shareblue--2020-05-14--White House claims failing its own pandemic exercise proves it was prepared

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany claimed on Thursday that the Obama administration had left behind an `` insufficient '' pandemic response plan , and that Donald Trump had replaced it with a superior version that left his team completely prepared to face the current coronavirus crisis .
`` The Obama-Biden plan that has been referenced was insufficient , '' McEnany said during a press gaggle , citing the former administration 's pandemic playbook , first reported by Politico back in March .
She then bragged that the Trump administration had instead put together `` an entire 2018 pandemic preparedness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole exercise on pandemic preparedness in August of last year and had an entire after-action report put together '' on the matter .
The `` Obama-Biden paper packet , '' McEnany claimed , was replaced with a `` Trump-style pandemic preparedness response plan . ''
She then held up the two plans for emphasis , showing that the Trump plan had been collated in a colorful three-ring binder .
It was not immediately clear to what `` 2018 pandemic preparedness report '' McEnany was referring .
As Ronald Klain , former chief of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Al Gore , noted on Thursday , McEnany may have been citing the administration 's 2018 National Biodefense Strategy report , which clocks in at eight pages long and lays out broad-sweeping objectives for `` countering biological threats and incidents '' through a `` layered risk management approach . ''
McEnany also appeared to be holding up copies of the `` Pandemic Crisis Action Plan Ver .
2.0 '' and a report titled `` CONTAGION 2019 FUNCTIONAL EXERCISE , '' neither of which were published in 2018 .
The 2019 pandemic exercise McEnany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the New York Times , which reported in March that the simulation had exposed `` how underfunded , underprepared and uncoordinated the federal government would be for a life-or-death battle with a virus for which no treatment existed . ''
In a March 20 interview with NPR , David Sanger , one of the Times reporters who uncovered the 2019 simulation , which actually ran between January and August last year , explained that some of the same issues currently facing the Trump administration — which has been criticized for its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak — were foreshadowed in that exercise .
He noted that during the exercise there was `` a difference of opinion about when to close schools , '' as well as `` an overwhelming number of hospitalizations . ''
`` The simulation suggested that in the environment they imagined , there would be 110 million people roughly who came down with this , 7.7 million of whom would require hospitalization , and 586,000 would die , '' he said .
`` So that 's a pretty stark number and then leads you to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do 7.7 million hospitalizations ? ''
He added , `` So what does this tell you ?
Either that it did n't float up to the president — we know the National Security Council was involved in the simulation — or it tells you that it did float up , and it was the basis on which members of the Department of Health and Human Services and others were advising the president about the course that this would take . ''
During the actual crisis , states were indeed forced to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to close schools , and many hospitals were overwhelmed , especially in places like New York City .
The Times report also indicated that states and hospitals were confused about what equipment was stockpiled during the exercise , an issue that the Trump administration struggled with during the early days of the pandemic .
The Trump administration has been widely panned for failing to utilize its own `` 69-page National Security Council playbook on fighting pandemics , '' Politico reported in March .
The administration was reportedly `` briefed on the playbook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to former officials .
However , they noted that the findings `` never went through a full , National Security Council-led interagency process to be approved as Trump administration strategy . ''
The Department of Health and Human Services told Politico at the time that its COVID-19 response was instead `` informed by more recent plans such as the foundation of the National Biodefense Strategy ( 2018 ) , Biological Incident Annex ( 2017 ) , and panCAP ( 2018 ) among other key plans provided by the CDC , White House Task @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal departments and agencies . ''
The Trump administration 's overall approach to the pandemic has been lackluster at best .
A lack of testing capabilities , especially in the early weeks of the crisis , meant that health experts were unable to know the extent of the spread of the virus .
And when test kits were finally rolled out , they were determined to be faulty , further delaying the country 's ability to respond to the growing threat .
Trump , meanwhile , has refused to maintain a coherent message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severity of the coronavirus and recommending unproven cures — such as suggesting doctors inject disinfectants into patients ' bodies or pushing untested drugs used to treat other diseases — not supported by medical experts .
As of Thursday afternoon , more than 1.4 million people had tested positive for the new coronavirus , and at least 84,938 people had died .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany claimed on Thursday that the Obama administration had left behind an “insufficient” pandemic response plan, and that Donald Trump had replaced it with a superior version that left his team completely prepared to face the current coronavirus crisis.
“The Obama-Biden plan that has been referenced was insufficient,” McEnany said during a press gaggle, citing the former administration’s pandemic playbook, first reported by Politico back in March.
She then bragged that the Trump administration had instead put together “an entire 2018 pandemic preparedness report,” and “did a whole exercise on pandemic preparedness in August of last year and had an entire after-action report put together” on the matter.
The “Obama-Biden paper packet,” McEnany claimed, was replaced with a “Trump-style pandemic preparedness response plan.”
She then held up the two plans for emphasis, showing that the Trump plan had been collated in a colorful three-ring binder.
It was not immediately clear to what “2018 pandemic preparedness report” McEnany was referring.
As Ronald Klain, former chief of staff for Vice Presidents Joe Biden and Al Gore, noted on Thursday, McEnany may have been citing the administration’s 2018 National Biodefense Strategy report, which clocks in at eight pages long and lays out broad-sweeping objectives for “countering biological threats and incidents” through a “layered risk management approach.”
McEnany also appeared to be holding up copies of the “Pandemic Crisis Action Plan Ver. 2.0” and a report titled “CONTAGION 2019 FUNCTIONAL EXERCISE,” neither of which were published in 2018.
The 2019 pandemic exercise McEnany mentioned was in fact a disaster, according to the New York Times, which reported in March that the simulation had exposed “how underfunded, underprepared and uncoordinated the federal government would be for a life-or-death battle with a virus for which no treatment existed.”
In a March 20 interview with NPR, David Sanger, one of the Times reporters who uncovered the 2019 simulation, which actually ran between January and August last year, explained that some of the same issues currently facing the Trump administration — which has been criticized for its slow and chaotic response to the current outbreak — were foreshadowed in that exercise.
He noted that during the exercise there was “a difference of opinion about when to close schools,” as well as “an overwhelming number of hospitalizations.”
“The simulation suggested that in the environment they imagined, there would be 110 million people roughly who came down with this, 7.7 million of whom would require hospitalization, and 586,000 would die,” he said. “So that’s a pretty stark number and then leads you to the next questions, are we ready to do 7.7 million hospitalizations?”
He added, “So what does this tell you? Either that it didn’t float up to the president — we know the National Security Council was involved in the simulation — or it tells you that it did float up, and it was the basis on which members of the Department of Health and Human Services and others were advising the president about the course that this would take.”
During the actual crisis, states were indeed forced to make their own varied decisions about when and how to close schools, and many hospitals were overwhelmed, especially in places like New York City.
The Times report also indicated that states and hospitals were confused about what equipment was stockpiled during the exercise, an issue that the Trump administration struggled with during the early days of the pandemic.
The Trump administration has been widely panned for failing to utilize its own “69-page National Security Council playbook on fighting pandemics,” Politico reported in March.
The administration was reportedly “briefed on the playbook’s existence in 2017,” according to former officials. However, they noted that the findings “never went through a full, National Security Council-led interagency process to be approved as Trump administration strategy.”
The Department of Health and Human Services told Politico at the time that its COVID-19 response was instead “informed by more recent plans such as the foundation of the National Biodefense Strategy (2018), Biological Incident Annex (2017),and panCAP (2018) among other key plans provided by the CDC, White House Task Force, FEMA, and other key federal departments and agencies.”
The Trump administration’s overall approach to the pandemic has been lackluster at best.
A lack of testing capabilities, especially in the early weeks of the crisis, meant that health experts were unable to know the extent of the spread of the virus. And when test kits were finally rolled out, they were determined to be faulty, further delaying the country’s ability to respond to the growing threat.
Trump, meanwhile, has refused to maintain a coherent message throughout the crisis, often dismissing the severity of the coronavirus and recommending unproven cures — such as suggesting doctors inject disinfectants into patients’ bodies or pushing untested drugs used to treat other diseases — not supported by medical experts.
As of Thursday afternoon, more than 1.4 million people had tested positive for the new coronavirus, and at least 84,938 people had died.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-14--Trump: Doctors and nurses 'running into death' is 'beautiful thing to see'

From a May 14 speech at the Owens & Minor medical supply distribution center : DONALD TRUMP : From the @ @ @ @ @ our shores each of you has worked relentlessly to get the vital supplies to our @ @ @ @ @ they are warriors , are n't they ?
When you see them going into those @ @ @ @ @ the stuff that you deliver .
But they 're wrapping themselves and the doors are @ @ @ @ @ through the doors and they 're not even ready to go through those doors .
@ @ @ @ @ But they ca n't get there fast enough .
And they 're running into death @ @ @ @ @ bullets , in a true sense .
I see that with the doctors and the @ @ @ @ @ the people they go into those hospitals , it 's incredible to see .
It @ @ @ @ @ see .

