shareblue--2020-08-12--The pandemic has made it even harder for LGBTQ homeless people to vote

Homeless people , among them many LGBTQ people experiencing homelessness , generally face challenges in participating in the voting process at the best of times .
This election year , the coronavirus pandemic is throwing up some particularly tough barriers to voting for these vulnerable populations .
Advocates for the voting rights of LGBTQ homeless people say that the numerous obstacles such voters face include changes in the locations and number of polling places and the challenges of remote voting .
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness , transgender and nonbinary adults are more likely to experience unsheltered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found that between 20 % and 45 % of homeless youth are LGBTQ , according to the UCLA School of Law 's Williams Institute , which focuses on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy .
Eric Tars , legal director at the National Homelessness Law Center , said many of the typical barriers to voting homeless people face have been exacerbated this year .
They may not know that their polling site has changed until Election Day itself , for example .
They may be unable to get to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Public transit has been cut back because of the decreased ridership with everyone working from home , and just getting to a polling place might be a challenge , '' Tars said .
Although homeless people have the right to vote , requirements for a mailing address to register vary from state to state .
In Illinois and Delaware , mailing addresses can be shelters and social service agencies .
In Oregon , homeless people can list the county election clerk 's office and pick up a ballot there .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` contact point '' or a location where they spend most of their time .
Tars said : `` If you get up to the front of the line and they say , 'Is this you at this address ? '
and you say , 'No , I 'm not at that address anymore , ' I do n't know how a poll worker might respond to the fact that that person does n't have an address anymore , and therefore they might say that person is n't eligible to vote at that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually could go . ''
Tars said he is concerned about increased homelessness during the pandemic , and advises lawyers working with people facing eviction to apply for an absentee ballot right away so they can receive it before they lose their housing .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that in the context of the pandemic , people who are living unsheltered should be allowed to remain where they are , noting that `` the risks associated with sleeping outdoors or in an encampment setting are different than from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Outdoor settings may allow people to increase physical distance between themselves and others . ''
But police have at times ignored that guidance and conducted sweeps of encampments .
Tars said that during these sweeps , identification documents are often lost .
Homeless people who have lost their documents are then prevented by voter ID requirements from casting ballots .
The challenges of outreach to LGBTQ homeless people Nonprofit organizations often fill gaps in the system by providing the information they need to homeless people seeking to vote .
Pre-pandemic , volunteers would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people at dining halls , and do other kinds of outreach .
This year , efforts have been mixed .
Advocates in some areas of the country have been able to muster volunteers , but in others , organizations that would typically do this work have been unable to due to safety concerns or financial struggles .
Smaller groups and nonprofits that center LGBTQ people 's experiences may be particularly hard hit .
Meghan Maury , policy director at the National LGBTQ Task Force , said some smaller organizations across the country have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Other organizations we work with , like some of the groups in Miami , their staff has been hit so hard by COVID-19 that there are almost no services because it just does n't feel safe , so there 's a wide variance across the country . ''
Many organizations have had to lay off paid staff in the past few months to continue operating .
This makes them even more reliant on volunteers .
Some staff members may be immunocompromised and not feel safe doing outreach work , Maury said : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at these organizations do n't have any risk tolerance for being in spaces where COVID-19 is possible . ''
In addition to these problems , Maury said , a rule change proposed by the Trump administration would make matters worse .
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services rule change , which would allows discrimination against transgender women in single-sex shelters , could affect transgender homeless people 's ability to vote before it even goes into effect , they said : If shelters went ahead and refused to provide services to transgender @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be implemented , many might find it impossible to find a a place where they could receive mail .
Bias against LGBTQ homeless people at the polls Ashlee Marie Preston is the founder of # YouAreEssential , described on its website as `` a social impact campaign & national relief fund that awards grants to grassroots organizations and mutual aid networks working directly with vulnerable communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic . ''
Preston recently shared her experience of voting while homeless in the early 2000s .
She said she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against homeless people at her polling site .
`` And so I was getting stares because some of the folks probably knew that I was trans and then also I was getting treated like crap because people were just looking at me because I was homeless , '' Preston said .
`` And one of the workers came over , like , 'Do you have what you need ?
This is a polling site . '
So basically they act like I was a grizzly bear wandering through the woods trying to find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' In addition to such treatment , transgender homeless people face additional barriers at polling places , including bias against them on the part of poll workers .
Their identification and gender presentation may not match , and they may have recently changed their name , which can cause poll workers to give them provisional ballots or out them as transgender .
Donald H. Whitehead Jr. , president of the board of the National Coalition for the Homeless , said homeless people are already treated unfairly because housed people believe they will make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more true during a pandemic .
`` People tend to maintain their distance already , so if you take that person who people are already afraid of and put them in a situation where a person has to be in line for six or seven hours , that 's going to be a lot worse for that homeless person , '' Whitehead said .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Homeless people, among them many LGBTQ people experiencing homelessness, generally face challenges in participating in the voting process at the best of times. This election year, the coronavirus pandemic is throwing up some particularly tough barriers to voting for these vulnerable populations.
Advocates for the voting rights of LGBTQ homeless people say that the numerous obstacles such voters face include changes in the locations and number of polling places and the challenges of remote voting.
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, transgender and nonbinary adults are more likely to experience unsheltered homelessness than cisgender adults. Studies have found that between 20% and 45% of homeless youth are LGBTQ, according to the UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute, which focuses on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy.
The pandemic may contribute to more homelessness for LGBTQ people, advocates say, particularly LGBTQ people of color. A Human Rights Campaign report released in May found that 14% of LGBTQ people of color had asked for delays in paying rent since the pandemic began.
Voting while homeless during a pandemic
Eric Tars, legal director at the National Homelessness Law Center, said many of the typical barriers to voting homeless people face have been exacerbated this year. They may not know that their polling site has changed until Election Day itself, for example. They may be unable to get to the new site once they learn about it.
“Public transit has been cut back because of the decreased ridership with everyone working from home, and just getting to a polling place might be a challenge,” Tars said.
Although homeless people have the right to vote, requirements for a mailing address to register vary from state to state. In Illinois and Delaware, mailing addresses can be shelters and social service agencies. In Oregon, homeless people can list the county election clerk’s office and pick up a ballot there. In New Jersey, they can provide a “contact point” or a location where they spend most of their time.
Tars said: “If you get up to the front of the line and they say, ‘Is this you at this address?’ and you say, ‘No, I’m not at that address anymore,’ I don’t know how a poll worker might respond to the fact that that person doesn’t have an address anymore, and therefore they might say that person isn’t eligible to vote at that precinct and not tell people where they actually could go.”
Tars said he is concerned about increased homelessness during the pandemic, and advises lawyers working with people facing eviction to apply for an absentee ballot right away so they can receive it before they lose their housing.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that in the context of the pandemic, people who are living unsheltered should be allowed to remain where they are, noting that “the risks associated with sleeping outdoors or in an encampment setting are different than from staying indoors in a congregate setting … Outdoor settings may allow people to increase physical distance between themselves and others.”
But police have at times ignored that guidance and conducted sweeps of encampments. Tars said that during these sweeps, identification documents are often lost. Homeless people who have lost their documents are then prevented by voter ID requirements from casting ballots.
The challenges of outreach to LGBTQ homeless people
Nonprofit organizations often fill gaps in the system by providing the information they need to homeless people seeking to vote. Pre-pandemic, volunteers would set up booths, speak to homeless people at dining halls, and do other kinds of outreach.
This year, efforts have been mixed. Advocates in some areas of the country have been able to muster volunteers, but in others, organizations that would typically do this work have been unable to due to safety concerns or financial struggles. Smaller groups and nonprofits that center LGBTQ people’s experiences may be particularly hard hit.
Meghan Maury, policy director at the National LGBTQ Task Force, said some smaller organizations across the country have struggled to continue outreach efforts: “Other organizations we work with, like some of the groups in Miami, their staff has been hit so hard by COVID-19 that there are almost no services because it just doesn’t feel safe, so there’s a wide variance across the country.”
Many organizations have had to lay off paid staff in the past few months to continue operating. This makes them even more reliant on volunteers. Some staff members may be immunocompromised and not feel safe doing outreach work, Maury said: “People living with HIV who are working at these organizations don’t have any risk tolerance for being in spaces where COVID-19 is possible.”
In addition to these problems, Maury said, a rule change proposed by the Trump administration would make matters worse. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services rule change, which would allows discrimination against transgender women in single-sex shelters, could affect transgender homeless people’s ability to vote before it even goes into effect, they said: If shelters went ahead and refused to provide services to transgender women, knowing that the rule was going to be implemented, many might find it impossible to find a a place where they could receive mail.
Bias against LGBTQ homeless people at the polls
Ashlee Marie Preston is the founder of #YouAreEssential, described on its website as “a social impact campaign & national relief fund that awards grants to grassroots organizations and mutual aid networks working directly with vulnerable communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Preston recently shared her experience of voting while homeless in the early 2000s. She said she faced racism, transphobia, and bias against homeless people at her polling site.
“And so I was getting stares because some of the folks probably knew that I was trans and then also I was getting treated like crap because people were just looking at me because I was homeless,” Preston said. “And one of the workers came over, like, ‘Do you have what you need? This is a polling site.’ So basically they act like I was a grizzly bear wandering through the woods trying to find a snack in a warm cabin.”
In addition to such treatment, transgender homeless people face additional barriers at polling places, including bias against them on the part of poll workers. Their identification and gender presentation may not match, and they may have recently changed their name, which can cause poll workers to give them provisional ballots or out them as transgender.
Donald H. Whitehead Jr., president of the board of the National Coalition for the Homeless, said homeless people are already treated unfairly because housed people believe they will make them sick. That may be even more true during a pandemic.
“People tend to maintain their distance already, so if you take that person who people are already afraid of and put them in a situation where a person has to be in line for six or seven hours, that’s going to be a lot worse for that homeless person,” Whitehead said.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-12--Trump's hotel is the place to be to violate DC's mask rules

