inquisitr--2020-04-18--Instruction Manual For Donald Trump’s New Air Force One Will Cost $84 Million To Develop, Pentagon R

Instruction Manual For Donald Trump’s New Air Force One Will Cost $84 Million To Develop, Pentagon Reveals

The Pentagon reportedly forgot to account for one item in Donald Trump ’ s much-touted $ 4 billion upgrade to a new version of Air Force One — the $ 84 million instruction manual .
As Defense One reported , the U.S. Air Force posted an announcement this week that it was amending the total cost of the purchase with Boeing on a new version of the aircraft used as the primary means of air transportation for U.S. presidents .
The announcement noted that the contract with Boeing had been modified to upgrade commercial manuals that will include more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the plane and fixing it .
The manual will take until January of 2025 to complete , the Air Force noted in its announcement .
As the Defense One report noted , Trump has made it a priority to buy a new version of Air Force One since he first took office , though he initially pushed back against the $ 4.4 billion price tag and personally negotiated a deal with former Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg to cut the cost by $ 500 million .
The deal itself will stretch beyond that price @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 3.9 billion price tag does not include the cost of the 747s themselves and extensive modification work needed , and Boeing “ demanded [ the Air Force ’ s ] silence ” on that aspect as a stipulation of the deal , the report noted .
The Air Force will also spend $ 1.4 billion on an assortment of parts and services , including testing , training , and the construction of new hangars at Joint Base Andrews outside of Washington , D.C. , the report added .
In all , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 5.3 billion , Defense One reported .
As Vox reported back in December of 2016 , after Trump had won the presidential election and close to a month before he took office , the controversy surrounding the price tag for Air Force One has stretched on long before his time in politics .
And though Trump prioritized the need for a new version of Air Force One since taking office , there have been plans in place for more than a decade to replace the current fleet .
The technical components of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well .
“ So in 2009 , the Pentagon started actively working on plans for a new Air Force One , ” the report noted .
“ From the start , the project has been dogged by a constantly growing list of technical requirements for the new planes .
After six years of budget battles and other wrangling , the Air Force insisted that it had hired Boeing , but not necessarily agreed to buy 747-8s .
”

The Pentagon reportedly forgot to account for one item in Donald Trump’s much-touted $4 billion upgrade to a new version of Air Force One — the $84 million instruction manual.
As Defense One reported, the U.S. Air Force posted an announcement this week that it was amending the total cost of the purchase with Boeing on a new version of the aircraft used as the primary means of air transportation for U.S. presidents.
The announcement noted that the contract with Boeing had been modified to upgrade commercial manuals that will include more than 100,000 pages with specifications for both flying the plane and fixing it. The manual will take until January of 2025 to complete, the Air Force noted in its announcement.
As the Defense One report noted, Trump has made it a priority to buy a new version of Air Force One since he first took office, though he initially pushed back against the $4.4 billion price tag and personally negotiated a deal with former Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg to cut the cost by $500 million.
The deal itself will stretch beyond that price tag, the report noted. The $3.9 billion price tag does not include the cost of the 747s themselves and extensive modification work needed, and Boeing “demanded [the Air Force’s] silence” on that aspect as a stipulation of the deal, the report noted.
The Air Force will also spend $1.4 billion on an assortment of parts and services, including testing, training, and the construction of new hangars at Joint Base Andrews outside of Washington, D.C., the report added.
In all, the project is expected to cost more than $5.3 billion, Defense One reported.
As Vox reported back in December of 2016, after Trump had won the presidential election and close to a month before he took office, the controversy surrounding the price tag for Air Force One has stretched on long before his time in politics. And though Trump prioritized the need for a new version of Air Force One since taking office, there have been plans in place for more than a decade to replace the current fleet.
The technical components of the upgrade have been in contention as well.
“So in 2009, the Pentagon started actively working on plans for a new Air Force One,” the report noted. “From the start, the project has been dogged by a constantly growing list of technical requirements for the new planes. After six years of budget battles and other wrangling, the Air Force insisted that it had hired Boeing, but not necessarily agreed to buy 747-8s.”


inquisitr--2020-04-18--Mike Pence Reportedly Warned Senate Democrats That Donald Trump Won’t Stop Tweeting To The American

Mike Pence Reportedly Warned Senate Democrats That Donald Trump Won’t Stop Tweeting To The American People

Sen. Tim Kaine had pressed Pence on Trump ’ s calls to 'LIBERATE ' states amid coronavirus restrictions .
Vice President Mike Pence reportedly warned Senate Democrats during a phone call that President Donald Trump would not stop tweeting to communicate with Americans , per Politico .
This report comes as the president is criticized by opponents for what they perceive to be an incitement to violence within said tweets .
On Friday , Trump shared a series of tweets calling for residents of Minnesota , Michigan , and Virgina — all states with a Democratic governor in place — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stringent lockdown measures put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
As Vanity Fair reported , the calls from Trump to encourage protests came less than one day after he had claimed that it was up to governors to decide when their states would start to roll back some of the restrictions put in place to slow the virus .
There had already been a small but growing number of protests from demonstrators pushing back and calling for states to start allowing businesses to reopen .
This was met with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ralph Northam , who Vanity Fair writer Bess Levin claimed “ dismissed Trump ’ s tweets as the ravings of an online troll.
” Northam said that he was too busy worrying about the virus waging a biological war on the state to worry about what Trump was saying .
It does not appear that Pence will do anything to curtail the president ’ s communications .
As the report noted , Senate Democrats questioned the vice president on a phone call on Friday , and Levin interpreted Pence ’ s reported comments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to send batsh*t anti-social distancing tweets , deal with it.
” ‘ Politico claimed to have knowledge more details of exactly what transpired on the call .
“ Senator Tim Kaine ( D-Va. ) pressed Pence on Trump ’ s Twitter feed at the end of the call , asking why the president was trying to incite division by tweeting ‘ LIBERATE ’ Virginia , Minnesota and Michigan and aligning himself with protests in those states over their lockdowns .
Pence said the administration is working with governors but that the president will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he always has.
” Many Democratic governors have joined Northam in pushing back publicly against Trump and his pressure to reopen the economy , at odds with their own estimations .
Washington Governor Jay Isnlee released a statement on Friday after Trump called for protesters to “ liberate ” their states , accusing the president of encouraging illegal and dangerous acts .
As Inslee noted , many states are not even close to reaching the guidelines set in place by Trump ’ s own administration regarding when they could start to roll @ @ @ @

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inquisitr--2020-04-18--Bill Maher Urges Media To ‘Calm Down’: Donald Trump ‘Calls You Fake News, Don’t Make Him Be Right’

During Friday night ’ s edition of HBO ’ s Real Time , comedian Bill Maher delivered a scathing monologue , urging the American media to “ calm down ” and provide more balanced reporting on the coronavirus pandemic .
Per The Hill , Maher argued that the news media is helping President Donald Trump act as an “ optimist , ” which boosts his re-election chances .
“ New rule , now that we ’ re starting to see some hope in all this : Don ’ t hope-shame me , ” he said .
“ You know the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it gives Trump the chance to play the optimist.
” Reminding his viewers of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt ’ s famous “ Nothing to fear but fear itself ” speech , Maher warned that Trump could end up “ riding ” this sentiment to the White House , providing hope and optimism for the American people during a deadly pandemic .
The anchor then called out a number of prominent news outlets , including The Washington Post and The New York Times , accusing them of using hyperbolic language and spreading fear .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Maher argued , but not nearly as bad as the media claimed it would be .
“ Enough with the ‘ life will never be the same ’ headlines , and stop showing us this , you know everything looks scary when you magnified it a thousand times , ” he said , calling on the media to stop displaying microscopic images of COVID-19 .
Maher then urged the news media to “ rein it in , ” contending that panic-inducing reporting is making Americans more scared than they should be .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ covered , the host concluded , has only given credence to Trump ’ s attacks on the press .
Maher , a vocal Trump critic , has previously defended some of the president ’ s actions amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Last week , the comedian opined that there is nothing wrong with Trump calling COVID-19 the “ Chinese virus , ” arguing that scientists have long been naming viruses after their place of origin .
Maher also criticized Democratic lawmakers for suggesting that the terminology Trump has used has xenophobic implications .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at California Rep. Ted Lieu , arguing that calling the virus after its place of origin has nothing to do with Asian Americans .
Since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak , Trump has been holding daily press conferences at the White House .
On a number of occasions , the president has used the briefings to launch attacks on the media .
During a conference in early April , he urged members of the press to stop spreading rumors and inducing panic .


inquisitr--2020-04-19--Trump Administration Gave $55M To Bankrupt Company With No Employees For N95 Masks They Never Produc

Trump Administration Gave $55M To Bankrupt Company With No Employees For N95 Masks They Never Produced Before

The Trump administration is facing scrutiny after awarding a $ 55 million contract to produce N95 masks to a company that had no prior experience making medical supplies and whose parent company filed for bankruptcy last year .
As Business Insider reported , the Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded the contract to Panthera Worldwide LLC , a company reportedly has had no employees since May 2018 .
The company , which describes itself as a tactical training company for the U.S. military and other government agencies , had not previously produced medical supplies but now is being tapped for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by medical professionals on the front lines of the fight against the coronavirus .
James V. Punelli , one of the company ’ s executives , told the Washington Post that the company would be working with military contacts to supply the masks .
“ We ’ ve done [ Department of Defense ] medical training over the years and through those contacts with that community were brought sources of supply in order to assist in the COVID-19 response , ” Punelli said in a text message to the newspaper .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these supplies to them.
” The price tag of the N95 masks provided by Panthera also came under scrutiny , as Business Insider noted .
The FEMA contract with Panthera would pay the company $ 5.50 per mask , a significant increase over the $ 0.63 per mask price charged by the more established supplier 3M .
The price tag associated with the contract has also led to some controversy , with former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel telling the Washington Post that he believed something as “ amiss ” about the order .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ procures training or any type of supplies , ” he said .
“ You just wouldn ’ t do business with somebody like that.
” The Trump administration has come under fire for what critics say is a lack of preparation in combating COVID-19 , especially in the supply of much-needed medical supplies and equipment .
Governors have also complained about what they see as a confusing and unproductive system where states are in competition with one another and the federal government in bidding for these supplies .
The N95 masks have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fighting the virus , protecting medical workers from potentially contracting the virus .
But these masks have been in short supply in many of the hardest hit places , with some medical officials and local leaders pleading with the federal government to help increase the supply .


