alternet--2020-10-05--Is Trump a failure, a cheat or a criminal? Journalist breaks down 3 ‘overlapping interpretations’ of

Is Trump a failure, a cheat or a criminal? Journalist breaks down 3 ‘overlapping interpretations’ of president's tax info

The late real estate magnate Leona Helmsley 's infamous assertion that paying taxes is for `` little people '' was vividly illustrated in late September by a bombshell report from the New York Times — which , after carefully and thoroughly examining President Donald Trump 's tax information , found that he paid no federal income taxes in ten of 15 years that preceded his election in 2016 .
The fact that Trump , a self-described billionaire , was paying fewer federal income taxes , percentage-wise , than the average schoolteacher or firefighter demonstrates that Helmsley spoke a painful truth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ article published in The Atlantic on October 5 , offers some analysis of the Times ' report , and argues that there are `` three somewhat overlapping interpretations '' of Trump 's tax history : `` incompetence , malfeasance and criminality . ''
As for the `` criminality '' part , some pundits have argued that Trump , quite possibly , did nothing illegal from a tax standpoint — that , like other wealthy Americans , he simply had first-rate accountants who know how to legally game the system and manipulate the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ultra-rich .
But those pundits have also stressed that even if Trump acted legally , the fact that a billionaire paid zero federal income taxes during ten years of a 15-year period is appalling .
Thompson , who interviewed several tax experts for his article , breaks the piece down into three sections — one for each `` interpretation '' — and labels them Explanation 1 : Trump 's Businesses Are Doing Terribly , Explanation 2 : Extremely Questionable Tax Maneuvering , and Explanation 3 : A Mystery Only Prosecutors Can Unwind .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rosenthal , a senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center — and according to Rosenthal , `` His losses are staggering , especially for somebody in real estate , for whom the tax code is very generous .
In part , this reflects the changing nature of Trump 's business operations .
He used to be a pure real estate mogul .
But in the last 15 years , he 's made more money as a television star who licenses his name to various products .
He 's been incredibly unsuccessful at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
For Explanation 2 : Extremely Questionable Tax Maneuvering , Thompson quotes Ari Glogower , a tax policy expert who teaches at Ohio State University .
Glogower told Thompson , `` The tax law is clear that you do n't get to claim a business deduction for expenses that are fundamentally personal in nature .
It 's the same principle that says you ca n't deduct fancy suits just because you work in a nice office . ''
It should be stressed that in the U.S. , there is criminal tax law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evasion , which is what sent Leona Helmsley to federal prison , is a criminal matter — whereas an honest mistake on a tax return is a civil matter and can result in fines and penalties but not criminal prosecution .
If the Internal Revenue Service conducts an audit and an IRS agent decides that some of the deductions claimed on a return are not tax-deductible , the IRS does n't consider that a criminal offense but could slam the taxpayer with some stiff payments .
Some of the deductions that Trump claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , range from $ 70,000 for hair stylists to `` consulting fees '' paid to his daughter , Ivanka Trump ( now a White House senior adviser ) .
For Explanation 3 : A Mystery Only Prosecutors Can Unwind , Thompson notes Trump 's reputation for being `` the King of Debt '' and points out that he `` is pouring a mysteriously large amount of money into opaque businesses suffering mysteriously high losses . ''
Thompson explains , `` None of the tax experts I talked with said , 'Yep , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But several told me that when companies , such as golf courses or restaurants , that seem to be losing lots of money nevertheless continue in operation for many years , prosecutors might become interested in investigating money laundering . ''
According to Georgetown University tax professor Brian Galle , Thompson 's three scenarios are not mutually exclusive .
Galle told Thompson , `` There is a relationship between your interpretations one , two and three .
If you 're a naturally successful businessperson , there is less pressure to maintain your wealth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in full-fledged money laundering . ''

The late real estate magnate Leona Helmsley's infamous assertion that paying taxes is for "little people" was vividly illustrated in late September by a bombshell report from the New York Times — which, after carefully and thoroughly examining President Donald Trump's tax information, found that he paid no federal income taxes in ten of 15 years that preceded his election in 2016. The fact that Trump, a self-described billionaire, was paying fewer federal income taxes, percentage-wise, than the average schoolteacher or firefighter demonstrates that Helmsley spoke a painful truth. Journalist Derek Thompson, in an article published in The Atlantic on October 5, offers some analysis of the Times' report, and argues that there are "three somewhat overlapping interpretations" of Trump's tax history: "incompetence, malfeasance and criminality."
As for the "criminality" part, some pundits have argued that Trump, quite possibly, did nothing illegal from a tax standpoint — that, like other wealthy Americans, he simply had first-rate accountants who know how to legally game the system and manipulate the U.S. tax code for the benefit of the ultra-rich. But those pundits have also stressed that even if Trump acted legally, the fact that a billionaire paid zero federal income taxes during ten years of a 15-year period is appalling.
Thompson, who interviewed several tax experts for his article, breaks the piece down into three sections — one for each "interpretation" — and labels them Explanation 1: Trump's Businesses Are Doing Terribly, Explanation 2: Extremely Questionable Tax Maneuvering, and Explanation 3: A Mystery Only Prosecutors Can Unwind.
For Explanation 1, Thompson quotes Steve Rosenthal, a senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center — and according to Rosenthal, "His losses are staggering, especially for somebody in real estate, for whom the tax code is very generous. In part, this reflects the changing nature of Trump's business operations. He used to be a pure real estate mogul. But in the last 15 years, he's made more money as a television star who licenses his name to various products. He's been incredibly unsuccessful at owning and operating stuff in that time."
For Explanation 2: Extremely Questionable Tax Maneuvering, Thompson quotes Ari Glogower, a tax policy expert who teaches at Ohio State University. Glogower told Thompson, "The tax law is clear that you don't get to claim a business deduction for expenses that are fundamentally personal in nature. It's the same principle that says you can't deduct fancy suits just because you work in a nice office."
It should be stressed that in the U.S., there is criminal tax law and civil tax law. Income tax evasion, which is what sent Leona Helmsley to federal prison, is a criminal matter — whereas an honest mistake on a tax return is a civil matter and can result in fines and penalties but not criminal prosecution. If the Internal Revenue Service conducts an audit and an IRS agent decides that some of the deductions claimed on a return are not tax-deductible, the IRS doesn't consider that a criminal offense but could slam the taxpayer with some stiff payments.
Some of the deductions that Trump claimed, according to the New York Times, range from $70,000 for hair stylists to "consulting fees" paid to his daughter, Ivanka Trump (now a White House senior adviser).
For Explanation 3: A Mystery Only Prosecutors Can Unwind, Thompson notes Trump's reputation for being "the King of Debt" and points out that he "is pouring a mysteriously large amount of money into opaque businesses suffering mysteriously high losses."
Thompson explains, "None of the tax experts I talked with said, 'Yep, that's clearly an illegal scheme.' But several told me that when companies, such as golf courses or restaurants, that seem to be losing lots of money nevertheless continue in operation for many years, prosecutors might become interested in investigating money laundering."
According to Georgetown University tax professor Brian Galle, Thompson's three scenarios are not mutually exclusive. Galle told Thompson, "There is a relationship between your interpretations one, two and three. If you're a naturally successful businessperson, there is less pressure to maintain your wealth with tax-evasive maneuvers, or to engage in full-fledged money laundering."


alternet--2020-10-05--'Donald J. Trump defeats COVID': The absurd Soviet-style propaganda campaign around his illness