From a May 14 speech at the Owens & Minor medical supply distribution center:
DONALD TRUMP: From the moment this terrible virus reached our shores each of you has worked relentlessly to get the vital supplies to our health care warriors. And they are warriors, aren’t they?
When you see them going into those hospitals and they’re putting the stuff that you deliver. But they’re wrapping themselves and the doors are opening and they’re going through the doors and they’re not even ready to go through those doors. They probably shouldn’t.
But they can’t get there fast enough. And they’re running into death just like soldiers run into bullets, in a true sense. I see that with the doctors and the nurses and so many of the people they go into those hospitals, it’s incredible to see.
It’s a beautiful thing to see.


shareblue--2020-05-14--Texas AG falsely claims voting safely 'damages the integrity' of elections

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Wednesday asked the state Supreme Court not to allow applications for absentee ballots from voters who are afraid that in-person voting might lead to their infection with the novel coronavirus .
The Dallas Morning News reported that Paxton , a Republican , said allowing more people to vote safely from their homes during a pandemic `` damages the integrity of our elections and increases the risk of voter fraud . ''
Earlier in the month , Dallas County , among other counties in Texas , had voted to accept fear of the coronavirus as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot by voters under the age of 65 .
Paxton asked the court to reverse a ruling in a suit brought by the Texas Democratic Party to ensure that mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic could proceed .
According to Paxton , fear of illness is not grounds under Texas law for requesting an absentee ballot .
Texas has a primary runoff election coming up on July 14 .
`` After a month of thousands of mail-in ballot requests sent by Texans who are under the age of 65 , Paxton now wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chad Dunn , general counsel for the Texas Democratic Party , said about Paxton 's decision in a Wednesday statement .
In a statement , Paxton lied about the relationship between voter fraud and voting by mail , saying , `` In-person voting is the surest way to prevent voter fraud and guarantee that every voter is who they claim to be and has a fair opportunity to cast their vote . ''
There is no evidence that absentee voting leads to more voter fraud .
The New York Times ' editorial board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use vote-by-mail have encountered essentially zero fraud : Oregon , the pioneer in this area , has sent out more than 100 million mail-in ballots since 2000 , and has documented only about a dozen cases of proven fraud . ''
Republicans across the country have been pushing to force voters to the polls even in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic .
In Wisconsin , conservatives in the state legislature and state Supreme Court forced voters to cast ballots in-person in elections in April rather than allow more time to vote by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Evers tried to do .
Republicans in Louisiana stopped an effort to allow more absentee voting precisely because it would have made it easier for more people to vote .
Health experts have advised people to stay at home as much as possible to stop the spread of the coronavirus , warning that relaxing safety measures could lead to more infections and more death .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the country 's top infectious disease expert , warned Congress on Tuesday that moving too quickly to lift safety measures `` will not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but would actually set us back on our quest to return to normal . ''
As many states have rushed to reopen businesses , much of the country has seen a spike coronavirus infections , according to an analysis by the Associated Press .
And a leaked White House memo earlier this month showed a spike in cases in several Midwestern cities .
As of Thursday morning , Texas had more than 43,800 confirmed coronavirus cases , and at least 1,205 people in the state have died .
Nationwide , more than 1.3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 84,109 people have died .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Wednesday asked the state Supreme Court not to allow applications for absentee ballots from voters who are afraid that in-person voting might lead to their infection with the novel coronavirus.
The Dallas Morning News reported that Paxton, a Republican, said allowing more people to vote safely from their homes during a pandemic “damages the integrity of our elections and increases the risk of voter fraud.”
Earlier in the month, Dallas County, among other counties in Texas, had voted to accept fear of the coronavirus as a valid basis for requesting an absentee ballot by voters under the age of 65.
Paxton asked the court to reverse a ruling in a suit brought by the Texas Democratic Party to ensure that mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic could proceed.
According to Paxton, fear of illness is not grounds under Texas law for requesting an absentee ballot.
Texas has a primary runoff election coming up on July 14.
“After a month of thousands of mail-in ballot requests sent by Texans who are under the age of 65, Paxton now wants to upset the election process,” Chad Dunn, general counsel for the Texas Democratic Party, said about Paxton’s decision in a Wednesday statement.
In a statement, Paxton lied about the relationship between voter fraud and voting by mail, saying, “In-person voting is the surest way to prevent voter fraud and guarantee that every voter is who they claim to be and has a fair opportunity to cast their vote.” There is no evidence that absentee voting leads to more voter fraud.
The New York Times’ editorial board noted in March that “states that use vote-by-mail have encountered essentially zero fraud: Oregon, the pioneer in this area, has sent out more than 100 million mail-in ballots since 2000, and has documented only about a dozen cases of proven fraud.”
Republicans across the country have been pushing to force voters to the polls even in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
In Wisconsin, conservatives in the state legislature and state Supreme Court forced voters to cast ballots in-person in elections in April rather than allow more time to vote by mail, as Democratic Gov. Tony Evers tried to do.
Republicans in Louisiana stopped an effort to allow more absentee voting precisely because it would have made it easier for more people to vote.
Health experts have advised people to stay at home as much as possible to stop the spread of the coronavirus, warning that relaxing safety measures could lead to more infections and more death.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top infectious disease expert, warned Congress on Tuesday that moving too quickly to lift safety measures “will not only result in needless suffering and death, but would actually set us back on our quest to return to normal.”
As many states have rushed to reopen businesses, much of the country has seen a spike coronavirus infections, according to an analysis by the Associated Press. And a leaked White House memo earlier this month showed a spike in cases in several Midwestern cities.
As of Thursday morning, Texas had more than 43,800 confirmed coronavirus cases, and at least 1,205 people in the state have died. Nationwide, more than 1.3 million have confirmed cases, and at least 84,109 people have died.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-14--Dr. Rick Bright: Trump administration gave hospitals masks that don't work

Dr. Rick Bright , the former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority , told Congress on Thursday that the federal government obtained substandard foreign masks that do not keep medical workers safe from COVID-19 .
Bright was asked by Rep. Kathy Castor ( D-FL ) at a House Committee on Energy and Commerce 's health subcommittee hearing about the consequences of the Trump administration 's monthslong delay in mounting an aggressive response to the pandemic .
Bright answered that , `` lives were endangered , and I believe lives were lost . ''
`` Not only that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplies from other countries , without the right quality standards , '' Bright said .
`` So even our doctors and nurses in the hospitals today are wearing N95-marked masks from other countries , that are not providing the sufficient protection that a U.S. standard N95 mask would provide them .
Some of those masks are only 30 % effective .
Nurses are rushing in the hospitals thinking they 're protected — and they 're not . ''
Bright was testifying as a whistleblower at Thursday 's subcommittee hearing on `` Protecting Scientific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The former head of vaccine development for within the Health and Human Services Department , he was demoted by the Trump administration after urging more stringent testing of hydroxychloroquine before recommending it as a treatment for COVID-19 and opposing a plan to flood New York and New Jersey with the drug .
Trump repeatedly touted the anti-malarial medication as a `` miracle '' cure for the coronavirus , though studies have not shown it to be an effective treatment .
On Thursday , Trump attacked Bright as a `` disgruntled employee '' who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people I spoke to . ''
The N95 face masks Bright mentioned are personal protective equipment , also known as PPE , designed to protect medical workers by filtering out germs and other particles .
Throughout the pandemic , a shortage of these masks has left medical providers insufficiently protected as they attempt to treat the 1.3 million-plus people with COVID-19 and others .
Unable to get sufficient PPE , hospitals sought to acquire masks from outside their typical supply chain .
Many proved to be supplies substandard .
`` These are n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' one hospital administrator told the Wall Street Journal in April .
`` Everything about it looks legit .
But the product itself is clearly not . ''
Thousands of health care workers have already tested positive for the coronavirus .
Last week , the FDA banned the sale of defective N95-style face masks from more than 65 of the 80 manufacturers in China that had been authorized by the agency .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Dr. Rick Bright, the former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, told Congress on Thursday that the federal government obtained substandard foreign masks that do not keep medical workers safe from COVID-19.
Bright was asked by Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL) at a House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s health subcommittee hearing about the consequences of the Trump administration’s monthslong delay in mounting an aggressive response to the pandemic. Bright answered that, “lives were endangered, and I believe lives were lost.”
“Not only that, they were forced to procure the supplies from other countries, without the right quality standards,” Bright said. “So even our doctors and nurses in the hospitals today are wearing N95-marked masks from other countries, that are not providing the sufficient protection that a U.S. standard N95 mask would provide them. Some of those masks are only 30% effective. Nurses are rushing in the hospitals thinking they’re protected — and they’re not.”
Bright was testifying as a whistleblower at Thursday’s subcommittee hearing on “Protecting Scientific Integrity in the COVID-19 Response.”
The former head of vaccine development for within the Health and Human Services Department, he was demoted by the Trump administration after urging more stringent testing of hydroxychloroquine before recommending it as a treatment for COVID-19 and opposing a plan to flood New York and New Jersey with the drug. Trump repeatedly touted the anti-malarial medication as a “miracle” cure for the coronavirus, though studies have not shown it to be an effective treatment.
On Thursday, Trump attacked Bright as a “disgruntled employee” who is “not liked or respected by people I spoke to.”
The N95 face masks Bright mentioned are personal protective equipment, also known as PPE, designed to protect medical workers by filtering out germs and other particles. Throughout the pandemic, a shortage of these masks has left medical providers insufficiently protected as they attempt to treat the 1.3 million-plus people with COVID-19 and others.
Unable to get sufficient PPE, hospitals sought to acquire masks from outside their typical supply chain. Many proved to be supplies substandard.
“These aren’t perfect but they have some protection,” one hospital administrator told the Wall Street Journal in April. “Everything about it looks legit. But the product itself is clearly not.”
Thousands of health care workers have already tested positive for the coronavirus.
Last week, the FDA banned the sale of defective N95-style face masks from more than 65 of the 80 manufacturers in China that had been authorized by the agency.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-14--GOP congressman thanks hate group for endorsing his campaign

