theguardian--2020-09-21--Revealed: evidence shows huge mail slowdowns after Trump ally took over

The United States Postal Service ( USPS ) saw a severe decline in the rate of on-time delivery of first-class mail after Louis DeJoy took over as postmaster general , according to new data obtained by the Guardian that provides some of the most detailed insight yet into widespread mail delays this summer .
Shortly after taking the helm , DeJoy – a major Republican donor with no prior USPS experience – implemented operational changes he said were intended to make the financially beleaguered agency more efficient .
Those changes included an effort to get USPS trucks to run on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late mail , with the result that mail was often left behind .
Many critics have noted that DeJoy chose to make these changes at the worst possible time , in the midst of a pandemic and months ahead of a presidential election in which a record number of people are expected to vote by mail .
In late August , DeJoy announced he was putting the changes on hold until after the election , and last week a federal judge in Washington blocked USPS from implementing them .
The changes were clearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given the increased role USPS will play in this year ’ s presidential election , the US district judge Stanley Bastian wrote in his ruling .
“ It is easy to conclude that the recent Postal Services ’ changes is an intentional effort on the part the current Administration to disrupt and challenge the legitimacy of upcoming local , state , and federal elections , ” Bastian wrote .
Describing the data , Philip Rubio , a history professor at North Carolina A & T university who is also a former postal worker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remarkable graphic illustration that reveals the decline of on-time first-class mail from the very first day after Postmaster General DeJoy ’ s policies were announced and implemented.
” “ Not only do we see the national picture for first-class mail delivery worsening over time after DeJoy ’ s policies become effective , but we also see locally conditions varying and even emerging for the worse.
” Of note , some areas in key swing states saw significant declines in on-time delivery rates of first-class mail .
In the postal district for northern Ohio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as 63.60 % in mid August .
In the Detroit postal district , on-time delivery fell to 61.01 % the same month .
USPS has pledged to facilitate timely delivery of mail-in ballots for the election and work closely with election officials to ensure that happens .
But the relationship has been rocky recently ; some election officials fumed when the agency sent out a mailing to every household with information about mail-in voting without thoroughly consulting with them .
The generalized mailer was misleading for voters in the handful of US states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot .
Although DeJoy ’ s changes have been paused until after the election , the new data shows that first class mail continued to be delivered late across the country after his reversal .
In the Baltimore postal district , for example , the on-time delivery rate remained at less than 60 % at the end of August .
“ Unfortunately , even though on-time performance improved after those changes were put on pause , delivery speed is still well below normal and far below the postal service ’ s own targets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professor at New York University who runs Save The Post Office , a blog that monitors the agency .
“ The harms that were done have not yet been undone.
” David Partenheimer , a USPS spokesman , declined to comment specifically on the data , citing ongoing litigation .
USPS released a statement on Friday saying that on-time delivery for first class mail continued to improve in September and that on time departures for trucks continued to improve .
“ The improvements are a result of the Postmaster General ’ s commitment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across processing , transportation and delivery , ” the agency said in its statement .

The United States Postal Service (USPS) saw a severe decline in the rate of on-time delivery of first-class mail after Louis DeJoy took over as postmaster general, according to new data obtained by the Guardian that provides some of the most detailed insight yet into widespread mail delays this summer.
Shortly after taking the helm, DeJoy – a major Republican donor with no prior USPS experience – implemented operational changes he said were intended to make the financially beleaguered agency more efficient. Those changes included an effort to get USPS trucks to run on time and limiting extra trips to transport late mail, with the result that mail was often left behind.
Many critics have noted that DeJoy chose to make these changes at the worst possible time, in the midst of a pandemic and months ahead of a presidential election in which a record number of people are expected to vote by mail.
In late August, DeJoy announced he was putting the changes on hold until after the election, and last week a federal judge in Washington blocked USPS from implementing them. The changes were clearly aimed at “voter disenfranchisement”, given the increased role USPS will play in this year’s presidential election, the US district judge Stanley Bastian wrote in his ruling.
“It is easy to conclude that the recent Postal Services’ changes is an intentional effort on the part the current Administration to disrupt and challenge the legitimacy of upcoming local, state, and federal elections,” Bastian wrote.
Describing the data, Philip Rubio, a history professor at North Carolina A&T university who is also a former postal worker, said: “This is a remarkable graphic illustration that reveals the decline of on-time first-class mail from the very first day after Postmaster General DeJoy’s policies were announced and implemented.”
“Not only do we see the national picture for first-class mail delivery worsening over time after DeJoy’s policies become effective, but we also see locally conditions varying and even emerging for the worse.”
Of note, some areas in key swing states saw significant declines in on-time delivery rates of first-class mail. In the postal district for northern Ohio, on-time delivery rates dropped as low as 63.60% in mid August. In the Detroit postal district, on-time delivery fell to 61.01% the same month.
USPS has pledged to facilitate timely delivery of mail-in ballots for the election and work closely with election officials to ensure that happens. But the relationship has been rocky recently; some election officials fumed when the agency sent out a mailing to every household with information about mail-in voting without thoroughly consulting with them. The generalized mailer was misleading for voters in the handful of US states that automatically mail all registered voters a ballot.
Although DeJoy’s changes have been paused until after the election, the new data shows that first class mail continued to be delivered late across the country after his reversal. In the Baltimore postal district, for example, the on-time delivery rate remained at less than 60% at the end of August.
05:32 Voter suppression: how Trump is undermining the US election – video explainer
“Unfortunately, even though on-time performance improved after those changes were put on pause, delivery speed is still well below normal and far below the postal service’s own targets,” said Steve Hutkins, a professor at New York University who runs Save The Post Office, a blog that monitors the agency.
“The harms that were done have not yet been undone.”
David Partenheimer, a USPS spokesman, declined to comment specifically on the data, citing ongoing litigation. USPS released a statement on Friday saying that on-time delivery for first class mail continued to improve in September and that on time departures for trucks continued to improve.
“The improvements are a result of the Postmaster General’s commitment to drive operational discipline and improve efficiencies across processing, transportation and delivery,” the agency said in its statement.


theguardian--2020-09-21--Trump doubts Ruth Bader Ginsburg's dying wish, claiming Democrats wrote it

Donald Trump has attempted to cast doubt on Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’ s dying wish , baselessly claiming a statement released by the supreme court justice ’ s family was written by Adam Schiff , Nancy Pelosi or Chuck Schumer , prominent Democrats in Congress .
The move is likely to anger many who will see it as disrespectful to the millions of Americans mourning Ginsburg ’ s death , as well as a tasteless attack on the legacy of the pioneering woman justice .
Ginsburg died on Friday , from pancreatic cancer at the age of 87 .
NPR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to her granddaughter .
“ My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed , ” it said .
Trump and the Republican Senate majority leader , Mitch McConnell , have vowed to press on with a nomination to replace Ginsburg before the election on 3 November or the inauguration on 20 January , even should Trump lose the presidency to Joe Biden and the Democrats retake the Senate .
On Monday morning , Trump told Fox & Friends he would announce his nominee , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after services in memory of Ginsburg .
He also called Ginsburg a “ legend ” who “ represented something different than you or I ” , and said of her statement : “ I don ’ t know that she said that , or was that written out by Adam Schiff or Pelosi ?
“ I would be more inclined to the second , OK – you know , that came out of the wind .
That sounds so beautiful , but that sounds like a Schumer deal , or maybe Pelosi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came out of the wind , let ’ s say .
I mean , maybe she did , and maybe she didn ’ t. ” Schiff , the chair of the House intelligence committee , and Pelosi , the House speaker , played prominent roles in Trump ’ s impeachment .
Schumer , the Senate minority leader , will lead efforts to defeat Trump ’ s nomination .
He has promised that in terms of tactics , “ nothing is off the table ” .
Schiff responded with a tweet , writing : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even for you .
No , I didn ’ t write Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’ s dying wish to a nation she served so well , and spent her whole life making a more perfect union .
“ But I am going to fight like hell to make it come true .
No confirmation before inauguration .
”

Donald Trump has attempted to cast doubt on Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s dying wish, baselessly claiming a statement released by the supreme court justice’s family was written by Adam Schiff, Nancy Pelosi or Chuck Schumer, prominent Democrats in Congress.
The move is likely to anger many who will see it as disrespectful to the millions of Americans mourning Ginsburg’s death, as well as a tasteless attack on the legacy of the pioneering woman justice.
Ginsburg died on Friday, from pancreatic cancer at the age of 87. NPR reported that she had dictated a statement to her granddaughter.
“My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed,” it said.
Trump and the Republican Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, have vowed to press on with a nomination to replace Ginsburg before the election on 3 November or the inauguration on 20 January, even should Trump lose the presidency to Joe Biden and the Democrats retake the Senate.
This is low. Even for you. No, I didn’t write Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s dying wish to a nation she served so well Adam Schiff
On Monday morning, Trump told Fox & Friends he would announce his nominee, a woman, on Friday or Saturday, after services in memory of Ginsburg.
He also called Ginsburg a “legend” who “represented something different than you or I”, and said of her statement: “I don’t know that she said that, or was that written out by Adam Schiff or Pelosi?
“I would be more inclined to the second, OK – you know, that came out of the wind. That sounds so beautiful, but that sounds like a Schumer deal, or maybe Pelosi or for Shifty Schiff. So that came out of the wind, let’s say. I mean, maybe she did, and maybe she didn’t.”
Schiff, the chair of the House intelligence committee, and Pelosi, the House speaker, played prominent roles in Trump’s impeachment. Schumer, the Senate minority leader, will lead efforts to defeat Trump’s nomination. He has promised that in terms of tactics, “nothing is off the table”.
Schiff responded with a tweet, writing: “Mr President, this is low. Even for you. No, I didn’t write Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s dying wish to a nation she served so well, and spent her whole life making a more perfect union.
“But I am going to fight like hell to make it come true. No confirmation before inauguration.”