inquisitr--2020-04-19--Donald Trump’s Campaign Secretly Pays $180K/Year To Donald Jr.’s Girlfriend And Eric Trump’s Wife, R

Donald Trump’s Campaign Secretly Pays $180K/Year To Donald Jr.’s Girlfriend And Eric Trump’s Wife, Report Says

It pays to be with one of Donald Trump ’ s adult sons , a new report claims .
The Huffington Post reported that Trump ’ s re-election campaign has been secretly paying Donald Trump Jr. ’ s girlfriend and Eric Trump ’ s wife a total of $ 180,000 per year each through a private company owned by the president ’ s campaign manager .
The report cited top Republicans with knowledge of the payments who said that Lara Trump , Eric ’ s wife , and Kimberly Guilfoyle , Donald Jr. ’ s girlfriend , have been receiving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brad Parscale ’ s company , an arrangement that allows the campaign to avoid public reporting on it .
When reached for comment on the payments by The Huffington Post , Parscale did not deny the payments but said that he had the right to dole out the payments as he sees fit .
“ I can pay them however I want to pay them , ” Parscale said , declining further comment .
But the Republican sources quoted in the report said that Parscale ’ s payment arrangement allowed the campaign to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which requires that all payments be disclosed .
One of those sources , former Mitt Romney campaign aide Stuart Stevens , accused the Trump campaign of laundering money through Parscale to pay the significant others .
“ That ’ s why Parscale has the job .
He ’ s a money launderer , not a campaign manager , ” Stevens said .
The report noted that Lara Trump had been hired to make appearances and give media interviews on behalf of Donald Trump , and leads “ Women for Trump ” events .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at campaign events and chairs the joint fundraising committee Trump Victory .
This is not the first time that a report has accused Parscale of making payments to the significant others of Eric and Donald Jr. in order to avoid FEC reporting .
A March report from The New York Times claimed that the campaign manager was using his company to dole out payments to the family members .
The report added that there was some tension between Parscale and Guilfoyle , who reportedly confronted the Trump campaign manager about why her checks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who witnessed the encounter said a contrite Mr. Parscale promised that the problem would be sorted out promptly by his wife , Candice Parscale , who handles the books on many of his ventures , ” the report claimed .
After leading the Trump campaign ’ s Facebook ad blitz in 2020 , Parscale was given a promotion to campaign manager but has come under fire for allegations of improper spending to pay off those close to the president .

It pays to be with one of Donald Trump’s adult sons, a new report claims.
The Huffington Post reported that Trump’s re-election campaign has been secretly paying Donald Trump Jr.’s girlfriend and Eric Trump’s wife a total of $180,000 per year each through a private company owned by the president’s campaign manager. The report cited top Republicans with knowledge of the payments who said that Lara Trump, Eric’s wife, and Kimberly Guilfoyle, Donald Jr.’s girlfriend, have been receiving $15,000 per month through campaign manager Brad Parscale’s company, an arrangement that allows the campaign to avoid public reporting on it.
When reached for comment on the payments by The Huffington Post, Parscale did not deny the payments but said that he had the right to dole out the payments as he sees fit.
“I can pay them however I want to pay them,” Parscale said, declining further comment.
But the Republican sources quoted in the report said that Parscale’s payment arrangement allowed the campaign to get around the Federal Election Commission, which requires that all payments be disclosed. One of those sources, former Mitt Romney campaign aide Stuart Stevens, accused the Trump campaign of laundering money through Parscale to pay the significant others.
“That’s why Parscale has the job. He’s a money launderer, not a campaign manager,” Stevens said.
The report noted that Lara Trump had been hired to make appearances and give media interviews on behalf of Donald Trump, and leads “Women for Trump” events. Guilfoyle has also appeared alongside her husband at campaign events and chairs the joint fundraising committee Trump Victory.
This is not the first time that a report has accused Parscale of making payments to the significant others of Eric and Donald Jr. in order to avoid FEC reporting. A March report from The New York Times claimed that the campaign manager was using his company to dole out payments to the family members. The report added that there was some tension between Parscale and Guilfoyle, who reportedly confronted the Trump campaign manager about why her checks were always late.
“Two people who witnessed the encounter said a contrite Mr. Parscale promised that the problem would be sorted out promptly by his wife, Candice Parscale, who handles the books on many of his ventures,” the report claimed.
After leading the Trump campaign’s Facebook ad blitz in 2020, Parscale was given a promotion to campaign manager but has come under fire for allegations of improper spending to pay off those close to the president.


inquisitr--2020-04-19--Nancy Pelosi Calls For ‘Science-Based’ Approach To Coronavirus Pandemic

Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi is calling for a “ science-based ” approach to the coronavirus pandemic .
Per RealClearPolitics , speaking with Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace , Pelosi discussed a variety of issues pertaining to the pandemic , repeatedly insisting that the federal government needs to understand that data and science must drive their decisions going forward .
Pelosi said that she understands Americans are getting “ impatient , ” but stressed that social distancing guidelines must be followed in order to the country to reopen soon .
“ The health issue is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she began .
“ And the evidence and the science and the data says shelter-in-place .
Testing , contact tracing , treatment , quarantine is the answer to opening up our economy sooner , ” Pelosi said .
The top Democrat also discussed the protest movements that have popped up in various states , saying that it is “ unfortunate ” that some are pressuring their governors to loosen restrictions , when thousands are being infected with COVID-19 every single day .
Focusing on the protests , she added , is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is “ respectful whatever people think they should say but the fact is this has to be science-based , evidence-based , data-based.
” President Donald Trump has been paying close attention to the protests , it seems .
On Friday and on Saturday , the president repeatedly expressed support for the demonstrators , saying that they need to “ liberate ” their states .
The president specifically referred to the states of Michigan , Virginia , and Minnesota , all of which have Democratic governors .
During a press briefing on Friday Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures , and suggested that the protests are an expression of free speech .
The president also argued that Virginia is using the pandemic to enact gun control legislation , suggesting that the demonstrators are fighting to preserve the Second Amendment .
Wallace also asked Pelosi about her feuds with Trump , suggesting that partisan bickering is unnecessary during a national crisis .
Pelosi conceded that she has been sparring with Trump , but accused the president of trying to shift blame onto others .
According to Pelosi , in order to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Organization , China , Democratic governors and lawmakers , and her .
“ And that might have been OK before but we can not continue down a path that is , again I ’ ll come back to science , science , science , evidence , data on how we should go forward , ” Pelosi concluded .
Pelosi appeared on ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos ’ show as well .
The top Democrat did not mince her words about Trump , accusing the president of downplaying the pandemic early on , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s response has been inadequate .


inquisitr--2020-04-19--Bernie Sanders Says Coronavirus Has Revealed The ‘Irrationality Of The Current System’

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders penned an op-ed for The New York Times published Sunday that explored the coronavirus pandemic and the failures of the United States economy he believes it has laid bare .
“ In the midst of the twin crises that we face — the coronavirus pandemic and the meltdown of our economy — it ’ s imperative that we re-examine some of the foundations of American society , understand why they are failing us , and fight for a fairer and more just nation , ” he wrote .
Sanders pointed to the “ absurdity and cruelty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will leave many Americans without coverage as they lose their jobs due to the pandemic , which has effectively shuttered the American economy .
He encouraged the adoption of universal health care — as outlined in his Medicare for All bill — that ensures that every U.S. citizen receives coverage free at the point of service .
According to Sanders , the coronavirus has exposed the “ irrationality of the current system.
” He pointed to the hospitals and clinics on the verge of bankruptcy and thousands of medical workers that have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and described what he believes is the true nature of the system .
Conversely , Sanders claims his “ long-overdue health care system ” will put the American public as a priority as opposed to Wall Street ’ s profits , and the private companies reaping the rewards of the current system .
Sanders pointed to the African American community — which he claimed is being hit hardest by coronavirus — as an example of how the unfair health care system punishes the poor and working-class people in America .
Although COVID-19 does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Sanders said will ultimately die at higher rates due to a lack of proper care .
Despite the destruction of more impoverished Americans , Sanders said the “ silver lining ” in the pandemic and economic collapse is that Americans are now rethinking some of the “ basic assumptions underlying the American value system.
” Although Sanders is no longer in the Democratic presidential primary , he is remains on the ballot to gain as many delegates as possible to exert influence over the Democratic Party platform , as The Inquisitr previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t appear set to embrace Medicare for All anytime soon , he released a proposal that would lower the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 60 .


inquisitr--2020-04-19--Nancy Pelosi Blasts ‘Poor Leader’ Donald Trump: ‘He’s Always Trying To Avoid Responsibility And Assi

Nancy Pelosi Blasts ‘Poor Leader’ Donald Trump: ‘He’s Always Trying To Avoid Responsibility And Assign Blame’

