shareblue--2020-08-18--Woman who lost father to virus: 'His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump'

Kristin Urquiza gave a powerful speech at the Democratic National Convention on Monday night , in which she placed blame on her father 's death from COVID-19 on Donald Trump and other politicians who did not take the virus seriously .
`` I 'm one of the many who has lost a loved one to COVID .
My dad , Mark Anthony , should be here today .
But he is n't .
He had faith in Donald Trump .
He voted for him , listened to him , believed him and his mouthpieces when they said that coronavirus was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' said Urquiza , whose father died on June 30 from the coronavirus .
Her obituary for her father subsequently went viral .
`` My dad was a healthy 65-year-old , '' Urquiza said Monday night .
`` His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump , and for that he paid with his life . ''
She went on to say that while Trump `` may not have caused the coronavirus , '' his `` dishonesty and his irresponsible actions made it so much worse . ''
`` One of the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was that he felt betrayed by the likes of Donald Trump , '' she said .
`` And so , when I cast my vote for Joe Biden , I will do it for my dad . ''
Trump has repeatedly downplayed the coronavirus , falsely saying that it would `` miraculously '' disappear , and wasting more than two months at the start of the coronavirus outbreak before taking any measurable steps to stop it .
The failure to take significant action as the pandemic was spreading led to a massive outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's demands that states reopen before public health experts said it was safe helped create even more outbreaks .
To date , more than 5.4 million people have been infected by the coronavirus in the United States , and more than 170,000 have died .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Kristin Urquiza gave a powerful speech at the Democratic National Convention on Monday night, in which she placed blame on her father’s death from COVID-19 on Donald Trump and other politicians who did not take the virus seriously.
“I’m one of the many who has lost a loved one to COVID. My dad, Mark Anthony, should be here today. But he isn’t. He had faith in Donald Trump. He voted for him, listened to him, believed him and his mouthpieces when they said that coronavirus was under control and going to disappear,” said Urquiza, whose father died on June 30 from the coronavirus. Her obituary for her father subsequently went viral.
“My dad was a healthy 65-year-old,” Urquiza said Monday night. “His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump, and for that he paid with his life.”
She went on to say that while Trump “may not have caused the coronavirus,” his “dishonesty and his irresponsible actions made it so much worse.”
“One of the last things that my father said to me was that he felt betrayed by the likes of Donald Trump,” she said. “And so, when I cast my vote for Joe Biden, I will do it for my dad.”
Trump has repeatedly downplayed the coronavirus, falsely saying that it would “miraculously” disappear, and wasting more than two months at the start of the coronavirus outbreak before taking any measurable steps to stop it.
The failure to take significant action as the pandemic was spreading led to a massive outbreak in the United States. And Trump’s demands that states reopen before public health experts said it was safe helped create even more outbreaks.
To date, more than 5.4 million people have been infected by the coronavirus in the United States, and more than 170,000 have died.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-18--George Floyd family: Black victims of police violence 'should all be alive today'

George Floyd 's family spoke to the nation during Monday 's Democratic National Convention , calling for a moment of silence to honor the many Black Americans killed by police or as a result of racist violence .
`` My brother George was selfless , '' Philonise Floyd said .
`` George had a giving spirit .
A spirit that has shown up on streets around our nation and around the world .
People of all races , all ages , all genders , all backgrounds peacefully protesting in the name of love and unity . ''
He called the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's death and the calls for law enforcement reform a `` fitting legacy . ''
`` ... George should be alive today , '' Floyd said before listing several other Black Americans killed by police or in racist attacks .
`` Breonna Taylor should be alive today .
Ahmaud Arbery should be alive today .
Eric Garner should be alive today .
Stephon Clark , or Atatiana Jefferson , Sandra Bland — they should all be alive today . ''
At the end of his remarks , Floyd called for a moment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many other souls we lost to hate and injustice . ''
George Floyd , a Black man , was killed by a white police officer earlier this year after the officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes .
His death sparked nationwide protests against systemic racism and racist police brutality .
Donald Trump repeatedly attacked those protesting , calling them `` terrorists '' and `` thugs '' and sending in federal police and the National Guard to crack down violently on the demonstrations .
In June , his administration used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the street from the White House , in order to clear the way for Trump to hold a photo op at a nearby church .
George Floyd 's family , meanwhile , has continued to speak out in his memory , calling for change and nationwide police reform .
`` I could n't take care of George the day he was killed , but maybe by speaking with you today , I can help make sure that his death is n't in vain , '' Philonise Floyd said during a congressional hearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` to make sure that he is more than another face on a T-shirt , more than another name on a list that wo n't stop growing . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

George Floyd’s family spoke to the nation during Monday’s Democratic National Convention, calling for a moment of silence to honor the many Black Americans killed by police or as a result of racist violence.
“My brother George was selfless,” Philonise Floyd said. “George had a giving spirit. A spirit that has shown up on streets around our nation and around the world. People of all races, all ages, all genders, all backgrounds peacefully protesting in the name of love and unity.”
He called the protests in the wake of his brother’s death and the calls for law enforcement reform a “fitting legacy.”
“…George should be alive today,” Floyd said before listing several other Black Americans killed by police or in racist attacks. “Breonna Taylor should be alive today. Ahmaud Arbery should be alive today. Eric Garner should be alive today. Stephon Clark, or Atatiana Jefferson, Sandra Bland — they should all be alive today.”
At the end of his remarks, Floyd called for a moment of silence “to honor George and the many other souls we lost to hate and injustice.”
George Floyd, a Black man, was killed by a white police officer earlier this year after the officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes. His death sparked nationwide protests against systemic racism and racist police brutality.
Donald Trump repeatedly attacked those protesting, calling them “terrorists” and “thugs” and sending in federal police and the National Guard to crack down violently on the demonstrations. In June, his administration used tear gas against a group of protesters across the street from the White House, in order to clear the way for Trump to hold a photo op at a nearby church.
George Floyd’s family, meanwhile, has continued to speak out in his memory, calling for change and nationwide police reform.
“I couldn’t take care of George the day he was killed, but maybe by speaking with you today, I can help make sure that his death isn’t in vain,” Philonise Floyd said during a congressional hearing in June.
He said he wanted “to make sure that he is more than another face on a T-shirt, more than another name on a list that won’t stop growing.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-19--Sally Yates at convention: Trump 'treats our country like it's his family business'

On night two of the Democratic National Convention , former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates hit upon exactly the problem with Donald Trump 's helming of America : He treats the country like he treats his family business .
Yates , who spent nearly 30 years in the Department of Justice under both Democratic and Republican presidents , was dismissed by Trump 10 days into his term when she refused to defend his , as she put it tonight , `` shameful and unlawful '' Muslim travel ban .
Prior to the Trump administration , Yates had a distinguished and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as the 1996 Olympic bombing in Atlanta .
In 2015 , when then-President Barack Obama tapped her to be the second in command at the Department of Justice , she was confirmed by an overwhelming bipartisan majority in the Senate .
None of that mattered to Trump , however , who sought only someone who would defend his travel ban regardless of its legality .
On Tuesday night , Yates highlighted the differences between Trump and Vice President Joe Biden : Put simply , [ Trump ] treats our country like it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bankrupting our moral authority at home and abroad .
But our country does n't belong to him , it belongs to all of us .
Joe Biden embraces that .
He 's led his entire life putting our country first .
He never backed down from a challenge or a bullet .
He summons the best in us and lives by the values that define us as Americans : Service , integrity , courage , compassion .
There are countless stories of Joe Biden reaching out to someone in their moment of need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's moment of need .
We need a president who respects our laws and the privilege of public service , who reflects our values and cares about our people .
We need a president who will restore the soul of America .
We need Joe Biden .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

On night two of the Democratic National Convention, former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates hit upon exactly the problem with Donald Trump’s helming of America: He treats the country like he treats his family business.
Yates, who spent nearly 30 years in the Department of Justice under both Democratic and Republican presidents, was dismissed by Trump 10 days into his term when she refused to defend his, as she put it tonight, “shameful and unlawful” Muslim travel ban.
Prior to the Trump administration, Yates had a distinguished and lengthy career. She prosecuted major cases such as the 1996 Olympic bombing in Atlanta. In 2015, when then-President Barack Obama tapped her to be the second in command at the Department of Justice, she was confirmed by an overwhelming bipartisan majority in the Senate. None of that mattered to Trump, however, who sought only someone who would defend his travel ban regardless of its legality.
On Tuesday night, Yates highlighted the differences between Trump and Vice President Joe Biden:
Put simply, [Trump] treats our country like it’s his family business, this time bankrupting our moral authority at home and abroad. But our country doesn’t belong to him, it belongs to all of us. Joe Biden embraces that. He’s led his entire life putting our country first. He never backed down from a challenge or a bullet. He summons the best in us and lives by the values that define us as Americans: Service, integrity, courage, compassion. There are countless stories of Joe Biden reaching out to someone in their moment of need. Well, this is our country’s moment of need. We need a president who respects our laws and the privilege of public service, who reflects our values and cares about our people. We need a president who will restore the soul of America. We need Joe Biden.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-18--13 Republicans who cheered Susan B. Anthony pardon but voted against equal pay

