shareblue--2020-10-09--Senate Republicans are being awfully shady about whether they have COVID

Senate Republicans are refusing to be tested for coronavirus even as they simultaneously push to begin confirmation hearings for Donald Trump 's Supreme Court nominee , Judge Amy Coney Barrett .
The resistance is puzzling , given nearly half the Senate is 65 years of age or older , the highest-risk group for the virus .
Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) made waves Thursday night when he refused to be tested prior to a debate with his Democratic challenger , Jaime Harrison .
Graham tweeted a statement that specifically claimed Harrison was `` demanding special treatment '' by requesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` South Carolinians do not appreciate Harrison putting himself above others , '' Graham wrote .
`` If Mr. Harrison is not able to interact with South Carolinians on the same terms as they live their lives , he should not be their senator . ''
Graham added , `` Is any other South Carolinian demanding that every person they come in contact with be tested before they meet ? ''
Graham also said that he was tested last week and will not test again , and in his statement noted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctors , `` not ( his ) political opponent . ''
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) also repeatedly dodged reporters ' questions last week as they asked him whether he had been tested recently in the wake of Donald Trump 's diagnosis and the initial White House and Capitol complex outbreaks .
`` Have I ever been tested ?
Yes , '' McConnell said flatly .
`` But I 'm not going to answer questions about when . ''
Although Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-NY ) urged last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing and contact-tracing protocols , McConnell remained evasive .
`` We 're following the advice of the CDC in how we operate the Senate , and so far we have been able to do it quite successfully , '' McConnell said .
McConnell as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi jointly refused an offer of rapid tests for those on Capitol Hill back in May .
The same day he refused to disclose his testing status , McConnell tweeted that nothing would stop the Senate from proceeding `` full steam ahead '' in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a great phone call with @ POTUS , '' he wrote .
`` He 's in good spirits and we talked business — especially how impressed Senators are with the qualifications of Judge Barrett .
Full steam ahead with the fair , thorough , timely process that the nominee , the Court , & the country deserve . ''
Two other senators , Chuck Grassley ( R-IA ) and Joni Ernst ( R-IA ) , who traveled with Vice President Mike Pence last week just after Hope Hicks ' diagnosis , also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initially said she would not be tested because she had n't `` been with anybody who has it . ''
When a reporter asked if she had any fears that the virus could spread from Hicks to Pence to her , she replied , `` No , I do n't . ''
Shortly thereafter , Ernst changed her stance and was tested in Sioux City — `` out of an abundance of caution , '' according to a campaign spokesperson — with reportedly negative results .
Grassley , who is 86 , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but after he was in close proximity at a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting to Sen. Mike Lee ( R-UT ) , who also tested positive .
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines recommend testing for anyone who has been within 6 feet of an infected person for more than a 15-minute period of time .
Michael Zona , a spokesman for Grassley , said in a statement that the senator 's doctors `` have not recommended he be tested '' as he has not `` come into close contact with anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus . ''
He added that at the Senate Judiciary Committee , Grassley 's chair was more than 6 feet away from Lee 's .
As of Monday , Sen. Mitt Romney ( R-UT ) had also not been tested .
`` There 's no known exposure risk to him at this time , though we are monitoring , '' an aide told CNN .
Sen. Roy Blunt ( R-MO ) , who is Rules Committee Chair and has pushed for more Capitol Hill testing , had also not been tested as of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reaching out to 53 Republican senators to see if they had been tested recently , 18 said they had tested negative and three said they had tested positive .
12 refused to disclose any information about either testing status or testing results .
Senate Republicans have a clear reason for not wanting to be tested or disclose their tasting status : to steamroll unobstructed through Barrett 's confirmation hearing and push through Trump 's Supreme Court nominee before the election .
`` We 're going to move forward on her nomination , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We 'll have a hearing safely .
And I think she 'll be confirmed before the election . ''
McConnell said Tuesday on Fox News that `` nothing ( he ) can see '' would prevent a pre-Election Day vote on Barrett .
`` We can operate successfully in a COVID environment , '' he said .
`` The Senate 's done that for quite some time .
In fact , the current members who have a problem got it somewhere else , not here in the Senate . ''
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has tested positive , said if he had to , he would show up in a `` moon suit '' to attend an in-person Senate floor vote to confirm Barrett .
`` Where there is a will , there 's a way , '' he said .
`` We can do these things . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Senate Republicans are refusing to be tested for coronavirus even as they simultaneously push to begin confirmation hearings for Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett.
The resistance is puzzling, given nearly half the Senate is 65 years of age or older, the highest-risk group for the virus.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) made waves Thursday night when he refused to be tested prior to a debate with his Democratic challenger, Jaime Harrison.
Graham tweeted a statement that specifically claimed Harrison was “demanding special treatment” by requesting Graham be tested before Friday’s debate.
“South Carolinians do not appreciate Harrison putting himself above others,” Graham wrote. “If Mr. Harrison is not able to interact with South Carolinians on the same terms as they live their lives, he should not be their senator.”
Graham added, “Is any other South Carolinian demanding that every person they come in contact with be tested before they meet?”
Graham also said that he was tested last week and will not test again, and in his statement noted that he will follow the advice of his doctors, “not (his) political opponent.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) also repeatedly dodged reporters’ questions last week as they asked him whether he had been tested recently in the wake of Donald Trump’s diagnosis and the initial White House and Capitol complex outbreaks.
“Have I ever been tested? Yes,” McConnell said flatly. “But I’m not going to answer questions about when.”
Although Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) urged last week for the Senate to implement safer testing and contact-tracing protocols, McConnell remained evasive.
“We’re following the advice of the CDC in how we operate the Senate, and so far we have been able to do it quite successfully,” McConnell said.
McConnell as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi jointly refused an offer of rapid tests for those on Capitol Hill back in May.
The same day he refused to disclose his testing status, McConnell tweeted that nothing would stop the Senate from proceeding “full steam ahead” in the Barrett hearing.
“Just finished a great phone call with @POTUS,” he wrote. “He’s in good spirits and we talked business — especially how impressed Senators are with the qualifications of Judge Barrett. Full steam ahead with the fair, thorough, timely process that the nominee, the Court, & the country deserve.”
Two other senators, Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Joni Ernst (R-IA), who traveled with Vice President Mike Pence last week just after Hope Hicks’ diagnosis, also said they would not be tested.
Ernst initially said she would not be tested because she hadn’t “been with anybody who has it.” When a reporter asked if she had any fears that the virus could spread from Hicks to Pence to her, she replied, “No, I don’t.”
Shortly thereafter, Ernst changed her stance and was tested in Sioux City — “out of an abundance of caution,” according to a campaign spokesperson — with reportedly negative results.
Grassley, who is 87, not only refused testing after contact with Pence, but after he was in close proximity at a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting to Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), who also tested positive.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines recommend testing for anyone who has been within 6 feet of an infected person for more than a 15-minute period of time.
Michael Zona, a spokesman for Grassley, said in a statement that the senator’s doctors “have not recommended he be tested” as he has not “come into close contact with anyone suspected of having or confirmed to have coronavirus.”
He added that at the Senate Judiciary Committee, Grassley’s chair was more than 6 feet away from Lee’s.
As of Monday, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) had also not been tested.
“There’s no known exposure risk to him at this time, though we are monitoring,” an aide told CNN.
Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), who is Rules Committee Chair and has pushed for more Capitol Hill testing, had also not been tested as of Monday.
CNN reported Thursday that after reaching out to 53 Republican senators to see if they had been tested recently, 18 said they had tested negative and three said they had tested positive.
12 refused to disclose any information about either testing status or testing results.
Senate Republicans have a clear reason for not wanting to be tested or disclose their tasting status: to steamroll unobstructed through Barrett’s confirmation hearing and push through Trump’s Supreme Court nominee before the election.
“We’re going to move forward on her nomination,” Senate Judiciary Chairman Graham told CNN recently. “We’ll have a hearing safely. And I think she’ll be confirmed before the election.” McConnell said Tuesday on Fox News that “nothing (he) can see” would prevent a pre-Election Day vote on Barrett. “We can operate successfully in a COVID environment,” he said. “The Senate’s done that for quite some time. In fact, the current members who have a problem got it somewhere else, not here in the Senate.” And Sen. Roy Johnson (R-WI), who has tested positive, said if he had to, he would show up in a “moon suit” to attend an in-person Senate floor vote to confirm Barrett. “Where there is a will, there’s a way,” he said. “We can do these things.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-10-09--Trump's 2-hour rant to Limbaugh: Hillary's too short and Black Lives Matter is racist

