shareblue--2020-02-04--The Iowa caucuses were a mess. Here's what happens now.

Americans woke up Tuesday morning still not knowing who won Monday 's Iowa Democratic caucuses .
The results of the first in the nation selection process were delayed as officials worked to validate the outcome .
`` It 's a mess , '' Roger Lau , Sen. Elizabeth Warren 's campaign manager , said Monday night .
`` I think that every single second that passes where we do n't get a final result is concerning . ''
According to Vox , some Iowa volunteers were unable to download and/or use a new app to report precinct results to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use the app , many volunteers called the state party to report results , but the overwhelmed phone lines resulted in many volunteers unable to get through , or being left on hold for long periods of time .
`` The Iowa Democratic Party has egg on its face right now , '' Jeremy Mayer , associate professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University , said in a phone interview Tuesday .
`` It was a huge own-goal . ''
The Iowa Democratic Party `` found inconsistencies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precincts around the state , Mandy McClure , Iowa Democratic Party communications director , said in a late Monday statement .
McClure said it was `` simply a reporting issue , '' initially denying that the app used by volunteers was hacked or malfunctioned .
A Tuesday morning statement from Iowa Democratic Chair Tony Price confirmed that the app had malfunctioned , reporting only partial data .
Unlike previous years , the Iowa Democratic Party is reporting three separate results this year : The winner of the most state delegates ; the raw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alignment ; and the raw vote totals of the final alignment .
( Read more about the Iowa caucus process here . )
So what happens now ?
In Price 's statement , he said that the issue with the reporting app was fixed , but that Iowa Democratic Party staff resorted to manually entering data , which caused a delay in reporting results .
According to Price , some precincts were still reporting data to party headquarters on Tuesday morning .
What if they ca n't fix it ?
This year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cards listing the candidate they supported .
Even without the reporting app , Iowa Democrats are confident they will be able to report out the full results .
`` Because of the required paper documentation , we have been able to verify that the data recorded in the app and used to calculate State Delegate Equivalents is valid and accurate , '' Price said .
When will the results be called ?
According to Price , the party plans to release results `` as soon as possible today [ Tuesday ] , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ensure that the integrity and accuracy of the process continues to be upheld . ''
Even though there were no results , many of the candidates gave nationally televised speeches to their supporters .
South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg seemed to declare victory in his speech , despite a lack of results .
Sen. Bernie Sanders ' campaign released unofficial , unverified results from 40 % of Iowa precincts , which showed Sanders leading .
Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sens .
Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar rallied their supporters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night .
By Tuesday morning , according to the Post , many candidates were already in New Hampshire , the next state to vote in the Democratic primary calendar .
That primary will be held on Tuesday , Feb. 11 .
While there was no clear winner on Monday evening , `` the big loser was Iowa itself , '' Mayer added on Tuesday , noting the chaos will embolden those who seek to remove Iowa from its first in the nation status .
A clear winner would be preferable to these muddled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation is `` exactly what people who care about the health of our democracy did not need . ''
Mayer also said he `` absolutely anticipates '' lingering doubts about the validity of the Iowa results and worries the story will stay in the background even as the campaigns move forward .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Americans woke up Tuesday morning still not knowing who won Monday’s Iowa Democratic caucuses. The results of the first in the nation selection process were delayed as officials worked to validate the outcome.
“It’s a mess,” Roger Lau, Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s campaign manager, said Monday night. “I think that every single second that passes where we don’t get a final result is concerning.”
According to Vox, some Iowa volunteers were unable to download and/or use a new app to report precinct results to the state party headquarters. When unable to use the app, many volunteers called the state party to report results, but the overwhelmed phone lines resulted in many volunteers unable to get through, or being left on hold for long periods of time.
“The Iowa Democratic Party has egg on its face right now,” Jeremy Mayer, associate professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, said in a phone interview Tuesday. “It was a huge own-goal.”
The Iowa Democratic Party “found inconsistencies” in some of the results from precincts around the state, Mandy McClure, Iowa Democratic Party communications director, said in a late Monday statement. McClure said it was “simply a reporting issue,” initially denying that the app used by volunteers was hacked or malfunctioned.
A Tuesday morning statement from Iowa Democratic Chair Tony Price confirmed that the app had malfunctioned, reporting only partial data.
Unlike previous years, the Iowa Democratic Party is reporting three separate results this year: The winner of the most state delegates; the raw initial vote totals, called the initial alignment; and the raw vote totals of the final alignment. (Read more about the Iowa caucus process here.)
So what happens now?
Iowa Democratic Party fixes its app to collect full data
In Price’s statement, he said that the issue with the reporting app was fixed, but that Iowa Democratic Party staff resorted to manually entering data, which caused a delay in reporting results.
According to Price, some precincts were still reporting data to party headquarters on Tuesday morning.
What if they can’t fix it?
This year, Iowa caucus-goers were required to fill out cards listing the candidate they supported. Even without the reporting app, Iowa Democrats are confident they will be able to report out the full results.
“Because of the required paper documentation, we have been able to verify that the data recorded in the app and used to calculate State Delegate Equivalents is valid and accurate,” Price said.
When will the results be called?
According to Price, the party plans to release results “as soon as possible today [Tuesday],” adding that his ultimate goal “is to ensure that the integrity and accuracy of the process continues to be upheld.”
What next?
Even though there were no results, many of the candidates gave nationally televised speeches to their supporters.
South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg seemed to declare victory in his speech, despite a lack of results. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ campaign released unofficial, unverified results from 40% of Iowa precincts, which showed Sanders leading. Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar rallied their supporters, each indicating their campaign had a successful night.
By Tuesday morning, according to the Post, many candidates were already in New Hampshire, the next state to vote in the Democratic primary calendar. That primary will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
While there was no clear winner on Monday evening, “the big loser was Iowa itself,” Mayer added on Tuesday, noting the chaos will embolden those who seek to remove Iowa from its first in the nation status.
A clear winner would be preferable to these muddled results, Mayer said. The current situation is “exactly what people who care about the health of our democracy did not need.”
Mayer also said he “absolutely anticipates” lingering doubts about the validity of the Iowa results and worries the story will stay in the background even as the campaigns move forward.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-02-04--Trump's claim of historic victory in Iowa is flat-out wrong

Donald Trump claimed on Tuesday that his successful performance in Monday 's Iowa caucus was somehow historic , but that is n't true .
President Barack Obama outperformed Trump when he ran for reelection in 2012 .
`` I had the largest re-election vote in the history of that great state , by far , beating President Obama ’ s previous record by a lot , '' Trump tweeted .
`` Also , 97 % Plus of the vote !
Thank you Iowa ! ''
The Iowa Republican Party 's official results show that Trump received 97.15 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received 1.08 % of the vote on Monday night , and William Weld , a former governor of Massachusetts , received 1.31 % of the vote .
Another 0.47 % of the vote went to `` other . ''
Appearing at a caucus site in Ankeny on Monday , Walsh told voters that because of Trump , the Republican Party is losing support from women , people of color , and young voters .
`` If we are n't careful , we are going to become a party of old white guys , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Obama ran unopposed and received 98.44 % of the vote , a higher level of support than the number Trump is touting as `` the largest re-election vote in the history '' of Iowa .
Of the 8,152 convention delegates awarded in the Iowa caucus that year , Obama received 8,065 of them for 99 % support , with only 87 delegates ( 1 % ) backing the `` uncommitted '' position .
Obama went on to overwhelmingly win the general election against Mitt Romney , despite the endorsement Romney received from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump claimed on Tuesday that his successful performance in Monday’s Iowa caucus was somehow historic, but that isn’t true. President Barack Obama outperformed Trump when he ran for reelection in 2012.
“I had the largest re-election vote in the history of that great state, by far, beating President Obama’s previous record by a lot,” Trump tweeted. “Also, 97% Plus of the vote! Thank you Iowa!”
The Iowa Republican Party’s official results show that Trump received 97.15% of the vote. Former Illinois Rep. Joe Walsh received 1.08% of the vote on Monday night, and William Weld, a former governor of Massachusetts, received 1.31% of the vote. Another 0.47% of the vote went to “other.”
Appearing at a caucus site in Ankeny on Monday, Walsh told voters that because of Trump, the Republican Party is losing support from women, people of color, and young voters.
“If we aren’t careful, we are going to become a party of old white guys,” Walsh said.
In 2012, President Obama ran unopposed and received 98.44% of the vote, a higher level of support than the number Trump is touting as “the largest re-election vote in the history” of Iowa. Of the 8,152 convention delegates awarded in the Iowa caucus that year, Obama received 8,065 of them for 99% support, with only 87 delegates (1%) backing the “uncommitted” position.
Obama went on to overwhelmingly win the general election against Mitt Romney, despite the endorsement Romney received from Trump.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-03-30--Daily Cuomo: Trump's political contest with me is 'anti-American'

