alternet--2020-12-18--Rand Paul and Newt Gingrich let slip the truth: They fear voters will 'affect the outcome' in Georgi

Rand Paul and Newt Gingrich let slip the truth: They fear voters will 'affect the outcome' in Georgia races

Sen. Rand Paul , R-Ky. , on Thursday joined a growing chorus of Republicans complaining that making it easier for legal voters to cast ballots will cause Republicans to lose elections .
Paul , who has falsely claimed the election was `` stolen '' from President Donald Trump without any evidence , warned that increased voter turnout in Georgia could cost Republicans the Senate majority and urged Republican state officials to stop encouraging people to vote .
`` They 're mailing out a solicitation to vote by mail .
This is not in the state law , '' Paul complained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maria Bartiromo , who has also pushed fantastical fraud conspiracies without evidence .
`` I 'm very , very concerned that if you solicit votes from typically non-voters , that you will affect and change the outcome , '' Paul said , even though non-voters are ineligible to receive a ballot even if they do request one and their votes would not be counted in a would-be fraud scheme since ballots are checked against voter registrations .
In other words , there is no risk of nonvoters voting , and there has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other registered voters ' information to cast ballots .
Paul 's comments come one day after he declared without any evidence that the election was `` in many ways stolen '' from President Donald Trump during a Senate hearing with former DHS official Chris Krebs , who refuted Paul 's claims .
`` The fraud happened .
The election in many ways was stolen and the only way it 'll be fixed is by , in the future , reinforcing the laws , '' Paul claimed , even though the Trump campaign and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any widespread fraud or irregularities in court .
Paul claimed that courts `` never looked at the facts '' and `` stayed out of it '' by ruling that the plaintiffs did not have standing to bring the lawsuits , even though numerous judges did review these lawsuits and rejected them on the merits .
Paul 's comments raised speculation that he would break with the rest of the Republican Party to join Rep. Mo Brooks , R-Ala. , in a futile effort to block Congress from affirming the Electoral College results .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ month that the Justice Department did not find any evidence of fraud that would affect the election result and Republican election officials from Georgia to Pennsylvania have rejected the claims pushed by Trump and his allies .
But the Republican complaints long predate the actual election and any potential fraud .
Trump and his allies have argued for months that expanding voting access would hurt Republicans .
Barr argued before the election that expanded mail voting raises the possibility of voter fraud , despite its use by numerous states before the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case in the 2020 race .
`` Let me be 100 % clear , '' Josh Douglas , an election law expert at the University of Kentucky , told the Louisville Courier-Journal .
`` Sen. Rand Paul is lying about it .
He is lying , and all of these politicians who are claiming massive fraud in mail-in voting are lying because they have zero evidence .
It 's just patently false . ''
Paul and Trump are not the only ones .
Sen. Ron Johnson , R-Wis. , erupted at Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no `` doubt '' that there was `` fraudulent votes and ballot stuffing '' in the election .
Johnson , along with Sen. Rick Scott , R-Fla. , also appeared to echo former Trump lawyer Sidney Powell 's otherworldly conspiracy theory that voting machines were rigged to switch votes from Trump in a plot financed by Venezuela , China , and others that ultimately got her booted from Trump 's legal team .
Johnson cited `` corruption of voting machines and software '' while Scott claimed that his constituents think the election was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] Maduro is doing '' in Venezuela .
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich , R-Ga. , also complained on Twitter over the weekend that Georgia Secretary Brad Raffensperger 's effort to expand ballot drop boxes would `` make it harder for Republicans to win , '' even though Republican voters would have increased access to submit their votes .
`` You 're busted Newt , '' former Attorney General Eric Holder said in response to Gingrich .
`` Making it easier for more people to vote in a pandemic ( the usual fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , resulting in more people voting 'makes it harder for Republicans to win ' .
Guess you think you have to suppress the vote to win .
What a disgrace . ''
But Gingrich 's bizarre complaint was echoed in a lawsuit by the Georgia Republican Party and the Republican National Committee , which is seeking to limit the use of ballot drop boxes in the state 's Senate runoffs .
Although Raffensperger has drawn praise for standing up to attacks from Trump and other Republicans to dispute their baseless fraud allegations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access in future elections since the election .
Republicans in the Senate and state legislatures in Michigan , Wisconsin , Pennsylvania , and Texas have also seized on Trump 's voter fraud lies to push for laws restricting voting access .
But some election experts warned that Republican attacks on voting could backfire .
`` Recent polling shows that many of the innovations adopted for the 2020 election are popular with voters of all partisan persuasions , making some changes potentially difficult , '' Robert Stein , a voting expert at Rice University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` There is ample evidence that states that attempt to adopt restrictive election laws produce a backlash effect , especially among nonwhite voters . ''
`` In non-pandemic times , it 's not at all clear to me that restricting mail-in voting would hurt Democrats more than Republicans , '' added Justin Levitt , a constitutional law expert at Loyola University .
Republicans have worried for weeks that the attacks on Georgia 's election could depress turnout in the pivotal Senate runoffs .
Raffensperger argued that Trump 's baseless claims cost him the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 24,000 people who voted in the Republican primary did not vote in the general election .
`` He would have won by 10,000 votes , '' he said last month .
`` He actually depressed , suppressed his own voting base . ''

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., on Thursday joined a growing chorus of Republicans complaining that making it easier for legal voters to cast ballots will cause Republicans to lose elections.
Paul, who has falsely claimed the election was "stolen" from President Donald Trump without any evidence, warned that increased voter turnout in Georgia could cost Republicans the Senate majority and urged Republican state officials to stop encouraging people to vote.
"They're mailing out a solicitation to vote by mail. This is not in the state law," Paul complained in an interview with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo, who has also pushed fantastical fraud conspiracies without evidence. "I'm very, very concerned that if you solicit votes from typically non-voters, that you will affect and change the outcome," Paul said, even though non-voters are ineligible to receive a ballot even if they do request one and their votes would not be counted in a would-be fraud scheme since ballots are checked against voter registrations. In other words, there is no risk of nonvoters voting, and there has been no evidence of people using dead or other registered voters' information to cast ballots.
Paul's comments come one day after he declared without any evidence that the election was "in many ways stolen" from President Donald Trump during a Senate hearing with former DHS official Chris Krebs, who refuted Paul's claims.
"The fraud happened. The election in many ways was stolen and the only way it'll be fixed is by, in the future, reinforcing the laws," Paul claimed, even though the Trump campaign and its allies have been unable to prove any widespread fraud or irregularities in court.
Paul claimed that courts "never looked at the facts" and "stayed out of it" by ruling that the plaintiffs did not have standing to bring the lawsuits, even though numerous judges did review these lawsuits and rejectedthemon the merits. Paul's comments raised speculation that he would break with the rest of the Republican Party to join Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., in a futile effort to block Congress from affirming the Electoral College results.
Attorney General Bill Barr said earlier this month that the Justice Department did not find any evidence of fraud that would affect the election result and Republican election officials from Georgia to Pennsylvania have rejected the claims pushed by Trump and his allies.
But the Republican complaints long predate the actual election and any potential fraud. Trump and his allies have argued for months that expanding voting access would hurt Republicans. Barr argued before the election that expanded mail voting raises the possibility of voter fraud, despite its use by numerous states before the pandemic, though he ultimately determined that was not the case in the 2020 race.
"Let me be 100% clear," Josh Douglas, an election law expert at the University of Kentucky, told the Louisville Courier-Journal. "Sen. Rand Paul is lying about it. He is lying, and all of these politicians who are claiming massive fraud in mail-in voting are lying because they have zero evidence. It's just patently false."
Paul and Trump are not the only ones.
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., erupted at Wednesday's Senate hearing to declare he has no "doubt" that there was "fraudulent votes and ballot stuffing" in the election. Johnson, along with Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., also appeared to echo former Trump lawyer Sidney Powell's otherworldly conspiracy theory that voting machines were rigged to switch votes from Trump in a plot financed by Venezuela, China, and others that ultimately got her booted from Trump's legal team. Johnson cited "corruption of voting machines and software" while Scott claimed that his constituents think the election was no "different than what [Nicolas] Maduro is doing" in Venezuela.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., also complained on Twitter over the weekend that Georgia Secretary Brad Raffensperger's effort to expand ballot drop boxes would "make it harder for Republicans to win," even though Republican voters would have increased access to submit their votes.
"You're busted Newt," former Attorney General Eric Holder said in response to Gingrich. "Making it easier for more people to vote in a pandemic (the usual fraud claims have been exposed as nonsense), resulting in more people voting 'makes it harder for Republicans to win'. Guess you think you have to suppress the vote to win. What a disgrace."
But Gingrich's bizarre complaint was echoed in a lawsuit by the Georgia Republican Party and the Republican National Committee, which is seeking to limit the use of ballot drop boxes in the state's Senate runoffs.
Although Raffensperger has drawn praise for standing up to attacks from Trump and other Republicans to dispute their baseless fraud allegations, he has also pushed to limit voting access in future elections since the election. Republicans in the Senate and state legislatures in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Texas have also seized on Trump's voter fraud lies to push for laws restricting voting access.
But some election experts warned that Republican attacks on voting could backfire.
"Recent polling shows that many of the innovations adopted for the 2020 election are popular with voters of all partisan persuasions, making some changes potentially difficult," Robert Stein, a voting expert at Rice University, told Salon earlier this month. "There is ample evidence that states that attempt to adopt restrictive election laws produce a backlash effect, especially among nonwhite voters."
"In non-pandemic times, it's not at all clear to me that restricting mail-in voting would hurt Democrats more than Republicans," added Justin Levitt, a constitutional law expert at Loyola University.
Republicans have worried for weeks that the attacks on Georgia's election could depress turnout in the pivotal Senate runoffs. Raffensperger argued that Trump's baseless claims cost him the state in the presidential race, noting that 24,000 people who voted in the Republican primary did not vote in the general election.
"He would have won by 10,000 votes," he said last month. "He actually depressed, suppressed his own voting base."