Multiple high-profile visitors to the Trump International Hotel in Washington , D.C. , have posted photos of themselves inside the building breaking city regulations meant to stop the spread of the coronavirus — rule violations that could lead to thousands of dollars in fines .
Current and former Trump administration officials , as well as GOP lawmakers and other Republican media personalities , have posted photos of themselves to social media inside the hotel 's common spaces without wearing masks or maintaining six feet of space between other guests .
The photos were taken at events and posted after D.C. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spring requiring masks to be worn inside of hotel common spaces and for visitors inside those spaces to maintain six feet of distance from people who are not members of their own household .
Bowser 's order says that anyone violating the order `` may be subject to criminal , and administrative penalties '' that include fines , as well as suspensions or revocations of operating licenses .
The Trump Hotel in Washington , D.C. , was already investigated for violating the order in July after Trump was photographed not wearing a mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Washington Post reported .
However , the investigator did not see violations at the time of the inspection .
Since then , multiple more high-profile hotel visitors have been photographed violating the order .
A woman posted a photo on Tuesday with pro-Trump pundit and frequent Fox News guest Harlan Hill and Trump 's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani .
None of the three are wearing masks .
Former Trump Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke was photographed at the hotel bar with his wife and another woman without masks on July 28 .
Also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elmore posted a photo with conservative instigator Charlie Kirk and former Trump administration official Seb Gorka all huddled together in the hotel without masks .
The same day , Rep. Bruce Westerman ( R-AR ) posted a photo of himself along with Alabama GOP Senate nominee Tommy Tuberville inside the lobby of Trump 's D.C. hotel .
Neither man was wearing a mask , nor were they adhering to the six-feet social distancing rule .
It 's not just high-profile guests violating the order .
A look through Instagram 's location tag at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guests not wearing masks or social distancing in the hotel 's public spaces .
Bowser 's office did not immediately return a request for comment about whether the city is aware of the violations and if there are any plans to punish the hotel for violating the orders .
The Trump Organization did not return a request for comment on whether it was aware of the violations or the steps it was taking to ensure guests followed the policy .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Multiple high-profile visitors to the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., have posted photos of themselves inside the building breaking city regulations meant to stop the spread of the coronavirus — rule violations that could lead to thousands of dollars in fines.
Current and former Trump administration officials, as well as GOP lawmakers and other Republican media personalities, have posted photos of themselves to social media inside the hotel’s common spaces without wearing masks or maintaining six feet of space between other guests.
The photos were taken at events and posted after D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed an order this spring requiring masks to be worn inside of hotel common spaces and for visitors inside those spaces to maintain six feet of distance from people who are not members of their own household.
Bowser’s order says that anyone violating the order “may be subject to criminal, and administrative penalties” that include fines, as well as suspensions or revocations of operating licenses.
The Trump Hotel in Washington, D.C., was already investigated for violating the order in July after Trump was photographed not wearing a mask in the lobby of the hotel, the Washington Post reported. However, the investigator did not see violations at the time of the inspection.
Since then, multiple more high-profile hotel visitors have been photographed violating the order.
A woman posted a photo on Tuesday with pro-Trump pundit and frequent Fox News guest Harlan Hill and Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani. None of the three are wearing masks.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDxIhVzskPa/
Former Trump Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke was photographed at the hotel bar with his wife and another woman without masks on July 28.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDe2EzxjEQ_/
Also on July 28, conservative activist Erin Elmore posted a photo with conservative instigator Charlie Kirk and former Trump administration official Seb Gorka all huddled together in the hotel without masks.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDMhZsAD2u9/
The same day, Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) posted a photo of himself along with Alabama GOP Senate nominee Tommy Tuberville inside the lobby of Trump’s D.C. hotel. Neither man was wearing a mask, nor were they adhering to the six-feet social distancing rule.
https://www.facebook.com/WestermanAR/photos/a.557809134273162/3149693668418016
It’s not just high-profile guests violating the order.
A look through Instagram’s location tag at the hotel shows numerous violations, with guests not wearing masks or social distancing in the hotel’s public spaces.
Bowser’s office did not immediately return a request for comment about whether the city is aware of the violations and if there are any plans to punish the hotel for violating the orders.
The Trump Organization did not return a request for comment on whether it was aware of the violations or the steps it was taking to ensure guests followed the policy.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-12--GOP Senate nominee blames Democratic opponent for downplaying virus — but not Trump

A new ad launched by the campaign of Michigan Republican Senate nominee John James blames the nation 's botched coronavirus response on the incumbent he hopes to unseat , Democratic Sen. Gary Peters .
The ad , which James tweeted on Tuesday , states that `` Michigan 's been hit hard '' by the pandemic , adding that `` Washington politicians completely failed us . ''
It takes words from a statement Peters made in February out of context in an attempt to portray him as having downplayed the pandemic .
`` We think the risk right now to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need to keep our eye on it , '' Peters said during an interview on Fox News on Feb. 12 .
`` But really , the focus is trying to contain the infection as much as possible . ''
But the James ad only runs the very beginning of Peters ' statement : `` The risk right now to the United States is very low . ''
It also falsely claims that Peters `` leads the committee that oversees America 's pandemic response . ''
Republicans hold a majority in the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including the Homeland Security Committee , chaired by Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin , who controls the its agenda .
Peters is the ranking member of the committee .
The ad is accurate in saying that Michigan has been hit hard by the pandemic .
On Wednesday , the New York Times reported the state had more than 98,000 confirmed coronavirus cases , and at least 6,534 people had died of virus-related causes .
The federal response to the coronavirus pandemic in the United States is led by Donald Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ad at all .
In March , as case numbers were increasing in Michigan , Democratic Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer called the White House to ask for federal assistance .
She was unable to speak with Trump , who , she said , was at the time on Fox News attacking her .
On April 17 , Trump encouraged residents to revolt against Whitmer , tweeting , `` LIBERATE MICHIGAN ! ''
after she imposed restrictions aimed at containing the spread of the virus .
An investigation in early April conducted by Rep. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member of the House Oversight Committee , found that Trump `` failed to prepare '' for the crisis in January and February when `` the U.S. should have been stockpiling medical supplies . ''
Trump 's response to the pandemic has included spreading misinformation about potential cures , attacking his administration 's health experts , and routinely lying to the American public about the crisis .
James has been an outspoken Trump supporter for years , saying during his unsuccessful run for Sen. Debbie Stabenow 's seat in 2017 that he supported the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' James is currently trailing Peters by eight points according to an average of recent polls compiled by Real Clear Politics .
Peters has led in every one of the 22 statewide polls conducted from March 2019 through August 2020 .
The race is currently rated `` Lean Democrat '' by Inside Elections .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

A new ad launched by the campaign of Michigan Republican Senate nominee John James blames the nation’s botched coronavirus response on the incumbent he hopes to unseat, Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.
The ad, which James tweeted on Tuesday, states that “Michigan’s been hit hard” by the pandemic, adding that “Washington politicians completely failed us.”
It takes words from a statement Peters made in February out of context in an attempt to portray him as having downplayed the pandemic.
“We think the risk right now to the United States is very low, but we need to keep our eye on it,” Peters said during an interview on Fox News on Feb. 12. “But really, the focus is trying to contain the infection as much as possible.”
But the James ad only runs the very beginning of Peters’ statement: “The risk right now to the United States is very low.”
It also falsely claims that Peters “leads the committee that oversees America’s pandemic response.”
Republicans hold a majority in the Senate, and therefore lead every Senate committee, including the Homeland Security Committee, chaired by Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who controls the its agenda. Peters is the ranking member of the committee.
The ad is accurate in saying that Michigan has been hit hard by the pandemic. On Wednesday, the New York Times reported the state had more than 98,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, and at least 6,534 people had died of virus-related causes.
The federal response to the coronavirus pandemic in the United States is led by Donald Trump, whose name is not mentioned in the ad at all.
In March, as case numbers were increasing in Michigan, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called the White House to ask for federal assistance. She was unable to speak with Trump, who, she said, was at the time on Fox News attacking her.
On April 17, Trump encouraged residents to revolt against Whitmer, tweeting, “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!” after she imposed restrictions aimed at containing the spread of the virus.
An investigation in early April conducted by Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), a member of the House Oversight Committee, found that Trump “failed to prepare” for the crisis in January and February when “the U.S. should have been stockpiling medical supplies.”
Trump’s response to the pandemic has included spreading misinformation about potential cures, attacking his administration’s health experts, and routinely lying to the American public about the crisis.
James has been an outspoken Trump supporter for years, saying during his unsuccessful run for Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s seat in 2017 that he supported the president’s agenda “2,000 percent.”
James is currently trailing Peters by eight points according to an average of recent polls compiled by Real Clear Politics. Peters has led in every one of the 22 statewide polls conducted from March 2019 through August 2020.
The race is currently rated “Lean Democrat” by Inside Elections.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-12--Trump wants more tax cuts for the rich while cutting unemployment for millions