In an interview with ABC News broadcast on Sunday , Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi discussed President Donald Trump ‘ s response to the coronavirus pandemic .
Speaking with This Week anchor George Stephanopoulos , Pelosi pointed out that Trump initially downplayed the outbreak in the United States , repeatedly telling reporters that there will be a “ miracle ” and that the virus will “ disappear.
” Trump ’ s words and actions , Pelosi said , put lives in danger and “ caused deaths , ” which is why it is important to consult with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy .
According to Pelosi , it is “ very important that we walk the line that is close to evidence , data , science as we go forward , and not a whimsy , magic , hoax of allegations and placing blame instead of taking responsibility.
” Pelosi ’ s remarks come on the heels of Trump ’ s attacks on her .
For days , the president has been criticizing and attacking the Democratic leader , going as far as suggesting that she is “ responsible for many deaths.
” At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump has repeatedly insulted and belittled Pelosi and other Democrats , in an apparent attempt to shift the blame onto them .
Describing Trump as a “ poor leader , ” Pelosi told Stephanopoulos that she does not even pay attention to what the president is saying and tweeting .
Trump has also attacked Pelosi over disagreements regarding the Paycheck Protection Program .
On Friday , during a press briefing at the White House , the president said that Pelosi is “ on vacation ” and refusing to do her job .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ States Congress went on recess , which will last until May 4 , without passing legislation for the program .
No deal has been reached because Democrats and Republicans disagree about the funding .
The former want more money to go to hospitals and local governments , and the latter have insisted that the funds need to be directed to small businesses across the nation .
Pelosi told ABC News that she is contemplating whether or not to allow remote voting by proxy , adding that this would need to be done “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrat also discussed the possibility of reopening the country , but said that it remains unclear when the American people will be able to resume regular activity .
“ We ’ re prayerful that there will be a cure soon , that there ’ ll be a vaccine — that will take longer , ” she said .


inquisitr--2020-04-19--Donald Trump Is Being Pressured To Reopen The Economy To Save His Reelection Campaign, Report Says

A Politico report released on Saturday spotlights a movement of Donald Trump ‘ s conservative allies that is pressuring him to reopen the economy to save his reelection campaign .
According to the report , six people close to the White House or Trump campaign are “ confident ” that reopening the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic sooner rather than later will help the president in November .
The group believes there are signs that this approach is the path to victory , including the Trump supporter protests of stay-at-home orders that have been surfacing around the country .
Adam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative group that recently polled on reopening the economy , suggests that a continued shutdown of the economy will cause Trump ’ s base to “ revolt.
” Per Politico , Republicans are hoping that Trump ’ s handling of the coronavirus , which has received a great deal of criticism , will be less critical in November in the face of a rejuvenated economy .
During a phone interview with Politico , Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said that , as of now , the president is focused on protecting both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The president knows America is not meant to be shut down for months at a time and go dormant for three , four , six , nine months .
That ’ s why he wants to get this country moving again and moving quickly as possible but only when and where it is safe.
” According to Jonathan Chait in New York Magazine , Trump ’ s itch to reopen the economy is driven by his fear of losing in November .
Chait points to the president ’ s internal campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the initial bump in approval from early in the COVID-19 crisis , and the recent public polls that echo this loss .
“ That political desperation is the context to understand Trump ’ s palpable desire to reopen the economy by May 1 or sooner , ” Chait wrote .
Despite the push to reopen from his Republican allies , many others are criticizing the president ’ s focus on the economy and noting the possible wave of death it could cause .
As The Inquisitr previously reported , political commentator Thomas L. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy to forcing Americans to play Russian roulette with their lives .
In response to Trump ’ s claim that the U.S. has sufficient testing kits , governors — both Democratic and Republican — have pushed back and said this isn ’ t the case .


inquisitr--2020-04-19--Donald Trump Is Forcing Americans To ‘Play Russian Roulette’ With Their Lives, Commentator Says

In a Sunday column for The New York Times , political commentator Thomas L. Friedman accused President Donald Trump of forcing Americans to “ play Russian roulette ” with their lives amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Friedman began by pointing to Trump ’ s recent tweets in which he encouraged the liberation of Minnesota , Michigan , and Virginia .
According to Friedman , the president ’ s tweets implied that Americans in these states should return to work .
“ From now on , each of us individually , and our society collectively , is going to play Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gamble , Friedman says , is that reopening the American economy will not lead to a number of coronavirus hospitalizations that exceed the healthcare system ’ s capacity .
As noted by various public health experts , a significant danger of COVID-19 is the threat it poses to health care systems that do not have enough ventilators , beds , and workers .
“ What will be so cruel about this American version of Russian roulette is how unfair it will be , ” Friedman writes .
He points to the people that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subways or buses to work , families that will have to send their kids back to school because they don ’ t have the finances to stay home from work , and people who are forced to return to work by their employers .
Ultimately , Friedman claims that Trump is letting American ’ s make their own decisions about whether or not to follow social distancing guidelines and shelter-in-place recommendations that public health experts claim is crucial to curbing the spread of coronavirus .
Although Trump is eager to reopen the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ idea .
As reported by Vox , Trump claims that there are enough COVID-19 testing kits to revive the economy .
But according to both Republican and Democratic governors , their testing capacity is inadequate for the need .
According to Vox , states are still hundreds of thousands of tests short of being able to reopen their economies safely .
Per Science Alert , the World Health Organization ( WHO ) claims that testing is one of the most crucial actions that can be taken to curb the spread of coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and asymptomatic COVID-19 carriers are effectively isolated from the public and prevent the virus ’ spread .


inquisitr--2020-04-19--Gov. Jay Inslee: Donald Trump Tweets ‘Could Inspire People To Ignore Things That Could Save Their Li

Gov. Jay Inslee: Donald Trump Tweets ‘Could Inspire People To Ignore Things That Could Save Their Lives’

In an interview with ABC News broadcast on Sunday , Democratic Gov .
Jay Inslee of Washington warned that President Donald Trump ‘ s support for protesters seeking to “ liberate ” their states could put lives in danger .
Speaking with This Week anchor George Stephanopoulos , Inslee said he “ can ’ t remember ” any president ever voicing support for protesters and encouraging them to break the law .
“ It ’ s dangerous , because it could inspire people to ignore things that could save their lives , ” he said .
According to Inslee , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
“ The president is asking people ‘ please ignore Dr. Fauci , Dr. Birx , please ignore my own guidelines I set forth , ” the governor said .
Earlier this week , Trump sent out a series of Twitter messages , voicing support for the demonstrators in the states of Michigan , Minnesota , and Virginia .
Gathered in large groups , the protesters — some of them , apparently , Trump supporters — demanded that governors loosen social distancing restrictions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstrators at the White House press briefing on Friday and then again on Saturday , urging the governors to loosen restrictions .
Trump also said that Democratic Virginia Gov .
Ralph Northam wants to violate the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution , encouraging protesters to voice their concerns .
Acknowledging that some states are looking to move forward with reopening their economies , Inslee said that Washington will proceed carefully and that citizens are still being encouraged to stay at home .
The governor conceded that Washingtonians are “ very anxious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t been able to keep their jobs but said that the state still has more work to do .
“ We still haven ’ t gotten the curve going down , we ’ re still plateaued , if you will , ” he said , adding that Washington ’ s strategy is to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases as much as possible and then proceed with widespread testing .
The governor also discussed the 2020 presidential election .
It is all but certain that the coronavirus will not go away by November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an expansion of the vote-by-mail program , in order to ensure voters don ’ t have to expose themselves to risk in order to cast a ballot .
Trump has voiced opposition to mail-in voting , arguing that it would lead to voter fraud .
Inslee pushed back against the suggestion , calling vote-by-mail the “ easiest , safest , most reliable voting there is.
” “ We should increase voter participation any way we can .
Oregon has led this effort .
It ’ s been fantastic .
Virtually , no fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Inslee said .


inquisitr--2020-04-19--White House Adviser Says China Must Prove That Wuhan Laboratory Had Nothing To Do With Coronavirus O

White House Adviser Says China Must Prove That Wuhan Laboratory Had Nothing To Do With Coronavirus Outbreak

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro is pressing for China to prove that a laboratory in the city of Wuhan played no role in the outbreak of the novel coronavirus .
As The Hill reported , Navarro appeared on Sunday Morning Futures and said that it is “ incumbent on China to prove ” that the lab was not responsible for the outbreak that has turned into a pandemic .
Navarro hinted that he believes the idea of the virus originating in a lab could be the most logical explanation for the outbreak .
“ If you simply do an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simplest explanation is probably the most likely , I think it ’ s incumbent on China to prove that it wasn ’ t that lab , ” Navarro said .
The White House trade adviser echoed others in the Trump administration who have pressed China for early actions that could have contained the virus in Wuhan , where the first cases were seen .
“ This was a time where that virus could have been contained in Wuhan , ” he said .
“ Instead , 5 million Chinese people went out from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world.
” President Donald Trump has accused China of not being forthright in the outbreak of the coronavirus , and this week , the city of Wuhan revised its death total to show a 50 percent increase in deaths from what had originally been reported .
Reports this week indicated that the U.S. government was investigating the possibility that the virus originated in a lab in the city of Wuhan .
As NBC News reported , officials at the Wuhan Institute of Virology have denied what they called a “ conspiracy theory ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zhiming , the laboratory ’ s vice director , spoke out for the first time publicly to say that the lab has a strict regulatory regiment and code of conduct in its research , saying there was no way the novel coronavirus could have originated there .
“ As people who carry out viral study , we clearly know what kind of research is going on in the institute and how the institute manages viruses and samples .
As we said early on , there is no way this virus came from us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he could understand the interest in the lab , which opened in 2014 , given that it was based in the city where the novel coronavirus was first seen .
But he called out those spreading the rumor , saying they were deliberately misleading people about the origin of the coronavirus .


