politicususa--2020-03-11--Trump Claims His Border Wall Vanity Project Will Stop Coronavirus — His CDC Director Says That’s Wro

Trump Claims His Border Wall Vanity Project Will Stop Coronavirus — His CDC Director Says That’s Wrong

Could a border wall proposed by President Donald Trump halt the spread of coronavirus in the United States ?
The president seems to think so , but healthcare professionals disagree .
At a campaign rally in South Carolina two weeks ago , Trump made the claim that his proposed wall along the southern U.S. border with Mexico could help contain coronavirus from entering the country and spreading even more .
“ One of the reasons the [ coronavirus ] numbers are so good ” is because of border security , Trump claimed in his speech .
“ We will do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection and those carrying the infection from entering our country.
” Trump reiterated the idea in a tweet quoting conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk , who also insisted a border wall could stop the spread of COVID-19 .
“ Going up fast , ” Trump responded to Kirk .
“ We need the Wall more than ever !
” But healthcare experts disagree that a wall is an effective strategy to combat the disease ’ s spread .
“ You can ’ t build a wall high enough to keep this out , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alison Thomson said to Al Jazeera this week .
“ Borders are political barriers , but they are not respected by a virus.
” It appears that the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agrees with Thomson ’ s analysis , taking a firm stance against Trump ’ s assertions .
Appearing before House lawmakers this week , CDC Director Robert Redfield was asked by Rep. Katherine Clark ( D-Mass . )
whether any evidence existed that “ structural barriers ” like a border wall could help prevent the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flawed assessments on coronavirus , including his errantly likening it to the flu or calling criticism of his response to it a “ hoax , ” have caused others , particularly the president ’ s most ardent supporters , to not take the spread of the disease seriously .
Some have even claimed the virus is entirely made up .
As of Wednesday morning , at least 1,015 cases of coronavirus had been identified within the United States within 38 states , and 31 deaths have resulted from individuals contracting the disease .

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Could a border wall proposed by President Donald Trump halt the spread of coronavirus in the United States? The president seems to think so, but healthcare professionals disagree.
At a campaign rally in South Carolina two weeks ago, Trump made the claim that his proposed wall along the southern U.S. border with Mexico could help contain coronavirus from entering the country and spreading even more.
“One of the reasons the [coronavirus] numbers are so good” is because of border security, Trump claimed in his speech. “We will do everything in our power to keep the infection and those carrying the infection from entering our country.”
Trump reiterated the idea in a tweet quoting conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk, who also insisted a border wall could stop the spread of COVID-19. “Going up fast,” Trump responded to Kirk. “We need the Wall more than ever!”
Going up fast. We need the Wall more than ever! https://t.co/7TxErJKAgT — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 10, 2020
But healthcare experts disagree that a wall is an effective strategy to combat the disease’s spread.
“You can’t build a wall high enough to keep this out,” University of Toronto public health ethics professor Alison Thomson said to Al Jazeera this week. “Borders are political barriers, but they are not respected by a virus.”
It appears that the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agrees with Thomson’s analysis, taking a firm stance against Trump’s assertions.
Appearing before House lawmakers this week, CDC Director Robert Redfield was asked by Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) whether any evidence existed that “structural barriers” like a border wall could help prevent the spread of the virus.
“Not that I’ve seen,” Redfield said.
Total number of confirmed U.S. coronavirus cases at each Tuesday:
Jan. 14 — 0
Jan. 21 — 1
Jan. 28 — 5
Feb. 4 — 11
Feb. 11 — 14
Feb. 18 — 25
Feb. 25 — 59
Mar. 3 — 125
Mar. 10 — 1,004https://t.co/74QzWYbn1p — Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) March 11, 2020
Trump’s flawed assessments on coronavirus, including his errantly likening it to the flu or calling criticism of his response to it a “hoax,” have caused others, particularly the president’s most ardent supporters, to not take the spread of the disease seriously. Some have even claimed the virus is entirely made up.
As of Wednesday morning, at least 1,015 cases of coronavirus had been identified within the United States within 38 states, and 31 deaths have resulted from individuals contracting the disease.


politicususa--2020-03-11--Pelosi Exposes Trump’s Fraud With Real Coronavirus Aid Bill

Speaker Pelosi exposed Trump ’ s corporate welfare disguised as a coronavirus bill with a real aid package to help the American people .
What Democrats are trying to do is get out in front of this issue and ensuring that their priorities are included in any sort of relief or aid bill .
It ’ s to ensure that people who aren ’ t receiving any income because of coronavirus get relief and because who are food insecure also get some relief .
What ’ s that translating to in a draft bill in the House of Representatives including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be quarantined because of coronavirus or who actually have the virus .
Other things , an extension of unemployment insurance and an extension of food stamps and aid for kids who get free and reduced lunches at school , but can ’ t go to school because their schools are closed .
But what ’ s not included in this is the president ’ s biggest priority and that ’ s a payroll tax cut .
That has fallen flat on capitol hill among Democrats and even some Republicans are saying if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax cut does no good .
So what also is not included in the House bill at this point is anything else that the president is wanting but we do know that Speaker Pelosi and Secretary Mnuchin spoke moments ago and Pelosi wants a vote on this bill tomorrow before they leave town for a week .
Trump is refusing to talk to Pelosi because he is still mad that she ripped up his State Of The Union speech , so the Speaker and House Democrats have put together an aid package .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bailout for the oil industry and a payroll tax cut have more to do with boosting the sagging economy to help Trump ’ s reelection than assisting people who are suffering from or economically injured by the coronavirus epidemic .
A payroll tax cut is useless for people who aren ’ t working during an epidemic .
The President tried to use the payroll tax to hand out corporate welfare , but his fraud was exposed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC @ @

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Speaker Pelosi exposed Trump’s corporate welfare disguised as a coronavirus bill with a real aid package to help the American people.
Leigh Ann Caldwell of NBC News reported:
What Democrats are trying to do is get out in front of this issue and ensuring that their priorities are included in any sort of relief or aid bill. It’s to ensure that people who aren’t receiving any income because of coronavirus get relief and because who are food insecure also get some relief. What’s that translating to in a draft bill in the House of Representatives including sick leave for people who either have to be quarantined because of coronavirus or who actually have the virus. Other things, an extension of unemployment insurance and an extension of food stamps and aid for kids who get free and reduced lunches at school, but can’t go to school because their schools are closed.
But what’s not included in this is the president’s biggest priority and that’s a payroll tax cut. That has fallen flat on capitol hill among Democrats and even some Republicans are saying if people are not working, then payroll tax cut does no good. So what also is not included in the House bill at this point is anything else that the president is wanting but we do know that Speaker Pelosi and Secretary Mnuchin spoke moments ago and Pelosi wants a vote on this bill tomorrow before they leave town for a week.
Video:
Pelosi exposed Trump's corporate welfare with a real coronavirus aid package. pic.twitter.com/1GY9BcOR51 — Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 11, 2020
Trump is refusing to talk to Pelosi because he is still mad that she ripped up his State Of The Union speech, so the Speaker and House Democrats have put together an aid package.
Trump’s wish list of a bailout for the oil industry and a payroll tax cut have more to do with boosting the sagging economy to help Trump’s reelection than assisting people who are suffering from or economically injured by the coronavirus epidemic. A payroll tax cut is useless for people who aren’t working during an epidemic.
The President tried to use the payroll tax to hand out corporate welfare, but his fraud was exposed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
Follow Jason Easley on Facebook


politicususa--2020-03-11--Childish Trump Won’t Meet With Pelosi On Coronavirus Because He Doesn’t Like Her

President Donald Trump really wants a stimulus package to pass Congress so that he can deal with the economic fallout that ’ s related to the global spread of coronavirus .
Among other items , Trump is promoting a payroll tax holiday to last through at least the end of this year , a notion that some in his own party aren ’ t even on board with .
Trump met with Republican lawmakers on Tuesday to discuss his plans , but has so far steered clear of setting up any appointments with Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pass any resolution Trump wants to sign into law , so it seems a bit odd that the president is avoiding talking to Pelosi about a deal .
The reason he ’ s not reaching out to her ?
He has a childish grudge against the Speaker .
Politico reports that Trump and Pelosi are not on “ speaking terms ” at the moment , a status that stems from the president ’ s dislike of her during and after the impeachment saga that took place from the fall of last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the Speaker is inconvenient , however , for millions of Americans who are depending on him to lead during the coronavirus crisis .
To address the negotiations that are necessary to get a bill passed , Trump has instead sent Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to speak with Pelosi on what kind of efforts Democrats would be agreeable to in order to stave off continued economic difficulties and market dropoffs .
Democrats are set to unveil a plan of their own , which will likely focus on workers , including guaranteeing paid medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s disdain toward Pelosi has been noticeable in recent weeks .
Earlier this week , it was announced that Trump had rejected an invitation from Pelosi to attend the annual St. Patrick ’ s Day lunch , set to take place Thursday .
The lunch is generally seen as a bipartisan event , but White House spokesman Judd Deere said Trump couldn ’ t go due to Pelosi choosing “ to tear this Nation apart with her actions and her rhetoric ” against the president .

