thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-07--Nearly 3.2 Million More Americans Filed For Unemployment

Roughly 33.5 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the seven weeks since the coronavirus began forcing millions of companies to close their doors and slash their workforces .
That is the equivalent of one in five Americans who had been employed back in February , when the unemployment rate had reached a 50-year low of just 3.5 % .
On Friday , the government will issue the April jobs report , and it ’ s likely to be the worst since modern record-keeping began after World War II .
The unemployment rate is forecast to reach at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the Great Depression , and economists estimate that 21 million jobs were lost last month .
If so , it would mean that nearly all the job growth in the 11 years since the Great Recession ended has vanished in a single month .
Even those stunning figures won ’ t fully capture the magnitude of the damage the coronavirus has inflicted on the job market .
Many people who are still employed have had their hours reduced .
Others have suffered pay cuts .
Some who lost jobs in April and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one in light of their bleak prospects won ’ t even be counted as unemployed .
A broader measure — the proportion of adults with jobs — could hit a record low .
The official figures for jobless claims may also be under-counting layoffs .
Surveys by academic economists and think tanks suggest that as many as 12 million workers who were laid off by mid-April did not file for unemployment benefits by then , either because they couldn ’ t navigate their state ’ s overwhelmed systems or they felt too discouraged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further into what looks like a severe recession , economists are projecting that the gross domestic product — the broadest gauge of economic growth — is contracting in the current April-June quarter by a shocking 40 % annual rate .
As it does , more layoffs appear to be spreading beyond front-line industries like restaurants , hotels and retail stores .
GE Aviation , for example , has said it is cutting up to 13,000 jobs .
Uber will shed 3,700 positions .
MGM Resorts International has announced that the furloughs of more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the job cuts have hammered workers at restaurants , hotels and retail firms particularly hard .
According to the payroll processor ADP , about half the total jobs in the hotel and restaurant industry — 8.6 million — disappeared in April , based on data from its corporate clients .
A category that includes retail and shipping shed 3.4 million workers .
As businesses across the country have shut down and laid off tens of millions , the economy has sunk into a near-paralysis .
Even as some businesses are beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hotels , restaurants , resorts , sporting venues , movie theaters and many small businesses are still largely shuttered .
Home sales are falling .
Consumer confidence and spending are sinking .
The difference between the 30 million-plus unemployment claims that have been filed in the past several weeks and the expected April job loss of slightly more than 20 million reflects differences in how the figures are compiled .
The government calculates job losses by surveying businesses and households .
It ’ s a net figure that also counts the hiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many grocery stores , have done .
By contrast , the total jobless claims are a cumulative figure ; they include applications for unemployment aid that began in mid-March .
In addition , the government conducts its surveys for the monthly jobs reports in the middle of each month .
So layoffs from the final two weeks of April won ’ t show up in Friday ’ s jobs report .
They will instead be included in the May jobs report to be released in early June .
After problems with state computer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits for many laid-off workers , all 50 states are now paying the $ 600 extra weekly benefit that the federal government included in a relief package enacted in late March .
That represents a significant help to millions of laid-off workers , many of whom still remain anxious and uncertain .
Jamie Stewart is renting out a spare bedroom in her home to try to make ends meets after losing her job at a southwest Florida resort .
Having applied for unemployment benefits in late March , she finally received her first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stewart , a 37-year-old resident of Bonita Springs , works as a concierge in the off-season and as a shift manager and bartender in the resort ’ s restaurants .
Florida began some limited reopening of its economy this week , including allowing restaurants to serve customers in outdoor seating .
But Stewart ’ s resort hasn ’ t set a date to reopen its restaurants , and future reservations haven ’ t picked up enough for them to call her back to work .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly 3.2 million laid-off workers applied for unemployment benefits last week as the business shutdowns caused by the viral outbreak deepened the worst U.S. economic catastrophe in decades.
Roughly 33.5 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the seven weeks since the coronavirus began forcing millions of companies to close their doors and slash their workforces. That is the equivalent of one in five Americans who had been employed back in February, when the unemployment rate had reached a 50-year low of just 3.5%.
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On Friday, the government will issue the April jobs report, and it’s likely to be the worst since modern record-keeping began after World War II. The unemployment rate is forecast to reach at least 16%, the highest rate since the Great Depression, and economists estimate that 21 million jobs were lost last month. If so, it would mean that nearly all the job growth in the 11 years since the Great Recession ended has vanished in a single month.
Even those stunning figures won’t fully capture the magnitude of the damage the coronavirus has inflicted on the job market. Many people who are still employed have had their hours reduced. Others have suffered pay cuts. Some who lost jobs in April and didn’t look for a new one in light of their bleak prospects won’t even be counted as unemployed. A broader measure — the proportion of adults with jobs — could hit a record low.
The official figures for jobless claims may also be under-counting layoffs. Surveys by academic economists and think tanks suggest that as many as 12 million workers who were laid off by mid-April did not file for unemployment benefits by then, either because they couldn’t navigate their state’s overwhelmed systems or they felt too discouraged to try.
As the economy slides further into what looks like a severe recession, economists are projecting that the gross domestic product — the broadest gauge of economic growth — is contracting in the current April-June quarter by a shocking 40% annual rate. As it does, more layoffs appear to be spreading beyond front-line industries like restaurants, hotels and retail stores.
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GE Aviation, for example, has said it is cutting up to 13,000 jobs. Uber will shed 3,700 positions. MGM Resorts International has announced that the furloughs of more than 60,000 employees could turn into layoffs.
But the job cuts have hammered workers at restaurants, hotels and retail firms particularly hard. According to the payroll processor ADP, about half the total jobs in the hotel and restaurant industry — 8.6 million — disappeared in April, based on data from its corporate clients. A category that includes retail and shipping shed 3.4 million workers.
As businesses across the country have shut down and laid off tens of millions, the economy has sunk into a near-paralysis. Even as some businesses are beginning to reopen in certain states, factories, hotels, restaurants, resorts, sporting venues, movie theaters and many small businesses are still largely shuttered. Home sales are falling. Consumer confidence and spending are sinking.
The volume of layoffs exceeds anything Americans have ever suffered in such a brief period.
The difference between the 30 million-plus unemployment claims that have been filed in the past several weeks and the expected April job loss of slightly more than 20 million reflects differences in how the figures are compiled.
The government calculates job losses by surveying businesses and households. It’s a net figure that also counts the hiring that some companies, like Amazon and many grocery stores, have done. By contrast, the total jobless claims are a cumulative figure; they include applications for unemployment aid that began in mid-March.
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In addition, the government conducts its surveys for the monthly jobs reports in the middle of each month. So layoffs from the final two weeks of April won’t show up in Friday’s jobs report. They will instead be included in the May jobs report to be released in early June.
After problems with state computer systems had slowed the distribution of federal benefits for many laid-off workers, all 50 states are now paying the $600 extra weekly benefit that the federal government included in a relief package enacted in late March. That represents a significant help to millions of laid-off workers, many of whom still remain anxious and uncertain.
Jamie Stewart is renting out a spare bedroom in her home to try to make ends meets after losing her job at a southwest Florida resort. Having applied for unemployment benefits in late March, she finally received her first payment of $1,200 this week. Stewart, a 37-year-old resident of Bonita Springs, works as a concierge in the off-season and as a shift manager and bartender in the resort’s restaurants.
After her layoff, she deferred her car payment for two months and cancelled non-necessities like Zoom, Pandora and Netflix. She recently signed up for food stamps, which cover about half her monthly grocery bill.
Florida began some limited reopening of its economy this week, including allowing restaurants to serve customers in outdoor seating. But Stewart’s resort hasn’t set a date to reopen its restaurants, and future reservations haven’t picked up enough for them to call her back to work.
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“My mental health has deteriorated to a point that I don’t recognize myself anymore,” she said. “My eyes are swollen and bloodshot all the time now from regular moments of weakness that leave me completely inconsolable.
“It looks like I have aged 10 years since the lockdown started.”
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-07--‘Just Another Politician’: Joe Biden Is A Blank Slate For Young Voters

