theguardian--2020-03-19--Republican stimulus package proposes up to $1,200 for individuals – live

Richard Burr , the Senate Intelligence chair who sold off stocks in February despite public assurances that the coronavirus crisis @ @ @ @ @ to a report that he warned a small group of well-connected constituents to prepare for @ @ @ @ @ that Burr , at a luncheon held at a social club in DC , said @ @ @ @ @ one thing that I can tell you about this : It is much more aggressive @ @ @ @ @ that we have seen in recent history ...
It is probably more akin to the @ @ @ @ @ a secret recording of the remarks .
Meanwhile , he told Covid-19 was “ going @ @ @ @ @ In a series of tweets , Burr accused NPR of writing “ a tabloid-style hit @ @ @ @ @ not addressed reporting from ProPublica that he sold off stocks .
A reporter for Politico @ @ @ @ @ Burr ’ s defense .

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

20 Mar 2020 00.02 GMT Summary Donald Trump has moved to hold the June G-7 summit over teleconference. The meeting of world leaders was scheduled to be held in person at Camp David, and prioritize discussion of the economy.
The meeting of world leaders was scheduled to be held in person at Camp David, and prioritize discussion of the economy. The Senate Intelligence chair, Republican Richard Burr, sold off stocks in February and warned a select group of people of the deepening coronavirus crisis even as he publicly implied it would pass quickly, according to reports.
and warned a select group of people of the deepening coronavirus crisis even as he publicly implied it would pass quickly, according to reports. Kirsten Gillibrand, who ran against Joe Biden in the 2020 primary, is the latest Democrat to endorse the former Vice President. Despite clashes on the debate stage, Gillibrand said she believed Biden would prioritize women, families and workers.
Despite clashes on the debate stage, Gillibrand said she believed Biden would prioritize women, families and workers. Republicans presented their ‘Phase 3’ plan in response to the coronavirus crisis. The plan would provide up to $1,200 in rebates for many American s, but provides less for the poorest families and leaves out the provisions to protect workers that Democrats have endorsed.
s, but provides less for the poorest families and leaves out the provisions to protect workers that Democrats have endorsed. The Democratic proposal provides relief for workers, expands paid sick leave and a “Marshall Plan” to provide a stimulus for hospitals and the healthcare system. Democratic leaders have said that any plan they endorse will have to prioritize workers over corporate interests.
Democratic leaders have said that any plan they endorse will have to prioritize workers over corporate interests. The State Department has issued a Level 4 advisory for all international travel, urging all Americans to avoid leaving the country or return as quickly as possible if they are abroad.
urging all Americans to avoid leaving the country or return as quickly as possible if they are abroad. Italy has overtaken China as the country with the most reported coronavirus deaths. Italy has now registered 3,405 deaths from the pandemic, while China has 3,245 deaths.
Italy has now registered 3,405 deaths from the pandemic, while China has 3,245 deaths. Trump sowed confusion by saying a drug to treat Covid-19 would be fast0-tracked. His remarks were disputed by the FDA commissioner minutes later.
His remarks were disputed by the FDA commissioner minutes later. Connecticut announced it was delaying its presidential primary until June/ Several other states, including Kentucky and Georgia, have already announced plans to postpone their primaries in order to mitigate the spread of the virus.
Several other states, including Kentucky and Georgia, have already announced plans to postpone their primaries in order to mitigate the spread of the virus. Tulsi Gabbard dropped out of the race. Bernie Sanders reassessed his campaign. Coronavirus map of the US: latest cases state by state Read more
Updated at 00.21 GMT
19 Mar 2020 23.35 GMT Richard Burr, the Senate Intelligence chair who sold off stocks in February despite public assurances that the coronavirus crisis was overblown, has responded to a report that he warned a small group of well-connected constituents to prepare for economic fallout. NPR reported that Burr, at a luncheon held at a social club in DC, said: “There’s one thing that I can tell you about this: It is much more aggressive in its transmission than anything that we have seen in recent history... It is probably more akin to the 1918 pandemic.” NPR obtained a secret recording of the remarks. Meanwhile, he told Covid-19 was “ going to disappear” quickly. In a series of tweets, Burr accused NPR of writing “a tabloid-style hit piece”. In a tabloid-style hit piece today, NPR knowingly and irresponsibly misrepresented a speech I gave last month about the coronavirus threat.
Let me set the record straight. 1/ — Richard Burr (@SenatorBurr) March 19, 2020 He has not addressed reporting from ProPublica that he sold off stocks. A reporter for Politico pointed out one issue with Burr’s defense. To defend the Trump administration from accusations that it covered up the severity of the coronavirus pandemic, Burr cites a quote from a CDC official...who was subsequently muzzled because her quote contradicted the president's reassurances (https://t.co/o1ZvMCQO8U). https://t.co/lzprkUiusA — Eric Geller (@ericgeller) March 19, 2020
Updated at 23.44 GMT
19 Mar 2020 23.19 GMT Countries usually send large delegations along with leaders to G7 summits. By holding the June meeting over teleconference, the administration has signaled that it acknowledges — as public health professionals have already done — that the crisis could continue for months. The G07 consists of the United States, Italy, Japan, Canada, France, Germany, Britain as well as the European Union. Trump had intended to focus the upcoming meeting on the economy. Initially, he’d planned to host it at one of his properties in Florida, but changed course after facing criticism for seeking to profit financially.
19 Mar 2020 23.13 GMT Donald Trump made the G-7 meeting a teleconference The president has canceled plans to hold the meeting of world leaders in person, at Camp David, in June. “In order for each country to focus all of its resources on responding to the health and economic challenges of COVID-19 and at President Trump’s direction, National Economic Council Director and U.S. Sherpa for the 2020 G7 Larry Kudlow has informed his Sherpa colleagues that the G7 Leaders’ Summit the U.S. was set to host in June at Camp David will now be done by video-teleconference,” said White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere in a statement. Reuters first reported the news.
Updated at 23.14 GMT
19 Mar 2020 23.03 GMT How to cope with anxiety and isolation during the coronavirus crisis 05:52 Coronavirus: how to cope with anxiety and self-isolation – video explainer
19 Mar 2020 22.56 GMT Kirsten Gillibrand endorses Joe Biden Gillibrand, alongside fellow 2020 presidential candidates and senators Cory Booke and Kamala Harris spoke during a coronavirus press conference. The three senators are working on legislation that would ensure paid sick leave to deal with the Coronavirus. Photograph: REX/Shutterstock Gillibrand, a senator of New York and a former presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries, has endorsed Biden.
“Not only does Joe have the experience to lead our country, but he has the empathy and character to go with it,” she said in a statement. “I look forward to working with him to take back the White House, and to elect Democrats up and down the ballot.”
Gillibrand is the latest primary dropout to get behind Biden. The two have previously clashed on the debate stage. In July, she confronted the former vice president about a nearly 30-year-old op-ed in which Biden criticized a plan to expand a childcare tax credit. Biden distanced himself from his position in that piece, titled “Congress is Subsidizing Deterioration of Family.” Biden “will be a champion for women and families, workers, and young people,” Gillibrand said in her endorsement.
Updated at 22.58 GMT
19 Mar 2020 22.39 GMT The Guardian’s Mario Koran in Oakland reports: An estimated 25.5 million people — roughly 56% of California’s population — will be infected with the coronavirus, California governor Gavin Newsom wrote in a letter to Donald Trump. Newsom called on Trump to deploy a Navy hospital ship, the USNS Mercy, and station it in the port of Los Angeles to help the giant metro area deal with a fast-moving health crisis. “In the last 24 hours, we had 126 new Covid-19 cases, a 21% increase. In some parts of our state, the case rate is doubling every four days” Newsom wrote. Evidence of community-transmission has been found in at least 23 counties, he said. The USNS Mercy would provide much-needed hospital beds, a resource Newsom warned this week will become increasingly scarce, as the state looks to add 19,500 new beds to meet projected demand. Experts worry that demand from patients who need treatment for coronavirus, could overwhelm available resources and make it more difficult to treat patients who need care for trauma, heart attacks or car accidents.
Confirmed coronavirus cases in California are now nearing 900, including 412 in the Bay-area and 358 in Socal, according to most recent tally from the S.F. Chronicle.
19 Mar 2020 22.36 GMT Democratic leaders Pelosi and Schumer say stimulus should 'prioritize and protect workers' Congressional Democrats are united in our commitment to using all tools available to fight the coronavirus outbreak like the health crisis it is & make sure workers are protected from the loss of a paycheck or that no family falls into financial ruin because of this pandemic. — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) March 19, 2020 In a joint statement, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer said they look “forward to working in a bipartisan way to deliver for the American people as soon as humanly possible”. But they also implicitly highlighted the differences between the Republican and Democratic recovery plans, underlining that “Democrats support a plan that puts ‘Workers First’.” “To earn Democratic support in the Congress, any economic stimulus proposal must include new, strong and strict provisions that prioritize and protect workers, such as banning the recipient companies from buying back stock, rewarding executives and laying off, workers,” the statement reads.
19 Mar 2020 22.29 GMT A group that wouldn’t benefit from the stimulus package is undocumented immigrants. In order to receive a rebate, people have to have a social security or tax identification number. The package also explicitly excludes “any nonresident alien individual”.
19 Mar 2020 22.14 GMT In a surprising moment of bipartisanship, Republican Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi said he agrees with “so much” of Schumer’s proposal, including that “we need to put workers first”. “I simply rise today to say this is a time for us to come together as patriots, as Americans and take on the task that has come before us,” he added.
19 Mar 2020 22.11 GMT The GOP plan also only calls for a one-time check. A counterpoint from the Democrats offered recurring checks for the duration of the crisis. The Democrats have proposed another plan, which Chuck Schumer presented on the Senate floor. The proposal includes a “Marshall Plan” — which borrows its name from the stimulus plan the US developed in the aftermath of World War II — for the hospitals and the health care system. It includes broader paid sick leave mandates, help for small businesses, bailouts for workers and full pay for those out of work. “No bailout that goes to the people at the top. The money should go to the workers,” Schumer said.
19 Mar 2020 22.03 GMT There are a few notable gaps in the Republican proposal. The package bases relief rebates on peoples’ 2018 tax returns. If you made more than $99,000 in 2018, but much less in 2019, you wouldn’t get the benefit.
Another key point: low-income families, who would have paid less than $1200 in taxes, would receive less money.
19 Mar 2020 21.47 GMT A few more details from the Republican stimulus package: The financial relief will come to eligible individuals as tax rebates. The rebates will be $1200 per individual, plus $500 per child.
Those with a tax liability under $1,200 for tax year 2018 will get smaller checks, but at a minimum $600
Those diagnosed with Covid-19 or those who suffer “adverse financial consequences” due to it, can tap into their 401(k)s and IRAs without a penalty
Taxpayers get up $300 in charitable deductions for 2020
The benefit it phases out for people who made more than $75,000 in 2018, and doesn’t apply to people who made more than $99,000.
Updated at 00.14 GMT
19 Mar 2020 21.39 GMT Republican 'Phase 3' plan proposes up to $1,200 for individuals Mitch McConnell’s proposal for a stimulus package would issue direct payments of as much as $1,200 to individual Americans, in an effort to provide economic relief. The plan, which is similar to the White House’s stimulus plan, would be one of the largest in modern history. The four part plan includes: 1. Checks of as much as $1200 for individuals, or $2400 for couples. 2. Assistance for small businesses 3. Steps to stabilize the economy 4. Additional relief for patients and health workers Read the plan here.
Updated at 22.12 GMT
19 Mar 2020 21.29 GMT Senate Intelligence chair sold off stocks despite public reassurances about coronavirus Richard Burr sold off between $582,029 and $1.56 million of his holdings even after reassuring the public that the government had a handle on the coronavirus outbreak, according to a ProPublica investigation. From ProPublica: As the head of the intelligence committee, Burr, a North Carolina Republican, has access to the government’s most highly classified information about threats to America’s security. His committee was receiving daily coronavirus briefings around this time, according to a Reuters story. A week after Burr’s sales, the stock market began a sharp decline and has lost about 30% since. On Thursday, Burr came under fire after NPR obtained a secret recording from Feb. 27, in which the lawmaker gave a VIP group at an exclusive social club a much more dire preview of the economic impact of the coronavirus than what he had told the public. “Senator Burr filed a financial disclosure form for personal transactions made several weeks before the U.S. and financial markets showed signs of volatility due to the growing coronavirus outbreak,” his spokesperson said. “As the situation continues to evolve daily, he has been deeply concerned by the steep and sudden toll this pandemic is taking on our economy.” Burr is not a particularly wealthy member of the Senate: Roll Call estimated his net worth at $1.7 million in 2018, indicating that the February sales significantly shaped his financial fortunes and spared him from some of the pain that many Americans are now facing.
Updated at 21.29 GMT
19 Mar 2020 21.04 GMT Today so far That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague Maanvi Singh will take over the blog for the next few hours. Here’s where the day stands: The State Department has issued a Level 4 advisory for all international travel, urging all Americans to avoid leaving the country or return as quickly as possible if they are abroad. The apparently unprecedented move comes a week after the State Department issued a Level 3 advisory, which encouraged Americans to reconsider their travel plans, to mitigate the spread of coronavirus.
urging all Americans to avoid leaving the country or return as quickly as possible if they are abroad. The apparently unprecedented move comes a week after the State Department issued a Level 3 advisory, which encouraged Americans to reconsider their travel plans, to mitigate the spread of coronavirus. Italy has overtaken China as the country with the most reported coronavirus deaths. Italy has now registered 3,405 deaths from the pandemic, while China has 3,245 deaths.
Italy has now registered 3,405 deaths from the pandemic, while China has 3,245 deaths. Trump said he has talked to a cruise company about potentially using its ships in the coronavirus response. The president did not provide many details about how the ships could be used, but his comment comes a day after he announced two Navy hospital ships would be used to free up hospital beds for coronavirus patients.
The president did not provide many details about how the ships could be used, but his comment comes a day after he announced two Navy hospital ships would be used to free up hospital beds for coronavirus patients. Trump lashed out against the “very dishonest” press at the daily coronavirus briefing. The president criticized reporters for their coverage of his administration’s response to the virus, specifically denouncing outlets like the New York Times and the Washington Post, even as millions of Americans have turned to such outlets for information about the pandemic.
The president criticized reporters for their coverage of his administration’s response to the virus, specifically denouncing outlets like the New York Times and the Washington Post, even as millions of Americans have turned to such outlets for information about the pandemic. Connecticut announced it was delaying its presidential primary until June 2. Several other states, including Kentucky and Georgia, have already announced plans to postpone their primaries in order to mitigate the spread of the virus. Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
19 Mar 2020 20.53 GMT Republican senator Mitt Romney shared a video from the Capitol as the Senate prepares to release its stimulus package to buoy the economy amid the coronavirus crisis. My colleagues and I are working on the next relief package—one that helps American families, workers, and small businesses deal with the financial implications of #COVID19 and shores up our economy. More to come. Stay safe out there—note that we are practicing social distancing! pic.twitter.com/lGLHZZs5oU — Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) March 19, 2020 Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has said Republican leadership would release its proposal, which is expected to cost upwards of $1 trillion, later today.


