alternet--2020-12-05--Mike Pence jumps back on the Trump train falsely suggesting the presidential election is still undec

Mike Pence jumps back on the Trump train falsely suggesting the presidential election is still undecided

Vice President Mike Pence 's trip to Georgia led to more false claims about the presidential election .
During the rally , Pence did urge votes to put aside their disapproval of the election outcome in Georgia and head to the polls for the upcoming Senate runoff election .
`` We 're on 'em this time , '' Pence said .
`` We 're watching .
We 're gon na secure our polls .
We 're gon na secure our drop boxes .
So get an absentee ballot and vote and vote today . ''
But instead of focusing solely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at one point , offered a glint of false hope to his and President Donald Trump 's supporters by suggesting the presidential election is still undecided , according to USAToday .
While he did not blatantly describe the election as rigged , he did claim that they will keep fighting until `` all legal votes are counted . ''
`` As our election contests continue , here in Georgia and in courts across the country , I 'll make you a promise , '' Pence said at a rally for the Senate races @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fighting until every legal vote is counted .
We 're going to keep fighting until every illegal vote is thrown out . ''
However , Pence failed to acknowledge that vote counting has concluded in many of the critical swing states Trump needed to win the election .
In fact , most of those states have already certified their vote count .
To make matters worse , none of the Trump campaign legal battles have led to major developments that would have impacted the outcome of the election .
But Trump continues to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theories , and questionable reports from conservatively-bias news outlets .
In fact , devout Trump supporters are even spewing misinformation and claims that could ultimately cost Republicans the Senate .
As a response to the disapproval of Georgia 's handling of the presidential election , some Trump allies are encouraging Republican voters to skip casting their ballot for the Senate runoff as form of protest .
Pence 's trip to Georgia also comes as an overwhelming number of congressional Republicans still refuse to accept the election results and acknowledge President-elect Joe Biden 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , the transition process for the incoming Biden administration has already begun .
The Georgia runoff , set for January 5 , is a critical election that could decide who controls the Senate .

Vice President Mike Pence's trip to Georgia led to more false claims about the presidential election.
During the rally, Pence did urge votes to put aside their disapproval of the election outcome in Georgia and head to the polls for the upcoming Senate runoff election.
"We're on 'em this time," Pence said. "We're watching. We're gonna secure our polls. We're gonna secure our drop boxes. So get an absentee ballot and vote and vote today."
But instead of focusing solely on the upcoming Georgia runoff Pence, at one point, offered a glint of false hope to his and President Donald Trump's supporters by suggesting the presidential election is still undecided, according to USAToday. While he did not blatantly describe the election as rigged, he did claim that they will keep fighting until "all legal votes are counted."
"As our election contests continue, here in Georgia and in courts across the country, I'll make you a promise," Pence said at a rally for the Senate races. "We're going to keep fighting until every legal vote is counted. We're going to keep fighting until every illegal vote is thrown out."
However, Pence failed to acknowledge that vote counting has concluded in many of the critical swing states Trump needed to win the election. In fact, most of those states have already certified their vote count. To make matters worse, none of the Trump campaign legal battles have led to major developments that would have impacted the outcome of the election. But Trump continues to circulate baseless voter fraud claims, conspiracy theories, and questionable reports from conservatively-bias news outlets.
In fact, devout Trump supporters are even spewing misinformation and claims that could ultimately cost Republicans the Senate. As a response to the disapproval of Georgia's handling of the presidential election, some Trump allies are encouraging Republican voters to skip casting their ballot for the Senate runoff as form of protest.
Pence's trip to Georgia also comes as an overwhelming number of congressional Republicans still refuse to accept the election results and acknowledge President-elect Joe Biden's victory, as previously reported on AlterNet. However, the transition process for the incoming Biden administration has already begun. The Georgia runoff, set for January 5, is a critical election that could decide who controls the Senate.


alternet--2020-12-05--Boeing 737 Max crashes were not isolated events -- they're the result of deregulation

The Federal Aviation Administration recently declared the Boeing 737 Max is safe to fly .
Still , American consumers are nervous .
And they should be .
International regulators – from Canada , Europe , Brazil and China – have taken the unusual step of refusing to accept the Federal Aviation Administration 's approval , insisting instead on conducting their own reviews .
They do n't trust the FAA .
And if they do n't , why should we ?
The two deadly 737 Max crashes – the first in 2018 from Indonesia 's Lion Air , and the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Ethiopian Airlines – reflected dangerous inadequacies with FAA oversight , and , more broadly , dysfunction across the American regulatory system .
In the aftermath of the crashes , the Joint Authorities , an FAA-commissioned investigatory body with experts from NASA and international aviation authorities , targeted faulty navigation systems and blamed them , in part , on the FAA 's abdication of regulation in favor of self-regulation .
Nearly all aspects of certifying the 737 Max were in Boeing 's hands , not the FAA 's , the Joint Authorities found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was shot through with `` conflicting priorities and an environment that does not support FAA requirements . ''
The 737 Max crashes were not isolated events , however .
Corporate disasters connected to deregulation and undue reliance on self-regulation are depressingly frequent : Collapsed mines , pipeline spills , food and water contamination scares , consumer fraud , cancer clusters , fires , crashes , and explosions .
The Deepwater Horizon disaster and Wall Street 's 2008 meltdown resulted in part from deregulation and failed self-regulation .
Big tech monopolies and the climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to industries ' success in keeping regulators at bay .
Part of that success has been rooted in the surface appeal of self-regulation , which corporations leverage to fight for deregulation .
Trotting out increasingly ambitious commitments to the environment and social responsibility , companies claim they should be trusted to respect social and environmental values rather than compelled by law to do so ; that they should be left to self-regulate rather than be regulated .
Which helps them push harder , and more successfully , to free themselves from regulatory oversight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his Business Roundtable recently called upon major companies to broaden their mandates by serving the interests of workers , communities and the environment , not only shareholders .
Yet the Roundtable and the companies that constitute it vociferously fight , without any sense of contradiction , or even irony , to rollback regulations designed to protect workers , communities , and the environment .
In 2017 , for example , the organization lobbied the Trump administration to cut , among other things , ozone and coal-fired plant emission standards , clean water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requirements , and net neutrality rules .
Corporations fight regulation because it 's good for their bottom lines to do so .
In the absence of regulation , they can create their own standards and decide when and how to follow them , rather than being bound by government 's mandatory dictates .
Shifting from regulation to self-regulation is good for business .
But , as the 737 Max crashes along with other deregulation disasters show , that does n't mean it 's good for the rest of us .
Self-regulation programs are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overarching imperatives to prioritize profit and shareholder value necessarily trump meaningful protection of public interests .
The former must always come first , the latter last .
Which is why , as the economist Willem Buiter describes it , `` self-regulation stands in relation to regulation as self-importance stands in relation to importance , and self-righteousness to righteousness . ''
Or , more ominously , in the words of the official post mortem of the Deepwater Horizon disaster , `` industry self-policing is not a substitute for government….and the cost of forgetting that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Only governments can provide robust protection of public interests – independent , mandatory , and enforceable .
Corporate self-regulation is a dangerous illusion propagated by companies wanting to lighten their regulatory load , and lobbied for behind a deceptive guise of good intentions .
As Joe Biden prepares to occupy the White House , remaking the regulatory system will be among his top priorities .
His early steps have been positive ( vowing , for example , to reverse Trump 's rollbacks of energy and climate regulation ) but he 'll need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to foster robust and effectively enforced standards ; agencies with integrity and independence ; resilience in the face of industry lobbying and pressure ; and a highly skeptical eye towards self-regulation .
One can only hope Trump 's four-year attack on the regulatory system will take its place in history as a kind of tipping point , the needed impetus for bold and far-reaching change to create a new and better system .
Joel Bakan is the author of `` The New Corporation : How 'Good ' Corporations Are Bad For Democracy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feature documentary film based upon the book .
A law professor at the University of British Columbia , his previous works include `` The Corporation '' book and film .