Donald Trump spent two hours on Friday ranting about a dizzying array of largely unrelated topics during an appearance on conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh 's syndicated program .
The appearance had been billed by Trump and Limbaugh as a `` virtual rally , '' but the event was a standard format radio interview .
In February , Trump gave Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom during his State of the Union speech despite Limbaugh 's decades of on-air bigotry .
Trump said in the interview that the first time he ever heard of the Black Lives Matter movement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term '' because `` it 's such a racist term . ''
In related comments , he attacked NBA star LeBron James , who has been an outspoken advocate against police brutality .
Trump complained that when James endorsed Hillary Clinton in 2016 , it was a bad look because he is so much taller than the former secretary of state .
`` When he endorsed Hillary four years ago , she came up to his knee , I said that is not the best looking president I 've ever seen , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the COVID-19 pandemic increased by over 900 to 212,000-plus before Trump appeared on the program , but he told Limbaugh the country was nonetheless `` rounding the term '' in fighting the virus .
Trump also falsely claimed that a `` cure '' for the virus had been discovered .
`` We 're rounding the term on the pandemic , and I 'll have something to say about that because I 'm telling you , we have a cure .
More than just a therapeutic , we have a cure , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he has been `` healed '' of COVID-19 , but his administration has not given the public independent medical evidence of the current state of his infection .
There is currently no `` cure '' for COVID-19 .
He again attacked the push for mail-in voting , and despite his own infection and the virus death toll , said he did n't understand why so many Democratic voters were choosing to vote by mail or via early voting .
Attempting to explain why California voters opposed him in 2016 and are likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falsely claimed that Californians vote `` three times '' and suggested he could win the state .
The most recent polling in California shows him losing to Biden by an average of 31.7 points .
Discussing fires in that state , Trump said that countries in Europe like Austria are known as `` forest nations '' and have superior forest management there that reduces the risk of wildfires .
Previously , Trump claimed that trees in California `` just explode . ''
He continued to attack the Mueller report , which showed him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his campaign colluded with Russia .
He returned several times throughout the interview to the subject of his impeachment by the House of Representatives .
`` I had to beat off the phony Mueller report , I had to beat off all this stuff , I had to beat off impeachment , I had to beat off Congress , everything else , '' Trump complained .
DONALD TRUMP : See , this is what I mean with the Republicans : They do n't play the tough game .
They do n't play the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other side , you would have had twenty-five people in jail for the rest of their lives , with what we found .
RUSH LIMBAUGH : Oh , if you tried something like this against any of them ?
Heck yes .
TRUMP : Oh , are you kidding me ?
You would have been twenty — look at me .
I had to beat off the phony Mueller Report , I had to beat off all this stuff , I had to beat off impeachment , I had to beat off Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to New York , which is all political .
They send into , it 's the same stuff they send to New York , have to beat that off , you know , they 've got New York all over — they do n't stop .
This is a disgrace .
Trump is expected to appear on right-wing radio host Mark Levin 's show later on Friday and on Tucker Carlson 's show on Fox Friday night .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump spent two hours on Friday ranting about a dizzying array of largely unrelated topics during an appearance on conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh’s syndicated program.
The appearance had been billed by Trump and Limbaugh as a “virtual rally,” but the event was a standard format radio interview. In February, Trump gave Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom during his State of the Union speech despite Limbaugh’s decades of on-air bigotry.
Trump said in the interview that the first time he ever heard of the Black Lives Matter movement, he thought it was a “terrible term” because “it’s such a racist term.”
DONALD TRUMP: The first time I ever heard of Black Lives Matter, I said, ‘that’s such a terrible term,’ because it’s such a racist term. It’s a term that sows division between Blacks and whites and everybody else, and it’s a very bad term for Blacks. But they were very angry, it’s a Marxist organization.
In related comments, he attacked NBA star LeBron James, who has been an outspoken advocate against police brutality. Trump complained that when James endorsed Hillary Clinton in 2016, it was a bad look because he is so much taller than the former secretary of state.
“When he endorsed Hillary four years ago, she came up to his knee, I said that is not the best looking president I’ve ever seen,” Trump said.
The U.S. death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic increased by over 900 to 212,000-plus before Trump appeared on the program, but he told Limbaugh the country was nonetheless “rounding the term” in fighting the virus.
Trump also falsely claimed that a “cure” for the virus had been discovered.
“We’re rounding the term on the pandemic, and I’ll have something to say about that because I’m telling you, we have a cure. More than just a therapeutic, we have a cure,” he told Limbaugh.
Trump also claimed that he has been “healed” of COVID-19, but his administration has not given the public independent medical evidence of the current state of his infection. There is currently no “cure” for COVID-19.
He again attacked the push for mail-in voting, and despite his own infection and the virus death toll, said he didn’t understand why so many Democratic voters were choosing to vote by mail or via early voting.
Attempting to explain why California voters opposed him in 2016 and are likely to do so this year, Trump falsely claimed that Californians vote “three times” and suggested he could win the state. The most recent polling in California shows him losing to Biden by an average of 31.7 points.
Discussing fires in that state, Trump said that countries in Europe like Austria are known as “forest nations” and have superior forest management there that reduces the risk of wildfires. Previously, Trump claimed that trees in California “just explode.”
He continued to attack the Mueller report, which showed him attempting to obstruct the investigation into whether his campaign colluded with Russia. He returned several times throughout the interview to the subject of his impeachment by the House of Representatives.
“I had to beat off the phony Mueller report, I had to beat off all this stuff, I had to beat off impeachment, I had to beat off Congress, everything else,” Trump complained.
DONALD TRUMP: See, this is what I mean with the Republicans: They don’t play the tough game. They don’t play the tough game. If this were the other side, you would have had twenty-five people in jail for the rest of their lives, with what we found. RUSH LIMBAUGH: Oh, if you tried something like this against any of them? Heck yes. TRUMP: Oh, are you kidding me? You would have been twenty — look at me. I had to beat off the phony Mueller Report, I had to beat off all this stuff, I had to beat off impeachment, I had to beat off Congress, everything else. They then send it to New York, which is all political. They send into, it’s the same stuff they send to New York, have to beat that off, you know, they’ve got New York all over — they don’t stop. This is a disgrace.
Trump is expected to appear on right-wing radio host Mark Levin’s show later on Friday and on Tucker Carlson’s show on Fox Friday night.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-10-09--Lindsey Graham's election troubles just got a lot worse

A new internal poll conducted for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee by GBAO Strategies shows Democratic nominee Jaime Harrison leading his Republican opponent , incumbent Lindsey Graham , by 1 point in the race for South Carolina 's open Senate seat .
Recently , the race had been a dead heat , with Harrison tied or trailing Graham well within the 5 point margin of error since the summer .
The recent poll shows Harrison beating Graham on favorability 51 % to Graham 's 49 % , and also shows Trump leading Biden by just 5 points , down from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the heels of a blistering debate between the two candidates on Saturday , when Harrison leveled repeated attacks against his opponent for an inadequate coronavirus response .
`` The greatest heresy that you can do as a public servant is to betray the trust of the people that you took an oath to serve .
And that 's what you 've done , '' Harrison told Graham .
Mirroring the fight that played out on the national stage over the terms for the second presidential debate , Graham and Harrison sparred over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina .
In a show of defiance toward Graham 's refusal to take his request for safety measures seriously , Harrison brought his own plexiglass divider to the weekend debate , offering viewers a stark reminder of the differences in opinion between the GOP and Democrats when it comes to the seriousness of the coronavirus .
`` Tonight I am taking this seriously .
That 's why I put this plexiglass up .
Because it 's not just about me — it 's about the people in my life that I have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two boys , my wife , my grandmother , '' Harrison said at the debate .
Graham serves as the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee , and after Sen. Mike Lee ( R-UT ) , also a member of the Judiciary Committee tested positive for coronavirus , questions arose over whether Graham had been exposed .
Ahead of the next debate on Friday , Harrison called on Graham to take a coronavirus test .
`` Sen. Graham should follow the example of Vice President Mike Pence , and follow his own precedent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a COVID test , '' Harrison said in a statement released on Friday .
`` Of course the upcoming debates can be held , and held safely .
But if Sen. Graham will not take a coronavirus test , I can not responsibly debate in person tomorrow night and allow politics to put my family , my campaign staff , Sen. Graham ’ s staff , and members of the media at unnecessary risk . ''
In an attempt to draw into dispute Harrison 's simple request for Graham to take a test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released a letter from the attending physician of the U.S. Congress , Brian Monahan , stating he is not required to take a test .
`` I 'll take medical direction from actual physicians , not my political opponent , '' Graham wrote on Twitter .
As the election nears , Graham has repeatedly taken to Fox News to beg his supporters for donations , as Harrison continues to gain on the senator who just months ago Republicans believed was untouchable .
Last month , in an appearance on Sean Hannity 's Fox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I 'm getting overwhelmed ... .
Help me .
They 're killing me , money-wise .
Help me !
You helped me last week — help me again ! ''
On MSNBC ahead of his first debate , Harrison told host Joy Reid , `` My mom called me , and she said , Jaime , I thought I taught you better than that .
And I said , what are you talking about , Momma ?
She said , Why do you have Lindsey Graham on Fox News crying ? ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foundation .

