shareblue--2020-04-01--Devin Nunes pushes to reopen country as pandemic kills more people

Rep. Devin Nunes ( R-CA ) demanded on Tuesday that social distancing efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 end within the next seven to 14 days , even as the Trump administration said they must continue at least until May .
Nunes complained on Fox News that his state had shut down schools and urged that the economy be reopened imminently .
`` The schools were canceled here in California , which is way overkill , '' he said .
`` It 's possible kids could 've went back to school in two weeks to four weeks , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools . ''
After expressing optimism that untested drugs would be able to help people with coronavirus , Nunes said , `` I will tell you this : If we do n't start to get people back to work in this country over the next week to two weeks , I do n't believe we can wait until , you know , the end of April .
I just think , I just do n't know of any economy that 's ever survived where you unplug the entire economy and expect things to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is not the first time Nunes has downplayed the pandemic and prioritized the economy over public health .
On March 14 , he encouraged people to ignore social distancing guidelines and eat out at local dining establishments .
`` There ’ s a lot of concerns with the economy here because people are scared to go out .
But I will just say , one of the things you can do if you 're healthy — you and your family — it ’ s a great time to just go out , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can get in easily , '' he urged on Fox News .
`` So , do n't run to the grocery store and buy , you know , $ 4,000 of food .
Go , you know , go to your local pub . ''
The following day , he walked back that suggestion , telling Fox News ' Sean Hannity he meant that `` you can go through the drive-thru , you can do takeout .
It 's a great place to go . ''
But his original comments had made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ typically do not have drive-thru windows .
Nunes ' latest comments stand in stark contrast to what public health experts and even Donald Trump have urged .
On Sunday , the Trump administration extended social distancing guidelines until at least May , abandoning Trump 's earlier suggestion that the country could reopen by April 12 .
On Monday , Trump told Fox News , `` We 're doing a lot of things and we do n't want to [ end social distancing measures ] too soon . ''
Noting that he expected cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that April 30 `` is a day where we can see some real progress '' and that by June , the death toll `` will be brought to a very low number . ''
On Tuesday , Trump warned that Americans would `` go through a very tough two weeks '' with significant numbers of new COVID-19 cases and deaths .
His administration predicted that , even with social distancing measures , the nation 's death toll could be between 100,000 and 240,000 .
Experts have recommended every state issue stay-at-home orders to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Trump himself has not urged this step , and several GOP-controlled states have still not heeded that advice .
Despite Nunes ' spin , the crisis continues to worsen .
According to the COVID Tracking Project , which collects the most recent testing data from each state , 184,770 people in the United States had tested positive for the virus as of Tuesday — an increase of more than 24,000 from the previous day .
More than 3,700 people have died .
Nearly 7,000 of those cases have been confirmed in California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died .
Researchers at the University of Washington estimate California may not reach its peak number of cases until April 26 .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) demanded on Tuesday that social distancing efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 end within the next seven to 14 days, even as the Trump administration said they must continue at least until May.
Nunes complained on Fox News that his state had shut down schools and urged that the economy be reopened imminently.
“The schools were canceled here in California, which is way overkill,” he said. “It’s possible kids could’ve went back to school in two weeks to four weeks, but they just canceled the rest of the schools.”
After expressing optimism that untested drugs would be able to help people with coronavirus, Nunes said, “I will tell you this: If we don’t start to get people back to work in this country over the next week to two weeks, I don’t believe we can wait until, you know, the end of April. I just think, I just don’t know of any economy that’s ever survived where you unplug the entire economy and expect things to go back and be normal.”
This is not the first time Nunes has downplayed the pandemic and prioritized the economy over public health. On March 14, he encouraged people to ignore social distancing guidelines and eat out at local dining establishments.
“There’s a lot of concerns with the economy here because people are scared to go out. But I will just say, one of the things you can do if you’re healthy — you and your family — it’s a great time to just go out, go to a local restaurant. Likely you can get in easily,” he urged on Fox News. “So, don’t run to the grocery store and buy, you know, $4,000 of food. Go, you know, go to your local pub.”
The following day, he walked back that suggestion, telling Fox News’ Sean Hannity he meant that “you can go through the drive-thru, you can do takeout. It’s a great place to go.” But his original comments had made no mention of either — and pubs typically do not have drive-thru windows.
Nunes’ latest comments stand in stark contrast to what public health experts and even Donald Trump have urged.
On Sunday, the Trump administration extended social distancing guidelines until at least May, abandoning Trump’s earlier suggestion that the country could reopen by April 12.
On Monday, Trump told Fox News, “We’re doing a lot of things and we don’t want to [end social distancing measures] too soon.” Noting that he expected cases to peak around Easter, he suggested that April 30 “is a day where we can see some real progress” and that by June, the death toll “will be brought to a very low number.”
On Tuesday, Trump warned that Americans would “go through a very tough two weeks” with significant numbers of new COVID-19 cases and deaths. His administration predicted that, even with social distancing measures, the nation’s death toll could be between 100,000 and 240,000.
Experts have recommended every state issue stay-at-home orders to slow community spread of the coronavirus. But Trump himself has not urged this step, and several GOP-controlled states have still not heeded that advice.
Despite Nunes’ spin, the crisis continues to worsen. According to the COVID Tracking Project, which collects the most recent testing data from each state, 184,770 people in the United States had tested positive for the virus as of Tuesday — an increase of more than 24,000 from the previous day. More than 3,700 people have died.
Nearly 7,000 of those cases have been confirmed in California; 150 people in the state have died. Researchers at the University of Washington estimate California may not reach its peak number of cases until April 26.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-02--Trump uses coronavirus press conference to complain about 'witch hunts' again

DONALD TRUMP : I want to remind everyone here in our nation 's capital , especially in Congress , that @ @ @ @ @ for politics , endless partisan investigations — here we go again .
I 've already @ @ @ @ @ country in recent years .
You see what happens , it 's witch hunt after @ @ @ @ @ , and in the end , the people doing the witch hunt have been losing @ @ @ @ @ losing by a lot .
And it 's not any time for witch hunts .
@ @ @ @ @ this enemy defeated .
Conducting these partisan investigations in the middle of a pandemic is @ @ @ @ @ vital resources , time , attention — and we want to fight for American lives @ @ @ @ @ build up my poll numbers .
Because that 's all they 're doing , because @ @ @ @ @ .

From an April 2 press conference:
DONALD TRUMP: I want to remind everyone here in our nation’s capital, especially in Congress, that this is not the time for politics, endless partisan investigations — here we go again.
I’ve already done extraordinary damage to our country in recent years. You see what happens, it’s witch hunt after witch hunt after witch hunt, and in the end, the people doing the witch hunt have been losing, and they’ve been losing by a lot.
And it’s not any time for witch hunts. It’s time to get this enemy defeated. Conducting these partisan investigations in the middle of a pandemic is a really big waste of vital resources, time, attention — and we want to fight for American lives, not waste time and build up my poll numbers.
Because that’s all they’re doing, because everyone knows it’s ridiculous.


shareblue--2020-04-02--Trump campaign tells Jeff Sessions to stop sucking up to Trump

