shareblue--2020-08-13--David Perdue is the latest GOP senator to lie about his record on health care

An ad released Thursday by the campaign of Sen. David Perdue ( R-GA ) claims he supports insurance protections for people with preexisting health conditions .
Perdue has a history of votes and statements that show the claim to be false .
`` Health insurance should always cover preexisting conditions for anyone .
Period , '' Perdue says in the ad .
`` Unfortunately , some people want to play political games with this .
I just think it 's the right thing to do . ''
Perdue , a first-term senator facing a tough reelection race in November against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to repeal Obamacare , including its mandate the people with preexisting conditions must be covered by insurance policies .
In January 2019 , Perdue said that `` of course '' he wanted a GOP-spearheaded lawsuit aimed at striking down the health care law to succeed .
In April 2019 , he joined other Republicans in supporting the `` Protect Act , '' a bill he claimed `` protects Americans with preexisting conditions . ''
Shortly after it was introduced , analysts noted that , while its sponsors say that the act `` guarantees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies from excluding coverage of treatments for a patient 's pre-existing condition , '' other provisions of the Protect Act undercut that guarantee .
Sarah Lueck , a senior analyst with the nonpartisan Center on Budget Policies and Priorities , noted that the Protect Act would allow insurance companies to For example , under the Protect Act , a cancer patient could not be denied health care coverage , but the coverage could exclude prescription medications used to treat the cancer .
Additionally , health insurance companies would be allowed to put lifetime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large medical bills after the cap was hit .
The Cook Political Report calls the race between Perdue and Ossoff one of six toss-ups in the 2020 election .
Analysts at Inside Elections rated the race `` Likely Republican '' in January , but in their latest evaluation , in July , rated it `` Tilt Republican . ''
In addition to Perdue , two other Republicans facing tough races have lied about their positions on health insurance mandates regarding preexisting conditions .
In July , a campaign ad for Montana Sen. Steve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect Montanans with preexisting conditions and fight for lower prescription drug prices . ''
Daines joined Perdue in voting to eliminate Obamacare in 2017 .
Arizona Sen. Martha McSally , who as a House member in 2017 voted to repeat Obamacare as well , has repeatedly lied about her position on the issue , stating in a July campaign ad , `` I will always protect those with preexisting conditions . ''
Politifact rated the claim as `` False . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

An ad released Thursday by the campaign of Sen. David Perdue (R-GA) claims he supports insurance protections for people with preexisting health conditions.
Perdue has a history of votes and statements that show the claim to be false.
“Health insurance should always cover preexisting conditions for anyone. Period,” Perdue says in the ad. “Unfortunately, some people want to play political games with this. I just think it’s the right thing to do.”
Perdue, a first-term senator facing a tough reelection race in November against Democrat Jon Ossoff, voted in 2017 to repeal Obamacare, including its mandate the people with preexisting conditions must be covered by insurance policies.
In January 2019, Perdue said that “of course” he wanted a GOP-spearheaded lawsuit aimed at striking down the health care law to succeed.
In April 2019, he joined other Republicans in supporting the “Protect Act,” a bill he claimed “protects Americans with preexisting conditions.”
Shortly after it was introduced, analysts noted that, while its sponsors say that the act “guarantees coverage for pre-existing conditions and prohibits insurance companies from excluding coverage of treatments for a patient’s pre-existing condition,” other provisions of the Protect Act undercut that guarantee.
Sarah Lueck, a senior analyst with the nonpartisan Center on Budget Policies and Priorities, noted that the Protect Act would allow insurance companies to
exclude coverage of essential health benefits — such as maternity coverage, mental health care, and substance use treatment — as many plans did before the ACA;
impose annual and lifetime limits on how much they will pay out (in large employer plans as well as individual-market and small business coverage);
sell plans with no limit on how much enrollees could owe in out-of-pocket costs if they get sick (another change that would affect large employer plans as well as the individual and small-group markets);
charge higher premiums based on non-health factors that can strongly correlate to health risk, including gender; and
charge older people (most of whom have pre-existing conditions) far more, compared to younger people, than the ACA allows.
For example, under the Protect Act, a cancer patient could not be denied health care coverage, but the coverage could exclude prescription medications used to treat the cancer. Additionally, health insurance companies would be allowed to put lifetime caps on benefits, leaving patients with large medical bills after the cap was hit.
The Cook Political Report calls the race between Perdue and Ossoff one of six toss-ups in the 2020 election. Analysts at Inside Elections rated the race “Likely Republican” in January, but in their latest evaluation, in July, rated it “Tilt Republican.”
In addition to Perdue, two other Republicans facing tough races have lied about their positions on health insurance mandates regarding preexisting conditions.
In July, a campaign ad for Montana Sen. Steve Daines claimed, “Steve Daines will protect Montanans with preexisting conditions and fight for lower prescription drug prices.” Daines joined Perdue in voting to eliminate Obamacare in 2017.
Arizona Sen. Martha McSally, who as a House member in 2017 voted to repeat Obamacare as well, has repeatedly lied about her position on the issue, stating in a July campaign ad, “I will always protect those with preexisting conditions.” Politifact rated the claim as “False.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-13--Democrats to officially support Equality Act as GOP keeps anti-LGBTQ platform of 2016

Democrats are set to make history by approving a party platform that would support the Equality Act , a sweeping nondiscrimination bill that improves protections for LGBTQ people , as well as other groundbreaking additions to the party platform .
The party platform , which sets up ideas and goals that govern the party , would also include a pledge to reverse the Trump administration 's most harmful rollbacks of LGBTQ rights in health care .
It is the first platform to specifically mention nonbinary people , transgender women of color , and gender non-conforming people .
According to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ratify the platform during the Democratic National Convention next week .
Voting ends on Saturday night .
The Equality Act passed the House last year by a margin of 236-173 , with all no votes coming from Republicans .
Under the legislation , the Civil Rights Act of 1964 would be amended to ban discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation in education , housing , employment , jury service , federal programs , public accommodations , and credit and lending .
The Equality Act also includes protections against discrimination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as retail stores , legal services , and banks .
The platform condemns the Trump administration 's rollback of Obama-era protections for LGBTQ people in health care and advocates for restoring those protections .
The Department of Health and Human Services finalized the new Trump administration rule on June 12 , which is scheduled to go into effect on Aug. 18 .
Under that new regulation , the department would not consider sex discrimination in health care to include transgender people and would remove protections against discrimination in health care based on HIV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DNC party platform shared in July showed Democrats will work to ensure federal health plans include coverage for HIV/AIDS treatment and HIV prevention medications like PrEP and PEP , gender confirmation surgery , and hormone therapy .
Under the section `` Protecting LGBTQ rights , '' Democrats also champion ending the homelessness crisis , the expansion of mental health and suicide prevention services , and a ban on `` conversion therapy '' practices .
`` Conversion therapy '' is a dangerous practice that uses so-called treatments in an attempt to change a queer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's gender .
The Democratic plan stands in stark contrast to the GOP 's approved platform .
In June , the Republican National Committee voted to keep in place intensely transphobic and homophobic platform it released in 2016 .
That platform was called the `` the most anti-LGBT platform in the party 's 162-year history '' by Log Cabin Republicans , an LGBTQ conservative group .
Its planks include the opposition of marriage equality , five years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of it , support for discrimination against transgender @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conversion therapy .
As Politico reported , there has also been a heavy push from some conservative corners to embrace transphobic messages as the general election draws near .
The American Principles Project , a conservative think tank , is currently running ads in Michigan that attack presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden 's support of LGBTQ rights .
The ads push fear-mongering messages about transgender children that have long been endorsed by conservatives , suggesting that affirming transgender children will ultimately harm them .
At least one person affiliated with the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine — a transgender woman who has been leading the charge on the state 's coronavirus response — for which they have refused to apologize .
Trump campaign adviser Jenna Ellis tweeted on Aug. 10 , `` This guy is making decisions about your health '' along with a link to a news article discussing Levine 's request not to be misgendered .
NBC News reached out to Ellis through a Trump campaign spokesperson .
Ellis responded at that time that criticism of her tweet was `` both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would not apologize for misgendering Levine .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Democrats are set to make history by approving a party platform that would support the Equality Act, a sweeping nondiscrimination bill that improves protections for LGBTQ people, as well as other groundbreaking additions to the party platform.
The party platform, which sets up ideas and goals that govern the party, would also include a pledge to reverse the Trump administration’s most harmful rollbacks of LGBTQ rights in health care. It is the first platform to specifically mention nonbinary people, transgender women of color, and gender non-conforming people.
According to the Washington Blade, delegates are expected to ratify the platform during the Democratic National Convention next week. Voting ends on Saturday night.
The Equality Act passed the House last year by a margin of 236-173, with all no votes coming from Republicans. Under the legislation, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 would be amended to ban discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation in education, housing, employment, jury service, federal programs, public accommodations, and credit and lending.
The Equality Act also includes protections against discrimination in public spaces and services, such as retail stores, legal services, and banks.
The platform condemns the Trump administration’s rollback of Obama-era protections for LGBTQ people in health care and advocates for restoring those protections. The Department of Health and Human Services finalized the new Trump administration rule on June 12, which is scheduled to go into effect on Aug. 18.
Under that new regulation, the department would not consider sex discrimination in health care to include transgender people and would remove protections against discrimination in health care based on HIV status.
A draft of the new DNC party platform shared in July showed Democrats will work to ensure federal health plans include coverage for HIV/AIDS treatment and HIV prevention medications like PrEP and PEP, gender confirmation surgery, and hormone therapy.
Under the section “Protecting LGBTQ rights,” Democrats also champion ending the homelessness crisis, the expansion of mental health and suicide prevention services, and a ban on “conversion therapy” practices. “Conversion therapy” is a dangerous practice that uses so-called treatments in an attempt to change a queer person’s sexuality or a transgender person’s gender.
The platform also recognizes the need to end violence against transgender people. At least 26 transgender or gender nonconforming people have been killed in 2020, according to the Human Rights Campaign. “We will fight to end violence against transgender Americans and particularly against Black transgender women, who are disproportionately victims of assault and homicide, and will prioritize the investigation of hate crimes against transgender and non-binary people,” the July draft explains.
The Democratic plan stands in stark contrast to the GOP’s approved platform.
In June, the Republican National Committee voted to keep in place intensely transphobic and homophobic platform it released in 2016. That platform was called the “the most anti-LGBT platform in the party’s 162-year history” by Log Cabin Republicans, an LGBTQ conservative group.
Its planks include the opposition of marriage equality, five years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of it, support for discrimination against transgender people, and language that effectively supports conversion therapy.
As Politico reported, there has also been a heavy push from some conservative corners to embrace transphobic messages as the general election draws near.
The American Principles Project, a conservative think tank, is currently running ads in Michigan that attack presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s support of LGBTQ rights. The ads push fear-mongering messages about transgender children that have long been endorsed by conservatives, suggesting that affirming transgender children will ultimately harm them.
At least one person affiliated with the Trump campaign also recently made transphobic remarks about Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine — a transgender woman who has been leading the charge on the state’s coronavirus response — for which they have refused to apologize.
Trump campaign adviser Jenna Ellis tweeted on Aug. 10, “This guy is making decisions about your health” along with a link to a news article discussing Levine’s request not to be misgendered.
NBC News reached out to Ellis through a Trump campaign spokesperson. Ellis responded at that time that criticism of her tweet was “both hilarious and tragic” and said she would not apologize for misgendering Levine.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-13--Trump's bizarre obsession with water pressure leads to new attack on environment