The new report , prepared by Democratic pollsters Global Strategy Group for the youth outreach organization NextGen America , is based on online focus groups and discussions held last month with voters aged 18-34 in 11 presidential and Senate battleground states .
The participants , all either Democrats or independents , were skeptical of Biden .
Many had previously been enthusiastic backers of Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) .
The report ’ s authors say Biden is in a better position with many Sanders-supporting young voters than Hillary Clinton was four years earlier .
While young voters then were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Biden are not as deeply ingrained .
“ These people don ’ t know much about Biden .
They don ’ t know much about who he is or what he ’ s for , even if they ’ re political animals .
They think of him as a generic Democrat , a typical politician , ” said Ben Wessel , NextGen America ’ s executive director .
“ It ’ s an opportunity because we can change their minds .
The flip side is that ‘ generic Democratic politician ’ is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ While I like Biden better than Trump , he ’ s just another politician catering to the ultra wealthy , ” said one Asian voter in Generation Z who planned to reluctantly vote for Biden .
“ We need someone who is willing to fight for people instead of corporations.
” “ The biggest issue again for me is that I don ’ t know enough of his viewpoint , ” said one Hispanic Generation Z voter who was iffy on supporting Biden .
“ I would feel more confident supporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what his stance is on the economy , health care , the environment , jobs.
” And there were clear holdouts : “ Nothing will fundamentally change .
He has nothing to offer and voting for him would be an endorsement of the disgusting rigged process that got him on the ticket , ” said a white millennial who had almost no enthusiasm for the former vice president .
Other voters brought up concerns about Tara Reade ’ s accusation that Biden had sexually assaulted her .
The report ’ s authors divided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two largest groups are those who aren ’ t excited about Biden but are resigned to voting for him and those who say they need to learn more about him .
A smaller group , mostly made up of staunch Sanders supporters , might choose to vote for a third-party candidate .
A fourth “ idiosyncratic and marginal ” group might cast a ballot for Trump .
NextGen and Global Strategy Group tested a number of messages designed to persuade voters to be more excited about Biden ― and were seemingly helped by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of him .
Many of these voters were in elementary or middle school for significant parts of Biden ’ s vice presidency , and his campaign has spent little time reaching out to them during this year ’ s primary .
“ The position on gun safety surprised me .
I honestly thought he ’ d be more vague about his stance on it , ” a white millennial wrote .
In fact , one of Biden ’ s signature legislative accomplishments was passing an assault weapons ban through Congress .
Many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role Biden played in pushing President Barack Obama to embrace the nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage in 2012 .
Another strategy that tested well was to portray a future President Biden as just one part of an administration .
Showing young voters a video of Sanders telling Cardi B how he plans to pull Biden to the left was persuasive , as was pointing out that Biden has “ even asked young activists to keep pushing him to go further on the issues when he is president ” and that Biden has “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progressive leaders , experts , and activists from inside and outside of politics.
” But the strongest argument to vote for Biden might be who he ’ s running against .
The young voters were almost unanimous in their disdain for Trump , critical of everything from his handling of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to the GOP ’ s 2017 tax cuts to his lack of effort on climate change .
A simple comparison of Biden ’ s , Sanders ’ and Trump ’ s stances on key issues was effective .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Trump side-by-side , many come away surprised that Biden is not so far from Sanders on many issues , and nearly everyone comes away willing to accept that the differences between either Democrat and Trump are real ( even if some remain doubtful Biden will deliver ) , ” the report ’ s authors wrote .
“ This reflects the honest reality for many young people : Biden may not be perfect , but he represents an improvement on Trump.
” NextGen , which is funded by billionaire Democratic donor and former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pledged to spend $ 45 million on youth voter turnout in the 2020 elections .
Biden , benefiting from a dip in Trump ’ s political standing over the federal government ’ s haphazard efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic , holds a steady lead in public polling both nationally and in key swing states .
“ As President Obama has said , Joe Biden is running on the most progressive platforms in modern history and laid out bold ideas to tackle climate change , expand health care , and make college affordable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden campaign spokesperson .
“ Joe Biden knows that young Americans are a driving force of the progressive movement and will work hard to earn their votes , unite our country , and ensure we achieve the ultimate goal we all share : defeating Donald Trump.
” Biden has made a series of overtures to the party ’ s left wing in the weeks since Sanders dropped out of the contest , endorsing a plan to eliminate student debt for the first time and promising to work with the Sanders campaign on crafting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But operatives hoping to convince young people to back Biden shouldn ’ t try to oversell his left-wing credentials , according to the report .

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Young voters mostly see presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden as a standard-issue career politician and that’s dampening their enthusiasm for a candidate they know little about, according to a new report from a major Democratic advocacy group released Thursday.
The new report, prepared by Democratic pollsters Global Strategy Group for the youth outreach organization NextGen America, is based on online focus groups and discussions held last month with voters aged 18-34 in 11 presidential and Senate battleground states. The participants, all either Democrats or independents, were skeptical of Biden. Many had previously been enthusiastic backers of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
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The report’s authors say Biden is in a better position with many Sanders-supporting young voters than Hillary Clinton was four years earlier. While young voters then were often hostile to Clinton, their impressions of Biden are not as deeply ingrained.
But messages as simple as comparing Sanders, Biden and President Donald Trump or hearing Biden talk directly to the camera about his priorities can go a long way toward persuading voters.
“These people don’t know much about Biden. They don’t know much about who he is or what he’s for, even if they’re political animals. They think of him as a generic Democrat, a typical politician,” said Ben Wessel, NextGen America’s executive director. “It’s an opportunity because we can change their minds. The flip side is that ‘generic Democratic politician’ is a super unpopular category with these people.”
The young voter reviews of Biden included in the report are often scathing.
“While I like Biden better than Trump, he’s just another politician catering to the ultra wealthy,” said one Asian voter in Generation Z who planned to reluctantly vote for Biden. “We need someone who is willing to fight for people instead of corporations.”
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“The biggest issue again for me is that I don’t know enough of his viewpoint,” said one Hispanic Generation Z voter who was iffy on supporting Biden. “I would feel more confident supporting him if I actually heard more of what his stance is on the economy, health care, the environment, jobs.”
And there were clear holdouts: “Nothing will fundamentally change. He has nothing to offer and voting for him would be an endorsement of the disgusting rigged process that got him on the ticket,” said a white millennial who had almost no enthusiasm for the former vice president. Other voters brought up concerns about Tara Reade’s accusation that Biden had sexually assaulted her.
The report’s authors divided young voters into four groups: The two largest groups are those who aren’t excited about Biden but are resigned to voting for him and those who say they need to learn more about him. A smaller group, mostly made up of staunch Sanders supporters, might choose to vote for a third-party candidate. A fourth “idiosyncratic and marginal” group might cast a ballot for Trump.
NextGen and Global Strategy Group tested a number of messages designed to persuade voters to be more excited about Biden ― and were seemingly helped by the voters’ “low expectations” of him. Many of these voters were in elementary or middle school for significant parts of Biden’s vice presidency, and his campaign has spent little time reaching out to them during this year’s primary.
“The position on gun safety surprised me. I honestly thought he’d be more vague about his stance on it,” a white millennial wrote. In fact, one of Biden’s signature legislative accomplishments was passing an assault weapons ban through Congress. Many of these voters were also unaware of the role Biden played in pushing President Barack Obama to embrace the nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage in 2012.
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Another strategy that tested well was to portray a future President Biden as just one part of an administration. Showing young voters a video of Sanders telling Cardi B how he plans to pull Biden to the left was persuasive, as was pointing out that Biden has “even asked young activists to keep pushing him to go further on the issues when he is president” and that Biden has “pledged to build an administration filled with progressive leaders, experts, and activists from inside and outside of politics.”
But the strongest argument to vote for Biden might be who he’s running against. The young voters were almost unanimous in their disdain for Trump, critical of everything from his handling of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to the GOP’s 2017 tax cuts to his lack of effort on climate change. A simple comparison of Biden’s, Sanders’ and Trump’s stances on key issues was effective.
“When comparing and contrasting Biden, Sanders and Trump side-by-side, many come away surprised that Biden is not so far from Sanders on many issues, and nearly everyone comes away willing to accept that the differences between either Democrat and Trump are real (even if some remain doubtful Biden will deliver),” the report’s authors wrote. “This reflects the honest reality for many young people: Biden may not be perfect, but he represents an improvement on Trump.”
NextGen, which is funded by billionaire Democratic donor and former presidential candidate Tom Steyer, has already pledged to spend $45 million on youth voter turnout in the 2020 elections. Biden, benefiting from a dip in Trump’s political standing over the federal government’s haphazard efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic, holds a steady lead in public polling both nationally and in key swing states.
The Biden campaign ― which won the primaries with overwhelming support from older voters, who turn out more reliably at the polls ― says it’s expanding its outreach to young professionals and students. Biden held a virtual town hall with young voters last month.
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“As President Obama has said, Joe Biden is running on the most progressive platforms in modern history and laid out bold ideas to tackle climate change, expand health care, and make college affordable,” said Matt Hill, a Biden campaign spokesperson. “Joe Biden knows that young Americans are a driving force of the progressive movement and will work hard to earn their votes, unite our country, and ensure we achieve the ultimate goal we all share: defeating Donald Trump.”
Biden has made a series of overtures to the party’s left wing in the weeks since Sanders dropped out of the contest, endorsing a plan to eliminate student debt for the first time and promising to work with the Sanders campaign on crafting the Democratic Party’s platform. But operatives hoping to convince young people to back Biden shouldn’t try to oversell his left-wing credentials, according to the report.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-07--Chris Cuomo Reveals ‘Ugly’ Reason Why Donald Trump Downplays Coronavirus Testing

