truthout--2020-08-05--BLM Activist Cori Bush Ousts Incumbent Democrat in Missouri Primary Election

On Tuesday , a progressive candidate for Congress ousted an incumbent Democratic lawmaker from Missouri who has been in office since 2001 — and whose father had held that seat for three decades prior .
Cori Bush , a racial justice leader from St. Louis , Missouri , who has been active in the Black Lives Matter movement from its start , defeated William Lacy Clay Jr. in the Democratic primary race for Missouri ’ s 1st Congressional District .
As the district leans heavily Democratic , it ’ s expected that Bush will cruise on to victory in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first Black woman to represent any district in Missouri within Congress .
Bush has been active in local politics for years , beginning with the Movement for Black Lives following the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson .
In announcing her win to supporters on Tuesday , she recognized the work that she and other activists have been engaged in for several years to advance the cause of racial justice in the United States .
“ It is historic that this year , of all years , we ’ re sending a Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been fighting for Black lives since Ferguson , all the way to the halls of Congress , ” she said .
“ Tonight , Missouri ’ s 1st District has decided that an incremental approach isn ’ t going to work any longer , ” Bush also said in her victory speech .
“ We decided that we the people have the answers , and we will lead from the front lines.
” Bush won the primary with 48.6 percent of the vote .
Clay , who is also Black , received 45.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progressive challenger to Clay , as he was endorsed by more establishment Democrats across the country in the race .
While Bush garnered the support of several progressive leaders and organizations — including Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vermont ) , Jamaal Bowman ( who himself defeated establishment Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel earlier this year in New York ) , and Justice Democrats , an organization strongly allied with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — Clay received backing from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi , Sen. Kamala Harris , and Planned Parenthood .
In addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of progressives to unseat establishment lawmakers in the Democratic Party , Bush ’ s win on Tuesday signifies the end of a political dynasty for the St. Louis area .
Clay has been the congressional representative for the district since 2001 , and prior to that , his father , Bill Clay , had represented the area in Congress since 1969 .
While Clay was endorsed by the establishment wing of the party , he wasn ’ t what many might consider a moderate , either .
He supports a number of progressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Medicare for All .
Still , he was opposed by progressives within the party for a number of reasons , including receiving corporate support in his electoral campaigns in the past .
Clay had also campaigned against Bush ’ s more progressive style and leanings , describing her as a “ prop ” of organizations from outside the district and accusing her of trying to divide the party .
Bush ’ s win was celebrated by Justice Democrats Executive Director Alexandra Rojas , who said , “ This is a huge upset @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against a corporate-backed political dynasty , ” following the announcement of Bush ’ s victory .
In addition to this race in the St. Louis area , Missouri in general took a more progressive turn in the election on Tuesday night , at least on the issue of healthcare .
Citizens across the state voted in favor of a Medicaid expansion to grant healthcare access to thousands of Missourians under the Affordable Care Act , going against the wishes of Republican Gov .
Mike Parson , who is himself up for reelection later @ @ @

On Tuesday, a progressive candidate for Congress ousted an incumbent Democratic lawmaker from Missouri who has been in office since 2001 — and whose father had held that seat for three decades prior.
Cori Bush, a racial justice leader from St. Louis, Missouri, who has been active in the Black Lives Matter movement from its start, defeated William Lacy Clay Jr. in the Democratic primary race for Missouri’s 1st Congressional District.
As the district leans heavily Democratic, it’s expected that Bush will cruise on to victory in the general election this November, becoming the first Black woman to represent any district in Missouri within Congress.
Bush has been active in local politics for years, beginning with the Movement for Black Lives following the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson. In announcing her win to supporters on Tuesday, she recognized the work that she and other activists have been engaged in for several years to advance the cause of racial justice in the United States.
“It is historic that this year, of all years, we’re sending a Black, working-class single mother, who has been fighting for Black lives since Ferguson, all the way to the halls of Congress,” she said.
“Tonight, Missouri’s 1st District has decided that an incremental approach isn’t going to work any longer,” Bush also said in her victory speech. “We decided that we the people have the answers, and we will lead from the front lines.”
Bush won the primary with 48.6 percent of the vote. Clay, who is also Black, received 45.5 percent.
Bush was seen as the progressive challenger to Clay, as he was endorsed by more establishment Democrats across the country in the race. While Bush garnered the support of several progressive leaders and organizations — including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Jamaal Bowman (who himself defeated establishment Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel earlier this year in New York), and Justice Democrats, an organization strongly allied with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — Clay received backing from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Kamala Harris, and Planned Parenthood.
In addition to being the latest among a number of progressives to unseat establishment lawmakers in the Democratic Party, Bush’s win on Tuesday signifies the end of a political dynasty for the St. Louis area. Clay has been the congressional representative for the district since 2001, and prior to that, his father, Bill Clay, had represented the area in Congress since 1969.
While Clay was endorsed by the establishment wing of the party, he wasn’t what many might consider a moderate, either. He supports a number of progressive ideas, including the Green New Deal and Medicare for All.
Still, he was opposed by progressives within the party for a number of reasons, including receiving corporate support in his electoral campaigns in the past. Clay had also campaigned against Bush’s more progressive style and leanings, describing her as a “prop” of organizations from outside the district and accusing her of trying to divide the party.
Bush’s win was celebrated by Justice Democrats Executive Director Alexandra Rojas, who said, “This is a huge upset and another groundbreaking win for our movement against a corporate-backed political dynasty,” following the announcement of Bush’s victory.
In addition to this race in the St. Louis area, Missouri in general took a more progressive turn in the election on Tuesday night, at least on the issue of healthcare. Citizens across the state voted in favor of a Medicaid expansion to grant healthcare access to thousands of Missourians under the Affordable Care Act, going against the wishes of Republican Gov. Mike Parson, who is himself up for reelection later this year.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.


truthout--2020-08-05--Doctor in Beirut Describes Harrowing Scenes After Massive Port Explosion

