theguardian--2020-02-28--Joe Biden sees South Carolina as 'launching pad' for his campaign

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is heading into South Carolina ’ s primary vote on Saturday as the heavy favourite to win , which would provide a much-needed boost just days ahead of the crucial Super Tuesday elections .
There was a point in the last few weeks when it seemed like the former vice-president ’ s South Carolina “ firewall ” might actually have some cracks in it .
It seemed that the Vermont senator Bernie Sanders , Biden ’ s ideological polar opposite , might prevent him from winning the state decisively .
That moment came and went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the driver ’ s seat again in the first state in the deep south to cast its vote in the primary race , where African American voters form a majority of the electorate .
In the 2016 presidential election , 24 % of national Democratic primary voters were black .
“ I ’ ve been confident about South Carolina because I ’ ve worked so hard over 30 or more years here … not to run for president , but to have the relationship with the community , ” Biden told CNN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ ll be the launching pad for me.
” Biden has campaigned on a message of dignity and unity , and stressed his experience as Barack Obama ’ s vice-president .
He was the envy of other 2020 Democratic candidates this week , after he was formally endorsed by Jim Clyburn , the highest-ranking African American in Congress .
“ Since Congressman Clyburn has endorsed the vice-president that has given him a great boost , a great energy .
That has certainly provided clarity to individuals that were undecided , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national committee member .
A day later , a new Monmouth University poll of South Carolina voters found Biden leading over Sanders by 20 percentage points .
That poll was notably different from other recent South Carolina polls which showed Biden leading by single digits .
A solid win would give his campaign a shot in the arm days ahead of the Super Tuesday elections , when Democratic voters in 16 states and US territories will have their say on which presidential candidate they want to see take on Donald Trump in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including Biden and Sanders remain in contention , and this week could mark a decisive make-or-break moment for several of them .
Biden entered the presidential race as the frontrunner and heavy favorite to win the Democratic nomination , but has since struggled to meet expectations .
He placed a distant fourth in the Iowa Democratic caucuses , the first vote in the race in February .
He didn ’ t do much better in New Hampshire .
But his campaign saw some improvement in the Nevada caucuses last week when he got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind only Sanders , who is now considered the current frontrunner .
Biden , a more moderate Democrat called out the progressive candidate directly at a campaign stop in McClellanville on Thursday , warning that Sanders ’ Medicare for All proposal “ will be a long long expensive slog , cost over $ 35tn and the patients can ’ t afford to wait ” .
Sanders ’ signature policy Medicare for All , which would implement a government-run healthcare system in the US , is one of the most contentious policies being debated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between progressives and moderates who largely favor an expansion of Obamacare .
Biden and his team have long argued that a win in South Carolina would rebuff his critics , and show he has the ability to attract a broad coalition of Democratic voters .
“ The people know me .
My entire career has been wrapped up in dealing with civil rights and civil liberties , ” Biden said during the latest Democratic debate in Charleston .
“ I intend to win in South Carolina , and I will win the African @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike McCauley , a veteran Democratic strategist based in South Carolina , said winning South Carolina could help Biden frame himself as the most prominent alternative to Sanders .
“ For moderate Democrats like myself and my colleagues and peers across South Carolina we ’ re looking for who ’ s going to be the alternative to Bernie that ’ s going to emerge , ” he said .
“ So I think that ’ s the springboard that South Carolina can give Biden is to provide that distance.
” While Sanders has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate to beat , in South Carolina , where Biden is the leader , billionaire Democratic candidate Tom Steyer has also been a source of concern for the former vice-president .
Steyer has poured $ 20m into his campaign in the state and made a concerted effort to win African American voters .
He has made a point of highlighting his positions on reparations and racial justice as he has campaigned throughout the state .
At a stop at a community resource center of North Charleston , Steyer said : “ I really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think when I come to South Carolina and talk to African Americans they realize I ’ m not kidding , ” Steyer told the Guardian .
“ I ’ m serious about it and I think as a result we share some goals and we share some history and I ’ m talking about things that they can believe in , because I ’ m serious about it.
” There is still a long way to go in the Democratic primary race before a presidential nominee is officially named at the party ’ @ @ @ @ @ @

Daniel Strauss in McClellanville, South Carolina

Joe Biden is heading into South Carolina’s Democratic presidential primary vote on Saturday as the heavy favourite to win, which would provide a much-needed boost just days ahead of the crucial Super Tuesday elections.
There was a point in the last few weeks when it seemed like the former vice-president’s South Carolina “firewall” might actually have some cracks in it. It seemed that the Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, Biden’s ideological polar opposite, might prevent him from winning the state decisively.
That moment came and went.
Now, Biden looks to be in the driver’s seat again in the first state in the deep south to cast its vote in the primary race, where African American voters form a majority of the electorate. In the 2016 presidential election, 24% of national Democratic primary voters were black.
“I’ve been confident about South Carolina because I’ve worked so hard over 30 or more years here … not to run for president, but to have the relationship with the community,” Biden told CNN on Friday morning. “I believe it’ll be the launching pad for me.”
Biden has campaigned on a message of dignity and unity, and stressed his experience as Barack Obama’s vice-president. He was the envy of other 2020 Democratic candidates this week, after he was endorsed by Jim Clyburn, the highest-ranking African American in Congress.
“Since Congressman Clyburn has endorsed the vice-president that has given him a great boost, a great energy. That has certainly provided clarity to individuals that were undecided,” said Clay Middleton, a South Carolina Democratic national committee member.
Joe Biden campaigns in Conway, South Carolina, on Thursday. Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA
A day later, a new Monmouth University poll of South Carolina voters found Biden leading over Sanders by 20 percentage points. That poll was notably different from other recent South Carolina polls which showed Biden leading by single digits.
A solid win would give his campaign a shot in the arm days ahead of the Super Tuesday elections, when Democratic voters in 16 states and US territories will have their say on which presidential candidate they want to see take on Donald Trump in the November election.
Eight major Democratic candidates including Biden and Sanders remain in contention, and this week could mark a decisive make-or-break moment for several of them.
Biden entered the presidential race as the frontrunner and heavy favorite to win the Democratic nomination, but has since struggled to meet expectations. He placed a distant fourth in the Iowa Democratic caucuses, the first vote in the race in February. He didn’t do much better in New Hampshire.
But his campaign saw some improvement in the Nevada caucuses last week when he got about 18% of the vote, behind only Sanders, who is now considered the frontrunner.
Biden, a more moderate Democrat called out the progressive candidate directly at a campaign stop in McClellanville on Thursday, warning that Sanders’ Medicare for All proposal “will be a long, long expensive slog, cost over $35tn and the patients can’t afford to wait”.
Sanders’ signature policy Medicare for All, which would implement a government-run healthcare system in the US, is one of the most contentious policies being debated among Democrats this year, highlighting splits between progressives and moderates who largely favor an expansion of Obamacare.
Biden and his team have long argued that a win in South Carolina would rebuff his critics, and show he has the ability to attract a broad coalition of Democratic voters.
“The people know me. My entire career has been wrapped up in dealing with civil rights and civil liberties,” Biden said during the latest Democratic debate in Charleston. “I intend to win in South Carolina, and I will win the African American vote here in South Carolina.”
Mike McCauley, a veteran Democratic strategist based in South Carolina, said winning South Carolina could help Biden frame himself as the most prominent alternative to Sanders.
“For moderate Democrats like myself and my colleagues and peers across South Carolina we’re looking for who’s going to be the alternative to Bernie that’s going to emerge,” he said. “So I think that’s the springboard that South Carolina can give Biden is to provide that distance.”
While Sanders has risen to national frontrunner and become the candidate to beat, in South Carolina, where Biden leads in polling, the billionaire Democratic candidate Tom Steyer has also been a source of concern for the former vice-president.
Steyer has poured $20m into his campaign in the state and made a concerted effort to win African American voters. He has made a point of highlighting his positions on reparations and racial justice as he has campaigned throughout the state.
At a stop at a community resource center of North Charleston, Steyer said: “I really care about racial justice.”
“I think when I come to South Carolina and talk to African Americans they realize I’m not kidding,” Steyer told the Guardian. “I’m serious about it and I think as a result we share some goals and we share some history and I’m talking about things that they can believe in, because I’m serious about it.”
There is still a long way to go in the Democratic primary race before a presidential nominee is officially named at the party’s national convention in July.


theguardian--2020-02-28--Joe Biden campaigning in South Carolina ahead of crucial Democrat primary – live

