alternet--2020-10-06--CNBC actually attacked Biden's tax plan by making us feel sorry for the rich

Joe Biden is promising to raise taxes only on families making $ 400,000 or more each year—the top 1.8 % of taxpayers .
Here to explain why that will really hit middle-class families is CNBC with the latest contribution to the `` why rich people are really barely making it '' genre .
No , really .
Experts say !
`` Based on the expenses , a $ 400,000 household income provides for a relatively middle-class lifestyle , '' one personal finance website guy claimed .
`` A middle-class lifestyle is defined as : owning a home , having two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for college , going on modest vacations several weeks a year , and retiring in one 's early 60s . ''
Ha ha ha , yeah , okay : `` A middle-class lifestyle is defined as : a bunch of stuff out of reach for most people in this country who consider themselves middle-class , transferred to one of the 10 most expensive cities in the country .
Middle-class , I tell you ! ''
Let 's take a look at the sample budget provided for a family with $ 400,000 in income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ representative imaginary people end the year with just $ 34 left over after all their budgeted expenses—really a hand-to-mouth existence all provided courtesy of CNBC wanting to argue that Biden 's proposal to tax the rich is mean to the middle class .
So how does this family spend the $ 260,530 that 's left after taxes and $ 39,000 in 401k contributions ?
( Because they have to be able to retire in their early 60s or they wo n't count as middle-class , apparently . )
We 're starting with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perfectly reasonable family size , but let 's not forget that poor people are often judged for having `` more kids than they can afford . ''
So this `` middle-class '' family in the top 2 % of earners is getting a pass on something that might be questioned if they were trying to scrape together a full-time schedule at McDonald 's .
Our allegedly middle-class family lives in a four-bedroom , two-bathroom house , which is a fairly standard size of house in many parts of the country—except that people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ typically recognize that they will need to sacrifice some of the space they would be able to afford out in the suburbs or in a smaller city .
If you say `` I need to live in New York City rather than in Short Hills , New Jersey '' or `` I need to live in Boston rather than Newton , '' you are making a choice .
If you continue that sentence with `` and I require four bedrooms for my four-person family , '' you are making another choice .
Both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have with $ 400,000 a year in household income , but you do n't then get to whine about how middle-class you are .
You 're a person in the top 2 % of earners who has made some expensive choices .
Expensive as in a $ 1.6 million mortgage on a $ 2 million house with $ 24,804 a year in property tax .
Moving along , our hypothetical family is paying more than $ 60,000 a year for one child in daycare from 7 AM to 6 PM and one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 PM .
The article does n't say , but they are likely paying extra for the long day at daycare .
They are also putting $ 18,000 a year into a 529 plan to save for their children 's future educational expenses .
Again : choices .
They could arrange their work schedules so that they did n't need the extended hours at daycare—if the preschool kid is only in school from 8:15 to 5 , that must be possible , and it would save some money .
They could cut their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kid was old enough to be in public school , a point at which their expenses will drop by $ 26,400 a year , unless of course the assumption is that the kids will go to private school , which would be another choice that these people are making—and one that many middle-class people can not afford to make , let alone in the most expensive cities in the country .
CNBC and their personal finance website guy want to be sure we understand that this hypothetical middle-class family 's consumer decisions are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Toyota Highlander , the poor dears , not a Range Rover or Lamborghini .
The freakin ' agony , right ?
They buy their clothes at `` Gap not Gucci , '' which no , I 'm sorry , they do n't .
The article is written as if there 's nothing in between the Gap and Gucci , and seriously , no urban-dwelling professional adults earning a combined $ 400,000 are buying their work clothes at the Gap .
At the low end they may possibly be waiting for sales at Banana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with this Gap nonsense .
They spend $ 7,200 a year on three weeks of vacation—two staycations and one road trip—and $ 3,600 on entertainment , defined as `` Netflix , museums , zoo , w/e getaways . ''
Apparently for this family weekend getaways do not fall into the vacation category , but given that Netflix plus family memberships at a zoo and a couple museums will run you about $ 600 , the weekend getaway budget is healthy .
Our struggling family spends $ 1,800 a year on personal care products @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charity .
And that , along with food and utilities and health insurance and life insurance and so on , is how this budget proving that a family in the top 2 % counts as members of the struggling middle class which can not afford to pay any more taxes at all , if you squint just right and ignore the choices involved in their budget .
The reality , of course , is that many American families maintain their middle-class lifestyles through debt and an inability to save for the future , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are really just barely getting by as they put $ 39,000 a year into retirement funds and $ 18,000 a year into 529 accounts for their kids is already a radical distance from many , many families ' reality .
Doing so while budgeting for a $ 2 million , four-bed , two-bath house in one of the most expensive urban areas in the country rather than moving half an hour out into the suburbs and cutting the mortgage by $ 500,000 or more or sacrificing the fourth bedroom for a similar savings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the name of arguing against slightly more fair taxation is outrageously offensive .
This is a myth people write for themselves about why they deserve what almost no one else has .
This is the personal finance analysis of people for whom only people richer than themselves truly exist , who are always , no matter how much money they make , going to be looking at the income category above themselves and feeling bereft .
Here 's something to try for anyone who feels middle-class at anywhere above , let 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Look below rather than above yourself , for a damn change , and embrace reality .
Yes , the ultra-rich are ultra-rich , and the distance between them and the rest of us is horrifying .
But if your rationale for claiming middle-class status is that you do n't live like the 0.1 % , you 've let our twisted , unequal economy twist your judgment .
And if you think that your choices about how to spend your $ 400,000 a year mean that you should n't pay an extra 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking to justify a monstrous selfishness—and unfortunately , you 're finding plenty in our society to back you up in that .

Joe Biden is promising to raise taxes only on families making $400,000 or more each year—the top 1.8% of taxpayers. Here to explain why that will really hit middle-class families is CNBC with the latest contribution to the "why rich people are really barely making it" genre. No, really. Experts say!
"Based on the expenses, a $400,000 household income provides for a relatively middle-class lifestyle," one personal finance website guy claimed. "A middle-class lifestyle is defined as: owning a home, having two kids, saving for retirement, saving for college, going on modest vacations several weeks a year, and retiring in one's early 60s." Ha ha ha, yeah, okay: "A middle-class lifestyle is defined as: a bunch of stuff out of reach for most people in this country who consider themselves middle-class, transferred to one of the 10 most expensive cities in the country. Middle-class, I tell you!"
Let's take a look at the sample budget provided for a family with $400,000 in income in an expensive city. These highly representative imaginary people end the year with just $34 left over after all their budgeted expenses—really a hand-to-mouth existence all provided courtesy of CNBC wanting to argue that Biden's proposal to tax the rich is mean to the middle class. So how does this family spend the $260,530 that's left after taxes and $39,000 in 401k contributions? (Because they have to be able to retire in their early 60s or they won't count as middle-class, apparently.)
We're starting with a family of four, which is a perfectly reasonable family size, but let's not forget that poor people are often judged for having "more kids than they can afford." So this "middle-class" family in the top 2% of earners is getting a pass on something that might be questioned if they were trying to scrape together a full-time schedule at McDonald's.
Our allegedly middle-class family lives in a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house, which is a fairly standard size of house in many parts of the country—except that people who live in the most expensive metro areas typically recognize that they will need to sacrifice some of the space they would be able to afford out in the suburbs or in a smaller city. If you say "I need to live in New York City rather than in Short Hills, New Jersey" or "I need to live in Boston rather than Newton," you are making a choice. If you continue that sentence with "and I require four bedrooms for my four-person family," you are making another choice. Both of those choices cost money, which you have with $400,000 a year in household income, but you don't then get to whine about how middle-class you are. You're a person in the top 2% of earners who has made some expensive choices. Expensive as in a $1.6 million mortgage on a $2 million house with $24,804 a year in property tax.
Moving along, our hypothetical family is paying more than $60,000 a year for one child in daycare from 7 AM to 6 PM and one child in preschool from 8:15 AM to 5 PM. The article doesn't say, but they are likely paying extra for the long day at daycare. They are also putting $18,000 a year into a 529 plan to save for their children's future educational expenses. Again: choices. They could arrange their work schedules so that they didn't need the extended hours at daycare—if the preschool kid is only in school from 8:15 to 5, that must be possible, and it would save some money. They could cut their 529 contribution by half until the preschool kid was old enough to be in public school, a point at which their expenses will drop by $26,400 a year, unless of course the assumption is that the kids will go to private school, which would be another choice that these people are making—and one that many middle-class people cannot afford to make, let alone in the most expensive cities in the country.
CNBC and their personal finance website guy want to be sure we understand that this hypothetical middle-class family's consumer decisions are all extremely middle-class. They drive a Toyota Highlander, the poor dears, not a Range Rover or Lamborghini. The freakin' agony, right? They buy their clothes at "Gap not Gucci," which no, I'm sorry, they don't. The article is written as if there's nothing in between the Gap and Gucci, and seriously, no urban-dwelling professional adults earning a combined $400,000 are buying their work clothes at the Gap. At the low end they may possibly be waiting for sales at Banana Republic, but give me a break with this Gap nonsense.
They spend $7,200 a year on three weeks of vacation—two staycations and one road trip—and $3,600 on entertainment, defined as "Netflix, museums, zoo, w/e getaways." Apparently for this family weekend getaways do not fall into the vacation category, but given that Netflix plus family memberships at a zoo and a couple museums will run you about $600, the weekend getaway budget is healthy.
Our struggling family spends $1,800 a year on personal care products and gives $3,000 a year to charity. And that, along with food and utilities and health insurance and life insurance and so on, is how this budget proving that a family in the top 2% counts as members of the struggling middle class which cannot afford to pay any more taxes at all, if you squint just right and ignore the choices involved in their budget.
The reality, of course, is that many American families maintain their middle-class lifestyles through debt and an inability to save for the future, so providing a budget implying that people are really just barely getting by as they put $39,000 a year into retirement funds and $18,000 a year into 529 accounts for their kids is already a radical distance from many, many families' reality. Doing so while budgeting for a $2 million, four-bed, two-bath house in one of the most expensive urban areas in the country rather than moving half an hour out into the suburbs and cutting the mortgage by $500,000 or more or sacrificing the fourth bedroom for a similar savings is … well, this whole exercise in the name of arguing against slightly more fair taxation is outrageously offensive.
This is a myth people write for themselves about why they deserve what almost no one else has. This is the personal finance analysis of people for whom only people richer than themselves truly exist, who are always, no matter how much money they make, going to be looking at the income category above themselves and feeling bereft. Here's something to try for anyone who feels middle-class at anywhere above, let's say, the 89th percentile for income: Look below rather than above yourself, for a damn change, and embrace reality. Yes, the ultra-rich are ultra-rich, and the distance between them and the rest of us is horrifying. But if your rationale for claiming middle-class status is that you don't live like the 0.1%, you've let our twisted, unequal economy twist your judgment. And if you think that your choices about how to spend your $400,000 a year mean that you shouldn't pay an extra 1% in taxes, you're just looking to justify a monstrous selfishness—and unfortunately, you're finding plenty in our society to back you up in that.


