washingtonmonthly--2020-04-01--The Cost of Political Polarization During a Pandemic

During the coronavirus crisis , we ’ ve been hearing a lot about the challenge governors face in dealing with Donald Trump .
But as Ron Brownstein reports , there is also a battle going on between more progressive local officials in metropolitan areas and their Republican governors .
Though concern is rising about the outbreak in all areas of the country , the share of rural residents who say they are “ very worried ” about contracting the disease still lagged well behind the number in urban and suburban areas in an ABC/Washington Post Poll released last week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ these diverging perspectives have contributed to sharp splits between the states ’ policies and those adopted by the largest population centers .
In recent days , cities including Miami , Birmingham , Nashville , Atlanta , Jackson ( Mississippi ) , Houston , Dallas , Austin , St. Louis , Phoenix and Tucson have adopted complete stay-at-home orders or other tight restrictions on movement and economic activity .
But in each case , their state governments—Florida , Alabama , Tennessee , Georgia , Mississippi , Texas , Missouri and Arizona—have resisted comparable statewide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these Republican governors are making political arguments against things like stay-at-home orders .
Mississippi Gov .
Tate Reeves last week painted extensive shut-down orders as an expression of overly intrusive government .
“ In times such as these , you always have experts who believe they know best for everybody , ” he said .
“ You have some folks who think that government ought to take over everything in times of crisis—that they , as government officials , know better than individual citizens.
” Similarly , Missouri ’ s GOP governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than government action “ it is going to be personal responsibility ” that wins the struggle against the virus .
In those responses , you see examples of some of the GOP ’ s foundational principles at work—threatening the lives of the people of their state .
While Reeves embraces the kind of “ truthiness ” that dismisses expertise , Parson is rejecting the whole idea of government action .
This conflict between local officials and governors is an example of how the coronavirus crisis has become part of the so-called “ culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by McKay Coppins when he suggests that “ social distancing is morphing from a public-health to a political act.
” His examples of how a few individuals are reacting at the moment echo not only the response from Republican governors but the coronavirus deniers .
Terry Trahan , a manager at a cutlery store in Lubbock , Texas , acknowledged that a certain “ toxic tribalism ” was informing people ’ s attitudes toward the pandemic .
“ If someone ’ s a Democrat , they ’ re gon na say it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ and if someone ’ s a Republican , they ’ re gon na say it ’ s bad , but it ’ s getting better.
” As an immunocompromised cancer survivor , Trahan said he ’ s familiar with commonsense social-distancing practices .
But as a conservative , he ’ s become convinced that many Democrats are so invested in the idea that the virus will be disastrous that they ’ re pushing for prolonged , unnecessary shutdowns in pursuit of vindication… Katherine Vincent-Crowson , a 35-year-old self-defense instructor from Slidell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this month as businesses around her city were forced to close by state decree .
A devotee of Ayn Rand , Vincent-Crowson told me Louisiana ’ s shelter-in-place order was a frightening example of government overreach .
This is not a matter of “ both sides do it ” with Democrats arguing in favor of things like social distancing and Republicans against .
This is , as Coppins suggested , the politicization of public health , with one side paying attention to facts and science while the other side reactively rails against it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way Christian nationalists have paved the way for this dismissal of facts and science , Katherine Stewart made this important point .
While some of us have trouble reconciling how the “ party of life ” is willing to put so many lives at risk during this pandemic , keep in mind that the lines have long been drawn in the battle between absolute evil and absolute good .
Everything else is fungible for those whose priority is to be loyal to the cause .
Of course , all of this must be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose sole focus is to divide the world into loyalists and enemies , while doing all he can to ignite a battle between the two .
I was struck by how beautifully Kerry Eleveld described the alternative in a piece titled , “ At a time when unity is the only thing that can save us , all Trump knows how to do is divide.
” One of the hardest parts of this disease is the grinding isolation it has visited upon us .
Many people have stopped visiting their family ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for fear of infecting them with a pathogen that is particularly deadly for people in the later stages of life .
Many younger singles are confronting their angst alone , separated from the community of friends that forms their chosen family .
Some are tragically separated from the person with whom they built their entire adult life—either sick and alone in the care of a hospital or unable to bring a sickened partner the simple comfort of human touch .
Some of us , tragically , have given the last hug or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love and adore .
This is a time , above all , calling out for a leader who can bring us together through our shared experience of vulnerability and uncertainty .
Frankly , it ’ s a time custom made for a struggling president to soothe the nation , call upon our collective strength , and reassure us that we can endure , that the dawn is coming , and that we will arise from this tragedy a stronger , more unified country .
Take a look at how Joe Biden did exactly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line with Biden ’ s message , this might be the most powerful news I ’ ve seen in the last few weeks .
For Americans who are feeling the isolation , vulnerability , and uncertainty of the moment , that is exactly the kind of message that can unite us all .
Given the failure of our president , it is important for all of us to find it where we can .

During the coronavirus crisis, we’ve been hearing a lot about the challenge governors face in dealing with Donald Trump. But as Ron Brownstein reports, there is also a battle going on between more progressive local officials in metropolitan areas and their Republican governors.
Though concern is rising about the outbreak in all areas of the country, the share of rural residents who say they are “very worried” about contracting the disease still lagged well behind the number in urban and suburban areas in an ABC/Washington Post Poll released last week. Across many states with Republican governors, these diverging perspectives have contributed to sharp splits between the states’ policies and those adopted by the largest population centers. In recent days, cities including Miami, Birmingham, Nashville, Atlanta, Jackson (Mississippi), Houston, Dallas, Austin, St. Louis, Phoenix and Tucson have adopted complete stay-at-home orders or other tight restrictions on movement and economic activity. But in each case, their state governments—Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, Missouri and Arizona—have resisted comparable statewide limits.
As Brownstein reports, many of these Republican governors are making political arguments against things like stay-at-home orders.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves last week painted extensive shut-down orders as an expression of overly intrusive government. “In times such as these, you always have experts who believe they know best for everybody,” he said. “You have some folks who think that government ought to take over everything in times of crisis—that they, as government officials, know better than individual citizens.” Similarly, Missouri’s GOP governor, Mike Parson, argued that rather than government action “it is going to be personal responsibility” that wins the struggle against the virus.
In those responses, you see examples of some of the GOP’s foundational principles at work—threatening the lives of the people of their state. While Reeves embraces the kind of “truthiness” that dismisses expertise, Parson is rejecting the whole idea of government action.
This conflict between local officials and governors is an example of how the coronavirus crisis has become part of the so-called “culture war.” That is the point made by McKay Coppins when he suggests that “social distancing is morphing from a public-health to a political act.” His examples of how a few individuals are reacting at the moment echo not only the response from Republican governors but the coronavirus deniers.
Terry Trahan, a manager at a cutlery store in Lubbock, Texas, acknowledged that a certain “toxic tribalism” was informing people’s attitudes toward the pandemic. “If someone’s a Democrat, they’re gonna say it’s worse,” he told me, “and if someone’s a Republican, they’re gonna say it’s bad, but it’s getting better.” As an immunocompromised cancer survivor, Trahan said he’s familiar with commonsense social-distancing practices. But as a conservative, he’s become convinced that many Democrats are so invested in the idea that the virus will be disastrous that they’re pushing for prolonged, unnecessary shutdowns in pursuit of vindication… Katherine Vincent-Crowson, a 35-year-old self-defense instructor from Slidell, Louisiana, has watched in horror this month as businesses around her city were forced to close by state decree. A devotee of Ayn Rand, Vincent-Crowson told me Louisiana’s shelter-in-place order was a frightening example of government overreach.
This is not a matter of “both sides do it” with Democrats arguing in favor of things like social distancing and Republicans against. This is, as Coppins suggested, the politicization of public health, with one side paying attention to facts and science while the other side reactively rails against it all.
In an editorial about the way Christian nationalists have paved the way for this dismissal of facts and science, Katherine Stewart made this important point.
Religious nationalism has brought to American politics the conviction that our political differences are a battle between absolute evil and absolute good. When you’re engaged in a struggle between the “party of life” and the “party of death,” as some religious nationalists now frame our political divisions, you don’t need to worry about crafting careful policy based on expert opinion and analysis. Only a heroic leader, free from the scruples of political correctness, can save the righteous from the damned. Fealty to the cause is everything; fidelity to the facts means nothing.
While some of us have trouble reconciling how the “party of life” is willing to put so many lives at risk during this pandemic, keep in mind that the lines have long been drawn in the battle between absolute evil and absolute good. Everything else is fungible for those whose priority is to be loyal to the cause.
Of course, all of this must be put in the context of a president whose sole focus is to divide the world into loyalists and enemies, while doing all he can to ignite a battle between the two. I was struck by how beautifully Kerry Eleveld described the alternative in a piece titled, “At a time when unity is the only thing that can save us, all Trump knows how to do is divide.”
One of the hardest parts of this disease is the grinding isolation it has visited upon us. Many people have stopped visiting their family’s treasured elders, their parents and grandparents, for fear of infecting them with a pathogen that is particularly deadly for people in the later stages of life. Many younger singles are confronting their angst alone, separated from the community of friends that forms their chosen family. Some are tragically separated from the person with whom they built their entire adult life—either sick and alone in the care of a hospital or unable to bring a sickened partner the simple comfort of human touch. Some of us, tragically, have given the last hug or smile we ever will to someone we love and adore. This is a time, above all, calling out for a leader who can bring us together through our shared experience of vulnerability and uncertainty. Frankly, it’s a time custom made for a struggling president to soothe the nation, call upon our collective strength, and reassure us that we can endure, that the dawn is coming, and that we will arise from this tragedy a stronger, more unified country.
Take a look at how Joe Biden did exactly that in a recent video.
In line with Biden’s message, this might be the most powerful news I’ve seen in the last few weeks.
For Americans who are feeling the isolation, vulnerability, and uncertainty of the moment, that is exactly the kind of message that can unite us all. Given the failure of our president, it is important for all of us to find it where we can.


