alternet--2020-11-24--Drugmakers are set to profit from COVID vaccines made with publicly funded research

With the world pinning its hopes on a successful coronavirus vaccine to curb the pandemic , corporate watchdogs say much of the research and development of the medicines rely on publicly funded research .
`` The investment in these vaccines , as for most drugs , has really been underwritten by the taxpayer , by the government , '' says Robert Weissman , president of Public Citizen .
This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
The Quarantine Report .
I 'm Amy Goodman .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ third major drug company has injected good news into the race for a potential vaccine .
That 's AstraZeneca .
It says late-stage trials show its COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University is [ 70 % ] effective .
Last week , drug giants Pfizer and Moderna reported their vaccines are almost 95 % effective .
The new vaccine manufactured by Oxford-AstraZeneca could be easier to distribute than the others because it does not have to be stored at ultra-freezing temperatures .
It could also be cheaper because AstraZeneca has pledged not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , and agreed to price doses at about $ 2.50 each .
The Associated Press reports Pfizer 's vaccine costs about $ 20 a dose , while Moderna 's is $ 15 to $ 25 , based on the companies ' agreements to supply their vaccines to the U.S. government .
As many as 14 billion vaccine doses would be required to immunize everyone worldwide .
Corporate watchdog Public Citizen says the vaccines belong to the people , as Pfizer and Moderna 's vaccines relied heavily on discoveries from research funded by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the Trump administration also gave Moderna an additional $ 1.5 billion to secure doses in advance .
For more , we 're joined by Public Citizen 's president , Rob Weissman .
Rob , welcome back to Democracy Now !
Explain what it means to say that these vaccines should belong to the world , not be the property of a private corporation .
ROBERT WEISSMAN : Well , it turns out that the investment in these vaccines , as for most drugs , has really been underwritten by the taxpayer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Pfizer , they did not take direct money from the government to finish their vaccine , but they 're relying heavily on a publicly funded invention as the core of what they 're trying to do .
In the case of the Moderna vaccine , which really should be viewed as the National Institutes of Health-Moderna vaccine , the government actually owns a portion of the vaccine , we believe .
It funded 100 % of the development at Moderna .
And as you said , they 've also now — the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purchase the vaccine , that we co-invented and 100 % paid for .
So , these are vaccines that the government has an investment interest in , an ownership interest in , in the case of Moderna , and therefore , when we think about how it 's going to be procured and distributed and , most importantly , produced and supplied in the U.S. , but around the world , the government has just got to say , `` We 're going to exercise our powers . ''
I will say , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't paid for the vaccine , even if the inventions were n't product of public investment over many years , in light of the pandemic , we should still say we can not tolerate patent monopolies conferring on corporations the power to control who can make the vaccine and how it 's going to be supplied .
What we should do in the United States and around the world is say , `` This is technology that the world needs , and we 're going to share it as widely as we possibly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ produce as much vaccine as we need as quickly as possible , to get not just the United States , but the entire world , out of the pandemic quickly . ''
AMY GOODMAN : So , now , this is really critical about how — you know , there 's a difference between vaccines and vaccinations , moving into this issue of who gets vaccinated .
You have the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines .
Both are double shots .
AMY GOODMAN : And the Pfizer vaccine has to be kept at 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't have to be kept quite as cold , but the Pfizer vaccine would require whole new refrigeration .
Even states in the United States say they do n't have the ability to keep it that cold , let alone countries in the developing world .
ROBERT WEISSMAN : Yeah , that 's right .
There are going to be some technical problems with getting it distributed .
But I have to say , if the world cares , man , you solve the technical problems .
The real hard limit we face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be enough supply , because these companies can not make enough fast enough .
And if they try to license it to other partners , as they are doing , it 's still going to be too slow .
They 're going to spend too much time debating the details of it , and the licensees are not going to be able to make enough of it .
So , what does that mean ?
Well , it means that people in the developing world are going to wait longer , maybe three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get the vaccine , that hopefully will be fully distributed in the United States within the course of the next nine months or so .
We already have 170 million people in the developing world who have fallen into deep poverty , under $ 3.50 a day , since the pandemic started .
So you 're going to see these poorer countries crushed by an ongoing pandemic , when it 's been solved in the rich countries .
And , of course , you 're going to have hundreds of thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vaccine was distributed immediately .
So , what 's the solution ?
Well , we actually need more supply .
And we could get more supply if the U.S. government said , `` We 're going to share this technology .
Every manufacturer that has capacity , the ability to make a quality product , we 're going to show you how to do this , and encourage you to do it as much as you can , as fast as we can .
And we , the U.S. government , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities to make more , because the world ca n't wait . ''
AMY GOODMAN : So , talk about what this would mean for all of these vaccines .
Again , you have AstraZeneca .
You have — and then the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine would cost more .
Johnson & Johnson is going to be talking about theirs coming out .
And also , what does it mean not charging during the pandemic , but then charging ?
What could be set up , where you have a situation in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants a vaccine gets a vaccine ?
ROBERT WEISSMAN : Well , what we should say — the United States is the leading power on this , both as the most powerful country in the world and also as the home to two of these companies that have developed these early vaccines .
We should say we 're going to share the technology .
We 're going to share the intellectual property rights , the patents and other intellectual property rights , and the know-how .
We 're going to actually show people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine , and do it through the World Health Organization , which has a facility set up to do this , do it directly with companies .
We 're going to produce as much as we quickly can .
Pay something to Pfizer and Moderna that we determine to be fair based on their contributions to the research and the cost , but do n't let them exert monopoly control .
And if we do that , we could scale up globally really quickly and get everybody the vaccine as quickly as possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you talk about the Serum Institute in India that can mass-produce vaccines ?
Will they be able to get access to the know-how to manufacture these vaccines ?
ROBERT WEISSMAN : Well , where we are right now is the authority is vested in the companies , so it 's going to depend on what kind of deals the companies cut .
The companies actually are licensing around the world , but it 's too slow a process .
And there 's no transparency , so we 're not really likely to know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deals , how much information and know-how they 're transferring over , whether they 're permitting a company like the large Indian manufacturers to sell outside of India , around the world .
Do they limit the countries they can get into ?
And then , as you 're alluding to , what these companies are saying , `` Well , we 'll do it at what we call a nonprofit price — not really nonprofit , but what we call a nonprofit price — for a while , like during the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need for this vaccine — and we do n't know , this may require ongoing shots — well , we 're not committing to that nonprofit price over the long term . ''
So , they 're worried about not just year one .
They 're worried about what 's happening in year four and five .
And they 're trying to control the technology so they can make profits for many years to come .
We just ca n't tolerate that .
Pay them what we think is fair .
Share the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the alternative is what we 're about to venture into , which is a global vaccine apartheid , where people in rich countries get access to this vaccine , the countries collectively are able to get out of the pandemic , but people in poorer countries are going to be living with it for years and years , with huge consequences both for their health and the well-being of their economies .
And it 's just an absolutely intolerable situation .
AMY GOODMAN : Rob , speaking about rich and poor , since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eight months ago , benefits have expired as the pandemic intensifies , but Senate Republicans and the White House have refused to advance multiple relief measures passed by the Democrat-controlled House .
On Friday , Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to the House floor to call out Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for sending the Senate home for Thanksgiving without finalizing a coronavirus relief bill .
AMY GOODMAN : AOC is wearing all black .
Public Citizen recently tweeted in all capital letters , `` WHY IS THE SENATE ON VACATION WHILE AMERICANS ARE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have 10 seconds , Rob Weissman .
ROBERT WEISSMAN : It 's unconscionable .
We 've got rising hunger , rising homelessness , tens of millions of people out of work .
The Senate has refused to act on the bill that passed the House in May , and people are going to suffer as a result .
Hopefully we can get a deal done quickly , but this is all resting at the feet of Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump .
AMY GOODMAN : We have to leave it there , Rob @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm Amy Goodman .
Thanks so much for joining us .