Republican Montana Rep. Greg Gianforte on Wednesday praised an anti-LGBTQ hate group , thanking the organization for endorsing his campaign for governor .
`` I 'm thankful for the support of Family Research Council Action and all the work they do to protect our values of faith , family , and freedom ! ''
he wrote on Facebook , alongside a quote from the group 's president Tony Perkins , calling Gianforte `` the leader that Montana needs . ''
FRC Action is the political arm of Perkins ' Family Research Council .
The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , based on its `` claims about the LGBT community based on discredited research and junk science . ''
`` Family Research Council believes that homosexual conduct is harmful to the persons who engage in it and to society at large , and can never be affirmed .
It is by definition unnatural , and as such is associated with negative physical and psychological health effects , '' FRC says on its website .
`` We oppose the vigorous efforts of homosexual activists to demand that homosexuality be accepted as equivalent to heterosexuality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and in schools . ''
Perkins falsely claimed in 2010 that there is an `` overlap '' between pedophilia and homosexuality .
`` While activists like to claim that pedophilia is a completely distinct orientation from homosexuality , evidence shows a disproportionate overlap between the two , '' he said .
`` … It is a homosexual problem . ''
Experts have said that claim is false and that there is no scientific evidence that supports such theories .
FRC Action also published a blog post in February attacking `` Sesame Street '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to teach kids the virtues of gender confusion . ''
This , it claimed , made `` the best case for defunding PBS yet . ''
In a press release that same month , FRC Action PAC praised Gianforte for his record of voting against abortion rights and LGBTQ equality .
According to its most recent scorecard , Gianforte votes in line with the group 95 % of the time .
Gianforte is currently running for his party 's nomination to replace term-limited Gov .
Steve Bullock .
The vote-by-mail primary is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Montana congressman is perhaps best known for a May 2017 incident in which he violently assaulted a reporter from the Guardian , breaking his glasses and sending him to the hospital , on the eve of his special election victory .
After initially lying about the incident , Gianforte took responsibility in a June 2017 apology issued as part of an agreement to avoid a civil lawsuit .
He also pleaded guilty to an assault charge and was sentenced to 40 hours of community service , 20 hours of anger management @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 385 fine .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Republican Montana Rep. Greg Gianforte on Wednesday praised an anti-LGBTQ hate group, thanking the organization for endorsing his campaign for governor.
“I’m thankful for the support of Family Research Council Action and all the work they do to protect our values of faith, family, and freedom!” he wrote on Facebook, alongside a quote from the group’s president Tony Perkins, calling Gianforte “the leader that Montana needs.”
FRC Action is the political arm of Perkins’ Family Research Council. The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated the Family Research Council a hate group, based on its “claims about the LGBT community based on discredited research and junk science.”
“Family Research Council believes that homosexual conduct is harmful to the persons who engage in it and to society at large, and can never be affirmed. It is by definition unnatural, and as such is associated with negative physical and psychological health effects,” FRC says on its website. “We oppose the vigorous efforts of homosexual activists to demand that homosexuality be accepted as equivalent to heterosexuality in law, in the media, and in schools.”
Perkins falsely claimed in 2010 that there is an “overlap” between pedophilia and homosexuality. “While activists like to claim that pedophilia is a completely distinct orientation from homosexuality, evidence shows a disproportionate overlap between the two,” he said. “… It is a homosexual problem.”
Experts have said that claim is false and that there is no scientific evidence that supports such theories.
FRC Action also published a blog post in February attacking “Sesame Street” for “inviting drag queen Billy Porter on to teach kids the virtues of gender confusion.” This, it claimed, made “the best case for defunding PBS yet.”
In a press release that same month, FRC Action PAC praised Gianforte for his record of voting against abortion rights and LGBTQ equality. According to its most recent scorecard, Gianforte votes in line with the group 95% of the time.
Gianforte is currently running for his party’s nomination to replace term-limited Gov. Steve Bullock. The vote-by-mail primary is set to take place on June 2.
The Montana congressman is perhaps best known for a May 2017 incident in which he violently assaulted a reporter from the Guardian, breaking his glasses and sending him to the hospital, on the eve of his special election victory.
After initially lying about the incident, Gianforte took responsibility in a June 2017 apology issued as part of an agreement to avoid a civil lawsuit. He also pleaded guilty to an assault charge and was sentenced to 40 hours of community service, 20 hours of anger management, and was forced to pay a $385 fine.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-14--Whistleblower says he was punished for fighting plan to 'flood' cities with unproven drug

Dr. Richard Bright , a whistleblower who claims he was removed from a top position within the Department of Health and Human Services after he opposed the widespread use of the unproven drug hydroxychloroquine against the novel coronavirus , is testifying Thursday before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce 's health subcommittee .
From Dr .
Bright 's May 14 testimony before the subcommittee : REP. ELIOT ENGEL ( D-NY ) : The administration has failed at every turn .
The president has sidelined our best scientists , pushed baseless conspiracy theories , and more recently prescribed unproven remedies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the early days of the outbreak , the president encouraged doctors to prescribe [ hydroxy ] chloroquine to suffering Americans despite a lack of evidence supporting its use .
On April 24 , the president 's hand-picked FDA commissioner even came out against the use of chloroquine for COVID-19 cases .
Doctor , what are the dangers of chloroquine if prescribed incorrectly , and what happened when you raised the issue of chloroquine use in coronavirus patients with HHS leadership ?
DR. RICHARD BRIGHT , FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE BIOMEDICAL ADVANCED RESEARCH AND @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centered around the potential use of chloroquine in people who were infected with this coronavirus .
There are data of the effective use and safe use of chloroquine in malaria patients and other patients and other indications .
We also knew that there were potential safety risks with chloroquine that caused irregular heart rhythms and even in some cases death .
So our concern was with limited information and knowledge , especially of its use in COVID-19-infected patients , and the potential for those risks , then we should make sure that any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a carefully controlled clinical study under close , watchful eye of a physician so they could respond to a patient if they did experience one of those adverse events .
There was n't sufficient data at that time to support use of this drug in patients with COVID-19 without close physician supervision .
ENGEL : And when you raised that issue of chloroquine use in coronavirus patients with HHS leadership , what happened to you ?
You were removed as the director of BARDA , is that not true ?
BRIGHT : I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me was initiated because of a pushback that I gave when they asked me to put in place an expanded access protocol that would make chloroquine more freely available to Americans that were not under the close supervision of a physician and may not even be confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus .
The scientists at FDA , BARDA , NIH , and CDC worked hard to switch that to an emergency-use authorization with strict guardrails that the patients would be in a hospital , confirmed to be infected with this virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and who could not otherwise participate in a randomized controlled study .
My concerns were alleviated somewhat by being able to lock that in the stockpile with those conditions .
However , my concerns were escalated when I learned that leadership in the Department of Health and Human Services were pushing to make that drug available outside of this emergency-use authorization to flood New York and New Jersey with this drug regardless of the EUA .
And when I spoke outside of our government to share my concerns for the American public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the straw that broke the camel 's back .

