thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-24--Survivors Grapple With Putting Trauma Aside To Vote For Joe Biden

‘ I ’ m Just So Angry That We Are Left With This Choice ’

When Meraiya Otero Turner was a teenager, she was more excited to turn 18 than 21. Legally drinking would be cool, but what she really wanted to be able to do was vote. Now, at 23, the Florida teaching assistant isn’t sure she’ll be casting a ballot at all in this presidential election.
“I never pictured myself feeling so apathetic,” Turner said, “but at this point I feel so lost.”
Turner, a survivor of sexual assault who identifies as a Democrat, said she would never consider voting for President Donald Trump. But she has found herself increasingly conflicted about how to wield her power at the ballot box now that former Vice President Joe Biden has emerged as the presumptive Democratic nominee.
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However, many survivors of sexual violence — who also care deeply about getting Trump out of office in November — are taking the allegations seriously. They are grappling with what it means to cast a vote for a man accused by one woman of sexual assault in order to prevent a man who has faced upward of 60 allegations of sexual assault and misconduct from becoming president again, and wondering why these are the choices left after a campaign season that began with the most diverse slate of candidates in U.S. history.
“How can I vote for a man who may have possibly made another woman suffer the same life-draining pain I’ve suffered since I was assaulted?” Turner said. “Voting this year makes me feel like I’m having to trade my sanity to support [an alleged assailant], or to not vote and help Trump win.”
HuffPost spoke with 15 survivors of sexual assault about Reade’s allegation and how it affected their view of Biden’s candidacy. Almost all found Reade’s account highly credible. Some plan to vote for Biden nonetheless because they see him as the lesser of two evils and worry about the damage Trump would do with another four years in the White House. Others are more reticent to line up behind the presumptive Democratic nominee and say they plan to sit out the election. Some of these survivors said any allegation of sexual assault ought to be disqualifying.
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Regardless of how ― or if ― they choose to vote, every survivor was dismayed at how Democratic Party leaders had minimized Reade’s allegation. Many said that the whole episode was emblematic of how the political system ― including the Democratic Party ― dismisses the concerns of survivors, sending them a clear message: You don’t matter.
Two Uneven Track Records
Trump’s track record as a womanizer was well-documented long before he became president. But it wasn’t until he began his campaign in 2015 that many people really took note of his past degrading comments about women and the growing sexual misconduct accusations against him.
There was the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape, published a month before the 2016 election, in which he bragged about grabbing women “by the pussy.” And then there are the allegations of sexual misconduct. Before he was elected president, 20 women had accused Trump of misconduct, ranging from sexual harassment to assault and rape. Since then, 45 more allegations have been publicly reported against him.
The president and his administration have repeatedly denied all of the accusations, and Trump has made a habit of smearing his accusers’ character and publicly attacking their credibility.
Trump’s misogynistic ideologies are also reflected in his policies. After taking office in 2017, Trump reinstated and expanded the global gag rule, a controversial policy that cuts off U.S. funding to any international organizations offering abortion care services. Trump appointed Betsy DeVos as education secretary, and she single-handedly rolled back sexual assault survivors’ rights on college campuses across the country. Most recently, Trump nominated and then backed now-Supreme Court judge Brett Kavanaugh despite an allegation of sexual assault against him.
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“It truly feels like I have to sell out part of my soul to appease the other.” - Shannon G., 26, Oregon
In contrast, Biden had maintained a somewhat positive reputation among survivor advocates. The former vice president notably drafted the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and, in 2014, launched It’s On Us, an organization combatting sexual assault on college campuses, with President Barack Obama.
Over the years, though, Biden has been widely criticized for how he handled Anita Hill’s accusations of sexual harassment against Clarence Thomas during Thomas’ controversial 1991 Supreme Court confirmation hearings. Biden, the then-chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has been castigated for not doing enough to ensure Hill’s allegations were given full consideration.
Last year, eight women came forward to accuse Biden of inappropriate touching. Last month, Reade, one of those eight, accused him of more than inappropriate touching: she alleged that in 1993 Biden kissed her and penetrated her with his fingers without her consent. Reade said she pushed Biden off of her and he allegedly became annoyed and said: “Come on, man! I heard you liked me.”
Biden’s deputy campaign manager denied the accusation, telling HuffPost: “Women have a right to tell their story, and reporters have an obligation to rigorously vet those claims. We encourage them to do so, because these accusations are false.”
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When reached for further comment, a spokesperson for the Biden campaign referred HuffPost to the statement it gave The New York Times last week.
“Vice President Biden has dedicated his public life to changing the culture and the laws around violence against women,” spokesperson Kate Bedingfield told the outlet. “He authored and fought for the passage and reauthorization of the landmark Violence Against Women Act. He firmly believes that women have a right to be heard — and heard respectfully. Such claims should also be diligently reviewed by an independent press. What is clear about this claim: It is untrue. This absolutely did not happen.”
‘I’m Just So Angry That We Are Left With This Choice’
Anger, exhaustion and grief were front and center in every HuffPost conversation with sexual assault survivors. Some are still considering begrudgingly voting for Biden. Others said they simply can’t vote for someone accused of perpetrating the same violence they’ve struggled to heal from for so long. All agreed that the choice between Biden and Trump makes them feel as if their stories and their trauma are irrelevant.
“I am just so angry that we are left with this choice — that the United States is in many ways still so complacent and so willing to overlook sexual violence that we are left to choose between Joe Biden and Donald Trump,” said Madi Bell, a survivor and social worker who originally supported Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). “It’s so painful that allegations of sexual misconduct are seldom taken seriously and hardly ever disqualifying.”
Reade’s allegation against Biden was not initially front-page news as the coronavirus pandemic dominated news cycles and, some survivors suspected, left-leaning media organizations were hesitant to cover the charge. When it was finally covered, many readers, politicians and pundits began questioning Reade’s story.
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“When the main talking points focus on the credibility of the accuser(s) rather than the actions of the accused individual, survivors feel invalidated,” Dr. Laura Wilson, associate professor of psychological science at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia, told HuffPost. The dialogue around a story like this, Wilson said, can be very triggering for survivors and bring up old trauma.
“That can have far-reaching consequences for their mental health and recovery,” she added. “It can increase emotional distress by making survivors feel angry, sad or isolated. It can silence them and make them less likely to talk about what happened to them.”
Bell, who works as a victim advocate at a university in Boston, acknowledged that some parts of Reade’s account are confusing. But she is adamant that that doesn’t mean the country should sweep her story under the rug. “There are no ‘perfect victims,’ and what I would do or what others would do in Ms. Reade’s shoes is, ultimately, not relevant,” she said. “Trauma is messy. Survival is messy.”
Many survivors told HuffPost that they feel as though Democratic Party leaders, who loudly supported the Me Too movement as it emerged in 2017, have largely been silent about the allegations against Biden. While the media coverage and political attention has not been as widespread as it might have been if the world was not in the throes of a pandemic, a few political leaders have commented on Reade’s accusation.
Former presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) both commented on the accusation last week, reiterating that all women have the right to be heard, including Reade. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), who has publicly discussed being a survivor of sexual assault, said she also believes women should be able to tell their stories.
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“I think that it is important that these allegations are vetted, from the media to beyond. And I think that it is something that no one takes lightly,” said Whitmer, who has been mentioned as a potential Biden running mate. “But it is also something that is personal. And so it’s hard to give you greater insight than that, not knowing more about the situation.”
The general silence from party leaders on the accusation, however, has made many feel as if they’ve been lied to. Now, they feel the party has fully abandoned them for political gain.
“These allegations have exposed, to me, that not only does [Biden] not espouse these beliefs, but the Democratic Party does not either. Not only did they turn a blind eye to Biden’s purported behavior, they actively enabled him,” a 23-year-old Latina survivor from Colorado, who asked to remain anonymous, told HuffPost.
“How can I trust them? Is it truly too stringent of a purity test to demand that no candidate be accused of assault?” she continued. “Call me crazy, but I think one assault should be disqualifying. Neither of these men should be president. And if that means I’m dead to Democrats, then maybe they never saw my humanity to begin with.”
“Call me crazy, but I think one assault should be disqualifying... And if that means I’m dead to Democrats, then maybe they never saw my humanity to begin with.” - Anonymous survivor, 23, Colorado
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Women, and survivors in particular, are left in a lose-lose situation, feminist columnist Jessica Valenti told HuffPost. Sexual misconduct allegations are usually murky for a multitude of reasons — late-reporting, how trauma impacts the brain, rape culture’s effect on who we choose to believe — but Reade’s credibility is not necessarily what Valenti is worried about.
“What I’m more concerned about is the way that the allegations are being weaponized by bad-faith actors who have never cared about sexual assault before, and on the other side how women who believe Reade are being called Trump-enablers,” she said. “We can’t win either way.”
Many survivors said they hope that by creating space to be angry and grieve the loss of a better candidate, they will be able to make the right decision for them in the ballot box. Others have already decided they won’t vote come November.
“Someone who [allegedly] abuses their power in public, on the systemic level, is bound to do so in private, on the interpersonal level,” a transgender survivor, who asked to remain anonymous, told HuffPost. “I know enough now to recognize both as inexcusable, and I refuse to be complicit.”
Survivor Shannon G., who asked that her full last name not be used and who supported Warren and then Sanders, said the allegations against Biden feel “like a gut punch.” But she said she will reluctantly vote for him.
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“Voting for an accused man is not something I take lightly,” she said. “It truly feels like I have to sell out part of my soul to appease the other.”
Even if Biden and Trump share a track record of being accused of sexual assault, a vote for Biden will be better for women, those who have survived assaults, and other vulnerable groups, several survivors said.
“Four more years of Trump would do more damage to more people than a Biden presidency,” said Eliza Winfree, a survivor from Tennessee. “It feels like I’m betraying myself to do the most good I can for the most people, but I believe in voting with empathy for those who are being disenfranchised by this administration.”
How To Move Forward
Survivors say that to move forward and earn their votes, leading Democrats and surrogates will have to allow the space for voters to voice their disappointments, anger and concerns, as well as reckon with the larger systemic inequities that plague both parties.
As Valenti put it to HuffPost: “We had such an incredibly diverse slate of possible nominees, but we ended up with the most moderate, old white man in the game.” Valenti, who was an ardent Warren supporter, said she views the outcome of the Democratic primary depressing, but also not totally surprising, given how entrenched racism and sexism imbue U.S. culture.
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“Trump’s election was absolutely driven by a racist backlash to President Obama and misogyny,” she said, “and Democrats aren’t immune to that kind of bias, either.”
To confront that bias will require Democrats to listen to survivors instead of dismissing their concerns or reticence to cast a vote for Biden. Turner told HuffPost that seeing posts from prominent left-wing Twitter personalities like Dr. Eugene Gu — who, as The Verge reported last year, was himself accused of abuse — calling Democrats who were undecided on Biden “trolls who want to continue fighting because they love conflict and smears” has made her feel even more alienated from the party and even more hopeless about our culture as a whole.
“I know my reasons [for being uncertain about voting for Biden] are valid and I’m not a troll, so if Democrats want to erase my viewpoint and vilify me, they can erase my vote too,” Turner said.
One step advocates say the Biden campaign can take to avoid making these “holdouts” feel vilified is to engage in an open and honest dialogue about sexual violence and misconduct — and to put forth ambitious policies that would address what survivors and advocates see as failings in the justice system.
On his campaign website, Biden has outlined plans to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, “expand the safety net for survivors,” “confront online harassment, abuse and stalking,” “end the rape kit backlog,” address the “deadly combination of guns and domestic violence,” “change the culture that enables sexual violence,” “protect and empower immigrant women,” and “lead the global effort to end gender-based violence.”
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“What is at stake is bigger than me and my trauma, and the lesser of two evils may mean the difference of life and death for some.” - Claire Cumberland, 34, Indiana
“Biden shouldn’t be afraid to have this conversation. In fact, he should embrace the opportunity he has to shape this debate and to shape the way people think about these issues and ultimately save lives,” said Shaunna Thomas, co-founder and executive director of women’s advocacy organization Ultraviolet. “We’re asking him to make clear how his actions as the potential leader of this country are going to change the way we talk about and respond to sexual assault. He’s got to make clear what his administration will do.”
Casey, a 27-year-old Democrat from Iowa who backed Warren and asked that HuffPost not use her full name, echoed Thomas’ sentiments. She said Biden’s vice-presidential pick would be a “good start,” especially if he chose a progressive woman of color.
Biden has publicly committed to picking a woman as his running mate, and along with Whitmer, others who have been floated as possible choices include Klobuchar, Warren, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and former gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams (D-Ga.).
But Casey also stressed that Biden would have to do more than just surround himself with women and people of color.
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“We deserve a commitment toward addressing sexual abuse, domestic violence, and a whole host of other issues that disproportionately affect women and non-binary people.” Casey said, “And we know we are not going to get that commitment from Donald Trump, so we just have to hope we get it from Joe Biden.”
Some survivors also stressed that they hoped people would be able to acknowledge the very real political and policy differences between Biden and Trump, despite the trauma that voting for any alleged abuser may spur. Several told HuffPost that this election would simply mean putting aside their personal pain for the greater good.
Elizabeth Sobkowiak, 40, sees this election as an essential one for the futures of her three adoptive children, all of whom are Black. “This election feels like a fight for their lives,” she said.
So she will be voting for Biden despite her disappointment in his presumed nomination. She pointed to Trump’s family separation policy at the U.S.-Mexico border, his aversion to taking meaningful steps on climate change, and the importance of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat on the Supreme Court as reasons he needs to be voted out of office.
Other voters expressed hope that with Biden in office, they could at least push for more progressive policies on issues like health care, gun control and criminal justice reform.
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“This presidential election is different,” said Claire Cumberland, 34, who was a Sanders delegate from Indiana at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. “And though we are stuck with two choices that are triggering to our demographic [as survivors] specifically, one is going to come with a demonstrably more competent administration who is not going to actively go after laws and regulations that have been fought for for so long.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-24--Trump Claims He Was 'Sarcastically' Pitching Disinfectant As COVID-19 Cure