The Democratic race is in full swing , with votes in South Carolina on Saturday and then in over a dozen states including California on Super Tuesday , 3 March .
Who are the key contenders as the race enters its next phase ?
Veteran socialist senator from Vermont and Democratic frontrunner who thinks his ship may finally have come in .
Huge army of passionate voters .
Distinctive and consistent policy platform .
Powerful momentum from success in first three contests of primary race .
Leftwing policies and “ socialist ” label may prove a bridge too far for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affinity with leftwing causes is already being weaponised against him .
“ Every other major country on Earth has achieved universal health care .
This is the wealthiest nation in the world and there is no reason we can not do the same.
” Universal public healthcare system and abolition of health insurance .
Paid parental leave .
Free college tuition .
Support for radical Green New Deal to tackle climate change and create jobs .
Personable former vice-president to Barack Obama whose shaky performance in the primary race has seen his lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pundits thought his folksy manner , working-class roots and moderate policies would appeal to rust-belt voters won by Donald Trump in 2016 .
Voters seemed less convinced after a series of muddled debates and gaffe-prone public appearances .
Although many make the argument that “ your uncle would vote for him ” , it ’ s hard to find anyone actually excited about the prospect of President Biden .
“ Public option ” to compete with private health insurance .
Green New Deal .
Repealing capital punishment .
Decriminalisation of cannabis .
Billionaire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by many liberals who has steadily climbed in the polls thanks to big spending .
Limitless spending power .
Centrist policies that may win over some Republicans .
Record of business success that contrasts favorably with Trump ’ s .
Originally elected in New York as a Republican , Bloomberg is viewed by many liberals as a Democrat in name only and the kind of super-rich businessman they exist to rein in .
Controversies over alleged sexist , racist and anti-trans remarks , a discriminatory policing policy known as “ stop and frisk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at his business have not helped .
Universal background checks for gun purchases , assault weapons ban and crackdown on gun trafficking .
Net zero carbon emissions by 2050 .
“ Public option ” for healthcare .
Liberal Massachusetts senator and financial services expert who has been crowded out by Sanders and the moderates .
Less leftwing than Sanders , much less rightwing than Bloomberg , more experienced than Buttigieg , more convincing than Biden .
Would be the first woman president .
Not as ideologically pure as Sanders , not as rich @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Buttigieg , less appeal in the heartland than Biden .
Sexism is probably playing a role in dragging her down .
“ I ’ d like to talk about who we ’ re running against : a billionaire who calls women fat broads and horse-faced lesbians .
No , I ’ m not talking about Donald Trump .
I ’ m talking about Mayor Bloomberg.
” Wealth tax on those worth more than $ 50m .
Universal childcare .
Relief of student loan debts .
Supports the Green New Deal , public healthcare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big tech companies .
Small-town Indiana mayor who would be first gay president and needs to build on strong early start in Iowa or risk fading away .
Millennial military veteran who presents himself as the young and upbeat voice of moderation , compromise and national unity .
His main political experience comprises eight years as mayor of South Bend , Indiana , a city of 100,000 people .
As mayor he made enemies of many black voters – something that has hobbled him in the Democratic race .
It remains to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he became the nominee .
“ We need a president focused on the future and ready to leave the politics of the past in the past.
” Backs a publicly run health insurance scheme , background checks for gun-buyers , a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants , and a moderate climate change plan .
Businessman Tom Steyer has poured money into South Carolina and is hoping for a strong showing there .
Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar has had her moments but it ’ s hard to see where she goes from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gabbard made the most impact when she sued Hillary Clinton for calling her a Russian asset .

Joanna Walters (now) and Martin Belam (earlier)

