thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-16--‘Bye Bye Brad’: Twitter Users Mock Parscale After Trump Campaign Demotion

Brad Parscale is out as manager of President Donald Trump ’ s 2020 reelection campaign ― and his critics couldn ’ t be happier about it .
Parscale , who will remain with the campaign , is being replaced by former Chris Christie operative Bill Stepien , who was fired after New Jersey ’ s Bridgegate retaliation scandal .
Parscale and his companies have taken in about $ 40 million from the Trump campaign , allowing him to rack up an eye-popping assortment of expensive properties and luxury cars .
But he ’ s also presided over a campaign in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average of 9.1 percentage points to his presumptive Democratic rival , former Vice President Joe Biden , according to the latest polling data from FiveThirtyEight .
The sinking numbers come after Parscale bragged in the spring that he spent three years building a “ Death Star ” of a political campaign ― a line many of his critics are using amid the news of his demotion : Hey Brad- Comparing your campaign to the evil empire is spot-on , but I have to tell you : the Death Star had a slight design @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for you.
# Biden2020Landslide https : //t.co/3NgD7FPH2B — Mark Hamill ( @ HamillHimself ) July 16 , 2020 Do n't let the Death Star door hit you in the ass on the way out , Brad .
— Michael McKean ( @ MJMcKean ) July 16 , 2020 Bye Bye , # Brad .
👋🏽 # ByeBrad As my grandma says , no me alegro pero baya .
Lost in translation 🤷🏾♀ but basically : I do n't rejoice but it was about damn time .
https : //t.co/FdNrXhEJwI — Areli E. Hernandez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 Imagine finding out you lost your job from a Facebook post .
Trump couldn ’ t even wait an hour to tweet it .
— George Takei ( @ GeorgeTakei ) July 16 , 2020 No surprise , grifter Brad Parscale is officially out as the head of the “ Trump Train Wreck.
” Bye , Felicia.👋🏼 https : //t.co/N24I1iXPeE — Dr. Dena Grayson ( @ DrDenaGrayson ) July 16 , 2020 Weird that he didn ’ t work out .
You ’ d think the face coozie would have done it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) July 16 , 2020 Darn , @ realDonaldTrump didn ’ t take my advice last month about not replacing Brad Parscale .
This is like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic .
https : //t.co/LHi3V56k97 — Ted Lieu ( @ tedlieu ) July 16 , 2020 Brad Parscale gets ejected from the Death Star BEFORE it gets destroyed by the Resistance , but only after he drained a TON of galactic credits from Darth Lamer .
— BrooklynDad_Defiant !
( @ mmpadellan ) July 16 , 2020 Parscale 's grift game was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump campaign & RNC to spend $ 700,000 to run more than 4,400 ads promoting his own Facebook page and Insta .
https : //t.co/WpeUU7OLP1 — Melissa Ryan ( @ MelissaRyan ) July 16 , 2020 BREAKING : Brad Parscale is out as Trump 's campaign manager .
Apparently there *is* a limit to how much you can grift in this administration ( and it 's a waterfront mansion , a pair of condos , a yacht and a Ferrari ) .
— Brian Tyler Cohen ( @ briantylercohen ) July 16 , @

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Brad Parscale is out as manager of President Donald Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign ― and his critics couldn’t be happier about it.
Parscale, who will remain with the campaign, is being replaced by former Chris Christie operative Bill Stepien, who was fired after New Jersey’s Bridgegate retaliation scandal.
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Parscale and his companies have taken in about $40 million from the Trump campaign, allowing him to rack up an eye-popping assortment of expensive properties and luxury cars.
But he’s also presided over a campaign in which the president is down by an average of 9.1 percentage points to his presumptive Democratic rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, according to the latest polling data from FiveThirtyEight.
The sinking numbers come after Parscale bragged in the spring that he spent three years building a “Death Star” of a political campaign ― a line many of his critics are using amid the news of his demotion:
Hey Brad- Comparing your campaign to the evil empire is spot-on, but I have to tell you: the Death Star had a slight design flaw & it won't end well for you.#Biden2020Landslide https://t.co/3NgD7FPH2B — Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) July 16, 2020
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Brad Parscale: From the Death Star to Dancing with the Stars — JeremyNewberger (@jeremynewberger) July 16, 2020
evacuate? in their moment of triumph?https://t.co/px0oL8SjSf — Alex Burns (@alexburnsNYT) July 16, 2020
Don't let the Death Star door hit you in the ass on the way out, Brad. — Michael McKean (@MJMcKean) July 16, 2020
lol Death Star is trending bye bye Brad pic.twitter.com/lSWGBzFmA6 — The Mandalorian 🍦 (@BlackOmen2021) July 16, 2020
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Bye Bye, #Brad. 👋🏽#ByeBrad
As my grandma says, no me alegro pero baya.
Lost in translation 🤷🏾♀ but basically:
I don't rejoice but it was about damn time. https://t.co/FdNrXhEJwI — Areli E. Hernandez (@Areli_RLE) July 16, 2020
Imagine finding out you lost your job from a Facebook post.
Trump couldn’t even wait an hour to tweet it. — George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) July 16, 2020
Brad Parscale's Death Star just got blown up by TikTok. — Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) July 16, 2020
No surprise, grifter Brad Parscale is officially out as the head of the “Trump Train Wreck.”
Bye, Felicia.👋🏼 https://t.co/N24I1iXPeE — Dr. Dena Grayson (@DrDenaGrayson) July 16, 2020
Weird that he didn’t work out. You’d think the face coozie would have done it. pic.twitter.com/R3Bn0u9ny4 — Schooley (@Rschooley) July 16, 2020
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BREAKING - Bye Bye brad: Trump Demotes Brad Parscale, His Campaign Manager https://t.co/1yhLRrsyBm — (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) July 16, 2020
Darn, @realDonaldTrump didn’t take my advice last month about not replacing Brad Parscale.
This is like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. https://t.co/LHi3V56k97 — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) July 16, 2020
Brad.
Time to learn a new trade.
Ivanka can help. — Ryan Stiles (@WhoseRyanStiles) July 16, 2020
WILL YOU FIRE BRAD FOR ME? pic.twitter.com/UkIgCXjsLo — 𝚔𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚗 (@KevINthe406) July 16, 2020
Brad Parscale gets ejected from the Death Star BEFORE it gets destroyed by the Resistance, but only after he drained a TON of galactic credits from Darth Lamer. — BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) July 16, 2020
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Parscale's grift game was strong. So strong he got the Trump campaign & RNC to spend $700,000 to run more than 4,400 ads promoting his own Facebook page and Insta. https://t.co/WpeUU7OLP1 — Melissa Ryan (@MelissaRyan) July 16, 2020
Yeah your buddy pressed fire alright. Bye Brad https://t.co/PaLEYzDVNO — Safari Mike (@JamboEveryone) July 16, 2020
Last one, I promise. pic.twitter.com/mKUzAv4UZu — The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) July 16, 2020
BREAKING: Brad Parscale is out as Trump's campaign manager. Apparently there *is* a limit to how much you can grift in this administration (and it's a waterfront mansion, a pair of condos, a yacht and a Ferrari). — Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) July 16, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-16--1.2 Million Laid-Off Workers Seek Unemployment Benefits As Virus Spreads