washingtonmonthly--2020-04-02--Is It Possible to Overstate Trump’s Depravity?

In the early days of Trump ’ s presidency , whenever he reacted in a way that wasn ’ t completely bonkers , a lot of people in the media would line up to suggest that he finally sounded presidential .
After almost three months of failures and lies in response to the coronavirus crisis , we ’ re witnessing a similar reaction to Trump ’ s press briefing on Tuesday .
I have a tip for these folks : the reason Trump ’ s tone has changed is because he has gone from denial and lies about the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he congratulates himself for an outcome that includes up to 240,000 deaths .
That has now become the goal this administration is shooting for .
It is infuriating to watch political reporters get sucked into the nonsense delivered by this president over and over again .
But David Roberts recently described why that happens .
Ask someone who ’ s been in an abusive relationship with a malignant narcissist .
One reason they ’ re able to maintain appearances/jobs/etc .
is that they are relatively rare & unusual & the normal people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they are what they are…They try again and again , thinking there must be normal human intentions & emotions in there somewhere .
It ’ s just remarkable how far someone w/out shame or conscience can get by exploiting this cognitive/emotional blindspot .
When Roberts writes about how we keep trying to see normal human intentions and emotions in someone who has never exhibited them before , it is because projection isn ’ t merely a matter of assuming that others are capable of our worst instincts .
In general , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ onto others in an attempt to understand their actions .
Since most of us aren ’ t malignant narcissists , it is difficult for us to grasp the levels of depravity exhibited by those who are .
Normalizing Trump ’ s behavior is simply another form of projection .
Over the last three years I have consistently questioned whether I have gone overboard in assuming the worst about Donald Trump .
But while it is never a good idea to lock oneself into any line of thinking , I doubt that it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depravity .

In the early days of Trump’s presidency, whenever he reacted in a way that wasn’t completely bonkers, a lot of people in the media would line up to suggest that he finally sounded presidential. After almost three months of failures and lies in response to the coronavirus crisis, we’re witnessing a similar reaction to Trump’s press briefing on Tuesday.
I have a tip for these folks: the reason Trump’s tone has changed is because he has gone from denial and lies about the coronavirus to setting everyone up for the moment when he congratulates himself for an outcome that includes up to 240,000 deaths. That has now become the goal this administration is shooting for.
It is infuriating to watch political reporters get sucked into the nonsense delivered by this president over and over again. But David Roberts recently described why that happens.
Ask someone who’s been in an abusive relationship with a malignant narcissist. One reason they’re able to maintain appearances/jobs/etc. is that they are relatively rare & unusual & the normal people around them simply can’t absorb that they are what they are…They try again and again, thinking there must be normal human intentions & emotions in there somewhere. It’s just remarkable how far someone w/out shame or conscience can get by exploiting this cognitive/emotional blindspot.
When Roberts writes about how we keep trying to see normal human intentions and emotions in someone who has never exhibited them before, it is because projection isn’t merely a matter of assuming that others are capable of our worst instincts. In general, we tend to project all of our responses onto others in an attempt to understand their actions. Since most of us aren’t malignant narcissists, it is difficult for us to grasp the levels of depravity exhibited by those who are. Normalizing Trump’s behavior is simply another form of projection.
Over the last three years I have consistently questioned whether I have gone overboard in assuming the worst about Donald Trump. But while it is never a good idea to lock oneself into any line of thinking, I doubt that it is possible to overstate this president’s depravity.


washingtonmonthly--2020-04-02--Are Trump’s Improv Skills His Secret to Survival?

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic , President Donald Trump said on a “ hunch ” that the coronavirus was no more virulent than the flu .
Then , against all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautions , he claimed that the infected would be able to go to work .
More recently , he said the whole country should go back to normal by Easter Sunday , with jammed churches and a happy end to social distancing .
He quickly had to reverse himself .
Meantime , my hometown of New Orleans has some of the highest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explains these outbursts from the president ?
“ I ’ m a very instinctual person , ” Trump once said , “ but my instinct turns out to be right.
” Except when it isn ’ t .
Still , Trump has seemingly benefitted from his antics , albeit in a perverse and cynical way .
Despite the fact that he has consistently disseminated misinformation at his daily briefings , after failing to prepare for the outbreak itself , his approval ratings for his handling of COVID-19 have jumped to 60 percent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dismiss Trump ’ s characteristic improvising as unpresidential and maybe a bit comical .
We had great fun with covfefe .
But the persuasive power of Trump ’ s improvisations , for all their flaws—in fact , because of their flaws—carries tremendous power .
It ’ s not just with his base .
In the same Gallup poll , his approval rating among Democrats for his handling of COVID-19 rose from 7 percent March 2-13 to 13 percent March 13-22 Americans have missed his improvising ’ s persuasive power at our peril .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the power to change culture—think of jazz improvisation ’ s role in the civil rights movement—and even to change political history .
Especially in times of crisis and disaster , we need improvisation and creative rule-breaking .
But we also need a critical element in conjunction : empathy .
Franklin Delano Roosevelt ’ s first 100 days in office set the standard for all administrations to follow because of his readiness to improvise amid the soul-shattering crisis of the Great Depression .
His administration tried just about everything to turn around the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but some , like the Works Progress Administration , became legend , building the Hoover Dam and putting historians and composers alike back to work .
When New Orleans was shut down after Katrina , the “ Cajun Navy ” from west Louisiana—a flotilla of speedboats , airboats and pirogues—spontaneously showed up at the barricades .
The National Guard had the good sense to let them through .
The Cajun Navy saved many from drowning in attics and dying on rooftops .
That was a practical and heroic example of improvisation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s energy and willingness to improvise to address others ’ needs were so successful because they were rooted in empathy , the core characteristic that Trump lacks .
Their improvisation was based on love of others .
Trump is so in love with himself that he can not improvise based on anything beyond his own desire for praise and good PR .
It is why , thus far , his actions have fallen so woefully short .
His approval ratings may have gone up , but he keeps bringing the country lower and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great improvisor was Odysseus , whose great-grandfather ( often his guide ) was the winged-heeled god Hermes , who is also the Trickster known as the friendliest of the gods .
Yet even as Odysseus improvises his way in and out of trouble throughout his year-long journey home , those who suffer the most are the men he leads .
Odysseus lost sight of his men because of his determination to get home to Ithaca .
Trump is similarly narrow-minded .
He is focused solely on returning to the White House , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The question we face today is whether Trump ’ s improvisation will save us collectively from a crisis unlike any we have ever seen—or whether he will fail miserably , and inflict the nation with all kinds of unnecessary suffering .
If Trump ’ s actions continue to be based more upon his self interests and less on the country ’ s , more on his hunches and less on science , then this crisis will indeed be prolonged .
There is a reason why the American public is riveted by New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during this crisis .
He improvises boldly .
Look no further than his swift and successful action in creating a containment zone in Westchester County when infections soared .
But he speaks with empathy .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , too , has become universally admired .
He communicates clearly , but with compassion .
It seems impossible that will Trump will all of the sudden develop a sense of empathy in the next several months .
I would settle for his taking his cues from , and ceding the podium to , Drs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They have compassion and open minds , and they live in the fact-based world of evidence and science .
They are our way , if there is one , out of this folly .

