alternet--2020-10-07--Major poll moves South Carolina's shockingly competitive US Senate race to 'toss up'

One of the biggest shockers of the 2020 election is how well Democrat Jaime Harrison has been performing in South Carolina 's U.S. Senate race .
And now , the Cook Political Report is describing that race as a `` toss up . ''
When Harrison entered the race and challenged incumbent Sen. Lindsey Graham — who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee — the word `` longshot '' was used a great deal .
South Carolina is a deep red state — redder , in fact , than its neighbor , North Carolina , which has evolved into a swing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reelection election , but some recent polls have shown the South Carolina race to be a dead heat .
Cook 's Jessica Taylor quotes a GOP strategist in South Carolina as saying , `` It 's a jump ball at this point .
Jaime is peaking at exactly the right time and he 's got a deluge of money .
( Harrison ) is blocking every pass there is from Republicans . ''
Donations for the 44-year-old Harrison have been pouring in from Democrats all over the United States , and Graham has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alarm about how aggressive Harrison 's fundraising has turned out to be .
Taylor notes , `` Graham 's hardly hiding his worry either .
Just before the close of the third quarter fundraising books , he repeatedly appeared on Fox News shows to plead for cash , repeating his website and complaining he was being swamped by out of state money by liberals who hate him .
It 's true — Graham has put himself in far more of a national lightning rod role than he ever was when he was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Joe Scarborough , the former Republican congressman and Never Trump conservative who co-hosts MSNBC 's `` Morning Joe , '' has slammed Graham for going from being `` John McCain 's wing man in the U.S. Senate to Donald Trump 's carnival barker . ''
And Scarborough has repeatedly noted that as vehemently as Graham lambasted Trump in 2016 , he is not one of Trump 's most obsequious sycophants — a fact that obviously is n't lost on all the Democrats who have been donating to Harrison 's campaign .
Taylor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leadership Fund has come in to help bail Graham out to the tune of $ 10 million so far spent or reserved through Election Day .
The fact that they 're also spending in Kansas , another usually ruby-red state at the federal level , shows how truly in danger the GOP 's Senate majority is . ''

One of the biggest shockers of the 2020 election is how well Democrat Jaime Harrison has been performing in South Carolina's U.S. Senate race. And now, the Cook Political Report is describing that race as a "toss up."
When Harrison entered the race and challenged incumbent Sen. Lindsey Graham — who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee — the word "longshot" was used a great deal. South Carolina is a deep red state — redder, in fact, than its neighbor, North Carolina, which has evolved into a swing state. Graham was expecting to win reelection election, but some recent polls have shown the South Carolina race to be a dead heat.
Cook's Jessica Taylor quotes a GOP strategist in South Carolina as saying, "It's a jump ball at this point. Jaime is peaking at exactly the right time and he's got a deluge of money. (Harrison) is blocking every pass there is from Republicans."
Donations for the 44-year-old Harrison have been pouring in from Democrats all over the United States, and Graham has been on GOP-friendly Fox News sounding the alarm about how aggressive Harrison's fundraising has turned out to be.
Taylor notes, "Graham's hardly hiding his worry either. Just before the close of the third quarter fundraising books, he repeatedly appeared on Fox News shows to plead for cash, repeating his website and complaining he was being swamped by out of state money by liberals who hate him. It's true — Graham has put himself in far more of a national lightning rod role than he ever was when he was the late Sen. John McCain's sidekick."
Joe Scarborough, the former Republican congressman and Never Trump conservative who co-hosts MSNBC's "Morning Joe," has slammed Graham for going from being "John McCain's wing man in the U.S. Senate to Donald Trump's carnival barker." And Scarborough has repeatedly noted that as vehemently as Graham lambasted Trump in 2016, he is not one of Trump's most obsequious sycophants — a fact that obviously isn't lost on all the Democrats who have been donating to Harrison's campaign.
Taylor observes, "Now, the Senate Leadership Fund has come in to help bail Graham out to the tune of $10 million so far spent or reserved through Election Day. The fact that they're also spending in Kansas, another usually ruby-red state at the federal level, shows how truly in danger the GOP's Senate majority is."


alternet--2020-10-07--McConnell snaps at opponent Amy McGrath for requesting pre-debate COVID-19 testing

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) was n't pleased with his Democratic opponent Amy McGrath 's request for coronavirus testing ahead of their upcoming debate , scheduled for October 12 .
In addition to that request , McGrath also challenged McConnell to take a COVID test at least once a week due to him being a public servant in close contact with White House officials and Kentucky residents .
However , McConnell is pushing back against both requests .
The Kentucky lawmaker released a statement in response to McGrath 's request .
While taking a dig at his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather take the advice of his own doctor .
He also alluded to McGrath 's suggestion as being `` erratic and uninformed campaign rhetoric . ''
`` I 'm unaware where Amy McGrath went to medical school , but I take my health care advice from my doctor , not my political opponent .
At the end of the campaign season , it 's imperative for all of us to tune out erratic and uninformed campaign rhetoric and make health care decisions for ourselves based on CDC guidance and our health care professionals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Despite McConnell 's claim that he does follow the guidelines laid out by the ( CDC ) , McGrath still insists Republican lawmakers ' actions prove they still do not take the pandemic seriously .
`` We are in the brink of a constitutional crisis , with our president and members of Congress now infected with a potentially deadly disease , and McConnell still is n't taking this seriously , '' said McGrath .
`` We are scheduled to take the stage together for a debate in a week , and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the day of the debate at the very least .
It is just basic respect to those working to get this debate done safely . ''
McGrath and McConnell 's verbal exchange comes just days after the reported coronavirus outbreak at the White House .
Now , multiple Senate Republicans have tested positive for the coronavirus and even McConnell admitted that there have been `` risky behaviors '' at the White House .
However , it is still unclear whether or not McConnell will agree to McGrath 's request ahead of their scheduled @ @

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) wasn't pleased with his Democratic opponent Amy McGrath's request for coronavirus testing ahead of their upcoming debate, scheduled for October 12.
In addition to that request, McGrath also challenged McConnell to take a COVID test at least once a week due to him being a public servant in close contact with White House officials and Kentucky residents. However, McConnell is pushing back against both requests.
The Kentucky lawmaker released a statement in response to McGrath's request. While taking a dig at his opponent, McConnell insisted that he would rather take the advice of his own doctor. He also alluded to McGrath's suggestion as being "erratic and uninformed campaign rhetoric."
"I'm unaware where Amy McGrath went to medical school, but I take my health care advice from my doctor, not my political opponent. At the end of the campaign season, it's imperative for all of us to tune out erratic and uninformed campaign rhetoric and make health care decisions for ourselves based on CDC guidance and our health care professionals," McConnell said in a statement.
Despite McConnell's claim that he does follow the guidelines laid out by the (CDC), McGrath still insists Republican lawmakers' actions prove they still do not take the pandemic seriously.
"We are in the brink of a constitutional crisis, with our president and members of Congress now infected with a potentially deadly disease, and McConnell still isn't taking this seriously," said McGrath. "We are scheduled to take the stage together for a debate in a week, and he must get tested and release the results the day of the debate at the very least. It is just basic respect to those working to get this debate done safely."
McGrath and McConnell's verbal exchange comes just days after the reported coronavirus outbreak at the White House. Now, multiple Senate Republicans have tested positive for the coronavirus and even McConnell admitted that there have been "risky behaviors" at the White House. However, it is still unclear whether or not McConnell will agree to McGrath's request ahead of their scheduled debate.


alternet--2020-10-07--Here's what we know about Dexamethasone, the COVID-19 drug that can cause delirium and hallucination

Here's what we know about Dexamethasone, the COVID-19 drug that can cause delirium and hallucinations

