that this “ can not be ruled out.
” In order for the virus to be considered airborne , it would have to be capable of spreading through tiny droplets called aerosols .
These droplets are able to be suspended in the air for a longer amount of time , as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the WHO ’ s website .
As of Monday afternoon , websites for the CDC and the WHO said the coronavirus ’ s droplets are considered bigger and heavier than aerosols , which minimizes their ability to travel and remain suspended in the air .
The timing of the update ’ s reversal comes amid increased public scrutiny of the CDC and other federal health organizations ’ handling of the coronavirus pandemic , as well as concern over how much the White House influences what information is released .
Politico reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Department of Health and Human Services had pressured the CDC to change its COVID-19 reports so that they made President Donald Trump look better .
Michael Caputo , the department ’ s politically appointed assistant secretary for public affairs , announced last week that he was taking a leave of absence following that report , as well as his claims in a Facebook video that the CDC ’ s scientists have a “ resistance unit ” and want to ensure that Americans remain sick until Joe Biden is elected president .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the president “ stand by ” what he said .
Friday ’ s revision says transmission of the virus through tiny droplets called aerosols is “ thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
” The agency ’ s previous warning said the virus mostly spreads through large droplets encountered at close range .
“ There is growing evidence that droplets and airborne particles can remain suspended in the air and be breathed in by others , and travel distances beyond 6 feet ( for example , during choir practice , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , ” the CDC ’ s new guidance says .
“ In general , indoor environments without good ventilation increase this risk.
” “ It ’ s a major change , ” Jose-Luis Jimenez , a chemistry professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder who studies how aerosols spread the virus , told The Washington Post .
“ This is a good thing , if we can reduce transmission because more people understand how it is spreading and know what to do to stop it.
” The World Health Organization stated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus “ can not be ruled out ” following multiple reported outbreaks of COVID-19 involving people who had been in crowded indoor spaces , like restaurants and gyms .
Despite the CDC ’ s update and supporting evidence , WHO ’ s guidance continued to state that coronavirus droplets “ are relatively heavy , do not travel far and quickly sink to the ground.
” The CDC earlier this month published the results of a monthlong investigation that found that 154 study participants who tested positive for COVID-19 were roughly twice as likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two weeks of the onset of illness than those who tested negative for the virus .

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UPDATE: 12:40 p.m. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reversed an update made to its coronavirus guidance that stated COVID-19 is an airborne virus. The health agency said that update, posted to its website on Friday, was made in error.
“A draft version of proposed changes to these recommendations was posted in error to the agency’s official website,” the CDC said in a statement posted to its website on Monday. “CDC is currently updating its recommendations regarding airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19). Once this process has been completed, the update language will be posted.”
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Despite supporting evidence from scientific communities, the World Health Organization has also not concluded that the coronavirus is an airborne virus. However, it said in July that this “cannot be ruled out.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday reversed an update to its coronavirus guidelines that described the virus as airborne. Tami Chappell / reuters
In order for the virus to be considered airborne, it would have to be capable of spreading through tiny droplets called aerosols. These droplets are able to be suspended in the air for a longer amount of time, as well as travel further, than larger droplets, according to the WHO’s website.
As of Monday afternoon, websites for the CDC and the WHO said the coronavirus’s droplets are considered bigger and heavier than aerosols, which minimizes their ability to travel and remain suspended in the air.
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The timing of the update’s reversal comes amid increased public scrutiny of the CDC and other federal health organizations’ handling of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as concern over how much the White House influences what information is released.
Politico reported earlier this month that a top spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services had pressured the CDC to change its COVID-19 reports so that they made President Donald Trump look better.
Michael Caputo, the department’s politically appointed assistant secretary for public affairs, announced last week that he was taking a leave of absence following that report, as well as his claims in a Facebook video that the CDC’s scientists have a “resistance unit” and want to ensure that Americans remain sick until Joe Biden is elected president. Caputo has since said that both he and the president “stand by” what he said.
PREVIOUSLY:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its coronavirus guidance to acknowledge that COVID-19 is an airborne virus capable of lingering for an extended period and traveling farther than 6 feet.
Friday’s revision says transmission of the virus through tiny droplets called aerosols is “thought to be the main way the virus spreads.” The agency’s previous warning said the virus mostly spreads through large droplets encountered at close range.
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“There is growing evidence that droplets and airborne particles can remain suspended in the air and be breathed in by others, and travel distances beyond 6 feet (for example, during choir practice, in restaurants, or in fitness classes),” the CDC’s new guidance says. “In general, indoor environments without good ventilation increase this risk.”
A visitor wearing a mask to protect against the spread of COVID-19 passes a sign requiring masks in San Antonio, Texas. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The CDC update advises keeping a distance of at least 6 feet from others “whenever possible.” It also recommends using air purifiers to help reduce airborne germs in indoor spaces.
“Airborne viruses, including COVID-19, are among the most contagious and easily spread,” the health agency’s website states.
“It’s a major change,” Jose-Luis Jimenez, a chemistry professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder who studies how aerosols spread the virus, told The Washington Post. “This is a good thing, if we can reduce transmission because more people understand how it is spreading and know what to do to stop it.”
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“Airborne viruses, including COVID-19, are among the most contagious and easily spread.” - CDC
The World Health Organization stated in July that airborne spread of the coronavirus “cannot be ruled out” following multiple reported outbreaks of COVID-19 involving people who had been in crowded indoor spaces, like restaurants and gyms. Despite the CDC’s update and supporting evidence, WHO’s guidance continued to state that coronavirus droplets “are relatively heavy, do not travel far and quickly sink to the ground.”
The CDC earlier this month published the results of a monthlong investigation that found that 154 study participants who tested positive for COVID-19 were roughly twice as likely to have dined at a restaurant within two weeks of the onset of illness than those who tested negative for the virus.
The CDC noted that people are unable to wear a mask while eating or drinking, which increases the risk of virus transmission.
The agency also cited reports of virus exposure in restaurants related to air circulation. Even if masks are worn and social distancing measures are practiced, the CDC warned, poor airflow may aid virus transmission.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-21--Coronavirus Live Updates: UK Could See 50,000 Cases A Day Within Weeks