With the world pinning its hopes on a successful coronavirus vaccine to curb the pandemic, corporate watchdogs say much of the research and development of the medicines rely on publicly funded research. "The investment in these vaccines, as for most drugs, has really been underwritten by the taxpayer, by the government," says Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen.
Transcript
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! The Quarantine Report. I'm Amy Goodman.
As the coronavirus pandemic intensifies, a third major drug company has injected good news into the race for a potential vaccine. That's AstraZeneca. It says late-stage trials show its COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University is [70%] effective. Last week, drug giants Pfizer and Moderna reported their vaccines are almost 95% effective. The new vaccine manufactured by Oxford-AstraZeneca could be easier to distribute than the others because it does not have to be stored at ultra-freezing temperatures. It could also be cheaper because AstraZeneca has pledged not to make a profit on it during the pandemic, and agreed to price doses at about $2.50 each. The Associated Press reports Pfizer's vaccine costs about $20 a dose, while Moderna's is $15 to $25, based on the companies' agreements to supply their vaccines to the U.S. government. As many as 14 billion vaccine doses would be required to immunize everyone worldwide.
Corporate watchdog Public Citizen says the vaccines belong to the people, as Pfizer and Moderna's vaccines relied heavily on discoveries from research funded by taxpayers, who actually paid twice, when the Trump administration also gave Moderna an additional $1.5 billion to secure doses in advance.
For more, we're joined by Public Citizen's president, Rob Weissman.
Rob, welcome back to Democracy Now! Explain what it means to say that these vaccines should belong to the world, not be the property of a private corporation.
ROBERT WEISSMAN: Well, it turns out that the investment in these vaccines, as for most drugs, has really been underwritten by the taxpayer, by the government. In the case of Pfizer, they did not take direct money from the government to finish their vaccine, but they're relying heavily on a publicly funded invention as the core of what they're trying to do. In the case of the Moderna vaccine, which really should be viewed as the National Institutes of Health-Moderna vaccine, the government actually owns a portion of the vaccine, we believe. It funded 100% of the development at Moderna. And as you said, they've also now — the government has pledged a billion-and-a-half dollars to purchase the vaccine, that we co-invented and 100% paid for. So, these are vaccines that the government has an investment interest in, an ownership interest in, in the case of Moderna, and therefore, when we think about how it's going to be procured and distributed and, most importantly, produced and supplied in the U.S., but around the world, the government has just got to say, "We're going to exercise our powers."
I will say, though, even if the government hadn't paid for the vaccine, even if the inventions weren't product of public investment over many years, in light of the pandemic, we should still say we cannot tolerate patent monopolies conferring on corporations the power to control who can make the vaccine and how it's going to be supplied. What we should do in the United States and around the world is say, "This is technology that the world needs, and we're going to share it as widely as we possibly can, to make sure we can produce as much vaccine as we need as quickly as possible, to get not just the United States, but the entire world, out of the pandemic quickly."
AMY GOODMAN: So, now, this is really critical about how — you know, there's a difference between vaccines and vaccinations, moving into this issue of who gets vaccinated. You have the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. Both are double shots.
ROBERT WEISSMAN: Right.
AMY GOODMAN: And the Pfizer vaccine has to be kept at 100 degrees Fahrenheit below zero. Moderna doesn't have to be kept quite as cold, but the Pfizer vaccine would require whole new refrigeration. Even states in the United States say they don't have the ability to keep it that cold, let alone countries in the developing world.
ROBERT WEISSMAN: Yeah, that's right. There are going to be some technical problems with getting it distributed. But I have to say, if the world cares, man, you solve the technical problems. The real hard limit we face now is there's not going to be enough supply, because these companies cannot make enough fast enough. And if they try to license it to other partners, as they are doing, it's still going to be too slow. They're going to spend too much time debating the details of it, and the licensees are not going to be able to make enough of it.
So, what does that mean? Well, it means that people in the developing world are going to wait longer, maybe three, four, even five years, to get the vaccine, that hopefully will be fully distributed in the United States within the course of the next nine months or so. We already have 170 million people in the developing world who have fallen into deep poverty, under $3.50 a day, since the pandemic started. So you're going to see these poorer countries crushed by an ongoing pandemic, when it's been solved in the rich countries. And, of course, you're going to have hundreds of thousands of lives lost that could be saved if the vaccine was distributed immediately.
So, what's the solution? Well, we actually need more supply. And we could get more supply if the U.S. government said, "We're going to share this technology. Every manufacturer that has capacity, the ability to make a quality product, we're going to show you how to do this, and encourage you to do it as much as you can, as fast as we can. And we, the U.S. government, we're going to help build some more facilities to make more, because the world can't wait."
AMY GOODMAN: So, talk about what this would mean for all of these vaccines. Again, you have AstraZeneca. You have — and then the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine would cost more. Johnson & Johnson is going to be talking about theirs coming out. And also, what does it mean not charging during the pandemic, but then charging? What could be set up, where you have a situation in the world where it is guaranteed everyone who wants a vaccine gets a vaccine?
ROBERT WEISSMAN: Well, what we should say — the United States is the leading power on this, both as the most powerful country in the world and also as the home to two of these companies that have developed these early vaccines. We should say we're going to share the technology. We're going to share the intellectual property rights, the patents and other intellectual property rights, and the know-how. We're going to actually show people, show companies how to make this vaccine, and do it through the World Health Organization, which has a facility set up to do this, do it directly with companies. We're going to produce as much as we quickly can. Pay something to Pfizer and Moderna that we determine to be fair based on their contributions to the research and the cost, but don't let them exert monopoly control. And if we do that, we could scale up globally really quickly and get everybody the vaccine as quickly as possible.
AMY GOODMAN: Rob, can you talk about the Serum Institute in India that can mass-produce vaccines? Will they be able to get access to the know-how to manufacture these vaccines?
ROBERT WEISSMAN: Well, where we are right now is the authority is vested in the companies, so it's going to depend on what kind of deals the companies cut. The companies actually are licensing around the world, but it's too slow a process. And there's no transparency, so we're not really likely to know what the terms are of those license deals, how much information and know-how they're transferring over, whether they're permitting a company like the large Indian manufacturers to sell outside of India, around the world. Do they limit the countries they can get into?
And then, as you're alluding to, what these companies are saying, "Well, we'll do it at what we call a nonprofit price — not really nonprofit, but what we call a nonprofit price — for a while, like during the pandemic. But if there's an ongoing need for this vaccine — and we don't know, this may require ongoing shots — well, we're not committing to that nonprofit price over the long term." So, they're worried about not just year one. They're worried about what's happening in year four and five. And they're trying to control the technology so they can make profits for many years to come.
We just can't tolerate that. Pay them what we think is fair. Share the technology. Get everybody vaccinated. Because the alternative is what we're about to venture into, which is a global vaccine apartheid, where people in rich countries get access to this vaccine, the countries collectively are able to get out of the pandemic, but people in poorer countries are going to be living with it for years and years, with huge consequences both for their health and the well-being of their economies. And it's just an absolutely intolerable situation.
AMY GOODMAN: Rob, speaking about rich and poor, since President Trump signed the CARES Act nearly eight months ago, benefits have expired as the pandemic intensifies, but Senate Republicans and the White House have refused to advance multiple relief measures passed by the Democrat-controlled House. On Friday, Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to the House floor to call out Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for sending the Senate home for Thanksgiving without finalizing a coronavirus relief bill.
REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ: Our country is going hungry on the week before Thanksgiving, and the Senate broke. I don't care what party you are, it is an abandonment of our responsibilities as elected officials who are charged with acting in the public trust.
AMY GOODMAN: AOC is wearing all black. Public Citizen recently tweeted in all capital letters, "WHY IS THE SENATE ON VACATION WHILE AMERICANS ARE DYING WITH NO RELIEF?" We have 10 seconds, Rob Weissman.
ROBERT WEISSMAN: It's unconscionable. We've got rising hunger, rising homelessness, tens of millions of people out of work. The Senate has refused to act on the bill that passed the House in May, and people are going to suffer as a result. Hopefully we can get a deal done quickly, but this is all resting at the feet of Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump.
AMY GOODMAN: We have to leave it there, Rob Weissman, president of Public Citizen. I'm Amy Goodman. Thanks so much for joining us.


alternet--2020-11-24--How Trump accidentally mobilized hundreds of thousands of women against him

