theguardian--2020-06-24--Joe Biden and Barack Obama raise $11m in first 2020 fundraiser together

Barack Obama made his first campaign appearance alongside Joe Biden since endorsing him for president in April , helping raise more than $ 11m while warning Democrats against being “ complacent or smug ” about the presidential race .
The virtual fundraiser collected $ 7.6m from 175,000 grassroots contributors according to the Biden campaign .
The former president and the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee also hosted a private online portion for high-dollar donors , which was not open to reporters , and brought in more than $ 3.4m .
It was the most money raised by a single event by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential campaign , and came on the heels of the Democratic party and Biden ’ s campaign out-raising Donald Trump in May for the first time .
At the event , however , Obama urged viewers to learn the lessons from 2016 and not take the election for granted .
Referencing what he called a “ great awakening ” among younger Americans pushing for reforms , Obama said that “ just because this energy is out there does not mean that it assures our victory and it does not mean that it gets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real change.
” “ There ’ s a backlash , that is fierce , against change , ” Obama added .
The Trump campaign has so far been ahead in overall fundraising , with $ 265m in cash at the end of May .
Trump ’ s Dallas fundraiser earlier this month raised north of $ 10m for the campaign , Republican National Committee and the Trump Victory Fund .
Biden and the Democrats had a combined $ 122m , Reuters reported , though the former vice-president ’ s fundraising efforts appear to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The fundraiser marked Obama ’ s official return to the presidential campaign trail and underscored his unmatched popularity within the Democratic party .
Tuesday ’ s event was a kickoff of what Obama ’ s team says will likely be a busy schedule heading into the fall , as he looks to help elect not just Biden but Democrats running for House and Senate .
And his comments suggest Democrats are taking very seriously the possibility that their base could grow too comfortable this fall , with a number of state and nationwide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ double-digit leads over Trump .
Democrats are hoping Obama ’ s appeal , especially among Black and younger voters , can help boost energy for Biden .
“ There ’ s two groups of voters that Biden needs to move , ” said Dan Pfeiffer , the former White House communications director .
“ You have the 4 million Obama 2012 voters that sat out in ’ 16 , Obama obviously has cache with them .
And you have to persuade some number of voters who voted for Barack Obama in 2012 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 , and Obama obviously is very , very high-performing with those as well.
” Indeed , during Tuesday night ’ s fundraiser , Obama made a frequent pitch directly to young voters , telling them he was “ hopeful ” about the new energy he ’ s seen but warning them not to get discouraged with a political process he said “ is always going to be slower ” and “ less satisfactory ” than engaging with a social movement through public demonstrations .
Obama endorsed Biden with a video message in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profile throughout the primary and largely avoided wading into national politics .
In recent weeks , however , he ’ s re-emerged publicly to speak out on policing and the civil unrest that followed the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Some Democrats say that , in the wake of Floyd ’ s killing , Obama ’ s voice as an advocate for Biden and a leader for the party is needed .
“ Biden doesn ’ t have the strongest record on criminal justice reform so having Obama there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Ben Tulchin , who polled for Bernie Sanders ’ presidential campaign .
“ Given what ’ s going on with criminal justice reform and Black Lives Matter , having the first African American president out there publicly backing Biden is extremely helpful .
”

Barack Obama made his first campaign appearance alongside Joe Biden since endorsing him for president in April, helping raise more than $11m while warning Democrats against being “complacent or smug” about the presidential race.
The virtual fundraiser collected $7.6m from 175,000 grassroots contributors, according to the Biden campaign. The pair also hosted a private online portion for high-dollar donors, which was not open to reporters, and brought in more than $3.4m.
It was the most money raised by a single event by the former vice-president so far during his presidential campaign, and came on the heels of the Democratic party and Biden’s campaign out-raising Donald Trump in May for the first time.
At the event, however, Obama urged viewers to learn the lessons from 2016 and not take the election for granted. Referencing what he called a “great awakening” among younger Americans pushing for reforms, Obama said that “just because this energy is out there does not mean that it assures our victory and it does not mean that it gets channeled in a way that results in real change.”
“There’s a backlash, that is fierce, against change,” Obama added.
The Trump campaign has so far been ahead in overall fundraising, with $265m in cash at the end of May. Trump’s Dallas fundraiser earlier this month raised north of $10m for the campaign, Republican National Committee and the Trump Victory Fund. Biden and the Democrats had a combined $122m, Reuters reported, though the former vice-president’s fundraising efforts appear to have picked up in recent weeks.
The fundraiser marked Obama’s official return to the presidential campaign trail and underscored his unmatched popularity within the Democratic party.
Tuesday’s event was a kickoff of what Obama’s team says will likely be a busy schedule heading into the fall, as he looks to help elect not just Biden but Democrats running for House and Senate. And his comments suggest Democrats are taking very seriously the possibility that their base could grow too comfortable this fall, with a number of state and nationwide surveys showing Biden with significant, often double-digit leads over Trump.
Democrats are hoping Obama’s appeal, especially among Black and younger voters, can help boost energy for Biden.
“There’s two groups of voters that Biden needs to move,” said Dan Pfeiffer, the former White House communications director. “You have the 4 million Obama 2012 voters that sat out in 16, Obama obviously has cache with them. And you have to persuade some number of voters who voted for Barack Obama in 2012 and either Trump or a third-party candidate in 2016, and Obama obviously is very, very high-performing with those as well.”
Indeed, during Tuesday night’s fundraiser, Obama made a frequent pitch directly to young voters, telling them he was “hopeful” about the new energy he’s seen but warning them not to get discouraged with a political process he said “is always going to be slower” and “less satisfactory” than engaging with a social movement through public demonstrations.
Obama endorsed Biden with a video message in April, but kept an otherwise low profile throughout the primary and largely avoided wading into national politics. In recent weeks, however, he’s re-emerged publicly to speak out on policing and the civil unrest that followed the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Some Democrats say that, in the wake of Floyd’s killing, Obama’s voice as an advocate for Biden and a leader for the party is needed.
“Biden doesn’t have the strongest record on criminal justice reform so having Obama there is helpful in reinforcing that issue,” said Ben Tulchin, who polled for Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign.
“Given what’s going on with criminal justice reform and Black Lives Matter, having the first African American president out there publicly backing Biden is extremely helpful.”


theguardian--2020-06-24--CDC director: Covid-19 'brought this nation to its knees' – as it happened

Washington ’ s governor , Jay Inslee , announced a mandate requiring all residents to wear a face mask when @ @ @ @ @ goes into effect on Friday and violations could result in a misdemeanor .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ we need to look at this , ” Inslee said at a news conference .
@ @ @ @ @ wish this virus to go away .
We have to use tools that are available @ @ @ @ @ , that work.
” The mandate will be formally issued by the health secretary , @ @ @ @ @ children under the age of five – though kids 3-5 years old are recommended to @ @ @ @ @ who are deaf or hard of hearing are also exempt , in in scenarios when @ @ @ @ @ .
The requirement comes as cases surged in some parts of Washington , even as @ @ @ @ @ and public spaces .

