theguardian--2020-07-22--White House held talks over resuming US nuclear tests, John Bolton says

White House officials held a series of discussions over the past two years on the possibility of resuming US nuclear testing , according to the former national security adviser John Bolton .
“ Certainly the subject was discussed , ” Bolton , a fierce advocate of testing , told the Guardian .
However , there was opposition from some in the administration who felt current computer-based testing of US warheads was sufficient , and no decision was made by the time Bolton left the White House last September .
When the prospect of the first US underground nuclear test in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House meeting in May , it triggered an outcry from arms control advocates and a Democratic amendment to the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act , blocking funding for preparations for a test .
Bolton , who has published a memoir on his time in the Trump White House titled The Room Where It Happened , said the issue was discussed in general terms on a number of occasions while he was national security adviser from April 2018 to September 2019 .
However , the discussions did not become “ operational ” as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US out of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces ( INF ) treaty .
Donald Trump first announced he would leave the agreement – on the grounds of Russian violations – in October 2018 , and the departure came into effect in August 2019 .
Bolton made it clear that he planned to withdraw the US signature on the Comprehensive Test Ban treaty ( CTBT ) , paving the way to nuclear testing , if he had stayed on at the White House .
“ We had general discussions about it on a number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision point , ” he said .
“ I personally had other objectives like getting out of the INF treaty .
I mean , you can ’ t do everything all at once.
” A senior official told the Washington Post that the motivation for testing cited in the White House “ deputies meeting ” in May was to put pressure on Russia and China to enter trilateral arms control negotiations .
“ I never made that argument , and I doubt it would provide much leverage , ” Bolton said .
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is necessary to be certain of the reliability of the thousands of warheads in the US arsenal .
Opponents of testing say that the computer-based analysis of the “ stockpile stewardship and management plan ” is quite sufficient , and that detonating a warhead would trigger a cascade of tests by other nuclear weapons states .
“ We don ’ t know fully what the impact of ageing is on either the reliability or the security and safety of the nuclear devices .
So this is something we need for the credibility of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ m not talking about massive testing .
I ’ m certainly not talking about atmospheric testing , but as one military commander described it to me : ‘ Having 5,000 nuclear warheads is like having 5,000 Toyotas in a garage .
You want to know that when you turn the key , it works the first time .
Because if it doesn ’ t , it doesn ’ t work at all.
’ ” The administration ’ s new arms control envoy , Marshall Billingslea , told the Senate on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintain the ability to conduct nuclear tests if we see reason to do so.
” But he added that he was “ not aware of any reason to test at this stage ” .
Bolton acknowledged that there was resistance to testing from other officials in the Trump administration .
“ I think different people have different views , ” he said .
Reports of the May meeting also aroused vigorous and bipartisan opposition in Nevada , when the US historically tested its nuclear warheads .
Since the last US test in 1992 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extended much closer to the Nevada test site .
Bolton however , argues that local resistance would not be an insuperable obstacle to a resumption of testing.. “ I think there are a lot of options on the location , and let ’ s remember these are underground tests that we ’ re talking about .
You ’ re not not talking about waking up in Las Vegas and feeling the ground move , ” he said .
Bolton repeated US allegations that the Russians , Chinese “ and maybe others ” were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ so some level of testing could simply bring us up to a more level playing field with the other nuclear powers ” .
The US has formally accused Moscow and Beijing of conducting non-zero yield testing , but has not offered any evidence .
Bolton was adamant that the US should not extend the 2010 New Start treaty with Russia , which limits the number of deployed strategic warheads and delivery systems of both countries , principally because it does not cover tactical nuclear weapons , of which Russia has many more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration position that any new round of arms control talks should include China , and suggested other nuclear weapons powers could be involved too .
“ I could imagine a strategic arms limitation discussion going forward that has all five permanent members of the [ UN ] security council , all five legitimate nuclear weapon states under the Non-Proliferation treaty , ” Bolton said .
Bolton said he was “ delighted ” at the string of explosions and fires at Iranian nuclear facilities and other strategic sites in recent weeks , speculating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind the attacks .
“ I think certainly the potential for external actors , a Gulf country , Israel , working with dissidents inside Iran .
It ’ d be hard to believe that wasn ’ t the case , ” he said .
“ I think it ’ s very important to prove to the Iranians time and time again that even their most important facilities are vulnerable.
” “ This is the sort of thing that I think has been absent from the American bag of tools , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be involved in the sabotage campaign , Bolton replied : “ I ’ m not saying I ’ ve got any particular information one way or the other .
But it wouldn ’ t bother me if we were .
That ’ s for sure .
”

White House officials held a series of discussions over the past two years on the possibility of resuming US nuclear testing, according to the former national security adviser John Bolton.
“Certainly the subject was discussed,” Bolton, a fierce advocate of testing, told the Guardian. However, there was opposition from some in the administration who felt current computer-based testing of US warheads was sufficient, and no decision was made by the time Bolton left the White House last September.
When the prospect of the first US underground nuclear test in nearly three decades came up at a White House meeting in May, it triggered an outcry from arms control advocates and a Democratic amendment to the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, blocking funding for preparations for a test.
Bolton, who has published a memoir on his time in the Trump White House titled The Room Where It Happened, said the issue was discussed in general terms on a number of occasions while he was national security adviser from April 2018 to September 2019. However, the discussions did not become “operational” as his priority had been to take the US out of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty.
Donald Trump first announced he would leave the agreement – on the grounds of Russian violations – in October 2018, and the departure came into effect in August 2019. Bolton made it clear that he planned to withdraw the US signature on the Comprehensive Test Ban treaty (CTBT), paving the way to nuclear testing, if he had stayed on at the White House.
“We had general discussions about it on a number of occasions but there wasn’t a decision point,” he said. “I personally had other objectives like getting out of the INF treaty. I mean, you can’t do everything all at once.”
A senior official told the Washington Post that the motivation for testing cited in the White House “deputies meeting” in May was to put pressure on Russia and China to enter trilateral arms control negotiations.
“I never made that argument, and I doubt it would provide much leverage,” Bolton said.
His argument for underground testing is that it is necessary to be certain of the reliability of the thousands of warheads in the US arsenal.
Opponents of testing say that the computer-based analysis of the “stockpile stewardship and management plan” is quite sufficient, and that detonating a warhead would trigger a cascade of tests by other nuclear weapons states.
“We don’t know fully what the impact of ageing is on either the reliability or the security and safety of the nuclear devices. So this is something we need for the credibility of the deterrent,” Bolton said. “I’m not talking about massive testing. I’m certainly not talking about atmospheric testing, but as one military commander described it to me: ‘Having 5,000 nuclear warheads is like having 5,000 Toyotas in a garage. You want to know that when you turn the key, it works the first time. Because if it doesn’t, it doesn’t work at all.’”
The administration’s new arms control envoy, Marshall Billingslea, told the Senate on Tuesday: “We maintain and will maintain the ability to conduct nuclear tests if we see reason to do so.” But he added that he was “not aware of any reason to test at this stage”.
Donald Trump first announced he would leave the INF agreement in October 2018. Photograph: Konstantin Alysh/Russian defence ministry handout/EPA
Bolton acknowledged that there was resistance to testing from other officials in the Trump administration.
“I think different people have different views,” he said.
Reports of the May meeting also aroused vigorous and bipartisan opposition in Nevada, when the US historically tested its nuclear warheads. Since the last US test in 1992, Las Vegas has expanded considerably and extended much closer to the Nevada test site. Bolton however, argues that local resistance would not be an insuperable obstacle to a resumption of testing.
“I think there are a lot of options on the location, and let’s remember these are underground tests that we’re talking about. You’re not talking about waking up in Las Vegas and feeling the ground move,” he said.
Bolton repeated US allegations that the Russians, Chinese “and maybe others” were conducting very low-yield tests in secret, “so some level of testing could simply bring us up to a more level playing field with the other nuclear powers”.
The US has formally accused Moscow and Beijing of conducting non-zero yield testing, but has not offered any evidence.
I think certainly there's the potential for external actors, a Gulf country, Israel, working with dissidents inside Iran
Bolton was adamant that the US should not extend the 2010 New Start treaty with Russia, which limits the number of deployed strategic warheads and delivery systems of both countries, principally because it does not cover tactical nuclear weapons, of which Russia has many more than the US.
He supports the Trump administration position that any new round of arms control talks should include China, and suggested other nuclear weapons powers could be involved too.
“I could imagine a strategic arms limitation discussion going forward that has all five permanent members of the [UN] security council, all five legitimate nuclear weapon states under the Non-Proliferation treaty,” Bolton said.
Bolton said he was “delighted” at the string of explosions and fires at Iranian nuclear facilities and other strategic sites in recent weeks, speculating that another Middle Eastern country could be behind the attacks.
“I think certainly there’s the potential for external actors, a Gulf country, Israel, working with dissidents inside Iran. It’d be hard to believe that wasn’t the case,” he said. “I think it’s very important to prove to the Iranians time and time again that even their most important facilities are vulnerable.
“This is the sort of thing that I think has been absent from the American bag of tools,” he said.
Asked whether the US may already be involved in the sabotage campaign, Bolton replied: “I’m not saying I’ve got any particular information one way or the other. But it wouldn’t bother me if we were. That’s for sure.”


theguardian--2020-07-22--Trump may not respect the election. We need a Democratic senate more than ever | Sidney Blumenthal