At least 13 House Republicans cheered Donald Trump 's posthumous pardon of Susan B. Anthony on Tuesday .
But last year , each of them voted against legislation to promote one of Anthony 's most passionate priorities : equal pay .
Trump announced Tuesday that he would pardon Anthony , who was convicted by an all-male jury in 1873 of illegally voting while female .
The symbolic gesture coincided with the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment , which prohibited voting discrimination on the basis of sex .
But in addition to advocating for women 's suffrage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for equal pay for equal work .
`` I do not demand equal pay for any women save those who do equal work in value , '' she wrote .
`` Scorn to be coddled by your employers ; make them understand that you are in their services as workers , not as women . ''
According to the Susan B. Anthony Center at the University of Rochester , pay disparity remains a huge problem today : `` On a national level , women earn 80 % on average of what men earn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The pay gap is even worse for older women ( yes , it gets worse as you age ! )
. ''
But when the House of Representatives passed the Paycheck Fairness Act last March — a bill aimed at addressing the imbalance — nearly every Republican in the chamber voted against it .
Like hundreds of other House-passed proposals , the bill is stuck in the Republican-controlled Senate , where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has vowed to block it from even getting a vote .
Despite their opposition to Anthony 's equal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on social media on Tuesday about how happy they were to see Trump issuing the pardon : • Kelly Armstrong ( R-ND ) : `` President Trump just announced that today — the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment — he 'll be pardoning Susan B. Anthony , a pioneer in the Women 's Suffrage movement who was convicted by an all-male jury of illegal voting , '' Armstrong wrote on Facebook .
• Andy Biggs ( R-AZ ) : `` Thank you , President Donald J. Trump , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Susan B. Anthony , '' Biggs wrote on Facebook .
• Michael Burgess ( R-TX ) : `` On this historic day of remembrance of women 's suffrage , it is fitting that the President pardoned Susan B. Anthony for voting in 1872 . ''
Burgess tweeted .
`` Her willingness to raise # GoodTrouble is part of why the 'Susan B. Anthony Amendment ' was ratified 100 years ago .
# 19thAmendment '' • Kevin Hern ( R-OK ) : `` 100 years after the ratification of the 19th Amendment , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump posthumously pardoned Susan B. Anthony .
She was arrested , tried , and convicted for attempting to vote illegally in 1872 .
She was one of the loudest and most effective voices in the movement for women ’ s suffrage and has a bust in the rotunda of the United States Capitol Building to honor her work , '' Hern wrote on Facebook .
`` To be honest , I 'm wondering how it took so many years for this pardon to happen . ''
• Bob Latta ( R-OH ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anniversary of the Ratification of the # 19thAmendment , which granted women the right to vote , '' Latta wrote on Facebook .
`` In honor of this milestone , the President signed a proclamation declaring August 2020 as National Suffrage Month and announced he will issue a full pardon for women ’ s suffrage leader Susan B. Anthony , who was arrested for voting in 1872 .
I am proud to live in a country that fights for equality and freedom . ''
• Patrick McHenry ( R-NC ) : `` On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anniversary of women ’ s suffrage in the United States .
The 19th amendment was ratified into the U.S. Constitution on August 18th , 1920 , giving American women the right to vote , '' McHenry wrote on Facebook .
`` Today , President Trump pardoned Susan B. Anthony , one of the leaders of the women ’ s suffrage movement , in honor of this historic day .
Please join me in celebrating this milestone and all who fought hard to give women the right to vote . ''
• Dan Meuser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment .
Thank you to President Trump for commemorating such an important movement in our nation 's history with the announcement that he will grant a posthumous pardon to Susan B. Anthony , '' Meuser wrote on Facebook .
`` Anthony was a trailblazer in advocating for the right to vote for women , and was arrested for attempting to vote .
Her efforts secured a monumental victory to ensure we have one citizen , one vote in America . ''
• Pete Olson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see President Donald J. Trump give pioneering suffragette Susan B. Anthony a well deserved posthumous pardon for her pioneering efforts on behalf of all women ! ''
Olson wrote on Facebook .
• John Shimkus ( R-IL ) : `` What a great way to commemorate this important milestone in our nation 's history ! ''
Shimkus wrote on Facebook , as he shared a link to a story about Trump 's pardon .
• Greg Steube ( R-FL ) : `` Today President Trump will posthumously pardon Susan B. Anthony to celebrate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19th Amendment .
Anthony spearheaded the fight for women ’ s right to vote and was arrested for illegally voting in 1872 , '' Steube wrote on Facebook .
`` I applaud President Trump for this decision as we celebrate the centennial anniversary of women ’ s suffrage ! ''
• Daniel Webster ( R-FL ) : `` Today marks the centennial anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment , which gave women the right to vote .
President Trump today commemorated the anniversary of this historic date , by granting a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Webster wrote on Facebook .
`` One of the founders of the U.S. suffragist movement , Susan B. Anthony , fought for the right to vote after being found guilty of illegally voting in the presidential election 1872 .
Her work and the countless suffragists alongside her secured the right to vote and help bring our country closer to becoming a more perfect union . ''
• Brad Wenstrup ( R-OH ) : `` This is a great move by President Trump on the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Susan B. Anthony was a trailblazer for woman ’ s suffrage and an advocate for protecting unborn children ! ''
Anti-abortion advocates have claimed Anthony wrote an essay opposing the procedure , though historians dispute this claim .
• Don Young ( R-AK ) : `` On this day 100 years ago , the 19th Amendment was ratified , and women 's right to vote was finally secured .
We will forever be indebted to the trailblazing women of the suffrage movement .
Their dogged determination and commitment to equality made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' a more perfect Union . '
'' Young wrote on Facebook .
`` I am very pleased that today , one of our nation 's most prominent suffragists , Susan B. Anthony , was posthumously pardoned by the President .
Her only crime was having the courage to cast a vote when it was still illegal for women to do so . ''
None of the lawmakers immediately responded to inquiries for this story .
Not everyone was cheering Trump 's move on Tuesday .
Ilyse Hogue , president of NARAL Pro-Choice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` ridiculous , '' as `` Susan B. Anthony wore her conviction as a badge of honor , one in a long line of leaders who used civil disobedience towards social progress .
The last thing she would want is the misogynist in chief pardoning her . ''
Trump said not endorsed the Paycheck Fairness Act and said in 2015 that equal pay was dangerous because `` you get away from the whole American Dream '' and `` you 're into a socialistic society . ''
According to a 2017 Washington Post analysis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House employees tripled after he took office .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