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Wednesday that Donald Trump wants to cut the capital gains tax — a move that would primarily benefit the richest Americans — at a time when millions of low- and middle-income Americans are suffering from the coronavirus-fueled economic crisis .
`` The president would like to do capital gains tax cuts , and we do need legislation to do what we want on that front , '' Mnuchin said Wednesday on Fox Business .
A cut to the capital gains tax would mostly impact the wealthiest 1 % of Americans , who paid 69 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to data from the Tax Policy Center .
Research by groups such as the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has shown that the wealthy already benefit from a capital gains tax that is lower than income tax for average workers .
And the rich can often avoid paying tax on their capital gains altogether thanks to other tax loopholes .
Still , Trump wants to cut that tax down more — which would benefit people like himself and Mnuchin , who are both wealthy and own millions in real estate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only tax cut for the rich that Trump and Republicans have proposed during the coronavirus economic crisis .
Trump also wants to pass a tax deduction that would allow businesses to deduct meal expenses , known colloquially as the `` three-martini lunch '' deduction .
Republicans say this would help incentivize people to go out to eat at restaurants to help with the economic recovery .
However , economists say that tax deduction would n't actually help the economy recover .
They say business owners are choosing not to go to restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected with the coronavirus , not because meals are too expensive without a tax deduction .
This all comes as the Trump administration fights to reduce unemployment insurance payments .
Laid-off workers were receiving a $ 600-per-week boost in their unemployment checks , thanks to the first round of virus relief passed in March .
However , that payment expired at the end of July , causing tens of millions of unemployed workers to lose a substantial chunk of income .
House Democrats passed a bill on May 15 that would have extended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of the year .
However , Senate Republicans refused to vote on the House legislation and would n't begin negotiations with Democrats until the unemployment assistance boost was about to expire .
Senate Republicans introduced legislation at the end of July that would slash the unemployment payments to $ 200 a week , which Democrats have rejected .
Trump , for his part , signed a memorandum ordering the government to utilize federal disaster relief money for $ 400 weekly unemployment insurance payments to laid-off workers .
However , states would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that weekly payment — money many governors say they do not have as they face major budget shortfalls .
And many critics have weighed in to say Trump 's directive is illegal .
Economists say the added unemployment assistance for workers was one of the most effective forms of coronavirus relief , and that without it there could be millions of more jobs lost .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Wednesday that Donald Trump wants to cut the capital gains tax — a move that would primarily benefit the richest Americans — at a time when millions of low- and middle-income Americans are suffering from the coronavirus-fueled economic crisis.
“The president would like to do capital gains tax cuts, and we do need legislation to do what we want on that front,” Mnuchin said Wednesday on Fox Business.
A cut to the capital gains tax would mostly impact the wealthiest 1% of Americans, who paid 69% of the capital gains tax in 2018, according to data from the Tax Policy Center.
Research by groups such as the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has shown that the wealthy already benefit from a capital gains tax that is lower than income tax for average workers. And the rich can often avoid paying tax on their capital gains altogether thanks to other tax loopholes.
Still, Trump wants to cut that tax down more — which would benefit people like himself and Mnuchin, who are both wealthy and own millions in real estate and other investments.
It’s not the only tax cut for the rich that Trump and Republicans have proposed during the coronavirus economic crisis.
Trump also wants to pass a tax deduction that would allow businesses to deduct meal expenses, known colloquially as the “three-martini lunch” deduction. Republicans say this would help incentivize people to go out to eat at restaurants to help with the economic recovery.
However, economists say that tax deduction wouldn’t actually help the economy recover. They say business owners are choosing not to go to restaurants because they present a risk for becoming infected with the coronavirus, not because meals are too expensive without a tax deduction.
This all comes as the Trump administration fights to reduce unemployment insurance payments. Laid-off workers were receiving a $600-per-week boost in their unemployment checks, thanks to the first round of virus relief passed in March. However, that payment expired at the end of July, causing tens of millions of unemployed workers to lose a substantial chunk of income.
House Democrats passed a bill on May 15 that would have extended those $600 weekly payments through the end of the year. However, Senate Republicans refused to vote on the House legislation and wouldn’t begin negotiations with Democrats until the unemployment assistance boost was about to expire.
Senate Republicans introduced legislation at the end of July that would slash the unemployment payments to $200 a week, which Democrats have rejected.
Trump, for his part, signed a memorandum ordering the government to utilize federal disaster relief money for $400 weekly unemployment insurance payments to laid-off workers.
However, states would be on the hook to pay $100 of that weekly payment — money many governors say they do not have as they face major budget shortfalls. And many critics have weighed in to say Trump’s directive is illegal.
Economists say the added unemployment assistance for workers was one of the most effective forms of coronavirus relief, and that without it there could be millions of more jobs lost.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-12--Meet the homophobic minister taking Jerry Falwell's place at Liberty University

The conservative Christian Liberty University announced on Monday that it has appointed Jerry Prevo to serve as the school 's acting president .
Prevo , the chairman of the university 's board of trustees , replaces Jerry Falwell Jr. , who was placed on an `` indefinite leave of absence '' last week .
Falwell is the son and namesake of the university 's co-founder , and had served as its president since 2007 , until he posted a photo online of himself and a woman he described as his wife 's assistant on a yacht , both with their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of dark liquid in his hand .
Falwell is an enthusiastic supporter of Donald Trump and of his administration 's attacks on LGBTQ rights since the beginning of his term .
He has made homophobic and transphobic comments over the years and has said that the university `` believes that marriage between one man and one woman . ''
Prevo is likely to continue Falwell 's anti-LGBTQ agenda at the private university , which has an undergraduate enrollment of more than 45,000 students .
Until last year the senior pastor at Anchorage Baptist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against LGBTQ rights for more than 40 years .
Prevo began fighting against LGBTQ rights after the Anchorage Assembly in 1975 voted to protect queer people from discrimination .
Prevo used his influence through his large congregation to overturn the protective ordinance , helping him rise through the ranks of Alaska 's religious right .
In a 2016 interview with writer Charles Wohlforth , Prevo described how he he worked with then Anchorage Mayor George Sullivan to oppose these protections : `` I said , 'Mayor , I just read the Sunday headline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordinance ?
And he said , ' I 'd like to veto this blankety-blank thing .
Excuse me , reverend . '
'' He continued to fight against such protections .
In 2009 , Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan , the son of the earlier Mayor Sullivan , vetoed a ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation , and in 2012 , voters rejected a ballot measure to include protections for queer and trans people in the city 's nondiscrimination policy .
Both times , Prevo was one of the figures who led the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sexual orientation and gender identity are now included in Anchorage 's policy against discrimination in property sales , financing , employment , public accommodations , educational institutions , and practices of the municipality .
The Anchorage Assembly approved the change in policy in 2015 .
Prevo and another conservative , Jim Minnery , president of Alaska Family Action , vowed to repeal it .
Minnery led efforts in 2018 to pass Proposition 1 , which would have restricted transgender people 's access to bathrooms and locker rooms .
The proposition was defeated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provides research and analysis on issues of LGBTQ equality , gives the entire state of Alaska a low rating on its legal protections for LGBTQ people .
Prevo is proud of his record of opposition to LGBTQ rights , saying he believes it is his job to tell people what the Bible says is wrong .
He says he saw LGBTQ rights as a threat to religious liberties early on : `` I sensed that this special protection could take away religious liberties .
And in the '70s and the '80s even in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do n't know .
That will never happen , ' but just now , photographers because they choose not to do a same-sex wedding are losing their business . ''
In 2013 , the Anchorage Baptist Temple said it would not continue to sponsor local scout troops after the Boy Scouts of America voted to scrap a policy that banned openly gay scouts .
Prevo said in response , `` No homosexual will enter the Kingdom of God . ''
Prevo told the Anchorage Daily News in 2019 that he blames public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people : `` Young people these days , I do n't think they know what God says about it .
Therefore , they are endorsing it . ''
Prevo also has a strong relationship with Samaritan 's Purse , an evangelical Christian organization headed by Franklin Graham .
The organization 's website asks volunteers to read and agree with an anti-LGBTQ statement of faith that says human sexuality can only be expressed within marriage and that `` God instituted monogamous marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Graham has called marriage equality `` detestable before almighty God '' and praised Trump on `` Fox & Friends '' in 2018 for defending Christianity .
Prevo wrote on his Facebook page in 2018 , `` As many of you know , I 'm very involved with Samaritan 's Purse '' and told the Anchorage Daily News last year that he planned to continue to work with the organization after his retirement .