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, President Donald Trump said on a “hunch” that the coronavirus was no more virulent than the flu. Then, against all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautions, he claimed that the infected would be able to go to work. More recently, he said the whole country should go back to normal by Easter Sunday, with jammed churches and a happy end to social distancing. He quickly had to reverse himself. Meantime, my hometown of New Orleans has some of the highest infection rates in the country. What explains these outbursts from the president? “I’m a very instinctual person,” Trump once said, “but my instinct turns out to be right.” Except when it isn’t.
Still, Trump has seemingly benefitted from his antics, albeit in a perverse and cynical way. Despite the fact that he has consistently disseminated misinformation at his daily briefings, after failing to prepare for the outbreak itself, his approval ratings for his handling of COVID-19 have jumped to 60 percent, according to Gallup.
We tend to dismiss Trump’s characteristic improvising as unpresidential and maybe a bit comical. We had great fun with covfefe. But the persuasive power of Trump’s improvisations, for all their flaws—in fact, because of their flaws—carries tremendous power. It’s not just with his base. In the same Gallup poll, his approval rating among Democrats for his handling of COVID-19 rose from 7 percent March 2-13 to 13 percent March 13-22.
Americans have missed his improvising’s persuasive power at our peril. Throughout the ages, improvisation has held the power to change culture—think of jazz improvisation’s role in the civil rights movement—and even to change political history. Especially in times of crisis and disaster, we need improvisation and creative rule-breaking. But we also need a critical element in conjunction: empathy.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s first 100 days in office set the standard for all administrations to follow because of his readiness to improvise amid the soul-shattering crisis of the Great Depression. His administration tried just about everything to turn around the economy. Not every attempt was a success, but some, like the Works Progress Administration, became legend, building the Hoover Dam and putting historians and composers alike back to work.
When New Orleans was shut down after Katrina, the “Cajun Navy” from west Louisiana—a flotilla of speedboats, airboats and pirogues—spontaneously showed up at the barricades. The National Guard had the good sense to let them through. The Cajun Navy saved many from drowning in attics and dying on rooftops. That was a practical and heroic example of improvisation.
Both FDR and the Cajun Navy’s energy and willingness to improvise to address others’ needs were so successful because they were rooted in empathy, the core characteristic that Trump lacks. Their improvisation was based on love of others. Trump is so in love with himself that he cannot improvise based on anything beyond his own desire for praise and good PR. It is why, thus far, his actions have fallen so woefully short. His approval ratings may have gone up, but he keeps bringing the country lower and lower.
In ancient Greece, the great improvisor was Odysseus, whose great-grandfather (often his guide) was the winged-heeled god Hermes, who is also the Trickster known as the friendliest of the gods. Yet even as Odysseus improvises his way in and out of trouble throughout his year-long journey home, those who suffer the most are the men he leads. Odysseus lost sight of his men because of his determination to get home to Ithaca. Trump is similarly narrow-minded. He is focused solely on returning to the White House, which he once called a “real dump.”
The question we face today is whether Trump’s improvisation will save us collectively from a crisis unlike any we have ever seen—or whether he will fail miserably, and inflict the nation with all kinds of unnecessary suffering. If Trump’s actions continue to be based more upon his self interests and less on the country’s, more on his hunches and less on science, then this crisis will indeed be prolonged.
There is a reason why the American public is riveted by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s leadership during this crisis. He improvises boldly. Look no further than his swift and successful action in creating a containment zone in Westchester County when infections soared. But he speaks with empathy. Dr. Anthony Fauci, too, has become universally admired. He communicates clearly, but with compassion.
It seems impossible that Trump will all of a sudden develop a sense of empathy in the next several months. I would settle for his taking his cues from, and ceding the podium to, Drs. Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx. They have compassion and open minds, and they live in the fact-based world of evidence and science. They are our way, if there is one, out of this folly.


washingtonmonthly--2020-04-02--The South Doesn’t Want to Self-Isolate

The South Doesn’t Want to Self-Isolate

As you can see from the New York Times ’ examination of travel patterns in the United States , there has been a wide and largely regional disparity across the country in terms of who was quick to self-isolate and who wasn ’ t .
Most of New England , the Mid-Atlantic , the Upper Midwest , and the West Coast had issued stay-at-home orders by March 27 .
Other states that were proactive include New Mexico , Colorado , Idaho , and Louisiana .
The urban areas in Texas tried to be proactive even as their state government opposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole , did not instruct people to stay at home and the result is that their travel patterns remained normal , or close to normal .
This is going to matter later .
The inconsistencies in policies—and in when they are imposed—may create new problems , even for places that set limits weeks ago .
“ Let ’ s assume that we flatten the curve , that we push transmission down in the Bay Area and we walk away with 1 percent immunity , ” said Dr. George Rutherford , a professor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Francisco .
“ Then , people visit from regions that have not sheltered in place , and we have another run of cases .
This is going to happen.
” There ’ s a tradeoff to self-quarantining .
People don ’ t get infected with COVID-19 , so people don ’ t survive the infection and get immunity .
The isolated communities are nearly as vulnerable to a new outbreak as they were before all this began .
It ’ s worth doing anyway for a variety of reasons , including that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our unprepared and undersupplied hospitals , and that it buys time for researchers to find effective treatments and develop a vaccine .
Hopefully , getting COVID-19 in the fall or winter will be more survivable than getting it now .
But areas that were slow or still refuse to isolate and limit travel have spiked their own infection rates and spread the virus far and wide .
They ’ ll have a higher level of immunity but that ’ s not going to be helpful to the rest of the country .
Looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be more going on than just whether or not a given state government asked people to shelter in place .
Outside of the South , people seem to have complied with this even in the absence of official guidance .
Meanwhile , with the exception of parts of Louisiana and South Florida , the states of the former Confederacy all look the same regardless of what their governors set as policy .
Something cultural explains why Southerners didn ’ t heed the advice they were hearing in the media , and it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He has plenty of support in the prairies states and Mountain West , and they did significantly reduce their travel .
The pattern is visible even in a blue state like Virginia and a purple one like North Carolina , both of which have Democratic governors .
Whether religiosity explains it , or a probably related skepticism toward scientific expert advice , or maybe something to do with their car culture , I don ’ t know .
But their slowness to respond to this outbreak has undermined the effectiveness of the efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And , because of the nature of this disease , we ’ re all going to be paying for that for the foreseeable future .

As you can see from the New York Times’ examination of travel patterns in the United States, there has been a wide and largely regional disparity across the country in terms of who was quick to self-isolate and who wasn’t. Most of New England, the Mid-Atlantic, the Upper Midwest, and the West Coast had issued stay-at-home orders by March 27. Other states that were proactive include New Mexico, Colorado, Idaho, and Louisiana. The urban areas in Texas tried to be proactive even as their state government opposed them. The South, as a whole, did not instruct people to stay at home and the result is that their travel patterns remained normal, or close to normal.
This is going to matter later.
The inconsistencies in policies—and in when they are imposed—may create new problems, even for places that set limits weeks ago. “Let’s assume that we flatten the curve, that we push transmission down in the Bay Area and we walk away with 1 percent immunity,” said Dr. George Rutherford, a professor of epidemiology at the University of California, San Francisco. “Then, people visit from regions that have not sheltered in place, and we have another run of cases. This is going to happen.”
There’s a tradeoff to self-quarantining. People don’t get infected with COVID-19, so people don’t survive the infection and get immunity. The isolated communities are nearly as vulnerable to a new outbreak as they were before all this began. It’s worth doing anyway for a variety of reasons, including that it limits how many people are flooding our unprepared and undersupplied hospitals, and that it buys time for researchers to find effective treatments and develop a vaccine. Hopefully, getting COVID-19 in the fall or winter will be more survivable than getting it now.
But areas that were slow or still refuse to isolate and limit travel have spiked their own infection rates and spread the virus far and wide. They’ll have a higher level of immunity but that’s not going to be helpful to the rest of the country.
Looking at the charts, there seems to be more going on than just whether or not a given state government asked people to shelter in place. Outside of the South, people seem to have complied with this even in the absence of official guidance. Meanwhile, with the exception of parts of Louisiana and South Florida, the states of the former Confederacy all look the same regardless of what their governors set as policy. Something cultural explains why Southerners didn’t heed the advice they were hearing in the media, and it’s not just support for Trump. He has plenty of support in the prairies states and Mountain West, and they did significantly reduce their travel. The pattern is visible even in a blue state like Virginia and a purple one like North Carolina, both of which have Democratic governors.
Whether religiosity explains it, or a probably related skepticism toward scientific expert advice, or maybe something to do with their car culture, I don’t know. But their slowness to respond to this outbreak has undermined the effectiveness of the efforts of the areas that did respond. And, because of the nature of this disease, we’re all going to be paying for that for the foreseeable future.


