alternet--2020-11-12--Karl Rove gives Trump the bitter truth: You 'certainly' lost

President Donald Trump is still refusing to concede to President-elect Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election , and many of his sycophants have been joining him in making baseless claims that the election was stolen from him because of rampant voter fraud — never mind the fact that the New York Times contacted election officials in all 50 states and found no evidence of the type of widespread fraud that Trump is alleging .
But veteran Republican strategist Karl Rove gives Trump and his supporters a dose of reality in a Wall Street Journal op-ed published on November 11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether Trump 's allies like it or not .
Rove notes that although the 2020 election was not the across-the-board blue tsunami that some pundits were predicting , one major Democratic victory was undeniable : Biden won .
He tried to couch the point in a an argument about Democrats underperforming , but the message was clear .
`` Pundits predicted a blue tsunami of historic proportions that would carry Democrats into the White House , flip the U.S. Senate , increase Speaker Nancy Pelosi 's caucus by as many as 20 seats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislatures into blue ones just in time for redistricting in 2021 , '' Rove explains .
`` Well , the White House changed hands , but none of the rest happened…..
Still , enough voters wanted change . ''
Trump 's campaign has filed multiple lawsuits in battleground states , but Rove argues that they are `` unlikely '' to make a difference and that Biden has an insurmountable lead in those places .
`` Mr. Trump is now pursuing legal challenges in Pennsylvania , Wisconsin , Michigan , Arizona and Nevada , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Georgia , given Mr. Biden 's 0.29-point lead there , '' Rove notes .
`` Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is correct that Mr. Trump is '100 % within his rights ' to go to court over concerns about fraud and transparency .
But the president 's efforts are unlikely to move a single state from Mr. Biden 's column , and certainly , they 're not enough to change the final outcome . ''
Delving into history , Rove adds , `` There are only three statewide contests in the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : the 1974 New Hampshire Senate race , the 2004 Washington governor 's contest and the 2008 Minnesota Senate election .
The candidates in these races were separated , respectively , by 355 , 261 and 215 votes after Election Day .
These margins are n't much like today 's .
Mr. Biden led Wednesday in Wisconsin by 20,540 votes , Pennsylvania by 49,064 , Michigan by 146,123 , Arizona by 12,614 , Nevada by 36,870 and Georgia by 14,108 . ''
Rove , of course , played a key role in one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. history : Bush v. Gore .
In 2000 's presidential election , then-Vice President Al Gore questioned the election results in Florida .
Gore never alleged widespread voter fraud like Trump is doing , but he wanted to make sure that then-Texas Gov .
George W. Bush really won the Sunshine State .
Ultimately , Gore conceded — much to Rove 's delight — and Bush was sworn in as president of the United States in January 2001 .
According to Rove , `` Mr. Trump must prove systemic fraud , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There is no evidence of that so far .
Unless some emerges quickly , the president 's chances in court will decline precipitously when states start certifying results , as Georgia will on November 20 , followed by Pennsylvania and Michigan on November 23 , Arizona on November 30 , and Wisconsin and Nevada on December 1 .
By seating one candidate 's electors , these certifications will raise the legal bar to overturn state results and make it even more difficult for Mr. Trump to prevail before the Electoral College meets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bush v. Gore in his WSJ op-ed , but he wraps up the piece by , in essence , arguing that Trump needs to do what Gore did 20 years ago : concede .
`` TV networks showed jubilant crowds in major cities celebrating Mr. Biden 's victory ; they did n't show the nearly equal number of people who mourned Mr. Trump 's defeat , '' Rove observes .
`` U.S. politics remains polarized and venomous .
Closing out this election will be a hard but necessary step toward restoring some unity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in court are over , the president should do his part to unite the country by leading a peaceful transition and letting grievances go . ''

President Donald Trump is still refusing to concede to President-elect Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, and many of his sycophants have been joining him in making baseless claims that the election was stolen from him because of rampant voter fraud — never mind the fact that the New York Times contacted election officials in all 50 states and found no evidence of the type of widespread fraud that Trump is alleging. But veteran Republican strategist Karl Rove gives Trump and his supporters a dose of reality in a Wall Street Journal op-ed published on November 11, stressing that Biden will become president whether Trump's allies like it or not.
Rove notes that although the 2020 election was not the across-the-board blue tsunami that some pundits were predicting, one major Democratic victory was undeniable: Biden won.
He tried to couch the point in a an argument about Democrats underperforming, but the message was clear.
"Pundits predicted a blue tsunami of historic proportions that would carry Democrats into the White House, flip the U.S. Senate, increase Speaker Nancy Pelosi's caucus by as many as 20 seats, and transform a basketful of red-state legislatures into blue ones just in time for redistricting in 2021," Rove explains. "Well, the White House changed hands, but none of the rest happened….. Still, enough voters wanted change."
Trump's campaign has filed multiple lawsuits in battleground states, but Rove argues that they are "unlikely" to make a difference and that Biden has an insurmountable lead in those places.
"Mr. Trump is now pursuing legal challenges in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and Nevada, and there will be an automatic recount in Georgia, given Mr. Biden's 0.29-point lead there," Rove notes. "Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is correct that Mr. Trump is '100% within his rights' to go to court over concerns about fraud and transparency. But the president's efforts are unlikely to move a single state from Mr. Biden's column, and certainly, they're not enough to change the final outcome."
Delving into history, Rove adds, "There are only three statewide contests in the past half-century in which recounts changed the outcome: the 1974 New Hampshire Senate race, the 2004 Washington governor's contest and the 2008 Minnesota Senate election. The candidates in these races were separated, respectively, by 355, 261 and 215 votes after Election Day. These margins aren't much like today's. Mr. Biden led Wednesday in Wisconsin by 20,540 votes, Pennsylvania by 49,064, Michigan by 146,123, Arizona by 12,614, Nevada by 36,870 and Georgia by 14,108."
Rove, of course, played a key role in one of the most intense election disputes in U.S. history: Bush v. Gore. In 2000's presidential election, then-Vice President Al Gore questioned the election results in Florida. Gore never alleged widespread voter fraud like Trump is doing, but he wanted to make sure that then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush really won the Sunshine State. Ultimately, Gore conceded — much to Rove's delight — and Bush was sworn in as president of the United States in January 2001.
According to Rove, "Mr. Trump must prove systemic fraud, with illegal votes in the tens of thousands. There is no evidence of that so far. Unless some emerges quickly, the president's chances in court will decline precipitously when states start certifying results, as Georgia will on November 20, followed by Pennsylvania and Michigan on November 23, Arizona on November 30, and Wisconsin and Nevada on December 1. By seating one candidate's electors, these certifications will raise the legal bar to overturn state results and make it even more difficult for Mr. Trump to prevail before the Electoral College meets December 14."
Rove never mentions Bush v. Gore in his WSJ op-ed, but he wraps up the piece by, in essence, arguing that Trump needs to do what Gore did 20 years ago: concede.
"TV networks showed jubilant crowds in major cities celebrating Mr. Biden's victory; they didn't show the nearly equal number of people who mourned Mr. Trump's defeat," Rove observes. "U.S. politics remains polarized and venomous. Closing out this election will be a hard but necessary step toward restoring some unity and political equilibrium. Once his days in court are over, the president should do his part to unite the country by leading a peaceful transition and letting grievances go."


alternet--2020-11-12--'Like a lunatic on the subway': Trump's national security adviser is warning staff they'll be fired

'Like a lunatic on the subway': Trump's national security adviser is warning staff they'll be fired for mentioning Biden’s name

In the months leading up to the 2020 presidential election , countless pundits predicted that if President Donald Trump lost to former Vice President Joe Biden , he would respond with a childlike temper tantrum and refuse to accept the election results — and sure enough , Trump is doing exactly that .
Trump has yet to concede to President-elect Biden , making the baseless claim that he was robbed of a victory by widespread voter fraud .
And according to a team of four Daily Beast reporters , the outgoing president is so sensitive about losing to Biden that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his staff they will be fired even if they even mention Biden 's name in Trump 's presence .
Journalists Erin Banco , Spencer Ackerman , Asawin Suebsaeng and Noah Shachtman , in an article published by the Beast on November 12 , report that O'Brien is `` enabling the mayhem '' in the White House , according to `` senior officials '' who were interviewed on condition of anonymity .
`` One official claimed that O'Brien has been supportive of a peaceful transfer of power , joking in a Monday event about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to begin drafting transition materials , '' the Beast reporters explain .
`` But three other officials told the Daily Beast that O'Brien has emerged as one of Trump 's biggest enablers at a decisive moment , supporting the president 's bid to retain power even though it is being waged through a nationwide disinformation campaign . ''
After the election , Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper — and Axios has reported that other possible post-election firings could include CIA Director Gina Haspel and FBI Director Christopher Wray .
O'Brien , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Esper .
`` This week , officials say , O'Brien supported the removal of several top officials at the Pentagon and favored Christopher Miller , a former NSC official who moved to the National Counterterrorism Center , to replace Esper as secretary of defense , '' Banco , Ackerman , Suebsaeng and Shachtman report .
`` He also approved of the installation of Kash Patel as Miller 's chief of staff , officials said .
Patel worked previously under O'Brien at the National Security Council .
One senior official described Miller and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' Patel is also said to be close with another former NSC colleague , Ezra Cohen-Watnick , who is now the Pentagon 's senior intelligence official . ''
So far , Biden has n't even had access to intel briefings — prompting Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma to say that he is going to intervene soon if the president-elect does n't gain access to the highly classified President 's Daily Brief .
However , O'Brien , according to a national security official , is n't even allowing his staff to mention Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the Beast , `` If you even mention Biden 's name… .
that 's a no-go .
You 'd be fired .
Everyone is scared of even talking about the chance of working with the ( Biden ) transition . ''
A senior White House official , asked if it 's true that O'Brien 's staff are n't even allowed to mention Biden 's name in Trump 's presence , jokingly told the Beast , `` Sure , you can say his name — if you 're talking about who lost the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ O'Brien 's staff are n't the only ones who are afraid to discuss the fact that Trump lost the election — that is true of the Trump White House in general following the election , according to the Beast .
A Republican source described by Banco , Ackerman , Suebsaeng and Shachtman as someone close to the outgoing Trump Administration told the Beast , `` It 's like dealing with a lunatic on the subway .
Everyone just kind of sits and stares ahead , pretends they ca n't hear him , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Another GOP source described as someone `` close to the Administration '' expressed disgust that Trump and his allies are doing nothing to help the next president of the United States .
`` ( Trump ) has to go , '' that frustrated Republican told the Beast .
`` His team is seeping already .
I 've passed along four resumes today .
I really think the worst for him is that all this just kind of goes on without him .
He 'll sulk out the door , and my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House… .
What a fucking clown show . ''

