alternet--2020-12-13--We should treat these Republicans like the fascists they are

Now that the Supreme Court has ruled on Texas ' ridiculous suit against four other states , perhaps we can take stock of what 's happened over the past few weeks .
Imagine a world where over one-half of the members in the Republican House of Representatives , including the top Republican in that caucus , sign on to a clumsy , thoroughly bogus attempt to overturn a national election based on contrived lies that add up to nothing except the fact that their man lost .
Not just `` lost , '' mind you , but was soundly beaten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact , both in the popular vote and the electoral college tally .
And imagine a Republican Senate Majority equally contemptuous of the winner of that election , wielding the power to hold hostage many of the new President 's first official actions—such as the basic function of picking a Cabinet .
That Senate uses the excuse that the election was still being `` litigated '' to stall even scheduling hearings on his Cabinet nominations .
Imagine the outgoing , losing president , doing his level best to sabotage and hamstring the man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alternatively whining and threatening elected Republican officials , demanding a list of those opposed to him , so that he could single them out for punishment .
And imagine all of this occurring against the backdrop of the worst public health crisis , combined with an equally virulent economic calamity , to hit this country in over a century .
If you really want to appreciate the insanity of what we 're witnessing right now , just play the alternative scenario in your head .
Had President Barack Obama lost to Mitt Romney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , suffered a 306-232 Electoral college shellacking , yet insisted he was the rightful winner , accusing the Republican Party of a massive and fraudulent campaign to undermine him , all while refusing to concede the election , you do n't really need to think too hard to comprehend how this whole sorry episode in our country 's history would have played out .
If something so ridiculous and far-fetched ever occurred , Democrats would n't have waited to remove him , they would have done it themselves .
They would n't have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and scream about it .
He would have been banished from political life and never spoken of again .
So despite the Supreme Court 's ruling , wiping out this latest attempt by the GOP to subvert and destroy our country , there 's really something unspeakably terrible about this moment .
It 's bad enough as it is , but it 's actually getting worse , Supreme Court rulings notwithstanding .
By now many people have put their finger on what 's going on here .
Basically , the Republican Party has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way , perhaps , we should thank Donald Trump for bringing this out in the cold light , for all to see .
As Adam Serwer , writing for The Atlantic , cannily observes , the message that is being sent by the Republicans here is that your vote was fraudulent if the person you voted for was n't Donald Trump .
And more specifically , your vote was fraudulent if you are not white .
To Republicans , only white votes matter now .
Are you wondering why you have n't heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suburban counties surrounding Philadelphia , for example , which helped Joe Biden win Pennsylvania ?
There are no such accusations , because those areas are predominantly white .
Back to our imagined scenario : If Barack Obama had attempted this , the Republican Party would long since have lined up in unison , braying for his head on a platter .
There would be no reticence in calling this exactly what it is : treachery , treason , sedition of the highest order .
Republicans would n't be demanding hearings .
From the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they 'd be demanding an inquisition .
They 'd be urging all of their constituents to flood the streets .
But back in our real world , Democrats have been remarkably quiet about what is happening .
Perhaps it 's an expectation that this will all blow over , once the Electoral College votes on Monday .
Perhaps the thinking is , following the lead of Joe Biden , Democrats want to project an air of professionalism and capability while the Republicans make fools of themselves .
Perhaps they 're inclined to just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
Perhaps , as some have suggested , they feel as if their Republican counterparts are only behaving this way because they know their efforts will be unsuccessful .
I do n't understand this thinking .
It seems ridiculously naive , particularly under these times of unprecedented crisis , where thousands of Americans are dying in hospitals every single day .
The Republicans have embraced fascism .
I do n't know how many times it 's going to be necessary to say this .
I do n't know how it can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be any cooperation with these people .
They 've sold their souls .
Fascists are impervious to reason , shame or argument .
The only thing they understand is power when it 's used against them .
The Democratic Party represents the majority—by a considerable margin—of the American voting public .
As diverse as our coalition is , it is in fact the majority , and it needs to behave like a majority .
We—not the Republicans—were the millions who marched in the streets of Washington , D.C. in 2017 .
We—not the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major city in the country—and practically every other place in the country—in opposition to racism and police brutality .
We—not the Republicans—were the ones who flooded the polls in 2018 , and again in 2020 , finally throwing this abomination out of office .
A majority has power , and it knows when to use it .
What the Republicans are doing has been , and is , intolerable .
Any Republican—at the state level , the federal level , or in any other capacity—should be made to understand that they have betrayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they will be viewed and treated like people who have betrayed their country—for the rest of their political careers .
They need to be made to understand that they will face the consequences of their 2020 treachery for the rest of their lives .
Unless and until that happens , they will continue to mock us , to disenfranchise us , knowing that we will sit back in fear , relying on our fragile `` institutions '' to protect us .
And then they will try it again .

Now that the Supreme Court has ruled on Texas' ridiculous suit against four other states, perhaps we can take stock of what's happened over the past few weeks.
Imagine a world where over one-half of the members in the Republican House of Representatives, including the top Republican in that caucus, sign on to a clumsy, thoroughly bogus attempt to overturn a national election based on contrived lies that add up to nothing except the fact that their man lost. Not just "lost," mind you, but was soundly beaten. Had his ass kicked, in fact, both in the popular vote and the electoral college tally.
And imagine a Republican Senate Majority equally contemptuous of the winner of that election, wielding the power to hold hostage many of the new President's first official actions—such as the basic function of picking a Cabinet. That Senate uses the excuse that the election was still being "litigated" to stall even scheduling hearings on his Cabinet nominations.
Imagine the outgoing, losing president, doing his level best to sabotage and hamstring the man who beat him in the election, alternatively whining and threatening elected Republican officials, demanding a list of those opposed to him, so that he could single them out for punishment.
And imagine all of this occurring against the backdrop of the worst public health crisis, combined with an equally virulent economic calamity, to hit this country in over a century.
If you really want to appreciate the insanity of what we're witnessing right now, just play the alternative scenario in your head.
Had President Barack Obama lost to Mitt Romney in 2012 by over seven million votes, suffered a 306-232 Electoral college shellacking, yet insisted he was the rightful winner, accusing the Republican Party of a massive and fraudulent campaign to undermine him, all while refusing to concede the election, you don't really need to think too hard to comprehend how this whole sorry episode in our country's history would have played out.
If something so ridiculous and far-fetched ever occurred, Democrats wouldn't have waited to remove him, they would have done it themselves. They wouldn't have waited for the Republican Party to cry and scream about it. He would have been banished from political life and never spoken of again.
So despite the Supreme Court's ruling, wiping out this latest attempt by the GOP to subvert and destroy our country, there's really something unspeakably terrible about this moment. It's bad enough as it is, but it's actually getting worse, Supreme Court rulings notwithstanding.
By now many people have put their finger on what's going on here. Basically, the Republican Party has shown its true colors. In a way, perhaps, we should thank Donald Trump for bringing this out in the cold light, for all to see.
As Adam Serwer, writing for The Atlantic, cannily observes, the message that is being sent by the Republicans here is that your vote was fraudulent if the person you voted for wasn't Donald Trump. And more specifically, your vote was fraudulent if you are not white.
To Trump's strongest supporters, Biden's win is a fraud because his voters should not count to begin with, and because the Democratic Party is not a legitimate political institution that should be allowed to wield power even if they did.
This is why the authoritarian remedies festering in the Trump fever swamps—martial law, the usurpation of state electors, Supreme Court fiat—are so openly contemplated. Because the true will of the people is that Trump remain president, forcing that outcome, even in the face of defeat, is a fulfillment of democracy rather than its betrayal.The Republican base's fundamental belief, the one that Trump used to win them over in the first place, the one that ties the election conspiracy theory to birtherism and to Trump's sneering attack on the Squad's citizenship, is that Democratic victories do not count, because Democratic voters are not truly American. It's no accident that the Trump campaign's claims have focused almost entirely on jurisdictions with high Black populations.
To Republicans, only white votes matter now. Are you wondering why you haven't heard any accusations about voter fraud in the suburban counties surrounding Philadelphia, for example, which helped Joe Biden win Pennsylvania? There are no such accusations, because those areas are predominantly white.
Back to our imagined scenario: If Barack Obama had attempted this, the Republican Party would long since have lined up in unison, braying for his head on a platter. There would be no reticence in calling this exactly what it is: treachery, treason, sedition of the highest order.
Republicans wouldn't be demanding hearings. From the top of the GOP leadership down, they'd be demanding an inquisition. They'd be urging all of their constituents to flood the streets.
But back in our real world, Democrats have been remarkably quiet about what is happening. Perhaps it's an expectation that this will all blow over, once the Electoral College votes on Monday. Perhaps the thinking is, following the lead of Joe Biden, Democrats want to project an air of professionalism and capability while the Republicans make fools of themselves. Perhaps they're inclined to just let the media do the castigating for them. Perhaps, as some have suggested, they feel as if their Republican counterparts are only behaving this way because they know their efforts will be unsuccessful.
I don't understand this thinking. It seems ridiculously naive, particularly under these times of unprecedented crisis, where thousands of Americans are dying in hospitals every single day.
The Republicans have embraced fascism. I don't know how many times it's going to be necessary to say this. I don't know how it can be said more clearly. There will not be any cooperation with these people. They've sold their souls. Fascists are impervious to reason, shame or argument. The only thing they understand is power when it's used against them.
The Democratic Party represents the majority—by a considerable margin—of the American voting public. As diverse as our coalition is, it is in fact the majority, and it needs to behave like a majority. We—not the Republicans—were the millions who marched in the streets of Washington, D.C. in 2017. We—not the Republicans—were the millions who marched in every major city in the country—and practically every other place in the country—in opposition to racism and police brutality. We—not the Republicans—were the ones who flooded the polls in 2018, and again in 2020, finally throwing this abomination out of office.
A majority has power, and it knows when to use it.
What the Republicans are doing has been, and is, intolerable. Any Republican—at the state level, the federal level, or in any other capacity—should be made to understand that they have betrayed the country. They need to know that they will be viewed and treated like people who have betrayed their country—for the rest of their political careers. They need to be made to understand that they will face the consequences of their 2020 treachery for the rest of their lives.
Unless and until that happens, they will continue to mock us, to disenfranchise us, knowing that we will sit back in fear, relying on our fragile "institutions" to protect us. And then they will try it again.