“ Suppose you can bring the light inside the body , ” Trump pondered aloud on Thursday .
But Trump @ @ @ @ @ talking about using disinfectant on hands , not inside the body .
“ I do @ @ @ @ @ could have a very good effect , ” he said when asked about his injection @ @

“Suppose you can bring the light inside the body,” Trump pondered aloud on Thursday.
But Trump insisted Friday that he was talking about using disinfectant on hands, not inside the body.
“I do think disinfectant on the hands could have a very good effect,” he said when asked about his injection comments.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-24--Trump Holds Short Briefing After Disinfectant Claim, Takes No Questions

President Donald Trump abruptly ended his daily coronavirus briefing on Friday , walking out without answering any questions from the press , just a day after he suggested injecting disinfectant as a possible treatment for COVID-19 .
At Thursday ’ s White House briefing , Trump had commented : “ I see the disinfectant where it knocks it out in one minute.. .. Is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside , or almost a cleaning ?
” Early Friday , after widespread media coverage of his dangerous treatment idea , Trump walked back his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking a question sarcastically to reporters ... just to see what would happen.
” At Friday afternoon ’ s briefing — which lasted a total of about 20 minutes — Trump spoke briefly before passing the podium to a Food and Drug Administration official and then Vice President Mike Pence .
After Pence spoke , all the officials walked out as some reporters yelled out questions to the president , which went unanswered .
Previous daily White House briefings have gone on for up to two hours , with long periods of questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The president allegedly plans to cut back these coronavirus briefings as soon as next week , reported Axios on Friday — possibly not appearing every day or staying for shorter periods of time .
The briefings are an essential way for reporters to ask questions of the Trump administration , which has been criticized for its response to the pandemic .
Trump steps away from the podium at the coronavirus briefing on Friday .
Reporters only got to ask one question at Friday ’ s briefing , one directed at FDA commissioner Stephen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Earlier Friday , RB , the company that makes Lysol products , issued a statement urging people not to inject disinfectants to treat coronavirus , after Trump ’ s said at previous day ’ s briefing , it “ would be interesting to check that.
” The Maryland Emergency Management Agency also had to remind residents not to use disinfectant to treat COVID-19 on Friday .
The state ’ s emergency hotline received more than 100 calls asking about fake disinfectant cures , tweeted Mike Ricci , communications director of the Maryland @ @ @ @ @

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President Donald Trump abruptly ended his daily coronavirus briefing on Friday, walking out without answering any questions from the press, just a day after he suggested injecting disinfectant as a possible treatment for COVID-19.
At Thursday’s White House briefing, Trump had commented: “I see the disinfectant where it knocks it out in one minute.. .. Is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside, or almost a cleaning?”
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Early Friday, after widespread media coverage of his dangerous treatment idea, Trump walked back his statement by claiming he had been “asking a question sarcastically to reporters ... just to see what would happen.”
At Friday afternoon’s briefing — which lasted a total of about 20 minutes — Trump spoke briefly before passing the podium to a Food and Drug Administration official and then Vice President Mike Pence. After Pence spoke, all the officials walked out as some reporters yelled out questions to the president, which went unanswered.
Previous daily White House briefings have gone on for up to two hours, with long periods of questions and answers between reporters and Trump.
The president allegedly plans to cut back these coronavirus briefings as soon as next week, reported Axios on Friday — possibly not appearing every day or staying for shorter periods of time.
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The briefings are an essential way for reporters to ask questions of the Trump administration, which has been criticized for its response to the pandemic.
Trump steps away from the podium at the coronavirus briefing on Friday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Reporters only got to ask one question at Friday’s briefing, one directed at FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn, who spoke about antibody tests.
Earlier Friday, RB, the company that makes Lysol products, issued a statement urging people not to inject disinfectants to treat coronavirus, after Trump’s said at previous day’s briefing, it “would be interesting to check that.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-24--Fox News Anchor Unconvinced Trump's Disinfectant Comments Were Sarcastic