Donald Trump ’ s declaration that he might not accept the results of the 2020 election has fundamentally transformed the campaign , making plain what had only previously been suspected .
No other president has ever made such a statement .
“ I have to see , ” said Trump in an interview with Chris Wallace of Fox News on 19 July , after Wallace asked him if he would accept the election outcome .
“ No , I ’ m not going to just say yes .
I ’ m not going to say no , and I didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in 2016 , Trump claimed that the election was being “ rigged ” against him .
“ I will look at it at the time , ” Trump said to Wallace .
“ I will keep you in suspense.
” Unlike last time , Trump is the president and has taken an oath to uphold the constitution .
His refusal to accept the election results would be a clear violation of that oath and an impeachable offense .
Indeed , simply by announcing he might reject the results by his own fiat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ desecration of the constitution ’ s values since the Confederate secession in 1860-61 .
No one has proposed a more urgent and persuasive argument for the election of a Democratic-controlled Senate than Trump .
America needs a Democratic-controlled Senate as a warning to Trump that if he attempts to overturn an election that goes against him he will face a second impeachment and a full and fair trial .
If anything , Trump ’ s lawless contempt for the constitution is the strongest possible incentive to elect Democrats this fall .
Remember what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a Democratic-controlled Senate : Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives for coercing the government of Ukraine to fabricate false information to damage Joe Biden , then , in the Senate , the case ran into Trump ’ s most powerful firewall , the Senate majority leader , Mitch McConnell .
McConnell ensured that no witnesses were heard in the Senate and that Republican members were whipped into line to dismiss the evidence gathered by the House impeachment inquiry .
Trump has sought to subvert the 2020 election through every conceivable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in ballots during the coronavirus pandemic , forcing voters to put their lives potentially at risk by waiting in lengthy lines .
Even if his tactics to thwart the vote fail , his comments to Wallace indicate that Trump may cause a constitutional crisis to deny the people ’ s judgment .
He may , as he has in the past , incite violence , calling on his armed supporters to threaten state officials to prevent accurate ballot tabulations .
But whatever scenarios , gambits and tricks that Trump and his attorney general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sleeves , they should understand that the newly elected 117th Congress , especially if the Democrats have House and Senate majorities , could intervene to expose whatever they might do , beginning on the day the new congressmembers are sworn in on 3 January 2021 .
Without McConnell staging a farce to maintain Trump in power , the House can immediately impeach a defiant Trump ’ s repudiation of constitutional democracy and the Senate can conduct a trial with witnesses , starting with Barr , in fulfillment of the voters ’ verdict .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ election losses , maintain their phalanx to frustrate a two-thirds majority , their disgraceful identification with the utterly discredited Trump would be complete .
And if it comes to this , Trump and the Republicans will have delivered the nation to an authoritarian regime that dispenses with the constitution .
In the meantime , Democrats in state legislatures should propose resolutions calling on the presidential candidates to accept the results of the election .
Let every Republican be presented with an opportunity to stand for or against Trump ’ s disregard for democracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even legislatures instructing elected federal office holders to adhere to certain policies , goes back to Thomas Jefferson and James Madison ’ s Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions to protest against the trampling of civil liberties imposed through the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 .
Trump ’ s statement that he may not accept the election result has only one precedent , the most glaring example of illegality and treason .
According to the Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina from the Federal Union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election of Abraham Lincoln , “ whose opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery .
He is to be entrusted with the administration of the common Government , because he has declared that that ‘ Government can not endure permanently half slave , half free , ’ and that the public mind must rest in the belief that slavery is in the course of ultimate extinction.
” Lincoln answered the counter-revolution against democracy in a special message to the Congress on 4 July 1861 .
“ It presents to the whole family of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the question of whether a constitutional republic or democracy – a government of the people , by the same people – can or can not maintain its territorial integrity against its own domestic foes .
It presents the question whether the discontented individuals – too few in numbers to control the administration , according to organic law , in any case – can always , upon the pretenses made in this case or on any other pretenses , or arbitrarily without any pretense , break up the government and thus practically put an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” It is hardly a surprise that Trump defends Confederate monuments and the Confederate battle flag .
With his scorn for democracy and disdain for the constitution , Trump is preparing for the last battle of his own “ Lost Cause.
” • None Sidney Blumenthal is the author of All the Powers of Earth , A Self-Made Man , and Wrestling with His Angel , the first three volumes in his five-volume biography of Abraham Lincoln .
He is a former assistant and senior adviser to President Bill Clinton and senior adviser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a national staff reporter for the Washington Post , Washington editor and writer for the New Yorker and senior editor of The New Republic

Donald Trump’s declaration that he might not accept the results of the 2020 election has fundamentally transformed the campaign, making plain what had previously only been suspected. No other president has ever made such a statement.
“I have to see,” said Trump in an interview with Chris Wallace of Fox News on 19 July, after Wallace asked him if he would accept the election outcome. “No, I’m not going to just say yes. I’m not going to say no, and I didn’t last time either.” Indeed, in 2016, Trump claimed that the election was being “rigged” against him.
“I will look at it at the time,” Trump said to Wallace. “I will keep you in suspense.”
Unlike last time, Trump is the president and has taken an oath to uphold the constitution. His refusal to accept the election results would be a clear violation of that oath and an impeachable offense. Indeed, simply by announcing he might reject the results by his own fiat, Trump has issued the most blatant desecration of the constitution’s values since the Confederate secession in 1860-61.
No one has proposed a more urgent and persuasive argument for the election of a Democratic-controlled Senate than Trump. America needs a Democratic-controlled Senate as a warning to Trump that if he attempts to overturn an election that goes against him he will face a second impeachment and a full and fair trial. If anything, Trump’s lawless contempt for the constitution is the strongest possible incentive to elect Democrats this fall. Remember what happened last time, in the absence of a Democratic-controlled Senate: Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives for coercing the government of Ukraine to fabricate false information to damage Joe Biden, then, in the Senate, the case ran into Trump’s most powerful firewall, the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell. McConnell ensured that no witnesses were heard in the Senate and that Republican members were whipped into line to dismiss the evidence gathered by the House impeachment inquiry.
Trump has sought to subvert the 2020 election through every conceivable effort at voter suppression
Trump has sought to subvert the 2020 election through every conceivable effort at voter suppression, including opposing mail-in ballots during the coronavirus pandemic, forcing voters to put their lives potentially at risk by waiting in lengthy lines. Even if his tactics to thwart the vote fail, his comments to Wallace indicate that Trump may cause a constitutional crisis to deny the people’s judgment. He may, as he has in the past, incite violence, calling on his armed supporters to threaten state officials to prevent accurate ballot tabulations.
But whatever scenarios, gambits and tricks that Trump and his attorney general, William Barr, have up their sleeves, they should understand that the newly elected 117th Congress, especially if the Democrats have House and Senate majorities, could intervene to expose whatever they might do, beginning on the day the new Congress members are sworn in on 3 January 2021. Without McConnell staging a farce to maintain Trump in power, the House can immediately impeach a defiant Trump’s repudiation of constitutional democracy and the Senate can conduct a trial with witnesses, starting with Barr, in fulfillment of the voters’ verdict. If Senate Republicans, even after their election losses, maintain their phalanx to frustrate a two-thirds majority, their disgraceful identification with the utterly discredited Trump would be complete. And if it comes to this, Trump and the Republicans will have delivered the nation to an authoritarian regime that dispenses with the constitution.
In the meantime, Democrats in state legislatures should propose resolutions calling on the presidential candidates to accept the results of the election. Let every Republican be presented with an opportunity to stand for or against Trump’s disregard for democracy. The practice of passing such statements, even legislatures instructing elected federal office holders to adhere to certain policies, goes back to Thomas Jefferson and James Madison’s Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions to protest against the trampling of civil liberties imposed through the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798.
Trump’s statement that he may not accept the election result has only one precedent, the most glaring example of illegality and treason. According to the Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina from the Federal Union, secession was compelled because of the election of Abraham Lincoln, “whose opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery. He is to be entrusted with the administration of the common Government, because he has declared that that ‘Government cannot endure permanently half slave, half free,’ and that the public mind must rest in the belief that slavery is in the course of ultimate extinction.”
Lincoln answered the counter-revolution against democracy in a special message to the Congress on 4 July 1861. “It presents to the whole family of man,” he said, “the question of whether a constitutional republic or democracy – a government of the people, by the same people – can or cannot maintain its territorial integrity against its own domestic foes. It presents the question whether the discontented individuals – too few in numbers to control the administration, according to organic law, in any case – can always, upon the pretenses made in this case or on any other pretenses, or arbitrarily without any pretense, break up the government and thus practically put an end to free government upon the earth.”
It is hardly a surprise that Trump defends Confederate monuments and the Confederate battle flag. With his scorn for democracy and disdain for the constitution, Trump is preparing for the last battle of his own “Lost Cause”.


theguardian--2020-07-22--It's not too late for masks to revert to being a health precaution, not a political symbol | Adrienn

It's not too late for masks to revert to being a health precaution, not a political symbol | Adrienne Matei