Dr. Richard Bright, a whistleblower who claims he was removed from a top position within the Department of Health and Human Services after he opposed the widespread use of the unproven drug hydroxychloroquine against the novel coronavirus, is testifying Thursday before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s health subcommittee.
From Dr. Bright’s May 14 testimony before the subcommittee:
REP. ELIOT ENGEL (D-NY): The administration has failed at every turn. The president has sidelined our best scientists, pushed baseless conspiracy theories, and more recently prescribed unproven remedies like Lysol to suffering Americans. Since the early days of the outbreak, the president encouraged doctors to prescribe [hydroxy]chloroquine to suffering Americans despite a lack of evidence supporting its use.
On April 24, the president’s hand-picked FDA commissioner even came out against the use of chloroquine for COVID-19 cases.
Doctor, what are the dangers of chloroquine if prescribed incorrectly, and what happened when you raised the issue of chloroquine use in coronavirus patients with HHS leadership?
DR. RICHARD BRIGHT, FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE BIOMEDICAL ADVANCED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY: Congressman, our concern centered around the potential use of chloroquine in people who were infected with this coronavirus. There are data of the effective use and safe use of chloroquine in malaria patients and other patients and other indications.
We also knew that there were potential safety risks with chloroquine that caused irregular heart rhythms and even in some cases death.
So our concern was with limited information and knowledge, especially of its use in COVID-19-infected patients, and the potential for those risks, then we should make sure that any studies with that drug were done in a carefully controlled clinical study under close, watchful eye of a physician so they could respond to a patient if they did experience one of those adverse events.
There wasn’t sufficient data at that time to support use of this drug in patients with COVID-19 without close physician supervision.
ENGEL: And when you raised that issue of chloroquine use in coronavirus patients with HHS leadership, what happened to you? You were removed as the director of BARDA, is that not true?
BRIGHT: I believe part of the removal process for me was initiated because of a pushback that I gave when they asked me to put in place an expanded access protocol that would make chloroquine more freely available to Americans that were not under the close supervision of a physician and may not even be confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus.
The scientists at FDA, BARDA, NIH, and CDC worked hard to switch that to an emergency-use authorization with strict guardrails that the patients would be in a hospital, confirmed to be infected with this virus, under close supervision of a doctor, and who could not otherwise participate in a randomized controlled study.
My concerns were alleviated somewhat by being able to lock that in the stockpile with those conditions.
However, my concerns were escalated when I learned that leadership in the Department of Health and Human Services were pushing to make that drug available outside of this emergency-use authorization to flood New York and New Jersey with this drug regardless of the EUA.
And when I spoke outside of our government to share my concerns for the American public, that, I believe, was the straw that broke the camel’s back.


shareblue--2020-05-14--Burr steps aside as Senate intelligence chair amid FBI probe of stock scandal

Sen. Richard Burr stepped aside as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday after the FBI served a search @ @ @ @ @ part of an ongoing insider-trading investigation tied to the coronavirus pandemic .
Senate Majority Leader @ @ @ @ @ , saying he and Burr had agreed it was in the Senate 's best interests @ @ @ @ @ at Burr 's home with the warrant on Wednesday , marking a significant escalation into @ @ @ @ @ into whether Burr broke the law with a well-timed sale of stocks before the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ The Justice Department declined to comment .
His attorney did not respond to phone and @ @ @ @ @ last month that the law is clear that any senator can participate in stock market @ @ @ @ @ `` as Sen. Burr did . ''

Sen. Richard Burr stepped aside as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday after the FBI served a search warrant for his phone as part of an ongoing insider-trading investigation tied to the coronavirus pandemic.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced the move, saying he and Burr had agreed it was in the Senate’s best interests.
FBI officials showed up at Burr’s home with the warrant on Wednesday, marking a significant escalation into the Justice Department’s investigation into whether Burr broke the law with a well-timed sale of stocks before the coronavirus caused markets to plummet.
The Justice Department declined to comment. His attorney did not respond to phone and email messages, but said last month that the law is clear that any senator can participate in stock market trading based on public information “as Sen. Burr did.”


shareblue--2020-05-14--House GOP trying to use coronavirus relief to attack abortion — again

A group of nearly three dozen House Republicans co-sponsored legislation that would ban any coronavirus relief funds from being used for abortions , a move that could ban abortion coverage from private employer-sponsored plans .
The bill , introduced by Rep. Mike Conaway ( R-TX ) , would `` extend the existing Hyde Amendment '' to block Americans from using federal tax credits they receive `` to cover any post-employment healthcare ( COBRA ) premiums that include abortion coverage . ''
With more than 30 million Americans out of work , and thus without access to their employer-sponsored health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relief funding to help subsidize COBRA premiums .
COBRA allows laid off workers to continue the employer-sponsored plan they had , but often at a steep cost .
The HEROES Act , which Democrats introduced on Tuesday , `` Provides full premium subsidies , through January 2021 , to allow workers to maintain their employer-sponsored coverage if they are eligible for COBRA due to a layoff or reduction in hours , and for workers who have been furloughed but are still active in their employer-sponsored plan , '' according to a summary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill passed , it would prohibit those COBRA plans from covering abortion services , even if the plans previously included that service .
That could add `` hundreds or thousands of dollars out-of-pocket for abortion services , '' according to a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation .
Conaway said in a statement that his bill , `` protects innocent , unborn children by ensuring that the right-to-life is a fundamental component of any federal COVID-19-related healthcare measures . ''
`` As our nation begins the road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most vulnerable among us , '' Conaway said .
Democrats condemned the effort to expand the Hyde Amendment .
`` Abortion care is healthcare , and it 's unconscionable to block access to healthcare in the middle of a pandemic , '' Rep. Ayanna Pressley ( D-MA ) tweeted on May 7 .
`` We can not allow anti-choice lawmakers to use # COVID19 as a pretext to deny reproductive justice any longer . ''
This is not the first time Republicans have brought up abortion rights during the COVID-19 pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold up the first coronavirus relief package by falsely claiming it contained an `` abortion slush fund . ''
And GOP governors across the country have tried to use the pandemic to ban abortion in their state .
Ultimately , Conaway 's bill has almost no chance of passing the Democratic-controlled House .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

A group of nearly three dozen House Republicans co-sponsored legislation that would ban any coronavirus relief funds from being used for abortions, a move that could ban abortion coverage from private employer-sponsored plans.
The bill, introduced by Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX), would “extend the existing Hyde Amendment” to block Americans from using federal tax credits they receive “to cover any post-employment healthcare (COBRA) premiums that include abortion coverage.”
With more than 30 million Americans out of work, and thus without access to their employer-sponsored health care plans, congressional Democrats are seeking additional relief funding to help subsidize COBRA premiums. COBRA allows laid off workers to continue the employer-sponsored plan they had, but often at a steep cost.
The HEROES Act, which Democrats introduced on Tuesday, “Provides full premium subsidies, through January 2021, to allow workers to maintain their employer-sponsored coverage if they are eligible for COBRA due to a layoff or reduction in hours, and for workers who have been furloughed but are still active in their employer-sponsored plan,” according to a summary of the bill.
But if Conaway’s bill passed, it would prohibit those COBRA plans from covering abortion services, even if the plans previously included that service.
That could add “hundreds or thousands of dollars out-of-pocket for abortion services,” according to a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Conaway said in a statement that his bill, “protects innocent, unborn children by ensuring that the right-to-life is a fundamental component of any federal COVID-19-related healthcare measures.”
“As our nation begins the road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, we must remain vigilant to protect the most vulnerable among us,” Conaway said.
Democrats condemned the effort to expand the Hyde Amendment.
“Abortion care is healthcare, and it’s unconscionable to block access to healthcare in the middle of a pandemic,” Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) tweeted on May 7. “We cannot allow anti-choice lawmakers to use #COVID19 as a pretext to deny reproductive justice any longer.”
This is not the first time Republicans have brought up abortion rights during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In early March, Republicans tried to hold up the first coronavirus relief package by falsely claiming it contained an “abortion slush fund.”
And GOP governors across the country have tried to use the pandemic to ban abortion in their state.
Ultimately, Conaway’s bill has almost no chance of passing the Democratic-controlled House.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-14--GOP senator: Let's just reopen country for 'less vulnerable' people

Sen. Kevin Cramer ( R-ND ) suggested on Wednesday that the economy be reopened with the `` less vulnerable '' people running the country and the `` most vulnerable '' staying home .
He then falsely claimed that the vast majority of Americans are invulnerable to COVID-19 .
`` What we ought to be doing ... do everything we can to protect the vulnerable citizens in our country and let the less-vulnerable citizens run the country , '' he told Fox Business Network .
`` I do n't mean govern it : Run the economy , go to work , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's pretty clear that there 's a vulnerable population to this disease and it 's pretty clear that there 's a large , vast majority of the population that is n't vulnerable to it , '' he added , claiming that the vulnerable could be protected with `` information . ''
Public health experts have strongly advised against reopening too early because it will worsen the crisis .
`` My concern that if some areas — cities , states or what have you — jump over those various checkpoints and prematurely open up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to respond effectively and efficiently , my concern is we will start to see little spikes that might turn into outbreaks , '' Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation 's top epidemiologist , told Congress on Tuesday .
`` The early lesson that was learned , really , we learned from the island of Hokkaido in Japan , where they did a really good job of controlling the initial phase of the outbreak , '' Bob Bednarczyk , a professor of global health and epidemiology at Emory University 's Rollins School of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After they lifted restrictions , he noted , the island saw a second wave of new cases and deaths .
The medical community is still learning about the short-term and long-term damage the coronavirus does to the body .
`` We do n't know why there are so many disease presentations , '' virologist Angela Rasmussen of Columbia University 's Mailman School of Public Health told the Washington Post on Sunday .
`` Bottom line , this is just so new that there 's a lot we do n't know . ''
Doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can cause serious illness in children .
According to the CDC , more than 1,400 Americans under the age of 45 have already died from COVID-19 .
Cramer 's comments come as the GOP pushes to reopen the country , often making insensitive comments about the people who might be impacted .
Rep. Andy Harris ( R-MD ) mocked public health experts warning about reopening too quickly , saying this week , `` We 're safer if we 're not born .
We 're safer from death if we 're not born , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line is there 's some element of risk . ''
Rep. Trey Hollingsworth ( R-IN ) said last month that ending social distancing could lead to more deaths , but that , `` it is always the American government 's position to say , in the choice between the loss of our way of life as Americans and the loss of life of American lives , we have to always choose the latter .
Texas Lt. Gov .
Dan Patrick suggested in March that grandparents should sacrifice themselves to save the economy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foundation .