Donald Trump 's campaign sent a message to his former attorney general on Tuesday : Stop pretending Trump likes you .
In a letter first reported by the New York Times on Thursday , the Trump campaign 's chief operating officer accused Jeff Sessions of making `` the delusional assertion that you are President Trump 's # 1 supporter '' and reminded Sessions that despite his repeated attempts to tie himself to Trump , `` President Trump and his campaign do not support your efforts to return to the U.S .
Senate . ''
Sessions is set to face fellow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ runoff for the nomination to take on incumbent Democratic Sen. Doug Jones in November .
Trump endorsed Tuberville last month , praising his work as a `` terrific head football coach at Auburn University '' and his loyalty to Trump 's movement .
Sessions held the Senate seat from 1997 to 2017 , when he resigned to join Trump 's Cabinet .
The Trump campaign letter noted that a recent Sessions mailing mentioned Trump by name 22 times .
`` We only assume your campaign is doing this to confuse President Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president supports your candidacy in the upcoming primary runoff election .
Nothing could be further from the truth , '' it read .
A Sessions spokesperson told the Times that he was `` one of the strongest supporters of President Trump and his agenda '' and `` no one can change that . ''
The two men were once close .
Sessions was the first senator to endorse Trump for president back in February 2016 .
At the time , Trump called him `` a man who is respected by everybody here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sessions by naming him attorney general that November .
`` Jeff has been a highly respected member of the U.S. Senate for 20 years , '' Trump said .
`` He is a world-class legal mind and considered a truly great attorney general and U.S. attorney in the state of Alabama .
Jeff is greatly admired by legal scholars and virtually everyone who knows him . ''
But the relationship soon soured .
In March 2017 , Sessions recused himself from any investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election on Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then-Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to appoint special counsel Robert Mueller .
Trump reportedly responded to the move at the time by saying , `` I 'm fucked . ''
Trump was furious at Sessions for recusing himself .
In an interview with the New York Times interview on July 19 , he complained , `` How do you take a job and then recuse yourself ?
If he would have recused himself before the job , I would have said , 'Thanks , Jeff , but I can ’ t , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take you . '
It ’ s extremely unfair , and that ’ s a mild word , to the president . ''
`` I don ’ t have an attorney general .
It ’ s very sad , '' he said in a September 2018 interview .
`` I ’ m not happy at the border , I ’ m not happy with numerous things , not just [ the recusal ] . ''
After Sessions resigned in November 2018 — at Trump 's request — Trump called him a `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the great state of Alabama . ''
A year later , Sessions announced his candidacy for his old Senate seat , despite White House opposition .
He quickly announced that he did not regret his recusal , despite Trump 's attacks .
Still , Sessions has portrayed himself during his campaign as a Trump loyalist .
One poll published on March showed Tuberville leading Sessions by 12 points , but another published the same day showed the race tied .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump’s campaign sent a message to his former attorney general on Tuesday: Stop pretending Trump likes you.
In a letter first reported by the New York Times on Thursday, the Trump campaign’s chief operating officer accused Jeff Sessions of making “the delusional assertion that you are President Trump’s #1 supporter” and reminded Sessions that despite his repeated attempts to tie himself to Trump, “President Trump and his campaign do not support your efforts to return to the U.S. Senate.”
Sessions is set to face fellow Republican Tommy Tuberville in a July 14 runoff for the nomination to take on incumbent Democratic Sen. Doug Jones in November. Trump endorsed Tuberville last month, praising his work as a “terrific head football coach at Auburn University” and his loyalty to Trump’s movement. Sessions held the Senate seat from 1997 to 2017, when he resigned to join Trump’s Cabinet.
The Trump campaign letter noted that a recent Sessions mailing mentioned Trump by name 22 times. “We only assume your campaign is doing this to confuse President Trump’s loyal supporters in Alabama into believing the president supports your candidacy in the upcoming primary runoff election. Nothing could be further from the truth,” it read.
A Sessions spokesperson told the Times that he was “one of the strongest supporters of President Trump and his agenda” and “no one can change that.”
The two men were once close. Sessions was the first senator to endorse Trump for president back in February 2016. At the time, Trump called him “a man who is respected by everybody here, greatly respected.”
Trump rewarded Sessions by naming him attorney general that November. “Jeff has been a highly respected member of the U.S. Senate for 20 years,” Trump said. “He is a world-class legal mind and considered a truly great attorney general and U.S. attorney in the state of Alabama. Jeff is greatly admired by legal scholars and virtually everyone who knows him.”
But the relationship soon soured. In March 2017, Sessions recused himself from any investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election on Trump’s behalf — a move that led to then-Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to appoint special counsel Robert Mueller. Trump reportedly responded to the move at the time by saying, “I’m fucked.”
Trump was furious at Sessions for recusing himself. In an interview with the New York Times interview on July 19, he complained, “How do you take a job and then recuse yourself? If he would have recused himself before the job, I would have said, ‘Thanks, Jeff, but I can’t, you know, I’m not going to take you.’ It’s extremely unfair, and that’s a mild word, to the president.”
Trump spent the next year publicly attacking Sessions.
“I don’t have an attorney general. It’s very sad,” he said in a September 2018 interview. “I’m not happy at the border, I’m not happy with numerous things, not just [the recusal].”
After Sessions resigned in November 2018 — at Trump’s request — Trump called him a “total disaster” and “an embarrassment to the great state of Alabama.”
A year later, Sessions announced his candidacy for his old Senate seat, despite White House opposition. He quickly announced that he did not regret his recusal, despite Trump’s attacks.
Still, Sessions has portrayed himself during his campaign as a Trump loyalist.
One poll published on March showed Tuberville leading Sessions by 12 points, but another published the same day showed the race tied.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-02--How Trump let coronavirus take over America

