alternet--2020-09-28--Here are 5 reasons why Trump's taxes will actually matter in 2020

I 've been a consistent proponent of the 'lol , nothing matters ' school of analysis of the 2020 election .
I 've noted that voters are unusually locked in this cycle , that Trump 's approval rating and the head-to-head polling have been remarkably stable and that his base consumes a diet of conservative opinion journalism and Facebook memes that insulate them from bad news for their guy .
And if one defines `` mattering '' as a dramatic cratering support for Trump , that will indeed prove to be the case with Trump 's tax returns .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the scales wo n't suddenly fall from eyes of MAGA Nation upon discovering that the brilliant businessman they thought they were supporting is in fact a deeply-indebted tax swindler .
But The New York Times getting its hands on Trump 's taxes is going to matter if we define that word realistically .
The Supreme Court would not have had an opportunity to decide the 2000 presidential race if it had n't come down to several hundred votes in Florida .
Recent Senate contests have been settled by smaller margins and could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won the Electoral College in 2016 by 77,000 votes across three states—out of 136 million ballots cast .
If just a small share of Republicans living in the right places decide to stay home , it could have an outsized impact on the outcome of the election .
Consider five reasons why Trump 's taxes becoming public is likely to matter .
First , Sunday 's blockbuster scoop is just the beginning .
In a memo to New York Times staff , publisher AG Sulzberger wrote , `` we are continuing our reporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks ahead . ''
Other outlets will , too .
Trump 's taxes contain many threads to pull on , and reporters will no doubt produce a steady drip , drip , drip of bad news for Trump over the final weeks of the election .
One big reason why most negative stories about Trump do n't move the needle is that they get overtaken by other news and do n't have an opportunity to stick .
This one is almost sure to be sticky as reporters connect the many dots contained in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump would very likely lose the election if it were held today , and desperately needs to expand his voter base beyond the 43 percent who currently support him , according to FiveThirtyEight 's average , in order to have better than a marginal chance of winning the Electoral College .
These stories are going to rattle Trump and take him off of his preferred messages about his Noble Prize nomination or Biden using performance enhancing drugs or anitifa menacing the suburbs or whatever .
Trump being broke , in debt up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liability also cuts straight to the heart of the image that Trump has so carefully cultivated over the years .
It 's exactly the kind of controversy that Joe Biden can exploit both during the upcoming debates and in the ad wars .
Third , it puts Republicans across the country and up and down the ballot in the uncomfortable position of having to defend their unwavering support for a tax swindler .
And each new revelation will bring about a new round of awkward questions that they 'd rather not have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump is desperate for cash , with close to a half-billion dollars in personally guaranteed loans coming due -- and possibly a huge tax bill arriving at some point in the near future—paints many stories that the media have largely shrugged off in a new light .
When you talk about violating the Emoluments Clause , people 's eyes glaze over , but when you point out that Trump has spent over one year of his first term visiting or staying at his own properties , and charged taxpayers unknown sums for rooms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it takes on new salience .
The same is true for all the business and political organizations -- and foreign entities -- that have dropped massive sums at his DC hotel while trying to curry favor with Trump .
Finally , not everything can or should be boiled down to partisan politics .
It matters that we have yet more evidence that the President of the United States is crooked .
It 's important that the American people know the truth even if it does n't swing a single vote .

I've been a consistent proponent of the 'lol, nothing matters' school of analysis of the 2020 election. I've noted that voters are unusually locked in this cycle, that Trump's approval rating and the head-to-head polling have been remarkably stable and that his base consumes a diet of conservative opinion journalism and Facebook memes that insulate them from bad news for their guy.
And if one defines "mattering" as a dramatic cratering support for Trump, that will indeed prove to be the case with Trump's tax returns. This isn't an Aaron Sorkin script, and the scales won't suddenly fall from eyes of MAGA Nation upon discovering that the brilliant businessman they thought they were supporting is in fact a deeply-indebted tax swindler.
But The New York Times getting its hands on Trump's taxes is going to matter if we define that word realistically. The Supreme Court would not have had an opportunity to decide the 2000 presidential race if it hadn't come down to several hundred votes in Florida. Recent Senate contests have been settled by smaller margins and could again be this year. Donald Trump won the Electoral College in 2016 by 77,000 votes across three states—out of 136 million ballots cast. If just a small share of Republicans living in the right places decide to stay home, it could have an outsized impact on the outcome of the election.
Consider five reasons why Trump's taxes becoming public is likely to matter.
First, Sunday's blockbuster scoop is just the beginning. In a memo to New York Times staff, publisher AG Sulzberger wrote, "we are continuing our reporting and will publish additional stories in the weeks ahead." Other outlets will, too.
Trump's taxes contain many threads to pull on, and reporters will no doubt produce a steady drip, drip, drip of bad news for Trump over the final weeks of the election. One big reason why most negative stories about Trump don't move the needle is that they get overtaken by other news and don't have an opportunity to stick. This one is almost sure to be sticky as reporters connect the many dots contained in Trump's previously opaque finances.
Second, Trump would very likely lose the election if it were held today, and desperately needs to expand his voter base beyond the 43 percent who currently support him, according toFiveThirtyEight's average, in order to have better than a marginal chance of winning the Electoral College. These stories are going to rattle Trump and take him off of his preferred messages about his Noble Prize nomination or Biden using performance enhancing drugs or anitifa menacing the suburbs or whatever.
Trump being broke, in debt up to his ears and facing considerable criminal liability also cuts straight to the heart of the image that Trump has so carefully cultivated over the years. It's exactly the kind of controversy that Joe Biden can exploit both during the upcoming debates and in the ad wars.
Third, it puts Republicans across the country and up and down the ballot in the uncomfortable position of having to defend their unwavering support for a tax swindler. And each new revelation will bring about a new round of awkward questions that they'd rather not have to tackle.
Fourth, the fact that Trump is desperate for cash, with close to a half-billion dollars in personally guaranteed loans coming due--and possibly a huge tax bill arriving at some point in the near future—paints many stories that the media have largely shrugged off in a new light.
When you talk about violating the Emoluments Clause, people's eyes glaze over, but when you point out that Trump has spent over one year of his first term visiting or staying at his own properties, and charged taxpayers unknown sums for rooms for security and staff on each occasion, it takes on new salience. The same is true for all the business and political organizations--and foreign entities--that have dropped massive sums at his DC hotel while trying to curry favor with Trump.
Finally, not everything can or should be boiled down to partisan politics. It matters that we have yet more evidence that the President of the United States is crooked. It's important that the American people know the truth even if it doesn't swing a single vote.


alternet--2020-09-28--Top Mueller attorney strongly suggests Trump owes hundreds of millions to Russia

The name Andrew Weissmann might ring a bell .
He 's a former top Mueller attorney who worked with the Special Counsel on the Russia report .
Today he is an MSNBC legal analyst .
He also just wrote a book , an insider 's view of the Mueller Investigation .
It 's safe to say he knows what he 's talking about when it comes to Trump and Russia .
Weissmann just weighed in on the New York Times bombshell report that finds , among other staggering facts , that in 2016 and 2017 President Donald Trump paid just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also finds Trump paid zero in taxes for 15 out of 20 years .
And it finds that Trump is in debt , to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars to an unknown entity .
$ 421 million in debt , and the bill is coming due in the next few years .
Before that he served as General Counsel of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) , and later became the chief of the criminal fraud section of the U.S. Department of Justice ( DOJ ) .
Decades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney 's Office for the Eastern District of New York , prosecuting Mafia crime families .
After that he was put in charge of a special task force investigating the Enron scandal .
Last year NPR called him `` the architect of the case against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort . ''

The name Andrew Weissmann might ring a bell.
He's a former top Mueller attorney who worked with the Special Counsel on the Russia report.
Today he is an MSNBC legal analyst.
He also just wrote a book, an insider's view of the Mueller Investigation.
It's safe to say he knows what he's talking about when it comes to Trump and Russia.
Weissmann just weighed in on the New York Times bombshell report that finds, among other staggering facts, that in 2016 and 2017 President Donald Trump paid just $750 in federal taxes.
It also finds Trump paid zero in taxes for 15 out of 20 years.
And it finds that Trump is in debt, to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars to an unknown entity. $421 million in debt, and the bill is coming due in the next few years.
Weissmann strongly suggests that entity is Russia.
Before that he served as General Counsel of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and later became the chief of the criminal fraud section of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
Decades ago Weissmann served for over ten years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York, prosecuting Mafia crime families. After that he was put in charge of a special task force investigating the Enron scandal.
Last year NPR called him "the architect of the case against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort."


alternet--2020-09-28--Trump-loving chiropractor loses it after seeing Biden-Harris signs at Democratic campaign office