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) suggested on Wednesday that the economy be reopened with the “less vulnerable” people running the country and the “most vulnerable” staying home. He then falsely claimed that the vast majority of Americans are invulnerable to COVID-19.
“What we ought to be doing… do everything we can to protect the vulnerable citizens in our country and let the less-vulnerable citizens run the country,” he told Fox Business Network. “I don’t mean govern it: Run the economy, go to work, go to school.”
“It’s pretty clear that there’s a vulnerable population to this disease and it’s pretty clear that there’s a large, vast majority of the population that isn’t vulnerable to it,” he added, claiming that the vulnerable could be protected with “information.”
Public health experts have strongly advised against reopening too early because it will worsen the crisis.
“My concern that if some areas — cities, states or what have you — jump over those various checkpoints and prematurely open up, without having the capability of being able to respond effectively and efficiently, my concern is we will start to see little spikes that might turn into outbreaks,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top epidemiologist, told Congress on Tuesday.
“The early lesson that was learned, really, we learned from the island of Hokkaido in Japan, where they did a really good job of controlling the initial phase of the outbreak,” Bob Bednarczyk, a professor of global health and epidemiology at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health told NPR on Saturday. After they lifted restrictions, he noted, the island saw a second wave of new cases and deaths.
The medical community is still learning about the short-term and long-term damage the coronavirus does to the body. “We don’t know why there are so many disease presentations,” virologist Angela Rasmussen of Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health told the Washington Post on Sunday. “Bottom line, this is just so new that there’s a lot we don’t know.” Doctors are also still discovering new ways COVID-19 can cause serious illness in children.
According to the CDC, more than 1,400 Americans under the age of 45 have already died from COVID-19.
Cramer’s comments come as the GOP pushes to reopen the country, often making insensitive comments about the people who might be impacted.
Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) mocked public health experts warning about reopening too quickly, saying this week, “We’re safer if we’re not born. We’re safer from death if we’re not born, right? I mean, the bottom line is there’s some element of risk.”
Rep. Trey Hollingsworth (R-IN) said last month that ending social distancing could lead to more deaths, but that, “it is always the American government’s position to say, in the choice between the loss of our way of life as Americans and the loss of life of American lives, we have to always choose the latter.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick suggested in March that grandparents should sacrifice themselves to save the economy.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-14--Trump wants to keep border closed while demanding states open before it's safe

Citing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic , the Trump administration is moving to close the United States ' borders with Mexico and Canada indefinitely , the New York Times reported on Wednesday .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention closed the borders to nonessential travel , including tourism , on March 21 , and the Trump administration has been deporting immigrants , even those seeking asylum , who cross the border from Mexico without documentation .
The new order , which the Times reported is still being reviewed by administration officials , would extend the border closures until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new coronavirus was not a threat .
Supposedly intended to keep Americans safe from the coronavirus , the order is under discussion even as Donald Trump is actively urging states to reopen .
`` Good numbers coming out of States that are opening , '' Trump tweeted Thursday morning .
`` America is getting its life back ! ''
He also celebrated a court decision on Wednesday in Wisconsin overturning the governor 's stay-at-home order .
Gov .
Tony Evers , a Democrat , `` was forced by the courts to let the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .
`` The people want to get on with their lives .
The place is bustling ! ''
In recent weeks , Trump has encouraged Pennsylvania to reopen businesses more quickly ; encouraged protests in Minnesota , Michigan , and Virginia against Democratic governors ; and praised armed protestors against stay-at-home orders in Michigan as `` very good people . ''
Trump 's celebrations came as the Times reported that more than 1.3 million people in the United States have now tested positive for the new coronavirus , and at least 84,109 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest example of the Trump administration cracking down on immigration under the pretext of national security concerns during the coronavirus crisis .
In April , Trump signed an executive order banning immigrants from seeking permanent residency in the country .
Trump has also touted the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border as a way to keep Americans safe during the crisis .
`` We need the Wall more than ever ! ''
Trump tweeted in early March as the coronavirus spread .
The United States has significantly more coronavirus cases than Mexico .
Published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Citing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, the Trump administration is moving to close the United States’ borders with Mexico and Canada indefinitely, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention closed the borders to nonessential travel, including tourism, on March 21, and the Trump administration has been deporting immigrants, even those seeking asylum, who cross the border from Mexico without documentation.
The new order, which the Times reported is still being reviewed by administration officials, would extend the border closures until the director of the CDC determined that the new coronavirus was not a threat.
Supposedly intended to keep Americans safe from the coronavirus, the order is under discussion even as Donald Trump is actively urging states to reopen.
“Good numbers coming out of States that are opening,” Trump tweeted Thursday morning. “America is getting its life back!”
He also celebrated a court decision on Wednesday in Wisconsin overturning the governor’s stay-at-home order.
Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, “was forced by the courts to let the State Open,” Trump tweeted on Thursday. “The people want to get on with their lives. The place is bustling!”
In recent weeks, Trump has encouraged Pennsylvania to reopen businesses more quickly; encouraged protests in Minnesota, Michigan, and Virginia against Democratic governors; and praised armed protesters against stay-at-home orders in Michigan as “very good people.”
Trump’s celebrations came as the Times reported that more than 1.3 million people in the United States have now tested positive for the new coronavirus, and at least 84,109 people have died.
This is the latest example of the Trump administration cracking down on immigration under the pretext of national security concerns during the coronavirus crisis.
In April, Trump signed an executive order banning immigrants from seeking permanent residency in the country.
Trump has also touted the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border as a way to keep Americans safe during the crisis.
“We need the Wall more than ever!” Trump tweeted in early March as the coronavirus spread.
The United States has significantly more coronavirus cases than Mexico.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-15--News you might have missed: Record number of women run for House seats

Also this week , South Carolina and California score voting rights victories , and hundreds of goats take over the streets in a California town .
Read on to see what else you might have missed this week in the news .
Women run for the House in record numbers As of Tuesday , 490 women had filed paperwork to run for the House of Representatives , breaking 2018 's record of 476 female candidates , the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University reported .
`` This is a sign that the momentum is n't letting up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's director , said in a press release , adding that this year 's number appears to confirm `` the emergence of a new normal '' that began in 2018 .
Democratic voters in the last round of midterms elected a record number of women to Congress , even as the number of Republican women in the House dropped from 23 to 13 .
More than 295 women have filed to run for House seats as Democrats ; 195 have filed to run as Republicans .
South Carolinians can vote by mail in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to provide a reason to request an absentee ballot for the state 's June 9 primary as a result of legislation passed by both chambers of the State House and signed by South Carolina 's Republican governor , Henry McMaster .
Several Democratic groups had argued for no-excuse absentee voting before the state Supreme Court .
The new law will apply only to the June primary , and will expire on July 1 .
South Carolina voters `` will [ no longer ] be forced to choose between putting their and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their ballot this June , '' Rep. Cheri Bustos , chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee , said in a statement released Wednesday .
Every California voter will be mailed a ballot Democratic California Gov .
Gavin Newsom announced on May 8 that every registered voter in the state would be mailed an absentee ballot for November 's general election .
`` Elections and the right to vote are foundational to our democracy , '' Newsom said .
`` No Californian should be forced to risk their health in order to exercise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will provide limited in-person voting options for those who are not able to vote by mail .
On May 8 , Pennsylvania became the third state in the nation to outlaw child marriage .
From now on , no one under the age of 18 will be able to obtain a marriage license in the state .
`` Setting the minimum age to obtain a marriage license will help prevent child exploitation , '' Democratic Gov .
Tom Wolf said in a statement .
`` Marriage is a sacred and serious commitment that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adults , not by children being exploited by unscrupulous adults . ''
Minnesota is poised to become the fourth state to ban child marriage later this summer .
Delaware and New Jersey already prohibit the practice .
Led by Sen. Kamala Harris of California and Reps. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina and Marcia Fudge of Ohio , Democrats introduced a wide-ranging voting rights bill in Congress on Tuesday .
The VoteSafe Act would require all states to allow no-excuse absentee ballots and 20 days of early voting , and would provide funding to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots are accessible to people with disabilities and people who do not speak English .
`` While the health and safety of voters is a top priority during the current public health emergency , we must make sure the pandemic does not impede full , unfettered access to the ballot box , '' Fudge said .
Children in Illinois now have access to educational content on All In Illinois , a section of the state tourism website that encourages residents to stay at home during the coronavirus crisis .
`` Our goal is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children to engage with as we continue to be 'all in ' and stay home to support each other through this challenging time , '' Gov .
JB Pritzker said .
`` This content series also offers a taste of a variety of family-friendly experiences that will be available to them , once it 's safe to visit . ''
Illinois museums and attractions such as the Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium , both in Chicago , are providing content for the website .
On Tuesday , more than 200 goats were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jose neighborhood after they broke through a fence , KQED reported .
Twitter user Zach Roelands posted the video that has been viewed millions of times .
`` This is the craziest thing to happen all quarantine , '' he wrote .
KQED reported that a rancher eventually rounded up the goats and brought them home .