Do conservatives own the phrase `` housewife '' ?
or can it be reclaimed by liberals ?
The stereotypes that the phrase `` housewife '' recalls — manicured lawns , whiteness , nuclear families like in `` Leave it to Beaver '' — may seem counterposed to liberal values , emblematic of a reactionary ideal of an idyllic American past .
But in the 2020 presidential election , President Donald Trump 's loss to President-elect Joe Biden was mostly due to voters in the suburbs of important battleground states .
Exit polls show that Black women and suburban women were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AP News explained , Trump would have won if only men had voted .
Trump 's loss is owed in part to this tidal shift in women in the suburbs , who banded together and organized in Facebook groups like the 200,000-member strong `` 'Suburban Housewives ' Against Trump , '' a group that started after Trump 's sexist and racist pitches to female voters in the suburbs fell flat .
Back in August , Trump tweeted that the `` suburban housewife '' would be voting for him .
`` They want safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long running program where low income housing would invade their neighborhood , '' Trump said .
`` Biden would reinstall it , in a bigger form , with Corey Booker in charge ! ''
He continued to reiterate this message at campaign rallies in battleground states like Michigan , where he told women he was getting their `` husbands back to work . ''
But the hundreds of thousands of self-identified suburban housewives , Trump 's rhetoric motivated them to mobilize against him .
Loni Yeary , who started the Facebook group `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told Salon that Trump 's `` suburban housewife '' tweet was what pushed her over the edge .
`` It really angered me , '' the 40-year-old said .
`` Because I am a suburban housewife , I 'm a stay at home mom to three kids and I live in a suburb of Cincinnati .
.
.
.
I knew a couple of other women who felt the same as I did and I just decided to start a group . ''
That was back in August .
Yeary invited friends from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to join the group ; they then invited their own friends .
Two weeks later , it had grown to over 25,000 members ; more than 230,000 women are in the group now .
Yeary realized the group had the potential to be a place where women could organize themselves and their neighbors for Biden , and partnered with the group Red , Wine and Blue , a progressive 501 ( c ) ( 4 ) whose stated goal is to `` harness the power of suburban women . ''
With their help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' turned into a centralized online location where suburban women could swap organizing ideas , collaborate together to phone bank , text bank and write postcards for Biden and other Democratic candidates in their communities .
Women also regularly shared ideas on how to talk to neighbors and people within their circles to `` flip their votes '' blue , which was core to the group 's `` philosophy . ''
Online organizing was of particular importance in the 2020 presidential election , as in-person political organizing was made more difficult by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group might seem in the larger political sense , the group 's organizers say that the real-life connections fostered by social media gave their group greater power to change minds .
`` Our philosophy has been that if you want to change the vote , you 're going to do it through your interpersonal relationships , like friends , coworkers and neighbors , '' Yeary said .
`` Sometimes those are pretty awkward conversations to have , but it 's important , people are more likely to vote because they know that their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote for Joe Biden , rather than just somebody randomly calling them or texting them . ''
To group members , the meaning of the phrase `` suburban housewife '' is precarious ; obviously , there are gendered and — some would argue — outmoded connotations to the phrase .
Indeed , in the official title of the group , the phrase `` suburban housewives '' is rendered in double-quotes , suggesting a facetious or tongue-in-cheek interpretation .
Often , members joke about it ; one group member said she made a `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in her front lawn as a `` suburban housewife '' might .
Some group discussions center around the sexist tone of `` housewife , '' and how `` annoying '' it is to be called the term , especially by a man .
Yet ultimately , the group focused on election organizing more than philosophical or cultural debates .
Tracy Barnett , a 54-year-old in Charlotte , North Carolina , joined the group early in August .
In an interview , she told Salon she was a `` lifelong Republican '' until 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election , she realized she wanted to get more involved in politics and become more informed .
She was alarmed as she watched those in her community and extended networks descend into Trump 's `` cult of personality , '' as she called it .
Eventually , a friend invited her to `` 'Suburban Housewives ' Against Trump '' on Facebook .
`` It was a great place for sourcing and compiling information , '' Barnett says .
`` I 'd often see people post and say , 'Hey , I 've got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is sharing X , Y and Z , I need some information to counteract this , ' '' Barnett said .
She noted that Trump 's tweet that precipitated the group showed how `` detached '' he was from the suburbs .
`` 'Suburban housewives , ' what is that even ? ''
Barnett said .
`` Nobody 's a housewife , and nobody 's referring to themselves as a 'suburban housewife , ' so there 's an incredible tone deafness to that .
And then you couple that , with the implied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
.
.
insulting . ''
Indeed , Trump 's attempt to reach women who live in the suburbs may have been meant to appeal to a part of his `` base '' who equate the so-called `` American dream '' to suburbs full of all white , middle-class families that exhibit traditional gender roles .
While American suburbia is far from a `` utopia , '' historian Lily Geismer told Salon , our nation 's suburbs have changed dramatically over the last three decades .
`` The suburbs have gone through a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think is one of the things that in some ways the election results actually demonstrates , '' Geismer said .
`` And one of the biggest trends is in their racial diversity ; the suburbs by no means have never been a monolith , but that 's been especially true in the last 30 years . ''
Miesha Tate Ander told Salon she joined the Facebook group to contribute to the `` many faces , many colors , and what-have-yous , '' that make up the suburbs today .
`` In [ Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such thing as a Black , quote-unquote suburban housewife , '' Ander said .
`` It 's not just white women who live in the suburbs . ''
Ander , who is 43 and living in Atlanta , started a company called Grab 'em by the Postcard , designing e-postcards to , in her words , empower and uplift undecided voters .
Those e-cards became popular in the Facebook group .
Likewise , Ander said she 's also found the Facebook group to be a place where women who might not otherwise connect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You 've got women in here who were previous [ ly ] Republican supporters .
.
.
but it does n't even matter the party .
Honestly it just brings together humanity in such a huge way , '' Ander said .
`` And that 's what I really appreciate . ''
`` 'Suburban Housewives ' Against Trump '' is n't the only liberal `` suburban women '' organizing group that organically sprouted up online .
There 's also `` Suburban Women for Kamala Harris , '' a Black women–led group that also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the group 's description , it 's a reaction to Trump 's adviser 's comment that Harris would `` scare the s**t out of suburban women . ''
Geismer said suburban women organizing is nothing new for either the left or right .
Historically , `` suburban liberals '' have used their identity as suburban parents to their advantage , which she added we 're seeing again in the `` resistance mom '' movement on the left .
However , there are questions around how far the resistance-mom activism can go , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systemic racism ; exit polls found that fifty-three percent of white women in America still voted for Trump in 2020 .
As a historian , Geismer said she 's interested in this `` cleaning '' of the `` housewife '' category , and wonders if it will stick beyond Trump .
`` It 's a dated term in many ways , '' Geismer said .
`` I would be fascinated at the staying power of that idea going forward without Trump as the focus . ''
As Yeary explained , the title of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's comments .
While she hopes the group continues to encourage suburban women to stay engaged in politics and support local Democratic candidates , the term `` housewife '' will likely stick around , even as Trump 's star fades .
`` Both words are key to describing our group , but I recognize that not all the women in the group identify as 'suburban ; or as a 'housewife , ' '' Yeary said .
`` I do like the idea of keeping 'housewives ' in the name , just as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's name came from in the first place ; using that description allows us to claim that word and define it how we see fit . ''

Do conservatives own the phrase "housewife"? or can it be reclaimed by liberals? The stereotypes that the phrase "housewife" recalls — manicured lawns, whiteness, nuclear families like in "Leave it to Beaver" — may seem counterposed to liberal values, emblematic of a reactionary ideal of an idyllic American past. But in the 2020 presidential election, President Donald Trump's loss to President-elect Joe Biden was mostly due to voters in the suburbs of important battleground states. Exit polls show that Black women and suburban women were critical to Biden's coalition; as AP News explained, Trump would have won if only men had voted. Trump's loss is owed in part to this tidal shift in women in the suburbs, who banded together and organized in Facebook groups like the 200,000-member strong "'Suburban Housewives' Against Trump," a group that started after Trump's sexist and racist pitches to female voters in the suburbs fell flat.
Back in August, Trump tweeted that the "suburban housewife" would be voting for him. "They want safety & are thrilled that I ended the long running program where low income housing would invade their neighborhood," Trump said. "Biden would reinstall it, in a bigger form, with Corey Booker in charge!" He continued to reiterate this message at campaign rallies in battleground states like Michigan, where he told women he was getting their "husbands back to work."
But the hundreds of thousands of self-identified suburban housewives, Trump's rhetoric motivated them to mobilize against him.
Loni Yeary, who started the Facebook group "'Suburban Housewives' Against Trump," told Salon that Trump's "suburban housewife" tweet was what pushed her over the edge.
"It really angered me," the 40-year-old said. "Because I am a suburban housewife, I'm a stay at home mom to three kids and I live in a suburb of Cincinnati. . . . I knew a couple of other women who felt the same as I did and I just decided to start a group."
That was back in August. Yeary invited friends from Kentucky, Texas, and Florida, to join the group; they then invited their own friends. Two weeks later, it had grown to over 25,000 members; more than 230,000 women are in the group now.
Yeary realized the group had the potential to be a place where women could organize themselves and their neighbors for Biden, and partnered with the group Red, Wine and Blue, a progressive 501(c)(4) whose stated goal is to "harness the power of suburban women." With their help, "'Suburban Housewives' Against Trump" turned into a centralized online location where suburban women could swap organizing ideas, collaborate together to phone bank, text bank and write postcards for Biden and other Democratic candidates in their communities. Women also regularly shared ideas on how to talk to neighbors and people within their circles to "flip their votes" blue, which was core to the group's "philosophy."
Online organizing was of particular importance in the 2020 presidential election, as in-person political organizing was made more difficult by the pandemic. As ephemeral as a Facebook group might seem in the larger political sense, the group's organizers say that the real-life connections fostered by social media gave their group greater power to change minds.
"Our philosophy has been that if you want to change the vote, you're going to do it through your interpersonal relationships, like friends, coworkers and neighbors," Yeary said. "Sometimes those are pretty awkward conversations to have, but it's important, people are more likely to vote because they know that their neighbor down the street is going to vote for Joe Biden, rather than just somebody randomly calling them or texting them."
To group members, the meaning of the phrase "suburban housewife" is precarious; obviously, there are gendered and — some would argue — outmoded connotations to the phrase. Indeed, in the official title of the group, the phrase "suburban housewives" is rendered in double-quotes, suggesting a facetious or tongue-in-cheek interpretation. Often, members joke about it; one group member said she made a "blue garden" full of Biden-Harris signs in her front lawn as a "suburban housewife" might. Some group discussions center around the sexist tone of "housewife," and how "annoying" it is to be called the term, especially by a man. Yet ultimately, the group focused on election organizing more than philosophical or cultural debates.
Tracy Barnett, a 54-year-old in Charlotte, North Carolina, joined the group early in August. In an interview, she told Salon she was a "lifelong Republican" until 2016. After Trump won the 2016 presidential election, she realized she wanted to get more involved in politics and become more informed. She was alarmed as she watched those in her community and extended networks descend into Trump's "cult of personality," as she called it.
Eventually, a friend invited her to "'Suburban Housewives' Against Trump" on Facebook.
"It was a great place for sourcing and compiling information," Barnett says. "I'd often see people post and say, 'Hey, I've got a colleague (or thread) that is sharing X, Y and Z, I need some information to counteract this,'" Barnett said. She noted that Trump's tweet that precipitated the group showed how "detached" he was from the suburbs.
"'Suburban housewives,' what is that even?" Barnett said. "Nobody's a housewife, and nobody's referring to themselves as a 'suburban housewife,' so there's an incredible tone deafness to that. And then you couple that, with the implied racist segregationist rhetoric, and it just . . . insulting."
Indeed, Trump's attempt to reach women who live in the suburbs may have been meant to appeal to a part of his "base" who equate the so-called "American dream" to suburbs full of all white, middle-class families that exhibit traditional gender roles. While American suburbia is far from a "utopia," historian Lily Geismer told Salon, our nation's suburbs have changed dramatically over the last three decades.
"The suburbs have gone through a sort of tremendous transformation, which I think is one of the things that in some ways the election results actually demonstrates," Geismer said. "And one of the biggest trends is in their racial diversity; the suburbs by no means have never been a monolith, but that's been especially true in the last 30 years."
Miesha Tate Ander told Salon she joined the Facebook group to contribute to the "many faces, many colors, and what-have-yous," that make up the suburbs today.
"In [Trump's] mind, there's no such thing as a Black, quote-unquote suburban housewife," Ander said. "It's not just white women who live in the suburbs."
Ander, who is 43 and living in Atlanta, started a company called Grab 'em by the Postcard, designing e-postcards to, in her words, empower and uplift undecided voters. Those e-cards became popular in the Facebook group. Likewise, Ander said she's also found the Facebook group to be a place where women who might not otherwise connect in real life become friends.
"You've got women in here who were previous[ly] Republican supporters. . . but it doesn't even matter the party. Honestly it just brings together humanity in such a huge way," Ander said. "And that's what I really appreciate."
"'Suburban Housewives' Against Trump" isn't the only liberal "suburban women" organizing group that organically sprouted up online. There's also "Suburban Women for Kamala Harris," a Black women–led group that also has over 200,000 members. According to the group's description, it's a reaction to Trump's adviser's comment that Harris would "scare the s**t out of suburban women."
Geismer said suburban women organizing is nothing new for either the left or right. Historically, "suburban liberals" have used their identity as suburban parents to their advantage, which she added we're seeing again in the "resistance mom" movement on the left. However, there are questions around how far the resistance-mom activism can go, and how this cohort can push to dismantle systemic racism; exit polls found that fifty-three percent of white women in America still voted for Trump in 2020.
As a historian, Geismer said she's interested in this "cleaning" of the "housewife" category, and wonders if it will stick beyond Trump. "It's a dated term in many ways," Geismer said. "I would be fascinated at the staying power of that idea going forward without Trump as the focus."
As Yeary explained, the title of the group was a direct reaction to Trump's comments. While she hopes the group continues to encourage suburban women to stay engaged in politics and support local Democratic candidates, the term "housewife" will likely stick around, even as Trump's star fades.
"Both words are key to describing our group, but I recognize that not all the women in the group identify as 'suburban; or as a 'housewife,'" Yeary said. "I do like the idea of keeping 'housewives' in the name, just as a snarky reminder of where the group's name came from in the first place; using that description allows us to claim that word and define it how we see fit."


