theguardian--2020-07-24--This is what happens when the War on Terror is turned inward, on America | Hamilton Nolan

A strange and necessary ingredient of America ’ s descent towards fascism is that it will have little impact on the majority of people .
As militarized federal agents are deployed into major cities to snatch protesters and charge them with harsh federal crimes for daring to deface the ruling party ’ s monuments , most Americans will continue living their normal lives with no discernible changes , at least for the time being .
People wake up and eat breakfast and spend their days doing mundane tasks in fascist countries , too .
If there was ever a tipping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trying to stare hard at the daily news to determine the exact point at which we slip into fascism is like staring at a baby to see when it turns into an adult .
By the time you perceive it , it ’ s already happened .
It is important to understand that the crackdown phase that we are now in – the unaccountable government forces , the riot police , the teargas , the targeted political prosecutions that will come next – are not something new , but something old .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is about America , baby .
This is what we do .
Trump , a fool ruled by impulse rather than strategy , did not build the fearsome machine of government oppression that is now being aimed at his political opponents .
This machine was systematically assembled and lovingly tended to by generations of presidents before him – Democratic , Republican , Whig .
Trump is only broadening its aperture .
All of these tools have been sharpened on the bones of Native Americans and Black people and immigrants and Muslims overseas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oppress .
Mostly so that we could steal their stuff , but also so that the rest of us didn ’ t turn against one another .
This country has managed to avoid a class war by giving poor white people an array of minorities to abuse , a trick that has benefited rich white people for centuries .
We have used injustice not just as a way to get ahead , but as a release valve .
Our leaders have long calculated that it is safer to subjugate and mistreat a minority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the majority .
In doing so , the government has become very adept at creating enemies and wielding power against them in flagrant shows of force .
These are trivial observations , basic facts that will only be disputed by those who are destined to land on the side of fascism anyhow .
The question is what they mean for our present moment , which is distinguished not by the existence of government oppression but by its direction .
We are finding out what happens when the war on terror is turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the federal agents already in Portland , more are coming to Chicago , Albuquerque , and Kansas City ; that may well be just the beginning of a national rollout .
“ Protecting federal property ” and “ maintaining law and order ” are twin fig leaves wafting in a cloud of teargas .
The Department of Homeland Security has effectively become a White House-controlled paramilitary and domestic surveillance service unaccountable to anyone except Trump and his loyalists .
( If we ’ re being honest , this moment has been inevitable since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the September 11 attacks .
If there is any more fascist word than “ homeland ” , I haven ’ t heard it . )
The basic logic behind gun control is that if there are a bunch of guns lying around , sooner or later someone will get shot .
The same holds true for the security state .
If you build it , it will eventually come for you .
Cloaked in the banality of federal bureaucracy , we have tolerated the creation of a terrifying set of powers that now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man who has been waiting his entire life to take revenge on each and every enemy who has slighted him .
Barack Obama sat in the White House for eight years and did nothing to dismantle this bureaucracy of soldier-cops .
He was too busy using it in foreign drone wars .
It ’ s too seductive to have that power , when you are the one who controls it .
Now a worse president has it , and it will be turned , at last , against a bigger chunk of us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a test of what we will tolerate .
If the government can roll out troops to a large swath of major cities and shoot the eyes out of protesters with rubber bullets all under the guise of stopping some kids from spray-painting some courthouse , it is a fairly good indicator that the spirit of the broader American public will not rouse itself to stand in the way of fascism ’ s tightening grip .
In a nation this big , you can make 100 million people official Enemies of the State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unaffected .
The trick now is convincing that tranquil , all-American majority that their interests are actually more aligned with the protesters wielding spray-paint outside the courthouse than with the militarized cops in fatigues .
That shouldn ’ t be an impossible task .
When there is actual justice being done inside the courthouses , the protesters and the storm troopers will both disappear .
• None Hamilton Nolan is a labor reporter at In These Times

A strange and necessary ingredient of America’s descent towards fascism is that it will have little impact on the majority of people. As militarized federal agents are deployed into major cities to snatch protesters and charge them with harsh federal crimes for daring to deface the ruling party’s monuments, most Americans will continue living their normal lives with no discernible changes, at least for the time being. People wake up and eat breakfast and spend their days doing mundane tasks in fascist countries, too.
If there was ever a tipping point, we are past it. Trying to stare hard at the daily news to determine the exact point at which we slip into fascism is like staring at a baby to see when it turns into an adult. By the time you perceive it, it’s already happened. It is important to understand that the crackdown phase that we are now in – the unaccountable government forces, the riot police, the teargas, the targeted political prosecutions that will come next – are not something new, but something old. This isn’t about Donald Trump. This is about America, baby. This is what we do.
Trying to determine when we slip into fascism is like staring at a baby to see when it turns into an adult. Once you perceive it, it’s already happened
Trump, a fool ruled by impulse rather than strategy, did not build the fearsome machine of government oppression that is now being aimed at his political opponents. This machine was systematically assembled and lovingly tended to by generations of presidents before him – Democratic, Republican, Whig. Trump is only broadening its aperture. All of these tools have been sharpened on the bones of Native Americans and Black people and immigrants and Muslims overseas. America has always needed someone to oppress. Mostly so that we could steal their stuff, but also so that the rest of us didn’t turn against one another. This country has managed to avoid a class war by giving poor white people an array of minorities to abuse, a trick that has benefited rich white people for centuries. We have used injustice not just as a way to get ahead, but as a release valve. Our leaders have long calculated that it is safer to subjugate and mistreat a minority of the population than to risk dissatisfaction in the majority. In doing so, the government has become very adept at creating enemies and wielding power against them in flagrant shows of force.
These are trivial observations, basic facts that will only be disputed by those who are destined to land on the side of fascism anyhow. The question is what they mean for our present moment, which is distinguished not by the existence of government oppression but by its direction. We are finding out what happens when the war on terror is turned inward on ourselves. In addition to the federal agents already in Portland, more are coming to Chicago, Albuquerque, and Kansas City; that may well be just the beginning of a national rollout. “Protecting federal property” and “maintaining law and order” are twin fig leaves wafting in a cloud of teargas. The Department of Homeland Security has effectively become a White House-controlled paramilitary and domestic surveillance service unaccountable to anyone except Trump and his loyalists. (If we’re being honest, this moment has been inevitable since DHS was panic-created in the days after the September 11 attacks. If there is any more fascist word than “homeland”, I haven’t heard it.)
The basic logic behind gun control is that if there are a bunch of guns lying around, sooner or later someone will get shot. The same holds true for the security state. If you build it, it will eventually come for you. Cloaked in the banality of federal bureaucracy, we have tolerated the creation of a terrifying set of powers that now rest in the small hands of a man who has been waiting his entire life to take revenge on each and every enemy who has slighted him. Barack Obama sat in the White House for eight years and did nothing to dismantle this bureaucracy of soldier-cops. He was too busy using it in foreign drone wars. It’s too seductive to have that power, when you are the one who controls it. Now a worse president has it, and it will be turned, at last, against a bigger chunk of us than ever before.
The trick now is convincing that tranquil majority that their interests are more aligned with the protesters than with the cops in fatigues
Every new outrage is a test of what we will tolerate. If the government can roll out troops to a large swath of major cities and shoot the eyes out of protesters with rubber bullets all under the guise of stopping some kids from spray-painting some courthouse, it is a fairly good indicator that the spirit of the broader American public will not rouse itself to stand in the way of fascism’s tightening grip. In a nation this big, you can make 100 million people official Enemies of the State and still leave a comfortable majority blissfully unaffected. The trick now is convincing that tranquil, all-American majority that their interests are actually more aligned with the protesters wielding spray-paint outside the courthouse than with the militarized cops in fatigues.
That shouldn’t be an impossible task. When there is actual justice being done inside the courthouses, the protesters and the storm troopers will both disappear.


theguardian--2020-07-25--Pelosi rejects temporary jobless aid extension as comprehensive plan flounders in Senate – as it hap

Pelosi rejects temporary jobless aid extension as comprehensive plan flounders in Senate – as it happened

A San Francisco bus driver was assaulted with a bat after he asked three passengers to comply with the city ’ s health orders and wear a mask , the AP reports .
The assault occurred Wednesday when three passengers boarded a bus and refused the driver ’ s request to don a face covering .
The driver then pulled over .
“ As the victim was escorting the males off the bus one of the males pulled out a wooden bat and struck the victim several times , which caused the victim to be injured , ” San Francisco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faced significant risks during the pandemic .
Many transit agencies were slow to provide basic protections , such as face masks and paid sick leave .
Dozens of transit workers in New York City died of Covid-19 .
As mask orders have been enacted around the world , transit workers are often faced with the difficult choice of enforcing the orders themselves or allowing scofflaws to risk their own and others ’ safety .
In early July , a French bus driver died following an assault by passengers who refused to wear masks @

Julia Carrie Wong in Oakland (now), Martin Pengelly in New York and Joan E Greve in Washington (earlier)

