shareblue--2020-07-10--Most Americans say Trump's done a bad job on virus as he claims victory

Sixty-seven percent of Americans disapprove of Donald Trump 's response to the coronavirus pandemic , according to a new poll .
The ABC News/Ipsos poll , published Friday , found a record low 33 % approval rating for the way Trump has handled the COVID-19 pandemic , down from 54 % in March and 41 % in mid-June .
Since May , Trump has focused little attention on curbing the pandemic .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , told the Financial Times on Friday that he has not briefed Trump for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen him in person since June 2 .
CNN reported on Wednesday that Trump has not met with the White House coronavirus task force in months and its meetings are now being relegated to off-site locations .
After holding public briefings on the pandemic on a nearly daily basis in March and April , Trump abandoned them in May .
He complained that the sessions were `` Not worth the time & effort . ''
In June , the administration announced that Adm. Brett Giroir , Trump 's coronavirus testing czar , would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and not replaced .
Vox reported on Friday that , once again , the lack of capacity for speedy testing is a problem across the country .
`` This was supposed to be the job of the White House , '' Ashish Jha , faculty director of the Harvard Global Health Institute , told the outlet .
`` But they just never have prioritized really building up a robust testing infrastructure for the country . ''
The new testing shortages come as the nation 's COVID-19 cases continue to spike and set new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of new cases rose by more than 63,000 nationally , bringing the total to more than 3.1 million infections .
According to Johns Hopkins University data , this accounts for more than 25 % of the cases globally .
Still , Trump has preferred to talk about other topics , including his `` aced '' cognitive test , his defense of Confederate monuments , and his outrage that New York City decided to paint `` Black Lives Matter '' in front of Trump Tower .
The rare times the Trump does discuss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on actions he took months ago .
`` I think we are in a good place , '' he told Fox News on Tuesday .
`` I did n't listen to my experts and I banned China .
We would have been in much worse shape .
You would n't believe the number of deaths more we would have had if we did n't do the ban . ''
Independent fact-checkers have debunked Trump 's claims , noting that his January restrictions on travel from China were not a `` ban , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's team of experts , and that there 's no evidence the policy saved lives .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Sixty-seven percent of Americans disapprove of Donald Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new poll.
The ABC News/Ipsos poll, published Friday, found a record low 33% approval rating for the way Trump has handled the COVID-19 pandemic, down from 54% in March and 41% in mid-June.
Since May, Trump has focused little attention on curbing the pandemic.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told the Financial Times on Friday that he has not briefed Trump for at least two months and has not seen him in person since June 2.
CNN reported on Wednesday that Trump has not met with the White House coronavirus task force in months and its meetings are now being relegated to off-site locations.
After holding public briefings on the pandemic on a nearly daily basis in March and April, Trump abandoned them in May. He complained that the sessions were “Not worth the time & effort.”
In June, the administration announced that Adm. Brett Giroir, Trump’s coronavirus testing czar, would be “demobilized” from the job and not replaced. Vox reported on Friday that, once again, the lack of capacity for speedy testing is a problem across the country.
“This was supposed to be the job of the White House,” Ashish Jha, faculty director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, told the outlet. “But they just never have prioritized really building up a robust testing infrastructure for the country.”
The new testing shortages come as the nation’s COVID-19 cases continue to spike and set new records daily. On Thursday, the number of new cases rose by more than 63,000 nationally, bringing the total to more than 3.1 million infections. According to Johns Hopkins University data, this accounts for more than 25% of the cases globally.
Still, Trump has preferred to talk about other topics, including his “aced” cognitive test, his defense of Confederate monuments, and his outrage that New York City decided to paint “Black Lives Matter” in front of Trump Tower.
The rare times the Trump does discuss the pandemic, he continues to focus on actions he took months ago.
“I think we are in a good place,” he told Fox News on Tuesday. “I didn’t listen to my experts and I banned China. We would have been in much worse shape. You wouldn’t believe the number of deaths more we would have had if we didn’t do the ban.”
Independent fact-checkers have debunked Trump’s claims, noting that his January restrictions on travel from China were not a “ban,” the restrictions were indeed supported by Trump’s team of experts, and that there’s no evidence the policy saved lives.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-07-11--GOP stokes baseless fears about peaceful protests ahead of election

Apocalyptic images of blazing buildings and window-smashing protesters pop on the TV screen as a caller to a 911 emergency line reaches voicemail .
The computer offers to take reports of rapes , murders , or home invasions , adding , `` Our estimated wait time is five days . ''
The 30-second ad by Donald Trump 's reelection campaign ends with `` You wo n't be safe in Joe Biden 's America '' emblazoned across a flickering hellscape .
It blames a push by progressive activists to defund the police as `` violent crime has exploded . ''
With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dozens of others in cities with large Black populations like New York , Atlanta , and Chicago , the GOP is trying to play offense , ominously .
Ads like Trump 's and other Republican messaging insinuate that the rare looting and violence that marred largely peaceful social justice protests are spreading and foretell a wave of mayhem that they claim Democrats would abet with anti-police policies .
Trump emphasized that menacing theme at the White House Thursday , calling proponents of defunding the police `` crazy . ''
Telling a visiting group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fled dangerous countries , Trump added , `` They know what happens when the police can not protect the innocent , when the rule of law is destroyed . ''
Democrats call the GOP drive an obvious diversion from issues they say voters care most about : the coronavirus pandemic that Trump has failed to control , the economic shutdown , recession-level unemployment , racial justice , and health care .
They say Biden , the party 's presumptive presidential nominee , has a well-honed moderate record that makes Republican efforts to cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they say the GOP is fanning the flames of racism , preying on white suburbanites worried that televised scenes of burning buildings mean their neighborhoods are next .
`` It 's not even subtle .
We 're well beyond dog whistle , '' said Ian Russell , a Democratic consultant .
The GOP spearhead comes with polls showing that Trump 's reelection and Republican control of the Senate may be in jeopardy in November 's voting .
It also follows weeks of protests following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call the phrase `` Black Lives Matter '' a `` symbol of hate , '' defend Confederate commanders , and retweet a supporter yelling , `` White power ! ''
Biden supports overhauling police practices and budgets but has repeatedly disavowed calls for defunding the police , as have most congressional Democrats .
Republicans often suggest the term means that proponents want to abolish entire departments — and some far-left Democrats do — but most in the party consider it a call to shift some police resources to social welfare and other agencies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fantasy to cast the former vice president as seeking to dismantle police departments or ready to heed those who would .
`` Donald Trump is a chronic liar '' who is `` desperate to run against a fictitious opponent instead of Joe Biden , '' said Biden spokesperson Andrew Bates .
Trump campaign spokesperson Tim Murtaugh called it `` ridiculous '' for Democrats to say the GOP tactic is racist .
`` All Americans , no matter who they are or where they live , should be concerned about the anarchists and lawless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approval of Joe Biden and the Democrats , '' Murtaugh said .
Republican strategists say the issue will help woo suburban voters , a pivotal bloc that 's abandoned Trump over his caustic divisiveness .
`` They want to be able to call 911 and know someone 's coming , '' said Sarah Chamberlain , president of the centrist Republican Main Street Coalition .
But they also acknowledge that the tactic is designed to reorient what 's so far been a difficult campaign season .
`` It gets us away from a referendum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a contest between the two parties , '' said GOP consultant Robert Blizzard .
Experts say there is scant evidence to connect the protests or activists ' calls to defund the police to recent urban shootings .
But in one of the few congressional races where Republicans have pressed the issue , Sen. Kelly Loeffler , R-Ga. , has done just that .
Loeffler , facing a difficult reelection with rivals to her left and right , said on Fox News ' `` America 's Newsroom '' this week that the defunding movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a child . ''
She was referring to Secoriea Turner , 8 , who was fatally shot near the site of recent protests in Atlanta .
Police are seeking the shooter .
Loeffler , part owner of the WNBA 's Atlanta Dream , has also opposed the basketball league 's plan to incorporate Black Lives Matter messaging on uniforms and courts .
In a letter to the league , she said the movement favors `` the disruption of the nuclear family structure '' and has `` promoted violence and destruction . ''
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Raphael Warnock , said Loeffler had surrendered to `` the narrow impulses of tribalism and bigotry . ''
Homicides and shootings routinely rise in spring and summer as days get longer and people spend more time outdoors , academics say .
Other factors include gang violence , and this year 's spike could be fed by stress related to the virus , sky-high unemployment , stay-at-home orders , and anger over police brutality .
Recent polling suggests Republicans have work to do to win over large swaths of the public .
About 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means revamping how police departments work , not erasing them , according to a Monmouth University Poll conducted last month .
Six in 10 Americans say Trump 's handling of the protests worsened the situation .
An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey last month found major increases since 2015 in the number of white Americans who consider police violence a serious problem .
Seven in 10 people back a complete reshaping or major changes to the criminal justice system , though only a quarter supports cutting law enforcement funding .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaulted immigration and supposedly dangerous `` caravans '' of Central Americans streaming toward the U.S. border a major GOP issue .
Democrats focused on health care .
AP VoteCast , a nationwide survey of American voters , showed large majorities bucked Trump and thought immigrants arriving illegally should have a chance for citizenship .