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President Donald Trump really wants a stimulus package to pass Congress so that he can deal with the economic fallout that’s related to the global spread of coronavirus.
Among other items, Trump is promoting a payroll tax holiday to last through at least the end of this year, a notion that some in his own party aren’t even on board with.
Trump met with Republican lawmakers on Tuesday to discuss his plans, but has so far steered clear of setting up any appointments with Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.
After watching markets fall yesterday, Trump overruled skeptical advisers and said he wanted to announce a payroll tax cut to counter coronavirus economic woes. Details have not been closely vetted, and GOP senators showed skepticism Tuesday. Our latest: https://t.co/fVL8xpmciJ — Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) March 10, 2020
The Democratic-run House will need to pass any resolution Trump wants to sign into law, so it seems a bit odd that the president is avoiding talking to Pelosi about a deal. The reason he’s not reaching out to her?
He has a childish grudge against the Speaker.
Politico reports that Trump and Pelosi are not on “speaking terms” at the moment, a status that stems from the president’s dislike of her during and after the impeachment saga that took place from the fall of last year to February. Trump’s grudge against the Speaker is inconvenient, however, for millions of Americans who are depending on him to lead during the coronavirus crisis.
Reporter Eamon Javers tells @MSNBC that Trump is still too personally wounded by impeachment to get in a room with @SpeakerPelosi & negotiate a coronavirus response. "It doesn't seem like that would end well," Javers says of WH thinking on trying to get Trump & Pelosi together — Kerry Eleveld (@kerryeleveld) March 10, 2020
To address the negotiations that are necessary to get a bill passed, Trump has instead sent Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to speak with Pelosi on what kind of efforts Democrats would be agreeable to in order to stave off continued economic difficulties and market dropoffs.
Democrats are set to unveil a plan of their own, which will likely focus on workers, including guaranteeing paid medical leave during the COVID-19 crisis.
Trump’s disdain toward Pelosi has been noticeable in recent weeks. Earlier this week, it was announced that Trump had rejected an invitation from Pelosi to attend the annual St. Patrick’s Day lunch, set to take place Thursday.
The lunch is generally seen as a bipartisan event, but White House spokesman Judd Deere said Trump couldn’t go due to Pelosi choosing “to tear this Nation apart with her actions and her rhetoric” against the president.


politicususa--2020-03-11--Trump’s Approval Rating Drops As Coronavirus Outbreak Worsens

President Donald Trump ’ s approval rating has taken a hit as the coronavirus continues to take a toll on the United States .
53.1 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump and 42.7 percent approve , according to FiveThirtyEight ’ s polling average as of March 10 .
That ’ s a noticeable rise from 51 percent disapproval and 44.6 percent approval on February 18 , before the coronavirus had worked its way through the country .
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Wednesday demonstrates a wider gulf , with 47 percent of likely U.S. voters saying they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ performance compared to 52 percent who say they don ’ t .
The president ’ s response to the outbreak has continued to face heavy criticism .
A nationwide testing shortage has been exacerbated by a shortage of critical lab materials , leading to an “ inability to prepare samples for testing , ” according to Politico .
CDC Director Robert Redfield told the news outlet that it is unlikely U.S. labs have an adequate stock of RNA extraction kits , which are used to extract genetic material from any virus in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ availability of those reagents is obviously being looked at , ” he said .
“ I ’ m confident of the actual test that we have , but as people begin to operationalize the test , they realize there ’ s other things they need to do the test.
” The president is telling a different story , however .
Speaking at a briefing yesterday , Trump said he believes “ the U.S. has done a very good job on testing.
” “ We had to change things that were done , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they wanted to do something a different way , but it was a much slower process from a previous administration , ” he said at the time .
“ And we did change them .
We made the changes .
But the testing has gone very well .
And when people need a test , they can get a test .
When the professionals need a test , when they need tests for people , they can get the test .
It ’ s gone really well.
” Coronavirus infections have continued to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,000 cases nationwide .
There have been 31 deaths from the virus , most of them centered around the hard-hit Seattle area .

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President Donald Trump’s approval rating has taken a hit as the coronavirus continues to take a toll on the United States.
53.1 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump and 42.7 percent approve, according to FiveThirtyEight’s polling average as of March 10. That’s a noticeable rise from 51 percent disapproval and 44.6 percent approval on February 18, before the coronavirus had worked its way through the country.
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Wednesday demonstrates a wider gulf, with 47 percent of likely U.S. voters saying they approve of the president’s job performance compared to 52 percent who say they don’t.
The president’s response to the outbreak has continued to face heavy criticism. A nationwide testing shortage has been exacerbated by a shortage of critical lab materials, leading to an “inability to prepare samples for testing,” according to Politico.
CDC Director Robert Redfield told the news outlet that it is unlikely U.S. labs have an adequate stock of RNA extraction kits, which are used to extract genetic material from any virus in a patient’s sample.
“The availability of those reagents is obviously being looked at,” he said. “I’m confident of the actual test that we have, but as people begin to operationalize the test, they realize there’s other things they need to do the test.”
The president is telling a different story, however. Speaking at a briefing yesterday, Trump said he believes “the U.S. has done a very good job on testing.”
“We had to change things that were done, that were nobody’s fault. Perhaps they wanted to do something a different way, but it was a much slower process from a previous administration,” he said at the time. “And we did change them. We made the changes. But the testing has gone very well. And when people need a test, they can get a test. When the professionals need a test, when they need tests for people, they can get the test. It’s gone really well.”
Coronavirus infections have continued to rise, with the U.S. logging over 1,000 cases nationwide. There have been 31 deaths from the virus, most of them centered around the hard-hit Seattle area.


politicususa--2020-03-13--Opinion: Trump And His GOP Cult Are Too Blind To Govern During This Time Of Crisis

As the coronavirus outbreak continues to wreak havoc all over the globe , one thing has become abundantly clear : Donald Trump and his cult of GOP lawmakers in Washington are too blind to govern in a time of crisis .
In the not-so-distant past , a global pandemic would have quickly unified leaders on both sides of the aisle , but this MAGA-infected Republican Party will have none of it .
They refuse to leave their political sandboxes and act like rational adults .
That ’ s , of course , because the GOP continues to take its cues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in history .
Since the beginning of this fiasco , Trump has been downplaying the outbreak , even calling it a hoax .
By believing him , as his red hat-wearing supporters always do , they are putting the rest of the country at risk .
Trump has also dedicated his precious time to attacking the media and blaming Democrats , because he instinctively believes anything that hurts the stock market – and thus , his reelection effort – must be a plot to overthrow him .
Not for a moment can he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – right up to his dumpster fire Oval Office address on Wednesday night – has been an unmitigated horror show .
But , again , this is not only a Trump problem .
This is a complete system failure on the part of the Republican Party .
As former Obama official Tommy Vietor said , “ Republicans are actively harming our response ” to this global crisis by blindly following Trump as he takes this country off a cliff .
Democratic lawmakers on Thursday proposed a coronavirus relief package that includes free testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and more .
GOP leadership should have jumped on this opportunity to take action , but they announced their opposition right away .
There is the possibility that Congress and the White House will soon reach some type of deal on a coronavirus relief package , but it ’ s appalling that they had to be dragged into it kicking and screaming .
Meanwhile , the number of nationwide cases continues to rise and the U.S. testing capacity is still dangerously far behind where it should be .
Not to mention the fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of control and the odds of a recession seem to grow each day .
Some top economists claim the United States is already in a recession .
This global health crisis shows us how unfit Donald Trump is Donald Trump isn ’ t fit to be president of the United States even in the best of times , but this global health emergency has shown all of us just how dangerous he can be when an actual crisis hits his desk .
It ’ s hard to tell whether the presidency is too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s just too small for it , but it is clear that he shouldn ’ t be anywhere near a position of power at any level of American government .
And the Republican Party , paralyzed by cowardice and blind partisanship , would rather whistle past the graveyard than responsibly deal with this emergency as quickly as possible .
At the end of the day , the GOP knows that if they sound the alarm now , it would be an acknowledgement that their dear leader has completely bungled this – and , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that .
So the American people are forced to wait out this crisis as Donald Trump – the chaos president – and his cult-like mob of sycophants in Congress try to convince us that this is all fine , nothing to see here , Trump is doing A-plus work .
The least any of them could do is let the adults handle things for the next eight months until voters can send them back to where they belong .