alternet--2020-11-24--Trump forces Georgia taxpayers to pay for a second recount after the first confirmed his loss

Georgia will count its votes again after President Donald Trump requested a machine recount following a hand recount which confirmed he lost his election in the state by more than 12,000 votes .
Thousands of Georgia election workers spent last week recounting nearly 5 million votes by hand , finding that the original count showing President-elect Joe Biden winning the state by more than 12,000 votes was correct within 0.1 % .
Gov .
Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , both Republicans , certified the vote on Friday after the recount finished within 500 votes of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign , which has waged a legal crusade based on outright lies and conspiracy theories aiming to overturn the results of the election , said it wants the votes counted for the third time .
`` Today , the Trump campaign filed a petition for recount in Georgia , '' it said in a statement .
`` We are focused on ensuring that every aspect of Georgia state law and the U.S. Constitution are followed so that every legal vote is counted . ''
The first recount was part of a new mandatory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an official recount by the state .
State law allows a candidate to seek an official machine recount within two days of the certification if the margin is less than 0.5 % .
The final margin in the race was 0.26 % .
The recount is expected to begin next week , though it is unclear how long it will take to complete , according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution .
While the Trump campaign was forced to pay millions for a recount in heavily Democratic areas of Wisconsin with large Black populations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cover the cost , meaning taxpayers will have to foot the bill for another recount which has little chance of affecting the outcome .
Unlike the hand recount , the machine recount will `` pose greater logistical and financial challenges to county election officials , '' The Washington Post noted .
The campaign 's call for another recount came after Raffensperger repeatedly hit back at Trump 's baseless conspiracy theories about the recount .
`` Numbers do n't lie , '' he said after certifying the votes .
The Trump campaign has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's signature matching requirement .
County officials verify signatures on the ballot envelope when they receive ballots , but afterward , it is impossible to match ballots back to voters because of privacy protections in the state constitution .
`` President Trump and his campaign continue to insist on an honest recount in Georgia , which has to include signature matching and other vital safeguards .
Without signature matching , this recount would be a sham and again allow for illegal votes to be counted .
If there is no signature matching , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initial vote count and recount , '' the campaign baselessly claimed .
`` Let 's stop giving the people false results .
There must be a time when we stop counting illegal ballots .
Hopefully it is coming soon . ''
But Raffensperger has repeatedly explained that the state has actually strengthened its signature match requirement , noting that signatures for absentee ballots are matched by election workers not once but twice .
`` That 's just another red herring that has been thrown out there by a campaign that does n't have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Raffensperger told WSB-TV , `` and apparently other states . ''
The Biden campaign said it was confident that another recount `` will simply reaffirm Joe Biden 's victory in Georgia a third time . ''
`` As the secretary of state said , there is no reason to believe there are widespread errors or fraud and the Trump campaign has no evidence to back up their baseless claims , '' spokeswoman Jaclyn Rothenberg said in a statement .
`` With regards to signature matching , both parties were aware of the rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all signatures have already been matched . ''
Raffensperger has repeatedly said he preferred Trump to win but would not do anything to reverse the decision of the state 's voters despite attacks from Sen. David Perdue , R-Ga. , and Sen. Kelly Loeffler , R-Ga. , and an alleged attempt by Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. to persuade the state to toss legal ballots to swing the election to Trump .
`` I 've been saying that half of America will be happy and half of America will be sad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia Public Broadcasting last week .
`` And I would be disappointed when I put on my Republican hat , but these will be the results and it will be what it is because that is the will of the Georgia voter . ''
Kemp has avoided criticizing Raffensperger , though he appeared to echo Trump 's attempts to sow doubt in the result on Friday .
The governor urged the secretary of state to randomly select ballots to match signatures , even though it would violate the state constitution .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerned about this , so I encourage Secretary Raffensperger to consider addressing these concerns , '' Kemp said even as he certified the result .
`` It seems simple enough to conduct a sample audit of signatures on the absentee ballot envelopes and compare those to the signatures on applications and on file at the secretary of state 's Office . ''
Raffensperger has not said whether his office would consider such a plan , but Gabriel Sterling , the state 's voting system manager , pleaded for Trump to drop his election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Look , you 've already got a hand recount , '' he said .
`` Nothing changed .
Let 's not do that . ''