The Department of Energy on Wednesday announced it wants to lower water efficiency standards on showerheads , a response to Donald Trump 's numerous complaints that water pressure is not strong enough for him to get wet in the shower .
`` You turn on the shower — if you 're like me , you can ’ t wash your beautiful hair properly , '' Trump said at a Whirlpool Corporation manufacturing plant in Ohio on Aug. 6 .
`` You waste 20 minutes longer , '' Trump continued .
`` 'Please come out . '
The water — it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm talking — they put restrictors on .
I got rid of that .
I signed it out .
That 's common sense . ''
Water efficiency standards for showerheads were created in a 1992 law .
The standards save both water and costs on utility bills , according to the Environmental Protection Agency .
However , Trump has relentlessly railed against these efficiency standards and has for months said he 's looking to ease regulations on things like showerheads , sinks , toilets , and washing machines because of a bizarre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a speech he gave on rolling back regulations on July 16 , Trump said : '' We ’ re bringing back consumer choice in home appliances so that you can buy washers and dryers , showerheads and faucets .
So showerheads — you take a shower , the water doesn ’ t come out .
You want to wash your hands , the water doesn ’ t come out .
So what do you do ?
You just stand there longer or you take a shower longer ?
Because my hair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you , but it has to be perfect .
Perfect . ''
`` Dishwashers — you didn ’ t have any water , so you — the people that do the dishes — you press it , and it goes again , and you do it again and again .
So you might as well give them the water because you ’ ll end up using less water .
So we made it so dishwashers now have a lot more water .
And in many places — in most places of the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They don ’ t know what to do with it .
It ’ s called 'rain . '
They don ’ t have a problem . ''
Back in December , Trump went on a similar diatribe about water efficiency standards , claiming without any evidence that water does n't come out of sinks , and that people have to flush the toilet up to 15 times because of a lack of pressure .
`` We have a situation where we 're looking very strongly at sinks and showers and other elements of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on in areas where there 's tremendous amounts of water , where the water rushes out to sea because you could never handle it .
And you do n't get any water .
You turn on the faucet — you do n't get any water .
They take a shower , and water comes dripping out , it 's dripping out very quietly , dripping out . ''
`` People are flushing toilets 10 times , 15 times , as opposed to once .
They end up using more water .
So EPA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at my suggestion .
You go into a new building or a new house or a new home , and they have standards where you do n't get water .
You ca n't wash your hands , practically , there 's so little water comes out of the faucet .
And the end result is you leave the faucet on , and it takes you much longer to wash your hands .
You end up using the same amount of water . ''
Experts , however , say there is no issue .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Andrew deLaski , the executive director of the Appliance Standards Awareness Project , told the Associated Press .
`` The country faces serious problems .
We ’ ve got a pandemic , serious long-term drought throughout much of the West .
We ’ ve got global climate change .
Showerheads aren ’ t one of our problems . ''
Even Trump 's own Environmental Protection Agency looked into Trump 's claim about a lack of water pressure and concluded he was wrong back in April .
The EPA 's review found that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on products to show they are water efficient , similar to the EPA 's EnergyStar program on energy-efficient appliances — were `` sufficient , '' according to CNN .
Nevertheless , Trump is still announcing intentions to roll back water-saving standards .
Aside from showerheads , the DOE on Wednesday also announced a new proposal that would lower efficiency standards for clothes washing machines and dryers , which Trump also said do n't work properly due to the lack of water pressure .
`` For three decades , washers and dryers have gotten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We shouldn ’ t go back to models that waste huge amounts of energy and water but don ’ t get clothes any cleaner , '' deLaski said in a news release .
`` DOE appears more interested in notching up another senseless regulatory rollback than in saving energy and helping consumers reduce their utility bills . ''
And last year , the DOE proposed rollbacks on standards for dishwashers , furnaces , and light bulbs .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

The Department of Energy on Wednesday announced it wants to lower water efficiency standards on showerheads, a response to Donald Trump’s numerous complaints that water pressure is not strong enough for him to get wet in the shower.
“You turn on the shower — if you’re like me, you can’t wash your beautiful hair properly,” Trump said at a Whirlpool Corporation manufacturing plant in Ohio on Aug. 6.
“You waste 20 minutes longer,” Trump continued. “‘Please come out.’ The water — it drips, right? You know what I’m talking — they put restrictors on. I got rid of that. I signed it out. That’s common sense.”
Water efficiency standards for showerheads were created in a 1992 law. The standards save both water and costs on utility bills, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
However, Trump has relentlessly railed against these efficiency standards and has for months said he’s looking to ease regulations on things like showerheads, sinks, toilets, and washing machines because of a bizarre insistence on a lack of water pressure.
In a speech he gave on rolling back regulations on July 16, Trump said:
“We’re bringing back consumer choice in home appliances so that you can buy washers and dryers, showerheads and faucets. So showerheads — you take a shower, the water doesn’t come out. You want to wash your hands, the water doesn’t come out. So what do you do? You just stand there longer or you take a shower longer? Because my hair — I don’t know about you, but it has to be perfect. Perfect.” “Dishwashers — you didn’t have any water, so you — the people that do the dishes — you press it, and it goes again, and you do it again and again. So you might as well give them the water because you’ll end up using less water. So we made it so dishwashers now have a lot more water. And in many places — in most places of the country, water is not a problem. They don’t know what to do with it. It’s called ‘rain.’ They don’t have a problem.”
Back in December, Trump went on a similar diatribe about water efficiency standards, claiming without any evidence that water doesn’t come out of sinks, and that people have to flush the toilet up to 15 times because of a lack of pressure.
“We have a situation where we’re looking very strongly at sinks and showers and other elements of bathrooms, where you turn the faucet on in areas where there’s tremendous amounts of water, where the water rushes out to sea because you could never handle it. And you don’t get any water. You turn on the faucet — you don’t get any water. They take a shower, and water comes dripping out, it’s dripping out very quietly, dripping out.” “People are flushing toilets 10 times, 15 times, as opposed to once. They end up using more water. So EPA is looking at that very strongly, at my suggestion. You go into a new building or a new house or a new home, and they have standards where you don’t get water. You can’t wash your hands, practically, there’s so little water comes out of the faucet. And the end result is you leave the faucet on, and it takes you much longer to wash your hands. You end up using the same amount of water.”
Experts, however, say there is no issue.
“Frankly it’s silly,” Andrew deLaski, the executive director of the Appliance Standards Awareness Project, told the Associated Press. “The country faces serious problems. We’ve got a pandemic, serious long-term drought throughout much of the West. We’ve got global climate change. Showerheads aren’t one of our problems.”
Even Trump’s own Environmental Protection Agency looked into Trump’s claim about a lack of water pressure and concluded he was wrong back in April.
The EPA’s review found that the WaterSense program — which provides labels on products to show they are water efficient, similar to the EPA’s EnergyStar program on energy-efficient appliances — were “sufficient,” according to CNN.
Nevertheless, Trump is still announcing intentions to roll back water-saving standards.
Aside from showerheads, the DOE on Wednesday also announced a new proposal that would lower efficiency standards for clothes washing machines and dryers, which Trump also said don’t work properly due to the lack of water pressure.
“For three decades, washers and dryers have gotten more and more efficient while performing better. We shouldn’t go back to models that waste huge amounts of energy and water but don’t get clothes any cleaner,” deLaski said in a news release. “DOE appears more interested in notching up another senseless regulatory rollback than in saving energy and helping consumers reduce their utility bills.”
And last year, the DOE proposed rollbacks on standards for dishwashers, furnaces, and light bulbs.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-13--It could cost an extra $500 per home to do laundry thanks to Trump