The Federal Aviation Administration recently declared the Boeing 737 Max is safe to fly. Still, American consumers are nervous. And they should be. International regulators – from Canada, Europe, Brazil and China – have taken the unusual step of refusing to accept the Federal Aviation Administration's approval, insisting instead on conducting their own reviews.
They don't trust the FAA. And if they don't, why should we? The two deadly 737 Max crashes – the first in 2018 from Indonesia's Lion Air, and the second, several months later in 2019, from Ethiopian Airlines – reflected dangerous inadequacies with FAA oversight, and, more broadly, dysfunction across the American regulatory system.
In the aftermath of the crashes, the Joint Authorities, an FAA-commissioned investigatory body with experts from NASA and international aviation authorities, targeted faulty navigation systems and blamed them, in part, on the FAA's abdication of regulation in favor of self-regulation. Nearly all aspects of certifying the 737 Max were in Boeing's hands, not the FAA's, the Joint Authorities found, and the company's self-regulation program was shot through with "conflicting priorities and an environment that does not support FAA requirements."
The 737 Max crashes were not isolated events, however. Corporate disasters connected to deregulation and undue reliance on self-regulation are depressingly frequent: Collapsed mines, pipeline spills, food and water contamination scares, consumer fraud, cancer clusters, fires, crashes, and explosions. The Deepwater Horizon disaster and Wall Street's 2008 meltdown resulted in part from deregulation and failed self-regulation. Big tech monopolies and the climate crisis are both spiraling due in part to industries' success in keeping regulators at bay.
Part of that success has been rooted in the surface appeal of self-regulation, which corporations leverage to fight for deregulation. Trotting out increasingly ambitious commitments to the environment and social responsibility, companies claim they should be trusted to respect social and environmental values rather than compelled by law to do so; that they should be left to self-regulate rather than be regulated. Which helps them push harder, and more successfully, to free themselves from regulatory oversight.
JP Morgan Chase's Jamie Dimon and his Business Roundtable recently called upon major companies to broaden their mandates by serving the interests of workers, communities and the environment, not only shareholders. Yet the Roundtable and the companies that constitute it vociferously fight, without any sense of contradiction, or even irony, to rollback regulations designed to protect workers, communities, and the environment. In 2017, for example, the organization lobbied the Trump administration to cut, among other things, ozone and coal-fired plant emission standards, clean water rules, worker overtime and fair pay requirements, and net neutrality rules.
Corporations fight regulation because it's good for their bottom lines to do so. In the absence of regulation, they can create their own standards and decide when and how to follow them, rather than being bound by government's mandatory dictates. Shifting from regulation to self-regulation is good for business. But, as the 737 Max crashes along with other deregulation disasters show, that doesn't mean it's good for the rest of us.
Self-regulation programs are profoundly limited and weak because companies' overarching imperatives to prioritize profit and shareholder value necessarily trump meaningful protection of public interests. The former must always come first, the latter last. Which is why, as the economist Willem Buiter describes it, "self-regulation stands in relation to regulation as self-importance stands in relation to importance, and self-righteousness to righteousness." Or, more ominously, in the words of the official post mortem of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, "industry self-policing is not a substitute for government….and the cost of forgetting that essential premise can be calamitous."
Only governments can provide robust protection of public interests – independent, mandatory, and enforceable. Corporate self-regulation is a dangerous illusion propagated by companies wanting to lighten their regulatory load, and lobbied for behind a deceptive guise of good intentions.
As Joe Biden prepares to occupy the White House, remaking the regulatory system will be among his top priorities. His early steps have been positive (vowing, for example, to reverse Trump's rollbacks of energy and climate regulation) but he'll need to do more, and more broadly: to foster robust and effectively enforced standards; agencies with integrity and independence; resilience in the face of industry lobbying and pressure; and a highly skeptical eye towards self-regulation. One can only hope Trump's four-year attack on the regulatory system will take its place in history as a kind of tipping point, the needed impetus for bold and far-reaching change to create a new and better system.
Joel Bakan is the author of "The New Corporation: How 'Good' Corporations Are Bad For Democracy," and writer and co-director of a feature documentary film based upon the book. A law professor at the University of British Columbia, his previous works include "The Corporation" book and film.


alternet--2020-12-05--More than 200 House Republicans still refuse to acknowledge Joe Biden's election victory

It 's been nearly one whole month since the presidential election was called for President-elect Joe Biden but there is still an overwhelming number of congressional Republicans who still refuse to acknowledge the outcome of the election .
According to the Washington Post , approximately 222 Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate still refuse to acknowledge Biden 's win .
The staggering number of lawmakers accounts for `` nearly 90 % '' of all congressional Republicans , based on a survey conducted by the publication starting on Wednesday , Dec. 2 , after President Donald Trump 's bizarre 46-minute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election .
The survey comes as Trump continues to push baseless , dangerous claims about the outcome of the election .
As his campaign legal team pushes for more legal challenges , their claims and court dockets appear more desperate as they are riddled with errors and lack of evidence to support widespread voter fraud .
In fact , nearly all of the lawsuits have been dismissed in multiple states and most of the key swing states have already certified their vote .
But Republican lawmakers are still refusing to accept the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , some Republican lawmakers are even considering challenging the results , under the Electoral Count Act , when electors vote on December 14 .
`` An obscure 1887 law called the Electoral Count Act , and several subsequent updates , spell out the process , setting Jan. 6 after a presidential election as the official certification date and outlining vague , complicated procedures . ''
Despite the obvious outcome , Rep. Matt Gaetz ( R-Fla. ) even claimed , `` Nothing is off the table . ''
However , Biden has already been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 360 electors .
Trump has only received 232 electors and has no definitive path to 270 .

It's been nearly one whole month since the presidential election was called for President-elect Joe Biden but there is still an overwhelming number of congressional Republicans who still refuse to acknowledge the outcome of the election.
According to the Washington Post, approximately 222 Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate still refuse to acknowledge Biden's win. The staggering number of lawmakers accounts for "nearly 90%" of all congressional Republicans, based on a survey conducted by the publication starting on Wednesday, Dec. 2, after President Donald Trump's bizarre 46-minute rant falsely claiming he won the presidential election.
The survey comes as Trump continues to push baseless, dangerous claims about the outcome of the election. As his campaign legal team pushes for more legal challenges, their claims and court dockets appear more desperate as they are riddled with errors and lack of evidence to support widespread voter fraud. In fact, nearly all of the lawsuits have been dismissed in multiple states and most of the key swing states have already certified their vote.
But Republican lawmakers are still refusing to accept the election outcome. As previously reported on AlterNet, some Republican lawmakers are even considering challenging the results, under the Electoral Count Act, when electors vote on December 14.
"An obscure 1887 law called the Electoral Count Act, and several subsequent updates, spell out the process, setting Jan. 6 after a presidential election as the official certification date and outlining vague, complicated procedures."
Despite the obvious outcome, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) even claimed, "Nothing is off the table." However, Biden has already been declared the winner of the election with 360 electors. Trump has only received 232 electors and has no definitive path to 270.


alternet--2020-12-05--New 'Heaven's Gate' series looks to Christianity to explain the method to the cult's madness