That reality will be on display Thursday morning when the U.S. government releases data on how many workers sought unemployment benefits last week , as well as how retailers did in June .
Both reports will be closely watched as new confirmed cases of coronavirus rise in 40 states , including huge spikes in California , Texas and Florida .
Surging infections threaten to slow the nascent economic recovery .
“ The risk of a dip lower in the economy has increased as more states adopt policies to combat the virus spread , ” economists at Bank of America said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country manages to get the virus under control , the recovery is likely to be one of fits and starts.
” Applications for jobless aid are expected to remain stuck at the worrisome level of around 1.2 million , the 17th straight week of claims above the 1 million mark .
Before the pandemic intensified in mid-March , the highest weekly figure on record was about 700,000 .
Sales at retail stores and restaurants likely rose 5.4 % in June , according to data provider FactSet .
That would follow a record gain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shops , restaurants and bars reopened after nationwide shutdowns in the previous months , when sales plummeted .
Still , sales will likely remain sharply below their levels of a year ago .
California , Florida and other states have closed down bars for a second time and barred indoor dining because cases are surging .
The impact of those new shutdowns likely won ’ t surface until next month ’ s job report .
The other cloud hanging over the economy is the pending expiration of an extra $ 600 in weekly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , part of a $ 2 trillion relief package approved in late March .
The Thursday report , by the JPMorgan Chase Institute , also concluded that the elimination of the additional benefit could force unemployed households to cut their spending by nearly 30 % .
But it ’ s not clear that such a pace can be sustained .
The number of employees working at small businesses declined last week , particularly in states with worsening viral outbreaks , according to data from Homebase , a company that makes scheduling and work-tracking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off people .
American Airlines warned its workers Wednesday that it may have to cut up to 25,000 jobs in October because of sharply reduced air travel .
Airlines are barred from layoffs until then as a condition of federal aid they have received .
United Airlines has already told 36,000 workers they may lose their jobs .
Air traffic began to slowly rebound in mid-April , but like other parts of the economy , the improvement plateaued in July as the viral outbreak worsens .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Unemployment remains painfully high in the U.S. even as economic activity slowly picks up.
That reality will be on display Thursday morning when the U.S. government releases data on how many workers sought unemployment benefits last week, as well as how retailers did in June.
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Both reports will be closely watched as new confirmed cases of coronavirus rise in 40 states, including huge spikes in California, Texas and Florida. Surging infections threaten to slow the nascent economic recovery.
“The risk of a dip lower in the economy has increased as more states adopt policies to combat the virus spread,” economists at Bank of America said in research note. “Until the country manages to get the virus under control, the recovery is likely to be one of fits and starts.”
Applications for jobless aid are expected to remain stuck at the worrisome level of around 1.2 million, the 17th straight week of claims above the 1 million mark. Before the pandemic intensified in mid-March, the highest weekly figure on record was about 700,000.
Sales at retail stores and restaurants likely rose 5.4% in June, according to data provider FactSet. That would follow a record gain of nearly 18% in May as shops, restaurants and bars reopened after nationwide shutdowns in the previous months, when sales plummeted. Still, sales will likely remain sharply below their levels of a year ago. California, Florida and other states have closed down bars for a second time and barred indoor dining because cases are surging.
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The impact of those new shutdowns likely won’t surface until next month’s job report. The other cloud hanging over the economy is the pending expiration of an extra $600 in weekly jobless aid provided by the federal government, part of a $2 trillion relief package approved in late March.
A new report suggests that the additional aid enabled unemployed workers to actually increase their spending above pre-pandemic levels, helping fuel the economy’s rebound.
The Thursday report, by the JPMorgan Chase Institute, also concluded that the elimination of the additional benefit could force unemployed households to cut their spending by nearly 30%.
The government’s employment report for June showed a solid gain of 4.8 million jobs and an unemployment rate that fell to 11.1%, from 13.3%.
But it’s not clear that such a pace can be sustained. The number of employees working at small businesses declined last week, particularly in states with worsening viral outbreaks, according to data from Homebase, a company that makes scheduling and work-tracking software.
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And companies continue to lay off people. American Airlines warned its workers Wednesday that it may have to cut up to 25,000 jobs in October because of sharply reduced air travel. Airlines are barred from layoffs until then as a condition of federal aid they have received. United Airlines has already told 36,000 workers they may lose their jobs.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-16--Record Number Of Openly LGBTQ Candidates Running For Office In U.S.

NEW YORK ( AP ) — The number of openly LGBTQ elected officials in the United States has more than doubled in the past four years — and those ranks could soon grow , thanks to a record field of LGBTQ candidates this year , according to new data from an advocacy and research group .
The LGBTQ Victory Institute ’ s Out For America report , released Thursday , tallies 843 openly LGBTQ elected officials across all levels of government at present , up from 417 in June 2016 .
The institute says a record 850 LGBTQ people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several candidates with strong chances of entering Congress .
Yet the institute ’ s president , former Houston Mayor Annise Parker , says that despite significant progress , LGBTQ people “ continue to be severely underrepresented in every state and at every level of government.
” She said LGBTQ people make up about 4.5 % of the U.S. adult population , yet hold only 0.17 % of the more than 510,000 elected positions in the U.S. , ranging from Congress and state legislatures to city councils and school boards .
To achieve proportionate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would need to win more than 22,500 additional positions .
The Victory Institute data reveals a striking partisan divide .
As of 2018 , it counted 438 LGBTQ elected officials affiliated with the Democratic Party and only 16 Republicans .
Among the LGBTQ candidates with solid chances of winning in November are several Democratic congressional contenders .
One is Gina Ortiz Jones , an Air Force veteran who nearly beat Republican incumbent Will Hurd in a southwest Texas district two years ago , and now is viewed as an even stronger candidate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s retirement .
Jones , in a telephone interview , said health care is the dominant issue on the minds of many of the district ’ s voters , but on the campaign trial she frequently shares her thoughts on the need for equality for LGBTQ people .
When she went to college on an Air Force ROTC scholarship and later served in Iraq as an intelligence officer , the now-defunct Don ’ t Ask , Don ’ t Tell policy was in effect — obligating gay and lesbian service members to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ If they found out I was gay , I would have lost my scholarship , ” she said .
“ I bring my entire self to this race — people want to get a sense of the life that you ’ ve lived.
” In New York state , a gay , Black attorney , Mondaire Jones , was this week declared winner of the Democratic primary for a congressional seat opening up in New York City ’ s northern suburbs .
It ’ s an overwhelmingly Democratic district , so Jones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history-maker in Congress — it ’ s never had an openly LGBTQ Black member .
Jones could have company in breaking that barrier .
Gay New York City Councilman Ritchie Torres , who is Afro-Latino , also has a good chance of winning a congressional seat in the Bronx .
“ Growing up poor , Black , and gay , I never imagined someone like me could run for Congress , let alone win , ” Jones said in his primary victory statement .
During that same time period , the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 26 .
In Delaware , Democratic candidate Sarah McBride is campaigning this year to become the first openly transgender person elected to a state senate anywhere in the U.S .

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NEW YORK (AP) — The number of openly LGBTQ elected officials in the United States has more than doubled in the past four years — and those ranks could soon grow, thanks to a record field of LGBTQ candidates this year, according to new data from an advocacy and research group.
The LGBTQ Victory Institute’s Out For America report, released Thursday, tallies 843 openly LGBTQ elected officials across all levels of government at present, up from 417 in June 2016. The institute says a record 850 LGBTQ people are running for office this year, including several candidates with strong chances of entering Congress.
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Yet the institute’s president, former Houston Mayor Annise Parker, says that despite significant progress, LGBTQ people “continue to be severely underrepresented in every state and at every level of government.”
She said LGBTQ people make up about 4.5% of the U.S. adult population, yet hold only 0.17% of the more than 510,000 elected positions in the U.S., ranging from Congress and state legislatures to city councils and school boards. To achieve proportionate representation, Parker said, LGBTQ people would need to win more than 22,500 additional positions.
The Victory Institute data reveals a striking partisan divide. As of 2018, it counted 438 LGBTQ elected officials affiliated with the Democratic Party and only 16 Republicans. Among the LGBTQ candidates with solid chances of winning in November are several Democratic congressional contenders.
One is Gina Ortiz Jones, an Air Force veteran who nearly beat Republican incumbent Will Hurd in a southwest Texas district two years ago, and now is viewed as an even stronger candidate in the mostly Hispanic district because of Hurd’s retirement.
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Jones, in a telephone interview, said health care is the dominant issue on the minds of many of the district’s voters, but on the campaign trial she frequently shares her thoughts on the need for equality for LGBTQ people.
Gina Ortiz Jones, the Democratic nominee for a House seat in West Texas, poses for a photo, Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, in San Antonio, Texas. ASSOCIATED PRESS
When she went to college on an Air Force ROTC scholarship and later served in Iraq as an intelligence officer, the now-defunct Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy was in effect — obligating gay and lesbian service members to be secretive about their sexual orientation.
“If they found out I was gay, I would have lost my scholarship,” she said. “I bring my entire self to this race — people want to get a sense of the life that you’ve lived.”
In New York state, a gay, Black attorney, Mondaire Jones, was this week declared winner of the Democratic primary for a congressional seat opening up in New York City’s northern suburbs. It’s an overwhelmingly Democratic district, so Jones has a strong chance of becoming a history-maker in Congress — it’s never had an openly LGBTQ Black member.
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Jones could have company in breaking that barrier. Gay New York City Councilman Ritchie Torres, who is Afro-Latino, also has a good chance of winning a congressional seat in the Bronx.
“Growing up poor, Black, and gay, I never imagined someone like me could run for Congress, let alone win,” Jones said in his primary victory statement.
Mondaire Jones, left, winner of the Democratic primary for the 17th Congressional District, addresses a Black Lives Matter rally near a statue of Martin Luther King Jr., Wednesday, July 15, 2020, outside the Westchester County courthouse in White Plains, N.Y. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Among other LGBTQ congressional candidates — all Democrats — are Beth Doglio in Washington state, Pat Hackett in Indiana, Alex Morse in Massachusetts, and Georgette Gómez in California.
Gómez is currently president of the city council in San Diego, where a gay state legislator, Todd Gloria, is a leading contender in the race to become mayor.
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The Victory Institute says the number of LGBTQ Black people and Hispanic people holding elected positions has doubled in the past three years — from 92 to 184.
During that same time period, the number of transgender elected officials rose from six to 26. In Delaware, Democratic candidate Sarah McBride is campaigning this year to become the first openly transgender person elected to a state senate anywhere in the U.S.
Parker said LGBTQ elected officials have been leaders on a wide range of issues, including affordable housing, health care, immigration and gun control, as well as influencing debate on LGBTQ rights.
“When LGBTQ elected officials are in the halls of power, they change the hearts and minds of their lawmaker colleagues, defeat anti-LGBTQ bills and inspire more inclusive legislation,” she said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-15--Donald Trump Poses With Goya Products One Day After Ivanka Tweets Support