A Connecticut chiropractor admits to causing a disturbance outside a Democratic campaign office .
Michael Silverstein , of Westport , said he became overwhelmed by anger and frustration Friday afternoon upon seeing signs outside the Fairfield Democratic Town Committee office promoting the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris ticket , reported CTPost .
`` I let my emotions get the best of me , '' Silverstein told the newspaper .
`` I wish I did n't do it .
I 'm better than that . ''
The 61-year-old said he was `` fed up '' because he and other supporters of President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been attacked , harassed and threatened , '' and he admitted he did `` terrorize '' a volunteer worker at the office .
`` The situation escalated quickly , '' Silverstein said .
`` I screamed and yelled , but I never touched ( the volunteer worker ) . ''
Silverstein was issued a summons for breach of peace after cursing at the volunteer worker and then slapping away the volunteer 's phone after she tried to record the confrontation .
`` We are grateful that all our volunteers , though shaken , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Fairfield Democrats posted on Facebook .
`` This is exactly the kind of malicious behavior that is enabled and recklessly encouraged by our current president on a regular basis .
And when our country 's leaders do not push back against Trump 's incitements , this hateful conduct only gains more momentum . ''

A Connecticut chiropractor admits to causing a disturbance outside a Democratic campaign office.
Michael Silverstein, of Westport, said he became overwhelmed by anger and frustration Friday afternoon upon seeing signs outside the Fairfield Democratic Town Committee office promoting the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris ticket, reported CTPost.
"I let my emotions get the best of me," Silverstein told the newspaper. "I wish I didn't do it. I'm better than that."
The 61-year-old said he was "fed up" because he and other supporters of President Donald Trump "on a daily basis have been attacked, harassed and threatened," and he admitted he did "terrorize" a volunteer worker at the office.
"The situation escalated quickly," Silverstein said. "I screamed and yelled, but I never touched (the volunteer worker)."
Silverstein was issued a summons for breach of peace after cursing at the volunteer worker and then slapping away the volunteer's phone after she tried to record the confrontation.
"We are grateful that all our volunteers, though shaken, are safe following this extremely upsetting event," Fairfield Democrats posted on Facebook. "This is exactly the kind of malicious behavior that is enabled and recklessly encouraged by our current president on a regular basis. And when our country's leaders do not push back against Trump's incitements, this hateful conduct only gains more momentum."


alternet--2020-09-28--Three more House race ratings move in the Democrats' direction — including Darrell Issa's

Donald Trump is continuing to harm his party downballot , which is why Daily Kos Elections is moving three more contests in the direction of the Democrats .
You can find all of our Senate , gubernatorial , and House ratings at each link .
• CA-50 ( Safe R to Likely R ) : Republican Darrell Issa looked like a sure bet to return to the House after he narrowly prevailed in the March top-two primary for California 's 50th Congressional District , but two polls taken over the summer have shown him locked in a surprisingly tight race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July Campa-Najjar internal from Strategies 360 had Issa ahead 47-43 , while an early September SurveyUSA poll showed the Republican up just 46-45 .
And while Campa-Najjar 's team did not disclose the presidential results , SurveyUSA showed Joe Biden ahead 48-45 in an ancestrally Republican seat in inland San Diego County that backed Donald Trump 55-40 in 2016 .
Issa , who infamously decided to run here two years after he retired as the congressman from the neighboring—and much bluer—49th District just ahead of the 2018 blue wave , is still favored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from SurveyUSA , it would be a big surprise if Trump lost a seat where Republicans have done well across the ballot for decades .
Indeed , it was only two years ago that then-Rep. Duncan Hunter managed to fend off Campa-Najjar 52-48 even though Hunter was under indictment at the time for misusing campaign money .
Still , Campa-Najjar has the resources to run another strong campaign , and these polls give us a good reason to watch this contest .
• ME-02 ( Tossup to Lean D ) : Democrat Jared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ District following an instant runoff two years ago , but he 's run well ahead of former Republican state Rep. Dale Crafts in every poll that 's been released in 2020 .
Golden also got some encouraging news on Sept. 21 when the Republican ad-tracking firm Medium Buying reported that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ( DCCC ) was scaling back its TV reservation here in an apparent sign of confidence , though Daily Kos Elections has not been able to confirm the specifics .
But while Crafts faces a major cash deficit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has $ 2.35 million booked to aid Crafts , so Team Red is hardly acting like he 's doomed .
And while Golden may have the edge now , his victory is not a foregone conclusion .
Though polls show that Donald Trump is running well behind his 51-41 victory here from four years ago , he could still carry this district—and its electoral vote—again .
Both presidential campaigns are targeting the 2nd , and Trump 's spending could end up giving the entire Republican ticket , including Crafts , a boost .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ R ) : We 've seen an unusually large number of polls of the contest for Montana 's At-Large Congressional District , and they almost all show a competitive race .
As of Sept. 24 , the Daily Kos Elections polling average gives 2018 Democratic nominee Kathleen Williams a 46-44 edge over Republican state Auditor Matt Rosendale , who was the party 's losing candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2018 .
Williams is still the underdog in Montana , which has n't given its electoral votes to a Democrat since Bill Clinton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as Rosendale found out the hard way last cycle , voters are still open to backing Democrats for downballot contests .
Multiple polls have also found that , while Donald Trump is still ahead in the state , he 's coming nowhere close to matching his 56-36 showing from four years ago , which reduces the number of crossover voters that Williams would need to win in order to prevail .

Donald Trump is continuing to harm his party downballot, which is why Daily Kos Elections is moving three more contests in the direction of the Democrats. You can find all of our Senate, gubernatorial, and House ratings at each link.
• CA-50 (Safe R to Likely R): Republican Darrell Issa looked like a sure bet to return to the House after he narrowly prevailed in the March top-two primary for California's 50th Congressional District, but two polls taken over the summer have shown him locked in a surprisingly tight race with Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar.
A late July Campa-Najjar internal from Strategies 360 had Issa ahead 47-43, while an early September SurveyUSA poll showed the Republican up just 46-45. And while Campa-Najjar's team did not disclose the presidential results, SurveyUSA showed Joe Biden ahead 48-45 in an ancestrally Republican seat in inland San Diego County that backed Donald Trump 55-40 in 2016.
Issa, who infamously decided to run here two years after he retired as the congressman from the neighboring—and much bluer—49th District just ahead of the 2018 blue wave, is still favored to prevail here. Despite those numbers from SurveyUSA, it would be a big surprise if Trump lost a seat where Republicans have done well across the ballot for decades. Indeed, it was only two years ago that then-Rep. Duncan Hunter managed to fend off Campa-Najjar 52-48 even though Hunter was under indictment at the time for misusing campaign money.
Still, Campa-Najjar has the resources to run another strong campaign, and these polls give us a good reason to watch this contest.
• ME-02 (Tossup to Lean D): Democrat Jared Golden narrowly flipped Maine's 2nd Congressional District following an instant runoff two years ago, but he's run well ahead of former Republican state Rep. Dale Crafts in every poll that's been released in 2020.
Golden also got some encouraging news on Sept. 21 when the Republican ad-tracking firm Medium Buying reported that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) was scaling back its TV reservation here in an apparent sign of confidence, though Daily Kos Elections has not been able to confirm the specifics. But while Crafts faces a major cash deficit, the conservative Congressional Leadership Fund reportedly has $2.35 million booked to aid Crafts, so Team Red is hardly acting like he's doomed.
And while Golden may have the edge now, his victory is not a foregone conclusion. Though polls show that Donald Trump is running well behind his 51-41 victory here from four years ago, he could still carry this district—and its electoral vote—again. Both presidential campaigns are targeting the 2nd, and Trump's spending could end up giving the entire Republican ticket, including Crafts, a boost.
• MT-AL (Likely R to Lean R): We've seen an unusually large number of polls of the contest for Montana's At-Large Congressional District, and they almost all show a competitive race. As of Sept. 24, the Daily Kos Elections polling average gives 2018 Democratic nominee Kathleen Williams a 46-44 edge over Republican state Auditor Matt Rosendale, who was the party's losing candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2018.
Williams is still the underdog in Montana, which hasn't given its electoral votes to a Democrat since Bill Clinton narrowly won it in 1992. However, as Rosendale found out the hard way last cycle, voters are still open to backing Democrats for downballot contests. Multiple polls have also found that, while Donald Trump is still ahead in the state, he's coming nowhere close to matching his 56-36 showing from four years ago, which reduces the number of crossover voters that Williams would need to win in order to prevail.


alternet--2020-09-28--House Republicans paint a labor vision that’s straight out of the 19th century robber barons era