On Monday , Donald Trump was asked by the hosts of `` Fox & Friends '' about possibly running in the presidential election against New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , who is not a candidate .
`` I would n't mind running against Andrew .
I ’ ve known Andrew for a long time .
I would n't mind that , but I 'll be honest , I think he ’ d be a better candidate than sleepy Joe , '' he told the network , using his frequent epithet for former Vice President Joe Biden .
In his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushed back against the notion that he is focused on politics in his current efforts in governing New York .
ANDREW CUOMO : As far as the president 's comment about having a political contest with me , I am not engaging the president in politics .
My only goal is to engage the president in partnership .
This is no time for politics .
And , you know , lead by example .
I 'm not going to get into a political dispute with the president , I 'm not going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenge .
I 'm not running for president , I was never running for president , I said from day one I was n't running for president , I 'm not running for president now .
I 'm not playing politics .
I just want partnership to deal with this .
And I said to the president quite clearly : Look , when you do good things for my state and you 're a good partner , I will be the first one to say you 're a good partner .
And I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Comfort today , I said , `` Thank you , Mr .
President . ''
We opened up this Javits Center , I said thank you to the Army , they did a great job here , the Army Corps of Engineers .
When you help my state , I 'll say thank you .
If I believe that New York is not being served – the federal legislation that they passed – I will say that too .
You know , sometimes it 's simple .
Just tell the truth , right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Tell the truth .
If you 're doing the right thing by New York , I 'll say it .
If he 's doing the wrong thing by New York or the rest of the country , I 'll say it .
But I 'm not going to engage in politics .
Not because I 'm unwilling to tangle but because I think it 's inappropriate and I think it 's counterproductive and I think it 's anti-American .
Forget the politics .
Forget the politics , we have a national crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is no politics .
There is no red and blue .
It 's red , white , and blue .
So let 's get over it and , again , lead by example .

On Monday, Donald Trump was asked by the hosts of “Fox & Friends” about possibly running in the presidential election against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is not a candidate.
“I wouldn’t mind running against Andrew. I’ve known Andrew for a long time. I wouldn’t mind that, but I’ll be honest, I think he’d be a better candidate than sleepy Joe,” he told the network, using his frequent epithet for former Vice President Joe Biden.
In his daily briefing on the coronavirus, Cuomo pushed back against the notion that he is focused on politics in his current efforts in governing New York.
From a March 30 press briefing:
ANDREW CUOMO: As far as the president’s comment about having a political contest with me, I am not engaging the president in politics. My only goal is to engage the president in partnership. This is no time for politics. And, you know, lead by example.
I’m not going to get into a political dispute with the president, I’m not going to rise to the bait of a political challenge. I’m not running for president, I was never running for president, I said from day one I wasn’t running for president, I’m not running for president now. I’m not playing politics. I just want partnership to deal with this.
And I said to the president quite clearly: Look, when you do good things for my state and you’re a good partner, I will be the first one to say you’re a good partner. And I have. I went to the ship Comfort today, I said, “Thank you, Mr. President.”
We opened up this Javits Center, I said thank you to the Army, they did a great job here, the Army Corps of Engineers. When you help my state, I’ll say thank you.
If I believe that New York is not being served – the federal legislation that they passed – I will say that too.
You know, sometimes it’s simple. Just tell the truth, right? And that’s where we are. Tell the truth. If you’re doing the right thing by New York, I’ll say it. If he’s doing the wrong thing by New York or the rest of the country, I’ll say it.
But I’m not going to engage in politics. Not because I’m unwilling to tangle but because I think it’s inappropriate and I think it’s counterproductive and I think it’s anti-American.
Forget the politics. Forget the politics, we have a national crisis. We are at war. There is no politics. There is no red and blue. It’s red, white, and blue. So let’s get over it and, again, lead by example.


shareblue--2020-03-30--Trump claims huge death toll would mean he did 'a very good job' on coronavirus

Donald Trump sought to reset expectations for the coronavirus crisis on Sunday , stating that a death toll of 200,000 people would mean his administration had done `` a very good job . ''
The comments came during a Rose Garden press conference in which Trump announced he would be extending social distancing measures through at least April 30 , in order to slow spread of the virus .
Trump has said in recent weeks that he wants the country to return to work , against health experts ' advice .
`` You 're talking about 2.2 million deaths , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said Sunday .
`` And so , if we can hold that down , as we 're saying , to 100,000 — that 's a horrible number — maybe even less , but to 100,000 , so we have between 100,000 and 200,000 , we all together have done a very good job . ''
For context , that number is higher than the death toll from the Vietnam War , Korean War , Iraq War , and the war in Afghanistan combined .
Health experts — even those within the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to get worse in the coming weeks , a sharp departure from Trump 's previous comments downplaying the seriousness of the outbreak .
On Sunday , before Trump spoke , Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , warned that millions of people in the United States would become infected with COVID-19 , the disease caused by the new coronavirus at the center of the pandemic .
`` I mean , looking at what we 're seeing now , you know , I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , '' Fauci told CNN .
`` But I do n't want to be held to that . ''
Fauci noted that there would likely be `` millions of cases . ''
On the `` Today '' show Monday morning , Dr. Deborah Birx , the White House coronavirus response coordinator , said 200,000 deaths was a best-case scenario .
Birx said 2.2 million deaths was the worst-case scenario , but 200,000 deaths would happen only `` if we do things almost perfectly . ''
Trump 's bar for his administration , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a job well done , has changed drastically over the past month .
`` When you have 15 people , and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero , '' Trump said on Feb. 26 , `` that 's a pretty good job we 've done . ''
In the weeks since , Trump has repeatedly downplayed the seriousness of the outbreak , claiming on Feb. 26 that Democrats were issuing warnings about how bad the outbreak could be as `` a new hoax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and suggesting on March 10 that his administration was `` prepared '' and already `` doing a great job with it . ''
`` It will go away .
Just stay calm .
It will go away , '' he said at the time .
As recently as March 15 , Trump claimed that the pandemic was `` something that we have tremendous control over . ''
And on March 24 , Trump was urging businesses and churches to reopen by Easter — April 12 — ignoring warnings from health experts who said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic and lead to further deaths .
As of Monday morning , there were at least 141,995 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. , according to the New York Times .
At least 2,486 people have died .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump sought to reset expectations for the coronavirus crisis on Sunday, stating that a death toll of 200,000 people would mean his administration had done “a very good job.”
The comments came during a Rose Garden press conference in which Trump announced he would be extending social distancing measures through at least April 30, in order to slow spread of the virus.
Trump has said in recent weeks that he wants the country to return to work, against health experts’ advice.
“You’re talking about 2.2 million deaths, 2.2 million people from this,” Trump said Sunday. “And so, if we can hold that down, as we’re saying, to 100,000 — that’s a horrible number — maybe even less, but to 100,000, so we have between 100,000 and 200,000, we all together have done a very good job.”
For context, that number is higher than the death toll from the Vietnam War, Korean War, Iraq War, and the war in Afghanistan combined.
Health experts — even those within the Trump administration — have warned that the crisis is going to get worse in the coming weeks, a sharp departure from Trump’s previous comments downplaying the seriousness of the outbreak.
On Sunday, before Trump spoke, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned that millions of people in the United States would become infected with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus at the center of the pandemic.
“I mean, looking at what we’re seeing now, you know, I would say between 100,000 and 200,000 (deaths),” Fauci told CNN. “But I don’t want to be held to that.”
Fauci noted that there would likely be “millions of cases.”
On the “Today” show Monday morning, Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said 200,000 deaths was a best-case scenario.
Birx said 2.2 million deaths was the worst-case scenario, but 200,000 deaths would happen only “if we do things almost perfectly.”
Trump’s bar for his administration, in terms of what he believes constitutes a job well done, has changed drastically over the past month.
“When you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero,” Trump said on Feb. 26, “that’s a pretty good job we’ve done.”
In the weeks since, Trump has repeatedly downplayed the seriousness of the outbreak, claiming on Feb. 26 that Democrats were issuing warnings about how bad the outbreak could be as “a new hoax” to make him look bad, and suggesting on March 10 that his administration was “prepared” and already “doing a great job with it.”
“It will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away,” he said at the time.
As recently as March 15, Trump claimed that the pandemic was “something that we have tremendous control over.”
And on March 24, Trump was urging businesses and churches to reopen by Easter — April 12 — ignoring warnings from health experts who said such a decision would likely worsen the pandemic and lead to further deaths.
As of Monday morning, there were at least 141,995 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S., according to the New York Times. At least 2,486 people have died.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-03-30--GOP senator compares people dying from coronavirus to lost business

Sen. Marsha Blackburn ( R-TN ) was asked by conservative radio host Todd Starnes if she believed the coronavirus situation was as dire as media reports have indicated .
From the March 27 edition of the `` Todd Starnes Show '' : MARSHA BLACKBURN : Well , this is a serious public health issue and we want to take it seriously and we want individuals to receive treatment , we want them to absolutely call their doctor if they have constriction in their chest , if they have shortness of breath , if they have a cough and feel like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feeling .
Absolutely they should call their doctor .
If they are sick , they should absolutely stay home .
And here 's a great example for you , Todd : I had a call from a guy in west Tennessee yesterday , and he owns some businesses there — as you know , west Tennessee is farm country — and he said , `` Look , we need to have planters going on , we need to be working , we need people showing up , '' and it 's important , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't work in close proximity and when they come in to the barn they can just stay separate and apart from individuals . ''
But for them , they do n't want to miss this entire planting season .
They 're excited about the trade agreements , they 're excited about new opportunities for new markets , and they want this to be a good one .
And I have to tell you , I get that .
And that situation is very different from what you see in New York , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and really have great empathy for individuals who are adversely impacted through loss of life , through sickness .
We also grieve for those that have lost their American dream , their business , something they 've dreamed of doing all of their lives , and I 've talked to some of those individuals too .
So , I think the president and the vice president are being smart about this , they 're approaching it by saying , we 're — the different parts of the country will go back to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flatten this curve , we have to make certain that all efforts are going into antivirals and to vaccines .
This has been a great lesson for all of us in how we sometimes let government get in the way and things do not reach a successful conclusion when they 're trying to work with the Food and Drug Administration or the Centers for Disease Control or the National Institutes of Health .

