shareblue--2020-04-29--Republicans attack House Democrats for listening to doctor and staying home

GOP House members are angry that Democratic leaders are heeding the advice of medical experts during a national health crisis .
Republicans were critical this week of an announcement from Majority Leader Steny Hoyer that the House would not reconvene in Washington , D.C. , on May 4 as originally planned .
Democratic leaders made the decision based on the advice of Brian Monahan , the House physician , according to Roll Call .
`` The House doctor , when I talked to him yesterday , was concerned because the numbers in the District of Columbia are going up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forcefully '' of his concerns about members returning to the DC area , Hoyer added .
According to Monahan , it is safer for members to travel to the Capitol to cast votes and then leave rather than stay in the city for extended periods of time .
Republicans lashed out following that announcement .
`` The American people need to see Congress in action and not sitting on the sidelines , '' Rep. Virginia Foxx , a 76-year-old Republican from North Carolina , tweeted on Wednesday .
`` 'Where 's Waldo ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Democrats ? '
'' `` Nurses , truckers , and grocery store workers are working — so should Congress ! ''
Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky wrote on Facebook on Tuesday .
Massie also mocked Democratic leaders for listening to experts , writing , `` In which Article of the Constitution does it mention that a 'House Physician shall direct members of Congress when they shall convene ' ? ''
Rep. Glenn Grothman a 64-year-old member from Wisconsin , echoed those frustrations .
`` Last night we were told the House would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Speaker Nancy Pelosi reversed her decision .
Construction workers , factories , food processors , farmers , grocery store employees and many more are all working .
Congress should join them and begin to re-open safely ! ''
he wrote on Facebook .
Rep. Steve Scalise , the 54-year-old House minority whip , tweeted a similar complaint .
`` People NOT showing up for work next week : House Democrats .
Tells you all you need to know , '' he added .
Rep. Jim Jordan , the top Republican on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that farmers were already `` planting crops '' and `` truckers are delivering goods . ''
`` These workers are showing up .
So should Congress , '' he wrote .
Already , at least six members of Congress — five House members and one senator — have tested positive for coronavirus .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that older Americans are at higher risk for severe illness from the new coronavirus .
More than 250 members of the House were born before 1965 , making them part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are particularly susceptible to COVID-19 .
The CDC has advised that older Americans stay at home if possible .
As of Wednesday morning , more than 1 million people have tested positive for the coronavirus .
At least 53,034 people have died .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

GOP House members are angry that Democratic leaders are heeding the advice of medical experts during a national health crisis.
Republicans were critical this week of an announcement from Majority Leader Steny Hoyer that the House would not reconvene in Washington, D.C., on May 4 as originally planned. Democratic leaders made the decision based on the advice of Brian Monahan, the House physician, according to Roll Call.
“The House doctor, when I talked to him yesterday, was concerned because the numbers in the District of Columbia are going up,” Hoyer said.
Monahan spoke “forcefully” of his concerns about members returning to the DC area, Hoyer added.
According to Monahan, it is safer for members to travel to the Capitol to cast votes and then leave rather than stay in the city for extended periods of time.
Republicans lashed out following that announcement.
“The American people need to see Congress in action and not sitting on the sidelines,” Rep. Virginia Foxx, a 76-year-old Republican from North Carolina, tweeted on Wednesday. “‘Where’s Waldo’? No, it’s ‘Where Are The Democrats?'”
“Nurses, truckers, and grocery store workers are working — so should Congress!” Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky wrote on Facebook on Tuesday. Massie also mocked Democratic leaders for listening to experts, writing, “In which Article of the Constitution does it mention that a ‘House Physician shall direct members of Congress when they shall convene’?”
Rep. Glenn Grothman a 64-year-old member from Wisconsin, echoed those frustrations. “Last night we were told the House would return to Washington next week. Today, Speaker Nancy Pelosi reversed her decision. Construction workers, factories, food processors, farmers, grocery store employees and many more are all working. Congress should join them and begin to re-open safely!” he wrote on Facebook.
Rep. Steve Scalise, the 54-year-old House minority whip, tweeted a similar complaint. “People NOT showing up for work next week: House Democrats. Tells you all you need to know,” he added.
Rep. Jim Jordan, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, complained on Facebook that farmers were already “planting crops” and “truckers are delivering goods.”
“These workers are showing up. So should Congress,” he wrote.
Already, at least six members of Congress — five House members and one senator — have tested positive for coronavirus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that older Americans are at higher risk for severe illness from the new coronavirus. More than 250 members of the House were born before 1965, making them part of the Baby Boomer or Silent generations that are particularly susceptible to COVID-19.
The CDC has advised that older Americans stay at home if possible.
As of Wednesday morning, more than 1 million people have tested positive for the coronavirus. At least 53,034 people have died.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-29--Trump denies he ever said US will do 5 millions tests a day — but it was on TV

Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed he never said the United States would test 5 million people for coronavirus each day .
`` Well , I do n't know where it came up .
... Everyone kept saying , 'you said there 'd be five . '
That was a study that came out .
Somebody came out with a study of 5 million people .
Do I think we will ?
I think we will .
But I never said it , '' Trump said .
But Trump did say that — two times .
Trump 's assertions that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came less than 24 hours ago , when a reporter pointed out that health experts believe that many tests need to be conducted daily in order to safely end social distancing measures .
`` Some health experts say the U.S. needs 5 million tests per day by June in order to safely reopen .
You unveiled a plan yesterday that will increase testing , but not by that much .
Why not ?
And can you get to that benchmark ? ''
NBC News reporter Kristen Welker asked Trump .
Trump replied that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 million tests per day .
`` Well , it will increase it , and it 'll increase it by much more than that in the very near future , '' Trump said .
After making that assertion , Welker followed up .
`` Did I hear you saying you 're confident you can surpass 5 million tests per day ? ''
Welker asked .
`` Oh , well , we 're going to be there very soon , '' Trump said .
`` If you look at the numbers , it could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I mean , I do n't have the exact numbers .
We would 've had them if you asked me the same question a little while ago because people with the statistics were there . ''
Trump might be trying to back away from his assertion that he will help ramp coronavirus testing up because his own testing czar has said that goal is impossible .
`` There is absolutely no way on Earth , on this planet or any other planet , that we can do 20 million tests a day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , '' Admiral Brett Giroir , who is leading the administration 's coronavirus testing response , told Time on Tuesday .
Since January , the United States has done 5.7 million tests for the coronavirus , Giroir told Time .
That would make hitting 5 million tests a day an astronomical increase .
Ultimately , Trump has refused to take responsibility for the lack of testing in the United States .
Experts have said that a strong testing response earlier could have prevented the amount of viral spread we 've seen so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed he never said the United States would test 5 million people for coronavirus each day.
“Well, I don’t know where it came up. … Everyone kept saying, ‘you said there’d be five.’ That was a study that came out. Somebody came out with a study of 5 million people. Do I think we will? I think we will. But I never said it,” Trump said.
But Trump did say that — two times.
Trump’s assertions that the United States would meet the 5-million-test threshold came less than 24 hours ago, when a reporter pointed out that health experts believe that many tests need to be conducted daily in order to safely end social distancing measures.
“Some health experts say the U.S. needs 5 million tests per day by June in order to safely reopen. You unveiled a plan yesterday that will increase testing, but not by that much. Why not? And can you get to that benchmark?” NBC News reporter Kristen Welker asked Trump.
Trump replied that his administration will actually do better than 5 million tests per day.
“Well, it will increase it, and it’ll increase it by much more than that in the very near future,” Trump said.
After he made that assertion, Welker followed up.
“Did I hear you saying you’re confident you can surpass 5 million tests per day?” Welker asked.
Trump replied in the affirmative.
“Oh, well, we’re going to be there very soon,” Trump said. “If you look at the numbers, it could be that we’re getting very close. I mean, I don’t have the exact numbers. We would’ve had them if you asked me the same question a little while ago because people with the statistics were there.”
Trump might be trying to back away from his assertion that he will help ramp coronavirus testing up because his own testing czar has said that goal is impossible.
“There is absolutely no way on Earth, on this planet or any other planet, that we can do 20 million tests a day, or even five million tests a day,” Admiral Brett Giroir, who is leading the administration’s coronavirus testing response, told Time on Tuesday.
Since January, the United States has done 5.7 million tests for the coronavirus, Giroir told Time. That would make hitting 5 million tests a day an astronomical increase.
Ultimately, Trump has refused to take responsibility for the lack of testing in the United States.
Experts have said that a strong testing response earlier could have prevented the amount of viral spread we’ve seen so far.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-29--School closures mean millions of unsalaried workers aren't getting paid

