alternet--2020-11-16--New GOP congressman makes disturbing comments about trying to convert Jews: 'They are very difficult

New GOP congressman makes disturbing comments about trying to convert Jews: 'They are very difficult'

GOP congressman-elect Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina has quickly made a name for himself in many ways .
At 25 , he 's just become one of the youngest Americans ever elected to Congress .
During the campaign Cawthorn was accused of being anti-Semitic and supportive of Adolf Hitler after an Instagram post was uncovered showing not only has he visited `` The vacation house of the Führer , '' as he wrote , in Germany , but he gloated about it , saying it had been on his bucket list .
Now Cawthorn is once again under fire , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made about Jewish people in an interview with Jewish Insider .
A devout Christian , Cawthorn bragged that he personally has tried to convert Jews to Christianity .
He confessed that while he has been successful converting `` a lot '' of Jews , but not those who are devout .
He seems to believe , as Jewish Insider reports , that it is his duty as a Christian to convert as many people as possible .
He also suggests that `` culturally Jewish people '' are not real Jews .
Cawthorn says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jews but then adds , `` I have switched a lot of , uh , you know , I guess , culturally Jewish people . ''
`` But being a practicing Jew , like , people who are religious about it , they are very difficult .
I 've had a hard time connecting with them in that way . ''
Jewish Insider 's Matthew Kassel writes , `` Cawthorn expressed a similar sentiment during a July 2019 sermon at a church in Highlands , North Carolina .
`` If you have Jewish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he told the crowd , mulling on a chapter from the Gospel of Mark , `` this might not mean as much to you , but for someone like me , who 's a gentile , this means a lot . ''
He 's once again under fire .

GOP congressman-elect Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina has quickly made a name for himself in many ways. At 25, he's just become one of the youngest Americans ever elected to Congress.
During the campaign Cawthorn was accused of being anti-Semitic and supportive of Adolf Hitler after an Instagram post was uncovered showing not only has he visited "The vacation house of the Führer," as he wrote, in Germany, but he gloated about it, saying it had been on his bucket list.
Now Cawthorn is once again under fire, and unsurprisingly it's about comments he made about Jewish people in an interview with Jewish Insider.
A devout Christian, Cawthorn bragged that he personally has tried to convert Jews to Christianity. He confessed that while he has been successful converting "a lot" of Jews, but not those who are devout.
He seems to believe, as Jewish Insider reports, that it is his duty as a Christian to convert as many people as possible. He also suggests that "culturally Jewish people" are not real Jews.
Cawthorn says he tried "unsuccessfully" to convert Jews but then adds, "I have switched a lot of, uh, you know, I guess, culturally Jewish people."
"But being a practicing Jew, like, people who are religious about it, they are very difficult. I've had a hard time connecting with them in that way."
Jewish Insider's Matthew Kassel writes, "Cawthorn expressed a similar sentiment during a July 2019 sermon at a church in Highlands, North Carolina."If you have Jewish blood running through your veins today," he told the crowd, mulling on a chapter from the Gospel of Mark, "this might not mean as much to you, but for someone like me, who's a gentile, this means a lot."
He's once again under fire.


alternet--2020-11-16--Trump is condemning thousands more to death as he holds his party hostage

Last summer , Gov .
Kristi Noem of South Dakota welcomed bikers from across the country to the annual rally in the town of Sturgis .
Hundreds of thousands showed up and they partied like there was no tomorrow .
Noem , a rising Republican star , did n't cancel the state fair and refused to issue much guidance on how to avoid spreading COVID-19 .
As the state 's caseload rose quickly throughout the fall , Noem spent $ 5 million of federal COVID relief money creating ads to encourage tourism .
She has rejected all advice from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she will defy any mandates coming from the new administration as well .
She says she leaves it up to her people to do what 's best for their families because she values freedom .
Apparently , she believes these people should have the freedom to infect innocent bystanders as well .
Tomorrow has arrived .
The state is now considered to be one of the worst COVID hotspots in the world and hospitals are in a desperate situation .
Over the weekend a South Dakota nurse wrote this disturbing dispatch on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Here are some Americans who simply refuse to take the threat seriously , even when a family member has succumbed to the virus : Noem is already being mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2024 or beyond , which makes sense .
She is one of Donald Trump 's natural heirs , even using his patented lies and happy-talk approach to the virus , telling lawmakers recently that `` in South Dakota , we did n't take a one-size-fits-all approach and the results have been incredible . ''
Incredible yes .
Incredibly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her state , Trump and the Republican Party are doing to the entire country .
The winter surge that all the scientists predicted is upon us and it 's very bad .
The president and his administration are obsessively trying to convince their voters that the election was stolen from them ( which is a lie ) so they are n't even pretending to be interested in the rapidly spreading pandemic .
Republican officials are missing in action on everything , with senators even refusing to appear on the Sunday morning shows in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why their president and their party are tilting at electoral windmills while refrigerator trucks are being commandeered in some states because the morgues are all full .
Well , there are some who are happy to continue to spread reckless disinformation : The Washington Post reported that despite official protestations to the contrary , `` many administration officials paint a portrait of chaos , with senior advisers enabling some of Trump 's most questionable instincts on the pandemic . ''
As an example they point to White House chief of staff Mark Meadows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the main ways the virus is spread is through waiters touching the cups of different people at restaurants . ''
( As I have pointed out earlier , Meadows is not the sharpest tool in the shed . )
Much of this is reportedly attributable to Jared Kushner , who was responsible for persuading Trump not to bother pretending to care about the virus anymore and who brought on the most pernicious `` adviser '' of all , Dr. Scott Atlas , a radiologist from the conservative Hoover Institute and a regular on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more responsible for spreading a crude `` herd immunity '' theory without understanding that it can only happen without a mass loss of life when combined with a vaccine and mitigation strategies over time .
Atlas is still at it .
After Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer announced some new restrictions to try to contain the rapid spread of the virus in her state on Sunday night , Atlas tweeted , `` The only way this stops is if people rise up .
You get what you accept .
# FreedomMatters # StepUp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was suggested that he should not incite violence in a state where armed militia members were recently arrested for plotting to kidnap and execute the governor over COVID restrictions .
Numbers are climbing exponentially .
The U.S. has reported 11 million total COVID cases as of Sunday , and it was 10 million just a week ago .
One in 400 people have tested positive since then .
With the lax attitude found among roughly half the population , hospitalization and death rates are going to start climbing quickly as well .
Ed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chilling reminder for the country : He continued with a reminder not to forget about the long-haulers .
`` A lot of the 1.5 million Americans who were infected this month — many young & prev healthy — will still be sick well into 2021 . ''
In North Dakota , officials are allowing COVID-positive health care workers to continue working .
They have no choice .
There is a shortage , and unlike in the spring when health care workers came from all over the country to help out in the Northeast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time and they ca n't be spared .
In fact , while federal and state governments have been playing games and we 've all been distracted by the Trump show , those front-line workers have been going to work every single day , month after month , dealing with this deadly disease .
The burn-out rate is growing rapidly as well .
As Yong writes in this article : `` The most precious resource the U.S. health-care system has in the struggle against COVID-19 is n't some miracle drug .
It 's the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are exhausted . ''
There is no help on the way .
The federal government is paralyzed because the president is even less competent than he was before he lost the election and most Republican governors have more or less washed their hands of the problem .
Everyone else is struggling along on their own .
We are in for a rough few months .