alternet--2020-12-19--India's farmers are revolting against Modi's government

India 's farmers are revolting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi 's government in a mass movement that has drawn international attention .
The world 's largest democracy is witnessing a collective groundswell of protest as hundreds of thousands of farmers , largely from the states of Punjab and Haryana , have laid siege to the outskirts of the capital of New Delhi , determined to occupy the edges of the city until Modi reverses unpopular new laws that they say are anti-farmer .
About half of India 's workers depend on the agricultural industry , and the government has long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , acting as a middleman between farmers and buyers of their produce .
Now those protections have been upended .
In September 2020 , Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) pushed three deregulatory bills through Parliament amid chaos and even some opposition from within his own party .
Amandeep Sandhu , author of Panjab : Journeys Through Fault Lines , has been closely following the farmers ' protests .
In an interview , he explained to me that the first of the three bills scrapped the Essential Commodities Act , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by preventing traders from hoarding supplies .
According to Sandhu , `` now traders can stockpile as much food as they want and can play the markets as they wish . ''
Two-thirds of India 's population of 1.3 billion rely on subsidized food rations , which Sandhu says are now endangered .
Another of the deregulatory laws would leave farmers to negotiate directly with buyers without government intervention to set basic minimum prices .
Although this theoretically could result in farmers being able to demand higher prices , during years when there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plummeting prices , farmers could be financially destroyed .
In short , the new laws are designed to subject hundreds of millions of poor farmers to the whims and demands of the market .
Modi 's third controversial law centers on contract farming and enables corporate buyers to directly hire small farmers to produce specific crops .
But Sandhu explained that it also protects corporations from liabilities .
`` If a small farmer has entered into a contract with a corporation and the corporation reneges on the contract , the farmer can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these new laws were put in place , India 's farmers were being pushed to the brink .
Millions are in debt as banks refuse to lend to the cash-strapped workers , driving them to illegal lenders that charge exorbitant interest rates .
Farmer suicides in India have been on the rise , exacerbated by the ravages of the coronavirus pandemic this year .
According to Sandhu , `` for many decades farmers have been protesting against the 'green revolution ' model of agriculture , '' which emphasizes an increase in productivity above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for CNN.com , Simran Jeet Singh and Gunisha Kaur explained , `` Just as some medications are tested on humans of developing countries before being accepted in developed nations , the Green Revolution was an agricultural experiment tested out on the fields of Punjab . ''
In further unleashing market forces on farmers through his new laws , Modi may have gone too far .
`` These very farmers are the BJP 's core constituency , '' said Sandhu .
`` These are the ones who got the government elected in the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with struggling farmers are wealthy Indian elites who have seen their riches multiply each year .
A 2018 report found that the wealth of the richest 831 Indians amounted to a quarter of India 's gross domestic product .
Chief among them is Mukesh Ambani , Asia 's richest man , who has launched dozens of new businesses in the agricultural sector in just the last few months .
India 's second wealthiest person is Gautam Adani , and both men are considered close political allies of Modi .
Protesting farmers say Modi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefit the likes of Ambani and Adani .
Earlier in the protests , farmers burned effigies of the prime minister and his billionaire buddies .
Modi has claimed that deregulation will bring wealth and prosperity to farmers and that objections to the laws are purely political .
Because most of India 's left-wing parties and prominent political figures from the opposition Congress Party have expressed support for farmers , the BJP-led government claims that farmers are being misled into believing the laws are bad for their bottom line .
But one farmer from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is no politics in it , we feel the laws are going to benefit corporates and not poor farmers like us . ''
Modi has implored the farmers occupying the edges of Delhi to go home , claiming that the new laws are written to benefit them and are a `` gift . ''
He has offered to amend the laws as a compromise , but the farmers are standing firm , saying nothing less than a complete repeal of the laws will be satisfactory .
India 's former economic adviser Kaushik Basu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also served as chief economist of the World Bank and is currently a professor of economics at Cornell University , said the bills were `` flawed '' and `` detrimental to farmers . ''
He explained , `` Our agriculture regulation needs change but the new laws will end up serving corporate interests more than farmers . ''
The new laws impact farmers ' control over what to grow , whom to sell to , what prices they can rely on , and whether or not their crops will have buyers—all presented in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' from a government that for years has ignored their plight .
It 's no wonder they are rebelling .
Solidarity with Indian farmers is high across the nation .
In late November , nearly a dozen trade unions launched a massive general strike , bringing the nation to a standstill for a day .
More than 250 million people are estimated to have participated , making it the world 's largest protest in history .
The farmers called for a second strike a week later and remain on the outskirts of New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying they are n't leaving anytime soon .
Sandhu shared that `` farmers from Punjab and Haryana came with rations of their own for six months to one year and are willing to stick it out .
The farmers who are coming from longer distances will be fed by those who are already there . ''
Indian agriculture affects the rest of the world , with a large percentage of the global spice market originating from Indian farms .
Exported staples such as rice and milk and even cotton used by the apparel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws .
Diaspora Indians are now speaking out .
Thousands of Indian origin residents of Britain rallied in London , declaring , `` We stand with farmers of Punjab . ''
Canadian Indians protested in various cities , with many saying they still had family who farmed in India .
In California—home to a large population of Punjabi Indian Americans , many of whom are farmers themselves—a massive car rally in Silicon Valley called attention to the farmers ' demands .
And in Seattle , Councilmember Kshama Sawant of the Socialist Alternative Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indian farmers .
For now , a stalemate remains with the government and farmers facing off against one another , refusing to back down .
Sawant had perhaps the most eloquent framing of what 's at stake , saying , `` Indian farmers are facing the same exploitation by the billionaire class that farmers and workers are facing worldwide . ''
Sonali Kolhatkar is the founder , host and executive producer of `` Rising Up With Sonali , '' a television and radio show that airs on Free Speech TV and Pacifica stations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Economy for All project at the Independent Media Institute .
This article was produced by Economy for All , a project of the Independent Media Institute .