Four years ago , almost to the day , Donald Trump was on the campaign trail mocking Hillary Clinton 's bout of pneumonia and insisting that contracting such an illness rendered her too weak and unfit to be the president .
The campaign ran what was called by some the nastiest political ad ever , called `` Dangerous . ''
It depicted Clinton as a doddering invalid who was so incapacitated she could n't handle foreign policy and national security .
It 's not news that Donald Trump is a crude and cruel piece of work , of course .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident because it provided a window into his twisted psyche and the way he views his `` brand '' as being a virile strongman with superior genes .
One aspect of that brand is that he is n't one of those losers who gets sick .
Perhaps the best way to understand exactly how Trump wants people to view him is to read the ludicrous letter he dictated to his New York physician , Dr. Jacob Bornstein , during the 2016 campaign , in which he described himself as potentially `` the healthiest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' whose `` physical strength and stamina are extraordinary . ''
Various reports have trickled out since we found out that Trump had tested positive for COVID-19 , revealing that at first he was in denial about having been exposed to the virus , so much so that he flew around the country , further exposing hundreds of his supporters and donors to it .
When he finally realized that he was sick , Trump reportedly got scared , asking his staff if he was `` going to go out like Stan Chera @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the New York real estate world who died of the disease last spring .
But just as Trump has admittedly `` downplayed '' the pandemic from the very beginning — spreading more disinformation than any other source , according to a recent study — he is now attempting to `` downplay '' his own illness by staging one amateurish propaganda stunt after another .
It would be downright amusing if the stakes were n't so high , and if so many other people 's lives were n't hanging in the balance .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a scientific certainty , it certainly appears that the gathering in the White House Rose Garden to announce the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett on Sept. 26 was a `` super-spreader '' event .
There 's a long list of people who were in attendance and have since tested positive , and since it can take up to 14 days to show symptoms , there could still be more .
Trump 's reckless visit to his golf club fundraiser in New Jersey to meet with donors from all over the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his aide Hope Hicks was sick , could well have been another super-spreader event : More than 200 people were there .
It remains unclear whether Trump had been tested before his debate with Joe Biden last Tuesday .
He and his entourage showed up too late to be tested , refused to wear masks and were on the `` honor system '' when they all claimed they had tested negative that day .
The timeline strongly suggests that Trump had already been infected , and the White House is not being forthcoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Biden has tested negative three times .
But until two weeks have passed , I do n't think anyone can feel reassured that Trump 's toxic aerosols did n't make their way across the stage during his 90-minute primal scream session .
The Washington Post reports that even though the White House is clearly the site of a major COVID cluster , officials there did n't bother to issue instructions to the staff until Sunday night — and even then , all they said was that staffers should stay home and call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick .
By all accounts , people are still working at the White House without masks and the CDC has n't started any official contact tracing .
According to the Wall Street Journal , Trump told people who had tested positive to keep it quiet and even his campaign manager , Bill Stepien , was kept in the dark as the virus ran unchecked through the White House .
Stepien has since tested positive and is quarantining at home .
So it 's a chaotic mess in TrumpWorld , as usual .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way the medical professionals are handling this .
It 's clear that Trump has been much sicker than anyone let on at first .
He required supplementary oxygen at least twice , needing oxygen and has been given cocktail of experimental therapeutic drugs .
All this is clearly threatening to his self-defined brand as the `` healthiest individual ever elected . ''
Presenting that image is so important to Trump that he has apparently convinced Dr. Sean Conley , the White House physician ( and a Navy officer ) , to throw his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such obvious cover-ups he 's tripping over his own tongue .
When questioned over his inconsistent reports about the status of the president 's health , Conley replied , `` I did n't want to give any information that might steer the course of illness in another direction , '' which is such an absurd statement you almost feel sorry for him .
( Unless he really believes he could make Trump sicker by telling the truth . )
Meanwhile , Trump is staging videos from the hospital , having pictures taken of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giving the impression that he 's working in different rooms around the clock — when the metadata makes clear that the photos were taken within minutes of each other .
On Saturday night , his daughter posted this preposterous tweet : This propaganda is reaching Soviet levels of absurdity , except that instead of the party and the bureaucracy going to extreme lengths to hide the ill health of their leader , this time it 's the leader himself running the cover-up .
And because it 's Trump , it 's an outrageous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Saturday , he said : His fans are actually saying he led us into this battle against the virus by modeling the reckless and irresponsible behavior we should all be following : Apparently , Donald Trump has Made America Great Again by getting COVID-19 .

Four years ago, almost to the day, Donald Trump was on the campaign trail mocking Hillary Clinton's bout of pneumonia and insisting that contracting such an illness rendered her too weak and unfit to be the president. The campaign ran what was called by some the nastiest political ad ever, called "Dangerous." It depicted Clinton as a doddering invalid who was so incapacitated she couldn't handle foreign policy and national security.
It's not news that Donald Trump is a crude and cruel piece of work, of course. But it's worth recalling that ugly incident because it provided a window into his twisted psyche and the way he views his "brand" as being a virile strongman with superior genes. One aspect of that brand is that he isn't one of those losers who gets sick.
Perhaps the best way to understand exactly how Trump wants people to view him is to read the ludicrous letter he dictated to his New York physician, Dr. Jacob Bornstein, during the 2016 campaign, in which he described himself as potentially "the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency," whose "physical strength and stamina are extraordinary."
Various reports have trickled out since we found out that Trump had tested positive for COVID-19, revealing that at first he was in denial about having been exposed to the virus, so much so that he flew around the country, further exposing hundreds of his supporters and donors to it. When he finally realized that he was sick, Trump reportedly got scared, asking his staff if he was "going to go out like Stan Chera," an old friend of his from the New York real estate world who died of the disease last spring.
But just as Trump has admittedly "downplayed" the pandemic from the very beginning — spreading more disinformation than any other source, according to a recent study — he is now attempting to "downplay" his own illness by staging one amateurish propaganda stunt after another. It would be downright amusing if the stakes weren't so high, and if so many other people's lives weren't hanging in the balance.
Although we can't state this as a scientific certainty, it certainly appears that the gathering in the White House Rose Garden to announce the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett on Sept. 26 was a "super-spreader" event. There's a long list of people who were in attendance and have since tested positive, and since it can take up to 14 days to show symptoms, there could still be more. Trump's reckless visit to his golf club fundraiser in New Jersey to meet with donors from all over the country last week, after he knew that his aide Hope Hicks was sick, could well have been another super-spreader event: More than 200 people were there.
It remains unclear whether Trump had been tested before his debate with Joe Biden last Tuesday. He and his entourage showed up too late to be tested, refused to wear masks and were on the "honor system" when they all claimed they had tested negative that day. The timeline strongly suggests that Trump had already been infected, and the White House is not being forthcoming about his testing history. So far, Biden has tested negative three times. But until two weeks have passed, I don't think anyone can feel reassured that Trump's toxic aerosols didn't make their way across the stage during his 90-minute primal scream session.
The Washington Post reports that even though the White House is clearly the site of a major COVID cluster, officials there didn't bother to issue instructions to the staff until Sunday night — and even then, all they said was that staffers should stay home and call their health care provider if they feel sick. By all accounts, people are still working at the White House without masks and the CDC hasn't started any official contact tracing. According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump told people who had tested positive to keep it quiet and even his campaign manager, Bill Stepien, was kept in the dark as the virus ran unchecked through the White House. Stepien has since tested positive and is quarantining at home.
So it's a chaotic mess in TrumpWorld, as usual. But what isn't so usual is the way the medical professionals are handling this. It's clear that Trump has been much sicker than anyone let on at first. He required supplementary oxygen at least twice, needing oxygen and has been given cocktail of experimental therapeutic drugs. All this is clearly threatening to his self-defined brand as the "healthiest individual ever elected."
Presenting that image is so important to Trump that he has apparently convinced Dr. Sean Conley, the White House physician (and a Navy officer), to throw his integrity away in press conferences that are such obvious cover-ups he's tripping over his own tongue. When questioned over his inconsistent reports about the status of the president's health, Conley replied, "I didn't want to give any information that might steer the course of illness in another direction," which is such an absurd statement you almost feel sorry for him. (Unless he really believes he could make Trump sicker by telling the truth.)
Meanwhile, Trump is staging videos from the hospital, having pictures taken of him signing blank pieces of paper and giving the impression that he's working in different rooms around the clock — when the metadata makes clear that the photos were taken within minutes of each other. On Saturday night, his daughter posted this preposterous tweet:
This propaganda is reaching Soviet levels of absurdity, except that instead of the party and the bureaucracy going to extreme lengths to hide the ill health of their leader, this time it's the leader himself running the cover-up. And because it's Trump, it's an outrageous exercise in narcissism.
In his video on Saturday, he said:
This was something that happened, and it's happened to millions of people all over the world, and I'm fighting for them. Not just in the U.S., I'm fighting for them all over the world.
His fans are actually saying he led us into this battle against the virus by modeling the reckless and irresponsible behavior we should all be following:
They're already commemorating the great victory:
Apparently, Donald Trump has Made America Great Again by getting COVID-19.


alternet--2020-10-05--Oldest living CIA agent believes Russia infiltrated GOP long before Trump took over