Since June , the World Health Organization ( WHO ) has officially recommended wearing cloth or disposable face masks in public spaces where social distancing is difficult , and where there is widespread transmission , like on public transit or in crowds .
Masks provide an extra layer of protection against viral transmission ; until a Covid-19 vaccine becomes available , anything that even minimally reduces transmission – from hand-washing to mask-wearing to avoiding bars ( for now ) – can save lives .
There have been more than 3.5m confirmed Covid-19 cases in the United States this year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new cases confirmed last week .
Given the seriousness of the disease – we now know asymptomatic people transmit Covid-19 , and emerging research shows that even mild cases can have an outsized impact on a person ’ s health , potentially causing strokes and serious brain disorders - many Americans , like people all over the world , now wear masks as a simple precaution against transmitting the virus when outside the home .
A Gallup poll of 2,451 American adults taken this April found that one-third always wears a mask outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they wear a mask sometimes .
That means most Americans are willing to do a small thing they understand contributes to the safety of their communities .
Yet it leaves the one-third of respondents who reported never wearing masks .
What ’ s going on with them ?
There ’ s no one answer to the question of why certain people do not partake in what many others see as a civic duty , or simply a sensible way to behave .
Some may have extenuating health conditions that preclude their ability to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the deliberate choice not to wear a mask has become a way to signal their personal worldviews , ideologies and partisan affiliations .
The Gallup poll also revealed that US mask-wearers and anti-maskers are largely divided along party lines , with 75 % of Democrats but fewer than half of Republicans saying they had worn a mask in public .
One factor contributing to this difference in approach could be that the pandemic has , thus far , hit coastal , Democratic-leaning America the hardest .
Republicans , on the other hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in counties where the economy has been affected more than public health .
The idea that wearing a mask signals submissive weakness or a forfeiture of individual freedoms has also gained currency with some anti-maskers .
Their skepticism may be linked to everything from disapproval that the CDC and Dr Anthony Fauci ’ s stance on masks changed as the pandemic developed ( initially , PPE was only recommended for healthcare workers ) , to resentment that certain regions and businesses are enforcing pro-mask policies that infringe , however infinitesimally , on individual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boards where users theorize that Covid-19 is itself a hoax .
Then there ’ s the behavior of rightwing political pundits and the president himself , who have often cast doubt on Covid-19 ’ s importance .
In May , RR Reno , the editor of the conservative religious journal First Things , ranted on Twitter that “ The mask culture [ is ] fear-driven , ” bizarrely claiming soldiers fighting in the second world war were “ not cowards ” because they did not wear masks ( they did ) .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s recommendation that the public wear masks , saying he was “ choosing not to do it ” , contributing to the perception that masksappear weak .
During Trump ’ s visit to an Arizona Honeywell mask-manufacturing plant in May , reporter BrieAnna Frank noted that supporters who gathered outside the facility to cheer on the president also derided mask-wearing journalists .
Afterwards , on Twitter , Frank recounted what one man said : “ It ’ s submission , it ’ s muzzling yourself , it looks weak , especially for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some men do not feel secure in their masculinity when wearing masks , choosing to prioritize fragile ego over human life .
As the New York Times ’ Amanda Hess observed , to those who express their support for the president by refusing to wear a mask , anyone who does wear one isn ’ t just being cautious – “ they ’ re attacking the president and his supporters.
” To illustrate this tension , Hess described a sign on the door of a Texas restaurant banning masks : “ Due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they FEEL ( not think ) , that they need to wear a mask , they should stay home until they FEEL that it ’ s safe to be in public without one , ” it read .
Indeed , some anti-maskers claim to not only be concerned about the bad optics of taking a simple precaution during a terrible crisis ; they also question the science behind mask-wearing despite the many scientific studies that have now proven beyond a doubt that masks do help reduce the chance of person-to-person viral transmission .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientific ” anti-mask arguments are hard to take seriously given how transparently they have become a tool of post-hoc rationalization for what was always going to be the immediate position of a certain subset of conservative America anyway – that the economy supersedes all .
More optimistically , on Tuesday Trump encouraged all Americans to wear a mask when they weren ’ t able to socially distance .
And last week also marked the first time he wore a mask in public – an event which could encourage America ’ s more extreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appropriate or required .
If so , they will have waited for millions to sicken before ceasing to pretend that masks equate oppression , and finally acting to protect themselves and their country .
Better late than never , I suppose .

Since June, the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially recommended wearing cloth or disposable face masks in public spaces where social distancing is difficult, and where there is widespread transmission, like on public transit or in crowds. Masks provide an extra layer of protection against viral transmission; until a Covid-19 vaccine becomes available, anything that even minimally reduces transmission – from hand-washing to mask-wearing to avoiding bars (for now) – can save lives.
There have been more than 3.5m confirmed Covid-19 cases in the United States this year, with a record daily high of 74,000 new cases confirmed last week. Given the seriousness of the disease – we now know asymptomatic people transmit Covid-19, and emerging research shows that even mild cases can have an outsized impact on a person’s health, potentially causing strokes and serious brain disorders - many Americans, like people all over the world, now wear masks as a simple precaution against transmitting the virus when outside the home.
A Gallup poll of 2,451 American adults taken this April found that one-third always wears a mask outside their homes, with another third reporting they wear a mask sometimes.
That means most Americans are willing to do a small thing they understand contributes to the safety of their communities. Yet it leaves the one-third of respondents who reported never wearing masks. What’s going on with them?
There’s no one answer to the question of why certain people do not partake in what many others see as a civic duty, or simply a sensible way to behave. Some may have extenuating health conditions that preclude their ability to safely wear a mask. For others, the deliberate choice not to wear a mask has become a way to signal their personal worldviews, ideologies and partisan affiliations.
The Gallup poll also revealed that US mask-wearers and anti-maskers are largely divided along party lines, with 75% of Democrats but fewer than half of Republicans saying they had worn a mask in public. One factor contributing to this difference in approach could be that the pandemic has, thus far, hit coastal, Democratic-leaning America the hardest. Republicans, on the other hand, are more likely to be living in counties where the economy has been affected more than public health.
In April, Donald Trump undermined the CDC’s recommendation that the public wear masks, saying he was 'choosing not to do it'
The idea that wearing a mask signals submissive weakness or a forfeiture of individual freedoms has also gained currency with some anti-maskers. Their skepticism may be linked to everything from disapproval that the CDC and Dr Anthony Fauci’s stance on masks changed as the pandemic developed (initially, PPE was only recommended for healthcare workers), to resentment that certain regions and businesses are enforcing pro-mask policies that infringe, however infinitesimally, on individual liberty. There are also QAnon conspiracy boards where users theorize that Covid-19 is itself a hoax. Then there’s the behavior of rightwing political pundits and the president himself, who have often cast doubt on Covid-19’s importance.
In May, RR Reno, the editor of the conservative religious journal First Things, ranted on Twitter that “The mask culture [is] fear-driven,” bizarrely claiming soldiers fighting in the second world war were “not cowards” because they did not wear masks (they did). In April, Donald Trump undermined the CDC’s recommendation that the public wear masks, saying he was “choosing not to do it”, contributing to the perception that masksappear weak. During Trump’s visit to an Arizona Honeywell mask-manufacturing plant in May, reporter BrieAnna Frank noted that supporters who gathered outside the facility to cheer on the president also derided mask-wearing journalists. Afterwards, on Twitter, Frank recounted what one man said: “It’s submission, it’s muzzling yourself, it looks weak, especially for men.” Indeed, research substantiates that some men do not feel secure in their masculinity when wearing masks, choosing to prioritize fragile ego over human life.
As the New York Times’ Amanda Hess observed, to those who express their support for the president by refusing to wear a mask, anyone who does wear one isn’t just being cautious – “they’re attacking the president and his supporters.” To illustrate this tension, Hess described a sign on the door of a Texas restaurant banning masks: “Due to our concern for our customers, if they FEEL (not think), that they need to wear a mask, they should stay home until they FEEL that it’s safe to be in public without one,” it read.
Indeed, some anti-maskers claim to not only be concerned about the bad optics of taking a simple precaution during a terrible crisis; they also question the science behind mask-wearing despite the many scientific studies that have now proven beyond a doubt that masks do help reduce the chance of person-to-person viral transmission. In addition to being misleading, “scientific” anti-mask arguments are hard to take seriously given how transparently they have become a tool of post-hoc rationalization for what was always going to be the immediate position of a certain subset of conservative America anyway – that the economy supersedes all.
More optimistically, on Tuesday Trump encouraged all Americans to wear a mask when they weren’t able to socially distance. And last week also marked the first time he wore a mask in public – an event which could encourage America’s more extreme mask-skeptics to also don face coverings where appropriate or required. If so, they will have waited for millions to sicken before ceasing to pretend that masks equate oppression, and finally acting to protect themselves and their country. Better late than never, I suppose.


theguardian--2020-07-23--Trump announces 'surge of federal law enforcement' in US cities – as it happened

In Portland , hundreds of mothers have attended demonstrations and stood as a human barricade between protesters and federal officers .
It took the killing of George Floyd to get Jane Ullman to finally pay attention to what the police were up to in America .
But it was the sinister sight of federal agents in camouflage snatching demonstrators off the streets of Portland that got her out to protest .
The chief financial officer for tech startups in Oregon ’ s biggest city joined hundreds of other mothers dressed in yellow in a “ Wall of Moms ” , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a human barricade between protesters and agents dispatched by Donald Trump to aggressively break up Black Lives Matter demonstrations .
Ullman , a mother of two , said it was her first demonstration in support of racial justice .
“ As an upper-middle-class white woman in the whitest city in America , I couldn ’ t stand by any longer , ” she said .
“ I ’ ve been doing a lot of self-educating since George Floyd .
Reading and learning .
The feds ’ part in it pushed me over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But it was the ‘ Wall of Moms ’ that brought me out.
” Ullman was not alone .
What began as a small symbolic act of defiance on Saturday grew into the principal demonstration two nights later , as thousands packed the streets and squares outside the county jail and federal courthouse in downtown Portland for one of the largest protests to date .
At the heart of it were hundreds of women dressed in yellow and singing “ Hands up , please don ’ t shoot me ” – evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dispatch of federal agents failed to stop the protests , it has reinvigorated them .