The conservative Christian Liberty University announced on Monday that it has appointed Jerry Prevo to serve as the school’s acting president. Prevo, the chairman of the university’s board of trustees, replaces Jerry Falwell Jr., who was placed on an “indefinite leave of absence” last week.
Falwell is the son and namesake of the university’s co-founder, and had served as its president since 2007, until he posted a photo online of himself and a woman he described as his wife’s assistant on a yacht, both with their pants unzipped and Falwell with a glass of dark liquid in his hand.
Falwell is an enthusiastic supporter of Donald Trump and of his administration’s attacks on LGBTQ rights since the beginning of his term. He has made homophobic and transphobic comments over the years and has said that the university “believes that marriage between one man and one woman.”
Prevo is likely to continue Falwell’s anti-LGBTQ agenda at the private university, which has an undergraduate enrollment of more than 45,000 students. Until last year the senior pastor at Anchorage Baptist Temple in Alaska, he has fought against LGBTQ rights for more than 40 years.
Fighting against LGBTQ equality in Alaska
Prevo began fighting against LGBTQ rights after the Anchorage Assembly in 1975 voted to protect queer people from discrimination. Prevo used his influence through his large congregation to overturn the protective ordinance, helping him rise through the ranks of Alaska’s religious right.
In a 2016 interview with writer Charles Wohlforth, Prevo described how he he worked with then Anchorage Mayor George Sullivan to oppose these protections: “I said, ‘Mayor, I just read the Sunday headline. What do you think of this ordinance? And he said, ‘I’d like to veto this blankety-blank thing. Excuse me, reverend.'”
He continued to fight against such protections. In 2009, Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan, the son of the earlier Mayor Sullivan, vetoed a ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation, and in 2012, voters rejected a ballot measure to include protections for queer and trans people in the city’s nondiscrimination policy.
Both times, Prevo was one of the figures who led the fight against extending protections to LGBTQ Alaskans.
Sexual orientation and gender identity are now included in Anchorage’s policy against discrimination in property sales, financing, employment, public accommodations, educational institutions, and practices of the municipality. The Anchorage Assembly approved the change in policy in 2015. Prevo and another conservative, Jim Minnery, president of Alaska Family Action, vowed to repeal it.
Minnery led efforts in 2018 to pass Proposition 1, which would have restricted transgender people’s access to bathrooms and locker rooms. The proposition was defeated.
The Movement Advancement Project, which provides research and analysis on issues of LGBTQ equality, gives the entire state of Alaska a low rating on its legal protections for LGBTQ people.
Prevo is proud of his record of opposition to LGBTQ rights, saying he believes it is his job to tell people what the Bible says is wrong. He says he saw LGBTQ rights as a threat to religious liberties early on: “I sensed that this special protection could take away religious liberties. And in the ’70s and the ’80s even in the ’90s, people said, ‘I don’t know. That will never happen,’ but just now, photographers because they choose not to do a same-sex wedding are losing their business.”
Prevo evicts Boy Scouts from church
In 2013, the Anchorage Baptist Temple said it would not continue to sponsor local scout troops after the Boy Scouts of America voted to scrap a policy that banned openly gay scouts.
Prevo said in response, “No homosexual will enter the Kingdom of God.”
Prevo told the Anchorage Daily News in 2019 that he blames public school education for changing attitudes toward LGBTQ people: “Young people these days, I don’t think they know what God says about it. Therefore, they are endorsing it.”
Relationship with Franklin Graham’s anti-LGBTQ organization
Prevo also has a strong relationship with Samaritan’s Purse, an evangelical Christian organization headed by Franklin Graham.
The organization’s website asks volunteers to read and agree with an anti-LGBTQ statement of faith that says human sexuality can only be expressed within marriage and that “God instituted monogamous marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society.”
Graham has called marriage equality “detestable before almighty God” and praised Trump on “Fox & Friends” in 2018 for defending Christianity.
Prevo wrote on his Facebook page in 2018, “As many of you know, I’m very involved with Samaritan’s Purse” and told the Anchorage Daily News last year that he planned to continue to work with the organization after his retirement.


shareblue--2020-08-12--GOP says Kamala Harris is too tough and too weak on crime

After Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that Sen. Kamala Harris ( D-CA ) would be his running mate , Republicans launched two contradictory attacks on her supposed record on crime .
Harris was attacked both as an overzealous former prosecutor and as an anti-police radical who would let crime run rampant .
In its initial response to her selection on Tuesday , a Trump campaign spokesperson claimed Harris would hide her record as San Francisco 's district attorney and California attorney general to join the ticket : `` Clearly Phony Kamala will abandon her own morals , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record as a prosecutor , in order to appease the anti-police extremists controlling the Democrat Party . ''
`` Remember when @ TulsiGabbard reminded Kamala Harris of her terrible record of locking up thousands of young minorities , or being an overzealous drug warrior and of her record as a harsh prosecutor ? ''
Sen. Rand Paul ( R-KY ) asked in a tweet .
`` I do . ''
Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani retweeted a quote from a National Review story on Harris Wednesday morning : `` American prosecutors wield awesome and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abuse , and Senator Kamala Harris , formerly the attorney general of California , is an enthusiastic abuser of them . ''
But the Trump campaign 's initial statement also contradicted this framing , arguing that , with Harris on the ticket , Biden is `` surrendering control of our nation to the radical mob '' with , among other things , promises to `` cut police funding . ''
Sen. Marsha Blackburn ( R-TN ) wrote on Tuesday : `` Kamala Harris is marching on the streets with 'trained marxists . '
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rage mob . ''
Sen. Todd Young ( R-IN ) tweeted that Harris ' selection shows that `` the Democratic party has fully embraced the far left and their radical governing agenda '' including `` Defunding the police . ''
Sen. Mike Braun ( R-IN ) tweeted that Democrats had `` a radical left ticket of liberal anarchy , defunding police , and government-run healthcare from Joe Biden & Kamala Harris . ''
Neither Biden nor Harris has backed defunding law enforcement , though both have embraced police reform .
On Wednesday morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying that Harris would `` give cop killers a pass '' and `` confiscate your guns by force , '' claims that were fact-checked and proven false over a year ago .
Harris ' lengthy career as a prosecutor prior to her election to the U.S. Senate in November 2016 was much scrutinized during her 2020 presidential campaign .
While some progressives criticized her aggressive record as a `` top cop '' and her failure to intervene in cases of police shootings , she presented herself as a `` progressive prosecutor '' who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect the public .
The attacks on Harris mirror a Trump campaign strategy against Biden .
The Trump campaign has run false ads claiming that Biden stands with a `` radical left-wing mob '' that wants to `` defund the police , '' as well as commercials accusing him of destroying `` millions of Black lives '' with his drafting of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

After Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) would be his running mate, Republicans launched two contradictory attacks on her supposed record on crime.
Harris was attacked both as an overzealous former prosecutor and as an anti-police radical who would let crime run rampant.
In its initial response to her selection on Tuesday, a Trump campaign spokesperson claimed Harris would hide her record as San Francisco’s district attorney and California attorney general to join the ticket: “Clearly Phony Kamala will abandon her own morals, as well as try to bury her record as a prosecutor, in order to appease the anti-police extremists controlling the Democrat Party.”
“Remember when @TulsiGabbard reminded Kamala Harris of her terrible record of locking up thousands of young minorities, or being an overzealous drug warrior and of her record as a harsh prosecutor?” Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) asked in a tweet. “I do.”
Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani retweeted a quote from a National Review story on Harris Wednesday morning: “American prosecutors wield awesome and terrible powers that lend themselves easily to abuse, and Senator Kamala Harris, formerly the attorney general of California, is an enthusiastic abuser of them.”
But the Trump campaign’s initial statement also contradicted this framing, arguing that, with Harris on the ticket, Biden is “surrendering control of our nation to the radical mob” with, among other things, promises to “cut police funding.”
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) wrote on Tuesday: “Kamala Harris is marching on the streets with ‘trained marxists.’ She has and will kowtow to the rage mob.”
Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) tweeted that Harris’ selection shows that “the Democratic party has fully embraced the far left and their radical governing agenda” including “Defunding the police.”
Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) tweeted that Democrats had “a radical left ticket of liberal anarchy, defunding police, and government-run healthcare from Joe Biden & Kamala Harris.”
Neither Biden nor Harris has backed defunding law enforcement, though both have embraced police reform.
On Wednesday morning, the Trump campaign released an ad saying that Harris would “give cop killers a pass” and “confiscate your guns by force,” claims that were fact-checked and proven false over a year ago.
Harris’ lengthy career as a prosecutor prior to her election to the U.S. Senate in November 2016 was much scrutinized during her 2020 presidential campaign. While some progressives criticized her aggressive record as a “top cop” and her failure to intervene in cases of police shootings, she presented herself as a “progressive prosecutor” who used the power of her positions to protect the public.
The attacks on Harris mirror a Trump campaign strategy against Biden.
The Trump campaign has run false ads claiming that Biden stands with a “radical left-wing mob” that wants to “defund the police,” as well as commercials accusing him of destroying “millions of Black lives” with his drafting of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-12--Activists ready to fight sexist attacks on Kamala Harris: 'We have her back'