theguardian--2020-03-19--Trump reverts to media-bashing and blame-casting in latest press conference

So much for “ presidential ” .
Donald Trump reverted to his blame-casting , grievance-airing , media-bashing ways on Thursday in a press conference that started strangely and ended in an even weirder place .
It was the same Trump who spent more than four years lambasting the “ fake news ” media as enemies of the people .
But now it was taking place during a global pandemic in which thousands of lives depend on trustworthy sources and reliable information .
Despite the gravity of a situation that has earned comparisons to war , Trump began with a joke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think with social distancing , that the media ’ s been much nicer .
I don ’ t know what it is , all these empty , these inbetween chairs , ” – a reference to how reporters now space themselves out in the White House briefing room .
Trump added : “ I love it , it ’ s so much nicer , but I shouldn ’ t say that because you ’ ll get me now.
” Stephen Hahn , the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration , and Deborah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus task force , remained stony-faced behind him .
The president continued to paint a sunny picture about clinical trials and economic recovery but , as reporters began to challenge him over the federal response to the crisis , his mood darkened .
Questioned by an NBC News journalist about his recent claim that he recognised the outbreak as a pandemic before others did , Trump complained : “ We were very prepared .
The only thing we weren ’ t prepared for was the media .
The media has not treated it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you how prepared I was .
I called for a ban from people coming in from China long before anybody thought it was – in fact , it was your network , I believe they called me a racist because I did that.
” Bridling with indignation , he added : “ It was many of the people in the room .
They called me racist and other words because I did that , because I went so early.
” Mike Pence and the surgeon general , Jerome Adams , who is African @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump is accustomed to sycophancy from Pence and the others around him – phrases such as “ The president has ordered ” and “ The president directed ” .
The reporters , however , did not get the memo .
He seemed upset that they had the temerity to grill him about his frequent downplaying of the threat of the virus and failure to organise testing kits .
Trump was asked about the first two cases of coronavirus among members of Congress .
He used it as an opportunity to chastise the gathered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know if they ’ re sitting like you people are sitting .
You ’ re actually sitting too close.
” It was another of those occasions when no one is entirely sure whether Trump is joking .
In any case , the reporters in the briefing room – which long ago was the White House swimming pool – looked distinctly unamused .
Trump went on : “ You should really — we should probably get rid of about another 75 , 80 % of you .
I have just two or three of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I think that ’ s a great way of doing it .
We just figured a new way of doing it , but you ’ re actually much too close .
You two , you should leave immediately.
” This was pretty rich from a man who continues to shake hands and flout rules on social distancing , even on the White House podium .
Last week , when it emerged that Trump had been at Mar-a-Lago with a Brazilian official who had tested positive for the virus , he reluctantly agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came back negative .
“ I got a test because you people were driving everybody crazy , ” he said .
“ I had no symptoms but I had a test and my doctor told me don ’ t get it , you don ’ t need it , everybody said you don ’ t need it , but I had it because the press was going crazy.
” Trump has spent much of his presidency boasting about the economy ; now it is suddenly a sore point .
One reporter prefaced his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy has essentially ground to a halt.
” Irritated , Trump butted in sarcastically : “ Thanks for telling us , we appreciate it.
” The reporter continued his gloomy forecast and Trump snapped : “ Go ahead , what ’ s the rest of your question , everybody in the room knows that.
” The president has been criticised for constantly using the xenophobic term “ Chinese virus ” .
A sharp-eyed photographer caught a picture of his notes , showing the word “ corona ” was crossed out and replaced by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The issue came up at the end of the briefing , but not as anyone had imagined .
Chanel Rion , who works for the pro-Trump One America News Network , and recently speculated wildly that the coronavirus might have been created in a lab in North Carolina , asked : “ Do you consider the use of the term ‘ Chinese food ’ racist – because it ’ s food that originates in China or has Chinese roots ?
Appreciating the gift , Trump replied : “ No , I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at all.
” Rion , who last year took Trump ’ s lawyer Rudy Giuliani to Ukraine to spread baseless conspiracy theories , wasn ’ t done .
“ On that note , major left-wing news media , even in this room , have teamed up with Chinese Communist Party narratives , and they are claiming that you are racist for making these claims about ‘ Chinese virus ’ .
“ Is it alarming that major media players , just to oppose you , are consistently siding with foreign state propaganda , Islamic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
And they work right here at the White House with direct access to you and your team.
” Finally , the Trump era had jumped the shark .
He revelled in it .
“ It amazes me when I read the things that I read , ” he said .
“ It amazes me when I read the Wall Street Journal , which is always so negative .
It amazes me when I read – the New York Times is not even – I barely read it .
You know , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House anymore , and the same thing with the Washington Post .
“ Because you see , I know the truth .
And people out there in the world , they really don ’ t know the truth .
They don ’ t know what it is .
They use different slogans and different concepts for me almost every week trying to catch something .
“ Last week , it was , oh , chaos .
You see me , there ’ s no chaos .
No chaos .
I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There ’ s no chaos at the White House .
We have unbelievable professionals .
It ’ s really – I mean , I think I came up with the term , I hope I came up with the term , but it is fake news .
It ’ s more than fake news , it ’ s corrupt news.
” Trump continued to gripe about media outlets not calling him and said Democratic governors have praised him .
“ This administration has done a great job , but the press is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ More than dishonest .
They ’ re siding with state propaganda !
” Suddenly we were in the rightwing fever swamps of the internet .
As Hahn and Birx looked on , betraying no emotion , Trump replied : “ I think they do .
They are siding with China .
They are doing things that they shouldn ’ t be doing .
They ’ re siding with many others ; China is the least of it .
“ So why are they doing this ?
You ’ ll have to ask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honest media in this country , our country would be an even greater place.
” Minutes later , the self-styled “ wartime president ” was gone .
Yet another pivot had been unpivoted .
John Heilemann , a host on the MSNBC network , observed : “ The president , aspiring to be Churchillian , turns out at every turn to be Donald Trump .
”