inquisitr--2020-04-19--Americans At WHO Warned Donald Trump Administration About Coronavirus Spread In Real Time, Report Sa

Americans At WHO Warned Donald Trump Administration About Coronavirus Spread In Real Time, Report Says

After President Donald Trump halted funding to the World Health Organization ( WHO ) for its response to the coronavirus , a new report suggests that the organization warned the president ’ s administration about the spread of the pandemic in real time .
According to The Washington Post , American physicians , researchers , and public health experts were working at the WHO ’ s Geneva headquarters as the coronavirus emerged late last year .
The team , many of whom are from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) , allegedly relayed information on COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to spread around the world .
In addition , senior Trump-appointed health officials reportedly consulted with WHO officials of the highest level as the pandemic unfolded .
“ The presence of so many U.S. officials undercuts President Trump ’ s charge that the WHO ’ s failure to communicate the extent of the threat , born of a desire to protect China , is largely responsible for the rapid spread of the virus in the United States , ” the report reads .
Regardless , Deborah Birx , the State Department expert who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus task force , appeared to agree with Trump ’ s decision to shift blame to the WHO for the spread of the virus , despite the presence of U.S. officials at the organization .
“ It ’ s always the first country that get exposed to the pandemic that has a — really a higher moral obligation on communicating , on transparency , because all the other countries around the world are making decisions on that , ” she said .
Others , such as author Matt Stoller , have stopped short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defund the WHO but blasted the organization for allegedly kowtowing to China .
According to Trump , the investigation into the WHO is revealing “ more and more problems , ” although he did not elaborate any further .
Trump ’ s decision to halt funding to the WHO has been met with pushback from some other world leaders .
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas claimed that every void left by the United States on the world stage would be occupied by other powers , likely those that “ don ’ t share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Trump administration ’ s 2019 Global Health Security Strategy recommended that the United States increase its cooperation with the WHO and other health organizations around the world .
As reported by Forbes , Trump has shifted blame to other figures outside of the WHO for the United States ’ coronavirus response .
Notably , he has pointed to state governors , the news media , and former President Barack Obama .
As The Inquisitr previously covered , reports suggest that Obama ’ s administration did not replenish N95 masks from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal protective equipment .


inquisitr--2020-04-19--Republican Gov. Questions Why Donald Trump Encourages Protests In States Not Meeting His Own Policy

Republican Gov. Questions Why Donald Trump Encourages Protests In States Not Meeting His Own Policy To Reopen

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan is questioning President Donald Trump ’ s decision to encourage protesters calling on states to lift stay-at-home restrictions and reopen — especially when these states have not met the president ’ s own policies about when to reopen .
Trump drew controversy this week after tweeting calls to “ liberate ” a series of states with Democratic governors , which critics saw as encouraging the small but growing protests to reopen economies and lift coronavirus restrictions .
As Newsweek noted , the Republican governor of Maryland , who faced a protest in his own state from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drove through the capital of Annapolis , said that Trump ’ s encouragement of these protests was counterproductive .
“ I don ’ t think it ’ s helpful to encourage demonstrations and encourage people to go against the president ’ s own policy , ” Hogan said during an appearance on CNN ’ s State of the Union Sunday .
“ For example , I mentioned earlier , the president ’ s policy says you can ’ t start to reopen under his plan until you have declining numbers for 14 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ with protests ] and my state do not have.
” Trump has pressed for states to start loosening restrictions and allow some businesses to reopen , though public health experts have warned that if these restrictions are lifted too soon it will lead to a surge in coronavirus cases .
A recent model released by MIT showed that there would be a significant increase in coronavirus cases if states began to roll back the restrictions too soon .
As Tech Crunch reported , the model “ indicates that any immediate or near-term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in place would lead to an ‘ exponential explosion ’ in the number of infections.
” Hogan said it does not make sense for Trump to encourage people to protest and call for states to reopen when the White House just released recommendations on Thursday that gave a detailed outline of what milestones states must reach before starting to allow small gatherings and reopen businesses .
Hogan argued that Trump ’ s encouragement was sending “ completely conflicting messages ” that people should “ ignore federal policy and federal recommendations.
” Some states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put in place in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
This week , Florida Governor Ron DeSantis allowed some beaches across the states to reopen , permitting people to walk , surf , and fish but not to sunbathe .
A handful of counties and cities allowed beaches to reopen , with some stationing police on beaches in order to enforce the restrictions .


inquisitr--2020-04-19--Lindsey Graham: ‘We Ought To Sanction The Hell Out Of China For Spreading Pandemics’

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham is calling for a more aggressive approach to China .
Per Mediaite , speaking with Fox News anchor Jeanine Pirro on Saturday night , Graham floated a number of confrontational policies meant to punish and antagonize China .
Graham pointed to legislation proposed by senators Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Martha McSally of Arizona , which would allow the U.S. to “ cancel some of the debt ” it owes to China .
But that is not enough , Graham suggested .
The senator likened China to Iran , arguing that China is the “ largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran is considered the “ largest state sponsor of terrorism , ” calling for sanctions on the country .
According to Graham , sanctions need to be put in place not only to protect the U.S. , but also to protect the entire world from Chinese aggression .
“ I would like to put sanctions on China not just for the United States , but for the entire world .
This is the third pandemic to come out of China .
Enough is enough , ” the South Carolina Republican stated .
Graham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from China is a “ no brainer , ” arguing that the government needs to subsidize businesses in order to incentivize them to manufacture goods in the U.S. Those that refuse to do so and keep their production in China , he said , need to be treated differently .
“ Lets bring it back into this country by using carrots and sticks by telling businesses : if you relocate your supply chain we will give you a tax break , ” he said .
Graham is not the first Republican to adopt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the onset of the coronavirus pandemic , a slew of congressional Republicans have called for a rethinking of U.S. policy toward the country .
Notably , Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas argued on Friday that China is America ’ s “ greatest geopolitical threat ” and needs to be treated such .
Cruz shared revelations from the National Institutes of Health .
According to the NIH , $ 76,000 was allocated to a lab in the Chinese city of Wuhan , where COVID-19 is thought to have originated .
Initially , evidence suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market in the Chinese city , but according to new allegations from U.S. officials , COVID-19 may have spread from a laboratory in Wuhan .
The officials do not claim the coronavirus was released on purpose , but rather that the Chinese did not take the necessary precautions to ensure the virus doesn ’ t spread from the labs in which it was reportedly studied .

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham is calling for a more aggressive approach to China.
Per Mediaite, speaking with Fox News anchor Jeanine Pirro on Saturday night, Graham floated a number of confrontational policies meant to punish and antagonize China. Graham pointed to legislation proposed by senators Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Martha McSally of Arizona, which would allow the U.S. to “cancel some of the debt” it owes to China.
But that is not enough, Graham suggested. The senator likened China to Iran, arguing that China is the “largest state sponsor of pandemics” just as Iran is considered the “largest state sponsor of terrorism,” calling for sanctions on the country.
“We sanctioned the hell out of Iran for spreading terrorism — we ought to sanction the hell out of China for spreading pandemics.”
According to Graham, sanctions need to be put in place not only to protect the U.S., but also to protect the entire world from Chinese aggression.
“I would like to put sanctions on China not just for the United States, but for the entire world. This is the third pandemic to come out of China. Enough is enough,” the South Carolina Republican stated.
Graham added that bringing the supply chain back from China is a “no brainer,” arguing that the government needs to subsidize businesses in order to incentivize them to manufacture goods in the U.S. Those that refuse to do so and keep their production in China, he said, need to be treated differently.
“Lets bring it back into this country by using carrots and sticks by telling businesses: if you relocate your supply chain we will give you a tax break,” he said.
Graham is not the first Republican to adopt a hawkish stance toward China. Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, a slew of congressional Republicans have called for a rethinking of U.S. policy toward the country.
Notably, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas argued on Friday that China is America’s “greatest geopolitical threat” and needs to be treated such. Cruz shared revelations from the National Institutes of Health. According to the NIH, $76,000 was allocated to a lab in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where COVID-19 is thought to have originated.
Initially, evidence suggested that the virus spread from a wet market in the Chinese city, but according to new allegations from U.S. officials, COVID-19 may have spread from a laboratory in Wuhan. The officials do not claim the coronavirus was released on purpose, but rather that the Chinese did not take the necessary precautions to ensure the virus doesn’t spread from the labs in which it was reportedly studied.


inquisitr--2020-04-19--Poll Shows Americans Trust Dr. Anthony Fauci And Andrew Cuomo On Coronavirus, Distrust Donald Trump

A new poll shows that Americans trust White House expert Dr. Anthony Fauci and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo when providing updates on the coronavirus — and distrust President Donald Trump .
The poll from NBC News/Wall Street Journal showed that Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , is the most trusted when delivering updates on the spread of the coronavirus and what the federal government is doing to respond .
Close to 60 percent of Americans polled said they trusted Fauci , while only 8 percent said they did not trust his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily updates on New York state ’ s response to the virus that are regularly covered live on cable news networks , was trusted by 46 percent of respondents , with 17 percent saying they did not trust him .
Trump did not score as well , with a majority of Americans saying they did not trust what he was telling them on the coronavirus crisis .
A total of 52 percent said they did not trust Trump , with 36 percent saying they trusted him .
The poll also found that Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much a smaller influence when it comes to the coronavirus .
Former Vice President Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee , was trusted by 26 percent of poll respondents , while another 29 percent said they did not trust him .
Close to half — 45 percent in total — said they did not have an opinion on Biden , who has offered some public statements on his approach to the coronavirus but has not appeared as regularly as Trump , Fauci , and Cuomo have .
However , the poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a hypothetical election matchup , with 49 percent saying they backed Biden compared to 42 percent for Trump .
This is not the first poll to show high confidence in Fauci .
As the New York Post reported , Fauci has seen very high approval ratings in past polling as well , including a Quinnipiac University survey that found he had a 78 percent approval rating among Americans polled and just a 7 percent disapproval rating .
As Quinnipiac University polling analyst Mary Snow noted , Fauci managed to earn high approval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ In a country gripped by crisis and divided by partisanship , public opinion is united when it comes to Dr. Anthony Fauci .
Nearly eight in 10 voters give him a resounding thumbs up for the job he ’ s doing responding to the COVID-19 pandemic , ” she said .

