theguardian--2020-10-21--Revealed: ex-members of Amy Coney Barrett faith group tell of trauma and sexual abuse

Amy Coney Barrett ’ s nomination to the supreme court has prompted former members of her secretive faith group , the People of Praise , to come forward and share stories about emotional trauma and – in at least one case – sexual abuse they claim to have suffered at the hands of members of the Christian group .
In the wake of the allegations , the Guardian has learned that the charismatic Christian organization , which is based in Indiana , has hired the law firm of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan to conduct an “ independent investigation ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People of Praise .
The historic sexual abuse allegations and claims of emotional trauma do not pertain specifically to Barrett , who has been a lifelong member of the charismatic group , or her family .
But some former members who spoke to the Guardian said they were deeply concerned that too little was understood about the “ community ” of People of Praise ahead of Barrett ’ s expected confirmation by the Senate next week , after which she will hold the seat formerly held by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say that more than two dozen former members of the faith group , many of whom say they felt “ triggered ” by Barrett ’ s nomination , are participating in a support group to discuss how the faith group affected their lives .
“ The basic premise of everything at the People of Praise was that the devil controlled everything outside of the community , and you were ‘ walking out from under the umbrella of protection ’ if you ever left , ” said one former member who called herself Esther @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a child but then left the organization .
“ I was OK with it being in a tiny little corner of Indiana , because a lot of weird stuff happens in tiny little corners in this country .
But it ’ s just unfathomable to me – I can ’ t even explain just how unfathomable it is – that you would have a supreme court justice who is a card-carrying member of this community.
” Barrett was not asked about her involvement in People of Praise during her confirmation hearings last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involvement with the group in Senate disclosure forms , but has in the past emphasized that her religious faith as a devout Catholic would not interfere with her impartiality .
People of Praise is rooted in the rise of charismatic Christian communities in the late 1960s and 1970s , which blended Pentecostal traditions like speaking in tongues and prophecy with Catholicism .
It is an ecumenical group – meaning it accepts members of different Christian churches – though its members are mostly Catholic .
Proponents say charismatic Christians are bound together by members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ empowerment through the Holy Spirit ” .
Its handbook emphasizes an insular view of the world , stressing obedience and devotion to other members , and communal living .
Barrett ’ s father has served as a leader in the community .
Barrett was also listed as a “ handmaid ” in a 2010 directory , or female leader , served as a trustee at a school associated with the group , and has been featured in People of Praise magazines that were removed from the group ’ s website following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2017 .
The Guardian has confirmed that Barrett lived in a household led by one of the founders of the People of Praise , Kevin Ranaghan , while she was a law student at Notre Dame , and lived with another People of Praise family – Barbette and William Brophy – in Virginia after she graduated .
Proponents of the faith community have said in other press reports that they are misunderstood , and that it is a close-knit community that seeks to support other members “ financially and materially and spiritually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different picture .
Allegations and concerns center on claims of the intense subjugation of women by the community leaders ; control of members ’ lives and decisions , including marriage , living arrangements , and child rearing ; and in one case , the mishandling of allegations of sexual abuse .
Members who admit to having gay sex are expelled from the group , which staunchly opposes same-sex marriage .
For Sarah ( Mitchell ) Kuehl , a 48-year-old former member who grew up in the community , discussions about Barrett ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of trying to figure out how to address it – to send an email on 23 September to Craig Lent , the current head of People of Praise who also works as a professor at Notre Dame .
In it , Kuehl claimed she had been sexually abused decades earlier by a “ household member ” , a male member of “ the community ” who had lived with the Mitchell family as part of the group ’ s communal living practices .
Single people were expected to be celibate and live in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an example of married life , former members say .
After her alleged abuser – who along with her family was technically a member of a precursor group called Servants of the Light/Lord that merged in 1984 with People of Praise – admitted to her father that he had been molesting Kuehl , he was moved to another household and eventually had a marriage “ arranged ” for him , she said .
She was four years old when the abuse began and it lasted for two years .
At the time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men and women .
“ I have struggled for years on whether to hold PoP accountable for what they knew , when they knew it and their attempt to hide and cover up .
Like the Catholic church , who covered up and moved priests around , PoP has had a history of these same behaviors , ” Kuehl alleged in her email to Lent .
Letters provided to the Guardian by Kuehl dating back to the late 1980s and early 1990s substantiate claims of abuse and attempts by her parents to address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Praise .
The documents include references to a psychological evaluation of the alleged abuser and confirmation that he did abuse Kuehl .
The documents also revealed there were additional victims and that other minors were at risk .
Years later , when Kuehl sought to discuss the issue with her “ handmaid ” – a female guide and senior member of the organization , when she was at college – she said she was discouraged from talking about it .
“ She told me NOT to talk about it with anyone because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the community ’ , ” Kuehl wrote in her letter to Lent .
Weeks later , on 5 October , Lent responded to Kuehl ’ s email .
He wrote : “ I am just reaching out to you to let you know that we take this matter very seriously.
” He added : “ We very much want to look into this .
To that end we have contracted with Diane Doolittle of Quinn Emanuel , who specializes in exactly this sort of investigation .
( This took some time to arrange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , although she is a lawyer , her role is not to defend PoP , but rather she is very much in the role of an independent investigator .
We thought that better than trying to investigate it directly ourselves .
We want to know the truth of the matter .
She will be talking to other people as well.
” Doolittle ’ s online bio states that she is a Silicon Valley-based trial lawyer who is involved in “ high-stakes complex commercial , intellectual property and white collar cases ” .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in “ sensitive # MeToo cases , including by conducting corporate internal investigations ” .
But People of Praise ’ s choice is also noteworthy because of Quinn Emanuel ’ s ties to the White House .
William Burck , who serves as Quinn Emanuel ’ s co-managing partner in Washington DC , has counted Steve Bannon as a client , among others , and was a friend and associate of supreme court Justice Brett Kavanaugh .
During Kavanaugh ’ s controversial confirmation hearings , it was Burck – a “ Washington super-lawyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kavanaugh ’ s documents for review before the Senate hearing .
There is no evidence that Burck has been personally engaged in the People of Praise investigation .
In a statement , People of Praise spokesman Sean Connolly said : “ We believe that one of our highest callings is the bond of trust around our community ’ s safety , and we take allegations of abuse or misconduct very seriously .
In this matter , we understand the survivor ’ s abuse occurred in the mid-1970s when the survivor ’ s family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different religious community called the Servants of the Light/Lord in the Minneapolis area .
People of Praise did not exist in Minnesota until October 1983.
” He added : “ We understand that this is a deeply painful matter for the survivor and her family and we extend to them our prayers ” Connolly also said People of Praise had adopted a child safety policy that included mandatory law enforcement reporting obligations in instances of alleged child abuse .
He did not respond to the Guardian ’ s questions about its decision to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was aware of its representation of Trump administration officials .
Kuehl told the Guardian she was eager not to be seen as seeking revenge on People of Praise , or questioning Barrett ’ s character , intelligence , or her legal mind .
As a devout Catholic who regularly attends mass and is a mother of five , she is also not anti-religious , but rather feels a “ deep concern regarding the culture of secrecy , abuse of power and male-dominant hierarchy ” at People of Praise .
Esther , who approached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be identified , described how her parents had become members of People of Praise after a family tragedy upended their lives .
The next eight years of her life , she said , were filled with “ emotional torment ” as she watched her parents “ obediently embrace one conspiracy after another ” .
“ Anyone who was not charismatic was not to be trusted and most likely an operator for ‘ the evil one ’ .
The devil was always trying to trick us and the only way to stay safe was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by ‘ the co-ordinators ’ , ” she said .
“ I was not allowed to watch TV for two years until that was no longer a directive ; my mother could only cook with natural foods until that was no longer a fad … I was prohibited from owning a record/tape unless it was Christian rock.
” She added : “ We were devout Catholics too but there were strong insinuations that the diocese had strayed and could not be trusted.
” People of Praise did not comment on allegations of emotional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members .

Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the supreme court has prompted former members of her secretive faith group, the People of Praise, to come forward and share stories about emotional trauma and – in at least one case – sexual abuse they claim to have suffered at the hands of members of the Christian group.
In the wake of the allegations, the Guardian has learned that the charismatic Christian organization, which is based in Indiana, has hired the law firm of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan to conduct an “independent investigation” into sexual abuse claims on behalf of People of Praise.
The historic sexual abuse allegations and claims of emotional trauma do not pertain specifically to Barrett, who has been a lifelong member of the charismatic group, or her family.
But some former members who spoke to the Guardian said they were deeply concerned that too little was understood about the “community” of People of Praise ahead of Barrett’s expected confirmation by the Senate next week, after which she will hold the seat formerly held by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Two people familiar with the matter say that more than two dozen former members of the faith group, many of whom say they felt “triggered” by Barrett’s nomination, are participating in a support group to discuss how the faith group affected their lives.
“The basic premise of everything at the People of Praise was that the devil controlled everything outside of the community, and you were ‘walking out from under the umbrella of protection’ if you ever left,” said one former member who called herself Esther, who had to join the group as a child but then left the organization. “I was OK with it being in a tiny little corner of Indiana, because a lot of weird stuff happens in tiny little corners in this country. But it’s just unfathomable to me – I can’t even explain just how unfathomable it is – that you would have a supreme court justice who is a card-carrying member of this community.”
Barrett was not asked about her involvement in People of Praise during her confirmation hearings last week, and has never included her involvement with the group in Senate disclosure forms, but has in the past emphasized that her religious faith as a devout Catholic would not interfere with her impartiality.
05:10 Amy Coney Barrett: key moments from the supreme court confirmation hearings – video
People of Praise is rooted in the rise of charismatic Christian communities in the late 1960s and 1970s, which blended Pentecostal traditions like speaking in tongues and prophecy with Catholicism. It is an ecumenical group – meaning it accepts members of different Christian churches – though its members are mostly Catholic. Proponents say charismatic Christians are bound together by members’ shared personal presence of Christ, and “empowerment through the Holy Spirit”.
Its handbook emphasizes an insular view of the world, stressing obedience and devotion to other members, and communal living.
Barrett’s father has served as a leader in the community. Barrett was also listed as a “handmaid” in a 2010 directory, or female leader, served as a trustee at a school associated with the group, and has been featured in People of Praise magazines that were removed from the group’s website following her appointment as an appeals court judge in 2017.
The Guardian has confirmed that Barrett lived in a household led by one of the founders of the People of Praise, Kevin Ranaghan, while she was a law student at Notre Dame, and lived with another People of Praise family – Barbette and William Brophy – in Virginia after she graduated.
Proponents of the faith community have said in other press reports that they are misunderstood, and that it is a close-knit community that seeks to support other members “financially and materially and spiritually”.
But former members paint a different picture. Allegations and concerns center on claims of the intense subjugation of women by the community leaders; control of members’ lives and decisions, including marriage, living arrangements, and child rearing; and in one case, the mishandling of allegations of sexual abuse. Members who admit to having gay sex are expelled from the group, which staunchly opposes same-sex marriage.
For Sarah (Mitchell) Kuehl, a 48-year-old former member who grew up in the community, discussions about Barrett’s possible nomination prompted her – after years of trying to figure out how to address it – to send an email on 23 September to Craig Lent, the current head of People of Praise who also works as a professor at Notre Dame. In it, Kuehl claimed she had been sexually abused decades earlier by a “household member”, a male member of “the community” who had lived with the Mitchell family as part of the group’s communal living practices. Single people were expected to be celibate and live in family households which were expected to provide an example of married life, former members say.
After her alleged abuser – who along with her family was technically a member of a precursor group called Servants of the Light/Lord that merged in 1984 with People of Praise – admitted to her father that he had been molesting Kuehl, he was moved to another household and eventually had a marriage “arranged” for him, she said. She was four years old when the abuse began and it lasted for two years. At the time, her family also lived with other single men and women.
It’s unfathomable to me that you'd have a supreme court justice who is a card-carrying member of this community Esther
“I have struggled for years on whether to hold PoP accountable for what they knew, when they knew it and their attempt to hide and cover up. Like the Catholic church, who covered up and moved priests around, PoP has had a history of these same behaviors,” Kuehl alleged in her email to Lent.
Letters provided to the Guardian by Kuehl dating back to the late 1980s and early 1990s substantiate claims of abuse and attempts by her parents to address the issue with senior leaders of People of Praise. The documents include references to a psychological evaluation of the alleged abuser and confirmation that he did abuse Kuehl. The documents also revealed there were additional victims and that other minors were at risk.
Years later, when Kuehl sought to discuss the issue with her “handmaid” – a female guide and senior member of the organization, when she was at college – she said she was discouraged from talking about it.
“She told me NOT to talk about it with anyone because it could ‘hurt the reputation of the community’,” Kuehl wrote in her letter to Lent.
Weeks later, on 5 October, Lent responded to Kuehl’s email. He wrote: “I am just reaching out to you to let you know that we take this matter very seriously.”
He added: “We very much want to look into this. To that end we have contracted with Diane Doolittle of Quinn Emanuel, who specializes in exactly this sort of investigation. (This took some time to arrange.) I want to stress that, although she is a lawyer, her role is not to defend PoP, but rather she is very much in the role of an independent investigator. We thought that better than trying to investigate it directly ourselves. We want to know the truth of the matter. She will be talking to other people as well.”
Doolittle’s online bio states that she is a Silicon Valley-based trial lawyer who is involved in “high-stakes complex commercial, intellectual property and white collar cases”. She is also listed as having been engaged in “sensitive #MeToo cases, including by conducting corporate internal investigations”.
But People of Praise’s choice is also noteworthy because of Quinn Emanuel’s ties to the White House. William Burck, who serves as Quinn Emanuel’s co-managing partner in Washington DC, has counted Steve Bannon as a client, among others, and was a friend and associate of supreme court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. During Kavanaugh’s controversial confirmation hearings, it was Burck – a “Washington super-lawyer” – who was charged with culling Kavanaugh’s documents for review before the Senate hearing.
There is no evidence that Burck has been personally engaged in the People of Praise investigation.
In a statement, People of Praise spokesman Sean Connolly said: “We believe that one of our highest callings is the bond of trust around our community’s safety, and we take allegations of abuse or misconduct very seriously. In this matter, we understand the survivor’s abuse occurred in the mid-1970s when the survivor’s family and the perpetrator were members of a different religious community called the Servants of the Light/Lord in the Minneapolis area. People of Praise did not exist in Minnesota until October 1983.”
He added: “We understand that this is a deeply painful matter for the survivor and her family and we extend to them our prayers”
Connolly also said People of Praise had adopted a child safety policy that included mandatory law enforcement reporting obligations in instances of alleged child abuse. He did not respond to the Guardian’s questions about its decision to hire Quinn Emanuel or whether the group was aware of its representation of Trump administration officials.
Kuehl told the Guardian she was eager not to be seen as seeking revenge on People of Praise, or questioning Barrett’s character, intelligence, or her legal mind. As a devout Catholic who regularly attends mass and is a mother of five, she is also not anti-religious, but rather feels a “deep concern regarding the culture of secrecy, abuse of power and male-dominant hierarchy” at People of Praise.
Esther, who approached the Guardian but did not want to be identified, described how her parents had become members of People of Praise after a family tragedy upended their lives. The next eight years of her life, she said, were filled with “emotional torment” as she watched her parents “obediently embrace one conspiracy after another”.
“Anyone who was not charismatic was not to be trusted and most likely an operator for ‘the evil one’. The devil was always trying to trick us and the only way to stay safe was to follow obediently the rules set up by ‘the co-ordinators’,” she said. “I was not allowed to watch TV for two years until that was no longer a directive; my mother could only cook with natural foods until that was no longer a fad … I was prohibited from owning a record/tape unless it was Christian rock.”
She added: “We were devout Catholics too but there were strong insinuations that the diocese had strayed and could not be trusted.”
People of Praise did not comment on allegations of emotional abuse and trauma experienced by other former members.


theguardian--2020-10-21--Trump administration alters and downplays human rights abuses in reports

The Trump administration has omitted or altered vital information about human rights – including torture , reproductive rights and persecution based on sexuality – from its annual assessments of human rights , a new report reveals .
The state department ’ s annual reports have long been relied upon by governments , judges and lawyers – as well as the United Nations – as a “ gold standard ” of objective information about the human rights situation in countries around the world .
The US began compiling these reports in 1976 .
The Asylum Research Centre conducted a line-by-line analysis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights reports in the last year of the Obama administration and the first three years of the Trump administration .
The ARC focused on five countries with serious human rights abuses – Eritrea , Iran , Iraq , Pakistan and Sudan – to conduct its analysis .
It found that sections of the US reports were not consistent with the situation on the ground as documented by other reliable sources of information and had the effect of downplaying the seriousness of the human rights situations in these countries .
The principal changes related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and political rights , and issues relating to LGBTQ+ people .
Reports during the Trump era have also generally been shorter with certain sections removed or renamed .
All reports during the Trump administration removed the “ Reproductive Rights ” section and replaced it with “ Coercion in Population Control ” , omitting information related to accessing reproductive rights , contraception and pre- and post-natal healthcare .
Violence and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people , organisations and activistswas omitted altogether from reports on Iraq , despite well-documented examples of homophobic violence in the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the use of prolonged solitary confinement and sexual humiliation as reported methods of torture .
They also ignored discrimination and abuse of LGBTQ+ people , even though human rights organisations have documented systematic discrimination and violence against sexual minorities in the country .
The Iraq reports no longer mentioned the use of torture in prisons operated in the Kurdistan region of the country .
The Pakistan reports failed to mention the end of the moratorium on capital punishment , the execution of individuals who were under the age 18 when they allegedly committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inability to access legal representation .
The 2019 Eritrea report no longer mentioned widespread sexual violence against women in military training camps that amounted to torture and the forced domestic service of women and girls in training camps that amounted to sexual slavery .
The 2019 Sudan report appeared to suggest that human rights abuses – such as arbitrary killings by the security forces , forced disappearances , the detention of peaceful protesters , the failure to properly investigate alleged mistreatment , and traditional legal practices discriminating against women – only took place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Other sources have documented their continued occurrence since the veteran dictator was deposed by the army last year .
Liz Williams , co-director of ARC said : “ Our research shows that the state department under the Trump administration has excluded human rights issues from its reports which continue to be well documented elsewhere .
We are concerned that these omissions have the effect of denying the existence of rights or abuses and may result in certain types of asylum claims being dismissed if the US Department of State reports are relied upon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ omissions to these reports during the Trump administration have previously been highlighted but this is the first time a comprehensive analysis has been carried out .
ARC expressed concern that the failure to comprehensively document human rights abuses could lead to an inability to hold perpetrators of these abuses to account .
The fundamental changes have implications for decisions of governments around the world on foreign policy , aid , diplomatic engagement and refugee rights .
In the UK , judges and the Home Office use these reports regularly to inform decisions about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ granted sanctuary or forcibly returned to their home countries .
Information from these reports can make the difference between life or death for some asylum seekers .