Georgia will count its votes again after President Donald Trump requested a machine recount following a hand recount which confirmed he lost his election in the state by more than 12,000 votes.
Thousands of Georgia election workers spent last week recounting nearly 5 million votes by hand, finding that the original count showing President-elect Joe Biden winning the state by more than 12,000 votes was correct within 0.1%. Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, both Republicans, certified the vote on Friday after the recount finished within 500 votes of the initial machine count. But the Trump campaign, which has waged a legal crusade based on outright lies and conspiracy theories aiming to overturn the results of the election, said it wants the votes counted for the third time.
"Today, the Trump campaign filed a petition for recount in Georgia," it said in a statement. "We are focused on ensuring that every aspect of Georgia state law and the U.S. Constitution are followed so that every legal vote is counted."
The first recount was part of a new mandatory risk-limiting audit, which is not considered an official recount by the state. State law allows a candidate to seek an official machine recount within two days of the certification if the margin is less than 0.5%. The final margin in the race was 0.26%. The recount is expected to begin next week, though it is unclear how long it will take to complete, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
While the Trump campaign was forced to pay millions for a recount in heavily Democratic areas of Wisconsin with large Black populations, Georgia state law does not require candidates to cover the cost, meaning taxpayers will have to foot the bill for another recount which has little chance of affecting the outcome. Unlike the hand recount, the machine recount will "pose greater logistical and financial challenges to county election officials," The Washington Post noted.
The campaign's call for another recount came after Raffensperger repeatedly hit back at Trump's baseless conspiracy theories about the recount. "Numbers don't lie," he said after certifying the votes.
The Trump campaign has pushed unfounded conspiracy theories about the state's signature matching requirement. County officials verify signatures on the ballot envelope when they receive ballots, but afterward, it is impossible to match ballots back to voters because of privacy protections in the state constitution.
"President Trump and his campaign continue to insist on an honest recount in Georgia, which has to include signature matching and other vital safeguards. Without signature matching, this recount would be a sham and again allow for illegal votes to be counted. If there is no signature matching, this would be as phony as the initial vote count and recount," the campaign baselessly claimed. "Let's stop giving the people false results. There must be a time when we stop counting illegal ballots. Hopefully it is coming soon."
But Raffensperger has repeatedly explained that the state has actually strengthened its signature match requirement, noting that signatures for absentee ballots are matched by election workers not once but twice.
"That's just another red herring that has been thrown out there by a campaign that doesn't have the votes in this state," Raffensperger told WSB-TV, "and apparently other states."
The Biden campaign said it was confident that another recount "will simply reaffirm Joe Biden's victory in Georgia a third time."
"As the secretary of state said, there is no reason to believe there are widespread errors or fraud and the Trump campaign has no evidence to back up their baseless claims," spokeswoman Jaclyn Rothenberg said in a statement. "With regards to signature matching, both parties were aware of the rules set forth months before the election and all signatures have already been matched."
Raffensperger has repeatedly said he preferred Trump to win but would not do anything to reverse the decision of the state's voters despite attacks from Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., and Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., and an alleged attempt by Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. to persuade the state to toss legal ballots to swing the election to Trump.
"I've been saying that half of America will be happy and half of America will be sad with these results," Raffensperger told Georgia Public Broadcasting last week. "And I would be disappointed when I put on my Republican hat, but these will be the results and it will be what it is because that is the will of the Georgia voter."
Kemp has avoided criticizing Raffensperger, though he appeared to echo Trump's attempts to sow doubt in the result on Friday. The governor urged the secretary of state to randomly select ballots to match signatures, even though it would violate the state constitution.
"The Georgians I have heard from are extremely concerned about this, so I encourage Secretary Raffensperger to consider addressing these concerns," Kemp said even as he certified the result. "It seems simple enough to conduct a sample audit of signatures on the absentee ballot envelopes and compare those to the signatures on applications and on file at the secretary of state's Office."
Raffensperger has not said whether his office would consider such a plan, but Gabriel Sterling, the state's voting system manager, pleaded for Trump to drop his election challenge in a press conference last week.
"Look, you've already got a hand recount," he said. "Nothing changed. Let's not do that."


alternet--2020-11-26--5 tips for having Thanksgiving alone

5 tips for having Thanksgiving alone

Loneliness often defies stereotypes .
A traveler in a foreign country may be surrounded by strangers yet feel utterly alone , while someone living alone can have a rich social life .
Loneliness is not something our society is well-accustomed to discussing ; indeed , `` lonely '' is often synonymous with `` desperate . ''
Yet humans are social creatures , and socializing is an innate need , like food , loneliness expert Cat Moore told me .
`` And like hunger , it signals that a social need is n't being met , '' Moore said .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most social holidays — is apt to be a particularly lonely affair for millions of Americans .
Last week , the Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) and Prevention urged Americans to stay home and celebrate Thanksgiving with people in their households , or alone .
`` Travel may increase your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19 , '' the CDC explained in an advisory released Thursday .
`` Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others this year . ''
( Notably , record travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this guidance ) .
Those pandemic heroes with few or no guests in attendance during Thanksgiving might be especially lonely given the unusual circumstances .
Holiday blues are n't a new thing — and before the coronavirus pandemic , there was a loneliness epidemic , experts say — but this year 's sense of loneliness is deeply exacerbated by the necessity of social distance .
Because this is the first modern pandemic Thanksgiving , there 's no playbook for how to cope with being alone when it feels like others around you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mental health experts how to tangibly deal with loneliness this Thanksgiving .
It might sound cheesy , but do something nice for someone else In the worst-case situation , loneliness can lead to a mental downward spiral that motivates one to reach for the next-best-unhealthy thing to immediately ease the discomfort — i.e .
drinking too much alcohol , doing drugs , doom-scrolling , or descending into nihilism and being social without precautions .
This is referred to as `` maladaptive coping '' in the therapist world , which is when a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems .
`` When individuals are at that point and they 're headed towards maladaptive coping skills , the first idea [ that ] comes to mind is to get outside of oneself and help others , '' Ken Yeager , the clinical director of the Stress , Trauma and Resilience ( STAR ) Program at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center , who has been a mental health practitioner for over 30 years , told me .
`` It 's not until you get out of yourself and give to somebody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward and address the loneliness you 're experiencing . ''
Yeager said if you sit and focus on what you 're missing out on this Thanksgiving , you stay `` inside of yourself . ''
`` You 're only musing and perseverating over your issues , '' Yeager said .
`` And it 's not until you get out of yourself and give to somebody else that you can move your mood forward and address the loneliness you 're experiencing . ''
Volunteering is usually top of mind when one thinks about helping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country are struggling to keep up with the surge in demand , one COVID-safe way to help out this week is to clean out your pantry and donate to your local food bank .
Another way to cope with your loneliness by helping others could be to plan out the gifts you 'll give to family and friends this year , or spend part of your day writing your holiday cards .
`` You do n't have to be out in public to do something nice for somebody , '' Yeager said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nice letter to the people who have helped you this year , too .
Why try and force something that 's not happening ?
Thanksgiving is n't officially cancelled , but it 's definitely not the same .
Hence , Yeager said another way to cope with loneliness is to `` make yourself a kid again '' and do something `` different . ''
Do n't feel the need to force yourself to eat turkey alone , especially if you do n't actually enjoy turkey that much .
`` If you 've got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your fireplace , if you 've got some hot dogs , roast those over the fireplace , '' Yeager said .
The point is to not try and recreate a traditional Thanksgiving , because that will only `` conjure up memories of previous gatherings by cooking those things , '' Yeager said .
`` If you try to recreate Thanksgiving , it 's never the same , '' Yeager added , emphasizing this is especially true for people who might be grieving the loss of a family member .
Over 260,000 people have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; that 's a lot of people who will be without their friends and family this year .
Another way to move through the grief , Yeager said , is to share funny stories about the people you 've lost .
`` And what that does is very suddenly begins to move people from the grieving process into the appreciating process , '' Yeager said .
Put some pants on and go for a walk with a friend Nathalie Theodore , a psychotherapist in Chicago , told Salon that another way to cope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of different , unique ways to stay connected with friends and family .
`` We are all experiencing Zoom fatigue at this point ( not to mention overall pandemic fatigue ) , so it 's important to think outside the box to make this holiday fun , even under these unusual circumstances , '' Theodore said via email .
`` You can meet outside and go for a walk , or meet online for a yoga class . ''
Theodore added that if one is planning a `` Zoom Thanksgiving , '' it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` more festive . ''
`` Make your Zoom Thanksgiving more festive by inviting friends or family members you miss and have n't connected with recently , '' Theodore said .
`` After dinner , get together with friends online for a game or movie night . ''
`` Finding creative ways to connect with friends and family will help stave off feelings of loneliness and make the day feel more festive , '' Theodore said .
Remember , it 's just one day Remember , Thanksgiving is just one day out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lonely , so are millions of other Americans going through the same thing .
Dr. Carlin Barnes , MD , and Dr. Marketa Wills , MD , MBA , who are the co-authors of `` Understanding Mental Illness , '' told me that it 's totally normal to feel lonely this Thanksgiving .
`` It can be easy to lose sight of the fact that Thanksgiving is one day and not a week or season , '' they said .
`` Shifting your focus to a day instead of managing a holiday week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` It is important to acknowledge and validate if you are feeling lonely on this Thanksgiving holiday , '' Barnes and Wills added .
`` If you are feeling some loneliness , this is very normal , many of us are having these same feelings . ''
Together , Barnes and Wills sent me a list of activities they recommend : • Connect with family and friends virtually ( with use of Zoom , FaceTime , or other video conferencing platforms ) • Reach out via phone and reconnect with family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Plan activities that allow you to use your alone time enjoying fun or relaxing activities ( e.g .
exercise , volunteer by dropping food off to a shelter or writing letters to nursing home residents or veterans , read a good book , watch a good movie , cook a special holiday meal ) • If possible , get out in nature • Start planning how you will spend next Thanksgiving when things are ( hopefully ) back to normal The suggestions from mental health professionals above might be helpful for some people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me that coping mechanisms for loneliness can often depend on whether or not a person is an extrovert or an introvert .
`` Extroverts need other people to gain energy , '' which is why COVID-19 has been so hard on them and this holiday season might be even more challenging , Yeager said .
`` When they 're alone their energy level goes down , they 're not smiling as much , they 're not building the energy that they do when they 're around people because everything they do is built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yeager explained .
`` If the extrovert is alone , and they 're feeling that loneliness , they really need to find a way to connect with others via technology . ''
During a `` normal '' holiday season , Yeager said , introverts usually struggle with anxiety , and thus might find relief in a change of plans this year .
However , loneliness is experienced by both cohorts .
`` If you 're an introvert , you need to find the pieces of solace that help you to build energy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' In other words , check in on your extroverts .