President Donald Trump may be setting himself for a new gig after he leaves office ― as a spokesman for Goya Foods .
The president posted a pic on Instagram Wednesday that showed him at his desk with a variety of Goya products , including cookies , coconut milk and adobo .
Trump ’ s promo pic came a day after his daughter Ivanka Trump posted a Twitter selfie with a can of black beans , posing as if she were a spokesmodel on “ The Price Is Right.
” Both Trump photos came in reaction to a boycott against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that the country is “ truly blessed ” to be under Trump ’ s leadership .
But the pics may violate the Code of Federal Regulations , which states that employees “ shall not use or permit the use of his Government position or title or any authority associated with his public office to endorse any product.
” HuffPost reached out to the White House about the possible violation , but it didn ’ t immediately respond .
White House specialty media director Carolina Hurley earlier sidestepped the ethics violation question by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ culture .
“ Only the media and the cancel culture movement would criticize Ivanka for showing her personal support for a company that has been unfairly mocked , boycotted and ridiculed for supporting this administration ― one that has consistently fought for and delivered for the Hispanic community , ” Hurley told The Hill .
“ Ivanka is proud of this strong , Hispanic-owned business with deep roots in the U.S. and has every right to express her personal support .
”

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President Donald Trump may be setting himself for a new gig after he leaves office ― as a spokesman for Goya Foods.
The president posted a pic on Instagram Wednesday that showed him at his desk with a variety of Goya products, including cookies, coconut milk and adobo.
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Trump’s promo pic came a day after his daughter Ivanka Trump posted a Twitter selfie with a can of black beans, posing as if she were a spokesmodel on “The Price Is Right.”
If it’s Goya, it has to be good.
Si es Goya, tiene que ser bueno. pic.twitter.com/9tjVrfmo9z — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) July 15, 2020
Both Trump photos came in reaction to a boycott against Goya that began after CEO Robert Unanue said that the country is “truly blessed” to be under Trump’s leadership.
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But the pics may violate the Code of Federal Regulations, which states that employees “shall not use or permit the use of his Government position or title or any authority associated with his public office to endorse any product.”
HuffPost reached out to the White House about the possible violation, but it didn’t immediately respond.
White House specialty media director Carolina Hurley earlier sidestepped the ethics violation question by blaming the media and the so-called cancel culture.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-15--Trump Demotes Campaign Manager Brad Parscale In Shake-Up

“ Brad Parscale , who has been with me for a very long time and has led our tremendous digital and data strategies , will remain in that role , while being a Senior Advisor to the campaign , ” Trump wrote on Facebook as his favored medium , Twitter , was inaccessible following a massive hack .
“ I look forward to having a big and very important second win together .
This one should be a lot easier as our poll numbers are rising fast , the economy is getting better , vaccines and therapeutics will soon be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe streets and communities !
” Parscale , who has served as the president ’ s campaign manager since early 2018 , will be replaced by Bill Stepien , a longtime political operative who worked on both New Jersey gubernatorial campaigns for Chris Christie before he was fired after the Bridgegate scandal .
Recent polls have shown Trump trailing his presumptive competitor , former Vice President Joe Biden , by a wide margin as Americans grow increasingly concerned with his handling of the pandemic .
COVID-19 cases are surging in almost every state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House pushes for schools to open in the fall and for the nation to continue efforts to reopen the economy .
Parscale ’ s role had been under increased scrutiny following Trump ’ s rally last month in Tulsa , Oklahoma , meant to “ reboot ” the president ’ s campaign after the coronavirus pandemic put nearly all in-person events on ice .
But the event , meant to host nearly 20,000 people at an indoor arena against the advice of medical officials , was a flop .
The crowd was far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with thousands of empty seats and forced to cancel an outdoor event at the last minute .
Tulsa ’ s top health official said the event also “ likely contributed ” to a dramatic surge in new COVID-19 cases in the state .
He had denied any potential demotion as late as this week , telling The Washington Post on Monday that reports he was on the outs with Trump were the “ same tired story being shopped every week.
” But the outlet , citing anonymous sources inside the administration , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s poll numbers declined amid the coronavirus and anti-racism protests following the death of George Floyd .
The Post said Trump and his son-in-law , Jared Kushner , had begun interrupting Parscale more regularly .
Parscale has , however , retained some support from the Trump family .
The Times ’ Maggie Haberman noted that while many aides who have run afoul of the president have been pushed out unceremoniously , Parscale , who is close to the family , had been asked to stay on in a reduced capacity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ heroes of the 2016 campaign and have done a great job building the infrastructure for the president ’ s campaign for the 2020 race , ” Kushner told the Times of Parscale and his replacement .
“ Together they both bring unique strengths .
”

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President Donald Trump will replace his campaign manager, Brad Parscale, amid lagging polls and a disastrous rally in Oklahoma last month, he announced Wednesday.
“Brad Parscale, who has been with me for a very long time and has led our tremendous digital and data strategies, will remain in that role, while being a Senior Advisor to the campaign,” Trump wrote on Facebook as his favored medium, Twitter, was inaccessible following a massive hack. “I look forward to having a big and very important second win together. This one should be a lot easier as our poll numbers are rising fast, the economy is getting better, vaccines and therapeutics will soon be on the way, and Americans want safe streets and communities!”
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The New York Times was the first to report the news.
Parscale, who has served as the president’s campaign manager since early 2018, will be replaced by Bill Stepien, a longtime political operative who worked on both New Jersey gubernatorial campaigns for Chris Christie before he was fired after the Bridgegate scandal.
He has been working as Trump’s deputy campaign manager.
Recent polls have shown Trump trailing his presumptive competitor, former Vice President Joe Biden, by a wide margin as Americans grow increasingly concerned with his handling of the pandemic. COVID-19 cases are surging in almost every state in the country even as the White House pushes for schools to open in the fall and for the nation to continue efforts to reopen the economy.
Parscale’s role had been under increased scrutiny following Trump’s rally last month in Tulsa, Oklahoma, meant to “reboot” the president’s campaign after the coronavirus pandemic put nearly all in-person events on ice. But the event, meant to host nearly 20,000 people at an indoor arena against the advice of medical officials, was a flop. The crowd was far smaller than expected and Trump was confronted with thousands of empty seats and forced to cancel an outdoor event at the last minute.
Tulsa’s top health official said the event also “likely contributed” to a dramatic surge in new COVID-19 cases in the state.
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At the time, Parscale blamed the poor showing on “radical protesters” and “apocalyptic news coverage.”
He had denied any potential demotion as late as this week, telling The Washington Post on Monday that reports he was on the outs with Trump were the “same tired story being shopped every week.”
But the outlet, citing anonymous sources inside the administration, said Parscale’s days appeared numbered as Trump’s poll numbers declined amid the coronavirus and anti-racism protests following the death of George Floyd. The Post said Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, had begun interrupting Parscale more regularly.
Parscale has, however, retained some support from the Trump family. The Times’ Maggie Haberman noted that while many aides who have run afoul of the president have been pushed out unceremoniously, Parscale, who is close to the family, had been asked to stay on in a reduced capacity.
Notable distinction with Parscale that's different from previous shakeups - the Trump family, some of whom are close to Parscale, asked him to stay on. https://t.co/UmmpPry3D3 — Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) July 16, 2020
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Kushner championed Parscale’s work in a statement later Wednesday, calling him an “unsung hero” who had a seminal role in Trump’s election.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-15--Ana Navarro Slams Ivanka Trump: No Latin Would Cook Black Beans In White Silk

The strategist also was skeptical that Ivanka is really into trumpeting Goya products .
“ She holds a can of @ @ @ @ @ her father holds a Bible , ” Navarro said , referring to the president ’ @ @ @ @ @ of a church near the White House at the height of the protests over the @ @ @ @ @ .
“ They don ’ t know what they ’ re doing .
”

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President Donald Trump’s eldest daughter posted a tweet on Tuesday posing with the bean can, with the Goya company slogan included in English and Spanish.
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If it’s Goya, it has to be good.
Si es Goya, tiene que ser bueno. pic.twitter.com/9tjVrfmo9z — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) July 15, 2020
The posting came on the heels of calls for a boycott of Goya products after company CEO Robert Unanue lavishly praised the president during a White House ceremony last week.
Navarro had a lot of problems with the pic, including the possibility that it broke a law that prohibits people with government-paid jobs from using their positions to “help any sort of brand or any company,” she said Wednesday on CNN. Ivanka serves as a senior White House adviser,
“It is a law. She has broken ethics, she has broken regulations, she’s broken a law by doing that,” said Navarro, a Republican strategist but a staunch foe of the president.
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Navarro sniped that “when your last name is Trump, you are very used to breaking laws,” and said the outfit Ivanka wore for the pic “broke latina cocina laws.”
“I don’t know any Latin who would dress in white silk to cook a can of black beans,” Navarro said. “That in itself makes no sense.”
She continued to burn the first daughter by suggesting Ivanka resign her government job if she really wants to help Goya Foods.
“Do us all a favor and quit your job,” Navarro said. “Because you’re not really effective at your job anyways.
She added that if Ivanka has decided to support Latin food and Latin causes, it would be nice if she “had the same passion for the men and women, the migrant workers who pick the vegetables that go in those cans.”
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The strategist also was skeptical that Ivanka is really into trumpeting Goya products. “She holds a can of beans with the same familiarity her father holds a Bible,” Navarro said, referring to the president’s much-ridiculed photo-op in front of a church near the White House at the height of the protests over the police killing of George Floyd. “They don’t know what they’re doing.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-15--Democrats Are Spending Serious Cash To Aid Kris Kobach In Kansas’ GOP Senate Race

