thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-09--Dwayne Johnson Explains Why He Cried Over The Election Result

My vote represented my little girls .
It also represented/ Humanity Decency Principles and values @ laurenhashianofficial and I instill @ @ @ @ @ And finally , my vote represented the importance of just being a decent human being @ @ @ @ @ being a decent human being matters .
This win feels so good , but now @ @ @ @ @ Because we have an entire country divided .
I ’ m not turning my back @ @ @ @ @ have a difference of opinion .
Im not made that way .
I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ the sun comes up , we all get up with it - go to work @ @ @ @ @ pay our bills .
Congratulations to President elect @ joebiden and Vice President elect @ @ @ @ @ @ American people for engaging in the biggest voter turnout our country has ever seen 👏🏾👊🏾 @ @ @ @ @ all on the line and cheers to UNITY and finding common ground .
Let ’ @ @ @ @ @ DJ 🥃🇺🇸

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My vote represented my little girls. It also represented/ Humanity Decency Principles and values @laurenhashianofficial and I instill in our little daughters. And finally, my vote represented the importance of just being a decent human being. And to me, being a decent human being matters. This win feels so good, but now the real work begins. Because we have an entire country divided. I’m not turning my back on you just because we have a difference of opinion. Im not made that way. I’m still right here and when the sun comes up, we all get up with it - go to work, feed our families and pay our bills. Congratulations to President elect @joebiden and Vice President elect @kamalaharris and to all our American people for engaging in the biggest voter turnout our country has ever seen 👏🏾👊🏾 Stand tall, lay it all on the line and cheers to UNITY and finding common ground. Let’s get to work. DJ 🥃🇺🇸


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-09--Tropical Storm Eta Makes Landfall In Florida Keys

Florida officials closed beaches , ports and COVID testing sites , shut down public transportation and urged residents to stay off the street .
Several shelters also opened in Miami and the Florida Keys for residents in mobile homes and low lying areas .
Broward County also shut down in-person schooling Monday and Miami seemed poised to do the same .
On Sunday night , authorities in Lauderhill , Florida , responded to a report of a car that had driven into a canal .
Photos taken by fire units on the scene about 30 miles ( 48 kilometers ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared to be flooded waters near a parking lot .
Firefighters pulled one person from a car and took the patient to a hospital in critical condition , according to a statement from Lauderhill Fire ’ s public information officer .
Responders were continuing to search for others .
Eta earlier hit Cuba even as searchers in Guatemala were still digging for people believed buried by a massive , rain-fueled landslide .
Authorities on Sunday raised the known death toll there to 27 from 15 and said more than 100 were missing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landslide in San Cristobal Verapaz .
Pope Francis on Sunday spoke about the population of Central America , hit “ by a violent hurricane , which has caused many victims and huge damage , worsened as well by the already difficult situation due to the pandemic.
” Speaking to faithful gathered in St. Peter ’ s Square , Francis prayed that “ the Lord welcome the deceased , comfort their families and sustain all those so tried , as well as all those who are doing their best to help them.
” In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a state of emergency Saturday for eight counties at the end of the state as Eta approached , urging residents to stock up on supplies .
South Florida started emptying ports and a small number of shelters opened in Miami and the Florida Keys for residents in mobile homes and low-lying areas .
Further south in the Keys , officials were monitoring the storm closely , but had no plans yet to evacuate tourists or residents .
They urged residents to secure their boats and encouraged visitors to consider altering plans until Eta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Quejá , at least five bodies have been pulled from the mud .
The Indigenous community of about 1,200 residents consisted of simple homes of wood and tin roofs clinging to the mountainside .
Rescue workers used a helicopter to evacuate survivor Emilio Caal , who said he lost as many as 40 family members and relatives .
Caal , 65 , suffered a dislocated shoulder when the landslide sent rocks , trees and earth hurtling onto the home where he was about to sit down to lunch with his wife and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several yards ( meters ) by the force of the slide , and that none of the others were able to get out .

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HAVANA (AP) — A strengthening Tropical Storm Eta made landfall on Florida’s Lower Matecumbe Key on Sunday night, days after leaving scores of dead and over 100 missing in Mexico and Central America.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami declared hurricane and storm surge warnings for the Keys from Ocean Reef to the Dry Tortugas, including Florida Bay.
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Tropical Storm Eta cut across Cuba on Sunday before hitting the Florida Keys Sunday night. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Florida officials closed beaches, ports and COVID testing sites, shut down public transportation and urged residents to stay off the street. Several shelters also opened in Miami and the Florida Keys for residents in mobile homes and low lying areas. Broward County also shut down in-person schooling Monday and Miami seemed poised to do the same.
On Sunday night, authorities in Lauderhill, Florida, responded to a report of a car that had driven into a canal. Photos taken by fire units on the scene about 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Miami showed rescuers searching what appeared to be flooded waters near a parking lot.
Firefighters pulled one person from a car and took the patient to a hospital in critical condition, according to a statement from Lauderhill Fire’s public information officer. Responders were continuing to search for others.
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Tropical Storm Eta triggers Flash Flood Warning in Palm Beach County https://t.co/7SVFztLQTM pic.twitter.com/k36nHeP9bk — WPTV (@WPTV) November 9, 2020
Eta had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 kph) on Sunday night and was centered about 30 miles (45 kilometers) east-northeast of Marathon, Florida, and 70 miles (115 kilometers) east-northeast of Key West. It was moving west-northwest at 14 mph (22 kph).
The storm swelled rivers and flooded coastal zones in Cuba, where 25,000 had been evacuated. But there were no reports of deaths.
Eta earlier hit Cuba even as searchers in Guatemala were still digging for people believed buried by a massive, rain-fueled landslide. Authorities on Sunday raised the known death toll there to 27 from 15 and said more than 100 were missing in Guatemala, many of them in the landslide in San Cristobal Verapaz.
Some 60,000 people had been evacuated in Guatemala.
At least 20 people also were reported dead in southern Mexico and local officials in Honduras reported 21, though the national disaster agency had confirmed only eight.
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Pope Francis on Sunday spoke about the population of Central America, hit “by a violent hurricane, which has caused many victims and huge damage, worsened as well by the already difficult situation due to the pandemic.” Speaking to faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, Francis prayed that “the Lord welcome the deceased, comfort their families and sustain all those so tried, as well as all those who are doing their best to help them.”
First responders rescue a girl who was buried by a massive, rain-fueled landslide Saturday in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Eta. AP Photo/Moises Castillo
In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency Saturday for eight counties at the end of the state as Eta approached, urging residents to stock up on supplies. South Florida started emptying ports and a small number of shelters opened in Miami and the Florida Keys for residents in mobile homes and low-lying areas.
Miami-Dade County declared a state of emergency Friday night and also warned a flood watch would be in effect through Tuesday night.
Further south in the Keys, officials were monitoring the storm closely, but had no plans yet to evacuate tourists or residents. They urged residents to secure their boats and encouraged visitors to consider altering plans until Eta had passed.
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Eta initially hit Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane, and authorities from Panama to Mexico were still surveying the damages following days of torrential rains during the week.
In Guatemala, search teams first had to overcome multiple landslides and deep mud just to reach the site where officials have estimated some 150 homes were devastated.
In the worst-hit village, Quejá, at least five bodies have been pulled from the mud. The Indigenous community of about 1,200 residents consisted of simple homes of wood and tin roofs clinging to the mountainside.
Rescue workers used a helicopter to evacuate survivor Emilio Caal, who said he lost as many as 40 family members and relatives. Caal, 65, suffered a dislocated shoulder when the landslide sent rocks, trees and earth hurtling onto the home where he was about to sit down to lunch with his wife and grandchildren. Caal said he was blown several yards (meters) by the force of the slide, and that none of the others were able to get out.
“My wife is dead, my grandchildren are dead,” said Caal from a nearby hospital.
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Firefighters’ spokesman Ruben Tellez said at least one additional person died in Guatemala on Sunday when a small plane went down while carrying emergency supplies to the stricken area.
In neighboring Honduras, 68-year-old María Elena Mejía Guadron died when the brown waters of the Chamelecon river poured into San Pedro Sula’s Planeta neighborhood before dawn Thursday.
In southern Mexico, across the border from Guatemala, 20 people died as heavy rains attributed to Eta caused mudslides and swelled streams and rivers, according to Chiapas state civil defense official Elías Morales Rodríguez.
The worst incident in Mexico occurred in the mountain township of Chenalho, where 10 people were swept away by a rain-swollen stream; their bodies were later found downstream.
Flooding in the neighboring state of Tabasco was so bad that President Andrés Manuel López Obrador cut short a trip to western Mexico and was flying to Tabasco, his home state, to oversee relief efforts.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-08--Alec Baldwin 'Overjoyed' He's Going To Be Out Of A Job

Alec Baldwin might be out of a job soon , and he couldn ’ t be happier about it .
The actor , who plays Donald Trump on “ Saturday Night Live , ” celebrated the president ’ s election loss on Saturday .
“ I don ’ t believe I ’ ve ever been this overjoyed to lose a job before !
” read a post on the Hilaria and Alec Baldwin Foundation ’ s Twitter account .
I don ’ t believe I ’ ve ever been this overjoyed to lose a job before !
— HABFoundation ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It will be comforting when we have a President who doesn ’ t Tweet twice as much as I do @ realDonaldTrump — HABFoundation ( @ ABFalecbaldwin ) November 7 , 2020 In this weekend ’ s episode of “ SNL ” hosted by Dave Chappelle , which aired just hours after the election was called for Democrat Joe Biden , Baldwin made what could be one of his final appearances ― although he stayed true to his character by saying that he wouldn ’ t go easily .
“ I was reelected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baldwin ’ s Trump announced .
“ But , of course , they are trying to steal the election away from me.
” “ I ’ m not going to say goodbye , America , ” he concluded .
“ I ’ m just going to say , ‘ See you in court !
’ ”