Apocalyptic images of blazing buildings and window-smashing protesters pop on the TV screen as a caller to a 911 emergency line reaches voicemail. The computer offers to take reports of rapes, murders, or home invasions, adding, “Our estimated wait time is five days.”
The 30-second ad by Donald Trump’s reelection campaign ends with “You won’t be safe in Joe Biden’s America” emblazoned across a flickering hellscape. It blames a push by progressive activists to defund the police as “violent crime has exploded.”
With recent shootings that have killed children and dozens of others in cities with large Black populations like New York, Atlanta, and Chicago, the GOP is trying to play offense, ominously.
Ads like Trump’s and other Republican messaging insinuate that the rare looting and violence that marred largely peaceful social justice protests are spreading and foretell a wave of mayhem that they claim Democrats would abet with anti-police policies.
Trump emphasized that menacing theme at the White House Thursday, calling proponents of defunding the police “crazy.” Telling a visiting group of Hispanic Americans that many immigrants had fled dangerous countries, Trump added, “They know what happens when the police cannot protect the innocent, when the rule of law is destroyed.”
Democrats call the GOP drive an obvious diversion from issues they say voters care most about: the coronavirus pandemic that Trump has failed to control, the economic shutdown, recession-level unemployment, racial justice, and health care.
They say Biden, the party’s presumptive presidential nominee, has a well-honed moderate record that makes Republican efforts to cast him as a radical fruitless. And they say the GOP is fanning the flames of racism, preying on white suburbanites worried that televised scenes of burning buildings mean their neighborhoods are next.
“It’s not even subtle. We’re well beyond dog whistle,” said Ian Russell, a Democratic consultant.
The GOP spearhead comes with polls showing that Trump’s reelection and Republican control of the Senate may be in jeopardy in November’s voting. It also follows weeks of protests following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police and during a period that’s seen Trump call the phrase “Black Lives Matter” a “symbol of hate,” defend Confederate commanders, and retweet a supporter yelling, “White power!”
Biden supports overhauling police practices and budgets but has repeatedly disavowed calls for defunding the police, as have most congressional Democrats. Republicans often suggest the term means that proponents want to abolish entire departments — and some far-left Democrats do — but most in the party consider it a call to shift some police resources to social welfare and other agencies.
Biden aides say it’s a fantasy to cast the former vice president as seeking to dismantle police departments or ready to heed those who would. “Donald Trump is a chronic liar” who is “desperate to run against a fictitious opponent instead of Joe Biden,” said Biden spokesperson Andrew Bates.
Trump campaign spokesperson Tim Murtaugh called it “ridiculous” for Democrats to say the GOP tactic is racist.
“All Americans, no matter who they are or where they live, should be concerned about the anarchists and lawless mobs roaming the streets with the tacit approval of Joe Biden and the Democrats,” Murtaugh said.
Republican strategists say the issue will help woo suburban voters, a pivotal bloc that’s abandoned Trump over his caustic divisiveness. “They want to be able to call 911 and know someone’s coming,” said Sarah Chamberlain, president of the centrist Republican Main Street Coalition.
But they also acknowledge that the tactic is designed to reorient what’s so far been a difficult campaign season. “It gets us away from a referendum on the president, and more to a contest between the two parties,” said GOP consultant Robert Blizzard.
Experts say there is scant evidence to connect the protests or activists’ calls to defund the police to recent urban shootings. But in one of the few congressional races where Republicans have pressed the issue, Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., has done just that.
Loeffler, facing a difficult reelection with rivals to her left and right, said on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom” this week that the defunding movement has “resulted in the death of a child.” She was referring to Secoriea Turner, 8, who was fatally shot near the site of recent protests in Atlanta. Police are seeking the shooter.
Loeffler, part owner of the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream, has also opposed the basketball league’s plan to incorporate Black Lives Matter messaging on uniforms and courts. In a letter to the league, she said the movement favors “the disruption of the nuclear family structure” and has “promoted violence and destruction.”
One of her Democratic opponents, Rev. Raphael Warnock, said Loeffler had surrendered to “the narrow impulses of tribalism and bigotry.”
Homicides and shootings routinely rise in spring and summer as days get longer and people spend more time outdoors, academics say. Other factors include gang violence, and this year’s spike could be fed by stress related to the virus, sky-high unemployment, stay-at-home orders, and anger over police brutality.
Recent polling suggests Republicans have work to do to win over large swaths of the public.
About 3 in 4 people believe defund the police means revamping how police departments work, not erasing them, according to a Monmouth University Poll conducted last month. Six in 10 Americans say Trump’s handling of the protests worsened the situation.
An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey last month found major increases since 2015 in the number of white Americans who consider police violence a serious problem. Seven in 10 people back a complete reshaping or major changes to the criminal justice system, though only a quarter supports cutting law enforcement funding.
In the 2018 congressional elections, Trump vaulted immigration and supposedly dangerous “caravans” of Central Americans streaming toward the U.S. border a major GOP issue. Democrats focused on health care.
AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of American voters, showed large majorities bucked Trump and thought immigrants arriving illegally should have a chance for citizenship.
Democrats gained 40 House seats, capturing control of the chamber.


shareblue--2020-07-11--Civil rights groups slam Facebook for profiting off hate speech

Facebook keeps telling critics that it is doing everything it can to rid its service of hate , abuse , and misinformation .
And the company 's detractors keep not buying it .
On Tuesday , CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg met with a group of civil rights leaders , including the organizers of a growing advertising boycott over hate speech on Facebook .
One of those leaders , NAACP President Derrick Johnson , said Facebook 's executives offered little but cheap talk that skirted major commitments to new rules or actions that would curb racism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We 've watched the conversation blossom into nothingness , '' Johnson said .
`` They lack the cultural sensitivity to understand that their platform is actually being used to cause harm .
Or , they understand the harm their platform is causing and they 've chosen to take the profit . ''
The NAACP was one of several groups that sent Facebook a list of 10 demands for policy change .
Those included hiring a civil rights executive ; banning private groups that promote white supremacy , vaccine misinformation , or violent conspiracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allows politicians to post voting misinformation .
Such calls have the support of big-name companies like Coca-Cola and Unilever that have yanked their Facebook ads in recent days .
But nothing concrete will change for Facebook 's 2.6 billion users .
In a statement following the meeting , Facebook largely reiterated its existing policies against voter and census interference , also noting the white supremacist groups it has banned and other recent changes .
`` This meeting was an opportunity for us to hear from the campaign organizers and reaffirm our commitment to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the statement read .
`` We know we will be judged by our actions not by our words and are grateful to these groups and many others for their continued engagement . ''
Facebook did agree to install a civil rights vice president , but did n't say how long that would take , Jessica J. González — the co-CEO of Free Press , a group behind the boycott — told the Associated Press .
Donald Trump frequently skirts Facebook 's posting rules , yet faces no consequences , dismaying both civil rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees .
The president made several misleading claims about mail-in-voting in May and June posts , including one that pushed a far-fetched theory that foreign countries plan to print millions of bogus ballots .
Trump also used the platform to threaten violence against racial injustice protesters in Minneapolis when he wrote `` when the looting starts , the shooting starts '' in a May post .
The posts have gone unchecked on Facebook .
Twitter , meanwhile , has fact checked , removed , or obscured some of Trump 's controversial tweets .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ who that politician is , when he makes a post that says 'shoot the looters , ' it is not only racially insensitive , it could incite violence across the country , '' Johnson said .
Last month , Facebook announced it would begin labeling rule-breaking posts — even from politicians — going forward .
But it is not clear if Trump 's previous controversial posts would have gotten the label .
On Wednesday , Facebook will release the final results of its own `` civil rights audit '' of its U.S. practices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American Civil Liberties Union executive Laura Murphy , who was hired by Facebook in May 2018 to assess its performance on vital social issues .
More than 900 companies have joined the ad boycott , which runs through the end of July , although some companies plan to withhold their ad dollars for longer .
In a Facebook post Tuesday , Sandberg emphasized what she called the company 's years of effort to `` minimize the presence of hate '' on Facebook and the billions of dollars it has spent `` to find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect the integrity of our platform more generally . ''
Facebook 's 2019 revenue was more than $ 70 billion , nearly all of it from advertising .
Facebook 's inaction will only encourage companies to continue their boycott of advertising on the site for longer , said Jonathan Greenblatt , CEO of the Anti-Defamation League .
`` The list is growing every day , '' Greenblatt said of companies joining the boycott .
`` It 's unfortunate to go back to them and say we have n't seen the progress we expected @ @