But at least one journalist at the normally Trump-friendly Fox News is skeptical .
On Friday , Bret Baier was asked whether he thought the president was really being sarcastic when he mentioned using disinfectant to kill the virus at a press briefing Thursday .
Trump had asked , “ Is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside , or almost a cleaning ?
… It would be interesting to check that.
” Baier admitted the president did not appear to be joking when he said that .
“ Well , that ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it didn ’ t seem like it was coming off as sarcastic when he was talking and turning to Dr. Birx on the side , ” he said , referring to coronavirus task force coordinator Deborah Birx .
“ What ’ s problematic for this president is sometimes he goes on these riffs , ” he said , adding that while Trump ’ s improvisation may work on political topics , it ’ s not good for dealing with medical issues .
Baier also suggested the president ’ s claim may be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the manufacturer of Lysol warning people not to ingest disinfectants .
“ Obviously , this is his answer to all of that criticism , but the president does get himself into these issues , ” Baier said .
“ I don ’ t think he wants to cause any harm to anyone ― obviously ― and no one at home thinks ‘ Oh , you know what ?
I ’ m going to drink bleach , ’ I don ’ t think .
But it is something that he clearly stepped in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was being sarcastic when he talked about injecting disinfectants .
Your thoughts ?
Bret Baier : `` Well , that ’ s not how it looked in the briefing ... it didn ’ t seem like it was coming off as sarcastic when he was talking and turning to Dr. Birx on the side '' pic.twitter.com/XbdJXLg2WT — Justin Baragona ( @ justinbaragona ) April 24 , 2020

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But at least one journalist at the normally Trump-friendly Fox News is skeptical.
On Friday, Bret Baier was asked whether he thought the president was really being sarcastic when he mentioned using disinfectant to kill the virus at a press briefing Thursday. Trump had asked, “Is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside, or almost a cleaning? … It would be interesting to check that.”
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Baier admitted the president did not appear to be joking when he said that.
“Well, that’s not how it looked in the briefing ... it didn’t seem like it was coming off as sarcastic when he was talking and turning to Dr. Birx on the side,” he said, referring to coronavirus task force coordinator Deborah Birx.
Baier then attempted to gently explain the problem with the president’s comments.
“What’s problematic for this president is sometimes he goes on these riffs,” he said, adding that while Trump’s improvisation may work on political topics, it’s not good for dealing with medical issues.
Baier also suggested the president’s claim may be a response to statements from both the FDA and the manufacturer of Lysol warning people not to ingest disinfectants.
“Obviously, this is his answer to all of that criticism, but the president does get himself into these issues,” Baier said. “I don’t think he wants to cause any harm to anyone ― obviously ― and no one at home thinks ‘Oh, you know what? I’m going to drink bleach,’ I don’t think. But it is something that he clearly stepped in here.”
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You can see the exchange below.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-24--Republicans Are Mad Unemployment Benefits Are Actually Benefiting The Unemployed

“ The Senators were attacked in the media , and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called them ‘ cruel.
’ But they turned out to be right , ” wrote the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal , a line that was later tweeted by Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) .
“ I want to make people whole who lost their job through no fault of their own , ” Graham said in another tweet .
“ But I don ’ t want to pay people more NOT to work than to actually go to work.
” As part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill , Congress expanded eligibility for benefits to workers not traditionally covered , such as Uber drivers and other independent contractors who are not payroll employees .
And for four months , claimants will receive an extra $ 600 per week on top of their regular benefits ― an unprecedented boost that for some lower-paid workers does indeed exceed their previous pay .
But there ’ s a reason to pay people more not to work : to keep them from dying .
To keep them from spreading a highly contagious virus that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep hospitals from being overwhelmed by patients suffering from an illness that is not well understood .
Unemployment insurance is designed to maintain individuals ’ well-being and consumption patterns , boosting the economy in the process .
Workers are normally required to continue looking for jobs as a condition of receiving benefits , but Congress has told states , which administer unemployment insurance , to waive work search requirements .
“ We ’ re sending a sharp and clear signal that only essential work should be going on , ” Katz said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the externality from your going to work and creating danger is very high and this is the time to stay at home.
” The higher benefits are not in perfect harmony with the rest of the government ’ s economic response to the pandemic .
Congress has balked at Democratic proposals to give extra pay to essential workers who are risking their health to ring up groceries , tend to hospital patients and respond to 911 calls .
As a result , some essential workers might be earning less than people staying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are a headache for employers participating in a new program designed to help struggling small businesses that were forced to shut down due to the crisis .
The Paycheck Protection Program backs forgivable loans to businesses that avoid layoffs or rehire their employees .
Some business owners have said the policy goal of the program seems to have been undermined by the extra unemployment benefits .
If unemployment pays more than someone ’ s prior wage , it may not be advantageous for the worker to keep their job .
The owner of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press he was reluctant to urge his employees to return to work because they could lose their unemployment checks ― which are more generous than what he pays them ― if he did .
( The program does not require firms to rehire the same workers they laid off . )
But other small businesses don ’ t see much utility for the PPP loan program when they have no customers and can ’ t reopen because of public health guidelines .
Shannon Adair , the owner of a brewery in Oregon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but is currently only using them for operating costs .
“ We can ’ t bring employees back because there isn ’ t anything for them to do , ” Adair said Friday on a press call organized by Sen. Ron Wyden ( D-Ore. ) “ So we ’ re really stuck .
We can pay our bills and we have a big chunk of money we may or may not be able to use in an eight-week period.
” Republicans have not focused their criticism of the higher unemployment payments on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complaint is more fundamental ― that the government is overly restricting the labor supply .
In general , Republicans have been more skeptical of government measures interfering with economic activity in order to reduce the coronavirus ’ s massive death toll .
Public health experts have said it ’ s not clear when it will be safe to ease up on stay-at-home orders and business closures .

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Some Republicans are complaining that the special unemployment insurance Congress created to confront the coronavirus pandemic makes it too easy for workers to do what public health officials say they’re supposed to do: stay home.
Republicans say the new benefit is doing exactly what they warned about last month ― making it difficult for some businesses to keep their workers.
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“The Senators were attacked in the media, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called them ‘cruel.’ But they turned out to be right,” wrote the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal, a line that was later tweeted by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).
“I want to make people whole who lost their job through no fault of their own,” Graham said in another tweet. “But I don’t want to pay people more NOT to work than to actually go to work.”
As part of its $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill, Congress expanded eligibility for benefits to workers not traditionally covered, such as Uber drivers and other independent contractors who are not payroll employees. And for four months, claimants will receive an extra $600 per week on top of their regular benefits ― an unprecedented boost that for some lower-paid workers does indeed exceed their previous pay.
But there’s a reason to pay people more not to work: to keep them from dying. To keep them from spreading a highly contagious virus that has already killed 50,000 Americans, and to keep hospitals from being overwhelmed by patients suffering from an illness that is not well understood.
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“This is not normal times where we’re trying to partially cover your consumption and give you incentive to search for work,” said Lawrence Katz, a Harvard University economics professor.
Unemployment insurance is designed to maintain individuals’ well-being and consumption patterns, boosting the economy in the process. Workers are normally required to continue looking for jobs as a condition of receiving benefits, but Congress has told states, which administer unemployment insurance, to waive work search requirements.
“We’re sending a sharp and clear signal that only essential work should be going on,” Katz said. “We’re implicitly saying that the externality from your going to work and creating danger is very high and this is the time to stay at home.”
Graham, as well as GOP Sens. Rick Scott (Fla.), Tim Scott (S.C.) and Ben Sasse (Neb.), tried to limit the amount of the new benefit, but the Senate voted to reject their effort before ultimately passing the legislation.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) speaks while flanked by Sens. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on March 25. ALEX EDELMAN via Getty Images
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The higher benefits are not in perfect harmony with the rest of the government’s economic response to the pandemic. Congress has balked at Democratic proposals to give extra pay to essential workers who are risking their health to ring up groceries, tend to hospital patients and respond to 911 calls. As a result, some essential workers might be earning less than people staying home.
And the boosted unemployment benefits are a headache for employers participating in a new program designed to help struggling small businesses that were forced to shut down due to the crisis. The Paycheck Protection Program backs forgivable loans to businesses that avoid layoffs or rehire their employees.
Some business owners have said the policy goal of the program seems to have been undermined by the extra unemployment benefits. If unemployment pays more than someone’s prior wage, it may not be advantageous for the worker to keep their job.
“This is a challenge, and business owners are really wrestling with it,” said Elizabeth Milito, senior executive counsel for the National Federation of Independent Business.
The owner of a cleaning service in Maine told The Associated Press he was reluctant to urge his employees to return to work because they could lose their unemployment checks ― which are more generous than what he pays them ― if he did. (The program does not require firms to rehire the same workers they laid off.)
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But other small businesses don’t see much utility for the PPP loan program when they have no customers and can’t reopen because of public health guidelines. Shannon Adair, the owner of a brewery in Oregon, said she was approved for funds but is currently only using them for operating costs.
“We can’t bring employees back because there isn’t anything for them to do,” Adair said Friday on a press call organized by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) “So we’re really stuck. We can pay our bills and we have a big chunk of money we may or may not be able to use in an eight-week period.”
Republicans have not focused their criticism of the higher unemployment payments on the PPP, which they support. Their complaint is more fundamental ― that the government is overly restricting the labor supply. In general, Republicans have been more skeptical of government measures interfering with economic activity in order to reduce the coronavirus’s massive death toll. Public health experts have said it’s not clear when it will be safe to ease up on stay-at-home orders and business closures.
Tim Scott tweeted this week that the extra unemployment benefits, which are set to expire at the end of July, “will create problems as we try to bring folks back to work.”
A spokesman for Rick Scott, meanwhile, said the senator “supports expanding unemployment benefits” but worries about Congress creating “a perverse incentive not to work.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-24--COVID-19 Protesters Leave Body Bags At Foot Of Trump's D.C. Hotel