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) was asked by conservative radio host Todd Starnes if she believed the coronavirus situation was as dire as media reports have indicated.
From the March 27 edition of the “Todd Starnes Show”:
MARSHA BLACKBURN: Well, this is a serious public health issue and we want to take it seriously and we want individuals to receive treatment, we want them to absolutely call their doctor if they have constriction in their chest, if they have shortness of breath, if they have a cough and feel like they’ve got that bronchitis sort of feeling. Absolutely they should call their doctor. If they are sick, they should absolutely stay home.
And here’s a great example for you, Todd: I had a call from a guy in west Tennessee yesterday, and he owns some businesses there — as you know, west Tennessee is farm country — and he said, “Look, we need to have planters going on, we need to be working, we need people showing up,” and it’s important, he said, “Our people don’t work in close proximity and when they come in to the barn they can just stay separate and apart from individuals.”
But for them, they don’t want to miss this entire planting season. They’re excited about the trade agreements, they’re excited about new opportunities for new markets, and they want this to be a good one. And I have to tell you, I get that.
And that situation is very different from what you see in New York, and of course we are sad for everyone and really have great empathy for individuals who are adversely impacted through loss of life, through sickness.
We also grieve for those that have lost their American dream, their business, something they’ve dreamed of doing all of their lives, and I’ve talked to some of those individuals too.
So, I think the president and the vice president are being smart about this, they’re approaching it by saying, we’re — the different parts of the country will go back to work at different times, we have to flatten this curve, we have to make certain that all efforts are going into antivirals and to vaccines.
This has been a great lesson for all of us in how we sometimes let government get in the way and things do not reach a successful conclusion when they’re trying to work with the Food and Drug Administration or the Centers for Disease Control or the National Institutes of Health.


shareblue--2020-03-30--Trump extends social distancing days after calling for 'packed' churches on Easter

Donald Trump extended social distancing guidelines this weekend until at least May , less than a week after saying he thought the nation would be `` opened up and just raring to go by Easter . ''
During a Monday morning appearance on Fox News , he said Easter would very likely be the peak of this outbreak , contradicting his earlier claims that the crisis should be done by then .
`` We ’ re doing a lot of things and we don ’ t want to [ end social distancing measures ] too soon , '' Trump told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 's going to be the highest point , we think . ''
He added that he thinks April 30 `` is a day where we can see some real progress '' and that by June , the death toll will `` will be brought to a very low number . ''
Despite expert warnings , Trump laid out what he called a `` beautiful timeline '' last Tuesday , urging that the nation be `` opened up and just raring to go by Easter . ''
Citing his `` very special '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said , `` Would n't it be great to have all the churches full ?
You 'll have packed churches all over our country . ''
But Trump 's own medical experts quickly pushed back against this dangerous proposal .
Surgeon General Jerome Adams said Friday that some states would still be dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic in September .
`` Everyone 's timeline is going to be different .
Some places have n't hit their peak yet , '' he told ABC .
`` 'We 're trying to give people the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It does n't matter if it 's Easter , Memorial Day , or Labor Day . ''
Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , told CNN Thursday that Trump 's Easter timeline was `` an aspirational projection to give people some hope '' but that with the number of cases increasing dramatically each day , it was `` no time to pull back . ''
`` You don ’ t make the timeline .
The virus makes the timeline , '' he added .
As recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critics for doubting his everything-will-be-fine-soon timeline .
`` The LameStream Media is the dominant force in trying to get me to keep our Country closed as long as possible in the hope that it will be detrimental to my election success , '' he tweeted .
`` The real people want to get back to work ASAP .
We will be stronger than ever before ! ''
A poll last week showed that the vast majority of Americans did not want to end social distancing until it is safe to do so : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` for as long as is needed , even if it means continued damage to the economy . ''
Just 10 % said the economy was a greater priority .
As of Monday , Trump administration officials were predicting the COVID-19 outbreak could mean more than 200,000 deaths in the United States .
Just one month ago , Trump claimed that the number of cases in the United States would soon be `` close to zero . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump extended social distancing guidelines this weekend until at least May, less than a week after saying he thought the nation would be “opened up and just raring to go by Easter.”
During a Monday morning appearance on Fox News, he said Easter would very likely be the peak of this outbreak, contradicting his earlier claims that the crisis should be done by then.
“We’re doing a lot of things and we don’t want to [end social distancing measures] too soon,” Trump told the network. “Around Easter, that’s going to be the highest point, we think.” He added that he thinks April 30 “is a day where we can see some real progress” and that by June, the death toll will “will be brought to a very low number.”
Despite expert warnings, Trump laid out what he called a “beautiful timeline” last Tuesday, urging that the nation be “opened up and just raring to go by Easter.” Citing his “very special” relationship with the April 12 holiday, he said, “Wouldn’t it be great to have all the churches full? You’ll have packed churches all over our country.”
But Trump’s own medical experts quickly pushed back against this dangerous proposal. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said Friday that some states would still be dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic in September.
“Everyone’s timeline is going to be different. Some places haven’t hit their peak yet,” he told ABC. “‘We’re trying to give people the testing data to make informed choices. It doesn’t matter if it’s Easter, Memorial Day, or Labor Day.”
Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN Thursday that Trump’s Easter timeline was “an aspirational projection to give people some hope” but that with the number of cases increasing dramatically each day, it was “no time to pull back.”
“You don’t make the timeline. The virus makes the timeline,” he added.
As recently as Wednesday, Trump was attacking his critics for doubting his everything-will-be-fine-soon timeline. “The LameStream Media is the dominant force in trying to get me to keep our Country closed as long as possible in the hope that it will be detrimental to my election success,” he tweeted. “The real people want to get back to work ASAP. We will be stronger than ever before!”
A poll last week showed that the vast majority of Americans did not want to end social distancing until it is safe to do so: 81% said social distancing should continue “for as long as is needed, even if it means continued damage to the economy.” Just 10% said the economy was a greater priority.
As of Monday, Trump administration officials were predicting the COVID-19 outbreak could mean more than 200,000 deaths in the United States. Just one month ago, Trump claimed that the number of cases in the United States would soon be “close to zero.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-03-30--Fact-checking Trump on coronavirus: No, nurses and doctors aren't stealing supplies