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As the coronavirus outbreak continues to wreak havoc all over the globe, one thing has become abundantly clear: Donald Trump and his cult of GOP lawmakers in Washington are too blind to govern in a time of crisis.
In the not-so-distant past, a global pandemic would have quickly unified leaders on both sides of the aisle, but this MAGA-infected Republican Party will have none of it. They refuse to leave their political sandboxes and act like rational adults.
That’s, of course, because the GOP continues to take its cues from the most dangerous and incompetent president in history.
Since the beginning of this fiasco, Trump has been downplaying the outbreak, even calling it a hoax. By believing him, as his red hat-wearing supporters always do, they are putting the rest of the country at risk.
Trump has also dedicated his precious time to attacking the media and blaming Democrats, because he instinctively believes anything that hurts the stock market – and thus, his reelection effort – must be a plot to overthrow him.
Not for a moment can he fathom that his response to this crisis – right up to his dumpster fire Oval Office address on Wednesday night – has been an unmitigated horror show.
But, again, this is not only a Trump problem. This is a complete system failure on the part of the Republican Party.
As former Obama official Tommy Vietor said, “Republicans are actively harming our response” to this global crisis by blindly following Trump as he takes this country off a cliff.
Democratic lawmakers on Thursday proposed a coronavirus relief package that includes free testing, paid medical leave, food assistance and more. GOP leadership should have jumped on this opportunity to take action, but they announced their opposition right away.
There is the possibility that Congress and the White House will soon reach some type of deal on a coronavirus relief package, but it’s appalling that they had to be dragged into it kicking and screaming.
Meanwhile, the number of nationwide cases continues to rise and the U.S. testing capacity is still dangerously far behind where it should be. Not to mention the fact that the stock market is spiraling out of control and the odds of a recession seem to grow each day.
Some top economists claim the United States is already in a recession.
This global health crisis shows us how unfit Donald Trump is
Donald Trump isn’t fit to be president of the United States even in the best of times, but this global health emergency has shown all of us just how dangerous he can be when an actual crisis hits his desk.
It’s hard to tell whether the presidency is too big for him or if he’s just too small for it, but it is clear that he shouldn’t be anywhere near a position of power at any level of American government.
And the Republican Party, paralyzed by cowardice and blind partisanship, would rather whistle past the graveyard than responsibly deal with this emergency as quickly as possible.
At the end of the day, the GOP knows that if they sound the alarm now, it would be an acknowledgement that their dear leader has completely bungled this – and, boy, they couldn’t do that.
So the American people are forced to wait out this crisis as Donald Trump – the chaos president – and his cult-like mob of sycophants in Congress try to convince us that this is all fine, nothing to see here, Trump is doing A-plus work.
The least any of them could do is let the adults handle things for the next eight months until voters can send them back to where they belong.
Lives depend on it.
Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter


politicususa--2020-03-13--Top Economist Says Donald Trump’s Recession Is Already Underway

With the coronavirus wreaking havoc across the globe and the U.S. government – led by an incompetent president – failing to adequately respond , the odds of a recession have grown higher in recent days .
Just Thursday , in fact , the stock market had its worst day in 30 years following Trump ’ s disastrous Oval Office address the night before .
But according to Mark Zandi , one of the nation ’ s top economists , the suspense about a recession is effectively over – because the U.S. is already in one .
Trump ’ s former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , telling CNN ’ s Anderson Cooper on Thursday , “ We are in a recession right now.
” Earlier today , JPMorgan said it was forecasting a recession in 2020 with the GDP shrinking by two percent in the first quarter and three percent in the second quarter .
Donald Trump will now have to run on a recession that he helped create As Joe Biden said earlier today , no president can pledge to stop future outbreaks .
It ’ s just not a promise that can be kept .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is prepared for such a crisis .
In this case , Donald Trump was woefully unfit for this moment , and the economy responded accordingly .
His failure to act quickly and decisively means this crisis is likely to get worse before it gets better .
Now , after Donald Trump has spent three years boasting about the economy he inherited , he will have to run on a recession he helped create .

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With the coronavirus wreaking havoc across the globe and the U.S. government – led by an incompetent president – failing to adequately respond, the odds of a recession have grown higher in recent days.
Just Thursday, in fact, the stock market had its worst day in 30 years following Trump’s disastrous Oval Office address the night before.
But according to Mark Zandi, one of the nation’s top economists, the suspense about a recession is effectively over – because the U.S. is already in one.
Moody’s economist Mark Zandi agrees that recession is now underway: “the economy will contract very sharply in March” — John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) March 13, 2020
Trump’s former economic adviser Gary Cohn shared that assessment, telling CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Thursday, “We are in a recession right now.”
former Trump WH economic adviser Gary Cohn to @AC360 just now: “we are in a recession right now” — John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) March 13, 2020
Earlier today, JPMorgan said it was forecasting a recession in 2020 with the GDP shrinking by two percent in the first quarter and three percent in the second quarter.
Translation: JPMorgan is now forecasting a US recession in 2020. https://t.co/Ic9qMd3hh6 — Heather Long (@byHeatherLong) March 12, 2020
Donald Trump will now have to run on a recession that he helped create
As Joe Biden said earlier today, no president can pledge to stop future outbreaks. It’s just not a promise that can be kept. But it is important to have a leader who is prepared for such a crisis.
In this case, Donald Trump was woefully unfit for this moment, and the economy responded accordingly. His failure to act quickly and decisively means this crisis is likely to get worse before it gets better.
Now, after Donald Trump has spent three years boasting about the economy he inherited, he will have to run on a recession he helped create.


politicususa--2020-03-13--Trump Blocked Aggressive Coronavirus Testing Because He Worried It Would Hurt His Reelection

There have been a number of failures from the Trump administration throughout this coronavirus crisis , but none greater than their inability to supply an adequate number of testing kits .
As the Guardian noted , “ From Congress to state capitals across the country , politicians of both main parties have shown rare bipartisan agreement that the pace of federal testing is woefully inadequate.
” Testing , the report added , “ could contain the outbreak and mitigate its most devastating impacts.
” It turns out the reason for the federal government ’ s failure to supply adequate testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew more testing would mean more reported coronavirus cases , and he felt that would hurt his reelection campaign .
The revelation came from Politico reporter Dan Diamond , who said in an interview with NPR that “ infighting at the Department of Health and Human Services and the need to flatter Trump impeded the response to the coronavirus.
” “ Some of the decisions behind the scenes haven ’ t always reflected the best judgment of career professionals , ” Diamond said .
“ In the case of Alex Azar ( the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he did go to the president in January .
He did push past resistance from the president ’ s political aides to warn the president the new coronavirus could be a major problem.
” The most damning revelation from Diamond ’ s interview : But at the same time , Secretary Azar has not always given the president the worst-case scenario of what could happen .
My understanding is he [ President Trump ] did not push to do aggressive additional testing in recent weeks , and that ’ s partly because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases being discovered of coronavirus outbreak , and the president had made clear – the lower the numbers on coronavirus , the better for the president , the better for his potential reelection this fall .
Trump is directly responsible for this crisis Throughout American history , presidents have often received too much blame when things go wrong and too much credit when they go right .
But in the case of this global health emergency , Donald Trump is directly responsible for standing in the way of – or at least stalling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this outbreak and saved lives .
Now , the number of cases in the U.S. is growing exponentially , following the same path of the outbreak in Italy where more than 1,000 people have already died .
If and when the crisis in the U.S. reaches that level , Donald Trump will be directly responsible for it .

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There have been a number of failures from the Trump administration throughout this coronavirus crisis, but none greater than their inability to supply an adequate number of testing kits.
As the Guardian noted, “From Congress to state capitals across the country, politicians of both main parties have shown rare bipartisan agreement that the pace of federal testing is woefully inadequate.”
Testing, the report added, “could contain the outbreak and mitigate its most devastating impacts.”
It turns out the reason for the federal government’s failure to supply adequate testing kits is quite simple: Donald Trump knew more testing would mean more reported coronavirus cases, and he felt that would hurt his reelection campaign.
The revelation came from Politico reporter Dan Diamond, who said in an interview with NPR that “infighting at the Department of Health and Human Services and the need to flatter Trump impeded the response to the coronavirus.”
“Some of the decisions behind the scenes haven’t always reflected the best judgment of career professionals,” Diamond said. “In the case of Alex Azar (the Secretary of Health and Human Services), he did go to the president in January. He did push past resistance from the president’s political aides to warn the president the new coronavirus could be a major problem.”
The most damning revelation from Diamond’s interview:
But at the same time, Secretary Azar has not always given the president the worst-case scenario of what could happen. My understanding is he [President Trump] did not push to do aggressive additional testing in recent weeks, and that’s partly because more testing might have led to more cases being discovered of coronavirus outbreak, and the president had made clear – the lower the numbers on coronavirus, the better for the president, the better for his potential reelection this fall.
Trump is directly responsible for this crisis
Throughout American history, presidents have often received too much blame when things go wrong and too much credit when they go right.
But in the case of this global health emergency, Donald Trump is directly responsible for standing in the way of – or at least stalling – aggressive testing that could have curbed this outbreak and saved lives.
Now, the number of cases in the U.S. is growing exponentially, following the same path of the outbreak in Italy where more than 1,000 people have already died.
If and when the crisis in the U.S. reaches that level, Donald Trump will be directly responsible for it.
Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter


politicususa--2020-03-13--In One Tweet, Barack Obama Shows More Leadership On Coronavirus Than Trump Ever Has

In just one tweet on Thursday , former President Barack Obama showed more leadership and compassion than Donald Trump has at any point throughout this global health emergency .
As the American people continue to get mixed messages from the current president , Obama shared useful information about how canceling large events and self-quarantining can literally save lives , even if some folks are calling such measures an “ overreaction.
” “ If you ’ re wondering whether it ’ s an overreaction to cancel large gatherings and public events ( and I love basketball ) , here ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures can slow the spread of the virus and save lives , ” the former president tweeted .
He added , “ We have to look out for each other.
” Obama ’ s post comes as the number of coronavirus cases in the United States continues to rise and a growing number of businesses , schools and other gatherings get shut down .
MSNBC ’ s Lawrence O ’ Donnell described Obama ’ s tweet as , “ Helpful guidance from the President.
” Barack Obama and Joe Biden remind America what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s dumpster fire Oval Office address on Wednesday night , it became clearer than ever that America isn ’ t just facing a global health crisis , but also a serious leadership vacuum .
On Thursday , the former president and vice president stepped up to fill it , first with Biden ’ s well-received address and then with Obama ’ s calm , simple message about how America needs to look out for one another .
The American people deserve strong , steady leadership , especially in times of crisis .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reminded the country what that looks like .

