thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-22--Ammon Bundy Leads Protest At Home Of Idaho Cop Who Arrested Anti-Vaxxer

Bundy — best known for leading the armed militia occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in 2016 — shared a video on Facebook showing him and dozens of protesters standing outside the home of the Meridian Police Department officer .
“ There was a woman at a park with her children and she was arrested !
” Bundy screams at the four or five cops standing in the driveway , watching guard over their fellow officer ’ s home .
“ Completely inappropriate.
” “ The people will not allow you guys to do this for very long !
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video .
“ You will not go into the park and arrest people !
You will not go into parks and arrest mothers , and you will not go anywhere and arrest us for exercising what our rights are.
” Another video posted to Twitter shows Bundy leading the same group of protesters Tuesday outside the Emmett , Idaho , home of Republican Gov .
Brad Little , who has instituted a stay-at-home order in the state .
The two demonstrations are Bundy ’ s and his supporters ’ latest attempts to pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shutdown orders that are undoubtedly saving lives in Idaho , a state hit particularly hard by the pandemic .
Bundy previously held a crowded Easter Sunday church service in defiance of state orders against mass gatherings .
“ He is directly challenging law enforcement and the rule of law , ” Schubiner said .
“ His message to law enforcement is clear — if you enforce public health rules you will have a crowd of angry , armed protesters on your lawn.
” “ It is beyond reckless to violate common-sense public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and it is truly unfortunate that Bundy is putting his own supporters at risk , ” Schubiner said .
“ But for Bundy , the COVID-19 pandemic is an historic opportunity to recruit supporters and spread his extreme anti-government views.
” Bundy ’ s stunts in Idaho are part of a larger right-wing movement across the U.S. to push back against government-mandated measures implemented to fight the coronavirus pandemic , which has already killed over 45,000 people in the U.S .
The movement , fueled by wild conspiracy theories and misinformation about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series of anti-lockdown protests in state capitols across the country , where participants gleefully flout social-distancing guidelines .
This movement has also seen militia types like Bundy join forces with anti-vaccination activists , or anti-vaxxers , who believe incorrectly that vaccines , which save countless lives every year , cause autism or other chronic illnesses .
Video footage shows her and some fellow anti-vaxxers deliberately tearing down police caution tape on the Meridian , Idaho , playground before entering it Tuesday morning .
When police arrive , Walton Brady repeatedly refuses the officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Walton Brady then asks one of the officers to arrest her , and the officer obliges .
“ Someone call the Idaho Freedom Foundation right now and get them on the phone !
” Walton Brady screams , referring to the right-wing organization funded in part by a dark money group linked to the billionaire Koch brothers .
Bundy and his brother , Ryan Bundy , were both acquitted in 2016 on charges of federal conspiracy and weapons charges for their part in leading the armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal law enforcement , and which energized this country ’ s growing anti-government militia movement .

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Notorious militiaman and anti-government extremist Ammon Bundy led protesters Tuesday evening outside the Meridian, Idaho, home of a police officer they claimed had unlawfully arrested an anti-vaccination conspiracy theorist earlier that day.
Bundy — best known for leading the armed militia occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in 2016 — shared a video on Facebook showing him and dozens of protesters standing outside the home of the Meridian Police Department officer.
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“There was a woman at a park with her children and she was arrested!” Bundy screams at the four or five cops standing in the driveway, watching guard over their fellow officer’s home. “Completely inappropriate.”
Bundy was referencing the arrest, earlier that day, of Sara Walton Brady, a prominent Idaho anti-vaxxer who staged a protest at a Meridian playground shuttered due to town measures to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“The people will not allow you guys to do this for very long!” Bundy yells at the cops in the video. “You will not go into the park and arrest people! You will not go into parks and arrest mothers, and you will not go anywhere and arrest us for exercising what our rights are.”
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Another video posted to Twitter shows Bundy leading the same group of protesters Tuesday outside the Emmett, Idaho, home of Republican Gov. Brad Little, who has instituted a stay-at-home order in the state.
Bundy can bee seen in the video sticking a piece of paper to Little’s front door listing his grievances with the governor’s stay-at-home order.
Ammon Bundy at the home of Idaho Governor Little. pic.twitter.com/ECFvDKXOto — Up In Arms (@thecoffeeisonme) April 22, 2020
The two demonstrations are Bundy’s and his supporters’ latest attempts to pressure the governor to ease up on the shutdown orders that are undoubtedly saving lives in Idaho, a state hit particularly hard by the pandemic. Bundy previously held a crowded Easter Sunday church service in defiance of state orders against mass gatherings.
Lindsay Schubiner, program director at the Western States Center, a civil rights organization that monitors extremists, told HuffPost that Bundy’s demonstrations amount to a dangerous escalation in tactics.
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“He is directly challenging law enforcement and the rule of law,” Schubiner said. “His message to law enforcement is clear — if you enforce public health rules you will have a crowd of angry, armed protesters on your lawn.”
“It is beyond reckless to violate common-sense public health regulations in the midst of a pandemic, and it is truly unfortunate that Bundy is putting his own supporters at risk,” Schubiner said. “But for Bundy, the COVID-19 pandemic is an historic opportunity to recruit supporters and spread his extreme anti-government views.”
Bundy’s stunts in Idaho are part of a larger right-wing movement across the U.S. to push back against government-mandated measures implemented to fight the coronavirus pandemic, which has already killed over 45,000 people in the U.S.
Demonstrators gather in front of the Colorado State Capitol building to protest coronavirus stay-at-home orders during a "ReOpen Colorado" rally in Denver, Colorado, on April 19. JASON CONNOLLY via Getty Images
The movement, fueled by wild conspiracy theories and misinformation about the virus, has led to a series of anti-lockdown protests in state capitols across the country, where participants gleefully flout social-distancing guidelines.
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This movement has also seen militia types like Bundy join forces with anti-vaccination activists, or anti-vaxxers, who believe incorrectly that vaccines, which save countless lives every year, cause autism or other chronic illnesses.
Walton Brady, the Idaho anti-vaxxer arrested Tuesday, runs a Facebook group called Idahoans for Vaccine Freedom.
Video footage shows her and some fellow anti-vaxxers deliberately tearing down police caution tape on the Meridian, Idaho, playground before entering it Tuesday morning. When police arrive, Walton Brady repeatedly refuses the officers’ requests to leave the playground.
Walton Brady then asks one of the officers to arrest her, and the officer obliges. “Someone call the Idaho Freedom Foundation right now and get them on the phone!” Walton Brady screams, referring to the right-wing organization funded in part by a dark money group linked to the billionaire Koch brothers.
According to the Idaho Statesman, the Meridian Police Dept. said Walton Brady was arrested on a misdemeanor count of trespassing, booked at a local jail, and then released.
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Ammon Bundy, the leader of an anti-government militia, speaks to members of the media in front of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters on January 6, 2016, near Burns, Oregon. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Bundy and his brother, Ryan Bundy, were both acquitted in 2016 on charges of federal conspiracy and weapons charges for their part in leading the armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, which resulted in a standoff with federal law enforcement, and which energized this country’s growing anti-government militia movement.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-22--Inside Trump's Proposal To Suspend Legal Immigration Amid The Coronavirus Crisis