alternet--2020-10-06--Trump just torpedoed his best hope for re-election

Is President Donald Trump actively trying to lose the 2020 presidential election ?
I do n't actually believe that 's what he 's doing , but it would easy to get that impression .
On Tuesday afternoon , Trump effectively torpedoed the ongoing congressional negotiations for a second round of stimulus funds , which were likely his best hope of turning around his re-election chances : Here 's the background : House Democrats passed a massive $ 3 trillion package in May that would supplement the economic assistance of the CARES Act , which aimed at fighting the COVID-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' package included an additional round of direct payments to individuals and families , unemployment insurance funds , and aide to state and local governments struggling with reduced tax revenues .
Republicans in control of the Senate , however , refused to pass the bill and decided to sit on their hands , only beginning to negotiate with the Democrats at the end of July when the CARES Act funds were drying up .
Those talks went nowhere as much of the GOP balked at more spending , and the funding lapsed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ extend a fraction of the benefits , but the effect was marginal at best .
The economy needs more stimulus to avoid continued financial strain , a fact that lead GOP negotiator , Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin , has seemed aware of .
Even Trump himself favored a second round of stimulus checks to individuals , likely believing it would boost his approval heading into the election .
But now Trump is — or at least wants to appear be — pulling the plug .
Jeff Stein , a Washington Post reporter who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what this means : Trump perhaps thinks he can win by running on a pledge to pass the stimulus after the election .
He 's almost certainly wrong , and his framing is disastrous for his own side .
First , he 's criticizing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for insisting on a supposedly overly generous package , which is at odds with Trump 's ostensible populist messaging and disregard for the deficit in other cases .
Second , a recent poll found that 74 percent of voters said that the Senate should focus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new justice for the Supreme Court .
Explicitly saying you 're going to do the exact opposite is like a slap in the fact to voters , especially those who are struggling most .
Even putting aside the context of the stimulus negotiations , rushing through the Supreme Court nomination was not overwhelmingly popular with voters to begin with .
And it opens up the Republicans to attacks over health care and abortion where they 're particularly vulnerable .
As it stands , the Trump 's electoral chances are not looking great .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate performance hurt him with voters .
His COVID diagnosis , as well as his subsequent decision to continue playing down the seriousness of the pandemic , probably hurt him even more .
And the most recent data on the economic recovery was discouraging , especially as experts fear a third wave of outbreaks is coming as temperatures decline .
None of this is to say Trump could n't still win .
In fact , I 've argued repeatedly that despite steep odds , there remained paths to victory for the president .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on significant signs of improvement in voters ' personal economic welfare , where stimulus checks from the government could have the most direct impact .
And on Tuesday , Trump seemed to be flushing those hopes down the toilet .

Is President Donald Trump actively trying to lose the 2020 presidential election?
I don't actually believe that's what he's doing, but it would easy to get that impression.
On Tuesday afternoon, Trump effectively torpedoed the ongoing congressional negotiations for a second round of stimulus funds, which were likely his best hope of turning around his re-election chances:
Here's the background: House Democrats passed a massive $3 trillion package in May that would supplement the economic assistance of the CARES Act, which aimed at fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting recession. The Democrats' package included an additional round of direct payments to individuals and families, unemployment insurance funds, and aide to state and local governments struggling with reduced tax revenues. Republicans in control of the Senate, however, refused to pass the bill and decided to sit on their hands, only beginning to negotiate with the Democrats at the end of July when the CARES Act funds were drying up.
Those talks went nowhere as much of the GOP balked at more spending, and the funding lapsed. Trump tried to use executive power to extend a fraction of the benefits, but the effect was marginal at best. The economy needs more stimulus to avoid continued financial strain, a fact that lead GOP negotiator, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, has seemed aware of. Even Trump himself favored a second round of stimulus checks to individuals, likely believing it would boost his approval heading into the election.
But now Trump is — or at least wants to appear be — pulling the plug. Jeff Stein, a Washington Post reporter who has followed the negotiations closely, explained what this means:
Trump perhaps thinks he can win by running on a pledge to pass the stimulus after the election.
He's almost certainly wrong, and his framing is disastrous for his own side. First, he's criticizing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for insisting on a supposedly overly generous package, which is at odds with Trump's ostensible populist messaging and disregard for the deficit in other cases. Second, a recent poll found that 74 percent of voters said that the Senate should focus on economic relief instead of approving a new justice for the Supreme Court. Explicitly saying you're going to do the exact opposite is like a slap in the fact to voters, especially those who are struggling most. Even putting aside the context of the stimulus negotiations, rushing through the Supreme Court nomination was not overwhelmingly popular with voters to begin with. And it opens up the Republicans to attacks over health care and abortion where they're particularly vulnerable.
As it stands, the Trump's electoral chances are not looking great. New polling this week suggests Trump's debate performance hurt him with voters. His COVID diagnosis, as well as his subsequent decision to continue playing down the seriousness of the pandemic, probably hurt him even more. And the most recent data on the economic recovery was discouraging, especially as experts fear a third wave of outbreaks is coming as temperatures decline.
None of this is to say Trump couldn't still win. In fact, I've argued repeatedly that despite steep odds, there remained paths to victory for the president. But his best shot has always relied on significant signs of improvement in voters' personal economic welfare, where stimulus checks from the government could have the most direct impact. And on Tuesday, Trump seemed to be flushing those hopes down the toilet.


alternet--2020-10-06--Florida Department of State extends voter registration deadline after website crashes on last day

Republicans in Florida have been doing everything possible to not allow Floridians to vote in this upcoming election .
They 've added costs to registration for people convicted of felonies , a `` poll tax '' by any other name .
Activists and other Americans disenfranchised by racism—and very obvious anti-Democracy practices of conservative legislators—have fought tirelessly to ensure more Americans have the right to vote .
And at every step , Republicans in power have worked to keep their minority-rule by fighting to rid our Democracy of the fundamental tenet of one person , one vote .
Numerous media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online voter registration website—RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov—began crashing throughout the day on Monday—the final day of voter registration for this upcoming November election day .
Florida Democratic Party chair Terrie Rizzo told reporters that `` This is just latest attempt from the Republican leaders in Florida to limit democracy .
The Florida Voter Registration website not working on the last day to register to vote in Florida is blatant voter suppression .
Fix the website , stop the suppression , and let democracy work . ''
A reminder , Florida 's online registration system , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 , by the Republican-controlled state officials , right before National Voter Registration Day .
The website is maintained by the Florida Department of State .
At around 6 PM Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee tweeted out `` OVR is online and working .
Due to high volume , for about 15 minutes , some users experienced delays while trying to register .
We have increased capacity .
You can register until midnight tonight .
Thank you to those who immediately brought this to our attention . ''
Reporters , including those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the website continued to have serious problems with crashing , and Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani followed that up by tweeting `` Voter registration website continues to NOT work for many Floridians .
Retweet if you think Florida should extend the voter registration deadline by at least one day ! ''
On Tuesday morning , Secretary of State Laurel Lee told news outlets that she had met with Gov .
Ron DeSantis .
She released a statement saying `` We 're exploring all options to ensure that all eligible registrants have the ability to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our state and federal law-enforcement partners to ensure this was not a deliberate act against the voting process .
We will be issuing an update as soon as possible . ''
Maybe `` as soon as possible '' will be after November 3 ?
Update : The Florida Department of State just announced it will be extending its online voter registration until 7pm tonight !