India's farmers are revolting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in a mass movement that has drawn international attention. The world's largest democracy is witnessing a collective groundswell of protest as hundreds of thousands of farmers, largely from the states of Punjab and Haryana, have laid siege to the outskirts of the capital of New Delhi, determined to occupy the edges of the city until Modi reverses unpopular new laws that they say are anti-farmer.
About half of India's workers depend on the agricultural industry, and the government has long had in place regulations to protect farmworkers, acting as a middleman between farmers and buyers of their produce. Now those protections have been upended. In September 2020, Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pushed three deregulatory bills through Parliament amid chaos and even some opposition from within his own party.
Amandeep Sandhu, author of Panjab: Journeys Through Fault Lines, has been closely following the farmers' protests. In an interview, he explained to me that the first of the three bills scrapped the Essential Commodities Act, a 1955 law that stabilized food prices by preventing traders from hoarding supplies. According to Sandhu, "now traders can stockpile as much food as they want and can play the markets as they wish." Two-thirds of India's population of 1.3 billion rely on subsidized food rations, which Sandhu says are now endangered.
Another of the deregulatory laws would leave farmers to negotiate directly with buyers without government intervention to set basic minimum prices. Although this theoretically could result in farmers being able to demand higher prices, during years when there is a surplus of crops and subsequent plummeting prices, farmers could be financially destroyed. In short, the new laws are designed to subject hundreds of millions of poor farmers to the whims and demands of the market.
Modi's third controversial law centers on contract farming and enables corporate buyers to directly hire small farmers to produce specific crops. But Sandhu explained that it also protects corporations from liabilities. "If a small farmer has entered into a contract with a corporation and the corporation reneges on the contract, the farmer cannot go to court."
Even before these new laws were put in place, India's farmers were being pushed to the brink. Millions are in debt as banks refuse to lend to the cash-strapped workers, driving them to illegal lenders that charge exorbitant interest rates. Farmer suicides in India have been on the rise, exacerbated by the ravages of the coronavirus pandemic this year.
According to Sandhu, "for many decades farmers have been protesting against the 'green revolution' model of agriculture," which emphasizes an increase in productivity above all else including farmer livelihoods. Writing for CNN.com, Simran Jeet Singh and Gunisha Kaur explained, "Just as some medications are tested on humans of developing countries before being accepted in developed nations, the Green Revolution was an agricultural experiment tested out on the fields of Punjab."
In further unleashing market forces on farmers through his new laws, Modi may have gone too far. "These very farmers are the BJP's core constituency," said Sandhu. "These are the ones who got the government elected in the first place."
Offering a stark contrast with struggling farmers are wealthy Indian elites who have seen their riches multiply each year. A 2018 report found that the wealth of the richest 831 Indians amounted to a quarter of India's gross domestic product. Chief among them is Mukesh Ambani, Asia's richest man, who has launched dozens of new businesses in the agricultural sector in just the last few months. India's second wealthiest person is Gautam Adani, and both men are considered close political allies of Modi. Protesting farmers say Modi's controversial farm bills were written to benefit the likes of Ambani and Adani. Earlier in the protests, farmers burned effigies of the prime minister and his billionaire buddies.
Modi has claimed that deregulation will bring wealth and prosperity to farmers and that objections to the laws are purely political. Because most of India's left-wing parties and prominent political figures from the opposition Congress Party have expressed support for farmers, the BJP-led government claims that farmers are being misled into believing the laws are bad for their bottom line. But one farmer from Punjab told Al Jazeera, "There is no politics in it, we feel the laws are going to benefit corporates and not poor farmers like us."
Modi has implored the farmers occupying the edges of Delhi to go home, claiming that the new laws are written to benefit them and are a "gift." He has offered to amend the laws as a compromise, but the farmers are standing firm, saying nothing less than a complete repeal of the laws will be satisfactory. India's former economic adviser Kaushik Basu agrees with them. Basu, who also served as chief economist of the World Bank and is currently a professor of economics at Cornell University, said the bills were "flawed" and "detrimental to farmers." He explained, "Our agriculture regulation needs change but the new laws will end up serving corporate interests more than farmers."
The new laws impact farmers' control over what to grow, whom to sell to, what prices they can rely on, and whether or not their crops will have buyers—all presented in the form of an unsolicited "gift" from a government that for years has ignored their plight. It's no wonder they are rebelling.
Solidarity with Indian farmers is high across the nation. In late November, nearly a dozen trade unions launched a massive general strike, bringing the nation to a standstill for a day. More than 250 million people are estimated to have participated, making it the world's largest protest in history. The farmers called for a second strike a week later and remain on the outskirts of New Delhi, blocking five major highways and saying they aren't leaving anytime soon. Sandhu shared that "farmers from Punjab and Haryana came with rations of their own for six months to one year and are willing to stick it out. The farmers who are coming from longer distances will be fed by those who are already there."
Indian agriculture affects the rest of the world, with a large percentage of the global spice market originating from Indian farms. Exported staples such as rice and milk and even cotton used by the apparel industry could be impacted by the new laws.
Diaspora Indians are now speaking out. Thousands of Indian origin residents of Britain rallied in London, declaring, "We stand with farmers of Punjab." Canadian Indians protested in various cities, with many saying they still had family who farmed in India. In California—home to a large population of Punjabi Indian Americans, many of whom are farmers themselves—a massive car rally in Silicon Valley called attention to the farmers' demands. And in Seattle, Councilmember Kshama Sawant of the Socialist Alternative Party sponsored a resolution to express solidarity with Indian farmers.
For now, a stalemate remains with the government and farmers facing off against one another, refusing to back down. Sawant had perhaps the most eloquent framing of what's at stake, saying, "Indian farmers are facing the same exploitation by the billionaire class that farmers and workers are facing worldwide."
Sonali Kolhatkar is the founder, host and executive producer of "Rising Up With Sonali," a television and radio show that airs on Free Speech TV and Pacifica stations. She is a writing fellow for the Economy for All project at the Independent Media Institute.
This article was produced by Economy for All, a project of the Independent Media Institute.


alternet--2020-12-19--'Baffling': Trump administration reportedly slashes vaccine shipments while millions sit on shelves

Officials from more than a dozen states say the Trump administration has informed them that next week 's Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine allotments to their jurisdictions are being substantially reduced , prompting confusion and outrage .
The development comes even as Pfizer insists that it has millions of doses ready to ship if given instructions by the federal government .
Coronavirus inoculation in the U.S. began Monday as the country 's pandemic death toll surpassed 300,000 .
Hundreds of thousands of people—mostly frontline healthcare workers and nursing home residents whom the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the vaccine .
But Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee ( D ) tweeted Thursday that the CDC `` has informed us that [ Washington 's ] vaccine allocation will be cut by 40 % next week—and that all states are seeing similar cuts . ''
`` This is disruptive and frustrating , '' Inslee added .
`` We need accurate , predictable numbers to plan and ensure on-the-ground success .
No explanation was given . ''
The Associated Press reported Friday that `` California , where an explosion in cases is straining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , will receive 160,000 fewer vaccine doses than state officials had anticipated next week—a roughly 40 % reduction . ''
Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan ( R ) said his state was also told it would receive a smaller shipment than expected , The Hill reported Thursday .
In addition , Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ( D ) on Wednesday said he `` anticipates about half as many doses as was originally promised . ''
Other affected states , AP reported , include Connecticut , Georgia , Hawaii , Indiana , Iowa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Montana , Nebraska , Nevada , and New Hampshire .
Adding to the chorus of governors expressing concern was Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis ( R ) , who said Wednesday that `` new shipments were 'on hold , ' and that if they arrive , he is anticipating fewer doses than he was previously told , '' The Hill reported .
But unlike his colleagues in other states , DeSantis blamed unspecified `` production issues . ''
Pfizer on Thursday denied that underproduction is the cause of diminished vaccine distributions , instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided by the Trump administration .
In a statement , the company said that it `` successfully shipped all 2.9 million doses that we were asked to ship by the U.S. government to the locations specified by them . ''
`` We have millions more doses sitting in our warehouse but , as of now , we have not received any shipment instructions for additional doses , '' Pfizer added .
While the announcement of shipping cuts has prompted `` worries about potential delays in shots for healthcare workers and long-term residents , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration officials on Thursday downplayed the risk of delays , citing a confusion over semantics . ''
Speaking anonymously , two Trump administration officials told AP that `` states will receive their full allocations , but misunderstandings about vaccine supply and changes to the delivery schedule may be creating confusion . ''
`` The initial numbers of available doses that were provided to states were projections based on information from the manufacturers , not fixed allocations , '' one official said .
`` Some state officials may have misunderstood that . ''
Pfizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far as production goes , nothing has changed . ''
In an email to AP , company spokesman Eamonn Nolan said , `` No shipments containing the vaccine are on hold or delayed .
We are continuing to dispatch our orders to the locations specified by the U.S .
government . ''
The two unnamed Trump administration officials told AP that `` changes the federal government made to the delivery schedule , at the request of governors , may be contributing to a mistaken impression that fewer doses are coming . ''
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` involves spacing out delivery of states ' weekly allocations over several days to make distribution more manageable . ''
The news outlet added that , according to the Trump administration officials , `` Pfizer 's statement about doses awaiting shipping instructions , while technically accurate , conveniently omits the explanation : It was planned that way . ''
This message was reiterated by a spokeswoman from Health and Human Services who contradicted governors ' claims that distribution plans have changed .
`` Reports that jurisdictions ' allocations are being reduced are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hill .
`` As was done with the initial shipments of Pfizer vaccines , jurisdictions will receive vaccines at different sites over several days .
This eases the burden on the jurisdictions and spreads the workload across multiple days . ''
The pace of inoculation is expected to ramp up next week as long as Moderna receives federal authorization for its vaccine .
While the arrival of an additional vaccine is welcome news , public officials at the state level are demanding better communication and leadership from Washington , D.C. '' States need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the federal government as we continue the large and complex process of distributing this critical Covid-19 vaccine across the nation , '' Nevada Gov .
Steve Sisolak ( D ) said in a statement after his state 's next allocation was slashed 42 % to 17,550 doses .
`` To slash allocations for states—without any explanation whatsoever—is disruptive and baffling , '' Sisolak added .
Journalist David Dayen warned weeks ago that a logistical crisis of this sort was highly likely as a result of the dearth of federal leadership and meager state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he called `` the largest logistical project in the history of mankind . ''