WASHINGTON , April 21 ( Reuters ) - President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he will issue an executive order to temporarily suspend immigration to the United States to protect U.S. workers amid the economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak .
“ It would be wrong and unjust for Americans laid off by the virus to be replaced with new immigrant labor flown in from abroad , ” Trump said during a White House press briefing .
“ We must first take care of the American worker.
” Still , some questions remained unanswered on Tuesday as the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which follows a series of previous steps the president has taken to clamp down on legal immigration .
Who Will Be Affected ?
Trump said the executive order would only apply to immigrants seeking permanent residency in the United States , a process informally known as obtaining a green card .
The order will not affect people entering on temporary non-immigrant visas , he said .
Such visas are used by tourists , business travelers and foreign workers .
The U.S. Department of State issued roughly 462,000 immigrant visas in fiscal year 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 .
How many immigrant visa applicants might be affected by Trump ’ s planned executive order remains unclear .
Trump said the order , which could be signed as soon as Wednesday , will have exemptions , but did not provide details .
Trump did not say what the executive order would mean for people who have immigrant visas and jobs secured in the United States but have not yet moved to the United States .
How Long Will The Suspension Last ?
The suspension will last 60 days , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he will review U.S. economic conditions and decide whether it should be extended .
Future extensions could potentially be longer than 60 days , Trump said .
What Will Happen To Temporary Foreign Workers ?
A senior administration official told Reuters the White House was considering a separate action that could deal with skilled workers who enter the country on H-1B visas and others affected by U.S. immigration policy .
The potential executive order would include exemptions for people involved in responding to the coronavirus outbreak , including farm workers and those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the official said .
Trump said at the briefing Tuesday that he may issue a second order at a later date , but did not provide details .
Does Trump Have The Power To Suspend Immigration ?
The Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that Trump could block the entry of certain foreigners from countries deemed a security threat , an affirmation of the president ’ s power to restrict legal immigration under federal law .
Some legal experts argue the court ’ s ruling does not permit a broad , worldwide ban on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any order to be challenged in court .
Andrea Flores , a deputy policy director with the American Civil Liberties Union , which has sued over a number of Trump immigration policies , said Trump appeared “ more interested in fanning anti-immigrant flames than in saving lives ” with his latest proposal .
How Has Trump Restricted Immigration Before ?
The Trump administration has used several legal avenues to restrict travel to the United States in the past .
Trump issued an executive order in late January that barred entry to certain travelers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surfaced .
He similarly blocked certain travelers from Iran in February and Europe in March .
Well before the pandemic , Trump had issued travel bans for national security reasons .
In late January , he added Nigeria and five other countries to a list of countries subject to visa restrictions .
What Does Immigration Look Like Now ?
The United States suspended routine visa services in most countries worldwide on March 18 due to the coronavirus outbreak , which was expected to dramatically slow legal immigration .
In addition , countries around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enacted quarantines to limit the spread of the virus , greatly reducing travel worldwide .
The State Department issues monthly visa reports that illustrate the latest trends , but that data for March is not yet public .
Would Blocking Immigrants Help The Economy ?
A record 22 million Americans sought unemployment benefits over the past month , nearly wiping out all the job gains since the Great Recession .
Trump said on Tuesday that an immigration suspension would protect U.S. workers , an extension of the message he employed during his 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ praise and criticism .
Thomas Homan , Trump ’ s former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement , said it “ makes sense ” and will keep the country safer while preserving jobs for unemployed Americans .
Giovanni Peri , an economics professor at the University of California , Davis , said researchers generally agree that immigration into the United States has stimulated economic growth , increased the size of the economy and created jobs .
“ The idea that immigration threatens American jobs is just not there in any data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Ted Hesson ; editing by Ross Colvin , Alistair Bell and Leslie Adler )

WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he will issue an executive order to temporarily suspend immigration to the United States to protect U.S. workers amid the economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak.
“It would be wrong and unjust for Americans laid off by the virus to be replaced with new immigrant labor flown in from abroad,” Trump said during a White House press briefing. “We must first take care of the American worker.”
Still, some questions remained unanswered on Tuesday as the Trump administration continued to work on the order, which follows a series of previous steps the president has taken to clamp down on legal immigration.
Who Will Be Affected?
Trump said the executive order would only apply to immigrants seeking permanent residency in the United States, a process informally known as obtaining a green card.
The order will not affect people entering on temporary non-immigrant visas, he said. Such visas are used by tourists, business travelers and foreign workers.
The U.S. Department of State issued roughly 462,000 immigrant visas in fiscal year 2019, which began on Oct. 1, 2018. How many immigrant visa applicants might be affected by Trump’s planned executive order remains unclear.
Trump said the order, which could be signed as soon as Wednesday, will have exemptions, but did not provide details.
Trump did not say what the executive order would mean for people who have immigrant visas and jobs secured in the United States but have not yet moved to the United States.
How Long Will The Suspension Last?
The suspension will last 60 days, according to Trump. After that, the president said he will review U.S. economic conditions and decide whether it should be extended. Future extensions could potentially be longer than 60 days, Trump said.
What Will Happen To Temporary Foreign Workers?
A senior administration official told Reuters the White House was considering a separate action that could deal with skilled workers who enter the country on H-1B visas and others affected by U.S. immigration policy.
The potential executive order would include exemptions for people involved in responding to the coronavirus outbreak, including farm workers and those helping to secure U.S. food supplies, the official said.
Trump said at the briefing Tuesday that he may issue a second order at a later date, but did not provide details.
Does Trump Have The Power To Suspend Immigration?
The Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that Trump could block the entry of certain foreigners from countries deemed a security threat, an affirmation of the president’s power to restrict legal immigration under federal law.
Some legal experts argue the court’s ruling does not permit a broad, worldwide ban on immigration into the United States and expect any order to be challenged in court.
Andrea Flores, a deputy policy director with the American Civil Liberties Union, which has sued over a number of Trump immigration policies, said Trump appeared “more interested in fanning anti-immigrant flames than in saving lives” with his latest proposal.
How Has Trump Restricted Immigration Before?
The Trump administration has used several legal avenues to restrict travel to the United States in the past.
Trump issued an executive order in late January that barred entry to certain travelers from China, where the coronavirus first surfaced. He similarly blocked certain travelers from Iran in February and Europe in March.
Well before the pandemic, Trump had issued travel bans for national security reasons. In late January, he added Nigeria and five other countries to a list of countries subject to visa restrictions.
What Does Immigration Look Like Now?
The United States suspended routine visa services in most countries worldwide on March 18 due to the coronavirus outbreak, which was expected to dramatically slow legal immigration.
In addition, countries around the world have closed their borders and enacted quarantines to limit the spread of the virus, greatly reducing travel worldwide.
The State Department issues monthly visa reports that illustrate the latest trends, but that data for March is not yet public.
Would Blocking Immigrants Help The Economy?
A record 22 million Americans sought unemployment benefits over the past month, nearly wiping out all the job gains since the Great Recession.
Trump said on Tuesday that an immigration suspension would protect U.S. workers, an extension of the message he employed during his 2016 presidential campaign.
The plan drew both praise and criticism.
Thomas Homan, Trump’s former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said it “makes sense” and will keep the country safer while preserving jobs for unemployed Americans.
Giovanni Peri, an economics professor at the University of California, Davis, said researchers generally agree that immigration into the United States has stimulated economic growth, increased the size of the economy and created jobs.
“The idea that immigration threatens American jobs is just not there in any data,” he said. (Reporting by Ted Hesson; editing by Ross Colvin, Alistair Bell and Leslie Adler)


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-22--Many Small Businesses Say Loans Won't Get Them To Rehire