Republicans in Florida have been doing everything possible to not allow Floridians to vote in this upcoming election. They've added costs to registration for people convicted of felonies, a "poll tax" by any other name. Activists and other Americans disenfranchised by racism—and very obvious anti-Democracy practices of conservative legislators—have fought tirelessly to ensure more Americans have the right to vote. And at every step, Republicans in power have worked to keep their minority-rule by fighting to rid our Democracy of the fundamental tenet of one person, one vote.
Numerous media sites are now reporting that Florida's online voter registration website—RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov—began crashing throughout the day on Monday—the final day of voter registration for this upcoming November election day. Florida Democratic Party chair Terrie Rizzo told reporters that "This is just latest attempt from the Republican leaders in Florida to limit democracy. The Florida Voter Registration website not working on the last day to register to vote in Florida is blatant voter suppression. Fix the website, stop the suppression, and let democracy work."
A reminder, Florida's online registration system, was taken down for "maintenance" in 2019, by the Republican-controlled state officials, right before National Voter Registration Day.
The website is maintained by the Florida Department of State. At around 6 PM Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee tweeted out "OVR is online and working. Due to high volume, for about 15 minutes, some users experienced delays while trying to register. We have increased capacity. You can register until midnight tonight. Thank you to those who immediately brought this to our attention."
Reporters, including those at the Tampa Bay Times say that the website continued to have serious problems with crashing, and Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani followed that up by tweeting "Voter registration website continues to NOT work for many Floridians. Retweet if you think Florida should extend the voter registration deadline by at least one day!"
On Tuesday morning, Secretary of State Laurel Lee told news outlets that she had met with Gov. Ron DeSantis. She released a statement saying "We're exploring all options to ensure that all eligible registrants have the ability to register to vote and will work with our state and federal law-enforcement partners to ensure this was not a deliberate act against the voting process. We will be issuing an update as soon as possible." Maybe "as soon as possible" will be after November 3?
Update: The Florida Department of State just announced it will be extending its online voter registration until 7pm tonight!


alternet--2020-10-06--Why the right wing has put marriage equality and LGBTQ rights on the ballot

Same-sex marriage advocates expressed concern Monday after rightwing Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito issued a fresh attack on a landmark 2015 decision that had been hailed as a `` transformative triumph ' '' for marriage equality and LGBTQ rights .
The attack came when the top court declined to hear an appeal from Kim Davis , a former county clerk in the Kentucky who refused , after the Obergefell v. Hodges et .
al .
decision , to issue same-sex marriage certificates citing her religious beliefs .
In a statement ( pdf ) accompanying the denial of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and joined by Alito , the justices say `` Davis may have been one of the first victims of this court 's cavalier treatment of religion in its Obergefell decision , but she will not be the last . ''
The `` petition provides a stark reminder of the consequences of Obergefell , '' they added .
`` By choosing to privilege a novel constitutional right over the religious liberty interests explicitly protected in the First Amendment , '' Thomas and Alito wrote , `` the court has created a problem that only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obergefell will continue to have 'ruinous consequences for religious liberty . '
'' The opinion drew sharp rebuke from James Esseks , director of the American Civil Liberties Union LGBT and HIV Project .
`` It is appalling that five years after the historic decision in Obergefell , two justices still consider same-sex couples less worthy of marriage than other couples , '' said Esseks .
`` When you do a job on behalf of the government—as an employee or a contractor—there is no license to discriminate or turn people away because they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government could not function if everyone doing the government 's business got to pick their own rules , '' Esseks said .
Attorney and trans rights activist Chase Strangio warned the comments from Alito and Thomas could signal a broad attack on the LGBTQ community .
`` The attack on marriage equality will be part of a larger wave that also includes the criminalization of trans healthcare , the formulation of a constitutional right for cis people not to share space with trans people , the attack on our very existence , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must fight . ''
According to Tim Holbrook , a professor at Emory University School of Law , the choice of words in the opinion by Thomas and Alito sends `` a signal to state legislatures to challenge Obergefell , at least on religious liberty grounds . ''
In his op-ed at CNN , Holbrook warned , `` Such efforts could be successful , '' and continued : '' Nevertheless , '' added Holbrook , `` marriage equality may be at risk . ''
Amplifying concerns is the fact that the Republican-controlled Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ahead '' —Capitol Hill Covid-19 infections be damned—with confirmation hearings next week for Judge Amy Coney Barrett , whom progressive activists say poses a threat to healthcare , reproductive justice , and LGBTQ rights .
`` Amy Coney Barrett has openly claimed to hold similar views to [ late Supreme Court Justice Antonin ] Scalia , who Thomas and Alito channel with this opinion , '' HRC president Alphonso David said in a statement Monday .
`` That fact , along with Barrett 's ties to anti-equality extremist groups who aim to criminalize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abroad , '' said David , `` shows that Barrett will only embolden these anti-equality extremist views on the court . ''

Same-sex marriage advocates expressed concern Monday after rightwing Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito issued a fresh attack on a landmark 2015 decision that had been hailed as a "transformative triumph'" for marriage equality and LGBTQ rights.
The attack came when the top court declined to hear an appeal from Kim Davis, a former county clerk in the Kentucky who refused, after the Obergefell v. Hodges et. al. decision, to issue same-sex marriage certificates citing her religious beliefs.
In a statement (pdf) accompanying the denial of Davis's appeal, written by Thomas and joined by Alito, the justices say "Davis may have been one of the first victims of this court's cavalier treatment of religion in its Obergefell decision, but she will not be the last."
The "petition provides a stark reminder of the consequences of Obergefell," they added.
"By choosing to privilege a novel constitutional right over the religious liberty interests explicitly protected in the First Amendment," Thomas and Alito wrote, "the court has created a problem that only it can fix. Until then, Obergefell will continue to have 'ruinous consequences for religious liberty.'"
The opinion drew sharp rebuke from James Esseks, director of the American Civil Liberties Union LGBT and HIV Project.
"It is appalling that five years after the historic decision in Obergefell, two justices still consider same-sex couples less worthy of marriage than other couples," said Esseks.
"When you do a job on behalf of the government—as an employee or a contractor—there is no license to discriminate or turn people away because they do not meet religious criteria. Our government could not function if everyone doing the government's business got to pick their own rules," Esseks said.
Attorney and trans rights activist Chase Strangio warned the comments from Alito and Thomas could signal a broad attack on the LGBTQ community.
"The attack on marriage equality will be part of a larger wave that also includes the criminalization of trans healthcare, the formulation of a constitutional right for cis people not to share space with trans people, the attack on our very existence," said Strangio, adding, "We must fight."
According to Tim Holbrook, a professor at Emory University School of Law, the choice of words in the opinion by Thomas and Alito sends "a signal to state legislatures to challenge Obergefell, at least on religious liberty grounds."
In his op-ed at CNN, Holbrook warned, "Such efforts could be successful," and continued:
Does this mean marriage equality will be overruled? It may not. Instead, the justices, with Justice Thomas's and Alito's statement as a preview, may carve out sweeping religious liberty exceptions to marriage equality. The court may also chip away at attendant rights, like adoption and allowing same-sex couples to be named as parents on birth certificates. It also would be problematic, if not impossible, for the court to eliminate existing marriages between same-sex couples. That may stay the court's hand to some extent.
"Nevertheless," added Holbrook, "marriage equality may be at risk."
Amplifying concerns is the fact that the Republican-controlled Senate is set to move " full steam ahead"—Capitol Hill Covid-19 infections be damned—with confirmation hearings next week for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, whom progressive activists say poses a threat to healthcare, reproductive justice, and LGBTQ rights.
"Amy Coney Barrett has openly claimed to hold similar views to [late Supreme Court Justice Antonin] Scalia, who Thomas and Alito channel with this opinion," HRC president Alphonso David said in a statement Monday.
"That fact, along with Barrett's ties to anti-equality extremist groups who aim to criminalize LGBTQ relationships in the United States and abroad," said David, "shows that Barrett will only embolden these anti-equality extremist views on the court."


alternet--2020-10-06--Here's the evidence that suggests the White House knew of Trump's illness before debate — but delibe

Here's the evidence that suggests the White House knew of Trump's illness before debate — but deliberately hid it