HuffPost reporters around the world are tracking the pandemic and its effects .
Read the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic below .
( To see the latest updates , you may need to refresh the page .
All times are Eastern .
For earlier updates on the pandemic , go here . )
UK To Face 50,000 COVID-19 Cases A Day Within Weeks , Top Scientist Says — 9/21/20 7 a.m .
ET Britain could see 50,000 daily cases of COVID-19 by mid-October and 200 deaths a day by mid-November if the current rate of infection is not halted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a snap public briefing in Downing Street on Monday .
The news comes after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Friday that a second wave “ is coming ” to the U.K. Last week , the R0 rate of the virus , which shows whether the pandemic is growing , jumped to between 1.1 and 1.4 , HuffPost U.K. reported .
On Monday , Health Secretary Matt Hancock refused to guarantee that pubs would be open this weekend .
However , he also said the country would not return to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that restrictions would be “ different to last time.
” Nearly 42,000 people have died from the coronavirus in the U.K. , the highest COVID-19 death toll in Europe and the fifth largest in the world .
New cases are rising by at least 6,000 per day in Britain , and hospital admissions are doubling every eight days .
W.H .
Task Force Member : A Few Million Early Doses Of Vaccine Could Make ‘ Enormous Impact ’ — 9/20/20 , 3:30 p.m .
ET A coronavirus vaccine likely won ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but even a few million doses in November or December could have an “ enormous impact ” on the number of hospitalizations and fatalities , Assistant Health Secretary Adm. Brett Giroir said Sunday .
“ From my perspective , even a few million doses early in November or December , if we have 5 or 10 percent of the population that we can vaccinate , we can get 80 or more 90 percent of the benefit , ” Giroir , a member of the White House coronavirus task force , said during an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Union.
” “ For example , if we could vaccinate workers in nursing homes , we could protect the elderly and the vulnerable from disease , ” he added .
“ That would make an enormous impact on mortality , if we could vaccinate our teachers and those with preexisting conditions or those surrounding those people .
... A vaccine as early as possible , even in a few million doses , will be a godsend in terms of outcomes , hospitalizations , morbidity and deaths .
”

HuffPost reporters around the world are tracking the pandemic and its effects.
Read the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic below. (To see the latest updates, you may need to refresh the page. All times are Eastern. For earlier updates on the pandemic, go here.)
Spanish Capital Slides Back Into Partial Lockdown, Requests Military Help — 9/22/20 4:45 a.m. ET
More than 850,000 people in poorer regions of Madrid have been placed into a partial lockdown, sparking complaints of discrimination and protests among residents.
A recent spike in coronavirus infections in Spain, peaking at over 10,000 per day, took cumulative cases above 670,000 as of Monday, the highest in Western Europe, while the number of deaths from COVID-19 stands at 30,663.
Residents in the southern Madrid district of Vallecas, one of the areas where a partial lockdown took effect on Monday, were upset about the curbs and called for more health services and fewer police controls in their neighborhood.
HuffPost Spain reported that protesters also complained that they had to take Madrid’s crowded subways, where social distancing was not being respected.
“It’s okay to go to work and serve them at the bar, but then we have to come back at night and be confined here while they do what they want elsewhere,” a protester said.
“It is horrendous and bad because it is discrimination. They should regulate the metro, (where) we are packed like sardines,” a Vallecas resident said.
The head of Madrid’s regional government also requested the army’s assistance to fight a surge in cases in the city, Spain’s worst-hit region. At the height of the first wave of the pandemic in March-April, Spain deployed thousands of troops to help civilian authorities contain the outbreak.
“We need help from the army for disinfection...and to strengthen local police and law enforcement,” Isabel Diaz Ayuso, the chief of Madrid’s regional government, told a news briefing after meeting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday.
— James Martin
UK To Face 50,000 COVID-19 Cases A Day Within Weeks, Top Scientist Says — 9/21/20 7 a.m. ET
Britain could see 50,000 daily cases of COVID-19 by mid-October and 200 deaths a day by mid-November if the current rate of infection is not halted, Chief Scientific Officer Patrick Vallance said at a snap public briefing in Downing Street on Monday.
The news comes after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Friday that a second wave “is coming” to the U.K. Last week, the R0 rate of the virus, which shows whether the pandemic is growing, jumped to between 1.1 and 1.4, HuffPost U.K. reported.
On Monday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock refused to guarantee that pubs would be open this weekend. However, he also said the country would not return to the full lockdown seen in March, stressing that restrictions would be “different to last time.”
Nearly 42,000 people have died from the coronavirus in the U.K., the highest COVID-19 death toll in Europe and the fifth largest in the world. New cases are rising by at least 6,000 per day in Britain, and hospital admissions are doubling every eight days.
— Rachel Wearmouth and James Martin
W.H. Task Force Member: A Few Million Early Doses Of Vaccine Could Make ‘Enormous Impact’ — 9/20/20, 3:30 p.m. ET
A coronavirus vaccine likely won’t be available to all Americans until mid-2021, but even a few million doses in November or December could have an “enormous impact” on the number of hospitalizations and fatalities, Assistant Health Secretary Adm. Brett Giroir said Sunday.
“From my perspective, even a few million doses early in November or December, if we have 5 or 10 percent of the population that we can vaccinate, we can get 80 or more 90 percent of the benefit,” Giroir, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, said during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“For example, if we could vaccinate workers in nursing homes, we could protect the elderly and the vulnerable from disease,” he added. “That would make an enormous impact on mortality, if we could vaccinate our teachers and those with preexisting conditions or those surrounding those people. ... A vaccine as early as possible, even in a few million doses, will be a godsend in terms of outcomes, hospitalizations, morbidity and deaths.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-21--'You’re So Skinny' Is Not a Compliment, So Please Stop Commenting On My Weight