Protesters in Washington , D.C. , showed their disapproval of how President Donald Trump is handling the coronavirus in very graphic terms Thursday evening .
The demonstrators laid out fake body bags in front of the Trump International Hotel to represent the now more than 50,000 Americans who have died from COVID-19 .
Jennifer Flynn Walker of the Center for Popular Democracy Action told DCist.com that the protest was intended as an antidote to demonstrations elsewhere that ignored social distancing orders and urged Americans to go back to work .
“ We needed to do something to show that most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thinks that Trump is failing , ” Flynn Walker said .
“ We really do see that tens of thousands of people dying from COVID is a direct result of his failure as a leader.
” Protesters stop at the Trump International Hotel to deliver fake body bags in Washington , D.C. , on April 23 , 2020 .
Dozens of cars rolled up to the hotel , including a truck carrying a giant inflatable Trump chicken , and dropped off the body bags ― really garbage bags stuffed with newspaper .
HuffPost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but there was no immediate response .
MSNBC ’ s Rachel Maddow said Thursday night that the protest put in stark terms the loss of life that has occurred because of how Trump has handled the pandemic .
“ I don ’ t know if the president knows [ the body count number ] , ” Maddow said in the second video above .
“ And so the people who are mad at the president about this response , people have started to pile up body bags in front of his hotel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capture his attention .
Maybe that will let him know that the real body count is apparently beyond his ken , beyond what he understands it to be .
”

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Protesters in Washington, D.C., showed their disapproval of how President Donald Trump is handling the coronavirus in very graphic terms Thursday evening.
The demonstrators laid out fake body bags in front of the Trump International Hotel to represent the now more than 50,000 Americans who have died from COVID-19.
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Jennifer Flynn Walker of the Center for Popular Democracy Action told DCist.com that the protest was intended as an antidote to demonstrations elsewhere that ignored social distancing orders and urged Americans to go back to work.
“We needed to do something to show that most of the country believes in science, thinks that Trump is failing,” Flynn Walker said. “We really do see that tens of thousands of people dying from COVID is a direct result of his failure as a leader.”
Protesters stop at the Trump International Hotel to deliver fake body bags in Washington, D.C., on April 23, 2020. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images
Dozens of cars rolled up to the hotel, including a truck carrying a giant inflatable Trump chicken, and dropped off the body bags ― really garbage bags stuffed with newspaper.
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HuffPost reached out to the hotel for comment, but there was no immediate response.
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow said Thursday night that the protest put in stark terms the loss of life that has occurred because of how Trump has handled the pandemic.
“I don’t know if the president knows [the body count number],” Maddow said in the second video above. “And so the people who are mad at the president about this response, people have started to pile up body bags in front of his hotel, because maybe that at least might capture his attention. Maybe that will let him know that the real body count is apparently beyond his ken, beyond what he understands it to be.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-24--Amid The Pandemic, U.S. Militia Groups Plot ‘The Boogaloo,’ AKA Civil War, On Facebook

MEGAN JELINGER via Getty Images A local militia group is seen at a rally to protest a stay-at-home order in Columbus , Ohio , on April 20 .
The man in the center is wearing a `` boogaloo '' patch .
A report published Thursday by the watchdog group the Tech Transparency Project found 125 Facebook groups devoted to the idea of the “ boogaloo , ” a far-right term used to describe what they believe is an inevitable civil war in the U.S. Members discuss weapons , combat medicine , and how to develop explosives , the report says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detailing how to disrupt U.S. government supply lines and discussing the possible need to assassinate government officials .
These groups have proliferated during the pandemic , according to the report , as right-wing extremists grow more agitated over lockdown orders aimed at slowing the spread of the virus , measures many militia and “ patriot ” groups view as the oppressive maneuverings of a tyrannical government .
Over 60 % of the groups were created in just the last three months , according to the report .
The 125 groups have nearly 73,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how many individuals may belong to multiple groups .
Daniel E. Stevens , executive director of Campaign for Accountability , the umbrella organization under which TTP operates , told HuffPost in a statement Thursday that “ Facebook ’ s failure to stop their platform from being used as an organizing tool for extremists is completely unacceptable.
” “ There is nothing subtle about how these extremist groups are using Facebook ’ s platform to advance their cause , ” Stevens said .
“ Boogaloo proponents are not simply discussing ideas or political views @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action and tactically planning how to defeat government entities.
” Facebook studies and monitors new terms , including boogaloo , which extremists may use to mask their activities , the Facebook spokesperson insisted , adding that the company has 350 people on staff devoted to stopping people and organizations from using its platform to plot or engage in violence .
Many such protests , however , have still been organized on the platform , resulting in crowds of right-wingers not observing social distancing guidelines descending upon government buildings , demanding that lawmakers reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warnings of public health experts .
“ This is not a case of extremists outsmarting Facebook , ” Stevens , of the Campaign for Accountability , told HuffPost in his statement .
“ By allowing these pages to exist , Facebook is demonstrating a clear unwillingness to protect the public from possible domestic terrorists .
Unless Facebook takes substantive action to break up these dangerous online communities , there is a very real risk of violence spilling out into the streets.
” The boogaloo groups are part of a larger anti-government extremist movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ patriot ” organizations such as the Oathkeepers and the Three Percenters , whose adherents have been implicated in bombings , murders and armed standoffs with federal law enforcement .
The largest group , the Thicc Boog Line , has gained about 30,000 followers since its creation in October 2019 .
Its main page is public and is often used to hawk boogaloo-branded clothing and accessories .
The Thicc Boog Line also operates 11 private boogaloo groups that more explicitly discuss preparing for the coming civil war .
About 89 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report , or 112 , are set to private .
Many take their war preparations so seriously that members are banned from posting memes , so as the discussion stays focused on intelligence sharing .
It emphasizes to members that it ’ s deeply important “ to make the enemy ( government forces ) see that they are not fighting terrorists , they are fighting their own countrymen who simply love liberty .
”

