politicususa--2020-04-18--Opinion: America deposed Saddam Hussein for doing what Trump is guilty of now

One of the justifications for the Bush Administration ’ s Iraq invasion was because a vicious dictator , Saddam Hussein , was guilty of killing his own citizens .
It was the same justification Trump used for launching a slew of missiles at an abandoned airfield in Syria – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was alleged to have killed innocent men , women , and children during a civil war exacerbated by Bush ’ s invasion of Iraq .
Now , there is clear documented evidence that despite warnings from his own National Security Council , infectious disease experts , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ narcissism has resulted in thousands of American men , women and children dying unnecessarily .
As many commentators and pundits alike have noted , Trump has thousands of American citizens ’ blood on his tiny hands .
The prescient question then is : Why are Republicans not clamoring for regime change and taking immediate , drastic action to depose Donald J. Trump for wantonly killing innocent American men , women and children ?
Although Trump did not create COVID-19 , he was certainly aware of just how dangerous inaction would be as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That lack of action fits the general requirements to charge and convict any American in every state of the Union of “ criminally negligent homicide.
” As noted by legal experts , criminally negligent homicide does not focus on the “ intentional conduct to kill a human being.
” Instead , it “ addresses situations where a defendant is aware of a situation , knows it ’ s dangerous , but ignores a risk that results in a death of another.
” In Trump ’ s case , despite being well aware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the risk of doing nothing , his actions , and lack thereof , have already resulted in the unnecessary deaths of thousands of American citizens .
It is also noteworthy that because Trump was and still is criminally negligent , the case is better described as “ criminally negligent mass murder.
” Any second rate prosecutor would have little problem earning a conviction against a criminal like Trump based on the mountain of evidence , much of it from Trump ’ s own mouth , that he was aware of a situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and yet ignored that risk resulting in the death of thousands of Americans .
The level of Trump ’ s “ criminal negligence ” is well-documented at this point and every day brings new disclosures describing exactly how criminally-negligent Trump was , and still is , by pretending the pandemic was a “ Democratic and media hoax.
” Despite the daily revelations regarding what Trump knew and when , there is the report he did not want to do anything to protect American lives .
His initial response was just letting the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an idea that prompted Dr. Anthony Fauci to inform Trump that allowing the virus to spread unimpeded would result in millions of dead Americans .
Tragically , there is growing sentiment among Trump ’ s Republican allies to put an end to all efforts to contain the deadly contagion and gleefully accept thousands of more dead Americans as a cheap price to pay to help Trump ’ s reelection .
It is noteworthy to mention that even prior to the emergence of the novel coronavirus , Trump maliciously ignored , and vehemently opposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his own corrupt administration warning him of the folly of cutting funding to agencies tasked with fighting a global pandemic .
In a commentary explaining how America ’ s coronavirus crisis was a “ man-made disaster , ” the author lays out , in fine detail , exactly why Trump is guilty of criminally negligent homicide ; not only by refusing to act immediately on learning of the threat to Americans , but also by eliminating agencies and processes created specifically to address a global pandemic and save thousands of American lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Trump ’ s regime that are , at least , similar to that of Saddam Hussein whether it is granting unwarranted powers to his children or diverting taxpayer money directly to Trump , his children , and his organization ’ s coffers .
Those aspects of Trump ’ s tenure in the White House , combined with his flagrant negligence resulting in the loss of American lives is exactly why Trump is no different , and certainly no better , than Saddam Hussein and warrants him being deposed and then tried for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is true that Trump did not use poison gas on American citizens , but like Saddam his deliberate actions are responsible for the massive loss of American lives .
As an aside , it is remarkable that Trump was also duly warned , over and over , that failing to act immediately to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus would lead to an economic disaster affecting America and the world .
Because he deliberately refused to act , tens of millions of Americans are out of work and desperate for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matters worse , hardworking Americans are suffering while Trump and Republicans are handing out hundreds-of-billions of taxpayer dollars to corporations , banks , and worst of all , churches .
Americans were led to believe that Saddam Hussein was a legitimate monster that required America ’ s military to invade a sovereign nation and topple the dictator ; for stealing money from regular Iraqis to bolster his opulent lifestyle , and for killing innocent Iraqi citizens who opposed his dictatorship .
Those actions , and a load of neo-con lies , convinced Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tyrannical dictator , and force his children to flee the country .
That being the case , there is no reason whatsoever to excuse Republican malfeasance in supporting Trump , or for failing to depose the tyrant , force his children to leave America , and convict the mass murderer for criminally-negligent homicide costing tens-of-thousands of innocent American citizens their lives .

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One of the justifications for the Bush Administration’s Iraq invasion was because a vicious dictator, Saddam Hussein, was guilty of killing his own citizens. It was the same justification Trump used for launching a slew of missiles at an abandoned airfield in Syria – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was alleged to have killed innocent men, women, and children during a civil war exacerbated by Bush’s invasion of Iraq.
Now, there is clear documented evidence that despite warnings from his own National Security Council, infectious disease experts, and the Pentagon, Trump’s malicious narcissism has resulted in thousands of American men, women and children dying unnecessarily. As many commentators and pundits alike have noted, Trump has thousands of American citizens’ blood on his tiny hands. The prescient question then is: Why are Republicans not clamoring for regime change and taking immediate, drastic action to depose Donald J. Trump for wantonly killing innocent American men, women and children?
Although Trump did not create COVID-19, he was certainly aware of just how dangerous inaction would be as well as the deadly consequences of doing nothing. That lack of action fits the general requirements to charge and convict any American in every state of the Union of “criminally negligent homicide.”
As noted by legal experts, criminally negligent homicide does not focus on the “intentional conduct to kill a human being.” Instead, it “addresses situations where a defendant is aware of a situation, knows it’s dangerous, but ignores a risk that results in a death of another.”
In Trump’s case, despite being well aware of the dangerous, deadly COVID-19 situation and the risk of doing nothing, his actions, and lack thereof, have already resulted in the unnecessary deaths of thousands of American citizens. It is also noteworthy that because Trump was and still is criminally negligent, the case is better described as “criminally negligent mass murder.” Any second rate prosecutor would have little problem earning a conviction against a criminal like Trump based on the mountain of evidence, much of it from Trump’s own mouth, that he was aware of a situation, he knew it was dangerous, and yet ignored that risk resulting in the death of thousands of Americans.
The level of Trump’s “criminal negligence” is well-documented at this point and every day brings new disclosures describing exactly how criminally-negligent Trump was, and still is, by pretending the pandemic was a “Democratic and media hoax.” Despite the daily revelations regarding what Trump knew and when, there is the report he did not want to do anything to protect American lives. His initial response was just letting the virus “wash over the country;” an idea that prompted Dr. Anthony Fauci to inform Trump that allowing the virus to spread unimpeded would result in millions of dead Americans. Tragically, there is growing sentiment among Trump’s Republican allies to put an end to all efforts to contain the deadly contagion and gleefully accept thousands of more dead Americans as a cheap price to pay to help Trump’s reelection.
It is noteworthy to mention that even prior to the emergence of the novel coronavirus, Trump maliciously ignored, and vehemently opposed, warnings from health and security experts in his own corrupt administration warning him of the folly of cutting funding to agencies tasked with fighting a global pandemic.
In a commentary explaining how America’s coronavirus crisis was a “man-made disaster,” the author lays out, in fine detail, exactly why Trump is guilty of criminally negligent homicide; not only by refusing to act immediately on learning of the threat to Americans, but also by eliminating agencies and processes created specifically to address a global pandemic and save thousands of American lives.
There are plenty of other aspects of Trump’s regime that are, at least, similar to that of Saddam Hussein whether it is granting unwarranted powers to his children or diverting taxpayer money directly to Trump, his children, and his organization’s coffers. Those aspects of Trump’s tenure in the White House, combined with his flagrant negligence resulting in the loss of American lives is exactly why Trump is no different, and certainly no better, than Saddam Hussein and warrants him being deposed and then tried for criminal negligent homicide on a massive scale.
It is true that Trump did not use poison gas on American citizens, but like Saddam his deliberate actions are responsible for the massive loss of American lives.
As an aside, it is remarkable that Trump was also duly warned, over and over, that failing to act immediately to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus would lead to an economic disaster affecting America and the world. Because he deliberately refused to act, tens of millions of Americans are out of work and desperate for federal assistance to survive. To make matters worse, hardworking Americans are suffering while Trump and Republicans are handing out hundreds-of-billions of taxpayer dollars to corporations, banks, and worst of all, churches.
Americans were led to believe that Saddam Hussein was a legitimate monster that required America’s military to invade a sovereign nation and topple the dictator; for stealing money from regular Iraqis to bolster his opulent lifestyle, and for killing innocent Iraqi citizens who opposed his dictatorship. Those actions, and a load of neo-con lies, convinced Americans to support invading Iraq, depose its tyrannical dictator, and force his children to flee the country.
That being the case, there is no reason whatsoever to excuse Republican malfeasance in supporting Trump, or for failing to depose the tyrant, force his children to leave America, and convict the mass murderer for criminally-negligent homicide costing tens-of-thousands of innocent American citizens their lives.


politicususa--2020-04-18--The Rapid Coronavirus Test That Trump Hyped Produces False Negatives