washingtonmonthly--2020-04-02--How Democrats Addressed the Massive Unemployment Crisis

The news about unemployment during the coronavirus crisis continues to be staggering .
Over the last week , an additional 6.6 million people filed for unemployment insurance , bringing the total for just the last two weeks to over 10 million .
That has already exceeded the 8.7 million that lost their jobs during the Great Recession .
But for those looking for a silver lining amidst all of the bad news , those numbers reflect the fact that Americans are heeding the message about social distancing .
From what we ’ re seeing in Washington and California , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mandatory social distancing works .
The earlier the better , preliminary data from two weeks of stay-at-home orders in California and Washington show .
Those states were the first to report community cases of covid-19 and also the first in the nation to mandate residents stay at home to keep physically apart .
Analyses from academics and federal and local officials indicate those moves bought those communities precious time—and also may have “ flattened the curve ” of infections for the long haul .
With all of that , the question remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overwhelming loss of jobs while everyone stays home .
That is where Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ’ s plan for “ unemployment insurance ( UI ) on steroids ” comes in .
As most of us have already heard , the cornerstone of that plan is to increase weekly benefits by $ 600 .
But the part that hasn ’ t gotten as much notice is that workers don ’ t have to be laid off in order to claim the benefit .
Many businesses are choosing to furlough their employees during this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave of absence .
Not only do furloughed workers retain their employee benefits , but Schumer ’ s UI on steroids also extends payments to them .
He discussed that during his remarks on the Senate floor as the stimulus bill was being finalized .
As Schumer explains , businesses that furlough their employees can quickly mobilize once the coronavirus crisis is over .
That will be a plus for both employees and their employers .
As William Winecoff explained , all of that is in addition to the provision in the stimulus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s a loan program .
But loans are fully forgiven if 75 % or more of them go towards payrolls .
Including benefits .
And ( rapid ) rehires .
So it should function like a grant program .
The reason why it is structured as a loan program is because it can be administered through FDIC banks , credit unions , etc .
If this works well , you can walk into your local bank and get cash fast .
Maybe on the spot ?
But the banks can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Also no collateral , no personal guarantees required….Payroll support is for 8 weeks , which buys us a good amount of time .
Also creates infrastructure if it needs to be expanded further .
Kevin Drum tallied up the trillion dollars in the stimulus bill that goes directly to supporting American workers .
A $ 1,200 check for just about everyone with a middle-class income or less .
That ’ s almost $ 3,000 for a family of three .
A program that encourages small businesses to keep workers employed by funding their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are laid off anyway , an expanded unemployment insurance program that replaces 100 percent or more of your normal income up to $ 50-60,000 ( depending on what state you live in ) .
That is in addition to the money that was allocated to hospitals to treat coronavirus cases , along with funds to shore up state and local governments who are experiencing significant losses of tax revenue .
Those are the things Democrats fought to have included in the stimulus bill , along with transparency and oversight of the bailout funds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiating this package , Democrats are already paving the way for “ phase 4.
” That ’ s what leadership looks like in a time of crisis .

The news about unemployment during the coronavirus crisis continues to be staggering. Over the last week, an additional 6.6 million people filed for unemployment insurance, bringing the total for just the last two weeks to over 10 million. That has already exceeded the 8.7 million that lost their jobs during the Great Recession.
But for those looking for a silver lining amidst all of the bad news, those numbers reflect the fact that Americans are heeding the message about social distancing.
From what we’re seeing in Washington and California, it’s working to flatten the curve.
Mandatory social distancing works. The earlier the better, preliminary data from two weeks of stay-at-home orders in California and Washington show. Those states were the first to report community cases of covid-19 and also the first in the nation to mandate residents stay at home to keep physically apart. Analyses from academics and federal and local officials indicate those moves bought those communities precious time—and also may have “flattened the curve” of infections for the long haul.
With all of that, the question remains about how American workers can survive the overwhelming loss of jobs while everyone stays home. That is where Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s plan for “unemployment insurance (UI) on steroids” comes in. As most of us have already heard, the cornerstone of that plan is to increase weekly benefits by $600. But the part that hasn’t gotten as much notice is that workers don’t have to be laid off in order to claim the benefit.
Many businesses are choosing to furlough their employees during this crisis, which amounts to an unpaid leave of absence. Not only do furloughed workers retain their employee benefits, but Schumer’s UI on steroids also extends payments to them. He discussed that during his remarks on the Senate floor as the stimulus bill was being finalized.
As Schumer explains, businesses that furlough their employees can quickly mobilize once the coronavirus crisis is over. That will be a plus for both employees and their employers.
As William Winecoff explained, all of that is in addition to the provision in the stimulus bill to shore up small businesses.
It’s a loan program. But loans are fully forgiven if 75% or more of them go towards payrolls. Including benefits. And (rapid) rehires. So it should function like a grant program. The reason why it is structured as a loan program is because it can be administered through FDIC banks, credit unions, etc. If this works well, you can walk into your local bank and get cash fast. Maybe on the spot? But the banks can’t profit; no fees allowed. Also no collateral, no personal guarantees required….Payroll support is for 8 weeks, which buys us a good amount of time. Also creates infrastructure if it needs to be expanded further.
Kevin Drum tallied up the trillion dollars in the stimulus bill that goes directly to supporting American workers.
A $1,200 check for just about everyone with a middle-class income or less. That’s almost $3,000 for a family of three. A program that encourages small businesses to keep workers employed by funding their payroll costs. For those workers who are laid off anyway, an expanded unemployment insurance program that replaces 100 percent or more of your normal income up to $50-60,000 (depending on what state you live in).
That is in addition to the money that was allocated to hospitals to treat coronavirus cases, along with funds to shore up state and local governments who are experiencing significant losses of tax revenue.
Those are the things Democrats fought to have included in the stimulus bill, along with transparency and oversight of the bailout funds for corporations. As they promised while negotiating this package, Democrats are already paving the way for “phase 4.”
“Our first bills were about addressing the emergency. The third bill was about mitigation. The fourth bill would be about recovery. Emergency, mitigation, recovery,” Pelosi said on a conference call. “I think our country is united in not only wanting to address our immediate needs—emergency, mitigation, and the assault on our lives and livelihoods—but also, how we recover in a very positive way.”
That’s what leadership looks like in a time of crisis.