To get the loans forgiven , companies need to spend 75 % on payroll within eight weeks of receiving the money .
The other 25 % can be spent on rent , utilities , and mortgage payments .
Otherwise , the loan has generous terms : Only a 1 % interest rate and six months before any principal is due .
Many of the small companies that were able to obtain a loan are having second thoughts about rehiring all their workers and a few plan to return the money .
Others will use what they can on rent and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rehire a portion of their laid-off staff .
But most are unsure they will be able to reopen eight weeks from now .
They see little point in rehiring all their workers , paying them to do little or nothing , and then potentially laying them off again if business remains weak two months from now .
More money is clearly needed : Roughly 1.6 million small companies were able to obtain loans , the Small Business Administration said , out of at least 6 million that were likely eligible , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimate that another $ 650 billion would be necessary to meet demand .
Right now , Walsh ’ s business is closed due to lack of demand for cleaning services .
He hopes to reopen soon and bring back some workers , retrain them on new sanitizing processes , and earn a bit of revenue .
Still , he doubts his business will be anywhere close to what it was anytime soon , which means his workforce won ’ t be either .
The group wants the SBA to eliminate the requirement that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or at least reduce it to 50 % .
It also wants the rehiring window extended beyond eight weeks and is pushing for a “ good faith ” provision that would credit companies for trying to rehire workers who prefer unemployment aid instead .
The NFIB also asked that half the next round of funding be reserved for businesses with fewer than 20 employees , to counter complaints that many large , publicly-traded companies obtained loans in the first round .
The agreement reached late Tuesday did not make that change but directed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a survey of its members , the NFIB said that just half of those who have applied for loans expect that they will rehire all their workers and get the entire amount forgiven .
A quarter expect that at least three-quarters of the loan will be forgiven , while 15 % didn ’ t know .
Adam Rammel received a $ 160,000 loan for his restaurant and bar in Bellefontaine , Ohio , near Columbus , though he ’ s uncertain about how many of his 17 laid-off staffers he will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when Ohio ends its restaurant shutdown , Rammel expects to face restrictions on how many people his place , Brewfontaine , can have on the premises .
“ We have a small restaurant — we usually pack 90 to 100 in and they ’ re on top of each other .
If everyone has to be six feet apart , with 40 or 45 ( customers ) we can ’ t pay the bills , ” Rammel said .
He expects to bring his employees back slowly .
Laury Hammel owns six gyms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lake City and employs about 480 workers .
He doubts he will be able to reopen his Massachusetts locations within eight weeks , so rehiring workers now would simply force him to lay them all off again .
And he ’ d be left with no money to pay them when he eventually does re-open .
Hammel is using some of the loan he received to pay for his former workers ’ health care coverage , which can be forgiven .
If he doesn ’ t use 75 % on rehiring his employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a loan .
His bank doesn ’ t want to carry the loan , however , so he may try and return the money .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Some small businesses that obtained a highly-coveted government loan say they won’t be able to use it to bring all their laid-off workers back, even though that is what the program was designed to do.
The Paycheck Protection Program promises a business owner loan forgiveness if they retain or rehire all the workers they had in late February. But owners say the equation isn’t so simple, in part because of current economic conditions and partly due to the terms of the loans.
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As a result, the lending may not reduce unemployment as much as the Trump administration and Congress hope.
The government’s $2 trillion relief package included $349 billion for the small business loan program, which was besieged with applications and ran out of money Thursday. Congress and the White House reached a deal Tuesday that would provide another $310 billion.
To get the loans forgiven, companies need to spend 75% on payroll within eight weeks of receiving the money. The other 25% can be spent on rent, utilities, and mortgage payments. Otherwise, the loan has generous terms: Only a 1% interest rate and six months before any principal is due.
Many of the small companies that were able to obtain a loan are having second thoughts about rehiring all their workers and a few plan to return the money. Others will use what they can on rent and utilities, and will use some to rehire a portion of their laid-off staff. But most are unsure they will be able to reopen eight weeks from now. They see little point in rehiring all their workers, paying them to do little or nothing, and then potentially laying them off again if business remains weak two months from now.
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“You’re turning the business into a pass through for the federal government,” said Joe Walsh, who owns Clean Green Maine, a cleaning service in Portland, Maine with 35 employees. “You’re doing very little to actually help the business.”
It’s unclear how much the small business lending program can hold back the surge in joblessness — a record 22 million people sought unemployment aid in the past month. Most economists forecast the unemployment rate will reach between 15% and 20% when the monthly jobs report is released in early May.
More money is clearly needed: Roughly 1.6 million small companies were able to obtain loans, the Small Business Administration said, out of at least 6 million that were likely eligible, according to Census data. Bank of America economists estimate that another $650 billion would be necessary to meet demand.
Also, the generous unemployment aid that was also included in the government’s relief package has made it more difficult to rehire. Many workers are making more with unemployment checks, which now include a $600 weekly benefit from the federal government.
Walsh, who received a $280,000 loan from the SBA, said that he is reluctant to push his employees to return to work because, under unemployment benefit rules, they could lose their weekly checks if they turn down potential jobs.
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“That’s just putting me as the employer in a really difficult position,” Walsh said. He pays at least $17 an hour, with benefits, but his former employees are getting the equivalent of roughly $25 an hour from unemployment.
Right now, Walsh’s business is closed due to lack of demand for cleaning services. He hopes to reopen soon and bring back some workers, retrain them on new sanitizing processes, and earn a bit of revenue. Still, he doubts his business will be anywhere close to what it was anytime soon, which means his workforce won’t be either.
“There’s no way that I’m getting to 100% employment by the end of 8 weeks,” he said.
The National Federation for Independent Business, a small business advocacy group, is pushing the government to make it easier for loans to be forgiven.
The group wants the SBA to eliminate the requirement that 75% be spent on payroll, or at least reduce it to 50%. It also wants the rehiring window extended beyond eight weeks and is pushing for a “good faith” provision that would credit companies for trying to rehire workers who prefer unemployment aid instead.
The NFIB also asked that half the next round of funding be reserved for businesses with fewer than 20 employees, to counter complaints that many large, publicly-traded companies obtained loans in the first round. The agreement reached late Tuesday did not make that change but directed some funds to smaller banks.
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According to a survey of its members, the NFIB said that just half of those who have applied for loans expect that they will rehire all their workers and get the entire amount forgiven. A quarter expect that at least three-quarters of the loan will be forgiven, while 15% didn’t know.
Adam Rammel received a $160,000 loan for his restaurant and bar in Bellefontaine, Ohio, near Columbus, though he’s uncertain about how many of his 17 laid-off staffers he will be able to rehire and when. Even when Ohio ends its restaurant shutdown, Rammel expects to face restrictions on how many people his place, Brewfontaine, can have on the premises.
“We have a small restaurant — we usually pack 90 to 100 in and they’re on top of each other. If everyone has to be six feet apart, with 40 or 45 (customers) we can’t pay the bills,” Rammel said. He expects to bring his employees back slowly.
Accounting firm Isdaner & Co., based near Philadelphia, said in a client note that “some employers will decide not to sign their loan agreement because their business is essentially closed and choose not to pay their employees for not working.”
Laury Hammel owns six gyms in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Salt Lake City and employs about 480 workers. He doubts he will be able to reopen his Massachusetts locations within eight weeks, so rehiring workers now would simply force him to lay them all off again. And he’d be left with no money to pay them when he eventually does re-open.
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Hammel is using some of the loan he received to pay for his former workers’ health care coverage, which can be forgiven. If he doesn’t use 75% on rehiring his employees, he may accept the rest as a loan. His bank doesn’t want to carry the loan, however, so he may try and return the money.
“The process leaves (small businesses) cash-poor at the time when they have to re-open,” Hammel said. “Me having the money and paying people to not come to work doesn’t help my business one iota.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-22--Pope Francis: Humans Have Sinned Against The Earth By Exploiting Its Resources

VATICAN CITY , April 22 ( Reuters ) - Pope Francis made an impassioned plea for protection of the environment on Wednesday ’ s 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day , saying the coronavirus pandemic had shown that some challenges had to be met with a global response .
Francis praised the environmental movement , saying it was necessary for young people to “ take to the streets to teach us what is obvious , that is , that there will be no future for us if we destroy the environment that sustains us.
” The pope , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the defense of nature and the dangers of climate change , dedicated his general audience - broadcast from his library because of the coronavirus lockdown - to the theme .
Recounting a Spanish proverb that God always forgives , man sometimes forgives but nature never forgives , Francis said : “ If we have deteriorated the Earth , the response will be very ugly.
” A landmark in the emergence of the environmental movement when it first took place in 1970 , this year ’ s Earth Day has prompted calls from many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for governments to pursue “ green recovery ” in response to coronavirus “ We see these natural tragedies , which are the Earth ’ s response to our maltreatment , ” Francis said .
“ I think that if I ask the Lord now what he thinks about this , I don ’ t think he would say it is a very good thing .
It is we who have ruined the work of God.
” Saying the Earth was not an endless deposit of resources to exploit , he said : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against our neighbor and , in the end , against the creator.
” Last year , after a synod of bishops from the Amazon region , Francis said he was considering adding a definition of ” ecological sins ” in the Roman Catholic Church ’ s Catechism , a compendium of teachings and rules .
“ Only together , and looking after the most fragile ( members of society ) can we win global challenges , ” the pope said .
Pope Francis talks to the media after he celebrated Mass behind the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sassia church in Rome , on April 19 , 2020 .
So far , massive economic stimulus packages launched by the United States , China and European governments have focused mainly on staunching the damage to existing industries and staving off the threat of a global depression .
But ministers from Germany , France and other EU members have signaled their support for subsequent interventions to align with climate goals , a theme taken up by climate campaign groups around the world .

