theguardian--2020-03-10--Brits stop comparing US and UK politics - they’re more different than you think | Michael Goldfarb

There ’ s nothing like a US presidential election cycle to prompt British pundits to think about Anglo-America as a “ thing ” .
The UK is the 51st state in all but name , right ?
In reality , the similarities are more complex , and the differences are stark .
You can understand where the idea comes from .
On both sides of the Atlantic 40 years of Reaganite and Thatcherite policies of financial deregulation , union emasculation , and a sanguine attitude to de-industrialisation , have sculpted Anglo-American society in similar ways : declining life expectancy among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these policies ; and a surviving population that blames immigrants for their problems .
The political response to these economic and social conditions has been the election of two unsuitable philanderers , Donald Trump and Boris Johnson .
Both were initially resisted by party elites , who then abjectly surrendered .
All dissenters have been purged .
Their advisers are bizarre , comic book villain-types such as Stephen Miller and Dominic Cummings .
However , the differences between Labour and the Democrats remain profound .
The sudden revival of Joe Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are lazily described as being of the “ left ” but really , America hasn ’ t had a “ left ” in the British sense as long as I ’ ve been alive , which is a very long time .
The Labour party was from its inception a socialist party , and even though clause IV was taken out of the party ’ s constitution the ideology of public ownership runs strong in the membership and recent leadership of the party .
The “ left ” wing of the US Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roosevelt ’ s New Deal – but while his opponents in the 1930s called it “ socialism ” , it wasn ’ t .
Actual socialism never found a foothold in the US – perhaps because it was commonly called “ godless socialism ” , especially in the south .
America is a damned religious country .
And Americans have traditionally had no problem with billionaires – perhaps because many of them fervently believe in the American myth that anyone can get rich if they work hard enough .
The tragedy of Bernie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Deal Democrat but insists on calling himself a socialist .
You don ’ t win in America using that language .
The sudden revival of Biden ’ s fortunes is proof .
Then there ’ s the governmental structures these political forces operate within .
In Britain , the executive is housed in the legislature .
Johnson leads a well-whipped majority and a prime minister with a majority of this size is in charge of an “ elective dictatorship ” .
In the US , the executive branch of government is separate from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power is profound , especially when , as is the case now , one of the branches of Congress is in the control of the opposition party .
Barack Obama found that out when he tried to appoint Merrick Garland to the supreme court and the Republican-controlled Senate , which has the constitutional role of approving high court judges , would not give Garland the courtesy of a hearing .
Trump found the limits to his power when the Democrats took over the House of Representatives and tied him up in impeachment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lords , is not appointed .
It is elected .
Senators need to pander to voters successfully , unlike for example , Zac Goldsmith , who was elevated to the Lords – and returned to the cabinet – after losing his seat in the last election .
Then there is money .
In the US there is tons of it surrounding elections .
Unimaginable sums , really : $ 6.5bn was spent on the 2016 presidential election across all races , with most of that money going on broadcast media advertising .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but in the past decade it has grown to narco-trafficker levels of cash .
In 2010 , the supreme court decided – in the case titled Citizens United v Federal Election Commission – that corporations had first amendment rights – free speech rights , like individuals – and putting restrictions on corporations giving money to air political advertisements in broadcast media was an infringement of that right .
Since then the cash has flowed in and Americans are bombarded with paid political propaganda non stop .
In the UK there is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on political advertising on television and radio .
Party political broadcasts are strictly rationed and election campaigns take place within tightly defined windows .
But there is a “ free ” press .
Conservative politicians don ’ t need to raise money for advertising , they get it for free .
Every day , outside every newsagent , there is a rack of blaring headlines trumpeting Conservative policies or viewpoints .
They ’ re not far off the billboards that line US highways .
Decades of exposure to them , and it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clearly , when it comes to propaganda channels , both countries have them , which brings me back to where I started : Anglo-America .
Maybe some day Anglo-America will be a reality – after Brexit negotiations collapse , and the UK disintegrates , and England applies to become the 51st state .
Then American politics and English politics will be the same .
But that will not happen this electoral cycle or the next .
The US is still a very , very different country .
• Michael Goldfarb is the host @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Draft of History

There’s nothing like a US presidential election cycle to prompt British pundits to think about Anglo-America as a “thing”. The UK is the 51st state in all but name, right? In reality, the similarities are more complex, and the differences are stark.
You can understand where the idea comes from. On both sides of the Atlantic 40 years of Reaganite and Thatcherite policies of financial deregulation, union emasculation, and a sanguine attitude to de-industrialisation, have sculpted Anglo-American society in similar ways: declining life expectancy among those whose communities destroyed as a consequence of these policies; and a surviving population that blames immigrants for their problems.
The political response to these economic and social conditions has been the election of two unsuitable philanderers, Donald Trump and Boris Johnson. Both were initially resisted by party elites, who then abjectly surrendered. All dissenters have been purged. Their advisers are bizarre, comic book villain-types such as Stephen Miller and Dominic Cummings.
However, the differences between Labour and the Democrats remain profound. The sudden revival of Joe Biden’s fortunes is proof. Both parties are lazily described as being of the “left” but really, America hasn’t had a “left” in the British sense as long as I’ve been alive, which is a very long time.
The Labour party was from its inception a socialist party, and even though clause IV was taken out of the party’s constitution the ideology of public ownership runs strong in the membership and recent leadership of the party. The “left” wing of the US Democratic party embraces the legacy of Franklin D Roosevelt’s New Deal – but while his opponents in the 1930s called it “socialism”, it wasn’t. Actual socialism never found a foothold in the US – perhaps because it was commonly called “godless socialism”, especially in the south. America is a damned religious country. And Americans have traditionally had no problem with billionaires – perhaps because many of them fervently believe in the American myth that anyone can get rich if they work hard enough. The tragedy of Bernie Sanders is that he is a New Deal Democrat but insists on calling himself a socialist. You don’t win in America using that language. The sudden revival of Biden’s fortunes is proof.
Then there’s the governmental structures these political forces operate within. In Britain, the executive is housed in the legislature. Johnson leads a well-whipped majority and a prime minister with a majority of this size is in charge of an “elective dictatorship”. In the US, the executive branch of government is separate from the legislature. This check on presidential power is profound, especially when, as is the case now, one of the branches of Congress is in the control of the opposition party.
‘Zac Goldsmith, who was elevated to the Lords – and returned to the cabinet – after losing his seat in the last election.’ Photograph: House of Lords/PA
Barack Obama found that out when he tried to appoint Merrick Garland to the supreme court and the Republican-controlled Senate, which has the constitutional role of approving high court judges, would not give Garland the courtesy of a hearing. Trump found the limits to his power when the Democrats took over the House of Representatives and tied him up in impeachment.
The Senate, unlike the House of Lords, is not appointed. It is elected. Senators need to pander to voters successfully, unlike for example, Zac Goldsmith, who was elevated to the Lords – and returned to the cabinet – after losing his seat in the last election.
Then there is money. In the US there is tons of it surrounding elections. Unimaginable sums, really: $6.5bn was spent on the 2016 presidential election across all races, with most of that money going on broadcast media advertising. There has always been money in American politics, but in the past decade it has grown to narco-trafficker levels of cash.
In 2010, the supreme court decided – in the case titled Citizens United v Federal Election Commission – that corporations had first amendment rights – free speech rights, like individuals – and putting restrictions on corporations giving money to air political advertisements in broadcast media was an infringement of that right. Since then the cash has flowed in and Americans are bombarded with paid political propaganda non stop.
In the UK there is no first amendment and there are firm restrictions on political advertising on television and radio. Party political broadcasts are strictly rationed and election campaigns take place within tightly defined windows. But there is a “free” press. Conservative politicians don’t need to raise money for advertising, they get it for free. Every day, outside every newsagent, there is a rack of blaring headlines trumpeting Conservative policies or viewpoints. They’re not far off the billboards that line US highways. Decades of exposure to them, and it’s no wonder that Brexit won.
Clearly, when it comes to propaganda channels, both countries have them, which brings me back to where I started: Anglo-America. Maybe some day Anglo-America will be a reality – after Brexit negotiations collapse, and the UK disintegrates, and England applies to become the 51st state. Then American politics and English politics will be the same. But that will not happen this electoral cycle or the next. The US is still a very, very different country.