Households may have to pay hundreds of dollars more to do their laundry due to a combination of Trump administration policies targeting washing machines and dryers .
On Tuesday , the Department of Energy proposed a rule to allow washing machines and dryers to use an unlimited amount of energy and water , bypassing 2012 efficiency standards , the Appliance Standards Awareness Project , an advocacy group for more efficient appliances , said .
The rule would create a new `` product class '' of the appliances that would have no limits on energy or water usage , thus getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ utility costs from current efficiency standards help save customers $ 365 over the lifetime of washing machines and dryers , according to the group .
`` If this plan made it through the courts , consumers could unwittingly get stuck with appliances that waste energy and water , driving up their bills , '' Steven Nadel , executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy , said about the new rule .
The cost increase for Americans could come on top of more expensive washing machines and dryers as a result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2018 , Trump placed a 20 % tariff on washing machines .
As a result , the Washington Post reported households would pay an additional $ 86 for a washing machine and an additional $ 92 for a dryer .
The combination of higher prices and increased costs due to inefficiencies means households could soon pay an additional $ 543 to wash and dry clothes over the lifetime of appliances .
Trump 's trade wars have resulted in higher costs for consumers and caused economic strife for American farmers .
In May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese imports alone cost households $ 831 per year .
Trump frequently lied about the costs of the tariffs by claiming foreign companies bore the cost .
But economists have said that American households pay `` approximately 100 percent '' of the tariff costs .
China retaliated to Trump 's tariffs by imposing tariffs on U.S. agricultural products , which led to an increase in farmer bankruptcies and contributed to higher suicide rates among farmers .
Farmers were unsure that a partial trade deal reached between Trump and China at the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the damage that had been done .
`` I think it 's a lot of false promises again , '' Bob Kuylen , A North Dakota wheat farmer , told the Associated Press in December 2019 .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Households may have to pay hundreds of dollars more to do their laundry due to a combination of Trump administration policies targeting washing machines and dryers.
On Tuesday, the Department of Energy proposed a rule to allow washing machines and dryers to use an unlimited amount of energy and water, bypassing 2012 efficiency standards, the Appliance Standards Awareness Project, an advocacy group for more efficient appliances, said.
The rule would create a new “product class” of the appliances that would have no limits on energy or water usage, thus getting around the current efficiency standards.
Lower utility costs from current efficiency standards help save customers $365 over the lifetime of washing machines and dryers, according to the group.
“If this plan made it through the courts, consumers could unwittingly get stuck with appliances that waste energy and water, driving up their bills,” Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, said about the new rule.
The cost increase for Americans could come on top of more expensive washing machines and dryers as a result of Trump’s numerous trade wars.
In 2018, Trump placed a 20% tariff on washing machines. As a result, the Washington Post reported households would pay an additional $86 for a washing machine and an additional $92 for a dryer.
The combination of higher prices and increased costs due to inefficiencies means households could soon pay an additional $543 to wash and dry clothes over the lifetime of appliances.
Trump’s trade wars have resulted in higher costs for consumers and caused economic strife for American farmers.
In May 2019, Reuters reported that tariffs on Chinese imports alone cost households $831 per year. Trump frequently lied about the costs of the tariffs by claiming foreign companies bore the cost. But economists have said that American households pay “approximately 100 percent” of the tariff costs.
China retaliated to Trump’s tariffs by imposing tariffs on U.S. agricultural products, which led to an increase in farmer bankruptcies and contributed to higher suicide rates among farmers.
Farmers were unsure that a partial trade deal reached between Trump and China at the end of 2019 would be enough to make up for the damage that had been done.
“I think it’s a lot of false promises again,” Bob Kuylen, A North Dakota wheat farmer, told the Associated Press in December 2019.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-13--DeVos blames 'coordinated effort' for parents' fears about sending kids to school

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Thursday claimed that the precipitous drop in support among parents for in-person schooling during the pandemic is the result of a `` coordinated effort '' to convince parents not to send their kids back to school .
The results of a Gallup poll released on Aug. 3 showed support for in-person schooling down to 36 % , a drop of 20 percentage points from the previous month .
The same poll showed an increase of 21 percentage points for remote learning .
Donald Trump and his administration have been pushing for schools to reopen despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some schools that have opened have had to quickly close back down due to transmission of the virus among students .
From the Aug. 13 edition of Fox News ' `` America 's Newsroom '' : TRACE GALLAGHER , Fox News : It seems to me , and I want to put these Gallup polls up on the screen , it seems to me and to a lot of Americans that this push to get in-person learning is losing a little bit of steam .
You see there from May 25 to June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they wanted in-person , full-time school , and you move forward to July and now it 's down to 36 % .
So , the whole push seems to be losing steam .
What does the administration think about that ?
BETSY DeVOS : Well , we know that it 's a coordinated effort and a campaign to continue to sow fear .
And yet when you look at facts and when you look at the science , we know that the important thing for kids is to be able to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , back with their peers , back with their teachers , and learning in person .
And for most students this is the case .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Thursday claimed that the precipitous drop in support among parents for in-person schooling during the pandemic is the result of a “coordinated effort” to convince parents not to send their kids back to school.
The results of a Gallup poll released on Aug. 3 showed support for in-person schooling down to 36%, a drop of 20 percentage points from the previous month. The same poll showed an increase of 21 percentage points for remote learning.
Donald Trump and his administration have been pushing for schools to reopen despite advice from medical experts against it. Some schools that have opened have had to quickly close back down due to transmission of the virus among students.
From the Aug. 13 edition of Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom”:
TRACE GALLAGHER, Fox News: It seems to me, and I want to put these Gallup polls up on the screen, it seems to me and to a lot of Americans that this push to get in-person learning is losing a little bit of steam. You see there from May 25 to June 8, 56% of the population said they wanted in-person, full-time school, and you move forward to July and now it’s down to 36%. So, the whole push seems to be losing steam. What does the administration think about that? BETSY DeVOS: Well, we know that it’s a coordinated effort and a campaign to continue to sow fear. And yet when you look at facts and when you look at the science, we know that the important thing for kids is to be able to get back into school, into their classrooms, back with their peers, back with their teachers, and learning in person. And for most students this is the case.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-13--Pence brags of jobs he and Trump 'created' as unemployment remains at 10%

Mike Pence claimed on Wednesday that he and Donald Trump had created more jobs during the coronavirus pandemic than the previous administration created during its entire tenure .
In reality , some of the businesses that temporarily closed during the pandemic have reopened , bringing back some of the jobs that lost during the historic unemployment that is still decimating the U.S. economy .
On Fox News , Pence bragged that he and Trump had `` made this country stronger , more prosperous in our first three years '' and that Trump `` has seen us through the worst pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We 've already created more jobs in the last three months than Joe Biden and Barack Obama created in their eight years in office .
I 'm excited to tell the story , '' Pence said .
He did not cite any figures to back up his claim , but the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated last week that payroll employment increased by about 9.3 million between May and July .
The Trump administration has been roundly panned for its poor handling of the public health crisis and its economic aftermath .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open the economy , leading to massive spikes in coronavirus cases .
The jobs Pence now claims to have `` created '' are largely a function of closed businesses reopening .
`` For the most part , these are n't new jobs .
Nearly all of the people returning to work were on temporary layoffs , '' wrote investment analyst John Persinos on Monday .
`` After three consecutive months of falling unemployment , we still find ourselves at levels of joblessness that resemble the nadir of the Great Recession . ''
Millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or permanently , since the start of the crisis .
For 20 consecutive weeks , new jobless claims topped 1 million ; last week that number dropped to a still-high 963,000 .
Nearly 15.5 million Americans are collecting continuing unemployment compared to less than 4 million in March .
According to a New York Times analysis of labor data , less than half of the 22 million jobs lost in the first two months of the pandemic have been regained .
Overall , Trump and Pence have lost millions of jobs since January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July was 10.2 % .
Under President Obama and Vice President Biden , it declined from 7.9 % when they took office to 4.7 % when they left .
Between April and June of this year , the U.S. GDP declined by about a third — the worst drop on record .
More than 5 million Americans have contracted the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic , and at least 163,000 have died .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Mike Pence claimed on Wednesday that he and Donald Trump had created more jobs during the coronavirus pandemic than the previous administration created during its entire tenure. In reality, some of the businesses that temporarily closed during the pandemic have reopened, bringing back some of the jobs that lost during the historic unemployment that is still decimating the U.S. economy.
On Fox News, Pence bragged that he and Trump had “made this country stronger, more prosperous in our first three years” and that Trump “has seen us through the worst pandemic in a hundred years.”
“We’ve already created more jobs in the last three months than Joe Biden and Barack Obama created in their eight years in office. I’m excited to tell the story,” Pence said.
He did not cite any figures to back up his claim, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated last week that payroll employment increased by about 9.3 million between May and July.
The Trump administration has been roundly panned for its poor handling of the public health crisis and its economic aftermath. Trump ignored medical advice and pushed to prematurely open the economy, leading to massive spikes in coronavirus cases.
The jobs Pence now claims to have “created” are largely a function of closed businesses reopening.
“For the most part, these aren’t new jobs. Nearly all of the people returning to work were on temporary layoffs,” wrote investment analyst John Persinos on Monday. “After three consecutive months of falling unemployment, we still find ourselves at levels of joblessness that resemble the nadir of the Great Recession.”
Millions of Americans have become unemployed, temporarily or permanently, since the start of the crisis. For 20 consecutive weeks, new jobless claims topped 1 million; last week that number dropped to a still-high 963,000. Nearly 15.5 million Americans are collecting continuing unemployment compared to less than 4 million in March.
According to a New York Times analysis of labor data, less than half of the 22 million jobs lost in the first two months of the pandemic have been regained. Overall, Trump and Pence have lost millions of jobs since January 2017.
The jobless rate as of July was 10.2%. Under President Obama and Vice President Biden, it declined from 7.9% when they took office to 4.7% when they left.
Between April and June of this year, the U.S. GDP declined by about a third — the worst drop on record.
More than 5 million Americans have contracted the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, and at least 163,000 have died.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-13--Trump adviser: Democrats want voting rights and 'that's not our game'