A group with Democratic ties is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars boosting anti-immigrant crusader Kris Kobach in the race for the Republican Senate nomination in Kansas , the latest example of one political party trying to fool the other party ’ s voters into backing a perceived weaker candidate .
Controversial Republican Kris Kobach is trying to resuscitate his political career by winning his party 's nomination for an open Senate seat in Kansas .
Democrats are doing their part to make that happen , seeing him as a candidate they can beat in November .
The group ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help Kobach in his three-way race against Rep. Roger Marshall and plumbing company owner Bob Hamilton .
It starts by ostensibly attacking Kobach as “ too conservative , ” and says he “ won ’ t compromise on building the wall ( President Donald Trump ’ s pet project on the U.S. southern border ) or getting tough on China ” ― positions that most GOP voters would hardly find objectionable .
The ad is the latest example of Democrats and Republicans meddling in the other party ’ s candidate selection .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democratic nomination processes in North Carolina and Texas .
Democrats did the same in West Virginia in 2018 .
In some cases , the interfering parties have successfully hidden clear evidence of their involvement until after the votes are cast in a primary or in a general election .
In each case , the opposite party has pushed candidates it has viewed as the easier to beat in the general election .
In Kansas , both Democrats and Republicans believe a Kobach nomination would put the GOP at risk of losing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is retiring , has held it for the GOP since 1997 ; the last time a Democrat occupied it was more than a 100 years ago .
Michael Plante , who helped run Duty and Country , a super PAC that successfully blocked then-Rep. Evan Jenkins from the GOP Senate nomination in West Virginia in 2018 , said both parties have started interfering in primaries more often because it ’ s a relatively low-risk tactic .
Even if the perceived weaker candidate doesn ’ t prevail , the ads can still spin a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ You can hurt the most electable candidate in the general , ” said Plante , a Democratic operative based in West Virginia .
“ Voters do deserve to know where those candidates stand , and the earlier you can begin defining them , the easier it will be to defeat them in November.
” Jesse Hunt , an NRSC spokesman , said that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) and his allies “ have spent millions bailing out their candidates in Democratic primaries and now Schumer has zeroed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOP primary .
Kansas primary voters can see right through the New York liberal ’ s desperate attempt to prop up a losing candidate.
” As their candidate for the open Kansas seat , Democrats have rallied behind state Sen. Barbara Bollier , a former Republican .
Although Kansas almost always has been deeply Republican since it became a state in the mid-1800s ― Jayhawk voters back Trump by more than 20 percentage points in 2016 ― it has become more open to Democrats as college-educated white voters have soured on the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came in 2018 , when Democrat Laura Kelley defeated Kobach by five percentage points for Kansas ’ governorship and Democrat Sharice Davids won one of the state ’ s four House seats that had all been held by the GOP .
In the governor ’ s race , Kobach had secured the GOP nomination over incumbent Jeff Coyler with the help of an endorsement from Trump , who shares the hard-line , anti-immigrant politics that made Kobach a national conservative star when he was Kansas ’ Secretary of State .
Hamilton , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pitches himself as “ Bob The Plumber ” and as an outsider businessman in Trump ’ s mold , is not featured in the ad .
He ’ s poured $ 3.5 million of his own money into his campaign , far more than Kobach or Marshall have spent so far .
In winning a tough reelection bid in 2018 , Sen. Joe Manchin ( D-W.V . )
was the beneficiary of his party 's efforts to keep the Republican it did not want to run against him from gaining the GOP nomination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s strong fundraising ― she banked $ 3.6 million in the second quarter of 2019 ― but remain confident a candidate other than Kobach could triumph .
Marshall holds mostly standard-issue GOP positions and was backed by the Chamber of Commerce in 2016 when he ousted arch-conservative Rep. Tim Huelskamp in that year ’ s Republican primary .
Most attempts at meddling in primaries fail .
Earlier this year , a GOP super PAC , funded by allies of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) , spent millions trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cunningham in North Carolina ’ s Democratic Senate primary .
Cunningham , the preferred candidate of national Democrats , won by 23 percentage points , and polls show he has a solid shot at defeating GOP incumbent Thom Tillis .
Republicans still argued the effort forced Democrats to waste cash on lifting Cunningham through the primary .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A group with Democratic ties is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars boosting anti-immigrant crusader Kris Kobach in the race for the Republican Senate nomination in Kansas, the latest example of one political party trying to fool the other party’s voters into backing a perceived weaker candidate.
Sunflower State, a super political action committee that formed earlier this week, is ladling out $850,000 on TV ads in Kansas. The group, which uses a Democratic media firm and a bank owned by a labor union, won’t have to reveal its donors until after the Aug. 4 primary.
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Controversial Republican Kris Kobach is trying to resuscitate his political career by winning his party's nomination for an open Senate seat in Kansas. Democrats are doing their part to make that happen, seeing him as a candidate they can beat in November. Mark Reinstein via Getty Images
The group’s first ad appears designed to subtly help Kobach in his three-way race against Rep. Roger Marshall and plumbing company owner Bob Hamilton. It starts by ostensibly attacking Kobach as “too conservative,” and says he “won’t compromise on building the wall (President Donald Trump’s pet project on the U.S. southern border) or getting tough on China” ― positions that most GOP voters would hardly find objectionable.
It then quickly pivots to attacking Marshall as a “phony” and “fake, fake, fake.”
“He’s been soft on Trump and weak on immigration,” a male narrator says. “Marshall’s been both for and against the wall. He went easy on China, but now talks tough.”
#KSSen: Democratic group Sunflower State is up on TV this a.m. with an all-time meddling classic --
"Kris Kobach? He's too conservative. Kobach won't compromise on building the wall or getting tough on China" pic.twitter.com/quH49WbLz9 — Medium Buying (@MediumBuying) July 15, 2020
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The ad is the latest example of Democrats and Republicans meddling in the other party’s candidate selection. This year, Republicans have tried to influence the Democratic nomination processes in North Carolina and Texas. Democrats did the same in West Virginia in 2018. In some cases, the interfering parties have successfully hidden clear evidence of their involvement until after the votes are cast in a primary or in a general election.
In each case, the opposite party has pushed candidates it has viewed as the easier to beat in the general election. In Kansas, both Democrats and Republicans believe a Kobach nomination would put the GOP at risk of losing the seat. Sen. Pat Roberts, who is retiring, has held it for the GOP since 1997; the last time a Democrat occupied it was more than a 100 years ago.
Michael Plante, who helped run Duty and Country, a super PAC that successfully blocked then-Rep. Evan Jenkins from the GOP Senate nomination in West Virginia in 2018, said both parties have started interfering in primaries more often because it’s a relatively low-risk tactic. Even if the perceived weaker candidate doesn’t prevail, the ads can still spin a damaging message about the candidate who wins.
“You can hurt the most electable candidate in the general,” said Plante, a Democratic operative based in West Virginia. “Voters do deserve to know where those candidates stand, and the earlier you can begin defining them, the easier it will be to defeat them in November.”
The National Republican Senatorial Committee, which focuses on electing GOP Senate candidates, predicted the tactic would fail in Kansas.
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Jesse Hunt, an NRSC spokesman, said that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and his allies “have spent millions bailing out their candidates in Democratic primaries and now Schumer has zeroed in on his preferred candidate in the Kansas GOP primary. Kansas primary voters can see right through the New York liberal’s desperate attempt to prop up a losing candidate.”
As their candidate for the open Kansas seat, Democrats have rallied behind state Sen. Barbara Bollier, a former Republican. Although Kansas almost always has been deeply Republican since it became a state in the mid-1800s ― Jayhawk voters back Trump by more than 20 percentage points in 2016 ― it has become more open to Democrats as college-educated white voters have soured on the president.
The clearest sign of that openness came in 2018, when Democrat Laura Kelley defeated Kobach by five percentage points for Kansas’ governorship and Democrat Sharice Davids won one of the state’s four House seats that had all been held by the GOP.
In the governor’s race, Kobach had secured the GOP nomination over incumbent Jeff Coyler with the help of an endorsement from Trump, who shares the hard-line, anti-immigrant politics that made Kobach a national conservative star when he was Kansas’ Secretary of State.
Trump’s ardor for Kobach has cooled. The New York Times reported earlier this month that he persuaded an outside conservative group to stop running ads attacking Marshall. But Republicans suggested Trump was unwilling to anger prominent conservative media voices, including Fox Business’ Lou Dobbs, by speaking out against a Kobach nomination.
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Some Republicans have expressed the hope that the Democratic ad would prompt Trump to get behind Marshall.
Hamilton, the third candidate in the GOP race who pitches himself as “Bob The Plumber” and as an outsider businessman in Trump’s mold, is not featured in the ad. He’s poured $3.5 million of his own money into his campaign, far more than Kobach or Marshall have spent so far.
In winning a tough reelection bid in 2018, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) was the beneficiary of his party's efforts to keep the Republican it did not want to run against him from gaining the GOP nomination. TONI L. SANDYS via Getty Images
Republicans have been alarmed by Bollier’s strong fundraising ― she banked $3.6 million in the second quarter of 2019 ― but remain confident a candidate other than Kobach could triumph. Marshall holds mostly standard-issue GOP positions and was backed by the Chamber of Commerce in 2016 when he ousted arch-conservative Rep. Tim Huelskamp in that year’s Republican primary.
Most attempts at meddling in primaries fail. Earlier this year, a GOP super PAC, funded by allies of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), spent millions trying to lift state Sen. Erica Smith over Cal Cunningham in North Carolina’s Democratic Senate primary. Cunningham, the preferred candidate of national Democrats, won by 23 percentage points, and polls show he has a solid shot at defeating GOP incumbent Thom Tillis. Republicans still argued the effort forced Democrats to waste cash on lifting Cunningham through the primary.
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Two notable meddling efforts in recent years aided Democrats.
In 2012, then-Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill aired ads during the state’s GOP primary attacking the Republican her camp preferred as her opponent, Rep. Todd Akin, as “too conservative.” That helped Akin win the nomination, and McCaskill then beat him even as that years’ GOP presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, romped in the state.
And in 2018, the Democratic effort to block Jenkins from securing the GOP Senate nomination in West Virginia helped pave the way for the Democratic incumbent, Joe Manchin, to win reelection in a state Trump had carried two years earlier by more than 40 percentage points.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-15--Sure, Voters Think Trump Is Incompetent – But Most Voters Thought That In 2016, Too