In order to help treat COVID-19 , President Donald Trump is taking a steroid that can cause mood swings , confusion , depression , delirium and nervousness .
Trump was prescribed the drug , known as dexamethasone , after being diagnosed with COVID-19 and staying at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington , D.C. for four days .
Despite being released on Monday , there is no indication that Trump will stop taking dexamethasone , which can cause a number of psychological side effects .
The more common psychological side effects include mood swings , nervousness and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common side effects include hallucinations , delirium , confusion , depression and paranoia .
The medical website also says that the mood swings are the only common psychological side effect that can express itself severely .
Though rare , WebMD reports that paranoia , delirium and hallucinations `` tend to have a Severe expression '' when exhibited by dexamethasone users .
Scrutiny over Trump 's drug regimen increased yesterday after the president returned to the White House after being treated for COVID-19 in Walter Reed Medical Center .
After returning to the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` better than ( I ) did 20 years ago . ''
Earlier on Monday between and 6:47 AM and 7:14 AM Eastern Time , when he was still in the hospital , the president issued 16 tweet missives in all capital letters of varying degrees of comprehensibility .
The International Myeloma Foundation says that dexamethasone can lead to difficulty thinking and personality changes , according to Reuters .
An infectious disease expert who spoke to the wire service , Dr. Edward Jones-Lopez of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous medications to use .
That is why it ( dexamethasone ) is used in severe to critical patients ...
There can be neuropsychiatric side effects .
These are medications that we use very , very carefully . ''
In addition to the potential psychological complications , there are also serious potential physical complications from using dexamethasone .
Although the drug has reduced death rates by roughly one third among people with severe cases of COVID-19 , it can also harm people who are not as sick by artificially suppressing their natural immune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection , water retention and weight gain .
`` Dexamethasone is only approved for patients with very severe disease mechanically ventilated in the hospital , so the President does not fit the criteria for dexamethasone by the statements coming from his doctors , and this drug can cause harm in more mild disease , '' Dr. Monica Gandhi , an infectious disease doctor and professor of medicine at the University of California–San Francisco , told Salon by email on Monday .
Gandhi also told Salon that there was a contradiction between the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health and the cocktail of medications he has received so far , which also include remdesivir and an experimental drug called REGN-COV2 from the biotechnology company Regeneron .
Dexamethasone , for example , is prescribed for COVID-19 cases when doctors are concerned about severely lowered oxygen levels and need to stop a patient 's immune system from fatally overreacting to the disease .
Remdesivir is prescribed to patients to help them recover at a faster rate and REGN-COV2 is prescribed , according to Regeneron , `` in patients who had not mounted their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` The drugs the President got are not given to ordinary Americans , especially the antibody cocktail which has not been approved and is still under study , '' Gandhi wrote to Salon .
`` Similarly , a patient of his description would not be given medications for severe disease ( Remdesivir , dexamethasone ) since the steroids can be harmful and the anti-viral is of uncertain efficacy in that situation . ''
Because of Trump 's age , weight and sex , he is at an advanced risk of terminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 studies reported in Nature noted that among patients in their mid-seventies and older who tested positive for COVID-19 , roughly 116 out of 1,000 ( meaning 11.6 % ) wound up dying .

In order to help treat COVID-19, President Donald Trump is taking a steroid that can cause mood swings, confusion, depression, delirium and nervousness.
Trump was prescribed the drug, known as dexamethasone, after being diagnosed with COVID-19 and staying at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington, D.C. for four days. Despite being released on Monday, there is no indication that Trump will stop taking dexamethasone, which can cause a number of psychological side effects. The more common psychological side effects include mood swings, nervousness and insomnia, according to WebMD. Less common side effects include hallucinations, delirium, confusion, depression and paranoia. The medical website also says that the mood swings are the only common psychological side effect that can express itself severely.
Though rare, WebMD reports that paranoia, delirium and hallucinations "tend to have a Severe expression" when exhibited by dexamethasone users.
Scrutiny over Trump's drug regimen increased yesterday after the president returned to the White House after being treated for COVID-19 in Walter Reed Medical Center. After returning to the White House, the president said he felt "better than (I) did 20 years ago." Earlier on Monday between and 6:47 AM and 7:14 AM Eastern Time, when he was still in the hospital, the president issued 16 tweet missives in all capital letters of varying degrees of comprehensibility.
The International Myeloma Foundation says that dexamethasone can lead to difficulty thinking and personality changes, according to Reuters. An infectious disease expert who spoke to the wire service, Dr. Edward Jones-Lopez of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, said that "steroids are always very dangerous medications to use. That is why it (dexamethasone) is used in severe to critical patients... There can be neuropsychiatric side effects. These are medications that we use very, very carefully."
In addition to the potential psychological complications, there are also serious potential physical complications from using dexamethasone. Although the drug has reduced death rates by roughly one third among people with severe cases of COVID-19, it can also harm people who are not as sick by artificially suppressing their natural immune responses. Common physical side effects include infection, water retention and weight gain.
"Dexamethasone is only approved for patients with very severe disease mechanically ventilated in the hospital, so the President does not fit the criteria for dexamethasone by the statements coming from his doctors, and this drug can cause harm in more mild disease," Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease doctor and professor of medicine at the University of California–San Francisco, told Salon by email on Monday.
Gandhi also told Salon that there was a contradiction between the White House's rosy statements on Trump's health and the cocktail of medications he has received so far, which also include remdesivir and an experimental drug called REGN-COV2 from the biotechnology company Regeneron. Dexamethasone, for example, is prescribed for COVID-19 cases when doctors are concerned about severely lowered oxygen levels and need to stop a patient's immune system from fatally overreacting to the disease. Remdesivir is prescribed to patients to help them recover at a faster rate and REGN-COV2 is prescribed, according to Regeneron, "in patients who had not mounted their own effective immune response prior to treatment."
"The drugs the President got are not given to ordinary Americans, especially the antibody cocktail which has not been approved and is still under study," Gandhi wrote to Salon. "Similarly, a patient of his description would not be given medications for severe disease (Remdesivir, dexamethasone) since the steroids can be harmful and the anti-viral is of uncertain efficacy in that situation."
Because of Trump's age, weight and sex, he is at an advanced risk of terminal complications from COVID-19. One recent compilation of COVID-19 studies reported in Nature noted that among patients in their mid-seventies and older who tested positive for COVID-19, roughly 116 out of 1,000 (meaning 11.6%) wound up dying.


alternet--2020-10-07--Watch: Martha McSally crashes and burns when repeatedly asks if she's proud to support Trump

Poll after poll has shown Republican Sen. Martha McSally losing to her Democratic challenger , Mark Kelly , in Arizona 's 2020 U.S. Senate race .
The incumbent senator tried to salvage her campaign this week during a debate with Kelly , but things did not go well for McSally when she was asked about her support for President Donald Trump and went out of her way to dodge the question .
The debate moderator asked McSally : are you proud of your support for President Trump ?
But McSally responding by attacking Kelly .
McSally accused Kelly of promoting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've seen , '' insisting , `` Candidate Kelly says that he 's an independent and a moderate — and lots of platitudes here .
But the stakes could not be higher .
If you want your tax cuts , I 'm your girl .
If you want the largest tax increase in history , you 've got somebody else over here . ''
The moderator , however , reiterated his question , saying , `` Senator , the question was : are you proud of your support for President Trump '' — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm proud to be fighting for Arizona every single day . ''
Then , the moderator repeated his question once again , and McSally continued to dodge it .
It is n't hard to understand why McSally did n't want to defend her support of Trump during the debate .
She is competing with Kelly in a swing state in which a centrist Democrat , Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema , won the state 's last U.S. Senate race in 2018 .
And polls show that former Vice President Joe Biden is quite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump won by only 3 % in 2016 .
A New York Times/Siena poll released on October 5 found McSally trailing Kelly by 11 % .
And a USA Today/Suffolk poll released three days earlier found Kelly with a 9 % lead over the incumbent senator .

Poll after poll has shown Republican Sen. Martha McSally losing to her Democratic challenger, Mark Kelly, in Arizona's 2020 U.S. Senate race. The incumbent senator tried to salvage her campaign this week during a debate with Kelly, but things did not go well for McSally when she was asked about her support for President Donald Trump and went out of her way to dodge the question.
The debate moderator asked McSally: are you proud of your support for President Trump? But McSally responding by attacking Kelly.
McSally accused Kelly of promoting "the most radical agenda that we've seen," insisting, "Candidate Kelly says that he's an independent and a moderate — and lots of platitudes here. But the stakes could not be higher. If you want your tax cuts, I'm your girl. If you want the largest tax increase in history, you've got somebody else over here."
The moderator, however, reiterated his question, saying, "Senator, the question was: are you proud of your support for President Trump" — and her evasive response was, "I'm proud to be fighting for Arizona every single day." Then, the moderator repeated his question once again, and McSally continued to dodge it.
It isn't hard to understand why McSally didn't want to defend her support of Trump during the debate. She is competing with Kelly in a swing state in which a centrist Democrat, Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, won the state's last U.S. Senate race in 2018. And polls show that former Vice President Joe Biden is quite competitive in Arizona, a state which Trump won by only 3% in 2016.
A New York Times/Siena poll released on October 5 found McSally trailing Kelly by 11%. And a USA Today/Suffolk poll released three days earlier found Kelly with a 9% lead over the incumbent senator.


alternet--2020-10-08--Trump's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett: Another step toward Christian fascism

