thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-28--After Yelling 'F**k That COVID' At Concert, Smash Mouth Gets Some Nasty Mail

The band Smash Mouth gave Instagram followers a glimpse of “ fan mail ” it received after headlining a concert in early August at a South Dakota motorcycle rally that is now linked to the spread of nearly 200 cases of COVID-19 .
The image posted Saturday showed a smashed Smash Mouth CD and a letter calling the band members “ motherfuckers.
” Several of the top liked comments on the post agreed with the letter ’ s sentiment , with one arguing that the band “ let all your fans who care about human life down.
” Smash Mouth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis , South Dakota , during the weekend of Aug. 8 .
The rally was a crowded affair that attracted more than 360,000 bikers and enthusiasts to the small South Dakota city over a week .
The concert featured other bands , but Smash Mouth achieved notoriety after frontman Steve Harwell announced to the crowd , “ Now , we ’ re all here together tonight , ... fuck that COVID shit !
” Nearly 200 rally-related cases of COVID-19 emerged as of Friday in multiple states — including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — since the event ’ s final day on Aug. 16 , according to health writer Jeremy Fugleberg , who monitored cases linked with the rally from his base in Fargo , North Dakota .
Some 462,182 vehicles entered Sturgis during the rally , according to the South Dakota Department of Transportation .
Sturgis rallygoers visited about 61 % of all counties within the United States , according to an aggregation of anonymized mobile phone activity shared with The Associated Press by the data analytics company Camber Systems .
That potentially included some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Smash Mouth ’ s set .
Smash Mouth is perhaps best known for its song “ All Star , ” which appeared on the soundtrack of the 2001 animated film “ Shrek.
” Ironically , it contains the lyric , “ I ain ’ t the sharpest tool in the shed .
”

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The band Smash Mouth gave Instagram followers a glimpse of “fan mail” it received after headlining a concert in early August at a South Dakota motorcycle rally that is now linked to the spread of nearly 200 cases of COVID-19.
The image posted Saturday showed a smashed Smash Mouth CD and a letter calling the band members “motherfuckers.” Several of the top liked comments on the post agreed with the letter’s sentiment, with one arguing that the band “let all your fans who care about human life down.”
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Smash Mouth’s concert took place at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, during the weekend of Aug. 8. The rally was a crowded affair that attracted more than 360,000 bikers and enthusiasts to the small South Dakota city over a week.
The concert featured other bands, but Smash Mouth achieved notoriety after frontman Steve Harwell announced to the crowd, “Now, we’re all here together tonight, ... fuck that COVID shit!”
Nearly 200 rally-related cases of COVID-19 emerged as of Friday in multiple states — including South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota — since the event’s final day on Aug. 16, according to health writer Jeremy Fugleberg, who monitored cases linked with the rally from his base in Fargo, North Dakota.
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STURGIS: Reported COVID-19 cases linked to the South Dakota motorcycle rally is 196, by my latest count this AM. Tracking continues. Tally:
SD: 88
MN: 35
ND: 21
Colo.: 20+
Wyo.: 10
Neb.: 7
Mont.: 6
NH: 6
Wisc.: 2
Wash: 1
Sources below: — jayfug (@jayfug) August 28, 2020
Some 462,182 vehicles entered Sturgis during the rally, according to the South Dakota Department of Transportation.
Sturgis rallygoers visited about 61% of all counties within the United States, according to an aggregation of anonymized mobile phone activity shared with The Associated Press by the data analytics company Camber Systems. That potentially included some people who were in the audience during Smash Mouth’s set.
Smash Mouth is perhaps best known for its song “All Star,” which appeared on the soundtrack of the 2001 animated film “Shrek.” Ironically, it contains the lyric, “I ain’t the sharpest tool in the shed.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-28--Scott Walker Appears To Pull The Plug On Anderson Cooper During Heated Interview

Former Wisconsin Gov .
Scott Walker ( R ) appeared to storm out of an interview virtually with CNN ’ s Anderson Cooper after a tense exchange this week .
The moment came Thursday as Walker accused Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his supporters of failing to immediately denounce the violent protests over police brutality and racial inequality in Kenosha , Wisconsin .
“ We saw businesses burnt to the ground , ” Walker said .
“ People want justice .
They want reform in law enforcement , but they don ’ t want riots .
They want leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn off his camera and cut short a CNN interview as Anderson Cooper presses him on the absurdity of trying to blame Joe Biden for civil unrest in Trump ’ s America pic.twitter.com/D3Gpw7yLiq — Aaron Rupar ( @ atrupar ) August 27 , 2020 Cooper , however , was quick to point out that Walker ’ s argument was particularly one-sided , as President Donald Trump has stayed silent on the Aug. 23 shooting of a Black Wisconsin man , Jacob Blake , that begat the demonstrations .
At that point , Walker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Seconds later , his feed is disconnected .
“ Looks like we lost our signal , ” he said .
“ We apologize for the signal loss , but we appreciate Gov .
Walker ’ s time .
Sorry .
Live television.
” On Wednesday , Biden posted a video to Twitter in which he condemned the violence and said he spoke with Blake ’ s family members .
“ Protesting brutality is a right and absolutely necessary , ” he said .
“ But burning down communities is not protest ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) appeared to storm out of an interview virtually with CNN’s Anderson Cooper after a tense exchange this week.
The moment came Thursday as Walker accused Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his supporters of failing to immediately denounce the violent protests over police brutality and racial inequality in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
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“We saw businesses burnt to the ground,” Walker said. “People want justice. They want reform in law enforcement, but they don’t want riots. They want leaders who stand up.”
Watch Scott Walker turn off his camera and cut short a CNN interview as Anderson Cooper presses him on the absurdity of trying to blame Joe Biden for civil unrest in Trump’s America pic.twitter.com/D3Gpw7yLiq — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 27, 2020
Cooper, however, was quick to point out that Walker’s argument was particularly one-sided, as President Donald Trump has stayed silent on the Aug. 23 shooting of a Black Wisconsin man, Jacob Blake, that begat the demonstrations.
At that point, Walker can be seen approaching his video camera. Seconds later, his feed is disconnected.
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Cooper responded with a short apology to viewers.
“Looks like we lost our signal,” he said. “We apologize for the signal loss, but we appreciate Gov. Walker’s time. Sorry. Live television.”
On Wednesday, Biden posted a video to Twitter in which he condemned the violence and said he spoke with Blake’s family members.
“Protesting brutality is a right and absolutely necessary,” he said. “But burning down communities is not protest; it’s needless violence.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-28--4 People Who Attended RNC In Charlotte Test Positive For COVID-19

Four people who attended the portion of the Republican National Convention that was held in Charlotte , North Carolina , earlier this week have tested positive for COVID-19 .
Mecklenburg County officials said Friday that two convention attendees and two individuals supporting the event have tested positive so far .
The individuals have been told to quarantine and their known contacts have been issued isolation instructions as well .
Mecklenberg County Public Health said additional details would be published later in an “ After Action Report ” unless a “ recognized threat ” to public health requires their more urgent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took a total of nearly 800 COVID-19 tests during the Charlotte event , including prior to and immediately after delegates ’ arrival .
But photos and video from the event itself , where more than 300 delegates gathered at the Charlotte Convention Center for an in-person roll call on Monday , show attendees largely ignored MCPH ’ s public health guidelines .
Few of the delegates wore masks as they stood close together , and some shook hands with one another .
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence both attended in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public Health Director Gibbie Harris told the Charlotte Observer that she expressed concern to the RNC on Monday after witnessing delegates ’ conduct via the convention livestream .
“ I have just shared concern about the lack of mask wearing and social distancing in the room at the RNC Roll Call Meeting , ” Harris said .
“ I have been assured that they are working hard to address these issues .
All attendees agreed to comply with the requirements prior to attending and were informed that these requirements would be enforced.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from COVID-19 during the Republican National Convention ’ s four-day duration this week .