Donald Trump 's top economic adviser said Thursday that the White House and Democrats had not yet reached a coronavirus relief deal because Democrats want `` voting rights '' protections and aid for immigrants included in the package , and `` that 's not our game . ''
National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow made the admission in a CNBC interview , claiming Trump had issued several executive actions over the weekend purportedly because Americans needed help immediately and could n't wait for a deal to be struck .
Those executive actions , however , are largely ineffective at solving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Among other things , Trump 's supposed eviction moratorium extension is not a moratorium at all , but rather asks the government to consider whether halting evictions is `` reasonably necessary '' to preventing further spread of the virus .
And what is supposed to be an extension of additional unemployment benefits , currently at an extra $ 600 a week , has been slashed in half , with already cash-strapped states forced to contribute $ 100 to the pot .
Trump has frequently attempted to undermine voting rights , working to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail in a pandemic and pushing debunked conspiracy theories about voter fraud .
From an interview on CNBC , Aug. 13 , 2020 : KUDLOW : President Trump has acted forcefully because we could n't reach a deal with the Democrats .
They are asking too much money , $ 3.5 trillion .
We have already spent over $ 3 trillion .
So much of the Democratic asks are really liberal-left wish lists because , you know , voting rights and aid to aliens and so forth .
That 's not our game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of deal .
House Democrats passed their own pandemic relief bill in May that included $ 75 billion to enhance coronavirus tracing , testing , and treatment ; expanded hazard pay and child care for essential workers ; extended additional unemployment benefits ; and included resources for safe elections and preservation of the U.S .
Postal Service .
Senate Republicans refused to bring the bill up for a vote .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump’s top economic adviser said Thursday that the White House and Democrats had not yet reached a coronavirus relief deal because Democrats want “voting rights” protections and aid for immigrants included in the package, and “that’s not our game.”
National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow made the admission in a CNBC interview, claiming Trump had issued several executive actions over the weekend purportedly because Americans needed help immediately and couldn’t wait for a deal to be struck.
Those executive actions, however, are largely ineffective at solving the current crisis, experts say. Among other things, Trump’s supposed eviction moratorium extension is not a moratorium at all, but rather asks the government to consider whether halting evictions is “reasonably necessary” to preventing further spread of the virus. And what is supposed to be an extension of additional unemployment benefits, currently at an extra $600 a week, has been slashed in half, with already cash-strapped states forced to contribute $100 to the pot.
Trump has frequently attempted to undermine voting rights, working to make it harder for people to vote by mail in a pandemic and pushing debunked conspiracy theories about voter fraud.
From an interview on CNBC, Aug. 13, 2020:
KUDLOW: President Trump has acted forcefully because we couldn’t reach a deal with the Democrats. They are asking too much money, $3.5 trillion. We have already spent over $3 trillion. So much of the Democratic asks are really liberal-left wish lists because, you know, voting rights and aid to aliens and so forth. That’s not our game and the president can’t accept that kind of deal.
House Democrats passed their own pandemic relief bill in May that included $75 billion to enhance coronavirus tracing, testing, and treatment; expanded hazard pay and child care for essential workers; extended additional unemployment benefits; and included resources for safe elections and preservation of the U.S. Postal Service.
Senate Republicans refused to bring the bill up for a vote.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-14--News you might have missed: NBA teams compete to register the most voters

This week , three NBA teams joined together to register voters , more Confederate symbols came down , and Joe Biden welcomed Kamala Harris to his team .
Read on to see what else you might have missed this week in the news .
Three NBA teams sign up for voter registration competition The Atlanta Hawks , the Golden State Warriors , and the Los Angeles Clippers will compete to see which team can register the most voters in the 82 days between Thursday , when the competition was announced , and Election Day , Nov. 3 .
The National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` John Lewis : Good Trouble '' campaign and the `` I am a voter '' platform to conduct the competition , with one of the three teams to be crowned the winner each `` quarter '' of the competition , roughly 20 days , and the team with the most voter registration commitments receiving the John Lewis : Good Trouble Trophy , named in honor of the late civil rights icon who relentlessly fought for voting rights .
`` The right to vote is one of the strongest voices our population has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president and COO of the Warriors , said in a statement .
`` We are 82 days away from the November 2020 Election Day and we intend to use every single day to promote voter education and participation efforts . ''
The Democratic National Committee is set to include the Equality Act in the party 's national platform when delegates meet for their national convention next week .
The Equality Act , passed by the House of Representatives in 2019 , is a nondiscrimination bill that would protect LGBTQ people .
The platform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of nonbinary people , transgender women of color , and gender nonconforming people .
The convention starts on Monday , Aug. 17 , and runs through Thursday , Aug. 20 , when Joe Biden will formally accept the party 's nomination for president .
40 Confederate symbols have come down amid anti-racism protests Since nationwide anti-racism protests erupted following the death of George Floyd , at least 38 Confederate statues have been removed from public spaces , the Mississippi state flag has been altered to remove the Confederate battle flag from it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Confederate flag in the town of Gettysburg , South Dakota , has been taken out of use , the Southern Poverty Law Center announced on Tuesday .
Parks , schools , roads , and other geographic locations that were named in honor of Confederates have been renamed as well .
Floyd , a Black man , died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes .
His death sparked protests against police brutality and systemic racism , with many protests targeting public symbols celebrating the Confederacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to obtain two in-person witnesses or a notary public in order to vote by mail in November , the United States Supreme Court ruled on Thursday .
Democratic Gov .
Gina Raimondo removed the existing witness requirement for the June primary , and issued a similar order for the November election , due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
Rhode Island Republicans challenged the ability of the state to enforce the order , but lost their cases at the district court and appeals court levels before the U.S. Supreme Court refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court rulings in place .
Kansas could elect its first transgender state lawmaker in November Retired school teacher Stephanie Byers could become the first transgender lawmaker in Kansas history .
Byers ran unopposed in the recent Democratic primary for the Kansas House of Representatives ' 86th District and faces Republican Cyndi Howerton in a district that CNN reported leans liberal .
Byers transitioned while she was a music teacher `` with the full backing and blessing of my school board , '' she told CNN .
`` Stephanie has shattered a long-standing political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ join a small but growing number of out trans state legislators across the country , '' Annise Parker , former mayor of Houston , Texas , and president of LGBTQ Victory Fund , said in a statement .
`` Stephanie 's victory , like every victory for a trans candidate , will inspire more trans leaders to run for office in their communities and that will be transformative . ''
Democrats have expanded the number of competitive U.S. Senate races since the beginning of the year and have a good chance of retaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Nathan Gonzales , editor of Inside Elections .
Gonzales said that a combination of strong fundraising from Democrats and an unpopular president at the top of the Republican ticket gives the party a good shot at overcoming the GOP 's current 53-47 majority .
In July , Inside Elections rated six Republican-held seats in serious danger , including four rated as toss-ups ( Iowa , Maine , Montana , and North Carolina ) and two rated as `` Tilt Democratic '' ( Arizona and Colorado ) .
Only one Democratic-held seat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flipping .
Democrats ' ability to raise `` ridiculous amounts of money '' has created `` headaches for Republicans , '' Gonzales said during a phone interview on Wednesday , pointing to candidates like Jaime Harrison in South Carolina and Amy McGrath in Kentucky , candidates for two seats that experts had not predicted to be in play this cycle .
Overall , Democrats have a good chance at being in the majority `` because there 's not only one path , '' Gonzales said .
Democrats `` can win some and lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that Sen. Kamala Harris ( D-CA ) would be his running mate in the upcoming election .
The next day , Biden released a video of himself asking Harris to join the ticket .
After asking her over a video call , Biden put his wife , Jill , on speakerphone and asked Harris to have her husband , Doug Emhoff , join them .
`` I 'm looking forward to working with you guys every day , '' Harris told the Bidens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this done . ''
`` Jill , we 're ready to go to work , '' Emhoff said .
`` This is a team effort , '' Biden told the group .
`` This is team play . ''