Maanvi Singh, Joan E Greve and Martin Belam

24 Jun 2020 01.41 BST Donald Trump spoke in Phoenix, Arizona, to a packed crowd of supporters who weren’t wearing face masks. The city’s mayor expressed concerns about the event, as coronavirus cases surged in the state.
The city’s mayor expressed concerns about the event, as coronavirus cases surged in the state. Voters in Kentucky and New York voted in primaries today, but don’t bank on results tonight . Both states have expanded mail-in voting because of the Covid-19 pandemic and will continue to accept ballots postmarked by today. In Kentucky, a Democratic candidate vying to challenge the Republican Senate leader, Mitch McConnell, filed an injunction to keep polls in Louisville open late, as voters who didn’t vote absentee banged on doors to register their choices
Both states have expanded mail-in voting because of the Covid-19 pandemic and will continue to accept ballots postmarked by today. In Kentucky, a Democratic candidate vying to challenge the Republican Senate leader, Mitch McConnell, filed an injunction to keep polls in Louisville open late, as voters who didn’t vote absentee banged on doors to register their choices Joe Biden and Barack Obama raised $7.6m at a virtual fundraiser today. The event was virtually attended by 175,000 people, according to the Biden campaign. This is the most money raised by a single Biden event so far in this cycle.
The event was virtually attended by 175,000 people, according to the Biden campaign. This is the most money raised by a single Biden event so far in this cycle. The European Union is reportedly considering denying entry to Americans once borders reopen, due to the US response to the coronavirus pandemic. The move would be a sharp rebuke of Trump and his administration’s handling of the crisis, which has already claimed more than 120,000 American lives.
due to the US response to the coronavirus pandemic. The move would be a sharp rebuke of and his administration’s handling of the crisis, which has already claimed more than 120,000 American lives. Rayshard Brooks’ funeral was held in Atlanta, Georgia. Family members and friends offered fond remembrances of Brooks, who was fatally shot in the back by a white police officer earlier this month.
Family members and friends offered fond remembrances of Brooks, who was fatally shot in the back by a white police officer earlier this month. The officer who fired 10 rounds into Breonna Taylor’s home was made redundant by the Louisville police . In a termination letter, the police chief, Robert Schroeder, wrote that officer Brett Hankison “blindly” fired into Taylor’s apartment. “I am alarmed and stunned you used deadly force in this fashion,” he wrote. But Hankinson can still appeal the termination.
. In a termination letter, the police chief, Robert Schroeder, wrote that officer Brett Hankison “blindly” fired into Taylor’s apartment. “I am alarmed and stunned you used deadly force in this fashion,” he wrote. But Hankinson can still appeal the termination. Senate Democrats signaled they would block the Republican police reform bill from being taken up for debate. Three Democratic senators said in a letter to the majority leader Mitch McConnell that the legislation was “not salvageable”, leaving many lawmakers pessimistic about police reform passing Congress before the November elections.
Three Democratic senators said in a letter to the majority leader that the legislation was “not salvageable”, leaving many lawmakers pessimistic about police reform passing Congress before the November elections. Trump said he would soon sign an executive order on monuments. The president said the order would be aimed at punishing “vandals” and “hoodlums” who have defaced or tried to take down controversial monuments since the start of the George Floyd protests. However, it’s unclear what impact the order would have, considering it’s already a federal crime to deface federal property.
The president said the order would be aimed at punishing “vandals” and “hoodlums” who have defaced or tried to take down controversial monuments since the start of the protests. However, it’s unclear what impact the order would have, considering it’s already a federal crime to deface federal property. Senior health officials, including Dr Anthony Fauci, testified on Capitol Hill. Fauci said he was “cautiously optimistic” a coronavirus vaccine would be made available by early next year. The health officials also said Trump never told them to slow down coronavirus testing, contradicting the president’s comments.
Fauci said he was “cautiously optimistic” a coronavirus vaccine would be made available by early next year. The health officials also said Trump never told them to slow down coronavirus testing, contradicting the president’s comments. A former federal prosecutor said the sentencing of Roger Stone was politicized by senior officials. Former prosecutor Aaron SJ Zelinsky, who withdrew from the Stone case after justice department leaders overrode prosecutors’ initial sentencing recommendation in order to recommend a more lenient sentence for the former Trump associate, will testify before the House judiciary committee tomorrow.
Updated at 02.22 BST
24 Jun 2020 01.13 BST Washington’s governor, Jay Inslee, announced a mandate requiring all residents to wear a face mask when in public. The order goes into effect on Friday and violations could result in a misdemeanor. “I think this is the way we need to look at this,” Inslee said at a news conference. “We just cannot wish this virus to go away. We have to use tools that are available to us that we know, that work.” The mandate will be formally issued by the health secretary, John Wiesman, and exempts children under the age of five – though kids 3-5 years old are recommended to wear face coverings. People who are deaf or hard of hearing are also exempt, in in scenarios when they are communicating with others.
The requirement comes as cases surged in some parts of Washington, even as the state continued reopening businesses and public spaces.
Updated at 02.23 BST
23 Jun 2020 00.47 BST “Absentee ballots are fine,” Trump said, justifying why he voted absentee in Florida but opposes mail-in voting. As we all know, absentee votes are mailed through the postal service, whereas mail-in ballots are posted, though the mail system. Trump actually voted absentee in the Florida primaries, even though he was in Florida at the time and could have voted in person, as CNN reports.
Updated at 00.50 BST
23 Jun 2020 00.41 BST Trump continued to lie about mail-in voting, suggesting that absentee ballots will be “stolen from mailboxes” and “forged”. “Will they be counterfeited maybe by the millions by foreign powers?” Trump speculated. I’ll let my colleague, voting rights reporter Sam Levine, explain why the president’s claims are false and misleading: Experts have said that it would be nearly impossible for a foreign country to orchestrate the kind of fraud Trump and Barr are hyping. Many election offices have systems in place to closely track mail-in ballots and have other methods of verifying the identity of a voter such as comparing the signature on the ballot to ones on file. Trump attacks mail-in voting with new series of false claims Read more
23 Jun 2020 00.37 BST Donald Trump just quoted Martin Luther King, Jr, saying he and the Right “believe that people should not be judged based on the color of their skin but the content of their character”. He used racist phrases to described coronavirus, including “kung flu” earlier in the speech.
Updated at 00.57 BST
23 Jun 2020 00.34 BST In Philadelphia, a reporter and several demonstrators demanding that the city demilitarize the police were reportedly apprehended, by officers outfitted in “counter-terrorism” gear. So here is the video before I got detained... pic.twitter.com/2U6NEsvBTa — Samantha Melamed (@samanthamelamed) June 23, 2020 So I just told a police officer wielding a baton that im a reporter. He told me to “put this on Twitter”. Then he tightly handcuffed me with zip ties and he and another one mocked me while dragging me backward down two flights of stairs along with few dozen others arrested in MSB — Samantha Melamed (@samanthamelamed) June 23, 2020 Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Samanta Melamed told police she was a reporter but was detained nonetheless. Protestors gathered in the lobby of the city’s Municipal Services Building to demand that officials amend the budget and defund the police. Hundreds also stood outside city hall, as nationwide demonstrations against police brutality continued nearly a month after George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis.
23 Jun 2020 00.24 BST In Phoenix, more false claims from Trump: Trump on healthcare: “We will always protect people with pre-existing conditions.” Fact check: Trump tried to weaken protections for patients with pre-existing conditions provided by Obamacare through repeal and replace proposals that didn’t make it through Congress. The White House is also championing a federal lawsuit to repeal Obamacare. Trump: “We passed VA Choice... Nobody thought we were going to get that one done.” Fact check: The Veterans Choice Program was started in 2014 by Obama, following a scandal over wait times at veterans health facilities. Trump signed legislation to continue the program.
23 Jun 2020 00.13 BST More from voting rights reporter Sam Levine: Kentucky voters banged on shut doors demanding to be able to vote at the Kentucky Expo center in Louisville after the official poll time in Kentucky. Voters are entitled to vote as long as they are in line when the polls close, but the local county clerk had argued that people had to be physically inside the Expo center, not outside on the pavement, to vote at 6pm. That left about 100 voters locked outside the expo doors on the pavement demanding to be let in.
The rush to get inside before 6pm: pic.twitter.com/gxTEQwphDR — Joe Sonka 😐 (@joesonka) June 23, 2020 Door banging getting really aggressive now: pic.twitter.com/YJhNOn2fJf — Joe Sonka 😐 (@joesonka) June 23, 2020 A judge then granted a request from Charles Booker, a state representative seeking the Democratic nomination for a US Senate seat, and the doors were briefly opened until 6.30.
In addition to the voters just outside the expo center, there were also reports that voters were lined up in their cars waiting to get into the Expo center so voters could cast a ballot. It’s unclear if those voters will get to vote.
Updated at 01.01 BST
23 Jun 2020 00.05 BST Louisville officer fired over Breonna Taylor killing The Louisville cop who shot 10 rounds into Breonna Taylor’s home has been fired, according to the police department. pic.twitter.com/E48Lx1DH73 — LMPD (@LMPD) June 23, 2020 In a termination letter, the police chief, Robert Schroeder, wrote that officer Brett Hankison “blindly” fired into Taylor’s apartment, creating a “substantial danger of death and serious injury”. “I find your conduct a shock to the conscience,” he wrote. “I am alarmed and stunned you used deadly force in this fashion.” Hankison can still appeal his termination, because of “due process rights granted to police officers under Kentucky state law and the collective bargaining agreement between the police union and city” the Louisville Courier-Journal reports. Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, was killed more than two months ago, after officers forced their way into her apartment with a “no-knock” warrant. Activists have been calling for those that killed her to be arrested.
Updated at 01.27 BST
23 Jun 2020 00.00 BST Trump has repeated one false claim after another. Trump: Democrats “get everybody even if they’re not registered, if they’re not citizens if they’re here illegally” to vote. Fact check: This is not true. Trump has repeatedly undermined efforts to expand voting by mail by spreading misinformation about potential cheating. Trump: California admitted that 1m or more people voted illegally. Fact check: This is not true. The settlement that Trump is referencing concerned inactive voters on registration rolls in a case that had to do with updating old records.
Updated at 00.00 BST
23 Jun 2020 23.51 BST In Phoenix, Donald Trump appears pleased with the packed house, a few days after seeing thousands of empty seats in Tulsa. As his opponent’s fundraiser with Barack Obama winds down, Trump derided Biden. “It only took [Obama] how long? A year and a half to endorse him?” he mocked. Obama — who avoided picking favorites among the Democratic primary candidates — endorsed Biden in mid-April, a day after Biden’s last remaining Democratic rival Bernie Sanders endorsed the former vice president.
23 Jun 2020 23.27 BST In Louisville, Charles Booker, who is vying to be the Democratic challenger to Senate leader Mitch McConnell in November, had filed an injunction to keep polls open until 9pm local time due to long lines at Kentucky Expo Center, the county’s only in-person election day polling place. He urged voters to stay in line, even after the polling place officially closed at 6pm. STAY IN LINE! A judge is reviewing the situation.
STAY IN LINE. — Charles Booker (@Booker4KY) June 23, 2020 After a bipartisan agreement between the Republican secretary of state Michael Adams and Democratic governor Andy Beshear, all registered voters in Kentucky had the option to vote by mail. More than 883,000 ballots were requested, and 452,000 were returned by Monday afternoon, according to officials.
Updated at 23.43 BST


theguardian--2020-06-23--US police reform bills unlikely to pass amid partisan divide despite calls for change