24 Jul 2020 00.32 BST A San Francisco bus driver was assaulted with a bat after he asked three passengers to comply with the city’s health orders and wear a mask, the AP reports. The assault occurred Wednesday when three passengers boarded a bus and refused the driver’s request to don a face covering. The driver then pulled over. “As the victim was escorting the males off the bus one of the males pulled out a wooden bat and struck the victim several times, which caused the victim to be injured,” San Francisco police said. Public transit workers have faced significant risks during the pandemic. Many transit agencies were slow to provide basic protections, such as face masks and paid sick leave. Dozens of transit workers in New York City died of Covid-19. As mask orders have been enacted around the world, transit workers are often faced with the difficult choice of enforcing the orders themselves or allowing scofflaws to risk their own and others’ safety. In early July, a French bus driver died following an assault by passengers who refused to wear masks.
Updated at 00.48 BST
24 Jul 2020 00.08 BST Visitors to Washington DC from coronavirus “hot spots” will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days, mayor Muriel Bowser said today. Beginning Monday, July 27, anyone coming into Washington, DC from a high-risk area who was not traveling for essential activities will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days.
The order excludes Maryland and Virginia.
Read the full order: https://t.co/mGCbO7MHcP pic.twitter.com/rcSliTBNuO — Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) July 24, 2020 In her order, Bowser notes that “after a promising period of decline, new daily cases exceeded one hundred” in the District on 22 July. The order also encourages residents to take “staycations” and avoid travel to areas with high rates of Covid-19 transmission. The self-quarantine order excludes people who travel to DC from nearby Maryland or Virginia, as well as those whose travel is considered essential, such as members of Congress who travel back and forth to their districts. Earlier this week, Bowser also signed an order expanding the requirements for residents to wear face masks.
24 Jul 2020 23.50 BST A federal judge has ruled against the Oregon attorney general’s office demand that federal law enforcement agents in Portland identify themselves, BuzzFeed News reports. Attorney general Ellen Rosenblum had filed suit in federal court challenging the presence and activities of officers from the Department of Homeland Security in Portland. Rosenblum had asked that the court bar the officers from making arrests or detaining people without probably cause, and to require them to identify themselves and explain the reason for an arrest or detention. Per BuzzFeedNews: US District Judge Michael Mosman found that state Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum lacked standing to bring a lawsuit on behalf of Oregon residents because her office hadn’t articulated any specific state interest beyond the constitutional rights of individuals. There are several other lawsuits over the DHS forces presence in Portland pending. On Thursday, a different federal judge issued a temporary restraining order against the DHS agents barring them from arresting or using force against journalists and legal observers without probably cause of a crime.
24 Jul 2020 23.21 BST He may be a world-renowned immunologist and the nation’s foremost expert in infectious diseases, but Anthony Fauci’s throwing arm left much to be desired when he threw out the first pitch at the Nationals-Yankees game last night. Dr. Anthony Fauci threw out the first pitch before the Nationals-Yankees game. pic.twitter.com/04Tbkh7Voa — ESPN (@espn) July 23, 2020 In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Fauci agreed with the critics that his pitch was less a “pitch” and more of a “line drive toward first base” (although this critic might quibble by calling it a “bloop toward first base”). He also explained how a one-time high school shortstop and longtime Yankees-turned-Nationals fan came to look so unfamiliar with the basic premise of throwing a ball toward home plate: he was sore. “I completely destroyed my arm!” Fauci told the Journal. The 79-year-old decided to throw some practice pitches two nights before his big moment, overdid it, and woke up in pain. Then, when he got out onto the field Thursday night, he made a split-second decision and attempted a fastball. “When I saw he was so far away, I said I better try to throw a bullet,” he said. “And that was a mistake ... Instead of doing my normal motion of just lobbing the ball, which would’ve been the best thing to do, I thought: Oh, baby, I better put a lot of different oomph into it. “And I did. And you saw what happened.”
24 Jul 2020 22.57 BST Pelosi rejects temporary extension of unemployment benefits, wants full deal As negotiations over a new coronavirus relief bill continue, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has rejected the idea of a temporary extension of the enhanced unemployment benefits that are set to expire 31 July, Reuters reports. “I would be very much averse to separating this [unemployment benefits] out and lose all leverage [on Republicans] for ... meeting all of the other needs,” Pelosi told reporters. The enhanced unemployment benefits provide an extra $600 per week to state unemployment payments. The Democratic-controlled House passed a $3 trillion dollar relief bill in May that would, among other things, extend the benefits through January. The Republican-controlled Senate has declined to debate or pass the House bill, nor has it produced a plan of its own. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said Republicans will introduce a new proposal next week, and has indicated it would take a few weeks to negotiate an agreement, leaving a gap for millions of unemployed workers. Pelosi also revealed that actor Rob Reiner, the son of the recently deceased comedian Carl Reiner, is among the people who has urged her for extending the benefits. “I called Rob. ‘Rob, Rob darling, this is Nancy Pelosi, I’m calling to wish you and Michele my condolences. I’m so sad, your father was so funny and so wonderful,’” she said, according to Reuters. “This man says, ‘I think you have the wrong number.’ And he says, ‘But I’m so glad you called me. I have one question for you ... am I going to get my $600?’”
24 Jul 2020 22.44 BST Donald Trump signed four executive orders related to prescription drug pricing at a White House event with HHS secretary Alex Azar and Florida governor Rod DeSantis, among others. Most attendees at the event wore masks, but Trump did not. The executive orders come as Trump appears to have all but given up on controlling the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 145,000 people in the US – by far the most of any country. The orders are aimed at allowing the legal importation of prescription drugs from Canada, lowering the cost of insulin, addressing “kickbacks to middlemen” in the pharmaceutical industry, lowering the price of drugs purchased by Medicare.
24 Jul 2020 22.26 BST Hello everyone, this is Julia Carrie Wong in Oakland, California, picking up the live blog for the rest of your Friday afternoon. Yesterday, a judge in King County, Washington ordered five Seattle news outlets to comply with a subpoena and turn over unpublished video and photos from a 30 May protest. It’s a troubling ruling and many journalists and publications are already speaking out. From our story: Michele Matassa Flores, the Seattle Times’ executive editor, said the paper strongly opposed the subpoena and “believes it puts our independence, and even our staff’s physical safety, at risk. “The media exist in large part to hold governments, including law enforcement agencies, accountable to the public,” Matassa Flores said. “We don’t work in concert with government, and it’s important to our credibility and effectiveness to retain our independence from those we cover.” Seattle protesters seek recompense for injury and death linked to police actionRead more The lawyer representing the media companies, Eric Stahl, argued on Thursday that police were casting too wide a net and could not show that the images would identify the suspects. The media companies had not decided if they would appeal, Stahl said. Here’s the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press: This ruling enforcing the subpoena is beyond disappointing. The right to protect sources and material exists so the press isn't used as an arm of law enforcement.
Journalists' work is protected, which is why we supported the challenge to this subpoena.https://t.co/OQEVLENdXz — Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (@rcfp) July 24, 2020 And another explanation of why this is concerning to working reporters, from the LA Times’s Matt Pearce: This turns journalists into an arm of the government. We are not here to do surveillance for police. https://t.co/wlu4XAEgo3 — Matt Pearce 🦅 (@mattdpearce) July 24, 2020
24 Jul 2020 22.08 BST At her White House briefing earlier today, press secretary Kayleigh McEnany claimed: “Under President Trump, violent-crime rates in America finally began to fall.” Not, as so often is the case at such briefings, so. The Washington Post’s Philip Bump explains: So here’s a graph of the violent-crime rate in the United States. You see that apex, indicated with a question mark? Based on McEnany’s statement, you might assume that it indicates the month of January 2017, when Trump took office. After all, from that point on, there was an almost uninterrupted downward trend in the rate of violent crimes. Photograph: Washington Post But that is not January 2017. It is, instead, the year 1991, when the violent-crime rate was 758 violent crimes per 100,000 people. By 2017, that figure had fallen to 395. It did decline further in 2018, the most recent year for which full data is available, to 381. But it’s not as though this was a sharp reversal; when Barack Obama took office in 2009, the rate was 432 per 100,000. McEnany, remember, started her briefing by showing a selectively edited video of scenes in Portland, Oregon, from which even Fox News averted its eyes.
24 Jul 2020 21.56 BST Portnoy complaints: Barstool founder feels Twitter's wrath Being a fan of the late novelist Philip Roth, I couldn’t resist the heading to this block, which concerns the response to Trump’s interview with Dave Portnoy, in this case from the Washington Post reporter David Nakamura. The interview was released online this afternoon and the Barstool Sports’ founder’s behaviour therein is attracting widespread criticism: In his interview with Trump, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy shook Potus's hand, didn't wear a mask, jokingly said he doesn't like Fauci because his public pronouncements tank the stock market, got shoulder-to-shoulder with Potus to Facetime his dad and tried to shake again. — David Nakamura (@DavidNakamura) July 24, 2020 Portnoy has also commented. “I did not expect to interview @realDonaldTrump at the White House yesterday but here we are,” he wrote, releasing footage on Twitter and adding, true to form: My biggest question I forgot to ask Trump but asked after the interview is why doesn’t he advise Roger Stone to stop dressing like a super villain pic.twitter.com/bB7bdZA5ku — Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) July 24, 2020