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Four people who attended the portion of the Republican National Convention that was held in Charlotte, North Carolina, earlier this week have tested positive for COVID-19.
Mecklenburg County officials said Friday that two convention attendees and two individuals supporting the event have tested positive so far. The individuals have been told to quarantine and their known contacts have been issued isolation instructions as well.
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Mecklenberg County Public Health said additional details would be published later in an “After Action Report” unless a “recognized threat” to public health requires their more urgent release.
RNC attendees and support staff took a total of nearly 800 COVID-19 tests during the Charlotte event, including prior to and immediately after delegates’ arrival.
But photos and video from the event itself, where more than 300 delegates gathered at the Charlotte Convention Center for an in-person roll call on Monday, show attendees largely ignored MCPH’s public health guidelines.
Few of the delegates wore masks as they stood close together, and some shook hands with one another. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence both attended in person, making surprise speeches.
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Again, masks are required at the RNC. But it’s not hard to find people ignoring that rule. pic.twitter.com/gQEkyx0lXB — Austin Weinstein (@austwein) August 24, 2020
Mecklenburg Public Health Director Gibbie Harris told the Charlotte Observer that she expressed concern to the RNC on Monday after witnessing delegates’ conduct via the convention livestream.
“I have just shared concern about the lack of mask wearing and social distancing in the room at the RNC Roll Call Meeting,” Harris said.
“I have been assured that they are working hard to address these issues. All attendees agreed to comply with the requirements prior to attending and were informed that these requirements would be enforced.”
Nationally, at least 4,024 Americans died from COVID-19 during the Republican National Convention’s four-day duration this week.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-28--The Race For 2024 Was On Full Display At The RNC

But the convention also represented the establishment wing of the party that has thrown its lot in with Trump .
It ’ s no secret that Vice President Mike Pence , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , and former U.N .
Ambassador Nikki Haley ― who all spoke at the convention ― have presidential ambitions .
Up-and-coming Sens .
Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Tim Scott of South Carolina also burnished their profiles by making the case for Trump ’ s reelection on stage .
It ’ s difficult to imagine a post-Trump world where the GOP completely reverts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he loses in November , Trump will almost certainly still be around and online ( fueling speculation that he , too , might launch another bid in 2024 ) .
This convention showed Trump ’ s firm grip on the party apparatus , which cast him as a kind man who defeated coronavirus and is loved by women , immigrants , and minorities ― none of which is actually true .
And it showed that he can get away with just about anything , even breaking the law by holding a political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House , because Republicans are unwilling to stand up to him .
The president ’ s daughter and senior adviser is arguably one of his most effective messengers , especially when deployed to bolster his image among women .
What was most notable about her convention speech on Thursday is that it occurred immediately prior to Trump ’ s ― signifying her importance in the family and perhaps establishing her position for a possible future presidential run .
The president ’ s eldest son may be the only person who is actually Trumpier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for most of his life , Don Jr. has grown into somewhat of a rock star among the president ’ s supporters ― especially on the campaign trail .
When he took the stage at a Trump rally in February , prior to the coronavirus pandemic , he was met by chants of “ 46 ” ― as in the 46th president of the U.S. ― raising the prospect of a presidential dynasty .
A loyal supporter of the president who eagerly stands by him despite his racist appeals , behavior unbefitting a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disrespect for the law , Vice President Mike Pence had the biggest platform of the GOP convention other than Trump ― albeit one as equally in violation of federal rules meant to prohibit campaigning on federal property .
The former member of Congress from Kansas passed on a Senate run in his home state earlier this year and is widely believed to be laying the groundwork for a future White House candidacy .
He has made several unusual trips in his official capacity as secretary of state to the early primary state of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ He lived to see his grandson become the first African American to be elected to both the United States House and Senate , ” Scott said .
“ Our family went from Cotton to Congress in one lifetime .
And that ’ s why I believe the next American century can be better than the last .
”

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It may be four years away, but tryouts for the 2024 GOP presidential primary officially kicked off this week at the Republican National Convention.
With millions of Republican voters tuned it to see President Donald Trump accept his party’s nomination for a second term, the event offered some would-be successors a prime-time opportunity to better introduce themselves and their accomplishments ahead of potential bids for the White House.
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More broadly, the convention highlighted the battle for the future of the Republican Party and whether Trump’s abrasive type of identity politics will continue in the coming elections.
Few people channel Trumpism like his children, who spoke at the convention. Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. each gave a prime-time address and have both been discussed as potential presidential candidates.
But the convention also represented the establishment wing of the party that has thrown its lot in with Trump. It’s no secret that Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley ― who all spoke at the convention ― have presidential ambitions. Up-and-coming Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Tim Scott of South Carolina also burnished their profiles by making the case for Trump’s reelection on stage.
It’s difficult to imagine a post-Trump world where the GOP completely reverts to its pre-2016 state, however. Even if he loses in November, Trump will almost certainly still be around and online (fueling speculation that he, too, might launch another bid in 2024).
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This convention showed Trump’s firm grip on the party apparatus, which cast him as a kind man who defeated coronavirus and is loved by women, immigrants, and minorities ― none of which is actually true. And it showed that he can get away with just about anything, even breaking the law by holding a political event on the lawn of the White House, because Republicans are unwilling to stand up to him.
Ivanka Trump
Ivanka Trump speaks on the final night of the Republican National Convention with a speech delivered in front a live audience on the South Lawn of the White House. The Washington Post via Getty Images
The president’s daughter and senior adviser is arguably one of his most effective messengers, especially when deployed to bolster his image among women. What was most notable about her convention speech on Thursday is that it occurred immediately prior to Trump’s ― signifying her importance in the family and perhaps establishing her position for a possible future presidential run.
“Dad, people attack you for being unconventional, but I love you for being real, and I respect you for being effective,” she said in her speech introducing her father. “Our president refuses to surrender his beliefs to score points with the political elite.”
“To my father, you are the elite,” she continued, referring to TV viewers. “He only cares about scoring points with you.”
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Donald Trump Jr.
Donald Trump Jr. pre-records his address to the Republican National Convention at the Mellon Auditorium on Aug. 24, in Washington. Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
The president’s eldest son may be the only person who is actually Trumpier than Trump. Disregarded by his father for most of his life, Don Jr. has grown into somewhat of a rock star among the president’s supporters ― especially on the campaign trail. When he took the stage at a Trump rally in February, prior to the coronavirus pandemic, he was met by chants of “46” ― as in the 46th president of the U.S. ― raising the prospect of a presidential dynasty.
Trump Jr. is hyperactive on Twitter, even more so than his father. He’s just as in tune with the conservative world of grievance, has similar partisan instincts, is popular among younger GOP voters, and has an equal penchant for getting into fights.
In a vehement address peppered with conservative buzzwords like “cancel culture” this week, the president’s son framed the 2020 election as a choice between “church, work and school” and “rioting, looting and vandalism.”
“Joe Biden is basically the Loch Ness Monster of the swamp,” he said.
Mike Pence
Vice President Mike Pence salutes after speaking during the third night of the Republican National Convention at Fort McHenry National Monument in Baltimore, Aug. 26. SAUL LOEB via Getty Images
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A loyal supporter of the president who eagerly stands by him despite his racist appeals, behavior unbefitting a supposed man of faith, and constant disrespect for the law, Vice President Mike Pence had the biggest platform of the GOP convention other than Trump ― albeit one as equally in violation of federal rules meant to prohibit campaigning on federal property.
Addressing the convention in front of Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Pence delivered a droll speech attacking Democratic nominee Joe Biden ― one that projected the image of a Republican president from the movies with the usual Americana references to former President Ronald Reagan.
The 2020 election is a choice, Pence said after spinning a fantasy tale of the Trump administration’s handling of the pandemic, of “whether America remains America.”
Mike Pompeo
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addresses the virtual convention in a pre-recorded video from Jerusalem on Aug. 25. Handout via Getty Images
In another norm-shattering move that broke tradition for a historically nonpartisan Cabinet office, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo waded into the GOP convention in the middle of an official trip to Israel with a speech from Jerusalem.
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With the spires of the city appearing behind him, the nation’s chief diplomat heaped praise on Trump’s foreign policy record, including the transfer of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and his decision to authorize the strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani.
“Delivering on this duty to keep us safe and our freedoms intact, this president has led bold initiatives in nearly every corner of the world,” Pompeo said.
The former member of Congress from Kansas passed on a Senate run in his home state earlier this year and is widely believed to be laying the groundwork for a future White House candidacy. He has made several unusual trips in his official capacity as secretary of state to the early primary state of Iowa ― a launchpad for presidential candidates.
Nikki Haley
Former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks during the first day of the Republican convention. OLIVIER DOULIERY via Getty Images
Haley, the former ambassador to the United Nations and former governor of South Carolina, once tried to feebly distance herself from Trump and his worst habits, but that’s gone with 2024 on the horizon.
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Appearing at the GOP convention this week, Haley made the case for Trump’s reelection and spoke of her immigrant Indian parents and her experience growing up as a “brown girl in a Black and white world.”
“In much of the Democratic Party, it’s now fashionable to say that America is racist,” Haley said. “That is a lie. America is not a racist country.”
The speech seemed to inspire Beltway GOP types like former George W. Bush aide Ari Fleischer.
Nikki Haley walks in tonight as the probable GOP front runner in 2024. — Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) August 25, 2020
Tim Scott
Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina speaks during the first day of the Republican convention. OLIVIER DOULIERY via Getty Images
He’s shown no interest in a presidential run so far, but Trump’s most high-profile Black supporter generated a lot of buzz with arguably the most inspiring and positive speech at the GOP convention this week.
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The South Carolina senator offered his life story and recounted the experience of his grandfather during his keynote address on Monday night.
“He lived to see his grandson become the first African American to be elected to both the United States House and Senate,” Scott said. “Our family went from Cotton to Congress in one lifetime. And that’s why I believe the next American century can be better than the last.”
His friend, former South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy, immediatelly tweeted his endorsement.
Tim Scott 2024! — Trey Gowdy (@TGowdySC) August 25, 2020
Tom Cotton
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) addresses the virtual convention on Aug. 27. Handout via Getty Images
Appearing on the last night of the GOP convention, Cotton, one of the biggest war hawks in the Senate, attacked Biden’s foreign policy record and accused the former vice president of being weak on the military.
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Cotton is an influential voice in the Senate and is regarded as a bit of a Trump whisperer. Things he says and stances he takes have a habit of making their way very quickly into words that come out of Trump’s mouth. He was one of the first GOP lawmakers to go on the attack against China and its early handling of the coronavirus. His call to send in federal troops to quell racial justice protests following the death of George Floyd earlier this summer soon came to be Trump’s position as well.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-28--CNN Fact-Checker Shreds Trump's RNC Speech, Calls Out 21 False Or Misleading Claims