A local militia group is seen at a rally to protest a stay-at-home order in Columbus, Ohio, on April 20. The man in the center is wearing a "boogaloo" patch. MEGAN JELINGER via Getty Images
Thousands of armed right-wing militants are plotting a violent uprising against the U.S. government during the coronavirus crisis, a new report finds, and Facebook is providing them a platform to prepare and organize.
A report published Thursday by the watchdog group the Tech Transparency Project found 125 Facebook groups devoted to the idea of the “boogaloo,” a far-right term used to describe what they believe is an inevitable civil war in the U.S. Members discuss weapons, combat medicine, and how to develop explosives, the report says. One group even shared a document detailing how to disrupt U.S. government supply lines and discussing the possible need to assassinate government officials.
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These groups have proliferated during the pandemic, according to the report, as right-wing extremists grow more agitated over lockdown orders aimed at slowing the spread of the virus, measures many militia and “patriot” groups view as the oppressive maneuverings of a tyrannical government.
Over 60% of the groups were created in just the last three months, according to the report. The 125 groups have nearly 73,000 members, though it’s unclear how many individuals may belong to multiple groups.
About 50% of the groups’ members have joined within the last 30 days.
The groups have flourished despite Facebook community guidelines that prohibit facilitating, organizing or promoting “harmful activities targeted at people.” The guidelines also ban “statements of intent to commit high-severity violence.”
Daniel E. Stevens, executive director of Campaign for Accountability, the umbrella organization under which TTP operates, told HuffPost in a statement Thursday that “Facebook’s failure to stop their platform from being used as an organizing tool for extremists is completely unacceptable.”
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“There is nothing subtle about how these extremist groups are using Facebook’s platform to advance their cause,” Stevens said. “Boogaloo proponents are not simply discussing ideas or political views; they are directly advocating for violent action and tactically planning how to defeat government entities.”
There are 125 anti-government extremist groups on Facebook devoted to the "boogaloo," a far-right term for what they believe is a coming civil war. The groups have proliferated during the coronavirus crisis. The Tech Transparency Project
A meme posted to the Facebook page of a group devoted to the “boogaloo,” a far-right term used to describe a coming civil war. Facebook
In a statement to HuffPost Thursday, a Facebook spokesperson claimed the company is aware of the boogaloo groups.
“We’ve removed groups and Pages who’ve used this and related terms for violating our policies,” the spokesperson said.
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None of the handful of boogaloo groups specifically named in TTP’s report summary had been taken down as of Friday morning.
“We’re reviewing the content referenced in this report and will enforce against any violations,” the Facebook spokesperson said.
The potential for real-world violence by these groups came into focus earlier this week, when an Arkansas boogaloo enthusiast named Aaron Swenson live-streamed himself on Facebook driving around Texarkana, Texas, allegedly looking for a police officer to shoot and kill.
Comments left on the livestream showed some users endorsing attacking police officers. Other users suggested people call 911. Swenson was eventually arrested, according to the local police department.
A review of his Facebook page by TTP found that he “liked” over a dozen boogaloo pages, including a prominent boogaloo page called the Thicc Boog Line.
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A series of extremist Facebook pages "liked" by Aaron Swenson, who was arrested for allegedly attempting to attack police officers in Texas. The Tech Transparency Project
After HuffPost’s inquiry Thursday, Facebook appears to have removed Swenson’s profile page.
Facebook studies and monitors new terms, including boogaloo, which extremists may use to mask their activities, the Facebook spokesperson insisted, adding that the company has 350 people on staff devoted to stopping people and organizations from using its platform to plot or engage in violence.
The pandemic is proving to be a fraught period for the social media giant, as it struggles to slow the spread of misinformation about the virus that could put people in danger.
Facebook recently banned some pages and posts promoting anti-lockdown protests in California, New Jersey and Nebraska that defied “government’s guidance on social distancing.”
Many such protests, however, have still been organized on the platform, resulting in crowds of right-wingers not observing social distancing guidelines descending upon government buildings, demanding that lawmakers reopen local and state economies despite the desperate warnings of public health experts.
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TTP also infiltrated private boogaloo groups on Facebook where pages promoting anti-lockdown events were shared and attendance was encouraged, including a page for an April 24 protest in Wisconsin.
Heavily armed militiamen, some of whom have carried boogaloo signs or worn boogaloo patches, have appeared at previous anti-lockdown rallies.
“This is not a case of extremists outsmarting Facebook,” Stevens, of the Campaign for Accountability, told HuffPost in his statement. “By allowing these pages to exist, Facebook is demonstrating a clear unwillingness to protect the public from possible domestic terrorists. Unless Facebook takes substantive action to break up these dangerous online communities, there is a very real risk of violence spilling out into the streets.”
A screengrab from one of the "boogaloo" groups. The Tech Transparency Project
The boogaloo groups are part of a larger anti-government extremist movement in the U.S., which includes militia and “patriot” organizations such as the Oathkeepers and the Three Percenters, whose adherents have been implicated in bombings, murders and armed standoffs with federal law enforcement.
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There is sometimes overlap between anti-government and white supremacist movements. TTP’s analysis of the boogaloo groups found that some members’ profiles include white supremacist content, including images of Adolf Hitler. Many other group members, however, claimed to reject white supremacist ideology.
TTP says it identified the 125 groups in its report by searching for different variations or abbreviations of “boogaloo,” such as “boog,” “big igloo,” “Big Luau,” and “boojihadeen.”
One group, “BoojieBastards: Intelligence and Surveillance,” has averaged 100 new members a day since its creation in February, and now boasts some 6,500 followers.
The largest group, the Thicc Boog Line, has gained about 30,000 followers since its creation in October 2019. Its main page is public and is often used to hawk boogaloo-branded clothing and accessories. The Thicc Boog Line also operates 11 private boogaloo groups that more explicitly discuss preparing for the coming civil war.
About 89% of the groups identified in TTP’s report, or 112, are set to private. Many take their war preparations so seriously that members are banned from posting memes, so as the discussion stays focused on intelligence sharing.
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“The groups engage in national-level coordination or act as state and local chapters where users share tactical information and survival tips, ranging from topographic map access to instructions for evading authorities,” the report states.
Perhaps most concerning are the planning documents members upload to the boogaloo groups which, according to TTP, include military manuals, a CIA handbook, and “The Anarchist Cookbook,” a famous bomb building guide.
Another alarming, 133-page document entitled “Yeetalonians” spells out what weapons should be used for the boogaloo and instructs members how to develop propaganda to win over others to their cause.
A screenshot from “Yeetalonians,” which spells out what weapons should be used for the boogaloo. The Tech Transparency Project
The document discusses how “national guard depots, police stations and factories that produce munitions are all very solid targets” for disrupting the U.S. government supply chain.
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It emphasizes to members that it’s deeply important “to make the enemy (government forces) see that they are not fighting terrorists, they are fighting their own countrymen who simply love liberty.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-24--Navy Says Captain Ousted For Coronavirus Warning Should Be Reinstated: Reports

Defense Secretary Mark Esper reportedly received the recommendation Friday .
It came from the chief of Naval Operations , Admiral Michael M. Gilday , and the acting Navy secretary , James McPherson .
The Associated Press also confirmed the news .
Esper ’ s department previously said that it expected to announce the results from its investigation into Crozier ’ s ouster later on Friday .
Gilday and McPherson ’ s recommendation comes after Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly resigned in early April after widespread outrage over his comment calling Crozier “ stupid ” for pleading with top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sailors off the USS Theodore Roosevelt .
At the time , more than 100 sailors in his 4,000-member crew were sick with COVID-19 and unable to follow social distancing protocols in their tight quarters .
Though the outbreak was spreading , only 24 % of the crew had been tested for the virus at the time .
“ We are not at war .
Sailors do not need to die .
If we do not act now , we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset — our Sailors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a letter leaked to the San Francisco Chronicle .
He was fired by April 2 .
When Crozier departed the ship for the last time , the sailors on board cheered for him and chanted his name .
Days later , Modly excoriated Crozier in front of his former crew .
In leaked audio of his speech that ultimately forced his resignation , Modly said , “ If he didn ’ t think ... that this information wasn ’ t going to get out into the public , in this information age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was too naive or too stupid to be commanding officer of a ship like this .
”

Defense Secretary Mark Esper reportedly received the recommendation Friday. It came from the chief of naval operations, Admiral Michael M. Gilday, and the acting Navy secretary, James McPherson.
The Associated Press also confirmed the news.
Esper’s department previously said that it expected to announce the results from its investigation into Crozier’s ouster later on Friday.
Gilday and McPherson’s recommendation comes after acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly resigned in early April after widespread outrage over his comment calling Crozier “stupid” for pleading with top Navy officials to more swiftly move his sailors off the USS Theodore Roosevelt.
At the time, more than 100 sailors in his 4,000-member crew were sick with COVID-19 and unable to follow social distancing protocols in their tight quarters. Though the outbreak was spreading, only 24% of the crew had been tested for the virus at the time.
“We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset — our Sailors,” he wrote in late March in a letter leaked to the San Francisco Chronicle. He was relieved of his command of the ship by April 2.
When Crozier departed the ship for the last time, the sailors on board cheered for him and chanted his name.
Days later, Modly excoriated Crozier in front of his former crew. In leaked audio of his speech that ultimately forced his resignation, Modly said, “If he didn’t think ... that this information wasn’t going to get out into the public, in this information age that we live in, then he was too naive or too stupid to be commanding officer of a ship like this.”
Clarification: Language previously stating that Crozier was “fired” has been amended to say he was relieved of his command of the ship. He remained in the Navy.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-24--Donald Trump Jr. Self-Owns With Updated MAGA Slogan For His Dad