Officials from more than a dozen states say the Trump administration has informed them that next week's Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine allotments to their jurisdictions are being substantially reduced, prompting confusion and outrage. The development comes even as Pfizer insists that it has millions of doses ready to ship if given instructions by the federal government.
Coronavirus inoculation in the U.S. began Monday as the country's pandemic death toll surpassed 300,000. Hundreds of thousands of people—mostly frontline healthcare workers and nursing home residents whom the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) agreed to prioritize—have already received their first dose of the vaccine.
But Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) tweeted Thursday that the CDC "has informed us that [Washington's] vaccine allocation will be cut by 40% next week—and that all states are seeing similar cuts."
"This is disruptive and frustrating," Inslee added. "We need accurate, predictable numbers to plan and ensure on-the-ground success. No explanation was given."
The Associated Press reported Friday that "California, where an explosion in cases is straining intensive care units to the breaking point, will receive 160,000 fewer vaccine doses than state officials had anticipated next week—a roughly 40% reduction."
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said his state was also told it would receive a smaller shipment than expected, The Hillreported Thursday. In addition, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) on Wednesday said he "anticipates about half as many doses as was originally promised."
Other affected states, AP reported, include Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, and New Hampshire.
Adding to the chorus of governors expressing concern was Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who said Wednesday that "new shipments were 'on hold,' and that if they arrive, he is anticipating fewer doses than he was previously told," The Hill reported. But unlike his colleagues in other states, DeSantis blamed unspecified "production issues."
Pfizer on Thursday denied that underproduction is the cause of diminished vaccine distributions, instead assigning fault to the lack of direction provided by the Trump administration.
In a statement, the company said that it "successfully shipped all 2.9 million doses that we were asked to ship by the U.S. government to the locations specified by them."
"We have millions more doses sitting in our warehouse but, as of now, we have not received any shipment instructions for additional doses," Pfizer added.
While the announcement of shipping cuts has prompted "worries about potential delays in shots for healthcare workers and long-term residents," AP noted, "senior Trump administration officials on Thursday downplayed the risk of delays, citing a confusion over semantics."
Speaking anonymously, two Trump administration officials told AP that "states will receive their full allocations, but misunderstandings about vaccine supply and changes to the delivery schedule may be creating confusion."
"The initial numbers of available doses that were provided to states were projections based on information from the manufacturers, not fixed allocations," one official said. "Some state officials may have misunderstood that."
Pfizer, however, stressed that "as far as production goes, nothing has changed." In an email to AP, company spokesman Eamonn Nolan said, "No shipments containing the vaccine are on hold or delayed. We are continuing to dispatch our orders to the locations specified by the U.S. government."
The two unnamed Trump administration officials told AP that "changes the federal government made to the delivery schedule, at the request of governors, may be contributing to a mistaken impression that fewer doses are coming."
"The key change," AP reported, "involves spacing out delivery of states' weekly allocations over several days to make distribution more manageable." The news outlet added that, according to the Trump administration officials, "Pfizer's statement about doses awaiting shipping instructions, while technically accurate, conveniently omits the explanation: It was planned that way."
This message was reiterated by a spokeswoman from Health and Human Services who contradicted governors' claims that distribution plans have changed. "Reports that jurisdictions' allocations are being reduced are incorrect," the spokeswoman told The Hill. "As was done with the initial shipments of Pfizer vaccines, jurisdictions will receive vaccines at different sites over several days. This eases the burden on the jurisdictions and spreads the workload across multiple days."
The pace of inoculation is expected to ramp up next week as long as Moderna receives federal authorization for its vaccine. While the arrival of an additional vaccine is welcome news, public officials at the state level are demanding better communication and leadership from Washington, D.C.
"States need clear and precise updates and information from the federal government as we continue the large and complex process of distributing this critical Covid-19 vaccine across the nation," Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) said in a statement after his state's next allocation was slashed 42% to 17,550 doses.
"To slash allocations for states—without any explanation whatsoever—is disruptive and baffling," Sisolak added.
Journalist David Dayen warned weeks ago that a logistical crisis of this sort was highly likely as a result of the dearth of federal leadership and meager state funding devoted to vaccine distribution, which he called "the largest logistical project in the history of mankind."


alternet--2020-12-18--Workers suffer as U.S. pandemic relief bill stalls in Congress

Not only has the coronavirus pandemic taken a staggering toll in terms of loss of life in the United States but has also caused social and economic dislocation for the working class on a massive scale .
The impact of this crisis is likely to last far beyond the distribution of a vaccine .
When the pandemic began to spiral out of control in March , Will Harris was one of the millions of retail workers who lost their income .
Harris , who worked two part-time jobs , said that as the months of unemployment dragged on , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when I needed them… I felt bad for spending on anything even if it was absolutely essential , '' and he had to start rationing medical treatments like testosterone .
Between his employers and the government , assistance was minimal or nonexistent .
`` I got the first stimulus check for $ 1,200 but that only lasted me a week or two .
I was asking for money from friends and was fortunate enough to be able to find help , but not everyone has that luxury , '' recalled Harris .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of his jobs in August , but it was impossible for him to return to his other job with the multibillion-dollar department store chain Ross because of the company 's lack of adequate communication over health precautions .
Ted Kelly , an organizer with the Philadelphia Unemployment Project ( PUP ) , said , `` Put simply , the U.S. federal government has completely failed the working class during this crisis . ''
In response , PUP `` has formed an organizing group of unemployed workers that we 're calling the unemployed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have not necessarily been activists or organizers before they lost their jobs [ during the pandemic ] but who have been inspired to take action by the tremendous failure of the state to help take care of workers ' needs , '' added Kelly .
The ultra-rich , on the other hand , are doing just fine .
Between the beginning of the pandemic in March and the end of July , U.S. billionaires managed to increase their total net worth by $ 637 billion .
Stock indexes hit record highs over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher-paid professionals had fully recovered by then , according to an August report by the Washington Post .
And in a single day in July , Jeff Bezos—the richest person on the planet—made $ 13 billion .
`` Inequality was already at historic levels before the pandemic , '' noted Karla Martin , a member of the board of directors of the pro-labor advocacy group Working Families Partnership , `` but coronavirus has pushed the gap between the rich and the poor to unthinkable levels . ''
One of the clearest examples of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the plight of tens of millions of unemployed workers is the inaction of the U.S. Congress as `` Republicans and Democrats remain deadlocked on the new package all of them claim to want , '' stated a December 11 editorial in the Washington Post .
After passing emergency legislation in the spring , when the virus first hit—which included a bailout package for big banks and corporations about the size of the economy of Germany , which has a $ 4 trillion GDP—the U.S. Congress has done essentially nothing to relieve the immense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For months , people have been anxiously awaiting new stimulus package measures being crafted by Congress .
Perhaps the most closely watched element of the negotiations between legislators is the relief for the unemployed .
A renewal or replacement is desperately needed for the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation ( FPUC ) program , a $ 600 per week enhancement to existing unemployment benefits that was passed in March but expired in August .
`` The enhanced payments to unemployed workers was an absolutely vital lifeline—in many cases [ it was ] the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most basic needs , '' explained Martin .
Kelly holds both major parties responsible for its demise .
`` Instead of extending and expanding FPUC , both the Democrats and Republicans allowed that program to expire at the end of July and left Washington before implementing a new program . ''
The Democratic Party controls the House of Representatives , one of two chambers of the U.S. legislature .
In May , they passed a bill that would enact a series of stimulus measures totaling $ 3 trillion .
A majority in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party , passed their own bill in September that funds approximately $ 500 billion worth of programs .
The Republican bill would cut FPUC in half and give companies a large degree of legal immunity from lawsuits filed by their employees over unsafe working conditions .
These measures have primarily been financed through the unique ability of the U.S. treasury to print dollars , pushing the federal government 's budget deficit for 2020 alone to $ 3.3 trillion .
To come into force , a bill must be passed by both the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed by President Trump .
The Democratic Party has taken a formal position in favor of an extension of enhanced unemployment benefits , but they have taken no serious steps to place the kind of pressure necessary on Republicans in the Senate to force the passage of a bill ensuring such benefits .
And many of the programs that social movements have been demanding are not even under consideration by either party .
`` What workers really need are moratoria on rent , mortgage , and utility payments .
Bills are stacking up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high even before COVID , '' Kelly said .
As the political system grapples with even greater turmoil in the aftermath of the November presidential election , prospects for a major relief package addressing these urgent needs are becoming even dimmer .
With the death toll in the United States climbing rapidly amid a new wave of COVID-19 infections , the pressure will be immense to act swiftly when a new Congress convenes in January 2021 .
This article was produced by Globetrotter .
Walter Smolarek is a Philadelphia-based journalist and activist , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States as well as the international activities of U.S. imperialism .
Since becoming involved in the movement against the Iraq War as a high school student , he has also participated as an organizer in social movements ranging from Occupy Wall Street in 2011 to the 2014-2015 wave of the Black Lives Matter movement and ongoing mutual aid relief efforts in the face of the coronavirus pandemic .
He is a contributor to BreakThrough News , currently serves as the editor of Liberation newspaper , and is the managing editor of LiberationNews.org .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @

Not only has the coronavirus pandemic taken a staggering toll in terms of loss of life in the United States but has also caused social and economic dislocation for the working class on a massive scale. The impact of this crisis is likely to last far beyond the distribution of a vaccine.
When the pandemic began to spiral out of control in March, Will Harris was one of the millions of retail workers who lost their income. Harris, who worked two part-time jobs, said that as the months of unemployment dragged on, "I couldn't afford all my groceries when I needed them… I felt bad for spending on anything even if it was absolutely essential," and he had to start rationing medical treatments like testosterone.
Between his employers and the government, assistance was minimal or nonexistent. "I got the first stimulus check for $1,200 but that only lasted me a week or two. I was asking for money from friends and was fortunate enough to be able to find help, but not everyone has that luxury," recalled Harris. He was able to return to work at one of his jobs in August, but it was impossible for him to return to his other job with the multibillion-dollar department store chain Ross because of the company's lack of adequate communication over health precautions.
Ted Kelly, an organizer with the Philadelphia Unemployment Project (PUP), said, "Put simply, the U.S. federal government has completely failed the working class during this crisis." In response, PUP "has formed an organizing group of unemployed workers that we're calling the unemployed organizing committee. These are people who have not necessarily been activists or organizers before they lost their jobs [during the pandemic] but who have been inspired to take action by the tremendous failure of the state to help take care of workers' needs," added Kelly.
The ultra-rich, on the other hand, are doing just fine. Between the beginning of the pandemic in March and the end of July, U.S. billionaires managed to increase their total net worth by $637 billion. Stock indexes hit record highs over the summer, and the job market for higher-paid professionals had fully recovered by then, according to an August report by the Washington Post. And in a single day in July, Jeff Bezos—the richest person on the planet—made $13 billion.
"Inequality was already at historic levels before the pandemic," noted Karla Martin, a member of the board of directors of the pro-labor advocacy group Working Families Partnership, "but coronavirus has pushed the gap between the rich and the poor to unthinkable levels."
Deadlock in Washington Over Relief Bill
One of the clearest examples of the U.S. elite's complete indifference to the plight of tens of millions of unemployed workers is the inaction of the U.S. Congress as "Republicans and Democrats remain deadlocked on the new package all of them claim to want," stated a December 11 editorial in the Washington Post. After passing emergency legislation in the spring, when the virus first hit—which included a bailout package for big banks and corporations about the size of the economy of Germany, which has a $4 trillion GDP—the U.S. Congress has done essentially nothing to relieve the immense suffering of the poor and working-class people.
For months, people have been anxiously awaiting new stimulus package measures being crafted by Congress. Perhaps the most closely watched element of the negotiations between legislators is the relief for the unemployed. A renewal or replacement is desperately needed for the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program, a $600 per week enhancement to existing unemployment benefits that was passed in March but expired in August. "The enhanced payments to unemployed workers was an absolutely vital lifeline—in many cases [it was] the only thing allowing families to meet their most basic needs," explained Martin.
Kelly holds both major parties responsible for its demise. "Instead of extending and expanding FPUC, both the Democrats and Republicans allowed that program to expire at the end of July and left Washington before implementing a new program."
The Democratic Party controls the House of Representatives, one of two chambers of the U.S. legislature. In May, they passed a bill that would enact a series of stimulus measures totaling $3 trillion. A majority in the Senate, controlled by the right-wing Republican Party, passed their own bill in September that funds approximately $500 billion worth of programs. The Republican bill would cut FPUC in half and give companies a large degree of legal immunity from lawsuits filed by their employees over unsafe working conditions. These measures have primarily been financed through the unique ability of the U.S. treasury to print dollars, pushing the federal government's budget deficit for 2020 alone to $3.3 trillion.
To come into force, a bill must be passed by both the House and the Senate, and then be signed by President Trump. The Democratic Party has taken a formal position in favor of an extension of enhanced unemployment benefits, but they have taken no serious steps to place the kind of pressure necessary on Republicans in the Senate to force the passage of a bill ensuring such benefits. And many of the programs that social movements have been demanding are not even under consideration by either party. "What workers really need are moratoria on rent, mortgage, and utility payments. Bills are stacking up and the cost of living was too high even before COVID," Kelly said.
As the political system grapples with even greater turmoil in the aftermath of the November presidential election, prospects for a major relief package addressing these urgent needs are becoming even dimmer. With the death toll in the United States climbing rapidly amid a new wave of COVID-19 infections, the pressure will be immense to act swiftly when a new Congress convenes in January 2021.
This article was produced by Globetrotter. Walter Smolarek is a Philadelphia-based journalist and activist, covering both political developments inside the United States as well as the international activities of U.S. imperialism. Since becoming involved in the movement against the Iraq War as a high school student, he has also participated as an organizer in social movements ranging from Occupy Wall Street in 2011 to the 2014-2015 wave of the Black Lives Matter movement and ongoing mutual aid relief efforts in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. He is a contributor to BreakThrough News, currently serves as the editor of Liberation newspaper, and is the managing editor of LiberationNews.org. He is a Globetrotter/Peoples Dispatch fellow.


alternet--2020-12-18--How Georgia voters are transforming America's future

Vermeshia Slay burns up the phone lines these days , encouraging Georgia voters to join the burgeoning grassroots movement to transform America 's future .
After delivering a crucial victory for Joe Biden in November , Slay and millions of other change-hungry Georgia voters set their sights on something even bigger .
They want to help the new administration put America on the path to health and shared prosperity .
By electing Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the state 's January 5 , 2021 , runoff elections for the U.S. Senate , Georgians will lock in congressional support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and build an economy that works for everyone .
Moving America forward matters so much to Slay , an American Red Cross laboratory worker and unit chair of United Steelworkers ( USW ) Local 254 , that the longtime voter threw herself into campaigning for the first time .
Slay operates a one-person phone bank from her suburban Atlanta living room , urging one registered voter after another to join the surge of Georgians pushing their state—and the country—in a fresh direction .
She wants voters to make sure they grasp the importance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats a Senate majority in January 2021 .
Many of those on the other end of the line tell her , `` We 're with you . ''
More than a million Georgians requested mail-in ballots for the runoffs , and hundreds of thousands lined up the week before Christmas for the start of early balloting—more signs that the voters who turned out in record numbers for Biden want a further hand in charting America 's future .
`` It 's a lot of people coming together and standing up for what 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that young voters , Black women , suburbanites and beleaguered health care workers , among many other groups , coalesced into a movement for change .
Their goals include social justice , economic equality , affordable health care and an end to a pandemic that 's wiped out far too many lives and jobs .
`` I think everybody is about fed up , '' declared Slay , who saw her own hours at the Red Cross temporarily reduced when COVID-19 affected blood collection efforts this past spring .
The experience gave her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of her neighbors faced even before the health crisis struck .
She knows Warnock , who grew up poor in a very large family , and Ossoff , an investigative journalist who rooted out crimes like sexual slavery and human trafficking , will help push through a long-overdue , robust stimulus package to help Americans battling to survive the recession .
Since May , the House twice passed the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions ( HEROES ) Act to support millions of laid-off workers and jump-start the economy .
Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well .
However , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , who cares more about protecting the corporations that recklessly exposed workers to COVID-19 than he does helping destitute families , refused for months even to consider the bill .
Rather than demand the Senate take up the legislation and address a spiraling crisis devastating many of their own communities , Georgia 's incumbent senators stood idly by and were McConnell 's silent partners in hanging the American people out to dry .
Adding insult to injury , these super-rich incumbents profited from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggled to put food on the table and protect their families from the virus .
`` It seems like they 're all about keeping the rich , rich , '' Slay observed .
While Americans right now need federal unemployment benefits and protection from eviction to endure the pandemic , Slay and other forward-looking voters remain fixed on a much broader agenda that will ensure a brighter , more equitable future for all Americans .
Over the past 40 years , pay for CEOs skyrocketed while workers ' wages stagnated .
Long before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of Americans struggling to afford health care and pay regular household bills , let alone prepare for retirement .
The pandemic compounded families ' financial struggles , forcing many to burn through the meager savings they did have .
That 's why voters like Slay ca n't wait to help put Biden 's Build Back Better plan into motion .
The campaign will restore America 's manufacturing base and overhaul the nation 's infrastructure , creating millions of family-sustaining jobs that rebuild the middle class and spread prosperity to communities across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunities , '' observed Slay , a single mother who struggled at times to raise two sons and an orphaned nephew .
`` They want increases in pay .
They want their health benefits .
They ca n't afford to lose anything else . ''
Georgia 's new coalition of voters also champions an increase in the $ 7.25-an-hour federal minimum wage , which traps millions in poverty .
And they want to crack down on corporations that take huge tax breaks for plants and mills but pay workers abysmal wages .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exploiting our people , '' said Darryl Ford , president of USW Local 254 , noting Kumho Tire in Macon , Georgia , received huge government handouts and then unsuccessfully fought workers who decided to join the USW to achieve decent pay and safe working conditions .
`` The spotlight is on Georgia , '' said Ford , noting Warnock and Ossoff will help Biden level the playing field for ordinary Americans .
`` We have the ball .
It 's fourth down .
If we vote , change can come . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ long history of voter suppression to sweep Biden to victory in November , it was exactly the outcome that Slay expected .
Now , she said , she 's pouring her heart and soul into the runoffs because she 's convinced that the wave started in Georgia will spread around the country .
`` It makes me feel like I 'm making a change , '' she said .
Tom Conway is the international president of the United Steelworkers Union ( USW ) .
This article was produced by the Independent Media Institute @