theguardian--2020-03-12--Coronavirus: EU states take radical steps to stem spread

The EU has condemned Donald Trump ’ s unilateral ban on travel from 26 European countries as radical efforts to contain the rapid spread of the coronavirus pandemic upended daily life for millions of people around the world .
France , Ireland , Austria , Belgium , Turkey and Norway on Thursday joined the growing list of countries to close all schools , universities and kindergartens , while Italy – by far the hardest-hit EU nation – said its death toll from the virus had risen to 1,016 from 827 , with infections climbing by 21 % to 15,113 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ palace , President Emmanuel Macron unveiled a raft of emergency measures to help the French economy and households , saying France – which reported 2,876 confirmed cases and 61 deaths on Thursday – was facing “ its most serious health crisis in a century ” .
Schools would close indefinitely from Monday , Macron said .
Public transport would still run – although travel should be kept to an absolute minimum – and shops would remain open .
The country would spend “ whatever it takes ” to bolster business .
Local elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be held on Sunday , would be maintained , Macron promised , but he advised people aged over 70 and with underlying health conditions to do their utmost to limit their contact with the outside world .
Ireland ’ s taoiseach , Leo Varadkar , also closed all schools and colleges , and banned indoor gatherings of 100 people or more and outdoor gatherings of 500 or more .
“ It ’ s going to involve big changes in the way we live our lives , ” Varadkar said .
“ And I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make enormous sacrifices .
But we ’ re doing it for each other.
” German chancellor Angela Merkel fell short of announcing a blanket school closure , saying the regional governments of Germany ’ s 16 states must decide if they want to shut school gates according to their local situation .
One option could be to bring forward April ’ s Easter school holidays , she said .
Merkel also said the federal government would present a package of additional measures to support businesses on Friday .
“ I can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very comprehensive , ” she said .
Germany has reported 2,369 cases , including five deaths .
Spain , which became Europe ’ s second worst-affected country with 3,004 cases and 84 deaths , imposed its first major restrictions on Thursday night , placing four towns near Barcelona under indefinite quarantine Igualada , Vilanova del Camí , Santa Margarida de Montbui and Òdena were put in lockdown late on Thursday after the number of cases linked to a local hospital rose to 58 .
“ No one is allowed out of these affected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Only emergency personnel and vehicles bringing fuel and food supplies will be allowed to move round the area.
” The government also announced plans to inject €14bn into the economy , and schools and universities across the country were ordered shut for at least two weeks .
Late on Wednesday the Italian government , which on Monday outlawed most domestic travel , went further , ordering the closure of bars , restaurants and all shops except those selling basic necessities .
In a joint statement , the presidents of the European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s record in managing the pandemic and sharply criticised the White House for its failure to consult its allies .
Travellers scrambled to rebook flights and global markets slumped after Trump imposed sweeping restrictions on travel from the passport-free Schengen zone on Wednesday night , battering airlines and further straining ties with Europe .
The US president restricted travel from the zone , which does not include Britain or Ireland , for 30 days from midnight on Friday .
The ban does not apply to American citizens or legal permanent residents of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The coronavirus is a global crisis , not limited to any continent , and requires cooperation rather than unilateral action , ” Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel said in a strongly-worded statement .
They said the EU “ disapproved ” of the fact that the US decision was taken “ unilaterally and without consultation ” , adding : “ The EU is taking strong action to limit the spread of the virus.
” There are now nearly 128,000 cases of coronavirus worldwide and more than 4,700 people have died , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Almost 7,000 cases were reported globally on Wednesday , far surpassing the average daily number reported in China during the virus ’ s initial peak .
Italy has seen the sharpest recent increases , accounting for a third of all new cases .
The director of the World Health Organization , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , said the body was “ deeply concerned that some countries are not approaching this threat with the level of political commitment needed to control it ” .
The European centre for disease prevention and control said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ likely that similar situations to those seen in China and Italy may be seen in other EU countries or the UK ” .
In the US , which has confirmed more than 1,000 cases of coronavirus , a top health official said the country ’ s testing system was currently failing .
“ The system is not really geared to what we need right now ... let ’ s admit it , ” said Anthony Fauci from the National institute of allergy and infectious diseases .
• None In Spain , every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister Irene Montero tested positive ; her partner , deputy prime minister , Pablo Iglesias , is in quarantine .
• None The number of confirmed cases in Germany rose to 2,527 , with four deaths .
• None Slovenia , Norway and Austria suspended teaching at schools and colleges , although the Austrian chancellor , Sebastian Kurz , said working parents will still be able to drop off children for supervision .
• None The Netherlands banned gatherings of more than 100 , asked people to work at home and closed Amsterdam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ museums .
• None Iran ’ s health ministry said the the virus had killed 75 more people , raising the death toll to 429 with more than 10,000 confirmed cases .
Iran has asked the International Monetary Fund for an emergency $ 5bn ( £4bn ) loan .
• None The Canadian prime minister , Justin Trudeau , is self-isolating while his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau awaits results from a coronavirus test .
She began to show mild symptoms of illness late on Wednesday after a speaking engagement in the UK .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ director tested positive days after travelling with the Brazilian president to a meeting with Trump in Florida .
• None India , which has reported 73 cases , has barred all foreign tourists for one month starting on Friday , including foreign nationals of Indian origin .
• None The Philippines halted domestic travel to and from the capital , Manila , banned mass gatherings and closed schools for a month .
• None Stock markets in the US and Europe again posted near-record falls after Trump ’ s travel ban sparked panic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak originated , said the peak had passed as it reported just eight new cases in Hubei province on Thursday .
More businesses reopened as authorities cautiously eased draconian containment measures .
Beijing ’ s senior medical officer , Zhong Nanshan , an epidemiologist renowned for helping to combat the Sars outbreak in 2003 , said the global epidemic could be over by June if countries were prepared to take firm measures .
“ But if some countries do not treat the infectiousness and harmfulness seriously , and [ do not ] intervene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .

The EU has condemned Donald Trump’s unilateral ban on travel from 26 European countries as radical efforts to contain the rapid spread of the coronavirus pandemic upended daily life for millions of people around the world.
France, Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Turkey and Norway on Thursday joined the growing list of countries to close all schools, universities and kindergartens, while Italy – by far the hardest-hit EU nation – said its death toll from the virus had risen to 1,016 from 827, with infections climbing by 21% to 15,113.
In a sombre address from the Elysée palace, president Emmanuel Macron unveiled a raft of emergency measures to help the French economy and households, saying France – which reported 2,876 confirmed cases and 61 deaths on Thursday – was facing “its most serious health crisis in a century”.
Schools would close indefinitely from Monday, Macron said. Public transport would still run – although travel should be kept to an absolute minimum – and shops would remain open. The country would spend “whatever it takes” to bolster business.
Local elections, whose first round is due to be held on Sunday, would be maintained, Macron promised, but he advised people aged over 70 and with underlying health conditions to do their utmost to limit their contact with the outside world.
Ireland’s taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, also closed all schools and colleges, and banned indoor gatherings of 100 people or more and outdoor gatherings of 500 or more. “It’s going to involve big changes in the way we live our lives,” Varadkar said. “And I know I’m asking people to make enormous sacrifices. But we’re doing it for each other.”
German chancellor Angela Merkel fell short of announcing a blanket school closure, saying the regional governments of Germany’s 16 states must decide if they want to shut school gates according to their local situation. One option could be to bring forward April’s Easter school holidays, she said.
Merkel also said the federal government would present a package of additional measures to support businesses on Friday. “I can’t pre-empt them now, but they are very comprehensive,” she said. Germany has reported 2,369 cases, including five deaths.
Spain, which became Europe’s second worst-affected country with 3,004 cases and 84 deaths, imposed its first major restrictions on Thursday night, placing four towns near Barcelona under indefinite quarantine
Igualada, Vilanova del Camí, Santa Margarida de Montbui and Òdena were put in lockdown late on Thursday after the number of cases linked to a local hospital rose to 58. “No one is allowed out of these affected areas,” the regional government said. “Only emergency personnel and vehicles bringing fuel and food supplies will be allowed to move round the area.”
The government also announced plans to inject €14bn into the economy, and schools and universities across the country were ordered shut for at least two weeks.
Late on Wednesday the Italian government, which on Monday outlawed most domestic travel, went further, ordering the closure of bars, restaurants and all shops except those selling basic necessities.
In a joint statement, the presidents of the European commission and European council defended Europe’s record in managing the pandemic and sharply criticised the White House for its failure to consult its allies.
Travellers scrambled to rebook flights and global markets slumped after Trump imposed sweeping restrictions on travel from the passport-free Schengen zone on Wednesday night, battering airlines and further straining ties with Europe.
The US president restricted travel from the zone, which does not include Britain or Ireland, for 30 days from midnight on Friday. The ban does not apply to American citizens or legal permanent residents of the US and their close family members.
“The coronavirus is a global crisis, not limited to any continent, and requires cooperation rather than unilateral action,” Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel said in a strongly-worded statement.
Q&A How can I protect myself and others from the coronavirus outbreak? Show The World Health Organization is recommending that people take simple precautions to reduce exposure to and transmission of the coronavirus, for which there is no specific cure or vaccine. The UN agency advises people to: Frequently wash their hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or warm water and soap
Cover their mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue when sneezing or coughing
Avoid close contact with anyone who has a fever or cough
Seek early medical help if they have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, and share their travel history with healthcare providers
Advice about face masks varies. Wearing them while out and about may offer some protection against both spreading and catching the virus via coughs and sneezes, but it is not a cast-iron guarantee of protection Many countries are now enforcing or recommending curfews or lockdowns. Check with your local authorities for up-to-date information about the situation in your area. In the UK, NHS advice is that anyone with symptoms should stay at home for at least 7 days. If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home. Was this helpful? Thank you for your feedback.
They said the EU “disapproved” of the fact that the US decision was taken “unilaterally and without consultation”, adding: “The EU is taking strong action to limit the spread of the virus.”
There are now over 128,000 cases of coronavirus worldwide and more than 4,700 people have died, according to the Johns Hopkins university tracker.
Almost 7,000 cases were reported globally on Wednesday, far surpassing the average daily number reported in China during the virus’s initial peak. Italy has seen the sharpest recent increases, accounting for a third of all new cases.
The director of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the body was “deeply concerned that some countries are not approaching this threat with the level of political commitment needed to control it”.
The European centre for disease prevention and control said in an updated risk assessment that it was “likely that similar situations to those seen in China and Italy may be seen in other EU countries or the UK”.
In the US, which has confirmed more than 1,000 cases of coronavirus, a top health official said the country’s testing system was currently failing. “The system is not really geared to what we need right now ... let’s admit it,” said Anthony Fauci from the National institute of allergy and infectious diseases.
In other developments:
In Spain, every cabinet member is being tested after equality minister Irene Montero tested positive; her partner, deputy prime minister, Pablo Iglesias, is in quarantine.
The number of confirmed cases in Germany rose to 2,527, with four deaths.
Slovenia, Norway and Austria suspended teaching at schools and colleges, although the Austrian chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, said working parents will still be able to drop off children for supervision.
The Netherlands banned gatherings of more than 100, asked people to work at home and closed Amsterdam’s celebrated Rijks- and Van Gogh museums.
Iran’s health ministry said the the virus had killed 75 more people, raising the death toll to 429 with more than 10,000 confirmed cases. Iran has asked the International Monetary Fund for an emergency $5bn (£4bn) loan.
The Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, is self-isolating while his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau awaits results from a coronavirus test. She began to show mild symptoms of illness late on Wednesday after a speaking engagement in the UK.
Jair Bolsonaro’s communications director tested positive days after travelling with the Brazilian president to a meeting with Trump in Florida.
India, which has reported 73 cases, has barred all foreign tourists for one month starting on Friday, including foreign nationals of Indian origin.
The Philippines halted domestic travel to and from the capital, Manila, banned mass gatherings and closed schools for a month.
Stock markets in the US and Europe again posted near-record falls after Trump’s travel ban sparked panic from investors.
China, where the outbreak originated, said the peak had passed as it reported just eight new cases in Hubei province on Thursday. More businesses reopened as authorities cautiously eased draconian containment measures.
Beijing’s senior medical officer, Zhong Nanshan, an epidemiologist renowned for helping to combat the Sars outbreak in 2003, said the global epidemic could be over by June if countries were prepared to take firm measures.
“But if some countries do not treat the infectiousness and harmfulness seriously, and [do not] intervene strongly, it would last longer,” he said.


theguardian--2020-03-12--Trump met with Brazilian official who tested positive for coronavirus

A Brazilian official who met Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago last weekend has tested positive for coronavirus .
Fabio Wajngarten , communications secretary to Jair Bolsonaro , accompanied the Brazilian president on a visit to Florida , where the two leaders dined together .
On Thursday the White House press secretary , Stephanie Grisham , said both Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence had “ almost no interactions ” with Wajngarten and therefore did not need to be tested themselves .
But during the visit Wajngarten shared on Instagram a picture of himself , Trump , Pence and Brazilian TV presenter Alvaro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wajngarten ( wearing glasses ) was seen just behind Bolsonaro and Trump .
Guidelines from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) state that coronavirus can spread “ between people who are in close contact with one another ( within about 6ft ) ” .
A Brazilian government statement said : “ The medical service of the presidency of the Republic adopted and is adopting all the necessary preventative measures to preserve the health of the president of the republic and the entire presidential committee which accompanied him on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as presidential palace staff.
” The US government had been informed “ so that they can adopt the necessary cautionary measures ” , the statement added .
Grisham cited the CDC when she said “ there is currently no indication to test patients without symptoms , and only people with prolonged close exposure to confirmed positive cases should self-quarantine ” .
Speaking in the Oval Office on Thursday , Trump said he wasn ’ t concerned .
Asked about his dinner with the Brazilians , he said : “ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senators , however , announced self-quarantine arising from their attendance at Mar-a-Lago .
Rick Scott of Florida said that though the Senate ’ s attending physician had advised him his risk was low , he was self-quarantining following “ potential contact ” with Wajngarten .
Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , a close Trump ally , said that though he had “ no recollection of direct contact with the president of Brazil , who is awaiting the results of a coronavirus test , or his spokesman who tested positive ” , he would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also reported that Wajngarten met leaders of Southcom , the US military ’ s southern command , who then travelled to meetings on Capitol Hill in Washington DC and at the Pentagon .
In Canada , the communications director for Justin Trudeau said the prime minister ’ s wife , Sophie Grégoire Trudeau , had exhibited “ mild flu-like symptoms including a low fever ” after a trip to London and was being tested for Covid-19 .
Trudeau himself was “ opting to self-isolate and work from home until receiving Sophie ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
Wajngarten was in home quarantine .
News of his condition was first revealed by his wife Sophie on a WhatsApp group of parents at the school their children attend , the Folha de S Paulo newspaper reported on Wednesday .
“ My husband returned from the trip to Miami yesterday and did the Covid exam which was positive , ” she wrote .
Like Trump , Bolsonaro has downplayed the crisis .
On Wednesday , he said “ Other flus kill more than this ” and has also called concern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday , Spanish-language reports said Bolsonaro himself had tested positive for coronavirus .
The reports were discredited as fake news and none of Brazil ’ s main media sites confirmed them .
Bolsonaro has however taken a test , as Senator Graham said , and results will be ready on Friday .
Covid-19 is a respiratory illness which can spread via sneezes or coughs or by physical contact .
Most who contract the disease recover but it can be fatal , particularly among the elderly and those with underlying health concerns .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Organization , which on Wednesday declared the outbreak a pandemic , nearly 120,000 cases have been confirmed worldwide , with 4,300 deaths .
In the US , the CDC reports 938 confirmed cases and 29 deaths , in 38 states and Washington DC .
Other estimates of the toll are higher .
As the federal government has struggled to implement sufficient testing and preventative measures , Trump ’ s own responses have been widely criticised .
The president has downplayed the dangers posed by the virus , which he has repeatedly compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be killed by warmer weather , which experts say is not certain ; said a vaccine is imminent when experts say it is not ; and continued to shake hands with supporters in public , against the advice of health experts .
Republican members of Congress including Trump ’ s new chief of staff self-quarantined after an individual who attended the recent Conservative Political Action Conference ( CPAC ) outside Washington tested positive for coronavirus .
Trump and Pence also attended that gathering .
In an Oval Office address on Wednesday night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the US from Europe , excepting the UK .
At the same time , to a sense of growing national dismay , the NBA suspended its season after a player tested positive and the Hollywood actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson were revealed to have been hospitalised in Australia with the virus .
On Thursday , as disruptions to normal life increased , other major sports leagues also suspended their seasons .
Speaking to reporters at the White House , Trump said : “ We had dinner in Florida at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delegation , ” he said .
“ I don ’ t know if the press aide was there .
But we did nothing very unusual.
” “ We need a little separation , ” he added .
“ Until such time as this [ coronavirus ] goes away .
It ’ s going to go away.
” The president also said : “ In the meantime we want to lose as few people as possible .
This morning , is it 32 ?
” Trump was meeting the Irish prime minister , Leo @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Martin Pengelly in New York and Dom Phillips in Rio de Janeiro