Schools are ecosystems that involve not just students , teachers , and administrators — each school also includes dozens of behind-the-scenes , unsalaried workers who make education possible .
Part-time school staff not only play an essential supporting role in keeping a school running , they 're also key characters in students ' lives , providing stability and security .
Now , as coronavirus has shuttered school doors across the country , these vital members of the education community are being forgotten .
As children and their teachers struggle to continue education online , millions of unsalaried staff like substitute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and teaching aides have lost their income entirely .
There are approximately 600,000 substitute teachers across the country .
Although no organization is tracking substitute teacher unemployment in real time , STEDI , an organization that provides subs with training and support , found in a recent survey that almost all the substitute teachers in its network are now facing a complete lack of work , many without benefits like health care .
One substitute teacher surveyed by STEDI even said that subs didn ’ t even receive proper notice about coronavirus spreading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who responded anonymously to the survey , said that even as the coronavirus began overwhelming U.S. states , substitutes were left out of the loop .
`` Last night I heard that there is a positive case of the COVID virus at one of our schools , '' they wrote on March 17 .
`` Everyone was notified , staff , parents , etc .
via email and urged to quarantine themselves for 14 days .
No subs were notified . ''
Up until mid-March , Carlos Petty worked every day as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas .
Now he 's out of work completely .
`` Going from making money to making nothing sucks , '' Petty said .
`` I receive no benefits as a sub .
I 'm a disabled vet so I get a check every month and my wife works .
But as a man , you want to work and take care of your family .
Not being able to do that is depressing . ''
`` My last day of subbing was March 13 .
I live paycheck to paycheck and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teaching .
I do n't have paid vacations or paid medical leave .
If I do n't work , then I don ’ t get paid . ''
Lundberg , like many other part-time workers , sought government assistance right away .
`` I applied for unemployment , which I did start getting — just $ 140 a week .
Plus I got $ 600 for COVID-19 relief , '' she said .
Given that Minneapolis has one of the highest costs of living of any city in North America , Lundberg feels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several other part-time jobs , as a freelance writer and photographer .
But all of these gigs are hard to come by now due to the economic downturn and shelter-in-place orders .
As one of 133 million Americans living with a chronic illness , she depends on a roster of flexible part-time jobs to pay the bills .
`` I 'm kind of forced into subbing as a day job due to having a serious chronic illness — rheumatoid arthritis .
I need the flexibility for medical appointments , if and when I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unsalaried school workers are largely at the mercy of their school districts to determine if they 'll receive paychecks during the shutdown , and education departments ' reactions to the pandemic have varied .
Some districts have been supportive : Los Angeles was one of the first school districts to promise to announce it would continue paying substitute teachers during school closures .
A few others have followed .
But the STEDI survey found that only 25 % of substitute teachers are still being compensated by their districts .
The situation for substitute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chief Education Officer Jessica Smith said , that `` subs are far more worried about their income than their health '' — even during a pandemic .
While many substitutes have unfortunately lost their jobs as schools moved to online platforms , Dr. Carlos Beato , principal at the International High School at Langley Park in Maryland , says that his school is trying to at least protect other unsalaried staff , including long term substitute teachers .
`` I think that our district is doing a great job of protecting some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
`` In the case that a school has a long term sub , they are still able to keep them on their payroll and continue working .
All of our other workers are still getting paid and if they had health insurance , they still have it . ''
Ultimately , the amount of support unsalaried school staff may receive depends on the income level of the school where they teach .
`` Superintendents are scrambling to do the best they can to keep nonsalaried staff getting paychecks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to support unsalaried staff better , since they have more resources , '' said David Lewis , Executive Director at ASBO International , a professional association for workers who keep school buildings running , such as transportation and food service workers , custodial , IT , and HR payroll staff .
Poorer schools are less likely to be fully staffed right now , he said .
`` Sadly , a massive disruption like this perpetuates the misconception that poorer districts are bad school districts , and parents do n't want their kids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of school districts are continuing to pay part-time employees during the closures , according to the STEDI survey .
In addition to substitute teachers , that category includes custodians .
`` A lot of districts are trying to keep custodial service employed , ” said Lewis .
`` There is still plenty of work to do in the buildings , and custodians can continue to work safely without students there and while maintaining safe social distance .
Maybe painting and additional cleaning is needed right now . ''
Other vital classroom workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , are out of work completely , left at the mercy of their school districts to decide whether to support them or not — even though they are desperately needed , Lewis said .
`` Teacher aides , special needs counselors — they do n't get the respect they deserve , '' he said .
`` The law providing services for children with special needs is highly regulated , but we still have n't heard how districts are going to be held accountable for providing services to students when their instructors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
He added , `` You ca n't use online learning for severely disabled students .
It 's an elephant in the room . ''
Bureaucracy is preventing districts from doing more to support unsalaried staff .
Administrators fear that they will be penalized later on for paying these workers to stay at home .
Public schools are prohibited from `` gifting public funds , '' meaning that schools can not use public money without proving that the funds are going to practical use .
But no special adjustments have been issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explicitly allow schools to support unsalaried workers during the pandemic .
`` We 're getting a huge infusion of money now , but schools are worried they 'll be audited for taking money out of the wrong bucket later on , '' Lewis said .
`` When we 're stewards of public money , it 's in our DNA to ask : are we doing it the right way ? ''
Cafeteria workers are perhaps more essential than ever , but even they have seen their jobs become more difficult or lost pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
Twenty two million American children depend on free or reduced-cost school meals each day .
Public schools are lawfully bound to provide these meals , and have had to make drastic adjustments to deliver food to students even though classes are canceled .
School buses have become food trucks and bus drivers have become food runners ; daily , they pick up breakfasts and lunches from their school cafeteria and bring them to a centralized pickup spot so that students without access to a car do n't go hungry .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generous .
Angela Hannon , Kitchen Manager at Mapleton Public Schools in Thornton , Colorado , called her school district `` incredible . ''
`` We get the pay we were already getting , plus they are giving us an additional 50 % of our pay for certain hours for anything we do above the allowed overtime if we voluntarily choose to .
We are not obligated to do it at all ; we have many staff members who have decided to stay at home with their children and they are still getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all cafeteria workers have been untouched by mass layoffs .
`` Many of the cafeteria workers in the schools where I teach have lost their jobs , however it was up to the individual districts whether they would be given benefits or not , '' said Josh Bryzelak , a substitute teacher in Michigan .
A recession is looming , which will drastically reduce school budgets .
It also means an uncertain future for unsalaried school staff .
`` In the fall , there will be a slow process of trying to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The most crucial will return first .
It 's too bad , but teacher aides , librarians , and what some people consider 'the luxury ' staff are always first to go and last to be brought back . ''
What would help unsalaried staff most now is more flexible government aid , and faster .
While educators like Lewis are grateful for the $ 3 billion in federal relief that has been granted to governors to support state education at their discretion , it 's still not enough .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
`` The funds will need to be replenished . ''
Meanwhile , those at the bottom are left struggling in the short and long-term .
`` Subs are so important , Lundberg said .
`` It 's such a tough job , yet we 're working with hardly any safety nets . ''
She added , `` It 's really tough not knowing what the future will bring . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Schools are ecosystems that involve not just students, teachers, and administrators — each school also includes dozens of behind-the-scenes, unsalaried workers who make education possible.
Part-time school staff not only play an essential supporting role in keeping a school running, they’re also key characters in students’ lives, providing stability and security. Now, as coronavirus has shuttered school doors across the country, these vital members of the education community are being forgotten.
As children and their teachers struggle to continue education online, millions of unsalaried staff like substitute teachers, custodians, cafeteria workers, and teaching aides have lost their income entirely.
Substitutes
There are approximately 600,000 substitute teachers across the country. Although no organization is tracking substitute teacher unemployment in real time, STEDI, an organization that provides subs with training and support, found in a recent survey that almost all the substitute teachers in its network are now facing a complete lack of work, many without benefits like health care.
One substitute teacher surveyed by STEDI even said that subs didn’t even receive proper notice about coronavirus spreading at their school.
The teacher, who responded anonymously to the survey, said that even as the coronavirus began overwhelming U.S. states, substitutes were left out of the loop.
“Last night I heard that there is a positive case of the COVID virus at one of our schools,” they wrote on March 17. “Everyone was notified, staff, parents, etc. via email and urged to quarantine themselves for 14 days. No subs were notified.”
Up until mid-March, Carlos Petty worked every day as a special ed high school substitute teacher in Texas. Now he’s out of work completely.
“Going from making money to making nothing sucks,” Petty said. “I receive no benefits as a sub. I’m a disabled vet so I get a check every month and my wife works. But as a man, you want to work and take care of your family. Not being able to do that is depressing.”
Angela Lundberg, a K-12 substitute teacher in Minneapolis, echoed that frustration.
“My last day of subbing was March 13. I live paycheck to paycheck and I do not receive health insurance through substitute teaching. I don’t have paid vacations or paid medical leave. If I don’t work, then I don’t get paid.”
Lundberg, like many other part-time workers, sought government assistance right away. “I applied for unemployment, which I did start getting — just $140 a week. Plus I got $600 for COVID-19 relief,” she said.
Given that Minneapolis has one of the highest costs of living of any city in North America, Lundberg feels that amount is insufficient.
Lundberg has several other part-time jobs, as a freelance writer and photographer. But all of these gigs are hard to come by now due to the economic downturn and shelter-in-place orders.
As one of 133 million Americans living with a chronic illness, she depends on a roster of flexible part-time jobs to pay the bills.
“I’m kind of forced into subbing as a day job due to having a serious chronic illness — rheumatoid arthritis. I need the flexibility for medical appointments, if and when I have flare-ups,” she said.
Unsalaried school workers are largely at the mercy of their school districts to determine if they’ll receive paychecks during the shutdown, and education departments’ reactions to the pandemic have varied.
Some districts have been supportive: Los Angeles was one of the first school districts to promise to announce it would continue paying substitute teachers during school closures. A few others have followed.
But the STEDI survey found that only 25% of substitute teachers are still being compensated by their districts.
The situation for substitute teachers is so dire, STEDI’s Chief Education Officer Jessica Smith said, that “subs are far more worried about their income than their health” — even during a pandemic.
While many substitutes have unfortunately lost their jobs as schools moved to online platforms, Dr. Carlos Beato, principal at the International High School at Langley Park in Maryland, says that his school is trying to at least protect other unsalaried staff, including long term substitute teachers.
“I think that our district is doing a great job of protecting some of our employees who are most vulnerable,” he said. “In the case that a school has a long term sub, they are still able to keep them on their payroll and continue working. All of our other workers are still getting paid and if they had health insurance, they still have it.”
Ultimately, the amount of support unsalaried school staff may receive depends on the income level of the school where they teach.
“Superintendents are scrambling to do the best they can to keep nonsalaried staff getting paychecks and working. But wealthier school districts are able to support unsalaried staff better, since they have more resources,” said David Lewis, Executive Director at ASBO International, a professional association for workers who keep school buildings running, such as transportation and food service workers, custodial, IT, and HR payroll staff.
Poorer schools are less likely to be fully staffed right now, he said. “Sadly, a massive disruption like this perpetuates the misconception that poorer districts are bad school districts, and parents don’t want their kids to go there.”
Custodians, classroom aides, and special education
Only 60% of school districts are continuing to pay part-time employees during the closures, according to the STEDI survey. In addition to substitute teachers, that category includes custodians.
“A lot of districts are trying to keep custodial service employed,” said Lewis. “There is still plenty of work to do in the buildings, and custodians can continue to work safely without students there and while maintaining safe social distance. Maybe painting and additional cleaning is needed right now.”
Other vital classroom workers like teacher aides and special needs counselors, however, are out of work completely, left at the mercy of their school districts to decide whether to support them or not — even though they are desperately needed, Lewis said.
“Teacher aides, special needs counselors — they don’t get the respect they deserve,” he said. “The law providing services for children with special needs is highly regulated, but we still haven’t heard how districts are going to be held accountable for providing services to students when their instructors can’t be physically near them.”
He added, “You can’t use online learning for severely disabled students. It’s an elephant in the room.”
Bureaucracy is preventing districts from doing more to support unsalaried staff. Administrators fear that they will be penalized later on for paying these workers to stay at home.
Public schools are prohibited from “gifting public funds,” meaning that schools cannot use public money without proving that the funds are going to practical use. But no special adjustments have been issued yet by the federal government that would explicitly allow schools to support unsalaried workers during the pandemic.
“We’re getting a huge infusion of money now, but schools are worried they’ll be audited for taking money out of the wrong bucket later on,” Lewis said. “When we’re stewards of public money, it’s in our DNA to ask: are we doing it the right way?”
Cafeteria workers
Cafeteria workers are perhaps more essential than ever, but even they have seen their jobs become more difficult or lost pay or benefits as a result of the pandemic.
Twenty two million American children depend on free or reduced-cost school meals each day. Public schools are lawfully bound to provide these meals, and have had to make drastic adjustments to deliver food to students even though classes are canceled.
School buses have become food trucks and bus drivers have become food runners; daily, they pick up breakfasts and lunches from their school cafeteria and bring them to a centralized pickup spot so that students without access to a car don’t go hungry.
Some cafeteria workers say their schools have been generous.
Angela Hannon, Kitchen Manager at Mapleton Public Schools in Thornton, Colorado, called her school district “incredible.”
“We get the pay we were already getting, plus they are giving us an additional 50% of our pay for certain hours for anything we do above the allowed overtime if we voluntarily choose to. We are not obligated to do it at all; we have many staff members who have decided to stay at home with their children and they are still getting their normal pay.”
But not all cafeteria workers have been untouched by mass layoffs.
“Many of the cafeteria workers in the schools where I teach have lost their jobs, however it was up to the individual districts whether they would be given benefits or not,” said Josh Bryzelak, a substitute teacher in Michigan.
The future
A recession is looming, which will drastically reduce school budgets. It also means an uncertain future for unsalaried school staff.
“In the fall, there will be a slow process of trying to bring unsalaried workers back,” said Lewis. “The most crucial will return first. It’s too bad, but teacher aides, librarians, and what some people consider ‘the luxury’ staff are always first to go and last to be brought back.”
What would help unsalaried staff most now is more flexible government aid, and faster. While educators like Lewis are grateful for the $3 billion in federal relief that has been granted to governors to support state education at their discretion, it’s still not enough.
“$3 billion is not nearly adequate,” he said. “The funds will need to be replenished.”
Meanwhile, those at the bottom are left struggling in the short and long-term.
“Subs are so important, Lundberg said. “It’s such a tough job, yet we’re working with hardly any safety nets.”
She added, “It’s really tough not knowing what the future will bring.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-29--GOP congressman: Quarantine health officials without pay to 'see how they like it'