Ten House Republicans who fashion themselves policy wonks are out with their diagnosis of what ails the American worker .
Their proposed cure is a future that would be brutish , nasty and short .
The Hobbesian , dog-eat-dog policies the Republican Study Group proposes would enhance the power of those born to privilege , just so long as nothing knocks them off their comfortable perch .
The 66-page report , Reclaiming the American Dream : Proposals to Empower the Workers of Today and Tomorrow , is amazingly slipshod .
Frankly , the study group , lead by Rep. Mike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff should be ashamed that they published such low-quality work .
Many hypertext links in the End Notes do n't work , including the first .
Others point to web pages that generate a `` 404 '' page missing response .
While some End Notes refer to official data , many point to ideological marketing organizations like the Heritage Foundation and polemics based on a priori assumptions .
Bizarrely , the report characterizes unions as holding down the compensation of members .
That 's absurd since the whole point of collective bargaining is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their contribution to their employer 's financial success .
Consider this lie on Page 32 : `` Under current law , union contracts set both a wage floor and a wage ceiling .
As a result , individual workers can not be given raises , including performance-based raises , by their employer . ''
No law is cited because none exists .
And not one example of a contract that prohibits merit pay is cited in the report or in the right-wing newspaper article to which it links .
I 've negotiated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countless such collective bargaining agreements , none of which had prohibition of merit pay or bonuses .
It 's possible they exist , but the Study Group fails to show any evidence .
How revealing , though , that the Republican Study Group describes its imaginary prohibition on merit pay and bonuses as entirely a problem with unions rather than employers .
The incentive to hold down pay lies with companies , not unions .
The report 's attacks on labor unions as a detriment to members comes right out of the Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or distorting it without any respect for facts is the name of the game .
Just make the claim and damn reality .
Throughout , the report makes recommendations that would require a larger federal government workforce to police workers , students , poor people and immigrants .
Many more auditors and investigators would be needed to investigate anyone who relies on what remains of America 's tattered social safety net .
Implementing the proposed changes also would require massive investments in technology , primarily computers to both operate federal programs and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Neglecting to propose these expansions of investigative staff and computer systems makes the study group report empty rhetoric that reveals its members ' mindset , favoring much more top-down power and punishment .
The report attacks not working , something a wealthy nation could reasonably aspire to achieve .
`` Among the civilian labor force , less than half of those who fail to complete high school are participating in the labor force , '' the report states , accurately .
Heaven forbid that people not work .
This is on a theme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign complained that too many Americans were not working .
Of course , there are many reasons people do n't work , especially the `` poorly educated '' whom Trump often says he loves .
Those reasons include staying home to raise children , which Republicans used to hail as a virtue .
Then there 's caring for elderly parents or a disabled spouse or just enjoying leisure instead of chasing every last buck .
Unmentioned in the report are government policies that have driven down wages for the `` poorly educated , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anthology DIVIDED : The Perils of Our Growing Inequality .
For the many people whom nature or education made fit only for unskilled work , wages are now so low that it does n't pay to get a job and can actually make you worse off .
We would have more people working if we moved to the shorter workweeks and mandatory paid vacations found in , say , Germany .
That 's anathema to the Study Group 's perspective .
Another bizarre claim is that forgiving the debt of students swindled by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up the cost of college tuition and send the message that students who make irresponsible borrowing decisions will ultimately be bailed out by the federal government . ''
What of the responsibility of Congress , under both Democratic and Republican majorities , and presidents from both parties who enabled fake colleges and who put in place the harsh student loan rules that are also examined in my 2014 anthology DIVIDED .
My 2008 bestseller Free Lunch tells of a student loan company that bought a Gulfstream jet to ferry members of Congress around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that can distort the priorities of lawmakers .
Nowhere does the Republican Study Group propose the most obvious answer to America 's higher education affordability issues .
To prepare our young for the increasingly complex world of the future , we could simply restore the mid-20th century policies of making public higher education tuition-free or nearly so , an investment of tax dollars to build a prosperous and durable future .
Not everything in the report is without merit .
The federal government operates , the study group says , 90 social welfare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a worthy goal .
The report , though , is antagonistic to such programs , making any reader reasonably suspicious of changes the Study Group would seek .
This misunderstanding of the American students ' and workers ' needs should come as no surprise considering the signatories of this report .
Nine are male .
All ten are white .

Ten House Republicans who fashion themselves policy wonks are out with their diagnosis of what ails the American worker. Their proposed cure is a future that would be brutish, nasty and short.
The Hobbesian, dog-eat-dog policies the Republican Study Group proposes would enhance the power of those born to privilege, just so long as nothing knocks them off their comfortable perch.
The report proposes:
The 66-page report, Reclaiming the American Dream: Proposals to Empower the Workers of Today and Tomorrow , is amazingly slipshod. Frankly, the study group, lead by Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) and its staff should be ashamed that they published such low-quality work.
Many hypertext links in the End Notes don't work, including the first. Others point to web pages that generate a "404" page missing response. While some End Notes refer to official data, many point to ideological marketing organizations like the Heritage Foundation and polemics based on a priori assumptions.
Anti-Unions Claim
Bizarrely, the report characterizes unions as holding down the compensation of members. That's absurd since the whole point of collective bargaining is to ensure that workers get fairly paid for their contribution to their employer's financial success.
Consider this lie on Page 32: "Under current law, union contracts set both a wage floor and a wage ceiling. As a result, individual workers cannot be given raises, including performance-based raises, by their employer."
No law is cited because none exists. And not one example of a contract that prohibits merit pay is cited in the report or in the right-wing newspaper article to which it links. I've negotiated a labor contract and I've read countless such collective bargaining agreements, none of which had prohibition of merit pay or bonuses. It's possible they exist, but the Study Group fails to show any evidence.
How revealing, though, that the Republican Study Group describes its imaginary prohibition on merit pay and bonuses as entirely a problem with unions rather than employers. The incentive to hold down pay lies with companies, not unions.
The report's attacks on labor unions as a detriment to members comes right out of the Donald Trump playbook in which making stuff up or distorting it without any respect for facts is the name of the game. Just make the claim and damn reality.
Contradictory Approach
Throughout, the report makes recommendations that would require a larger federal government workforce to police workers, students, poor people and immigrants. Many more auditors and investigators would be needed to investigate anyone who relies on what remains of America's tattered social safety net.
Implementing the proposed changes also would require massive investments in technology, primarily computers to both operate federal programs and to find people who abuse these benefits.
Neglecting to propose these expansions of investigative staff and computer systems makes the study group report empty rhetoric that reveals its members' mindset, favoring much more top-down power and punishment.
Attacking Working-Class Leisure
The report attacks not working, something a wealthy nation could reasonably aspire to achieve. "Among the civilian labor force, less than half of those who fail to complete high school are participating in the labor force," the report states, accurately.
Heaven forbid that people not work. This is on a theme with Trump, who throughout his 2016 campaign complained that too many Americans were not working.
Of course, there are many reasons people don't work, especially the "poorly educated" whom Trump often says he loves.
Those reasons include staying home to raise children, which Republicans used to hail as a virtue. Then there's caring for elderly parents or a disabled spouse or just enjoying leisure instead of chasing every last buck.
Unmentioned in the report are government policies that have driven down wages for the "poorly educated," an issue examined in my 2014 anthology DIVIDED: The Perils of Our Growing Inequality. For the many people whom nature or education made fit only for unskilled work, wages are now so low that it doesn't pay to get a job and can actually make you worse off.
We would have more people working if we moved to the shorter workweeks and mandatory paid vacations found in, say, Germany. That's anathema to the Study Group's perspective.
Tough Luck for Scammed Students
Another bizarre claim is that forgiving the debt of students swindled by corrupt fake colleges "would actually drive up the cost of college tuition and send the message that students who make irresponsible borrowing decisions will ultimately be bailed out by the federal government."
What of the responsibility of Congress, under both Democratic and Republican majorities, and presidents from both parties who enabled fake colleges and who put in place the harsh student loan rules that are also examined in my 2014 anthology DIVIDED. My 2008 bestseller Free Lunch tells of a student loan company that bought a Gulfstream jet to ferry members of Congress around gratis, the kind of institutional bribery that can distort the priorities of lawmakers.
Nowhere does the Republican Study Group propose the most obvious answer to America's higher education affordability issues. To prepare our young for the increasingly complex world of the future, we could simply restore the mid-20th century policies of making public higher education tuition-free or nearly so, an investment of tax dollars to build a prosperous and durable future.
Not everything in the report is without merit. The federal government operates, the study group says, 90 social welfare programs. Consolidating and simplifying those programs is a worthy goal. The report, though, is antagonistic to such programs, making any reader reasonably suspicious of changes the Study Group would seek.
This misunderstanding of the American students' and workers' needs should come as no surprise considering the signatories of this report. Nine are male. All ten are white.


alternet--2020-09-28--Trump spent the last year quietly building a legal juggernaut to challenge election results: report