The rapid coronavirus test that Trump touted at the White House and has been pushing for weeks has been producing false negatives .
A rapid test for the novel coronavirus that was unveiled by President Trump on the White House lawn and has already been used hundreds of thousands of times can falsely produce negative results in patients who are infected , according to clinicians and laboratory experts .
The 13-minute test , developed by Abbott Laboratories , a major U.S. health care and medical device company , usually still works properly , the company and clinicians say .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to administer the test — guidance approved by the Food and Drug Administration — could lead to an unspecified number of false negative results .
Abbott says changing how samples are collected should fix the problem .
The test works if people have a high or moderate level of the virus .
It performs equal to other tests .
The problem is that if a person has a low level of the virus it doesn ’ t show up on the test .
Those are the exact people who need to be testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chance to unknowingly spread the virus and infect others .
The whole process has been rushed into the marketplace , but the rapid test that Trump continues to hype isn ’ t a miracle that will get everyone tested and the country back to normal .
States still don ’ t have access to the test cartridges because Trump took control of the supply and refuses to make available adequate amounts .
Social distancing and stay at home orders are the only steps that are definitely working , and that is what Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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The rapid coronavirus test that Trump touted at the White House and has been pushing for weeks has been producing false negatives.
Stat News reported:
A rapid test for the novel coronavirus that was unveiled by President Trump on the White House lawn and has already been used hundreds of thousands of times can falsely produce negative results in patients who are infected, according to clinicians and laboratory experts.
The 13-minute test, developed by Abbott Laboratories, a major U.S. health care and medical device company, usually still works properly, the company and clinicians say. But Abbott’s initial guidance on how to administer the test — guidance approved by the Food and Drug Administration — could lead to an unspecified number of false negative results. Abbott says changing how samples are collected should fix the problem.
The test works if people have a high or moderate level of the virus. It performs equal to other tests. The problem is that if a person has a low level of the virus it doesn’t show up on the test. Those are the exact people who need to be testing and quarantined early before they have a chance to unknowingly spread the virus and infect others.
The whole process has been rushed into the marketplace, but the rapid test that Trump continues to hype isn’t a miracle that will get everyone tested and the country back to normal.
States still don’t have access to the test cartridges because Trump took control of the supply and refuses to make available adequate amounts.
Social distancing and stay at home orders are the only steps that are definitely working, and that is what Trump and his supporters are trying to end.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
Follow Jason Easley on Facebook


politicususa--2020-04-18--Virus Spreading Trump Supporters Compare Themselves To Rosa Parks

Trump supporters who are helping to spread the coronavirus with public protests of stay at home orders are comparing themselves to Rosa Parks .
“ I think there ’ s a boiling point that has been reached and exceeded , ” said Stephen Moore , a conservative economist .
Moore is a member of both the White House council to reopen the country and a coalition of conservative leaders and activists seeking to push government officials to relax stay-at-home orders .
“ I call these people the modern-day Rosa Parks — they are protesting against injustice and a loss of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters .
The protesters would be just like Rosa Parks if Rosa Parks sat in the front of the bus to spread a deadly virus because she was trying to win a second term in office for Donald Trump .
The protests are not spontaneous .
They are being organized by Trump supporters and people who with the Trump administration like Moore .
The tip-off to their real intentions is that these events are happening mostly in states , except Ohio , with Democratic governors .
No one should be fooled into believing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s supporters trying to force governors to dangerously ease restrictions because they believe the president ’ s nonsense about an economic boom happening right after the end of shelter in place orders .
Angry white people who see Trump on his way to becoming a one-term president are not the same as the civil rights movement , and making the comparison shows how deeply deluded by their entitlement they are .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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Trump supporters who are helping to spread the coronavirus with public protests of stay at home orders are comparing themselves to Rosa Parks.
Via The Washington Post:
“I think there’s a boiling point that has been reached and exceeded,” said Stephen Moore, a conservative economist. Moore is a member of both the White House council to reopen the country and a coalition of conservative leaders and activists seeking to push government officials to relax stay-at-home orders.
“I call these people the modern-day Rosa Parks — they are protesting against injustice and a loss of liberties,” Moore said of the protesters.
The protesters would be just like Rosa Parks if Rosa Parks sat in the front of the bus to spread a deadly virus because she was trying to win a second term in office for Donald Trump.
The protests are not spontaneous. They are being organized by Trump supporters and people who with the Trump administration like Moore. The tip-off to their real intentions is that these events are happening mostly in states, except Ohio, with Democratic governors.
No one should be fooled into believing that these protests are anything other than Trump’s supporters trying to force governors to dangerously ease restrictions because they believe the president’s nonsense about an economic boom happening right after the end of shelter in place orders.
Angry white people who see Trump on his way to becoming a one-term president are not the same as the civil rights movement, and making the comparison shows how deeply deluded by their entitlement they are.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
Follow Jason Easley on Facebook


politicususa--2020-04-18--Gov. Andrew Cuomo Tells Trump To Stop Politicizing Coronavirus Fears: ‘We Cannot Go There’

In a not-so-veiled shot at Donald Trump on Saturday , New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said during his daily coronavirus briefing that politicizing the fear and anxiety of the American people will make this public health crisis much worse .
“ How does this situation get worse and get worse quickly ?
” the New York governor asked .
“ If you politicize all that emotion.
” “ We can not go there , ” he added .
Gov .
Cuomo ’ s remarks comes as Trump does the exact opposite by encouraging angry and anxious Americans to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uprising against social distancing measures .
The emotion in this country is as high as I can recall .
People are frustrated , we ’ re anxious , we ’ re scared , we ’ re angry .
We ’ ve never been through this before , and on every level , this is a terrible experience .
It ’ s disorienting , it threatens you to your core .
It makes you reflect on your whole life and it really has — it ’ s mentally very difficult .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s disastrous .
The market goes down , your retirement funds go down , you ’ re not getting a paycheck .
It is as tumultuous a time as we have ever seen , but in the midst of this , there ’ s no time for politics .
How does this situation get worse and get worse quickly ?
If you politicize all that emotion .
We can not go there .
Trump is the worst person to be leading the country in a time of crisis In times of crisis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our nature .
Donald Trump , a manifestly unfit president and morally bankrupt human being , has done the exact opposite by encouraging his supporters to act on their anger and anxiety .
Unlike his previous gigs as a real estate slumlord and prime time game show host , Trump is now in a position where these words have real world consequences .
The president encouraging his supporters to take to the streets won ’ t just make it more likely that this virus infects more people , but it also increases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that folks should “ save ” the 2nd Amendment by “ liberating ” states .
Donald Trump was always unfit to hold the office of the president , even in good times , but he is the worst person to be leading this country at a time of crisis .

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In a not-so-veiled shot at Donald Trump on Saturday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during his daily coronavirus briefing that politicizing the fear and anxiety of the American people will make this public health crisis much worse.
“How does this situation get worse and get worse quickly?” the New York governor asked. “If you politicize all that emotion.”
“We cannot go there,” he added.
Gov. Cuomo’s remarks comes as Trump does the exact opposite by encouraging angry and anxious Americans to take to the streets as part of an uprising against social distancing measures.
Video:
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo doesn’t mention Donald Trump by name, but he takes a clear shot at the president for politicizing people’s emotions in the middle of a crisis. #ctl #p2 #amjoy pic.twitter.com/PyI7yZbUnH — PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) April 18, 2020
Gov. Cuomo said:
The emotion in this country is as high as I can recall. People are frustrated, we’re anxious, we’re scared, we’re angry. We’ve never been through this before, and on every level, this is a terrible experience. It’s disorienting, it threatens you to your core. It makes you reflect on your whole life and it really has — it’s mentally very difficult. It’s emotionally difficult. Economically, it’s disastrous. The market goes down, your retirement funds go down, you’re not getting a paycheck. It is as tumultuous a time as we have ever seen, but in the midst of this, there’s no time for politics. How does this situation get worse and get worse quickly? If you politicize all that emotion. We cannot go there.
Trump is the worst person to be leading the country in a time of crisis
In times of crisis, good leaders appeal to the better angels of our nature. Donald Trump, a manifestly unfit president and morally bankrupt human being, has done the exact opposite by encouraging his supporters to act on their anger and anxiety.
Unlike his previous gigs as a real estate slumlord and prime time game show host, Trump is now in a position where these words have real world consequences.
The president encouraging his supporters to take to the streets won’t just make it more likely that this virus infects more people, but it also increases the likelihood of violence as he hints that folks should “save” the 2nd Amendment by “liberating” states.
Donald Trump was always unfit to hold the office of the president, even in good times, but he is the worst person to be leading this country at a time of crisis.
Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter


politicususa--2020-04-18--Presidential Historian Calls Donald Trump The Most Dangerously Ignorant President In History

Presidential historian Jon Meacham said on Saturday that Donald Trump ’ s refusal to learn on the job and his continued efforts to incite his angry mob of supporters is “ one of the tragedies of the era.
” During an interview with MSNBC ’ s Joy Reid about the new anti-science uprising on the right , Meacham said the president ’ s behavior lately – encouraging his supporters to ignore life-saving social distancing guidelines – shows that he hasn ’ t changed a bit since taking office .
“ I can not think of a president off the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed to learn on the job , ” the historian said .
“ The president continues to simply coddle his base at a dangerous level and almost willfully doesn ’ t want to learn on the job.
” One of the tragedies of the era is that the president manages to fulfill every time one ’ s preexisting view of him .
There ’ s never been a president — not never .
I can not think of a president off the top of my head who has so self-evidently failed to learn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out saying he would protect slavery in southern states and ends up on January 1st , 1863 with the Emancipation Proclamation .
John Kennedy screws up the Bay of Pigs in April of 1961 .
By October 1962 he manages the Cuban missile crisis .
Ronald Reagan comes in talking about the Soviet Union as an evil empire .
By May 1988 he ’ s literally in Red Square playing with babies .
Right ?
So you have these moments in our history where presidents have challenged their bases , not simply coddled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And in this case , the president continues to simply coddle his base at a dangerous level and almost willfully doesn ’ t want to learn on the job .
Trump is interested in a made-for-TV reality show , not governing the country If the last 24 hours has shown the country anything , it ’ s that Donald Trump cares more about staging a made-for-TV reality show than governing a country in the middle of a crisis .
In other words , he is encouraging his supporters to take to the streets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he likes the optics of being the leader of an uprising .
He doesn ’ t care that even more lives will be put at risk as a result , he just likes that it makes for good television .
In a healthy democracy , leaders of all political stripes would call for the immediate resignation of a president who spewed the dangerous rhetoric Donald Trump over the past couple of days .
But this is 2020 , and the GOP is fresh out of any patriotism and dignity they once had .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ history will always remember Donald Trump as a failed leader and stain on this country .