The Trump administration has omitted or altered vital information about human rights – including torture, reproductive rights and persecution based on sexuality – from its annual assessments of human rights, a new report reveals.
The state department’s annual reports have long been relied upon by governments, judges and lawyers – as well as the United Nations – as a “gold standard” of objective information about the human rights situation in countries around the world. The US began compiling these reports in 1976.
The Asylum Research Centre conducted a line-by-line analysis and comparison between US state department human rights reports in the last year of the Obama administration and the first three years of the Trump administration.
The ARC focused on five countries with serious human rights abuses – Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and Sudan – to conduct its analysis.
It found that sections of the US reports were not consistent with the situation on the ground as documented by other reliable sources of information and had the effect of downplaying the seriousness of the human rights situations in these countries.
The principal changes related to women’s rights, civil and political rights, and issues relating to LGBTQ+ people.
Reports during the Trump era have also generally been shorter with certain sections removed or renamed.
All reports during the Trump administration removed the “Reproductive Rights” section and replaced it with “Coercion in Population Control”, omitting information related to accessing reproductive rights, contraception and pre- and post-natal healthcare.
Violence and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, organisations and activistswas omitted altogether from reports on Iraq, despite well-documented examples of homophobic violence in the country.
The Iran reports failed to document the use of prolonged solitary confinement and sexual humiliation as reported methods of torture. They also ignored discrimination and abuse of LGBTQ+ people, even though human rights organisations have documented systematic discrimination and violence against sexual minorities in the country.
The Iraq reports no longer mentioned the use of torture in prisons operated in the Kurdistan region of the country.
The Pakistan reports failed to mention the end of the moratorium on capital punishment, the execution of individuals who were under the age 18 when they allegedly committed the crime, and women’s inability to access legal representation.
The 2019 Eritrea report no longer mentioned widespread sexual violence against women in military training camps that amounted to torture and the forced domestic service of women and girls in training camps that amounted to sexual slavery.
The 2019 Sudan report appeared to suggest that human rights abuses – such as arbitrary killings by the security forces, forced disappearances, the detention of peaceful protesters, the failure to properly investigate alleged mistreatment, and traditional legal practices discriminating against women – only took place during the regime of Omar al-Bashir. Other sources have documented their continued occurrence since the veteran dictator was deposed by the army last year.
Liz Williams, co-director of ARC said: “Our research shows that the state department under the Trump administration has excluded human rights issues from its reports which continue to be well documented elsewhere. We are concerned that these omissions have the effect of denying the existence of rights or abuses and may result in certain types of asylum claims being dismissed if the US Department of State reports are relied upon in isolation.”
Some individual changes or omissions to these reports during the Trump administration have previously been highlighted but this is the first time a comprehensive analysis has been carried out.
ARC expressed concern that the failure to comprehensively document human rights abuses could lead to an inability to hold perpetrators of these abuses to account.
The fundamental changes have implications for decisions of governments around the world on foreign policy, aid, diplomatic engagement and refugee rights.
In the UK, judges and the Home Office use these reports regularly to inform decisions about whether or not asylum seekers should be granted sanctuary or forcibly returned to their home countries. Information from these reports can make the difference between life or death for some asylum seekers.


theguardian--2020-10-21--'Owning the libs': how Trump Jr became his father's unlikely political heir apparent

Donald Trump Jr stood on the flatbed of an 18-wheel truck at rodeo grounds in Williams , Arizona , and made his father ’ s re-election pitch to a seemingly unlikely audience : Native Americans .
The US president ’ s campaign claims he has been the “ fiercest ally ” of the Native American community .
Don Jr was here on 15 October to launch the “ Native Americans for Trump ” coalition drawn from the Navajo , Chickasaw , Cherokee , Lumbee , Zuni and White Mountain Apache tribes .
But Don Jr , 42 , had also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pander , ” he said , according to the Arizona Daily Sun newspaper .
“ They tell you everything you want to hear and do exactly the opposite .
They lie to you for years – you guys understand that better than everyone.
” It was one of numerous campaign stops for Trump ’ s eldest son , seen by many as the heir apparent to the “ Make America Great Again ” ( Maga ) movement .
Like his father , Don Jr delivers fiery populist speeches , tweets conspiracy theories and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shocking and outraging liberals on air and online .
Like his father , he has come to personify modern Republicanism .
And as Trump continues to trail his Democratic challenger , Joe Biden , in the polls , attention has turned to who may take up his mantle after November .
“ Trumpism replaced conservatism as the ideological underpinning of the Republican party and , because of that , they don ’ t really fight about issues any more , ” said Rick Wilson , a longtime Republican strategist co-founder of the anti-Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight about affect and whether or not they ’ re winning these ephemeral social media battles and , in that world , the highest order goal is the ‘ owning of the libs ’ .
It is a throwaway phrase substituting the validity or strength of an argument with a sort of self-satisfaction that you have been transgressive in some way towards liberals or progressives.
” Wilson added : “ Donald Trump Jr is a master of that .
He is a post-Republican Republican .
He is there only to engage in that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump world .
It is a political performance art to show your contempt for norms , institutions and education .
“ It has become the ideological underpinning of the GOP [ Grand Old Party , or Republican party ] .
There ’ s no party of ideas any longer .
There ’ s no there there except for sort of the screeching fury of Trumpism.
” After spending some years finding his path , including a stint as a “ ski bum ” , Don Jr has followed in his father ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his father ’ s alma mater , the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania , and went into the family business .
He is now an executive vice-president at the Trump Organization and a leading campaign surrogate for the president .
Now , Don Jr , whose father worried about naming his son after himself in case he turned out to be a “ loser ” , is adept at throwing red meat to the base , sometimes with greater discipline and precision than his father .
He has written books @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Hate and Wants to Silence Us , and the self-published Liberal Privilege : Joe Biden and the Democrats ’ Defense of the Indefensible .
His girlfriend , the former Fox News personality Kimberly Guilfoyle , often joins him at rallies and virtual fundraisers .
She delivered a memorably raucous speech to an empty room at this year ’ s Republican national convention , culminating in the stentorian battle cry : “ The best is yet to come !
” When a SurveyMonkey poll for Axios in January asked who Republicans would consider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was second only to Vice-President Mike Pence ( Ivanka Trump , who had been considered for the role of her father ’ s running mate in 2016 , came fourth ) .
Asked if he is considering running for political office during an interview last month on CSpan ’ s Books TV , Don Jr replied : “ People have been doing that after the RNC [ Republican national convention ] , ‘ It ’ s Don Jr versus Nikki Haley for 2024 !
’ I go , ‘ Oh , that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even know I was running ’ .
” He added : “ Whether I ’ m going to run or not , I have no plans on it right now .
My goal is 2020 .
We ’ ll worry about everything after that but I will stay involved , one way or another , that ’ s for sure.
” Wilson , author of Everything Trump Touches Dies and Running Against the Devil , argues that Don Jr “ speaks fluent Maga ” and is in fact the frontrunner .
“ What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re going to run in 24 for president – Ben Sasse and Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz – is they ’ re not going anywhere , ” he said .
“ They should stop right now , they ’ re wasting their time and everyone else ’ s , because the nominee in 2024 is going to be Donald Trump Jr .
He will come in , he will have his father ’ s endorsement and he will promise great feats of lib ownership.
” Leading exponents of “ owning the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and executive director of Turning Point USA , a non-profit that wages culture wars at schools and universities , and Candace Owens , founder of the “ Blexit ” organisation which urges Black people to desert the Democratic party and a sense of “ permanent victimhood ” .
Their social media point-scoring is symptomatic of an age of negative partisanship in which many voters ’ support is motivated more by loathing for the other side than belief in their own .
Some Democrats have also acknowledged that their enthusiasm for this year ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than voting for Joe Biden , a 77-year-old white moderate making his third run for the White House .
Conversely , when Don Jr and his father bash Barack Obama , Hillary Clinton and Biden at campaign rallies , they generate louder reactions from the crowd than when they set out agenda items or achievements .
Don Jr ’ s Twitter feed offers his 5.8 million followers little by way of policy but a torrent of Democrat-baiting and conspiracy theories .
In May he posted on Instagram a meme that falsely insinuated Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had merely been “ joking around ” , though the disinformation has made its way into the minds of voters .
His current pinned tweet is a video that asserts , without evidence , that : “ The Biden family has spent decades in Washington DC enriching themselves by selling access to Joe Biden ’ s taxpayer funded office .
Hunter Biden is corrupt .
Jim Biden is corrupt .
Joe Biden is corrupt.
” Critics say this invective is filling a vacuum where ideology used to be .
David Litt , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ What does the Republican party under Trump stand for ?
They don ’ t stand for small deficits .
They don ’ t stand for the rule of law .
They don ’ t stand for exporting democracy around the world .
So they really stand for making Democrats upset .
“ The one way you can be sure that you ’ re a member of the Trump- era conservative movement is that respectable liberals are either scared or appalled or both by some of the things you said .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where the identity is based not on who you are but on who you aren ’ t and who you make upset.
” Litt , author of Thanks , Obama : My Hopey Changey White House Years and Democracy In One Book or Less , added : “ I think Donald Trump Jr is a perfect example of this because he is a white , straight male who is set to inherit hundreds of millions or billions as long as the tax situation works out and , despite all of that , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ persecuted .
“ I think that idea of saying the real civil rights movement is the fight for Republican billionaires to be able to do whatever they want has become this strange core tenet of the Trump-era Republican party.
” But Don Jr ’ s fate could be decided on 3 November .
If , as polls suggest , his father suffers a humiliating defeat , he could be thrust into a battle for the future of the Republican party with senators , governors and other political veterans .
Joshua Kendall , author @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from George Washington to Barack Obama , said : “ It really all depends on the election .
There are basically two scenarios .
If his father loses , Don Jr and his father might use all those Twitter followers to form some sort of rightwing media empire .
If his father wins then Don Jr is going to be front and centre .
”