In the months leading up to the 2020 presidential election, countless pundits predicted that if President Donald Trump lost to former Vice President Joe Biden, he would respond with a childlike temper tantrum and refuse to accept the election results — and sure enough, Trump is doing exactly that. Trump has yet to concede to President-elect Biden, making the baseless claim that he was robbed of a victory by widespread voter fraud. And according to a team of four Daily Beast reporters, the outgoing president is so sensitive about losing to Biden that National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien is telling his staff they will be fired even if they even mention Biden's name in Trump's presence.
Journalists Erin Banco, Spencer Ackerman, Asawin Suebsaeng and Noah Shachtman, in an article published by the Beast on November 12, report that O'Brien is "enabling the mayhem" in the White House, according to "senior officials" who were interviewed on condition of anonymity.
"One official claimed that O'Brien has been supportive of a peaceful transfer of power, joking in a Monday event about Trump's loss and directing his staff to begin drafting transition materials," the Beast reporters explain. "But three other officials told the Daily Beast that O'Brien has emerged as one of Trump's biggest enablers at a decisive moment, supporting the president's bid to retain power even though it is being waged through a nationwide disinformation campaign."
After the election, Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper — and Axios has reported that other possible post-election firings could include CIA Director Gina Haspel and FBI Director Christopher Wray. O'Brien, according to Beast sources, encouraged the firing of Esper.
"This week, officials say, O'Brien supported the removal of several top officials at the Pentagon and favored Christopher Miller, a former NSC official who moved to the National Counterterrorism Center, to replace Esper as secretary of defense," Banco, Ackerman, Suebsaeng and Shachtman report. "He also approved of the installation of Kash Patel as Miller's chief of staff, officials said. Patel worked previously under O'Brien at the National Security Council. One senior official described Miller and Patel as 'O'Brien's boys.' Patel is also said to be close with another former NSC colleague, Ezra Cohen-Watnick, who is now the Pentagon's senior intelligence official."
So far, Biden hasn't even had access to intel briefings — prompting Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma to say that he is going to intervene soon if the president-elect doesn't gain access to the highly classified President's Daily Brief.
However, O'Brien, according to a national security official, isn't even allowing his staff to mention Biden's name around Trump. That source told the Beast, "If you even mention Biden's name…. that's a no-go. You'd be fired. Everyone is scared of even talking about the chance of working with the (Biden) transition."
A senior White House official, asked if it's true that O'Brien's staff aren't even allowed to mention Biden's name in Trump's presence, jokingly told the Beast, "Sure, you can say his name — if you're talking about who lost the election to the president."
But O'Brien's staff aren't the only ones who are afraid to discuss the fact that Trump lost the election — that is true of the Trump White House in general following the election, according to the Beast.
A Republican source described by Banco, Ackerman, Suebsaeng and Shachtman as someone close to the outgoing Trump Administration told the Beast, "It's like dealing with a lunatic on the subway. Everyone just kind of sits and stares ahead, pretends they can't hear him, and waits for him to eventually get off."
Another GOP source described as someone "close to the Administration" expressed disgust that Trump and his allies are doing nothing to help the next president of the United States.
"(Trump) has to go," that frustrated Republican told the Beast. "His team is seeping already. I've passed along four resumes today. I really think the worst for him is that all this just kind of goes on without him. He'll sulk out the door, and my guess is Biden walks into an empty White House…. What a fucking clown show."


alternet--2020-11-12--Here are the critical races that led to Biden's victory over Trump: analysis

The highly anticipated 2020 presidential election ultimately led to an upsetting defeat for President Donald Trump .
During his campaign rallies in the weeks leading up to the election , Trump laid the ground work for claiming election fraud , repeatedly telling his supporters that an election loss could only be the result of the Democrats cheating and rigging the election .
But despite Trump 's dangerous falsehoods , the numbers do n't lie .
According to an analysis released by the American Communities Project ( ACP ) , critical gains and losses for Trump and President-elect Joe Biden ultimately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While Trump did manage to have substantial turnout from Hispanics and Americans living in aging farmland communities , Biden dominated in urban areas , exurbs , military posts , college towns , and even middle suburbs which likely titled the election count in his favor .
The largest change that proved favorable for Democrats was the significant boost in the nation 's large urban areas .
For example , Trump managed to maintain his stronghold in rural Georgia , but even that edge was not enough to combat the boost Biden received in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The massive voter turnout in Fulton , Gwinnett , Cobb , Clayton , and Dekalb counties had a significant impact on Democrats turning Georgia blue ( pending a hand recount ) .
While Trump also maintained a hold on the blue-collar , Middle Suburbs , he did lose approximately 2 percentage points .
Biden ultimately benefited from votes Exurbs : '' Those are big shifts and they are very important to the GOP because the Exurbs tend to hold a lot of votes about 11 % of voting age pop is there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those Exurb counties to help offset the Democrats big wins in the Urban Suburbs and Big Cities .
( We will look closer at the Big Cities in subsequent posts .
They currently show some erosion for the Democrats , but those results are not all in yet . )
'' Although Trump is calling for recounts in select states and launching legal attacks in others , his efforts will not be enough to overturn the election due to the wide margin between him and Biden .

The highly anticipated 2020 presidential election ultimately led to an upsetting defeat for President Donald Trump. During his campaign rallies in the weeks leading up to the election, Trump laid the ground work for claiming election fraud, repeatedly telling his supporters that an election loss could only be the result of the Democrats cheating and rigging the election. But despite Trump's dangerous falsehoods, the numbers don't lie.
According to an analysis released by the American Communities Project (ACP), critical gains and losses for Trump and President-elect Joe Biden ultimately shaped the outcome of the election. While Trump did manage to have substantial turnout from Hispanics and Americans living in aging farmland communities, Biden dominated in urban areas, exurbs, military posts, college towns, and even middle suburbs which likely titled the election count in his favor.
The largest change that proved favorable for Democrats was the significant boost in the nation's large urban areas. For example, Trump managed to maintain his stronghold in rural Georgia, but even that edge was not enough to combat the boost Biden received in the state's biggest counties around Atlanta. The massive voter turnout in Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb, Clayton, and Dekalb counties had a significant impact on Democrats turning Georgia blue (pending a hand recount).
While Trump also maintained a hold on the blue-collar, Middle Suburbs, he did lose approximately 2 percentage points. Biden ultimately benefited from votes Exurbs:
"Those are big shifts and they are very important to the GOP because the Exurbs tend to hold a lot of votes about 11% of voting age pop is there. Republican candidates need big margins out of those Exurb counties to help offset the Democrats big wins in the Urban Suburbs and Big Cities. (We will look closer at the Big Cities in subsequent posts. They currently show some erosion for the Democrats, but those results are not all in yet.)"
Although Trump is calling for recounts in select states and launching legal attacks in others, his efforts will not be enough to overturn the election due to the wide margin between him and Biden.


alternet--2020-11-12--Pelosi has a message for Republicans: Stop the election ‘circus’ and ‘start focusing on COVID’

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-NY ) addressed reporters @ @ @ @ @ Washington , D.C. Thursday amid growing tension in the chasm between President Donald J. Trump @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden 's winning of the presidential contest by over 5.1 million popular votes .
@ @ @ @ @ stop the circus , '' saying , `` the election is over . ''
She @ @ @ @ @ `` start focusing on COVID . ''
`` Every day that goes by without the @ @ @ @ @ the results of this election is another day Americans faith in their wonderful democracy declines @ @ @ @ @

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) addressed reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Thursday amid growing tension in the chasm between President Donald J. Trump's White House and President-elect Joe Biden's winning of the presidential contest by over 5.1 million popular votes.
Pelosi urged Republicans to "stop the circus," saying, "the election is over." She also reminded the GOP to "start focusing on COVID."
"Every day that goes by without the Republican party acknowledging and accepting the results of this election is another day Americans faith in their wonderful democracy declines," Schumer said.
Watch the video below.


alternet--2020-11-12--'This chaos factor': Legal expert explains how Trump and his allies are undermining the incoming Bid

'This chaos factor': Legal expert explains how Trump and his allies are undermining the incoming Biden administration