At least 13 House Republicans cheered Donald Trump’s posthumous pardon of Susan B. Anthony on Tuesday. But last year, each of them voted against legislation to promote one of Anthony’s most passionate priorities: equal pay.
Trump announced Tuesday that he would pardon Anthony, who was convicted by an all-male jury in 1873 of illegally voting while female. The symbolic gesture coincided with the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which prohibited voting discrimination on the basis of sex.
But in addition to advocating for women’s suffrage, Anthony was also a staunch advocate for equal pay for equal work.
“I do not demand equal pay for any women save those who do equal work in value,” she wrote. “Scorn to be coddled by your employers; make them understand that you are in their services as workers, not as women.”
According to the Susan B. Anthony Center at the University of Rochester, pay disparity remains a huge problem today: “On a national level, women earn 80% on average of what men earn, across all professions and distinctions. The pay gap is even worse for older women (yes, it gets worse as you age!).”
But when the House of Representatives passed the Paycheck Fairness Act last March — a bill aimed at addressing the imbalance — nearly every Republican in the chamber voted against it.
Like hundreds of other House-passed proposals, the bill is stuck in the Republican-controlled Senate, where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has vowed to block it from even getting a vote.
Despite their opposition to Anthony’s equal pay goals, 13 House Republicans posted on social media on Tuesday about how happy they were to see Trump issuing the pardon:
Kelly Armstrong (R-ND): “President Trump just announced that today — the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment — he’ll be pardoning Susan B. Anthony, a pioneer in the Women’s Suffrage movement who was convicted by an all-male jury of illegal voting,” Armstrong wrote on Facebook. Andy Biggs (R-AZ): “Thank you, President Donald J. Trump, for this well-deserved announcement of a pardon for Susan B. Anthony,” Biggs wrote on Facebook. Michael Burgess (R-TX): “On this historic day of remembrance of women’s suffrage, it is fitting that the President pardoned Susan B. Anthony for voting in 1872.” Burgess tweeted. “Her willingness to raise #GoodTrouble is part of why the ‘Susan B. Anthony Amendment’ was ratified 100 years ago. #19thAmendment” Kevin Hern (R-OK): “100 years after the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote, President Trump posthumously pardoned Susan B. Anthony. She was arrested, tried, and convicted for attempting to vote illegally in 1872. She was one of the loudest and most effective voices in the movement for women’s suffrage and has a bust in the rotunda of the United States Capitol Building to honor her work,” Hern wrote on Facebook. “To be honest, I’m wondering how it took so many years for this pardon to happen.” Bob Latta (R-OH): “Today we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Ratification of the #19thAmendment, which granted women the right to vote,” Latta wrote on Facebook. “In honor of this milestone, the President signed a proclamation declaring August 2020 as National Suffrage Month and announced he will issue a full pardon for women’s suffrage leader Susan B. Anthony, who was arrested for voting in 1872. I am proud to live in a country that fights for equality and freedom.” Patrick McHenry (R-NC): “On this day, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in the United States. The 19th amendment was ratified into the U.S. Constitution on August 18th, 1920, giving American women the right to vote,” McHenry wrote on Facebook. “Today, President Trump pardoned Susan B. Anthony, one of the leaders of the women’s suffrage movement, in honor of this historic day. Please join me in celebrating this milestone and all who fought hard to give women the right to vote.” Dan Meuser (R-PA): “Today is the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Thank you to President Trump for commemorating such an important movement in our nation’s history with the announcement that he will grant a posthumous pardon to Susan B. Anthony,” Meuser wrote on Facebook. “Anthony was a trailblazer in advocating for the right to vote for women, and was arrested for attempting to vote. Her efforts secured a monumental victory to ensure we have one citizen, one vote in America.” Pete Olson (R-TX): “Proud to see President Donald J. Trump give pioneering suffragette Susan B. Anthony a well deserved posthumous pardon for her pioneering efforts on behalf of all women!” Olson wrote on Facebook. John Shimkus (R-IL): “What a great way to commemorate this important milestone in our nation’s history!” Shimkus wrote on Facebook, as he shared a link to a story about Trump’s pardon. Greg Steube (R-FL): “Today President Trump will posthumously pardon Susan B. Anthony to celebrate a century since the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Anthony spearheaded the fight for women’s right to vote and was arrested for illegally voting in 1872,” Steube wrote on Facebook. “I applaud President Trump for this decision as we celebrate the centennial anniversary of women’s suffrage!” Daniel Webster (R-FL): “Today marks the centennial anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote. President Trump today commemorated the anniversary of this historic date, by granting a posthumous pardon to Susan B. Anthony,” Webster wrote on Facebook. “One of the founders of the U.S. suffragist movement, Susan B. Anthony, fought for the right to vote after being found guilty of illegally voting in the presidential election 1872. Her work and the countless suffragists alongside her secured the right to vote and help bring our country closer to becoming a more perfect union.” Brad Wenstrup (R-OH): “This is a great move by President Trump on the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment,” Wenstrup wrote on Facebook. “Susan B. Anthony was a trailblazer for woman’s suffrage and an advocate for protecting unborn children!” Anti-abortion advocates have claimed Anthony wrote an essay opposing the procedure, though historians dispute this claim. Don Young (R-AK): “On this day 100 years ago, the 19th Amendment was ratified, and women’s right to vote was finally secured. We will forever be indebted to the trailblazing women of the suffrage movement. Their dogged determination and commitment to equality made a lasting impact and helped make America ‘a more perfect Union.'” Young wrote on Facebook. “I am very pleased that today, one of our nation’s most prominent suffragists, Susan B. Anthony, was posthumously pardoned by the President. Her only crime was having the courage to cast a vote when it was still illegal for women to do so.”
None of the lawmakers immediately responded to inquiries for this story.
Not everyone was cheering Trump’s move on Tuesday. Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, tweeted that the pardon was “ridiculous,” as “Susan B. Anthony wore her conviction as a badge of honor, one in a long line of leaders who used civil disobedience towards social progress. The last thing she would want is the misogynist in chief pardoning her.”
Trump said not endorsed the Paycheck Fairness Act and said in 2015 that equal pay was dangerous because “you get away from the whole American Dream” and “you’re into a socialistic society.” According to a 2017 Washington Post analysis, the gender pay gap for White House employees tripled after he took office.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-18--Opinion: Trump's attack on the post office is his greatest threat to democracy yet

In the face of discouraging poll numbers and criticism of his administration 's handling of the COVID-19 crisis , Donald Trump has increased attacks on the legitimacy of November 's elections .
He recently threatened not to accept the results of November 's election , stepped up his attacks on mail-in voting , and floated the idea of postponing the election altogether .
The contrast between the public response to Trump 's blatant threat to postpone elections and his slightly more subtle effort to undermine mail-in voting demonstrates why his attack on mail-in voting may be the most effective way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At the end of July , Trump tweeted that the 2020 election would `` be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history . ''
He then asked : `` Delay the Election until people can properly , securely and safely vote ?
?
? ''
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy quickly dismissed the possibility of postponing the elections .
McCarthy summarized the Republican response , stating : `` Never in the history of the federal elections have we ever not held an election and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' In contrast , Republican leaders have been largely silent regarding the administration 's recent attacks on the post office .
Last week , the postmaster general — and Trump donor — Louis DeJoy reassigned or displaced 23 post office executives , a move that critics charge will make the post office run less efficiently .
Prior to this reorganization , DeJoy announced that postal workers would no longer be able to work overtime , even though the pandemic has increased both the demand for packages and the number of postal workers on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus , DeJoy 's new policies , and the Senate 's failure to pass additional stimulus money for the post office has led to a nationwide disruption of the mail service that threatens the integrity of the 2020 elections .
In an interview on Fox News , Trump admitted that starving the post office of funding would effectively end the push for universal mail-in voting .
This year 's state primaries have already highlighted the difficulties inherent in rapidly increasing participation in voting by mail .
In Wisconsin 's presidential primary in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrived after the election date , and 9,000 requested ballots were not received by voters at all .
In New York , two primary races held on June 23 have yet to be called due to difficulties processing mail-in ballots .
In the face of record levels of mail-in voting and chaos within the post office , the United States could see similar problems in November : Thousands of ballots could be sent out too late for voters to use in time , and thousands more could be returned to election offices too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail service could be particularly problematic because many states , including Colorado , Florida , Georgia , Michigan , and Pennsylvania , require that ballots be received by election officials on or before Election Day , regardless of the postmark date .
The reason Republicans may safely ignore Trump 's attacks on mail-in voting and condemn his threat to postpone elections may have to do with public perceptions about the nature of democracy .
Political scientists at Bright Line Watch , an organization focused on monitoring the state of American democracy , compiled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are necessary to preserve democratic governance .
They include tenets under categories such as `` Rights '' ( `` All adult citizens enjoy the same legal and political rights '' ) and `` Institutions '' ( `` The judiciary is able to effectively limit executive power '' ) .
The study 's authors asked hundreds of fellow political scientists and other people to rank the 27 principles based on which they thought were the most and least important for maintaining a democracy .
Notably , both experts and nonexperts believed that the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ballots counted , and winners determined without pervasive fraud or manipulation . ''
The fact that so many recognize that free elections are the most important factor in maintaining a democracy makes it hard for Trump to do something that obviously subverts free elections — like postponing a race he is clearly losing .
The study 's authors asked respondents whether the 27 principles were actually being practiced in the United States .
Here there was disagreement between experts and nonexperts .
While 76 % of experts believed that elections , up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free of fraud , only 44 % of nonexperts agreed .
On the other hand , 60 % of the public believed that Americans currently have equal voting rights , while only 37 % of experts agreed .
Trump 's claims about mail-in voting play into this public perception that elections in the United States are rife with fraud .
This gives Republicans less of an incentive to publicly rebuke Trump 's mail-in voting remarks .
Only about 0.0025 % of mail-in ballots in the 2016 and 2018 elections were potentially fraudulent .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave thousands of people disenfranchised .
Trump could also use delays in tallying those ballots to sow confusion and increase voters ' perceptions of fraud .
While absentee voting generally does not favor one party over the other , Trump 's complaints about it may discourage Republicans from voting by mail this election cycle .
This raises the potential that some states or races that are close on Election Day after in-person votes are tallied may shift in favor of Democratic candidates over time as the tally of mail-in ballots is added to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to claim that the votes counted later were fraudulent ; he tried this strategy in Florida 's highly contested Senate and gubernatorial races in 2018 .
In order to combat Trump 's attempts to delegitimize the election , both Democratic and Republican leaders need to remember that the public has a tendency to overestimate voter fraud and underestimate attacks on voting rights .
They need to clearly make the case to the public that threats to the post office are their own form of election fraud .
Voters need to be wary .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the more outlandish statements , like threats to postpone the elections , the real threat to democracy will come from the more subtle manipulations of the elections .
Katie Scofield holds a Ph.D. in political science from Indiana University , with a focus on comparative constitutional law .
She was awarded a Fulbright grant to study the Ecuadorian constitution and its treatment of human rights .
She teaches government at Blinn College in Texas .