Also this week, South Carolina and California score voting rights victories, and hundreds of goats take over the streets in a California town.
Read on to see what else you might have missed this week in the news.
As of Tuesday, 490 women had filed paperwork to run for the House of Representatives, breaking 2018’s record of 476 female candidates, the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University reported.
“This is a sign that the momentum isn’t letting up,” Debbie Walsh, the center’s director, said in a press release, adding that this year’s number appears to confirm “the emergence of a new normal” that began in 2018.
Democratic voters in the last round of midterms elected a record number of women to Congress, even as the number of Republican women in the House dropped from 23 to 13.
More than 295 women have filed to run for House seats as Democrats; 195 have filed to run as Republicans.
South Carolina voters do not have to provide a reason to request an absentee ballot for the state’s June 9 primary as a result of legislation passed by both chambers of the State House and signed by South Carolina’s Republican governor, Henry McMaster.
Several Democratic groups had argued for no-excuse absentee voting before the state Supreme Court. The new law will apply only to the June primary, and will expire on July 1.
South Carolina voters “will [no longer] be forced to choose between putting their and their families’ health at risk and casting their ballot this June,” Rep. Cheri Bustos, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in a statement released Wednesday.
Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on May 8 that every registered voter in the state would be mailed an absentee ballot for November’s general election.
“Elections and the right to vote are foundational to our democracy,” Newsom said. “No Californian should be forced to risk their health in order to exercise their right to vote.”
California will provide limited in-person voting options for those who are not able to vote by mail.
On May 8, Pennsylvania became the third state in the nation to outlaw child marriage. From now on, no one under the age of 18 will be able to obtain a marriage license in the state.
“Setting the minimum age to obtain a marriage license will help prevent child exploitation,” Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement. “Marriage is a sacred and serious commitment that should be undertaken with love by two adults, not by children being exploited by unscrupulous adults.”
Minnesota is poised to become the fourth state to ban child marriage later this summer. Delaware and New Jersey already prohibit the practice.
Led by Sen. Kamala Harris of California and Reps. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina and Marcia Fudge of Ohio, Democrats introduced a wide-ranging voting rights bill in Congress on Tuesday.
The VoteSafe Act would require all states to allow no-excuse absentee ballots and 20 days of early voting, and would provide funding to states to improve voter registration and ensure ballots are accessible to people with disabilities and people who do not speak English.
“While the health and safety of voters is a top priority during the current public health emergency, we must make sure the pandemic does not impede full, unfettered access to the ballot box,” Fudge said.
Children in Illinois now have access to educational content on All In Illinois, a section of the state tourism website that encourages residents to stay at home during the coronavirus crisis.
“Our goal is to provide fun and educational activities for children to engage with as we continue to be ‘all in’ and stay home to support each other through this challenging time,” Gov. JB Pritzker said. “This content series also offers a taste of a variety of family-friendly experiences that will be available to them, once it’s safe to visit.”
Illinois museums and attractions such as the Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium, both in Chicago, are providing content for the website.
On Tuesday, more than 200 goats were caught on video roaming through a San Jose neighborhood after they broke through a fence, KQED reported.
Twitter user Zach Roelands posted the video that has been viewed millions of times.
“This is the craziest thing to happen all quarantine,” he wrote.
https://twitter.com/zach_roelands/status/1260392929547259904
KQED reported that a rancher eventually rounded up the goats and brought them home.


shareblue--2020-05-15--Pennsylvania becomes first state to collect data on LGBTQ coronavirus cases

Pennsylvania Gov .
Tom Wolf will become the first governor to include the LGBTQ community in data the state collects on COVID-19 , he announced this week .
Wolf said in a press release that the Department of Health has asked for a system modification from the data collection platform it works with , Sara Alert , that would include information on gender identity and sexual orientation .
`` The department has also requested from the eHealth Authority Board that the state ’ s six health information organizations work to capture sexual orientation and gender identity or expression data from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used by health care providers to report their COVID-19 data to the department , '' Wolf 's office said in a statement .
Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Rachel Levine , the highest ranking health official in the U.S. to be openly transgender , recently told the Washington Blade said that she 's focused especially on `` testing vulnerable communities in minority and underserved communities . ''
The LGBTQ data , she added , was `` not part of our information system '' previously , meaning the state had been unable to determine just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community more broadly .
The state is currently trying to expand testing in general by working with Rite Aid and CVS , and is currently testing anyone who is symptomatic at the state 's public testing sites , according to the Blade .
In Philadelphia , the Mazzoni Center , which provides health and wellness services in an LGBTQ-focused environment , has recently taken on coronavirus testing as well , which provides a supportive environment for LGBTQ people who want to get screened .
Fear of discrimination often drives LGBTQ people to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to receive care from an LGBTQ-friendly facility is a positive development .
Advocacy groups such as the Human Rights Campaign have called for better federal and state data collection on LGBTQ people and how they are affected by the pandemic .
State lawmakers like Democratic New Jersey Assemblywoman Valerie Huttle have also introduced bills that ensure data is collected for LGBTQ COVID-19 patients .
Earlier this month , Huttle introduced a bill that requires hospitals to collect gender identity and sexual orientation information for people who have been treated for coronavirus , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demographic data , we do not have the information that we need to adequately understand the extent to which marginalized communities have been impacted by the outbreak of COVID-19 , '' Huttle said in a statement at the time .
She added that the state had made `` great strides '' thus far in data collection but needed to `` take action to better understand how this pandemic has impacted the LGBTQ community in our state . ''
`` The bottom line is , we can not advocate for resources without fully understanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation will help to ensure that resources and support will be directed towards those who need them most during this critical time , '' she said .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom , a Democrat , has similarly supported an effort by the Legislature that would mandate collection and reporting of sexual orientation and gender identity data for all COVID-19 patients .
Newsom said recently he is in `` constant contact '' with the lawmaker who introduced it , Democratic State Sen. Scott Wiener , as well as the LGBTQ Caucus , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a legislative effort very shortly on my desk that will allow us to move forward by going together . ''
On Friday , Wiener praised the steps Pennsylvania is taking to collect more information on COVID-19 and the LGBTQ community .
`` This issue is critically important for our community , since LGBTQ people have significant risk factors for COVID-19 , including higher rates of cancer , HIV , smoking , and homelessness , '' he said in an email .
`` ...
Without data , we lack the information we need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic on LGBTQ people . ''
He also praised Newsom for his assistance in California , calling him a `` long-time staunch ally of our community . ''
`` He gets it and has been clear that he stands with us on this issue , '' Wiener said .
It 's unclear exactly how COVID-19 has affected LGBTQ people 's health , as data on the subject is so scarce .
But researchers have said that what we do know about LGBTQ people shows that the community is particularly vulnerable during this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health and economic instability .
LGBTQ people already faced economic insecurity and health disparities compared to straight and cisgender people before the pandemic began .
Twenty-one percent of LGBTQ people in the United States live in poverty , compared to 15.7 % of cisgender and straight people , and discrimination in housing and employment puts LGBTQ people in danger of housing insecurity and losing health insurance .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said people with underlying medical conditions are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 .
That 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at at the UCLA School of Law recently released a study showing that , out of 1.4 million U.S. transgender adults , 208,500 trans adults have asthma , 81,100 have diabetes , 74,800 are living with HIV , and 72,700 have heart disease .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf will become the first governor to include the LGBTQ community in data the state collects on COVID-19, he announced this week.
Wolf said in a press release that the Department of Health has asked for a system modification from the data collection platform it works with, Sara Alert, that would include information on gender identity and sexual orientation.
“The department has also requested from the eHealth Authority Board that the state’s six health information organizations work to capture sexual orientation and gender identity or expression data from electronic health records that can then be used by health care providers to report their COVID-19 data to the department,” Wolf’s office said in a statement.
Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Rachel Levine, the highest ranking health official in the U.S. to be openly transgender, recently told the Washington Blade said that she’s focused especially on “testing vulnerable communities in minority and underserved communities.”
The LGBTQ data, she added, was “not part of our information system” previously, meaning the state had been unable to determine just how hard the virus was hitting that community more broadly.
The state is currently trying to expand testing in general by working with Rite Aid and CVS, and is currently testing anyone who is symptomatic at the state’s public testing sites, according to the Blade. In Philadelphia, the Mazzoni Center, which provides health and wellness services in an LGBTQ-focused environment, has recently taken on coronavirus testing as well, which provides a supportive environment for LGBTQ people who want to get screened.
Fear of discrimination often drives LGBTQ people to avoid doctors’ offices, so the opportunity to receive care from an LGBTQ-friendly facility is a positive development.
Advocacy groups such as the Human Rights Campaign have called for better federal and state data collection on LGBTQ people and how they are affected by the pandemic. State lawmakers like Democratic New Jersey Assemblywoman Valerie Huttle have also introduced bills that ensure data is collected for LGBTQ COVID-19 patients.
Earlier this month, Huttle introduced a bill that requires hospitals to collect gender identity and sexual orientation information for people who have been treated for coronavirus, including for nonbinary people.
“Without comprehensive demographic data, we do not have the information that we need to adequately understand the extent to which marginalized communities have been impacted by the outbreak of COVID-19,” Huttle said in a statement at the time.
She added that the state had made “great strides” thus far in data collection but needed to “take action to better understand how this pandemic has impacted the LGBTQ community in our state.”
“The bottom line is, we cannot advocate for resources without fully understanding the scope of the problem; this legislation will help to ensure that resources and support will be directed towards those who need them most during this critical time,” she said.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has similarly supported an effort by the Legislature that would mandate collection and reporting of sexual orientation and gender identity data for all COVID-19 patients.
Newsom said recently he is in “constant contact” with the lawmaker who introduced it, Democratic State Sen. Scott Wiener, as well as the LGBTQ Caucus, and added that “we hope to have a legislative effort very shortly on my desk that will allow us to move forward by going together.”
On Friday, Wiener praised the steps Pennsylvania is taking to collect more information on COVID-19 and the LGBTQ community.
“This issue is critically important for our community, since LGBTQ people have significant risk factors for COVID-19, including higher rates of cancer, HIV, smoking, and homelessness,” he said in an email. “…Without data, we lack the information we need to ensure we’re addressing impacts of the pandemic on LGBTQ people.”
He also praised Newsom for his assistance in California, calling him a “long-time staunch ally of our community.”
“He gets it and has been clear that he stands with us on this issue,” Wiener said.
It’s unclear exactly how COVID-19 has affected LGBTQ people’s health, as data on the subject is so scarce. But researchers have said that what we do know about LGBTQ people shows that the community is particularly vulnerable during this pandemic, both in terms of personal health and economic instability.
LGBTQ people already faced economic insecurity and health disparities compared to straight and cisgender people before the pandemic began. Twenty-one percent of LGBTQ people in the United States live in poverty, compared to 15.7% of cisgender and straight people, and discrimination in housing and employment puts LGBTQ people in danger of housing insecurity and losing health insurance.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said people with underlying medical conditions are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. That’s particularly concerning given that the Williams Institute at at the UCLA School of Law recently released a study showing that, out of 1.4 million U.S. transgender adults, 208,500 trans adults have asthma, 81,100 have diabetes, 74,800 are living with HIV, and 72,700 have heart disease.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-15--Missouri GOP pushes bill that would force some to risk their health to vote