washingtonmonthly--2020-04-02--I’m Wearing a Mask From Now On

I’m Wearing a Mask From Now On

As I was tossing and turning in my bed last night , I thought about calling in sick today .
It ’ s not something I ’ ve done more than once or twice in this job .
In general , writing makes me feel better , so there ’ s really almost no circumstance where I ’ d want to spend an entire day not writing .
But this pandemic was starting to get to me .
It ’ s not that I feel ill , although with all this stress and worry I can ’ t say I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more that I ’ m finally confronting something that kind of asks me to just step back and observe without comment .
A little voice is saying to be still and quiet for a moment .
Maybe I need to find my bearings .
But I can ’ t do it .
I can ’ t report in as sick when my sickness is so widely shared and yet isn ’ t truly incapacitating .
The same things that are weighing on me like a black cloud are weighing on everyone else .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ procure food for my family when my wife is asthmatic and at high risk ?
I ’ ve made 3 a.m. trips to the local Wegman ’ s , but that ’ s not a healthy schedule for anyone .
I ’ ve used the delivery services at Whole Foods , but their workers are striking over unsafe conditions and low pay .
I ’ ve gone to convenience stores , but found it impossible to maintain a six-foot distance from the check-out person , let alone the other shoppers .
What about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t been rigorously isolating for 14 whole days , so under what circumstances should we get together ?
My mother-in-law came up from Florida over two weeks ago , but I ’ ve only waved to her from a safe distance .
She made the whole family some cloth masks .
I ’ ve had mine in my coat pocket for at least 10 days now , but I haven ’ t used it .
I very much appreciated her effort and thoughtfulness but didn ’ t think it would actually help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can pass through cloth as easily as it passes through air .
But now I realize that I ’ ve been making a mistake .
The mask won ’ t protect me , but it could protect everyone around me .
You see , it ’ s very possible that I ’ ve been infected during my resupply forays and don ’ t even know it .
If I cough into my mask , it will limit how far I spread the virus .
This might even apply to the simple act of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people infected with the new coronavirus may not show symptoms , the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns—a startlingly high number that complicates efforts to predict the pandemic ’ s course and strategies to mitigate its spread .
In particular , the high level of symptom-free cases is leading the C.D.C .
to consider broadening its guidelines on who should wear masks .
“ This helps explain how rapidly this virus continues to spread across the country , ” the director , Dr. Robert Redfield , told National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday .
So , I have something to write about after all .
I ’ m going to wear my mask from now on because I have no way of knowing if I have COVID-19 and I don ’ t want to put anyone at risk .
I ’ ve taken as many precautions as I can , but who can say if the clerk at 7-Eleven had the virus or the woman at the grocery store who invaded my space to fix the glitchy self-checkout computer ?
They ’ re spending eight-hour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are almost definitely asymptomatic carriers .
My township only has two confirmed cases right now , but the township where my Wegman ’ s is located has the highest rate of infection in the county .
In fact , Wegman ’ s may be the reason for that .
These are now life and death decisions for me and my wife and possibly for anyone I encounter outside of my self-quarantine .
Wearing my mask will make me feel self-conscious .
But it ’ s the smart and moral play here .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
This is another reason why we need widely available testing .
Without it , even the smallest decisions can be paralyzing .

As I was tossing and turning in my bed last night, I thought about calling in sick today. It’s not something I’ve done more than once or twice in this job. In general, writing makes me feel better, so there’s really almost no circumstance where I’d want to spend an entire day not writing. But this pandemic was starting to get to me. It’s not that I feel ill, although with all this stress and worry I can’t say I feel well either. It’s more that I’m finally confronting something that kind of asks me to just step back and observe without comment. A little voice is saying to be still and quiet for a moment. Maybe I need to find my bearings.
But I can’t do it. I can’t report in as sick when my sickness is so widely shared and yet isn’t truly incapacitating. The same things that are weighing on me like a black cloud are weighing on everyone else. For example, how do I safely procure food for my family when my wife is asthmatic and at high risk? I’ve made 3 a.m. trips to the local Wegman’s, but that’s not a healthy schedule for anyone. I’ve used the delivery services at Whole Foods, but their workers are striking over unsafe conditions and low pay. I’ve gone to convenience stores, but found it impossible to maintain a six-foot distance from the check-out person, let alone the other shoppers. What about my twenty-something step kids? They haven’t been rigorously isolating for 14 whole days, so under what circumstances should we get together?
My mother-in-law came up from Florida over two weeks ago, but I’ve only waved to her from a safe distance. She made the whole family some cloth masks. I’ve had mine in my coat pocket for at least 10 days now, but I haven’t used it. I very much appreciated her effort and thoughtfulness but didn’t think it would actually help since the virus is so small it can pass through cloth as easily as it passes through air. But now I realize that I’ve been making a mistake. The mask won’t protect me, but it could protect everyone around me.
You see, it’s very possible that I’ve been infected during my resupply forays and don’t even know it. If I cough into my mask, it will limit how far I spread the virus. This might even apply to the simple act of breathing.
As many as 25 percent of people infected with the new coronavirus may not show symptoms, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns—a startlingly high number that complicates efforts to predict the pandemic’s course and strategies to mitigate its spread. In particular, the high level of symptom-free cases is leading the C.D.C. to consider broadening its guidelines on who should wear masks. “This helps explain how rapidly this virus continues to spread across the country,” the director, Dr. Robert Redfield, told National Public Radio in an interview broadcast on Tuesday.
So, I have something to write about after all. I’m going to wear my mask from now on because I have no way of knowing if I have COVID-19 and I don’t want to put anyone at risk. I’ve taken as many precautions as I can, but who can say if the clerk at 7-Eleven had the virus or the woman at the grocery store who invaded my space to fix the glitchy self-checkout computer? They’re spending eight-hour shifts serving people, some of whom are almost definitely asymptomatic carriers. My township only has two confirmed cases right now, but the township where my Wegman’s is located has the highest rate of infection in the county. In fact, Wegman’s may be the reason for that.
These are now life and death decisions for me and my wife and possibly for anyone I encounter outside of my self-quarantine. Wearing my mask will make me feel self-conscious. But it’s the smart and moral play here. So, I’m going to do it.
This is another reason why we need widely available testing. Without it, even the smallest decisions can be paralyzing.


washingtonmonthly--2020-04-03--The Antidote to Trump’s Orwellian Lies

The Antidote to Trump’s Orwellian Lies

As a writer , it can be difficult to come up with words to describe what it ’ s like to live through a crisis with someone like Trump in the Oval Office .
Words like “ Orwellian ” seem totally inadequate when I want to rage at how crazy-making it feels to be constantly barraged with lies .
For example , on Wednesday , Vice President Mike Pence told Wolf Blitzer that the president has never belittled the threat of the coronavirus .
What ?
!
We all heard Trump belittle the threat over and over and over again—with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tape for heaven ’ s sake .
How can someone go on national television and say something that is so blatantly refuted by the evidence ?
But the fact is that these folks do it all the time—which is where a word like “ gaslighting ” comes in because it is absolutely crazy-making .
The example that is most disturbing , however , is the fact that Trump is preparing to congratulate himself if this pandemic results in the death of 200,000 Americans .
It ’ s coming .
We all know it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up .
To step away from the crazy for a moment , it is impossible to know how many Americans would have died if this country had a competent president .
But on the issue of initial testing as a means of containment , we can already see the vast difference between what happened in South Korea and this country .
Trump belittled the threat , ignored multiple warnings , and avoided testing because the numbers would make him look bad .
By the time the administration got serious about this pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we were left with mitigation strategies like social distancing .
While it is impossible to quantify the number of lives that were sacrificed due to that particular failure , it is clear that this president is responsible for the deaths of thousands on that issue alone .
Over the last couple of weeks , I ’ ve often thought of Representative Adam Schiff ’ s warning about “ midnight in Washington ” at the end of the Senate impeachment trial—especially when he said , “ You can ’ t trust this president to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one minute .
Not for one election .
Not for the sake of our country .
You just can ’ t .
He will not change and you know it…Truth matters little to him .
What ’ s right matters even less .
And decency matters not at all.
” With those words , Schiff demonstrated that he doesn ’ t underestimate Donald Trump ’ s depravity .
The congressman cut through the bullshit and grounded us all in the reality we are facing .
That is why I find some reassurance from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the coronavirus crisis and people are back to work , Rep. Adam B. Schiff thinks Congress should consider a 9/11-style independent commission to examine why the nation was so unprepared for the pandemic .
Schiff , a California Democrat , told me in an interview Monday that his staff has already started working on a discussion draft modeled after the 9/11 Commission , and that he would be talking about the possibility with others in Congress… “ We will need to delay the work of the commission until the crisis has abated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the agencies that are leading the response , ” Schiff explained in an email .
“ But that should not prevent us from beginning to identify where we got it wrong and how we can be prepared for the next pandemic.
” The antidote to the constant stream of Orwellian propaganda coming from Trump and his enablers is a grounding in the truth provided by people who have demonstrated that they recognize the depths to which this president has already gone .
I can think of no one who would perform that @ @ @ @ @ @ @