In the face of discouraging poll numbers and criticism of his administration’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis, Donald Trump has increased attacks on the legitimacy of November’s elections. He recently threatened not to accept the results of November’s election, stepped up his attacks on mail-in voting, and floated the idea of postponing the election altogether.
The contrast between the public response to Trump’s blatant threat to postpone elections and his slightly more subtle effort to undermine mail-in voting demonstrates why his attack on mail-in voting may be the most effective way for him to delegitimize the 2020 election.
At the end of July, Trump tweeted that the 2020 election would “be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history.” He then asked: “Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy quickly dismissed the possibility of postponing the elections.
McCarthy summarized the Republican response, stating: “Never in the history of the federal elections have we ever not held an election and we should go forward with our election.”
In contrast, Republican leaders have been largely silent regarding the administration’s recent attacks on the post office.
Last week, the postmaster general — and Trump donor — Louis DeJoy reassigned or displaced 23 post office executives, a move that critics charge will make the post office run less efficiently.
Prior to this reorganization, DeJoy announced that postal workers would no longer be able to work overtime, even though the pandemic has increased both the demand for packages and the number of postal workers on sick leave.
DeJoy further exacerbated labor shortages by announcing a hiring freeze.
The combined effects of the coronavirus, DeJoy’s new policies, and the Senate’s failure to pass additional stimulus money for the post office has led to a nationwide disruption of the mail service that threatens the integrity of the 2020 elections.
In an interview on Fox News, Trump admitted that starving the post office of funding would effectively end the push for universal mail-in voting.
This year’s state primaries have already highlighted the difficulties inherent in rapidly increasing participation in voting by mail. In Wisconsin’s presidential primary in April, tens of thousands of ballots arrived after the election date, and 9,000 requested ballots were not received by voters at all.
In New York, two primary races held on June 23 have yet to be called due to difficulties processing mail-in ballots.
In the face of record levels of mail-in voting and chaos within the post office, the United States could see similar problems in November: Thousands of ballots could be sent out too late for voters to use in time, and thousands more could be returned to election offices too late to be counted.
Disruptions in mail service could be particularly problematic because many states, including Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, require that ballots be received by election officials on or before Election Day, regardless of the postmark date.
The reason Republicans may safely ignore Trump’s attacks on mail-in voting and condemn his threat to postpone elections may have to do with public perceptions about the nature of democracy.
Political scientists at Bright Line Watch, an organization focused on monitoring the state of American democracy, compiled a list of 27 political principles that are necessary to preserve democratic governance. They include tenets under categories such as “Rights” (“All adult citizens enjoy the same legal and political rights”) and “Institutions” (“The judiciary is able to effectively limit executive power”).
The study’s authors asked hundreds of fellow political scientists and other people to rank the 27 principles based on which they thought were the most and least important for maintaining a democracy.
Notably, both experts and nonexperts believed that the most important principle was “Elections are conducted, ballots counted, and winners determined without pervasive fraud or manipulation.”
The fact that so many recognize that free elections are the most important factor in maintaining a democracy makes it hard for Trump to do something that obviously subverts free elections — like postponing a race he is clearly losing.
The study’s authors asked respondents whether the 27 principles were actually being practiced in the United States. Here there was disagreement between experts and nonexperts. While 76% of experts believed that elections, up to this point, have been relatively free of fraud, only 44% of nonexperts agreed.
On the other hand, 60% of the public believed that Americans currently have equal voting rights, while only 37% of experts agreed.
Trump’s claims about mail-in voting play into this public perception that elections in the United States are rife with fraud. This gives Republicans less of an incentive to publicly rebuke Trump’s mail-in voting remarks. Only about 0.0025% of mail-in ballots in the 2016 and 2018 elections were potentially fraudulent.
Delays in the delivery of ballots could leave thousands of people disenfranchised. Trump could also use delays in tallying those ballots to sow confusion and increase voters’ perceptions of fraud.
While absentee voting generally does not favor one party over the other, Trump’s complaints about it may discourage Republicans from voting by mail this election cycle. This raises the potential that some states or races that are close on Election Day after in-person votes are tallied may shift in favor of Democratic candidates over time as the tally of mail-in ballots is added to the totals.
This could tempt Trump to claim that the votes counted later were fraudulent; he tried this strategy in Florida’s highly contested Senate and gubernatorial races in 2018.
In order to combat Trump’s attempts to delegitimize the election, both Democratic and Republican leaders need to remember that the public has a tendency to overestimate voter fraud and underestimate attacks on voting rights.
They need to clearly make the case to the public that threats to the post office are their own form of election fraud.
Voters need to be wary. While it is easy to focus on the more outlandish statements, like threats to postpone the elections, the real threat to democracy will come from the more subtle manipulations of the elections.
Katie Scofield holds a Ph.D. in political science from Indiana University, with a focus on comparative constitutional law. She was awarded a Fulbright grant to study the Ecuadorian constitution and its treatment of human rights. She teaches government at Blinn College in Texas.


shareblue--2020-08-18--Federal judge blocks Trump administration's anti-transgender health care rule

A federal judge on Monday halted a Trump administration rule that rolls back protections against anti-LGBTQ discrimination in health care .
The regulation would have gone into effect on Tuesday had U.S. District Court Judge Frederic Block not found that it violated a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision , among other things .
The Human Rights Campaign and co-counsel BakerHostetler brought the case against the Trump administration on behalf of two transgender women , Tanya Asapansa-Johnson Walker and Cecilia Gentili .
The Department of Health and Human Services first finalized the rollback in June .
The new Trump administration policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transgender people against sex discrimination in health care — in other words , by removing `` gender identity '' from the list of protected categories .
Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen , the executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality , said at the time the new Trump era policy was finalized that it would be particularly harmful to transgender people during a pandemic .
`` This rule sends a message that medical providers can turn people away from a COVID-19 test or treatment simply because of who they are , '' they said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easier to get health care in a time of need , not harder .
This is heartless . ''
Block wrote this week that the Trump-era rule would have gone against the court 's decision in Bostock v. Clayton County .
In June , the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , discrimination based on sex includes discrimination against LGBTQ people .
Although the case focused on LGBTQ workers , LGBTQ advocacy groups have said the decision clearly supports the inclusion of LGBTQ people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` HHS was apparently confident that the Supreme Court would endorse the Administration ’ s interpretation of sex discrimination ... its confidence was misplaced , '' Block wrote .
Block also found that HHS acted `` arbitrarily and capriciously '' in enacting the new rule .
Whether an agency acted `` arbitrarily and capriciously '' is a test judges can use to determine if an agency has violated the Administrative Procedure Act .
In two-thirds of the cases where federal judges have ruled against the Trump administration , the administration has been accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Washington Post reported last year .
Block has not yet issued a final opinion on the matter and is continuing to hear augments on the case .
The final decision can also be appealed .
Still , Sasha Buchert , a senior attorney at Lambda Legal , a national legal organization focused on LGBTQ equality , said this week 's development will help ensure that LGBTQ people are able to get the health care services they need .
According to a 2017 survey from the Center for American Progress , 29 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health care provider in the past year said they were refused services because of their actual or perceived gender identity .
`` The Court yesterday confirmed what we have been telling HHS and this Administration for three and a half years : that they have colossally failed to follow the rule of law , '' Buchert said .
`` HHS willfully ignored Bostock and other federal case law precedent in order to obsessively pursue its disgraceful objective of trying to strip life-saving protections from vulnerable communities . ''
Buchert noted that other agencies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rulemaking that she says goes against the law .
Buchert said that HUD 's proposed regulation on single-sex shelters , for example , which would encourage shelter staff to judge people 's appearance , such as facial hair , to guess if there are transgender , `` invites discrimination and willfully ignores state and federal law . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

A federal judge on Monday halted a Trump administration rule that rolls back protections against anti-LGBTQ discrimination in health care.
The regulation would have gone into effect on Tuesday had U.S. District Court Judge Frederic Block not found that it violated a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, among other things.
The Human Rights Campaign and co-counsel BakerHostetler brought the case against the Trump administration on behalf of two transgender women, Tanya Asapansa-Johnson Walker and Cecilia Gentili.
The Department of Health and Human Services first finalized the rollback in June. The new Trump administration policy would have removed language that clearly protected transgender people against sex discrimination in health care — in other words, by removing “gender identity” from the list of protected categories.
Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, the executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, said at the time the new Trump era policy was finalized that it would be particularly harmful to transgender people during a pandemic.
“This rule sends a message that medical providers can turn people away from a COVID-19 test or treatment simply because of who they are,” they said. “We should be making it easier to get health care in a time of need, not harder. This is heartless.”
Block wrote this week that the Trump-era rule would have gone against the court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County.
In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, discrimination based on sex includes discrimination against LGBTQ people. Although the case focused on LGBTQ workers, LGBTQ advocacy groups have said the decision clearly supports the inclusion of LGBTQ people in other cases of sex discrimination.
“HHS was apparently confident that the Supreme Court would endorse the Administration’s interpretation of sex discrimination … its confidence was misplaced,” Block wrote.
Block also found that HHS acted “arbitrarily and capriciously” in enacting the new rule.
Whether an agency acted “arbitrarily and capriciously” is a test judges can use to determine if an agency has violated the Administrative Procedure Act. In two-thirds of the cases where federal judges have ruled against the Trump administration, the administration has been accused of violating the Administrative Procedure Act, the Washington Post reported last year.
Block has not yet issued a final opinion on the matter and is continuing to hear augments on the case. The final decision can also be appealed.
Still, Sasha Buchert, a senior attorney at Lambda Legal, a national legal organization focused on LGBTQ equality, said this week’s development will help ensure that LGBTQ people are able to get the health care services they need.
According to a 2017 survey from the Center for American Progress, 29% of transgender people who had visited a health care provider in the past year said they were refused services because of their actual or perceived gender identity.
“The Court yesterday confirmed what we have been telling HHS and this Administration for three and a half years: that they have colossally failed to follow the rule of law,” Buchert said. “HHS willfully ignored Bostock and other federal case law precedent in order to obsessively pursue its disgraceful objective of trying to strip life-saving protections from vulnerable communities.”
Buchert noted that other agencies have continued to move forward with anti-LGBTQ rulemaking that she says goes against the law. Buchert said that HUD’s proposed regulation on single-sex shelters, for example, which would encourage shelter staff to judge people’s appearance, such as facial hair, to guess if there are transgender, “invites discrimination and willfully ignores state and federal law.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-18--Trump's Postal Service chief says he's 'suspending' changes that caused slowdown