Voting rights advocates slammed new legislation passed in the Missouri House of Representatives because it would force voters to continue to have absentee ballots notarized before they are submitted .
The new GOP-backed legislation would allow any registered voter in the state to request an absentee ballot for any reason , replacing the current requirement that provides only six approved reasons to request one .
But Republican lawmakers refused to remove the provision in current Missouri law that requires that absentee ballots be notarized , saying that it is needed to combat voter fraud .
In addition , the legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either in person or by mail .
They can not do so online or by email .
Voting rights groups criticized the new rules .
`` Voting by mail should be safe and accessible , and having voters find and be in contact with a notary places an undue burden on voters and undermines public health during a global pandemic , '' said Patrick Burgwinkle , a spokesperson for Let America Vote , in an email on Friday .
Voting by mail should not be `` clogged with additional obstacles like this , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protection group Fair Fight in an email .
`` Voter fraud is extremely rare in America , but that has n't stopped folks from perpetuating the myth and using it as justification to erect barriers that make it harder to vote . ''
While notaries in Missouri are not allowed to charge fees for certifying absentee ballots , the new legislation would still require voters to make the effort to find a notary public and have them perform the service .
On April 6 , the state 's Republican Gov .
Mike Parson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certify documents via videoconference , but the Springfield News-Leader reported on May 14 that very few notaries had filed the required paperwork to do so .
In addition , Missouri is ranked 32nd nationally in internet coverage among all the states ; only 77 % of the state has access to fast internet , and only 55 % of the state has access to low-priced internet , defined as costing less than $ 60 a month .
Voters who are unable to access a notary online would be forced to risk their health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their absentee ballots certified , defeating the supposed purpose of the legislation .
The legislation is `` not going to make it any more convenient for people to vote in this time of the pandemic , '' said Democratic Rep. Deb Lavender .
Republicans around the country have refused to accept ideas for making voting safer and easier during the coronavirus pandemic .
In Texas , Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton falsely stated that more absentee voting `` damages the integrity of our elections and increases the risk of voter fraud , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservatives in the state legislature and on the state Supreme Court forced voters to cast ballots in person despite an attempt by Democratic Gov .
Tony Evers to postpone the April 7 election and allow more time for voting by mail .
In Congress , Sen. Kamala Harris ( D-CA ) and Reps. Jim Clyburn ( D-SC ) and Marcia Fudge ( D-OH ) introduced the VoteSafe Act , which would ensure that all states offered no-excuse absentee voting , 20 days of early voting , and other reforms to allow more and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Voting rights advocates slammed new legislation passed in the Missouri House of Representatives because it would force voters to continue to have absentee ballots notarized before they are submitted.
The new GOP-backed legislation would allow any registered voter in the state to request an absentee ballot for any reason, replacing the current requirement that provides only six approved reasons to request one.
But Republican lawmakers refused to remove the provision in current Missouri law that requires that absentee ballots be notarized, saying that it is needed to combat voter fraud.
In addition, the legislation requires voters to request an absentee ballot either in person or by mail. They cannot do so online or by email.
Voting rights groups criticized the new rules.
“Voting by mail should be safe and accessible, and having voters find and be in contact with a notary places an undue burden on voters and undermines public health during a global pandemic,” said Patrick Burgwinkle, a spokesperson for Let America Vote, in an email on Friday.
Voting by mail should not be “clogged with additional obstacles like this,” said Seth Bringman of the vote protection group Fair Fight in an email. “Voter fraud is extremely rare in America, but that hasn’t stopped folks from perpetuating the myth and using it as justification to erect barriers that make it harder to vote.”
While notaries in Missouri are not allowed to charge fees for certifying absentee ballots, the new legislation would still require voters to make the effort to find a notary public and have them perform the service.
On April 6, the state’s Republican Gov. Mike Parson issued an executive order allowing notaries to certify documents via videoconference, but the Springfield News-Leader reported on May 14 that very few notaries had filed the required paperwork to do so.
In addition, Missouri is ranked 32nd nationally in internet coverage among all the states; only 77% of the state has access to fast internet, and only 55% of the state has access to low-priced internet, defined as costing less than $60 a month.
Voters who are unable to access a notary online would be forced to risk their health by visiting one in person to have their absentee ballots certified, defeating the supposed purpose of the legislation.
The legislation is “not going to make it any more convenient for people to vote in this time of the pandemic,” said Democratic Rep. Deb Lavender.
Republicans around the country have refused to accept ideas for making voting safer and easier during the coronavirus pandemic.
In Texas, Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton falsely stated that more absentee voting “damages the integrity of our elections and increases the risk of voter fraud,” without any evidence.
In Wisconsin, conservatives in the state legislature and on the state Supreme Court forced voters to cast ballots in person despite an attempt by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers to postpone the April 7 election and allow more time for voting by mail.
In Congress, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Reps. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) and Marcia Fudge (D-OH) introduced the VoteSafe Act, which would ensure that all states offered no-excuse absentee voting, 20 days of early voting, and other reforms to allow more and safer voting options for Americans.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-15--Jim Jordan complains about working from home because it's not in the Constitution