A new internal poll conducted for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee by GBAO Strategies shows Democratic nominee Jaime Harrison leading his Republican opponent, incumbent Lindsey Graham, by 1 point in the race for South Carolina’s open Senate seat. Recently, the race had been a dead heat, with Harrison tied or trailing Graham well within the 5 point margin of error since the summer.
The recent poll shows Harrison beating Graham on favorability 51% to Graham’s 49%, and also shows Trump leading Biden by just 5 points, down from 14 in 2016.
The polling comes on the heels of a blistering debate between the two candidates on Saturday, when Harrison leveled repeated attacks against his opponent for an inadequate coronavirus response.
“The greatest heresy that you can do as a public servant is to betray the trust of the people that you took an oath to serve. And that’s what you’ve done,” Harrison told Graham.
Mirroring the fight that played out on the national stage over the terms for the second presidential debate, Graham and Harrison sparred over safety precautions for the debate in South Carolina.
In a show of defiance toward Graham’s refusal to take his request for safety measures seriously, Harrison brought his own plexiglass divider to the weekend debate, offering viewers a stark reminder of the differences in opinion between the GOP and Democrats when it comes to the seriousness of the coronavirus.
“Tonight I am taking this seriously. That’s why I put this plexiglass up. Because it’s not just about me — it’s about the people in my life that I have to take care of as well. My two boys, my wife, my grandmother,” Harrison said at the debate.
Graham serves as the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and after Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), also a member of the Judiciary Committee tested positive for coronavirus, questions arose over whether Graham had been exposed. Ahead of the next debate on Friday, Harrison called on Graham to take a coronavirus test.
“Sen. Graham should follow the example of Vice President Mike Pence, and follow his own precedent from the last debate, and take a COVID test,” Harrison said in a statement released on Friday.
“Of course the upcoming debates can be held, and held safely. But if Sen. Graham will not take a coronavirus test, I cannot responsibly debate in person tomorrow night and allow politics to put my family, my campaign staff, Sen. Graham’s staff, and members of the media at unnecessary risk.”
In an attempt to draw into dispute Harrison’s simple request for Graham to take a test before Friday night’s debate, Graham released a letter from the attending physician of the U.S. Congress, Brian Monahan, stating he is not required to take a test.
“I’ll take medical direction from actual physicians, not my political opponent,” Graham wrote on Twitter.
As the election nears, Graham has repeatedly taken to Fox News to beg his supporters for donations, as Harrison continues to gain on the senator who just months ago Republicans believed was untouchable.
Last month, in an appearance on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show, Graham told viewers, “I’m getting overwhelmed…. Help me. They’re killing me, money-wise. Help me! You helped me last week — help me again!”
On MSNBC ahead of his first debate, Harrison told host Joy Reid, “My mom called me, and she said, Jaime, I thought I taught you better than that. And I said, what are you talking about, Momma? She said, Why do you have Lindsey Graham on Fox News crying?”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-10-09--Trump's campaign gives up on key swing states to burn money where he can't win

Facing plummeting polls and a budget crunch in the final stretch of the 2020 presidential race , Donald Trump 's campaign has rearranged their television advertising budget , cutting spending in critical swing states like Michigan , Ohio , Wisconsin , New Hampshire , and Iowa , and instead shoring up traditionally Republican states like Arizona and Georgia , according to ad spending tracked by Priorities USA .
As the Trump campaign took millions of dollars worth of ads off the air in states that are key to Trump building a path to 270 Electoral College votes , it increased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington , D.C. , media market .
It 's a bizarre move given the city and the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia are overwhelmingly Democratic and Trump has virtually no chance of winning either this fall .
In 2016 , Hillary Clinton carried the District of Columbia by an 87-point margin , Maryland by a 26-point margin , and Virginia by a 5.5-point margin — and Democratic nominee Joe Biden is expected to expand those leads this fall .
It is , however , part of a pattern from the Trump campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of dollars on advertising in the Washington this cycle to keep Trump — an obsessive cable news watcher — happy .
On June 9 , the Daily Beast reported that the ads were intended to be seen by Trump while watching cable news at the White House to raise his spirits .
At the time , Biden had a 7.5-point lead over Trump in FiveThirtyEight 's national average .
Today , Trump 's polling deficit is the worst it has ever been , with Biden leading Trump in the FiveThirtyEight average by 10.1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sweep Republicans out of power in up and down the ballot .
It 's left the Trump campaign playing defense in states like Arizona , Georgia , Florida and Pennsylvania , which Trump carried in 2016 but are now slipping away from him .
The biggest ad spending increase by the Trump campaign was in Arizona , which has n't voted for a Democratic presidential nominee since 1996 , but where Biden currently leads .
The Trump campaign also pumped more money into Pennsylvania , the state largely seen by political prognosticator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — meaning the state that would push either nominee past the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win .
Meanwhile , as the Trump campaign is forced to play defense after it blew nearly $ 1 billion before Labor Day , Biden 's campaign is pushing into states that would push Biden far past 270 Electoral College votes .
The Biden campaign — which raised a record $ 365 million in August and likely broke that record in its September haul — is spending $ 6 million on ads in Texas .
Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominee since 1976 ; however , polling this cycle shows Trump only leading Biden by 1.7 % , according to FiveThirtyEight .
The Biden campaign is also spending on ads in Georgia , which has n't gone Democratic since 1992 , as well as in Ohio and Iowa , two states Trump carried in 2016 that have shifted away from him since , with Biden in striking distance in both .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Facing plummeting polls and a budget crunch in the final stretch of the 2020 presidential race, Donald Trump’s campaign has rearranged their television advertising budget, cutting spending in critical swing states like Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Iowa, and instead shoring up traditionally Republican states like Arizona and Georgia, according to ad spending tracked by Priorities USA.
As the Trump campaign took millions of dollars worth of ads off the air in states that are key to Trump building a path to 270 Electoral College votes, it increased ad spending by $230,000 in the Washington, D.C., media market.
It’s a bizarre move given the city and the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia are overwhelmingly Democratic and Trump has virtually no chance of winning either this fall. In 2016, Hillary Clinton carried the District of Columbia by an 87-point margin, Maryland by a 26-point margin, and Virginia by a 5.5-point margin — and Democratic nominee Joe Biden is expected to expand those leads this fall.
It is, however, part of a pattern from the Trump campaign, which has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on advertising in the Washington this cycle to keep Trump — an obsessive cable news watcher — happy.
On June 9, the Daily Beast reported that the ads were intended to be seen by Trump while watching cable news at the White House to raise his spirits. At the time, Biden had a 7.5-point lead over Trump in FiveThirtyEight’s national average.
Today, Trump’s polling deficit is the worst it has ever been, with Biden leading Trump in the FiveThirtyEight average by 10.1% — a massive lead that threatens to sweep Republicans out of power in up and down the ballot.
It’s left the Trump campaign playing defense in states like Arizona, Georgia, Florida and Pennsylvania, which Trump carried in 2016 but are now slipping away from him.
The biggest ad spending increase by the Trump campaign was in Arizona, which hasn’t voted for a Democratic presidential nominee since 1996, but where Biden currently leads.
The Trump campaign also pumped more money into Pennsylvania, the state largely seen by political prognosticator as the “tipping point” state — meaning the state that would push either nominee past the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win.
Meanwhile, as the Trump campaign is forced to play defense after it blew nearly $1 billion before Labor Day, Biden’s campaign is pushing into states that would push Biden far past 270 Electoral College votes.
The Biden campaign — which raised a record $365 million in August and likely broke that record in its September haul — is spending $6 million on ads in Texas. Texas hasn’t voted for a Democratic presidential nominee since 1976; however, polling this cycle shows Trump only leading Biden by 1.7%, according to FiveThirtyEight.
The Biden campaign is also spending on ads in Georgia, which hasn’t gone Democratic since 1992, as well as in Ohio and Iowa, two states Trump carried in 2016 that have shifted away from him since, with Biden in striking distance in both.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-10-09--GOP congressman begs British government to 'put a stop' to Meghan Markle

