shareblue--2020-05-22--Trump counting on Supreme Court to protect him from lawsuits and investigations

Donald Trump won at least a temporary reprieve from the Supreme Court earlier this week in keeping secret grand jury materials from the Russia investigation away from Democratic lawmakers .
He and his administration are counting on the justices for more help to stymie other investigations and lawsuits .
The high court is weighing Trump 's bid to block subpoenas for his tax , banking , and financial records .
It will soon be asked by the administration to kill a lawsuit alleging that Trump is illegally profiting from his luxury hotel near the White House .
And a dispute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of former White House counsel Don McGahn also could find its way to the justices before long .
Trump has predicted that the court with a conservative majority that includes two of his appointees , Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh , would be more sympathetic than lower courts that have repeatedly ruled against him .
And his administration has sought the court 's emergency intervention at early stages of court cases far more often than both Democratic and Republican predecessors , according to data compiled by University of Texas law professor Stephen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obsessed with embarrassing Trump at all costs .
Trump has called himself a victim of `` presidential harassment '' and ordered his administration not to cooperate with investigations by the Democratic-led House .
In arguing for the invalidation of congressional subpoenas for Trump 's private financial records , the Justice Department told the Supreme Court that the subpoenas pose `` a serious risk of harassing the President and distracting him from his constitutional duties . ''
McGahn should not be forced to appear before Congress , the administration argues , because he is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have `` absolute immunity '' from testifying about their interactions with Trump .
The full federal appeals court in Washington recently heard arguments in the case and could rule at any time .
Trump 's critics argue that he has embraced a dangerous view of the presidency as being above the law .
`` The common theme throughout the Trump presidency has been a complete lack of accountability , '' said Ben Berwick , a lawyer with the anti-Trump group Protect Democracy .
`` In case after case , the position taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing and no one -- not courts , not Congress , not federal or state law enforcement , not inspectors general -- can hold him accountable or act as a check on his power . ''
In the dispute over grand jury materials from special counsel Robert Mueller 's investigation , U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell called out the Justice Department and the administration .
`` The reality is that DOJ and the White House have been openly stonewalling the House 's efforts to get information by subpoena and by agreement , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Administration will not cooperate with congressional requests for information , '' Howell wrote in ordering that the materials be turned over .
Her ruling is on hold .
The Supreme Court has so far refrained from definitive rulings in these clashes .
But Trump has been the chief beneficiary of the court 's actions because they have prevented investigators from obtaining what they are seeking .
`` We 've already lost nine months of time in this investigation due to this lawsuit , '' New York prosecutor Carey Dunne said in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Trump 's tax returns .
Trump 's lawyers said local prosecutors should not be allowed even to investigate Trump while he is in office .
Each passing day without a court decision , Dunne said , amounts to `` the same kind of temporary absolute immunity that the President is seeking here . ''
It 's possible that the decisions in the subpoena cases , expected by early summer , could leave legal issues unresolved and lead to additional consideration by lower courts , further delaying a final order on the subpoenas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporters , who would like to run out the clock at least until after Election Day .
It might also suit the Supreme Court and especially Chief Justice John Roberts , who has warned of the dangers of having the court viewed as just another political institution .
Federal judges have made clear they prefer that the White House and Congress resolve their disagreements without judicial intervention , when possible .
In the event Democrat Joe Biden is elected president or Republicans regain control of the House of Representatives , legal fights over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Biden 's administration might have little interest in fighting to protect the Russia grand jury documents .
If Republicans were in charge of the House , they probably would abandon subpoena fights aimed at Trump .
In either case , the Supreme Court would avoid having to make a decision that might split the justices along liberal and conservative lines and underscore perceptions of a politically motivated court .

Donald Trump won at least a temporary reprieve from the Supreme Court earlier this week in keeping secret grand jury materials from the Russia investigation away from Democratic lawmakers. He and his administration are counting on the justices for more help to stymie other investigations and lawsuits.
The high court is weighing Trump’s bid to block subpoenas for his tax, banking, and financial records. It will soon be asked by the administration to kill a lawsuit alleging that Trump is illegally profiting from his luxury hotel near the White House. And a dispute over Congress’ demand for the testimony of former White House counsel Don McGahn also could find its way to the justices before long.
Trump has predicted that the court with a conservative majority that includes two of his appointees, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, would be more sympathetic than lower courts that have repeatedly ruled against him. And his administration has sought the court’s emergency intervention at early stages of court cases far more often than both Democratic and Republican predecessors, according to data compiled by University of Texas law professor Stephen Vladeck.
The administration says Democrats are obsessed with embarrassing Trump at all costs. Trump has called himself a victim of “presidential harassment” and ordered his administration not to cooperate with investigations by the Democratic-led House.
In arguing for the invalidation of congressional subpoenas for Trump’s private financial records, the Justice Department told the Supreme Court that the subpoenas pose “a serious risk of harassing the President and distracting him from his constitutional duties.”
McGahn should not be forced to appear before Congress, the administration argues, because he is among a band of advisers to Trump who have “absolute immunity” from testifying about their interactions with Trump. The full federal appeals court in Washington recently heard arguments in the case and could rule at any time.
Trump’s critics argue that he has embraced a dangerous view of the presidency as being above the law.
“The common theme throughout the Trump presidency has been a complete lack of accountability,” said Ben Berwick, a lawyer with the anti-Trump group Protect Democracy. “In case after case, the position taken by Trump and his lawyers is that nothing and no one — not courts, not Congress, not federal or state law enforcement, not inspectors general — can hold him accountable or act as a check on his power.”
In the dispute over grand jury materials from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell called out the Justice Department and the administration.
“The reality is that DOJ and the White House have been openly stonewalling the House’s efforts to get information by subpoena and by agreement, and the White House has flatly stated that the Administration will not cooperate with congressional requests for information,” Howell wrote in ordering that the materials be turned over. Her ruling is on hold.
The Supreme Court has so far refrained from definitive rulings in these clashes. But Trump has been the chief beneficiary of the court’s actions because they have prevented investigators from obtaining what they are seeking.
“We’ve already lost nine months of time in this investigation due to this lawsuit,” New York prosecutor Carey Dunne said in his arguments in support of enforcing a subpoena for Trump’s tax returns. Trump’s lawyers said local prosecutors should not be allowed even to investigate Trump while he is in office.
Each passing day without a court decision, Dunne said, amounts to “the same kind of temporary absolute immunity that the President is seeking here.”
It’s possible that the decisions in the subpoena cases, expected by early summer, could leave legal issues unresolved and lead to additional consideration by lower courts, further delaying a final order on the subpoenas.
That would suit Trump and his supporters, who would like to run out the clock at least until after Election Day.
It might also suit the Supreme Court and especially Chief Justice John Roberts, who has warned of the dangers of having the court viewed as just another political institution. Federal judges have made clear they prefer that the White House and Congress resolve their disagreements without judicial intervention, when possible.
In the event Democrat Joe Biden is elected president or Republicans regain control of the House of Representatives, legal fights over subpoenas and grand jury materials might end. Biden’s administration might have little interest in fighting to protect the Russia grand jury documents. If Republicans were in charge of the House, they probably would abandon subpoena fights aimed at Trump.
In either case, the Supreme Court would avoid having to make a decision that might split the justices along liberal and conservative lines and underscore perceptions of a politically motivated court.


shareblue--2020-05-22--Yet another study finds drug Trump is pushing leads to more deaths

Hydroxychloroquine , the malaria drug Donald Trump has touted as a `` miracle '' cure for the coronavirus , was found to have an increased risk of death for patients treated with it in hospitals , according to a study published Friday in the Lancet .
The study published in the respected medical journal is the largest to date on the drug , looking at 96,000 patients who were hospitalized with the coronavirus .
It concluded that there were no benefits to taking the drug for COVID-19 , but that instead the drug led to a 34 % increase in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % increase in the risk of serious heart complications , according to the Washington Post .
`` We were unable to confirm a benefit of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine , when used alone or with a macrolide , on in-hospital outcomes for COVID-19 .
Each of these drug regimens was associated with decreased in-hospital survival and an increased frequency of ventricular arrhythmias when used for treatment of COVID-19 , '' the study found .
This is the latest of several studies to find an increased risk of death from hydroxychloroquine .
Trump has dismissed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looked at patients treated for the coronavirus at veterans hospitals in the United States .
That study found 28 % of people who got hydroxychloroquine died , as opposed to the 11 % who only got `` routine care . ''
In Brazil , a small study of chloroquine , a drug related to hydroxychloroquine , was halted in April because patients receiving the drug were seeing an increased risk of a possibly fatal heart complication .
Even the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about the drug , all of which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'd promote hydroxychloroquine given the risks .
`` If you look at the one survey , the only bad survey , they were giving it to people that were in very bad shape , they were very old , almost dead .
It was a Trump enemy statement , '' Trump said Tuesday of the study .
Instead , Trump said he 's taking the drug himself in an attempt to prevent an infection after two White House aides tested positive for the coronavirus .
`` I started taking it because I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Monday , when asked why he would take a drug even his doctor did n't recommend he take .
Facing backlash after promoting the drug , despite warnings from actual medical experts , the White House cited evidence from a fringe group that promotes fake science earlier this week .
The night before the Lancet study was published , Trump again pushed the drug , tweeting he wants the drug to `` be put in use IMMEDIATELY . ''
`` PEOPLE ARE DYING , MOVE FAST , and GOD BLESS EVERYONE !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of The American Independent Foundation .