Maanvi Singh in San Francisco (now) and Joan E Greve in Washington (earlier)

23 Jul 2020 01.00 BST Summary From me and Joan E Greve: Daily coronavirus deaths in the US surpassed 1,000 yesterday for the first time since 2 June. In another coronavirus briefing, Donald Trump, who appeared without his top public health officials, linked the surge in cases to protests, young people at beaches and Mexicans.
In another coronavirus briefing, Donald Trump, who appeared without his top public health officials, linked the surge in cases to protests, young people at beaches and Mexicans. Trump, in a separate briefing, announced a “surge” of federal law enforcement to US cities, including Chicago. He and attorney general William Barr made baseless claims linking protests against police brutality with an uptick in violent crimes. The influences driving short-term ups and downs in crime rates are complex, and similar links made by officials following protests sparked by the police killing of Michael Brown in 2014 were debunked in studies.
He and attorney general made baseless claims linking protests against police brutality with an uptick in violent crimes. The influences driving short-term ups and downs in crime rates are complex, and similar links made by officials following protests sparked by the police killing of Michael Brown in 2014 were debunked in studies. Chicago officials said the city would not see undercover federal law enforcement patrolling and making arrests, as was the case in Portland. But Mayor Lori Lightfoot told Chicagoans to stay alert and report suspicious policing.
But Mayor Lori Lightfoot told Chicagoans to stay alert and report suspicious policing. Portland’s city council passed a resolution instructing local police to stop collaborating with federal law enforcement recently deployed to the city . The measure asks Portland police to stop providing or requesting “operational support” from federal officers and stipulates that any local officer who violates the directive will “be subject to discipline” per the resolution.
. The measure asks Portland police to stop providing or requesting “operational support” from federal officers and stipulates that any local officer who violates the directive will “be subject to discipline” per the resolution. Fifteen mayors sent a letter objecting to federal agents being sent to Portland, Oregon. The letter, which was addressed to attorney general William Barr and acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf, described the deployment of federal agents to cities without the approval of local leaders as an “abuse of power”.
The letter, which was addressed to attorney general and acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security described the deployment of federal agents to cities without the approval of local leaders as an “abuse of power”. The Ohio governor unveiled a statewide mask mandate, as his state grapples with a surge in new cases of coronavirus. Ohio joins 28 other states in requiring masks statewide.
as his state grapples with a surge in new cases of coronavirus. Ohio joins 28 other states in requiring masks statewide. Florida Republican congressman Ted Yoho apologized for accosting congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the Capitol steps earlier this week. But Yoho denied calling the progressive congresswoman “disgusting” and a “fucking bitch”, as the Hill reported. In response, Ocasio-Cortez accused Yoho of “refusing responsibility” for his actions.
Updated at 01.53 BST
22 Jul 2020 00.37 BST Protests, crime and echoes of 2014 As the federal government pledges to send federal law enforcement to cities, and Donald Trump and William Barr connect Black Lives Matter protest against police brutality to alleged spikes in violence, here’s some more context to keep in mind: this isn’t the first time people have pointed to an increase in crime following protests against unjust policing. It happened in 2014, after the police killing of Michael Brown sparked national protests. Police called it “the Ferguson effect” and argued that protesters had made police afraid to do their jobs. But studies in the years that followed found that the protests didn’t seem to impact policing, and fewer arrests didn’t correlate with increased crime.
Updated at 01.54 BST
22 Jul 2020 00.18 BST Portland instructs local police to avoid collaboration with federal law enforcement The Portland city council passed a resolution instructing local police to stop communicating and collaborating with federal law enforcement. The measure asks Portland police to stop providing or requesting “operational support” from federal officers sent as a result of Donald Trump’s executive order. Any local officer who violates the directive will “be subject to discipline”, per the resolution. City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty said local police were lying to the public and had been working with federal forces. “Though we didn’t bring in the federal people, it is clear the Portland Police Association welcomed their involvement as well as the Portland Police Bureau,” she said at a council meeting. “Let me be clear, the opening came for 45 to send in this militia squad because of the over-aggressive actions of Portland police,” she said. “We cannot put the blame totally on this federal secret police force.”
Updated at 01.56 BST
22 Jul 2020 23.50 BST The House voted to remove Confederate monuments from the Capitol, with 72 Republicans joining all the House Democrats to approve the measures. “It’s time to sweep away the last vestiges of Jim Crow and the dehumanizing of individuals because of the color of their skin that intruded for too long on the sacred spaces of our democracy,” the House majority leader, Steny Hoyer, a Democrat of Maryland, said at a press conference. Karen Bass, a Democrat of California and the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus told reporters that there was a jail in the Capitol complex, and “maybe that would be a proper location for these statues” of Confederate figures.
Updated at 00.06 BST
22 Jul 2020 23.26 BST Some highlights from that briefing: Trump said he never asked his ambassador to the UK to push the British government to promote his golf course as a venue for the British Open. He couldn’t help but add that the golf resort is “one of the best in the world”. Yesterday the New York Times broke a story that the US ambassador to the UK told colleagues that Trump had asked him to push the British government to promote his property.
Asked why his public health officials were absent, Trump said they are briefing him so that he can brief the public.
Asked about his push to reopen schools as cases surge, Trump said “a lot of people are saying” that children don’t transmit the virus. “They don’t bring it home with them. They don’t catch it easily.” A recent study found that while children under 10 seem to transmit the infection less, they still can pass on coronavirus. And older children and teens can spread the virus.
Updated at 01.59 BST
22 Jul 2020 22.58 BST Donald Trump is speaking again – this time delivering a coronavirus update. Once again, he has appeared at the podium without his top health experts. He said he sends a “message of support and hope to every senior citizen who has been dealing with the struggle of isolation in what should be the golden years of your life”.
Updated at 23.38 BST
22 Jul 2020 22.47 BST In Chicago, the increased presence of federal agents will not resemble Portland, where undercover officers made arrests. More than 200 extra agents would “be folded into the current FBI, ATF, DEA and homeland security teams that are already working in Chicago with the Chicago police department and the other local and state law enforcement,” US attorney John Lausch said in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot said that city officials came to a compromise with the federal government and agreed that undercover agents in unmarked vehicles would not patrol the city the way they did in Portland. But, she warned, “that doesn’t mean” Trump “isn’t going to try it here in Chicago”. “If you see something that doesn’t look right, please don’t hesitate to report it,” she said at a press conference.
Updated at 23.39 BST
22 Jul 2020 22.09 BST Sending federal agents to cities is not uncommon, the AP reports. Hundreds of federal agents already have been sent to Kansas City, Missouri, to help quell a record rise in violence after the shooting death of a young boy there. Barr announced a similar surge effort in December for seven cities. Usually, the Justice Department sends agents under its own umbrella, like agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives or the Drug Enforcement Agency. But this surge effort will include at least 100 Department of Homeland Security Investigations officers working in the region who generally conduct drug trafficking and child exploitation investigations.
22 Jul 2020 21.49 BST During a virtual town hall, Joe Biden said that Trump was the first “racist” to be elected president. “We’ve had racists, and they’ve existed, they’ve tried to get elected president. He’s the first one that has,” Trump’s Democratic challenger said, the Washington Post reports. The statement is far from true for so, so many reasons, including that former US presidents owned slaves, they waged war and violence against Native Americans, they openly expressed racist views and enacted racist policies ... This does appear to be the first time that Biden, who has accused the president of stoking racial division, has actually labeled Trump a racist.
Updated at 21.51 BST


theguardian--2020-07-23--Trump ties climbing Covid-19 cases to Black Lives Matter protests

Donald Trump has cited Black Lives Matter protests against the police killing of George Floyd as among the likely causes of the recent surge in coronavirus cases .
The US president did not blame the anti-racism demonstrations directly but suggested that they “ presumably ” led Americans to lower their guard against the pandemic .
“ There are likely a number of causes for the spike in infections cases , ” Trump told reporters at his second briefing on the virus in two days following a three-month impasse .
“ Cases started to rise among young Americans shortly after demonstrations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which presumably triggered a broader relaxation of mitigation efforts nationwide.
” Public health experts say there is little evidence that the protests spread Covid-19 in New York , Chicago , Minneapolis , Washington or other cities .
They took place outdoors , where the virus spreads less easily , and most participants wore face masks , which Trump has conceded is an effective preventive measure .
Dhaval Dave , the lead author of a study at Bentley University in Waltham , Massachusetts , told the Associated Press that in many cities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a net increase in physical distancing , as more people who did not protest decided to stay off the streets .
Trump , who has sought to conflate the protests with looting and violence , did not say they were the sole reason for the virus resurgence .
Speaking at the White House , he went on : “ A substantial increase in travel also was a cause , increased gathering on holidays such as Memorial Day as well as young people closely congregating at bars , and probably other places .
Maybe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listed places – we have 12 that are listed on the guide – likely also contributed.
” But he then made a surprise segue to a favourite talking point , claiming that his wall on the US-Mexico border had helped prevent further infection .
“ We ’ re also sharing a 2,000-mile border with Mexico , as we know very well , and cases are surging in Mexico , unfortunately , ” Trump said .
“ I was with the [ Mexican ] president and it ’ s a big problem for Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and all across the rest of the western hemisphere.
” He added : “ Two hundred and fifty miles of newly constructed wall along the southern border has had a great positive impact on people coming in , and we have record low numbers of people coming in illegally that ’ s helped greatly .
It was really meant for a different purpose but it worked out very well for what we ’ re doing right now and for the pandemic.
” Critics have pointed out that the uptick in coronavirus cases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , coincided with states reopening bars , restaurants and other businesses at Trump ’ s urging and against guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Trump appeared solo again at Wednesday ’ s briefing , without public health experts , and claimed the pandemic response “ is all going to work out – it is working out ” .
Afterwards Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic nominee for president , said : “ Instead of confronting this crisis head-on , Donald Trump has waved the white flag of defeat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ‘ not really working this any more ’ and that he ‘ doesn ’ t want to be distracted by it ’ .
“ Trump ’ s failure to lead is so complete that even top Republicans are speaking up , with a key aide to Texas governor Greg Abbott describing Trump as ‘ bored ’ of dealing with Covid-19 .
”