As Beirut reels from a massive explosion that killed at least 100 people and injured thousands , we get an on-the-ground update from pediatrician and writer Dr. Seema Jilani , who treated her own daughter for injuries after the blast .
“ It was extremely packed because we ’ re just coming out of a four-day lockdown , ” says Jilani .
“ Everybody was out.
” Lebanon ’ s Prime Minister Hassan Diab called the explosion a “ national catastrophe.
” This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , The Quarantine Report .
I ’ m Amy Goodman .
A warning to our listeners and viewers — we ’ ll be describing graphic scenes as we turn now to Beirut , Lebanon , where more than 100 people have died after a massive explosion at the city ’ s port .
Videos of the explosion show rapidly expanding shockwave engulfing entire high-rise buildings , leaving behind a pink mushroom cloud rising far above Beirut ’ s skyline .
Over 4000 people have been injured .
Hundreds remain missing .
The blast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ windows miles from the blast site .
An estimated 300,000 have lost their homes .
Lebanon ’ s prime minister , Hassan Diab , called the explosion a national catastrophe .
He said it was triggered by 2,700 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate , inexplicably left unattended in a warehouse for years .
An investigation has been launched to determine what triggered the blast .
The explosion carried the force of a 3.5 magnitude earthquake , and was felt as far away as Cyprus , more than 100 miles off Lebanon ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aractingi said Beirut looks like a war zone .
AMY GOODMAN : That ’ s Lebanese film director Philippe Aractingi .
The explosion completely destroyed the port of Beirut , a main economic lifeline to Lebanon .
The blast occurred at a time when Lebanon was already facing an economic , political and public health crisis with COVID-19 cases on the rise .
We go now to Beirut , where we ’ re joined by Dr. Seema Jilani .
She ’ s a pediatrician and writer who treated her own daughter who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to share with us this tragic video that her husband filmed from inside a crowded ambulance as she cradled her daughter and sang to keep her calm .
AMY GOODMAN : The scenes and sounds from inside an ambulance in Beirut after Tuesday ’ s blast where you can see and hear our guest , Dr. Seema Jilani , who joins us now on the phone from a hospital where her daughter is being treated .
Seema , can you tell us where you were when the blast occurred and what happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was on Armenia Street , which is a large thoroughfare , the street on which I live , in a little area called Mar Mikhael , full of shops and restaurants , bustling , a lot of nightlife on a usual day .
It was extremely packed , because we were just coming out of a four-day lockdown , from Friday through Monday .
And so everybody was out , abnormally , even more traffic than usual .
My husband and daughter were at home .
We have floor to ceiling windows .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the windows .
He went to protect her , and shards of glass flew into her legs and her arms , much deeper upon second inspection than I originally thought .
I was in the car .
I heard the blast and immediately crouched down into a fetal position .
Time lapses and means nothing in these moments , so I have no idea how much time passed .
But the driver came and said I can get out .
I got out .
I realized I left my keys , went back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scenes that I saw walking from that one block to my home were people in confusion , dusted with debris and detritus , overturned doors and glass everywhere .
A young woman approached me to use my phone and when I looked at her the second time around , her ear was falling off .
So I immediately got into my sort of doctor mode , as we do , tried to find out if there were any other sources of bleeding and tried to make phone calls for her and stabilize her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had gotten in touch with my husband .
My husband said , “ Come home now .
Come home now .
Your daughter needs you.
” And for the first time in my career — I have never done this and it feels so antithetical to everything I am — and I told the young lady , I said , “ I ’ m really sorry , ” I stabilized her , and I had to go .
I ran a block , ran up the stairs , to scenes in my apartment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ floor — of completely open , shattered doors , windows , glass everywhere .
People bleeding on stairs , blood dipping down the stairs .
An unconscious woman .
And all I was screaming was , “ Is my daughter OK ?
Is my daughter OK ?
” I run into an apartment that I don ’ t recognize , and our things look as if they ’ ve been in an earthquake .
And there she is , naked in a towel , and my husband is applying pressure to two very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first .
We then go downstairs after a lot of chaos , downstairs to catch an ambulance .
And we are packed into the ambulance that you just saw .
One of the last people to luckily to get on that ambulance .
And we ’ re not moving anywhere for about at least ten minutes , because everything is at a standstill .
So there ’ s just despair and destruction , nothing is moving and people are just in complete chaos within the ambulance , itself .
And so for me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half doctor , which you saw , and half of that means calming and singing your daughter to sleep or whatever , and half of it means waking her up when she goes to sleep to make sure she ’ s not going unconscious .
So you ’ re on this [ inaudible ] balancing tiptoe .
AMY GOODMAN : And how old is your daughter , Seema ?
DR. SEEMA JILANI : She is four years old .
AMY GOODMAN : What did you find at the hospital when you brought her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went to a hospital called Hôtel-Dieu de France and we found utter chaos .
They were doing the best under the circumstances , and their circumstances include coming out of a revolution from September onward which was then halted by coronavirus , which was then toppled by a rising and looming economic failure , which is now leading to what I might describe — I ’ m not an analyst — but as an almost failed state .
So they ’ re overworked , underfunded and now we are coming into the season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is detectable or can be differentiated from COVID .
And so at this hospital , you are seeing extreme trauma , layers of trauma within the hospital staff who are actually calling to see if their own kids and family members are all right , and people that are trying to volunteer off the street .
Their own hospital has been hit , so there ’ s rafters hanging , electrical wires everywhere .
It looks like a scene that ’ s under construction and there ’ s dust and rafters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves .
Then you get to the actual people and patients , and they ’ re everywhere .
You ’ re stepping over people .
You ’ re bumping — I was carrying my daughter , so I was trying to make sure her legs , at one point , weren ’ t getting in the way of a doctor suturing in the hallway .
There ’ s patients within the doctor ’ s areas , which is almost never seen .
I mean , just bodies upon bodies .
And not all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have blood , wounds , gaping wounds , shards of glass , children crying .
My daughter thinks she recognized a little girl from her school .
But a lot of perspective in that moment where we say , “ OK , my daughter has some wounds and some gashes , and we can get that treated , but please first go do CPR on the next patient.
” AMY GOODMAN : Dr. Seema Jilani , I want to thank you so much for being with us .
All of our best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of course to everyone right now in Beirut .
More than 4,000 people injured , hundreds are missing , 100 at least confirmed dead .
We will continue to cover this situation after the break , when we are joined by Rami Khouri .
Dr. Seema Jilani is a pediatrician and writer based in Beirut .
She treated her own daughter injured in the blast , joining us from the hospital .
Stay with us .

As Beirut reels from a massive explosion that killed at least 100 people and injured thousands, we get an on-the-ground update from pediatrician and writer Dr. Seema Jilani, who treated her own daughter for injuries after the blast. “It was extremely packed because we’re just coming out of a four-day lockdown,” says Jilani. “Everybody was out.” Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hassan Diab called the explosion a “national catastrophe.”
TRANSCRIPT
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, Democracynow.org, The Quarantine Report. I’m Amy Goodman. A warning to our listeners and viewers — we’ll be describing graphic scenes as we turn now to Beirut, Lebanon, where more than 100 people have died after a massive explosion at the city’s port. Videos of the explosion show rapidly expanding shockwave engulfing entire high-rise buildings, leaving behind a pink mushroom cloud rising far above Beirut’s skyline. Over 4000 people have been injured. Hundreds remain missing. The blast leveled buildings, overturned cars, shattered windows miles from the blast site. An estimated 300,000 have lost their homes.
Lebanon’s prime minister, Hassan Diab, called the explosion a national catastrophe. He said it was triggered by 2,700 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate, inexplicably left unattended in a warehouse for years. An investigation has been launched to determine what triggered the blast. The explosion carried the force of a 3.5 magnitude earthquake, and was felt as far away as Cyprus, more than 100 miles off Lebanon’s coast. Lebanese film director Philippe Aractingi said Beirut looks like a war zone.
AMY GOODMAN: That’s Lebanese film director Philippe Aractingi. The explosion completely destroyed the port of Beirut, a main economic lifeline to Lebanon. The blast occurred at a time when Lebanon was already facing an economic, political and public health crisis with COVID-19 cases on the rise. We go now to Beirut, where we’re joined by Dr. Seema Jilani. She’s a pediatrician and writer who treated her own daughter who was injured in the blast. Seema was able to share with us this tragic video that her husband filmed from inside a crowded ambulance as she cradled her daughter and sang to keep her calm.
SEEMA JILANI: [singing with voices and sirens in background]
AMY GOODMAN: The scenes and sounds from inside an ambulance in Beirut after Tuesday’s blast where you can see and hear our guest, Dr. Seema Jilani, who joins us now on the phone from a hospital where her daughter is being treated. Seema, can you tell us where you were when the blast occurred and what happened next?
DR. SEEMA JILANI: I was on Armenia Street, which is a large thoroughfare, the street on which I live, in a little area called Mar Mikhael, full of shops and restaurants, bustling, a lot of nightlife on a usual day. It was extremely packed, because we were just coming out of a four-day lockdown, from Friday through Monday. And so everybody was out, abnormally, even more traffic than usual. My husband and daughter were at home. We have floor to ceiling windows. The explosion knocked out completely all of the windows. He went to protect her, and shards of glass flew into her legs and her arms, much deeper upon second inspection than I originally thought.
I was in the car. I heard the blast and immediately crouched down into a fetal position. Time lapses and means nothing in these moments, so I have no idea how much time passed. But the driver came and said I can get out. I got out. I realized I left my keys, went back to get my keys. And the scenes that I saw walking from that one block to my home were people in confusion, dusted with debris and detritus, overturned doors and glass everywhere.
A young woman approached me to use my phone and when I looked at her the second time around, her ear was falling off. So I immediately got into my sort of doctor mode, as we do, tried to find out if there were any other sources of bleeding and tried to make phone calls for her and stabilize her. But in the meantime, I had gotten in touch with my husband. My husband said, “Come home now. Come home now. Your daughter needs you.” And for the first time in my career — I have never done this and it feels so antithetical to everything I am — and I told the young lady, I said, “I’m really sorry,” I stabilized her, and I had to go.
I ran a block, ran up the stairs, to scenes in my apartment complex — we live on the third floor — of completely open, shattered doors, windows, glass everywhere. People bleeding on stairs, blood dipping down the stairs. An unconscious woman. And all I was screaming was, “Is my daughter OK? Is my daughter OK?” I run into an apartment that I don’t recognize, and our things look as if they’ve been in an earthquake. And there she is, naked in a towel, and my husband is applying pressure to two very deep wounds that I can see at first. We then go downstairs after a lot of chaos, downstairs to catch an ambulance. And we are packed into the ambulance that you just saw. One of the last people to luckily to get on that ambulance.
And we’re not moving anywhere for about at least ten minutes, because everything is at a standstill. So there’s just despair and destruction, nothing is moving and people are just in complete chaos within the ambulance, itself. And so for me, I turn into half mother, half doctor, which you saw, and half of that means calming and singing your daughter to sleep or whatever, and half of it means waking her up when she goes to sleep to make sure she’s not going unconscious. So you’re on this [inaudible] balancing tiptoe.
AMY GOODMAN: And how old is your daughter, Seema?
DR. SEEMA JILANI: She is four years old.
AMY GOODMAN: What did you find at the hospital when you brought her there?
DR. SEEMA JILANI: We went to a hospital called Hôtel-Dieu de France and we found utter chaos. They were doing the best under the circumstances, and their circumstances include coming out of a revolution from September onward which was then halted by coronavirus, which was then toppled by a rising and looming economic failure, which is now leading to what I might describe — I’m not an analyst — but as an almost failed state.
So they’re overworked, underfunded and now we are coming into the season of bronchiolitis, flu, none of which is detectable or can be differentiated from COVID. And so at this hospital, you are seeing extreme trauma, layers of trauma within the hospital staff who are actually calling to see if their own kids and family members are all right, and people that are trying to volunteer off the street. Their own hospital has been hit, so there’s rafters hanging, electrical wires everywhere. It looks like a scene that’s under construction and there’s dust and rafters. So everybody is also trying to shield themselves.
Then you get to the actual people and patients, and they’re everywhere. You’re stepping over people. You’re bumping — I was carrying my daughter, so I was trying to make sure her legs, at one point, weren’t getting in the way of a doctor suturing in the hallway. There’s patients within the doctor’s areas, which is almost never seen. I mean, just bodies upon bodies. And not all of them are dead, but certainly they have blood, wounds, gaping wounds, shards of glass, children crying. My daughter thinks she recognized a little girl from her school. But a lot of perspective in that moment where we say, “OK, my daughter has some wounds and some gashes, and we can get that treated, but please first go do CPR on the next patient.”
AMY GOODMAN: Dr. Seema Jilani, I want to thank you so much for being with us. All of our best to your four-year-old daughter, Iman and of course to everyone right now in Beirut. More than 4,000 people injured, hundreds are missing, 100 at least confirmed dead.
We will continue to cover this situation after the break, when we are joined by Rami Khouri. Dr. Seema Jilani is a pediatrician and writer based in Beirut. She treated her own daughter injured in the blast, joining us from the hospital. Stay with us.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-08-05--Millions of Working Poor May Lose Out on EITC Benefits Due to Pandemic