29 Feb 2020 01.12 GMT Evening summary It’s been a busy day in US politics. Here’s a rundown of the top stories: A federal court blocked Trump’s Remain in Mexico policy , which barred asylum seekers from the country while their claims were under consideration in immigration court. Here’s a full report.
, which barred asylum seekers from the country while their claims were under consideration in immigration court. Here’s a full report. The House judiciary committee launched an investigation of attorney general William Barr and DOJ, over concerns that Barr has politicized prosecutions.
launched an investigation of attorney general and DOJ, over concerns that Barr has politicized prosecutions. Donald Trump nominated Congressman John Ratcliffe to be the director of national intelligence – for the second time. Ratcliffe was nominated last summer but was quickly withdrawn from consideration when questions were raised about his qualifications.
to be the – for the second time. Ratcliffe was nominated last summer but was quickly withdrawn from consideration when questions were raised about his qualifications. Joe Biden admitted that he was not arrested in South Africa.
admitted that he was not arrested in South Africa. Donald Trump is holding a rally in South Carolina.
A Wisconsin court of appeals overturned an order to purge 200,000 voters from the state’s rolls.
court of appeals overturned an order to purge 200,000 voters from the state’s rolls. A federal appeals court said that it would not get involved in Congress’s efforts to force former White House counsel Don McGahn to testify, effectively letting him off the hook from a congressional subpoena. And finally, Democratic presidential rivals are holding last minute get-out-the-vote rallies ahead of tomorrow’s South Carolina primary. We have a full day of coverage planned for you, and you can keep on top of the latest news on the coronavirus in our ongoing liveblog here.
Updated at 01.14 GMT
29 Feb 2020 01.11 GMT Trump is ad-libbing on the coronavirus at his rally in South Carolina, Oliver Laughland reports. Trump is ad libbing significantly. Breaking off from prepared remarks on coronavirus to ask Graham and Scott to pass legislation that allows him to serve for 25 years
“Lets term limit ourselves at 25 years. Tim pass it in the senate with Lindsey. A 25 year term limit, please.” — Oliver Laughland (@oliverlaughland) February 29, 2020 The president is using the epidemic to justify his anti-immigration policy – and attack Democrats: We are doing everything in our power to keep the infection and those carrying the infection from entering the country. We have no choice. Whether it’s the virus that we’re talking about, or the many other public health threats, the Democrat policy of open borders is a direct threat to the health and wellbeing of all Americans. Now you see it with the coronavirus… when you have this virus, or any other virus, or any other problem coming in, it’s not the only thing that comes in through the border… and we’re setting records at the border, we’re setting records, and now, just using this, important, so important. For factual information about the coronavirus, please see our rolling coverage here.
29 Feb 2020 00.33 GMT Another assault on reproductive rights (and the US constitution) just passed the state senate in Utah. The proposed law, Senate Bill 174, is unconstitutional. It would outlaw all elective abortions, with exceptions only for cases of rape, incest and danger to the mother’s health. Abortion is legal under current Supreme Court precedent. BREAKING NEWS: A bill to ban elective abortions in Utah PASSES the Senate, 21-6. Off to the House: https://t.co/lJ5fwecllT @fox13 #utpol #utleg — Ben Winslow (@BenWinslow) February 29, 2020 Many states have passed similarly unconstitutional laws in recent years. If enacted, the laws are generally struck down quickly by federal courts.
29 Feb 2020 00.20 GMT Adam Schiff, the chair of the House Intelligence committee, also has harsh criticism for Trump’s re-nomination of John Ratcliffe as DNI. We now have an intelligence chief who should not have been fired, an unqualified nominee who should not be confirmed, and an acting director who is patently unfit.
All while our elections are perilously at risk of foreign interference.
Just the way the President likes it. https://t.co/P8Px2E6F6r — Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) February 29, 2020
28 Feb 2020 23.25 GMT Lest you thought Senate Democrats would forget that they did not want John Ratcliffe appointed director of national intelligence, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer just came out with a strong statement opposing the nomination: Replacing one highly partisan operative with another does nothing to keep America safe
When Putin is interfering in our elections—we need a nonpartisan leader at the helm of the Intel Community who speaks truth to power
Neither Richard Grenell nor Rep Ratcliffe comes even close pic.twitter.com/PXYxiQg7Ob — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 28, 2020
28 Feb 2020 23.10 GMT Courts will not force White House officials to testify in Congress Former White House counsel Don McGahn can ignore a subpoena from Congress, a federal appeals court ruled Friday. The decision is a blow to Congressional Democrats, who had sought judicial intervention after Donald Trump barred his top advisers from testifying. The decision, by a three-judge panel of the DC circuit court of appeals, reverses a lower court ruling that would have forced McGahn to testify, the AP reports. Per the AP: “The walk from the Capitol to our courthouse is a short one, and if we resolve this case today, we can expect Congress’s lawyers to make the trip often,” wrote Judge Thomas Griffith, an appointee of former President George W. Bush.
He was joined in the 2-1 ruling by Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson, an appointee of President George H.W. Bush.
Judge Judith Rogers, an appointee of President Bill Clinton, dissented. She said her colleagues’ opinion “all but assures future Presidential stonewalling of Congress, and further impairs the House’s ability to perform its constitutional duties.” Congress can still ask the full appeals court to review the case. It can also appeal to the Supreme court.
28 Feb 2020 22.59 GMT Speaking of intelligence chiefs ... Leon Panetta, whose long career in government includes stints as CIA director and secretary of defense during the Obama administration, just endorsed Joe Biden in the Democratic presidential primary. Leon Panetta becomes the 9th Obama administration Cabinet member to endorse Biden. Statement praises "his principled leadership in action" Panetta witnessed since they first met in the 1970s. pic.twitter.com/DnO8KJCuav — Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) February 28, 2020
28 Feb 2020 22.53 GMT If the announcement of John Ratcliffe as Trump’s nominee for director of national intelligence gives you a feeling of déjà vu, it’s because we were here – literally – just seven months ago. My colleague Julian Borger wrote about some of the concerns over Ratcliffe’s – “an inexperienced but loyal partisan” – at the time. “Trump is consolidating his personal control over the intelligence community,” said Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, a former CIA intelligence officer. He said the current directors of the CIA and FBI have found their hands tied increasingly when it comes to accurate intelligence assessment, by risk of being fired for something at odds with Trump’s views.
“I fear that there is a slow takeover of the norms and procedures of governance by this president, amassing unprecedented executive power,” Mowatt-Larssen, now at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, added. “To do that he needs to neutralise or at least silence the intelligence community. He has been doing that for three years, but this takes it to the new level.” You can read Julian’s full report here.
28 Feb 2020 22.44 GMT Trump nominates John Ratcliffe as DNI – again Donald Trump just announced the nomination of John Ratcliffe, a Republican congressman from Texas, as director of national intelligence (DNI). The position is the highest ranking intelligence officer and oversees coordination among the US’s 17 intelligence agencies. This is the second time that Trump attempted to name Ratcliffe to the position. In late July 2019, Trump announced the Texan as his intended choice for the position, only to withdraw the name following critical press reports of Ratcliffe’s record and experience. I am pleased to announce the nomination of @RepRatcliffe (Congressman John Ratcliffe) to be Director of National Intelligence (DNI). Would have completed process earlier, but John wanted to wait until after IG Report was finished. John is an outstanding man of great talent! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 28, 2020 The announcement comes just over a week after the president named Richard Grenell, a Trump loyalist who was serving as the US ambassador to Germany, as the acting DNI. Grenell’s nomination, which was not subject to senate confirmation, sparked immediate controversy. Grenell has no experience in intelligence or the military, and was best known as a fierce partisan for Trump.
28 Feb 2020 22.09 GMT Trump wants Fed to "get involved" re coronavirus The president is on his way to a rally in South Carolina and has been making remarks on his way to Air Force One. Here’s one: President Trump on what the Federal Reserve board should do in response to coronavirus: "I hope the Fed gets involved and I hope it gets involved soon." — Steve Holland (@steveholland1) February 28, 2020 He’s referring to anticipation that the Fed might lower interest rates to offset economic jitters caused by the spreading coronavirus. NEW: US Federal Reserve issues unscheduled statement from Fed Chair Jerome Powell saying “coronavirus poses evolving risks to economic activity” and that Fed “will use our tools and act as appropriate to support the economy” pic.twitter.com/pNgf9Q19K3 — Faisal Islam (@faisalislam) February 28, 2020
Updated at 22.15 GMT
28 Feb 2020 21.45 GMT David Smith Farage barrage Nigel Farage, dubbed “the Godfather of Brexit” in the official CPAC programme, urged attendees of the conservative event to help Bernie Sanders win the Democratic nomination – and thus, in his view, guarantee a landslide victory for his “friend” Donald Trump in the November 2020 election.
Farage, always a popular turn at CPAC, said of the recent British general election: “One of the things that made it easier for Boris [Johnson] was a man called Jeremy Corbyn. The British Labour party had been hijacked by hard left, unpatriotic socialism.” Nigel Farage at CPAC today. Photograph: Erik S Lesser/EPA
US Democrats will suffer the same fate under democratic socialist Sanders, he suggested. “You should be backing Bernie Sanders. You should be campaigning for Bernie Sanders. You should be donating money to Bernie Sanders.”
Farage, who waved a small Union flag on stage, added: “I think with Bernie, you won’t just get Trump. I think with Bernie, you can retake the House too.”
The crowd at this year’s CPAC event, in Oxon Hill, Maryland, burst into chants of “USA! USA!” Bernie Sanders campaigning in Finlay Park, Columbia, South Carolina, today. Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA
28 Feb 2020 21.08 GMT Voter purge attempt overturned by court A Wisconsin court of appeals has overturned an order to purge more than 200,000 voters from rolls in this important swing state. The court had previously put on hold an order to immediately remove up to 209,000 names from the state’s voter registration rolls, handing Democrats who had fought the move a victory in the battleground state, my colleague Sam Levine wrote last month. The appeals court had sided with the bipartisan state elections commission in putting the brakes on removing any voters while the court fight continues. It also put on hold a ruling from Monday in which a judge found the commission and its three Democratic members in contempt for not proceeding with removing the voters The orders came as the commission was meeting in a closed session with attorneys from the state justice department to discuss the case. A conservative law firm that brought the case, the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, had wanted the purge to happen immediately, even though the elections commission raised concerns about the accuracy of data used to identify voters who would have their registrations deactivated. Rightwing group pushes Wisconsin voter purge that 'could tip' 2020 election Read more On Friday, the Hill writes, the order was overturned and would be: A boost to Democrats in a state that’s poised to play a decisive role the 2020 presidential race. Trump won Wisconsin by fewer than 23,000 votes in 2016. The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, said it plans to appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court. A lower court judge in January ordered the purging of more than 200,000 people from voter rolls because they may have moved. On Friday, the appeals court also overturned an order by the same judge that had found the state elections commission in contempt for not moving forward with the voter roll purge. The plaintiffs in the original case argued that the state elections commission should have immediately deactivated registered voters who didn’t respond within 30 days to a mailing sent in October, an indication that the person may have moved. People voting at Jamestown Town Hall in Kieler, Wisconsin, in the November, 2018, midterm elections. Photograph: Nicki Kohl/AP
28 Feb 2020 20.54 GMT “Violated due process” Judiciary committee chairman and New York Democrat Jerry Nadler (who this morning wrote to attorney general Bill Barr requesting congressional interview with key officials amid concerns over presidential interference in the justice system), has also responded on Twitter to the court ruling blocking Trump’s “Wait in Mexico” border policy. “From day one, @HouseJudiciary has said the “Remain in Mexico” policy was illegal and violated due process, which is why we launched a comprehensive investigation into its origins. Proud to see the 9th Circuit put a halt to this fatally flawed program,” he said. Nadler and his fellow impeachment managers walking between the House and Senate on Capitol Hill during Trump’s impeachment trial. Photograph: Tom Brenner/Reuters Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal said: “The courts agree the Trump admin’s remain in Mexico policy is cruel & inhumane. As a country we should not banish people fleeing persecution to continue to wait in unsafe uncertainty. A clear violation of the law.” And Texas congressman Filemon Vela said: “Though the 9th Circuit’s decision almost certainly will be appealed, for now it stops the policy nationwide. The Trump admin. had been declaring near-victory in stemming immigration just weeks ago, in part because of MPP’s success. We must #EndMPP for good.” Though the 9th Circuit’s decision almost certainly will be appealed, for now it stops the policy nationwide. The Trump admin. had been declaring near-victory in stemming immigration just weeks ago, in part because of MPP’s success. We must #EndMPP for goodhttps://t.co/5vdKVYCjZP — US Rep. Filemon Vela (@RepFilemonVela) February 28, 2020
28 Feb 2020 20.42 GMT “Puts asylum seekers in danger” Current presidential contender Elizabeth Warren has also weighed in on the hammering of Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” border policy. She tweeted that the news of this morning’s court ruling was excellent. “Donald Trump’s cruel “Remain in Mexico” policy put asylum seekers in danger. As president, I will reverse the Trump administration’s cruel immigration policies and ensure that asylum seekers are welcomed at our borders,” she said. Elizabeth Warren poses for a photograph with audience members at a campaign Canvass Kick Off in Greenville, South Carolina, today. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters New Mexico Senator Tom Udall tweeted that the policy news was a relief. “We cannot allow the Trump administration to continue punishing asylum seekers with its hateful and dangerous policies. Offering a place for those who need refuge is a bedrock part of what America is all about,” he said. House foreign affairs committee chairman, Eliot Engel, called the policy heartless, in a tweet. “I applaud the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling. Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy is heartless for those seeking asylum in our country. The Administration continues to demonize people coming to our country, but they are on the wrong side of history,” he said. One of the impeachment managers in Trump’s recent Senate impeachment trial, congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, called the policy “inhumane” in her tweet, saying: “‘Remain in Mexico’ is inconsistent w/@DHSgov’s authority & inhumanely forces thousands to wait in dangerous conditions before their asylum claims are heard. It’s a harmful policy & I’m glad the court rejected it.” Zoe Lofgren on Capitol Hill this week. Photograph: REX/Shutterstock


theguardian--2020-02-28--Why Bernie Sanders won the week in US politics – and Mike Pence lost