Hopes of legislation on new police reforms being passed before the election were fading on Tuesday despite protests across the country calling for change following the recent police killings of Black Americans .
Dueling bills put forward in Congress , one by Democrats in the House , where they have the majority , and the other by Republicans in the GOP-led Senate look increasingly doomed , amid deep partisan divides .
Senate Democrats on Tuesday sent a letter to majority leader and Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell signaling they will block Republican senator Tim Scott ’ s police reform bill , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” , rather than debate and try to amend it .
Senate minority leader and New York Democrat Chuck Schumer said “ no bill will pass ” if the Republicans bring it to the Senate floor on Wednesday and instead called for bipartisan talks .
Senate Republicans need seven of their Democratic colleagues to vote with them on the motion to proceed in order for the Scott bill to advance , so the Democrats have the ability to block the legislation if they are unified in opposition to it .
Meanwhile a contrasting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is very likely to get enough votes to pass in that chamber later this week , but McConnell has said the Democratic legislation is a non-starter in the Senate .
In their letter , Schumer and fellow Democratic senators Cory Booker and Kamala Harris wrote : “ This is a serious challenge requiring serious solutions .
Bringing the JUSTICE Act to the floor of the Senate is a woefully inadequate response , and we urge you to bring meaningful legislation to the floor for a vote.
” They added : “ This bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talks to get to a constructive starting point.
” The partisan standoff means it is less and less likely that Congress will approve any police reform legislation before the November election , despite loud calls for change and moves by some states and cities to advance their own reforms .
“ There ’ s probably no path forward in this Congress if they block debate tomorrow , ” on the Senate bill , Republican senator Roy Blunt said on Capitol Hill .
Democratic lawmakers have previously complained that Scott ’ s bill only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by threatening to hold up federal funds .
In contrast , House Democrats ’ police reform bill explicitly bans police chokeholds and no-knock warrants .
George Floyd , an African American , was killed in Minneapolis last month after a white police officer pressed his knee on his neck for almost nine minutes as he was pinned to the ground during an arrest attempt .
His dying cries of “ I can ’ t breathe ” echoed other police killings using choking restraints , notably Eric Garner in New York in 2014 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during demonstrations led by the Black Lives Matter movement .
Breonna Taylor was shot dead by police in Louisville , Kentucky , earlier this year during a botched raid when officers burst into her home without warning .

Hopes of legislation on new police reforms being passed before the election were fading on Tuesday despite protests across the country calling for change following the recent police killings of Black Americans.
Dueling bills put forward in Congress, one by Democrats in the House, where they have the majority, and the other by Republicans in the GOP-led Senate look increasingly doomed, amid deep partisan divides.
Senate Democrats on Tuesday sent a letter to majority leader and Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell signaling they will block Republican senator Tim Scott’s police reform bill, describing the legislation as “woefully inadequate”, rather than debate and try to amend it.
Senate minority leader and New York Democrat Chuck Schumer said “no bill will pass” if the Republicans bring it to the Senate floor on Wednesday and instead called for bipartisan talks.
Senate Republicans need seven of their Democratic colleagues to vote with them on the motion to proceed in order for the Scott bill to advance, so the Democrats have the ability to block the legislation if they are unified in opposition to it.
Meanwhile a contrasting bill in the House written by Democrats is very likely to get enough votes to pass in that chamber later this week, but McConnell has said the Democratic legislation is a non-starter in the Senate.
In their letter, Schumer and fellow Democratic senators Cory Booker and Kamala Harris wrote:“This is a serious challenge requiring serious solutions. Bringing the JUSTICE Act to the floor of the Senate is a woefully inadequate response, and we urge you to bring meaningful legislation to the floor for a vote.”
They added: “This bill is not salvageable and we need bipartisan talks to get to a constructive starting point.”
The partisan standoff means it is less and less likely that Congress will approve any police reform legislation before the November election, despite loud calls for change and moves by some states and cities to advance their own reforms.
“There’s probably no path forward in this Congress if they block debate tomorrow,” on the Senate bill, Republican senator Roy Blunt said on Capitol Hill.
Democratic lawmakers have previously complained that Scott’s bill only incentivizes police departments to ban police chokeholds by threatening to hold up federal funds.
In contrast, House Democrats’ police reform bill explicitly bans police chokeholds and no-knock warrants. George Floyd, an African American, was killed in Minneapolis last month after a white police officer pressed his knee on his neck for almost nine minutes as he was pinned to the ground during an arrest attempt.
His dying cries of “I can’t breathe” echoed other police killings using choking restraints, notably Eric Garner in New York in 2014, and once again became a protest cry during demonstrations led by the Black Lives Matter movement.
Breonna Taylor was shot dead by police in Louisville, Kentucky, earlier this year during a botched raid when officers burst into her home without warning.


theguardian--2020-06-23--Coronavirus has brought US 'to its knees', says CDC director

A US public health chief told Congress on Tuesday that coronavirus has “ brought this nation to its knees ” as America struggles with more than 2.3 million confirmed cases and more than 121,000 deaths so far .
Dr Robert Redfield , director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) , told a hearing in Washington that core public health capabilities in the US had been vastly underfunded for a long time and needed urgent investment .
“ We have all done the best that we can do to tackle this virus and the reality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation to its knees , ” Redfield told the House energy and commerce committee .
“ We are probably going to spend $ 7tn because of one little virus , ” he added .
He said that the US had “ used the capacity that we have ” to confront the pandemic but that “ the critics will be there ” .
The Trump administration has been heavily criticized for a slow and shaky early response to coronavirus as it spread from Asia and Europe to the US in early 2020 , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Covid-19 and the damage it would come to wreak upon the US .
Redfield said that the US at local , state and federal level has chronically underinvested in “ the core capabilities of public health ” , including data analysis , “ laboratory resilience ” , the public health workforce , emergency response capabilities and “ our global health security around the world ” , adding that “ now is the time ” to step up spending .
Earlier in the hearing , Dr Anthony Fauci , the US ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country will be doing more Covid-19 testing , not less , hours after the president insisted he was serious when he said at a rally at the weekend that he had called for testing to slow down in the US .
Coronavirus cases have continued to rise in about half of US states , but Trump said at the rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , that increased testing was making the US look bad and that he had asked staff to slow down .
His press secretary later said the remarks were “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by them on Tuesday , telling reporters that the comments weren ’ t a joke .
Speaking to the congressional committee hours later , however , Fauci said : “ I know for sure that to my knowledge none of us have ever been told to slow down on testing .
That just is a fact .
In fact , we will be doing more testing.
” Fauci , a member of the White House coronavirus task force , spoke to the committee alongside Redfield ; the head of the Food and Drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top official at the Department of Health and Human Services , Brett Giroir .
Fauci last testified before Congress in May , when states were still mostly shut down .
Since then staggered reopenings have taken place across the country , and several states are seeing a concerning increase in cases .
He said the state of coronavirus in the US was overall a “ mixed bag ” , in part because of the country ’ s huge size and diversity .
He said some areas , such as New York City , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by following the government ’ s guidelines for reopening , but said the “ disturbing surge ” in infections in other parts of the country was very concerning .
“ The next couple of weeks are going to be critical to address those surges we ’ re seeing , ” Fauci said , specifically citing the increase in cases in Florida , Arizona and Texas .
The concerns shared by top health leaders at the hearing contradicted Trump ’ s continued efforts to downplay the effects of Covid-19 .
At least eight Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tulsa , where Trump told a campaign rally that he had asked administration officials to slow down testing , because too many positive cases are turning up .
After administration figures including White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany suggested the comments weren ’ t serious or were a joke , Trump on Tuesday said : “ I never kid.
” “ Testing is a double-edged sword , ” Trump told reporters .
“ One way , it shows you have cases and in another way you find out where the cases are and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked individually at the congressional hearing if the president had asked the US health leaders to slow down testing , they all responded “ no ” .
At the time of the May hearing , Fauci was one of many speakers to testify from a video feed at home .
This time , the speakers were in person for this hearing .
In the chamber , the men sat with tubs of disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer pumps next to their nameplates .
While committee members and speakers are usually packed tight , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks , which they removed to speak .
Fauci told the committee he was “ cautiously optimistic ” that a vaccine would be ready at the end of the year or early 2021 .
The group also expressed concern about what could happen if coronavirus cases were still high when flu season arrives in the autumn .
In a prepared statement , the experts said such a collision could again burden the country ’ s healthcare system .
“ If there is Covid-19 and flu activity at the same time , this could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system related to bed occupancy , laboratory testing needs , personal protective equipment and healthcare worker safety , ” the statement said .
• None Associated Press contributed to this report