Since 2017 , Donald Trump has taken a series of actions that have weakened the ability of the United States to deal with the coronavirus pandemic currently engulfing the nation .
On March 19 , Trump defended his slow response to the crisis , claiming during a White House briefing , `` Nobody knew there 'd be a pandemic or an epidemic of this proportion . ''
History tells a different story .
Trump previously dismantled a group of health experts specifically designed to warn about global health pandemics , tried to cut funding for the Centers for Disease Control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both President Barack Obama 's team and his own experts at the CDC .
`` Donald Trump may not have been expecting this , '' one senior official told the Washington Post in mid-March , `` but a lot of other people in the government were — they just could n't get him to do anything about it . ''
Here 's how we got here : Before leaving office , President Obama 's National Security Council staff prepared a 69-page report on how to handle a global health pandemic , Politico reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( PPE ) and medical supplies that would be needed in response to a global outbreak , as well as steps the federal government could take to mitigate the damage .
The playbook `` just sat as a document that people worked on that was thrown onto a shelf , '' one former U.S. official who served under both Obama and Trump told Politico .
`` It 's hard to tell how much senior leaders at agencies were even aware that this existed . ''
By May 2017 , the Trump administration had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDC , including many within the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response .
Mick Mulvaney , Trump 's budget director , described the failing to fill positions across the federal government as `` a big part of draining the swamp . ''
Between 2017 and 2020 , the Trump administration reduced the number of CDC staff in China — the presumed epicenter of the outbreak — from 47 to just 14 , Reuters reported on March 25 .
`` We had a large operation of experts in China who were brought back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months before the outbreak , '' a person who witnessed the withdrawal of U.S. personnel said .
`` You have to consider the possibility that our drawdown made this catastrophe more likely or more difficult to respond to . ''
On May 7 , 2018 , the CDC held a daylong conference at Emory University to hear from experts on lessons learned 100 years after the 1918 flu pandemic , Yahoo News reported on Thursday .
`` Are we ready to respond to a pandemic ? ''
Dr. Luciana Borio , who at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health section of the National Security Council , asked at the conference .
`` I fear the answer is no .
`` There often is a feeling on the part of policymakers we 're talking to in Washington — but also in other states — that something magical will happen when an emergency risk occurs , that we 'll just be able to flip a switch and we 'll be able to respond as best we could , '' former CDC associate director John Auerbach said at the conference .
Three days after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off those concerns , disbanding a National Security Council unit tasked with preparing the government to face future pandemics .
Trump disbanded the aforementioned task force on May 10 , 2018 .
Jeremy Konyndyk , a former official with the U.S. Agency for International Development , told the Washington Post then that the White House 's action `` seems to actively unlearn the lessons we learned through very hard experience over the last 15 years .
These moves make us materially less safe .
It ’ s inexplicable.
” '' It is clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the federal government 's sluggish domestic response '' to the coronavirus pandemic , Beth Cameron , who led the NSC directorate under Obama , wrote in a March 13 Washington Post op-ed .
`` Our job was to be the smoke alarm — keeping watch to get ahead of emergencies , sounding a warning at the earliest sign of fire — all with the goal of avoiding a six-alarm blaze . ''
In February 2020 , Trump released a budget proposing to cut $ 3 billion from global health programs .
The budget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. funding of the World Health Organization , a global entity critical to coordinating responses to the coronavirus pandemic .
The budget also called for a 9 % cut in funding for the CDC .
The budget is `` woefully out of touch when it comes to protecting America 's interests , '' Liz Schrayer of the nonprofit organization U.S .
Global Leadership Coalition , said in a statement at the time .
`` Given the growing threats from the coronavirus to the rise of China and other great powers ... now is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and development tools off the playing field . ''
Trump downplayed the coronavirus outbreak more than a dozen times in January , February , and March 2020 .
A few examples include : • Jan. 22 : `` We have it totally under control .
It 's one person coming in from China , and we have it under control .
It 's going to be just fine , '' Trump said in an interview with CNBC .
• Feb. 7 : Trump tweeted that China 's President Xi Jinping would be successful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the weather starts to warm & the virus hopefully becomes weaker , and then gone . ''
• Feb. 24 : `` is very much under control in the USA .
We are in contact with everyone and all relevant countries .
CDC & World Health have been working hard and very smart , '' Trump tweeted • Feb. 26 : `` When you have 15 people , and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero , that ’ s a pretty good job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said at a White House news conference .
• March 4 : `` Some people will have this at a very light level and won ’ t even go to a doctor or hospital , and they 'll get better .
There are many people like that , '' Trump said at a briefing with the CEOs of some of the country 's major airlines .
• March 9 : `` The Fake News Media and their partner , the Democrat Party , is doing everything within its semi-considerable power ( it used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CoronaVirus situation , far beyond what the facts would warrant .
Surgeon General , 'The risk is low to the average American , ' '' Trump tweeted .
• March 10 : `` We 're prepared , and we 're doing a great job with it .
And it will go away .
Just stay calm .
It will go away , '' Trump said at a briefing with Republican senators .
• March 24 : `` We 've never closed down the country for the flu .
So you say to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? '
'' Trump said at a Fox News town hall , wrongly comparing COVID-19 to the seasonal flu .
As of Thursday morning , more than 214,000 people in the United States had been diagnosed with confirmed cases of COVID-19 , and more than 4,800 people had died .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Since 2017, Donald Trump has taken a series of actions that have weakened the ability of the United States to deal with the coronavirus pandemic currently engulfing the nation.
On March 19, Trump defended his slow response to the crisis, claiming during a White House briefing, “Nobody knew there’d be a pandemic or an epidemic of this proportion.”
History tells a different story. Trump previously dismantled a group of health experts specifically designed to warn about global health pandemics, tried to cut funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and ignored warnings from both President Barack Obama’s team and his own experts at the CDC.
“Donald Trump may not have been expecting this,” one senior official told the Washington Post in mid-March, “but a lot of other people in the government were — they just couldn’t get him to do anything about it.”
Here’s how we got here:
2017: Ignored warnings from President Obama
Before leaving office, President Obama’s National Security Council staff prepared a 69-page report on how to handle a global health pandemic, Politico reported. The playbook noted personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies that would be needed in response to a global outbreak, as well as steps the federal government could take to mitigate the damage.
The playbook “just sat as a document that people worked on that was thrown onto a shelf,” one former U.S. official who served under both Obama and Trump told Politico. “It’s hard to tell how much senior leaders at agencies were even aware that this existed.”
2017: Failed to fill key CDC positions
By May 2017, the Trump administration had left vacant almost 700 positions at the CDC, including many within the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response.
Mick Mulvaney, Trump’s budget director, described the failing to fill positions across the federal government as “a big part of draining the swamp.”
2017-2020: Withdrew CDC staff from China
Between 2017 and 2020, the Trump administration reduced the number of CDC staff in China — the presumed epicenter of the outbreak — from 47 to just 14, Reuters reported on March 25.
“We had a large operation of experts in China who were brought back during this administration, some of them months before the outbreak,” a person who witnessed the withdrawal of U.S. personnel said. “You have to consider the possibility that our drawdown made this catastrophe more likely or more difficult to respond to.”
2018: Ignored warnings from CDC
On May 7, 2018, the CDC held a daylong conference at Emory University to hear from experts on lessons learned 100 years after the 1918 flu pandemic, Yahoo News reported on Thursday.
“Are we ready to respond to a pandemic?” Dr. Luciana Borio, who at the time was head of the global health section of the National Security Council, asked at the conference. “I fear the answer is no.
“There often is a feeling on the part of policymakers we’re talking to in Washington — but also in other states — that something magical will happen when an emergency risk occurs, that we’ll just be able to flip a switch and we’ll be able to respond as best we could,” former CDC associate director John Auerbach said at the conference.
Three days after the conference, Trump appeared to wave off those concerns, disbanding a National Security Council unit tasked with preparing the government to face future pandemics.
2018: Dismantled NSC pandemic response group
Trump disbanded the aforementioned task force on May 10, 2018.
Jeremy Konyndyk, a former official with the U.S. Agency for International Development, told the Washington Post then that the White House’s action “seems to actively unlearn the lessons we learned through very hard experience over the last 15 years. These moves make us materially less safe. It’s inexplicable.”
“It is clear that eliminating the office has contributed to the federal government’s sluggish domestic response” to the coronavirus pandemic, Beth Cameron, who led the NSC directorate under Obama, wrote in a March 13 Washington Post op-ed. “Our job was to be the smoke alarm — keeping watch to get ahead of emergencies, sounding a warning at the earliest sign of fire — all with the goal of avoiding a six-alarm blaze.”
2020: Attempted to cut health care funding
In February 2020, Trump released a budget proposing to cut $3 billion from global health programs. The budget called for a 50% cut in U.S. funding of the World Health Organization, a global entity critical to coordinating responses to the coronavirus pandemic.
The budget also called for a 9% cut in funding for the CDC.
The budget is “woefully out of touch when it comes to protecting America’s interests,” Liz Schrayer of the nonprofit organization U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, said in a statement at the time. “Given the growing threats from the coronavirus to the rise of China and other great powers … now is not the time to take our diplomats and development tools off the playing field.”
2020: Downplayed severity of coronavirus outbreak
Trump downplayed the coronavirus outbreak more than a dozen times in January, February, and March 2020. A few examples include:
Jan. 22: “We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine,” Trump said in an interview with CNBC.
“We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine,” Trump said in an interview with CNBC. Feb. 7: Trump tweeted that China’s President Xi Jinping would be successful in dealing with the outbreak “as the weather starts to warm & the virus hopefully becomes weaker, and then gone.”
Trump tweeted that China’s President Xi Jinping would be successful in dealing with the outbreak “as the weather starts to warm & the virus hopefully becomes weaker, and then gone.” Feb. 24: “ The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. We are in contact with everyone and all relevant countries. CDC & World Health have been working hard and very smart,” Trump tweeted
“ Feb. 26: “When you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that’s a pretty good job we’ve done,” Trump said at a White House news conference.
“When you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that’s a pretty good job we’ve done,” Trump said at a White House news conference. March 4: “Some people will have this at a very light level and won’t even go to a doctor or hospital, and they’ll get better. There are many people like that,” Trump said at a briefing with the CEOs of some of the country’s major airlines.
“Some people will have this at a very light level and won’t even go to a doctor or hospital, and they’ll get better. There are many people like that,” Trump said at a briefing with the CEOs of some of the country’s major airlines. March 9: “The Fake News Media and their partner, the Democrat Party, is doing everything within its semi-considerable power (it used to be greater!) to inflame the CoronaVirus situation, far beyond what the facts would warrant. Surgeon General, ‘The risk is low to the average American,'” Trump tweeted.
“The Fake News Media and their partner, the Democrat Party, is doing everything within its semi-considerable power (it used to be greater!) to inflame the CoronaVirus situation, far beyond what the facts would warrant. Surgeon General, ‘The risk is low to the average American,'” Trump tweeted. March 10: “We’re prepared, and we’re doing a great job with it. And it will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away,” Trump said at a briefing with Republican senators.
“We’re prepared, and we’re doing a great job with it. And it will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away,” Trump said at a briefing with Republican senators. March 24: “We’ve never closed down the country for the flu. So you say to yourself, ‘What is this all about?'” Trump said at a Fox News town hall, wrongly comparing COVID-19 to the seasonal flu.
As of Thursday morning, more than 214,000 people in the United States had been diagnosed with confirmed cases of COVID-19, and more than 4,800 people had died.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-02--Biden on Trump's failure to act: 'Use your full authority. This is a war.'

The administration announced on Thursday that Donald Trump would finally invoke the Defense Production Act to produce more ventilators amid the raging coronavirus outbreak , 15 days after he first said he would .
Biden addressed that decision later that afternoon , calling on Trump to do even more .
FORMER VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN : We 're in a situation where the president , as I was coming down to this makeshift studio I was told by a staff member that the president says he 's going to fully implement the Defense Production Act now .
And so , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And a few minutes later I said , `` What 'd he say ? ''
And I read the statement .
It 's all about ventilators .
Which is really important and should have been done four weeks ago .
But he should employ that Defense Production Act for all the things needed : gloves , masks , face shields , gowns , etc .
That [ should 've been ] done yesterday , last week , a month ago .
Get it done now .
And for example , tests .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests that are not being distributed , number one , because there 's no one person , no commander in the White House or in the administration like a military commander determining distribution of what is available and we have to be using the Defense Production Act to get companies who have the capacity to gather all the materials needed for the test , assemble them and move now .
Use your full authority .
This is a war .
Act like a commander-in-chief .
Use it all .
Published with permission of @ @ @ @ @

The administration announced on Thursday that Donald Trump would finally invoke the Defense Production Act to produce more ventilators amid the raging coronavirus outbreak, 15 days after he first said he would.
Biden addressed that decision later that afternoon, calling on Trump to do even more.
From an April 2 video press conference:
FORMER VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: We’re in a situation where the president, as I was coming down to this makeshift studio I was told by a staff member that the president says he’s going to fully implement the Defense Production Act now. And so, I said, “Great!” And a few minutes later I said, “What’d he say?” And I read the statement.
It’s all about ventilators. Which is really important and should have been done four weeks ago. But he should employ that Defense Production Act for all the things needed: gloves, masks, face shields, gowns, etc.
That [should’ve been] done yesterday, last week, a month ago. Get it done now.
And for example, tests. We’re in a situation where we have tests that are not being distributed, number one, because there’s no one person, no commander in the White House or in the administration like a military commander determining distribution of what is available and we have to be using the Defense Production Act to get companies who have the capacity to gather all the materials needed for the test, assemble them and move now.
Use your full authority. This is a war. Act like a commander-in-chief. Use it all.


shareblue--2020-04-02--Trump finally invokes Defense Production Act — 15 days after he said he would