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In just one tweet on Thursday, former President Barack Obama showed more leadership and compassion than Donald Trump has at any point throughout this global health emergency.
As the American people continue to get mixed messages from the current president, Obama shared useful information about how canceling large events and self-quarantining can literally save lives, even if some folks are calling such measures an “overreaction.”
“If you’re wondering whether it’s an overreaction to cancel large gatherings and public events (and I love basketball), here’s a useful primer as to why these measures can slow the spread of the virus and save lives,” the former president tweeted.
He added, “We have to look out for each other.”
If you’re wondering whether it’s an overreaction to cancel large gatherings and public events (and I love basketball), here’s a useful primer as to why these measures can slow the spread of the virus and save lives. We have to look out for each other. https://t.co/Ld7Uc8sPTQ — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) March 12, 2020
Obama’s post comes as the number of coronavirus cases in the United States continues to rise and a growing number of businesses, schools and other gatherings get shut down.
MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell described Obama’s tweet as, “Helpful guidance from the President.”
Barack Obama and Joe Biden remind America what leadership looks like
Following Donald Trump’s dumpster fire Oval Office address on Wednesday night, it became clearer than ever that America isn’t just facing a global health crisis, but also a serious leadership vacuum.
On Thursday, the former president and vice president stepped up to fill it, first with Biden’s well-received address and then with Obama’s calm, simple message about how America needs to look out for one another.
The American people deserve strong, steady leadership, especially in times of crisis. On Thursday, Barack Obama and Joe Biden reminded the country what that looks like.
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politicususa--2020-03-12--Even Republicans Praise Biden’s Coronavirus Speech As Presidential

Former RNC Communications Director Doug Heye praised Joe Biden ’ s speech on the coronavirus as presidential and said it @ @ @ @ @ looking for .
Biden ’ s speech was impressive because it was more than a @ @ @ @ @ trying to look presidential .
Joe Biden had a plan , and he was able @ @ @ @ @ could handle this crisis .
Biden was able to provide details about how he would @ @ @ @ @ Biden did more than offer America an eye test .
He presented himself as an @ @ @ @ @ of incompetence , corruption , and crazy .
Biden was able to show Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ strengths .
The American people have been hungry for leadership since Trump took office .
@ @ @ @ @ by his lying , blustering , and bumbling .
Biden walked the walk in his @ @ @ @ @ nation of a preview of what they could have if they elect him in November @ @ @ @ @ this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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Former RNC Communications Director Doug Heye praised Joe Biden’s speech on the coronavirus as presidential and said it could be what people are looking for.
Heye tweeted:
Biden's speech was presidential, and totally normal. Demonstrated competence. Won't have staff or others explain what he really meant or what policies actually are. That just may be what people are looking for right now. — Doug Heye (@DougHeye) March 12, 2020
Biden’s speech was impressive because it was more than a candidate standing on stage while trying to look presidential. Joe Biden had a plan, and he was able to reassure America that he could handle this crisis. Biden was able to provide details about how he would handle the crisis.
Joe Biden did more than offer America an eye test. He presented himself as an alternative to four more years of incompetence, corruption, and crazy. Biden was able to show Trump’s weaknesses by highlighting his strengths.
The American people have been hungry for leadership since Trump took office. The nation has been exhausted by his lying, blustering, and bumbling.
Biden walked the walk in his coronavirus speech and provided the nation of a preview of what they could have if they elect him in November.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
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politicususa--2020-03-13--Pelosi Beats Trump And Gets Free Coronavirus Testing And Paid Sick Leave

Speaker Pelosi wouldn ’ t give in to Trump ’ s ransom , so the White House finally agreed to the Democrats ’ coronavirus aid package .
Speaker Pelosi announced in a letter to her colleagues provided to PoliticusUSA : We are proud to have reached an agreement with the Administration to resolve outstanding challenges , and now will soon pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act .
We take great pride in the leadership of Chairs Lowey , Neal , Pallone , Scott , Peterson and McGovern , all the Committee and Subcommittee Chairs of Jurisdiction and the Rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect families , which contains the priorities and provisions that Leader Schumer and I called for last weekend .
We are especially grateful to the staffs of the Committees .
This legislation is about testing , testing , testing .
To stop the spread of the virus , we have secured free coronavirus testing for everyone who needs a test , including the uninsured .
We can not fight coronavirus effectively unless everyone in our country who needs to be tested can get their test free of charge .
This legislation takes additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put Families First : – For families ’ economic security : we secured paid emergency leave with two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave .
We have also secured enhanced Unemployment Insurance , a step that will extend protections to furloughed workers .
– For families ’ food security : we strengthened nutrition security initiatives , including SNAP , student meals , seniors ’ nutrition and food banks .
22 million children rely on free or reduced-price school meals for their food security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food to eat .
– For families ’ health security : we increased federal funds for Medicaid to support our local , state , tribal and territorial governments and health systems , so that they have the resources necessary to combat this crisis .
Trump bailed on an earlier deal on the bill and tried to ransom Democrats into including tax cuts and other political goodies that the president wanted .
Pelosi said no , and threatened to pass the bill without Trump ’ s support .
Pelosi won .
The White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are going to get the help that they need because Democrats are in control of the House .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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Speaker Pelosi wouldn’t give in to Trump’s ransom, so the White House finally agreed to the Democrats’ coronavirus aid package.
Speaker Pelosi announced in a letter to her colleagues provided to PoliticusUSA:
We are proud to have reached an agreement with the Administration to resolve outstanding challenges, and now will soon pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. We take great pride in the leadership of Chairs Lowey, Neal, Pallone, Scott, Peterson and McGovern, all the Committee and Subcommittee Chairs of Jurisdiction and the Rules Committee to craft this landmark legislation to protect families, which contains the priorities and provisions that Leader Schumer and I called for last weekend. We are especially grateful to the staffs of the Committees.
This legislation is about testing, testing, testing. To stop the spread of the virus, we have secured free coronavirus testing for everyone who needs a test, including the uninsured. We cannot fight coronavirus effectively unless everyone in our country who needs to be tested can get their test free of charge.
This legislation takes additional smart, strategic and science-based measures to put Families First:
– For families’ economic security: we secured paid emergency leave with two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave. We have also secured enhanced Unemployment Insurance, a step that will extend protections to furloughed workers.
– For families’ food security: we strengthened nutrition security initiatives, including SNAP, student meals, seniors’ nutrition and food banks. 22 million children rely on free or reduced-price school meals for their food security; we must ensure that they have food to eat.
– For families’ health security: we increased federal funds for Medicaid to support our local, state, tribal and territorial governments and health systems, so that they have the resources necessary to combat this crisis.
Trump bailed on an earlier deal on the bill and tried to ransom Democrats into including tax cuts and other political goodies that the president wanted. Pelosi said no, and threatened to pass the bill without Trump’s support.
Pelosi won. The White House backed down, and the American people are going to get the help that they need because Democrats are in control of the House.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
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politicususa--2020-03-13--Trump Melts Down When Reporter Busts Him For Closing White House Pandemic Office

Yamiche Alcindor from PBS Newshour asked Trump about disbanding the White House Pandemic Office , and the president melted down .
Yamiche Alcindor : Mr. President .
My first question , you said you don ’ t take responsibility , but you did disband the White House Pandemic Office and the officials left this administration abruptly , what responsibility do you take to that and the officials who worked in this office the White House lost valuable time because that office was disbanded ?
Trump : I think it ’ s a nasty question .
Tony has said numerous times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the quick closing and when you say me , I didn ’ t do it .
We have group of people .
I could perhaps ask Tony about that .
I don ’ t know anything about it .
You say we did that .
Yamiche Alcindor : You don ’ t know the reorganization at the National Security Council ?
Trump : People let people go .
These professionals behind me and these great incredible doctors and business people , the best in the world and I can say that whether it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you want to say these are the best in the world .
Trump is living in a fantasy world where he has done nothing wrong in response to the coronavirus .
In reality , his administration ’ s delayed response has resulted in the spread of a virus that can ’ t be properly measured due to the lack of widespread testing .
Trump did close down the White House Pandemic Office because it was started by Obama .
It was Trump ’ s decision .
He is responsible for it .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spreading like wildfire is that Trump left the nation unprepared for a pandemic .
Trump ’ s pretending that he had nothing to do with the pandemic office closing was an admission of guilt from a president who is swimming in a sea of failure .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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Yamiche Alcindor from PBS Newshour asked Trump about disbanding the White House Pandemic Office, and the president melted down.
The exchange:
Yamiche Alcindor: Mr. President. My first question, you said you don’t take responsibility, but you did disband the White House Pandemic Office and the officials left this administration abruptly, what responsibility do you take to that and the officials who worked in this office the White House lost valuable time because that office was disbanded?
Trump: I think it’s a nasty question. Tony has said numerous times we saved thousands of lives because of the quick closing and when you say me, I didn’t do it. We have group of people. I could perhaps ask Tony about that. I don’t know anything about it. You say we did that.
Yamiche Alcindor: You don’t know the reorganization at the National Security Council?
Trump: People let people go. These professionals behind me and these great incredible doctors and business people, the best in the world and I can say that whether it’s retailers or labs or anything you want to say these are the best in the world.
Video:
Trump melts down and attacks the questioner when he was asked if he is responsible for disbanding the White House pandemic office. pic.twitter.com/Pp4owGfM5f — Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 13, 2020
Trump is living in a fantasy world where he has done nothing wrong in response to the coronavirus. In reality, his administration’s delayed response has resulted in the spread of a virus that can’t be properly measured due to the lack of widespread testing.
Trump did close down the White House Pandemic Office because it was started by Obama. It was Trump’s decision. He is responsible for it. One of the reasons why the coronavirus is spreading like wildfire is that Trump left the nation unprepared for a pandemic.
Trump’s pretending that he had nothing to do with the pandemic office closing was an admission of guilt from a president who is swimming in a sea of failure.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
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politicususa--2020-03-13--Trump Tells People Not To Get Tested While Declaring Coronavirus National Emergency

While he was declaring a national emergency , Donald Trump ad-libbed in the Rose Garden and told people not to get tested for the coronavirus .
Trump said , “ Other countries have called us and worked with us , and they ’ re doing similar things or will be doing similar things , as a result of that action today we ’ re announcing with a new partnership with private sector , and accelerate our capacity to test for the coronavirus .
We want to make sure that need a test can get it safely , quickly and conveniently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take a test if we feel that they shouldn ’ t be doing it .
And we don ’ t everyone running out , only if you have certain symptoms.
” Trump was supposed to be declaring a national emergency and emphasizing the seriousness of the situation , , but he was ad-libbing and telling people not to get tested .
Trump ’ s goal remains , not to deal with a national emergency , but to hold the number of confirmed cases down to boost his reelection campaign .
For more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maddow and MSNBC group .