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Presidential historian Jon Meacham said on Saturday that Donald Trump’s refusal to learn on the job and his continued efforts to incite his angry mob of supporters is “one of the tragedies of the era.”
During an interview with MSNBC’s Joy Reid about the new anti-science uprising on the right, Meacham said the president’s behavior lately – encouraging his supporters to ignore life-saving social distancing guidelines – shows that he hasn’t changed a bit since taking office.
“I cannot think of a president off the top of my head who has so self-evidently failed to learn on the job,” the historian said. “The president continues to simply coddle his base at a dangerous level and almost willfully doesn’t want to learn on the job.”
Video:
“I cannot think of a president off the top of my head who has so self-evidently failed to learn on the job,” presidential historian Jon Meacham said on Saturday. #ctl #p2 #amjoy pic.twitter.com/fVjgWBBooI — PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) April 18, 2020
Meacham said:
One of the tragedies of the era is that the president manages to fulfill every time one’s preexisting view of him. There’s never been a president — not never. I cannot think of a president off the top of my head who has so self-evidently failed to learn on the job. Abraham Lincoln starts out saying he would protect slavery in southern states and ends up on January 1st, 1863 with the Emancipation Proclamation. John Kennedy screws up the Bay of Pigs in April of 1961. By October 1962 he manages the Cuban missile crisis. Ronald Reagan comes in talking about the Soviet Union as an evil empire. By May 1988 he’s literally in Red Square playing with babies. Right? So you have these moments in our history where presidents have challenged their bases, not simply coddled them, and learned from experience. And in this case, the president continues to simply coddle his base at a dangerous level and almost willfully doesn’t want to learn on the job.
Trump is interested in a made-for-TV reality show, not governing the country
If the last 24 hours has shown the country anything, it’s that Donald Trump cares more about staging a made-for-TV reality show than governing a country in the middle of a crisis.
In other words, he is encouraging his supporters to take to the streets in the middle of a pandemic because he likes the optics of being the leader of an uprising. He doesn’t care that even more lives will be put at risk as a result, he just likes that it makes for good television.
In a healthy democracy, leaders of all political stripes would call for the immediate resignation of a president who spewed the dangerous rhetoric Donald Trump over the past couple of days. But this is 2020, and the GOP is fresh out of any patriotism and dignity they once had.
No matter what happens in November, history will always remember Donald Trump as a failed leader and stain on this country.
Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter


politicususa--2020-04-19--Opinion: Obama’s Endorsement Challenges Biden, Re-Imagines Presidency for the Future

Last Tuesday , former President Barack Obama gave his much-anticipated endorsement of his former Vice President Joe Biden ’ s presidential candidacy .
The endorsement was expected , of course , despite the wait Obama imposed , which seemed likely attributable to his preference to time his speech in the wake of Bernie Sanders ’ own endorsement of Biden , creating a crescendo effect .
And while elements of the endorsement no doubt aligned with expectations , Obama also departed from the standard endorsement protocols , re-directing and even challenging the emphasis on a “ return to normalcy ” that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign signature .
Listening closely , we could hear Obama call urgently for a new approach to the presidency , one informed not just by the “ audacity of hope ” but by the genuine audacity of ideas and policies responding to , and rooted in a sobering recognition and understanding of , the inequities , divisions , and repression the majority of Americans suffer .
The endorsement contained the expected elements of praise for Biden ’ s character , empathy , and experience .
Obama played these notes eloquently , reminding us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the experience to guide us through one of our darkest times and heal us through a long recovery.
” “ He ’ s someone whose own life has taught him how to persevere ; how to bounce back when you ’ ve been knocked down.
” “ When Joe talks with parents who ’ ve lost their jobs , we hear the son of a man who once knew the pain of having to tell his children that he ’ d lost his.
” These qualities and skills and this emotional intelligence are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this historical moment .
Obama sounded the clarion strongly , though , that more would be required , and tended to figure the presidential office he hoped Biden would inhabit as one in which Biden would function as a kind of host of many ideas , a kind of collective presidency for the many idea-prone candidates who shared the stage with him during the Democratic primary debates .
He stressed that “ to meet the moment , the Democratic Party will have to be bold , ” eschewing even his own legacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to normalcy would not be enough to do justice to Americans : But if I were running today , I wouldn ’ t run the same race or have the same platform as I did in 2008 .
The world is different ; there ’ s too much unfinished business for us to just look backwards .
We have to look to the future .
Bernie understands that .
And Joe understands that .
It ’ s one of the reasons that Joe already has what is the most progressive platform of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Because even before the pandemic turned the world upside down , it was already clear that we needed real structural change .
What is hinted at in this passage , of course , as Obama names Sanders first when speaking of the need to look to the future , is that Biden ’ s progressive platform owes much to , and will hopefully be born out of , the rich conversations with and contributions from the cadre of humane political intellects engaging in the feisty war of ideas within the Democratic party .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be mired in a cult of personality—in this case his own—offering humility and vision , challenging this presidency to move beyond him : So we need to do more than just tinker around the edges with tax credits or underfunded programs .
We have to go further to give everybody a great education , a lasting career , and a stable retirement .
We have to protect the gains we made with the Affordable Care Act , but it ’ s also time to go further .
We have to return the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world in reducing the pollution that causes climate change .
But science tells us we have to go much further .
.
.
The theme , of course , is going further than we ’ ve ever gone before in America , because anything less will insufficient to fulfill American lives .
And the recent coronavirus pandemic makes clear the value and urgency of the many bold ideas out forth by Biden ’ s rivals in the Democratic primary as well as by other rising luminaries such as Stacey Abrams .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s health insurance to their employment poses problems during moments of mass unemployment , problems for which Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have policies to address in their Medicare-For-All proposals .
Warren , of course , spent a good portion of her life trying to build a stronger social safety net and to rescue Americans from unfair bankruptcy laws when they fell into economic hardships .
What experience and knowledge could be more relevant now ?
The Supreme Court ’ s recent ruling that forced Wisconsin to go forward with its election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to risk their lives to participate , highlights the relevance of Abrams ’ crusades around voter suppression and the rampant racism that undermines democracy in America .
Kamala Harris , of course , repeatedly kept Joe Biden focused on issues of racism and sexism in America .
And certainly this pandemic has validated the relevance and utility of Andrew Yang ’ s hallmark issue of the universal basic income .
If such a policy were in place now , Americans would likely be experiencing a lot less anxiety right now .
And perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Yang ’ s vision was his constant reminder that the health of our economy must be measured first and foremost in terms of the health of the people , as he when he said in a debate last December : “ GDP and corporate profits are at record highs in America today .
Also at record highs : depression , financial insecurity , student loan debt , even suicides and drug overdoses .
It has gotten so bad that our life expectancy as a country has declined for three straight years because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicle deaths for the first time in American history .
The fact is this employment rate and GDP have very little relationship with people ’ s lived experience on the ground.
” A good economy is one that fosters health , not one that sacrifices America lives .
The ideas and know-how are there in the Democratic Party .
Obama challenged Biden to invite these characters and ideas into the Oval Office , to look forward to create a healthier and more human normal .