Loneliness often defies stereotypes. A traveler in a foreign country may be surrounded by strangers yet feel utterly alone, while someone living alone can have a rich social life. Loneliness is not something our society is well-accustomed to discussing; indeed, "lonely" is often synonymous with "desperate." Yet humans are social creatures, and socializing is an innate need, like food, loneliness expert Cat Moore told me. "And like hunger, it signals that a social need isn't being met," Moore said.
This year, Thanksgiving — one of the most social holidays — is apt to be a particularly lonely affair for millions of Americans. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention urged Americans to stay home and celebrate Thanksgiving with people in their households, or alone. "Travel may increase your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19," the CDC explained in an advisory released Thursday. "Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others this year." (Notably, record travel numbers suggest that not everyone is following this guidance).
Those pandemic heroes with few or no guests in attendance during Thanksgiving might be especially lonely given the unusual circumstances. Holiday blues aren't a new thing — and before the coronavirus pandemic, there was a loneliness epidemic, experts say — but this year's sense of loneliness is deeply exacerbated by the necessity of social distance.
Because this is the first modern pandemic Thanksgiving, there's no playbook for how to cope with being alone when it feels like others around you are with loved ones. We asked four mental health experts how to tangibly deal with loneliness this Thanksgiving.
It might sound cheesy, but do something nice for someone else
In the worst-case situation, loneliness can lead to a mental downward spiral that motivates one to reach for the next-best-unhealthy thing to immediately ease the discomfort — i.e. drinking too much alcohol, doing drugs, doom-scrolling, or descending into nihilism and being social without precautions. This is referred to as "maladaptive coping" in the therapist world, which is when a person turns to something specifically to escape their problems.
"When individuals are at that point and they're headed towards maladaptive coping skills, the first idea [that] comes to mind is to get outside of oneself and help others," Ken Yeager, the clinical director of the Stress, Trauma and Resilience (STAR) Program at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, who has been a mental health practitioner for over 30 years, told me. "It's not until you get out of yourself and give to somebody else that you can move your mood forward and address the loneliness you're experiencing."
Yeager said if you sit and focus on what you're missing out on this Thanksgiving, you stay "inside of yourself."
"You're only musing and perseverating over your issues," Yeager said. "And it's not until you get out of yourself and give to somebody else that you can move your mood forward and address the loneliness you're experiencing."
Volunteering is usually top of mind when one thinks about helping others. Since food banks across the country are struggling to keep up with the surge in demand, one COVID-safe way to help out this week is to clean out your pantry and donate to your local food bank. Another way to cope with your loneliness by helping others could be to plan out the gifts you'll give to family and friends this year, or spend part of your day writing your holiday cards.
"You don't have to be out in public to do something nice for somebody," Yeager said, adding that you could also write a nice letter to the people who have helped you this year, too.
Skip the stuffing, skip the turkey
Why try and force something that's not happening? Thanksgiving isn't officially cancelled, but it's definitely not the same. Hence, Yeager said another way to cope with loneliness is to "make yourself a kid again" and do something "different." Don't feel the need to force yourself to eat turkey alone, especially if you don't actually enjoy turkey that much.
"If you've got a fireplace, roast some marshmallows over your fireplace, if you've got some hot dogs, roast those over the fireplace," Yeager said.
The point is to not try and recreate a traditional Thanksgiving, because that will only "conjure up memories of previous gatherings by cooking those things," Yeager said. "If you try to recreate Thanksgiving, it's never the same," Yeager added, emphasizing this is especially true for people who might be grieving the loss of a family member. Over 260,000 people have died of COVID-19 in the United States; that's a lot of people who will be without their friends and family this year.
Another way to move through the grief, Yeager said, is to share funny stories about the people you've lost.
"And what that does is very suddenly begins to move people from the grieving process into the appreciating process," Yeager said.
Put some pants on and go for a walk with a friend
Nathalie Theodore, a psychotherapist in Chicago, told Salon that another way to cope with loneliness this Thanksgiving is to think of different, unique ways to stay connected with friends and family.
"We are all experiencing Zoom fatigue at this point (not to mention overall pandemic fatigue), so it's important to think outside the box to make this holiday fun, even under these unusual circumstances," Theodore said via email. "You can meet outside and go for a walk, or meet online for a yoga class."
Theodore added that if one is planning a "Zoom Thanksgiving," it might be worth trying to make it "more festive."
"Make your Zoom Thanksgiving more festive by inviting friends or family members you miss and haven't connected with recently," Theodore said. "After dinner, get together with friends online for a game or movie night."
"Finding creative ways to connect with friends and family will help stave off feelings of loneliness and make the day feel more festive," Theodore said.
Remember, it's just one day
Remember, Thanksgiving is just one day out of the year. And if you're lonely, so are millions of other Americans going through the same thing.
Dr. Carlin Barnes, MD, and Dr. Marketa Wills, MD, MBA, who are the co-authors of "Understanding Mental Illness," told me that it's totally normal to feel lonely this Thanksgiving. "It can be easy to lose sight of the fact that Thanksgiving is one day and not a week or season," they said. "Shifting your focus to a day instead of managing a holiday week or holiday season can help reduce anxiety."
"It is important to acknowledge and validate if you are feeling lonely on this Thanksgiving holiday," Barnes and Wills added. "If you are feeling some loneliness, this is very normal, many of us are having these same feelings."
Together, Barnes and Wills sent me a list of activities they recommend:
Connect with family and friends virtually (with use of Zoom, FaceTime, or other video conferencing platforms)
Participate in a drive by, socially distant potluck dinner
Reach out via phone and reconnect with family and friends with a phone call
Plan activities that allow you to use your alone time enjoying fun or relaxing activities (e.g. exercise, volunteer by dropping food off to a shelter or writing letters to nursing home residents or veterans, read a good book, watch a good movie, cook a special holiday meal)
Meditate and/or create a gratitude list of things you're grateful for
If possible, get out in nature
Start planning how you will spend next Thanksgiving when things are (hopefully) back to normal
Understand your needs
The suggestions from mental health professionals above might be helpful for some people, but not everyone. Yeager told me that coping mechanisms for loneliness can often depend on whether or not a person is an extrovert or an introvert.
"Extroverts need other people to gain energy," which is why COVID-19 has been so hard on them and this holiday season might be even more challenging, Yeager said.
"When they're alone their energy level goes down, they're not smiling as much, they're not building the energy that they do when they're around people because everything they do is built upon the response of others," Yeager explained. "If the extrovert is alone, and they're feeling that loneliness, they really need to find a way to connect with others via technology."
During a "normal" holiday season, Yeager said, introverts usually struggle with anxiety, and thus might find relief in a change of plans this year. However, loneliness is experienced by both cohorts. "If you're an introvert, you need to find the pieces of solace that help you to build energy and to thrive during this difficult time."
In other words, check in on your extroverts.


alternet--2020-11-26--The world's biggest trading bloc does not include the United States

This story was produced by Globetrotter .
On November 15 , 15 Asian and Pacific countries signed an agreement known as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership ( RCEP ) that unites 30 percent of the global population and 30 percent of global gross domestic product ( GDP ) .
The entire trade area , which runs from New Zealand to Japan and across the length of China , brings together a range of industries , from mining to high tech , and 2.2 billion consumers .
Around 90 percent of tariffs will be cut , and customs procedures will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is at the heart of this agreement .
From 2005 to 2015 , many of these countries had negotiated the Trans-Pacific Partnership ( TPP ) , which was a process driven by the United States to isolate China from the Pacific Rim countries .
U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew his country from the TPP , which mothballed it ; he favored a more direct `` trade war '' against China .
Meanwhile , at a summit in 2011 , finance ministers from across Asia welcomed a proposal from China and Japan to begin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreement that was opposed by the United States .
Now , it is the RCEP that has been signed , while the TPP languishes without the participation of the United States .
There is so far no evidence that the new U.S. government led by Joe Biden would try to revive the TPP .
India had joined the RCEP negotiation process in 2011 but withdrew in 2019 .
The public view is that India 's government responded to domestic manufacturers , particularly the generic pharmaceutical industry , but it is more likely that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are more reasonable concerns about the problems of unemployment generation in certain countries as a consequence of trade liberalization .
Major U.S. allies such as Australia , Japan , and New Zealand are party to the RCEP .
Both Australia and Japan are members of the U.S.-led Quadrilateral Security Dialogue ( or Quad ) , which is a military alliance against China that includes India .
For both Australia and Japan , the economic benefits of the RCEP led them to join regardless of its political implications ; New Zealand , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Five Eyes intelligence alliance with the United States , also joined purely for realistic economic reasons .
This is—nonetheless—a major political blow for the United States and the cold war it has attempted to impose on China .
Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian , editor and journalist .
He is a writing fellow and chief correspondent at Globetrotter .
He is the chief editor of LeftWord Books and the director of Tricontinental : Institute for Social Research .
He is a senior non-resident fellow at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ written more than 20 books , including The Darker Nations and The Poorer Nations .
His latest book is Washington Bullets , with an introduction by Evo Morales Ayma .
John Ross is a senior fellow at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies , Renmin University of China .
His writing on the Chinese and U.S. economies and geopolitics has been published widely online , and he is the author of two books published in China , Do n't Misunderstand China 's Economy and The Great Chess Game .
He was previously director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