The pandemic is driving American families to the edge , with tens of millions at risk of losing their homes and over 1 in 10 U.S. adults reporting their households didn ’ t have enough to eat in the previous week .
While Congress debates extending unemployment benefits that expired on July 31 and other additional aid , there ’ s an important program that already exists that could help struggling Americans get through the crisis however long it lasts .
Known as the earned income tax credit , or EITC , it provides aid primarily to the working poor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifts more than 8.5 million people out of poverty , while improving the health and well-being of parents and children .
Since the credit depends on earned income , many families may be at risk of losing all or some of the benefit because so many were laid off as economies in many states shut down .
Even as restaurants and other businesses reopen , it ’ s likely that many of those who lost their jobs will remain unemployed or underemployed for many months or longer .
Our own research shows changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the sharp growth of low-wage and unstable jobs , is weakening the EITC ’ s effectiveness at fighting poverty .
Some lawmakers are trying to reform the EITC as part of the next coronavirus bailout to ensure it helps more Americans and make it more like a basic income guarantee .
We believe doing so would not only ensure low-income Americans continue to have access to this vital tax credit during the pandemic , additional changes could also strengthen the program for years to come .
The earned income tax credit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and moderate-income workers , has helped buffer economic hardship for single parents and other recipients since it was created in 1975 .
Eligible taxpayers receive the credit after they file their taxes .
And unlike a deduction , even those who didn ’ t pay any income tax can receive the credit , which they ’ ll get as part of their refund .
Twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia also offer their own EITCs , typically based on the federal credit .
In 2019 , taxpayers received about US $ 63 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , making it the government ’ s largest cash safety net program for working families with children .
Recipients qualify for the credit based on how much money they earn and depending on their marital status and number of children .
The benefit rises with each dollar earned until reaching a peak and then phasing out .
For example , in 2019 , a single person earning $ 13,545 a year received $ 392 , while a typical family of four with an annual income of $ 22,261 received roughly $ 2,951 — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 250 a month .
Put another way , a family with one child receives an average credit of 34 cents for every dollar of earned income , which rises to 40 cents for two and 45 cents for three or more children .
The tax credit has been tremendously successful .
In 2018 , the latest data available , the EITC lifted about 10.6 million people out of poverty and reduced its severity for another 17.5 million .
And since its inception , it has reduced child poverty by 25 % .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families with more income .
Research shows the credit has helped improve the mental and physical health of mothers , improves perinatal health of mothers and their children , improves child development , reduces incidents of low birth weight among infants and improves children ’ s cognitive function .
It also enjoys strong bipartisan support because of its focus on encouraging and supporting working .
But the EITC only helps individuals able to find work , which becomes a bigger challenge in a pandemic or severe recession .
Our unpublished calculations from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fifth of the 25 million EITC beneficiaries in 2019 lost their jobs from March to April and over 16 % remained unemployed in June , the latest data we have available .
That means over 4 million working families could lose a large portion of their benefits in 2021 , depending on a variety of factors .
While these problems are most obvious in a recession , they ’ ve worsened over the past four decades as the labor market has changed .
The share of workers doing low-skill , low-wage work has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 54 % in 2016 .
And an increasing number of these jobs are in the precarious gig economy that doesn ’ t provide stable incomes .
That means workers are less likely to see a steady aid from the EITC because the maximum benefits are gained when working full time at minimum wage .
The EITC ’ s also provides very little support to those without children .
A nonpartisan think tank estimates that about 5.8 million adult workers without any children as dependents are taxed into poverty — or impoverished further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too small to offset their federal income and payroll taxes .
House Democrats are pushing to reform the EITC in the next coronavirus relief bill .
Specifically , they ’ d like to tweak the credit ’ s phase-in so that workers receive more benefits for fewer hours worked , allowing those who lost their jobs and remained unemployed for the remainder of 2020 to maintain benefits similar to last year .
They also would lower the minimum age for receiving the credit to 18 from 25 for certain vulnerable groups like those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also increasing the benefit for tax filers without children and lowering the minimum age for everyone so that the millions of young people graduating from high school and college into an economic recession can get additional support .
These reforms would not only help now but could also deepen the impact of the EITC by creating an income floor for more people as the economy changes , essentially creating something very much like a basic income guarantee .
A key difference , however , is that most universal basic income proposals don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can not fully predict how interactions between job losses and the tax and benefit system will play out , this moment presents an opportunity to test reforms that would benefit low-income working families for years and decades to come .