Rep. Andy Biggs ( R-AZ ) told a Fox News radio program on Tuesday that he would like to see members of the national coronavirus task force quarantined without pay to punish them for advocating social distancing .
Appearing on `` Fox Across America , '' Biggs was asked about National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci and White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx .
He said both should given `` the gold watch '' and told to `` exit stage left '' before blaming them for a host of `` societal problems .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ America '' host : Are you telling America , basically , it 's time to thank them for their service and let them move on ?
Are you tired of the lockdowns , is that what this is ?
Rep. Andy Biggs : Yeah , absolutely , give them the gold watch , and say thank you , exit stage left .
It 's time for them to go out and be quarantined without a government paycheck and see how they like that , see how they like it .
I mean , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've got .
You 've got two classes of people in America today .
You 've got the people who are the bureaucrats .
I do n't want to be critical , they may be lovely people , I simply do n't know them , but I can tell you this : Their policies have produced the division in this country that produced an economic depression in this country .
They 've basically they 've created societal problems , everything from more suicides , more suicide hotline calls , domestic violence , child @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alcohol — they 've basically sanctioned elimination , and if it 's not full elimination , at least a curtailing of , our rights .
And basically , they said , we would rather commit economic suicide than have freedom and let people govern themselves and take the risk of freedom .
And then we could have put in reasonable policies to protect the most vulnerable .
We knew who the most vulnerable was from the get-go .
We knew it was the elderly .
We knew that it was people with these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But instead they said , let 's quarantine the healthy as well .
Biggs : Then you also have kind of this kind of quasi-martial law feeling going on .
Though experts say social distancing is necessary to protect both public health and the economy , Biggs has been arguing against it for weeks .
He and Rep. Ken Buck ( R-CO ) co-authored a Washington Examiner opinion piece on April 11 , titled `` Is Anthony Fauci helping or hurting ? ''
In it , the two argued Fauci and his team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voices at the table '' and wrote that `` Fauci and Birx have indicated pretty strongly that they do not consider the greater needs of the country . ''
On April 16 , he urged all nonessential businesses in Arizona to be reopened .
`` Allow retail shops to open up the way they normally would with social distancing you see in grocery stores … businesses are just dying on the vine .
We need to take care of that , '' he said .
`` If you can do it in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , [ or ] at a liquor store , then I would suggest you can do it in a furniture store . ''
On April 20 , he suggested doctors who advocated for social distancing should focus more on the economy than death tolls .
`` Let 's let the doctors then come back and help revitalize the economy . ''
Last Thursday , he claimed those who advocate for stay-at-home orders `` fundamentally do n't understand rules of economics . ''
At least 7,202 Arizonans have tested positive for coronavirus , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More than 300 of them have died .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) told a Fox News radio program on Tuesday that he would like to see members of the national coronavirus task force quarantined without pay to punish them for advocating social distancing.
Appearing on “Fox Across America,” Biggs was asked about National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci and White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx. He said both should given “the gold watch” and told to “exit stage left” before blaming them for a host of “societal problems.”
From his Fox News Radio interview:
Jimmy Failla, “Fox Across America” host: Are you telling America, basically, it’s time to thank them for their service and let them move on? Are you tired of the lockdowns, is that what this is? Rep. Andy Biggs: Yeah, absolutely, give them the gold watch, and say thank you, exit stage left. It’s time for them to go out and be quarantined without a government paycheck and see how they like that, see how they like it. I mean, really, because that’s what you’ve got. You’ve got two classes of people in America today. You’ve got the people who are the bureaucrats. I don’t want to be critical, they may be lovely people, I simply don’t know them, but I can tell you this: Their policies have produced the division in this country that produced an economic depression in this country. They’ve basically they’ve created societal problems, everything from more suicides, more suicide hotline calls, domestic violence, child abuse, increased use of drugs and alcohol — they’ve basically sanctioned elimination, and if it’s not full elimination, at least a curtailing of, our rights. And basically, they said, we would rather commit economic suicide than have freedom and let people govern themselves and take the risk of freedom. And then we could have put in reasonable policies to protect the most vulnerable. We knew who the most vulnerable was from the get-go. We knew it was the elderly. We knew that it was people with these types of morbidities and health problems. But instead they said, let’s quarantine the healthy as well. Failla: Yeah, it’s crazy. Biggs: Then you also have kind of this kind of quasi-martial law feeling going on.
Though experts say social distancing is necessary to protect both public health and the economy, Biggs has been arguing against it for weeks.
He and Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) co-authored a Washington Examiner opinion piece on April 11, titled “Is Anthony Fauci helping or hurting?” In it, the two argued Fauci and his team “should no longer be the primary voices at the table” and wrote that “Fauci and Birx have indicated pretty strongly that they do not consider the greater needs of the country.”
On April 16, he urged all nonessential businesses in Arizona to be reopened.
“Allow retail shops to open up the way they normally would with social distancing you see in grocery stores … businesses are just dying on the vine. We need to take care of that,” he said. “If you can do it in a grocery store, for Pete’s sake, [or] at a liquor store, then I would suggest you can do it in a furniture store.”
On April 20, he suggested doctors who advocated for social distancing should focus more on the economy than death tolls. “Let’s let the doctors then come back and help revitalize the economy.”
Last Thursday, he claimed those who advocate for stay-at-home orders “fundamentally don’t understand rules of economics.”
At least 7,202 Arizonans have tested positive for coronavirus, according to the state’s health department. More than 300 of them have died.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-29--Trump threatens to withhold relief from states if they don't help deport immigrants