On Saturday November 7 , the Associated Press and other major media outlets reported that Joe Biden achieved an insurmountable lead over President Donald Trump in the Pennsylvania vote count , making him president-elect of the United States .
Regardless , Trump has refused to concede , vowing to fight Biden 's victory in court to the bitter end .
And legal expert Benjamin Wittes , in an article published on his Lawfare website on November 11 , analyzes the impact that Trump 's legal efforts and refusal to concede are likely to have or not have on the incoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States is trying to overturn the results of a national election he unambiguously lost with a combination of petulant whining , spiteful and flailing executive action , and magic , '' Wittes writes .
`` No , it 's not ultimately going to work , at least not if working is defined as allowing President Trump to maintain power in the face of expressed voter will . ''
Wittes adds , however , that in some respects , Trump 's refusal to accept the election results is effective for him .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have believed possible : in undermining confidence in American democratic processes , in damaging President-elect Joe Biden 's ability to govern in the short term , and in raising questions in the minds of the faithful as to whether Trump 's defeat was real , '' argues Wittes , who has often been featured as a legal analyst for CNN .
Wittes goes on to lament the fact that so many prominent Republicans are afraid to publicly acknowledge that Trump lost the election .
`` The bigger problem than the president 's refusal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that refusal by the overwhelming majority of congressional Republicans , '' Wittes observes .
`` Yes , a few ( Republican ) senators — Susan Collins , Lisa Murkowski , Mitt Romney and Ben Sasse — have congratulated Biden , and a few others have said that Biden should have access to transition resources and intelligence briefings .
But the Republican leadership in both houses of Congress have played along with the president 's obstinate refusal to face reality , pretending that there are still important questions about the integrity of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , according to Wittes , is `` using state power to frustrate an orderly transition of power '' — and Trump loyalists like Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and General Services Administration Administrator Emily Murphy are helping him out .
On November 10 , Wittes notes , Pompeo said that there `` will be a smooth transition to a second Trump Administration , '' adding that President-elect Biden still is n't receiving intelligence briefings .
`` Sensible people , '' Wittes points out , have been `` asking questions about coups and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be quite as dismissive of such talk as I would like to be and as such rhetoric normally warrants .
The president , after all , is actively threatening not to respect the results of a clear electoral defeat . ''
Nonetheless , Wittes stresses that `` it is exceedingly difficult to steal an election in the United States… .
On December 14 , when the Electoral College formally votes , they will thus get to cast their votes for president .
There will inevitably be talk of the possibility of faithless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to happen . ''
Yet even without actually stealing the election , Wittes laments , Republicans are using the `` chaos factor '' to undermine the incoming Biden Administration .
`` This chaos factor is one of the reasons leadership is so important , '' Wittes explains .
`` And it 's why failures of leadership , even when they seem to be relatively harmless posturing worth tolerating , are so dangerous . ''

On Saturday November 7, the Associated Press and other major media outlets reported that Joe Biden achieved an insurmountable lead over President Donald Trump in the Pennsylvania vote count, making him president-elect of the United States. Regardless, Trump has refused to concede, vowing to fight Biden's victory in court to the bitter end. And legal expert Benjamin Wittes, in an article published on his Lawfare website on November 11, analyzes the impact that Trump's legal efforts and refusal to concede are likely to have or not have on the incoming administration.
"The president of the United States is trying to overturn the results of a national election he unambiguously lost with a combination of petulant whining, spiteful and flailing executive action, and magic," Wittes writes. "No, it's not ultimately going to work, at least not if working is defined as allowing President Trump to maintain power in the face of expressed voter will."
Wittes adds, however, that in some respects, Trump's refusal to accept the election results is effective for him.
"It is working better than I would have believed possible: in undermining confidence in American democratic processes, in damaging President-elect Joe Biden's ability to govern in the short term, and in raising questions in the minds of the faithful as to whether Trump's defeat was real," argues Wittes, who has often been featured as a legal analyst for CNN.
Wittes goes on to lament the fact that so many prominent Republicans are afraid to publicly acknowledge that Trump lost the election.
"The bigger problem than the president's refusal to concede the race is the toleration of that refusal by the overwhelming majority of congressional Republicans," Wittes observes. "Yes, a few (Republican) senators — Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Mitt Romney and Ben Sasse — have congratulated Biden, and a few others have said that Biden should have access to transition resources and intelligence briefings. But the Republican leadership in both houses of Congress have played along with the president's obstinate refusal to face reality, pretending that there are still important questions about the integrity of the vote to litigate and resolve."
Trump, according to Wittes, is "using state power to frustrate an orderly transition of power" — and Trump loyalists like Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and General Services Administration Administrator Emily Murphy are helping him out. On November 10, Wittes notes, Pompeo said that there "will be a smooth transition to a second Trump Administration," adding that President-elect Biden still isn't receiving intelligence briefings.
"Sensible people," Wittes points out, have been "asking questions about coups and election thefts. And it's hard to be quite as dismissive of such talk as I would like to be and as such rhetoric normally warrants. The president, after all, is actively threatening not to respect the results of a clear electoral defeat."
Nonetheless, Wittes stresses that "it is exceedingly difficult to steal an election in the United States…. On December 14, when the Electoral College formally votes, they will thus get to cast their votes for president. There will inevitably be talk of the possibility of faithless electors, but it's not going to happen."
Yet even without actually stealing the election, Wittes laments, Republicans are using the "chaos factor" to undermine the incoming Biden Administration.
"This chaos factor is one of the reasons leadership is so important," Wittes explains. "And it's why failures of leadership, even when they seem to be relatively harmless posturing worth tolerating, are so dangerous."


alternet--2020-11-12--Pennsylvania postal worker recants claims of voting ‘irregularities’ — says that Project Veritas pen

Pennsylvania postal worker recants claims of voting ‘irregularities’ — says that Project Veritas penned his affidavit

Although Joe Biden has a decisive lead in the Pennsylvania vote count — winning enough votes in the Electoral College to surpass the necessary 270 — President Donald Trump and his supporters , including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani ( Trump 's personal attorney ) , have refused to acknowledge that Biden won the Keystone State .
Trump allies are claiming , without any evidence , that widespread voter fraud robbed him of a victory in Pennsylvania , citing previous statements by Pennsylvania postal worker Richard Hopkins as proof .
But the Washington Post is reporting that Hopkins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that the far-right group Project Veritas penned the affidavit in which those claims were made .
`` In an interview this week with federal agents , '' Washington Post journalists Shawn Boburg , Jacob Bogage and Dalton Bennett are reporting , `` a Pennsylvania postal worker walked back his allegation that a supervisor had tampered with mailed ballots , saying he had made 'assumptions ' based on overheard snippets of conversation , according to an audio recording of the interview posted online Wednesday , ( November 11 ) by activists who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows that Richard Hopkins recanted claims he had made in a sworn affidavit that top Republicans cited over the weekend as potential evidence of widespread election irregularities and fraud . ''
The recording has been posted on YouTube by Project Veritas , a far-right group founded by wingnut James O'Keefe in 2010 during then-President Barack Obama 's first term .
Project Veritas claims Hopkins was manipulated and bullied by federal investigators , but according to the Post , Hopkins ' statements during the interview found him taking back what he had previously said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` Hopkins told federal investigators on Monday , ( November 9 ) his allegations were based on fragments of conversation among co-workers in a noisy mail facility in Erie , PA , according to the recording .
When an agent from the U.S .
Postal Service Office of Inspector General asked Hopkins if he stood by his sworn statement that a supervisor 'was backdating ballots ' mailed after Election Day , Hopkins answered , 'At this point ?
No . '
'' South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham , one of Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has joined the president in making baseless claims of widespread voter fraud .
And Hopkins ' earlier statements , the Post reporters note , `` prompted '' Graham `` to call for the Justice Department to investigate . ''
According to Boburg , Bogage and Bennett , `` Hopkins surreptitiously recorded the interview on Monday , then revealed to the agents that he had done so at the end of the session , according to the recording .
Project Veritas , an organization that initially aired Hopkins ' claims last week , released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it showed he was coerced and pressured into signing a 'watered down statement drafted by them using their words . '
'' Project Veritas , the reporters note , `` has sought to bolster unproven allegations of widespread voter fraud , offering a $ 25,000 reward for evidence of election improprieties in Pennsylvania in recent days and promoting fundraising efforts for Hopkins . ''
Votes in the 2020 presidential election are still being counted in some key battleground states , and when all is said and done , Biden might end up with @ @ @ @ @ @