theguardian--2020-09-21--Succession creator Jesse Armstrong criticises Trump and Johnson at Emmys

The Succession creator , Jesse Armstrong , used his Emmy acceptance speech to attack Boris Johnson and Donald Trump for their “ crummy ” response to coronavirus , and also the media moguls who do so much to keep them in power .
Armstrong ’ s HBO show , telling the story of a billionaire media tycoon and his dysfunctional , warring family , was one of the big winners at the ceremony on Sunday .
It won seven awards , including outstanding drama , which Armstrong accepted from a hotel room in London .
He said it was sad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ success with colleagues in the US .
“ Being robbed of the opportunity to spend time with our peers , maybe I ’ d like to do a couple of un-thankyous , ” he said .
“ Un-thankyou to the virus , for keeping us all apart this year .
Un-thankyou to President Trump for his crummy and uncoordinated response .
Un-thankyou to Boris Johnson and his government for doing the same in my country .
“ Un-thankyou to all the nationalist and quasi-nationalist governments in the world who are exactly the opposite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And un-thankyou to the media moguls who do so much to keep them in power .
So un-thankyou !
” Armstrong is one of Britain ’ s most celebrated comedy writers , having co-created Peep Show and Fresh Meat in the UK as well as having been on the writing team for The Thick of It .
Succession ’ s seven wins came from 18 nominations and included the best actor award for Jeremy Strong , who plays the eldest son , Kendall Roy .
His success meant that Brian Cox , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same category , missed out on a prize that bookmakers had made him odds-on to win .
Cox was one of many British and Irish actors to miss out .
Olivia Colman ( The Crown ) and Jodie Comer ( Killing Eve ) were thwarted in their category when Zendaya made history by becoming the youngest person to win in the best actress drama lead category for Euphoria .
Also missing out were Helena Bonham Carter ( The Crown ) , Fiona Shaw ( Killing Eve ) , Matthew Macfadyen ( Succession @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jeremy Irons ( Watchmen ) , Paul Mescal ( Normal People ) , Andrew Scott ( Black Mirror ) , Dev Patel ( Modern Love ) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge for her guest appearance on Saturday Night Live .
Aside from Succession the big winners were HBO ’ s Watchmen , shown in the UK on Sky Atlantic , and the Canadian sitcom Schitt ’ s Creek , which , since it went on Netflix , has steadily and quietly become a huge feelgood hit .
The sixth and final season of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ categories , a feat not even achieved by shows such as Frasier and Modern Family .
It won seven Emmys with acting wins for the show ’ s stars Eugene Levy , Dan Levy , Catherine O ’ Hara and Annie Murphy .
Appearing in the ceremony ’ s virtual backstage area Dan Levy , its co-creator and showrunner , discussed the possibility of Schitt ’ s Creek returning as a movie .
“ Here ’ s the thing – some people have been asking that , ” he said .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my head and worthy of these wonderful people , it has to be really freaking good at this point.
” Other winners included Last Week Tonight with John Oliver , the Birmingham-born writer and comedian who started out on the UK standup circuit before achieving success in the US .
RuPaul ’ s Drag Race , which has spawned a Bafta-nominated British version on the BBC , won the reality competition award .
The virtual awards ceremony , hosted by Jimmy Kimmel – “ welcome to the Pandemmys ” – will go down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Emmys ’ 72-year history with prizes delivered to winners , often in their homes , by people in hazmat tuxedos .
The dress code was “ come as you are ” , with the suggested option of designer pyjamas .
Hardly any of the stars went down that route , although Jane Lynch , in a very smart top , revealed she was also wearing sweatpants .
A number of actors used the event to express support for the Black Lives Matter movement , including Regina King , who won the limited series @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wore a T-shirt that honoured the police shooting victim Breonna Taylor and used her speech to remind people of the importance of voting .
Later she explained why wearing the T-shirt was important .
“ The cops still haven ’ t been held accountable , ” she said .
“ She represents just decades , hundreds of years of violence against Black bodies .
Wearing Breonna ’ s likeness and representing her and her family and the stories that we were exploring , presenting and holding a mirror up to on Watchmen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taylor .
”

The Succession creator, Jesse Armstrong, used his Emmy acceptance speech to attack Boris Johnson and Donald Trump for their “crummy” response to coronavirus, and also the media moguls who do so much to keep them in power.
Armstrong’s HBO show, telling the story of a billionaire media tycoon and his dysfunctional, warring family, was one of the big winners at the ceremony on Sunday. It won seven awards, including outstanding drama, which Armstrong accepted from a hotel room in London.
He said it was sad not to be able to share the success with colleagues in the US. “Being robbed of the opportunity to spend time with our peers, maybe I’d like to do a couple of un-thankyous,” he said.
“Un-thankyou to the virus, for keeping us all apart this year. Un-thankyou to President Trump for his crummy and uncoordinated response. Un-thankyou to Boris Johnson and his government for doing the same in my country.
“Un-thankyou to all the nationalist and quasi-nationalist governments in the world who are exactly the opposite of what we need right now. And un-thankyou to the media moguls who do so much to keep them in power. So un-thankyou!”
Armstrong is one of Britain’s most celebrated comedy writers, having co-created Peep Show and Fresh Meat in the UK as well as having been on the writing team for The Thick of It.
Succession’s seven wins came from 18 nominations and included the best actor award for Jeremy Strong, who plays the eldest son, Kendall Roy. His success meant that Brian Cox, who plays the patriarch and was nominated in the same category, missed out on a prize that bookmakers had made him odds-on to win.
Cox was one of many British and Irish actors to miss out. Olivia Colman (The Crown) and Jodie Comer (Killing Eve) were thwarted in their category when Zendaya made history by becoming the youngest person to win in the best actress drama lead category for Euphoria.
Also missing out were Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown), Fiona Shaw (Killing Eve), Matthew Macfadyen (Succession), Harriet Walter (Succession), Jeremy Irons (Watchmen), Paul Mescal (Normal People), Andrew Scott (Black Mirror), Dev Patel (Modern Love) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge for her guest appearance on Saturday Night Live.
Aside from Succession the big winners were HBO’s Watchmen, shown in the UK on Sky Atlantic, and the Canadian sitcom Schitt’s Creek, which, since it went on Netflix, has steadily and quietly become a huge feelgood hit. The sixth and final season of the show swept the board in the comedy categories, a feat not even achieved by shows such as Frasier and Modern Family.
It won seven Emmys with acting wins for the show’s stars Eugene Levy, Dan Levy, Catherine O’Hara and Annie Murphy. Appearing in the ceremony’s virtual backstage area Dan Levy, its co-creator and showrunner, discussed the possibility of Schitt’s Creek returning as a movie.
“Here’s the thing – some people have been asking that,” he said. “If there is an idea that pops into my head and worthy of these wonderful people, it has to be really freaking good at this point.”
Other winners included Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, the Birmingham-born writer and comedian who started out on the UK standup circuit before achieving success in the US.
RuPaul’s Drag Race, which has spawned a Bafta-nominated British version on the BBC, won the reality competition award.
The virtual awards ceremony, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel – “welcome to the Pandemmys” – will go down as one of the oddest in the Emmys’ 72-year history with prizes delivered to winners, often in their homes, by people in hazmat tuxedos.
The dress code was “come as you are”, with the suggested option of designer pyjamas. Hardly any of the stars went down that route, although Jane Lynch, in a very smart top, revealed she was also wearing sweatpants.
A number of actors used the event to express support for the Black Lives Matter movement, including Regina King, who won the limited series lead actress award for Watchmen. She wore a T-shirt that honoured Breonna Taylor, a police shooting victim, and used her speech to remind people of the importance of voting.
Later she explained why wearing the T-shirt was important. “The cops still haven’t been held accountable,” she said.
“She represents just decades, hundreds of years of violence against Black bodies. Wearing Breonna’s likeness and representing her and her family and the stories that we were exploring, presenting and holding a mirror up to on Watchmen, it felt appropriate to represent with Breonna Taylor.”


theguardian--2020-09-21--I'm 18 and can already see my Alaska community changed forever by climate change