A Brazilian official who met Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago last weekend has tested positive for coronavirus.
Fabio Wajngarten, communications secretary to Jair Bolsonaro, accompanied the Brazilian president on a visit to Florida, where the two leaders dined together.
On Thursday the White House press secretary, Stephanie Grisham, said both Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence had “almost no interactions” with Wajngarten and therefore did not need to be tested themselves.
But during the visit Wajngarten shared on Instagram a picture of himself, Trump, Pence and Brazilian TV presenter Alvaro Garnero, while in one video, Wajngarten (wearing glasses) was seen just behind Bolsonaro and Trump.
Guidelines from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that coronavirus can spread “between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6ft)”.
A Brazilian government statement said: “The medical service of the presidency of the Republic adopted and is adopting all the necessary preventative measures to preserve the health of the president of the republic and the entire presidential committee which accompanied him on the recent trip to the United States, as well as presidential palace staff.”
The US government had been informed “so that they can adopt the necessary cautionary measures”, the statement added.
Grisham cited the CDC when she said “there is currently no indication to test patients without symptoms, and only people with prolonged close exposure to confirmed positive cases should self-quarantine”.
Speaking in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said he wasn’t concerned. Asked about his dinner with the Brazilians, he said: “We did nothing very unusual.”
Two Republican senators, however, announced self-quarantine arising from their attendance at Mar-a-Lago.
Rick Scott of Florida said that though the Senate’s attending physician had advised him his risk was low, he was self-quarantining following “potential contact” with Wajngarten. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close Trump ally, said that though he had “no recollection of direct contact with the president of Brazil, who is awaiting the results of a coronavirus test, or his spokesman who tested positive”, he would be working from home.
It was also reported that Wajngarten met leaders of Southcom, the US military’s southern command, who then travelled to meetings on Capitol Hill in Washington DC and at the Pentagon.
The guy standing to Trump’s left just tested positive for coronavirus, according to Brazilian media. Fabio Wajngarten posted this photo, taken during meetings at Mar-a-Lago, five days ago. pic.twitter.com/qioU4qIlxl — Gabriel Stargardter (@gabstargardter) March 12, 2020
In Canada, the communications director for Justin Trudeau said the prime minister’s wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, had exhibited “mild flu-like symptoms including a low fever” after a trip to London and was being tested for Covid-19. Trudeau himself was “opting to self-isolate and work from home until receiving Sophie’s results”, Cameron Ahmad said in a statement.
Wajngarten was in home quarantine. News of his condition was first revealed by his wife Sophie on a WhatsApp group of parents at the school their children attend, the Folha de S Paulo newspaper reported on Wednesday.
“My husband returned from the trip to Miami yesterday and did the Covid exam which was positive,” she wrote.
However, Wajngarten attacked Brazilian media and tweeted: “I’m well.”
Like Trump, Bolsonaro has downplayed the crisis. On Wednesday, he said “Other flus kill more than this” and has also called concern over coronavirus “oversized”.
On Thursday, Spanish-language reports said Bolsonaro himself had tested positive for coronavirus. The reports were discredited as fake news and none of Brazil’s main media sites confirmed them. Bolsonaro has however taken a test, as Senator Graham said, and results will be ready on Friday.
Covid-19 is a respiratory illness which can spread via sneezes or coughs or by physical contact. Most who contract the disease recover but it can be fatal, particularly among the elderly and those with underlying health concerns.
According to the latest figures from the World Health Organization, which on Wednesday declared the outbreak a pandemic, nearly 120,000 cases have been confirmed worldwide, with 4,300 deaths.
In the US, the CDC reports 938 confirmed cases and 29 deaths, in 38 states and Washington DC. Other estimates of the toll are higher.
As the federal government has struggled to implement sufficient testing and preventative measures, Trump’s own responses have been widely criticised.
The president has downplayed the dangers posed by the virus, which he has repeatedly compared to the common flu; predicted it would be killed by warmer weather, which experts say is not certain; said a vaccine is imminent when experts say it is not; and continued to shake hands with supporters in public, against the advice of health experts.
Republican members of Congress including Trump’s new chief of staff self-quarantined after an individual who attended the recent Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) outside Washington tested positive for coronavirus. Trump and Pence also attended that gathering.
In an Oval Office address on Wednesday night, Trump announced a suspension of travel to the US from Europe, excepting the UK. At the same time, to a sense of growing national dismay, the NBA suspended its season after a player tested positive and the Hollywood actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson were revealed to have been hospitalised in Australia with the virus. On Thursday, as disruptions to normal life increased, other major sports leagues also suspended their seasons.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said: “We had dinner in Florida at Mar-a-Lago with the entire [Brazilian] delegation,” he said. “I don’t know if the press aide was there. But we did nothing very unusual.”
“We need a little separation,” he added. “Until such time as this [coronavirus] goes away. It’s going to go away.” The president also said: “In the meantime we want to lose as few people as possible. This morning, is it 32?”
“Thirty-two’s a lot. Thirty-two’s too many.”
Trump was meeting the Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar. They avoided shaking hands.


theguardian--2020-03-12--Anger grows at Trump administration's coronavirus testing failures

Anger is mounting in the US over the Trump administration ’ s failure to test for coronavirus on a scale that could contain the outbreak and mitigate its most devastating impacts .
On Thursday the lack of testing capacity for Covid-19 was recognised in blunt terms by one of the top US officials dealing with the crisis .
Dr Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , described the current state of affairs as “ a failing ” at a hearing of the House oversight committee .
From Congress to state capitals across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have shown rare bipartisan agreement that the pace of federal testing is woefully inadequate .
Congress members who were given private briefings by Trump administration officials on Thursday expressed shock and outrage that so far only 11,000 tests have been conducted in a country of 327 million people .
By contrast South Korea , which has been grappling with one of the most severe outbreaks of Covid-19 globally , tests roughly the same number , about 10,000 people , every day .
In total , South Korea has tested 230,000 of its 51 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per capita as the US .
The aggressive use of testing to identify carriers of the disease and quarantine them has been credited as a major factor in South Korea ’ s relative success in dealing with the crisis .
One of the most astounding indications that the US is falling abysmally behind where it needs to be in getting to grips with the crisis is given by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) in its coronavirus database .
It records the number of specimens tested daily for Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It shows that on Tuesday , the most recent entry given , the total number of specimens tested across the whole of the US was eight .
Answering press questions in the Oval Office on Thursday , Trump said : “ Frankly , the testing has been going very smooth.
” He added : “ We have heavily tested.
” That is factually incorrect , and a growing number of public officials , including from his own party , are willing to say so .
Members of Congress who attended a bipartisan House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Quigley , a Democratic congressman from Illinois , said : “ We are not where we need to be and not sure when we are going to get there .
We are flying blind.
” Mark Walker , a Republican congressman from North Carolina , told CNN that there was “ a growing frustration among members as a whole to get more definitive answers ” .
The Republican senator and former presidential nominee Mitt Romney of Utah said : “ Our system has just not been up to snuff and I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
I ’ m one of them.
” Andrew Cuomo , governor of New York , which is one of the states hardest hit by the disease so far , told CNN the US was “ way behind on testing ” .
What he called a “ federal bottleneck ” was so bad that he had authorised New York authorities to contract out testing to private laboratories .
Cuomo said the paucity of testing not only prevented containment of localised outbreaks , it also gave the public a false sense of security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already become .
“ It ’ s because we have no testing capacity , that ’ s why the numbers are low .
If you actually had testing capacity you would see how high the numbers are already .
As we do ramp up testing you are going to see those numbers go sky-high .
”