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Last Tuesday, former President Barack Obama gave his much-anticipated endorsement of his former Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential candidacy.
The endorsement was expected, of course, despite the wait Obama imposed, which seemed likely attributable to his preference to time his speech in the wake of Bernie Sanders’ own endorsement of Biden, creating a crescendo effect.
And while elements of the endorsement no doubt aligned with expectations, Obama also departed from the standard endorsement protocols, re-directing and even challenging the emphasis on a “return to normalcy” that was in many ways Biden’s campaign signature.
Listening closely, we could hear Obama call urgently for a new approach to the presidency, one informed not just by the “audacity of hope” but by the genuine audacity of ideas and policies responding to, and rooted in a sobering recognition and understanding of, the inequities, divisions, and repression the majority of Americans suffer.
The endorsement contained the expected elements of praise for Biden’s character, empathy, and experience. Obama played these notes eloquently, reminding us:
“He has the character and the experience to guide us through one of our darkest times and heal us through a long recovery.” “He’s someone whose own life has taught him how to persevere; how to bounce back when you’ve been knocked down.” “When Joe talks with parents who’ve lost their jobs, we hear the son of a man who once knew the pain of having to tell his children that he’d lost his.”
These qualities and skills and this emotional intelligence are certainly necessary to meet the daunting challenges of this historical moment.
Obama sounded the clarion strongly, though, that more would be required, and tended to figure the presidential office he hoped Biden would inhabit as one in which Biden would function as a kind of host of many ideas, a kind of collective presidency for the many idea-prone candidates who shared the stage with him during the Democratic primary debates.
He stressed that “to meet the moment, the Democratic Party will have to be bold,” eschewing even his own legacy as insufficient, making clear that a return to normalcy would not be enough to do justice to Americans:
But if I were running today, I wouldn’t run the same race or have the same platform as I did in 2008. The world is different; there’s too much unfinished business for us to just look backwards. We have to look to the future. Bernie understands that. And Joe understands that. It’s one of the reasons that Joe already has what is the most progressive platform of any major party nominee in history. Because even before the pandemic turned the world upside down, it was already clear that we needed real structural change.
What is hinted at in this passage, of course, as Obama names Sanders first when speaking of the need to look to the future, is that Biden’s progressive platform owes much to, and will hopefully be born out of, the rich conversations with and contributions from the cadre of humane political intellects engaging in the feisty war of ideas within the Democratic party.
He spoke against a party that would be mired in a cult of personality—in this case his own—offering humility and vision, challenging this presidency to move beyond him:
So we need to do more than just tinker around the edges with tax credits or underfunded programs. We have to go further to give everybody a great education, a lasting career, and a stable retirement. We have to protect the gains we made with the Affordable Care Act, but it’s also time to go further. We have to return the U.S. to the Paris Agreement, and lead the world in reducing the pollution that causes climate change. But science tells us we have to go much further . . .
The theme, of course, is going further than we’ve ever gone before in America, because anything less will insufficient to fulfill American lives.
And the recent coronavirus pandemic makes clear the value and urgency of the many bold ideas out forth by Biden’s rivals in the Democratic primary as well as by other rising luminaries such as Stacey Abrams.
It should be abundantly clear that tying people’s health insurance to their employment poses problems during moments of mass unemployment, problems for which Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have policies to address in their Medicare-For-All proposals.
Warren, of course, spent a good portion of her life trying to build a stronger social safety net and to rescue Americans from unfair bankruptcy laws when they fell into economic hardships. What experience and knowledge could be more relevant now?
The Supreme Court’s recent ruling that forced Wisconsin to go forward with its election even though it meant voters would have to risk their lives to participate, highlights the relevance of Abrams’ crusades around voter suppression and the rampant racism that undermines democracy in America.
Kamala Harris, of course, repeatedly kept Joe Biden focused on issues of racism and sexism in America.
And certainly this pandemic has validated the relevance and utility of Andrew Yang’s hallmark issue of the universal basic income. If such a policy were in place now, Americans would likely be experiencing a lot less anxiety right now.
And perhaps, in this moment, most crucial in Yang’s vision was his constant reminder that the health of our economy must be measured first and foremost in terms of the health of the people, as he when he said in a debate last December:
“GDP and corporate profits are at record highs in America today. Also at record highs: depression, financial insecurity, student loan debt, even suicides and drug overdoses. It has gotten so bad that our life expectancy as a country has declined for three straight years because suicide rates and drug overdoses have overtaken vehicle deaths for the first time in American history. The fact is this employment rate and GDP have very little relationship with people’s lived experience on the ground.”
A good economy is one that fosters health, not one that sacrifices America lives.
The ideas and know-how are there in the Democratic Party.
Obama challenged Biden to invite these characters and ideas into the Oval Office, to look forward to create a healthier and more human normal.


politicususa--2020-04-20--Opinion: Coronavirus Questions How We Define Freedom, Especially for Women Enduring Domestic Violenc

Opinion: Coronavirus Questions How We Define Freedom, Especially for Women Enduring Domestic Violence

I was out driving in Chicago the other day , and as I stopped for a red light near the corner of Lawrence Avenue and Pulaski Road , I found myself idling in front of the Admiral Theater .
It ’ s a strip club .
Above the entryway to the “ gentleman ’ s ” club , I noticed chiseled in stone a quote from the notorious Larry Flynt , controversial publisher of Hustler magazine and self-proclaimed champion of free speech : “ The greatest right that any nation can afford its people is the right to be left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncommon definition of freedom , the right to be left alone to do as one pleases .
No doubt , such a definition of freedom , among other definitions , has deep roots in the political and cultural traditions of the United States , where we can find multiple concepts of freedom competing for currency in our political discourse .
Flynt ’ s assertion of the rights freedom ought to entail may find its expression realized most succinctly in the flag we see so many of those protesting stay-at-home orders in states like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ image of a recoiling snake and the tag line , “ Don ’ t Tread on Me.
” While the flag has a rich history during which its meaning has evolved and been refashioned for varying ideological uses , it has come to stand as a statement of resistance of government overreach .
Even in more refined voices in the nation ’ s cultural traditions , those considered classically American , we find this anti-social hyper-individualist concept of freedom animating dominant literary thought .
In the mid-19th century , writers and thinkers associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau , tended to imagine society , even government , as invariably repressive and hostile to the individual who must always struggle against such structures to truly enjoy freedom .
Recently in the pages of PoliticusUsa , I explored this tradition in the writings of Thoreau , particularly his famous 1849 “ Resistance to Civil Government , ” in which Thoreau accepts the motto , “ That government is best which governs least.
” This kind of romantic individualism fuels , I suggested , the very anti-government attitudes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dismantling of exactly those government agencies that could have minimized the damage of the coronavirus pandemic and no doubt helped organized a more informed and coordinated approach to addressing it .
But driving by the Admiral Theater , arguably a site where the social legitimation of the exploitation of women is made obvious , I reflected on the utility of this tradition of defining freedom as the right to be left alone , particularly as I read about the surge in reports of domestic violence , or intimate terrorism , during the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terror , and violence in their homes at the hands of their partners see freedom from government intervention in these so-called private spaces as the highest form of freedom ?
Do they see it as freedom at all ?
Perhaps Flynt ’ s definition of freedom , maybe even Thoreau ’ s , are not just hyper-individualist but hyper-masculinist or , more appropriately , hyper-sexist and hyper-misogynist .
The stay-at-home orders were designed , ironically enough , to keep us “ safe.
” For victims of domestic violence , these orders have imposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety .
Imagine being locked in your home with someone who seeks to control you through verbal , physical , and psychological abuse , through terror , and not being able or having another place to go without subjecting yourself to a potentially deadly virus .
Globally and domestically , reports of domestic violence have surged off the charts , and political leaders governing in a culture saturated in sexism , in which women ’ s issues are still largely invisible and in which women are still effectively categorized as second-class citizens without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anticipate this effect of the pandemic .
Amanda Taub writing for the New York Times captures this dynamic that results from the everyday culture of sexism : Now , with families in lockdown worldwide , hotlines are lighting up with abuse reports , leaving governments trying to address a crisis that experts say they should have seen coming .
.
.
But governments largely failed to prepare for the way the new public health measures would create opportunities for abusers to terrorize their victims .
Now , many are scrambling to offer services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , one country after another seems to have followed the same grim path : First , governments impose lockdowns without making sufficient provisions for domestic abuse victims .
About 10 days later , distress calls spike , setting off a public outcry .
Only then do the governments scramble to improvise solutions .
Indeed , the sexism that validates and even blames women for the abuse is powerful that , according to NPR reporting , the Malaysian government had launched a campaign it later retracted “ advising women not to nag their husbands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ when asking for help with household chores.
” The U.S. is equally guilty .
The Hill reports , “ Departments in Boston , Chicago , Dallas , Los Angeles and Seattle have said publicly they are seeing increases in domestic violence allegations.
” Year over year , Chicago reports a 14.6 percent increase in reports , Seattle a 21 percent increase , Dallas a 20 percent increase , and Los Angeles a 7.6 percent increase .
But numbers don ’ t really communicate the story .
To get a more human feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consider this tweet Shelly Wagers includes in her reporting for NewsOne.com : So , what would freedom mean for victims of domestic abuse and intimate terrorism ?
It doesn ’ t seem to be to have the right to be left alone with their abusers in a private space free from public intervention .
That definition of freedom seems like an abuser ’ s fantasy .
Certainly , I hope we all want the government out of our bedrooms and off of our bodies .
I recognize pro-life and homophobic politics often advocate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But can we imagine a freedom for our bodies and selves the government protects ?
It seems necessary .
And anti-government attitudes informing conceptions of freedom such as those advocated by Flynt threaten to give license to a freedom to abuse .