Even after rattling off various positive measures of Donald Trump 's health in various press conferences , White House physician Dr. Sean Conley has been adamant about not answering one of the most vital questions facing those exposed to Trump in recent days : When was the last time testing showed Trump was not carrying the pandemic virus that would send him to the hospital only a day after the White House admitted he was sick ?
That 's important , because it would allow those who came into contact with Trump during last Tuesday 's presidential debate to know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enclosed space with a COVID-19 carrier shouting at them for most of that time—one of the precise scenarios that experts warn is most likely to result in pandemic spread .
It 's also important because all evidence so far points to the White House knowing of Trump 's illness at least as of Monday , before the debate .
And it 's important because the pattern of infections coming out of the White House do not appear to correlate with people who attended the Rose Garden celebration the previous weekend .
They appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have spent significant amounts of time in proximity to Donald Trump himself .
On Monday , we were treated to a rare sight at the White House : An outdoor press briefing in which Trump spoke at a podium alone , while all other speakers at the pandemic-related briefing used a podium set up on a separate platform well-distanced from Trump 's own .
Tuesday 's debate featured another unusual sight : Melania Trump alone , among the Trump family , followed debate venue rules and kept her mask on during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at his podium for the usual post-debate family visuals .
But the Trump family arrived at the debate venue too late to be given COVID-19 tests at the venue , debate moderator Chris Wallace said afterward .
`` There was an honor system when it came to people that came into the hall from the two campaigns . ''
There are reasons to believe the White House is lying about the outbreak timeline , and it is absolutely certain that they are hiding key elements of that timeline , as White House doctor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The first known illnesses from the White House outbreak are , for the most part , those immediately surrounding Trump himself .
But what of the multiple Rose Garden guests who tested positive after the Saturday celebration held for Amy Coney Barrett , including Sen. Thom Tillis , Sen. Mike Lee , pastor Greg Laurie , Notre Dame president John Jenkins , and Kellyanne Conway ?
All of them were seen in close proximity to Trump in the Diplomatic Room of the White House , during an indoors reception for Barrett that featured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Infections during the Rose Garden event were not , as far as we know , spread evenly throughout the outside crowd .
They have appeared predominantly among the most important guests , the ones allowed to sit and the first few rows—and who were invited inside for a more personal meet-and-greet hosted by Trump .
The evidence , then , is that Trump himself may have been the source of infection for most of the COVID-19 cases in his orbit .
Whether he was or was n't , the outbreak was in full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diplomatic Room event .
The White House , however , is flatly refusing to tell the public , the Biden campaign , the debate staff and others Trump met with when Trump , who is allegedly as president tested daily or near-daily , was last known to be free of the virus .
They either do n't know—because they have n't been doing the testing—or they 're hiding it because they have a reason to hide it .
The White House has also announced that it will not be doing contact tracing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention to launch that effort itself .
They are quite insistent on not finding out either the true extent of the White House outbreak , or revealing its origins .
It 's reasonable to question whether the White House knew Trump was infected , or suspected it , at least as of Monday , when Trump 's press event was set up to have the unusual dual-podium arrangement .
It 's reasonable to question whether the Trump campaign avoided testing at the venue not out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want testing to be done .
It 's not just reasonable to assume Trump , a malevolent narcissist , would willingly expose others to his illness for momentary gain : It 's proven , both from Trump 's pointless but self-celebrating joyride around Walter Reed , unnecessarily putting Secret Service agents in an airtight container with him at the likely height of his own contagiousness , and his immediate removal of his mask upon returning to the White House .
There are very good reasons to suspect that the White House knew or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the debate with Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden took place , and that the White House covered up his infection to allow the debate to go forward .
It is possible that , had Trump not become so physically ill two days afterward as to require public acknowledgement , then hospitalization , the White House intended to hide Trump 's infection from the public completely .
This would be unconscionable behavior by itself , but exposing a rival presidential candidate to a deadly disease on purpose brings it past unconscionable and into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here we are .
This is not an idle , fringe supposition .
Senate Democratic leaders are themselves demanding that the White House explain their secrecy around Trump 's initial diagnosis , accusing the White House ( correctly ) of `` deliberately '' hiding this information .
The press is focusing in on this question as well .
It is entirely within the realm of possibility that this White House would cover up a presidential illness even if it caused the possible death of others , and even if it exposed Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On the contrary , it is the most plausible theory we have as to why the White House is refusing to clarify the timeline of Trump 's illness .
White House physician Dr. Sean Conley is explicitly hiding this information—and endangering lives .
This is not tenable .
If the press can not scrape an answer from him , Vice President Biden 's Secret Service detail might need to go question him directly .

Even after rattling off various positive measures of Donald Trump's health in various press conferences, White House physician Dr. Sean Conley has been adamant about not answering one of the most vital questions facing those exposed to Trump in recent days: When was the last time testing showed Trump was not carrying the pandemic virus that would send him to the hospital only a day after the White House admitted he was sick?
That's important, because it would allow those who came into contact with Trump during last Tuesday's presidential debate to know whether they spent 90 minutes in an enclosed space with a COVID-19 carrier shouting at them for most of that time—one of the precise scenarios that experts warn is most likely to result in pandemic spread.
It's also important because all evidence so far points to the White House knowing of Trump's illness at least as of Monday, before the debate. And it's important because the pattern of infections coming out of the White House do not appear to correlate with people who attended the Rose Garden celebration the previous weekend. They appear to more closely correlate with people known to have spent significant amounts of time in proximity to Donald Trump himself.
On Monday, we were treated to a rare sight at the White House: An outdoor press briefing in which Trump spoke at a podium alone, while all other speakers at the pandemic-related briefing used a podium set up on a separate platform well-distanced from Trump's own.
Tuesday's debate featured another unusual sight: Melania Trump alone, among the Trump family, followed debate venue rules and kept her mask on during the full event—only removing it when approaching Donald at his podium for the usual post-debate family visuals. But the Trump family arrived at the debate venue too late to be given COVID-19 tests at the venue, debate moderator Chris Wallace said afterward. "There was an honor system when it came to people that came into the hall from the two campaigns."
There are reasons to believe the White House is lying about the outbreak timeline, and it is absolutely certain that they are hiding key elements of that timeline, as White House doctor Conley did yet again on Monday. The first known illnesses from the White House outbreak are, for the most part, those immediately surrounding Trump himself.
• White House adviser Hope Hicks and assistant Nicholas Luna
• First lady Melania Trump
• Trump's debate prep team member Chris Christie and Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien
• White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and two assistant press secretaries
But what of the multiple Rose Garden guests who tested positive after the Saturday celebration held for Amy Coney Barrett, including Sen. Thom Tillis, Sen. Mike Lee, pastor Greg Laurie, Notre Dame president John Jenkins, and Kellyanne Conway?
All of them were seen in close proximity to Trump in the Diplomatic Room of the White House, during an indoors reception for Barrett that featured a much smaller group of people. Infections during the Rose Garden event were not, as far as we know, spread evenly throughout the outside crowd. They have appeared predominantly among the most important guests, the ones allowed to sit and the first few rows—and who were invited inside for a more personal meet-and-greet hosted by Trump.
The evidence, then, is that Trump himself may have been the source of infection for most of the COVID-19 cases in his orbit. Whether he was or wasn't, the outbreak was in full swing as of Saturday, during the Diplomatic Room event.
The White House, however, is flatly refusing to tell the public, the Biden campaign, the debate staff and others Trump met with when Trump, who is allegedly as president tested daily or near-daily, was last known to be free of the virus. They either don't know—because they haven't been doing the testing—or they're hiding it because they have a reason to hide it. The White House has also announced that it will not be doing contact tracing of Rose Garden guests, nor will they allow the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention to launch that effort itself.
They are quite insistent on not finding out either the true extent of the White House outbreak, or revealing its origins.
It's reasonable to question whether the White House knew Trump was infected, or suspected it, at least as of Monday, when Trump's press event was set up to have the unusual dual-podium arrangement. It's reasonable to question whether the Trump campaign avoided testing at the venue not out of lateness, but because they did not want testing to be done. It's not just reasonable to assume Trump, a malevolent narcissist, would willingly expose others to his illness for momentary gain: It's proven, both from Trump's pointless but self-celebrating joyride around Walter Reed, unnecessarily putting Secret Service agents in an airtight container with him at the likely height of his own contagiousness, and his immediate removal of his mask upon returning to the White House.
There are very good reasons to suspect that the White House knew or believed Trump to be infected with COVID-19 before the debate with Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden took place, and that the White House covered up his infection to allow the debate to go forward. It is possible that, had Trump not become so physically ill two days afterward as to require public acknowledgement, then hospitalization, the White House intended to hide Trump's infection from the public completely.
This would be unconscionable behavior by itself, but exposing a rival presidential candidate to a deadly disease on purpose brings it past unconscionable and into the realm of the unthinkable. But here we are.
This is not an idle, fringe supposition. Senate Democratic leaders are themselves demanding that the White House explain their secrecy around Trump's initial diagnosis, accusing the White House (correctly) of "deliberately" hiding this information. The press is focusing in on this question as well. It is entirely within the realm of possibility that this White House would cover up a presidential illness even if it caused the possible death of others, and even if it exposed Trump's immediate campaign rival to the same disease. On the contrary, it is the most plausible theory we have as to why the White House is refusing to clarify the timeline of Trump's illness.
White House physician Dr. Sean Conley is explicitly hiding this information—and endangering lives. This is not tenable. If the press cannot scrape an answer from him, Vice President Biden's Secret Service detail might need to go question him directly.


alternet--2020-10-06--Gen. Mark Milley and several others self-isolating after top Coast Guard official tests positive for

Gen. Mark Milley and several others self-isolating after top Coast Guard official tests positive for COVID-19

Gen. Mark Milley and several other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are now in self-isolation following Vice Commandant of the US Coast Guard , Admiral Charles Ray testing positive for coronavirus .
On Tuesday , Jonathan Hoffman , assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs , released a statement detailing the latest developments in the Pentagon .
He noted that the decision to isolate was done `` out of an abundance of caution . ''
`` We are conducting additional contact tracing and taking appropriate precautions to protect the force and the mission , '' Hoffman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an abundance of caution , all potential close contacts from these meetings are self-quarantining and have been tested this morning .
No Pentagon contacts have exhibited symptoms and we have no additional positive tests to report at this time . ''
Hoffman also made it clear that their decision to isolate has no bearing on their operational readiness or professional capabilities .
`` There is no change to the operational readiness or mission capability of the U.S. Armed Forces , '' Hoffman 's statement added .
`` Senior military leaders are able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duties from an alternative work location . ''
The Pentagon 's latest developments follow a string of controversial reports from the White House regarding coronavirus .
Yesterday , President Donald Trump faced sharp criticism for further downplaying the virus as he urged the American public not to fear COVID and `` do n't let it dominate your life . ''
He tweeted , `` I will be leaving the great Walter Reed Medical Center today at 6:30 P.M .
Feeling really good !
Do n't be afraid of Covid .
Do n't let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developed , under the Trump Administration , some really great drugs & knowledge .
I feel better than I did 20 years ago ! ''
The president was criticized for remarks due to the stark differences in his circumstances compared to the average American .
The president was treated at Walter Reed Medical Center by some of the best doctors in the country .
Trump is also receiving Remdesivir , another less-used drug for coronavirus called Regeneron , and a steroid that is typically not available to the American public as treatment for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the rare side effects of the steroid Dexamethasone is `` grandiose delusions . ''