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Alec Baldwin might be out of a job soon, and he couldn’t be happier about it.
The actor, who plays Donald Trump on “Saturday Night Live,” celebrated the president’s election loss on Saturday.
“I don’t believe I’ve ever been this overjoyed to lose a job before!” read a post on the Hilaria and Alec Baldwin Foundation’s Twitter account.
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I don’t believe I’ve ever been this overjoyed to lose a job before! — HABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) November 7, 2020
It will be comforting when we have a President who doesn’t Tweet twice as much as I do@realDonaldTrump — HABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) November 7, 2020
In this weekend’s episode of “SNL” hosted by Dave Chappelle, which aired just hours after the election was called for Democrat Joe Biden, Baldwin made what could be one of his final appearances ― although he stayed true to his character by saying that he wouldn’t go easily.
“I was reelected president of the United States,” Baldwin’s Trump announced. “But, of course, they are trying to steal the election away from me.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-09--FDA Authorizes First Emergency Use Of A COVID-19 Antibody Drug

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — U.S. health officials have allowed emergency use of the first antibody drug to help the immune system fight COVID-19 , an experimental approach against the virus that has killed more than 238,000 Americans .
The Food and Drug Administration on Monday cleared the experimental drug from Eli Lilly for people 12 and older with mild or moderate COVID-19 not requiring hospitalization .
It ’ s a one-time treatment given through an IV .
The therapy is still undergoing additional testing to establish its safety and effectiveness .
It is similar to a treatment President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month .
Lilly ’ s studies of the antibody drug are continuing .
Early results suggest it may help clear the coronavirus sooner and possibly cut hospitalizations in people with mild to moderate COVID-19 .
A study of it in hospitalized patients was stopped when independent monitors saw the drug did not seem to be helping in that situation .
One other treatment has an emergency use designation now — convalescent plasma , or the blood of COVID-19 survivors .
No large studies have shown it to be more effective than usual care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is part of an emerging family of biologic therapies that offer a promising new approach to preventing serious disease and death from COVID-19 .
Experts say the infused drugs could serve as a therapeutic bridge to help manage the virus until vaccines are widely available .
The drugs are laboratory-made versions of antibodies , blood proteins which the body creates to help target and eliminate foreign infections .
The new therapies are concentrated versions of the antibodies that proved most effective against the virus in patient studies .
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. also has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug it is testing , the one Trump received .
FDA regulators authorized the Lilly drug using their emergency powers to quickly speed the availability of experimental drugs and other medical products during public health crises .
In normal times the FDA requires “ substantial evidence ” to show that a drug is safe and effective , usually through one or more large , rigorously controlled patient studies .
But during public health emergencies the agency can lower those standards and require only that an experimental treatment ’ s potential benefits outweigh its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a temporary approval for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic .
To win full approval , Lilly will have to submit additional research to fully define the drug ’ s safety and benefit for patients .
The government has signed an agreement with Lilly to spend $ 375 million to buy 300,000 vials of the drug .
How many doses that would provide is unclear .
Each vial contains 70 milligrams and that dose proved ineffective in the early results .
It took four times that amount — 2,800 milligrams — to show @ @ @

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WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials have allowed emergency use of the first antibody drug to help the immune system fight COVID-19, an experimental approach against the virus that has killed more than 238,000 Americans.
The Food and Drug Administration on Monday cleared the experimental drug from Eli Lilly for people 12 and older with mild or moderate COVID-19 not requiring hospitalization. It’s a one-time treatment given through an IV.
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The therapy is still undergoing additional testing to establish its safety and effectiveness. It is similar to a treatment President Donald Trump received after contracting the virus last month.
Lilly’s studies of the antibody drug are continuing. Early results suggest it may help clear the coronavirus sooner and possibly cut hospitalizations in people with mild to moderate COVID-19. A study of it in hospitalized patients was stopped when independent monitors saw the drug did not seem to be helping in that situation.
The government previously reached an agreement to buy and supply much of the early production of Lilly’s drug.
One other treatment has an emergency use designation now — convalescent plasma, or the blood of COVID-19 survivors. No large studies have shown it to be more effective than usual care alone, however.
Advertisement
The new drug is part of an emerging family of biologic therapies that offer a promising new approach to preventing serious disease and death from COVID-19. Experts say the infused drugs could serve as a therapeutic bridge to help manage the virus until vaccines are widely available.
The drugs are laboratory-made versions of antibodies, blood proteins which the body creates to help target and eliminate foreign infections. The new therapies are concentrated versions of the antibodies that proved most effective against the virus in patient studies.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. also has asked for emergency authorization for an antibody drug it is testing, the one Trump received.
FDA regulators authorized the Lilly drug using their emergency powers to quickly speed the availability of experimental drugs and other medical products during public health crises.
In normal times the FDA requires “substantial evidence” to show that a drug is safe and effective, usually through one or more large, rigorously controlled patient studies. But during public health emergencies the agency can lower those standards and require only that an experimental treatment’s potential benefits outweigh its risks.
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The emergency authorization functions like a temporary approval for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. To win full approval, Lilly will have to submit additional research to fully define the drug’s safety and benefit for patients.
The government has signed an agreement with Lilly to spend $375 million to buy 300,000 vials of the drug. How many doses that would provide is unclear. Each vial contains 70 milligrams and that dose proved ineffective in the early results. It took four times that amount — 2,800 milligrams — to show any effect.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-09--What Pfizer’s Vaccine News Means For The Fight Against COVID-19

The announcement got attention around the world , sending financial markets up on hopes that a proven vaccine would soon be available .
And in the U.S. , it set off an immediate political controversy as the Trump administration and its critics argued over how much credit , if any , the administration ’ s “ Warp Speed ” initiative deserves for the apparent advance .
Where does vaccine development stand right now ?
The process typically takes years , and like all pharmaceutical research , it is marked more often by failure than success .
But the progress to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been remarkably quick , owing in part to the urgent , global crisis and in part to scientists being familiar with other forms of coronavirus , such as SARS , which caused an epidemic in 2003 .
What exactly did Pfizer/BioNTech announce ?
How does the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine actually work ?
What challenges remain if the data holds up ?
Supply chain issues loom as well .
Somebody has to make sure there are enough of these nanoparticles ― and , though it seems much more pedestrian , somebody has to make sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injections .
Distributing the vaccine and then administering it will not be easy , either .
Why did this announcement happen now ?
What role did the Trump administration play ?