Last summer, Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota welcomed bikers from across the country to the annual rally in the town of Sturgis. Hundreds of thousands showed up and they partied like there was no tomorrow. Noem, a rising Republican star, didn't cancel the state fair and refused to issue much guidance on how to avoid spreading COVID-19. As the state's caseload rose quickly throughout the fall, Noem spent $5 million of federal COVID relief money creating ads to encourage tourism.
She has rejected all advice from the CDC and has made it clear that she will defy any mandates coming from the new administration as well. She says she leaves it up to her people to do what's best for their families because she values freedom. Apparently, she believes these people should have the freedom to infect innocent bystanders as well.
Tomorrow has arrived. The state is now considered to be one of the worst COVID hotspots in the world and hospitals are in a desperate situation. Over the weekend a South Dakota nurse wrote this disturbing dispatch on Twitter:
I have a night off from the hospital. As I'm on my couch with my dog I can't help but think of the Covid patients the last few days. The ones that stick out are those who still don't believe the virus is real. The ones who scream at you for a magic medicine and that Joe Biden is going to ruin the USA. All while gasping for breath on 100% Vapotherm. They tell you there must be another reason they are sick. They call you names and ask why you have to wear all that "stuff" because they don't have COViD because it's not real. Yes. This really happens.
I'm sure it does. Here are some Americans who simply refuse to take the threat seriously, even when a family member has succumbed to the virus:
Noem is already being mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2024 or beyond, which makes sense. She is one of Donald Trump's natural heirs, even using his patented lies and happy-talk approach to the virus, telling lawmakers recently that "in South Dakota, we didn't take a one-size-fits-all approach and the results have been incredible." Incredible yes. Incredibly horrific.
What she's done to her state, Trump and the Republican Party are doing to the entire country. The winter surge that all the scientists predicted is upon us and it's very bad. The president and his administration are obsessively trying to convince their voters that the election was stolen from them (which is a lie) so they aren't even pretending to be interested in the rapidly spreading pandemic. Republican officials are missing in action on everything, with senators even refusing to appear on the Sunday morning shows in case they might be asked to explain why their president and their party are tilting at electoral windmills while refrigerator trucks are being commandeered in some states because the morgues are all full.
Well, there are some who are happy to continue to spread reckless disinformation:
The Washington Post reported that despite official protestations to the contrary, "many administration officials paint a portrait of chaos, with senior advisers enabling some of Trump's most questionable instincts on the pandemic." As an example they point to White House chief of staff Mark Meadows' apparent belief that "one of the main ways the virus is spread is through waiters touching the cups of different people at restaurants." (As I have pointed out earlier, Meadows is not the sharpest tool in the shed.)
Much of this is reportedly attributable to Jared Kushner, who was responsible for persuading Trump not to bother pretending to care about the virus anymore and who brought on the most pernicious "adviser" of all, Dr. Scott Atlas, a radiologist from the conservative Hoover Institute and a regular on Fox News. There is no one more responsible for spreading a crude "herd immunity" theory without understanding that it can only happen without a mass loss of life when combined with a vaccine and mitigation strategies over time.
Atlas is still at it. After Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced some new restrictions to try to contain the rapid spread of the virus in her state on Sunday night, Atlas tweeted, "The only way this stops is if people rise up. You get what you accept. #FreedomMatters #StepUp" He was highly indignant when it was suggested that he should not incite violence in a state where armed militia members were recently arrested for plotting to kidnap and execute the governor over COVID restrictions.
Numbers are climbing exponentially. The U.S. has reported 11 million total COVID cases as of Sunday, and it was 10 million just a week ago. One in 400 people have tested positive since then. With the lax attitude found among roughly half the population, hospitalization and death rates are going to start climbing quickly as well.
Ed Yong of the Atlantic tweeted out a chilling reminder for the country:
He continued with a reminder not to forget about the long-haulers. "A lot of the 1.5 million Americans who were infected this month — many young & prev healthy — will still be sick well into 2021."
In North Dakota, officials are allowing COVID-positive health care workers to continue working. They have no choice. There is a shortage, and unlike in the spring when health care workers came from all over the country to help out in the Northeast, the whole country is affected this time and they can't be spared. In fact, while federal and state governments have been playing games and we've all been distracted by the Trump show, those front-line workers have been going to work every single day, month after month, dealing with this deadly disease. The burn-out rate is growing rapidly as well.
As Yong writes in this article: "The most precious resource the U.S. health-care system has in the struggle against COVID-19 isn't some miracle drug. It's the expertise of its health-care workers — and they are exhausted." There is no help on the way. The federal government is paralyzed because the president is even less competent than he was before he lost the election and most Republican governors have more or less washed their hands of the problem. Everyone else is struggling along on their own. We are in for a rough few months.


alternet--2020-11-16--Here are 7 ways President-elect Biden will have the power to improve health care

President-elect Joe Biden has plenty of work ahead of him ; reining in the out-of-control pandemic tops the list , and beyond that , there are significant challenges on health care in general .
Unquestionably , the incoming administration also faces limitations .
Twelve years ago , Barack Obama had a filibuster-proof majority in the U.S. Senate .
This time , that will not be the case , and many progressive dreams , like “ Medicare for All , '' are far out of reach .
Even Biden 's modest goal to expand the Affordable Care Act via a public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's deaf ears .
As a professor of public policy analyzing the political landscape , I believe big , transformational reforms are unlikely in the next few years , particularly given the contentious aftermath to the presidential election .
But Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris can make changes in seven smaller but important policy issues that will improve the lives of millions of Americans .
Some of these the Biden administration can achieve on its own via regulations and other administrative actions .
Others require bipartisan cooperation , but Republicans might come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To shore up the Affordable Care Act , Biden has a number of administrative policy tools that reverse course on many actions taken by the Trump administration .
In some instances , he can take executive action ; he will not need Congress to cooperate .
To lower the uninsured rate , Biden can expand enrollment periods for the ACA marketplaces .
He can also refocus on advertising , outreach and enrollment efforts .
The Trump administration virtually eliminated this type of funding with significant implications for enrollment .
He can also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marketplace .
Dozens more seemingly small technical changes to regulations can cumulatively have a considerable impact .
The ACA was passed with the intent that states would broaden coverage for the uninsured by expanding Medicaid ; most Republican states balked .
Biden may have a way around that ; he can encourage states to expand their Medicaid programs via the Section 1115 waivers .
With those waivers , states may temporarily disregard certain Medicaid requirements to test innovations .
Under President Obama , some Republican states traded Medicaid expansion for smaller premiums or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potentially work requirements may be on the table .
While these requirements certainly make individual enrollment harder for some , compromise may be necessary to bring Medicaid coverage to the remaining holdout states , all Republican .
The opioid crisis has worsened because of the coronavirus outbreak .
While the Trump administration has made some efforts to address the issue , those with addiction and substance use disorder need much more .
Refocusing the attention of the government on opioids during the pandemic is crucial .
Otherwise , things will get even worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Congress for states hit hardest by opioids , like West Virginia .
Once again , many of those states are red .
Yet bipartisanship will be key to establishing a comprehensive national strategy is crucial here .
Organ transplants do n't get much attention , but the U.S. has suffered a severe shortage of available organs for decades .
Every day , 13 Americans die waiting for a kidney , and four more die waiting for other organs .
COVID-19 has further worsened the shortage .
The Trump administration made advances on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasing support for living organ donors .
Biden should build on this progress .
He could change the current approach to donations , which relies solely on altruism , by increasing financial support for donors .
The Organ Donation Clarification Act , from Democratic U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania , is now languishing in Congress , but it could serve as a major step in this direction .
The Trump administration talked about it , but never managed to eliminate surprise billing .
Those are medical bills patients are n't expecting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their network .
Americans are overwhelmingly outraged by surprise bills and want a solution .
Both parties in Congress have worked on the issue for years , yet hospitals , physicians and insurers have lobbied to keep them untouched .
Some limited progress is likely through regulation .
But it will take statutory change to establish meaningful protections for all Americans .
Strong presidential and congressional leadership could make a difference here , but even then , it wo n't be easy .
The U.S. pays substantially higher prices than the rest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This is primarily due to limited competition among drug companies and a patent system susceptible to gaming .
Moreover , our regulatory apparatus has focused largely on drug safety while deemphasizing cost-effectiveness for new and existing drugs .
The Trump administration 's recent proposal to fix the problem were limited .
Congress should follow the German example , which reins in prices by 30 percentage points as compared with the U.S. and focuses on rewarding effective drugs .
Pharmaceutical companies will vigorously fight to maintain their profits , but given the universal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a committed bipartisan coalition may bring some relief .
The years under Trump saw increases in the number of children without health insurance .
Today , more than 4 million American children are without insurance .
This occurred even before the job losses caused by the pandemic .
[ Deep knowledge , daily .
Sign up for The Conversation 's newsletter . ]
Bipartisanship has worked in the past to improve access for children both through Medicaid and the Children 's Health Insurance Program ( CHIP ) .
Now Biden can strengthen both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems prudent .
And while bipartisanship on the issue has grown less prominent , there might be enough Republicans in Congress willing to join Democrats and expand coverage and benefits .
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