Gen. Mark Milley and several other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are now in self-isolation following Vice Commandant of the US Coast Guard, Admiral Charles Ray testing positive for coronavirus.
On Tuesday, Jonathan Hoffman, assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, released a statement detailing the latest developments in the Pentagon. He noted that the decision to isolate was done "out of an abundance of caution."
"We are conducting additional contact tracing and taking appropriate precautions to protect the force and the mission," Hoffman's statement read. "Out of an abundance of caution, all potential close contacts from these meetings are self-quarantining and have been tested this morning. No Pentagon contacts have exhibited symptoms and we have no additional positive tests to report at this time."
Hoffman also made it clear that their decision to isolate has no bearing on their operational readiness or professional capabilities.
"There is no change to the operational readiness or mission capability of the U.S. Armed Forces," Hoffman's statement added. "Senior military leaders are able to remain fully mission capable and perform their duties from an alternative work location."
The Pentagon's latest developments follow a string of controversial reports from the White House regarding coronavirus. Yesterday, President Donald Trump faced sharp criticism for further downplaying the virus as he urged the American public not to fear COVID and "don't let it dominate your life."
He tweeted, "I will be leaving the great Walter Reed Medical Center today at 6:30 P.M. Feeling really good! Don't be afraid of Covid. Don't let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!"
The president was criticized for remarks due to the stark differences in his circumstances compared to the average American.
The president was treated at Walter Reed Medical Center by some of the best doctors in the country. Trump is also receiving Remdesivir, another less-used drug for coronavirus called Regeneron, and a steroid that is typically not available to the American public as treatment for coronavirus.
According to Newsweek, one of the rare side effects of the steroid Dexamethasone is "grandiose delusions."


alternet--2020-10-06--The costs and the long haul of our shared COVID nightmare

After all these months and 210,000 deaths , you 'd think I 'd be used to it all , but I 'm not .
It does n't seem even a little normal yet .
I 'm still full of absences , missing so much I used to take for granted : hugs and handshakes , rooms crowded for funerals and weddings , potluck dinners and house parties .
I miss browsing the stacks at the library and the racks at the thrift shop .
I miss going to our Unitarian Universalist congregation and the robust community connection we enjoyed every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , of course , that such human encounters and quotidian pleasures are all that I miss .
I have yet to lose friends or family to Covid-19 , I have n't lost my job , and our home is not in danger of foreclosure .
Still , I 'm at a loss to figure out how to go on .
But that 's the work , is n't it ?
Going on somehow because , if the experts are on target -- and they 're hard to hear above the din of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Washington -- they say that things wo n't get back to normal for a year or longer .
They say this is the new normal : masks , distance , existential dread over every sore throat .
Another year ... at least .
How do I pace myself and my family for the long haul of the pandemic ?
How do we figure out how to mitigate our risks and still live lives of some sort ?
Who do we trust ?
Who do we listen to ?
And who do we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic hits us directly ?
I 'm full of missing and longing , but the thing I miss most poignantly and sharply is n't something ( or someone ) you could see or touch .
What I miss is the privileged ( and ultimately false ) notion , almost an article of faith for white , middle-class people like me , that the future is predictable , that there is a `` normal . ''
I miss good old-fashioned American optimism , that `` aw shucks '' sentiment that absolves and salves and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 'll be okay .
They 'll figure it out .
Things will get back to normal .
This is only temporary .
While most of the developed world has been dealing with the impact of the pandemic in a reasonable fashion -- caring for the sick , burying the dead , enforcing lockdowns and the sort of distancing and masking that seems so necessary -- it 's played out differently here in the good old U.S. of A .
Here , we have a pandemic-plus -- plus a broken social safety net @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war of disinformation , and that 's just to start down a list of add-on disasters .
In addition , parts of the United States have been beset by record wildfires , hurricanes , and deadly storms .
So add on the impact of catastrophic climate change .
Here in the land of the fearful and the home of the riven , it 's been a pandemic plus poverty , plus staggering economic inequality , plus police violence , plus protest , plus white supremacy .
It 's a nightmare , in other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 210,000 dead Americans , it 's not slowing down .
And no matter the facts on the ground , and the bodies below the ground , the president 's supporters regularly deny there 's the slightest need for masks , social distancing , shutdowns , or much of anything else .
So , it 's a pandemic plus lunacy , too -- a politically manipulated lunacy spiced with violence and the threat of violence heading into an increasingly fraught election , which could even mean a pandemic plus autocracy or a chaotic American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it 's a lot .
Still , it 's also the fall and , after this endless summer , my three kids have started school again -- sort of .
They are in first , third , and eighth grade .
Right now , there 's more coaching around masks and distancing than instruction in math and the ABCs .
Still , the teachers are working hard to make this happen and my kids are so happy to be away from us that they do n't even seem to mind those masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or the regimented way lunch and recess have to happen .
Over the whole experiment , of course , hangs an unnerving reality ( or do I mean unreality ? )
: that in-person schooling could dissolve in an errant cough , a spiking fever , and a few microscopic germs catapulting through the air .
In fact , that 's already been happening in other areas of Connecticut where I live .
After all these months of lockdown , my husband and I automatically wear masks everywhere , arranging the odd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and trying to imagine how any of this will work in winter , no less long term .
Still , bit by bit , we 're doing our best to quilt together an understanding of how to live in the midst of such a pandemic -- and that 's important because it 's so obvious that there 's going to be no quick fix in the chaotic new world we 've been plunged into .
Seven months in , I 'm finally realizing what so many marginalized people have always known : we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to me like a klaxon call , a scream from the depths of my own body , all at once .
I still whisper it , with sorrow and wonder : we are on our own .
It 's as if our small city of New London and the state of Connecticut had been untethered from the federal government and , despite the crazy game of telephone that passes for federal public-healthcare policy , are faring better than most due to a mixture of our state 's reputation as the `` Land of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of mutual aid , and our own family 's blend of abundance and austerity .
Still , the fact that , relatively speaking , we 're doing okay does n't make the realization that we 're on our own any less stark or troubling .
It 's not complicated , really .
You ca n't beat a pandemic with a mixture of personal responsibility and family creativity .
Science , policy , and a national plan are what 's needed .
My own vision for such a plan in response to Covid-19 would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income , robust worker protections , and Medicare for all .
But that 's just me ... well , actually , it 's probably the secret dream of the majority of Americans and it 's certainly the opposite of the position of Trump and his ilk .
It says that we really all are in this together and we better start acting like it .
We need to take care of one another to survive .
In spite of it all , I 'm doing my best to manage this new normal by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At least I can feed people .
Our city was poor even before the state ordered a lockdown in mid-March and few had the extra money to panic-buy .
So the food justice organization I work for started planting extra carrots , peas , and collards back in March .
We built public garden boxes and painted signs telling people to harvest for free .
We distributed soil and seeds to people all over the city and gave them some gardening 101 guidance .
And now , as October begins , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and distributing it every week .
On Fridays , I also help pack boxes of milk and eggs , meat and vegetables , which we then deliver to more than 100 families .
The rhythm involved in harvesting the produce and packing the boxes , each an immersive physical task , helps banish my darker thoughts , at least for a while .
`` We Are Going to Be in Very Good Shape '' The president held a news conference on March 30th .
Of course , that 's ancient history now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by long months of deaths and hospitalizations , layoffs and political in-fighting .
The CEOs of Honeywell , Jockey , MyPillow , United Technologies , and other companies were gathered alongside administration officials that day .
It should have been a briefing on where we Americans were a month into what was clearly going to be a long slog .
Above all , it should have honored those who had already died .
Instead -- no surprise looking back from our present nightmarish vantage point -- it proved to be an extended advertisement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their CEOs to spout patriotic pablum and trade compliments with the commander-in-chief .
I was crying a lot then .
When the president said , `` We have to get our country back to where it was and maybe beyond , '' I began to sob and dry heave .
After I finally wiped away the tears and blew my nose , I checked out the website of a company that makes homeopathic remedies .
A friend had sent me a list of ones doctors were supposedly using to treat coronavirus symptoms in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Get these if you can , '' she texted .
It was n't science .
I admit it .
It was desperation .
As one of millions of Americans on state insurance with no primary-care doctor or bespoke concierge service , I feared the worst .
As the CEO from MyPillow was telling the American people to use the time of the shutdown to `` get back in the Word , read our Bibles , '' I made my own faith gesture and pressed the buy button .
When the order arrived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ archaic vials labelled with names like Belladonna and Drosera .
Even now , when I feel anxious and cloudy , I rummage through that box of vials and read the names like incantations .
Better that than heeding the president 's assertion on that long-gone day that `` we are going to be in very good shape . ''
We are not in very good shape and it 's getting worse every day .
As the November election looms and Ruth Bader Ginsburg 's death ( as well as the grim Republican response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ massive shadow over the country , the subtext of the administration 's message -- however convoluted its delivery -- is simple enough : you 're on your own .
Over the last half-year , whether discussing the pandemic or the vote to come , Donald Trump has made one bizarre , bombastic , patently untrue assertion after another .
In the process , he 's vacillated between a caricature of a dictator from some long-lost Isabel Allende novel and of an insecure middle manager ( The Office 's Michael Scott on steroids ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines , and the disbursement of necessary protective equipment have all been thoroughly messed up and politicized in ways that are harmful today and could be devastating for years to come .
As Peter Baker of the New York Times reported in September , so many of us are indeed confused : '' With Mr. Trump saying one thing and his health advisors saying another , many Americans have been left to figure out on their own whom to believe , with past polls sharing that they have more faith in the experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me !
I do have faith in the experts .
I 'm wearing a mask and digging into the idea that mask wearing is going to be a part of our lives for at least the next year or so .
In other words , the new normal will be ever more of the same , which means careful , awkward , tentative engagement with a wildly unpredictable world full of pathogens and unmasked `` patriots . ''
The new normal will mean trading in the old sock masks my mother-in-law fashioned for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and effective masks .
Beyond that , my answer to all this could n't be more feeble .
It 's taking care of my backyard chickens and my front-yard garden and adding strands to our small web of mutual aid .
This spring and summer , I dug up more of my lawn to plant carrots , sweet potatoes , and squash in an ever larger garden , while learning how to store rainwater from the gutters of our roof in big barrels .
I joked with my friends about growing rice -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I acquired a chicken coop , built a rudimentary run , and ordered six beautiful chickens from a farm in a quiet corner of Connecticut : two Golden Copper Marans , two Black Marans , and two Easter Eggers .
The kids named them after characters in the Harry Potter series , which they 've all but memorized during the shutdown .
One chicken ran away and one died , but I love everything about taking care of them and harvesting the perfect magical protein orbs they produce with religious regularity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ feeling of accomplishment , while leaving me with a set of tasks that I have to complete even when I feel despondent and overwhelmed .
That 's all to the good , but a handful of chickens and a few collard plants do n't add up to self-sufficiency .
They are not a bulwark against national insanity and ineptitude .
They will not solve the problem of Donald Trump and Company .
Still , in bad , bad times , at least they keep me going and let 's face it , all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us who survive Covid-19 -- are in it for the long haul .
Frida Berrigan is the author of It Runs In The Family : On Being Raised by Radicals and Growing into Rebellious Motherhood .
She is a TomDispatch regular and writes the Little Insurrections column for WagingNonviolence.Org .
She has three children and lives in New London , Connecticut , where she is a gardener and community organizer .
Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook .
Check out the newest Dispatch Books , John Feffer 's new dystopian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series ) Frostlands , Beverly Gologorsky 's novel Every Body Has a Story , and Tom Engelhardt 's A Nation Unmade by War , as well as Alfred McCoy 's In the Shadows of the American Century : The Rise and Decline of U.S .
Global Power and John Dower 's The Violent American Century : War and Terror Since World War II .