Trump said Joe Biden is , quote , talking about taking down the border wall .
Biden has specifically explicitly rejected that idea .
He just said he ’ ll stop further additional construction .
Trump claimed , as always , that he is the one who passed the Veterans Choice law .
Barack Obama signed that into law in 2014 .
Trump signed a 2018 law to modify it .
Trump said , “ I have done more for the African American community than any president since Abraham Lincoln.
” That is ludicrous .
Lyndon Johnson , for one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Voting Rights Act .
Trump again touted a , quote , record 9 million job gain over the past three months .
He didn ’ t mention , as usual , that that gain follows a record 22 million job loss over the previous two months .
He said he ’ ll , quote , continue to lower drug prices .
They ’ ve increased during his presidency .
He said they opened a Jerusalem embassy for less than $ 500,000 .
Early documents show it was at least $ 21 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increased for the first time in about 20 years .
Spending , in fact , rose in 2015 and in 2016 , before he took office .
He said he will always and Republicans will always strongly protect people with preexisting conditions .
That pledge has already been broken .
He and they have repeatedly tried to weaken those protections in Obamacare .
He claimed , again , that he banned travel from China and Europe .
No , he imposed partial restrictions with many exemptions , tens of thousands of people continued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID testing system and about his general response .
Look , experts universally say the U.S. was fatally slow and its response especially slow in setting up adequate testing .
He said that he ended when he called the NAFTA nightmare and he signed a brand new U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement , the USMCA .
That agreement preserves , maintains most of NAFTA .
He boasted about building about 300 miles of border wall .
What he didn ’ t say is that most of that is replacement barrier .
As of Aug. 7 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miles have been built where none existed before .
He suggested that Joe Biden would confiscate guns .
That ’ s baseless .
Biden is running on a non-mandatory buyback of so-called assault weapons .
He said Democrats want to defund the police .
Biden , again , doesn ’ t , has rejected that .
He said he has , quote , very good information that China wants Biden to win because Biden ’ s soft on China or cheerleads for China .
The U.S. intelligence community says China wants Biden to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He said Biden vowed to close down charter schools .
Biden ’ s plan is skeptical on charters , but would not abolish them entirely .
He denounced Biden for voting for the Iraq war .
Biden did indeed vote for the Iraq war , but what Trump doesn ’ t mention is that he also supported that invasion .
He said Democrats twice removed the word God from the Pledge of Allegiance at their convention .
Two individual caucus meetings outside the main prime time programming did leave it out , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time event .
Trump denounced so-called cancel culture as like an insidious left-wing thing .
He , Donald J. Trump , has tried to get dozens of people and entities canceled , fired , boycotted , including literally last week : Goodyear .
He said he imposed an order to give 10 years in prison to rioters .
That ’ s a maximum discretionary sentence up to judges in existing laws .
His order just asked the government to fully enforce it .
And he said that Biden ’ s plan would eliminate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just no .
It ’ s wrong .

Trump said Joe Biden is, quote, talking about taking down the border wall. Biden has specifically explicitly rejected that idea. He just said he’ll stop further additional construction.
Trump claimed, as always, that he is the one who passed the Veterans Choice law. Barack Obama signed that into law in 2014. Trump signed a 2018 law to modify it.
Trump said, “I have done more for the African American community than any president since Abraham Lincoln.” That is ludicrous. Lyndon Johnson, for one, signed the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act.
Trump again touted a, quote, record 9 million job gain over the past three months. He didn’t mention, as usual, that that gain follows a record 22 million job loss over the previous two months.
He said he’ll, quote, continue to lower drug prices. They’ve increased during his presidency.
He said they opened a Jerusalem embassy for less than $500,000. Early documents show it was at least $21 million.
He claimed NATO member spending has increased for the first time in about 20 years. Spending, in fact, rose in 2015 and in 2016, before he took office.
He said he will always and Republicans will always strongly protect people with preexisting conditions. That pledge has already been broken. He and they have repeatedly tried to weaken those protections in Obamacare.
He claimed, again, that he banned travel from China and Europe. No, he imposed partial restrictions with many exemptions, tens of thousands of people continued traveling over.
He boasted about the COVID testing system and about his general response. Look, experts universally say the U.S. was fatally slow and its response especially slow in setting up adequate testing.
He said that he ended when he called the NAFTA nightmare and he signed a brand new U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement, the USMCA. That agreement preserves, maintains most of NAFTA.
He boasted about building about 300 miles of border wall. What he didn’t say is that most of that is replacement barrier. As of Aug. 7, according to official data, just five miles have been built where none existed before.
He suggested that Joe Biden would confiscate guns. That’s baseless. Biden is running on a non-mandatory buyback of so-called assault weapons.
He said Democrats want to defund the police. Biden, again, doesn’t, has rejected that.
He said he has, quote, very good information that China wants Biden to win because Biden’s soft on China or cheerleads for China. The U.S. intelligence community says China wants Biden to win because it sees Trump as unpredictable.
He said Biden vowed to close down charter schools. Biden’s plan is skeptical on charters, but would not abolish them entirely.
He denounced Biden for voting for the Iraq war. Biden did indeed vote for the Iraq war, but what Trump doesn’t mention is that he also supported that invasion.
He said Democrats twice removed the word God from the Pledge of Allegiance at their convention. Two individual caucus meetings outside the main prime time programming did leave it out, but it was uttered in every prime time event.
Trump denounced so-called cancel culture as like an insidious left-wing thing. He, Donald J. Trump, has tried to get dozens of people and entities canceled, fired, boycotted, including literally last week: Goodyear.
He said he imposed an order to give 10 years in prison to rioters. That’s a maximum discretionary sentence up to judges in existing laws. His order just asked the government to fully enforce it.
And he said that Biden’s plan would eliminate America’s borders. No, just no. It’s wrong.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-28--Meghan McCain Slams Ivanka Trump's Defense Of Dad's 'Communication Style'

Ivanka Trump attempted to minimize her father ’ s trademark racism and rudeness as just his “ communication style ” during her speech at the Republican National Convention .
But Meghan McCain is one voter who remains unconvinced .
During her introduction of President Donald Trump on Thursday , the first daughter and White House adviser admitted that her dad could be a bit much at times .
“ I recognize that my dad ’ s communication style is not to everyone ’ s taste .
And I know his tweets can feel a bit unfiltered .
But the results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while ignoring all his racist attacks , patently false claims , repeated misinformation and retweets of conspiracy theorists .
Oh , yes , and attacks on members of the military such as McCain ’ s dad , the late Arizona senator and Vietnam War veteran John McCain .
Naturally , the “ View ” co-host had a different take on the president ’ s “ communication style ” and let his daughter know in no uncertain terms via Twitter .
It ’ s not a “ communication style ” , its cruelty and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t like POW ’ s who were captured , implied my father was burning in hell after he died and constantly trashed him while he was fighting brain cancer .
This is how they have lost all decent people .
— Meghan McCain ( @ MeghanMcCain ) August 28 , 2020 Although Meghan McCain hasn ’ t officially endorsed Joe Biden , her mother , Cindy McCain , vouched for him at the Democratic National Convention with a video showing the long friendship her late husband had with the Democratic presidential nominee .