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While he was declaring a national emergency, Donald Trump ad-libbed in the Rose Garden and told people not to get tested for the coronavirus.
Trump said, “Other countries have called us and worked with us, and they’re doing similar things or will be doing similar things, as a result of that action today we’re announcing with a new partnership with private sector, and accelerate our capacity to test for the coronavirus. We want to make sure that need a test can get it safely, quickly and conveniently. We don’t want people to take a test if we feel that they shouldn’t be doing it. And we don’t everyone running out, only if you have certain symptoms.”
Video:
Trump tells people not to run out and take a coronavirus test while he is declaring a coronavirus national emergency in the Rose Garden. pic.twitter.com/9rdMvL16sj — Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 13, 2020
Trump was supposed to be declaring a national emergency and emphasizing the seriousness of the situation,, but he was ad-libbing and telling people not to get tested.
Trump’s goal remains, not to deal with a national emergency, but to hold the number of confirmed cases down to boost his reelection campaign.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
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politicususa--2020-03-13--Trump Falsely Claims 100,000 People Requested Tickets For Imaginary Rally

Trump falsely claimed that 100,000 people had requested tickets for a rally that didn ’ t exist , and his campaign had not announced .
The campaign had previously been eyeing , but had not yet announced , a rally in Tampa , Florida , on March 25 .
Trump said he would be “ making a decision at the appropriate time ” on whether to hold that one , adding that he would “ probably not do it because people would say that it ’ s better not to do .
You know , we need a little separation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s going to go away.
” Trump claimed that more than 100,000 people had requested tickets for the Tampa rally , an impossibility since the campaign had not yet announced the event or made tickets available .
A campaign spokesman declined to comment .
Trump has been inflating his crowd sizes since 2015 , but he is inventing a crowd size for a rally that didn ’ t exist yet .
The venue had not been booked .
The campaign had not advertised it .
It was impossible for people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t scheduled .
Donald Trump has reached the point of taking credit for things that aren ’ t real .
Instead of governing and supporting the coronavirus aid bill that the House will pass on Friday , Trump is dreaming of massive crowd sizes for imaginary rallies .
America is facing a national health emergency , and Trump is out of touch with reality .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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Trump falsely claimed that 100,000 people had requested tickets for a rally that didn’t exist, and his campaign had not announced.
Via The AP:
The campaign had previously been eyeing, but had not yet announced, a rally in Tampa, Florida, on March 25. Trump said he would be “making a decision at the appropriate time” on whether to hold that one, adding that he would “probably not do it because people would say that it’s better not to do. You know, we need a little separation until such time as this goes away. It’s going to go away.”
….
Trump claimed that more than 100,000 people had requested tickets for the Tampa rally, an impossibility since the campaign had not yet announced the event or made tickets available. A campaign spokesman declined to comment.
Trump has been inflating his crowd sizes since 2015, but he is inventing a crowd size for a rally that didn’t exist yet. The venue had not been booked. The campaign had not advertised it. It was impossible for people to request tickets because the rally wasn’t scheduled.
Donald Trump has reached the point of taking credit for things that aren’t real. Instead of governing and supporting the coronavirus aid bill that the House will pass on Friday, Trump is dreaming of massive crowd sizes for imaginary rallies.
America is facing a national health emergency, and Trump is out of touch with reality.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
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politicususa--2020-03-13--Pelosi Does What Trump Won’t With Promise To Pass Coronavirus Aid Bill

Speaker Pelosi announced that the House will be passing a coronavirus aid bill that provides free testing to every American with or without Trump .
Pelosi made it clear that Democrats are taking action to help the American people , even if Trump doesn ’ t support the bill .
Today , we are passing a bill that does just that .
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act .
Which is focused directly on providing support for America ’ s families who must be our first priority .
The three most important parts of this bill are testing , testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus testing for everyone who needs a test , including the uninsured .
We can only defeat this outbreak if we have an accurate determination of its scale and scope so that we can pursue the precise science-based response that is necessary .
To put families first , our legislation secures paid leave with two weeks of paid sick leave and family and medical leave for those affected by the virus .
And for those who lose their jobs , we are strengthening unemployment insurance , a critical step to protect workers ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our legislation protects our children .
And particularly the tens of millions of little children who rely on the free or reduced lunch they receive at school .
As schools are being closed these children will be deprived of meals .
Our bill takes action to strengthen food security including meals , S.N.A.P .
And food banks .
As we develop the next steps , we will continue to listen to and benefit from the expertise of scientists , health care professionals , public health officials and community leaders so we can craft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation , our great nation , has faced crises before .
And every time , thanks to the courage and optimism , patriotism and perseverance of the American people , we have prevailed .
Now working together we will once again prevail , and we will come out stronger than before .
By passing the legislation , Speaker Pelosi is going to force Senate Republicans to vote against free coronavirus testing and emergency financial aid for people who are being impacted by the virus .
If the Senate passes the House bill , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face the prospect of vetoing free coronavirus testing .
Trump should stop trying to ransom corporate welfare and meaningless tax cuts out of Democrats , and support the bill that will immediately help people .
Should Trump and his party refuse , their coronavirus problems will only worsen in the days to come .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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Speaker Pelosi announced that the House will be passing a coronavirus aid bill that provides free testing to every American with or without Trump.
Pelosi made it clear that Democrats are taking action to help the American people, even if Trump doesn’t support the bill.
Video of Speaker Pelosi:
Pelosi announces the House will pass a coronavirus aid bill that includes free testing for all with or without Trump's support. pic.twitter.com/kkBTgabR8g — Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 13, 2020
Pelosi said:
Today, we are passing a bill that does just that. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Which is focused directly on providing support for America’s families who must be our first priority. The three most important parts of this bill are testing, testing, testing. This legislation facilitates free coronavirus testing for everyone who needs a test, including the uninsured.
We can only defeat this outbreak if we have an accurate determination of its scale and scope so that we can pursue the precise science-based response that is necessary. To put families first, our legislation secures paid leave with two weeks of paid sick leave and family and medical leave for those affected by the virus. And for those who lose their jobs, we are strengthening unemployment insurance, a critical step to protect workers’ economic security. Putting families first, our legislation protects our children. And particularly the tens of millions of little children who rely on the free or reduced lunch they receive at school. As schools are being closed these children will be deprived of meals.
Our bill takes action to strengthen food security including meals, S.N.A.P. And food banks. As we develop the next steps, we will continue to listen to and benefit from the expertise of scientists, health care professionals, public health officials and community leaders so we can craft the most effective evidence-based response. Our nation, our great nation, has faced crises before. And every time, thanks to the courage and optimism, patriotism and perseverance of the American people, we have prevailed. Now working together we will once again prevail, and we will come out stronger than before.
By passing the legislation, Speaker Pelosi is going to force Senate Republicans to vote against free coronavirus testing and emergency financial aid for people who are being impacted by the virus.
If the Senate passes the House bill, Trump is going to be forced to face the prospect of vetoing free coronavirus testing.
Trump should stop trying to ransom corporate welfare and meaningless tax cuts out of Democrats, and support the bill that will immediately help people.
Should Trump and his party refuse, their coronavirus problems will only worsen in the days to come.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
Follow Jason Easley on Facebook


politicususa--2020-03-13--Trump Backs Out Of Deal On Coronavirus Aid As More Americans Get Sick And Die

Americans are sick and dying , but Trump backed out of a coronavirus aid agreement and gave Pelosi a new wave of demands .
They have a deal that provides people with more SNAP benefits , family and medical leave , and more Medicaid money for states , but Trump wants a payroll tax cut and a bailout for the oil industry .
The pullout of a deal at the last minute is a tactic that Trump has tried and failed with throughout his years as president .
Trump thinks that he has “ leverage , ” so he tries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could pass her bill without Donald Trump , but the legislation stands a better chance of making it through the Senate with Republican support .
Trump is the one who is watching his odds of reelection vanish due to the coronavirus .
Pelosi doesn ’ t need Trump to sign off on anything to act .
Trump needs this , and he is shooting himself in the foot by pretending like he is in charge and a good negotiator .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group @