A new poll shows that Americans trust White House expert Dr. Anthony Fauci and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo when providing updates on the coronavirus — and distrust President Donald Trump.
The poll from NBC News/Wall Street Journal showed that Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is the most trusted when delivering updates on the spread of the coronavirus and what the federal government is doing to respond. Close to 60 percent of Americans polled said they trusted Fauci, while only 8 percent said they did not trust his public statements.
Cuomo, who provides daily updates on New York state’s response to the virus that are regularly covered live on cable news networks, was trusted by 46 percent of respondents, with 17 percent saying they did not trust him.
Trump did not score as well, with a majority of Americans saying they did not trust what he was telling them on the coronavirus crisis. A total of 52 percent said they did not trust Trump, with 36 percent saying they trusted him.
The poll also found that Trump’s likely opponent in November has much a smaller influence when it comes to the coronavirus. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, was trusted by 26 percent of poll respondents, while another 29 percent said they did not trust him. Close to half — 45 percent in total — said they did not have an opinion on Biden, who has offered some public statements on his approach to the coronavirus but has not appeared as regularly as Trump, Fauci, and Cuomo have.
However, the poll did find that Biden was leading Trump in a hypothetical election matchup, with 49 percent saying they backed Biden compared to 42 percent for Trump.
This is not the first poll to show high confidence in Fauci. As the New York Post reported, Fauci has seen very high approval ratings in past polling as well, including a Quinnipiac University survey that found he had a 78 percent approval rating among Americans polled and just a 7 percent disapproval rating.
As Quinnipiac University polling analyst Mary Snow noted, Fauci managed to earn high approval even amid a very politically divided climate.
“In a country gripped by crisis and divided by partisanship, public opinion is united when it comes to Dr. Anthony Fauci. Nearly eight in 10 voters give him a resounding thumbs up for the job he’s doing responding to the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.


inquisitr--2020-04-19--Steve Mnuchin Says It Was His Idea To Put Donald Trump’s Name On Coronavirus Stimulus Checks

U.S. President Donald Trump came under fire this week after reports claimed that he insisted on having his name printed on stimulus checks sent to Americans as part of the coronavirus relief bill , but Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin now says it was actually his idea .
Appearing on CNN ’ s State of the Union on Sunday , Mnuchin said that he was the one who thought up the idea to have Trump ’ s name printed on the memo line of the checks , which are sent to Americans who do not have bank account information on file @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my idea .
He is the president and I think it ’ s a terrific symbol to the American public , ” Mnuchin said , via the New York Post .
Mnuchin added that the alternative could have been requiring Trump to sign the checks , but he said that the option would have “ slowed things down ” and that they did not want to do that .
Millions of Americans will receive the paper checks in the mail .
Trump ’ s name appears on the memo line of the checks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Economic Impact Payment.
” A previous report from the Washington Post claimed that the checks were delayed after Trump asked that his name be included .
The report claimed that Trump told Mnuchin he would like to sign the checks , but that the president is not authorized to sign legal disbursements from the U.S. Treasury , which instead require the signature of an official with the fiscal service .
The report noted that Trump ’ s decision required extra work on the part of the IRS , which delayed the first payments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s reported decision to include his name on the checks quickly came under fire , with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calling the decision “ shameful ” and others claiming it was selfish on Trump ’ s part to attempt to take credit for the stimulus passed through negotiations between Republicans and Democrats in Congress .
A representative for the U.S. Treasury Department pushed back against the report that Trump ’ s signature would delay the payments from going out , saying that the checks were ready to go out as scheduled — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans were sent out .
“ In fact , we expect the first checks to be in the mail early next week which is well in advance of when the first checks went out in 2008 and well in advance of initial estimates , ” the representative said .


inquisitr--2020-04-19--Trump Administration Gave $55M For N95 Masks To Bankrupt Company With Zero Experience Making Medical

Trump Administration Gave $55M For N95 Masks To Bankrupt Company With Zero Experience Making Medical Supplies

Donald Trump ‘ s administration is facing scrutiny after awarding a $ 55 million contract to produce N95 masks to a company that had no prior experience making medical supplies and whose parent company filed for bankruptcy protection last year .
As Business Insider reported , the Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded the contract to Panthera Worldwide LLC , a company that reportedly has had no employees since May 2018 .
The business , which describes itself as a tactical training company for the U.S. military and other government agencies , had not previously produced medical supplies but now is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the critical masks used by medical professionals on the front lines of the fight against the coronavirus .
James V. Punelli , one of the company ’ s executives , told The Washington Post that the business would be working with military contacts to supply the masks .
“ We ’ ve done [ Department of Defense ] medical training over the years and through those contacts with that community were brought sources of supply in order to assist in the COVID-19 response , ” Punelli said in a text message to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with FEMA and offered these supplies to them.
” Read This : 5 New Things We Learned About Coronavirus This Week The price tag of the N95 masks provided by Panthera also came under scrutiny , as Business Insider noted .
The FEMA contract with Panthera would pay the company $ 5.50 per mask , a significant increase over the $ 0.63 per mask price charged by the more established supplier 3M .
The price tag associated with the contract has also led to some controversy , with former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something as “ amiss ” about the order .
“ This is not how the government procures training or any type of supplies , ” he said .
“ You just wouldn ’ t do business with somebody like that.
” The Trump administration has come under fire for what critics say is a lack of preparation in combating COVID-19 , especially in the area of much-needed medical supplies and equipment .
Governors have also complained about what they see as a confusing and unproductive system , where states are in competition with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bidding for these supplies .
The N95 masks have been one of the most critical pieces of equipment in fighting the virus , protecting medical workers from potentially contracting the virus .
But these masks have been in short supply in many of the hardest-hit places , with some medical officials and local leaders pleading with the federal government to help increase the numbers of masks .


inquisitr--2020-04-20--Joe Biden Picks Up Key Endorsement, Indicates Further Adoption Of Green New Deal Principles

Former Vice President Joe Biden picked up an endorsement that could bode well for his attempt to curry the favor of environmentalists , as well as more progressive Democratic voters who previously supported Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders as their candidate for the 2020 general election .
The endorsement may have come as a result of Biden signaling that he would expand his climate plan .
Per The Washington Post , the League of Conservation Voters ( LCV ) announced on Monday that it will back Biden in his upcoming battle for the presidency with incumbent Donald Trump .
The group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ article on its official Twitter account .
Several primary elections remain , but Biden is the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party following Sanders ’ decision to suspended his campaign earlier this month .
In a statement to The Post , Biden said he was “ honored ” to receive the endorsement .
He also called the fight against pollution and climate change a personal battle .
The Washington , D.C.-based League of Conservation Voters was founded in 1970 by environmentalist Marion Edey , with support provided by David Brower .
In addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the LCV tracks the voting records of Congress members on environmental issues .
During his time in the Senate , Biden accrued a lifetime mark of 83 percent on his own national environmental scorecard from the LCV .
The group stands in staunch opposition to the Trump administration and its environmental policies and practices .
In regards to his own efforts to curb the effects of climate change , Biden ’ s campaign has recently indicated that his plan continues to be a work in progress and will see further evolution .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Feldman , told The Post that the campaign had always expected that it would build upon Biden ’ s original , 22-page climate plan , which was released last June and calls for the U.S. to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 .
Biden ’ s campaign website describes the Green New Deal as “ a crucial framework for meeting the climate challenges we face , ” but the recent indication that he ’ ll look to expand the scope of his environmental plan may be his first steps toward truly embracing the proposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In any case , the LCV ’ s acceptance of Biden and his willingness to expand his environmental plan could open the door for other environmental organizations to consider endorsements of their own .
That , in turn , could make him a more attractive candidate for progressive voters .