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Ivanka Trump attempted to minimize her father’s trademark racism and rudeness as just his “communication style” during her speech at the Republican National Convention.
But Meghan McCain is one voter who remains unconvinced.
During her introduction of President Donald Trump on Thursday, the first daughter and White House adviser admitted that her dad could be a bit much at times.
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“I recognize that my dad’s communication style is not to everyone’s taste. And I know his tweets can feel a bit unfiltered. But the results speak for themselves,” she said while ignoring all his racist attacks, patently false claims, repeated misinformation and retweets of conspiracy theorists.
Oh, yes, and attacks on members of the military such as McCain’s dad, the late Arizona senator and Vietnam War veteran John McCain.
Naturally, the “View” co-host had a different take on the president’s “communication style” and let his daughter know in no uncertain terms via Twitter.
It’s not a “communication style”, its cruelty and indecency.
Trump said he didn’t like POW’s who were captured, implied my father was burning in hell after he died and constantly trashed him while he was fighting brain cancer. This is how they have lost all decent people. — Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) August 28, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-28--Fox Host Brian Kilmeade Has Ridiculous Defense For Trump's White House Speech

The point is : it ’ s NOT his house .
It ’ s the taxpayers house .
We own @ @ @ @ @ salary of everyone who works there .
We pay for all renovations ( including what @ @ @ @ @ Garden . )
It ’ s ours .
IT REPRESENTS ALL OF US .
https @ @

The point is: it’s NOT his house. It’s the taxpayers house. We own it, we pay the salary of everyone who works there. We pay for all renovations (including what used to be the Rose Garden.)
It’s ours.
IT REPRESENTS ALL OF US. https://t.co/yf0lA3PP1G


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-28--The RNC Spent A Surprising Amount Of Time Talking About Trump’s Impeachment

The impeachment trial of President Donald Trump seemed like it would have massive implications when it took place ― somehow only ― earlier this year .
But among Trump ’ s most fervent supporters , it has served as a rallying cry .
Rather than shirking away from the fact that Trump was one of only three U.S. presidents to be impeached , Republicans flaunted it to proclaim the president is perpetually and unfairly under attack .
“ When you take on the swamp , the swamp fights back , ” Rep. Jim Jordan ( R-Ohio ) , who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday in a speech .
“ They tried the Russia hoax , the Mueller investigation , and the fake impeachment .
But despite this unbelievable opposition , look what this president has accomplished.
” House Democrats voted in December to impeach Trump because he threatened to withhold military aid from Ukraine if the country did not open an investigation into Hunter Biden , the son of now-Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
Trump was impeached on charges of abuse and obstruction of justice , among others .
The Senate , which is led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the president using his office for political gains and voted against removing him from office .
So Trump remains , with a black mark on his record but also the knowledge that members of his party will stand by him regardless of charges against him .
President Donald Trump with his wife and children on the final night of the Republican National Convention .
During the convention , many speakers brought up that the president had been impeached .
At the RNC , some speakers even brought up Hunter Biden .
Former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t say the word impeachment , but over the course of her six-minute speech on Tuesday night , she used Hunter Biden ’ s work in Ukraine to push the narrative that Joe Biden is corrupt and uses nepotism to help his children get ahead .
( That was said without a hint of irony during a convention that featured six of Trump ’ s family members as speakers . )
Reps. Elise Stefanik ( R-N.Y. ) and Jeff Van Drew ( R-N.J. ) also talked about Trump ’ s impeachment , using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tired talking point that Republican voters ’ rights are at risk .
Van Drew is a former Democrat who switched parties in December and pledged his “ undying support ” for Trump .
“ Since his first day in office , President Trump has fought tirelessly to deliver results for all Americans , despite the Democrats ’ baseless and illegal impeachment sham and the media ’ s endless obsession with it , ” Stefanik said .
“ I was proud to lead the effort standing up for the Constitution , President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This attack was not just on the President , it was an attack on you ― your voice and your vote.
” If Democrats see impeachment as a major political winner , that wasn ’ t clear during the Democratic National Convention that took place last week .
They took aim at Trump over a host of other issues , but they didn ’ t mention Trump ’ s impeachment .
The president delivered his speech on the White House lawn , using his own office to boost himself politically .
Both Secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Homeland Security Chad Wolf took part in the convention , in an apparent violation of the Hatch Act ― a law that restricts federal employees from engaging in partisan political activities .
Pompeo ’ s potentially illegal RNC speech was recorded while he was in Jerusalem on a foreign tour connected to his official government duties .
Wolf was featured in a naturalization ceremony that was broadcast during the convention .
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows brushed off the issue , telling Politico earlier this week that “ nobody outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really cares ” that the RNC broke the law .
The American people “ expect that Donald Trump is going to promote Republican values and they would expect that Barack Obama , ” he added .
“ This is a lot of hoopla that ’ s being made about things , mainly because the convention has been so unbelievably successful .
”

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The impeachment trial of President Donald Trump seemed like it would have massive implications when it took place ― somehow only ― earlier this year. But among Trump’s most fervent supporters, it has served as a rallying cry.
At the Republican National Convention this week, for example, speakers repeatedly brought up that their presidential candidate was nearly thrown out of office over corruption.
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Rather than shirking away from the fact that Trump was one of only three U.S. presidents to be impeached, Republicans flaunted it to proclaim the president is perpetually and unfairly under attack.
“When you take on the swamp, the swamp fights back,” Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who has served in Congress since 2007, said Monday in a speech. “They tried the Russia hoax, the Mueller investigation, and the fake impeachment. But despite this unbelievable opposition, look what this president has accomplished.”
House Democrats voted in December to impeach Trump because he threatened to withhold military aid from Ukraine if the country did not open an investigation into Hunter Biden, the son of now-Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Trump was impeached on charges of abuse and obstruction of justice, among others. The Senate, which is led by Republicans, largely dismissed the concerns over the president using his office for political gains and voted against removing him from office.
So Trump remains, with a black mark on his record but also the knowledge that members of his party will stand by him regardless of charges against him.
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President Donald Trump with his wife and children on the final night of the Republican National Convention. During the convention, many speakers brought up that the president had been impeached. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
At the RNC, some speakers even brought up Hunter Biden. Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi didn’t say the word impeachment, but over the course of her six-minute speech on Tuesday night, she used Hunter Biden’s work in Ukraine to push the narrative that Joe Biden is corrupt and uses nepotism to help his children get ahead. (That was said without a hint of irony during a convention that featured six of Trump’s family members as speakers.)
Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) and Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) also talked about Trump’s impeachment, using it to call Democrats liars and reiterate the tired talking point that Republican voters’ rights are at risk. Van Drew is a former Democrat who switched parties in December and pledged his “undying support” for Trump.
“Since his first day in office, President Trump has fought tirelessly to deliver results for all Americans, despite the Democrats’ baseless and illegal impeachment sham and the media’s endless obsession with it,” Stefanik said. “I was proud to lead the effort standing up for the Constitution, President Trump and most importantly the American people. This attack was not just on the President, it was an attack on you ― your voice and your vote.”
It makes sense that Republicans mentioned Trump’s impeachment. Polling showed that the issue really fired up Trump’s base: Trump hit his highest approval rating (49%) since taking office during the impeachment trial, according to a February Gallup poll.
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If Democrats see impeachment as a major political winner, that wasn’t clear during the Democratic National Convention that took place last week. They took aim at Trump over a host of other issues, but they didn’t mention Trump’s impeachment.
The RNC offered proof that being impeached didn’t cause Trump to take anti-corruption laws more seriously.
The president delivered his speech on the White House lawn, using his own office to boost himself politically. Both Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf took part in the convention, in an apparent violation of the Hatch Act ― a law that restricts federal employees from engaging in partisan political activities. Pompeo’s potentially illegal RNC speech was recorded while he was in Jerusalem on a foreign tour connected to his official government duties. Wolf was featured in a naturalization ceremony that was broadcast during the convention.
Government ethics experts have also raised concerns that possibly “hundreds” of other federal employees were involved in producing some aspect of the convention.
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows brushed off the issue, telling Politico earlier this week that “nobody outside of the Beltway [in D.C.] really cares” that the RNC broke the law. The American people “expect that Donald Trump is going to promote Republican values and they would expect that Barack Obama,” he added. “This is a lot of hoopla that’s being made about things, mainly because the convention has been so unbelievably successful.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-28--Thousands March For Racial Justice And Police Reform In Washington

Thousands of demonstrators from across the country gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington , D.C. , on Friday for a march against police brutality and racism .
The demonstration was held on the 57th anniversary of the original March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom , the seminal civil rights and economic inequality march that culminated in Martin Luther King Jr. ’ s “ I Have a Dream ” speech .
Friday ’ s march continued a momentous summer of reckoning over racism dominated by protests against police brutality and white supremacy , which were catalyzed by the deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ahmaud Arbery and countless other Black people .
The Rev .
Al Sharpton addressed the crowd flanked by people wearing masks that read “ I can ’ t breathe , ” the final words of Eric Garner , killed by police in New York ; “ good trouble , ” the famous call of the late Rep. John Lewis to fight for justice ; and “ I will vote.
” “ Even though we are here in the midst of a pandemic … we wanted to come to show … that enough is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We come to let you know that we will come out by these numbers in the heat , that we will stand in the polls all day long.
” “ It ’ s time we have a conversation with America , ” the civil rights leader added .
“ About your racism , about your bigotry , about your hate , about how you would put your knee on our neck while we cry for our lives.
” The families of Blake , Floyd , Taylor and Arbery spoke at the march , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people killed by police .
A number of Democratic lawmakers , including Reps. Ayanna Pressley ( Mass . )
, Karen Bass ( Calif. ) and Sheila Jackson Lee ( Texas ) also spoke .
George Floyd ’ s brother Philonise — donning a T-shirt that said “ 8:46 , ” the amount of time a white officer kneeled on his brother ’ s neck , killing him — broke down in tears when speaking about the recent shooting of Blake by police .
“ There ’ s a white system and there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blake said , noting that his own father came to D.C. for a previous march against racism .
“ We ’ re tired .
I ’ m tired of looking at cameras and seeing these young Black and brown people suffer .
… We ’ re not taking it anymore.
” Organizers initially anticipated as many as 100,000 participants , but later expected about half as many , due to pandemic travel restrictions and the District of Columbia ’ s rule that travelers from COVID-19 hotspots must quarantine upon arriving .
In addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling for criminal justice reform , the march , organized by Sharpton ’ s National Action Network , aimed to mobilize Americans to fill out the census and vote in the November elections .
Many of Friday ’ s speakers stressed the urgency of the election and urged attendees to combat voter suppression efforts and work to preserve the right to vote , illustrating how the march and the current moment are a continuation of the work of the previous generation of civil rights activists .
“ We need to vote as if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberties depend on it — because they do , ” King added .
“ There is a knee upon the neck of democracy .
”