Hydroxychloroquine, the malaria drug Donald Trump has touted as a “miracle” cure for the coronavirus, was found to have an increased risk of death for patients treated with it in hospitals, according to a study published Friday in the Lancet.
The study published in the respected medical journal is the largest to date on the drug, looking at 96,000 patients who were hospitalized with the coronavirus.
It concluded that there were no benefits to taking the drug for COVID-19, but that instead the drug led to a 34% increase in the risk of death and a 137% increase in the risk of serious heart complications, according to the Washington Post.
“We were unable to confirm a benefit of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine, when used alone or with a macrolide, on in-hospital outcomes for COVID-19. Each of these drug regimens was associated with decreased in-hospital survival and an increased frequency of ventricular arrhythmias when used for treatment of COVID-19,” the study found.
This is the latest of several studies to find an increased risk of death from hydroxychloroquine.
Trump has dismissed the previous studies, including one that looked at patients treated for the coronavirus at veterans hospitals in the United States. That study found 28% of people who got hydroxychloroquine died, as opposed to the 11% who only got “routine care.”
In Brazil, a small study of chloroquine, a drug related to hydroxychloroquine, was halted in April because patients receiving the drug were seeing an increased risk of a possibly fatal heart complication.
Even the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about the drug, all of which Trump dismissed when asked Tuesday why he’d promote hydroxychloroquine given the risks.
“If you look at the one survey, the only bad survey, they were giving it to people that were in very bad shape, they were very old, almost dead. It was a Trump enemy statement,” Trump said Tuesday of the study.
Instead, Trump said he’s taking the drug himself in an attempt to prevent an infection after two White House aides tested positive for the coronavirus.
“I started taking it because I think it’s good,” Trump said on Monday, when asked why he would take a drug even his doctor didn’t recommend he take.
Facing backlash after promoting the drug, despite warnings from actual medical experts, the White House cited evidence from a fringe group that promotes fake science earlier this week.
The night before the Lancet study was published, Trump again pushed the drug, tweeting he wants the drug to “be put in use IMMEDIATELY.”
“PEOPLE ARE DYING, MOVE FAST, and GOD BLESS EVERYONE!” Trump tweeted.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-22--Pentagon drops policy banning those who had COVID-19 from enlisting

The Pentagon said Thursday that it has rescinded a policy that banned the enlistment of recruits who have been hospitalized for the coronavirus until they got a special waiver .
Matthew Donovan , the undersecretary for defense personnel , told Pentagon reporters that such individuals will now be treated on a case-by-case basis , much like the military treats potential recruits with other infectious diseases or conditions such as asthma .
In an early May memo , the Pentagon had said that applicants who have tested positive for the virus but did not require hospitalization will be allowed to enlist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other requirements are met .
But anyone who had been hospitalized with the virus may have longer-term physical limitations .
So those people would be considered `` permanently disqualified '' and would have to request a waiver from the military service they want to enter .
That requirement regarding hospitalized applicants has now been shelved .
And the Pentagon is simply reverting to previously existing regulations that govern how recruiting centers deal with anyone who has had an infectious disease .
Donovan said that any potential recruit who comes in and is showing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provider and told to come back when they are COVID-free .
If an applicant was hospitalized , they would go through additional screening and possibly other health tests , and they could be required to get a waiver in some cases .
Anyone who has tested positive for the virus must wait 28 days before trying to enlist .
Some patients hospitalized with the virus have suffered lung damage .
Long-term lung damage could hinder recruits from passing grueling physical requirements for military services .

The Pentagon said Thursday that it has rescinded a policy that banned the enlistment of recruits who have been hospitalized for the coronavirus until they got a special waiver.
Matthew Donovan, the undersecretary for defense personnel, told Pentagon reporters that such individuals will now be treated on a case-by-case basis, much like the military treats potential recruits with other infectious diseases or conditions such as asthma.
In an early May memo, the Pentagon had said that applicants who have tested positive for the virus but did not require hospitalization will be allowed to enlist, as long as all health and other requirements are met. But anyone who had been hospitalized with the virus may have longer-term physical limitations. So those people would be considered “permanently disqualified” and would have to request a waiver from the military service they want to enter.
That requirement regarding hospitalized applicants has now been shelved. And the Pentagon is simply reverting to previously existing regulations that govern how recruiting centers deal with anyone who has had an infectious disease.
Donovan said that any potential recruit who comes in and is showing symptoms will be referred to their medical provider and told to come back when they are COVID-free. If an applicant was hospitalized, they would go through additional screening and possibly other health tests, and they could be required to get a waiver in some cases.
Anyone who has tested positive for the virus must wait 28 days before trying to enlist.
Some patients hospitalized with the virus have suffered lung damage. Long-term lung damage could hinder recruits from passing grueling physical requirements for military services.


shareblue--2020-05-23--Federal safety recommendations for meatpacking workers can't be enforced

Federal recommendations meant to keep meatpacking workers safe as they return to plants that were shuttered by the coronavirus have little enforcement muscle behind them , fueling anxiety that working conditions could put employees ' lives at risk .
Extensive guidance issued last month by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that meatpacking companies erect physical barriers , enforce social distancing , and install more hand-sanitizing stations , among other steps .
But the guidance is not mandatory .
`` It 's like , 'Here 's what we 'd like you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't want to do it , you do n't have to , ' '' said Mark Lauritsen , international vice president and director of the food processing and meatpacking division for the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union .
The pandemic is `` the most massive workers ' safety crisis in many decades , and OSHA is in the closet .
OSHA is hiding , '' said David Michaels , an epidemiologist who was the agency 's assistant secretary of labor under President Barack Obama .
Michaels called on OSHA to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would include the threat of fines .
OSHA 's general guidance plainly says the recommendations are advisory and `` not a standard or regulation , '' and they create `` no new legal obligations . ''
But the guidance also says employers must follow a law known as the general duty clause , which requires companies to provide a workplace free of recognized hazards .
Critics say that rule is unlikely to be enforced , especially after Donald Trump signed an executive order in April aimed at keeping meat plants open .
Already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts and pressure to keep plants running : — Shortly before Trump 's order , state regulators in Iowa declined to inspect a Tyson Foods pork plant despite a complaint alleging workers had been exposed to the virus in crowded conditions .
Documents obtained by the Associated Press show Iowa 's OSHA agency took 2 1/2 weeks to contact Tyson , get a response , and conclude that the company 's voluntary efforts to improve social distancing at the Perry plant were `` satisfactory . ''
Within a week later , 730 workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — had tested positive .
— In Kansas , the state softened its quarantine guidelines after industry executives pushed to allow potentially exposed employees to continue going to work , according to emails and text messages obtained by the Kansas City Star and the Wichita Eagle .
The state had previously advised such employees to quarantine for two weeks , before conforming to the more lenient CDC guideline , which allows employees to continue working if they have no symptoms and use precautions .
The move came after Tyson raised a concern with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After Trump 's executive order — developed with input from the industry — the Labor Department and OSHA said OSHA would use discretion and consider `` good faith attempts '' to follow safety recommendations .
Employers would be given a chance to explain if some are not met .
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue made clear in letters earlier this month that the Department of Agriculture expected state and local officials to work with meat plants to keep them running .
And he said any closed plants without a timetable to reopen had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USDA did not respond to repeated requests to provide those company plans to the AP .
When asked how guidelines would be enforced , a USDA spokesperson said enforcement was up to OSHA .
Major meatpackers JBS , Smithfield , and Tyson have said worker safety is their highest priority .
They provided the AP with summaries of their efforts to improve safety , but the plans themselves have not been made public .
Tyson said because the temporary suspension of its operations was voluntary and the company was already meeting or exceeding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to submit a reopening plan to the USDA .
One plan obtained by the AP , for the reopening of a JBS pork plant in Worthington , Minnesota , details multiple safety improvements , including installing physical barriers , increasing spacing between workers , and requiring protective equipment .
The plan includes photos .
It says employees will be screened for health issues , but it makes no mention of requiring testing .
JBS spokesman Cameron Bruett said the plan `` demonstrates the extraordinary measures '' the plant has taken `` to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food for the country . ''
In an emailed response to questions about how guidance would be enforced and what role OSHA would play in protecting workers , the Department of Labor said OSHA received 55 complaints in the animal-processing industry and opened 22 inspections since Feb. 1 .
Echoing language from the general duty clause , the agency also noted longstanding rules that require employers to provide a safe workplace .
`` OSHA 's standards remain in place and enforceable , and they will continue to be as workers return to their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Michaels , the former OSHA official , said the clause has no preventive effect and is generally enforced only after a worker is injured .
He said it 's effective only in cases in which OSHA conducts an inspection and issues citations and the employer agrees to fix the problem — so any impact is felt months or years later .
Michaels said OSHA will not issue citations if employers are doing their best to eliminate a hazard but find it 's not feasible .
Jeffrey Lancaster , founder and CEO of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said violations of the general duty clause can get expensive , especially if companies are found to be repeat violators , have a willful violation , or fail to fix an issue .
`` The laws have been in place , '' he said .
`` It 's just a new ballgame – a new hazard . ''
Minnesota is one of 22 states or territories with worker-protection agencies that cover private and government workers , and the state OSHA has the power to enforce the CDC and state Department of Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duty clause , spokesman James Honerman said .
The agency has two open investigations into the meatpacking businesses — one at a JBS plant in Worthington and one at a Pilgrim 's Pride plant in Cold Spring , said Honerman , who could not discuss the investigations because they are pending .
Lauritsen , with the food workers ' union , said OSHA has not done enough to hold employers accountable .
The union is advocating for access to daily testing for all meat-production workers , personal protective equipment if necessary , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large , if our members are healthy enough , if they are not sick or on quarantine , they are going to show up to do their job , '' Lauritsen said .
`` But that does n't mean that they 're not anxious or not nervous . ''