As a writer, it can be difficult to come up with words to describe what it’s like to live through a crisis with someone like Trump in the Oval Office. Words like “Orwellian” seem totally inadequate when I want to rage at how crazy-making it feels to be constantly barraged with lies.
For example, on Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence told Wolf Blitzer that the president has never belittled the threat of the coronavirus. What?! We all heard Trump belittle the threat over and over and over again—with our own ears. It is on tape for heaven’s sake.
How can someone go on national television and say something that is so blatantly refuted by the evidence? But the fact is that these folks do it all the time—which is where a word like “gaslighting” comes in because it is absolutely crazy-making.
The example that is most disturbing, however, is the fact that Trump is preparing to congratulate himself if this pandemic results in the death of 200,000 Americans. It’s coming. We all know it because he’s already teed it up.
To step away from the crazy for a moment, it is impossible to know how many Americans would have died if this country had a competent president. But on the issue of initial testing as a means of containment, we can already see the vast difference between what happened in South Korea and this country.
Trump belittled the threat, ignored multiple warnings, and avoided testing because the numbers would make him look bad. By the time the administration got serious about this pandemic, it was too late for containment and we were left with mitigation strategies like social distancing. While it is impossible to quantify the number of lives that were sacrificed due to that particular failure, it is clear that this president is responsible for the deaths of thousands on that issue alone.
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve often thought of Representative Adam Schiff’s warning about “midnight in Washington” at the end of the Senate impeachment trial—especially when he said, “You can’t trust this president to do the right thing. Not for one minute. Not for one election. Not for the sake of our country. You just can’t. He will not change and you know it…Truth matters little to him. What’s right matters even less. And decency matters not at all.” With those words, Schiff demonstrated that he doesn’t underestimate Donald Trump’s depravity. The congressman cut through the bullshit and grounded us all in the reality we are facing.
That is why I find some reassurance from this announcement.
When America has recovered from the coronavirus crisis and people are back to work, Rep. Adam B. Schiff thinks Congress should consider a 9/11-style independent commission to examine why the nation was so unprepared for the pandemic. Schiff, a California Democrat, told me in an interview Monday that his staff has already started working on a discussion draft modeled after the 9/11 Commission, and that he would be talking about the possibility with others in Congress… “We will need to delay the work of the commission until the crisis has abated to ensure that it does not interfere with the agencies that are leading the response,” Schiff explained in an email. “But that should not prevent us from beginning to identify where we got it wrong and how we can be prepared for the next pandemic.”
The antidote to the constant stream of Orwellian propaganda coming from Trump and his enablers is a grounding in the truth provided by people who have demonstrated that they recognize the depths to which this president has already gone. I can think of no one who would perform that task better than Representative Adam Schiff.


washingtonmonthly--2020-04-03--The GOP Governors Using Coronavirus to Quash Abortion Rights

The coronavirus pandemic has impacted every facet of American life .
It poses an existential threat to the hospitality , restaurant , and retail industries .
It has put millions of people out of work .
And if a number of Republican officials across the country have their way , something else might go out of business too : access to surgical abortions in red states .
In recent weeks , state and local officials across the country have pushed to limit non-essential medical procedures in the wake of COVID-19 .
That ’ s been necessary to save space for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals prepare for a surge of new cases , and to ensure that life-saving equipment , already in short supply , can be used on those who need it most .
But in a handful of GOP-controlled states , there has been a targeted push to classify abortions as “ non-essential , ” thereby imposing new restrictions on the procedure .
In some cases , those directives have come from executive orders , leaving abortion clinics to fear whether performing the operation will put them in legal jeopardy .
Medical officials , however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thus an essential procedure .
Skye Perryman , the general counsel for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists , said Monday that “ using the COVID-19 pandemic to push political agendas is unconscionable , and it is harmful to the health of patients , and women.
” In other words , anti-choice Republicans are taking advantage of a global pandemic to suppress women ’ s reproductive rights .
It ’ s a form of coronavirus opportunism—and it ’ s been working .
Since these states ’ directives were announced , women across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortions .
Clinic operators had to cancel hundreds of appointments since bans took effect last week , according to clinic representatives .
Nancy Northup , the president of the Center for Reproductive Rights , said that many Texas patients seeking care had traveled to Oklahoma .
But then , Oklahoma enacted its own mortarium .
Now , those women don ’ t know where to turn , and the next closest state with safe access to an abortion could be hundreds of miles away .
Some people might have seen this coming .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the states that are now using the COVID crisis to stop people from getting abortion care are the very same states that have a history of passing laws to ban abortions or using sham rationale to shut down clinics , ” said Jennifer Dalven , the director of the American Civil Liberties Union ’ s Reproductive Freedom Project .
Still , advocacy groups are gearing up for an extended legal challenge .
On Monday , the American Civil Liberties Union , Planned Parenthood , and the Center for Reproductive Rights filed lawsuits in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oklahoma , arguing that surgical abortion bans during a public health emergency are a violation of Roe v. Wade .
The lawsuits demand an “ emergency stay ” on those orders , which would allow clinics to remain open and provide care to patients .
A similar lawsuit was filed in Texas on March 26 .
In the meantime , however , millions of women are left to live in agonizing uncertainty .
In some states , legal challenges to these moves have led to early—if temporary—successes for advocates and clinics .
Litigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 17 health department order required the cancellation of non-essential surgical procedures .
Following the order , the state ’ s deputy attorney general , Jonathan Fulkerson , sent letters to three abortion clinics instructing them to “ immediately stop performing non-essential and elective surgical abortions.
” On Monday , District Court Judge Michael Barrett sided with groups who challenged the ban and issued a two-week temporary restraining order , said Jessie Hill , a cooperating attorney with the Ohio chapter of the ACLU .
Following an appeal by the state , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s ruling , allowing abortions to continue to be performed in the state .
But litigation hasn ’ t worked out everywhere .
In Texas , Attorney General Ken Paxton instructed all medical facilities on March 23 to stop all “ medically unnecessary surgeries or procedures ” in response to the coronavirus outbreak and an executive order .
District Court Judge Lee Yeakel granted a temporary restraining order Monday to consider the underlying legal issues .
But then Yeakel ’ s order was struck down on Tuesday , when a three-judge panel of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas Governor Greg Abbott to continue restricting abortion access through his COVID-19 executive order .
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt also announced an executive order that suspends elective medical procedures through April 7—including abortions , except when one can be proved necessary to prevent health risks to the patient .
Stitt ’ s order , issued on March 24 , is being challenged in court .
Perhaps no state has more of a recent history of trying to tamper with abortion rights than Alabama .
Last year , the governor signed into law one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights in the nation .
It included a ban on abortion procedures after eight weeks of pregnancy , but the legislation was temporarily blocked by the courts before it could be implemented .
Now , Alabama is using the coronavirus outbreak to further its original goal .
The governor ordered a temporary shutdown of non-essential medical procedures on March 27 , including abortions .
District Court Judge Myron Thompson , however , suspended the state ’ s ban with a temporary restraining order until April 13 .
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed an order on March 27 to halt all elective and non-emergency medical procedures—abortions included .
Advocates and state officials reached an agreement on Wednesday , however , that women would be able to obtain “ essential ” abortions in the state , making the procedure available if a delay would pose a health risk to the patient .
Otherwise , they have to wait until the ban is lifted on April 16 .
The ACLU subsequently withdrew its request for an emergency injunction .
Progressive activists in other red states are gearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eric Holcomb issued an order on Monday to “ cancel or postpone elective and non-urgent surgical or invasive procedures , ” which was confirmed to include abortions .
Governors in Kentucky and Mississippi have also said they believe abortion should be included on the list of banned “ non-essential ” medical procedures due to COVID-19 .
Abortions are hard enough to get as it is .
Conservative politicians in red states have sought for years to place undue burdens on women who seek them—and to challenge their legality in the judiciary .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or appellate courts throughout the nation , the issue may soon come before the Supreme Court .
Heather Shumaker , Senior Counsel for Reproductive Rights & Health at the National Women ’ s Law Center , said that COVID-19 just serves to compound the issues with abortion access , particularly as they impact lower-income individuals , as well as young people , people of color , and those in rural areas .
If anti-choice officials are successful , more and more women seeking abortions will be left unsure of their rights .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The really frustrating thing about these kinds of unconstitutional actions is that they can have such a chilling effect on patients seeking needed health care that they can ’ t delay , ” said Hill , the Ohio attorney .
“ You can ’ t delay an abortion until the end of this pandemic .
”