Donald Trump ’ s lies and distortions have grown increasingly hostile as the number of COVID-19 cases grow and the death toll mounts .
Here are some of his latest claims , fact-checked for accuracy .
“ They ’ ve been delivering for years 10,000 to 20,000 masks .
OK it ’ s a New York hospital , it ’ s packed all the time .
How do you go from 10,000 to 20,000 to 300,000 ... even though this is different ?
Something 's going on , and you oughta look into it .
Where are the masks going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ door ? ''
— Trump at a Trump on Sunday seemed to lay blame for the lack of personal protective equipment — such as masks and gowns for doctors , nurses , and other health care professionals — on hospital staff .
There is no evidence that health care professionals are stealing PPE .
In reality , the lack of proper protective gear may be to blame for at least one death in New York City .
Earlier this month , Kious Kelly , a nurse manager at Mount Sinai West in Manhattan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a ventilator in the intensive care unit .
His fellow nurses — who say they had resorted to wearing trash bags because of the lack of PPE — said they had been told to “ reuse our masks , gowns and ... [ face ] shield [ s ] , ” due to a shortage of supplies .
“ We were told , ‘ You get one for the entire time until this is over , ’ ” one nurse told the New York Post .
Trump is facing criticism from governors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is not helping level the playing field for states to receive affordable PPE and other life-saving medical equipment .
“ I didn ’ t say that .
I didn ’ t say that .
I didn ’ t say that.
” — Trump at a White House news conference on previous comments he made saying he didn ’ t “ believe ” New York needed more ventilators .
At Sunday ’ s news conference , Trump lied and denied ever stating that New York doesn ’ t actually need the 30,000 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has requested .
Trump said exactly that on Fox News host Sean Hannity ’ s program three days earlier .
`` I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers being said in some areas , they ’ re just bigger than they ’ re going to be .
I do n't believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators , ” Trump said on March 26 .
`` They 're carrying out contracts to build ventilators , and they ’ ve started already . ''
— Trump on General Motors at his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debunked numerous times .
While Trump claims that life-saving ventilators are in the works , General Motors told CNN ’ s Daniel Dale over the weekend that the company is not yet producing ventilators .
It takes time for companies to amend their production lines to make a totally new kind of device .
Instead of starting this process weeks ago , Trump has dragged his feet on actually invoking the Defense Production Act , which allows a president to force companies to produce necessary equipment in war time .
“ If we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between 100,000 and 200,000 we ’ ve all together done a very good job.
” — Trump on the rising number of COVID-19 deaths .
Trump over the weekend attempted to lower expectations regarding his administration ’ s efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic .
He explained that without any efforts , models showed there could be more than 2 million deaths , so if there were between 100,000 and 200,000 deaths that should be considered a win .
Of course , Trump had access to a pandemic preparation plan long ago that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected deaths .
According to Politico , the administration was briefed on the 69-page National Security Council playbook , titled `` Playbook for early response to high consequence emerging infectious disease threats and biological incidents , '' back in 2017 .
However , according to the outlet , “ it never went through a full , National Security Council-led interagency process to be approved as Trump administration strategy.
” The 200,000 deaths experts have predicted might occur from the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak would be more than the Vietnam War ( 58,220 Americans ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , the Iraq War ( 4,431 Americans ) , and the war in Afghanistan ( 2,353 Americans ) , combined .
“ Because the ‘ Ratings ’ of my News Conferences etc .
are so high , ‘ Bachelor finale , Monday Night Football type numbers ’ according to the , the Lamestream Media is going CRAZY .
‘ Trump is reaching too many people , we must stop him.
’ said one lunatic .
See you at 5:00 P.M. !
” — Trump in a March 29 Reporters at media outlets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s daily coronavirus briefings in full , saying that they are exposing the public to Trump ’ s lies and distortions of the pandemic and doing a disservice to the country .
“ These White House sessions — ostensibly meant to give the public critical and truthful information about this frightening crisis — are in fact working against that end , ” Washington Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan wrote in a column about why networks should stop airing the news conferences in full .
“ Rather , they have become a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatest hits to captive audience members .
They come in search of life-or-death information , but here ’ s what they get from him instead : Self-aggrandizement… Media-bashing… Exaggeration and outright lies.
” This list will be updated throughout the week .
Past fact-checks can be found here .