24 Jul 2020 21.36 BST California sets daily deaths record Vivian Ho A short dispatch from our west coast office in Oakland… California has reached another grim coronavirus milestone, recording the highest number of virus-related deaths in a day on Friday. It was a record previously set on Thursday, when public health officials reported 157 deaths. That mark was broken within 24 hours, when the state reported 159. Today, CA reached a somber milestone: 157 deaths. Our highest
reported in a single day.
We cannot afford to ignore #COVID19, or simply hope it goes away. We have to take action. TOGETHER.
Wear a mask. Physically distance. Wash your hands.
Your actions can literally save lives. — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 23, 2020 California surpassed New York for most total cases in the US this week, with the 9,718 reported in the last 24 hours bringing the total to 435,334. The state’s seven-day positivity rate has risen to 7.9%, with 34 of 58 counties remaining on the state’s monitoring list for at least three days. Gavin Newsom, California’s governor, has moved to halt the reopening of the state’s economy, rolling back some efforts as infection rates continue to rise.
Updated at 21.51 BST
24 Jul 2020 21.19 BST Martin Pengelly New York state attorney general Letitia James is leading a coalition of states, cities and counties suing the Trump administration over its attempt to leave undocumented migrants out of the census, the basis for the apportionment of seats in the US House of Representatives.
Sam Levine’s report on that attempt follows at the bottom of this block and here’s an excerpt from it: Republicans in recent years have been pushing to exclude non-citizens and other people ineligible to vote from the tally used to draw electoral districts. In 2015, Thomas Hofeller, a top Republican redistricting expert, explicitly wrote that such a change “would be advantageous to Republicans and non-Hispanic whites”. James, meanwhile, said on Friday afternoon: “President Trump’s proclamation is the latest in a long list of anti-immigrant actions and statements he has made since the beginning of his first campaign. “It’s another election-year tactic to fire up his base by dehumanizing immigrants and using them as scapegoats for his failures as a leader. “No one ceases to be a person because they lack documentation, which is why we filed this lawsuit. Instead of fearmongering, now is the time to be engaging in a robust education and outreach campaign to ensure each person in this country is counted. We beat the president before in court, and we will beat him again.” According to James’s statement, the suit has been “filed against President Trump, the US Department of Commerce, the US Census Bureau, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, and Census Director Steven Dillingham”. The attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia have signed on. So have the cities of Central Falls, Rhode Island; Chicago; Columbus; New York; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Pittsburgh; Providence; Seattle; the city and county of San Francisco; and Cameron, El Paso, and Hidalgo counties in Texas and Monterey county in California. Trump orders undocumented immigrants excluded from key census count Read more
24 Jul 2020 21.03 BST Today so far That’s it from me today. My Guardian colleagues will take over the blog for the next few hours. Here’s where the day stands so far: The White House defended Trump’s push to reopen schools, saying schools are “ essential places of business.” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said, “It is our firm belief that our schools are essential places of business, if you will, that our teachers are essential personnel.” That comment will likely be a bit jarring for parents trying to decide whether or not to send their young children back to school amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus in the classroom.
White House press secretary said, “It is our firm belief that our schools are essential places of business, if you will, that our teachers are essential personnel.” That comment will likely be a bit jarring for parents trying to decide whether or not to send their young children back to school amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus in the classroom. Trump said he “often” regrets sending controversial tweets. When the president was asked during an interview yesterday whether he ever regrets his tweets, he replied, “Too often.” Trump added, “It’s not the tweets; it’s the retweets that get you in trouble.”
When the president was asked during an interview yesterday whether he ever regrets his tweets, he replied, “Too often.” Trump added, “It’s not the tweets; it’s the retweets that get you in trouble.” Democrats indicated they would not allow Trump to quash a proposal on renaming military bases named after Confederate generals. The president said senator Jim Inhofe, the Republican chairman of the Senate armed services committee, would move to strip the provision out of the national defense authorization bill in committee. But the Democratic chairman of the House armed services committee said the proposal “remains an important priority for me and many of my colleagues.”
The president said senator the Republican chairman of the Senate armed services committee, would move to strip the provision out of the national defense authorization bill in committee. But the Democratic chairman of the House armed services committee said the proposal “remains an important priority for me and many of my colleagues.” Joe Biden warned Trump would “try to indirectly steal” the election. During a virtual fundraiser last night, Biden said, “This president is going to try to indirectly steal the election by arguing that mail-in ballots don’t work.” The president has repeatedly made false claims that mail-in ballots are extremely vulnerable to voter fraud, even though voter fraud is actually very rare.
During a virtual fundraiser last night, Biden said, “This president is going to try to indirectly steal the election by arguing that mail-in ballots don’t work.” The president has repeatedly made false claims that mail-in ballots are extremely vulnerable to voter fraud, even though voter fraud is actually very rare. New York governor Andrew Cuomo suggested that senior DHS leaders should be charged for making false statements about blocking New Yorkers from the Global Entry program and related travel programs. Cuomo’s comments came one day after federal lawyers acknowledged in a court filing that DHS officials made false statements about the policy. The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
24 Jul 2020 20.51 BST The Democratic chairman of the House armed services committee voiced opposition to Trump’s effort to quash the proposal to rename military bases named after Confederate generals. The president said this morning that senator Jim Inhofe, the Republican chairman of the Senate armed services committee, would move to strip the provision out of the national defense authorization bill in committee. “That’s just not how this works,” Democratic commitee chairman Adam Smith said in a tweet. The renaming of military bases and installations remains an important priority for me and many of my colleagues in the House.
I look forward to the conference process, where we will discuss the issue. — Rep. Adam Smith (@RepAdamSmith) July 24, 2020 Smith noted that both the House and Senate versions of the national defense authorization act, which passed the two chambers with veto-proof majorities, included the proposal to rename the bases. “The renaming of military bases and installations remains an important priority for me and many of my colleagues in the House,” Smith said.
“I look forward to the conference process, where we will discuss the issue.”
24 Jul 2020 20.36 BST In his interview with Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, the president also appeared nostalgic for his pre-White House life. (PART 3) - @realDonaldTrump @WhiteHouse pic.twitter.com/Rx74t5OUyh — Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) July 24, 2020 “The best day in my life in terms of business and life and everything was the day before I announced I’m running for president,” Trump said. “Everything was good.” The president added he was “really glad” he decided to run, but he lamented how he was treated “very unfairly with fake Russia.” (The US intelligence community has concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election to aid Trump’s campaign.) “It’s a very vicious business,” Trump said. The president said he found it harder to deal with his own country than dealing with the leaders of foreign countries like Russia, China and North Korea. “The toughest is the United States,” Trump said. “It’s the toughest to deal with.”
24 Jul 2020 20.25 BST Trump says he 'often' regrets his tweets During an interview at the White House yesterday, Trump said he “often” regrets the tweets he sends out. (PART 2) - @realDonaldTrump @WhiteHouse pic.twitter.com/O8G9JPwGR3 — Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) July 24, 2020 Dave Portnoy, the highly controversial founder of the blog Barstool Sports, just shared his interview with Trump. In it, Portnoy asked the president if he ever regrets sending certain tweets. “Too often,” the president replied. “It used to be in the old days, before this, you’d write a letter, and you’d say, ‘This letter’s really bad.’ You’d put it in your desk, and then you’d go back tomorrow and you’d say, ‘Oh, I’m glad I didn’t send it,’ right? But we don’t do that with Twitter, right? “We put it out instantaneously,” Trump continued. “We feel great, and then you start getting phone calls, ‘Did you really say this?’ I say, ‘What’s wrong with that?’ And you find a lot of things.” The president added, “It’s not the tweets; it’s the retweets that get you in trouble.” He warned of the trouble that arises when “you see something that looks good and you don’t investigate it.” Of course, it’s unclear how the medium of Twitter prevents Trump from investigating the source of his information before sharing it with his 84 million followers.
24 Jul 2020 20.00 BST Virginia has removed monuments honoring Confederate generals and officials from its state capitol. The AP reports: Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, a Democrat, quietly ordered the Lee statue and busts of generals J.E.B. Stuart, Stonewall Jackson, Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and others removed from the historic Old House Chamber. A moving crew worked through the night Thursday — carefully removing the monuments and their plaques and loading them into a truck and taking them to an undisclosed location.
The stealth approach avoids the possibility of protests or a lawsuit to keep the monuments in place, but may prompt criticism that the monuments were moved without public discussion. ‘Virginia has a story to tell that extends far beyond glorifying the Confederacy and its participants,’ Filler-Corn said in a statement. ‘Now is the time to provide context to our Capitol to truly tell the commonwealth’s whole history.’ A number of Confederate monuments have been taken down since the police killing of George Floyd, which kicked off nationwide protests against racism and police brutality. Earlier this week, the House of Representatives similarly passed a bill calling on states to replace any Confederate statues they still have in the US Capitol.