As messy and chaotic as Bush v. Gore was in 2000 , the 2020 presidential election is shaping up to be even worse .
President Donald Trump has refused to commit to accepting the election results if his Democratic opponent , former Vice President Joe Biden , is victorious on Tuesday , November 3 — and Trump has an army of Republican attorneys ready to fight for him in swing states next month .
Journalist Anita Kumar , in an article published in Politico on September 27 , stresses that the team of lawyers that Trump 's campaign is employing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explains , `` Dozens of lawyers from three major law firms have been hired .
Thousands of volunteer attorneys and poll watchers across the country have been recruited .
Republicans are preparing pre-written legal pleadings that can be hurried to the courthouse the day after the election , as wrangling begins over close results and a crush of mail-in ballots .
Attorneys from non-battleground states — including California , New York and Illinois — are being dispatched to more competitive areas and trained on local election laws . ''
The Trump campaign 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kumar , is `` mainly focused on the election process in the 17 key states the Trump campaign is targeting , like Pennsylvania , Wisconsin and Michigan . ''
`` In total , '' Kumar observes , `` it means the Republican Party will have thousands of people on hand to shape every element of voting — both on Election Day and in the days after .
It 's a massive undertaking — one the RNC calls its largest election-year legal effort ever .
And it 's one that could determine the winner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kumar recalls that in 2000 , `` the race between George W. Bush and Al Gore did n't end until the Supreme Court weighed in more than a month later . ''
But in 2020 , Kumar warns , election officials `` expect a more chaotic aftermath . ''
And Democratic attorneys , Kumar emphasizes , are preparing for `` battle '' as well .
`` Democrats have launched their own gargantuan effort , doubling their efforts since 2016 , '' Kumar notes .
`` They 've amassed a team to educate voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and counter foreign interference and misinformation , according to the Biden campaign .
The effort is being led by Dana Remus , Biden 's general counsel , and Bob Bauer , a former White House counsel during the Obama Administration who joined the campaign full-time this summer . ''
The Democratic legal team , Kumar adds , also includes `` former solicitors general Donald Verrilli and Walter Dellinger , as well as Marc Elias , a nationally recognized Democratic elections lawyer , according to the campaign .
Former Attorney General Eric Holder also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberals and progressives as well as centrists — are warning that Republicans and the Trump campaign will be relentless in their voter suppression efforts , especially when it comes to people of color .
And while Bush v. Gore was centered on the election results in Florida , the legal battles in the 2020 election might take place in multiple swing states , ranging from Pennsylvania to Arizona to North Carolina .
Michael Gwin , a spokesman for Biden 's campaign , told Politico , `` The Biden campaign has assembled the biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election runs smoothly and to combat any attempt by Donald Trump to create fear and confusion with our voting system , or interfere in the democratic process . ''

As messy and chaotic as Bush v. Gore was in 2000, the 2020 presidential election is shaping up to be even worse. President Donald Trump has refused to commit to accepting the election results if his Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, is victorious on Tuesday, November 3 — and Trump has an army of Republican attorneys ready to fight for him in swing states next month. Journalist Anita Kumar, in an article published in Politico on September 27, stresses that the team of lawyers that Trump's campaign is employing for this election is enormous.
Kumar explains, "Dozens of lawyers from three major law firms have been hired. Thousands of volunteer attorneys and poll watchers across the country have been recruited. Republicans are preparing pre-written legal pleadings that can be hurried to the courthouse the day after the election, as wrangling begins over close results and a crush of mail-in ballots. Attorneys from non-battleground states — including California, New York and Illinois — are being dispatched to more competitive areas and trained on local election laws."
The Trump campaign's legal "strategy," according to Kumar, is "mainly focused on the election process in the 17 key states the Trump campaign is targeting, like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan."
"In total," Kumar observes, "it means the Republican Party will have thousands of people on hand to shape every element of voting — both on Election Day and in the days after. It's a massive undertaking — one the RNC calls its largest election-year legal effort ever. And it's one that could determine the winner of the pandemic-beset 2020 election."
Kumar recalls that in 2000, "the race between George W. Bush and Al Gore didn't end until the Supreme Court weighed in more than a month later." But in 2020, Kumar warns, election officials "expect a more chaotic aftermath." And Democratic attorneys, Kumar emphasizes, are preparing for "battle" as well.
"Democrats have launched their own gargantuan effort, doubling their efforts since 2016," Kumar notes. "They've amassed a team to educate voters, respond to charges of voter suppression and counter foreign interference and misinformation, according to the Biden campaign. The effort is being led by Dana Remus, Biden's general counsel, and Bob Bauer, a former White House counsel during the Obama Administration who joined the campaign full-time this summer."
The Democratic legal team, Kumar adds, also includes "former solicitors general Donald Verrilli and Walter Dellinger, as well as Marc Elias, a nationally recognized Democratic elections lawyer, according to the campaign. Former Attorney General Eric Holder also is involved."
Countless Democrats — liberals and progressives as well as centrists — are warning that Republicans and the Trump campaign will be relentless in their voter suppression efforts, especially when it comes to people of color. And while Bush v. Gore was centered on the election results in Florida, the legal battles in the 2020 election might take place in multiple swing states, ranging from Pennsylvania to Arizona to North Carolina.
Michael Gwin, a spokesman for Biden's campaign, told Politico, "The Biden campaign has assembled the biggest voter protection program in history to ensure the election runs smoothly and to combat any attempt by Donald Trump to create fear and confusion with our voting system, or interfere in the democratic process."


alternet--2020-09-28--‘Everything he says is false’: NBC reporter overheard CDC director slamming Trump coronavirus advise

‘Everything he says is false’: NBC reporter overheard CDC director slamming Trump coronavirus adviser

Dr. Scott Atlas has turned into President Donald Trump 's favorite member of the White House coronavirus response team , and Atlas is clashing with other health experts in the federal government — including Dr. Robert Redfield , director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Journalist Monica Alba , on NBC News ' website , reports that NBC overheard Redfield criticizing Atlas vehemently during a recent flight from Atlanta to Washington , D.C. '' Everything he says is false , '' NBC News heard Redfield say of Atlas while speaking on the phone during that flight .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the social distancing measures and stay-at-home orders that have been enacted in response to the coronavirus pandemic , and he believes that if enough people are exposed to COVID-19 , the United States will achieve `` herd immunity '' and neutralize the deadly virus .
Redfield and Dr. Anthony Fauci strongly disagree with Atlas ' `` herd immunity '' views , and many health experts have been warning that following Atlas ' advice could cause the COVID-19 death toll to soar into the millions in the United States .
After that flight , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that `` he was speaking about Atlas , a neuroradiologist with no background in infectious diseases or public health .

Dr. Scott Atlas has turned into President Donald Trump's favorite member of the White House coronavirus response team, and Atlas is clashing with other health experts in the federal government — including Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Journalist Monica Alba, on NBC News' website, reports that NBC overheard Redfield criticizing Atlas vehemently during a recent flight from Atlanta to Washington, D.C.
"Everything he says is false," NBC News heard Redfield say of Atlas while speaking on the phone during that flight.
Atlas has been a major critic of the social distancing measures and stay-at-home orders that have been enacted in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and he believes that if enough people are exposed to COVID-19, the United States will achieve "herd immunity" and neutralize the deadly virus. Redfield and Dr. Anthony Fauci strongly disagree with Atlas' "herd immunity" views, and many health experts have been warning that following Atlas' advice could cause the COVID-19 death toll to soar into the millions in the United States.
After that flight, Alba reports, Redfield "acknowledged" that "he was speaking about Atlas, a neuroradiologist with no background in infectious diseases or public health.


alternet--2020-09-28--Watch this congresswoman rip her Republican challenger's empty healthcare promises to pieces

Former external affairs official for ICE and television anchor Paul Junge is running to unseat Michigan 's newest House representative , Democrat Elissa Slotkin .
Slotkin was one of the many Democratic and progressive candidates to shake the world during the 2018 blue wave elections .
Slotkin won Michigan 's 8th district , one that had gone comfortably to both Mitt Romney and Donald Trump in 2012 and 2016 , respectively .
On Sunday morning , the two candidates had a debate on local TV station WDIV Channel 4 .
One of the biggest issues facing Americans and something that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are worried about is the continued rising cost of health care and , more specifically , health insurance .
The exchange that took place just hours ago is one that is taking place nationally in every race as we speak .
It will be a focus at some point during whatever it is we end up calling the debates between Joe Biden and Trump .
Hopefully Democratic candidates and incumbents will take note of how you deal with the marble-mouthed , content-free lip service that Republicans give to the need to `` lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in terms of concrete policy .
Rep. Slotkin has a very personal story about health insurance : Her mother , who had had a bout with cancer decades earlier , continued to get gouged by insurance companies because of her `` preexisting condition . ''
This led to her mother 's premiums becoming unaffordable and her need to lapse in paying them when evaluating what she was actually getting in return .
When asked about her campaign to make sure Michigan residents could receive affordable health insurance , Slotkin highlighted the absolute need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are hoping will be destroyed by the Supreme Court .
Then , the moderator handed the question over to Junge .
Like most Republican candidates or soon-to-be-squatting presidents , Junge 's solution to rising healthcare costs and premiums is to get rid of `` undue burdens and regulations '' —you know , like the way it was before .
Before , when skyrocketing healthcare costs and premiums helped lead to President Obama passing the Affordable Care Act because everyone—even the racists that voted for President Obama—understood that bigotry aside , we need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry .
It is here that Rep. Slotkin made sure to circle back to remind the audience what exactly was being asked and highlight the answers being given by both candidates .
This is something that every person running for office must do in the next few weeks every time a conservative obfuscates a direct question about preexisting conditions and health care .
Paul 's response is to say he was n't talking about her mother—he was , and when he was n't technically responding to the direct question about preexisting conditions that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything at all .
He was just saying words that he hopes will make it sound like he gives a shit about people 's health insurance .
Because Republicans like Junge can not offer up anything resembling a solution , they sidestep the question of preexisting conditions every time it comes up .
Donald Trump is such a liar that he is willing to just say `` there will '' be `` something '' for preexisting conditions , because he does n't care about lying .
His base does n't seem to recognize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by his candidacy .
But there are people on the ground that get it , and hopefully come November , we can begin the process of making America a democracy again .