Bernie Sanders steamrollered through the Nevada primary and Donald Trump played down the coronavirus threat .
Who ’ s up and who ’ s down this week in US politics ?
The leftwing senator from Vermont ’ s landslide victory in Nevada forced Democratic and media doubters to admit he was now the man to beat ( even the day before the New York Times was still calling him the “ nominal ” frontrunner ) .
But heavy lies the crown – with his new status came the avalanche of attacks from opponents that Sanders sceptics have long warned the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever began to lead the pack .
His “ honeymoon ” to Moscow , unwise articles he wrote for an underground zine in the 60s and 70s about cancer , orgasms and rape fantasies … Indeed , Sanders fanned the flames himself this week with typically unapologetic comments about Fidel Castro , telling CBS News he was “ opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba ” but adding : “ He had a massive literacy program .
Is that a bad thing ?
Even though Fidel Castro did it ?
” There will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ success continues with a strong showing in South Carolina tomorrow and victory on Super Tuesday , 3 March .
Whisper it , but is Biden back ?
Democratic centrists will eventually have to coalesce around someone to take on Sanders , and after flirting with Pete Buttigieg , Mike Bloomberg and Amy Klobuchar , they may end up concluding that the former vice-president – for all his faults – looks the strongest .
He was more focused and aggressive at the debate in South Carolina on Tuesday night , and employed some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gave way to the moderator : “ Why am I stopping ?
No one else stops .
It ’ s my Catholic school training.
” Relying on his firewall of African American support , Biden has solidified his lead in South Carolina and can reasonably hope for a strong victory there on Saturday that might reboot his campaign .
He can expect to scoop up a fair number of delegates on Super Tuesday too , particularly in Texas and North Carolina , although Sanders is increasingly leaving him for dust in California .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ out the questionable stories about being arrested in South Africa might help .
Bloomberg had a better debate this week , but his social media tactics came under fire after his team posted a controversial set of satirical tweets featuring false comments supposedly made by Sanders about various dictators .
It wasn ’ t his first offence – many objected to the misleadingly edited video his team had put out after the debate in Nevada – and the Sanders tweets were deleted .
“ It ’ s the embracing of a cynical outlook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Whitney Phillips of Syracuse University told the Guardian .
“ It ’ s leaning into nihilism.
” Bloomberg ’ s national poll ratings have flatlined since his disastrous first debate performance – he remains in third place behind Biden and Sanders – and he has dipped back below Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg too in the crucial Super Tuesday state of California , when he enters the race proper .
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned this week that the coronavirus Covid-19 could could cause “ severe disruption ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding : “ It ’ s not so much a question of if this will happen any more , but rather more exactly when this will happen , and how many people in this country will have severe illness.
” Donald Trump didn ’ t like that .
On a trip to India earlier that day he had already told reporters that the coronavirus was “ very well under control in our country ” and “ is going to go away ” .
He later hit out at the media for “ doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sic ] look as bad as possible , including panicking markets , if possible ” .
That last element seemed key – an economic slowdown caused by the virus could seriously damage Trump ’ s chances of re-election , and the stock market is his favourite measure of his own success .
The day after a less-than-reassuring press conference in which Trump put the vice-president , Mike Pence , in charge of the anti-virus effort , the Dow had its worst ever daily drop and the S & P 500 posted its largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would you want to head up the coronavirus response ?
Such a poisoned chalice is the vice-president ’ s new job that there was even speculation Trump could eventually use it as a pretext for dropping Pence from the 2020 ticket – perhaps replacing him with a telegenic woman such as the former UN ambassador Nikki Haley .
Not to worry , though , Pence is “ really very expert at the field ” of healthcare , as Trump told his press conference on Wednesday .
So expert that he notoriously wrote on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hysteria from the political class and the media , smoking doesn ’ t kill.
” And as governor of the midwestern state of Indiana , he faced heavy criticism for his handling of the situation when the state experienced the worst HIV crisis in its history .

Bernie Sanders steamrollered through the Nevada primary and Donald Trump played down the coronavirus threat. Who’s up and who’s down this week in US politics?
Best week: Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders supporters. Photograph: Erik S Lesser/EPA
The leftwing senator from Vermont’s landslide victory in Nevada forced Democratic and media doubters to admit he was now the man to beat (even the day before the New York Times was still calling him the “nominal” frontrunner). But heavy lies the crown – with his new status came the avalanche of attacks from opponents that Sanders sceptics have long warned the self-proclaimed democratic socialist would face if he ever began to lead the pack.
His “honeymoon” to Moscow, unwise articles he wrote for an underground zine in the 60s and 70s about cancer, orgasms and rape fantasies … Indeed, Sanders fanned the flames himself this week with typically unapologetic comments about Fidel Castro, telling CBS News he was “opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba” but adding: “He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing? Even though Fidel Castro did it?” There will be much more of this if Sanders’ success continues with a strong showing in South Carolina tomorrow and victory on Super Tuesday, 3 March.
Good week: Joe Biden
Joe Biden: might be back. Photograph: Gerald Herbert/AP
Whisper it, but is Biden back? Democratic centrists will eventually have to coalesce around someone to take on Sanders, and after flirting with Pete Buttigieg, Mike Bloomberg and Amy Klobuchar, they may end up concluding that the former vice-president – for all his faults – looks the strongest. He was more focused and aggressive at the debate in South Carolina on Tuesday night, and employed some amusing self-deprecation at one point when he gave way to the moderator: “Why am I stopping? No one else stops. It’s my Catholic school training.” Relying on his firewall of African American support, Biden has solidified his lead in South Carolina and can reasonably hope for a strong victory there on Saturday that might reboot his campaign. He can expect to scoop up a fair number of delegates on Super Tuesday too, particularly in Texas and North Carolina, although Sanders is increasingly leaving him for dust in California. Can he stage a comeback? Cutting out the questionable stories about being arrested in South Africa might help.
Not a great week: Mike Bloomberg
Mike Bloomberg: not the best at social media. Photograph: Nate Billings/AP
Bloomberg had a better debate this week, but his social media tactics came under fire after his team posted a controversial set of satirical tweets featuring false comments supposedly made by Sanders about various dictators. It wasn’t his first offence – many objected to the misleadingly edited video his team had put out after the debate in Nevada – and the Sanders tweets were deleted. “It’s the embracing of a cynical outlook: ‘Lol nothing matters’,” Whitney Phillips of Syracuse University told the Guardian. “It’s leaning into nihilism.” Bloomberg’s national poll ratings have flatlined since his disastrous first debate performance – he remains in third place behind Biden and Sanders – and he has dipped back below Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg too in the crucial Super Tuesday state of California, when he enters the race proper.
Bad week: Donald Trump
Donald Trump: ready for coronavirus to go away. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned this week that the coronavirus Covid-19 could could cause “severe disruption” to the lives of ordinary Americans, adding: “It’s not so much a question of if this will happen any more, but rather more exactly when this will happen, and how many people in this country will have severe illness.” Donald Trump didn’t like that. On a trip to India earlier that day he had already told reporters that the coronavirus was “very well under control in our country” and “is going to go away”. He later hit out at the media for “doing everything possible to make the Caronavirus [sic] look as bad as possible, including panicking markets, if possible”.
That last element seemed key – an economic slowdown caused by the virus could seriously damage Trump’s chances of re-election, and the stock market is his favourite measure of his own success. The day after a less-than-reassuring press conference in which Trump put the vice-president, Mike Pence, in charge of the anti-virus effort, the Dow had its worst ever daily drop and the S&P 500 posted its largest fall since August 2011.
Worst week: Mike Pence
Mike Pence: maybe not the man for the job. Photograph: Carlos Barría/Reuters
Well, would you want to head up the coronavirus response? Such a poisoned chalice is the vice-president’s new job that there was even speculation Trump could eventually use it as a pretext for dropping Pence from the 2020 ticket – perhaps replacing him with a telegenic woman such as the former UN ambassador Nikki Haley.
Not to worry, though, Pence is “really very expert at the field” of healthcare, as Trump told his press conference on Wednesday.
So expert that he notoriously wrote on his website in 2000: “Despite the hysteria from the political class and the media, smoking doesn’t kill.” And as governor of the midwestern state of Indiana, he faced heavy criticism for his handling of the situation when the state experienced the worst HIV crisis in its history.


theguardian--2020-02-28--'Right makes might': Lincoln Project takes aim at Trump from Cooper Union