CNN ’ s Chris Cuomo on Wednesday night broke down why President Donald Trump and his allies routinely play down the importance of testing for the coronavirus , contrary to guidance from public health officials .
“ It is dishonest and destructive and it is done by design , ” Cuomo said .
For Trump , he continued , it was all about hiding the truth about the pandemic , which has so far killed more than 73,000 people nationwide .
The United States has more confirmed cases than any other country in the world .
“ Testing is truth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want you to believe that COVID is going away faster than it actually it is because they believe the longer it is real , the worse it is for Trump and the election , ” said Cuomo , who himself recovered from the virus last month .
“ The politics of forcing reopening is as obvious as it is ugly , ” he added .
`` Trump and co. keep trying to play down [ coronavirus ] testing .
It is dishonest and destructive and it is done by design . ''
- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pic.twitter.com/I2WxZi5mFv — Cuomo Prime Time ( @ CuomoPrimeTime ) May 7 , 2020

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CNN’s Chris Cuomo on Wednesday night broke down why President Donald Trump and his allies routinely play down the importance of testing for the coronavirus, contrary to guidance from public health officials.
“It is dishonest and destructive and it is done by design,” Cuomo said.
For Trump, he continued, it was all about hiding the truth about the pandemic, which has so far killed more than 73,000 people nationwide. The United States has more confirmed cases than any other country in the world.
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“Testing is truth because numbers are truth, and they want you to believe that COVID is going away faster than it actually it is because they believe the longer it is real, the worse it is for Trump and the election,” said Cuomo, who himself recovered from the virus last month.
“The politics of forcing reopening is as obvious as it is ugly,” he added.
Check out the clip here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-07--Sources: US Investigating Ex-Green Beret For Botched Venezuela Raid

The investigation into Jordan Goudreau is in its initial stages and it ’ s unclear if it will result in charges , according to a U.S. law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations .
The probe stems from a frenzy of contradictory comments Goudreau has made since a small cadre of volunteer combatants he was advising on Sunday launched an impossible raid aimed at overthrowing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro .
An AP investigation published prior to the failed raid places Goudreau at the center of a plot hatched with a rebellious former Venezuelan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secretly train dozens of Venezuelan military deserters in secret camps in Colombia to carry out a swift operation against Maduro .
The U.S. has offered a $ 15 million reward for information leading to Maduro ’ s arrest or conviction .
He was indicted by the Trump administration in March on narcoterrorist charges .
The men were being readied for combat at three rudimentary camps in Colombia with the help of Goudreau and his Florida-based company , Silvercorp USA , multiple Maduro opponents and aspiring freedom fighters told the AP .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it lacked the support of the Trump administration and was infiltrated by Maduro ’ s vast , Cuban-trained intelligence network , the AP found .
The law enforcement official said Goudreau ’ s possible involvement in weapons smuggling stems from the March 23 seizure by police in Colombia of a stockpile of weapons being transported in a truck .
Alcalá claimed ownership of the cache shortly before surrendering to face U.S. narcotics charges in the same case for which Maduro was indicted .
High-End Defense Solutions is the same company that Goudreau visited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source weapons , according to two former Venezuelan soldiers who claim to have helped the American select the gear but later had a bitter falling out with Goudreau amid accusations they were moles for Maduro .
The AP could not independent verify their account .
Two former law enforcement officials said an informant approached the Drug Enforcement Administration in Colombia prior to the weapons ’ seizure with an unsubstantiated tip about Goudreau ’ s alleged involvement in weapons smuggling .
The anti-narcotics agency , not knowing who Goudreau was at the time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but suspected that any weapons would ’ ve been destined for leftist rebels or criminal gangs in Colombia — not a ragtag army of Venezuelan volunteers , the former officials said on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations .
One of the officials said the information was later passed on to the Department of Homeland Security .
Meanwhile , officials in U.S. Congress are expressing concern .
Democratic congressional staff contacted the State Department multiple times on Monday seeking information about any possible contacts with Goudreau or knowledge of his activities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violated International Traffic in Arms Regulations , according to a staffer on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private outreach .
“ If we ’ d have been involved , it would have gone differently , ” he joked .
“ As for who bankrolled it , we ’ re not prepared to share any more information about what we know took place .
We ’ ll unpack that at an appropriate time , we ’ ll share that information if it makes good sense.
” “ You ’ ve got to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a phone interview with the AP Monday from Florida .
“ By no means am I saying that 60 guys can come in and topple a regime .
I ’ m saying 60 guys can go in and inspire the military and police to flip and join in the liberation of their country , which deep down is what they want.
” Goudreau has said he was hired by Juan Guaidó , who the U.S. considers Venezuela ’ s rightful leader .
To back his claim , he ’ s produced an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be the signature of Guaidó .
The opposition leader has refused to say whether the signature on the “ general services agreement ” is authentic .
On Wednesday what some 60 nations recognize as Venezuela ’ s legitimate government denied having signed any “ alleged contract ” and insisted it has no ties or commitments to Silvercorp .
In a statement it accused Maduro of infiltrating the so-called “ Operation Gideon ” and using a “ false document as justification to try and kidnap and illegally detain the interim president Juan Guaidó.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ account as well .
In a televised interview with “ Factores de Poder , ” a Miami media outlet popular with Venezuelan exiles , he claims he never received a “ single cent ” for his work yet continued to prepare the men for battle , in the process going deep into debt .
JJ Rendon , a Miami-based adviser to Guaidó , said he gave Goudreau $ 50,000 as requested to cover some expenses .
Goudreau acknowledged the payment to the AP and other media .
A few days later , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ realizing he was unable to deliver what he had promised and because they were not getting along , the person said .
An attempt to reactivate the accord fell through in November because the opposition had abandoned support for a private military incursion , the person said .
The last contact with Goudreau was a few weeks ago when a lawyer on the veteran ’ s behalf wrote Rendon seeking to collect a promised $ 1.5 million retainer .
Goudreau , through intermediaries , made it known that if they didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the press , the person said .