I questioned whether I should even write this piece , because the feedback I receive when I ’ ve shared my struggles in regards to my weight borders on mockery .
Why is the skinny girl complaining ?
People would kill for your body .
These sentiments are problematic and further propagate fatphobic ideologies — that skinny is always good and fat is always bad .
My weight is intertwined with my struggle with anxiety , so bringing it up digs into deep-rooted issues .
Prior to becoming a mother , I always had a healthy relationship with food .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ weighed myself and I never gave into the diet culture that the world pushed on young women .
I was athletic throughout high school and had a fast metabolism , so I never struggled with disliking my body and maintained a healthy balance between body neutrality and body positivity .
With the birth of my daughter came the birth of my struggles with anxiety , along with a significant weight drop .
At first , I thought what I was feeling was normal , that my worry was a normal response to taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extreme hypervigilance came with motherhood .
It took years for me to realize that I had postpartum anxiety , and that my mind working in overtime with the worst case scenarios wasn ’ t just a heightened sense of awareness , but unhealthy and taxing .
My postpartum anxiety was outrunning reality , forcing me to think of possible tragedies that could occur at any given time , taking inventory of my surroundings , ready for seemingly simple tasks to go wrong .
It was exhausting taking care of my daughter while also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I had little energy for self-care .
My appetite was gone , and for a long time I felt too busy and overwhelmed to address why my physical and emotional health was falling by the wayside .
Additionally , breastfeeding for two years made it difficult to take in more calories than I was losing .
Everyone in my life was praising my “ snapback ” post-baby body , but I was secretly struggling to eat .
Still , I stayed silent because I was skinny , which the world made me believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve been told that I ’ m as “ small as my daughter.
” I ’ ve had a friend look at me and tell me I need to eat a cheeseburger .
Gee , thanks , I never thought of that .
I ’ ve been praised while out with friends on how good I look in my high-waisted jeans , and I ’ ve even been asked what size I wear .
Most of the time , I uncomfortably laugh it off and quickly change the subject .
I hate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussion .
My daughter is now 3 and I struggle to stay above 100 pounds .
Sometimes I cry when I look in the mirror .
So when people comment on my weight , it takes me to a place mentally that I don ’ t like to be .
In March , when we were suddenly confined to our homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic , my anxiety was amplified and I was unable to eat as much as I should .
I was so exhausted from worry and anxiety that cooking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me .
I tried protein shakes , nutrition bars and snacking , but it was rough for a while .
As people joked about gaining weight while stay-at-home orders were in place , I was praying for an appetite .
And my anxiety was exacerbated by the fact that I was scared that when restrictions were lifted , the people I saw would comment on my body .
I ’ m living proof that health is not synonymous with weight .
We have no idea what someone is going through and how it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and health issues to medications that require a curbed appetite to eating disorders , there are countless personal reasons why someone could be losing weight — none of which fall under the category of small talk .
Complimenting someone ’ s weight loss or smaller body size is toxic and , ultimately , fatphobic .
The toxic cycle of judgment based on size needs to be dispelled , and we can do that by letting people live their lives without commenting on their bodies and minding our own business .
I have never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my body , so I ’ m confused why the comments come so freely and unsolicited .
What you think of my weight is none of my business , nor do I care .
The purpose of our bodies isn ’ t to be visually consumed and judged by others .
Don ’ t let the world make you forget who you are or make you believe your body isn ’ t beautiful or good enough .
It ’ s something I am still working on , but as with any personal journey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on how I feel about my body or how other women feel about their bodies .

PeopleImages via Getty Images
“You’re so skinny!” I hear it all the time. Friends, family, acquaintances, even strangers feel free to comment on my weight. It makes me cringe every time.
I questioned whether I should even write this piece, because the feedback I receive when I’ve shared my struggles in regards to my weight borders on mockery. Why is the skinny girl complaining? People would kill for your body. These sentiments are problematic and further propagate fatphobic ideologies — that skinny is always good and fat is always bad.
Advertisement
My weight is intertwined with my struggle with anxiety, so bringing it up digs into deep-rooted issues. Prior to becoming a mother, I always had a healthy relationship with food. I never counted calories, I never weighed myself and I never gave into the diet culture that the world pushed on young women. I was athletic throughout high school and had a fast metabolism, so I never struggled with disliking my body and maintained a healthy balance between body neutrality and body positivity.
With the birth of my daughter came the birth of my struggles with anxiety, along with a significant weight drop. At first, I thought what I was feeling was normal, that my worry was a normal response to taking care of a baby and that my extreme hypervigilance came with motherhood. It took years for me to realize that I had postpartum anxiety, and that my mind working in overtime with the worst case scenarios wasn’t just a heightened sense of awareness, but unhealthy and taxing.
My postpartum anxiety was outrunning reality, forcing me to think of possible tragedies that could occur at any given time, taking inventory of my surroundings, ready for seemingly simple tasks to go wrong. It was exhausting taking care of my daughter while also carrying the weight of my anxiety. I had little energy for self-care. My appetite was gone, and for a long time I felt too busy and overwhelmed to address why my physical and emotional health was falling by the wayside.
Additionally, breastfeeding for two years made it difficult to take in more calories than I was losing. Everyone in my life was praising my “snapback” post-baby body, but I was secretly struggling to eat. Still, I stayed silent because I was skinny, which the world made me believe I should be grateful for.
Advertisement
I’ve been told that I’m as “small as my daughter.” I’ve had a friend look at me and tell me I need to eat a cheeseburger. Gee, thanks, I never thought of that. I’ve been praised while out with friends on how good I look in my high-waisted jeans, and I’ve even been asked what size I wear. Most of the time, I uncomfortably laugh it off and quickly change the subject. I hate having my body be the topic of discussion.
My daughter is now 3 and I struggle to stay above 100 pounds. Sometimes I cry when I look in the mirror. So when people comment on my weight, it takes me to a place mentally that I don’t like to be.
In March, when we were suddenly confined to our homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, my anxiety was amplified and I was unable to eat as much as I should. I was so exhausted from worry and anxiety that cooking and eating were just too much for me. I tried protein shakes, nutrition bars and snacking, but it was rough for a while.
As people joked about gaining weight while stay-at-home orders were in place, I was praying for an appetite. And my anxiety was exacerbated by the fact that I was scared that when restrictions were lifted, the people I saw would comment on my body.
I’m living proof that health is not synonymous with weight. We have no idea what someone is going through and how it directly affects their weight. From thyroid and health issues to medications that require a curbed appetite to eating disorders, there are countless personal reasons why someone could be losing weight — none of which fall under the category of small talk.
Advertisement
Complimenting someone’s weight loss or smaller body size is toxic and, ultimately, fatphobic. The toxic cycle of judgment based on size needs to be dispelled, and we can do that by letting people live their lives without commenting on their bodies and minding our own business.
I have never asked for anyone’s opinion on my body, so I’m confused why the comments come so freely and unsolicited. What you think of my weight is none of my business, nor do I care. The purpose of our bodies isn’t to be visually consumed and judged by others. Don’t let the world make you forget who you are or make you believe your body isn’t beautiful or good enough. It’s something I am still working on, but as with any personal journey, there should be no stigma placed on how I feel about my body or how other women feel about their bodies.
Stop telling me I’m “so skinny” ― I promise you I know, and I don’t consider it a compliment.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-21--The Coronavirus Is Creating A Mental Health Crisis For Health Care Workers