This story was produced by Globetrotter.
On November 15, 15 Asian and Pacific countries signed an agreement known as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) that unites 30 percent of the global population and 30 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP). The entire trade area, which runs from New Zealand to Japan and across the length of China, brings together a range of industries, from mining to high tech, and 2.2 billion consumers. Around 90 percent of tariffs will be cut, and customs procedures will be simplified.
It is significant that China is at the heart of this agreement. From 2005 to 2015, many of these countries had negotiated the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which was a process driven by the United States to isolate China from the Pacific Rim countries. U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew his country from the TPP, which mothballed it; he favored a more direct "trade war" against China. Meanwhile, at a summit in 2011, finance ministers from across Asia welcomed a proposal from China and Japan to begin negotiating the RCEP, a far larger agreement that was opposed by the United States. Now, it is the RCEP that has been signed, while the TPP languishes without the participation of the United States. There is so far no evidence that the new U.S. government led by Joe Biden would try to revive the TPP.
India had joined the RCEP negotiation process in 2011 but withdrew in 2019. The public view is that India's government responded to domestic manufacturers, particularly the generic pharmaceutical industry, but it is more likely that India decided not to antagonize Washington. There are more reasonable concerns about the problems of unemployment generation in certain countries as a consequence of trade liberalization.
Major U.S. allies such as Australia, Japan, and New Zealand are party to the RCEP. Both Australia and Japan are members of the U.S.-led Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (or Quad), which is a military alliance against China that includes India. For both Australia and Japan, the economic benefits of the RCEP led them to join regardless of its political implications; New Zealand, which, like Australia, is part of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance with the United States, also joined purely for realistic economic reasons. This is—nonetheless—a major political blow for the United States and the cold war it has attempted to impose on China.
Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian, editor and journalist. He is a writing fellow and chief correspondent at Globetrotter. He is the chief editor of LeftWord Books and the director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He is a senior non-resident fellow at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China. He has written more than 20 books, including The Darker Nations and The Poorer Nations. His latest book is Washington Bullets, with an introduction by Evo Morales Ayma.
John Ross is a senior fellow at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China. His writing on the Chinese and U.S. economies and geopolitics has been published widely online, and he is the author of two books published in China, Don't Misunderstand China's Economy and The Great Chess Game. He was previously director of economic policy for the mayor of London.


alternet--2020-11-25--Trump's legal woes are looming — will Ivanka snitch on her father?

If you 're a fan of TV crime procedurals , you 've no doubt seen shows where detectives interrogate two suspects detained in separate and austere holding rooms .
The object is to get one of the perps to snitch on his accomplice and `` turn state 's evidence '' in return for leniency .
The dramas may feature different actors and different crimes , but the essential script components are the same : The cops offer immunity , witness protection or some other kind of favorable treatment in exchange for a confession .
The arrestees , however , remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sit stone-faced and silent .
Others smirk and laugh .
Still others hurl back insults , accusing the cops of incompetence and a rush to judgment .
Then , slowly , just before a big commercial break , the fear of doing hard time sets in .
One of the suspects reconsiders the possibility that his confederate will cash in on the promise of a deal , leaving him alone to take the rap .
The perp 's rough exterior cracks .
Before you can say `` case closed , '' Miranda rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In real life , the drill rarely concludes as quickly .
And while some suspects invoke the Fifth Amendment and never agree to talk , others do .
Just ask Rick Gates why he decided to testify against his former business partner Paul Manafort .
Faced with the prospect of a lengthy prison term , Gates opted to save his own skin .
As Donald Trump 's desperate plot to subvert the election fails and the end of his presidency approaches , Ivanka Trump could face her own `` state 's evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role in her father 's sketchy business enterprises in New York .
According to the New York Times , both state attorney general Letitia James and Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. are investigating income-tax-avoidance schemes undertaken by the Trump Organization that involve questionable deductions claimed for `` consulting fees '' paid to Ivanka and other individuals and businesses .
Vance 's investigation is criminal in nature , while James ' inquiry is civil .
The probes , per the New York Times , are being conducted independently , but they overlap .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , seeking information about the consulting payments .
The subpoenas come on the heels of a blockbuster story published by the New York Times in late September that revealed Trump paid a mere $ 750 in federal income taxes the year he won the presidency , and that he paid no income taxes in 10 of the 15 years prior to that .
Documents obtained by the New York Times also indicate that between 2010 and 2018 , Trump wrote off `` $ 26 million in unexplained 'consulting fees ' '' as business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 26 million included $ 747,622 paid to an unidentified individual .
That amount , it turns out , exactly matches income Ivanka listed as consulting fees on the 2017 financial disclosure forms she filed when she joined the White House staff .
As former New York City prosecutor Elura Nanos wrote in a recent column for the Law & Crime website , `` This could be a problem , as Ms. Trump was an executive officer both of the company making the payment and the company doing the consulting .
When a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such a transaction , tax deductions could be illegal if the payments were inflated . ''
CNN legal analyst Elie Honig , who worked for eight years as an assistant U.S. attorney prosecuting white-collar crimes , described Ivanka 's predicament more bluntly in a November 20 on-air interview , remarking : Ivanka reacted to news of the consulting-fee subpoenas in true Trump fashion , rage-tweeting : It 's rarely a good idea , whether on television or in the actual world , for a potential suspect to directly attack the investigators .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do the talking .
Ivanka , of all people , should know this .
In 2012 , she and Donald Trump Jr. reportedly avoided a felony fraud indictment for misleading prospective buyers of units in the Trump SoHo , a hotel and condo development in lower Manhattan .
The siblings narrowly escaped prosecution , but only after high-powered attorney Marc Kasowitz , a longtime Trump family consigliere and a Vance campaign donor , allegedly leaned on the DA behind the scenes to drop the case .
Vance is showing no signs of backing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he is leading a grand jury probe that extends well beyond the possible misuse of consulting fees to determine if any of the president 's past business practices violated state fraud and income tax laws .
He is also looking into whether the Trump Organization falsified corporate records in connection with the hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal during the 2016 presidential campaign .
In July , Vance scored a historic legal victory when the Supreme Court denied the president 's request to halt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims of `` absolute immunity '' from state criminal prosecutions .
Trump can not be pardoned for state crimes , and absent a federal pardon , once he leaves office , he will lose the immunity he now enjoys as a sitting president from prosecution for any federal offenses he may have committed .
And while Trump 's attorneys currently are back before the Supreme Court , asking the panel to narrow the scope of Vance 's subpoenas , that effort would appear similarly doomed once Trump departs the White House .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen .
She has not yet been formally accused of committing a crime , or officially been named as a target of any investigation .
Moreover , even if she is eventually indicted , everyone—even a Trump—is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt .
Still , as the clock ticks down on the Trump presidency , the first daughter may well be advised to ponder whether her legal interests and those of her father have diverged to the point where it would be better to cooperate with the authorities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's evidence .
Stay tuned .
This story is just beginning .
Bill Blum is a retired judge and a lawyer in Los Angeles .
He is a lecturer at the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication .
He writes regularly on law and politics and is the author of three widely acclaimed legal thrillers : Prejudicial Error , The Last Appeal , and The Face of Justice .
This article was produced by the Independent Media Institute .