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I was out driving in Chicago the other day, and as I stopped for a red light near the corner of Lawrence Avenue and Pulaski Road, I found myself idling in front of the Admiral Theater. It’s a strip club.
Above the entryway to the “gentleman’s” club, I noticed chiseled in stone a quote from the notorious Larry Flynt, controversial publisher of Hustler magazine and self-proclaimed champion of free speech: “The greatest right that any nation can afford its people is the right to be left alone.”
It’s not an uncommon definition of freedom, the right to be left alone to do as one pleases. No doubt, such a definition of freedom, among other definitions, has deep roots in the political and cultural traditions of the United States, where we can find multiple concepts of freedom competing for currency in our political discourse.
Flynt’s assertion of the rights freedom ought to entail may find its expression realized most succinctly in the flag we see so many of those protesting stay-at-home orders in states like Michigan and Minnesota—the Gadsden flag featuring an image of a recoiling snake and the tag line, “Don’t Tread on Me.” While the flag has a rich history during which its meaning has evolved and been refashioned for varying ideological uses, it has come to stand as a statement of resistance of government overreach.
Even in more refined voices in the nation’s cultural traditions, those considered classically American, we find this anti-social hyper-individualist concept of freedom animating dominant literary thought. In the mid-19th century, writers and thinkers associated with American Romanticism, such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, tended to imagine society, even government, as invariably repressive and hostile to the individual who must always struggle against such structures to truly enjoy freedom.
Recently in the pages of PoliticusUsa, I explored this tradition in the writings of Thoreau, particularly his famous 1849 “Resistance to Civil Government,” in which Thoreau accepts the motto, “That government is best which governs least.” This kind of romantic individualism fuels, I suggested, the very anti-government attitudes underlying and justifying Donald Trump’s dismantling of exactly those government agencies that could have minimized the damage of the coronavirus pandemic and no doubt helped organized a more informed and coordinated approach to addressing it.
But driving by the Admiral Theater, arguably a site where the social legitimation of the exploitation of women is made obvious, I reflected on the utility of this tradition of defining freedom as the right to be left alone, particularly as I read about the surge in reports of domestic violence, or intimate terrorism, during the current pandemic.
Do women enduring abuse, terror, and violence in their homes at the hands of their partners see freedom from government intervention in these so-called private spaces as the highest form of freedom? Do they see it as freedom at all?
Perhaps Flynt’s definition of freedom, maybe even Thoreau’s, are not just hyper-individualist but hyper-masculinist or, more appropriately, hyper-sexist and hyper-misogynist.
The stay-at-home orders were designed, ironically enough, to keep us “safe.” For victims of domestic violence, these orders have imposed conditions that are exactly the opposite of safety.
Imagine being locked in your home with someone who seeks to control you through verbal, physical, and psychological abuse, through terror, and not being able or having another place to go without subjecting yourself to a potentially deadly virus.
Globally and domestically, reports of domestic violence have surged off the charts, and political leaders governing in a culture saturated in sexism, in which women’s issues are still largely invisible and in which women are still effectively categorized as second-class citizens without formally-granted equal rights, did not even anticipate this effect of the pandemic.
Amanda Taub writing for the New York Times captures this dynamic that results from the everyday culture of sexism:
Now, with families in lockdown worldwide, hotlines are lighting up with abuse reports, leaving governments trying to address a crisis that experts say they should have seen coming . . . But governments largely failed to prepare for the way the new public health measures would create opportunities for abusers to terrorize their victims. Now, many are scrambling to offer services to those at risk. In Europe, one country after another seems to have followed the same grim path: First, governments impose lockdowns without making sufficient provisions for domestic abuse victims. About 10 days later, distress calls spike, setting off a public outcry. Only then do the governments scramble to improvise solutions.
Indeed, the sexism that validates and even blames women for the abuse is powerful that, according to NPR reporting, the Malaysian government had launched a campaign it later retracted “advising women not to nag their husbands and to refrain from being ‘sarcastic’ when asking for help with household chores.”
The U.S. is equally guilty. The Hill reports, “Departments in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Seattle have said publicly they are seeing increases in domestic violence allegations.” Year over year, Chicago reports a 14.6 percent increase in reports, Seattle a 21 percent increase, Dallas a 20 percent increase, and Los Angeles a 7.6 percent increase.
But numbers don’t really communicate the story. To get a more human feel for the terror behind these statistics, consider this tweet Shelly Wagers includes in her reporting for NewsOne.com:
Being in an abuse household especially during quarantine is the worst thing in the world I wish I could leave — aubree elizabeth (@aubreedelcambre) April 9, 2020
So, what would freedom mean for victims of domestic abuse and intimate terrorism? It doesn’t seem to be to have the right to be left alone with their abusers in a private space free from public intervention. That definition of freedom seems like an abuser’s fantasy.
Certainly, I hope we all want the government out of our bedrooms and off of our bodies. I recognize pro-life and homophobic politics often advocate for government intervention to police our bodies.
But can we imagine a freedom for our bodies and selves the government protects?
It seems necessary. And anti-government attitudes informing conceptions of freedom such as those advocated by Flynt threaten to give license to a freedom to abuse.


politicususa--2020-04-19--Trump Proclaims Himself The King Of Ventilators In Sunday Meltdown

Trump gave himself credit for the United States being the “ king of ventilators ” in a Sunday meltdown that @ @ @ @ @ nation ’ s governors .
The President watched the Sunday shows and is very angry @ @ @ @ @ Speaker of the House for calling out his lies about testing .
The reason why @ @ @ @ @ so many ventilators is Donald Trump ’ s incompetence has led to the US leading @ @ @ @ @ and deaths .
Trump thinks that we are all going to forget about the virus @ @ @ @ @ , ” but the country can ’ t resume full economic activities until the virus @ @ @ @ @ has met a crisis that he can ’ t tweet his way out of , @ @ @ @ @ melting down on Twitter .

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Trump gave himself credit for the United States being the “king of ventilators” in a Sunday meltdown that included an attack on the nation’s governors.
Trump tweeted:
Just like I was right on Ventilators (our Country is now the “King of Ventilators”, other countries are calling asking for help-we will!), I am right on testing. Governors must be able to step up and get the job done. We will be with you ALL THE WAY! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2020
Trump also called Nancy Pelosi dumb:
Nervous Nancy is an inherently “dumb” person. She wasted all of her time on the Impeachment Hoax. She will be overthrown, either by inside or out, just like her last time as “Speaker”. Wallace & @FoxNews are on a bad path, watch! https://t.co/nkEj5YeRjb — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2020
The President watched the Sunday shows and is very angry at Republican governors and the Speaker of the House for calling out his lies about testing.
The reason why the United States has needed so many ventilators is Donald Trump’s incompetence has led to the US leading the world in coronavirus cases and deaths. Trump thinks that we are all going to forget about the virus once the nation “reopens,” but the country can’t resume full economic activities until the virus is under control.
Trump has met a crisis that he can’t tweet his way out of, which is why he is melting down on Twitter.


politicususa--2020-04-19--Trump Ignored Real Time Coronavirus Info From The WHO

Trump blames the WHO for the spread of coronavirus , but there was an American team at the WHO providing real-time info to Trump that he ignored .
More than a dozen U.S. researchers , physicians and public health experts , many of them from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , were working full time at the Geneva headquarters of the World Health Organization as the novel coronavirus emerged late last year and transmitted real-time information about its discovery and spread in China to the Trump administration , according to U.S. and international officials .
The presence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s charge that the WHO ’ s failure to communicate the extent of the threat , born of a desire to protect China , is largely responsible for the rapid spread of the virus in the United States .
Trump also had months of advance warning about the virus from his own intelligence community , but he chose to ignore them , and it appears instead he believed the Chinese who he praised dozens of times for their response to the virus between January and February .
The President ’ s efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ burned as federal scientists and experts were working at the WHO and providing the president with the information that he needed to take proactive steps before the virus was confirmed in the United States .
Instead , Trump did nothing , and his efforts to find a scapegoat to blame for his inaction are only resulting in the truth being revealed about his deadly coronavirus failure .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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Trump blames the WHO for the spread of coronavirus, but there was an American team at the WHO providing real-time info to Trump that he ignored.
Via The Washington Post:
More than a dozen U.S. researchers, physicians and public health experts, many of them from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, were working full time at the Geneva headquarters of the World Health Organization as the novel coronavirus emerged late last year and transmitted real-time information about its discovery and spread in China to the Trump administration, according to U.S. and international officials.
….
The presence of so many U.S. officials undercuts President Trump’s charge that the WHO’s failure to communicate the extent of the threat, born of a desire to protect China, is largely responsible for the rapid spread of the virus in the United States.
Trump also had months of advance warning about the virus from his own intelligence community, but he chose to ignore them, and it appears instead he believed the Chinese who he praised dozens of times for their response to the virus between January and February.
The President’s efforts to blame the WHO have crashed and burned as federal scientists and experts were working at the WHO and providing the president with the information that he needed to take proactive steps before the virus was confirmed in the United States.
Instead, Trump did nothing, and his efforts to find a scapegoat to blame for his inaction are only resulting in the truth being revealed about his deadly coronavirus failure.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
Follow Jason Easley on Facebook


politicususa--2020-04-19--Pelosi Calls Out Trump’s Fake Stay At Home Protests Distraction

Speaker Pelosi said that the stay at home order protests that are being carried out by Trump supporters are a distraction from Trump ’ s virus failures .
Speaker of the House Pelosi ( D-CA ) said on ABC ’ s This Week , “ I wouldn ’ t exaggerate the protests across the country .
There are some in some places , largely where there is a Democratic governor , but I think of it largely as a distraction , and the president ’ s embrace of it as a distraction from the fact that he has not appropriately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Just as Trump ’ s election wasn ’ t about economic anxiety among white people , the stay at home order protests isn ’ t about people wanting to get back to work at the expense of their health .
The protests are following the same fake astroturf model that the tea party protested in 2010 used .
They are being organized by conservative group supporters against mostly Democratic governors .
They haven ’ t drawn huge and massive crowds , because they are being organized by the same far-right fringe that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be called what they are , a fake political operation to cover up Trump ’ s coronavirus response failures .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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Speaker Pelosi said that the stay at home order protests that are being carried out by Trump supporters are a distraction from Trump’s virus failures.
Speaker of the House Pelosi (D-CA) said on ABC’s This Week, “I wouldn’t exaggerate the protests across the country. There are some in some places, largely where there is a Democratic governor, but I think of it largely as a distraction, and the president’s embrace of it as a distraction from the fact that he has not appropriately done testing, treatment, contact tracing.”
Video:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Trump’s support for stay-at-home order protests is a “distraction from the fact that he has not appropriately done testing …” “The key that opens the door to the economy is testing, testing testing. We haven’t done it right.” https://t.co/PYRdRpKqJS pic.twitter.com/U8UHEsJxpd — This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 19, 2020
Just as Trump’s election wasn’t about economic anxiety among white people, the stay at home order protests isn’t about people wanting to get back to work at the expense of their health. The protests are following the same fake astroturf model that the tea party protested in 2010 used. They are being organized by conservative group supporters against mostly Democratic governors.
They haven’t drawn huge and massive crowds, because they are being organized by the same far-right fringe that Trump caters to.
The protests need to be called what they are, a fake political operation to cover up Trump’s coronavirus response failures.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
Follow Jason Easley on Facebook


politicususa--2020-04-19--Maryland Republican Governor Says Trump and Pence Are Lying About Testing