Many people first became aware of the Heaven 's Gate cult in 1997 , when — after an anonymous tip was called into the San Diego Police Department — the bodies of 39 men and women were found in a rented seven bedroom mansion .
Each of the bodies were dressed in androgynous outfits with matching haircuts and Nike sneakers .
On their arms were `` Star Trek '' -inspired bands that read `` Heaven 's Gate Away Team , '' and in their pockets were $ 5.75 .
The discovery caused an inevitable media frenzy , especially after law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mass suicide on American soil ( The `` Jonestown Massacre , '' during which more than 900 Americans died , took place in Guyana in 1978 ) .
The group believed that once they shedded their physical `` vehicles , '' they would ascend to heaven in a spaceship where they would reach the `` Next Level .
There , they would be transformed from their human shell into an alien form .
According to group documents , members had taken phenobarbital mixed with applesauce or pudding , followed by vodka , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suicides occurred in shifts over three days , with cult founder Marshall Applewhite — known as `` Do '' — being among the final shift .
The scene was horrifying , but had enough of an aura of oddity to eventually become fodder for late-night television shows and comedy sketches .
For example , in its first live show following the discovery of the bodies , `` Saturday Night Live '' aired a sketch in which the Heaven 's Gate members actually make it to space , followed by a fake advertisement for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Worn by level-headed Christians . ''
Inherent to all jokes was a question that tends to underlie many mainstream discussions of cults : `` How could someone be so easily taken ? ''
The more fringe the group , the more blunt the question — but one that HBO Max 's new docuseries `` Heaven 's Gate : The Cult of Cults , '' spearheaded by documentarian Clay Tweel , carefully attempts to dismantle and subvert over four hour-long episodes .
It 's a thoughtfully paced series , rich in original source material @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reenactments .
The first two episodes are n't the most salacious ( if that 's what you 're looking for , skip ahead to the last two episodes ) , but they are the most illuminating when it comes to identifying where the tenets of Heaven 's Gate fall in the orbit of culturally accepted religious and spiritual teachings .
If — like me — you grew up in or around a Christian church that was heavy on themes of sanctification and purification , some of the cult 's ideologies wo n't sound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replace the hellfire and brimstone with spacecraft and stargazing .
As this docuseries asserts early in the first episode , a key teaching of both mainstream Christianity and Heaven 's Gate was that growing in one 's spirituality hinges on shedding one 's worldliness .
As the Apostle Peter wrote to his followers , `` Dear friends , I warn you as 'temporary residents and foreigners ' to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls . ''
Meanwhile , archived footage of Heaven 's Gate members — gleaned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sessions , public access television appearances , and the now-infamous `` farewell messages '' from group followers — features them espousing similar sentiments .
`` I do n't think people know how deep their humanness goes , '' said Dick Joselyn , a one-time Air Force pilot trainee , who was a member of the Heaven 's Gate cult for over a decade , but as another member , Margaret Ella Richter , said , `` It 's possible to overcome humanness . ''
`` Heaven 's Gate : Cult of Cults '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sociologists and religious scholars — most notably author and researcher Reza Aslan — who thoughtly weave together this connection , before landing on one of the things that makes a cult a cult .
The leaders `` break you down and create a new you . ''
Again , this has a Biblical parallel .
Ephesians teaches , `` Put off your old self , which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires , and be renewed in the spirit of your minds . ''
Many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a spiritual , though not always Christian , analogue — ideas of ascension ( like in the Biblical book of Revelation ) , a state of enlightenment reminiscent of nirvana , an afterlife .
This gospel , if you will , was deeply influenced by New Age concepts , including the idea of `` walk-ins , '' a person whose original soul has departed his or her body and has been replaced with a modified soul .
These teachings were also eventually recorded by Applewhite in a series of videos that are deeply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be naive enough to join Heaven 's Gate ?
Well , as one of the featured religious scholars posits , the group was something akin to an errant branch of Christianity ( a point that host Glynn Washington made in his popular `` Heaven 's Gate '' podcast , wherein he details his own upbringing in a Doomsday Christian cult . )
It appealed to members for the same reasons churches continue to fill their pews .
People want to find connection , they want to feel like they are destined for something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life beyond our immediate and perceptible surroundings .
Some former members — who , like the members who eventually died by suicide , were largely educated with strong family ties — still describe their Heaven 's Gate years as the best time of their lives .
For a brief moment in time , they felt like they belonged .
That said , Heaven 's Gates teachings were ultimately dictated by its leaders .
Applegate 's `` spiritual partner , '' Bonnie Nettles — known as Ti — is presented as the mastermind behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baptist , but her beliefs ultimately became a kind of spiritual grab bag , influenced by New Age teachings , astrology , divination and science fiction .
And once she eventually died , and Applegate was on his own ( and absolutely bereft , it should be noted ) those teachings became flexible in order to cope with the cognitive dissonance that her `` leaving her vehicle early '' sparked .
That 's when , Tweel asserts , Heaven 's Gate became more about the messenger than the message , and Applegate transitions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the leader of the , as he puts it , `` cult of cults . ''
That 's when things dip into the salacious — and into more familiar territory for those who already know the story .
Where `` Heaven 's Gate : Cult of Cults '' falls a little short is in its explanation or exploration of Applegate and Nettles ' appeal .
As leaders , they lack any kind of discernable charisma .
While their teachings may have initially been palatable — even appealing — there 's a disconnect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stayed , especially when they were asked to forsake their families , mainstream society and any source of income .
This was n't just popping into a church service once a week — it was a full-time commitment , so I was left wondering when things became uncomfortable , what it was about their leadership that compelled their flock to persevere ?
That said , `` Heaven 's Gate : Cult of Cults '' is a thoughtful assessment of the mechanisms of how otherwise smart , savvy people are attracted to fringe beliefs.It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life and brings it solidly back to earth .
All four episodes of `` Heaven 's Gate : Cult of Cults '' are now available to stream on HBO Max .

Many people first became aware of the Heaven's Gate cult in 1997, when — after an anonymous tip was called into the San Diego Police Department — the bodies of 39 men and women were found in a rented seven bedroom mansion. Each of the bodies were dressed in androgynous outfits with matching haircuts and Nike sneakers. On their arms were "Star Trek"-inspired bands that read "Heaven's Gate Away Team," and in their pockets were $5.75.
The discovery caused an inevitable media frenzy, especially after law enforcement authorities reported it as the largest mass suicide on American soil ( The "Jonestown Massacre," during which more than 900 Americans died, took place in Guyana in 1978). The group believed that once they shedded their physical "vehicles," they would ascend to heaven in a spaceship where they would reach the "Next Level. There, they would be transformed from their human shell into an alien form.
According to group documents, members had taken phenobarbital mixed with applesauce or pudding, followed by vodka, then asphyxiated themselves with plastic bags. The suicides occurred in shifts over three days, with cult founder Marshall Applewhite — known as "Do" — being among the final shift.
The scene was horrifying, but had enough of an aura of oddity to eventually become fodder for late-night television shows and comedy sketches. For example, in its first live show following the discovery of the bodies, "Saturday Night Live" aired a sketch in which the Heaven's Gate members actually make it to space, followed by a fake advertisement for Keds, with the tagline, "Worn by level-headed Christians."
Inherent to all jokes was a question that tends to underlie many mainstream discussions of cults: "How could someone be so easily taken?" The more fringe the group, the more blunt the question — but one that HBO Max's new docuseries "Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults," spearheaded by documentarian Clay Tweel, carefully attempts to dismantle and subvert over four hour-long episodes. It's a thoughtfully paced series, rich in original source material and striking watercolor animations in place of reenactments.
The first two episodes aren't the most salacious (if that's what you're looking for, skip ahead to the last two episodes), but they are the most illuminating when it comes to identifying where the tenets of Heaven's Gate fall in the orbit of culturally accepted religious and spiritual teachings.
If — like me — you grew up in or around a Christian church that was heavy on themes of sanctification and purification, some of the cult's ideologies won't sound, well, too alien; just replace the hellfire and brimstone with spacecraft and stargazing.
As this docuseries asserts early in the first episode, a key teaching of both mainstream Christianity and Heaven's Gate was that growing in one's spirituality hinges on shedding one's worldliness. As the Apostle Peter wrote to his followers, "Dear friends, I warn you as 'temporary residents and foreigners' to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls."
Meanwhile, archived footage of Heaven's Gate members — gleaned by Tweel from early videos of recruiting sessions, public access television appearances, and the now-infamous "farewell messages" from group followers — features them espousing similar sentiments.
"I don't think people know how deep their humanness goes," said Dick Joselyn, a one-time Air Force pilot trainee, who was a member of the Heaven's Gate cult for over a decade, but as another member, Margaret Ella Richter, said, "It's possible to overcome humanness."
"Heaven's Gate: Cult of Cults" is built on the insight of various sociologists and religious scholars — most notably author and researcher Reza Aslan — who thoughtly weave together this connection, before landing on one of the things that makes a cult a cult. The leaders "break you down and create a new you."
Again, this has a Biblical parallel. Ephesians teaches, "Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds."
Many of the teachings of Heaven's Gate have a spiritual, though not always Christian, analogue — ideas of ascension (like in the Biblical book of Revelation), a state of enlightenment reminiscent of nirvana, an afterlife. This gospel, if you will, was deeply influenced by New Age concepts, including the idea of "walk-ins," a person whose original soul has departed his or her body and has been replaced with a modified soul. These teachings were also eventually recorded by Applewhite in a series of videos that are deeply evocative of televangelism.
How could people be naive enough to join Heaven's Gate? Well, as one of the featured religious scholars posits, the group was something akin to an errant branch of Christianity (a point that host Glynn Washington made in his popular "Heaven's Gate" podcast, wherein he details his own upbringing in a Doomsday Christian cult.)
It appealed to members for the same reasons churches continue to fill their pews. People want to find connection, they want to feel like they are destined for something greater and that there is evidence of life beyond our immediate and perceptible surroundings. Some former members — who, like the members who eventually died by suicide, were largely educated with strong family ties — still describe their Heaven's Gate years as the best time of their lives. For a brief moment in time, they felt like they belonged.
That said, Heaven's Gates teachings were ultimately dictated by its leaders. Applegate's "spiritual partner," Bonnie Nettles — known as Ti — is presented as the mastermind behind the original recruitment. She was raised Baptist, but her beliefs ultimately became a kind of spiritual grab bag, influenced by New Age teachings, astrology, divination and science fiction.
And once she eventually died, and Applegate was on his own (and absolutely bereft, it should be noted) those teachings became flexible in order to cope with the cognitive dissonance that her "leaving her vehicle early" sparked. That's when, Tweel asserts, Heaven's Gate became more about the messenger than the message, and Applegate transitions from kooky, fringey New Age leader to the leader of the, as he puts it, "cult of cults."
That's when things dip into the salacious — and into more familiar territory for those who already know the story.
Where "Heaven's Gate: Cult of Cults" falls a little short is in its explanation or exploration of Applegate and Nettles' appeal. As leaders, they lack any kind of discernable charisma. While their teachings may have initially been palatable — even appealing — there's a disconnect when it comes to why their followers stayed, especially when they were asked to forsake their families, mainstream society and any source of income.
This wasn't just popping into a church service once a week — it was a full-time commitment, so I was left wondering when things became uncomfortable, what it was about their leadership that compelled their flock to persevere?
That said, "Heaven's Gate: Cult of Cults" is a thoughtful assessment of the mechanisms of how otherwise smart, savvy people are attracted to fringe beliefs.It takes a story that is larger than life and brings it solidly back to earth.
All four episodes of "Heaven's Gate: Cult of Cults" are now available to stream on HBO Max.