So much for “presidential”. Donald Trump reverted to his blame-casting, grievance-airing, media-bashing ways on Thursday in a press conference that started strangely and ended in an even weirder place.
It was the same Trump who spent more than four years lambasting the “fake news” media as enemies of the people. But now it was taking place during a global pandemic in which thousands of lives depend on trustworthy sources and reliable information.
Despite the gravity of a situation that has earned comparisons to war, Trump began with a joke: “I have to say I think with social distancing, that the media’s been much nicer. I don’t know what it is, all these empty, these inbetween chairs,” – a reference to how reporters now space themselves out in the White House briefing room.
Trump added: “I love it, it’s so much nicer, but I shouldn’t say that because you’ll get me now.”
Stephen Hahn, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, and Deborah Birx, the response coordinator for the coronavirus task force, remained stony-faced behind him.
The president continued to paint a sunny picture about clinical trials and economic recovery but, as reporters began to challenge him over the federal response to the crisis, his mood darkened.
Questioned by an NBC News journalist about his recent claim that he recognised the outbreak as a pandemic before others did, Trump complained: “We were very prepared. The only thing we weren’t prepared for was the media. The media has not treated it fairly.
“I’ll tell you how prepared I was. I called for a ban from people coming in from China long before anybody thought it was – in fact, it was your network, I believe they called me a racist because I did that.”
Bridling with indignation, he added: “It was many of the people in the room. They called me racist and other words because I did that, because I went so early.”
Members of the media keep a mandated social distance as they wait for Donald Trump’s briefing on the coronavirus response at the White House. Photograph: REX/Shutterstock
Mike Pence and the surgeon general, Jerome Adams, who is African American, remained expressionless behind him.
Trump is accustomed to sycophancy from Pence and the others around him – phrases such as “The president has ordered” and “The president directed”. The reporters, however, did not get the memo. He seemed upset that they had the temerity to grill him about his frequent downplaying of the threat of the virus and failure to organise testing kits.
Trump was asked about the first two cases of coronavirus among members of Congress. He used it as an opportunity to chastise the gathered media. “I don’t know if they’re sitting like you people are sitting. You’re actually sitting too close.”
It was another of those occasions when no one is entirely sure whether Trump is joking. In any case, the reporters in the briefing room – which long ago was the White House swimming pool – looked distinctly unamused.
Trump went on: “You should really — we should probably get rid of about another 75, 80% of you. I have just two or three of you that I like in this room. I think that’s a great way of doing it. We just figured a new way of doing it, but you’re actually much too close. You two, you should leave immediately.”
This was pretty rich from a man who continues to shake hands and flout rules on social distancing, even on the White House podium. Last week, when it emerged that Trump had been at Mar-a-Lago with a Brazilian official who had tested positive for the virus, he reluctantly agreed to take a coronavirus test, which came back negative.
01:31 Coronavirus: Donald Trump steps up attacks on China and the media – video
“I got a test because you people were driving everybody crazy,” he said. “I had no symptoms but I had a test and my doctor told me don’t get it, you don’t need it, everybody said you don’t need it, but I had it because the press was going crazy.”
Trump has spent much of his presidency boasting about the economy; now it is suddenly a sore point. One reporter prefaced his question, “Right now, the economy has essentially ground to a halt.”
Irritated, Trump butted in sarcastically: “Thanks for telling us, we appreciate it.”
The reporter continued his gloomy forecast and Trump snapped: “Go ahead, what’s the rest of your question, everybody in the room knows that.”
The president has been criticised for constantly using the xenophobic term “Chinese virus”. A sharp-eyed photographer caught a picture of his notes, showing the word “corona” was crossed out and replaced by “Chinese” in handwritten black ink.
The issue came up at the end of the briefing, but not as anyone had imagined. Chanel Rion, who works for the pro-Trump One America News Network, and recently speculated wildly that the coronavirus might have been created in a lab in North Carolina, asked: “Do you consider the use of the term ‘Chinese food’ racist – because it’s food that originates in China or has Chinese roots?
Appreciating the gift, Trump replied: “No, I don’t think it’s racist at all.”
A detail of Donald Trump’s notes show where the president has crossed out the word ‘corona’ and added in ‘Chinese’ in discussing the coronavirus crisis. Photograph: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Rion, who last year took Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani to Ukraine to spread baseless conspiracy theories, wasn’t done. “On that note, major left-wing news media, even in this room, have teamed up with Chinese Communist Party narratives, and they are claiming that you are racist for making these claims about ‘Chinese virus’.
“Is it alarming that major media players, just to oppose you, are consistently siding with foreign state propaganda, Islamic state radicalism, Latin gangs and cartels? And they work right here at the White House with direct access to you and your team.”
Finally, the Trump era had jumped the shark. He revelled in it. “It amazes me when I read the things that I read,” he said. “It amazes me when I read the Wall Street Journal, which is always so negative. It amazes me when I read – the New York Times is not even – I barely read it. You know, we don’t distribute it in the White House anymore, and the same thing with the Washington Post.
“Because you see, I know the truth. And people out there in the world, they really don’t know the truth. They don’t know what it is. They use different slogans and different concepts for me almost every week trying to catch something.
“Last week, it was, oh, chaos. You see me, there’s no chaos. No chaos. I’m the one telling everybody to be calm. There’s no chaos at the White House. We have unbelievable professionals. It’s really – I mean, I think I came up with the term, I hope I came up with the term, but it is fake news. It’s more than fake news, it’s corrupt news.”
Trump continued to gripe about media outlets not calling him and said Democratic governors have praised him. “This administration has done a great job, but the press is very dishonest.”
Rion chimed in: “More than dishonest. They’re siding with state propaganda!”
Suddenly we were in the rightwing fever swamps of the internet. As Hahn and Birx looked on, betraying no emotion, Trump replied: “I think they do. They are siding with China. They are doing things that they shouldn’t be doing. They’re siding with many others; China is the least of it.
“So why are they doing this? You’ll have to ask them. But if we had an honest media in this country, our country would be an even greater place.”
Minutes later, the self-styled “wartime president” was gone. Yet another pivot had been unpivoted. John Heilemann, a host on the MSNBC network, observed: “The president, aspiring to be Churchillian, turns out at every turn to be Donald Trump.”


theguardian--2020-03-19--Trump sows confusion with claim coronavirus drug will be ready soon