The coronavirus pandemic has impacted every facet of American life. It poses an existential threat to the hospitality, restaurant, and retail industries. It has put millions of people out of work. And if a number of Republican officials across the country have their way, something else might go out of business too: access to surgical abortions in red states.
In recent weeks, state and local officials across the country have pushed to limit non-essential medical procedures in the wake of COVID-19. That’s been necessary to save space for patients infected by the virus, as hospitals prepare for a surge of new cases, and to ensure that life-saving equipment, already in short supply, can be used on those who need it most.
But in a handful of GOP-controlled states, there has been a targeted push to classify abortions as “non-essential,” thereby imposing new restrictions on the procedure. In some cases, those directives have come from executive orders, leaving abortion clinics to fear whether performing the operation will put them in legal jeopardy.
Medical officials, however, argue that abortions are time-sensitive and thus an essential procedure. Skye Perryman, the general counsel for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said Monday that “using the COVID-19 pandemic to push political agendas is unconscionable, and it is harmful to the health of patients, and women.” In other words, anti-choice Republicans are taking advantage of a global pandemic to suppress women’s reproductive rights.
It’s a form of coronavirus opportunism—and it’s been working. Since these states’ directives were announced, women across the country have been blocked from getting abortions. Clinic operators had to cancel hundreds of appointments since bans took effect last week, according to clinic representatives. Nancy Northup, the president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said that many Texas patients seeking care had traveled to Oklahoma. But then, Oklahoma enacted its own mortarium. Now, those women don’t know where to turn, and the next closest state with safe access to an abortion could be hundreds of miles away.
Some people might have seen this coming. “It’s not surprising that the states that are now using the COVID crisis to stop people from getting abortion care are the very same states that have a history of passing laws to ban abortions or using sham rationale to shut down clinics,” said Jennifer Dalven, the director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Reproductive Freedom Project.
Still, advocacy groups are gearing up for an extended legal challenge. On Monday, the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, and the Center for Reproductive Rights filed lawsuits in Alabama, Ohio, Iowa, and Oklahoma, arguing that surgical abortion bans during a public health emergency are a violation of Roe v. Wade. The lawsuits demand an “emergency stay” on those orders, which would allow clinics to remain open and provide care to patients. A similar lawsuit was filed in Texas on March 26. In the meantime, however, millions of women are left to live in agonizing uncertainty.
In some states, legal challenges to these moves have led to early—if temporary—successes for advocates and clinics.
Litigation has worked in Ohio, where a March 17 health department order required the cancellation of non-essential surgical procedures. Following the order, the state’s deputy attorney general, Jonathan Fulkerson, sent letters to three abortion clinics instructing them to “immediately stop performing non-essential and elective surgical abortions.” On Monday, District Court Judge Michael Barrett sided with groups who challenged the ban and issued a two-week temporary restraining order, said Jessie Hill, a cooperating attorney with the Ohio chapter of the ACLU. Following an appeal by the state, a federal judge on Thursday upheld Barrett’s ruling, allowing abortions to continue to be performed in the state.
But litigation hasn’t worked out everywhere. In Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton instructed all medical facilities on March 23 to stop all “medically unnecessary surgeries or procedures” in response to the coronavirus outbreak and an executive order. District Court Judge Lee Yeakel granted a temporary restraining order Monday to consider the underlying legal issues. But then Yeakel’s order was struck down on Tuesday, when a three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals allowed Texas Governor Greg Abbott to continue restricting abortion access through his COVID-19 executive order.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt also announced an executive order that suspends elective medical procedures through April 7—including abortions, except when one can be proved necessary to prevent health risks to the patient. Stitt’s order, issued on March 24, is being challenged in court.
Perhaps no state has more of a recent history of trying to tamper with abortion rights than Alabama. Last year, the governor signed into law one of the most far-reaching restrictions on abortion rights in the nation. It included a ban on abortion procedures after eight weeks of pregnancy, but the legislation was temporarily blocked by the courts before it could be implemented.
Now, Alabama is using the coronavirus outbreak to further its original goal. The governor ordered a temporary shutdown of non-essential medical procedures on March 27, including abortions. District Court Judge Myron Thompson, however, suspended the state’s ban with a temporary restraining order until April 13.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has tried to do the same thing. She signed an order on March 27 to halt all elective and non-emergency medical procedures—abortions included. Advocates and state officials reached an agreement on Wednesday, however, that women would be able to obtain “essential” abortions in the state, making the procedure available if a delay would pose a health risk to the patient. Otherwise, they have to wait until the ban is lifted on April 16. The ACLU subsequently withdrew its request for an emergency injunction.
Progressive activists in other red states are gearing up for similar bans. Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb issued an order on Monday to “cancel or postpone elective and non-urgent surgical or invasive procedures,” which was confirmed to include abortions. Governors in Kentucky and Mississippi have also said they believe abortion should be included on the list of banned “non-essential” medical procedures due to COVID-19.
Abortions are hard enough to get as it is. Conservative politicians in red states have sought for years to place undue burdens on women who seek them—and to challenge their legality in the judiciary. As different legal decisions are made in district or appellate courts throughout the nation, the issue may soon come before the Supreme Court.
Heather Shumaker, Senior Counsel for Reproductive Rights & Health at the National Women’s Law Center, said that COVID-19 just serves to compound the issues with abortion access, particularly as they impact lower-income individuals, as well as young people, people of color, and those in rural areas.
If anti-choice officials are successful, more and more women seeking abortions will be left unsure of their rights. Some will flat out be denied them.
“The really frustrating thing about these kinds of unconstitutional actions is that they can have such a chilling effect on patients seeking needed health care that they can’t delay,” said Hill, the Ohio attorney. “You can’t delay an abortion until the end of this pandemic.”


washingtonmonthly--2020-04-03--Trump Continues to Base Policy on What He Hears on Fox News

On Thursday night , Donald Trump finally invoked the Defense Production Act .
He made the announcement on Twitter , of course .
According to a report from Kevin Breuninger , the president issued an order on Thursday night directing Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf to “ use any and all authority available under the Act to acquire , from any appropriate subsidiary or affiliate of 3M Company , the number of N-95 respirators that the Administrator determines to be appropriate.
” Here is the response from 3M ’ s CEO .
In commenting on this , Kevin Drum identified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use of this authority .
All of this raises the question of what 3M did that earned the ire of the president .
As it turns out , this segment of Tucker Carlson ’ s show aired on Fox News not long before Trump fired off his tweet .
Carlson ’ s guest , Jared Moskowitz , works for Republican Governor Ron DeSantis as his director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management .
He railed about not being able to get face masks from 3M .
It is difficult to sort out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ segment .
Some of the issues Moskowitz is pointing to surfaced after we learned that the federal government , probably under the direction of Jared Kushner , has turned the supply chain for these critical supplies over to the private sector .
Josh Marshall documented the issues that raises .
First is that there ’ s no clear mechanism to allocate these supplies on the basis of need based on a coherent national plan or framework .
Secondly , it opens the door to massive profiteering .
Even if companies aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bidding is .
And you really can ’ t call this a legitimate private sector market if every state is having to bid with private companies to secure medical supplies during a historic national health emergency .
The private sector rationale is also undermined if the US military has taken over a significant part of the fulfillment process .
The man who turned around the Bush administration ’ s botched response to Katrina , Lt. General Russel Honore , explained why that is a recipe for disaster .
Regardless of any complicity on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the issues Moskowitz complained about would be happening if this administration was taking charge of the supply chain rather than turning it over to the private sector .
Those are the facts .
But beyond all of that , what we see is that once again the President of the United States took retributive action based on a segment he watched on Fox News .
If you think his son-in-law , who has now been put in charge of managing this effort , will do any better , take a look at this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who , during a national emergency , is directing policy based on what he hears on Fox News and from his “ friends.
” Of course , that ’ s what he ’ s always done .
In the past , it was bad news .
But it is now unconscionable .