alternet--2020-12-05--Outrage as police training materials label Black Lives Matter a terrorist organization

One law enforcement training group is facing backlash after circulating guidance that included false claims and conspiracy theories about Black Lives Matter ( BLM ) .
According to KOLD , the guidance , titled `` Understanding Antifa and Urban Guerrilla Warfare , '' has been distributed by the Indiana-based law enforcement training organization , International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association ( ILEETA ) ) .
Its verbiage has come under fire as it contains various falsehoods about the Black Lives Matter movement while labeling its activists as terrorists .
One of the conspiracy theories suggests that the activist organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that money is then donated to the Democratic Party . ''
`` Antifa and Black Lives Matter have no intentions to negotiate , '' the document reads .
`` These are revolutionary movements whose aims are to overthrow the U.S .
government . ''
The document also includes more demeaning remarks about BLM activists describing those who participated in the nationwide protests for civil rights over the summer as `` useful idiots '' who were working for `` hard-core , terrorist trained troops , '' according to The Hill .
Phillip Atiba Goff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on racial bias in law enforcement , has described the dangerous document being used as training guidance for law enforcement as `` stunning '' and `` distressing . ''
`` It 's stunning .
It 's distressing in many ways .
It 's untethered to reality , '' said Goff , CEO of the Center for Policing Equity .
`` I worry that it leads to people dying unnecessarily . ''
Harvey Hedden , ILEETA 's executive director , defended the document as he dismissed the concerns as `` differences of opinion .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of opinion on training issues but so long as the disagreements remain professional and not personal we do not censor these ideas , '' Hedden said .
`` I am willing to allow the trainer to evaluate the information themselves . ''
He added , `` Just like law enforcement , I am afraid BLM has earned some of these criticisms and others might be overgeneralizations . ''
But criminal justice activists argue otherwise .
Despite Hedden 's defense , Scott Roberts , senior director of criminal justice campaigns for the racial justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about how this type of guidance could intensify an already-troubling police culture .
Sherice Nelson , assistant professor of political science at Southern University and A & M College , also expressed concern about the robust amount of `` wildly outlandish '' misinformation in the document .
Nelson said , `` This document is below the belt because of how much misinformation there is , how many conspiracy theories there are , how much violence it promotes and how many reasons it gives to justify dehumanizing people . ''

One law enforcement training group is facing backlash after circulating guidance that included false claims and conspiracy theories about Black Lives Matter (BLM).
According to KOLD, the guidance, titled "Understanding Antifa and Urban Guerrilla Warfare," has been distributed by the Indiana-based law enforcement training organization, International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA)). Its verbiage has come under fire as it contains various falsehoods about the Black Lives Matter movement while labeling its activists as terrorists.
One of the conspiracy theories suggests that the activist organization is "supposedly funded by China and that money is then donated to the Democratic Party."
"Antifa and Black Lives Matter have no intentions to negotiate," the document reads. "These are revolutionary movements whose aims are to overthrow the U.S. government."
The document also includes more demeaning remarks about BLM activists describing those who participated in the nationwide protests for civil rights over the summer as "useful idiots" who were working for "hard-core, terrorist trained troops," according to The Hill.
Phillip Atiba Goff, a Yale University professor and expert on racial bias in law enforcement, has described the dangerous document being used as training guidance for law enforcement as "stunning" and "distressing."
"It's stunning. It's distressing in many ways. It's untethered to reality," said Goff, CEO of the Center for Policing Equity. "I worry that it leads to people dying unnecessarily."
Harvey Hedden, ILEETA's executive director, defended the document as he dismissed the concerns as "differences of opinion."
"There will always be differences of opinion on training issues but so long as the disagreements remain professional and not personal we do not censor these ideas," Hedden said. "I am willing to allow the trainer to evaluate the information themselves."
He added, "Just like law enforcement, I am afraid BLM has earned some of these criticisms and others might be overgeneralizations."
But criminal justice activists argue otherwise. Despite Hedden's defense, Scott Roberts, senior director of criminal justice campaigns for the racial justice advocacy organization Color of Change expressed concerns about how this type of guidance could intensify an already-troubling police culture.
Sherice Nelson, assistant professor of political science at Southern University and A&M College, also expressed concern about the robust amount of "wildly outlandish" misinformation in the document. Nelson said, "This document is below the belt because of how much misinformation there is, how many conspiracy theories there are, how much violence it promotes and how many reasons it gives to justify dehumanizing people."


alternet--2020-12-05--Analysts create AI tool that can distinguish between conspiracy theories and real conspiracies

Researchers compared data from a real conspiracy—the `` Bridgegate '' political payback scheme in which New Jersey political operatives closed down lanes on the George Washington Bridge—with those from `` Pizzagate '' conspiracy theories to create an artificial intelligence tool .
The eternal problem with conspiracy theories is that we know from both history and current events that there are very real conspiracies at work in the world .
How can we distinguish them from the utterly fabricated fantasies that comprise the entirety of the conspiracy-theory universe ?
There are some simple ways to distinguish them , but they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the distinctions can sometimes be nuanced .
So researchers at the University of California at Berkeley have devised an artificial intelligence tool that can help people figure out whether they 're tapping into an actual conspiracy or just participating in a cockamamie fantasy .
Cal Berkeley cultural analyst Timothy Tangherlini and his team `` developed an automated approach to determining when conversations on social media reflect the telltale signs of conspiracy theorizing , '' using machine learning tools capable of identifying narratives `` based on sets of people , places , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hope of forming `` the basis of an early warning system to alert authorities to online narratives that pose a threat in the real world . ''
Once the layers of the narrative are identified , the model determines how they come together to form the narrative as a whole .
It can then map all this data out into charts that show utterly distinct shapes for actual conspiracies and conspiracy theories—indeed , showing that they have little in common .
There are some useful rules of thumb already available for distinguishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theory , beyond recognizing that the former has a reasonable likelihood of being real , while the latter is almost certainly a falsehood intended to scapegoat other people .
As I explain in my book Red Pill , Blue Pill : How to Counteract the Conspiracy Theories That Are Killing Us , we 're already capable of distinguishing them based on the basic parameters imposed by reality upon conspiracies : The Cal Berkeley AI model largely reflects these same parameters when it goes to work .
The team studied three primary and sometimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pizzagate , the COVID-19 pandemic , and the anti-vaccination movement .
( It 's currently applying to the tool to the QAnon conspiracy cult ; the results should be interesting . )
The Pizzagate world ( which is closely related to the QAnon phenomenon ) was particularly rich with data : The analysts then also examined the same kinds of data regarding the so-called `` Bridgegate '' conspiracy—a very real political payback operation in which New Jersey public officials , mainly members of then-Gov .
Chris Christie 's staff , deliberately created traffic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington Bridge .
The results show the unmistakable differences in basic structure of the respective narratives , and how the facile appearance of similarities between conspiracy theories and the real thing falls apart in ways similar to the theories themselves .
Conspiracy theories , the researchers found , are collaboratively constructed and form quickly .
`` Actual conspiracies are deliberately hidden , real-life actions of people working together for their own malign purposes , '' Tangherlini explains .
`` In contrast , conspiracy theories are collaboratively constructed and develop in the open .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ theories originate and spread—and particularly the networks through which they are generated—analysts may be able to anticipate when they explode into their inevitable real-world violence .
More to the point , it can help researchers identify the wellsprings of misinformation on social media and elsewhere so that those spigots can be shut off .