Federal recommendations meant to keep meatpacking workers safe as they return to plants that were shuttered by the coronavirus have little enforcement muscle behind them, fueling anxiety that working conditions could put employees’ lives at risk.
Extensive guidance issued last month by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that meatpacking companies erect physical barriers, enforce social distancing, and install more hand-sanitizing stations, among other steps. But the guidance is not mandatory.
“It’s like, ‘Here’s what we’d like you to do. But if you don’t want to do it, you don’t have to,'” said Mark Lauritsen, international vice president and director of the food processing and meatpacking division for the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.
The pandemic is “the most massive workers’ safety crisis in many decades, and OSHA is in the closet. OSHA is hiding,” said David Michaels, an epidemiologist who was the agency’s assistant secretary of labor under President Barack Obama. Michaels called on OSHA to make the guidelines mandatory and enforceable, which would include the threat of fines.
OSHA’s general guidance plainly says the recommendations are advisory and “not a standard or regulation,” and they create “no new legal obligations.”
But the guidance also says employers must follow a law known as the general duty clause, which requires companies to provide a workplace free of recognized hazards. Critics say that rule is unlikely to be enforced, especially after Donald Trump signed an executive order in April aimed at keeping meat plants open.
Already, examples have emerged of questionable enforcement efforts and pressure to keep plants running:
— Shortly before Trump’s order, state regulators in Iowa declined to inspect a Tyson Foods pork plant despite a complaint alleging workers had been exposed to the virus in crowded conditions. Documents obtained by the Associated Press show Iowa’s OSHA agency took 2 1/2 weeks to contact Tyson, get a response, and conclude that the company’s voluntary efforts to improve social distancing at the Perry plant were “satisfactory.” Within a week later, 730 workers — almost 60% of the workforce — had tested positive.
— In Kansas, the state softened its quarantine guidelines after industry executives pushed to allow potentially exposed employees to continue going to work, according to emails and text messages obtained by the Kansas City Star and the Wichita Eagle. The state had previously advised such employees to quarantine for two weeks, before conforming to the more lenient CDC guideline, which allows employees to continue working if they have no symptoms and use precautions. The move came after Tyson raised a concern with the state of rising worker absenteeism.
After Trump’s executive order — developed with input from the industry — the Labor Department and OSHA said OSHA would use discretion and consider “good faith attempts” to follow safety recommendations. Employers would be given a chance to explain if some are not met. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue made clear in letters earlier this month that the Department of Agriculture expected state and local officials to work with meat plants to keep them running. And he said any closed plants without a timetable to reopen had to submit protocols to the USDA.
The USDA did not respond to repeated requests to provide those company plans to the AP. When asked how guidelines would be enforced, a USDA spokesperson said enforcement was up to OSHA.
Major meatpackers JBS, Smithfield, and Tyson have said worker safety is their highest priority. They provided the AP with summaries of their efforts to improve safety, but the plans themselves have not been made public. Tyson said because the temporary suspension of its operations was voluntary and the company was already meeting or exceeding federal guidance, it was not required to submit a reopening plan to the USDA.
One plan obtained by the AP, for the reopening of a JBS pork plant in Worthington, Minnesota, details multiple safety improvements, including installing physical barriers, increasing spacing between workers, and requiring protective equipment. The plan includes photos. It says employees will be screened for health issues, but it makes no mention of requiring testing.
JBS spokesman Cameron Bruett said the plan “demonstrates the extraordinary measures” the plant has taken “to keep our team members safe as they provide food for the country.”
In an emailed response to questions about how guidance would be enforced and what role OSHA would play in protecting workers, the Department of Labor said OSHA received 55 complaints in the animal-processing industry and opened 22 inspections since Feb. 1.
Echoing language from the general duty clause, the agency also noted longstanding rules that require employers to provide a safe workplace.
“OSHA’s standards remain in place and enforceable, and they will continue to be as workers return to their workplaces,” a labor spokesperson said.
Michaels, the former OSHA official, said the clause has no preventive effect and is generally enforced only after a worker is injured. He said it’s effective only in cases in which OSHA conducts an inspection and issues citations and the employer agrees to fix the problem — so any impact is felt months or years later.
Michaels said OSHA will not issue citations if employers are doing their best to eliminate a hazard but find it’s not feasible.
Jeffrey Lancaster, founder and CEO of Lancaster Safety Consulting in Wexford, Pennsylvania, said violations of the general duty clause can get expensive, especially if companies are found to be repeat violators, have a willful violation, or fail to fix an issue.
“The laws have been in place,” he said. “It’s just a new ballgame – a new hazard.”
Minnesota is one of 22 states or territories with worker-protection agencies that cover private and government workers, and the state OSHA has the power to enforce the CDC and state Department of Health’s COVID-19 safety guidelines under the general duty clause, spokesman James Honerman said.
The agency has two open investigations into the meatpacking businesses — one at a JBS plant in Worthington and one at a Pilgrim’s Pride plant in Cold Spring, said Honerman, who could not discuss the investigations because they are pending.
Lauritsen, with the food workers’ union, said OSHA has not done enough to hold employers accountable. The union is advocating for access to daily testing for all meat-production workers, personal protective equipment if necessary, and paid sick leave.
“By and large, if our members are healthy enough, if they are not sick or on quarantine, they are going to show up to do their job,” Lauritsen said. “But that doesn’t mean that they’re not anxious or not nervous.”


shareblue--2020-05-24--Small free libraries are helping people survive lockdowns across the country

Christine Gale Reynolds worked at the public library in Yosemite National Park before it closed in March when California Gov .
Gavin Newsom issued shutdown orders to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
So she filled the back of her car with donated books and began her own mobile library .
`` I know this may not be legal , conventional , or ethically sound , and yet it has worked for many , and I feel of use , '' she said .
She physically distances while making her stops and sanitizes the books .
Across the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in little free libraries as readers look to pass the time .
Made of wood or brick and placed in front of parks or in the trunk of a car , the libraries have seen their small spaces overwhelmed with books .
Whether it 's `` Love in the Time of Cholera '' by Gabriel García Márquez or children 's books or `` Macbeth , '' the libraries provide some their only interaction of the day outside of the home .
Since 2009 , tens of thousands of little free libraries have sprung @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 other countries .
The small spaces operate by donations and through volunteers .
In rural areas , where broadband internet is sparse , the little free libraries may be only place to find a Toni Morrison novel .
In March , the Hudson , Wisconsin-based Little Free Library nonprofit group unveiled its 100,000th book-sharing box — donated to the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans in a historic Latino neighborhood in Houston .
The free libraries have become so popular in recent weeks that the Little Free Library group issued recommendations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clean by using disinfectant and following U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines .
`` We have definitely seen an increase in use , '' said John Sweet , who helps oversee a free library in Bend , Oregon .
He said volunteers check their free library weekly , and the selection is always different than the week before ; sometimes there are even jigsaw puzzles .
Janelle Will of Akron , Michigan , said her tiny farm village of 300 people does n't have a public library , but its free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using my stash to keep it filled and Lysol the books before placing them in the library , '' she said .
Only around 1,000 people live in the Yosemite Valley , where entertainment options are limited and some residents say Gale Reynolds ' mobile library — and her friendly chats — offer a needed break .
`` I live in a rural area , so internet is not a guarantee , so time that some people might fill with Netflix or other online streaming services is not an option for me .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ gap , '' said Connor Timpone , who lives in El Portal , east of the Yosemite Valley .
`` Books have been a bright spot through these past few weeks for me . ''
In the mountain community of Placitas , New Mexico , the little free library outside a food co-op was packed this month with DVD copies of `` Better Call Saul , '' the popular prequel to AMC 's `` Breaking Bad , '' which was filmed in nearby Albuquerque .
Boston 's little libraries in historic black neighborhoods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Rita Harkins Dickinson , a retired educator in Phoenix , ca n't recall ever seeing so many people peek at the little library in her front yard , including parents with very young children .
`` Since more people are walking , I think they 're noticing it , '' Dickinson said .
`` We have more families and more people who look to be retired . ''
Kerri Kaplan , a fifth-grade teacher in Phoenix , built a public bookcase for her front yard years ago and says more people have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
`` I used to have to stock it more myself , and now it runs itself , '' Kaplan said .
Greig Metzger , executive director of the Little Free Library nonprofit , said the spaces also have a new purpose .
Readers are leaving canned goods and other needed items to assists fellow neighbors during the economic downturn and uncertainty .
`` They 've allowed neighbors to help one another without getting physically close , '' Metzger said .
Tara La O Garcia , a teacher in Phoenix , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free library in front of her school .
It 's used by neighbors and some nearby homeless people .
`` I also put in school supplies , snacks , toys , and puzzles so that families have things to do at home that are not on a screen , '' she said .
`` My mom , '' she said , `` has even made cotton washable masks to put inside . ''