Republican Gov .
Larry Hogan of Maryland said that Donald Trump is lying about states having enough tests to reopen their economies .
Gov .
Hogan said on CNN ’ s State Of The Union , “ I think this is probably the number one problem in America and has been since the beginning of this crisis .
The lack of testing and I ’ ve repeatedly made this argument to the leaders in Washington on behalf of the rest of the governors in America , and I can tell you I talk to governors on both sides of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration , I think , is trying to ramp up testing .
They are doing some things with respect to private labs , but to try to push this off to say that the governors have plenty of testing , and they should just get to work on testing , somehow we aren ’ t doing our jobs is just absolutely false.
” Hogan pointed out the states still lack essential supplies to be able to do testing like swabs and chemical agents that are necessary to test .
Trump and Pence are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough tests and that the economy can reopen now .
The only timeline that Trump and Pence care about is the one that leads to the November election .
States are in no position to reopen yet , and those states that do Trump ’ s political bidding and reopen early are going to face a resurgence of the virus .
Trump and Pence are going to get even Americans needlessly killed because they want to pretend like the coronavirus has been defeated .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel @ @ @ @ @

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Republican Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland said that Donald Trump is lying about states having enough tests to reopen their economies.
Gov. Hogan said on CNN’s State Of The Union, “I think this is probably the number one problem in America and has been since the beginning of this crisis. The lack of testing and I’ve repeatedly made this argument to the leaders in Washington on behalf of the rest of the governors in America, and I can tell you I talk to governors on both sides of the aisle nearly every single day. The administration, I think, is trying to ramp up testing. They are doing some things with respect to private labs, but to try to push this off to say that the governors have plenty of testing, and they should just get to work on testing, somehow we aren’t doing our jobs is just absolutely false.”
Video:
President Trump’s claim that states have enough tests to reopen “is just absolutely false,” says Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan. “It’s not accurate to say there’s plenty of testing out there and the governors should just get it done. That’s just not being straightforward.” #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/0K48hRAgzI — State of the Union (@CNNSotu) April 19, 2020
Hogan pointed out the states still lack essential supplies to be able to do testing like swabs and chemical agents that are necessary to test.
Trump and Pence are lying when they claim that there are enough tests and that the economy can reopen now. The only timeline that Trump and Pence care about is the one that leads to the November election. States are in no position to reopen yet, and those states that do Trump’s political bidding and reopen early are going to face a resurgence of the virus.
Trump and Pence are going to get even Americans needlessly killed because they want to pretend like the coronavirus has been defeated.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
Follow Jason Easley on Facebook


politicususa--2020-04-19--Opinion: Most Americans Don’t Want To ‘Reopen’ The Economy The Way Trump Is Moving Us Toward Doing

Americans don ’ t trust President Donald Trump when it comes to what he says about the coronavirus crisis .
And why should they ?
Day after day , he lies to us .
Week after week , he makes grandiose promises ( “ Anybody that wants a test can get a test , that ’ s what the bottom line is ” ) then backs away from them and pretends like he never made them later ( “ I think it ’ s ridiculous ” ) .
The problem is , Trump is leading , or rather , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to or not .
And unfortunately , his plans to “ reopen the economy ” go against science — and what the vast majority of Americans want to actually see happen at this moment .
The citizenry , it turns out , would much rather see a cautious approach than one that seems to be motivated by the president ’ s own reelection fears .
When asked in an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll published on Sunday about what worries them more , 58 percent of Americans said that they were concerned the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing restrictions .
Only 32 percent said the opposite , that they worried the government would take too long to ease up on those measures .
Indeed , 81 percent of Americans believe the economy will go back to normal after a few months or in the next year .
Only 15 percent are of the mind that things could return to the way they were after just a few weeks from now .
The same poll also found 52 percent disapproved of Trump ’ s handling of the coronavirus crisis .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say about the disease or its spread .
Call me old-fashioned , but I ’ m of the mind that , when a crisis occurs , the American people deserve a leader they can trust to lead them on it .
Trump , with his constant lies and manipulation of facts in order to push his narrative , has demonstrated that he ’ d rather try to blame others , spending countless minutes and even hours doing so , than address the problem at hand .

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Americans don’t trust President Donald Trump when it comes to what he says about the coronavirus crisis.
And why should they? Day after day, he lies to us. Week after week, he makes grandiose promises (“Anybody that wants a test can get a test, that’s what the bottom line is”) then backs away from them and pretends like he never made them later (“I think it’s ridiculous”).
The problem is, Trump is leading, or rather, “leading,” whether we want him to or not. And unfortunately, his plans to “reopen the economy” go against science — and what the vast majority of Americans want to actually see happen at this moment.
The citizenry, it turns out, would much rather see a cautious approach than one that seems to be motivated by the president’s own reelection fears.
When asked in an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll published on Sunday about what worries them more, 58 percent of Americans said that they were concerned the government was moving too quickly to loosen social distancing restrictions. Only 32 percent said the opposite, that they worried the government would take too long to ease up on those measures.
New NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll: By 58% to 32% Americans are more concerned that the US will put health at risk by loosening restrictions too quickly than that the US will put jobs and the economy at risk by waiting too long to loosen restrictions. pic.twitter.com/nN25ynGXDj — Geoff Garin (@geoffgarin) April 19, 2020
Indeed, 81 percent of Americans believe the economy will go back to normal after a few months or in the next year. Only 15 percent are of the mind that things could return to the way they were after just a few weeks from now.
The same poll also found 52 percent disapproved of Trump’s handling of the coronavirus crisis. And only 36 percent trust what he has to say about the disease or its spread.
Call me old-fashioned, but I’m of the mind that, when a crisis occurs, the American people deserve a leader they can trust to lead them on it. Trump, with his constant lies and manipulation of facts in order to push his narrative, has demonstrated that he’d rather try to blame others, spending countless minutes and even hours doing so, than address the problem at hand.


politicususa--2020-04-19--Opinion:The GOP’s False Choice between Saving Lives and Saving the Economy Is a Failure of the Imagi

Opinion:The GOP’s False Choice between Saving Lives and Saving the Economy Is a Failure of the Imagination

The impatient discussion about when America can “ re-open ” for business has not only often proceeded , on the Republican side , with willful ignorance of informed medical perspectives , but it has also tended to pose a dangerously ignorant and unimaginative false choice to Americans : either save lives or save our economy and way of life .
Republican Representative from Indiana Trey Hollingsworth has presented the choice in just this either/or way .
Behind door number one we find , in Hollingsworth ’ s words , “ loss of American lives , ” or if we open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other option , “ loss of our way of life as Americans.
” He has been rather explicit about his view of these limited options and also about his willingness to sacrifice American lives to sustain his vision of the American way of life : “ Both of these decisions will lead to harm for individuals , whether that ’ s dramatic economic harm or whether that ’ s the loss of life .
But it is always the American government ’ s position to say , in the choice between the loss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the loss of life of American lives , we have to always choose the latter.
” Is this really “ always the government ’ s position ” ?
To save a way of life that actually entails Americans ’ deaths ?
That sounds like a contradiction in terms .
Can we call a mode of organizing the world “ a way of life ” when it depends on basically sentencing folks to death ?
Shouldn ’ t “ a way of life ” actually support life ?
Not in the Republican worldview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Louisiana , for example , held a similarly narrow view of the options , indicating the country was basically “ choosing between cancer and a heart attack.
” He elaborated , “ We ’ ve got to open this economy .
If we don ’ t , it ’ s going to collapse .
And if the U.S. economy collapses , the world economy collapses.
” This haste to sacrifice lives for the sake of restoring the normal routines of our social and economic lives has become quite a trend .
Indeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in favor of sending all of America ’ s children back to school , calculating that doing so “ may only cost us two to three percent in terms of total mortality.
” Of course , these positions echo Donald Trump who has repeatedly expressed an impatience to send Americans back to work and re-open all the businesses currently closed .
“ We can ’ t let the cure be worse than the problem , ” he has said repeatedly .
But is there really no way to build , or re-create , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life ?
Is there not a both/and solution here , whereby we can imagine way to re-invigorate and restructure the economy and save human lives ?
After all , modern medicine has often proven itself miraculous in treating cancer and repairing damaged hearts .
Surely we can bring the same ingenuity to treating our very sick and clearly ineffective existent economic structures .
And we have models , of course .
In the Great Recession , our leaders managed to bail out banks and major industries , as when President Obama bailed out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve pointed out in the pages of PoliticusUsa , had this effort begun with bailing out people to keep them in their homes , it could have been even more successful and most certainly more humane .
People would have paid off their toxic mortgages , this saving financial institutions , preventing the drop in home values that was part of the housing crisis fueling the recession , and so forth .
People ’ s lives and the economy could have been saved at once .
And we can , of course , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well .
Under President Franklin D. Roosevelt ’ s care , the nation managed to exercise its ingenuity to undertake innovative ventures , availing itself of all the otherwise sidelined human energies , to move forward in ways that substantially improved and developed the nation ’ s infrastructure and addressed stubborn conditions of poverty that seemed all but chronic .
Take the Tennessee Valley Authority ( TVA ) , for example , one of Roosevelt ’ s New Deal “ alphabet agencies , ” along with the Works Progress Administration ( WPA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
Covering the seven states of Alabama , Tenessee , Virginia , North Carolina , Virginia , Kentucky , and Georgia , the TVA built the Wilson Dam that brought hydroelectric power to these regions , engaged in reforestation and flood control efforts , and helped develop agriculture , industry , and commerce to these regions .
These initiatives modernized one of the nation ’ s most impoverished regions , bringing affordable electricity to areas where there had been done , and also bringing jobs and encouraging economic development because this source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example of the nation , in a time of severe depression , not choosing between saving the economy as it was , which was clearly not supporting American lives , or saving Americans but choosing door number three , a different route of re-invigorating the economy that not only saved but enhanced the lives of Americans .
Of course , you know who hated it ?
Private enterprise .
This constituency did not like the fact and very idea of public utilities bringing energy to Americans at cheaper rates .
And these days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private enterprise who fuel the all-too-commonplace mantra that government is the problem—the mantra that enabled Trump ’ s dismantling of the very agencies that could have helped us address the coronavirus pandemic much earlier and much more adeptly , preventing thousands of deaths and , in fact , going a long way toward minimizing the damage to our economic lives .
The initiatives in this day and age will likely need to be different .
I bring up the TVA as one example of responding creatively to severe economic depression in a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long-standing and stubborn social problems .
It is an example of choosing a new way of life , as opposed to saving a way of life that entails death .
It is a failure of the imagination—and a failure to draw on abundance of imagination we have in America and indeed around the globe—to choose between saving lives or saving an economy proven to be ineffective at supporting life anyway .