Donald Trump’s lies and distortions haven’t stopped as the number of COVID-19 cases grows and the death toll mounts.
Here are some of his latest claims, fact-checked for accuracy.
April 2
“Some states are letting people out of prison. Some people are getting out that are very serious criminals in some states, and I don’t like that. I don’t like it.” — Trump at a White House news conference
Trump is correct that some states are releasing inmates from jails, as facilities remain at high risk for COVID-19 outbreaks.
But so far, they have not been “very serious criminals,” as Trump alleged at Thursday’s daily news conference.
In cities like New York and Los Angeles, those let out have been nonviolent offenders, some of whom were sentenced to less than a year in prison or were scheduled to be released in 30 days or less, the New York Times reported. New York City has released 900 inmates, while California plans to release 3,500 inmates earlier than anticipated, according to the Los Angeles Times.
In New Jersey, the 700 inmates who have been released were convicted of low-level crimes, according to another New York Times report.
Even the Trump administration is recommending that federal prisons release some prisoners to home confinement.
“In many cases the scarf is better. It’s thicker. Depending on the material, it’s thicker.” — Trump at a White House news conference
Trump was asked about whether the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were going to recommend everyone in the country wear masks in public — even amid a critical shortage of protective masks for health care providers.
Trump said the CDC will not make it mandatory but suggested that if people cannot find masks they use scarves to cover their face. Trump said a scarf may even be better than a mask at preventing the spread of the virus.
Doctors told CNBC that in the absence of a mask, a scarf could be a good option to protect against airborne virus droplets.
But unlike what Trump said, there is no “empirical evidence” that a scarf is better than a mask, CNBC reported.
“We are doing better than that. We are going to get a cash payment to the people, and we are working out the mechanics of that with legislatures. So we are going to try to get them a cash payment, because just opening it up doesn’t help as much.” — Trump at a White House news conference
The Trump administration has faced criticism for not offering a new enrollment period for Obamacare health care exchanges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Each year, Americans can enroll in a health insurance plan during what’s called the “Open Enrollment” period. If they miss out on that opportunity, Americans are unable to purchase insurance until the next enrollment period.
Certain qualifying life events allow Americans to purchase insurance during the year, including losing a job, having a baby, or getting married. So the nearly 10 million people who have filed for unemployment benefits should be able to purchase insurance through Obamacare exchanges if they need to.
But some of the 27.9 million uninsured Americans may not fall into any of those categories and would have no health insurance if they were to need medical care for COVID-19.
Time reported the story of Danni Askini, a woman who came down with COVID-19 and required multiple hospital visits and tests during her treatment. Askini received a bill for $34,927.43 for the treatment.
Trump claimed that a special enrollment period wouldn’t help as much as a cash payment to Americans, and he said he was working with state legislatures to get those cash payments out.
It’s unclear what he’s referring to.
The relief bill Congress passed last week does offer cash payments of up to $1,200 to people who fall within a certain income level.
But $1,200 would cover barely more than a fraction of an extended hospital stay in an intensive care unit for an uninsured person.
According to Healthcare.gov — the federal government’s website with information on Obamacare — the average cost of a three-day hospital stay is $30,000 for people without insurance.
April 1
“They are doing tests on airlines — very strong tests — for getting on and getting off. They’re doing tests on trains — getting on, getting off.” — Trump at a White House news conference
No evidence has yet surfaced that airlines and train services are testing passengers for COVID-19 when they get on and off.
Generally speaking, testing for the virus itself is in short supply. And tests would not come back quickly enough to determine if a passenger can immediately board a train or aircraft. Doctors have said that test results take anywhere from 24 hours to as long as a week to come back, with some patients reporting that they waited even longer to receive results.
Amtrak, a national passenger railroad service, posted an advisory about the measures the company is taking to stop the spread of the virus, and testing passengers is not listed.
Major passenger airlines have not made any announcements saying they are testing passengers. United Airlines, for example, says it’s doing extra thorough cleanings on its aircraft. Delta and American Airlines have said the same. But none have said they’ll offer tests.
“After a month or so, I think once this passes, we’re not going to have to be hopefully worried too much about the virus.” — Trump at a White House news conference
Trump’s timeline for when coronavirus will pass has no basis in evidence.
A plan the federal government drew up in early March said the COVID-19 pandemic “will last 18 months or longer” — far longer than what Trump had said, the New York Times reported.
Dr. Anthony Fauci said Wednesday that social distancing measures can be relaxed once there are “no new cases, no deaths at a period of time.”
In New York alone, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Tuesday that the peak of the virus — when the most new cases and deaths are expected — is one to three weeks away. After that, there will still be new cases and deaths, but health experts predict they will increase at a smaller rate until eventually leveling off.
Other states across the country are just starting to see the virus take hold, pushing their timelines far later than what Trump gave at Wednesday’s briefing.
But the country still won’t be out of the woods if the virus starts trending down before summer, with experts saying there will likely be “multiple waves.”
China is already grappling with this reality, with Hong Kong implementing new social distancing measures after the cases of COVID-19 started trending upward again, CNN reported.
“We didn’t do that, that turned out to be a false story.” — Trump at a White House news conference
Trump was asked about why he is blaming former President Barack Obama for his own administration’s coronavirus response, even though it took actions that exacerbated the outbreak — such as disbanding the National Security Council’s pandemic unit in 2018.
Trump said it is a “false story” that he disbanded the unit and criticized the Fox News reporter who asked the question.
Yet, Trump did indeed disband the unit put in place to prepare for future pandemics, as multiple news outlets have reported. The head of the unit even wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post confirming it was disbanded, a move she said left her “mystified.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci, a member of Trump’s coronavirus task force, also confirmed this when he testified at a congressional hearing on the coronavirus response on March 11.
“It would be nice if the office was still there,” Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institute of Health, said at the hearing.
“There are some states that don’t have much of a problem.” — Trump at a White House news conference
Trump on Wednesday said he hasn’t pushed for a national stay-at-home order because some states don’t need it.
To date, every state and U.S. territory has reported COVID-19 cases, according to a New York Times database.
The Trump administration’s surgeon general said earlier on Wednesday that the Trump administration’s “30 Days to Slow the Spread” guidelines should effectively serve as a national stay-at-home order for the 11 GOP-controlled states that haven’t issued official demands for residents to stay home.
“My advice to America would be that these guidelines are a national stay-at-home order,” Surgeon General Jeropme Adams told NBC’s Savannah Guthrie.
Adams added that there is no national order because the federal government cannot force states to implement a stay-at-home policy. But he said all Americans should stay home because of the “importance of social distancing.”
March 31
“They’re doing very well by comparison.” — Trump at a White House news conference
Trump was asked at Tuesday’s daily news briefing what he’d tell states that haven’t implemented strict social distancing measures.
When he was asked about Florida, whose Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has resisted calls to implement stay-at-home orders, Trump responded by saying that Florida is “doing very well by comparison” to other states that have implemented orders, such as New Jersey, New York, and Washington state.
But Florida is seeing an outbreak.
According to data from Johns Hopkins, which is tracking COVID-19 cases, shows that the state now has the fifth most confirmed cases in the country, with 6,741 positive tests and 85 reported deaths.
On Tuesday, the state reported 1,037 new COVID-19 cases — an ominous milestone, as it is the first time the state reported more than 1,000 new cases in a single day, according to Dr. Matt McCarthy, a hospitalist and professor Weill Cornell in New York.
Florida comes in falls behind four states — New York, New Jersey, California, and Michigan — that have issued stay-at-home orders.
“This is not the flu.” — Trump at a White House news conference
This is a marked change of position for Trump, who in the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak downplayed the virus and compared it to the seasonal flu.
On March 9, as the stock market began to tumble and experts were calling for swift action to stop the spread of the virus, Trump said COVID-19 was not a big deal and that more people die of the flu than would die of complications from the novel coronavirus.
“So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!” Trump tweeted on March 9.
“What would’ve happened if we did nothing. Because there was a group that said, ‘Let’s just ride it out. Let’s ride it out.’ And what would’ve happened? And that number comes in at 1.5 to 1.6 million people, up to 2.2 and even beyond, so that’s 2.2 million people would’ve died if we did nothing.” — T rump at a White House news conference
While it’s unclear what group advised Trump to “ride out” the virus, it’s worth mentioning that Trump himself was very resistant early on to calls for stay-at-home orders, fearing that the economic impact of such orders would imperil his reelection chances.
He even claimed in February that the virus would “miraculously” go away by April. It is now April 1 and the virus has seen exponential growth in the United States.
In fact, Trump on Sunday announced that he wanted to reopen the country by Easter — which falls on April 12 — despite the fact that experts said that date was too early and could lead to more people dying. Trump has already reversed course, extending social distancing guidelines through at least the end of April.
The New York Times reported that Trump finally relented to keeping the guidelines in place when he was presented with numbers showing how many people would die if the country reopened too soon — and how that would negatively impact his reelection chances.
March 30
“It’s very much on par. … I know South Korea better than anybody. … Do you know how many people are in Seoul? Do you know how big the city of Seoul is? … 38 million people. That’s bigger than anything we have.” — Trump at a White House news conference
In trying to defend why the United States’ per capita coronavirus testing does not match South Korea’s, Trump botched the number of people living in the country’s largest city — despite claiming he knew the country “better than anybody.”
The actual population of Seoul is 9.74 million, according to South Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
Ultimately, South Korea has done more testing per capita than the United States, despite Trump’s claim that the per capita testing is “on par.”
South Korea — which averted a disaster from COVID-19 without having to resort to the same extreme social distancing measures as the United States — conducted 154.7 tests per million people in the country, according to the Washington Post. (South Korea has a total population of 51.84 million, according to its Interior Ministry.)
Meanwhile, the United States had tested 894,000 people as of Saturday, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, and has a population of 329 million.
“It will go away, and I do want them to stay calm, and we are doing a great job. If you look at those individual statements, they’re all true. ‘Stay calm, it will go away,’ you know it is going away, and it will go away, and we’re going to have a great victory. And it’s people like you and CNN that say things like that, that, it’s why people just don’t want to listen to CNN anymore.” — Trump at a White House news conference
CNN’s Jim Acosta asked Trump why he downplayed the coronavirus in the early days, with Acosta reading off Trump’s statements that the virus would go away and wouldn’t cause problems in the United States.
Trump claimed that his comments were true, insisting the virus will go away.
However, Trump’s initial predictions that the virus would not take hold in the United States turned out to be false.
As of Tuesday, 163,575 people in the United States have tested positive for the virus, with the death toll standing at 3,073, according to the New York Times.
March 29
“They’ve been delivering for years 10,000 to 20,000 masks. OK it’s a New York hospital, it’s packed all the time. How do you go from 10,000 to 20,000 to 300,000 … even though this is different? Something’s going on, and you oughta look into it. Where are the masks going? Are they going out the back door?” — Trump at a White House news conference .
Trump on Sunday seemed to lay blame for the lack of personal protective equipment — such as masks and gowns for doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals — on hospital staff.
There is no evidence that health care professionals are stealing PPE.
In reality, the lack of proper protective gear may be to blame for at least one death in New York City. Earlier this month, Kious Kelly, a nurse manager at Mount Sinai West in Manhattan, died of COVID-19 after being placed on a ventilator in the intensive care unit. His fellow nurses — who say they had resorted to wearing trash bags because of the lack of PPE — said they had been told to “reuse our masks, gowns and … [face] shield[s],” due to a shortage of supplies.
“We were told, ‘You get one for the entire time until this is over,'” one nurse told the New York Post.
Trump is facing criticism from governors across the country, who say that he is not helping level the playing field for states to receive affordable PPE and other life-saving medical equipment.
“I didn’t say that. I didn’t say that. I didn’t say that.” — Trump at a White House news conference on previous comments he made saying he didn’t “believe” New York needed more ventilators.
At Sunday’s news conference, Trump lied and denied ever stating that New York doesn’t actually need the 30,000 to 40,000 ventilators Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo has requested.
Trump said exactly that on Fox News host Sean Hannity’s program three days earlier.
“I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers being said in some areas, they’re just bigger than they’re going to be. I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators,” Trump said on March 26.
Here’s video of the March 26 remark:
“They’re carrying out contracts to build ventilators, and they’ve started already.” — Trump on General Motors at his press briefing.
This lie has been debunked numerous times.
While Trump claims that life-saving ventilators are in the works, General Motors told CNN’s Daniel Dale over the weekend that the company is not yet producing ventilators.
It takes time for companies to amend their production lines to make a totally new kind of device. Instead of starting this process weeks ago, Trump has dragged his feet on actually invoking the Defense Production Act, which allows a president to force companies to produce necessary equipment in war time.
“If we can hold that down … to have between 100,000 and 200,000 we’ve all together done a very good job.” — Trump on the rising number of COVID-19 deaths.
Trump over the weekend attempted to lower expectations regarding his administration’s efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
He explained that without any efforts, models showed there could be more than 2 million deaths, so if there were between 100,000 and 200,000 deaths that should be considered a win.
Of course, Trump had access to a pandemic preparation plan long ago that could have greatly reduced the number of expected deaths. According to Politico, the administration was briefed on the 69-page National Security Council playbook, titled “Playbook for early response to high consequence emerging infectious disease threats and biological incidents,” back in 2017. However, according to the outlet, “it never went through a full, National Security Council-led interagency process to be approved as Trump administration strategy.”
The 200,000 deaths experts have predicted might occur from the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak would be more than the Vietnam War (58,220 Americans), the Korean War (54,246 Americans), the Iraq War (4,431 Americans), and the war in Afghanistan (2,353 Americans), combined.
“Because the ‘Ratings’ of my News Conferences etc. are so high, ‘Bachelor finale, Monday Night Football type numbers’ according to the @nytimes , the Lamestream Media is going CRAZY. ‘Trump is reaching too many people, we must stop him.’ said one lunatic. See you at 5:00 P.M.!” — Trump in a March 29 tweet .
Reporters at media outlets have begged television executives to stop airing Trump’s daily coronavirus briefings in full, saying that they are exposing the public to Trump’s lies and distortions of the pandemic and doing a disservice to the country.
“These White House sessions — ostensibly meant to give the public critical and truthful information about this frightening crisis — are in fact working against that end,” Washington Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan wrote in a column about why networks should stop airing the news conferences in full. “Rather, they have become a daily stage for Trump to play his greatest hits to captive audience members. They come in search of life-or-death information, but here’s what they get from him instead: Self-aggrandizement… Media-bashing… Exaggeration and outright lies.”
This list will be updated throughout the week. Past fact checks can be found here.


shareblue--2020-03-30--People are sharing fake stories about coronavirus. Here are the facts.