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Thousands of demonstrators from across the country gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Friday for a march against police brutality and racism. The demonstration was held on the 57th anniversary of the original March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the seminal civil rights and economic inequality march that culminated in Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
Friday’s march continued a momentous summer of reckoning over racism dominated by protests against police brutality and white supremacy, which were catalyzed by the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless other Black people.
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Protests swelled again this week, after police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, shot Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, seven times in the back, leaving him gravely wounded and paralyzed.
The Rev. Al Sharpton addressed the crowd flanked by people wearing masks that read “I can’t breathe,” the final words of Eric Garner, killed by police in New York; “good trouble,” the famous call of the late Rep. John Lewis to fight for justice; and “I will vote.”
“Even though we are here in the midst of a pandemic … we wanted to come to show … that enough is enough,” Sharpton said. “We come to let you know that we will come out by these numbers in the heat, that we will stand in the polls all day long.”
“It’s time we have a conversation with America,” the civil rights leader added. “About your racism, about your bigotry, about your hate, about how you would put your knee on our neck while we cry for our lives.”
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The families of Blake, Floyd, Taylor and Arbery spoke at the march, as well as those of other Black people killed by police. A number of Democratic lawmakers, including Reps. Ayanna Pressley (Mass.), Karen Bass (Calif.) and Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas) also spoke.
Jacob Blake's father speaking, with Rev. Al Sharpton to his left NAACP
George Floyd’s brother Philonise — donning a T-shirt that said “8:46,” the amount of time a white officer kneeled on his brother’s neck, killing him — broke down in tears when speaking about the recent shooting of Blake by police.
“Shot seven times man, with his kids,” Floyd said of Blake. “That’s painful.”
Blake’s father, Jacob, then spoke of the “two systems of justice” in the U.S.
“There’s a white system and there’s a black system,” Blake said, noting that his own father came to D.C. for a previous march against racism. “We’re tired. I’m tired of looking at cameras and seeing these young Black and brown people suffer. … We’re not taking it anymore.”
He then turned to the crowd and said, “No justice!” The crowd yelled back: “No peace!”
Crowds began lining the National Mall early Friday morning ahead of the 11 a.m. event.
Good morning from Washington, DC!
Today marks the 57th anniversary of the #MarchonWashington where Martin Luther King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
There are a LOT of people here pic.twitter.com/Hs0GDvAkWC — philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) August 28, 2020
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These 5 best friends flew from Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the #MarchOnWashington. They came to show solidarity with the movement and dispel stereotypes about Black men pic.twitter.com/4QjUq0SNsb — philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) August 28, 2020
Demonstrators followed COVID-19 precautions, including wearing masks and undergoing temperature checks at the march’s entry point.
Organizers initially anticipated as many as 100,000 participants, but later expected about half as many, due to pandemic travel restrictions and the District of Columbia’s rule that travelers from COVID-19 hotspots must quarantine upon arriving.
In addition to protesting racism and police violence and calling for criminal justice reform, the march, organized by Sharpton’s National Action Network, aimed to mobilize Americans to fill out the census and vote in the November elections.
Many of Friday’s speakers stressed the urgency of the election and urged attendees to combat voter suppression efforts and work to preserve the right to vote, illustrating how the march and the current moment are a continuation of the work of the previous generation of civil rights activists.
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“Together, we are taking a stand, and we are taking a giant step forward ... on America’s rocky but righteous journey toward justice,” Martin Luther King III said.
“We need to vote as if our lives and our livelihoods, our liberties depend on it — because they do,” King added. “There is a knee upon the neck of democracy.”
At the end of the rally, the thousands gathered marched through the 90-degree heat to the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-28--Despite All Those Fireworks, Trump Still Had Lower Convention Ratings Than Biden

Despite all his bold claims on the final night of the Republican National Convention ― not to mention the fireworks that exploded “ TRUMP 2020 ” into the night sky ― television viewership numbers show that President Donald Trump ’ s speech lagged behind Joe Biden ’ s performance at the Democratic National Convention .
Figures released by Nielsen Media Research and analyzed by CNN show that approximately 23.8 million people watched Trump ’ s RNC address , while 24.6 million tuned in for Biden ’ s DNC speech .
The Nielsen numbers do show a smaller gap than on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Republicans drew about 17.3 million viewers while the Democrats attracted some 22.8 million ( former President Barack Obama spoke that night ) .
Likely due to the scaled-down nature of both events as a result of the coronavirus pandemic , viewership for the final speeches was down compared to the 2016 conventions , when Trump ’ s speech received 32.2 million viewers and Hillary Clinton ’ s garnered 29.8 million .
The ratings data was aggregated from 12 to 13 cable and broadcast networks .
It does not include livestreams such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viewers on the first evening of the convention , easily surpassing the DNC ’ s 76,000 on its opening night .
The former star of NBC ’ s “ The Apprentice ” has rarely touted livestream numbers , however .
Trump ’ s fixation on television ratings manifested on Thursday as he chastised the NBA over its players ’ protest of the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin , murmuring twice that “ their ratings have been very bad.
” On Friday , Trump also tweeted that the last night of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” despite all news indicating the contrary .
People quickly responded to the actual Nielsen data , including TJ Ducklo and Andrew Bates ― respectively , the national press secretary and director of rapid response for Biden ’ s campaign .
Turns out Americans aren ’ t really into the dark and dystopian view of the country that Donald Trump is presiding over as president .
Because as @ JoeBiden said last week : “ Love is more powerful than hate .
Hope is more powerful than fear .
Light is more powerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TJ Ducklo ( @ TDucklo ) August 28 , 2020 Trump trashes the WH in an effort to get TV ratings .
That ’ s all that matters to him .
He failed .
Miserably .
His ratings sucked .
( 3 million more people watched Biden ) — Claire McCaskill ( @ clairecmc ) August 28 , 2020 Trump was lying when he said ratings for his RNC speech were “ great.
” In fact they were terrible .
pic.twitter.com/TlCSf1i514 — Aaron Rupar ( @ atrupar ) August 28 , 2020 The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech were 20 % lower than for Biden ’ s acceptance speech .
No one cares what Trump has to say anymore .
— Palmer Report ( @ PalmerReport ) August 28 , 2020 The DNC ratings were much higher than the RNC and Joe Biden beat Trump by several million viewers .
Which , if nothing else , shows that America is interested in new and real solutions instead of the same old racist Trump bullshit — Paul Rudnick ( @ PaulRudnickNY ) August 28 , 2020

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Despite all his bold claims on the final night of the Republican National Convention ― not to mention the fireworks that exploded “TRUMP 2020” into the night sky ― television viewership numbers show that President Donald Trump’s speech lagged behind Joe Biden’s performance at the Democratic National Convention.
Figures released by Nielsen Media Research and analyzed by CNN show that approximately 23.8 million people watched Trump’s RNC address, while 24.6 million tuned in for Biden’s DNC speech.
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The Nielsen numbers do show a smaller gap than on day three of the conventions, when the Republicans drew about 17.3 million viewers while the Democrats attracted some 22.8 million (former President Barack Obama spoke that night).
Likely due to the scaled-down nature of both events as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, viewership for the final speeches was down compared to the 2016 conventions, when Trump’s speech received 32.2 million viewers and Hillary Clinton’s garnered 29.8 million.
The ratings data was aggregated from 12 to 13 cable and broadcast networks. It does not include livestreams such as C-SPAN ― where the RNC pulled 440,000 viewers on the first evening of the convention, easily surpassing the DNC’s 76,000 on its opening night.
The former star of NBC’s “The Apprentice” has rarely touted livestream numbers, however. Trump’s fixation on television ratings manifested on Thursday as he chastised the NBA over its players’ protest of the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin, murmuring twice that “their ratings have been very bad.”
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On Friday, Trump also tweeted that the last night of the RNC had received “great ratings,” despite all news indicating the contrary.
Great Ratings & Reviews Last Night. Thank you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 28, 2020
People quickly responded to the actual Nielsen data, including TJ Ducklo and Andrew Bates ― respectively, the national press secretary and director of rapid response for Biden’s campaign.
Turns out Americans aren’t really into the dark and dystopian view of the country that Donald Trump is presiding over as president.
Because as @JoeBiden said last week: “Love is more powerful than hate. Hope is more powerful than fear. Light is more powerful than dark.” https://t.co/c7ZImz94pR — TJ Ducklo (@TDucklo) August 28, 2020
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Trump trashes the WH in an effort to get TV ratings. That’s all that matters to him. He failed. Miserably. His ratings sucked. (3 million more people watched Biden) — Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) August 28, 2020
Trump was lying when he said ratings for his RNC speech were “great.” In fact they were terrible. pic.twitter.com/TlCSf1i514 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 28, 2020
The TV ratings for Trump’s acceptance speech were 20% lower than for Biden’s acceptance speech. No one cares what Trump has to say anymore. — Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) August 28, 2020
The DNC ratings were much higher than the RNC and Joe Biden beat Trump by several million viewers. Which, if nothing else, shows that America is interested in new and real solutions instead of the same old racist Trump bullshit — Paul Rudnick (@PaulRudnickNY) August 28, 2020
I'm proud to have been part of the reason Donald Trump's RNC loses bigly to Biden’s DNC in TV ratings. — 𝓣𝓮𝓮𝓼𝓪_𝓜𝓲𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓵𝓮 (@Teesa_Michele) August 28, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-28--4,000 People Died From COVID-19 While The RNC Pretended The Pandemic Is Over