On Tuesday Donald Trump seemed to threaten to withhold much-needed coronavirus aid to states unless they helped his administration deport immigrants .
`` The problem with the states is , we 're not looking to recover 25 years of bad management and to give them the money that they lost .
That 's unfair to other states , '' Trump said at a White House press briefing .
`` Now , if it 's COVID-related , I guess we can talk about it .
But we 'd want certain things also , including sanctuary city adjustments , '' he added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ folks '' were against sanctuary cities .
Trump said , `` If we were gon na do something for the states , I think they 'd probably want something having to do with sanctuary cities . ''
Sanctuary cities are those that have instituted official policies that restrict or prohibit local agencies from assisting federal immigration officials in enforcing federal laws covering the detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants and asylum-seekers .
Such policies are supported by national organizations representing mayors and law enforcement officers as a way to build trust with all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Trump administration has repeatedly attacked cities with such regulations in place , falsely stating that they increase crime despite data showing less crime in sanctuary cities .
Trump 's consideration of tying critical coronavirus aid to sanctuary city policies is just the latest way he and his administration have used the pandemic to attack immigrants .
In March , Trump used the growing crisis to push his pet wall between the United States and Mexico .
`` We need the Wall more than ever ! ''
he tweeted , even though Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time and the United States had more than 200 .
Later in March , the Trump administration used the pandemic as an excuse to bar asylum-seekers from entering the United States .
In April , Trump went further , signing an executive order barring all immigrants seeking permanent residency from coming into the country .
This month , Education Secretary Betsy DeVos issued guidance forbidding colleges and universities from using federal funds to assist undocumented students , including those covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program , despite the fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus relief law allocating the funds that prohibit such aid .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

On Tuesday Donald Trump seemed to threaten to withhold much-needed coronavirus aid to states unless they helped his administration deport immigrants.
“The problem with the states is, we’re not looking to recover 25 years of bad management and to give them the money that they lost. That’s unfair to other states,” Trump said at a White House press briefing. “Now, if it’s COVID-related, I guess we can talk about it. But we’d want certain things also, including sanctuary city adjustments,” he added, saying he thought even “radical-left folks” were against sanctuary cities.
Trump said, “If we were gonna do something for the states, I think they’d probably want something having to do with sanctuary cities.”
Sanctuary cities are those that have instituted official policies that restrict or prohibit local agencies from assisting federal immigration officials in enforcing federal laws covering the detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants and asylum-seekers. Such policies are supported by national organizations representing mayors and law enforcement officers as a way to build trust with all immigrant communities and help reduce crime.
The Trump administration has repeatedly attacked cities with such regulations in place, falsely stating that they increase crime despite data showing less crime in sanctuary cities.
Trump’s consideration of tying critical coronavirus aid to sanctuary city policies is just the latest way he and his administration have used the pandemic to attack immigrants.
In March, Trump used the growing crisis to push his pet wall between the United States and Mexico. “We need the Wall more than ever!” he tweeted, even though Mexico only had seven confirmed coronavirus cases at the time and the United States had more than 200.
Later in March, the Trump administration used the pandemic as an excuse to bar asylum-seekers from entering the United States. In April, Trump went further, signing an executive order barring all immigrants seeking permanent residency from coming into the country.
This month, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos issued guidance forbidding colleges and universities from using federal funds to assist undocumented students, including those covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, despite the fact that there are no provisions in the coronavirus relief law allocating the funds that prohibit such aid.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-29--GOP senator claims her state is 'ramping up testing' as it does the opposite