In the weeks before Joe Biden named Sen. Kamala Harris his running mate , women 's groups were readying a campaign of their own : shutting down sexist coverage and disinformation about a vice presidential nominee they say is headed for months of false smears and `` brutal '' attacks from internet haters .
The groups put the media on notice in recent days that they will call out bias — one campaign is dubbed `` We Have Her Back '' — and established a `` war room '' to refute sexist or false attacks as they happen .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Within minutes of the presumptive Democratic nominee 's announcement Tuesday , false information was circulating on social media , claiming that Harris had called Biden a `` racist '' and that she is not eligible to be president .
The women 's groups say their efforts are informed by the sexism Hillary Clinton faced from Donald Trump , some of his supporters , and the media during the 2016 campaign .
`` This time we understand the patterns , and this time we have the organizational infrastructure to push back , '' said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women 's advocacy group UltraViolet , which released a 32-page guide for media along with a coalition of groups including Color of Change PAC , Planned Parenthood Votes , and Women 's March .
While the groups have primarily been led by Democrats , their efforts are backed by nonpartisan groups and some Republicans .
The war room will call out bias and disinformation against women in both parties up and down the ballot , said Tina Tchen , CEO of Time 's Up Now , which fights sexual harassment in the workplace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vice presidential nominee is to be expected , but women are often unfairly criticized as overly emotional , weak , or unqualified , or for their appearance or demeanor in a way that men are not .
The attacks , which include false smears and threats of violence online , not only hurt campaigns but dissuade women from seeking office .
Christine Todd Whitman , a former New Jersey governor and Republican , said Biden 's running mate will be at the center of an `` ugly '' social media campaign from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be brutal because these platforms allow people to do things anonymously , saying things anonymously , '' Whitman said .
If elected , Harris would be the country 's first Black vice president .
That has invited not only sexist but also racist commentary and misinformation around her candidacy .
Harris , who was born in Oakland , California , has been the victim of online falsehoods for more than a year that say she is not eligible to become president because her parents were not born in America .
More recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the misinformation : that since Harris is not eligible to be president , if Biden did n't finish his term the presidency would automatically default to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , a Democrat .
There is no truth to that — Harris is a natural-born U.S. citizen who 's eligible to be president — yet the misinformation has been shared by thousands of Facebook users .
Facebook has labeled the posts as false but has not removed them from its platform .
The misinformation hearkens back to the conspiracy theories in 2008 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black U.S. president , that claimed he was born in Kenya , not the United States .
Those claims were amplified by Donald Trump , then a reality TV star , and gained so much traction during the campaign that Obama produced a birth certificate showing he was born in Honolulu .
The latest attacks on Harris ' citizenship were highlighted in a letter from more than 100 lawmakers from around the country and the world sent to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg calling on them to remove misinformation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Much of the most hateful content directed at women on Facebook is amplified by your algorithms which reward extreme and dangerous points of view with greater reach and visibility , '' said the letter , which was spearheaded by Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier of California .
Cindy Southworth , Facebook 's head of women 's safety , said the company will work with the lawmakers to `` surface new solutions . ''
`` Abuse of women on the internet is a serious problem , one we tackle in a variety of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removes potentially abusive content before it happens , by enforcing strict policies , and by talking with experts to ensure we stay ahead of new tactics , '' she said .
But mere minutes after Harris was announced as Biden 's running mate , pro-Trump social media personalities and conservative news outlets claimed Harris called Biden a racist during a televised Democratic debate last year .
In reality , she said , `` I do not believe you 're a racist '' before criticizing his past opposition to policies around school desegregation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ mate had been littered with misleading online attacks on women under consideration .
Former national security adviser Susan Rice was accused of committing crimes in office , and Democratic Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer , who authorized strict stay-at-home orders in Michigan this year , was pelted with memes and images likening her to Adolf Hitler or an `` evil queen . ''
Harris is likely prepared for the onslaught ahead this year after watching how 2016 unfolded on social media , said Sarah Oates , a political communications professor at the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be vilified , no matter who she is , '' Oates said .
`` In 2020 , people are much more attuned and aware of it .
That does n't mean it 's going to make it better , but at least you can be more aware of the toxicity . ''

In the weeks before Joe Biden named Sen. Kamala Harris his running mate, women’s groups were readying a campaign of their own: shutting down sexist coverage and disinformation about a vice presidential nominee they say is headed for months of false smears and “brutal” attacks from internet haters.
The groups put the media on notice in recent days that they will call out bias — one campaign is dubbed “We Have Her Back” — and established a “war room” to refute sexist or false attacks as they happen.
They didn’t have to wait long. Within minutes of the presumptive Democratic nominee’s announcement Tuesday, false information was circulating on social media, claiming that Harris had called Biden a “racist” and that she is not eligible to be president.
The women’s groups say their efforts are informed by the sexism Hillary Clinton faced from Donald Trump, some of his supporters, and the media during the 2016 campaign.
“This time we understand the patterns, and this time we have the organizational infrastructure to push back,” said Shaunna Thomas, executive director of the women’s advocacy group UltraViolet, which released a 32-page guide for media along with a coalition of groups including Color of Change PAC, Planned Parenthood Votes, and Women’s March.
While the groups have primarily been led by Democrats, their efforts are backed by nonpartisan groups and some Republicans.
The war room will call out bias and disinformation against women in both parties up and down the ballot, said Tina Tchen, CEO of Time’s Up Now, which fights sexual harassment in the workplace.
The groups say intense scrutiny of a vice presidential nominee is to be expected, but women are often unfairly criticized as overly emotional, weak, or unqualified, or for their appearance or demeanor in a way that men are not. The attacks, which include false smears and threats of violence online, not only hurt campaigns but dissuade women from seeking office.
Christine Todd Whitman, a former New Jersey governor and Republican, said Biden’s running mate will be at the center of an “ugly” social media campaign from online bullies.
“This is going to be brutal because these platforms allow people to do things anonymously, saying things anonymously,” Whitman said.
If elected, Harris would be the country’s first Black vice president. That has invited not only sexist but also racist commentary and misinformation around her candidacy.
Harris, who was born in Oakland, California, has been the victim of online falsehoods for more than a year that say she is not eligible to become president because her parents were not born in America. More recently, Facebook users added a new twist to the misinformation: that since Harris is not eligible to be president, if Biden didn’t finish his term the presidency would automatically default to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat.
There is no truth to that — Harris is a natural-born U.S. citizen who’s eligible to be president — yet the misinformation has been shared by thousands of Facebook users. Facebook has labeled the posts as false but has not removed them from its platform.
The misinformation hearkens back to the conspiracy theories in 2008 around Democrat Barack Obama, the first Black U.S. president, that claimed he was born in Kenya, not the United States. Those claims were amplified by Donald Trump, then a reality TV star, and gained so much traction during the campaign that Obama produced a birth certificate showing he was born in Honolulu.
The latest attacks on Harris’ citizenship were highlighted in a letter from more than 100 lawmakers from around the country and the world sent to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg calling on them to remove misinformation, and posts or accounts that threaten women.
“Much of the most hateful content directed at women on Facebook is amplified by your algorithms which reward extreme and dangerous points of view with greater reach and visibility,” said the letter, which was spearheaded by Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier of California.
Cindy Southworth, Facebook’s head of women’s safety, said the company will work with the lawmakers to “surface new solutions.”
“Abuse of women on the internet is a serious problem, one we tackle in a variety of ways — through technology that identifies and removes potentially abusive content before it happens, by enforcing strict policies, and by talking with experts to ensure we stay ahead of new tactics,” she said.
But mere minutes after Harris was announced as Biden’s running mate, pro-Trump social media personalities and conservative news outlets claimed Harris called Biden a racist during a televised Democratic debate last year. In reality, she said, “I do not believe you’re a racist” before criticizing his past opposition to policies around school desegregation.
The road to becoming Biden’s running mate had been littered with misleading online attacks on women under consideration.
Former national security adviser Susan Rice was accused of committing crimes in office, and Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who authorized strict stay-at-home orders in Michigan this year, was pelted with memes and images likening her to Adolf Hitler or an “evil queen.”
Harris is likely prepared for the onslaught ahead this year after watching how 2016 unfolded on social media, said Sarah Oates, a political communications professor at the University of Maryland.
“She is going to be vilified, no matter who she is,” Oates said. “In 2020, people are much more attuned and aware of it. That doesn’t mean it’s going to make it better, but at least you can be more aware of the toxicity.”


shareblue--2020-08-12--McConnell's refusal to give virus aid to states could cost 4 million jobs