Although Joe Biden has a decisive lead in the Pennsylvania vote count — winning enough votes in the Electoral College to surpass the necessary 270 — President Donald Trump and his supporters, including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (Trump's personal attorney), have refused to acknowledge that Biden won the Keystone State. Trump allies are claiming, without any evidence, that widespread voter fraud robbed him of a victory in Pennsylvania, citing previous statements by Pennsylvania postal worker Richard Hopkins as proof. But the Washington Post is reporting that Hopkins has "recanted" earlier claims and said that the far-right group Project Veritas penned the affidavit in which those claims were made.
"In an interview this week with federal agents," Washington Post journalists Shawn Boburg, Jacob Bogage and Dalton Bennett are reporting, "a Pennsylvania postal worker walked back his allegation that a supervisor had tampered with mailed ballots, saying he had made 'assumptions' based on overheard snippets of conversation, according to an audio recording of the interview posted online Wednesday, (November 11) by activists who have championed his cause. The two-hour recording shows that Richard Hopkins recanted claims he had made in a sworn affidavit that top Republicans cited over the weekend as potential evidence of widespread election irregularities and fraud."
The recording has been posted on YouTube by Project Veritas, a far-right group founded by wingnut James O'Keefe in 2010 during then-President Barack Obama's first term. Project Veritas claims Hopkins was manipulated and bullied by federal investigators, but according to the Post, Hopkins' statements during the interview found him taking back what he had previously said.
Boburg, Bogage and Bennett report, "Hopkins told federal investigators on Monday, (November 9) his allegations were based on fragments of conversation among co-workers in a noisy mail facility in Erie, PA, according to the recording. When an agent from the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General asked Hopkins if he stood by his sworn statement that a supervisor 'was backdating ballots' mailed after Election Day, Hopkins answered, 'At this point? No.'"
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of Trump's most prominent allies in the GOP, has joined the president in making baseless claims of widespread voter fraud. And Hopkins' earlier statements, the Post reporters note, "prompted" Graham "to call for the Justice Department to investigate."
According to Boburg, Bogage and Bennett, "Hopkins surreptitiously recorded the interview on Monday, then revealed to the agents that he had done so at the end of the session, according to the recording. Project Veritas, an organization that initially aired Hopkins' claims last week, released the recording on Wednesday, claiming that it showed he was coerced and pressured into signing a 'watered down statement drafted by them using their words.'"
Project Veritas, the reporters note, "has sought to bolster unproven allegations of widespread voter fraud, offering a $25,000 reward for evidence of election improprieties in Pennsylvania in recent days and promoting fundraising efforts for Hopkins."
Votes in the 2020 presidential election are still being counted in some key battleground states, and when all is said and done, Biden might end up with more than 300 electoral votes.


alternet--2020-11-12--Trump-endorsing Nevada newspaper tells president to pack his bags in brutal editorial: 'He lost this

Trump-endorsing Nevada newspaper tells president to pack his bags in brutal editorial: 'He lost this election'

The Las Vegas Review-Journal is one of the few newspapers to have endorsed Donald Trump for president twice — and now it 's telling him to pack his bags .
The Review-Journal , which is owned by right-wing billionaire Sheldon Adelson , published an editorial on Thursday that shot down the president 's claims that the election has been `` stolen '' from him .
`` Rhetoric from Trump surrogates alleging widespread illegal activity has been devoid of detailed evidence supporting the charge that there was a concerted effort to 'steal ' the election through corruption , '' the paper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involves the participation of 150 million Americans will have its share of issues , but it 's an insult to reason and logic to argue that isolated irregularities constitute proof of a grand national conspiracy . ''
The editorial then laid out the brutal truth for the president : He legitimately lost the election .
`` Mr. Trump lost this election because he ultimately did n't attract enough votes and failed to win a handful of swing states that broke his way in 2016 , '' it wrote .
The editorial concluded by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help President-elect Joe Biden with the transition process .
`` He has nothing to lose by cooperating with President-elect Biden 's transition team , '' the editors argued .
`` Mr. Trump expected no less from the Obama administration in 2016 even as Hillary 's acolytes floated ways to manipulate the Electoral College vote .
Mr. Biden deserves the same consideration today regardless of how long the president seeks to delay the inevitable . ''

The Las Vegas Review-Journal is one of the few newspapers to have endorsed Donald Trump for president twice — and now it's telling him to pack his bags.
The Review-Journal, which is owned by right-wing billionaire Sheldon Adelson, published an editorial on Thursday that shot down the president's claims that the election has been "stolen" from him.
"Rhetoric from Trump surrogates alleging widespread illegal activity has been devoid of detailed evidence supporting the charge that there was a concerted effort to 'steal' the election through corruption," the paper wrote. "An electoral system that involves the participation of 150 million Americans will have its share of issues, but it's an insult to reason and logic to argue that isolated irregularities constitute proof of a grand national conspiracy."
The editorial then laid out the brutal truth for the president: He legitimately lost the election.
"Mr. Trump lost this election because he ultimately didn't attract enough votes and failed to win a handful of swing states that broke his way in 2016," it wrote.
The editorial concluded by telling Trump to suck it up and help President-elect Joe Biden with the transition process.
"He has nothing to lose by cooperating with President-elect Biden's transition team," the editors argued. "Mr. Trump expected no less from the Obama administration in 2016 even as Hillary's acolytes floated ways to manipulate the Electoral College vote. Mr. Biden deserves the same consideration today regardless of how long the president seeks to delay the inevitable."


alternet--2020-11-12--GOP senator vows to intervene if Biden doesn’t gain immediate access to vital intelligence briefings

Although some prominent Republicans have congratulated President-elect Joe Biden on his victory — including Sen. Mitt Romney , Sen. Ben Sasse and former President George W. Bush — many of President Donald Trump 's allies have refused to acknowledge that Trump was voted out of office , and have instead joined him in making baseless claims of widespread voter fraud .
Biden still is n't receiving the intelligence briefings that a president-elect would normally receive , but Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma is now stressing that Biden should have access to them .
Lankford , in fact , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intelligence briefings by this Friday , November 13 , he will step in and intervene .
The 52-year-old Oklahoma senator , CNN reports , told Tulsa radio station KRMG-AM , `` There is no loss from him getting the briefings and to be able to do that… .
This needs to occur so that regardless of the outcome of the election , whichever way that it goes , people can be ready for that actual task . ''
After a presidential election , the incoming president typically gains access to the highly classified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 — after Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton — the outgoing Obama Administration had no problem with Trump gaining access to the President 's Daily Brief .
Outgoing President Barack Obama was n't happy that Clinton lost to Trump , but he accepted the election results and realized that an incoming president should have access to vital intel info regardless of what he thought about the election 's outcome .
Similarly , in November 2008 — after Obama defeated the late Sen. John McCain , that year 's GOP presidential nominee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared intel info with the president-elect , Obama .
Bush and then-Vice President Dick Cheney had enough sense to realize that it was in the best interests of Americans for an incoming president to be up-to-date on national security and intel matters .
Trump 's supporters , however , do n't consider Biden a legitimate winner and therefore , do n't see the need for him to receive the President 's Daily Brief .
Lankford disagrees , saying , `` There 's nothing wrong with Vice President Biden getting the briefings to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he can be ready . ''
And Lankford has also said that the vice president-elect , Sen. Kamala Harris of California , should receive intel briefings as well because she has the necessary clearances and has served on the Senate Intelligence Committee .

Although some prominent Republicans have congratulated President-elect Joe Biden on his victory — including Sen. Mitt Romney, Sen. Ben Sasse and former President George W. Bush — many of President Donald Trump's allies have refused to acknowledge that Trump was voted out of office, and have instead joined him in making baseless claims of widespread voter fraud. Biden still isn't receiving the intelligence briefings that a president-elect would normally receive, but Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma is now stressing that Biden should have access to them.
Lankford, in fact, is saying that unless Biden has access to intelligence briefings by this Friday, November 13, he will step in and intervene.
The 52-year-old Oklahoma senator, CNN reports, told Tulsa radio station KRMG-AM, "There is no loss from him getting the briefings and to be able to do that…. This needs to occur so that regardless of the outcome of the election, whichever way that it goes, people can be ready for that actual task."
After a presidential election, the incoming president typically gains access to the highly classified President's Daily Brief. In November 2016 — after Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton — the outgoing Obama Administration had no problem with Trump gaining access to the President's Daily Brief. Outgoing President Barack Obama wasn't happy that Clinton lost to Trump, but he accepted the election results and realized that an incoming president should have access to vital intel info regardless of what he thought about the election's outcome.
Similarly, in November 2008 — after Obama defeated the late Sen. John McCain, that year's GOP presidential nominee — the outgoing George W. Bush Administration shared intel info with the president-elect, Obama. Bush and then-Vice President Dick Cheney had enough sense to realize that it was in the best interests of Americans for an incoming president to be up-to-date on national security and intel matters.
Trump's supporters, however, don't consider Biden a legitimate winner and therefore, don't see the need for him to receive the President's Daily Brief.
Lankford disagrees, saying, "There's nothing wrong with Vice President Biden getting the briefings to be able to prepare himself and so that he can be ready." And Lankford has also said that the vice president-elect, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, should receive intel briefings as well because she has the necessary clearances and has served on the Senate Intelligence Committee.


alternet--2020-11-12--US State Department preventing Biden from accessing messages from foreign leaders

The U.S. State Department is preventing Biden from accessing messages to him from foreign leaders , CNN 's Kylie Atwood reported Wednesday .
`` A stack of messages from foreign leaders to President-elect Joe Biden are sitting at the State Department but the Trump administration is preventing him from accessing them , according to State Department officials familiar with the messages , '' CNN reported .
`` Traditionally , the State Department supports all communications for the President-elect , which is why many countries began sending messages to State over the weekend .
But with Biden prohibited from accessing State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because President Donald Trump refuses to accept Biden 's victory , dozens of incoming messages have not been received . ''
Biden 's team is currently contacting foreign leaders and government officials on their own , but `` would prefer to be using the State Department resources , '' said a source familiar with the situation , who noted that the Biden team is having to deal with the unexpected challenge of facilitating these calls .
`` It was helpful to have State ops place the calls and to provide translation services , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the Bush administration for making that happen , '' said Denis McDonough , who served in the Obama administration and worked with Obama during the transition .
That extended hand is n't happening this time around from President Donald J. Trump and his agencies toward President-elect Joe Biden .
The calls happening now are congratulatory ones , standard to what usually occurs after a new president is selected .
`` These calls in the past have been handled on open lines .
They are congratulatory calls , '' McDonough said .