Donald Trump Jr stood on the flatbed of an 18-wheel truck at rodeo grounds in Williams, Arizona, and made his father’s re-election pitch to a seemingly unlikely audience: Native Americans.
The US president’s campaign claims he has been the “fiercest ally” of the Native American community. Don Jr was here on 15 October to launch the “Native Americans for Trump” coalition drawn from the Navajo, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Lumbee, Zuni and White Mountain Apache tribes.
But Don Jr, 42, had also come to bash Democrats. “They pander,” he said, according to the Arizona Daily Sun newspaper. “They tell you everything you want to hear and do exactly the opposite. They lie to you for years – you guys understand that better than everyone.”
Don Jr’s Twitter feed offers his 5.8m followers little by way of policy but a torrent of Democrat-baiting and conspiracy theories
It was one of numerous campaign stops for Trump’s eldest son, seen by many as the heir apparent to the “Make America Great Again” (Maga) movement. Like his father, Don Jr delivers fiery populist speeches, tweets conspiracy theories and, above all, relishes goading, shocking and outraging liberals on air and online. Like his father, he has come to personify modern Republicanism.
And as Trump continues to trail his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, in the polls, attention has turned to who may take up his mantle after November.
“Trumpism replaced conservatism as the ideological underpinning of the Republican party and, because of that, they don’t really fight about issues any more,” said Rick Wilson, a longtime Republican strategist co-founder of the anti-Trump group the Lincoln Project.
“They fight about affect and whether or not they’re winning these ephemeral social media battles and, in that world, the highest order goal is the ‘owning of the libs’. It is a throwaway phrase substituting the validity or strength of an argument with a sort of self-satisfaction that you have been transgressive in some way towards liberals or progressives.”
Wilson added: “Donald Trump Jr is a master of that. He is a post-Republican Republican. He is there only to engage in that performative dickery that is lib owning in the Trump world. It is a political performance art to show your contempt for norms, institutions and education.
“It has become the ideological underpinning of the GOP [Grand Old Party, or Republican party]. There’s no party of ideas any longer. There’s no there there except for sort of the screeching fury of Trumpism.”
After spending some years finding his path, including a stint as a “ski bum”, Don Jr has followed in his father’s footsteps. He is a graduate of his father’s alma mater, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and went into the family business. He is now an executive vice-president at the Trump Organization and a leading campaign surrogate for the president.
Donald Trump Jr attends a book signing at Marriot Hotel to promote his book ‘Liberal Privilege’ in Long Island, New York, on 18 October. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Now, Don Jr, whose father worried about naming his son after himself in case he turned out to be a “loser”, is adept at throwing red meat to the base, sometimes with greater discipline and precision than his father. He has written books entitled Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us, and the self-published Liberal Privilege: Joe Biden and the Democrats’ Defense of the Indefensible.
His girlfriend, the former Fox News personality Kimberly Guilfoyle, often joins him at rallies and virtual fundraisers. She delivered a memorably raucous speech to an empty room at this year’s Republican national convention, culminating in the stentorian battle cry: “The best is yet to come!”
When a SurveyMonkey poll for Axios in January asked who Republicans would consider voting for in 2024, Don Jr was second only to Vice-President Mike Pence (Ivanka Trump, who had been considered for the role of her father’s running mate in 2016, came fourth).
Asked if he is considering running for political office during an interview last month on CSpan’s Books TV, Don Jr replied: “People have been doing that after the RNC [Republican national convention], ‘It’s Don Jr versus Nikki Haley for 2024!’ I go, ‘Oh, that’s interesting, I didn’t even know I was running’.”
He added: “Whether I’m going to run or not, I have no plans on it right now. My goal is 2020. We’ll worry about everything after that but I will stay involved, one way or another, that’s for sure.”
Wilson, author of Everything Trump Touches Dies and Running Against the Devil, argues that Don Jr “speaks fluent Maga” and is in fact the frontrunner.
“What I tell all these Republicans who think they’re going to run in 24 for president – Ben Sasse and Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz – is they’re not going anywhere,” he said. “They should stop right now, they’re wasting their time and everyone else’s, because the nominee in 2024 is going to be Donald Trump Jr. He will come in, he will have his father’s endorsement and he will promise great feats of lib ownership.”
Donald Trump Jr leaves after the first 2020 presidential campaign debate held in Cleveland, Ohio, on 29 September. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Leading exponents of “owning the libs” including Charlie Kirk, founder and executive director of Turning Point USA, a non-profit that wages culture wars at schools and universities, and Candace Owens, founder of the “Blexit” organisation which urges Black people to desert the Democratic party and a sense of “permanent victimhood”.
Their social media point-scoring is symptomatic of an age of negative partisanship in which many voters’ support is motivated more by loathing for the other side than belief in their own. Some Democrats have also acknowledged that their enthusiasm for this year’s election is about voting against Trump than voting for Joe Biden, a 77-year-old white moderate making his third run for the White House.
Conversely, when Don Jr and his father bash Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Biden at campaign rallies, they generate louder reactions from the crowd than when they set out agenda items or achievements. Don Jr’s Twitter feed offers his 5.8 million followers little by way of policy but a torrent of Democrat-baiting and conspiracy theories.
In May he posted on Instagram a meme that falsely insinuated Biden is a paedophile, later insisting that he had merely been “joking around”, though the disinformation has made its way into the minds of voters.
His current pinned tweet is a video that asserts, without evidence, that: “The Biden family has spent decades in Washington DC enriching themselves by selling access to Joe Biden’s taxpayer funded office. Hunter Biden is corrupt. Jim Biden is corrupt. Joe Biden is corrupt.”
Critics say this invective is filling a vacuum where ideology used to be. David Litt, a former speechwriter for Obama, asked: “What does the Republican party under Trump stand for? They don’t stand for small deficits. They don’t stand for the rule of law. They don’t stand for exporting democracy around the world. So they really stand for making Democrats upset.
“The one way you can be sure that you’re a member of the Trump- era conservative movement is that respectable liberals are either scared or appalled or both by some of the things you said. So it becomes this kind of identity politics where the identity is based not on who you are but on who you aren’t and who you make upset.”
Litt, author of Thanks, Obama: My Hopey Changey White House Years and Democracy In One Book or Less, added: “I think Donald Trump Jr is a perfect example of this because he is a white, straight male who is set to inherit hundreds of millions or billions as long as the tax situation works out and, despite all of that, he seems quite certain that he’s persecuted.
“I think that idea of saying the real civil rights movement is the fight for Republican billionaires to be able to do whatever they want has become this strange core tenet of the Trump-era Republican party.”
But Don Jr’s fate could be decided on 3 November. If, as polls suggest, his father suffers a humiliating defeat, he could be thrust into a battle for the future of the Republican party with senators, governors and other political veterans.
Joshua Kendall, author of First Dads: Parenting and Politics from George Washington to Barack Obama, said: “It really all depends on the election. There are basically two scenarios. If his father loses, Don Jr and his father might use all those Twitter followers to form some sort of rightwing media empire. If his father wins then Don Jr is going to be front and centre.”


theguardian--2020-10-21--It's not enough for Black Lives Matter to protest. We must run for office too | Chi Ossé

