politicususa--2020-01-31--Bombshell: Trump Instructed Bolton to Pressure Ukraine for Him In Front of Witnesses

On the very day that Republican Senators are telling us they don ’ t need to hear from witnesses , Donald Trump ’ s former National Security Advisor John Bolton drops another bombshell in his book : Not only did Trump pressure him to get Ukraine to help him cheat in 2020 , but he did it in front of witnesses .
This occurred more than two months before Trump pressured the Ukrainian President to announce an investigation into Mr. Trump ’ s perceived political rival for 2020 , former Vice President Joe Biden , the New York Times reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instruction , Mr. Bolton wrote , during an Oval Office conversation in early May that included the acting White House chief of staff , Mick Mulvaney , the president ’ s personal lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani and the White House counsel , Pat A. Cipollone , who is now leading the president ’ s impeachment defense.
” This is a bombshell because there are , once again , witnesses to Trump doing what he accused of doing .
And these witnesses are Republicans .
This is just more evidence of why witnesses would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and why what the Senate Republicans are doing is not a real trial .
Mind you , gentle reader , these people are all Republicans .
So Republicans are obstructing the public from hearing from other Republicans as witnesses in a trial against a Republican for doing what this Republican , and many others , accuse that Republican of doing .
The Senate trial is a sham , and there will be a reckoning one day .

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On the very day that Republican Senators are telling us they don’t need to hear from witnesses, Donald Trump’s former National Security Advisor John Bolton drops another bombshell in his book: Not only did Trump pressure him to get Ukraine to help him cheat in 2020, but he did it in front of witnesses.
This occurred more than two months before Trump pressured the Ukrainian President to announce an investigation into Mr. Trump’s perceived political rival for 2020, former Vice President Joe Biden, the New York Times reports.
“Mr. Trump gave the instruction, Mr. Bolton wrote, during an Oval Office conversation in early May that included the acting White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, the president’s personal lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani and the White House counsel, Pat A. Cipollone, who is now leading the president’s impeachment defense.”
This is a bombshell because there are, once again, witnesses to Trump doing what he accused of doing. And these witnesses are Republicans.
This is just more evidence of why witnesses would be helpful in a real trial, and why what the Senate Republicans are doing is not a real trial.
Mind you, gentle reader, these people are all Republicans. So Republicans are obstructing the public from hearing from other Republicans as witnesses in a trial against a Republican for doing what this Republican, and many others, accuse that Republican of doing.
The Senate trial is a sham, and there will be a reckoning one day.


politicususa--2020-02-03--Trump Wants John Bolton Criminally Investigated After Impeachment

Trump wants to have John Bolton criminally investigated after the Senate impeachment vote because he believes Bolton mishandled classified information .
Trump intends to ratchet up the pressure , and some Republicans close to the White House fear how far Trump will take things after he ’ s gotten off for a second time ( Trump famously made his July 25 call to Volodymyr Zelensky the day after Robert Mueller testified before Congress . )
“ Trump has been calling people and telling them to go after Bolton , ” a source briefed on the private conversations said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be criminally investigated .
A person familiar with Trump ’ s thinking said Trump believes Bolton might have mishandled classified information .
According to a former official , the White House is planning to leak White House emails from Bolton that purportedly allege Bolton abused his position at the National Security Council .
Sherman also reported that Trump is putting together an enemies list and planning revenge against anyone who crossed him on impeachment .
It is clear now why Senate Republicans didn ’ t vote to have witnesses and documents at Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this president , and the revenge that he might seek against them if they cross him .
An attempted criminal prosecution of John Bolton would not be the first time that this president has threatened such a stunt .
Trump has at various times demanded that Hillary Clinton , Barack Obama , James Comey , and John Brennan among others be criminally prosecuted .
Trump is going to be a whole new level of lawless after Senate Republicans acquit him , and the responsibility of the damage that he does will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his GOP accomplices .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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Trump wants to have John Bolton criminally investigated after the Senate impeachment vote because he believes Bolton mishandled classified information.
Gabriel Sherman at Vanity Fair reported:
Trump intends to ratchet up the pressure, and some Republicans close to the White House fear how far Trump will take things after he’s gotten off for a second time (Trump famously made his July 25 call to Volodymyr Zelensky the day after Robert Mueller testified before Congress.) “Trump has been calling people and telling them to go after Bolton,” a source briefed on the private conversations said.
The source added that Trump wants Bolton to be criminally investigated. A person familiar with Trump’s thinking said Trump believes Bolton might have mishandled classified information. According to a former official, the White House is planning to leak White House emails from Bolton that purportedly allege Bolton abused his position at the National Security Council.
Sherman also reported that Trump is putting together an enemies list and planning revenge against anyone who crossed him on impeachment.
It is clear now why Senate Republicans didn’t vote to have witnesses and documents at Trump’s trial. They are terrified of this president, and the revenge that he might seek against them if they cross him.
An attempted criminal prosecution of John Bolton would not be the first time that this president has threatened such a stunt. Trump has at various times demanded that Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, James Comey, and John Brennan among others be criminally prosecuted.
Trump is going to be a whole new level of lawless after Senate Republicans acquit him, and the responsibility of the damage that he does will be on the shoulders of Mitch McConnell and his GOP accomplices.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
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politicususa--2020-02-03--Steve Schmidt Warns The Sociopath (Trump) Will Beat The Socialist (Sanders)

Steve Schmidt said that Democrats have a responsibility to nominate a candidate who can repudiate Trumpism and he warned the sociopath will beat the socialist .
Schmidt said , “ We have two major political parties in this country .
And we ’ ve seen the wholesale corruption of the Republican party .
We ’ ve seen it emulate over these last couple of years .
Become a principle less vessel .
So the Democratic Party is called , in my view , at this hour too , be the sentinel of American democracy , as an institution , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of time and that ’ s to put a candidate forward who can repudiate Trumpism and beat Donald Trump in November.
” The former Republican strategist concluded , “ So , I think the angst is properly placed , considering a Sanders candidacy .
Whether Democrats in Iowa believe socialism is better than capitalism or not , the country we live in , the United States of America , my view is the capitalist beats the socialist all days of the week and twice on November.
” The Iowa caucus isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is an anomaly whose results will be dissected and overanalyzed for days to come .
Bernie Sanders has to win Iowa .
There is so much pressure and hype built into his Iowa result by progressives that anything less than a clear win would be a loss .
Schmidt has a point .
Trump and the Republicans are aching to run against Bernie Sanders for a reason .
Trump has defined Sanders as a “ communist.
” If Sanders were the Democratic nominee he would start a general election campaign on the defensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but Democrats need to take the responsibility to nominate the best possible candidate to beat Trump seriously .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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Steve Schmidt said that Democrats have a responsibility to nominate a candidate who can repudiate Trumpism and he warned the sociopath will beat the socialist.
Schmidt said, “We have two major political parties in this country. And we’ve seen the wholesale corruption of the Republican party. We’ve seen it emulate over these last couple of years. Become a principle less vessel. So the Democratic Party is called, in my view, at this hour too, be the sentinel of American democracy, as an institution, it has an awesome responsibility in this moment of time and that’s to put a candidate forward who can repudiate Trumpism and beat Donald Trump in November.”
The former Republican strategist concluded, “So, I think the angst is properly placed, considering a Sanders candidacy. Whether Democrats in Iowa believe socialism is better than capitalism or not, the country we live in, the United States of America, my view is the capitalist beats the socialist all days of the week and twice on November.”
Video:
Steve Schmidt warns that the sociopath will beat the socialist. pic.twitter.com/QSDbV55GTo — Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) February 3, 2020
The Iowa caucus isn’t representative of the Democratic Party. It is an anomaly whose results will be dissected and overanalyzed for days to come. Bernie Sanders has to win Iowa. There is so much pressure and hype built into his Iowa result by progressives that anything less than a clear win would be a loss.
Schmidt has a point. Trump and the Republicans are aching to run against Bernie Sanders for a reason. Trump has defined Sanders as a “communist.” If Sanders were the Democratic nominee he would start a general election campaign on the defensive.
Bernie Sanders should win Iowa, but Democrats need to take the responsibility to nominate the best possible candidate to beat Trump seriously.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
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politicususa--2020-02-03--Senate Republicans Walk Out On Impeachment Trial Closing Arguments

As the impeachment trial of Donald Trump reaches its final stage , Senate Republicans are walking out and not listening @ @ @ @ @ are admitting that this trial is a sham by not sticking around to listen to @ @ @ @ @ Republicans have known how they were going to vote before the trial began .
It @ @ @ @ @ They don ’ t need to stick around , because the argument doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ irrelevant .
At the end of the day , the Constitution doesn ’ t matter @ @ @ @ @ care about right and wrong .
Senate Republicans are going to vote to save their @ @ @ @ @ For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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As the impeachment trial of Donald Trump reaches its final stage, Senate Republicans are walking out and not listening to closing arguments.
CNN’s Manu Raju tweeted:
As we get into the final minutes of the closing arguments, many senators are not seated. More than a dozen GOP senators were not in their seats; about 10 Dems weren’t seated.
Many of these senators are sitting in the cloakroom instead. — Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 3, 2020
About 14 GOP seats empty now; Dem seats now mostly filled, expect for about three.
All the Dem presidential candidates are still there. — Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 3, 2020
Republicans are admitting that this trial is a sham by not sticking around to listen to the closing arguments. Senate Republicans have known how they were going to vote before the trial began. It is all a con. They don’t need to stick around, because the argument doesn’t matter. The evidence is irrelevant. At the end of the day, the Constitution doesn’t matter. Republicans don’t care about right and wrong.
Senate Republicans are going to vote to save their corrupt and law-breaking president.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
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politicususa--2020-02-03--Trump Is Trying To Use Bernie Sanders To Divide Democrats

It ’ s the 2016 playbook all over again , as Donald Trump is trying to fuel resentment among Sanders @ @ @ @ @ We ’ ve all been here before .
Trump knows that he can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ , so he is using Sen. Bernie Sanders to divide Democrats .
Trump is likely @ @ @ @ @ if there was a solid second non-Biden candidate , whether that was Sanders or not @ @ @ @ @ Two things are clear .
Trump is desperate to face Sanders who he called a @ @ @ @ @ interview with Sean Hannity : Secondly , Trump doesn ’ t want to face Joe @ @ @ @ @ use Sanders to divide Democrats and weaken Biden if he is the nominee in the @ @ @ @ @ same playbook that Trump and the Russians ran against Hillary Clinton in 2016 .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ party , which is why all Democratic primary voters will have to unify , no @ @ @ @ @ .