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell 's refusal to provide coronavirus relief to cities and states facing massive budget shortfalls due to the pandemic could deal a devastating blow to the economic recovery , leading to millions of job losses .
Moody 's Analytics told the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that if Congress does not agree to give more aid to cities and states , the economy would contract by 3 % and more than 4 million jobs could be lost .
The coronavirus relief package Senate Republicans introduced last month did not initially include new aid for cities and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus relief package , Trump administration negotiators have said they are willing to give $ 150 billion in aid to cities and states .
However , that is far short of the $ 500 billion in losses Moody 's estimated will be lost over the next two fiscal years .
House Democrats passed a relief bill on May 15 that would provide $ 915 billion for state and local relief .
But McConnell has refused to consider the Democratic bill and has been digging in his heels when it comes to helping cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revenue fall off a cliff as businesses shuttered thanks to the coronavirus .
McConnell has characterized aid to state and local governments as a `` Blue State Bailout , '' and told Fox News on Tuesday he wants to take any possibility for providing more aid to states `` off the table . ''
On Monday , Trump tweeted that congressional Democrats , `` only wanted BAILOUT MONEY for Democrat run states and cities that are failing badly . ''
That is not true .
Republican-run states are also facing budget shortfalls thanks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also asking for more money .
The Journal reported that Louisiana , which has a GOP-controlled legislature , is facing a 46 % decline in revenue thanks to the coronavirus .
Lousiana 's Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy is asking for $ 500 billion for states and local governments , $ 350 billion more than the current GOP offer .
Negotiations on the relief bill are currently stalled , and it 's unclear when they will resume .
Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows , one of the administration officials negotiating a potential deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s refusal to provide coronavirus relief to cities and states facing massive budget shortfalls due to the pandemic could deal a devastating blow to the economic recovery, leading to millions of job losses.
Moody’s Analytics told the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that if Congress does not agree to give more aid to cities and states, the economy would contract by 3% and more than 4 million jobs could be lost.
The coronavirus relief package Senate Republicans introduced last month did not initially include new aid for cities and states. But since releasing the initial coronavirus relief package, Trump administration negotiators have said they are willing to give $150 billion in aid to cities and states.
However, that is far short of the $500 billion in losses Moody’s estimated will be lost over the next two fiscal years.
House Democrats passed a relief bill on May 15 that would provide $915 billion for state and local relief.
But McConnell has refused to consider the Democratic bill and has been digging in his heels when it comes to helping cities and states, who have seen tax revenue fall off a cliff as businesses shuttered thanks to the coronavirus.
McConnell has characterized aid to state and local governments as a “Blue State Bailout,” and told Fox News on Tuesday he wants to take any possibility for providing more aid to states “off the table.”
On Monday, Trump tweeted that congressional Democrats, “only wanted BAILOUT MONEY for Democrat run states and cities that are failing badly.”
That is not true.
Republican-run states are also facing budget shortfalls thanks to the pandemic — and they’re also asking for more money.
The Journal reported that Louisiana, which has a GOP-controlled legislature, is facing a 46% decline in revenue thanks to the coronavirus. Lousiana’s Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy is asking for $500 billion for states and local governments, $350 billion more than the current GOP offer.
Negotiations on the relief bill are currently stalled, and it’s unclear when they will resume.
Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, one of the administration officials negotiating a potential deal, is out on vacation for the week.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-12--These conservatives funded the racist QAnon fan who just won a House nomination

Marjorie Taylor Greene — a Republican who embraces the widely debunked and dangerous QAnon conspiracy theory that the FBI has labeled as a domestic terrorism threat — won a runoff election for Georgia 's 14th District on Tuesday night .
With the district a deep red stronghold , Greene is all but guaranteed a spot in the House of Representatives now .
With nearly all precincts reporting , Greene won 57.2 % to 42.8 % of the vote over conservative physician John Cowan .
Greene holds numerous anti-Semitic , racist , and Islamophobic views .
According to videos obtained by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people do not `` belong in our government , '' equated anti-racism protesters with Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members , claimed there is no systemic racism in the United States because `` slavery is over , '' and suggested that Black people are just `` lazy '' and make `` bad choices . ''
Her support for the baseless QAnon conspiracy , which claims a cabal of powerful politicians — most of them Democrats — are running an international child trafficking ring and working to undermine Donald Trump , has also alarmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video praising the supposed faceless leader of the QAnon conspiracy movement , saying , `` Q is a patriot , '' and claiming `` there 's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take this global cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles out , and I think we have the president to do it . ''
In her victory speech Tuesday night , Greene bragged about her primary campaign , saying , `` The Republican establishment was against me .
The D.C. swamp is against me .
And the lying fake news media hates my guts .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She also attacked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as `` anti-American '' and a `` bitch . ''
But contrary to her claims , much of the Republican establishment backed her during her primary bid , or at least refused to back her opponent .
Greene was in fact bankrolled by several prominent conservatives .
According to Federal Election Commission filings , she received tens of thousands of dollars from high profile Republicans and conservative political action committees .
A group of the most right-wing Republicans in the House sent Greene several contributions during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total , the House Freedom Fund PAC raised and funneled at least $ 26,052 in donations between last December and June 30 .
The group did not respond to an inquiry for this story , but praised her as `` a proven leader and an outspoken defender of liberty who will fight for limited government and economic freedom in Washington '' on its website .
The petrochemical company , co-owned by conservative mega-donor Charles Koch , contributed $ 5,000 to Greene in June through its corporate PAC .
The company did not respond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The conservative group , best known for its landmark lawsuit challenging campaign finance rules , is run by Donald Trump deputy 2016 campaign manager David Bossie .
The Citizens United Political Victory Fund PAC contributed $ 2,000 to Greene in April .
The group did not respond to an inquiry for this story .
Jordan ( R-OH ) is a seventh-term U.S. representative and the top minority party member of the House Judiciary Committee .
His campaign contributed $ 2,000 to Greene in April .
Jordan did not respond to an inquiry for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terms as a Republican U.S. representative from North Carolina , Meadows resigned his seat on March 30 to join the Trump administration .
His now-shuttered Your Voice Counts leadership PAC sent $ 2,000 to Greene in late March , weeks after Trump named him as the incoming White House chief of staff .
Biggs ( R-AZ ) is a second-term congressman and chair of the House Freedom Caucus .
His campaign contributed $ 1,000 to Greene in June .
Biggs did not respond to an inquiry for this story .
While a spokesperson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The New York Times in June that Greene 's comments were `` appalling , '' McCarthy ( R-CA ) stayed neutral in Tuesday 's runoff .
His spokesperson told Politico on Sunday that he and Greene have `` a good and productive relationship . ''
Greene will now face Kevin Van Ausdale , a financial technology industry worker , in November for retiring Rep. Tom Graves ' open seat .
According to the Cook Political Report , the deeply red district is 27 points more Republican than the nation as a whole .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not respond to an inquiry for this story .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Marjorie Taylor Greene — a Republican who embraces the widely debunked and dangerous QAnon conspiracy theory that the FBI has labeled as a domestic terrorism threat — won a runoff election for Georgia’s 14th District on Tuesday night.
With the district a deep red stronghold, Greene is all but guaranteed a spot in the House of Representatives now.
With nearly all precincts reporting, Greene won 57.2% to 42.8% of the vote over conservative physician John Cowan.
Greene holds numerous anti-Semitic, racist, and Islamophobic views. According to videos obtained by Politico, she has said that Muslim people do not “belong in our government,” equated anti-racism protesters with Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members, claimed there is no systemic racism in the United States because “slavery is over,” and suggested that Black people are just “lazy” and make “bad choices.”
Her support for the baseless QAnon conspiracy, which claims a cabal of powerful politicians — most of them Democrats — are running an international child trafficking ring and working to undermine Donald Trump, has also alarmed onlookers.
Greene once posted a YouTube video praising the supposed faceless leader of the QAnon conspiracy movement, saying, “Q is a patriot,” and claiming “there’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take this global cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles out, and I think we have the president to do it.”
In her victory speech Tuesday night, Greene bragged about her primary campaign, saying, “The Republican establishment was against me. The D.C. swamp is against me. And the lying fake news media hates my guts. It’s a badge of honor.”
She also attacked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as “anti-American” and a “bitch.”
But contrary to her claims, much of the Republican establishment backed her during her primary bid, or at least refused to back her opponent.
Greene was in fact bankrolled by several prominent conservatives. According to Federal Election Commission filings, she received tens of thousands of dollars from high profile Republicans and conservative political action committees.
Her donors include:
The House Freedom Caucus
A group of the most right-wing Republicans in the House sent Greene several contributions during the course of her campaign. In total, the House Freedom Fund PAC raised and funneled at least $26,052 in donations between last December and June 30. The group did not respond to an inquiry for this story, but praised her as “a proven leader and an outspoken defender of liberty who will fight for limited government and economic freedom in Washington” on its website.
Koch Industries
The petrochemical company, co-owned by conservative mega-donor Charles Koch, contributed $5,000 to Greene in June through its corporate PAC.
A Koch spokesperson said in an email Thursday that the company no longer supports Greene’s campaign. They noted that “in June, upon learning of Ms. Greene’s past comments, KOCHPAC immediately requested a refund of its contribution.”
“We said at the time that we do not condone such harmful and divisive rhetoric,” they added.
Citizens United
The conservative group, best known for its landmark lawsuit challenging campaign finance rules, is run by Donald Trump deputy 2016 campaign manager David Bossie. The Citizens United Political Victory Fund PAC contributed $2,000 to Greene in April. The group did not respond to an inquiry for this story.
Rep. Jim Jordan
Jordan (R-OH) is a seventh-term U.S. representative and the top minority party member of the House Judiciary Committee. His campaign contributed $2,000 to Greene in April. Jordan did not respond to an inquiry for this story.
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows
After service nearly four terms as a Republican U.S. representative from North Carolina, Meadows resigned his seat on March 30 to join the Trump administration. His now-shuttered Your Voice Counts leadership PAC sent $2,000 to Greene in late March, weeks after Trump named him as the incoming White House chief of staff.
Rep. Andy Biggs
Biggs (R-AZ) is a second-term congressman and chair of the House Freedom Caucus. His campaign contributed $1,000 to Greene in June. Biggs did not respond to an inquiry for this story.
While a spokesperson for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy told The New York Times in June that Greene’s comments were “appalling,” McCarthy (R-CA) stayed neutral in Tuesday’s runoff. His spokesperson told Politico on Sunday that he and Greene have “a good and productive relationship.”
Greene will now face Kevin Van Ausdale, a financial technology industry worker, in November for retiring Rep. Tom Graves’ open seat. According to the Cook Political Report, the deeply red district is 27 points more Republican than the nation as a whole.
A spokesperson for Greene’s campaign did not respond to an inquiry for this story.
This article was updated with comment from Koch Industries.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-13--How Arkansas used a Supreme Court win for abortion rights to delay abortions