On Thursday night, Donald Trump finally invoked the Defense Production Act. He made the announcement on Twitter, of course.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1245876816922972162
According to a report from Kevin Breuninger, the president issued an order on Thursday night directing Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf to “use any and all authority available under the Act to acquire, from any appropriate subsidiary or affiliate of 3M Company, the number of N-95 respirators that the Administrator determines to be appropriate.”
Here is the response from 3M’s CEO.
In commenting on this, Kevin Drum identified the problem with Trump’s selective use of this authority.
The White House didn’t explain this, and it’s a little unnerving to see Trump using the DPA in such a gleefully punitive way. It’s supposed to be a technocratic tool for coordinating production, not a way for a president to score political points on Twitter.
All of this raises the question of what 3M did that earned the ire of the president. As it turns out, this segment of Tucker Carlson’s show aired on Fox News not long before Trump fired off his tweet.
Carlson’s guest, Jared Moskowitz, works for Republican Governor Ron DeSantis as his director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. He railed about not being able to get face masks from 3M.
It is difficult to sort out the truth from the lies in that segment. Some of the issues Moskowitz is pointing to surfaced after we learned that the federal government, probably under the direction of Jared Kushner, has turned the supply chain for these critical supplies over to the private sector. Josh Marshall documented the issues that raises.
First is that there’s no clear mechanism to allocate these supplies on the basis of need based on a coherent national plan or framework. Secondly, it opens the door to massive profiteering. Even if companies aren’t technically gouging, that’s what bidding is. And you really can’t call this a legitimate private sector market if every state is having to bid with private companies to secure medical supplies during a historic national health emergency. The private sector rationale is also undermined if the US military has taken over a significant part of the fulfillment process.
The man who turned around the Bush administration’s botched response to Katrina, Lt. General Russel Honore, explained why that is a recipe for disaster.
Regardless of any complicity on the part of 3M, none of the issues Moskowitz complained about would be happening if this administration was taking charge of the supply chain rather than turning it over to the private sector. Those are the facts.
But beyond all of that, what we see is that once again the President of the United States took retributive action based on a segment he watched on Fox News. If you think his son-in-law, who has now been put in charge of managing this effort, will do any better, take a look at this.
What we have is a president who, during a national emergency, is directing policy based on what he hears on Fox News and from his “friends.” Of course, that’s what he’s always done. In the past, it was bad news. But it is now unconscionable.


washingtonmonthly--2020-04-03--Ideological Rigidity Is a Poor Fit for Our Times

Rick Scott is currently a U.S .
Senator representing Florida , but he was the state ’ s governor from 2011 to 2019 .
He wasn ’ t serving in that position when the Great Recession hit , but he had to deal with some of the aftermath .
One thing he did was make the state ’ s unemployment services harder to access .
In theory , this saved the state money since they had to pay out less in benefits , although there are hidden costs to having a bunch of people running around short on cash .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ trumpet as he argued for his own reelection .
But now that hundreds of thousands of people are out of work and seeking benefits , Scott ’ s “ reforms ” are infuriating Floridians .
Already anxious about Trump ’ s chances in the nation ’ s biggest swing state , Republicans now are dealing with thousands of unemployed workers unable to navigate the Florida system to apply for help .
And the blowback is directed straight at Trump ’ s top allies in the state , Gov .
Ron DeSantis and Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the $ 77.9 million system that is now failing Florida workers is doing exactly what Scott designed it to do — lower the state ’ s reported number of jobless claims after the great recession .
“ It ’ s a sh– sandwich , and it was designed that way by Scott , ” said one DeSantis advisor .
“ It wasn ’ t about saving money .
It was about making it harder for people to get benefits or keep benefits so that the unemployment numbers were low to give the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is what happens when you elect people who don ’ t care about you .
I ’ m sure New York State will wish that Andrew Cuomo had been a more people-first governor , too , but it ’ s easy to see that he still takes his job of protecting New Yorkers seriously despite his record of knocking heads with the progressive wing of his party .
His popularity is surging because he ’ s visibly working his ass off to solve problems .
Gov .
Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to seize ventilators and send them to hospitals in novel coronavirus hot spots .
The National Guard will be deployed to remove and redistribute ventilators and personal protection equipment from institutions determined not to have as great a need , Cuomo said at a news conference .
“ I apologize to the hardship for those institutions , ” Cuomo said .
“ I ’ m not going to let people die.
” Those institutions will either have the ventilators returned or be financially reimbursed , Cuomo said .
He ’ s listening to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manage a problem of unprecedented seriousness and magnitude .
He ’ s thinking about the whole country , too , and how we can pool and allocate our resources in an efficient and logical way .
The contrast to Florida ’ s Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis could not be starker , and that ’ s reflected in how the people are responding to their leadership .
A month ago , Cuomo was on progressives ’ shortlist of most infuriating Democrats in the country , but in recent days I ’ ve seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden on the ticket .
This is solely due to the way he ’ s impressed even ideological enemies with his approach to the pandemic .
That ’ s not going to happen , but Joe Biden will be very happy to campaign anywhere in the country with Cuomo .
Chances are , Trump won ’ t want to be seen within a country mile of Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis .
Part of this is just that Cuomo isn ’ t ideologically rigid .
If this pandemic reveals some error in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let that keep him from doing what needs to be done now .
Republicans are afraid to contradict the president .
They don ’ t believe in generous unemployment benefits .
Their opposition to Obamacare ( and Medicaid ) hasn ’ t wavered even as millions have lost their jobs and their health insurance .
They ’ ve spent their whole lives trying to tear down the things we built to deal with the Great Depression , and now that those kinds of things are really needed , they have trouble accepting that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden is watching Cuomo closely and seeing how people respond to him .
He needs to be flexible , too , and not let prior positions become an obstacle to embracing what makes the most sense right now .
If he becomes president , he ’ s going to inherit the same kind of mess that Franklin Roosevelt inherited , and policies that were politically impossible a month ago will be requirements by next January .
Living in the recent past is not the place to be .
We can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but we do need to understand what we can take from that era since otherwise , we could waste time reinventing the wheel .

Rick Scott is currently a U.S. Senator representing Florida, but he was the state’s governor from 2011 to 2019. He wasn’t serving in that position when the Great Recession hit, but he had to deal with some of the aftermath. One thing he did was make the state’s unemployment services harder to access. In theory, this saved the state money since they had to pay out less in benefits, although there are hidden costs to having a bunch of people running around short on cash. It also gave him better statistics to trumpet as he argued for his own reelection.
But now that hundreds of thousands of people are out of work and seeking benefits, Scott’s “reforms” are infuriating Floridians.
Already anxious about Trump’s chances in the nation’s biggest swing state, Republicans now are dealing with thousands of unemployed workers unable to navigate the Florida system to apply for help. And the blowback is directed straight at Trump’s top allies in the state, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Rick Scott. Privately, Republicans admit that the $77.9 million system that is now failing Florida workers is doing exactly what Scott designed it to do — lower the state’s reported number of jobless claims after the great recession. “It’s a sh– sandwich, and it was designed that way by Scott,” said one DeSantis advisor. “It wasn’t about saving money. It was about making it harder for people to get benefits or keep benefits so that the unemployment numbers were low to give the governor something to brag about.”
This is what happens when you elect people who don’t care about you. I’m sure New York State will wish that Andrew Cuomo had been a more people-first governor, too, but it’s easy to see that he still takes his job of protecting New Yorkers seriously despite his record of knocking heads with the progressive wing of his party. His popularity is surging because he’s visibly working his ass off to solve problems.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order Friday giving New York State the right to seize ventilators and send them to hospitals in novel coronavirus hot spots. The National Guard will be deployed to remove and redistribute ventilators and personal protection equipment from institutions determined not to have as great a need, Cuomo said at a news conference. “I apologize to the hardship for those institutions,” Cuomo said. “I’m not going to let people die.” Those institutions will either have the ventilators returned or be financially reimbursed, Cuomo said.
He’s listening to experts and spending his days trying to manage a problem of unprecedented seriousness and magnitude. He’s thinking about the whole country, too, and how we can pool and allocate our resources in an efficient and logical way.
The contrast to Florida’s Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis could not be starker, and that’s reflected in how the people are responding to their leadership. A month ago, Cuomo was on progressives’ shortlist of most infuriating Democrats in the country, but in recent days I’ve seen some calling for him to replace Joe Biden on the ticket. This is solely due to the way he’s impressed even ideological enemies with his approach to the pandemic.
That’s not going to happen, but Joe Biden will be very happy to campaign anywhere in the country with Cuomo. Chances are, Trump won’t want to be seen within a country mile of Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis.
Part of this is just that Cuomo isn’t ideologically rigid. If this pandemic reveals some error in his previous thinking, he doesn’t let that keep him from doing what needs to be done now. Republicans are afraid to contradict the president. They don’t believe in generous unemployment benefits. Their opposition to Obamacare (and Medicaid) hasn’t wavered even as millions have lost their jobs and their health insurance. They’ve spent their whole lives trying to tear down the things we built to deal with the Great Depression, and now that those kinds of things are really needed, they have trouble accepting that fact and acting accordingly.
I hope Joe Biden is watching Cuomo closely and seeing how people respond to him. He needs to be flexible, too, and not let prior positions become an obstacle to embracing what makes the most sense right now. If he becomes president, he’s going to inherit the same kind of mess that Franklin Roosevelt inherited, and policies that were politically impossible a month ago will be requirements by next January.
Living in the recent past is not the place to be. We can’t go back to the 1930s either, but we do need to understand what we can take from that era since otherwise, we could waste time reinventing the wheel.