Facebook keeps telling critics that it is doing everything it can to rid its service of hate, abuse, and misinformation. And the company’s detractors keep not buying it.
On Tuesday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg met with a group of civil rights leaders, including the organizers of a growing advertising boycott over hate speech on Facebook. One of those leaders, NAACP President Derrick Johnson, said Facebook’s executives offered little but cheap talk that skirted major commitments to new rules or actions that would curb racism and misinformation on its platform.
“We’ve watched the conversation blossom into nothingness,” Johnson said. “They lack the cultural sensitivity to understand that their platform is actually being used to cause harm. Or, they understand the harm their platform is causing and they’ve chosen to take the profit.”
The NAACP was one of several groups that sent Facebook a list of 10 demands for policy change. Those included hiring a civil rights executive; banning private groups that promote white supremacy, vaccine misinformation, or violent conspiracy theories; and ending an exemption that allows politicians to post voting misinformation.
Such calls have the support of big-name companies like Coca-Cola and Unilever that have yanked their Facebook ads in recent days. But nothing concrete will change for Facebook’s 2.6 billion users.
In a statement following the meeting, Facebook largely reiterated its existing policies against voter and census interference, also noting the white supremacist groups it has banned and other recent changes.
“This meeting was an opportunity for us to hear from the campaign organizers and reaffirm our commitment to combating hate on our platform,” the statement read. “We know we will be judged by our actions not by our words and are grateful to these groups and many others for their continued engagement.”
Facebook did agree to install a civil rights vice president, but didn’t say how long that would take, Jessica J. González — the co-CEO of Free Press, a group behind the boycott — told the Associated Press.
Donald Trump frequently skirts Facebook’s posting rules, yet faces no consequences, dismaying both civil rights leaders and some of Facebook’s own employees. The president made several misleading claims about mail-in-voting in May and June posts, including one that pushed a far-fetched theory that foreign countries plan to print millions of bogus ballots. Trump also used the platform to threaten violence against racial injustice protesters in Minneapolis when he wrote “when the looting starts, the shooting starts” in a May post.
The posts have gone unchecked on Facebook. Twitter, meanwhile, has fact checked, removed, or obscured some of Trump’s controversial tweets.
“When a politician, no matter who that politician is, when he makes a post that says ‘shoot the looters,’ it is not only racially insensitive, it could incite violence across the country,” Johnson said.
Last month, Facebook announced it would begin labeling rule-breaking posts — even from politicians — going forward. But it is not clear if Trump’s previous controversial posts would have gotten the label.
On Wednesday, Facebook will release the final results of its own “civil rights audit” of its U.S. practices.
The audit was led by former American Civil Liberties Union executive Laura Murphy, who was hired by Facebook in May 2018 to assess its performance on vital social issues.
More than 900 companies have joined the ad boycott, which runs through the end of July, although some companies plan to withhold their ad dollars for longer.
In a Facebook post Tuesday, Sandberg emphasized what she called the company’s years of effort to “minimize the presence of hate” on Facebook and the billions of dollars it has spent “to find and remove hate — as well as protect the integrity of our platform more generally.”
Facebook’s 2019 revenue was more than $70 billion, nearly all of it from advertising.
Facebook’s inaction will only encourage companies to continue their boycott of advertising on the site for longer, said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League.
“The list is growing every day,” Greenblatt said of companies joining the boycott. “It’s unfortunate to go back to them and say we haven’t seen the progress we expected.”


shareblue--2020-07-12--Communities consider replacing racist statues with those who fought for justice

The dusty town of Tierra Amarilla perches in the shadows of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains .
Here , five decades ago , this poor northern New Mexico community saw one of the most violent clashes in civil rights history when armed Mexican American ranchers raided a courthouse in a dispute over land grants .
It shocked the nation and helped trigger the Chicano Movement .
Today , there 's almost nothing in town to honor this historic moment , except for graffiti art on an abandoned gas station and a sentence on a marker .
There 's also almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As monuments and statues fall across the United States , activists and towns are left wondering what to do with empty spaces that once honored historic figures such as Confederate generals and Spanish conquistadors .
They also are debating how to remember civil rights figures and events in areas where they have been forgotten .
The opportunity to reimagine spaces has created a debate : Whose history should the United States now honor and why ?
Should anything go on those empty podiums at all ?
Some advocates say monuments to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American civil rights leader Dolores Huerta should replace the toppled statues .
Others say World War II Marine Sgt .
Miguel Trujillo Sr. , a member of the Isleta Pueblo who sued to get Native Americans the right to vote in New Mexico , or former slave-turned-abolitionist Olaudah Equiano should have monuments erected in their honor .
Christy Symington , a London-based sculptor , has already created an image of Equiano that some advocates say should be replicated in now-empty spaces .
`` I almost think the pedestals just need to be left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Rev .
Rob W. Lee , a senior pastor of Unifour Church in Newton , North Carolina , and a descendant of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee , who now speaks out against Confederate monuments .
Lee said he sees the toppling of Confederate statues and Black Lives Matter graffiti as a move to reclaim Black lives from white supremacy .
`` I think it 's quite beautiful , '' Lee said .
`` Leave it like that . ''
Brett Chapman , a Tulsa , Oklahoma , attorney and descendant of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil rights leader , said he 'd like to see the fallen statues replaced by largely unknown social justice advocates .
`` There are so many people we can honor that will show how we 've overcome oppression , '' Chapman said .
`` It 'll be a chance for us to learn and reflect . ''
On Saturday , protesters in Baltimore pulled down a statue of Christopher Columbus and threw it into the city 's Inner Harbor .
That followed other episodes of Confederate and Spanish colonial statues getting toppled last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their removal .
It 's also led to statues of Presidents George Washington and Ulysses S. Grant being vandalized .
That has given some supporters of anti-racism protests pause .
Cultural critic Thomas Chatterton Williams , the author of the book `` Self-Portrait in Black and White , '' said he understood the need to remove Confederate monuments but is uncomfortable with the vandalism of statues honoring the Founding Fathers and figures who fought on the side of the Union during the Civil War .
`` Mobs in the street tearing down Ulysses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sight , '' Williams said .
`` We should understand the context ( of history ) .
But erasing these men from the public sphere seems like a bad road to go down to me . ''
Vanessa Fonseca-Chávez , an assistant professor of English at Arizona State University and author of the upcoming book `` Colonial Legacies in Chicana/o Literature and Culture : Looking Through the Kaleidoscope , '' said she can see the spaces honoring people who are not famous .
`` What about the people who are living and breathing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is today ? ''
Fonseca-Chávez said .
`` Not a famous person .
Just who we are .
I think that could go a long way . ''

The dusty town of Tierra Amarilla perches in the shadows of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Here, five decades ago, this poor northern New Mexico community saw one of the most violent clashes in civil rights history when armed Mexican American ranchers raided a courthouse in a dispute over land grants. It shocked the nation and helped trigger the Chicano Movement.
Today, there’s almost nothing in town to honor this historic moment, except for graffiti art on an abandoned gas station and a sentence on a marker. There’s also almost no public art about the event anywhere.
As monuments and statues fall across the United States, activists and towns are left wondering what to do with empty spaces that once honored historic figures such as Confederate generals and Spanish conquistadors. They also are debating how to remember civil rights figures and events in areas where they have been forgotten.
The opportunity to reimagine spaces has created a debate: Whose history should the United States now honor and why? Should anything go on those empty podiums at all?
Some advocates say monuments to the late U.S. Rep. Barbara Jordan or Mexican American civil rights leader Dolores Huerta should replace the toppled statues. Others say World War II Marine Sgt. Miguel Trujillo Sr., a member of the Isleta Pueblo who sued to get Native Americans the right to vote in New Mexico, or former slave-turned-abolitionist Olaudah Equiano should have monuments erected in their honor. Christy Symington, a London-based sculptor, has already created an image of Equiano that some advocates say should be replicated in now-empty spaces.
“I almost think the pedestals just need to be left there (empty),” said the Rev. Rob W. Lee, a senior pastor of Unifour Church in Newton, North Carolina, and a descendant of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, who now speaks out against Confederate monuments.
Lee said he sees the toppling of Confederate statues and Black Lives Matter graffiti as a move to reclaim Black lives from white supremacy. “I think it’s quite beautiful,” Lee said. “Leave it like that.”
Brett Chapman, a Tulsa, Oklahoma, attorney and descendant of Standing Bear, a Ponca chief and civil rights leader, said he’d like to see the fallen statues replaced by largely unknown social justice advocates. “There are so many people we can honor that will show how we’ve overcome oppression,” Chapman said. “It’ll be a chance for us to learn and reflect.”
On Saturday, protesters in Baltimore pulled down a statue of Christopher Columbus and threw it into the city’s Inner Harbor. That followed other episodes of Confederate and Spanish colonial statues getting toppled last month by demonstrators or after officials ordered their removal.
It’s also led to statues of Presidents George Washington and Ulysses S. Grant being vandalized.
That has given some supporters of anti-racism protests pause. Cultural critic Thomas Chatterton Williams, the author of the book “Self-Portrait in Black and White,” said he understood the need to remove Confederate monuments but is uncomfortable with the vandalism of statues honoring the Founding Fathers and figures who fought on the side of the Union during the Civil War.
“Mobs in the street tearing down Ulysses S. Grant statues is a really chilling sight,” Williams said. “We should understand the context (of history). But erasing these men from the public sphere seems like a bad road to go down to me.”
Vanessa Fonseca-Chávez, an assistant professor of English at Arizona State University and author of the upcoming book “Colonial Legacies in Chicana/o Literature and Culture: Looking Through the Kaleidoscope,” said she can see the spaces honoring people who are not famous.
“What about the people who are living and breathing right now who made this place what it is today?” Fonseca-Chávez said. “Not a famous person. Just who we are. I think that could go a long way.”


shareblue--2020-07-12--Tens of thousands of workers plan to strike for Black lives in July