This week, three NBA teams joined together to register voters, more Confederate symbols came down, and Joe Biden welcomed Kamala Harris to his team.
Read on to see what else you might have missed this week in the news.
The Atlanta Hawks, the Golden State Warriors, and the Los Angeles Clippers will compete to see which team can register the most voters in the 82 days between Thursday, when the competition was announced, and Election Day, Nov. 3.
The National Basketball Association teams have partnered with the “John Lewis: Good Trouble” campaign and the “I am a voter” platform to conduct the competition, with one of the three teams to be crowned the winner each “quarter” of the competition, roughly 20 days, and the team with the most voter registration commitments receiving the John Lewis: Good Trouble Trophy, named in honor of the late civil rights icon who relentlessly fought for voting rights.
“The right to vote is one of the strongest voices our population has to use,” Rick Welts, president and COO of the Warriors, said in a statement. “We are 82 days away from the November 2020 Election Day and we intend to use every single day to promote voter education and participation efforts.”
The Democratic National Committee is set to include the Equality Act in the party’s national platform when delegates meet for their national convention next week.
The Equality Act, passed by the House of Representatives in 2019, is a nondiscrimination bill that would protect LGBTQ people.
The platform is also expected to include specific mentions of nonbinary people, transgender women of color, and gender nonconforming people.
The convention starts on Monday, Aug. 17, and runs through Thursday, Aug. 20, when Joe Biden will formally accept the party’s nomination for president.
Since nationwide anti-racism protests erupted following the death of George Floyd, at least 38 Confederate statues have been removed from public spaces, the Mississippi state flag has been altered to remove the Confederate battle flag from it, and a police logo that included a Confederate flag in the town of Gettysburg, South Dakota, has been taken out of use, the Southern Poverty Law Center announced on Tuesday.
Parks, schools, roads, and other geographic locations that were named in honor of Confederates have been renamed as well.
Floyd, a Black man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes. His death sparked protests against police brutality and systemic racism, with many protests targeting public symbols celebrating the Confederacy.
Voters in Rhode Island will not have to obtain two in-person witnesses or a notary public in order to vote by mail in November, the United States Supreme Court ruled on Thursday.
Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo removed the existing witness requirement for the June primary, and issued a similar order for the November election, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Rhode Island Republicans challenged the ability of the state to enforce the order, but lost their cases at the district court and appeals court levels before the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear their challenge, keeping the lower court rulings in place.
Retired school teacher Stephanie Byers could become the first transgender lawmaker in Kansas history. Byers ran unopposed in the recent Democratic primary for the Kansas House of Representatives’ 86th District and faces Republican Cyndi Howerton in a district that CNN reported leans liberal.
Byers transitioned while she was a music teacher “with the full backing and blessing of my school board,” she told CNN.
“Stephanie has shattered a long-standing political barrier in Kansas and is poised to join a small but growing number of out trans state legislators across the country,” Annise Parker, former mayor of Houston, Texas, and president of LGBTQ Victory Fund, said in a statement. “Stephanie’s victory, like every victory for a trans candidate, will inspire more trans leaders to run for office in their communities and that will be transformative.”
Democrats have expanded the number of competitive U.S. Senate races since the beginning of the year and have a good chance of retaking control of the chamber this November, according to Nathan Gonzales, editor of Inside Elections.
Gonzales said that a combination of strong fundraising from Democrats and an unpopular president at the top of the Republican ticket gives the party a good shot at overcoming the GOP’s current 53-47 majority.
In July, Inside Elections rated six Republican-held seats in serious danger, including four rated as toss-ups (Iowa, Maine, Montana, and North Carolina) and two rated as “Tilt Democratic” (Arizona and Colorado). Only one Democratic-held seat — Alabama — is in danger of flipping.
Democrats’ ability to raise “ridiculous amounts of money” has created “headaches for Republicans,” Gonzales said during a phone interview on Wednesday, pointing to candidates like Jaime Harrison in South Carolina and Amy McGrath in Kentucky, candidates for two seats that experts had not predicted to be in play this cycle.
Overall, Democrats have a good chance at being in the majority “because there’s not only one path,” Gonzales said. Democrats “can win some and lose some in order to get there.”
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) would be his running mate in the upcoming election.
The next day, Biden released a video of himself asking Harris to join the ticket. After asking her over a video call, Biden put his wife, Jill, on speakerphone and asked Harris to have her husband, Doug Emhoff, join them.
“I’m looking forward to working with you guys every day,” Harris told the Bidens. “We’re gonna get this done.”
When I called @KamalaHarris yesterday to ask her to be my running mate, I wanted to make sure Jill and Doug got to say hello. You’re honorary Bidens now! pic.twitter.com/IILUjB6WfY — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 13, 2020
“Jill, we’re ready to go to work,” Emhoff said.
“This is a team effort,” Biden told the group. “This is team play.”


shareblue--2020-08-14--Civil rights group asks Supreme Court to ban LGBTQ discrimination at food banks

The Supreme Court is set to hear another case that could have major implications for LGBTQ rights .
This case , Fulton v. City of Philadelphia , hinges on whether private agencies that receive taxpayer funding , including food banks , homeless shelters , and foster care providers , can decide not to provide services to LGBTQ people for religious reasons , as well as other groups that may not meet their religious standards , such as Jews and Muslims .
The nation 's highest court will hear oral argument on the issue next term , though an exact date @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Civil Liberties Union has filed a brief asking the court to rule against what it calls `` a license to discriminate in taxpayer-funded services '' according to an email statement on Friday .
Plaintiffs in the case have claimed that free speech and free exercise of religion have empowered those services to reject same-sex families .
In Fulton , a group of foster parents and Catholic Social Services has challenged Philadelphia 's policy to stop referrals of foster children to the organization because it refused to certify same-sex couples as foster parents in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Becket Fund for Religious Liberty , which served as counsel in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores , the landmark Supreme Court decision that ruled businesses could be exempt from regulations they objected to on religious grounds .
Since 2018 , Fulton has bounced around the lower courts .
Last year , the Third Circuit upheld a district court ruling that denied the social services organization 's motion for a preliminary injunction .
In February , the Supreme Court announced it would hear arguments in the case .
The ACLU became involved in 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the lawsuit for two organizations , Philadelphia Family Pride and Support Center for Child Advocates , that said its members and the people they served would be harmed by a ruling in favor of Catholic Social Services .
Philadelphia Family Pride is nonprofit that focuses on LGBTQ people and their families and Support Center for Child Advocates is a nonprofit that advocates for children in the foster care system .
Leslie Cooper , deputy director of the ACLU LGBT & HIV Project , said this case is bigger than discrimination in foster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in other services .
`` While this specific case is about foster care , the reality is that LGBTQ people , like all people , use a wide range of government services , including food banks , homeless shelters and health care services , '' she said .
`` If the City of Philadelphia is forced to give taxpayer dollars to an agency that will discriminate , it opens the door to discrimination in any of those services . ''
This year , the Supreme Court has made decisions in other cases affecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June , the court made a historic decision in Bostock v. Clayton County , ruling that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , which bars employment discrimination based on sex , also prohibits discrimination against LGBTQ people .
A July decision in Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru said religious employers have a `` ministerial exception , '' which gives them more freedom to make decisions about their workers than other employers and organizations .
LGBTQ groups said that decision could be used against LGBTQ teachers and other LGBTQ people employed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fulton v. City of Philadelphia case reflects a mission from people fighting against LGBTQ rights to get around the progress queer and trans people have made in nondiscrimination protections on the state and federal level .
`` For decades , those opposed to LGBTQ equality worked to prevent the law from fully recognizing who we are and our families .
Now that our laws reflect that no one should experience discrimination for being LGBTQ , there are those who are trying to undermine our nondiscrimination laws by saying the law does not apply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

The Supreme Court is set to hear another case that could have major implications for LGBTQ rights.
This case, Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, hinges on whether private agencies that receive taxpayer funding, including food banks, homeless shelters, and foster care providers, can decide not to provide services to LGBTQ people for religious reasons, as well as other groups that may not meet their religious standards, such as Jews and Muslims.
The nation’s highest court will hear oral argument on the issue next term, though an exact date has not been scheduled.
The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a brief asking the court to rule against what it calls “a license to discriminate in taxpayer-funded services” according to an email statement on Friday. Plaintiffs in the case have claimed that free speech and free exercise of religion have empowered those services to reject same-sex families.
In Fulton, a group of foster parents and Catholic Social Services has challenged Philadelphia’s policy to stop referrals of foster children to the organization because it refused to certify same-sex couples as foster parents in 2018. The organization was represented by Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which served as counsel in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, the landmark Supreme Court decision that ruled businesses could be exempt from regulations they objected to on religious grounds.
Since 2018, Fulton has bounced around the lower courts. Last year, the Third Circuit upheld a district court ruling that denied the social services organization’s motion for a preliminary injunction. In February, the Supreme Court announced it would hear arguments in the case.
The ACLU became involved in 2018 when it filed a motion to intervene in the lawsuit for two organizations, Philadelphia Family Pride and Support Center for Child Advocates, that said its members and the people they served would be harmed by a ruling in favor of Catholic Social Services.
Philadelphia Family Pride is nonprofit that focuses on LGBTQ people and their families and Support Center for Child Advocates is a nonprofit that advocates for children in the foster care system.
Leslie Cooper, deputy director of the ACLU LGBT & HIV Project, said this case is bigger than discrimination in foster care and could extend to anti-LGBTQ discrimination in other services.
“While this specific case is about foster care, the reality is that LGBTQ people, like all people, use a wide range of government services, including food banks, homeless shelters and health care services,” she said. “If the City of Philadelphia is forced to give taxpayer dollars to an agency that will discriminate, it opens the door to discrimination in any of those services.”
This year, the Supreme Court has made decisions in other cases affecting the rights of LGBTQ people. In June, the court made a historic decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, ruling that the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars employment discrimination based on sex, also prohibits discrimination against LGBTQ people.
A July decision in Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru said religious employers have a “ministerial exception,” which gives them more freedom to make decisions about their workers than other employers and organizations. LGBTQ groups said that decision could be used against LGBTQ teachers and other LGBTQ people employed by religious institutions.
Cooper said that the Fulton v. City of Philadelphia case reflects a mission from people fighting against LGBTQ rights to get around the progress queer and trans people have made in nondiscrimination protections on the state and federal level.
“For decades, those opposed to LGBTQ equality worked to prevent the law from fully recognizing who we are and our families. Now that our laws reflect that no one should experience discrimination for being LGBTQ, there are those who are trying to undermine our nondiscrimination laws by saying the law does not apply to them.” she said.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-14--Texas ban on abortions during coronavirus led to spike in later abortions