AP Photo/Patrick Semansky “ Dems are totally snake-bit .
Too many are convinced the evil one is going to pull it out again , ” said former Republican congressman Joe Walsh of President Donald Trump .
WASHINGTON — If Democrats seem worried that Donald Trump will win another term in the White House even though most voters believe he is incompetent , it ’ s because they ’ ve seen this exact movie before – four years ago .
That fear has shown up in polls for the past year , with voters indicating their desire to replace the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he will win again anyway .
“ Dems are totally snake-bit .
Too many are convinced the evil one is going to pull it out again , ” said Joe Walsh , a former Republican congressman who unsuccessfully ran against Trump for the 2020 nomination .
“ It ’ s understandable , but they ’ re wrong.
” That anxiety was addressed directly in a new poll in Pennsylvania Wednesday that shows that voters generally , but Democrats particularly , now believe there is a “ secret ” vote for Trump that polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ split among voters asked whether Trump or Biden would win the state .
The same poll , meanwhile , finds Biden with a 13-point lead , 53-40 .
Indeed , candidate Trump was every bit as unpopular heading into the 2016 election as President Trump is today .
A full 63 % of voters casting ballots thought he did not have the temperament to be president ; 64 % did not think he was honest or trustworthy .
About that same figure , 61 % , did not think he was qualified to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of that group voted for him anyway .
The numbers were nearly the same in key swing states where he narrowly won , meaning that Trump ’ s margin of victory – 77,744 votes across Wisconsin , Pennsylvania and Michigan – was provided by Americans who did not think him qualified to do the job .
“ There were two choices , ” said Anthony Scaramucci , a financier who backed Trump in 2016 , briefly worked in his White House , but now opposes him .
“ I am a Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and tried to be supportive.
” Of the 15 % who thought neither was qualified , 66 % voted for Trump and only 15 % for Clinton .
That four-to-one break carried across the key swing states , except in Florida , where it was 81 % for Trump and 11 % for Clinton .
“ In 2016 , the matter of Trump ’ s competence and whether it would impact America was speculative .
We have a record now about how it has ― 138,000 dead , ” she said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who can ’ t see each other .
Millions of people forced out of work .
All because he incompetently denied the threat , existence , and deadliness of the virus.
” Contributing to Clinton ’ s unexpected loss may have been that so many Americans expected her to win .
A CBS News poll released the day before the 2016 election found that 55 % of voters believed Clinton would win , compared to just 31 % who thought Trump would .
“ People are experiencing the personal consequences of his incompetence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to own the libs when you can ’ t own a house or car because Trump ’ s mismanagement of the pandemic is killing the economy , ” she said .
For months , the Trump campaign has tried to turn the focus away from Trump ’ s management of the pandemic and onto Biden .
“ Doubts about Joe Biden ’ s competency are raised every time he speaks , ” top aide Jason Miller said .
“ I think a lot of people don ’ t want to talk about it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to say , ‘ Hey , I ’ m for Trump .
I ’ m for Trump.
’ They don ’ t want to go through the process , ” he said Tuesday during an hour-long Rose Garden campaign speech .
“ I think you have a silent majority the likes of which this country has never seen before.
” “ Of course Democrats are scarred by the 2016 experience .
This is a good thing though , ” said Josh Schwerin , with the Priorities USA Action super PAC .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need to ignore the polls and treat this like the close race it very likely will be in November .
The best way to lose is by taking the race for granted , so having a fear of unexpected failure is very healthy and productive .
”

“Dems are totally snake-bit. Too many are convinced the evil one is going to pull it out again,” said former Republican congressman Joe Walsh of President Donald Trump. AP Photo/Patrick Semansky
WASHINGTON — If Democrats seem worried that Donald Trump will win another term in the White House even though most voters believe he is incompetent, it’s because they’ve seen this exact movie before – four years ago.
That fear has shown up in polls for the past year, with voters indicating their desire to replace the president but their expectation that, somehow, he will win again anyway.
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“Political PTSD,” said Steve Schale, the Democratic consultant who ran former President Barack Obama’s successful Florida operation in 2008 and now works for a super PAC supporting Joe Biden.
“Dems are totally snake-bit. Too many are convinced the evil one is going to pull it out again,” said Joe Walsh, a former Republican congressman who unsuccessfully ran against Trump for the 2020 nomination. “It’s understandable, but they’re wrong.”
That anxiety was addressed directly in a new poll in Pennsylvania Wednesday that shows that voters generally, but Democrats particularly, now believe there is a “secret” vote for Trump that polls are missing, leading to a 46-45 split among voters asked whether Trump or Biden would win the state. The same poll, meanwhile, finds Biden with a 13-point lead, 53-40.
“The media consistently reports that Biden is in the lead, but voters remember what happened in 2016. The specter of a secret Trump vote looms large in 2020,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.
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Indeed, candidate Trump was every bit as unpopular heading into the 2016 election as President Trump is today. A full 63% of voters casting ballots thought he did not have the temperament to be president; 64% did not think he was honest or trustworthy.
About that same figure, 61%, did not think he was qualified to serve as president – and yet 17% of that group voted for him anyway. The numbers were nearly the same in key swing states where he narrowly won, meaning that Trump’s margin of victory – 77,744 votes across Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan – was provided by Americans who did not think him qualified to do the job.
“There were two choices,” said Anthony Scaramucci, a financier who backed Trump in 2016, briefly worked in his White House, but now opposes him. “I am a Republican. I went with the GOP choice and tried to be supportive.”
“In 2016, the matter of Trump’s competence and whether it would impact America was speculative. We have a record now about how it has ― 138,000 dead.” - Amanda Carpenter, former top aide to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)
That Trump benefited from 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s own unpopularity is clear. She was nearly as disliked as Trump, but voters gave Trump the benefit of the doubt when choosing between them.
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Nationally, 47% of voters thought she was not qualified. But among those, 88% voted for Trump and only 5% percent for Clinton.
Of the 15% who thought neither was qualified, 66% voted for Trump and only 15% for Clinton. That four-to-one break carried across the key swing states, except in Florida, where it was 81% for Trump and 11% for Clinton.
Amanda Carpenter, a former top aide to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), said while some of that may have been sexism, it was more about Trump being fresh to politics.
“It was a change election and she wasn’t change,” Carpenter said, adding that voters’ views of Trump’s fitness for the job today will be much harder for him to overcome.
“In 2016, the matter of Trump’s competence and whether it would impact America was speculative. We have a record now about how it has ― 138,000 dead,” she said. “Schools shut down across America. Families who can’t see each other. Millions of people forced out of work. All because he incompetently denied the threat, existence, and deadliness of the virus.”
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Contributing to Clinton’s unexpected loss may have been that so many Americans expected her to win. A CBS News poll released the day before the 2016 election found that 55% of voters believed Clinton would win, compared to just 31% who thought Trump would.
That general assumption, political strategists believe, likely helped depress turnout among her lukewarm supporters — and led some to cast ballots for third-party candidates or even Trump himself as a protest vote.
That is not going to happen this time around, Trump’s critics, both Democrats and Republicans, agree.
Sarah Longwell, a Republican consultant who publishes the anti-Trump website “The Bulwark,” said Trump’s mishandling of the pandemic is likely to cost him some of his own supporters.
“People are experiencing the personal consequences of his incompetence. It’s not as fun to own the libs when you can’t own a house or car because Trump’s mismanagement of the pandemic is killing the economy,” she said.
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For months, the Trump campaign has tried to turn the focus away from Trump’s management of the pandemic and onto Biden. “Doubts about Joe Biden’s competency are raised every time he speaks,” top aide Jason Miller said.
Trump himself, meanwhile, is actively selling the notion of a “secret Trump vote,” citing as an example the parades of boaters displaying Trump 2020 flags in Florida. He said his supporters frequently prefer not to take questions from pollsters.
“I think a lot of people don’t want to talk about it. I think they’re not going to say, ‘Hey, I’m for Trump. I’m for Trump.’ They don’t want to go through the process,” he said Tuesday during an hour-long Rose Garden campaign speech. “I think you have a silent majority the likes of which this country has never seen before.”
Democrats, for their part, say they are fine with their voters remaining nervous about the possibility of Trump winning again.
“Of course Democrats are scarred by the 2016 experience. This is a good thing though,” said Josh Schwerin, with the Priorities USA Action super PAC. “Trump might be in a tailspin but we need to ignore the polls and treat this like the close race it very likely will be in November. The best way to lose is by taking the race for granted, so having a fear of unexpected failure is very healthy and productive.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-15--Mike Huckabee’s History For Kids Company Accused Of Scamming Parents