Former external affairs official for ICE and television anchor Paul Junge is running to unseat Michigan's newest House representative, Democrat Elissa Slotkin. Slotkin was one of the many Democratic and progressive candidates to shake the world during the 2018 blue wave elections. Slotkin won Michigan's 8th district, one that had gone comfortably to both Mitt Romney and Donald Trump in 2012 and 2016, respectively. On Sunday morning, the two candidates had a debate on local TV station WDIV Channel 4.
One of the biggest issues facing Americans and something that both sides of the aisle's constituents are worried about is the continued rising cost of health care and, more specifically, health insurance. The exchange that took place just hours ago is one that is taking place nationally in every race as we speak. It will be a focus at some point during whatever it is we end up calling the debates between Joe Biden and Trump. Hopefully Democratic candidates and incumbents will take note of how you deal with the marble-mouthed, content-free lip service that Republicans give to the need to "lower premiums" while offering up absolutely nothing in terms of concrete policy.
Rep. Slotkin has a very personal story about health insurance: Her mother, who had had a bout with cancer decades earlier, continued to get gouged by insurance companies because of her "preexisting condition." This led to her mother's premiums becoming unaffordable and her need to lapse in paying them when evaluating what she was actually getting in return. When asked about her campaign to make sure Michigan residents could receive affordable health insurance, Slotkin highlighted the absolute need for a preexisting conditions clause—one that Republicans are hoping will be destroyed by the Supreme Court. Then, the moderator handed the question over to Junge.
Like most Republican candidates or soon-to-be-squatting presidents, Junge's solution to rising healthcare costs and premiums is to get rid of "undue burdens and regulations"—you know, like the way it was before. Before, when skyrocketing healthcare costs and premiums helped lead to President Obama passing the Affordable Care Act because everyone—even the racists that voted for President Obama—understood that bigotry aside, we need to take steps forward in regulating the insurance industry.
It is here that Rep. Slotkin made sure to circle back to remind the audience what exactly was being asked and highlight the answers being given by both candidates. This is something that every person running for office must do in the next few weeks every time a conservative obfuscates a direct question about preexisting conditions and health care.
REP. ELISSA SLOTKIN: With all due respect, if you talk about my mother's case, you shouldn't talk about it without knowing anything about it. My mother's case wasn't she couldn't afford insurance because of undue regulation. It's because she had a preexisting cancer she had 30 years ago, and forever and ever and ever, every insurance company thought they could gouge her, and charge her $1,000 a month, and a $10,000 deductible. Please don't speak about my mother as if you understand what made her health care unaffordable to her. And I think it's crazy that every time we ask you specific details about the thing that really helps people know that they're going to be protected, their kids are going to be protected, you deflect and start attacking me and raising my mother? Come on, Paul, this is about being a big guy and running for Congress. If you're going to do it, do it right and tell people how you're going to protect them—not some throwaway talking point, but a real plan.
Paul's response is to say he wasn't talking about her mother—he was, and when he wasn't technically responding to the direct question about preexisting conditions that was because Paul wasn't talking about anything at all. He was just saying words that he hopes will make it sound like he gives a shit about people's health insurance.
Because Republicans like Junge cannot offer up anything resembling a solution, they sidestep the question of preexisting conditions every time it comes up. Donald Trump is such a liar that he is willing to just say "there will" be "something" for preexisting conditions, because he doesn't care about lying. His base doesn't seem to recognize that they are continuing to get screwed by his candidacy. But there are people on the ground that get it, and hopefully come November, we can begin the process of making America a democracy again.


alternet--2020-09-28--Trump campaign blames Democrats for ex-campaign manager’s reported self-harm threat

The Trump campaign is blaming `` Democrats and disgruntled RINOs '' for the reported self-harm threat of its former campaign @ @ @ @ @ The disgusting , personal attacks from Democrats and disgruntled RINOs have gone too far , @ @ @ @ @ of themselves for what they 've done to this man and his family , '' @ @ @ @ @ director Tim Murtaugh .
Parscale , according to multiple reports , barricaded himself in the @ @ @ @ @ wife live in .
She called police saying he had access to multiple weapons and @ @ @ @ @ SWAT team was able to intervene and take him to a hospital .
Notice the @ @ @ @ @ Trump campaign and the Biden campaign :

The Trump campaign is blaming "Democrats and disgruntled RINOs" for the reported self-harm threat of its former campaign manager Brad Parscale.
"The disgusting, personal attacks from Democrats and disgruntled RINOs have gone too far, and they should be ashamed of themselves for what they've done to this man and his family," said Trump campaign's communications director Tim Murtaugh.
Parscale, according to multiple reports, barricaded himself in the Florida home he and his wife live in. She called police saying he had access to multiple weapons and was threatening self harm
A SWAT team was able to intervene and take him to a hospital.
Notice the difference in statements from the Trump campaign and the Biden campaign:


alternet--2020-09-28--Violence studies expert: The essence of Trump's dangerousness is the effect he has on his followers

This continues the series , `` The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump Revisited : Mental Health Experts on the Devastating Mishandling of a Pandemic . ''
Whereas we could not have predicted a pandemic three-and-a-half years ago , the authors of The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump : 37 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President anticipated how the president would respond , should there be a crisis .
We tried to warn the public of the very consequences that are unfolding today : abuse of power , incompetence , loss of lives and livelihoods of many Americans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ M.D.
, is an adjunct professor of law at New York University .
He is a renowned violence studies expert and author of the influential Violence : Our Deadly Epidemic and Its Causes , as well as Preventing Violence and Why Some Politicians are More Dangerous than Others .
He has served as director of mental health services for the Massachusetts prisons and prison mental hospital , president of the International Association for Forensic Psychotherapy , and as a consultant to President Clinton , Tony Blair , Kofi Annan , the World Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the World Economic Forum .
Lee : Your work with dangerous individuals and on violence prevention has guided us , since the 2017 conference at Yale , with the responsibility we have as professionals to alert and educate about danger , and that it was not about diagnosis , or mental illness .
You often emphasize how mental illness does not make a person any more dangerous than the general population , that these are two separate issues .
Could you expand on how to think about this ?
Gilligan : If somebody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hotel , as happened some time ago in Las Vegas , you know that the guy is dangerous .
The first question you ask yourself is not : `` Gee , I wonder what his diagnosis is ? ''
That question is simply not relevant .
You know he is dangerous , and he needs to be stopped .
So you look for the authorities who can stop him .
Something similar is relevant here with respect to Donald Trump .
The main issue is not : `` Is the president mentally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous ? ''
and `` Who are the authorities who can bring him under control ? ''
The only authorities who can bring him under control , at the moment , given the irresponsibility of the Republican Senators , seem to be the voters on November 3 .
Regardless of what is going on inside his mind , the danger is not the likelihood that he is going to go out on Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody himself , as he mentioned as one example of what he could do without losing any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commit acts of violence themselves .
I do n't know if Hitler ever killed anybody in his lifetime , himself , but whether he did or not , it was his effect on his followers that was the real danger .
The same was true with Stalin and every major dictator ; it is the followers who commit the bulk of the murders .
Is this also how Donald Trump is dangerous ?
Yes .
He has repeatedly incited his followers to commit acts of violence .
I list seven of them in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump .
I will just mention one of them here .
He has urged his followers at political rallies to commit violence against people protesting peacefully against him .
`` You know what they used to do to guys like that when they were in a place like this ?
They 'd be carried out in a stretcher , folks… .
knock the crap out of them , will you ?
Seriously , just knock the hell out of them .
I will pay for the legal fees , I promise you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followers were not being violent enough yet , even after they had assaulted protesters severely enough to be arrested and prosecuted for assault and battery .
And then when another Trump supporter deliberately ran his truck into a group of pedestrians and killed a woman and severely injured several others , Trump , instead of condemning this , said : `` Well , there were good and bad people on both sides , '' implying a moral equivalency between murder by his followers and non-violent demonstrations by those opposing him .
This danger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what is happening inside Trump 's mind , but I am not going to speculate about what is going on there , as I have never examined him myself .
But I do know what he has said publicly , and I will pay attention to that .
Of course one could infer some psychiatric conclusions from his endless flood of tweets and public statements , but I do n't think that is really what is most relevant here .
I think the essence of his dangerousness is the effect he has on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason other demagogues were so dangerous and violent was because they could influence others to commit their violence for them .
And that has been true throughout history .
That is why I regard this as a public health problem .
I am not interested in being Trump 's individual psychiatrist , nor do I need to be in order to recognize how dangerous he is .
What is the difference between clinical psychiatry and public health , or preventive psychiatry ?
In clinical psychiatry , we diagnose individuals , and we come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we work with them as individuals .
But public health deals with epidemics of violence , and with the incidence and rates of violence , and I think that is what we need to do here .
I could spend hours describing individuals who committed acts of serious violence and attributed that to the influence of Donald Trump , which is important and relevant , but people could complain that is kind of cherry-picking this person or that .
So I would rather emphasize statistical studies , such as one that pointed out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abruptly to a statistically significant degree in cities that had just had a Trump rally two or three days before , compared with comparable cities in the same state that had not had a Trump rally .
How far can epidemics of violence spread ?
This happens on a worldwide basis .
The mass murderer who killed people in the two synagogues in New Zealand , in order to show how thoroughly he identified with Trump , made the same complaint about Trump that Trump made about his followers : his complaint was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So he was showing how you could be even more violent than even Trump had called for .
So what I 'm saying is that the example and rhetoric of a political leader are very powerful , and can influence people to engage in violence at a level that is really dangerous to our communities and our society .
The other reason Trump is so dangerous is because even if he were the same person , with the same psychopathology but a private individual , he would n't be remotely as dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president of the United States , he has his finger on the triggers of a thousand thermonuclear weapons , and as commander-in-chief he could order them to be deployed .
That is the kind of thing that makes him more dangerous to this country and the whole world than any past dictator has ever been .