On 27 February 1860 , Abraham Lincoln spoke at Cooper Union in New York City .
Concluding that “ right makes might ” and that slavery must not be allowed to expand , the little-known lawyer from Illinois took a giant leap to becoming the first Republican president .
Exactly 160 years later , members of the Lincoln Project came to the same venue , stood on the same stage and spoke from the very same lectern .
Their aim : to bring a Republican president down .
In his book on Lincoln ’ s appearance at Cooper Union , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brayman , a Democrat from Lincoln ’ s home town who stood at the back of the hall .
“ At each finished period ” of his address , Brayman said , Lincoln cast “ a timid , sidelong glance at the formidable array of reporters who surrounded the table at his elbow , as if conscious that after all the world was his audience ” .
On Thursday night , the Lincoln Project sought to tell the world about its attempt to defeat Trump .
The evening was broadcast on YouTube but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of reporters sat in the first two rows .
In front of a New York audience , had the floor been opened for questions , some members might have been asked about past work for Republican candidates and causes .
But the man who might have had most reason to cast sidelong glances at the press , the lawyer George Conway – author of stinging Washington Post op-eds who happens to be married to the president ’ s chief White House counsellor , Kellyanne Conway – was absent .
So was John Weaver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Kasich , and the evening was introduced by Rick Wilson .
Citing “ the great political philosopher Liam Neeson ” , the ruthless ad man turned bestselling author said those on stage had “ a particular set of skills .
Skills that make us a nightmare for people like Donald Trump.
” That brought applause .
Five crack operatives followed .
Mike Madrid , from California , contrasted the 16th president ’ s address at Cooper Union with the notorious speech that launched the 45th in 2015 , not far away uptown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the project ’ s Latino representative said , presented “ two views that can not exist in one party ” .
Madrid was interrupted by the only heckler of the night , a woman who shouted that his condemnation of Trump ’ s immigration policy was “ racist bullshit ” .
She was escorted out .
Ron Steslow , a “ token millennial ” in the words of moderator Jennifer Horn , was first to suggest that in today ’ s GOP Lincoln ’ s great maxim has been turned on its head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for its own sake , might makes right .
Next , Reed Galen drew on another famous Lincoln speech , the House Divided of 1858 .
“ We must build a new political home , ” he said , referring not just to Cooper Union speakers and political “ builders ” such as Frederick Douglass and Elizabeth Cady Stanton , but to the Lincoln Project ’ s rejection of partisanship , its insistence on country over party .
“ At present [ our home ] has two sides that don ’ t talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire.
” Laughter .
But once the flames are out , Galen said , this new home “ must be big enough for anyone ” .
Inclusivity was another note of the evening .
Like Wilson , Steve Schmidt is a familiar presence on cable news , having run John McCain ’ s White House campaign in 2008 – and thereby had something to do with the choice of Sarah Palin for vice-president , a mistake he freely admits .
He was the closest soundalike for a 19th-century orator , projecting like a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spirit of 1776 and the Declaration of Independence , as Lincoln often did , in contrast to the current “ despicable and vile chapter ” in US history .
He went so far as to ask the audience to “ have faith ” .
It seemed most did , as very Republican appeals to the idea of America as “ the greatest nation on earth ” and the legacy of Ronald Reagan , from Horn , a former New Hampshire GOP chair , met with nods and cheers .
But as this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ East Village at that , it wasn ’ t a stretch to think the audience leant Democratic .
When conversation turned to the current primary , there was tough love on offer .
Warning that in a second term Trump would be “ unrestrained and validated ” , Schmidt said : “ We talk a lot about the Republican party and the implications for it as an institution with its wholesale corruption and fealty as an agent of a cult of personality .
But it ’ s really hard to ponder what happens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a second time to deny the White House to Donald Trump .
“ It will be an institutional failure of a magnitude that ’ s beyond my ability to describe .
That the opposition party could be unable to offer the American people something better than what we have.
” “ I sit and watch these debates , ” Schmidt added , “ and it ’ s not good at all and I tell you , I ’ m normally a happy person.
” Wilson compared Bernie Sanders , the self-proclaimed socialist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , two caucuses and a primary , to Jeremy Corbyn , the British Labour leader who in Wilson ’ s telling won intra-party purity tests but lost two general elections .
As in an interview with the Guardian in January , Wilson implored Democrats to choose a moderate and make the election , from primary to finishing post , nothing but a simple referendum on Trump .
Backstage , Schmidt stressed the point .
Given “ the orbital nature of US and UK politics , from Thatcher and Reagan to Bush and John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cameron and Obama ” , he told the Guardian , Corbyn ’ s final defeat might be seen as “ a scary harbinger of what ’ s to come ” .
Back to the Donald .
Onstage , a discussion moderated by Horn saw Steslow cite Lincoln ’ s stand against slavery and say : “ It ’ s not enough to know something is wrong , when it ’ s very wrong , and not do something.
” He left the Republican party in 2016 and says he will “ vote blue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders .
What the Lincoln Project wants people to do is donate , so it can produce ads against Trump and his Republican backers in key swing states .
Wilson has written Everything Trump Touches Dies and Running Against the Devil .
His third book , he said , might be about the Senate Republicans who acquitted Trump in his impeachment trial , a spin on John F Kennedy ’ s Profiles in Courage : “ Profiles in Chicken … you know what.
” That would be “ chickenshit ” .
With a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Oval Office ” , Wilson duly brought the house down .
That put him in good company .
According to Holzer , when Lincoln finished speaking in 1860 he “ folded his manuscript , removed his spectacles and bathed in the applause that now engulfed him ” .
Holzer also said Lincoln had “ effectively drawn his own dividing line between right and wrong , between the past and the future – his country ’ s and his own ” .
The members of the Lincoln Project hope to do the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , 3 November .

On 27 February 1860, Abraham Lincoln spoke at Cooper Union in New York City. Concluding that “right makes might” and that slavery must not be allowed to expand, the little-known lawyer from Illinois took a giant leap to becoming the first Republican president.
Exactly 160 years later, members of the Lincoln Project came to the same venue, stood on the same stage and spoke from the very same lectern. Their aim: to bring a Republican president down.
In his book on Lincoln’s appearance at Cooper Union, the prize-winning historian Harold Holzer quotes Mayson Brayman, a Democrat from Lincoln’s home town who stood at the back of the hall.
“At each finished period” of his address, Brayman said, Lincoln cast “a timid, sidelong glance at the formidable array of reporters who surrounded the table at his elbow, as if conscious that after all the world was his audience”.
On Thursday night, the Lincoln Project sought to tell the world about its attempt to defeat Trump. The evening was broadcast on YouTube but a small and not particularly formidable array of reporters sat in the first two rows.
In front of a New York audience, had the floor been opened for questions, some members might have been asked about past work for Republican candidates and causes. But the man who might have had most reason to cast sidelong glances at the press, the lawyer George Conway – author of stinging Washington Post op-eds who happens to be married to the president’s chief White House counsellor, Kellyanne Conway – was absent.
Rick Wilson speaks from the Lincoln lectern. Photograph: The Lincoln Project
So was John Weaver, aide to former White House hopeful John Kasich, and the evening was introduced by Rick Wilson. Citing “the great political philosopher Liam Neeson”, the ruthless ad man turned bestselling author said those on stage had “a particular set of skills. Skills that make us a nightmare for people like Donald Trump.” That brought applause. Five crack operatives followed.
Mike Madrid, from California, contrasted the 16th president’s address at Cooper Union with the notorious speech that launched the 45th in 2015, not far away uptown. Cooper Union and Trump Tower, the project’s Latino representative said, presented “two views that cannot exist in one party”. Madrid was interrupted by the only heckler of the night, a woman who shouted that his condemnation of Trump’s immigration policy was “racist bullshit”. She was escorted out.
Ron Steslow, a “token millennial” in the words of moderator Jennifer Horn, was first to suggest that in today’s GOP Lincoln’s great maxim has been turned on its head, that in a party pursuing power for its own sake, might makes right. Next, Reed Galen drew on another famous Lincoln speech, the House Divided of 1858.
“We must build a new political home,” he said, referring not just to Cooper Union speakers and political “builders” such as Frederick Douglass and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, but to the Lincoln Project’s rejection of partisanship, its insistence on country over party.
“At present [our home] has two sides that don’t talk and one side is actually blatantly on fire.” Laughter. But once the flames are out, Galen said, this new home “must be big enough for anyone”. Inclusivity was another note of the evening.
Like Wilson, Steve Schmidt is a familiar presence on cable news, having run John McCain’s White House campaign in 2008 – and thereby had something to do with the choice of Sarah Palin for vice-president, a mistake he freely admits. He was the closest soundalike for a 19th-century orator, projecting like a slightly lugubrious preacher as he appealed to the spirit of 1776 and the Declaration of Independence, as Lincoln often did, in contrast to the current “despicable and vile chapter” in US history. He went so far as to ask the audience to “have faith”.
It seemed most did, as very Republican appeals to the idea of America as “the greatest nation on earth” and the legacy of Ronald Reagan, from Horn, a former New Hampshire GOP chair, met with nods and cheers. But as this was New York City, and the East Village at that, it wasn’t a stretch to think the audience leant Democratic. When conversation turned to the current primary, there was tough love on offer.
Warning that in a second term Trump would be “unrestrained and validated”, Schmidt said: “We talk a lot about the Republican party and the implications for it as an institution with its wholesale corruption and fealty as an agent of a cult of personality. But it’s really hard to ponder what happens to the Democratic party if it fails for a second time to deny the White House to Donald Trump.
“It will be an institutional failure of a magnitude that’s beyond my ability to describe. That the opposition party could be unable to offer the American people something better than what we have.”
That prompted applause.
“I sit and watch these debates,” Schmidt added, “and it’s not good at all and I tell you, I’m normally a happy person.”
That brought laughter.
Wilson compared Bernie Sanders, the self-proclaimed socialist and clear Democratic frontrunner after 10 debates, two caucuses and a primary, to Jeremy Corbyn, the British Labour leader who in Wilson’s telling won intra-party purity tests but lost two general elections. As in an interview with the Guardian in January, Wilson implored Democrats to choose a moderate and make the election, from primary to finishing post, nothing but a simple referendum on Trump.
Backstage, Schmidt stressed the point. Given “the orbital nature of US and UK politics, from Thatcher and Reagan to Bush and John Major, to Blair and Clinton and Cameron and Obama”, he told the Guardian, Corbyn’s final defeat might be seen as “a scary harbinger of what’s to come”.
Back to the Donald. Onstage, a discussion moderated by Horn saw Steslow cite Lincoln’s stand against slavery and say: “It’s not enough to know something is wrong, when it’s very wrong, and not do something.”
He left the Republican party in 2016 and says he will “vote blue no matter who” – even for Sanders. What the Lincoln Project wants people to do is donate, so it can produce ads against Trump and his Republican backers in key swing states.
A portrait of Abraham Lincoln hangs in the background as Donald Trump speaks at the White House. Photograph: Leah Millis/Reuters
Wilson has written Everything Trump Touches Dies and Running Against the Devil. His third book, he said, might be about the Senate Republicans who acquitted Trump in his impeachment trial, a spin on John F Kennedy’s Profiles in Courage: “Profiles in Chicken … you know what.” That would be “chickenshit”. With a description of the “kleptomaniac scumbag in the Oval Office”, Wilson duly brought the house down.
That put him in good company. According to Holzer, when Lincoln finished speaking in 1860 he “folded his manuscript, removed his spectacles and bathed in the applause that now engulfed him”.
Holzer also said Lincoln had “effectively drawn his own dividing line between right and wrong, between the past and the future – his country’s and his own”.
The members of the Lincoln Project hope to do the same. Their campaign will culminate on election day, 3 November.


theguardian--2020-02-28--'I felt seen for the first time': why trans activists are rallying behind Elizabeth Warren