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VATICAN CITY, April 22 (Reuters) - Pope Francis made an impassioned plea for protection of the environment on Wednesday’s 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day, saying the coronavirus pandemic had shown that some challenges had to be met with a global response.
Francis praised the environmental movement, saying it was necessary for young people to “take to the streets to teach us what is obvious, that is, that there will be no future for us if we destroy the environment that sustains us.”
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The pope, who wrote a major encyclical in 2015 on the defense of nature and the dangers of climate change, dedicated his general audience - broadcast from his library because of the coronavirus lockdown - to the theme.
Recounting a Spanish proverb that God always forgives, man sometimes forgives but nature never forgives, Francis said: “If we have deteriorated the Earth, the response will be very ugly.”
A landmark in the emergence of the environmental movement when it first took place in 1970, this year’s Earth Day has prompted calls from many, including U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, for governments to pursue “green recovery” in response to coronavirus
Pope Francis meets with Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres at the Vatican on December 20, 2019. POOL New / Reuters
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Both the pope and Guterres have made environmental protection and climate change signature themes of their offices.
“We see these natural tragedies, which are the Earth’s response to our maltreatment,” Francis said. “I think that if I ask the Lord now what he thinks about this, I don’t think he would say it is a very good thing. It is we who have ruined the work of God.”
Saying the Earth was not an endless deposit of resources to exploit, he said: “We have sinned against the Earth, against our neighbor and, in the end, against the creator.”
Last year, after a synod of bishops from the Amazon region, Francis said he was considering adding a definition of”ecological sins” in the Roman Catholic Church’s Catechism, a compendium of teachings and rules.
Francis, like Guterres, has likened the response to environmental dangers to that of the coronavirus.
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“Only together, and looking after the most fragile (members of society) can we win global challenges,” the pope said.
Pope Francis talks to the media after he celebrated Mass behind the closed doors of the Santo Spirito in Sassia church in Rome, on April 19, 2020. ALBERTO PIZZOLI via Getty Images
So far, massive economic stimulus packages launched by the United States, China and European governments have focused mainly on staunching the damage to existing industries and staving off the threat of a global depression.
But ministers from Germany, France and other EU members have signaled their support for subsequent interventions to align with climate goals, a theme taken up by climate campaign groups around the world.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-22--California Says It's First State To Prioritize Testing For Some Asymptomatic People

SACRAMENTO , Calif. ( AP ) — California public health officials say local authorities should test people for the coronavirus in “ high risk settings ” even if they don ’ t have symptoms , a change aimed at health care workers , prisoners and the homeless .
State officials believe the new guidelines are the first in the country to prioritize testing for people who don ’ t have symptoms .
Until Monday , California followed guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that only those with symptoms should be prioritized for testing .
The new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Public Health memo and was first reported by the Los Angeles Times .
“ The higher risk settings for COVID-19 right now , since we aren ’ t having cruise ships anymore , are homeless shelters , jails and nursing homes , ” said Dr. Bob Kocher , an adjunct professor of medicine at Stanford University and a member of Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s task force aimed at increasing coronavirus testing .
“ For us to contain future outbreaks , we need to be exceptionally good at testing people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after recent outbreaks in two California homeless shelters .
Tuesday , officials in Los Angeles reported an outbreak at the Union Rescue Mission with at least 56 people infected .
In San Francisco , an outbreak Multi-Service Center South resulted in 96 homeless people and 10 staff infected .
Most did not have symptoms .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illness , including pneumonia and death .
California is now testing an average of 14,500 people per day , up from an average of 2,000 per day at the beginning of the month .
Newsom has said his goal is to test 25,000 people per day by the end of April .
California has more than 35,600 confirmed cases and 1,300 deaths , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
Tuesday , Newsom reported a 3.8 % increase in intensive care hospitalizations .
Still , the virus ’ impact have not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had feared , mostly because of the state ’ s mandatory stay-at-home order that has closed schools and nonessential businesses .
While effective at slowing the spread of the virus , the order has led to more than 3 million people filing for unemployment benefits .
California ’ s new guidance is meant to help local public health officials , providers and laboratories prioritize who should be tested .
The memo says the guidelines “ will be reassessed on a weekly basis.
” “ As testing capacity increases , testing should expand accordingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Officer , ” the memo says .

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California public health officials say local authorities should test people for the coronavirus in “high risk settings” even if they don’t have symptoms, a change aimed at health care workers, prisoners and the homeless.
State officials believe the new guidelines are the first in the country to prioritize testing for people who don’t have symptoms. Until Monday, California followed guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that only those with symptoms should be prioritized for testing.
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The new recommendation was outlined in a California Department of Public Health memo and was first reported by the Los Angeles Times.
“The higher risk settings for COVID-19 right now, since we aren’t having cruise ships anymore, are homeless shelters, jails and nursing homes,” said Dr. Bob Kocher, an adjunct professor of medicine at Stanford University and a member of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s task force aimed at increasing coronavirus testing. “For us to contain future outbreaks, we need to be exceptionally good at testing people in those settings.”
The new guidance comes after recent outbreaks in two California homeless shelters. Tuesday, officials in Los Angeles reported an outbreak at the Union Rescue Mission with at least 56 people infected. In San Francisco, an outbreak Multi-Service Center South resulted in 96 homeless people and 10 staff infected. Most did not have symptoms.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
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California is now testing an average of 14,500 people per day, up from an average of 2,000 per day at the beginning of the month. Newsom has said his goal is to test 25,000 people per day by the end of April.
California has more than 35,600 confirmed cases and 1,300 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Tuesday, Newsom reported a 3.8% increase in intensive care hospitalizations.
Still, the virus’ impact have not been as devastating as public health experts had feared, mostly because of the state’s mandatory stay-at-home order that has closed schools and nonessential businesses. While effective at slowing the spread of the virus, the order has led to more than 3 million people filing for unemployment benefits.
California’s new guidance is meant to help local public health officials, providers and laboratories prioritize who should be tested. The memo says the guidelines “will be reassessed on a weekly basis.”
“As testing capacity increases, testing should expand accordingly at the discretion of the Local Health Officer,” the memo says.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-22--Las Vegas Mayor Offers City As Social Distancing ‘Control Group’ In Call To Reopen Businesses

Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said Wednesday that she wants to reopen businesses like hotels and casinos , volunteering her city and the people in it as a “ control group ” to see if social distancing actually works to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
In a shocking interview with CNN ’ s Anderson Cooper , Goodman also argued there have been viruses in Vegas “ for years , ” and said she would not provide social distancing guidelines on how to safely reopen the economy .
“ I get the financial losses people are suffering , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraging , I mean , hundreds of thousands of people coming there in casinos , smoking , drinking , touching slot machines , breathing circulated air ― and then returning home to states around America and countries around the world , ” Cooper said .
“ Doesn ’ t that sound like a virus petri dish ?
” Goodman responded no , calling Cooper an “ alarmist.
” She also said that while she believes everyone should practice social distancing in businesses , she does not believe it ’ s her responsibility as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure businesses reopen safely .
“ I am not a private owner , that ’ s the competition in this country .
The free enterprise and to be able to make sure that what you offer the public meets the needs of the public , ” Goodman said .
“ Right now , we ’ re in a crisis health-wise , and so for a restaurant to be open or a small boutique to be open , they better figure it out .
That ’ s their job .
That ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has more than 3,900 confirmed coronavirus cases and 163 deaths as of Wednesday , 141 of which come from Clark County , which includes the city of Las Vegas .
Goodman touted the number in comparison to the state ’ s population of about 3 million , but refused to say whether that number is due to social distancing guidelines .
“ How do you know until we have a control group ?
We offered to be a control group , ” the mayor said , adding that a statistician told her she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the strip casinos are not in Las Vegas itself but in the unincorporated town of Paradise , Nevada .
Rep. Dina Titus ( D-Nev. ) , whose district includes Las Vegas , echoed that in her disagreement with Goodman .
“ We have to listen to the scientists and right now they tell us we must continue to stay at home as much as possible , ” Titus told HuffPost in a statement on Wednesday .
“ Businesses in Las Vegas will only be able to recover if we take this pandemic seriously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Las Vegas Strip , literally or figuratively.
” “ The majority of people I know are not interested in reopening before it is safe to do so because of the fear of reinfection or spikes in infection , ” Lambert said .
“ As hard as it is on my business … I ’ m not interested in making money off of somebody else possibly getting ill. ” When Cooper asked the mayor if she herself would be inside those reopened casinos every night putting her own life on the line , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