When I was seven , I caught a herring with my hands from the beach beside my grandma ’ s house in my hometown of Sitka , Alaska .
Herring marks the beginning of spring .
Every April , the soft “ herring rain ” seemed to bring the fish into the sound , and I ’ d watch as the water turned milky and the shallows sparkled with swarming silver schools .
Sitkans gathered on the side of the road to watch the show of sea lions , whales , eagles and fishing boats competing in the million-dollar commercial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ islands , people set out hemlock branches to collect masses of tiny , tasty eggs as part of an annual Tlingit ritual of community and abundance going back to time immemorial .
When I was 10 , the fishery closed early for the first time in my life , due to low herring returns .
I am now 18 , and it hasn ’ t opened at all for two seasons .
The fish that return now are smaller and far less abundant .
The factors include ocean warming .
Three years ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event is a warming of the Pacific ocean every three to five years according to a mostly unpredictable oscillation cycle .
In 2015 , 62,000 dead murres washed up on beaches in the Pacific Northwest , including around Sitka , and in total , an estimated one million of the birds died .
Humpbacks , sea lions and other seabirds also experienced mass die offs .
El Niños are relatively “ normal ” cyclical events , but 2015 ’ s was by far the worst , and presented a picture of what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like in the future .
Since then , I ’ ve seen more changes in Sitka ’ s environment .
The alpine glaciers on our island shrank , snow forts became a distant memory , and summers got drier , to the point of drought .
Year-to-year weather patterns have become unrecognizable : this year , we didn ’ t have snow until January , and when it finally came , it snowed over 2ft and we had our first snow-caused school cancellation in 20 years .
This summer has been the wettest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first drought I ’ ve ever experienced , which forced the nearby town of Ketchikan to use expensive diesel generators to supplement their hydropower supply .
The drought was followed by a severe rain event .
Incidents like these are becoming more common , and can cause deadly landslides , like one in 2015 that killed three people .
The state of our ocean is what worries me the most .
Because of the unusual heat last summer , an algal bloom turned the ocean bright green .
This year ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were smaller than usual .
The sockeye salmon our family harvested this year were tiny compared to just a year ago , and some king salmon lengths have decreased by 10 % between 1990 and 2010 , due to climate change and increased ocean competition .
People have lived in this place , my home , for thousands of years , and the changes I ’ ve experienced are unprecedented in their rapidity and significance .
To bear witness is disturbing .
I also know that this is just the leading edge of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if we do nothing to combat climate change .
What makes this situation beyond frustrating is that our elected leaders are doing little or nothing , or even making the problem worse .
Since 2001 , the Roadless Rule has protected the Tongass National Forest , one of the nation ’ s largest carbon sinks , from road building and large scale logging ( both large sources of carbon emissions ) .
Also since 2001 , Alaska ’ s governors have petitioned to remove those protections .
Lifting the Roadless Rule would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost taxpayers a net $ 600m in subsidies over the past 20 years .
The Rule does not hinder community development : nearly sixty community development projects have been permitted since 2001 , and none have been prevented .
96 % of public comments during a federal review process were in favor of keeping the regulations in place .
And yet , my congressional representatives claim the very opposite .
This fall , the US Forest Service is expected to lift the rule , despite the opposition and facts .
The combination of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the refusal of politicians to acknowledge or act on the will of their constituents causes frustration that I and other young people are turning into action .
In many ways , this specific issue is representative of hundreds of others around our nation .
In this moment , we are seeing clearly whose interests our elected representatives serve .
If they aren ’ t representing us , we have to hold them accountable .
We see our homes changing , and no action being taken on climate change .
We must make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us .
I know it ’ s unlikely that I ’ ll see Sitka ’ s shores glitter with herring again any time soon .
I know the winters are going to keep getting warmer , and there will be more wildlife die-offs , and this essay isn ’ t going to change that .
But , we must act to keep loss from becoming catastrophe .
Wherever we live , we are all affected by climate change .
We all have some story to tell , and we all have a voice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must use it .

When I was seven, I caught a herring with my hands from the beach beside my grandma’s house in my hometown of Sitka, Alaska. Herring marks the beginning of spring. Every April, the soft “herring rain” seemed to bring the fish into the sound, and I’d watch as the water turned milky and the shallows sparkled with swarming silver schools.
Sitkans gathered on the side of the road to watch the show of sea lions, whales, eagles and fishing boats competing in the million-dollar commercial sac roe fishery. All around the islands, people set out hemlock branches to collect masses of tiny, tasty eggs as part of an annual Tlingit ritual of community and abundance going back to time immemorial.
When I was 10, the fishery closed early for the first time in my life, due to low herring returns. I am now 18, and it hasn’t opened at all for two seasons. The fish that return now are smaller and far less abundant. The factors include ocean warming.
Three years ago, El Niño hit Alaska. The event is a warming of the Pacific ocean every three to five years according to a mostly unpredictable oscillation cycle. In 2015, 62,000 dead murres washed up on beaches in the Pacific Northwest, including around Sitka, and in total, an estimated one million of the birds died. Humpbacks, sea lions and other seabirds also experienced mass die offs.
El Niños are relatively “normal” cyclical events, but 2015’s was by far the worst, and presented a picture of what the ecological impacts of climate change could look like in the future.
Since then, I’ve seen more changes in Sitka’s environment. The alpine glaciers on our island shrank, snow forts became a distant memory, and summers got drier, to the point of drought. Year-to-year weather patterns have become unrecognizable: this year, we didn’t have snow until January, and when it finally came, it snowed over 2ft and we had our first snow-caused school cancellation in 20 years.
The alpine glaciers on our island shrank, snow forts became a distant memory, and summers got drier.
This summer has been the wettest in years, but last summer was the first drought I’ve ever experienced, which forced the nearby town of Ketchikan to use expensive diesel generators to supplement their hydropower supply. The drought was followed by a severe rain event. Incidents like these are becoming more common, and can cause deadly landslides, like one in 2015 that killed three people.
The state of our ocean is what worries me the most. Because of the unusual heat last summer, an algal bloom turned the ocean bright green. This year’s salmon runs, and salmon themselves, were smaller than usual. The sockeye salmon our family harvested this year were tiny compared to just a year ago, and some king salmon lengths have decreased by 10% between 1990 and 2010, due to climate change and increased ocean competition.
Trees in the clouds on Harbor Mountain in Sitka. Photograph: Cora Dow
People have lived in this place, my home, for thousands of years, and the changes I’ve experienced are unprecedented in their rapidity and significance. To bear witness is disturbing. I also know that this is just the leading edge of what we have to look forward to if we do nothing to combat climate change.
What makes this situation beyond frustrating is that our elected leaders are doing little or nothing, or even making the problem worse.
Since 2001, the Roadless Rule has protected the Tongass National Forest, one of the nation’s largest carbon sinks, from road building and large scale logging (both large sources of carbon emissions). Also since 2001, Alaska’s governors have petitioned to remove those protections.
Lifting the Roadless Rule would not bring back the logging industry, which cost taxpayers a net $600m in subsidies over the past 20 years. The Rule does not hinder community development: nearly sixty community development projects have been permitted since 2001, and none have been prevented. 96% of public comments during a federal review process were in favor of keeping the regulations in place.
And yet, my congressional representatives claim the very opposite. This fall, the US Forest Service is expected to lift the rule, despite the opposition and facts.
The combination of the changing climate, destructive policy, and the refusal of politicians to acknowledge or act on the will of their constituents causes frustration that I and other young people are turning into action. In many ways, this specific issue is representative of hundreds of others around our nation. In this moment, we are seeing clearly whose interests our elected representatives serve. If they aren’t representing us, we have to hold them accountable. We see our homes changing, and no action being taken on climate change. We must make it impossible for politicians to keep ignoring us.
I know it’s unlikely that I’ll see Sitka’s shores glitter with herring again any time soon. I know the winters are going to keep getting warmer, and there will be more wildlife die-offs, and this essay isn’t going to change that. But, we must act to keep loss from becoming catastrophe. Wherever we live, we are all affected by climate change. We all have some story to tell, and we all have a voice. And in this election, we must use it.
The Guardian is the lead partner in Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of that partnership


theguardian--2020-09-21--'I'm saving her for Ginsburg': who is Amy Coney Barrett, Trump's likely supreme court pick?

When Christine Baglow moved from New Orleans to South Bend , Indiana , two years ago , she found herself at a dinner party with a woman with a formidable resume : former supreme court clerk , professor at Notre Dame Law School , a judge on the US district court of appeals for the seventh circuit .
The woman was Amy Coney Barrett , and she and Baglow had mutual friends .
The judge came across as “ tremendously friendly ” , Baglow said .
“ I found her a very gracious and very thoughtful person .
Very kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the least degrees or education of anyone at that table , but to be courteously listened to and have my opinion sought , particularly on things related to kids and teens , I thought was very nice.
” Baglow , 49 , is director of youth ministry at St Joseph Catholic Church in South Bend , which Barrett and her family attend .
“ Not everyone with her level of education responds that way to people and she definitely did , ” Baglow said .
Now , as America absorbs news of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frenzied speculation over who will replace the liberal justice and when , Barrett ’ s name has come to the fore .
Donald Trump tweeted that he would select Ginsburg ’ s replacement “ without delay ” , then said he would select a woman .
But the presidential election is on 3 November and early voting has started .
In a bitterly divided country , Senate Republicans ’ rush to fill the supreme court vacancy has become yet another lightning rod .
On Sunday , the Democratic nominee , Joe Biden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fill Ginsburg ’ s seat an “ abuse of power ” .
Barrett has some experience of the storm .
She was on Trump ’ s list of possible nominees in 2018 , when he was considering who would replace Anthony Kennedy , a justice who retired .
But the president had other plans for Barrett .
“ I ’ m saving her for Ginsburg , ” Trump said , according to an Axios report last year .
In Barrett , 48 , conservatives see a young , strict constructionist who interprets the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intended – a jurist in the mold of Antonin Scalia , the conservative justice ( and close friend of Ginsburg ) , who died in February 2016 and for whom Barrett clerked .
That the devout Catholic mother of seven – she and her husband , Jesse M Barrett , have five biological children and adopted two from Haiti – is seen as a potential successor to Ginsburg has raised concerns among progressives .
Many fear that if confirmed on the bench , Barrett would vote to overturn Roe v Wade , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortion .
Barrett opposes abortion .
And she has already fielded questions about her faith and its role in how she views the law .
During a 2017 confirmation hearing , Senator Dianne Feinstein of California commented : “ The dogma lives loudly in you.
” Some said the remark was discriminatory against Catholics .
But some who know Barrett said the line of questioning went to the heart of what makes her a good candidate for the supreme court , as her responses showed a dispassionate temperament and calm demeanor .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of whether her religious convictions might affect the way she interprets the law , ” said a colleague , Notre Dame law professor Paolo G Carozza .
“ I just found it , to be honest , kind of laughable .
“ Knowing her as well as I do and having seen the way she operates , the only way in which her religious convictions are going to affect what she does as a judge is that they give her the humility to say , ‘ What I do is all about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the basic values of upholding the rule of law and the legal system and nothing else.
’ ” As Barrett ’ s star has risen , the media and Democrats ’ focus on her views on abortion has frustrated others in the Notre Dame community .
Former student Alex Blair , now an attorney at the Chicago firm Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney , referred the Guardian to a comment he gave to the South Bend Tribune .
“ It ’ s been disorienting to see the smartest person I know reduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue when she is so much more than that , ” he said in 2018 .
Carozza remembers Barrett as a top law student when he came on to faculty at Notre Dame in 1996 .
He said he found such questioning from Senate Democrats unfair , in that Barrett does not write her religion into her opinions and is not one to proselytize .
“ I don ’ t think it ’ s unfair to question someone who ’ s a judicial appointee about their religious beliefs , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m going to interpret the law according to what the Qur ’ an says or what the Bible says , ’ that ’ s something that in our republic we wouldn ’ t want .
“ What makes it unfair in her case is that it was asserted on solely on the basis of knowing that she is a religious person , rather than any evidence in the things that she ’ s written or in the way that she behaved that might interfere with the administration of the law .
”