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced on Tuesday that he is `` suspending '' changes to mail delivery that experts have said could cause voters to be disenfranchised .
DeJoy , a top Trump donor , had come under fire from Democratic lawmakers for the changes , including removing mail-sorting machines and mailboxes and cutting overtime hours for workers .
Social media petitions and posts spread the word that the United States Postal Service was in danger .
The changes have already caused slowdowns in mail service that have caused some Americans to have to wait days or even weeks for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are delivered by the Postal Service .
Democrats had been sounding the alarm that the changes could impact the 2020 election , as numerous states are shifting to voting by mail in an effort to avoid in-person voting and stop the spread of the coronavirus .
The Postal Service itself warned nearly every state in the country that voters could lose the ability to cast votes in the 2020 elections as slowdowns in mail processing could cause ballots to be delayed and ultimately tossed out .
And Donald Trump , who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with mail-in voting , admitted last week that defunding the Postal Service would prevent Americans from voting absentee .
DeJoy now says he is pausing the changes in mail service .
`` To avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail , I am suspending these initiatives until after the election is concluded , '' DeJoy said in a statement on Tuesday .
`` Mail processing equipment and blue collection boxes will remain where they are .
... And we reassert that overtime has , and will continue to be , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unclear how much damage has already been done , or whether the changes already made will be reversed .
CNN had obtained documents that showed 95 % of bulk sorting machines that had been targeted for removal may have already been removed .
Marc Elias , an election law expert who fights voter suppression tactics , said he is still looking into whether DeJoy 's announcement of the suspension of mail changes will be sufficient .
`` As Pres .
Reagan said , 'Trust but verify , ' '' Elias tweeted .
House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Saturday that would block DeJoy from making changes altogether .
DeJoy will also face questions about the changes when he testifies before the Senate on Friday and the House on Monday .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced on Tuesday that he is “suspending” changes to mail delivery that experts have said could cause voters to be disenfranchised.
DeJoy, a top Trump donor, had come under fire from Democratic lawmakers for the changes, including removing mail-sorting machines and mailboxes and cutting overtime hours for workers. Social media petitions and posts spread the word that the United States Postal Service was in danger.
The changes have already caused slowdowns in mail service that have caused some Americans to have to wait days or even weeks for, among other things, critical medications that are delivered by the Postal Service.
Democrats had been sounding the alarm that the changes could impact the 2020 election, as numerous states are shifting to voting by mail in an effort to avoid in-person voting and stop the spread of the coronavirus.
The Postal Service itself warned nearly every state in the country that voters could lose the ability to cast votes in the 2020 elections as slowdowns in mail processing could cause ballots to be delayed and ultimately tossed out.
And Donald Trump, who has repeated false accusations of widespread fraud connected with mail-in voting, admitted last week that defunding the Postal Service would prevent Americans from voting absentee.
DeJoy now says he is pausing the changes in mail service.
“To avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail, I am suspending these initiatives until after the election is concluded,” DeJoy said in a statement on Tuesday. “Mail processing equipment and blue collection boxes will remain where they are. … And we reassert that overtime has, and will continue to be, approved as needed.”
It’s unclear how much damage has already been done, or whether the changes already made will be reversed. CNN had obtained documents that showed 95% of bulk sorting machines that had been targeted for removal may have already been removed.
Marc Elias, an election law expert who fights voter suppression tactics, said he is still looking into whether DeJoy’s announcement of the suspension of mail changes will be sufficient.
“As Pres. Reagan said, ‘Trust but verify,'” Elias tweeted.
House Democrats are planning to pass a bill on Saturday that would block DeJoy from making changes altogether.
DeJoy will also face questions about the changes when he testifies before the Senate on Friday and the House on Monday.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-18--Advocates still fighting for ERA on 100th anniversary of women voting

It was a huge step forward for American women when , exactly 100 years ago , they finally gained the guaranteed right to vote with ratification of the 19th Amendment .
But to Alice Paul , the step was n't nearly large enough .
Paul , a suffragist who 'd waged hunger strikes and endured forced feedings in jail so women could get the vote , equipped herself with a law degree and got to work writing another constitutional amendment — one that would guarantee women equal rights under the law .
She introduced that amendment — now known as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1923 .
Of course , the ERA , finally passed by Congress in 1972 only to stumble during a circuitous ratification effort , still is n't law .
But feminist leaders are determined to change that now .
And they feel cultural momentum is on their side for another victory nearly a century in the making .
`` To call them suffragists , it sounds like they only wanted one thing , '' says Eleanor Smeal , president of the Feminist Majority , of Paul and her colleagues .
`` The vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't believe the vote alone would give women full equality . ''
`` Basically , we want to finish this , '' she says .
`` The women 's movement is not giving up until this thing is in the Constitution , period . ''
It was a joyful moment for Smeal and others when , in January , the Virginia state Legislature , under newly Democratic control , approved the amendment — becoming the crucial 38th state to cross the three-quarters threshold for ratification .
But the move hardly resolved the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the courts over thorny procedural questions .
Still , for advocates , the Virginia vote was more than symbolic .
`` It 's a new day , '' Smeal says .
She and other activists are pinning their hopes on a Democratic presidential victory in November ; Joe Biden and Kamala Harris , she says , are strong supporters of the amendment .
The key change , she says , will be if the Democrats can take over the Senate , where current Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has expressed opposition to it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though , when in February , Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said she thought the entire state ratification process should be started over , dealing current efforts a potentially serious blow .
Polling has indicated public support for the amendment .
A February poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed that roughly 3 in 4 Americans support the ERA .
And while the poll did find a significant partisan gap in views of the ERA 's adoption , majorities across party lines were in support .
Nearly 9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 in 10 Republicans , said they were in favor .
Another significant finding : Most Americans mistakenly thought such a provision already existed .
Nearly the same amount that approved of the measure , 72 % , incorrectly believed the Constitution now guarantees men and women equal rights under the law .
The heart of the amendment reads : `` Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex . ''
For many advocates , the urgency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic equality in general .
This is particularly important for women of color , argues Jennifer Carroll Foy , the Virginia delegate who co-sponsored the winning resolution there .
`` True justice is economic justice , '' says Carroll Foy .
The ERA , she says , `` will not only help women but specifically women of color ( in a world ) where white women are paid ( about ) 80 cents to a white man 's dollar but black women are paid 60 , Latinas 50 and indigenous women less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently announced a bid for governor , notes the suffrage victory in 1920 did not quite have the same meaning for Black women .
`` We 're celebrating the anniversary of the 19th Amendment that really only gave the right to vote to white women , '' she says .
`` Black women still had to suffer under Jim Crow practices and poll taxes and literacy tests .
Even today in 2020 , ... with voter suppression tactics alive and well , there are still full populations of black women who are just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Both Carroll Foy and Smeal argue that the need for the ERA has proved yet more important during the current pandemic , in which so many essential workers are women , especially women of color .
`` COVID-19 has exposed for the world what many of us already knew , '' Carroll Foy says .
`` Many women , especially women of color , make up service and retail industry jobs that do n't provide them options of paid family medical leave , paid sick days , or telework , which places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day .
While we are calling these women essential , their paychecks say they are expendable . ''
The path of the ERA has been a torturous one .
When finally passed by the Senate almost 50 years after Paul first proposed it , all that was needed was ratification by 38 states ; a deadline was set for 1979 .
Smeal remembers the joy of that day in March 1972 .
`` We of course we were ecstatic , because that was it , '' she says of the moments after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done it . ''
But one person was not ecstatic — Paul herself , then in her late 80s .
At a celebration at the former headquarters of the National Woman 's Party , which Paul co-founded , `` One of our people ran back and found her at Susan B. Anthony 's desk , and she was very , very upset , '' Smeal says .
Paul felt the imposed time limit was a delaying trick by opponents from southern states .
`` She felt it was going to be very , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
Paul was right .
Soon , some 30 states had ratified the ERA , but the '70s saw opposition form , led chiefly by conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly , who argued that women would lose gender-specific legal protections .
The deadline was later extended to 1982 , but a needed final three states proved elusive .
Momentum faded .
More recently , though , the current shifted again , as the # MeToo movement took hold and women 's advocates , buoyed by Democratic victories in statehouses , particularly of female @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the front burner .
Virginia became the 38th state after Nevada in 2017 and Illinois in 2018 .
In February , the U.S. House voted overwhelmingly to remove the ratification deadline .
But in the Republican-controlled Senate , McConnell is seen as unlikely to bring it to the floor .
And legal wrangling continues .
What would Paul think if she knew that in 2020 , women would still be agitating for the amendment that was once named for her ?
`` Unfortunately , I do n't think she would be surprised , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how hard this was . ''
But Smeal remains optimistic , buoyed by what she feels is a cultural shift .
`` Change is coming , '' she says .