Republican Arizona Sen. Martha McSally told participants in a telephone town hall last week that Arizona was `` ramping up '' coronavirus testing daily , even as official numbers revealed the opposite .
McSally was asked by a constituent about the lack of availability of testing during a call on Thursday .
`` We 're ramping up testing every single day .
It is being managed at the state level with the federal partnerships , '' she claimed .
`` And so the intent here , again , I 'm not going to speak on behalf of Gov .
[ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of their way forward in our coordination with them is ramping up testing for frontline health care workers . ''
McSally also talked of the importance of both antibody testing and testing for the coronavirus itself .
According to Arizona 's official counts , the number of weekly tests done at the end of March was actually higher than the number of tests done in any week of April .
`` The high-water mark for tests came four weeks ago , during the week that ended March 28 , when 12,728 tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing numbers fell to 11,864 , and then 10,684 for the week ending April 11 , '' the Arizona Republic reported Friday , one day after McSally 's town hall .
`` The number edged up last week , to 11,127 tests , according to state data on Thursday .
But that figure is still 13 % lower than the number of tests done at the end of March , '' prior to the state 's stay-at-home order , the outlet noted .
In total , 67,438 lab tests have been completed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state has reported 6,948 COVID-19 cases and 293 deaths in total .
With limited supplies , testing has been a national struggle .
According to the COVID Tracking Project , fewer than 5.8 million tests have been completed nationally in a country of more than 329 million people .
That number includes some people who have been tested more than once .
Republicans have downplayed the problem .
Donald Trump falsely claimed in March that the testing was `` all perfect '' and that `` anybody that wants a test can get a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information , claiming the United States had done `` far more '' testing than any other country .
In reality , as Yahoo News noted last month , it 's `` unclear , owing to a lack of information from China , whether that is in fact the largest number of people tested by a single country , although it appears improbable based on the figures available . ''
Trump 's claim also does n't account for the `` difference in population between the U.S. and smaller countries like South Korea , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump bragged , `` In recent days we 've seen a dramatic increase in the number of tests performed by hospitals and academic institutions . ''
He complained that some journalists `` falsely reported this as a bad thing when in fact it 's a great thing because it indicates that the states are moving to faster , more local testing solutions including on the spot tests . ''
In fact , commercial labs told Politico earlier this month that they were `` sitting on excess capacity '' and were `` ready @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed clearer guidance from the administration .
`` We need to look to the future — the time is now to agree on what testing is needed and at what volumes , and put in place the resources to enable it to happen .
That takes federal leadership , '' said Julie Khani , president of the American Clinical Laboratory Association .
Medical experts have said that the lack of testing and slow approach has directly led to the current crisis .
Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told Politico earlier this month that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million tests per week in order to properly assess the scale of the outbreak and construct a broader vision for reopening the country eventually .
That 's far higher than the current pace of testing , according to the COVID Tracking Project .
Dr. Ashish Jha , director of the Harvard Global Health Institute , also said last week that `` inadequate testing '' was to blame for the current economic spiral .
`` We believe we need to be at least 500,000 tests a day .
And most people criticize us for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's a lot more than that , '' he added .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Republican Arizona Sen. Martha McSally told participants in a telephone town hall last week that Arizona was “ramping up” coronavirus testing daily, even as official numbers revealed the opposite.
McSally was asked by a constituent about the lack of availability of testing during a call on Thursday.
“We’re ramping up testing every single day. It is being managed at the state level with the federal partnerships,” she claimed. “And so the intent here, again, I’m not going to speak on behalf of Gov. [Doug] Ducey, but I know part of their way forward in our coordination with them is ramping up testing for frontline health care workers.”
McSally also talked of the importance of both antibody testing and testing for the coronavirus itself.
According to Arizona’s official counts, the number of weekly tests done at the end of March was actually higher than the number of tests done in any week of April.
“The high-water mark for tests came four weeks ago, during the week that ended March 28, when 12,728 tests were conducted. Since then, weekly testing numbers fell to 11,864, and then 10,684 for the week ending April 11,” the Arizona Republic reported Friday, one day after McSally’s town hall.
“The number edged up last week, to 11,127 tests, according to state data on Thursday. But that figure is still 13% lower than the number of tests done at the end of March,” prior to the state’s stay-at-home order, the outlet noted.
In total, 67,438 lab tests have been completed in Arizona, through April 27. The state has reported 6,948 COVID-19 cases and 293 deaths in total.
With limited supplies, testing has been a national struggle. According to the COVID Tracking Project, fewer than 5.8 million tests have been completed nationally in a country of more than 329 million people. That number includes some people who have been tested more than once.
Republicans have downplayed the problem. Donald Trump falsely claimed in March that the testing was “all perfect” and that “anybody that wants a test can get a test.” He also gave misleading information, claiming the United States had done “far more” testing than any other country.
In reality, as Yahoo News noted last month, it’s “unclear, owing to a lack of information from China, whether that is in fact the largest number of people tested by a single country, although it appears improbable based on the figures available.” Trump’s claim also doesn’t account for the “difference in population between the U.S. and smaller countries like South Korea,” the outlet added.
On April 16, Trump bragged, “In recent days we’ve seen a dramatic increase in the number of tests performed by hospitals and academic institutions.” He complained that some journalists “falsely reported this as a bad thing when in fact it’s a great thing because it indicates that the states are moving to faster, more local testing solutions including on the spot tests.”
In fact, commercial labs told Politico earlier this month that they were “sitting on excess capacity” and were “ready to do more testing,” but needed clearer guidance from the administration.
“We need to look to the future — the time is now to agree on what testing is needed and at what volumes, and put in place the resources to enable it to happen. That takes federal leadership,” said Julie Khani, president of the American Clinical Laboratory Association.
Medical experts have said that the lack of testing and slow approach has directly led to the current crisis.
Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told Politico earlier this month that the nation would need up to 3.8 million tests per week in order to properly assess the scale of the outbreak and construct a broader vision for reopening the country eventually. That’s far higher than the current pace of testing, according to the COVID Tracking Project.
Dr. Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, also said last week that “inadequate testing” was to blame for the current economic spiral.
“We believe we need to be at least 500,000 tests a day. And most people criticize us for being too low. Other people think it’s a lot more than that,” he added.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-29--Iowa governor threatens people afraid to return to work before it's safe

Iowa Gov .
Kim Reynolds on Monday announced that she is loosening social distancing restrictions implemented in response to the coronavirus pandemic and allowing businesses to reopen in the majority of her state — before experts say it 's safe .
And in the process , the Republican governor will force workers to choose between their health and their livelihood .
Reynolds says that anyone whose workplaces reopen will have to go back to work or else lose their unemployment benefits .
`` If you 're an employer and you offer to bring your employee back to work and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voluntary quit , '' Reynolds said Friday , according to the Hill news website .
`` Therefore , they would not be eligible for the unemployment money . ''
Starting May 1 , 77 counties in Iowa will allow `` restaurants , fitness centers , malls , libraries , race tracks , and certain other retail establishments to reopen in a limited fashion with public health measures in place , '' according to a statement put out by Reynolds ' office .
Reynolds ' decision to enforce a `` voluntary quit '' policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to go back to work if their places of employment reopen — even if they fear for their own health or the health of others in their homes due to the coronavirus .
The policy does not comport with Reynolds ' own statement Monday that certain populations in the state should continue staying home .
`` I strongly encourage all vulnerable Iowans , including those with preexisting medical conditions and those older than 65 , in all counties of the state to continue to limit their activities outside of their home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ establishments and their participation in gatherings of any size and any purpose , '' that statement read .
Employees who fall into those categories would have to go back to work under the reopening policy if their workplaces reopened .
The only workers who could continue to receive unemployment after their workplaces reopened are those who have the coronavirus or are taking care of a family member who does , the Hill reported .
Iowa has reported 6,376 cases of the coronavirus and 136 deaths , according to the New York Times ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa are seeing spikes in the virus .
It has spread among workers at meatpacking plants in the state .
Donald Trump has ordered those and other meatpacking plants to stay open , despite the surge of cases , using his authority under the Defense Production Act to classify them as essential infrastructure .
Multiple polls show that the vast majority of Americans do not support reopening the economy , as Reynolds is doing in Iowa , before it 's safe .
A Politico/Morning Consult survey released on April 15 showed that 81 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should continue to social distance for as long as is needed to curb the spread of coronavirus , even if it means continued damage to the economy . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Monday announced that she is loosening social distancing restrictions implemented in response to the coronavirus pandemic and allowing businesses to reopen in the majority of her state — before experts say it’s safe.
And in the process, the Republican governor will force workers to choose between their health and their livelihood. Reynolds says that anyone whose workplaces reopen will have to go back to work or else lose their unemployment benefits.
“If you’re an employer and you offer to bring your employee back to work and they decide not to, that’s a voluntary quit,” Reynolds said Friday, according to the Hill news website. “Therefore, they would not be eligible for the unemployment money.”
Starting May 1, 77 counties in Iowa will allow “restaurants, fitness centers, malls, libraries, race tracks, and certain other retail establishments to reopen in a limited fashion with public health measures in place,” according to a statement put out by Reynolds’ office.
Reynolds’ decision to enforce a “voluntary quit” policy means that workers at those establishments will have to go back to work if their places of employment reopen — even if they fear for their own health or the health of others in their homes due to the coronavirus.
The policy does not comport with Reynolds’ own statement Monday that certain populations in the state should continue staying home.
“I strongly encourage all vulnerable Iowans, including those with preexisting medical conditions and those older than 65, in all counties of the state to continue to limit their activities outside of their home, including their visits to businesses and other establishments and their participation in gatherings of any size and any purpose,” that statement read.
Employees who fall into those categories would have to go back to work under the reopening policy if their workplaces reopened.
The only workers who could continue to receive unemployment after their workplaces reopened are those who have the coronavirus or are taking care of a family member who does, the Hill reported.
Iowa has reported 6,376 cases of the coronavirus and 136 deaths, according to the New York Times’ tracker.
A number of places in Iowa are seeing spikes in the virus. It has spread among workers at meatpacking plants in the state.
Donald Trump has ordered those and other meatpacking plants to stay open, despite the surge of cases, using his authority under the Defense Production Act to classify them as essential infrastructure.
Multiple polls show that the vast majority of Americans do not support reopening the economy, as Reynolds is doing in Iowa, before it’s safe.
A Politico/Morning Consult survey released on April 15 showed that 81% of voters say the country “should continue to social distance for as long as is needed to curb the spread of coronavirus, even if it means continued damage to the economy.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-29--Kushner calls virus response 'great success story' as death toll tops 58,000