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MIAMI (AP) — A former Green Beret who has claimed responsibility for an ill-fated military incursion into Venezuela is under federal investigation for arms trafficking, according to current and former U.S. law enforcement officials.
The investigation into Jordan Goudreau is in its initial stages and it’s unclear if it will result in charges, according to a U.S. law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The probe stems from a frenzy of contradictory comments Goudreau has made since a small cadre of volunteer combatants he was advising on Sunday launched an impossible raid aimed at overthrowing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
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Members of the U.S. Congress are also asking the State Department about its knowledge of Goudreau’s plans and raised concerns that he possibly violated arms trafficking rules.
An AP investigation published prior to the failed raid places Goudreau at the center of a plot hatched with a rebellious former Venezuelan Army Gen., Cliver Alcalá, to secretly train dozens of Venezuelan military deserters in secret camps in Colombia to carry out a swift operation against Maduro. The U.S. has offered a $15 million reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest or conviction. He was indicted by the Trump administration in March on narcoterrorist charges.
The men were being readied for combat at three rudimentary camps in Colombia with the help of Goudreau and his Florida-based company, Silvercorp USA, multiple Maduro opponents and aspiring freedom fighters told the AP. But the plot seemed doomed from the start because it lacked the support of the Trump administration and was infiltrated by Maduro’s vast, Cuban-trained intelligence network, the AP found.
The law enforcement official said Goudreau’s comments suggests his work on behalf of the volunteer army may have violated laws that require any U.S. company supplying weapons or military equipment, as well as military training and advice, to foreign persons to seek State Department approval.
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Experts agree.
“Goudreau’s public comments alone show he was exporting his lethal expertise into a foreign country,” said Sean McFate, a former U.S. Army paratrooper who worked as a private military contractor and is the author of a book, “The New Rules of War,” on the foreign policy implications of privatized warfare. “This is a serious violation.”
Goudreau declined to comment Tuesday. The State Department said it is restricted under law from confirming licensing activities.
The law enforcement official said Goudreau’s possible involvement in weapons smuggling stems from the March 23 seizure by police in Colombia of a stockpile of weapons being transported in a truck. Alcalá claimed ownership of the cache shortly before surrendering to face U.S. narcotics charges in the same case for which Maduro was indicted.
The stockpile, worth around $150,000, included spotting scopes, night vision goggles, two-way radios and 26 American-made assault rifles with the serial numbers rubbed off. Fifteen brown-colored helmets seized by police were manufactured by High-End Defense Solutions, a Miami-based military equipment vendor owned by a Venezuelan immigrant family, according to Colombian police.
High-End Defense Solutions is the same company that Goudreau visited in November and December, allegedly to source weapons, according to two former Venezuelan soldiers who claim to have helped the American select the gear but later had a bitter falling out with Goudreau amid accusations they were moles for Maduro. The AP could not independent verify their account.
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Company owner Mark Von Reitzenstein has not responded to repeated email and phone requests seeking comment.
Two former law enforcement officials said an informant approached the Drug Enforcement Administration in Colombia prior to the weapons’ seizure with an unsubstantiated tip about Goudreau’s alleged involvement in weapons smuggling. The anti-narcotics agency, not knowing who Goudreau was at the time, didn’t open a formal probe but suspected that any weapons would’ve been destined for leftist rebels or criminal gangs in Colombia — not a ragtag army of Venezuelan volunteers, the former officials said on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. One of the officials said the information was later passed on to the Department of Homeland Security.
The DEA said it does not comment on ongoing potential investigations.
Authorities in Colombia are also looking into Goudreau as part of their investigation into the seized weapons shipment, a Colombian official told the AP on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing case.
Meanwhile, officials in U.S. Congress are expressing concern. Democratic congressional staff contacted the State Department multiple times on Monday seeking information about any possible contacts with Goudreau or knowledge of his activities, and whether his work may have violated International Traffic in Arms Regulations, according to a staffer on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private outreach.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday reiterated President Donald Trump’s claims a day earlier that there was no direct U.S. government involvement in Goudreau’s brazen operation.
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“If we’d have been involved, it would have gone differently,” he joked. “As for who bankrolled it, we’re not prepared to share any more information about what we know took place. We’ll unpack that at an appropriate time, we’ll share that information if it makes good sense.”
Goudreau, a three-time Bronze Star recipient, has insisted that his work providing only strategic advice to the combatants doesn’t require special licensing. Still, he acknowledged sending into battle two special forces buddies associated with Silvercorp and who are now in Venezuelan custody.
“You’ve got to introduce a catalyst,” he said in a phone interview with the AP Monday from Florida. “By no means am I saying that 60 guys can come in and topple a regime. I’m saying 60 guys can go in and inspire the military and police to flip and join in the liberation of their country, which deep down is what they want.”
Goudreau has said he was hired by Juan Guaidó, who the U.S. considers Venezuela’s rightful leader. To back his claim, he’s produced an 8-page agreement he signed with what appears to be the signature of Guaidó. The opposition leader has refused to say whether the signature on the “general services agreement” is authentic.
On Wednesday what some 60 nations recognize as Venezuela’s legitimate government denied having signed any “alleged contract” and insisted it has no ties or commitments to Silvercorp. In a statement it accused Maduro of infiltrating the so-called “Operation Gideon” and using a “false document as justification to try and kidnap and illegally detain the interim president Juan Guaidó.”
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Contradictions abound in Goudreau’s account as well. In a televised interview with “Factores de Poder,” a Miami media outlet popular with Venezuelan exiles, he claims he never received a “single cent” for his work yet continued to prepare the men for battle, in the process going deep into debt. JJ Rendon, a Miami-based adviser to Guaidó, said he gave Goudreau $50,000 as requested to cover some expenses. Goudreau acknowledged the payment to the AP and other media.
A person familiar with the situation said the agreement was signed by Rendon and another U.S.-based aide to Guaidó, lawmaker Sergio Vergara, in October. Guaidó at one point briefly greeted Goudreau via video conference — as evidenced by an audio recording made on a hidden cellphone by Goudreau and which he shared with the Venezuelan journalist.
“Let’s get to work!” said a voice that appears to be Guaidó in the leaked recording. He makes no mention of any military incursion.
A few days later, the team cut off contact with Goudreau, realizing he was unable to deliver what he had promised and because they were not getting along, the person said. An attempt to reactivate the accord fell through in November because the opposition had abandoned support for a private military incursion, the person said. The last contact with Goudreau was a few weeks ago when a lawyer on the veteran’s behalf wrote Rendon seeking to collect a promised $1.5 million retainer. Goudreau, through intermediaries, made it known that if they didn’t pay up he would release the agreement to the press, the person said.
It’s unclear how the weapons were smuggled into Colombia. But Silvercorp in December bought a 41-foot fiberglass boat, Florida vessel registration records show, and proceeded in February to obtain a license to install maritime navigation equipment. On his application to the Federal Communications Commission, he said the boat would travel to foreign ports.
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The boat next appeared in Jamaica, where Goudreau had gathered with a few of his special forces buddies looking to participate in the raid, according to a person familiar with the situation on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive dealings.
But as they were readying their assault, the boat broke down at sea on March 28 and an emergency position-indicating radio beacon was activated, alerting naval authorities on the island of Curacao. Goudreau had to return to Florida, prevented from rejoining his troops prior to the landing because of travel restrictions put in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“He would have 100% gone out in a blaze of gunfire because that’s who he is,” said the person.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-07--Washington Post Sums Up Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Failings With Scorching Analogy

The Washington Post editorial board used an analogy about a burning house to sum up President Donald Trump ’ s chaotic and widely criticized response to the coronavirus pandemic .
In a column published Thursday , the newspaper ’ s board said the United States is “ reeling from an absence of leadership ” by Trump and his administration .
“ As the house burns , Mr. Trump is standing on the front lawn , boasting of success , denying responsibility , ordering others to grab the garden hose and promising that everything will be back to normal soon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ His fecklessness is costing the country dearly.
” The board noted in its column — headlined “ Trump is pushing to reopen too soon .
The consequences could be tragic.
” — how the U.S. has now reached the “ very difficult crossroads ” of continuing to fight the spread of the virus while cautiously restarting the economy .
It expressed significant doubt about whether Trump was up to the job , however , given how the president has essentially “ passed responsibility to the governors , is now urging them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , more death and still more economic loss.
” “ The nation ’ s economic implosion demands action , but the correct response is to reopen in a way that is sustainable and does not cost thousands of additional lives , ” the board concluded .
“ Mr .
Trump not only does not know how to get there , but he also appears unwilling to seriously tackle the problem .
We may soon see terrible consequences from his abdication .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The Washington Post editorial board used an analogy about a burning house to sum up President Donald Trump’s chaotic and widely criticized response to the coronavirus pandemic.
In a column published Thursday, the newspaper’s board said the United States is “reeling from an absence of leadership” by Trump and his administration.
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“As the house burns, Mr. Trump is standing on the front lawn, boasting of success, denying responsibility, ordering others to grab the garden hose and promising that everything will be back to normal soon,” the board wrote, warning: “His fecklessness is costing the country dearly.”
The board noted in its column — headlined “Trump is pushing to reopen too soon. The consequences could be tragic.” — how the U.S. has now reached the “very difficult crossroads” of continuing to fight the spread of the virus while cautiously restarting the economy.
It expressed significant doubt about whether Trump was up to the job, however, given how the president has essentially “passed responsibility to the governors, is now urging them to reopen too soon, risking more infections, more death and still more economic loss.”
“The nation’s economic implosion demands action, but the correct response is to reopen in a way that is sustainable and does not cost thousands of additional lives,” the board concluded. “Mr. Trump not only does not know how to get there, but he also appears unwilling to seriously tackle the problem. We may soon see terrible consequences from his abdication.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-07--Betsy DeVos Makes Moves To Quietly Prop Up Private Schools

First , DeVos launched a $ 180 million competitive grant program that will give states access to money from the coronavirus stimulus bill ― known as the CARES Act ― if they apply with a plan to meet students ’ needs amid widespread school closures .
States can apply a plan in one of three categories , including one that would provide “ microgrants ” to families to pay for educational expenses , like tutoring and technology or , if they prefer , private school tuition .
Secondly , DeVos released guidance on how another stream of education funding , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be doled out among schools .
While funding will be provided directly to public school districts mostly based on the proportion of poor students they serve , the guidance says that private schools ― even affluent ones with affluent students ― are also entitled to a slice of the pie .
Public school groups say this new guidance takes critical funds away from public schools at a time when they need it the most .
Her critics say that the two recent moves help prop up private schools at the expense of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April represented the most “ successful ” one of DeVos ’ tenure when it comes to enacting her agenda , said Sasha Pudelski , advocacy director of the School Superintendents Association .
The microgrants program , according to Pudelski , is just another example of DeVos taking public dollars and trying to redirect it to families for potential use on private school tuition , bolstering such schools at the cost of public ones .
Indeed , a handful of states already have education savings accounts ( ESA ) programs , which provide families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education expenses of their choice .
“ We should be thinking about what families need and meeting them where they are , ” said Robert Enlow , president and CEO of EdChoice , a nonprofit school choice research and advocacy group .
Instead of providing money directly to schools ― or “ buildings ” ― the microgrants will put the power in parents ’ hands , to make the choices they believe best serve them , he said .
HuffPost reached out to several states to ask about their plans to apply .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan to apply for a federal education grant , but did not yet know in which category ( the other two for K-12 grants involve statewide virtual learning programs and “ new , field-initiated models for providing remote education not yet imagined ” ) .
A Texas official said the state would apply for the virtual learning component of the grant .
But under DeVos ’ new guidance , private school programs are allowed to take CARES money based on how many students they serve ― not just how many of their students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public districts that will be providing dollars for these private school services are still only allotted the federal funds based on their numbers of low-income kids .
Groups representing public schools say this violates the intent of the law and is inconsistent with precedent .
Indeed , the CARES Act says that services to students in private schools should be provided aid “ in the same manner ” as federal education law details .
The groups are calling on the guidance to be revised , anticipating public funds getting funneled into affluent buildings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Education pushed back on this complaint , noting that “ Congress directed the department to make sure all students are able to be served through the CARES Act , ” according to spokesperson Angela Morabito .
Only providing money for low-income private school students , she said , would place private school teachers and students at an unfair disadvantage .
Myra McGovern , vice president of media for the National Association of Independent Schools , says few of the 1,600 schools her organization works with currently take advantage of Title I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infringe on their autonomy .
She ’ s unsure if this could change as the coronavirus crisis continues to worsen .