by Simon F. Haeder, Penn State
President-elect Joe Biden has plenty of work ahead of him; reining in the out-of-control pandemic tops the list, and beyond that, there are significant challenges on health care in general.
Unquestionably, the incoming administration also faces limitations. Twelve years ago, Barack Obama had a filibuster-proof majority in the U.S. Senate. This time, that will not be the case, and many progressive dreams, like “Medicare for All," are far out of reach. Even Biden's modest goal to expand the Affordable Care Act via a public option will likely fall on Mitch McConnell's deaf ears.
As a professor of public policy analyzing the political landscape, I believe big, transformational reforms are unlikely in the next few years, particularly given the contentious aftermath to the presidential election. But Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris can make changes in seven smaller but important policy issues that will improve the lives of millions of Americans. Some of these the Biden administration can achieve on its own via regulations and other administrative actions. Others require bipartisan cooperation, but Republicans might come on board if it suits them politically.
1. Taking Executive Action
To shore up the Affordable Care Act, Biden has a number of administrative policy tools that reverse course on many actions taken by the Trump administration. In some instances, he can take executive action; he will not need Congress to cooperate.
To lower the uninsured rate, Biden can expand enrollment periods for the ACA marketplaces. He can also refocus on advertising, outreach and enrollment efforts. The Trump administration virtually eliminated this type of funding with significant implications for enrollment. He can also move to strike regulations that weaken the marketplace. Dozens more seemingly small technical changes to regulations can cumulatively have a considerable impact.
2. Expanding Medicaid coverage
The ACA was passed with the intent that states would broaden coverage for the uninsured by expanding Medicaid; most Republican states balked. Biden may have a way around that; he can encourage states to expand their Medicaid programs via the Section 1115 waivers. With those waivers, states may temporarily disregard certain Medicaid requirements to test innovations.
Under President Obama, some Republican states traded Medicaid expansion for smaller premiums or health-behavior incentives. Now work incentives and potentially work requirements may be on the table. While these requirements certainly make individual enrollment harder for some, compromise may be necessary to bring Medicaid coverage to the remaining holdout states, all Republican.
3. Tackling the opioid epidemic
The opioid crisis has worsened because of the coronavirus outbreak. While the Trump administration has made some efforts to address the issue, those with addiction and substance use disorder need much more. Refocusing the attention of the government on opioids during the pandemic is crucial. Otherwise, things will get even worse.
Biden should secure additional bipartisan funding from Congress for states hit hardest by opioids, like West Virginia. Once again, many of those states are red. Yet bipartisanship will be key to establishing a comprehensive national strategy is crucial here.
4. Improving access to organ transplants
Organ transplants don't get much attention, but the U.S. has suffered a severe shortage of available organs for decades. Every day, 13 Americans die waiting for a kidney, and four more die waiting for other organs. COVID-19 has further worsened the shortage.
The Trump administration made advances on this issue through regulations. These include increasing support for living organ donors. Biden should build on this progress. He could change the current approach to donations, which relies solely on altruism, by increasing financial support for donors. The Organ Donation Clarification Act, from Democratic U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania, is now languishing in Congress, but it could serve as a major step in this direction.
5. Ending surprise medical bills
The Trump administration talked about it, but never managed to eliminate surprise billing. Those are medical bills patients aren't expecting, often because a provider is not part of their network.
Americans are overwhelmingly outraged by surprise bills and want a solution. Both parties in Congress have worked on the issue for years, yet hospitals, physicians and insurers have lobbied to keep them untouched.
Some limited progress is likely through regulation. But it will take statutory change to establish meaningful protections for all Americans. Strong presidential and congressional leadership could make a difference here, but even then, it won't be easy.
6. Reining in prescription drug prices
The U.S. pays substantially higher prices than the rest of the developed world for prescription drugs. This is primarily due to limited competition among drug companies and a patent system susceptible to gaming. Moreover, our regulatory apparatus has focused largely on drug safety while deemphasizing cost-effectiveness for new and existing drugs.
The Trump administration's recent proposal to fix the problem were limited. Congress should follow the German example, which reins in prices by 30 percentage points as compared with the U.S. and focuses on rewarding effective drugs. Pharmaceutical companies will vigorously fight to maintain their profits, but given the universal public disdain for high drug prices, a committed bipartisan coalition may bring some relief.
7. Expanding children's health coverage
The years under Trump saw increases in the number of children without health insurance. Today, more than 4 million American children are without insurance. This occurred even before the job losses caused by the pandemic.
[Deep knowledge, daily.Sign up for The Conversation's newsletter.]
Bipartisanship has worked in the past to improve access for children both through Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Now Biden can strengthen both programs. Investments into school-based health also seems prudent. And while bipartisanship on the issue has grown less prominent, there might be enough Republicans in Congress willing to join Democrats and expand coverage and benefits.
Simon F. Haeder, Assistant Professor of Public Policy, Penn State
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


alternet--2020-11-16--Trump 2024: Could a fallen president really make a comeback?

American author F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote that “ there are no second acts in American lives . ''
Yet it 's already assumed Donald Trump will go on to a next act in one form or another .
Will he start his own media company ?
Serve as a GOP kingmaker ?
There are even rumblings that he will decide to run again for president in 2024 .
Having served only one term , he is constitutionally eligible to try for another .
If he does decide to run again – and if he wins – he 'll be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president has lost reelection and then won back his office : Grover Cleveland .
In the American elections course that I teach , students learn details about the long-term political impacts of these comeback efforts , most of which are exercises in futility .
'Gone to the White House , ha ha ha' The late 19th-century political environment resembled today 's in many ways : tight polarized elections , strong regional patterns in national voting , relatively high voter turnout and negative campaigning .
Cleveland , a Democrat , had been governor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when his party nominated him for president in 1884 .
As governor , he had gained a reputation for fighting Tammany Hall corruption in New York City .
During the 1884 campaign , in which Cleveland ran against Republican James Blaine , a scandal erupted when a New York woman named Maria Halpin accused Cleveland of raping and impregnating her .
She was eventually institutionalized and forced to give up her child for adoption .
Cleveland disputed some of the details of the story , and his supporters countered jeers of “ Ma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? ''
with chants of “ Gone to the White House , ha ha ha . ''
Cleveland ended up winning the national popular vote by a slim margin – 48.85 % to 48.28 % – and won 219 electoral votes to Blaine 's 182 .
Cleveland 's base of support was in the South and in his home state of New York , while Blaine did well in the rest of the North .
Voter turnout was high , estimated at 77.5 % of the voting-age population .
During Cleveland 's term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in American politics .
Republicans favored higher tariffs to protect Northern manufacturing interests , while Democrats like Cleveland generally wanted lower tariffs to help the South 's agricultural export-oriented interests and to lower prices for consumers .
When Cleveland ran for reelection in 1888 , he faced off against Republican Benjamin Harrison .
Cleveland again won the national popular vote by a tight margin , but lost two states – Indiana and New York – that he had won in 1884 .
It was enough to flip the Electoral College and allow Harrison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election , Cleveland returned to work as an attorney in New York .
Under President Harrison , Congress approved the McKinley Tariff and the Sherman Silver Purchase Act , each of which were strongly opposed by Cleveland .
In 1891 , after two years of avoiding the public spotlight , Cleveland again became politically active and started to vocally oppose the economic policies of Harrison .
Cleveland attracted some national attention that year with a public letter indicating his continuing support for the gold standard .
As Cleveland met with party leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , national Democratic support for his presidential nomination began to grow .
By the time the Democratic National Convention met in June that year , support for Cleveland had become overwhelming , and he secured the nomination .
With Populist Party candidate James B. Weaver on the ballot pulling votes from both major party presidential candidates , Cleveland won the national popular vote for the third straight election , this time besting Harrison by a 46 % to 43 % margin and winning the Electoral College .
Try , try again While Cleveland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only U.S. president to lose reelection and then come back and win , other presidents have tried and failed .
In 1840 , Democratic President Martin Van Buren lost reelection .
He attempted to be renominated by his party in 1844 , but Democrats instead chose James Polk .
By 1848 , Van Buren joined with a group of disaffected Democrats and anti-slavery activists to become the nominee of the Free Soil Party , which opposed the extension of legal slavery to U.S. territories .
While Van Buren won 10 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York , Massachusetts and Vermont , he won no Electoral College votes .
Van Buren is the only president other than Cleveland to be renominated by his party , lose reelection and then appear again on ballots as a presidential candidate .
Three other presidents also made attempted comebacks to regain the presidency after leaving office .
In 1852 , President Millard Fillmore , who had ascended to the presidency after the death of Zachary Taylor , made a halfhearted attempt to win the Whig Party nomination for a full term .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ four years later as the presidential candidate of the American Party , better known as the “ Know Nothings , '' a political movement to restrict Catholic immigration to the United States .
Fillmore won over 21 % of the national popular vote , the second-best performance by a third-party presidential candidate in American history and won Maryland 's electoral votes .
The best performance by a third-party presidential candidate in American history was also by a former president , Theodore Roosevelt .
In 1912 , he ran for the Republican presidential nomination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ William Howard Taft .
When Roosevelt failed to get his party 's nomination that year , he ran as the Progressive Party candidate .
After being shot at a campaign rally during the month before the election and surviving , Roosevelt got 27 % of the national popular vote and 88 electoral votes , finishing far ahead of Taft in both vote tallies – but well behind the winner , Woodrow Wilson .
The last American president to lose reelection and attempt to run for president again was Herbert Hoover , who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ persuading other Republicans to let him lead the party again after he lost in a landslide in 1932 .
He lost the presidential election of 1960 while serving as Dwight D. Eisenhower 's vice president and then went on to lose the 1962 California gubernatorial election .
After the two losses , Nixon famously told the press , “ You wo n't have Nixon to kick around anymore . ''
But the press did get another whack at Nixon when he ran for president a second time – and won – in 1968 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comeback by a defeated president was a very brief effort by Gerald Ford , who had lost reelection in 1976 , to negotiate the possibility of being Ronald Reagan 's running mate during the 1980 Republican National Convention .
The plan fell through , and Ford returned to private life .
Once out of office , most ex-presidents stay out of the spotlight and avoid criticizing their successor .
Whether or not President Trump attempts a political comeback in 2024 , it 's likely that he wo n't stay mum over the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insightful politics and election stories .
Sign up for The Conversation 's Politics Weekly . ]
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