Donald Trump on Thursday finally invoked the Defense Production Act to direct private companies to produce life-saving ventilators — 15 days after he first said he was going to use the law to help battle the COVID-19 pandemic .
`` Today , I have issued an order under the Defense Production Act to more fully ensure that domestic manufacturers can produce ventilators needed to save American lives , '' Trump said in a statement .
The act was passed in 1950 and first used during the Korean War to allow the federal government to order private companies to produce needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a news conference on March 18 : `` We 'll be invoking the Defense Production Act , just in case we need it .
...
It can do a lot of good things if we need it . ''
But more than two weeks later , he had yet to actually put it to use , despite desperate pleas from governors who said their states were projecting a shortage of ventilators .
Since he first mentioned the act on March 18 , a total of 5,530 people in the United States died from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Washington Post .
Issuing orders under the act would not have been extraordinary ; it has been invoked hundreds of thousands of times since Trump became president , according to a report from the New York Times .
But Trump resisted using it for the coronavirus .
`` We 're a country not based on nationalizing our business , '' Trump said at a March 22 news conference , days after he first said he was going to put the DPA to use .
`` Call a person over in Venezuela @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their businesses work out .
Not too well .
The concept of nationalizing our business is not a good concept . ''
New York Democratic Gov .
Andrew Cuomo — whose state is seeing the worst COVID-19 outbreak in the country — had criticized Trump for not putting the act to use , noting that private companies needed guidance in responding to the pandemic .
`` It ca n't just be , 'Hey who wants to help ?
Let me know , ' '' Cuomo said on March 24 .
`` We need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to produce and who is going to produce that and when . ''
Cuomo and other governors across the country have said that Trump needed to ensure states would n't have to bid against each other to obtain critical equipment and supplies .
`` We 've had to go out onto the open market to find both surgical masks and N95 masks … and we 're competing against federal government , we 're competing against big states like New York and California , we 're competing against other countries because the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Production Act to help us with all the needs we have , '' Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker , a Democrat , said on Tuesday .
After officially invoking the act , Trump said it will `` save lives by removing obstacles in the supply chain that threaten the rapid production of ventilators . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump on Thursday finally invoked the Defense Production Act to direct private companies to produce life-saving ventilators — 15 days after he first said he was going to use the law to help battle the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Today, I have issued an order under the Defense Production Act to more fully ensure that domestic manufacturers can produce ventilators needed to save American lives,” Trump said in a statement.
The act was passed in 1950 and first used during the Korean War to allow the federal government to order private companies to produce needed items.
Trump first mentioned it at a news conference on March 18: “We’ll be invoking the Defense Production Act, just in case we need it. … It can do a lot of good things if we need it.”
But more than two weeks later, he had yet to actually put it to use, despite desperate pleas from governors who said their states were projecting a shortage of ventilators.
Since he first mentioned the act on March 18, a total of 5,530 people in the United States died from the virus, according to statistics compiled by the Washington Post.
Issuing orders under the act would not have been extraordinary; it has been invoked hundreds of thousands of times since Trump became president, according to a report from the New York Times. But Trump resisted using it for the coronavirus.
“We’re a country not based on nationalizing our business,” Trump said at a March 22 news conference, days after he first said he was going to put the DPA to use. “Call a person over in Venezuela; ask them how did nationalization of their businesses work out. Not too well. The concept of nationalizing our business is not a good concept.”
New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo — whose state is seeing the worst COVID-19 outbreak in the country — had criticized Trump for not putting the act to use, noting that private companies needed guidance in responding to the pandemic.
“It can’t just be, ‘Hey who wants to help? Let me know,'” Cuomo said on March 24. “We need to know the numbers of what we need to produce and who is going to produce that and when.”
Cuomo and other governors across the country have said that Trump needed to ensure states wouldn’t have to bid against each other to obtain critical equipment and supplies.
“We’ve had to go out onto the open market to find both surgical masks and N95 masks … and we’re competing against federal government, we’re competing against big states like New York and California, we’re competing against other countries because the president has not invoked or used the Defense Production Act to help us with all the needs we have,” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, said on Tuesday.
After officially invoking the act, Trump said it will “save lives by removing obstacles in the supply chain that threaten the rapid production of ventilators.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-02--FDA still banning some gay men from donating blood despite urgent need

The Food and Drug Administration revised its ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood , plasma , and platelets on Thursday , but left in place a prohibition on donations from any man who has had sex with another man within the three months prior to the given donation date .
With the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting social distancing measures , many blood drives have been canceled , causing what the agency called `` unprecedented challenges to the U.S. blood supply . ''
The revision updates a previous policy that required a full year of abstinence from gay and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also applies to women who have sex with a man who has had sex with another man , as well as to people who recently got piercings or tattoos .
In a statement , FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research director Peter Marks said the guidance was for `` immediate implementation to address the urgent and immediate need for blood and blood components . ''
Last week , a group of 17 Senate Democrats urged the FDA to lift the ban entirely , saying that this is the time `` to shift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ones that are scientifically sound , based on individual risk , and inclusive of all potential healthy blood donors . ''
The senators noted that `` with important advances in blood screening and safety technology , a time-based deferral policy is not scientifically sound , continues to effectively exclude many healthy gay and bisexual men , and does not meet the urgent demands of the moment , '' and that `` with the increased uptake of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis ( PrEP ) , which reduces the likelihood that an HIV-negative individual will acquire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men are aware of their HIV-negative status and are taking steps to effectively eliminate their personal risk of HIV transmission . ''
GLAAD , a national LGBTQ advocacy group that is advocating for ending the prohibition , on Thursday called the change an `` imperfect '' victory , promising to `` keep pushing for the ban to be lifted entirely . ''
The ban on blood donation by men who have sex with men was initially put in place in the 1980s as a way to curb the transmission of HIV through blood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donations from those men for life .
In 2015 , the FDA changed the ban to a one-year abstinence requirement .
Beyond the typical need for blood donations , scientists are currently exploring whether plasma donations from recovered COVID-19 patients can be used to help those currently infected .
Gay and bisexual men who recover from COVID-19 still must follow the donation guidelines , making many potential donors ineligible .
As of Thursday , the CDC has recorded at least 213,144 confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases and more than 4,500 deaths from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

The Food and Drug Administration revised its ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood, plasma, and platelets on Thursday, but left in place a prohibition on donations from any man who has had sex with another man within the three months prior to the given donation date.
With the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting social distancing measures, many blood drives have been canceled, causing what the agency called “unprecedented challenges to the U.S. blood supply.”
The revision updates a previous policy that required a full year of abstinence from gay and bisexual men. The new three-month rule also applies to women who have sex with a man who has had sex with another man, as well as to people who recently got piercings or tattoos.
In a statement, FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research director Peter Marks said the guidance was for “immediate implementation to address the urgent and immediate need for blood and blood components.”
Last week, a group of 17 Senate Democrats urged the FDA to lift the ban entirely, saying that this is the time “to shift away from antiquated and stigmatizing donation policies to ones that are scientifically sound, based on individual risk, and inclusive of all potential healthy blood donors.”
The senators noted that “with important advances in blood screening and safety technology, a time-based deferral policy is not scientifically sound, continues to effectively exclude many healthy gay and bisexual men, and does not meet the urgent demands of the moment,” and that “with the increased uptake of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), which reduces the likelihood that an HIV-negative individual will acquire HIV, many more gay and bisexual men are aware of their HIV-negative status and are taking steps to effectively eliminate their personal risk of HIV transmission.”
GLAAD, a national LGBTQ advocacy group that is advocating for ending the prohibition, on Thursday called the change an “imperfect” victory, promising to “keep pushing for the ban to be lifted entirely.”
The ban on blood donation by men who have sex with men was initially put in place in the 1980s as a way to curb the transmission of HIV through blood transfusions. The policy prohibited any blood donations from those men for life.
In 2015, the FDA changed the ban to a one-year abstinence requirement.
Beyond the typical need for blood donations, scientists are currently exploring whether plasma donations from recovered COVID-19 patients can be used to help those currently infected. Gay and bisexual men who recover from COVID-19 still must follow the donation guidelines, making many potential donors ineligible.
As of Thursday, the CDC has recorded at least 213,144 confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases and more than 4,500 deaths from the disease in the United States.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-02--White House invites far-right reporter who violated safety rules to briefing