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The big COVID-19 news from Monday is Pfizer’s announcement that its experimental vaccine looks to be highly effective at preventing the disease, with no apparent safety problems ― although, to be clear, that’s all based on the company’s own preliminary data.
The announcement got attention around the world, sending financial markets up on hopes that a proven vaccine would soon be available. And in the U.S., it set off an immediate political controversy as the Trump administration and its critics argued over how much credit, if any, the administration’s “Warp Speed” initiative deserves for the apparent advance.
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Experts, meanwhile, were quick to sound cautionary notes, including one from Pfizer itself. The findings, which come from “phase 3” trials, have not yet gotten an outside peer review.
Even if the vaccine really works as well as the preliminary Pfizer data suggests, and even if similar vaccines also in development soon show similar results, manufacturing and then distributing them will require a massive, unprecedented effort.
Still, infectious disease specialists and other experts expressed palpable excitement at the news that, so far, the vaccine has proven 90% effective. That is a lot higher than most had expected from the first-generation COVID-19 vaccines. If that number holds up and if the vaccine proves safe ― two very big ifs ― then it could be a major step toward controlling the pandemic.
“90% vaccine effectiveness is outstanding,” Preet Malani, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Michigan, told HuffPost. “We will want to see data, but this is a best-case scenario.”
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“Today’s announcement makes me excited for the promise of a vaccine,” said Joshua Sharfstein, vice dean at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
But Sharfstein, a former deputy commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, also cautioned that “there are a number of steps still to go to realize this promise, starting with collecting more safety data and the independent review of the study results.”
Here’s some background on what the announcement says and what, maybe, it means.
Dado Ruvic / Reuters
Where does vaccine development stand right now?
Pfizer is partnering with a German company, BioNTech. Their vaccine candidate is one of dozens being studied by scientists across the world, and each one will be subject to review by authorities like the FDA, the European Medicines Agency and China’s medical products administration.
Drug and vaccine development follows the basic scientific method every elementary school student learns. In practice, this approach assesses a new pharmaceutical’s safety and efficacy, first in the lab and later with human test subjects. Each of these phases could effectively end the process if the results aren’t positive.
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Phase 3 represents the last stage of study, during which participants are split into two groups, one that receives the vaccine in development and another that receives a placebo. The results are then compared to determine whether the novel pharmaceutical is effective against the virus and whether it’s safe.
The process typically takes years, and like all pharmaceutical research, it is marked more often by failure than success. But the progress to date on the vaccine against COVID-19 has been remarkably quick, owing in part to the urgent, global crisis and in part to scientists being familiar with other forms of coronavirus, such as SARS, which caused an epidemic in 2003.
Although Pfizer and BioNTech are the first to announce phase 3 results, AstraZeneca (which is working with the University of Oxford), Johnson & Johnson (which is working with Janssen Pharmaceuticals), and Moderna are not far behind.
Moderna is well into its phase 3 studies and has said it hopes to have enough data to apply for emergency FDA approval (which is also what Pfizer and the other vaccine-makers will be seeking) by the end of this month.
What exactly did Pfizer/BioNTech announce?
The Pfizer/BioNTech phase 3 study included 43,538 participants, some of whom received the vaccine and others the placebo. The evaluation was conducted once there were 94 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among total participants.
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Researchers found that, relative to the placebo group, participants who got the full vaccination were 90% less likely to get infected.
Although Pfizer/BioNTech has its own expert panel, the results have not been subject to outside review ― a key test for any drug or vaccine. That is why scientists are so quick to sound cautionary notes.
If the 90% figure turns out to be real, that would be significantly better than the 60-70% efficacy many had hoped to achieve. And the more effective the vaccine, the fewer people will get sick ― especially if it turns out that other vaccines in development have similarly high efficacy rates.
How does the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine actually work?
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is the first in a new type that uses mRNA (short for “messenger RNA”), which occurs naturally. It’s the code, manufactured using DNA templates, that cells normally use to manufacture proteins that the body then deploys for a variety of purposes.
But the mRNA in the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine isn’t naturally occurring. The drug manufacturers created it artificially, based on an analysis of the original COVID-19 virus in China. This new mRNA contains instructions for one of the virus proteins that form the now-familiar spikes that imaging has captured. (The “corona” in coronavirus comes from the word “crown.”)
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“We will want to see data, but this is a best-case scenario.” - Preeti Malani, University of Michigan
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, like some others in development, introduces that mRNA to the body so that it gets into cells. Those cells then produce that spike protein, like they would any other protein. The immune system reacts because the protein is foreign, and “remembers” what it looks like.
Then, when the body encounters the actual COVID-19 virus, immune cells recognize the spikes and defeat the virus before it can cause a major infection.
Or, at least, that’s the hope. A new vaccine inevitably means new safety concerns ― concerns that can’t be answered until researchers get more data and regulatory agencies review it. Likewise, it’s possible the vaccine won’t prove so effective once we have more data and analysis.
What challenges remain if the data holds up?
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine requires two doses, delivered 21 days apart. And if it works as hoped, huge logistical challenges will remain.
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Among other things, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine uses microscopic vessels, called lipid nanoparticles, to hold the mRNA. The vessels degrade easily, so the vaccine has to be stored in subfreezing temperatures, although Pfizer/BioNTech has said it’s working on a version that can be stored in normal freezers. Some health care providers, especially in rural areas, may not have the facilities.
Supply chain issues loom as well. Somebody has to make sure there are enough of these nanoparticles ― and, though it seems much more pedestrian, somebody has to make sure there are enough vials for delivering the injections. Distributing the vaccine and then administering it will not be easy, either.
Moderna’s vaccine, by the way, works in a similar way to the Pfizer/BioNTech. The Johnson & Johnson/Janssen Pharmaceuticals and AstraZeneca/University of Oxford vaccines use so-called adenoviruses ― which cause cold-like symptoms ― but swap in the COVID-19 protein.
“Other vaccine manufacturers will likely be sharing initial results soon, but the Pfizer announcement is a good sign for other candidate vaccines, including the Moderna vaccine which uses a similar platform of mRNA,” Malani said.
Donald Trump tours the Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies' Innovation Center, a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant where components for a potential COVID-19 vaccine candidate are being developed in Morrrisville, North Carolina, on July 27, 2020. Carlos Barria / Reuters
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Why did this announcement happen now?
Trump allies wasted no time questioning the timing of the pharmaceutical giant’s news ― less than a week after the election ― suggesting some sort of coordinated effort to harm the president’s chances for reelection.
“Nothing nefarious about the timing of this at all right?” Donald Trump Jr. wrote in a post to Twitter, including an emoji of a face rolling its eyes.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla has dismissed such conspiratorial claims. In an interview with CNN on Monday, he said that the company announcement was made as soon as the scientific data showed the vaccine’s effectiveness.
“We announced it the moment we learned about it, and I said multiple times the election for us is an artificial timeline,” Bourla said. “This is when science brought it to us.”
What role did the Trump administration play?
The Trump administration’s push for public-private partnerships to expedite a coronavirus vaccine, dubbed “Operation Warp Speed,” has dominated the government’s otherwise lethargic response to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Vice President Mike Pence joined others Monday in crediting Operation Warp Speed for Pfizer’s early vaccine success.
Just what role Operation Warp Speed actually played in its development is less clear.
HUGE NEWS: Thanks to the public-private partnership forged by President @realDonaldTrump, @pfizer announced its Coronavirus Vaccine trial is EFFECTIVE, preventing infection in 90% of its volunteers. — Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) November 9, 2020
Pfizer did not take federal dollars for research and development of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. On the other hand, the company did strike a deal with the federal government to provide 100 million doses for roughly $2 billion, although Pfizer gets the money only if the FDA approves the vaccine and only after those first 100 million doses are delivered.
Pfizer and BioNTech have said they can manufacture as many 100 million doses by the end of the year and as many as 1.3 billion by the end of 2021. (That is for total worldwide distribution; Pfizer isn’t guaranteeing 100 million for the U.S. by year’s end.)
In making its announcement, Pfizer distanced itself from the Trump administration effort. “We were never part of the Warp Speed,” Kathrin Jansen, the head of vaccine development at Pfizer, told The New York Times. “We have never taken any money from the U.S. government, or from anyone.”
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But in a subsequent statement, the company clarified that it is “one of various vaccine manufacturers participating in Operation Warp Speed as a supplier of a potential COVID-19 vaccine.”
FYI a lot of people are tweeting about how Pfizer didn't accept government money for this vaccine. This isn't true. HHS did a $2 billion deal with Pfizer to guarantee a market for the vaccine, making Pfizer's R&D spend viable. Classic public/private partnership. — Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) November 9, 2020
On Twitter, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said that the Trump administration “shouldn’t take the credit for the Pfizer/BioNTech progress, but it’s not fair to suggest that this was simply a ‘private sector’ effort.”
The Department of Health and Human Services “did a $2 billion deal with Pfizer to guarantee a market for the vaccine, making Pfizer’s [research and development spending] viable,” Murphy wrote. “Classic public/private partnership.”
Pfizer’s German partner, BioNTech, did accept research funding from the German government.
The vaccine, if approved, is expected to be free for U.S. citizens.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-09--Dr. Anthony Fauci Says He Has 'No Intention Of Leaving' His Job

Despite President Donald Trump dropping hints that he wanted to fire him , Dr. Anthony Fauci said Monday he has no plans to leave as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
“ I have no intention of leaving , ” Fauci , a member of the White House coronavirus task force , told CNN ’ s Wolf Blitzer .
“ This is an important job .
I ’ ve been doing it now for a very long time .
I ’ ve been doing it under six presidents .
It ’ s an important job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American public no matter what the administration is.
” Fauci has publicly corrected Trump , who lost his bid for reelection last week , repeatedly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic , which the president has downplayed since it first broke out .
As their divide in messaging grew wider , Trump appeared eager to push him out .
At a Trump campaign rally last week in Florida , where attendees chanted “ Fire Fauci !
Fire Fauci !
” Trump said , “ Let me wait until a little bit after the election.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have the power to fire Fauci , who is not a political appointee .
He has been director of the institute , part of the National Institutes of Health , since 1984 , and his dismissal would have to originate with someone in his department .
The process is much more complicated than Trump announcing on Twitter that he ’ s firing him .
Fauci also told Blitzer that he hasn ’ t spoken with Trump since the president was hospitalized for COVID-19 over a month ago .
He also said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President-elect Joe Biden is assembling to deal with the pandemic and believes they ’ re all highly qualified .
Fauci added that Monday ’ s reports of a successful Pfizer vaccine trial has him hopeful about immunizing people soon .
“ We would be giving the vaccine to people very likely before the end of this year , ” he predicted .
“ That is good news.
” Everyone deserves accurate information about COVID-19 .
Support journalism without a paywall — and keep it free for everyone — by becoming a HuffPost member @ @

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Despite President Donald Trump dropping hints that he wanted to fire him, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Monday he has no plans to leave as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
“I have no intention of leaving,” Fauci, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. “This is an important job. I’ve been doing it now for a very long time. I’ve been doing it under six presidents. It’s an important job, and my goal is to serve the American public no matter what the administration is.”
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Fauci has publicly corrected Trump, who lost his bid for reelection last week, repeatedly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which the president has downplayed since it first broke out. As their divide in messaging grew wider, Trump appeared eager to push him out. At a Trump campaign rally last week in Florida, where attendees chanted “Fire Fauci! Fire Fauci!” Trump said, “Let me wait until a little bit after the election.”
In reality, Trump doesn’t have the power to fire Fauci, who is not a political appointee. He has been director of the institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, since 1984, and his dismissal would have to originate with someone in his department. The process is much more complicated than Trump announcing on Twitter that he’s firing him.
Fauci also told Blitzer that he hasn’t spoken with Trump since the president was hospitalized for COVID-19 over a month ago. He also said he’s very optimistic about the team President-elect Joe Biden is assembling to deal with the pandemic and believes they’re all highly qualified.
Fauci added that Monday’s reports of a successful Pfizer vaccine trial has him hopeful about immunizing people soon.
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“We would be giving the vaccine to people very likely before the end of this year,” he predicted. “That is good news.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-09--Trump Campaign Adviser David Bossie Tests Positive For Coronavirus

Bossie , who is leading the Trump campaign ’ s efforts to challenge election results in several states , reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus on Sunday .
He ’ s the latest person surrounding President Donald Trump to be infected with the virus in the last week .
Others include White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson , as well as half a dozen White House staffers and Trump campaign aides .
The White House and the campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Last week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night watch party at the White House with hundreds of other guests , many of whom did not wear masks .
Trump ’ s campaign has filed lawsuits challenging election results and ballot counting in a handful of battleground states , and several of these have already been dismissed .
The president — who had COVID-19 last month , along with over two dozen people surrounding him — has continued to downplay the virus even as the pandemic has reached new peaks in the U.S .
The country has seen more than 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed cases a day in recent days .
More than 237,000 people in the U.S. have died from the virus so far .
On Monday , in his first address since his election victory speech , President-elect Joe Biden implored Americans to keep wearing masks to help curb the spread of the virus .