Donald Trump has sown fresh confusion about the US government ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic by claiming that a therapeutic drug will be available “ almost immediately ” – only to be contradicted by officials .
In the latest measure to combat the spread of the virus , the State Department on Thursday issued a new alert urging Americans not to travel abroad under any circumstances and to return home if they are already abroad unless they plan to remain overseas The global level four warning was unprecedented as such alerts are generally reserved for specific countries embroiled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans face specific risks .
But the significant move came shortly after a worryingly rambling performance at Thursday ’ s White House press conference , the president asserted that chloroquine , used to combat malaria , had been approved and would be made available by prescription .
“ They ’ re doing great with the vaccines but there ’ s still a long process , but the therapies are something we can move on much faster potentially , ” he told reporters .
“ And the treatments that will be able to reduce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – make people better .
“ Chloroquine , or hydroxychloroquine , this is a common malaria drug .
It ’ s also a drug used for strong arthritis … It ’ s been around for a long time , so we know if things don ’ t go as planned it ’ s not going to kill anybody … It ’ s shown very , very encouraging early results , and we ’ re going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately.
” But minutes later , Stephen Hahn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Administration , cautioned that in fact chloroquine has not been approved for use against the coronavirus and must still be tested for its effectiveness and safety .
Chloroquine “ is already approved , as the president said , for the treatment of malaria as well as arthritis condition ” , Hahn pointed out .
“ That ’ s a drug that the president has directed us to take a closer look at as to whether an expanded use approach to that could be done to actually see if that benefits patients .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that in a setting of a clinical trial , a large pragmatic clinical trial to actually gather that information and answer that question that needs to be asked and answered.
” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Thursday 10,491 cases of coronavirus , an increase of 3,404 from its previous count .
The death toll rose by 53 to 150 , it said , the biggest one-day jump so far .
The Trump administration has been widely condemned for its sluggish response , particularly to testing kits and medical equipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without providing data : “ Tens of thousands of tests are being performed every day.
” Earlier this month , the CDC said around 2,500 tests were being performed daily .
The vice-president also claimed that companies have hugely increased their production of protective industrial masks and many construction companies are donating their stocks to hospitals .
Medical workers have decried the widespread lack of protective equipment .
Trump , who built his political career on his ability to steward the economy , is now fighting to rescue it from a once in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose by 70,000 .
Trump signed an aid package , which the Senate approved earlier on Wednesday , that will guarantee free testing , paid sick leave to workers who fall ill , family leave for caregivers and food assistance for those in need .
Asked if he would support the federal government moving to take an equity stake in companies that need bailouts , Trump replied : “ I do .
I really do.
” He added : “ We will be helping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helping the cruise ship industry .
We probably will be helping the hotel industry … There ’ s a lot of executive power .
If we don ’ t have to use it , that would be a good thing , not a bad thing.
” Trump also took a swipe at China , where the virus was first reported , musing : “ If people would have known about it , could have been stopped in place , it could have been stopped where it came from , China.
” This prompted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential election , Democrat Joe Biden .
His campaign said in statement : “ The reality is , he did know about it and experts spent months trying to prompt Trump into action as he downplayed the growing threat of the virus and praised the Chinese government ’ s bungled early response – at a time when Vice-President Biden warned him not to take their word about the disease .
“ Now , as this crisis explodes on his watch , Trump is desperately lashing out to try to cover up his incompetence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bizarre riffs , Trump described social distancing as a “ hot term ” now and chastised reporters for sitting too close together .
He railed against the media for failing to give him credit for banning travel from China .
“ I got a [ coronavirus ] test because you people were driving everybody crazy , ” he said .
Trump has been condemned for using the xenophobic term “ Chinese virus ” .
In a profoundly weird finale , a reporter from the pro-Trump One America News Network asked : “ Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ Chinese food ’ to be racist because it is food that originated from China ?
” He answered : “ I don ’ t think that ’ s racist at all.
” Unusually , Trump is not thought to have made contact with the House speaker , Nancy Pelosi , the architect of his impeachment last year .
Instead he has delegated negotiations to the treasury secretary , Steven Mnuchin , who is said to have established a working relationship with Pelosi .
On Thursday the Senate began work on a $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the pandemic .
The majority leader , Mitch McConnell , said the bill would include direct financial assistance to Americans , lending to key industries including airlines and money for more medical equipment .
“ These are not ordinary policies .
This is no ordinary time , ” McConnell said on the Senate floor .
“ We have to beat back this virus .
”

Donald Trump has sown fresh confusion about the US government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic by claiming that a therapeutic drug will be available “almost immediately” – only to be contradicted by officials.
In the latest measure to combat the spread of the virus, the State Department on Thursday issued a new alert urging Americans not to travel abroad under any circumstances and to return home if they are already abroad unless they plan to remain overseas
The global level four warning was unprecedented as such alerts are generally reserved for specific countries embroiled in conflict, natural disasters or where Americans face specific risks.
But the significant move came shortly after a worryingly rambling performance at Thursday’s White House press conference, the president asserted that chloroquine, used to combat malaria, had been approved and would be made available by prescription.
“They’re doing great with the vaccines but there’s still a long process, but the therapies are something we can move on much faster potentially,” he told reporters. “And the treatments that will be able to reduce the severity or duration of the symptoms – make people better.
“Chloroquine, or hydroxychloroquine, this is a common malaria drug. It’s also a drug used for strong arthritis … It’s been around for a long time, so we know if things don’t go as planned it’s not going to kill anybody … It’s shown very, very encouraging early results, and we’re going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately.”
But minutes later, Stephen Hahn, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, cautioned that in fact chloroquine has not been approved for use against the coronavirus and must still be tested for its effectiveness and safety.
Chloroquine “is already approved, as the president said, for the treatment of malaria as well as arthritis condition”, Hahn pointed out. “That’s a drug that the president has directed us to take a closer look at as to whether an expanded use approach to that could be done to actually see if that benefits patients.
“And again, we want to do that in a setting of a clinical trial, a large pragmatic clinical trial to actually gather that information and answer that question that needs to be asked and answered.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Thursday 10,491 cases of coronavirus, an increase of 3,404 from its previous count. The death toll rose by 53 to 150, it said, the biggest one-day jump so far.
The Trump administration has been widely condemned for its sluggish response, particularly to testing kits and medical equipment. Mike Pence told the briefing, without providing data: “Tens of thousands of tests are being performed every day.” Earlier this month, the CDC said around 2,500 tests were being performed daily.
The vice-president also claimed that companies have hugely increased their production of protective industrial masks and many construction companies are donating their stocks to hospitals. Medical workers have decried the widespread lack of protective equipment.
Trump, who built his political career on his ability to steward the economy, is now fighting to rescue it from a once in a generation catastrophe. Last week the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose by 70,000.
Trump signed an aid package, which the Senate approved earlier on Wednesday, that will guarantee free testing, paid sick leave to workers who fall ill, family leave for caregivers and food assistance for those in need.
Asked if he would support the federal government moving to take an equity stake in companies that need bailouts, Trump replied: “I do. I really do.”
He added: “We will be helping the airline industry. We will be helping the cruise ship industry. We probably will be helping the hotel industry … There’s a lot of executive power. If we don’t have to use it, that would be a good thing, not a bad thing.”
Trump also took a swipe at China, where the virus was first reported, musing: “If people would have known about it, could have been stopped in place, it could have been stopped where it came from, China.”
This prompted criticism from his presumptive rival in the presidential election, Democrat Joe Biden. His campaign said in statement: “The reality is, he did know about it and experts spent months trying to prompt Trump into action as he downplayed the growing threat of the virus and praised the Chinese government’s bungled early response – at a time when Vice-President Biden warned him not to take their word about the disease.
“Now, as this crisis explodes on his watch, Trump is desperately lashing out to try to cover up his incompetence and mismanagement.”
In a series of bizarre riffs, Trump described social distancing as a “hot term” now and chastised reporters for sitting too close together. He railed against the media for failing to give him credit for banning travel from China. “I got a [coronavirus] test because you people were driving everybody crazy,” he said.
Trump has been condemned for using the xenophobic term “Chinese virus”. In a profoundly weird finale, a reporter from the pro-Trump One America News Network asked: “Mr President, do you consider the term ‘Chinese food’ to be racist because it is food that originated from China?”
He answered: “I don’t think that’s racist at all.”
Unusually, Trump is not thought to have made contact with the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, the architect of his impeachment last year. Instead he has delegated negotiations to the treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, who is said to have established a working relationship with Pelosi.
On Thursday the Senate began work on a $1tn-plus package to stem the economic fallout of the pandemic. The majority leader, Mitch McConnell, said the bill would include direct financial assistance to Americans, lending to key industries including airlines and money for more medical equipment.
“These are not ordinary policies. This is no ordinary time,” McConnell said on the Senate floor. “We have to beat back this virus.”


theguardian--2020-03-19--Tulsi Gabbard quits 2020 Democratic presidential race

The controversial Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has dropped out of the Democratic presidential race .
She had been the last woman in the contest – albeit a very long shot from the start – after Elizabeth Warren decided to quit within two days of a poor showing on Super Tuesday .
Gabbard , who won two Democratic delegates , both in American Samoa , endorsed Joe Biden as she suspended her campaign , a surprise move given she was one of few Democrats in Congress to back Bernie Sanders in 2016 .
“ Although I may not agree with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he has a good heart , and he ’ s motivated by his love for our country and the American people , ” Gabbard said .
“ I ’ m confident that he will lead our country guided by the spirit of aloha , respect and compassion , and thus help heal the divisiveness that has been tearing our country apart.
” Gabbard , 38 , had assembled an eclectic coalition of anti-war Democrats , independent voters , libertarians and disaffected Republicans , but never drew sufficient support to trouble the better-known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes in Iowa , the first state to vote .
In New Hampshire , where Gabbard spent months campaigning , she came in seventh .
On Super Tuesday , 3 March , when 14 states voted , she came nowhere in any of them as Joe Biden charged to the front of the field .
The only prize of the night for Gabbard was earning two out of six pledged delegates in American Samoa , the US Pacific island territory where the billionaire former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg won his only contest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of the race the following day .
The exit of Gabbard , who was born in American Samoa and is of mixed ethnicity , leaves a 2020 field of candidates that began as the most diverse in American history but narrowed inexorably to Biden and Bernie Sanders fighting it out to compete with Donald Trump , all straight white men in their 70s .
Gabbard ran as a progressive , anti-war candidate , frequently stressing her experience as a member of the Hawaii national guard .
Her campaign speeches largely focused on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Gabbard promising to redirect money from the military budget to social programs .
As her campaign failed to gain momentum , however , Gabbard and her supporters increasingly criticized the media for failing to provide her with enough airtime – although the congresswoman never approached double figures in national polls .
Gabbard was seen as a rising star in the Democratic party when she became a member of Congress in 2013 , and was appointed a vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee .
She resigned that position , however , to endorse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and continued to chaff against her party when she met with the Syrian president , Bashar al-Assad , in 2017 , later questioning the consensus that Assad was behind a chemical attack that killed dozens of people .
Despite backing Biden over Sanders , Gabbard thanked the Vermont senator in her announcement .
“ I want to extend my best wishes to my friends Bernie Sanders , his wife Jane , Nina Turner and their many supporters for the work that they ’ ve done , ” Gabbard said .
Turner is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign .
She continued : “ I have such a great appreciation for Senator Sanders ’ love for our country and the American people and his sincere desire to improve the lives of all Americans.
” Gabbard ’ s moves became increasingly unorthodox in recent months as she strived for exposure .
In January Gabbard sued Clinton for $ 50m in retaliation for Clinton suggesting the Hawaiian was a Russian asset , months after Gabbard filed a $ 50m lawsuit against Google for allegedly suspending her campaign ’ s advertising .
Ahead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Fox News interview where she defended Donald Trump ’ s decision to fire the key impeachment investigation witnesses Lt Col Alexander Vindman and EU ambassador Gordon Sondland .
A day later Gabbard appeared on the conservative Fox News network with Sean Hannity , a friend and informal adviser to the president who has promoted conspiracy theories about Barack Obama , Hillary Clinton and the dead DNC staffer Seth Rich .