It was a huge step forward for American women when, exactly 100 years ago, they finally gained the guaranteed right to vote with ratification of the 19th Amendment. But to Alice Paul, the step wasn’t nearly large enough.
Paul, a suffragist who’d waged hunger strikes and endured forced feedings in jail so women could get the vote, equipped herself with a law degree and got to work writing another constitutional amendment — one that would guarantee women equal rights under the law. She introduced that amendment — now known as the Equal Rights Amendment — in Congress in 1923.
Of course, the ERA, finally passed by Congress in 1972 only to stumble during a circuitous ratification effort, still isn’t law. But feminist leaders are determined to change that now. And they feel cultural momentum is on their side for another victory nearly a century in the making.
“To call them suffragists, it sounds like they only wanted one thing,” says Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority, of Paul and her colleagues. “The vote was an important step, but they didn’t believe the vote alone would give women full equality.”
“Basically, we want to finish this,” she says. “The women’s movement is not giving up until this thing is in the Constitution, period.”
It was a joyful moment for Smeal and others when, in January, the Virginia state Legislature, under newly Democratic control, approved the amendment — becoming the crucial 38th state to cross the three-quarters threshold for ratification. But the move hardly resolved the issue, which will likely be decided in the courts over thorny procedural questions.
Still, for advocates, the Virginia vote was more than symbolic. “It’s a new day,” Smeal says. She and other activists are pinning their hopes on a Democratic presidential victory in November; Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, she says, are strong supporters of the amendment. The key change, she says, will be if the Democrats can take over the Senate, where current Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has expressed opposition to it.
ERA advocates were deeply disappointed, though, when in February, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said she thought the entire state ratification process should be started over, dealing current efforts a potentially serious blow.
Polling has indicated public support for the amendment. A February poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed that roughly 3 in 4 Americans support the ERA.
And while the poll did find a significant partisan gap in views of the ERA’s adoption, majorities across party lines were in support. Nearly 9 in 10 Democrats, compared with about 6 in 10 Republicans, said they were in favor.
Another significant finding: Most Americans mistakenly thought such a provision already existed. Nearly the same amount that approved of the measure, 72%, incorrectly believed the Constitution now guarantees men and women equal rights under the law.
The heart of the amendment reads: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” For many advocates, the urgency comes down to pay equity, and economic equality in general. This is particularly important for women of color, argues Jennifer Carroll Foy, the Virginia delegate who co-sponsored the winning resolution there.
“True justice is economic justice,” says Carroll Foy. The ERA, she says, “will not only help women but specifically women of color (in a world) where white women are paid (about) 80 cents to a white man’s dollar but black women are paid 60, Latinas 50 and indigenous women less than that.”
Carroll Foy, who recently announced a bid for governor, notes the suffrage victory in 1920 did not quite have the same meaning for Black women.
“We’re celebrating the anniversary of the 19th Amendment that really only gave the right to vote to white women,” she says. “Black women still had to suffer under Jim Crow practices and poll taxes and literacy tests. Even today in 2020, … with voter suppression tactics alive and well, there are still full populations of black women who are just as disenfranchised as their foremothers were.”
Both Carroll Foy and Smeal argue that the need for the ERA has proved yet more important during the current pandemic, in which so many essential workers are women, especially women of color.
“COVID-19 has exposed for the world what many of us already knew,” Carroll Foy says. “Many women, especially women of color, make up service and retail industry jobs that don’t provide them options of paid family medical leave, paid sick days, or telework, which places them on the front lines every single day. While we are calling these women essential, their paychecks say they are expendable.”
The path of the ERA has been a torturous one. When finally passed by the Senate almost 50 years after Paul first proposed it, all that was needed was ratification by 38 states; a deadline was set for 1979.
Smeal remembers the joy of that day in March 1972. “We of course we were ecstatic, because that was it,” she says of the moments after the Senate vote. “We had finally done it.” But one person was not ecstatic — Paul herself, then in her late 80s.
At a celebration at the former headquarters of the National Woman’s Party, which Paul co-founded, “One of our people ran back and found her at Susan B. Anthony’s desk, and she was very, very upset,” Smeal says. Paul felt the imposed time limit was a delaying trick by opponents from southern states. “She felt it was going to be very, very hard to pass,” Smeal says.
Paul was right. Soon, some 30 states had ratified the ERA, but the ’70s saw opposition form, led chiefly by conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly, who argued that women would lose gender-specific legal protections.
The deadline was later extended to 1982, but a needed final three states proved elusive. Momentum faded.
More recently, though, the current shifted again, as the #MeToo movement took hold and women’s advocates, buoyed by Democratic victories in statehouses, particularly of female candidates, brought the ERA back to the front burner. Virginia became the 38th state after Nevada in 2017 and Illinois in 2018.
In February, the U.S. House voted overwhelmingly to remove the ratification deadline. But in the Republican-controlled Senate, McConnell is seen as unlikely to bring it to the floor. And legal wrangling continues.
What would Paul think if she knew that in 2020, women would still be agitating for the amendment that was once named for her?
“Unfortunately, I don’t think she would be surprised,” says Smeal. “She knew how hard this was.”
But Smeal remains optimistic, buoyed by what she feels is a cultural shift. “Change is coming,” she says.


shareblue--2020-08-18--Trump suddenly wants you to know how many Americans have died from virus

Donald Trump on Tuesday criticized former first lady Michelle Obama 's acclaimed speech the night before at the Democratic National Convention , claiming her remarks were bad because Obama had taped the speech when the death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic was 20,000 people lower than the current death tally .
In her speech Monday night , Obama slammed Trump as unfit and unable to govern , saying his coronavirus response has proven he is `` in over his head , '' noting , `` More than 150,000 people have died , and our economy is in shambles because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too long . ''
`` She was over her head , and frankly , she should 've made the speech live , which she did n't do , she taped it .
And it was not only taped , it was taped a long time ago , because she had the wrong deaths , '' Trump said Tuesday morning after issuing a pardon for 19th-century suffragist Susan B. Anthony for voting when women were prohibited from doing so , a naked attempt to score political points with the women voters whom Trump is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 election .
While Obama was correct that more than 150,000 people have died from the virus in the United States , the death toll is now currently 170,451 — higher than in any other country .
Trump 's attacks on Obama 's speech for undercounting the coronavirus death toll is a new twist for a number of reasons .
Trump is reminding the country that more than 170,000 people have died as a result of the virus , with public health experts saying Trump 's bungled response to it is partly to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus has killed in the United States .
The attack also cuts against another of Trump 's false narratives throughout the pandemic , that the coronavirus death toll is , as Axios reported he told his aides in May , actually lower than the official count .
Later in May , Trump repeated his claim that the official virus death count was `` inflated '' — even as experts said that count is actually lower than the actual number of deaths .
Trump 's attack on Obama for saying the death toll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 170,000 mirrors one that Fox News made on Tuesday morning .
Host Bret Baier said one of the `` problems '' with Obama 's speech was , `` She mentions the COVID deaths and references 150,000 .
Obviously we 're up to 170,000 now . ''
Trump then turned from attacking Obama to blaming others for coronavirus death toll .
Trump said of New York Democratic Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , `` A horrible Governor .
Crime is taking over NYC & State , everyone is leaving .
He is after the NRA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elsewhere , and must get tough .
Cuomo killed 11,000 people in nursing homes alone .
Crooked & Incompetent ! ''
He neglected to mention his own role in protecting American citizens as the current occupant of the White House .
But Trump has long shown interest in helping only those states whose governors are `` appreciative '' and acknowledge that `` We 've done a great job . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump on Tuesday criticized former first lady Michelle Obama’s acclaimed speech the night before at the Democratic National Convention, claiming her remarks were bad because Obama had taped the speech when the death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic was 20,000 people lower than the current death tally.
In her speech Monday night, Obama slammed Trump as unfit and unable to govern, saying his coronavirus response has proven he is “in over his head,” noting, “More than 150,000 people have died, and our economy is in shambles because of a virus that this president downplayed for too long.”
“She was over her head, and frankly, she should’ve made the speech live, which she didn’t do, she taped it. And it was not only taped, it was taped a long time ago, because she had the wrong deaths,” Trump said Tuesday morning after issuing a pardon for 19th-century suffragist Susan B. Anthony for voting when women were prohibited from doing so, a naked attempt to score political points with the women voters whom Trump is losing badly as he heads into the 2020 election.
While Obama was correct that more than 150,000 people have died from the virus in the United States, the death toll is now currently 170,451 — higher than in any other country.
Trump’s attacks on Obama’s speech for undercounting the coronavirus death toll is a new twist for a number of reasons.
Trump is reminding the country that more than 170,000 people have died as a result of the virus, with public health experts saying Trump’s bungled response to it is partly to blame for the massive number of people the virus has killed in the United States.
The attack also cuts against another of Trump’s false narratives throughout the pandemic, that the coronavirus death toll is, as Axios reported he told his aides in May, actually lower than the official count.
Later in May, Trump repeated his claim that the official virus death count was “inflated” — even as experts said that count is actually lower than the actual number of deaths.
Trump’s attack on Obama for saying the death toll was only 150,000 when it’s actually 170,000 mirrors one that Fox News made on Tuesday morning. Host Bret Baier said one of the “problems” with Obama’s speech was, “She mentions the COVID deaths and references 150,000. Obviously we’re up to 170,000 now.”
Trump then turned from attacking Obama to blaming others for coronavirus death toll.
Trump said of New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, “A horrible Governor. Crime is taking over NYC & State, everyone is leaving. He is after the NRA – They should move to Texas or elsewhere, and must get tough. Cuomo killed 11,000 people in nursing homes alone. Crooked & Incompetent!”
He neglected to mention his own role in protecting American citizens as the current occupant of the White House.
But Trump has long shown interest in helping only those states whose governors are “appreciative” and acknowledge that “We’ve done a great job.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-18--GOP leaders refuse to condemn QAnon as its supporters run for office