A US public health chief told Congress on Tuesday that coronavirus has “brought this nation to its knees” as America struggles with more than 2.3 million confirmed cases and more than 121,000 deaths so far.
Dr Robert Redfield, director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), told a hearing in Washington that core public health capabilities in the US had been vastly underfunded for a long time and needed urgent investment.
“We have all done the best that we can do to tackle this virus and the reality is that it’s brought this nation to its knees,” Redfield told the House energy and commerce committee.
“We are probably going to spend $7tn because of one little virus,” he added.
He said that the US had “used the capacity that we have” to confront the pandemic but that “the critics will be there”.
The Trump administration has been heavily criticized for a slow and shaky early response to coronavirus as it spread from Asia and Europe to the US in early 2020, especially as Donald Trump repeatedly downplayed the risk of Covid-19 and the damage it would come to wreak upon the US.
Redfield said that the US at local, state and federal level has chronically underinvested in “the core capabilities of public health”, including data analysis, “laboratory resilience”, the public health workforce, emergency response capabilities and “our global health security around the world”, adding that “now is the time” to step up spending.
Earlier in the hearing, Dr Anthony Fauci, the US’s top infectious disease expert testified that the country will be doing more Covid-19 testing, not less, hours after the president insisted he was serious when he said at a rally at the weekend that he had called for testing to slow down in the US.
Coronavirus cases have continued to rise in about half of US states, but Trump said at the rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that increased testing was making the US look bad and that he had asked staff to slow down. His press secretary later said the remarks were “in jest” but the president stood by them on Tuesday, telling reporters that the comments weren’t a joke.
Speaking to the congressional committee hours later, however, Fauci said: “I know for sure that to my knowledge none of us have ever been told to slow down on testing. That just is a fact. In fact, we will be doing more testing.”
01:19 'More testing, not less': Fauci contradicts Trump on coronavirus testing – video
Fauci, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, spoke to the committee alongside Redfield; the head of the Food and Drug Administration, Stephen Hahn; and a top official at the Department of Health and Human Services, Brett Giroir.
Fauci last testified before Congress in May, when states were still mostly shut down. Since then staggered reopenings have taken place across the country, and several states are seeing a concerning increase in cases.
05:28 From miracle cures to slowing testing: how Trump has defied science on coronavirus – video explainer
He said the state of coronavirus in the US was overall a “mixed bag”, in part because of the country’s huge size and diversity.
He said some areas, such as New York City, had done well to rein in cases by following the government’s guidelines for reopening, but said the “disturbing surge” in infections in other parts of the country was very concerning.
“The next couple of weeks are going to be critical to address those surges we’re seeing,” Fauci said, specifically citing the increase in cases in Florida, Arizona and Texas.
The concerns shared by top health leaders at the hearing contradicted Trump’s continued efforts to downplay the effects of Covid-19.
At least eight Trump campaign staffers tested positive for Covid-19 in Tulsa, where Trump told a campaign rally that he had asked administration officials to slow down testing, because too many positive cases are turning up.
After administration figures including White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany suggested the comments weren’t serious or were a joke, Trump on Tuesday said: “I never kid.”
“Testing is a double-edged sword,” Trump told reporters. “One way, it shows you have cases and in another way you find out where the cases are and you do a good job.”
When asked individually at the congressional hearing if the president had asked the US health leaders to slow down testing, they all responded “no”.
At the time of the May hearing, Fauci was one of many speakers to testify from a video feed at home. This time, the speakers were in person for this hearing.
In the chamber, the men sat with tubs of disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer pumps next to their nameplates. While committee members and speakers are usually packed tight, people sat at a distance, wearings masks, which they removed to speak.
Fauci told the committee he was “cautiously optimistic” that a vaccine would be ready at the end of the year or early 2021.
The group also expressed concern about what could happen if coronavirus cases were still high when flu season arrives in the autumn.
In a prepared statement, the experts said such a collision could again burden the country’s healthcare system.
“If there is Covid-19 and flu activity at the same time, this could place a tremendous burden on the healthcare system related to bed occupancy, laboratory testing needs, personal protective equipment and healthcare worker safety,” the statement said.


theguardian--2020-06-23--Clean water is a human right. In America it’s more a profit machine | Bernie Sanders and Brenda Lawr

Clean water is a human right. In America it’s more a profit machine | Bernie Sanders and Brenda Lawrence

How can it be that in the midst of a pandemic , children living in the richest country in world history are being poisoned by tap water ?
For decades , our government has put corporate profits ahead of guaranteeing its people the right to clean water .
We have neglected the most basic public investments to keep Americans healthy and safe .
Now , as America battles an unprecedented public health crisis , we can no longer continue along a course in which companies have been allowed to buy up , privatize , and profit off a basic human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ privatization – it is for Congress to end decades of neglect and immediately invest billions into our public water systems so that we can finally guarantee clean drinking water to everybody .
That ’ s why we joined with Representative Ro Khanna to introduce the Water Affordability , Transparency , Equity and Reliability ( Water ) Act .
This comprehensive legislation would provide up to $ 35bn per year to overhaul our water infrastructure across the nation .
Unbelievably , when it comes to water infrastructure , America ’ s challenges resemble those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Society of Civil Engineers gives our drinking water infrastructure a “ D ” grade and our wastewater infrastructure a “ D+ ” .
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that raw sewage overflows at least 23,000 times each year .
Up to 1.7 million Americans lack access to basic plumbing facilities such as a toilet , tub , shower , or basic running water .
Almost 200,000 households have absolutely no wastewater system .
Up to 10m homes across America get water through lead pipes .
Six years since the start of its water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clean water .
Meanwhile , in Denmark , South Carolina , families are forced to travel 20 miles each month in order to collect clean drinking water .
Not only do Americans have to deal with poor-quality and often toxic drinking water , we have the “ privilege ” of paying an arm and a leg for it .
Before the coronavirus pandemic hit , nearly 14m households were unable to afford their water bills , whose prices increased more than 40 % since 2010 .
At this rate , more than a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to afford their water bills five years from now .
Furthermore , due to the economic meltdown caused by the coronavirus , millions of Americans who don ’ t know where their next paycheck will come from are now at risk of losing their water service .
As public health officials warn that this deadly disease will be with us for quite some time , how are families supposed to wash their hands regularly when their utility company is shutting off their water ?
It should not be a radical idea to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protect themselves from the coronavirus and other illnesses by practicing good handwashing and hygiene with affordable , clean water in their homes .
Our legislation is designed to ensure that disadvantaged communities – including small , rural , and indigenous communities – receive the funding and assistance they need to cover everybody .
The Water Act would provide grants to households and communities to make repairs to water infrastructure , replace lead service lines and safely filter out toxic compounds from their drinking water .
Under the bill , families who need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ household wells and septic systems .
Schools would also receive up to $ 1bn a year for water infrastructure upgrades to address lead and other water problems .
And this bill helps hold utility companies accountable for engaging in service shutoffs , discrimination , and civil rights violations .
The American people can not afford to wait another day .
Parents should not have to worry that their children will suffer serious developmental problems from drinking lead-contaminated tap water in their homes or schools .
Our people should not be forced to choose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill .
Given the enormity of this crisis , and how the right to clean water is essential to an effective pandemic response , a comprehensive relief bill must include the Water Act .
The United States of America should not have toxic or unaffordable water .
When people in the world ’ s richest country turn on their taps , the water they drink should be clean .
As we deal with a deadly virus that has killed 120,000 Americans already , handwashing , good sanitation , and safe , hygienic environments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward together , and demand that Congress finally make the necessary investments in clean water for all Americans , putting human lives ahead of corporate profits .
Our most vulnerable communities depend on it .

How can it be that in the midst of a pandemic, children living in the richest country in world history are being poisoned by tap water? For decades, our government has put corporate profits ahead of guaranteeing its people the right to clean water. We have neglected the most basic public investments to keep Americans healthy and safe. Now, as America battles an unprecedented public health crisis, we can no longer continue along a course in which companies have been allowed to buy up, privatize, and profit off a basic human right. The solution is not more privatization – it is for Congress to end decades of neglect and immediately invest billions into our public water systems so that we can finally guarantee clean drinking water to everybody.
That’s why we joined with Representative Ro Khanna to introduce the Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity and Reliability (Water) Act. This comprehensive legislation would provide up to $35bn per year to overhaul our water infrastructure across the nation.
Unbelievably, when it comes to water infrastructure, America’s challenges resemble those of a developing country. The American Society of Civil Engineers gives our drinking water infrastructure a “D” grade and our wastewater infrastructure a “D+”. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that raw sewage overflows at least 23,000 times each year. Up to 1.7 million Americans lack access to basic plumbing facilities such as a toilet, tub, shower, or basic running water. Almost 200,000 households have absolutely no wastewater system. Up to 10m homes across America get water through lead pipes. Six years since the start of its water crisis, Flint still does not have clean water. Meanwhile, in Denmark, South Carolina, families are forced to travel 20 miles each month in order to collect clean drinking water.
Up to 1.7 million Americans lack access to basic plumbing facilities such as a toilet, tub, shower, or basic running water
Not only do Americans have to deal with poor-quality and often toxic drinking water, we have the “privilege” of paying an arm and a leg for it. Before the coronavirus pandemic hit, nearly 14m households were unable to afford their water bills, whose prices increased more than 40% since 2010. At this rate, more than a third of American households may not be able to afford their water bills five years from now. Furthermore, due to the economic meltdown caused by the coronavirus, millions of Americans who don’t know where their next paycheck will come from are now at risk of losing their water service. As public health officials warn that this deadly disease will be with us for quite some time, how are families supposed to wash their hands regularly when their utility company is shutting off their water?
It should not be a radical idea to say that all families should be able to protect themselves from the coronavirus and other illnesses by practicing good handwashing and hygiene with affordable, clean water in their homes. Our legislation is designed to ensure that disadvantaged communities – including small, rural, and indigenous communities – receive the funding and assistance they need to cover everybody. The Water Act would provide grants to households and communities to make repairs to water infrastructure, replace lead service lines and safely filter out toxic compounds from their drinking water. Under the bill, families who need help could get grants for upgrades to household wells and septic systems. Schools would also receive up to $1bn a year for water infrastructure upgrades to address lead and other water problems. And this bill helps hold utility companies accountable for engaging in service shutoffs, discrimination, and civil rights violations.
The American people cannot afford to wait another day. Parents should not have to worry that their children will suffer serious developmental problems from drinking lead-contaminated tap water in their homes or schools. Our people should not be forced to choose between paying for food or the water bill. Given the enormity of this crisis, and how the right to clean water is essential to an effective pandemic response, a comprehensive relief bill must include the Water Act.
The United States of America should not have toxic or unaffordable water. When people in the world’s richest country turn on their taps, the water they drink should be clean. As we deal with a deadly virus that has killed 120,000 Americans already, handwashing, good sanitation, and safe, hygienic environments are not optional. Let us go forward together, and demand that Congress finally make the necessary investments in clean water for all Americans, putting human lives ahead of corporate profits. Our most vulnerable communities depend on it.