theguardian--2020-07-25--Negotiations over US Covid-19 relief bill remain in flux as key benefit expires

Negotiations over America ’ s next Covid-19 rescue bill remained in flux on Friday , as the virus posed new risks to parts of the midwest and south , the death toll rose and extra federal payments that helped avert financial ruin for millions of unemployed people were set to expire .
Mitch McConnell , the Senate majority leader , sent senators home ahead of the weekend , promising a Republican proposal for new relief efforts would be ready on Monday .
But Democrats warned that time was wasting amid GOP infighting as the crisis spirals .
As Republicans struggled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4 million and the number of deaths rose by several thousand to nearly 145,000 .
New jobless claims topped 1m and the unemployment rate stood at 11 % , higher than during last decade ’ s Great Recession .
Senate Republicans had been expected to unveil their counterproposal this week to a $ 3tn bill relief bill Democrats passed in May .
But GOP lawmakers and the Trump administration remained divided over key aspects of the proposal in a head-spinning week of start-and-stop progress .
McConnell ’ s proposal was expected to include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cash payments to Americans , along with $ 105bn to help reopen schools , $ 25bn for virus testing and McConnell ’ s top priority of a liability shield to protect businesses , hospitals and others against Covid-19 lawsuits .
Senate Republicans got the president to abandon his push for a payroll tax break , which they argue does little to help out-of-work Americans .
But the White House added new priorities in turn .
Those include money for a new building to replace the FBI ’ s ageing J Edgar Hoover Building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the newer Trump hotel .
One sticking point is how to cut the $ 600 weekly jobless benefit boost the federal government has added to the weekly unemployment checks that states send since the start of the pandemic .
That benefit officially expires on 31 July , but due to the way states process unemployment payments , the cutoff was , in effect , on Saturday .
Republicans largely believe the add-on is too robust and becoming a disincentive for returning to work .
Under McConnell ’ s plan , senators proposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transitioning over the next few months to a new system more closely linked to state ’ s own payment levels .
An administration official granted anonymity to discuss the private talks said the White House viewed that proposal as too “ cumbersome ” and the $ 200 boost as too high .
The White House floated cutting the unemployment benefits boost to as little as $ 100 .
The House speaker , Nancy Pelosi , on Friday rejected the idea of a temporary extension of the enhanced unemployment benefits .
“ I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment benefits ] out and lose all leverage [ on Republicans ] for ... meeting all of the other needs , ” Pelosi told reporters .
Richie Neal , the Democratic chairman of the House ways and means committee , said the country was on “ the eve of an economic catastrophe ” .
“ People need the sustenance of day-to-day life , ” Neal said at the Capitol .
He said the extra aid not only helped cash-strapped families but was key to fueling the economy as Americans go without paychecks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ slow , ” he said .

Negotiations over America’s next Covid-19 rescue bill remained in flux on Friday, as the virus posed new risks to parts of the midwest and south, the death toll rose and extra federal payments that helped avert financial ruin for millions of unemployed people were set to expire.
Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, sent senators home ahead of the weekend, promising a Republican proposal for new relief efforts would be ready on Monday. But Democrats warned that time was wasting amid GOP infighting as the crisis spirals.
As Republicans struggled, the nation’s infections passed 4m and the number of deaths rose by several thousand to nearly 145,000. New jobless claims topped 1m and the unemployment rate stood at 11%, higher than during last decade’s Great Recession.
Republican senators disagree with White House
Senate Republicans had been expected to unveil their counterproposal this week to a $3tn bill relief bill Democrats passed in May. But GOP lawmakers and the Trump administration remained divided over key aspects of the proposal in a head-spinning week of start-and-stop progress.
McConnell’s proposal was expected to include a fresh round of direct $1,200 cash payments to Americans, along with $105bn to help reopen schools, $25bn for virus testing and McConnell’s top priority of a liability shield to protect businesses, hospitals and others against Covid-19 lawsuits.
Senate Republicans got the president to abandon his push for a payroll tax break, which they argue does little to help out-of-work Americans. But the White House added new priorities in turn. Those include money for a new building to replace the FBI’s ageing J Edgar Hoover Building in downtown Washington, across the street from the newer Trump hotel.
One sticking point is how to cut the $600 weekly jobless benefit boost the federal government has added to the weekly unemployment checks that states send since the start of the pandemic. That benefit officially expires on 31 July, but due to the way states process unemployment payments, the cutoff was, in effect, on Saturday.
Republicans largely believe the add-on is too robust and becoming a disincentive for returning to work. Under McConnell’s plan, senators proposed cutting it to $200 and then transitioning over the next few months to a new system more closely linked to state’s own payment levels. An administration official granted anonymity to discuss the private talks said the White House viewed that proposal as too “cumbersome” and the $200 boost as too high. The White House floated cutting the unemployment benefits boost to as little as $100.
Pelosi rejects temporary benefits extension
The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, on Friday rejected the idea of a temporary extension of the enhanced unemployment benefits.
“I would be very much averse to separating [unemployment benefits] out and lose all leverage [on Republicans] for ... meeting all of the other needs,” Pelosi told reporters.
Richie Neal, the Democratic chairman of the House ways and means committee, said the country was on “the eve of an economic catastrophe”.
“People need the sustenance of day-to-day life,” Neal said at the Capitol. He said the extra aid not only helped cash-strapped families but was key to fueling the economy as Americans go without paychecks. “The recovery is going to be slow,” he said.


theguardian--2020-07-24--US push for global alliance against China hampered by years of 'America first'

The confrontation between the US and China is gathering pace with each passing week .
In the past few days , the Chinese consulate in Houston has been shuttered amid allegations it was a spy hub , and the US mission in the south-western city of Chengdu was closed in retaliation , on similar grounds .
The FBI has started arresting Chinese researchers at US universities with suspected links to the People ’ s Liberation Army ( PLA ) , one of whom temporarily took refuge in the consulate in San Francisco , before surrendering .
US academics and businessmen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ties to Beijing and have been warned to come clean about them under the Foreign Agents Registration Act .
The tougher legal moves have been accompanied by a concerted set of speeches assailing China by the Trump administration ’ s major national security and foreign policy officials , culminating in an address on Thursday by the secretary of state , Mike Pompeo , declaring : “ The free world must triumph over this new tyranny.
” Pompeo travelled to Yorba Linda , California , home of the Richard Nixon presidential library , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ historic opening to China in 1972 had begun an exercise in failure in east-west detente .
“ The kind of engagement we have been pursuing has not brought the kind of change in China that President Nixon hoped to induce , ” Pompeo said .
“ The truth is that our policies – and those of other free nations – resurrected China ’ s failing economy , only to see Beijing bite the international hands that fed it.
” Some of the grand geopolitical language can be put down to the importance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bid to salvage his presidency in the November election .
And some of it is inspired by Pompeo ’ s own efforts , increasingly at the expense of his day job , to position himself for a presidential run in 2024 .
But much of what Pompeo had to say will have global resonance thanks to Beijing ’ s rising aggression on multiple fronts around the globe .
At the same time as rounding up more than a million Muslim Uighurs in internment camps , the regime has quashed the liberties enjoyed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , reefs and shoals in the South China Sea and turned them into concrete redoubts , and conducted a dangerous land grab on its border with India .
Pompeo argued that combatting the grip of the Chinese Communist party “ is the mission of our time ” , a declaration likely to get heads nodding in large parts of Asia and the Pacific at least .
But his claim , in his next breath , that “ America is perfectly positioned to lead it ” will ring hollow among many of Washington ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , China has expanded in a vacuum left by the US retreat under the Trump administration into “ America First ” jingoism and unilateralism .
One of Trump ’ s first foreign policy moves was to pull the US out of negotiations for the Trans Pacific Partnership which was designed as an economic coalition to prevent China being able to dictate the terms of trade in the 21st century .
US allies in the region went ahead anyway but it was severely weakened by the absence of the US administration , which sought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its partners .
Similarly , the US effort to persuade China to join arms control negotiations would carry more weight on the world stage if the Trump administration had not walked out on three arms control agreements to date and is apparently in the process of jettisoning a fourth , the New Start agreement limiting US and Russian strategic nuclear weapons .
The abrupt US departure from the World Health Organization in the midst of a pandemic , accompanied by a campaign of unsubstantiated allegations against its officials led by Pompeo , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington as an example of the US abdicating its global leadership role .
The failure of governance evident in the Trump administration ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic – which has left the US as the biggest , most enduring hotspot , and Americans banned from travelling to much of the world – has also made it hard for US diplomats to cajole foreign governments into a common cause against China , without drawing pained smiles .
The same could be said for the spectacle of unidentified and seemingly unaccountable paramilitary units @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of scale , it could not be more different from the mass incarceration of the Uighurs , but it is not a good look for a nation seeking to reclaim the mantle of leadership of the free world .
It is a stroke of luck for US diplomacy that , at a time when it is at its weakest when trying to recruit allies , China is doing much of the job on its behalf .