Donald Trump has cited Black Lives Matter protests against the police killing of George Floyd as among the likely causes of the recent surge in coronavirus cases.
The US president did not blame the anti-racism demonstrations directly but suggested that they “presumably” led Americans to lower their guard against the pandemic.
“There are likely a number of causes for the spike in infections cases,” Trump told reporters at his second briefing on the virus in two days following a three-month impasse. “Cases started to rise among young Americans shortly after demonstrations, which you know very well about, which presumably triggered a broader relaxation of mitigation efforts nationwide.”
Public health experts say there is little evidence that the protests spread Covid-19 in New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, Washington or other cities. They took place outdoors, where the virus spreads less easily, and most participants wore face masks, which Trump has conceded is an effective preventive measure.
Dhaval Dave, the lead author of a study at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts, told the Associated Press that in many cities, the protests actually seemed to lead to a net increase in physical distancing, as more people who did not protest decided to stay off the streets.
Trump, who has sought to conflate the protests with looting and violence, did not say they were the sole reason for the virus resurgence. Speaking at the White House, he went on: “A substantial increase in travel also was a cause, increased gathering on holidays such as Memorial Day as well as young people closely congregating at bars, and probably other places. Maybe beaches.
“Four or five different listed places – we have 12 that are listed on the guide – likely also contributed.”
But he then made a surprise segue to a favourite talking point, claiming that his wall on the US-Mexico border had helped prevent further infection.
“We’re also sharing a 2,000-mile border with Mexico, as we know very well, and cases are surging in Mexico, unfortunately,” Trump said. “I was with the [Mexican] president and it’s a big problem for Mexico, but cases are surging very sharply and all across the rest of the western hemisphere.”
He added: “Two hundred and fifty miles of newly constructed wall along the southern border has had a great positive impact on people coming in, and we have record low numbers of people coming in illegally that’s helped greatly. It was really meant for a different purpose but it worked out very well for what we’re doing right now and for the pandemic.”
Critics have pointed out that the uptick in coronavirus cases, now killing more than 1,000 people a day, coincided with states reopening bars, restaurants and other businesses at Trump’s urging and against guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Trump appeared solo again at Wednesday’s briefing, without public health experts, and claimed the pandemic response “is all going to work out – it is working out”.
Afterwards Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, said: “Instead of confronting this crisis head-on, Donald Trump has waved the white flag of defeat, with top advisers saying that Trump’s ‘not really working this any more’ and that he ‘doesn’t want to be distracted by it’.
“Trump’s failure to lead is so complete that even top Republicans are speaking up, with a key aide to Texas governor Greg Abbott describing Trump as ‘bored’ of dealing with Covid-19.”


theguardian--2020-07-22--US ambassador to UK accused of making racist and sexist remarks

The US ambassador to the UK , Woody Johnson , was reportedly investigated by a state department watchdog over alleged racist and sexist comments to staff and for allegedly trying to use his position to advance Donald Trump ’ s business interests .
The outcome of an investigation by the Office of the Inspector General ( OIG ) has not yet been published , and the former inspector general Steve Linick was fired in May .
Johnson , a billionaire Trump supporter , is reported by CNN to have become agitated before a Black History Month event in 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ a whole bunch of black people ” .
Johnson is said to have questioned why there needed to be a Black History Month , claiming that the “ real challenge ” was that black fathers did not stay with their families .
The ambassador is also reported to have hosted official events at the men-only White ’ s club in London , from which female embassy staff were excluded .
He allegedly resisted holding an event on gender-based violence , telling staff he was not interested because he was “ not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and CNN reported that , at the president ’ s request , the ambassador lobbied the UK ’ s secretary of state for Scotland at the time , David Mundell , for the British Open golf tournament to be held at the Trump-owned Turnberry course .
The UK government denied that Johnson had raised the issue with Mundell in their introductory meeting .
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club , which organises the tournament , said Turnberry remained in the pool of possible courses to host the tournament .
However , none of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Ayrshire course .
Some of the allegations are reported to have been raised with the OIG , a traditionally independent watchdog body .
That independence was called into question when Linick was fired by the secretary of state , Mike Pompeo , at a time when his office was looking into complaints that Pompeo had abused his office for personal advantage .
Ted Lieu , a Democratic congressman from California , called for Johnson to resign if the allegations against him were confirmed .
“ There is no place for racism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state department ] , ” Lieu said on Twitter , calling on the House foreign affairs committee to look into whether the OIG investigation of Johnson was a contributing cause in Linick ’ s dismissal .
A state department spokesperson said : “ Ambassador Johnson is a valued member of the team who has led Mission UK honorably and professionally .
We stand by Ambassador Johnson and look forward to him continuing to ensure our special relationship with the UK is strong.
” CNN said Johnson did not deny the allegations but issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honour of a lifetime ” to serve as ambassador and “ to lead the talented , diverse team of the US mission to the United Kingdom ” .

The US ambassador to the UK, Woody Johnson, was reportedly investigated by a state department watchdog over alleged racist and sexist comments to staff and for allegedly trying to use his position to advance Donald Trump’s business interests.
The outcome of an investigation by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has not yet been published, and the former inspector general Steve Linick was fired in May.
Johnson, a billionaire Trump supporter, is reported by CNN to have become agitated before a Black History Month event in 2018, asking aides if the audience would be “a whole bunch of black people”.
Johnson is said to have questioned why there needed to be a Black History Month, claiming that the “real challenge” was that black fathers did not stay with their families.
The ambassador is also reported to have hosted official events at the men-only White’s club in London, from which female embassy staff were excluded. He allegedly resisted holding an event on gender-based violence, telling staff he was not interested because he was “not a woman”.
The New York Times and CNN reported that, at the president’s request, the ambassador lobbied the UK’s secretary of state for Scotland at the time, David Mundell, for the British Open golf tournament to be held at the Trump-owned Turnberry course.
But Johnson said that the accusations were false. He tweeted: “These false claims of insensitive remarks about race and gender are totally inconsistent with my longstanding record and values.”
I have followed the ethical rules and requirements of my office at all times. These false claims of insensitive remarks about race and gender are totally inconsistent with my longstanding record and values. — Ambassador Johnson (@USAmbUK) July 22, 2020
The UK government denied that Johnson had raised the issue with Mundell in their introductory meeting. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club, which organises the tournament, said Turnberry remained in the pool of possible courses to host the tournament. However, none of the next four Opens will be played at the Ayrshire course.
Some of the allegations are reported to have been raised with the OIG, a traditionally independent watchdog body. That independence was called into question when Linick was fired by the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, at a time when his office was looking into complaints that Pompeo had abused his office for personal advantage.
Ted Lieu, a Democratic congressman from California, called for Johnson to resign if the allegations against him were confirmed.
“There is no place for racism, sexism or corruption in our [state department],” Lieu said on Twitter, calling on the House foreign affairs committee to look into whether the OIG investigation of Johnson was a contributing cause in Linick’s dismissal.
A state department spokesperson said: “Ambassador Johnson is a valued member of the team who has led Mission UK honorably and professionally. We stand by Ambassador Johnson and look forward to him continuing to ensure our special relationship with the UK is strong.”


theguardian--2020-07-22--Republican governors face decision on masks: follow Trump or protect citizens?