After all these months and 210,000 deaths, you'd think I'd be used to it all, but I'm not. It doesn't seem even a little normal yet. I'm still full of absences, missing so much I used to take for granted: hugs and handshakes, rooms crowded for funerals and weddings, potluck dinners and house parties. I miss browsing the stacks at the library and the racks at the thrift shop. I miss going to our Unitarian Universalist congregation and the robust community connection we enjoyed every Sunday.
I should count myself lucky, of course, that such human encounters and quotidian pleasures are all that I miss. I have yet to lose friends or family to Covid-19, I haven't lost my job, and our home is not in danger of foreclosure. Still, I'm at a loss to figure out how to go on.
But that's the work, isn't it? Going on somehow because, if the experts are on target -- and they're hard to hear above the din of the bombast and threats of carnage coming out of Washington -- they say that things won't get back to normal for ayear or longer. They say this is the new normal: masks, distance, existential dread over every sore throat.
Another year... at least. How do I pace myself and my family for the long haul of the pandemic? How do we figure out how to mitigate our risks and still live lives of some sort? Who do we trust? Who do we listen to? And who do we call if a spiking fall or winter pandemic hits us directly?
I'm full of missing and longing, but the thing I miss most poignantly and sharply isn't something (or someone) you could see or touch. What I miss is the privileged (and ultimately false) notion, almost an article of faith for white, middle-class people like me, that the future is predictable, that there is a "normal." I miss good old-fashioned American optimism, that "aw shucks" sentiment that absolves and salves and says with a twang or lilt: It'll be okay. They'll figure it out. Things will get back to normal. This is only temporary.
Pandemic Plus
While most of the developed world has been dealing with the impact of the pandemic in a reasonable fashion -- caring for the sick, burying the dead, enforcing lockdowns and the sort of distancing and masking that seems so necessary -- it's played out differently here in the good old U.S. of A. Here, we have a pandemic-plus -- plus a broken social safety net, a for-profit healthcare system, a war of disinformation, and that's just to start down a list of add-on disasters.
In addition, parts of the United States have been beset by record wildfires, hurricanes, and deadly storms. So add on the impact of catastrophic climate change.
Here in the land of the fearful and the home of the riven, it's been a pandemic plus poverty, plus staggering economic inequality, plus police violence, plus protest, plus white supremacy. It's a nightmare, in other words and, despite those more than 210,000 dead Americans, it's not slowing down. And no matter the facts on the ground, and the bodies below the ground, the president's supporters regularly deny there's the slightest need for masks, social distancing, shutdowns, or much of anything else. So, it's a pandemic plus lunacy, too -- a politically manipulated lunacy spiced with violence and the threat of violence heading into an increasingly fraught election, which could even mean a pandemic plus autocracy or a chaotic American version of fascism. In other words, it's a lot.
Still, it's also the fall and, after this endless summer, my three kids have started school again -- sort of. They are in first, third, and eighth grade. Right now, there's more coaching around masks and distancing than instruction in math and the ABCs. Still, the teachers are working hard to make this happen and my kids are so happy to be away from us that they don't even seem to mind those masks, or the shields around their desks, or the regimented way lunch and recess have to happen. Over the whole experiment, of course, hangs an unnerving reality (or do I mean unreality?): that in-person schooling could dissolve in an errant cough, a spiking fever, and a few microscopic germs catapulting through the air. In fact, that's already been happening in other areas of Connecticut where I live.
After all these months of lockdown, my husband and I automatically wear masks everywhere, arranging the odd outdoor gathering of a handful of friends and trying to imagine how any of this will work in winter, no less long term. Still, bit by bit, we're doing our best to quilt together an understanding of how to live in the midst of such a pandemic -- and that's important because it's so obvious that there's going to be no quick fix in the chaotic new world we've been plunged into.
Seven months in, I'm finally realizing what so many marginalized people have always known: we're on our own. It came to me like a klaxon call, a scream from the depths of my own body, all at once. I still whisper it, with sorrow and wonder: we are on our own.
It's as if our small city of New London and the state of Connecticut had been untethered from the federal government and, despite the crazy game of telephone that passes for federal public-healthcare policy, are faring better than most due to a mixture of our state's reputation as the "Land of Steady Habits," our small-city web of mutual aid, and our own family's blend of abundance and austerity. Still, the fact that, relatively speaking, we're doing okay doesn't make the realization that we're on our own any less stark or troubling.
It's not complicated, really. You can't beat a pandemic with a mixture of personal responsibility and family creativity. Science, policy, and a national plan are what's needed. My own vision for such a plan in response to Covid-19 would be the passage of a universal basic income, robust worker protections, and Medicare for all. But that's just me... well, actually, it's probably the secret dream of the majority of Americans and it's certainly the opposite of the position of Trump and his ilk. It says that we really all are in this together and we better start acting like it. We need to take care of one another to survive.
In spite of it all, I'm doing my best to manage this new normal by focusing on what I actually can do. At least I can feed people.
Our city was poor even before the state ordered a lockdown in mid-March and few had the extra money to panic-buy. So the food justice organization I work for started planting extra carrots, peas, and collards back in March. We built public garden boxes and painted signs telling people to harvest for free. We distributed soil and seeds to people all over the city and gave them some gardening 101 guidance.
And now, as October begins, we're still finishing harvesting all that food and distributing it every week. On Fridays, I also help pack boxes of milk and eggs, meat and vegetables, which we then deliver to more than 100 families. The rhythm involved in harvesting the produce and packing the boxes, each an immersive physical task, helps banish my darker thoughts, at least for a while.
"We Are Going to Be in Very Good Shape"
The president held a news conference on March 30th. Of course, that's ancient history now, separated as it is from the present by long months of deaths and hospitalizations, layoffs and political in-fighting. The CEOs of Honeywell, Jockey, MyPillow, United Technologies, and other companies were gathered alongside administration officials that day. It should have been a briefing on where we Americans were a month into what was clearly going to be a long slog. Above all, it should have honored those who had already died. Instead -- no surprise looking back from our present nightmarish vantage point -- it proved to be an extended advertisement for those companies and a chance for their CEOs to spout patriotic pablum and trade compliments with the commander-in-chief.
I was crying a lot then. When the president said, "We have to get our country back to where it was and maybe beyond," I began to sob and dry heave. After I finally wiped away the tears and blew my nose, I checked out the website of a company that makes homeopathic remedies. A friend had sent me a list of ones doctors were supposedly using to treat coronavirus symptoms in Germany, Italy, and China.
"Get these if you can," she texted. It wasn't science. I admit it. It was desperation. As one of millions of Americans on state insurance with no primary-care doctor or bespoke concierge service, I feared the worst.
As the CEO from MyPillow was telling the American people to use the time of the shutdown to "get back in the Word, read our Bibles," I made my own faith gesture and pressed the buy button. When the order arrived, it was full of tiny, archaic vials labelled with names like Belladonna and Drosera. Even now, when I feel anxious and cloudy, I rummage through that box of vials and read the names like incantations. Better that than heeding the president's assertion on that long-gone day that "we are going to be in very good shape."
A Handful of Chickens
We are not in very good shape and it's getting worse every day. As the November election looms and Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death (as well as the grim Republican response to it) casts an ever more massive shadow over the country, the subtext of the administration's message -- however convoluted its delivery -- is simple enough: you're on your own. Over the last half-year, whether discussing the pandemic or the vote to come, Donald Trump has made one bizarre, bombastic, patently untrue assertion after another. In the process, he's vacillated between a caricature of a dictator from some long-lost Isabel Allende novel and of an insecure middle manager (The Office's Michael Scott on steroids).
Critical medical information, public health guidelines, and the disbursement of necessary protective equipment have all been thoroughly messed up and politicized in ways that are harmful today and could be devastating for years to come. As Peter Baker of the New York Timesreported in September, so many of us are indeed confused:
"With Mr. Trump saying one thing and his health advisors saying another, many Americans have been left to figure out on their own whom to believe, with past polls sharing that they have more faith in the experts than their president."
That's me! I do have faith in the experts. I'm wearing a mask and digging into the idea that mask wearing is going to be a part of our lives for at least the next year or so. In other words, the new normal will be ever more of the same, which means careful, awkward, tentative engagement with a wildly unpredictable world full of pathogens and unmasked "patriots."The new normal will mean trading in the old sock masks my mother-in-law fashioned for us and investing in more high tech and effective masks. Beyond that, my answer to all this couldn't be more feeble. It's taking care of my backyard chickens and my front-yard garden and adding strands to our small web of mutual aid.
This spring and summer, I dug up more of my lawn to plant carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash in an ever larger garden, while learning how to store rainwater from the gutters of our roof in big barrels. I joked with my friends about growing rice -- and might even try it next year. I acquired a chicken coop, built a rudimentary run, and ordered six beautiful chickens from a farm in a quiet corner of Connecticut: two Golden Copper Marans, two Black Marans, and two Easter Eggers. The kids named them after characters in the Harry Potter series, which they've all but memorized during the shutdown. One chicken ran away and one died, but I love everything about taking care of them and harvesting the perfect magical protein orbs they produce with religious regularity.
These things bring me pleasure and a feeling of accomplishment, while leaving me with a set of tasks that I have to complete even when I feel despondent and overwhelmed. That's all to the good, but a handful of chickens and a few collard plants don't add up to self-sufficiency. They are not a bulwark against national insanity and ineptitude. They will not solve the problem of Donald Trump and Company.
Still, in bad, bad times, at least they keep me going and let's face it, all of us -- at least those of us who survive Covid-19 -- are in it for the long haul.
Frida Berrigan is the author of It Runs In The Family: On Being Raised by Radicals and Growing into Rebellious Motherhood. She is a TomDispatch regularand writes the Little Insurrections column for WagingNonviolence.Org. She has three children and lives in New London, Connecticut, where she is a gardener and community organizer.
Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Books, John Feffer's new dystopian novel (the second in the Splinterlands series) Frostlands, Beverly Gologorsky's novel Every Body Has a Story, and Tom Engelhardt's A Nation Unmade by War, as well as Alfred McCoy's In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power and John Dower's The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II.
Copyright 2020 Frida Berrigan