by Robert Speel, Penn State
American author F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote that “there are no second acts in American lives."
Yet it's already assumed Donald Trump will go on to a next act in one form or another.
Will he start his own media company? Serve as a GOP kingmaker?
There are even rumblings that he will decide to run again for president in 2024. Having served only one term, he is constitutionally eligible to try for another.
If he does decide to run again – and if he wins – he'll be in rare company.
Only one American president has lost reelection and then won back his office: Grover Cleveland. In the American elections course that I teach, students learn details about the long-term political impacts of these comeback efforts, most of which are exercises in futility.
'Gone to the White House, ha ha ha'
The late 19th-century political environment resembled today's in many ways: tight polarized elections, strong regional patterns in national voting, relatively high voter turnout and negative campaigning.
Cleveland, a Democrat, had been governor of New York for less than two years when his party nominated him for president in 1884. As governor, he had gained a reputation for fighting Tammany Hall corruption in New York City.
During the 1884 campaign, in which Cleveland ran against Republican James Blaine, a scandal erupted when a New York woman named Maria Halpin accused Cleveland of raping and impregnating her. She was eventually institutionalized and forced to give up her child for adoption. Cleveland disputed some of the details of the story, and his supporters countered jeers of “Ma, ma, where's my pa?" with chants of “Gone to the White House, ha ha ha."
Cleveland ended up winning the national popular vote by a slim margin – 48.85% to 48.28% – and won 219 electoral votes to Blaine's 182. Cleveland's base of support was in the South and in his home state of New York, while Blaine did well in the rest of the North. Voter turnout was high, estimated at 77.5% of the voting-age population.
During Cleveland's term, tariffs became a divisive partisan issue in American politics. Republicans favored higher tariffs to protect Northern manufacturing interests, while Democrats like Cleveland generally wanted lower tariffs to help the South's agricultural export-oriented interests and to lower prices for consumers.
Cleveland's comeback
When Cleveland ran for reelection in 1888, he faced off against Republican Benjamin Harrison. Cleveland again won the national popular vote by a tight margin, but lost two states – Indiana and New York – that he had won in 1884. It was enough to flip the Electoral College and allow Harrison to be elected president.
After losing the election, Cleveland returned to work as an attorney in New York. Under President Harrison, Congress approved the McKinley Tariff and the Sherman Silver Purchase Act, each of which were strongly opposed by Cleveland.
In 1891, after two years of avoiding the public spotlight, Cleveland again became politically active and started to vocally oppose the economic policies of Harrison. Cleveland attracted some national attention that year with a public letter indicating his continuing support for the gold standard.
As Cleveland met with party leaders and made some public speeches in 1892, national Democratic support for his presidential nomination began to grow. By the time the Democratic National Convention met in June that year, support for Cleveland had become overwhelming, and he secured the nomination.
With Populist Party candidate James B. Weaver on the ballot pulling votes from both major party presidential candidates, Cleveland won the national popular vote for the third straight election, this time besting Harrison by a 46% to 43% margin and winning the Electoral College.
Try, try again
While Cleveland has, thus far, been the only U.S. president to lose reelection and then come back and win, other presidents have tried and failed.
In 1840, Democratic President Martin Van Buren lost reelection. He attempted to be renominated by his party in 1844, but Democrats instead chose James Polk. By 1848, Van Buren joined with a group of disaffected Democrats and anti-slavery activists to become the nominee of the Free Soil Party, which opposed the extension of legal slavery to U.S. territories. While Van Buren won 10% of the national popular vote and finished second in New York, Massachusetts and Vermont, he won no Electoral College votes.
Van Buren is the only president other than Cleveland to be renominated by his party, lose reelection and then appear again on ballots as a presidential candidate.
Three other presidents also made attempted comebacks to regain the presidency after leaving office.
In 1852, President Millard Fillmore, who had ascended to the presidency after the death of Zachary Taylor, made a halfhearted attempt to win the Whig Party nomination for a full term. When he failed, he came back four years later as the presidential candidate of the American Party, better known as the “Know Nothings," a political movement to restrict Catholic immigration to the United States. Fillmore won over 21% of the national popular vote, the second-best performance by a third-party presidential candidate in American history and won Maryland's electoral votes.
The best performance by a third-party presidential candidate in American history was also by a former president, Theodore Roosevelt. In 1912, he ran for the Republican presidential nomination against his more conservative protege, President William Howard Taft. When Roosevelt failed to get his party's nomination that year, he ran as the Progressive Party candidate.
After being shot at a campaign rally during the month before the election and surviving, Roosevelt got 27% of the national popular vote and 88 electoral votes, finishing far ahead of Taft in both vote tallies – but well behind the winner, Woodrow Wilson.
The last American president to lose reelection and attempt to run for president again was Herbert Hoover, who was unsuccessful in both 1936 and 1940 at persuading other Republicans to let him lead the party again after he lost in a landslide in 1932.
Richard Nixon made a different kind of political comeback.
He lost the presidential election of 1960 while serving as Dwight D. Eisenhower's vice president and then went on to lose the 1962 California gubernatorial election. After the two losses, Nixon famously told the press, “You won't have Nixon to kick around anymore." But the press did get another whack at Nixon when he ran for president a second time – and won – in 1968.
The last attempt at a political comeback by a defeated president was a very brief effort by Gerald Ford, who had lost reelection in 1976, to negotiate the possibility of being Ronald Reagan's running mate during the 1980 Republican National Convention. The plan fell through, and Ford returned to private life.
Once out of office, most ex-presidents stay out of the spotlight and avoid criticizing their successor. Whether or not President Trump attempts a political comeback in 2024, it's likely that he won't stay mum over the next four years.
[Get our most insightful politics and election stories.Sign up for The Conversation's Politics Weekly.]
Robert Speel, Associate Professor of Political Science, Erie campus, Penn State
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


alternet--2020-11-16--'His bloodlust is rising up': Report warns Trump is looking for 'vengeance'

When presidents are voted out of office — whether it 's Gerald R. Ford in 1976 , Jimmy Carter in 1980 or George H.W .
Bush in 1992 — they typically lick their wounds , give a concession speech and go about telling the winner what they will need to know after being sworn in as president .
But President Donald Trump has yet to concede to President-elect Joe Biden , preposterously claiming that he was robbed of reelection by widespread voter fraud .
And journalist Sonam Sheth , in a Business Insider article published this week , emphasizes that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns .
Business Insider , Sheth explains , interviewed some `` national security veterans '' to get an idea of what to possibly expect from Trump during this lame-duck period .
One of them was Bob Deitz , former general counsel for the National Security Agency .
Deitz told Business Insider , `` One worries that a person like Trump , who 's pissed off at the world and sitting there sucking his thumb and feeling sorry for himself , will wake up at 3 in the morning and tweet something that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the concern that he might just — and he 's been trying to do this — declassify information about Russia because of his vendetta over the Mueller investigation . ''
According to Deitz , `` Trump seems to wake up every day with a kind of anxiety or hatred .
He did n't get reelected ; so , he 's in vengeance mode .
His bloodlust is rising up .
And he 'll go after people like ( FBI Director Christopher ) Wray and ( CIA Director ) Gina Haspel . ''
Former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he is more worried about what Trump will do in the weeks ahead than he is about Trump refusing to leave the White House on January 20 .
`` In both a proactive and reactive sense , there are many things , including within the intelligence community , that could be significantly delayed even with an acting leader there to replace the person who 's been fired , no question , '' Carle explained .
`` If the quarterback disappears , you can still run an offense , but how well you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
A former U.S. Department of Justice official , interviewed on condition of anonymity , warned that from a national security standpoint , Trump could cause a lot of problems before leaving office .
That ex-DOJ official explained , `` In terms of damage that can be wrought , if Donald Trump wants to make some really atrocious choices as president on his way out , he can probably do more damage that way than just blinding the incoming president… .
He can make some terrible foreign-policy choices .
He can attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he 's already done . ''
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton and former Homeland Security Jeh Johnson , both interviewed by ABC News ' Martha Raddatz over the weekend , stressed that it is ridiculous that Biden is n't getting the President 's Daily Briefing — which presidents-elect usually gain access to .
But Heather Heldman told Business Insider that Biden 's `` personal knowledge of the interagency process '' is `` quite extensive '' and that he knows a lot about national security .
`` President-elect Biden and those around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and of whom to ask them on Day One , '' Heldman noted .
`` And that is a stabilizing factor . ''

When presidents are voted out of office — whether it's Gerald R. Ford in 1976, Jimmy Carter in 1980 or George H.W. Bush in 1992 — they typically lick their wounds, give a concession speech and go about telling the winner what they will need to know after being sworn in as president. But President Donald Trump has yet to concede to President-elect Joe Biden, preposterously claiming that he was robbed of reelection by widespread voter fraud.
And journalist Sonam Sheth, in a Business Insider article published this week, emphasizes that Trump's spitefulness is raising national security concerns.
Business Insider, Sheth explains, interviewed some "national security veterans" to get an idea of what to possibly expect from Trump during this lame-duck period. One of them was Bob Deitz, former general counsel for the National Security Agency.
Deitz told Business Insider, "One worries that a person like Trump, who's pissed off at the world and sitting there sucking his thumb and feeling sorry for himself, will wake up at 3 in the morning and tweet something that could be really destabilizing. There's also the concern that he might just — and he's been trying to do this — declassify information about Russia because of his vendetta over the Mueller investigation."
According to Deitz, "Trump seems to wake up every day with a kind of anxiety or hatred. He didn't get reelected; so, he's in vengeance mode. His bloodlust is rising up. And he'll go after people like (FBI Director Christopher) Wray and (CIA Director) Gina Haspel."
Former CIA operative Glenn Carle told Business Insider that he is more worried about what Trump will do in the weeks ahead than he is about Trump refusing to leave the White House on January 20.
"In both a proactive and reactive sense, there are many things, including within the intelligence community, that could be significantly delayed even with an acting leader there to replace the person who's been fired, no question," Carle explained. "If the quarterback disappears, you can still run an offense, but how well you're going to do it is questionable."
A former U.S. Department of Justice official, interviewed on condition of anonymity, warned that from a national security standpoint, Trump could cause a lot of problems before leaving office.
That ex-DOJ official explained, "In terms of damage that can be wrought, if Donald Trump wants to make some really atrocious choices as president on his way out, he can probably do more damage that way than just blinding the incoming president…. He can make some terrible foreign-policy choices. He can attempt to eliminate key folks in the government as he's already done."
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton and former Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, both interviewed by ABC News' Martha Raddatz over the weekend, stressed that it is ridiculous that Biden isn't getting the President's Daily Briefing — which presidents-elect usually gain access to. But Heather Heldman told Business Insider that Biden's "personal knowledge of the interagency process" is "quite extensive" and that he knows a lot about national security.
"President-elect Biden and those around him certainly know what questions to ask and of whom to ask them on Day One," Heldman noted. "And that is a stabilizing factor."


alternet--2020-11-16--A breakthrough agreement in Philadelphia could become a template to curb the housing crisis

Months of protests led by homeless residents over the lack of affordable housing in Philadelphia have led the city and the Philadelphia Housing Authority ( PHA ) to agree to cede 50 vacant homes to a public land trust .
The land trust will be managed by Philadelphia Housing Action , which is a nonprofit formed by homeless encampment organizers .
The agreement is largely `` unprecedented '' and marks the first time a transfer of power and property ownership rights of this scope—from the city and PHA to protesters occupying an encampment—has taken place in the United States .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ properties for use as low-income housing , defined as $ 25,000 and below , and they would be controlled [ and managed ] by local committees , '' PhillyVoice reports .
Philadelphia is dotted with empty , abandoned houses that have sat vacant for years , and in some cases decades , explains protest organizer Nadera Hood .
Meanwhile , at least 5,700 Philadelphia residents are homeless .
Many of the city 's homeless residents are working families with children who find themselves unable to afford the city 's increasing rents , Hood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been breaking up homeless encampments that have been called `` untenable '' by Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and other leaders in the city .
However , for many residents , the encampments offer the only living space that feels safe , as overcrowded shelters have led to COVID outbreaks and deaths of homeless residents living in shelters .
Talking about the agreement to cede homes to the public land trust , Mike Dunn , deputy communications director for the City of Philadelphia , says , `` The agreement was the result of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the protest camp leaders about the need for affordable housing for the lowest-income Philadelphians , a concern that the mayor has long shared . ''
Dunn notes that while many of the logistical details surrounding the transition of the land trust properties are still being worked out , camp leaders , the city and PHA are working together to identify vacant houses that are in the public inventory , `` to convey to the community land trust , which they will rehabilitate to make habitable .
The land trust will identify its own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repairs . ''
Dunn says the protest camp residents ' cause is `` right and proper , and their needs are valid . ''
`` We hope this agreement could serve as a model for the many U.S. cities whose residents struggle to find affordable housing , '' he says .
Eric Tars , legal director of the National Homeless Law Center in Washington , D.C. , which has held consultations with encampment organizers , explains the significance of this agreement in a Philadelphia Inquirer article by Alfred Lubrano and Oona Goodin-Smith .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ encampment like this one that 's led to this kind of result , '' Tars says in the article .
`` I 'm going to tell advocates and other city mayors about how this is a different way , a better way , to deal with people experiencing homelessness . ''
The protest effort in Philadelphia led by homeless residents successfully transformed itself into a nonprofit organization and a public land trust , and won an unparalleled housing agreement with the city that puts ownership and management into the hands of encampment residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been an increase in people experiencing homelessness due to the COVID pandemic , and homeless residents have been among the most heavily impacted by the virus .
Philadelphia is no exception , and crowding in shelters , often following encampment evictions , has led to a spread of the virus among homeless residents .
In May , after the PHA broke up and evicted an encampment outside of the Convention Center , a man who had been evicted from the encampment died from COVID after catching it in a shelter where there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected more than three dozen people .
Hood , a leading organizer for the group Occupy PHA , says the death of the resident in the shelter prompted action among homeless residents and existing activist groups in the city .
`` The encampment was evicted just as the COVID shelter-in-place orders came , '' Hood says .
`` People were moved to the shelter , and there was an outbreak , someone from the encampment died , and that was part of what organized and rallied people . ''
In March , moms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents , occupied and began living in several vacant Philadelphia homes , inspired , in part , by similar occupations in Los Angeles , Oakland and elsewhere during the coronavirus outbreak .
`` All of the people who moved in and have been living in these vacated homes are working people , they 're people with families , who ca n't afford rent in the city , '' Hood says .
Hood says the racial uprising across the United States following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 catalyzed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ join forces and inspired enthusiasm among encampment residents who were previously intimidated or fearful of taking action .
`` All of our groups had been doing a lot of work around land disposition , gentrification and property rights and ownership in the city , '' Hood says .
`` Occupy PHA , which is my group , was fighting the housing authority 's role in gentrifying neighborhoods and over-policing ; Black and Brown Workers Cooperative was fighting against councilmanic prerogative ( which basically gives council members full authority over what can and ca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighborhood , and is mostly used for them to build relationships with developers ) , '' Hood says .
`` [ Black and Brown Workers Cooperative ] also focused on land reclamation efforts .
For example , they built a little mini-shelter out of corrugated plastic for a homeless person who slept on church steps ; they reopened and took over a park that was gated up by new people who moved into the neighborhood .
And then the Workers Revolutionary Collective was doing various kinds of outreach with the homeless population .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the groups began to meet and collaborate more frequently .
Ultimately , they decided to organize themselves into a collective called the Philadelphia Housing Action to protest the city 's handling of housing allocation , and pressure the city and PHA to rethink their response to the housing crisis .
This led to the parkway protest—an encampment was set up at Benjamin Franklin Parkway to protest and draw attention to the issues of homelessness and the housing crisis in Philadelphia .
This eventually prompted the recent deal with the city , after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents , and organized protest actions .
Hood notes that the agreement between protesters and the city does not skip over existing housing waiting lists by giving homes to people from the encampment protests .
The homes under consideration that will become part of the public land trust are properties that would have been allocated to private buyers .
`` The houses that we were putting people in and demanding that [ PHA ] give us would not have housed a family on the waiting list ; they would have been sold to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the process of gentrifying our neighborhood , '' Hood says .
Hood notes that across the country , there are resistance movements forming around housing and land allocation , and says it 's up to every person to advocate for affordable housing options .
`` It 's really everybody 's duty , '' Hood says .
`` People need to preserve affordable housing and low-income housing .
We have to try to find innovative uses for the land .
We have to acquire land and homes and build things that are more community-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or on government funding or [ other such ] things .
I would like to see a national coalition form , to demand [ allocation of ] land from the government , to be able to preserve affordability , and the culture and values of the neighborhoods . ''
April M. Short is an editor , journalist and documentary editor and producer .
She is a writing fellow at Local Peace Economy , a project of the Independent Media Institute .
Previously , she served as a managing editor at AlterNet as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Santa Cruz , California 's weekly newspaper .
Her work has been published with the San Francisco Chronicle , In These Times , Salon and many others .
This article was produced by Local Peace Economy , a project of the Independent Media Institute .

Months of protests led by homeless residents over the lack of affordable housing in Philadelphia have led the city and the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) to agree to cede 50 vacant homes to a public land trust. The land trust will be managed by Philadelphia Housing Action, which is a nonprofit formed by homeless encampment organizers. The agreement is largely "unprecedented" and marks the first time a transfer of power and property ownership rights of this scope—from the city and PHA to protesters occupying an encampment—has taken place in the United States.
The new land trust designates 50 "properties for use as low-income housing, defined as $25,000 and below, and they would be controlled [and managed] by local committees," PhillyVoice reports.
Philadelphia is dotted with empty, abandoned houses that have sat vacant for years, and in some cases decades, explains protest organizer Nadera Hood. Meanwhile, at least 5,700 Philadelphia residents are homeless. Many of the city's homeless residents are working families with children who find themselves unable to afford the city's increasing rents, Hood says. The city and PHA have been breaking up homeless encampments that have been called "untenable" by Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and other leaders in the city. However, for many residents, the encampments offer the only living space that feels safe, as overcrowded shelters have led to COVID outbreaks and deaths of homeless residents living in shelters.
Talking about the agreement to cede homes to the public land trust, Mike Dunn, deputy communications director for the City of Philadelphia, says, "The agreement was the result of a lot of long discussions since June with the protest camp leaders about the need for affordable housing for the lowest-income Philadelphians, a concern that the mayor has long shared."
Dunn notes that while many of the logistical details surrounding the transition of the land trust properties are still being worked out, camp leaders, the city and PHA are working together to identify vacant houses that are in the public inventory, "to convey to the community land trust, which they will rehabilitate to make habitable. The land trust will identify its own resources [to carry out] these repairs."
Dunn says the protest camp residents' cause is "right and proper, and their needs are valid."
"We hope this agreement could serve as a model for the many U.S. cities whose residents struggle to find affordable housing," he says.
Eric Tars, legal director of the National Homeless Law Center in Washington, D.C., which has held consultations with encampment organizers, explains the significance of this agreement in a Philadelphia Inquirer article by Alfred Lubrano and Oona Goodin-Smith. "We haven't seen a protest encampment like this one that's led to this kind of result," Tars says in the article. "I'm going to tell advocates and other city mayors about how this is a different way, a better way, to deal with people experiencing homelessness."
The Demand for Housing
The protest effort in Philadelphia led by homeless residents successfully transformed itself into a nonprofit organization and a public land trust, and won an unparalleled housing agreement with the city that puts ownership and management into the hands of encampment residents.
Across the United States, there has been an increase in people experiencing homelessness due to the COVID pandemic, and homeless residents have been among the most heavily impacted by the virus. Philadelphia is no exception, and crowding in shelters, often following encampment evictions, has led to a spread of the virus among homeless residents. In May, after the PHA broke up and evicted an encampment outside of the Convention Center, a man who had been evicted from the encampment died from COVID after catching it in a shelter where there was an outbreak of the disease that infected more than three dozen people.
Hood, a leading organizer for the group Occupy PHA, says the death of the resident in the shelter prompted action among homeless residents and existing activist groups in the city.
"The encampment was evicted just as the COVID shelter-in-place orders came," Hood says. "People were moved to the shelter, and there was an outbreak, someone from the encampment died, and that was part of what organized and rallied people."
In March, moms with children, and some other houseless residents, occupied and began living in several vacant Philadelphia homes, inspired, in part, by similar occupations in Los Angeles, Oakland and elsewhere during the coronavirus outbreak.
"All of the people who moved in and have been living in these vacated homes are working people, they're people with families, who can't afford rent in the city," Hood says.
Hood says the racial uprising across the United States following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 catalyzed the various existing homelessness activist camps to join forces and inspired enthusiasm among encampment residents who were previously intimidated or fearful of taking action.
"All of our groups had been doing a lot of work around land disposition, gentrification and property rights and ownership in the city," Hood says. "Occupy PHA, which is my group, was fighting the housing authority's role in gentrifying neighborhoods and over-policing; Black and Brown Workers Cooperative was fighting against councilmanic prerogative (which basically gives council members full authority over what can and can't be [done] in a neighborhood, and is mostly used for them to build relationships with developers)," Hood says. "[Black and Brown Workers Cooperative] also focused on land reclamation efforts. For example, they built a little mini-shelter out of corrugated plastic for a homeless person who slept on church steps; they reopened and took over a park that was gated up by new people who moved into the neighborhood. And then the Workers Revolutionary Collective was doing various kinds of outreach with the homeless population."
Following the encampment evictions in January, the groups began to meet and collaborate more frequently. Ultimately, they decided to organize themselves into a collective called the Philadelphia Housing Action to protest the city's handling of housing allocation, and pressure the city and PHA to rethink their response to the housing crisis. This led to the parkway protest—an encampment was set up at Benjamin Franklin Parkway to protest and draw attention to the issues of homelessness and the housing crisis in Philadelphia. This eventually prompted the recent deal with the city, after months of occupation by hundreds of homeless residents, and organized protest actions.
Hood notes that the agreement between protesters and the city does not skip over existing housing waiting lists by giving homes to people from the encampment protests. The homes under consideration that will become part of the public land trust are properties that would have been allocated to private buyers.
"The houses that we were putting people in and demanding that [PHA] give us would not have housed a family on the waiting list; they would have been sold to a developer and been a part of the process of gentrifying our neighborhood," Hood says.
Hood notes that across the country, there are resistance movements forming around housing and land allocation, and says it's up to every person to advocate for affordable housing options.
"It's really everybody's duty," Hood says. "People need to preserve affordable housing and low-income housing. We have to try to find innovative uses for the land. We have to acquire land and homes and build things that are more community-based and not reliant on the administration, or on government funding or [other such] things. I would like to see a national coalition form, to demand [allocation of] land from the government, to be able to preserve affordability, and the culture and values of the neighborhoods."
April M. Short is an editor, journalist and documentary editor and producer. She is a writing fellow at Local Peace Economy, a project of the Independent Media Institute. Previously, she served as a managing editor at AlterNet as well as an award-winning senior staff writer for Santa Cruz, California's weekly newspaper. Her work has been published with the San Francisco Chronicle, In These Times, Salon and many others.
This article was produced by Local Peace Economy, a project of the Independent Media Institute.


alternet--2020-11-16--How Trumpism will endure — despite the toppling of Trump

The Lincoln Project and other Never Trump conservatives were hoping that the 2020 election would bring a blue tsunami and a total repudiation of Trumpism , but it did n't work out that way .
President-elect Joe Biden was victorious , winning 306 electoral votes and defeating President Donald Trump by more than 5 million in the popular vote count .
But more than 73.1 million U.S. voters cast ballots for Trump .
And journalist Sam Meredith , in an article published on CNBC 's website , emphasizes that Trumpism will continue to affect the Republican Party long after Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The results of the November 3 election had been expected to coincide with a 'blue wave , ' with Democrats tipped to win the White House , keep control of the House and gain a majority in the Senate .
Instead , Republican Senate and House candidates outperformed and Trump 's popularity among his core base proved surprisingly resilient , '' Meredith explains .
`` The 74-year-old Trump won more votes for president than any other candidate in history , except for Biden . ''
CNBC interviewed liberal economist and New York Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ferguson , a historian and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution .
And neither of them believe that Trumpism will go away after Biden is sworn in as president .
Krugman told CNBC , `` Trump will be looming over his party and the U.S. political scene… .
Trumpism , the movement , is durable . ''
The economist/Times columnist , who teaches economics at City University of New York 's Graduate Center , noted that Trump—despite his election defeat—still has an army of devotees who are willing to give him money .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has ever been less transparent about his personal finances , '' Krugman told CNBC , `` but it appears quite likely that Trump will be bankrupt.… Let 's be blunt about this — he 's been getting a revenue stream , in part because people have been funneling money to his businesses .
So , does a Donald Trump who is forced into bankruptcy carry the same weight ?
Or can he do something ?
Can he create a media empire that keeps him afloat ? ''
Krugman 's `` media empire '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been railing angrily against Fox News for calling Arizona for Biden on Election Night ; Trump feels betrayed .
And Axios ' Mike Allen recently reported that Trump is seriously considering launching a right-wing media company that would compete with Fox News — which , for Trump , could be both a way to make money and an act of revenge .
The Hoover Institution 's Ferguson does n't see Trump 's MAGA base becoming any less devoted to him '' Donald Trump is on his way out with a pretty bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Ferguson told CNBC .
`` Trumpism , which is really his contribution to conservative politics , is not going anywhere .
And that 's because Donald Trump tapped into a range of issues about which Middle America , just to use a broad-brush term , felt pretty strongly and still feel strongly .
That 's to say : liberal immigration policies , free trade policies , the power of progressive ideas , and liberal elite institutions , from academia to the media .
All of these issues are still very much with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the strength of support that President Trump and the Republican Party still were able to pull together in the midst of a pandemic and a pretty serious economic crisis . ''

The Lincoln Project and other Never Trump conservatives were hoping that the 2020 election would bring a blue tsunami and a total repudiation of Trumpism, but it didn't work out that way. President-elect Joe Biden was victorious, winning 306 electoral votes and defeating President Donald Trump by more than 5 million in the popular vote count. But more than 73.1 million U.S. voters cast ballots for Trump. And journalist Sam Meredith, in an article published on CNBC's website, emphasizes that Trumpism will continue to affect the Republican Party long after Trump leaves office on January 20.
"The results of the November 3 election had been expected to coincide with a 'blue wave,' with Democrats tipped to win the White House, keep control of the House and gain a majority in the Senate. Instead, Republican Senate and House candidates outperformed and Trump's popularity among his core base proved surprisingly resilient," Meredith explains. "The 74-year-old Trump won more votes for president than any other candidate in history, except for Biden."
CNBC interviewed liberal economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman as well as Niall Ferguson, a historian and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. And neither of them believe that Trumpism will go away after Biden is sworn in as president.
Krugman told CNBC, "Trump will be looming over his party and the U.S. political scene…. Trumpism, the movement, is durable."
The economist/Times columnist, who teaches economics at City University of New York's Graduate Center, noted that Trump—despite his election defeat—still has an army of devotees who are willing to give him money.
"No president in the United States has ever been less transparent about his personal finances," Krugman told CNBC, "but it appears quite likely that Trump will be bankrupt.… Let's be blunt about this — he's been getting a revenue stream, in part because people have been funneling money to his businesses. So, does a Donald Trump who is forced into bankruptcy carry the same weight? Or can he do something? Can he create a media empire that keeps him afloat?"
Krugman's "media empire" reference is important. Recently, Trump has been railing angrily against Fox News for calling Arizona for Biden on Election Night; Trump feels betrayed. And Axios' Mike Allen recently reported that Trump is seriously considering launching a right-wing media company that would compete with Fox News — which, for Trump, could be both a way to make money and an act of revenge.
The Hoover Institution's Ferguson doesn't see Trump's MAGA base becoming any less devoted to him
"Donald Trump is on his way out with a pretty bad grace, but he's going," Ferguson told CNBC. "Trumpism, which is really his contribution to conservative politics, is not going anywhere. And that's because Donald Trump tapped into a range of issues about which Middle America, just to use a broad-brush term, felt pretty strongly and still feel strongly. That's to say: liberal immigration policies, free trade policies, the power of progressive ideas, and liberal elite institutions, from academia to the media. All of these issues are still very much with us — and you can tell that by the strength of support that President Trump and the Republican Party still were able to pull together in the midst of a pandemic and a pretty serious economic crisis."


alternet--2020-11-16--Why a historian fears Trump may 'burn the evidence'

Fifty years from now , in the year 2070 , historians will no doubt look back on the Trump era as a chaotic period in U.S. history .
But historian Jill Lepore , in an article published by The New Yorker on November 16 , fears many documents that could offer valuable insights on Donald Trump 's presidency in the future will not survive .
Lepore stresses that transparency has never been Trump 's strong point .
Even before he became president , Lepore notes , Trump was big on NDAs : nondisclosure agreements — and in addition to that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ note-takers destroy their notes after meetings .
`` None of this bodes well for the historical record and for the scheduled transfer of materials from the White House to the National Archives , on January 20 , 2021 , '' Lepore warns .
`` That morning , even as President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. , is ascending the steps of the capitol , staffers from the archives will presumably be in the White House , unlocking doors , opening desks , packing boxes and removing hard drives .
What might be missing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ computer servers at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is difficult to say .
But records that were never kept , were later destroyed , or are being destroyed right now chronicle the day-to-day doings of one of the most consequential presidencies in American history and might well include evidence of crimes , violations of the Constitution and human-rights abuses . ''
Delving into U.S. history , Lepore notes that President Richard Nixon , after resigning in August 1974 and leaving the White House , fought to `` destroy the records of his presidency '' — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Presidential Records Act of 1978 , which `` puts presidential records in the public domain . ''
`` The public can see those records five years after the president leaves office , though a president can ask to extend those five years to 12 for material deemed sensitive , '' Lepore explains .
`` No longer are presidential papers the private property of the president . ''
Lepore points out , however , that `` the rules about record-keeping , like so much about American government , were n't set up with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It 's not impossible that his White House will destroy records not so much to cover its own tracks , but to sabotage the Biden Administration , '' Lepore writes .
`` This would be a crime , of course , but Trump could issue blanket pardons .
Yet , as with any administration , there 's a limit to what can be lost .
Probably not much is on paper , and it 's harder to destroy electronic records than most people think .
Chances are , a lot of documents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wish did not exist ca n't really be purged , because they 've already been duplicated . ''

Fifty years from now, in the year 2070, historians will no doubt look back on the Trump era as a chaotic period in U.S. history. But historian Jill Lepore, in an article published by The New Yorker on November 16, fears many documents that could offer valuable insights on Donald Trump's presidency in the future will not survive.
Lepore stresses that transparency has never been Trump's strong point. Even before he became president, Lepore notes, Trump was big on NDAs: nondisclosure agreements — and in addition to that, he is known for demanding that note-takers destroy their notes after meetings.
"None of this bodes well for the historical record and for the scheduled transfer of materials from the White House to the National Archives, on January 20, 2021," Lepore warns. "That morning, even as President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr., is ascending the steps of the capitol, staffers from the archives will presumably be in the White House, unlocking doors, opening desks, packing boxes and removing hard drives. What might be missing, that day, from file drawers and computer servers at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is difficult to say. But records that were never kept, were later destroyed, or are being destroyed right now chronicle the day-to-day doings of one of the most consequential presidencies in American history and might well include evidence of crimes, violations of the Constitution and human-rights abuses."
Delving into U.S. history, Lepore notes that President Richard Nixon, after resigning in August 1974 and leaving the White House, fought to "destroy the records of his presidency" — and as a result, Congress passed the Presidential Records Act of 1978, which "puts presidential records in the public domain."
"The public can see those records five years after the president leaves office, though a president can ask to extend those five years to 12 for material deemed sensitive," Lepore explains. "No longer are presidential papers the private property of the president."
Lepore points out, however, that "the rules about record-keeping, like so much about American government, weren't set up with someone like Trump in mind."
"It's not impossible that his White House will destroy records not so much to cover its own tracks, but to sabotage the Biden Administration," Lepore writes. "This would be a crime, of course, but Trump could issue blanket pardons. Yet, as with any administration, there's a limit to what can be lost. Probably not much is on paper, and it's harder to destroy electronic records than most people think. Chances are, a lot of documents that people in the White House might wish did not exist can't really be purged, because they've already been duplicated."


alternet--2020-11-16--Chief adviser on Operation Warp Speed: ‘The president has never been actively involved’ in COVID-19

Chief adviser on Operation Warp Speed: ‘The president has never been actively involved’ in COVID-19 vaccine

President Donald Trump has never really been involved in the COVID-19 vaccine , chief adviser for Operation Warp Speed Dr. Moncef Slaoui told MSNBC on Monday .
Upon news that another vaccine has promise in inoculating people from the coronavirus , Trump rushed to take credit , saying he hopes historians recognize that it happened under his watch .
Apparently , Trump had nothing to do with the efforts .
Dr. Slaoui , who previously served as a researcher and former head of GlaxoSmithKline 's vaccines department , revealed that Trump has been missing in action on Operation Warp Speed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , `` the president has never been very actively involved , '' he said .
`` As I 've said many times , we 've had no interference one way or the other .
We have informed him from time to time . ''
Dr. Slaoui also said that he hopes to reach out to President-elect Joe Biden 's transition so that he can ensure a seamless transition amid the final stages of vaccine testing , but that he ca n't do so without permission from the administration .
Right now they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explained it as being like a relay race , where a runner would n't stop and then hand off the baton , they continue running during the handoff .
`` From day one , I said the key for success of this is two things one is to have a laser-sharp focus on our objective , this is to save people 's lives , '' said Dr. Slaoui .
`` The second is to minimize any political interference .
I made sure to keep out of that .
Having said that , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ save people 's lives .
Anything that may slow that process or create any disruption is something that worries us appropriately . ''
MSNBC 's Andrea Mitchell cited x-ray doctor Scott Atlas , who called on Michigan to `` rise up '' against new COVID-19 restrictions as the pandemic reached record levels in the state for the fifth week in a row .
`` I think it 's very important that everybody understands their behavior impacts not only themselves and their infection but others around them and people they love , '' said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use judgment to , indeed , wear a mask , wash their hands , and keep their distance . ''
Mitchell cut in to say she wanted to `` reemphasize '' what he said .
`` Even as they get distributed to the frontline and elderly and other vulnerable people first , that does not mean for months to come we should n't be wearing masks , washing hands and keeping a safe distance . ''
Dr. Slaoui explained that it will take a while to get back to normal .
Other doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vaccine will reach the majority of Americans .
See the interview below : Trump has been MIA on Operation Warp Speed

President Donald Trump has never really been involved in the COVID-19 vaccine, chief adviser for Operation Warp Speed Dr. Moncef Slaoui told MSNBC on Monday.
Upon news that another vaccine has promise in inoculating people from the coronavirus, Trump rushed to take credit, saying he hopes historians recognize that it happened under his watch.
Apparently, Trump had nothing to do with the efforts.
Dr. Slaoui, who previously served as a researcher and former head of GlaxoSmithKline's vaccines department, revealed that Trump has been missing in action on Operation Warp Speed.
Aside from the press conference on Friday, "the president has never been very actively involved," he said. "As I've said many times, we've had no interference one way or the other. We have informed him from time to time."
Dr. Slaoui also said that he hopes to reach out to President-elect Joe Biden's transition so that he can ensure a seamless transition amid the final stages of vaccine testing, but that he can't do so without permission from the administration. Right now they're blocking that.
Dr. Anthony Fauci explained it as being like a relay race, where a runner wouldn't stop and then hand off the baton, they continue running during the handoff.
"From day one, I said the key for success of this is two things one is to have a laser-sharp focus on our objective, this is to save people's lives," said Dr. Slaoui. "The second is to minimize any political interference. I made sure to keep out of that. Having said that, it's our focus to make sure we save people's lives. Anything that may slow that process or create any disruption is something that worries us appropriately."
MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell cited x-ray doctor Scott Atlas, who called on Michigan to "rise up" against new COVID-19 restrictions as the pandemic reached record levels in the state for the fifth week in a row.
"I think it's very important that everybody understands their behavior impacts not only themselves and their infection but others around them and people they love," said Dr. Slaoui. "I hope people use judgment to, indeed, wear a mask, wash their hands, and keep their distance."
Mitchell cut in to say she wanted to "reemphasize" what he said. "Even as they get distributed to the frontline and elderly and other vulnerable people first, that does not mean for months to come we shouldn't be wearing masks, washing hands and keeping a safe distance."
Dr. Slaoui explained that it will take a while to get back to normal. Other doctors have predicted at least a year before the vaccine will reach the majority of Americans.
See the interview below:


alternet--2020-11-16--There's an obvious solution if Trump refuses to leave the scene after his defeat