Democrats push to reform the earned income tax credit in the next relief bill to make it like a basic income guarantee.
The pandemic is driving American families to the edge, with tens of millions at risk of losing their homes and over 1 in 10 U.S. adults reporting their households didn’t have enough to eat in the previous week.
While Congress debates extending unemployment benefits that expired on July 31 and other additional aid, there’s an important program that already exists that could help struggling Americans get through the crisis however long it lasts. Known as the earned income tax credit, or EITC, it provides aid primarily to the working poor. In a typical year, it lifts more than 8.5 million people out of poverty, while improving the health and well-being of parents and children.
Since the credit depends on earned income, many families may be at risk of losing all or some of the benefit because so many were laid off as economies in many states shut down. Even as restaurants and other businesses reopen, it’s likely that many of those who lost their jobs will remain unemployed or underemployed for many months or longer.
Our own research shows changes to the structure of the U.S. economy, with the sharp growth of low-wage and unstable jobs, is weakening the EITC’s effectiveness at fighting poverty.
Some lawmakers are trying to reform the EITC as part of the next coronavirus bailout to ensure it helps more Americans and make it more like a basic income guarantee. We believe doing so would not only ensure low-income Americans continue to have access to this vital tax credit during the pandemic, additional changes could also strengthen the program for years to come.
The EITC Success Story
The earned income tax credit, which supplements earnings for many low- and moderate-income workers, has helped buffer economic hardship for single parents and other recipients since it was created in 1975.
Eligible taxpayers receive the credit after they file their taxes. And unlike a deduction, even those who didn’t pay any income tax can receive the credit, which they’ll get as part of their refund. Twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia also offer their own EITCs, typically based on the federal credit.
In 2019, taxpayers received about US$63 billion in credits through the federal EITC, making it the government’s largest cash safety net program for working families with children. Recipients qualify for the credit based on how much money they earn and depending on their marital status and number of children. The benefit rises with each dollar earned until reaching a peak and then phasing out.
For example, in 2019, a single person earning $13,545 a year received $392, while a typical family of four with an annual income of $22,261 received roughly $2,951 — which comes out to an extra $250 a month.
Put another way, a family with one child receives an average credit of 34 cents for every dollar of earned income, which rises to 40 cents for two and 45 cents for three or more children.
The tax credit has been tremendously successful. In 2018, the latest data available, the EITC lifted about 10.6 million people out of poverty and reduced its severity for another 17.5 million. And since its inception, it has reduced child poverty by 25%.
But the benefits extend well beyond providing struggling families with more income. Research shows the credit has helped improve the mental and physical health of mothers, improves perinatal health of mothers and their children, improves child development, reduces incidents of low birth weight among infants and improves children’s cognitive function.
It also enjoys strong bipartisan support because of its focus on encouraging and supporting working.
But the EITC only helps individuals able to find work, which becomes a bigger challenge in a pandemic or severe recession.
Our unpublished calculations from a national representative survey showed that about a fifth of the 25 million EITC beneficiaries in 2019 lost their jobs from March to April and over 16% remained unemployed in June, the latest data we have available. That means over 4 million working families could lose a large portion of their benefits in 2021, depending on a variety of factors.
Reforming the EITC
While these problems are most obvious in a recession, they’ve worsened over the past four decades as the labor market has changed.
The share of workers doing low-skill, low-wage work has jumped from 42% in 1980 to about 54% in 2016. And an increasing number of these jobs are in the precarious gig economy that doesn’t provide stable incomes. That means workers are less likely to see a steady aid from the EITC because the maximum benefits are gained when working full time at minimum wage.
The EITC’s also provides very little support to those without children. A nonpartisan think tank estimates that about 5.8 million adult workers without any children as dependents are taxed into poverty — or impoverished further — each year because their EITC is too small to offset their federal income and payroll taxes.
House Democrats are pushing to reform the EITC in the next coronavirus relief bill. Specifically, they’d like to tweak the credit’s phase-in so that workers receive more benefits for fewer hours worked, allowing those who lost their jobs and remained unemployed for the remainder of 2020 to maintain benefits similar to last year. They also would lower the minimum age for receiving the credit to 18 from 25 for certain vulnerable groups like those experiencing homeless.
We’d suggest also increasing the benefit for tax filers without children and lowering the minimum age for everyone so that the millions of young people graduating from high school and college into an economic recession can get additional support.
These reforms would not only help now but could also deepen the impact of the EITC by creating an income floor for more people as the economy changes, essentially creating something very much like a basic income guarantee. A key difference, however, is that most universal basic income proposals don’t require recipients to work.
While we cannot fully predict how interactions between job losses and the tax and benefit system will play out, this moment presents an opportunity to test reforms that would benefit low-income working families for years and decades to come.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-08-05--“Israeli Settlers Make a Living Out of Our Suffering,” Says Palestinian Activist