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It’s the 2016 playbook all over again, as Donald Trump is trying to fuel resentment among Sanders supporters to divide Democrats.
Trump tweeted:
The DNC on Bernie Sanders, “Looks like they’re going to do it to him again, doesn’t it?” @SteveDoocy @foxandfriends — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2020
We’ve all been here before. Trump knows that he can’t beat a united Democratic Party, so he is using Sen. Bernie Sanders to divide Democrats. Trump is likely to have used this tactic if there was a solid second non-Biden candidate, whether that was Sanders or not in the Democratic primary.
Two things are clear. Trump is desperate to face Sanders who he called a communist during his Super Bowl interview with Sean Hannity:
Trump calls Bernie Sanders a communist in preview of how he will attack Sanders if he wins the nomination. pic.twitter.com/PLRc7J79LB — Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) February 2, 2020
Secondly, Trump doesn’t want to face Joe Biden and is trying to use Sanders to divide Democrats and weaken Biden if he is the nominee in the fall.
It is the same playbook that Trump and the Russians ran against Hillary Clinton in 2016. Trump is trying to divide the party, which is why all Democratic primary voters will have to unify, no matter who wins the nomination.


politicususa--2020-02-04--Devin Nunes’s Hometown Paper Calls For Him To Be Replaced

The Fresno Bee has called for voters to replace Rep. Devin Nunes ( R-CA ) because he is more interested in defending Trump than representing his district .
The Fresno Bee Editorial Board wrote : Two years ago , The Bee did not recommend Republican Devin Nunes for the 22nd District congressional seat .
He had previously received the paper ’ s recommendation in every campaign since he was first elected in 2002 .
What changed ?
Nunes himself .
He became obsessed with defending President Donald Trump against the Mueller investigation , to the point of violating well-established protocol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Opinion Sadly , Nunes has continued to fail his district and has peddled wild conspiracy theories about how Democrats are out to get the president .
He does so despite the fact that Congress is an independent branch of government .
And he has not seriously considered whether any of the points Democrats have made in the impeachment process might be legitimate ; not even once has he opened his mind to the possibility that Trump used the office of the president to conduct foreign affairs for his own personal gain .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his reelection campaign by being a stooge for Donald Trump .
Devin Nunes was implicated in the Ukraine plot as his chief of staff met with Lev Parnas and Nunes himself wanted to be involved but had to lay low due to the fact that he is under a House Ethics Committee investigation .
The hometown newspaper of Nunes is sounding the alarm .
Nunes doesn ’ t represent his district .
He is obviously part of the Trump corruption cash in .
Devin Nunes is more interested in representing Donald Trump than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Bee is recommending that he be replaced .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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The Fresno Bee has called for voters to replace Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) because he is more interested in defending Trump than representing his district.
The Fresno Bee Editorial Board wrote:
Two years ago, The Bee did not recommend Republican Devin Nunes for the 22nd District congressional seat. He had previously received the paper’s recommendation in every campaign since he was first elected in 2002.
What changed? Nunes himself. He became obsessed with defending President Donald Trump against the Mueller investigation, to the point of violating well-established protocol while running the powerful House Intelligence Committee.
Opinion
Sadly, Nunes has continued to fail his district and has peddled wild conspiracy theories about how Democrats are out to get the president. He does so despite the fact that Congress is an independent branch of government. And he has not seriously considered whether any of the points Democrats have made in the impeachment process might be legitimate; not even once has he opened his mind to the possibility that Trump used the office of the president to conduct foreign affairs for his own personal gain.
Nunes has raised $7.2 million for his reelection campaign by being a stooge for Donald Trump. Devin Nunes was implicated in the Ukraine plot as his chief of staff met with Lev Parnas and Nunes himself wanted to be involved but had to lay low due to the fact that he is under a House Ethics Committee investigation.
The hometown newspaper of Nunes is sounding the alarm. Nunes doesn’t represent his district. He is obviously part of the Trump corruption cash in. Devin Nunes is more interested in representing Donald Trump than the 22nd District, which is why The Bee is recommending that he be replaced.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
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politicususa--2020-02-04--Nicolle Wallace Tells Bernie Backers That Their Vicious Attacks On Fellow Dems Are Helping Trump

Nicolle Wallace tore into Bernie Sanders supporters on Monday for attacking fellow Democratic presidential candidates in a way that will only help Donald Trump ’ s reelection effort this fall .
She reminded backers of the Vermont senator that their real foe is the man who currently resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue , not their Democratic primary opponents .
“ The enemy is the guy in the Oval Office who thinks there were good people on both sides of Charlottesville , ” the MSNBC host said .
“ The enemy is the guy in the Oval Office who just got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections.
” She added , “ I am nauseous when I see Democrats fight amongst themselves.
” Wallace ’ s takedown of the Bernie bro attack machine came after Sanders supporter Nina Turner called former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg an “ oligarch ” who is buying his way through the primary .
I think this is a really important debate , and I ’ m really glad you didn ’ t let it get boiled down to the use of a word .
It is not about a word .
Here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand different views about the system .
The enemy is the guy in the Oval Office who thinks there were good people on both sides of Charlottesville .
The enemy is the guy in the oval office who just got a permission slip to cheat in presidential elections .
The enemy is a guy who called his generals dopes and losers who he didn ’ t want to go into battle with .
That is the enemy , and I am nauseous when I see Democrats fight amongst themselves .
I know that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve said I ’ ll vote for , if you all pick an automobile , I will vote for it .
But I feel so wary when I see these really , really intense fights around someone trying to help y ’ all win .
Whether or not one supports Bernie Sanders in the primary , there is no question that his backers often lob vicious attacks at Democratic rivals that could do long-lasting damage .
There ’ s a fine line between drawing healthy contrasts with other candidates and launching attacks on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the general election campaign .
If supporters of Bernie Sanders aren ’ t careful , they could inflict damage on the eventual Democratic nominee and help reelect Donald Trump .

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Nicolle Wallace tore into Bernie Sanders supporters on Monday for attacking fellow Democratic presidential candidates in a way that will only help Donald Trump’s reelection effort this fall.
She reminded backers of the Vermont senator that their real foe is the man who currently resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, not their Democratic primary opponents.
“The enemy is the guy in the Oval Office who thinks there were good people on both sides of Charlottesville,” the MSNBC host said. “The enemy is the guy in the Oval Office who just got a permission slip to cheat in presidential elections.”
She added, “I am nauseous when I see Democrats fight amongst themselves.”
Wallace’s takedown of the Bernie bro attack machine came after Sanders supporter Nina Turner called former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg an “oligarch” who is buying his way through the primary.
Video:
Nicolle Wallace says attacks from Sanders supporters on fellow Democrats makes her “nauseous.” #ctl #p2 pic.twitter.com/WJrNr94hAJ — PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) February 4, 2020
Wallace said:
I think this is a really important debate, and I’m really glad you didn’t let it get boiled down to the use of a word. It is not about a word. Here’s the other — and I understand different views about the system. The enemy is the guy in the Oval Office who thinks there were good people on both sides of Charlottesville. The enemy is the guy in the oval office who just got a permission slip to cheat in presidential elections. The enemy is a guy who called his generals dopes and losers who he didn’t want to go into battle with. That is the enemy, and I am nauseous when I see Democrats fight amongst themselves. I know that Republicans get no say — I’ve said I’ll vote for, if you all pick an automobile, I will vote for it. But I feel so wary when I see these really, really intense fights around someone trying to help y’all win.
Bernie supporters could hurt the eventual nominee
Whether or not one supports Bernie Sanders in the primary, there is no question that his backers often lob vicious attacks at Democratic rivals that could do long-lasting damage.
There’s a fine line between drawing healthy contrasts with other candidates and launching attacks on opponents that will ultimately help Donald Trump in the general election campaign.
If supporters of Bernie Sanders aren’t careful, they could inflict damage on the eventual Democratic nominee and help reelect Donald Trump.
Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter


politicususa--2020-02-04--Lisa Murkowski Announces She’ll Vote To Acquit Trump Even Though He’s Guilty

Sen. Lisa Murkowski ( R-AK ) announced on Monday that she will not put her country first in the looming Senate vote on whether to convict Donald Trump for impeachable conduct related to his Ukraine extortion scheme .
In a speech delivered from the Senate floor , the Alaska senator said , “ I can not vote to convict .
The Constitution provides for impeachment but does not demand it in all instances.
” “ The president ’ s behavior was shameful and wrong , ” she added .
“ His personal interests do not take precedence over those of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said she will not vote to convict Trump , comparing removal from the White House to the “ death penalty ” and adding , “ The voters will produce a verdict in nine months , and we must trust their judgement.
” Of course , Murkowski ’ s suggestion that voters – not Senators – produce a verdict in impeachment trials is ludicrous .
It ’ s essentially a way for Republican lawmakers like her to avoid having to take a consequential vote .
The Alaska lawmaker ’ s announcement comes after she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lamar Alexander ’ s assessment that Trump ’ s behavior with respect to Ukraine was inappropriate .
Despite that conclusion , Murkowski has decided to join other Trump defenders in the Senate by voting to acquit , even though she and others are essentially admitting that House impeachment managers have proven their case .
In the Trump era of American politics , the list of Republican lawmakers with any shred of dignity left has always been short , but Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski has often tried to be on it .
With her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though she is basically admitting he is guilty – she is no longer on that list .
The Republican Party has been on life support for years .
Lisa Murkowski ’ s decision to join the Lindsey Grahams of the Senate and let Donald Trump skate shows that the GOP is officially dead , and it ’ s not coming back anytime soon .