A national coalition of labor unions , along with racial and social justice organizations , will stage a mass walkout from work this month as part of an ongoing reckoning over systemic racism and police brutality in the United States .
In what has been dubbed the `` Strike for Black Lives , '' tens of thousands of fast food , ride-share , nursing home , and airport workers in more than 25 cities are expected to walk off the job July 20 for a full-day strike .
Those who ca n't strike for a full day will walk out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of time prosecutors say a white Minneapolis police officer held his knee on George Floyd 's neck — in remembrance of Black men and women who died recently at the hands of police .
The national strike will also include worker-led marches through participating cities , organizers said Wednesday .
According to details shared exclusively with the Associated Press , organizers are demanding sweeping action by corporations and government to confront systemic racism in an economy that chokes off economic mobility and career opportunities for many Black and Hispanic workers , who make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less than a living wage .
They also stress the need for guaranteed sick pay , affordable health care coverage , and better safety measures for low-wage workers who never had the option of working from home during the coronavirus pandemic .
`` We have to link these fights in a new and deeper way than ever before , '' said Mary Kay Henry , president of the Service Employees International Union , which represents over 2 million workers in the United States and Canada .
`` Our members have been on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not win economic justice without racial justice .
This strike for Black lives is a way to take our members ' understanding about that into the streets , '' Henry told the AP .
Among the strikers ' specific demands are that corporations and government declare unequivocally that `` Black lives matter . ''
Elected officials at every level must use executive and legislative power to pass laws that guarantee people of all races can thrive , according to a list of demands .
Employers must also raise wages and allow workers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick leave , and child care support .
The service workers union has partnered with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters , the American Federation of Teachers , United Farm Workers , and the Fight for $ 15 and a Union , which was launched in 2012 by American fast-food workers to push for a higher minimum wage .
Social and racial justice groups taking part include March On , the Center for Popular Democracy , the National Domestic Workers Alliance , and the Movement for Black Lives , a coalition of over 150 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matter movement .
Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson , a strike organizer with the Movement for Black Lives , said corporate giants that have come out in support of the BLM movement amid nationwide protests over police brutality have also profited from racial injustice and inequity .
`` They claim to support Black lives , but their business model functions by exploiting Black labor — passing off pennies as 'living wages ' and pretending to be shocked when COVID-19 sickens those Black people who make up their essential workers , '' said Henderson , co-executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center .
`` Corporate power is a threat to racial justice , and the only way to usher in a new economy is by tackling those forces that are n't fully committed to dismantling racism , '' she said in a statement .
Trece Andrews , a Black nursing home worker for a Ciena Healthcare-managed retirement home in the Detroit area , said she feels dejected after years of being passed over for promotions .
The 49-year-old believes racial discrimination plays a part in her career stagnation .
`` I 've got 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only at $ 15.81 ( per hour ) , '' she said in a phone interview .
As the single mother of a 13-year-old daughter and caregiver to her father , a cancer survivor , Andrews said inadequate personal protective gear makes her afraid of bringing the coronavirus home from her job .
`` We 've got the coronavirus going on , plus we 've got this thing with racism going on , '' Andrews said .
`` They 're tied together , like some type of segregation , like we did n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fighting against these types of things .
It 's still alive out here , and it 's time for somebody to be held accountable .
It 's time to take action . ''
The strike continues a decades-old labor rights movement tradition .
Most notably , organizers have drawn inspiration from the Memphis sanitation workers ' strike over low wages , benefits disparity between Black and white employees , and inhumane working conditions that contributed to the deaths of two Black workers in 1968 .
At the end of that two-month strike , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collectively for better wages .
`` Strike for Black Lives '' organizers say they want to disrupt a multigenerational cycle of poverty perpetuated by anti-union and other policies that make it difficult to bargain collectively for better wages and working conditions .
Systemic poverty affects 140 million people in the United States , with 62 million people working for less than a living wage , according to the Poor People 's Campaign : A National Call for Moral Revival , a strike-partnering organization .
An estimated 54 % of Black workers and 63 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ category , compared to 37 % of white workers and 40 % of Asian American workers , the group said .
`` The reason why , on July 20 , you 're going to see strikes and protests and the walk-offs and socially distanced sit-ins and voter registration outreach is because thousands and thousands of poor low-wage workers of every race , creed , and color understand that racial , economic , health care , immigration , climate , and other justice fights are all connected , '' the Rev .
William Barber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Campaign , said in a telephone interview .
`` If in fact we are going to take on police violence that kills , then certainly we have to take on economic violence that also kills , '' he said .
Organizers said some striking workers will do more than walk off the job on July 20 .
In Missouri , participants will rally at a McDonald 's in Ferguson , a key landmark in the protest movement sparked by the death of Michael Brown , a Black teenager who was killed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then march to a memorial site located on the spot where Brown was shot and killed .
In Minneapolis , where Floyd was killed on May 25 , nursing home workers will participate in a caravan that will include a stop at the airport .
They 'll be joined by wheelchair attendants and cabin cleaners demanding a $ 15-per-hour minimum wage , organizers said .
Angely Rodriguez Lambert , a 26-year-old McDonald 's worker in Oakland , California , and leader in the Fight for $ 15 and a Union , said she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after employees were n't initially provided proper protective equipment .
As an immigrant from Honduras , Lambert said she also understands the Black community 's urgent fight against police brutality .
`` Our message is that we 're all human and we should be treated like humans — we 're demanding justice for Black and Latino lives , '' she told the AP .
`` We 're taking action because words are no longer bringing the results that we need , '' she said .
`` Now is the moment to see changes @ @

A national coalition of labor unions, along with racial and social justice organizations, will stage a mass walkout from work this month as part of an ongoing reckoning over systemic racism and police brutality in the United States.
In what has been dubbed the “Strike for Black Lives,” tens of thousands of fast food, ride-share, nursing home, and airport workers in more than 25 cities are expected to walk off the job July 20 for a full-day strike. Those who can’t strike for a full day will walk out for about eight minutes — the amount of time prosecutors say a white Minneapolis police officer held his knee on George Floyd’s neck — in remembrance of Black men and women who died recently at the hands of police.
The national strike will also include worker-led marches through participating cities, organizers said Wednesday.
According to details shared exclusively with the Associated Press, organizers are demanding sweeping action by corporations and government to confront systemic racism in an economy that chokes off economic mobility and career opportunities for many Black and Hispanic workers, who make up a disproportionate number of those earning less than a living wage. They also stress the need for guaranteed sick pay, affordable health care coverage, and better safety measures for low-wage workers who never had the option of working from home during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We have to link these fights in a new and deeper way than ever before,” said Mary Kay Henry, president of the Service Employees International Union, which represents over 2 million workers in the United States and Canada.
“Our members have been on a journey … to understanding why we cannot win economic justice without racial justice. This strike for Black lives is a way to take our members’ understanding about that into the streets,” Henry told the AP.
Among the strikers’ specific demands are that corporations and government declare unequivocally that “Black lives matter.” Elected officials at every level must use executive and legislative power to pass laws that guarantee people of all races can thrive, according to a list of demands. Employers must also raise wages and allow workers to unionize to negotiate better health care, sick leave, and child care support.
The service workers union has partnered with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the American Federation of Teachers, United Farm Workers, and the Fight for $15 and a Union, which was launched in 2012 by American fast-food workers to push for a higher minimum wage.
Social and racial justice groups taking part include March On, the Center for Popular Democracy, the National Domestic Workers Alliance, and the Movement for Black Lives, a coalition of over 150 organizations that make up the Black Lives Matter movement.
Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, a strike organizer with the Movement for Black Lives, said corporate giants that have come out in support of the BLM movement amid nationwide protests over police brutality have also profited from racial injustice and inequity.
“They claim to support Black lives, but their business model functions by exploiting Black labor — passing off pennies as ‘living wages’ and pretending to be shocked when COVID-19 sickens those Black people who make up their essential workers,” said Henderson, co-executive director of Tennessee-based Highlander Research and Education Center.
“Corporate power is a threat to racial justice, and the only way to usher in a new economy is by tackling those forces that aren’t fully committed to dismantling racism,” she said in a statement.
Trece Andrews, a Black nursing home worker for a Ciena Healthcare-managed retirement home in the Detroit area, said she feels dejected after years of being passed over for promotions. The 49-year-old believes racial discrimination plays a part in her career stagnation.
“I’ve got 20 years in the game and I’m only at $15.81 (per hour),” she said in a phone interview.
As the single mother of a 13-year-old daughter and caregiver to her father, a cancer survivor, Andrews said inadequate personal protective gear makes her afraid of bringing the coronavirus home from her job.
“We’ve got the coronavirus going on, plus we’ve got this thing with racism going on,” Andrews said. “They’re tied together, like some type of segregation, like we didn’t have our ancestors and Martin Luther King fighting against these types of things. It’s still alive out here, and it’s time for somebody to be held accountable. It’s time to take action.”
The strike continues a decades-old labor rights movement tradition. Most notably, organizers have drawn inspiration from the Memphis sanitation workers’ strike over low wages, benefits disparity between Black and white employees, and inhumane working conditions that contributed to the deaths of two Black workers in 1968. At the end of that two-month strike, some 1,300 mostly Black sanitation workers bargained collectively for better wages.
“Strike for Black Lives” organizers say they want to disrupt a multigenerational cycle of poverty perpetuated by anti-union and other policies that make it difficult to bargain collectively for better wages and working conditions.
Systemic poverty affects 140 million people in the United States, with 62 million people working for less than a living wage, according to the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, a strike-partnering organization. An estimated 54% of Black workers and 63% of Hispanic workers fall into that category, compared to 37% of white workers and 40% of Asian American workers, the group said.
“The reason why, on July 20, you’re going to see strikes and protests and the walk-offs and socially distanced sit-ins and voter registration outreach is because thousands and thousands of poor low-wage workers of every race, creed, and color understand that racial, economic, health care, immigration, climate, and other justice fights are all connected,” the Rev. William Barber II, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, said in a telephone interview.
“If in fact we are going to take on police violence that kills, then certainly we have to take on economic violence that also kills,” he said.
Organizers said some striking workers will do more than walk off the job on July 20. In Missouri, participants will rally at a McDonald’s in Ferguson, a key landmark in the protest movement sparked by the death of Michael Brown, a Black teenager who was killed by police in 2014. The strikers will then march to a memorial site located on the spot where Brown was shot and killed.
In Minneapolis, where Floyd was killed on May 25, nursing home workers will participate in a caravan that will include a stop at the airport. They’ll be joined by wheelchair attendants and cabin cleaners demanding a $15-per-hour minimum wage, organizers said.
Angely Rodriguez Lambert, a 26-year-old McDonald’s worker in Oakland, California, and leader in the Fight for $15 and a Union, said she and several co-workers tested positive for COVID-19 after employees weren’t initially provided proper protective equipment. As an immigrant from Honduras, Lambert said she also understands the Black community’s urgent fight against police brutality.
“Our message is that we’re all human and we should be treated like humans — we’re demanding justice for Black and Latino lives,” she told the AP.
“We’re taking action because words are no longer bringing the results that we need,” she said. “Now is the moment to see changes.”