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Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said Wednesday that she wants to reopen businesses like hotels and casinos, volunteering her city and the people in it as a “control group” to see if social distancing actually works to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
In a shocking interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Goodman also argued there have been viruses in Vegas “for years,” and said she would not provide social distancing guidelines on how to safely reopen the economy.
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“I get the financial losses people are suffering, which is awful, but you’re encouraging, I mean, hundreds of thousands of people coming there in casinos, smoking, drinking, touching slot machines, breathing circulated air ― and then returning home to states around America and countries around the world,” Cooper said. “Doesn’t that sound like a virus petri dish?”
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman calls for businesses to reopen, while saying she won't provide social distancing guidelines on how to do so safely.
"They better figure it out. That's their job. That's not the mayor's job" https://t.co/warrOSZtrK pic.twitter.com/R6RCCu2Wzh — CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) April 22, 2020
Goodman responded no, calling Cooper an “alarmist.” She also said that while she believes everyone should practice social distancing in businesses, she does not believe it’s her responsibility as mayor to create a plan to make sure businesses reopen safely.
“I am not a private owner, that’s the competition in this country. The free enterprise and to be able to make sure that what you offer the public meets the needs of the public,” Goodman said. “Right now, we’re in a crisis health-wise, and so for a restaurant to be open or a small boutique to be open, they better figure it out. That’s their job. That’s not the mayor’s job.”
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Nevada has more than 3,900 confirmed coronavirus cases and 163 deaths as of Wednesday, 141 of which come from Clark County, which includes the city of Las Vegas. Goodman touted the number in comparison to the state’s population of about 3 million, but refused to say whether that number is due to social distancing guidelines.
“How do you know until we have a control group? We offered to be a control group,” the mayor said, adding that a statistician told her she could not do that.
Las Vegas Mayor offers city as "control group", "we offer to be a control group" to see how many people die without social distancing. pic.twitter.com/NESE2hActE — Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) April 22, 2020
Geographically, the strip casinos are not in Las Vegas itself but in the unincorporated town of Paradise, Nevada. Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.), whose district includes Las Vegas, echoed that in her disagreement with Goodman.
“We have to listen to the scientists and right now they tell us we must continue to stay at home as much as possible,” Titus told HuffPost in a statement on Wednesday. “Businesses in Las Vegas will only be able to recover if we take this pandemic seriously. The Mayor does not represent the Las Vegas Strip, literally or figuratively.”
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Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
Jerry Lambert, a hair and makeup artist who has lived in Las Vegas for 22 years, told HuffPost he has “no interest” in being part of a so-called “control group.”
“The majority of people I know are not interested in reopening before it is safe to do so because of the fear of reinfection or spikes in infection,” Lambert said. “As hard as it is on my business … I’m not interested in making money off of somebody else possibly getting ill.”
When Cooper asked the mayor if she herself would be inside those reopened casinos every night putting her own life on the line, the mayor refused to give a direct answer.
“What is the purpose of that? First of all, I have a family,” Goodman said.
Cooper responded: “Because it would be putting money where your mouth is.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-22--Trump Tells Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp He's Reopening State 'Too Soon'

In a series of tweets Friday , Trump sent out calls to “ LIBERATE ” Minnesota , Michigan and Virginia @ @ @ @ @ by Democratic governors ― in an echo of a small number of protesters who demanded @ @ @ @ @ reopen .
Vice President Mike Pence also urged elected officials to heed White House guidelines @ @ @ @ @ at home .
“ I want to say to my countrymen : The fastest way @ @ @ @ @ continue to do what you ’ ve been doing .
That ’ s the fastest @ @ @ @ @ has said many times , to get our country working again , ” Pence said @ @ @ @ @ , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , had an even more direct @ @ @ @ @ I would advise him as a doctor and a health official not to do that @ @ @ @ @

In a series of tweets Friday, Trump sent out calls to “LIBERATE” Minnesota, Michigan and Virginia ― three swing states led by Democratic governors ― in an echo of a small number of protesters who demanded that businesses be allowed to reopen.
Vice President Mike Pence also urged elected officials to heed White House guidelines regarding social distancing and staying at home.
“I want to say to my countrymen: The fastest way to reopen America is to continue to do what you’ve been doing. That’s the fastest way, as President Trump has said many times, to get our country working again,” Pence said Wednesday.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, had an even more direct message for Kemp.
“I would advise him as a doctor and a health official not to do that,” Fauci said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-22--Trump Signs Order Suspending Some Immigration During Coronavirus Pandemic

The order will temporarily halt the issuing of green cards for permanent residency to immigrants who are currently outside the U.S. — obstructing many people ’ s ability to join family members currently in the U.S .
The order includes broad exceptions .
It does not apply to those with existing temporary work visas or to spouses or children of U.S. citizens looking to come to the U.S .
It also wouldn ’ t apply to anyone deemed to “ perform work essential to combating , recovering from , or otherwise alleviating the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. military or those seeking asylum or refuge would not be affected .
There will likely be legal challenges seeking to stop the order from going into effect .
It follows Trump ’ s repeated efforts since he took office to broadly exclude immigrants from the country .
Stephen Yale-Loehr , professor of immigration law at Cornell Law School , said early Tuesday , before the order was released , that such an order was “ outrageous and likely unconstitutional , ” noting the U.S. has “ never done that before , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his Monday tweet the order was about “ the attack from the Invisible Enemy , as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens.
” The White House did not respond to a request for clarification on what a pause in immigration has to do with halting a virus that has already been spreading within the U.S. for weeks .
The Trump administration has already used the coronavirus pandemic to stop immigration processes in the country , including stopping naturalization ceremonies and turning away asylum-seekers at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month , naturalization ceremonies have been canceled indefinitely amid the spread of the virus and the U.S .
Citizenship and Immigration Services offices have been closed .
Depending when these last steps in the process to become a citizen get rescheduled , this could potentially block immigrants from becoming citizens in time to vote in November .
Last month , the U.S. also announced a halt in the processing of undocumented migrants at the southern border , turning people away and returning them to their home countries — including asylum-seekers fleeing danger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centers to process their claims .
Trump has repeatedly touted what he called a “ ban ” on travel from China , the initial epicenter of the outbreak , in late January — though this had exceptions for residents of Hong Kong and other areas and U.S. citizens and permanent residents , allowing in tens of thousands of people on flights for weeks .
The White House later banned travel from much of Europe in mid-March , adding the United Kingdom days later .
While Trump has repeatedly touted the wall being built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he discusses his administration ’ s response to the pandemic — including in Monday ’ s White House briefing — experts have noted that such a wall is not relevant to stopping the spread of the virus , which is already in the U.S .

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President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday to suspend some immigration into the U.S. for 60 days in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The order will temporarily halt the issuing of green cards for permanent residency to immigrants who are currently outside the U.S. — obstructing many people’s ability to join family members currently in the U.S.
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The order includes broad exceptions. It does not apply to those with existing temporary work visas or to spouses or children of U.S. citizens looking to come to the U.S. It also wouldn’t apply to anyone deemed to “perform work essential to combating, recovering from, or otherwise alleviating the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak,” including health workers. And anyone in the U.S. military or those seeking asylum or refuge would not be affected.
After the 60-day period, the order will be evaluated for possible further extension or modification, Trump said at Tuesday’s White House briefing.
“By pausing immigration, we’ll help put unemployed Americans first in line for jobs as America reopens,” Trump said Tuesday. “We must first take care of the American worker.”
There will likely be legal challenges seeking to stop the order from going into effect. It follows Trump’s repeated efforts since he took office to broadly exclude immigrants from the country.
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“Our nation faces an extraordinary health crisis at this time,” tweeted the American Civil Liberties Union after Trump’s tweet announcing the upcoming order on Monday. “Xenophobia and racism are not the answer.”
Stephen Yale-Loehr, professor of immigration law at Cornell Law School, said early Tuesday, before the order was released, that such an order was “outrageous and likely unconstitutional,” noting the U.S. has “never done that before, even during world wars.”
Trump claimed in his Monday tweet the order was about “the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens.”
The White House did not respond to a request for clarification on what a pause in immigration has to do with halting a virus that has already been spreading within the U.S. for weeks.
Our nation faces an extraordinary health crisis at this time.
Xenophobia and racism are not the answer. https://t.co/jffqlhVHlj — ACLU (@ACLU) April 21, 2020
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The Trump administration has already used the coronavirus pandemic to stop immigration processes in the country, including stopping naturalization ceremonies and turning away asylum-seekers at the southern U.S. border with Mexico.
Starting last month, naturalization ceremonies have been canceled indefinitely amid the spread of the virus and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services offices have been closed. Depending when these last steps in the process to become a citizen get rescheduled, this could potentially block immigrants from becoming citizens in time to vote in November.
Last month, the U.S. also announced a halt in the processing of undocumented migrants at the southern border, turning people away and returning them to their home countries — including asylum-seekers fleeing danger — rather than bringing them into detention centers to process their claims.
Trump has repeatedly touted what he called a “ban” on travel from China, the initial epicenter of the outbreak, in late January — though this had exceptions for residents of Hong Kong and other areas and U.S. citizens and permanent residents, allowing in tens of thousands of people on flights for weeks. The White House later banned travel from much of Europe in mid-March, adding the United Kingdom days later.
While Trump has repeatedly touted the wall being built on the southern border with Mexico as he discusses his administration’s response to the pandemic — including in Monday’s White House briefing — experts have noted that such a wall is not relevant to stopping the spread of the virus, which is already in the U.S.
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The U.S. continues to lead the world in coronavirus cases and deaths, with more than 840,000 confirmed cases as of Wednesday and more than 46,000 deaths.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-23--GOP Rep. Pete King Shreds 'Marie Antoinette' Mitch McConnell's Bankruptcy Plan