Vermeshia Slay burns up the phone lines these days, encouraging Georgia voters to join the burgeoning grassroots movement to transform America's future.
After delivering a crucial victory for Joe Biden in November, Slay and millions of other change-hungry Georgia voters set their sights on something even bigger.
They want to help the new administration put America on the path to health and shared prosperity.
By electing Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the state's January 5, 2021, runoff elections for the U.S. Senate, Georgians will lock in congressional support for Biden's agenda to defeat COVID-19 and build an economy that works for everyone.
Moving America forward matters so much to Slay, an American Red Cross laboratory worker and unit chair of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 254, that the longtime voter threw herself into campaigning for the first time.
Slay operates a one-person phone bank from her suburban Atlanta living room, urging one registered voter after another to join the surge of Georgians pushing their state—and the country—in a fresh direction. She wants voters to make sure they grasp the importance of electing Warnock and Ossoff and giving Democrats a Senate majority in January 2021.
Many of those on the other end of the line tell her, "We're with you."
More than a million Georgians requested mail-in ballots for the runoffs, and hundreds of thousands lined up the week before Christmas for the start of early balloting—more signs that the voters who turned out in record numbers for Biden want a further hand in charting America's future.
"It's a lot of people coming together and standing up for what's right," Slay said, noting that young voters, Black women, suburbanites and beleaguered health care workers, among many other groups, coalesced into a movement for change.
Their goals include social justice, economic equality, affordable health care and an end to a pandemic that's wiped out far too many lives and jobs.
"I think everybody is about fed up," declared Slay, who saw her own hours at the Red Cross temporarily reduced when COVID-19 affected blood collection efforts this past spring. The experience gave her a firsthand look at the financial challenges many of her neighbors faced even before the health crisis struck.
She knows Warnock, who grew up poor in a very large family, and Ossoff, an investigative journalist who rooted out crimes like sexual slavery and human trafficking, will help push through a long-overdue, robust stimulus package to help Americans battling to survive the recession.
Since May, the House twice passed the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act to support millions of laid-off workers and jump-start the economy.
Americans demanded the Senate pass the HEROES Act as well. However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who cares more about protecting the corporations that recklessly exposed workers to COVID-19 than he does helping destitute families, refused for months even to consider the bill.
Rather than demand the Senate take up the legislation and address a spiraling crisis devastating many of their own communities, Georgia's incumbent senators stood idly by and were McConnell's silent partners in hanging the American people out to dry. Adding insult to injury, these super-rich incumbents profited from highly lucrative stock trades while their constituents struggled to put food on the table and protect their families from the virus.
"It seems like they're all about keeping the rich, rich," Slay observed.
While Americans right now need federal unemployment benefits and protection from eviction to endure the pandemic, Slay and other forward-looking voters remain fixed on a much broader agenda that will ensure a brighter, more equitable future for all Americans.
Over the past 40 years, pay for CEOs skyrocketed while workers' wages stagnated. Long before the recession, rampant income inequality left millions of Americans struggling to afford health care and pay regular household bills, let alone prepare for retirement.
The pandemic compounded families' financial struggles, forcing many to burn through the meager savings they did have.
That's why voters like Slay can't wait to help put Biden's Build Back Better plan into motion. The campaign will restore America's manufacturing base and overhaul the nation's infrastructure, creating millions of family-sustaining jobs that rebuild the middle class and spread prosperity to communities across the U.S.
"Ordinary people will have better opportunities," observed Slay, a single mother who struggled at times to raise two sons and an orphaned nephew. "They want increases in pay. They want their health benefits. They can't afford to lose anything else."
Georgia's new coalition of voters also champions an increase in the $7.25-an-hour federal minimum wage, which traps millions in poverty. And they want to crack down on corporations that take huge tax breaks for plants and mills but pay workers abysmal wages.
"We've got to stop corporations from exploiting our people," said Darryl Ford, president of USW Local 254, noting Kumho Tire in Macon, Georgia, received huge government handouts and then unsuccessfully fought workers who decided to join the USW to achieve decent pay and safe working conditions.
"The spotlight is on Georgia," said Ford, noting Warnock and Ossoff will help Biden level the playing field for ordinary Americans. "We have the ball. It's fourth down. If we vote, change can come."
When energized Georgia voters overcame Republicans' long history of voter suppression to sweep Biden to victory in November, it was exactly the outcome that Slay expected.
Now, she said, she's pouring her heart and soul into the runoffs because she's convinced that the wave started in Georgia will spread around the country.
"It makes me feel like I'm making a change," she said.
Tom Conway is the international president of the United Steelworkers Union (USW).
This article was produced by the Independent Media Institute.


alternet--2020-12-18--White House reporters baffled after they’re abruptly summoned to the Cabinet room – then dismissed

The White House media pool was summoned to gather in the Cabinet room for an event on Friday , only @ @ @ @ @ event was canceled .
Several White House reporters expressed bafflement at the abrupt turnabout .
@ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump planned to issue `` a wave of pardons '' on Friday , leading @ @ @ @ @ was about to make the announcement .
`` This could be it folks , '' @ @ @ @ @ correspondent Christian Datoc on Twitter .
`` Lol sike , cancelled , '' he added @ @ @ @ @ event was called off .

The White House media pool was summoned to gather in the Cabinet room for an event on Friday, only to be told that the event was canceled.
Several White House reporters expressed bafflement at the abrupt turnabout.
Axios had reported that President Donald Trump planned to issue "a wave of pardons" on Friday, leading some reporters to believe he was about to make the announcement.
"This could be it folks," remarked Daily Caller White House correspondent Christian Datoc on Twitter.
"Lol sike, cancelled," he added moments later, after the event was called off.


alternet--2020-12-18--Reporter details why Rudy Giuliani may have just perjured himself

Rudy Giuliani was once of the face of New York City after 9/11 ; now , he 's the face of President Donald Trump 's campaign following the 2020 election .
The Trump attorney and former New York City mayor has been going to great lengths to convince the courts that Trump was the victim of widespread voter fraud — although he has n't been able to prove his allegations — and according to Mother Jones ' David Corn , Giuliani `` arguably provided false testimony several times '' when he testified via Zoom at a Missouri legislative hearing on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election results in Missouri , a state that Trump won .
Rather , Corn writes , he was the `` star witness '' for Republicans in the Missouri House of Representatives who were making a `` show of fealty to the defeated Trump '' by `` pushing a non-binding resolution declaring that they have 'no faith ' in election results in Pennsylvania , Wisconsin , Michigan , Georgia , Arizona and Nevada . ''
Corn offers some examples of possible `` false testimony '' from Giuliani .
Describing the Missouri hearing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the cases filed on behalf of Trump were decided on the merits , Giuliani stated , 'There 's been no case that 's been decided on the merits at all . '
But days earlier , in Wisconsin , a Trump-appointed federal judge named Brett Ludwig tossed out a suit filed by Trump that asked for the state 's results to be thrown out .
Ludwig ruled that Trump had standing to file the case but that his legal arguments 'fail on their merits . '
'' Other cases decided on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Corn argues , contradict what Giuliani said during the Missouri hearing .
Corn notes that Giuliani also promoted debunked claims about Georgia .
`` Through his testimony , Giuliani referred to an Election Night video recording of vote-counting employees in Fulton County , Georgia as proof of fraud , '' Corn explains .
`` He maintained this footage 'shows demonstrably the theft of about 40,000 ballots in front of your eyes . '
It does not . ''
Corn continues , Georgia officials have found no wrongdoing related to this video… .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ vowed by signing the witness form to present information that was 'true and correct , ' pushing a discredited and false story . ''
Although Corn believes that a perjury charge for Giuliani is `` unlikely , '' the Mother Jones reporter believes that Giuliani 's testimony during the Missouri hearing reflects badly on his credibility .
`` It is unlikely that Trump 's consigliere will wind up in the hoosegow because of his Missouri testimony , '' Corn acknowledges .
`` But if legislators there take seriously the oath on the witness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to kick off an investigation of the president 's mouthpiece . ''

Rudy Giuliani was once of the face of New York City after 9/11; now, he's the face of President Donald Trump's campaign following the 2020 election. The Trump attorney and former New York City mayor has been going to great lengths to convince the courts that Trump was the victim of widespread voter fraud — although he hasn't been able to prove his allegations — and according to Mother Jones' David Corn, Giuliani "arguably provided false testimony several times" when he testified via Zoom at a Missouri legislative hearing on December 14.
Giuliani wasn't challenging the election results in Missouri, a state that Trump won. Rather, Corn writes, he was the "star witness" for Republicans in the Missouri House of Representatives who were making a "show of fealty to the defeated Trump" by "pushing a non-binding resolution declaring that they have 'no faith' in election results in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada."
Corn offers some examples of possible "false testimony" from Giuliani.
Describing the Missouri hearing, Corn recalls, "Asked if any of the cases filed on behalf of Trump were decided on the merits, Giuliani stated, 'There's been no case that's been decided on the merits at all.' But days earlier, in Wisconsin, a Trump-appointed federal judge named Brett Ludwig tossed out a suit filed by Trump that asked for the state's results to be thrown out. Ludwig ruled that Trump had standing to file the case but that his legal arguments 'fail on their merits.'"
Other cases decided on the merits in Wisconsin, Nevada and Michigan, Corn argues, contradict what Giuliani said during the Missouri hearing.
Corn notes that Giuliani also promoted debunked claims about Georgia.
"Through his testimony, Giuliani referred to an Election Night video recording of vote-counting employees in Fulton County, Georgia as proof of fraud," Corn explains. "He maintained this footage 'shows demonstrably the theft of about 40,000 ballots in front of your eyes.' It does not."
Corn continues, Georgia officials have found no wrongdoing related to this video…. Yet there was Giuliani, who had vowed by signing the witness form to present information that was 'true and correct,' pushing a discredited and false story."
Although Corn believes that a perjury charge for Giuliani is "unlikely," the Mother Jones reporter believes that Giuliani's testimony during the Missouri hearing reflects badly on his credibility.
"It is unlikely that Trump's consigliere will wind up in the hoosegow because of his Missouri testimony," Corn acknowledges. "But if legislators there take seriously the oath on the witness form, they certainly have enough material to kick off an investigation of the president's mouthpiece."