The oldest living CIA agent believes Russia sank its hooks into the Republican Party well before President Donald Trump emerged as a viable candidate .
Peter Sichel was one of the CIA 's first agents at the start of the Cold War , and he sees evidence of Russia 's spycraft against Trump and the GOP in the Senate Intelligence Committee , reported The Daily Beast .
`` One great advantage the Soviets always had over us , is that they played the long game .
We thought in terms of quarters , whereas they thought in terms of years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` They were opportunistic , willing to let matters gradually develop until the right political faction or right leader to support had emerged . ''
Senate investigators found the Kremlin sought to infiltrate the Republican Party long before Trump became its nominee as part of Russian president Vladimir Putin 's effort to deny the White House to Hillary Clinton .
Putin had fostered right-wing political movements across Europe to gain influence there , and Trump 's presidential campaign promoted many of the same nationalist themes , and Sichel found numerous instances where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible Russian blackmail .
`` The KGB were absolute masters at it , '' Sichel said , `` and they would use whatever they could get their hands on .
A favorite was honey traps [ or sexual entrapments ] , but bribes , favors , whatever they could find .
And once they had their hooks into you , they owned you . ''
Paul Manafort stayed in close contact with Russian spy Konstantin Kilimnik throughout the campaign , while Donald Trump Jr. , Jared Kushner and Michael Flynn met with Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The key thing is that all of them then lied about it to investigators , and that 's where the potential blackmail comes in .
Imagine if the FBI had n't caught Flynn out , and he had remained in his post , '' Sichel said .
`` The Russians knew he lied — I 'm sure they taped all their communications with him — so they would have had him over a barrel forever . ''
The 97-year-old Sichel said the president himself continued to compromise himself by lying about his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know he does n't see it this way , but by having all this stuff brought out in public , it removes the blackmail threat , '' Sichel said .
`` The smartest thing Trump could have done when all this started to break was to just come out and say , 'Yes , it appears there was Russian involvement with my campaign , but that 's over with now , I 'm the president , so let 's move on . '
But he did n't do that , obviously .
Perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''

The oldest living CIA agent believes Russia sank its hooks into the Republican Party well before President Donald Trump emerged as a viable candidate.
Peter Sichel was one of the CIA's first agents at the start of the Cold War, and he sees evidence of Russia's spycraft against Trump and the GOP in the Senate Intelligence Committee, reported The Daily Beast.
"One great advantage the Soviets always had over us, is that they played the long game. We thought in terms of quarters, whereas they thought in terms of years or even decades," Sichel said. "They were opportunistic, willing to let matters gradually develop until the right political faction or right leader to support had emerged."
Senate investigators found the Kremlin sought to infiltrate the Republican Party long before Trump became its nominee as part of Russian president Vladimir Putin's effort to deny the White House to Hillary Clinton.
Putin had fostered right-wing political movements across Europe to gain influence there, and Trump's presidential campaign promoted many of the same nationalist themes, and Sichel found numerous instances where Trump campaign operatives opened themselves up to possible Russian blackmail.
"The KGB were absolute masters at it," Sichel said, "and they would use whatever they could get their hands on. A favorite was honey traps [or sexual entrapments], but bribes, favors, whatever they could find. And once they had their hooks into you, they owned you."
Paul Manafort stayed in close contact with Russian spy Konstantin Kilimnik throughout the campaign, while Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and Michael Flynn met with Russian intelligence operatives promising dirt against Clinton.
"The key thing is that all of them then lied about it to investigators, and that's where the potential blackmail comes in. Imagine if the FBI hadn't caught Flynn out, and he had remained in his post," Sichel said. "The Russians knew he lied — I'm sure they taped all their communications with him — so they would have had him over a barrel forever."
The 97-year-old Sichel said the president himself continued to compromise himself by lying about his own dealings with Russia.
"I know he doesn't see it this way, but by having all this stuff brought out in public, it removes the blackmail threat," Sichel said. "The smartest thing Trump could have done when all this started to break was to just come out and say, 'Yes, it appears there was Russian involvement with my campaign, but that's over with now, I'm the president, so let's move on.' But he didn't do that, obviously. Perhaps there were reasons why he couldn't."


alternet--2020-10-07--Trump's one-word tweet made people question his mental health — here's what seems to be going on

As President Donald Trump continues the struggle to recover from his case of COVID-19 , he sent entirely mixed messages on Tuesday that left some questioning whether he retained full control of his faculties .
First , as I reported earlier , Trump torpedoed negotiations with congressional Democrats over a potential stimulus bill on Tuesday afternoon , saying that he would wait until after the election until trying again .
This was , as I argued , a major blow to his own hopes for re-election , but the move itself could be coherently explained on ideological or tactical grounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or persuasive .
But just a few hours later , he seemed to completely reverse himself in a one-word tweet : Here 's the big problem with this tweet : Trump had just rejected Congress 's efforts to provide help to the economy that Fed Chair Jerome Powell is advocating in the tweet that he is calling `` True ! ''
Not only that , he 's rejecting the congressional help for precisely the reasons Powell said — in that very tweet — that we should n't be concerned with .
Trump blasted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too much money .
But that 's exactly what Powell says should n't matter — `` there 's a low risk of 'overdoing it , ' '' as the tweet said .
People responded to the one-word Trump tweet with bafflement and dismay about the president 's mental condition .
It 's easy to make jokes about , but it 's actually not funny at all and is genuinely concerning .
The president is still battling COVID-19 , a brutal infection that can take a serious toll on the mind and body .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggest he cede power to Vice President Mike Pence until he is out of the woods .
On top of that , the president is taking a group of drugs to treat his disease , including a steroid that has potential effects on cognition .
Again , we do n't want to be glib about this .
It 's very serious , and the president should n't be accused of mental instability easily or out of pure partisan sniping .
But it was hard to make sense of the president 's incongruous opinions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : potentially trillions of dollars of economic recovery funds .
Hayes Brown of BuzzFeed suggested that Trump 's point could make sense if you `` remember that Trump was always pushing the GOP to spend more .
It was n't about the bill being too big , it was that he did n't want money spent anywhere that it might help Democrats , like in big cities or blue states . ''
And that interpretation was bolstered by a subsequent tweet , sent about forty minutes later : Even so , the explanation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even on this reading , Trump clearly did n't get Powell 's point , which is that we should be willing to spend a lot of money to support the economy and that the costs of delay or insufficient spending are worse than the possibility of waste .
And this interpretation does n't completely erase concerns about his mental condition , because he genuinely seems unable or unwilling to grasp Powell 's point .
But this may just reflect Trump 's more typical , if still deeply concerning , way of processing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of BuzzFeed news , agreed with Brown 's reading , saying : `` Yes , I reckon this is the answer to everyone 's confusion .
I 'm not saying it makes sense to so publicly nuke stimulus talks right before an election , but this is the thought process , erratic as it may be . ''
Another possibility , suggested by Chris Hayes , is that Trump may not be sending these tweets .
Or perhaps he sent the `` True ! ''
tweet but not the other .
That may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apparently disordered thinking , but it raises yet another terrifying possibility : Why are conflicting messages coming from the president 's tweets ?
Foreign leaders read these tweets , and sometime the president issues military commands from Twitter .
There should be no ambiguity about who is speaking from his account .

As President Donald Trump continues the struggle to recover from his case of COVID-19, he sent entirely mixed messages on Tuesday that left some questioning whether he retained full control of his faculties.
First, as I reported earlier, Trump torpedoed negotiations with congressional Democrats over a potential stimulus bill on Tuesday afternoon, saying that he would wait until after the election until trying again. This was, as I argued, a major blow to his own hopes for re-election, but the move itself could be coherently explained on ideological or tactical grounds, even if they're not compelling or persuasive.
But just a few hours later, he seemed to completely reverse himself in a one-word tweet:
Here's the big problem with this tweet: Trump had just rejected Congress's efforts to provide help to the economy that Fed Chair Jerome Powell is advocating in the tweet that he is calling "True!" Not only that, he's rejecting the congressional help for precisely the reasons Powell said — in that very tweet — that we shouldn't be concerned with. Trump blasted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for asking for too much money. But that's exactly what Powell says shouldn't matter — "there's a low risk of 'overdoing it,'" as the tweet said.
People responded to the one-word Trump tweet with bafflement and dismay about the president's mental condition.
It's easy to make jokes about, but it's actually not funny at all and is genuinely concerning. The president is still battling COVID-19, a brutal infection that can take a serious toll on the mind and body. This along has led to some to suggest he cede power to Vice President Mike Pence until he is out of the woods. On top of that, the president is taking a group of drugs to treat his disease, including a steroid that has potential effects mood. Again, we don't want to be glib about this. It's very serious, and the president shouldn't be accused of mental instability easily or out of pure partisan sniping. But it was hard to make sense of the president's incongruous opinions on the highly significant matter before him: potentially trillions of dollars of economic recovery funds.
Hayes Brown of BuzzFeed suggested that Trump's point could make sense if you "remember that Trump was always pushing the GOP to spend more. It wasn't about the bill being too big, it was that he didn't want money spent anywhere that it might help Democrats, like in big cities or blue states." And that interpretation was bolstered by a subsequent tweet, sent about forty minutes later:
Even so, the explanation still doesn't make much sense. Even on this reading, Trump clearly didn't get Powell's point, which is that we should be willing to spend a lot of money to support the economy and that the costs of delay or insufficient spending are worse than the possibility of waste. And this interpretation doesn't completely erase concerns about his mental condition, because he genuinely seems unable or unwilling to grasp Powell's point. But this may just reflect Trump's more typical, if still deeply concerning, way of processing and conveying information.
Brandon Wall, also of BuzzFeed news, agreed with Brown's reading, saying: "Yes, I reckon this is the answer to everyone's confusion. I'm not saying it makes sense to so publicly nuke stimulus talks right before an election, but this is the thought process, erratic as it may be."
Another possibility, suggested by Chris Hayes, is that Trump may not be sending these tweets. Or perhaps he sent the "True!" tweet but not the other. That may be possible, and may explain the apparently disordered thinking, but it raises yet another terrifying possibility: Why are conflicting messages coming from the president's tweets? Foreign leaders read these tweets, and sometime the president issues military commands from Twitter. There should be no ambiguity about who is speaking from his account.