This article originally appeared at Scheerpost .
Used by permission .
The Christian right is content to have the focus on Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett revolve around her opposition to abortion and membership in People of Praise , a far-right Catholic cult that practices `` speaking in tongues . ''
What it does not want examined is her abject subservience to corporate power , her hostility to workers , civil liberties , unions and environmental regulations .
And since the Democratic Party is beholden to the same donor class as the Republican Party , and since the media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politics , the most ominous threat Barrett 's appointment to the court represents is going unmentioned .
All fascist and totalitarian movements paper over their squalid belief systems with the veneer of morality .
They mouth pieties about restoring law and order , right and wrong , the sanctity of life , civic and family virtues , patriotism and tradition to mask their dismantling of the open society and silencing and persecution of those who oppose them .
This is the real game being played by Christian fascists , who since the early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of millions in corporate donations to take power .
Donald Trump , who has no ideology , has allowed the Christian right to fill his ideological void .
He is the useful idiot .
And the Christian right , awash in money from corporations that know their real political intent , will mobilize in this election to use any tool , no matter how devious , from right-wing armed militias to the invalidation of ballots , to block Joe Biden and Democratic candidates from assuming office .
The road to despotism is always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true for Soviet communism as it was for German fascism .
And it is true in the United States .
Capitalism , driven by the twin obsessions of maximizing profit and reducing the cost of production by slashing workers ' rights and wages , is antithetical to the Christian Gospel , as well as the Enlightenment ethic defined by Immanuel Kant .
But capitalism , in the hands of the Christian fascists , has become sacralized in the form of the Prosperity Gospel , the belief that Jesus came to minister to our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and power .
The Prosperity Gospel delights the corporations that have carried out the slow-motion corporate coup .
This is why large corporations such as Tyson Foods , which places Christian right chaplains in its plants , Purdue , Walmart , and Sam 's Warehouse , along with many other corporations , pour money into the movement and its institutions such as Liberty University and Patrick Henry Law School .
This is why corporations have given millions to groups such as the Judicial Crisis Network and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Barrett has ruled consistently in favor of corporations to cheat gig workers out of overtime , greenlight fossil fuel extraction and pollution and strip consumers of protection from corporate fraud .
The watchdog group Accountable.US found that as a circuit court judge , Barrett `` faced at least 55 cases in which citizens took on corporate entities in front of her court and 76 % of the time she sided with the corporations . ''
Her version of Catholicism is at odds with most of the positions championed by Pope Francis and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , voting rights , immigrants ' rights , health care and environmental protections .
The pope calls on the downtrodden to change the world economic order and denounces what he terms a `` new colonialism '' imposed by `` the anonymous influence of mammon : corporations , loan agencies , certain 'free trade ' treaties , and the imposition of measures of 'austerity ' which always tighten the belt of workers and the poor . ''
He speaks of the `` sacred rights '' of labor , lodging and land .
He says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dung of the devil '' and castigates industrial nations for exploiting the raw materials and labor of the developing world .
Pope Francis has repeatedly warned that time is running out to save the planet from perhaps irreversible harm to the ecosystem .
`` Let us not be afraid to say it : We want change , real change , structural change , '' the pope has stated , decrying a system that `` has imposed the mentality of profit at any price , with no concern for social exclusion or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system is by now intolerable : Farm workers find it intolerable ; laborers find it intolerable ; communities find it intolerable ; peoples find it intolerable .
The earth itself — our sister , Mother Earth , as Saint Francis would say — also finds it intolerable , '' he said .
Barrett 's religiosity , like that of other Christian fascists , is in the service of almost everything the pope condemns .
These corporations do n't give a damn about abortion , gun rights or the sanctity of marriage between a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the German industrialists who backed the Nazi Party , they know that the Christian right will give an ideological veneer to ruthless corporate tyranny .
These corporations view the Christian fascists the same way the German industrialists viewed the Nazis , as buffoons .
They are aware that the Christian fascists will trash what is left of our anemic democracy and the natural ecosystem .
But they also know they will make huge profits in the process and the rights of workers and citizens will be ruthlessly suppressed .
If you are poor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if you are paid substandard wages , if you are trapped in the lower class , if you are a victim of police violence , this is because , according to this ideology , you are not a good Christian and not blessed by God .
In this belief system you deserve what you get .
There is nothing wrong , these homegrown fascists preach , with the structures or systems of power .
It is the mantra of self-help that made gurus like Oprah and Tony Robbins rich dressed up as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fascists , allied with organization such as the Federalist Society , have appointed two Supreme Court justices — Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh — as well as nearly 200 other judges with lifetime appointments to lower federal courts during the Trump administration .
They claim to be strict `` originalists . ''
Originalists argue that the meaning of the constitutional text is fixed and immune to interpretation .
Originalists denounce jurists who argue that constitutional law should respond to changing circumstances and values .
The Originalists already have five Federalist Society Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( Two of them , Clarence Thomas and the late Antonin Scalia , were supported in the nomination process by Joe Biden . )
The legal calculus for the Christian right no longer revolves around the concept of universal human rights but around the tenets of `` Bible-believing Christians '' who supposedly authored the Constitution .
Huge segments of the population are stripped of moral worth and legal protection .
This process is incremental and often unseen .
As the Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels understood : `` The best propaganda is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invisibly , penetrates the whole of life without the public having any knowledge of the propagandistic initiative . ''
Victor Klemperer , who was dismissed from his post as a professor of Romance languages at the University of Dresden in 1935 because of his Jewish ancestry , astutely noted how at first the Nazis `` changed the values , the frequency of words , [ and ] made them into common property , words that had previously been used by individuals or tiny troupes .
They confiscated words for the party , saturated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their poison .
They made language serve their terrible system .
They conquered words and made them into their strongest advertising tools [ Werebemittle ] , at once the most public and most secret . ''
And , Klemperer noted , as the redefinition of old concepts took place the public was oblivious .
These Christian fascists understand the deep sickness that infects American society .
They know how to exploit the moral and physical decay , as well as the despair it causes , to lure its followers towards their brand of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they lambast the cruelty , corruption , emptiness and hypocrisy of the ruling elites , especially the liberal elites .
They are not wrong when they mock cultural relativism , the idea that good and evil , right and wrong , truth and untruth , do not exist .
It is part of the sad irony that the Christian right effectively exploits this cultural relativism to seize power .
The failure of the liberal Christian church to denounce the Christian right as heretics , in the name of tolerance and cultural relativism , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At the same time , the Christian right seeks to delegitimize the liberal church as apostates .
History has shown that it is unwise to tolerate the intolerant .
The Christian fascists , like all fascist movements , seek to create their own truth .
It discredits verifiable fact , science , law and rationality .
It promises a new , glorious world of moral renewal and prosperity .
It promises a creator who will carry out miracles for believers and for America .
It calls on followers to abandon the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a world of magic .
The reality-based world , as in all totalitarian movements , is snuffed out .
The Trump administration has implanted Christian fascists in senior positions of government , including Mike Pence to the vice presidency , Mike Pompeo to secretary of state , Betsy DeVos to secretary of education , Ben Carson to secretary of housing and urban development , William Barr to attorney general , Gorsuch and Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court and televangelist Paula White to Trump 's Faith and Opportunities Initiative .
Trump gave the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key positions in government , especially in the federal courts .
Almost all the judges he has appointed were selected by the Federalist Society and the Christian right .
Many of the extremists among his judicial appointees have been rated as unqualified by the American Bar Association , the country 's largest nonpartisan coalition of lawyers .
Trump has embraced the Islamophobia of the Christian right to ban Muslim immigrants and roll back civil rights legislation .
He has made war on reproductive rights by restricting abortion and defunding Planned Parenthood .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allocated federal money to Christian charter schools .
He has ripped down the firewall between church and state by revoking the Johnson Amendment , which prohibits churches , which are tax-exempt , from endorsing political candidates .
His Christian right appointees , including Pence , DeVos and Pompeo , regularly use biblical strictures to justify an array of policy decisions including environmental deregulation , war , tax cuts and the replacement of public schools with charter schools , an action that permits the transfer of federal education funds to private `` Christian '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finished .
Brick by brick they are building a Christian fascist state .
Barrett fills one more hole in the wall .
They will do this with or without Trump .