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Trump campaign adviser David Bossie has COVID-19, per multiple news outlets.
Bossie, who is leading the Trump campaign’s efforts to challenge election results in several states, reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus on Sunday.
He’s the latest person surrounding President Donald Trump to be infected with the virus in the last week. Others include White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, as well as half a dozen White House staffers and Trump campaign aides.
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The White House and the campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Last week, Carson and Meadows both attended an election night watch party at the White House with hundreds of other guests, many of whom did not wear masks.
Trump’s campaign has filed lawsuits challenging election results and ballot counting in a handful of battleground states, and several of these have already been dismissed.
The president — who had COVID-19 last month, along with over two dozen people surrounding him — has continued to downplay the virus even as the pandemic has reached new peaks in the U.S. The country has seen more than 10 million confirmed cases, including over 100,000 confirmed cases a day in recent days. More than 237,000 people in the U.S. have died from the virus so far.
On Monday, in his first address since his election victory speech, President-elect Joe Biden implored Americans to keep wearing masks to help curb the spread of the virus.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-09--Donald Trump Jr. Gets Brutally Mocked For COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Theory

President Donald Trump ’ s eldest son expressed skepticism over the timing of the announcement , considering it came days after his pop lost the election to Joe Biden .
“ The timing of this is pretty amazing .
Nothing nefarious about the timing of this at all right ?
” The timing of this is pretty amazing .
Nothing nefarious about the timing of this at all right ?
🙄 https : //t.co/nS5rkywKXT — Donald Trump Jr. ( @ DonaldJTrumpJr ) November 9 , 2020 Many Twitter users jumped in to tell Jr. that his ginned-up conspiracy theory suggesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specifically to hurt his dad ’ s reelection efforts didn ’ t actually hold water .
The timing , explained , via Bloomberg : `` Pfizer raced to verify the data , which were still blinded to almost everyone at the company..
Early on Sunday afternoon , an independent data monitoring committee.. met in a closed video session to review the results for the first time . ''
https : //t.co/fGmUslk0vf — Michael McAuliff ( @ mmcauliff ) November 9 , 2020 Others pointed out Pfizer ’ s announcement fit the pharmaceutical giant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration has known for months Nov-Dec would be # COVID19 vaccine timing on trials , with earliest distribution likely late Dec-early January .
Press has been briefed on this # OperationWarpSpeed timeline for months too .
https : //t.co/EYMZNwCzJp https : //t.co/xzlqb8ghUE — Tara Copp ( @ TaraCopp ) November 9 , 2020 As someone who was part of the Pfizer vaccine study ( phase 3 ) , that 's been their timeline all along .
Results by late October , then pushed back to early/mid November .
Trying to politicize this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guess that 's par for the course for Trump 's spawn .
— Bryan 🇺🇸 # WeVotedOutFascism ( @ swimmerbr78 ) November 9 , 2020 Guys , Pfizer said more than a month ago that it would be mid-November before they got results on the vaccine .
It is ... mid-November .
They have been open and optimistic all through out .
This was not some election ploy .
— Pradheep J. Shanker ( @ Neoavatara ) November 9 , 2020 If @ pfizer had announced a successful # COVID19 # vaccine before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen that timing as `` nefarious '' ?
Probably not , given the pressure his dad put on vaccine makers to deliver by then .
And the rushed approval of # HydroxyChloroquine .
Etc .
https : //t.co/irQxss7Dla — Todd J. Gillman ( @ toddgillman ) November 9 , 2020 Yes , Junior , the scientists sat on a life-saving vaccine specifically because they wanted to make your father look bad https : //t.co/iGP1APShLO — Dreamweasel ( @ Dreamweasel ) November 9 , 2020 So , now the pharmaceutical industry is in on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : //t.co/RUsTLxiZZZ pic.twitter.com/sMJaLcFdZF — Jamal Igle aka Hot Take Jones .
( @ JAMALIGLE ) November 9 , 2020 For once , no , there is nothing nefarious about this announcement .
Correct , this announcement -- not talking points dictated by the White House to the CDC -- comes from a private company that took no federal $ .
So , yeah , nothing nefarious on this one https : //t.co/0W6u47iLyN — RobGobbleGobble ( @ RobGeorge ) November 9 , 2020 One person did suggest that if Pfizer did hold back the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t be blamed , considering how the Trump administration has handled the coronavirus pandemic .
We have no evidence they delayed the announcement .
But because there 's a 110 % certainty that Trump would have taken credit for personally inventing a vaccine , I could n't blame them if they did .
Because no one should let Trump steal credit for what scientists he shits on do .
https : //t.co/4RtXRj06uA — Amanda Marcotte ( @ AmandaMarcotte ) November 9 , 2020 Monday ’ s announcement doesn ’ t mean a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Bill Gruber told The Associated Press that “ we ’ re in a position potentially to be able to offer some hope.
” Still , it ’ s unlikely any vaccine will arrive much before the end of the year , and the initial supplies will be rationed .

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President Donald Trump’s eldest son expressed skepticism over the timing of the announcement, considering it came days after his pop lost the election to Joe Biden.
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“The timing of this is pretty amazing. Nothing nefarious about the timing of this at all right?”
The timing of this is pretty amazing. Nothing nefarious about the timing of this at all right? 🙄 https://t.co/nS5rkywKXT — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) November 9, 2020
Many Twitter users jumped in to tell Jr. that his ginned-up conspiracy theory suggesting Pfizer held off announcing the promising data specifically to hurt his dad’s reelection efforts didn’t actually hold water.
The timing, explained, via Bloomberg: "Pfizer raced to verify the data, which were still blinded to almost everyone at the company.. Early on Sunday afternoon, an independent data monitoring committee.. met in a closed video session to review the results for the first time." https://t.co/fGmUslk0vf — Michael McAuliff (@mmcauliff) November 9, 2020
Others pointed out Pfizer’s announcement fit the pharmaceutical giant’s previously announced timeline.
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Trump administration has known for months Nov-Dec would be #COVID19 vaccine timing on trials, with earliest distribution likely late Dec-early January. Press has been briefed on this #OperationWarpSpeed timeline for months too. https://t.co/EYMZNwCzJp https://t.co/xzlqb8ghUE — Tara Copp (@TaraCopp) November 9, 2020
As someone who was part of the Pfizer vaccine study (phase 3), that's been their timeline all along. Results by late October, then pushed back to early/mid November.
Trying to politicize this is both sad and disgusting. But I guess that's par for the course for Trump's spawn. — Bryan 🇺🇸 #WeVotedOutFascism (@swimmerbr78) November 9, 2020
Guys, Pfizer said more than a month ago that it would be mid-November before they got results on the vaccine.
It is...mid-November.
They have been open and optimistic all through out. This was not some election ploy. — Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) November 9, 2020
Other Twitter users poked holes in Trump Jr.’s baseless suggestion.
If @pfizer had announced a successful #COVID19 #vaccine before Election Day, would Don Jr. have seen that timing as "nefarious"?
Probably not, given the pressure his dad put on vaccine makers to deliver by then. And the rushed approval of #HydroxyChloroquine. Etc. https://t.co/irQxss7Dla — Todd J. Gillman (@toddgillman) November 9, 2020
Yes, Junior, the scientists sat on a life-saving vaccine specifically because they wanted to make your father look bad https://t.co/iGP1APShLO — Dreamweasel (@Dreamweasel) November 9, 2020
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So, now the pharmaceutical industry is in on the conspiracy too, Spaulding? https://t.co/RUsTLxiZZZ pic.twitter.com/sMJaLcFdZF — Jamal Igle aka Hot Take Jones. (@JAMALIGLE) November 9, 2020
For once, no, there is nothing nefarious about this announcement. Correct, this announcement -- not talking points dictated by the White House to the CDC -- comes from a private company that took no federal $. So, yeah, nothing nefarious on this one https://t.co/0W6u47iLyN — RobGobbleGobble (@RobGeorge) November 9, 2020
One person did suggest that if Pfizer did hold back the announcement on purpose, it really can’t be blamed, considering how the Trump administration has handled the coronavirus pandemic.
We have no evidence they delayed the announcement. But because there's a 110% certainty that Trump would have taken credit for personally inventing a vaccine, I couldn't blame them if they did. Because no one should let Trump steal credit for what scientists he shits on do. https://t.co/4RtXRj06uA — Amanda Marcotte (@AmandaMarcotte) November 9, 2020
Monday’s announcement doesn’t mean a vaccine is imminent, but Pfizer executive Dr. Bill Gruber told The Associated Press that “we’re in a position potentially to be able to offer some hope.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-09--Biden Implores Americans To Wear Masks In First Remarks Since Declaring Victory

It doesn ’ t matter who you voted for , where you stood before Election Day .
It doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ your point of view .
We could save tens of thousands of lives if we @ @ @ @ @ next few months .
The goal of mask-wearing is not to make your life less @ @ @ @ @ from you .
It ’ s to give something back to all of us : @ @ @ @ @ goal is to get back to normal as fast as possible and masks are critical @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t be forever , but that ’ s how we ’ ll get @ @ @ @

It doesn’t matter who you voted for, where you stood before Election Day. It doesn’t matter your party, your point of view. We could save tens of thousands of lives if we just wear masks for the next few months.
The goal of mask-wearing is not to make your life less comfortable or take something away from you. It’s to give something back to all of us: a normal life. The goal is to get back to normal as fast as possible and masks are critical in doing that. It won’t be forever, but that’s how we’ll get our country back.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-09--Stocks Surge On Encouraging News About Potential Coronavirus Vaccine