Christine Gale Reynolds worked at the public library in Yosemite National Park before it closed in March when California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued shutdown orders to slow the spread of the coronavirus. So she filled the back of her car with donated books and began her own mobile library.
“I know this may not be legal, conventional, or ethically sound, and yet it has worked for many, and I feel of use,” she said. She physically distances while making her stops and sanitizes the books.
Across the United States, volunteers are reporting a jump in little free libraries as readers look to pass the time. Made of wood or brick and placed in front of parks or in the trunk of a car, the libraries have seen their small spaces overwhelmed with books.
Whether it’s “Love in the Time of Cholera” by Gabriel García Márquez or children’s books or “Macbeth,” the libraries provide some their only interaction of the day outside of the home.
Since 2009, tens of thousands of little free libraries have sprung up in the U.S. and more than 100 other countries. The small spaces operate by donations and through volunteers. In rural areas, where broadband internet is sparse, the little free libraries may be only place to find a Toni Morrison novel.
In March, the Hudson, Wisconsin-based Little Free Library nonprofit group unveiled its 100,000th book-sharing box — donated to the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans in a historic Latino neighborhood in Houston.
The free libraries have become so popular in recent weeks that the Little Free Library group issued recommendations to stewards on helping keep the spaces clean by using disinfectant and following U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
“We have definitely seen an increase in use,” said John Sweet, who helps oversee a free library in Bend, Oregon. He said volunteers check their free library weekly, and the selection is always different than the week before; sometimes there are even jigsaw puzzles.
Janelle Will of Akron, Michigan, said her tiny farm village of 300 people doesn’t have a public library, but its free library remains busy. “I am using my stash to keep it filled and Lysol the books before placing them in the library,” she said.
Only around 1,000 people live in the Yosemite Valley, where entertainment options are limited and some residents say Gale Reynolds’ mobile library — and her friendly chats — offer a needed break.
“I live in a rural area, so internet is not a guarantee, so time that some people might fill with Netflix or other online streaming services is not an option for me. I turned to books to fill that gap,” said Connor Timpone, who lives in El Portal, east of the Yosemite Valley. “Books have been a bright spot through these past few weeks for me.”
In the mountain community of Placitas, New Mexico, the little free library outside a food co-op was packed this month with DVD copies of “Better Call Saul,” the popular prequel to AMC’s “Breaking Bad,” which was filmed in nearby Albuquerque. Boston’s little libraries in historic black neighborhoods had children’s books and household supplies.
Rita Harkins Dickinson, a retired educator in Phoenix, can’t recall ever seeing so many people peek at the little library in her front yard, including parents with very young children.
“Since more people are walking, I think they’re noticing it,” Dickinson said. “We have more families and more people who look to be retired.”
Kerri Kaplan, a fifth-grade teacher in Phoenix, built a public bookcase for her front yard years ago and says more people have been selecting and donating books since the pandemic.
“I used to have to stock it more myself, and now it runs itself,” Kaplan said.
Greig Metzger, executive director of the Little Free Library nonprofit, said the spaces also have a new purpose. Readers are leaving canned goods and other needed items to assists fellow neighbors during the economic downturn and uncertainty.
“They’ve allowed neighbors to help one another without getting physically close,” Metzger said.
Tara La O Garcia, a teacher in Phoenix, said that’s why she publicized the little free library in front of her school. It’s used by neighbors and some nearby homeless people. “I also put in school supplies, snacks, toys, and puzzles so that families have things to do at home that are not on a screen,” she said.
“My mom,” she said, “has even made cotton washable masks to put inside.”


shareblue--2020-05-24--Nations around the world start to open up — but it's not business as usual

This is what `` normal '' will look like for the foreseeable future .
In Connecticut , restaurants are reopening with outdoor-only dining and tables 6 feet apart .
In Beverly Hills , California , the rich and glamorous are doing their shopping from the curb along Rodeo Drive .
And preschools around the U.S. plan to turn social distancing into an arts-and-crafts project by teaching kids how to `` create their own space '' with things like yarn and masking tape .
As the United States and other countries loosen their coronavirus restrictions , it 's back to business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In fact , it is becoming all too clear that without a vaccine against the scourge , the disruptions could be long-lasting and the economy wo n't be bouncing right back .
In Italy , where good food is an essential part of life , once-packed restaurants and cafes are facing a huge financial hit as they reopen with strict social distancing rules after a 10-week shutdown .
Experts warned that as many as one-third of the country 's restaurants and bars could go out of business , up to 300,000 jobs in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reach 30 billion euros ( $ 32 billion ) this year .
`` We have to turn upside down all the activity that we did before , '' lamented chef Raffaele di Cristo , who must wear a mask and latex gloves as he prepares food at the popular Corsi Trattoria in Rome .
`` Everything is changed . ''
Corsi reopened this week with half its tables removed to ensure the mandated 1-meter ( 3-foot ) spacing .
Hand sanitizing gel was placed at the entrance , and a new ordering system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the menu on their phones instead of listening to waitresses recite the specials .
In Connecticut , restaurants that reopened Wednesday for outdoor dining are required to rearrange workstations so that employees do n't face one another , and stagger shifts and break times to minimize contact among them .
Markers must be installed to encourage customers to keep their distance from one another .
In Glastonbury , Connecticut , the Max Fish restaurant opened for lunch with 16 tables on outdoor patios .
Customers filled about half the tables in the early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reserved for dinner , general manager Brian Costa said .
Friends and retirees Debbie Lawrence and Jill Perry , who often ate out together before the outbreak , enjoyed a meal at Max Fish .
`` It was terrific .
It 's just wonderful to be outside , '' Lawrence said .
`` But I 'm still a little leery of going to any stores . ''
At the Crab Shell Restaurant on the waterfront in Stamford , co-owner James Clifford held up a roughly 6-foot-long ( 2-meter-long ) stick he said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too close together .
`` I just hope the outdoor people do n't get greedy and they do n't overstep their bounds , '' he said .
`` Because if you ca n't get it right outdoors , how can you get it indoors ? ''
In Fredericksburg , Virginia , one restaurant that recently reopened its patio has taken an extra step to reassure diners .
The Colonial Tavern is taking staff members ' temperatures at the start of their shifts and posting the results for customers to see .
Some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
They are intended for child care centers , schools , day camps , mass transit systems , restaurants , bars and other businesses and organizations .
For example , the CDC suggests mass transit systems close every other row of seats and limit how many riders can be on a bus or train .
Amid the wave of reopenings , many Americans remain wary , according to a new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research .
The poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least somewhat concerned that lifting restrictions in their area will lead to additional infections .
The poll also exposed a widening partisan divide on the topic , with Democrats more cautious and Republicans less anxious as Donald Trump urges states to `` open up our country . ''
Only about a third of Republicans say they are very or extremely concerned about additional infections , compared with three-quarters of Democrats .
About 5 million people worldwide have been confirmed infected , and over 328,000 deaths have been recorded , including over 93,000 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University , based on government data .
Experts believe the true toll is significantly higher .
With the virus far from vanquished , the reopenings could prove to be a stop-and-start , two-steps-forward-one-step-back process .
Ford temporarily halted production at two of its assembly plants Tuesday and Wednesday in Chicago and Dearborn , Michigan , after three autoworkers tested positive for the virus .
Work was stopped to sanitize equipment and isolate those who were in contact with the infected employees .
Detroit 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Monday after a two-month shutdown .
Education , too , is facing radical changes .
Cambridge became the first university in Britain to cancel all face-to-face lectures for the upcoming school year , saying they will be held virtually and streamed online until the summer of 2021 .
Other institutions have taken different tacks .
The University of Notre Dame in Indiana will bring students back to campus but redesigned its calendar to start the semester early in August and end before Thanksgiving .
In South Korea , hundreds of thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and used hand sanitizer as they returned Wednesday , many for the first time since late last year .
Students and teachers were required to wear masks , and some schools installed plastic partitions around desks .
France is limiting spaces in its primary schools , giving priority to the children of essential workers and those in need .
Some younger students even go on alternating days , while high schools remain closed .
People 's gratitude at being able to shop or eat out again is mingling with worries about job security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farmer 's market with a mixed mood among the masked , gloved vendors .
A man selling peonies and petunias said he was glad to get out and see shoppers again , while a woman selling asparagus and tomatoes behind a makeshift plastic screen grumbled that her customers were buying less than usual .
British aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce announced plans to cut 9,000 workers as it grapples with the collapse in air travel .
In general , those jobs come with good pay and benefits , and losing them is a sharp @ @ @ @ @