Researchers compared data from a real conspiracy—the "Bridgegate" political payback scheme in which New Jersey political operatives closed down lanes on the George Washington Bridge—with those from "Pizzagate" conspiracy theories to create an artificial intelligence tool.
The eternal problem with conspiracy theories is that we know from both history and current events that there are very real conspiracies at work in the world. How can we distinguish them from the utterly fabricated fantasies that comprise the entirety of the conspiracy-theory universe?
There are some simple ways to distinguish them, but they are also fairly crude and generalized rules, and the distinctions can sometimes be nuanced. So researchers at the University of California at Berkeley have devised an artificial intelligence tool that can help people figure out whether they're tapping into an actual conspiracy or just participating in a cockamamie fantasy.
Cal Berkeley cultural analyst Timothy Tangherlini and his team "developed an automated approach to determining when conversations on social media reflect the telltale signs of conspiracy theorizing," using machine learning tools capable of identifying narratives "based on sets of people, places, and things and their relationships," with the hope of forming "the basis of an early warning system to alert authorities to online narratives that pose a threat in the real world."
Once the layers of the narrative are identified, the model determines how they come together to form the narrative as a whole. It can then map all this data out into charts that show utterly distinct shapes for actual conspiracies and conspiracy theories—indeed, showing that they have little in common.
There are some useful rules of thumb already available for distinguishing between a real conspiracy and a conspiracy theory, beyond recognizing that the former has a reasonable likelihood of being real, while the latter is almost certainly a falsehood intended to scapegoat other people. As I explain in my book Red Pill, Blue Pill: How to Counteract the Conspiracy Theories That Are Killing Us, we're already capable of distinguishing them based on the basic parameters imposed by reality upon conspiracies:
Real conspiracies, by their very nature (including their dependence on secrecy), have three major limitations:
Scope. Their purpose is usually to achieve only one or two ends, often narrow in nature.
Their purpose is usually to achieve only one or two ends, often narrow in nature. Time. Their actions necessarily occur within a relatively short time frame.
Their actions necessarily occur within a relatively short time frame. Number of participants. All successful conspiracies are the product of only a tiny handful of people. As the boundaries of all three of these limits increase, however, the likelihood of the conspiracy failing or being exposed rises exponentially. The broader the reach—if it attempts too much—the more likely it is to meet failure simply as a matter of raw odds and the nature of institutional inertia. The longer it takes, the greater the risk of exposure, not to mention for components of the conspiracy to go awry. Similar issues arise when increasing numbers of people are involved in the conspiracy, both the likelihood that they will fail to complete their part of the conspiracy as well as the growing chances of exposure. And exposure is fatal to every conspiracy: once the secret is out, it's no longer a viable plan of action.
Conspiracy theories, on the other hand, almost universally feature qualities that contrast sharply with these limits.
They are broad-ranging in nature, and frequently boil down to (or play key roles in) a massive plot to enslave, murder, or politically oppress all of mankind or at least large numbers of people.
They are believed to have existed for long periods of time, in some cases for hundreds of years.
They involve large numbers of people, notably significant numbers of participants in high positions in government or the bureaucracy.
The long-term success of these conspiracies is always credited to willing dupes in the media and elsewhere.
The Cal Berkeley AI model largely reflects these same parameters when it goes to work. The team studied three primary and sometimes overlapping zones of the conspiracy-theory universe: Pizzagate, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the anti-vaccination movement. (It's currently applying to the tool to the QAnon conspiracy cult; the results should be interesting.)
The Pizzagate world (which is closely related to the QAnon phenomenon) was particularly rich with data:
We analyzed 17,498 posts from April 2016 through February 2018 on the Reddit and 4chan forums where Pizzagate was discussed. The model treats each post as a fragment of a hidden story and sets about to uncover the narrative. The software identifies the people, places and things in the posts and determines which are major elements, which are minor elements and how they're all connected.
The analysts then also examined the same kinds of data regarding the so-called "Bridgegate" conspiracy—a very real political payback operation in which New Jersey public officials, mainly members of then-Gov. Chris Christie's staff, deliberately created traffic jams by closing lanes on the George Washington Bridge. The results show the unmistakable differences in basic structure of the respective narratives, and how the facile appearance of similarities between conspiracy theories and the real thing falls apart in ways similar to the theories themselves.
Conspiracy theories, the researchers found, are collaboratively constructed and form quickly. "Actual conspiracies are deliberately hidden, real-life actions of people working together for their own malign purposes," Tangherlini explains. "In contrast, conspiracy theories are collaboratively constructed and develop in the open."
Conspiracy theories are deliberately complex and reflect an all-encompassing worldview. Instead of trying to explain one thing, a conspiracy theory tries to explain everything, discovering connections across domains of human interaction that are otherwise hidden — mostly because they do not exist.
While the popular image of the conspiracy theorist is of a lone wolf piecing together puzzling connections with photographs and red string, that image no longer applies in the age of social media. Conspiracy theorizing has moved online and is now the end product of a collective storytelling. The participants work out the parameters of a narrative framework: the people, places and things of a story and their relationships.
By mapping out how these conspiracy theories originate and spread—and particularly the networks through which they are generated—analysts may be able to anticipate when they explode into their inevitable real-world violence. More to the point, it can help researchers identify the wellsprings of misinformation on social media and elsewhere so that those spigots can be shut off.
As I explain in Red Pill, Blue Pill:
Conspiracy theories are a problem for healthy democracies not only because they encourage people to disengage from their communities and abjure their political franchise by discarding it all as useless, but also because they represent serious pollution of the information stream. Democracies rely on robust debate, but that "marketplace of ideas" cannot function if the debate is founded on falsehoods, smears, and the wild speculations that all combine to take the place of established facts in any discourse with conspiracy theorists.


alternet--2020-12-05--America, it’s time to say this out loud: The president has a serious personality disorder

Watching Trump 's bone-chilling YouTube ravings Wednesday night , in which he vomited up a full menu of long-disproven election conspiracies , it was hard to believe such a sorry spectacle was happening in America .
And while very little of Trump 's 46-minute , self-abasing rant made much sense , one thing was perfectly clear : The president of the United States seemed to be thoroughly unhinged from reality .
His pathetic , desperate attempts to cling to power are not the actions of a fully rational man .
This can no longer be dismissed as `` Trump being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago stopped being an `` embarrassment , '' as Joe Biden called it ; it has become a serious threat to our nation , by inflaming the passions of his cultish supporters , promoting threats of violence and actual sedition , and undermining faith in free and fair elections .
It is long past time for Democratic politicians , journalists , and mental health professionals to have a serious national discussion about Trump 's condition .
For years we have heard that Trump suffers from narcissistic personality disorder .
According to WebMD ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a mental illness . ''
Literally thousands of mental health professionals have gone on record to say that , even though they have n't personally evaluated him , there is abundant public documentation to make that diagnosis .
Organizations like A Duty to Warn and the World Mental Health Coalition , and 70,000 ( self-identified ) mental health professionals who signed a Change.org petition , have warned us that Trump 's malignant narcissism is a serious disorder , and his condition poses a legitimate danger to America and the world .
Yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue , perhaps to avoid charges of taking a cheap shot , or perhaps hoping the Mueller investigation or impeachment would make the problem go away .
But it 's time to speak out .
Ordinarily , of course , we should all have sympathy and understanding for mental illness , but when it involves the president of the United States it also demands public acknowledgment and discussion .
Democratic Party leaders should be raising the issue in unison .
Journalists should be interviewing mental health professionals about the president 's condition and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What 's the point of bringing this up now , after four years of witnessing Trump 's destructive pathologies ?
Will it solve anything before he leaves office ?
No , probably not .
In the long term , however , raising the issue of Trump 's disorder now—loudly and sincerely—can help discredit any future attempts to maintain his public influence and help preempt any plans he has for running again in 2024 .
It 's a serious issue , and it needs to be discussed seriously .

Watching Trump's bone-chilling YouTube ravings Wednesday night, in which he vomited up a full menu of long-disproven election conspiracies, it was hard to believe such a sorry spectacle was happening in America. And while very little of Trump's 46-minute, self-abasing rant made much sense, one thing was perfectly clear: The president of the United States seemed to be thoroughly unhinged from reality. His pathetic, desperate attempts to cling to power are not the actions of a fully rational man.
This can no longer be dismissed as "Trump being Trump." His twisted charade long ago stopped being an "embarrassment," as Joe Biden called it; it has become a serious threat to our nation, by inflaming the passions of his cultish supporters, promoting threats of violence and actual sedition, and undermining faith in free and fair elections.
It is long past time for Democratic politicians, journalists, and mental health professionals to have a serious national discussion about Trump's condition. For years we have heard that Trump suffers from narcissistic personality disorder. According to WebMD (and other sources), "NPD is a mental illness." Literally thousands of mental health professionals have gone on record to say that, even though they haven't personally evaluated him, there is abundant public documentation to make that diagnosis. Organizations like A Duty to Warn and the World Mental Health Coalition, and 70,000 (self-identified) mental health professionals who signed a Change.org petition, have warned us that Trump's malignant narcissism is a serious disorder, and his condition poses a legitimate danger to America and the world.
Yet Democrats and journalists have tiptoed around the issue, perhaps to avoid charges of taking a cheap shot, or perhaps hoping the Mueller investigation or impeachment would make the problem go away.
But it's time to speak out. Ordinarily, of course, we should all have sympathy and understanding for mental illness, but when it involves the president of the United States it also demands public acknowledgment and discussion. Democratic Party leaders should be raising the issue in unison. Journalists should be interviewing mental health professionals about the president's condition and how dangerous it may ultimately be.
What's the point of bringing this up now, after four years of witnessing Trump's destructive pathologies? Will it solve anything before he leaves office? No, probably not. In the long term, however, raising the issue of Trump's disorder now—loudly and sincerely—can help discredit any future attempts to maintain his public influence and help preempt any plans he has for running again in 2024.
It's a serious issue, and it needs to be discussed seriously.


alternet--2020-12-05--Unsung heroes: The people who stood up to Trump in his final days