Former Vice President Joe Biden picked up an endorsement that could bode well for his attempt to curry the favor of environmentalists, as well as more progressive Democratic voters who previously supported Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders as their candidate for the 2020 general election. The endorsement may have come as a result of Biden signaling that he would expand his climate plan.
Per The Washington Post, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) announced on Monday that it will back Biden in his upcoming battle for the presidency with incumbent Donald Trump. The group later re-tweeted The Washington Post’s article on its official Twitter account. Several primary elections remain, but Biden is the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party following Sanders’ decision to suspended his campaign earlier this month.
In a statement to The Post, Biden said he was “honored” to receive the endorsement. He also called the fight against pollution and climate change a personal battle.
“For me, this is personal. I live in a state that’s dealing first hand with the impacts of climate change and impacts of pollution on kids and families. I’m going to fight for my grandkids.”
The Washington, D.C.-based League of Conservation Voters was founded in 1970 by environmentalist Marion Edey, with support provided by David Brower. In addition to its lobbying and voter education efforts, the LCV tracks the voting records of Congress members on environmental issues. During his time in the Senate, Biden accrued a lifetime mark of 83 percent on his own national environmental scorecard from the LCV.
The group stands in staunch opposition to the Trump administration and its environmental policies and practices.
In regards to his own efforts to curb the effects of climate change, Biden’s campaign has recently indicated that his plan continues to be a work in progress and will see further evolution. Biden’s policy director, Stef Feldman, told The Post that the campaign had always expected that it would build upon Biden’s original, 22-page climate plan, which was released last June and calls for the U.S. to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
Biden’s campaign website describes the Green New Deal as “a crucial framework for meeting the climate challenges we face,” but the recent indication that he’ll look to expand the scope of his environmental plan may be his first steps toward truly embracing the proposed climate change and economic inequality legislation.
In any case, the LCV’s acceptance of Biden and his willingness to expand his environmental plan could open the door for other environmental organizations to consider endorsements of their own. That, in turn, could make him a more attractive candidate for progressive voters.


inquisitr--2020-04-20--Donald Trump Blaming Barack Obama For ‘Broken’ Coronavirus Tests Is ‘Nonsensical,’ Journalist Says

In a piece for Vox , Aaron Rupar picked apart Donald Trump ‘ s recent claim that Barack Obama ‘ s administration left him with “ obsolete , ” “ old , ” and “ broken ” coronavirus tests .
“ This is totally nonsensical , ” he wrote .
“ The CDC [ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ] couldn ’ t have bad tests left over from the Obama administration , because the coronavirus test didn ’ t exist until this year.
” Rupar also pushed back against Trump ’ s claim that the Strategic National Stockpile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He later pointed to a FactCheck.org report that suggested the stockpile was “ packed with stuff ” in 2016 .
However , as The Inquisitr previously reported , a separate fact check by USA Today concluded that the Obama administration did not take significant steps to restock N95 masks after they were depleted , despite calls to action from experts that pointed to the danger of future pandemics .
Rupar also noted that Trump was president for three years before the first coronavirus case was reported in America on January 20 earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the writer claims that the president did not begin replenishing national stockpiles of masks , ventilators , and other medical supplies .
Trump has seemingly shifted the blame for his coronavirus failures to the Obama administration on many occasions , and it ’ s not the first instance he has pointed to faulty tests .
As pointed out by PolitiFact , the president has claimed that the CDC inherited problematic tests that did not function on multiple occasions .
“ That ’ s been there a long time , ” he said at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have the best tests in the world.
” Like Rupar , PolitiFact noted that it ’ s impossible to inherit a broken test from a time when the novel coronavirus did not yet exist .
Christopher Mores , an infectious disease researcher at George Washington University ’ s School of Public Health , echoed the pair .
“ The ( Centers for Disease Control ) designed it and validated it and deployed it , ” Mores said of the CDC-developed COVID-19 test , which was found to have “ multiple problems.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for creating a policy he claims hindered the development of the testing process .
According to PolitiFact , the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) rules did hamper the process for private labs .
But the method in question reportedly dates back to George W. Bush ‘ s administration .
Even still , Bush warned of a pandemic back in 2005 and attempted to create a pandemic response system .
The former president was reportedly driven into action after he read a book about the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic that is estimated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

In a piece for Vox, Aaron Rupar picked apart Donald Trump‘s recent claim that Barack Obama‘s administration left him with “obsolete,” “old,” and “broken” coronavirus tests.
“This is totally nonsensical,” he wrote. “The CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] couldn’t have bad tests left over from the Obama administration, because the coronavirus test didn’t exist until this year.”
Rupar also pushed back against Trump’s claim that the Strategic National Stockpile of personal protective equipment was empty.
“And the stockpile was far from empty — its problem was that it was poorly maintained, an issue that rests on the Trump administration’s shoulders.”
He later pointed to a FactCheck.org report that suggested the stockpile was “packed with stuff” in 2016. However, as The Inquisitr previously reported, a separate fact check by USA Today concluded that the Obama administration did not take significant steps to restock N95 masks after they were depleted, despite calls to action from experts that pointed to the danger of future pandemics.
"We inherited a lot of garbage … horrible ventilators" — Trump responds to a second question from ultra-sycophantic OAN, this one about coronavirus testing failures, by trying to shift blame to Obama (Obama left office in 2017 and the virus didn't reach the US until 2020) pic.twitter.com/II60SLGOrn — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 19, 2020
Rupar also noted that Trump was president for three years before the first coronavirus case was reported in America on January 20 earlier this year. Even at this time, the writer claims that the president did not begin replenishing national stockpiles of masks, ventilators, and other medical supplies.
Trump has seemingly shifted the blame for his coronavirus failures to the Obama administration on many occasions, and it’s not the first instance he has pointed to faulty tests. As pointed out by PolitiFact, the president has claimed that the CDC inherited problematic tests that did not function on multiple occasions.
“That’s been there a long time,” he said at the end of March. “Now we have the best tests in the world.”
Like Rupar, PolitiFact noted that it’s impossible to inherit a broken test from a time when the novel coronavirus did not yet exist.
Christopher Mores, an infectious disease researcher at George Washington University’s School of Public Health, echoed the pair.
“The (Centers for Disease Control) designed it and validated it and deployed it,” Mores said of the CDC-developed COVID-19 test, which was found to have “multiple problems.”
Trump has also blamed the Obama administration for creating a policy he claims hindered the development of the testing process. According to PolitiFact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules did hamper the process for private labs. But the method in question reportedly dates back to George W. Bush‘s administration.
Even still, Bush warned of a pandemic back in 2005 and attempted to create a pandemic response system. The former president was reportedly driven into action after he read a book about the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic that is estimated to have killed 50 to100 million people.


inquisitr--2020-04-20--Donald Trump Claimed Kim Jong-Un Sent Him A ‘Nice Note’ But North Korea Says That’s Not True

On Saturday , Donald Trump claimed that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent him a “ nice note ” and that the two countries were “ doing fine.
” But North Korea released a statement on Sunday denying the president ’ s claim and warning him against using his relationship with the leader for “ selfish purposes.
” While speaking with the reporters at the White House , as The New York Times reports , Trump said that he ’ d received communication from North Korea .
“ I received a nice note from him recently .
It was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re doing fine , ” he said .
He also went on to say that if he hadn ’ t been elected in 2016 , the United States and North Korea would be in a war right now , and he also commented on the short-range missile tests that the country has been conducting since March , downplaying the threat .
President Moon Jae-in of South Korea said that they , too , had been told that Kim had sent a “ warm letter ” to the American president .
On Sunday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down the president , saying no such letter had been sent .
“ There was no letter addressed recently to the U.S. president by the supreme leadership ” it said .
It added that they would begin an investigation into the matter to see if “ U.S .
leadership seeks anything in feeding the ungrounded story to the media ” and went on to issue a warning to Trump .
“ The relations between the top leaders of ( North Korea ) and the U.S. are not an issue to be taken up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misused for meeting selfish purposes , ” it said , as Microsoft News reports .
Trump and Kim have exchanged letters in the past , with the president saying that he and Jong-un were “ in love.
” The two have met three times since Trump took office .
Trump has also apparently written a letter to North Korea offering to help the country in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic , though North Korea claims that it doesn ’ t have a single case of the virus , as The Inquistr reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing measures .
Despite their past relationship , the two countries have seen little progress in recent months over the issue of denuclearization .
Kim has said that the United States must change its policy toward North Korea , including lifting sanctions , before it will revisit its nuclear testing .

On Saturday, Donald Trump claimed that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent him a “nice note” and that the two countries were “doing fine.” But North Korea released a statement on Sunday denying the president’s claim and warning him against using his relationship with the leader for “selfish purposes.”
While speaking with the reporters at the White House, as The New York Times reports, Trump said that he’d received communication from North Korea.
“I received a nice note from him recently. It was a nice note. I think we’re doing fine,” he said.
He also went on to say that if he hadn’t been elected in 2016, the United States and North Korea would be in a war right now, and he also commented on the short-range missile tests that the country has been conducting since March, downplaying the threat.
President Moon Jae-in of South Korea said that they, too, had been told that Kim had sent a “warm letter” to the American president.
On Sunday, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry shot down the president, saying no such letter had been sent.
“There was no letter addressed recently to the U.S. president by the supreme leadership” it said.
“He could have referred to the personal letters that had been exchanged in the past, we are not sure.”
It added that they would begin an investigation into the matter to see if “U.S. leadership seeks anything in feeding the ungrounded story to the media” and went on to issue a warning to Trump.
“The relations between the top leaders of (North Korea) and the U.S. are not an issue to be taken up just for diversion nor it should be misused for meeting selfish purposes,” it said, as Microsoft News reports.
Trump and Kim have exchanged letters in the past, with the president saying that he and Jong-un were “in love.” The two have met three times since Trump took office.
Trump has also apparently written a letter to North Korea offering to help the country in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, though North Korea claims that it doesn’t have a single case of the virus, as The Inquistr reported previously, though the country has implemented social distancing measures.
Despite their past relationship, the two countries have seen little progress in recent months over the issue of denuclearization. Kim has said that the United States must change its policy toward North Korea, including lifting sanctions, before it will revisit its nuclear testing.


inquisitr--2020-04-20--Joe Biden Is ‘Courting Hard-Core Racists’ With New Political Ad, Actress Says