This article originally appeared at Scheerpost. Used by permission.
The Christian right is content to have the focus on Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett revolve around her opposition to abortion and membership in People of Praise, a far-right Catholic cult that practices "speaking in tongues." What it does not want examined is her abject subservience to corporate power, her hostility to workers, civil liberties, unions and environmental regulations. And since the Democratic Party is beholden to the same donor class as the Republican Party, and since the media long ago substituted the culture wars for politics, the most ominous threat Barrett's appointment to the court represents is going unmentioned.
All fascist and totalitarian movements paper over their squalid belief systems with the veneer of morality. They mouth pieties about restoring law and order, right and wrong, the sanctity of life, civic and family virtues, patriotism and tradition to mask their dismantling of the open society and silencing and persecution of those who oppose them. This is the real game being played by Christian fascists, who since the early 1970s have been building institutions with tens of millions in corporate donations to take power. Donald Trump, who has no ideology, has allowed the Christian right to fill his ideological void. He is the useful idiot. And the Christian right, awash in money from corporations that know their real political intent, will mobilize in this election to use any tool, no matter how devious, from right-wing armed militias to the invalidation of ballots, to block Joe Biden and Democratic candidates from assuming office. The road to despotism is always paved with righteousness. This was as true for Soviet communism as it was for German fascism. And it is true in the United States.
Capitalism, driven by the twin obsessions of maximizing profit and reducing the cost of production by slashing workers' rights and wages, is antithetical to the Christian Gospel, as well as the Enlightenment ethic defined by Immanuel Kant. But capitalism, in the hands of the Christian fascists, has become sacralized in the form of the Prosperity Gospel, the belief that Jesus came to minister to our material needs, blessing believers with wealth and power. The Prosperity Gospel delights the corporations that have carried out the slow-motion corporate coup. This is why large corporations such as Tyson Foods, which places Christian right chaplains in its plants, Purdue, Walmart, and Sam's Warehouse, along with many other corporations, pour money into the movement and its institutions such as Liberty University and Patrick Henry Law School. This is why corporations have given millions to groups such as the Judicial Crisis Network and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to campaign for Barrett's appointment to the court. Barrett has ruled consistently in favor of corporations to cheat gig workers out of overtime, greenlight fossil fuel extraction and pollution and strip consumers of protection from corporate fraud. The watchdog group Accountable.US found that as a circuit court judge, Barrett "faced at least 55 cases in which citizens took on corporate entities in front of her court and 76% of the time she sided with the corporations."
Her version of Catholicism is at odds with most of the positions championed by Pope Francis and traditional Catholic teaching on women's rights, voting rights, immigrants' rights, health care and environmental protections. The pope calls on the downtrodden to change the world economic order and denounces what he terms a "new colonialism" imposed by "the anonymous influence of mammon: corporations, loan agencies, certain 'free trade' treaties, and the imposition of measures of 'austerity' which always tighten the belt of workers and the poor." He speaks of the "sacred rights" of labor, lodging and land. He says the unfettered pursuit of money is "the dung of the devil" and castigates industrial nations for exploiting the raw materials and labor of the developing world.
Pope Francis has repeatedly warned that time is running out to save the planet from perhaps irreversible harm to the ecosystem. "Let us not be afraid to say it: We want change, real change, structural change," the pope has stated, decrying a system that "has imposed the mentality of profit at any price, with no concern for social exclusion or the destruction of nature."
"This system is by now intolerable: Farm workers find it intolerable; laborers find it intolerable; communities find it intolerable; peoples find it intolerable. The earth itself — our sister, Mother Earth, as Saint Francis would say — also finds it intolerable," he said.
Barrett's religiosity, like that of other Christian fascists, is in the service of almost everything the pope condemns.
These corporations don't give a damn about abortion, gun rights or the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman. But like the German industrialists who backed the Nazi Party, they know that the Christian right will give an ideological veneer to ruthless corporate tyranny. These corporations view the Christian fascists the same way the German industrialists viewed the Nazis, as buffoons. They are aware that the Christian fascists will trash what is left of our anemic democracy and the natural ecosystem. But they also know they will make huge profits in the process and the rights of workers and citizens will be ruthlessly suppressed.
If you are poor, if you lack proper medical care, if you are paid substandard wages, if you are trapped in the lower class, if you are a victim of police violence, this is because, according to this ideology, you are not a good Christian and not blessed by God. In this belief system you deserve what you get. There is nothing wrong, these homegrown fascists preach, with the structures or systems of power. It is the mantra of self-help that made gurus like Oprah and Tony Robbins rich dressed up as the voice of God.
The Christian fascists, allied with organization such as the Federalist Society, have appointed two Supreme Court justices — Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh — as well as nearly 200 other judges with lifetime appointments to lower federal courts during the Trump administration. They claim to be strict "originalists." Originalists argue that the meaning of the constitutional text is fixed and immune to interpretation. Originalists denounce jurists who argue that constitutional law should respond to changing circumstances and values. The Originalists already have five Federalist Society Supreme Court justices. Barrett would be the sixth. (Two of them, Clarence Thomas and the late Antonin Scalia, were supported in the nomination process by Joe Biden.)
The legal calculus for the Christian right no longer revolves around the concept of universal human rights but around the tenets of "Bible-believing Christians" who supposedly authored the Constitution. Huge segments of the population are stripped of moral worth and legal protection. This process is incremental and often unseen. As the Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels understood: "The best propaganda is that which, as it were, works invisibly, penetrates the whole of life without the public having any knowledge of the propagandistic initiative."
Victor Klemperer, who was dismissed from his post as a professor of Romance languages at the University of Dresden in 1935 because of his Jewish ancestry, astutely noted how at first the Nazis "changed the values, the frequency of words, [and] made them into common property, words that had previously been used by individuals or tiny troupes. They confiscated words for the party, saturated words and phrases and sentence forms with their poison. They made language serve their terrible system. They conquered words and made them into their strongest advertising tools [Werebemittle], at once the most public and most secret." And, Klemperer noted, as the redefinition of old concepts took place the public was oblivious.
These Christian fascists understand the deep sickness that infects American society. They know how to exploit the moral and physical decay, as well as the despair it causes, to lure its followers towards their brand of tyranny. They are not wrong when they lambast the cruelty, corruption, emptiness and hypocrisy of the ruling elites, especially the liberal elites. They are not wrong when they mock cultural relativism, the idea that good and evil, right and wrong, truth and untruth, do not exist. It is part of the sad irony that the Christian right effectively exploits this cultural relativism to seize power. The failure of the liberal Christian church to denounce the Christian right as heretics, in the name of tolerance and cultural relativism, has given the Christian fascists religious legitimacy. At the same time, the Christian right seeks to delegitimize the liberal church as apostates. History has shown that it is unwise to tolerate the intolerant.
The Christian fascists, like all fascist movements, seek to create their own truth. It discredits verifiable fact, science, law and rationality. It promises a new, glorious world of moral renewal and prosperity. It promises a creator who will carry out miracles for believers and for America. It calls on followers to abandon the world of cause and effect and replace it with a world of magic. The reality-based world, as in all totalitarian movements, is snuffed out.
The Trump administration has implanted Christian fascists in senior positions of government, including Mike Pence to the vice presidency, Mike Pompeo to secretary of state, Betsy DeVos to secretary of education, Ben Carson to secretary of housing and urban development, William Barr to attorney general, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court and televangelist Paula White to Trump's Faith and Opportunities Initiative. Trump gave the Christian right veto and appointment power over key positions in government, especially in the federal courts. Almost all the judges he has appointed were selected by the Federalist Society and the Christian right. Many of the extremists among his judicial appointees have been rated as unqualified by the American Bar Association, the country's largest nonpartisan coalition of lawyers.
Trump has embraced the Islamophobia of the Christian right to ban Muslim immigrants and roll back civil rights legislation. He has made war on reproductive rights by restricting abortion and defunding Planned Parenthood. He has degraded LGBTQ rights. He has allocated federal money to Christian charter schools. He has ripped down the firewall between church and state by revoking the Johnson Amendment, which prohibits churches, which are tax-exempt, from endorsing political candidates. His Christian right appointees, including Pence, DeVos and Pompeo, regularly use biblical strictures to justify an array of policy decisions including environmental deregulation, war, tax cuts and the replacement of public schools with charter schools, an action that permits the transfer of federal education funds to private "Christian" schools.
The Christian fascists are not finished. Brick by brick they are building a Christian fascist state. Barrett fills one more hole in the wall. They will do this with or without Trump.


alternet--2020-10-08--Here are 5 standout moments from the vice presidential debate