Learn Our History , the company that former Arkansas Gov .
Mike Huckabee co-founded in 2011 “ to make it fun for kids to learn American history , ” has spent the past week funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars into Facebook ads promoting a “ no-risk ” deal .
The two-time presidential candidate ’ s firm said it ’ s giving away its educational booklets — such as “ The Kids Guide to President Trump ” — for free , or just $ 1 per item , in a “ patriotic bundle ” special .
“ The mainstream media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know the truth about President Trump and his achievements in office , ” declared the recent ads for “ The Kids Guide , ” a new offshoot of Learn Our History that has also ramped up its Facebook spending to push the promotion .
“ That ’ s why Mike Huckabee ’ s team created ‘ The Kids Guide to President Trump , ’ and that ’ s why we ’ re making it free.
” But the offer is far from free .
Parents across the country described a bait-and-switch scheme that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for $ 20-per-month subscriptions without their knowledge .
Many said that Learn Our History ignored their repeated requests to cancel the subscriptions , leaving them locked into payments for products that they never wanted in the first place — all so their children can learn Huckabee ’ s version of history , which critics described as “ pretend , ” “ kiddie propaganda ” and “ full of Christian nationalist revisionism and right-wing political propaganda.
” This isn ’ t the first time that Huckabee has cashed in on apparent scams .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his post-gubernatorial life shilling for grifters , including the sellers of a $ 74 biblical cancer cure and a diabetes “ reversal ” treatment containing a “ secret ingredient ” : cinnamon .
( “ Let me tell you that diabetes can be reversed .
I should know because I did it — and today you can , too !
” he said in a 2015 infomercial before railing against prescription drugs , Big Pharma and the “ mainstream medical community.
” ) Rather than targeting the medically desperate and vulnerable , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an EverBright Media brand , has been pandering to parents with children who are “ stuck at home ” and bored during the coronavirus pandemic .
And with its recent Facebook ad splurge , Learn Our History has succeeded in drawing in new customers — along with a wave of complaints from those who said they were shocked to discover additional charges on their credit card bills .
“ I have tried numerous times to cancel a ‘ subscription ’ to this , ... but no one responds to my emails or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had subscribed to anything , and I keep getting billed $ 20.90 a month for something I do not use or want .
Buyer beware , ” one woman posted to the ‘ Kids Guide ’ Facebook page .
“ Do not debit any more from my account , ” another pleaded .
“ I sent a message , but no one responded.
” The non-scrollable text conveniently cuts off right before telling customers that they will automatically receive a subscription to Learn Our History ’ s “ Kids Guides ” that come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low price of $ 15.95 plus $ 4.95 [ shipping and processing ] per set , billed conveniently to your credit or debit card on file , ” as well as an additional subscription to EverBright Kids magazine for an extra $ 5.75 .
All of that information is hidden from customers unless they notice and click on the small gray text in the gray box leading to the complete terms and conditions .
The order took longer than expected to arrive , so she emailed Learn Our History ’ s customer service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a response that her package was on its way .
But later — once she noticed the additional charges — she said she emailed the same team to cancel her subscription and never heard back .
Addressing complaints filed through the Better Business Bureau ’ s website , EverBright Media argued that complainants “ affirmatively agreed to the terms and conditions of our offer ( by checking the box that [ they ] had read and agreed to our terms ) .
” It failed to acknowledge that the terms and conditions are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We are a subscription education company , and across our various websites , ... we explain how our subscription offers work to our customers , ” an EverBright Media representative told HuffPost in an emailed statement .
“ We also provide them with our terms during the checkout process , even requiring each customer to check a box acknowledging that they have reviewed our terms and conditions before we will process their order.
” The representative added that customers receive an email confirming the terms after placing an order , are entitled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their purchase and can cancel their subscriptions at any time .
The company ’ s response time for such requests has been affected by the coronavirus , he said .
Learn Our History said on its website that it offers children “ positive , patriotic and unbiased ” history lessons free from the prejudice “ found in many textbooks in use today.
” But along with its pro-Trump religious slant , it has also been accused of attempting to capitalize on crises .

Learn Our History
Learn Our History, the company that former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee co-founded in 2011 “to make it fun for kids to learn American history,” has spent the past week funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars into Facebook ads promoting a “no-risk” deal. The two-time presidential candidate’s firm said it’s giving away its educational booklets — such as “The Kids Guide to President Trump” — for free, or just $1 per item, in a “patriotic bundle” special.
“The mainstream media doesn’t want your children to know the truth about President Trump and his achievements in office,” declared the recent ads for “The Kids Guide,” a new offshoot of Learn Our History that has also ramped up its Facebook spending to push the promotion. “That’s why Mike Huckabee’s team created ‘The Kids Guide to President Trump,’ and that’s why we’re making it free.”
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But the offer is far from free. Parents across the country described a bait-and-switch scheme that they said duped them into signing up for $20-per-month subscriptions without their knowledge. Many said that Learn Our History ignored their repeated requests to cancel the subscriptions, leaving them locked into payments for products that they never wanted in the first place — all so their children can learn Huckabee’s version of history, which critics described as “pretend,” “kiddie propaganda” and “full of Christian nationalist revisionism and right-wing political propaganda.”
Customers have complained about Learn Our History on social media and to the Better Business Bureau. Twitter
This isn’t the first time that Huckabee has cashed in on apparent scams. The former Fox News host has spent much of his post-gubernatorial life shilling for grifters, including the sellers of a $74 biblical cancer cure and a diabetes “reversal” treatment containing a “secret ingredient”: cinnamon. (“Let me tell you that diabetes can be reversed. I should know because I did it — and today you can, too!” he said in a 2015 infomercial before railing against prescription drugs, Big Pharma and the “mainstream medical community.”)
Rather than targeting the medically desperate and vulnerable, Huckabee’s history for kids company, an EverBright Media brand, has been pandering to parents with children who are “stuck at home” and bored during the coronavirus pandemic. And with its recent Facebook ad splurge, Learn Our History has succeeded in drawing in new customers — along with a wave of complaints from those who said they were shocked to discover additional charges on their credit card bills.
Advertisement
“I have tried numerous times to cancel a ‘subscription’ to this, ... but no one responds to my emails or messages. I was not aware I had subscribed to anything, and I keep getting billed $20.90 a month for something I do not use or want. Buyer beware,” one woman posted to the ‘Kids Guide’ Facebook page. “Do not debit any more from my account,” another pleaded. “I sent a message, but no one responded.”
It’s no surprise that one buyer after another seeking Learn Our History’s free advertised materials is unwittingly purchasing monthly subscriptions. At the checkout page for the bundle deal, the order total is listed as $2, and the offer’s terms and conditions are presented like this:
The terms and conditions of Learn Our History's $1 deal are cut off from view before mentioning the additional charges. Learn Our History
The non-scrollable text conveniently cuts off right before telling customers that they will automatically receive a subscription to Learn Our History’s “Kids Guides” that come “around once a month for the low price of $15.95 plus $4.95 [shipping and processing] per set, billed conveniently to your credit or debit card on file,” as well as an additional subscription to EverBright Kids magazine for an extra $5.75. All of that information is hidden from customers unless they notice and click on the small gray text in the gray box leading to the complete terms and conditions.
Many people have reported that once they signed up for subscriptions through Huckabee’s company — whether they wanted them or not — they were unable to cancel the subscriptions.
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Susanne Rosenhouse, a mother of two in Dallas, ordered “The Kids Guide to the Coronavirus” after seeing it in a Facebook ad. Unaware of the partisan nature of Learn Our History’s products, she figured it would be useful for her 8-year-old daughter.
“I thought to myself, ‘For a dollar, that sounds worth it,’” Rosenhouse told HuffPost.
The order took longer than expected to arrive, so she emailed Learn Our History’s customer service team requesting an update and immediately received a response that her package was on its way. But later — once she noticed the additional charges — she said she emailed the same team to cancel her subscription and never heard back.
“All of a sudden, there was no response,” she said.
Mike Huckabee co-founded Learn Our History in 2011, in between his two presidential campaigns. Twitter
Addressing complaints filed through the Better Business Bureau’s website, EverBright Media argued that complainants “affirmatively agreed to the terms and conditions of our offer (by checking the box that [they] had read and agreed to our terms).” It failed to acknowledge that the terms and conditions are cut off in the preview box.
“We are a subscription education company, and across our various websites, ... we explain how our subscription offers work to our customers,” an EverBright Media representative told HuffPost in an emailed statement. “We also provide them with our terms during the checkout process, even requiring each customer to check a box acknowledging that they have reviewed our terms and conditions before we will process their order.”
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The representative added that customers receive an email confirming the terms after placing an order, are entitled to a refund within 90 days of their purchase and can cancel their subscriptions at any time. The company’s response time for such requests has been affected by the coronavirus, he said.
Other Huckabee-affiliated firms have deployed similar tactics to quietly hit customers with additional fees. After ordering a booklet from Barton Publishing that Huckabee advertised for $19.97, New York Times reporter Trip Gabriel reported that he “found a $120.08 charge to his Visa card, which included a $67 coaching video that was not ordered.”
Huckabee did not respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
Critics described Learn Our History's books and videos as religious right-wing propaganda. Learn Our History
Learn Our History said on its website that it offers children “positive, patriotic and unbiased” history lessons free from the prejudice “found in many textbooks in use today.” But along with its pro-Trump religious slant, it has also been accused of attempting to capitalize on crises.
Ahead of the 10-year anniversary of 9/11, the company released a cartoon film about the attacks, which blamed “Muslim terrorists” and depicted men dressed in traditional Islamic attire wielding AK-47s and screaming, “Death to the Americans!” with heavy accents.
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And in June, as Black Lives Matter protests erupted nationwide following the police killing of George Floyd, Learn Our History started aggressively running Facebook ads for its “Civil Rights Bundle for Kids,” which included a DVD about America’s “founders and fighters” and encouraged children to “take pride in America’s past.”
The ads showed a young, grinning Black boy giving two thumbs up beneath the text, “In times like these, it’s critical for your children to understand the fight for equality. That’s why we want your family to enjoy this important civil rights bundle from Learn Our History for free while supplies last!”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-15--Dr. Fauci Pushes Back On 'Bizarre' White House Attempts To Discredit Him

Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s leading expert on infectious disease , has responded to the White House ’ s recent efforts to discredit him as the coronavirus crisis worsens across wide swaths of the United States ― calling it “ bizarre.
” “ Ultimately , it hurts the president to do that , ” Fauci told The Atlantic Wednesday .
He explained : “ I think if you talk to reasonable people in the White House , they realize that was a major mistake on their part , because it doesn ’ t do anything but reflect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t think that that was their intention.
” Fauci spoke with the outlet this week for a report published just hours after a senior Trump administration official , Peter Navarro , published an op-ed attacking the esteemed doctor .
The White House ’ s communications shop quickly sought to distance Trump from Navarro ’ s piece , which was headlined , “ Anthony Fauci has been wrong about everything I have interacted with him on.
” But Navarro ’ s attack wasn ’ t an isolated event ; it came just two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revealed an effort to use some of Fauci ’ s statements from the early days of the crisis that contradict current guidance as ammunition against him .
President Donald Trump has also shared messages critical of Fauci and other public health experts on Twitter , and he publicly aired his disagreements with Fauci in an interview last week .
Asked how he works with such a chaotic White House , Fauci said , “ Well , that is a bit bizarre .
I sit here and just shrug my shoulders and say , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s life in the fast lane.
’ ” “ I think the problem is too important for me to get into those kinds of thoughts and discussions , ” he told The Atlantic .
“ I just want to do my job .
I ’ m really good at it .
I think I can contribute .
And I ’ m going to keep doing it.
” The task force , headed up by Vice President Mike Pence , stopped its daily coronavirus briefings several weeks ago , and Fauci has said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slowed to a trickle .
He speaks instead with Dr. Deborah Birx , another member of the task force , and other officials such as CDC Director Robert Redfield .
Fauci stood by all of his past comments , explaining that “ contextually , at the time ... it was absolutely true.
” While scientists still know relatively little about the virus , understanding has increased significantly since the earliest days of the crisis .
Over the last month , COVID-19 cases have skyrocketed in many places , prompting several states to press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ― their reopening plans .
Trump , however , appears to regard the crisis as a political threat .
The president has consistently sought to downplay the risks of the virus , which has pushed unemployment to the worst levels since the Great Depression and wrought havoc on the nation ’ s economy .
What the U.S. needs to do , Fauci said , is “ call a time-out ” on states ’ reopening plans in order “ to get everybody on the same team ” in regard to masks and crowded spaces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci said , “ I ’ ll guarantee you those numbers will come down .
”

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Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on infectious disease, has responded to the White House’s recent efforts to discredit him as the coronavirus crisis worsens across wide swaths of the United States ― calling it “bizarre.”
“Ultimately, it hurts the president to do that,” Fauci told The Atlantic Wednesday. He explained: “I think if you talk to reasonable people in the White House, they realize that was a major mistake on their part, because it doesn’t do anything but reflect poorly on them. And I don’t think that that was their intention.”
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Fauci spoke with the outlet this week for a report published just hours after a senior Trump administration official, Peter Navarro, published an op-ed attacking the esteemed doctor. The White House’s communications shop quickly sought to distance Trump from Navarro’s piece, which was headlined, “Anthony Fauci has been wrong about everything I have interacted with him on.”
A spokeswoman said the op-ed did not “go through normal White House clearance processes” and was therefore nothing but Navarro’s personal opinion.
“I can’t explain Peter Navarro,” Fauci told The Atlantic. “He’s in a world by himself. So I don’t even want to go there.”
But Navarro’s attack wasn’t an isolated event; it came just two days after a leaked White House memo revealed an effort to use some of Fauci’s statements from the early days of the crisis that contradict current guidance as ammunition against him. President Donald Trump has also shared messages critical of Fauci and other public health experts on Twitter, and he publicly aired his disagreements with Fauci in an interview last week.
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Asked how he works with such a chaotic White House, Fauci said, “Well, that is a bit bizarre. I sit here and just shrug my shoulders and say, ‘Well, you know, that’s life in the fast lane.’”
He said he has no plans to quit the White House coronavirus task force.
“I think the problem is too important for me to get into those kinds of thoughts and discussions,” he told The Atlantic. “I just want to do my job. I’m really good at it. I think I can contribute. And I’m going to keep doing it.”
The task force, headed up by Vice President Mike Pence, stopped its daily coronavirus briefings several weeks ago, and Fauci has said that his direct communication with Trump has slowed to a trickle. He speaks instead with Dr. Deborah Birx, another member of the task force, and other officials such as CDC Director Robert Redfield.
When asked why his contact with Trump has been so limited, Fauci said he didn’t know.
“My input to the president goes through the vice president,” he said.
Fauci stood by all of his past comments, explaining that “contextually, at the time ... it was absolutely true.” While scientists still know relatively little about the virus, understanding has increased significantly since the earliest days of the crisis.
Over the last month, COVID-19 cases have skyrocketed in many places, prompting several states to press pause on ― or even roll back ― their reopening plans.
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Trump, however, appears to regard the crisis as a political threat. The president has consistently sought to downplay the risks of the virus, which has pushed unemployment to the worst levels since the Great Depression and wrought havoc on the nation’s economy.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-15--Hog Euthanasia Threatens To Return This Fall