Anger is mounting in the US over the Trump administration’s failure to test for coronavirus on a scale that could contain the outbreak and mitigate its most devastating impacts.
On Thursday the lack of testing capacity for Covid-19 was recognised in blunt terms by one of the top US officials dealing with the crisis. Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, described the current state of affairs as “a failing” at a hearing of the House oversight committee.
From Congress to state capitals across the country, politicians of both main parties have shown rare bipartisan agreement that the pace of federal testing is woefully inadequate. Congress members who were given private briefings by Trump administration officials on Thursday expressed shock and outrage that so far only 11,000 tests have been conducted in a country of 327 million people.
By contrast South Korea, which has been grappling with one of the most severe outbreaks of Covid-19 globally, tests roughly the same number, about 10,000 people, every day. In total, South Korea has tested 230,000 of its 51 million people – 130 times as many per capita as the US.
The aggressive use of testing to identify carriers of the disease and quarantine them has been credited as a major factor in South Korea’s relative success in dealing with the crisis.
Answering press questions in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said: “Frankly, the testing has been going very smooth.” He added: “We have heavily tested.”
That is factually incorrect, and a growing number of public officials, including from his own party, are willing to say so.
Members of Congress who attended a bipartisan House briefing expressed anger about testing failures.
Mike Quigley, a Democratic congressman from Illinois, said: “We are not where we need to be and not sure when we are going to get there. We are flying blind.”
Mark Walker, a Republican congressman from North Carolina, told CNN that there was “a growing frustration among members as a whole to get more definitive answers”. The Republican senator and former presidential nominee Mitt Romney of Utah said: “Our system has just not been up to snuff and I think a lot of people are frustrated by it. I’m one of them.”
Andrew Cuomo, governor of New York, which is one of the states hardest hit by the disease so far, told CNN the US was “way behind on testing”. What he called a “federal bottleneck” was so bad that he had authorised New York authorities to contract out testing to private laboratories.
Cuomo said the paucity of testing not only prevented containment of localised outbreaks, it also gave the public a false sense of security by obscuring how prevalent the disease has already become. “It’s because we have no testing capacity, that’s why the numbers are low. If you actually had testing capacity you would see how high the numbers are already. As we do ramp up testing you are going to see those numbers go sky-high.”


theguardian--2020-03-12--Donald Trump is the very worst person to handle the coronavirus crisis

Coronavirus is the first major crisis Donald Trump has faced that is not of his own making .
People who know what it is like to be in charge when disaster strikes have warned us this moment would come eventually – and we can now see why they were so terrified .
Trump in a time of coronavirus is a lethal combination .
Everything about the president – his reliance on his gut instincts in place of expertise , his overwhelming selfishness , and his unfailing tendency to lash out at others when things go wrong – make him the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s most powerful job in the face of pandemic .
Confronting the threat requires global cooperation , perhaps more than at any time since the second world war .
But Trump and his junior imitators around the world have taken a sledgehammer to the very notion of international solidarity .
America ’ s closest allies were given no notice of his decision on Wednesday night to suspend flights from Europe .
The EU mission in Washington only found out about it when journalists started calling .
The president has dealt with coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenge in his administration , first trying denial – and when that failed , blaming outsiders .
The disease has slid from a Democratic “ hoax ” to the “ foreign virus ” .
It came as little surprise that his speech had been written by Stephen Miller , the author of the administration ’ s cruellest anti-immigration policies .
The declaration of a European travel ban was only the second time Trump has addressed the nation from behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office .
The first time was to announce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mexican border .
The administration has made xenophobia its defining ethos .
It can stir up passions and corral votes , but railing against foreigners is useless against a virus that is indifferent to ethnicity and nationality .
Slamming the gates shut is also pointless in the face of a disease that already has taken hold within .
Its incidence appears lower in the US than in much of Europe so far – but almost certainly because US has barely started testing .
And the US is only shutting some of its gates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ non-Schengen countries like Ireland from the ban makes no sense if stopping the spread of disease is really the aim .
Contrary to Trump ’ s claim , the UK is not doing a “ great job ” in containing coronavirus compared with most of its European neighbours .
It may or may not be a coincidence that Trump has golf resorts in the UK and Ireland .
Given Trump ’ s preoccupation with his investments throughout his time in office , it is as plausible an explanation as any for an otherwise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known to be effective in curbing the pandemic – screening for the virus and organised social distancing – the US is far behind most of the countries it has now cut off .
The production and distribution of diagnostic tests has been a fiasco .
The initial test distributed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) was flawed and had to be recalled .
Production of new tests has been held back by a global shortage of a key component , reagents used to extract RNA from samples .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the US was last in line putting its order in .
The same complacency has allowed the institutions that the US now most needs to wither and die .
Trump ’ s third national security adviser , John Bolton , axed the office in the national security council to coordinate a US response to pandemics , which was established after the Ebola outbreak .
Bolton , like Trump , did not see it as a real national security issue , like China or Iran .
“ Who would have thought we would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump wondered aloud , in explanation of why the administration had been taken by surprise .
With an eye fixed on the money markets , the president has sought to cover up the real lack of resilience in the system , insisting : “ We ’ re testing everybody that we need to test.
” But the truth has quickly become felt around the country , as people with symptoms and risk factors have been denied testing .
The CDC director , Robert Redfield , an evangelical conservative with no previous experience in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how out of touch the administration was with the reality on the ground on Wednesday .
When asked by the House oversight committee why the US was not providing drive-through tests , as have been introduced elsewhere – he replied : “ We ’ re trying to maintain the relationship between individuals and their healthcare providers.
” Jim Cooper , a Tennessee Democrat pointed out to him that most Americans do not have a regular doctor , and certainly do not see a physician often enough to have a “ relationship ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ head for the emergency room of the country ’ s overstrained hospitals .
The lack of tests means that the country is stumbling blindfolded into the worst health crisis in decades .
Despite warnings from his own experts , the president reportedly clings to the relatively low number of confirmed cases as a sign that the US might be spared the worst .
When the country is struck by the inevitable wave of sickness and deaths , sweeping aside Trump ’ s reassurances , it is hard to predict how he will react @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it through the prism of his prospects for re-election , and we can be fairly certain he will look for someone to blame along with a distraction , most likely some form of conflict at home or abroad .
The scale of the debacle will require a major distraction .
Awful as the coronavirus pandemic looks now , Trump ’ s backlash could be even worse .