The U.S. State Department is preventing Biden from accessing messages to him from foreign leaders, CNN's Kylie Atwood reported Wednesday.
"A stack of messages from foreign leaders to President-elect Joe Biden are sitting at the State Department but the Trump administration is preventing him from accessing them, according to State Department officials familiar with the messages," CNN reported. "Traditionally, the State Department supports all communications for the President-elect, which is why many countries began sending messages to State over the weekend. But with Biden prohibited from accessing State Department resources by the Trump administration, because President Donald Trump refuses to accept Biden's victory, dozens of incoming messages have not been received."
Biden's team is currently contacting foreign leaders and government officials on their own, but "would prefer to be using the State Department resources," said a source familiar with the situation, who noted that the Biden team is having to deal with the unexpected challenge of facilitating these calls.
"It was helpful to have State ops place the calls and to provide translation services, and we were grateful for the cooperation from the Bush administration for making that happen," said Denis McDonough, who served in the Obama administration and worked with Obama during the transition.
That extended hand isn't happening this time around from President Donald J. Trump and his agencies toward President-elect Joe Biden.
The calls happening now are congratulatory ones, standard to what usually occurs after a new president is selected.
"These calls in the past have been handled on open lines. They are congratulatory calls," McDonough said.


alternet--2020-11-12--This one Republican affidavit says everything you need to know about the sorry state of today's GOP

The Trump campaign released a 234-page stack of affidavits from poll watchers in Detroit alleging supposed intimidation .
This Twitter thread highlights many of the absurd claims , such as complaining that independent poll watchers were too liberal , or this one complaining about `` a very large man in 'Count the Vote ' gear , '' or this one about people being mean to him .
But one stood out to me , because it says so much about the sorry state of the Republican Party and the conservative movement today .
Let 's take a look .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden would get military votes .
As the affidavit states , `` I did find it odd that , throughout the day/night , I saw a few dozen military ballots be counted .
Although I can not provide specific numbers or names , I can estimate that at least 80 % of the military ballots I saw were straight ticket democrat or simply had Joe Biden 's name filled in on them .
I had always been told that military personnel tended to be more conservative , so this stuck out to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Oh , this is so juicy .
Just like the entire stack of affidavits , this is not an allegation of fraud .
It is an allegation of … nothing , really .
He observed ballots be counted .
The only crime committed here is that he did n't like the results .
This is the problem with being trapped in the right-wing media bubble—you are n't presented with reality .
Fact is , rank-and-file service members are disproportionately Black and brown .
They come from lower socio-economic backgrounds .
And as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are more liberal , while poor ( heavily Southern ) whites are more conservative .
This is n't rocket science .
When I served in the Army , the white boys had confederate flags flying in their barracks rooms , Black and Latinos did not .
So it would make sense that if you 're observing ballots , in Detroit , from local military personnel serving outside the state , that those ballots would reflect the rest of Detroit—likely heavily Black , and heavily Democratic .
Not to mention , we had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John McCain , a war hero , but also called service members who died in war `` suckers '' and `` losers . ''
It 's likely why a Military Times poll of our troops found Joe Biden leading 41-37 , with 50 % of them holding an unfavorable view of Trump .
This is the problem with living in the right-wing media bubble is that it really does make you stupid .
3 .
Republicans going for volume over substance It 's one thing for some ignorant Republican poll watcher to puzzle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's another for Republican lawyers to write it up and then release it to the public .
It 's clear that this is n't a serious effort to detail wrongdoing .
They 're just going to say `` WE RELEASED 234 PAGES OF WRONGDOING ! ''
in order to con people into thinking that Trump has been robbed .
The Washington Post 's David Weigel , talking to us on our weekly web show The Brief , detailed that strategy—get lots of media attention making allegations and filing frivolous lawsuits , fully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outlets ) to ignore stories of judges or other information and analysis dismissing those claims .
So that one affidavit showed us three critical things in this post-election period : That Republicans remain safely ensconced in their media bubble , misinforming themselves , that they are feeding that media bubble with bullshit claims and accusations , fully expecting any debunking to be ignored , and despite all that , they still ca n't find any fraud to point to , anything that might flip the tens of thousands of votes they would need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to what end ?
To THIS end : As long as the MAGA deplorables think the election can be flipped , Donald Trump can keep his grift alive , and Republicans have zero interest in putting the interests of democracy ahead of Trump 's ego and bank account .
And maybe , if they play their cards right , they can slip a coup in there .

The Trump campaign released a 234-page stack of affidavits from poll watchers in Detroit alleging supposed intimidation. This Twitter thread highlights many of the absurd claims, such as complaining that independent poll watchers were too liberal, or this one complaining about "a very large man in 'Count the Vote' gear," or this one about people being mean to him. But one stood out to me, because it says so much about the sorry state of the Republican Party and the conservative movement today. Let's take a look.
A Republican poll watcher found it suspicious that Joe Biden would get military votes. As the affidavit states, "I did find it odd that, throughout the day/night, I saw a few dozen military ballots be counted. Although I cannot provide specific numbers or names, I can estimate that at least 80% of the military ballots I saw were straight ticket democrat or simply had Joe Biden's name filled in on them. I had always been told that military personnel tended to be more conservative, so this stuck out to me as the day went on."
Oh, this is so juicy.
1. No allegation of fraud.
Just like the entire stack of affidavits, this is not an allegation of fraud. It is an allegation of … nothing, really. He observed ballots be counted. The only crime committed here is that he didn't like the results.
2. The conservative media bubble makes you stupid.
This is the problem with being trapped in the right-wing media bubble—you aren't presented with reality. Fact is, rank-and-file service members are disproportionately Black and brown. They come from lower socio-economic backgrounds. And as would be expected, Black and Latinos are more liberal, while poor (heavily Southern) whites are more conservative. This isn't rocket science. When I served in the Army, the white boys had confederate flags flying in their barracks rooms, Black and Latinos did not. So it would make sense that if you're observing ballots, in Detroit, from local military personnel serving outside the state, that those ballots would reflect the rest of Detroit—likely heavily Black, and heavily Democratic.
Not to mention, we had a president who didn't just disrespect Sen. John McCain, a war hero, but also called service members who died in war "suckers" and "losers." It's likely why a Military Times poll of our troops found Joe Biden leading 41-37, with 50% of them holding an unfavorable view of Trump.
This is the problem with living in the right-wing media bubble is that it really does make you stupid.
3. Republicans going for volume over substance
It's one thing for some ignorant Republican poll watcher to puzzle over the results of military ballots. It's another for Republican lawyers to write it up and then release it to the public. It's clear that this isn't a serious effort to detail wrongdoing. They're just going to say "WE RELEASED 234 PAGES OF WRONGDOING!" in order to con people into thinking that Trump has been robbed. The Washington Post's David Weigel, talking to us on our weekly web show The Brief, detailed that strategy—get lots of media attention making allegations and filing frivolous lawsuits, fully expecting the media (including their right-wing outlets) to ignore stories of judges or other information and analysis dismissing those claims.
So that one affidavit showed us three critical things in this post-election period: That Republicans remain safely ensconced in their media bubble, misinforming themselves, that they are feeding that media bubble with bullshit claims and accusations, fully expecting any debunking to be ignored, and despite all that, they still can't find any fraud to point to, anything that might flip the tens of thousands of votes they would need to change the election results.
And to what end? To THIS end:
As long as the MAGA deplorables think the election can be flipped, Donald Trump can keep his grift alive, and Republicans have zero interest in putting the interests of democracy ahead of Trump's ego and bank account. And maybe, if they play their cards right, they can slip a coup in there.


alternet--2020-11-13--Mark Esper's exit interview offers clues to what Donald Trump may do in his final days as president

U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper 's firingU.S .
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper 's firing did not come as a surprise but that does not mean it was not a disturbing development in the last days of the Trump administration .
Now , his interview following his departure signals a very big problem and warning alarm about what is to come as President Donald Trump begrudgingly goes through his lame-duck days .
Within an hour of his firing , Esper conducted a preemptive interview with Military Times in an effort to ring the alarm about the days ahead .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ because he refused to be a Trump loyalist and adhere to the president 's demands .
Esper also expressed concern as he warned about the type of replacement to secede him .
`` I could have a fight over anything , and I could make it a big fight , and I could live with that , '' Esper said Wednesday , at a time when reports of his imminent firing were swirling .
He added : `` Why ?
Who 's going to come in behind me ?
It 's going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And then God help us . ''
He later added , `` My frustration is I sit here and say , 'Hm , 18 Cabinet members .
Who 's pushed back more than anybody ? '
Name another Cabinet secretary that 's pushed back , '' he said .
`` Have you seen me on a stage saying , 'Under the exceptional leadership of blah-blah-blah , we have blah-blah-blah-blah ? '
'' Contrary to what the Trump administration typically says about most former employees , Esper is not just some `` disgruntled '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggesting is very real and raises even more questions about the harm Trump 's administration could cause .
However , there were multiple occasions where he actually did praise the president 's leadership .
`` I 'd like to thank President Trump for his bold leadership and support to the men and women of the United States Armed Forces , '' Esper said while standing next to Trump at a Norfolk , Va. , news conference back in March .
`` This is an unprecedented time for our nation , and your leadership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this virus . ''
Commending Trump may have sent the wrong message to the president which may also explain Trump 's disapproval of Esper pushing back against his attempt to invoke the Insurrection Act .
From that point , many suspected Esper would be on Trump 's firing list somewhere down the line .
Now , he is .