alternet--2020-10-06--Secret Service agents 'frustrated' by virus exposure risk from Trump's hospital stunt: report

On President Trump 's third day in the hospital where he was being treated for COVID-19 , the president left the hospital in a motorcade to drive around the block waving at well-wishers before returning .
The publicity stunt , which disregarded federal safety guidelines for close contact between infected persons and others , has alarmed doctors , public health experts and Secret Service agents .
According to the Centers for Disease and Control ( CDC ) , a person who contracts COVID-19 can safely be around others again only when they 've met three specific criteria : First , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms first appeared for the infected person .
Second , when 24 hours has elapsed with no fever ( without the use of fever-reducing medications ) .
And third , when other symptoms are improving .
Considering the public information issued to the public by White House physician Sean Conley , Trump does n't meet any of the aforementioned criteria .
Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Thursday , according to his spokespeople .
Likewise , some doctors were horrified at the prospect that Trump would expose his security detail to coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ properties of the presidential vehicle fleet .
James Phillips , an attending physician at Walter Reed , tweeted , `` That Presidential SUV is not only bulletproof , but hermetically sealed against chemical attack .
The risk of COVID19 transmission inside is as high as it gets outside of medical procedures .
The irresponsibility is astounding .
My thoughts are with the Secret Service forced to play . ''
Phillips added on Twitter : `` Every single person in the vehicle during that completely unnecessary Presidential `` drive-by '' just now has to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might get sick .
They may die .
For political theater .
Commanded by Trump to put their lives at risk for theater .
This is insanity . ''
During the drive-by , Trump sat in the back of the vehicle wearing a black cloth mask .
There were at least two Secret Service agents in the vehicle .
Both seemed to be wearing N95 masks , which can be an effective barrier against the coronavirus , but they are n't an absolute guarantee — especially in close quarters with an infected person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesman , said in an email to the New York Times that `` appropriate precautions were taken in the execution of this movement to protect the President and all those supporting it , including PPE [ personal protective equipment ] . ''
Deere said the drive-by was `` cleared '' by the medical team .
However , after the parade , CNN reported that there were escalating concerns in the Secret Service .
As they reported : A third agent told CNN that Trump 's stunt was `` reckless . ''
On Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for reporting on the backlash to his motorcade .
`` It is reported that the Media is upset because I got into a secure vehicle to say thank you to the many fans and supporters who were standing outside of the hospital for many hours , and even days , to pay their respect to their President , '' Trump tweeted .
`` If I did n't do it , Media would say RUDE !
!
! ''
After the tweet , Trump announced he will be discharged from the hospital on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to downplay the virus that has killed over 200,000 Americans .
`` Do n't be afraid of Covid .
Do n't let it dominate your life , '' Trump wrote .
`` Do n't let it dominate your life .
We have developed , under the Trump Administration , some really great drugs & knowledge .
I feel better than I did 20 years ago ! ''
However , as doctors explained to Salon , the treatment Trump received in the hospital is not what all Americans would receive if they tested positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump is getting are available to many patients with COVID-19 , [ but ] there are two issues , '' Dr. Georges Benjamin , executive director of the American Public Health Association , told Salon by email .
`` The first is VIP medicine where there is the risk of over-treatment or under-treatment because of who he is and not his clinical condition .
We do n't know the extent of this either way because they have not been as transparent with his clinical status . ''
`` The second issue is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to all the care he needs from the military health care system , which in fact has all the attributes of a single payer health system : a form of health care funding and delivery he has politically opposed , '' Benjamin added .
`` Most Americans do not have access to that kind of care at one of the best hospitals in the world .
Access to any test he needs , and any medication , without a concern for costs . ''

On President Trump's third day in the hospital where he was being treated for COVID-19, the president left the hospital in a motorcade to drive around the block waving at well-wishers before returning. The publicity stunt, which disregarded federal safety guidelines for close contact between infected persons and others, has alarmed doctors, public health experts and Secret Service agents.
According to the Centers for Disease and Control (CDC), a person who contracts COVID-19 can safely be around others again only when they've met three specific criteria: First, when it has been ten days since symptoms first appeared for the infected person. Second, when 24 hours has elapsed with no fever (without the use of fever-reducing medications). And third, when other symptoms are improving.
Considering the public information issued to the public by White House physician Sean Conley, Trump doesn't meet any of the aforementioned criteria. Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Thursday, according to his spokespeople.
Likewise, some doctors were horrified at the prospect that Trump would expose his security detail to coronavirus, a risk made higher by the physical properties of the presidential vehicle fleet. James Phillips, an attending physician at Walter Reed, tweeted, "That Presidential SUV is not only bulletproof, but hermetically sealed against chemical attack. The risk of COVID19 transmission inside is as high as it gets outside of medical procedures. The irresponsibility is astounding. My thoughts are with the Secret Service forced to play."
Phillips added on Twitter: "Every single person in the vehicle during that completely unnecessary Presidential "drive-by" just now has to be quarantined for 14 days. They might get sick. They may die. For political theater. Commanded by Trump to put their lives at risk for theater. This is insanity."
During the drive-by, Trump sat in the back of the vehicle wearing a black cloth mask. There were at least two Secret Service agents in the vehicle. Both seemed to be wearing N95 masks, which can be an effective barrier against the coronavirus, but they aren't an absolute guarantee — especially in close quarters with an infected person.
Judd Deere, a White House spokesman, said in an email to the New York Times that "appropriate precautions were taken in the execution of this movement to protect the President and all those supporting it, including PPE [personal protective equipment]."
Deere said the drive-by was "cleared" by the medical team. However, after the parade, CNN reported that there were escalating concerns in the Secret Service. As they reported:
"That should never have happened," one current Secret Service agent who works on the presidential and first family detail said after Trump's drive-by, adding that those agents who went along for the ride would now be required to quarantine.
'I mean, I wouldn't want to be around them,' the agent said, expressing a view that multiple people at the Secret Service also voiced in the wake of Sunday's appearance. 'The frustration with how we're treated when it comes to decisions on this illness goes back before this though. We're not disposable.'
Another veteran Secret Service agent also expressed deep dismay at the Walter Reed ride, though was sympathetic for those around the President given the difficulty in pushing back on the commander-in-chief.
"You can't say no," the agent said.
A third agent told CNN that Trump's stunt was "reckless."
On Monday, Trump criticized the media on Twitter for reporting on the backlash to his motorcade.
"It is reported that the Media is upset because I got into a secure vehicle to say thank you to the many fans and supporters who were standing outside of the hospital for many hours, and even days, to pay their respect to their President," Trump tweeted. "If I didn't do it, Media would say RUDE!!!"
After the tweet, Trump announced he will be discharged from the hospital on Monday. In his message, he continued to downplay the virus that has killed over 200,000 Americans.
"Don't be afraid of Covid. Don't let it dominate your life," Trump wrote. "Don't let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!"
However, as doctors explained to Salon, the treatment Trump received in the hospital is not what all Americans would receive if they tested positive for COVID-19."
The therapies that President Trump is getting are available to many patients with COVID-19, [but] there are two issues," Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, told Salon by email. "The first is VIP medicine where there is the risk of over-treatment or under-treatment because of who he is and not his clinical condition. We don't know the extent of this either way because they have not been as transparent with his clinical status."
"The second issue is the fact that he has universal access to all the care he needs from the military health care system, which in fact has all the attributes of a single payer health system: a form of health care funding and delivery he has politically opposed," Benjamin added. "Most Americans do not have access to that kind of care at one of the best hospitals in the world. Access to any test he needs, and any medication, without a concern for costs."


alternet--2020-10-06--Psychiatrist explains why Trump 'delights in putting people in danger'