Secretary of Education Betsy Devos. JIM WATSON via Getty Images
During the last week of April, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos made two under-the-radar moves to help bolster private schools ― actions that some school choice proponents praise but that critics say come at the expense of public education.
First, DeVos launched a $180 million competitive grant program that will give states access to money from the coronavirus stimulus bill ― known as the CARES Act ― if they apply with a plan to meet students’ needs amid widespread school closures. States can apply a plan in one of three categories, including one that would provide “microgrants” to families to pay for educational expenses, like tutoring and technology or, if they prefer, private school tuition.
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Secondly, DeVos released guidance on how another stream of education funding, also created by the stimulus bill, should be doled out among schools. While funding will be provided directly to public school districts mostly based on the proportion of poor students they serve, the guidance says that private schools ― even affluent ones with affluent students ― are also entitled to a slice of the pie. Public school groups say this new guidance takes critical funds away from public schools at a time when they need it the most.
DeVos has staked her tenure on helping to expand choice programs that provide funding to families to help them pay for private schools. She has unsuccessfully pushed a federal choice program that would provide billions in tax credits to incentivize donations to private school scholarship programs.
Her critics say that the two recent moves help prop up private schools at the expense of public ones. The last week in April represented the most “successful” one of DeVos’ tenure when it comes to enacting her agenda, said Sasha Pudelski, advocacy director of the School Superintendents Association.
“I can’t think of another week where she’s had two major victories like this, in terms of redirecting federal resources to private schools,” Pudelski said.
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But private school and school choice boosters insist the moves should not be seen as political, depicting them as ways to help a flailing sector and struggling families amid an unprecedented crisis.
“Divisive, Ideologically Driven Policy Priorities”
The microgrants program, according to Pudelski, is just another example of DeVos taking public dollars and trying to redirect it to families for potential use on private school tuition, bolstering such schools at the cost of public ones. Indeed, a handful of states already have education savings accounts (ESA) programs, which provide families with public dollars to spend on the education expenses of their choice.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) has described the microgrants as “vouchers” by another name. Voucher programs take public funds and funnel them to scholarships for private schools. She said the grant program, meant to provide necessary relief as schools transition to distance learning, promotes “divisive, ideologically driven policy priorities.”
In other words, DeVos is using the response to the coronavirus pandemic to push a notoriously polarizing concept, one that mostly serves to lift up religious schools ― as they’re the typical beneficiary of voucher funds, per a previous HuffPost investigation.
“At best, the secretary is exploiting emergency relief legislation to insert secretarial priorities not outlined in this section of the CARES Act,” DeLauro said in a statement. “At worst, the secretary is deliberately misreading the law to conjure up purposes for these resources that were not provided.”
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School choice advocates have lauded the microgrants program as family-centered in a time of crisis.
“We should be thinking about what families need and meeting them where they are,” said Robert Enlow, president and CEO of EdChoice, a nonprofit school choice research and advocacy group. Instead of providing money directly to schools ― or “buildings” ― the microgrants will put the power in parents’ hands, to make the choices they believe best serve them, he said.
HuffPost reached out to several states to ask about their plans to apply. New York and Arizona officials said they plan to apply for a federal education grant, but did not yet know in which category (the other two for K-12 grants involve statewide virtual learning programs and “new, field-initiated models for providing remote education not yet imagined”). A Texas official said the state would apply for the virtual learning component of the grant.
A spokesperson for the Indiana Department of Education ― a state that already has an expansive private school choice system ― said it would apply for a microgrant.
Public Schools On The Brink
DeVos’ second move has the potential to devastate public school finances at a time when the systems are already anticipating draconian cuts, according to public school groups. One group representing big-city districts has estimated layoffs of up to 275,000 teachers without more relief.
Private schools, on the other hand, which only educate about 10% of the nation’s kids, say the funding provides a lifeline at a time when their finances are flailing, as well.
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Last Friday, DeVos released guidance regarding the distribution of $13.5 billion in CARES Act education relief. The amount of money school districts receive from this pot is mostly determined through an established Title I formula, which under the nation’s education law gives more federal money to areas serving high proportions of low-income students.
Typically, in a provision of the law called “equitable services,” private school programs are also entitled to a portion of Title I funds provided to their local public school districts, based on the number of poor students the private institutions serve.
But under DeVos’ new guidance, private school programs are allowed to take CARES money based on how many students they serve ― not just how many of their students are in poverty. Meanwhile, the public districts that will be providing dollars for these private school services are still only allotted the federal funds based on their numbers of low-income kids.
Groups representing public schools say this violates the intent of the law and is inconsistent with precedent. Indeed, the CARES Act says that services to students in private schools should be provided aid “in the same manner” as federal education law details. The groups are calling on the guidance to be revised, anticipating public funds getting funneled into affluent buildings serving groups of privileged students.
“Absent these edits, the CARES Act equitable services guidance is inequitable and creates an environment where wealthy children in private schools are counted … at the direct expense of low-income children remaining in public schools,” said a letter sent to DeVos on Tuesday from the School Superintendents Association and the two national teacher unions.
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Another letter from the Council of Chief State School Officers to DeVos noted that in one Louisiana parish, “at least 77% of its CARES formula allocation would be directed to non-public schools in the area.”
The Department of Education pushed back on this complaint, noting that “Congress directed the department to make sure all students are able to be served through the CARES Act,” according to spokesperson Angela Morabito. Only providing money for low-income private school students, she said, would place private school teachers and students at an unfair disadvantage.
Private Schools Need A Bailout, Too
At least one group representing private schools said it doesn’t foresee them taking advantage of the new access to funds.
Myra McGovern, vice president of media for the National Association of Independent Schools, says few of the 1,600 schools her organization works with currently take advantage of Title I money, for fear doing so could infringe on their autonomy. She’s unsure if this could change as the coronavirus crisis continues to worsen.
But some private school groups say that they’re also anticipating devastating losses, that the CARES Act is not a Title I program and necessitates a different distribution of funds, and that they, too, need all the help they can get.
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“Every kid in public school and private schools is affected [by this crisis], it’s not dependent upon whether they are poor,” said Sister Dale McDonald, director of public policy for the National Catholic Education Association. “Everybody is at risk during this time frame, trying to learn under really trying circumstances.”
McDonald said Catholic schools are hemorrhaging money ― that families are no longer able to pay tuition, that churches haven’t been able to take up collections to help support the schools, that institutions have had to cancel their springtime fundraisers.
She’s already heard from 100 schools that do not believe they’re going to be able to reopen.
“Every school deserves better,” she said.
A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-07--Liberal Groups Urge Federal Reserve To Block Mergers Under Coronavirus Bailout

Win McNamee via Getty Images Nine progressive organizations sent a letter to Fed Chairman Jerome Powell urging him to block any company that receives rescue funding from engaging in merger activity .
When the Senate unanimously passed the coronavirus rescue package in March , it opted against putting substantive restrictions on how companies use the emergency funding .
The bailouts have very few strings attached , allowing large corporations to buy back stock , pay out dividends to shareholders , funnel millions of dollars directly to executives and go on merger binges to buy up smaller , weaker competitors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ overseeing up to $ 4 trillion in funding under the rescue plan , still commands significant influence over how companies use this money .
So this week , nine progressive organizations , led by the American Economic Liberties Project , sent a letter to Fed Chairman Jerome Powell urging him to block any company that receives rescue funding from engaging in merger activity .
By snapping up their rivals , big firms can eliminate sources of competition on worker pay and consumer price .
Economists believe that one reason wage growth was so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the 2008 financial crisis was that firms engaged in a historic merger binge in the aftermath of the crash .
Some of those blockbuster deals resulted in immediate , massive layoffs .
When Pfizer acquired Wyeth Pharmaceuticals , they eliminated 19,500 jobs ( even as Wyeth executives received a cool $ 75 million ) .
But layoffs ― which we ’ re already seeing in jaw-dropping numbers due to the pandemic itself ― are only part of the damage that mergers do to working people .
With fewer companies competing for pharmaceutical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry as a whole enjoyed a decline in pressure to pay better salaries or offer better benefits in order to keep employees from jumping ship .
“ Unless the Federal Reserve bans the use of [ bailout ] funding for mergers and acquisitions , this could result in a major restructuring of American businesses that increases the power of large corporations , ” said Marcus Stanley , policy director at Americans for Financial Reform , a Wall Street watchdog organization that also signed Thursday ’ s letter .
Due to the weak oversight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essentially reduced to begging Fed Chairman Powell to do the right thing .
But Powell has responded to previous appeals for accountability .
When Bharat Rhamamurti , a Democratic member of the official oversight panel for the coronavirus bailout , asked the Fed to publicly disclose every rescue transaction it makes under the program , Powell assented .
That commitment to transparency is sharply different from the Fed ’ s approach during the last financial crisis , when the central bank refused to disclose detailed information about its emergency operations until courts ruled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed legislation requiring an audit .
“ The Federal Reserve must make sure corporations do not use public money to consolidate markets and create new monopolies , ” Matthew Stoller , research director for the American Economic Liberties Project , said in a written statement .
Antitrust policy has become a flashpoint on both the left and right over the past few years , with think tanks , including the Open Markets Institute , seeking to persuade legislators that excessive corporate concentration is undermining workers ’ power and business performance .
But whatever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic downturns tend to exacerbate corporate concentration .
As small companies fail , large firms with access to cash swoop in to grab their market share .
With the Fed providing trillions of dollars in liquidity to large firms in the current crisis , the potential for a wave of hyper-consolidation is acute .
In their letter on Thursday , liberal groups emphasized , in particular , the danger of large private equity firms using that funding to take over productive businesses and reduce payrolls .
The other groups involved in the letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Economy , Demand Progress , the Institute for Local Self Reliance , Main Street Alliance , Public Citizen and the Public Equity Stakeholder Project .