The confrontation between the US and China is gathering pace with each passing week. In the past few days, the Chinese consulate in Houston has been shuttered amid allegations it was a spy hub, and the US mission in the south-western city of Chengdu was closed in retaliation, on similar grounds.
The FBI has started arresting Chinese researchers at US universities with suspected links to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), one of whom temporarily took refuge in the consulate in San Francisco, before surrendering.
US academics and businessmen are being put under greater scrutiny for ties to Beijing and have been warned to come clean about them under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
The tougher legal moves have been accompanied by a concerted set of speeches assailing China by the Trump administration’s major national security and foreign policy officials, culminating in an address on Thursday by the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, declaring: “The free world must triumph over this new tyranny.”
Pompeo travelled to Yorba Linda, California, home of the Richard Nixon presidential library, to declare that the Republican president’s historic opening to China in 1972 had begun an exercise in failure in east-west detente.
“The kind of engagement we have been pursuing has not brought the kind of change in China that President Nixon hoped to induce,” Pompeo said. “The truth is that our policies – and those of other free nations – resurrected China’s failing economy, only to see Beijing bite the international hands that fed it.”
Some of the grand geopolitical language can be put down to the importance of anti-China sentiment in Donald Trump’s bid to salvage his presidency in the November election. And some of it is inspired by Pompeo’s own efforts, increasingly at the expense of his day job, to position himself for a presidential run in 2024.
But much of what Pompeo had to say will have global resonance thanks to Beijing’s rising aggression on multiple fronts around the globe. At the same time as rounding up more than a million Muslim Uighurs in internment camps, the regime has quashed the liberties enjoyed by Hong Kong, taken over disputed atolls, reefs and shoals in the South China Sea and turned them into concrete redoubts, and conducted a dangerous land grab on its border with India.
Pompeo argued that combatting the grip of the Chinese Communist party “is the mission of our time”, a declaration likely to get heads nodding in large parts of Asia and the Pacific at least. But his claim, in his next breath, that “America is perfectly positioned to lead it” will ring hollow among many of Washington’s bewildered allies.
In their eyes, China has expanded in a vacuum left by the US retreat under the Trump administration into “America First” jingoism and unilateralism.
This March 2017 image provided by Maxar Technologies shows a satellite image of the Chinese-occupied Fiery Cross Reef in Spratly island chain in the South China Sea, one of several disputed islands, reefs or shoals in the area that China has fortified. Photograph: AP
One of Trump’s first foreign policy moves was to pull the US out of negotiations for the Trans Pacific Partnership which was designed as an economic coalition to prevent China being able to dictate the terms of trade in the 21st century. US allies in the region went ahead anyway but it was severely weakened by the absence of the US administration, which sought instead to unpick existing trade arrangements with its partners.
Similarly, the US effort to persuade China to join arms control negotiations would carry more weight on the world stage if the Trump administration had not walked out on three arms control agreements to date and is apparently in the process of jettisoning a fourth, the New Start agreement limiting US and Russian strategic nuclear weapons.
The abrupt US departure from the World Health Organization in the midst of a pandemic, accompanied by a campaign of unsubstantiated allegations against its officials led by Pompeo, is also often cited by diplomats posted to Washington as an example of the US abdicating its global leadership role.
The failure of governance evident in the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic – which has left the US as the biggest, most enduring hotspot, and Americans banned from travelling to much of the world – has also made it hard for US diplomats to cajole foreign governments into a common cause against China, without drawing pained smiles.
The same could be said for the spectacle of unidentified and seemingly unaccountable paramilitary units making arrests in Portland. In terms of scale, it could not be more different from the mass incarceration of the Uighurs, but it is not a good look for a nation seeking to reclaim the mantle of leadership of the free world.
It is a stroke of luck for US diplomacy that, at a time when it is at its weakest when trying to recruit allies, China is doing much of the job on its behalf.


theguardian--2020-07-24--Congress wants to fix public lands. It's just a bandage on the wounds Trump caused | Sally Jewell an

Congress wants to fix public lands. It's just a bandage on the wounds Trump caused | Sally Jewell and Ken Salazar

Among mountain trails and city parks in our home states of Colorado and Washington , we have gratefully found refuge in nature amid this global pandemic .
Never has fresh air tasted so good as now , when it provides escape from a virus that is at its deadliest indoors .
That may be one reason why Congress shed its partisan colors to pass a bill that will invest nearly a billion dollars a year to create new local , state and national parks and natural areas where families can safely get outside together .
The bill , called the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finally fix up thousands of run-down roads , trails and visitor facilities that are being loved to death through heavy and growing use of our public lands .
As former secretaries of the interior for Barack Obama , we applaud the bill ’ s bipartisan supporters in Congress who , building on decades of work by conservation organizations , businesses and advocates across the country , approved these critical investments in our nation ’ s conservation heritage .
However , the Great American Outdoors Act will not cover up the unprecedented environmental damage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done over the past three and a half years .
Measured by the public lands and waters he has removed from protection , Trump stands out as the most anti-nature president in US history .
Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante national monuments , the Tongass national forest , the Arctic national wildlife refuge , the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness , and the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts national monument are among the 60,000 sq miles of national treasures that Trump has targeted for mining , drilling , logging and commercial exploitation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Band-Aid on these deep gashes .
Still , Congress ’ s decision to fix up and expand the nation ’ s network of parks and green spaces can jumpstart a bold new vision for nature conservation that – in defiance of the Trump administration ’ s anti-environmental attacks – is emerging in the United States .
This movement is energized by a need to solve three core problems .
First , it is increasingly clear that the status quo framework for nature protection in the US and globally is unable to prevent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of nature .
In the US , we are losing a football field worth of natural area to development every 30 seconds .
One million plant and animal species on our planet are at risk of extinction in the coming decades .
Scientists say that if we want to protect the clean water , clean air and food supplies that every person needs to live , we need to protect at least 30 % of our planet ’ s lands and ocean by 2030 ( 30x30 ) .
Currently , only 12 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our ocean is well-protected in a natural condition , and most of these protected ocean areas are in the western Pacific .
Pursuing this 30x30 goal in the US is ambitious , necessary and doable .
With the help of investments through the Great American Outdoors Act , states , tribal nations and local communities will be able to do more to protect the places that matter most to them .
Congress and federal agencies , meanwhile , can help rebuild America ’ s economy by conserving lands that power outdoor recreation economies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coasts , and rewarding farmers and ranchers who – from the Prairie Potholes of the Dakotas to the northern Everglades of Florida – are protecting vital wildlife habitat .
Second , past approaches to developing and protecting lands – often dominated by white , wealthy and well-connected men – have resulted in deep racial and economic inequities in how nature ’ s benefits are distributed in this country .
Too often , the sovereignty of tribal nations , the perspectives of people of color , and the livelihoods of working people have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ share of the nation ’ s polluting industries , for example , have been sited near communities of color .
And the nature-protection work of governments and nonprofits has traditionally prioritized postcard-worthy wilderness lands in sparsely populated areas and open spaces near more affluent , white suburbs .
As a result of these factors and other legacies of discrimination and racism , a Black , Latinx or Asian American person in the United States is three times more likely than a white person to live in an area that is nature deprived , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , streams and other natural areas nearby .
This is unfair and unacceptable .
This next phase of America ’ s conservation movement must achieve a more equitable and inclusive distribution of nature ’ s benefits , so that every child in America , regardless of race , background or economic status , has access to clean water , fresh air and the wonders of nature nearby .
Climate change is the third motivator for a renewed conservation movement in the US .
Simply put , we can not solve the climate crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conserve and restore nature .
Forests are our most powerful and cheapest technology for scrubbing and storing carbon pollution out of the air .
Wetlands , natural floodplains and healthy coastal ecosystems also store carbon and are our strongest buffers against increasingly frequent and intense floods , hurricanes and superstorms .
Yet , for too long , US climate change strategies have overlooked or minimized the importance of protecting and restoring nature .
That is beginning to change .
The House select committee on the climate crisis recently released the first comprehensive national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the role that nature can and should play in the fight against climate change .
In addition to establishing a national goal for nature conservation , for example , it recognizes that reforesting , restoring and cleaning up our lands and waters can create millions of new jobs .
Learning from the success of the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression , Congress can expand the nation ’ s existing network of youth and service programs – such as the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps , Americorps and the Student Conservation Association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide a healthy dose of nature , and a boost our economy when we need it most .
For everyone who loves to get outdoors and who wishes to share nature ’ s bounty with their children and grandchildren , the scale and severity of the nature , racial injustice and climate crises can seem overwhelming , especially with Trump compounding these interlocking problems on a daily basis .
But Congress ’ s passage of the Great American Outdoors Act is a reminder that we collectively have the power to write a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so that the promise of fresh air and the freedom of nature is guaranteed to every American , for all time .
• None Sally Jewell , former CEO of REI , served , as secretary of the interior from 2013 to 2017 .
Ken Salazar , a former US senator and attorney general for the state of Colorado , served as secretary of the interior from 2009 to 2013