The Jordan Valley lies on the eastern part of the West Bank , occupied by Israel in 1967 , and shares a border with Jordan .
The Israeli government , with the blessing of Donald Trump , is hoping to annex the Jordan Valley .
This plan has drawn international condemnation , from Germany and France as well as from Israel ’ s Arab neighbors — Egypt and Jordan — with whom it shares borders and a peace treaty .
The Israeli nongovernmental organization B ’ Tselem states that the Valley , which constitutes roughly 30 percent of the West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ settlers and about 65,000 Palestinians .
Thousands of Palestinians have been protesting against the annexation plan .
The July 1 annexation target date has passed , and according to The Times of Israel , Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week said that the plan is being held up by the U.S. administration , although annexation is not off the table .
Israel has viewed the Valley as a buffer zone between itself and the broader Middle East for decades ; as early as in the aftermath of the Six-Day War , Israeli labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ annex the Valley in order to provide Israel with a strategic depth against a potential future invasion .
Indeed , Israel has insisted many times on keeping its armed forces in the region even if an independent Palestinian state were to be established .
Many observers , including supporters of Israel , believe that annexing the Jordan Valley would make a future two-state solution impossible .
So far , Israel has no plans to provide citizenship for the Palestinians living in the Jordan Valley if and when it annexes the land .
Israel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and solar panels , quite possibly so that they will be forced to relocate .
That Israel has carried out these actions prior to its annexation may reveal it has designs for the area in question .
Israeli settlers have welcomed the annexation plans ; indeed , the Trump peace plan effectively allows Israel to go ahead with annexing the area , even though recently White House officials had some misgivings about the timing .
However , a U.S.-Israel committee whose purpose was to decide which areas Israel was to annex has seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the outbreak of COVID-19 .
The situation in the Jordan Valley is one that resembles apartheid in its most stark condition .
Barren land , lack of water , Bedouin tents demolished by the Israel Defense Forces .
Water wells are destroyed and trees are cut down by the same armed forces .
Freedom of movement of peasants to their agricultural lands is forbidden — but only , of course , if they are Palestinian .
Israeli villagers get not only free movement , they also get free land — free because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subsidies for agricultural development thanks to the Israeli taxpayer .
It pays to be an Israeli in the Jordan Valley .
To be Palestinian is to live a life of countless suffering there .
No wonder , then , that a slogan developed by the Jordan Valley Solidarity group is “ To exist is to resist.
” I knew the Jordan Valley well .
I served there in the Israeli armed forces between 2001-2002 .
We put Palestinians under siege , did not allow them to reach their agricultural lands , stopped and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used against Palestinians at the checkpoints on occasion .
Homes and schools were searched .
Children ’ s studies interrupted by soldiers entering in with guns .
That was nearly 18 years ago .
But now a change to the status quo may be coming .
Sireen Khudairi is a long-time Palestinian activist and teacher who resides in the Jordan Valley .
She spoke to Truthout about the upcoming annexation and how the Israeli occupation of the Jordan Valley is a business occupation .
Joshua Tartakovsky : Can you please tell me more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where do you live , what do you do for a living ?
Sireen Khudairi : I have been a volunteer with the Jordan Valley Solidarity Campaign since 2005 .
I led the learning center for youth in the Dheisheh Refugee Camp , near Bethlehem , a camp that is recognized by [ the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East ( UNRWA ) ] .
I worked in the reservation department at a hotel in Bethlehem .
Several years ago , I was kidnapped by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the street from my university to my home .
Subsequently , I was placed in solitary confinement for a period of two months .
Following this period , I was told in the Israeli court that I was arrested due to my political activity on Facebook that posed a threat to the security of the State of Israel .
While I was born in Nablus , I grew up in the Jordan Valley .
What do residents expect regarding the upcoming annexation plans ?
Have they been approached regarding this plan by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Jordan Valley ?
The people are expecting that the Bedouin community will be removed , and that the villages in the valley will be isolated , with freedom of movement taken away .
This will have an immediate effect on the areas of access to education , health and economic opportunities .
Villagers in Fasayil and al Zubeidat have been approached by Israel , who demands that they pay for electricity .
Until now , they managed by connecting cables to electric power sources .
The electricity is free for settlers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other areas such as the South Hebron Hills .
[ Settlers ] are benefiting from living on stolen land and using stolen water and are doing business on the suffering of the people in the Jordan Valley .
I think the occupation of the Jordan Valley is a business occupation .
They do business from everything they can .
From the land , the stolen water , the projects they do with the settlers , to the demolition of Palestinian homes .
Before they demolish a home , the Israeli authorities confiscate things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then tell them that if they want these things back , they have to pay .
For each tank of water they confiscate , they ask people to pay $ 1,160 ( in U.S. dollars ) .
The Israelis are benefiting economically as long as they are controlling the land and the water of the valley .
More than a million palm trees belong to the settlers who have 36 agricultural colonies in the valley .
The settlers benefit from the labor of Palestinian workers who work without permits .
They are paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been paid in the same position .
They do not have health insurance and take on dangerous work .
Four hundred women and children work in the Israeli settlements in the Jordan Valley .
Some people believe that if Israel annexes the Jordan Valley , due to international pressure , it may be compelled to give citizenship to Palestinian residents of the valley over the long run .
They argue that the number of Palestinians in the valley are not that big , and that Israel can deal with this from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the need to keep a Jewish majority .
What is your response ?
I think that Israel ’ s annexation plan evades international law .
We don ’ t want an Israeli nationality .
What we want is our rights .
How do you view the Israeli soldiers occupying you ?
What have they recently been up to in your area ?
The soldiers are inhumane and … they are active in the demolition of homes , cutting down trees , cutting off water pipes , kidnapping and killing people , running over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 , Israeli soldiers destroyed four homes in the village of Fasayil .
Eighty five olive trees were cut down by the Israeli army in the Bardalla village , located in the north of the Jordan Valley , in June 2019 .
As we like to say , in the Jordan Valley , to exist is to resist .
What is the relationship between Palestinians and Bedouin in the Jordan Valley ?
The relationship between the farmers and the Bedouin is good .
After all , we are all Palestinians .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We all share good memories of living together in the same land .
How do most Palestinians earn their living in the Jordan Valley ?
Most of the people living in the valley are shepherds who raise sheep or are farmers who produce dates .
That ’ s how they earn money .
In the city of Tubas , which lies west of the Jordan Valley and is under Palestinian security control , there is a yogurt and cheese factory , a food factory and a factory producing soap .
How do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the valley ?
Palestinians deal with the shortage of water by using water only for our main needs , such as watering agriculture .
Palestinians mostly plant plants that will grow in the winter season .
Each square cubic meter of water costs $ 7.20 ( in U.S. dollars ) , and … people have to go 12 miles to arrive at a water source that is not controlled and 12 miles to get back .
Even getting there , Palestinian residents need to pass by a checkpoint manned by Israeli soldiers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ gate manned by Israeli soldiers .
Residents can not go in or out without passing through their careful scrutiny .
Palestinian residents in these three communities need to drive through a mountainous road to bypass the Israeli soldiers .
If they are caught by Israeli soldiers unexpectedly , they are detained and accused of illegally passing through a military road and a firing zone .
The aim of the Israeli occupation authorities is that the Palestinians will leave the area .
They are trying to put pressure on the people , so that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave the area .
They make life hard for the people , so people will not be able to live without electricity , without water , and they have to pay a lot of money as well .
You know , before the occupation of the Jordan Valley by Israel in 1967 , 200,000 Palestinians lived here .
Imagine if this many people stayed in the Jordan Valley , how many people there would have been living here by now ?
Now there are just 56,000 people .
This is because of Israel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of pressure on people , so that people will leave the area .
Are the Medjool dates from Palestine in Turkey or Germany from Palestinians , or from Israeli colonialists ?
Before 1967 my father told me that they used to export the product to Lebanon and Jordan .
Nowadays they export but less than before .
And it is controlled by two Palestinian companies .
And unfortunately , these two companies have their business with Israeli companies as well… .
Israel lost $ 29 million in 2013 because of [ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) movement ] .
And after that , [ according to ] a documentary made by Al Jazeera , one settler from Mehola settlement said that they started to write on their products “ Made in Palestine ” instead of “ [ Made ] in Israel ” because of the boycott movement… .
I think that ’ s why Israel … arrested me at that time .
They were crazy about all activists who were active with the boycott movement .
And who were writing reports about what was happening in the Jordan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were affecting the lives of Palestinians in the Jordan Valley .
What happened to you in prison ?
What did they accuse you of ?
Did you have a trial or did they detain you without a trial ?
What is more important than the situation of being in jail , was after being released , I was so weak .
Hopeless .
I kept myself in my room.… I worked a lot on my character to move on after this horrible experience .
That ’ s why I joined a theater … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two months , I was not allowed to see a lawyer , not allowed to talk to my family .
After a week , they took me to a trial .
The judge was giving reasons why they put me in jail .
They said it was because [ I was ] threatening the security of Israel .
No details , nothing .
Did they provide any evidence that you were “ threatening the security of Israel ?
” There are some details , maybe people don ’ t know about it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ prisoner without clothes , with nothing , it ’ s horrible .
The way they do it is really horrible .
They didn ’ t allow me to change my clothes for two months .
After a week , I wanted to see my face .
I wanted a mirror .
There are small details… .
I was allowed to take a shower once every three days and for five minutes .
They did not provide any evidence , nothing .
That is why I was released later .
They were always telling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were pressuring me to even invent things .
They wanted any information .
To give a reason for them to keep me in jail .
How long were you in prison in total ?
In total , four months , and another three months home jail .
Not allowed to talk to my friend , not allowed to use the telephone .
Not allowing anyone to visit me .
They [ also ] used dogs .
And that ’ s the most horrible thing that has happened to me.… They beat me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands .
And the captain who was asking questions … he started to shout at me ; he said to me , “ You have to respect the state in which you live — Israel , which is the only democracy in the Middle East ” … I said to him , yes , it is a democratic state , so your state , they use democracy to vote in the Israeli Knesset , the parliament , to destroy 300 houses in the al Naqab [ Negev desert ] .
So yes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ lives .
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length .