For four nights , the GOP largely ignored that a virus most other countries have brought under control is still spreading across the United States rapidly , as if a modest decline from July ’ s peak in daily case numbers is a reason to celebrate and the deaths of more than 180,000 people here are nothing to mourn .
Across the country , at least 4,024 Americans died from COVID-19 during the four-day Republican National Convention this week , according to Johns Hopkins University .
The total number of deaths rose from 176,800 on Sunday , the day before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time it ended .
Put another way : The U.S. lost more lives to COVID-19 during the RNC than it did in the 9/11 terrorist attacks .
The number of deaths in the United States over that period exceeded the number of new infections in Canada .
President Donald Trump and the GOP , however , acted as if the fight against the virus is over and that he can be credited with winning it .
His use of the past tense , which would become a theme throughout the convention , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ the China virus , ” the racist term he has repeatedly used to shuttle blame for the global pandemic on the country where it originated .
“ It was awful , ” White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Tuesday night of the pandemic .
“ Health and economic impacts were tragic .
Hardship and heartbreak were everywhere .
But presidential leadership came swiftly and effectively with an extraordinary rescue for health and safety to successfully fight the COVID virus.
” Vice President Mike Pence took up the cause on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Wednesday speech he delivered from Ft. McHenry in Baltimore to liken the pandemic to the battle that inspired The Star-Spangled Banner .
“ If you look through the fog of these challenging times you will see our flag is still there , ” Pence said .
“ Thanks to the courage and compassion of the American people , we are slowing the spread , we ’ re protecting the vulnerable , and we ’ re saving lives.
” Republicans repeatedly scoffed at the idea that safety precautions like school and business closures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation should listen to experts .
“ We are not ― and will not ― be the subjects of an elite class of so-called experts , ” said South Dakota Gov .
Kristi Noem ( R ) , who recently welcomed the massive Sturgis Motorcycle Rally into her state that is linked to more than 100 COVID-19 cases , a number destined to rise .
“ If the Democrats had their way , they would keep you locked in your house until you become dependent on the government for everything , ” Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evening .
Lara Trump , a Trump campaign adviser who is married to the president ’ s son Eric , bragged on Wednesday that “ 4.3 million new jobs have been created for women ” since Trump took office .
While that was true before the virus ravaged the U.S. economy , women are now 3 million jobs in the red , as CNN reporter Daniel Dale noted .
But outside the world the GOP constructed at its convention , the situation is still dire .
The United States leads the world in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Just 10 countries have a higher rate of deaths per capita , data from Stat News shows .
The number of cases is still rising in at least 10 states and U.S. territories , according to The New York Times , and colleges and universities nationwide have experienced outbreaks after bringing students back to campuses this month .
Some have halted classes in an attempt to control the spread , while elementary , middle and high schools have experienced similar problems as students have returned .
“ We are meeting this challenge , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivering life-saving therapies .
And we will produce a vaccine before the end of the year , or maybe even sooner .
We will defeat the virus and the pandemic and emerge stronger than ever before .
”

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The novel coronavirus pandemic claimed another 1,116 American lives on Thursday, as Republicans brought a close to a national convention most notable for their repeated insistence that the pandemic is a thing of the past.
For four nights, the GOP largely ignored that a virus most other countries have brought under control is still spreading across the United States rapidly, as if a modest decline from July’s peak in daily case numbers is a reason to celebrate and the deaths of more than 180,000 people here are nothing to mourn.
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Across the country, at least 4,024 Americans died from COVID-19 during the four-day Republican National Convention this week, according to Johns Hopkins University. The total number of deaths rose from 176,800 on Sunday, the day before the convention opened, to 180,824 by the time it ended. Put another way: The U.S. lost more lives to COVID-19 during the RNC than it did in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The number of deaths in the United States over that period exceeded the number of new infections in Canada.
President Donald Trump and the GOP, however, acted as if the fight against the virus is over and that he can be credited with winning it.
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence treated the coronavirus pandemic as if it were already over during the Republican National Convention, even as COVID-19 continued to kill nearly 1,000 Americans each day. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“These are the incredible workers that helped us so much with the COVID,” Trump said during a Monday speech from the White House, where he stood flanked by police officers, nurses and a truck driver.
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His use of the past tense, which would become a theme throughout the convention, was quickly drowned out by his reference to “the China virus,” the racist term he has repeatedly used to shuttle blame for the global pandemic on the country where it originated.
“It was awful,” White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Tuesday night of the pandemic. “Health and economic impacts were tragic. Hardship and heartbreak were everywhere. But presidential leadership came swiftly and effectively with an extraordinary rescue for health and safety to successfully fight the COVID virus.”
Vice President Mike Pence took up the cause on the convention’s third night, using a Wednesday speech he delivered from Ft. McHenry in Baltimore to liken the pandemic to the battle that inspired The Star-Spangled Banner.
“If you look through the fog of these challenging times you will see our flag is still there,” Pence said. “Thanks to the courage and compassion of the American people, we are slowing the spread, we’re protecting the vulnerable, and we’re saving lives.”
Republicans repeatedly scoffed at the idea that safety precautions like school and business closures are still necessary, or that the nation should listen to experts. “We are not ― and will not ― be the subjects of an elite class of so-called experts,” said South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R), who recently welcomed the massive Sturgis Motorcycle Rally into her state that is linked to more than 100 COVID-19 cases, a number destined to rise.
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“If the Democrats had their way, they would keep you locked in your house until you become dependent on the government for everything,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said Wednesday evening.
Democrats “want to tell you when you can go to work, when your kids can go to school,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Thursday night.
The GOP’s insistence that the pandemic has been conquered ― or barely mattered at all ― went beyond its lack of acknowledgment or mourning of the dead.
Lara Trump, a Trump campaign adviser who is married to the president’s son Eric, bragged on Wednesday that “4.3 million new jobs have been created for women” since Trump took office. While that was true before the virus ravaged the U.S. economy, women are now 3 million jobs in the red, as CNN reporter Daniel Dale noted.
Lara Trump: Under President Trump's leadership, "4.3 million new jobs have been created for women."
This used to be true. Isn't anymore. They're just pretending that the pandemic never happened.
As of July 2020, women had lost more than 3 million jobs under Trump. — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) August 27, 2020
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The country’s coronavirus outbreak is no longer raging as it was in late July, when the United States was responsible for nearly a quarter of the world’s new cases each day.
But outside the world the GOP constructed at its convention, the situation is still dire. The United States leads the world in overall COVID-19 infections and total deaths. Just 10 countries have a higher rate of deaths per capita, data from Stat News shows.
The number of cases is still rising in at least 10 states and U.S. territories, according to The New York Times, and colleges and universities nationwide have experienced outbreaks after bringing students back to campuses this month. Some have halted classes in an attempt to control the spread, while elementary, middle and high schools have experienced similar problems as students have returned.
On the convention’s final night, more than 1,000 people gathered close together on the South Lawn of the White House, hardly a mask in sight, as if a global pandemic wasn’t still ravaging the country.
Trump finally acknowledged Thursday night that the fight against the virus is ongoing, although it was primarily meant to glorify his own efforts to “crush” a virus most other large nations have already halted.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-28--2 QAnon Promoters Will Rally Voters For Trump At Official Events This Weekend