shareblue--2020-07-13--McEnany claims Trump has 'great record' on LGBTQ issues

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Monday that Donald Trump has a `` great record when it comes to the LGBTQ community . ''
Chris Johnson , chief political and White House reporter for the Washington Blade , asked McEnany if Trump would reconsider the ban on transgender people in the military after 116 Democratic House lawmakers sent a letter last week to Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Attorney General William Barr calling for the Pentagon to end the policy .
McEnany responded , `` I have n't talked to him about that specific policy , but this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we launched a global initiative to end the criminalization of homosexuality throughout the world .
He has a great record when it comes to the LGBT community .
The Trump administration eased a ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men and he launched a plan to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 .
So we 're very proud of our achievements . ''
During Trump 's presidency , he has made 153 attacks against the LGBTQ community , according to GLAAD 's Trump Accountability Project .
In addition to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which LGBTQ groups say is essentially `` Do n't Ask , Do n't Tell '' for transgender people , the Trump administration has either gutted or moved forward with plans to roll back numerous Obama-era protections for transgender people .
These include safeguards for homeless transgender people at single-sex shelters , transgender students , and transgender patients .
The administration also wants to reverse Obama-era anti-discrimination requirements across nine separate federal agencies for religious organizations that receive taxpayer funds .
It proposed a rule that allows hundreds of thousands of contractors and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could result in discrimination against those businesses ' LGBTQ employees .
Trump is also in the process of trying to remove Department of Health and Human Services language from the Obama administration that protected LGBTQ people from discrimination in grant programs , including in foster care and adoption programs .
People appointed by Trump have often brazenly expressed anti-LGBTQ views in a way that has made their coworkers uncomfortable .
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson reportedly made transphobic comments in front of agency staffers last year .
Staffers at the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the presence of three anti-LGBTQ Trump appointees has created a hostile work environment .
One of those appointees , Merritt Corrigan , once tweeted , `` Our homo-empire could n't tolerate even one commercial enterprise not in full submission to the tyrannical LGBT agenda . ''
McEnany defended Trump 's record on LGBTQ rights by mentioning many of the same examples cited in a post published by the Republican National Committee in June on its website , claiming Trump `` has taken unprecedented steps '' to help the LGBTQ community .
The committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upcoming election unchanged from 2016 , despite it being called the `` most anti-LGBT platform '' in the party 's history by the Log Cabin Republicans , a group that represents LGBTQ conservatives , when it was first introduced .
Despite McEnany 's attempt to move on to another question , Johnson continued to ask McEnany about the ban .
`` But nonetheless the ban on transgender people in the military is still in place , '' Johnson interjected .
He mentioned the Supreme Court ruling last month that held that Title VII @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which bars employment discrimination based on sex , also prohibits discrimination against LGBTQ people .
Johnson also cited a 2019 Gallup poll that found that 71 % of Americans favored having openly transgender people serve in the military and asked why the administration is keeping the ban in place .
McEnany responded , `` I have no updates for you , but several of the events that you cited , like the Supreme Court ruling , I would refer you back to Justice Kavanaugh , who said , 'We are judges .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instead of a hard-earned victory won through the democratic process , today 's victory is brought about by judicial dictate , ' so we 'll always stand on the side of correct statutory interpretation . ''
After the Supreme Court ruling in June , Trump said , `` They ruled and we live with the decision . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Monday that Donald Trump has a “great record when it comes to the LGBTQ community.”
Chris Johnson, chief political and White House reporter for the Washington Blade, asked McEnany if Trump would reconsider the ban on transgender people in the military after 116 Democratic House lawmakers sent a letter last week to Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Attorney General William Barr calling for the Pentagon to end the policy.
McEnany responded, “I haven’t talked to him about that specific policy, but this president is proud that, in 2019, we launched a global initiative to end the criminalization of homosexuality throughout the world. He has a great record when it comes to the LGBT community. The Trump administration eased a ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men and he launched a plan to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. So we’re very proud of our achievements.”
During Trump’s presidency, he has made 153 attacks against the LGBTQ community, according to GLAAD’s Trump Accountability Project. In addition to a ban on transgender people in the military, which LGBTQ groups say is essentially “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” for transgender people, the Trump administration has either gutted or moved forward with plans to roll back numerous Obama-era protections for transgender people. These include safeguards for homeless transgender people at single-sex shelters, transgender students, and transgender patients.
The administration also wants to reverse Obama-era anti-discrimination requirements across nine separate federal agencies for religious organizations that receive taxpayer funds. It proposed a rule that allows hundreds of thousands of contractors and subcontractors to enjoy broad religious exemptions that could result in discrimination against those businesses’ LGBTQ employees. Trump is also in the process of trying to remove Department of Health and Human Services language from the Obama administration that protected LGBTQ people from discrimination in grant programs, including in foster care and adoption programs.
People appointed by Trump have often brazenly expressed anti-LGBTQ views in a way that has made their coworkers uncomfortable. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson reportedly made transphobic comments in front of agency staffers last year. Staffers at the U.S. Agency for International Development have said that the presence of three anti-LGBTQ Trump appointees has created a hostile work environment. One of those appointees, Merritt Corrigan, once tweeted, “Our homo-empire couldn’t tolerate even one commercial enterprise not in full submission to the tyrannical LGBT agenda.”
McEnany defended Trump’s record on LGBTQ rights by mentioning many of the same examples cited in a post published by the Republican National Committee in June on its website, claiming Trump “has taken unprecedented steps” to help the LGBTQ community. The committee has left its party platform for the upcoming election unchanged from 2016, despite it being called the “most anti-LGBT platform” in the party’s history by the Log Cabin Republicans, a group that represents LGBTQ conservatives, when it was first introduced.
Despite McEnany’s attempt to move on to another question, Johnson continued to ask McEnany about the ban.
“But nonetheless the ban on transgender people in the military is still in place,” Johnson interjected.
He mentioned the Supreme Court ruling last month that held that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars employment discrimination based on sex, also prohibits discrimination against LGBTQ people. Johnson also cited a 2019 Gallup poll that found that 71% of Americans favored having openly transgender people serve in the military and asked why the administration is keeping the ban in place.
McEnany responded, “I have no updates for you, but several of the events that you cited, like the Supreme Court ruling, I would refer you back to Justice Kavanaugh, who said, ‘We are judges. We are not members of Congress. Instead of a hard-earned victory won through the democratic process, today’s victory is brought about by judicial dictate,’ so we’ll always stand on the side of correct statutory interpretation.”
After the Supreme Court ruling in June, Trump said, “They ruled and we live with the decision.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-07-13--Trump adviser: Next round of virus aid may include tax 'holiday' for the wealthy