U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper's firingU.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper's firing did not come as a surprise but that does not mean it was not a disturbing development in the last days of the Trump administration. Now, his interview following his departure signals a very big problem and warning alarm about what is to come as President Donald Trump begrudgingly goes through his lame-duck days.
Within an hour of his firing, Esper conducted a preemptive interview with Military Times in an effort to ring the alarm about the days ahead. Esper admitted that he was fired simply because he refused to be a Trump loyalist and adhere to the president's demands. Esper also expressed concern as he warned about the type of replacement to secede him.
"I could have a fight over anything, and I could make it a big fight, and I could live with that," Esper said Wednesday, at a time when reports of his imminent firing were swirling. He added: "Why? Who's going to come in behind me? It's going to be a real 'yes man.' And then God help us."
He later added, "My frustration is I sit here and say, 'Hm, 18 Cabinet members. Who's pushed back more than anybody?' Name another Cabinet secretary that's pushed back," he said. "Have you seen me on a stage saying, 'Under the exceptional leadership of blah-blah-blah, we have blah-blah-blah-blah?'"
Contrary to what the Trump administration typically says about most former employees, Esper is not just some "disgruntled" former employee. The threat Esper is suggesting is very real and raises even more questions about the harm Trump's administration could cause. However, there were multiple occasions where he actually did praise the president's leadership.
In fact, Esper appeared on multiple conservative news outlets commending Trump's "bold leadership."
"I'd like to thank President Trump for his bold leadership and support to the men and women of the United States Armed Forces," Esper said while standing next to Trump at a Norfolk, Va., news conference back in March. "This is an unprecedented time for our nation, and your leadership is uniting the American people to defeat this virus."
Commending Trump may have sent the wrong message to the president which may also explain Trump's disapproval of Esper pushing back against his attempt to invoke the Insurrection Act. From that point, many suspected Esper would be on Trump's firing list somewhere down the line. Now, he is.


alternet--2020-11-13--Envoy departing Trump admin brags about misleading the White House: ‘There was never a Syria withdra

Envoy departing Trump admin brags about misleading the White House: ‘There was never a Syria withdrawal’

On Thursday , Defense One published a profile of retiring diplomat Jim Jeffrey , who served as special envoy in the fight against ISIS .
In particular , Jeffrey bragged about misleading President Donald Trump on the U.S. troop presence in Syria — something the president publicly signaled he wanted to wind down .
`` Even as he praises the president 's support of what he describes as a successful 'realpolitik ' approach to the region , he acknowledges that his team routinely misled senior leaders about troop levels in Syria , '' reported Katie Bo Williams .
`` 'We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make clear to our leadership how many troops we had there , ' Jeffrey said in an interview .
The actual number of troops in northeast Syria is ' a lot more than ' the two hundred troops Trump agreed to leave there in 2019 . ''
When Trump announced a troop withdrawal from Syria in 2018 , it sent shockwaves through world affairs , the intelligence community , and his own party .
But according to Jeffrey , he was able to rein in the president 's policy without his complete knowledge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October of 2019 , when Trump repeated the withdrawal order , the president boasted that ISIS was 'defeated . '
But each time , the president was convinced to leave a residual force in Syria and the fight continued , '' said the report .
`` 'What Syria withdrawal ?
There was never a Syria withdrawal , ' Jeffrey said .
'When the situation in northeast Syria had been fairly stable after we defeated ISIS , [ Trump ] was inclined to pull out .
In each case , we then decided to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why we needed to stay .
And we succeeded both times .
That 's the story . '
''

On Thursday, Defense One published a profile of retiring diplomat Jim Jeffrey, who served as special envoy in the fight against ISIS. In particular, Jeffrey bragged about misleading President Donald Trump on the U.S. troop presence in Syria — something the president publicly signaled he wanted to wind down.
'The DOJ is not Trump's toy': Legal experts warn Bill Barr's election fraud probe teeters on 'unlawful political interference' 'The DOJ is not Trump's toy': Legal experts warn Bill Barr's election fraud probe teeters on 'unlawful political interference' Photo via the White House.
"Even as he praises the president's support of what he describes as a successful 'realpolitik' approach to the region, he acknowledges that his teamroutinely misled senior leaders about troop levels in Syria," reported Katie Bo Williams. "'We were always playing shell games to not make clear to our leadership how many troops we had there,' Jeffrey said in an interview. The actual number of troops in northeast Syria is 'a lot more than' the two hundred troops Trump agreed to leave there in 2019."
When Trump announced a troop withdrawal from Syria in 2018, it sent shockwaves through world affairs, the intelligence community, and his own party. But according to Jeffrey, he was able to rein in the president's policy without his complete knowledge.
"In 2018 and again in October of 2019, when Trump repeated the withdrawal order, the president boasted that ISIS was 'defeated.' But each time, the president was convinced to leave a residual force in Syria and the fight continued," said the report. "'What Syria withdrawal? There was never a Syria withdrawal,' Jeffrey said. 'When the situation in northeast Syria had been fairly stable after we defeated ISIS, [Trump] was inclined to pull out. In each case, we then decided to come up with five better arguments for why we needed to stay. And we succeeded both times. That's the story.'"


alternet--2020-11-13--GOP senator-elect doesn't know why America fought in World War II

In a new interview , Sen.-elect Tommy Tuberville ( R-AL ) , who just emerged victorious from a race against @ @ @ @ @ appeared to be confused about why and who America was fighting in the Second World @ @ @ @ @ concerning to me that a guy can run for president of the United States and @ @ @ @ @ when he leans more to a socialist type of government , you know , one-payer @ @ @ @ @ raise taxes 20 percent , when the other half the country is basically voting for @ @ @ @ @ our own lives , stay out of our life , '' said Tuberville , a @ @ @ @ @ `` You know , as I tell people , my dad fought 76 years ago @ @ @ @ @ of socialism . ''
In World War II , the United States was fighting against @ @ @ @ @ were mostly right-wing fascist governments .
In fact , Americans fought alongside the socialist USSR @ @ @ @ @ full quote below :

In a new interview, Sen.-elect Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), who just emerged victorious from a race against Democratic Sen. Doug Jones, appeared to be confused about why and who America was fighting in the Second World War.
"It's concerning to me that a guy can run for president of the United States and have an opportunity to win when he leans more to a socialist type of government, you know, one-payer system in health care, raise taxes 20 percent, when the other half the country is basically voting for freedom, let us control our own lives, stay out of our life," said Tuberville, a former college football coach. "You know, as I tell people, my dad fought 76 years ago in Europe to free Europe of socialism."
In World War II, the United States was fighting against the Axis powers, which were mostly right-wing fascist governments. In fact, Americans fought alongside the socialist USSR as allies.
Read the full quote below:


alternet--2020-11-13--Biden's free childcare plan is a worthy feminist reform

Joe Biden was n't the first choice for many women during the Democratic presidential primaries , yet the president-elect 's social agenda has proven to be surprisingly feminist in its orientation .
Nowhere is this clearer than in his proposal for subsidizing toddler-age childcare , a progressive platform that has earned plaudits from feminists and which has been a local success story in local jurisdictions in which it has been implemented .
According to the Biden-Harris transition website , the administration plans to make it `` far easier to afford child care and to ensure aging relatives and people with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community-based care . ''
The new administration also promises to `` elevate the pay , benefits , and professional opportunities for caregivers and educators ; to create millions of good-paying new jobs in these areas with a choice to join a union ; and to free up millions of people to join the labor force and grow a stronger economy in return . ''
This refers to the $ 775 billion plan Biden announced while campaigning in Delaware in July , when Biden proposed a national pre-K for all children ages 3 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earning less than $ 125,000 a year would receive an $ 8,000 child care tax credit per child , up to $ 16,000 .
Parents earning less than 1.5 times the median income in their state could subsidize child care and would pay no more than 7 percent of their income .
Those with a very low income would pay nothing .
Notably , the pandemic 's economic affects are seriously setting back gender equality , as I 've previously written .
Large swaths of women in America left the workforce or cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home caregiver during the pandemic .
As of May 2020 , women account for 54 percent of initial coronavirus-related job losses .
According to the Women in the Workplace report , Black women said they were more likely to consider stepping away from their careers due to the pandemic .
One in four women are thinking of either leaving the workforce of downshifting their careers—a move that would have been dubbed `` unthinkable '' last year .
This is all to say that the Biden-Harris administration 's focus on reviving the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making it easier to get women back to work , and that means universal childcare .
Research shows that universal preschool can have a big impact on the economy .
For example , Washington D.C. has been running what is arguably the most comprehensive universal childcare for three and four-year olds since 2009 ; it spends an estimated $ 17,545 per child enrolled in preschool , which is the highest any state ( or district , in this case ) pays in the country .
A Center for American Progress study found that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ labor force participation by 12 percentage points .
In D.C. , the labor participation rate for mothers with 3- and 4-year-olds is now about the same as it is for mothers with kids in elementary school , which is already free and compulsory .
These positive trends were observed among both low-income and high-income families ; the largest participation increases were among mothers without a high school degree , according to the study .
`` These results suggest that two years of universal , full-day preschool is associated with a large positive effect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the impact found in studies of universal preschool programs in other countries , '' the Center for American Progress study noted .
`` On a national scale , policies that support maternal labor force attachment could contribute to faster growth in gross domestic product ( GDP ) ; stronger financial security for young families ; and fewer career sacrifices by women , who assume a disproportionate share of their families ' care responsibilities . ''
As Vox explained in 2018 , the D.C. program has had some unintended consequences , specifically on private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to take infants and toddlers at subsidized rates .
Yet the Biden-Harris plan does n't just focus on making it easier for families to afford childcare .
It is also a jobs plan .
First , it proposes a bailout for child care centers , many of which are at risk of closing due to the pandemic .
A survey of California providers by the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment ( CSCCE ) found that 80 percent of open child care programs face higher costs associated with pandemic cleaning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centers are funding the additional costs themselves .
The survey found that 77 percent of that state 's child care centers lost income due to the pandemic , and it warned that without more public funding `` the California child care industry will continue to collapse . ''
In July , when Biden revealed his plan , he also called for an increase in pay for child care workers , along with health benefits and freedom to unionize .
A CSCCE report found that 57 percent of pre-K teaching staff report household incomes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many caregivers in general are n't paid , and hence , the Biden-Harris plan proposes to give these unpaid caregivers a $ 5,000 tax credit in addition to Social Security credits .
The inclusiveness and intersectionality of the Biden-Harris plan makes it effectively a feminist reform .
Three-fourths of American teachers are women , while over half of the country 's family or informal caregivers are women .
Meanwhile , women are more likely to sacrifice their careers when a crisis hits home , as they generally make less money than men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one that treats caregivers less than they deserve is the modern-day equivalent of the dire conditions faced by impoverished seamstresses in the late nineteenth century : long hours , no bathroom breaks , unsafe working conditions .
These conditions kept many women out of the workforce .
I 'd argue that today 's economic climate is not too dissimilar , in that it stresses mothers , their families , and oft-underpaid and undervalued professional female caregivers .
Besides D.C. , a few other American cities and counties have enacted subsidized or universal childcare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , home of Portland , Oregon , passed one of the most progressive universal preschool policies in the nation , Measure 26-214 .
Universal preschool advocates in Portland won by assembling a coalition of parents , teachers , unions , and progressive groups like the Democratic Socialists of America ; the newly-passed measure is funded by a progressive income tax .
`` By making preschool free for every 3- and 4-year-old and guaranteeing preschool workers a living wage , Measure 26-214 gives Multnomah County families options , lets kids thrive , and addresses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the proposition 's boosters in Oregon argued .
Now , Biden 's similar plan may see such progressive feminist reforms grow beyond local communities like Portland and D.C. , with resounding economic effects .

Joe Biden wasn't the first choice for many women during the Democratic presidential primaries, yet the president-elect's social agenda has proven to be surprisingly feminist in its orientation. Nowhere is this clearer than in his proposal for subsidizing toddler-age childcare, a progressive platform that has earned plaudits from feminists and which has been a local success story in local jurisdictions in which it has been implemented.
According to the Biden-Harris transition website, the administration plans to make it "far easier to afford child care and to ensure aging relatives and people with disabilities have better access to home and community-based care." The new administration also promises to "elevate the pay, benefits, and professional opportunities for caregivers and educators; to create millions of good-paying new jobs in these areas with a choice to join a union; and to free up millions of people to join the labor force and grow a stronger economy in return."
This refers to the $775 billion plan Biden announced while campaigning in Delaware in July, when Biden proposed a national pre-K for all children ages 3 and 4. In that proposal, families earning less than $125,000 a year would receive an $8,000 child care tax credit per child, up to $16,000. Parents earning less than 1.5 times the median income in their state could subsidize child care and would pay no more than 7 percent of their income. Those with a very low income would pay nothing.
Notably, the pandemic's economic affects are seriously setting back gender equality, as I've previously written. Large swaths of women in America left the workforce or cut down their hours to be a stay at home caregiver during the pandemic. As of May 2020, women account for 54 percent of initial coronavirus-related job losses. According to the Women in the Workplace report, Black women said they were more likely to consider stepping away from their careers due to the pandemic. One in four women are thinking of either leaving the workforce of downshifting their careers—a move that would have been dubbed "unthinkable" last year.
This is all to say that the Biden-Harris administration's focus on reviving the economy will largely hinge on whether it prioritizes making it easier to get women back to work, and that means universal childcare.
Research shows that universal preschool can have a big impact on the economy. For example, Washington D.C. has been running what is arguably the most comprehensive universal childcare for three and four-year olds since 2009; it spends an estimated $17,545 per child enrolled in preschool, which is the highest any state (or district, in this case) pays in the country. A Center for American Progress study found that this program increased the city's maternal labor force participation by 12 percentage points. In D.C., the labor participation rate for mothers with 3- and 4-year-olds is now about the same as it is for mothers with kids in elementary school, which is already free and compulsory. These positive trends were observed among both low-income and high-income families; the largest participation increases were among mothers without a high school degree, according to the study.
"These results suggest that two years of universal, full-day preschool is associated with a large positive effect on maternal labor supply—comparable in magnitude to the impact found in studies of universal preschool programs in other countries," the Center for American Progress study noted. "On a national scale, policies that support maternal labor force attachment could contribute to faster growth in gross domestic product (GDP); stronger financial security for young families; and fewer career sacrifices by women, who assume a disproportionate share of their families' care responsibilities."
As Vox explained in 2018, the D.C. program has had some unintended consequences, specifically on private child care business, which became less likely to take infants and toddlers at subsidized rates.
Yet the Biden-Harris plan doesn't just focus on making it easier for families to afford childcare. It is also a jobs plan. First, it proposes a bailout for child care centers, many of which are at risk of closing due to the pandemic. A survey of California providers by the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) found that 80 percent of open child care programs face higher costs associated with pandemic cleaning requirements; in some cases, these centers are funding the additional costs themselves. The survey found that 77 percent of that state's child care centers lost income due to the pandemic, and it warned that without more public funding "the California child care industry will continue to collapse."
In July, when Biden revealed his plan, he also called for an increase in pay for child care workers, along with health benefits and freedom to unionize. A CSCCE report found that 57 percent of pre-K teaching staff report household incomes of less than $30,000 a year. Many caregivers in general aren't paid, and hence, the Biden-Harris plan proposes to give these unpaid caregivers a $5,000 tax credit in addition to Social Security credits.
The inclusiveness and intersectionality of the Biden-Harris plan makes it effectively a feminist reform. Three-fourths of American teachers are women, while over half of the country's family or informal caregivers are women. Meanwhile, women are more likely to sacrifice their careers when a crisis hits home, as they generally make less money than men. A workforce without affordable childcare and one that treats caregivers less than they deserve is the modern-day equivalent of the dire conditions faced by impoverished seamstresses in the late nineteenth century: long hours, no bathroom breaks, unsafe working conditions. These conditions kept many women out of the workforce. I'd argue that today's economic climate is not too dissimilar, in that it stresses mothers, their families, and oft-underpaid and undervalued professional female caregivers.
Besides D.C., a few other American cities and counties have enacted subsidized or universal childcare policies. Last week, Multnomah County, home of Portland, Oregon, passed one of the most progressive universal preschool policies in the nation, Measure 26-214. Universal preschool advocates in Portland won by assembling a coalition of parents, teachers, unions, and progressive groups like the Democratic Socialists of America; the newly-passed measure is funded by a progressive income tax. "By making preschool free for every 3- and 4-year-old and guaranteeing preschool workers a living wage, Measure 26-214 gives Multnomah County families options, lets kids thrive, and addresses the deep inequities in our community," the proposition's boosters in Oregon argued. Now, Biden's similar plan may see such progressive feminist reforms grow beyond local communities like Portland and D.C., with resounding economic effects.


alternet--2020-11-13--As winter approaches, America's racist produce distribution system makes food insecurity worse

In late July , a group of Kentucky gardeners and farmers marched through downtown Louisville , pushing wheelbarrows and demanding justice for Breonna Taylor , the 26-year-old unarmed Black woman who was fatally shot by Louisville Metro Police Officers in March .
They started at a local farmer 's market and moved 1-1/2 miles westward , towards Jefferson Square Park — now called Injustice Square , after serving as the nightly gathering place for protesters — where they had planted Breonna 's Roots , an edible garden that was bursting with summer produce like ruby red tomatoes and peppers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , dill , rosemary and parsley .
According to volunteer Jody Dahmer , the vegetables were harvested and transported a few miles further west to be distributed in Russell , one of Louisville 's historically Black neighborhoods that is also one of the city 's most barren food deserts .
There are only two accessible major supermarkets to serve nearly 60,000 residents ( and there 's a longstanding rumor among food access advocates in the community that the nearest Kroger will eventually close permanently , after it shuttered sporadically amid protests , leaving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the weather is snapping cold .
Temperatures dip into the low 30s overnight , and soon , Injustice Square will be blanketed with morning frost , so the garden volunteers are having to pivot .
`` With frost dates approaching , we are focusing on cole crops , '' Dahmer said , referring to a designation of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and brussels sprouts that grow better in cooler temperatures .
`` But [ we ] also have garlic and onions planted between . ''
This is n't a unique conversation — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders are having to adapt their plots for the winter or , in some cases , simply latch the garden gates behind them until early spring .
But in food insecure neighborhoods , those decisions can have a community-wide impact on produce access , a sad reality that is particularly evident during the colder months .
`` It becomes a real scarcity over winter , '' said Cordia Pugh , the founder of Hermitage Community Gardens in Chicago .
`` A real scarcity as we race through the winter , waiting for spring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the gardens to get fresh produce . ''
Pugh spoke with Salon earlier this year about her community gardens , which are located in Englewood , where , according to municipal data , nearly 95 % of the neighborhood 's residents are non-Hispanic Black , and nearly 80 % of that population lives with low or volatile access to fresh produce .
`` This is not hobby gardening , this is food security for us , '' Pugh said at the time .
`` This is food insurance in the epicenter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not grow this fresh produce , we would not have fresh produce accessible to us .
There is no accessible big box store in this community — or if we bought it through those venues , it would be from vendors that would quadruple the price . ''
Typically , Pugh works with garden volunteers over the spring and summer to preserve fresh produce for the colder months , but the pandemic lockdowns and social distancing recommendations drastically impacted that initiative .
There is very little produce stockpiled , as a result , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the midst of attempting to get fresh produce boxes to her garden members .
`` I 'm speaking out of my own desperation this year , because I 'm really scrambling now to get the resources in place for fresh produce food distribution over the course of November through April of next year , '' Pugh said .
`` Especially because some of our members do n't have access — financially or otherwise — to those big box stores . ''
And even if they can get to the store , Pugh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the quality of the produce available will be the same as in stores in more affluent or mixed-race areas .
This is a well-documented phenomenon .
In 2010 , The Food Trust , a Philadelphia-based food access nonprofit , and the Oakland-based PolicyLink published `` The Grocery Gap , '' a comprehensive paper that detailed how , in hundreds of lower-income communities of color , access to healthier foods like high-quality produce , high-fiber bread and low-fat milk was compromised .
In Louisville , Shauntrice Martin has taken the last several months to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city 's food deserts , like Russell .
Martin is the founder and director of # FeedTheWest , a community food justice initiative that advocates for a Black-owned , fresh food source for residents .
She published her findings under the title , `` The Bok Choy Project , '' wherein she compared five Krogers across five different zip codes , assessing four characteristics : the number of organic produce options available , the presence of police officers , the Black population of said zip code , and the availability of bok @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chose bok choy as a stand-in for `` premium produce '' because it was an item that she only saw on shelves once she moved out of West Louisville to Maryland when she was in her 20s .
Now that she 's back , she definitely sees discrepancies in selection and quality between the supermarkets in the zip code with 11 % Black population — 11 organic produce options — compared to the one with 92 % , which had only three organic options .
`` When you walk into that store , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Martin said .
`` But it usually only has pears and apples .
The rest of it is conventional produce .
It 's wilted , some of it is rotten or expired on the shelf . ''
These are the options that are available , Martin and Pugh said , for food insecure communities , which statistically tend to be lower-income communities of color .
And while community gardens like Hermitage Community Gardens and Breonna 's Roots serve as a stopgap in warmer months , they are n't a replacement for equitable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Toronto , the food access nonprofit FoodShare spends a lot of time thinking about what food security actually means and what food sovereignty would look like in Northern climates that experience winter .
According to Natalie Boustead , the organization 's community gardens leader , a lot of our current eating habits are reliant on expensive greenhouse production and imported items to maintain a level of consistency in our diets throughout the year .
`` Which , if we were actually eating locally , seasonally [ and ] within a framework of true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be possible , '' Boustead said .
`` If we were to shift our cultural expectations around eating seasonally to involve only eating dried fruits , and fermented , salted and sugared foods from summer harvest .
.
.
we may have a shot at actual food sovereignty and self-sufficiency . ''
Not to mention , she said , there would need to be a complete overhaul of North America 's racist food distribution system .
`` Until all of that begins to shift , there are very few deeply meaningful ways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urban setting can do to lessen their systematically entrenched relationship to an unfair food system , especially in winter months , '' she said .

In late July, a group of Kentucky gardeners and farmers marched through downtown Louisville, pushing wheelbarrows and demanding justice for Breonna Taylor, the 26-year-old unarmed Black woman who was fatally shot by Louisville Metro Police Officers in March.
They started at a local farmer's market and moved 1-1/2 miles westward, towards Jefferson Square Park — now called Injustice Square, after serving as the nightly gathering place for protesters — where they had planted Breonna's Roots, an edible garden that was bursting with summer produce like ruby red tomatoes and peppers, deep purple eggplants and bunches of kale, dill, rosemary and parsley.
According to volunteer Jody Dahmer, the vegetables were harvested and transported a few miles further west to be distributed in Russell, one of Louisville's historically Black neighborhoods that is also one of the city's most barren food deserts. There are only two accessible major supermarkets to serve nearly 60,000 residents (and there's a longstanding rumor among food access advocates in the community that the nearest Kroger will eventually close permanently, after it shuttered sporadically amid protests, leaving only one option).
But now, the weather is snapping cold. Temperatures dip into the low 30s overnight, and soon, Injustice Square will be blanketed with morning frost, so the garden volunteers are having to pivot.
"With frost dates approaching, we are focusing on cole crops," Dahmer said, referring to a designation of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and brussels sprouts that grow better in cooler temperatures. "But [we] also have garlic and onions planted between."
This isn't a unique conversation — all across the country, community garden leaders are having to adapt their plots for the winter or, in some cases, simply latch the garden gates behind them until early spring. But in food insecure neighborhoods, those decisions can have a community-wide impact on produce access, a sad reality that is particularly evident during the colder months.
"It becomes a real scarcity over winter," said Cordia Pugh, the founder of Hermitage Community Gardens in Chicago. "A real scarcity as we race through the winter, waiting for spring to come when we can get back in the gardens to get fresh produce."
Pugh spoke with Salon earlier this year about her community gardens, which are located in Englewood, where, according to municipal data, nearly 95% of the neighborhood's residents are non-Hispanic Black, and nearly 80% of that population lives with low or volatile access to fresh produce.
"This is not hobby gardening, this is food security for us," Pugh said at the time. "This is food insurance in the epicenter of a food desert. If we did not grow this fresh produce, we would not have fresh produce accessible to us. There is no accessible big box store in this community — or if we bought it through those venues, it would be from vendors that would quadruple the price."
Typically, Pugh works with garden volunteers over the spring and summer to preserve fresh produce for the colder months, but the pandemic lockdowns and social distancing recommendations drastically impacted that initiative. There is very little produce stockpiled, as a result, and Pugh said that she's currently in the midst of attempting to get fresh produce boxes to her garden members.
"I'm speaking out of my own desperation this year, because I'm really scrambling now to get the resources in place for fresh produce food distribution over the course of November through April of next year," Pugh said. "Especially because some of our members don't have access — financially or otherwise — to those big box stores."
And even if they can get to the store, Pugh said, there's no guarantee that the quality of the produce available will be the same as in stores in more affluent or mixed-race areas.
This is a well-documented phenomenon. In 2010, The Food Trust, a Philadelphia-based food access nonprofit, and the Oakland-based PolicyLink published "The Grocery Gap," a comprehensive paper that detailed how, in hundreds of lower-income communities of color, access to healthier foods like high-quality produce, high-fiber bread and low-fat milk was compromised.
In Louisville, Shauntrice Martin has taken the last several months to examine these disparities, focusing specifically on the city's food deserts, like Russell. Martin is the founder and director of #FeedTheWest, a community food justice initiative that advocates for a Black-owned, fresh food source for residents.
She published her findings under the title, "The Bok Choy Project," wherein she compared five Krogers across five different zip codes, assessing four characteristics: the number of organic produce options available, the presence of police officers, the Black population of said zip code, and the availability of bok choy.
According to Martin, she chose bok choy as a stand-in for "premium produce" because it was an item that she only saw on shelves once she moved out of West Louisville to Maryland when she was in her 20s. Now that she's back, she definitely sees discrepancies in selection and quality between the supermarkets in the zip code with 11% Black population — 11 organic produce options — compared to the one with 92%, which had only three organic options.
"When you walk into that store, there is an 'organic section,'" Martin said. "But it usually only has pears and apples. The rest of it is conventional produce. It's wilted, some of it is rotten or expired on the shelf."
These are the options that are available, Martin and Pugh said, for food insecure communities, which statistically tend to be lower-income communities of color. And while community gardens like Hermitage Community Gardens and Breonna's Roots serve as a stopgap in warmer months, they aren't a replacement for equitable food access and distribution systems.
In Toronto, the food access nonprofit FoodShare spends a lot of time thinking about what food security actually means and what food sovereignty would look like in Northern climates that experience winter. According to Natalie Boustead, the organization's community gardens leader, a lot of our current eating habits are reliant on expensive greenhouse production and imported items to maintain a level of consistency in our diets throughout the year.
"Which, if we were actually eating locally, seasonally [and] within a framework of true self-reliance here in Northern climates, would not be possible," Boustead said. "If we were to shift our cultural expectations around eating seasonally to involve only eating dried fruits, and fermented, salted and sugared foods from summer harvest . . . we may have a shot at actual food sovereignty and self-sufficiency."
Not to mention, she said, there would need to be a complete overhaul of North America's racist food distribution system.
"Until all of that begins to shift, there are very few deeply meaningful ways that those experiencing food insecurity in an urban setting can do to lessen their systematically entrenched relationship to an unfair food system, especially in winter months," she said.