During the first wave of the coronavirus , Texas attempted to ban abortion , resulting in a flurry of court decisions over the legality of the procedure during the pandemic .
It was only after the ban was finally lifted that clinics in the state were able to see the effects of the ban : a considerable spike in later abortions .
NBC News interviewed the directors of several clinics in Texas , all of whom reported a substantial increase in patients seeking abortions later in pregnancy .
One clinic in Dallas , Southwestern Women 's Surgery Center , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later abortions taking place in the second trimester .
While Southwestern Women 's Surgery Center did n't provide the raw numbers behind that increase , Planned Parenthood in Houston did .
They saw a 28 % increase in abortions occurring after the 10-week mark after the state lifted its ban .
That was an average of 51 patients seeking a later abortion immediately after the ban versus 40 patients per week before the ban .
That 10-week mark is significant because that 's the point after which medication abortion is unavailable .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' executive order banning abortion pushed many patients past that 10-week mark .
Soraya Dadras , the clinic director for Whole Women 's Health in Austin , said that many people were upset when they were told they were too far along for a medication abortion .
She said people found `` the idea of having an in-clinic procedure was more daunting than having a medication abortion in the safety of their home . ''
What happened with the coronavirus ban was nothing new .
Indeed , Texas saw the exact same thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed House Bill 2 .
H.B .
2 was a 2013 law that imposed hospital-level standards on abortion facilities and required admitting privileges .
The Supreme Court struck down the law in 2016 , but in the interim , 21 of Texas ' 40 providers were closed .
Research found that during that time , there was a 40 % increase in second-trimester procedures .
People needed to raise additional funds for travel , accommodations , child care , and time off work .
Taking that time pushed abortion later in pregnancy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wave of coronavirus cases .
Five South Texas communities have the highest infection rates in the country right now and the state has over 9,000 deaths from the virus .
The medical director at Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast , Bhavik Kumar , expressed concern that clinics might have to close again as cases rise .
`` There has been so much back and forth with the state , and as a provider in Texas , I know I need to be prepared for another instance when I am forced to stop providing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the harmful orders from our state leaders , '' he said .
At least 11 states used the coronavirus pandemic to ban abortion , with varying degrees of success .
Time will tell whether the experience of patients in Texas is replicated elsewhere .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

During the first wave of the coronavirus, Texas attempted to ban abortion, resulting in a flurry of court decisions over the legality of the procedure during the pandemic. It was only after the ban was finally lifted that clinics in the state were able to see the effects of the ban: a considerable spike in later abortions.
NBC News interviewed the directors of several clinics in Texas, all of whom reported a substantial increase in patients seeking abortions later in pregnancy. One clinic in Dallas, Southwestern Women’s Surgery Center, said they saw a 57% increase in later abortions taking place in the second trimester.
While Southwestern Women’s Surgery Center didn’t provide the raw numbers behind that increase, Planned Parenthood in Houston did. They saw a 28% increase in abortions occurring after the 10-week mark after the state lifted its ban. That was an average of 51 patients seeking a later abortion immediately after the ban versus 40 patients per week before the ban.
That 10-week mark is significant because that’s the point after which medication abortion is unavailable. According to the clinic personnel interviewed, Texas’ executive order banning abortion pushed many patients past that 10-week mark.
Soraya Dadras, the clinic director for Whole Women’s Health in Austin, said that many people were upset when they were told they were too far along for a medication abortion. She said people found “the idea of having an in-clinic procedure was more daunting than having a medication abortion in the safety of their home.”
What happened with the coronavirus ban was nothing new. Indeed, Texas saw the exact same thing happen earlier in the decade after it passed House Bill 2.
H.B. 2 was a 2013 law that imposed hospital-level standards on abortion facilities and required admitting privileges. The Supreme Court struck down the law in 2016, but in the interim, 21 of Texas’ 40 providers were closed. Research found that during that time, there was a 40% increase in second-trimester procedures. People needed to raise additional funds for travel, accommodations, child care, and time off work. Taking that time pushed abortion later in pregnancy.
Right now, Texas is struggling with a wave of coronavirus cases. Five South Texas communities have the highest infection rates in the country right now and the state has over 9,000 deaths from the virus.
The medical director at Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, Bhavik Kumar, expressed concern that clinics might have to close again as cases rise.
“There has been so much back and forth with the state, and as a provider in Texas, I know I need to be prepared for another instance when I am forced to stop providing essential care to my patients due to the harmful orders from our state leaders,” he said.
At least 11 states used the coronavirus pandemic to ban abortion, with varying degrees of success. Time will tell whether the experience of patients in Texas is replicated elsewhere.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-14--Trump suddenly demands women's suffrage monument

Trump baselessly claimed in pair of tweets on Friday afternoon that he has `` done more for WOMEN than just about any President in HISTORY ! ''
and urged the immediate passage of a bill creating a women 's suffrage monument in Washington , D.C. , on Friday .
`` As we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of women 's voting rights , we should build a BEAUTIFUL STATUE in Washington D.C. to honor the many brave women who made this possible for our GREAT COUNTRY ... Congress should send me H.R.473 ASAP and make this happen !
It will INSPIRE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brave in achieving their DREAMS ! ''
he wrote Trump was referring to a bill , filed last September by Rep. Joe Neguse ( D-CO ) , to authorize the Every Word We Utter Monument .
The bill has been stuck in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell 's Republican-controlled Senate for nearly six months .
If enacted , the bill would `` establish a commemorative work on Federal land in the District of Columbia and its environs to commemorate the women 's suffrage movement and the passage of the 19th Amendment to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The legislation , which was co-sponsored by some Republican members , passed in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives in February on a voice vote , with at least two-thirds of the members present voting in favor .
But like hundreds of other pieces of legislation passed in the House , it has been stuck in the GOP Senate since .
A spokesperson for McConnell ( R-KY ) did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the bill 's future .
Instead of bringing up this and other bills that passed the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McConnell has instead spent most of the Senate 's time focusing on confirming Donald Trump 's nominees to judgeships and executive branch positions and sent senators home for lengthy recesses .
Trump has done little to advance women 's rights .
He has spent the past four years belittling women and fighting against equal pay , reproductive choice , and the # MeToo movement .
And while the 19th Amendment states that `` citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its ratification in 1920 did not guarantee all women the right to vote .
Many Native , Black , Asian , and Latinx women remained disenfranchised for decades to come — a detail Trump has never mentioned .
Published with permission of the American Independent Foundation .

Trump baselessly claimed in pair of tweets on Friday afternoon that he has “done more for WOMEN than just about any President in HISTORY!” and urged the immediate passage of a bill creating a women’s suffrage monument in Washington, D.C., on Friday.
“As we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of women’s voting rights, we should build a BEAUTIFUL STATUE in Washington D.C. to honor the many brave women who made this possible for our GREAT COUNTRY… Congress should send me H.R.473 ASAP and make this happen! It will INSPIRE all women to continue being bold and brave in achieving their DREAMS!” he wrote
Trump was referring to a bill, filed last September by Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO), to authorize the Every Word We Utter Monument. The bill has been stuck in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s Republican-controlled Senate for nearly six months.
If enacted, the bill would “establish a commemorative work on Federal land in the District of Columbia and its environs to commemorate the women’s suffrage movement and the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution,” according to its text.
The legislation, which was co-sponsored by some Republican members, passed in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives in February on a voice vote, with at least two-thirds of the members present voting in favor.
But like hundreds of other pieces of legislation passed in the House, it has been stuck in the GOP Senate since.
A spokesperson for McConnell (R-KY) did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the bill’s future.
Instead of bringing up this and other bills that passed the House with both Democratic and Republican support, McConnell has instead spent most of the Senate’s time focusing on confirming Donald Trump’s nominees to judgeships and executive branch positions and sent senators home for lengthy recesses.
Trump has done little to advance women’s rights. He has spent the past four years belittling women and fighting against equal pay, reproductive choice, and the #MeToo movement.
And while the 19th Amendment states that “citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex,” its ratification in 1920 did not guarantee all women the right to vote. Many Native, Black, Asian, and Latinx women remained disenfranchised for decades to come — a detail Trump has never mentioned.
Published with permission of the American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-14--6 former EPA chiefs call for agency to return to protecting people and the environment