The spread of coronavirus across the American south has forced many Republican governors to choose : issue a mask mandate to try to force residents to wear them , as many other states and countries have done , or stick with Donald Trump ’ s more hands-off approach .
Trump shifted his position on Tuesday when he said at a press conference : “ We ’ re asking everybody that when you are not able to socially distance , wear a mask , get a mask.
” It marked a reversal for a president who previously dismissed the effectiveness of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has declined to wear one in most of his public appearances .
On Sunday during a Fox News interview , Trump said , without evidence , that “ masks cause problems too ” .
On Monday he tweeted a picture of himself wearing a mask .
But the gestures have fallen short of supporting mandates seeking to require Americans to wear masks .
Meanwhile , a growing number of southern Republican governors have begun to issue their own requirements for masks in public , as cases rise in their states , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal liberty .
The governor of Mississippi , Tate Reeves , is trying to chart a middle ground in his state , which voted convincingly for Trump in 2016 .
He has issued county-by-county mask mandates , avoiding a statewide order on the grounds Mississippians would not listen to such a dictate .
“ I get frustrated because when I look back on March and April , the only thing anybody ever wanted to talk about in the press or among public health experts was ‘ shelter in place , shelter in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reeves told the Guardian .
“ If you didn ’ t do a shelter-in-place then you were evil and you weren ’ t trying to protect your people , ” said Reeves .
“ Well , today now that we ’ re seeing significantly rising cases – in fact , three and four times more than we saw in March and April – nobody ’ s talking about a shelter-in-place .
They just want a statewide mask mandate.
” But the shifting sands come months after public health authorities first recommended Americans wear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our state , if I said , ‘ OK , everybody needs to wear a mask , ’ invariably throughout the various regions of our state people would be saying , ‘ Aww , he ’ s talking about them other people .
He ’ s just throwing us in there for the heck of it , ’ ” he said .
Nearly every Democratic-led state has issued a mask mandate , with 28 states now requiring face coverings in public .
But the mixed , politicized messages about the importance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
Experts believe the death count will increase significantly in the coming weeks , as people already infected with Covid-19 become more ill. At least 141,000 Americans have died from Covid-19 , according to Johns Hopkins University .
But a growing number of Republicans believe Covid-19 death tolls are inflated , recent polls have shown , despite public health experts warning they are likely to be an undercount .
Reeves said he has been in contact with top White House officials .
He has recently met with Pete Gaynor , administrator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has also been in contact with Dr Deborah Birx , the coordinator the White House ’ s coronavirus taskforce .
He also has ties to the latest round of southern governors who have issued mask mandates .
And Reeves dismissed the idea of attempting to beat the pandemic by achieving herd immunity , an approach favored by some conservative lawmakers .
But Raymond Scheppach , a former executive director of the National Governors Association , said multiple factors were pressuring Republicans not to take additional steps to curb the coronavirus .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t like to use the full force of government , ” Scheppach said .
“ And then you ’ ve got the Trump component on top of that , which clearly seems to be affecting Florida , Georgia , Arizona and so on.
” Scheppach said some Republican governors in hotspot states were trying to stay aligned with Trump .
“ He ’ s not pushing masks .
So they ’ re to some extent trying to stay consistent and support him , ” Scheppach said .
“ The only problem is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not in particularly good shape in terms of support in those states.
” Last week , the governor of deep-red Alabama issued a statewide mask order .
Shortly after , the governor of reliably Republican Arkansas issued an order requiring masks in public .
In Texas , Governor Greg Abbott reversed course after months of banning cities from issuing mandates and issued his own mandate across most counties .
Yet in Georgia , the Republican governor , Brian Kemp , is suing Atlanta to fight the mask mandate of the city ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Florida , one of the biggest coronavirus hotspots in the world in terms of new daily case numbers , Governor Ron DeSantis last month said mask mandates don ’ t work .
“ In the southern states , it seems – it ’ s too simple to call it red and blue – but in a lot of the red states it seems they ’ ve been against everything in this anti-pandemic ethos , ” said Dr Howard Markel , a pandemic historian , pediatrician and professor at the University of Michigan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ have been more in the libertarian mode , and to me , that ’ s just plain irresponsible ” .
Early in the pandemic , Markel and other epidemiologists did not call for a mask mandate because of severe shortages of masks for healthcare workers , and in part because some evidence of their effectiveness was weak .
While there are still rolling shortages of personal protective equipment , at least partly because of the anemic federal response , informal masks for the public are now widely available , and studies have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data has changed my mind , ” said Markel .
“ Not that I was totally against it , but it ’ s made me more likely to wear them and want others to wear them.
” However , Markel acknowledged the mask mandates were almost impossible to enforce .
Police are “ busy doing other things ” , and business owners and employees often face irate customers when they try .
Reeves , the Mississippi governor , said : “ I believe that in Mississippi the best way to get most people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask them to do it , to mandate it in those counties that are most affected by the spread of the virus.
” He added that it was important “ to recognize that Hinds county – the county in which I currently reside , in the capital city – has significantly different issues than , say , Tishomingo county , up in the north-east corner of the state ” .
A mask mandate is in effect for 23 of Mississippi ’ s 82 counties .
Asked if there was a situation in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Reeves instead pointed to the criteria his team used to issue a county mask mandate .
“ The subjective data that we look at is : if you reach more than 200 cases over a 14-day period – raw data – or more than 500 per 100,000 residents over a 14-day period , then we put you on our watch list ” for a mandate , Reeves said .
Mississippi ’ s caseload is already grinding down healthcare workers across the state .
Dr LouAnn Woodward is vice-chancellor of the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the state ’ s largest hospital and only academic medical center .
The intensive care unit at her hospital has overflowed with Covid-19 patients for weeks .
A week ago , Woodward said she would only call for a mask mandate if she believed that ’ s “ what it would take ” .
“ It ’ s mind-boggling to me that people have turned this into such an issue , with politics and everything else , where it ’ s really just a practical safety issue in the middle of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s really not that big a deal .
Just wear a mask .
”

The spread of coronavirus across the American south has forced many Republican governors to choose: issue a mask mandate to try to force residents to wear them, as many other states and countries have done, or stick with Donald Trump’s more hands-off approach.
Trump shifted his position on Tuesday when he said at a press conference: “We’re asking everybody that when you are not able to socially distance, wear a mask, get a mask.”
It marked a reversal for a president who previously dismissed the effectiveness of masks, spread misinformation about their safety and has declined to wear one in most of his public appearances.
On Sunday during a Fox News interview, Trump said, without evidence, that “masks cause problems too”. On Monday he tweeted a picture of himself wearing a mask. But the gestures have fallen short of supporting mandates seeking to require Americans to wear masks.
Meanwhile, a growing number of southern Republican governors have begun to issue their own requirements for masks in public, as cases rise in their states, and despite political objections centered on notions of personal liberty.
The governor of Mississippi, Tate Reeves, is trying to chart a middle ground in his state, which voted convincingly for Trump in 2016. He has issued county-by-county mask mandates, avoiding a statewide order on the grounds Mississippians would not listen to such a dictate.
“I get frustrated because when I look back on March and April, the only thing anybody ever wanted to talk about in the press or among public health experts was ‘shelter in place, shelter in place, shelter in place’,” Reeves told the Guardian.
“If you didn’t do a shelter-in-place then you were evil and you weren’t trying to protect your people,” said Reeves. “Well, today now that we’re seeing significantly rising cases – in fact, three and four times more than we saw in March and April – nobody’s talking about a shelter-in-place. They just want a statewide mask mandate.”
But the shifting sands come months after public health authorities first recommended Americans wear masks in April.
“I believe in our state, if I said, ‘OK, everybody needs to wear a mask,’ invariably throughout the various regions of our state people would be saying, ‘Aww, he’s talking about them other people. He’s just throwing us in there for the heck of it,’” he said.
Nearly every Democratic-led state has issued a mask mandate, with 28 states now requiring face coverings in public. But the mixed, politicized messages about the importance of masks come at a critical juncture in the pandemic. Experts believe the death count will increase significantly in the coming weeks, as people already infected with Covid-19 become more ill.
At least 141,000 Americans have died from Covid-19, according to Johns Hopkins University. But a growing number of Republicans believe Covid-19 death tolls are inflated, recent polls have shown, despite public health experts warning they are likely to be an undercount.
Reeves said he has been in contact with top White House officials. He has recently met with Pete Gaynor, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and has also been in contact with Dr Deborah Birx, the coordinator the White House’s coronavirus taskforce. He also has ties to the latest round of southern governors who have issued mask mandates. And Reeves dismissed the idea of attempting to beat the pandemic by achieving herd immunity, an approach favored by some conservative lawmakers.
But Raymond Scheppach, a former executive director of the National Governors Association, said multiple factors were pressuring Republicans not to take additional steps to curb the coronavirus.
“One is that ideologically they don’t like to use the full force of government,” Scheppach said. “And then you’ve got the Trump component on top of that, which clearly seems to be affecting Florida, Georgia, Arizona and so on.”
A traveler and a pilot wear masks as they ride in the between terminals at George Bush intercontinental airport in Houston. Photograph: Adrees Latif/Reuters
Scheppach said some Republican governors in hotspot states were trying to stay aligned with Trump. “He’s not pushing masks. So they’re to some extent trying to stay consistent and support him,” Scheppach said. “The only problem is, my read right now is Trump’s not in particularly good shape in terms of support in those states.”
Last week, the governor of deep-red Alabama issued a statewide mask order. Shortly after, the governor of reliably Republican Arkansas issued an order requiring masks in public. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott reversed course after months of banning cities from issuing mandates and issued his own mandate across most counties.
Yet in Georgia, the Republican governor, Brian Kemp, is suing Atlanta to fight the mask mandate of the city’s Democratic mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. In Florida, one of the biggest coronavirus hotspots in the world in terms of new daily case numbers, Governor Ron DeSantis last month said mask mandates don’t work.
“In the southern states, it seems – it’s too simple to call it red and blue – but in a lot of the red states it seems they’ve been against everything in this anti-pandemic ethos,” said Dr Howard Markel, a pandemic historian, pediatrician and professor at the University of Michigan’s medical school. Those states “have been more in the libertarian mode, and to me, that’s just plain irresponsible”.
Early in the pandemic, Markel and other epidemiologists did not call for a mask mandate because of severe shortages of masks for healthcare workers, and in part because some evidence of their effectiveness was weak. While there are still rolling shortages of personal protective equipment, at least partly because of the anemic federal response, informal masks for the public are now widely available, and studies have become more robust.
“The new data has changed my mind,” said Markel. “Not that I was totally against it, but it’s made me more likely to wear them and want others to wear them.”
However, Markel acknowledged the mask mandates were almost impossible to enforce. Police are “busy doing other things”, and business owners and employees often face irate customers when they try.
Reeves, the Mississippi governor, said: “I believe that in Mississippi the best way to get most people to comply with that directive is to ask them to do it, to mandate it in those counties that are most affected by the spread of the virus.” He added that it was important “to recognize that Hinds county – the county in which I currently reside, in the capital city – has significantly different issues than, say, Tishomingo county, up in the north-east corner of the state”.
A mask mandate is in effect for 23 of Mississippi’s 82 counties. Asked if there was a situation in which he would issue a statewide mask ban, Reeves instead pointed to the criteria his team used to issue a county mask mandate.
“The subjective data that we look at is: if you reach more than 200 cases over a 14-day period – raw data – or more than 500 per 100,000 residents over a 14-day period, then we put you on our watch list” for a mandate, Reeves said.
Mississippi’s caseload is already grinding down healthcare workers across the state. Dr LouAnn Woodward is vice-chancellor of the University of Mississippi medical center, the top executive of the state’s largest hospital and only academic medical center.
The intensive care unit at her hospital has overflowed with Covid-19 patients for weeks. A week ago, Woodward said she would only call for a mask mandate if she believed that’s “what it would take”.
“It’s mind-boggling to me that people have turned this into such an issue, with politics and everything else, where it’s really just a practical safety issue in the middle of a pandemic,” she said. “It’s really not that big a deal. Just wear a mask.”