theguardian--2020-06-24--Roger Stone case: Trump ally given special treatment, Congress to hear

A federal prosecutor is prepared to tell Congress on Wednesday that Roger Stone , a close ally of Donald Trump , was given special treatment ahead of his sentencing because of his relationship with the president .
Aaron Zelinsky , a career justice department prosecutor who was part of special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s team and worked on the case against Stone , will say he was told by supervisors that political considerations influenced the decision to overrule the recommendation of the trial team and propose a lighter prison sentence , according to testimony released by the House judiciary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US attorney ’ s office in Maryland , and his testimony will feature the extraordinary spectacle of a current prosecutor castigating decisions made by the leadership of the DoJ , where he still serves .
The hearing is likely to add to scrutiny of William Barr , who has alarmed Democrats in recent months with his efforts to scrutinize , and even undo , some of the results of Mueller ’ s Russia ’ s investigation .
“ What I heard repeatedly was that Stone was being treated differently from any other defendant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Zelinsky says in the prepared testimony .
The panel subpoenaed Zelinksy and John Elias , a career official in the departments antitrust division , as part of its probe into the politicization of the department under Barr .
The Democratic-led panel and Barr have been feuding since shortly after he took office in early 2019 , when he declined to testify about Mueller ’ s report .
The Democrats launched the investigation earlier this year over Barr ’ s handling of the Stone case but have expanded their focus to several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is doing Trump ’ s bidding .
That includes the department ’ s efforts to dismiss the criminal case against Michael Flynn and the firing last weekend of the top prosecutor in New York ’ s southern district .
The prosecutor , Geoffrey Berman , has been investigating the presidents personal attorney Rudy Giuliani .
House judiciary committee chair Jerrold Nadler has threatened to subpoena Barr himself for a hearing next week if he doesn ’ t agree to appear .
The attorney general has never testified before the panel .
Zelinsky , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stone case after the department overruled their sentencing recommendation , plans to say Wednesday that the acting US attorney at the time , Timothy Shea , was receiving heavy pressures from the highest levels of the DoJ to give Stone a break .
He does not say who was doing the pressuring , but says there was significant pressure on line prosecutors to obscure “ the correct sentencing guidelines and water down and in some cases outright distort ” what happened at Stone ’ s trial and the events that resulted in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , DoJ leadership changed the sentencing recommendation just hours after Trump tweeted his displeasure at the recommendation of up to nine years in prison , saying it had been too harsh .
Stone was later sentenced to serve more than three years in prison plus two year ’ s probation and a $ 20,000 fine .
Barr has said Trump ’ s tweet played no role in the change .
He said he ordered the new filing hours before the presidents tweet because he was caught off guard by the initial sentencing recommendation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the facts of the case .
According to his prepared testimony , Zelinsky will describe having learned from the media that the DoJ planned to overrule the trial teams sentencing recommendation , something he said he found unusual given the departments conventional practice of not commenting on cases .
Zelinsky says he was also told that the acting US attorney was giving Stone such unprecedentedly favorable treatment because he was afraid of the president .
Stone was convicted on all seven counts of an indictment that accused him of lying to Congress , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House investigation into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to tip the 2016 election .
On Tuesday , Stone filed a motion asking to extend his surrender date until September because of coronavirus concerns .
He is scheduled to report to a federal prison in Georgia by June 30 .

A federal prosecutor who was part of Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation told Congress on Wednesday Roger Stone, a close ally of Donald Trump, was given special treatment before sentencing because of his relationship with the US president.
“What I heard repeatedly was that Stone was being treated differently from any other defendant because of his relationship to the president,” Aaron Zelinsky told a House judiciary committee hearing into the politicisation of Department of Justice (DoJ) under Attorney General William Barr.
Stone was convicted on all seven counts of an indictment that accused him of lying to Congress, tampering with a witness and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to tip the 2016 election.
Zelinsky’s team recommended a sentence as long as nine years. But Barr intervened and Stone is now scheduled to report to prison on 30 June to serve a 40-month sentence, plus two years probation and a $20,000 fine.
The 67-year-old’s lawyers are seeking a delay, citing concerns over coronavirus outbreaks in detention centers. Trump has strongly hinted he will pardon Stone.
Wednesday’s hearing was part of attempts by Democrats to hold Barr to account for what they see as the politicisation of the DoJ.
Zelinsky testified shortly after a federal appeals court said a judge could not scrutinize a DoJ decision to drop its case against Michael Flynn, another close Trump aide.
Flynn, Trump’s first national security adviser, was fired for lying about contacts with the Russian ambassador. As part of the Mueller investigation into the 2016 election and Russian influence, he pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI. Before the DoJ reversed itself and sought to drop the case, it had recommended a six-month sentence.
The development in the Flynn case was referred to frequently in the hearing, which at the outset was subject to noisy procedural objections from Republican members.
During questioning, Republicans sought to ridicule the premise of the hearing, insisting Barr was restoring DoJ independence after alleged abuses under Barack Obama and his vice-president, Joe Biden – now Trump’s opponent for the presidency in November’s election – including in the case of Flynn.
Appearing as witnesses in the room on Capitol Hill were Donald Ayer, a deputy attorney general under George HW Bush; John Elias, a DoJ whistleblower testifying about antitrust matters under Barr; and Michael Mukasey, formerly attorney general under George W Bush.
Ayer said Barr’s politicization of the DoJ was “worse than Watergate”, the scandal which brought down president Richard Nixon and led to extensive reform. He was roundly attacked by California Republican Louie Gohmert, a leader of the procedural disruptions, including for being a “Democrat witness”. California Democrat Zoe Lofgren, who was a House judiciary committee staffer during Watergate, agreed with Ayers’s statement.
Elias spoke to antitrust concerns around Barr’s approach to the marijuana industry and California’s attempt to deal with automakers over clean air concerns. He was attacked by Georgia representative Doug Collins over his political beliefs and alleged attempts to obtain staff jobs on House committees investigating Trump.
Mukasey spoke in support of Barr.
Committee Democrats launched their investigation of the Stone case earlier this year but have expanded their focus to incidents including efforts to dismiss the case against Flynn and the firing of the top prosecutor in New York’s southern district, who had been investigating Rudy Giuliani, the president’s personal attorney.
Committee chairman Jerry Nadler had threatened to subpoena Barr but as the hearing began, a DoJ spokeswoman tweeted that the attorney general would accept the panel’s invitation to testify on 28 July. The attorney general has never testified before the committee, which held him in contempt last year. He had agreed to appear in March, before the pandemic shuttered operations.
Nadler told CNN last weekend Barr deserved to be impeached and removed but any such effort would be a “waste of time”, because Republicans who hold the Senate would block it.
Zelinsky was one of four lawyers who quit the Stone case after the DoJ overruled them on sentencing. In testimony, he said the acting US attorney at the time, Timothy Shea, received heavy pressure from the highest levels to give Stone a break. He also said Shea was afraid of the president.
Zelinsky did not say who was doing the pressuring, but said there was significant pressure to obscure “the correct sentencing guidelines and water down and in some cases outright distort” what happened at trial and the events that resulted in Stone’s conviction.
Asked to recap what it was Stone had done, Zelinsky said: “He lied about a number of things. What he was doing in September of 2016 related to WikiLeaks, and what he was telling the Trump campaign about it. He lied about providing information to Trump’s campaign.” Zelinsky also detailed Stone’s threats to a witness, which included telling the witness to “prepare to die”.
DoJ leadership changed the sentencing recommendation for Stone hours after Trump tweeted his displeasure, saying it was too harsh. Barr has said he ordered the new filing hours before the tweet because he was caught off guard by the sentencing recommendation and believed it was excessive based on the facts of the case.
At Wednesday’s hearing, Republicans attacked and sought to discredit Elias, Ayer and Zelinsky. The DoJ prosecutor attracted fierce questioning about why he was testifying from his attorney’s office a short distance away when others were present. His coronavirus-related concerns, he said, related to having a newborn child.
In answer to a question from Texas Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee, Ayer said of Barr: “The drumbeat of his misbehavior is accelerating as we approach the election.”


theguardian--2020-06-24--California weighs overturning 24-year ban on affirmative action