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Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced on Monday that she will not put her country first in the looming Senate vote on whether to convict Donald Trump for impeachable conduct related to his Ukraine extortion scheme.
In a speech delivered from the Senate floor, the Alaska senator said, “I cannot vote to convict. The Constitution provides for impeachment but does not demand it in all instances.”
“The president’s behavior was shameful and wrong,” she added. “His personal interests do not take precedence over those of this great nation.”
Still, Murkowski said she will not vote to convict Trump, comparing removal from the White House to the “death penalty” and adding, “The voters will produce a verdict in nine months, and we must trust their judgement.”
Of course, Murkowski’s suggestion that voters – not Senators – produce a verdict in impeachment trials is ludicrous. It’s essentially a way for Republican lawmakers like her to avoid having to take a consequential vote.
The Alaska lawmaker’s announcement comes after she admitted that she agreed with Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander’s assessment that Trump’s behavior with respect to Ukraine was inappropriate.
Despite that conclusion, Murkowski has decided to join other Trump defenders in the Senate by voting to acquit, even though she and others are essentially admitting that House impeachment managers have proven their case.
The Republican Party is dead
In the Trump era of American politics, the list of Republican lawmakers with any shred of dignity left has always been short, but Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski has often tried to be on it.
With her vote to acquit Donald Trump – even though she is basically admitting he is guilty – she is no longer on that list.
The Republican Party has been on life support for years. Lisa Murkowski’s decision to join the Lindsey Grahams of the Senate and let Donald Trump skate shows that the GOP is officially dead, and it’s not coming back anytime soon.
Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter


politicususa--2020-02-04--New Footage Shows Trump Mocking The National Anthem At Super Bowl Watch Party

It was bad enough that Donald Trump congratulated the wrong state following the Kansas City Chiefs ’ victory in Sunday night ’ s Super Bowl , but new footage shows him goofing off during the pre-game national anthem .
According to The Miami Herald , as other guests at the president ’ s Super Bowl watch party quietly stood for ‘ The Star Spangled Banner ’ , Trump was seen mocking it .
The report notes that “ during the national anthem at his own Super Bowl watch party Sunday night , a brief video posted to Instagram shows Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and straightening his suit jacket as other attendees — including first lady Melania Trump and their teenage son — stand with their hands over their hearts.
” The Miami Herald added , “ As ‘ The Star Spangled Banner ’ crescendoes , Trump raises both of his hands in the air , and twirls them around as if conducting the music.
” Trump is an increasingly unstable man who has no respect for the flag There are two things that this short video clip shows us about the most powerful man in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Trump has no respect for the flag .
The only time he cares about “ patriotism ” is when he can lean on it to attack minority athletes and rile up his already-angry base of supporters .
Second , it shows that the president is increasingly unstable .
This type of behavior – the inability to sit still and refrain from clowning around during the national anthem – may be expected of toddlers , but not a 73-year-old man who controls the nuclear codes .
Ultimately , Trump making a mockery of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprise no one .
It ’ s the kind of behavior that is expected of a president who has repeatedly sold out his country both publicly and privately .
But the latest episode of Trump ’ s bizarre behavior is another disturbing look at just how increasingly unstable this man is .

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It was bad enough that Donald Trump congratulated the wrong state following the Kansas City Chiefs’ victory in Sunday night’s Super Bowl, but new footage shows him goofing off during the pre-game national anthem.
According to The Miami Herald, as other guests at the president’s Super Bowl watch party quietly stood for ‘The Star Spangled Banner’, Trump was seen mocking it.
The report notes that “during the national anthem at his own Super Bowl watch party Sunday night, a brief video posted to Instagram shows Trump greeting guests, adjusting his chair, and straightening his suit jacket as other attendees — including first lady Melania Trump and their teenage son — stand with their hands over their hearts.”
The Miami Herald added, “As ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ crescendoes, Trump raises both of his hands in the air, and twirls them around as if conducting the music.”
Video of Trump mocking the national anthem:
Trump caught mocking the National Anthem during the #SuperBowl. Since we know the GOP takes a zero-tolerance stand against any display of disrespect toward the flag, I expect the right will be offering a full-throated condemnation. …Any day now.pic.twitter.com/lMcwYfkPog — Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) February 3, 2020
Trump is an increasingly unstable man who has no respect for the flag
There are two things that this short video clip shows us about the most powerful man in the world.
First, it’s that Trump has no respect for the flag. The only time he cares about “patriotism” is when he can lean on it to attack minority athletes and rile up his already-angry base of supporters.
Second, it shows that the president is increasingly unstable. This type of behavior – the inability to sit still and refrain from clowning around during the national anthem – may be expected of toddlers, but not a 73-year-old man who controls the nuclear codes.
Ultimately, Trump making a mockery of ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ should surprise no one. It’s the kind of behavior that is expected of a president who has repeatedly sold out his country both publicly and privately.
But the latest episode of Trump’s bizarre behavior is another disturbing look at just how increasingly unstable this man is.
Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter


politicususa--2020-02-04--Susan Collins Kisses Her Senate Seat Goodbye As She Says There’s Evidence To Acquit Trump

Sen. Susan Collins ( R-ME ) inaccurately claimed that there is evidence to acquit to Trump which is why she @ @ @ @ @ president .
Collins also claimed that Trump had learned a giant lesson from impeachment , @ @ @ @ @ acquit him .
Once Susan Collins voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ on life support .
Her vote in favor of witnesses and documents in the impeachment @ @ @ @ @ the token Collins gesture of moderation as she fell in line with Donald Trump .
@ @ @ @ @ herself out to illegal dark money and Donald Trump .
She is not the moderate @ @ @ @ @ as , and Sen. Collins should wave goodbye to her Senate seat when she votes @ @ @ @ @ more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) inaccurately claimed that there is evidence to acquit to Trump which is why she is voting against convicting the president.
Collins told CNN’s Manu Raju:
I asked if she believed the House proved its case Trump withheld aid to push Ukraine to announce a probe into the Bidens, Collins said: "The motivations for the president's actions are mixed. There was evidence on both sides in the record.” — Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 4, 2020
I asked if she believed the House proved its case Trump withheld aid to push Ukraine to announce a probe into the Bidens, Collins said: "The motivations for the president's actions are mixed. There was evidence on both sides in the record.” — Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 4, 2020
Collins also claimed that Trump had learned a giant lesson from impeachment, so she is voting to acquit him.
Once Susan Collins voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, her political future was on life support. Her vote in favor of witnesses and documents in the impeachment trial was nothing more than the token Collins gesture of moderation as she fell in line with Donald Trump.
Collins has chosen to sell herself out to illegal dark money and Donald Trump.
She is not the moderate that she has sold herself as, and Sen. Collins should wave goodbye to her Senate seat when she votes to acquit Trump.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
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politicususa--2020-02-04--Giuliani Urges Trump To Investigate Biden After Senate Acquittal

Rudy Giuliani said that Trump should launch an investigation of Joe Biden right after Senate Republicans acquit him on the two articles of impeachment .
Transcript of Giuliani provided to PoliticusUSA by NPR : Steve Inskeep : “ And the President of the United States – ” Steve Inskeep : “ And the President of the United States should be involved in that ?
” Rudy Giuliani : “ He ’ s the chief law enforcement officer of the United States .
He certainly shouldn ’ t back away from it.
” Steve Inskeep : “ Have you been talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giuliani : “ I haven ’ t talked to him about this case in quite a while but I would have no problem with him doing it , in fact I ’ d have a problem with him not doing it .
I think he would be saying that Joe Biden can get away with selling out the United States , making us a fool in Ukraine.
” The fact that Trump and Giuliani are going to push on with their bogus investigation into Joe Biden is a direct byproduct of the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behavior .
Mitch McConnell has emboldened Trump and Giuliani , and while Donald Trump will forever be an impeached president , that is not going to stop him from trying to cheat to win the 2020 election .
The next step is for Trump and his corrupt Attorney General William Barr to use the DOJ to legitimize their Russian propaganda .
The only way to end the Trump/Giuliani crime wave is to indict Rudy Giuliani and vote out Donald Trump .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC @ @

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Rudy Giuliani said that Trump should launch an investigation of Joe Biden right after Senate Republicans acquit him on the two articles of impeachment.
Transcript of Giuliani provided to PoliticusUSA by NPR:
Rudy Giuliani: “Biden should be investigated. Absolutely, 100%.”
Steve Inskeep: “And the President of the United States – ”
Rudy Giuliani: “For the crime of multiple bribery.”
Steve Inskeep: “And the President of the United States should be involved in that?”
Rudy Giuliani: “He’s the chief law enforcement officer of the United States. He certainly shouldn’t back away from it.”
Steve Inskeep: “Have you been talking to him about this?”
Rudy Giuliani: “I haven’t talked to him about this case in quite a while but I would have no problem with him doing it, in fact I’d have a problem with him not doing it. I think he would be saying that Joe Biden can get away with selling out the United States, making us a fool in Ukraine.
The fact that Trump and Giuliani are going to push on with their bogus investigation into Joe Biden is a direct byproduct of the Senate Republican cover-up of Trump’s illegal behavior.
Mitch McConnell has emboldened Trump and Giuliani, and while Donald Trump will forever be an impeached president, that is not going to stop him from trying to cheat to win the 2020 election.
The next step is for Trump and his corrupt Attorney General William Barr to use the DOJ to legitimize their Russian propaganda.
The only way to end the Trump/Giuliani crime wave is to indict Rudy Giuliani and vote out Donald Trump.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
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politicususa--2020-02-04--Arizona Man Blames Fox News For His Threat To Kill Adam Schiff

An Arizona man who is charged with threatening to kill Rep. Adam Schiff blamed his threat on something that he saw on Fox News .
A motion filed late last week by Meister ’ s attorneys revealed a portion of his interview with police during which Meister apologized for making the call and said that he may have been reacting to commentary on Fox News .
“ Meister responded that he watches Fox News and likely was upset at something that he saw on the news .
He stated that he strongly dislikes the Democrats , and feels they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political issues , ” according to the police summary of the interview .
“ Meister stated that he likely Goggled [ sic ] the congressman ’ s office number to make the call.
” Meister is a convicted sex offender with a long criminal record , so he is the standard Fox News viewer in the era of Donald Trump .
The case of Jan Peter Meister is an example of the danger in the rhetoric that is pushed by Fox News and conservative media .
Fox News is mirroring the anger and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Republican Party .
Anger is the primary motivator that Trump ’ s Republicans to keep their supporters engaged .
When that rage is triggered in violent and unstable people the consequences can be deadly .
Using hate as a political weapon is dangerous , and in this case , the country is lucky that Rep. Schiff was not harmed .

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An Arizona man who is charged with threatening to kill Rep. Adam Schiff blamed his threat on something that he saw on Fox News.
According to Politico:
A motion filed late last week by Meister’s attorneys revealed a portion of his interview with police during which Meister apologized for making the call and said that he may have been reacting to commentary on Fox News.
“Meister responded that he watches Fox News and likely was upset at something that he saw on the news. He stated that he strongly dislikes the Democrats, and feels they are to blame for the country’s political issues,” according to the police summary of the interview. “Meister stated that he likely Goggled [sic] the congressman’s office number to make the call.”
Meister is a convicted sex offender with a long criminal record, so he is the standard Fox News viewer in the era of Donald Trump.
The case of Jan Peter Meister is an example of the danger in the rhetoric that is pushed by Fox News and conservative media. Fox News is mirroring the anger and divisiveness that is being sown by Trump and the Republican Party.
Anger is the primary motivator that Trump’s Republicans to keep their supporters engaged. When that rage is triggered in violent and unstable people the consequences can be deadly.
Using hate as a political weapon is dangerous, and in this case, the country is lucky that Rep. Schiff was not harmed.


politicususa--2020-02-04--Trump Made $1.7 Million Off His Own Campaign In 2019

FEC filings reveal that Donald Trump personally made millions of dollars off of his presidential campaign in the last quarter of 2019 .
The New York Times reported on Trump ’ s FEC data : According to a New York Times analysis , the biggest expenditure in the final three months of the year was on digital advertising .
From October to December , the campaign spent more than $ 6 million on digital ads .
The T-MAGA committee spent another $ 3.2 million on digital ads .
The campaign also spent $ 525,000 on polling in that period .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ million on polling .
The Trump campaign spent about $ 194,000 at Trump-owned properties .
The filings show that the groups supporting Mr. Trump ’ s re-election together made 150 separate payments to Trump-owned entities and properties , totaling nearly $ 600,000 for the three-month period , and $ 1.7 million for the year .
Trump isn ’ t saving the government money or his campaign money by using his own properties as Trump supporters claim .
The president is billing his own campaign for events at his properties and pocketing the cash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtually nothing as president .
However , he has built a corruption machine that is unrivaled in the history of the presidency .
Trump doesn ’ t want to remain president because he has any interest in the job or a vision for the country .
Trump wants a second term because the presidency is a cash machine , between his campaign and his bilking of taxpayers , Trump is making millions off of being president .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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FEC filings reveal that Donald Trump personally made millions of dollars off of his presidential campaign in the last quarter of 2019.
The New York Times reported on Trump’s FEC data:
According to a New York Times analysis, the biggest expenditure in the final three months of the year was on digital advertising. From October to December, the campaign spent more than $6 million on digital ads. The T-MAGA committee spent another $3.2 million on digital ads.
The campaign also spent $525,000 on polling in that period. The Republican National Committee spent $2.2 million on polling.
The Trump campaign spent about $194,000 at Trump-owned properties. The filings show that the groups supporting Mr. Trump’s re-election together made 150 separate payments to Trump-owned entities and properties, totaling nearly $600,000 for the three-month period, and $1.7 million for the year.
Trump isn’t saving the government money or his campaign money by using his own properties as Trump supporters claim. The president is billing his own campaign for events at his properties and pocketing the cash.
Legislatively speaking, Trump has accomplished virtually nothing as president. However, he has built a corruption machine that is unrivaled in the history of the presidency.
Trump doesn’t want to remain president because he has any interest in the job or a vision for the country. Trump wants a second term because the presidency is a cash machine, between his campaign and his bilking of taxpayers, Trump is making millions off of being president.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
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politicususa--2020-03-30--The FBI Is Investigating Sen. Richard Burr For Insider Trading

The Justice Department has launched an investigation into Sen. Richard Burr ( R-CA ) , who dumped millions of dollars in stock just before the coronavirus crisis hit .
The Wall Street Journal reported , “ The Justice Department is examining whether lawmakers traded ahead of the market turmoil caused by the coronavirus pandemic based on confidential briefings they received , according to a person familiar with the matter .
As part of that inquiry , the FBI has reached out to Sen. Richard Burr ( R. , N.C. ) , said the person.
” Burr , due to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Committee , received two confidential briefings in January in February .
After being briefed , Burr warned a group of his political donors to prepare for the coronavirus and he sold $ 1.7 million in stock .
Calls for Burr to resign have come from both Republicans and Democrats .
Given that Donald Trump called for Burr to resign , it is not surprising that his Justice Department took the President ’ s tweet as a green light to investigate the Senator .
If any other ordinary person in America did what Burr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminal charges and a prison sentence .
Since Sen. Burr isn ’ t running for reelection , he appears to be trying to ride out the scandal in the hope that it blows over .
An FBI investigation is a signal that this story is not going away anytime soon .
The heat is intensifying on Burr and it may only be a matter of time until he resigns and awaits criminal prosecution .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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The Justice Department has launched an investigation into Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), who dumped millions of dollars in stock just before the coronavirus crisis hit.
The Wall Street Journal reported, “The Justice Department is examining whether lawmakers traded ahead of the market turmoil caused by the coronavirus pandemic based on confidential briefings they received, according to a person familiar with the matter. As part of that inquiry, the FBI has reached out to Sen. Richard Burr (R., N.C.), said the person.”
Burr, due to his position as Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, received two confidential briefings in January in February. After being briefed, Burr warned a group of his political donors to prepare for the coronavirus and he sold $1.7 million in stock.
Calls for Burr to resign have come from both Republicans and Democrats. Given that Donald Trump called for Burr to resign, it is not surprising that his Justice Department took the President’s tweet as a green light to investigate the Senator.
If any other ordinary person in America did what Burr did, they would be looking at criminal charges and a prison sentence. Since Sen. Burr isn’t running for reelection, he appears to be trying to ride out the scandal in the hope that it blows over.
An FBI investigation is a signal that this story is not going away anytime soon.
The heat is intensifying on Burr and it may only be a matter of time until he resigns and awaits criminal prosecution.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
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politicususa--2020-03-30--Joe Biden Shows More Coronavirus Leadership In 1 Minute Than Trump Ever Has

Former Vice President Joe Biden showed more knowledge and leadership on the coronavirus in on minute than Trump ever has .
At this very moment , it means the president has to surge more equipment to New York and other places that are clearly in distress .
That means he has to be able to provide for providing significantly more masks to protect these first responders and these docs and nurses .
He has to provide the gowns so they are not wearing garbage bags to protect themselves .
The shields around their faces when they are taking the blood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just the mere testing , significantly increase the number of tests available .
The president said a couple weeks ago that every CVS — he named four outlets were going to have testing sites outside of their stores and the various places that they exist when in fact there have only been four , f-o-u-r that have been put in place so far .
It requires much more rapped response to the needs of the first responders to detect the people who need help , how they get help , do they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cared for .
Are there enough beds , do we have enough protection for the docs .
Biden showed more competent leadership and planning in a little over a minute than Trump has demonstrated over the course of the entire crisis .
Trump wildly veers from one idea to the next with plan to address the needs of the states and American people .
Just listening to the former Vice President speak for a few minutes on how the response to the crisis should be going is a reminder of what clear and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dying , Joe Biden is ready to lead while Donald Trump is still fumbling in the dark and looking for magic cures .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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Former Vice President Joe Biden showed more knowledge and leadership on the coronavirus in on minute than Trump ever has.
Biden said on MSNBC:
At this very moment, it means the president has to surge more equipment to New York and other places that are clearly in distress. That means he has to be able to provide for providing significantly more masks to protect these first responders and these docs and nurses. He has to provide the gowns so they are not wearing garbage bags to protect themselves. The shields around their faces when they are taking the blood and moving people. The testing — just the mere testing, significantly increase the number of tests available.
The president said a couple weeks ago that every CVS — he named four outlets were going to have testing sites outside of their stores and the various places that they exist when in fact there have only been four, f-o-u-r that have been put in place so far. It requires much more rapped response to the needs of the first responders to detect the people who need help, how they get help, do they have enough of what they need to be cared for. Are there enough beds, do we have enough protection for the docs.
Video:
Joe Biden shows more expertise on the coronavirus in one minute than Trump has in four months. pic.twitter.com/sYBwEQHi3t — Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 30, 2020
Biden showed more competent leadership and planning in a little over a minute than Trump has demonstrated over the course of the entire crisis. Trump wildly veers from one idea to the next with plan to address the needs of the states and American people.
Just listening to the former Vice President speak for a few minutes on how the response to the crisis should be going is a reminder of what clear and competent looks like.
As Americans are dying, Joe Biden is ready to lead while Donald Trump is still fumbling in the dark and looking for magic cures.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
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politicususa--2020-03-30--Trump Admits That Republicans Would Never Win Another Election Under Coronavirus Voting Reform