The national celebrations after Joe Biden decisively defeated Donald Trump in this month 's election focused heavily on the image of Trump being pushed out the door .
People took to the streets and boogied down to Steam 's 1969 hit `` Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye . ''
Signs carried by celebrants tended to focus more on Trump 's loss than Biden 's victory .
During Saturday 's underwhelming MAGA march in Washington , counter-protesters chanted , `` Trump , pack your shit !
You 're illegitimate ! ''
Alas , like Freddy Krueger or the shark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be easy to get rid of .
It 's not just that he refuses to concede and keeps telling his supporters he will find some legal miracle to invalidate the election , a ruse that stopped being serious several days ago and is now mostly the mercenary pitch of a con man .
`` Donald Trump may not be president much longer , but he still wants to run the Republican Party for the foreseeable future , '' David Jackson and Phillip M. Bailey write in USA Today .
`` From setting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he might run again in 2024 , Trump is already working to keep his hold on the GOP after his term ends . ''
And as Maggie Haberman reported in the New York Times last week , `` Mr. Trump is talking seriously about announcing that he is planning to run again in 2024 . ''
Trump likes to talk , of course , and most of what he says is hot air .
As Haberman writes , Trump is merely `` trying to survive from one news cycle to the next '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news cycle somehow means anything after losing an election — and his energies are focused on not losing his grip on `` his Republican base , '' the cow he milks for endless attention and vast amounts of cash .
Still , Trump 's desperation to keep his name in the headlines — and to keep money and adoration flowing from his gullible supporters — is bad news .
While it 's true that Trump 's divisiveness and authoritarianism is a symptom of the country 's increasingly toxic culture war , and not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true that he 's throwing gasoline on the fire and making thing sworse .
By keeping up a constant stream of lies and conspiracy theories , Trump is training nearly half the country to believe that lying in the service of MAGA is no sin .
He 's helping to radicalize conservatives who might otherwise have had some attachment to reality and common sense , and creating permission for the right to be openly anti-democratic and bigoted in ways it largely shied away from before .
Biden ran on a campaign of unity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from those who believe that 's impossible in our current climate .
But if Biden has any hope of even moving toward those goals , Trump himself is a major obstacle .
With Trump out there daily , generating conspiracy theories and trying to get press attention — or worse , running yet another four-year campaign , this time against a Democratic incumbent — unity and healing will be not just elusive , but impossible .
The only solution to this problem is for Trump to be too busy trying to stay out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in jail — to be the forever-candidate .
To save America , Biden 's Department of Justice and state prosecutors in New York should focus on holding Trump accountable for all the various alleged or apparent crimes he 's committed .
Trump 's executive privilege ends on Jan. 20 at noon Eastern time .
That 's when the prosecutions should begin .
The list of such crimes is so long that the only real question should be where to start .
There 's campaign finance fraud involving the illegal payoff to Stormy Daniels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for which Trump 's former lawyer , Michael Cohen , was already sent to prison .
Because of the shield of executive privilege , Trump was merely called `` Individual 1 '' in the court documents for that case .
Now he can be unveiled and , ideally , serve his own stint in prison for that crime .
There 's also the extensive obstruction of justice Trump committed in office , which , again , would have been prosecutable but for executive privilege .
Special counsel Robert Mueller 's report on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election documented at least 10 instances of potential obstruction of justice .
As Mueller testified in a congressional hearing in 2019 , Trump can still be indicted for these offenses when he leaves office .
Trump could also be hit with charges related to obstruction of justice in the Ukraine probe .
As the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives amply demonstrated in their articles of impeachment against Trump , the president repeatedly abused his power to block subpoenas and other information that Congress had a right to access .
The Republican-controlled Senate may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Justice Department under Biden would be free to throw the book at Trump .
There are so many more probably or plausibly illegal things Trump has done that a hard-working prosecutorial office could likely draw up charges for .
There are more than two dozen accusations of sexual assault , some of which may still fall within the relevant statute of limitations .
There 's the extensively documented likely tax fraud — and now there 's no Trump to get in the way of releasing Trump 's tax returns .
There may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the incident that got Trump impeached , which was extorting the Ukrainian president in an attempt to force him to defame Biden in the press .
One can already hear the objections , of course : Unleashing the DOJ to go after a defeated ex-president could make Biden appear vindictive and divisive .
There have even been calls for Biden to pardon Trump so the country can `` move on .
( Fortunately , Biden has promised not to do that . )
Biden himself is on the fence about this issue , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be `` very unusual thing and probably not very good for democracy '' but also that he would n't `` interfere with the Justice Department 's judgment '' on this front .
The good news is there are ways for Biden to let the Trump prosecution proceed in a less political way .
As Renato Mariotti writes in Politico , the new attorney general can appoint a special counsel who `` should be a career prosecutor who has no connection to Biden or his team '' to run the investigation .
That would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but could blunt it significantly .
Whatever the details , the grim truth is there is no `` moving on '' unless Donald Trump faces real accountability .
For one thing , Trump wo n't let the country move on .
He 'll be running for president all over again , exploiting his status and power to continue stoking right-wing anger and spreading conspiracy theories .
To make it worse , watching Trump get off scot-free will encourage a thousand mini-Trumps to bloom , as more GOP politicians realize they can break @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It could also have the impact of demobilizing the left , just when Biden needs their support the most , because so many progressives will be angry at Biden and the Democrats for failing to hold Trump to account .
No , in order to heal the nation , Trump needs to be prosecuted .
Biden will have to swallow the unpleasant pill of weathering bad-faith accusations and negative media commentary , by both hiring people who have the guts to do it and letting them loose to do their job .
Unity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people get away with crimes .
We need a reckoning , and real justice , before the process of healing can begin .

The national celebrations after Joe Biden decisively defeated Donald Trump in this month's election focused heavily on the image of Trump being pushed out the door. People took to the streets and boogied down to Steam's 1969 hit "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye." Signs carried by celebrants tended to focus more on Trump's loss than Biden's victory. During Saturday's underwhelming MAGA march in Washington, counter-protesters chanted, "Trump, pack your shit! You're illegitimate!"
Alas, like Freddy Krueger or the shark from "Jaws," Trump will not be easy to get rid of. It's not just that he refuses to concede and keeps telling his supporters he will find some legal miracle to invalidate the election, a ruse that stopped being serious several days ago and is now mostly the mercenary pitch of a con man.
"Donald Trump may not be president much longer, but he still wants to run the Republican Party for the foreseeable future," David Jackson and Phillip M. Bailey write in USA Today. "From setting up a political action committee to suggesting he might run again in 2024, Trump is already working to keep his hold on the GOP after his term ends."
And as Maggie Haberman reported in the New York Times last week, "Mr. Trump is talking seriously about announcing that he is planning to run again in 2024."
Trump likes to talk, of course, and most of what he says is hot air. As Haberman writes, Trump is merely "trying to survive from one news cycle to the next" — as if "surviving" the news cycle somehow means anything after losing an election — and his energies are focused on not losing his grip on "his Republican base," the cow he milks for endless attention and vast amounts of cash.
Still, Trump's desperation to keep his name in the headlines — and to keep money and adoration flowing from his gullible supporters — is bad news. While it's true that Trump's divisiveness and authoritarianism is a symptom of the country's increasingly toxic culture war, and not the principal cause, it's also true that he's throwing gasoline on the fire and making thing sworse. By keeping up a constant stream of lies and conspiracy theories, Trump is training nearly half the country to believe that lying in the service of MAGA is no sin. He's helping to radicalize conservatives who might otherwise have had some attachment to reality and common sense, and creating permission for the right to be openly anti-democratic and bigoted in ways it largely shied away from before.
Biden ran on a campaign of unity and healing, which rightfully drew skepticism from those who believe that's impossible in our current climate. But if Biden has any hope of even moving toward those goals, Trump himself is a major obstacle. With Trump out there daily, generating conspiracy theories and trying to get press attention — or worse, running yet another four-year campaign, this time against a Democratic incumbent — unity and healing will be not just elusive, but impossible.
The only solution to this problem is for Trump to be too busy trying to stay out of jail — or too busy sitting in jail — to be the forever-candidate. To save America, Biden's Department of Justice and state prosecutors in New York should focus on holding Trump accountable for all the various alleged or apparent crimes he's committed. Trump's executive privilege ends on Jan. 20 at noon Eastern time. That's when the prosecutions should begin.
The list of such crimes is so long that the only real question should be where to start.
There's campaign finance fraud involving the illegal payoff to Stormy Daniels to cover up a sexual encounter, for which Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, was already sent to prison. Because of the shield of executive privilege, Trump was merely called "Individual 1" in the court documents for that case. Now he can be unveiled and, ideally, serve his own stint in prison for that crime.
There's also the extensive obstruction of justice Trump committed in office, which, again, would have been prosecutable but for executive privilege. Special counsel Robert Mueller's report on the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election documented at least 10 instances of potential obstruction of justice. As Mueller testified in a congressional hearing in 2019, Trump can still be indicted for these offenses when he leaves office.
Trump could also be hit with charges related to obstruction of justice in the Ukraine probe. As the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives amply demonstrated in their articles of impeachment against Trump, the president repeatedly abused his power to block subpoenas and other information that Congress had a right to access. The Republican-controlled Senate may have acquitted Trump for political reasons, but the Justice Department under Biden would be free to throw the book at Trump.
There are so many more probably or plausibly illegal things Trump has done that a hard-working prosecutorial office could likely draw up charges for. There are more than two dozen accusations of sexual assault, some of which may still fall within the relevant statute of limitations. There's the extensively documented likely tax fraud — and now there's no Trump to get in the way of releasing Trump's tax returns. There may also have been prosecutable crimes associated with the incident that got Trump impeached, which was extorting the Ukrainian president in an attempt to force him to defame Biden in the press.
One can already hear the objections, of course: Unleashing the DOJ to go after a defeated ex-president could make Biden appear vindictive and divisive. There have even been calls for Biden to pardon Trump so the country can "move on. (Fortunately, Biden has promised not to do that.)
Biden himself is on the fence about this issue, saying that prosecuting a former president would be "very unusual thing and probably not very good for democracy" but also that he wouldn't "interfere with the Justice Department's judgment" on this front.
The good news is there are ways for Biden to let the Trump prosecution proceed in a less political way. As Renato Mariotti writes in Politico, the new attorney general can appoint a special counsel who "should be a career prosecutor who has no connection to Biden or his team" to run the investigation. That wouldn't stop all criticism, of course, but could blunt it significantly.
Whatever the details, the grim truth is there is no "moving on" unless Donald Trump faces real accountability. For one thing, Trump won't let the country move on. He'll be running for president all over again, exploiting his status and power to continue stoking right-wing anger and spreading conspiracy theories. To make it worse, watching Trump get off scot-free will encourage a thousand mini-Trumps to bloom, as more GOP politicians realize they can break whatever law they desire without consequence. It could also have the impact of demobilizing the left, just when Biden needs their support the most, because so many progressives will be angry at Biden and the Democrats for failing to hold Trump to account.
No, in order to heal the nation, Trump needs to be prosecuted. Biden will have to swallow the unpleasant pill of weathering bad-faith accusations and negative media commentary, by both hiring people who have the guts to do it and letting them loose to do their job. Unity cannot be achieved by letting bad people get away with crimes. We need a reckoning, and real justice, before the process of healing can begin.