Nine progressive organizations sent a letter to Fed Chairman Jerome Powell urging him to block any company that receives rescue funding from engaging in merger activity. Win McNamee via Getty Images
When the Senate unanimously passed the coronavirus rescue package in March, it opted against putting substantive restrictions on how companies use the emergency funding. The bailouts have very few strings attached, allowing large corporations to buy back stock, pay out dividends to shareholders, funnel millions of dollars directly to executives and go on merger binges to buy up smaller, weaker competitors.
But the Federal Reserve, which is overseeing up to $4 trillion in funding under the rescue plan, still commands significant influence over how companies use this money. So this week, nine progressive organizations, led by the American Economic Liberties Project, sent a letter to Fed Chairman Jerome Powell urging him to block any company that receives rescue funding from engaging in merger activity.
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“The Fed must aggressively attempt to retain institutional credibility as a neutral actor in our economic order,” the groups wrote. “It should not help finance a merger wave that leads to large-scale consolidation.”
By snapping up their rivals, big firms can eliminate sources of competition on worker pay and consumer price. Economists believe that one reason wage growth was so slow over the course of the recovery from the 2008 financial crisis was that firms engaged in a historic merger binge in the aftermath of the crash. Some of those blockbuster deals resulted in immediate, massive layoffs. When Pfizer acquired Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, they eliminated 19,500 jobs (even as Wyeth executives received a cool $75 million).
But layoffs ― which we’re already seeing in jaw-dropping numbers due to the pandemic itself ― are only part of the damage that mergers do to working people. With fewer companies competing for pharmaceutical workers after the Pfizer-Wyeth merger, the industry as a whole enjoyed a decline in pressure to pay better salaries or offer better benefits in order to keep employees from jumping ship.
“Unless the Federal Reserve bans the use of [bailout] funding for mergers and acquisitions, this could result in a major restructuring of American businesses that increases the power of large corporations,” said Marcus Stanley, policy director at Americans for Financial Reform, a Wall Street watchdog organization that also signed Thursday’s letter.
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Due to the weak oversight provided by Congress, liberal groups are essentially reduced to begging Fed Chairman Powell to do the right thing. But Powell has responded to previous appeals for accountability. When Bharat Rhamamurti, a Democratic member of the official oversight panel for the coronavirus bailout, asked the Fed to publicly disclose every rescue transaction it makes under the program, Powell assented. That commitment to transparency is sharply different from the Fed’s approach during the last financial crisis, when the central bank refused to disclose detailed information about its emergency operations until courts ruled against it in a lawsuit and Congress passed legislation requiring an audit.
The groups involved in Thursday’s letter are hoping for a similar result on merger restrictions.
“The Federal Reserve must make sure corporations do not use public money to consolidate markets and create new monopolies,” Matthew Stoller, research director for the American Economic Liberties Project, said in a written statement.
Antitrust policy has become a flashpoint on both the left and right over the past few years, with think tanks, including the Open Markets Institute, seeking to persuade legislators that excessive corporate concentration is undermining workers’ power and business performance. But whatever the intellectual climate on Capitol Hill, economic downturns tend to exacerbate corporate concentration. As small companies fail, large firms with access to cash swoop in to grab their market share. With the Fed providing trillions of dollars in liquidity to large firms in the current crisis, the potential for a wave of hyper-consolidation is acute. In their letter on Thursday, liberal groups emphasized, in particular, the danger of large private equity firms using that funding to take over productive businesses and reduce payrolls.
“It’s critical to ensure that the Federal Reserve doesn’t accidentally finance a wave of unnecessary private equity buy-outs,” said Eileen Appelbaum, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, which joined the letter.
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The other groups involved in the letter were the Action Center for Race and the Economy, Demand Progress, the Institute for Local Self Reliance, Main Street Alliance, Public Citizen and the Public Equity Stakeholder Project.
Zach Carter is the author of “The Price of Peace: Money, Democracy, and the Life of John Maynard Keynes,” available for pre-order from Random House.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-07--Ahmaud Arbery's Former Coach Is Honoring His Birthday With Nationwide Run

In response to his death , Arbery ’ s former high school football coach Jason Vaughn is rallying supporters to @ @ @ @ @ Arbery ’ s honor , asking supporters to run 2.23 miles — representing the date @ @ @ @ @ — on the day Arbery would have turned 26 .
Vaughn is asking participants to @ @ @ @ @ .
“ With COVID-19 of course , we can ’ t have a demonstration where @ @ @ @ @ ” Vaughn told CNN .
“ Any runner can identify with [ him and ] @ @ @ @ @ hit the pavement and go jog.
” HuffPost has reached out to Vaughn for more @ @ @ @ @ spread across social media , with celebrities like Olivia Wilde and Ava DuVernay encouraging people @ @ @ @ @ raise awareness about racism and injustice in this country .
”

In response to his death, Arbery’s former high school football coach Jason Vaughn is rallying supporters to go for a jog in Arbery’s honor, asking supporters to run 2.23 miles — representing the date upon which he was killed — on the day Arbery would have turned 26. Vaughn is asking participants to use the #IRunWithMaud hashtag.
“With COVID-19 of course, we can’t have a demonstration where we all come together,” Vaughn told CNN. “Any runner can identify with [him and] can go out there and hit the pavement and go jog.”
HuffPost has reached out to Vaughn for more information.
The hashtag has spread across social media, with celebrities like Olivia Wilde and Ava DuVernay encouraging people to get involved and “raise awareness about racism and injustice in this country.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-07--Will Congress Get Its Act Together On Another Round Of Coronavirus Stimulus Checks?

It cost less than one-tenth of the amount Congress has approved in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
But even as lawmakers begin drafting the next round of economic relief , it ’ s not clear there ’ s enough support in Washington for one of the most popular policies in years : direct cash payments .
Only $ 293 billion of the $ 2 trillion Coronavirus Aid , Relief and Economic Stability Act ( CARES ) went directly to individuals through no-strings-attached cash payments .
( Congress has also spent about another $ 1 trillion in other pieces of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) The vast majority of the money has been earmarked for businesses suffering from shutdowns .
So it would seem to make sense that another round of checks ― perhaps even multiple rounds of checks ― could help blunt the economic effects of the coronavirus , particularly when direct stimulus remains so popular .
Polling has found about three-quarters of Americans in key battleground states support more government relief payments .
“ The government has shut down the economy to keep us all safe .
We have an obligation to help people pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Khanna ( D-Calif. ) .
“ The way to do that is to provide a $ 2,000 payment a month for the duration of this crisis to any household making less than $ 250,000.
” Progressives in Congress like Khanna and Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) agree on $ 2,000 recurring monthly payments until the situation improves .
But a spokesperson for Pelosi said she had in mind something more like the Paycheck Guarantee Act from Rep. Pramila Jayapal ( D-Wash. ) , which would grant money to employers to pay wages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directly .
With the Democrats not yet coalescing around any one idea , Pelosi is collecting proposals from the chairs of various House committees .
And negotiations between Congress and the Trump administration on the next bill have been slow to pick up .
A spokesperson for the House Ways and Means Committee , which oversees taxes and rebate payments , said that while details remain uncertain , Chairman Richard Neal ( D-Mass . )
“ believes there should be at least one more round of direct payments to individuals.
” My sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least in our caucus calls , is the need to save state and local governments from imminent collapse .
And I think that has chewed up a lot of our bandwidth .
Despite some trouble getting the money to people who haven ’ t filed tax returns in the past two years , the direct payments may have been more efficient than the Paycheck Protection Program ( PPP ) and expanded unemployment benefits , both of which have had major glitches .
As of Thursday , layoff victims in 20 states still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , more than a month after the CARES act became law .
Meanwhile , the IRS has sent direct payments to more than 120 million households so far .
While direct payments were one of the most-discussed policies leading up to passage of the CARES Act , they ’ ve since received less attention than other initiatives .
Instead , support for state and local governments , hospitals and health care workers ― as well as expanded unemployment insurance benefits and more money for the Paycheck Protection Program ― have taken center stage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consideration right now , at least in our caucus calls , is the need to save state and local governments from imminent collapse , ” Rep. Jared Huffman ( D-Calif. ) told HuffPost on Thursday .
“ And I think that has chewed up a lot of our bandwidth.
” As they debate the next bill ― some Republicans have debated whether to do another bill ― lawmakers will wrangle over another round of PPP funds , as well as whether to preserve expanded unemployment insurance .
The extra $ 600 per week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is set to expire in July .
Sen. Ron Wyden ( D-Ore. ) , the top Democrats on the Senate committee that oversees taxes and unemployment , announced a new proposal Thursday to keep the $ 600 in place until economic conditions improve , an idea that seems to have wide support among Democrats .
Wyden said he also supports another round of direct payments , but it ’ s not his first priority at the moment .
“ I would support additional payments , as well as fixing problems with the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dependents and citizen children of immigrants , ” Wyden told HuffPost in a statement .
“ My top priorities are tying expanded unemployment benefits to economic conditions and providing more help for the smallest of small businesses.
” “ It is a remarkable shift toward an understanding that cash payments give people the tools to solve their own problems , ” Ruben said .
“ It was a minority position , [ but ] now I think we see broad agreement among Democrats and even some Republicans that cash is an important tool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Huffman , however , said skepticism remains toward the near-universal benefit ― that sending the same payment to people who are doing fine as people who can ’ t pay their rent was “ not ideal.
” ( People with the highest incomes were excluded from the payments in the CARES Act . )