Trump admitted that if the voting pushed by Democrats in the coronavirus bill were enacted , Republicans wouldn ’ t win another election .
Trump said , “ It ’ s just a common fact .
They have a majority in the House , and therefore you need their votes , and they want to get certain things .
I will tell you this if you look at before and after , the things they had in there were crazy .
They had things , levels of voting that if you ever agreed to it , you would never have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They had things in there about election days and what you do , and all sorts of clawbacks .
They had things that were just crazy.
” Trump ’ s mentality is why the Republican Party is dying and inching closer to becoming a regional party .
Instead of increasing participation and developing ideas that would appeal to a majority of voters , Republicans have decided that the only way they can win is by shrinking the electorate and making it as difficult as possible for most Americans to vote .
Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would have made it easier for people to vote , like election day as a holiday , and expanded vote by mail .
Donald Trump finally uttered a true statement .
If more people can vote , Republicans can ’ t win .
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group .

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Trump admitted that if the voting pushed by Democrats in the coronavirus bill were enacted, Republicans wouldn’t win another election.
Trump said, “It’s just a common fact. They have a majority in the House, and therefore you need their votes, and they want to get certain things. I will tell you this if you look at before and after, the things they had in there were crazy. They had things, levels of voting that if you ever agreed to it, you would never have another Republican elected in this country again. They had things in there about election days and what you do, and all sorts of clawbacks. They had things that were just crazy.”
Video of Trump:
Trump openly admitting if we made voting easier in America, Republicans wouldn't win elections Trump: "The things they had in there were crazy. They had levels of voting, that if you ever agreed to it you'd never have a Republican elected in this country again." pic.twitter.com/x5HmX6uogo — Lis Power (@LisPower1) March 30, 2020
Trump’s mentality is why the Republican Party is dying and inching closer to becoming a regional party. Instead of increasing participation and developing ideas that would appeal to a majority of voters, Republicans have decided that the only way they can win is by shrinking the electorate and making it as difficult as possible for most Americans to vote.
Democrats had electoral provisions in the coronavirus bill that would have made it easier for people to vote, like election day as a holiday, and expanded vote by mail.
Donald Trump finally uttered a true statement. If more people can vote, Republicans can’t win.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
Follow Jason Easley on Facebook


politicususa--2020-03-30--Joe Biden Says “The President Needs to Be Honest” and “Follow the Science” in New Podcast

Former Vice President Joe Biden has urged President Donald Trump to be honest and listen to science .
The Democrat made the remarks in his new podcast .
Biden debuted the ‘ Here ’ s the Deal ’ podcast on Monday .
He hopes it will help him keep in touch with voters during Coronavirus restrictions .
“ It ’ s critical for the President not to resort to fear-mongering and also baseless downplaying or lying about the situation , ” Biden said .
“ The President needs to be honest , needs to follow the science , needs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden explained why he had launched a podcast in the middle of a global pandemic .
“ First , I ’ m recording this podcast to connect with all of you instead of traveling across the country as I have been doing most of the last year , ” he said .
“ It ’ s just not worth it to go out there and take a chance of getting sick and further spreading the virus.
” In the first 20-minute episode , Biden interviewed Ron Klain .
Klain is his former chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Obama administration .
President Trump and his allies have recently criticized Klain because of his outspoken criticism of Trump ’ s handling of the pandemic .
Biden addressed his listeners directly as part of his strategy to continue campaigning despite the limits imposed by Coronavirus measures .
“ Why am I doing this ?
” he said .
“ So we can keep talking to each other .
We can ’ t hold rallies anymore , but we ’ re not gathering in big public spaces.
” “ We ’ re living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want you to know that I ’ m with you and I ’ m on your side and we ’ re going to get through this together as a country.
” Biden recorded the podcast from his home in Wilmington , Delaware .

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Former Vice President Joe Biden has urged President Donald Trump to be honest and listen to science. The Democrat made the remarks in his new podcast.
Biden debuted the ‘Here’s the Deal’ podcast on Monday. He hopes it will help him keep in touch with voters during Coronavirus restrictions.
“It’s critical for the President not to resort to fear-mongering and also baseless downplaying or lying about the situation,” Biden said.
“The President needs to be honest, needs to follow the science, needs to be transparent with the American people.”
Not a joke, folks, we just launched our new podcast. It’s called "Here's the Deal." For our first episode, I sat down with Ron Klain, former White House Ebola Response Coordinator, for a discussion on COVID-19. Listen at https://t.co/t11Fa0TZjc or wherever you get your podcasts. — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) March 30, 2020
Biden explained why he had launched a podcast in the middle of a global pandemic.
“First, I’m recording this podcast to connect with all of you instead of traveling across the country as I have been doing most of the last year,” he said.
“It’s just not worth it to go out there and take a chance of getting sick and further spreading the virus.”
In the first 20-minute episode, Biden interviewed Ron Klain. Klain is his former chief of staff and was Ebola czar during the Obama administration.
President Trump and his allies have recently criticized Klain because of his outspoken criticism of Trump’s handling of the pandemic.
Biden addressed his listeners directly as part of his strategy to continue campaigning despite the limits imposed by Coronavirus measures.
“Why am I doing this?” he said. “So we can keep talking to each other. We can’t hold rallies anymore, but we’re not gathering in big public spaces.”
“We’re living in the new normal, but I want you to know that I’m with you and I’m on your side and we’re going to get through this together as a country.”
Biden recorded the podcast from his home in Wilmington, Delaware.
Follow Darragh Roche on Twitter


politicususa--2020-03-30--Trump Supporters Want Congress To Subpoena Dr. Fauci’s Phone to See If He’s Been Talking to Hillary

Trump Supporters Want Congress To Subpoena Dr. Fauci’s Phone to See If He’s Been Talking to Hillary Clinton

Trump supporter Bill Mitchell wants Congress to issue a subpoena for Dr. Anthony Fauci ’ s phone and accused him of contact with Hillary Clinton .
“ Congress should subpoena Dr. Doom Fauci ’ s phone records and see how many times he has called Hillary in the past 60 days , ” Mitchell said on Twitter .
Mitchell has downplayed the severity of the Coronavirus since the global pandemic began .
He has been on the fringes of the right since at least 2016 and has frequently attacked Dr. Fauci .
Mitchell is one of a number of conservative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ painted Covid-19 as overblown or even a hoax .
He ’ s taken aim at Fauci as the doctor became a recognizable face in the pandemic response .
Mitchell is spreading baseless conspiracies about Fauci and the so-called ‘ Deep State ’ , with predictable references to the 2016 Democratic presidential candidate .
“ There was a time when Dr. Doom Fauci ’ s prediction of mass death would have opened the markets down 1000 .
Has Chicken Little lost his mojo ?
” Mitchell asked .
Mitchell ’ s comments may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appearance on CNN on Monday .
He explained how the pandemic response team had convinced Trump to extend social distancing measures beyond Easter .
“ We argued strongly with the President that he not withdraw those guidelines after 15 days , but that he extend them , ” Fauci said .
“ And he did listen.
” President Trump has reportedly grown tired of Dr. Fauci since the pandemic began .
The President was unhappy with Fauci for correcting him and apparently criticizing him in media interviews .
However , Fauci has remained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He ’ s quickly become someone many Americans have come to trust during this crisis .