We always knew Trump would contest the election results .
He 's spreading wilder and wilder conspiracy theories about non-existent voter fraud .
Of course , these claims have n't held up in court because there 's zero evidence .
But the integrity of thousands of people responsible for maintaining American democracy is being tested as never before .
Tragically , most Senate and House Republicans are failing the test by refusing to stand up to Trump .
Their cowardice is a devastating betrayal of public trust , and will have lasting consequences .
They worry that speaking out could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depends on moral courage .
These Republicans are profiles in cowardice .
Fortunately for our democracy , many lower-level Republican office-holders are passing the test .
Take , for example , Brad Raffensperger – Georgia 's Republican secretary of state who oversaw the election there and describes himself as `` a Republican through and through and never voted for a Democrat . ''
Raffensperger is defending Georgia 's vote for Biden , rejecting Trump 's accusations of fraud .
He spurned overtures from Senator Lindsey Graham , who asked if Raffensperger could toss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high rates of questionable signatures .
And Raffensperger dismissed demands from Georgia 's two incumbent Republican senators , Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue , both facing tougher-than-anticipated runoffs ) that he resign .
`` This office runs on integrity , '' Raffensperger says , `` and that 's what voters want to know , that this person 's going to do his job . ''
Raffensperger has also received death threats from Republican voters inflamed by Trump 's allegations .
Election officials in Nevada , Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Arizona are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giving in to them .
Let 's not forget other public officials in the Trump administration who have stood up for democracy and against Trump – public health officials unwilling to lie about Covid-19 , military leaders unwilling to back Trump 's attacks on Black Lives Matter protesters , inspectors general unwilling to cover up Trump corruption , U.S. foreign service officers unwilling to lie about Trump 's overtures to Ukraine , intelligence officials unwilling to bend their reports to suit Trump , and Justice Department attorneys refusing to participate in Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost their jobs .
Some quit .
Many were demoted .
A few have been threatened with violence .
That 's the price they had to pay to do what 's morally right under Trump , who has no idea what it means to do what 's morally right .
The question after January 20 , when Trump is gone from the White House , is how many Senate and House Republicans will find the integrity to stand up for America rather than bend to the conspiracy theories and hatefulness that will be @ @ @ @ @

We always knew Trump would contest the election results. He's spreading wilder and wilder conspiracy theories about non-existent voter fraud. Of course, these claims haven't held up in court because there's zero evidence. But the integrity of thousands of people responsible for maintaining American democracy is being tested as never before.
Tragically, most Senate and House Republicans are failing the test by refusing to stand up to Trump. Their cowardice is a devastating betrayal of public trust, and will have lasting consequences.
They worry that speaking out could invite a primary challenge. But democracy depends on moral courage. These Republicans are profiles in cowardice.
Fortunately for our democracy, many lower-level Republican office-holders are passing the test.
Take, for example, Brad Raffensperger – Georgia's Republican secretary of state who oversaw the election there and describes himself as "a Republican through and through and never voted for a Democrat."
Raffensperger is defending Georgia's vote for Biden, rejecting Trump's accusations of fraud. He spurned overtures from Senator Lindsey Graham, who asked if Raffensperger could toss out all mail-in votes from counties with high rates of questionable signatures. And Raffensperger dismissed demands from Georgia's two incumbent Republican senators, Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, both facing tougher-than-anticipated runoffs) that he resign.
"This office runs on integrity," Raffensperger says, "and that's what voters want to know, that this person's going to do his job."
Raffensperger has also received death threats from Republican voters inflamed by Trump's allegations. Election officials in Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Arizona are also reporting threats. But they're not giving in to them.
Let's not forget other public officials in the Trump administration who have stood up for democracy and against Trump – public health officials unwilling to lie about Covid-19, military leaders unwilling to back Trump's attacks on Black Lives Matter protesters, inspectors general unwilling to cover up Trump corruption, U.S. foreign service officers unwilling to lie about Trump's overtures to Ukraine, intelligence officials unwilling to bend their reports to suit Trump, and Justice Department attorneys refusing to participate in Trump's obstructions of justice.
Some of them lost their jobs. Some quit. Many were demoted. A few have been threatened with violence. That's the price they had to pay to do what's morally right under Trump, who has no idea what it means to do what's morally right.
The question after January 20, when Trump is gone from the White House, is how many Senate and House Republicans will find the integrity to stand up for America rather than bend to the conspiracy theories and hatefulness that will be the legacies of Trumpism.


alternet--2020-12-05--Calls for legal consequences mount as Trump campaign lawyers keep pushing baseless election fraud cl

Calls for legal consequences mount as Trump campaign lawyers keep pushing baseless election fraud claims

As Rudy Giuliani and the rest of President Donald Trump 's campaign legal team continue their frivolous efforts to overturn the results of the election despite having little to no evidence to support their claims , officials in multiple states are calling for sanctions to put an end to this ongoing ordeal , according to ABC News .
On Thursday , Republican lawyers headed back to court to continue its fight for an audit of Detroit 's election results .
Although the area is heavily Democratic with an overwhelming number of Black voters , Trump 's legal team is refusing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatly defeated in the Motor City .
David Fink , an attorney for the city of Detroit , pleaded with the judge to enforce sanctions to halt the campaign 's repeated actions .
`` They are trying to use this court in a very , very improper way , '' said Detroit city attorney David Fink .
`` We ask this court not just to deny the relief that is requested but to grant significant sanctions , because this has to stop . ''
Trump 's attorney for the campaign 's poll observers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't realize I was such a threat to our republic by simply asking that this court to enforce our constitutional right . ''
Since the election was announced for President-elect Joe Biden , the Trump campaign has released a barrage of lawsuits , including at least give new lawsuits in the past week .
But despite their continued efforts , nearly all of the lawsuits have been dismissed due to lack of evidence .
The campaign 's legal team has also been criticized for its court dockets containing many different types of errors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minnesota in one case to including verbiage , in another case , that suggested votes were rigged in favor of Trump , there have been glaring errors that have made headlines which has further diminished the credibility of the Trump campaign legal team .
Daniel I. Weiner , deputy director of the Brennan Center for Justice 's Election Reform Program at New York University , weighed in with his take on the future of Trump 's legal challenges and the stance courts could ultimately take .
With the repeated errors and lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the point where they argue that `` enough is enough . ''

As Rudy Giuliani and the rest of President Donald Trump's campaign legal team continue their frivolous efforts to overturn the results of the election despite having little to no evidence to support their claims, officials in multiple states are calling for sanctions to put an end to this ongoing ordeal, according to ABC News.
On Thursday, Republican lawyers headed back to court to continue its fight for an audit of Detroit's election results. Although the area is heavily Democratic with an overwhelming number of Black voters, Trump's legal team is refusing to accept the fact that he was greatly defeated in the Motor City.
David Fink, an attorney for the city of Detroit, pleaded with the judge to enforce sanctions to halt the campaign's repeated actions.
"They are trying to use this court in a very, very improper way," said Detroit city attorney David Fink. "We ask this court not just to deny the relief that is requested but to grant significant sanctions, because this has to stop."
Trump's attorney for the campaign's poll observers fired back arguing: "I didn't realize I was such a threat to our republic by simply asking that this court to enforce our constitutional right."
Since the election was announced for President-elect Joe Biden, the Trump campaign has released a barrage of lawsuits, including at least give new lawsuits in the past week. But despite their continued efforts, nearly all of the lawsuits have been dismissed due to lack of evidence.
The campaign's legal team has also been criticized for its court dockets containing many different types of errors. From confusing cities in Michigan and Minnesota in one case to including verbiage, in another case, that suggested votes were rigged in favor of Trump, there have been glaring errors that have made headlines which has further diminished the credibility of the Trump campaign legal team.
Daniel I. Weiner, deputy director of the Brennan Center for Justice's Election Reform Program at New York University, weighed in with his take on the future of Trump's legal challenges and the stance courts could ultimately take. With the repeated errors and lack of evidence, Weiner insists courts may get to the point where they argue that "enough is enough."


alternet--2020-12-05--Bankers ask Trump administration to prioritize financial industry employees for vaccine: report

The ethical questions over the prioritization of COVID-19 vaccines will be put to the test as industry trade groups attempt @ @ @ @ @ the front of the line .
`` Frontline bank employees could get a shot in @ @ @ @ @ months .
Tellers and other consumer-facing bank workers could jump ahead of most Americans for @ @ @ @ @ receive widely anticipated emergency-use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration , potentially putting those @ @ @ @ @ of those 65 and older , other adults with medical issues and the rest of @ @ @ @ @ MarketWatch reported Friday .
`` The American Bankers Association , which represents community banks , @ @ @ @ @ CDC to designate a narrow slice of the financial-services industry as 'essential workers , ' @ @ @ @ @ by the Department of Homeland Security , '' MarketWatch explained .