The controversial Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has dropped out of the Democratic presidential race. She had been the last woman in the contest – albeit a very long shot from the start – after Elizabeth Warren decided to quit within two days of a poor showing on Super Tuesday.
Gabbard, who won two Democratic delegates, both in American Samoa, endorsed Joe Biden as she suspended her campaign, a surprise move given she was one of few Democrats in Congress to back Bernie Sanders in 2016.
“Although I may not agree with the vice-president on every issue, I know that he has a good heart, and he’s motivated by his love for our country and the American people,” Gabbard said.
“I’m confident that he will lead our country guided by the spirit of aloha, respect and compassion, and thus help heal the divisiveness that has been tearing our country apart.”
Gabbard, 38, had assembled an eclectic coalition of anti-war Democrats, independent voters, libertarians and disaffected Republicans, but never drew sufficient support to trouble the better-known candidates.
She finished with just 16 votes in Iowa, the first state to vote. In New Hampshire, where Gabbard spent months campaigning, she came in seventh.
On Super Tuesday, 3 March, when 14 states voted, she came nowhere in any of them as Joe Biden charged to the front of the field. The only prize of the night for Gabbard was earning two out of six pledged delegates in American Samoa, the US Pacific island territory where the billionaire former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg won his only contest in the Democratic primary, before dropping out of the race the following day.
The exit of Gabbard, who was born in American Samoa and is of mixed ethnicity, leaves a 2020 field of candidates that began as the most diverse in American history but narrowed inexorably to Biden and Bernie Sanders fighting it out to compete with Donald Trump, all straight white men in their 70s.
Gabbard ran as a progressive, anti-war candidate, frequently stressing her experience as a member of the Hawaii national guard. Her campaign speeches largely focused on the ills of American wars overseas, with Gabbard promising to redirect money from the military budget to social programs.
As her campaign failed to gain momentum, however, Gabbard and her supporters increasingly criticized the media for failing to provide her with enough airtime – although the congresswoman never approached double figures in national polls.
Gabbard was seen as a rising star in the Democratic party when she became a member of Congress in 2013, and was appointed a vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee.
She resigned that position, however, to endorse Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton in 2016, and continued to chaff against her party when she met with the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, in 2017, later questioning the consensus that Assad was behind a chemical attack that killed dozens of people.
Despite backing Biden over Sanders, Gabbard thanked the Vermont senator in her announcement.
“I want to extend my best wishes to my friends Bernie Sanders, his wife Jane, Nina Turner and their many supporters for the work that they’ve done,” Gabbard said. Turner is the national co-chair of Sanders’ 2020 campaign.
She continued: “I have such a great appreciation for Senator Sanders’ love for our country and the American people and his sincere desire to improve the lives of all Americans.”
Gabbard’s moves became increasingly unorthodox in recent months as she strived for exposure.
In January Gabbard sued Clinton for $50m in retaliation for Clinton suggesting the Hawaiian was a Russian asset, months after Gabbard filed a $50m lawsuit against Google for allegedly suspending her campaign’s advertising.
Ahead of the New Hampshire primary, Gabbard held a Fox News interview where she defended Donald Trump’s decision to fire the key impeachment investigation witnesses Lt Col Alexander Vindman and EU ambassador Gordon Sondland.
A day later Gabbard appeared on the conservative Fox News network with Sean Hannity, a friend and informal adviser to the president who has promoted conspiracy theories about Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and the dead DNC staffer Seth Rich.


theguardian--2020-03-19--Trump keeps immigration courts open despite coronavirus risks

The Trump administration is putting the health and potentially lives of thousands of federal judges , lawyers , court staff and undocumented immigrants and their families at risk by insisting that immigration courts remain open for the deportation hearings of detained immigrants , despite the threat of coronavirus .
On Wednesday the Department of Justice announced the temporary closure of 10 immigration courts in addition to the already shuttered location in Seattle .
All deportation hearings relating to undocumented people who are not in custody have also been suspended .
But a rare alliance of federal employees including immigration judges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are saying the changes are too little , too late .
With 58 immigration courts still open across the country , and only 11 closed , the prospect of courthouses acting as incubators and disseminators of the virus remains pronounced , with the risk of spreading the disease to large numbers of federal employees and the public .
A judge working out of the immigration court in Denver , Colorado , is understood to have contracted Covid-19 .
The Denver court is one of the 58 ordered to remain open .
Judge Samuel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Association of Immigration Judges ( NAIJ ) , told the Guardian that the new restrictions were helpful but not enough .
“ There are still hearings going on across the country in courts that need to be closed because they are a public safety hazard.
” Staff in federal courts have been making increasingly desperate appeals to the Trump administration to abide by the guidelines set by its own disease control agency and temporarily close all immigration courts .
But they have repeatedly been told that hearings must continue .
It appears that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Donald Trump is putting his desire to stand tough on immigration in an election year ahead of protecting the lives of government workers and the public .
The instruction to keep going with immigration removal hearings of detained individuals issued by the DoJ has come from the top of the Trump administration , court employees have been told .
Yet the approach directly conflicts with the guidance given by the government ’ s own disease control agency .
Latest advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they contract Covid-19 should avoid gatherings of 10 or more people .
It also says that workplaces should “ encourage staff to telework ” .
Yet deportation hearings for detained immigrants which frequently have 15 or so people holed up in closed-air courtrooms for several hours , must now carry on .
“ Prioritizing politics above all else is incompatible with the principles of due process and is a danger to the health and security of all involved , ” Judge Ashley Tabaddor , president of the NAIJ , said before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 10 courts that have been closed are three located in New York City that are among the busiest in the country .
Court staff have been trying for days to persuade management to let them telework from home in line with CDC advice .
A whistleblower working in the New York City immigration courts has shared with the Guardian details of how basic CDC guidelines have been flouted every day in the city ’ s three immigration courts .
Even after the announcement was made on Wednesday that the courts were closing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to come into work for the rest of the week to “ assist with an orderly shutdown ” .
The whistleblower said they were relieved the courts were being shuttered but they remained angry at how the issue has been handled .
“ At every turn when we brought up our concerns , management has downplayed and deflected responsibility .
We could have been exposed for days , even weeks.
” They added : “ There is no other reasonable explanation to risk these many people ’ s lives other than that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they want to get rid of them .
That is abhorrent to me.
” In recent days members of the public have been showing up at the New York courts looking visibly unwell .
Yet only the most basic hygiene measures have been taken , the whistleblower said .
Security guards have been instructed to wipe surfaces clean in courtrooms and waiting rooms where suspected coronavirus cases have been present .
“ That ’ s the extent of the deep-cleaning of immigration courts , ” the whistleblower said .
Around the country , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detained deportation cases are already experiencing shortages of cleaning supplies to sanitize courtrooms forcing federal employees to provide their own .
Interpreters needed to translate for immigrants in removal hearings were being flown from high-risk areas where Covid-19 is already prevalent such as New York to less at-risk states , thereby potentially spreading the disease .
“ That contradicts everything we are being told by health experts and the CDC , ” said Judge Amiena Khan , NAIJ ’ s executive vice-president .
“ How in God ’ s name is flying interpreters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global pandemic ?
” Earlier this week the unions and professional bodies of immigration judges , Ice prosecutors and lawyers representing undocumented clients issued a joint statement calling for the immediate suspension for up to a month of all of the nation ’ s 68 immigration courts .
The groups called the measures taken so far “ woefully insufficient … The DOJ is failing to meet its obligations to ensure a safe and healthy environment within our immigration courts.
” Federal employees are being asked to make unconscionable choices , as illustrated by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courts .
The whistleblower personally has a respiratory condition that means that were they to contract the virus they could be in mortal danger .
Numerous requests to telework from home had been turned down , forcing the whistleblower to travel into court every day on the New York subway – a perilous exercise in itself .
Yet they feel unable to disobey because if they lost their job they would also lose healthcare coverage which would make them all the more vulnerable .
“ The choice that all of us federal employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work and you get healthcare coverage or you start taking days off and your supervisor doesn ’ t like it and you risk being fired without healthcare coverage , ” they said .