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Trump supporter Bill Mitchell wants Congress to issue a subpoena for Dr. Anthony Fauci’s phone and accused him of contact with Hillary Clinton.
“Congress should subpoena Dr. Doom Fauci’s phone records and see how many times he has called Hillary in the past 60 days,” Mitchell said on Twitter.
Congress should subpoena Dr. Doom Fauci's phone records and see how many times he has called Hillary in the past 60 days. — Bill Mitchell (@mitchellvii) March 30, 2020
Mitchell has downplayed the severity of the Coronavirus since the global pandemic began. He has been on the fringes of the right since at least 2016 and has frequently attacked Dr. Fauci.
Mitchell is one of a number of conservative supporters of President Donald Trump who have painted Covid-19 as overblown or even a hoax.
He’s taken aim at Fauci as the doctor became a recognizable face in the pandemic response.
Mitchell is spreading baseless conspiracies about Fauci and the so-called ‘Deep State’, with predictable references to the 2016 Democratic presidential candidate.
“There was a time when Dr. Doom Fauci’s prediction of mass death would have opened the markets down 1000. Has Chicken Little lost his mojo?” Mitchell asked.
Mitchell’s comments may have been prompted by Dr. Fauci’s appearance on CNN on Monday. He explained how the pandemic response team had convinced Trump to extend social distancing measures beyond Easter.
“We argued strongly with the President that he not withdraw those guidelines after 15 days, but that he extend them,” Fauci said. “And he did listen.”
President Trump has reportedly grown tired of Dr. Fauci since the pandemic began. The President was unhappy with Fauci for correcting him and apparently criticizing him in media interviews.
However, Fauci has remained at the forefront of the Coronavirus response. He’s quickly become someone many Americans have come to trust during this crisis.
Follow Darragh Roche on Twitter


politicususa--2020-03-30--Trump Blames New York for Ventilator Shortage: “They Should Have More Than Enough”

President Donald Trump has blamed the state of New York for its ventilator shortage .
The President gave a live interview on Fox News on Monday claiming the state was misusing the lifesaving machines .
“ I think New York should be fine , based on the numbers that we see , ” Trump told the network ’ s morning show .
“ They should have more than enough , ” he said on Fox & Friends .
“ I ’ m hearing stories that they ’ re not used , or not used right , but when we find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been sent and aren ’ t used , you know we ’ ve done a job , ” he said .
Trump was repeating a claim he made on Sunday .
Speaking to the press , the President blamed hospitals for a shortage of masks and ventilators .
“ Now we ’ re still getting more ventilators , ” he said .
“ After this is over , they ’ ll be selling ventilators for a dollar a piece .
We ’ ve have a lot of them .
But you know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the most part , the whole world is short on ventilators.
” Trump added that other countries were also in need of ventilators .
“ We ’ re making a lot of ventilators now and eventually they ’ ll be a dime a dozen , ” Trump said .
“ New York had chance to get 16,000 ventilators a few years ago and they turned it down .
They should be getting it .
The states should be getting it and we should be a backup.
” “ And we ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the President said .
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has said his state will need 30 to 40 thousand ventilators and called on the federal government to help supply them .
Dr. Anthony Fauci agreed with Cuomo that the state would need around 30 thousand ventilators but Trump has repeatedly criticized Cuomo ’ s response to the Coronavirus outbreak .

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President Donald Trump has blamed the state of New York for its ventilator shortage. The President gave a live interview on Fox News on Monday claiming the state was misusing the lifesaving machines.
“I think New York should be fine, based on the numbers that we see,” Trump told the network’s morning show.
“They should have more than enough,” he said on Fox & Friends.
“I’m hearing stories that they’re not used, or not used right, but when we find anywhere from two to four thousand that have been sent and aren’t used, you know we’ve done a job,” he said.
Watch the video:
"I think NY should be fine, based on the numbers that we see. They should have more than enough [ventilators]. I mean, I'm hearing stories that they're not used, or not used right…the states should be getting it. We should be a backup"- Trump blames NY for a ventilator shortage pic.twitter.com/qCpU5YUJ6A — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 30, 2020
Trump was repeating a claim he made on Sunday. Speaking to the press, the President blamed hospitals for a shortage of masks and ventilators.
“Now we’re still getting more ventilators,” he said. “After this is over, they’ll be selling ventilators for a dollar a piece. We’ve have a lot of them. But you know, they have to build them because for the most part, the whole world is short on ventilators.”
Trump added that other countries were also in need of ventilators.
“We’re making a lot of ventilators now and eventually they’ll be a dime a dozen,” Trump said.
“New York had chance to get 16,000 ventilators a few years ago and they turned it down. They should be getting it. The states should be getting it and we should be a backup.”
“And we’ve become not a backup – the opposite,” the President said.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has said his state will need 30 to 40 thousand ventilators and called on the federal government to help supply them.
Dr. Anthony Fauci agreed with Cuomo that the state would need around 30 thousand ventilators but Trump has repeatedly criticized Cuomo’s response to the Coronavirus outbreak.
Follow Darragh Roche on Twitter


politicususa--2020-03-30--Fox News Fears Its Early Downplaying of Coronavirus Could Lead to Lawsuits

Vanity Fair special correspondent Gabriel Sherman , the author of The Loudest Voice in the Room , about Fox News CEO Roger Ailes ’ s rises and fall at the network , says Fox News ’ s decision to oust prime time host Trish Regan was done to limit legal liability .
The decision came after Fox News downplayed the threat of the coronavirus pandemic in recent weeks .
“ Fox News tried to do their original playbook , which was dismiss it as a hoax , say that this is another partisan attempt by Democrats to hurt Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they could not prevent reality , ” Sherman said .
“ Fox News is a very powerful media organization , but it can not stop people from dropping dead.
” Sherman added that his conversations with Fox insiders revealed “ a real concern inside the network that their early downplaying of the coronavirus actually exposes Fox News to potential legal action by viewers who maybe were misled and actually have died from this.
” “ I ’ ve heard Trish Regan ’ s being taken off the air is , you know , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is in big trouble by downplaying this virus .
… I think this is a case where Fox ’ s coverage , if it actually winds up being proved that people died because of it , this is a new terrain in terms of Fox being possibly held liable for their actions , ” he said .
You can watch footage of Sherman ’ s remarks below .
Speaking on her program on March 9 , Regan claimed without evidence that the novel coronavirus that had claimed 26 lives in the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Congressional Democrats who ’ ve unleashed a “ chorus of hate ” toward President Donald Trump and , she said , are looking for another reason to impeach him .
“ We ’ ve reached a tipping point .
The hate is boiling .
Many in the liberal media are using coronavirus in an attempt to demonize and destroy the president , despite the virus originating halfway around the world , ” Regan said .
“ This is yet another attempt to impeach , and sadly , it seems the left cares @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave in their wake , including losses in the market .
This , unfortunately , is all just part of political casualties for them.
” Regan further suggested that Democrats “ don ’ t care who they hurt , whether it be their need to create mass hysteria to encourage a massive sell-off in an overly anxious stock market or , to create mass hysteria in order to stop our economy dead in its tracks.
” Fox News announced Friday that it “ has parted ways ” with Regan , whose program was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have enjoyed my time at Fox and now intend to focus on my family during these troubled times , ” Regan later wrote in a statement .
At least 2,490 Americans have died from the coronavirus according to the most recent count .

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Vanity Fair special correspondent Gabriel Sherman, the author of The Loudest Voice in the Room, about Fox News CEO Roger Ailes’s rises and fall at the network, says Fox News’s decision to oust prime time host Trish Regan was done to limit legal liability. The decision came after Fox News downplayed the threat of the coronavirus pandemic in recent weeks.
“Fox News tried to do their original playbook, which was dismiss it as a hoax, say that this is another partisan attempt by Democrats to hurt Donald Trump, and this was the case where they could not prevent reality,” Sherman said. “Fox News is a very powerful media organization, but it cannot stop people from dropping dead.”
Sherman added that his conversations with Fox insiders revealed “a real concern inside the network that their early downplaying of the coronavirus actually exposes Fox News to potential legal action by viewers who maybe were misled and actually have died from this.”
“I’ve heard Trish Regan’s being taken off the air is, you know, reflective of this concern that Fox News is in big trouble by downplaying this virus. … I think this is a case where Fox’s coverage, if it actually winds up being proved that people died because of it, this is a new terrain in terms of Fox being possibly held liable for their actions,” he said.
You can watch footage of Sherman’s remarks below.
Speaking on her program on March 9, Regan claimed without evidence that the novel coronavirus that had claimed 26 lives in the United States at that point, is being politicized by Congressional Democrats who’ve unleashed a “chorus of hate” toward President Donald Trump and, she said, are looking for another reason to impeach him.
“We’ve reached a tipping point. The hate is boiling. Many in the liberal media are using coronavirus in an attempt to demonize and destroy the president, despite the virus originating halfway around the world,” Regan said. “This is yet another attempt to impeach, and sadly, it seems the left cares little for any of the destruction they leave in their wake, including losses in the market. This, unfortunately, is all just part of political casualties for them.”
Regan further suggested that Democrats “don’t care who they hurt, whether it be their need to create mass hysteria to encourage a massive sell-off in an overly anxious stock market or, to create mass hysteria in order to stop our economy dead in its tracks.”
Fox News announced Friday that it “has parted ways” with Regan, whose program was pulled earlier this month.
“I have enjoyed my time at Fox and now intend to focus on my family during these troubled times,” Regan later wrote in a statement.
At least 2,490 Americans have died from the coronavirus according to the most recent count.


politicususa--2020-03-30--Illinois Will Take Charge of Coronavirus Testing After Trump Admin’s “Profound Failing”

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker ( D ) announced his state will take charge of coronavirus testing , citing President Donald Trump ’ s administration ’ s “ profound failing ” to roll tests out successfully .
“ The White House has promised millions of tests for weeks now , and they ’ re just not here , ” Pritzker said at yesterday ’ s daily press briefing .
“ I ’ m not going to wait on promises from the federal government that may never be fulfilled .
We need this testing capacity now .
So , we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s announcement came as new coronavirus cases in Illinois topped 1,000 for the first time .
“ It is fair to say that most of the models I ’ ve seen … show that we ’ ll be peaking sometime in April , ” he said .
“ We ’ re not yet close to that.
” Noting that public and commercial labs in Illinois are now running 4,000 tests daily––a number that should rise to 10,000 per day within 10 days––Pritzker reiterated the value of increased testing capacity .
“ That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of tests per day that the scientists and experts tell us that we need to get a truly holistic understanding of the virus in each of our 102 counties , ” he said .
“ … Ultimately my goal is to reach a large enough testing capacity where we ’ re able to test everyone who needs a test on a regular basis.
” The Illinois governor said the “ loss of essentially the entire month of February ” without major testing contributed to an “ exponential ” rise of cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ profound failing of the federal government ” to deliver tests had exacerbated the problem .
You can watch footage of Pritzker ’ s remarks below .
Pritzker has openly criticized the president ’ s response to the crisis before .
As recently as last week , Trump said Pritzker “ and a very small group of certain other governors … shouldn ’ t be blaming the federal government for their own shortcomings .
We are there to back you up should you fail , and always will be !
” “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my anger with Donald Trump ’ s response to this crisis .
I have doctors and nurses and first responders begging for masks , equipment and more tests … Donald Trump promised to deliver for all the states weeks ago and so far has done very little , ” Pritzker responded afterward .
“ This is the time for serious people , not the carnival barkers that are tweeting from the cheap seats .
All I can say is get to work or get out of the way .
”