theguardian--2020-07-22--AI system detects posts by foreign ‘trolls’ on Facebook and Twitter

Foreign manipulation campaigns on social media can be spotted by looking at clues in the timing and length of posts and the URLs they contain , researchers have found .
From the 2016 US presidential election to Brexit , a growing number of political events are thought to have been targeted by foreign activity on social media platforms such as Facebook , Twitter and Reddit .
Now researchers say they have developed an automated machine learning system – a type of artificial intelligence – that can spot such posts , based on their content .
“ We can use machine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troll postings and track an online information operation without human intervention , ” said Dr Meysam Alizadeh , of Princeton University , a co-author of the research .
The team say the approach differs from simply detecting bots , which they say is important since such campaigns often include posts by humans .
They say the sheer volume of posts in so-called troll campaigns means standard templates and operating procedures are probably needed .
Writing in the journal Science Advances , the team report how they carried out their work using posts from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US , attributed to China , Russia and Venezuela .
The team focused on troll posts made on Twitter between December 2015 and December 2018 and on Reddit between July 2015 and December 2016 .
For comparison , they also used data from thousands of US Twitter accounts , from users engaged with US politics and average users , as well as posts from thousands of Reddit accounts not linked to foreign manipulation campaigns .
After training the system on a subset of the data , the team explored five different questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system could tell apart posts from trolls and those linked to normal activity , and whether feeding the system with troll posts from one month would allow it to spot posts made during the following month by new troll accounts .
The results show that the approach worked well , with the posts flagged by the system generally coming from trolls .
However , not all troll posts were identified by the system .
“ This is an important , interesting and sometimes intriguing piece of analysis , ” said Prof Martin Innes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Crime and Security Research Institute .
“ That machine learning algorithms should be able to identify similar content from within bounded datasets is perhaps to be expected , as after all there were already signals in the data that enabled them to be connected .
But as the authors quite correctly clarify , there is a gap still to be bridged in terms of applying these approaches ‘ in the wild ’ to identify ‘ live ’ operations.
” The team also found differences in the system ’ s performance depending on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese activity easier to spot than Russian activity .
“ In terms of the Venezuelan campaigns , our performance is near-perfect ; close to 99 % accurate , ” Alizadeh said .
“ In terms of the Chinese one , our performance is around 90 % , 91 % .
The Russian was the most complicated and most sophisticated campaign : our performance was around 85 % .
” Alizadeh said that did not mean that Russian information actors are necessarily better at blending in with regular US users .
“ They are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter , ” he said .
“ But there are other reasons they aren ’ t discoverable : For example , the Venezuelans always talk about politics .
The Russian trolls , some of them never talk about politics – they engage in hashtag games or share links to download music .
Why are Russian trolls doing that ?
One answer could be to build their own audience.
” The authors say the work also highlights how foreign campaigns change tactics over time : for example , in the case of Russian activity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in late 2015 and early 2016 .
“ We have had this idea from the beginning to develop a public dashboard that journalists and people can check on a daily basis , to understand what ’ s going on in social media with regards to foreign and domestic information operations , ” Alizadeh said .
Something like that “ would be a first step in securing our democracies .
And then we should also extend it to other countries , other democracies and other languages .
”

Foreign manipulation campaigns on social media can be spotted by looking at clues in the timing and length of posts and the URLs they contain, researchers have found.
From the 2016 US presidential election to Brexit, a growing number of political events are thought to have been targeted by foreign activity on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Reddit.
Now researchers say they have developed an automated machine learning system – a type of artificial intelligence – that can spot such posts, based on their content.
“We can use machine learning to automatically identify the content of troll postings and track an online information operation without human intervention,” said Dr Meysam Alizadeh, of Princeton University, a co-author of the research.
The team say the approach differs from simply detecting bots, which they say is important since such campaigns often include posts by humans. They say the sheer volume of posts in so-called troll campaigns means standard templates and operating procedures are probably needed.
Writing in the journal Science Advances, the team report how they carried out their work using posts from four known social media campaigns that targeted the US, attributed to China, Russia and Venezuela.
The team focused on troll posts made on Twitter between December 2015 and December 2018 and on Reddit between July 2015 and December 2016.
For comparison, they also used data from thousands of US Twitter accounts, from users engaged with US politics and average users, as well as posts from thousands of Reddit accounts not linked to foreign manipulation campaigns.
After training the system on a subset of the data, the team explored five different questions. These included whether the machine learning system could tell apart posts from trolls and those linked to normal activity, and whether feeding the system with troll posts from one month would allow it to spot posts made during the following month by new troll accounts.
The results show that the approach worked well, with the posts flagged by the system generally coming from trolls. However, not all troll posts were identified by the system.
“This is an important, interesting and sometimes intriguing piece of analysis,” said Prof Martin Innes, the director of Cardiff University’s Crime and Security Research Institute. “That machine learning algorithms should be able to identify similar content from within bounded datasets is perhaps to be expected, as after all there were already signals in the data that enabled them to be connected. But as the authors quite correctly clarify, there is a gap still to be bridged in terms of applying these approaches ‘in the wild’ to identify ‘live’ operations.”
The team also found differences in the system’s performance depending on the country behind the campaign, with Chinese activity easier to spot than Russian activity. “In terms of the Venezuelan campaigns, our performance is near-perfect; close to 99% accurate,” Alizadeh said.
“In terms of the Chinese one, our performance is around 90%, 91%. The Russian was the most complicated and most sophisticated campaign: our performance was around 85%.”
Alizadeh said that did not mean that Russian information actors are necessarily better at blending in with regular US users. “They are good at mimicking political American users on Twitter,” he said. “But there are other reasons they aren’t discoverable: For example, the Venezuelans always talk about politics. The Russian trolls, some of them never talk about politics – they engage in hashtag games or share links to download music. Why are Russian trolls doing that? One answer could be to build their own audience.”
The authors say the work also highlights how foreign campaigns change tactics over time: for example, in the case of Russian activity, hashtag use fell after a peak in late 2015 and early 2016.
“We have had this idea from the beginning to develop a public dashboard that journalists and people can check on a daily basis, to understand what’s going on in social media with regards to foreign and domestic information operations,” Alizadeh said.
Something like that “would be a first step in securing our democracies. And then we should also extend it to other countries, other democracies and other languages.”


theguardian--2020-07-22--US-China tensions escalate after closure of Houston consulate

Diplomatic tensions between the US and China have escalated sharply with the Trump administration ’ s closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston to protect “ American intellectual property and private information ” .
A Republican senator claimed that the Texas consulate , which covered several southern states , was an “ espionage hub ” .
China described the closure as “ unprecedented ” and an “ outrageous ” escalation , and threatened retaliation .
“ China strongly condemns such an outrageous and unjustified move , which will sabotage China-US relations , ” the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday .
“ We urge the US to immediately withdraw its erroneous decision , otherwise China will make legitimate and necessary reactions.
” Fire services were called to the Houston consulate overnight after smoke was seen rising from the compound .
US officials said staff , who were given 72 hours to leave the country , were burning documents in its grounds .
It was unclear whether the closure of the consulate was triggered by a new development .
During a visit to Denmark on Wednesday , the secretary of state , Mike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US decision to be less tolerant of Chinese behaviour .
“ President Trump has said ‘ enough ’ .
We ’ re not going to allow this to continue to happen , ” Pompeo said .
“ We are setting out clear expectations for how the Chinese Communist party is going to behave , and when they don ’ t , we ’ re going to take actions that protect the American people , protect our security , our national security , and also protect our economy and jobs.
” The state department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States will not tolerate the PRC ’ s [ People ’ s Republic of China ’ s ] violations of our sovereignty and intimidation of our people , just as we have not tolerated the PRC ’ s unfair trade practices , theft of American jobs and other egregious behaviour.
” Marco Rubio , the acting chairman of the Senate intelligence committee , said : “ It ’ s kind of the central node of a massive spy operation : commercial espionage , defence espionage , also influence agents to try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fronts in many cases to try to influence members of Congress and other political leaders at the state and local level .
And so it ’ s long overdue that it ’ d be closed.
” The consulate closure came a day after the US accused two Chinese nationals of trying to steal Covid-19 vaccine research , claims that China described as “ slander ” on Wednesday .
This month the FBI director , Christopher Wray , said China was the “ greatest long-term threat to our nation ’ s information and intellectual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Chinese foreign ministry accused US authorities of targeting its diplomats in the US , including opening their pouches without permission “ multiple times ” and confiscating items intended for official use .
The ministry said its embassy in the US had received bomb and death threats , the result of the US “ fanning hatred against China ” .
Beijing accused US diplomats in China of “ infiltration and interference activities ” .
“ If we compare the two , it is only too evident which is engaged in interference , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ties between the two countries have deteriorated further in recent weeks as the US has taken a harder position against China and lobbied its allies to do the same .
The closure of the consulate follows a tightening of restrictions for Chinese nationals working in state media in the US , which Beijing claims as the reason for it expelling more than a dozen western journalists over the last few months .
On Wednesday Chinese state media suggested the possibility of closing US consulates , posting a poll on Twitter asking users @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Chengdu , Guangzhou and others .
China has blamed international criticism of its passage of a harsh and broadly applied national security law in Hong Kong on the US , making the closure of the Hong Kong consulate a possible but escalatory measure .
Nick Marro , a China analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit , said : “ In recent weeks we ’ ve seen some appetite on the Chinese side in trying to de-escalate tensions .
Whether that agenda survives these recent developments will be a critical thing to watch @ @