The Trump administration is putting the health and potentially lives of thousands of federal judges, lawyers, court staff and undocumented immigrants and their families at risk by insisting that immigration courts remain open for the deportation hearings of detained immigrants, despite the threat of coronavirus.
On Wednesday the Department of Justice announced the temporary closure of 10 immigration courts in addition to the already shuttered location in Seattle. All deportation hearings relating to undocumented people who are not in custody have also been suspended.
But a rare alliance of federal employees including immigration judges, Ice prosecutors and lawyers representing immigrants are saying the changes are too little, too late. With 58 immigration courts still open across the country, and only 11 closed, the prospect of courthouses acting as incubators and disseminators of the virus remains pronounced, with the risk of spreading the disease to large numbers of federal employees and the public.
A judge working out of the immigration court in Denver, Colorado, is understood to have contracted Covid-19. The Denver court is one of the 58 ordered to remain open.
Judge Samuel Cole, communications director of the National Association of Immigration Judges (NAIJ), told the Guardian that the new restrictions were helpful but not enough. “There are still hearings going on across the country in courts that need to be closed because they are a public safety hazard.”
Staff in federal courts have been making increasingly desperate appeals to the Trump administration to abide by the guidelines set by its own disease control agency and temporarily close all immigration courts. But they have repeatedly been told that hearings must continue.
It appears that amid the crisis over the coronavirus pandemic, Donald Trump is putting his desire to stand tough on immigration in an election year ahead of protecting the lives of government workers and the public. The instruction to keep going with immigration removal hearings of detained individuals issued by the DoJ has come from the top of the Trump administration, court employees have been told.
Yet the approach directly conflicts with the guidance given by the government’s own disease control agency. Latest advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that individuals at risk of severe illness if they contract Covid-19 should avoid gatherings of 10 or more people. It also says that workplaces should “encourage staff to telework”.
Yet deportation hearings for detained immigrants which frequently have 15 or so people holed up in closed-air courtrooms for several hours, must now carry on.
“Prioritizing politics above all else is incompatible with the principles of due process and is a danger to the health and security of all involved,” Judge Ashley Tabaddor, president of the NAIJ, said before the new restrictions came into effect.
Among the 10 courts that have been closed are three located in New York City that are among the busiest in the country. Court staff have been trying for days to persuade management to let them telework from home in line with CDC advice.
A whistleblower working in the New York City immigration courts has shared with the Guardian details of how basic CDC guidelines have been flouted every day in the city’s three immigration courts. Even after the announcement was made on Wednesday that the courts were closing, federal staff were told that they had to come into work for the rest of the week to “assist with an orderly shutdown”.
The whistleblower said they were relieved the courts were being shuttered but they remained angry at how the issue has been handled. “At every turn when we brought up our concerns, management has downplayed and deflected responsibility. We could have been exposed for days, even weeks.”
They added: “There is no other reasonable explanation to risk these many people’s lives other than that the Trump administration hates immigrants so much they want to get rid of them. That is abhorrent to me.”
In recent days members of the public have been showing up at the New York courts looking visibly unwell. Yet only the most basic hygiene measures have been taken, the whistleblower said.
Security guards have been instructed to wipe surfaces clean in courtrooms and waiting rooms where suspected coronavirus cases have been present. “That’s the extent of the deep-cleaning of immigration courts,” the whistleblower said.
Around the country, courts that must remain open to hear detained deportation cases are already experiencing shortages of cleaning supplies to sanitize courtrooms forcing federal employees to provide their own. Interpreters needed to translate for immigrants in removal hearings were being flown from high-risk areas where Covid-19 is already prevalent such as New York to less at-risk states, thereby potentially spreading the disease.
“That contradicts everything we are being told by health experts and the CDC,” said Judge Amiena Khan, NAIJ’s executive vice-president. “How in God’s name is flying interpreters around the country helping to combat this global pandemic?”
Earlier this week the unions and professional bodies of immigration judges, Ice prosecutors and lawyers representing undocumented clients issued a joint statement calling for the immediate suspension for up to a month of all of the nation’s 68 immigration courts. The groups called the measures taken so far “woefully insufficient … The DOJ is failing to meet its obligations to ensure a safe and healthy environment within our immigration courts.”
Federal employees are being asked to make unconscionable choices, as illustrated by the battles waged in the New York courts. The whistleblower personally has a respiratory condition that means that were they to contract the virus they could be in mortal danger.
Numerous requests to telework from home had been turned down, forcing the whistleblower to travel into court every day on the New York subway – a perilous exercise in itself. Yet they feel unable to disobey because if they lost their job they would also lose healthcare coverage which would make them all the more vulnerable.
“The choice that all of us federal employees are being presented is you come to work and you get healthcare coverage or you start taking days off and your supervisor doesn’t like it and you risk being fired without healthcare coverage,” they said.


theguardian--2020-03-19--Disinformation and scapegoating: how America's far right is responding to coronavirus

The far right in America has received the coronavirus pandemic in much the same manner as any other event : with disinformation , conspiracies and scapegoating .
Many seem to see it as a significant opportunity , whether it is for financial gain , recruiting new followers , or both .
The delayed and much criticized response to coronavirus by the Trump administration has helped them , leaving many Americans confused , bereft of information and looking for answers .
A situation in which people are panic-buying supplies is ideal for a movement powered by fear and lies .
Apocalyptic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biblical rapture , or race war – are the central way that the a spectrum of far-right movements draw in followers and resources .
These narratives use fear to draw followers closer , allowing leaders to direct their followers ’ actions , and maybe fleece them blind .
For the survivalist elements of the far right , the coronavirus provides an opportunity to say that they told us so , win hearts and minds and make money .
If they ’ re lucky , they might even get a hearing by the mainstream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for example , who has been warning of imminent cataclysms for more than 20 years , has used the outbreak to step up his aggressive pitching for bulk food products and other survival goods sold on his website .
Others have been assisted by mainstream media outlets in making the case that they are reasonable people who have been making reasonable preparations all along .
James Wesley Rawles , the reclusive founder of the separatist and survivalist American Redoubt movement , was interviewed by Dow Jones website , MarketWatch , about his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about food storage and the pandemic .
They did not ask Rawles about his position as the ideological godfather of a movement which promotes “ political migration ” by rightwing Christians to the interior of the Pacific north-west .
In a time of crisis , far-right figures are hoping for exactly this kind of wider exposure .
Farther out on the neo-Nazi right , in the Telegram channels where “ accelerationists ” – who seek to hasten the end of liberal democracy in order to build a white ethnostate – overlap with “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ecological problems – groups are openly talking about how to use the crisis to recruit people to terroristic white supremacy .
One group posted a text that suggested “ narratives that should be pushed ” , including that “ our current system is inadequate for modern issues ” , and “ everything that is bad that is happening is the fault of the system and its failings , not pandemics or markets.
” They also suggest forming “ civil support groups ” to fill the gaps left by the state , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no interest in restoring calm .
“ The more things destabilize the easier they are to continue to keep in flux ” , the post continues , “ now is the time to push when things are already teetering on the edge ” .
Like many on the far right , these groups gleefully anticipate societal collapse , and what they might gain from it .
The other way in which various far-right groups and believers hope to gain ground is by proposing conspiracy theories about the causes and origins of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scapegoat groups like immigrants , or minorities or liberals .
However , some are still following the lead set by Donald Trump in the earlier part of the crisis , and remain in denial .
On Telegram , the has-been alt-right internet personality Milo Yiannopoulos asked his followers in a poll which was the “ biggest hoax of our lifetime : Acid Rain , Climate Change , Satanic Ritual Abuse , Coronavirus ” .
Others have more elaborate theories with which to focus their followers ’ rage .
Along with his cash-in supplies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into his overarching conspiracy theories .
Jones – an unwavering Trump supporter – has a neat solution to the problem of taking advantage of the commercial opportunities presented by virus without criticizing Trump ’ s lackadaisical response .
He claims that Covid-19 is a human-made bioweapon , produced by the Chinese government to bring Trump down .
A similar conspiracy theory has made its way into the brains of more mainstream figures .
This posits the idea that software mogul Bill Gates and financier and philanthropist George Soros were involved in concocting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a now-deleted tweet on 27 February , the Republican California congressional candidate Joanne Wright wrote : “ The Corona virus is a man made virus created in a Wuhan laboratory .
Ask @ BillGates who financed it.
” In another disappeared tweet , she added : “ Doesn ’ t @ BillGates finance research at the Wuhan lab where the Corona virus was being created ?
Isn ’ t @ georgesoros a good friend of Gates ?
” As Trump has gradually moved towards an acknowledgment that the virus exists , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scapegoating immigrants and foreigners for spreading the illness .
He has repeatedly tweeted throughout early March that the US epidemic would be worse were it not for his administration ’ s border policies , and called it a “ foreign virus ” .
Trump sought to apportion blame , then , in a way that furthered his political agenda and has been amplified by his rightwing allies .
In that spirit , the Liberty University president and evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr – a high-profile backer of Trump – last week aired the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bioweapon .