Former Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon , who unsuccessfully ran against York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the 2018 midterm elections , recently took to Twitter to attack former Vice President Joe Biden for his recent political ad that takes aim at Donald Trump for his approach to China .
“ Who had Joe Biden put this hateful xenophobic ad up ?
” she tweeted .
Nixon ’ s comment was a response to New York State Assembly member Yuh-Line Niou , who was also critical of Biden ’ s ad , which accused Trump of kowtowing to China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and buys into the disgusting narrative that trump is spinning , ” Niou wrote .
“ A race to be the most racist against Asians is not ok and not what we need right now.
” According to Jeet Heer in a piece for The Nation , Biden effectively fell into Trump ’ s “ xenophobic trap ” with the new political ad .
He noted the Trump campaign ’ s attack on Biden ’ s history of friendliness with China , as well as Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh ’ s claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China ” is one of his vulnerabilities .
In response , Biden ’ s ad accuses Trump of botching his response to the coronavirus before claiming that the president “ rolled over for the Chinese ” by praising the country ’ s response to the pandemic .
Heer claims that the use of the phrase “ the Chinese ” is “ troubling ” because it does not distinguish between Chinese people and the government of the People ’ s Republic of China .
Such criticism echoes critics of Trump ’ s use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refer to the coronavirus .
Although some political pundits believe that Biden ’ s ad was effective — Joe Scarborough called it “ devastating ” — Heer nevertheless claims that it contains an undeniable “ undercurrent of xenophobia.
” Despite Biden ’ s alleged friendliness with China , Reuters reported that his tone has shifted amid the pandemic .
During a March Democratic presidential debate with former candidate Bernie Sanders , Biden compared China ’ s leaders to “ Jack the Ripper ” and called them “ flat out dictators.
” As for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in response to Biden ’ s in which he blasted the presumptive Democratic nominee for voicing opposition to Trump ’ s decision to restrict non-U.S. travelers from entering the United States from China .
As reported by The Hill , a Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll found that Biden leads Trump by 8 points nationally .
The data comes as Trump ’ s approval rating is at an all-time high .

Former Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon, who unsuccessfully ran against York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the 2018 midterm elections, recently took to Twitter to attack former Vice President Joe Biden for his recent political ad that takes aim at Donald Trump for his approach to China.
“Who had Joe Biden put this hateful xenophobic ad up?” she tweeted.
“Joe needs to focus on getting Democrats and Independents excited, not courting hard-core racists. You won’t get them, Joe, and you’ll make the rest of us sick to our stomachs.”
Nixon’s comment was a response to New York State Assembly member Yuh-Line Niou, who was also critical of Biden’s ad, which accused Trump of kowtowing to China.
“This is racist and xenophobic and buys into the disgusting narrative that trump is spinning,” Niou wrote. “A race to be the most racist against Asians is not ok and not what we need right now.”
Donald Trump left our country unprepared and unprotected for the worst public health and economic crisis in our lifetime — and now we're paying the price. pic.twitter.com/aCxcqQqUqw — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 18, 2020
According to Jeet Heer in a piece for The Nation, Biden effectively fell into Trump’s “xenophobic trap” with the new political ad. He noted the Trump campaign’s attack on Biden’s history of friendliness with China, as well as Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh’s claim that Biden’s “softness on China” is one of his vulnerabilities. In response, Biden’s ad accuses Trump of botching his response to the coronavirus before claiming that the president “rolled over for the Chinese” by praising the country’s response to the pandemic.
Heer claims that the use of the phrase “the Chinese” is “troubling” because it does not distinguish between Chinese people and the government of the People’s Republic of China. Such criticism echoes critics of Trump’s use of the phrase “Chinese virus” to refer to the coronavirus.
Although some political pundits believe that Biden’s ad was effective — Joe Scarborough called it “devastating” — Heer nevertheless claims that it contains an undeniable “undercurrent of xenophobia.”
Despite Biden’s alleged friendliness with China, Reuters reported that his tone has shifted amid the pandemic. During a March Democratic presidential debate with former candidate Bernie Sanders, Biden compared China’s leaders to “Jack the Ripper” and called them “flat out dictators.”
As for Trump, his campaign released an ad in response to Biden’s in which he blasted the presumptive Democratic nominee for voicing opposition to Trump’s decision to restrict non-U.S. travelers from entering the United States from China.
As reported by The Hill, a Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll found that Biden leads Trump by 8 points nationally. The data comes as Trump’s approval rating is at an all-time high.


inquisitr--2020-04-20--Airing Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Briefings Live And Unfiltered Is ‘Lazy And Irresponsible,’ Comment

Airing Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Briefings Live And Unfiltered Is ‘Lazy And Irresponsible,’ Commentator Says

Commentator Charles Blow , who wrote a new op-ed for the New York Times on Monday , believes the media needs to stop carrying President Donald Trump ‘ s daily briefings on the coronavirus live and uncut .
Blow believes there is no circumstance in which Trump ’ s briefings should be broadcast live at this point .
The columnist wanted to make clear that he thinks the press absolutely has a duty to report on the presentations and even air clips of what Trump has said when he ’ s imparting information .
But the way the mainstream media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few weeks is not something Blow thinks is appropriate .
“ Let me be clear : Under no circumstance should these briefings be carried live .
Doing so is a mistake bordering on journalistic malpractice .
Everything a president does or says should be documented , but airing all of it , unfiltered , is lazy and irresponsible.
” Blow cited media veteran Ted Koppel , who recently said that pointing a camera at someone and just allowing an event to play out is technology , not journalism .
Koppel also posed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the president obliged the media to air everything he said unfiltered .
Koppel , like Blow , thinks the answer is “ no.
” Blow ’ s column comes on the heels of briefings that critics have deemed more campaign rally than coronavirus outbreak update .
They have complained that instead of allowing medical experts to take the podium and answer science-based questions , Trump has aired videos and attacked political rivals .
Trump has also gotten into arguments with reporters over issues such as the number of tests in the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( PPE ) .
Blow believes the problem is more than just the media being lazy during these appearances .
He pointed to a study done four years ago that said Trump was given more than $ 2 billion worth of “ free advertising ” from journalists who aired his speeches and campaign rallies without a filter .
Back then , it was thought that Trump didn ’ t have a shot at winning the White House .
Blow says that networks decided to continually give him broadcast time because they thought he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did and that it wouldn ’ t matter in the end .
Instead , Blow posited , the media gave rise to Trump as president .
He is worried that ’ s happening again .
As was the case four years ago , he wrote , the daily appearances are marked by Trump ’ s own “ misinformation , deceptions , rage , blaming and boasting.
” In short , Blow argued that the president is playing the same game he did to get elected , and that the networks are letting him @ @ @ @ @ @


inquisitr--2020-04-20--Donald Trump Says The ‘Tables Are Turned’ On Russia Investigators

During Sunday ’ s White House press briefing with the coronavirus task force , President Donald Trump took aim at the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) , linked to Robert Mueller ‘ s Russia inquiry .
As reported by The Daily Wire , the controversial investigation led to the convictions of General Michael Flynn and Roger Stone , both of whom worked for the president ’ s 2016 campaign .
“ I ’ m not going to say what I ’ m going to do , but I will tell you the whole thing turned out to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be a disgrace to our country , and it was a take-down of a duly elected President , ” Trump said .
Trump ’ s comments came after news broke that the FBI was aware that the Steele dossier , which was used to obtain authorization to surveil Trump ’ s campaign , contained Russian misinformation .
During the conference , the president expressed his support for certain people at the FBI before launching into a scathing attack on the bureau .
The president noted Flynn ’ s military service and claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FBI approached him .
Per The Hill , Mueller ’ s investigation ultimately concluded that there was insufficient evidence to establish a conspiracy between Trump ’ s 2016 campaign and Russia .
In regard to possible obstruction of justice , Mueller claimed he was unable to “ conclusively determine ” that no criminal conduct occurred .
As noted by Kevin R. Brock in The Hill , Attorney General William Barr , a prominent Trump ally , recently called the FBI ’ s investigation of the Trump campaign one of the greatest travesties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , these recent comments are a signal that things will soon get “ ugly ” for the team behind the Russia investigation .
Brock claims that Barr likely has evidence that is in conflict with the findings of Inspector General Michael Horowitz , whose report on the investigation revealed the FBI ’ s misconduct in its application for the FISA warrant on former Trump campaign official Carter Page .
According to Brock , Barr may have evidence that there was no basis for the FBI ’ s investigation , which would conflict with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misconduct but ultimately ruled that the inquiry as a whole was launched with sufficient evidence .
The accuracy of Horowitz ’ s conclusion was called into doubt by some , including George Washington University Law School professor Jonathan Turley .