A group of prominent transgender activists have rallied behind one 2020 presidential campaign – and it ’ s not the first openly LGBTQ+ candidate with a shot at the nomination .
Elizabeth Warren has earned the support of trans community organizers across the country , who say the Massachusetts senator ’ s dedicated outreach and focus on protecting black trans women in particular is unprecedented in American presidential politics .
Warren started meeting trans activists last year , including Mariah Moore , 31 , who talked with the senator about the violence that claims the lives of many black trans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily fears that she could be killed and no one would care .
“ She stood there with so much conviction and told me , ‘ You deserve every good thing .
You deserve everything you want and need .
You deserve to live in a place that values your life , ’ ” Moore recalled , adding : “ I felt so seen and valued .
For the first time , I felt like someone who had the opportunity to change the course of lives.
” After surging in polls last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place results in the first three states to vote , while her progressive rival in the race , Bernie Sanders , has emerged as a clear frontrunner .
Although the leftwing platforms of the two senators share significant common ground , Warren has pitched herself as the candidate better suited to implement her agenda and unite voters , and her LGBTQ+ supporters say the thoughtful inclusivity of her campaign is unmatched .
“ It made me excited and energized to know there was a candidate willing to fight for us as hard as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entire life , ” said Ashlee Marie Preston , a Los Angeles-based trans activist .
“ She was doing the work to shine visibility on the challenges we face .
And she was specifically naming black trans women.
” Preston and other trans advocates have been campaigning hard for Warren in advance of Super Tuesday next week , when California and 13 other states will hold elections .
Sanders also has prominent queer and trans supporters , who argue that his universal programs for housing and health care are best suited to serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also faced criticism for embracing the endorsement of the podcaster Joe Rogan , who has a history of transphobic remarks .
And while LGBTQ+ leaders have celebrated the historic candidacy of Pete Buttigieg , who is gay , some trans voters said they didn ’ t see themselves reflected in his rise or his more moderate platform .
The stakes this year are particularly high for trans people , as lawmakers in some conservative states are aggressively pursuing local laws targeting trans youth and trans people have have become the target of attacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ housing , education , employment , the military and more .
Trans people canvassing for Warren shared similar accounts of how she had earned their support and trust : campaign staffers reached out for in-depth policy discussions on their rights and safety , and they later saw their ideas echoed in the platform and in Warren ’ s own words .
It ’ s part of a broader strategy of explicitly engaging populations that are uniquely disenfranchised , such as people with disabilities , African American mothers , and communities at the border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murders of black and brown trans women , and domestic violence , ” said Raquel Willis , a trans rights organizer and former Out magazine executive editor , who met Warren last year at a roundtable with black women .
They discussed solutions and ideas critical to black radical leftists that Democrats rarely touch , including prison abolition and decriminalizing sex work , Willis said : “ No candidate is perfect .
But there is a willingness to evolve .
There is an openness .
There is empathy.
” Warren later said she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noting that sex workers “ deserve autonomy and are particularly vulnerable to physical and financial abuse ” , and also introduced legislation to study the issue .
Daniel Lander , Warren ’ s director for LGBTQ+ outreach , said in an email that the senator had long recognized the value in “ vulnerable voices at the margins ” , adding : “ We knew that to build power alongside LGBTQ+ people , we needed to start by prioritizing listening to the voices of trans women of color – to tell us where we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed to talk about , and who we should talk with – precisely because their voices have been ignored for so long.
” Supporters also noted that Warren was unusual in her ability to honestly acknowledge past mistakes .
Warren said she regretted speaking out against the state paying for a trans prisoner ’ s gender confirmation surgery in 2012 , and that she now supports prisoners ’ rights to “ medically necessary care , like transition-related surgeries ” .
That was , to some , a sharp contrast to Senator Kamala Harris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the race , who defended her legacy of opposing trans healthcare behind bars .
“ Elizabeth is teachable , ” said Blossom C Brown , an LA-based activist , who protested the exclusion of black trans women at a candidate forum last year .
“ We don ’ t expect her to get it right 100 % of the time .
But she is the one willing to listen.
” Charlotte Clymer , an advocate who raised more than $ 170,000 for Warren this week on Twitter , said the campaign ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never throw trans people under the bus ” .
Although polls show overwhelming voter support for trans rights , she says political candidates who seek her advice often seem more concerned about potential backlash to pro-trans stances : “ You know they support you , but at the same time it seems like they are nervous.
” Warren ’ s stance , Clymer said , was : “ This is the right thing to do from a moral standpoint and an electoral standpoint , and we ’ re going to make sure we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of a 90-minute call , Clymer said she suggested other trans leaders to consult , but the campaign had already reached them .
At the White House , that kind of stance would be significant , Clymer added : “ Standing on a national stage and telling children that they matter , and that they are going to have a great future … that courage saves lives.
” Warren has also earned praise for reading the names of trans women of color killed last year , which she pledged to do at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also said she would have a young trans person interview her nominee for secretary of education , and her platform includes plans to combat trans discrimination in homeless shelters , the foster system and nursing homes , and a grant program to fund organizations fighting the epidemic of murders .
Gavin Grimm , a trans man who brought a landmark anti-discrimination case against his school when he was a teenager , has backed Warren , alongside Chase Strangio , one of the most prominent civil rights lawyers fighting for trans people at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had never endorsed a candidate .
“ None of this seems to be ‘ for show ’ , ” added Chris Mosier , a triathlete who was the first trans man to make a men ’ s US national team .
“ She is the only candidate consistently making commentary about my community … and she has a plan.
” In a statement , Warren said she had learned from black and Latina trans women throughout the campaign , adding : “ When I am president , I ask to be held accountable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ... fight to secure full rights and equality .
”

A group of prominent transgender activists have rallied behind one 2020 presidential campaign – and it’s not the first openly LGBTQ+ candidate with a shot at the nomination.
Elizabeth Warren has earned the support of trans community organizers across the country, who say the Massachusetts senator’s dedicated outreach and focus on protecting black trans women in particular is unprecedented in American presidential politics.
Warren started meeting trans activists last year, including Mariah Moore, 31, who talked with the senator about the violence that claims the lives of many black trans women before they turn 35 and her daily fears that she could be killed and no one would care. “She stood there with so much conviction and told me, ‘You deserve every good thing. You deserve everything you want and need. You deserve to live in a place that values your life,’” Moore recalled, adding: “I felt so seen and valued. For the first time, I felt like someone who had the opportunity to change the course of lives.”
Mariah Moore: ‘For the first time, I felt like someone who had the opportunity to change lives.’ Photograph: Courtesy Mariah Moore
After surging in polls last year, Warren suffered disappointing third and fourth place results in the first three states to vote, while her progressive rival in the race, Bernie Sanders, has emerged as a clear frontrunner. Although the leftwing platforms of the two senators share significant common ground, Warren has pitched herself as the candidate better suited to implement her agenda and unite voters, and her LGBTQ+ supporters say the thoughtful inclusivity of her campaign is unmatched.
“It made me excited and energized to know there was a candidate willing to fight for us as hard as I’ve had to fight my entire life,” said Ashlee Marie Preston, a Los Angeles-based trans activist. “She was doing the work to shine visibility on the challenges we face. And she was specifically naming black trans women.”
Preston and other trans advocates have been campaigning hard for Warren in advance of Super Tuesday next week, when California and 13 other states will hold elections. Sanders also has prominent queer and trans supporters, who argue that his universal programs for housing and health care are best suited to serve low-income trans people. But his campaign also faced criticism for embracing the endorsement of the podcaster Joe Rogan, who has a history of transphobic remarks. And while LGBTQ+ leaders have celebrated the historic candidacy of Pete Buttigieg, who is gay, some trans voters said they didn’t see themselves reflected in his rise or his more moderate platform.
Ashlee Marie Preston with Elizabeth Warren. Photograph: Courtesy Ashlee Marie Preston
The stakes this year are particularly high for trans people, as lawmakers in some conservative states are aggressively pursuing local laws targeting trans youth and trans people have have become the target of attacks by the Trump administration in healthcare, housing, education, employment, the military and more.
Trans people canvassing for Warren shared similar accounts of how she had earned their support and trust: campaign staffers reached out for in-depth policy discussions on their rights and safety, and they later saw their ideas echoed in the platform and in Warren’s own words. It’s part of a broader strategy of explicitly engaging populations that are uniquely disenfranchised, such as people with disabilities, African American mothers, and communities at the border.
“We talked candidly about the murders of black and brown trans women, and domestic violence,” said Raquel Willis, a trans rights organizer and former Out magazine executive editor, who met Warren last year at a roundtable with black women. They discussed solutions and ideas critical to black radical leftists that Democrats rarely touch, including prison abolition and decriminalizing sex work, Willis said: “No candidate is perfect. But there is a willingness to evolve. There is an openness. There is empathy.”
Warren later said she was “open” to decriminalization, noting that sex workers “deserve autonomy and are particularly vulnerable to physical and financial abuse”, and also introduced legislation to study the issue.
Daniel Lander, Warren’s director for LGBTQ+ outreach, said in an email that the senator had long recognized the value in “vulnerable voices at the margins”, adding: “We knew that to build power alongside LGBTQ+ people, we needed to start by prioritizing listening to the voices of trans women of color – to tell us where we needed to show up, what we needed to talk about, and who we should talk with – precisely because their voices have been ignored for so long.”
Supporters also noted that Warren was unusual in her ability to honestly acknowledge past mistakes. Warren said she regretted speaking out against the state paying for a trans prisoner’s gender confirmation surgery in 2012, and that she now supports prisoners’ rights to “medically necessary care, like transition-related surgeries”. That was, to some, a sharp contrast to Senator Kamala Harris, a 2020 rival no longer in the race, who defended her legacy of opposing trans healthcare behind bars.
Blossom Brown: ‘She is the one willing to listen.’ Photograph: Courtesy Blossom Brown
“Elizabeth is teachable,” said Blossom C Brown, an LA-based activist, who protested the exclusion of black trans women at a candidate forum last year. “We don’t expect her to get it right 100% of the time. But she is the one willing to listen.”
Charlotte Clymer, an advocate who raised more than $170,000 for Warren this week on Twitter, said the campaign’s outreach convinced her the senator would “never throw trans people under the bus”. Although polls show overwhelming voter support for trans rights, she says political candidates who seek her advice often seem more concerned about potential backlash to pro-trans stances: “You know they support you, but at the same time it seems like they are nervous.”
Warren’s stance, Clymer said, was: “This is the right thing to do from a moral standpoint and an electoral standpoint, and we’re going to make sure we’re a leader.”
At the end of a 90-minute call, Clymer said she suggested other trans leaders to consult, but the campaign had already reached them.
At the White House, that kind of stance would be significant, Clymer added: “Standing on a national stage and telling children that they matter, and that they are going to have a great future … that courage saves lives.”
Warren has also earned praise for reading the names of trans women of color killed last year, which she pledged to do at the Rose Garden if elected. She also said she would have a young trans person interview her nominee for secretary of education, and her platform includes plans to combat trans discrimination in homeless shelters, the foster system and nursing homes, and a grant program to fund organizations fighting the epidemic of murders.
Gavin Grimm, a trans man who brought a landmark anti-discrimination case against his school when he was a teenager, has backed Warren, alongside Chase Strangio, one of the most prominent civil rights lawyers fighting for trans people at the US supreme court, who said he had never endorsed a candidate.
“None of this seems to be ‘for show’,” added Chris Mosier, a triathlete who was the first trans man to make a men’s US national team. “She is the only candidate consistently making commentary about my community … and she has a plan.”
In a statement, Warren said she had learned from black and Latina trans women throughout the campaign, adding: “When I am president, I ask to be held accountable as I partner alongside the LGBTQ+ community to ... fight to secure full rights and equality.”