Donald Trump 's top economic adviser said the administration is considering pushing for a `` capital gains holiday '' in a new round of coronavirus aid .
`` There may be a capital gains holiday , '' Larry Kudlow , director of the U.S. National Economic Council , told Fox Business on Monday .
Cuts to capital gains disproportionately affect extremely wealthy individuals .
In 2018 , 69 % of all reported capital gains went to the 1 % of households with incomes above $ 750,000 .
Capital gains are already taxed at a much lower rate than regular income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fox Business ' `` Varney & Co. '' : STUART VARNEY , Fox Business : Can you be specific and tell us what we 're likely to see ?
LARRY KUDLOW : Well , I do n't know that I can be totally specific .
We 're looking at a lot of things , it 's pre-decisional .
Formal talks have n't really begun .
But look , certain things the president has said — for example , he wants a payroll tax holiday , that would give about a 6.5 % increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to work or have been working all the time .
We 'd like to see some unemployment reforms .
We like return to work type bonuses of a modest nature .
We do n't want to give people disincentives not to work .
There may be extensions to PPP , that 's to be decided .
There may be some targeted , directed assistance from direct-mailed checks to individuals and families — that has n't been decided yet .
There may be a capital gains holiday , there are a number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the president has mentioned .
So at the moment .
that 's kind of the grab bag .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation

Donald Trump’s top economic adviser said the administration is considering pushing for a “capital gains holiday” in a new round of coronavirus aid.
“There may be a capital gains holiday,” Larry Kudlow, director of the U.S. National Economic Council, told Fox Business on Monday.
Cuts to capital gains disproportionately affect extremely wealthy individuals. In 2018, 69% of all reported capital gains went to the 1% of households with incomes above $750,000. Capital gains are already taxed at a much lower rate than regular income.
From the July 13 edition of Fox Business’ “Varney & Co.”:
STUART VARNEY, Fox Business: Can you be specific and tell us what we’re likely to see? LARRY KUDLOW: Well, I don’t know that I can be totally specific. We’re looking at a lot of things, it’s pre-decisional. Formal talks haven’t really begun. But look, certain things the president has said — for example, he wants a payroll tax holiday, that would give about a 6.5% increase to after-tax wages for people either going back to work or have been working all the time. We’d like to see some unemployment reforms. We like return to work type bonuses of a modest nature. We don’t want to give people disincentives not to work. There may be extensions to PPP, that’s to be decided. There may be some targeted, directed assistance from direct-mailed checks to individuals and families — that hasn’t been decided yet. There may be a capital gains holiday, there are a number of items that we’ve talked about publicly and the president has mentioned. So at the moment. that’s kind of the grab bag.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation


shareblue--2020-07-13--Trump is demanding schools reopen but has no plan for how to do it

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos made the rounds on cable news programs on Sunday to demand the full reopening of K-12 schools this fall .
But she did it without providing any roadmap for how schools can do that safely with existing infrastructure .
In the interviews , DeVos would not ensure that students , teachers , and parents would be safe from the virus at schools , and she did not give a plan for schools to follow for a safe reopening .
`` Kids have to get back to school , '' DeVos said in response to CNN 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could ensure safety of all school attendees , staff , and parents .
`` And we know there are going to be hot spots , and those need to be dealt with on a case by case basis .
But the rules should be that kids go back to school this fall .
They 've been missing months of learning .
Many of them are going to be so far behind it 's difficult to catch up . ''
DeVos ' reopen-at-all-cost demand is part of Trump 's administration-wide effort to push for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall , even if schools can not meet the guidelines set forth by public health experts .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 's school reopening guidance calls for strict cleaning protocols , social distancing in classrooms and throughout school buildings , and even closures when coronavirus cases have been confirmed in a school building or where cases are spiking in the community at large .
Donald Trump criticized those guidelines as too `` tough '' and `` expensive , '' and demanded they be amended .
Following Trump 's statement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news conference that the CDC would be amending the guidelines in order to make them less restrictive .
Yet the CDC declined to bow to the political pressure from top Trump administration officials and stuck to their guidelines that suggest strict measures to ensure school safety .
Without any specific plans or guidance from the White House , school systems across the country are working to make their own plans that adhere to public health recommendations .
But many school systems , which were already struggling financially before the COVID-19 pandemic , do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to meet those guidelines in a way that allows for every student to be back in school five days a week , according to multiple reports .
Major school systems in New York City and Fairfax County , Virginia , are announcing plans for hybrid schedules , where students are in class a few days a week , and remote learning for the rest of the time .
Atlanta , Nashville , and Los Angeles announced they wo n't have any in-person instruction when the school year resumes this fall .
But DeVos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those moves , saying anything less than a full reopening amounts to failure .
DeVos would n't say when asked by CNN if the administration will take funding away from schools that do n't reopen , instead repeating her idea from last week that parents should get the federal funds to find schools for their kids if their public schools remain virtual .
It led Fox News ' Chris Wallace to dress DeVos down , telling her she was using misleading comparisons to school reopenings in other countries that have gotten their coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no authority to unilaterally take money away from schools .
`` Under what authority are you and the president going to unilaterally cut off funding , funding that 's been approved from Congress and most of the money goes to disadvantaged students or students with disabilities ? ''
Wallace fired back at DeVos .
It 's not clear why the Trump administration is hell-bent on forcing kids back to school when public health can not be guaranteed .
The American Association of Pediatrics said schools should only reopen if they can do so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a July 7 event to `` ensure that schools receive the resources necessary so that funding does not stand in the way of keeping our children safe or present at school . ''
Public polling shows parents are wary about sending their kids back .
A Politico/Morning Consult poll from June 24 found that 54 % of American voters are either somewhat uncomfortable or very uncomfortable with in-person school resuming this fall .
Published with permission of The America Independent Foundation .

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos made the rounds on cable news programs on Sunday to demand the full reopening of K-12 schools this fall. But she did it without providing any roadmap for how schools can do that safely with existing infrastructure.
In the interviews, DeVos would not ensure that students, teachers, and parents would be safe from the virus at schools, and she did not give a plan for schools to follow for a safe reopening.
“Kids have to get back to school,” DeVos said in response to CNN’s Dana Bash, who asked if DeVos could ensure safety of all school attendees, staff, and parents. “And we know there are going to be hot spots, and those need to be dealt with on a case by case basis. But the rules should be that kids go back to school this fall. They’ve been missing months of learning. Many of them are going to be so far behind it’s difficult to catch up.”
DeVos’ reopen-at-all-cost demand is part of Trump’s administration-wide effort to push for schools to fully reopen again in the fall, even if schools cannot meet the guidelines set forth by public health experts.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s school reopening guidance calls for strict cleaning protocols, social distancing in classrooms and throughout school buildings, and even closures when coronavirus cases have been confirmed in a school building or where cases are spiking in the community at large.
Donald Trump criticized those guidelines as too “tough” and “expensive,” and demanded they be amended.
Following Trump’s statement, Vice President Mike Pence said at a news conference that the CDC would be amending the guidelines in order to make them less restrictive.
Yet the CDC declined to bow to the political pressure from top Trump administration officials and stuck to their guidelines that suggest strict measures to ensure school safety.
Without any specific plans or guidance from the White House, school systems across the country are working to make their own plans that adhere to public health recommendations.
But many school systems, which were already struggling financially before the COVID-19 pandemic, don’t have the funding nor the space to meet those guidelines in a way that allows for every student to be back in school five days a week, according to multiple reports.
Major school systems in New York City and Fairfax County, Virginia, are announcing plans for hybrid schedules, where students are in class a few days a week, and remote learning for the rest of the time. Atlanta, Nashville, and Los Angeles announced they won’t have any in-person instruction when the school year resumes this fall.
But DeVos and other Trump administration officials are panning those moves, saying anything less than a full reopening amounts to failure.
DeVos wouldn’t say when asked by CNN if the administration will take funding away from schools that don’t reopen, instead repeating her idea from last week that parents should get the federal funds to find schools for their kids if their public schools remain virtual.
It led Fox News’ Chris Wallace to dress DeVos down, telling her she was using misleading comparisons to school reopenings in other countries that have gotten their coronavirus cases under control and saying DeVos has no authority to unilaterally take money away from schools.
“Under what authority are you and the president going to unilaterally cut off funding, funding that’s been approved from Congress and most of the money goes to disadvantaged students or students with disabilities?” Wallace fired back at DeVos.
It’s not clear why the Trump administration is hell-bent on forcing kids back to school when public health cannot be guaranteed.
The American Association of Pediatrics said schools should only reopen if they can do so safely, urging the White House at a July 7 event to “ensure that schools receive the resources necessary so that funding does not stand in the way of keeping our children safe or present at school.”
Public polling shows parents are wary about sending their kids back.
A Politico/Morning Consult poll from June 24 found that 54% of American voters are either somewhat uncomfortable or very uncomfortable with in-person school resuming this fall.
Published with permission of The America Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-07-13--Over 200 schools back lawsuit against new Trump rule blocking foreign students