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The impatient discussion about when America can “re-open” for business has not only often proceeded, on the Republican side, with willful ignorance of informed medical perspectives, but it has also tended to pose a dangerously ignorant and unimaginative false choice to Americans: either save lives or save our economy and way of life.
Republican Representative from Indiana Trey Hollingsworth has presented the choice in just this either/or way. Behind door number one we find, in Hollingsworth’s words, “loss of American lives,” or if we open door number two, we find his other option, “loss of our way of life as Americans.”
He has been rather explicit about his view of these limited options and also about his willingness to sacrifice American lives to sustain his vision of the American way of life:
“Both of these decisions will lead to harm for individuals, whether that’s dramatic economic harm or whether that’s the loss of life. But it is always the American government’s position to say, in the choice between the loss of our way of life as Americans and the loss of life of American lives, we have to always choose the latter.”
Is this really “always the government’s position”? To save a way of life that actually entails Americans’ deaths? That sounds like a contradiction in terms. Can we call a mode of organizing the world “a way of life” when it depends on basically sentencing folks to death?
Shouldn’t “a way of life” actually support life?
Not in the Republican worldview, apparently.
Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, for example, held a similarly narrow view of the options, indicating the country was basically “choosing between cancer and a heart attack.”
He elaborated, “We’ve got to open this economy. If we don’t, it’s going to collapse. And if the U.S. economy collapses, the world economy collapses.”
This haste to sacrifice lives for the sake of restoring the normal routines of our social and economic lives has become quite a trend. Indeed, Dr. Mehmet Oz has come out in favor of sending all of America’s children back to school, calculating that doing so “may only cost us two to three percent in terms of total mortality.”
Of course, these positions echo Donald Trump who has repeatedly expressed an impatience to send Americans back to work and re-open all the businesses currently closed.
“We can’t let the cure be worse than the problem,” he has said repeatedly.
But is there really no way to build, or re-create, our economy so that it can support life?
Is there not a both/and solution here, whereby we can imagine way to re-invigorate and restructure the economy and save human lives?
After all, modern medicine has often proven itself miraculous in treating cancer and repairing damaged hearts.
Surely we can bring the same ingenuity to treating our very sick and clearly ineffective existent economic structures.
And we have models, of course. In the Great Recession, our leaders managed to bail out banks and major industries, as when President Obama bailed out the auto industry. As I’ve pointed out in the pages of PoliticusUsa, had this effort begun with bailing out people to keep them in their homes, it could have been even more successful and most certainly more humane. People would have paid off their toxic mortgages, this saving financial institutions, preventing the drop in home values that was part of the housing crisis fueling the recession, and so forth. People’s lives and the economy could have been saved at once.
And we can, of course, always look back to the Great Depression as well. Under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s care, the nation managed to exercise its ingenuity to undertake innovative ventures, availing itself of all the otherwise sidelined human energies, to move forward in ways that substantially improved and developed the nation’s infrastructure and addressed stubborn conditions of poverty that seemed all but chronic.
Take the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), for example, one of Roosevelt’s New Deal “alphabet agencies,” along with the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Covering the seven states of Alabama, Tenessee, Virginia, North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, and Georgia, the TVA built the Wilson Dam that brought hydroelectric power to these regions, engaged in reforestation and flood control efforts, and helped develop agriculture, industry, and commerce to these regions. These initiatives modernized one of the nation’s most impoverished regions, bringing affordable electricity to areas where there had been done, and also bringing jobs and encouraging economic development because this source of energy.
This is just one example of the nation, in a time of severe depression, not choosing between saving the economy as it was, which was clearly not supporting American lives, or saving Americans but choosing door number three, a different route of re-invigorating the economy that not only saved but enhanced the lives of Americans.
Of course, you know who hated it? Private enterprise. This constituency did not like the fact and very idea of public utilities bringing energy to Americans at cheaper rates.
And these days, it is the well-funded lobbyists of private enterprise who fuel the all-too-commonplace mantra that government is the problem—the mantra that enabled Trump’s dismantling of the very agencies that could have helped us address the coronavirus pandemic much earlier and much more adeptly, preventing thousands of deaths and, in fact, going a long way toward minimizing the damage to our economic lives.
The initiatives in this day and age will likely need to be different. I bring up the TVA as one example of responding creatively to severe economic depression in a way that moved the nation forwarded and addressed long-standing and stubborn social problems.
It is an example of choosing a new way of life, as opposed to saving a way of life that entails death.
It is a failure of the imagination—and a failure to draw on abundance of imagination we have in America and indeed around the globe—to choose between saving lives or saving an economy proven to be ineffective at supporting life anyway.


politicususa--2020-04-21--Trump Claims He Hasn’t Left The White House In Months Even Though He Held A Rally In March

During the daily White House propaganda briefing on Monday , Donald Trump whined about the fact that he hasn ’ t left the White House “ in months.
” The only problem with the president ’ s claim is that he held a campaign rally last month in North Carolina at a time when most people recognized how serious and dire the coronavirus outbreak would be .
During that campaign rally , Trump compared the coronavirus to the flu .
When White House reporter Yamiche Alcindor called out the president for lying about having been stuck in the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to glitch out in real time .
“ I don ’ t know .
Did I hold a rally ?
I ’ m sorry .
I hold a rally .
Did I hold a rally ?
” the president said .
The exchange between Trump and Alcindor : TRUMP : At the end of January , I put out a ban .
… We put on a ban because I was reading bad things about China .
World Health Organization should ’ ve told us .
But I was reading it with or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known , all they had to do was read it .
They didn ’ t have to even be there , but they tried to cover up for China .
World Health covered up for China .
ALCINDOR : You held a rally in February and March .
TRUMP : I put on a ban .
In other words , I stopped China from coming to the United States .
I stopped Europe from coming into the United States long before the March date that you ’ re talking about .
So people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That was a very hard thing to do .
Doing that was a very hard thing .
I didn ’ t want do that .
But I did it because I though — and Dr. Fauci said that by doing it , President Trump saved tens of thousands of lives , so I did take it very seriously .
ALCINDOR : You held rallies in February and in March , and there are some Americans saying – TRUMP : I don ’ t know about rallies .
I really don ’ t know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : I haven ’ t left the White House in months , except for a brief moment to give a wonderful ship , the Comfort .
ALCINDOR : You held a rally in March in North Carolina .
TRUMP : I don ’ t know .
Did I hold a rally ?
I ’ m sorry .
I hold a rally .
Did I hold a rally ?
Trump knows he acted too late , so he ’ s trying to rewrite history Donald Trump knows that he acted too late to curb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States , and he seems to understand that the American people know it , too .
According to a new poll , 65 percent of the country believes the president was too slow in responding to the pandemic .
With tens of thousands of Americans dying and the economy collapsing , Donald Trump knows his response has been widely viewed as a failure and he ’ s desperately trying to lie his way out of it .