Black Lives Matter , the second civil rights movement , was born seven years ago in the wake of the killings of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown .
It has now come of age .
After numerous waves of protest , the 2020 surge marked the largest protest movement in the history of the country .
In June , I co-founded Warriors in the Garden , one of New York ’ s leading protest collectives , and spent nearly every day for months in the streets .
This mass mobilization sprang to life following the killings of two more Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at the hands of the police .
But the catalyst was not the fuel .
Slavery came to our shores in 1619 , and has for 400 years defined both the Black experience and the United States .
The nation is a powder keg ; 2020 lit the fuse .
The ensuing explosion has been bright and chaotic , like the final burst of fireworks on the Fourth of July .
But powerful explosions , when coalesced , organized and pointed in the same direction , go by another name : a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end but the engine .
We are asked where we go from here .
We answer that the sky is not the limit , but the direction .
There exists a call in the movement to dismantle and deconstruct .
Not just racism , but our strongest institutions as well .
If for hundreds of years these institutions have served the powerful in quests of oppression , it is argued , then they must be replaced .
I choose a more strategic approach , rooted in pride and optimism .
The protests are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matter have flipped to majority-positive for the first time .
As this is still a democracy , we must convert our popularity into political power .
Black people built this country .
For 400 years , our contributions to its foundations and fabric have been invaluable .
Our free labor provided its original riches ; our culture brightened its soul ; our hard-earned successes gave it a fighting chance to look in the mirror and feel a sense of honest pride .
While the language of the American promise is bold , optimistic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history is more complicated .
Our story is one of struggle and perseverance , by progressives against reactionaries , to make true Martin Luther King Jr ’ s belief that “ the arc of the moral universe is long , but it bends toward justice.
” Changing technology and demographics , combined with society ’ s long-sought agreement to confront its past , offer this era a glimpse of an end to this fight .
At once , the horizon becomes within reach .
Over seven years , the Black Lives Matter movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to coast to reshape society .
It has illuminated to millions of Americans the suffering of millions of others happening just under their noses .
It sparked a re-evaluation of our history and heroes .
It shone a spotlight on a swath of artists and leaders who had labored unrecognized for too long .
Through this movement , many people – of good intentions but often under-informed – were made aware of their complacency and complicity in grave injustices , and committed to alleviating them .
Black Lives Matter has awakened America .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a “ silent majority ” of Americans are conservatives , opposed to progress and loyal to a mythical past .
While in Richard Nixon ’ s era this may have been true , it is no longer .
There is no silent majority opposed to progressive change .
The majority is with us and it is loud .
The next step is to convert these voices to votes .
It is from the platform of this philosophy that I launched my own bid to serve as a Gen Z member of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a young , multiracial coalition of progressives across the country to step forward as well .
Monumental change will come with this coalition at the helm of America ’ s institutions , including its businesses , schools and the government itself .
No longer must we rely primarily on making requests and demands of those in power , nor should we insist the seats of power be dismantled .
We will claim those seats .
We have invested far too much in this country , both willingly and unwillingly , to not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ship .
It is our right to sail it , and our duty to point it in the right direction .
Then our democratic dream can be realized .
The political ideology espoused in the streets this summer is not new .
But our clear path to enact it might be .
With popular support behind us , we stand at the threshold of political revolution .
The key lies in merging the utility of democratic government with the tidal force of mass mobilization .
If government is the machine , the movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans and our coalition fulfill our role as what Nikole Hannah-Jones calls in the 1619 Project “ the perfecters of this democracy ” , this second civil rights movement will be the last .
The partnership between government and movement is the remedy to heal our historical scars and open wounds , and carry this democracy toward perfection .
• None Chi Ossé is a member of the activist collective Warriors in the Garden .
He is also a candidate to represent New York City ’ s 36th district

Black Lives Matter, the second civil rights movement, was born seven years ago in the wake of the killings of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown. It has now come of age. After numerous waves of protest, the 2020 surge marked the largest protest movement in the history of the country. In June, I co-founded Warriors in the Garden, one of New York’s leading protest collectives, and spent nearly every day for months in the streets. This mass mobilization sprang to life following the killings of two more Black Americans, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, at the hands of the police. But the catalyst was not the fuel. Slavery came to our shores in 1619, and has for 400 years defined both the Black experience and the United States. The nation is a powder keg; 2020 lit the fuse.
The ensuing explosion has been bright and chaotic, like the final burst of fireworks on the Fourth of July. But powerful explosions, when coalesced, organized and pointed in the same direction, go by another name: a rocket. The protests are not the end but the engine. We are asked where we go from here. We answer that the sky is not the limit, but the direction.
There exists a call in the movement to dismantle and deconstruct. Not just racism, but our strongest institutions as well. If for hundreds of years these institutions have served the powerful in quests of oppression, it is argued, then they must be replaced. I choose a more strategic approach, rooted in pride and optimism.
The protests are working. Societal opinions of Black Lives Matter have flipped to majority-positive for the first time. As this is still a democracy, we must convert our popularity into political power.
Black people built this country. For 400 years, our contributions to its foundations and fabric have been invaluable. Our free labor provided its original riches; our culture brightened its soul; our hard-earned successes gave it a fighting chance to look in the mirror and feel a sense of honest pride.
Black people built this country. For 400 years, our contributions to its foundations and fabric have been invaluable
While the language of the American promise is bold, optimistic, and worth fighting for, our history is more complicated. Our story is one of struggle and perseverance, by progressives against reactionaries, to make true Martin Luther King Jr’s belief that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Changing technology and demographics, combined with society’s long-sought agreement to confront its past, offer this era a glimpse of an end to this fight. At once, the horizon becomes within reach.
Over seven years, the Black Lives Matter movement has touched individuals and cities from coast to coast to reshape society. It has illuminated to millions of Americans the suffering of millions of others happening just under their noses. It sparked a re-evaluation of our history and heroes. It shone a spotlight on a swath of artists and leaders who had labored unrecognized for too long.
Through this movement, many people – of good intentions but often under-informed – were made aware of their complacency and complicity in grave injustices, and committed to alleviating them. Black Lives Matter has awakened America.
There is a belief in this country that a “silent majority” of Americans are conservatives, opposed to progress and loyal to a mythical past. While in Richard Nixon’s era this may have been true, it is no longer. There is no silent majority opposed to progressive change. The majority is with us and it is loud.
The next step is to convert these voices to votes. It is from the platform of this philosophy that I launched my own bid to serve as a Gen Z member of the New York city council, and call on a young, multiracial coalition of progressives across the country to step forward as well. Monumental change will come with this coalition at the helm of America’s institutions, including its businesses, schools and the government itself. No longer must we rely primarily on making requests and demands of those in power, nor should we insist the seats of power be dismantled. We will claim those seats.
We have invested far too much in this country, both willingly and unwillingly, to not finish the job. We built this ship. It is our right to sail it, and our duty to point it in the right direction.
Then our democratic dream can be realized.
The political ideology espoused in the streets this summer is not new. But our clear path to enact it might be. With popular support behind us, we stand at the threshold of political revolution. The key lies in merging the utility of democratic government with the tidal force of mass mobilization. If government is the machine, the movement must be its fuel.
As Black Americans and our coalition fulfill our role as what Nikole Hannah-Jones calls in the 1619 Project “the perfecters of this democracy”, this second civil rights movement will be the last. The partnership between government and movement is the remedy to heal our historical scars and open wounds, and carry this democracy toward perfection.


theguardian--2020-10-21--What Ice Cube's collaboration with Trump – and critique of Democrats – reveals | Malaika Jabali

Throughout this election season , the rapper Ice Cube has assumed a self-bestowed mantle as spokesperson for Black politics .
He has urged that Black Americans make demands before guaranteeing anyone their vote .
“ Be skeptical of anybody telling you to just vote … and not get anything for your vote , ” he said on Instagram in September .
“ You vote because your community is getting something.
” Last week , Donald Trump ’ s senior adviser Katrina Pierson announced that Ice Cube worked with the Trump campaign to develop their “ Platinum Plan ” for Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public criticism and accusations .
At the core of the backlash is the suspicion that Cube ’ s commentary and his chief political initiative , the Contract With Black America , is less about promoting a Black agenda and more about suppressing Black voter turnout for the Democratic party , which Black Americans overwhelmingly support .
The accusation compelled Ice Cube to appear on a number of media outlets to clarify his position .
“ I ’ m willing to work with both teams , but I ’ m just working with whoever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Ice Cube said on CNN .
In an interview with journalist Roland Martin , Cube said “ for us not to engage with both sides of the aisle to fix what I think is an American problem … is not going to help us in the end.
” This controversy reveals several things about American politics , and specifically the sad state of political affairs for Black people .
For starters , the political environment is so fraught – and voters are so antsy about another four years of a Trump presidency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raise alarm bells for many Black Americans .
But that instinct has the effect of silencing even mild criticism of Joe Biden or the Democratic party .
We ’ re closer and closer to the election , and two-party tribalism is in overdrive , nuance is mostly absent , and commentators are falling into their expected camps .
Conservatives gleefully use Cube ’ s message to prop up Trump .
Liberals largely dismiss Ice Cube as a race traitor without sitting with his concerns .
And Ice Cube defenders reflect little on Cube @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market-based , libertarian-esque philosophy he ’ s proposing for problems that require radical solutions and wholesale government intervention .
The fact of the matter is , Black Americans defending and criticizing Ice Cube both have valid concerns .
Neither major political party is working for Black Americans economically .
The Black-white wealth gap is alarming , with white households holding 11.5 times more wealth than Black ones , and the gap continues to widen .
Black homeownership is at a record low .
More Black people are being imprisoned than in the 1960s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these policy failures while letting big business off the hook for practices that exploit and harm our communities .
This includes encouraging manufacturing jobs to leave for cheaper , deunionized labor in sectors that were disproportionately occupied by Black men ; failing to adequately regulate big banks who profited from subprime mortgages targeted to Black communities ; failing to assist Black Americans when the economy crashed on their backs ; and enabling corporations to make astronomical profits off the disproportionately Black and Latino workers working in essential jobs during Covid .
As long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-party system backed by big corporations , big money donors , and financial institutions , Black people will never find a reprieve .
We ’ ll simply jump from one party to the next , or out of the ballot booths altogether .
We ’ ll frame our political power solely on the terms of what party leaders promise and consistently fail to provide .
We ’ ll seek whatever meager concessions we can muster – task forces , committee leadership promotions , and an assortment of patronage jobs – that ultimately leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s the disappointment I saw in multiple Ice Cube interviews .
It ’ s the resignation I ’ ve heard from working-class Black Americans all over the country in my reporting .
Thus , given the acute economic crisis for Black Americans , it behooves anyone speaking on their behalf to have their shit together , to put it bluntly .
We can not afford anything less .
Anyone with basic political instincts should know that any association with a white nationalist-sympathizing president could and should significantly turn off Black voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sound policy ideas into a tribalist , corporate media meat grinder , rendering the original message unrecognizable .
It reduces the 22 pages of ( mostly ) impressive and sweeping policy prescriptions in Cube ’ s Contract With Black America – proposals such as baby bonds , a jobs guarantee , and freeing people imprisoned for marijuana possession – to a two-page “ platinum ” talking point for Trump ’ s lackeys .
If Ice Cube wants to reduce the Black agenda to a mere election-season transaction – without considering the more fundamental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he should at least get his basic business sense right .
There are some parties you just don ’ t negotiate with , because the starting terms are too far apart .
Donald Trump comes from a party that promotes small government and normalizes white supremacy .
A transformative economic agenda requires large , government investments in low-income and working-class communities .
This runs counter to the entire Republican trickle-down economic platform of the past several decades .
The present Republican administration has yet to provide basic economic programs en masse in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the financial fallout of Covid-19 , many of whom are Trump supporters themselves .
It is beyond fantastical to believe Trump , or any Republican president , will advance programs to Black Americans that he doesn ’ t provide his own followers .
But most of Ice Cube ’ s liberal critics fail to acknowledge that the Democratic Party has fared little better .
Though his strategy and conclusions are miscalculated , his description of the problems are not .
The Republican party has moved right and dragged Democrats with them ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much of the past several decades working overtime to outflank Republicans on tough-on-crime policies , austerity politics , deregulation , and privatization , and it ’ s that school of thought of which Biden has been a long-time instructor .
“ Small government ” won ’ t fix the mess which exploitative business practices and neoliberal public policies have created for Black people .
What it will likely take are independent voters , a mass movement , and progressive organized labor – which can not be corralled a few months before an election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systemic change .
This is serious work that , at the least , requires consistent commitment and being in community with organizers and policy experts who have been thinking and working towards those demands for more than a season .
Anything less will fail the very communities people like Ice Cube claim to represent .
• None Malaika Jabali is a public policy attorney , activist and Guardian US columnist • None Watergate reporter Bob Woodward will discuss the Trump presidency at a Guardian Live online event on Tuesday 27 October , 7pm @ @ @ @ @