This continues the series, "The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump Revisited: Mental Health Experts on the Devastating Mishandling of a Pandemic." Whereas we could not have predicted a pandemic three-and-a-half years ago, the authors of The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 37 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President anticipated how the president would respond, should there be a crisis. We tried to warn the public of the very consequences that are unfolding today: abuse of power, incompetence, loss of lives and livelihoods of many Americans, and increasing violence.
James Gilligan, M.D., is an adjunct professor of law at New York University. He is a renowned violence studies expert and author of the influential Violence: Our Deadly Epidemic and Its Causes, as well as Preventing Violence and Why Some Politicians are More Dangerous than Others. He has served as director of mental health services for the Massachusetts prisons and prison mental hospital, president of the International Association for Forensic Psychotherapy, and as a consultant to President Clinton, Tony Blair, Kofi Annan, the World Court, the World Health Organization, and the World Economic Forum.
Lee: Your work with dangerous individuals and on violence prevention has guided us, since the 2017 conference at Yale, with the responsibility we have as professionals to alert and educate about danger, and that it was not about diagnosis, or mental illness. You often emphasize how mental illness does not make a person any more dangerous than the general population, that these are two separate issues. Could you expand on how to think about this?
Gilligan: If somebody starts shooting from an upper floor of a hotel, as happened some time ago in Las Vegas, you know that the guy is dangerous. The first question you ask yourself is not: "Gee, I wonder what his diagnosis is?" That question is simply not relevant. You know he is dangerous, and he needs to be stopped. So you look for the authorities who can stop him.
Something similar is relevant here with respect to Donald Trump. The main issue is not: "Is the president mentally ill?" but "Is he dangerous?" and "Who are the authorities who can bring him under control?" The only authorities who can bring him under control, at the moment, given the irresponsibility of the Republican Senators, seem to be the voters on November 3.
Regardless of what is going on inside his mind, the danger is not the likelihood that he is going to go out on Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody himself, as he mentioned as one example of what he could do without losing any voters. Political leaders do not generally commit acts of violence themselves. I don't know if Hitler ever killed anybody in his lifetime, himself, but whether he did or not, it was his effect on his followers that was the real danger. The same was true with Stalin and every major dictator; it is the followers who commit the bulk of the murders.
Is this also how Donald Trump is dangerous?
Yes. He has repeatedly incited his followers to commit acts of violence. I list seven of them in my chapter in The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump. I will just mention one of them here. He has urged his followers at political rallies to commit violence against people protesting peacefully against him. "You know what they used to do to guys like that when they were in a place like this? They'd be carried out in a stretcher, folks…. knock the crap out of them, will you? Seriously, just knock the hell out of them. I will pay for the legal fees, I promise you." He even complained that his followers were not being violent enough yet, even after they had assaulted protesters severely enough to be arrested and prosecuted for assault and battery. And then when another Trump supporter deliberately ran his truck into a group of pedestrians and killed a woman and severely injured several others, Trump, instead of condemning this, said: "Well, there were good and bad people on both sides," implying a moral equivalency between murder by his followers and non-violent demonstrations by those opposing him.
This danger derives ultimately, of course, from what is happening inside Trump's mind, but I am not going to speculate about what is going on there, as I have never examined him myself. But I do know what he has said publicly, and I will pay attention to that. Of course one could infer some psychiatric conclusions from his endless flood of tweets and public statements, but I don't think that is really what is most relevant here. I think the essence of his dangerousness is the effect he has on his followers, just as the main reason other demagogues were so dangerous and violent was because they could influence others to commit their violence for them. And that has been true throughout history. That is why I regard this as a public health problem. I am not interested in being Trump's individual psychiatrist, nor do I need to be in order to recognize how dangerous he is.
What is the difference between clinical psychiatry and public health, or preventive psychiatry?
In clinical psychiatry, we diagnose individuals, and we come up with a treatment plan, and we work with them as individuals. But public health deals with epidemics of violence, and with the incidence and rates of violence, and I think that is what we need to do here. I could spend hours describing individuals who committed acts of serious violence and attributed that to the influence of Donald Trump, which is important and relevant, but people could complain that is kind of cherry-picking this person or that. So I would rather emphasize statistical studies, such as one that pointed out that the incidence of hate crimes increased abruptly to a statistically significant degree in cities that had just had a Trump rally two or three days before, compared with comparable cities in the same state that had not had a Trump rally.
How far can epidemics of violence spread?
This happens on a worldwide basis. The mass murderer who killed people in the two synagogues in New Zealand, in order to show how thoroughly he identified with Trump, made the same complaint about Trump that Trump made about his followers: his complaint was that Trump wasn't violent enough yet. So he was showing how you could be even more violent than even Trump had called for. So what I'm saying is that the example and rhetoric of a political leader are very powerful, and can influence people to engage in violence at a level that is really dangerous to our communities and our society.
The other reason Trump is so dangerous is because even if he were the same person, with the same psychopathology but a private individual, he wouldn't be remotely as dangerous as he is now. But as president of the United States, he has his finger on the triggers of a thousand thermonuclear weapons, and as commander-in-chief he could order them to be deployed. That is the kind of thing that makes him more dangerous to this country and the whole world than any past dictator has ever been.


alternet--2020-09-28--John Oliver breaks down how Dems can bring the pain to Mitch McConnell — even if he wins re-election

`` Last Week Tonight '' host John Oliver returned to his Sunday show , fresh off of an Emmy win , to explain how the United States got so incredibly f*cked up .
Oliver began by remembering Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and noting that her seat will be taken over by a far-right conservative justice who will unmake healthcare , reproductive freedom , LGBTQ rights and more things Americans have indicated they want .
He played a clip of Sen. Mitt Romney ( R-UT ) claiming that America is a `` center-right '' country , which Oliver called outright `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support reproductive freedom , they also support LGBTQ equality .
At the same time , Americans also believe , overwhelmingly , that President Donald Trump should n't be allowed to appoint the next justice .
After walking through the corrupt ways America got to this point , namely Sen. Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) , he suggested major ideas required for bringing down this disparity in the United States that gives the most amount of power to small , less populous states .
However , `` as easy and as fun as it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mule piss for everything , it is a mistake to focus just on the people involved here because there is a whole system underneath them that has enabled them to do what they have done , '' said Oliver .
After blaming Mitch McConnell as one of the ways we got to where we are , Oliver then blamed the undemocratic systems that still exist in the United States .
Namely , Oliver called out Republicans for claiming that because they hold the Senate majority , it means they have a `` mandate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The problem with that logic is that neither the Senate nor the presidency reflects the so-called `` will of the people . ''
`` First , take the White House , '' said Oliver .
`` A Democrat has won the national popular vote in four out of the last five elections .
But we 've spent 12 of the last 20 years with a Republican in office .
And that is because the Electoral College , with its winner-take-all approach of the states , can distort the will of the majority .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ disproportionate power to less populous states , which tend to be rural and more conservative .
Something that is even more pronounced in the Senate . ''
He explained that 15 states represent 38 million people , and they have 30 American Senators .
California has a population of about 40 million people , but they still only get two senators .
Washington , D.C. and Puerto Rico have a population of about 4 million Americans , the same of Rhode Island , Montana , and Wyoming .
The Senate gives the average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ representation as white Americans in a government that purports to be `` by and for the people . ''
The average Hispanic American only gets about 55 percent as much representation as whites in the U.S. Talk about separate but equal .
So , when Amy Coney Barrett is confirmed , `` a president who lost the popular vote will have picked the quarter of the federal judiciary and one-third of the supreme Supreme Court .
And his choice will be rubber-stamped by a Senate-Republican majority that represents 15 million fewer people than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through what Democrats can and should do if they take power in 2020 .
It 's time for fast and sweeping change , and they ca n't wait around for `` bipartisan '' buy-in because they 'll never get it .
If we truly want America to be a representative democracy , we have to give representation to every American and ensure they 're treated equally .
That does n't exist now , but if Democrats win , it could .
And now , here 's a poem Oliver wrote about Ted Cruz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man , Ted Cruz .
I do not like his backward views .
I do not like his stupid suits .
I do not like his cowboy boots .
I do not like him when he sneezes .
I do not like him eating cheeses .
I hate to see his dumb face smirkin' Because his beard looks like a merkin . ''
See the video below : The Supreme Court : Last Week Tonight with John Oliver ( HBO )