A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week .
None of these are legit , even though they were shared widely on social media .
The Associated Press checked them out .
Here are the facts : CLAIM : Nancy Pelosi snuck $ 25 million worth of pay raises for Congress into the federal relief bill intended to help Americans amid the coronavirus pandemic .
THE FACTS : A proposal in the economic rescue package sets aside $ 25 million for the House of Representatives but `` none of those funds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Evan Hollander , the communications director for the House Appropriations Committee , told the Associated Press .
After the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a $ 2.2 trillion economic rescue package late Wednesday night ( it was signed into law Friday ) , social media users began inaccurately claiming that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had secretly stuck in $ 25 million worth of congressional pay raises .
That was not the case .
The $ 25 million appropriation for `` salary and expenses '' in the House of Representatives was proposed in both versions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposal earlier in the week and the plan passed by the U.S. Senate Wednesday .
The money will be used to buy new equipment and make upgrades to the network so members and their staff can work remotely , Hollander said .
It will also be spent on reimbursing costs of the child care center and food service contracts for the House , as well as paying for the House sergeant-at-arms , he added .
Congressional pay can be raised annually based on a federal cost-of-living formula .
However , Congress has voted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keeping their salaries frozen at $ 174,000 for a decade .
CLAIM : Breathing the steam from a mixture of boiling water , salt , and orange peel will prevent or cure the new coronavirus .
THE FACTS : Steam may help sooth symptoms of the virus , but it will not prevent or cure it .
In photo and video posts circulating widely on Facebook and Twitter , people can be seen standing over a pot of boiling water filled with the mixture as they breathe in the steam .
In some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from chopped onion to aromatic oils .
Variations of the videos received thousands of views on social media .
`` Steam Sea Salt and Orange peelings .
Inhale the steam for 15 minutes .
It Suppose to Prevent Corona Virus from entering the body .
Seen it on social media and yes I 'm doing it , '' said one Facebook post featuring a picture of the mixture .
Inhaling steam can provide relief from the symptoms of the virus , such as by soothing the mucus membranes of the nose or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say , but it will not kill the virus .
`` Those modalities can be helpful , but I do n't think they should be looked at as cures or as treating the underlying virus , '' said Dr. Albert Rizzo , chief medical officer for the American Lung Association .
Posts online suggested that heat from the steam would also kill the virus , which experts have warned against , especially if a person chooses to stand over a pot of boiling water on the stove .
Dr. William Schaffner , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cautioned against the practice .
`` A little warm moisture is not going to hurt these viruses , '' he said .
`` People need to be very , very careful about this .
You can have all kinds of misadventures if you are leaning over a pot of boiling water . ''
CLAIM : If a child gets the new coronavirus and needs to be hospitalized , they will be separated from their parents and the parents will not have the chance to see them again .
THE FACTS : Hospitals are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are allowing one parent to remain with a child .
As the number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. grew this week , posts were shared widely on Facebook and Twitter suggesting parents would be barred from staying with a child hospitalized with the virus .
While hospitals are limiting visitors for known or suspected coronavirus patients , hospital officials say one parent can remain with children admitted for the virus .
An American Hospital Association spokesperson said that to the best of their knowledge , hospitals are allowing one parent to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assessing each case individually to determine the safest option .
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics , each hospital has its own infection and control policies , but the hospitals they have spoken with are allowing one parent to be with the child .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that hospitals limit visitors for patients with the virus and encourage hospitals to use alternate mechanisms for patient and visitor interactions such as video call applications .
If visits must occur , the CDC says that facilities must evaluate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and provide instruction on hygiene measures prior to entering the patient 's room .
At the Children 's Hospital in Colorado , parents are allowed in the room but they must remain there to prevent the spread to the hospital .
THE FACTS : Video of a train carrying military vehicles with the Chicago skyline in the background has been circulating on social media falsely identified as showing the National Guard arriving in the city amid the coronavirus pandemic .
`` Welcome the National Guard to # Chicago .
There goes the neighborhood… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100,000 times .
The National Guard in Illinois said the vehicles do not belong to them , nor is the video related to their response to COVID-19 .
According to the Department of Defense , the video shows military equipment being moved from Oshkosh , Wisconsin , to Fort Bragg , North Carolina .
`` To confirm what others have pointed out : these are new Joint Light Tactical Vehicles being transported by @ USArmy Materiel Command from the factory in Oshkosh to Fort Bragg , NC .
These deliveries by train to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have nothing to do w COVID-19 , '' Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Rath Hoffman tweeted on March 21 .
Posts misidentifying the video surfaced about March 19 , as coronavirus cases spread rapidly across the U.S. , and amid rumors that martial law was being declared in some areas .
There are currently no plans for a national quarantine and martial law , according to AP reporting .
Bryan Spreitzer , a public affairs officer with the Illinois National Guard , said on Thursday there were 160 Guard members providing COVID-19 assistance in Illinois @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planning , and providing medical support , mission analysis , and testing .
CLAIM : Helicopters are being used to spray disinfectant over neighborhoods to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus .
THE FACTS : Officials have called the claim not only false , but dangerous to spread .
It began circulating in New York last weekend , but it has also been knocked down in other countries , including India , Mexico , and Switzerland .
New York used its official emergency notification system last week to address rumors that parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson tweeted Sunday to warn residents about the rumors .
`` This is NOT TRUE ! ''
he tweeted .
`` Rumors like this only fuel panic .
Stay safe , be smart , and do n't spread misinformation . ''
The texts warned people to shut their windows and doors because helicopters would be spraying disinfectant to eradicate the virus after 11:00 p.m. and urged people to share the information with all their contacts .
Dan Sweet , a spokesperson for the Helicopter Association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization is not aware of any helicopter dispersing disinfectants to combat the coronavirus .
`` I believe it is borne out of the meme that floated around last week , showing a firefighting helicopter dumping water , and someone had badly Photoshopped a Lysol label on the side of it . ''
CLAIM : During a March 25 , 2020 , `` Fox & Friends '' appearance , Republican Rep. Jim Jordan said : `` I 'm not too concerned about the Chinese virus .
This is the worst economic crisis we 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got to end the ridiculous 'shelter in place ' orders .
I 've spoken to many senior citizens and they 're willing to take the risk and go back to work .
If a few senior citizens die , I can live with that .
Plus we wo n't have to pay them their social security 'handout . '
'' THE FACTS : Jordan did n't appear on `` Fox & Friends '' on March 25 or make that statement , his spokesman confirmed .
Social media users are passing around a meme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made-up television appearance to the firebrand conservative from Ohio .
Video records and transcripts show Jordan did n't appear on `` Fox & Friends '' Wednesday , while Congress hammered out details in a $ 2.2 trillion deal to assuage Americans ' economic woes during the global coronavirus pandemic .
Jordan 's last appearance on the show was March 5 , when he discussed controversial comments Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer had made about conservative Supreme Court justices .
`` Congressman Jordan was not on 'Fox & Friends ' and did not say the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a spokesman for Jordan , told the Associated Press in an email .
CLAIM : A coronavirus vaccine that is able to cure patients within three hours of injection is ready for use .
Trump will announce that the Roche medical company will launch the vaccine next Sunday with a million doses ready from it .
THE FACTS : A photo circulating on social media with the false claim shows a coronavirus testing kit made by a South Korean manufacturer , not a vaccine .
A vaccine to prevent the coronavirus is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing is expected for use for more than a year .
Posts with the false claim and photo have surfaced on WhatsApp and Facebook as the world anxiously waits for a coronavirus vaccine .
The testing kits shown in the posts are made by Sugentech , a South Korean medical diagnostics company , which says it can provide test results within 10 minutes of testing .
Researchers around the world have been working nonstop to develop a viable vaccine for the novel coronavirus that has infected more than 300,000 people worldwide .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus would be not available for widespread use for at least 12 to 18 months .
The false post makes reference to a vaccine that was developed in three hours .
Earlier this month , Inovio Pharmaceuticals announced that it had developed a vaccine for the virus within three hours after China released the genetic sequence of the virus .
The company plans to begin safety studies for the vaccine next month .
CLAIM : Los Angeles police are doing `` spot-checks '' and ticketing people for nonessential travel during the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles , Los Angeles County , and Santa Monica say no `` spot-checks '' are being conducted to find people violating stay-in-place orders issued to address the spread of COVID-19 , and no fines have been issued .
On Wednesday a claim was posted on Twitter warning that police in Los Angeles were doing spot-checks and giving people $ 400 tickets for nonessential travel .
`` Just happened to a friend of my coworker 's coming back from her boyfriend 's place , '' stated one tweet that was shared more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the post from their official account Wednesday asking the person to have the co-worker reach out through a direct message with more details .
On Thursday , the Twitter user , whose bio says she is a comedian , clarified her tweet to say the fines were happening in Santa Monica , not Los Angeles .
`` My coworkers got tickets in Santa Monica , where city officers are definitely giving fines .
This is not the LAPD .
It 's Santa Monica , '' the tweet said .
The AP reached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive a response .
Constance Farrell , a public affairs officer with the Santa Monica Police Department , confirmed to the AP in an email that it is not issuing such fines .
`` We have a local order that includes standard language that gives law enforcement broad authority , but given the current situation , people have a right to get exercise , go to essential jobs , and perform necessary errands , '' Farrell said .
`` Our compliance efforts are focused on enforcing specific violations of the State and County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be closed . ''
Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore on Thursday responded to online rumors about such stops , tweeting : `` Let 's be clear : The men and women of the LAPD have not been directed to , and are not out conducting 'fishing expeditions ' in an effort to cite individuals traveling on city streets related to the Safer At Home Order .
That being said , it is imperative that the order is followed . ''
The Los Angeles County Sheriff 's Department also confirmed to the AP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I do n't know why that rumor is going around .
Our agency is not doing that at all whatsoever .
Nobody has been doing spot-checks when it comes to that , '' Deputy Ed Luna , a spokesman with the sheriff 's department , told the AP in a phone call .
On March 19 , Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued a `` Safer at Home '' order to limit the spread of coronavirus .
The order requires that people stay home and isolate , but a number of essential @ @ @ @