Rep. Jim Jordan ( R-OH ) complained Thursday that a proposed temporary change to House rule to allow members to work from home during the pandemic was a `` dangerous '' move that violated the framer 's intent for Congress .
`` If you can mail in your vote , why would the Constitution say you have to be protected from being arrested coming to vote ?
You can just mail it in !
That makes no sense , '' he argued at a House Rules Committee hearing on a proposed change to allow members to cast their votes by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` All these provisions envision members physically traveling and being present at the seat of federal government to do the business of the American people .
But we 're gon na change all that .
...
The Constitution leaves no room for what we 're trying to do here .
It is so wrong , '' Jordan said .
The Constitution was ratified in 1788 , long before both the internet and the virus that causes COVID-19 arrived .
But Jordan was upset that the Democratic majority was planning a Friday vote on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members designate a colleague to vote on their behalf and allow remote committee meetings .
The policy would be in place for the next 45 days .
The proposal came after the Congressional physician expressed concerns about the 435-member House meeting in person in Washington , D.C. — a hotspot for the coronavirus .
At least six members of Congress have already tested positive .
Still , Jordan said he felt any use of the internet by Congress to conduct business during the pandemic is `` wrong '' : Experts are continuing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prevent infection and further spread of the virus .
`` From an epidemiological perspective , the solution to this problem is pretty clear — that we really need to have these very extreme interventions to do our best to slow the spread of disease , '' Dr. Kathleen Winter , an epidemiologist at the University of Kentucky , told Forbes last month .
But many GOP lawmakers , including Jordan , have pushed for a speedy reopening of the nation 's economy and have argued that the Congress should be leading the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans of all stripes are making sacrifices and doing their part to defeat this virus — and they expect Washington to do the same , '' House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy , Rep. Tom Cole ( R-OK ) , and Rep. Rodney Davis ( R-IL ) wrote in a joint statement on Wednesday .
`` Unfortunately , far from being 'captains of this ship ' as Speaker Pelosi recently proclaimed , the Democrats ' proposal calls for the House of Representatives to abandon ship — potentially for the remainder of the session .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brooks accused `` # Socialist # Democrat '' colleagues of supporting remote voting so they could `` GET PAID IN FULL without showing up for work at Capitol Hill . ''
Most of those who are working outside of their homes nationally are `` essential workers , '' using extreme caution and personal protective equipment .
Unlike most of his colleagues , Jordan has refused to wear a face mask to protect his colleagues .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) complained Thursday that a proposed temporary change to House rule to allow members to work from home during the pandemic was a “dangerous” move that violated the framer’s intent for Congress.
“If you can mail in your vote, why would the Constitution say you have to be protected from being arrested coming to vote? You can just mail it in! That makes no sense,” he argued at a House Rules Committee hearing on a proposed change to allow members to cast their votes by proxy and to hold hearings virtually.
“All these provisions envision members physically traveling and being present at the seat of federal government to do the business of the American people. But we’re gonna change all that. … The Constitution leaves no room for what we’re trying to do here. It is so wrong,” Jordan said.
The Constitution was ratified in 1788, long before both the internet and the virus that causes COVID-19 arrived.
But Jordan was upset that the Democratic majority was planning a Friday vote on the rule change, which will let members designate a colleague to vote on their behalf and allow remote committee meetings. The policy would be in place for the next 45 days.
The proposal came after the Congressional physician expressed concerns about the 435-member House meeting in person in Washington, D.C. — a hotspot for the coronavirus. At least six members of Congress have already tested positive.
Still, Jordan said he felt any use of the internet by Congress to conduct business during the pandemic is “wrong”:
This is a dangerous place we’re heading and everybody knows it, but the majority is gonna go ahead and do it. That is what ticks me off. Proxy voting, Zoom, Webex, Houseparty meetings and hearings, quasi-hearings, remote depositions. Remote depositions? The example this sends, the precedent this sets is wrong, and I think even the majority knows it.
Experts are continuing to advise people to stay at home, to prevent infection and further spread of the virus.
“From an epidemiological perspective, the solution to this problem is pretty clear — that we really need to have these very extreme interventions to do our best to slow the spread of disease,” Dr. Kathleen Winter, an epidemiologist at the University of Kentucky, told Forbes last month.
But many GOP lawmakers, including Jordan, have pushed for a speedy reopening of the nation’s economy and have argued that the Congress should be leading the way.
“Across our nation, Americans of all stripes are making sacrifices and doing their part to defeat this virus — and they expect Washington to do the same,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), and Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) wrote in a joint statement on Wednesday. “Unfortunately, far from being ‘captains of this ship’ as Speaker Pelosi recently proclaimed, the Democrats’ proposal calls for the House of Representatives to abandon ship — potentially for the remainder of the session.”
Last month, Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks accused “#Socialist #Democrat” colleagues of supporting remote voting so they could “GET PAID IN FULL without showing up for work at Capitol Hill.”
Most of those who are working outside of their homes nationally are “essential workers,” using extreme caution and personal protective equipment. Unlike most of his colleagues, Jordan has refused to wear a face mask to protect his colleagues.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-05-15--5 governors bragged about their virus response. Now they're seeing cases spike

Last week , five Republican governors published an opinion piece in the Washington Post under the headline , `` Our states stayed open in the covid-19 pandemic .
Here ’ s why our approach worked . ''
The latest coronavirus data from two of those states shows that the approach did not work .
`` While our specific approaches may differ , we have all kept our states 'open for business ' and delivered food and other goods Americans need during this pandemic , '' wrote Mark Gordon of Wyoming , Pete Ricketts of Nebraska , Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Parson of Missouri .
All but Parson were among the seven governors who refused to issue statewide `` stay-at-home '' orders , even after Surgeon General Jerome Adams urged the nation to stay home to curb the pandemic .
`` We knew it was critical , even as the coronavirus has spread , that our state economies keep moving .
Agriculture , energy and manufacturing are the backbone of the Midwest and Great Plains , '' the governors added , though they acknowledged that they `` did have to close pieces '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They claimed that their states `` have simultaneously ranked low in terms of infection rates and deaths . ''
But according to the nonprofit data site USAFacts , Iowa and Nebraska have actually had a relatively high number of coronavirus cases per capita .
Iowa 's 13,675 COVID-19 cases amount to 433.4 confirmed infections per 100,000 residents .
Nebraska 's 9,262 cases comprise 478.8 confirmed cases per 100,000 residents .
Those rates are higher than California 's ( 189.5 cases per 100,000 ) , North Carolina 's ( 157.4 ) , Ohio 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 325.9 ) , and those of most other states .
According to the Cedar Rapids-based Gazette , the week ending Wednesday marked `` the deadliest seven-day stretch since the virus first was confirmed in Iowa , '' with an average of 12.4 deaths every day .
Indeed , from May 5 , the day the governors ' op-ed was published , through May 13 , Iowa confirmed 3,585 new coronavirus cases , according to the New York Times .
This is more than a quarter ( 26.2 % ) of the total number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nebraska recorded 2,952 new cases during that period .
That is nearly a third ( 31.4 % ) of the 9,416 cases the state has confirmed so far ( the New York Times ' case total for Nebraska varied slightly from the data at USAFacts ) .
Ricketts and Reynolds both defended their refusals to issue stay-at-home orders in April .
Ricketts said that such an order was unnecessary for Nebraska , arguing `` as we look at the data we are seeing that we are different from other states . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ divisive issue at a time when we must be united in our response to this crisis . ''
Some states that took a more aggressive approach to social distancing have been phasing out restrictions in recent days .
Several , including Texas and Tennessee , have already seen spikes in the number of new coronavirus cases since they lifted stay-at-home orders .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Last week, five Republican governors published an opinion piece in the Washington Post under the headline, “Our states stayed open in the covid-19 pandemic. Here’s why our approach worked.”
The latest coronavirus data from two of those states shows that the approach did not work.
“While our specific approaches may differ, we have all kept our states ‘open for business’ and delivered food and other goods Americans need during this pandemic,” wrote Mark Gordon of Wyoming, Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas, Kim Reynolds of Iowa, and Mike Parson of Missouri. All but Parson were among the seven governors who refused to issue statewide “stay-at-home” orders, even after Surgeon General Jerome Adams urged the nation to stay home to curb the pandemic.
“We knew it was critical, even as the coronavirus has spread, that our state economies keep moving. Agriculture, energy and manufacturing are the backbone of the Midwest and Great Plains,” the governors added, though they acknowledged that they “did have to close pieces” of their economies “temporarily.” They claimed that their states “have simultaneously ranked low in terms of infection rates and deaths.”
But according to the nonprofit data site USAFacts, Iowa and Nebraska have actually had a relatively high number of coronavirus cases per capita. Iowa’s 13,675 COVID-19 cases amount to 433.4 confirmed infections per 100,000 residents. Nebraska’s 9,262 cases comprise 478.8 confirmed cases per 100,000 residents. Those rates are higher than California’s (189.5 cases per 100,000), North Carolina’s (157.4), Ohio’s (225.5), Virginia’s (325.9), and those of most other states.
According to the Cedar Rapids-based Gazette, the week ending Wednesday marked “the deadliest seven-day stretch since the virus first was confirmed in Iowa,” with an average of 12.4 deaths every day.
Indeed, from May 5, the day the governors’ op-ed was published, through May 13, Iowa confirmed 3,585 new coronavirus cases, according to the New York Times. This is more than a quarter (26.2%) of the total number of cases in the state to date.
Nebraska recorded 2,952 new cases during that period. That is nearly a third (31.4%) of the 9,416 cases the state has confirmed so far (the New York Times’ case total for Nebraska varied slightly from the data at USAFacts).
Ricketts and Reynolds both defended their refusals to issue stay-at-home orders in April. Ricketts said that such an order was unnecessary for Nebraska, arguing “as we look at the data we are seeing that we are different from other states.” Reynolds dismissed the idea as a “divisive issue at a time when we must be united in our response to this crisis.”
Some states that took a more aggressive approach to social distancing have been phasing out restrictions in recent days. Several, including Texas and Tennessee, have already seen spikes in the number of new coronavirus cases since they lifted stay-at-home orders.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.