This is what “normal” will look like for the foreseeable future.
In Connecticut, restaurants are reopening with outdoor-only dining and tables 6 feet apart. In Beverly Hills, California, the rich and glamorous are doing their shopping from the curb along Rodeo Drive. And preschools around the U.S. plan to turn social distancing into an arts-and-crafts project by teaching kids how to “create their own space” with things like yarn and masking tape.
As the United States and other countries loosen their coronavirus restrictions, it’s back to business, but not business as usual. In fact, it is becoming all too clear that without a vaccine against the scourge, the disruptions could be long-lasting and the economy won’t be bouncing right back.
In Italy, where good food is an essential part of life, once-packed restaurants and cafes are facing a huge financial hit as they reopen with strict social distancing rules after a 10-week shutdown.
Experts warned that as many as one-third of the country’s restaurants and bars could go out of business, up to 300,000 jobs in the sector could vanish and losses could reach 30 billion euros ($32 billion) this year.
“We have to turn upside down all the activity that we did before,” lamented chef Raffaele di Cristo, who must wear a mask and latex gloves as he prepares food at the popular Corsi Trattoria in Rome. “Everything is changed.”
Corsi reopened this week with half its tables removed to ensure the mandated 1-meter (3-foot) spacing. Hand sanitizing gel was placed at the entrance, and a new ordering system was installed so that customers could read the menu on their phones instead of listening to waitresses recite the specials.
In Connecticut, restaurants that reopened Wednesday for outdoor dining are required to rearrange workstations so that employees don’t face one another, and stagger shifts and break times to minimize contact among them. Markers must be installed to encourage customers to keep their distance from one another.
In Glastonbury, Connecticut, the Max Fish restaurant opened for lunch with 16 tables on outdoor patios. Customers filled about half the tables in the early afternoon, and all the tables were reserved for dinner, general manager Brian Costa said.
Friends and retirees Debbie Lawrence and Jill Perry, who often ate out together before the outbreak, enjoyed a meal at Max Fish.
“It was terrific. It’s just wonderful to be outside,” Lawrence said. “But I’m still a little leery of going to any stores.”
At the Crab Shell Restaurant on the waterfront in Stamford, co-owner James Clifford held up a roughly 6-foot-long (2-meter-long) stick he said he used to make sure chairs weren’t too close together.
“I just hope the outdoor people don’t get greedy and they don’t overstep their bounds,” he said. “Because if you can’t get it right outdoors, how can you get it indoors?”
In Fredericksburg, Virginia, one restaurant that recently reopened its patio has taken an extra step to reassure diners. The Colonial Tavern is taking staff members’ temperatures at the start of their shifts and posting the results for customers to see.
Some of new rules for dining out echo reopening guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They are intended for child care centers, schools, day camps, mass transit systems, restaurants, bars and other businesses and organizations.
For example, the CDC suggests mass transit systems close every other row of seats and limit how many riders can be on a bus or train.
Amid the wave of reopenings, many Americans remain wary, according to a new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll says 83% of Americans are at least somewhat concerned that lifting restrictions in their area will lead to additional infections.
The poll also exposed a widening partisan divide on the topic, with Democrats more cautious and Republicans less anxious as Donald Trump urges states to “open up our country.” Only about a third of Republicans say they are very or extremely concerned about additional infections, compared with three-quarters of Democrats.
About 5 million people worldwide have been confirmed infected, and over 328,000 deaths have been recorded, including over 93,000 in the U.S. and around 165,000 in Europe, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University, based on government data. Experts believe the true toll is significantly higher.
With the virus far from vanquished, the reopenings could prove to be a stop-and-start, two-steps-forward-one-step-back process.
Ford temporarily halted production at two of its assembly plants Tuesday and Wednesday in Chicago and Dearborn, Michigan, after three autoworkers tested positive for the virus. Work was stopped to sanitize equipment and isolate those who were in contact with the infected employees.
Detroit’s Big Three automakers restarted their U.S. factories on Monday after a two-month shutdown.
Education, too, is facing radical changes.
Cambridge became the first university in Britain to cancel all face-to-face lectures for the upcoming school year, saying they will be held virtually and streamed online until the summer of 2021.
Other institutions have taken different tacks. The University of Notre Dame in Indiana will bring students back to campus but redesigned its calendar to start the semester early in August and end before Thanksgiving.
In South Korea, hundreds of thousands of high school seniors had their temperatures checked and used hand sanitizer as they returned Wednesday, many for the first time since late last year. Students and teachers were required to wear masks, and some schools installed plastic partitions around desks.
France is limiting spaces in its primary schools, giving priority to the children of essential workers and those in need. Some younger students even go on alternating days, while high schools remain closed.
People’s gratitude at being able to shop or eat out again is mingling with worries about job security.
Business was slow at a Paris farmer’s market with a mixed mood among the masked, gloved vendors. A man selling peonies and petunias said he was glad to get out and see shoppers again, while a woman selling asparagus and tomatoes behind a makeshift plastic screen grumbled that her customers were buying less than usual.
British aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce announced plans to cut 9,000 workers as it grapples with the collapse in air travel. In general, those jobs come with good pay and benefits, and losing them is a sharp blow to local communities.


shareblue--2020-05-25--Most Americans aren't willing to go to restaurants or gyms just yet

Much of the country remains unlikely to venture out to bars , restaurants , theaters , or gyms anytime soon , despite state and local officials across the country increasingly allowing businesses to reopen , according to a new survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research .
That hesitancy in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak could muffle any recovery from what has been the sharpest and swiftest economic downturn in U.S. history .
Just 42 % of those who went to concerts , movies , theaters , or sporting events at least monthly before the outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next few weeks if they could .
Only about half of those who regularly went to restaurants , exercised at the gym , or traveled would feel comfortable doing so again .
About a quarter of Americans say someone in their household has lost a job amid that downturn , and about half have lost household income , including layoffs , pay cuts , cut hours , or unpaid time off .
The majority of those whose household suffered a layoff still believe they will return to their previous employer , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has risen slightly over the past month , to 30 % from 20 % .
Amber Van Den Berge , a teacher in Indiana , held off on immediately returning to her second job as a fitness instructor .
She would need to pass a test for COVID-19 , get her temperature checked each morning , and lead class while wearing a protective mask .
`` Wear a mask to teach a fitness class ?
I 'm not ready for that , '' said Van Den Berge , 39 .
The speed and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thwarted because many fear the risk of new infections .
Consumers make up roughly 70 % of U.S. economic activity , so anything less than a total recovery in spending would force many companies to permanently close and deepen the financial pain for 39 million people who have lost jobs in roughly the past two months .
Forty-nine percent of Americans approve of how Donald Trump is handling the economy , the poll shows .
That has slipped over the last two months , from 56 % in March .
Still , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whose overall approval rating stands at 41 % .
Trump has at times downplayed the threat of the coronavirus and the benefits of testing and has criticized the leadership of Democratic governors .
Meanwhile , many Democratic lawmakers have insisted on the importance of containing the disease and sustaining the economy with federal aid .
Greg Yost , a Republican from Rockaway , New Jersey , says he wishes the president would defer more to medical experts , rather than speak off the cuff .
But he added that he thinks Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacks .
`` He 's between a rock and a hard place , '' Yost said .
But ShyJuan Clemons , 45 , of Merrillville , Indiana , says Trump has made the fallout from the pandemic worse by initially denying its dangers and failing to display much empathy for those hurt by the coronavirus .
`` Even my cat knows that he 's terrible , '' said Clemons , referring to his 14-year-old Siamese mix , Shinji .
Clemons works with special needs people and worries about his hours if Indiana — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease — cuts its budget .
But it also shows how an atmosphere of political polarization may be feeding both an eagerness by some to return and a reluctance by others to resume their previous lifestyles .
Among those who did so at least monthly before the outbreak , Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to say they 'd go to restaurants ( 69 % to 37 % ) , movies , concerts , or theaters ( 68 % to 28 % ) , travel ( 65 % to 38 % ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fitness studio ( 61 % to 44 % ) .
Sixty-nine percent of those who regularly shopped in person for nonessential items before the outbreak , including majorities among both parties , say they 'd be likely to wander malls and stores again .
But Republicans are more likely to say so than Democrats , 82 % to 61 % .
Yost expressed no qualms about going out because he believes the economic damage from shelter-in-place orders will be worse than the deaths from the disease .
`` What 's going to happen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of other problems are going to arise because we shut down the economy ? ''
said Yost , a vice president of operations at an insurance agency .
`` I would go to a restaurant and feel comfortable with my kids and not even have masks on . ''
Still , there 's an exception to the partisan divide , with 76 % of Republicans and 69 % of Democrats who get haircuts on at least a monthly basis saying they 'd do that in the next few weeks if they could .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans , 70 % , describe the economy as poor , but their outlook for the future is highly partisan .
Sixty-two percent of Republicans expect improvement in the coming year , while 56 % of Democrats say it will worsen .
At the same time , two-thirds of Americans say their personal finances are good , which has remained steady since before the outbreak began .
Many families have been able to survive the downturn because of aid such as direct payments to taxpayers and expanded unemployment benefits that will expire in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has watched the job losses from the sidelines as a retired mathematician in Keyser , West Virginia .
He was already cautious about going out because of a compromised immune system from cancer treatments .
The disease stopped his weekly poker game .
He lived through the polio crisis , dealt with gas rationing during the 1970s , and worked in Nigeria during the Ebola scare .
He calculates the United States will need to be patient about an economic comeback .
`` Until we have a vaccine , particularly for those folks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be awhile , '' Durst said .
`` If we get something in two years , if we 're so fortunate to be able to do that , I think that would be fantastic . ''
The AP-NORC poll of 1,056 adults was conducted May 14-18 using a sample drawn from NORC 's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel , which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population .
The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.2 percentage points .