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During the daily White House propaganda briefing on Monday, Donald Trump whined about the fact that he hasn’t left the White House “in months.”
The only problem with the president’s claim is that he held a campaign rally last month in North Carolina at a time when most people recognized how serious and dire the coronavirus outbreak would be.
During that campaign rally, Trump compared the coronavirus to the flu.
When White House reporter Yamiche Alcindor called out the president for lying about having been stuck in the White House for “months,” he appeared to glitch out in real time.
“I don’t know. Did I hold a rally? I’m sorry. I hold a rally. Did I hold a rally?” the president said.
Video of the moment:
TRUMP: I took coronavirus very seriously ALCINDOR: You held rallies in February and March TRUMP: I haven’t left the White House in months ALCINDOR: You held a rally in March TRUMP: Did I hold a rally? I’m sorry pic.twitter.com/MPDK8lZAeD — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 20, 2020
The exchange between Trump and Alcindor:
TRUMP: At the end of January, I put out a ban. … We put on a ban because I was reading bad things about China. World Health Organization should’ve told us. But I was reading it with or without them. They should’ve known, all they had to do was read it. They didn’t have to even be there, but they tried to cover up for China. World Health covered up for China. ALCINDOR: You held a rally in February and March. TRUMP: I put on a ban. In other words, I stopped China from coming to the United States. I stopped Europe from coming into the United States long before the March date that you’re talking about. So people should say I acted very early. That was a very hard thing to do. Doing that was a very hard thing. I didn’t want do that. But I did it because I though — and Dr. Fauci said that by doing it, President Trump saved tens of thousands of lives, so I did take it very seriously. ALCINDOR: You held rallies in February and in March, and there are some Americans saying – TRUMP: I don’t know about rallies. I really don’t know about rallies. I know one thing: I haven’t left the White House in months, except for a brief moment to give a wonderful ship, the Comfort. ALCINDOR: You held a rally in March in North Carolina. TRUMP: I don’t know. Did I hold a rally? I’m sorry. I hold a rally. Did I hold a rally?
Trump knows he acted too late, so he’s trying to rewrite history
Donald Trump knows that he acted too late to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the United States, and he seems to understand that the American people know it, too.
According to a new poll, 65 percent of the country believes the president was too slow in responding to the pandemic.
With tens of thousands of Americans dying and the economy collapsing, Donald Trump knows his response has been widely viewed as a failure and he’s desperately trying to lie his way out of it.
Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter


politicususa--2020-04-20--Trump Tantrums After Maryland Governor Goes Around Feds, Gets 500K Test Kits From South Korea

Donald Trump attacked Gov .
Larry Hogan ( R-MD ) on Monday after the Maryland governor went around the federal government and secured 500,000 coronavirus test kits from South Korea .
Trump ’ s decision to take a swipe at Gov .
Hogan comes a day after the GOP governor called out the White House for lying about states ’ testing capacity .
“ Some of the governors , like as an example the governor from Maryland , didn ’ t really understand , ” Trump said of Gov .
Hogan ’ s testing concerns .
“ He didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Trump also took a shot at Illinois Democratic Gov .
J .
B. Pritzker , saying the governor “ did not understand his [ testing ] capacity.
” Gov .
Hogan got 500,000 tests without Trump ’ s help Despite Donald Trump ’ s claim that Gov .
Hogan doesn ’ t have a grasp of the testing issue in his state , the governor on Monday struck a $ 10 million deal with South Korea to secure half a million test kits .
So in other words , it seems like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better grasp of the testing issue than the president , who continues to flounder on this issue while blaming everybody else for his failures .
The coronavirus outbreak in the United States has been a full-blown disaster made worse by an incompetent president who isn ’ t fit to manage a lemonade stand , much less the most powerful country in the world .
As of this writing , nearly 800,000 Americans have been infected and more than 42,000 have died from the virus – the most of anywhere in the world .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same governors Trump endlessly attacks – stepping up to take matters into their own hands , this crisis would likely be much worse .

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Donald Trump attacked Gov. Larry Hogan (R-MD) on Monday after the Maryland governor went around the federal government and secured 500,000 coronavirus test kits from South Korea.
Trump’s decision to take a swipe at Gov. Hogan comes a day after the GOP governor called out the White House for lying about states’ testing capacity.
“Some of the governors, like as an example the governor from Maryland, didn’t really understand,” Trump said of Gov. Hogan’s testing concerns. “He didn’t really understand what was going on.”
Video:
“The governor of Maryland didn’t really understand. He didn’t really understand what was going on” — Trump begins the April 20 #TrumpPressBriefing by attacking Republican Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland, who has been critical of the federal coronavirus response. pic.twitter.com/OTMwj6v5Sp — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 20, 2020
Trump also took a shot at Illinois Democratic Gov. J. B. Pritzker, saying the governor “did not understand his [testing] capacity.”
Gov. Hogan got 500,000 tests without Trump’s help
Despite Donald Trump’s claim that Gov. Hogan doesn’t have a grasp of the testing issue in his state, the governor on Monday struck a $10 million deal with South Korea to secure half a million test kits.
So in other words, it seems like the governor of Maryland has a much better grasp of the testing issue than the president, who continues to flounder on this issue while blaming everybody else for his failures.
The coronavirus outbreak in the United States has been a full-blown disaster made worse by an incompetent president who isn’t fit to manage a lemonade stand, much less the most powerful country in the world. As of this writing, nearly 800,000 Americans have been infected and more than 42,000 have died from the virus – the most of anywhere in the world.
If not for the governors – often the same governors Trump endlessly attacks – stepping up to take matters into their own hands, this crisis would likely be much worse.
Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter


politicususa--2020-04-20--Trump Is Getting Depressed About His Poor Approval Ratings

Trump sounded depressed as he talked about the polls he sees and the poor marks he is getting from voters for his failed coronavirus response .
Trump said during the daily coronavirus , but not really about coronavirus , briefing after being asked about Gov .
Cuomo coming to DC to meet with him : I don ’ t know .
He wanted to .
Believe it or not , we get along , okay ?
He was very generous yesterday in particular .
He said we did a , quote , phenomenal deal , I don ’ t know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , because it ’ s not about me , it ’ s about these people and thousands behind Mike and the admiral and all of the other people that are working with us .
Look , I don ’ t understand , when I see , uh , polling and approval ratings for the job , this group should get a 95 , it really should .
And we ’ re really helping the governors a lot .
And the governors call me .
The ones I know or the Republicans .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they say , it ’ s incredible , the job you ’ re doing .
Again , not me , the job this group is doing .
What many journalists and observers don ’ t appreciate about Trump is that he believes his own lies .
Donald Trump truly believes that his coronavirus response has been great and that he deserves a 95 % approval rating for leading the world in coronavirus cases and deaths .
Trump is getting depressed , because the realization is setting in that the virus isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people will forget about his failures .
Trump is trying to blame Joe Biden and China because he can ’ t run on his own coronavirus response record .
Donald Trump is bumming because he thought that the American people would never notice that he is an incompetent president .

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Trump sounded depressed as he talked about the polls he sees and the poor marks he is getting from voters for his failed coronavirus response.
Trump said during the daily coronavirus, but not really about coronavirus, briefing after being asked about Gov. Cuomo coming to DC to meet with him:
I don’t know. He wanted to. Believe it or not, we get along, okay? He was very generous yesterday in particular. He said we did a, quote, phenomenal deal, I don’t know if anybody wrote that but I appreciate that, because it’s not about me, it’s about these people and thousands behind Mike and the admiral and all of the other people that are working with us. Look, I don’t understand, when I see, uh, polling and approval ratings for the job, this group should get a 95, it really should. And we’re really helping the governors a lot. And the governors call me. The ones I know or the Republicans. But the ones I know. And they say, it’s incredible, the job you’re doing. Again, not me, the job this group is doing.
Video:
Trump seems depressed and moaning about his poor approval ratings, and poor polls for his coronavirus response. pic.twitter.com/qHEEh2VbQR — Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) April 20, 2020
What many journalists and observers don’t appreciate about Trump is that he believes his own lies. Donald Trump truly believes that his coronavirus response has been great and that he deserves a 95% approval rating for leading the world in coronavirus cases and deaths.
Trump is getting depressed, because the realization is setting in that the virus isn’t going to magically go away, and people will forget about his failures.
Trump is trying to blame Joe Biden and China because he can’t run on his own coronavirus response record.
Donald Trump is bumming because he thought that the American people would never notice that he is an incompetent president.


politicususa--2020-04-20--Stacey Abrams Rips Brian Kemp For Reopening Georgia As Virus Cases Surge

Stacey Abrams called Gov .
Brian Kemp ( R-GA ) incompetent after he announced that he is reopening the state within a week , even as coronavirus cases surge .
Kemp announced that everything from gyms , to hair salons to bars and restaurants , would be open again in a week .
Abrams is right Kemp ’ s decision is dangerously incompetent .
The state doesn ’ t have the capacity by any metric to handle a surge in coronavirus cases .
Elections have consequences .
If Kemp hadn ’ t cheated Abrams out of the governor ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happening right now .
Thousands of Georgians could needlessly die because Brian Kemp is the governor instead of Stacey Abrams .
Kemp , like many other red-state governors in tripping over his own two feet to fall in line with Trump ’ s coronavirus messaging .
This isn ’ t politics as usual .
It ’ s life and death .
People will die , as the virus will surge in states that lift restrictions too soon .
Republicans are more interested in keeping Trump happy than protecting their citizens .
Brian Kemp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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Stacey Abrams called Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) incompetent after he announced that he is reopening the state within a week, even as coronavirus cases surge.
Abrams tweeted:
Georgia: 14th highest infection/7th lowest testing rate; less econ resilient & 1000s of low-wage workers already forced to risk their lives to make a living. Weakened healthcare w/closed rural hospitals, no Medicaid expansion & a doctor shortage. Reopen? Dangerously incompetent. https://t.co/FFfk9EoN3l — Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) April 20, 2020
Kemp announced that everything from gyms, to hair salons to bars and restaurants, would be open again in a week. Abrams is right Kemp’s decision is dangerously incompetent. The state doesn’t have the capacity by any metric to handle a surge in coronavirus cases.
Elections have consequences. If Kemp hadn’t cheated Abrams out of the governor’s mansion, this conversation would not be happening right now. Thousands of Georgians could needlessly die because Brian Kemp is the governor instead of Stacey Abrams.
Kemp, like many other red-state governors in tripping over his own two feet to fall in line with Trump’s coronavirus messaging. This isn’t politics as usual. It’s life and death. People will die, as the virus will surge in states that lift restrictions too soon.
Republicans are more interested in keeping Trump happy than protecting their citizens. Brian Kemp must be held accountable for his deadly decision.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
Follow Jason Easley on Facebook