A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here are the facts:
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CLAIM: Nancy Pelosi snuck $25 million worth of pay raises for Congress into the federal relief bill intended to help Americans amid the coronavirus pandemic.
THE FACTS: A proposal in the economic rescue package sets aside $25 million for the House of Representatives but “none of those funds will go to member salaries,” Evan Hollander, the communications director for the House Appropriations Committee, told the Associated Press. After the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a $2.2 trillion economic rescue package late Wednesday night (it was signed into law Friday), social media users began inaccurately claiming that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had secretly stuck in $25 million worth of congressional pay raises. That was not the case. The $25 million appropriation for “salary and expenses” in the House of Representatives was proposed in both versions of the relief package — a GOP-backed proposal earlier in the week and the plan passed by the U.S. Senate Wednesday. The money will be used to buy new equipment and make upgrades to the network so members and their staff can work remotely, Hollander said. It will also be spent on reimbursing costs of the child care center and food service contracts for the House, as well as paying for the House sergeant-at-arms, he added. Congressional pay can be raised annually based on a federal cost-of-living formula. However, Congress has voted to reject those increases since 2009, keeping their salaries frozen at $174,000 for a decade.
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CLAIM: Breathing the steam from a mixture of boiling water, salt, and orange peel will prevent or cure the new coronavirus.
THE FACTS: Steam may help sooth symptoms of the virus, but it will not prevent or cure it. In photo and video posts circulating widely on Facebook and Twitter, people can be seen standing over a pot of boiling water filled with the mixture as they breathe in the steam. In some cases, other items have been added, from chopped onion to aromatic oils. Variations of the videos received thousands of views on social media. “Steam Sea Salt and Orange peelings. Inhale the steam for 15 minutes. It Suppose to Prevent Corona Virus from entering the body. Seen it on social media and yes I’m doing it,” said one Facebook post featuring a picture of the mixture. Inhaling steam can provide relief from the symptoms of the virus, such as by soothing the mucus membranes of the nose or the back of the throat, experts say, but it will not kill the virus. “Those modalities can be helpful, but I don’t think they should be looked at as cures or as treating the underlying virus,” said Dr. Albert Rizzo, chief medical officer for the American Lung Association. Posts online suggested that heat from the steam would also kill the virus, which experts have warned against, especially if a person chooses to stand over a pot of boiling water on the stove. Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University, cautioned against the practice. “A little warm moisture is not going to hurt these viruses,” he said. “People need to be very, very careful about this. You can have all kinds of misadventures if you are leaning over a pot of boiling water.”
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CLAIM: If a child gets the new coronavirus and needs to be hospitalized, they will be separated from their parents and the parents will not have the chance to see them again.
THE FACTS: Hospitals are limiting visitors, but hospital officials say they are allowing one parent to remain with a child. As the number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. grew this week, posts were shared widely on Facebook and Twitter suggesting parents would be barred from staying with a child hospitalized with the virus. While hospitals are limiting visitors for known or suspected coronavirus patients, hospital officials say one parent can remain with children admitted for the virus. An American Hospital Association spokesperson said that to the best of their knowledge, hospitals are allowing one parent to be with a child during hospitalization or assessing each case individually to determine the safest option. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, each hospital has its own infection and control policies, but the hospitals they have spoken with are allowing one parent to be with the child. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that hospitals limit visitors for patients with the virus and encourage hospitals to use alternate mechanisms for patient and visitor interactions such as video call applications. If visits must occur, the CDC says that facilities must evaluate the risk of the health of the visitor and provide instruction on hygiene measures prior to entering the patient’s room. At the Children’s Hospital in Colorado, parents are allowed in the room but they must remain there to prevent the spread to the hospital.
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CLAIM: Video shows a train moving National Guard vehicles into Chicago.
THE FACTS: Video of a train carrying military vehicles with the Chicago skyline in the background has been circulating on social media falsely identified as showing the National Guard arriving in the city amid the coronavirus pandemic. “Welcome the National Guard to #Chicago. There goes the neighborhood…” stated one post viewed more than 100,000 times. The National Guard in Illinois said the vehicles do not belong to them, nor is the video related to their response to COVID-19. According to the Department of Defense, the video shows military equipment being moved from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. “To confirm what others have pointed out: these are new Joint Light Tactical Vehicles being transported by @USArmy Materiel Command from the factory in Oshkosh to Fort Bragg, NC. These deliveries by train to our bases nationwide are not infrequent and have nothing to do w COVID-19,” Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Rath Hoffman tweeted on March 21. Posts misidentifying the video surfaced about March 19, as coronavirus cases spread rapidly across the U.S., and amid rumors that martial law was being declared in some areas. There are currently no plans for a national quarantine and martial law, according to AP reporting. Bryan Spreitzer, a public affairs officer with the Illinois National Guard, said on Thursday there were 160 Guard members providing COVID-19 assistance in Illinois. They are distributing equipment, conducting planning, and providing medical support, mission analysis, and testing.
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CLAIM: Helicopters are being used to spray disinfectant over neighborhoods to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
THE FACTS: Officials have called the claim not only false, but dangerous to spread. It began circulating in New York last weekend, but it has also been knocked down in other countries, including India, Mexico, and Switzerland. New York used its official emergency notification system last week to address rumors that parts of Brooklyn were scheduled to be sprayed, and New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson tweeted Sunday to warn residents about the rumors. “This is NOT TRUE!” he tweeted. “Rumors like this only fuel panic. Stay safe, be smart, and don’t spread misinformation.” The texts warned people to shut their windows and doors because helicopters would be spraying disinfectant to eradicate the virus after 11:00 p.m. and urged people to share the information with all their contacts. Dan Sweet, a spokesperson for the Helicopter Association International, told the AP that his organization is not aware of any helicopter dispersing disinfectants to combat the coronavirus. “I believe it is borne out of the meme that floated around last week, showing a firefighting helicopter dumping water, and someone had badly Photoshopped a Lysol label on the side of it.”
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CLAIM: During a March 25, 2020, “Fox & Friends” appearance, Republican Rep. Jim Jordan said: “I’m not too concerned about the Chinese virus. This is the worst economic crisis we’ve seen in 200 years. We’ve got to end the ridiculous ‘shelter in place’ orders. I’ve spoken to many senior citizens and they’re willing to take the risk and go back to work. If a few senior citizens die, I can live with that. Plus we won’t have to pay them their social security ‘handout.'”
THE FACTS: Jordan didn’t appear on “Fox & Friends” on March 25 or make that statement, his spokesman confirmed. Social media users are passing around a meme that attributes a fictitious quote during a made-up television appearance to the firebrand conservative from Ohio. Video records and transcripts show Jordan didn’t appear on “Fox & Friends” Wednesday, while Congress hammered out details in a $2.2 trillion deal to assuage Americans’ economic woes during the global coronavirus pandemic. Jordan’s last appearance on the show was March 5, when he discussed controversial comments Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer had made about conservative Supreme Court justices. “Congressman Jordan was not on ‘Fox & Friends’ and did not say the quote in question,” Ian Fury, a spokesman for Jordan, told the Associated Press in an email.
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CLAIM: A coronavirus vaccine that is able to cure patients within three hours of injection is ready for use. Trump will announce that the Roche medical company will launch the vaccine next Sunday with a million doses ready from it.
THE FACTS: A photo circulating on social media with the false claim shows a coronavirus testing kit made by a South Korean manufacturer, not a vaccine. A vaccine to prevent the coronavirus is in the works, but experts say nothing is expected for use for more than a year. Posts with the false claim and photo have surfaced on WhatsApp and Facebook as the world anxiously waits for a coronavirus vaccine. The testing kits shown in the posts are made by Sugentech, a South Korean medical diagnostics company, which says it can provide test results within 10 minutes of testing. Researchers around the world have been working nonstop to develop a viable vaccine for the novel coronavirus that has infected more than 300,000 people worldwide. But experts have said that a vaccine for the virus would be not available for widespread use for at least 12 to 18 months. The false post makes reference to a vaccine that was developed in three hours. Earlier this month, Inovio Pharmaceuticals announced that it had developed a vaccine for the virus within three hours after China released the genetic sequence of the virus. The company plans to begin safety studies for the vaccine next month.
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CLAIM: Los Angeles police are doing “spot-checks” and ticketing people for nonessential travel during the coronavirus epidemic.
THE FACTS: Officials in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, and Santa Monica say no “spot-checks” are being conducted to find people violating stay-in-place orders issued to address the spread of COVID-19, and no fines have been issued. On Wednesday a claim was posted on Twitter warning that police in Los Angeles were doing spot-checks and giving people $400 tickets for nonessential travel. “Just happened to a friend of my coworker’s coming back from her boyfriend’s place,” stated one tweet that was shared more than 12,000 times. Los Angeles police responded to the post from their official account Wednesday asking the person to have the co-worker reach out through a direct message with more details. On Thursday, the Twitter user, whose bio says she is a comedian, clarified her tweet to say the fines were happening in Santa Monica, not Los Angeles. “My coworkers got tickets in Santa Monica, where city officers are definitely giving fines. This is not the LAPD. It’s Santa Monica,” the tweet said. The AP reached out for comment, but did not receive a response. Constance Farrell, a public affairs officer with the Santa Monica Police Department, confirmed to the AP in an email that it is not issuing such fines. “We have a local order that includes standard language that gives law enforcement broad authority, but given the current situation, people have a right to get exercise, go to essential jobs, and perform necessary errands,” Farrell said. “Our compliance efforts are focused on enforcing specific violations of the State and County orders, such as businesses that should be closed.” Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore on Thursday responded to online rumors about such stops, tweeting: “Let’s be clear: The men and women of the LAPD have not been directed to, and are not out conducting ‘fishing expeditions’ in an effort to cite individuals traveling on city streets related to the Safer At Home Order. That being said, it is imperative that the order is followed.” The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department also confirmed to the AP that no checks are being conducted. “I don’t know why that rumor is going around. Our agency is not doing that at all whatsoever. Nobody has been doing spot-checks when it comes to that,” Deputy Ed Luna, a spokesman with the sheriff’s department, told the AP in a phone call. On March 19, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued a “Safer at Home” order to limit the spread of coronavirus. The order requires that people stay home and isolate, but a number of essential activities are allowed.