The ethical questions over the prioritization of COVID-19 vaccines will be put to the test as industry trade groups attempt to get their workers to the front of the line.
"Frontline bank employees could get a shot in the arm in the coming months. Tellers and other consumer-facing bank workers could jump ahead of most Americans for coronavirus inoculations, after vaccines receive widely anticipated emergency-use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, potentially putting those financial-industry workers in line ahead of those 65 and older, other adults with medical issues and the rest of the U.S. population," MarketWatch reported Friday.
"The American Bankers Association, which represents community banks, said it has asked the CDC to designate a narrow slice of the financial-services industry as 'essential workers,' mainly adhering to guidelines issued by the Department of Homeland Security," MarketWatch explained.
https://twitter.com/COVID19Tracking/status/1335016621111345152


alternet--2020-12-05--Fascism expert: Donald Trump has turned destructive and vindictive -- like all dictators

I have often dubbed “ fascism '' mental pathology in politics , and as a fascism scholar and author of the new book , Strongmen : Mussolini to the Present , Prof. Ruth Ben-Ghiat is as psychologically-minded as historians come .
The way mental health professionals have brought the context of our experience with patients to understanding the turbulent presidency of Donald Trump , she has brought the context of historical figures .
I interviewed her at our recent town hall .
Dr. Ruth Ben-Ghiat is a professor of History and Italian Studies at New York University ; a frequent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fascism , authoritarian leaders , propaganda , and threats to democracy around the world .
She is also a World Mental Health Coalition Board member who has helped guide members in applying our mental health knowledge to the political domain as well as within the currents of history , to achieve our mission of bettering societal mental health .
Lee : Your work and ideas have always impressed me for their psychological sensitivity , and here again you get straight to what many historians or political scientists miss , which are the commonalities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different leaders .
How have you come to such psychological awareness in your work ?
Ben-Ghiat : I grew up in Pacific Palisades , Calif. , which is an idyllic seaside town .
It might seem a strange place to start thinking about fascism and pathologies , but it was a place where many anti-Nazis , Thomas Mann and others , came to settle .
So I was always aware of this pain of exile , and perhaps being a child of immigrants and the closest family member an eleven-hour plane ride away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kinds of regimes force people to flee their country .
So I started investigating individuals , Otto Klemperer or Schoenberg , who had had to resettle .
Then my first book out of my dissertation was on Italian fascist culture , but it was really a study in intellectual and cultural collaboration , how did the regime pressure people , intimidate people to work with them .
You were among the first to predict that Donald Trump would rule as an authoritarian once he gained power .
What were some early red flags @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traits say about how dangerous he will likely be in these last 60 days of his presidency ?
In other words , how does he resemble or differ from authoritarian cult leaders ?
In terms of the first question , I was already writing for CNN on war , and so I had that platform—and my second book was just published in 2015 , a study of fascist film propaganda .
From a slightly different angle , I was thinking about how people are led to believe a fictional reality and the destruction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this global lens onto my own country , and when I did that , coupled with my training in fascism , the figure of Donald Trump was very clear to me .
His demonizing the press was a big sign .
Because Trump and Berlusconi and Putin have secrets and they are criminals , they have to start demonizing the press very early so that when secrets come out , his followers would already think of the press as partisan hacks .
And then the final component was the violence .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with squadrons like the fascists a hundred years ago , and more people like Duterte in the Philippines who says he warned Filipinos not to vote for him , because if he won he said it would be bloody .
So here is Donald Trump who comes in and in January 2016 says , “ I could shoot someone and not lose any followers . ''
This is very unusual in a context of democracy .
Donald Trump , as he loses power , is about to head toward serious financial and legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What has attracted his followers , despite his pathology , criminality , and incompetence ?
Astonishingly , he received more votes in 2020 than in 2016 .
How do we explain the many Americans who continue to follow him and parrot him ?
There have been studies showing that many Americans are more authoritarian in their leanings , and they would like to have the big , strong , statuesque male figure to tell them what to do , but that is not the whole story .
I have many case studies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ over a hundred years of this and see the patterns .
When he acted in this rule-breaking way , because he started inciting violence or because he posed as the truth-teller who was not believed and ostracized by the mainstream media , and only he could tell the truth .
So this kind of personality who has a victim cult , who is kept down by the forces that be , who is attractive because he breaks the rules , this over and over has appealed to people .
Sadly , this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they end up kind of energizing and legitimizing existing anti-democratic and extremist tendencies .
They coalesce and channel all these malcontents and extremists and people who felt the system was broken .
As you have well pointed out , dangerous leaders must maintain themselves in office at all cost .
He is currently plunging the nation into tragedy and chaos because of his refusal to concede or to share intelligence and vaccination plans with the incoming administration .
What might be our recourse , if any ?
I had to turn my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to write it for either outcome of the election , but his psychology lines up 100 % with the other rulers—everyone .
The outcome is very different , of course .
He is not in a military junta , he is not in a fascist , one-party state .
Authoritarianism works differently today , but all of the style of governance they set up makes it more difficult for them to conceptualize leaving .
For example , they all create what I call inner sanctums , where you have flatterers and sycophants and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from hearing things they just do not want to hear , and then you also have this chaos because he is always trying to find more and more flatterers .
Right now , there have been a lot of hiring and firing and moving people right now because he is upping the loyalty quotient , because stealing the election is the biggest game of all .
This is also part of the destruction—like Gaddafi would never surrender , so he was willing to drag his country into a civil war .
Pinochet in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to leave office , and he spent that year doing as many destructive things as possible to sabotage the new democracy , from stacking the Supreme Court to passing edicts that protected his people and made it harder to find out to prosecute their crimes .
So one way or the other , they are always highly destructive to the last and vindictive .
I remember your sharing with me how you were strictly an academic before , and you felt a special civic duty to write and speak publicly since this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and what has the experience been like ?
It is just something I felt I had to do .
I was in a very privileged position .
I am tenured and a full professor .
Because plenty of people do not like what you write , and they try and get you fired , they write to your provost , they write to your chair .
I think everyone has to do something , but this was what I could do , and I had all this training and a platform with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who had themselves fled dictatorships to come and settle in America , and they said , “ I am so glad you are writing , because no one else is getting this . ''
So this feedback from the public really spurred me on and told me that it was helping people .
You get a lot of hate mail , you get threats , and I had to move my office to a more secure location in 2017 .
For a little while I had a guard , but it is just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the model , the tone is being set by a brutal criminal .
When criminals get into power and have been associated with organized crime , the culture is going to reflect that , and people feel legitimated to threaten and intimidate .
But I have also been exposed to a whole community of people working to protect our democracy , and that has been absolutely wonderful .