If you're a fan of TV crime procedurals, you've no doubt seen shows where detectives interrogate two suspects detained in separate and austere holding rooms. The object is to get one of the perps to snitch on his accomplice and "turn state's evidence" in return for leniency.
The dramas may feature different actors and different crimes, but the essential script components are the same: The cops offer immunity, witness protection or some other kind of favorable treatment in exchange for a confession. The arrestees, however, remain defiant, and hang tough. Some sit stone-faced and silent. Others smirk and laugh. Still others hurl back insults, accusing the cops of incompetence and a rush to judgment.
Then, slowly, just before a big commercial break, the fear of doing hard time sets in. One of the suspects reconsiders the possibility that his confederate will cash in on the promise of a deal, leaving him alone to take the rap. The perp's rough exterior cracks. Before you can say "case closed," Miranda rights are waived, and the truth emerges.
In real life, the drill rarely concludes as quickly. And while some suspects invoke the Fifth Amendment and never agree to talk, others do. Just ask Rick Gates why he decided to testify against his former business partner Paul Manafort. Faced with the prospect of a lengthy prison term, Gates opted to save his own skin.
As Donald Trump's desperate plot to subvert the election fails and the end of his presidency approaches, Ivanka Trump could face her own "state's evidence" moment as a result of her role in her father's sketchy business enterprises in New York.
According to the New York Times, both state attorney general Letitia James and Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. are investigating income-tax-avoidance schemes undertaken by the Trump Organization that involve questionable deductions claimed for "consulting fees" paid to Ivanka and other individuals and businesses.
Vance's investigation is criminal in nature, while James' inquiry is civil. The probes, per the New York Times, are being conducted independently, but they overlap. New subpoenas have been issued in each, seeking information about the consulting payments.
The subpoenas come on the heels of a blockbuster story published by the New York Times in late September that revealed Trump paid a mere $750 in federal income taxes the year he won the presidency, and that he paid no income taxes in 10 of the 15 years prior to that.
Documents obtained by the New York Times also indicate that between 2010 and 2018, Trump wrote off "$26 million in unexplained 'consulting fees'" as business expenses on his tax returns. The $26 million included $747,622 paid to an unidentified individual. That amount, it turns out, exactly matches income Ivanka listed as consulting fees on the 2017 financial disclosure forms she filed when she joined the White House staff.
As former New York City prosecutor Elura Nanos wrote in a recent column for the Law & Crime website, "This could be a problem, as Ms. Trump was an executive officer both of the company making the payment and the company doing the consulting. When a key person is on both sides of such a transaction, tax deductions could be illegal if the payments were inflated."
CNN legal analyst Elie Honig, who worked for eight years as an assistant U.S. attorney prosecuting white-collar crimes, described Ivanka's predicament more bluntly in a November 20 on-air interview, remarking:
"I used to do Mafia cases. This is exactly what they would do. If they wanted to take money out of a company and put it in the pocket of an individual, they would say, 'We'll just call it a consulting fee.' That does not make it okay on its own. The question… is did Ivanka Trump actually give consulting services worth $747,000? I mean, think about that."
Ivanka reacted to news of the consulting-fee subpoenas in true Trump fashion, rage-tweeting:
"This is harassment pure and simple. This 'inquiry' by NYC democrats is 100% motivated by politics, publicity and rage. They know very well that there's nothing here and that there was no tax benefit whatsoever. These politicians are simply ruthless."
It's rarely a good idea, whether on television or in the actual world, for a potential suspect to directly attack the investigators. The better course is to let your lawyers do the talking.
Ivanka, of all people, should know this. In 2012, she and Donald Trump Jr. reportedly avoided a felony fraud indictment for misleading prospective buyers of units in the Trump SoHo, a hotel and condo development in lower Manhattan. The siblings narrowly escaped prosecution, but only after high-powered attorney Marc Kasowitz, a longtime Trump family consigliere and a Vance campaign donor, allegedly leaned on the DA behind the scenes to drop the case.
Vance is showing no signs of backing down this time. To the contrary, he is leading a grand jury probe that extends well beyond the possible misuse of consulting fees to determine if any of the president's past business practices violated state fraud and income tax laws. He is also looking into whether the Trump Organization falsified corporate records in connection with the hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal during the 2016 presidential campaign.
In July, Vance scored a historic legal victory when the Supreme Court denied the president's request to halt Vance's inquiry, rejecting Trump's claims of "absolute immunity" from state criminal prosecutions.
Trump cannot be pardoned for state crimes, and absent a federal pardon, once he leaves office, he will lose the immunity he now enjoys as a sitting president from prosecution for any federal offenses he may have committed. And while Trump's attorneys currently are back before the Supreme Court, asking the panel to narrow the scope of Vance's subpoenas, that effort would appear similarly doomed once Trump departs the White House.
What this means for Ivanka remains to be seen. She has not yet been formally accused of committing a crime, or officially been named as a target of any investigation. Moreover, even if she is eventually indicted, everyone—even a Trump—is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Still, as the clock ticks down on the Trump presidency, the first daughter may well be advised to ponder whether her legal interests and those of her father have diverged to the point where it would be better to cooperate with the authorities, fess up, and ultimately turn state's evidence.
Stay tuned. This story is just beginning.
Bill Blum is a retired judge and a lawyer in Los Angeles. He is a lecturer at the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication. He writes regularly on law and politics and is the author of three widely acclaimed legal thrillers: Prejudicial Error, The Last Appeal, and The Face of Justice.
This article was produced by the Independent Media Institute.


alternet--2020-11-25--'I was enabling them': This GOP operative realized he couldn't stop the dark forces in his party — a

'I was enabling them': This GOP operative realized he couldn't stop the dark forces in his party — and left

In Trumpworld , one of the worst things a Republican can be called is a `` RINO '' or `` Republican In Name Only '' — and conservative activist Tim Miller has been called that many times this year for his vehement opposition to President Donald Trump and support for President-elect Joe Biden .
Miller , who served as communications director for former Florida Gov .
Jeb Bush , remained in the Republican Party until recently despite his disdain for Trumpism .
But on the conservative website The Bulwark , Miller explains why he has finally left the GOP after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Republican Party elected officials , with one Willardian exception , were united behind a birther who tried to ban people from travel based on their religion , told American Black women to 'go back ' where they came from , and put a White nationalist collaborator in charge of our immigration regime , '' Miller explains .
`` So today , it 's me who is heading for the exits .
They have been clearly marked . ''
Miller points out that there were reactionaries in the Republican Party long before Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have become especially outspoken .
And looking back , Miller now says that the reactionaries were more prominent in the GOP in the past than he wanted to acknowledge .
Miller explains , `` While Donald Trump and John McCain are polar opposites as men , the forces driving the illiberal and nativist elements of the Republican Party were there the whole time.… The thing is , in 2008 , I had convinced myself these forces were just the nuts out on the margins , while I was one of the good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — but probably should have — was that these forces were n't as marginal as I thought .
That I was enabling them , and that they were increasing in power within the Party throughout the entire time I was a professional operative . ''
When Trump was elected president , Miller writes , it became impossible to ignore the role that extremism played in the GOP .
Miller writes , `` Trump 's win forced me to get outside of my bubble a bit and try to understand his appeal outside the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It opened my eyes to the lasting structural racism and resentments that still plague our polity… .
It made me prioritize a bunch of issues that I never really saw as being up for debate between the parties — free and fair elections , pluralism , freedom of religion , the rule of law , welcoming immigrants , basic competence , governing for all Americans regardless of whether they voted for you .
As it turns out , my old party was on the wrong side of basically all of those . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been by Trumpism , he kept hoping that his `` relationship '' with the GOP `` was salvageable . ''
Now , he realizes that it is n't .
`` Sitting here today watching these Republican assholes sit silently while the president trashes our democracy with preposterous conspiracies and becomes the first modern president to refuse to concede an election , it 's clear that any hopes for reconciliation were folly , '' Miller laments .
`` In short , it 's me .
But it 's also you .
It 's @ @ @

In Trumpworld, one of the worst things a Republican can be called is a "RINO" or "Republican In Name Only" — and conservative activist Tim Miller has been called that many times this year for his vehement opposition to President Donald Trump and support for President-elect Joe Biden. Miller, who served as communications director for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, remained in the Republican Party until recently despite his disdain for Trumpism. But on the conservative website The Bulwark, Miller explains why he has finally left the GOP after many years.
"This year, the Republican Party elected officials, with one Willardian exception, were united behind a birther who tried to ban people from travel based on their religion, told American Black women to 'go back' where they came from, and put a White nationalist collaborator in charge of our immigration regime," Miller explains. "So today, it's me who is heading for the exits. They have been clearly marked."
Miller points out that there were reactionaries in the Republican Party long before Trump's presidency, but under Trumpism, they have become especially outspoken. And looking back, Miller now says that the reactionaries were more prominent in the GOP in the past than he wanted to acknowledge.
Miller explains, "While Donald Trump and John McCain are polar opposites as men, the forces driving the illiberal and nativist elements of the Republican Party were there the whole time.… The thing is, in 2008, I had convinced myself these forces were just the nuts out on the margins, while I was one of the good ones. What I didn't realize — but probably should have — was that these forces weren't as marginal as I thought. That I was enabling them, and that they were increasing in power within the Party throughout the entire time I was a professional operative."
When Trump was elected president, Miller writes, it became impossible to ignore the role that extremism played in the GOP.
Miller writes, "Trump's win forced me to get outside of my bubble a bit and try to understand his appeal outside the urban pockets of fabulousness I inhabited. It opened my eyes to the lasting structural racism and resentments that still plague our polity…. It made me prioritize a bunch of issues that I never really saw as being up for debate between the parties — free and fair elections, pluralism, freedom of religion, the rule of law, welcoming immigrants, basic competence, governing for all Americans regardless of whether they voted for you. As it turns out, my old party was on the wrong side of basically all of those."
Miller writes that as repulsed as he has been by Trumpism, he kept hoping that his "relationship" with the GOP "was salvageable." Now, he realizes that it isn't.
"Sitting here today watching these Republican assholes sit silently while the president trashes our democracy with preposterous conspiracies and becomes the first modern president to refuse to concede an election, it's clear that any hopes for reconciliation were folly," Miller laments. "In short, it's me. But it's also you. It's over."