Much of the country remains unlikely to venture out to bars, restaurants, theaters, or gyms anytime soon, despite state and local officials across the country increasingly allowing businesses to reopen, according to a new survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
That hesitancy in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak could muffle any recovery from what has been the sharpest and swiftest economic downturn in U.S. history. Just 42% of those who went to concerts, movies, theaters, or sporting events at least monthly before the outbreak say they’d do so in the next few weeks if they could. Only about half of those who regularly went to restaurants, exercised at the gym, or traveled would feel comfortable doing so again.
About a quarter of Americans say someone in their household has lost a job amid that downturn, and about half have lost household income, including layoffs, pay cuts, cut hours, or unpaid time off. The majority of those whose household suffered a layoff still believe they will return to their previous employer, but the share expecting their job will not return has risen slightly over the past month, to 30% from 20%.
Amber Van Den Berge, a teacher in Indiana, held off on immediately returning to her second job as a fitness instructor. She would need to pass a test for COVID-19, get her temperature checked each morning, and lead class while wearing a protective mask.
“Wear a mask to teach a fitness class? I’m not ready for that,” said Van Den Berge, 39.
The speed and strength of any economic rebound could be thwarted because many fear the risk of new infections. Consumers make up roughly 70% of U.S. economic activity, so anything less than a total recovery in spending would force many companies to permanently close and deepen the financial pain for 39 million people who have lost jobs in roughly the past two months.
Forty-nine percent of Americans approve of how Donald Trump is handling the economy, the poll shows. That has slipped over the last two months, from 56% in March. Still, the issue remains a relative positive for Trump, whose overall approval rating stands at 41%.
Trump has at times downplayed the threat of the coronavirus and the benefits of testing and has criticized the leadership of Democratic governors. Meanwhile, many Democratic lawmakers have insisted on the importance of containing the disease and sustaining the economy with federal aid.
Greg Yost, a Republican from Rockaway, New Jersey, says he wishes the president would defer more to medical experts, rather than speak off the cuff. But he added that he thinks Trump believes he must defend himself against personal attacks.
“He’s between a rock and a hard place,” Yost said.
But ShyJuan Clemons, 45, of Merrillville, Indiana, says Trump has made the fallout from the pandemic worse by initially denying its dangers and failing to display much empathy for those hurt by the coronavirus.
“Even my cat knows that he’s terrible,” said Clemons, referring to his 14-year-old Siamese mix, Shinji.
Clemons works with special needs people and worries about his hours if Indiana — starved of tax revenues because of the disease — cuts its budget.
But it also shows how an atmosphere of political polarization may be feeding both an eagerness by some to return and a reluctance by others to resume their previous lifestyles.
Among those who did so at least monthly before the outbreak, Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to say they’d go to restaurants (69% to 37%), movies, concerts, or theaters (68% to 28%), travel (65% to 38%), and go to a gym or fitness studio (61% to 44%).
Sixty-nine percent of those who regularly shopped in person for nonessential items before the outbreak, including majorities among both parties, say they’d be likely to wander malls and stores again. But Republicans are more likely to say so than Democrats, 82% to 61%.
Yost expressed no qualms about going out because he believes the economic damage from shelter-in-place orders will be worse than the deaths from the disease.
“What’s going to happen with depression, homelessness — a lot of other problems are going to arise because we shut down the economy?” said Yost, a vice president of operations at an insurance agency. “I would go to a restaurant and feel comfortable with my kids and not even have masks on.”
Still, there’s an exception to the partisan divide, with 76% of Republicans and 69% of Democrats who get haircuts on at least a monthly basis saying they’d do that in the next few weeks if they could.
The poll finds an overwhelming majority of Americans, 70%, describe the economy as poor, but their outlook for the future is highly partisan. Sixty-two percent of Republicans expect improvement in the coming year, while 56% of Democrats say it will worsen.
At the same time, two-thirds of Americans say their personal finances are good, which has remained steady since before the outbreak began.
Many families have been able to survive the downturn because of aid such as direct payments to taxpayers and expanded unemployment benefits that will expire in July.
Mitchell Durst, 74, has watched the job losses from the sidelines as a retired mathematician in Keyser, West Virginia.
He was already cautious about going out because of a compromised immune system from cancer treatments. The disease stopped his weekly poker game. He lived through the polio crisis, dealt with gas rationing during the 1970s, and worked in Nigeria during the Ebola scare.
He calculates the United States will need to be patient about an economic comeback.
“Until we have a vaccine, particularly for those folks at risk, it’s going to be awhile,” Durst said. “If we get something in two years, if we’re so fortunate to be able to do that, I think that would be fantastic.”
___
The AP-NORC poll of 1,056 adults was conducted May 14-18 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.
Online:
AP-NORC Center: http://www.apnorc.org/.


shareblue--2020-05-25--Trump attacks scientists whose studies don't support his claims

`` A Trump enemy statement , '' he said of one study .
`` A political hit job , '' he said of another .
As Donald Trump pushes to reopen the country despite warnings from doctors about the consequences of moving too quickly during the coronavirus crisis , he has been lashing out at scientists whose conclusions he does n't like .
Twice this week , Trump has not only dismissed the findings of studies but suggested — without evidence — that their authors were motivated by politics and out to undermine his efforts to roll back coronavirus restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in part by his own government 's National Institutes of Health that raised alarms about the use of hydroxychloroquine , finding higher overall mortality in coronavirus patients who took the drug while in Veterans Administration hospitals .
Trump and many of his allies had been touting the drug as a miracle cure , and Trump this week revealed that he has been taking it to try to ward off the virus — despite an FDA warning last month that it should only be used in hospital settings or clinical trials because of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life-threatening heart problems .
The Lancet , one of the world 's oldest and most well-respected medical journals , published a new study Friday that echoed those findings .
`` If you look at the one survey , the only bad survey , they were giving it to people that were in very bad shape .
They were very old , almost dead , '' Trump told reporters Tuesday .
`` It was a Trump enemy statement . ''
He offered similar pushback Thursday to a new study from Columbia University 's Mailman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that more than 61 % of COVID-19 infections and 55 % of reported deaths — nearly 36,000 people — could have been been prevented had social distancing measures been put in place one week sooner .
Trump has repeatedly defended his administration 's handling of the virus in the face of persistent criticism that he acted too slowly .
`` Columbia 's an institution that 's very liberal , '' Trump told reporters Thursday .
`` I think it 's just a political hit job , you want to know the truth .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainstream science — dismissing human-made climate change as a `` hoax , '' suggesting that noise from wind turbines causes cancer , and claiming that exercise can deplete a body 's finite amount of energy .
It 's part of a larger skepticism of expertise and backlash against `` elites '' that has become increasingly popular among Trump 's conservative base .
But undermining Americans ' trust in the integrity and objectivity of scientists is especially dangerous during a pandemic when the public is relying on its leaders to develop policies based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gostin , a Georgetown University law professor who is an expert in public health .
`` We have every right to expect that our leaders will use the best science to keep us safe and protect us , '' Gostin said .
`` And so the idea that you reject objective scientific information that could inform policies that have life or death consequences is unfathomable . ''
The White House rejected that thinking , noting that Trump has followed his administration 's public health officials ' recommendations through much of the crisis .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not value scientific data or the important work of scientists is patently false as evidenced by the many data-driven decisions he has made to address the COVID-19 pandemic , including cutting off travel early from highly infected populations , expediting vaccine development , issuing the 15-day and later 30-day guidance to 'slow the spread , ' and providing governors with a clear , safe road map to opening up America again , '' White House spokesman Judd Deere said .
Yet Trump has made clear that , at least when it comes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including a letter he told reporters he 'd received from a doctor in Westchester County in New York claiming success with the drug .
Asked this week what evidence he had that the drug was effective in preventing COVID-19 — contrary to FDA guidance — Trump responded : `` Are you ready ?
Here 's my evidence : I get a lot of positive calls about it . ''
`` The only negative I 've heard , '' he added , `` was the study where they gave it — was it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know , people that are n't big Trump fans . ''
There is no evidence that the study , funded by grants from the NIH and the University of Virginia , was influenced by anyone 's opinions about Trump .
The retrospective analysis was conducted by researchers at several universities and looked at the impact of hydroxychloroquine in patients at veterans hospitals across the nation .
It found no benefit and more deaths among those given hydroxychloroquine versus standard care alone .
That work was posted online for researchers and has not been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ larger observational study that looked at the outcomes of nearly 100,000 patients in 671 hospitals on six continents published Friday sounded similar alarms .
The Columbia study , in draft form , also has n't yet been published or reviewed by other experts .
The researchers ran numbers through a mathematical model , making assumptions about how quickly the coronavirus spreads and how people behave in hypothetical circumstances .
Trump 's criticism of the studies also comes as his allies have been eager to counter messaging from public health experts who say Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states to quickly reopen in an election year .
Republican political operatives have been recruiting pro-Trump doctors to go on television to advocate for reviving the U.S. economy as quickly as possible , without waiting to meet federal safety benchmarks .
Gostin said Trump should leave it to his public health agencies to assess emerging data and the value of various studies .
`` I think there are real dangers , '' he said , `` for the president to play scientist and doctor on TV . ''