“ It is the vicarious trauma that is never-ending with this pandemic .
And it ’ s from all angles , not just the disease itself .
It ’ s from the poor management , the lack of supplies , the lack of staffing ― it just goes on and on , ” Wells said .
“ You get up and you do it again , day after day , without any reprieve , without any resources — for the most part — and it ’ s just mental cruelty.
” “ Having neighbors and friends almost working against us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The ‘ hero ’ thing just gets buried because of the amount of folks who are saying it ’ s a hoax and who aren ’ t willing to care for their neighbors and who don ’ t believe any of the science .
It just is really difficult to say , ‘ What do you think I gain by this being a hoax ?
’ I gain nothing.
” “ It ’ s all of our responsibility to protect the most vulnerable of society as well as our own families , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this seriously , that we are wearing masks when we ’ re in public , and that we ’ re washing our hands frequently , ” Casaletto said .
“ Please let us help you .
And please know that we are there and have your back .
”

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Front-line care workers have been called heroes throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Many of them don’t feel like it.
Instead, they feel besieged and traumatized not only by the suffering and death they’ve witnessed, but by a health care system they believe is showing it doesn’t value them, a disjointed and ineffective governmental response, and members of the public who deny the reality of all that suffering and death.
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Tragedy is part of the job for medical providers, but the relentlessness of the coronavirus outbreak is more than most have ever seen, said Nina Wells, a doctor of nursing practice and the president of the Service Employees International Union Local 121RN in Pasadena, California.
“It is the vicarious trauma that is never-ending with this pandemic. And it’s from all angles, not just the disease itself. It’s from the poor management, the lack of supplies, the lack of staffing ― it just goes on and on,” Wells said. “You get up and you do it again, day after day, without any reprieve, without any resources — for the most part — and it’s just mental cruelty.”
There have been more than 6.7 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and over 198,000 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. While some of those deaths occurred at home, the rest happened in hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities where doctors, nurses and other staff are the only witnesses to patients’ final, lonely moments.
“You can say we’re ‘heroes’ ― I don’t particularly like that term ― but we’re definitely not treated as such,” said Erin McIntosh, a nurse in Riverside, California.
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The mental health effects of the pandemic on health care workers can already be measured.
A Physicians Foundation survey released this month found that 58% of doctors now say they frequently experience burnout, up from 40% two years ago. Half of physicians during the pandemic have had feelings of “inappropriate anger, tearfulness or anxiety,” 30% report feelings of hopelessness, 8% say they have contemplated self-harm and 18% are drinking or using drugs more.
Yet the same survey found that just 13% of doctors have sought mental health care during the pandemic. Not only do health care workers face the same limited access to mental health care services as everyone else, but the culture of medicine creates pressure to not admit to struggling,
Lonely Deaths And Nightmares
McIntosh works as a “code blue” nurse, which means she’s called in when a patient is in serious trouble. In a typical month, she said, her hospital has 30 to 50 code blues. In April, there were more than 70.
“I was just seeing patient after patient crashing and coding. We had a lot of deaths in the hospital and it did affect me,” McIntosh said. “I’m seeing a lot of that in our field, a lot of mental health issues related to what we’ve been put through these last six months.”
In April, McIntosh holed up at a hotel so she wouldn’t risk infecting her family. During that time, she had a persistent nightmare that her husband caught COVID-19 but there was no ventilator available for him. In another recurring nightmare, she said, “I’m hearing code blue after code blue after code blue and I can’t get to the patients. It definitely has a toll.”
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One incident has stuck with McIntosh. She intended to pay a brief visit to a COVID-19 patient who appeared to be stable. The woman asked her to stay and talk. She was isolated from friends and family and just wanted some company. McIntosh chatted with her for about 40 minutes. An hour later, the patient died.
“That really hit home with me that not only are these patients dying ― they’re dying alone and lonely,” McIntosh said. “That’s just my one example. What about all these other patients that are in the rooms with closed doors, with no visitors, alone? That’s not a good feeling.”
Health care providers can feel tremendous guilt that they weren’t able to do more, wondering if the huge numbers of patients, inadequate staffing and complexity of safety procedures meant they didn’t get to someone they could have saved if somehow they had been quicker, McIntosh said.
They also carry intense anxiety about getting sick themselves and passing on the virus to co-workers, patients and their own families.
Nearly 1,200 health care workers in the United States have died because of COVID-19, according to a tally from Kaiser Health News and The Guardian. Two of them worked at McIntosh’s hospital; their deaths are the subject of an ongoing lawsuit.
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“I have seen so many co-workers fall ill,” McIntosh said. “We all know people that have lost someone.”
Compounding that grief is what McIntosh sees as mismanagement inside the hospital. As in many facilities around the country, personal protective equipment like masks is in short supply at her workplace. Directives from administrators about what safety equipment and procedures nurses should follow have contradicted her training and experience. Her hospital cut back on staff even as the high volume of COVID-19 patients demanded more resources, she said.
“That was just an eye-opener to me and made me feel like, as a nurse, I wasn’t valued. It’s all about the almighty dollar,” McIntosh said.
Meanwhile, she is confronted by people ― including some of her own relatives ― who refuse to believe the pandemic is real or to wear masks, and who want the country reopened.