Throughout this election season, the rapper Ice Cube has assumed a self-bestowed mantle as spokesperson for Black politics. He has urged that Black Americans make demands before guaranteeing anyone their vote. “Be skeptical of anybody telling you to just vote … and not get anything for your vote,” he said on Instagram in September. “You vote because your community is getting something.”
Last week, Donald Trump’s senior adviser Katrina Pierson announced that Ice Cube worked with the Trump campaign to develop their “Platinum Plan” for Black America, unleashing a furious wave of public criticism and accusations. At the core of the backlash is the suspicion that Cube’s commentary and his chief political initiative, the Contract with Black America, is less about promoting a Black agenda and more about suppressing Black voter turnout for the Democratic party, which Black Americans overwhelmingly support.
The accusation compelled Ice Cube to appear on a number of media outlets to clarify his position. “I’m willing to work with both teams, but I’m just working with whoever is willing to work with me,” Ice Cube said on CNN. In an interview with journalist Roland Martin, Cube said “for us not to engage with both sides of the aisle to fix what I think is an American problem … is not going to help us in the end.”
'Small government' won’t fix the mess that neoliberal public policies have created for Black people
This controversy reveals several things about American politics, and specifically the sad state of political affairs for Black people. For starters, the political environment is so fraught – and voters are so antsy about another four years of a Trump presidency – that any appearance of impropriety will raise alarm bells for many Black Americans. But that instinct has the effect of silencing even mild criticism of Joe Biden or the Democratic party. We’re closer and closer to the election, and two-party tribalism is in overdrive, nuance is mostly absent, and commentators are falling into their expected camps. Conservatives gleefully use Cube’s message to prop up Trump. Liberals largely dismiss Ice Cube as a race traitor without sitting with his concerns. And Ice Cube defenders reflect little on Cube’s botched political strategy or the market-based, libertarian-esque philosophy he’s proposing for problems that require radical solutions and wholesale government intervention.
The fact of the matter is, Black Americans defending and criticizing Ice Cube both have valid concerns. Neither major political party is working for Black Americans economically. The Black-white wealth gap is alarming, with white households holding 11.5 times more wealth than Black ones, and the gap continues to widen. Black homeownership is at a record low. More Black people are being imprisoned than in the 1960s. And both parties have contributed to these policy failures while letting big business off the hook for practices that exploit and harm our communities. This includes encouraging manufacturing jobs to leave for cheaper, deunionized labor in sectors that were disproportionately occupied by Black men; failing to adequately regulate big banks who profited from subprime mortgages targeted to Black communities; failing to assist Black Americans when the economy crashed on their backs; and enabling corporations to make astronomical profits off the disproportionately Black and Latino workers working in essential jobs during Covid.
As long as we’re stuck in a two-party system backed by big corporations, big money donors and financial institutions, Black people will never find a reprieve. We’ll simply jump from one party to the next, or out of the ballot booths altogether. We’ll frame our political power solely on the terms of what party leaders promise and consistently fail to provide. We’ll seek whatever meager concessions we can muster – taskforces, committee leadership promotions, and an assortment of patronage jobs – that ultimately leave many Black people disappointed and disillusioned.
It’s the disappointment I saw in multiple Ice Cube interviews. It’s the resignation I’ve heard from working-class Black Americans all over the country in my reporting. Thus, given the acute economic crisis for Black Americans, it behooves anyone speaking on their behalf to have their shit together, to put it bluntly. We cannot afford anything less. Anyone with basic political instincts should know that any association with a white nationalist-sympathizing president could and should significantly turn off Black voters. Cube’s strategy has heaved sound policy ideas into a tribalist, corporate media meat grinder, rendering the original message unrecognizable. It reduces the 22 pages of (mostly) impressive and sweeping policy prescriptions in Cube’s Contract with Black America – proposals such as baby bonds, a jobs guarantee, and freeing people imprisoned for marijuana possession – to a two-page “platinum” talking point for Trump’s lackeys.
If Ice Cube wants to reduce the Black agenda to a mere election-season transaction – without considering the more fundamental relation between Black liberation and anticapitalism – he should at least get his basic business sense right. There are some parties you just don’t negotiate with, because the starting terms are too far apart. Donald Trump comes from a party that promotes small government and normalizes white supremacy. A transformative economic agenda requires large, government investments in low-income and working-class communities. This runs counter to the entire Republican trickle-down economic platform of the past several decades. The present Republican administration has yet to provide basic economic programs en masse in an election year for millions of Americans suffering from the financial fallout of Covid-19, many of whom are Trump supporters themselves. It is beyond fantastical to believe Trump, or any Republican president, will advance programs to Black Americans that he doesn’t provide his own followers.
But most of Ice Cube’s liberal critics fail to acknowledge that the Democratic party has fared little better. Though his strategy and conclusions are miscalculated, his description of the problems are not. The Republican party has moved right and dragged Democrats with them; the result is that Democrats have spent much of the past several decades working overtime to outflank Republicans on tough-on-crime policies, austerity politics, deregulation and privatization, and it’s that school of thought of which Biden has been a longtime instructor.
“Small government” won’t fix the mess which exploitative business practices and neoliberal public policies have created for Black people. What it will likely take are independent voters, a mass movement and progressive organized labor – which cannot be corralled a few months before an election – to make demands for radical, systemic change. This is serious work that, at the least, requires consistent commitment and being in community with organizers and policy experts who have been thinking and working towards those demands for more than a season. Anything less will fail the very communities people like Ice Cube claim to represent.
Malaika Jabali is a public policy attorney, activist and Guardian US columnist


theguardian--2020-10-21--If Trump wins everyone is going to have a lot of feelings including us. Be prepared | First Dog on t

If Trump wins everyone is going to have a lot of feelings including us. Be prepared | First Dog on the Moon

Even worse Biden will win and everything will still suck .
I ’ m just kidding .
Or am I @ @ @ @ @ to get an email whenever First Dog cartoons are published • Get all your needs @ @ @ @ @ shop if what you need is First Dog merchandise and prints

Even worse Biden will win and everything will still suck. I’m just kidding. Or am I?
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theguardian--2020-10-21--If the poorest Americans are selling their blood, the US is in serious trouble | Arwa Mahdawi

Looking to make extra cash ?
Don ’ t want to retrain in “ cyber ” but need a new gig ?
Good news !
All you need to do is contract Covid-19 , try not to die , then sell your antibody-rich blood plasma .
Blood centres in the US are currently paying Covid-19 survivors a premium for their plasma , the yellowish liquid that makes up about 55 % of blood .
Apparently , you can get $ 100- $ 200 ( £75-£155 ) a pop .
It would seem some enterprising students have cottoned on to this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University ’ s campus in Idaho recently announced that they are “ deeply troubled ” by accounts of students who have “ intentionally ” exposed themselves to coronavirus in order to get that sweet , sweet blood money .
“ There is never a need to resort to behaviour that endangers health or safety in order to make ends meet , ” the school said .
A noble sentiment .
However , the US would not have a booming blood plasma industry in the first place if it weren ’ t for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resort to potentially endangering their own health in order to make ends meet .
Even before the coronavirus hit , low-income Americans were selling blood plasma to get by .
“ Selling plasma is so common among America ’ s extremely poor that it can be thought of as their lifeblood , ” a 2015 Atlantic article noted .
The US is an outlier in this regard : you ’ re not allowed to sell your blood plasma in the UK or in many other developed countries .
In the US , however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week ; the procedure typically takes about 90 minutes , and you will get somewhere between $ 30 ( £23 ) and $ 50 ( £38 ) a time .
Which is more than the $ 7.25 ( £5.50 ) per hour federal minimum wage .
The companies bleeding you dry , of course , will be earning a whole lot more : blood plasma is a multibillion dollar business in the US .
Indeed , blood products are the US ’ s 12th most valuable export ; in 2016 , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American exports than soya beans or computers .
Industry people joke that the US , which produces 70 % of all plasma worldwide , is “ the Opec of plasma collections.
” Giving blood plasma now and again won ’ t hurt you .
Indeed , it is something we should all do if we can : plasma is desperately needed for life-saving therapies .
In Britain , the NHS is urging Covid-19 survivors to donate plasma to treat those who fall ill during a second wave .
But selling your blood plasma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ desperate Americans do , may be another matter .
Some experts and research have queried whether it is healthy , and even in the US if you donate plasma rather than sell , there are limits on how many times you can do it .
Some people who sell their plasma frequently have also complained about things like migraines , numbness , and fainting .
I am not necessarily against the idea of allowing people to sell blood plasma : as long it is strictly regulated , the number of donations safely capped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I am definitely against people having to resort to selling plasma because the lack of a meaningful welfare state , along with a stagnant minimum wage , means it ’ s the only way they can scrape by .
Even if there were zero health consequences involved there is something fundamentally sickening about the blood plasma industry .
According to one study , plasma donation centres are disproportionately located in low-income areas and the most frequent use of money earned from donating was paying for food and basic necessities .
And this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world .
It should make your blood boil .