Among mountain trails and city parks in our home states of Colorado and Washington, we have gratefully found refuge in nature amid this global pandemic. Never has fresh air tasted so good as now, when it provides escape from a virus that is at its deadliest indoors.
That may be one reason why Congress shed its partisan colors to pass a bill that will invest nearly a billion dollars a year to create new local, state and national parks and natural areas where families can safely get outside together.
The bill, called the Great American Outdoors Act, will also finally fix up thousands of run-down roads, trails and visitor facilities that are being loved to death through heavy and growing use of our public lands.
As former secretaries of the interior for Barack Obama, we applaud the bill’s bipartisan supporters in Congress who, building on decades of work by conservation organizations, businesses and advocates across the country, approved these critical investments in our nation’s conservation heritage.
However, the Great American Outdoors Act will not cover up the unprecedented environmental damage that Donald Trump and his administration have done over the past three and a half years.
Measured by the public lands and waters he has removed from protection, Trump stands out as the most anti-nature president in US history.
Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante national monuments, the Tongass national forest, the Arctic national wildlife refuge, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts national monument are among the 60,000 sq miles of national treasures that Trump has targeted for mining, drilling, logging and commercial exploitation.
The Great American Outdoors Act is merely a Band-Aid on these deep gashes.
Still, Congress’s decision to fix up and expand the nation’s network of parks and green spaces can jumpstart a bold new vision for nature conservation that – in defiance of the Trump administration’s anti-environmental attacks – is emerging in the United States. This movement is energized by a need to solve three core problems.
First, it is increasingly clear that the status quo framework for nature protection in the US and globally is unable to prevent mass extinctions of wildlife and the collapse of nature.
In the US, we are losing a football field worth of natural area to development every 30 seconds. One million plant and animal species on our planet are at risk of extinction in the coming decades. Scientists say that if we want to protect the clean water, clean air and food supplies that every person needs to live, we need to protect at least 30% of our planet’s lands and ocean by 2030 (30x30). Currently, only 12% of US lands and 23% of our ocean is well-protected in a natural condition, and most of these protected ocean areas are in the western Pacific.
Pursuing this 30x30 goal in the US is ambitious, necessary and doable. With the help of investments through the Great American Outdoors Act, states, tribal nations and local communities will be able to do more to protect the places that matter most to them. Congress and federal agencies, meanwhile, can help rebuild America’s economy by conserving lands that power outdoor recreation economies, restoring and reforesting degraded lands and coasts, and rewarding farmers and ranchers who – from the Prairie Potholes of the Dakotas to the northern Everglades of Florida – are protecting vital wildlife habitat.
Second, past approaches to developing and protecting lands – often dominated by white, wealthy and well-connected men – have resulted in deep racial and economic inequities in how nature’s benefits are distributed in this country. Too often, the sovereignty of tribal nations, the perspectives of people of color, and the livelihoods of working people have been ignored and trampled upon.
A disproportionate share of the nation’s polluting industries, for example, have been sited near communities of color.
And the nature-protection work of governments and nonprofits has traditionally prioritized postcard-worthy wilderness lands in sparsely populated areas and open spaces near more affluent, white suburbs.
As a result of these factors and other legacies of discrimination and racism, a Black, Latinx or Asian American person in the United States is three times more likely than a white person to live in an area that is nature deprived, meaning a place that has fewer parks, streams and other natural areas nearby.
This is unfair and unacceptable.
This next phase of America’s conservation movement must achieve a more equitable and inclusive distribution of nature’s benefits, so that every child in America, regardless of race, background or economic status, has access to clean water, fresh air and the wonders of nature nearby.
Climate change is the third motivator for a renewed conservation movement in the US.
Simply put, we cannot solve the climate crisis without taking far more ambitious steps to conserve and restore nature.
Forests are our most powerful and cheapest technology for scrubbing and storing carbon pollution out of the air. Wetlands, natural floodplains and healthy coastal ecosystems also store carbon and are our strongest buffers against increasingly frequent and intense floods, hurricanes and superstorms.
Yet, for too long, US climate change strategies have overlooked or minimized the importance of protecting and restoring nature. That is beginning to change.
The House select committee on the climate crisis recently released the first comprehensive national climate policy plan to adequately account for the role that nature can and should play in the fight against climate change. In addition to establishing a national goal for nature conservation, for example, it recognizes that reforesting, restoring and cleaning up our lands and waters can create millions of new jobs.
Learning from the success of the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression, Congress can expand the nation’s existing network of youth and service programs – such as the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps, Americorps and the Student Conservation Association – to put people to work, provide a healthy dose of nature, and a boost our economy when we need it most.
For everyone who loves to get outdoors and who wishes to share nature’s bounty with their children and grandchildren, the scale and severity of the nature, racial injustice and climate crises can seem overwhelming, especially with Trump compounding these interlocking problems on a daily basis.
But Congress’s passage of the Great American Outdoors Act is a reminder that we collectively have the power to write a new chapter in America’s conservation history, so that the promise of fresh air and the freedom of nature is guaranteed to every American, for all time.


theguardian--2020-07-28--Republican proposal slashes weekly unemployment benefits to $200 – as it happened

The Environmental Protection Agency ’ s Office of Inspector General said today it will evaluate the agency ’ s rollback of Obama-era vehicle emissions requirements .
In May , Senator Tom Carper , a Democrat who sits on the Senate Eenvironment and public works committee , asked the inspector general ’ s office to investigate whether EPA officials improperly circumvented the Clean Air Act , regulatory and other procedural requirements , citing documents obtained by Carper ’ s office , Reuters reports .
The inspector general ’ s office said it would conduct an evaluation to determine if EPA actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those pertaining to transparency , record-keeping and docketing , and followed the EPA ’ s process for developing final regulatory actions ” .
The EPA did not immediately comment .
In March the EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration finalized revised rules requiring 1.5 % annual increases in fuel efficiency through 2026 .
Under the Obama rules , automakers were to average about 5 % improvements per year through 2025 .
The new requirements mean the US vehicle fleet will average 40.4 miles a gallon rather than 46.7 mpg under the Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules will result in the consumption of about 2bn additional barrels of oil and the emission of 867m to 923m additional metric tons of carbon dioxide and will cut the future price of new vehicles by about $ 1,000 and reduce traffic deaths .
Environmentalists dispute that the rule will reduce traffic deaths and say higher fuel costs will surpass any future new vehicle price reduction .
The inspector general wants numerous documents including briefing materials on the final rule .
Carper said the documents obtained show “ significant inaccuracies and technical errors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EPA apparently asked the transportation department to correct .
“ According to these documents , EPA officials believed the failure to correct those inaccuracies and errors would make the rule legally vulnerable to challenge , ” Carper wrote .