A proposal to repeal California ’ s 24-year-old ban on affirmative action heads to the state senate on Wednesday , a move that could put the issue before voters come November .
The bill would remove rules in California ’ s constitution , passed in 1996 , which bar universities and government agencies from giving preferential treatment on the basis of race or sex .
The proposed amendment , known as ACA 5 , comes amid a national reckoning on racial injustice , triggered by the killing of George Floyd and other publicized cases of racist violence , and rejuvenates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which colleges and government employers can consider race in admission and hiring decisions .
“ We are living in a moment when so many are finally opening their eyes to the structural and institutional racism that has burdened the black and brown communities for generations , ” said Lorena Gonzales , who co-authored the bill .
“ Once you acknowledge that , then the next step you must take is to correct that injustice .
With ACA 5 , we have an opportunity to do something , ” she said .
Under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition to affirmative action a centerpiece of his bid for the presidency , California became the first of eight states to ban affirmative action in college admissions .
A study published by the Brookings Institution found the states that implemented the ban saw their share of underrepresented students go down in the years that followed .
In California , admissions rates for black and Latino students have dropped since the ban on affirmative action , according to data from the California department of education .
In 1994 , before the ban took effect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who applied to UC schools was six percentage points below the average admission rate for all students ; Latinos were admitted at higher than average rates .
Today , UC admission rates are 16 points below average for black students , and six points below average for Latinos .
The proposal would not create racial quotas , which in 1978 the US supreme court found to be unconstitutional , but rather would allow universities to create race-conscious strategies like targeted outreach in order to boost diversity .
The ban on affirmative action has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
Some of the push to keep it in place has come from advocacy groups who argued that using race as a factor in admissions could disadvantage Asian students .
The Silicon Valley Chinese Association Foundation , for example , argues ACA-5 would amount to de facto racial quotas that could work against Asian students , who on average score higher on standardized tests .
“ ACA-5 ’ s proposal to legalize racial preferences erodes America ’ s fundamental principles of equal opportunity , merit and individual liberty .
It further hurts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a particularly vulnerable moment facing our nation and California , ” the group said in a press release .
That race-conscious admissions policies discriminate against Asian students was central to a lawsuit against Harvard that was rejected by a federal judge in 2019 .
Yet , while much of the focus in the affirmative action debate is on college admissions , the proposal would have more important implications for the state ’ s K-12 system , said Elisha Smith Arrillaga , the executive director of The Education-Trust West , a research organization that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education officials in California can allocate resources to students based on income , but not race .
“ Race and income overlap , but they ’ re not synonymous ” , said Smith Arrillaga .
“ If we were allowed to consider race , we could target funds to black and brown students who need the most support .
We could invest in resources like summer bridge programs , which help colleges recruit and retain students of color .
Right now we don ’ t have the tools to do that ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ more diverse pool of teachers , she said .
According to data from the California Department of Education and California Credentialing Commission , more than 250,000 students in California attend schools without a teacher of the same race and more than half of all schools don ’ t have a single black teacher .
“ A lot of the pushback to repealing affirmative action has been ‘ racism doesn ’ t exist.
’ But recent events surrounding the killing of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and so many others has made clear that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t exist , and if we want to fight it , we have to use race-conscious policies .
That ’ s what ACA-5 does ” , said Smith Arrillaga .
If members of the state senate ratify ACA-5 on Wednesday it will go before voters as a state ballot measure in November .
If approved , colleges and institutions will determine how race will be considered in applications .

A proposal to repeal California’s 24-year-old ban on affirmative action will go before voters in November after it passed the state senate on Wednesday.
The bill would remove rules in California’s constitution, passed in 1996, which bar universities and government agencies from giving preferential treatment on the basis of race or sex.
The proposed amendment, known as ACA 5, comes amid a national reckoning on racial injustice, triggered by the killing of George Floyd and other publicized cases of racist violence, and rejuvenates a decades-long conversation about the degree to which colleges and government employers can consider race in admission and hiring decisions.
In an emotional session on the senate floor, in which numerous lawmakers of color recounted personal experiences of discrimination, Steven Bradford, a Democrat from Los Angeles who is black, challenged his white counterparts to count the times they’ve entered a room in which they were the only members of their race.
“I know about discrimination. I live it every day. We live it in this building,” Bradford said.
“Quit lying to yourselves and saying race is not a factor,” he added. “The bedrock of who we are in this country is based on race.”
“We are living in a moment when so many are finally opening their eyes to the structural and institutional racism that has burdened the black and brown communities for generations,” Lorena Gonzales, the co-author of the bill, said in advance of Wednesday’s vote.
“Once you acknowledge that, then the next step you must take is to correct that injustice. With ACA 5, we have an opportunity to do something,” she said.
Under the governorship of Pete Wilson, who made opposition to affirmative action a centerpiece of his bid for the presidency, California became the first of eight states to ban affirmative action in college admissions. A study published by the Brookings Institution found the states that implemented the ban saw their share of underrepresented students go down in the years that followed.
In California, admissions rates for black and Latino students have dropped since the ban on affirmative action, according to data from the California department of education.
In 1994, before the ban took effect, the admission rates for black students who applied to UC schools was six percentage points below the average admission rate for all students; Latinos were admitted at higher than average rates. Today, UC admission rates are 16 points below average for black students, and six points below average for Latinos.
Patricia Gándara, a research professor of education at UCLA and co-director its Civil Rights Project, said the impact of Prop 209, which banned affirmative action, was seen most acutely at UCLA and UC Berkeley – two of the state’s flagship universities.
Since 1995, a smaller percentage of all applicants to UC schools have been admitted, as universities didn’t expand to keep pace with demand. But the number of black and Latino students admitted to UCLA and UC Berkeley dropped by 70% to 75% at the two universities, compared to just 35% and 40% for Asian and white applicants.
“The numbers just got worse and we never really gained it back even to the level where we were before 1995. In California, we’re desperate to recruit bilingual teachers. But Prop 209 has really tied our hands in terms of being able to recruit students from underrepresented groups and bring them into the pipeline,” said Gándara.
Today, about two-thirds of high school graduates in California are latino, black or Native American, but those students account for only a third of incoming freshman, she said.
The proposal would not create racial quotas, which in 1978 the US supreme court found to be unconstitutional, but rather would allow universities to create race-conscious strategies like targeted outreach in order to boost diversity.
A protest against the death of George Floyd at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) campus in June. Photograph: Eugene García/EPA
The ban on affirmative action has survived a number of challenges over the years. Some of the push to keep it in place has come from advocacy groups who argued that using race as a factor in admissions could disadvantage Asian students.
The Silicon Valley Chinese Association Foundation, for example, argues ACA 5 would amount to de facto racial quotas that could work against Asian students, who on average score higher on standardized tests.
“ACA-5’s proposal to legalize racial preferences erodes America’s fundamental principles of equal opportunity, merit and individual liberty. It further hurts the unity of our society, at a particularly vulnerable moment facing our nation and California,” the group said in a press release.
That race-conscious admissions policies discriminate against Asian students was central to a lawsuit against Harvard that was rejected by a federal judge in 2019.
Janelle Wong, a professor of Asian American Studies at the University of Maryland, said that much of the pushback to a repeal on affirmative action has been led by older, first-generation Chinese American groups that have campaigned against the repeal through misinformation – stating falsely that institutions will institute racial quotas that will slash representation of Asian American students.
“As Asian Americans, particularly Chinese Americans, have gained influence in the political system, they have mobilized against a variety of efforts to racially integrate schools and programs that try to ensure equity,” said Wong.
“It comes from a sense of sense of scarcity – an assumption that there aren’t enough resources for all. And it’s also about prestige and a fear that Chinese American students will lose seats at UC schools and Ivy League universities”, she said.
Despite organized opposition among certain demographics, survey results indicate the majority of Asian Americans favor affirmative action.
Yet, while much of the focus in the affirmative action debate is on college admissions, the proposal would have more important implications for the state’s K-12 system, said Elisha Smith Arrillaga, the executive director of The Education-Trust West, a research organization that advocates for student equity.
Currently, education officials in California can allocate resources to students based on income, but not race.
“Race and income overlap, but they’re not synonymous”, said Smith Arrillaga.
“If we were allowed to consider race, we could target funds to black and brown students who need the most support. We could invest in resources like summer bridge programs, which help colleges recruit and retain students of color. Right now we don’t have the tools to do that”.
It would also help to recruit a more diverse pool of teachers, she said. According to data from the California Department of Education and California Credentialing Commission, more than 250,000 students in California attend schools without a teacher of the same race and more than half of all schools don’t have a single black teacher.
“A lot of the pushback to repealing affirmative action has been ‘racism doesn’t exist.’ But recent events surrounding the killing of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and so many others has made clear that we can no longer pretend racism doesn’t exist, and if we want to fight it, we have to use race-conscious policies. That’s what ACA 5 does”, said Smith Arrillaga.
Now that members of the state senate have ratified ACA 5, it will go before voters as a state ballot measure in November. If approved at the ballot box, colleges and institutions will determine how race will be considered in applications.


theguardian--2020-06-24--US moves to exempt companies from reporting harmful chemical releases