Looking to make extra cash? Don’t want to retrain in “cyber” but need a new gig? Good news! All you need to do is contract Covid-19, try not to die, then sell your antibody-rich blood plasma. Blood centres in the US are currently paying Covid-19 survivors a premium for their plasma, the yellowish liquid that makes up about 55% of blood. Apparently, you can get $100-$200 (£75-£155) a pop.
It would seem some enterprising students have cottoned on to this money-making scheme. Administrators at Brigham Young University’s campus in Idaho recently announced that they are “deeply troubled” by accounts of students who have “intentionally” exposed themselves to coronavirus in order to get that sweet, sweet blood money. “There is never a need to resort to behaviour that endangers health or safety in order to make ends meet,” the school said.
A noble sentiment. However, the US would not have a booming blood plasma industry in the first place if it weren’t for the fact that so many people have to resort to potentially endangering their own health in order to make ends meet. Even before the coronavirus hit, low-income Americans were selling blood plasma to get by.
“Selling plasma is so common among America’s extremely poor that it can be thought of as their lifeblood,” a 2015 Atlantic article noted. The US is an outlier in this regard: you’re not allowed to sell your blood plasma in the UK or in many other developed countries. In the US, however, you can donate up to twice a week; the procedure typically takes about 90 minutes, and you will get somewhere between $30 (£23) and $50 (£38) a time. Which is more than the $7.25 (£5.50) per hour federal minimum wage. The companies bleeding you dry, of course, will be earning a whole lot more: blood plasma is a multibillion dollar business in the US. Indeed, blood products are the US’s 12th most valuable export; in 2016, they made up a greater percentage of all American exports than soya beans or computers. Industry people joke that the US, which produces 70% of all plasma worldwide, is “the Opec of plasma collections.”
Giving blood plasma now and again won’t hurt you. Indeed, it is something we should all do if we can: plasma is desperately needed for life-saving therapies. In Britain, the NHS is urging Covid-19 survivors to donate plasma to treat those who fall ill during a second wave. But selling your blood plasma 104 times a year, as some desperate Americans do, may be another matter. Some experts and research have queried whether it is healthy, and even in the US if you donate plasma rather than sell, there are limits on how many times you can do it. Some people who sell their plasma frequently have also complained about things like migraines, numbness, and fainting.
I am not necessarily against the idea of allowing people to sell blood plasma: as long it is strictly regulated, the number of donations safely capped, and the pay fair. However, I am definitely against people having to resort to selling plasma because the lack of a meaningful welfare state, along with a stagnant minimum wage, means it’s the only way they can scrape by. Even if there were zero health consequences involved there is something fundamentally sickening about the blood plasma industry. According to one study, plasma donation centres are disproportionately located in low-income areas and the most frequent use of money earned from donating was paying for food and basic necessities. And this is happening in the richest country in the world. It should make your blood boil.
Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist


theguardian--2020-10-20--Bears, whales and wolverines: the species imperiled by Trump's war on the environment

The prognosis for biodiversity on Earth is grim .
According to a sobering report released by the United Nations last year , 1 million land and marine species across the globe are threatened with extinction – more than at any other period in human history .
According to a recent study , about 20 % of the countries in the world risk ecosystem collapse due to the destruction of wildlife and their habitats , a result of human activity in tandem with a warming climate .
The United States is the ninth most at risk .
Despite this desperate outlook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its aggressive rollback of regulations designed to protect the environment , has lifted protections for America ’ s animals .
It has shrunk several national monuments and opened up a huge amount of federal land for oil and gas drilling , coalmining and other industrial activities – actions that conservationists warn could imperil species whose numbers are already dwindling and that are core to the health of our ecosystems .
Here we look at some of the animals most at risk from Trump ’ s rollbacks .
In 2019 , the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act is applied , making it harder to protect animals .
“ There are many species that have been wrongly denied protection over the last several years because of this , ” says Brett Hartl , government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity .
Just last week , the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced it will deny protections for the snow-loving wolverine under the Endangered Species Act .
Wolverines were wiped out across most of the country by the early 1900s following unregulated trapping and poisoning campaigns .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way back in some areas but there are presently fewer than 300 wolverines left in the contiguous United States .
The Trump administration plans to open up drilling on 9m acres of public land in the west , which are the habitat for thegreater sage grouse , a bird known for its mating dance and is considered an “ umbrella species ” – a bellwether for the health of many other species .
Sage – grouse once numbered as high as 16 million across the western United States , but the bird ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To accomplish its goal , the Trump administration planned to lift the protected status of the greater sage grouse in order to lease the land for oil and gas drilling , mining and other development projects .
This despite the interior department ’ s research that the impacts of oil and gas on the sage grouse are “ universally negative and typically severe ” .
In May , a judge put those rollbacks on hold , citing the National Environmental Policy Act ( Nepa ) , a key law that requires federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planned projects .
But in July , Trump gutted Nepa .
Conservationists worry the Trump administration will now be able to get away with removing protections for the greater sage grouse – among many other critical species .
Thanks to overfishing and the continuing demand for bluefin tuna on the lucrative sushi market , the Atlantic bluefin tuna is at a fraction of its historic population .
Earlier this year , the National Marine Fisheries Service passed a rule removing critical longline fishing gear restrictions in specific areas of the Gulf of Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s peak spawning time .
The easing of these protections means vessels can fish for similar yellowfin tuna with longline gear and kill a certain number of bluefin as accidental “ bycatch ” .
The endangered whooping crane , the tallest bird in North America , has made an amazing comeback from the brink of extinction since 1940 when only 15 birds survived .
Since then , captive breeding programs and reintroduction efforts have boosted their numbers to several hundred .
But that comeback is now threatened .
Earlier this year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Migratory Bird Treaty Act ( MBTA ) , a 100-year-old law that protects more than 1,000 bird species , including the whooping crane .
The new stance from the federal government will essentially allow the “ incidental ” killing of birds via buildings , energy production and other developments that act as avian death traps .
A federal court recently struck down the Trump administration ’ s reinterpretation of the law .
Last week , the government announced its intention to appeal .
Human development has eradicated large swaths of the monarch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Along with severe weather , this has resulted in a 90 % loss in the monarch ’ s numbers over the last two decades .
“ They could be wiped out in just a few decades , ” Hartl says .
The US Fish and Wildlife Service is currently reviewing the monarch ’ s designation under the Endangered Species Act .
A ruling is expected by December of this year .
But the Trump administration ’ s changes to the Endangered Species Act threaten efforts to preserve the monarch , which many scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ butterfly as an “ endangered ” or “ threatened ” species could extend it protections from the soybean and corn farmers that compete for its habitat – but changes to the ESA end blanket policies protecting all “ threatened ” species in favor of individual plans developed for each species on a case-by-case basis .
The Trump administration scrapped an Obama-era ban on a series of practices that limited how hunters killed bears and other predators on Alaskan national preserves .
In doing so , the administration gave the green light to practices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killing bear cubs and wolf pups in their dens .
“ When you allow widespread hunting of carnivores , that has a huge impact on the entire ecosystem , ” Hartl says .
The ban aimed at avoiding artificially reducing Alaska ’ s predator populations in an effort to keep ecosystems in balance .
Bees and other pollinators are vital for global food security .
But they – and , in turn , our food chain – are under threat .
In 2018 , the Trump administration weakened regulations on pesticide use in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to increased pesticide use across 150m acres of important pollinator habitat .
The decision reverses an Obama-era ban on the use of neonicotinoid , or “ neonic ” , insecticides as well as genetically engineered crops within refuges .
Neonic insecticides are a leading factor in mass pollinator die-offs worldwide .
A report released last year found that US agriculture is 48 times more toxic to insects like bees and other pollinators than it was 20 years ago , largely due to an increased use of neonicotinoid pesticides .
What ’ s worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the use of such toxic pesticides will harm not only pollinators but birds , fish and other wildlife .
In June , Trump announced that commercial fishing will be allowed in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts marine national monument off the coast of southern New England .
As a result , hundreds of marine mammals that swim in the monument , like the endangered North Atlantic right whale , will be at increased risk of entanglement in fishing gear .
After centuries of commercial whaling , only about 500 North Atlantic right whales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protected status in the 1930s , North Atlantic right whales have been slow to recover , in part due to deaths from ship strikes and fishing gear entanglement .
In 2017 , the Trump administration withdrew a proposed rule meant to protect whales , turtles and dolphins , including several endangered species among them , from mile-long swordfishing gill nets off the west coast .
Fishermen use these nets by hanging them like walls above the seafloor and they often indiscriminately catch whatever flows into them .
( Gill net fishing is banned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high seas . )
Death and injuries from entanglement spell trouble for endangered marine creatures such as humpback whales and leatherback turtles that feed off the Pacific coast .
In 2016 , at least 54 humpback whales were found tangled in fishing gear off the west coast .