I have often dubbed “fascism" mental pathology in politics, and as a fascism scholar and author of the new book, Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, Prof. Ruth Ben-Ghiat is as psychologically-minded as historians come. The way mental health professionals have brought the context of our experience with patients to understanding the turbulent presidency of Donald Trump, she has brought the context of historical figures. I interviewed her at our recent town hall.
Dr. Ruth Ben-Ghiat is a professor of History and Italian Studies at New York University; a frequent commentator on CNN; an expert on fascism, authoritarian leaders, propaganda, and threats to democracy around the world. She is also a World Mental Health Coalition Board member who has helped guide members in applying our mental health knowledge to the political domain as well as within the currents of history, to achieve our mission of bettering societal mental health.
Lee: Your work and ideas have always impressed me for their psychological sensitivity, and here again you get straight to what many historians or political scientists miss, which are the commonalities, patterns, and personality consistencies across different leaders. How have you come to such psychological awareness in your work?
Ben-Ghiat: I grew up in Pacific Palisades, Calif., which is an idyllic seaside town. It might seem a strange place to start thinking about fascism and pathologies, but it was a place where many anti-Nazis, Thomas Mann and others, came to settle. So I was always aware of this pain of exile, and perhaps being a child of immigrants and the closest family member an eleven-hour plane ride away, perhaps I was interested in what kinds of regimes force people to flee their country. So I started investigating individuals, Otto Klemperer or Schoenberg, who had had to resettle. Then my first book out of my dissertation was on Italian fascist culture, but it was really a study in intellectual and cultural collaboration, how did the regime pressure people, intimidate people to work with them.
There have been studies showing that many Americans ... would like to have the big, strong, statuesque male figure to tell them what to do.
You were among the first to predict that Donald Trump would rule as an authoritarian once he gained power. What were some early red flags for you, and what do his traits say about how dangerous he will likely be in these last 60 days of his presidency? In other words, how does he resemble or differ from authoritarian cult leaders?
In terms of the first question, I was already writing for CNN on war, and so I had that platform—and my second book was just published in 2015, a study of fascist film propaganda. From a slightly different angle, I was thinking about how people are led to believe a fictional reality and the destruction that it causes. So I turned this global lens onto my own country, and when I did that, coupled with my training in fascism, the figure of Donald Trump was very clear to me.
His demonizing the press was a big sign. Because Trump and Berlusconi and Putin have secrets and they are criminals, they have to start demonizing the press very early so that when secrets come out, his followers would already think of the press as partisan hacks. And then the final component was the violence. In the 21st century, we have fewer people with squadrons like the fascists a hundred years ago, and more people like Duterte in the Philippines who says he warned Filipinos not to vote for him, because if he won he said it would be bloody. So here is Donald Trump who comes in and in January 2016 says, “I could shoot someone and not lose any followers." This is very unusual in a context of democracy.
Donald Trump, as he loses power, is about to head toward serious financial and legal problems once he leaves the presidency. What has attracted his followers, despite his pathology, criminality, and incompetence? Astonishingly, he received more votes in 2020 than in 2016. How do we explain the many Americans who continue to follow him and parrot him?
There have been studies showing that many Americans are more authoritarian in their leanings, and they would like to have the big, strong, statuesque male figure to tell them what to do, but that is not the whole story. I have many case studies. It was very illuminating to look back over a hundred years of this and see the patterns. When he acted in this rule-breaking way, because he started inciting violence or because he posed as the truth-teller who was not believed and ostracized by the mainstream media, and only he could tell the truth. So this kind of personality who has a victim cult, who is kept down by the forces that be, who is attractive because he breaks the rules, this over and over has appealed to people. Sadly, this is how they come on the scene, and they end up kind of energizing and legitimizing existing anti-democratic and extremist tendencies. They coalesce and channel all these malcontents and extremists and people who felt the system was broken.
As you have well pointed out, dangerous leaders must maintain themselves in office at all cost. He is currently plunging the nation into tragedy and chaos because of his refusal to concede or to share intelligence and vaccination plans with the incoming administration. What might be our recourse, if any?
I had to turn my book in in the summer and had to write it for either outcome of the election, but his psychology lines up 100% with the other rulers—everyone. The outcome is very different, of course. He is not in a military junta, he is not in a fascist, one-party state. Authoritarianism works differently today, but all of the style of governance they set up makes it more difficult for them to conceptualize leaving. For example, they all create what I call inner sanctums, where you have flatterers and sycophants and family members. They shield the leader from hearing things they just do not want to hear, and then you also have this chaos because he is always trying to find more and more flatterers. Right now, there have been a lot of hiring and firing and moving people right now because he is upping the loyalty quotient, because stealing the election is the biggest game of all. This is also part of the destruction—like Gaddafi would never surrender, so he was willing to drag his country into a civil war. Pinochet in Chile had over a year before he had to leave office, and he spent that year doing as many destructive things as possible to sabotage the new democracy, from stacking the Supreme Court to passing edicts that protected his people and made it harder to find out to prosecute their crimes. So one way or the other, they are always highly destructive to the last and vindictive.
When criminals get into power ... the culture is going to reflect that, and people feel legitimated to threaten and intimidate.
I remember your sharing with me how you were strictly an academic before, and you felt a special civic duty to write and speak publicly since this administration. What in particular called you, and what has the experience been like?
It is just something I felt I had to do. I was in a very privileged position. I am tenured and a full professor. Because plenty of people do not like what you write, and they try and get you fired, they write to your provost, they write to your chair. I think everyone has to do something, but this was what I could do, and I had all this training and a platform with CNN. I would hear from people who had themselves fled dictatorships to come and settle in America, and they said, “I am so glad you are writing, because no one else is getting this." So this feedback from the public really spurred me on and told me that it was helping people. You get a lot of hate mail, you get threats, and I had to move my office to a more secure location in 2017. For a little while I had a guard, but it is just part of living through a culture where the model, the tone is being set by a brutal criminal. When criminals get into power and have been associated with organized crime, the culture is going to reflect that, and people feel legitimated to threaten and intimidate. But I have also been exposed to a whole community of people working to protect our democracy, and that has been absolutely wonderful.


alternet--2020-12-05--Rachel Maddow offers a terrifying theory that explains Trump's Pentagon moves

The host of `` The Rachel Maddow Show '' on Friday offered her audience a theory that may explain some of President Donald Trump 's actions concerning the Pentagon in his final months in office .
Maddow built her case off of a new Washington Post story titled , `` Pentagon blocks visits to military spy agencies by Biden transition team . ''
`` The Trump administration has refused to allow members of President-elect Joe Biden 's transition team to meet with officials at U.S. intelligence agencies that are controlled by the Pentagon , undermining prospects for a smooth transfer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , citing `` current and former U.S .
officials . ''
`` The officials said the Biden team has not been able to engage with leaders at the National Security Agency , the Defense Intelligence Agency and other military-run spy services with classified budgets and global espionage platforms , '' the newspaper reported .
`` Current and former officials , who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter , said the delays have impaired the Biden team 's ability to get up to speed on espionage operations against Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
adversaries . ''
Maddow offered her analysis of the report .
`` So here we go , right ?
I mean , we have been wondering and we have been covering on this show in recent days , the question of what Trump has been aiming at with what he 's been doing at the Pentagon .
With all the -- forgive me -- random , junior-level screwballs he has been shoving into high-level positions at the Pentagon since he lost the election .
We have been wondering what that was all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breaking news tonight at The Washington Post might be part of what this was all about , '' Maddow reported .
Maddow explained the type of people Trump brought into the Pentagon .
`` They brought in , like , the G-team , not only not the A-team , but like really the -- like the people who flunked out of intern-level stuff , '' she said .
`` Why are they bothering ?
Why are they expending this energy ?
Why are they doing this stuff ? ''
she wondered .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ energy to get into all the top jobs in the Pentagon , every lunatic junior varsity , Aanon , Alex Jones , My Pillow guy , who thinks aliens speak to him through his fillings , so he needs to wrap his head in tin foil before he crawls under his mattress to sleep ?
Why bother ?
Why are they doing this ?
What are those guys supposed to do there in these last few weeks in the Pentagon before Biden takes over ? ''
`` Well , maybe at least in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden transition has nobody sane at the Pentagon who will talk to them about what 's going on right now in some of the most sensitive and important national security stuff that is potentially exploitable by foreign adversaries during presidential transitions , right ?
I mean , Biden 's transition team is not getting briefed , we now know , on the spy-versus-spy stuff that happens between us and Russia and us and China and Iran and all the rest of it , '' she explained .
Maddow warned there could be devastating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the largest and most capable military on the planet , '' she noted .
`` But it turns out that if you have terrible people running those entities and running them poorly , it does n't really matter how big and powerful you are on paper or how big and powerful you might have been in the past .
You can be rendered completely helpless and impotent by just having in the right place the wrong people who are terrible at what they do . ''
`` That is -- I mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the Trump era is the outrage , but what we will be living with from the Trump era is the failure , the deliberate , rank failure , '' Maddow concluded .

The host of "The Rachel Maddow Show" on Friday offered her audience a theory that may explain some of President Donald Trump's actions concerning the Pentagon in his final months in office.
Maddow built her case off of a new Washington Post story titled, "Pentagon blocks visits to military spy agencies by Biden transition team."
"The Trump administration has refused to allow members of President-elect Joe Biden's transition team to meet with officials at U.S. intelligence agencies that are controlled by the Pentagon, undermining prospects for a smooth transfer of power," the newspaper reported, citing "current and former U.S. officials."
"The officials said the Biden team has not been able to engage with leaders at the National Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency and other military-run spy services with classified budgets and global espionage platforms," the newspaper reported. "Current and former officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter, said the delays have impaired the Biden team's ability to get up to speed on espionage operations against Russia, China, Iran and other U.S. adversaries."
Maddow offered her analysis of the report.
"So here we go, right? I mean, we have been wondering and we have been covering on this show in recent days, the question of what Trump has been aiming at with what he's been doing at the Pentagon. With all the -- forgive me -- random, junior-level screwballs he has been shoving into high-level positions at the Pentagon since he lost the election. We have been wondering what that was all for. Now it seems like this breaking news tonight at The Washington Post might be part of what this was all about," Maddow reported.
Maddow explained the type of people Trump brought into the Pentagon.
"They brought in, like, the G-team, not only not the A-team, but like really the -- like the people who flunked out of intern-level stuff," she said.
"Why are they bothering? Why are they expending this energy? Why are they doing this stuff?" she wondered. "What is worth all this time and energy to get into all the top jobs in the Pentagon, every lunatic junior varsity, Aanon, Alex Jones, My Pillow guy, who thinks aliens speak to him through his fillings, so he needs to wrap his head in tin foil before he crawls under his mattress to sleep? Why bother? Why are they doing this? What are those guys supposed to do there in these last few weeks in the Pentagon before Biden takes over?"
"Well, maybe at least in part they're there so that the Biden transition has nobody sane at the Pentagon who will talk to them about what's going on right now in some of the most sensitive and important national security stuff that is potentially exploitable by foreign adversaries during presidential transitions, right? I mean, Biden's transition team is not getting briefed, we now know, on the spy-versus-spy stuff that happens between us and Russia and us and China and Iran and all the rest of it," she explained.
Maddow warned there could be devastating consequences.
"The United States military is the largest and most capable military on the planet," she noted. "But it turns out that if you have terrible people running those entities and running them poorly, it doesn't really matter how big and powerful you are on paper or how big and powerful you might have been in the past. You can be rendered completely helpless and impotent by just having in the right place the wrong people who are terrible at what they do."
"That is -- I mean a lot of what we'll remember about the Trump era is the outrage, but what we will be living with from the Trump era is the failure, the deliberate, rank failure," Maddow concluded.
Watch: