alternet--2020-10-11--Ralph Nader: 'Loser' Pence bullies fabrications through debate time rules

Vice President Pence `` debated '' Senator Kamala Harris in a way that reminded voters of how he and his boss , Donald Trump , have lawlessly misgoverned since 2017 .
Pence arrogantly and continually broke through the time rules that he and the Republicans agreed to obey .
Again and again , Pence blew through the two minute , one minute , and 30-second limits so he could extend his fabrications and phony promises .
Again and again , moderator Susan Page of USA Today would say `` Thank you '' five or six times to get Pence to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris in mid-sentence , against the rules .
This boorishness should have been anticipated by the Commission on Presidential Debates ( CPD ) .
The CPD has put on presidential debates since its creation by the Republican and Democratic Parties in 1984 to replace the League of Women Voters when they could n't control the League 's independence ( See No Debate by George Farah and his website , opendebates.org ) .
That said , what about Susan Page , known as an aggressive veteran journalist ( especially against Third-Party candidates ) ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ over her repeatedly and violate the time rules ?
Why after several overtimes by Pence did she not admonish him to stay within the agreed-to time limits ?
It was only after an exasperated Harris went briefly overtime twice near the end of the session that Ms .
Page told both speakers to follow the rules .
Pathetic .
She lost control of the debate to abuser Pence and owes the public an explanation .
On the substance of the presentations , Senator Harris used three arrows in her quiver when she had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that went unused .
Most astonishing was Harris not nailing Trump/Pence and Mitch McConnell for blocking the House-passed stimulus and relief bill ( last May under Speaker Nancy Pelosi ) that is desperately needed by tens of millions of Covid-19 impacted Americans and by hard-pressed millions of small businesses .
This callous trio is willing to keep furloughed or laid-off workers from receiving $ 600 a week until January and stall the delivery of aid to hard-pressed local agencies , schools , healthcare facilities , the Postal Service , and other stimuli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyer and former California Attorney General , Harris avoided calling out Trump/Pence for breaking and bending the law and committing many ongoing impeachable violations of our Constitution .
While Pence kept touting `` de-regulation , '' Harris did n't decode that deception by illustrating the many health , safety , and economic protections destroyed by the Trump/Pence regime that favors Wall Street over Main Street .
Where was the talk about the `` kitchen table '' necessities on the minds of Americans daily ?
Harris stressed health care , but not full Medicare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away with lies about how clean our air and water are and the overall health of the environment .
Under Trump – law enforcement has been brazenly abandoned .
Protecting our food , drugs , air , water , soil , and controlling greenhouse gases have been left to the whims of greedy corporate outlaws putting profits over safety .
Pence would totally ignore Page 's questions and go off on rehearsed and deceptive shout-outs .
He used this escape tactic to refuse to answer Page 's crucial question about agreeing to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose the presidency .
Page chose not to follow up or even say `` You did n't answer the question , but we have to move on . ''
Once Harris used this brushoff technique when asked where she and Biden stood on expanding the number of Supreme Court Justices .
After the `` debate '' ended , it occurred to me that Harris completely ignored the progressive agendas of Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and millions of their supporters .
There was no mention of the corporate crime wave and accelerating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corporations .
There was no mention of strengthening union organizing laws ( such as the simple `` card check '' promised and forgotten by Obama/Biden in 2008 ) .
There was not even a mention of a federal $ 15 minimum wage , lifting the stagnant wages of millions of women and men , passed last year in the House and blocked by the Senate Republicans satisfied with the frozen $ 7.25 per hour If Bernie Sanders ever thought his massive mobilization of voters for the primaries in 2016 and 2020 was going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he must be having second thoughts after both Biden and Harris , in two debates before huge audiences , turned their backs on the fast-growing progressive wing of their Party .
There was not even a nod to Bernie and his many supporters .
Biden/Harris may not be able to be so dismissive of progressive Democrats and Independents should they take control of Congress next year .
But do n't bet on it .

Vice President Pence "debated" Senator Kamala Harris in a way that reminded voters of how he and his boss, Donald Trump, have lawlessly misgoverned since 2017. Pence arrogantly and continually broke through the time rules that he and the Republicans agreed to obey.
Again and again, Pence blew through the two minute, one minute, and 30-second limits so he could extend his fabrications and phony promises. Again and again, moderator Susan Page of USA Today would say "Thank you" five or six times to get Pence to stop each infraction. Pence also interrupted Harris in mid-sentence, against the rules.
This boorishness should have been anticipated by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD). The CPD has put on presidential debates since its creation by the Republican and Democratic Parties in 1984 to replace the League of Women Voters when they couldn't control the League's independence (See No Debate by George Farah and his website, opendebates.org ).
That said, what about Susan Page, known as an aggressive veteran journalist (especially against Third-Party candidates)? Why did Page allow Pence to run over her repeatedly and violate the time rules? Why after several overtimes by Pence did she not admonish him to stay within the agreed-to time limits?
It was only after an exasperated Harris went briefly overtime twice near the end of the session that Ms. Page told both speakers to follow the rules. Pathetic. She lost control of the debate to abuser Pence and owes the public an explanation.
On the substance of the presentations, Senator Harris used three arrows in her quiver when she had a dozen, well known to her, that went unused.
Most astonishing was Harris not nailing Trump/Pence and Mitch McConnell for blocking the House-passed stimulus and relief bill (last May under Speaker Nancy Pelosi) that is desperately needed by tens of millions of Covid-19 impacted Americans and by hard-pressed millions of small businesses. This callous trio is willing to keep furloughed or laid-off workers from receiving $600 a week until January and stall the delivery of aid to hard-pressed local agencies, schools, healthcare facilities, the Postal Service, and other stimuli to a sagging economy.
As a lawyer and former California Attorney General, Harris avoided calling out Trump/Pence for breaking and bending the law and committing many ongoing impeachable violations of our Constitution. While Pence kept touting "de-regulation," Harris didn't decode that deception by illustrating the many health, safety, and economic protections destroyed by the Trump/Pence regime that favors Wall Street over Main Street. Where was the talk about the "kitchen table" necessities on the minds of Americans daily?
Harris stressed health care, but not full Medicare for All, and let Pence get away with lies about how clean our air and water are and the overall health of the environment. Under Trump – law enforcement has been brazenly abandoned. Protecting our food, drugs, air, water, soil, and controlling greenhouse gases have been left to the whims of greedy corporate outlaws putting profits over safety.
Pence would totally ignore Page's questions and go off on rehearsed and deceptive shout-outs. He used this escape tactic to refuse to answer Page's crucial question about agreeing to a peaceful transition of power should the Republicans lose the presidency. Page chose not to follow up or even say "You didn't answer the question, but we have to move on." Once Harris used this brushoff technique when asked where she and Biden stood on expanding the number of Supreme Court Justices.
After the "debate" ended, it occurred to me that Harris completely ignored the progressive agendas of Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and millions of their supporters. There was no mention of the corporate crime wave and accelerating control over the people by immune global corporations. There was no mention of strengthening union organizing laws (such as the simple "card check" promised and forgotten by Obama/Biden in 2008). There was not even a mention of a federal $15 minimum wage, lifting the stagnant wages of millions of women and men, passed last year in the House and blocked by the Senate Republicans satisfied with the frozen $7.25 per hour
If Bernie Sanders ever thought his massive mobilization of voters for the primaries in 2016 and 2020 was going to move the dominant corporate Democrats, he must be having second thoughts after both Biden and Harris, in two debates before huge audiences, turned their backs on the fast-growing progressive wing of their Party. There was not even a nod to Bernie and his many supporters.
Biden/Harris may not be able to be so dismissive of progressive Democrats and Independents should they take control of Congress next year. But don't bet on it.


alternet--2020-10-11--Mental health professionals: ‘Donald Trump suffers from a dangerous incurable narcissistic disorder’

President Donald Trump 's mental fitness to hold office was the focus of a new op-ed published in the The Sydney Morning Herald by two mental health professionals .
The column was written by Ian Hughes , a senior research fellow at the MaREI Centre at University College Cork in Ireland and Alan D. Blotcky , a clinical psychologist in private practice in Birmingham , Alabama .
`` For almost four years , there has hardly been a day that Donald Trump has not made front-page news , '' they wrote .
`` Of all the thousands of headlines , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been printed but that makes the most sense of all : 'Donald Trump suffers from a dangerous incurable narcissistic disorder which makes him incapable of empathy or reason .
He is a grave danger to the US and the world . '
'' `` The failure of the media to [ emphasize ] this obvious fact is a lost opportunity to inform and educate the public so that Trump 's pathology is fully appreciated and understood .
As mental health professionals know , Trump 's mental disorder manifests itself in a wide variety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolated or disconnected events .
In these dangerous times , the challenge for the media , difficult though it is , should be to explain Trump 's pathology in all its complexities and ramifications for the public , '' they explained .
`` Donald Trump 's narcissistic pathology did not allow him to engage in reasonable and rational debate with Joe Biden .
He is incapable of rational , orderly , and thoughtful discourse , and is compelled and guided instead by his internal needs , wants , and desires .
In addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knows his poll numbers are dropping .
As a narcissist , his reflexive response when his grandiose self-image is threatened is to attack and to bully .
Over the past few months , Trump 's pathological response to the threat of failure has been in plain view : wild accusations , lies , scapegoating , conspiracy theories , and gaslighting .
His unpresidential debate performance was an extension of this pathological [ behavior ] , '' they wrote .
`` Donald Trump is part of a much larger picture .
Individuals with dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of power throughout modern history – from Nixon to Mao , Stalin to Pol Pot .
Some have played a crucial role in steering our world towards disaster .
A widespread understanding of this basic fact has now become essential for the protection of democracy , '' they explained .

President Donald Trump's mental fitness to hold office was the focus of a new op-ed published in the The Sydney Morning Herald by two mental health professionals.
The column was written by Ian Hughes, a senior research fellow at the MaREI Centre at University College Cork in Ireland and Alan D. Blotcky, a clinical psychologist in private practice in Birmingham, Alabama.
"For almost four years, there has hardly been a day that Donald Trump has not made front-page news," they wrote. "Of all the thousands of headlines, there is one headline that has not been printed but that makes the most sense of all: 'Donald Trump suffers from a dangerous incurable narcissistic disorder which makes him incapable of empathy or reason. He is a grave danger to the US and the world.'"
"The failure of the media to [emphasize] this obvious fact is a lost opportunity to inform and educate the public so that Trump's pathology is fully appreciated and understood. As mental health professionals know, Trump's mental disorder manifests itself in a wide variety of [behaviors] and not in isolated or disconnected events. In these dangerous times, the challenge for the media, difficult though it is, should be to explain Trump's pathology in all its complexities and ramifications for the public," they explained.
"Donald Trump's narcissistic pathology did not allow him to engage in reasonable and rational debate with Joe Biden. He is incapable of rational, orderly, and thoughtful discourse, and is compelled and guided instead by his internal needs, wants, and desires. In addition, Trump is increasingly desperate because he knows his poll numbers are dropping. As a narcissist, his reflexive response when his grandiose self-image is threatened is to attack and to bully. Over the past few months, Trump's pathological response to the threat of failure has been in plain view: wild accusations, lies, scapegoating, conspiracy theories, and gaslighting. His unpresidential debate performance was an extension of this pathological [behavior]," they wrote.
The writers explained Trump in a historical context.
"Donald Trump is part of a much larger picture. Individuals with dangerous personalities have risen to the highest ranks of power throughout modern history – from Nixon to Mao, Stalin to Pol Pot. Some have played a crucial role in steering our world towards disaster. A widespread understanding of this basic fact has now become essential for the protection of democracy," they explained.
Read the full op-ed.


alternet--2020-10-11--Like Trump, I was on monoclonal antibody drugs. This is what they do to you

After Donald Trump was hospitalized last week following a positive test for COVID-19 , he emerged from Walter Reed with all the `` Scarface '' energy of one of his sons , declaring that , after `` some really great drugs '' he felt better than he did twenty years ago .
Those drugs include Regeneron 's REGN-COV2 , a monoclonal antibody cocktail that is not approved by the FDA but was administered through a process known as compassionate use .
( Regeneron 's CEO , Dr. Leonard S. Schleifer , is also a friend of the Trump family .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ up over Trump 's revelations , especially when he declared that the treatment `` was n't just therapeutic , it made me better .
I call that a cure . ''
But is it ?
If you 've ever seen television ads for drugs with names like Opdivo ( nivolumab ) or Keytruda ( pembrolizumab ) , you may notice a common denominator in their nomenclature .
That `` mab '' — usually written as `` mAb '' — at the end is short for `` monoclonal antibodies , '' antibodies engineered in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when I was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma , I got a front row education in how they work when I became one of the first patients in the world in a groundbreaking immunotherapy clinical trial .
While I did not have the same condition or treatment that Trump did , I did receive a cocktail of two mAbs and I do feel confident saying that the experience did not give me super strength nor make me feel twenty years younger .
In fact , it seems to have been at the root of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
But hey , I 'm not a self-proclaimed `` perfect physical specimen , '' like an obese 74 year-old man who is renowned for not eating vegetables would be .
Trump can cavalierly — and surprise , inaccurately — describe his treatments as `` miracles coming down from God , '' but understanding and engineering the human immune system has been the complicated work of decades of research , failed experiments and heartbreak .
You have no doubt heard more about antibodies in the past few months than you have since that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barely passed .
The simplest way to understand them is they 're proteins that help the body fight invaders and , significantly , remember them to keep them at bay .
When you feel flu-like systems after getting a flu shot , that 's the antibodies you 've developed doing their thing in there .
This is why we get vaccinations , and also why I have only had chicken pox once .
When the immune system has confronted certain kinds of threats in the past , it can , like an efficient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future in most cases .
But antibodies ca n't fight everything ; if they did we 'd never get sick .
They also are n't an ironclad guarantee of immunity — some people do get chicken pox twice , and plenty more get shingles when the dormant virus wakes up many years later .
Trump may boast that `` Maybe I 'm immune '' now to future infection , but there are confirmed cases of patients getting COVID-19 more than once , and the duration of immunity for everyone who 's experienced it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer than a year .
And antibodies are n't always the good guys ; when they go rogue they can cause a world of harm .
Autoimmune disorders like lupus , multiple sclerosis , and rheumatoid arthritis all stem from overactive immune system .
Similarly , organ transplant patients are often given immunosuppressants to prevent the body from rejecting the new organ as an invader .
Getting the immune system to effectively go after the right targets in the right way has been a long-standing scientific challenge .
That 's where these laboratory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oncology research , the thinking was that antibodies could be developed in animals and transferred humans .
By the late eighties the process was being refined to create human antibodies in genetically modified rodents , so the risk of rejection would be lessened .
As pioneering scientist Nils Lonberg once explained to me , `` You do n't really want to put a mouse antibody into patients .
You want to put a human antibody into patients . ''
When they work , MaBs can work quickly and durably , because the immune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't work all the time or for everybody , nor are they casually dispensed .
My mAb combo is considered a rousing success ; the 5 year survival rate is about 52 % .
And these therapies can produce vicious side effects as the immune system revs up .
I was fortunate in my experience ; my rashes , dizziness and fatigue were tolerable , but I had an adverse event where my temperature shot up and I felt like hell for a day .
Other people on cancer immunotherapy develop colitis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've been on panels with doctors who 've presented photos of what immunotherapy can do to the human colon , and the phrase `` hellmouth '' comes to mind .
So far , the side effects for the Regeneron treatment appear to be well tolerated in COVID-19 patients .
Late last month , the company reported that with `` more than 2,000 people enrolled across the overall REGN-COV2 development program , no unexpected safety findings have been reported . ''
Speaking with MSNBC recently about Trump 's recent hospital regimen , company co-founder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cocktail `` mimics the normal immune system , '' and said , `` theoretically there should not be any additional interactions with any… other medications with our very natural antibody cocktail than you would normally have with your own antibodies . ''
But the pool of patients is still very small .
We all want a vaccine and we all want a cure .
We want to send our kids to school and hug our old friends and go to the movies and , most of all , for people to stop getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is through smart science and practical , equitable distribution , not empty promises of `` miracles . ''
The monoclonal antibody cocktail that saved my life currently has a six figure price tag .
As Vox put it two years ago , `` The average cost of cancer drugs today is four times the median household income . ''
( Because I was in a clinical trial , the pharmaceutical company paid the costs related to my treatment . )
Who 's going to pick up the check when and if these types @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There have been 7.6 million cases in the US already and that number is currently on an uptick — who will receive treatments that are approved , and how will hospitals handle the influx ?
What happens to patients who do n't golf with the president of the United States ?
Monoclonal antibody treatments have saved countless lives over the last several years .
Harnessing the human immune system to fight disease and infection is among the most promising scientific breakthroughs of any of our lifetimes .
But right now , there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only recovery , hope and a lot more research to be done .

After Donald Trump was hospitalized last week following a positive test for COVID-19, he emerged from Walter Reed with all the "Scarface" energy of one of his sons, declaring that, after "some really great drugs" he felt better than he did twenty years ago. Those drugs include Regeneron's REGN-COV2, a monoclonal antibody cocktail that is not approved by the FDA but was administered through a process known as compassionate use. (Regeneron's CEO, Dr. Leonard S. Schleifer, is also a friend of the Trump family.) Mainstream and social media quickly lit up over Trump's revelations, especially when he declared that the treatment "wasn't just therapeutic, it made me better. I call that a cure."
But is it?
If you've ever seen television ads for drugs with names like Opdivo (nivolumab) or Keytruda (pembrolizumab), you may notice a common denominator in their nomenclature. That "mab" — usually written as "mAb" — at the end is short for "monoclonal antibodies," antibodies engineered in a lab.
Nine years ago, when I was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma, I got a front row education in how they work when I became one of the first patients in the world in a groundbreaking immunotherapy clinical trial. While I did not have the same condition or treatment that Trump did, I did receive a cocktail of two mAbs and I do feel confident saying that the experience did not give me super strength nor make me feel twenty years younger. In fact, it seems to have been at the root of a thyroid dysfunction that actually aged me! But hey, I'm not a self-proclaimed "perfect physical specimen," like an obese 74 year-old man who is renowned for not eating vegetables would be.
Trump can cavalierly — and surprise, inaccurately — describe his treatments as "miracles coming down from God," but understanding and engineering the human immune system has been the complicated work of decades of research, failed experiments and heartbreak.
You have no doubt heard more about antibodies in the past few months than you have since that long ago high school science class you barely passed. The simplest way to understand them is they're proteins that help the body fight invaders and, significantly, remember them to keep them at bay. When you feel flu-like systems after getting a flu shot, that's the antibodies you've developed doing their thing in there. This is why we get vaccinations, and also why I have only had chicken pox once. When the immune system has confronted certain kinds of threats in the past, it can, like an efficient bouncer, fend them off in the future in most cases.
But antibodies can't fight everything; if they did we'd never get sick. They also aren't an ironclad guarantee of immunity — some people do get chicken pox twice, and plenty more get shingles when the dormant virus wakes up many years later. Trump may boast that "Maybe I'm immune" now to future infection, but there are confirmed cases of patients getting COVID-19 more than once, and the duration of immunity for everyone who's experienced it is still unknown but may not be longer than a year.
And antibodies aren't always the good guys; when they go rogue they can cause a world of harm. Autoimmune disorders like lupus, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis all stem from overactive immune system. Similarly, organ transplant patients are often given immunosuppressants to prevent the body from rejecting the new organ as an invader.
Getting the immune system to effectively go after the right targets in the right way has been a long-standing scientific challenge. That's where these laboratory created antibodies come in. In early oncology research, the thinking was that antibodies could be developed in animals and transferred humans. By the late eighties the process was being refined to create human antibodies in genetically modified rodents, so the risk of rejection would be lessened. As pioneering scientist Nils Lonbergonce explained to me, "You don't really want to put a mouse antibody into patients. You want to put a human antibody into patients."
When they work, MaBs can work quickly and durably, because the immune system learns and remembers. But they don't work all the time or for everybody, nor are they casually dispensed. My mAb combo is considered a rousing success; the 5 year survival rate is about 52%. And these therapies can produce vicious side effects as the immune system revs up. I was fortunate in my experience; my rashes, dizziness and fatigue were tolerable, but I had an adverse event where my temperature shot up and I felt like hell for a day. Other people on cancer immunotherapy develop colitis so severe it's debilitating. I've been on panels with doctors who've presented photos of what immunotherapy can do to the human colon, and the phrase "hellmouth" comes to mind.
So far, the side effects for the Regeneron treatment appear to be well tolerated in COVID-19 patients. Late last month, the company reported that with "more than 2,000 people enrolled across the overall REGN-COV2 development program, no unexpected safety findings have been reported." Speaking with MSNBC recently about Trump's recent hospital regimen, company co-founder Dr. George Yancopoulos' said that the cocktail "mimics the normal immune system," and said, "theoretically there should not be any additional interactions with any… other medications with our very natural antibody cocktail than you would normally have with your own antibodies." But the pool of patients is still very small.
We all want a vaccine and we all want a cure. We want to send our kids to school and hug our old friends and go to the movies and, most of all, for people to stop getting sick and dying. The way forward is through smart science and practical, equitable distribution, not empty promises of "miracles." The monoclonal antibody cocktail that saved my life currently has a six figure price tag. As Vox put it two years ago, "The average cost of cancer drugs today is four times the median household income." (Because I was in a clinical trial, the pharmaceutical company paid the costs related to my treatment.) Who's going to pick up the check when and if these types of therapies are available for COVID-19? There have been 7.6 million cases in the US already and that number is currently on an uptick — who will receive treatments that are approved, and how will hospitals handle the influx? What happens to patients who don't golf with the president of the United States?
Monoclonal antibody treatments have saved countless lives over the last several years. Harnessing the human immune system to fight disease and infection is among the most promising scientific breakthroughs of any of our lifetimes. But right now, there is no cure for COVID-19. There is only recovery, hope and a lot more research to be done.


alternet--2020-10-11--Lindsey Graham says Black people are safe in South Carolina — if they’re conservative

On Friday night , Republican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham debated his Democratic challenger Jamie Harrison virtually because Graham refused to submit to a COVID-19 test .
As a result , both Graham and Harrison were separately asked debate questions .
And on a question about whether he 'd met with leaders of the Black Lives Matter Movement , Graham said in part , `` I care about everybody .
If you 're a young African-American , an immigrant , you can go anywhere in this state , you just need to be conservative , not liberal . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was that anyone can have a safe and secure political career in the state regardless of skin color as long as they 're conservative .
`` You can be an African-American and go to the Senate , you just have to share the values of our state , '' he said earlier in his response , but his aforementioned closing line seemed to make the Black female moderator stammer as she moved onto the next question .
Graham 's response almost sounded like he was saying if you 're white , you 'll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but if you 're Black or from another country , you 'll only be okay if you 're conservative like him .
Of course , being conservative or pro-police does n't magically protect Black people from being harassed or killed , no matter what state you live in .

On Friday night, Republican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham debated his Democratic challenger Jamie Harrison virtually because Graham refused to submit to a COVID-19 test.
As a result, both Graham and Harrison were separately asked debate questions. And on a question about whether he'd met with leaders of the Black Lives Matter Movement, Graham said in part, "I care about everybody. If you're a young African-American, an immigrant, you can go anywhere in this state, you just need to be conservative, not liberal."
The context of Graham's horrid sound bite was that anyone can have a safe and secure political career in the state regardless of skin color as long as they're conservative. "You can be an African-American and go to the Senate, you just have to share the values of our state," he said earlier in his response, but his aforementioned closing line seemed to make the Black female moderator stammer as she moved onto the next question.
Graham's response almost sounded like he was saying if you're white, you'll be completely okay in the state, but if you're Black or from another country, you'll only be okay if you're conservative like him.
Of course, being conservative or pro-police doesn't magically protect Black people from being harassed or killed, no matter what state you live in.
Twitter users weren't impressed with Graham's creepy answer:


alternet--2020-10-11--Experts warn of danger posed by armed pro-Trump poll watchers

Following President Donald Trump 's refusal last month to denounce white supremacists along with his longstanding pattern of undermining democratic norms—and in the wake of the FBI 's interception of a plot by right-wing domestic terrorists to kidnap Michigan 's Democratic Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer and overthrow the state government—fears are mounting about the danger posed by far-right paramilitary groups heeding Trump 's call to `` go into the polls and watch very carefully . ''
Two weeks after Donald Trump Jr. took to social media in an attempt to recruit an `` army for Trump 's election security , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Republicans this week have begun dispatching thousands of volunteers to in-person voting locations and mail-in ballot drop boxes , part of a desperate `` effort to find evidence to back up Trump 's unsubstantiated complaints about widespread voter fraud , '' Reuters reported Thursday .
According to more than 20 officials involved in the effort , `` the mission ... is to capture photos and videos Republicans can use to support so-far unfounded claims that mail voting is riddled with chicanery , and to help their case if legal disputes erupt over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican incumbent Trump and his Democratic opponent Joe Biden . ''
But critics of the Trump campaign 's operation—which revolves around baseless presumptions of fraudulent electoral activity committed by supporters of Democratic candidates—argued that the president 's `` call for his supporters to serve as self-appointed '' poll-watchers `` sounded more like an incitement to voter intimidation and violence than an endorsement of the role election observers play in protecting democratic norms . ''
Given the White House 's alarming normalization of violence against political foes , voting rights experts , civic officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the negative consequences that could ensue if tensions escalate and the president 's most militant supporters—white nationalist gangs , so-called `` patriots '' donning Confederate and Nazi regalia , and other heavily armed pro-Trump factions—follow his authoritarian cues .
Steven Gardiner , a scholar at the progressive think tank Political Research Associates , told The Guardian on Friday that `` the militias will absolutely seize on '' Trump 's comments .
`` The possibility of armed factions with military-style rifles showing up at polling places is very troubling , '' Gardiner added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights—heard Trump endorse voter intimidation at last month 's debate , his `` first thought was , 'Here we go . '
'' `` This is the stuff of our worst nightmares , '' Burghart said .
As Common Dreams reported on Thursday amid the revelation that 13 suspects had been arrested on kidnapping and terrorism charges after law enforcement officials foiled a right-wing plot to attack the Michigan State Capitol and hold Gov .
Whitmer hostage , many observers have made connections between Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violent actions .
`` I wonder where they got their motivation from , '' Rep. Rashida Tlaib ( D-Mich. ) noted sarcastically on social media , referring to an incendiary message Trump shared in April—during the height of anti-lockdown protests in the state—to `` Liberate Michigan ! ''
`` This is a pattern : Trump paints a target .
An attack or plot follows , '' tweeted Washington Post national security correspondent Greg Miller .
Gardiner told The Guardian that `` the relationship between the militias and the current administration is call and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always clear who 's leading the chant , '' he added .
`` Sometimes it 's coming from the militias , sometimes it 's coming from the president . ''
Another worrisome development is that gun sales nearly doubled between summer 2019 and 2020 , meaning that the U.S. is further arming itself with `` deadly weaponry [ that ] is increasingly finding its way onto the streets , borne by self-styled private militias , and culminating in violent clashes that have caused bloodshed in several U.S. cities , '' as The Guardian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month that the number of active militia members hovers around 20,000 people in 300 groups , with military veterans constituting one-fourth of those .
But a new investigation by The Atlantic magazine into the Oath Keepers , one of the most prominent far-right paramilitary groups , revealed a list of nearly 25,000 current or former members , two-thirds of whom had military or law enforcement backgrounds , suggesting that the number of Americans with ties to extremist factions is larger .
As Common Dreams reported last month , armed white supremacists pose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. , according to the FBI , despite efforts by the Trump administration to downplay the risks associated with right-wing militias .
According to Gardiner 's research , many of the violent incidents committed by far-right vigilantes against anti-racism and anti-police violence protesters this summer were carried out by uncoordinated groups of individuals , with no known involvement of established militias .
`` There have been almost 240 incidents [ this summer ] where small and entirely leaderless bands of extremists coalesced online and then proceeded to take their armed fantasies on to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guardian reported .
Burghart 's team `` has been tracking the escalation of militia activity , '' particularly in key swing states including Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin , where `` groups have been detected discussing what they call 'voter integrity ' efforts '' on Election Day .
`` We 're paying close attention , '' Burghart said .
As a result of Trump 's `` call to arms '' at the first presidential debate , he anticipates that `` we 'll see a lot more activity from here . ''
Rachel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Human Rights Network , told The Guardian that online monitoring conducted by her organization has been `` picking up intensifying conversation among militia groups about the legitimacy of the November 3 ballot and of the integrity of mail-in voting . ''
Rivas explained that `` militia groups such as the Montana branch of the United States Freedom Protectors were positioning themselves to be vigilante outriders of law enforcement on Election Day , '' and that `` the possibility of interventions by armed members of the group had to be taken seriously . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ property and law and order , and are now starting to talk about the election , '' Rivas said .
`` They may show up at polling places claiming to want to protect voting rights , but their impact will clearly be intimidatory . ''
Instilling fear and harassing voters is Trump 's goal , according to voting rights advocates .
Nina Jankowicz , a political scholar at the Wilson Center , wrote in The Atlantic that `` confrontations between unorganized , self-appointed poll watchers and individual voters are a recipe for trouble—and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Jankowicz stated that `` if voters encounter any group discouraging or preventing others from casting a ballot , they should immediately inform a poll worker and call a nonpartisan election-protection hotline ( 866-OUR-VOTE is one example ) . ''
`` Election officials across the country should know they have the right to eject poll watchers for disruptions and intimidation , and can call the police if unrest develops outside the station , '' Jankowicz said .
`` And police themselves should be reminded that their job is to protect people 's ability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political preferences . ''
Rivas stressed that the threat of voter intimidation `` really is top down . ''
Far-right paramilitary groups `` are repeating word for word what they hear from President Trump , '' she said .

Following President Donald Trump's refusal last month to denounce white supremacists along with his longstanding pattern of undermining democratic norms—and in the wake of the FBI's interception of a plot by right-wing domestic terrorists to kidnap Michigan's Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and overthrow the state government—fears are mounting about the danger posed by far-right paramilitary groups heeding Trump's call to "go into the polls and watch very carefully."
Two weeks after Donald Trump Jr. took to social media in an attempt to recruit an "army for Trump's election security," and with early voting already underway, Republicans this week have begun dispatching thousands of volunteers to in-person voting locations and mail-in ballot drop boxes, part of a desperate "effort to find evidence to back up Trump's unsubstantiated complaints about widespread voter fraud," Reutersreported Thursday.
According to more than 20 officials involved in the effort, "the mission... is to capture photos and videos Republicans can use to support so-far unfounded claims that mail voting is riddled with chicanery, and to help their case if legal disputes erupt over the results of... the contest between Republican incumbent Trump and his Democratic opponent Joe Biden."
But critics of the Trump campaign's operation—which revolves around baseless presumptions of fraudulent electoral activity committed by supporters of Democratic candidates—argued that the president's "call for his supporters to serve as self-appointed" poll-watchers "sounded more like an incitement to voter intimidation and violence than an endorsement of the role election observers play in protecting democratic norms."
Given the White House's alarming normalization of violence against political foes, voting rights experts, civic officials, and citizens are increasingly concerned about the negative consequences that could ensue if tensions escalate and the president's most militant supporters—white nationalist gangs, so-called "patriots" donning Confederate and Nazi regalia, and other heavily armed pro-Trump factions—follow his authoritarian cues.
Steven Gardiner, a scholar at the progressive think tank Political Research Associates, toldThe Guardian on Friday that "the militias will absolutely seize on" Trump's comments.
"The possibility of armed factions with military-style rifles showing up at polling places is very troubling," Gardiner added.
When Devin Burghart—director of the anti-hate organization the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights—heard Trump endorse voter intimidation at last month's debate, his "first thought was, 'Here we go.'"
"This is the stuff of our worst nightmares," Burghart said.
As Common Dreams reported on Thursday amid the revelation that 13 suspects had been arrested on kidnapping and terrorism charges after law enforcement officials foiled a right-wing plot to attack the Michigan State Capitol and hold Gov. Whitmer hostage, many observers have made connections between Trump's demagogic rhetoric and his followers' violent actions.
"I wonder where they got their motivation from," Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) noted sarcastically on social media, referring to an incendiary message Trump shared in April—during the height of anti-lockdown protests in the state—to "Liberate Michigan!"
"This is a pattern: Trump paints a target. An attack or plot follows," tweetedWashington Post national security correspondent Greg Miller.
Gardiner told The Guardian that "the relationship between the militias and the current administration is call and response."
"It's not always clear who's leading the chant," he added. "Sometimes it's coming from the militias, sometimes it's coming from the president."
Another worrisome development is that gun sales nearly doubled between summer 2019 and 2020, meaning that the U.S. is further arming itself with "deadly weaponry [that] is increasingly finding its way onto the streets, borne by self-styled private militias, and culminating in violent clashes that have caused bloodshed in several U.S. cities," as The Guardianexplained.
The New York Timesestimated last month that the number of active militia members hovers around 20,000 people in 300 groups, with military veterans constituting one-fourth of those. But a new investigation by The Atlantic magazine into the Oath Keepers, one of the most prominent far-right paramilitary groups, revealed a list of nearly 25,000 current or former members, two-thirds of whom had military or law enforcement backgrounds, suggesting that the number of Americans with ties to extremist factions is larger.
As Common Dreamsreported last month, armed white supremacists pose the greatest domestic terrorism threat in the U.S., according to the FBI, despite efforts by the Trump administration to downplay the risks associated with right-wing militias.
According to Gardiner's research, many of the violent incidents committed by far-right vigilantes against anti-racism and anti-police violence protesters this summer were carried out by uncoordinated groups of individuals, with no known involvement of established militias.
"There have been almost 240 incidents [this summer] where small and entirely leaderless bands of extremists coalesced online and then proceeded to take their armed fantasies on to the streets of America," The Guardianreported.
Burghart's team "has been tracking the escalation of militia activity," particularly in key swing states including Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, where "groups have been detected discussing what they call 'voter integrity' efforts" on Election Day.
"We're paying close attention," Burghart said. As a result of Trump's "call to arms" at the first presidential debate, he anticipates that "we'll see a lot more activity from here."
Rachel Carroll Rivas, co-director of the Montana Human Rights Network, toldThe Guardian that online monitoring conducted by her organization has been "picking up intensifying conversation among militia groups about the legitimacy of the November 3 ballot and of the integrity of mail-in voting."
Rivas explained that "militia groups such as the Montana branch of the United States Freedom Protectors were positioning themselves to be vigilante outriders of law enforcement on Election Day," and that "the possibility of interventions by armed members of the group had to be taken seriously."
"They present themselves as protectors of property and law and order, and are now starting to talk about the election," Rivas said. "They may show up at polling places claiming to want to protect voting rights, but their impact will clearly be intimidatory."
Instilling fear and harassing voters is Trump's goal, according to voting rights advocates. Nina Jankowicz, a political scholar at the Wilson Center, wrote in The Atlantic that "confrontations between unorganized, self-appointed poll watchers and individual voters are a recipe for trouble—and a threat to a fair election."
Jankowicz stated that "if voters encounter any group discouraging or preventing others from casting a ballot, they should immediately inform a poll worker and call a nonpartisan election-protection hotline (866-OUR-VOTE is one example)."
"Election officials across the country should know they have the right to eject poll watchers for disruptions and intimidation, and can call the police if unrest develops outside the station," Jankowicz said. "And police themselves should be reminded that their job is to protect people's ability to vote, no matter their personal political preferences."
Rivas stressed that the threat of voter intimidation "really is top down." Far-right paramilitary groups "are repeating word for word what they hear from President Trump," she said.


alternet--2020-10-12--Top GOP donor floats ‘sacrificing’ Trump to ‘protect the Senate at all costs’

President Donald Trump keeps getting brutal polling numbers , and the latest polling averages at both FiveThirtyEight and Real Clear Politics show the president losing to Democratic rival Joe Biden by roughly 10 points .
While many Trump-backing Republicans have n't totally given up hope , they 're starting to contemplate alternate electoral strategies that do n't involve holding onto the White House and instead keeping the Senate as a way to obstruct anything Biden proposes should he win the White House .
`` I hope the polls have it wrong , '' Dan Eberhart , a top GOP donor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Republicans… need to develop a campaign strategy committed to protecting the Senate at all costs , even if it means sacrificing the Oval Office . ''
Former George W. Bush Press Secretary Ari Fleischer , who is a reliable defender of the president , tells the AP that he fears Trump is leading his party to a total wipeout where no clever strategy for maintaining the Senate will suffice .
`` He 's in trouble , there 's no question , '' he said .
`` By every traditional measuring stick , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's hard to predict what will happen in Congress , but anytime there is a large-scale victory , it has the potential to create tides to sweep people out . ''

President Donald Trump keeps getting brutal polling numbers, and the latest polling averages at both FiveThirtyEight and Real Clear Politics show the president losing to Democratic rival Joe Biden by roughly 10 points.
While many Trump-backing Republicans haven't totally given up hope, they're starting to contemplate alternate electoral strategies that don't involve holding onto the White House and instead keeping the Senate as a way to obstruct anything Biden proposes should he win the White House.
"I hope the polls have it wrong," Dan Eberhart, a top GOP donor, tells the Associated Press. "But Republicans… need to develop a campaign strategy committed to protecting the Senate at all costs, even if it means sacrificing the Oval Office."
Former George W. Bush Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, who is a reliable defender of the president, tells the AP that he fears Trump is leading his party to a total wipeout where no clever strategy for maintaining the Senate will suffice.
"He's in trouble, there's no question," he said. "By every traditional measuring stick, this looks like a Biden landslide. It's hard to predict what will happen in Congress, but anytime there is a large-scale victory, it has the potential to create tides to sweep people out."


alternet--2020-10-12--From pandemics to climate change, the real problem is capitalism itself

Last week President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival , former Vice President Joe Biden , engaged in a fierce debate that was noted by millions for the unpleasantness of Trump 's repeated interruptions .
During those interruptions , Trump frequently denounced Biden as either radically left-wing or a hostage of the radical left .
Eight days later , Vice President Mike Pence made similarly insinuations that Biden 's running mate ( and his potential replacement ) , Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris of California , is some kind of socialist .
If only it were so .
The truth is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the difference between the two parties is that the Democrats will only describe some of the symptoms but refuse to provide an honest diagnosis , while the Republicans outright defend the disease .
Most of the major problems with America , and the world , can be traced back to the singular cause of capitalism , an economic system in which a society 's means of production are primarily controlled by private individuals hoping to make a profit .
It is a system that has devastated our planet to the point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , created massive income inequality and left us woefully unprepared for crises like the novel coronavirus pandemic .
We can start with the last item on that list , the coronavirus pandemic .
Because capitalist systems require perpetual consumption and growth to maintain prosperity , any little hiccup in the ability of most industries to stay profitable causes the whole economy to crash .
This is why , despite the economy doing relatively well prior to the mandatory shutdowns in March , whole sectors began to collapse while unemployment skyrocketed once the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If America had a universal basic income in place — that is , a monthly amount of money guaranteed to every citizen to keep each one above the poverty line — ordinary people would have had at least been able to stave off desperate poverty during these trying times .
The same is true of the eviction epidemic : Although Trump has announced a mostly symbolic eviction moratorium , he has refused to implement the real thing , and as a result millions of Americans face the likelihood of being thrown out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already happened to them .
Yet on a deeper level , the problem with capitalism is that it is built on the need for private enterprises to make money , no matter what .
During a pandemic in which everyone will ultimately require some kind of medical care — for some to treat the disease , for others to be vaccinated once one becomes available — the need for corporate profit clashes with the needs of the general public .
`` There is a unique incapacity of the capitalist system — by which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enterprises owned and operated by shareholders , families , individuals producing for a profit and the ordering about of the majority of people involved in every enterprise or the employees — that system is uniquely incapable of securing public health , '' Dr. Richard D. Wolff , the professor emeritus of economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst , told Salon earlier this month .
`` And since public health is a basic demand , a need of human communities , this represents a profound disqualification of capitalism .
And to spell it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profitable for a private , profit-driven competitive capitalist to produce masks by the millions , or gloves , or ventilators , or hospital beds , or all the rest of them . ''
Wolff noted that the government is entirely capable of stepping in and filling a void left by the private sector when a given industry deems this to be in its best interest .
This is what happens , for example , with the military-industrial complex .
`` A government failure can not be excused on grounds of the government not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things , because that 's not true , '' Wolff told Salon .
`` The government does exactly what it failed to do in the maintenance of public health .
It does that for the military .
It is just as unprofitable for a private capitalist to produce a missile and then store it in some warehouse and monitor it and clean it and replace it and repair it , waiting for God knows however long a time until the next war makes this missile something the government buys . ''
The problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — including doctors , drug and device makers , hospitals and medical insurance companies — do not want to establish any precedent that could lead to socialized medicine .
Therefore , even though we have the resources to help everyone during this pandemic , we do not avail ourselves of them .
A similar dynamic is at play when it comes to the issue that most immediately threatens the survival of our species — climate change .
2020 saw some of the worst wildfires in recorded history on the American west coast because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emission of greenhouse gases .
A report by the World Wildlife Foundation identified global warming as the primary culprit for the cataclysmic decline in animal population sizes , with a 68 percent drop being recorded among `` mammals , birds , amphibians , reptiles and fish '' since 1970 .
If global warming is not brought under control , and soon , we can expect a world in which `` a large part of the planet will become unlivable ( either too hot or too dry ) , '' Penn State climate scientist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` More and more of the available land surface will be used for agriculture and farming to feed a growing global population .
That means more concentrated human settlement—and probably a lot more conflict , '' Mann added .
His colleague , Dr. Kevin Trenberth of the US National Center for Atmospheric Research , also predicted at the time that `` food and water become major issues with costs and shortages . ''
If it 's so clear what 's happening , why does n't humanity take the steps necessary to fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ted Morgan , a professor emeritus of political science at Lehigh University : `` The vast majority of greenhouse gas emissions are produced by the world 's developed capitalist economies , with China and the US leading the way . ''
He added that `` each of the capitalist powers is loathe to weaken its competitive position vis à vis the other capitalist economies .
In a capitalist world , each economic unit must act to protect what it deems its own interests .
The only counterweight comes from the public sector .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ aggressively curtail capitalist industries that emit greenhouse gases — from the fossil fuel industry and big agriculture to those that cut down rainforests — because they are `` constrained by the fear that pushing public interests too far will cause capital flight , thereby undermining its viability .
And , of course , corporations and the wealthy dominate the shaping of public policy — nowhere more than in the US . ''
That term , `` capital flight , '' is absolutely critical here .
Under capitalist systems , companies that do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right to threaten to close up shop or move their businesses elsewhere , in the process taking away people 's jobs and hurting local economies .
This is known as a `` capital strike '' and it has been used since the Industrial Revolution to do everything from get tax breaks from the state and break up labor movements to killing legislation that business magnates oppose , particularly when they help workers ' rights .
Capital strikes are ethically dubious even when permitted for those purposes , but allow them is literally suicidal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at stake .
Because capitalism encourages businesses to coerce governments into allowing them to destroy the planet , most of humanity is forced to watch helplessly as the Earth literally burns up .
And it is not as if there are any eventual winners in systems where capital strikes are allowed : In the end , the 20 firms that contribute to one-third of the planet 's carbon emissions will eventually suffer just like the rest of us , since they inhabit the same planet .
Finally there is the issue of systemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the problem of capitalism in the fact that our supposed economic recovery has been `` K-shaped , '' meaning that the wealthy have disproportionately gotten better while everyone else suffers more than they did before .
Yet this severe income inequality long preceded the pandemic : For more than forty years , in fact , businesses have manipulated the government into making sure that the super-rich gain far more than their fair share of our wealth .
Indeed , if income had kept pace with overall economic growth in the United States since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our country would be earning an average of $ 12,000 more each year .
With income inequality comes not only poverty , but economic injustice .
According to the Brookings Institute , as of 2018 American households held over $ 113 trillion in assets .
If that was distributed evenly among the 329 million US citizens , each person would have more than $ 343,000 .
Yet as of 2016 the top 20 percent of households held 77 percent of the wealth , while the top one percent owned 29 percent of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of capitalism for two reasons : First , it allows the wealthy to make sure that the government does not restrain their greed through policies that require a fairer distribution of resources ; and second , it continuously empowers the rich compared to everyone else by making sure that they have far more means of influencing policymakers than their significantly disempowered non-wealthy counterparts .
This brings us back to those presidential debates , in which precisely none of these observations were made .
On the one side you had the Democratic candidates for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris , who sounded like latter-day examples of America 's most left-wing president , Franklin D. Roosevelt .
To be clear : It is unambiguously good that Biden wants to put America back in the Paris Climate Accord ( which would help fight climate change , but not do nearly enough to eliminate it entirely ) ; that he wants to create a Pandemic Testing Board on the scale of Roosevelt 's famous War Production Board , with the goal of using science to fight the pandemic ( Trump , by contrast , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached our country at the start of the year ) ; that he wants to invest in trillions of dollars in stimulus spending that would create millions of jobs ; and that he supports other progressive measures like improving regulations on banks and other powerful industries , providing free public college to lower-income and middle-class individuals , forgiving federal student-loan debt at a minimum of $ 10,000 per person and requiring businesses to provide paid emergency sick leave .
These are all very good things — and they are certainly a far sight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the status quo .
Yet Biden and Harris also went to great pains to emphasize that they are not socialists , that they support capitalism , and that their proposals would only nibble at the edges of the problem rather than obliterate it entirely .
Indeed , Biden even bragged in his debate with Trump that he had barely conceded at all to the Democratic Party 's anti-capitalist wing — led by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders , who almost became the party 's presidential nominee this year — and he is absolutely right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who had tried to get Biden to move to the left , they all agreed that they won only modest concessions .
This approach is not going to cut it in the future .
`` It really has to be an 'all hands on deck ' that allows our economies to be completely transformed in order to literally allow human survival , '' Professor Julia K. Steinberger , a professor of ecological economics at the University of Leeds , told Salon in June .
`` That 's what 's at stake in terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rapidity with which the climate crisis is unfolding . ''
Steinberger says Biden does n't `` fully understand '' the magnitude of the crisis .
She sounded very much like Bernie Sanders himself , who last year rejected the claim by another Democrat that you could support meaningful change while remaining a capitalist by arguing `` I think business as usual and doing it the old-fashioned way is not good enough .
What we need is , in fact—I do n't want to get people too nervous—we need a political revolution .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ only candidate who 's going to say to the ruling class of this country , the corporate elite : Enough , enough with your greed and with your corruption .
We need real change in this country . ''
I think it is best to close this with a personal story .
Last year I interviewed Ben Shapiro , one of the most popular conservative commentators in America today , and confronted him about his belief that if there are starving children in America , one possible solution is to take them away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , because capitalism provides everyone with an opportunity to support themselves and their families , the parents must be at fault if their children ca n't afford to eat .
When I argued that he was ignoring the problem of systemic poverty under capitalism and lacking compassion for capitalism 's victims , he responded : When I pointed out that millions of Americans work full-time and are still unable to support their families .
Shapiro cut me off .
`` I do not accept your premise that we live in a society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feed their children , [ where ] their children will starve without a free school lunch . ''
Shapiro 's inability to even comprehend economic realities hints at the root of the problem .
While Biden and Harris may not outright detest the poor as Shapiro does , they still share his unwillingness to accept the premise that there could be anything wrong with capitalism as a system .
Unfortunately , to quote President John Adams , `` Facts are stubborn things ; and whatever may be our wishes , our inclinations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can not alter the state of facts and evidence . ''
The state of facts and evidence proves that capitalism is condemning millions upon millions to hopeless poverty , rendering us incapable of effectively coping with manageable problems like a pandemic and literally destroying the planet .
Unless that reality becomes part of our mainstream political discourse , humanity is doomed .

Last week President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, engaged in a fierce debate that was noted by millions for the unpleasantness of Trump's repeated interruptions. During those interruptions, Trump frequently denounced Biden as either radically left-wing or a hostage of the radical left. Eight days later, Vice President Mike Pence made similarly insinuations that Biden's running mate (and his potential replacement), Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris of California, is some kind of socialist.
If only it were so. The truth is that the ailment afflicting America is capitalism, and the difference between the two parties is that the Democrats will only describe some of the symptoms but refuse to provide an honest diagnosis, while the Republicans outright defend the disease.
Most of the major problems with America, and the world, can be traced back to the singular cause of capitalism, an economic system in which a society's means of production are primarily controlled by private individuals hoping to make a profit. It is a system that has devastated our planet to the point where it may sound be largely uninhabitable, created massive income inequality and left us woefully unprepared for crises like the novel coronavirus pandemic.
We can start with the last item on that list, the coronavirus pandemic. Because capitalist systems require perpetual consumption and growth to maintain prosperity, any little hiccup in the ability of most industries to stay profitable causes the whole economy to crash. This is why, despite the economy doing relatively well prior to the mandatory shutdowns in March, whole sectors began to collapse while unemployment skyrocketed once the pandemic forced people to shelter in place.
If America had a universal basic income in place — that is, a monthly amount of money guaranteed to every citizen to keep each one above the poverty line — ordinary people would have had at least been able to stave off desperate poverty during these trying times. The same is true of the eviction epidemic: Although Trump has announced a mostly symbolic eviction moratorium, he has refused to implement the real thing, and as a result millions of Americans face the likelihood of being thrown out of their homes... assuming that has not already happened to them.
Yet on a deeper level, the problem with capitalism is that it is built on the need for private enterprises to make money, no matter what. During a pandemic in which everyone will ultimately require some kind of medical care — for some to treat the disease, for others to be vaccinated once one becomes available — the need for corporate profit clashes with the needs of the general public.
"There is a unique incapacity of the capitalist system — by which I mean, a system of private enterprises owned and operated by shareholders, families, individuals producing for a profit and the ordering about of the majority of people involved in every enterprise or the employees — that system is uniquely incapable of securing public health," Dr. Richard D. Wolff, the professor emeritus of economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, told Salon earlier this month. "And since public health is a basic demand, a need of human communities, this represents a profound disqualification of capitalism. And to spell it out just briefly: it is not profitable for a private, profit-driven competitive capitalist to produce masks by the millions, or gloves, or ventilators, or hospital beds, or all the rest of them."
Wolff noted that the government is entirely capable of stepping in and filling a void left by the private sector when a given industry deems this to be in its best interest. This is what happens, for example, with the military-industrial complex.
"A government failure cannot be excused on grounds of the government not doing such things or conceiving of such things, because that's not true," Wolff told Salon. "The government does exactly what it failed to do in the maintenance of public health. It does that for the military. It is just as unprofitable for a private capitalist to produce a missile and then store it in some warehouse and monitor it and clean it and replace it and repair it, waiting for God knows however long a time until the next war makes this missile something the government buys."
The problem is that the American health care industry — including doctors, drug and device makers, hospitals and medical insurance companies — do not want to establish any precedent that could lead to socialized medicine. Therefore, even though we have the resources to help everyone during this pandemic, we do not avail ourselves of them.
A similar dynamic is at play when it comes to the issue that most immediately threatens the survival of our species — climate change. 2020 saw some of the worst wildfires in recorded history on the American west coast because humanity has artificially warmed the planet through emission of greenhouse gases. A report by the World Wildlife Foundation identified global warming as the primary culprit for the cataclysmic decline in animal population sizes, with a 68 percent drop being recorded among "mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish" since 1970. If global warming is not brought under control, and soon, we can expect a world in which "a large part of the planet will become unlivable (either too hot or too dry)," Penn State climate scientist Dr. Michael Mann told Salon in 2018.
"More and more of the available land surface will be used for agriculture and farming to feed a growing global population. That means more concentrated human settlement—and probably a lot more conflict," Mann added. His colleague, Dr. Kevin Trenberth of the US National Center for Atmospheric Research, also predicted at the time that "food and water become major issues with costs and shortages."
If it's so clear what's happening, why doesn't humanity take the steps necessary to fight climate change?
In the words of Ted Morgan, a professor emeritus of political science at Lehigh University: "The vast majority of greenhouse gas emissions are produced by the world's developed capitalist economies, with China and the US leading the way." He added that "each of the capitalist powers is loathe to weaken its competitive position vis à vis the other capitalist economies. In a capitalist world, each economic unit must act to protect what it deems its own interests. The only counterweight comes from the public sector." Yet government authorities are reluctant to aggressively curtail capitalist industries that emit greenhouse gases — from the fossil fuel industry and big agriculture to those that cut down rainforests — because they are "constrained by the fear that pushing public interests too far will cause capital flight, thereby undermining its viability. And, of course, corporations and the wealthy dominate the shaping of public policy — nowhere more than in the US."
That term, "capital flight," is absolutely critical here. Under capitalist systems, companies that do not like potential government regulations often have the right to threaten to close up shop or move their businesses elsewhere, in the process taking away people's jobs and hurting local economies. This is known as a "capital strike" and it has been used since the Industrial Revolution to do everything from get tax breaks from the state and break up labor movements to killing legislation that business magnates oppose, particularly when they help workers' rights.
Capital strikes are ethically dubious even when permitted for those purposes, but allow them is literally suicidal when an issue like climate change is at stake. Because capitalism encourages businesses to coerce governments into allowing them to destroy the planet, most of humanity is forced to watch helplessly as the Earth literally burns up. And it is not as if there are any eventual winners in systems where capital strikes are allowed: In the end, the 20 firms that contribute to one-third of the planet's carbon emissions will eventually suffer just like the rest of us, since they inhabit the same planet.
Finally there is the issue of systemic poverty. In 2020 we have seen the problem of capitalism in the fact that our supposed economic recovery has been "K-shaped," meaning that the wealthy have disproportionately gotten better while everyone else suffers more than they did before. Yet this severe income inequality long preceded the pandemic: For more than forty years, in fact, businesses have manipulated the government into making sure that the super-rich gain far more than their fair share of our wealth. Indeed, if income had kept pace with overall economic growth in the United States since 1970, the bottom 90 percent of our country would be earning an average of $12,000 more each year.
With income inequality comes not only poverty, but economic injustice. According to the Brookings Institute, as of 2018 American households held over $113 trillion in assets. If that was distributed evenly among the 329 million US citizens, each person would have more than $343,000. Yet as of 2016 the top 20 percent of households held 77 percent of the wealth, while the top one percent owned 29 percent of the wealth. This is the direct result of capitalism for two reasons: First, it allows the wealthy to make sure that the government does not restrain their greed through policies that require a fairer distribution of resources; and second, it continuously empowers the rich compared to everyone else by making sure that they have far more means of influencing policymakers than their significantly disempowered non-wealthy counterparts.
This brings us back to those presidential debates, in which precisely none of these observations were made. On the one side you had the Democratic candidates for president and vice president, Biden and Harris, who sounded like latter-day examples of America's most left-wing president, Franklin D. Roosevelt. To be clear: It is unambiguously good that Biden wants to put America back in the Paris Climate Accord (which would help fight climate change, but not do nearly enough to eliminate it entirely); that he wants to create a Pandemic Testing Board on the scale of Roosevelt's famous War Production Board, with the goal of using science to fight the pandemic (Trump, by contrast, has deliberately ignored science since the pandemic reached our country at the start of the year); that he wants to invest in trillions of dollars in stimulus spending that would create millions of jobs; and that he supports other progressive measures like improving regulations on banks and other powerful industries, providing free public college to lower-income and middle-class individuals, forgiving federal student-loan debt at a minimum of $10,000 per person and requiring businesses to provide paid emergency sick leave.
These are all very good things — and they are certainly a far sight better than Trump and Pence shilling for the status quo. Yet Biden and Harris also went to great pains to emphasize that they are not socialists, that they support capitalism, and that their proposals would only nibble at the edges of the problem rather than obliterate it entirely. Indeed, Biden even bragged in his debate with Trump that he had barely conceded at all to the Democratic Party's anti-capitalist wing — led by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who almost became the party's presidential nominee this year — and he is absolutely right. When Salon spoke with Sanders insiders who had tried to get Biden to move to the left, they all agreed that they won only modest concessions.
This approach is not going to cut it in the future.
"It really has to be an 'all hands on deck' that allows our economies to be completely transformed in order to literally allow human survival," Professor Julia K. Steinberger, a professor of ecological economics at the University of Leeds, told Salon in June. "That's what's at stake in terms of the gravity of the situation and the rapidity with which the climate crisis is unfolding."
Steinberger says Biden doesn't "fully understand" the magnitude of the crisis. She sounded very much like Bernie Sanders himself, who last year rejected the claim by another Democrat that you could support meaningful change while remaining a capitalist by arguing "I think business as usual and doing it the old-fashioned way is not good enough. What we need is, in fact—I don't want to get people too nervous—we need a political revolution. I am, I believe, the only candidate who's going to say to the ruling class of this country, the corporate elite: Enough, enough with your greed and with your corruption. We need real change in this country."
I think it is best to close this with a personal story. Last year I interviewed Ben Shapiro, one of the most popular conservative commentators in America today, and confronted him about his belief that if there are starving children in America, one possible solution is to take them away from their parents. His reasoning was that, because capitalism provides everyone with an opportunity to support themselves and their families, the parents must be at fault if their children can't afford to eat. When I argued that he was ignoring the problem of systemic poverty under capitalism and lacking compassion for capitalism's victims, he responded:
No, I don't see how that lacks compassion in any way. If you are unable to feed your child, and you cannot find a social fabric to help you take care of that child, your child should not be with you. You're living in the freest, most prosperous country in the history of the world. It is not all that expensive to pay for a child's lunch.
When I pointed out that millions of Americans work full-time and are still unable to support their families. Shapiro cut me off.
"I do not accept your premise that we live in a society where people literally cannot afford to feed their children, [where] their children will starve without a free school lunch."
Shapiro's inability to even comprehend economic realities hints at the root of the problem. While Biden and Harris may not outright detest the poor as Shapiro does, they still share his unwillingness to accept the premise that there could be anything wrong with capitalism as a system.
Unfortunately, to quote President John Adams, "Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence."
The state of facts and evidence proves that capitalism is condemning millions upon millions to hopeless poverty, rendering us incapable of effectively coping with manageable problems like a pandemic and literally destroying the planet. Unless that reality becomes part of our mainstream political discourse, humanity is doomed.


alternet--2020-10-12--‘Ending the nightmare’: These 4 states could deliver a knockout blow to Trump on election night

President Donald Trump is hoping that the 2020 presidential election once again comes down to the Midwestern battleground states of Pennsylvania , Michigan , and Wisconsin , all of which are projected to take longer than usual to announce vote totals this year thanks to a massive increase in mail-in ballots .
However , Politico reports that many allies of Democratic nominee Joe Biden are hoping to deliver a knockout blow to the president on election night that means America wo n't have to wait days to find out who its next president will be .
One state that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election night is Ohio , where recent polls show Trump and Biden are running neck and neck and where local Democrats are encouraging the Biden campaign to make a big push .
`` In the past , the tipping point was the state that got you the Electoral College victory , '' Ohio Democratic Party Chair David Pepper explained .
`` Given what Trump is doing… people see that if you can make the tipping point ending the nightmare before it starts , make that the tipping point . ''
In addition to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other states that Politico says could deliver an election night knockout include Florida ( 29 votes ) , North Carolina ( 15 votes ) and Arizona ( 11 votes ) .

President Donald Trump is hoping that the 2020 presidential election once again comes down to the Midwestern battleground states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, all of which are projected to take longer than usual to announce vote totals this year thanks to a massive increase in mail-in ballots.
However, Politico reports that many allies of Democratic nominee Joe Biden are hoping to deliver a knockout blow to the president on election night that means America won't have to wait days to find out who its next president will be.
One state that is projected to have its ballots counted on election night is Ohio, where recent polls show Trump and Biden are running neck and neck and where local Democrats are encouraging the Biden campaign to make a big push.
"In the past, the tipping point was the state that got you the Electoral College victory," Ohio Democratic Party Chair David Pepper explained. "Given what Trump is doing… people see that if you can make the tipping point ending the nightmare before it starts, make that the tipping point."
In addition to Ohio and its 18 electoral votes, other states that Politico says could deliver an election night knockout include Florida (29 votes), North Carolina (15 votes) and Arizona (11 votes).


alternet--2020-10-12--New report details how Trump uses presidency to hand out favors to those that support his businesses

The New York Times continues its reports on Donald Trump 's taxes , this time with ( more ) clear proof that Trump has been making money off the U.S. presidency .
The shortest possible summary of the Times ' latest story is that Donald Trump Is A Crook .
Not only have `` customers '' of Trump , in the form of lobbyists , interest groups , and foreign governments funneled roughly $ 12 million into Trump 's pockets by booking events at Trump 's properties , buying memberships into Mar-a-Lago and his other properties , and just generally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the expectation of meeting either Trump , his sons , his toadies , or his allies , but Trump has responded in kind by doing his paying customers favors that can only be fulfilled using the office of the presidency .
If you pay for a Mar-a-Lago membership , you get to meet Trump during one of his many Florida weekends and bring up ways the government could do your company or group significant favors .
If you do make those requests , it 's very possible that Trump will respond , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of his associates and telling them to get it done .
The reverse is also true .
If you 're seeking favors from Donald Trump , reports the Times , Donald Trump or one of his closest associates and/or family members may contact you to point out that you have been appearing an awful lot at Mar-a-Lago , for example , without ponying up for a quarter-million dollar membership—and that Donald has personally noticed that .
The Times lays out its case solidly , with examples .
Those that pay into Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House meetings , such as when he invited restaurant-owning billionaire Tilman Fertitta .
After hearing Fertitta 's personal request—a new pandemic relief fund for `` the larger private restaurateur '' —Trump turned to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin with a directive : `` Do the best you can '' on that .
And so on , and so on .
`` Just 60 customers with interests at stake before the Trump administration brought his family business nearly $ 12 million '' during Trump 's first two years in office , reports the Times .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in some fashion , by Mr. Trump or his government . ''
It 's blatant corruption , of course .
The payment of cash to the privately held businesses of a sitting president in exchange for that president personally bending government decision-making in your favor is definitively corrupt .
It 's not even the usual method of brazen American corruption , forking over huge `` campaign '' donations in an attempt to curry such favors ; nope , this money is going into Donald Trump 's pockets .
He keeps it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ powers voters gave him .
Not that that 's in any way surprising .
Trump has proven time and time again to be completely disinterested in governing , in it solely for self-promotion and self-enrichment .
His extortion of the legitimate Ukrainian government , withholding congressionally approved military aid to pressure the Ukrainian president into inventing a specific Trump-demanded campaign boost , was a near-perfect mirror to Trump 's strong-arming of Mar-a-Lago supplicants to either pony up or get lost .
Trump 's demand that disaster relief be blocked after California fires , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disinterest in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic under the mistaken and psychopathic impression that the pandemic was doing the most damage in states that voted against him in the 2016 elections , show his eagerness to use the tools of government to punish those who Trump sees as personal enemies .
As usual , though , perhaps the only surprising discovery is that Trump really is an astonishingly petty crook .
Corrupting the whole of U.S. government for $ 12 million dollars is dreadfully small-ball stuff ; once again we see how Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming back for more , could manage to bankrupt even a casino .
He 's supposedly worth billions of dollars , and is handing out favors based on who has or has n't purchased a $ 250,000 Mar-a-Lago membership ?
He 's supposedly ultra-super-rich , and his idea of `` using the most powerful office on Earth for self-enrichment '' is wink-nod pressuring of supplicants to maybe rent out hotel rooms in his hotel when they 're in town ?
It 's pathetic .
He 's corrupting the presidency for peanuts .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mind , if the Times ' previous reporting on Trump 's taxes is accurate .
Trump is personally on the hook for almost half a billion dollars in loans coming due in the next few years , and there seems little chance `` billionaire '' Donald Trump can come up with that sort of money .
He is , and always has been , a fraud .
His claims of wealth are the words of a con artist .
Now he 's up to his eyeballs in debt , yet again , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he used his campaign : As publicity stunt , a personal brand boost , and nothing more .
Even the presidency does n't seem like it will pay out enough to keep Trump from going bankrupt in the near future .
He 's just that bad at business .
And that cheap in his ambitions .
The world at his fingertips , and the man spends most of his time obsessing over how he can use it to boost golf club memberships and hotel room fees .

The New York Times continues its reports on Donald Trump's taxes, this time with (more) clear proof that Trump has been making money off the U.S. presidency.
The shortest possible summary of the Times' latest story is that Donald Trump Is A Crook. Not only have "customers" of Trump, in the form of lobbyists, interest groups, and foreign governments funneled roughly $12 million into Trump's pockets by booking events at Trump's properties, buying memberships into Mar-a-Lago and his other properties, and just generally hanging out at Trump's for-profit establishments with the expectation of meeting either Trump, his sons, his toadies, or his allies, but Trump has responded in kind by doing his paying customers favors that can only be fulfilled using the office of the presidency.
If you pay for a Mar-a-Lago membership, you get to meet Trump during one of his many Florida weekends and bring up ways the government could do your company or group significant favors. If you do make those requests, it's very possible that Trump will respond, reports the Times, by calling over one of his associates and telling them to get it done.
The reverse is also true. If you're seeking favors from Donald Trump, reports the Times, Donald Trump or one of his closest associates and/or family members may contact you to point out that you have been appearing an awful lot at Mar-a-Lago, for example, without ponying up for a quarter-million dollar membership—and that Donald has personally noticed that.
The Times lays out its case solidly, with examples. Those that pay into Trump's companies are frequently awarded with White House meetings, such as when he invited restaurant-owning billionaire Tilman Fertitta. After hearing Fertitta's personal request—a new pandemic relief fund for "the larger private restaurateur"—Trump turned to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin with a directive: "Do the best you can" on that.
And so on, and so on. "Just 60 customers with interests at stake before the Trump administration brought his family business nearly $12 million" during Trump's first two years in office, reports the Times. "Almost all saw their interests advanced, in some fashion, by Mr. Trump or his government."
It's blatant corruption, of course. The payment of cash to the privately held businesses of a sitting president in exchange for that president personally bending government decision-making in your favor is definitively corrupt. It's not even the usual method of brazen American corruption, forking over huge "campaign" donations in an attempt to curry such favors; nope, this money is going into Donald Trump's pockets. He keeps it. Trump is making personal bank off the powers voters gave him.
Not that that's in any way surprising. Trump has proven time and time again to be completely disinterested in governing, in it solely for self-promotion and self-enrichment. His extortion of the legitimate Ukrainian government, withholding congressionally approved military aid to pressure the Ukrainian president into inventing a specific Trump-demanded campaign boost, was a near-perfect mirror to Trump's strong-arming of Mar-a-Lago supplicants to either pony up or get lost. Trump's demand that disaster relief be blocked after California fires, as well as the White House's disinterest in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic under the mistaken and psychopathic impression that the pandemic was doing the most damage in states that voted against him in the 2016 elections, show his eagerness to use the tools of government to punish those who Trump sees as personal enemies.
As usual, though, perhaps the only surprising discovery is that Trump really is an astonishingly petty crook. Corrupting the whole of U.S. government for $12 million dollars is dreadfully small-ball stuff; once again we see how Donald Trump, handed everything by his father and coming back for more, could manage to bankrupt even a casino. He's supposedly worth billions of dollars, and is handing out favors based on who has or hasn't purchased a $250,000 Mar-a-Lago membership? He's supposedly ultra-super-rich, and his idea of "using the most powerful office on Earth for self-enrichment" is wink-nod pressuring of supplicants to maybe rent out hotel rooms in his hotel when they're in town?
It's pathetic. He's corrupting the presidency for peanuts.
But he may have to, in his mind, if the Times' previous reporting on Trump's taxes is accurate. Trump is personally on the hook for almost half a billion dollars in loans coming due in the next few years, and there seems little chance "billionaire" Donald Trump can come up with that sort of money. He is, and always has been, a fraud. His claims of wealth are the words of a con artist.
Now he's up to his eyeballs in debt, yet again, and he clearly has used the presidency as he used his campaign: As publicity stunt, a personal brand boost, and nothing more. Even the presidency doesn't seem like it will pay out enough to keep Trump from going bankrupt in the near future.
He's just that bad at business. And that cheap in his ambitions. The world at his fingertips, and the man spends most of his time obsessing over how he can use it to boost golf club memberships and hotel room fees.


alternet--2020-10-12--Some among Trump's White House South Lawn audience were paid to be there

Donald Trump has always been a game show kind of guy , so it 's maybe not a surprise that his first public rally after his hospitalization for COVID-19 symptoms turned into a game show itself , of sorts .
Do you like prizes , kids ?
Do like prizes enough to listen to Donald Trump talk ?
Do you like prizes enough to risk your life during a deadly pandemic to listen to Donald Trump talk ?
Well then , you are in luck !
Because conservative weirdo Candace Owens is handing out free travel and lodging to anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ T-shirt and risk pandemic death on the White House 's South Lawn .
Yeah , that 's right .
Donald Trump 's White House rally on Saturday , the one that was absolutely not a campaign event , the one that featured Trump addressing an adoring teal-shirted and mostly maskless crowd wedged shoulder to shoulder , the scene right out of Evita 2 : Mar-a-Lago Boogaloo , the ol ' balcony Mussolini routine—an unknown number of those folks were paid to be there .
ABC News reports that Owens ' fake grassroots `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and lodging expenses for a `` limited '' number of people who showed up and were willing to wear the light blue T-shirts .
Owens ' group was already organizing a separate fake grassroots Washington , D.C. , event on the same day ; the White House crowd was gathered from there .
What seems to have happened , reading between the lines , is that Donald Trump was going absolutely stir-crazy and wanted to get back out on the campaign trail , contagious or not contagious , and like the previous `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exposing my Secret Service agents to my deadly illness , '' this was the hurried compromise offered to him by his staff and doctors .
Bring an audience to him so that he would stay in the building a few more days rather than taking his coronavirus-infected , pneumonia-having self on a road trip .
Do n't worry , though : It was n't a campaign event .
Just an event specifically for far-right voters , ones specifically gathered to encourage Black Americans to vote for Trump and Trump 's allies , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law and order , '' by which he means crushing the Black Lives Matter demands for police reform , with guest expenses paid by one of Trump 's more visible and conspiracy-adjacent allies out of whatever slush fund first birthed the idea for their Washington , D.C. rally to begin with—one that Owens explicitly called an `` anti-Black Lives Matter event , '' just in case people were n't clear about what the agenda was .
Eh .
At this point it would be more surprising if some stunt Trump pulled was n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Lawn just recovered from the totally nonpartisan ( checks notes ) Republican National Convention ; now it 's going to need repair again .
It 's you and me that will be paying for those repairs this time , by the way .
Because all involved are insistent that this was a presidenting speech , not a campaign speech .
We do , however , have our answer .
Yes , there are people willing to risk COVID-19 to see Typhoid Hitler lie to them in person , and especially so if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seeing it on television is one thing , but if you go in person you can always hope that the man 's spittle will land directly on you , infecting you with Dear Leader 's own , um , pandemic superpowers .
Whatever .
You do you , Trump supporters .
Preferably over there—as far away as possible .
The American version of the worldwide pandemic is slowly morphing into a partisan disease , a disease spreading most aggressively among Trump-supporting states and communities while Dear Leader rants about everything being a hoax @ @ @ @ @ @

Donald Trump has always been a game show kind of guy, so it's maybe not a surprise that his first public rally after his hospitalization for COVID-19 symptoms turned into a game show itself, of sorts.
Do you like prizes, kids? Do like prizes enough to listen to Donald Trump talk? Do you like prizes enough to risk your life during a deadly pandemic to listen to Donald Trump talk? Well then, you are in luck! Because conservative weirdo Candace Owens is handing out free travel and lodging to anyone willing to put on an oversized blue T-shirt and risk pandemic death on the White House's South Lawn.
Yeah, that's right. Donald Trump's White House rally on Saturday, the one that was absolutely not a campaign event, the one that featured Trump addressing an adoring teal-shirted and mostly maskless crowd wedged shoulder to shoulder, the scene right out of Evita 2: Mar-a-Lago Boogaloo, the ol' balcony Mussolini routine—an unknown number of those folks were paid to be there. ABC News reports that Owens' fake grassroots "BLEXIT" group offered to cover travel and lodging expenses for a "limited" number of people who showed up and were willing to wear the light blue T-shirts. Owens' group was already organizing a separate fake grassroots Washington, D.C., event on the same day; the White House crowd was gathered from there.
What seems to have happened, reading between the lines, is that Donald Trump was going absolutely stir-crazy and wanted to get back out on the campaign trail, contagious or not contagious, and like the previous "drive once around the hospital while unnecessarily exposing my Secret Service agents to my deadly illness," this was the hurried compromise offered to him by his staff and doctors. Bring an audience to him so that he would stay in the building a few more days rather than taking his coronavirus-infected, pneumonia-having self on a road trip.
Don't worry, though: It wasn't a campaign event. Just an event specifically for far-right voters, ones specifically gathered to encourage Black Americans to vote for Trump and Trump's allies, to hear a Donald Trump speech about "law and order," by which he means crushing the Black Lives Matter demands for police reform, with guest expenses paid by one of Trump's more visible and conspiracy-adjacent allies out of whatever slush fund first birthed the idea for their Washington, D.C. rally to begin with—one that Owens explicitly called an "anti-Black Lives Matter event," just in case people weren't clear about what the agenda was.
Eh. At this point it would be more surprising if some stunt Trump pulled wasn't a fake-ass reality show moment. The South Lawn just recovered from the totally nonpartisan (checks notes) Republican National Convention; now it's going to need repair again. It's you and me that will be paying for those repairs this time, by the way. Because all involved are insistent that this was a presidenting speech, not a campaign speech.
We do, however, have our answer. Yes, there are people willing to risk COVID-19 to see Typhoid Hitler lie to them in person, and especially so if somebody else is paying their bills. Seeing it on television is one thing, but if you go in person you can always hope that the man's spittle will land directly on you, infecting you with Dear Leader's own, um, pandemic superpowers.
Whatever. You do you, Trump supporters. Preferably over there—as far away as possible. The American version of the worldwide pandemic is slowly morphing into a partisan disease, a disease spreading most aggressively among Trump-supporting states and communities while Dear Leader rants about everything being a hoax and ... sigh. Whatever.