Six former Environmental Protection Agency chiefs called Wednesday for a `` reset '' at the agency after Donald Trump 's regulation-chopping , industry-minded first term , backing a detailed plan by former EPA staffers that ranges from renouncing political influence in regulation , to boosting climate-friendly electric vehicles .
The current administrator , Andrew Wheeler , immediately rejected the recommendations , and his spokesman James Hewitt accused Wheeler 's predecessors of having `` botched '' environmental matters during their tenures .
Most living former EPA heads signed on ; one notable exception was Trump 's first EPA chief , Scott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Lee Thomas , Carol Browner , Christine Todd Whitman , Lisa Jackson , and Gina McCarthy — served under Republican and Democratic presidents .
The Environmental Protection Network , a bipartisan group of more than 500 former EPA senior managers and employees , crafted the hundreds of pages of recommendations for a change of course at the agency .
The group said the road map was meant to guide whatever administration the Nov. 3 presidential election puts in place , although many of the proposals are implicitly or explicitly critical of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EPA heads ' accompanying statement did not mention Trump but said they were `` concerned about the current state of affairs at EPA . ''
Hewitt , the EPA spokesman , said Wheeler `` is proud of our record addressing environmental problems impacting Americans . ''
He cited the EPA 's work on Superfund sites , lead contamination , and air .
Wheeler `` wo n't be taking 'reset ' advice from administrators who ignored the Flint lead crisis , botched the Gold King Mine response , and encouraged New Yorkers to breath @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hewitt said in an email , referencing the drinking water contamination in Flint , Michigan , and a wastewater spill in Colorado .
Whitman , EPA chief under former President George W. Bush , said Wheeler 's reaction `` shows that EPA has a long way to go to get back on track . ''
`` It should start by welcoming input from experts instead of being dismissive and insulting , '' she said .
Some of the reset recommendations were aimed at the Trump era , such as minimizing industry and political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , combating climate change and cutting air pollution with electric vehicles , and others .
The proposals are in line with critics ' complaints about Trump and with many of Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden 's proposals .
The EPA under Wheeler , a former coal lobbyist , has been an avid agent of Trump 's drive to cut regulations he sees as unnecessarily burdensome to business , including the coal , gas , and oil industries .
The administration says it is rolling back rules without increasing risk to the public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health officials , environmental groups , Democratic lawmakers , scientists , and others disagree , saying Trump 's regulation-cutting , combined with sharp drops in many areas of enforcement against polluters , is increasing air and water pollutants and industrial toxins and jeopardizing the health of Americans .
When it comes to the EPA 's mandate of protecting peoples ' health and the environment , `` the last few years , the agency has been derailed from that mission , '' Browner , who led the agency in the Clinton administration , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health protections were essential to economic growth , Browner called the reset recommendations `` reaffirmations of our environmental laws , and return to where the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act are respected and enforced and where policy is science-based and aimed at protecting our health and environment . ''
The ex-EPA staffers ' recommendations range from broad mandates — like increasing the agency 's actions across the board on the disproportionate exposure that Black , Hispanic and other minority communities and low-income areas have to all kinds of dangerous pollutants — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Trump 's first term to focus on in the first 100 days of a new term .
They also urge increased funding .
Specific public health and environmental rollbacks from Trump 's first term targeted for proposed annihilation or rewriting by the ex-EPA employees include a pending Trump regulation-easing measure for climate-damaging methane from oil and gas production that the EPA is expected to announce in the coming days .
Some of the many other Trump EPA measures on the `` out '' list in the reset proposal : a `` transparency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what public health studies the agency can use in making regulations ; a Trump-driven move to ease vehicle mileage and emission standards ; and a heavily voluntary plan for cutting fossil fuel emissions by power plants that replaced the Obama administration 's broad plan for making the nation 's power sector more climate friendly .
Another recommendation : Cultivate `` a more open and respectful exchange between reporters and EPA . ''
Wednesday 's recommendations at times make the job of changing course at the EPA seem formidable .
The agency 's air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` has a massive to-do list , a huge amount of pressure from outside groups , a demoralized and diminished career staff to tend to , and an incredible sense of urgency . ''
Michelle Roos , executive director of the ex-employees group , said more than 100 former EPA staffers prepared the action plan over 10 months .
Roos said the changes would `` better protect the air we breathe and the water we drink '' and do more to confront climate change and the heightened pollutant risks of minority and @ @ @

Six former Environmental Protection Agency chiefs called Wednesday for a “reset” at the agency after Donald Trump’s regulation-chopping, industry-minded first term, backing a detailed plan by former EPA staffers that ranges from renouncing political influence in regulation, to boosting climate-friendly electric vehicles.
The current administrator, Andrew Wheeler, immediately rejected the recommendations, and his spokesman James Hewitt accused Wheeler’s predecessors of having “botched” environmental matters during their tenures.
Most living former EPA heads signed on; one notable exception was Trump’s first EPA chief, Scott Pruitt. The group — William Reilly, Lee Thomas, Carol Browner, Christine Todd Whitman, Lisa Jackson, and Gina McCarthy — served under Republican and Democratic presidents.
The Environmental Protection Network, a bipartisan group of more than 500 former EPA senior managers and employees, crafted the hundreds of pages of recommendations for a change of course at the agency.
The group said the road map was meant to guide whatever administration the Nov. 3 presidential election puts in place, although many of the proposals are implicitly or explicitly critical of the Trump EPA’s actions. The former EPA heads’ accompanying statement did not mention Trump but said they were “concerned about the current state of affairs at EPA.”
Hewitt, the EPA spokesman, said Wheeler “is proud of our record addressing environmental problems impacting Americans.” He cited the EPA’s work on Superfund sites, lead contamination, and air.
Wheeler “won’t be taking ‘reset’ advice from administrators who ignored the Flint lead crisis, botched the Gold King Mine response, and encouraged New Yorkers to breath contaminated air at Ground Zero,” Hewitt said in an email, referencing the drinking water contamination in Flint, Michigan, and a wastewater spill in Colorado.
Whitman, EPA chief under former President George W. Bush, said Wheeler’s reaction “shows that EPA has a long way to go to get back on track.”
“It should start by welcoming input from experts instead of being dismissive and insulting,” she said.
Some of the reset recommendations were aimed at the Trump era, such as minimizing industry and political influence on science-based decisions in regulatory actions, combating climate change and cutting air pollution with electric vehicles, and others. The proposals are in line with critics’ complaints about Trump and with many of Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden’s proposals.
The EPA under Wheeler, a former coal lobbyist, has been an avid agent of Trump’s drive to cut regulations he sees as unnecessarily burdensome to business, including the coal, gas, and oil industries. The administration says it is rolling back rules without increasing risk to the public health and environment.
Nationally, many public health officials, environmental groups, Democratic lawmakers, scientists, and others disagree, saying Trump’s regulation-cutting, combined with sharp drops in many areas of enforcement against polluters, is increasing air and water pollutants and industrial toxins and jeopardizing the health of Americans.
When it comes to the EPA’s mandate of protecting peoples’ health and the environment, “the last few years, the agency has been derailed from that mission,” Browner, who led the agency in the Clinton administration, said in a statement.
Saying environmental and health protections were essential to economic growth, Browner called the reset recommendations “reaffirmations of our environmental laws, and return to where the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act are respected and enforced and where policy is science-based and aimed at protecting our health and environment.”
The ex-EPA staffers’ recommendations range from broad mandates — like increasing the agency’s actions across the board on the disproportionate exposure that Black, Hispanic and other minority communities and low-income areas have to all kinds of dangerous pollutants — to the specific, like which measures from Trump’s first term to focus on in the first 100 days of a new term. They also urge increased funding.
Specific public health and environmental rollbacks from Trump’s first term targeted for proposed annihilation or rewriting by the ex-EPA employees include a pending Trump regulation-easing measure for climate-damaging methane from oil and gas production that the EPA is expected to announce in the coming days.
Some of the many other Trump EPA measures on the “out” list in the reset proposal: a “transparency” rule supported by industry that limits what public health studies the agency can use in making regulations; a Trump-driven move to ease vehicle mileage and emission standards; and a heavily voluntary plan for cutting fossil fuel emissions by power plants that replaced the Obama administration’s broad plan for making the nation’s power sector more climate friendly.
Another recommendation: Cultivate “a more open and respectful exchange between reporters and EPA.”
Wednesday’s recommendations at times make the job of changing course at the EPA seem formidable. The agency’s air office, for instance, they say, “has a massive to-do list, a huge amount of pressure from outside groups, a demoralized and diminished career staff to tend to, and an incredible sense of urgency.”
Michelle Roos, executive director of the ex-employees group, said more than 100 former EPA staffers prepared the action plan over 10 months. Roos said the changes would “better protect the air we breathe and the water we drink” and do more to confront climate change and the heightened pollutant risks of minority and low-income communities.


shareblue--2020-08-14--Trump falsely claims Democrats are blocking relief checks for Americans