Rep. Jason Smith ( R-MO ) penned a letter to the British government demanding that they `` put a stop '' to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry urging Americans to vote .
Smith argued the move amounted to foreign interference in an American election .
`` As you know , the British Royal Family has long observed a policy of strict neutrality in regard to political matters .
I am therefore concerned by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex 's recent comments regarding the United States Presidential Elections , especially given international conversations surrounding foreign interference in our elections , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first name wrong in a tweet publicizing his letter .
Smith said he objected to a video last month in which Meghan and Harry urged American citizens to register to vote , as well as to `` reject hate speech , misinformation , and online negativity . ''
Smith said that marks a `` serious breach of the British Royal Family 's policy of political neutrality . ''
The royal couple has n't told Americans to vote against Donald Trump .
They simply urged Americans to register to vote , and to vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting against hate speech means voting against Trump .
While Meghan and Harry have kept their official titles , they are no longer using them , and are financially independent of the British crown — an effort to free themselves of the restrictions that come with being a member of the royal family .
As an American citizen , Meghan can vote in the Nov. 3 election .
It 's a stretch for Smith to compare a plea to register to vote to Russian interference in American elections — in which Russia has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sow chaos in the election and help Trump win .
Smith 's letter comes as Trump faces a massive deficit in the polls .
Trump is even at risk of losing states once easily carried by Republicans , such as Arizona , Georgia , and Texas .
Smith 's move may backfire .
Like the Streisand effect , Smith 's letter may end up drawing more attention to the popular couple 's comments to get out the vote .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) penned a letter to the British government demanding that they “put a stop” to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry urging Americans to vote. Smith argued the move amounted to foreign interference in an American election.
“As you know, the British Royal Family has long observed a policy of strict neutrality in regard to political matters. I am therefore concerned by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s recent comments regarding the United States Presidential Elections, especially given international conversations surrounding foreign interference in our elections,” Smith wrote, spelling Markle’s first name wrong in a tweet publicizing his letter.
Smith said he objected to a video last month in which Meghan and Harry urged American citizens to register to vote, as well as to “reject hate speech, misinformation, and online negativity.”
“It’s time to not only reflect, but act.” This #NationalVoterRegistrationDay, join #Time100 alumni Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, in taking action for the future. pic.twitter.com/JerXHxiZK3 — ABC (@ABCNetwork) September 23, 2020
Smith said that marks a “serious breach of the British Royal Family’s policy of political neutrality.”
The royal couple hasn’t told Americans to vote against Donald Trump. They simply urged Americans to register to vote, and to vote against hate speech — meaning Smith assumes voting against hate speech means voting against Trump.
While Meghan and Harry have kept their official titles, they are no longer using them, and are financially independent of the British crown — an effort to free themselves of the restrictions that come with being a member of the royal family. As an American citizen, Meghan can vote in the Nov. 3 election.
It’s a stretch for Smith to compare a plea to register to vote to Russian interference in American elections — in which Russia has hacked emails and nefariously spread disinformation to sow chaos in the election and help Trump win.
Smith’s letter comes as Trump faces a massive deficit in the polls.
Trump is even at risk of losing states once easily carried by Republicans, such as Arizona, Georgia, and Texas.
Smith’s move may backfire. Like the Streisand effect, Smith’s letter may end up drawing more attention to the popular couple’s comments to get out the vote.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-10-09--Right-wing group is stopping at nothing to get Amy Coney Barrett confirmed

When Donald Trump picked Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee for the Supreme Court , the right-wing advocacy group Americans for Prosperity swiftly started rallying conservatives around her .
`` AFP 's activists proudly support the confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett , '' Casey Mattox , vice president for legal and judicial strategy , wrote in a statement at the time .
`` We are confident that she will embrace her role to safeguard the constitutional rights of the people while recognizing that we elect Congress , not the courts , to legislate . ''
Maddox also issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Any senator , of any party , who wants a Supreme Court that puts the Constitution first , interprets the law as written , and protects our freedoms should be thrilled by Judge Amy Coney Barrett 's nomination and commit to her prompt confirmation , '' he wrote .
Americans for Prosperity has since launched a full-scale campaign aimed and getting Barrett through her confirmation to a seat on the high court .
The group launched a dedicated website , UniteForBarrett.com , that facilitates writing to individual senators to pressure them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Dear Senator , Americans deserve a Supreme Court that puts the Constitution first , interprets the law as written , and protects our freedoms , '' the letter template reads .
`` With a recent vacancy on the Supreme Court , you have an opportunity to make a significant mark to defend our Constitution and get our government working as it should . ''
The group also launched targeted direct-mail and layered digital ads in key states .
Mattox appeared on the WHO Radio show Friday , to tout the alleged success @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since her nomination 10 days ago , Americans for Prosperity had seen far more people sign up to support Barrett than during a similar push to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh .
He then encouraged listeners to sign a letter if they had n't already .
`` We need to lean in to this , we need to make sure senators are hearing that this is something they need to prioritize , '' Mattox said .
`` This is an intergenerational opportunity to make sure the courts are protecting the American constitution . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to promote the conservative agenda of its main funders , Charles and David Koch .
The group was instrumental in expanding the Tea Party movement and its right-wing protests succeeded in stalling key parts of Obamacare , including Medicaid expansion in most conservative states .
Americans for Prosperity has also come under fire for several alleged voter suppression schemes in states like Wisconsin , where it sent Democratic voters falsified absentee ballot applications in 2011 , and West Virginia , where , in 2014 , the group sent `` 'misleading and confusing ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them incorrectly believe they [ were n't ] eligible to vote '' in that year 's election , according to the Charleston Gazette-Mail .
It 's also run attack ads on Democratic officials over the years , including Virginia Gov .
Ralph Northam .
Donald Trump has promised from the start of his campaign to destroy Obamacare .
If Coney Barrett is confirmed , there are plenty of ways a conservative Supreme Court could undermine progressive values for decades to come , even if Joe Biden beats Trump in November .
Women 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights are also at stake if Republicans , with the help of Americans for Prosperity and other like-minded groups , manage to rush Barrett 's confirmation before the election .
In addition to her conservative politics , Barrett has notably refused to recuse herself if the outcome of the 2020 election goes to the Supreme Court .
According to Politico , her responses to a Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire last month left out any mention of recusal in cases involving `` the outcome of the 2020 presidential election . ''
Judiciary Committee member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticized Barrett 's answers at that time , stating , `` The underlying fault here is with the timing , which makes it a sham , but certainly she should recuse herself .
In a normal world , there would be no question about it . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

When Donald Trump picked Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee for the Supreme Court, the right-wing advocacy group Americans for Prosperity swiftly started rallying conservatives around her.
“AFP’s activists proudly support the confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett,” Casey Mattox, vice president for legal and judicial strategy, wrote in a statement at the time.
“We are confident that she will embrace her role to safeguard the constitutional rights of the people while recognizing that we elect Congress, not the courts, to legislate.”
Maddox also issued a directive to the U.S. Senate.
“Any senator, of any party, who wants a Supreme Court that puts the Constitution first, interprets the law as written, and protects our freedoms should be thrilled by Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination and commit to her prompt confirmation,” he wrote.
Americans for Prosperity has since launched a full-scale campaign aimed and getting Barrett through her confirmation to a seat on the high court.
The group launched a dedicated website, UniteForBarrett.com, that facilitates writing to individual senators to pressure them to confirm Barrett as swiftly as possible.
“Dear Senator, Americans deserve a Supreme Court that puts the Constitution first, interprets the law as written, and protects our freedoms,” the letter template reads. “With a recent vacancy on the Supreme Court, you have an opportunity to make a significant mark to defend our Constitution and get our government working as it should.”
The group also launched targeted direct-mail and layered digital ads in key states.
Mattox appeared on the WHO Radio show Friday, to tout the alleged success of that campaign.
He claimed that since her nomination 10 days ago, Americans for Prosperity had seen far more people sign up to support Barrett than during a similar push to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
He then encouraged listeners to sign a letter if they hadn’t already.
“We need to lean in to this, we need to make sure senators are hearing that this is something they need to prioritize,” Mattox said. “This is an intergenerational opportunity to make sure the courts are protecting the American constitution.”
Americans for Prosperity was founded in 2004 to promote the conservative agenda of its main funders, Charles and David Koch. The group was instrumental in expanding the Tea Party movement and its right-wing protests succeeded in stalling key parts of Obamacare, including Medicaid expansion in most conservative states.
Americans for Prosperity has also come under fire for several alleged voter suppression schemes in states like Wisconsin, where it sent Democratic voters falsified absentee ballot applications in 2011, and West Virginia, where, in 2014, the group sent “‘misleading and confusing’ material that [may have made] them incorrectly believe they [weren’t] eligible to vote” in that year’s election, according to the Charleston Gazette-Mail.
It’s also run attack ads on Democratic officials over the years, including Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam.
Donald Trump has promised from the start of his campaign to destroy Obamacare. If Coney Barrett is confirmed, there are plenty of ways a conservative Supreme Court could undermine progressive values for decades to come, even if Joe Biden beats Trump in November.
Women’s reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, immigrant rights are also at stake if Republicans, with the help of Americans for Prosperity and other like-minded groups, manage to rush Barrett’s confirmation before the election.
In addition to her conservative politics, Barrett has notably refused to recuse herself if the outcome of the 2020 election goes to the Supreme Court.
According to Politico, her responses to a Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire last month left out any mention of recusal in cases involving “the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.”
Judiciary Committee member Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), criticized Barrett’s answers at that time, stating, “The underlying fault here is with the timing, which makes it a sham, but certainly she should recuse herself. In a normal world, there would be no question about it.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-10-09--Lindsey Graham backs another sexist bigot who once called him 'certifiable'

Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) is backing a Republican candidate with a history of sexism , racism , homophobia , and attacks on Graham himself — but this time it 's Minnesota Senate hopeful Jason Lewis instead of Donald Trump .
In an ad posted last week on Facebook by Lewis ' campaign , Graham praises his `` friend '' and asks for donations for Lewis ' campaign .
`` I need this guy helping me to get to the bottom of the Mueller hoax and to make sure that this country can move forward , '' Graham tells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goes a long way .
Help Jason , he can do this ! ''
Lewis , a right-wing former talk show host and congressman who served a single term in the U.S. House of Representatives , has a long record of bigotry and offensive comments .
In 1999 , he dismissed sexual harassment in schools as `` teasing . ''
In 2011 , on his radio show , later , he dismissed the idea that unwanted sexual contact could be traumatizing .
saying , `` You 'll never get over ?
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
She was n't raped . ''
In August 2012 , he argued that the gender gap in the presidential race between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney existed because `` It is the women who are guided by more emotion than reason . ''
That November , he slammed `` young single women '' for voting Democratic because , he said , they wanted free birth control , scolding , `` You have no cognitive function whatsoever , if that 's all it takes to buy you off . ''
In other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no longer call a woman `` a slut '' ; said Black people have an `` entitlement mentality '' ; warned that Black and Latinx people are `` addicted '' to government welfare programs ; and compared LGBTQ people to rapists .
Lewis appears in the Facebook ad with Graham , noting that he hopes to `` flip the state red '' so he can go to the Senate to help Graham .
But his past comments suggest that he is not a big fan of the South Carolina Republican .
On the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ podcast , Lewis mocked Graham as `` absolutely certifiable '' and said he `` will get this country into more foreign affairs and more foreign wars than you can shake a stick at . ''
He added that `` Graham and his group of big-government interventionists '' were `` no different than Hillary Clinton and John Kerry . ''
A few days later , he slammed Graham , as well as Mitch McConnell and John McCain , for supporting the Export-Import Bank of the United States , calling them `` establishment types .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ reelection , despite Trump 's record of racism and sexism , and has repeatedly abandoned his stated principles to appease Trump .
During the 2016 campaign , Trump called Graham a `` disgrace , '' a `` nut job , '' and `` one of the dumbest human beings . ''
Trump even gave out Graham 's personal cellphone number during a campaign speech .
Even with Trump 's support , Graham is facing an unexpectedly tough 2020 reelection race against Democrat Jaime Harrison .
The latest polling in South Carolina shows the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battle in his race against incumbent Democratic Sen. Tina Smith .
According to RealClear Politics ' polling average , Smith leads by 8.5 points .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is backing a Republican candidate with a history of sexism, racism, homophobia, and attacks on Graham himself — but this time it’s Minnesota Senate hopeful Jason Lewis instead of Donald Trump.
In an ad posted last week on Facebook by Lewis’ campaign, Graham praises his “friend” and asks for donations for Lewis’ campaign. “I need this guy helping me to get to the bottom of the Mueller hoax and to make sure that this country can move forward,” Graham tells viewers. “Five or 10 bucks goes a long way. Help Jason, he can do this!”
Lewis, a right-wing former talk show host and congressman who served a single term in the U.S. House of Representatives, has a long record of bigotry and offensive comments.
In 1999, he dismissed sexual harassment in schools as “teasing.” In 2011, on his radio show, later, he dismissed the idea that unwanted sexual contact could be traumatizing. saying, “You’ll never get over? It was the most traumatizing experience? Come on! She wasn’t raped.”
In August 2012, he argued that the gender gap in the presidential race between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney existed because “It is the women who are guided by more emotion than reason.”
That November, he slammed “young single women” for voting Democratic because, he said, they wanted free birth control, scolding, “You have no cognitive function whatsoever, if that’s all it takes to buy you off.”
In other instances, he lamented that men can no longer call a woman “a slut”; said Black people have an “entitlement mentality”; warned that Black and Latinx people are “addicted” to government welfare programs; and compared LGBTQ people to rapists.
Lewis appears in the Facebook ad with Graham, noting that he hopes to “flip the state red” so he can go to the Senate to help Graham. But his past comments suggest that he is not a big fan of the South Carolina Republican.
On the July 21, 2015 episode of his podcast, Lewis mocked Graham as “absolutely certifiable” and said he “will get this country into more foreign affairs and more foreign wars than you can shake a stick at.” He added that “Graham and his group of big-government interventionists” were “no different than Hillary Clinton and John Kerry.”
A few days later, he slammed Graham, as well as Mitch McConnell and John McCain, for supporting the Export-Import Bank of the United States, calling them “establishment types.”
Graham has enthusiastically backed Trump’s reelection, despite Trump’s record of racism and sexism, and has repeatedly abandoned his stated principles to appease Trump.
During the 2016 campaign, Trump called Graham a “disgrace,” a “nut job,” and “one of the dumbest human beings.” Trump even gave out Graham’s personal cellphone number during a campaign speech.
Even with Trump’s support, Graham is facing an unexpectedly tough 2020 reelection race against Democrat Jaime Harrison. The latest polling in South Carolina shows the race tied.
Lewis faces an uphill battle in his race against incumbent Democratic Sen. Tina Smith. According to RealClear Politics’ polling average, Smith leads by 8.5 points.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-10-10--LGBTQ people face discrimination in health care. The GOP wants to make it worse.

More than one in three LGBTQ Americans have experienced discrimination in the past year , according to a study released on Tuesday .
LGBTQ people also continue to face barriers to health care , including concerns about discrimination and an inability to afford treatment , according to the study 's survey , which included interviews with more than 1,500 LGBTQ adults conducted in June .
The survey was conducted by the Center for American Progress and NORC at the University of Chicago , a nonpartisan research group .
According to the survey , 15 % of LGBTQ people said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fear of discrimination .
For transgender people , that rate doubled to three in 10 .
According to the study , between 7 % and 14 % of LGBTQ Americans have had negative health care experiences , such as a doctor being visibly uncomfortable because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation , unwanted physical contact , harsh or abusive language , or providers refusing to recognize their family members .
Nearly half of transgender survey respondents said they had been intentionally misgendered while seeking medical treatment , and one-third of transgender @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their doctor about transgender people to receive proper medical care .
Eighteen percent of transgender respondents said their doctor or provider would not see them because of their actual or perceived gender identity , while 19 % said their doctor or provider had `` used harsh or abusive language '' during their treatment , and 20 % said doctors `` had been physically rough or abusive '' with them .
Cost is another significant barrier for LGBTQ Americans trying to access health care .
Twenty-nine percent of respondents saying they had postponed or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injured because they could n't afford it .
One-quarter of LGBTQ people said they delayed preventive screenings because they were worried about the cost of doing so .
On top of fears about discrimination and the cost of care , the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on LGBTQ people 's physical and mental health .
Six in 10 respondents said they felt down , depressed , hopeless , or had trouble sleeping because of the virus .
Two-thirds said they felt anxious that they or a loved one would get the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health care , Republicans are trying to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court .
Barrett could be the deciding vote to roll back the Affordable Care Act , which expanded health coverage to 20 million Americans .
After three senators were diagnosed the coronavirus , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate would suspend floor action until Oct. 19 .
However , the Senate Judiciary Committee is still scheduled to meet on Oct. 12 for Barrett 's confirmation hearings .
On Nov. 10 , the Supreme Court will hear oral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case that will decide the future of President Barack Obama 's signature health care law .
Eighteen Republican attorneys general have already challenged the Affordable Care Act .
In June , the Trump administration argued that the individual mandate is unconstitutional and that the court must strike down all of the law .
The Trump administration has attempted to restrict LGBTQ people 's health care by moving forward with two rules .
In May of last year , the Trump administration announced a rule that would allow health care providers to deny medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` religious freedom . ''
Advocacy groups opposed the rule , which they said would lead to discrimination against LGBTQ patients .
A federal judge struck down the rule last year .
In June , the Trump administration finalized a second rule that would roll back protections for LGBTQ people in the Affordable Care Act .
In August , a federal judge stopped the rule one day before it was supposed to go into effect .
The Trump administration 's `` religious conscience '' rule would have made life more difficult for couples @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said a medical professional once denied them treatment because of their sexual orientation .
When the lesbian couple brought their baby to her first doctor 's appointment , the pediatrician they had chosen , Vesna Roi , refused to see them .
Roi later wrote a letter to the couple explaining her decision .
`` After much prayer following your prenatal , I felt that I would not be able to develop the personal patient doctor relationship that I normally do with my patients , '' Roi wrote in the 2015 letter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ God gives us free choice and I would never judge anyone based on what they do with that free choice . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