alternet--2020-12-13--Wave of GOP ‘kooks and crackpot’ candidates are following Trump’s lead and refusing to concede their

Wave of GOP ‘kooks and crackpot’ candidates are following Trump’s lead and refusing to concede their elections

According to a report from Politico , Donald Trump is not the only Republican candidate willing to admit they were crushed at the polls , with an assortment of what one GOP campaign consultant called a collection of `` kooks and crackpots '' insisting the election was stolen from them .
As the report notes , it has been five weeks since the election , counting has concluded , the totals are in , and yet more than a few Republican candidates are clinging to conspiracy theories to explain their losses and are refusing to move on .
Case in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for governor in Washington state only to lose by 13 points .
According to Politico 's David Siders , `` In the case of Republicans losing in impossibly Democratic districts or states , their post-election protests can come off as almost comical .
In Washington , the Democratic home of Gov .
Jay Inslee , Culp 's campaign announced his lawsuit last week as if it was momentous breaking news : 'At 1:15 p.m. Pacific Standard Time , ' an adviser said in a video , 'the Culp for Governor campaign has filed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the secretary of state asking for injunctive relief and demand for an audit of the paper ballots , vote counting machines and voting results ' in several counties . ''
That , the report notes , adds Culp to the long list of Republicans like Trump who are refusing to admit they lost .
According to Errol Webber , a Republican who was trounced by incumbent Rep. Karen Bass ( D-CA ) by 70 points , it 's all about seeing it through to the bitter end .
`` It 's not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or not , '' he explained .
`` It 's on principle that we will not let up until the truth is known . ''
According to Tick Segerblom , a Democratic commissioner of Clark County , Nevada , where multiple candidates are contesting the counts , `` It 's definitely a new era . ''
`` I 've been doing politics for 60 years , and it 's always been pretty much assumed , unless the margin was a handful of votes , that the winner was the winner and we all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
Longtime GOP campaign consultant Mike Madrid pointed the finger at Trump — who is still claiming election fraud despite losing multiple challenges in the courts — and noted the quality of the candidates who refuse to concede .
`` Right now , it 's mostly kooks and crackpots , '' he told Politico .
`` But it 's pretty rapidly becoming mainstream Republican thought . ''
There 's a very wide segment of the Republican electorate that is demonstrating self- and socially-destructive behavior … Democracy requires a willing winner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't just say this was stolen because you lost when there was no evidence of it , '' he added .
You can read more here .

According to a report from Politico, Donald Trump is not the only Republican candidate willing to admit they were crushed at the polls, with an assortment of what one GOP campaign consultant called a collection of "kooks and crackpots" insisting the election was stolen from them.
As the report notes, it has been five weeks since the election, counting has concluded, the totals are in, and yet more than a few Republican candidates are clinging to conspiracy theories to explain their losses and are refusing to move on.
Case in point: Republican Loren Culp who ran for governor in Washington state only to lose by 13 points.
According to Politico's David Siders, "In the case of Republicans losing in impossibly Democratic districts or states, their post-election protests can come off as almost comical. In Washington, the Democratic home of Gov. Jay Inslee, Culp's campaign announced his lawsuit last week as if it was momentous breaking news: 'At 1:15 p.m. Pacific Standard Time,' an adviser said in a video, 'the Culp for Governor campaign has filed a lawsuit in King County Superior Court against the secretary of state asking for injunctive relief and demand for an audit of the paper ballots, vote counting machines and voting results' in several counties."
That, the report notes, adds Culp to the long list of Republicans like Trump who are refusing to admit they lost.
According to Errol Webber, a Republican who was trounced by incumbent Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA) by 70 points, it's all about seeing it through to the bitter end.
"It's not about whether it's a competitive race or not," he explained. "It's on principle that we will not let up until the truth is known."
According to Tick Segerblom, a Democratic commissioner of Clark County, Nevada, where multiple candidates are contesting the counts, "It's definitely a new era."
"I've been doing politics for 60 years, and it's always been pretty much assumed, unless the margin was a handful of votes, that the winner was the winner and we all just went on our merry way," he said.
Longtime GOP campaign consultant Mike Madrid pointed the finger at Trump — who is still claiming election fraud despite losing multiple challenges in the courts — and noted the quality of the candidates who refuse to concede.
"Right now, it's mostly kooks and crackpots," he told Politico. "But it's pretty rapidly becoming mainstream Republican thought."
There's a very wide segment of the Republican electorate that is demonstrating self- and socially-destructive behavior … Democracy requires a willing winner and a willing loser. You can't just say this was stolen because you lost when there was no evidence of it," he added.
You can read more here.


alternet--2020-12-13--Oregon just decriminalized all drugs – here’s why voters passed this groundbreaking reform

Oregon became the first state in the United States to decriminalize the possession of all drugs on Nov. 3 , 2020 .
Measure 110 , a ballot initiative funded by the Drug Policy Alliance , a nonprofit advocacy group backed in part by Facebook 's Mark Zuckerberg , passed with more than 58 % of the vote .
Possessing heroin , cocaine , methamphetamine and other drugs for personal use is no longer a criminal offense in Oregon .
Those drugs are still against the law , as is selling them .
But possession is now a civil – not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fine or court-ordered therapy , not jail .
Marijuana , which Oregon legalized in 2014 , remains fully legal .
Oregon 's move is radical for the United States , but several European countries have decriminalized drugs to some extent .
There are three main arguments for this major drug policy reform .
In 1971 , President Richard Nixon declared drugs to be “ public enemy number one '' and launched a “ war on drugs '' that continues today .
The ostensible rationale for harshly punishing drug users is to deter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – including our own on marijuana and drugs generally – has found the deterrent effect of strict criminal punishment to be small , if it exists at all .
This is especially true among young people , who are the majority of drug users .
This is partly due to the nature of addiction , and also because there are simply limits to how much punishment can deter crime .
As a result , the U.S. has both the world 's highest incarceration rate and among the highest rates of illegal drug use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the United States is in for a drug offense .
Criminologists find that other consequences of problematic drug use – such as harm to health , reduced quality of life and strained personal relationships – are more effective deterrents than criminal sanctions .
Because criminalizing drugs does not really prevent drug use , decriminalizing does not really increase it .
Portugal , which decriminalized the personal possession of all drugs in 2001 in response to high illicit drug use , has much lower rates of drug use than the European average .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 to 34 , for example , is 0.3 % in Portugal , compared to 2.1 % across the EU .
Amphetamine and MDMA consumption is likewise lower in Portugal .
2 .
Decriminalization puts money to better use Arresting , prosecuting and imprisoning people for drug-related crimes is expensive .
The Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron estimates that all government drug prohibition-related expenditures were US $ 47.8 billion nationally in 2016 .
Oregon spent about $ 375 million on drug prohibition in that year .
Oregon will now divert some the money previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about a dozen new drug prevention and treatment centers statewide , which has been found to be a significantly more cost-effective strategy .
Some tax revenue from recreational marijuana sales , which exceeded $ 100 million in 2019 , will also go to addiction and recovery services .
Oregon spent about $ 470 million on substance abuse treatment between 2017 and 2019 .
Not everyone who uses drugs needs treatment .
Decriminalization makes help accessible to those who do need it – and keeps both those users and recreational users out of jail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mitigate the significant racial and ethnic disparities associated with drug enforcement .
Illegal drug use is roughly comparable across race in the U.S .
But people of color are significantly more likely to be searched , arrested and imprisoned for a drug-related offense .
Drug crimes can incur long prison sentences .
Discretion in drug enforcement and sentencing means prohibition is among the leading causes of incarceration of people of color in the United States – an injustice many Americans on both sides of the aisle increasingly recognize .
Freed up from policing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resources toward crime prevention and solving violent crimes like homicide and robbery , which are time-consuming to investigate .
That could help restore some trust between law enforcement and Oregon 's communities of color .
One common concern among Oregonians who voted against decriminalization was that lessening criminal penalties would endanger children .
“ I think it sends a really bad message to them , and influences their perception of the risks , '' James O'Rourke , a defense attorney who helped organize the opposition to measure 110 , told Oregon Public Broadcasting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legalized marijuana have n't seen adolescent use rise significantly .
In fact , marijuana consumption among teens – though not among college-aged Americans – actually declined in some states with legal marijuana .
This may be because legal , regulated marijuana is more difficult for minors to get than black-market drugs .
Research also shows that for some people , particularly the young , banning a behavior makes it more alluring .
So defining drugs as a health concern rather than a crime could actually make them less appealing to young Oregonians .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will attract people looking to use drugs .
So-called “ drug tourism '' has n't really been a problem for Portugal , but it happened in Switzerland after officials in the 1980s and 1990s began officially “ ignoring '' heroin in Zurich 's Platzspitz Park .
People came from across the country to inject heroin in public , leaving discarded needles on the ground .
The local government shut down Platzspitz Park .
But rather than chase off or arrest those who frequented it , it began offering methadone and prescription heroin to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public injection , HIV rates and overdoses – which had all become a problem in Zurich – plummeted .
Certain parts of Oregon already have higher rates of public drug consumption , namely Portland and Eugene .
Because public drug use is still illegal in Oregon , however , we do n't expect a Platzspitz Park-style open drug scene to emerge .
These places should benefit from the expansion of methadone programs and other medication-assisted treatment , which is endorsed by the American Medical Association .
If neighboring Washington state decriminalizes drugs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of drug tourism would drop further .
[ The Conversation 's science , health and technology editors pick their favorite stories .
Weekly on Wednesdays . ]
There are risks with any major policy change .
The question is whether the new policy results in a net benefit .
In Portugal , full decriminalization has proven more humane and effective than criminalization .
Because drug users do n't worry about facing criminal charges , those who need help are more likely to seek it – and get it .
Portugal 's overdose death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EU average – which is itself far lower than the United States ' .
HIV infection rates among injection drug users also dropped massively since 2001 .
These policies show that problem drug use is a public health challenge to be managed , not a war that can be won .
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

Scott Akins, Oregon State University and Clayton Mosher, Washington State University
Oregon became the first state in the United States to decriminalize the possession of all drugs on Nov. 3, 2020.
Measure 110, a ballot initiative funded by the Drug Policy Alliance, a nonprofit advocacy group backed in part by Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, passed with more than 58% of the vote. Possessing heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and other drugs for personal use is no longer a criminal offense in Oregon.
Those drugs are still against the law, as is selling them. But possession is now a civil – not criminal – violation that may result in a fine or court-ordered therapy, not jail. Marijuana, which Oregon legalized in 2014, remains fully legal.
Oregon's move is radical for the United States, but several European countries have decriminalized drugs to some extent. There are three main arguments for this major drug policy reform.
#1. Drug prohibition has failed
In 1971, President Richard Nixon declared drugs to be “public enemy number one" and launched a “war on drugs" that continues today.
The ostensible rationale for harshly punishing drug users is to deter drug use. But decades of research – including our own on marijuana and drugs generally – has found the deterrent effect of strict criminal punishment to be small, if it exists at all. This is especially true among young people, who are the majority of drug users.
This is partly due to the nature of addiction, and also because there are simply limits to how much punishment can deter crime. As a result, the U.S. has both the world's highest incarceration rate and among the highest rates of illegal drug use. Roughly 1 in 5 incarcerated people in the United States is in for a drug offense.
Criminologists find that other consequences of problematic drug use – such as harm to health, reduced quality of life and strained personal relationships – are more effective deterrents than criminal sanctions.
Because criminalizing drugs does not really prevent drug use, decriminalizing does not really increase it. Portugal, which decriminalized the personal possession of all drugs in 2001 in response to high illicit drug use, has much lower rates of drug use than the European average. Use of cocaine among young adults age 15 to 34, for example, is 0.3% in Portugal, compared to 2.1% across the EU. Amphetamine and MDMA consumption is likewise lower in Portugal.
2. Decriminalization puts money to better use
Arresting, prosecuting and imprisoning people for drug-related crimes is expensive.
The Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron estimates that all government drug prohibition-related expenditures were US$47.8 billion nationally in 2016. Oregon spent about $375 million on drug prohibition in that year.
Oregon will now divert some the money previously used on drug enforcement to pay for about a dozen new drug prevention and treatment centers statewide, which has been found to be a significantly more cost-effective strategy. Some tax revenue from recreational marijuana sales, which exceeded $100 million in 2019, will also go to addiction and recovery services.
Oregon spent about $470 million on substance abuse treatment between 2017 and 2019.
Not everyone who uses drugs needs treatment. Decriminalization makes help accessible to those who do need it – and keeps both those users and recreational users out of jail.
3. The drug war targets people of color
Another aim of decriminalization is to mitigate the significant racial and ethnic disparities associated with drug enforcement.
Illegal drug use is roughly comparable across race in the U.S. But people of color are significantly more likely to be searched, arrested and imprisoned for a drug-related offense. Drug crimes can incur long prison sentences.
Discretion in drug enforcement and sentencing means prohibition is among the leading causes of incarceration of people of color in the United States – an injustice many Americans on both sides of the aisle increasingly recognize.
Freed up from policing drug use, departments may redirect their resources toward crime prevention and solving violent crimes like homicide and robbery, which are time-consuming to investigate. That could help restore some trust between law enforcement and Oregon's communities of color.
Risks of decriminalization
One common concern among Oregonians who voted against decriminalization was that lessening criminal penalties would endanger children.
“I think it sends a really bad message to them, and influences their perception of the risks," James O'Rourke, a defense attorney who helped organize the opposition to measure 110, told Oregon Public Broadcasting in October.
But U.S. states that legalized marijuana haven't seen adolescent use rise significantly. In fact, marijuana consumption among teens – though not among college-aged Americans – actually declined in some states with legal marijuana. This may be because legal, regulated marijuana is more difficult for minors to get than black-market drugs.
Research also shows that for some people, particularly the young, banning a behavior makes it more alluring. So defining drugs as a health concern rather than a crime could actually make them less appealing to young Oregonians.
Another worry about decriminalization is that it will attract people looking to use drugs.
So-called “drug tourism" hasn't really been a problem for Portugal, but it happened in Switzerland after officials in the 1980s and 1990s began officially “ignoring" heroin in Zurich's Platzspitz Park. People came from across the country to inject heroin in public, leaving discarded needles on the ground.
The local government shut down Platzspitz Park. But rather than chase off or arrest those who frequented it, it began offering methadone and prescription heroin to help people with opioid use disorder. Public injection, HIV rates and overdoses – which had all become a problem in Zurich – plummeted.
Certain parts of Oregon already have higher rates of public drug consumption, namely Portland and Eugene. Because public drug use is still illegal in Oregon, however, we don't expect a Platzspitz Park-style open drug scene to emerge. These places should benefit from the expansion of methadone programs and other medication-assisted treatment, which is endorsed by the American Medical Association.
If neighboring Washington state decriminalizes drugs, which it is considering, the chances of drug tourism would drop further.
[The Conversation's science, health and technology editors pick their favorite stories.Weekly on Wednesdays.]
Upside – and downside
There are risks with any major policy change. The question is whether the new policy results in a net benefit.
In Portugal, full decriminalization has proven more humane and effective than criminalization. Because drug users don't worry about facing criminal charges, those who need help are more likely to seek it – and get it.
Portugal's overdose death rate is five times lower than the EU average – which is itself far lower than the United States'. HIV infection rates among injection drug users also dropped massively since 2001.
These policies show that problem drug use is a public health challenge to be managed, not a war that can be won.
Scott Akins, Professor, Sociology Department, Oregon State University and Clayton Mosher, Professor, Sociology Department, Washington State University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


alternet--2020-12-13--How to cure America’s vaccine paranoia

How to cure America’s vaccine paranoia

The 47th Medical Operations Squadron immunization flight is scheduled to have their first batches of the flu vaccine ready by @ @ @ @ @ batches are disseminated to individuals who are deploying , high risk for illness , or @ @ @ @ @ by the entire base once more vaccines arrive .
( U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman @ @ @ @

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alternet--2020-12-13--Blistering ruling from Trump-appointed judge dismisses president's Wisconsin case 'with prejudice'

At this point is it news that Donald Trump has lost yet another case in court ?
Eh , probably not .
But somehow the taste of Donald Trump , big loser , just never gets old .
And in this case , that losing sauce is extra spicy—because the epic smackdown came from a Trump-appointed conservative judge .
District Court Judge Brett Ludwig dismissed Trump 's case in Wisconsin `` with prejudice , '' meaning that it is pretty much dead , dead , and also dead .
But Judge Ludwig did n't stop there .
His ruling makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aghast '' seems like the proper term .
In addition to calling this `` an extraordinary case '' ( emphasis his ) , where Trump hopes `` to secure federal court help in undoing his defeat , '' Ludwig makes it extremely clear that such help is not coming .
Trump 's claim is that the state elections commission made rules about … state elections , which is the exact reason that the state legislature created the commission and authorized it to make such rules .
However , Trump asserts that because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means the whole election `` failed , '' and the state 's electors should be left up to the GOP-dominated state legislature .
In response , Ludwig showed that a single use of the word `` extraordinary '' was insufficient to measure the level of gall that Trump was asserting .
It 's not your standing , loser .
It 's your case .

At this point is it news that Donald Trump has lost yet another case in court? Eh, probably not. But somehow the taste of Donald Trump, big loser, just never gets old. And in this case, that losing sauce is extra spicy—because the epic smackdown came from a Trump-appointed conservative judge.
District Court Judge Brett Ludwig dismissed Trump's case in Wisconsin "with prejudice," meaning that it is pretty much dead, dead, and also dead. But Judge Ludwig didn't stop there. His ruling makes it clear that he's … "aghast" seems like the proper term. In addition to calling this "an extraordinary case" (emphasis his), where Trump hopes "to secure federal court help in undoing his defeat," Ludwig makes it extremely clear that such help is not coming.
From the ruling:
"This is an extraordinary case. Plaintiff Donald J. Trump is the current president of the United States, having narrowly won the state of Wisconsin's electoral votes four years ago, with a margin of just over 22,700 votes. In this lawsuit he seeks to set aside the results of the November 3, 2020 popular vote in Wisconsin, an election in which the recently certified results show he was defeated by a similarly narrow margin of just over 20,600 votes. Hoping to secure federal court help in undoing his defeat, plaintiff asserts that the defendants, a group of some 20 Wisconsin officials, violated his rights under the "Electors Clause" in Article II, Section I of the Constitution."
Trump's claim is that the state elections commission made rules about … state elections, which is the exact reason that the state legislature created the commission and authorized it to make such rules. However, Trump asserts that because the commission did issue such rules, it means the whole election "failed," and the state's electors should be left up to the GOP-dominated state legislature.
In response, Ludwig showed that a single use of the word "extraordinary" was insufficient to measure the level of gall that Trump was asserting.
"This is an extraordinary case. A sitting president who did not prevail in his bid for reelection has asked for federal court help in sitting aside the popular vote based on disputed issues of election administration, issues he plainly could have raised before the vote occurred. This court has allowed plaintiff to make his case and he has lost on the merits.
In his reply, plaintiff asks that 'the rule of law be followed.' It has been."
It's not your standing, loser. It's your case.


alternet--2020-12-14--Neither House Republicans nor the White House have given up on nullifying election

The United States Supreme Court may have washed its hands of the Republican fascist brigade 's attempts to invalidate the November elections based on gummy propagandistic conspiracy theories , but that does not mean the lawmakers attempting to reinstall their Republican leader by force are giving up .
After two-thirds of the House Republican caucus signed the amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to nullify the election , only to be rebuffed , the party 's attention now turns to an attempt to simply throw out the electors chosen in Biden-won swing states when the House meets to formally confirm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means , as The New York Times uses as its own hook for the story , that we will soon get to see just how far Vice President Mike Pence is willing to go to humiliate himself in order to personally promote the fascist notion that we should set aside the results of the election because Dear Leader , a man entirely captured by the delusions of malignant narcissism , Does n't Like Them .
None of this will succeed in overturning the election , mind you .
The House Republican efforts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conspiracy theories have no chance of success , a fact still completely lost on Trump colon-dwellers like Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama , who is promoting the scheme .
Pence 's own role is mostly ceremonial .
He gets to read out who got the most votes and therefore won ; if he wanted to strip off his clothes , don a diaper , and go on a raging floor-kicking tantrum proclaiming that up is down and all the Biden votes are actually Trump votes he could do so , but it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effects beyond being ejected from the building .
With the possible exception of Brooks and a few other bonafide dumbasses , all involved understand that objections to the Electoral College totals would be for the sake of spectacle , not results .
It would be yet another bit of propaganda aimed at publicly discrediting the new non-Republican leader , a stepping-stone and commitment to upcoming declarations that the new administration is not only their ideological enemy , but illegitimate .
House Republicans intend it as a furtherance of the grand hoax—the proclamation that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the votes themselves are illegitimate .
It is the hallmark of many collapsing democracies .
At some point , the authoritarian faction declares that elections are too corrupt to truly reflect the will of the nation , and so the faction leaders will themselves interpret the will of the nation .
Those that object are punished .
In this particular case , however , ( most ) House Republicans do not sincerely intend to win .
But neither would they feel chagrined if their actions further provoked the sort of far-right violence seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very public suggestion that non-Republican rule can simply no longer be tolerated by the unwashed masses , and that their non-Republican opponents should begin contemplating their own safety if they intend to continue thwarting Republican demands .
That is the goal behind nearly all of this nonsense : to delegitimize ; to put the stochastic notion in public heads that if The Base suffers a setback in its ambitions , it can only be because The Base was conspired against .
It was conspired against by the urban , and the globalists , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hook , though—now that is interesting .
We are asked to wonder whether Mike Pence , a man who has eagerly debased himself at every turn , who has peddled every lie asked of him , who steadily moved from studious silence to blustering defense , as Trump moved from crassness to incompetence to corruption , who allied himself with white nationalism and with each sponsored cruelty , a maudlin performative Christian who has led Trump 's own efforts to convince white conservative believers that there is something resembling divinity in the tax-dodging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ponder whether Trump leather insole Mike Pence would make an ass of himself here , for an effort absolutely assured to fail , for the sole purpose of delegitimizing Trump 's enemy and making the boom-boom man slightly less sour than he otherwise would be for a few subsequent hours .
Is there a chance Mike Pence would not ?

The United States Supreme Court may have washed its hands of the Republican fascist brigade's attempts to invalidate the November elections based on gummy propagandistic conspiracy theories, but that does not mean the lawmakers attempting to reinstall their Republican leader by force are giving up. After two-thirds of the House Republican caucus signed the amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to nullify the election, only to be rebuffed, the party's attention now turns to an attempt to simply throw out the electors chosen in Biden-won swing states when the House meets to formally confirm the Electoral College's tally.
Which means, as The New York Times uses as its own hook for the story, that we will soon get to see just how far Vice President Mike Pence is willing to go to humiliate himself in order to personally promote the fascist notion that we should set aside the results of the election because Dear Leader, a man entirely captured by the delusions of malignant narcissism, Doesn't Like Them.
None of this will succeed in overturning the election, mind you. The House Republican efforts to challenge the electoral results based on freak conspiracy theories have no chance of success, a fact still completely lost on Trump colon-dwellers like Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama, who is promoting the scheme. Pence's own role is mostly ceremonial. He gets to read out who got the most votes and therefore won; if he wanted to strip off his clothes, don a diaper, and go on a raging floor-kicking tantrum proclaiming that up is down and all the Biden votes are actually Trump votes he could do so, but it's not clear it would have any substantive effects beyond being ejected from the building.
With the possible exception of Brooks and a few other bonafide dumbasses, all involved understand that objections to the Electoral College totals would be for the sake of spectacle, not results. It would be yet another bit of propaganda aimed at publicly discrediting the new non-Republican leader, a stepping-stone and commitment to upcoming declarations that the new administration is not only their ideological enemy, but illegitimate. House Republicans intend it as a furtherance of the grand hoax—the proclamation that because the Republican did not win, the votes themselves are illegitimate.
It is the hallmark of many collapsing democracies. At some point, the authoritarian faction declares that elections are too corrupt to truly reflect the will of the nation, and so the faction leaders will themselves interpret the will of the nation. Those that object are punished.
In this particular case, however, (most) House Republicans do not sincerely intend to win. But neither would they feel chagrined if their actions further provoked the sort of far-right violence seen in Washington, D.C., this weekend—the very public suggestion that non-Republican rule can simply no longer be tolerated by the unwashed masses, and that their non-Republican opponents should begin contemplating their own safety if they intend to continue thwarting Republican demands. That is the goal behind nearly all of this nonsense: to delegitimize; to put the stochastic notion in public heads that if The Base suffers a setback in its ambitions, it can only be because The Base was conspired against. It was conspired against by the urban, and the globalists, and the socialists.
Back to the hook, though—now that is interesting. We are asked to wonder whether Mike Pence, a man who has eagerly debased himself at every turn, who has peddled every lie asked of him, who steadily moved from studious silence to blustering defense, as Trump moved from crassness to incompetence to corruption, who allied himself with white nationalism and with each sponsored cruelty, a maudlin performative Christian who has led Trump's own efforts to convince white conservative believers that there is something resembling divinity in the tax-dodging, bank-frauding, rapist boor—we are asked to ponder whether Trump leather insole Mike Pence would make an ass of himself here, for an effort absolutely assured to fail, for the sole purpose of delegitimizing Trump's enemy and making the boom-boom man slightly less sour than he otherwise would be for a few subsequent hours.
Is there a chance Mike Pence would not?


alternet--2020-12-14--GOP under fire for blocking necessary funds as COVID vaccine distribution begins

As U.S. distribution of the newly approved Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine kicked off Sunday with the shipment of millions of doses to sites across the nation , Senate Republicans faced mounting outrage for continuing to block federal funds that crisis-ravaged states and localities desperately need to carry out an unparalleled mass inoculation effort .
Facing large budget shortfalls due to the Covid-19 pandemic and lack of relief from the deadlocked Congress , state and local governments will soon be tasked with executing a rapid vaccination campaign that will require large quantities of supplies as well as new clinics , additional workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost money that states and localities fear they do n't have .
As the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday , `` State leaders say they are short billions of dollars in funding needed to successfully provide Covid-19 vaccinations to all Americans who want to be inoculated by health officials ' June goal . ''
`` The federal government is providing the vaccine , along with syringes , needles , face masks , and shields , '' the Journal noted .
But local officials are warning of a repeat of the Trump administration 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the early months of the pandemic , a failure that resulted in a chaotic free-for-all as states scrambled to obtain necessary supplies .
Nevertheless , the Journal reported , `` officials in several states said they would spend whatever is needed to get residents vaccinated .
Some said that might force spending cuts in areas like education , unless Congress provides additional funding or the federal government reimburses a large chunk of their rollout costs . ''
The Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) on Friday authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unprecedented and urgent campaign to distribute the vaccine as U.S. Covid-19 deaths approached 300,000 .
The FDA 's move , and the subsequent shipment of around three million doses of the vaccine to facilities across the nation , came as talks over a coronavirus relief package remained at a standstill , calling into question whether billions of dollars for vaccine distribution and additional relief to state and local governments will be approved before the end of the year .
`` If you want to know what a failed state looks like , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , executive editor of The American Prospect , tweeted Sunday .
`` The end of a tragic , crippling pandemic [ is ] in sight and Senate Republicans ca n't get around to authorizing any money to complete the job . ''
Dr. Leana Wen , former health commissioner for Baltimore and a professor at George Washington University , warned that states `` are running a marathon at sprint speed with very little support .
`` States are so stretched , '' Wen told the Journal .
`` It would be a shame @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for development is n't warp speed for distribution . ''
Congressional Republicans have for months dismissed Democrats ' calls for robust aid to state and local governments , and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) has made clear that he will not approve such relief without the inclusion of a sweeping liability shield for corporations—a proposal that consumer advocacy groups , labor unions , and progressive lawmakers have denounced as a `` get-out-of-jail-free card '' for large companies .
`` Imagine holding emergency aid hostage—help for the unemployed , small businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deliver a vaccine—to give corporations legal immunity .
But that has been the GOP position for eight months , '' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) tweeted last week .
`` Senator McConnell : It is past time for the Senate to act . ''
On Monday , a bipartisan group of lawmakers from both chambers of Congress is expected to unveil legislative text for a $ 908 billion relief proposal that has been in the works for weeks .
Politico reported late Sunday that `` the deal is expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One would be a $ 748 billion piece of coronavirus relief with less controversial items like schools and healthcare ; the other would marry $ 160 billion in money for local governments with a temporary liability shield . ''
As it stands , the bipartisan proposal reportedly contains $ 16 billion in funding specifically for vaccine distribution , an amount that has been criticized as inadequate .
Dayen on Saturday called the proposed figure `` appalling . ''
Lower Drug Prices Now , a progressive advocacy coalition , tweeted that `` a Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our communities do n't have the resources to distribute it .
We need lawmakers to come together and pass Covid relief if we want to beat this pandemic .
`` The Senate Majority leader blocked the HEROES Act , and 'hit pause ' on Covid relief while he continued confirming judge after judge , '' the coalition said Sunday .
`` So many lives and businesses are at stake , we ca n't wait any longer . ''

As U.S. distribution of the newly approved Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine kicked off Sunday with the shipment of millions of doses to sites across the nation, Senate Republicans faced mounting outrage for continuing to block federal funds that crisis-ravaged states and localities desperately need to carry out an unparalleled mass inoculation effort.
Facing large budget shortfalls due to the Covid-19 pandemic and lack of relief from the deadlocked Congress, state and local governments will soon be tasked with executing a rapid vaccination campaign that will require large quantities of supplies as well as new clinics, additional workers, and public outreach—all of which will cost money that states and localities fear they don't have.
As the Wall Street Journalreported Sunday, "State leaders say they are short billions of dollars in funding needed to successfully provide Covid-19 vaccinations to all Americans who want to be inoculated by health officials' June goal."
"The federal government is providing the vaccine, along with syringes, needles, face masks, and shields," the Journal noted. But local officials are warning of a repeat of the Trump administration's slow and inadequate rollout of protective equipment in the early months of the pandemic, a failure that resulted in a chaotic free-for-all as states scrambled to obtain necessary supplies.
Nevertheless, the Journal reported, "officials in several states said they would spend whatever is needed to get residents vaccinated. Some said that might force spending cuts in areas like education, unless Congress provides additional funding or the federal government reimburses a large chunk of their rollout costs."
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for emergency use, setting in motion an unprecedented and urgent campaign to distribute the vaccine as U.S. Covid-19 deaths approached 300,000.
The FDA's move, and the subsequent shipment of around three million doses of the vaccine to facilities across the nation, came as talks over a coronavirus relief package remained at a standstill, calling into question whether billions of dollars for vaccine distribution and additional relief to state and local governments will be approved before the end of the year.
"If you want to know what a failed state looks like, this is it," David Dayen, executive editor of The American Prospect, tweeted Sunday. "The end of a tragic, crippling pandemic [is] in sight and Senate Republicans can't get around to authorizing any money to complete the job."
Dr. Leana Wen, former health commissioner for Baltimore and a professor at George Washington University, warned that states "are running a marathon at sprint speed with very little support.
"States are so stretched," Wen told the Journal. "It would be a shame if all the effort on Warp Speed for development isn't warp speed for distribution."
Congressional Republicans have for months dismissed Democrats' calls for robust aid to state and local governments, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has made clear that he will not approve such relief without the inclusion of a sweeping liability shield for corporations—a proposal that consumer advocacy groups, labor unions, and progressive lawmakers have denounced as a "get-out-of-jail-free card" for large companies.
"Imagine holding emergency aid hostage—help for the unemployed, small businesses, first responders, people, funding to deliver a vaccine—to give corporations legal immunity. But that has been the GOP position for eight months," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) tweeted last week. "Senator McConnell: It is past time for the Senate to act."
On Monday, a bipartisan group of lawmakers from both chambers of Congress is expected to unveil legislative text for a $908 billion relief proposal that has been in the works for weeks. Politico reported late Sunday that "the deal is expected to be split into two pieces... One would be a $748 billion piece of coronavirus relief with less controversial items like schools and healthcare; the other would marry $160 billion in money for local governments with a temporary liability shield."
As it stands, the bipartisan proposal reportedly contains $16 billion in funding specifically for vaccine distribution, an amount that has been criticized as inadequate. Dayen on Saturday called the proposed figure "appalling."
Lower Drug Prices Now, a progressive advocacy coalition, tweeted that "a Covid-19 vaccine doesn't do much good if our communities don't have the resources to distribute it. We need lawmakers to come together and pass Covid relief if we want to beat this pandemic.
"The Senate Majority leader blocked the HEROES Act, and 'hit pause' on Covid relief while he continued confirming judge after judge," the coalition said Sunday. "So many lives and businesses are at stake, we can't wait any longer."


alternet--2020-12-14--Super-spreader COVID workplaces: Amazon reveals the fatuousness of McConnell's corporate 'liability

Super-spreader COVID workplaces: Amazon reveals the fatuousness of McConnell's corporate 'liability shield'

As a former Secretary of Labor , I often receive mail from workers with job complaints , who apparently believe I still have some authority .
But the email I received a few days ago from a worker at Amazon 's Whole Foods delivery warehouse in Industry City , Brooklyn , New York , was particularly distressing .
She said that six of her co-workers had tested positive for COVID since October 22 , because `` safe social distancing is not only being ignored but discouraged , '' adding that `` when we express our discomfort to management , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or told that we can take a leave of absence without pay . ''
She ended by noting `` we work for a trillionaire . ''
Well , not quite .
Jeff Bezos is worth $ 180 billion , making him the richest person in the world .
And his corporation , Amazon , which also owns Whole Foods , is among the world 's richest corporations .
Bezos has accumulated so much added wealth over the last nine months that he could give every Amazon employee $ 105,000 and still be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
So you 'd think he 'd be able to afford safer workplaces .
Yet as of October , more than 20,000 U.S.-based Amazon employees had been infected by the virus .
That estimate comes from Amazon , by the way .
There 's been no independent verification , nor has Amazon revealed how many of them have died .
Decades ago , employees in most large corporations could remedy unsafe working conditions by complaining to their union , which pressured their employer to fix the problems , or to the Occupational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1970 ) , which levied fines .
Alternatively , they could embarrass their companies by going public with their complaints .
As a last resort , they could sue .
None of these routes is readily available to Amazon warehouse workers – nor , for that matter , to warehouse workers at Walmart , or to most workers in other super-spreader COVID workplaces such as meatpacking plants and nursing homes .
Amazon 's workers have no union to protect them .
( Throughout its 25-year history , the corporation has aggressively fought union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter , do 93.8 percent of America 's private-sector workers .
Fifty years ago , more than a third were unionized .
And OSHA ?
Since the start of the pandemic , it 's been useless .
Although receiving more than 10,000 complaints of unsafe conditions , it has issued just two citations .
Amazon employees who go public with their complaints are likely to lose their jobs .
The corporation prohibits its workers from commenting publicly on any aspect of its business , without prior approval from executives .
So far during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least two white-collar employees who publicly denounced conditions at its warehouses , as well as several warehouse workers who raised safety concerns to media outlets .
Amazon is n't alone .
A survey conducted in May by the National Employment Law Project showed that 1 in 8 American workers `` has perceived possible retaliatory actions by employers against workers in their company who have raised health and safety concerns '' about COVID .
The final option is to sue the company , but lawsuits against employers over COVID have been rare because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus at work .
A Washington Post analysis found that since the pandemic began , just 234 personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits have been filed due to the virus .
All of which reveals the utter fatuousness of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell 's and his fellow Senate Republicans ' demand that any new COVID relief package must include a corporate `` liability shield '' against COVID cases .
Even if such lawsuits were successful , corporations already have limited liability .
That 's what it means to be a corporation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and plaintiffs won , Jeff Bezos would remain comfortable .
The heinous resurgence of COVID makes clear that corporations need more – not fewer – incentives to protect their workers from the virus .
As millions of Americans lose whatever meager income they had , they should not have to choose between taking a risky job – such as in an Amazon warehouse – or putting food on their family 's table .
Bezos , as well as every major employer in America , can easily afford to protect their workers .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans should know , the richest nation in the world can easily afford to provide every American adequate income support during this national emergency .
That they 're not doing so is disgraceful .

As a former Secretary of Labor, I often receive mail from workers with job complaints, who apparently believe I still have some authority. But the email I received a few days ago from a worker at Amazon's Whole Foods delivery warehouse in Industry City, Brooklyn, New York, was particularly distressing.
She said that six of her co-workers had tested positive for COVID since October 22, because "safe social distancing is not only being ignored but discouraged," adding that "when we express our discomfort to management, we are yelled at about filling orders faster, or told that we can take a leave of absence without pay."
She ended by noting "we work for a trillionaire."
Well, not quite. Jeff Bezos is worth $180 billion, making him the richest person in the world. And his corporation, Amazon, which also owns Whole Foods, is among the world's richest corporations.
Bezos has accumulated so much added wealth over the last nine months that he could give every Amazon employee $105,000 and still be as rich as he was before the pandemic.
So you'd think he'd be able to afford safer workplaces. Yet as of October, more than 20,000 U.S.-based Amazon employees had been infected by the virus. That estimate comes from Amazon, by the way. There's been no independent verification, nor has Amazon revealed how many of them have died.
Decades ago, employees in most large corporations could remedy unsafe working conditions by complaining to their union, which pressured their employer to fix the problems, or to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (founded in 1970), which levied fines.
Alternatively, they could embarrass their companies by going public with their complaints. As a last resort, they could sue.
None of these routes is readily available to Amazon warehouse workers – nor, for that matter, to warehouse workers at Walmart, or to most workers in other super-spreader COVID workplaces such as meatpacking plants and nursing homes.
Amazon's workers have no union to protect them. (Throughout its 25-year history, the corporation has aggressively fought union organizing.) Nor, for that matter, do 93.8 percent of America's private-sector workers. Fifty years ago, more than a third were unionized.
And OSHA? Since the start of the pandemic, it's been useless. Although receiving more than 10,000 complaints of unsafe conditions, it has issued just two citations.
Amazon employees who go public with their complaints are likely to lose their jobs. The corporation prohibits its workers from commenting publicly on any aspect of its business, without prior approval from executives. So far during the pandemic, it has fired at least two white-collar employees who publicly denounced conditions at its warehouses, as well as several warehouse workers who raised safety concerns to media outlets.
Amazon isn't alone. A survey conducted in May by the National Employment Law Project showed that 1 in 8 American workers "has perceived possible retaliatory actions by employers against workers in their company who have raised health and safety concerns" about COVID.
The final option is to sue the company, but lawsuits against employers over COVID have been rare because of difficulties proving that the employee contracted the virus at work. A Washington Post analysis found that since the pandemic began, just 234 personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits have been filed due to the virus.
All of which reveals the utter fatuousness of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's and his fellow Senate Republicans' demand that any new COVID relief package must include a corporate "liability shield" against COVID cases.
Even if such lawsuits were successful, corporations already have limited liability. That's what it means to be a corporation. In the unlikely event Amazon were sued and plaintiffs won, Jeff Bezos would remain comfortable.
The heinous resurgence of COVID makes clear that corporations need more – not fewer – incentives to protect their workers from the virus.
As millions of Americans lose whatever meager income they had, they should not have to choose between taking a risky job – such as in an Amazon warehouse – or putting food on their family's table.
Bezos, as well as every major employer in America, can easily afford to protect their workers. And as Mitch McConnell and his fellow Senate Republicans should know, the richest nation in the world can easily afford to provide every American adequate income support during this national emergency.
That they're not doing so is disgraceful.


alternet--2020-12-14--Michigan House and Senate offices close due to 'credible threat' as Michigan electors meet

The Detroit Free Press reports that the Michigan House and Senate buildings will be closed both to staffers and the public on Monday as the state 's electors to the Electoral College meet to cast their votes for the state 's presidential winner , Joe Biden .
The Capitol was already expected to be closed to the public during the Electoral College meeting ; this new , expanded closure also includes the building 's legislative staff .
While neither Michigan State Police nor a spokesperson for the House Speaker 's office would explain the reason for the closure , other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns , '' State Rep. Kevin Hertel tweeted that it was due to `` credible threats '' that `` have been made as Michigan 's electors '' meet .
The state has been a hotspot of fascist militia activity .
Michigan legislators has been the subject of armed protests by the far right and the Michigan governor , a Democrat , was the intended victim of a domestic terrorism plot in which members of a far-right group sought to kidnap and possibly execute her over the state 's pandemic safety measures .
Only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the intellect of flatworms demonstrated at the house of Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson over rabid Republican conspiracy theories claiming Joe Biden 's win over Donald Trump was fraudulent and/or a conspiracy .
There is no word on what security measures are in place as a response to the apparent `` credible '' threats aimed at disrupting the electors ' official vote .
Michigan state Republicans , however , have repeatedly encouraged the state 's violent conspiracy theorists , most recently by inviting Trump `` lawyers '' Rudy Giuliani and Jenna @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Republican-led House .