alternet--2020-10-06--A Wisconsin anti-mask GOP candidate contracted COVID-19. His Dem opponent is starting feeling sympto

A Wisconsin anti-mask GOP candidate contracted COVID-19. His Dem opponent is starting feeling symptoms

A Republican candidate running to represent represent Waukesha in the Wisconsin State Assembly has tested positive for coronavirus after months of downplaying the virus and condemning masks .
Now , his Democratic opponent also appears to be exhibiting symptoms of the virus .
State Rep. Scott Allen ( R-Wisc . )
tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday , September 27 , according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel .
During a brief discussion with the publication , Allen explained that the coronavirus-related symptoms he experienced are what prompted him to get a COVID test , according to the Milwaukee .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for me , '' Allen told the newspaper .
`` I got symptoms and I thought it was best to get a test . ''
He also confirmed that he opted to isolate after testing positive for the virus .
`` I have no sense of smell and I 'm isolated from everyone including my wife .
Out of habit I put on deodorant , '' Allen quipped .
Just four days after Allen tested positive , his Democratic opponent Aaron Perry also began exhibiting symptoms of the virus .
The two candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sharp uptick in coronavirus cases .
With an alarmingly high 21.9 % infection rate , Wisconsin is now considered one of the United States ' hot spots for coronavirus .
Allen 's diagnosis comes just months after he criticized Wisconsin Gov .
Tony Evers ' ( D ) for his handling of the coronavirus as he condemned the use of masks .
In July , Allen released a statement slamming Evers as he voiced his disapproval of Evers ' first statewide mask mandate .
In fact , he deemed the mandate an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wisconsin 's residents .
`` COVID-19 cases are stabilizing or declining otherwise .
Gov .
Evers ' panic is about positive tests , not actual illness which require medical intervention , '' Allen said .
`` This is an assault on science and an insult of the intelligence of the people of Wisconsin . ''
As of Tuesday , October 6 , there are more than 134,000 coronavirus cases in the state of Wisconsin The United States has reported nearly 7.7 million cases , nationwide , as the death toll continues to rise @

A Republican candidate running to represent represent Waukesha in the Wisconsin State Assembly has tested positive for coronavirus after months of downplaying the virus and condemning masks. Now, his Democratic opponent also appears to be exhibiting symptoms of the virus.
State Rep. Scott Allen (R-Wisc.) tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday, September 27, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. During a brief discussion with the publication, Allen explained that the coronavirus-related symptoms he experienced are what prompted him to get a COVID test, according to the Milwaukee .
"It started with fatigue and a sore throat for me," Allen told the newspaper. "I got symptoms and I thought it was best to get a test."
He also confirmed that he opted to isolate after testing positive for the virus. "I have no sense of smell and I'm isolated from everyone including my wife. Out of habit I put on deodorant," Allen quipped.
Just four days after Allen tested positive, his Democratic opponent Aaron Perry also began exhibiting symptoms of the virus. The two candidates' possible infections come as Wisconsin faces a sharp uptick in coronavirus cases. With an alarmingly high 21.9% infection rate, Wisconsin is now considered one of the United States' hot spots for coronavirus.
Allen's diagnosis comes just months after he criticized Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers' (D) for his handling of the coronavirus as he condemned the use of masks. In July, Allen released a statement slamming Evers as he voiced his disapproval of Evers' first statewide mask mandate. In fact, he deemed the mandate an "insult of the intelligence" of Wisconsin's residents.
"COVID-19 cases are stabilizing or declining otherwise. Gov. Evers' panic is about positive tests, not actual illness which require medical intervention," Allen said. "This is an assault on science and an insult of the intelligence of the people of Wisconsin."
As of Tuesday, October 6, there are more than 134,000 coronavirus cases in the state of Wisconsin The United States has reported nearly 7.7 million cases, nationwide, as the death toll continues to rise.


alternet--2020-10-06--Doctors appalled at Trump's lax social distancing despite COVID-19 status: ‘Epidemiologists just wan

Doctors appalled at Trump's lax social distancing despite COVID-19 status: ‘Epidemiologists just wanna vomit’

Despite the fact that he was hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19 , President Donald Trump continues to be lax when it comes to social distancing practices .
Journalist Katie Shepherd , in the Washington Post , reports that some doctors are appalled by the fact that he is walking around the White House without wearing a mask .
Shepherd explains , `` Following a weekend of mounting horror among medical professionals and commentators fretting over Trump 's handling of his own infection , his actions Monday — particularly removing his mask and walking into a room frequented by White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frustrated yet again . ''
On Monday night , Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding , an epidemiologist , tweeted , `` What White House staffer would still wan na go to work tomorrow ?
?
?
Epidemiologists just wan na vomit . ''
And medical expert Dr. Dena Grayson tweeted , `` Trump — who 's still infectious — is walking around the @ WhiteHouse **WITHOUT a mask** . ''
This week , Dr. Sanjay Gupta , chief medical correspondent for CNN , complained , `` There is stuff that is pretty reckless , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ becoming absurd .
A person with known contagious deadly disease — without a mask on — is walking into the residence .
Other people are around him . ''
Shepherd notes , `` The heightened risk of coronavirus for people working within the White House has had many on high alert as the virus spread quickly among individuals who had close contact with Trump last week .
At least ten people who attended a ceremony in the Rose Garden last week to mark the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett have since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk has been particularly concerning for the staff at the White House residence , where Trump and First Lady Melania Trump — who has also tested positive for the virus — live . ''