President Donald Trump 's maskless return to the White House on Monday following a weekend at Walter Reed Medical Center shows that he wants his supporters to `` prove their loyalty to him with their lives , '' Yale psychiatrist Bandy X. Lee said in an interview with Salon .
Trump , who is still infected with the novel coronavirus , took off his mask on the Truman balcony and saluted Marine One before entering the White House and possibly exposing a photographer and others around him .
Trump suggested in a video that he may now be `` immune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his doctor warned that the president was `` not be entirely out of the woods yet . ''
Lee told Salon after the viral photo-op that it `` would not be an exaggeration '' to say that Trump `` delights in putting people in danger . ''
`` Sociopathy is dangerous , in part because out of envy of other human beings for having human characteristics , it actively desires people to suffer and die , '' she said .
Lee , a forensic psychiatrist at Yale School of Medicine who also taught @ @ @ @ @ @ @ author of the textbook `` Violence '' has worked on public health approaches to violence prevention for decades .
She also edited the book `` The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump : 37 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President '' and serves as president of the World Mental Health Coalition , which plans to release a video statement by `` 100 mental health experts '' arguing that Trump should be removed from office and the 2020 ballot , because he is dangerous and unfit .
Lee also plans to publish a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her website , which aims to provide a `` full psychological profile of Donald Trump in the context of his followers and the nation . ''
Trump 's behavior is not unlike the thousands of people Lee has treated in her career , she told Salon .
`` Mental health professionals look at patterns , as human behavior is not random .
This is why society charges us with preventing dangers to self and others before they happen , unlike law enforcement , which must wait until after things happen , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ familiar with these situations , too .
In my 20-year career of working with prisoners and violent offenders to help contain their behavior or to prevent their becoming violent in the first place , I probably treated a thousand individuals with [ Trump 's ] exact characteristics .
So far , he has not deviated even the slightest from how I expected he would behave in a position of greater power than he can handle . ''
Lee spoke to Salon about Trump 's maskless antics , the president 's many enablers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events of the past week : Salon : What was your reaction to Trump 's returning to the White House maskless and putting staffers in danger after receiving numerous treatments with varying side effects ?
Lee : Sociopathy is dangerous , in part because out of envy of other human beings for having human characteristics , it actively desires people to suffer and die .
I believe it is not an exaggeration to say that Donald Trump delights in putting people in danger for multiple reasons .
When he forces his followers into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example , he is demanding they prove their loyalty to him with their lives .
This is why I once compared his commands to those made to gang members and child soldiers — the circumstances are different , but the psychology is the same .
Were you surprised by how Trump 's medical doctors dodged and obfuscated , as well as made false claims about the president 's health amid his hospitalization ?
Not at all , and I am still not ruling out malingering , or feigning illness .
When deciphering these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , secondary gain and psychological disposition .
There are already too many inconsistencies in the medical picture , and look at the enormous secondary gain .
We know that he needed something to reset his campaign , with everything going badly for him and his debate performance being unable to reverse the polls — and he was instantly able to stifle most criticism .
We also know that he would manipulate any situation , and that we are vulnerable .
I had doubts about Dr. Sean Conley ever since he announced in February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very good health '' after an examination by `` 11 different board-certified specialists . ''
Why would you need so many specialists for a simple annual exam , and what about the obvious need for a psychiatrist ?
There is no health without mental health .
Hence , when he came out of Walter Reed with an army of physicians , it appeared to me as overcompensation for a lack elsewhere .
The question of greatest relevance to the public is whether or not the president is fit to serve , which White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the commander-in-chief are not eligible to answer .
A team of independent , peer-reviewed mental health experts needs to examine him for mental fitness , which is not difficult to do .
We , ourselves , were able to do it in a very rigorous and standardized way , within a few days of having the information in the special counsel 's report .
Dr. Conley himself said he was adhering to HIPAA guidelines , and thus made clear he is treating the president as a private patient .
But even HIPAA laws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety of self or others is concerned , and a doctor could be held legally liable for not placing safety first .
We already have the travesty of Dr. Ronny Jackson using a 10-minute cognitive screen , which research studies showed even full-blown Alzheimer patients score 30 out of 30 on , to declare the president mentally `` fit , '' as he did at a press conference in early 2018 .
All was show , since he had no independence and no mental health training to be able to do so .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ level of deception .
What does it tell you about the White House that it is refusing to contact trace its Supreme Court event , even though Trump 's own aides , advisers and allies are the ones who were exposed ?
This is all in line with the bigger picture .
Above all , the president needs to receive proper care , and from his behavior alone , he meets criteria for a locked psychiatric facility .
Past violence often leads to future violence , and we now have a person who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life , if not engaging in negligent homicide .
[ Editor 's note : Lee was referring to Trump 's negligence related to the coronavirus , which has killed more than 200,000 people in the U.S. ] .
Rhetoric and demonstrations of behavior coming out of a powerful figure , furthermore , translate into widespread imitation and deadly results for the population .
Dangerousness assessments do not require a personal examination , and all physicians and mental health professionals are supposed to err on the side of safety .
There is no `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health law for a president , even if that is how the American Psychiatric Association tried to misapply `` the Goldwater rule . ''
We are bound by our professional responsibility to society by the Geneva Declaration and the core tenets of medical ethics , which are part of the law .
How do you see this playing out in the near future ?
Trump is already claiming he beat the virus and might be `` immune . ''
It fits with his entire plan to show that the virus is no big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — basically to have us adopt his fantasy world view .
In real life , this will make the pandemic grow even more uncontrollable and kill many more people , but this is the side effect of his inability to fight the virus and his need to fight reality instead .
This is how pathology is different from rational thinking — and how it combines with a criminal mind to make it even more destructive .
A pathological drive may seem expedient in the political realm , but I have compared it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car may be able to get ahead in ways in which no other fully functioning car can , and perhaps even more so with an evil driver in it .
But at the bottom of the hill , it always crashes .
This is why it is important to stop the malfunctioning car as early as possible , through whatever means , even now .
We do not have to crash .
Do you think watching the president impacted by the virus he spent months trying to downplay will change his supporters ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ itself ?
Yes , but not in any productive way .
His emerging from it so quickly — never mind that he gets daily tests and the best possible , proactive treatment — spectacularly solidifies the view that the severe public health measures , which he himself made necessary , were overblown .
For those who experienced great loss form the virus , he will appear superhuman .
What people need to understand about many of his followers is that in their need for a parental figure who will take care of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does , and any exposure of his fraudulence and criminality will be experienced as an existential threat to them , which is why it only activates defensive denial , disavowal and protection of their `` protector . ''
Violence , paranoia and delusions are also particularly contagious , and so having someone with these symptoms in an influential position is almost a setup for propagation of these traits — what I have been calling `` shared psychosis '' but which others have also called `` folie à millions , '' or madness by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dissipates when exposure to the primary person is reduced .
We already saw this happen when he was temporarily unable to hold rallies at the onset of the pandemic .
This is one of the psychological reasons why Donald Trump can not leave the presidency — quite apart from the possibility of prosecution .
It is also why we have said that his removal from the presidency and candidacy is of critical importance , as we have outlined since last March in our `` Prescription for Survival . ''
Even if this were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direction will greatly diminish his psychological influence .
One of the purposes of my writing a `` Profile of the Nation '' was to nudge our country out of its compartmentalized , either-or thinking , which is preventing us from seeing the full picture and from coordinating to remove this unfit presidency and candidacy .
This interview was lightly edited for length and clarity .