When Chief Justice John Roberts joined the liberal wing of the United States Supreme Court in last term 's abortion case , June Medical v. Russo , it led to a decision that narrowly preserved some abortion rights .
It was a hollow victory though , as Roberts ' concurrence gave a roadmap to lower courts to approve a host of abortion restrictions .
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals took advantage of that almost immediately , upholding four Arkansas laws that impose multiple severe abortion restrictions sure to push abortions later in pregnancy .
Beginning August 28 , Arkansas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procedure .
Another new law requires doctors to spend time obtaining complete pregnancy-related medical records of the person seeking an abortion .
All of this can happen because of how Chief Justice Roberts ruled in the June Medical case .
There , the Supreme Court struck down Louisiana 's admitting privileges law , which required abortion providers to have an arrangement with a hospital to admit patients if there were complications .
When Roberts joined the majority , it seemed like a win .
However , as Gretchen Borchelt , vice president for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Women 's Law Center , wrote , Roberts ' concurrence in June Medical went `` out of its way to find common ground with the dissenters , including disdain for the Supreme Court 's most recent precedent . ''
He grudgingly joined the majority only because he felt bound by the Court 's decision in Whole Women 's Health v. Hellerstedt , decided just four years previously .
Roberts ' opinion was packed with explanations of the types of abortion restrictions he does favor , including waiting periods , parental consent requirements , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only concurred with the liberal wing 's bottom-line holding , not the overall opinion .
Because of that , reasoned the Eighth Circuit — and likely other conservative courts to follow — Roberts ' separate , much more restrictive , opinion is the controlling one and can be used to justify burdensome restrictions that create delays or deny access to abortion .
That 's because , as Lithwick pointed out , Roberts followed the `` substantial obstacle '' test rather than balancing the burdens and benefits of abortion restrictions .
Under that view @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restriction is burdensome as long as the state makes a vague assertion that the law will protect mothers .
Arkansas now bans medication abortion , a highly safe procedure and a common early method in addition to banning the most common method of for second-trimester abortions .
Finally , Arkansas also has a 22-week ban .
Taken together , that makes abortion challenging to obtain at any stage in pregnancy .
In addition to method bans , other requirements can prove daunting and create delays .
The patient is required to find the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the product of rape .
That takes time and might be something the patient is scared or unable to do .
It also takes time for the doctor to obtain the patient 's medical records to ensure they are not seeking an abortion for sex selection .
The law is n't clear on how much time a doctor is required to spend doing that , nor what happens if the doctor can not obtain those records .
The law imposes criminal penalties and civil money damages on doctors who run afoul of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wary of performing abortions if medical records are incomplete or unavailable .
Finally , prior to these new laws , Arkansas already had a 72-hour waiting period , mandated counseling , and parental consent laws .
The Guttmacher Institute , which examines abortion policy , has found that waiting periods contribute to a delay that is longer than merely the waiting period itself .
People must make two round trips to a clinic , arranging for child care , days off work , and transportation .
A study of Utah 's waiting period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into an average of an eight-day delay between the counseling and the procedure .
If a patient is not able to obtain an abortion in Arkansas , which looks exceedingly likely , they will have to travel nearly triple the distance they did before .
They would have to make arrangements for hotel stays and other travel-related costs in another state .
Those costs can be prohibitive , further delaying access to abortion .
Besides travel-related costs , abortions later in pregnancy cost more .
Procedures often cost well over $ 1,000 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 weeks .
People with lower incomes can get caught in a vicious cycle : They ca n't initially afford an abortion , so it takes time to raise the funds for an abortion , which further delays the abortion , making abortion more expensive .
Arkansas was already a state considered very hostile to abortion .
Thanks to John Roberts , it just got a lot more hostile and abortions will be much tougher to get .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

When Chief Justice John Roberts joined the liberal wing of the United States Supreme Court in last term’s abortion case, June Medical v. Russo, it led to a decision that narrowly preserved some abortion rights. It was a hollow victory though, as Roberts’ concurrence gave a roadmap to lower courts to approve a host of abortion restrictions.
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals took advantage of that almost immediately, upholding four Arkansas laws that impose multiple severe abortion restrictions sure to push abortions later in pregnancy.
Beginning August 28, Arkansas will ban the most common second-trimester abortion procedure. Another new law requires doctors to spend time obtaining complete pregnancy-related medical records of the person seeking an abortion.
All of this can happen because of how Chief Justice Roberts ruled in the June Medical case. There, the Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s admitting privileges law, which required abortion providers to have an arrangement with a hospital to admit patients if there were complications. When Roberts joined the majority, it seemed like a win.
However, as Gretchen Borchelt, vice president for reproductive rights and health at the National Women’s Law Center, wrote, Roberts’ concurrence in June Medical went “out of its way to find common ground with the dissenters, including disdain for the Supreme Court’s most recent precedent.” He grudgingly joined the majority only because he felt bound by the Court’s decision in Whole Women’s Health v. Hellerstedt, decided just four years previously.
Roberts’ opinion was packed with explanations of the types of abortion restrictions he does favor, including waiting periods, parental consent requirements, and forced counseling. Additionally, Roberts only concurred with the liberal wing’s bottom-line holding, not the overall opinion.
Because of that, reasoned the Eighth Circuit — and likely other conservative courts to follow — Roberts’ separate, much more restrictive, opinion is the controlling one and can be used to justify burdensome restrictions that create delays or deny access to abortion.
That’s because, as Lithwick pointed out, Roberts followed the “substantial obstacle” test rather than balancing the burdens and benefits of abortion restrictions. Under that view, it doesn’t matter whether a restriction is burdensome as long as the state makes a vague assertion that the law will protect mothers.
Arkansas now bans medication abortion, a highly safe procedure and a common early method in addition to banning the most common method of for second-trimester abortions. Finally, Arkansas also has a 22-week ban. Taken together, that makes abortion challenging to obtain at any stage in pregnancy.
In addition to method bans, other requirements can prove daunting and create delays. The patient is required to find the father, even if the pregnancy was the product of rape. That takes time and might be something the patient is scared or unable to do.
It also takes time for the doctor to obtain the patient’s medical records to ensure they are not seeking an abortion for sex selection. The law isn’t clear on how much time a doctor is required to spend doing that, nor what happens if the doctor cannot obtain those records. The law imposes criminal penalties and civil money damages on doctors who run afoul of that provision, which may make them very wary of performing abortions if medical records are incomplete or unavailable.
Finally, prior to these new laws, Arkansas already had a 72-hour waiting period, mandated counseling, and parental consent laws. The Guttmacher Institute, which examines abortion policy, has found that waiting periods contribute to a delay that is longer than merely the waiting period itself. People must make two round trips to a clinic, arranging for child care, days off work, and transportation. A study of Utah’s waiting period found that the 72-hour waiting period translated into an average of an eight-day delay between the counseling and the procedure.
If a patient is not able to obtain an abortion in Arkansas, which looks exceedingly likely, they will have to travel nearly triple the distance they did before. They would have to make arrangements for hotel stays and other travel-related costs in another state. Those costs can be prohibitive, further delaying access to abortion.
Besides travel-related costs, abortions later in pregnancy cost more. Procedures often cost well over $1,000, or double the cost of abortion before 10 weeks. People with lower incomes can get caught in a vicious cycle: They can’t initially afford an abortion, so it takes time to raise the funds for an abortion, which further delays the abortion, making abortion more expensive.
Arkansas was already a state considered very hostile to abortion. Thanks to John Roberts, it just got a lot more hostile and abortions will be much tougher to get.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-13--McConnell sends Senate home for a month without giving Americans virus relief