More than one in three LGBTQ Americans have experienced discrimination in the past year, according to a study released on Tuesday.
LGBTQ people also continue to face barriers to health care, including concerns about discrimination and an inability to afford treatment, according to the study’s survey, which included interviews with more than 1,500 LGBTQ adults conducted in June.
The survey was conducted by the Center for American Progress and NORC at the University of Chicago, a nonpartisan research group.
According to the survey, 15% of LGBTQ people said they postponed or avoided medical treatment altogether out of fear of discrimination. For transgender people, that rate doubled to three in 10. According to the study, between 7% and 14% of LGBTQ Americans have had negative health care experiences, such as a doctor being visibly uncomfortable because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation, unwanted physical contact, harsh or abusive language, or providers refusing to recognize their family members.
Nearly half of transgender survey respondents said they had been intentionally misgendered while seeking medical treatment, and one-third of transgender respondents said they have had to teach their doctor about transgender people to receive proper medical care. Eighteen percent of transgender respondents said their doctor or provider would not see them because of their actual or perceived gender identity, while 19% said their doctor or provider had “used harsh or abusive language” during their treatment, and 20% said doctors “had been physically rough or abusive” with them.
Cost is another significant barrier for LGBTQ Americans trying to access health care. Twenty-nine percent of respondents saying they had postponed or gone without medical treatment when sick or injured because they couldn’t afford it. One-quarter of LGBTQ people said they delayed preventive screenings because they were worried about the cost of doing so.
On top of fears about discrimination and the cost of care, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on LGBTQ people’s physical and mental health. Six in 10 respondents said they felt down, depressed, hopeless, or had trouble sleeping because of the virus. Two-thirds said they felt anxious that they or a loved one would get the virus.
While LGBTQ people struggle to afford health care, Republicans are trying to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. Barrett could be the deciding vote to roll back the Affordable Care Act, which expanded health coverage to 20 million Americans. After three senators were diagnosed the coronavirus, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate would suspend floor action until Oct. 19. However, the Senate Judiciary Committee is still scheduled to meet on Oct. 12 for Barrett’s confirmation hearings.
On Nov. 10, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in California v. Texas, a case that will decide the future of President Barack Obama’s signature health care law. Eighteen Republican attorneys general have already challenged the Affordable Care Act. In June, the Trump administration argued that the individual mandate is unconstitutional and that the court must strike down all of the law.
The Trump administration has attempted to restrict LGBTQ people’s health care by moving forward with two rules. In May of last year, the Trump administration announced a rule that would allow health care providers to deny medical care to patients under the umbrella of “religious freedom.” Advocacy groups opposed the rule, which they said would lead to discrimination against LGBTQ patients. A federal judge struck down the rule last year.
In June, the Trump administration finalized a second rule that would roll back protections for LGBTQ people in the Affordable Care Act. In August, a federal judge stopped the rule one day before it was supposed to go into effect.
The Trump administration’s “religious conscience” rule would have made life more difficult for couples like Krista and Jami Contreras, who said a medical professional once denied them treatment because of their sexual orientation. When the lesbian couple brought their baby to her first doctor’s appointment, the pediatrician they had chosen, Vesna Roi, refused to see them.
Roi later wrote a letter to the couple explaining her decision.
“After much prayer following your prenatal, I felt that I would not be able to develop the personal patient doctor relationship that I normally do with my patients,” Roi wrote in the 2015 letter. “Please know that I believe that God gives us free choice and I would never judge anyone based on what they do with that free choice.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-10-10--Opinion: Kamala Harris shows the nation why she is the best woman for the VP job

After Donald Trump 's disgraceful behavior during the first presidential debate , many Americans were anxiously waiting to see how the vice presidential debate between Sen. Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence would play out .
Historically , vice presidential debates are of little consequence for a presidential race .
But these debates can produce some memorable moments , like the haymaker Democratic vice presidential nominee Lloyd Bentsen landed in his 1988 debate with Dan Quayle .
Quayle had compared himself during the debate to President John F. Kennedy .
Bentsen responded : `` Senator , I served with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine .
Senator , you 're no Jack Kennedy . ''
As we saw in 2012 , the vice presidential debates can also help stabilize a race .
Joe Biden decisively bested Paul Ryan in their 2012 debate , giving the Obama-Biden ticket a much-needed boost after President Barack Obama 's rough first debate .
But rarely do they change the course of an election because , at the end of the day , voters are voting for who 's at the top of the ticket @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate on Wednesday night , this one also seemed to be more consequential than previous VP faceoffs .
Biden himself has said he is a transitional candidate .
By laying that out , Biden has placed a brighter spotlight on Harris than most vice presidential candidates experience .
You can see how much significance her selection as VP holds by the way she has been amplified by the campaign : How many presidential running mates get their own campaign merchandise collections and paid TV ads featuring just them ?
So , because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate , in addition to Harris being the first Black woman and first Asian American on a major party presidential ticket , the VP debate spotlight shone a much brighter light on Harris than it historically has on other vice presidential candidates .
Pence too was under a brighter spotlight , but for much different reasons .
There is no more prominent issue faced by America than the deadly coronavirus .
It has affected every aspect of voters ' lives , and has even reached deep into the West Wing .
Pence has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House 's coronavirus task force and , next to Trump , the face of its failed response to a virus that 's killed over 211,000 in America while countries with fewer resources got their outbreaks under control .
First off , the debate was not the wrestling match that the presidential debate was , so both sides had opportunities to articulate their arguments , though Pence 's continued interruptions of both Harris and moderator Susan Page did not go unnoticed .
And on Wednesday night , Harris did exactly what she needed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she held the Trump administration to account for its catastrophic failure on the coronavirus .
For Trump 's racism , sexism , selfishness , and erratic nature .
For his self-dealing and open hostility toward transparency .
Harris not only fulfilled the traditional VP duty of attack dog — she also clearly laid out the vision for a Biden-Harris administration , something that was n't able to break through the circus that was the first presidential debate .
And do n't just take my word for it .
According to CNN 's instant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 59 % of voters said Harris won the debate , while only 38 % said Pence won .
Notably , Harris beat Pence with men 48 % to 46 % , and she absolutely creamed him with women , who said the senator from California won by a whopping 39 points .
Now at the end of the day , probably very few undecided voters were persuaded by this debate .
There was very little new information injected into the national political dialogue , but Harris clearly demonstrated a strong command of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden selected her as his running mate .
Finally , with the announcement that the next presidential debate would go virtual and Trump claiming he wo n't participate in it , Wednesday night 's VP debate might have been the last prime-time , high-viewership opportunity for the campaigns to make impressions on undecided voters — which makes Harris ' impressive debate performance all the more important .
Jim Messina is CEO of The Messina Group and chief strategist for American Bridge 21st Century .
He was formerly White House deputy chief of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manager for the president 's 2012 reelection campaign .
Ty Matsdorf is longtime Democratic strategist , having held top positions on campaigns and in government before joining The Messina Group as a senior vice president .

After Donald Trump’s disgraceful behavior during the first presidential debate, many Americans were anxiously waiting to see how the vice presidential debate between Sen. Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence would play out.
Historically, vice presidential debates are of little consequence for a presidential race.
But these debates can produce some memorable moments, like the haymaker Democratic vice presidential nominee Lloyd Bentsen landed in his 1988 debate with Dan Quayle. Quayle had compared himself during the debate to President John F. Kennedy. Bentsen responded: “Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.”
As we saw in 2012, the vice presidential debates can also help stabilize a race. Joe Biden decisively bested Paul Ryan in their 2012 debate, giving the Obama-Biden ticket a much-needed boost after President Barack Obama’s rough first debate.
But rarely do they change the course of an election because, at the end of the day, voters are voting for who’s at the top of the ticket.
While that’s true of the debate on Wednesday night, this one also seemed to be more consequential than previous VP faceoffs.
Biden himself has said he is a transitional candidate. By laying that out, Biden has placed a brighter spotlight on Harris than most vice presidential candidates experience. You can see how much significance her selection as VP holds by the way she has been amplified by the campaign: How many presidential running mates get their own campaign merchandise collections and paid TV ads featuring just them?
So, because of Biden’s self-described role as a transitional candidate, in addition to Harris being the first Black woman and first Asian American on a major party presidential ticket, the VP debate spotlight shone a much brighter light on Harris than it historically has on other vice presidential candidates.
Pence too was under a brighter spotlight, but for much different reasons. There is no more prominent issue faced by America than the deadly coronavirus. It has affected every aspect of voters’ lives, and has even reached deep into the West Wing.
Pence has been the point person for the White House’s coronavirus task force and, next to Trump, the face of its failed response to a virus that’s killed over 211,000 in America while countries with fewer resources got their outbreaks under control.
First off, the debate was not the wrestling match that the presidential debate was, so both sides had opportunities to articulate their arguments, though Pence’s continued interruptions of both Harris and moderator Susan Page did not go unnoticed.
And on Wednesday night, Harris did exactly what she needed to do. From the opening minutes, she held the Trump administration to account for its catastrophic failure on the coronavirus. For Trump’s racism, sexism, selfishness, and erratic nature. For his self-dealing and open hostility toward transparency.
Harris not only fulfilled the traditional VP duty of attack dog — she also clearly laid out the vision for a Biden-Harris administration, something that wasn’t able to break through the circus that was the first presidential debate.
And don’t just take my word for it. According to CNN’s instant poll of registered voters on Wednesday night, 59% of voters said Harris won the debate, while only 38% said Pence won. Notably, Harris beat Pence with men 48% to 46%, and she absolutely creamed him with women, who said the senator from California won by a whopping 39 points.
Now at the end of the day, probably very few undecided voters were persuaded by this debate. There was very little new information injected into the national political dialogue, but Harris clearly demonstrated a strong command of the issues and showed the country why Joe Biden selected her as his running mate.
Finally, with the announcement that the next presidential debate would go virtual and Trump claiming he won’t participate in it, Wednesday night’s VP debate might have been the last prime-time, high-viewership opportunity for the campaigns to make impressions on undecided voters — which makes Harris’ impressive debate performance all the more important.
Jim Messina is CEO of The Messina Group and chief strategist for American Bridge 21st Century. He was formerly White House deputy chief of staff under President Obama, and campaign manager for the president’s 2012 reelection campaign.
Ty Matsdorf is longtime Democratic strategist, having held top positions on campaigns and in government before joining The Messina Group as a senior vice president.


shareblue--2020-10-10--I'm a lifelong Republican. My party has lost the values I want to teach my son.