Despite the fact that he was hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19, President Donald Trump continues to be lax when it comes to social distancing practices. Journalist Katie Shepherd, in the Washington Post, reports that some doctors are appalled by the fact that he is walking around the White House without wearing a mask.
Shepherd explains, "Following a weekend of mounting horror among medical professionals and commentators fretting over Trump's handling of his own infection, his actions Monday — particularly removing his mask and walking into a room frequented by White House staff — left them worried and frustrated yet again."
On Monday night, Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding, an epidemiologist, tweeted, "What White House staffer would still wanna go to work tomorrow??? Epidemiologists just wanna vomit." And medical expert Dr. Dena Grayson tweeted, "Trump — who's still infectious — is walking around the @WhiteHouse **WITHOUT a mask**."
This week, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent for CNN, complained, "There is stuff that is pretty reckless, but at some point, it's just becoming absurd. A person with known contagious deadly disease — without a mask on — is walking into the residence. Other people are around him."
Shepherd notes, "The heightened risk of coronavirus for people working within the White House has had many on high alert as the virus spread quickly among individuals who had close contact with Trump last week. At least ten people who attended a ceremony in the Rose Garden last week to mark the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett have since tested positive for the virus. That risk has been particularly concerning for the staff at the White House residence, where Trump and First Lady Melania Trump — who has also tested positive for the virus — live."


alternet--2020-10-06--IRS probing NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre for possible criminal tax fraud: report

The Internal Revenue Service ( IRS ) is investigating National Rifle Association chief executive Wayne LaPierre for potential criminal tax fraud in the wake of a referral from New York 's attorney general , The Wall Street Journal reports .
The reported probe comes after LaPierre , who collected $ 11.2 million in income from the NRA between 2014 and 2018 , was accused of funneling millions in personal expenses through the nonprofit and its vendors in a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James , which seeks to dissolve the organization .
James , whose lawsuit aims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the group 's CEO and recoup millions in lost assets , said when she announced the move in August that she would refer her investigation 's findings to the IRS .
The lawsuit also named several other NRA executives , alleging that had they contributed to the group 's $ 64 million loss over three years by awarding contracts to relatives and close associates and failing to comply with tax laws .
`` Altogether , there are 18 causes of action , and these actions violated multiple laws , including the laws governing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporting on annual filings with my office and the IRS , improper expense documentation , improper wage reporting , improper income tax withholding , failure to make required excise tax reporting and payments ; payments in excess of reasonable compensation to disqualified persons ; and waste of NRA assets amongst other offenses , '' she said at the time .
James said the investigation did not `` come to a conclusion on whether or not [ LaPierre ] violated the Internal Revenue Code , '' but that she would refer her findings to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorney for LaPierre , told The Journal that he was `` not aware of any inquiry . ''
`` The NRA is not aware of any IRS inquiry , but of course , will fully cooperate with any appropriate requests for assistance , '' William Brewer III , an outside attorney for the NRA , told the outlet , adding that the group 's tax filings are audited .
The IRS investigation is related to LaPierre 's personal taxes , according to the report .
James alleged that LaPierre had received undisclosed compensation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the form of lavish trips and expensive suits , among other benefits .
The lawsuit claimed that the NRA did not include the compensation in LaPierre 's W-2 forms , which `` permitted him to file false personal tax returns with the IRS . ''
The report noted that underreported income would likely trigger a civil audit , but a criminal probe would require the IRS to `` demonstrate that a taxpayer willfully underreported income , typically over multiple years . ''
If it is a criminal case , `` the IRS would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Mark Matthews , the former head of the agency 's Criminal Investigation unit , told The Journal .
Rep. Brad Schneider , D-Ill. , who also called on the IRS to investigate LaPierre , predicted that the investigation would `` likely reveal a pervasive corrupt climate at the NRA , requiring direct action by the IRS and the Justice Department . ''
The lawsuit alleged that LaPierre and his family flew on private jets to the Bahamas at least eight times over several years , costing the group more than $ 500,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid for by a Hollywood producer , who was a major NRA vendor in the Bahamas , or on the producer 's 108-foot yacht , which was not disclosed .
LaPierre told James ' office that he had not disclosed the trips for security reasons .
He argued they were work-related , because they included discussions about the NRA Women 's Leadership Forum , with which his wife and niece are involved .
`` Any time I get the two of them together anywhere , there is a benefit for the NRA , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lawsuit .
`` Yeah , they got together in the Bahamas .
.
.
It could have been in Washington . ''
He also said he relied on private jets for security reasons , and he was not aware there were limits on how much he could spend for private air travel .
The NRA also faces a separate lawsuit from D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine , which accused the group of diverting funds from its charitable arm for `` wasteful spending '' by its executives .
The lawsuit alleges that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charitable foundation with `` risky multi-million-dollar loans '' and charged the foundation `` millions of dollars in fees without documentation of the work the NRA was performing . ''
`` Charitable organizations function as public trusts , '' Racine said , `` and District law requires them to use their funds to benefit the public — not to support political campaigns , lobbying or private interests . ''
Gun control advocacy groups sent LaPierre their `` thoughts and prayers '' after the latest report , a knock on the NRA 's frequent refrain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's decades of alleged self-dealing are finally catching up with him , '' said John Feinblatt , the president of Everytown for Gun Safety , `` but the true cost of his reckless leadership of the NRA should be measured in lives lost , not dollars stolen . ''

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is investigating National Rifle Association chief executive Wayne LaPierre for potential criminal tax fraud in the wake of a referral from New York's attorney general, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The reported probe comes after LaPierre, who collected $11.2 million in income from the NRA between 2014 and 2018, was accused of funneling millions in personal expenses through the nonprofit and its vendors in a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, which seeks to dissolve the organization.
James, whose lawsuit aims to remove LaPierre from his position as the group's CEO and recoup millions in lost assets, said when she announced the move in August that she would refer her investigation's findings to the IRS. The lawsuit also named several other NRA executives, alleging that had they contributed to the group's $64 million loss over three years by awarding contracts to relatives and close associates and failing to comply with tax laws.
"Altogether, there are 18 causes of action, and these actions violated multiple laws, including the laws governing the NRA's charitable status, false reporting on annual filings with my office and the IRS, improper expense documentation, improper wage reporting, improper income tax withholding, failure to make required excise tax reporting and payments; payments in excess of reasonable compensation to disqualified persons; and waste of NRA assets amongst other offenses," she said at the time.
James said the investigation did not "come to a conclusion on whether or not [LaPierre] violated the Internal Revenue Code," but that she would refer her findings to the IRS.
Kent Correll, an attorney for LaPierre, told The Journal that he was "not aware of any inquiry."
"The NRA is not aware of any IRS inquiry, but of course, will fully cooperate with any appropriate requests for assistance," William Brewer III, an outside attorney for the NRA, told the outlet, adding that the group's tax filings are audited.
The IRS investigation is related to LaPierre's personal taxes, according to the report.
James alleged that LaPierre had received undisclosed compensation through the NRA and its vendors in the form of lavish trips and expensive suits, among other benefits. The lawsuit claimed that the NRA did not include the compensation in LaPierre's W-2 forms, which "permitted him to file false personal tax returns with the IRS."
The report noted that underreported income would likely trigger a civil audit, but a criminal probe would require the IRS to "demonstrate that a taxpayer willfully underreported income, typically over multiple years."
If it is a criminal case, "the IRS would be looking for evidence of concealment," Mark Matthews, the former head of the agency's Criminal Investigation unit, told The Journal.
Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., who also called on the IRS to investigate LaPierre, predicted that the investigation would "likely reveal a pervasive corrupt climate at the NRA, requiring direct action by the IRS and the Justice Department."
The lawsuit alleged that LaPierre and his family flew on private jets to the Bahamas at least eight times over several years, costing the group more than $500,000. LaPierre allegedly stayed at a hotel paid for by a Hollywood producer, who was a major NRA vendor in the Bahamas, or on the producer's 108-foot yacht, which was not disclosed.
LaPierre told James' office that he had not disclosed the trips for security reasons. He argued they were work-related, because they included discussions about the NRA Women's Leadership Forum, with which his wife and niece are involved.
"Any time I get the two of them together anywhere, there is a benefit for the NRA," LaPierre told investigators, according to the lawsuit. "Yeah, they got together in the Bahamas . . . It could have been in Washington."
He also said he relied on private jets for security reasons, and he was not aware there were limits on how much he could spend for private air travel.
The NRA also faces a separate lawsuit from D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine, which accused the group of diverting funds from its charitable arm for "wasteful spending" by its executives. The lawsuit alleges that the NRA sought to "exploit" its charitable foundation with "risky multi-million-dollar loans" and charged the foundation "millions of dollars in fees without documentation of the work the NRA was performing."
"Charitable organizations function as public trusts," Racine said, "and District law requires them to use their funds to benefit the public — not to support political campaigns, lobbying or private interests."
Gun control advocacy groups sent LaPierre their "thoughts and prayers" after the latest report, a knock on the NRA's frequent refrain after school shootings.
"Wayne LaPierre's decades of alleged self-dealing are finally catching up with him," said John Feinblatt, the president of Everytown for Gun Safety, "but the true cost of his reckless leadership of the NRA should be measured in lives lost, not dollars stolen."