When Christine Baglow moved from New Orleans to South Bend, Indiana, two years ago, she found herself at a dinner party with a woman with a formidable resume: former supreme court clerk, professor at Notre Dame Law School, a judge on the US district court of appeals for the seventh circuit.
The woman was Amy Coney Barrett, and she and Baglow had mutual friends.
The judge came across as “tremendously friendly”, Baglow said. “I found her a very gracious and very thoughtful person. Very kind and authentic.
“I probably had the least degrees or education of anyone at that table, but to be courteously listened to and have my opinion sought, particularly on things related to kids and teens, I thought was very nice.”
Baglow, 49, is director of youth ministry at St Joseph Catholic Church in South Bend, which Barrett and her family attend.
“Not everyone with her level of education responds that way to people and she definitely did,” Baglow said.
It’s been disorienting to see the smartest person I know reduced to how she might vote on one issue Alex Blair
Now, as America absorbs news of the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, amid frenzied speculation over who will replace the liberal justice and when, Barrett’s name has come to the fore.
Donald Trump tweeted that he would select Ginsburg’s replacement “without delay”, then said he would select a woman.
But the presidential election is on 3 November and early voting has started. In a bitterly divided country, Senate Republicans’ rush to fill the supreme court vacancy has become yet another lightning rod. On Sunday, the Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, called Trump’s plan to immediately fill Ginsburg’s seat an “abuse of power”.
Barrett has some experience of the storm. She was on Trump’s list of possible nominees in 2018, when he was considering who would replace Anthony Kennedy, a justice who retired. But the president had other plans for Barrett.
“I’m saving her for Ginsburg,” Trump said, according to an Axios report last year.
In Barrett, 48, conservatives see a young, strict constructionist who interprets the constitution through what she thinks its writers intended – a jurist in the mold of Antonin Scalia, the conservative justice (and close friend of Ginsburg), who died in February 2016 and for whom Barrett clerked.
That the devout Catholic mother of seven – she and her husband, Jesse M Barrett, have five biological children and adopted two from Haiti – is seen as a potential successor to Ginsburg has raised concerns among progressives. Many fear that if confirmed on the bench, Barrett would vote to overturn Roe v Wade, the 1973 ruling which safeguards the right to abortion.
Barrett opposes abortion. And she has already fielded questions about her faith and its role in how she views the law.
During a 2017 confirmation hearing, Senator Dianne Feinstein of California commented: “The dogma lives loudly in you.”
Some said the remark was discriminatory against Catholics. But some who know Barrett said the line of questioning went to the heart of what makes her a good candidate for the supreme court, as her responses showed a dispassionate temperament and calm demeanor.
“Some of the senators raised the question of whether her religious convictions might affect the way she interprets the law,” said a colleague, Notre Dame law professor Paolo G Carozza. “I just found it, to be honest, kind of laughable.
“Knowing her as well as I do and having seen the way she operates, the only way in which her religious convictions are going to affect what she does as a judge is that they give her the humility to say, ‘What I do is all about the law and all about interpreting the law and the basic values of upholding the rule of law and the legal system and nothing else.’”
03:05 Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Republicans and Democrats draw battle lines over replacement – video
As Barrett’s star has risen, the media and Democrats’ focus on her views on abortion has frustrated others in the Notre Dame community. Former student Alex Blair, now an attorney at the Chicago firm Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney, referred the Guardian to a comment he gave to the South Bend Tribune.
“It’s been disorienting to see the smartest person I know reduced to how she might vote on one issue when she is so much more than that,” he said in 2018.
Carozza remembers Barrett as a top law student when he came on to faculty at Notre Dame in 1996. He said he found such questioning from Senate Democrats unfair, in that Barrett does not write her religion into her opinions and is not one to proselytize.
“I don’t think it’s unfair to question someone who’s a judicial appointee about their religious beliefs,” he said. “If someone says, ‘I’m going to interpret the law according to what the Qur’an says or what the Bible says,’ that’s something that in our republic we wouldn’t want.
“What makes it unfair in her case is that it was asserted on solely on the basis of knowing that she is a religious person, rather than any evidence in the things that she’s written or in the way that she behaved that might interfere with the administration of the law.”


theguardian--2020-09-21--Joe Biden blames Trump's 'lies and incompetence' for coronavirus death toll – video

Joe Biden said Donald Trump ’ s ‘ lies and incompetence ’ since the start of the coronavirus pandemic had @ @ @ @ @ of the greatest losses in American history ’ as he spoke at an aluminum plant @ @ @ @ @ The Democratic presidential nominee noted the country was about to hit the ‘ tragic milestone @ @ @ @ @ from Covid-19 , adding that number represented many ‘ empty chairs ’ for families who @ @ @ @ @ the virus • Trump says he wants supreme court seat filled ‘ before the election @ @ @

Joe Biden said Donald Trump's 'lies and incompetence' since the start of the coronavirus pandemic had led to the 'one of the greatest losses in American history' as he spoke at an aluminum plant in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
The Democratic presidential nominee noted the country was about to hit the 'tragic milestone' of recording 200,000 deaths from Covid-19, adding that number represented many 'empty chairs' for families who had lost loved ones to the virus


theguardian--2020-09-21--Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer clash on supreme court nomination – video

Mitch McConnell , the Republican US Senate majority leader , said Donald Trump 's supreme court nominee would see a @ @ @ @ @ he clashed with the Democratic minority leader , Chuck Schumer .
The supreme court justice @ @ @ @ @ Friday , prompting Trump and McConnell to announced their intention to fill her seat as @ @ @ @ @ said McConnell 's kind words on Ginsburg would be 'meaningless ' if he replaced her @ @ @ @ @ process of filling her seat not begin 'until a new president is installed' • Senate @ @ @ @ @ supreme court pick to get vote 'this year ' – live

Mitch McConnell, the Republican US Senate majority leader, said Donald Trump's supreme court nominee would see a vote 'this year' as he clashed with the Democratic minority leader, Chuck Schumer.
The supreme court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died on Friday, prompting Trump and McConnell to announce their intention to fill her seat as quickly as possible.
Schumer said McConnell's kind words on Ginsburg would be 'meaningless' if he replaced her despite her wish that the process of filling her seat not begin 'until a new president is installed'


theguardian--2020-09-21--'Follow your conscience,' Biden urges Republicans as Trump pushes for supreme court nominee – video

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden makes a plea to Senate Republicans , asking them to 'follow their conscience ' and @ @ @ @ @ push to name his nominee for the supreme court ahead of November 's election .
@ @ @ @ @ nominate a women for the seat as soon as possible , after Ruth Bader Ginsburg @ @ @ @ @ out from the US election . '
I appeal to those few Senate Republicans , @ @ @ @ @ decide what happens .
Please follow your conscience , ' Biden says .
'Do n't @ @ @ @ @ under the circumstances President Trump and Senator McConnell have created .
Do n't go there @ @ @ @ @ , your conscience' • Supreme court : Biden accuses Trump and Republicans of abuse of @ @ @ @ @ says there should be no supreme court vote before election • ' I will fight @ @ @ @ @ vow at supreme court vigil for Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden makes a plea to Senate Republicans, asking them to 'follow their conscience' and defy president Donald Trump's push to name his nominee for the supreme court ahead of November's election. Trump says he plans to nominate a women for the seat as soon as possible, after Ruth Bader Ginsburg died aged 87 six weeks out from the US election. 'I appeal to those few Senate Republicans, that handful who really will decide what happens. Please follow your conscience,' Biden says. 'Don't vote to confirm anyone nominated under the circumstances President Trump and Senator McConnell have created. Don't go there. Uphold your constitutional duty, your conscience'


theguardian--2020-09-20--Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Republicans and Democrats draw battle lines over replacement – video

A further feud has emerged just weeks before the US election after the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
Donald @ @ @ @ @ seat be filled with a 'very brilliant ' woman as soon as possible .
However @ @ @ @ @ an attempt to prevent Trump filling the seat until after the election .
Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ Republicans should follow the precedent that GOP legislators set in 2016 by refusing to consider @ @ @ @ @ the run-up to an election .
If the Republicans were to get their way it @ @ @ @ @ majority on the supreme court for decades to come

A further feud has emerged just weeks before the US election after the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Donald Trump is advocating that the seat be filled with a 'very brilliant' woman as soon as possible. However, Democrats are rallying in an attempt to prevent Trump filling the seat until after the election. Joe Biden and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have said Republicans should follow the precedent that GOP legislators set in 2016 by refusing to consider a supreme court choice in the run-up to an election. If the Republicans were to get their way it could result in a conservative majority on the supreme court for decades to come


theguardian--2020-09-22--Mueller too timid in Trump-Russia investigation, top prosecutor claims