As of Wednesday , reported cases of coronavirus in the United States topped 1 million .
The death toll from COVID-19 is over 58,000 and continuing to rise .
Despite the mass death , Trump aide and son-in-law Jared Kushner praised the `` great success story '' of the government response and said , `` We 've achieved all of the different milestones that are needed . ''
From the April 29 edition of Fox News ' `` Fox & Friends '' : BRIAN KILMEADE , co-host : Two questions keep coming up over the weekend on the Sunday shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the national strategy ?
That 's from Gov .
Newsom ( D-CA ) on `` 60 Minutes '' and Sen. Klobuchar ( D-MN ) on one of the morning shows .
And no .
2 , if you 'd answer that , and no .
2 , why did you guys collapse the pandemic office when you guys took over , possibly to save money ?
Do you want to answer both of them ?
JARED KUSHNER : Sure .
So , the pandemic office , that was an NSC situation , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the government that are responsible for that , and all those have been functioning .
And again , we 're on the other side of the medical aspect of this , and I think that we 've achieved all of the different milestones that are needed .
So , the government , federal government , rose to the challenge , and this is a great success story .
And I think that that 's really , you know , what needs to be told .
Published with permission of The American Independent @ @

As of Wednesday, reported cases of coronavirus in the United States topped 1 million. The death toll from COVID-19 is over 58,000 and continuing to rise.
Despite the mass death, Trump aide and son-in-law Jared Kushner praised the “great success story” of the government response and said, “We’ve achieved all of the different milestones that are needed.”
From the April 29 edition of Fox News’ “Fox & Friends”:
BRIAN KILMEADE, co-host: Two questions keep coming up over the weekend on the Sunday shows. No. 1, where’s the national strategy? That’s from Gov. Newsom (D-CA) on “60 Minutes” and Sen. Klobuchar (D-MN) on one of the morning shows. And no. 2, if you’d answer that, and no. 2, why did you guys collapse the pandemic office when you guys took over, possibly to save money? Do you want to answer both of them? JARED KUSHNER: Sure. So, the pandemic office, that was an NSC situation, but there’s a lot of different parts of the government that are responsible for that, and all those have been functioning. And again, we’re on the other side of the medical aspect of this, and I think that we’ve achieved all of the different milestones that are needed. So, the government, federal government, rose to the challenge, and this is a great success story. And I think that that’s really, you know, what needs to be told.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-30--GOP senator: 'We should explore' not paying US debt to punish China

Sen. Marsha Blackburn ( R-TN ) suggested on Thursday that the United States should consider defaulting on its debt to China as punishment for the COVID-19 pandemic .
In a Fox Business interview , host Stuart Varney said that she had suggested that the United States `` not repay them the trillion dollars that we owe them . ''
That , he said , would be `` abrogating America 's debt . ''
He added , `` We 've never done that before . ''
Blackburn responded by saying many Tennesseans are out of work and the pandemic has cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She blamed China for the situation : `` What China has done is a tremendous cost .
Should we consider doing this ?
Yes , indeed , '' she said .
`` It is something we should explore as to how to hold them accountable . ''
Defaulting on the national debt would have serious and far-reaching consequences .
The United States ' credit rating is based on its record of reliably making payments on its debt .
A lowered credit rating would likely mean higher interest rates for future borrowing .
Experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would include decimated global markets , frozen banking operations , the weakening of the value of the dollar , and the destruction of Americans ' investments .
`` The devastation to the United States would be so severe that it would take decades to recover from the Depression caused by a default and the attendant dumping of trillions of dollars of U.S. Treasury securities on the global financial markets , '' analyst Dick Bove of Rafferty Capital Markets wrote in a report to clients .
The suggestion is the latest in a series @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 8 , she tweeted that China should voluntarily `` waive our debt '' because of the coronavirus .
On April 20 , she and Sen. Martha McSally ( R-AZ ) introduced a bill that would let Americans sue China for the costs of the pandemic — a proposal National Review contributing editor Andrew C. McCarthy slammed as `` well-intentioned '' but `` foolish . ''
On Tuesday , she suggested in a radio interview that perhaps the U.S. could withhold interest payments on its debt to China .
Her rhetoric comes right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ literally .
Earlier this month , the National Republican Senatorial Committee — the campaign arm of the Senate Republican caucus — distributed a 57-page memo urging candidates to simply blame China for COVID-19 and its financial impact .
`` Don ’ t defend Trump , other than the China Travel Ban — attack China , '' it urged .
Other Senate Republicans have been using an anti-China approach for weeks .
Sen. John Cornyn ( R-TX ) last month blamed China 's `` cultural practices '' for the coronavirus 's spread .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and things like that .
These viruses are transmitted from the animal to the people , and that 's why China has been the source of a lot of these viruses , '' he charged , without evidence .
Sen. Tom Cotton ( R-AR ) pushed debunked conspiracy theories about the origins of the virus in China and suggested recently that Chinese students in the U.S. should be barred from studying sciences and math .
Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) said earlier this month , `` If it were up to me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bill for the pandemic . ''
The comments come as Donald Trump is also apparently mulling how to use the strategy .
The Washington Post reported on Thursday that his administration is exploring `` proposals for punishing or demanding financial compensation from China for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic . ''
`` Punishing China is definitely where the president 's head is at right now , '' a senior Trump adviser told the paper .
Throughout January , February , and March , Trump repeatedly praised China for its handling of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency .
It will all work out well .
In particular , on behalf of the American People . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) suggested on Thursday that the United States should consider defaulting on its debt to China as punishment for the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a Fox Business interview, host Stuart Varney said that she had suggested that the United States “not repay them the trillion dollars that we owe them.” That, he said, would be “abrogating America’s debt.”
He added, “We’ve never done that before.”
Blackburn responded by saying many Tennesseans are out of work and the pandemic has cost the U.S. economy trillions of dollars. She blamed China for the situation: “What China has done is a tremendous cost. Should we consider doing this? Yes, indeed,” she said. “It is something we should explore as to how to hold them accountable.”
Defaulting on the national debt would have serious and far-reaching consequences. The United States’ credit rating is based on its record of reliably making payments on its debt. A lowered credit rating would likely mean higher interest rates for future borrowing.
Experts say the fallout from a debt default would include decimated global markets, frozen banking operations, the weakening of the value of the dollar, and the destruction of Americans’ investments.
“The devastation to the United States would be so severe that it would take decades to recover from the Depression caused by a default and the attendant dumping of trillions of dollars of U.S. Treasury securities on the global financial markets,” analyst Dick Bove of Rafferty Capital Markets wrote in a report to clients.
The suggestion is the latest in a series of anti-China Blackburn has made.
On April 8, she tweeted that China should voluntarily “waive our debt” because of the coronavirus.
On April 20, she and Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) introduced a bill that would let Americans sue China for the costs of the pandemic — a proposal National Review contributing editor Andrew C. McCarthy slammed as “well-intentioned” but “foolish.”
On Tuesday, she suggested in a radio interview that perhaps the U.S. could withhold interest payments on its debt to China.
Her rhetoric comes right out of her party’s playbook, literally. Earlier this month, the National Republican Senatorial Committee — the campaign arm of the Senate Republican caucus — distributed a 57-page memo urging candidates to simply blame China for COVID-19 and its financial impact.
“Don’t defend Trump, other than the China Travel Ban — attack China,” it urged.
Other Senate Republicans have been using an anti-China approach for weeks.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) last month blamed China’s “cultural practices” for the coronavirus’s spread. “People eat bats and snakes and dogs and things like that. These viruses are transmitted from the animal to the people, and that’s why China has been the source of a lot of these viruses,” he charged, without evidence.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) pushed debunked conspiracy theories about the origins of the virus in China and suggested recently that Chinese students in the U.S. should be barred from studying sciences and math.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said earlier this month, “If it were up to me, the whole world should send China the bill for the pandemic.”
The comments come as Donald Trump is also apparently mulling how to use the strategy. The Washington Post reported on Thursday that his administration is exploring “proposals for punishing or demanding financial compensation from China for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic.”
“Punishing China is definitely where the president’s head is at right now,” a senior Trump adviser told the paper.
Throughout January, February, and March, Trump repeatedly praised China for its handling of the coronavirus, saying, “The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-30--Trump's press secretary claims 'not a single American died' from ventilator shortage