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Americans are sick and dying, but Trump backed out of a coronavirus aid agreement and gave Pelosi a new wave of demands.
Andy Slavitt tweeted:
NEW: At 7 am Eastern Mnuchin, on behalf of Trump, pulled out of the agreement they had reached at 4 am to provide relief for Americans impacted by the Coronavirus. The package was the right thing. He now wants more things Pelosi won’t agree to. I don’t know what they are. — Andy Slavitt (@ASlavitt) March 13, 2020
The package includes: Family and medical leave
SNAP
More desperately needed Medicaid $ for states
Unemployment insurance — Andy Slavitt (@ASlavitt) March 13, 2020
LATEST: Hearing that right now Mnuchin needs Trump’s sign off on this package to help people. So much hinges on him agreeing. https://t.co/3rAASuFc5N — Andy Slavitt (@ASlavitt) March 13, 2020
They have a deal that provides people with more SNAP benefits, family and medical leave, and more Medicaid money for states, but Trump wants a payroll tax cut and a bailout for the oil industry.
The pullout of a deal at the last minute is a tactic that Trump has tried and failed with throughout his years as president. Trump thinks that he has “leverage,” so he tries to extract more from negotiations.
Pelosi could pass her bill without Donald Trump, but the legislation stands a better chance of making it through the Senate with Republican support.
Trump is the one who is watching his odds of reelection vanish due to the coronavirus. Pelosi doesn’t need Trump to sign off on anything to act. Trump needs this, and he is shooting himself in the foot by pretending like he is in charge and a good negotiator.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
Follow Jason Easley on Facebook


politicususa--2020-03-13--Jared Kushner Crowdsourced A Facebook Group For Ideas On Trump’s Coronavirus Plan

The Trump administration ’ s response to the spread of coronavirus within the United States has been criticized for being unable to effectively test people who present symptoms of the disease , as well as the fact that the president himself seems to have an optimistic viewpoint over what many medical professionals fear could happen .
Hoping to find actionable recourse to address the crisis , President Donald Trump has reportedly given his son-in-law/senior adviser Jared Kushner some responsibilities in the matter , even though he reportedly doesn ’ t attend coronavirus task force meetings .
Trump has been hesitant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with some media outlets reporting that he was reluctant to do so until Kushner came back with answers for him .
There are others who insinuate , too , that Trump ’ s ideology ( or his vanity ) may be preventing him from making such a declaration .
Where has Kushner been doing his research ?
It seems he ’ s been “ crowdsourcing ” physicians on social media .
Dr. Kurt Kloss , the father-in-law to Kusher ’ s brother Josh , made a post to a Facebook group of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their thoughts on what they ’ d have the federal government do to address the spread of COVID-19 .
“ I have direct channel to person now in charge at White House , ” Kloss wrote .
“ If you were in charge of Federal response to the Pandemic what would your recommendation be.
” Kloss requested “ only serious responses ” from his online colleagues .
The following day , he said that his question came on behalf of Kushner himself .
Crowdsourcing is a sometimes reliable way to come up with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world .
But for the administration to engage in it , when it already has a bevy of doctors , health experts and scientists at its disposal , may seem counterintuitive to some .
As of Friday morning , there have been close to 1,700 confirmed coronavirus diagnoses across the country — although , with a lack in testing kits available throughout the U.S. , it ’ s possible that number is much higher .
At any rate , health experts agree the situation on the ground is going to get a lot @ @ @ @ @ @

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The Trump administration’s response to the spread of coronavirus within the United States has been criticized for being unable to effectively test people who present symptoms of the disease, as well as the fact that the president himself seems to have an optimistic viewpoint over what many medical professionals fear could happen.
Hoping to find actionable recourse to address the crisis, President Donald Trump has reportedly given his son-in-law/senior adviser Jared Kushner some responsibilities in the matter, even though he reportedly doesn’t attend coronavirus task force meetings.
"Kushner hasn’t attended a single task force meeting. … Many of the officials who have been working on the issue for weeks said they were cut out or ignored during the speech writing." Wall Street Journal's @MichaelCBenderhttps://t.co/32O79715Yx — Ryan Goodman (@rgoodlaw) March 13, 2020
Trump has been hesitant to declare a national emergency so far, with some media outlets reporting that he was reluctant to do so until Kushner came back with answers for him. There are others who insinuate, too, that Trump’s ideology (or his vanity) may be preventing him from making such a declaration.
Where has Kushner been doing his research? It seems he’s been “crowdsourcing” physicians on social media.
Dr. Kurt Kloss, the father-in-law to Kusher’s brother Josh, made a post to a Facebook group of physicians this week, asking them for their thoughts on what they’d have the federal government do to address the spread of COVID-19.
“I have direct channel to person now in charge at White House,” Kloss wrote. “If you were in charge of Federal response to the Pandemic what would your recommendation be.”
Jared Kushner’s father in law is helping him crowdsource coronavirus intel on Facebook https://t.co/wbapdNk0F7 — Blake Hounshell (@blakehounshell) March 13, 2020
Kloss requested “only serious responses” from his online colleagues. The following day, he said that his question came on behalf of Kushner himself.
Crowdsourcing is a sometimes reliable way to come up with answers for a question in the business world. But for the administration to engage in it, when it already has a bevy of doctors, health experts and scientists at its disposal, may seem counterintuitive to some.
As of Friday morning, there have been close to 1,700 confirmed coronavirus diagnoses across the country — although, with a lack in testing kits available throughout the U.S., it’s possible that number is much higher. At any rate, health experts agree the situation on the ground is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.


politicususa--2020-03-13--Trump Has A Total Meltdown And Falsely Blames Obama For Coronavirus

Trump falsely blamed Obama and attacked his own CDC as he shows zero presidential leadership in the face of a coronavirus pandemic .
Trump lied about Obama making changes to the CDC .
The Obama administration proposed rule changes that were never finalized , which means that they were never implemented .
Here is what Trump didn ’ t say about the swine flu epidemic .
The swine flu was detected in the US in April 2009 .
By October 2009 , vaccinations were being administered .
The estimate for the coronavirus is that there will be no vaccine for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bungled coronavirus response is all of Trump ’ s creation .
The foundation was laid for this kind of disaster when Trump failed to fully staff his administration , and those he did appoint and mostly unqualified for the positions that they hold .
Trump is still searching for a political excuse to absolve himself of the blame for his mishandling of the coronavirus , but this pandemic isn ’ t Obama ’ s fault .
The bungled US response belongs to Trump .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel @ @ @ @ @

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Trump falsely blamed Obama and attacked his own CDC as he shows zero presidential leadership in the face of a coronavirus pandemic.
Trump lied about Obama making “changes:”
For decades the @CDCgov looked at, and studied, its testing system, but did nothing about it. It would always be inadequate and slow for a large scale pandemic, but a pandemic would never happen, they hoped. President Obama made changes that only complicated things further….. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2020
…. Their response to H1N1 Swine Flu was a full scale disaster, with thousands dying, and nothing meaningful done to fix the testing problem, until now. The changes have been made and testing will soon happen on a very large scale basis. All Red Tape has been cut, ready to go! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2020
Trump lied about Obama making changes to the CDC. The Obama administration proposed rule changes that were never finalized, which means that they were never implemented.
Here is what Trump didn’t say about the swine flu epidemic. The swine flu was detected in the US in April 2009. By October 2009, vaccinations were being administered. The estimate for the coronavirus is that there will be no vaccine for a year and a half.
The bungled coronavirus response is all of Trump’s creation. The foundation was laid for this kind of disaster when Trump failed to fully staff his administration, and those he did appoint and mostly unqualified for the positions that they hold.
Trump is still searching for a political excuse to absolve himself of the blame for his mishandling of the coronavirus, but this pandemic isn’t Obama’s fault. The bungled US response belongs to Trump.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
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politicususa--2020-03-13--Trump Is Blocking States From Getting Medicaid Funds To Address Coronavirus

As the spread of coronavirus takes hold across the United States , many are wondering what actions state governments may be able to take in order to ensure the poor are receiving adequate health coverage during this time .
In the past , presidential administrations from both political parties have loosened rules governing the disbursement of Medicaid funds in order to address events such as these , including after the attacks of September 11 , Hurricane Katrina , and the H1N1 flu pandemic .
But per reporting from the Los Angeles Times , it appears the Trump administration isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet , for what may be vanity reasons .
President Donald Trump could declare a national emergency under the Stafford Act , for instance , which would allow certain Medicaid agencies to give out waivers making it easier for individuals to apply for the government-run health insurance program .
So far , the president has refused to declare an emergency , however , likely because it would contradict his messaging that the virus will “ go away ” and that his administration is “ doing a great job with it.
” Sara Rosenbaum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University , explained to the LA Times how the interference could disrupt people from getting adequate care .
“ Medicaid could be the nation ’ s biggest public health responder , but it ’ s such an object of ire in this administration , ” she said .
“ Their ideology is clouding their response to a crisis.
” Indeed , the situation is more dire , according to health experts , than the president is letting on .
Dr. Brian Monahan , Congress ’ on-call doctor , spoke to lawmakers earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them that they should expect some pretty alarming outcomes .
Monahan said that as many as 70 million to 150 million could get infected from COVID-19 , Axios reported .
Other health experts estimate that between 200,000 to 1.7 million could die as a result .