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday adjourned the Senate until Sept. 8 , ensuring that struggling Americans facing job losses and possible financial ruin wo n't receive financial assistance for nearly a month or more .
McConnell sent the Senate home without it ever taking a vote on a coronavirus relief package — even though the unemployment rate remains above 10 % , and millions of Americans say they do n't know how they can make ends meet without added unemployment benefits that Senate Republicans let expire .
The Democratic-led House of Representatives passed its own bill in May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 600 additional weekly unemployment insurance payment through the end of the year , as well as authorized a new round of direct payments to Americans .
Senate Republicans , however , refused to vote or even debate the House bill .
Instead , they waited more than two months , until the added unemployment payments were on the brink of expiration , to start negotiating on a deal .
And even then , they dug in their heels , demanding that unemployment payments be slashed and refusing to help fund other critical needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Service , which is expected to see a massive surge in mail this fall due to an increase in the number of states adopting vote-by-mail provisions to help stave off possible coronavirus spread from in-person voting on Election Day .
Donald Trump admitted on Thursday that he 's trying to block USPS funding , and contributing to a holdup in approval of a coronavirus aid package , because he does n't want universal mail-in voting , which he thinks will help Democrats in November .
There is no evidence that mail-in voting benefits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for his part , also helped stall negotiations when he signed a slew of executive actions he claimed were placeholders for a deal .
His chief of staff , Mark Meadows , one of his top coronavirus relief negotiators , took a week-long vacation rather than continue to try to reach a deal with Democrats on an aid package .
The executive actions Trump signed do not replace a federal coronavirus aid package .
And the executive order Trump signed , which directed that $ 44 million from the Federal Emergency Management @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cover the extension of unemployment insurance payments , and that the states contribute an additional $ 15 billion , is being panned by governors .
Trump claimed the order would give $ 400 a week to those collecting unemployment insurance .
However , Trump wanted states to pay $ 100 of each $ 400 payment , money governors say they simply do not have .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday adjourned the Senate until Sept. 8, ensuring that struggling Americans facing job losses and possible financial ruin won’t receive financial assistance for nearly a month or more.
McConnell sent the Senate home without it ever taking a vote on a coronavirus relief package — even though the unemployment rate remains above 10%, and millions of Americans say they don’t know how they can make ends meet without added unemployment benefits that Senate Republicans let expire.
The Democratic-led House of Representatives passed its own bill in May. It would have extended a $600 additional weekly unemployment insurance payment through the end of the year, as well as authorized a new round of direct payments to Americans.
Senate Republicans, however, refused to vote or even debate the House bill. Instead, they waited more than two months, until the added unemployment payments were on the brink of expiration, to start negotiating on a deal.
And even then, they dug in their heels, demanding that unemployment payments be slashed and refusing to help fund other critical needs, such as the United States Postal Service, which is expected to see a massive surge in mail this fall due to an increase in the number of states adopting vote-by-mail provisions to help stave off possible coronavirus spread from in-person voting on Election Day.
Donald Trump admitted on Thursday that he’s trying to block USPS funding, and contributing to a holdup in approval of a coronavirus aid package, because he doesn’t want universal mail-in voting, which he thinks will help Democrats in November. There is no evidence that mail-in voting benefits one political party over another.
Trump, for his part, also helped stall negotiations when he signed a slew of executive actions he claimed were placeholders for a deal. His chief of staff, Mark Meadows, one of his top coronavirus relief negotiators, took a week-long vacation rather than continue to try to reach a deal with Democrats on an aid package.
The executive actions Trump signed do not replace a federal coronavirus aid package.
And the executive order Trump signed, which directed that $44 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Relief Fund be redirected to cover the extension of unemployment insurance payments, and that the states contribute an additional $15 billion, is being panned by governors.
Trump claimed the order would give $400 a week to those collecting unemployment insurance. However, Trump wanted states to pay $100 of each $400 payment, money governors say they simply do not have.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-13--Fact check: Trump's new tax cut would actually defund Social Security

Donald Trump 's proposed payroll tax cut is a threat to Social Security no matter how he casts it .
During a news conference Wednesday , he insisted he could eliminate the tax if he were reelected , and do it without undercutting retirement benefits or greatly adding to the deficit .
He said economic growth would offset the revenue losses .
That claim has little basis in reality .
He also pointed to a manufacturing boom during the coronavirus pandemic , but there is n't one .
A look at some of his economic claims : TRUMP : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the assumption that I win , I 'm going to terminate the payroll tax ... We 'll be paying into Social Security through the General Fund . ''
THE FACTS : Trump , in effect , has endorsed defunding Social Security by not providing an alternative source of revenues .
The risk is that this could destabilize an anti-poverty program that provides payments to roughly 65 million Americans .
It also could force people to cut back on the spending that drives growth so they can save for their own retirement and health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backstop is in jeopardy .
A 12.4 % payroll tax split between employers and workers funds Social Security , while a 2.9 % payroll tax finances Medicare .
These taxes raised $ 1.24 trillion last year , according to the Congressional Budget Office .
Over a 10-year period , Trump 's idea would blow a $ 16.1 trillion hole in a U.S. budget that is already laden with rising debt loads .
Trump last week announced a payroll tax deferral through the end of the year , part of a series of moves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broader coronavirus relief bill stalled .
He says he will make it a permanent tax cut with the help of Congress .
Democrats have described that idea as a nonstarter .
TRUMP , asked how the General Fund can sustain the payments : `` We 're going to have tremendous growth .
... You will see growth like you have not seen in a long time . ''
THE FACTS : It is highly unlikely that economic growth would be enough to offset the loss of the payroll tax .
Indeed , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would propel economic growth as high as 6 % annually .
That never happened .
Growth reached 3 % in 2018 , then slumped to 2.2 % , and the U.S. economy crumbled into recession this year because of the coronavirus .
TRUMP : `` The manufacturing sector is booming and the production index is at the highest reading since October of '18 , which was an extraordinary period of time . ''
THE FACTS : The pandemic crushed U.S. factories and the damage persists .
There is no boom .
Even after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the manufacturing sector has 740,000 fewer jobs than before the outbreak .
All the factory hiring gains under Trump have disappeared .
There were 257,000 more manufacturing jobs on the day Trump became president than now .
More important , the jobs recovery has shown signs of stalling .
Just 26,000 factory jobs were added in July , down from 357,000 added jobs in June .
The sector has been recovering .
Yet after increases in production in June , the Federal Reserve said U.S. factory output @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump cited one component of an index composed by the Institute for Supply Management that indicates factory production grew in July as well .
It was the best reading since August of 2018 , not October as claimed by the president .
But that same report showed that manufacturers are also cutting back on employment , suggesting that a boom has yet to begin .

Donald Trump’s proposed payroll tax cut is a threat to Social Security no matter how he casts it.
During a news conference Wednesday, he insisted he could eliminate the tax if he were reelected, and do it without undercutting retirement benefits or greatly adding to the deficit. He said economic growth would offset the revenue losses.
That claim has little basis in reality.
He also pointed to a manufacturing boom during the coronavirus pandemic, but there isn’t one.
A look at some of his economic claims:
TRUMP: “At the end of the year, the assumption that I win, I’m going to terminate the payroll tax … We’ll be paying into Social Security through the General Fund.”
THE FACTS: Trump, in effect, has endorsed defunding Social Security by not providing an alternative source of revenues.
The risk is that this could destabilize an anti-poverty program that provides payments to roughly 65 million Americans. It also could force people to cut back on the spending that drives growth so they can save for their own retirement and health care needs if they believe the government backstop is in jeopardy.
A 12.4% payroll tax split between employers and workers funds Social Security, while a 2.9% payroll tax finances Medicare. These taxes raised $1.24 trillion last year, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Over a 10-year period, Trump’s idea would blow a $16.1 trillion hole in a U.S. budget that is already laden with rising debt loads.
Trump last week announced a payroll tax deferral through the end of the year, part of a series of moves to bypass Congress after talks on a broader coronavirus relief bill stalled. He says he will make it a permanent tax cut with the help of Congress. Democrats have described that idea as a nonstarter.
___
TRUMP, asked how the General Fund can sustain the payments: “We’re going to have tremendous growth. … You will see growth like you have not seen in a long time.”
THE FACTS: It is highly unlikely that economic growth would be enough to offset the loss of the payroll tax. Indeed, Trump suggested that his 2017 income tax cuts would propel economic growth as high as 6% annually. That never happened. Growth reached 3% in 2018, then slumped to 2.2%, and the U.S. economy crumbled into recession this year because of the coronavirus.
___
TRUMP: “The manufacturing sector is booming and the production index is at the highest reading since October of ’18, which was an extraordinary period of time.”
THE FACTS: The pandemic crushed U.S. factories and the damage persists. There is no boom.
Even after three months of job gains, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the manufacturing sector has 740,000 fewer jobs than before the outbreak. All the factory hiring gains under Trump have disappeared. There were 257,000 more manufacturing jobs on the day Trump became president than now. More important, the jobs recovery has shown signs of stalling. Just 26,000 factory jobs were added in July, down from 357,000 added jobs in June.
The sector has been recovering. Yet after increases in production in June, the Federal Reserve said U.S. factory output was running 11.1% below pre-pandemic levels. Trump cited one component of an index composed by the Institute for Supply Management that indicates factory production grew in July as well. It was the best reading since August of 2018, not October as claimed by the president. But that same report showed that manufacturers are also cutting back on employment, suggesting that a boom has yet to begin.