The prognosis for biodiversity on Earth is grim. According to a sobering report released by the United Nations last year, 1 million land and marine species across the globe are threatened with extinction – more than at any other period in human history.
According to a recent study, about 20% of the countries in the world risk ecosystem collapse due to the destruction of wildlife and their habitats, a result of human activity in tandem with a warming climate. The United States is the ninth most at risk.
Despite this desperate outlook, the Trump administration, as part of its aggressive rollback of regulations designed to protect the environment, has lifted protections for America’s animals. It has shrunk several national monuments and opened up a huge amount of federal land for oil and gas drilling, coalmining and other industrial activities – actions that conservationists warn could imperil species whose numbers are already dwindling and that are core to the health of our ecosystems.
Here we look at some of the animals most at risk from Trump’s rollbacks.
Wolverines
A wolverine walks along rocks in Montana. Photograph: Natural Visions/Alamy Stock Photo
In 2019, the Trump administration changed the way the Endangered Species Act is applied, making it harder to protect animals. “There are many species that have been wrongly denied protection over the last several years because of this,” says Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity.
Just last week, the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced it will deny protections for the snow-loving wolverine under the Endangered Species Act. Wolverines were wiped out across most of the country by the early 1900s following unregulated trapping and poisoning campaigns. According to Hartl, they are slowly clawing their way back in some areas but there are presently fewer than 300 wolverines left in the contiguous United States.
Sage grouse
A greater sage grouse fleeing the ‘lek’ – an area for courtship display – at the first sign of a predator on the McStay ranch in Craig, Colorado. Photograph: Joe Amon/Denver Post/Getty Images
The Trump administration plans to open up drilling on 9m acres of public land in the west, which are the habitat for thegreater sage grouse, a bird known for its mating dance and is considered an “umbrella species” – a bellwether for the health of many other species. Sage – grouse once numbered as high as 16 million across the western United States, but the bird’s populations have plummeted in recent decades.
To accomplish its goal, the Trump administration planned to lift the protected status of the greater sage grouse in order to lease the land for oil and gas drilling, mining and other development projects. This despite the interior department’s research that the impacts of oil and gas on the sage grouse are “universally negative and typically severe”.
In May, a judge put those rollbacks on hold, citing the National Environmental Policy Act (Nepa), a key law that requires federal agencies to assess the environmental impact of planned projects. But in July, Trump gutted Nepa. Conservationists worry the Trump administration will now be able to get away with removing protections for the greater sage grouse – among many other critical species.
Atlantic bluefin tuna
Bluefin tuna swimming around a fishermen’s net. Photograph: Pablo Blázquez Domínguez/Getty Images
Thanks to overfishing and the continuing demand for bluefin tuna on the lucrative sushi market, the Atlantic bluefin tuna is at a fraction of its historic population.
Earlier this year, the National Marine Fisheries Service passed a rule removing critical longline fishing gear restrictions in specific areas of the Gulf of Mexico during April and May, the bluefin’s peak spawning time. The easing of these protections means vessels can fish for similar yellowfin tuna with longline gear and kill a certain number of bluefin as accidental “bycatch”.
Whooping crane
A female whooping crane hunting in a pond at the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Photograph: Wild Horizon/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
The endangered whooping crane, the tallest bird in North America, has made an amazing comeback from the brink of extinction since 1940 when only 15 birds survived. Since then, captive breeding programs and reintroduction efforts have boosted their numbers to several hundred.
But that comeback is now threatened. Earlier this year, the Trump administration weakened critical protections in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), a 100-year-old law that protects more than 1,000 bird species, including the whooping crane.
The new stance from the federal government will essentially allow the “incidental” killing of birds via buildings, energy production and other developments that act as avian death traps. A federal court recently struck down the Trump administration’s reinterpretation of the law. Last week, the government announced its intention to appeal.
Monarch butterfly
Human development has eradicated large swaths of the monarch butterfly’s native milkweed habitat. Along with severe weather, this has resulted in a 90% loss in the monarch’s numbers over the last two decades. “They could be wiped out in just a few decades,” Hartl says.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service is currently reviewing the monarch’s designation under the Endangered Species Act. A ruling is expected by December of this year.
But the Trump administration’s changes to the Endangered Species Act threaten efforts to preserve the monarch, which many scientists view as threatened. Listing the monarch butterfly as an “endangered” or “threatened” species could extend it protections from the soybean and corn farmers that compete for its habitat – but changes to the ESA end blanket policies protecting all “threatened” species in favor of individual plans developed for each species on a case-by-case basis.
Black bears
An American black bear looking for salmon near Ketchikan in south-east Alaska. Photograph: Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket/Getty Images
The Trump administration scrapped an Obama-era ban on a series of practices that limited how hunters killed bears and other predators on Alaskan national preserves. In doing so, the administration gave the green light to practices like setting dogs on black bears and killing bear cubs and wolf pups in their dens.
“When you allow widespread hunting of carnivores, that has a huge impact on the entire ecosystem,” Hartl says. The ban aimed at avoiding artificially reducing Alaska’s predator populations in an effort to keep ecosystems in balance.
Bees
A honey bee visits a purple cornflower blossom in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Photograph: Robert Alexander/Getty Images
Bees and other pollinators are vital for global food security. But they – and, in turn, our food chain – are under threat. In 2018, the Trump administration weakened regulations on pesticide use in national wildlife refuges, opening the door to increased pesticide use across 150m acres of important pollinator habitat. The decision reverses an Obama-era ban on the use of neonicotinoid, or “neonic”, insecticides as well as genetically engineered crops within refuges.
Neonic insecticides are a leading factor in mass pollinator die-offs worldwide. A report released last year found that US agriculture is 48 times more toxic to insects like bees and other pollinators than it was 20 years ago, largely due to an increased use of neonicotinoid pesticides. What’s worse, according to Hartl, is that the use of such toxic pesticides will harm not only pollinators but birds, fish and other wildlife.
North Atlantic right whale
A right whale feeds off the shores of Duxbury Beach, Massachusetts. Photograph: David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
In June, Trump announced that commercial fishing will be allowed in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts marine national monument off the coast of southern New England. As a result, hundreds of marine mammals that swim in the monument, like the endangered North Atlantic right whale, will be at increased risk of entanglement in fishing gear.
After centuries of commercial whaling, only about 500 North Atlantic right whales remain. Although the imperiled species received protected status in the 1930s, North Atlantic right whales have been slow to recover, in part due to deaths from ship strikes and fishing gear entanglement.
Leatherback turtles/humpback whales
A humpback whale. Photograph: Reinhard Dirscherl/ullstein bild via Getty Images
In 2017, the Trump administration withdrew a proposed rule meant to protect whales, turtles and dolphins, including several endangered species among them, from mile-long swordfishing gill nets off the west coast. Fishermen use these nets by hanging them like walls above the seafloor and they often indiscriminately catch whatever flows into them. (Gill net fishing is banned in most of the world’s high seas.)
Death and injuries from entanglement spell trouble for endangered marine creatures such as humpback whales and leatherback turtles that feed off the Pacific coast. In 2016, at least 54 humpback whales were found tangled in fishing gear off the west coast.


theguardian--2020-10-21--Broken promises and alternative facts: how Donald Trump failed Ohio – video

After winning the 2016 election , Donald Trump promised to deliver new jobs and economic prosperity to Youngstown , Ohio @ @ @ @ @ decades of decline .
But four years on those promises never manifested .
Oliver Laughland @ @ @ @ @ who lost their jobs and had their families split by economic necessity , and witness @ @ @ @ @ city ’ s only newspaper made it harder to hold politicians accountable for their failures @ @ @ @ @ Washington series : • Civil rights and QAnon candidates : the fight for facts in @ @ @ @ @ for the suburbs : can Joe Biden flip Texas ?
– video

Oliver Laughland Tom Silverstone and Noah Payne-Frank

After winning the 2016 election, Donald Trump promised to deliver new jobs and economic prosperity to Youngstown, Ohio, a city suffering from decades of decline. But four years on those promises never manifested. Oliver Laughland and Tom Silverstone meet residents who lost their jobs and had their families split by economic necessity, and witness how the demise of the city’s only newspaper made it harder to hold politicians accountable for their failures


theguardian--2020-10-21--Trump says US is 'crushing' coronavirus as country passes 220,000 deaths – video

The president is 'crushing ' Covid-19 as the country surpasses 220,000 deaths from the virus .
Speaking at a campaign @ @ @ @ @ , Trump told voters 'If you want depression , doom and despair .
Vote for @ @ @ @ @ boredom ' .
Trump blamed former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton when his microphone cut out @ @ @ @ @ claimed that if the virus had not struck he would not have needed to campign @ @ @ @ @ .

The president is 'crushing' Covid-19 as the country surpasses 220,000 deaths from the virus. Speaking at a campaign rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, Trump told voters 'If you want depression, doom and despair. Vote for sleepy Joe Biden. And boredom'. Trump blamed former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton when his microphone cut out during the rally and also claimed that if the virus had not struck he would not have needed to campign very hard to win re-election.