“A Trump enemy statement,” he said of one study.
“A political hit job,” he said of another.
As Donald Trump pushes to reopen the country despite warnings from doctors about the consequences of moving too quickly during the coronavirus crisis, he has been lashing out at scientists whose conclusions he doesn’t like.
Twice this week, Trump has not only dismissed the findings of studies but suggested — without evidence — that their authors were motivated by politics and out to undermine his efforts to roll back coronavirus restrictions.
First it was a study funded in part by his own government’s National Institutes of Health that raised alarms about the use of hydroxychloroquine, finding higher overall mortality in coronavirus patients who took the drug while in Veterans Administration hospitals. Trump and many of his allies had been touting the drug as a miracle cure, and Trump this week revealed that he has been taking it to try to ward off the virus — despite an FDA warning last month that it should only be used in hospital settings or clinical trials because of the risk of serious side effects, including life-threatening heart problems.
The Lancet, one of the world’s oldest and most well-respected medical journals, published a new study Friday that echoed those findings.
“If you look at the one survey, the only bad survey, they were giving it to people that were in very bad shape. They were very old, almost dead,” Trump told reporters Tuesday. “It was a Trump enemy statement.”
He offered similar pushback Thursday to a new study from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. It found that more than 61% of COVID-19 infections and 55% of reported deaths — nearly 36,000 people — could have been been prevented had social distancing measures been put in place one week sooner. Trump has repeatedly defended his administration’s handling of the virus in the face of persistent criticism that he acted too slowly.
“Columbia’s an institution that’s very liberal,” Trump told reporters Thursday. “I think it’s just a political hit job, you want to know the truth.”
Trump has long been skeptical of mainstream science — dismissing human-made climate change as a “hoax,” suggesting that noise from wind turbines causes cancer, and claiming that exercise can deplete a body’s finite amount of energy. It’s part of a larger skepticism of expertise and backlash against “elites” that has become increasingly popular among Trump’s conservative base.
But undermining Americans’ trust in the integrity and objectivity of scientists is especially dangerous during a pandemic when the public is relying on its leaders to develop policies based on the best available information, said Larry Gostin, a Georgetown University law professor who is an expert in public health.
“We have every right to expect that our leaders will use the best science to keep us safe and protect us,” Gostin said. “And so the idea that you reject objective scientific information that could inform policies that have life or death consequences is unfathomable.”
The White House rejected that thinking, noting that Trump has followed his administration’s public health officials’ recommendations through much of the crisis.
“Any suggestion that the president does not value scientific data or the important work of scientists is patently false as evidenced by the many data-driven decisions he has made to address the COVID-19 pandemic, including cutting off travel early from highly infected populations, expediting vaccine development, issuing the 15-day and later 30-day guidance to ‘slow the spread,’ and providing governors with a clear, safe road map to opening up America again,” White House spokesman Judd Deere said.
Yet Trump has made clear that, at least when it comes to hydroxychloroquine, he has prioritized anecdotal evidence, including a letter he told reporters he’d received from a doctor in Westchester County in New York claiming success with the drug.
Asked this week what evidence he had that the drug was effective in preventing COVID-19 — contrary to FDA guidance — Trump responded: “Are you ready? Here’s my evidence: I get a lot of positive calls about it.”
“The only negative I’ve heard,” he added, “was the study where they gave it — was it the VA? — with, you know, people that aren’t big Trump fans.”
There is no evidence that the study, funded by grants from the NIH and the University of Virginia, was influenced by anyone’s opinions about Trump. The retrospective analysis was conducted by researchers at several universities and looked at the impact of hydroxychloroquine in patients at veterans hospitals across the nation. It found no benefit and more deaths among those given hydroxychloroquine versus standard care alone. That work was posted online for researchers and has not been reviewed by other scientists, but a larger observational study that looked at the outcomes of nearly 100,000 patients in 671 hospitals on six continents published Friday sounded similar alarms.
The Columbia study, in draft form, also hasn’t yet been published or reviewed by other experts. The researchers ran numbers through a mathematical model, making assumptions about how quickly the coronavirus spreads and how people behave in hypothetical circumstances.
Trump’s criticism of the studies also comes as his allies have been eager to counter messaging from public health experts who say Trump is putting lives at risk by pushing states to quickly reopen in an election year. Republican political operatives have been recruiting pro-Trump doctors to go on television to advocate for reviving the U.S. economy as quickly as possible, without waiting to meet federal safety benchmarks.
Gostin said Trump should leave it to his public health agencies to assess emerging data and the value of various studies.
“I think there are real dangers,” he said, “for the president to play scientist and doctor on TV.”


shareblue--2020-05-26--Federal judge says transgender bathroom ban is like racist 'separate but equal' policy

A federal judge this week criticized a Virginia school board policy barring transgender students from using the bathroom that corresponds with their gender , comparing it to the racist `` separate but equal '' segregation policies of the Jim Crow era .
The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Virginia appeared in a videoconference before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday to argue that Gavin Grimm , a transgender man and former student at Gloucester High School , had his constitutional rights violated when the school denied him the ability to use the boys bathroom in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the high school but the school board 's policies on transgender people have continued to affect him because the board wo n't give him a transcript that matches his birth certificate 's gender marker , which is male .
In May 2016 , the Obama administration issued guidance detailing how federal laws already protected the rights of transgender students to use the bathroom corresponding with their gender identity .
However , the Trump administration later reversed that guidance in February 2017 .
Now , in light of the Trump era reversal , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August 2019 district court ruling that said the policy discriminates on the basis of sex .
Judge James A. Wynn , one of three judges on the panel overseeing that appeal , was having none of the board 's arguments this week .
In a court hearing on Tuesday , Wynn compared the school policy to the the `` separate but equal '' policies first adopted in the late 1800 's to segregate black and white establishments .
The 1896 U.S. Supreme Court decision Plessy v. Ferguson established `` separate but equal '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more .
In 1954 , the Court overturned that decision , ruling in Brown v. Board of Education that `` separate educational facilities '' were in fact `` inherently unequal '' and violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution 's 14th Amendment .
`` So you have established a class of individuals ...
I guess it 's what you 'd call a 'separate but equal ' bathroom right ? ''
Wynn asked one of the lawyers representing the school board this week .
The lawyer responded by arguing that separating transgender students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` separate but equal '' facilities because they were available to everyone , including for `` modesty . ''
Wynn noted that `` no one is going to that restroom but Grimm . ''
`` That 's like saying a black school is open to anybody for anybody to go to but you never have had a white student go to one of those schools — go into 'separate but equal ' schools , '' he said .
He added , `` I went to two of those schools .
I know what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Block , a senior staff attorney for the ACLU 's LGBT and HIV Project , also argued during Tuesday 's hearing that the bathroom policy , which did not allow Grimm to access the boys restroom , was not only separate but also unequal for two reasons .
First , Block said , barring Grimm from using the boys bathroom was stigmatizing and humiliating .
Second , the single stall bathroom Grimm was allowed to use was `` inadequate and difficult to access . ''
The single stall bathroom was reportedly far from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he suffered a urinary tract infection due to his inability to use the boys bathroom .
One of the other judges overseeing the case , Judge Paul V. Niemeyer , suggested this week that protecting transgender people against sex-based discrimination was Congress ' responsibility and not the court 's .
`` Now we have this transgender situation and I 'm wondering how we conduct the analysis .
... Is n't this better for Congress to handle ? ''
he asked .
The House in fact passed the Equality Act in 2019 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to transgender people , as well as lesbian , gay , and bisexual people , but the Senate has not taken up the legislation and Donald Trump has opposed the bill .
As Block noted on Tuesday , the U.S. Supreme Court will soon decide whether LGBTQ workers are protected by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , which may shed light on Grimm 's case and others like it .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