Donald Trump Jr. raised eyebrows among social media users with an updated campaign slogan that he appears to be pushing for his dad .
President Donald Trump ’ s eldest son this week began trying to make “ Make America Great Again , Again ” a thing .
He trotted out the tweaked version of his father ’ s 2016 campaign slogan “ Make America Great Again ” on Twitter : After the pandemic passes and we can fire up our economic engine I ’ m truly looking forward to watching @ realDonaldTrump Make America Great Again ... Again !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DonaldJTrumpJr ) April 22 , 2020 And on Thursday ’ s broadcast of Sean Hannity ’ s Fox News show , during which he claimed his father had “ built the greatest economy America has ever known ” and is “ the guy that can make America great again , again , once we get through ” the coronavirus pandemic .
The president had been using “ Keep America Great ” as his rallying cry ahead of the 2020 election .
Trump Jr. likely thought the slogan would offer voters hope about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help the U.S. bounce back from the public health crisis that has killed more than 50,000 people nationwide , sickened upwards of 800,000 more , forced millions into lockdown and tanked the stock markets .
Many Twitter users , however , opted to interpret the catchphrase in a more critical way , noting the Trump White House ’ s slow and haphazard response to the outbreak of the virus that the president himself downplayed for weeks .
They also accused Trump Jr. of a lack of sensitivity with the slogan , given the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they believed were the other failures of his father ’ s time in office : So if he ’ s making America great again ... again , then you must be saying that under @ realDonaldTrump America ceased to be great .
And they say Eric is the dumb one ... https : //t.co/7nimlpJiad — *you 're ( @ RKJ65 ) April 24 , 2020 I 'll ignore the absurdity that @ realDonaldTrump would actually help America recover , but ...
Does n't this admit that we ca n't `` fire up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic ?
Then WHY THE HELL are you all wanting people to risk their lives to reopen right now ?
🤦♂ https : //t.co/jQ4FKGP42h — Jeffrey Baltus ( @ jeffreybaltus ) April 24 , 2020 Apparently this is n't a parody account .
He wants his Daddy to # MAGA even though he already made America great , and was campaigning on keeping America great , and I doubt he 'd admit that Daddy may have possibly made America worse .
https : //t.co/JXDytWhULm — Utah Murmurs ( @ UtahMurmurs ) April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ realDonaldTrump doing everything he could do to destroy the reputation of America , jeopardize the future of every # American that is not a billion .
Guting the government , tanking trade , bankrupt small biz , & tripling the deficit a doorstop can make # America better https : //t.co/kqJngm5Sox — Edward Boughton ( @ eB3Design ) April 24 , 2020 What a great idea @ DonaldJTrumpJr , @ realDonaldTrump did such a great job the 1st time .
Record deficit , gutting of our govt infrastructure , appointment of incompetent judiciary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a # pandemic of biblical proportions ( 50K Americans dead ) !
Thanks but , ... ah , NO !
https : //t.co/rPZ1k6ys01 — Bob Riley ( @ briley8557 ) April 24 , 2020 I think he means he hopes his dad fixes the economy , but Obama is n't here to take over for .
He can no longer get credit for what Obama did https : //t.co/D9UFjVFRJj — Frank Preston ( @ franksbirdworld ) April 24 , 2020 Since your campaign slogan is now # KAG does n't that mean he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you need to get your story straight , son .
https : //t.co/Qt5lw0Dp1p — Virginia Dreaming ( @ Picklenose1 ) April 24 , 2020 Yeah , I guess these annoying 50,000 deaths and 850,00 sick people are really keeping you soulless ghouls from `` firing up the economic engine . ''
You truly are your daddy 's son , little Don .
You 're both really bad at being human .
— John Pavlovitz ( @ johnpavlovitz ) April 23 , 2020 Is it before or after he seriously on a national level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all seriousness suggested people get injected with disinfectants ?
This honestly goes beyond political beliefs .
It 's a matter of international health .
HOW tf does this egg still have followers ?
https : //t.co/KJHLFwFGOs — Daenerys should 've let their ungrateful asses die ( @ AngelicaDIMR ) April 24 , 2020

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Donald Trump Jr. raised eyebrows among social media users with an updated campaign slogan that he appears to be pushing for his dad.
President Donald Trump’s eldest son this week began trying to make “Make America Great Again, Again” a thing. He trotted out the tweaked version of his father’s 2016 campaign slogan “Make America Great Again” on Twitter:
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After the pandemic passes and we can fire up our economic engine I’m truly looking forward to watching @realDonaldTrump Make America Great Again... Again!!! — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) April 22, 2020
And on Thursday’s broadcast of Sean Hannity’s Fox News show, during which he claimed his father had “built the greatest economy America has ever known” and is “the guy that can make America great again, again, once we get through” the coronavirus pandemic.
Check out the clip here:
Donald Trump Jr. says his father is going to make America great again.. again pic.twitter.com/RHELkZ260m — Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) April 24, 2020
The president had been using “Keep America Great” as his rallying cry ahead of the 2020 election.
Trump Jr. likely thought the slogan would offer voters hope about how his father’s administration can help the U.S. bounce back from the public health crisis that has killed more than 50,000 people nationwide, sickened upwards of 800,000 more, forced millions into lockdown and tanked the stock markets.
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Many Twitter users, however, opted to interpret the catchphrase in a more critical way, noting the Trump White House’s slow and haphazard response to the outbreak of the virus that the president himself downplayed for weeks.
They also accused Trump Jr. of a lack of sensitivity with the slogan, given the soaring death toll, and listed what they believed were the other failures of his father’s time in office:
So if he’s making America great again...again, then you must be saying that under @realDonaldTrump America ceased to be great.
And they say Eric is the dumb one... https://t.co/7nimlpJiad — *you're (@RKJ65) April 24, 2020
I'll ignore the absurdity that @realDonaldTrump would actually help America recover, but...
Doesn't this admit that we can't "fire up the economy" until after we get through the pandemic? Then WHY THE HELL are you all wanting people to risk their lives to reopen right now? 🤦♂ https://t.co/jQ4FKGP42h — Jeffrey Baltus (@jeffreybaltus) April 24, 2020
47,664 deaths.
No show of compassion.
Not a drop of empathy.
This entire family are sociopaths. — Marianne Zirkle (@MarianneZirkle) April 22, 2020
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Apparently this isn't a parody account. He wants his Daddy to #MAGA even though he already made America great, and was campaigning on keeping America great, and I doubt he'd admit that Daddy may have possibly made America worse. https://t.co/JXDytWhULm — Utah Murmurs (@UtahMurmurs) April 24, 2020
After 3.5yrs of @realDonaldTrump doing everything he could do to destroy the reputation of America, jeopardize the future of every #American that is not a billion. Guting the government, tanking trade, bankrupt small biz, & tripling the deficit a doorstop can make #America better https://t.co/kqJngm5Sox — Edward Boughton (@eB3Design) April 24, 2020
What a great idea @DonaldJTrumpJr, @realDonaldTrump did such a great job the 1st time. Record deficit, gutting of our govt infrastructure, appointment of incompetent judiciary, #impeachment, oh, and a #pandemic of biblical proportions (50K Americans dead)! Thanks but, ...ah, NO! https://t.co/rPZ1k6ys01 — Bob Riley (@briley8557) April 24, 2020
I think he means he hopes his dad fixes the economy, but Obama isn't here to take over for. He can no longer get credit for what Obama did https://t.co/D9UFjVFRJj — Frank Preston (@franksbirdworld) April 24, 2020
Since your campaign slogan is now #KAG doesn't that mean he has already made America great. Perhaps you need to get your story straight, son. https://t.co/Qt5lw0Dp1p — Virginia Dreaming (@Picklenose1) April 24, 2020
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Yeah, I guess these annoying 50,000 deaths and 850,00 sick people are really keeping you soulless ghouls from "firing up the economic engine."
You truly are your daddy's son, little Don. You're both really bad at being human. — John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) April 23, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-24--Joe Biden Under Pressure From Progressives To Cut Out Larry Summers