Coronavirus is the first major crisis Donald Trump has faced that is not of his own making. People who know what it is like to be in charge when disaster strikes have warned us this moment would come eventually – and we can now see why they were so terrified.
Trump in a time of coronavirus is a lethal combination. Everything about the president – his reliance on his gut instincts in place of expertise, his overwhelming selfishness, and his unfailing tendency to lash out at others when things go wrong – make him the worst person imaginable to hold the world’s most powerful job in the face of pandemic.
Confronting the threat requires global cooperation, perhaps more than at any time since the second world war. But Trump and his junior imitators around the world have taken a sledgehammer to the very notion of international solidarity.
America’s closest allies were given no notice of his decision on Wednesday night to suspend flights from Europe. The EU mission in Washington only found out about it when journalists started calling.
The president has dealt with coronavirus the same way he approached every other challenge in his administration, first trying denial – and when that failed, blaming outsiders. The disease has slid from a Democratic “hoax” to the “foreign virus”. It came as little surprise that his speech had been written by Stephen Miller, the author of the administration’s cruellest anti-immigration policies.
The declaration of a European travel ban was only the second time Trump has addressed the nation from behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. The first time was to announce the building of a wall on the Mexican border. The administration has made xenophobia its defining ethos.
It can stir up passions and corral votes, but railing against foreigners is useless against a virus that is indifferent to ethnicity and nationality.
Slamming the gates shut is also pointless in the face of a disease that already has taken hold within. Its incidence appears lower in the US than in much of Europe so far – but almost certainly because US has barely started testing.
And the US is only shutting some of its gates. The exclusion of the UK and non-Schengen countries like Ireland from the ban makes no sense if stopping the spread of disease is really the aim. Contrary to Trump’s claim, the UK is not doing a “great job” in containing coronavirus compared with most of its European neighbours.
It may or may not be a coincidence that Trump has golf resorts in the UK and Ireland. Given Trump’s preoccupation with his investments throughout his time in office, it is as plausible an explanation as any for an otherwise pointless decision.
On the one strategy known to be effective in curbing the pandemic – screening for the virus and organised social distancing – the US is far behind most of the countries it has now cut off.
The production and distribution of diagnostic tests has been a fiasco. The initial test distributed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was flawed and had to be recalled. Production of new tests has been held back by a global shortage of a key component, reagents used to extract RNA from samples. Largely because of complacency at the top, the US was last in line putting its order in.
The same complacency has allowed the institutions that the US now most needs to wither and die. Trump’s third national security adviser, John Bolton, axed the office in the national security council to coordinate a US response to pandemics, which was established after the Ebola outbreak.
Bolton, like Trump, did not see it as a real national security issue, like China or Iran.
“Who would have thought we would even be having the subject?” Trump wondered aloud, in explanation of why the administration had been taken by surprise.
With an eye fixed on the money markets, the president has sought to cover up the real lack of resilience in the system, insisting: “We’re testing everybody that we need to test.”
National guard troops have been deployed to New Rochelle, New York, to tackle the coronavirus. Governor Andrew Cuomo criticised the federal response to the crisis. Photograph: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
But the truth has quickly become felt around the country, as people with symptoms and risk factors have been denied testing.
The CDC director, Robert Redfield, an evangelical conservative with no previous experience in managing a large state agency, revealed how out of touch the administration was with the reality on the ground on Wednesday.
When asked by the House oversight committee why the US was not providing drive-through tests, as have been introduced elsewhere – he replied: “We’re trying to maintain the relationship between individuals and their healthcare providers.”
Jim Cooper, a Tennessee Democrat pointed out to him that most Americans do not have a regular doctor, and certainly do not see a physician often enough to have a “relationship”. When they get seriously ill, most head for the emergency room of the country’s overstrained hospitals.
The lack of tests means that the country is stumbling blindfolded into the worst health crisis in decades. Despite warnings from his own experts, the president reportedly clings to the relatively low number of confirmed cases as a sign that the US might be spared the worst.
When the country is struck by the inevitable wave of sickness and deaths, sweeping aside Trump’s reassurances, it is hard to predict how he will react.
We do know he will see it through the prism of his prospects for re-election, and we can be fairly certain he will look for someone to blame along with a distraction, most likely some form of conflict at home or abroad.
The scale of the debacle will require a major distraction. Awful as the coronavirus pandemic looks now, Trump’s backlash could be even worse.


theguardian--2020-03-12--Wealthy rush to book private jets from EU to beat Trump’s travel ban

People in Europe have been hiring private jets and paying large sums for last-minute tickets in an attempt to beat Donald Trump ’ s ban on flights – although many seem to be US citizens confused as to whether they were caught by it .
The suspension , barring arrivals from 26 European countries for 30 days , comes into effect from midnight on Friday .
Miguel Paracuellos , a Spaniard who works in the US , told Reuters at Barajas airport in Madrid on Thursday : “ I have had to change my ticket and bring the trip forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have found the border closed .
“ It is a measure that Trump has taken because as he is inept and has not been able to take any action there , he is somewhat blaming the external enemy , in this case Europe.
” Despite the ban applying only to Europeans from certain countries , many US citizens feared they would not be able to get home because Trump did not initially make clear they were exempt .
The New York Times journalist Mike McIntire said he purchased tickets “ that cost more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fly from Paris to the US , before unsuccessfully trying to return them when he discovered the ban did not apply to him .
He said a Delta Air Lines ticket agent at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport told him another American had paid $ 20,000 ( £15,900 ) for a last-minute flight after Trump ’ s speech .
Meanwhile , private jet operators reported a spike in bookings .
Adam Twidell , the chief executive of the private jet booking service PrivateFly , said there had been a “ significant ” jump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were trying to fly back to the US .
He said wealthy US citizens based in Europe also wanted to book travel to the UK because it was so far exempt from the US travel ban .
Some hoped to run their European-based businesses from London , Twidell said .

People in Europe have been hiring private jets and paying large sums for last-minute tickets in an attempt to beat Donald Trump’s ban on flights – although many seem to be US citizens confused as to whether they were caught by it.
The suspension, barring arrivals from 26 European countries for 30 days, comes into effect from midnight on Friday.
Miguel Paracuellos, a Spaniard who works in the US, told Reuters at Barajas airport in Madrid on Thursday: “I have had to change my ticket and bring the trip forward because, if not, I would have found the border closed.
“It is a measure that Trump has taken because as he is inept and has not been able to take any action there, he is somewhat blaming the external enemy, in this case Europe.”
Despite the ban applying only to Europeans from certain countries, many US citizens feared they would not be able to get home because Trump did not initially make clear they were exempt.
The New York Times journalist Mike McIntire said he purchased tickets “that cost more than my monthly mortgage payment” to fly from Paris to the US, before unsuccessfully trying to return them when he discovered the ban did not apply to him.
He said a Delta Air Lines ticket agent at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport told him another American had paid $20,000 (£15,900) for a last-minute flight after Trump’s speech.
Meanwhile, private jet operators reported a spike in bookings. Adam Twidell, the chief executive of the private jet booking service PrivateFly, said there had been a “significant” jump in last-minute bookings from Americans in Europe who were trying to fly back to the US.
He said wealthy US citizens based in Europe also wanted to book travel to the UK because it was so far exempt from the US travel ban. Some hoped to run their European-based businesses from London, Twidell said.


theguardian--2020-03-12--Majority of white evangelical Protestants in US believe Trump serves their interests

Almost two-thirds of white evangelical Protestants in the US believe “ their side ” is winning politically under the Trump administration , according to a new survey .
The proportion has increased steadily during Trump ’ s presidency .
In May 2016 , six months before he was elected , 23 % of white evangelical Protestants said their side was winning politically , rising to 36 % two years ago , and 63 % last month .
The survey , published by the Pew Research Center on Thursday , found that a big majority of white evangelical Protestants in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s electoral base – believed the president was good for their interests , but they had more mixed views on his personal attributes .
More than eight in 10 said the Trump administration “ fights for what I believe in ” either very or fairly well .
But markedly fewer – 61 % – said the phrase “ morally upstanding ” described the president very or fairly well .
“ Even among this strongly supportive constituency , most do not view Trump as a very religious , honest or morally upstanding person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more general terms , 63 % of both all US adults and white evangelical Protestants said it was very important to them to have a president who “ personally lives and moral , ethical life ” .
Almost half - 49 % – of all US adults said the Bible should influence the laws of the country , a proportion which rose to 89 % among white evangelical Protestants .
One in 20 US adults believe that “ God chose Trump because God approves of Trump ’ s policies ” , rising to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Across all religious groups in this analysis , there is near consensus on one Trump characteristic : majorities of all groups , including 70 % of white evangelicals , say that ‘ self-centered ’ describes Trump at least fairly well , ” the report said .
In general , 83 % of white evangelicals identify with or lean towards the Republican party , the survey found .
White evangelical Protestants form 16 % of the US population , Pew found last year .
Pew questioned almost 6,400 US adults last month .