President Donald Trump's maskless return to the White House on Monday following a weekend at Walter Reed Medical Center shows that he wants his supporters to "prove their loyalty to him with their lives," Yale psychiatrist Bandy X. Lee said in an interview with Salon.
Trump, who is still infected with the novel coronavirus, took off his mask on the Truman balcony and saluted Marine One before entering the White House and possibly exposing a photographer and others around him. Trump suggested in a video that he may now be "immune" from the virus, even as his doctor warned that the president was "not be entirely out of the woods yet."
Lee told Salon after the viral photo-op that it "would not be an exaggeration" to say that Trump "delights in putting people in danger."
"Sociopathy is dangerous, in part because out of envy of other human beings for having human characteristics, it actively desires people to suffer and die," she said.
Lee, a forensic psychiatrist at Yale School of Medicine who also taught at Yale Law School, is the author of the textbook "Violence" has worked on public health approaches to violence prevention for decades. She also edited the book "The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 37 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President" and serves as president of the World Mental Health Coalition, which plans to release a video statement by "100 mental health experts" arguing that Trump should be removed from office and the 2020 ballot, because he is dangerous and unfit. Lee also plans to publish a "Profile of the Nation" on her website, which aims to provide a "full psychological profile of Donald Trump in the context of his followers and the nation."
Trump's behavior is not unlike the thousands of people Lee has treated in her career, she told Salon.
"Mental health professionals look at patterns, as human behavior is not random. This is why society charges us with preventing dangers to self and others before they happen, unlike law enforcement, which must wait until after things happen," she said. "We are far more familiar with these situations, too. In my 20-year career of working with prisoners and violent offenders to help contain their behavior or to prevent their becoming violent in the first place, I probably treated a thousand individuals with [Trump's] exact characteristics. So far, he has not deviated even the slightest from how I expected he would behave in a position of greater power than he can handle."
Lee spoke to Salon about Trump's maskless antics, the president's many enablers and how his followers may respond to the events of the past week:
Salon: What was your reaction to Trump's returning to the White House maskless and putting staffers in danger after receiving numerous treatments with varying side effects?
Lee: Sociopathy is dangerous, in part because out of envy of other human beings for having human characteristics, it actively desires people to suffer and die. I believe it is not an exaggeration to say that Donald Trump delights in putting people in danger for multiple reasons. When he forces his followers into crowded indoor rallies without masks, for example, he is demanding they prove their loyalty to him with their lives. This is why I once compared his commands to those made to gang members and child soldiers — the circumstances are different, but the psychology is the same.
Were you surprised by how Trump's medical doctors dodged and obfuscated, as well as made false claims about the president's health amid his hospitalization?
Not at all, and I am still not ruling out malingering, or feigning illness. When deciphering these things, we look for medical inconsistencies, secondary gain and psychological disposition. There are already too many inconsistencies in the medical picture, and look at the enormous secondary gain. We know that he needed something to reset his campaign, with everything going badly for him and his debate performance being unable to reverse the polls — and he was instantly able to stifle most criticism. We also know that he would manipulate any situation, and that we are vulnerable.
I had doubts about Dr. Sean Conley ever since he announced in February 2019 that the president was in "very good health" after an examination by "11 different board-certified specialists." Why would you need so many specialists for a simple annual exam, and what about the obvious need for a psychiatrist? There is no health without mental health. Hence, when he came out of Walter Reed with an army of physicians, it appeared to me as overcompensation for a lack elsewhere.
The question of greatest relevance to the public is whether or not the president is fit to serve, which White House-employed doctors who are military subordinates to the commander-in-chief are not eligible to answer. A team of independent, peer-reviewed mental health experts needs to examine him for mental fitness, which is not difficult to do. We, ourselves, were able to do it in a very rigorous and standardized way, within a few days of having the information in the special counsel's report.
Dr. Conley himself said he was adhering to HIPAA guidelines, and thus made clear he is treating the president as a private patient. But even HIPAA laws are supposed to be broken where the safety of self or others is concerned, and a doctor could be held legally liable for not placing safety first.
We already have the travesty of Dr. Ronny Jackson using a 10-minute cognitive screen, which research studies showed even full-blown Alzheimer patients score 30 out of 30 on, to declare the president mentally "fit," as he did at a press conference in early 2018. All was show, since he had no independence and no mental health training to be able to do so. The public should demand better than this level of deception.
What does it tell you about the White House that it is refusing to contact trace its Supreme Court event, even though Trump's own aides, advisers and allies are the ones who were exposed?
This is all in line with the bigger picture. Above all, the president needs to receive proper care, and from his behavior alone, he meets criteria for a locked psychiatric facility. Past violence often leads to future violence, and we now have a person who has committed mass killings, recklessly endangering life, if not engaging in negligent homicide. [Editor's note: Lee was referring to Trump's negligence related to the coronavirus, which has killed more than 200,000 people in the U.S.].
Rhetoric and demonstrations of behavior coming out of a powerful figure, furthermore, translate into widespread imitation and deadly results for the population. Dangerousness assessments do not require a personal examination, and all physicians and mental health professionals are supposed to err on the side of safety. There is no "OLC memo" or exemption in mental health law for a president, even if that is how the American Psychiatric Association tried to misapply "the Goldwater rule." We are bound by our professional responsibility to society by the Geneva Declaration and the core tenets of medical ethics, which are part of the law.
How do you see this playing out in the near future? Trump is already claiming he beat the virus and might be "immune."
It fits with his entire plan to show that the virus is no big deal, and we can ignore it — basically to have us adopt his fantasy world view. In real life, this will make the pandemic grow even more uncontrollable and kill many more people, but this is the side effect of his inability to fight the virus and his need to fight reality instead. This is how pathology is different from rational thinking — and how it combines with a criminal mind to make it even more destructive.
A pathological drive may seem expedient in the political realm, but I have compared it to a car without brakes. Such a car may be able to get ahead in ways in which no other fully functioning car can, and perhaps even more so with an evil driver in it. But at the bottom of the hill, it always crashes. This is why it is important to stop the malfunctioning car as early as possible, through whatever means, even now. We do not have to crash.
Do you think watching the president impacted by the virus he spent months trying to downplay will change his supporters' views of him — or the virus itself?
Yes, but not in any productive way. His emerging from it so quickly — never mind that he gets daily tests and the best possible, proactive treatment — spectacularly solidifies the view that the severe public health measures, which he himself made necessary, were overblown. For those who experienced great loss form the virus, he will appear superhuman.
What people need to understand about many of his followers is that in their need for a parental figure who will take care of them, his position alone justifies whatever he does, and any exposure of his fraudulence and criminality will be experienced as an existential threat to them, which is why it only activates defensive denial, disavowal and protection of their "protector."
Violence, paranoia and delusions are also particularly contagious, and so having someone with these symptoms in an influential position is almost a setup for propagation of these traits — what I have been calling "shared psychosis" but which others have also called "folie à millions," or madness by the millions. This contagion of symptoms dissipates when exposure to the primary person is reduced. We already saw this happen when he was temporarily unable to hold rallies at the onset of the pandemic.
This is one of the psychological reasons why Donald Trump cannot leave the presidency — quite apart from the possibility of prosecution. It is also why we have said that his removal from the presidency and candidacy is of critical importance, as we have outlined since last March in our "Prescription for Survival." Even if this were not achievable, taking steps in that direction will greatly diminish his psychological influence. One of the purposes of my writing a "Profile of the Nation" was to nudge our country out of its compartmentalized, either-or thinking, which is preventing us from seeing the full picture and from coordinating to remove this unfit presidency and candidacy.
This interview was lightly edited for length and clarity.


alternet--2020-10-06--Will New Jersey be the next state to legalize marijuana?