Sam Levin in Los Angeles, Joan E Greve and Martin Pengelly

28 Jul 2020 01.00 BST When Trump said the New York Yankees had invited him to throw the first pitch next month, he had not actually been invited, according to a new report in the New York Times. His public announcement came as a surprise to both the White House staff and the Yankees, the paper reported, citing a person with knowledge of the president’s schedule. The president was reportedly irritated that Anthony Fauci was due to throw the first pitch at the season opener between the Yankees and the Washington Nationals when he falsely announced he was schedule to throw a pitch. The president later tweeted, “I won’t be able to be in New York to throw out the opening pitch for the Yankees on August 15”, citing the “China Virus”, his preferred racist term for Covid-19.
27 Jul 2020 00.43 BST Big corporations accused of driving environmental and health inequalities in black and brown communities through toxic and climate-changing pollution are also funding powerful police groups in major US cities, according to a new investigation. Some of America’s largest oil and gas companies, private utilities, and financial institutions that bankroll fossil fuels also back police foundations – opaque private entities that raise money to pay for training, weapons, equipment, and surveillance technology for departments across the US. The investigation by the Public Accountability Initiative, a nonprofit corporate and government accountability research institute, and its research database project LittleSis, details how police foundations in cities such as Seattle, Chicago, Washington, New Orleans and Salt Lake City are partially funded by household names such as Chevron, Shell and Wells Fargo. More from the Guardian’s Nina Lakhani here: Revealed: oil giants help fund powerful police groups in top US cities Read more
27 Jul 2020 00.09 BST Trump has announced his plans to nominate Douglas Macgregor, a retired Army colonel who regularly appears on Fox News, as the next US ambassador to Germany. Macgregor retired from the Army in 2004 and has written extensively on military force design and strategy, Reuters notes. He also frequently talks about the military on Fox anchor Tucker Carlson’s show, which the president is known to closely watch. Since his retirement, Macgregor has also worked as a defense consultant. Politico notes that he lacks former diplomatic experience. The position became vacant when Richard Grenell stepped down earlier this year to become Trump’s acting director of US national intelligence.
Updated at 00.09 BST
27 Jul 2020 23.57 BST Democrats say GOP coronavirus relief 'totally inadequate' The Senate Democrats are criticizing the Republican’s coronavirus relief plan as “totally inadequate”. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said that the Republicans' coronavirus relief plan as described by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is ‘totally inadequate’ as deadline looms over expanded unemployment benefits for millions https://t.co/NHnFSKJ9cK pic.twitter.com/HXzEQD9Shd — Reuters (@Reuters) July 27, 2020 “It won’t include food assistance for hungry kids whose parents can’t feed them, how hard-hearted, how cruel,” said the Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, also calling out the lack of hazard pay for essential workers and funding for state, local and tribal governments. Housing groups also raised concerns about the GOP’s proposal, which advocates and experts say would not address the massive rent crisis across the US. Republicans proposal for only $3.3bn to cover lost income for current housing and rental assistance programs was “a drop in an ocean of need among unsubsidized renters and people experiencing homelessness”, the National Low Income Housing Coalition said in a statement. “Without immediate action, millions of people in America will be evicted from their homes during a pandemic. Senate Republican proposals would do next to nothing to avoid this predictable and preventable disaster,” the group’s statement added.
Updated at 00.08 BST
27 Jul 2020 23.45 BST Majority of House backs new bailout for airlines A majority of the US house has called for a six-month extension of a $32bn payroll aid program for US airlines, Reuters reports. In a letter made public today, the representatives called for the continuation of a a program that was originally set to expire in September. They argue that the aid is needed to keep hundreds of thousands of aviation workers employed through 31 March. Congress awarded $25 billion in payroll assistance to passenger airlines in March. In recent weeks, some have compared the bailout for airlines to lack of the support for some of the most critical services in the US during this crisis. In a recent interview with Politico, economist Betsey Stevenson noted that the US gave less money to the entire child care sector than to one single airline, Delta: .@BetseyStevenson on how child care crisis will distort the economy for a generation — “....we gave less to the childcare sector than we gave to one single airline, Delta.” https://t.co/9YGQ5mrwtk pic.twitter.com/CyCggfS3h9 — Jacqueline Alemany (@JaxAlemany) July 26, 2020
27 Jul 2020 23.28 BST Trump's lawyers fight tax records subpoena Trump’s lawyers have filed new arguments in court today in an effort to block a criminal subpoena for his tax records, calling it harassment of a president, the AP reports. Lawyers filed an updated lawsuit in Manhattan federal court to challenge the subpoena by state prosecutor on grounds they believe conform with how the US Supreme Court said the subpoena can be contested. The attorneys asked a judge to declare it “invalid and unenforceable”. The high court ruled earlier this month that a Manhattan prosecutor could subpoena tax records from Trump’s accountant over his objections. Trump’s lawyers have argued that the president could not be criminally investigated while he was in office. In their new court papers, Trump’s lawyers said the subpoena of his tax records was “wildly overbroad” and “amounts to harassment of the President”. They said the subpoena seeks detailed information about all of Trump’s assets in the US and abroad for a 10-year period: “Simply put, it asks for everything.” For more on the subject, our latest reporting on the case: Trump’s taxes may be released to Manhattan grand jury, supreme court rules Read more
27 Jul 2020 22.58 BST Joe Biden pays respects to John Lewis Joe Biden and his wife Jill have just paid respects to John Lewis at the US capitol building. Here are some photos from that moment:
Joe and Jill Biden. Photograph: Shawn Thew/AP Biden honoring John Lewis. Photograph: Getty Images Nancy Pelosi was nearby: Vice President Joe Biden has made a rare visit to the Capitol to honor Rep. John Lewis.
Pelosi walks into Rotunda alongside him and Dr. Jill Biden. pic.twitter.com/ITszbxW4AO — Sarah Ferris (@sarahnferris) July 27, 2020
27 Jul 2020 22.30 BST GOP plan cuts unemployment insurance to $200 The Senate GOP’s proposed plan on unemployment insurance cuts the benefits from $600 a week to $200 a week, as earlier reports had suggested. That will continue through September, and starting in October, it would be replaced by a system meant to replace 70% of lost wages (when combined with state unemployment insurance). Here it is: GOP plan on unemployment insurance, confirming our reporting this morning
Cuts $600/week benefit to $200/week -- in October, replace $200/week w/ 70% replacement of lost wages
States can request a waiver if cannot make the switch pic.twitter.com/uAQnIRH3WP — Jeff Stein (@JStein_WaPo) July 27, 2020 Democrats have argued that the unemployment relief should continue at $600 a week.
Updated at 22.51 BST
27 Jul 2020 22.02 BST Herman Cain, the former 2012 Republican presidential candidate who tested positive for Covid-19 after attending a Trump rally, remains in the hospital undergoing oxygen treatment, according to an update from his team: We know it's been a few days since we last gave you an update on the boss. But he is still in the hospital being treated with oxygen for his lungs. In the meantime, the doctors say his other organs and systems are strong. — Herman Cain (@THEHermanCain) July 27, 2020 This comes three weeks after he was first hospitalized. He was diagnosed with Covid after he posted photos of himself at the president’s Tulsa rally without a mask on.
27 Jul 2020 21.42 BST Hi all – Sam Levin in Los Angeles here, taking over our live coverage for the rest of the day. The US Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, has said Senate Republicans will shortly introduce a new coronavirus relief program to address health, economic assistance and schools: Mitch McConnell announces Senate GOP bill will be called "HEALS" Act. Says that's:
Health
Economic
Assistance
Liability Protection &
Schools — Jeff Stein (@JStein_WaPo) July 27, 2020 McConnell said the package would include direct payments of $1,200 each and help for the unemployed, Reuters said.
It would also include “strong legal liability protection”, over $100bn for schools, more money for a small business program and a program to incentivize PPE manufacturing. More details are expected soon.
Updated at 22.22 BST
27 Jul 2020 21.29 BST Today so far That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague Sam Levin will take over the blog for the next few hours. Here’s where the day stands so far: The national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, tested positive for coronavirus , making him the most senior administration official known to have contracted the virus. The White House said he has been isolating and working from home in recent days.
, making him the most senior administration official known to have contracted the virus. The White House said he has been isolating and working from home in recent days. Trump said he had not recently seen O’Brien. “I haven’t seen him lately,” Trump told reporters before leaving for North Carolina. “I heard he tested. Yeah, I have not seen him. I’m calling him later.”
“I haven’t seen him lately,” Trump told reporters before leaving for North Carolina. “I heard he tested. Yeah, I have not seen him. I’m calling him later.” Dr Anthony Fauci said a coronavirus vaccine could be developed by October but more likely by November. The infectious disease expert’s comments came as the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which Fauci leads, and Moderna started a large phase 3 trial for its vaccine candidate. If a vaccine were approved in October, the news could come shortly before the presidential election.
The infectious disease expert’s comments came as the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which Fauci leads, and Moderna started a large phase 3 trial for its vaccine candidate. If a vaccine were approved in October, the news could come shortly before the presidential election. Trump addressed the progress in vaccine development during his trip to North Carolina today. Asked when he expected a vaccine to be approved, Trump said: “I heard very positive things, but by the end of the year we think we’re in very good shape to be doing that.”
Asked when he expected a vaccine to be approved, Trump said: “I heard very positive things, but by the end of the year we think we’re in very good shape to be doing that.” Civil rights icon John Lewis laid in state in the Capitol rotunda. Members of Congress held a ceremony this afternoon to honor their late colleague. Mike Pence and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden are expected to pay their respects to Lewis later today. Sam will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
Updated at 22.23 BST
27 Jul 2020 21.11 BST Trump deflects question about Putin conversation While speaking in North Carolina, Trump also deflected a question about his recent conversation with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. The US president was asked whether he pressed Putin on reports that Russia offered bounties to Taliban insurgents to kill US troops. Trump replied: “We don’t talk about what we discussed, but we had plenty of discussion, and I think it was very productive.” President Trump was asked if he talked to Russian President Vladimir Putin about reports of bounties on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan: "We don’t talk about what we discuss, but we had plenty of discussion, and I think it was very productive." https://t.co/DRpe5L5K4A pic.twitter.com/AiFHa7vZ1m — ABC News (@ABC) July 27, 2020 There was no mention of the reported bounties in the White House readout of the two leaders’ conversation, and the press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, similarly dodged questions about the issue last week. McEnany told reporters at a briefing: “That intelligence is unverified still to this day. There are dissenting opinions within the intel community. I won’t get into the president’s private discussions with a foreign leader.”
Updated at 22.24 BST
27 Jul 2020 20.49 BST Trump talks on vaccine progress Joanna Walters Donald Trump says the US is mass-producing “all of the most promising vaccines” for coronavirus that are under development in the US, and producing them “in advance”, ie before it is known which, if any, will be proved successful.
The president said this would be the best way to ensure that any successes will be available for the US “immediately” and possibly available for other countries. Trump is visiting Morrisville, North Carolina, and is talking in a biotech facility where potential coronavirus vaccine components are being developed. He’s discussing the public-private partnership between the US government and companies as part of Operation Warp Speed to develop a Covid-19 vaccine. He said a vaccine will be developed “very soon”. “We will defeat the virus,” he said. The leading US public health expert Dr Anthony Fauci, of the White House coronavirus taskforce, has said there may be a vaccine by the November or even October. Emphasis on may. Asked in a brief press Q&A when was the soonest he expected a vaccine to be ready, Trump said: “I heard very positive things, but by the end of the year we think we’re in very good shape to be doing that.”
Updated at 22.29 BST
27 Jul 2020 20.36 BST Joanna Walters The Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Inspector General said today it will evaluate the agency’s rollback of Obama-era vehicle emissions requirements. In May, Senator Tom Carper, a Democrat who sits on the Senate Eenvironment and public works committee, asked the inspector general’s office to investigate whether EPA officials improperly circumvented the Clean Air Act, regulatory and other procedural requirements, citing documents obtained by Carper’s office, Reuters reports. The inspector general’s office said it would conduct an evaluation to determine if EPA actions were “consistent with requirements, including those pertaining to transparency, record-keeping and docketing, and followed the EPA’s process for developing final regulatory actions”. The EPA did not immediately comment. In March the EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration finalized revised rules requiring 1.5% annual increases in fuel efficiency through 2026.
Under the Obama rules, automakers were to average about 5% improvements per year through 2025. The new requirements mean the US vehicle fleet will average 40.4 miles a gallon rather than 46.7 mpg under the Obama rules. Trump to roll back Obama-era clean car rules in huge blow to climate fight Read more The administration says the new rules will result in the consumption of about 2bn additional barrels of oil and the emission of 867m to 923m additional metric tons of carbon dioxide and will cut the future price of new vehicles by about $1,000 and reduce traffic deaths. Environmentalists dispute that the rule will reduce traffic deaths and say higher fuel costs will surpass any future new vehicle price reduction.
The inspector general wants numerous documents including briefing materials on the final rule. Carper said the documents obtained show “significant inaccuracies and technical errors in the final rule” that the EPA apparently asked the transportation department to correct. “According to these documents, EPA officials believed the failure to correct those inaccuracies and errors would make the rule legally vulnerable to challenge,” Carper wrote. Traffic jam on the approach to New York City. Photograph: Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 22.31 BST
27 Jul 2020 20.06 BST The Guardian’s Kari Paul reports: Google will keep its employees home until at least next July, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday, marking the largest tech firm to commit to such a timeline in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The chief executive officer of parent company Alphabet Inc, Sundar Pichai, made the decision himself last week after debate among an internal group of top executives that he chairs, according to the report, which cited unnamed insiders. Google did not immediately respond to request for comment. Google had earlier said it would begin reopening more offices globally as early as June this year, but most Google employees would probably work from home until the end of this year. Most tech companies have had employees working remotely since the Covid-19 outbreak escalated in early March, and several have expressed plans to continue such policies indefinitely. In May, Twitter announced it would let employees who wish to do so work from home “forever” and Facebook said it expects at least half of its employees to work remotely for the next five to 10 years. These announcements come as Covid-19 makes open floor plans and shared spaces untenable for the foreseeable future, forcing companies across a variety of industries to reimagine what office work looks like. Google employees will work from home until at least summer 2021 Read more


theguardian--2020-07-28--Democrats pan Republican plan to slash jobless benefits to $200 as 'totally inadequate'