A senior member of Robert Mueller ’ s team says the special counsel was too timid in his investigation of Donald Trump and his links to Moscow during the 2016 election campaign .
“ We could have done more , ” the prosecutor Andrew Weissmann writes in a book , Where Law Ends , which will be published next week .
Weissmann ’ s title is taken from an inscription on the front of the Department of Justice in Washington , which is taken from the philosopher John Locke : “ Where law ends tyranny begins.
” Weissmann says Mueller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , avoided steps that would lead to confrontation with the White House , including subpoenas for financial records and interviewing the president and members of his family .
“ Repeatedly during our 22 months in operation , ” Weissmann writes , according to the Atlantic , “ we would reach some critical juncture in our investigation , only to have Aaron say that we could not take a particular action because it risked aggravating the president beyond some undefined breaking point.
” Weissmann says Mueller was afraid of being fired .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ Had we used all available tools to uncover the truth , undeterred by the onslaught of the president ’ s unique powers to undermine our efforts ?
I know the hard answer to that simple question : we could have done more.
” The Times also said Weissmann “ elevates ” striking details arising from Mueller ’ s work , “ for example , that the same business account that sent hush payments to an adult film star who alleged an extramarital affair with Mr Trump also received ‘ payments linked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump denies the affair .
Mueller passed investigation of the payments to Stormy Daniels , made by Trump lawyer Michael Cohen , to authorities in New York .
Cohen , who has now published his own Trump book , served jail time .
The special counsel ’ s report was released in April 2019 .
Weissmann said the Senate intelligence committee ’ s Russia report , released last month , “ was better ” .
“ It made judgments and calls , ” he told the Atlantic , “ instead of saying , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could say that.
’ ” The Senate report ran to 1,000 pages and laid out contacts between Trump and Moscow including links between a Russian agent and campaign manager Paul Manafort , and Trump ally Roger Stone ’ s close links to WikiLeaks and likely briefing of the candidate .
Weissmann led the prosecution of Manafort , who was sentenced to more than seven years .
Stone was sentenced to 40 months – a punishment later commuted by Trump .
When the Senate report was released , Scott Horton , a lecturer at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ The committee offers a much deeper view into the intelligence collected by US authorities than does the much sketchier Mueller report .
It will support the view that Mueller , far from exonerating Trump , simply expected to pass the baton to Congress to conduct deeper inquiries.
” Mueller , a former FBI director , told Congress he did not exonerate Trump .
He also repeatedly stated that he worked according to a DoJ standard which says a sitting president can not be indicted .
Mueller did not establish a criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did lay out extensive contacts between the campaign and Russia and numerous instances of possible obstruction of justice .
Of attorney general William Barr ’ s infamous summary of Mueller , favorable to Trump and delivered before the report was public , Weissmann writes : “ Barr had betrayed both friend and country.
” Mueller did not pursue an in-person interview with Trump .
In his bestseller Fear , Bob Woodward famously quoted lawyer John Dowd as saying he did not want his client to sit down with the special counsel because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The spectre of our being shut down exerted a kind of destabilising pull on our decision-making process , ” he writes , according to the Atlantic .
Speaking to the magazine , Weissmann added : “ There ’ s no question I was frustrated at the time .
There was more that could be done that we didn ’ t do.
” He said he did not blame Mueller alone .
“ I wouldn ’ t phrase it as just Mueller , ” he said .
“ I would say ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of things we did well , and a lot of things we could have done better , to be diplomatic about it .
”

A senior member of Robert Mueller’s team says the special counsel was too timid in his investigation of Donald Trump and his links to Moscow during the 2016 election campaign.
“We could have done more,” the prosecutor Andrew Weissmann writes in a book, Where Law Ends, which will be published next week.
Weissmann’s title is taken from an inscription on the front of the Department of Justice in Washington, which is taken from the philosopher John Locke: “Where law ends tyranny begins.”
Weissmann says Mueller and his top deputy, Aaron Zebley, avoided steps that would lead to confrontation with the White House, including subpoenas for financial records and interviewing the president and members of his family.
“Repeatedly during our 22 months in operation,” Weissmann writes, according to the Atlantic, “we would reach some critical juncture in our investigation, only to have Aaron say that we could not take a particular action because it risked aggravating the president beyond some undefined breaking point.”
Weissmann says Mueller was afraid of being fired.
According to the New York Times, he writes: “Had we used all available tools to uncover the truth, undeterred by the onslaught of the president’s unique powers to undermine our efforts? I know the hard answer to that simple question: we could have done more.”
The Times also said Weissmann “elevates” striking details arising from Mueller’s work, “for example, that the same business account that sent hush payments to an adult film star who alleged an extramarital affair with Mr Trump also received ‘payments linked to a Russian oligarch’.”
Trump denies the affair. Mueller passed investigation of the payments to Stormy Daniels, made by Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, to authorities in New York. Cohen, who has now published his own Trump book, served jail time.
The special counsel’s report was released in April 2019. Weissmann said the Senate intelligence committee’s Russia report, released last month, “was better”.
“It made judgments and calls,” he told the Atlantic, “instead of saying, ‘You could say this and you could say that.’”
The Senate report ran to 1,000 pages and laid out contacts between Trump and Moscow including links between a Russian agent and campaign manager Paul Manafort, and Trump ally Roger Stone’s close links to WikiLeaks and likely briefing of the candidate.
Weissmann led the prosecution of Manafort, who was sentenced to more than seven years. Stone was sentenced to 40 months – a punishment later commuted by Trump.
When the Senate report was released, Scott Horton, a lecturer at Columbia law school, told the Guardian: “The committee offers a much deeper view into the intelligence collected by US authorities than does the much sketchier Mueller report. It will support the view that Mueller, far from exonerating Trump, simply expected to pass the baton to Congress to conduct deeper inquiries.”
Mueller, a former FBI director, told Congress he did not exonerate Trump. He also repeatedly stated that he worked according to a DoJ standard which says a sitting president cannot be indicted.
Mueller did not establish a criminal conspiracy between Trump and Moscow, but did lay out extensive contacts between the campaign and Russia and numerous instances of possible obstruction of justice.
Of attorney general William Barr’s infamous summary of Mueller, favorable to Trump and delivered before the report was public, Weissmann writes: “Barr had betrayed both friend and country.”
Mueller did not pursue an in-person interview with Trump. In his bestseller Fear, Bob Woodward famously quoted lawyer John Dowd as saying he did not want his client to sit down with the special counsel because the president was “a fucking liar”.
Weissmann writes that Mueller simply wanted to avoid confrontation.
“The spectre of our being shut down exerted a kind of destabilising pull on our decision-making process,” he writes, according to the Atlantic.
Speaking to the magazine, Weissmann added: “There’s no question I was frustrated at the time. There was more that could be done that we didn’t do.”
He said he did not blame Mueller alone.
“I wouldn’t phrase it as just Mueller,” he said. “I would say ‘the office’. There are a lot of things we did well, and a lot of things we could have done better, to be diplomatic about it.”


theguardian--2020-09-22--AOC rallies liberals over supreme court battle: ‘This is not the time to give up’

New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has emerged as one of the high-profile faces of the Democratic response to Republicans ’ plan to quickly seat a new , conservative supreme court justice .
Ocasio-Cortez , one of the most prominent champions of the liberal wing of the Democratic Party , was quick to offer a rallying cry to supporters discouraged by the late-Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’ s death last week .
“ This moment is not the time for despair , it is not the time for cynicism .
It is not the time to give up .
It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ it ’ s too late ’ or ‘ it ’ s too far gone ’ or ‘ I don ’ t know what to do , ’ we ’ re going to talk about it right now , ” The New York congresswoman said in an 40-minute Instagram video posted on Saturday .
“ Because it ’ s that important .
Because it is not hyperbole .
The actual balance of our democracy rests in the actions that we choose to make – that I choose to make , that you choose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – chooses to make between now and election day.
” Ocasio-Cortez has also made appearances alongside New York senator Chuck Schumer , the top ranking Democrat in the Senate .
They made a joint appearance Sunday night in Brooklyn to urge supporters to mobilize to fight against Republicans ’ nominee to replace Ginsburg .
That has suggested a strong sense of unity between Ocasio-Cortez and one of the most powerful establishment Democrats across the party .
“ I think that it sends a strong signal right off the bat that the party needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as opposed to divided over the form of any retaliation might take , ” said Matt House , a former communications director for Schumer .
“ It ’ s a recognition that tipping your hand and being public about the exact form of retribution might take in the new Senate is counterproductive at this point .
And it makes clear the progressive base understands that and it ’ s a strong signal that the party ’ s united on that front.
” She ’ s also been one of the highest profile voices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have if Republicans push through a new supreme court nominee before the election .
Ginsburg ’ s dying wish was for the winner of the November presidential election to nominate her replacement on the supreme court .
But top Republicans , including Donald Trump and Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell , have signaled that they could move to confirm a new justice before the election .
Democrats have floated the idea of possibly adding additional justices to the high court or impeaching Attorney General Bill Barr as a means of stalling a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election .
“ We should leave all options on the table , including the number of justices that are on the supreme court , ” Ocasio-Cortez said on Saturday .