"Last Week Tonight" host John Oliver returned to his Sunday show, fresh off of an Emmy win, to explain how the United States got so incredibly f*cked up.
Oliver began by remembering Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and noting that her seat will be taken over by a far-right conservative justice who will unmake healthcare, reproductive freedom, LGBTQ rights and more things Americans have indicated they want.
He played a clip of Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) claiming that America is a "center-right" country, which Oliver called outright "bullsh*t." Not only do Americans overwhelming support reproductive freedom, they also support LGBTQ equality. At the same time, Americans also believe, overwhelmingly, that President Donald Trump shouldn't be allowed to appoint the next justice.
After walking through the corrupt ways America got to this point, namely Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), he suggested major ideas required for bringing down this disparity in the United States that gives the most amount of power to small, less populous states.
However, "as easy and as fun as it is to blame Mitch McConnell and his mule piss for everything, it is a mistake to focus just on the people involved here because there is a whole system underneath them that has enabled them to do what they have done," said Oliver.
After blaming Mitch McConnell as one of the ways we got to where we are, Oliver then blamed the undemocratic systems that still exist in the United States. Namely, Oliver called out Republicans for claiming that because they hold the Senate majority, it means they have a "mandate" to do whatever they want. The problem with that logic is that neither the Senate nor the presidency reflects the so-called "will of the people."
"First, take the White House," said Oliver. "A Democrat has won the national popular vote in four out of the last five elections. But we've spent 12 of the last 20 years with a Republican in office. And that is because the Electoral College, with its winner-take-all approach of the states, can distort the will of the majority. On top of which, it gives disproportionate power to less populous states, which tend to be rural and more conservative. Something that is even more pronounced in the Senate."
He explained that 15 states represent 38 million people, and they have 30 American Senators. California has a population of about 40 million people, but they still only get two senators. Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico have a population of about 4 million Americans, the same of Rhode Island, Montana, and Wyoming.
The Senate gives the average black Americans only 75 percent as much representation as white Americans in a government that purports to be "by and for the people." The average Hispanic American only gets about 55 percent as much representation as whites in the U.S. Talk about separate but equal.
So, when Amy Coney Barrett is confirmed, "a president who lost the popular vote will have picked the quarter of the federal judiciary and one-third of the supreme Supreme Court. And his choice will be rubber-stamped by a Senate-Republican majority that represents 15 million fewer people than the Democratic minority."
Oliver walked through what Democrats can and should do if they take power in 2020. It's time for fast and sweeping change, and they can't wait around for "bipartisan" buy-in because they'll never get it. If we truly want America to be a representative democracy, we have to give representation to every American and ensure they're treated equally. That doesn't exist now, but if Democrats win, it could.
And now, here's a poem Oliver wrote about Ted Cruz:
"I do not like that man, Ted Cruz.
I do not like his backward views.
I do not like his stupid suits.
I do not like his cowboy boots.
I do not like him when he sneezes.
I do not like him eating cheeses.
I hate to see his dumb face smirkin'
Because his beard looks like a merkin."
See the video below:


alternet--2020-09-28--Former Trump national security adviser says Trump's election claims are 'a gift to our adversaries'

The Sunday shows were sleepy today—unusually so , given the nomination of a new would-be Supreme Court justice less than 24 hours ago .
It may be that we have simply lost our ability to be entranced by The Usual Bullshit .
Newest Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows held forth on a few topics , for example , but because ex-House Republican Mark Meadows has been a lying , gross hack since the day he flopped , like a bag of wet laundry , onto the national scene , none of it amounted to a hill of beans .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which the nation 's most powerful and connected people sit themselves down and weave fanciful tales of insulting nonsense that we are all supposed to nod our heads and stroke our chins to , is too wearying in the time of COVID-19 .
200,000 deaths and rising steadily : not the best background for a puppet show .
There was at least one moment of note .
Former Trump national security adviser Lt. Gen. ( Ret ) H.R .
McMaster has a new book to sell , which means he suddenly has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at least according to the arcane rules of Sunday show bookings .
McMaster was willing to give us the very steady assurance that there will be no military coup in November .
He was n't going to go out on a limb and suggest that there will be no coup , mind you—just not one specifically supported by the U.S. Army et al .
So there you go—and you were complaining that there was no good news in 2020 .
Tsk .
Full McMaster : 'The Military Will Have No Role In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meet The Press Responding on Meet the Press to a question posed by the hosting lump of journalistic drywall , a question about whether Donald Trump might make good on his threats to invoke the Insurrection Act to put down whatever he personally deems to be `` unrest '' if things do not go his way , McMaster boldly assured viewers that the military would not get involved .
`` I think what 's really clear for the American people to understand is , the military will have no role in a transition—in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I think , is irresponsible , and that 's maybe why , if you detect some reticence on the part of senior military leaders , or those in the Pentagon to talk about it , it 's because it should n't even be a topic for discussion . ''
There you go , then : no military-supported coup in 2020 , and we have the word of a man once hired by Donald Trump to be a national security adviser to put behind that one .
Not going to happen .
Stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response , McMaster also said it was `` wrong '' and `` more than unfortunate '' that Trump gassed an American crowd for an impromptu photo-op , because we ca n't , `` across the political spectrum , Chuck , which really bothers me these days , '' try to `` pull the military into politics . ''
So we can be assured the military will not be called up to deal with `` unrest '' if Donald Trump decides certain cities need tear-gassing , on or after election day , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is because when Trump Already Did That , it was unfortunate .
You know , across the political spectrum .
Because both sides—wait , come again ?
`` Some of the things the president said I think have been irresponsible , but often times , the reaction to what he says is equally irresponsible . ''
Ah , there we go .
The siren song of American Journalism , Post-Capitalist Pandemic Dystopia Edition .
The archconservative slide into criminality and violence-endorsing fascism is bad , mind you , but is n't people reacting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't we all meet at a happy midpoint , where we agree that , say , using active duty military troops to occupy American cities deemed Very Naughty by a clearly corrupt attorney general is unfortunate , but objecting to that too strongly is Communist , or something ?
If only we could all agree to a happy midpoint , where an archconservative cabal bent on nullifying anticorruption norms could retain power and we agree to , you know , not raise too much a stink over it .
It 's called comity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I forget where we 're even go—wait !
I remember .
Ex-Trump official H.R .
McMaster has thoughts .
Among his thoughts are that Donald J. Trump not agreeing to commit himself to a `` peaceful '' transition of power , if people he does n't like vote ways he does n't like in November , is extremely horribly bad .
`` It 's a gift to our adversaries , right , who want to shake our confidence in who we are .
Shake our confidence in our democratic principles , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What I write about in Battlegrounds is how Russia , for example , has engaged in this campaign of disruption , disinformation , and denial , and if , if the Russians can just use our own words against us , that 's the best way to pull us apart from one another . ''
All right , so Donald Trump is directly giving a `` gift '' to our adversaries , specifically Russia , in damaging our democracy for his own personal gain , which sounds like one of the more clear-cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of office , but this dangerous attack on our very means of government is not so threatening that a book plug can not be wedged in there somewhere .
Sigh .
This was a mistake .
Today 's exercise has been nothing but another confirmation that a national press that sent itself into maudlin uproar over whether past presidents should remove themselves for X , Y , or Z will not launch themselves too fully into the fray over whether threatening the use of U.S. troops to quell protests , or whether an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on which individual protesters to charge with supposed federal violations , or whether multiple clear ethical breaches from international extortion to holding a political convention on the White House lawn—none of that has yet set off American journalism 's disapprobation in the same way that far lesser scandals have been micro-parsed into reasons why political heads should roll .
American democracy may be at its most precarious point in a centuryish , but By God There Will Be Books To Sell .
Both Sides will be chastised in equal proportion , and not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upsetting the national stomach and national tea time with widespread uncouthness of rhetoric .
There still looks to be a way out , mind you .
If Joe Biden , of all people , manages to wipe the floor with Trump 's bad weave on election night , all of this could fade again—though slowly .
But it would require a new commitment to civility .
For example , a new Sunday show in which we round up figures from the past regime and allow common Americans to slap them upside the head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one time for each lie told in office or on the job .
Really just deck 'em .
Civility , of the sort that all these thumping blowhards insist was the way things were done in the good old days .
Do it as charity fundraiser .
They can all write books about it afterward , moaning books about the injustice of it all , and Balance will be restored .