Unemployment assistance , eviction protections and other relief for millions of Americans struggling in an economy cratered by the coronavirus crisis were at stake as White House officials on Monday began fraught negotiations with top Democrats on a new aid package .
Aid runs out on Friday for a $ 600 weekly jobless benefit that Democrats call a lifeline for out-of-work Americans .
Republican want to slash it to $ 200 a week , saying that the federal bump is too generous on top of state benefits and is discouraging employees from returning to work .
The US Senate ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on Monday rolled out a proposal worth around $ 1tn , amid infighting in his own party and Democrats imploring him to come to the negotiating table .
The Senate ’ s top Democrat , Chuck Schumer of New York , called McConnell ’ s proposed relief package “ totally inadequate ” , at only about a third the size of what House Democrats have put forward .
“ It won ’ t include food assistance for hungry kids whose parents can ’ t feed them , how hard-hearted , how cruel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus death toll climbing and 4.2m infections nationwide , both parties are eager for a deal .
There is widespread agreement that more money is needed for virus testing , to help schools prepare to open at the end of the summer break and to shore up small businesses .
Voters are assessing their handling of the virus crisis before the November election .
Donald Trump ’ s Democratic challenger for the White House , Joe Biden , is ahead in many important polls , with just under 100 days to go to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s standing is at one of the lowest points of his term , according to a new AP-NORC poll , The Associated Press reported .
Steven Mnuchin , the treasury secretary , and Mark Meadows , the White House chief of staff , worked over the weekend on the GOP proposal and agreed to meet with Pelosi and Schumer at the speaker ’ s office on Monday evening for talks .
The Republicans come to the negotiating table hobbled by infighting and delays .
McConnell said he wanted to hit “ pause ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sweeping $ 2.2tn relief package in March .
But Pelosi took the opposite approach , swiftly passing a $ 3tn effort with robust Democratic support .
In the intervening months , the crisis deepened .
The GOP proposal unveiled by McConnell on Monday afternoon provides some $ 105bn to help schools and colleges reopen , new money for virus testing and business benefits , including a fresh round of loans under the Paycheck Protection Program , tax breaks and a sweeping and controversial liability shield from Covid-19-related lawsuits .
Elizabeth Warren , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic nomination for president , slammed McConnell for what she saw as a focus on protecting big business at the expense of those suffering amid the crisis .
The Republican proposal would also provide another round of $ 1,200 direct payments based on the same formula from the earlier aid bill .
People making $ 75,000 or less would receive the full amount and those making more than $ 75,000 would receive less , depending on their income .
People earning above $ 100,000 would again not qualify for the payment .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help our nation , ” McConnell said as he opened the Senate .
But conservative Republicans quickly broke ranks on McConnell ’ s plan , arguing the spending was too much and priorities misplaced .
Half the Republican senators could vote against the bill , some warned , and their opposition leaves McConnell heading into negotiations with Pelosi without the full force of the Senate majority behind him .
“ The focus of this legislation is wrong , ” Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz , one of the bill ’ s most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Capitol .
“ Our priority , our objective , should be restarting the economy.
” As bipartisan talks unfold , the White House is now suggesting a narrower relief package may be all that ’ s possible with Friday ’ s approaching deadlines .
The $ 600 weekly jobless benefits boost , which was approved as part of the March aid package , officially expires 31 July , but because of the way states process unemployment payments , the cutoff was effectively Saturday .
Under the GOP proposal , the jobless boost would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for two months and phased out to a new system that ensures no more than 70 % of an employee ’ s previous pay .
States could request an additional two months , if needed , to make the transition .
Democrats pointed to an assessment from the economist Mark Zandi , who called it a “ poor policy choice ” .
Zandi said that if the GOP proposal became law , nearly 1m jobs would be lost by year ’ s end and the unemployment rate , now above 11 % , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point .
Economists widely see signs of trouble in the economy , which showed an uptick in the spring as some states eased stay-home orders and businesses reopened , but it now faces fresh turmoil with a prolonged virus crisis as states clamp down again .
Friday is also the end of a federal eviction moratorium on millions of rental units that the White House said it wants to extend in some fashion .
At the same time , budget watchers are wary of the rising debt load as Washington piles on unprecedented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and economic fallout .

Unemployment assistance, eviction protections and other relief for millions of Americans struggling in an economy cratered by the coronavirus crisis were at stake as White House officials on Monday began fraught negotiations with top Democrats on a new aid package.
Aid runs out on Friday for a $600 weekly jobless benefit that Democrats call a lifeline for out-of-work Americans. Republican want to slash it to $200 a week, saying that the federal bump is too generous on top of state benefits and is discouraging employees from returning to work.
The US Senate’s Republican majority leader, Mitch McConnell, on Monday rolled out a proposal worth around $1tn, amid infighting in his own party and Democrats imploring him to come to the negotiating table.
The Senate’s top Democrat, Chuck Schumer of New York, called McConnell’s proposed relief package “totally inadequate”, at only about a third the size of what House Democrats have put forward.
“It won’t include food assistance for hungry kids whose parents can’t feed them, how hard-hearted, how cruel,” said Schumer.
Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker, added: “Time is running out.”
With the virus death toll climbing and 4.2m infections nationwide, both parties are eager for a deal.
There is widespread agreement that more money is needed for virus testing, to help schools prepare to open at the end of the summer break and to shore up small businesses. Voters are assessing their handling of the virus crisis before the November election. Donald Trump’s Democratic challenger for the White House, Joe Biden, is ahead in many important polls, with just under 100 days to go to election day.
And the president’s standing is at one of the lowest points of his term, according to a new AP-NORC poll, The Associated Press reported.
Steven Mnuchin, the treasury secretary, and Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, worked over the weekend on the GOP proposal and agreed to meet with Pelosi and Schumer at the speaker’s office on Monday evening for talks.
The Republicans come to the negotiating table hobbled by infighting and delays. McConnell said he wanted to hit “pause” on new spending after Congress approved a sweeping $2.2tn relief package in March.
But Pelosi took the opposite approach, swiftly passing a $3tn effort with robust Democratic support. In the intervening months, the crisis deepened.
The GOP proposal unveiled by McConnell on Monday afternoon provides some $105bn to help schools and colleges reopen, new money for virus testing and business benefits, including a fresh round of loans under the Paycheck Protection Program, tax breaks and a sweeping and controversial liability shield from Covid-19-related lawsuits.
Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts senator and former candidate for the Democratic nomination for president, slammed McConnell for what she saw as a focus on protecting big business at the expense of those suffering amid the crisis.
We have a health crisis, an economic crisis, and a crisis in our values bearing down upon us with millions about to lose housing and unemployment benefits. And all Mitch McConnell wants to talk about when it comes to the next relief package is how to protect giant corporations. — Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) July 27, 2020
The Republican proposal would also provide another round of $1,200 direct payments based on the same formula from the earlier aid bill. People making $75,000 or less would receive the full amount and those making more than $75,000 would receive less, depending on their income. People earning above $100,000 would again not qualify for the payment.
“Senate Republicans have offered another bold framework to help our nation,” McConnell said as he opened the Senate.
But conservative Republicans quickly broke ranks on McConnell’s plan, arguing the spending was too much and priorities misplaced. Half the Republican senators could vote against the bill, some warned, and their opposition leaves McConnell heading into negotiations with Pelosi without the full force of the Senate majority behind him.
Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer speak to the media in the US Capitol in Washington DC, 23 July 2020. Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA
“The focus of this legislation is wrong,” Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz, one of the bill’s most vocal opponents, told reporters at the Capitol. “Our priority, our objective, should be restarting the economy.”
As bipartisan talks unfold, the White House is now suggesting a narrower relief package may be all that’s possible with Friday’s approaching deadlines.
The $600 weekly jobless benefits boost, which was approved as part of the March aid package, officially expires 31 July, but because of the way states process unemployment payments, the cutoff was effectively Saturday.
Under the GOP proposal, the jobless boost would be reduced to $200 a week for two months and phased out to a new system that ensures no more than 70% of an employee’s previous pay. States could request an additional two months, if needed, to make the transition.
Democrats pointed to an assessment from the economist Mark Zandi, who called it a “poor policy choice”. Zandi said that if the GOP proposal became law, nearly 1m jobs would be lost by year’s end and the unemployment rate, now above 11%, would climb more than half a percentage point.
Economists widely see signs of trouble in the economy, which showed an uptick in the spring as some states eased stay-home orders and businesses reopened, but it now faces fresh turmoil with a prolonged virus crisis as states clamp down again.
Friday is also the end of a federal eviction moratorium on millions of rental units that the White House said it wants to extend in some fashion.
At the same time, budget watchers are wary of the rising debt load as Washington piles on unprecedented sums in trying to contain the pandemic and economic fallout.