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Wednesday tried to create a new measure of success for the Trump administration 's response to the coronavirus crisis that has resulted in more than 61,0000 deaths .
McEnany told reporters during a press gaggle that `` the success story is that this administration mobilized the greatest efforts since WWII that we provided something like 4,000 ventilators to New York . ''
`` Not a single American died in this country for lack of a ventilator , '' she claimed .
`` I would call that response a success . ''
McEnany was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's senior adviser and son-in-law , Jared Kushner , who on Tuesday described Trump 's response to the crisis as `` a great success story . ''
`` We 're on the other side of the medical aspect of this , and I think that we 've achieved all of the different milestones that are needed , Kushner said at the time .
`` So , the government , federal government , rose to the challenge , and this is a great success story . ''
McEnany did not provide evidence for her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of ventilator access , and there appears to be no publicly available data that supports it either .
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter .
An April 3 Buzzfeed News report seems to directly contradict the claim , quoting at least one New York City doctor describing a sense of feeling overwhelmed while treating coronavirus patients .
`` The other day I felt defeated , '' they told the outlet .
`` The patient came in on a code .
We looked at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ die .
There was nothing we could do . ''
They added , `` I watched like three people die on Saturday — nothing we can do .
Zero .
You feel defeated .
You feel drained . ''
The BuzzFeed article cited an earlier New York Times report that revealed hospitals across the country had developed triage guidelines for determining who would be saved `` if hospitals have more critically ill patients than ventilators . ''
Even Trump 's preferred news outlet , Fox News , has reported similar findings .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , `` amid a vast shortage of life-saving devices , '' doctors were increasingly being forced to determine `` who to save and who to let die . ''
`` It 's a decision more and more doctors every day are being forced to wrestle with , and that could increase if the rationing of ventilators becomes unavoidable , '' the normally Trump-friendly outlet wrote on April 2 .
That same month , the Los Angeles Times reported that doctors were creating `` decision trees '' in order to help determine which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and which ones would not in case there were not enough for all who needed them .
McEnany 's new definition of success came on the same day that the New York Times reported 61,755 people in the country have died so far from the virus , and more than 1 million people have tested positive for it .
The press secretary 's statement also stands at odds with comments from Trump himself , who repeatedly demanded governors secure their own medical supplies .
`` Respirators , ventilators , all of the equipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump told governors on March 16 .
Three days later , Trump made a similar point at a White House press briefing .
`` Governors are supposed to be doing a lot of this work , '' he said at the time .
`` The federal government is not supposed to be out there buying vast amounts of items and then shipping .
You know , we 're not a shipping clerk . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Wednesday tried to create a new measure of success for the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus crisis that has resulted in more than 61,0000 deaths.
McEnany told reporters during a press gaggle that “the success story is that this administration mobilized the greatest efforts since WWII that we provided something like 4,000 ventilators to New York.”
“Not a single American died in this country for lack of a ventilator,” she claimed. “I would call that response a success.”
McEnany was responding to a question about Donald Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who on Tuesday described Trump’s response to the crisis as “a great success story.”
“We’re on the other side of the medical aspect of this, and I think that we’ve achieved all of the different milestones that are needed, Kushner said at the time. “So, the government, federal government, rose to the challenge, and this is a great success story.”
McEnany did not provide evidence for her claim that no Americans died due to lack of ventilator access, and there appears to be no publicly available data that supports it either.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter.
An April 3 Buzzfeed News report seems to directly contradict the claim, quoting at least one New York City doctor describing a sense of feeling overwhelmed while treating coronavirus patients.
“The other day I felt defeated,” they told the outlet. “The patient came in on a code. We looked at each other. The patient had to die. There was nothing we could do.”
They added, “I watched like three people die on Saturday — nothing we can do. Zero. You feel defeated. You feel drained.”
The BuzzFeed article cited an earlier New York Times report that revealed hospitals across the country had developed triage guidelines for determining who would be saved “if hospitals have more critically ill patients than ventilators.”
Even Trump’s preferred news outlet, Fox News, has reported similar findings. In early April, the conservative-leaning outlet reported that, “amid a vast shortage of life-saving devices,” doctors were increasingly being forced to determine “who to save and who to let die.”
“It’s a decision more and more doctors every day are being forced to wrestle with, and that could increase if the rationing of ventilators becomes unavoidable,” the normally Trump-friendly outlet wrote on April 2.
That same month, the Los Angeles Times reported that doctors were creating “decision trees” in order to help determine which patients would have access to a ventilator and which ones would not in case there were not enough for all who needed them.
McEnany’s new definition of success came on the same day that the New York Times reported 61,755 people in the country have died so far from the virus, and more than 1 million people have tested positive for it.
The press secretary’s statement also stands at odds with comments from Trump himself, who repeatedly demanded governors secure their own medical supplies.
“Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment — try getting it yourselves,” Trump told governors on March 16.
Three days later, Trump made a similar point at a White House press briefing.
“Governors are supposed to be doing a lot of this work,” he said at the time. “The federal government is not supposed to be out there buying vast amounts of items and then shipping. You know, we’re not a shipping clerk.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-30--Far-right groups are taking their anti-LGBTQ agenda to lockdown protests

A slew of far-right groups who have openly embraced anti-LGBTQ messages are taking part in so-called `` lockdown protests '' across the country — further endangering the lives of LGBTQ people who are already vulnerable to the coronavirus .
Groups like the Proud Boys and right-wing militia groups are among those protesting the many statewide stay-at-home orders .
The Michigan chapter of the Proud Boys — a so-called `` western chauvinists '' group that has pushed transphobic , racist , and sexist rhetoric , and encourages members to commit acts of violence — recently attended a lockdown protest in Lansing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liberty Militia , which has frequently pushed views of white nationalist groups like Patriot Front , according to the Guardian .
In December last year , Michigan Liberty Militia 's Facebook page posted a `` heterosexual pride month '' meme that depicted a family holding an umbrella over their heads to prevent LGBTQ pride colors from touching them .
Journalists and antifascist activists have also spotted other right-wing groups at these protests , including organizers of last year 's Boston Straight Pride parade and a member of the National Socialist Movement in Ohio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ antisemitic and racist group , attended Detroit 's Motor City Pride Festival last year where they made Nazi salutes and tore apart pride flags .
The Boston Straight Pride organizers ' Facebook posts have also included anti-LGBTQ memes and references to Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet , who killed political dissidents by throwing them from helicopters .
Activists also claimed to have seen supporters of QAnon — a baseless conspiracy that claims high-profile Democrats are involved in a global pedophila ring — at some rallies .
Though a few QAnon supporters are members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portion of its followers endorse homophobic views , the Advocate notes , specifically the idea that marriage equality is a ploy to push for open pedophilia , a common anti-gay trope .
Cassie Miller , senior research analyst for the Southern Poverty Law Center , said , `` Many white nationalist groups like Patriot Front push for 'traditional ' notions of the family , which they believe will help to restore and revitalize the nation .
For them , gay and trans people represent 'degeneracy ' and are therefore viewed as a threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ belief that the nation needs to be 'purified . '
'' Miller said that although the Proud Boys — which has also been seen at lockdown demonstrations in Colorado , Nevada , and Florida — allows gay men to join , they have a long history of using anti-LGBTQ slurs .
`` They are extremely transphobic and have referred to trans people as 'mentally ill gays . '
They , too , are hyper focused on 'restoring ' lost masculinity , to which trans people — in their minds — pose a threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blog post about the lockdown protests , Miller explained that the gatherings were the perfect platform for the Proud Boys and groups like them to `` make the case that the will of a small minority of Americans — the hyper-individualistic 'patriots ' who attend these rallies — should supersede democratic processes , and that individual desires should trump the collective public good . ''
They also get to bring their ideas into wider right-wing circles , she wrote .
According to a 2019 Southern Poverty Law report , transphobic rhetoric among hate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more broadly , with white nationalists targeting events such as drag queen story hours at libraries and bookstores .
Those events feature drag queens reading books to children about family diversity and gender issues .
And far right groups that are more careful about how they express their racist views often use the normalization of anti-feminist and anti-LGBTQ views to bring more people to their movements .
According to FBI data , the number of reported incidents targeting LGBTQ people rose from 1,217 in 2017 to 1,347 in 2018 .
Reports of anti-trans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown protests are not focused on LGBTQ people specifically — the gatherings put everyone 's health at risk — they are particularly dangerous for many LGBTQ people .
According to a study by the Williams Institute at UCLA Law School released last week , hundreds of thousands of transgender people are at risk of serious illness from COVID-19 due to economic and social barriers they face , including less reliable access to health care .
Flouting statewide stay-at-home orders only serves to endanger them more by spreading the virus further .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on communities of color and now we have data to show how LGBTQ people are struggling , '' Alphonso David , president of Human Rights Campaign , said last week .
`` For those living at the intersections , it is even more profound .
We must continue to push for policies that support those most impacted . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