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As the spread of coronavirus takes hold across the United States, many are wondering what actions state governments may be able to take in order to ensure the poor are receiving adequate health coverage during this time.
In the past, presidential administrations from both political parties have loosened rules governing the disbursement of Medicaid funds in order to address events such as these, including after the attacks of September 11, Hurricane Katrina, and the H1N1 flu pandemic.
But per reporting from the Los Angeles Times, it appears the Trump administration isn’t ready to make that jump quite yet, for what may be vanity reasons.
not even a global pandemic will stop dead-eyed right-wing extremists from trying to eviscerate the social safety net https://t.co/sVpfKchGFj — b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) March 13, 2020
President Donald Trump could declare a national emergency under the Stafford Act, for instance, which would allow certain Medicaid agencies to give out waivers making it easier for individuals to apply for the government-run health insurance program.
So far, the president has refused to declare an emergency, however, likely because it would contradict his messaging that the virus will “go away” and that his administration is “doing a great job with it.”
Sara Rosenbaum, a Medicaid expert at George Washington University, explained to the LA Times how the interference could disrupt people from getting adequate care.
“Medicaid could be the nation’s biggest public health responder, but it’s such an object of ire in this administration,” she said. “Their ideology is clouding their response to a crisis.”
This is why the stock market completely crashed yesterday. The same idiot who declared an emergency to build a stupid wall in the middle of nowhere as a monument to racism won’t declare a Stafford Act emergency to fight the #CoronavirusPandemic https://t.co/Wg7v5XsIsw — Grant Stern (@grantstern) March 13, 2020
Indeed, the situation is more dire, according to health experts, than the president is letting on. Dr. Brian Monahan, Congress’ on-call doctor, spoke to lawmakers earlier this week during a closed-door meeting, warning them that they should expect some pretty alarming outcomes.
Monahan said that as many as 70 million to 150 million could get infected from COVID-19, Axios reported. Other health experts estimate that between 200,000 to 1.7 million could die as a result.


politicususa--2020-03-13--Most Disapprove Of Trump’s Coronavirus Response, Two-Thirds ‘Concerned’ They’ll Get Infected — Poll

How has President Donald Trump done so far when it comes to responding to the coronavirus pandemic and its spread across America ?
How concerned are Americans overall when it comes to catching the disease personally ?
According to an ABC News/Ipsos poll released on Friday , neither question offers optimistic answers that this administration was probably hoping for .
The poll found that two-thirds of voters ( 66 percent ) have concerns over possibly getting infected themselves , while only 34 percent say they ’ re not that worried about it .
Interestingly , Republicans are less likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with about 44 percent saying they ’ re not concerned .
When it comes to Trump ’ s job performance , the president has , as recently as Thursday , touted a separate poll that said he had a 78 percent approval rating on the matter .
But that statement is highly misleading — Trump is citing a poll from over a month ago , when there was only one case of coronavirus identified in the United States .
And , that poll ’ s question didn ’ t even ask about him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether they were “ generally confident in the federal government ’ s ability to handle a potential coronavirus outbreak.
” The ABC News/Ipsos poll , meanwhile , found a very different outcome , when actually asking respondents what they thought of Trump ’ s handling of the outbreak .
Only 43 percent approved of how he ’ s gone about addressing coronavirus in the U.S. , while 54 percent said they had reason to disapprove of his job performance .
Much of the negative attention toward the Trump administration over its handling of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are shortages in testing kits to determine who exactly has the disease to begin with .
Only a little more than 11,000 tests have been conducted so far by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since the outbreak began , a dismally low number in comparison to other nations like South Korea , which conducts 20,000 tests daily , according to NBC News .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health , and who also serves on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , testified before Congress about the test shortages , admitting that there were problems .
“ The system is not really geared to what we need right now ” with regards to coronavirus testing , Fauci explained .
“ That is a failing .
It is a failing .
Let ’ s admit it.
” Just an hour after Fauci made those comments , Trump himself suggested that testing in the U.S. had been going “ very smooth .
”

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How has President Donald Trump done so far when it comes to responding to the coronavirus pandemic and its spread across America? How concerned are Americans overall when it comes to catching the disease personally?
According to an ABC News/Ipsos poll released on Friday, neither question offers optimistic answers that this administration was probably hoping for.
The poll found that two-thirds of voters (66 percent) have concerns over possibly getting infected themselves, while only 34 percent say they’re not that worried about it. Interestingly, Republicans are less likely to be concerned than the general public, with about 44 percent saying they’re not concerned.
BREAKING: Two-thirds of Americans are concerned that they or someone they know will be infected with the novel coronavirus, according to new @ABC News/Ipsos poll. https://t.co/Cz0WQ1ZXoi pic.twitter.com/C9YNf26lbA — ABC News (@ABC) March 13, 2020
When it comes to Trump’s job performance, the president has, as recently as Thursday, touted a separate poll that said he had a 78 percent approval rating on the matter.
But that statement is highly misleading — Trump is citing a poll from over a month ago, when there was only one case of coronavirus identified in the United States. And, that poll’s question didn’t even ask about him specifically, questioning participants to respond to whether they were “generally confident in the federal government’s ability to handle a potential coronavirus outbreak.”
The ABC News/Ipsos poll, meanwhile, found a very different outcome, when actually asking respondents what they thought of Trump’s handling of the outbreak. Only 43 percent approved of how he’s gone about addressing coronavirus in the U.S., while 54 percent said they had reason to disapprove of his job performance.
NEW: A majority of Americans disapprove of Pres. Trump’s handling of the response to the coronavirus, per new @ABC News/Ipsos poll. https://t.co/DGCgCofO5y pic.twitter.com/UJL7yMUGjD — ABC News (@ABC) March 13, 2020
Much of the negative attention toward the Trump administration over its handling of the pandemic rests in the fact that there are shortages in testing kits to determine who exactly has the disease to begin with.
Only a little more than 11,000 tests have been conducted so far by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since the outbreak began, a dismally low number in comparison to other nations like South Korea, which conducts 20,000 tests daily, according to NBC News.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, and who also serves on the administration’s COVID-19 task force, testified before Congress about the test shortages, admitting that there were problems.
“The system is not really geared to what we need right now” with regards to coronavirus testing, Fauci explained. “That is a failing. It is a failing. Let’s admit it.”
Less than an hour after Dr. Fauci warned about problems with coronavirus testing, President Trump said “the testing has been going very smooth.” This is President Trump’s #DailyLie. It just isn’t true. The Trump administration needs to get a handle on testing Now. pic.twitter.com/T47tcT6GzA — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 12, 2020
Just an hour after Fauci made those comments, Trump himself suggested that testing in the U.S. had been going “very smooth.”


politicususa--2020-03-14--Schumer Blasts Mitch McConnell For Closing The Senate Before Passing Coronavirus Aid

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-NY ) blasted Mitch McConnell for sending the Senate home before voting on the coronavirus relief bill .
In a statement provided to PoliticusUSA , Schumer said : I ’ m extremely pleased that the ‘ Families First Coronavirus Response Act ’ includes the people-focused initiatives Speaker Pelosi and I outlined earlier in the week , including paid sick leave , food security assistance , free testing for those who need it , emergency unemployment insurance , major new investments in Medicaid and more .
These are the kinds of measures we need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the problems the coronavirus has created for working families .
It was remarkably irresponsible and out of touch for Senator McConnell to send senators out of town for the weekend in the middle of this public health crisis and before the House passed this vital people-focused legislation .
Senator McConnell and Republicans should pass this legislation as is immediately so it can get to the president ’ s desk so he can sign it right away .
Make no mistake : this legislation is very necessary but not sufficient .
There are still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take to ensure there is enough testing and treatment for everyone who needs it , as well as other broader economic measures that Senate Democrats outlined earlier this week to help states and local communities deal with the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak .
McConnell sent the Senate home for the weekend in the face of a coronavirus epidemic where the number of confirmed cases is growing exponentially by the day .
There is no reason for the Senate not to be in session during a time of national emergency .
Mitch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making the crisis worse .
The coronavirus bill is not a standard piece of legislation that can be passed through the normal mechanisms of Senate business .
Every minute that increased aid is not available to the states , more people will get sick and die .
The Senate should have stayed in session , and the bill should have been on Trump ’ s desk by Saturday afternoon .
Mitch McConnell and his party are making the coronavirus even more deadly for the American people .
For more discussion about this story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

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Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) blasted Mitch McConnell for sending the Senate home before voting on the coronavirus relief bill.
In a statement provided to PoliticusUSA, Schumer said:
I’m extremely pleased that the ‘Families First Coronavirus Response Act’ includes the people-focused initiatives Speaker Pelosi and I outlined earlier in the week, including paid sick leave, food security assistance, free testing for those who need it, emergency unemployment insurance, major new investments in Medicaid and more. These are the kinds of measures we need to initiate immediately to deal with many of the problems the coronavirus has created for working families.
It was remarkably irresponsible and out of touch for Senator McConnell to send senators out of town for the weekend in the middle of this public health crisis and before the House passed this vital people-focused legislation. Senator McConnell and Republicans should pass this legislation as is immediately so it can get to the president’s desk so he can sign it right away.
Make no mistake: this legislation is very necessary but not sufficient. There are still desperately needed steps the Trump administration must take to ensure there is enough testing and treatment for everyone who needs it, as well as other broader economic measures that Senate Democrats outlined earlier this week to help states and local communities deal with the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
McConnell sent the Senate home for the weekend in the face of a coronavirus epidemic where the number of confirmed cases is growing exponentially by the day. There is no reason for the Senate not to be in session during a time of national emergency.
Mitch McConnell, like Donald Trump, is making the crisis worse.
The coronavirus bill is not a standard piece of legislation that can be passed through the normal mechanisms of Senate business.
Every minute that increased aid is not available to the states, more people will get sick and die.
The Senate should have stayed in session, and the bill should have been on Trump’s desk by Saturday afternoon.
Mitch McConnell and his party are making the coronavirus even more deadly for the American people.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
Follow Jason Easley on Facebook


politicususa--2020-03-14--Trump Cuts Off Reporters’ Mics During Coronavirus Press Conference