Progressive groups are protesting news that Larry Summers is advising presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden ’ s presidential campaign on economic policy , calling on the former vice president to cut ties with the former Obama administration adviser who is something of a bogeyman for those in the left flank of the Democratic Party .
Biden ’ s campaign has yet to build a substantial in-house policy team , and has largely relied on outside advisers to inform policy and positions throughout the campaign .
Summers ’ presence within this circle of outside advisers was met with an outpouring of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Summers ’ s legacy is advocating for policies that contributed to the skyrocketing inequality and climate crisis we ’ re living with today , ” the groups said in a joint statement .
“ Joe Biden has a major trust gap that he must overcome with progressives and voters under 45 who voted overwhelmingly against him in the primary and who he ’ ll need to defeat Donald Trump.
” Summers has long been one of the most exalted economists in the world .
He had roles in the Reagan , Clinton and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief economist at the World Bank .
He is known for his deep ties to Wall Street and Silicon Valley and for repeatedly backing bailouts for big financial institutions , and has been criticized for leaving middle-class workers with little assistance .
It is precisely Summers ’ kind of economic thinking that led to the rise of movements like Occupy Wall Street and the unexpected support for Sanders ’ two presidential runs after the Great Recession .
Progressive groups have long been lobbying to take down Summers .
Naomi Klein , a progressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banish ” Summers from public life in a 2009 column in The Washington Post .
In 2013 , a coalition of activist groups and progressive lawmakers — including Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
, who clashed with Summers during the 2008 financial crisis — successfully tanked Summers ’ nomination as Federal Reserve chairman .
Biden ’ s campaign tried to downplay Summers ’ role , saying he was one of many economists it has consulted and that he holds no formal position within the campaign .
( The Biden team has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalists to him when they sought comment on Warren ’ s health care plan last year . )
“ Our campaign is in touch with a very large and well-rounded informal network of experts , on the economy , public health , and many other issues , ” a Biden campaign aide told HuffPost .
The aide noted that the campaign also seeks advice from people such as Jared Bernstein , who served as an economic adviser under the Obama administration , and Heather Boushey , who runs a think tank about income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be the most progressive agenda of any president in generations , and he looks forward to his continuing engagement with progressive leaders to build on his existing policies and further the bold goals driving his campaign , ” the aide said in a statement .
Summers was a fierce critic of some of the most progressive policy ideas floated during the Democratic primary .
He said Warren ’ s signature wealth tax proposal was “ approaching confiscatory ” and should be seen as a last resort , and he called her plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For All ” system “ dangerous ” — two critiques Biden echoed on the campaign trail .
The news about Summers advising Biden comes as groups including Demand Progress and Revolving Door Project look to find ways to influence the campaign ’ s future personnel picks .
More than two dozen good government and ethics groups published an open letter on Thursday in which they called on Biden to make the campaign ’ s personnel-picking process more transparent .
“ People like Larry Summers , and others of his archetype ― Larry Fink @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have no place in Democratic politics at this juncture .
We need to elevate people who aren ’ t responsible for crises , ” David Segal , who runs Demand Progress , said in reference to potential , but unconfirmed , Biden administration picks named in an Axios report .
“ In the primary Biden benefited from his association with Obama , but it ’ s very hard to transfer that shine to Larry Summers , ” Segal said , noting that more people are attuned to that shift in politics these days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters when Sanders endorsed his candidacy earlier this month , and he pledged to “ not let [ Sanders ] down.
” The Sanders and Biden campaigns have been negotiating six task forces on policy and personnel .
Neither campaign has announced who will be on those task forces .

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Progressive groups are protesting news that Larry Summers is advising presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s presidential campaign on economic policy, calling on the former vice president to cut ties with the former Obama administration adviser who is something of a bogeyman for those in the left flank of the Democratic Party.
Summers is among dozens of economists currently informally advising the campaign, Bloomberg first reported Thursday. HuffPost later confirmed the report with the Biden campaign.
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Biden’s campaign has yet to build a substantial in-house policy team, and has largely relied on outside advisers to inform policy and positions throughout the campaign. Summers’ presence within this circle of outside advisers was met with an outpouring of criticism from progressive groups.
Two groups aligned with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Justice Democrats and the Sunrise Movement, started a petition on Friday in which they call on Biden to no longer use Summers as an adviser.
“Larry Summers’s legacy is advocating for policies that contributed to the skyrocketing inequality and climate crisis we’re living with today,” the groups said in a joint statement. “Joe Biden has a major trust gap that he must overcome with progressives and voters under 45 who voted overwhelmingly against him in the primary and who he’ll need to defeat Donald Trump.”
Summers has long been one of the most exalted economists in the world. He had roles in the Reagan, Clinton and Obama administrations and has served as the chief economist at the World Bank. He is known for his deep ties to Wall Street and Silicon Valley and for repeatedly backing bailouts for big financial institutions, and has been criticized for leaving middle-class workers with little assistance. It is precisely Summers’ kind of economic thinking that led to the rise of movements like Occupy Wall Street and the unexpected support for Sanders’ two presidential runs after the Great Recession.
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Then-Vice President Joe Biden sitting next to Larry Summers in a meeting at the White House on Oct. 2, 2009. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
Progressive groups have long been lobbying to take down Summers. Naomi Klein, a progressive author and activist, argued to “banish” Summers from public life in a 2009 column in The Washington Post. In 2013, a coalition of activist groups and progressive lawmakers — including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who clashed with Summers during the 2008 financial crisis — successfully tanked Summers’ nomination as Federal Reserve chairman.
Biden’s campaign tried to downplay Summers’ role, saying he was one of many economists it has consulted and that he holds no formal position within the campaign. (The Biden team has turned to Summers before, reportedly referring journalists to him when they sought comment on Warren’s health care plan last year.)
“Our campaign is in touch with a very large and well-rounded informal network of experts, on the economy, public health, and many other issues,” a Biden campaign aide told HuffPost. The aide noted that the campaign also seeks advice from people such as Jared Bernstein, who served as an economic adviser under the Obama administration, and Heather Boushey, who runs a think tank about income inequality.
“Joe Biden’s will be the most progressive agenda of any president in generations, and he looks forward to his continuing engagement with progressive leaders to build on his existing policies and further the bold goals driving his campaign,” the aide said in a statement.
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Summers was a fierce critic of some of the most progressive policy ideas floated during the Democratic primary. He said Warren’s signature wealth tax proposal was “approaching confiscatory” and should be seen as a last resort, and he called her plan to transition to a single-payer “Medicare For All” system “dangerous” — two critiques Biden echoed on the campaign trail.
The news about Summers advising Biden comes as groups including Demand Progress and Revolving Door Project look to find ways to influence the campaign’s future personnel picks. More than two dozen good government and ethics groups published an open letter on Thursday in which they called on Biden to make the campaign’s personnel-picking process more transparent.
“People like Larry Summers, and others of his archetype ― Larry Fink, Jamie Dimon, Tom Nides ― have no place in Democratic politics at this juncture. We need to elevate people who aren’t responsible for crises,” David Segal, who runs Demand Progress, said in reference to potential, but unconfirmed, Biden administration picks named in an Axios report.
“In the primary Biden benefited from his association with Obama, but it’s very hard to transfer that shine to Larry Summers,” Segal said, noting that more people are attuned to that shift in politics these days.
Biden pledged to win over progressive voters when Sanders endorsed his candidacy earlier this month, and he pledged to “not let [Sanders] down.” The Sanders and Biden campaigns have been negotiating six task forces on policy and personnel. Neither campaign has announced who will be on those task forces.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-24--Infectious Disease Expert Makes Chilling Prediction For States Reopening Amid Pandemic

Infectious disease expert Michael Osterholm warned that the states starting to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic “ will pay a big price later on.
” Osterholm , the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota , told CNN ’ s Jake Tapper on Thursday that states like Georgia , Colorado and others that are easing social distancing restrictions were “ putting gasoline on fire.
” “ I think right now , this is one of the things we ’ ve learned , if we ’ re going to learn to live with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t walk in the face of it and spit in its eye , because it will hit you , ” said Osterholm .
“ And I think that that ’ s a really important issue right now , ” he continued .
“ When we have transmission increasing , when our hospitals are not able to take care of it and we don ’ t have enough testing to even know what ’ s going on , then that ’ s not the time to loosen up.
” Osterholm suggested it was “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this discussion ” about the “ loosening ” of society .
“ I wouldn ’ t do it , ” he added .
“ I fear that these states will have to pay a big price later on because of what they ’ re doing.
” '' We have to have , as a population , the same discussions about not just how we ’ re going to die with this virus , but how we ’ re going to live with it for the next 16 or 18 months , '' infectious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` This is not a battle , this is a war . ''
pic.twitter.com/Dd5agDCkPp — The Lead CNN ( @ TheLeadCNN ) April 23 , 2020