The far right in America has received the coronavirus pandemic in much the same manner as any other event: with disinformation, conspiracies and scapegoating. Many seem to see it as a significant opportunity, whether it is for financial gain, recruiting new followers, or both.
The delayed and much criticized response to coronavirus by the Trump administration has helped them, leaving many Americans confused, bereft of information and looking for answers. A situation in which people are panic-buying supplies is ideal for a movement powered by fear and lies.
Apocalyptic narratives – whether of societal collapse, biblical rapture, or race war – are the central way that the a spectrum of far-right movements draw in followers and resources. These narratives use fear to draw followers closer, allowing leaders to direct their followers’ actions, and maybe fleece them blind.
For the survivalist elements of the far right, the coronavirus provides an opportunity to say that they told us so, win hearts and minds and make money. If they’re lucky, they might even get a hearing by the mainstream media.
The conspiracy broadcaster Alex Jones, for example, who has been warning of imminent cataclysms for more than 20 years, has used the outbreak to step up his aggressive pitching for bulk food products and other survival goods sold on his website.
Others have been assisted by mainstream media outlets in making the case that they are reasonable people who have been making reasonable preparations all along.
James Wesley Rawles, the reclusive founder of the separatist and survivalist American Redoubt movement, was interviewed by Dow Jones website, MarketWatch, about his approach to prepping.
They asked him about food storage and the pandemic. They did not ask Rawles about his position as the ideological godfather of a movement which promotes “political migration” by rightwing Christians to the interior of the Pacific north-west.
In a time of crisis, far-right figures are hoping for exactly this kind of wider exposure.
Farther out on the neo-Nazi right, in the Telegram channels where “accelerationists” – who seek to hasten the end of liberal democracy in order to build a white ethnostate – overlap with “ecofascists” – who propose genocidal solutions to ecological problems – groups are openly talking about how to use the crisis to recruit people to terroristic white supremacy.
One group posted a text that suggested “narratives that should be pushed”, including that “our current system is inadequate for modern issues”, and “everything that is bad that is happening is the fault of the system and its failings, not pandemics or markets.”
They also suggest forming “civil support groups” to fill the gaps left by the state, but only for recruitment purposes. They have no interest in restoring calm. “The more things destabilize the easier they are to continue to keep in flux”, the post continues, “now is the time to push when things are already teetering on the edge”.
Like many on the far right, these groups gleefully anticipate societal collapse, and what they might gain from it.
The other way in which various far-right groups and believers hope to gain ground is by proposing conspiracy theories about the causes and origins of the virus, and to use these narratives to scapegoat groups like immigrants, or minorities or liberals.
However, some are still following the lead set by Donald Trump in the earlier part of the crisis, and remain in denial. On Telegram, the has-been alt-right internet personality Milo Yiannopoulos asked his followers in a poll which was the “biggest hoax of our lifetime: Acid Rain, Climate Change, Satanic Ritual Abuse, Coronavirus”.
Others have more elaborate theories with which to focus their followers’ rage.
Along with his cash-in supplies, Jones has managed to slot coronavirus into his overarching conspiracy theories. Jones – an unwavering Trump supporter – has a neat solution to the problem of taking advantage of the commercial opportunities presented by virus without criticizing Trump’s lackadaisical response. He claims that Covid-19 is a human-made bioweapon, produced by the Chinese government to bring Trump down.
A similar conspiracy theory has made its way into the brains of more mainstream figures. This posits the idea that software mogul Bill Gates and financier and philanthropist George Soros were involved in concocting the virus with the Chinese Communist party.
In a now-deleted tweet on 27 February, the Republican California congressional candidate Joanne Wright wrote: “The Corona virus is a man made virus created in a Wuhan laboratory. Ask @BillGates who financed it.” In another disappeared tweet, she added: “Doesn’t @BillGates finance research at the Wuhan lab where the Corona virus was being created? Isn’t @georgesoros a good friend of Gates?”
As Trump has gradually moved towards an acknowledgment that the virus exists, he has also been leading the charge in scapegoating immigrants and foreigners for spreading the illness. He has repeatedly tweeted throughout early March that the US epidemic would be worse were it not for his administration’s border policies, and called it a “foreign virus”.
Trump sought to apportion blame, then, in a way that furthered his political agenda and has been amplified by his rightwing allies. In that spirit, the Liberty University president and evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr – a high-profile backer of Trump – last week aired the theory that coronavirus was a North Korean bioweapon.


theguardian--2020-03-19--Coronavirus is a political problem, not just a health problem. Remember that when you vote | Kelly C

Coronavirus is a political problem, not just a health problem. Remember that when you vote | Kelly Candaele

I don ’ t know if I have had the coronavirus ( Covid-19 ) .
What I do know is that I developed pneumonia two weeks after returning to Los Angeles in early February from a visit with my wife ’ s family in northern Italy .
I started feeling ill on a Friday – aches , chills and overall weakness .
By Monday I was coughing .
On Wednesday I was in urgent care – four days after reports that northern Italy was experiencing a major outbreak .
After an X-ray determined that I had pneumonia , I asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 .
She told me that it was “ too expensive ” to test everyone .
The next day my primary doctor informed me that the expense of testing was not the problem , but there was a more fundamental issue .
As of late February , there were only 100 testing kits in Los Angeles county , he said .
Because I didn ’ t have a severe fever and I had not traveled to China , I did not meet the Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) guidelines for testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a test sample it would be thrown away .
During the ensuing weeks the world changed .
Italy ’ s death toll from Covid-19 has passed 1,800 and the country is on lockdown .
President Trump has gone from calling the spread of the virus a “ hoax ” conjured up by devious Democrats to banning travel from Europe and declaring a national emergency .
The CDC guidelines for testing seem to change daily , and promises of abundant testing kits offer belated and often false hope .
When I talk to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ask is : “ Have you been tested ?
” When I respond , “ It ’ s complicated , ” their reaction is mostly anger and incomprehension .
My emotions are the same .
When Italy ’ s Covid-19 cases expanded exponentially , I once more requested a test and was again turned away by the CDC and for the same reasons .
I was treated with antibiotics for two weeks and the pneumonia disappeared .
I ’ m one of the lucky ones – healthy of body with none of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have led to death for so many .
I can only conclude that my experience of frustration , confusion and fear for my family is minor compared with the thousands of others who do not have the resources I have , including health insurance .
Imagine people who are living on the streets or who have symptoms but are going untested and untreated for any number of other reasons .
Meanwhile , our president talks of how plummeting gasoline prices will be like a major “ tax cut ” due to the collapse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-quarantine at home I took time to read and think about what our country and the world is going through .
I started reading Thomas Mann ’ s The Magic Mountain , which is about a group of people in a sanatorium in Davos , Switzerland , on the eve of the first world war .
It ’ s the perfect book for people living what the main character , Hans Castorp , calls “ horizontal lives ” , wrapped in blankets and enduring the daily rituals of medical examinations .
The sanatorium @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a spiritual and moral “ palsy ” that evolves into physical ailments .
Some seem seduced by the “ attractions ” of illness – its inwardness and self-obsession , characteristics of late-19th-century bourgeois decadence .
Referring to the culture and politics of prewar Europe – Mann began the novel before the great war but finished it afterwards – the democratic socialist Michael Harrington once observed that Mann ’ s patients were “ sickened by history ” .
Great literature poses great questions .
If it is history and our politics that are making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nor reasonable to believe that individuals fighting alone , like Hans Castorp , are the solution to what is a social problem .
As I was forced to deal with the barriers to my own health , it was apparent that Covid-19 is as much a “ structural ” , political and economic problem as it is a battle to obtain an individual test .
Millions are realizing the same thing .
People all over America are beginning to ask some fundamental questions about our society that might puncture our self-flattering image as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
Why is South Korea capable of quickly establishing a testing regime where tens of thousands are examined daily ( and are even given a “ drive-through ” option ) without our excessive restrictions ?
Why does Germany have a system of regional testing laboratories that have saved lives due to quick and comprehensive testing for Covid-19 ?
Why has it been so difficult for our government to give straight answers about the threat , and how could we be so monumentally incompetent in providing adequate access to testing ?
What is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to collective wellbeing and social disaster in a time of crisis ?
Most important , how did we arrive at this situation ?
If our society is in some fundamental way sick , do we need a Thomas Mann to explore the depths and complexities of that disease ?
The literary questions are interesting and offer an occasion for musing .
But their answers can only be found through politics .
That is why people should be asking every candidate during this election season what their approach to the expansion of healthcare is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embraced the idea that “ government is the problem not the solution , ” are now demanding the government act more forcefully .
These are , and always have been , questions of life and death .
I have no doubt that the doctors , nurses and staff that I came in contact with were working their hardest to provide the best care they could under trying circumstances .
And these workers on the frontlines are risking infection every day .
In my communications with my doctor , he is asking the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same frustrations .
The best way to fight an individual illness is through a community of friends and family , and a robust healthcare system .
The same is true of a political fight .
We can ’ t afford to stay “ quarantined ” in our homes from the political struggles ahead .
Eventually our public spaces will again be ours to strengthen .
• None Kelly Candaele is a Los Angeles-based writer whose essays have appeared in the New York Times , the Los Angeles Times and the Nation • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Capital and Main