A federal judge this week criticized a Virginia school board policy barring transgender students from using the bathroom that corresponds with their gender, comparing it to the racist “separate but equal” segregation policies of the Jim Crow era.
The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Virginia appeared in a videoconference before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday to argue that Gavin Grimm, a transgender man and former student at Gloucester High School, had his constitutional rights violated when the school denied him the ability to use the boys bathroom in 2015.
Grimm has since graduated from the high school but the school board’s policies on transgender people have continued to affect him because the board won’t give him a transcript that matches his birth certificate’s gender marker, which is male.
In May 2016, the Obama administration issued guidance detailing how federal laws already protected the rights of transgender students to use the bathroom corresponding with their gender identity. However, the Trump administration later reversed that guidance in February 2017.
Now, in light of the Trump era reversal, the Gloucester County School Board is appealing an August 2019 district court ruling that said the policy discriminates on the basis of sex.
Judge James A. Wynn, one of three judges on the panel overseeing that appeal, was having none of the board’s arguments this week.
In a court hearing on Tuesday, Wynn compared the school policy to the the “separate but equal” policies first adopted in the late 1800’s to segregate black and white establishments.
The 1896 U.S. Supreme Court decision Plessy v. Ferguson established “separate but equal” facilities for education, housing, and more. In 1954, the Court overturned that decision, ruling in Brown v. Board of Education that “separate educational facilities” were in fact “inherently unequal” and violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment.
“So you have established a class of individuals … I guess it’s what you’d call a ‘separate but equal’ bathroom right?” Wynn asked one of the lawyers representing the school board this week.
The lawyer responded by arguing that separating transgender students into their own bathrooms did not constitute “separate but equal” facilities because they were available to everyone, including for “modesty.”
Wynn noted that “no one is going to that restroom but Grimm.”
“That’s like saying a black school is open to anybody for anybody to go to but you never have had a white student go to one of those schools — go into ‘separate but equal’ schools,” he said.
He added, “I went to two of those schools. I know what I’m talking about.”
Joshua Block, a senior staff attorney for the ACLU’s LGBT and HIV Project, also argued during Tuesday’s hearing that the bathroom policy, which did not allow Grimm to access the boys restroom, was not only separate but also unequal for two reasons.
First, Block said, barring Grimm from using the boys bathroom was stigmatizing and humiliating. Second, the single stall bathroom Grimm was allowed to use was “inadequate and difficult to access.”
The single stall bathroom was reportedly far from Grimm’s classrooms. Grimm said previously that he suffered a urinary tract infection due to his inability to use the boys bathroom.
One of the other judges overseeing the case, Judge Paul V. Niemeyer, suggested this week that protecting transgender people against sex-based discrimination was Congress’ responsibility and not the court’s.
“Now we have this transgender situation and I’m wondering how we conduct the analysis. …Isn’t this better for Congress to handle?” he asked.
The House in fact passed the Equality Act in 2019, which would explicitly offer these nondiscrimination protections to transgender people, as well as lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, but the Senate has not taken up the legislation and Donald Trump has opposed the bill.
As Block noted on Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court will soon decide whether LGBTQ workers are protected by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which may shed light on Grimm’s case and others like it.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-26--White House: Trump is the real victim of false murder accusations he made

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany struggled to defend Donald Trump 's tweets baselessly accusing MSNBC host Joe Scarborough of murder , claiming instead that it is Trump who has been wronged by Scarborough and his wife , fellow MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski .
McEnany 's comments came during a White House news conference on Tuesday after she was asked why Trump wo n't stop tweeting about the death of Lori Klausutis , who worked as an aide to Scarborough when he served as a member of Congress from Florida .
An autopsy report at the time found she died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heart issue .
Klausutis ' widower pleaded with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey in a letter to take the tweets down , saying they helped spread `` bile and misinformation '' and were `` disparaging the memory '' of his wife .
`` I do n't know if he 's seen the letter but I do know that our hearts are with Lori 's family at this time , '' McEnany said .
Reporters asked why Trump would make a `` nuts '' allegation , `` accusing somebody of possible murder . ''
McEnany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself , claiming that Scarborough `` joked '' about `` killing an intern '' in 2003 during an appearance on Don Imus ' radio show .
She also said Scarborough and Brzezinski have attacked Trump and his family .
`` I would note that the president said this morning that this is not an original Trump thought , '' McEnany said .
McEnany added , `` This morning ... Mika accused the president of being responsible for 100,000 deaths in this country .
That 's incredibly irresponsible .
They 've dragged his family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ false accusations that I wo n't go through , that I will not say from this podium , against the president of the United States . ''
The nation 's response to the coronavirus , which has killed nearly 100,000 in the United States , is overseen by Trump .
He has refused to take any responsibility for the death toll .
This is not the first time Trump has pushed a baseless conspiracy theory , having promoted them against Barack Obama , Hillary Clinton , and others he views as enemies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's caused pain to the family someone who has died .
He attacked Khizr Khan , the father of a soldier who died serving in Iraq , because Khan criticized him , and he continues to attack the late Sen. John McCain , another perceived enemy , a year after McCain 's death .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany struggled to defend Donald Trump’s tweets baselessly accusing MSNBC host Joe Scarborough of murder, claiming instead that it is Trump who has been wronged by Scarborough and his wife, fellow MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski.
McEnany’s comments came during a White House news conference on Tuesday after she was asked why Trump won’t stop tweeting about the death of Lori Klausutis, who worked as an aide to Scarborough when he served as a member of Congress from Florida.
An autopsy report at the time found she died from a fall due to an undiagnosed heart issue. Klausutis’ widower pleaded with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey in a letter to take the tweets down, saying they helped spread “bile and misinformation” and were “disparaging the memory” of his wife.
“I don’t know if he’s seen the letter but I do know that our hearts are with Lori’s family at this time,” McEnany said.
Reporters asked why Trump would make a “nuts” allegation, “accusing somebody of possible murder.”
McEnany pivoted to blame the allegations on Scarborough himself, claiming that Scarborough “joked” about “killing an intern” in 2003 during an appearance on Don Imus’ radio show. She also said Scarborough and Brzezinski have attacked Trump and his family.
“I would note that the president said this morning that this is not an original Trump thought,” McEnany said.
McEnany added, “This morning … Mika accused the president of being responsible for 100,000 deaths in this country. That’s incredibly irresponsible. They’ve dragged his family through the mud, they’ve made false accusations that I won’t go through, that I will not say from this podium, against the president of the United States.”
The nation’s response to the coronavirus, which has killed nearly 100,000 in the United States, is overseen by Trump. He has refused to take any responsibility for the death toll.
This is not the first time Trump has pushed a baseless conspiracy theory, having promoted them against Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and others he views as enemies.
Nor is it the first time he’s caused pain to the family someone who has died. He attacked Khizr Khan, the father of a soldier who died serving in Iraq, because Khan criticized him, and he continues to attack the late Sen. John McCain, another perceived enemy, a year after McCain’s death.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-26--White House press secretary attacks Biden for not wearing a mask at home

The CDC has recommended that a mask be worn in public to defend against spreading COVID-19 , but Trump 's press secretary seems to think they 're meant to be worn in private .
On Monday , Donald Trump retweeted criticism of former Vice President Joe Biden for wearing a protective mask in public on Memorial Day .
A day later his press secretary , Kayleigh McEnany , was asked about the topic .
REPORTER : Kayleigh .
the president tweeted , or retweeted , something which seemed to be criticizing Joe Biden for wearing a mask over the weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if it was , why would he criticize that ?
KAYLEIGH MCENANY : I think , look , you know , the president 's excited to see that Joe emerged from the basement .
It is a bit peculiar , though , that in his basement , right next to his wife , he 's not wearing a mask , but he 's wearing one outdoors when he 's socially distant .
So I think that there is a discrepancy there .
He 's not shaming anyone , as the president noted himself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Ford facility and he said he 's open to it if the circumstance mandates it .

On Monday, Donald Trump retweeted criticism of former Vice President Joe Biden for wearing a protective mask in public on Memorial Day. A day later his press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, was asked about the topic.
From a May 26 press briefing:
REPORTER: Kayleigh. the president tweeted, or retweeted, something which seemed to be criticizing Joe Biden for wearing a mask over the weekend. Was that his intention, and if it was, why would he criticize that?
KAYLEIGH MCENANY: I think, look, you know, the president’s excited to see that Joe emerged from the basement. It is a bit peculiar, though, that in his basement, right next to his wife, he’s not wearing a mask, but he’s wearing one outdoors when he’s socially distant. So I think that there is a discrepancy there.
He’s not shaming anyone, as the president noted himself, he wore his mask in private at the Ford facility and he said he’s open to it if the circumstance mandates it.