New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has emerged as one of the high-profile faces of the Democratic response to Republicans’ plan to quickly seat a new, conservative supreme court justice.
Ocasio-Cortez, one of the most prominent champions of the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, was quick to offer a rallying cry to supporters discouraged by the late-Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death last week.
“This moment is not the time for despair, it is not the time for cynicism. It is not the time to give up. It is not the time for us to say ‘it’s too late’ or ‘it’s too far gone’ or ‘I don’t know what to do,’ we’re going to talk about it right now,” The New York congresswoman said in a 40-minute Instagram video posted on Saturday.
“Because it’s that important. Because it is not hyperbole. The actual balance of our democracy rests in the actions that we choose to make – that I choose to make, that you choose to make, that every single individual – chooses to make between now and election day.”
Ocasio-Cortez has also made appearances alongside New York senator Chuck Schumer, the top ranking Democrat in the Senate. They made a joint appearance Sunday night in Brooklyn to urge supporters to mobilize to fight against Republicans’ nominee to replace Ginsburg. That has suggested a strong sense of unity between Ocasio-Cortez and one of the most powerful establishment Democrats across the party.
“I think that it sends a strong signal right off the bat that the party needs to be united in winning the fight as opposed to divided over the form of any retaliation might take,” said Matt House, a former communications director for Schumer. “It’s a recognition that tipping your hand and being public about the exact form of retribution might take in the new Senate is counterproductive at this point. And it makes clear the progressive base understands that and it’s a strong signal that the party’s united on that front.”
She’s also been one of the highest profile voices laying out the options Democrats say they have if Republicans push through a new supreme court nominee before the election.
Ginsburg’s dying wish was for the winner of the November presidential election to nominate her replacement on the supreme court. But top Republicans, including Donald Trump and Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, have signaled that they could move to confirm a new justice before the election.
Democrats have floated the idea of possibly adding additional justices to the high court or impeaching Attorney General Bill Barr as a means of stalling a new justice before the outcome fo the next election.
“We should leave all options on the table, including the number of justices that are on the supreme court,” Ocasio-Cortez said on Saturday.


theguardian--2020-09-22--The fight for Florida's Latino voters: Biden courts Puerto Ricans as Trump rallies Cubans

Every Saturday for several months , Abel Iraola has kept track of the boisterous crowd of Donald Trump supporters that gathers near an exit ramp of the Palmetto Expressway in Hialeah , the city with the highest concentration of Republican Cuban Americans in Florida .
A 28-year-old Democrat , Iraola lives two blocks away from the spot where the impromptu gathering gives him a sense of what his party ’ s presidential nominee , Joe Biden , is up against in the race to win Florida ’ s Latino vote .
“ He and everyone in the Democratic party should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters than Trump until the final results come in , ” Iraola said .
“ We shouldn ’ t have to be worrying about the Hispanic vote in Florida.
” Yet recent polls show Biden has lost ground among Florida ’ s Latino voters compared to his predecessors Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton , both of whom outperformed their Republican rivals among this key voting bloc in the last three presidential elections .
Trump and Biden are virtually tied in Florida , prompting the former vice-president to make his first campaign trip as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunshine State earlier this week when he touched down in Kissimmee , a central Florida city with a huge population of Puerto Rican voters .
Around the same time , former New York City mayor , ex-presidential candidate and multi-billionaire Mike Bloomberg announced he was committing $ 100m to turn this crucial swing state blue on 3 November .
The “ never-Trump ” Republican outfit the Lincoln Project also announced it would produce ads targeting Florida ’ s Latino voters .
Meanwhile , Trump is galvanizing his base of Latino conservative voters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , by undoing much of Obama ’ s historic policy to restore relations with Cuba , his hardline approach opposing the Venezuelan president , Nicolás Maduro , and smearing Biden and the Democratic party as communists and socialists hellbent on destroying America .
Emma Vaughn , the Florida spokeswoman for the Trump Victory campaign , did not respond to requests for comment .
“ Trump voters are known for their enthusiasm , especially his Latino voters who fear socialism , ” said AJ Delgado , former Trump 2016 senior adviser and Hispanic outreach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people out to vote , and that should definitely be a concern for the Biden campaign.
” Delgado , who no longer supports the president and sued the Trump 2016 campaign for pregnancy and sex discrimination last year , said the tried and true Republican tactic of tarring Democrats with the communist label has ratcheted up for the 2020 presidential race .
“ On Spanish language radio in Miami , all you hear is : Nancy Pelosi is a communist , Joe Biden intends to use Covid-19 to bring communism to the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take our freedoms away , ” Delgado said .
“ The things that you hear coming out of Republican radio waves is highly concerning .
It is an extreme fear campaign.
” For instance , a frequent guest on Miami-based Radio Caracol , a main radio network in Colombia and other parts of Latin America , has pushed the antisemitic conspiracy theory that George Soros is a global “ puppet master ” and the man behind the Democratic party ’ s curtain , according to Politico .
The news website also reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being flooded with wild and racist disinformation such as Biden putting America in control of “ Jews and Blacks ” via social media applications such as WhatsApp and Facebook .
Manuel Pastor , a University of Southern California American studies and ethnicities professor , said Trump ’ s anti-socialism messaging resonates with south Florida ’ s Latino population , which is a mix of people originally from Cuba , Colombia , Venezuela , Nicaragua and other countries in Central and South America .
“ The Democratic party has indeed moved further to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Pastor said .
“ The runner-up [ Bernie Sanders ] labels himself a Democratic socialist .
While sophisticated people know the difference between that and being a Fidel Castro supporter , that level of nuance is not always felt in south Florida.
” Pastor also noted that Biden doesn ’ t have a long history with the Latino population like he does with working class white constituencies in the midwest and black voters in southern states .
Although , Pastor and other political observers believe Biden can make inroads and win the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Central Florida and Latino voters under 40 who are less susceptible to the anti-communist Republican messaging .
“ Biden and [ his running mate ] Kamala Harris need to show up more in Florida , ” Pastor said .
“ Second , they need to skew young .
That anticommunist sentiment is not as strong with younger Cubans and non-Cuban Hispanics.
” Christina Hernandez , a political consultant who was the Florida Hispanic vote director for the 2012 Obama re-election campaign , said the Biden campaign ’ s key to victory lies in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home to tens of thousands of Puerto Rican voters , who historically vote Democrat .
Hernandez , who is not working for any campaigns this cycle , said it is critical for the Biden-Harris ticket to remind Puerto Ricans about the days , weeks and months many of them had to wait to hear about their loved ones after Hurricane Maria decimated the island in Puerto Rico and contrast that with Trump ’ s indifference to the island ’ s disaster recovery .
“ There is going to be another hurricane , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Do we want to relive that pain and that terror while this man plays golf ?
He did nothing to help Puerto Rico and , in fact , wanted to trade the island for Greenland .
If that is not enough to turn them out , I don ’ t know what will.
” Iraola , the young Hialeah Democrat , is concerned that some of the messaging and the advertising targeting Latino voters relies too much on painting Trump as the authoritarian bogeyman .
“ The people who think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come around and believe Trump is like [ Venezuelan president ] Nicolás Maduro , ” Iraola said .
“ And that doesn ’ t speak to young Hispanic voters .
They care about the economy , the disastrous response to the coronavirus , healthcare and climate change .
To that end , Iraola ’ s employer NextGen Florida is looking to educate Florida ’ s young Latino voters that Biden does have policies that address the issues important to them , he said .
NextGen Florida is a nonprofit organization that endorses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voter participation among Generation Z ’ ers and Millennials , Iraola explained .
Iraola believes young Hispanic voters are starting to flex their influence in traditionally GOP strongholds in Miami-Dade .
In the 2018 midterm election , underfunded Colombian American Democrat Cindy Polo pulled off an upset when she won state House district 103 that includes parts of Hialeah , Miami Lakes and Palm Springs North .
She claimed a seat previously held by Republicans for nearly a decade .
“ We know from all of our research and focus groups that young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden and the Democratic party , ” Iraola said .
“ By and large they don ’ t like Trump , but they are not convinced there is a need to make the effort to turn out and vote .
”