I don’t know if I have had the coronavirus (Covid-19). What I do know is that I developed pneumonia two weeks after returning to Los Angeles in early February from a visit with my wife’s family in northern Italy.
I started feeling ill on a Friday – aches, chills and overall weakness. By Monday I was coughing. On Wednesday I was in urgent care – four days after reports that northern Italy was experiencing a major outbreak. After an X-ray determined that I had pneumonia, I asked the attending doctor about being tested for Covid-19. She told me that it was “too expensive” to test everyone.
The next day my primary doctor informed me that the expense of testing was not the problem, but there was a more fundamental issue. As of late February, there were only 100 testing kits in Los Angeles county, he said. Because I didn’t have a severe fever and I had not traveled to China, I did not meet the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for testing. He added that if he sent in a test sample it would be thrown away.
During the ensuing weeks the world changed. Italy’s death toll from Covid-19 has passed 1,800 and the country is on lockdown. President Trump has gone from calling the spread of the virus a “hoax” conjured up by devious Democrats to banning travel from Europe and declaring a national emergency. The CDC guidelines for testing seem to change daily, and promises of abundant testing kits offer belated and often false hope.
When I talk to my family and friends the first question they ask is: “Have you been tested?” When I respond, “It’s complicated,” their reaction is mostly anger and incomprehension. My emotions are the same. When Italy’s Covid-19 cases expanded exponentially, I once more requested a test and was again turned away by the CDC and for the same reasons.
I was treated with antibiotics for two weeks and the pneumonia disappeared. I’m one of the lucky ones – healthy of body with none of the “underlying” health conditions that have led to death for so many. I can only conclude that my experience of frustration, confusion and fear for my family is minor compared with the thousands of others who do not have the resources I have, including health insurance. Imagine people who are living on the streets or who have symptoms but are going untested and untreated for any number of other reasons.
Meanwhile, our president talks of how plummeting gasoline prices will be like a major “tax cut” due to the collapse of the oil market.
During my self-quarantine at home I took time to read and think about what our country and the world is going through. I started reading Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain, which is about a group of people in a sanatorium in Davos, Switzerland, on the eve of the first world war. It’s the perfect book for people living what the main character, Hans Castorp, calls “horizontal lives”, wrapped in blankets and enduring the daily rituals of medical examinations.
The sanatorium residents suffer, Mann suggests, from a spiritual and moral “palsy” that evolves into physical ailments. Some seem seduced by the “attractions” of illness – its inwardness and self-obsession, characteristics of late-19th-century bourgeois decadence. Referring to the culture and politics of prewar Europe – Mann began the novel before the great war but finished it afterwards – the democratic socialist Michael Harrington once observed that Mann’s patients were “sickened by history”.
Great literature poses great questions. If it is history and our politics that are making us sick, it is neither noble nor reasonable to believe that individuals fighting alone, like Hans Castorp, are the solution to what is a social problem.
As I was forced to deal with the barriers to my own health, it was apparent that Covid-19 is as much a “structural”, political and economic problem as it is a battle to obtain an individual test. Millions are realizing the same thing. People all over America are beginning to ask some fundamental questions about our society that might puncture our self-flattering image as “the greatest country in the world”.
Why is South Korea capable of quickly establishing a testing regime where tens of thousands are examined daily (and are even given a “drive-through” option) without our excessive restrictions? Why does Germany have a system of regional testing laboratories that have saved lives due to quick and comprehensive testing for Covid-19? Why has it been so difficult for our government to give straight answers about the threat, and how could we be so monumentally incompetent in providing adequate access to testing? What is the connection between a lack of commitment to collective wellbeing and social disaster in a time of crisis?
Most important, how did we arrive at this situation? If our society is in some fundamental way sick, do we need a Thomas Mann to explore the depths and complexities of that disease?
The literary questions are interesting and offer an occasion for musing. But their answers can only be found through politics. That is why people should be asking every candidate during this election season what their approach to the expansion of healthcare is. Even conservatives, who may have embraced the idea that “government is the problem not the solution,” are now demanding the government act more forcefully. These are, and always have been, questions of life and death.
I have no doubt that the doctors, nurses and staff that I came in contact with were working their hardest to provide the best care they could under trying circumstances. And these workers on the frontlines are risking infection every day. In my communications with my doctor, he is asking the same questions I’m asking and expressing the same frustrations.
The best way to fight an individual illness is through a community of friends and family, and a robust healthcare system. The same is true of a political fight. We can’t afford to stay “quarantined” in our homes from the political struggles ahead. Eventually our public spaces will again be ours to strengthen.


theguardian--2020-03-18--Pandemic primary: why I volunteered at a polling station despite coronavirus

When a primary takes place during a pandemic , civic duty clashes with social responsibility .
Everybody should stay in .
Everybody should vote .
My story begins on the Friday before the Tuesday primary in Florida .
I saw a post on Facebook that urged healthy people who could help out on election day to become poll workers .
About 100 poll workers ( probably older folks ) in Alachua county , where I attend university , had dropped out due to coronavirus fears .
I ’ m 22 years old .
I ’ m pretty healthy .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One hour later , I was at the office undergoing deputy training .
Deputies are the people who stand by the entrance telling people to take out their IDs and silence their phones .
They keep the peace , which I suppose would be a lot easier not during a pandemic .
On Saturday , I was assigned to a precinct .
On Monday , the clerk called me to tell me to be there Tuesday at 6am and that she was bringing chicken soup .
On election day , I loaded my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isopropyl alcohol into my backpack and headed to the church that would be my home for the next 16 hours .
I was happy to see the supervisor of elections office had provided our site with ample hand sanitizer , hydrogen peroxide , paper towels , gloves and even a spray bottle with alcohol .
My first job was putting up the “ no soliciting ” sign , which state law mandates has to be 150ft away from the entrance of the polling site .
I was supplied with a 150ft rope and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the door handle of the entrance .
I really don ’ t know how I managed to tangle the brand new rope as I unwrapped it but I know that I will never feel as bad about tangling my headphones from now on .
Then we set up signs marking accessible parking , signs helping point people toward the entrance , signs telling people to turn off their phones and so on .
When we opened at 7am , there was a line of people who hoped to beat the crowd by coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , some people came with gloves and masks .
Others held their driver ’ s licenses through plastic bags , napkins and receipts .
Several asked to use their own pens .
While posted outside , I propped open the doors to circumvent to save voters from having to interact with one more “ high-touch ” surface .
Every 15 minutes , I sanitized the guardrails by the steps leading to the door .
After a moment of divine inspiration , I placed “ I voted ” stickers on the ground , six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a line formed , it would conform to the principle of social distancing .
Nothing says “ social distancing ” like spending your day interacting with almost 300 strangers , right ?
Over the course of the day , I had four bowls of chicken soup and countless packets of fruit gummies .
The people who passed through our polling site were grateful and thanked us for “ risking it ” .
They were jittery and cautious but also determined to cast their ballot .
They were relieved when they saw that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At final count , 280 people voted at our station before I closed the doors at 7pm .
We spent the next two hours cleaning up and completing paperwork .
There was a lot of pushback toward the state of Florida for holding elections during a pandemic as opposed to delaying like other states .
It ’ s hard to say if it was the right decision , as conditions may very well worsen in the future .
But looking back on today , I am proud to have served as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could to mitigate risk to those who wanted to make their voice heard .
These are trying times that have tested everything that we used to take for granted .
I don ’ t think I ’ ll ever see voting in the same light , now that I ’ ve seen all the people who put in countless hours and , in this election , put their health at risk in order to keep a polling location open .
Zachariah Chou is a political science senior at the University of Florida

When a primary takes place during a pandemic, civic duty clashes with social responsibility. Everybody should stay in. Everybody should vote.
My story begins on the Friday before the Tuesday primary in Florida. I saw a post on Facebook that urged healthy people who could help out on election day to become poll workers. About 100 poll workers (probably older folks) in Alachua county, where I attend university, had dropped out due to coronavirus fears.
I’m 22 years old. I’m pretty healthy. I called the supervisor of elections office. One hour later, I was at the office undergoing deputy training. Deputies are the people who stand by the entrance telling people to take out their IDs and silence their phones. They keep the peace, which I suppose would be a lot easier not during a pandemic.
On Saturday, I was assigned to a precinct. On Monday, the clerk called me to tell me to be there Tuesday at 6am and that she was bringing chicken soup. On election day, I loaded my own hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes and isopropyl alcohol into my backpack and headed to the church that would be my home for the next 16 hours.
I was happy to see the supervisor of elections office had provided our site with ample hand sanitizer, hydrogen peroxide, paper towels, gloves and even a spray bottle with alcohol.
My first job was putting up the “no soliciting” sign, which state law mandates has to be 150ft away from the entrance of the polling site. I was supplied with a 150ft rope and set off, with one end to the door handle of the entrance. I really don’t know how I managed to tangle the brand new rope as I unwrapped it but I know that I will never feel as bad about tangling my headphones from now on.
Voters of precinct 40 in Alachua county, Florida, line up outside of their polling location. I placed stickers on the ground at least six feet away from each other to make sure people weren’t standing too close to each other. Photograph: Zachariah Chou
Then we set up signs marking accessible parking, signs helping point people toward the entrance, signs telling people to turn off their phones and so on.
When we opened at 7am, there was a line of people who hoped to beat the crowd by coming early. As the day went on, some people came with gloves and masks. Others held their driver’s licenses through plastic bags, napkins and receipts. Several asked to use their own pens.
While posted outside, I propped open the doors to circumvent to save voters from having to interact with one more “high-touch” surface. Every 15 minutes, I sanitized the guardrails by the steps leading to the door.
After a moment of divine inspiration, I placed “I voted” stickers on the ground, six feet apart from each other so when a line formed, it would conform to the principle of social distancing. Nothing says “social distancing” like spending your day interacting with almost 300 strangers, right?
Over the course of the day, I had four bowls of chicken soup and countless packets of fruit gummies. The people who passed through our polling site were grateful and thanked us for “risking it”. They were jittery and cautious but also determined to cast their ballot. They were relieved when they saw that we were taking hygiene and social distancing seriously.
These are trying times that have tested everything that we used to take for granted. I don’t think I’ll ever see voting in the same light
At final count, 280 people voted at our station before I closed the doors at 7pm. We spent the next two hours cleaning up and completing paperwork.
There was a lot of pushback toward the state of Florida for holding elections during a pandemic as opposed to delaying like other states. It’s hard to say if it was the right decision, as conditions may very well worsen in the future. But looking back on today, I am proud to have served as a poll worker. We did everything we could to mitigate risk to those who wanted to make their voice heard.
These are trying times that have tested everything that we used to take for granted. I don’t think I’ll ever see voting in the same light, now that I’ve seen all the people who put in countless hours and, in this election, put their health at risk in order to keep a polling location open.
Zachariah Chou is a political science senior at the University of Florida


theguardian--2020-03-19--Coronavirus: Donald Trump steps up attacks on China and the media – video

The US president has sought to deflect criticism of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic by attacking China and the @ @ @ @ @ it .
Speaking at his daily taskforce briefing , Trump accused Beijing of suppressing early @ @ @ @ @ the virus in Wuhan , and the media of corruption .
‘ They ’ re @ @ @ @ @ he said .
‘ It ’ s more than fake news ; it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ says cruise ships will be made available as floating coronavirus hospitals – live

The US president has sought to deflect criticism of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic by attacking China and the media over their coverage of it. Speaking at his daily taskforce briefing, Trump accused Beijing of suppressing early information about the spread of the virus in Wuhan, and the media of corruption. 'They're siding with China,' he said. 'It's more than fake news; it's corrupt news'