“It’s a real slap in the face for those of us who have worked day in and day out, tirelessly trying to save lives,” McIntosh said. “That’s easy for people to say, but when you’re there looking at someone’s face, holding their hand, FaceTiming their loved ones ― you cannot know how much that hurts.”
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It’s all making her wonder if she can carry on. “When I first became a nurse, my first job, I felt so empowered and so valued because I was making a difference in people’s lives. I don’t know that I necessarily feel that anymore, and I think that’s what a lot of people are feeling,” she said. “Nurses are leaving the profession in droves.”
Professional Stigma
The pandemic has merely worsened what was already a “crisis” of health care worker burnout, said Aisha Terry, an emergency physician in Washington, D.C. Terry also serves on the board of directors of the Irving, Texas-based American College of Emergency Physicians.
Research before the pandemic found that as many as half of doctors reported being burned out, and other studies found up to 20% of nurses and emergency physicians experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. The rate of suicide among doctors is more than double that of the general public. The Physicians Foundation survey found that more than one-fifth of doctors know a fellow physician who died by suicide.
Matters have gotten worse half a year into a pandemic, Terry said, but the underlying reasons that health care workers suffer from mental health problems have persisted for a long time.
“The problem is environmental and systemic,” Terry said. “Health care is increasingly business-oriented and profit-driven, which inherently competes with patients’ best interests and creates ethical conflicts for physicians.” Knowing that financial and other constraints can prevent medical providers from offering the best care causes a “moral injury” to them, she said.
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What’s more, admitting to or seeking mental health care is deeply stigmatized in medicine. Doctors and nurses aren’t supposed to show weakness or admit that the stress of their work is affecting them, even during extreme circumstances like a pandemic.
“The culture that we train in and work in sometimes perpetuates a mentality wherein the toll of dealing with this kind of repetitive trauma to our mental health is minimized as just a part of the job,” Terry said.
In addition, some states require physicians to disclose mental health diagnoses and treatments when applying for or renewing a medical license. This further discourages them from seeking help when they need it, she said.
‘The Hero Thing Just Gets Buried’
Jennifer Casaletto, an emergency physician in Charlotte, North Carolina, said there has been no escape from the pandemic and the stress it creates. Normally, she can separate her negative experiences at the hospital from the rest of her life. Not now, she said.
“This is one of those things that you don’t avoid by leaving work. It’s everywhere,” said Casaletto, who is president-elect of the American College of Emergency Physicians’ North Carolina chapter. “It’s hard to limit your engagement even though you know you need to.” Her husband, Jacob Debelak, is also a hospital-based physician and both treat COVID-19 patients.
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Like McIntosh, Casaletto has grown frustrated with the spread of misinformation and disinformation about the virus and with people in her community who refuse to cover their faces and take other precautions.
“Having neighbors and friends almost working against us is hard,” Casaletto said. “The ‘hero’ thing just gets buried because of the amount of folks who are saying it’s a hoax and who aren’t willing to care for their neighbors and who don’t believe any of the science. It just is really difficult to say, ‘What do you think I gain by this being a hoax?’ I gain nothing.”
The stress that can lead to mental health problems affects more than doctors and nurses. Trece Andrews works in the laundry at a nursing home in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. She said her employer was “very dishonest” in the early weeks of the pandemic, telling workers that no residents would be stricken with COVID-19. The employer was wrong. Residents fell ill, and then so did employees, Andrews said.
Just like medical professionals, Andrews and her co-workers face risks to their health and the health of their families. Although they aren’t treating patients, they’re in close proximity to them and to the doctors and nurses who care for them. Approximately 40% of COVID-19 fatalities in the U.S. have been nursing home residents, according to a New York Times analysis.
These conditions have led a number of Andrews’ fellow workers to quit their jobs, and their replacements often don’t stick around once they realize the dangers. This turnover and short-staffing are undermining residents’ care, Andrews said.
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“When you guys put your parents and grandparents in a home, you want quality care for them. So if they don’t get better or change some of this stuff that’s going on in this particular industry, it’s going to take from the care and the well-being of these residents,” Andrews said.
The American College of Emergency Physicians, the American Medical Association and other medical organizations have called for states to relax the requirements that doctors disclose their mental health histories. The emergency doctors group also supports bipartisan Senate legislation that would study health care workers’ mental health and create assistance programs. The bill is named after Lorna Breen, a New York physician who died by suicide in April.
While these workers await relief from the pandemic and help from their employers and the government, Casaletto also pleads with the public for help.
“It’s all of our responsibility to protect the most vulnerable of society as well as our own families, to make sure that we are taking this seriously, that we are wearing masks when we’re in public, and that we’re washing our hands frequently,” Casaletto said. “Please let us help you. And please know that we are there and have your back.”
CORRECTIONS: A previous version misidentified Jennifer Casaletto and Nina Wells. Casaletto is president-elect of the American College of Emergency Physicians’ North Carolina chapter, not the national group. Wells is a doctor of nursing practice, not a nurse practitioner.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-21--DOJ Again Attacks Democrats, This Time With 'Anarchist Jurisdiction' Designation