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Infectious disease expert Michael Osterholm warned that the states starting to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic “will pay a big price later on.”
Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Thursday that states like Georgia, Colorado and others that are easing social distancing restrictions were “putting gasoline on fire.”
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“I think right now, this is one of the things we’ve learned, if we’re going to learn to live with this, then you just don’t walk in the face of it and spit in its eye, because it will hit you,” said Osterholm.
“And I think that that’s a really important issue right now,” he continued. “When we have transmission increasing, when our hospitals are not able to take care of it and we don’t have enough testing to even know what’s going on, then that’s not the time to loosen up.”
Osterholm suggested it was “the worst example of how to start this discussion” about the “loosening” of society.
“I wouldn’t do it,” he added. “I fear that these states will have to pay a big price later on because of what they’re doing.”
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Check out the interview here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-04-24--Poll Finds Elizabeth Warren VP Pick Most Likely To Pull In Bernie Sanders Voters

“ In order for the Democratic Party to defeat Trump this fall it needs to be united .
A vice presidential pick provides one avenue of doing this , ” the progressive think tank Data for Progress said in a new memo provided to HuffPost .
Sanders supporters said they were more likely to support Biden for president against Republican Donald Trump if he chose the progressive senator as his running mate , beating out Harris in second , followed by Klobuchar , Abrams and Whitmer .
Sixty-one percent of Sanders voters said they would be more likely to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while just 9 % say it would make them less likely to back the former vice president .
Warren , of course , holds an advantage in part because she is better known than the other candidates who were tested .
Like Harris and Klobuchar , she ran for the Democratic presidential nomination , but she ended up with the most delegates after Biden and Sanders .
Whitmer ’ s and Abrams ’ relatively low profiles mean a majority of Sanders supporters say Biden picking them would have no effect on their vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern about winning over Sanders ’ most dedicated supporters .
It has adopted a number of progressive policies in recent weeks , including promising to push for the forgiveness of significant amounts of student debt .
Primary exit polls showed Sanders consistently performed best with younger voters and the most ideologically liberal voters .
Tensions between the Sanders and Warren campaigns were high by the end of the primary .
Sanders had attacked Warren ’ s plan to transition to “ Medicare for All ” as insufficient , while Warren had suggested that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grievances between the two sides lingered after a dispute over a private 2018 conversation between the two senators and whether Sanders told Warren he didn ’ t believe a woman could defeat Trump .
“ The overwhelming majority of Sanders supporters would be thrilled by a Warren Vice Presidential pick , the rest have Twitter accounts , ” said Sean McElwee , the co-founder of Data for Progress .
“ It ’ s imperative that this decision is made with a mind to the polling , not the posting.
” Though some operatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or Abrams to solidify his hold on Black voters and increase turnout in key cities like Detroit , Philadelphia and Milwaukee , the survey indicates Black voters are actually more excited about a Biden-Warren ticket , though a Biden-Harris ticket also performs well .
Polls of this type don ’ t mean that if one candidate is chosen , supporters of other candidates would either go to Trump or stay home , but they do reflect enthusiasm for , interest in and awareness of the various candidates .
“ There is a strong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominee for vice president , ” the group concludes .
“ From that position that comes with an office in the White House , she ’ ll have the ability to forcefully advance a progressive agenda .
Nominating her also represents a deft strategic choice , a signal that Biden truly is willing to unite the Democratic party and work with progressives as governing partners in the fullest sense.
” Before she dropped her presidential bid in early March , Warren was going around the country making the case that she was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party .
While the pitch was unsuccessful ― she ultimately dropped it not long after aggressively attacking former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg at a debate in Las Vegas ― polling at the time often backed up her contention that she could bridge the gap between Sanders ’ left-wing supporters and Biden ’ s more moderate backers .
But Warren also has several factors working against her : Biden , who has suggested he sees himself as a bridge to a younger generation of Democratic leaders , may not want to pick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also under pressure to choose a Black woman as his running mate , especially since Black voters gave him landslide win in the South Carolina primary after poor performances in the much whiter states of Iowa and New Hampshire .
Biden , at times , has also suggested he would want a vice president who agrees with him on policy ― and whether Biden sees Warren as an ideological match is unclear .
Warren may not be seen as a team player , and Biden may not want to alienate much of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have come under attack from Warren .

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Of the most-discussed vice presidential picks for Joe Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), is the one most likely to unify the Democratic Party and win over supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), according to a new poll.
The former vice president has already announced that he will choose a woman as his running mate, and he plans to form a committee to start vetting candidates by May 1.
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In a new poll, the left-wing Data for Progress tested the strength of five potential vice presidential picks on their ability to generate excitement among different types of Democratic voters: former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, Sen. Kamala Harris (Calif.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Warren and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
“In order for the Democratic Party to defeat Trump this fall it needs to be united. A vice presidential pick provides one avenue of doing this,” the progressive think tank Data for Progress said in a new memo provided to HuffPost.
The survey found that Democrats as a whole ― and, notably, supporters of Sanders ― rated Warren the highest in terms of their likelihood to vote for the Democratic presidential ticket.
Sanders supporters said they were more likely to support Biden for president against Republican Donald Trump if he chose the progressive senator as his running mate, beating out Harris in second, followed by Klobuchar, Abrams and Whitmer. Sixty-one percent of Sanders voters said they would be more likely to support Biden if Warren is the nominee, while just 9% say it would make them less likely to back the former vice president.
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Warren’s 52-point advantage is far larger than those for the other candidates. Harris, who holds the second-largest appeal to Sanders supporters, has just a 34-point advantage.
A new Data for Progress poll finds that Democrats as a whole ― and, notably, supporters of Sanders ― rated Warren the highest in terms of their likelihood to vote for the Democratic presidential ticket. Data for Progress
Warren, of course, holds an advantage in part because she is better known than the other candidates who were tested. Like Harris and Klobuchar, she ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, but she ended up with the most delegates after Biden and Sanders. Whitmer’s and Abrams’ relatively low profiles mean a majority of Sanders supporters say Biden picking them would have no effect on their vote.
Previous work by Data for Progress has shown that Abrams’ favorability goes up quickly once voters learn more about her.
The Biden campaign has demonstrated its concern about winning over Sanders’ most dedicated supporters. It has adopted a number of progressive policies in recent weeks, including promising to push for the forgiveness of significant amounts of student debt. Primary exit polls showed Sanders consistently performed best with younger voters and the most ideologically liberal voters.
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Tensions between the Sanders and Warren campaigns were high by the end of the primary. Sanders had attacked Warren’s plan to transition to “Medicare for All” as insufficient, while Warren had suggested that Sanders was an ineffective legislator. And grievances between the two sides lingered after a dispute over a private 2018 conversation between the two senators and whether Sanders told Warren he didn’t believe a woman could defeat Trump.
Several prominent Sanders supporters have suggested a Warren selection wouldn’t be enough to win them over to Biden’s side, but this polling indicates those sentiments aren’t widespread.
“The overwhelming majority of Sanders supporters would be thrilled by a Warren Vice Presidential pick, the rest have Twitter accounts,” said Sean McElwee, the co-founder of Data for Progress. “It’s imperative that this decision is made with a mind to the polling, not the posting.”
The Data for Progress survey similarly shows Warren performing best with Sanders’ strongest voters: progressives and voters younger than 45. (Primary voters skew older, so voters under the age of 45 qualify as younger.)
Democratic voters younger than 45 gave Warren high marks as a potential vice presidential pick. Data for Progress
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Though some operatives have argued Biden should select either Harris or Abrams to solidify his hold on Black voters and increase turnout in key cities like Detroit, Philadelphia and Milwaukee, the survey indicates Black voters are actually more excited about a Biden-Warren ticket, though a Biden-Harris ticket also performs well.
Black voters also give Harris and Warren high marks as potential Biden running mates. Data for Progress
Polls of this type don’t mean that if one candidate is chosen, supporters of other candidates would either go to Trump or stay home, but they do reflect enthusiasm for, interest in and awareness of the various candidates.
“There is a strong case for Warren to be the Democratic nominee for vice president,” the group concludes. “From that position that comes with an office in the White House, she’ll have the ability to forcefully advance a progressive agenda. Nominating her also represents a deft strategic choice, a signal that Biden truly is willing to unite the Democratic party and work with progressives as governing partners in the fullest sense.”
Before she dropped her presidential bid in early March, Warren was going around the country making the case that she was the candidate best positioned to unify the Democratic Party. While the pitch was unsuccessful ― she ultimately dropped it not long after aggressively attacking former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg at a debate in Las Vegas ― polling at the time often backed up her contention that she could bridge the gap between Sanders’ left-wing supporters and Biden’s more moderate backers.
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But Warren also has several factors working against her: Biden, who has suggested he sees himself as a bridge to a younger generation of Democratic leaders, may not want to pick a fellow septuagenarian. He’s also under pressure to choose a Black woman as his running mate, especially since Black voters gave him landslide win in the South Carolina primary after poor performances in the much whiter states of Iowa and New Hampshire.