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Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) announced his state will take charge of coronavirus testing, citing President Donald Trump’s administration’s “profound failing” to roll tests out successfully.
“The White House has promised millions of tests for weeks now, and they’re just not here,” Pritzker said at yesterday’s daily press briefing. “I’m not going to wait on promises from the federal government that may never be fulfilled. We need this testing capacity now. So, we’re building it ourselves in Illinois.”
Pritzker’s announcement came as new coronavirus cases in Illinois topped 1,000 for the first time.
“It is fair to say that most of the models I’ve seen … show that we’ll be peaking sometime in April,” he said. “We’re not yet close to that.”
Noting that public and commercial labs in Illinois are now running 4,000 tests daily––a number that should rise to 10,000 per day within 10 days––Pritzker reiterated the value of increased testing capacity.
“That marker is significant because it’s the number of tests per day that the scientists and experts tell us that we need to get a truly holistic understanding of the virus in each of our 102 counties,” he said. “ … Ultimately my goal is to reach a large enough testing capacity where we’re able to test everyone who needs a test on a regular basis.”
The Illinois governor said the “loss of essentially the entire month of February” without major testing contributed to an “exponential” rise of cases in his state, adding that the “profound failing of the federal government” to deliver tests had exacerbated the problem.
You can watch footage of Pritzker’s remarks below.
Pritzker has openly criticized the president’s response to the crisis before.
As recently as last week, Trump said Pritzker “and a very small group of certain other governors … shouldn’t be blaming the federal government for their own shortcomings. We are there to back you up should you fail, and always will be!”
“I’m finding it hard to control my anger with Donald Trump’s response to this crisis. I have doctors and nurses and first responders begging for masks, equipment and more tests … Donald Trump promised to deliver for all the states weeks ago and so far has done very little,” Pritzker responded afterward. “This is the time for serious people, not the carnival barkers that are tweeting from the cheap seats. All I can say is get to work or get out of the way.”


politicususa--2020-03-30--While Trump Seeks Elimination of ACA, Pelosi Re-focuses Americans, Media Heading into 2020

As coverage of the coronavirus streams 24-7 on the airways , updating cases and casualties as well as policy shifts and other breaking developments , it is understandable Americans might find their attention riveted to day to day events linked to the pandemic , making it hard to even think about larger political contexts or issues raised by the pandemic .
We rarely even hear , for example , about the Democratic primary , much less about the approaching presidential election in November , on which many American interests hang in the balance .
Last March 23 , speaking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Obama signing into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held a press conference to introduce House Democrats ’ COVID-19 economic stimulus response , Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act .
Importantly , she did not miss the opportunity to link the coronavirus pandemic and this immediate legislative response to the larger , seemingly always-present , and ever-looming public health crisis in America posed by the Trump administration ’ s ongoing legal efforts to abolish the Affordable Care Act .
Indeed she opened her remarks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the discordance between the American efforts to pull together to stem the spread of the coronavirus and save lives and the unceasing efforts of the Trump administration to undermine access to healthcare for tens of millions of Americans .
She emphasized : Now , we find ourselves in the depths of one of the most serious health and economic emergencies our nation has ever faced .
The protections of the Affordable Care Act are more important now than ever .
But right now , in the middle of coronavirus , the Trump Administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the entire Affordable Care Act .
Every last protection and benefit .
She followed with this exhortation : Pelosi ’ s strategy is clear here : to keep Americans ’ eyes focused on 2020 and what is stake ; and , more importantly , continue to remind Americans what Trump is up to , what he is actually doing .
Meanwhile the media itself is still largely absorbed in a narrow minute by minute view of Trump ’ s statements , caught in the exhausting and counterproductive “ ah-ha ” and “ gotcha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Trump ’ s dog pack of lies .
The media , for the most part , has yet to follow the persistent admonitions of MSNBC ’ s Rachel Maddow to focus on what Trump does , and not on what he says .
Stop giving his lying mouth air time , and start covering the actions of his administration .
Pelosi tried to steer the media in just this direction , reminding them that “ right now , in the middle of coronavirus , the Trump Administration is in court suing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Every last protection and benefit.
” And she stressed the consequences , which should rightly be magnified in the context of the coronavirus pandemic : As momentous and relevant as Pelosi ’ s address was in alerting the media and Americans collectively to the larger political issues , and their larger and longer-term political interests when it comes to healthcare access , the media got swallowed up in its own pandering mentality .
Did anyone hear this earth shattering statement ?
Did any cable news channel get their dozens of talking heads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action ?
Did everybody know the Trump administration is using its suit to get the courts to eliminate the ACA and the popular and necessary insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions for 130 Americans ?
I don ’ t think so .
I heard the statement on MSNBC and then spent most of the afternoon hearing all the talking heads dissect Trump and his press conference .
Pelosi ’ s statement was mentioned in passing by some hosts .
Albano ’ s astute observation is a call to action for the media to engage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public .
Trump is , without a doubt , bungling management of the coronavirus pandemic , irresponsibly costing thousands of Americans their lives and putting many more at risk through the lethal combination of his lies , inaction , and deleterious decision-making .
And it is quite likely his abysmal and fatal leadership now will have an impact come November 2020 .
It is also paramount , however , to follow Pelosi ’ s lead to tie the present moment to larger political stakes and to highlight what Trump is doing and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have made this moment all the worse for Americans .

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As coverage of the coronavirus streams 24-7 on the airways, updating cases and casualties as well as policy shifts and other breaking developments, it is understandable Americans might find their attention riveted to day to day events linked to the pandemic, making it hard to even think about larger political contexts or issues raised by the pandemic.
We rarely even hear, for example, about the Democratic primary, much less about the approaching presidential election in November, on which many American interests hang in the balance.
Last March 23, speaking to the date on the 10th anniversary of President Obama signing into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held a press conference to introduce House Democrats’ COVID-19 economic stimulus response, Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act.
Importantly, she did not miss the opportunity to link the coronavirus pandemic and this immediate legislative response to the larger, seemingly always-present, and ever-looming public health crisis in America posed by the Trump administration’s ongoing legal efforts to abolish the Affordable Care Act.
Indeed she opened her remarks, in fact, drawing attention to the discordance between the American efforts to pull together to stem the spread of the coronavirus and save lives and the unceasing efforts of the Trump administration to undermine access to healthcare for tens of millions of Americans. She emphasized:
Now, we find ourselves in the depths of one of the most serious health and economic emergencies our nation has ever faced. The protections of the Affordable Care Act are more important now than ever. But right now, in the middle of coronavirus, the Trump Administration is in court suing to tear down the entire Affordable Care Act. Every last protection and benefit.
She followed with this exhortation:
Today, therefore, I am calling on President Trump to abandon his lawsuit seeking to strike down the Affordable Care Act. Instead, the President must urge the fourteen states who have refused to expand Medicaid to do so.
Pelosi’s strategy is clear here: to keep Americans’ eyes focused on 2020 and what is stake; and, more importantly, continue to remind Americans what Trump is up to, what he is actually doing.
Meanwhile the media itself is still largely absorbed in a narrow minute by minute view of Trump’s statements, caught in the exhausting and counterproductive “ah-ha” and “gotcha” spiral of fixating on and running after Trump’s dog pack of lies. The media, for the most part, has yet to follow the persistent admonitions of MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow to focus on what Trump does, and not on what he says. Stop giving his lying mouth air time, and start covering the actions of his administration.
Pelosi tried to steer the media in just this direction, reminding them that “right now, in the middle of coronavirus, the Trump Administration is in court suing to tear down the entire Affordable Care Act. Every last protection and benefit.”
And she stressed the consequences, which should rightly be magnified in the context of the coronavirus pandemic:
If President Trump succeeds in striking down the ACA in court, gone is the ban on insurers putting limits on your health care, gone are guaranteed essential health benefits and free preventive services, gone are young people staying on their parent’s insurance until age 26, gone is the health insurance of 20 million Americans and gone are the lifesaving protections for more than 130 million Americans with pre-existing conditions.
As momentous and relevant as Pelosi’s address was in alerting the media and Americans collectively to the larger political issues, and their larger and longer-term political interests when it comes to healthcare access, the media got swallowed up in its own pandering mentality.
As political analyst Terrie Albano observed, writing on Medium:
Did anyone hear this earth shattering statement? Did any cable news channel get their dozens of talking heads to explain and amplify this call to action? Did everybody know the Trump administration is using its suit to get the courts to eliminate the ACA and the popular and necessary insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions for 130 Americans? I don’t think so. I heard the statement on MSNBC and then spent most of the afternoon hearing all the talking heads dissect Trump and his press conference. Pelosi’s statement was mentioned in passing by some hosts.
Albano’s astute observation is a call to action for the media to engage in journalistic practice responsible to the American public.
Trump is, without a doubt, bungling management of the coronavirus pandemic, irresponsibly costing thousands of Americans their lives and putting many more at risk through the lethal combination of his lies, inaction, and deleterious decision-making.
And it is quite likely his abysmal and fatal leadership now will have an impact come November 2020.
It is also paramount, however, to follow Pelosi’s lead to tie the present moment to larger political stakes and to highlight what Trump is doing and has done, how his policies and practices have made this moment all the worse for Americans.