ASSOCIATED PRESS A stock ticker with Pfizer stock information is shown at the New York Stock Exchange , Monday , Nov. 9 , 2020 .
( AP Photo/Mark Lennihan ) The S & P 500 was 3.3 % higher in morning trading after Pfizer said an early peek at its vaccine data suggests the shots may be 90 % effective at preventing COVID-19 , though that doesn ’ t mean its release is imminent .
The index at the heart of many 401 ( k ) accounts is on track to close at a record for the first time in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the world were already climbing before the vaccine data ’ s release , and Wall Street seemed set to follow on relief that the limbo created by the long , market-bruising battle for the White House was finally clearing .
Democrat Joe Biden over the weekend clinched the last of the electoral votes needed to become the next president .
U.S. stock futures , Treasury yields and oil prices burst even higher immediately following the vaccine news .
The yield on the 10-year Treasury shot up from 0.81 % before the announcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move for the bond market and one that shows stronger confidence in the economy .
Stocks of companies that most need the economy and the world to return to normal for their profits to heal led the way .
A 12.1 % surge for Chevron and 11.3 % jump for The Walt Disney Co. amid hopes that people will start driving and flying to theme parks again helped drive the Dow Jones Industrial Average to a leap of 1,212 points , or 4.3 % , to 29,535 , as of 10:35 a.m. Eastern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drove the market higher earlier in the pandemic , in large part because they didn ’ t need a “ normal ” economy to succeed , were lagging behind .
That kept a lid on the gains for the Nasdaq composite , which rose a more modest 1.6 % .
If a vaccine for COVID-19 does indeed pan out , analysts say it ’ s a “ game changer ” and just what the market had been waiting for .
It underscores again how the coronavirus and its effect on the economy are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than who wins what in Washington .
Investors are pushing stocks up as they focus on a more encouraging future , but the present is still bleak in many ways .
Coronavirus counts continue to rise at troubling rates across much of Europe and the United States , so much that several European governments have brought back restrictions on businesses .
And in Washington , some uncertainties remain that could derail what ’ s already become a roughly 11 % rally for the S & P 500 so far in November .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ remaining split between Democrats and Republicans , which can keep low tax rates and other pro-business policies the status quo in Washington , but that hinges on the result of run-off elections in Georgia in January .
Potential gridlock also makes any potential rescue package for the economy from Congress likely to be smaller than if Democrats had swept control of all of Washington .
President Donald Trump , meanwhile , has refused to concede the election and continues to threaten legal action .
For now , though , euphoria about a possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across markets , particularly as that layers on top of the tremendous aid for the economy that the Federal Reserve has already put in place .
“ Keep in mind that when you remove the virus from the equation , we are set up tremendously well for growth given the unprecedented easy money policies of the Fed , ” said Chris Larkin , managing director of trading and investing product at E-Trade Financial .
Last week , the Fed kept short-term interest rates at their record low .
Economists expect the central bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy in an attempt to pick up the slack from a hesitant Congress .

A stock ticker with Pfizer stock information is shown at the New York Stock Exchange, Monday, Nov. 9, 2020. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are surging Monday, catapulting Wall Street back to record heights, on a burst of hope following encouraging data about a potential COVID-19 vaccine.
The S&P 500 was 3.3% higher in morning trading after Pfizer said an early peek at its vaccine data suggests the shots may be 90% effective at preventing COVID-19, though that doesn’t mean its release is imminent. The index at the heart of many 401(k) accounts is on track to close at a record for the first time in more than two months.
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Financial markets around the world were already climbing before the vaccine data’s release, and Wall Street seemed set to follow on relief that the limbo created by the long, market-bruising battle for the White House was finally clearing. Democrat Joe Biden over the weekend clinched the last of the electoral votes needed to become the next president.
U.S. stock futures, Treasury yields and oil prices burst even higher immediately following the vaccine news. The yield on the 10-year Treasury shot up from 0.81% before the announcement to 0.95%, a very big move for the bond market and one that shows stronger confidence in the economy.
Stocks of companies that most need the economy and the world to return to normal for their profits to heal led the way. A 12.1% surge for Chevron and 11.3% jump for The Walt Disney Co. amid hopes that people will start driving and flying to theme parks again helped drive the Dow Jones Industrial Average to a leap of 1,212 points, or 4.3%, to 29,535, as of 10:35 a.m. Eastern time.
Cruise operators, airlines and mall owners were also among the market’s biggest winners. Carnival surged 36%, though it’s still down by more than half for 2020 so far.
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The Big Tech companies that drove the market higher earlier in the pandemic, in large part because they didn’t need a “normal” economy to succeed, were lagging behind. That kept a lid on the gains for the Nasdaq composite, which rose a more modest 1.6%.
If a vaccine for COVID-19 does indeed pan out, analysts say it’s a “game changer” and just what the market had been waiting for. It underscores again how the coronavirus and its effect on the economy are the dominant concerns for investors, much more than who wins what in Washington.
The 90% effectiveness rate for Pfizer’s potential vaccine is what struck Ajay Rajadhyaksha, head of macro research at Barclays.
“If that proves to be correct, it is a significant positive surprise and increases the odds of a quicker return to normalcy,” he said.
Still, analysts caution that several risks remain that could trip up the market’s big recent gains.
Investors are pushing stocks up as they focus on a more encouraging future, but the present is still bleak in many ways. Coronavirus counts continue to rise at troubling rates across much of Europe and the United States, so much that several European governments have brought back restrictions on businesses.
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And in Washington, some uncertainties remain that could derail what’s already become a roughly 11% rally for the S&P 500 so far in November. Markets are banking on control of Congress remaining split between Democrats and Republicans, which can keep low tax rates and other pro-business policies the status quo in Washington, but that hinges on the result of run-off elections in Georgia in January.
Potential gridlock also makes any potential rescue package for the economy from Congress likely to be smaller than if Democrats had swept control of all of Washington. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has refused to concede the election and continues to threaten legal action.
For now, though, euphoria about a possible return to normal is the dominant force across markets, particularly as that layers on top of the tremendous aid for the economy that the Federal Reserve has already put in place.
“Keep in mind that when you remove the virus from the equation, we are set up tremendously well for growth given the unprecedented easy money policies of the Fed,” said Chris Larkin, managing director of trading and investing product at E-Trade Financial.
Last week, the Fed kept short-term interest rates at their record low. Economists expect the central bank to also boost its support for the economy in an attempt to pick up the slack from a hesitant Congress.
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Pfizer jumped 7.6% as its announcement indicates the company is on track to file an emergency use application with U.S. regulators later this month.
Benchmark U.S. crude oil surged 9.6% to $40.69 per barrel on expectations that a healthier economy will burn more energy. Brent crude, the international standard, rose 8.3% to $42.74 per barrel.
Gold, meanwhile, fell 4.5% to $1,864.70 per ounce as investors felt less need to crowd into investments considered safe refuges.
Some investors weren’t able to participate immediately, though. Charles Schwab said Monday morning that a technical issue meant clients may have difficulty logging in.
France’s CAC 40 soared 8% and Germany’s DAX returned 5.6%. The FTSE 100 in London jumped 5.4%. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 2.1%, South Korea’s Kospi rose 1.3%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 1.2% and stocks in Shanghai rose 1.9%.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-09--Joe Biden Shows Off New Hat And Trolls Trump’s MAGA Slogan In The Process

President-elect Joe Biden has a new hat for his new job ― and it doubles as a dig against President @ @ @ @ @ , the president-elect ’ s wife , Dr. Jill Biden , posted a photo on @ @ @ @ @ ’ s victory to become the 46th U.S. president .
The soon-to-be first couple can @ @ @ @ @ sign from 2008 when Biden was elected vice president .
Dr. Biden used her hand @ @ @ @ @ 2020 .
He will be a President for all of our families .
pic.twitter.com/iGPKLMMIcK — @ @ @ @ @ DrBiden ) November 7 , 2020 But there was something else new in the photo @ @ @ @ @ a hat that played off Trump ’ s red “ Make America Great Again ” @ @ @ @ @ Did , ” Biden ’ s blue cap reads , with the number “ 46 @ @ @ @ @ far , the hat does not appear in the Biden ’ s campaign ’ s @ @ @

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President-elect Joe Biden has a new hat for his new job ― and it doubles as a dig against President Donald Trump.
On Saturday, the president-elect’s wife, Dr. Jill Biden, posted a photo on social media celebrating her husband’s victory to become the 46th U.S. president.
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The soon-to-be first couple can be seen posing with a sign from 2008 when Biden was elected vice president. Dr. Biden used her hand to update the sign for 2020.
He will be a President for all of our families. pic.twitter.com/iGPKLMMIcK — Dr. Jill Biden (@DrBiden) November 7, 2020
But there was something else new in the photo: The president-elect was wearing a hat that played off Trump’s red “Make America Great Again” hats. “We Just Did,” Biden’s blue cap reads, with the number “46” underneath it.
Many Twitter users appreciated the shade.
"We just did."
Joe Biden clapped back against the MAGA hat 😯
(📷: @DrBiden) pic.twitter.com/fZ2EhzUFRA — Complex (@Complex) November 9, 2020
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How it started How it’s going😂 pic.twitter.com/TiOluozUYk — Dena Grayson, MD, PhD (@DrDenaGrayson) November 8, 2020
I want that hat! “We just did. #46” https://t.co/Yt0NhW122c — Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) November 7, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-09--Fox News Cuts Away From Trump Campaign’s Election Misinformation: 'Not So Fast’

Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto cut away from footage of a press conference held by the Trump campaign Monday , saying , “ Whoa , whoa , whoa , ” as White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany spread misinformation about the integrity of the presidential election .
“ We want every legal vote to be counted , and we want every illegal vote— ” McEnany stated at the press conference , falsely suggesting there was significant voter fraud in the election , before Cavuto cut away .
“ Whoa , whoa , whoa , I just think we have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charging the other side as ‘ welcoming fraud ’ and ‘ welcoming illegal voting , ’ ” Cavuto said .
“ Unless she has more details to back that up , I can ’ t in good countenance continue showing you this.
” “ That ’ s an explosive charge to make , that the other side is effectively rigging and cheating , ” the Fox News anchor added .
“ Not so fast.
” Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto takes the rare step ( for Fox ) of cutting into Kayleigh McEnany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Unless she has more details to back that up , I ca n't in good countenance continue showing you this . ''
pic.twitter.com/cBd6ASlV8H — David Mack ( @ davidmackau ) November 9 , 2020 Since President-elect Joe Biden ’ s victory on Saturday , President Donald Trump has refused to concede the election and has repeatedly lied about nonexistent fraud in an attempt to delegitimize the results of the election he lost .
Early in the morning after Election Day , several news networks , including MSNBC , NBC and ABC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s premature victory speech , as he had not won — in fact , neither candidate had reached the 270 electoral votes needed to prevail .
In the months leading up to the election , Trump had been spreading lies about mail-in voting — which millions of Americans used to stay safe amid the coronavirus pandemic — being “ corrupt ” or “ fraudulent.
” ( It is not — there is no evidence of significant voter fraud in mail-in voting processes . )
His campaign has filed lawsuits challenging results and ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several of these have already been dismissed .
In Monday ’ s press conference , McEnany continued to perpetuate lies about there having been “ fraud ” and “ illegal voting ” in November ’ s election , for which there is no evidence .
Fox News , a right-leaning network , is a favorite of Trump ’ s .
The news network frequently peddles the president ’ s own misinformation , such as when Trump held a sham health assessment on the news channel after his coronavirus infection .
However , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have complained about the network , specifically after it was one of the first to project Arizona would go to Biden in the presidential election .

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Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto cut away from footage of a press conference held by the Trump campaign Monday, saying, “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” as White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany spread misinformation about the integrity of the presidential election.
“We want every legal vote to be counted, and we want every illegal vote—” McEnany stated at the press conference, falsely suggesting there was significant voter fraud in the election, before Cavuto cut away.
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“Whoa, whoa, whoa, I just think we have to be very clear, she’s charging the other side as ‘welcoming fraud’ and ‘welcoming illegal voting,’” Cavuto said. “Unless she has more details to back that up, I can’t in good countenance continue showing you this.”
“That’s an explosive charge to make, that the other side is effectively rigging and cheating,” the Fox News anchor added. “Not so fast.”
Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto takes the rare step (for Fox) of cutting into Kayleigh McEnany's lie-filled press conference about the election.
"Unless she has more details to back that up, I can't in good countenance continue showing you this." pic.twitter.com/cBd6ASlV8H — David Mack (@davidmackau) November 9, 2020
Since President-elect Joe Biden’s victory on Saturday, President Donald Trump has refused to concede the election and has repeatedly lied about nonexistent fraud in an attempt to delegitimize the results of the election he lost.
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Early in the morning after Election Day, several news networks, including MSNBC, NBC and ABC, had to cut into Trump’s premature victory speech, as he had not won — in fact, neither candidate had reached the 270 electoral votes needed to prevail.
In the months leading up to the election, Trump had been spreading lies about mail-in voting — which millions of Americans used to stay safe amid the coronavirus pandemic — being “corrupt” or “fraudulent.” (It is not — there is no evidence of significant voter fraud in mail-in voting processes.) His campaign has filed lawsuits challenging results and ballot counting in some battleground states, and several of these have already been dismissed.
In Monday’s press conference, McEnany continued to perpetuate lies about there having been “fraud” and “illegal voting” in November’s election, for which there is no evidence.
Fox News, a right-leaning network, is a favorite of Trump’s. The news network frequently peddles the president’s own misinformation, such as when Trump held a sham health assessment on the news channel after his coronavirus infection.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-09--Mitch McConnell Says Trump Is '100% Within His Rights' To Challenge Election

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) stood firmly behind Donald Trump on Monday as the president continues to raise baseless allegations of widespread voter fraud in an election he has refused to concede to President-elect Joe Biden .
The Kentucky Republican said Trump is “ 100 % within his rights ” to look into allegations of “ irregularities , ” pursue legal challenges and request recounts in several states , declining to acknowledge the former Democratic vice president ’ s victory .
“ No states have yet certified their election results , ” McConnell said Monday in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I believe the president may have legal challenges underway in at least five states.
” Discussing prior presidential elections , he went on to assert : “ If any major irregularities occurred this time of a magnitude that would affect the outcome , then every single American should want them to be brought to light .
And if the Democrats feel confident they have not occurred , they should have no reason to fear any extra scrutiny.
” “ We have the tools and the institutions we need to address any concerns , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Constitution doesn ’ t give “ wealthy media corporations ” the power to call elections .
There has been no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election .
Every major television network , as well as The Associated Press , has projected Biden ’ s win based on his substantial vote lead in several key states .
Biden currently leads Trump by more than 40,000 votes in Pennsylvania , for example .
Only four Republican senators have acknowledged Biden ’ s victory and congratulated him for winning the White House : Susan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alaska , Mitt Romney of Utah , and Ben Sasse of Nebraska .
Dozens of world leaders and former President George W. Bush have also congratulated Biden and his running mate , Sen. Kamala Harris of California , for their historic election win .
In his speech on Monday , McConnell hailed the unexpectedly good night Senate Republicans had last Tuesday ― the GOP held on to key seats that Democrats were hoping would help hand them control of the majority next year .
But those new GOP senators ― from Tennessee , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all projected winners by the same media McConnell and other Republicans sought to cast doubt on this week .
It ’ s difficult to make the argument that votes in contests favorable to the GOP were perfectly legitimate , whereas votes in the presidential race were not .
“ Lawsuits must have basis in facts and evidence , and make no mistake , there has been no evidence of any significant or widespread voter fraud .
Joe Biden won this election fair and square , ” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come to grips with reality .
Read live updates on the election below .
( Note : An ad blocker may prevent you from seeing the blog , so if you ’ re using one , please pause or turn it off . )

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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) stood firmly behind Donald Trump on Monday as the president continues to raise baseless allegations of widespread voter fraud in an election he has refused to concede to President-elect Joe Biden.
The Kentucky Republican said Trump is “100% within his rights” to look into allegations of “irregularities,” pursue legal challenges and request recounts in several states, declining to acknowledge the former Democratic vice president’s victory.
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“No states have yet certified their election results,” McConnell said Monday in a speech on the Senate floor. “I believe the president may have legal challenges underway in at least five states.”
Discussing prior presidential elections, he went on to assert: “If any major irregularities occurred this time of a magnitude that would affect the outcome, then every single American should want them to be brought to light. And if the Democrats feel confident they have not occurred, they should have no reason to fear any extra scrutiny.”
“We have the tools and the institutions we need to address any concerns,” McConnell added, saying that the Constitution doesn’t give “wealthy media corporations” the power to call elections.
Scroll down or click here for the latest updates from HuffPost’s election live blog.
Mitch McConnell is joining many Republicans in refusing to acknowledge Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 election pic.twitter.com/G9o1GN3wRy — NowThis (@nowthisnews) November 9, 2020
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There has been no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Every major television network, as well as The Associated Press, has projected Biden’s win based on his substantial vote lead in several key states. Biden currently leads Trump by more than 40,000 votes in Pennsylvania, for example.
Only four Republican senators have acknowledged Biden’s victory and congratulated him for winning the White House: Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, and Ben Sasse of Nebraska.
Dozens of world leaders and former President George W. Bush have also congratulated Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, for their historic election win.
In his speech on Monday, McConnell hailed the unexpectedly good night Senate Republicans had last Tuesday ― the GOP held on to key seats that Democrats were hoping would help hand them control of the majority next year.
But those new GOP senators ― from Tennessee, Kansas, Wyoming and Alabama ― were all projected winners by the same media McConnell and other Republicans sought to cast doubt on this week.
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It’s difficult to make the argument that votes in contests favorable to the GOP were perfectly legitimate, whereas votes in the presidential race were not.
“Lawsuits must have basis in facts and evidence, and make no mistake, there has been no evidence of any significant or widespread voter fraud. Joe Biden won this election fair and square,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) proclaimed Monday, urging GOP leaders to come to grips with reality.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-09--After Baseless Trump Claims, Barr Says DOJ Can Investigate Voter Fraud Allegations