A slew of far-right groups who have openly embraced anti-LGBTQ messages are taking part in so-called “lockdown protests” across the country — further endangering the lives of LGBTQ people who are already vulnerable to the coronavirus.
Groups like the Proud Boys and right-wing militia groups are among those protesting the many statewide stay-at-home orders. The Michigan chapter of the Proud Boys — a so-called “western chauvinists” group that has pushed transphobic, racist, and sexist rhetoric, and encourages members to commit acts of violence — recently attended a lockdown protest in Lansing, Michigan, along with the Michigan Liberty Militia, which has frequently pushed views of white nationalist groups like Patriot Front, according to the Guardian.
In December last year, Michigan Liberty Militia’s Facebook page posted a “heterosexual pride month” meme that depicted a family holding an umbrella over their heads to prevent LGBTQ pride colors from touching them.
Journalists and antifascist activists have also spotted other right-wing groups at these protests, including organizers of last year’s Boston Straight Pride parade and a member of the National Socialist Movement in Ohio.
The National Socialist Movement, an antisemitic and racist group, attended Detroit’s Motor City Pride Festival last year where they made Nazi salutes and tore apart pride flags. The Boston Straight Pride organizers’ Facebook posts have also included anti-LGBTQ memes and references to Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, who killed political dissidents by throwing them from helicopters.
Activists also claimed to have seen supporters of QAnon — a baseless conspiracy that claims high-profile Democrats are involved in a global pedophila ring — at some rallies.
Though a few QAnon supporters are members of the LGBTQ community themselves, a substantial portion of its followers endorse homophobic views, the Advocate notes, specifically the idea that marriage equality is a ploy to push for open pedophilia, a common anti-gay trope.
Cassie Miller, senior research analyst for the Southern Poverty Law Center, said, “Many white nationalist groups like Patriot Front push for ‘traditional’ notions of the family, which they believe will help to restore and revitalize the nation. For them, gay and trans people represent ‘degeneracy’ and are therefore viewed as a threat. Anti-LGBTQ sentiment is implicit in their belief that the nation needs to be ‘purified.'”
Miller said that although the Proud Boys — which has also been seen at lockdown demonstrations in Colorado, Nevada, and Florida — allows gay men to join, they have a long history of using anti-LGBTQ slurs.
“They are extremely transphobic and have referred to trans people as ‘mentally ill gays.’ They, too, are hyper focused on ‘restoring’ lost masculinity, to which trans people — in their minds — pose a threat,” she said.
In a blog post about the lockdown protests, Miller explained that the gatherings were the perfect platform for the Proud Boys and groups like them to “make the case that the will of a small minority of Americans — the hyper-individualistic ‘patriots’ who attend these rallies — should supersede democratic processes, and that individual desires should trump the collective public good.”
They also get to bring their ideas into wider right-wing circles, she wrote.
According to a 2019 Southern Poverty Law report, transphobic rhetoric among hate groups appears to be on the rise more broadly, with white nationalists targeting events such as drag queen story hours at libraries and bookstores. Those events feature drag queens reading books to children about family diversity and gender issues.
And far right groups that are more careful about how they express their racist views often use the normalization of anti-feminist and anti-LGBTQ views to bring more people to their movements.
According to FBI data, the number of reported incidents targeting LGBTQ people rose from 1,217 in 2017 to 1,347 in 2018. Reports of anti-trans violence increased 34%.
Although the lockdown protests are not focused on LGBTQ people specifically — the gatherings put everyone’s health at risk — they are particularly dangerous for many LGBTQ people.
According to a study by the Williams Institute at UCLA Law School released last week, hundreds of thousands of transgender people are at risk of serious illness from COVID-19 due to economic and social barriers they face, including less reliable access to health care. Flouting statewide stay-at-home orders only serves to endanger them more by spreading the virus further.
“We have seen the impact of #COVID19 on communities of color and now we have data to show how LGBTQ people are struggling,” Alphonso David, president of Human Rights Campaign, said last week. “For those living at the intersections, it is even more profound. We must continue to push for policies that support those most impacted.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-30--Lindsey Graham won't stop attacking workers who've lost their jobs

Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) continued to attack laid-off workers in the middle of a health crisis , vowing that he would do everything he could to block an extension of additional unemployment benefits once they expire at the end of July .
`` July the 31st is when this expires and I promise you , over our dead bodies , this will get reauthorized , '' Graham said in front of South Carolina 's COVID-19 advisory team on Tuesday .
Graham argued that the benefits are so generous that people will opt to receive them rather than go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` aberration '' he promised to fix .
Graham is unhappy that the CARES Act , the $ 2 trillion coronavirus relief package passed by Congress in late March , adds $ 600 per week to unemployment benefits provided by states through the end of July .
He and 46 of his Republican colleagues voted for an amendment to reduce unemployment benefits in the bill , but their effort failed .
More than 30 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits since the coronavirus crisis began .
Heidi Shierholz , senior economist and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute , says Graham is just plain wrong about how unemployment benefits work .
`` You ca n't just quit your job and get unemployment benefits , '' Shierholz said during a Wednesday phone interview .
She noted that during this crisis , workers can get unemployment insurance if they are forced to stop working to care for a sick family member or take care of a child who 's school has closed , but they can not just quit their jobs for no reason and receive benefits .
Shierholz said 16 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July 31 .
Cutting off all additional benefits at such a time is `` cruel and will lead to an enormous amount of human suffering and it 's bad economics , '' she said , adding that unemployment insurance `` is a really really good way to get money into the economy . ''
Graham 's Democratic opponent , Jaime Harrison , criticized Graham 's callous attitude toward residents of the state .
`` Half a million South Carolinians are unemployed , and 60k+ Americans have died , '' Harrison tweeted .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over his 'dead body ' ?
We need a Senator who fights for us , and does n't demonize us , in these difficult times . ''
This is not the first time Graham has made news for his opposition to unemployment benefits during a crisis .
Before the bill passed the Senate , Graham attacked nurses , saying they might quit their jobs in the middle of a pandemic in order to collect unemployment .
`` So , you 're going to have all these well-trained nurses , they 're going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Graham said on March 25 .
`` You 're literally incentivizing taking people out of the workforce at a time when we need critical infrastructure supply for the workers . ''
Multiple studies have shown that there is a minimal connection between unemployment benefits and people opting not to work , she Shierholz said on Wednesday .
`` Even in normal times , it 's not a big issue , '' she said .
`` During a freaking global pandemic when we 've shut down all but essential parts of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worried about work disincentives . ''
As of Thursday morning , more than 1,045,000 people in the country have tested positive for the new coronavirus , and at least 60,000 people have died .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) continued to attack laid-off workers in the middle of a health crisis, vowing that he would do everything he could to block an extension of additional unemployment benefits once they expire at the end of July.
“July the 31st is when this expires and I promise you, over our dead bodies, this will get reauthorized,” Graham said in front of South Carolina’s COVID-19 advisory team on Tuesday.
Graham argued that the benefits are so generous that people will opt to receive them rather than go to work, and called them an “aberration” he promised to fix.
Graham is unhappy that the CARES Act, the $2 trillion coronavirus relief package passed by Congress in late March, adds $600 per week to unemployment benefits provided by states through the end of July. He and 46 of his Republican colleagues voted for an amendment to reduce unemployment benefits in the bill, but their effort failed.
More than 30 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits since the coronavirus crisis began.
Heidi Shierholz, senior economist and director of policy at the Economic Policy Institute, says Graham is just plain wrong about how unemployment benefits work.
“You can’t just quit your job and get unemployment benefits,” Shierholz said during a Wednesday phone interview. She noted that during this crisis, workers can get unemployment insurance if they are forced to stop working to care for a sick family member or take care of a child who’s school has closed, but they cannot just quit their jobs for no reason and receive benefits.
Shierholz said 16% of Americans will likely be unemployed after July 31. Cutting off all additional benefits at such a time is “cruel and will lead to an enormous amount of human suffering and it’s bad economics,” she said, adding that unemployment insurance “is a really really good way to get money into the economy.”
Graham’s Democratic opponent, Jaime Harrison, criticized Graham’s callous attitude toward residents of the state.
“Half a million South Carolinians are unemployed, and 60k+ Americans have died,” Harrison tweeted. “[Graham] won’t send help over his ‘dead body’? We need a Senator who fights for us, and doesn’t demonize us, in these difficult times.”
This is not the first time Graham has made news for his opposition to unemployment benefits during a crisis.
Before the bill passed the Senate, Graham attacked nurses, saying they might quit their jobs in the middle of a pandemic in order to collect unemployment.
“So, you’re going to have all these well-trained nurses, they’re going to make $24 an hour on unemployment,” Graham said on March 25. “You’re literally incentivizing taking people out of the workforce at a time when we need critical infrastructure supply for the workers.”
Multiple studies have shown that there is a minimal connection between unemployment benefits and people opting not to work, she Shierholz said on Wednesday.
“Even in normal times, it’s not a big issue,” she said. “During a freaking global pandemic when we’ve shut down all but essential parts of the economy, it is absurd to be worried about work disincentives.”
As of Thursday morning, more than 1,045,000 people in the country have tested positive for the new coronavirus, and at least 60,000 people have died.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.