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday suggested that states could go bankrupt rather than get additional federal funding to deal with the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic .
And at least one member of his own party is slamming the plan .
Rep. Pete King ( R-N.Y. ) ripped McConnell in a pair of tweets on Wednesday evening : .
@ senatemajldr McConnell ’ s dismissive remark that States devastated by Coronavirus should go bankrupt rather than get the federal assistance they need and deserve is shameful and indefensible .
To say that it is “ free money ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pete King ( @ RepPeteKing ) April 23 , 2020 McConnell told radio host Hugh Hewitt that some states have given too much in their public pensions , and he didn ’ t want federal money to bail them out now that cash everywhere is running low .
“ I would certainly be in favor of allowing states to use the bankruptcy route , ” he said Wednesday .
“ It ’ s saved some cities , and there ’ s no good reason for it not to be available.
” Later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal aid as “ blue-state bailouts.
” New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo called McConnell ’ s remarks “ one of the saddest , really dumb comments of all time.
” And on social media , the plan was slammed by people across the political spectrum : When Mitch McConnell says we should let states go bankrupt , let ’ s be honest about what he ’ s saying : He wants police officers to lose their jobs .
He wants firefighters to go broke .
He wants hospitals to close and sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prove me wrong , Mitch .
https : //t.co/gAPKSeFQ4N — Mayor Bill de Blasio ( @ NYCMayor ) April 22 , 2020 I thought I had heard the worst public policy ideas already in my life .
However , Senate Majority Leader McConnell 's proposal to allow states to go bankrupt is the single worst suggestion I 've heard in 36 years of covering economics , markets and business .
Pure and utter insanity !
— ron insana ( @ rinsana ) April 22 , 2020 McConnell telling state and local governments to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the teachers , police and firefighters that their pensions are n't worth saving .
— Amy McGrath ( @ AmyMcGrathKY ) April 22 , 2020 Mitch McConnell , why don ’ t you come to a police precinct in my district and tell this to the cops keeping our city safe ?
Or the nurses risking their lives every day ?
Telling states and cities to go bankrupt is an insult to all those on the front lines serving our communities .
https : //t.co/EiHBwWByeE — Max Rose ( @ MaxRose4NY ) @ @ @ @

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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday suggested that states could go bankrupt rather than get additional federal funding to deal with the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.
And at least one member of his own party is slamming the plan.
Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.) ripped McConnell in a pair of tweets on Wednesday evening:
.@senatemajldr McConnell’s dismissive remark that States devastated by Coronavirus should go bankrupt rather than get the federal assistance they need and deserve is shameful and indefensible. To say that it is “free money” to provide funds for... — Rep. Pete King (@RepPeteKing) April 23, 2020
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...cops, firefighters and healthcare workers makes McConnell the Marie Antoinette of the Senate. — Rep. Pete King (@RepPeteKing) April 23, 2020
McConnell told radio host Hugh Hewitt that some states have given too much in their public pensions, and he didn’t want federal money to bail them out now that cash everywhere is running low.
“I would certainly be in favor of allowing states to use the bankruptcy route,” he said Wednesday. “It’s saved some cities, and there’s no good reason for it not to be available.”
Later, his staff issued a news release dismissing federal aid as “blue-state bailouts.”
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called McConnell’s remarks “one of the saddest, really dumb comments of all time.”
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And on social media, the plan was slammed by people across the political spectrum:
The Senate Republican leader to Americans who live in PA, MI, and WI: Drop dead. https://t.co/bPL2Hmj85w — Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) April 22, 2020
When Mitch McConnell says we should let states go bankrupt, let’s be honest about what he’s saying:
He wants police officers to lose their jobs.
He wants firefighters to go broke.
He wants hospitals to close and sick people thrown out on the street.
Prove me wrong, Mitch. https://t.co/gAPKSeFQ4N — Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) April 22, 2020
I thought I had heard the worst public policy ideas already in my life. However, Senate Majority Leader McConnell's proposal to allow states to go bankrupt is the single worst suggestion I've heard in 36 years of covering economics, markets and business. Pure and utter insanity! — ron insana (@rinsana) April 22, 2020
McConnell telling state and local governments to just go bankrupt means he is telling all the teachers, police and firefighters that their pensions aren't worth saving. — Amy McGrath (@AmyMcGrathKY) April 22, 2020
Mitch McConnell, why don’t you come to a police precinct in my district and tell this to the cops keeping our city safe? Or the nurses risking their lives every day?
Telling states and cities to go bankrupt is an insult to all those on the front lines serving our communities. https://t.co/EiHBwWByeE — Max Rose (@MaxRose4NY) April 22, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-22--Dr. Anthony Fauci: 'We Will Have Coronavirus In The Fall'

Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , said Wednesday that he was convinced the coronavirus would be around in the United States until at least the fall but that the scope of those cases depended on the American people abiding by social distancing measures and lawmakers listening to public health advice before reopening segments of the country .
“ We will have coronavirus in the fall , ” Fauci said during the daily White House briefing on the spread of the virus .
“ I am convinced of that because of the degree of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nature .
What happens with that will depend on how we ’ re able to contain it when it occurs.
” He added : “ I plead with the American public … although I know one has the need to leapfrog over things , don ’ t do that .
This is a successful formula .
The problem is if we don ’ t do that there is a likelihood that we will have a rebound .
The one way to not reopen the economy is to have a rebound that we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s comments come amid President Donald Trump ’ s insistence that parts of the U.S. return to business as usual as early as possible .
The White House released a three-phase plan last week for governors to use as a road map to restart parts of their economies .
The plan is aimed at lowering restrictions in regions that have few cases of COVID-19 .
One state leader , Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp ( R ) , said this week he would reopen portions of the state ’ s businesses starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bowling alleys .
The move prompted sharp rebukes from public health officials and mayors in the state who warned the spread of the virus was far from under control .
However , Trump said Wednesday that he disagreed “ very strongly ” with Kemp ’ s decision ( the president did not say he would move to stop him , noting the governor “ must do what he thinks is right ” ) .
“ I love those people that use all of those things , the spas , the beauty parlors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , ” Trump said at the briefing .
“ But they can wait a little bit longer .
Just a little bit , not much , because safety has to predominate.
” The president insisted several times that the coronavirus “ may not come back at all ” but noted that , even if it did , it would not be as severe as the past few months .
“ If it does come back , it ’ s not going to come back , it ’ s not going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We have much better containment now .
If we have little pockets here , it goes out , and it goes out fast .
It ’ s also possible it doesn ’ t come back at all.
” Fauci suggested Wednesday that he disagreed with Kemp ’ s decision , saying if he were advising the governor , “ I would tell him that he should be careful.
” “ I would advise him not to just turn the switch on and go because there is a danger of a rebound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a desire to go quickly … but going ahead and leapfrogging into phases where you should not be , I would advise him not to do that.
” Robert Redfield , the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , said Wednesday that the public health response to the coronavirus later this year could be more “ difficult and potentially complicated ” as it would then be circulating at the same time as the flu .
He stepped back from comments made Tuesday that were interpreted as predicting that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It doesn ’ t mean it ’ s going to be more impossible , doesn ’ t mean it ’ s going to be worse , it means it ’ s going to be more difficult because we ’ re going to have to distinguish between the two [ viruses ] , ” Redfield said , when people are ill and require treatment .

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Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said Wednesday that he was convinced the coronavirus would be around in the United States until at least the fall but that the scope of those cases depended on the American people abiding by social distancing measures and lawmakers listening to public health advice before reopening segments of the country.
“We will have coronavirus in the fall,” Fauci said during the daily White House briefing on the spread of the virus. “I am convinced of that because of the degree of transmissibility that it has, the global nature. What happens with that will depend on how we’re able to contain it when it occurs.”
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He added: “I plead with the American public … although I know one has the need to leapfrog over things, don’t do that. This is a successful formula. The problem is if we don’t do that there is a likelihood that we will have a rebound. The one way to not reopen the economy is to have a rebound that we cannot take care of.”
The doctor’s comments come amid President Donald Trump’s insistence that parts of the U.S. return to business as usual as early as possible. The White House released a three-phase plan last week for governors to use as a road map to restart parts of their economies. The plan is aimed at lowering restrictions in regions that have few cases of COVID-19.
More than 840,000 people in the U.S. have been infected with the virus, and more than 42,300 have died.
One state leader, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R), said this week he would reopen portions of the state’s businesses starting Friday, including gyms, barbershops and bowling alleys. The move prompted sharp rebukes from public health officials and mayors in the state who warned the spread of the virus was far from under control.
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However, Trump said Wednesday that he disagreed “very strongly” with Kemp’s decision (the president did not say he would move to stop him, noting the governor “must do what he thinks is right”).
“I love those people that use all of those things, the spas, the beauty parlors, barbershops, tattoo parlors, I love them,” Trump said at the briefing. “But they can wait a little bit longer. Just a little bit, not much, because safety has to predominate.”
The president insisted several times that the coronavirus “may not come back at all” but noted that, even if it did, it would not be as severe as the past few months.
“If it does come back, it’s not going to come back, it’s not going to be like it was,” Trump said. “We have much better containment now. If we have little pockets here, it goes out, and it goes out fast. It’s also possible it doesn’t come back at all.”
Fauci suggested Wednesday that he disagreed with Kemp’s decision, saying if he were advising the governor, “I would tell him that he should be careful.”
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“I would advise him not to just turn the switch on and go because there is a danger of a rebound,” Fauci said. “There is a desire to go quickly … but going ahead and leapfrogging into phases where you should not be, I would advise him not to do that.”
Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Wednesday that the public health response to the coronavirus later this year could be more “difficult and potentially complicated” as it would then be circulating at the same time as the flu. He stepped back from comments made Tuesday that were interpreted as predicting that the coronavirus crisis would be worse this winter.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-23--Trump Reportedly Wants Out Of The White House And Everyone’s Making The Same Jokes