Sen. Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence 's Wednesday night in the 2020 vice presidential debate featured far fewer fireworks — though plenty of conflict — than the previous debate featuring the candidates at the top of the ticket .
But while Pence was n't as aggressive as President Donald Trump , who shouted and interrupted former Vice President Joe Biden constantly , he similarly abused the rules .
He interrupted Harris multiple times , quite rudely , while she was far more deferential to the limitations .
He also frequently spoke over his allotted time , leading him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Page , the moderator .
Overall , it was n't a pretty picture for Pence , as he was consistently talking over women out of turn .
Harris performed reasonably well in standing up to Pence , frequently countering his lies and subverting his attempts to interrupt her .
But she also passed by many opportunities to hit the vice president on the failures of the president and the administration that a more skilled debater might have taken advantage of .
Here are five standout moments from the debate : The senator started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration on their failure of a response to the pandemic .
She pointed out that the administration could and did know how bad the outbreak could be back in January but still took insufficient steps to fight it .
Despite his attempts to dodge her attacks , Pence was never really able to provide a compelling explanation of why the administration 's efforts should be seen as acceptable or adequate , let alone impressive , given the results .
Pence responded to Harris 's attack by echoing many of the president 's false @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Most prominently , he falsely said Trump `` suspended all travel from China '' at the start of the outbreak .
While Trump did place restrictions on the travel at the end of January , thousands of people were still able to make the journey to the United States and potentially bring virus .
Clearly , the virus still made it to the U.S. , and the administration was unprepared for its arrival .
The vice president also attacked Biden , falsely , claiming Biden opposed the `` ban , '' though there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris never corrected this misinformation , though .
Multiple times during the event , Harris effectively silenced Pence 's interruptions with a calm but stern `` Mr. Vice President , I 'm speaking . ''
It was extremely effective and put Pence on the defensive .
Harris was at her strongest when she was talking into the camera and attacking the administration 's policies .
Despite Trump and Pence 's false claims to the contrary , she correctly pointed out that they 're trying to strip health care and protections from millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on health care than Republicans , this was likely an effective line of attack .
Page let Pence get away with far too much speaking out of turn , but eventually she clearly got frustrated and cut him off .
The fact that this moment got so much attention might tell us a lot about how much ( or more accurately , how little ) effect the debate will likely have on the state of the race .

Sen. Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence's Wednesday night in the 2020 vice presidential debate featured far fewer fireworks — though plenty of conflict — than the previous debate featuring the candidates at the top of the ticket.
But while Pence wasn't as aggressive as President Donald Trump, who shouted and interrupted former Vice President Joe Biden constantly, he similarly abused the rules. He interrupted Harris multiple times, quite rudely, while she was far more deferential to the limitations. He also frequently spoke over his allotted time, leading him to speak over USA Today's Susan Page, the moderator. Overall, it wasn't a pretty picture for Pence, as he was consistently talking over women out of turn.
Harris performed reasonably well in standing up to Pence, frequently countering his lies and subverting his attempts to interrupt her. But she also passed by many opportunities to hit the vice president on the failures of the president and the administration that a more skilled debater might have taken advantage of.
Here are five standout moments from the debate:
1. Harris comes out swinging
The senator started out strong, attacking Pence and the administration on their failure of a response to the pandemic. She pointed out that the administration could and did know how bad the outbreak could be back in January but still took insufficient steps to fight it. Despite his attempts to dodge her attacks, Pence was never really able to provide a compelling explanation of why the administration's efforts should be seen as acceptable or adequate, let alone impressive, given the results.
2. Pence comes out lying
Pence responded to Harris's attack by echoing many of the president's false and misleading claims about the pandemic. Most prominently, he falsely said Trump "suspended all travel from China" at the start of the outbreak. While Trump did place restrictions on the travel at the end of January, thousands of people were still able to make the journey to the United States and potentially bring virus. Clearly, the virus still made it to the U.S., and the administration was unprepared for its arrival. The vice president also attacked Biden, falsely, claiming Biden opposed the "ban," though there's no evidence he did so. Harris never corrected this misinformation, though.
3. "Mr. Vice President, I'm speaking."
Multiple times during the event, Harris effectively silenced Pence's interruptions with a calm but stern "Mr. Vice President, I'm speaking." It was extremely effective and put Pence on the defensive.
4. "They're coming for you"
Harris was at her strongest when she was talking into the camera and attacking the administration's policies. Despite Trump and Pence's false claims to the contrary, she correctly pointed out that they're trying to strip health care and protections from millions of Americans. Since Democrats are more trusted on health care than Republicans, this was likely an effective line of attack.
5. Pence gets cut off
Page let Pence get away with far too much speaking out of turn, but eventually she clearly got frustrated and cut him off.
Bonus: A fly lands on Pence's head. And stays there.
The fact that this moment got so much attention might tell us a lot about how much (or more accurately, how little) effect the debate will likely have on the state of the race.


alternet--2020-10-08--Trump's batting a perfect zero on his claims of election fraud

Three or four apocalypses back , otherwise known as last Thursday-ish if the calendars are right , Donald Trump was still making claims about mail-in ballot fraud , claiming to co-conspirator and Fox News gaping maw Sean Hannity that military ballots were `` thrown into a garbage can , and they all had the Trump name on it '' and that other ballots were `` thrown into a creek , or river . ''
The Washington Post 's Phillip Bump revisits those claims , just in case you were still wondering .
While Trump has used both the `` military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes down by the river '' stories incessantly , or at least did before he was hospitalized for the completely imaginary , no-big-deal plague he 's been spreading all over Washington , D.C. , both stories were quickly revealed to have far less conspiratorial explanations .
As far as the `` river '' story , it did n't happen .
While three trays of mail were found in a ditch in Greenville , Wisconsin , in late September , none of that mail included absentee ballots .
The incident is most likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theft—an uncommon and harshly prosecuted crime of stealing U.S. mail in searches for money , valuables , or materials useful for identity theft .
What it was n't : an attempt to throw an election .
Or even an attempt to intercept ballots , as far as we can tell .
The military ballots in `` a garbage can '' similarly turned out to be bunk .
This one is particularly eyebrow-raising because Attorney General William Barr , no longer even bothering to pretend at being anything but Trump 's personal propaganda-crafter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Trump personally as apparent fodder for Trump 's frothing `` election fraud '' claims .
Barr and his subordinates , however , may have committed a light case of fraud in bringing it up .
The ballots in question were indeed discarded—due to confusion about procedures by a temporary worker hired on at the Elections Bureau two days beforehand .
Trump 's claim that `` all '' of the nine ballots recovered were votes for himself were similarly retracted , by everyone who was Not Him .
Bump 's third example of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make the rounds or stir up as much attention—or maybe we 've blocked it out of our collective memories because of [ gestures broadly ] .
Trump claimed that the New York primary race between Rep. Carolyn Maloney and challenger Suraj Patel had been sabotaged , and that they `` have no idea where the votes are , where the ballots are . ''
Because Trump was a thickheaded lout even before they pumped him full of steroids , his imagined conspiracy bears no relationship to anything that actually happened in New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and increased numbers of rejected ballots , caused both by larger numbers of absentee ballots in general and perhaps by America 's ever-increasing number of hoops voters have to jump through in order to `` properly '' cast absentee ballots , hoops erected in nearly all cases by Donald 's own party to force more ballots to be rejected .
Not voter fraud ; disenfranchisement , if anything .
Trump 's fevered imagination when it comes to finding instances of actual election fraud continues to bat a perfect zero .
He 's been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ democratic processes , as his poll numbers continue to slide downward , as justification for challenging the results if he loses .
Barr , in particular , seems keen on that path as well .
But there 's still no evidence of coordinated fraud anywhere .
Oh—except on behalf of Republican candidates , by Republican operatives .
That 's not to say there is n't rampant cheating in our national elections , of course .
Donald Trump , in particular , has brazenly ignored campaign finance rules to , for example , provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That particular fraud landed his own lawyer , Michael Cohen , in prison .
Crimes by candidates ?
Crimes by Trump-appointed attorney generals ?
Oh , for sure—we need to be investigating and prosecuting those more rigorously , to be sure .
But fraud by voters or by election officials , in the United States , remains roughly as common as death by shark attack .