alternet--2020-12-18--The Georgia runoffs' turnout could be record-breaking — as the GOP's voter suppression tactics fail

Across Georgia , turnout in the opening week of early voting for two U.S. Senate runoffs has been robust and may even set records , despite ongoing Republican efforts to disqualify voters — efforts that courts keep rejecting .
On Thursday , two federal courts dismissed GOP lawsuits to challenge the state 's processing of returned absentee ballots .
The suits , filed by local and national GOP organizations , attacked procedures that had been created by Georgia 's elected Republican officeholders , who have overseen Georgia 's elections for years .
The voter suppression efforts continue as the local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ registrations in Cobb County , outside Atlanta , by citing porous data — the Postal Service 's change of addresses .
That database would generate false positives , voter registration experts said , because it only named heads of households and addresses , while state voter files list all registered voters .
( Local officials are likely to reject the challenges , although they fit a pattern of seeking to impede voters and the process until the GOP wins . )
Meanwhile , across Georgia , early voting — called `` advance voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , December 14 , for the Senate runoffs and a seat on the Public Service Commission .
That runoff is a locally important race as that body regulates utility rates and issues such as rural broadband .
While the partisan jousting in the Senate runoffs has continued and become increasingly personal , more voters than typically participate in runoffs appear to be engaged and turning out .
`` I feel more comfortable voting in person .
There was so much controversy over the mail ballots , that we just wanted to come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who was waiting in line with her husband on a brisk morning outside a library in Milton , a northeast Atlanta suburb in Fulton County .
`` It happened to be a good day to come , '' said Shannon Kennelly , who has voted in every presidential election since 1964 .
`` We took some Covid tests and both were negative ... We figured we would n't stand in line very long . ''
The couple 's dutiful and low-key approach was a frequent sight .
More than 900,000 voters cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early voting .
The runoffs are seen as high-stakes elections , said voters , poll workers and party observers .
`` When people understand how high the stakes are , people show up , '' said Angela Clark-Smith , a lawyer and Georgia Democrat Party observer stationed in a former Sam 's Club department store which suburban Atlanta 's DeKalb County converted into a voting center .
`` They 're showing up and showing out .
We had record voting that surpassed the presidential election .
The first day , 168,000 Georgians showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That 's amazing .
People understand . ''
`` They [ voters ] will be coming out saying , 'Hey , we want to make a difference , ' '' predicted Patricia Roberts , a Dekalb County poll worker at the same site and a longtime peace and justice activist .
`` With everything that 's been going on , they are also educating their children… It 's not so much the history of why they need to vote .
It 's imperative for them to live their everyday lives better . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you 're passionate , '' said Shannon Kennelly .
Georgia 's runoff elections historically are low-turnout races where small blocs of voters can sway the outcome .
In 2020 's presidential election , 5 million Georgians voted , which was 57.3 percent of its registered voters .
By Thursday , nearly 1.3 million Georgians had applied for an absentee ballot , the U.S .
Elections Project reported .
Those already voting represent a 12 percent turnout .
Of the requested absentee ballots , one-third have already been returned and accepted , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rise .
( About 1,600 of the returned 470,000 ballots were rejected , meaning that local officials and party volunteers will try to contact those voters to cure whatever was at issue ) .
Officials expect most of the outstanding 850,000 absentee ballots will be returned either via the mail , at official drop boxes , or taken to an early voting site where voters would exchange them for a regular ballot .
Since the November 3 election , 76,000 Georgians have registered to vote for the runoffs .
Roberts , the DeKalb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers of people who had received absentee ballots were choosing to surrender their mailed-out ballot and vote in person with a regular ballot .
`` They keep saying that they do n't want any mistakes .
They do n't want any problems , '' she said .
Clarke-Smith , the Georgia Democratic Party observer in DeKalb , one of the state 's most populous counties , said that voters appear to have learned how to navigate the voting process .
She has specialized in helping voters with provisional ballots , she said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listed in their precinct 's poll books .
So far , there have been very few voter registration problems , she said , which contrasts with Republican litigation claiming widespread fraudulent voting .
`` In two days , this polling site only had one provisional ballot , which says to me that people really get it , '' Clarke-Smith said .
`` They have to be prepared to have all of their ducks in a row to come out and have their voices heard .
They are doing that .
I do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different from this one . ''
Not every poll worker had glowing reports .
Two young men in the same voting center noted most of the people voting were middle-aged and older .
They said that a lot of their peers did n't vote because they did not think that it mattered .
But across the state , various groups representing the state 's increasingly diverse demographics were already engaged in get-out-the-vote efforts .
Some of those efforts were discussed in video conference calls this week .
For example , Native Americans based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were organizing efforts to urge 15,000 Native Americans in Georgia to turn out .
Azka Mahmoud , the communications and outreach director for the Georgia chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations , said the chapter was trying to mobilize 71,000 registered voters .
In the southern part of the state , the Southwest Georgia Project was working with other women 's groups to encourage turnout .
In metro Atlanta , Asian-Americans Advancing Justice , was successfully turning out thousands of young voters .
`` There is a lot of awareness , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ various roles working in and observing elections for three decades .
`` The southern parts of Georgia are probably no different because of one determinant , which is there is a lot of transition [ underway ] in Georgia .
There are people who are coming here from lots of other states , which has really helped to make it a diverse state in general… We see it everywhere . ''
Reporting for this article from Georgia was contributed by Sue Dorfman , a photographer with the Documenting Democracy Project .

Across Georgia, turnout in the opening week of early voting for two U.S. Senate runoffs has been robust and may even set records, despite ongoing Republican efforts to disqualify voters — efforts that courts keep rejecting.
On Thursday, two federalcourts dismissed GOP lawsuits to challenge the state's processing of returned absentee ballots. The suits, filed by local and national GOP organizations, attacked procedures that had been created by Georgia's elected Republican officeholders, who have overseen Georgia's elections for years.
The voter suppression efforts continue as the local Republicans are seeking to challenge 16,000 voter registrations in Cobb County, outside Atlanta, by citing porous data — the Postal Service's change of addresses. That database would generate false positives, voter registration experts said, because it only named heads of households and addresses, while state voter files list all registered voters. (Local officials are likely to reject the challenges, although they fit a pattern of seeking to impede voters and the process until the GOP wins.)
Meanwhile, across Georgia, early voting — called "advance voting" in the state — began on Monday, December 14, for the Senate runoffs and a seat on the Public Service Commission. That runoff is a locally important race as that body regulates utility rates and issues such as rural broadband. While the partisan jousting in the Senate runoffs has continued and become increasingly personal, more voters than typically participate in runoffs appear to be engaged and turning out.
"I feel more comfortable voting in person. There was so much controversy over the mail ballots, that we just wanted to come and vote," said Toni Kennelly, who was waiting in line with her husband on a brisk morning outside a library in Milton, a northeast Atlanta suburb in Fulton County.
"It happened to be a good day to come," said Shannon Kennelly, who has voted in every presidential election since 1964. "We took some Covid tests and both were negative... We figured we wouldn't stand in line very long."
The couple's dutiful and low-key approach was a frequent sight. More than 900,000 voters cast ballots in the first four days of early voting. The runoffs are seen as high-stakes elections, said voters, poll workers and party observers.
"When people understand how high the stakes are, people show up," said Angela Clark-Smith, a lawyer and Georgia Democrat Party observer stationed in a former Sam's Club department store which suburban Atlanta's DeKalb County converted into a voting center. "They're showing up and showing out. We had record voting that surpassed the presidential election. The first day, 168,000 Georgians showed up and voted [statewide]. That's amazing. People understand."
"They [voters] will be coming out saying, 'Hey, we want to make a difference,'" predicted Patricia Roberts, a Dekalb County poll worker at the same site and a longtime peace and justice activist. "With everything that's been going on, they are also educating their children… It's not so much the history of why they need to vote. It's imperative for them to live their everyday lives better."
"Whether it's read or blue, you're passionate," said Shannon Kennelly.
Georgia's runoff elections historically are low-turnout races where small blocs of voters can sway the outcome. In 2020's presidential election, 5 million Georgians voted, which was 57.3 percent of its registered voters. By Thursday, nearly 1.3 million Georgians had applied for an absentee ballot, the U.S. Elections Project reported. Those already voting represent a 12 percent turnout.
Of the requested absentee ballots, one-third have already been returned and accepted, which suggests the voter turnout will continue to rise. (About 1,600 of the returned 470,000 ballots were rejected, meaning that local officials and party volunteers will try to contact those voters to cure whatever was at issue).
Officials expect most of the outstanding 850,000 absentee ballots will be returned either via the mail, at official drop boxes, or taken to an early voting site where voters would exchange them for a regular ballot. Since the November 3 election, 76,000 Georgians have registered to vote for the runoffs.
Roberts, the DeKalb County poll worker, said that notable numbers of people who had received absentee ballots were choosing to surrender their mailed-out ballot and vote in person with a regular ballot. "They keep saying that they don't want any mistakes. They don't want any problems," she said.
Clarke-Smith, the Georgia Democratic Party observer in DeKalb, one of the state's most populous counties, said that voters appear to have learned how to navigate the voting process. She has specialized in helping voters with provisional ballots, she said, which are issued if voters were not listed in their precinct's poll books. So far, there have been very few voter registration problems, she said, which contrasts with Republican litigation claiming widespread fraudulent voting.
"In two days, this polling site only had one provisional ballot, which says to me that people really get it," Clarke-Smith said. "They have to be prepared to have all of their ducks in a row to come out and have their voices heard. They are doing that. I don't think that many other polling places are different from this one."
Not every poll worker had glowing reports. Two young men in the same voting center noted most of the people voting were middle-aged and older. They said that a lot of their peers didn't vote because they did not think that it mattered.
But across the state, various groups representing the state's increasingly diverse demographics were already engaged in get-out-the-vote efforts. Some of those efforts were discussed in video conference calls this week.
For example, Native Americans based at Standing Rock, North Dakota, were organizing efforts to urge 15,000 Native Americans in Georgia to turn out. Azka Mahmoud, the communications and outreach director for the Georgia chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations, said the chapter was trying to mobilize 71,000 registered voters.
In the southern part of the state, the Southwest Georgia Project was working with other women's groups to encourage turnout. In metro Atlanta, Asian-Americans Advancing Justice, was successfully turning out thousands of young voters.
"There is a lot of awareness," said Clark-Smith, who has had various roles working in and observing elections for three decades. "The southern parts of Georgia are probably no different because of one determinant, which is there is a lot of transition [underway] in Georgia. There are people who are coming here from lots of other states, which has really helped to make it a diverse state in general… We see it everywhere."
Reporting for this article from Georgia was contributed by Sue Dorfman, a photographer with the Documenting Democracy Project.