Part of the Series Struggle and Solidarity: Writing Toward Palestinian Liberation
The Jordan Valley lies on the eastern part of the West Bank, occupied by Israel in 1967, and shares a border with Jordan. The Israeli government, with the blessing of Donald Trump, is hoping to annex the Jordan Valley. This plan has drawn international condemnation, from Germany and France as well as from Israel’s Arab neighbors — Egypt and Jordan — with whom it shares borders and a peace treaty. The Israeli nongovernmental organization B’Tselem states that the Valley, which constitutes roughly 30 percent of the West Bank, is home to 10,000 Israeli settlers and about 65,000 Palestinians. Thousands of Palestinians have been protesting against the annexation plan.
The July 1 annexation target date has passed, and according to The Times of Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week said that the plan is being held up by the U.S. administration, although annexation is not off the table.
Israel has viewed the Valley as a buffer zone between itself and the broader Middle East for decades; as early as in the aftermath of the Six-Day War, Israeli labor minister Yigal Allon devised a plan to annex the Valley in order to provide Israel with a strategic depth against a potential future invasion. Indeed, Israel has insisted many times on keeping its armed forces in the region even if an independent Palestinian state were to be established. Many observers, including supporters of Israel, believe that annexing the Jordan Valley would make a future two-state solution impossible.
Sireen Khudairi
So far, Israel has no plans to provide citizenship for the Palestinians living in the Jordan Valley if and when it annexes the land. Israel has recently been active demolishing Bedouin tents and solar panels, quite possibly so that they will be forced to relocate. That Israel has carried out these actions prior to its annexation may reveal it has designs for the area in question. Israeli settlers have welcomed the annexation plans; indeed, the Trump peace plan effectively allows Israel to go ahead with annexing the area, even though recently White House officials had some misgivings about the timing. However, a U.S.-Israel committee whose purpose was to decide which areas Israel was to annex has seen its work come to a halt due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
The situation in the Jordan Valley is one that resembles apartheid in its most stark condition. Barren land, lack of water, Bedouin tents demolished by the Israel Defense Forces. Water wells are destroyed and trees are cut down by the same armed forces. Freedom of movement of peasants to their agricultural lands is forbidden — but only, of course, if they are Palestinian. Israeli villagers get not only free movement, they also get free land — free because it is stolen, and because of subsidies for agricultural development thanks to the Israeli taxpayer. It pays to be an Israeli in the Jordan Valley. To be Palestinian is to live a life of countless suffering there. No wonder, then, that a slogan developed by the Jordan Valley Solidarity group is “To exist is to resist.”
I knew the Jordan Valley well. I served there in the Israeli armed forces between 2001-2002. We put Palestinians under siege, did not allow them to reach their agricultural lands, stopped and detained people randomly. Physical violence was used against Palestinians at the checkpoints on occasion. Homes and schools were searched. Children’s studies interrupted by soldiers entering in with guns. That was nearly 18 years ago. But now a change to the status quo may be coming.
Sireen Khudairi is a long-time Palestinian activist and teacher who resides in the Jordan Valley. She spoke to Truthout about the upcoming annexation and how the Israeli occupation of the Jordan Valley is a business occupation.
It pays to be an Israeli in the Jordan Valley. To be Palestinian is to live a life of countless suffering.
Joshua Tartakovsky: Can you please tell me more about yourself — where were you born, where do you live, what do you do for a living?
Sireen Khudairi: I have been a volunteer with the Jordan Valley Solidarity Campaign since 2005. I led the learning center for youth in the Dheisheh Refugee Camp, near Bethlehem, a camp that is recognized by [the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)]. I worked in the reservation department at a hotel in Bethlehem. Several years ago, I was kidnapped by Israeli forces while I was walking on the street from my university to my home. Subsequently, I was placed in solitary confinement for a period of two months. Following this period, I was told in the Israeli court that I was arrested due to my political activity on Facebook that posed a threat to the security of the State of Israel. While I was born in Nablus, I grew up in the Jordan Valley.
Sireen Khudairi
What do residents expect regarding the upcoming annexation plans? Have they been approached regarding this plan by the Israeli occupation authorities who run the affairs of the Jordan Valley?
The people are expecting that the Bedouin community will be removed, and that the villages in the valley will be isolated, with freedom of movement taken away. This will have an immediate effect on the areas of access to education, health and economic opportunities. Villagers in Fasayil and al Zubeidat have been approached by Israel, who demands that they pay for electricity. Until now, they managed by connecting cables to electric power sources. The electricity is free for settlers in the Jordan Valley and also in other areas such as the South Hebron Hills. [Settlers] are benefiting from living on stolen land and using stolen water and are doing business on the suffering of the people in the Jordan Valley.
I think the occupation of the Jordan Valley is a business occupation. They do business from everything they can. From the land, the stolen water, the projects they do with the settlers, to the demolition of Palestinian homes. Before they demolish a home, the Israeli authorities confiscate things inside that belong to Palestinians, and then tell them that if they want these things back, they have to pay. For each tank of water they confiscate, they ask people to pay $1,160 (in U.S. dollars).
Israeli authorities confiscate things inside that belong to Palestinians, and then tell them that if they want these things back, they have to pay.
The Israelis are benefiting economically as long as they are controlling the land and the water of the valley. More than a million palm trees belong to the settlers who have 36 agricultural colonies in the valley. The settlers benefit from the labor of Palestinian workers who work without permits. They are paid 60 percent less of what Israelis would have been paid in the same position. They do not have health insurance and take on dangerous work. Four hundred women and children work in the Israeli settlements in the Jordan Valley.
Some people believe that if Israel annexes the Jordan Valley, due to international pressure, it may be compelled to give citizenship to Palestinian residents of the valley over the long run. They argue that the number of Palestinians in the valley are not that big, and that Israel can deal with this from a demographic perspective due to its emphasis on the need to keep a Jewish majority. What is your response?
I think that Israel’s annexation plan evades international law. We don’t want an Israeli nationality. What we want is our rights.
Sireen Khudairi
How do you view the Israeli soldiers occupying you? What have they recently been up to in your area?
The soldiers are inhumane and … they are active in the demolition of homes, cutting down trees, cutting off water pipes, kidnapping and killing people, running over and killing sheep. On July 1, 2020, Israeli soldiers destroyed four homes in the village of Fasayil. Eighty five olive trees were cut down by the Israeli army in the Bardalla village, located in the north of the Jordan Valley, in June 2019. As we like to say, in the Jordan Valley, to exist is to resist.
What is the relationship between Palestinians and Bedouin in the Jordan Valley?
The relationship between the farmers and the Bedouin is good. After all, we are all Palestinians. We are all struggling for the same aim. We all share good memories of living together in the same land.
How do most Palestinians earn their living in the Jordan Valley?
Most of the people living in the valley are shepherds who raise sheep or are farmers who produce dates. That’s how they earn money. In the city of Tubas, which lies west of the Jordan Valley and is under Palestinian security control, there is a yogurt and cheese factory, a food factory and a factory producing soap.
Sireen Khudairi
How do Palestinians deal with the water shortage in the valley?
Palestinians deal with the shortage of water by using water only for our main needs, such as watering agriculture. Palestinians mostly plant plants that will grow in the winter season. Each square cubic meter of water costs $7.20 (in U.S. dollars), and … people have to go 12 miles to arrive at a water source that is not controlled and 12 miles to get back. Even getting there, Palestinian residents need to pass by a checkpoint manned by Israeli soldiers. Three Palestinian communities are locked by a gate manned by Israeli soldiers. Residents cannot go in or out without passing through their careful scrutiny. Palestinian residents in these three communities need to drive through a mountainous road to bypass the Israeli soldiers. If they are caught by Israeli soldiers unexpectedly, they are detained and accused of illegally passing through a military road and a firing zone.
Before the occupation of the Jordan Valley by Israel in 1967, 200,000 Palestinians lived here. Now there are just 56,000 people. This is because of Israel’s policy.
The aim of the Israeli occupation authorities is that the Palestinians will leave the area. They are trying to put pressure on the people, so that they will decide on their own to leave the area. They make life hard for the people, so people will not be able to live without electricity, without water, and they have to pay a lot of money as well.
You know, before the occupation of the Jordan Valley by Israel in 1967, 200,000 Palestinians lived here. Imagine if this many people stayed in the Jordan Valley, how many people there would have been living here by now? Now there are just 56,000 people. This is because of Israel’s policy. They put a lot of pressure on people, so that people will leave the area.
Sireen Khudairi
Are the Medjool dates from Palestine in Turkey or Germany from Palestinians, or from Israeli colonialists?
Before 1967 my father told me that they used to export the product to Lebanon and Jordan. Nowadays they export but less than before. And it is controlled by two Palestinian companies. And unfortunately, these two companies have their business with Israeli companies as well…. Israel lost $29 million in 2013 because of [the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement]. And after that, [according to] a documentary made by Al Jazeera, one settler from Mehola settlement said that they started to write on their products “Made in Palestine” instead of “[Made] in Israel” because of the boycott movement….
I think that’s why Israel … arrested me at that time. They were crazy about all activists who were active with the boycott movement. And who were writing reports about what was happening in the Jordan Valley. And how Israeli economic projects were affecting the lives of Palestinians in the Jordan Valley.
Sireen Khudairi
What happened to you in prison? What did they accuse you of? Did you have a trial or did they detain you without a trial?
What is more important than the situation of being in jail, was after being released, I was so weak. Hopeless. I kept myself in my room.… I worked a lot on my character to move on after this horrible experience. That’s why I joined a theater … In that time, [for] two months, I was not allowed to see a lawyer, not allowed to talk to my family. After a week, they took me to a trial. The judge was giving reasons why they put me in jail. They said it was because [I was] threatening the security of Israel. No details, nothing.
Did they provide any evidence that you were “threatening the security of Israel?”
There are some details, maybe people don’t know about it. For example, when they search the prisoner without clothes, with nothing, it’s horrible. The way they do it is really horrible. They didn’t allow me to change my clothes for two months. After a week, I wanted to see my face. I wanted a mirror. There are small details…. I was allowed to take a shower once every three days and for five minutes.
They did not provide any evidence, nothing. That is why I was released later. They were always telling me to give us information. And they were pressuring me to even invent things. They wanted any information. To give a reason for them to keep me in jail.
How long were you in prison in total?
In total, four months, and another three months home jail. Not allowed to talk to my friend, not allowed to use the telephone. Not allowing anyone to visit me.
They [also] used dogs. And that’s the most horrible thing that has happened to me.… They beat me. They tied my legs and my hands. And the captain who was asking questions … he started to shout at me; he said to me, “You have to respect the state in which you live — Israel, which is the only democracy in the Middle East” … I said to him, yes, it is a democratic state, so your state, they use democracy to vote in the Israeli Knesset, the parliament, to destroy 300 houses in the al Naqab [Negev desert]. So yes, you use your democracy to destroy others’ lives.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.