Federal regulators are crafting an exemption for polluters releasing harmful perfluorinated chemicals ( PFAS ) into the environment in a way that environmental advocates say circumvents a new law meant to address widespread contamination .
The Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) issued a rule Monday adding 172 PFAS chemicals to a list of those that are required to report when they release them into the air or water , or on land .
Dubbed ‘ forever chemicals , ’ PFAS have been found in drinking water around the country .
They are used in weatherproof fabrics , nonstick cookware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linked with cancer , low infant birth weights , immune issues and thyroid disruptions .
Under pressure from health experts and states , Congress late last year directed the EPA to require better reporting on some of the thousands of PFAS chemicals .
Specifically , lawmakers said manufacturers should be required to report to the government if they release 100 pounds or more of the chemicals annually into a waterway .
But EPA ’ s new regulation would allow them to bypass that requirement , as long as no single PFAS chemical in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the total .
EPA is also skipping the usual step of allowing the public to comment before finalizing the rule , arguing that because the rule is needed to comply with an act of Congress , EPA “ has no discretion as to the outcome ” .
Eve Gartner , managing attorney for toxic exposure at Earthjustice , said that “ it ’ s pretty clear that Congress set a 100 pound threshold because they ’ re concerned about very small amounts of these chemicals being released without people knowing about it ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 teaspoon in an Olympic size swimming pool can have health effects , ” she added .
An EPA spokesperson said “ addressing PFAS is a top priority ” , Earthjustice joined a coalition of groups including the National PFAS Contamination Coalition , Clean Water Action , the Environmental Defense Fund , the Environmental Working Group and the Natural Resources Defense Council in opposing the rule .
The National PFAS Contamination Coalition consists of grassroots groups that have discovered the chemicals in their water , including Clean Cape Fear , a North Carolina-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of contamination from a Dupont manufacturing plant now owned by Chemours .
“ The burden is on the state and the burden is on the communities to know what is happening in our area and to be able to track it so we can self advocate , ” said Emily Donovan , cofounder of the local organization .
Donovan said EPA should have listed the PFAS chemicals as Congress intended so communities could better track how companies are using and releasing PFAS .
The reporting requirement is just a small first step in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do to protect people from the chemicals .
“ Because these are forever chemicals … we ’ re living with what grandma ’ s generation used and we just keep adding to it , ” Donovan said .
“ We have been overexposed for so many decades that we can ’ t afford another drop .
”

Federal regulators are crafting an exemption for polluters releasing harmful perfluorinated chemicals (PFAS) into the environment in a way that environmental advocates say circumvents a new law meant to address widespread contamination.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a rule Monday adding 172 PFAS chemicals to a list of those that are required to report when they release them into the air or water, or on land.
Dubbed ‘forever chemicals,’ PFAS have been found in drinking water around the country. They are used in weatherproof fabrics, nonstick cookware and firefighting foam, and they are linked with cancer, low infant birth weights, immune issues and thyroid disruptions.
Under pressure from health experts and states, Congress late last year directed the EPA to require better reporting on some of the thousands of PFAS chemicals.
Specifically, lawmakers said manufacturers should be required to report to the government if they release 100 pounds or more of the chemicals annually into a waterway. But EPA’s new regulation would allow them to bypass that requirement, as long as no single PFAS chemical in a mixture released exceeded 1% of the total.
EPA is also skipping the usual step of allowing the public to comment before finalizing the rule, arguing that because the rule is needed to comply with an act of Congress, EPA “has no discretion as to the outcome”.
Eve Gartner, managing attorney for toxic exposure at Earthjustice, said that “it’s pretty clear that Congress set a 100 pound threshold because they’re concerned about very small amounts of these chemicals being released without people knowing about it”.
“We know that PFAS at 1 teaspoon in an Olympic size swimming pool can have health effects,” she added.
An EPA spokesperson said “addressing PFAS is a top priority”,
Earthjustice joined a coalition of groups including the National PFAS Contamination Coalition, Clean Water Action, the Environmental Defense Fund, the Environmental Working Group and the Natural Resources Defense Council in opposing the rule.
The National PFAS Contamination Coalition consists of grassroots groups that have discovered the chemicals in their water, including Clean Cape Fear, a North Carolina-based group arguing for PFAS regulation after years of contamination from a Dupont manufacturing plant now owned by Chemours.
“The burden is on the state and the burden is on the communities to know what is happening in our area and to be able to track it so we can self advocate,” said Emily Donovan, cofounder of the local organization.
Donovan said EPA should have listed the PFAS chemicals as Congress intended so communities could better track how companies are using and releasing PFAS.
The reporting requirement is just a small first step in what health experts say governments will have to do to protect people from the chemicals.
“Because these are forever chemicals … we’re living with what grandma’s generation used and we just keep adding to it,” Donovan said. “We have been overexposed for so many decades that we can’t afford another drop.”


theguardian--2020-06-24--Trump is in a precarious position for re-election – but he still has a chance

If Donald Trump wins the 2020 election and returns to the White House it won ’ t be by a landslide .
And if he ’ s going to win at all he will need the US economy to rebound , to see suburban voters swing back in his direction , and overwhelm voters with a sense of optimism about another term under Trump .
That ’ s the verdict of about a dozen Republican veteran political strategists and operatives spoken to by the Guardian .
Those priorities underscore the precarious situation the US president finds himself in .
Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice-president Joe Biden leading Trump , often by comfortable margins .
The numerous challenges of 2020 have hit the president hard .
He has struggled to offer consistent leadership on the coronavirus and been lambasted for mishandling a pandemic that has killed more than 120,000 Americans .
The resulting economic crisis has seen more than 40 million people make unemployment claims .
He ’ s also received severe criticism in responding to protests over the death of George Floyd , an African American man who died under police custody , and suffered the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roasting by former top adviser John Bolton .
None of that , though , means Trump has no chance of re-election , these strategists said .
Contrary to the polls and the tumbling economic indicators , some Republicans across the country have shown a strong sense of optimism that the conditions are ripe for a repeat of Trump ’ s surprise victory in 2016 .
But that ’ s only if a few important fundamentals change .
The economy is the top priority followed by whether Trump can win over key voting constituencies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has to convince the electorate that a second term will less chaotic than the first .
“ He has to remind people that what he said he would do he ’ s done .
Clearly the things out of his control are the only things that are hampering him , ” said Republican pollster Rex Elsass .
“ So he needs to remind people that when things are normal – and they will be !
They won ’ t be chaotic forever – we have an opportunity to continue to restore the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The optimism that had been in America can be restored and will be restored.
” To an extent , the Trump campaign has already begun to pivot in its approach .
Trump ’ s campaign has tweaked a key pillar of its message , now promising a “ great American comeback ” after the catastrophic financial downturn coinciding with the coronavirus pandemic .
The economy is a longtime silver bullet for American political campaigns .
James Carville , the strategist for Bill Clinton , propagated the phrase “ it ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operatives who see a hidden path for a Trump victory , it ’ s through the economy .
“ If we have an economy in which unemployment goes back down to 5 % or below , if we have a Dow that is above 40,000 … I think in the fall you ’ re going to have a situation where people are going to forget all the craziness and give him credit for what will be seen as a pretty remarkable if not historic turnaround , ” said Republican pollster Chris Wilson .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ specter of Joe Biden , his Democratic rival .
Republicans regularly mock the former vice-president and de facto Democratic nominee for essentially campaigning from his basement , but he still polls ahead of Trump in head-to-head matchups .
What ’ s more , Trump is viewed more unfavorably than Biden .
A Quinnipiac poll released Thursday found a majority of those surveyed view Trump unfavorably compared to a plurality who view Biden unfavorably .
Both candidates are underwater in favorability .
So to win , Trump will have to successfully frame Biden as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s hard to imagine Donald Trump winning a referendum on his presidency unless the world changes dramatically between now and November , ” said Whit Ayres , a Republican pollster .
“ So that means his best hope of re-election is to make it a choice where Joe Biden becomes defined as an unacceptable alternative .
That ’ s going to be substantially more challenging than it was in 2016 because Joe Biden doesn ’ t generate the same degree of animosity as Hillary Clinton did .
Ayres though said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2020 election is not shaping up to where a small and select set of states is the only pathway for either candidate .
Even though Biden is leading in key midwestern states such as Wisconsin and Michigan there are other pathways to victory .
“ There are many other states that are well beyond the big three of the upper midwest that appear at this point to be in play .
I mean you ’ re looking at Arizona , Georgia seems close , Texas seems close , Iowa and Ohio seem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comfortably , ” Ayres continued .
“ Biden seems to have a pretty significant lead in Michigan and Pennsylvania is his home state .
Wisconsin seems to be the closest of the big three up in the rust belt .
There are a lot different scenarios where Biden could get to 270 as well as Trump getting to 270 because there are so many more states in play than the half dozen that we usually focus on.
” Top Democratic officials hope that a groundswell of support among minority voters will carry Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Republican strategist Stuart Stevens .
Stevens argued that the deciding factor for 2020 would be turnout of African Americans and white voters , not any specific state .
“ If non-white turnout goes back to what it was in 12 , 08 , even 04 , Trump should lose , ” Stevens , who has joined the anti-Trump Lincoln Project , said .
“ If it doesn ’ t he has a shot .
”