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham invited a right-wing personality to attend Donald Trump 's daily coronavirus news conference this week , even after the reporter was banned from the briefing room for ignoring social distancing guidelines .
Grisham 's decision to invite One America News personality Chanel Rion overrides a decision from the White House Correspondents ' Association , which voted to boot Rion from the briefing room .
The WHCA took the action after Rion twice violated a policy limiting the number of reporters in the room in order to keep them , as well as administration officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stephanie Grisham this morning , I met with her , we discussed the situation , and she invited me again to attend the briefing today , as her guest , standing in the back , and I will be in the briefing room today if there 's no physical complications with that , '' Rion said Thursday .
Last month , the WHCA announced a policy to restrict the number of reporters at daily briefings — an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 .
Smaller news organizations that do not have permanent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rotate into briefings every few days .
But Rion showed up twice on days her outlet was not scheduled to be in the room , causing the WHCA to vote to kick OAN out of the rotation .
`` The WHCA Board has voted this evening to remove a news outlet from the rotation for a seat in the briefing room , '' the WHCA Board said in a statement Wednesday night .
`` We did this because a reporter for this outlet twice attended press briefings in contravention of this policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to remove OAN as `` a matter of public safety . ''
Jon Karl , president of the WHCA , said in a statement to CNN that there is no room for Rion to attend .
Karl added that if Grisham wants Rion in the room , Rion should be `` sitting in the seats to the side which are set aside for White House staff . ''
Rion is a Trump supporter who has defended him over his use of the racist term `` Chinese virus '' for the coronavirus .
Her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his family and using hashtags like # MAGA .
Rion has also spread conspiracy theories , such as Trump 's false claim that Ukraine was trying to meddle in the 2016 election .
Trump repeatedly used that debunked conspiracy theory in defending himself during impeachment proceedings against him .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham invited a right-wing personality to attend Donald Trump’s daily coronavirus news conference this week, even after the reporter was banned from the briefing room for ignoring social distancing guidelines.
Grisham’s decision to invite One America News personality Chanel Rion overrides a decision from the White House Correspondents’ Association, which voted to boot Rion from the briefing room.
The WHCA took the action after Rion twice violated a policy limiting the number of reporters in the room in order to keep them, as well as administration officials, safe.
“I spoke with Stephanie Grisham this morning, I met with her, we discussed the situation, and she invited me again to attend the briefing today, as her guest, standing in the back, and I will be in the briefing room today if there’s no physical complications with that,” Rion said Thursday.
Last month, the WHCA announced a policy to restrict the number of reporters at daily briefings — an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Smaller news organizations that do not have permanent seats in the room are only allowed to rotate into briefings every few days.
Our new normal: This is the White House briefing room where @VP, @realDonaldTrump, and officials give us the latest on #CoronavirusOutbreak. Only every other seat can be occupied starting today, per @whca. #SocialDistancing pic.twitter.com/eE22srno4N — Weijia Jiang (@weijia) March 16, 2020
But Rion showed up twice on days her outlet was not scheduled to be in the room, causing the WHCA to vote to kick OAN out of the rotation.
“The WHCA Board has voted this evening to remove a news outlet from the rotation for a seat in the briefing room,” the WHCA Board said in a statement Wednesday night. “We did this because a reporter for this outlet twice attended press briefings in contravention of this policy.”
The WHCA said it voted to remove OAN as “a matter of public safety.”
Jon Karl, president of the WHCA, said in a statement to CNN that there is no room for Rion to attend. Karl added that if Grisham wants Rion in the room, Rion should be “sitting in the seats to the side which are set aside for White House staff.”
Rion is a Trump supporter who has defended him over his use of the racist term “Chinese virus” for the coronavirus.
Her Instagram account shows her hobnobbing with Trump and his family and using hashtags like #MAGA.
Rion has also spread conspiracy theories, such as Trump’s false claim that Ukraine was trying to meddle in the 2016 election. Trump repeatedly used that debunked conspiracy theory in defending himself during impeachment proceedings against him.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-02--GOP governors are using coronavirus to try to ban abortion

As states grapple with the coronavirus pandemic , making hard choices about what types of businesses and services can stay open , some Republican governors have used it as an opportunity to try to shut down abortions in their states .
These are the latest in a string of recent attacks on abortion rights .
Conservative senators have banded together to try to ban telemedicine abortions , which allow people to easily obtain an abortion early in pregnancy even in areas where health care is otherwise hard to access .
Some senators , including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that stigmatize women seeking later abortions and threaten doctors with claims that the procedures amount to murder .
And of course , Donald Trump has claimed at his rallies that later abortions are infanticide , a harmful claim that has been debunked again and again .
Texas has been the most successful of the states seeking to stop abortion during the pandemic .
Republican Gov .
Greg Abbott told health care facilities in Texas not to perform procedures that are n't `` medically necessary , '' and the state 's attorney general , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortions can not be performed unless the pregnant person 's life is in danger .
If providers violate the law , they could be fined $ 1,000 or sent to jail for up to 180 days .
Paxton also said that abortion , `` for the most part , is an elective procedure that can be done later . ''
A federal district court judge in Texas initially blocked the abortion ban from going into effect , but the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ban .
The state can bar almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in Ohio , Republican Attorney General Dave Yost sent a letter to the state 's abortion providers ordering them to `` immediately stop performing non-essential and elective surgical abortions . ''
He defined the procedures as `` those that can be delayed without undue risk to the current or future health of a patient . ''
Planned Parenthood in Ohio vowed to continue providing abortion services and sued the state over the ban .
A federal district judge issued a two-week temporary restraining order , so abortions can continue in the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain barred in Ohio , where they can only be performed past 20 weeks if the pregnant person 's life is endangered or their health is severely compromised .
Alabama also tried to use the pandemic to block all abortions in the state , but a federal district court suspended its ban until arguments can be heard later this month .
People in Alabama still ca n't obtain a later abortion , with a 20-week ban similar to Ohio 's in effect in the state .
Alexis McGill Johnson , the acting president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America , said in a statement that `` a public health emergency is not the time to play politics '' and noted that abortion is a `` time-sensitive medical procedure . ''
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has recognized that `` induced abortion is an essential component of women 's health care . ''
The state bans put into place in recent weeks are designed to eliminate , not just restrict , abortions .
States are effectively using the pandemic to argue that abortions are not essential and that time is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical care out of reach for many in need .
If these states succeed in locking down access to abortion for the duration of the pandemic , it may result in people not being able to obtain abortions at all .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

As states grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, making hard choices about what types of businesses and services can stay open, some Republican governors have used it as an opportunity to try to shut down abortions in their states.
These are the latest in a string of recent attacks on abortion rights. Conservative senators have banded together to try to ban telemedicine abortions, which allow people to easily obtain an abortion early in pregnancy even in areas where health care is otherwise hard to access.
Some senators, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have tried to push through so-called born-alive bills that stigmatize women seeking later abortions and threaten doctors with claims that the procedures amount to murder.
And of course, Donald Trump has claimed at his rallies that later abortions are infanticide, a harmful claim that has been debunked again and again.
Texas has been the most successful of the states seeking to stop abortion during the pandemic. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott told health care facilities in Texas not to perform procedures that aren’t “medically necessary,” and the state’s attorney general, Republican Ken Paxton, said that meant abortions cannot be performed unless the pregnant person’s life is in danger.
If providers violate the law, they could be fined $1,000 or sent to jail for up to 180 days. Paxton also said that abortion, “for the most part, is an elective procedure that can be done later.”
A federal district court judge in Texas initially blocked the abortion ban from going into effect, but the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ban. The state can bar almost all abortions during the outbreak.
Similarly, in Ohio, Republican Attorney General Dave Yost sent a letter to the state’s abortion providers ordering them to “immediately stop performing non-essential and elective surgical abortions.” He defined the procedures as “those that can be delayed without undue risk to the current or future health of a patient.”
Planned Parenthood in Ohio vowed to continue providing abortion services and sued the state over the ban. A federal district judge issued a two-week temporary restraining order, so abortions can continue in the state for now. However, later abortions remain barred in Ohio, where they can only be performed past 20 weeks if the pregnant person’s life is endangered or their health is severely compromised.
Alabama also tried to use the pandemic to block all abortions in the state, but a federal district court suspended its ban until arguments can be heard later this month. People in Alabama still can’t obtain a later abortion, with a 20-week ban similar to Ohio’s in effect in the state.
Alexis McGill Johnson, the acting president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a statement that “a public health emergency is not the time to play politics” and noted that abortion is a “time-sensitive medical procedure.”
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has recognized that “induced abortion is an essential component of women’s health care.”
The state bans put into place in recent weeks are designed to eliminate, not just restrict, abortions. States are effectively using the pandemic to argue that abortions are not essential and that time is not critical in obtaining abortions, pushing medical care out of reach for many in need.
If these states succeed in locking down access to abortion for the duration of the pandemic, it may result in people not being able to obtain abortions at all.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-02--Daily Cuomo: 'If something breaks or something doesn't work, that's on me'

Discussing the ongoing response to the coronavirus , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D-NY ) told reporters on Thursday , `` If something breaks or something does n't work , that 's on me . ''
The comment stands in stark contrast to Donald Trump 's remarks on responsibility .
Asked by reporters in March if the `` buck '' stops with him , Trump said while `` normally '' that would be the case , it did not apply now .
He also infamously said , `` I do n't take responsibility at all '' for the slow and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his administration .
ANDREW CUOMO : Have I changed ?
No .
I defy change , my kids will tell you that .
Cara will tell you that .
They have been trying to get me to change for many years .
They have tried to teach me for many years .
Intellectually I think I 'm open to growth and change .
I just have trouble doing it in practicality .
I think it 'll change me .
I think it 'll change me .
This is very — it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — my brother touched on it .
You know , I take my job very seriously and I take my responsibility very seriously .
And I do n't make excuses .
I do n't — if I fail , I fail .
You know ?
If something breaks or something does n't work , that 's on me .
I see those number of deaths every day and I take that personally .
And I feel the pain that families are feeling and I 'm doing everything I can , but people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurtful and humbling and painful .
Just painful .
And this is a long time to be under that level of pain .
What do you look like when you come out the other side ?
I do n't know .
I do n't know .