Every Saturday for several months, Abel Iraola has kept track of the boisterous crowd of Donald Trump supporters that gathers near an exit ramp of the Palmetto Expressway in Hialeah, the city with the highest concentration of Republican Cuban Americans in Florida.
A 28-year-old Democrat, Iraola lives two blocks away from the spot where the impromptu gathering gives him a sense of what his party’s presidential nominee, Joe Biden, is up against in the race to win Florida’s Latino vote.
“He and everyone in the Democratic party should be concerned about turning out more Hispanic voters than Trump until the final results come in,” Iraola said. “We shouldn’t have to be worrying about the Hispanic vote in Florida.”
Yet recent polls show Biden has lost ground among Florida’s Latino voters compared to his predecessors Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, both of whom outperformed their Republican rivals among this key voting bloc in the last three presidential elections.
Trump and Biden are virtually tied in Florida, prompting the former vice-president to make his first campaign trip as his party’s nominee to the Sunshine State earlier this week when he touched down in Kissimmee, a central Florida city with a huge population of Puerto Rican voters.
Around the same time, former New York City mayor, ex-presidential candidate and multi-billionaire Mike Bloomberg announced he was committing $100m to turn this crucial swing state blue on 3 November. The “never-Trump” Republican outfit the Lincoln Project also announced it would produce ads targeting Florida’s Latino voters.
Joe Biden delivers remarks and holds a roundtable discussion with veterans at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida, as his supporters stand outside on 15 September. Photograph: Leah Millis/Reuters
Meanwhile, Trump is galvanizing his base of Latino conservative voters, especially Cuban Americans in strongholds like Hialeah, by undoing much of Obama’s historic policy to restore relations with Cuba, his hardline approach opposing the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, and smearing Biden and the Democratic party as communists and socialists hellbent on destroying America. Emma Vaughn, the Florida spokeswoman for the Trump Victory campaign, did not respond to requests for comment.
“Trump voters are known for their enthusiasm, especially his Latino voters who fear socialism,” said AJ Delgado, former Trump 2016 senior adviser and Hispanic outreach coordinator. “That will get his people out to vote, and that should definitely be a concern for the Biden campaign.”
Delgado, who no longer supports the president and sued the Trump 2016 campaign for pregnancy and sex discrimination last year, said the tried and true Republican tactic of tarring Democrats with the communist label has ratcheted up for the 2020 presidential race.
“On Spanish language radio in Miami, all you hear is: Nancy Pelosi is a communist, Joe Biden intends to use Covid-19 to bring communism to the US, and that the Democrats are going to take our freedoms away,” Delgado said. “The things that you hear coming out of Republican radio waves is highly concerning. It is an extreme fear campaign.”
For instance, a frequent guest on Miami-based Radio Caracol, a main radio network in Colombia and other parts of Latin America, has pushed the antisemitic conspiracy theory that George Soros is a global “puppet master” and the man behind the Democratic party’s curtain, according to Politico. The news website also reported that Spanish-speaking residents of south Florida are being flooded with wild and racist disinformation such as Biden putting America in control of “Jews and Blacks” via social media applications such as WhatsApp and Facebook.
Manuel Pastor, a University of Southern California American studies and ethnicities professor, said Trump’s anti-socialism messaging resonates with south Florida’s Latino population, which is a mix of people originally from Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and other countries in Central and South America.
Thousands of Trump supporters at a ‘caravan’ protest in Miami this week. Photograph: Cristobal Herrera-Ulashkevich/EPA
“The Democratic party has indeed moved further to the left in the past four years,” Pastor said. “The runner-up [Bernie Sanders] labels himself a Democratic socialist. While sophisticated people know the difference between that and being a Fidel Castro supporter, that level of nuance is not always felt in south Florida.”
Pastor also noted that Biden doesn’t have a long history with the Latino population like he does with working class white constituencies in the midwest and black voters in southern states. Although, Pastor and other political observers believe Biden can make inroads and win the Latino vote by targeting Puerto Ricans in Central Florida and Latino voters under 40 who are less susceptible to the anti-communist Republican messaging.
“Biden and [his running mate] Kamala Harris need to show up more in Florida,” Pastor said. “Second, they need to skew young. That anticommunist sentiment is not as strong with younger Cubans and non-Cuban Hispanics.”
Christina Hernandez, a political consultant who was the Florida Hispanic vote director for the 2012 Obama re-election campaign, said the Biden campaign’s key to victory lies in the state’s I-4 corridor, home to tens of thousands of Puerto Rican voters, who historically vote Democrat.
Hernandez, who is not working for any campaigns this cycle, said it is critical for the Biden-Harris ticket to remind Puerto Ricans about the days, weeks and months many of them had to wait to hear about their loved ones after Hurricane Maria decimated the island in Puerto Rico and contrast that with Trump’s indifference to the island’s disaster recovery.
“There is going to be another hurricane,” Hernandez, who is Puerto Rican, said. “Do we want to relive that pain and that terror while this man plays golf? He did nothing to help Puerto Rico and, in fact, wanted to trade the island for Greenland. If that is not enough to turn them out, I don’t know what will.”
Iraola, the young Hialeah Democrat, is concerned that some of the messaging and the advertising targeting Latino voters relies too much on painting Trump as the authoritarian bogeyman. “The people who think Biden is a commie are not going to come around and believe Trump is like [Venezuelan president] Nicolás Maduro,” Iraola said. “And that doesn’t speak to young Hispanic voters. They care about the economy, the disastrous response to the coronavirus, healthcare and climate change.
To that end, Iraola’s employer NextGen Florida is looking to educate Florida’s young Latino voters that Biden does have policies that address the issues important to them, he said. NextGen Florida is a nonprofit organization that endorses progressive candidates and is focused on increasing voter participation among Generation Z’ers and Millennials, Iraola explained.
Iraola believes young Hispanic voters are starting to flex their influence in traditionally GOP strongholds in Miami-Dade. In the 2018 midterm election, underfunded Colombian American Democrat Cindy Polo pulled off an upset when she won state House district 103 that includes parts of Hialeah, Miami Lakes and Palm Springs North. She claimed a seat previously held by Republicans for nearly a decade.
“We know from all of our research and focus groups that young people want good reasons to vote for Biden and the Democratic party,” Iraola said. “By and large they don’t like Trump, but they are not convinced there is a need to make the effort to turn out and vote.”


theguardian--2020-09-22--'Fill that seat': Trump's weaponizing of the courts will be his lasting legacy

Supporters of Donald Trump hit on a new chant at a campaign rally in North Carolina at the weekend .
In 2016 , it was , “ Lock her up !
Lock her up !
” In 2020 , it ’ s , “ Fill that seat !
Fill that seat !
” The “ seat ” , of course , refers to the supreme court vacancy created with the death on Friday of Ruth Bader Ginsburg , the liberal justice whose replacement with a conservative by Trump could remake American life under the law for generations .
For the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event , a supreme court-themed chant might not seem like an obvious crowd-shaking rallying cry .
But Trump ’ s success at appointing conservative judges is not only a political winner for Trump : it amounts to a true and towering legacy .
“ I ’ m going to be up to 280 judges very soon , ” Trump bragged to the journalist Bob Woodward in remarks that Woodward captured on tape and released Sunday .
“ Nobody ’ s ever had that .
Two hundred and eighty .
You know ?
Nobody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s number was characteristically inflated : the number of judges he has placed on district- and circuit-court benches and the supreme court totals 214 ( out of 865 total ) ; a Ginsburg replacement would make 215 .
But Trump was exactly right that “ nobody ’ s ever had that ” many appointees to the bench so quickly – meaning that no president has done more to shape the future of American life under the law on issues from discrimination claims to marriage equality to gun control .
Trump is trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by communicating that the fate of the landmark Roe v Wade supreme court ruling protecting abortion rights is on the line , said Nan Aron , president of the progressive Alliance for Justice advocacy group .
“ Republicans have long seized on the judiciary as a reliable tool to galvanize their base before an election , ” Aron said .
“ It strikes me at this point it ’ s a desperate measure on the part of this administration , to appeal to their voters to actually go to the polls.
” Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support of his conservative base , and so successful at appointing judges , however , that he may run the risk of finding that the political utility of the judges issue is diminished in the upcoming election .
Most people who might support Trump already do , polling indicates – and he ’ s already delivered so mightily on remaking the judiciary that some voters could see his work here as done .
The supreme court was considered a “ very important ” issue with 70 % of Trump voters in 2016 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years and two , maybe three supreme court appointments later , that number has slid to 61 % .
There are signs , meanwhile , that Trump ’ s courts power grab has motivated Democrats mightily – especially with the Ginsburg seat in play .
Supporters have donated about about $ 100m for Democratic senate candidates since Ginsburg ’ s death , New York magazine reported .
The proportion of Democratic voters rating the supreme court as a “ very important ” issue has grown from 62 % in 2016 to 66 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Progressives are more galvanized today than ever before , ” Aron said .
“ I think we ’ ll see thousands , millions of Americans prioritize the courts primarily out of fear that everything they hold dear – workers ’ rights , consumer protections , civil and women ’ s rights and , most importantly , healthcare – will be threatened.
” Trump was able to pull off the hundreds-of-judges feat by turning the process almost entirely over to conservative legal activists and to the Senate majority leader , Mitch McConnell , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first place by blocking Barack Obama appointees .
Trump told Woodward those vacancies were “ golden nuggets ” and it is quite clear what Trump bought with them : the faithful support of evangelical Christian and conservative Republican voters for whom restrictions on abortion and immigration , the elimination of environmental regulations and the ability to restrict access to voting are top political objectives .
Eight in 10 white evangelical Protestant registered voters would vote for Trump or lean toward voting for him in November , according to a July survey by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s performance on judges as the factor that made them set aside whatever personal reservations they might have about the president .
Trump has worked relentlessly to woo his base .
And as election day approaches , he has shared his vision for a capstone on his judiciary project : a third supreme court justice in just four years .
In his conversation with Woodward , Trump credited McConnell with powering the effort .
“ You know what Mitch ’ s biggest thing is in the whole world ?
His judges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He will absolutely ask me , please let ’ s get the judge approved instead of 10 ambassadors .
”

Supporters of Donald Trump hit on a new chant at a campaign rally in North Carolina at the weekend.
In 2016, it was, “Lock her up! Lock her up!”
In 2020, it’s, “Fill that seat! Fill that seat!”
The “seat”, of course, refers to the supreme court vacancy created with the death on Friday of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the liberal justice whose replacement with a conservative by Trump could remake American life under the law for generations.
For the aggressively informal air of a typical Trump event, a supreme court-themed chant might not seem like an obvious crowd-shaking rallying cry. But Trump’s success at appointing conservative judges is not only a political winner for Trump: it amounts to a true and towering legacy.
“I’m going to be up to 280 judges very soon,” Trump bragged to the journalist Bob Woodward in remarks that Woodward captured on tape and released Sunday. “Nobody’s ever had that. Two hundred and eighty. You know? Nobody’s ever had that.”
Trump’s number was characteristically inflated: the number of judges he has placed on district- and circuit-court benches and the supreme court totals 214 (out of 865 total); a Ginsburg replacement would make 215.
But Trump was exactly right that “nobody’s ever had that” many appointees to the bench so quickly – meaning that no president has done more to shape the future of American life under the law on issues from discrimination claims to marriage equality to gun control.
Trump is trying to boost Republican turnout in the election by communicating that the fate of the landmark Roe v Wade supreme court ruling protecting abortion rights is on the line, said Nan Aron, president of the progressive Alliance for Justice advocacy group.
“Republicans have long seized on the judiciary as a reliable tool to galvanize their base before an election,” Aron said. “It strikes me at this point it’s a desperate measure on the part of this administration, to appeal to their voters to actually go to the polls.”
Voters embrace near a makeshift memorial for Rutth Bader Ginsburg at the US supreme court in Washington DC, on 21 September. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
Trump has been so successful at securing the support of his conservative base, and so successful at appointing judges, however, that he may run the risk of finding that the political utility of the judges issue is diminished in the upcoming election.
Most people who might support Trump already do, polling indicates – and he’s already delivered so mightily on remaking the judiciary that some voters could see his work here as done.
The supreme court was considered a “very important” issue with 70% of Trump voters in 2016, according to Pew Research polling; four years and two, maybe three supreme court appointments later, that number has slid to 61%.
There are signs, meanwhile, that Trump’s courts power grab has motivated Democrats mightily – especially with the Ginsburg seat in play. Supporters have donated about about $100m for Democratic senate candidates since Ginsburg’s death, New York magazine reported. The proportion of Democratic voters rating the supreme court as a “very important” issue has grown from 62% in 2016 to 66% this year, according to Pew.
I think we’ll see thousands, millions of Americans prioritize the courts primarily out of fear that everything they hold dear ... will be threatened Nan Aron
“Progressives are more galvanized today than ever before,” Aron said. “I think we’ll see thousands, millions of Americans prioritize the courts primarily out of fear that everything they hold dear – workers’ rights, consumer protections, civil and women’s rights and, most importantly, healthcare – will be threatened.”
Trump was able to pull off the hundreds-of-judges feat by turning the process almost entirely over to conservative legal activists and to the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, who created many of the vacancies in the first place by blocking Barack Obama appointees.
Trump told Woodward those vacancies were “golden nuggets” and it is quite clear what Trump bought with them: the faithful support of evangelical Christian and conservative Republican voters for whom restrictions on abortion and immigration, the elimination of environmental regulations and the ability to restrict access to voting are top political objectives.
Eight in 10 white evangelical Protestant registered voters would vote for Trump or lean toward voting for him in November, according to a July survey by Pew Research. Those voters reliably cite Trump’s performance on judges as the factor that made them set aside whatever personal reservations they might have about the president.
Trump has worked relentlessly to woo his base. And as election day approaches, he has shared his vision for a capstone on his judiciary project: a third supreme court justice in just four years.
In his conversation with Woodward, Trump credited McConnell with powering the effort.
“You know what Mitch’s biggest thing is in the whole world? His judges,” Trump told Woodward. “He will absolutely ask me, please let’s get the judge approved instead of 10 ambassadors.”