A GOP congressman urged GOP leaders to denounce the dangerous QAnon conspiracy movement over the weekend .
None have , thus far .
After QAnon fan Marjorie Taylor Greene won the party 's nomination last Tuesday for a U.S. House seat in Georgia , Rep. Adam Kinzinger ( R-IL ) posted a video online Sunday morning , urging fellow Republicans to speak up about the extremist movement .
`` The president has n't fully denounced it or denounced it at all , '' Kinzinger noted .
`` Now it 's time for leaders to come out and denounce it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Kinzinger had tweeted last week , noting that it `` Could be Russian propaganda or a basement dweller .
Regardless , no place in Congress for these conspiracies . ''
The dangerous and debunked QAnon movement embraces a series of far right-wing conspiracy theories involving Donald Trump battling a large group of Satanic pedophiles who control the `` deep state '' Washington establishment .
The FBI has labeled QAnon a domestic terrorism threat .
Dozens of other Republican candidates across the country have also expressed support for QAnon .
While some in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ runoff over her blatantly racist , anti-Semitic , and Islamophobic views , the party has been mostly silent on her QAnon ties and has widely embraced her since her victory .
Donald Trump tweeted on Wednesday that Greene was a `` future Republican star '' and `` a real WINNER ! ''
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy 's office said he and Greene enjoy `` a good and productive relationship '' and that he will give her seats on House committees if she wins her general election .
Greene is expected to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ District .
Asked directly about the QAnon movement on Friday , Trump twice dodged the question , instead praising Greene for having done `` very well in the election '' and for coming `` from a great state . ''
The American Independent Foundation reached out to every Senate Republican on Monday to ask if they agreed with Kinzinger and whether they had made any statement denouncing QAnon .
Not one of the 53 offices responded affirmatively to either question .
The offices of McCarthy ( R-CA ) , House Minority Whip Steve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liz Cheney did not immediately respond to similar inquiries on Tuesday morning .
So far , one congressional Republican has followed Kinzinger 's advice .
Rep. Denver Riggleman ( R-VA ) , who lost renomination last month to a far-right primary challenger , tweeted on Sunday afternoon that `` Qanon has the same number of letters as Moron '' and is an enemy `` to intelligence and common sense . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

A GOP congressman urged GOP leaders to denounce the dangerous QAnon conspiracy movement over the weekend. None have, thus far.
After QAnon fan Marjorie Taylor Greene won the party’s nomination last Tuesday for a U.S. House seat in Georgia, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) posted a video online Sunday morning, urging fellow Republicans to speak up about the extremist movement.
“The president hasn’t fully denounced it or denounced it at all,” Kinzinger noted. “Now it’s time for leaders to come out and denounce it.”
“Qanon is a fabrication,” Kinzinger had tweeted last week, noting that it “Could be Russian propaganda or a basement dweller. Regardless, no place in Congress for these conspiracies.”
The dangerous and debunked QAnon movement embraces a series of far right-wing conspiracy theories involving Donald Trump battling a large group of Satanic pedophiles who control the “deep state” Washington establishment. The FBI has labeled QAnon a domestic terrorism threat.
Dozens of other Republican candidates across the country have also expressed support for QAnon.
While some in the GOP denounced Greene prior to her runoff over her blatantly racist, anti-Semitic, and Islamophobic views, the party has been mostly silent on her QAnon ties and has widely embraced her since her victory.
Donald Trump tweeted on Wednesday that Greene was a “future Republican star” and “a real WINNER!”
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s office said he and Greene enjoy “a good and productive relationship” and that he will give her seats on House committees if she wins her general election.
Greene is expected to win in the deeply red Georgia 14th Congressional District.
Asked directly about the QAnon movement on Friday, Trump twice dodged the question, instead praising Greene for having done “very well in the election” and for coming “from a great state.”
The American Independent Foundation reached out to every Senate Republican on Monday to ask if they agreed with Kinzinger and whether they had made any statement denouncing QAnon. Not one of the 53 offices responded affirmatively to either question.
The offices of McCarthy (R-CA), House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, and House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney did not immediately respond to similar inquiries on Tuesday morning.
So far, one congressional Republican has followed Kinzinger’s advice. Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-VA), who lost renomination last month to a far-right primary challenger, tweeted on Sunday afternoon that “Qanon has the same number of letters as Moron” and is an enemy “to intelligence and common sense.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-08-18--Rep. James Clyburn brings civil rights legacy to Democratic convention

In October 1960 , a young James Clyburn gathered with other students and the Rev .
Martin Luther King Jr. as frustrations mounted over civil rights protests in what was becoming a tumultuous , dangerous year .
John Lewis was there .
Marion Barry , too .
The one-hour meeting at Atlanta 's Morehouse College stretched to 4 a.m. Clyburn , who said he had not `` bought into nonviolence , '' emerged to view it as a valuable tactic in the struggle , and a King `` disciple . ''
Clyburn is now the highest-ranking Black lawmaker in Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with so many of his contemporaries gone , one of the few leaders of the civil rights movement still in elective office today .
He brought that connection to the virtual Democratic National Convention on Monday , speaking to a country in a new , contentious chapter in its pursuit of racial justice and to a party on the verge of nominating the first Black woman for vice president .
`` We will need a president who sees unifying people as a requirement of the job — a president who understands the true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his address , slamming Donald Trump for falling short on both counts .
`` We need a president who understands both profound loss and what it takes to bounce back . ''
The 80-year-old from rural Sumter County has lived and worked through the nation 's swings of history , and remained an often quiet political force throughout .
Earlier this year , he used his sway to help deliver his home state for Joe Biden .
It was a moment that revived the former vice president 's campaign and set him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is due to receive later this week , along with running mate Sen. Kamala Harris of California .
During an earlier interview with the Associated Press , Clyburn said , `` This country moves like a pendulum on the clock . ''
`` It goes to the right for a while and it goes back left for a while , '' he said .
Whether it shifts again , he said , depends on `` how we participate in November . ''
Clyburn is pressing many of the same issues he has for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights ahead of the election .
Clyburn is also a close confidant of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and has been a prominent congressional critic of Trump .
`` Sixty years ago , 19-year-old Jim Clyburn was seeking a better future for himself and those around him , '' said Bobby Donaldson , a professor of history at the University of South Carolina who heads the Center for Civil Rights History and Research .
`` So it 's ironic now , 60 years later , two generations later , he is now one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he sought to be aspiring toward . ''
The son of a reverend and a beauty shop operator , Clyburn early on wanted to pursue a career in public service , only to be warned off by teachers as not the place for a Black boy from the South , he recounts in his autobiography , `` Blessed Experiences : Genuinely Southern , Proudly Black . ''
As a South Carolina State University student he quickly engaged in the 1960 student boycotts that sparked the civil rights movement .
Within weeks of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in , Clyburn 's classmates organized a 1,000-student march in rural Orangeburg , South Carolina , with hundreds arrested , jailed in an outdoor stockyard .
A decade later he made his first run for elective office .
He describes racial disparities that resonate to this day — boarding an airplane in `` the most expensive suit I ever bought in my life , '' flanked by the Capitol Police security detail that are assigned to House leaders .
The flight attendant mistook him for a prisoner transport , he said .
Clyburn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kingmaker in South Carolina ; he earned Bill Clinton 's wrath for tipping the scales to Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton in the state 's 2008 primary .
Clyburn was instrumental in positioning the Palmetto State after Iowa and New Hampshire for the early vote .
This time around , Clyburn said , he did n't want to just back Biden .
He wanted to ensure `` the lift he needed '' for the campaign .
`` Joe Biden was limping along . ''
Clyburn told the AP .
`` What we had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would allow him to take on the aura of a winner . ''
Clyburn said he recorded radio ads and calls to flood South Carolina with his endorsement .
Some Democrats downplay the influence , arguing South Carolina 's robust Black electorate was already inclined to vote for Biden .
But Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright , an ally , said Clyburn 's push gave Black voters the assurance `` their vote would be worth it . ''
A younger generation of rising leaders both in South Carolina and in the halls of Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move on .
Clyburn , Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer have held the top three leadership positions in the House for more than a decade .
Clyburn was long seen as possibly stepping aside if Hillary Clinton had won in 2016 , much the way Pelosi has since said she was ready to do .
Now they all seem poised to win their own reelections and remain — regardless of who wins the White House in November .
Biden 's campaign is leaning into Clyburn 's longtime priorities , including his signature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of federally appropriated funds in places where 20 percent of the population or more has spent 30 years in poverty .
Clyburn 's decade-long push for rural broadband — so critical now during the coronavirus pandemic for remote education , employment and health care — is gaining fresh currency , approved as part of an infrastructure bill and being eyed as part of a COVID-19 aid package .
One of Clyburn 's longtime colleagues in the civil rights movement and Congress was Lewis , who died in July .
Clyburn 's last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House floor was discussing Black Lives Matter and the protest movements now pushing for police reform .
Clyburn said they talked about `` all of this yelling about 'defund the police ' '' and his own worry that it would undercut the movement 's effectiveness .
Clyburn marveled over polling showing Black Lives Matters ' widespread public support .
`` I want them to keep that support . ''
And , he said : `` I just wish we had the benefit back then .
My dad used to tell me : 'Son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nothing teaches better than experience . '
''