Discussing the ongoing response to the coronavirus, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) told reporters on Thursday, “If something breaks or something doesn’t work, that’s on me.”
The comment stands in stark contrast to Donald Trump’s remarks on responsibility.
Asked by reporters in March if the “buck” stops with him, Trump said while “normally” that would be the case, it did not apply now. He also infamously said, “I don’t take responsibility at all” for the slow and inadequate response to the pandemic from him and his administration.
From an April 2 press conference:
REPORTER: Have you changed? ANDREW CUOMO: Have I changed? No. I defy change, my kids will tell you that. Cara will tell you that. They have been trying to get me to change for many years. They have tried to teach me for many years. Intellectually I think I’m open to growth and change. I just have trouble doing it in practicality. I think it’ll change me. I think it’ll change me. This is very — it’s incredibly hard, it’s incredibly difficult — my brother touched on it. You know, I take my job very seriously and I take my responsibility very seriously. And I don’t make excuses. I don’t — if I fail, I fail. You know? If something breaks or something doesn’t work, that’s on me. I see those number of deaths every day and I take that personally. And I feel the pain that families are feeling and I’m doing everything I can, but people are still dying, and that is very hurtful and humbling and painful. Just painful. And this is a long time to be under that level of pain. What do you look like when you come out the other side? I don’t know. I don’t know.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-02--Matt Gaetz: Making sure people can vote is a ploy to elect Biden

As millions of Americans are under stay-at-home orders to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic , Democratic lawmakers have urged the passage of national legislation to enable citizens to vote by mail .
Rep. Matt Gaetz ( R-FL ) said Thursday that this is a ploy to promote election fraud in order to help Joe Biden win the 2020 presidential election .
In a Fox News interview , Gaetz said , `` It 's perhaps Joe Biden 's failures as a candidate that animate the left 's desire to get these vote-by-mail provisions in coronavirus legislation , so they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting that even MIT professors are saying is the most susceptible to fraud . ''
`` So a bad candidate resulting in a policy agenda to try to , I think , create the greatest opportunity for fraud in our elections system , '' he added .
Donald Trump and a group of Republicans have been pushing the false argument that voting by mail is rife with fraud .
Trump and Rep. Jody Hice of Georgia shared voter fraud conspiracy tweets last week , and Rep. Greg Murphy of North Carolina accused House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make national voting open for fraud [ in ] the midst of a national crisis . ''
Following the 2016 general election , Oregon and Washington — states with mail-based voting systems — examined the number of suspected voting fraud cases .
Washington found just 74 cases out of 3.36 million votes cast , a rate of about 0.002 % .
Oregon found just 54 cases , working out to the same 0.002 % rate .
In a 2016 Washington Monthly opinion piece , former Oregon Secretary of State Phil Keisling argued that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationwide .
Mail-in balloting , he wrote , is much less susceptible to wholesale fraud : `` Mail-based voting systems today are far less risky than most polling place elections , precisely because they distribute ballots ( and electoral risk ) in such a decentralized way . ''
The MIT study Gaetz cited said some scholars argue that voting by mail has resulted in more cases of voter fraud than in-person voting , but it also stated , `` As with all forms of voter fraud , documented instances of fraud related to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Fox News interview , Gaetz tweeted a video of himself from his official House Twitter account with quoted text : `` The Left is pushing for a mechanism of voting that is extremely susceptible to fraud ... and their efforts are perhaps animated by @ JoeBiden 's failures as a candidate .
A bad candidate should n't result in a policy agenda that creates an opportunity for fraud in our election system . ''
A Democratic staffer flagged the tweet on Thursday as `` absolutely an ethics violation . ''
Members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media accounts for election-related activities .
A Gaetz spokesperson did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the tweet .
On Wednesday , Georgia 's Republican state House speaker conceded in an interview that automatic voting by mail would mean higher turnout and `` be extremely devastating to Republicans and conservatives in Georgia . ''
While states set their own default voting methods , every state has a vote-by-mail option .
Indeed , Donald Trump , after changing his voter registration to Florida last October , requested an absentee ballot last month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

As millions of Americans are under stay-at-home orders to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, Democratic lawmakers have urged the passage of national legislation to enable citizens to vote by mail.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) said Thursday that this is a ploy to promote election fraud in order to help Joe Biden win the 2020 presidential election.
In a Fox News interview, Gaetz said, “It’s perhaps Joe Biden’s failures as a candidate that animate the left’s desire to get these vote-by-mail provisions in coronavirus legislation, so they’re able to have the mechanism of voting that even MIT professors are saying is the most susceptible to fraud.”
“So a bad candidate resulting in a policy agenda to try to, I think, create the greatest opportunity for fraud in our elections system,” he added.
Donald Trump and a group of Republicans have been pushing the false argument that voting by mail is rife with fraud. Trump and Rep. Jody Hice of Georgia shared voter fraud conspiracy tweets last week, and Rep. Greg Murphy of North Carolina accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of wanting to “make national voting open for fraud [in] the midst of a national crisis.”
Following the 2016 general election, Oregon and Washington — states with mail-based voting systems — examined the number of suspected voting fraud cases. Washington found just 74 cases out of 3.36 million votes cast, a rate of about 0.002%. Oregon found just 54 cases, working out to the same 0.002% rate.
In a 2016 Washington Monthly opinion piece, former Oregon Secretary of State Phil Keisling argued that universal voting by mail should be adopted nationwide. Mail-in balloting, he wrote, is much less susceptible to wholesale fraud: “Mail-based voting systems today are far less risky than most polling place elections, precisely because they distribute ballots (and electoral risk) in such a decentralized way.”
The MIT study Gaetz cited said some scholars argue that voting by mail has resulted in more cases of voter fraud than in-person voting, but it also stated, “As with all forms of voter fraud, documented instances of fraud related to VBM are rare.”
After Thursday’s Fox News interview, Gaetz tweeted a video of himself from his official House Twitter account with quoted text: “The Left is pushing for a mechanism of voting that is extremely susceptible to fraud…and their efforts are perhaps animated by @JoeBiden’s failures as a candidate. A bad candidate shouldn’t result in a policy agenda that creates an opportunity for fraud in our election system.”
A Democratic staffer flagged the tweet on Thursday as “absolutely an ethics violation.” Members of Congress are restricted from using their official social media accounts for election-related activities.
A Gaetz spokesperson did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the tweet.
On Wednesday, Georgia’s Republican state House speaker conceded in an interview that automatic voting by mail would mean higher turnout and “be extremely devastating to Republicans and conservatives in Georgia.”
While states set their own default voting methods, every state has a vote-by-mail option. Indeed, Donald Trump, after changing his voter registration to Florida last October, requested an absentee ballot last month for the state’s 2020 Republican primary.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-03--News you might have missed: Congressman deploys with National Guard to fight virus

Washington state is moving to make the marijuana industry more equitable , and Sandra the orangutan gives the internet hand-washing lessons .
Read on to see what else you might have missed this week in the news .
Democratic congressman and Army vet deploys with National Guard to help fight coronavirus Rep. Max Rose ( D-NY ) announced on Monday that he will help combat the coronavirus pandemic as part of his National Guard deployment .
`` Tomorrow I 'm going to be activated in the National Guard , trying to do my small part to serve this city , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter .
`` Anything that I am going to do over the coming weeks pales in comparison to what our cops and our first responders , our doctors , our nurses , our frontline medical staff are doing each and every day — sometimes even without the equipment they that need to do their job properly . ''
Rose is an Army veteran , served in Afghanistan , and represents Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn in New York 's 11th Congressional District .
`` We 're going to beat this virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back stronger than ever , '' Rose said .
Marijuana industry becomes more equitable in Washington state Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee , a Democrat , signed legislation on Tuesday to ensure those most harmed by America 's past drug war are able to take part in the now-legal marijuana industry , Marijuana Moment reported .
The new legislation creates a Marijuana Equity Task Force and will `` reduce barriers to entry to the cannabis industry for individuals and communities most adversely impacted by the enforcement of cannabis-related laws , '' according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It also `` creates a new social equity program that provides business opportunities to people from disproportionately-harmed communities so they can benefit economically from the cannabis industry and become a cannabis retailer , '' Inslee said in a statement .
Conservation efforts could save the oceans within a generation Scientists predict that the world 's oceans could be significantly more healthy in the next 30 years if decades ' worth of damage from overfishing and pollution are repaired .
According to an April 1 scientific review in the journal Nature , `` substantially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is largely achievable , if the required actions — including , notably , the mitigation of climate change — are deployed at scale . ''
`` We can turn the oceans around and we know it makes sense economically , for human wellbeing and , of course , for the environment , '' Callum Roberts , a professor at the University of York and one of the researchers involved in the review , told the Guardian .
Kansas makes it easier to file for unemployment Democratic Gov .
Laura Kelly signed two executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Kansas residents to file for unemployment , radio station KFDI reported .
The state government must `` ensure that every roadblock is removed so we make things as seamless as possible for our businesses and those seeking unemployment benefits , '' Kelly said at a press announcement .
`` This really is no time for bureaucratic red tape . ''
The orders will mean more Kansans will qualify for unemployment , including contract and gig workers .
In addition , Kansans will not have to wait a week before filing for unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notify those losing their jobs that they qualify for those benefits .
In order to make sure more health care workers are available to treat those infected by the coronavirus , Democratic Gov .
Phil Murphy signed an executive order on Thursday making it easier for retired doctors and doctors licensed in other countries to practice in New Jersey .
`` We need trained , experienced medical personnel to ensure proper staffing as we build out this new capacity , '' Murphy said in a statement .
The order also gives nurses and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administer prescription medication during the crisis .
Last Friday , Democratic Gov .
Janet Mills signed an executive order to make online job training programs more widely available in the state , News Center Maine , an NBC News affiliate , reported .
The order lifts restrictions on programs run by Maine community colleges , allowing free online training to be more readily available to those impacted by the coronavirus crisis .
`` Maine ’ s Community Colleges have always played a critical role in providing training and skills to strengthen our workforce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The order allows the community college system the `` flexibility it needs to enhance their workforce development efforts and help fill vital jobs , such as those in the health care field , as quickly as possible . ''
The order went into effect on March 27 .
Sandra the orangutan inspires everyone to wash their hands A video of Sandra , an orangutan in a sanctuary in Florida , washing her hands took the internet by storm this week .
The short clip shows Sandra sitting with a brush in front @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands with soapy water .
`` Wash your hands , '' Rex Chapman , the former basketball player with a large social media following who posted the video , wrote on Twitter .
`` Be more like Sandra . ''
While the tweet about Sandra says the orangutan learned the behavior from `` zookeepers '' during the coronavirus crisis , the video was first posted on the Facebook page of the Center for Great Apes , the Florida sanctuary where Sandra lives , in November 2019 .
Sandra is providing an excellent example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disease Control and Prevention , which advises frequent hand-washing with soap and warm water .