With just weeks to go before the 2020 presidential election , the Justice Department is once again attacking elected Democratic officials , this time by designating New York City , Seattle , and Portland , Oregon , as “ anarchist jurisdictions ” and suggesting their federal funding may be in question .
The Justice Department , responding to a memo from President Donald Trump that attacked all three cities , said the cities have “ permitted violence and destruction of property to persist and have refused to undertake reasonable measures to counteract criminal activities.
” The news was leaked early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ When state and local leaders impede their own law enforcement officers and agencies from doing their jobs , it endangers innocent citizens who deserve to be protected , including those who are trying to peacefully assemble and protest , ” Attorney General William Barr said in a statement .
“ We can not allow federal tax dollars to be wasted when the safety of the citizenry hangs in the balance .
It is my hope that the cities identified by the Department of Justice today will reverse course and become serious about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start protecting their own citizens.
” Under Trump ’ s memo , the director of the Office of Management and Budget is now supposed to “ issue guidance to the heads of agencies on restricting eligibility of or otherwise disfavoring , to the maximum extent permitted by law , anarchist jurisdictions in the receipt of Federal grants that the agency has sufficient lawful discretion to restrict or otherwise disfavor anarchist jurisdictions from receiving.
” Any such decision would undoubtedly be challenged in court , which would likely push the process past the presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary impact of the designations will be political .
The Justice Department took an aggressive posture against the demonstrations that have unfolded across the United States in the months since George Floyd ’ s death , often targeting defendants whose conduct was already in violation of state law .
“ This is just another one of President Trump ’ s games , ” de Blasio said Monday .
“ It ’ s part of his campaign strategy ...
It ’ s insulting to the people of New York City and his effort to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stories have also indicated that Trump administration officials at the Justice Department were considering charges against certain mayors for their response to unrest in their cities .
Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec told The Associated Press last week that DOJ had done research about whether it could bring criminal or civil rights charges against city officials in Portland .
It is unusual for the Justice Department to publicly suggest elected officials were potentially engaged in criminal conduct unless they are bringing charges , though Kupec didn ’ t specify which officials DOJ has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to HuffPost ’ s inquiries on the topic .
The Justice Manual that guides actions by Justice Department officials states that “ DOJ generally will not confirm the existence of or otherwise comment about ongoing investigations , ” and that “ DOJ personnel shall not respond to questions about the existence of an ongoing investigation or comment on its nature or progress before charges are publicly filed.
” “ Simply put , politics must play no role in the decisions of federal investigators or prosecutors regarding any investigations or criminal charges , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Law enforcement officers and prosecutors may never select the timing of investigative steps or criminal charges for the purpose of affecting any election , or for the purposes of giving an advantage or disadvantage to any candidate or political party.
” The Justice Department has also gone after four Democratic governors for their response to the COVID-19 pandemic .
The Justice Department ’ s Civil Rights Division sent letters tied to their authority under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act , which applies to jails and prisons as well as public nursing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of America ’ s nursing homes are publicly run , one official hinted at much broader implications , writing that the tens of thousands of people who died of COVID in New Jersey and New York “ deserve to have an investigation to determine if their Governors are responsible for their deaths .
”

President Donald Trump and Attorney General William Barr at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Sept. 1, 2020. MANDEL NGAN via Getty Images
With just weeks to go before the 2020 presidential election, the Justice Department is once again attacking elected Democratic officials, this time by designating New York City, Seattle, and Portland, Oregon, as “anarchist jurisdictions” and suggesting their federal funding may be in question.
The Justice Department, responding to a memo from President Donald Trump that attacked all three cities, said the cities have “permitted violence and destruction of property to persist and have refused to undertake reasonable measures to counteract criminal activities.” The news was leaked early to the conservative-leaning New York Post.
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“When state and local leaders impede their own law enforcement officers and agencies from doing their jobs, it endangers innocent citizens who deserve to be protected, including those who are trying to peacefully assemble and protest,” Attorney General William Barr said in a statement. “We cannot allow federal tax dollars to be wasted when the safety of the citizenry hangs in the balance. It is my hope that the cities identified by the Department of Justice today will reverse course and become serious about performing the basic function of government and start protecting their own citizens.”
Under Trump’s memo, the director of the Office of Management and Budget is now supposed to “issue guidance to the heads of agencies on restricting eligibility of or otherwise disfavoring, to the maximum extent permitted by law, anarchist jurisdictions in the receipt of Federal grants that the agency has sufficient lawful discretion to restrict or otherwise disfavor anarchist jurisdictions from receiving.”
Any such decision would undoubtedly be challenged in court, which would likely push the process past the presidential election. So for now, the primary impact of the designations will be political.
The Justice Department took an aggressive posture against the demonstrations that have unfolded across the United States in the months since George Floyd’s death, often targeting defendants whose conduct was already in violation of state law.
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DOJ’s press release on the designations names New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, all of whom are Democrats.
“This is just another one of President Trump’s games,” de Blasio said Monday. “It’s part of his campaign strategy ... It’s insulting to the people of New York City and his effort to withhold our funding is unconstitutional.”
News stories have also indicated that Trump administration officials at the Justice Department were considering charges against certain mayors for their response to unrest in their cities. Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec told The Associated Press last week that DOJ had done research about whether it could bring criminal or civil rights charges against city officials in Portland. It is unusual for the Justice Department to publicly suggest elected officials were potentially engaged in criminal conduct unless they are bringing charges, though Kupec didn’t specify which officials DOJ has considered charging. Kupec did not respond to HuffPost’s inquiries on the topic.
The Justice Manual that guides actions by Justice Department officials states that “DOJ generally will not confirm the existence of or otherwise comment about ongoing investigations,” and that “DOJ personnel shall not respond to questions about the existence of an ongoing investigation or comment on its nature or progress before charges are publicly filed.”
A 2012 memo from then-Attorney General Eric Holder stated that Justice Department employees must work at “safeguarding the Department’s reputation for fairness, neutrality, and nonpartisanship.”
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“Simply put, politics must play no role in the decisions of federal investigators or prosecutors regarding any investigations or criminal charges,” Holder’s memo stated. “Law enforcement officers and prosecutors may never select the timing of investigative steps or criminal charges for the purpose of affecting any election, or for the purposes of giving an advantage or disadvantage to any candidate or political party.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-21--Trump Spreads Disinformation About Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Dying Wish