Lily Kuo in Beijing and Julian Borger  in Washington

Diplomatic tensions between the US and China have escalated sharply with the Trump administration’s closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston to protect “American intellectual property and private information”.
A Republican senator claimed that the Texas consulate, which covered several southern states, was an “espionage hub”. China described the closure as “unprecedented” and an “outrageous” escalation, and threatened retaliation.
“China strongly condemns such an outrageous and unjustified move, which will sabotage China-US relations,” the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular news briefing on Wednesday. “We urge the US to immediately withdraw its erroneous decision, otherwise China will make legitimate and necessary reactions.”
Fire services were called to the Houston consulate overnight after smoke was seen rising from the compound. US officials said staff, who were given 72 hours to leave the country, were burning documents in its grounds.
It was unclear whether the closure of the consulate was triggered by a new development. During a visit to Denmark on Wednesday, the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, suggested the move reflected a US decision to be less tolerant of Chinese behaviour.
“President Trump has said ‘enough’. We’re not going to allow this to continue to happen,” Pompeo said. “We are setting out clear expectations for how the Chinese Communist party is going to behave, and when they don’t, we’re going to take actions that protect the American people, protect our security, our national security, and also protect our economy and jobs.”
The state department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said: “The United States will not tolerate the PRC’s [People’s Republic of China’s] violations of our sovereignty and intimidation of our people, just as we have not tolerated the PRC’s unfair trade practices, theft of American jobs and other egregious behaviour.”
Marco Rubio, the acting chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, said: “It’s kind of the central node of a massive spy operation: commercial espionage, defence espionage, also influence agents to try to influence Congress. They use businessmen as fronts in many cases to try to influence members of Congress and other political leaders at the state and local level. And so it’s long overdue that it’d be closed.”
The consulate closure came a day after the US accused two Chinese nationals of trying to steal Covid-19 vaccine research, claims that China described as “slander” on Wednesday.
This month the FBI director, Christopher Wray, said China was the “greatest long-term threat to our nation’s information and intellectual property and to our economic vitality”.
The Chinese foreign ministry accused US authorities of targeting its diplomats in the US, including opening their pouches without permission “multiple times” and confiscating items intended for official use.
The ministry said its embassy in the US had received bomb and death threats, the result of the US “fanning hatred against China”. Beijing accused US diplomats in China of “infiltration and interference activities”.
“If we compare the two, it is only too evident which is engaged in interference, infiltration and confrontation,” it said.
Ties between the two countries have deteriorated further in recent weeks as the US has taken a harder position against China and lobbied its allies to do the same. The closure of the consulate follows a tightening of restrictions for Chinese nationals working in state media in the US, which Beijing claims as the reason for it expelling more than a dozen western journalists over the last few months.
On Wednesday Chinese state media suggested the possibility of closing US consulates, posting a poll on Twitter asking users to choose between missions in Hong Kong, Chengdu, Guangzhou and others.
China has blamed international criticism of its passage of a harsh and broadly applied national security law in Hong Kong on the US, making the closure of the Hong Kong consulate a possible but escalatory measure.
Nick Marro, a China analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit, said: “In recent weeks we’ve seen some appetite on the Chinese side in trying to de-escalate tensions. Whether that agenda survives these recent developments will be a critical thing to watch.”


theguardian--2020-07-22--Trump may not respect the election. We need a Democratic Senate more than ever | Sidney Blumenthal

Donald Trump ’ s declaration that he might not accept the results of the 2020 election has fundamentally transformed the campaign , making plain what had previously only been suspected .
No other president has ever made such a statement .
“ I have to see , ” said Trump in an interview with Chris Wallace of Fox News on 19 July , after Wallace asked him if he would accept the election outcome .
“ No , I ’ m not going to just say yes .
I ’ m not going to say no , and I didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in 2016 , Trump claimed that the election was being “ rigged ” against him .
“ I will look at it at the time , ” Trump said to Wallace .
“ I will keep you in suspense.
” Unlike last time , Trump is the president and has taken an oath to uphold the constitution .
His refusal to accept the election results would be a clear violation of that oath and an impeachable offense .
Indeed , simply by announcing he might reject the results by his own fiat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ desecration of the constitution ’ s values since the Confederate secession in 1860-61 .
No one has proposed a more urgent and persuasive argument for the election of a Democratic-controlled Senate than Trump .
America needs a Democratic-controlled Senate as a warning to Trump that if he attempts to overturn an election that goes against him he will face a second impeachment and a full and fair trial .
If anything , Trump ’ s lawless contempt for the constitution is the strongest possible incentive to elect Democrats this fall .
Remember what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a Democratic-controlled Senate : Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives for coercing the government of Ukraine to fabricate false information to damage Joe Biden , then , in the Senate , the case ran into Trump ’ s most powerful firewall , the Senate majority leader , Mitch McConnell .
McConnell ensured that no witnesses were heard in the Senate and that Republican members were whipped into line to dismiss the evidence gathered by the House impeachment inquiry .
Trump has sought to subvert the 2020 election through every conceivable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in ballots during the coronavirus pandemic , forcing voters to put their lives potentially at risk by waiting in lengthy lines .
Even if his tactics to thwart the vote fail , his comments to Wallace indicate that Trump may cause a constitutional crisis to deny the people ’ s judgment .
He may , as he has in the past , incite violence , calling on his armed supporters to threaten state officials to prevent accurate ballot tabulations .
But whatever scenarios , gambits and tricks that Trump and his attorney general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sleeves , they should understand that the newly elected 117th Congress , especially if the Democrats have House and Senate majorities , could intervene to expose whatever they might do , beginning on the day the new Congress members are sworn in on 3 January 2021 .
Without McConnell staging a farce to maintain Trump in power , the House can immediately impeach a defiant Trump ’ s repudiation of constitutional democracy and the Senate can conduct a trial with witnesses , starting with Barr , in fulfillment of the voters ’ verdict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their election losses , maintain their phalanx to frustrate a two-thirds majority , their disgraceful identification with the utterly discredited Trump would be complete .
And if it comes to this , Trump and the Republicans will have delivered the nation to an authoritarian regime that dispenses with the constitution .
In the meantime , Democrats in state legislatures should propose resolutions calling on the presidential candidates to accept the results of the election .
Let every Republican be presented with an opportunity to stand for or against Trump ’ s disregard for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statements , even legislatures instructing elected federal office holders to adhere to certain policies , goes back to Thomas Jefferson and James Madison ’ s Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions to protest against the trampling of civil liberties imposed through the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 .
Trump ’ s statement that he may not accept the election result has only one precedent , the most glaring example of illegality and treason .
According to the Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina from the Federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election of Abraham Lincoln , “ whose opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery .
He is to be entrusted with the administration of the common Government , because he has declared that that ‘ Government can not endure permanently half slave , half free , ’ and that the public mind must rest in the belief that slavery is in the course of ultimate extinction.
” Lincoln answered the counter-revolution against democracy in a special message to the Congress on 4 July 1861 .
“ It presents to the whole family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ the question of whether a constitutional republic or democracy – a government of the people , by the same people – can or can not maintain its territorial integrity against its own domestic foes .
It presents the question whether the discontented individuals – too few in numbers to control the administration , according to organic law , in any case – can always , upon the pretenses made in this case or on any other pretenses , or arbitrarily without any pretense , break up the government and thus practically put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earth.
” It is hardly a surprise that Trump defends Confederate monuments and the Confederate battle flag .
With his scorn for democracy and disdain for the constitution , Trump is preparing for the last battle of his own “ Lost Cause ” .
• None Sidney Blumenthal is the author of All the Powers of Earth , A Self-Made Man , and Wrestling with His Angel , the first three volumes in his five-volume biography of Abraham Lincoln .
He is a former assistant and senior adviser to President Bill Clinton and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been a national staff reporter for the Washington Post , Washington editor and writer for the New Yorker and senior editor of the New Republic