LOADING ERROR LOADING
It cost less than one-tenth of the amount Congress has approved in response to the coronavirus pandemic. But even as lawmakers begin drafting the next round of economic relief, it’s not clear there’s enough support in Washington for one of the most popular policies in years: direct cash payments.
Only $293 billion of the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Stability Act (CARES) went directly to individuals through no-strings-attached cash payments. (Congress has also spent about another $1 trillion in other pieces of legislation responding to the health crisis.) The vast majority of the money has been earmarked for businesses suffering from shutdowns.
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The economic crisis resulting from the pandemic has only deepened, with the Labor Department set to announce Friday morning just how many millions of people lost their jobs last month.
So it would seem to make sense that another round of checks ― perhaps even multiple rounds of checks ― could help blunt the economic effects of the coronavirus, particularly when direct stimulus remains so popular. Polling has found about three-quarters of Americans in key battleground states support more government relief payments.
“The government has shut down the economy to keep us all safe. We have an obligation to help people pay the bills,” said Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.). “The way to do that is to provide a $2,000 payment a month for the duration of this crisis to any household making less than $250,000.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said last week that Congress needs to figure out the best way to distribute money, musing that “perhaps” a “guaranteed income” for people would be worth considering. Her top deputy, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), previously suggested monthly payments.
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Progressives in Congress like Khanna and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) agree on $2,000 recurring monthly payments until the situation improves. But a spokesperson for Pelosi said she had in mind something more like the Paycheck Guarantee Act from Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), which would grant money to employers to pay wages and prevent layoffs ― not pay people directly.
With the Democrats not yet coalescing around any one idea, Pelosi is collecting proposals from the chairs of various House committees. And negotiations between Congress and the Trump administration on the next bill have been slow to pick up. A spokesperson for the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees taxes and rebate payments, said that while details remain uncertain, Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) “believes there should be at least one more round of direct payments to individuals.”
“My sense is the top consideration right now, at least in our caucus calls, is the need to save state and local governments from imminent collapse. And I think that has chewed up a lot of our bandwidth.” - Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.)
Despite some trouble getting the money to people who haven’t filed tax returns in the past two years, the direct payments may have been more efficient than the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and expanded unemployment benefits, both of which have had major glitches. As of Thursday, layoff victims in 20 states still weren’t receiving the new benefits, more than a month after the CARES act became law. Meanwhile, the IRS has sent direct payments to more than 120 million households so far.
While direct payments were one of the most-discussed policies leading up to passage of the CARES Act, they’ve since received less attention than other initiatives. Instead, support for state and local governments, hospitals and health care workers ― as well as expanded unemployment insurance benefits and more money for the Paycheck Protection Program ― have taken center stage.
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“My sense is the top consideration right now, at least in our caucus calls, is the need to save state and local governments from imminent collapse,” Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) told HuffPost on Thursday. “And I think that has chewed up a lot of our bandwidth.”
Congress has already poured an extra $321 billion into the small business PPP loan program, and Democrats and Republicans alike are once again pushing to put more money in it.
As they debate the next bill ― some Republicans have debated whether to do another bill ― lawmakers will wrangle over another round of PPP funds, as well as whether to preserve expanded unemployment insurance. The extra $600 per week for unemployment provided by the CARES Act is set to expire in July.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the top Democrats on the Senate committee that oversees taxes and unemployment, announced a new proposal Thursday to keep the $600 in place until economic conditions improve, an idea that seems to have wide support among Democrats. Wyden said he also supports another round of direct payments, but it’s not his first priority at the moment.
“I would support additional payments, as well as fixing problems with the first round of payments like the exclusion of dependents and citizen children of immigrants,” Wyden told HuffPost in a statement. “My top priorities are tying expanded unemployment benefits to economic conditions and providing more help for the smallest of small businesses.”
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The first round of payments broke a longstanding Washington taboo against giving money directly to poor people, even if they have no taxable income. A recurring monthly payment for people who aren’t senior citizens would be another huge step.
Adam Ruben of the Economic Security Project, an advocacy group promoting the concept of guaranteed income, said the conversation about the next coronavirus bill has been encouraging.
“It is a remarkable shift toward an understanding that cash payments give people the tools to solve their own problems,” Ruben said. “It was a minority position, [but] now I think we see broad agreement among Democrats and even some Republicans that cash is an important tool ― and once isn’t enough.”
Huffman, however, said skepticism remains toward the near-universal benefit ― that sending the same payment to people who are doing fine as people who can’t pay their rent was “not ideal.” (People with the highest incomes were excluded from the payments in the CARES Act.)
“There’s something about abusing this crisis that bothers all of us,” Huffman said.
Clarification: A previous version of this story said the Economic Security Project advocates for a universal basic income; the group favors a guaranteed income.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-07--Food Insecurity Roughly Doubled For U.S. Households Amid Pandemic, Surveys Suggest