politicususa--2020-03-30--A Brief History of Saving Lives against U.S. Capitalism: From the Great Depression to Coronavirus

Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed an impatience to send Americans back to work and re-open all the businesses currently closed .
“ We can ’ t let the cure be worse than the problem , ” he has said repeatedly .
With this new favorite mantra of his , he is pitting saving people ’ s lives against saving the economy , coming down in favor of the latter .
He argues that an economic depression will in the end destroy more lives than the virus .
His opponents argue that saving the economy is contingent on saving lives and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both sides are interested in saving “ the ” economy , which makes the choice a false one .
To understand why the choice is a false one , we have to stop saying “ the economy , ” as if there ’ s only one kind of economy we can create , and refer specifically to the U.S. capitalist economy .
The question then is , do we really want to save the U.S. capitalist economy ?
Both present conditions and American history powerfully indicate that capitalism is hostile to human life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the way to save lives .
If we want to save lives , we need to transform U.S. capitalism .
Just take these few examples of how capitalist behavior has hampered rather than aided the COVID-19 response save lives : *As New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has stressed , private hospitals , geared toward making profits , are unprepared to treat the many stricken with the coronavirus because , operating according to capitalist models of business efficiency , they do not allow for excess beds—or “ excess capacity ’ —because that eats into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following capitalism ’ s preferred “ just-in-time ” inventory management process , hospitals do not stockpile the equipment—masks , gloves , ventilators—necessary to handle the volume of patients such a crisis brings to them .
The private sector can not handle the nation ’ s public health needs , as they are designed to produce profit , not meet human need .
And the global supply chain , operating on capitalism ’ s push for lean production , can not now mobilize to meet need given that workers all over are impacted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the necessary equipment are stalling in distributing these goods needed to immediately save lives , holding out for the highest bidder as state and federal governments compete against one another .
The capitalist “ ethos ” of competition doesn ’ t make us better ; it costs lives in the name of the producing profit .
And some other key historical moments also arguably demonstrate the hostility of capitalism to human life .
First , let ’ s recognize that what caused this economic crisis was overproduction .
We didn ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had too much !
Thus , with markets glutted with more products than people needed or could afford to buy beyond need , prices plummeted in accordance with the capitalist laws of supply and demand , and factories and industries laid people off .
Consequently , people didn ’ t have money to buy the basic necessities .
Hence , the masses , starving as they were , hit the breadlines , as we all know from the familiar images of the Depression passed down to us .
So , to put the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at this moment in history , the logic of the capitalist system created a scenario in which the mass of American citizens was starving and in need amidst conditions of material abundance .
The sane mind might find this description of a crisis a bit off kilter .
Should having abundant resources available to us really constitute a crisis ?
It seems we need to question the efficacy of a system that transforms conditions of material abundance into human want and misery .
How did the capitalist imagination seek to resolve the crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pricing and create conditions to make more production necessary , the task was to eliminate abundance by burning crops , pouring milk down sewers , slaughtering livestock , and so forth .
In short , the answer was to get the capitalist economy-whose internal dynamics inevitably generated the crisis to begin with-up and running again , leaving us to wait for the next inevitable cyclical crisis , such as our most recent Great Recession .
As an example of what I ’ m talking about , take the foreclosure crisis that largely caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , our great minds , imprisoned by the limitations of the capitalist imagination , sought to solve the problem and save the system from total collapse by bailing out the banks from the toxic mortgages they issued which were leaving them high and dry because borrowers could not repay them .
But while the banks were bailed out , the “ homeowners ” were still foreclosed upon and evicted .
Homes were left empty .
An abundance of houses flooded the market , driving down property values for those still in their home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ underwater in their mortgages , witnessing their chief investment and wealth asset disappear .
Gazillions in wealth were lost , destroying the housing market and eroding the financial wherewithal of the consumer ( whose prowess accounts for more than 2/3 of the economy ) .
But the banks were saved .
The system was saved .
How might the problem have been approached the problem differently ?
Putting human need first and envisioning an economy that served people as opposed to one in which people serve the economy-would have sought first to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prioritizing the banks , our leaders had sought to save the system by bailing out homeowners ?
If the trillions of dollars had been dispensed to those with unpaid mortgages instead of the banks ?
To those people could have paid off their mortgages , made good on the “ toxic loans , ” and arguably have bailed out the banks while staying in their homes ?
It would have prevented the destruction of the housing market and the death spiral of the overall economy .
Capitalism won ’ t save people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We need to approach the governing and the crafting of economic policy with a clearer vision of what the objective of a government and a political economy should be .
And that is to serve the people and organize the production and distribution of resources to most efficiently serve human need , first and foremost .

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Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed an impatience to send Americans back to work and re-open all the businesses currently closed.
“We can’t let the cure be worse than the problem,” he has said repeatedly.
With this new favorite mantra of his, he is pitting saving people’s lives against saving the economy, coming down in favor of the latter. He argues that an economic depression will in the end destroy more lives than the virus. His opponents argue that saving the economy is contingent on saving lives and stemming the pandemic.
Either way, both sides are interested in saving “the” economy, which makes the choice a false one.
To understand why the choice is a false one, we have to stop saying “the economy,” as if there’s only one kind of economy we can create, and refer specifically to the U.S. capitalist economy.
The question then is, do we really want to save the U.S. capitalist economy?
Both present conditions and American history powerfully indicate that capitalism is hostile to human life, such that saving capitalism is not the way to save lives. If we want to save lives, we need to transform U.S. capitalism.
Just take these few examples of how capitalist behavior has hampered rather than aided the COVID-19 response save lives:
*As New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has stressed, private hospitals, geared toward making profits, are unprepared to treat the many stricken with the coronavirus because, operating according to capitalist models of business efficiency, they do not allow for excess beds—or “excess capacity’—because that eats into profit. https://www.politicususa.com/2020/03/21/opinion-coronavirus-highlights-inhumanity-and-inefficiency-of-for-profit-economy.html
*Also, following capitalism’s preferred “just-in-time” inventory management process, hospitals do not stockpile the equipment—masks, gloves, ventilators—necessary to handle the volume of patients such a crisis brings to them. The private sector cannot handle the nation’s public health needs, as they are designed to produce profit, not meet human need. And the global supply chain, operating on capitalism’s push for lean production, cannot now mobilize to meet need given that workers all over are impacted by the virus.
*Companies that do produce the necessary equipment are stalling in distributing these goods needed to immediately save lives, holding out for the highest bidder as state and federal governments compete against one another. The capitalist “ethos” of competition doesn’t make us better; it costs lives in the name of the producing profit.
And some other key historical moments also arguably demonstrate the hostility of capitalism to human life.
Take the Great Depression.
First, let’s recognize that what caused this economic crisis was overproduction. We didn’t have too little as a country; we had too much! Thus, with markets glutted with more products than people needed or could afford to buy beyond need, prices plummeted in accordance with the capitalist laws of supply and demand, and factories and industries laid people off. Consequently, people didn’t have money to buy the basic necessities. Hence, the masses, starving as they were, hit the breadlines, as we all know from the familiar images of the Depression passed down to us.
So, to put the absurdity of this situation into relief, at this moment in history, the logic of the capitalist system created a scenario in which the mass of American citizens was starving and in need amidst conditions of material abundance.
The sane mind might find this description of a crisis a bit off kilter. Should having abundant resources available to us really constitute a crisis? It seems we need to question the efficacy of a system that transforms conditions of material abundance into human want and misery.
How did the capitalist imagination seek to resolve the crisis? Well, in order to restore pricing and create conditions to make more production necessary, the task was to eliminate abundance by burning crops, pouring milk down sewers, slaughtering livestock, and so forth. In short, the answer was to get the capitalist economy-whose internal dynamics inevitably generated the crisis to begin with-up and running again, leaving us to wait for the next inevitable cyclical crisis, such as our most recent Great Recession.
As an example of what I’m talking about, take the foreclosure crisis that largely caused our latest Great Recession. Our leaders, our great minds, imprisoned by the limitations of the capitalist imagination, sought to solve the problem and save the system from total collapse by bailing out the banks from the toxic mortgages they issued which were leaving them high and dry because borrowers could not repay them.
But while the banks were bailed out, the “homeowners” were still foreclosed upon and evicted. Homes were left empty. An abundance of houses flooded the market, driving down property values for those still in their home. Millions more Americans thus found themselves underwater in their mortgages, witnessing their chief investment and wealth asset disappear. Gazillions in wealth were lost, destroying the housing market and eroding the financial wherewithal of the consumer (whose prowess accounts for more than 2/3 of the economy). But the banks were saved. The system was saved.
How might the problem have been approached the problem differently? Putting human need first and envisioning an economy that served people as opposed to one in which people serve the economy-would have sought first to keep people housed.
Imagine if instead of prioritizing the banks, our leaders had sought to save the system by bailing out homeowners? If the trillions of dollars had been dispensed to those with unpaid mortgages instead of the banks? To those people could have paid off their mortgages, made good on the “toxic loans,” and arguably have bailed out the banks while staying in their homes? It would have prevented the destruction of the housing market and the death spiral of the overall economy.
Capitalism won’t save people. They need to be saved from it.
We need to approach the governing and the crafting of economic policy with a clearer vision of what the objective of a government and a political economy should be. And that is to serve the people and organize the production and distribution of resources to most efficiently serve human need, first and foremost.