Washington state is moving to make the marijuana industry more equitable, and Sandra the orangutan gives the internet hand-washing lessons.
Read on to see what else you might have missed this week in the news.
Rep. Max Rose (D-NY) announced on Monday that he will help combat the coronavirus pandemic as part of his National Guard deployment.
“Tomorrow I’m going to be activated in the National Guard, trying to do my small part to serve this city,” Rose said in a video posted on Twitter. “Anything that I am going to do over the coming weeks pales in comparison to what our cops and our first responders, our doctors, our nurses, our frontline medical staff are doing each and every day — sometimes even without the equipment they that need to do their job properly.”
Rose is an Army veteran, served in Afghanistan, and represents Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn in New York’s 11th Congressional District.
“We’re going to beat this virus, and we’re going to come back stronger than ever,” Rose said.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, signed legislation on Tuesday to ensure those most harmed by America’s past drug war are able to take part in the now-legal marijuana industry, Marijuana Moment reported.
The new legislation creates a Marijuana Equity Task Force and will “reduce barriers to entry to the cannabis industry for individuals and communities most adversely impacted by the enforcement of cannabis-related laws,” according to the text of the new law.
It also “creates a new social equity program that provides business opportunities to people from disproportionately-harmed communities so they can benefit economically from the cannabis industry and become a cannabis retailer,” Inslee said in a statement.
Scientists predict that the world’s oceans could be significantly more healthy in the next 30 years if decades’ worth of damage from overfishing and pollution are repaired.
According to an April 1 scientific review in the journal Nature, “substantially rebuilding marine life within a human generation is largely achievable, if the required actions — including, notably, the mitigation of climate change — are deployed at scale.”
“We can turn the oceans around and we know it makes sense economically, for human wellbeing and, of course, for the environment,” Callum Roberts, a professor at the University of York and one of the researchers involved in the review, told the Guardian.
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly signed two executive orders on Tuesday to make it easier for Kansas residents to file for unemployment, radio station KFDI reported.
The state government must “ensure that every roadblock is removed so we make things as seamless as possible for our businesses and those seeking unemployment benefits,” Kelly said at a press announcement. “This really is no time for bureaucratic red tape.”
The orders will mean more Kansans will qualify for unemployment, including contract and gig workers. In addition, Kansans will not have to wait a week before filing for unemployment benefits, and employers are required to notify those losing their jobs that they qualify for those benefits.
In order to make sure more health care workers are available to treat those infected by the coronavirus, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order on Thursday making it easier for retired doctors and doctors licensed in other countries to practice in New Jersey.
“We need trained, experienced medical personnel to ensure proper staffing as we build out this new capacity,” Murphy said in a statement.
The order also gives nurses and physician assistants more authority to prescribe and administer prescription medication during the crisis.
The order took effect immediately.
Last Friday, Democratic Gov. Janet Mills signed an executive order to make online job training programs more widely available in the state, News Center Maine, an NBC News affiliate, reported.
The order lifts restrictions on programs run by Maine community colleges, allowing free online training to be more readily available to those impacted by the coronavirus crisis.
“Maine’s Community Colleges have always played a critical role in providing training and skills to strengthen our workforce,” Mills said in a statement. The order allows the community college system the “flexibility it needs to enhance their workforce development efforts and help fill vital jobs, such as those in the health care field, as quickly as possible.”
The order went into effect on March 27.
A video of Sandra, an orangutan in a sanctuary in Florida, washing her hands took the internet by storm this week. The short clip shows Sandra sitting with a brush in front of a small blue tub washing her hands with soapy water.
“Wash your hands,” Rex Chapman, the former basketball player with a large social media following who posted the video, wrote on Twitter. “Be more like Sandra.”
Sandra the orangutang started washing her hands because she saw all the zookeepers doing it repeatedly during the COVID-19 crisis. Wash your hands.
Be more like Sandra.🌎❤🧼🌎 https://t.co/t8TTizDGeD — Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) April 1, 2020
While the tweet about Sandra says the orangutan learned the behavior from “zookeepers” during the coronavirus crisis, the video was first posted on the Facebook page of the Center for Great Apes, the Florida sanctuary where Sandra lives, in November 2019.
Sandra is providing an excellent example of the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which advises frequent hand-washing with soap and warm water.


shareblue--2020-04-03--Ingraham mocks Ocasio-Cortez as she tries to help nonwhite communities hurt by virus

Fox News host Laura Ingraham mocked Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday morning for pointing out that the coronavirus pandemic is having an outsized impact on minority communities .
`` COVID deaths are disproportionately spiking in Black + Brown communities , '' the Democratic House member had tweeted .
`` Why ?
Because the chronic toll of redlining , environmental racism , wealth gap , etc .
ARE underlying health conditions .
Inequality is a comorbidity .
COVID relief should be drafted with a lens of reparations . ''
Ingraham took Ocasio-Cortez 's tweet as an opportunity to attack the freshman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will save us ! ''
Ingraham tweeted in response .
Ocasio-Cortez was a bartender before she was elected to Congress .
`` Did n't you just put a doctor on your show who faked their employment at Lenox Hill hospital and touted a COVID 'treatment ' that you tweeted & Twitter had to remove because a man may have died trying self-administer it ? ''
Ocasio-Cortez responded .
`` I ’ m sorry , why are you on TV again ? ''
Ingraham had previously hosted an oncologist who claimed to be employed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had pushed an unproven cure for COVID-19 .
Ingraham later tweeted about the supposed miracle drug , writing that one patient who had taken it was described as `` Lazarus , '' recovering quickly after being at death 's door .
Twitter removed Ingraham 's tweet touting the drug on Monday , 10 days after it had been posted , noting the tweet violated its `` misleading information policy . ''
Ocasio-Cortez 's concern for communities of color is shared by others .
`` Urban communities of color are likely to suffer the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus crisis and any legislative response must contain targeted relief , '' Marc Morial , president and CEO of the National Urban League , said in a March 16 statement .
On Friday , Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Ayanna Pressley , both from Massachusetts , requested more information from the Trump administration about who has been tested .
`` Any attempt to contain COVID-19 in the United States will have to address its potential spread in low-income communities of color , first and foremost to protect the lives of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to slow the spread of the virus in the country as a whole , '' their letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar read .
While racial data about COVID-19 infections is not yet available nationwide , the Atlantic reported that some states are collecting such data on their own .
Thus far , Ocasio-Cortez seems to be correct that minority communities are seeing a disproportionate impact .
In Illinois , African Americans make up 28 % of confirmed COVID-19 cases , yet comprise only 14.6 % of the population .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 77 % of the population yet account for only 39 % of confirmed cases .
The same disproportionate impact may be happening across the country , but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not collect nor disaggregate COVID-19 data by race .
In October 2018 , Ingraham lost 140 sponsors of her Fox News show after publicly mocking David Hogg , one of the survivors of the mass school shooting in Parkland , Florida , for not getting accepted into a handful of colleges .
In May 2019 , she also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supremacist who appeared on her Fox News show .
The Daily Beast described Nehlen , who was banned from Twitter for posting racist manipulated photos of Meghan Markle , as `` the most prominent white nationalist in U.S. politics today . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Fox News host Laura Ingraham mocked Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday morning for pointing out that the coronavirus pandemic is having an outsized impact on minority communities.
“COVID deaths are disproportionately spiking in Black + Brown communities,” the Democratic House member had tweeted. “Why? Because the chronic toll of redlining, environmental racism, wealth gap, etc. ARE underlying health conditions. Inequality is a comorbidity. COVID relief should be drafted with a lens of reparations.”
Ingraham took Ocasio-Cortez’s tweet as an opportunity to attack the freshman congresswoman.
“The Doctor of Mixology will save us!” Ingraham tweeted in response.
Ocasio-Cortez was a bartender before she was elected to Congress.
“Didn’t you just put a doctor on your show who faked their employment at Lenox Hill hospital and touted a COVID ‘treatment’ that you tweeted & Twitter had to remove because a man may have died trying self-administer it?” Ocasio-Cortez responded. “I’m sorry, why are you on TV again?”
Ingraham had previously hosted an oncologist who claimed to be employed with Lenox Hill hospital in Manhattan and had pushed an unproven cure for COVID-19. Ingraham later tweeted about the supposed miracle drug, writing that one patient who had taken it was described as “Lazarus,” recovering quickly after being at death’s door.
Twitter removed Ingraham’s tweet touting the drug on Monday, 10 days after it had been posted, noting the tweet violated its “misleading information policy.”
Ocasio-Cortez’s concern for communities of color is shared by others.
“Urban communities of color are likely to suffer the brunt of the health and economic impacts of the coronavirus crisis and any legislative response must contain targeted relief,” Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, said in a March 16 statement.
On Friday, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Ayanna Pressley, both from Massachusetts, requested more information from the Trump administration about who has been tested.
“Any attempt to contain COVID-19 in the United States will have to address its potential spread in low-income communities of color, first and foremost to protect the lives of people in those communities, but also to slow the spread of the virus in the country as a whole,” their letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar read.
While racial data about COVID-19 infections is not yet available nationwide, the Atlantic reported that some states are collecting such data on their own. Thus far, Ocasio-Cortez seems to be correct that minority communities are seeing a disproportionate impact.
In Illinois, African Americans make up 28% of confirmed COVID-19 cases, yet comprise only 14.6% of the population. In contrast, white people make up 77% of the population yet account for only 39% of confirmed cases. The same disproportionate impact may be happening across the country, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not collect nor disaggregate COVID-19 data by race.
Ingraham has a long history of making inappropriate comments.
In October 2018, Ingraham lost 140 sponsors of her Fox News show after publicly mocking David Hogg, one of the survivors of the mass school shooting in Parkland, Florida, for not getting accepted into a handful of colleges.
In May 2019, she also defended Paul Nehlen, a prominent white supremacist who appeared on her Fox News show.
The Daily Beast described Nehlen, who was banned from Twitter for posting racist manipulated photos of Meghan Markle, as “the most prominent white nationalist in U.S. politics today.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-03--GOP congressman complains about Democrats trying to keep people safe