In late April , slightly more than 20 % — or 1 in 5 — U.S. households reported food insecurity , according to an analysis by The Brookings Institution of two recent nationally representative surveys .
By comparison , 11 % of U.S. households were considered food insecure in 2018 , according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture .
“ Overall rates of household food insecurity have effectively doubled , ” Brookings wrote in its report , released Wednesday .
Brookings looked at two online surveys — one conducted on behalf of the Data Foundation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brookings Institution , which asked questions taken from the USDA ’ s 2018 food security questionnaire .
Households are considered food insecure if survey respondents indicate that , sometimes or often , they didn ’ t have enough money to buy more food after their food ran out or the children in their household were not eating enough because they couldn ’ t afford enough food .
It ’ s worth noting the USDA ’ s 2018 survey results are not “ apples to apples ” — or directly comparable — to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data is broadly suggestive of an overall rise in food insecurity across U.S. households .
The levels of food insecurity found in the April surveys are even higher than those the USDA found in the years of the Great Recession after 2008 , when U.S. household food insecurity hovered around 15 % .
A record 33 million workers in the U.S. have filed for unemployment in the past seven weeks , showing the harsh economic effect of the coronavirus and related shutdowns to prevent the virus ’ s spread .
Those figures don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unable to file or those deemed ineligible for the benefits , including millions of undocumented immigrant workers .
During this economic crisis , Democratic lawmakers have been pushing for a long-term increase in food stamp benefits , seeking to boost them by 15 % for as long as the crisis lasts , reported The New York Times .
But Republican lawmakers have resisted , opting instead for a short-term increase during the pandemic .
Since the coronavirus hit the U.S. and caused broad economic shutdowns since March , there has been a sharp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
HuffPost spoke last month to several parents who ’ d lost jobs in the pandemic and worried about providing food for their kids .
Some had turned to food banks for help for the first time .
“ I ’ m worried because I have three mouths to feed , ” Alma Brigido , 35 , told HuffPost last month .
She lost her job at a restaurant after it closed due to coronavirus shutdowns , and she doesn ’ t qualify for unemployment benefits or the government ’ s stimulus checks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Without a job , without money , what am I going to do ?
When is this going to end ?
” she said .
The Brookings Institution report included two surveys .
One , a poll of adults nationwide , was conducted online by NORC at the University of Chicago on behalf of the Data Foundation and was fielded April 20-April 26 , 2020 .
The other , a poll of mothers with children ages 12 and under , was conducted by SurveyMonkey on behalf of the Hamilton Project and the Future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fielded April 27-28 , 2020 .
More details on the surveys ’ methodology is available here .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The number of Americans struggling to afford food is mounting dramatically during the coronavirus pandemic, two new surveys suggest.
In late April, slightly more than 20% — or 1 in 5 — U.S. households reported food insecurity, according to an analysis by The Brookings Institution of two recent nationally representative surveys.
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By comparison, 11% of U.S. households were considered food insecure in 2018, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“Overall rates of household food insecurity have effectively doubled,” Brookings wrote in its report, released Wednesday. Brookings looked at two online surveys — one conducted on behalf of the Data Foundation, and the others for affiliates of the Brookings Institution, which asked questions taken from the USDA’s 2018 food security questionnaire.
Households are considered food insecure if survey respondents indicate that, sometimes or often, they didn’t have enough money to buy more food after their food ran out or the children in their household were not eating enough because they couldn’t afford enough food.
It’s worth noting the USDA’s 2018 survey results are not “apples to apples” — or directly comparable — to the two new survey results, but the data is broadly suggestive of an overall rise in food insecurity across U.S. households.
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The levels of food insecurity found in the April surveys are even higher than those the USDA found in the years of the Great Recession after 2008, when U.S. household food insecurity hovered around 15%.
What’s more, households with young children are particularly struggling, with 2 in 5 households with mothers with kids ages 12 and younger reporting being food insecure.
A record 33 million workers in the U.S. have filed for unemployment in the past seven weeks, showing the harsh economic effect of the coronavirus and related shutdowns to prevent the virus’s spread. Those figures don’t include those who have been unable to file or those deemed ineligible for the benefits, including millions of undocumented immigrant workers.
As of last week, CHILD and household food insecurity are off the charts.
Double for households.
More than quadruple for children.
Documented in a new analysis: The COVID-19 Crisis Has Already Left Too Many Children Hungry in Americahttps://t.co/AuyDjppIXE
1/4 pic.twitter.com/PilVjWxkd9 — Lauren Bauer (@laurenlbauer) May 6, 2020
During this economic crisis, Democratic lawmakers have been pushing for a long-term increase in food stamp benefits, seeking to boost them by 15% for as long as the crisis lasts, reported The New York Times. But Republican lawmakers have resisted, opting instead for a short-term increase during the pandemic.
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Since the coronavirus hit the U.S. and caused broad economic shutdowns since March, there has been a sharp increase in demand at food banks nationwide.
HuffPost spoke last month to several parents who’d lost jobs in the pandemic and worried about providing food for their kids. Some had turned to food banks for help for the first time.
“I’m worried because I have three mouths to feed,” Alma Brigido, 35, told HuffPost last month. She lost her job at a restaurant after it closed due to coronavirus shutdowns, and she doesn’t qualify for unemployment benefits or the government’s stimulus checks because she’s undocumented.
“Without a job, without money, what am I going to do? When is this going to end?” she said.
The Brookings Institution report included two surveys. One, a poll of adults nationwide, was conducted online by NORC at the University of Chicago on behalf of the Data Foundation and was fielded April 20-April 26, 2020. The other, a poll of mothers with children ages 12 and under, was conducted by SurveyMonkey on behalf of the Hamilton Project and the Future of the Middle Class Initiative and was fielded April 27-28, 2020. More details on the surveys’ methodology is available here.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-07--Here’s How Americans’ Views About The Pandemic Are Starting To Shift

ASSOCIATED PRESS Hannah Contreras helps to clean , sanitize and prepare Alamo Heights Baptist Church for services this Sunday , in San Antonio , May 6 .
In a new HuffPost/YouGov poll , support for state stay-at-home orders has fallen from its peak , but remains high .
( AP Photo/Eric Gay ) In the past few weeks , public views about some aspects of the coronavirus crisis have shifted , a set of new HuffPost/YouGov polling finds , with levels of concern and support for stay-at-home orders ticking down from record highs .
A decisive majority of support for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans continuing to say they ’ re personally making an effort to stay home , and worried about reopening too quickly .
Americans ’ concerns about coronavirus peaked in early April , when 58 % said they were very worried about the virus ’ s spread in the U.S. , and 46 % said they were very concerned they or a family member would contract the disease .
In the most recent survey , 47 % say they ’ re very concerned by the outbreak nationally , and about a third are very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Perceptions of the federal response to the crisis have also leveled off .
Americans ’ net approval of the U.S. government ’ s handling of issues relating to coronavirus is now just +3 , down from a high of +20 in late March .
Their approval for Trump ’ s handling of such issues is effectively split at a net -1 , down from +7 in March and April .
About two-thirds of Americans now say it ’ s currently the right decision for states to tell residents to stay at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going out , down from a high of 81 % who said the same in early April .
An 18 % minority say it ’ s the wrong decision , up from a low of 8 % .
Many Americans , however , continue to say that they , themselves aren ’ t ready to return to public life .
An overwhelming 83 % majority say they ’ re trying to stay home as much as possible , down only slightly from a high of 89 % at the start of April .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , the poll finds , would try to stay home as much as possible even in the absence of any restrictions imposed in their area .
Just 19 % of Americans say there are too many restrictions in place where they live , with about three-quarters saying their local restrictions are too weak or at the right level .
And by a 38-point margin , they ’ re more concerned by states lifting restrictions too quickly than by their not doing so quickly enough ― a number that ’ s remained close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Another thing that hasn ’ t changed : most Americans still expect the pandemic to have a continuing effect on American life .
A 63 % majority say they expect the outbreak to have a lasting effect on the country , with just 22 % believing things will soon go back to normal .
Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey , using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups : HuffPost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily opinion polls .
You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov ’ s nationally representative opinion polling .
More details on the polls ’ methodology are available here .
Most surveys report a margin of error that represents some but not all potential survey errors .
YouGov ’ s reports include a model-based margin of error , which rests on a specific set of statistical assumptions about the selected sample rather than the standard methodology for random probability sampling .
If these assumptions are wrong , the model-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Hannah Contreras helps to clean, sanitize and prepare Alamo Heights Baptist Church for services this Sunday, in San Antonio, May 6. In a new HuffPost/YouGov poll, support for state stay-at-home orders has fallen from its peak, but remains high. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) ASSOCIATED PRESS
In the past few weeks, public views about some aspects of the coronavirus crisis have shifted, a set of new HuffPost/YouGov polling finds, with levels of concern and support for stay-at-home orders ticking down from record highs. A decisive majority of support for such orders remains, however, with Americans continuing to say they’re personally making an effort to stay home, and worried about reopening too quickly.
Results of HuffPost/YouGov polling on the coronavirus outbreak. Ariel Edwards-Levy/HuffPost
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Americans’ concerns about coronavirus peaked in early April, when 58% said they were very worried about the virus’s spread in the U.S., and 46% said they were very concerned they or a family member would contract the disease. In the most recent survey, 47% say they’re very concerned by the outbreak nationally, and about a third are very concerned their family will be personally affected.
Perceptions of the federal response to the crisis have also leveled off. Americans’ net approval of the U.S. government’s handling of issues relating to coronavirus is now just +3, down from a high of +20 in late March. Their approval for Trump’s handling of such issues is effectively split at a net -1, down from +7 in March and April.
About two-thirds of Americans now say it’s currently the right decision for states to tell residents to stay at home unless they have an essential reason for going out, down from a high of 81% who said the same in early April. An 18% minority say it’s the wrong decision, up from a low of 8%.
Many Americans, however, continue to say that they, themselves aren’t ready to return to public life. An overwhelming 83% majority say they’re trying to stay home as much as possible, down only slightly from a high of 89% at the start of April. About 61% of people in the country, the poll finds, would try to stay home as much as possible even in the absence of any restrictions imposed in their area.
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Just 19% of Americans say there are too many restrictions in place where they live, with about three-quarters saying their local restrictions are too weak or at the right level. And by a 38-point margin, they’re more concerned by states lifting restrictions too quickly than by their not doing so quickly enough ― a number that’s remained close to unchanged over the past three weeks.
Another thing that hasn’t changed: most Americans still expect the pandemic to have a continuing effect on American life. A 63% majority say they expect the outbreak to have a lasting effect on the country, with just 22% believing things will soon go back to normal.
Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey, using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups:
The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted May 1-3 among U.S. adults, using a sample selected from YouGov’s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the adult U.S. population.
HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov to conduct daily opinion polls. You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov’s nationally representative opinion polling. More details on the polls’ methodology are available here.
Most surveys report a margin of error that represents some but not all potential survey errors. YouGov’s reports include a model-based margin of error, which rests on a specific set of statistical assumptions about the selected sample rather than the standard methodology for random probability sampling. If these assumptions are wrong, the model-based margin of error may also be inaccurate.