Almost two-thirds of white evangelical Protestants in the US believe “their side” is winning politically under the Trump administration, according to a new survey.
The proportion has increased steadily during Trump’s presidency. In May 2016, six months before he was elected, 23% of white evangelical Protestants said their side was winning politically, rising to 36% two years ago, and 63% last month.
The survey, published by the Pew Research Center on Thursday, found that a big majority of white evangelical Protestants in the US – a key part of Trump’s electoral base – believed the president was good for their interests, but they had more mixed views on his personal attributes.
More than eight in 10 said the Trump administration “fights for what I believe in” either very or fairly well. But markedly fewer – 61% – said the phrase “morally upstanding” described the president very or fairly well.
“Even among this strongly supportive constituency, most do not view Trump as a very religious, honest or morally upstanding person,” said the report.
In more general terms, 63% of both all US adults and white evangelical Protestants said it was very important to them to have a president who “personally lives and moral, ethical life”.
Almost half - 49% – of all US adults said the Bible should influence the laws of the country, a proportion which rose to 89% among white evangelical Protestants.
One in 20 US adults believe that “God chose Trump because God approves of Trump’s policies”, rising to 13% among white evangelical Protestants.
“Across all religious groups in this analysis, there is near consensus on one Trump characteristic: majorities of all groups, including 70% of white evangelicals, say that ‘self-centered’ describes Trump at least fairly well,” the report said.
In general, 83% of white evangelicals identify with or lean towards the Republican party, the survey found. White evangelical Protestants form 16% of the US population, Pew found last year.
Pew questioned almost 6,400 US adults last month.


theguardian--2020-03-11--Millions of Democratic votes were lost in the primaries. Is this the fix? | Mohit Nair and Colin Col

Millions of Democratic votes were lost in the primaries. Is this the fix? | Mohit Nair and Colin Cole

Across the country , millions of voters turned in early ballots for the US presidential primary elections , often voting for candidates no longer in the race on election day .
In Colorado and Texas , early voters for candidates other than Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders might have made a statement , but they didn ’ t have the chance to influence the primary election .
Some of the estimated 20 % of Californians who voted early asked for a do-over .
In Minnesota , 40,000 people had reportedly cast their ballots a week before Super Tuesday – and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dropped out .
Just yesterday , more than a million Washington voters finally had the chance to weigh in .
Unlike other states , which saw long lines and voting machine errors , the state votes by mail and has a highly engaged electorate .
As a result , a significant proportion of ballots were returned early , essentially throwing away their vote .
Early voting is generally viewed as a good thing by civil rights advocates – it helps avoid errors on election day , and curbs long lines at the precinct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not only a frustrating reality for proactive voters , but intrinsically harmful to the democratic process .
Fortunately , there is a simple solution : ranked-choice voting ( RCV ) .
And it ’ s one that has the potential to address a host of other problems that plague our electoral system , including negative campaigning and lack of minority representation .
Four states – Alaska , Kansas , Wyoming and Hawaii – are already using ranked-choice voting in the current Democratic presidential primaries , and one state , Maine , uses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress and president .
New York City also recently adopted ranked-choice voting beginning in 2021 .
But most of the country has yet to catch on .
Under ranked-choice voting , voters rank their favorite candidates in order of preference , and if their first choice is no longer viable , their vote would count towards their next choice .
The process would continue until all votes are supporting viable candidates .
If ranked-choice voting had been in place in Washington , voters who turned in their ballot early for Amy Klobuchar , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren could rest assured that their vote would still count towards their next preference rather than being wasted on a candidate who is no longer in the running .
And candidates would probably face less pressure to drop out of the race early .
But reforming our primary elections is only one benefit .
Under the current plurality voting system , candidates benefit from attacking their opponents and highlighting their ideological differences in an effort to appeal to their base .
However , in a ranked-choice election , candidates are also campaigning to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We saw this happen in the 2018 San Francisco mayoral race : two candidates , Mark Leno and Jane Kim , actually campaigned together to fight for shared values as they reached out to voters in a ranked-choice election .
In a political field that is often fraught with negativity , this kind of positive campaigning is a welcome change .
This same system , meanwhile , can help historically marginalized communities achieve representation in their own cities .
Here in Washington , for example , Yakima county is in the middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Voting Rights Act .
The population of the county is approximately 49 % Latino , but the county has only ever elected one Latino candidate to the county commission – partly because it has an at-large general election system that dilutes minority voting rights .
“ We are trying to ensure that we have a more equitable election system here in Yakima county , ” Dulce Gutiérrez , a plaintiff in the case , and one of the few Latinx city council members elected told us .
“ We believe that there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ representation.
” Historically , the remedy has been to move to majority-minority districts that concentrate minority voters in a particular geographic district in order to garner representation .
However , such a system is vulnerable to gerrymandering and vote splitting and , perversely , only protects communities of color that live in highly segregated neighborhoods .
In Yakima , a switch to ranked-choice voting with multi-member districts would help achieve “ proportional representation ” and guarantee that roughly every one-third of the residents is able to pick one of the three commissioners .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ third of the countywide vote , but historically are unable to win countywide races .
Washington state has been a leader in adopting commonsense reforms , like mandating marriage equality or legalizing marijuana , but it is well behind the curve in electoral reforms like ranked-choice voting .
We have plenty of real-life examples of ranked-choice voting working for communities .
It ’ s already used in several countries , including Australia , Scotland and New Zealand .
It ’ s also gathering momentum in the United States , where it is used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , our democracy is at stake .
• Colin Cole is legislative director and a co-founder of FairVote Washington .
He is also policy director at MoreEquitableDemocracy .

Across the country, millions of voters turned in early ballots for the US presidential primary elections, often voting for candidates no longer in the race on election day.
In Colorado and Texas, early voters for candidates other than Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders might have made a statement, but they didn’t have the chance to influence the primary election. Some of the estimated 20% of Californians who voted early asked for a do-over. In Minnesota, 40,000 people had reportedly cast their ballots a week before Super Tuesday – and days before Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar dropped out.
Just yesterday, more than a million Washington voters finally had the chance to weigh in. Unlike other states, which saw long lines and voting machine errors, the state votes by mail and has a highly engaged electorate. As a result, a significant proportion of ballots were returned early, essentially throwing away their vote.
Early voting is generally viewed as a good thing by civil rights advocates – it helps avoid errors on election day, and curbs long lines at the precinct. But voting for soon-to-be unviable candidates is not only a frustrating reality for proactive voters, but intrinsically harmful to the democratic process.
Fortunately, there is a simple solution: ranked-choice voting (RCV). And it’s one that has the potential to address a host of other problems that plague our electoral system, including negative campaigning and lack of minority representation.
Four states – Alaska, Kansas, Wyoming and Hawaii – are already using ranked-choice voting in the current Democratic presidential primaries, and one state, Maine, uses it for state elections and for US Congress and president. New York City also recently adopted ranked-choice voting beginning in 2021. But most of the country has yet to catch on.
Under ranked-choice voting, voters rank their favorite candidates in order of preference, and if their first choice is no longer viable, their vote would count towards their next choice. The process would continue until all votes are supporting viable candidates.
If ranked-choice voting had been in place in Washington, voters who turned in their ballot early for Amy Klobuchar, Pete Buttigieg, Mike Bloomberg or Elizabeth Warren could rest assured that their vote would still count towards their next preference rather than being wasted on a candidate who is no longer in the running. And candidates would probably face less pressure to drop out of the race early.
But reforming our primary elections is only one benefit.
Under the current plurality voting system, candidates benefit from attacking their opponents and highlighting their ideological differences in an effort to appeal to their base. However, in a ranked-choice election, candidates are also campaigning to be voters’ second and third choices.
We saw this happen in the 2018 San Francisco mayoral race: two candidates, Mark Leno and Jane Kim, actually campaigned together to fight for shared values as they reached out to voters in a ranked-choice election. In a political field that is often fraught with negativity, this kind of positive campaigning is a welcome change.
This same system, meanwhile, can help historically marginalized communities achieve representation in their own cities.
Here in Washington, for example, Yakima county is in the middle of a legal challenge under the Washington Voting Rights Act. The population of the county is approximately 49% Latino, but the county has only ever elected one Latino candidate to the county commission – partly because it has an at-large general election system that dilutes minority voting rights.
“We are trying to ensure that we have a more equitable election system here in Yakima county,” Dulce Gutiérrez, a plaintiff in the case, and one of the few Latinx city council members elected told us. “We believe that there are remedies that can improve the likelihood of representation.”
In Yakima, a switch to ranked-choice voting with multi-member districts would help achieve 'proportional representation'
Historically, the remedy has been to move to majority-minority districts that concentrate minority voters in a particular geographic district in order to garner representation. However, such a system is vulnerable to gerrymandering and vote splitting and, perversely, only protects communities of color that live in highly segregated neighborhoods.
In Yakima, a switch to ranked-choice voting with multi-member districts would help achieve “proportional representation” and guarantee that roughly every one-third of the residents is able to pick one of the three commissioners. Latino candidates regularly get more than a third of the countywide vote, but historically are unable to win countywide races.
Washington state has been a leader in adopting commonsense reforms, like mandating marriage equality or legalizing marijuana, but it is well behind the curve in electoral reforms like ranked-choice voting.
We have plenty of real-life examples of ranked-choice voting working for communities. It’s already used in several countries, including Australia, Scotland and New Zealand. It’s also gathering momentum in the United States, where it is used in over 20 jurisdictions.
After all, our democracy is at stake.
Mohit Nair is partnerships director of FairVote Washington.