President Donald Trump is reportedly “ frustrated ” about being holed up in the White House as the coronavirus pandemic unfolds .
Aside from a March 28 trip to Norfolk , Virginia , to see the USNS Comfort depart for New York , Trump has been in Washington since a March 6-9 visit to Florida for fundraisers and golf .
On Wednesday , NBC News reported that Trump ’ s aides were working on a plan to get him some time out of town , perhaps for a visit to see health care workers or first responders .
“ Like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to travel when it is safe to do so , ” NBC News quoted an unnamed senior administration official as saying .
On social media , Trump ’ s critics offered some suggestions about how he can get out of town , but they were looking to give the president more of a one-way trip : Has he considered resigning ?
He can cut and paste this : pic.twitter.com/29ppjQX35g — Speculawyer 🇳🇴-American ( @ speculawyer ) April 22 , 2020 I for one am willing to help https : //t.co/10k9nkdgkl — George Conway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 It 's a deal , on the condition he never goes back .
— Michael Marshall Smith ( @ ememess ) April 22 , 2020 Him leave forever in the January if you is do you job and make vote for the Joe .
https : //t.co/OZsSmyA6JV — Rogue Melania🍸🍸🍸🍸 ( @ RogueFirstLady ) April 23 , 2020

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President Donald Trump is reportedly “frustrated” about being holed up in the White House as the coronavirus pandemic unfolds.
Aside from a March 28 trip to Norfolk, Virginia, to see the USNS Comfort depart for New York, Trump has been in Washington since a March 6-9 visit to Florida for fundraisers and golf.
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On Wednesday, NBC News reported that Trump’s aides were working on a plan to get him some time out of town, perhaps for a visit to see health care workers or first responders.
“Like many Americans, the president is looking to travel when it is safe to do so,” NBC News quoted an unnamed senior administration official as saying.
On social media, Trump’s critics offered some suggestions about how he can get out of town, but they were looking to give the president more of a one-way trip:
Has he considered resigning?
He can cut and paste this: pic.twitter.com/29ppjQX35g — Speculawyer 🇳🇴-American (@speculawyer) April 22, 2020
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I mean....it will fit within a tweet. — Speculawyer 🇳🇴-American (@speculawyer) April 22, 2020
I for one am willing to help https://t.co/10k9nkdgkl — George Conway (@gtconway3d) April 22, 2020
It's a deal, on the condition he never goes back. — Michael Marshall Smith (@ememess) April 22, 2020
He could resign. Has he considered that? — Marc Goldstein (@marcgoldstein_) April 22, 2020
He is free to resign and move to Florida. — Art Martin (@gartmartin9) April 22, 2020
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Him leave forever in the January if you is do you job and make vote for the Joe. https://t.co/OZsSmyA6JV — Rogue Melania🍸🍸🍸🍸 (@RogueFirstLady) April 23, 2020
He’ll quit 100% — Tom Arnold (@TomArnold) April 22, 2020
Sign right here, Mr. President pic.twitter.com/UvdLUv3aSU — Battle Armor Dad (@BattleArmorDad1) April 23, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-23--Barack Obama Takes A Not-So-Subtle Swipe At Donald Trump's Coronavirus Response

Former President Barack Obama joined the chorus of criticism being leveled at President Donald Trump for his administration ’ s slow and sloppy response to the coronavirus crisis , commenting on Twitter about the lack of “ a coherent national plan to navigate this pandemic.
” Obama did not mention Trump by name in his tweet on Wednesday , pointing out how “ states like Massachusetts are beginning to adopt their own public health plans to combat this virus –– before it ’ s too late.
” But for many tweeters , it was crystal clear who Obama was talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a coherent national plan to navigate this pandemic , states like Massachusetts are beginning to adopt their own public health plans to combat this virus––before it 's too late .
https : //t.co/Eb2Hz8H8vU — Barack Obama ( @ BarackObama ) April 22 , 2020 For weeks , Trump and his administration ( buoyed by Fox News prime-time personalities Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham ) downplayed the threat of the contagion that has killed more than 47,000 people nationwide .
The U.S. is now the epicenter of the virus , with almost 850,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily coronavirus briefings to hype unproven cures and attack journalists , while also trying to shift blame for his failures to the Obama administration .
Obama last month criticized Trump ’ s pandemic response with the tweet below , urging voters to “ demand better of our government.
” We 've seen all too terribly the consequences of those who denied warnings of a pandemic .
We ca n't afford any more consequences of climate denial .
All of us , especially young people , have to demand better of our government at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ https : //t.co/K8Ucu7iVDK — Barack Obama ( @ BarackObama ) March 31 , 2020

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Former President Barack Obama joined the chorus of criticism being leveled at President Donald Trump for his administration’s slow and sloppy response to the coronavirus crisis, commenting on Twitter about the lack of “a coherent national plan to navigate this pandemic.”
Obama did not mention Trump by name in his tweet on Wednesday, pointing out how “states like Massachusetts are beginning to adopt their own public health plans to combat this virus –– before it’s too late.”
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But for many tweeters, it was crystal clear who Obama was talking about:
While we continue to wait for a coherent national plan to navigate this pandemic, states like Massachusetts are beginning to adopt their own public health plans to combat this virus––before it's too late. https://t.co/Eb2Hz8H8vU — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 22, 2020
For weeks, Trump and his administration (buoyed by Fox News prime-time personalities Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham) downplayed the threat of the contagion that has killed more than 47,000 people nationwide. The U.S. is now the epicenter of the virus, with almost 850,000 confirmed cases.
Trump has used his daily coronavirus briefings to hype unproven cures and attack journalists, while also trying to shift blame for his failures to the Obama administration.
Obama last month criticized Trump’s pandemic response with the tweet below, urging voters to “demand better of our government.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-23--Trump Administration Details Plan To Pay The Uninsured's COVID-19 Expenses

The plan follows through on a promise President Donald Trump made in early April , when he said he wanted to “ alleviate any concern uninsured Americans may have about seeking the coronavirus treatment.
” Under the proposal , the federal government will pay hospitals , clinics and doctors directly when they provide testing and treatment to COVID-19 patients who lack coverage .
Money for the program will come out of a $ 100 billion health care allotment in the CARES Act , which is the $ 2.3 trillion economic relief package that Congress passed and Trump signed late last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided some key details of the new proposal .
In particular , it has not said how much of the CARES money will go to the uninsured , which makes it hard to know whether the new initiative , which officials said would be ” subject to available funding , ” will be sufficient to cover all the coronavirus-related bills that uninsured patients generate in the next few months and beyond .
Nobody really knows how big those bills will get .
The best available estimate , from researchers at the Henry J.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for hospital care alone could be anywhere from $ 13.9 billion to 41.8 billion .
The administration was more specific about how the payments would work in practice .
The government would reimburse providers at the same rate as Medicare pays for services .
In exchange for receiving that money , providers would have to agree not to seek additional payments directly from patients .
Providers could decline to participate in the program and might be tempted since Medicare generally pays less than commercial insurance for services .
But providers desperately need revenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the elective care that is their biggest moneymaker .
Another lingering question is what happens to people who seek care because they think they have COVID-19 , but it turns out to be something unrelated , like influenza .
The new initiative , in theory , covers only expenses related to COVID-19 , and it ’ s not clear how it would address such situations .
“ Depending on the details of how it ’ s implemented , people could still end up with big medical bills if they seek care but end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Levitt , the Kaiser Family Foundation ’ s executive vice president , wrote on Twitter .
Whatever happens in those cases , it ’ s clear the new initiative won ’ t help the uninsured with injuries , heart attacks and other ailments that clearly have nothing to do with the novel coronavirus .
And that ’ s a worry because the number of uninsured is likely to balloon in the coming weeks as millions of laid-off workers lose job-based coverage .
Many of the newly unemployed will become eligible for Medicaid or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act ’ s exchanges .
But those who get little or no subsidies may find private coverage too expensive .
And those who were uninsured before the crisis will have no way to buy private insurance because the Trump administration has rebuffed proposals to create a new open enrollment period at HealthCare.gov , the online insurance market for people buying coverage on their own .
( California , the District of Columbia and 10 other states that run their own exchanges have reopened their markets , but that helps only their residents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ other ways to help the uninsured , including extra subsidies for people who want to stay on their old employer plans through COBRA ( the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act ’ s insurance provisions ) .
Another option some Democrats back is letting people opt into Medicare and Medicaid , even if they ’ re not eligible under current criteria .
Neither Trump nor Republican leaders in Congress have shown interest in those proposals so far .
On the contrary , the Trump administration continues to support a lawsuit , now bound for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invalidate the Affordable Care Act and , in the process , take insurance away from millions of more Americans .