I 've supported Republican leaders my entire life — George W. Bush , John McCain , Mitt Romney .
I respected and saw true leadership in them all .
One process has pushed me farther from the party I once thought represented me : Within hours of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg 's death , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced he would fill her seat immediately .
In 2016 , Senate Republicans refused to consider President Barack Obama 's nominee for the seat left vacant by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia .
They thereby established a precedent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filled in a presidential election year .
Yet , now that the tables are turned , they plan to confirm Donald Trump 's nominee before the election .
They are flying in the face of their own convictions .
The hypocrisy and outright lies defy the values I once associated with my party .
I want my 3-year-old son to have leaders he can look to as role models .
I want to pass down to him the principles of leadership I grew up with .
The values I want my son to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even if you 're not proud of what you 've done .
Do n't be a bully — be kind and empathetic .
Try to stand in other people 's shoes and understand their perspective .
Most importantly , work hard and follow through on your promises .
These are the markers of leadership .
I am a conservative , and I likely will agree with a lot of the stances of the new Supreme Court nominee .
But frankly , democracy matters more to me than having solely my views in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had hope in , like Sen. Mitt Romney , are choosing power over principle .
Leaders our children grow up with will significantly impact our country 's character for generations .
My son is in one of the most formative stages of his life .
His generation will look to leaders for guidance .
By not standing up to this hypocrisy , conservative leaders in Congress are dismantling the independence of the judicial branch .
I fear for the country my son will grow up in .
America is at a crossroads , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it is up to us to stand up for one another .
Like any father , I will do what I need to do to fight for a better world for my child .
That means rejecting manipulation of power and demanding that our leaders represent the voices of the people .
Mike Larsen lives in Jacksonville , Florida , with his wife and their 3-year-old son .

I’ve supported Republican leaders my entire life — George W. Bush, John McCain, Mitt Romney. I respected and saw true leadership in them all.
One process has pushed me farther from the party I once thought represented me: Within hours of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced he would fill her seat immediately.
In 2016, Senate Republicans refused to consider President Barack Obama’s nominee for the seat left vacant by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. They thereby established a precedent that Supreme Court seats should not be filled in a presidential election year.
Yet, now that the tables are turned, they plan to confirm Donald Trump’s nominee before the election. They are flying in the face of their own convictions.
The hypocrisy and outright lies defy the values I once associated with my party. I want my 3-year-old son to have leaders he can look to as role models. I want to pass down to him the principles of leadership I grew up with.
The values I want my son to have are simple: Tell the truth, even if you’re not proud of what you’ve done. Don’t be a bully — be kind and empathetic. Try to stand in other people’s shoes and understand their perspective. Most importantly, work hard and follow through on your promises. These are the markers of leadership.
I am a conservative, and I likely will agree with a lot of the stances of the new Supreme Court nominee.
But frankly, democracy matters more to me than having solely my views in power. Even leaders who I still had hope in, like Sen. Mitt Romney, are choosing power over principle.
Leaders our children grow up with will significantly impact our country’s character for generations. My son is in one of the most formative stages of his life. His generation will look to leaders for guidance.
By not standing up to this hypocrisy, conservative leaders in Congress are dismantling the independence of the judicial branch.
I fear for the country my son will grow up in. America is at a crossroads, and ordinary people are coming to understand that it is up to us to stand up for one another.
Like any father, I will do what I need to do to fight for a better world for my child. That means rejecting manipulation of power and demanding that our leaders represent the voices of the people.
Mike Larsen lives in Jacksonville, Florida, with his wife and their 3-year-old son.


shareblue--2020-10-10--This Alaskan outdoorsman just might run a GOP senator out of office

Al Gross was born at the base of Mount Juneau after an avalanche .
He says he bought his own fishing vessel at the age of 14 .
He killed a grizzly bear that was attacking him .
He then paid his way through college and medical school with money earned catching salmon .
Gross , an orthopedic surgeon , is running for U.S. Senate as an independent to unseat incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan ( R-AK ) .
At first , political spectators saw Gross as a curiosity , not a serious candidate .
His stories about the Alaskan wilderness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` mythical creature conjured up by consultants '' with no real chance of victory .
But polling released at the end of last month shows Gross down by just 1 point , well within striking distance of his Republican opponent , who was beating him handily by 13 points in mid-July .
Alaska has n't gone blue in a presidential election since 1964 , but given Gross ' precipitous rise in the polls , and Sen. Lisa Murkowski 's ranking as the second least popular senator in Congress , Democrats have turned their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While Gross killing a grizzly might not be a winning message for Democrats in the suburban enclaves of the lower 48 , his outdoorsman appeal has proved successful in convincing Alaskans that its time for a change , offering them an alternative to Sullivan 's record as a U.S. Marine .
The son of former Alaska Attorney General Avrum Gross , Al Gross has highlighted his father 's legacy in helping to create the Alaska Permanent Fund as a key talking point to appeal to independent voters .
The fund , which pays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oil producers in the state , serves as a well regarded and enduring piece of bi-partisan legislation .
As an orthopedic surgeon Gross has also made health care central to his platform , citing familiarity with a broken system and pledging to take on the pharmaceutical industry 's sky-high drug prices .
His promise to fight for Alaskans ' right to cheaper health care scared even his Republican opponent this week into voting in support of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer 's bill to protect the Affordable Care Act .
Health care is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who , according to a 2017 report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities , would suffer more than residents of any other state under the GOP 's `` Trump Care '' plan , which would cut billions from Medicaid and strip tens of thousands of their health coverage .
Gross is one of a number of recently viable Senate candidates running against Republicans who just months ago seemed untouchable .
Following Jaime Harrison in South Carolina and Jon Ossoff in Georgia , Gross could very well be one of the deciding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an overall majority in Congress after Nov. 3 .
On Tuesday , Gross took to Twitter to call his opponent `` a Coward '' after CNN reported that Sullivan , when asked if Trump 's refusal to condemn white supremacy was hurting his election chances , `` stared at [ a ] reporter silently for about eight seconds before a Senate subway door closed , and whisked him away . ''
As Joe Biden continues to lead Trump in national polls and in key battle ground states , Trump 's track record of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican senators , a number of whom now risk losing their seats to Democratic opponents .
Already , Sullivan 's refusal to buck the Trump party line has delivered Gross a $ 482,000 ad buy from the Anti-Trump Lincoln Project , and the recent polls placing him neck and neck with Gross are sure to generate a significant uptick in contributions to his campaign coffers .
The jolt in support even prompted the Republican opposition research firm America Rising to file a public records request with Alaska 's Department of Fish and Game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact shot a grizzly .
Beating his Republican opponents to the punch , Gross released documentation of the attack complete with photo evidence showing him posed beside the bear in question .
Gross is far from guaranteed a victory .
As the Cook Political Report noted in July , `` Alaska is a state that is notoriously hard to poll and Republicans are , perhaps rightly , skeptical of such numbers .
They say their own polling does n't worry them in regards to Sullivan , but that they 're taking the race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state has , at times , broken with its GOP lean in presidential politics to split on statewide races , Republicans argue this is n't the year , '' the ratings website added .
Still , with the backing of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee , the independent fisherman-turned-doctor could have a shot at turning a red state blue .
Even the Cook Political Report , with all its skepticism , changed the race back in July from `` Solid Republican '' to `` Lean Republican '' before nudging it back slightly to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Tuesday , Gross released a video targeting Sullivan for taking donations from the CEO of Pebble Mine , a company trying to open controversial mines that would threaten crucial habitat of the Alaskan Salmon that fisherman in the state depend on to survive .
`` Last week we learned here in Alaska that Dan Sullivan received campaign donations from top executives at Pebble Mine including from CEO Tom collier , all the while lying to Alaskans about the truth on where he stands on the issues , '' he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return these campaign donations .
It 's obvious that he 's been putting himself and his party above the interests of Alaskans . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Al Gross was born at the base of Mount Juneau after an avalanche. He says he bought his own fishing vessel at the age of 14. He killed a grizzly bear that was attacking him. He then paid his way through college and medical school with money earned catching salmon.
Gross, an orthopedic surgeon, is running for U.S. Senate as an independent to unseat incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK). At first, political spectators saw Gross as a curiosity, not a serious candidate. His stories about the Alaskan wilderness led some to label him as a “mythical creature conjured up by consultants” with no real chance of victory.
But polling released at the end of last month shows Gross down by just 1 point, well within striking distance of his Republican opponent, who was beating him handily by 13 points in mid-July. Alaska hasn’t gone blue in a presidential election since 1964, but given Gross’ precipitous rise in the polls, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s ranking as the second least popular senator in Congress, Democrats have turned their focus toward the last frontier state.
While Gross killing a grizzly might not be a winning message for Democrats in the suburban enclaves of the lower 48, his outdoorsman appeal has proved successful in convincing Alaskans that its time for a change, offering them an alternative to Sullivan’s record as a U.S. Marine.
The son of former Alaska Attorney General Avrum Gross, Al Gross has highlighted his father’s legacy in helping to create the Alaska Permanent Fund as a key talking point to appeal to independent voters. The fund, which pays Alaskan residents thousands of dollars collected from oil producers in the state, serves as a well regarded and enduring piece of bi-partisan legislation.
As an orthopedic surgeon Gross has also made health care central to his platform, citing familiarity with a broken system and pledging to take on the pharmaceutical industry’s sky-high drug prices. His promise to fight for Alaskans’ right to cheaper health care scared even his Republican opponent this week into voting in support of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s bill to protect the Affordable Care Act.
Health care is a core issue for voters in Alaska who, according to a 2017 report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, would suffer more than residents of any other state under the GOP’s “Trump Care” plan, which would cut billions from Medicaid and strip tens of thousands of their health coverage.
Gross is one of a number of recently viable Senate candidates running against Republicans who just months ago seemed untouchable. Following Jaime Harrison in South Carolina and Jon Ossoff in Georgia, Gross could very well be one of the deciding factors in determining whether Democrats can take an overall majority in Congress after Nov. 3.
On Tuesday, Gross took to Twitter to call his opponent “a Coward” after CNN reported that Sullivan, when asked if Trump’s refusal to condemn white supremacy was hurting his election chances, “stared at [a] reporter silently for about eight seconds before a Senate subway door closed, and whisked him away.”
As Joe Biden continues to lead Trump in national polls and in key battle ground states, Trump’s track record of incendiary remarks are a serious liability for Republican senators, a number of whom now risk losing their seats to Democratic opponents. Already, Sullivan’s refusal to buck the Trump party line has delivered Gross a $482,000 ad buy from the Anti-Trump Lincoln Project, and the recent polls placing him neck and neck with Gross are sure to generate a significant uptick in contributions to his campaign coffers.
The jolt in support even prompted the Republican opposition research firm America Rising to file a public records request with Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game to prove that Gross had not in fact shot a grizzly. Beating his Republican opponents to the punch, Gross released documentation of the attack complete with photo evidence showing him posed beside the bear in question.
Gross is far from guaranteed a victory. As the Cook Political Report noted in July, “Alaska is a state that is notoriously hard to poll and Republicans are, perhaps rightly, skeptical of such numbers. They say their own polling doesn’t worry them in regards to Sullivan, but that they’re taking the race seriously.”
“Even though the state has, at times, broken with its GOP lean in presidential politics to split on statewide races, Republicans argue this isn’t the year,” the ratings website added.
Still, with the backing of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the independent fisherman-turned-doctor could have a shot at turning a red state blue. Even the Cook Political Report, with all its skepticism, changed the race back in July from “Solid Republican” to “Lean Republican” before nudging it back slightly to “Likely Republican” more recently.
On Tuesday, Gross released a video targeting Sullivan for taking donations from the CEO of Pebble Mine, a company trying to open controversial mines that would threaten crucial habitat of the Alaskan Salmon that fisherman in the state depend on to survive.
“Last week we learned here in Alaska that Dan Sullivan received campaign donations from top executives at Pebble Mine including from CEO Tom collier, all the while lying to Alaskans about the truth on where he stands on the issues,” he said. “…I’m calling on Dan to return these campaign donations. It’s obvious that he’s been putting himself and his party above the interests of Alaskans.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-10-11--Maryland combats racism head-on with new laws