The Detroit Free Press reports that the Michigan House and Senate buildings will be closed both to staffers and the public on Monday as the state's electors to the Electoral College meet to cast their votes for the state's presidential winner, Joe Biden. The Capitol was already expected to be closed to the public during the Electoral College meeting; this new, expanded closure also includes the building's legislative staff.
While neither Michigan State Police nor a spokesperson for the House Speaker's office would explain the reason for the closure, other than it being due to "security concerns," State Rep. Kevin Hertel tweeted that it was due to "credible threats" that "have been made as Michigan's electors" meet.
The state has been a hotspot of fascist militia activity. Michigan legislators has been the subject of armed protests by the far right and the Michigan governor, a Democrat, was the intended victim of a domestic terrorism plot in which members of a far-right group sought to kidnap and possibly execute her over the state's pandemic safety measures.
Only a week ago, armed rightwing protesters with the intellect of flatworms demonstrated at the house of Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson over rabid Republican conspiracy theories claiming Joe Biden's win over Donald Trump was fraudulent and/or a conspiracy.
There is no word on what security measures are in place as a response to the apparent "credible" threats aimed at disrupting the electors' official vote. Michigan state Republicans, however, have repeatedly encouraged the state's violent conspiracy theorists, most recently by inviting Trump "lawyers" Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis to present their election conspiracy claims to the Republican-led House.


alternet--2020-12-14--The iconic American inventor is still a white male – and that’s an obstacle to race and gender inclu

The iconic American inventor is still a white male – and that’s an obstacle to race and gender inclusion

When President Barack Obama signed the America Invents Act in 2011 , he was surrounded by a group of people of diverse ages , genders and races .
The speech he delivered about the legislation , which changed the technical requirements for filing a patent , highlighted this diversity by emphasizing that today anyone can become an inventor in the United States .
Despite Obama 's optimism about women and people of color inventing and patenting the nation 's new and innovative technologies , both groups still lag considerably behind their white male counterparts in being recognized as inventors and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ globally .
Women and people of color possess the same intellectual capacities as their white male counterparts .
Yet empirical studies consistently show that patent law overwhelmingly rewards white men for their labor and skill .
This is in part because women and people of color join science , technology , engineering and math ( STEM ) fields in much lower numbers than white men .
In 2017 , women made up over half of the workforce , but held only 29 % of STEM jobs .
But even women and people of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and patent far less often than their white male counterparts .
The question is why .
As a researcher who studies race , rhetoric and intellectual property law , I can say that the U.S. 's race and gender invention and patent gap results partly from a failure of imagination .
The stories that people tell about invention in the U.S. continue to focus on white men – the Benjamin Franklins , Thomas Edisons and Elon Musks – without affording women and people of color the same larger-than-life status .
National myths about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up women and people of color for failure by normalizing entrenched discrimination even when they join STEM fields .
The stories we tell about inventors Critical race theorists show how legal terms and everyday narratives can look as if they create a level playing field while allowing implicit bias to thrive .
In my new book , “ The Color of Creatorship , '' I look at how intellectual property law has evolved racially over 200 years .
Black and brown people are no longer legally prohibited from owning patents and copyrights , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1800s .
However , seemingly colorblind patent and copyright laws continue to practically favor white male inventors and creators by using legal definitions and tests that protect inventions and creations that tend to match Western conceptions and expectations of , for instance , expertise and creativity .
From the now cliché “ think outside the box '' to Apple 's slogan “ think different , '' innovation , a central component of invention , is associated with breaking limits .
Yet Americans have largely failed to change the ways that they think and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's speech about the America Invents Act begins by explaining how Thomas Jefferson epitomized the nation 's mythic spirit of invention and innovation .
Yet Jefferson held the racist view that Black people lacked the capacity to be truly imaginative creators , let alone citizens of the nation .
Breaking limits , it turns out , is most often a privilege afforded to white people .
The current historical moment , in which facts are negotiable , white nationalism is on the rise and the nation is weathering a pandemic , is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invention .
Celebrating the inventive capacity of women and people of color matters .
Recognizing their innovative genius , in films like “ Hidden Figures , '' helps transform what had been marginalized stories into narratives that are central to history .
Obama 's reference to Jefferson reinforced powerful , limiting conventional wisdom about invention and innovation .
Popular cultural narratives frequently invoke the contributions of white men while erasing those of women and people of color .
For example , the History Channel 's The Men Who Built America focuses on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John D. Rockefeller , Andrew Carnegie and Henry Ford , business titans who achieved tremendous success via dubious ethics .
The show 's use of the Great Man theory of inventorship and entrepreneurship leaves out the many women and people of color , including Thomas Jennings , Elijah McCoy , Miriam E. Benjamin and Sarah E. Goode who , as legal scholar Shontavia Johnson shows , not only invented and patented during the same period but , as legal scholar Kara Swanson shows , used their work to lobby for suffrage rights for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's white-male-centered imaginings of inventorship and patenting extend beyond the nation 's borders , in xenophobic pronouncements frequently directed at Asian nations .
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak recently proclaimed : “ Success in India is based on studying , having a job … where 's the creativity ? ''
Similarly , President Trump claimed to be “ protecting the innovations , creations , and inventions that power our country '' from Chinese graduate students , who are part of a racial group that has long boosted America 's economy , fueled global innovation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognize diversity in inventorship is a bipartisan affair .
Then-presidential candidate and current President-elect Joseph Biden made a shocking assertion about innovation in China : “ I challenge you , name me one innovative project , one innovative change , one innovative product that has come out of China . ''
Inventing new ways to talk about invention Racist , sexist and xenophobic inventorship and patenting norms are not immutable facts .
They are practices built on exclusionary stories and feelings , transformed into familiar myths , including that of the American dream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dog whistles that have long been used to fuel white anxieties about people of color and men 's anxieties about women .
They make it difficult for women and people of color to prove they have the expertise needed to invent and patent .
[ Deep knowledge , daily .
Sign up for The Conversation 's newsletter . ]
However , as films like “ Hidden Figures '' emphatically show , it 's possible to tell inclusionary stories .
I argue that telling them is an ethical act because it ensures that society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identities – race , gender , nationality , religion , ability , age – in contributing to invention and innovation , current and historical .
Rhetoricians frequently proclaim that “ words mean things . ''
This is certainly true when imagining who has the capacity to perform certain tasks , such as inventing and patenting .
At a moment in which the U.S. faces threats to democracy , environment and economy , it is more important than ever to invent new ways of talking about invention .
People of all identities deserve the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solutions for solving the world 's most pressing problems .
More importantly , they deserve to be treated as full citizens in the realm of intellectual property and innovation .
Anjali Vats , Associate Professor of Communication and African and African Diaspora Studies and Associate Professor of Law ( By Courtesy ) , Boston College This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

When President Barack Obama signed the America Invents Act in 2011, he was surrounded by a group of people of diverse ages, genders and races. The speech he delivered about the legislation, which changed the technical requirements for filing a patent, highlighted this diversity by emphasizing that today anyone can become an inventor in the United States.
Despite Obama's optimism about women and people of color inventing and patenting the nation's new and innovative technologies, both groups still lag considerably behind their white male counterparts in being recognized as inventors and owning patents, in the U.S. and globally. Women and people of color possess the same intellectual capacities as their white male counterparts. Yet empirical studies consistently show that patent law overwhelmingly rewards white men for their labor and skill.
This is in part because women and people of color join science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields in much lower numbers than white men. In 2017, women made up over half of the workforce, but held only 29% of STEM jobs. But even women and people of color who go into STEM fields invent and patent far less often than their white male counterparts.
The question is why.
As a researcher who studies race, rhetoric and intellectual property law, I can say that the U.S.'s race and gender invention and patent gap results partly from a failure of imagination. The stories that people tell about invention in the U.S. continue to focus on white men – the Benjamin Franklins, Thomas Edisons and Elon Musks – without affording women and people of color the same larger-than-life status.
National myths about inventorship and political barriers to patenting set up women and people of color for failure by normalizing entrenched discrimination even when they join STEM fields.
The stories we tell about inventors
Critical race theorists show how legal terms and everyday narratives can look as if they create a level playing field while allowing implicit bias to thrive. In my new book, “The Color of Creatorship," I look at how intellectual property law has evolved racially over 200 years.
Black and brown people are no longer legally prohibited from owning patents and copyrights, as they were in the 1700s and 1800s. However, seemingly colorblind patent and copyright laws continue to practically favor white male inventors and creators by using legal definitions and tests that protect inventions and creations that tend to match Western conceptions and expectations of, for instance, expertise and creativity.
From the now cliché “think outside the box" to Apple's slogan “think different," innovation, a central component of invention, is associated with breaking limits. Yet Americans have largely failed to change the ways that they think and talk about invention itself.
Even Obama's speech about the America Invents Act begins by explaining how Thomas Jefferson epitomized the nation's mythic spirit of invention and innovation. Yet Jefferson held the racist view that Black people lacked the capacity to be truly imaginative creators, let alone citizens of the nation. Breaking limits, it turns out, is most often a privilege afforded to white people.
The current historical moment, in which facts are negotiable, white nationalism is on the rise and the nation is weathering a pandemic, is an important time to redefine American mythologies of invention. Celebrating the inventive capacity of women and people of color matters. Recognizing their innovative genius, in films like “Hidden Figures," helps transform what had been marginalized stories into narratives that are central to history.
Obama's reference to Jefferson reinforced powerful, limiting conventional wisdom about invention and innovation. Popular cultural narratives frequently invoke the contributions of white men while erasing those of women and people of color. For example, the History Channel's The Men Who Built America focuses on the inventions and innovations of Cornelius Vanderbilt, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie and Henry Ford, business titans who achieved tremendous success via dubious ethics.
The show's use of the Great Man theory of inventorship and entrepreneurship leaves out the many women and people of color, including Thomas Jennings, Elijah McCoy, Miriam E. Benjamin and Sarah E. Goode who, as legal scholar Shontavia Johnson shows, not only invented and patented during the same period but, as legal scholar Kara Swanson shows, used their work to lobby for suffrage rights for women and people of color.
A brief listing of notable Black American inventors.
Attacking Asian innovation
America's white-male-centered imaginings of inventorship and patenting extend beyond the nation's borders, in xenophobic pronouncements frequently directed at Asian nations. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak recently proclaimed: “Success in India is based on studying, having a job … where's the creativity?"
Similarly, President Trump claimed to be “protecting the innovations, creations, and inventions that power our country" from Chinese graduate students, who are part of a racial group that has long boosted America's economy, fueled global innovation and offered pandemic assistance.
Refusal to recognize diversity in inventorship is a bipartisan affair. Then-presidential candidate and current President-elect Joseph Biden made a shocking assertion about innovation in China: “I challenge you, name me one innovative project, one innovative change, one innovative product that has come out of China."
Inventing new ways to talk about invention
Racist, sexist and xenophobic inventorship and patenting norms are not immutable facts. They are practices built on exclusionary stories and feelings, transformed into familiar myths, including that of the American dream. These exclusionary stories frequently function as dog whistles that have long been used to fuel white anxieties about people of color and men's anxieties about women. They make it difficult for women and people of color to prove they have the expertise needed to invent and patent.
[Deep knowledge, daily.Sign up for The Conversation's newsletter.]
However, as films like “Hidden Figures" emphatically show, it's possible to tell inclusionary stories. I argue that telling them is an ethical act because it ensures that society recognizes the genius of people of all identities – race, gender, nationality, religion, ability, age – in contributing to invention and innovation, current and historical.
Rhetoricians frequently proclaim that “words mean things." This is certainly true when imagining who has the capacity to perform certain tasks, such as inventing and patenting. At a moment in which the U.S. faces threats to democracy, environment and economy, it is more important than ever to invent new ways of talking about invention. People of all identities deserve the opportunities to create and own their innovative solutions for solving the world's most pressing problems. More importantly, they deserve to be treated as full citizens in the realm of intellectual property and innovation.
Anjali Vats, Associate Professor of Communication and African and African Diaspora Studies and Associate Professor of Law (By Courtesy), Boston College
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


alternet--2020-12-14--Pardon Snowden? GOP lawmaker claims 'Trump is listening'

Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida claimed Sunday the President Donald Trump , who has just over a month left in office , `` is listening to the many of us who are urging him '' to pardon National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden , who has been exiled in Russia since he exposed U.S. government mass surveillance in 2013 .
The congressman 's comment caught the attention of Snowden , who recently secured permanent residency rights in Russia but has long said his ultimate goal is to return to the United States if he is guaranteed a fair trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ex-contractor was charged with theft of government property and violating the Espionage Act for leaking classified materials on surveillance to journalists .
Snowden shared Gaetz 's tweet on Sunday , noting that he is a member of Congress : As Common Dreams has previously reported , a diverse group of lawmakers , civil liberties advocates , and other public figures have called for Trump to pardon Snowden .
Various other members of Congress and rights advocates on Sunday reiterated calls for Trump to grant the whistleblower a pardon : After Trump floated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden , Obama 's vice president , in November—the U.S.-based Freedom of the Press Foundation , for which Snowden serves as board president , emphasized that `` no matter your feelings on Trump , a Snowden pardon would be a major win for those who care about fighting back against mass surveillance in the digital age . ''
Following Trump 's remarks , a U.S. federal court ruled that Snowden has to pay over $ 5 million in book royalties and speaking fees to the U.S. government because his 2019 memoir , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed while working for the NSA and CIA .
The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department .
Gaetz 's comment Sunday were prompted by a Twitter thread from Glenn Greenwald , who was one of the first journalists to report on leaked materials from Snowden and has long called for him to be pardoned .
Greenwald noted in the series of tweets that Snowden—who announced in October that he and his wife Lindsay Mills , an American who lives with him in Russia , are expecting their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president to pardon WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange : Earlier this month , Snowden tweeted a message directed at Trump : `` Mr. President , if you grant only one act of clemency during your time in office , please : free Julian Assange .
You alone can save his life . ''
The detention of Assange at London 's Belmarsh Prison since April 2019 has drawn intense condemnation from human rights and press freedom advocates .
The Australian journalist and publisher , who famously exposed U.S. war crimes , could soon be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he faces 17 counts of espionage and one count of computer fraud .
This week , United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer called on British authorities to release Assange or place him under house arrest , citing the risk of him catching Covid-19 in prison .
Melzer , who has described Assange 's detention conditions as `` torture , '' also said that his `` rights have been severely violated for more than a decade . ''

Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida claimed Sunday the President Donald Trump, who has just over a month left in office, "is listening to the many of us who are urging him" to pardon National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden, who has been exiled in Russia since he exposed U.S. government mass surveillance in 2013.
The congressman's comment caught the attention of Snowden, who recently secured permanent residency rights in Russia but has long said his ultimate goal is to return to the United States if he is guaranteed a fair trial. Under then-President Barack Obama, the ex-contractor was charged with theft of government property and violating the Espionage Act for leaking classified materials on surveillance to journalists.
Snowden shared Gaetz's tweet on Sunday, noting that he is a member of Congress:
As Common Dreams has previously reported, a diverse group of lawmakers, civil liberties advocates, and other public figures have called for Trump to pardon Snowden. Various other members of Congress and rights advocates on Sunday reiterated calls for Trump to grant the whistleblower a pardon:
After Trump floated the possibility in August—before his loss to President-elect Joe Biden, Obama's vice president, in November—the U.S.-based Freedom of the Press Foundation, for which Snowden serves as board president, emphasized that "no matter your feelings on Trump, a Snowden pardon would be a major win for those who care about fighting back against mass surveillance in the digital age."
Following Trump's remarks, a U.S. federal court ruled that Snowden has to pay over $5 million in book royalties and speaking fees to the U.S. government because his 2019 memoir, Permanent Record, violated nondisclosure agreements he signed while working for the NSA and CIA. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department.
Gaetz's comment Sunday were prompted by a Twitter thread from Glenn Greenwald, who was one of the first journalists to report on leaked materials from Snowden and has long called for him to be pardoned. Greenwald noted in the series of tweets that Snowden—who announced in October that he and his wife Lindsay Mills, an American who lives with him in Russia, are expecting their first child—has used his platform to urge the president to pardon WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange:
Earlier this month, Snowden tweeted a message directed at Trump: "Mr. President, if you grant only one act of clemency during your time in office, please: free Julian Assange. You alone can save his life."
The detention of Assange at London's Belmarsh Prison since April 2019 has drawn intense condemnation from human rights and press freedom advocates. The Australian journalist and publisher, who famously exposed U.S. war crimes, could soon be extradited to the United States, where he faces 17 counts of espionage and one count of computer fraud.
This week, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer called on British authorities to release Assange or place him under house arrest, citing the risk of him catching Covid-19 in prison. Melzer, who has described Assange's detention conditions as "torture," also said that his "rights have been severely violated for more than a decade."