Donald Trump lied on Friday when he claimed that he was authorizing a new round of direct payments to Americans , but that Democrats in Congress were holding them up .
`` I have directed [ Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin ] to get ready to send direct payments ( $ 3,400 for family of four ) to all Americans , '' Trump tweeted .
`` DEMOCRATS ARE HOLDING THIS UP ! ''
In fact , House Democrats passed a bill authorizing those very same payments back on May 15 .
According to Congressional Research Service analysis , the bill House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , would have disbursed `` $ 1,200 per eligible individual '' with `` $ 2,400 for married taxpayers filling a joint return . ''
`` Taxpayers would also receive $ 1,200 for each dependent , up to three dependents .
Hence , the largest payment would be $ 6,000 for a married couple with three or more dependents , '' the analysis showed .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , however , has refused to put that bill up for a vote .
Trump also claimed Friday that he wanted to send more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but that Democrats were blocking him .
`` I am ready to send more money to States and Local governments to save jobs for Police , Fire Fighters , First Responders , and Teachers .
DEMOCRATS ARE HOLDING THIS UP ! ''
Trump tweeted .
Once again , this is a lie .
The bill House Democrats passed on May 15 would have provided nearly $ 1 trillion to `` state , local , territorial , and tribal governments who desperately need funds to pay vital workers like first responders , health workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a summary of the legislation .
But McConnell has called giving state and local governments more money a `` blue state bailout , '' and has said he wants to take any more funding for those state and local governments off the table in talks for future coronavirus relief bills .
Studies have found that McConnell 's refusal to give money to state and local governments could cost 4 million jobs .
This is not the first time Trump has lied about the negotiations surrounding virus aid .
On July 29 , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not making unemployment insurance payments `` high enough . ''
In fact , it 's Senate Republicans who are demanding cuts to weekly unemployment insurance checks .
Democrats voted in May to extend the additional $ 600 in weekly unemployment benefits tens of millions of laid off workers were receiving through the end of the year .
The bill Senate Republicans introduced , but never voted on , would have cut those payments to $ 200 per week .
McConnell sent the Senate home this week for nearly a month , without ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump lied on Friday when he claimed that he was authorizing a new round of direct payments to Americans, but that Democrats in Congress were holding them up.
“I have directed [Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin] to get ready to send direct payments ($3,400 for family of four) to all Americans,” Trump tweeted. “DEMOCRATS ARE HOLDING THIS UP!”
In fact, House Democrats passed a bill authorizing those very same payments back on May 15.
According to Congressional Research Service analysis, the bill House Democrats passed, called the HEROES Act, would have disbursed “$1,200 per eligible individual” with “$2,400 for married taxpayers filling a joint return.”
“Taxpayers would also receive $1,200 for each dependent, up to three dependents. Hence, the largest payment would be $6,000 for a married couple with three or more dependents,” the analysis showed.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, however, has refused to put that bill up for a vote.
Trump also claimed Friday that he wanted to send more aid to state and local governments, but that Democrats were blocking him.
“I am ready to send more money to States and Local governments to save jobs for Police, Fire Fighters, First Responders, and Teachers. DEMOCRATS ARE HOLDING THIS UP!” Trump tweeted.
Once again, this is a lie.
The bill House Democrats passed on May 15 would have provided nearly $1 trillion to “state, local, territorial, and tribal governments who desperately need funds to pay vital workers like first responders, health workers, and teachers,” according to a summary of the legislation.
But McConnell has called giving state and local governments more money a “blue state bailout,” and has said he wants to take any more funding for those state and local governments off the table in talks for future coronavirus relief bills.
Studies have found that McConnell’s refusal to give money to state and local governments could cost 4 million jobs.
This is not the first time Trump has lied about the negotiations surrounding virus aid.
On July 29, he falsely said that Democrats were the ones not making unemployment insurance payments “high enough.”
In fact, it’s Senate Republicans who are demanding cuts to weekly unemployment insurance checks.
Democrats voted in May to extend the additional $600 in weekly unemployment benefits tens of millions of laid off workers were receiving through the end of the year. The bill Senate Republicans introduced, but never voted on, would have cut those payments to $200 per week.
McConnell sent the Senate home this week for nearly a month, without ever taking a vote on a virus relief bill.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-14--McCarthy says Postal Service should be funded 1 day after Trump says it shouldn't

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy broke ranks with Donald Trump on Friday , telling CNBC that he supports funding the U.S .
Postal Service .
`` The Postal Service will have the funding that it needs , '' McCarthy said , adding , `` We will make sure of that . ''
McCarthy claimed Trump would not oppose the funding despite repeated statements by Trump saying he would do just that .
In May , McCarthy voted against a House coronavirus relief bill , the HEROES ACT , that would have provided $ 25 billion for the post office .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Connolly ( D-VA ) , chair of the House Government Operations subcommittee , warned : `` If President Trump and the Senate GOP demand anything less than the Heroes Act provides , the Postal Service will continue to sink . ''
On Thursday , Trump told Fox Business that he opposed funding the Postal Service to keep people from being able to vote by mail .
`` They want $ 3.5 billion for the mail-in votes , universal mail-in ballots .
They want $ 25 billion , billion , for the post office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they need that money in order to have the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots .
Now in the meantime they are n't getting there .
By the way , those are just two items .
But if they do n't get those two items , that means you ca n't have universal mail-in voting because they 're not equipped to have it . ''
Later on Thursday , Trump said he would not veto a coronavirus relief bill over funding for the post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Associated Press reported that both Trump and his wife had requested absentee ballots in their home state of Florida .
Despite overwhelming evidence that voting by mail is safe and secure , both Trump and McCarthy have previously attacked efforts to expand absentee voting , even during the pandemic .
Trump , who had regularly voted by mail , said the method is subject to fraud .
McCarthy made a similarly false statement in April , saying `` there 's also a lot of fraud '' in absentee voting .
The Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easier for residents to vote by mail .
In addition to Trump 's rhetoric , his administration has taken actions that appear to undermine the ability of the Postal Service to deliver mail in a timely manner .
Over the past several months , Louis DeJoy , the new postmaster general appointed by Trump in May , has instituted changes to agency that have resulted in slower mail delivery .
There are `` widespread mail slowdowns of all kinds of mail — first-class , marketing mail , parcels , '' said Philip F. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Service who teaches at North Carolina A & T State University with an expertise in the post office .
Rubio called Trump 's rhetoric about withholding funding from the Postal Service `` political sabotage , '' adding that he was `` using his power of the veto to interfere with the democratic process and keep mail-in balloting from being more successful . ''
Rubio told Politico : `` What Postmaster General DeJoy appears to be doing is enabling Trump 's external sabotage , only DeJoy is internally sabotaging the Postal Service while denying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of holding back first-class mail are anything more than what he referred to as sensationalized , isolated incidents . ''
DeJoy has denied reports that he has tried to slow down mail delivery , telling the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service on Aug. 7 that `` the Postal Service has ample capacity to deliver all election mail securely and on time in accordance with our delivery standards , and we will do so . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy broke ranks with Donald Trump on Friday, telling CNBC that he supports funding the U.S. Postal Service.
“The Postal Service will have the funding that it needs,” McCarthy said, adding, “We will make sure of that.” McCarthy claimed Trump would not oppose the funding despite repeated statements by Trump saying he would do just that.
In May, McCarthy voted against a House coronavirus relief bill, the HEROES ACT, that would have provided $25 billion for the post office.
Shortly before the vote, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), chair of the House Government Operations subcommittee, warned: “If President Trump and the Senate GOP demand anything less than the Heroes Act provides, the Postal Service will continue to sink.”
On Thursday, Trump told Fox Business that he opposed funding the Postal Service to keep people from being able to vote by mail.
“They want $3.5 billion for the mail-in votes, universal mail-in ballots. They want $25 billion, billion, for the post office,” Trump said. “Now they need that money in order to have the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots. Now in the meantime they aren’t getting there. By the way, those are just two items. But if they don’t get those two items, that means you can’t have universal mail-in voting because they’re not equipped to have it.”
Later on Thursday, Trump said he would not veto a coronavirus relief bill over funding for the post office.
On the same day, the Associated Press reported that both Trump and his wife had requested absentee ballots in their home state of Florida.
Despite overwhelming evidence that voting by mail is safe and secure, both Trump and McCarthy have previously attacked efforts to expand absentee voting, even during the pandemic.
Trump, who had regularly voted by mail, said the method is subject to fraud. McCarthy made a similarly false statement in April, saying “there’s also a lot of fraud” in absentee voting. The Trump campaign is suing Nevada for making it easier for residents to vote by mail.
In addition to Trump’s rhetoric, his administration has taken actions that appear to undermine the ability of the Postal Service to deliver mail in a timely manner.
Over the past several months, Louis DeJoy, the new postmaster general appointed by Trump in May, has instituted changes to agency that have resulted in slower mail delivery.
There are “widespread mail slowdowns of all kinds of mail — first-class, marketing mail, parcels,” said Philip F. Rubio, an expert on the Postal Service who teaches at North Carolina A&T State University with an expertise in the post office.
Rubio called Trump’s rhetoric about withholding funding from the Postal Service “political sabotage,” adding that he was “using his power of the veto to interfere with the democratic process and keep mail-in balloting from being more successful.”
Rubio told Politico: “What Postmaster General DeJoy appears to be doing is enabling Trump’s external sabotage, only DeJoy is internally sabotaging the Postal Service while denying that his policies of cutting overtime, of holding back first-class mail are anything more than what he referred to as sensationalized, isolated incidents.”
DeJoy has denied reports that he has tried to slow down mail delivery, telling the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service on Aug. 7 that “the Postal Service has ample capacity to deliver all election mail securely and on time in accordance with our delivery standards, and we will do so.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.