theguardian--2020-02-28--Self-belief surges as Trump's conservative faithful plan four more years

“ Four more years !
” the crowd chanted at Mike Pence , the vice-president .
“ Four more years !
” Not so long ago , under the shadow of investigations , impeachment and dismal approval ratings , Donald Trump ’ s re-election seemed a long shot .
But at the biggest annual gathering of grassroots conservatives on Thursday , self-belief was surging and some were already looking ahead to what a second term might bring .
“ I mean , think about it , ” Pence invited attendees at the Conservative Political Action Conference ( CPAC ) at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Four more years means more jobs .
Four more years means more judges .
Four more years means more support for our troops .
And it ’ s going to take at least four more years to drain that swamp.
” To roars of approval , Pence ran through a wishlist that included launching the space force , lowering the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs , rebuilding roads , bridges and airports and improving school choice .
Supporters at CPAC also expressed hopes that four more years of Trump would mean finishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bill and Hillary Clinton and , just possibly , overturning the landmark abortion ruling Roe v Wade .
Their ambitions are sure to ring alarm bells in liberal America .
Ronald Solomon , president of the Maga Mall , a retailer of Trump merchandise including novelty socks and pens operating in the exhibit hall , suggested : “ Repeal Obamacare totally , freeing up a trillion dollars to increase the tax cuts for individuals ; we ’ ve already seen tax cuts for businesses .
“ We have to totally overhaul the immigration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather than the visa lottery or via relatives .
Also , finalisation of the wall and keeping up pressure on Central American governments.
” Solomon , 60 , from Las Vegas , added : “ Roe v Wade isn ’ t very important to me , but it is to a lot of people with religious convictions .
It ’ s horrific that a lot of states are advocating the murder of children up to the moment of birth .
I think they should be charged with homicide.
” Standing in a registration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is African American , welcomed Trump ’ s first-term approach to prison reform and abortion rights .
“ I ’ d like to see him stand firm on immigration .
It ’ s important for us to secure our borders and know who ’ s living here now .
“ Immigration affects the black community the most , especially when it ’ s low-wage workers being employed in roles that could be occupied by school or college dropouts.
” Payton , a salesperson from Chapel Hill , North Carolina , described Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve had ” but doubted whether even he could help reverse the Roe v Wade supreme court ruling after nearly half a century .
“ That would be a win , ” she mused wistfully .
“ Fantastic.
” Nearly half a decade after Trump launched his campaign by proposing a wall at the Mexican border , immigration remains a defining priority for many .
Cheryl Carroll , 58 , an MRI technician in Philadelphia , said : “ Be tough .
We have laws and we need to follow the rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I get a ticket .
If I have to follow the law , why shouldn ’ t everyone ?
” Trump pulled out of CPAC in 2016 during a bitterly divisive Republican primary election race .
But now he enjoys a cult-like status at the event and , with impeachment already a seemingly distant memory , is due to give a rally-style speech at the event on Saturday .
Many supporters feel upbeat about his re-election prospects , especially as they perceive a melee on the Democratic side led by leftwing senator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second-term agenda would depend on whether Republicans can retain control of the Senate and regain the House of Representatives .
Trump may otherwise face frustrations like his predecessor , Barack Obama ’ s , whose signature healthcare reform came in his first term .
For some here , the status quo would be sufficient , particularly when it comes to an economy seen to be performing strongly .
Joe Glover , 52 , a retired government worker from the Philadelphia area , said : “ I ’ d like to see him continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keeping taxes low .
I appreciate reducing regulations on small businesses .
If he can keep doing what he ’ s doing to keep the economy humming , that helps everybody .
This rising tide lifts all boats.
” Others echoed rightwing media talking points that the Clintons , media and “ deep state ” are conspiring to thwart Trump and overturn the will of the people .
Wearing a red “ Make America great again ” cap , Adrian Eley , 69 , a retired electrical engineer from Raleigh , North Carolina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got to clean out the rest of this deep state and get a lot of those people out of there .
It riles me they were able to get away with this stuff , especially Clinton and those emails.
” Doctor Drake , 52 , an African American radio personality from Jacksonville , Florida , added : “ I would like to see rule of law for everybody and people who have done crimes , like the Clintons , go to jail .
I say prosecute hypocrisy.
” Few , meanwhile , were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop tweeting should he gain a second spell in the White House .
Drake , sporting a “ Trump ” hat and “ 45 ” T-shirt , commented : “ I would love it if he had a fair media so he didn ’ t have to tweet .
If the media didn ’ t twist everything , he could say something and they ’ d transfer it to the people .
“ If he cured cancer , they ’ d say he put people out of work and cured cancer .
”

“Four more years!” the crowd chanted at Mike Pence, the vice-president. “Four more years!”
Not so long ago, under the shadow of investigations, impeachment and dismal approval ratings, Donald Trump’s re-election seemed a long shot. But at the biggest annual gathering of grassroots conservatives on Thursday, self-belief was surging and some were already looking ahead to what a second term might bring.
“I mean, think about it,” Pence invited attendees at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the National Harbor near Washington. “Four more years means more jobs. Four more years means more judges. Four more years means more support for our troops. And it’s going to take at least four more years to drain that swamp.”
To roars of approval, Pence ran through a wishlist that included launching the space force, lowering the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs, rebuilding roads, bridges and airports and improving school choice.
Supporters at CPAC also expressed hopes that four more years of Trump would mean finishing the border wall, fresh investigations of Bill and Hillary Clinton and, just possibly, overturning the landmark abortion ruling Roe v Wade. Their ambitions are sure to ring alarm bells in liberal America.
Ronald Solomon, president of the Maga Mall, a retailer of Trump merchandise including novelty socks and pens operating in the exhibit hall, suggested: “Repeal Obamacare totally, freeing up a trillion dollars to increase the tax cuts for individuals; we’ve already seen tax cuts for businesses.
“We have to totally overhaul the immigration system to get people in on merit rather than the visa lottery or via relatives. Also, finalisation of the wall and keeping up pressure on Central American governments.”
Solomon, 60, from Las Vegas, added: “Roe v Wade isn’t very important to me, but it is to a lot of people with religious convictions. It’s horrific that a lot of states are advocating the murder of children up to the moment of birth. I think they should be charged with homicide.”
I would love it if he had a fair media so he didn’t have to tweet Doctor Drake
Standing in a registration queue, Justice Payton, 25, who is African American, welcomed Trump’s first-term approach to prison reform and abortion rights. “I’d like to see him stand firm on immigration. It’s important for us to secure our borders and know who’s living here now.
“Immigration affects the black community the most, especially when it’s low-wage workers being employed in roles that could be occupied by school or college dropouts.”
Supporters applaud Mike Pence’s speech on Thursday. Photograph: Joshua Roberts/Reuters
Payton, a salesperson from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, described Trump as “the most pro-life president we’ve had” but doubted whether even he could help reverse the Roe v Wade supreme court ruling after nearly half a century. “That would be a win,” she mused wistfully. “Fantastic.”
Nearly half a decade after Trump launched his campaign by proposing a wall at the Mexican border, immigration remains a defining priority for many. Cheryl Carroll, 58, an MRI technician in Philadelphia, said: “Be tough. We have laws and we need to follow the rules. If I speed down the road, I get a ticket. If I have to follow the law, why shouldn’t everyone?”
Trump pulled out of CPAC in 2016 during a bitterly divisive Republican primary election race. But now he enjoys a cult-like status at the event and, with impeachment already a seemingly distant memory, is due to give a rally-style speech at the event on Saturday. Many supporters feel upbeat about his re-election prospects, especially as they perceive a melee on the Democratic side led by leftwing senator Bernie Sanders.
But much of a second-term agenda would depend on whether Republicans can retain control of the Senate and regain the House of Representatives. Trump may otherwise face frustrations like his predecessor, Barack Obama’s, whose signature healthcare reform came in his first term.
For some here, the status quo would be sufficient, particularly when it comes to an economy seen to be performing strongly.
Joe Glover, 52, a retired government worker from the Philadelphia area, said: “I’d like to see him continue what he did in his first term keeping taxes low. I appreciate reducing regulations on small businesses. If he can keep doing what he’s doing to keep the economy humming, that helps everybody. This rising tide lifts all boats.”
Others echoed rightwing media talking points that the Clintons, media and “deep state” are conspiring to thwart Trump and overturn the will of the people. Wearing a red “Make America great again” cap, Adrian Eley, 69, a retired electrical engineer from Raleigh, North Carolina, said: “He’s got to clean out the rest of this deep state and get a lot of those people out of there. It riles me they were able to get away with this stuff, especially Clinton and those emails.”
Doctor Drake, 52, an African American radio personality from Jacksonville, Florida, added: “I would like to see rule of law for everybody and people who have done crimes, like the Clintons, go to jail. I say prosecute hypocrisy.”
Few, meanwhile, were even willing to say that Trump should stop tweeting should he gain a second spell in the White House. Drake, sporting a “Trump” hat and “45” T-shirt, commented: “I would love it if he had a fair media so he didn’t have to tweet. If the media didn’t twist everything, he could say something and they’d transfer it to the people.
“If he cured cancer, they’d say he put people out of work and cured cancer.”