theguardian--2020-09-22--Trump races to fill supreme court seat as Republicans fall into line

Donald Trump has raced to cement a conservative majority on the US supreme court before the presidential election on 3 November , and Democrats ’ hopes of keeping the seat empty have faded as two Republican senators signalled their support for moving quickly .
The president said on Monday he would name his third supreme court nominee on Friday or Saturday , following memorials for Ruth Bader Ginsburg , the liberal justice who died aged 87 on Friday .
Ginsburg will lie in state at the court on Wednesday and Thursday .
Her coffin will rest on the Lincoln Catafalque @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the 16th president in 1865 and loaned to the court by Congress .
Ginsburg ’ s funeral will follow next week , at Arlington national cemetery .
“ I think it will be on Friday or Saturday and we want to pay respect , ” Trump told Fox News in a rambling interview by phone .
“ It looks like we will have services on Thursday or Friday , as I understand it , and I think we should , with all due respect for Justice Ginsburg , wait for services to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only 43 days away , an announcement on Friday or Saturday would narrow even that short window considerably .
Polling shows a majority of the public thinks the nomination should be made by the winner of the presidential election .
Democrats also point to the precedent of Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell ’ s refusal to grant a hearing to Barack Obama ’ s last nominee , Merrick Garland , in the eight months between the death of Antonin Scalia in February 2016 and the election Trump won .
McConnell and Senate allies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not apply , as the Senate and the White House are held by the same party .
There is no provision in the constitution on the subject .
On the current court , the conservative Clarence Thomas was nominated by a Republican president and confirmed by a Democratic Senate .
A successful nomination would tilt the court 6-3 in favour of conservatives , potentially shaping American life for generations to come .
Two Republicans , Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine , have said they do not support efforts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That leaves McConnell with a 51-49 majority – enough to get the confirmation through .
One more defection would produce a tie that would be broken by the vice-president , Mike Pence .
Two more would sink the effort .
Democrats had hoped to get similar support from Cory Gardner , the senator for Colorado , who faces a tough re-election race in Colorado , and the Iowa senator , Chuck Grassley .
But both men said on Monday they would vote to confirm a qualified Trump pick .
The Republican senator Mitt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and is seen by Democrats as a potential holdout , avoided questions about the supreme court seat on Monday .
“ Before I have any comment , I ’ m going to meet with my colleagues , which I ’ ll be doing tomorrow , ” Romney , the party ’ s 2012 presidential nominee , told reporters .
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , the Republican chairman of the Senate judiciary committee , told Fox News late on Monday : “ We ’ ve got the votes to confirm Justice Ginsburg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ re going to move forward in the committee .
We ’ re going to report the nomination out of the committee to the floor of the United States Senate so we can vote before the election.
” Trump has promised to nominate a woman .
Amy Coney Barrett of Indiana and Barbara Lagoa of Florida are reported to be frontrunners , Trump having reportedly said of Barrett : “ I ’ m saving her for Ginsburg.
” Political considerations will naturally impinge on the selection .
Barrett is a devout Catholic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that her confirmation would imperil Roe v Wade , the 1973 ruling that made abortion legal .
Appearing on Fox & Friends , Trump praised both women but also said Lagoa was “ excellent , she ’ s Hispanic .
She ’ s a terrific woman from everything I know .
I don ’ t know her .
We love Florida and so she ’ s got a lot of things.
” Trump and Joe Biden are in a tight race in Florida , a key swing state .
The Trump campaign has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Arizona .
Ginsburg died on Friday of complications from pancreatic cancer at age 87 .
The Senate Democratic leader , Chuck Schumer , said any vote should take place next year .
“ That was Justice Ginsburg ’ s dying wish .
And it may be the Senate ’ s only , last hope , ” Schumer said .
Trump said without evidence that he did not believe the National Public Radio report that Ginsburg had told her granddaughter she did not want the Senate to consider a successor until next year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second term or Democratic rival Joe Biden , who leads in opinion polls , will take office .
“ It was just too convenient , ” Trump said .

Donald Trump has raced to cement a conservative majority on the US supreme court before the presidential election on 3 November, and Democrats’ hopes of keeping the seat empty have faded as two Republican senators signalled their support for moving quickly.
The president said on Monday he would name his third supreme court nominee on Friday or Saturday, following memorials for Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the liberal justice who died aged 87 on Friday.
Ginsburg will lie in state at the court on Wednesday and Thursday. Her coffin will rest on the Lincoln Catafalque, a platform built after the assassination of the 16th president in 1865 and loaned to the court by Congress. Ginsburg’s funeral will follow next week, at Arlington national cemetery.
“I think it will be on Friday or Saturday and we want to pay respect,” Trump told Fox News in a rambling interview by phone. “It looks like we will have services on Thursday or Friday, as I understand it, and I think we should, with all due respect for Justice Ginsburg, wait for services to be over.”
With the presidential election only 43 days away, an announcement on Friday or Saturday would narrow even that short window considerably.
Polling shows a majority of the public thinks the nomination should be made by the winner of the presidential election. Democrats also point to the precedent of Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell’s refusal to grant a hearing to Barack Obama’s last nominee, Merrick Garland, in the eight months between the death of Antonin Scalia in February 2016 and the election Trump won.
McConnell and Senate allies say the precedent they set then does not apply, as the Senate and the White House are held by the same party. There is no provision in the constitution on the subject. On the current court, the conservative Clarence Thomas was nominated by a Republican president and confirmed by a Democratic Senate.
02:38 Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer clash on supreme court nomination – video
A successful nomination would tilt the court 6-3 in favour of conservatives, potentially shaping American life for generations to come.
Two Republicans, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, have said they do not support efforts to bring a nomination to a vote. That leaves McConnell with a 51-49 majority – enough to get the confirmation through. One more defection would produce a tie that would be broken by the vice-president, Mike Pence. Two more would sink the effort.
Democrats had hoped to get similar support from Cory Gardner, the senator for Colorado, who faces a tough re-election race in Colorado, and the Iowa senator, Chuck Grassley. But both men said on Monday they would vote to confirm a qualified Trump pick.
03:05 Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Republicans and Democrats draw battle lines over replacement – video
The Republican senator Mitt Romney, who has clashed with Trump and is seen by Democrats as a potential holdout, avoided questions about the supreme court seat on Monday.
“Before I have any comment, I’m going to meet with my colleagues, which I’ll be doing tomorrow,” Romney, the party’s 2012 presidential nominee, told reporters.
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the Republican chairman of the Senate judiciary committee, told Fox News late on Monday: “We’ve got the votes to confirm Justice Ginsburg’s replacement before the election. We’re going to move forward in the committee. We’re going to report the nomination out of the committee to the floor of the United States Senate so we can vote before the election.”
Trump has promised to nominate a woman. Amy Coney Barrett of Indiana and Barbara Lagoa of Florida are reported to be frontrunners, Trump having reportedly said of Barrett: “I’m saving her for Ginsburg.”
Political considerations will naturally impinge on the selection. Barrett is a devout Catholic, leading to fears among pro-choice groups that her confirmation would imperil Roe v Wade, the 1973 ruling that made abortion legal.
Appearing on Fox & Friends, Trump praised both women but also said Lagoa was “excellent, she’s Hispanic. She’s a terrific woman from everything I know. I don’t know her. We love Florida and so she’s got a lot of things.”
Trump and Joe Biden are in a tight race in Florida, a key swing state. The Trump campaign has also been targeting Latino voters in Nevada and Arizona.
Ginsburg died on Friday of complications from pancreatic cancer at age 87.
The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, said any vote should take place next year. “That was Justice Ginsburg’s dying wish. And it may be the Senate’s only, last hope,” Schumer said.
Trump said without evidence that he did not believe the National Public Radio report that Ginsburg had told her granddaughter she did not want the Senate to consider a successor until next year, when either Trump will begin a second term or Democratic rival Joe Biden, who leads in opinion polls, will take office.
“It was just too convenient,” Trump said.
Reuters contributed to this report