During Sunday’s White House press briefing with the coronavirus task force, President Donald Trump took aim at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), linked to Robert Mueller‘s Russia inquiry. As reported by The Daily Wire, the controversial investigation led to the convictions of General Michael Flynn and Roger Stone, both of whom worked for the president’s 2016 campaign.
“I’m not going to say what I’m going to do, but I will tell you the whole thing turned out to be a scam, and it turned out to be a disgrace to our country, and it was a take-down of a duly elected President,” Trump said.
Trump’s comments came after news broke that the FBI was aware that the Steele dossier, which was used to obtain authorization to surveil Trump’s campaign, contained Russian misinformation. During the conference, the president expressed his support for certain people at the FBI before launching into a scathing attack on the bureau.
“But the top of the FBI was scum, and what they did to General Flynn, and you know it and everybody knows it, was a disgrace.”
The president noted Flynn’s military service and claimed that he was “respected” before the FBI approached him.
“They want to investigate him. Never happened before and now the tables are turned. Investigate the investigators, I guess.”
"The top of the FBI was scum … human scum," President Trump said on their treatment of Roger Stone and General Mike Flynn pic.twitter.com/pTcYJ3WQ7q — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 19, 2020
Per The Hill, Mueller’s investigation ultimately concluded that there was insufficient evidence to establish a conspiracy between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia. In regard to possible obstruction of justice, Mueller claimed he was unable to “conclusively determine” that no criminal conduct occurred.
As noted by Kevin R. Brock in The Hill, Attorney General William Barr, a prominent Trump ally, recently called the FBI’s investigation of the Trump campaign one of the greatest travesties in American history. According to Brock, these recent comments are a signal that things will soon get “ugly” for the team behind the Russia investigation.
Brock claims that Barr likely has evidence that is in conflict with the findings of Inspector General Michael Horowitz, whose report on the investigation revealed the FBI’s misconduct in its application for the FISA warrant on former Trump campaign official Carter Page.
According to Brock, Barr may have evidence that there was no basis for the FBI’s investigation, which would conflict with Horowitz, who found evidence of FISA misconduct but ultimately ruled that the inquiry as a whole was launched with sufficient evidence.
The accuracy of Horowitz’s conclusion was called into doubt by some, including George Washington University Law School professor Jonathan Turley.


inquisitr--2020-04-20--Attorney General William Barr Is Set To Take The Fall For Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Policy, Report

Attorney General William Barr Is Set To Take The Fall For Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Policy, Report Says

In a Monday report from The Daily Beast , David R. Lurie claims that Attorney General William Barr appears set to spearhead Donald Trump ‘ s battle against the coronavirus lockdown .
As noted by Raw Story , the report suggests that if things do sour , Barr is set to take the fall for any failures .
According to Lurie , Trump and Barr are pushing for states to reopen their economies as soon as possible , which will inevitably lead to a “ massive number of needless deaths.
” Lurie claims that Barr will likely follow Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the conservative judges that Trump has installed over the past three years .
The New York City attorney says that these judges are likely to “ enthusiastically comply ” with a plan to wage war against the emergency health measures deployed at the state level .
Lurie claims that Trump and Barr are hoping that a clash between the courts and state health professionals will undermine state governors ’ authority .
In particular , Lurie believes the pair are hoping to subvert Democratic leaders in swing states that have enjoyed a significant amount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
According to Lurie , Barr ’ s role in this purported plan is not surprising given his work within the Department of Justice ( DOJ ) .
Lurie claims that the Attorney General has been working to undermine the DOJ during his time at the helm .
He also points to Barr ’ s role in undermining the intelligence community to help Trump escape repercussions for his actions documented by Robert Mueller ‘ s Russia investigation as well as in the whistleblower complaint that ultimately led to his impeachment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to shred public confidence in governmental institutions have done a great deal of damage to the nation , the attorney general ’ s latest effort to misuse the authority of the law , and of the federal courts , to help Trump out of a political jam is likely to have more immediate , and fatal , consequences.
” Read This : 10 Items You Can ( And Should ) Buy On Amazon Right Now Trump has been increasingly critical of states ’ handling of the coronavirus .
As reported by NBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press conference that some states crossed the line with their policies aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19 .
“ Some governors have gone too far , ” the president said .
Trump has also publicly lauded the efforts of anti-quarantine protestors , a marked contrast from other lawmakers who have been critical of such protests .
As The Inquisitr reported , Trump is allegedly planning to rally his base for the November election by supporting protestors , a plan that political scientist Daniel Drezner claims is doomed to fail .

In a Monday report from The Daily Beast, David R. Lurie claims that Attorney General William Barr appears set to spearhead Donald Trump‘s battle against the coronavirus lockdown. As noted by Raw Story, the report suggests that if things do sour, Barr is set to take the fall for any failures.
According to Lurie, Trump and Barr are pushing for states to reopen their economies as soon as possible, which will inevitably lead to a “massive number of needless deaths.” Lurie claims that Barr will likely follow Trump’s lead and use the help of the conservative judges that Trump has installed over the past three years. The New York City attorney says that these judges are likely to “enthusiastically comply” with a plan to wage war against the emergency health measures deployed at the state level.
Lurie claims that Trump and Barr are hoping that a clash between the courts and state health professionals will undermine state governors’ authority. In particular, Lurie believes the pair are hoping to subvert Democratic leaders in swing states that have enjoyed a significant amount of public support for their handling of the pandemic.
According to Lurie, Barr’s role in this purported plan is not surprising given his work within the Department of Justice (DOJ). Lurie claims that the Attorney General has been working to undermine the DOJ during his time at the helm. He also points to Barr’s role in undermining the intelligence community to help Trump escape repercussions for his actions documented by Robert Mueller‘s Russia investigation as well as in the whistleblower complaint that ultimately led to his impeachment.
“Yet while Barr’s past efforts to shred public confidence in governmental institutions have done a great deal of damage to the nation, the attorney general’s latest effort to misuse the authority of the law, and of the federal courts, to help Trump out of a political jam is likely to have more immediate, and fatal, consequences.”
Hundreds protest in cities across America against coronavirus-related lockdowns pic.twitter.com/oFz2j1qxjQ — TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) April 19, 2020
Trump has been increasingly critical of states’ handling of the coronavirus. As reported by NBC News, Trump said during a Sunday press conference that some states crossed the line with their policies aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19.
“Some governors have gone too far,” the president said.
Trump has also publicly lauded the efforts of anti-quarantine protestors, a marked contrast from other lawmakers who have been critical of such protests.
As The Inquisitr reported, Trump is allegedly planning to rally his base for the November election by supporting protestors, a plan that political scientist Daniel Drezner claims is doomed to fail.


inquisitr--2020-04-20--Donald Trump’s Plan To Rally His Base By Backing Anti-Quarantine Protests Will Likely Fail, Commenta

Donald Trump’s Plan To Rally His Base By Backing Anti-Quarantine Protests Will Likely Fail, Commentator Says

Political scientist Daniel Drezner took to Twitter on Monday morning to respond to a piece by The New York Times released the same day that covers Donald Trump ’ s alleged plans to rally his base by backing coronavirus protests .
According to Drezner , this move is doomed to fail in the face of the economic disaster that the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked on the country .
“ Trump and his campaign get behind the Astroturf protests , one would expect partisan cues to trigger an uptick in support within Trump ’ s base for re-opening the economy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticism of the plan .
“ But — and this is the most important point — It .
Doesn ’ t .
Matter .
Trump can machinate all he wants to rally his base .
None of these tactics will help him beyond his base , and he needs more than 40 percent of the country to win re-election.
” Drezner then outlined the “ fundamental facts ” about Trump ’ s re-election efforts , which are that he ’ s facing a collapsing economy , a united Democratic Party , and “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States will return to normalcy by November .
The coming election , Drezner says , will be a “ referendum ” on Trump ’ s handling of a country in “ economic freefall.
” As noted in Drezner ’ s op-ed for The Washington Post , many articles on Trump ’ s re-election focus on his approach to dealing with presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
But Drezner believes this approach is ultimately useless , again claiming that Trump ’ s approach to the economy is the only thing that matters in November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Can ( And Should ) Buy On Amazon Right Now “ New attacks on Biden will feed lots of media narratives , ” Drezner wrote .
“ They will not alter the brute facts of this campaign.
” As reported by USA Today , Trump recently called for the liberation of the states of Minnesota , Michigan , and Virginia and claimed that the Second Amendment is under attack .
His recent decision to throw support behind anti-quarantine protesters comes amid reports that conservative allies believe re-opening the economy will save his re-election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president of FreedomWorks , Trump ’ s base will turn against him if he continues to support the shutdown of the economy .
Brandon claims that the next month will determine whether the president wins another term in 2020 .
As The Inquisitr previously reported , Trump ’ s approval rating plummeted to 43 percent in the last month , which is a dip of six points .
Although the 43 percent approval tops overall average of 40 percent , it comes along with a decline in other measurements , including satisfaction with @ @ @ @ @ @


inquisitr--2020-04-21--Senate Passes Coronavirus Relief Bill To Fund Paycheck Protection Program And Coronavirus Testing

The Senate has passed a $ 484 billion coronavirus relief package that will provide funding for small businesses and coronavirus testing .
On Tuesday afternoon , the Senate passed the new coronavirus relief bill that they ’ ve been negotiating for several days , CBS News reports .
The bill will provide further financial relief for small businesses .
It will also provide funding for coronavirus testing .
In total , the bill allocated about $ 484 billion to coronavirus relief efforts .
$ 310 billion of the total funds will be used to replenish the funds in the Paycheck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ short .
The PPP , which aims to help keep employees on the payroll at small businesses while they ’ re closed because of the coronavirus pandemic , was established with a budget of $ 349 billion .
The program began accepting applications on April 3rd .
By April 16th , the Small Business Administration announced that they were out of funds and could not approve any more loans .
Since then , Congress has been working to craft a bill that would allocate more funding to the program .
The Washington Post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small businesses by allocating $ 60 billion dollars to a separate program .
This program will provide emergency loans and grants to small businesses .
The rest of the money allocated by the bill will be devoted to coronavirus testing .
$ 75 billion will go directly to hospitals so they can expand their testing efforts .
$ 25 billion will go to expanding testing efforts on a national level .
According to The Washington Post , the money for coronavirus testing was one of the major issues that held up the passing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 150 billion to go directly to states and cities to expand local testing efforts .
Senate Republicans didn ’ t agree on the amount and also didn ’ t agree that the money should go directly to cities and states .
They wanted to focus on expanding national testing .
In the end , the Democrats conceded in order to get the bill passed .
Now that the bill has been passed , it heads to President Donald Trump for his approval .
Before the Senate vote , President Trump tweeted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once it was passed by the Senate .
Senators from both sides of the aisle made it clear that this latest coronavirus relief package will be followed by another relief bill as soon as possible , NBC News reports .
Senators have hinted that the next coronavirus relief bill will be similar to the stimulus package passed in March .
They ’ ll begin working on that bill as soon as this one becomes law .