This week , three new Maryland state laws aimed at combating racism went into effect statewide .
The Maryland General Assembly passed the laws earlier this year , before the coronavirus pandemic cut the state 's legislative session short .
The laws went into effect Oct. 1 at the start of the new fiscal year .
The new legislation expands the definition of a hate crime and prohibits intimidating others with swastikas or nooses .
Critically , the new law encompasses crimes that are `` motivated either in whole or in part by '' bias or hate .
Under Maryland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to prove that hate was the sole motivation for a crime in order for an individual to be convicted of a hate crime .
`` The law is now clear that symbols can be a method by which someone can commit a hate crime , '' Spencer Dove , a spokesperson for the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights , told the American Independent Foundation .
The new law is named after Richard Collins III , a 23-year-old Black man who was killed in 2017 at a bus stop in College Park , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to graduate from Bowie State University that year and become a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army — was stabbed to death by Sean Urbanski , a white man .
Urbanski was convicted of first-degree murder in 2019 .
The judge threw out a further hate crime charge , saying that prosecutors could not directly link Collins ' murder to evidence of Urbanski 's racist beliefs , including racist memes found on Urbanski 's phone and his membership in a Facebook group called `` Alt-Reich : Nation . ''
Another new Maryland law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among Black women .
The new law will ensure that the composition of the Maternal Mortality Review Program , which focuses on racial disparities in maternal deaths , is consistent with the racial makeup of the demographic the issue affects most .
The Maternal Mortality Review Program reported in 2019 that between 2013 and 2017 , Maryland 's maternal mortality rate was higher than the national average .
The maternal mortality rate of Black women in Maryland is four times higher than that of white women in the state .
This is partly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as the fact that disproportionately few medical providers are Black .
A third law that went into effect Oct. 1 bans discrimination against Black job applicants and employees who have natural hairstyles .
The Crown Act expands the definition of racial discrimination to include protections for all traditionally Black hairstyles such as dreadlocks and braids .
Delegate Stephanie M. Smith ( D-Baltimore ) sponsored Maryland 's version of the Crown Act , and other Black women lawmakers signed on in support of the law .
Smith said the law was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research shows that Black workers face discrimination for wearing natural hairstyles . ''
Dove applauded the fact that employers are no longer able to discriminate against employees or applicants on the basis of their hairstyle , and said the MCCR is committed to supporting such efforts , which `` promote and improve civil rights within Maryland . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

This week, three new Maryland state laws aimed at combating racism went into effect statewide.
The Maryland General Assembly passed the laws earlier this year, before the coronavirus pandemic cut the state’s legislative session short. The laws went into effect Oct. 1 at the start of the new fiscal year.
The new legislation expands the definition of a hate crime and prohibits intimidating others with swastikas or nooses. Critically, the new law encompasses crimes that are “motivated either in whole or in part by” bias or hate.
Under Maryland’s previous hate crime law, prosecutors had to prove that hate was the sole motivation for a crime in order for an individual to be convicted of a hate crime.
“The law is now clear that symbols can be a method by which someone can commit a hate crime,” Spencer Dove, a spokesperson for the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights, told the American Independent Foundation.
The new law is named after Richard Collins III, a 23-year-old Black man who was killed in 2017 at a bus stop in College Park, Maryland. Collins — who was set to graduate from Bowie State University that year and become a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army — was stabbed to death by Sean Urbanski, a white man.
Urbanski was convicted of first-degree murder in 2019. The judge threw out a further hate crime charge, saying that prosecutors could not directly link Collins’ murder to evidence of Urbanski’s racist beliefs, including racist memes found on Urbanski’s phone and his membership in a Facebook group called “Alt-Reich: Nation.”
Another new Maryland law will address the issue of maternal mortality among Black women. The new law will ensure that the composition of the Maternal Mortality Review Program, which focuses on racial disparities in maternal deaths, is consistent with the racial makeup of the demographic the issue affects most.
The Maternal Mortality Review Program reported in 2019 that between 2013 and 2017, Maryland’s maternal mortality rate was higher than the national average. The maternal mortality rate of Black women in Maryland is four times higher than that of white women in the state.
This is partly because of economic and health care disparities, as well as the fact that disproportionately few medical providers are Black.
A third law that went into effect Oct. 1 bans discrimination against Black job applicants and employees who have natural hairstyles. The Crown Act expands the definition of racial discrimination to include protections for all traditionally Black hairstyles such as dreadlocks and braids. Delegate Stephanie M. Smith (D-Baltimore) sponsored Maryland’s version of the Crown Act, and other Black women lawmakers signed on in support of the law.
Smith said the law was “sadly necessary,” since “research shows that Black workers face discrimination for wearing natural hairstyles.”
Dove applauded the fact that employers are no longer able to discriminate against employees or applicants on the basis of their hairstyle, and said the MCCR is committed to supporting such efforts, which “promote and improve civil rights within Maryland.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.