Just days before Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’ s death last Friday , she dictated a note to her granddaughter saying her “ most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.
” Several Republicans , eager to fill her now-vacant seat , dismissed Ginsburg ’ s request the same night as her death , and on Monday President Donald Trump was trying to allege that the justice never made the request at all .
During a Fox News interview Monday morning , Trump baselessly claimed Ginsburg ’ s request , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ written by Democratic politicians .
In reality , Ginsburg herself relayed the statement to her granddaughter , Clara Spera , NPR reported .
“ I don ’ t know that she said that .
Or was that written out by Adam Schiff , and Schumer , and Pelosi ?
” Trump asked .
“ That came out of the wind .
It sounds so beautiful but that sounds like a Schumer deal , ” he added .
There is no evidence to support Trump ’ s accusation that California Rep. Adam Schiff , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Speaker Nancy Pelosi were involved in ghostwriting a posthumous plea from a deceased Supreme Court justice .
Trump on RBG 's reported dying wish that next pres fills her seat : `` I do n't know that she said that , or was that written out by Adam Schiff and Schumer and Pelosi .
I would be more inclined to the second ...
But that sounds like a Schumer deal or maybe a Pelosi or Shifty Schiff . ''
pic.twitter.com/zE979kK2Q3 — The Recount ( @ therecount ) September 21 , 2020 “ Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even for you , ” Schiff wrote , adding , however , he will “ fight like hell ” to honor Ginsburg ’ s request .
Trump ’ s choice to lie about Ginsburg ’ s dying wish illustrates how he intends to use the Supreme Court vacancy as a galvanizing force for Republicans ahead of reelection .
Already , Trump has encouraged Republicans ― many of whom opposed former President Barack Obama filling a vacant Supreme Court seat hundreds of days out from the 2016 election ― to begin seating his nominee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 election .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell released a statement Friday saying the Senate will vote on Trump ’ s Supreme Court nominee , and other Republicans who opposed Obama ’ s nomination of Merrick Garland have endorsed moving forward with Trump ’ s nominee now .
Notably , two Republican senators have opposed such a move : Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said the vacancy should not be filled “ this close to an election , ” and Susan Collins of Maine said the winner of the Nov. 3 election should fill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggested he hopes his Supreme Court appointment will help him stay in office as he and his campaign work to delegitimize the results of the upcoming election .
“ We should act quickly , ” Trump said , “ because we ’ re gon na have , probably , election things involved here , you know , because of the fake ballots that they ’ ll be sending out.
” In recent months , as polling has consistently shown Trump trailing Democratic nominee Joe Biden in key swing states , Trump has denounced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as “ fake.
” His campaign and the Republican National Committee have committed millions of dollars to contesting laws across the country that make voting easier during the coronavirus pandemic , and Trump has said the “ biggest risk ” to his reelection is losing these lawsuits .

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Just days before Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death last Friday, she dictated a note to her granddaughter saying her “most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.” Several Republicans, eager to fill her now-vacant seat, dismissed Ginsburg’s request the same night as her death, and on Monday President Donald Trump was trying to allege that the justice never made the request at all.
During a Fox News interview Monday morning, Trump baselessly claimed Ginsburg’s request, first reported by NPR, was actually written by Democratic politicians. In reality, Ginsburg herself relayed the statement to her granddaughter, Clara Spera, NPR reported.
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“I don’t know that she said that. Or was that written out by Adam Schiff, and Schumer, and Pelosi?” Trump asked. “That came out of the wind. It sounds so beautiful but that sounds like a Schumer deal,” he added. There is no evidence to support Trump’s accusation that California Rep. Adam Schiff, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer or House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were involved in ghostwriting a posthumous plea from a deceased Supreme Court justice.
Trump on RBG's reported dying wish that next pres fills her seat: "I don't know that she said that, or was that written out by Adam Schiff and Schumer and Pelosi. I would be more inclined to the second ... But that sounds like a Schumer deal or maybe a Pelosi or Shifty Schiff." pic.twitter.com/zE979kK2Q3 — The Recount (@therecount) September 21, 2020
In a response on Twitter, Schiff denounced Trump’s conspiracy theory.
“Mr. President, this is low. Even for you,” Schiff wrote, adding, however, he will “fight like hell” to honor Ginsburg’s request.
“No confirmation before inauguration,” Schiff wrote.
Trump’s choice to lie about Ginsburg’s dying wish illustrates how he intends to use the Supreme Court vacancy as a galvanizing force for Republicans ahead of reelection. Already, Trump has encouraged Republicans ― many of whom opposed former President Barack Obama filling a vacant Supreme Court seat hundreds of days out from the 2016 election ― to begin seating his nominee with only 43 days remaining until the 2020 election.
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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell released a statement Friday saying the Senate will vote on Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, and other Republicans who opposed Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland have endorsed moving forward with Trump’s nominee now. Notably, two Republican senators have opposed such a move: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said the vacancy should not be filled “this close to an election,” and Susan Collins of Maine said the winner of the Nov. 3 election should fill the vacancy.
On Monday, Trump suggested he hopes his Supreme Court appointment will help him stay in office as he and his campaign work to delegitimize the results of the upcoming election.
“We should act quickly,” Trump said, “because we’re gonna have, probably, election things involved here, you know, because of the fake ballots that they’ll be sending out.”
In recent months, as polling has consistently shown Trump trailing Democratic nominee Joe Biden in key swing states, Trump has denounced mail-in ballots, which are legal, as “fake.” His campaign and the Republican National Committee have committed millions of dollars to contesting laws across the country that make voting easier during the coronavirus pandemic, and Trump has said the “biggest risk” to his reelection is losing these lawsuits.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-21--Ruth Bader Ginsburg Will Be First Woman Ever To Lie In State At U.S. Capitol