shareblue--2020-03-30--Trump on foreign disinformation: 'They do it and we do it'

From the March 30 edition of Fox News ' `` Fox & Friends '' : BRIAN KILMEADE , Fox News : According to the Washington Post , Russia , Iran , and China are going through a sophisticated disinformation campaign , essentially blaming us around the world for our bad response and for actually causing the virus , using the same principles they used to infiltrate our 2016 election .
We 're the best at this .
How long we going to let these countries get away with that ?
And do we have a counterstrategy like the truth to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DONALD TRUMP : Number one , you do n't know what they 're doing and when you read it in the Washington Post , you do n't believe it , I do n't — I believe very little of what I see .
I see stories in the Washington Post that are so fake — KILMEADE : Well , I believe they do .
TRUMP : — so phony , I have stories that are such fake stuff and that 's number one — KILMEADE : Mr. President , you know China , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this .
TRUMP : They do it and we do it and we call them different things and , you know , I make statements that are very strong against China including the `` Chinese virus , '' which has been going on for a long time , I mean , I would n't say they were thrilled with that statement .
When they said our soldiers did it — they said our soldiers did it , I said , `` You mean the Chinese virus ? ''
KILMEADE : That 's what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And all of a sudden , they call and say , `` Let 's talk nicely . ''
Yeah , sure that 's — hey , every country does it , but they build it up and — we handle that and they probably handle it , but countries do that and , but , when I read things in the Washington Post , I mean I could tell you stories that they write that are just the opposite .
They will do anything they can to hurt this presidency .
And yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we 've ever had .

From the March 30 edition of Fox News’ “Fox & Friends”:
BRIAN KILMEADE, Fox News: According to the Washington Post, Russia, Iran, and China are going through a sophisticated disinformation campaign, essentially blaming us around the world for our bad response and for actually causing the virus, using the same principles they used to infiltrate our 2016 election.
We’re the best at this. How long we going to let these countries get away with that? And do we have a counterstrategy like the truth to tell the rest of the world?
DONALD TRUMP: Number one, you don’t know what they’re doing and when you read it in the Washington Post, you don’t believe it, I don’t — I believe very little of what I see. I see stories in the Washington Post that are so fake —
KILMEADE: Well, I believe they do.
TRUMP: — so phony, I have stories that are such fake stuff and that’s number one —
KILMEADE: Mr. President, you know China, but you know China has already done this.
TRUMP: They do it and we do it and we call them different things and, you know, I make statements that are very strong against China including the “Chinese virus,” which has been going on for a long time, I mean, I wouldn’t say they were thrilled with that statement. When they said our soldiers did it — they said our soldiers did it, I said, “You mean the Chinese virus?”
KILMEADE: That’s what I’m talking about.
TRUMP: And all of a sudden, they call and say, “Let’s talk nicely.” Yeah, sure that’s — hey, every country does it, but they build it up and — we handle that and they probably handle it, but countries do that and, but, when I read things in the Washington Post, I mean I could tell you stories that they write that are just the opposite.
They will do anything they can to hurt this presidency. And yet here we are with the best numbers we’ve ever had.


shareblue--2020-03-30--Trump: If it's easy for people to vote, Republicans will never win again

Donald Trump on Monday offered insight into why Republican lawmakers opposed a Democratic proposal in the coronavirus relief package that would 've allowed states to shift their 2020 elections to all-mail ballots .
`` If you look at before and after , the things they had in [ the bill ] were crazy , '' Trump told `` Fox & Friends '' on Monday morning .
`` They had things , levels of voting that if you ever agreed to it you 'd never have a Republican elected in this country again . ''
Democrats have been pushing for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that states could still hold elections even if the virus is still raging in November .
Already , a number of states that do not allow for no-excuse absentee voting — that is , allowing voters to vote by mail for any reason — have had to postpone their primary contests , as requiring voters to show up at polling sites , and possibly wait in crowded lines for hours , could further spread the virus .
`` Without federal action , Americans might have to choose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health .
That ’ s wrong , and we must take swift action to address the problem , '' Democratic Sens .
Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Ron Wyden of Oregon — who introduced a bill to shift states to all-mail elections — wrote in a Washington Post op-ed .
`` The best way to ensure that this virus doesn ’ t keep people from the ballot box is to bring the ballot box to them .
We must allow every American the ability to vote by mail . ''
Democrats initially proposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absentee voting , increase early voting , and allow states to ensure that any in-person voting sites were safe should the pandemic still be raging in November , according to NPR .
However , Republicans cut funding back to just $ 400 million for election security , amounting to less than $ 10 million per state — not nearly enough to transition to all-mail voting by Election Day 2020 .
Absentee voting has increased dramatically across the country in recent years .
Three states — Colorado , Oregon , and Washington — vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting .
Other states such as Arizona and California have dramatically increased the availability of absentee ballots .
Experts say absentee ballots are actually cheaper for states than in-person voting .
They also decrease long lines at polling sites and allow workers who can not easily get off work on Election Day to easily cast ballots .
But some Republicans have come out against the voting method , falsely saying that it increases the risk of fraud .
`` Unbelievable @ SpeakerPelosi .
She wants to make national voting open for fraud n @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What nerve ?
?
What ’ s does this have to do w the Coronavirus outbreak ?
?
? ''
Rep. Greg Murphy ( R-NC ) tweeted , apparently not understanding that Democrats were trying to stop the election from being canceled over the coronavirus .
Now Trump has admitted that opposition to making it easier for people to vote is n't about concerns of fraud — it 's about fears that making it easier for people to vote will mean Republicans will be voted out of office .
Published with permission of @ @ @ @ @

Donald Trump on Monday offered insight into why Republican lawmakers opposed a Democratic proposal in the coronavirus relief package that would’ve allowed states to shift their 2020 elections to all-mail ballots.
“If you look at before and after, the things they had in [the bill] were crazy,” Trump told “Fox & Friends” on Monday morning. “They had things, levels of voting that if you ever agreed to it you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again.”
Democrats have been pushing for a shift to absentee ballots in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that states could still hold elections even if the virus is still raging in November.
Already, a number of states that do not allow for no-excuse absentee voting — that is, allowing voters to vote by mail for any reason — have had to postpone their primary contests, as requiring voters to show up at polling sites, and possibly wait in crowded lines for hours, could further spread the virus.
“Without federal action, Americans might have to choose between casting a ballot and protecting their health. That’s wrong, and we must take swift action to address the problem,” Democratic Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Ron Wyden of Oregon — who introduced a bill to shift states to all-mail elections — wrote in a Washington Post op-ed. “The best way to ensure that this virus doesn’t keep people from the ballot box is to bring the ballot box to them. We must allow every American the ability to vote by mail.”
Democrats initially proposed $4 billion to help states expand absentee voting, increase early voting, and allow states to ensure that any in-person voting sites were safe should the pandemic still be raging in November, according to NPR.
However, Republicans cut funding back to just $400 million for election security, amounting to less than $10 million per state — not nearly enough to transition to all-mail voting by Election Day 2020.
Absentee voting has increased dramatically across the country in recent years. Three states — Colorado, Oregon, and Washington — vote exclusively by mail and have no in-person voting. Other states such as Arizona and California have dramatically increased the availability of absentee ballots.
Experts say absentee ballots are actually cheaper for states than in-person voting. They also decrease long lines at polling sites and allow workers who cannot easily get off work on Election Day to easily cast ballots.
But some Republicans have come out against the voting method, falsely saying that it increases the risk of fraud.
“Unbelievable @SpeakerPelosi. She wants to make national voting open for fraud n the midst of a national crisis. What nerve?? What’s does this have to do w the Coronavirus outbreak???” Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC) tweeted, apparently not understanding that Democrats were trying to stop the election from being canceled over the coronavirus.
Now Trump has admitted that opposition to making it easier for people to vote isn’t about concerns of fraud — it’s about fears that making it easier for people to vote will mean Republicans will be voted out of office.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.