As high-ranking Republicans refuse to speak out against President Donald Trump ’ s baseless allegations of mass voter fraud , Attorney General William Barr sent top federal prosecutors a memo that will further feed the narrative that there are questions about last week ’ s election of President-elect Joe Biden .
Barr ’ s memo , sent to U.S. attorneys across the country , authorizes an exception to Justice Department guidelines , telling top federal prosecutors they could “ pursue substantial allegations of voting and vote tabulation irregularities prior to the certification of elections in your jurisdictions in certain cases.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ already done so in specific instances .
“ Such inquiries and reviews may be conducted if there are clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities that , if true , could potentially impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual State , ” Barr wrote .
“ Any investigation of claims of irregularities that , if true , would clearly not impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual State should normally be deferred until after the election certification process is completed.
” There are no credible allegations of mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of conspiracy theories floating around the internet that have been taken up by the president , who lost the popular vote by millions and is headed for a significant Electoral College defeat after Biden passed the 270-vote threshold Saturday morning .
Barr ’ s memo prompted the Justice Department ’ s top official overseeing voter fraud investigations to resign hours later , according to The New York Times .
The official , Richard Pilger , reportedly told colleagues he would move to a nonsupervisory role prosecuting corruption cases in the department ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ familiarized myself with the new policy and its ramifications , I must regretfully resign from my role as director of the Election Crimes Branch , ” Pilger wrote to colleagues in an email obtained by the Times .
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to HuffPost ’ s request for comment about reports regarding Pilger ’ s resignation .
Republican voters have been primed for claims of mass voter fraud for years , even though election experts across the spectrum agree that voter fraud is not a significant problem in American elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told HuffPost that the president ’ s claims smell of “ desperation , ” while a group of Republican-appointed top federal prosecutors said they felt compelled to speak out about Trump ’ s unfounded claims about fraud , which they said “ have the potential to undermine the rule of law as it applies to our electoral process.
” Barr ’ s memo states that it should not be read as an indication the Justice Department has concluded that voting irregularities affected the election outcome and said that “ specious , speculative , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a basis for initiating federal inquiries .
Yet it once again represents an instance in which Barr has taken action that aids the president ’ s chosen political narrative .
Kerri Kupec , a spokeswoman for Barr , provided a copy of the memo but did not respond to HuffPost ’ s question about whether the memo would feed conspiracies or was an effort to spare Trump ’ s feelings .
As the president who appointed him worked to undermine the election , Barr wrote that it was important that “ all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their preferred candidate or party , can have full confidence in the results of our elections .
The American people and the leaders they freely elect deserve nothing less.
” Read live updates on the election below .
( Note : An ad blocker may prevent you from seeing the blog , so if you ’ re using one , please pause or turn it off . )

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As high-ranking Republicans refuse to speak out against President Donald Trump’s baseless allegations of mass voter fraud, Attorney General William Barr sent top federal prosecutors a memo that will further feed the narrative that there are questions about last week’s election of President-elect Joe Biden.
Barr’s memo, sent to U.S. attorneys across the country, authorizes an exception to Justice Department guidelines, telling top federal prosecutors they could “pursue substantial allegations of voting and vote tabulation irregularities prior to the certification of elections in your jurisdictions in certain cases.” Barr wrote that he’d already done so in specific instances.
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“Such inquiries and reviews may be conducted if there are clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities that, if true, could potentially impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual State,” Barr wrote. “Any investigation of claims of irregularities that, if true, would clearly not impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual State should normally be deferred until after the election certification process is completed.”
There are no credible allegations of mass voter fraud. But there are a lot of conspiracy theories floating around the internet that have been taken up by the president, who lost the popular vote by millions and is headed for a significant Electoral College defeat after Biden passed the 270-vote threshold Saturday morning.
Barr’s memo prompted the Justice Department’s top official overseeing voter fraud investigations to resign hours later, according to The New York Times. The official, Richard Pilger, reportedly told colleagues he would move to a nonsupervisory role prosecuting corruption cases in the department’s Public Integrity Section.
“Having familiarized myself with the new policy and its ramifications, I must regretfully resign from my role as director of the Election Crimes Branch,” Pilger wrote to colleagues in an email obtained by the Times. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment about reports regarding Pilger’s resignation.
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Republican voters have been primed for claims of mass voter fraud for years, even though election experts across the spectrum agree that voter fraud is not a significant problem in American elections. A former Republican-appointed top federal prosecutor told HuffPost that the president’s claims smell of “desperation,” while a group of Republican-appointed top federal prosecutors said they felt compelled to speak out about Trump’s unfounded claims about fraud, which they said “have the potential to undermine the rule of law as it applies to our electoral process.”
Barr’s memo states that it should not be read as an indication the Justice Department has concluded that voting irregularities affected the election outcome and said that “specious, speculative, fanciful or far-fetched claims” should not be a basis for initiating federal inquiries.
Yet it once again represents an instance in which Barr has taken action that aids the president’s chosen political narrative.
Kerri Kupec, a spokeswoman for Barr, provided a copy of the memo but did not respond to HuffPost’s question about whether the memo would feed conspiracies or was an effort to spare Trump’s feelings.
As the president who appointed him worked to undermine the election, Barr wrote that it was important that “all of the American people, regardless of their preferred candidate or party, can have full confidence in the results of our elections. The American people and the leaders they freely elect deserve nothing less.”
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Sanjana Karanth contributed to this report.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-09--Trump Administration Moves To Freeze Wages For Farmworkers Before Leaving Office

The new regulation would change the methodology used to determine the prevailing wage rates for workers with H-2A visas .
Until now , minimum pay rates for most of these workers were set by a survey the U.S. Department of Agriculture conducts twice a year , asking farms for data on their workers ’ hours and earnings .
The Trump administration has tried to suspend that survey and intends to base future pay increases on data from the Labor Department starting in 2023 .
In the intervening years , the prevailing wage rates , which vary from state to state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , leaving workers ’ pay stagnant .
Once pay increases resumed , experts say they would likely be smaller for most fieldworkers than they would have been under the previous methodology .
Workers on H-2A visas come from Mexico and other countries to work temporarily on U.S. farms , typically picking and processing crops .
Worker advocates say the wide use of guest workers means the farm labor market does not function like a free market , since these foreign workers are poorer and more willing than Americans to accept below-market pay .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay guest workers a minimum prevailing wage ― known as the Adverse Effect Wage Rate ( AEWR ) ― so that their pay isn ’ t so low that it undercuts that of U.S. workers .
In most cases , that prevailing wage comes from the survey that Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has moved to suspend .
The Labor Department published the new regulation last week .
Senior agency officials said on a call with reporters just before Election Day that the change would give employers more stability and predictability when it came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current pay rates determined by the agricultural survey as too volatile , making it hard for employers to plan their payrolls each year .
The text of the rule says it would lead to “ transfer payments ” of an estimated $ 1.68 billion over 10 years .
As a Labor Department chart makes clear , that term is a euphemism : H-2A workers would be transferring $ 1.68 billion to their employers , in the form of lost wages .
Goldstein said the incoming Biden administration could move to reverse the rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few months and perhaps longer to do so through the federal rulemaking process .
He expects that the wage freeze would apply to the 2021 season at the least .
He said the Trump administration was likely moving as quickly as possible with the rule before being forced out of office .
The United Farm Workers union sued to prevent the farm labor survey from being ended , and a federal judge recently granted a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the Agriculture Department .
In his order , the judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that [ it ] considered the impact on farmworker wages caused by its decision to eliminate ” the survey .
The agriculture industry doesn ’ t like the survey because it ’ s typically led to pay rates well above those set by local minimum wage laws .
The industry claims the methodology skews the wage rates too high .
This year the prevailing wage rates range from $ 11 to $ 16 an hour , whereas most state minimum wages are well below that and the federal minimum wage is still just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration ’ s plan , the prevailing wage rates would freeze until 2023 even as wages in the broader labor market are likely to rise .
Then the savings for growers would be locked in , as the rates increased thereafter according to a wage index .
Daniel Costa , an immigration policy expert at the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute , said the index preferred by the Trump administration might produce bigger increases for some higher-skilled workers on farms .
But the vast majority of guest workers would see smaller wages than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hence the “ transfer payments ” going to employers .
Over time , Costa said , the impact could be significant .
The fact that guest workers would receive smaller pay hikes could soften wage increases for U.S. workers as well .
The change would also allow farms to advertise lower pay than they would have under the survey , making the positions less attractive to U.S. workers .