Meatpackers became hotbeds of COVID-19 spread in the spring , forcing several of the country ’ s largest slaughterhouses to shut down or drastically scale back operations .
Left with nowhere to turn their pigs into pork , a spate of news reports predicted that farmers would kill and compost millions of hogs , at a time when panicked shoppers had raided grocery stores and hordes of the newly unemployed turned to food banks for help .
Similar chaos rocked the poultry industry and some producers of fresh fruits and vegetables .
No reliable estimate for the number of euthanized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farmers did resort to culling their herds , they largely managed to limit the scale of destruction .
Some sold pigs at cut-rate prices or gave them away to people who had them custom-slaughtered at small processors .
Others musical-chaired the animals around different barns to make space for incoming piglets .
Most weathered the crisis by putting their pigs on diets that kept them from gaining weight , so they could still run through processing plants designed to handle pigs under about 300 lbs .
Now that the country ’ s federally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at around 95 % capacity , slaughterhouses are trying to work their way through the backlog of around 2 million pigs — easing pressure off an industry once on the verge of systematically gassing and shooting hogs destined for the compost pile , and offering a glimmer of hope for farmers facing the prospect of ruin .
With far more pigs than meatpackers can handle , hog farmers are routinely losing money with each pig sold into the food chain , collectively bleeding about $ 5 billion , according to the National Pork @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been able to pick up the slack because pork production follows a seasonal pattern , with slower months falling over the summer .
As fall approaches , the number of piglets will grow .
Slaughtering capacity probably won ’ t .
The result is that the pandemic-caused disaster that the industry avoided through improvisation will once again resurface in a few months ’ time .
The COVID-19 pandemic upended supply chains for the meat industry as a whole .
But some parts of it , like poultry and hogs , were more exposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised on pasture for about a year before finishing their lives at a feedlot .
The overwhelming majority of chickens and pigs raised in the United States , however , spend the entirety of their lives in temperature-controlled barns .
While no one knows the extent of the spring ’ s livestock culling , chickens likely bore the brunt of it .
But the problems for pigs threaten to drag on for months because of the length of the animal ’ s life cycle .
Meatpackers and farmers decided how many hogs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 emerged as a new illness .
The demand hasn ’ t changed .
And slaughterhouse capacity for beef and pork has regained about 95 % of its capacity , according to the North American Meat Institute .
But it ’ s unlikely that the plants will make it all the way back to 100 % , let alone outpace pre-COVID production — as long as the pandemic continues to plague the country .
To keep meatpackers from becoming hotspots for coronavirus spread , processors have spaced out workers , divided them with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from facing one another .
All of that results in slower line speeds ― the rate at which animals are killed , gutted and processed into salable cuts .
Plants have recovered capacity by extending existing shifts and running on Saturdays , according to the United Food and Commercial Workers union , which represents 60 % of the pork industry ’ s meatpacking laborers .
To keep capacity up , plants are often forgoing profits from higher-end cuts like boned out loins and hams .
Some are chucking less lucrative organ meat instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many workers are still unable to get back on the job due to illness or high risk of infection .
And even in the best of times , line speed is a point of contention between workers and management .
Speeding the pace gets more meat out the door , but also results in more injuries for workers , according to UFCW representative Mark Lauritsen ― especially those caused by repetitive muscle use , like carpal tunnel syndrome .
As the rising number of piglets collides with strained slaughterhouse capacity , progress toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reverse in about a month , and likely keep growing through October , according to Iowa State University agricultural economist Dermot Hayes .
Whether or not meatpackers get hit disproportionately by a second coronavirus wave , hog farmers will once again find themselves struggling with the decision of what to do with a glut of pigs they can ’ t sell into the food chain .
Some expressed guarded optimism that hog farmers and meatpackers would call upon the same ingenuity that helped them avoid mass euthanasia in the spring .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever seen it ― I don ’ t want to downplay that , ” economist Lee Schulz , also at Iowa State University , said .
“ But I wouldn ’ t bet against the industry either.
” One way to measure the future of the country ’ s pig herd is by the percentage of breeding sows slaughtered , according to Meyer , the analyst with Kernes and Associates .
But government data shows a contraction of less than 1.5 % , which Meyer thinks is too low .
As the backlog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have little choice but to cull their herds .
The toll will probably fall more heavily on piglets , because farmers have fewer dollars invested in them and they are easier to compost .
“ It ’ s one of those things nobody wants to do , but when your packing plant shuts down you don ’ t have much choice , ” Meyer said .
“ People who raise pigs are hurting in more ways than financial .
These folks aren ’ t automatons .
They ’ re people like you and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that .
”

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The pork industry is headed toward a pandemic-driven bottleneck this fall that once again threatens to end in widespread killing and discarding of pigs, industry analysts say.
Meatpackers became hotbeds of COVID-19 spread in the spring, forcing several of the country’s largest slaughterhouses to shut down or drastically scale back operations. Left with nowhere to turn their pigs into pork, a spate of news reports predicted that farmers would kill and compost millions of hogs, at a time when panicked shoppers had raided grocery stores and hordes of the newly unemployed turned to food banks for help. Similar chaos rocked the poultry industry and some producers of fresh fruits and vegetables.
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Meatpackers became hotbeds of COVID-19 spread in the spring, forcing several of the country’s largest slaughterhouses to shut down or drastically scale back operations. ASSOCIATED PRESS
No reliable estimate for the number of euthanized hogs exists. But while some hog farmers did resort to culling their herds, they largely managed to limit the scale of destruction. Some sold pigs at cut-rate prices or gave them away to people who had them custom-slaughtered at small processors. Others musical-chaired the animals around different barns to make space for incoming piglets. Most weathered the crisis by putting their pigs on diets that kept them from gaining weight, so they could still run through processing plants designed to handle pigs under about 300 lbs.
Now that the country’s federally inspected processors are back up and running at around 95% capacity, slaughterhouses are trying to work their way through the backlog of around 2 million pigs — easing pressure off an industry once on the verge of systematically gassing and shooting hogs destined for the compost pile, and offering a glimmer of hope for farmers facing the prospect of ruin. With far more pigs than meatpackers can handle, hog farmers are routinely losing money with each pig sold into the food chain, collectively bleeding about $5 billion, according to the National Pork Producers Council.
But processors have only been able to pick up the slack because pork production follows a seasonal pattern, with slower months falling over the summer. As fall approaches, the number of piglets will grow. Slaughtering capacity probably won’t. The result is that the pandemic-caused disaster that the industry avoided through improvisation will once again resurface in a few months’ time.
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“They can hold the hogs, but there’s not enough barn space out there. So, in my opinion, we have to return to euthanizing young pigs,” Steve Meyer, an economist with risk management firm Kerns and Associates, told HuffPost. “We have a day of reckoning coming.”
The COVID-19 pandemic upended supply chains for the meat industry as a whole. But some parts of it, like poultry and hogs, were more exposed than others. Beef cattle are usually raised on pasture for about a year before finishing their lives at a feedlot. The overwhelming majority of chickens and pigs raised in the United States, however, spend the entirety of their lives in temperature-controlled barns.
When grown animals can’t move from the barn to the slaughterhouse, that leaves little space for new ones. Feed is one of a livestock farm’s top costs, so for each day a slaughter-age animal remains stuck in the barn, the farmer also loses money.
While no one knows the extent of the spring’s livestock culling, chickens likely bore the brunt of it. But the problems for pigs threaten to drag on for months because of the length of the animal’s life cycle. Meatpackers and farmers decided how many hogs to raise nearly a year ago, before COVID-19 emerged as a new illness.
The piglets that will enter barns this fall come from sows inseminated back in January. At that time, the pork industry was planning for a normal fall bump, as well as high demand from China, whose hog herd remains decimated from an outbreak of African Swine Fever.
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The demand hasn’t changed. And slaughterhouse capacity for beef and pork has regained about 95% of its capacity, according to the North American Meat Institute. But it’s unlikely that the plants will make it all the way back to 100%, let alone outpace pre-COVID production — as long as the pandemic continues to plague the country.
To keep meatpackers from becoming hotspots for coronavirus spread, processors have spaced out workers, divided them with plexiglass and staggered tables to keep them from facing one another. All of that results in slower line speeds ― the rate at which animals are killed, gutted and processed into salable cuts.
Plants have recovered capacity by extending existing shifts and running on Saturdays, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers union, which represents 60% of the pork industry’s meatpacking laborers. To keep capacity up, plants are often forgoing profits from higher-end cuts like boned out loins and hams. Some are chucking less lucrative organ meat instead of packaging it for sale.
But many workers are still unable to get back on the job due to illness or high risk of infection. And even in the best of times, line speed is a point of contention between workers and management. Speeding the pace gets more meat out the door, but also results in more injuries for workers, according to UFCW representative Mark Lauritsen ― especially those caused by repetitive muscle use, like carpal tunnel syndrome.
“There’s no possible way we could run the lines at pre-COVID speeds,” Lauritsen told HuffPost. “It can’t be done.”
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A sign at a Kroger store in Atlanta limits shoppers to two packages of pork on May 5. Kroger, like a number of other grocery retailers, announced limits on meat purchases at the time due to supply concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic. AP Photo/Jeff Amy
As the rising number of piglets collides with strained slaughterhouse capacity, progress toward clearing the hog backlog will begin to reverse in about a month, and likely keep growing through October, according to Iowa State University agricultural economist Dermot Hayes. Whether or not meatpackers get hit disproportionately by a second coronavirus wave, hog farmers will once again find themselves struggling with the decision of what to do with a glut of pigs they can’t sell into the food chain.
“It will happen,” Hayes told HuffPost. “It’s almost certain. We will have more pigs than we have the capacity to slaughter.”
Some expressed guarded optimism that hog farmers and meatpackers would call upon the same ingenuity that helped them avoid mass euthanasia in the spring. “The backlog is larger than we’ve ever seen it ― I don’t want to downplay that,” economist Lee Schulz, also at Iowa State University, said. “But I wouldn’t bet against the industry either.”
But it remains unclear when handicapped meatpackers will catch up to a moving target.
One way to measure the future of the country’s pig herd is by the percentage of breeding sows slaughtered, according to Meyer, the analyst with Kernes and Associates. But government data shows a contraction of less than 1.5%, which Meyer thinks is too low. As the backlog grows, he thinks many farmers will have little choice but to cull their herds. The toll will probably fall more heavily on piglets, because farmers have fewer dollars invested in them and they are easier to compost.
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