In October 1960, a young James Clyburn gathered with other students and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as frustrations mounted over civil rights protests in what was becoming a tumultuous, dangerous year.
John Lewis was there. Marion Barry, too. The one-hour meeting at Atlanta’s Morehouse College stretched to 4 a.m. Clyburn, who said he had not “bought into nonviolence,” emerged to view it as a valuable tactic in the struggle, and a King “disciple.”
Clyburn is now the highest-ranking Black lawmaker in Congress, the House Democratic whip, and with so many of his contemporaries gone, one of the few leaders of the civil rights movement still in elective office today.
He brought that connection to the virtual Democratic National Convention on Monday, speaking to a country in a new, contentious chapter in its pursuit of racial justice and to a party on the verge of nominating the first Black woman for vice president.
“We will need a president who sees unifying people as a requirement of the job — a president who understands the true meaning of community,” Clyburn said in his address, slamming Donald Trump for falling short on both counts. “We need a president who understands both profound loss and what it takes to bounce back.”
The 80-year-old from rural Sumter County has lived and worked through the nation’s swings of history, and remained an often quiet political force throughout. Earlier this year, he used his sway to help deliver his home state for Joe Biden. It was a moment that revived the former vice president’s campaign and set him on a path to the nomination he is due to receive later this week, along with running mate Sen. Kamala Harris of California.
During an earlier interview with the Associated Press, Clyburn said, “This country moves like a pendulum on the clock.”
“It goes to the right for a while and it goes back left for a while,” he said.
Whether it shifts again, he said, depends on “how we participate in November.”
Clyburn is pressing many of the same issues he has for decades — particularly focusing on Black voting rights ahead of the election. Clyburn is also a close confidant of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and has been a prominent congressional critic of Trump.
“Sixty years ago, 19-year-old Jim Clyburn was seeking a better future for himself and those around him,” said Bobby Donaldson, a professor of history at the University of South Carolina who heads the Center for Civil Rights History and Research. “So it’s ironic now, 60 years later, two generations later, he is now one of the architects of the very nation that he sought to be aspiring toward.”
The son of a reverend and a beauty shop operator, Clyburn early on wanted to pursue a career in public service, only to be warned off by teachers as not the place for a Black boy from the South, he recounts in his autobiography, “Blessed Experiences: Genuinely Southern, Proudly Black.”
As a South Carolina State University student he quickly engaged in the 1960 student boycotts that sparked the civil rights movement. Within weeks of the Greensboro, North Carolina, lunch-counter sit in, Clyburn’s classmates organized a 1,000-student march in rural Orangeburg, South Carolina, with hundreds arrested, jailed in an outdoor stockyard. A decade later he made his first run for elective office.
He describes racial disparities that resonate to this day — boarding an airplane in “the most expensive suit I ever bought in my life,” flanked by the Capitol Police security detail that are assigned to House leaders. The flight attendant mistook him for a prisoner transport, he said.
Clyburn is seen by many as a political kingmaker in South Carolina; he earned Bill Clinton’s wrath for tipping the scales to Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton in the state’s 2008 primary. Clyburn was instrumental in positioning the Palmetto State after Iowa and New Hampshire for the early vote.
This time around, Clyburn said, he didn’t want to just back Biden. He wanted to ensure “the lift he needed” for the campaign.
“Joe Biden was limping along.” Clyburn told the AP. “What we had to do was to do something that would allow him to take on the aura of a winner.”
Clyburn said he recorded radio ads and calls to flood South Carolina with his endorsement. Some Democrats downplay the influence, arguing South Carolina’s robust Black electorate was already inclined to vote for Biden.
But Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright, an ally, said Clyburn’s push gave Black voters the assurance “their vote would be worth it.”
A younger generation of rising leaders both in South Carolina and in the halls of Congress is eager for the older one to move on. Clyburn, Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer have held the top three leadership positions in the House for more than a decade.
Clyburn was long seen as possibly stepping aside if Hillary Clinton had won in 2016, much the way Pelosi has since said she was ready to do. Now they all seem poised to win their own reelections and remain — regardless of who wins the White House in November.
Biden’s campaign is leaning into Clyburn’s longtime priorities, including his signature “10-20-30” formula to spend 10 percent of federally appropriated funds in places where 20 percent of the population or more has spent 30 years in poverty.
Clyburn’s decade-long push for rural broadband — so critical now during the coronavirus pandemic for remote education, employment and health care — is gaining fresh currency, approved as part of an infrastructure bill and being eyed as part of a COVID-19 aid package.
One of Clyburn’s longtime colleagues in the civil rights movement and Congress was Lewis, who died in July. Clyburn’s last conversation with the Georgia congressman on the House floor was discussing Black Lives Matter and the protest movements now pushing for police reform.
Clyburn said they talked about “all of this yelling about ‘defund the police'” and his own worry that it would undercut the movement’s effectiveness.
Clyburn marveled over polling showing Black Lives Matters’ widespread public support. “I want them to keep that support.”
And, he said: “I just wish we had the benefit back then. My dad used to tell me: ‘Son, experience is the best teacher. Nothing teaches better than experience.'”


shareblue--2020-08-18--GOP-led Senate panel finds Russia interfered to help Trump in 2016

The Senate intelligence committee concluded that the Kremlin launched an aggressive effort to meddle in the 2016 presidential contest on behalf of Donald Trump as the Republican-led panel on Tuesday released its fifth and final report in its investigation into election interference .
The Senate panel described its report , totaling more than 1,300 pages , as `` the most comprehensive description to date of Russia ’ s activities and the threat they posed . ''
The bipartisan investigation lasted almost three and a half years , much longer than the other probes .
The report purposely does not come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other reports did , about whether there is enough evidence that Trump ’ s campaign coordinated or colluded with Russia to sway the election to him and away from Democrat Hillary Clinton , leaving its findings open to partisan interpretation .
A group of Republicans on the panel submitted `` additional views '' to the report saying that it should state more explicitly that Trump ’ s campaign did not coordinate with Russia .
But Democrats on the panel submitted their own views , arguing that the report clearly shows such cooperation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a report issued last year that Russia interfered in the election through hacking and a covert social media campaign and that the Trump campaign embraced the help and expected to benefit from it .
But Mueller did not charge any Trump associates with conspiring with Russians .
The Senate investigation also delved into areas of great interest to Trump that were not explored by Mueller .
Those include the FBI 's reliance on a dossier of opposition research compiled by a former British spy whose work was financed by Democrats .
Sen. Marco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acting chairman , said in a statement that the committee was troubled that the FBI had been willing to use the dossier `` without verifying its methodology or sourcing '' as it applied for secret surveillance warrants against a former Trump campaign adviser .

The Senate intelligence committee concluded that the Kremlin launched an aggressive effort to meddle in the 2016 presidential contest on behalf of Donald Trump as the Republican-led panel on Tuesday released its fifth and final report in its investigation into election interference.
The Senate panel described its report, totaling more than 1,300 pages, as “the most comprehensive description to date of Russia’s activities and the threat they posed.” The bipartisan investigation lasted almost three and a half years, much longer than the other probes.
The report purposely does not come to a final conclusion, as the other reports did, about whether there is enough evidence that Trump’s campaign coordinated or colluded with Russia to sway the election to him and away from Democrat Hillary Clinton, leaving its findings open to partisan interpretation.
A group of Republicans on the panel submitted “additional views” to the report saying that it should state more explicitly that Trump’s campaign did not coordinate with Russia. But Democrats on the panel submitted their own views, arguing that the report clearly shows such cooperation.
Former special counsel Robert Mueller concluded in a report issued last year that Russia interfered in the election through hacking and a covert social media campaign and that the Trump campaign embraced the help and expected to benefit from it. But Mueller did not charge any Trump associates with conspiring with Russians.
The Senate investigation also delved into areas of great interest to Trump that were not explored by Mueller. Those include the FBI’s reliance on a dossier of opposition research compiled by a former British spy whose work was financed by Democrats.
Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, the committee’s acting chairman, said in a statement that the committee was troubled that the FBI had been willing to use the dossier “without verifying its methodology or sourcing” as it applied for secret surveillance warrants against a former Trump campaign adviser.