The Trump campaign is hosting events across the country this weekend to capitalize on whatever momentum the Republican National Convention created and mobilize the party ’ s base of voters to turn out in November .
HuffPost found that official campaign events in Georgia and Nevada will be hosted by people who promote QAnon , the hateful conspiracy theory that the FBI recently flagged as a domestic terror threat .
Neither masks nor social distancing appear to be mandatory for any of the gatherings — and they have not been required at numerous Trump reelection events over the past two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have frequently crowded into relatively small spaces without proper protection .
Attendees are required to waive their right to sue the campaign and the host venue if they contract the coronavirus at the event .
QAnon adherents baselessly claim that the world is controlled by a cabal of satanic , pedophiliac Democrats and wealthy Hollywood socialites who run a global sex trafficking ring and feed on the blood of abused children .
They claim that President Donald Trump is engaged in a secret battle against the satanists and their so-called deep state supporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in anti-Semitism and threats of violence , and the FBI has warned it poses a domestic terrorism threat .
Like most QAnon adherents , Stanton-King appears to be convinced that most world events are in some way linked to sex trafficking , a problem that QAnon believers vastly overstate using bogus statistics .
“ TRUTH BOMB 💣 , ” she tweeted in July .
“ This isn ’ t about COVID 19 or BLACK LIVES MATTER .
This is a major cover up for PEDOPHILIA and HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
” Stanton-King , who received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for her role in a car theft ring years ago , has also used Twitter to sow doubt about the risks of COVID-19 , which has killed more than 180,000 Americans .
In May , she praised Trump for promoting hydroxychloroquine as a miracle cure for the virus , despite a lack of medical evidence and the risk of severe side effects .
In July , she predicted COVID-19 will disappear altogether after the election , implying that the virus is a hoax to defeat Trump .
Stanton-King is speaking at Friday ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a physician who said he has provided hydroxychloroquine to nursing home patients .
On Saturday , two Latinos for Trump events in Las Vegas and Henderson , Nevada , will give voters the opportunity to meet Tito Ortiz , a mixed martial arts fighter who has the QAnon phrase “ WWG1WGA ” ( Where We Go One , We Go All ) in his Instagram bio and sells shirts with the same slogan as part of his Punishment Athletics clothing line .
Ortiz has posted a video on Instagram suggesting that states are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have died from COVID-19 and will also miscount votes in the election .
In another post , he suggested that the media is unnecessarily scaring people into wearing masks and closing schools and businesses .
Holding in-person maskless events with purveyors of COVID-19 misinformation is at odds with the narrative Trump and his allies were pushing at the Republican National Convention .
With polls suggesting that his failed response to the pandemic could hurt his chances of reelection , the president tried to use the RNC as an opportunity to rewrite history .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ described Trump as a heroic leader whose decisive response to the coronavirus saved lives and protected the economy .
Several of Trump ’ s allies referred to the pandemic in the past tense , even as new outbreaks have emerged in areas that reopened schools and businesses .
The rising death toll was hardly mentioned at all .
During the four days of the convention , at least 4,024 Americans died from COVID-19 .
In reality , the Trump administration has ignored or downplayed the threat of COVID-19 , failed to secure enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced states to figure out a testing plan on their own .
In Congress , his party has passed some but repeatedly blocked other economic relief measures that would make it easier for people to stay home and avoid spreading the disease .
As a result , coronavirus cases in the U.S. continue to climb , while much of the rest of the world has been able to reopen without triggering serious new outbreaks .
At a time when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning Americans that traveling — even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chance of getting and spreading COVID-19 , the Trump campaign is operating two bus tours with surrogates traveling throughout the country to pose for photo ops with voters .
The campaign has a hot pink bus for the women , including campaign advisers Lara Trump ( who is also the president ’ s daughter-in-law ) , Mercedes Schlapp , and Katrina Pierson .
The president ’ s son Eric Trump , campaign adviser Corey Lewandowski , and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi ( who in 2013 decided not to join a lawsuit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donated $ 25,000 to a political action committee supporting her reelection ) have been traveling on a red bus .
There appears to be a friendly competition between the pink and red bus tours over who can turn out the biggest crowds .
These events do not appear to be widely attended and it ’ s not clear whether they will have a meaningful impact on election turnout .
But even gatherings of a few dozen maskless people significantly increase the risk of an individual contracting COVID-19 and inadvertently spreading it in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is set to appear in New Hampshire for a campaign rally , an event that poses such a high COVID-19 risk that the state ’ s Republican governor has said he will not attend .
The president ’ s June rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , likely contributed to a surge in coronavirus cases in the area , according to the state ’ s health department director .
Black Voices for Trump surrogate Herman Cain tested positive for COVID-19 about a week after attending the Tulsa rally .
He was placed on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hospital .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The Trump campaign is hosting events across the country this weekend to capitalize on whatever momentum the Republican National Convention created and mobilize the party’s base of voters to turn out in November. HuffPost found that official campaign events in Georgia and Nevada will be hosted by people who promote QAnon, the hateful conspiracy theory that the FBI recently flagged as a domestic terror threat.
Neither masks nor social distancing appear to be mandatory for any of the gatherings — and they have not been required at numerous Trump reelection events over the past two weeks, where campaign surrogates and supporters have frequently crowded into relatively small spaces without proper protection. Attendees are required to waive their right to sue the campaign and the host venue if they contract the coronavirus at the event.
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QAnon adherents baselessly claim that the world is controlled by a cabal of satanic, pedophiliac Democrats and wealthy Hollywood socialites who run a global sex trafficking ring and feed on the blood of abused children. They claim that President Donald Trump is engaged in a secret battle against the satanists and their so-called deep state supporters in government. QAnon rhetoric is steeped in anti-Semitism and threats of violence, and the FBI has warned it poses a domestic terrorism threat.
A Black Voices for Trump event in Mableton, Georgia, on Friday evening features Angela Stanton-King, who is the Republican nominee in the November election to fill the House seat of recently deceased civil rights icon John Lewis. “THE STORM IS HERE 🇺🇸,” Stanton-King tweeted earlier this month, using a QAnon reference to the moment Trump will supposedly arrest and execute his enemies.
Like most QAnon adherents, Stanton-King appears to be convinced that most world events are in some way linked to sex trafficking, a problem that QAnon believers vastly overstate using bogus statistics. “TRUTH BOMB 💣,” she tweeted in July. “This isn’t about COVID 19 or BLACK LIVES MATTER. This is a major cover up for PEDOPHILIA and HUMAN TRAFFICKING.”
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Stanton-King, who received a pardon from Trump earlier this year for her role in a car theft ring years ago, has also used Twitter to sow doubt about the risks of COVID-19, which has killed more than 180,000 Americans. In May, she praised Trump for promoting hydroxychloroquine as a miracle cure for the virus, despite a lack of medical evidence and the risk of severe side effects. In July, she predicted COVID-19 will disappear altogether after the election, implying that the virus is a hoax to defeat Trump. Stanton-King is speaking at Friday’s event alongside Dr. Robin Armstrong, a physician who said he has provided hydroxychloroquine to nursing home patients.
In order to register for the Black Voices for Trump event, attendees have to “voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19” and “waive, release, and discharge” the Trump campaign, the venue and their affiliates from all liability.
The liability waiver for the Black Voices for Trump event in Mableton, Georgia, on Aug. 28.
On Saturday, two Latinos for Trump events in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada, will give voters the opportunity to meet Tito Ortiz, a mixed martial arts fighter who has the QAnon phrase “WWG1WGA” (Where We Go One, We Go All) in his Instagram bio and sells shirts with the same slogan as part of his Punishment Athletics clothing line. Ortiz has posted a video on Instagram suggesting that states are lying about the number of people who have died from COVID-19 and will also miscount votes in the election. In another post, he suggested that the media is unnecessarily scaring people into wearing masks and closing schools and businesses.
The Trump campaign, Stanton-King and Ortiz did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Holding in-person maskless events with purveyors of COVID-19 misinformation is at odds with the narrative Trump and his allies were pushing at the Republican National Convention. With polls suggesting that his failed response to the pandemic could hurt his chances of reelection, the president tried to use the RNC as an opportunity to rewrite history. Over the past four nights, speakers described Trump as a heroic leader whose decisive response to the coronavirus saved lives and protected the economy. Several of Trump’s allies referred to the pandemic in the past tense, even as new outbreaks have emerged in areas that reopened schools and businesses. The rising death toll was hardly mentioned at all. During the four days of the convention, at least 4,024 Americans died from COVID-19.
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In reality, the Trump administration has ignored or downplayed the threat of COVID-19, failed to secure enough personal protective equipment for front-line workers and forced states to figure out a testing plan on their own. In Congress, his party has passed some but repeatedly blocked other economic relief measures that would make it easier for people to stay home and avoid spreading the disease. As a result, coronavirus cases in the U.S. continue to climb, while much of the rest of the world has been able to reopen without triggering serious new outbreaks.
Even as Trump misleadingly boasts about his pandemic efforts on the national stage, his campaign has continued to host crowded indoor gatherings of maskless supporters in battleground states throughout the country.
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These events do not appear to be widely attended and it’s not clear whether they will have a meaningful impact on election turnout. But even gatherings of a few dozen maskless people significantly increase the risk of an individual contracting COVID-19 and inadvertently spreading it in their community.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-28--Trump Says He Will "Save" The American Dream As His Policies Fail Working People

AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster Republicans repeatedly spoke about preserving the American dream during the party 's national convention this week .
But for the average working American , things are not going well .
“ Let me assure you , socialism doesn ’ t offer opportunity .
Socialism deprives , ” Florida Lt. Gov .
Jeanette Nuñez said on the second night of the convention .
“ We can go down a dark road of chaos and government control , or we can choose the path of freedom and opportunity that was paved by those who sacrificed everything to preserve the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s message that he ’ s the savior of the American dream comes as the nation is in the middle of a widespread coronavirus outbreak , which public health experts and a vast majority of Americans say was worsened by Trump ’ s slow response .
Unemployment sits at 10 percent , and the economy ’ s recovery has slowed over the summer months .
Federal aid , which economists say kept upwards of 10 million people out of poverty , has been slashed or cut completely , as Republicans remain reluctant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels .
In a January Pew Research Center survey , 70 % of Americans said the economy was rigged in favor of the wealthy .
There are partisan divides in the poll , with Republicans generally seeing the economy under Trump as fairer than Democrats do .
But notably , 79 % of lower-income Republicans said the wealthy had too much power today , and Democrats and Republicans agreed that small businesses were being overtaken by major corporations .
Polling on the attainability of the American dream fluctuates largely by demographic .
Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positively than Democrats , and higher-income Americans are much more likely than lower-income Americans to see it as attainable , regardless of party .
Younger Americans are a lot less hopeful than older Americans , and white Americans see more opportunity than Black Americans .
But in all , a majority of Americans still believe in the idea that hard work will be rewarded in the American economy , both before the pandemic and during it .
Trump has enjoyed an economic upswing for most of his first term in office .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not reflected in the experiences of the average worker .
Wages remained stagnant despite free-market theories that low unemployment numbers would increase workers ’ compensation .
Republicans ’ 2017 tax cuts were the party ’ s landmark policy around this issue .
Trump promised the cuts would lead companies to give “ billions and billions of dollars away to their workers ” — but they didn ’ t .
One study from the left-leaning think tank Economic Policy Institute , a year after the tax bill was passed , found the tax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an average 1 cent hourly raise for workers .
In the years that followed , companies have mostly spent their windfall buying back shares , boosting stock prices for executives and wealthy shareholders .
The Trump administration has also come under fire for its handling of student loan oversight , which Democrats contend is too lenient on fraudulent and misleading loan servicers and costing graduates tens of thousands of dollars .
Student Debt Crisis , a group that advocates for canceling student loans , has sued the Department of Education for failing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States has a $ 1.5 trillion federal student debt portfolio , which has been attributed to young Americans buying fewer homes .
Some of these are trends that have persisted for decades — like widening income inequality and growing student debt .
Others , like a lack of student loan oversight and tax cuts for wealthy Americans , are direct results of the Trump administration ’ s policies .
And then there ’ s the continuing coronavirus pandemic , relief for which remains stymied .
Participation in the labor market remains low .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher than pre-COVID levels .
Ernie Tedeschi , an economist from Evercore , pointed out on Twitter that monthly compensation fell for American households by $ 574 between February and July — a loss in income that was fully offset by the now-expired $ 600 weekly federal unemployment insurance benefit .
Since that benefit expired , job growth has been “ tepid , ” and job search hasn ’ t shown any signs of increasing , Tedeschi said .
The federal protections against some evictions during the pandemic have also expired , leaving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between state and local governments .
Trump ’ s economic approval ratings have slipped during the pandemic , but they have proven relatively stable compared to past presidents seeking reelection .
He sits at the same levels Barack Obama and George W. Bush saw leading up to their second terms .
Republicans and the Trump White House were against continuing the $ 600 weekly unemployment insurance benefit that Congress passed in spring , arguing that the federal benefit disincentivizes people from getting back to work .
Congress failed to reach a compromise aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump to sign an executive order for a smaller $ 300 benefit allocated to states through a grant program .
That money still hasn ’ t reached most unemployed Americans ’ pockets .
They ’ ve also argued against giving states funding to balance their budgets during the outbreak .
“ Joe Biden wants to keep them locked up in the basement and crush them with $ 4 trillion in new taxes , ” Rep. Elise Stefanik said of Americans on Wednesday night .
“ Now we face a critical choice : Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will weaken America or President Trump who will stand up for the American people and the Constitution .
I believe in the wisdom and spirit of the American people to elect the only candidate who is capable of protecting the American dream , President Trump .
”

Republicans repeatedly spoke about preserving the American dream during the party's national convention this week. But for the average working American, things are not going well. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
Republicans want Americans to believe that Joe Biden would “demolish” the American dream.
“This election will decide whether we save the American dream,” Trump said while accepting the Republican nomination for president on the final night of the Republican National Convention. “Or whether we allow a socialist agenda to demolish our cherished destiny.”
Speaker after speaker repeated the same message: Trump is the only candidate who can save the American dream, Democrats’ insistence on expanding the social safety net will stymie individuals’ opportunities, and Republicans are the party of dreaming big.
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“Let me assure you, socialism doesn’t offer opportunity. Socialism deprives,” Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez said on the second night of the convention. “We can go down a dark road of chaos and government control, or we can choose the path of freedom and opportunity that was paved by those who sacrificed everything to preserve the American dream for future generations.”
But for many working Americans, policies under the Trump administration and Trump’s response to the pandemic have put the American dream further out of reach.
Trump’s message that he’s the savior of the American dream comes as the nation is in the middle of a widespread coronavirus outbreak, which public health experts and a vast majority of Americans say was worsened by Trump’s slow response. Unemployment sits at 10 percent, and the economy’s recovery has slowed over the summer months. Federal aid, which economists say kept upwards of 10 million people out of poverty, has been slashed or cut completely, as Republicans remain reluctant to continue unemployment benefits at the same levels.
Even before the pandemic hit and the economy appeared to be doing fine, Americans were dubious that there was an equality of opportunity afforded to everyone under Trump’s leadership.
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In a January Pew Research Center survey, 70% of Americans said the economy was rigged in favor of the wealthy. There are partisan divides in the poll, with Republicans generally seeing the economy under Trump as fairer than Democrats do. But notably, 79% of lower-income Republicans said the wealthy had too much power today, and Democrats and Republicans agreed that small businesses were being overtaken by major corporations.
Polling on the attainability of the American dream fluctuates largely by demographic. Republicans tend to view the American dream more positively than Democrats, and higher-income Americans are much more likely than lower-income Americans to see it as attainable, regardless of party. Younger Americans are a lot less hopeful than older Americans, and white Americans see more opportunity than Black Americans. But in all, a majority of Americans still believe in the idea that hard work will be rewarded in the American economy, both before the pandemic and during it.
Trump has enjoyed an economic upswing for most of his first term in office. That period of economic growth, however, was not reflected in the experiences of the average worker. Wages remained stagnant despite free-market theories that low unemployment numbers would increase workers’ compensation.
Republicans’ 2017 tax cuts were the party’s landmark policy around this issue. Trump promised the cuts would lead companies to give “billions and billions of dollars away to their workers” — but they didn’t. One study from the left-leaning think tank Economic Policy Institute, a year after the tax bill was passed, found the tax bill’s bonuses only resulted in an average 1 cent hourly raise for workers. In the years that followed, companies have mostly spent their windfall buying back shares, boosting stock prices for executives and wealthy shareholders.
The Trump administration has also come under fire for its handling of student loan oversight, which Democrats contend is too lenient on fraudulent and misleading loan servicers and costing graduates tens of thousands of dollars. Student Debt Crisis, a group that advocates for canceling student loans, has sued the Department of Education for failing to properly regulate loan servicers. The United States has a $1.5 trillion federal student debt portfolio, which has been attributed to young Americans buying fewer homes.
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Some of these are trends that have persisted for decades — like widening income inequality and growing student debt. Others, like a lack of student loan oversight and tax cuts for wealthy Americans, are direct results of the Trump administration’s policies. And then there’s the continuing coronavirus pandemic, relief for which remains stymied.
Participation in the labor market remains low. Unemployment claims remain just about seven times higher than pre-COVID levels. Ernie Tedeschi, an economist from Evercore, pointed out on Twitter that monthly compensation fell for American households by $574 between February and July — a loss in income that was fully offset by the now-expired $600 weekly federal unemployment insurance benefit. Since that benefit expired, job growth has been “tepid,” and job search hasn’t shown any signs of increasing, Tedeschi said. The federal protections against some evictions during the pandemic have also expired, leaving renters to rely on the different policies between state and local governments.
Trump’s economic approval ratings have slipped during the pandemic, but they have proven relatively stable compared to past presidents seeking reelection. He sits at the same levels Barack Obama and George W. Bush saw leading up to their second terms.
However, both liberal and conservative economists are warning that the COVID-19 crisis will have lasting effects.
Republicans and the Trump White House were against continuing the $600 weekly unemployment insurance benefit that Congress passed in spring, arguing that the federal benefit disincentivizes people from getting back to work. Congress failed to reach a compromise aid package after the benefit expired, prompting Trump to sign an executive order for a smaller $300 benefit allocated to states through a grant program. That money still hasn’t reached most unemployed Americans’ pockets. They’ve also argued against giving states funding to balance their budgets during the outbreak.
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At the Republican convention, giving financial aid to those forced to stay home during the pandemic was seen as Biden’s plan to destroy the American dream.