theguardian--2020-02-28--Millions of uninsured Americans like me are a coronavirus timebomb | Carl Gibson

Like 27.5 million other Americans , I don ’ t have health insurance .
It ’ s not for a lack of trying – I make too much to qualify for Medicaid , but not enough to buy a private health insurance plan on the Affordable Care Act exchanges .
Since I can ’ t afford to see a doctor , my healthcare strategy as a 32-year-old uninsured American has been simply to sleep eight hours , eat vegetables , and get daily exercise .
But now that there are confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States , the deadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others like me who have no feasible way to get the care we need if we start exhibiting symptoms .
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , there are confirmed coronavirus cases in at least 50 countries on six continents , and more than 2,800 patients have died from the virus .
This certainly qualifies as a pandemic under the World Health Organization ’ s ( WHO ) definition of the term , which , under a typical presidency , should necessitate a swift response from US health officials .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ still be prioritizing the profit margin of the healthcare industry over preventing the spread of a deadly pandemic .
Earlier this week , the Department of Health and Human Services secretary , Alex Azar , ( a former senior executive at pharmaceutical manufacturer Eli Lilly ) refused to commit to implementing price controls on a coronavirus vaccine “ because we need the private sector to invest … price controls won ’ t get us there ” .
Even the House speaker , Nancy Pelosi , notably didn ’ t use the word “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine , and instead used the word “ affordable ” .
What may be considered affordable for the third-most powerful person in the US government with an estimated net worth of $ 16m may not be affordable for someone who can ’ t afford a basic private health insurance plan that still requires a patient to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket .
Given the high cost of healthcare in the US , I haven ’ t seen a doctor since 2013 , when I visited an emergency room after being run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After waiting for four hours , the doctor put my arm in a sling , prescribed pain medication and sent me home .
That visit cost more than $ 4,000 , and the unpaid balance eventually went to collections and still haunts my credit to this day , making it needlessly difficult to rent an apartment or buy a car .
But even a low-premium bronze plan on the exchange comes with a sky-high deductible in the thousands of dollars , meaning even if I was insured , I ’ d have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of pocket .
This system is exactly why a 2018 West Health Institute/NORC at the University of Chicago national poll found that 44 % of Americans declined to see a doctor due to cost , and why nearly a third of Americans polled said they didn ’ t get their prescriptions filled due to the high cost of their medicine .
This is the same system that killed 38-year-old Texas public school teacher Heather Holland , who couldn ’ t afford the $ 116 co-pay for her flu medication and later died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same system that Guardian contributor Luke O ’ Neil refers to as “ Go viral or die trying ” , in which Americans who can ’ t afford life-saving healthcare procedures are forced to become their own advocate and PR agency by launching a viral GoFundMe campaign to ask strangers on the internet to save their lives .
When you multiply my situation by 27.5 million , you end up with a country full of people who won ’ t see a doctor unless they ’ re extremely sick .
And when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which only those wealthy enough to get care actually receive it – with a global pandemic , the only outcome will be unmitigated disaster .
This could be somewhat remedied if the US had a single-payer , universal healthcare system , like every other industrialized nation .
And as a team of Yale epidemiologists discovered in a study recently published in the Lancet , a single-payer healthcare system in the US could simultaneously save 68,000 lives and $ 450bn in taxpayer dollars each year .
Yes , countries with single-payer systems still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the spread of the virus in those countries would likely pale in comparison to the potential spread of coronavirus in the US , in which a significant portion of the population simply won ’ t go to the doctor if they ’ re sick .
Coronavirus is a worldwide public health emergency , and massive profits for health insurers and pharmaceutical manufacturers shouldn ’ t come before the basic health and safety of human beings .
• None Carl Gibson is an independent journalist whose work has been published in CNN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Houston Chronicle and NPR , among others

Like 27.5 million other Americans, I don’t have health insurance. It’s not for a lack of trying – I make too much to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to buy a private health insurance plan on the Affordable Care Act exchanges. Since I can’t afford to see a doctor, my healthcare strategy as a 32-year-old uninsured American has been simply to sleep eight hours, eat vegetables, and get daily exercise. But now that there are confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States, the deadly virus could spread rapidly, thanks to others like me who have no feasible way to get the care we need if we start exhibiting symptoms.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are confirmed coronavirus cases in at least 50 countries on six continents, and more than 2,800 patients have died from the virus. This certainly qualifies as a pandemic under the World Health Organization’s (WHO) definition of the term, which, under a typical presidency, should necessitate a swift response from US health officials. However, the Trump administration appears to still be prioritizing the profit margin of the healthcare industry over preventing the spread of a deadly pandemic.
Earlier this week, the Department of Health and Human Services secretary, Alex Azar, (a former senior executive at pharmaceutical manufacturer Eli Lilly) refused to commit to implementing price controls on a coronavirus vaccine “because we need the private sector to invest … price controls won’t get us there”. Even the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, notably didn’t use the word “free” when referring to a coronavirus vaccine, and instead used the word “affordable”. What may be considered affordable for the third-most powerful person in the US government with an estimated net worth of $16m may not be affordable for someone who can’t afford a basic private health insurance plan that still requires a patient to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket.
Given the high cost of healthcare in the US, I haven’t seen a doctor since 2013, when I visited an emergency room after being run off the road while riding my bike. After waiting for four hours, the doctor put my arm in a sling, prescribed pain medication and sent me home. That visit cost more than $4,000, and the unpaid balance eventually went to collections and still haunts my credit to this day, making it needlessly difficult to rent an apartment or buy a car. But even a low-premium bronze plan on the exchange comes with a sky-high deductible in the thousands of dollars, meaning even if I was insured, I’d have still paid for that ER visit entirely out of pocket.
When you multiply my situation by 27.5 million, you end up with a country full of people who won’t see a doctor unless they’re extremely sick
This system is exactly why a 2018 West Health Institute/NORC at the University of Chicago national poll found that 44% of Americans declined to see a doctor due to cost, and why nearly a third of Americans polled said they didn’t get their prescriptions filled due to the high cost of their medicine. This is the same system that killed 38-year-old Texas public school teacher Heather Holland, who couldn’t afford the $116 co-pay for her flu medication and later died from flu complications. It’s the same system that Guardian contributor Luke O’Neil refers to as “Go viral or die trying”, in which Americans who can’t afford life-saving healthcare procedures are forced to become their own advocate and PR agency by launching a viral GoFundMe campaign to ask strangers on the internet to save their lives.
When you multiply my situation by 27.5 million, you end up with a country full of people who won’t see a doctor unless they’re extremely sick. And when you combine a for-profit healthcare system – in which only those wealthy enough to get care actually receive it – with a global pandemic, the only outcome will be unmitigated disaster. This could be somewhat remedied if the US had a single-payer, universal healthcare system, like every other industrialized nation. And as a team of Yale epidemiologists discovered in a study recently published in the Lancet, a single-payer healthcare system in the US could simultaneously save 68,000 lives and $450bn in taxpayer dollars each year.
Yes, countries with single-payer systems still have coronavirus cases, Italy and Japan. But the spread of the virus in those countries would likely pale in comparison to the potential spread of coronavirus in the US, in which a significant portion of the population simply won’t go to the doctor if they’re sick. Coronavirus is a worldwide public health emergency, and massive profits for health insurers and pharmaceutical manufacturers shouldn’t come before the basic health and safety of human beings.