New Jersey looks set to be the next state to legalize marijuana .
It 's on the ballot come Election Day on November 3 , the polls are looking good , and while it 's not the only state with marijuana legalization on the ballot , the others—Arizona , Montana , and South Dakota—are all out West , and the Garden State should beat them by a few hours .
The New Jersey legalization initiative , Public Question 1 , would amend the state constitution to legalize the recreational use of marijuana and its cultivation , processing , and retail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 21 years old .
It also designates the existing Cannabis Regulatory Commission ( CRC ) , which currently handles medical marijuana , to regulate all legal marijuana commerce .
Retail marijuana sales would be subject to the state sales tax of 6.625 percent , but any other state sales taxes would be prohibited .
The initiative authorizes the legislature to let local governments add a 2 percent local sales tax .
It also leaves it up to the legislature and the CRC to address unresolved issues .
Those include whether and how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much weed people could possess , and detailed retail regulations .
If the measure passes , New Jersey will not only be the first to legalize marijuana this Election Day , it will also be the first mid-Atlantic state to do so , and the first to legalize it via a legislatively initiated voter referendum .
Of the 11 states ( and the District of Columbia ) that have so far legalized marijuana , nine did it through citizen-based ballot initiatives , while in the other two , Illinois and Vermont , legislatures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Governor Phil Murphy ( D ) campaigned on marijuana legalization in 2017 and vowed to get it passed in 100 days , legislative infighting , opposition within the Legislative Black Caucus , and bickering over revenues blocked the legislature from ever getting it done .
As a last resort , Senate President Stephen Sweeney ( D ) and marijuana reform champion Senator Nick Scutari ( D ) filed the resolution giving the voters the final decision .
It passed with overwhelming Democratic support over strong Republican opposition in December 2019 .
And the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November .
An April poll by Monmouth University of registered voters had the measure winning 64 percent of the votes , while a July Brach Eichler Cannabis Poll shows that 67.6 percent of likely voters showed strong support or somewhat support for legalization via the ballot .
An August Brach Eichler Cannabis Poll had support at 66 percent , a barely noticeable decline , and still a number to warm the hearts of legalization supporters .
That latter poll also had a large majority ( 74 percent ) saying the state should make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equal access to this business opportunity , '' while another large majority , 71 percent , wanted tax revenues to be used for drug awareness and education .
More than half ( 55 percent ) wanted to see higher marijuana taxes .
`` The Brach Eichler Cannabis Poll shows that as we get closer to the November election , public awareness and support for the legalization of adult cannabis use is steady or growing , '' John D. Fanburg , co-chair of the Cannabis Law Practice at Brach Eichler , said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Additionally , we can see that voters are recognizing the importance of addressing the social justice impact of disproportional enforcement and arrests against New Jersey 's minority population . ''
For Ken Wolski , RN , executive director of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana—New Jersey ( CMM-NJ ) , supporting the initiative is a no-brainer .
Wolski and CMM-NJ are part of a broader coalition , NJ CAN 2020 , that is working with HeadCount 's Cannabis Voter Project to end marijuana prohibition in the Garden State .
Other coalition members include the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Latino Action Network , the Law Enforcement Action Partnership , the NAACP New Jersey State Conference , and the New Jersey CannaBusiness Association .
`` Legalizing marijuana is the best way to get the right medicine to most people , '' Wolski told Drug Reporter in an email exchange .
`` Legalization will make it much easier for adults to take advantage of the tremendous therapeutic potential of cannabis .
No longer will adults need a specific diagnosis and multiple visits to physicians to obtain cannabis .
Adults in New Jersey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the counter like they purchase aspirin now .
NJ currently has some of the most expensive medical cannabis in the country , but increased competition will bring down those prices .
Home [ cultivation ] should also come into play .
Easily available marijuana will improve public health , '' he said .
Wolski is counseling reefer radicals who do n't think the measure goes far enough to think again .
There will be opportunities to further shape what legalization looks like down the road , he said .
`` Unfortunately , some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it does not address their specific concerns about guaranteeing home cultivation , ensuring that ex-felons can participate in the new legal industry , ensuring reparations for individuals and communities harmed by the war on marijuana , etc.
, '' Wolski explained .
`` To those who say the question does not go far enough , I point out that the CRC must follow the regulatory process , which ensures input from the people of the state , '' Wolski continued .
`` The CRC will hold public hearings before they draft the regulations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment period before they adopt the regulations .
This will be the time to make opinions about home grow , social equity , affordable licenses , etc.
, known .
The entire process will be transparent .
If some of our demands are not met in the first go-round , we can immediately file to amend the regulations .
The very first step is to give whole-hearted support for the ballot question , without which , there will be no reform of marijuana laws in New Jersey for the foreseeable future . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cultivation , he said .
`` We anticipate arguments in civil and criminal courts that the amendment does , in fact , allow home cultivation , '' Wolski explained .
`` We plan to work with the CRC in the development of regulations to ensure that home cultivation is part of [ legalizing ] cannabis in New Jersey .
At the same time , we will continue to work with legislators for a bill to specifically allow New Jersey medical marijuana program patients and caregivers to grow a limited supply of cannabis for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the measure needs to win .
`` If the ballot question fails , the war on marijuana will be business as usual , and we will be that much further away from home cultivation , legalization , expungement , social justice , etc.
, '' Wolski warned .
`` The first step is [ a ] victory in November that we can build on .
We encourage New Jersey residents to join us in our efforts to pass this ballot question . ''
Phillip Smith is a writing fellow and the editor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a project of the Independent Media Institute .
He has been a drug policy journalist for the past two decades .
He is the longtime author of the Drug War Chronicle , the online publication of the non-profit StopTheDrugWar.org , and has been the editor of AlterNet 's Drug Reporter since 2015 .
He was awarded the Drug Policy Alliance 's Edwin M. Brecher Award for Excellence in Media in 2013 .
This article was produced by Drug Reporter , a project of the Independent Media Institute .

New Jersey looks set to be the next state to legalize marijuana. It's on the ballot come Election Day on November 3, the polls are looking good, and while it's not the only state with marijuana legalization on the ballot, the others—Arizona, Montana, and South Dakota—are all out West, and the Garden State should beat them by a few hours.
The New Jersey legalization initiative, Public Question 1, would amend the state constitution to legalize the recreational use of marijuana and its cultivation, processing, and retail sale by a person who is at least 21 years old. It also designates the existing Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC), which currently handles medical marijuana, to regulate all legal marijuana commerce. Retail marijuana sales would be subject to the state sales tax of 6.625 percent, but any other state sales taxes would be prohibited. The initiative authorizes the legislature to let local governments add a 2 percent local sales tax.
It also leaves it up to the legislature and the CRC to address unresolved issues. Those include whether and how home cultivation would be allowed, how much weed people could possess, and detailed retail regulations.
If the measure passes, New Jersey will not only be the first to legalize marijuana this Election Day, it will also be the first mid-Atlantic state to do so, and the first to legalize it via a legislatively initiated voter referendum. Of the 11 states (and the District of Columbia) that have so far legalized marijuana, nine did it through citizen-based ballot initiatives, while in the other two, Illinois and Vermont, legislatures passed legalization bills.
But even though Governor Phil Murphy (D) campaigned on marijuana legalization in 2017 and vowed to get it passed in 100 days, legislative infighting, opposition within the Legislative Black Caucus, and bickering over revenues blocked the legislature from ever getting it done. As a last resort, Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D) and marijuana reform champion Senator Nick Scutari (D) filed the resolution giving the voters the final decision. It passed with overwhelming Democratic support over strong Republican opposition in December 2019.
And the polls have consistently shown it winning this November. An April poll by Monmouth University of registered voters had the measure winning 64 percent of the votes, while a July Brach Eichler Cannabis Poll shows that 67.6 percent of likely voters showed strong support or somewhat support for legalization via the ballot. An August Brach Eichler Cannabis Poll had support at 66 percent, a barely noticeable decline, and still a number to warm the hearts of legalization supporters.
That latter poll also had a large majority (74 percent) saying the state should make sure that "minorities have fair and equal access to this business opportunity," while another large majority, 71 percent, wanted tax revenues to be used for drug awareness and education. More than half (55 percent) wanted to see higher marijuana taxes.
"The Brach Eichler Cannabis Poll shows that as we get closer to the November election, public awareness and support for the legalization of adult cannabis use is steady or growing," John D. Fanburg, co-chair of the Cannabis Law Practice at Brach Eichler, said in a press release accompanying the poll. "Additionally, we can see that voters are recognizing the importance of addressing the social justice impact of disproportional enforcement and arrests against New Jersey's minority population."
For Ken Wolski, RN, executive director of the Coalition for MedicalMarijuana—New Jersey (CMM-NJ), supporting the initiative is a no-brainer. Wolski and CMM-NJ are part of a broader coalition, NJ CAN 2020, that is working with HeadCount's Cannabis Voter Project to end marijuana prohibition in the Garden State. Other coalition members include the ACLU-New Jersey, Doctors for Cannabis Regulation, the Latino Action Network, the Law Enforcement Action Partnership, the NAACP New Jersey State Conference, and the New Jersey CannaBusiness Association.
"Legalizing marijuana is the best way to get the right medicine to most people," Wolski told Drug Reporter in an email exchange. "Legalization will make it much easier for adults to take advantage of the tremendous therapeutic potential of cannabis. No longer will adults need a specific diagnosis and multiple visits to physicians to obtain cannabis. Adults in New Jersey will be able to purchase cannabis over the counter like they purchase aspirin now. NJ currently has some of the most expensive medical cannabis in the country, but increased competition will bring down those prices. Home [cultivation] should also come into play. Easily available marijuana will improve public health," he said.
Wolski is counseling reefer radicals who don't think the measure goes far enough to think again. There will be opportunities to further shape what legalization looks like down the road, he said.
"Unfortunately, some marijuana reform advocates oppose the amendment because it does not address their specific concerns about guaranteeing home cultivation, ensuring that ex-felons can participate in the new legal industry, ensuring reparations for individuals and communities harmed by the war on marijuana, etc.," Wolski explained.
"To those who say the question does not go far enough, I point out that the CRC must follow the regulatory process, which ensures input from the people of the state," Wolski continued. "The CRC will hold public hearings before they draft the regulations, then there will be a public comment period before they adopt the regulations. This will be the time to make opinions about home grow, social equity, affordable licenses, etc., known. The entire process will be transparent. If some of our demands are not met in the first go-round, we can immediately file to amend the regulations. The very first step is to give whole-hearted support for the ballot question, without which, there will be no reform of marijuana laws in New Jersey for the foreseeable future."
And he will be fighting for home cultivation, he said.
"We anticipate arguments in civil and criminal courts that the amendment does, in fact, allow home cultivation," Wolski explained. "We plan to work with the CRC in the development of regulations to ensure that home cultivation is part of [legalizing] cannabis in New Jersey. At the same time, we will continue to work with legislators for a bill to specifically allow New Jersey medical marijuana program patients and caregivers to grow a limited supply of cannabis for their medical needs."
But first, the measure needs to win.
"If the ballot question fails, the war on marijuana will be business as usual, and we will be that much further away from home cultivation, legalization, expungement, social justice, etc.," Wolski warned. "The first step is [a] victory in November that we can build on. We encourage New Jersey residents to join us in our efforts to pass this ballot question."
Phillip Smith is a writing fellow and the editor and chief correspondent of Drug Reporter, a project of the Independent Media Institute. He has been a drug policy journalist for the past two decades. He is the longtime author of the Drug War Chronicle, the online publication of the non-profit StopTheDrugWar.org, and has been the editor of AlterNet's Drug Reporter since 2015. He was awarded the Drug Policy Alliance's Edwin M. Brecher Award for Excellence in Media in 2013.