At his coronavirus national emergency press conference , Trump cut off reporters ’ microphones so that they couldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ The strategy of cutting off microphones didn ’ t prevent PBS ’ s Yamiche Alcindor @ @ @ @ @ him about his decision to close down the White House Pandemic Office .
Trump was @ @ @ @ @ as a PR stunt to change the media coverage instead of an event to inform @ @ @ @ @ administration is doing to combat the spread of coronavirus .
It was telling that the @ @ @ @ @ long-term federal strategy for dealing with the pandemic .
Trump made a series of vague @ @ @ @ @ with the only dates being specified in vague terms like Sunday or next week .
@ @ @ @ @ the press into puppets for his propaganda show .
It didn ’ t work , @ @ @ @ @ after Trump tried to limit the press from asking follow up questions about his handling @ @ @ @ @ more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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At his coronavirus national emergency press conference, Trump cut off reporters’ microphones so that they couldn’t ask follow up questions.
MSNBC’s Chris Jansing tweeted:
I spent two and a half years covering the WH. MANY press conferences. Reporters’ microphones were never cut off. But today they were – repeatedly – when tough follow up questions were asked. So obvious. — Chris Jansing (@ChrisJansing) March 13, 2020
The strategy of cutting off microphones didn’t prevent PBS’s Yamiche Alcindor from triggering Trump by asking him about his decision to close down the White House Pandemic Office.
Trump was looking at the press conference as a PR stunt to change the media coverage instead of an event to inform the public about what the administration is doing to combat the spread of coronavirus.
It was telling that the President offered no timeline or long-term federal strategy for dealing with the pandemic. Trump made a series of vague promises and outright false statements with the only dates being specified in vague terms like Sunday or next week.
Trump was trying to turn the press into puppets for his propaganda show. It didn’t work, and no should feel reassured after Trump tried to limit the press from asking follow up questions about his handling of the coronavirus.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
Follow Jason Easley on Facebook


politicususa--2020-03-14--Trump’s Coronavirus Plan to Cost Over $800 Billion

Earlier this week , President Donald Trump proposed a payroll tax cut that his Treasury Secretary , Steven Mnuchin , said would serve as a stop-gap measure for those whose income has taken a hit , particularly as the coronavirus pandemic wields financial blows , shuttering businesses and upending income for millions of workers nationwide .
But according to a new analysis conducted by the Penn Wharton Budget Model ( PWBM ) , the president ’ s payroll tax cut will cost $ 807 billion .
more than the 2008 bailouts , which cost $ 700 billion .
While an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income , the analysis found “ the increase in federal income tax revenue , however , is not enough to offset reductions in payroll tax revenue ” and that , “ On net , the payroll tax holiday loses revenue.
” Most importantly , the analysis found that the proposal would not help low-income households or workers , those most likely to feel the financial crunch of the pandemic .
“ Households in the bottom 20 % of incomes — those households with the highest willingness to spend their tax savings — would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax cut , ” the study notes , adding that this would dampen “ the policy ’ s stimulus potential.
” “ Moreover , ” the study continues , “ only about 33 % of this group would receive any of the tax cut , as many of the lowest-income households have neither wages nor self-employment earnings and thus pay no payroll taxes under current law.
” Earlier today , the president declared a national emergency over the pandemic , a move that came after receiving heavy criticism over the last week for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impacts of the virus .
The president denied there were any missteps in his administration ’ s handling of the crisis .
“ I don ’ t take responsibility at all , ” he said .
“ We were given a set of circumstances and we were given rules , regulations and specifications from a different time.
” The coronavirus has claimed 48 lives in the United States , according to the most recent count , and more than 5,400 lives worldwide .

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Earlier this week, President Donald Trump proposed a payroll tax cut that his Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin, said would serve as a stop-gap measure for those whose income has taken a hit, particularly as the coronavirus pandemic wields financial blows, shuttering businesses and upending income for millions of workers nationwide.
But according to a new analysis conducted by the Penn Wharton Budget Model (PWBM), the president’s payroll tax cut will cost $807 billion, more than the 2008 bailouts, which cost $700 billion. While an increase in employee wages would increase taxable income, the analysis found “the increase in federal income tax revenue, however, is not enough to offset reductions in payroll tax revenue” and that, “On net, the payroll tax holiday loses revenue.”
Most importantly, the analysis found that the proposal would not help low-income households or workers, those most likely to feel the financial crunch of the pandemic.
“Households in the bottom 20% of incomes — those households with the highest willingness to spend their tax savings — would receive about 2% of the total tax cut,” the study notes, adding that this would dampen “the policy’s stimulus potential.”
“Moreover,” the study continues, “only about 33% of this group would receive any of the tax cut, as many of the lowest-income households have neither wages nor self-employment earnings and thus pay no payroll taxes under current law.”
Earlier today, the president declared a national emergency over the pandemic, a move that came after receiving heavy criticism over the last week for appearing to downplay the social and economic impacts of the virus. The president denied there were any missteps in his administration’s handling of the crisis.
“I don’t take responsibility at all,” he said. “We were given a set of circumstances and we were given rules, regulations and specifications from a different time.”
The coronavirus has claimed 48 lives in the United States, according to the most recent count, and more than 5,400 lives worldwide.


politicususa--2020-03-14--Google Contradicts Trump After He Claims Company Is Building Nationwide Coronavirus Screening Websit

Google Contradicts Trump After He Claims Company Is Building Nationwide Coronavirus Screening Website

During his Rose Garden address earlier today , President Donald Trump announced that Google is working to build a website to help screen Americans who may have coronavirus .
“ Google is going to develop a website — it ’ s going to be very quickly done , unlike websites of the past — to determine if a test is warranted and to facilitate testing at a nearby convenient location , ” Trump said .
“ We have many , many locations behind us , by the way .
We cover this country and large parts of the world , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not gon na be talking about the world right now , but we cover very , very strongly our country .
Stores in virtually every location .
Google has 1,700 engineers working on this right now .
They have made tremendous progress.
” But Google was quick to correct the president , issuing a statement via a Twitter account .
The site is actually being built by Verily , a subsidiary of Alphabet , which is Google ’ s parent company .
The website is being designed for people who seek testing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationwide .
“ Verily is in the early stages of development , and planning to roll testing out in the Bay Area , with the hope of expanding more broadly over time .
We appreciate the support of government officials and industry partners and thank the Google engineers who have volunteered to be part of this effort , ” read the official statement .
According to Carolyn Wang , Verily ’ s communication ’ s lead , the “ triage website ” was initially only going to be available to healthcare workers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prompted a change in plans .
Anyone will be able to visit it , she said , though she clarified that the website will only be able to direct people to “ pilot sites ” for testing in the Bay Area .
Verily plans to expand “ over time , ” she added .
The president declared a national emergency earlier today .
which will allow the federal government to tap up to $ 50 billion in emergency relief funds .
The death toll in the United States now stands at 48 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though that the number is likely to be significantly higher due to a testing shortage .

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During his Rose Garden address earlier today, President Donald Trump announced that Google is working to build a website to help screen Americans who may have coronavirus.
“Google is going to develop a website — it’s going to be very quickly done, unlike websites of the past — to determine if a test is warranted and to facilitate testing at a nearby convenient location,” Trump said. “We have many, many locations behind us, by the way. We cover this country and large parts of the world, by the way. We’re not gonna be talking about the world right now, but we cover very, very strongly our country. Stores in virtually every location. Google has 1,700 engineers working on this right now. They have made tremendous progress.”
But Google was quick to correct the president, issuing a statement via a Twitter account. The site is actually being built by Verily, a subsidiary of Alphabet, which is Google’s parent company. The website is being designed for people who seek testing in the San Francisco Bay area, not nationwide.
“Verily is in the early stages of development, and planning to roll testing out in the Bay Area, with the hope of expanding more broadly over time. We appreciate the support of government officials and industry partners and thank the Google engineers who have volunteered to be part of this effort,” read the official statement.
Statement from Verily: "We are developing a tool to help triage individuals for Covid-19 testing. Verily is in the early stages of development, and planning to roll testing out in the Bay Area, with the hope of expanding more broadly over time. — Google Communications (@Google_Comms) March 13, 2020
“We appreciate the support of government officials and industry partners and thank the Google engineers who have volunteered to be part of this effort." — Google Communications (@Google_Comms) March 13, 2020
According to Carolyn Wang, Verily’s communication’s lead, the “triage website” was initially only going to be available to healthcare workers, but that the president’s announcement prompted a change in plans. Anyone will be able to visit it, she said, though she clarified that the website will only be able to direct people to “pilot sites” for testing in the Bay Area. Verily plans to expand “over time,” she added.
The president declared a national emergency earlier today. which will allow the federal government to tap up to $50 billion in emergency relief funds. The death toll in the United States now stands at 48, with more than 2,200 confirmed cases, though that the number is likely to be significantly higher due to a testing shortage.