From the April 2 edition of `` The Todd Starnes Show '' : TODD STARNES : In Memphis , Tennessee , the mayor there , who 's a Democrat , he was telling folks that , you know , do n't go to the parks anymore so they shut down the roads leading to the parks .
It 's just unbelievable some of the things that people are doing out there , congressman .
REP. TED BUDD ( R-NC ) : Well , I do n't doubt when you see when these mayors and these folks when their elections are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming with those that are Democrats that do n't have an election in 2020 , and they feel like they can get away with a lot more .
BUDD : Their socialistic bent tends to come out right now .
Yes , we want everyone to be safe , we want to flatten this curve , we want to get back to normal , we want to reopen the economy , and of course , we have to get over this , the health aspect of this before we can open the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's not destroy things so that when we are healthy , we can come back to a growing economy again .

From the April 2 edition of “The Todd Starnes Show”:
TODD STARNES: In Memphis, Tennessee, the mayor there, who’s a Democrat, he was telling folks that, you know, don’t go to the parks anymore so they shut down the roads leading to the parks. It’s just unbelievable some of the things that people are doing out there, congressman.
REP. TED BUDD (R-NC): Well, I don’t doubt when you see when these mayors and these folks when their elections are, often the more draconian rules are coming with those that are Democrats that don’t have an election in 2020, and they feel like they can get away with a lot more.
STARNES: Good point.
BUDD: Their socialistic bent tends to come out right now. Yes, we want everyone to be safe, we want to flatten this curve, we want to get back to normal, we want to reopen the economy, and of course, we have to get over this, the health aspect of this before we can open the economy, but at the same time let’s not destroy things so that when we are healthy, we can come back to a growing economy again.


shareblue--2020-04-03--Trump sends insulting letter saying his failures are Chuck Schumer's fault

Donald Trump blamed New York 's more than 92,000 COVID-19 cases and 1,500 deaths on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in an angry letter released on Thursday .
Trump claimed the federal government should only be a `` back-up for state governments '' and that the New York Democrat was to blame for his state not being prepared for the virus .
`` If you spent less time on your ridiculous impeachment hoax , which went haplessly on forever and ended up going nowhere ( except increasing my poll numbers ) , and instead focused on helping the people of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not have been so completely unprepared for the 'invisible enemy , ' '' he wrote .
`` No wonder AOC and others are thinking about running against you in the primary .
If they did , they would likely win . ''
Schumer voted to convict Trump in early February after the House of Representatives impeached him in December .
Trump was acquitted after a brief Senate trial .
New York 's pandemic preparation is a responsibility of the state government .
Schumer ( D-NY ) , as a U.S. senator , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in state decisions .
Trump also suggested this week that Schumer was `` missing in action , except when it comes to the 'press ' . ''
`` I ’ ve known you for many years , but I never knew how bad a Senator you are for the state of New York , until I became President , '' he concluded .
Trump was responding to a letter Schumer sent him earlier on Thursday , urging the appointment of a `` senior military officer as 'czar ' '' to `` to complete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increased production , procurement and distribution of critically-needed medical devices and equipment . ''
`` The existing federal leadership void has left America with an ugly spectacle in which States and cities are literally fending for themselves , often in conflict and competition with each other , when trying to procure precious medical supplies and equipment , '' Schumer wrote .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo has warned that his state will soon run out of ventilators for COVID-19 patients .
But Trump has downplayed the problem , accused the state of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fend for itself .
Cuomo complained on Tuesday that New York and other states were being forced to bid against each other — and against the federal government — to buy the few ventilators currently available .
`` Did you really have to learn that 50 states should n't compete against 50 states ? ''
he said .
`` And then FEMA should n't come in late and compete with 50 states ?
It 's not like you had to go to the Harvard Kennedy School to learn this . ''
Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks .
He claimed on Feb. 25 that the situation was `` very well under control in our country . ''
A day later , he predicted that the number of cases would soon be `` down close to zero . ''
As recently as March 15 , Trump was still claiming that it was `` something that we have tremendous control over . ''
As of Thursday , the CDC reported more than 213,000 COVID-19 overall cases — nearly half in New York .
This is not the first time Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states and localities they represent , despite the fact that they are not responsible for local governance .
He has blamed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for San Francisco 's sanitation policies , Rep. John Lewis ( D-GA ) for Atlanta 's crime rates , and the late Rep. Elijah Cummings ( D-MD ) for rodents in Baltimore .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump blamed New York’s more than 92,000 COVID-19 cases and 1,500 deaths on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in an angry letter released on Thursday.
Trump claimed the federal government should only be a “back-up for state governments” and that the New York Democrat was to blame for his state not being prepared for the virus.
“If you spent less time on your ridiculous impeachment hoax, which went haplessly on forever and ended up going nowhere (except increasing my poll numbers), and instead focused on helping the people of New York, then New York would not have been so completely unprepared for the ‘invisible enemy,'” he wrote. “No wonder AOC and others are thinking about running against you in the primary. If they did, they would likely win.”
Schumer voted to convict Trump in early February after the House of Representatives impeached him in December. Trump was acquitted after a brief Senate trial.
New York’s pandemic preparation is a responsibility of the state government. Schumer (D-NY), as a U.S. senator, is a federal lawmaker and has no role in state decisions.
Trump also suggested this week that Schumer was “missing in action, except when it comes to the ‘press’.”
“I’ve known you for many years, but I never knew how bad a Senator you are for the state of New York, until I became President,” he concluded.
Trump was responding to a letter Schumer sent him earlier on Thursday, urging the appointment of a “senior military officer as ‘czar'” to “to complete and rapidly implement a plan for the increased production, procurement and distribution of critically-needed medical devices and equipment.”
“The existing federal leadership void has left America with an ugly spectacle in which States and cities are literally fending for themselves, often in conflict and competition with each other, when trying to procure precious medical supplies and equipment,” Schumer wrote.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has warned that his state will soon run out of ventilators for COVID-19 patients. But Trump has downplayed the problem, accused the state of stockpiling, and suggested New York should fend for itself.
Cuomo complained on Tuesday that New York and other states were being forced to bid against each other — and against the federal government — to buy the few ventilators currently available. “Did you really have to learn that 50 states shouldn’t compete against 50 states?” he said. “And then FEMA shouldn’t come in late and compete with 50 states? It’s not like you had to go to the Harvard Kennedy School to learn this.”
Trump has downplayed the threat of the virus for weeks. He claimed on Feb. 25 that the situation was “very well under control in our country.” A day later, he predicted that the number of cases would soon be “down close to zero.”
As recently as March 15, Trump was still claiming that it was “something that we have tremendous control over.”
As of Thursday, the CDC reported more than 213,000 COVID-19 overall cases — nearly half in New York.
This is not the first time Trump has attacked congressional Democrats for troubles in the states and localities they represent, despite the fact that they are not responsible for local governance. He has blamed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for San Francisco’s sanitation policies, Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) for Atlanta’s crime rates, and the late Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) for rodents in Baltimore.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.