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , who died Friday at 87 , will be the first woman to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol , allowing mourners to come pay tribute to the trailblazing feminist litigator .
After civil rights legend Rosa Parks died in 2005 , she lay in honor at the Capitol — a distinction given to private citizens , as opposed to government officials like Ginsburg .
Ginsburg , who was the first Jewish woman on the Supreme Court , will also be the first Jewish person to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) announced Monday that the ceremony for Ginsburg , who was the second woman to sit on the nation ’ s highest court , will be held Sept. 25 .
It will be by invitation only , to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
In U.S. history , only 33 people , all of them men , have lain in state at the Capitol , most of them presidents , congressmen or military leaders .
Most recently , Democratic Reps. Elijah Cummings ( Md . )
and John Lewis ( Ga. ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in state after their deaths in 2019 and 2020 respectively .
Only four civilians have lain in honor at the Capitol , including two U.S. Capitol police officers , evangelist Rev .
Billy Graham and Parks .
The casket of civil rights pioneer Rep. John Lewis ( D-Ga. ) is placed by a U.S. military honor guard at the center of the Capitol Rotunda to lie in state in Washington , D.C. , July 27 , 2020 .
There are no rules or laws that determine who will lie in state , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the distinction is determined by the House and the Senate .
With the death of Ginsburg , who was one of the Supreme Court ’ s more liberal justices , the question of who will replace her has dramatic implications .
The court is now split between three liberal justices and five conservatives .
If President Donald Trump is able to get another conservative justice confirmed , that would cement conservatives ’ hold on the nation ’ s most powerful court .
Ginsburg ’ s last wish , dictated to her granddaughter just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she “ not be replaced until a new president is installed.
” The justice knew that the matter of her replacement will have major bearing on health care , abortion rights , civil rights and more .

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Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died Friday at 87, will be the first woman to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol, allowing mourners to come pay tribute to the trailblazing feminist litigator.
After civil rights legend Rosa Parks died in 2005, she lay in honor at the Capitol — a distinction given to private citizens, as opposed to government officials like Ginsburg. Ginsburg, who was the first Jewish woman on the Supreme Court, will also be the first Jewish person to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol.
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced Monday that the ceremony for Ginsburg, who was the second woman to sit on the nation’s highest court, will be held Sept. 25. It will be by invitation only, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
In U.S. history, only 33 people, all of them men, have lain in state at the Capitol, most of them presidents, congressmen or military leaders. Most recently, Democratic Reps. Elijah Cummings (Md.) and John Lewis (Ga.), both civil rights leaders, lay in state after their deaths in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
Only four civilians have lain in honor at the Capitol, including two U.S. Capitol police officers, evangelist Rev. Billy Graham and Parks.
The casket of civil rights pioneer Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) is placed by a U.S. military honor guard at the center of the Capitol Rotunda to lie in state in Washington, D.C., July 27, 2020. Jonathan Ernst / Reuters
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There are no rules or laws that determine who will lie in state, according to the architect of the Capitol — the distinction is determined by the House and the Senate.
With the death of Ginsburg, who was one of the Supreme Court’s more liberal justices, the question of who will replace her has dramatic implications. The court is now split between three liberal justices and five conservatives. If President Donald Trump is able to get another conservative justice confirmed, that would cement conservatives’ hold on the nation’s most powerful court.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-21--Joe Biden Ad Roasts Trump's 'You'll Never See Me Again' Pledge To Perfection

Sometimes an election ad writes itself .
President Donald Trump provided Joe Biden ’ s campaign team with the perfect fodder when the incumbent declared with apparent sarcasm at a North Carolina rally Saturday : “ If I lose to him , I don ’ t know what I ’ m gon na do .
I will never speak to you again .
You ’ ll never see me again.
” Team Biden quickly put together a video clip of the moment and the Democratic nominee provided the kicker : “ I ’ m Joe Biden and I approve this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter gold , viewed more than 13 million times .
While producing this commercial probably didn ’ t make a dent in Biden ’ s budget , the two candidates have been spending quite a lot to get their word across .
Biden ’ s campaign poured in $ 65 million across digital , TV and print platforms last week , CNN reported .
Trump ’ s campaign last week said it ramped up advertising with an “ eight-figure ” buy , but didn ’ t specify the amount , according to AP @

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Sometimes an election ad writes itself.
President Donald Trump provided Joe Biden’s campaign team with the perfect fodder when the incumbent declared with apparent sarcasm at a North Carolina rally Saturday: “If I lose to him, I don’t know what I’m gonna do. I will never speak to you again. You’ll never see me again.”
Team Biden quickly put together a video clip of the moment and the Democratic nominee provided the kicker: “I’m Joe Biden and I approve this message.”
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I’m Joe Biden and I approve this message. pic.twitter.com/TuRZXPE5xK — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 20, 2020
The quick hit turned into Twitter gold, viewed more than 13 million times.
While producing this commercial probably didn’t make a dent in Biden’s budget, the two candidates have been spending quite a lot to get their word across.
Biden’s campaign poured in $65 million across digital, TV and print platforms last week, CNN reported. Trump’s campaign last week said it ramped up advertising with an “eight-figure” buy, but didn’t specify the amount, according to AP.