More than 200 universities are backing a legal challenge to the Trump administration 's new restrictions on international students , arguing that the policy jeopardizes students ' safety and forces schools to reconsider fall plans they have spent months preparing .
The schools have signed court briefs supporting Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as they sue U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in federal court in Boston .
The lawsuit challenges a recently announced directive saying international students can not stay in the U.S. if they take all their classes online this fall .
A wide range of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standing up to the policy , which faces mounting legal opposition .
Massachusetts filed a federal suit Monday that was joined by Democratic attorneys general in 16 other states and the District of Columbia .
Other suits have come from Johns Hopkins University and the state of California .
The University of California system has said it will sue .
A judge is scheduled to hear arguments Tuesday in the case brought by Harvard and MIT .
If the judge does not suspend the rule , colleges across the U.S. will have until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be fully online this fall .
The Department of Homeland Security and ICE say the new policy is backed by existing law forbidding foreign students from taking all of their classes online .
ICE suspended the rule in March in response to the pandemic , but the agency told universities it was subject to change , according to a Monday court filing from the Trump administration .
The agencies say their updated guidance still provides leniency by allowing foreign students to maintain their visas even if they study online from abroad this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the March guidance and reverting to business as usual with respect to schools and foreign students , ICE announced a measured transition to begin a move toward reopening schools and allowing students to return to classrooms , '' the brief said .
A brief filed Monday by 59 universities , however , says the rule throws their plans into disarray with less than a month before some schools start the fall term .
They challenged the policy 's legal grounds and say it forces schools across the nation to `` choose between opening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risks , or forcing their international students to leave the country . ''
The group includes all of Harvard 's companions in the Ivy League and other prestigious schools including Stanford and Duke universities .
They collectively enroll more than 213,000 international students .
`` These students are core members of our institutions , '' the schools wrote .
`` They make valuable contributions to our classrooms , campuses and communities — contributions that have helped make American higher education the envy of the world . ''
The colleges are asking the court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible , saying it 's already being used to turn students away .
Last Wednesday , a DePaul University student was prevented from entering the country after arriving in San Francisco , according to the filing .
Harvard previously said one of its students from Belarus was turned away from a flight at an airport in Minsk last week .
If the policy is upheld , schools could be forced to reconsider their fall plans .
Princeton last week said first-year students and juniors could live on campus this fall , while sophomores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spring semester .
But that plan was based on the understanding that foreign students could continue remote learning from the U.S. , the filing said .
`` Princeton now may be forced to reassess its plan , with just weeks to go before the fall semester , lest sophomore and senior international students be forced to leave the country — and potentially be unable to return for the spring , '' according to the brief .
A separate coalition of 180 colleges filed a brief saying colleges were `` blindsided '' by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Presidents ' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration , said it was a reversal of a March 13 directive from ICE that waived limitations around online education for foreign students `` for the duration of the emergency . ''
They point to data suggesting the number of new coronavirus cases in the U.S. is higher now than it was in March .
`` All seem to agree the emergency remains ongoing , but ICE 's policy has inexplicably changed , '' the group wrote .
The directive also stands to hurt colleges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students typically pay the highest tuition rates and rarely are eligible for scholarships .
The alliance said many colleges risk losing millions of dollars over the policy , including Northern Virginia Community College , which estimates it could lose nearly $ 10 million in tuition from foreign students .
A separate brief filed by the Princeton Theological Seminary says the policy would bring `` crippling consequences '' from a funding perspective .
The seminary said its international ties include many foreign donors who would find the guidance `` such a shocking affront that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never recover . ''
The suit is also being backed by 26 cities and counties that say the policy would damage their economies .
Those range from New York City , which says international students contribute $ 3 billion per year to its economy , to Iowa City , Iowa , which says its 2,500 resident international students contribute millions of dollars a year .
Briefs of support have also been filed by scientific associations , student governments , education unions , and 71 higher education associations .
Under the new rule , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. or transfer to another college if their schools operate entirely online this fall .
New visas will not be issued to students at those schools , ICE said , and others at schools offering a mix of online and in-person courses will be barred from taking all of their classes online .
It would apply even if an outbreak forces schools to shift classes entirely online midterm , according to the guidance .
The policy was issued the same day Harvard announced that its first-years would be invited to campus but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online .
The suit from Harvard and MIT argues that ICE issued the policy without offering any justification and without allowing the public to respond .
It also says the agency is breaking from its March 13 promise to provide flexibility during the pandemic .

More than 200 universities are backing a legal challenge to the Trump administration’s new restrictions on international students, arguing that the policy jeopardizes students’ safety and forces schools to reconsider fall plans they have spent months preparing.
The schools have signed court briefs supporting Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as they sue U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in federal court in Boston. The lawsuit challenges a recently announced directive saying international students cannot stay in the U.S. if they take all their classes online this fall.
A wide range of colleges and state and local officials are standing up to the policy, which faces mounting legal opposition. Massachusetts filed a federal suit Monday that was joined by Democratic attorneys general in 16 other states and the District of Columbia. Other suits have come from Johns Hopkins University and the state of California. The University of California system has said it will sue.
A judge is scheduled to hear arguments Tuesday in the case brought by Harvard and MIT. If the judge does not suspend the rule, colleges across the U.S. will have until Wednesday to notify ICE if they plan to be fully online this fall.
The Department of Homeland Security and ICE say the new policy is backed by existing law forbidding foreign students from taking all of their classes online. ICE suspended the rule in March in response to the pandemic, but the agency told universities it was subject to change, according to a Monday court filing from the Trump administration.
The agencies say their updated guidance still provides leniency by allowing foreign students to maintain their visas even if they study online from abroad this fall.
“Rather than completely rescinding the March guidance and reverting to business as usual with respect to schools and foreign students, ICE announced a measured transition to begin a move toward reopening schools and allowing students to return to classrooms,” the brief said.
A brief filed Monday by 59 universities, however, says the rule throws their plans into disarray with less than a month before some schools start the fall term. They challenged the policy’s legal grounds and say it forces schools across the nation to “choose between opening their campuses regardless of the public health risks, or forcing their international students to leave the country.”
The group includes all of Harvard’s companions in the Ivy League and other prestigious schools including Stanford and Duke universities. They collectively enroll more than 213,000 international students.
“These students are core members of our institutions,” the schools wrote. “They make valuable contributions to our classrooms, campuses and communities — contributions that have helped make American higher education the envy of the world.”
The colleges are asking the court to block the rule as quickly as possible, saying it’s already being used to turn students away. Last Wednesday, a DePaul University student was prevented from entering the country after arriving in San Francisco, according to the filing. Harvard previously said one of its students from Belarus was turned away from a flight at an airport in Minsk last week.
If the policy is upheld, schools could be forced to reconsider their fall plans. Princeton last week said first-year students and juniors could live on campus this fall, while sophomores and seniors would replace them during the spring semester. But that plan was based on the understanding that foreign students could continue remote learning from the U.S., the filing said.
“Princeton now may be forced to reassess its plan, with just weeks to go before the fall semester, lest sophomore and senior international students be forced to leave the country — and potentially be unable to return for the spring,” according to the brief.
A separate coalition of 180 colleges filed a brief saying colleges were “blindsided” by the policy. The group, known as the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, said it was a reversal of a March 13 directive from ICE that waived limitations around online education for foreign students “for the duration of the emergency.” They point to data suggesting the number of new coronavirus cases in the U.S. is higher now than it was in March.
“All seem to agree the emergency remains ongoing, but ICE’s policy has inexplicably changed,” the group wrote.
The directive also stands to hurt colleges financially, the group wrote. International students typically pay the highest tuition rates and rarely are eligible for scholarships. The alliance said many colleges risk losing millions of dollars over the policy, including Northern Virginia Community College, which estimates it could lose nearly $10 million in tuition from foreign students.
A separate brief filed by the Princeton Theological Seminary says the policy would bring “crippling consequences” from a funding perspective. The seminary said its international ties include many foreign donors who would find the guidance “such a shocking affront that PTS’ relationships with those donors may never recover.”
The suit is also being backed by 26 cities and counties that say the policy would damage their economies. Those range from New York City, which says international students contribute $3 billion per year to its economy, to Iowa City, Iowa, which says its 2,500 resident international students contribute millions of dollars a year.
Briefs of support have also been filed by scientific associations, student governments, education unions, and 71 higher education associations.
Under the new rule, international students will be forced to leave the U.S. or transfer to another college if their schools operate entirely online this fall. New visas will not be issued to students at those schools, ICE said, and others at schools offering a mix of online and in-person courses will be barred from taking all of their classes online.
It would apply even if an outbreak forces schools to shift classes entirely online midterm, according to the guidance.
The policy was issued the same day Harvard announced that its first-years would be invited to campus but that all undergraduate classes will be held online.
The suit from Harvard and MIT argues that ICE issued the policy without offering any justification and without allowing the public to respond. It also says the agency is breaking from its March 13 promise to provide flexibility during the pandemic.


shareblue--2020-07-13--Judge orders Trump to explain commutation of Roger Stone's sentence

A federal judge on Monday demanded more information about Donald Trump 's decision to commute the prison sentence of longtime ally Roger Stone .
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered that the parties provide her by Tuesday with a copy of the executive order that commuted Stone 's sentence .
She also asked for clarity about the scope of the clemency , including whether it covers just his prison sentence or also the two-year period of supervised release that was part of his sentence .
Trump commuted Stone 's 40-month prison sentence on Friday evening , just days before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stone was convicted as part of special counsel Robert Mueller 's Russia investigation of making false statements , tampering with a witness , and obstructing lawmakers who were examining Russian interference in the 2016 election .
Although presidents have broad authority to commute prison sentences and issue pardons , the brief order from Jackson — who presided over Stone 's trial last year — makes clear the judge still is seeking information and clarity about the clemency , including the actual executive order from the White House .
In a separate case , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department 's request to dismiss the criminal case against Michael Flynn , Trump 's first national security adviser , even though Flynn pleaded guilty during Mueller 's investigation to lying to the FBI .
Democrats lambasted Trump 's decision as having undermined the rule of law , and Mueller himself defended the Stone prosecution in a Washington Post opinion piece in which he said Stone `` remains a convicted felon , and rightly so . ''