If Donald Trump wins the 2020 election and returns to the White House it won’t be by a landslide. And if he’s going to win at all he will need the US economy to rebound, to see suburban voters swing back in his direction, and overwhelm voters with a sense of optimism about another term under Trump.
That’s the verdict of about a dozen Republican veteran political strategists and operatives spoken to by the Guardian. Those priorities underscore the precarious situation the US president finds himself in. Most national and statewide polls show the former vice-president Joe Biden leading Trump, often by comfortable margins.
The numerous challenges of 2020 have hit the president hard. He has struggled to offer consistent leadership on the coronavirus and been lambasted for mishandling a pandemic that has killed more than 120,000 Americans. The resulting economic crisis has seen more than 40 million people make unemployment claims. He’s also received severe criticism in responding to protests over the death of George Floyd, an African American man who died in police custody, and suffered the usual political scandals, such as a roasting by former top adviser John Bolton.
None of that, though, means Trump has no chance of re-election, these strategists said.
Contrary to the polls and the tumbling economic indicators, some Republicans across the country have shown a strong sense of optimism that the conditions are ripe for a repeat of Trump’s surprise victory in 2016.
But that’s only if a few important fundamentals change. The economy is the top priority followed by whether Trump can win over key voting constituencies beyond his core base. He also has to convince the electorate that a second term will less chaotic than the first.
“He has to remind people that what he said he would do he’s done. Clearly the things out of his control are the only things that are hampering him,” said Republican pollster Rex Elsass. “So he needs to remind people that when things are normal – and they will be! They won’t be chaotic forever – we have an opportunity to continue to restore the economy and strengthen America’s position internationally. The optimism that had been in America can be restored and will be restored.”
To an extent, the Trump campaign has already begun to pivot in its approach. Trump’s campaign has tweaked a key pillar of its message, now promising a “great American comeback” after the catastrophic financial downturn coinciding with the coronavirus pandemic.
The economy is a longtime silver bullet for American political campaigns. James Carville, the strategist for Bill Clinton, propagated the phrase “it’s the economy, stupid” and for the operatives who see a hidden path for a Trump victory, it’s through the economy.
I think in the fall you’re going to have a situation where people are going to forget all the craziness Chris Wilson
“If we have an economy in which unemployment goes back down to 5% or below, if we have a Dow that is above 40,000 … I think in the fall you’re going to have a situation where people are going to forget all the craziness and give him credit for what will be seen as a pretty remarkable if not historic turnaround,” said Republican pollster Chris Wilson.
But Trump can’t ignore the specter of Joe Biden, his Democratic rival.
Republicans regularly mock the former vice-president and de facto Democratic nominee for essentially campaigning from his basement, but he still polls ahead of Trump in head-to-head matchups. What’s more, Trump is viewed more unfavorably than Biden. A Quinnipiac poll released Thursday found a majority of those surveyed view Trump unfavorably compared to a plurality who view Biden unfavorably. Both candidates are underwater in favorability.
So to win, Trump will have to successfully frame Biden as an untenable choice to most voters.
“It’s hard to imagine Donald Trump winning a referendum on his presidency unless the world changes dramatically between now and November,” said Whit Ayres, a Republican pollster. “So that means his best hope of re-election is to make it a choice where Joe Biden becomes defined as an unacceptable alternative. That’s going to be substantially more challenging than it was in 2016 because Joe Biden doesn’t generate the same degree of animosity as Hillary Clinton did.
Ayres though said that unlike in past presidential cycles, the 2020 election is not shaping up to where a small and select set of states is the only pathway for either candidate. Even though Biden is leading in key midwestern states such as Wisconsin and Michigan there are other pathways to victory.
“There are many other states that are well beyond the big three of the upper midwest that appear at this point to be in play. I mean you’re looking at Arizona, Georgia seems close, Texas seems close, Iowa and Ohio seem like tossups right now that Trump won comfortably,” Ayres continued. “Biden seems to have a pretty significant lead in Michigan and Pennsylvania is his home state. Wisconsin seems to be the closest of the big three up in the rust belt. There are a lot different scenarios where Biden could get to 270 as well as Trump getting to 270 because there are so many more states in play than the half dozen that we usually focus on.”
Top Democratic officials hope that a groundswell of support among minority voters will carry Biden to victory, a view shared by the Republican strategist Stuart Stevens. Stevens argued that the deciding factor for 2020 would be turnout of African Americans and white voters, not any specific state.
“If non-white turnout goes back to what it was in 12, 08, even 04, Trump should lose,” Stevens, who has joined the anti-Trump Lincoln Project, said. “If it doesn’t he has a shot.”


theguardian--2020-06-24--The US Postal Service lifted my family out of poverty. We can't let it die | David Ferguson

When I was a little boy , I desperately wanted my grandfather to take me and my brother on his rounds as a mail carrier in rural North Carolina .
Each morning , my “ Papa ” would get up and eat breakfast before dawn , fill a red and black plaid Aladdin thermos with coffee , and drive his old gray DJ-5 Jeep into town to collect bulging sacks of mail .
We visited my grandparents on summer vacation and at Christmas and I remember one icy cold December morning when Papa left his thermos on the kitchen counter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I remember running out to the driveway to peer in the Jeep ’ s windows at the stacks of parcels and bundles of letters piled up so high they brushed the ceiling .
“ It ’ s Santa ’ s other sled , ” Papa quipped as he settled himself behind the steering wheel , which was on the right side like a British car .
Hundreds of rubber bands of all colors and sizes dangled from the gear shift .
“ And it ’ s all got ta go where it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For 35 years , Papa delivered to the far-flung farms and homesteads there in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains .
That old Jeep bumped over frozen ruts in muddy winter roads , braved the smothering heat of summer , and faithfully carried letters , parcels , medications and other essentials to hundreds of households and farms that existed out beyond the municipal fringes .
Some homes on his route were little more than shacks with neither electricity nor plumbing , the mail being their only connection to modernity .
Papa wouldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was mail in the truck because , he said , “ The mail is private .
Someone could be getting letters from a bill collector or receiving legal papers that are none of your business.
” That seemed ridiculous to my seven-year-old self .
What did I care about bill collectors ?
But to Papa , the integrity of the mail and its safe delivery were a sacred trust .
He was a devout believer in the US Postal Service creed : “ Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their appointed rounds.
” The postal service hired my grandfather when he returned from fighting in Europe during the second world war .
He was the son of a farmer with little education beyond the ninth grade .
He grew up in grinding poverty during the Great Depression , but his job carrying the mail allowed him to ascend into the US ’ s then-burgeoning middle class , to save money for my mother ’ s college education , and to escape the legacy of poverty that had dogged his family for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vital pipeline for rural Americans to receive essential goods and services , the USPS is also one of the largest US employers of black workers , who make up 21 % of the postal service ’ s workforce .
With a median salary of $ 55,000 , working for the USPS is that rarest of things in modern America , a stable job that pays a living wage .
Republicans in the federal government have been trying to eliminate the post office by financially hobbling the agency while simultaneously denying it the means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Rightwing organizations such as the Cato Institute insist that the USPS can only survive through privatization , a move that would fly in the face of the explicit wishes of America ’ s founding fathers , who enshrined the postal service in our nation ’ s constitution .
For me , the fight to save the US Postal Service is personal , not only because it may be the only way to safely vote this November , but also because I remember my grandfather ’ s dedication and the joy he took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carrier gave him the pride of serving a vital role in his community , the dignity of an honest living , and an opportunity to shift our family ’ s fortunes away from poverty and struggle .

When I was a little boy, I desperately wanted my grandfather to take me and my brother on his rounds as a mail carrier in rural North Carolina. Each morning, my “Papa” would get up and eat breakfast before dawn, fill a red and black plaid Aladdin thermos with coffee, and drive his old gray DJ-5 Jeep into town to collect bulging sacks of mail.
We visited my grandparents on summer vacation and at Christmas and I remember one icy cold December morning when Papa left his thermos on the kitchen counter. He came back by the house and I remember running out to the driveway to peer in the Jeep’s windows at the stacks of parcels and bundles of letters piled up so high they brushed the ceiling.
“It’s Santa’s other sled,” Papa quipped as he settled himself behind the steering wheel, which was on the right side like a British car. Hundreds of rubber bands of all colors and sizes dangled from the gear shift. “And it’s all gotta go where it’s all gotta go.”
For 35 years, Papa delivered to the far-flung farms and homesteads there in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. That old Jeep bumped over frozen ruts in muddy winter roads, braved the smothering heat of summer, and faithfully carried letters, parcels, medications and other essentials to hundreds of households and farms that existed out beyond the municipal fringes. Some homes on his route were little more than shacks with neither electricity nor plumbing, the mail being their only connection to modernity.
Papa wouldn’t take us with him when there was mail in the truck because, he said, “The mail is private. Someone could be getting letters from a bill collector or receiving legal papers that are none of your business.”
That seemed ridiculous to my seven-year-old self. What did I care about bill collectors? But to Papa, the integrity of the mail and its safe delivery were a sacred trust. He was a devout believer in the US Postal Service creed: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
Working for the USPS is that rarest of things in modern America, a stable job that pays a living wage
The postal service hired my grandfather when he returned from fighting in Europe during the second world war. He was the son of a farmer with little education beyond the ninth grade. He grew up in grinding poverty during the Great Depression, but his job carrying the mail allowed him to ascend into the US’s then-burgeoning middle class, to save money for my mother’s college education, and to escape the legacy of poverty that had dogged his family for generations.
In addition to providing a vital pipeline for rural Americans to receive essential goods and services, the USPS is also one of the largest US employers of black workers, who make up 21% of the postal service’s workforce. With a median salary of $55,000, working for the USPS is that rarest of things in modern America, a stable job that pays a living wage.
Republicans in the federal government have been trying to eliminate the post office by financially hobbling the agency while simultaneously denying it the means to evolve into a profitable 21st-century operation. Rightwing organizations such as the Cato Institute insist that the USPS can only survive through privatization, a move that would fly in the face of the explicit wishes of America’s founding fathers, who enshrined the postal service in our nation’s constitution.
For me, the fight to save the US Postal Service is personal, not only because it may be the only way to safely vote this November, but also because I remember my grandfather’s dedication and the joy he took in his work. Being a mail carrier gave him the pride of serving a vital role in his community, the dignity of an honest living, and an opportunity to shift our family’s fortunes away from poverty and struggle.