Three or four apocalypses back, otherwise known as last Thursday-ish if the calendars are right, Donald Trump was still making claims about mail-in ballot fraud, claiming to co-conspirator and Fox News gaping maw Sean Hannity that military ballots were "thrown into a garbage can, and they all had the Trump name on it" and that other ballots were "thrown into a creek, or river." The Washington Post's Phillip Bump revisits those claims, just in case you were still wondering.
Short version: Yup. Still debunked. Super, super debunked.
While Trump has used both the "military ballots in garbage can" and "votes down by the river" stories incessantly, or at least did before he was hospitalized for the completely imaginary, no-big-deal plague he's been spreading all over Washington, D.C., both stories were quickly revealed to have far less conspiratorial explanations.
As far as the "river" story, it didn't happen. While three trays of mail were found in a ditch in Greenville, Wisconsin, in late September, none of that mail included absentee ballots. The incident is most likely to be determined to be one of mail theft—an uncommon and harshly prosecuted crime of stealing U.S. mail in searches for money, valuables, or materials useful for identity theft.
What it wasn't: an attempt to throw an election. Or even an attempt to intercept ballots, as far as we can tell.
The military ballots in "a garbage can" similarly turned out to be bunk. This one is particularly eyebrow-raising because Attorney General William Barr, no longer even bothering to pretend at being anything but Trump's personal propaganda-crafter, brought the story of nine discarded ballots to Trump personally as apparent fodder for Trump's frothing "election fraud" claims. Barr and his subordinates, however, may have committed a light case of fraud in bringing it up. The ballots in question were indeed discarded—due to confusion about procedures by a temporary worker hired on at the Elections Bureau two days beforehand. Trump's claim that "all" of the nine ballots recovered were votes for himself were similarly retracted, by everyone who was Not Him.
Bump's third example of Trump l-y-i-n-g about election fraud didn't make the rounds or stir up as much attention—or maybe we've blocked it out of our collective memories because of [gestures broadly]. Trump claimed that the New York primary race between Rep. Carolyn Maloney and challenger Suraj Patel had been sabotaged, and that they "have no idea where the votes are, where the ballots are."
Because Trump was a thickheaded lout even before they pumped him full of steroids, his imagined conspiracy bears no relationship to anything that actually happened in New York. The Maloney-Patel race featured slow counting and increased numbers of rejected ballots, caused both by larger numbers of absentee ballots in general and perhaps by America's ever-increasing number of hoops voters have to jump through in order to "properly" cast absentee ballots, hoops erected in nearly all cases by Donald's own party to force more ballots to be rejected. Not voter fraud; disenfranchisement, if anything.
Trump's fevered imagination when it comes to finding instances of actual election fraud continues to bat a perfect zero. He's been frantically attempting to discredit the nation's democratic processes, as his poll numbers continue to slide downward, as justification for challenging the results if he loses. Barr, in particular, seems keen on that path as well.
But there's still no evidence of coordinated fraud anywhere. Oh—except on behalf of Republican candidates, by Republican operatives.
That's not to say there isn't rampant cheating in our national elections, of course. Donald Trump, in particular, has brazenly ignored campaign finance rules to, for example, provide hush money to adult film stars. That particular fraud landed his own lawyer, Michael Cohen, in prison.
Crimes by candidates? Crimes by Trump-appointed attorney generals? Oh, for sure—we need to be investigating and prosecuting those more rigorously, to be sure. But fraud by voters or by election officials, in the United States, remains roughly as common as death by shark attack.


alternet--2020-10-08--Trump is the grotesque id of the ruling elites

Wall Street donors , corporate CEOs , `` Never Trump '' Republicans , `` Lincoln Project '' consultants , `` National Security Professionals for Biden '' : many have expressed revulsion for Donald Trump , the man and the president .
It 's certainly understandable .
Just this week , Trump minimized his own illness , an act of self-aggrandizement will almost certainly result in more deaths .
But how many elites are repelled , at least in part , because Trump is publicly acting out impulses they hide in themselves ?
`` We do n't need a 'moonshot ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an earth shot—a range of investments grounded in science , environmental health , and social justice . ''
They Did It Their Way America 's oligarchs usually see themselves as victors in the game of life , a game played on a level playing field .
They do n't see the advantages—of race , of birth , of inheritance , or neurotic acquisitiveness—that led to their success .
They hide their own misdeeds behind closed doors , while using the media as a canvas for flattering public self-portraits .
Donald Trump is their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of them express horror at his behavior .
They may even feel that horror on a visceral level .
But the things Trump expresses—the vanity , the competitiveness , the sense that his success ( such as it is ) is his accomplishment alone—are core beliefs for most of the people who run this country .
Most politicians succeed through competition and self-promotion , and the business world 's biggest successes are self-selected for sociopathy .
The greed , the bullying , the sexual predation : they hush theirs up , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the Id of the American ruling class , the uninhibited creature summoned up from the darkest recesses – of their psyches , their campaign contributions , and their SEC filings .
When it comes to Covid-19 , Trump acted with reckless disregard for his own well-being .
Worse , he endangered others .
When he became ill , he used the people 's resources extravagantly , from helicopter rides to experimental drugs of limited availability that are typically reserved for more severe cases .
Then , after having imbibed all the resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease was `` nothing to be afraid of . ''
As Washington Post columnist Monica Hesse observed , `` President Trump 's Monday message to his citizens in conjunction with his own diagnosis , which was , essentially : Avoiding the virus is for suckers . ''
It 's easy to respond to Trump with equivalent snark—to say , for example , `` I like presidents who do n't get Covid . ''
But to do that is to downplay the deeply corrosive nature of the president 's behavior .
Predictably , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They attributed his return to the White House to some personal strengths or virtues , and not to the lavish public resources expended on his behalf .
Hesse lists several of them , from Sen. Kelly Loeffler 's `` COVID stood NO chance against @ realDonaldTrump ! ''
to Rep. Matt Gaetz ' `` President Trump wo n't have to recover from COVID .
COVID will have to recover from President Trump . ''
They talk as if Covid-19 were a movie monster that can be defeated through hand-to-hand combat and sheer force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an organism whose spread and lethality occurs within a matrix of forces , from collective behavior ( wear your damn mask ! )
to individual health and socio-economic status .
It 's the product of communal failures that range from economic inequality and racism to the absence of public health insurance .
Trump 's comments are an insult to the memory of 210,000 dead , none of whom bear the culpability for their own deaths that Trump does .
His words , and those of his minions , hide the fact that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will take a community effort—local , national , and global—to fully cure it .
Trump still has Covid-19 , as of this writing .
But he has another disease , too , one that 's even more corrosive to the public health : the disease of toxic individualism .
Most of his party has it , as do many Democrats .
The business class is a hot zone for it .
It 's hard to name a corporation , bank , or CEO that has n't acted selfishly in this crisis .
Predictably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did they do it ?
Some snapshots : Big Tech reportedly used the pandemic to double down on monopolization .
Nursing homes backed by private equity had higher rates of Covid-19 infections and deaths .
Vulture capitalists made a fortune off the pandemic by short-selling commercial real estate .
Jeff Bezos , who scored especially big on the pandemic , exploited his workers and ( through his corporation ) targeted union organizers .
So did Boeing , which was saved from its own mismanagement—and from the deaths of over 600 passengers from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Lyft , AirBnB—they cut every corner they could .
But our culture continues to uplift corporate CEOs , without acknowledging the true formula behind their successes .
And by formula , I mean something that looks like this : They use the wealth thus accumulated to corrupt our political process .
The Republicans of today are largely inseparable from big-corporate culture .
And when the Democratic Party tells members of Congress to spend four hours a day raising money , it 's telling them to spend 28 hours a week steeped in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was one .
And with every hour spent on a donor call , the disease of toxic individualism spreads .
Would the genial Joe Biden be a better steward of this system than Donald Trump ?
I believe so .
But he and the Democrats are still constrained in their thinking by corporatized individualism .
Take the `` cancer moonshot , '' headed by Vice President Biden at the close of the Obama era .
It was a touching effort , when seen in the context of Beau Biden 's tragic death .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apollo missions of an earlier era—missions that were presented as the stories of individual heroes , most with military backgrounds , who conquered the skies ( with the help of massive public spending on new technologies from defense contractors ) .
We 'll need to spend more on cancer drugs , of course , and they should belong to the public that funded their development .
But we already know how to cure many cancers .
We can cure some with better nutrition .
We can cure others by cleaning up the air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities .
We know how to cure them – but our elites do n't want to do what must be done .
We do n't need a `` moonshot '' for what ails us .
We need an earth shot—a range of investments grounded in science , environmental health , and social justice .
The same is true of Covid-19 .
Yes , we need a vaccine , and better drug treatments .
But we also need to make medical care—the same care Trump received , or close to it—available to everyone , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jayapal have proposed .
We need to eliminate racism and ageism in the delivery of care .
We need to distance , and to wear masks .
If we did those things , we would save more lives today .
It will take longer—a lot longer—to cure our toxic individualism .
We can start by naming it and diagnosing it : in Trump , in our culture , in our politics , in ourselves .
This national soul-sickness may have begun with our elites , but it 's up to us to cure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The mechanics of that cure will take many forms , but it begins with words almost too trite to mention , words like—dare I say it ?
— '' love . ''
That may have sounded like fuzzy-headed hippie sentiment last year .
Who knows ?
Maybe it was , then .
Now , our lives depend on it .
Richard ( RJ ) Eskow is Senior Advisor for Health and Economic Justice at Social Security Works and the host of The Zero Hour with RJ Eskow on Free Speech TV .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @

Wall Street donors, corporate CEOs, "Never Trump" Republicans, "Lincoln Project" consultants, "National Security Professionals for Biden": many have expressed revulsion for Donald Trump, the man and the president. It's certainly understandable. Just this week, Trump minimized his own illness, an act of self-aggrandizement will almost certainly result in more deaths.
But how many elites are repelled, at least in part, because Trump is publicly acting out impulses they hide in themselves?
"We don't need a 'moonshot' for what ails us. We need an earth shot—a range of investments grounded in science, environmental health, and social justice."
They Did It Their Way
America's oligarchs usually see themselves as victors in the game of life, a game played on a level playing field. They don't see the advantages—of race, of birth, of inheritance, or neurotic acquisitiveness—that led to their success. They hide their own misdeeds behind closed doors, while using the media as a canvas for flattering public self-portraits.
Donald Trump is their picture of Dorian Gray.
Sure, some of them express horror at his behavior. They may even feel that horror on a visceral level. But the things Trump expresses—the vanity, the competitiveness, the sense that his success (such as it is) is his accomplishment alone—are core beliefs for most of the people who run this country. Most politicians succeed through competition and self-promotion, and the business world's biggest successes are self-selected for sociopathy.
The greed, the bullying, the sexual predation: they hush theirs up, while Trump parades his in public. He is the Id of the American ruling class, the uninhibited creature summoned up from the darkest recesses – of their psyches, their campaign contributions, and their SEC filings.
Wrestling the Monster
When it comes to Covid-19, Trump acted with reckless disregard for his own well-being. Worse, he endangered others. When he became ill, he used the people's resources extravagantly, from helicopter rides to experimental drugs of limited availability that are typically reserved for more severe cases. Then, after having imbibed all the resources one body can absorb, he said the disease was "nothing to be afraid of."
As Washington Post columnist Monica Hesse observed, "President Trump's Monday message to his citizens in conjunction with his own diagnosis, which was, essentially: Avoiding the virus is for suckers."
It's easy to respond to Trump with equivalent snark—to say, for example, "I like presidents who don't get Covid." But to do that is to downplay the deeply corrosive nature of the president's behavior.
Predictably, Trump's acolytes echoed their idol. They attributed his return to the White House to some personal strengths or virtues, and not to the lavish public resources expended on his behalf. Hesse lists several of them, from Sen. Kelly Loeffler's "COVID stood NO chance against @realDonaldTrump!" to Rep. Matt Gaetz' "President Trump won't have to recover from COVID. COVID will have to recover from President Trump."
They talk as if Covid-19 were a movie monster that can be defeated through hand-to-hand combat and sheer force of will. But the coronavirus is an organism whose spread and lethality occurs within a matrix of forces, from collective behavior (wear your damn mask!) to individual health and socio-economic status. It's the product of communal failures that range from economic inequality and racism to the absence of public health insurance.
Trump's comments are an insult to the memory of 210,000 dead, none of whom bear the culpability for their own deaths that Trump does. His words, and those of his minions, hide the fact that this pandemic is a communal failure. It will take a community effort—local, national, and global—to fully cure it.
The Other Disease
Trump still has Covid-19, as of this writing. But he has another disease, too, one that's even more corrosive to the public health: the disease of toxic individualism. Most of his party has it, as do many Democrats. The business class is a hot zone for it. It's hard to name a corporation, bank, or CEO that hasn't acted selfishly in this crisis.
Predictably, billionaires got much richer. How did they do it? Some snapshots:
Big Tech reportedly used the pandemic to double down on monopolization.
Nursing homes backed by private equity had higher rates of Covid-19 infections and deaths.
Vulture capitalists made a fortune off the pandemic by short-selling commercial real estate.
Wells Fargo reportedly gamed PPP loans.
Jeff Bezos, who scored especially big on the pandemic, exploited his workers and (through his corporation) targeted union organizers.
So did Boeing, which was saved from its own mismanagement—and from the deaths of over 600 passengers from a botched tech rollout—by the government. Uber, Lyft, AirBnB—they cut every corner they could.
Vectors
But our culture continues to uplift corporate CEOs, without acknowledging the true formula behind their successes. And by formula, I mean something that looks like this:
(public resources + employee labor + own sociopathic drives/their greed + investor shares)
They use the wealth thus accumulated to corrupt our political process. The Republicans of today are largely inseparable from big-corporate culture. And when the Democratic Party tells members of Congress to spend four hours a day raising money, it's telling them to spend 28 hours a week steeped in this worldview—a soul-killing task if ever there was one.
And with every hour spent on a donor call, the disease of toxic individualism spreads.
Houston, We Have a Problem
Would the genial Joe Biden be a better steward of this system than Donald Trump? I believe so. But he and the Democrats are still constrained in their thinking by corporatized individualism. Take the "cancer moonshot," headed by Vice President Biden at the close of the Obama era. It was a touching effort, when seen in the context of Beau Biden's tragic death. But the name and framing evokes the Apollo missions of an earlier era—missions that were presented as the stories of individual heroes, most with military backgrounds, who conquered the skies (with the help of massive public spending on new technologies from defense contractors).
We'll need to spend more on cancer drugs, of course, and they should belong to the public that funded their development. But we already know how to cure many cancers. We can cure some with better nutrition. We can cure others by cleaning up the air and water, especially in our poorer communities. We know how to cure them – but our elites don't want to do what must be done.
We don't need a "moonshot" for what ails us. We need an earth shot—a range of investments grounded in science, environmental health, and social justice.
The Cure
The same is true of Covid-19. Yes, we need a vaccine, and better drug treatments. But we also need to make medical care—the same care Trump received, or close to it—available to everyone, as Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Pramila Jayapal have proposed. We need to eliminate racism and ageism in the delivery of care. We need to distance, and to wear masks. If we did those things, we would save more lives today.
It will take longer—a lot longer—to cure our toxic individualism. We can start by naming it and diagnosing it: in Trump, in our culture, in our politics, in ourselves. This national soul-sickness may have begun with our elites, but it's up to us to cure it—in ourselves, and in each other. The mechanics of that cure will take many forms, but it begins with words almost too trite to mention, words like—dare I say it?—"love."
That may have sounded like fuzzy-headed hippie sentiment last year. Who knows? Maybe it was, then. Now, our lives depend on it.
Richard (RJ) Eskow is Senior Advisor for Health and Economic Justice at Social Security Works and the host of The Zero Hour with RJ Eskow on Free Speech TV. Follow him on Twitter: @rjeskow


alternet--2020-10-08--WATCH LIVE: Vice Presidential Debate Between Kamala Harris and Mike Pence

Republican Vice President Mike Pence will square off with Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris of California—with just 12 @ @ @ @ @ of plastic between them—in their first and only debate of the U.S. election Wednesday night @ @ @ @ @ at 8:00 pm ET , the debate itself—taking place inside Kingsbury Hall at the University @ @ @ @ @ City—is scheduled to begin at 9:00 pm ET ( 6:00 pm PT ) .

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alternet--2020-10-08--Right-wing QAnon groups see their pages banned across all Facebook platforms