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The Trump administration is moving ahead with a federal rule that would freeze pay for many agricultural guest workers for the next two years, even as they remain essential personnel during a pandemic.
The new regulation would change the methodology used to determine the prevailing wage rates for workers with H-2A visas. Until now, minimum pay rates for most of these workers were set by a survey the U.S. Department of Agriculture conducts twice a year, asking farms for data on their workers’ hours and earnings. The Trump administration has tried to suspend that survey and intends to base future pay increases on data from the Labor Department starting in 2023.
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In the intervening years, the prevailing wage rates, which vary from state to state, would remain at their 2019 levels, leaving workers’ pay stagnant. Once pay increases resumed, experts say they would likely be smaller for most fieldworkers than they would have been under the previous methodology.
Workers on H-2A visas come from Mexico and other countries to work temporarily on U.S. farms, typically picking and processing crops. Worker advocates say the wide use of guest workers means the farm labor market does not function like a free market, since these foreign workers are poorer and more willing than Americans to accept below-market pay.
“It’s just cruel and unreasonable.” - Bruce Goldstein, president of Farmworker Justice
Under the law, employers have to pay guest workers a minimum prevailing wage ― known as the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) ― so that their pay isn’t so low that it undercuts that of U.S. workers. In most cases, that prevailing wage comes from the survey that Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has moved to suspend.
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The Labor Department published the new regulation last week. Senior agency officials said on a call with reporters just before Election Day that the change would give employers more stability and predictability when it came to wage increases. They described the current pay rates determined by the agricultural survey as too volatile, making it hard for employers to plan their payrolls each year.
“It is a victory for farmers, agricultural workers, and the American people, who rely on a vibrant agricultural sector to supply food for our families,” John Pallasch, the Labor Department’s assistant secretary for employment and training, said in a statement.
But as the agency’s own analysis shows, the rule would undoubtedly bring growers long-term savings on labor costs relative to the status quo.
The text of the rule says it would lead to “transfer payments” of an estimated $1.68 billion over 10 years. As a Labor Department chart makes clear, that term is a euphemism: H-2A workers would be transferring $1.68 billion to their employers, in the form of lost wages.
From the Labor Department’s rule:
Text from the Labor Department's new rule shows worker would be "transferring" $1.68 billion to employers over a decade, in the form of lost wages. Federal Register
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Last year, farmworkers who weren’t supervisors earned $13.99 per hour on average, compared with $23.51 for production workers outside agriculture.
Farmworker Justice, an advocacy group for migrant workers, called the new regulation “cruel.”
“The government has designated farmworkers as essential workers; they’re expected to work during a pandemic,” Bruce Goldstein, the group’s president, told HuffPost. “The federal government refused to mandate safety standards to protect farmworkers and others against COVID-19. Now the administration is punishing farmworkers by effectively cutting their wage rates. It’s just cruel and unreasonable.”
Farmworker Justice estimates that the new rule would directly impact more than 200,000 workers.
Goldstein said the incoming Biden administration could move to reverse the rule, but it would take at least a few months and perhaps longer to do so through the federal rulemaking process. He expects that the wage freeze would apply to the 2021 season at the least. He said the Trump administration was likely moving as quickly as possible with the rule before being forced out of office.
The administration published the rule after the election but before Biden was projected to be the winner. It has been in the works for more than a year.
The United Farm Workers union sued to prevent the farm labor survey from being ended, and a federal judge recently granted a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the Agriculture Department. In his order, the judge said the USDA offered “no indication that [it] considered the impact on farmworker wages caused by its decision to eliminate” the survey.
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The government must continue the survey for now, but the Trump administration does not have to use the survey to set prevailing wages for workers.
The agriculture industry doesn’t like the survey because it’s typically led to pay rates well above those set by local minimum wage laws. The industry claims the methodology skews the wage rates too high. This year the prevailing wage rates range from $11 to $16 an hour, whereas most state minimum wages are well below that and the federal minimum wage is still just $7.25 an hour.
President Donald Trump's administration has published a new rule that would freeze guest workers' pay for the next two years. AP Photo/Steve Helber
A lobbyist for the American Farm Bureau Federation wrote earlier this year that the wages determined by the survey make it hard for farms “to stay open for business and compete against imports from countries with lower labor costs.”
Under the Trump administration’s plan, the prevailing wage rates would freeze until 2023 even as wages in the broader labor market are likely to rise. Then the savings for growers would be locked in, as the rates increased thereafter according to a wage index.
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Daniel Costa, an immigration policy expert at the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute, said the index preferred by the Trump administration might produce bigger increases for some higher-skilled workers on farms. But the vast majority of guest workers would see smaller wages than they would have under the current system, hence the “transfer payments” going to employers.
In an analysis, Costa found that fieldworkers’ wages rose an average of 3.6% each year between 2010 and 2019 based on the survey; under the index proposed in the new rule, they would have risen at an annual rate of just 2.3%.
Over time, Costa said, the impact could be significant. The fact that guest workers would receive smaller pay hikes could soften wage increases for U.S. workers as well. The change would also allow farms to advertise lower pay than they would have under the survey, making the positions less attractive to U.S. workers.
“This is absolutely a wage cut for migrants who are H-2A farmworkers,” he said. “H-2A farmworkers will not benefit from any natural wage growth that occurs [until 2023] ― during what farm owners are saying is a severe labor shortage, which is exactly when you would expect wages to grow in a free market.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-09--Defense Secretary Mark Esper 'Terminated,' Trump Says

President Donald Trump on Monday said he fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper , after months of speculation that Esper was on his way out for defying the president on several occasions .
Miller is an Army Special Forces veteran who served in the White House and Pentagon before taking over the counterterror agency earlier this year .
He supports the assertive use of U.S. power abroad against a range of targets , from terror groups like the Islamic State and al Qaeda to nations like Iran .
As Trump and his team prepare to hand over power to President-elect Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say there ’ s potential for some international chaos ― whether from American adversaries trying to take advantage of confusion stateside or from Trump administration hardliners trying to take parting shots at favorite targets like Iran .
Israeli sources recently told Axios that they anticipate a “ flood ” of sanctions from the outgoing administration against Iran .
Miller is broadly respected as a career professional and had bipartisan support for his Senate confirmation to his current role , but some lawmakers view him as susceptible to political pressure from Trump .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he wanted someone he perceived as more loyal leading the Defense Department .
“ Firing a secretary of defense in the last weeks of a lame-duck presidency serves no purpose and only demonstrates an instability harmful to American national defense , ” said Sen. Tim Kaine ( D-Va. ) , a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee .
NBC News reported last week that Esper had prepared a resignation letter before the presidential election results were final because he was one of the Cabinet members expected to be ousted should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times on Monday that he never had any intention of quitting , though he expected Trump would fire him at some point .
“ I guess my top line is , as I look back , I see it ― you know , despite a series of crises and conflicts ― and yes , occasional tension with the White House ― I think we ’ ve been really successful in transforming the department , ” Esper told the outlet .
“ At the end of the day , it ’ s as I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pick your fights , ” he added .
“ I could have a fight over anything , and I could make it a big fight , and I could live with that — why ?
Who ’ s going to come in behind me ?
It ’ s going to be a real ‘ yes man.
’ And then God help us.
” Esper , who has headed the Defense Department since June 2019 , has broken with the president on several occasions .
In June , he called it “ a mistake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier in his infamous photo-op walk to a church near the White House amid anti-racism protests .
He also defied Trump ’ s threat to use active-duty troops to quell the nationwide protests .
Miller , his successor , has helped craft Trump-era changes ― like a secretive new campaign against al Qaeda in Syria ― that show that for all the president ’ s posturing as an anti-war candidate , he has largely driven hawkish policies abroad .
“ Prematurely declaring ‘ mission accomplished , ’ as we did with the war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invite this Hydra-like beast to regenerate , ” Miller wrote in The Washington Post earlier this year , in reference to armed extremist organizations .
“ The only counterterrorism truth is that constant pressure must be maintained on terrorist groups that have the intent or capability to attack us .
”

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President Donald Trump on Monday said he fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper, after months of speculation that Esper was on his way out for defying the president on several occasions.
In a pair of tweets, Trump announced that Christopher Miller, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, will serve as acting defense secretary.
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“Mark Esper has been terminated,” the president tweeted. “I would like to thank him for his service.”
Miller is an Army Special Forces veteran who served in the White House and Pentagon before taking over the counterterror agency earlier this year. He supports the assertive use of U.S. power abroad against a range of targets, from terror groups like the Islamic State and al Qaeda to nations like Iran.
As Trump and his team prepare to hand over power to President-elect Joe Biden in January, national security experts say there’s potential for some international chaos ― whether from American adversaries trying to take advantage of confusion stateside or from Trump administration hardliners trying to take parting shots at favorite targets like Iran. Israeli sources recently told Axios that they anticipate a “flood” of sanctions from the outgoing administration against Iran.
Miller is broadly respected as a career professional and had bipartisan support for his Senate confirmation to his current role, but some lawmakers view him as susceptible to political pressure from Trump. The president’s move against Esper indicates that he wanted someone he perceived as more loyal leading the Defense Department.
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Defense Secretary Mark Esper speaking during a May 15 press briefing about the coronavirus. President Donald Trump announced on Twitter this week that he had "terminated" Esper. AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Democrats said they were wary of what could come after the move.
“Firing a secretary of defense in the last weeks of a lame-duck presidency serves no purpose and only demonstrates an instability harmful to American national defense,” said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
NBC News reported last week that Esper had prepared a resignation letter before the presidential election results were final because he was one of the Cabinet members expected to be ousted should Trump win.
A Defense Department spokesman denied that report, tweeting last week that “Esper has no plans to resign, nor has he been asked to submit a letter of resignation.”
Esper told The Military Times on Monday that he never had any intention of quitting, though he expected Trump would fire him at some point.
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“I guess my top line is, as I look back, I see it ― you know, despite a series of crises and conflicts ― and yes, occasional tension with the White House ― I think we’ve been really successful in transforming the department,” Esper told the outlet.
“At the end of the day, it’s as I said — you’ve got to pick your fights,” he added. “I could have a fight over anything, and I could make it a big fight, and I could live with that — why? Who’s going to come in behind me? It’s going to be a real ‘yes man.’ And then God help us.”
Trump has reportedly been unhappy with Esper’s performance for months.
NBC News reported in September that White House officials approached Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie about potentially taking the top spot at the Pentagon should Trump decide to fire Esper.
Esper, who has headed the Defense Department since June 2019, has broken with the president on several occasions. In June, he accompanied the president for an infamous walk to a church near the White House to take photos amid anti-racism protests. After the photos were taken, Esper said he didn’t realize why the president was going to the church and that he tries to stay out of “situations that may appear political.” He also defied Trump’s threat to use active-duty troops to quell the nationwide protests. A month later, Esper reportedly drew Trump’s ire by effectively barring Confederate flags on military bases.
Esper previously served as secretary of the Army for roughly two years.
Miller, his successor, has helped craft Trump-era changes ― like a secretive new campaign against al Qaeda in Syria ― that show that for all the president’s posturing as an anti-war candidate, he has largely driven hawkish policies abroad.
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“Prematurely declaring ‘mission accomplished,’ as we did with the war in Iraq in 2003, is to invite this Hydra-like beast to regenerate,” Miller wrote in The Washington Post earlier this year, in reference to armed extremist organizations. “The only counterterrorism truth is that constant pressure must be maintained on terrorist groups that have the intent or capability to attack us.”
House Armed Services Committee Chair Adam Smith (D-Wash.) on Monday condemned Trump’s decision to fire Esper as “childish” and “reckless.”
“Dismissing politically appointed national security leaders during a transition is a destabilizing move that will only embolden our adversaries and put our country at greater risk,” Smith said in a statement.
Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, praised Esper following news of his ouster.
“Mark Esper has served the nation well under very challenging circumstances,” Thornberry said in a statement, adding that Esper “deserves the gratitude of every American.”
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