The Sunday shows were sleepy today—unusually so, given the nomination of a new would-be Supreme Court justice less than 24 hours ago. It may be that we have simply lost our ability to be entranced by The Usual Bullshit. Newest Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows held forth on a few topics, for example, but because ex-House Republican Mark Meadows has been a lying, gross hack since the day he flopped, like a bag of wet laundry, onto the national scene, none of it amounted to a hill of beans. The Sunday shows' go-to format, in which the nation's most powerful and connected people sit themselves down and weave fanciful tales of insulting nonsense that we are all supposed to nod our heads and stroke our chins to, is too wearying in the time of COVID-19.
200,000 deaths and rising steadily: not the best background for a puppet show.
There was at least one moment of note. Former Trump national security adviser Lt. Gen. (Ret) H.R. McMaster has a new book to sell, which means he suddenly has new insights to share with the world, at least according to the arcane rules of Sunday show bookings. McMaster was willing to give us the very steady assurance that there will be no military coup in November. He wasn't going to go out on a limb and suggest that there will be no coup, mind you—just not one specifically supported by the U.S. Army et al.
So there you go—and you were complaining that there was no good news in 2020. Tsk.
Full McMaster: 'The Military Will Have No Role In A Transition' After The Election | Meet The Press youtu.be
Responding on Meet the Press to a question posed by the hosting lump of journalistic drywall, a question about whether Donald Trump might make good on his threats to invoke the Insurrection Act to put down whatever he personally deems to be "unrest" if things do not go his way, McMaster boldly assured viewers that the military would not get involved.
"I think what's really clear for the American people to understand is, the military will have no role in a transition—in fact, to even talk about it, I think, is irresponsible, and that's maybe why, if you detect some reticence on the part of senior military leaders, or those in the Pentagon to talk about it, it's because it shouldn't even be a topic for discussion."
There you go, then: no military-supported coup in 2020, and we have the word of a man once hired by Donald Trump to be a national security adviser to put behind that one. Not going to happen. Stop bringing it up.
Feel better yet?
In his next response, McMaster also said it was "wrong" and "more than unfortunate" that Trump gassed an American crowd for an impromptu photo-op, because we can't, "across the political spectrum, Chuck, which really bothers me these days," try to "pull the military into politics."
So we can be assured the military will not be called up to deal with "unrest" if Donald Trump decides certain cities need tear-gassing, on or after election day, and the reason we can be assured of that is because when Trump Already Did That, it was unfortunate.
You know, across the political spectrum. Because both sides—wait, come again?
"Some of the things the president said I think have been irresponsible, but often times, the reaction to what he says is equally irresponsible."
Ah, there we go. The siren song of American Journalism, Post-Capitalist Pandemic Dystopia Edition. The archconservative slide into criminality and violence-endorsing fascism is bad, mind you, but isn't people reacting to such things equally bad?
Can't we all meet at a happy midpoint, where we agree that, say, using active duty military troops to occupy American cities deemed Very Naughty by a clearly corrupt attorney general is unfortunate, but objecting to that too strongly is Communist, or something? If only we could all agree to a happy midpoint, where an archconservative cabal bent on nullifying anticorruption norms could retain power and we agree to, you know, not raise too much a stink over it. It's called comity, you cretins—look it up.
Anyhoo, I forget where we're even go—wait! I remember. Ex-Trump official H.R. McMaster has thoughts. Among his thoughts are that Donald J. Trump not agreeing to commit himself to a "peaceful" transition of power, if people he doesn't like vote ways he doesn't like in November, is extremely horribly bad.
"It's a gift to our adversaries, right, who want to shake our confidence in who we are. Shake our confidence in our democratic principles, and institutions, and processes."
Well that sounds ba—
"What I write about in Battlegrounds is how Russia, for example, has engaged in this campaign of disruption, disinformation, and denial, and if, if the Russians can just use our own words against us, that's the best way to pull us apart from one another."
All right, so Donald Trump is directly giving a "gift" to our adversaries, specifically Russia, in damaging our democracy for his own personal gain, which sounds like one of the more clear-cut violations of the job's theoretical oath of office, but this dangerous attack on our very means of government is not so threatening that a book plug cannot be wedged in there somewhere.
Sigh. This was a mistake. Today's exercise has been nothing but another confirmation that a national press that sent itself into maudlin uproar over whether past presidents should remove themselves for X, Y, or Z will not launch themselves too fully into the fray over whether threatening the use of U.S. troops to quell protests, or whether an attorney general personally involving himself in decisions on which individual protesters to charge with supposed federal violations, or whether multiple clear ethical breaches from international extortion to holding a political convention on the White House lawn—none of that has yet set off American journalism's disapprobation in the same way that far lesser scandals have been micro-parsed into reasons why political heads should roll.
American democracy may be at its most precarious point in a centuryish, but By God There Will Be Books To Sell. Both Sides will be chastised in equal proportion, and not for the gassing or lawbreaking but for upsetting the national stomach and national tea time with widespread uncouthness of rhetoric.
There still looks to be a way out, mind you. If Joe Biden, of all people, manages to wipe the floor with Trump's bad weave on election night, all of this could fade again—though slowly. But it would require a new commitment to civility.
For example, a new Sunday show in which we round up figures from the past regime and allow common Americans to slap them upside the head, as hard as they can, one time for each lie told in office or on the job. Really just deck 'em. Civility, of the sort that all these thumping blowhards insist was the way things were done in the good old days. Do it as charity fundraiser. They can all write books about it afterward, moaning books about the injustice of it all, and Balance will be restored.


alternet--2020-09-29--Dr. Anthony Fauci: Some of Fox News' COVID-19 ‘misinformation’ is ‘outlandish’

When MSNBC and CNN were reporting , earlier this year , that COVID-19 was shaping up to be the worst global health crisis since the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918/1919 , many of the opinion hosts at Fox News were downplaying its severity and claiming that the media coverage of the novel coronavirus was overblown — and months later , according to Dr. Anthony Fauci , parts of the right-wing cable news outlet continue to be a source of dangerous misinformation .
Fauci , an expert immunologist and the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 28 and told Brian Stelter , `` If you listen to Fox News — with all due respect to the fact that they do have some good reporters — some of the things that they report there are outlandish , to be honest with you . ''
The NIAID director , who is part of President Donald Trump 's coronavirus task force , made it clear that he was n't criticizing everyone at Fox News .
But he was highly critical of those at Fox who are pushing misinformation about COVID-19 — which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baltimore , has now killed more than 1 million people worldwide and over 205,000 people in the United States .
Fauci told Stelter , `` Some of the media I deal with really kind of — I would n't say distort things — but certainly give opposing perspectives on what seems to be a pretty obvious fact . ''
According to Fauci , `` This is about public health .
The bad guy is the virus .
The bad guy is not the person on the other side of your opinion… .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divisive time that we 're in , and the public really needs to know the facts . ''
Although Fauci has , for the most part , avoided directly criticizing Trump , he has been highly critical of one of the president 's allies : Dr. Scott Atlas , who has been promoting `` herd immunity '' about COVID-19 .
Atlas has been claiming that if enough Americans are infected with COVID-19 , the U.S. could neutralize the novel coronavirus by achieving `` herd immunity . ''
But according to Fauci , Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Disease Control and Prevention ) and other medical experts , taking that approach would be deadly .
Nonetheless , Fauci tried to sound diplomatic when discussing Atlas with Stelter , telling the CNN host he is always happy to have a polite conversation with Atlas and see if they can `` resolve '' their `` differences . ''

When MSNBC and CNN were reporting, earlier this year, that COVID-19 was shaping up to be the worst global health crisis since the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918/1919, many of the opinion hosts at Fox News were downplaying its severity and claiming that the media coverage of the novel coronavirus was overblown — and months later, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, parts of the right-wing cable news outlet continue to be a source of dangerous misinformation.
Fauci, an expert immunologist and the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, appeared on CNN on Monday, September 28 and told Brian Stelter, "If you listen to Fox News — with all due respect to the fact that they do have some good reporters — some of the things that they report there are outlandish, to be honest with you."
The NIAID director, who is part of President Donald Trump's coronavirus task force, made it clear that he wasn't criticizing everyone at Fox News. But he was highly critical of those at Fox who are pushing misinformation about COVID-19 — which, according to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, has now killed more than 1 million people worldwide and over 205,000 people in the United States.
Fauci told Stelter, "Some of the media I deal with really kind of — I wouldn't say distort things — but certainly give opposing perspectives on what seems to be a pretty obvious fact."
According to Fauci, "This is about public health. The bad guy is the virus. The bad guy is not the person on the other side of your opinion…. There is so much misinformation during this very divisive time that we're in, and the public really needs to know the facts."
Although Fauci has, for the most part, avoided directly criticizing Trump, he has been highly critical of one of the president's allies: Dr. Scott Atlas, who has been promoting "herd immunity" about COVID-19. Atlas has been claiming that if enough Americans are infected with COVID-19, the U.S. could neutralize the novel coronavirus by achieving "herd immunity." But according to Fauci, Dr. Robert Redfield (director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and other medical experts, taking that approach would be deadly.
Nonetheless, Fauci tried to sound diplomatic when discussing Atlas with Stelter, telling the CNN host he is always happy to have a polite conversation with Atlas and see if they can "resolve" their "differences."