theguardian--2020-03-11--I testified against Harvey Weinstein. No sentence can heal his victims, but it's a start | Taralê Wu

I testified against Harvey Weinstein. No sentence can heal his victims, but it's a start | Taralê Wulff

On 29 January 2020 , I testified as a Molineux witness at the Harvey Weinstein criminal trial .
Weinstein will be sentenced Wednesday , and I intend to be present at his sentencing .
As I was not one of the named victims in this trial , I am not permitted under the laws of New York to give a victim impact statement .
It is important for me , however , that my voice is heard .
After I was raped by Weinstein in 2005 , I was confused .
Why didn ’ t I scream ?
Why didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was stronger and I hated myself for being weak .
That self-hate turned into shame and guilt .
Shame that I never should have felt and guilt that was not mine to own .
I didn ’ t know that at the time .
I didn ’ t realize it for 12 more years .
Harvey Weinstein stole a part of my self-worth , treating me like I was nothing and I became fearful and mistrustful , not only of others but of myself .
These feelings were unbearable to live with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shame and guilt to move on with my life .
That is how I survive .
I was OK ( or so I thought ) until I read about brave women speaking out with stories just like mine .
The heartbreak of shame and guilt came flooding back .
I knew what those women felt and I wanted to help them .
I had to .
It didn ’ t occur to me for quite some time that I might actually start to heal from being sexually assaulted .
My single intention was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his disgusting crimes .
As I embarked on my quest to help others , I was introduced to several incredible people that made me realize that I am also worth standing up for .
My first encounter with the Manhattan DA ’ s office was with Martha Bashford .
She was compassionate and the first person to point out that I was still affected by my experience and encouraged me to seek help .
I am forever grateful to Joan Illuzzi-Orbon and Meghan Hast for continuing the pursuit of justice and for always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the intelligent , fearless women that I look up to .
My lawyers at Wigdor LLP guided me legally and supported me personally over the last two years .
To Douglas Wigdor , Jeanne Christensen and Lindsay Goldbrum , I am indebted to you for the countless hours you have given me .
You ’ ve played a pivotal role in my life and I am unbelievably grateful that you didn ’ t allow me to quit on myself .
I thank Ali Salwa of Mt Sinai ’ s Savi ( Sexual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NYC ’ s Family Justice Center .
You have been both therapist and friend .
Your patience , empathy , intelligence and strength are immeasurable .
You ’ ve helped me to find a deeper love of myself and begin redefining my life .
Testifying was surreal .
Mentally I was nervous and intimidated but in my heart I knew I had my truth and no matter what anyone said to me , I would go home with my truth .
My overwhelming fear was that there was more at stake than me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other women who spoke out .
What if my emotions got in the way and I couldn ’ t speak ?
Or worse , I might not be able to remember everything under the pressure of intense questioning .
I appreciate the work of the jurors and their ultimately holding Harvey Weinstein responsible .
I can not appreciate what it would be like to pass sentence on another person , but I am confident that Judge Burke will do what is right and not give Weinstein any special treatment .
My hope is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by imposing a prison sentence that reflects what he has done to us and knowing that whatever sentence he renders , it will never undo what has happened .
Those events will continue to haunt me and the other survivors for the rest of our lives .
I hope that the sentence sends a clear message that times have changed and that more women need to speak out for themselves and that men and women need to speak out for others .
We need to show self-love and empathy to overcome centuries of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mistreatment of women .
This is hopefully just the beginning .
The conversation must continue .
• None Taralê Wulff , a model , testified at the criminal trial of Harvey Weinstein as a Molineux witness

On 29 January 2020, I testified as a Molineux witness at the Harvey Weinstein criminal trial. Weinstein will be sentenced Wednesday, and I intend to be present at his sentencing. As I was not one of the named victims in this trial, I am not permitted under the laws of New York to give a victim impact statement. It is important for me, however, that my voice is heard.
After I was raped by Weinstein in 2005, I was confused. Why didn’t I scream? Why didn’t I fight? I thought I was stronger and I hated myself for being weak. That self-hate turned into shame and guilt. Shame that I never should have felt and guilt that was not mine to own. I didn’t know that at the time. I didn’t realize it for 12 more years.
Harvey Weinstein stole a part of my self-worth, treating me like I was nothing and I became fearful and mistrustful, not only of others but of myself. These feelings were unbearable to live with and I pushed back the fear, shame and guilt to move on with my life. That is how I survive.
I was OK (or so I thought) until I read about brave women speaking out with stories just like mine. The heartbreak of shame and guilt came flooding back. I knew what those women felt and I wanted to help them. I had to.
It didn’t occur to me for quite some time that I might actually start to heal from being sexually assaulted. My single intention was to help survivors hold Weinstein accountable for his disgusting crimes. As I embarked on my quest to help others, I was introduced to several incredible people that made me realize that I am also worth standing up for.
Harvey Weinstein stole a part of my self-worth, treating me like I was nothing and I became fearful and mistrustful, not only of others but of myself
My first encounter with the Manhattan DA’s office was with Martha Bashford. She was compassionate and the first person to point out that I was still affected by my experience and encouraged me to seek help. I am forever grateful to Joan Illuzzi-Orbon and Meghan Hast for continuing the pursuit of justice and for always believing in me. They are examples of the intelligent, fearless women that I look up to.
My lawyers at Wigdor LLP guided me legally and supported me personally over the last two years. To Douglas Wigdor, Jeanne Christensen and Lindsay Goldbrum, I am indebted to you for the countless hours you have given me. You’ve played a pivotal role in my life and I am unbelievably grateful that you didn’t allow me to quit on myself.
I thank Ali Salwa of Mt Sinai’s Savi (Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention) program and NYC’s Family Justice Center. You have been both therapist and friend. Your patience, empathy, intelligence and strength are immeasurable. You’ve helped me to find a deeper love of myself and begin redefining my life.
Testifying was surreal. Mentally I was nervous and intimidated but in my heart I knew I had my truth and no matter what anyone said to me, I would go home with my truth. My overwhelming fear was that there was more at stake than me – I was there to help the other women who spoke out. What if my emotions got in the way and I couldn’t speak? Or worse, I might not be able to remember everything under the pressure of intense questioning.
I appreciate the work of the jurors and their ultimately holding Harvey Weinstein responsible. I cannot appreciate what it would be like to pass sentence on another person, but I am confident that Judge Burke will do what is right and not give Weinstein any special treatment. My hope is that Judge Burke will hold Weinstein accountable by imposing a prison sentence that reflects what he has done to us and knowing that whatever sentence he renders, it will never undo what has happened. Those events will continue to haunt me and the other survivors for the rest of our lives.
I hope that the sentence sends a clear message that times have changed and that more women need to speak out for themselves and that men and women need to speak out for others. We need to show self-love and empathy to overcome centuries of illogical thinking that has normalized the sexual mistreatment of women. This is hopefully just the beginning. The conversation must continue.