alternet--2020-10-06--Rudy Giuliani can’t stop coughing through a Fox News interview while mocking Biden's mask advocacy

President Donald Trump 's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani repeatedly coughed throughout a Monday interview with Fox News as he attacked Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden for urging Americans to listen to scientific experts and wear masks amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Giuliani told Fox News host Martha MacCallum that he was awaiting his test results after working in close contact with Trump and other advisers on the president 's debate preparation team , who have since tested positive for COVID-19 .
`` I actually got one about two hours ago , '' Giuliani said , adding that his first test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gotten the results yet .
I went to NYU .
I got one of those all the way in the back of the nose tests . ''
He then went on to criticize Biden for telling Americans to follow the advice of scientific experts on the coronavirus .
`` I would say to Joe that you do n't really understand what scientists are , '' Giuliani said .
`` First of all , listen to your doctors .
They know your personal history .
Doctors really are n't scientists .
Scientists almost always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ science is about . ''
Giuliani , who coughed throughout the interview , went on to slam Biden 's mask advocacy .
`` It is n't science to be wearing that mask , Joe , when you are giving a speech , and people are 30-40 feet away from you , '' he said .
`` The only thing you can infect is the teleprompter that 's near you , so I see through you .
That 's a political statement to scare people — wearing that mask .
You do not need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a podium . ''
MacCallum noted that Biden had not gotten sick , while Trump just spent a weekend at the hospital with COVID-19 .
Giuliani said he had not gotten sick , even though he `` does n't wear masks as much '' as he probably should .
After the interview , MacCallum expressed concern about the former New York mayor 's cough .
`` I hope that cough is not anything bad while you are waiting for your test to come back , '' she said .
`` We hope you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giuliani told Salon 's Roger Sollenberger after the interview that his test on Monday came back negative , and he had `` no symptoms . ''
Giuliani was part of Trump 's debate prep team , which included top aide Hope Hicks , former White House adviser Kellyanne Conway and former Gov .
Chris Christie , R-N.J. , all of whom have since tested positive .
Giuliani said in another interview with ABC 's `` Good Morning America '' that there was `` no reason to delay '' next week 's town hall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The doctors assume that by a certain time , he 's going to be in condition .
I assume he 's going to be in condition by then to do it .
Ca n't see any reason why he would n't , '' Giuliani said .
`` There 's only two more left .
They 're enormously valuable to the American people , and I think he 'll make every effort to make it .
I 'm certain he will . ''
The next debate is scheduled for Oct. 15 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be willing to participate , but added that `` we should be very cautious . ''
`` If scientists say that it 's safe .
.
.
then I think that 's fine , '' he said .
`` I 'll do whatever the experts say is appropriate for me to do . ''
Biden 's campaign announced on Sunday that he had tested negative for the third time since facing Trump at last week 's debate .
This week 's vice presidential campaign between Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic nominee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plexiglass barrier between the candidates .
Giuliani scoffed at any rule changes for the upcoming debates , particularly a reported change which would allow moderators to cut off candidates ' microphones after Trump repeatedly interrupted Biden and moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News last week .
`` I would not put in new rules for — you know , in the middle of the campaign , '' Giuliani said .
`` I would through us , or if they want to do it directly — I think maybe just remind both candidates , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't interrupt . '
I think they both understand what happened last time . ''
He claimed that the interrupting was part of Trump 's `` strategy '' for the debate .
`` It was his strategy to stay on top of [ Biden ] , '' he said .
`` I think we told the president , 'We do n't want the story coming out that he dominated you . '
And the president sure did n't let that story come out . ''
But polls found that voters in swing states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a win .
About two-in-three voters in Florida and Pennsylvania said they disapproved of Trump 's conduct at the debate , according to a New York Times/Siena poll , which found the race moving from a virtual tie to a solid Biden lead in the key swing states .
A CNN poll released on Tuesday following the debate and Trump 's coronavirus diagnosis showed Biden leading nationally by 16 points , with 63 % of voters saying Trump had handled the risk of infection irresponsibly .

President Donald Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani repeatedly coughed throughout a Monday interview with Fox News as he attacked Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden for urging Americans to listen to scientific experts and wear masks amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Giuliani told Fox News host Martha MacCallum that he was awaiting his test results after working in close contact with Trump and other advisers on the president's debate preparation team, who have since tested positive for COVID-19.
"I actually got one about two hours ago," Giuliani said, adding that his first test was negative. "I haven't gotten the results yet. I went to NYU. I got one of those all the way in the back of the nose tests."
He then went on to criticize Biden for telling Americans to follow the advice of scientific experts on the coronavirus.
"I would say to Joe that you don't really understand what scientists are," Giuliani said. "First of all, listen to your doctors. They know your personal history. Doctors really aren't scientists. Scientists almost always have competing opinions. That's what science is about."
Giuliani, who coughed throughout the interview, went on to slam Biden's mask advocacy.
"It isn't science to be wearing that mask, Joe, when you are giving a speech, and people are 30-40 feet away from you," he said. "The only thing you can infect is the teleprompter that's near you, so I see through you. That's a political statement to scare people — wearing that mask. You do not need that mask when you are standing at a podium."
MacCallum noted that Biden had not gotten sick, while Trump just spent a weekend at the hospital with COVID-19.
Giuliani said he had not gotten sick, even though he "doesn't wear masks as much" as he probably should.
After the interview, MacCallum expressed concern about the former New York mayor's cough.
"I hope that cough is not anything bad while you are waiting for your test to come back," she said. "We hope you will be healthy and well."
"I hope so, too," Giuliani exclaimed.
Giuliani told Salon's Roger Sollenberger after the interview that his test on Monday came back negative, and he had "no symptoms."
Giuliani was part of Trump's debate prep team, which included top aide Hope Hicks, former White House adviser Kellyanne Conway and former Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., all of whom have since tested positive.
Giuliani said in another interview with ABC's "Good Morning America" that there was "no reason to delay" next week's town hall debate in spite of Trump's illness.
"The doctors assume that by a certain time, he's going to be in condition. I assume he's going to be in condition by then to do it. Can't see any reason why he wouldn't," Giuliani said. "There's only two more left. They're enormously valuable to the American people, and I think he'll make every effort to make it. I'm certain he will."
The next debate is scheduled for Oct. 15. Biden told reporters on Monday that he would be willing to participate, but added that "we should be very cautious."
"If scientists say that it's safe . . . then I think that's fine," he said. "I'll do whatever the experts say is appropriate for me to do."
Biden's campaign announced on Sunday that he had tested negative for the third time since facing Trump at last week's debate.
This week's vice presidential campaign between Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris is expected to feature a plexiglass barrier between the candidates.
Giuliani scoffed at any rule changes for the upcoming debates, particularly a reported change which would allow moderators to cut off candidates' microphones after Trump repeatedly interrupted Biden and moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News last week.
"I would not put in new rules for — you know, in the middle of the campaign," Giuliani said. "I would through us, or if they want to do it directly — I think maybe just remind both candidates, 'Stay within your two minutes. Don't interrupt.' I think they both understand what happened last time."
He claimed that the interrupting was part of Trump's "strategy" for the debate.
"It was his strategy to stay on top of [Biden]," he said. "I think we told the president, 'We don't want the story coming out that he dominated you.' And the president sure didn't let that story come out."
But polls found that voters in swing states did not view Trump's incessant interruptions as a win. About two-in-three voters in Florida and Pennsylvania said they disapproved of Trump's conduct at the debate, according to a New York Times/Siena poll, which found the race moving from a virtual tie to a solid Biden lead in the key swing states.
A CNN poll released on Tuesday following the debate and Trump's coronavirus diagnosis showed Biden leading nationally by 16 points, with 63% of voters saying Trump had handled the risk of infection irresponsibly.