A federal judge on Monday demanded more information about Donald Trump’s decision to commute the prison sentence of longtime ally Roger Stone.
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered that the parties provide her by Tuesday with a copy of the executive order that commuted Stone’s sentence. She also asked for clarity about the scope of the clemency, including whether it covers just his prison sentence or also the two-year period of supervised release that was part of his sentence.
Trump commuted Stone’s 40-month prison sentence on Friday evening, just days before he was to report to prison. Stone was convicted as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation of making false statements, tampering with a witness, and obstructing lawmakers who were examining Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Although presidents have broad authority to commute prison sentences and issue pardons, the brief order from Jackson — who presided over Stone’s trial last year — makes clear the judge still is seeking information and clarity about the clemency, including the actual executive order from the White House.
In a separate case, a federal judge has resisted the Justice Department’s request to dismiss the criminal case against Michael Flynn, Trump’s first national security adviser, even though Flynn pleaded guilty during Mueller’s investigation to lying to the FBI.
Democrats lambasted Trump’s decision as having undermined the rule of law, and Mueller himself defended the Stone prosecution in a Washington Post opinion piece in which he said Stone “remains a convicted felon, and rightly so.”


shareblue--2020-07-13--Governor goes maskless at public gathering 1 day after telling residents to wear them

Republican Gov .
Mike Parson posted several photos of himself on Saturday interacting with members of the Missouri Cattlemen ’ s Association over the weekend without wearing a mask or practicing appropriate social distancing .
`` There is nothing like being in a room full of cattlemen and women , '' Parson tweeted along with photos of a room full of people on Saturday , most of whom were not wearing masks .
The appearance was in stark contrast with Parson ’ s tweet one day earlier , in which he told Missourians to `` be safe , smart , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and advised them to `` social distance '' or `` wear a mask . ''
Parson has thus far refused to issue a statewide face mask requirement .
`` I do not plan to put an order in from the governor 's office , '' he told reporters last week .
He added , `` Every day in this press briefing we ’ ve told you if you can not keep to 6 feet and social distancing , wear a mask . ''
The governor 's office did not respond to a request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Missouri Cattlemen 's Association event .
Missouri reported 3,225 new coronavirus cases in five days last week , the most in a single week since the crisis started .
Parson has taken a hands-off approach since the pandemic started .
In March , he refused to issue a statewide stay-at-home order , even after medical professionals asked him to .
`` If things progress as is , COVID-19 patients will deplete the state 's available hospital beds , ventilators , and precious personal protection equipment , '' the Missouri State Medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on March 23 .
`` Any additional time without a 'shelter-in-place ' requirement wastes crucial health care resources , including manpower . ''
Parson ultimately waited until all 555 school districts in the state had opted to end in-person instruction before issuing an executive order to close schools in the state later that month .
Parson also rushed to reopen businesses in the state in early May , against health experts ' advice , even though the pandemic was not yet under control .
`` Until we know how far along the epidemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really make informed decisions about opening up and how to do that in [ a ] sensible way , '' Caroline Buckee , a Harvard epidemiology professor , told CNN in April , speaking about the nationwide response to the virus .
Despite those warnings , on May 1 , Parson encouraged residents to make a `` special effort '' to help the state economy recover by visiting local businesses .
He also allowed large gatherings , such as concerts , to take place in the state , relying on venues to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents .
Cases in Missouri continue to increase .
According to the New York Times , the state had 29,173 confirmed cases as of Monday morning , and at least 1,113 people have died .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Republican Gov. Mike Parson posted several photos of himself on Saturday interacting with members of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association over the weekend without wearing a mask or practicing appropriate social distancing.
“There is nothing like being in a room full of cattlemen and women,” Parson tweeted along with photos of a room full of people on Saturday, most of whom were not wearing masks.
The appearance was in stark contrast with Parson’s tweet one day earlier, in which he told Missourians to “be safe, smart, and responsible over the weekend,” and advised them to “social distance” or “wear a mask.”
Parson has thus far refused to issue a statewide face mask requirement.
“I do not plan to put an order in from the governor’s office,” he told reporters last week.
He added, “Every day in this press briefing we’ve told you if you cannot keep to 6 feet and social distancing, wear a mask.”
The governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment about Parson’s mask-free appearance at the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association event.
Missouri reported 3,225 new coronavirus cases in five days last week, the most in a single week since the crisis started.
Parson has taken a hands-off approach since the pandemic started.
In March, he refused to issue a statewide stay-at-home order, even after medical professionals asked him to.
“If things progress as is, COVID-19 patients will deplete the state’s available hospital beds, ventilators, and precious personal protection equipment,” the Missouri State Medical Association wrote in a letter to Parson on March 23. “Any additional time without a ‘shelter-in-place’ requirement wastes crucial health care resources, including manpower.”
Parson ultimately waited until all 555 school districts in the state had opted to end in-person instruction before issuing an executive order to close schools in the state later that month.
Parson also rushed to reopen businesses in the state in early May, against health experts’ advice, even though the pandemic was not yet under control.
“Until we know how far along the epidemic curve we are, we can’t really make informed decisions about opening up and how to do that in [a] sensible way,” Caroline Buckee, a Harvard epidemiology professor, told CNN in April, speaking about the nationwide response to the virus.
Despite those warnings, on May 1, Parson encouraged residents to make a “special effort” to help the state economy recover by visiting local businesses. He also allowed large gatherings, such as concerts, to take place in the state, relying on venues to take the “necessary precautions” to protect residents.
Cases in Missouri continue to increase. According to the New York Times, the state had 29,173 confirmed cases as of Monday morning, and at least 1,113 people have died.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-07-13--Vast majority of Republicans in swing states support the virus aid McConnell is blocking

The vast majority of swing-state voters back the House Democrats ' latest coronavirus relief proposal , according to a new poll .
The bill , which is currently being blocked by Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , is also supported by most GOP voters .
A new poll by progressive think tank Data For Progress and the Justice Collaborative Institute , released Friday , found that 76 % of voters polled in key presidential or Senate 2020 battleground states support the emergency response legislation .
Just 16 % opposed it .
Among those surveyed , Republicans favor the bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also back it , 77 % to 13 % .
The poll surveyed voters in Alabama , Arizona , Colorado , Florida , Georgia , Iowa , Kansas , Kentucky , Maine , Michigan , Minnesota , Montana , New Hampshire , New Mexico , North Carolina , Pennsylvania , Texas , and Wisconsin .
The bill , known as the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act , passed the House in May on a 208-199 vote .
It would provide trillions of dollars to address the public health and economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extend expiring unemployment benefits , and provide $ 1 trillion in aid to struggling states and localities — including Kentucky .
It also includes $ 75 billion for testing , tracing , and treatment , and billions more for hazard pay , child care , and workplace safety for essential workers .
But the bill has stalled in the Senate , where McConnell ( R-KY ) has mocked it as `` dead on arrival '' and refused to even bring it up for a vote .
Instead , he recently sent home his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has promised he will offer his own legislation eventually .
`` I 'll be unveiling something which will be a starting point in a few weeks and we 'll be dealing with the administration and the Democrats , '' he told Kentucky voters last week .
He indicated that his proposal would focus mainly on helping the hospitality industry and on taking away the right of people who get infected to sue liable businesses .
While the nation waits on McConnell , cases and deaths are spiking and millions of Americans remain out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans have contracted the coronavirus so far and at least 134,572 have died .
The unemployment rate remains at more than 11 % as of June 's data .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

The vast majority of swing-state voters back the House Democrats’ latest coronavirus relief proposal, according to a new poll. The bill, which is currently being blocked by Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, is also supported by most GOP voters.
A new poll by progressive think tank Data For Progress and the Justice Collaborative Institute, released Friday, found that 76% of voters polled in key presidential or Senate 2020 battleground states support the emergency response legislation. Just 16% opposed it.
Among those surveyed, Republicans favor the bill 68% to 25%. Independents also back it, 77% to 13%.
The poll surveyed voters in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin.
The bill, known as the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act, passed the House in May on a 208-199 vote. It would provide trillions of dollars to address the public health and economic challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, extend expiring unemployment benefits, and provide $1 trillion in aid to struggling states and localities — including Kentucky. It also includes $75 billion for testing, tracing, and treatment, and billions more for hazard pay, child care, and workplace safety for essential workers.
But the bill has stalled in the Senate, where McConnell (R-KY) has mocked it as “dead on arrival” and refused to even bring it up for a vote.
Instead, he recently sent home his colleagues for a two-week recess. He has promised he will offer his own legislation eventually.
“I’ll be unveiling something which will be a starting point in a few weeks and we’ll be dealing with the administration and the Democrats,” he told Kentucky voters last week. He indicated that his proposal would focus mainly on helping the hospitality industry and on taking away the right of people who get infected to sue liable businesses.
While the nation waits on McConnell, cases and deaths are spiking and millions of Americans remain out of work. More than 3.2 million Americans have contracted the coronavirus so far and at least 134,572 have died. The unemployment rate remains at more than 11% as of June’s data.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.