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The Trump administration on Wednesday sketched out its plan for making sure the uninsured don’t have to pay for COVID-19 tests and treatments.
The plan follows through on a promise President Donald Trump made in early April, when he said he wanted to “alleviate any concern uninsured Americans may have about seeking the coronavirus treatment.”
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Under the proposal, the federal government will pay hospitals, clinics and doctors directly when they provide testing and treatment to COVID-19 patients who lack coverage. Money for the program will come out of a $100 billion health care allotment in the CARES Act, which is the $2.3 trillion economic relief package that Congress passed and Trump signed late last month.
The administration still has not provided some key details of the new proposal. In particular, it has not said how much of the CARES money will go to the uninsured, which makes it hard to know whether the new initiative, which officials said would be ”subject to available funding,” will be sufficient to cover all the coronavirus-related bills that uninsured patients generate in the next few months and beyond.
Nobody really knows how big those bills will get. The best available estimate, from researchers at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, suggests the total for hospital care alone could be anywhere from $13.9 billion to 41.8 billion.
The administration was more specific about how the payments would work in practice. The government would reimburse providers at the same rate as Medicare pays for services. In exchange for receiving that money, providers would have to agree not to seek additional payments directly from patients.
Advertisement
Providers could decline to participate in the program and might be tempted since Medicare generally pays less than commercial insurance for services. But providers desperately need revenue right now because they have mostly stopped the elective care that is their biggest moneymaker.
Another lingering question is what happens to people who seek care because they think they have COVID-19, but it turns out to be something unrelated, like influenza. The new initiative, in theory, covers only expenses related to COVID-19, and it’s not clear how it would address such situations.
“Depending on the details of how it’s implemented, people could still end up with big medical bills if they seek care but end up not having COVID-19,” Larry Levitt, the Kaiser Family Foundation’s executive vice president, wrote on Twitter.
Whatever happens in those cases, it’s clear the new initiative won’t help the uninsured with injuries, heart attacks and other ailments that clearly have nothing to do with the novel coronavirus. And that’s a worry because the number of uninsured is likely to balloon in the coming weeks as millions of laid-off workers lose job-based coverage.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar speaks about the coronavirus at the White House on March 30. The Trump administration decided not to reopen enrollment in HealthCare.gov for people who have lost employer-based insurance. Alex Brandon/ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Many of the newly unemployed will become eligible for Medicaid or subsidized private coverage on the Affordable Care Act’s exchanges. But those who get little or no subsidies may find private coverage too expensive.
And those who were uninsured before the crisis will have no way to buy private insurance because the Trump administration has rebuffed proposals to create a new open enrollment period at HealthCare.gov, the online insurance market for people buying coverage on their own. (California, the District of Columbia and 10 other states that run their own exchanges have reopened their markets, but that helps only their residents.)
Democrats have proposed a number of other ways to help the uninsured, including extra subsidies for people who want to stay on their old employer plans through COBRA (the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act’s insurance provisions). Another option some Democrats back is letting people opt into Medicare and Medicaid, even if they’re not eligible under current criteria.
Neither Trump nor Republican leaders in Congress have shown interest in those proposals so far. On the contrary, the Trump administration continues to support a lawsuit, now bound for the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking to invalidate the Affordable Care Act and, in the process, take insurance away from millions of more Americans.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-22--Fight Over Texas Abortions Amid Coronavirus Orders Is Over: State Attorney General Says

Abortion clinics in Texas can now resume operations nearly a month after Gov .
Greg Abbott ( R ) issued an executive order banning all nonessential surgeries and procedures , saying it would preserve medical resources as the state prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic .
The original order put a halt to all abortions , forcing some women to cross state lines to get the procedure .
In response , several abortion clinics filed a lawsuit against Abbott and state lawmakers , triggering a legal battle over what they claimed was a time-sensitive , essential service .
Abbott issued a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday , that eased restrictions and allowed for more procedures to be exempt from the nonessential surgery ban .
Though the order didn ’ t specifically identify abortions as an exempt procedure , the state attorney general ’ s office said in legal documents filed late Wednesday that abortions could continue under Abbott ’ s new order .
State lawyers said that there was no longer a legal issue since the plaintiffs in the lawsuit ― the abortion clinics ― had “ already certified they are in compliance with an exception ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Under the new order , health care facilities are allowed to continue nonessential procedures if they reserve a portion of their facility to care for potential COVID-19 patients and do not request publicly sourced personal protective equipment .
“ Plaintiffs in fact have made those certifications and received acknowledgment from [ the Texas Health and Human Services Commission ] , ” the state lawyers said in the filing .
“ Having done so , Plaintiffs admit the exemption applies to them .
There is no controversy between the parties , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuit against the first ban was filed , a federal district judge initially sided with the clinics and granted a temporary restraining order that allowed clinics to continue with abortion procedures .
That restraining order was soon reversed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit , and the abortion ban continued .
A federal district court then granted a second temporary restraining order for clinics , but the 5th Circuit again sided with the state and the ban continued .
The state attorney general ’ s filing on late Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back up earlier in the day in anticipation of Abbott ’ s new order .
In an interview with the Texas Tribune , Dyana Limon-Mercado , the executive director of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes , said that the initial ban on abortions that lasted for the past month was “ an unthinkable nightmare ” for those who have had to go out of state to receive access to the procedure .

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Abortion clinics in Texas can now resume operations nearly a month after Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued an executive order banning all nonessential surgeries and procedures, saying it would preserve medical resources as the state prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The original order put a halt to all abortions, forcing some women to cross state lines to get the procedure. In response, several abortion clinics filed a lawsuit against Abbott and state lawmakers, triggering a legal battle over what they claimed was a time-sensitive, essential service.
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Abbott issued a new executive order, which took effect on Wednesday, that eased restrictions and allowed for more procedures to be exempt from the nonessential surgery ban.
Though the order didn’t specifically identify abortions as an exempt procedure, the state attorney general’s office said in legal documents filed late Wednesday that abortions could continue under Abbott’s new order.
State lawyers said that there was no longer a legal issue since the plaintiffs in the lawsuit ― the abortion clinics ― had “already certified they are in compliance with an exception” under Abbott’s new executive order.
Under the new order, health care facilities are allowed to continue nonessential procedures if they reserve a portion of their facility to care for potential COVID-19 patients and do not request publicly sourced personal protective equipment.
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“Plaintiffs in fact have made those certifications and received acknowledgment from [the Texas Health and Human Services Commission],” the state lawyers said in the filing. “Having done so, Plaintiffs admit the exemption applies to them. There is no controversy between the parties, and the Court therefore lacks jurisdiction.”
When the lawsuit against the first ban was filed, a federal district judge initially sided with the clinics and granted a temporary restraining order that allowed clinics to continue with abortion procedures.
That restraining order was soon reversed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, and the abortion ban continued. A federal district court then granted a second temporary restraining order for clinics, but the 5th Circuit again sided with the state and the ban continued.
The state attorney general’s filing on late Wednesday came after abortion clinics had already opened back up earlier in the day in anticipation of Abbott’s new order.
In an interview with the Texas Tribune, Dyana Limon-Mercado, the executive director of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes, said that the initial ban on abortions that lasted for the past month was “an unthinkable nightmare” for those who have had to go out of state to receive access to the procedure.