alternet--2020-12-18--New report finds Trump is still furious with Georgia Republicans — and may leave them in the lurch

The White House 's post-Trump era will begin only a month from Sunday when Joe Biden is sworn in as president of the United States .
One of President Donald Trump 's activities during his final weeks in office will be campaigning for two GOP senators in runoff elections in Georgia , but according to New York Times reporters Shane Goldmacher and Maggie Haberman , Trump is n't overly enthusiastic about that task — and is only using the runoffs to promote his own fundraising .
`` Mr. Trump had been tentatively planning to go to Georgia on Saturday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to support the two Republicans in Senate runoff races there , '' Goldmacher and Haberman explain .
`` But he is still angry at the state 's Republican governor and secretary of state for accepting the election result , and simply does n't want to make the trip .
There is some discussion about him going after the Christmas holiday , but it 's not clear he will be in a more magnanimous mood by then . ''
The two Georgia Republicans hoping to stay in the U.S. Senate in 2021 are Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Loeffler is competing with Democrat Raphael Warnock , and Perdue is running against Democrat Jon Ossoff .
The outcome of these races will determine whether the Senate is controlled by Republicans or Democrats during Biden 's presidency — and whether Sen. Mitch McConnell is Senate majority leader or Senate minority leader .
Goldmacher and Haberman point out that even though e-mails and text messages from Trump have been urging Georgia residents to vote for Loeffler and Perdue , none of those solicitations are putting money directly into their campaigns .
`` Even as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Trump political apparatus has taken advantage of the grass-roots energy and excitement over the two runoffs to juice its own fundraising , '' the Times reporters note .
`` E-mail and text solicitations have pitched Trump supporters to give to a 'Georgia Election Fund , ' even though no funds go directly to either Republican senator on the ballot , irritating some Senate GOP strategists .
Instead , the fine print shows 75 % of the donations to the Georgia fund go to Mr. Trump 's new PAC , called Save @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican National Committee . ''
Trump has been furious that Biden won Georgia , a state that went to Trump in 2016 — and he has been angrily railing against Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , both Republicans , for saying that Biden won the Peach State fairly and not joining the president in baseless claims of widespread voter fraud .
As Trump sees it , top GOP officials in Georgia let him down .
But as Goldmacher and Haberman point out , those voter fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quite profitable for Trump since the election .
The Times reporters observe , `` Deflated by a loss he has yet to acknowledge , Mr. Trump has cushioned the blow by coaxing huge sums of money from his loyal supporters — often under dubious pretenses — raising roughly $ 250 million since Election Day along with the national party .
More than $ 60 million of that sum has gone to ( Save America ) , according to people familiar with the matter… .
The post-election blitz of fundraising has cemented Mr. Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the preeminent fundraiser of the Republican Party even in defeat . ''
Many of Trump 's outspoken critics on the right , including the anti-Trump conservative groups the Lincoln Project and Republican Voters Against Trump , were hoping that he would fade away if he lost to Biden .
But Republican pollster Whit Ayers believes that Trump 's prominence in the GOP will continue after he leaves the White House .
Ayers told the Times , `` There 's no bully pulpit as large as the presidency , but nevertheless , President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the future of the Republican Party .
It 's very difficult to imagine him following the same pattern as George W. Bush , Barack Obama and other presidents have followed in keeping their mouths shut and letting the new president try to govern . ''

The White House's post-Trump era will begin only a month from Sunday when Joe Biden is sworn in as president of the United States. One of President Donald Trump's activities during his final weeks in office will be campaigning for two GOP senators in runoff elections in Georgia, but according to New York Times reporters Shane Goldmacher and Maggie Haberman, Trump isn't overly enthusiastic about that task — and is only using the runoffs to promote his own fundraising.
"Mr. Trump had been tentatively planning to go to Georgia on Saturday, according to a senior Republican official, to support the two Republicans in Senate runoff races there," Goldmacher and Haberman explain. "But he is still angry at the state's Republican governor and secretary of state for accepting the election result, and simply doesn't want to make the trip. There is some discussion about him going after the Christmas holiday, but it's not clear he will be in a more magnanimous mood by then."
The two Georgia Republicans hoping to stay in the U.S. Senate in 2021 are Sen. Kelly Loeffler and Sen. David Perdue. Loeffler is competing with Democrat Raphael Warnock, and Perdue is running against Democrat Jon Ossoff. The outcome of these races will determine whether the Senate is controlled by Republicans or Democrats during Biden's presidency — and whether Sen. Mitch McConnell is Senate majority leader or Senate minority leader.
Goldmacher and Haberman point out that even though e-mails and text messages from Trump have been urging Georgia residents to vote for Loeffler and Perdue, none of those solicitations are putting money directly into their campaigns.
"Even as he displays indifference toward the Georgia races, the Trump political apparatus has taken advantage of the grass-roots energy and excitement over the two runoffs to juice its own fundraising," the Times reporters note. "E-mail and text solicitations have pitched Trump supporters to give to a 'Georgia Election Fund,' even though no funds go directly to either Republican senator on the ballot, irritating some Senate GOP strategists. Instead, the fine print shows 75% of the donations to the Georgia fund go to Mr. Trump's new PAC, called Save America, with 25% to the Republican National Committee."
Trump has been furious that Biden won Georgia, a state that went to Trump in 2016 — and he has been angrily railing against Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, both Republicans, for saying that Biden won the Peach State fairly and not joining the president in baseless claims of widespread voter fraud. As Trump sees it, top GOP officials in Georgia let him down. But as Goldmacher and Haberman point out, those voter fraud claims, however bogus, have been quite profitable for Trump since the election.
The Times reporters observe, "Deflated by a loss he has yet to acknowledge, Mr. Trump has cushioned the blow by coaxing huge sums of money from his loyal supporters — often under dubious pretenses — raising roughly $250 million since Election Day along with the national party. More than $60 million of that sum has gone to (Save America), according to people familiar with the matter…. The post-election blitz of fundraising has cemented Mr. Trump's position as an unrivaled force and the preeminent fundraiser of the Republican Party even in defeat."
Many of Trump's outspoken critics on the right, including the anti-Trump conservative groups the Lincoln Project and Republican Voters Against Trump, were hoping that he would fade away if he lost to Biden. But Republican pollster Whit Ayers believes that Trump's prominence in the GOP will continue after he leaves the White House.
Ayers told the Times, "There's no bully pulpit as large as the presidency, but nevertheless, President Trump is likely to play a significant role in the future of the Republican Party. It's very difficult to imagine him following the same pattern as George W. Bush, Barack Obama and other presidents have followed in keeping their mouths shut and letting the new president try to govern."