Facebook announced on Tuesday that it is banning QAnon content across its platforms , an action that it characterizes as part of a larger effort to stop `` Militarized Social Movements '' from recruiting people through their social media sites .
`` Starting today , we will remove any Facebook Pages , Groups and Instagram accounts representing QAnon , even if they contain no violent content , '' Facebook explained in a statement .
`` This is an update from the initial policy in August that removed Pages , Groups and Instagram accounts associated with QAnon when they discussed potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to limit the reach of other Pages , Groups and Instagram accounts associated with the movement . ''
They added , `` Pages , Groups and Instagram accounts that represent an identified Militarized Social Movement are already prohibited .
And we will continue to disable the profiles of admins who manage Pages and Groups removed for violating this policy , as we began doing in August . ''
QAnon is a conspiracy theory `` based upon the idea that there is a worldwide cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles who rule the world , essentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Travis View , the host of the QAnon Anonymous podcast , told Salon last year .
Adherents claim that this cabal has managed to control politicians , Hollywood , and the media , and that `` they would have continued ruling the world , were it not for the election of President Donald Trump . ''
He noted that QAnon views Trump as a hero fighting these malevolent sex criminals — even though the president has his own shared of sexual misconduct and assault allegations , and been accused of unwanted sexual contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and that soon , a great event will unearth the conspiracy .
Adherents also believe that they are privy to these `` truths '' about the world due to the online posts of an anonymous individual known as `` Q , '' who they perceive as an insider and freedom fighter .
QAnon followers have been linked to acts of violence , including a shooting at a D.C. pizza place which Q followers believed ran a child sex ring out of its basement .
( It did n't . )
The movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to an FBI document leaked last year .
QAnon 's haplessness has actually impeded legitimate efforts to stop child sex trafficking , as Colorado 's Human Trafficking Hotline reported last month that it was having trouble doing its job after being flooded with spurious calls by QAnon supporters .
Anti-Defamation League spokesperson Jake Hyman told Salon that QAnon `` contains a number of deeply convoluted and all-encompassing conspiracy theories , '' noting that `` several aspects of QAnon lore mirror longstanding anti-Semitic tropes .
The belief that a global 'cabal ' is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its roots in the anti-Semitic trope of blood libel , the theory that Jews murder Christian children for ritualistic purposes . ''
He added , `` In addition , QAnon has a deep-seated hatred for George Soros , a name that has become synonymous with perceived Jewish meddling in global affairs .
And QAnon 's ongoing obsession with a global elite of bankers also has deeply anti-Semitic undertones . ''
A number of prominent Republicans have been linked to QAnon conspiracy theories .
Trump himself has praised the movement , saying that `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement , other than I understand they like me very much .
Which I appreciate . ''
Republicans have been hesitant to disavow QAnon , lest they lose one fringe wing of their support base .
Notorious GOP political strategist Karl Rove called QAnon `` lunatics peddling theories that discredit conservatives , '' while the rest of his party has been more gracious .
Eighteen Republican legislators voted against a bipartisan bill earlier this week condemning QAnon , including four from Texas — Reps. Jodey Arrington , Brian Babin , Michael Burgess and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Republican congressional candidates have either openly embraced QAnon conspiracy theories or expressed indirect sympathy for the movement 's ideas .
These include Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia , Jo Rae Perkins of Oregon , Theresa Raborn of Illinois , Lauren Boebert of Colorado , Erin Cruz of California , Mike Cargile of California and Lauren Witzke of Delaware .
While many conservatives have taken to social media platforms like Twitter to accuse Facebook of violating QAnon 's free speech rights , legal experts agree that the First Amendment only prohibits the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disagree with them , not private companies .
As Rick Hasen , a law professor at the University of California–Irvine , told Salon in May when Trump threatened to retaliate against Twitter for fact-checking two of his tweets , a private company like Facebook and Twitter is `` entitled to include or exclude people as it sees fit . ''
( Ironically , any actions undertaken by Trump to punish social media platforms he regards as hostile , legal experts like Hasen and Harvard Law professor Laurence Tribe agreed , would actually violate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have made clear that the First Amendment protects the ability of private companies , including Facebook , to remove content that users post on the company 's platform , '' the Electronic Frontier Foundation 's Frank Stanton Fellow Naomi Gilens wrote to Salon .
`` Facebook 's most recent removal decision targets QAnon 's dangerous disinformation , and it 's easy to see why many people are fine with this decision .
But Facebook and other platforms have a long history of removing innocuous or socially beneficial content as well , often without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harm . ''
She added , `` For that reason , it 's essential that Facebook and other platforms voluntarily adopt and abide by transparent content moderation practices found in the Santa Clara Principles , including by establishing clear takedown rules and mechanisms for users to appeal takedown decisions . ''
While QAnon 's beliefs are patently absurd , there are real-life examples of pedophilia enablers in elite circles of American life .
`` The interesting thing about QAnon is that there 's always at least this tiny hint of truth to it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , citing pedophile rings led by Catholic clergy and billionaire Jeffrey Epstein as examples .
`` I 've talked about sometimes they 're sort of right , maybe in a very broad general sense , but their specific particular claims are always insane and far , far detached from reality .
In the case of secret pedophile rings , I mean , you do n't have to look very far to see that kind of thing actually happens . ''
That said , there is no factual basis for any of the claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among Democrats , Hollywood , the media , Jews or other groups .

Facebook announced on Tuesday that it is banning QAnon content across its platforms, an action that it characterizes as part of a larger effort to stop "Militarized Social Movements" from recruiting people through their social media sites.
"Starting today, we will remove any Facebook Pages, Groups and Instagram accounts representing QAnon, even if they contain no violent content," Facebook explained in a statement. "This is an update from the initial policy in August that removed Pages, Groups and Instagram accounts associated with QAnon when they discussed potential violence while imposing a series of restrictions to limit the reach of other Pages, Groups and Instagram accounts associated with the movement."
They added, "Pages, Groups and Instagram accounts that represent an identified Militarized Social Movement are already prohibited. And we will continue to disable the profiles of admins who manage Pages and Groups removed for violating this policy, as we began doing in August."
QAnon is a conspiracy theory "based upon the idea that there is a worldwide cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles who rule the world, essentially, and they control everything," Travis View, the host of the QAnon Anonymous podcast, told Salon last year. Adherents claim that this cabal has managed to control politicians, Hollywood, and the media, and that "they would have continued ruling the world, were it not for the election of President Donald Trump."
He noted that QAnon views Trump as a hero fighting these malevolent sex criminals — even though the president has his own shared of sexual misconduct and assault allegations, and been accused of unwanted sexual contact by more than two dozen women) — and that soon, a great event will unearth the conspiracy. Adherents also believe that they are privy to these "truths" about the world due to the online posts of an anonymous individual known as "Q," who they perceive as an insider and freedom fighter. QAnon followers have been linked to acts of violence, including a shooting at a D.C. pizza place which Q followers believed ran a child sex ring out of its basement. (It didn't.)
The movement is considered a domestic terrorism threat, according to an FBI document leaked last year. QAnon's haplessness has actually impeded legitimate efforts to stop child sex trafficking, as Colorado's Human Trafficking Hotline reported last month that it was having trouble doing its job after being flooded with spurious calls by QAnon supporters.
Anti-Defamation League spokesperson Jake Hyman told Salon that QAnon "contains a number of deeply convoluted and all-encompassing conspiracy theories," noting that "several aspects of QAnon lore mirror longstanding anti-Semitic tropes. The belief that a global 'cabal' is involved in rituals of child sacrifice has its roots in the anti-Semitic trope of blood libel, the theory that Jews murder Christian children for ritualistic purposes."
He added, "In addition, QAnon has a deep-seated hatred for George Soros, a name that has become synonymous with perceived Jewish meddling in global affairs. And QAnon's ongoing obsession with a global elite of bankers also has deeply anti-Semitic undertones."
A number of prominent Republicans have been linked to QAnon conspiracy theories. Trump himself has praised the movement, saying that "I don't know much about the movement, other than I understand they like me very much. Which I appreciate."
Republicans have been hesitant to disavow QAnon, lest they lose one fringe wing of their support base. Notorious GOP political strategist Karl Rove called QAnon "lunatics peddling theories that discredit conservatives," while the rest of his party has been more gracious. Eighteen Republican legislators voted against a bipartisan bill earlier this week condemning QAnon, including four from Texas — Reps. Jodey Arrington, Brian Babin, Michael Burgess and Bill Flores. Likewise, A number of Republican congressional candidates have either openly embraced QAnon conspiracy theories or expressed indirect sympathy for the movement's ideas. These include Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Jo Rae Perkins of Oregon, Theresa Raborn of Illinois, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Erin Cruz of California, Mike Cargile of California and Lauren Witzke of Delaware.
While many conservatives have taken to social media platforms like Twitter to accuse Facebook of violating QAnon's free speech rights, legal experts agree that the First Amendment only prohibits the government and its leaders from censoring individuals who disagree with them, not private companies. As Rick Hasen, a law professor at the University of California–Irvine, told Salon in May when Trump threatened to retaliate against Twitter for fact-checking two of his tweets, a private company like Facebook and Twitter is "entitled to include or exclude people as it sees fit." (Ironically, any actions undertaken by Trump to punish social media platforms he regards as hostile, legal experts like Hasen and Harvard Law professor Laurence Tribe agreed, would actually violate the First Amendment.)
"Courts have made clear that the First Amendment protects the ability of private companies, including Facebook, to remove content that users post on the company's platform," the Electronic Frontier Foundation's Frank Stanton Fellow Naomi Gilens wrote to Salon. "Facebook's most recent removal decision targets QAnon's dangerous disinformation, and it's easy to see why many people are fine with this decision. But Facebook and other platforms have a long history of removing innocuous or socially beneficial content as well, often without as much public notice and with more harm."
She added, "For that reason, it's essential that Facebook and other platforms voluntarily adopt and abide by transparent content moderation practices found in the Santa Clara Principles, including by establishing clear takedown rules and mechanisms for users to appeal takedown decisions."
While QAnon's beliefs are patently absurd, there are real-life examples of pedophilia enablers in elite circles of American life.
"The interesting thing about QAnon is that there's always at least this tiny hint of truth to it," View told Salon last year, citing pedophile rings led by Catholic clergy and billionaire Jeffrey Epstein as examples. "I've talked about sometimes they're sort of right, maybe in a very broad general sense, but their specific particular claims are always insane and far, far detached from reality. In the case of secret pedophile rings, I mean, you don't have to look very far to see that kind of thing actually happens."
That said, there is no factual basis for any of the claims made by QAnon about Satanic pedophile conspiracies among Democrats, Hollywood, the media, Jews or other groups.