truthout--2020-08-05--Critical Swing States See a Rise in Registered Independent Voters

While President Trump tries to selectively discredit vote-by-mail , his re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee have registered a combined 100,000 new voters ahead of the 2020 election , closing gaps between Republican and Democratic voters in a number of critical swing states .
Democrats still boast more registered voters in Pennsylvania , North Carolina and Florida , but Republicans have eaten into those leads , more than doubling the sign-ups generated in 2016 , according to GOP and state data reviewed by Axios .
That data doesn ’ t reflect the full picture , however — which , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly as rosy for Republicans as top-line numbers indicate .
Salon ’ s independent analysis of state voter data suggests that the GOP ’ s get-out-the-vote effort is not nearly as robust as the Axios report indicates .
According to Axios , Republicans in Pennsylvania have closed the gap by about 133,000 voters , and in Florida the margin has slimmed by 87,000 voters .
Axios also reported that the GOP shows a net gain of 216,410 voters against Democrats in North Carolina since 2016 .
Salon ’ s independent review of state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Republican gains on Democrats in those key swing states are not new GOP voters , but former Democrats who have registered as independents .
Though Democrats still lead in all three states , they ’ ve also hemorrhaged hundreds of thousands of voters in all three .
Moreover , Republicans haven ’ t posted the most significant gains in those states : That honor goes to independent voters .
Instead of a Republican “ red wave ” in 2020 , the data more accurately reflects a shift from both parties to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counterintuitive in these hyper-partisan times .
Given recent polls , such a shift would seem to benefit presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden , who has steadily led Trump among independents .
Records from the Florida Department of State show that since November 2016 , Republicans gained about 300,000 voters , while Democrats added more than 200,000 .
However , the state ’ s largest increase was among registered independents , who increased their ranks by 480,000 over the last four years .
Florida ’ s massive increase in registered voters , with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s otherwise anomalous statement Tuesday endorsing expanded vote-by-mail in the state , even though he has presented it as a fraud-prone Republican death knell on a national scale .
By contrast , Pennsylvania Republicans have actually lost about 10,000 voters since 2016 , according to comparative state data .
The GOP ’ s net gain in the state comes at the expense of Democrats , who experienced a drain of 124,000 voters over that time .
Independents posted the only gain in the state : 10,000 voters .
Pennsylvania ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 120,000 since the 2016 election , a number nearly equivalent to the reported GOP net gain on Democrats there , who still lead independents and command a 800,000-voter lead over Republicans .
Axios reported that the GOP showed a net gain of 216,410 voters against Democrats in North Carolina , but state data between Election Day 2016 and Aug. 1 , 2020 , reflects a GOP raw voter gain of less than 10 % that number : only 19,604 more registered Republicans .
Compare that with the 270,000-voter increase in registered independents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ net gain ” came in the form of attrition : Over the last four years North Carolina has lost 196,806 Democratic voters , while adding only 19,600 Republicans .
The state ’ s 2,346,296 independent voters currently outnumber Republicans by about 240,000 but fall short of Democrats by about 190,000 , giving Democrats a 410,000 advantage over the GOP in the Tar Heel State .
The coronavirus pandemic has upended voter registration efforts .
Political parties and civic volunteers typically recruit new voters at public events , where one person can reach many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them on a personal level .
Axios also points out that 45 % of voter applications come from state motor-vehicle departments , but for the last several months those services have been limited .
To give an idea of the effects , North Carolina added about 110,000 voters between March 15 and Aug. 6 in the 2016 election cycle .
In that same timeframe this year , the state added less than 10,000 voters .
The nature of these gains doesn ’ t seem to indicate that Republicans can count on riding voter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is of course conceivable that the party ’ s barely-concealed voter-suppression tactics may play an outsized role .

Most of the Republican gains in key swing states are former Democrats who have registered as independents.
While President Trump tries to selectively discredit vote-by-mail, his re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee have registered a combined 100,000 new voters ahead of the 2020 election, closing gaps between Republican and Democratic voters in a number of critical swing states.
Democrats still boast more registered voters in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Florida, but Republicans have eaten into those leads, more than doubling the sign-ups generated in 2016, according to GOP and state data reviewed by Axios.
That data doesn’t reflect the full picture, however — which, while troubling for Democrats, is not nearly as rosy for Republicans as top-line numbers indicate. Salon’s independent analysis of state voter data suggests that the GOP’s get-out-the-vote effort is not nearly as robust as the Axios report indicates.
According to Axios, Republicans in Pennsylvania have closed the gap by about 133,000 voters, and in Florida the margin has slimmed by 87,000 voters. Axios also reported that the GOP shows a net gain of 216,410 voters against Democrats in North Carolina since 2016. Salon’s independent review of state data confirms these claims.
But most of the Republican gains on Democrats in those key swing states are not new GOP voters, but former Democrats who have registered as independents.
Though Democrats still lead in all three states, they’ve also hemorrhaged hundreds of thousands of voters in all three. Moreover, Republicans haven’t posted the most significant gains in those states: That honor goes to independent voters.
Instead of a Republican “red wave” in 2020, the data more accurately reflects a shift from both parties to nominally neutral ground, which perhaps seems counterintuitive in these hyper-partisan times. Given recent polls, such a shift would seem to benefit presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, who has steadily led Trump among independents.
Records from the Florida Department of State show that since November 2016, Republicans gained about 300,000 voters, while Democrats added more than 200,000. However, the state’s largest increase was among registered independents, who increased their ranks by 480,000 over the last four years.
Florida’s massive increase in registered voters, with the GOP leading the way, squares with Trump’s otherwise anomalous statement Tuesday endorsing expanded vote-by-mail in the state, even though he has presented it as a fraud-prone Republican death knell on a national scale.
By contrast, Pennsylvania Republicans have actually lost about 10,000 voters since 2016, according to comparative state data. The GOP’s net gain in the state comes at the expense of Democrats, who experienced a drain of 124,000 voters over that time. Independents posted the only gain in the state: 10,000 voters.
Pennsylvania’s overall voter roster has actually dropped by 120,000 since the 2016 election, a number nearly equivalent to the reported GOP net gain on Democrats there, who still lead independents and command a 800,000-voter lead over Republicans.
Axios reported that the GOP showed a net gain of 216,410 voters against Democrats in North Carolina, but state data between Election Day 2016 and Aug. 1, 2020, reflects a GOP raw voter gain of less than 10% that number: only 19,604 more registered Republicans. Compare that with the 270,000-voter increase in registered independents.
The overwhelming amount of that GOP “net gain” came in the form of attrition: Over the last four years North Carolina has lost 196,806 Democratic voters, while adding only 19,600 Republicans. The state’s 2,346,296 independent voters currently outnumber Republicans by about 240,000 but fall short of Democrats by about 190,000, giving Democrats a 410,000 advantage over the GOP in the Tar Heel State.
The coronavirus pandemic has upended voter registration efforts. Political parties and civic volunteers typically recruit new voters at public events, where one person can reach many people at once, and speak to them on a personal level.
Axios also points out that 45% of voter applications come from state motor-vehicle departments, but for the last several months those services have been limited.
To give an idea of the effects, North Carolina added about 110,000 voters between March 15 and Aug. 6 in the 2016 election cycle. In that same timeframe this year, the state added less than 10,000 voters.
The nature of these gains doesn’t seem to indicate that Republicans can count on riding voter enthusiasm to victory in November. It is of course conceivable that the party’s barely-concealed voter-suppression tactics may play an outsized role.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-08-05--Trump Threatens Unilateral Suspension of Payroll Tax

President Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday that he is considering circumventing Congress to unilaterally suspend collection of the payroll tax , a move advocacy groups and lawmakers said would be an “ unconstitutional ” abuse of power and a destructive attack on Social Security funding .
Trump said during a Covid-19 press briefing that his administration is examining a variety of potential executive orders should Congress fail to reach an agreement on the next stimulus package by the end of the week , a deadline Democratic leaders and the White House set on Tuesday .
“ We are looking at it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive order to extend enhanced unemployment benefits that expired last week .
“ We ’ re also looking at various other things that I ’ m allowed to do under the system , and — such as the payroll tax suspension .
And so we ’ re allowed to do things.
” Slashing or suspending the payroll tax has long been an obsession of Trump and his right-wing economic advisers , including Stephen Moore .
In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal over the weekend , Moore urged Trump to “ declare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Internal Revenue Service will immediately stop collecting the payroll tax.
” But legal experts doubt the president has the authority to suspend the payroll tax through executive action .
Mark Mazur , director of the Tax Policy Institute , noted in an interview with Roll Call this week that only Congress has the power to halt collection of taxes .
“ Donald Trump is so desperate to defund Social Security , he may rip the Constitution to shreds to make it happen , ” progressive advocacy group Social Security Works tweeted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the payroll tax — Social Security ’ s primary funding mechanism — from their coronavirus stimulus package as the proposal remains unpopular on both sides of the aisle .
In a joint statement on Monday , House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Richard Neal ( D-Mass . )
and Social Security Subcommittee Chairman Rep. John Larson ( D-Conn. ) said “ Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate have rejected the president ’ s proposal to include a payroll tax cut in the next Covid-19 response package , yet the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ A payroll tax cut does not help unemployed Americans — the group of people most in need right now — and it would drain money from Social Security and Medicare , ” said Neal and Larson .
“ It is difficult to fathom a worse moment to weaken these lifelines than during a pandemic and crushing economic recession.
” “ While Republicans have long sought to gut these earned benefits , ” the lawmakers added , “ doubling down on those efforts while the Covid crisis rages on would be particularly @ @ @

Advocacy groups and lawmakers say the move would be an unconstitutional attack on Social Security funding.
President Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday that he is considering circumventing Congress to unilaterally suspend collection of the payroll tax, a move advocacy groups and lawmakers said would be an “unconstitutional” abuse of power and a destructive attack on Social Security funding.
Trump said during a Covid-19 press briefing that his administration is examining a variety of potential executive orders should Congress fail to reach an agreement on the next stimulus package by the end of the week, a deadline Democratic leaders and the White House set on Tuesday.
“We are looking at it,” the president said of an executive order to extend enhanced unemployment benefits that expired last week. “We’re also looking at various other things that I’m allowed to do under the system, and — such as the payroll tax suspension. And so we’re allowed to do things.”
Slashing or suspending the payroll tax has long been an obsession of Trump and his right-wing economic advisers, including Stephen Moore. In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal over the weekend, Moore urged Trump to “declare a national economic emergency and announce that the Internal Revenue Service will immediately stop collecting the payroll tax.”
But legal experts doubt the president has the authority to suspend the payroll tax through executive action. Mark Mazur, director of the Tax Policy Institute, noted in an interview with Roll Call this week that only Congress has the power to halt collection of taxes.
“Donald Trump is so desperate to defund Social Security, he may rip the Constitution to shreds to make it happen,” progressive advocacy group Social Security Works tweeted.
"Suspend the Payroll Tax" = DEFUND SOCIAL SECURITY Defunding Social Security without Congressional approval = Unconstitutional Hands off our earned benefits! https://t.co/miEBE7oGyx — SocialSecurityWorks (@SSWorks) August 4, 2020
Senate Republicans ultimately excluded any cut to the payroll tax — Social Security’s primary funding mechanism — from their coronavirus stimulus package as the proposal remains unpopular on both sides of the aisle.
In a joint statement on Monday, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.) and Social Security Subcommittee Chairman Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) said “Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate have rejected the president’s proposal to include a payroll tax cut in the next Covid-19 response package, yet the president remains fixated on the foolhardy idea.”
“A payroll tax cut does not help unemployed Americans — the group of people most in need right now — and it would drain money from Social Security and Medicare,” said Neal and Larson. “It is difficult to fathom a worse moment to weaken these lifelines than during a pandemic and crushing economic recession.”
“While Republicans have long sought to gut these earned benefits,” the lawmakers added, “doubling down on those efforts while the Covid crisis rages on would be particularly heartless.”
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-08-05--GOP Proposes Letting Fossil Fuel Firms Sue Sick Workers Seeking Compensation

Fossil fuel firms have long argued that addressing climate change will kill jobs — but the main entities killing oil and gas jobs lately have been fossil fuel firms .
Rather than save jobs , oil firms have lined executive pockets just before declaring bankruptcy , and announced layoffs rather than cut into shareholder profits .
Some oil workers are even dying on the job — and instead of increasing safety and transparency , oil companies have pushed Congress to make it impossible for workers and families to sue if they get sick due to unsafe conditions .
We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry , which has long fought efforts to fund benefits to workers who contracted “ black lung ” in mines .
Now , it ’ s oil and gas firms that are putting profits ahead of the lives of their own workers .
For years , one of the main selling points that oil firms used to lure investors was the amount of dividends they pay to shareholders .
Exxon is a case in point : It has raised its dividend 37 years in a row , paying out more than $ 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shareholders in 2019 .
But facing a $ 2.63 billion loss in the second quarter , Exxon decided to lay off workers rather than cut its shareholder dividend .
For workers who manage to survive the layoffs , Exxon will be ending its employer match to workers ’ retirement savings plans — a common benefit at major corporations where the firm matches any contributions a worker makes to their 401 ( k ) .
This comes despite the implicit support Exxon has received from the Federal Reserve .
The Fed has been leveraging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the CARES Act 10-to-1 , allowing them to purchase up to $ 750 million in corporate bonds and exchange-traded funds through two new programs .
The Fed has purchased nearly $ 300 million in debt from energy and utility companies — drawing scrutiny from 70 environmental and economic justice groups , who ’ ve asked the Fed to end these purchases .
The Fed ’ s purchases include $ 9 million worth of Exxon ’ s corporate bonds .
But the central bank won ’ t be telling Exxon to save workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both failed to create any binding requirements that companies benefiting from these programs retain their workers .
Many oil producers have struggled with a decade of bad bets that were compounded by the spring plunge in oil prices .
But that hasn ’ t stopped them from pushing money out the door to their executives right before they collapse .
Last week , the oil and gas drilling firm Noble Corp , which employs 1,600 workers , filed for bankruptcy .
Only weeks prior , Noble Corp decided to pay all of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including a $ 4.2 million pay package for its CEO .
Noble Corp is hardly the first oil and gas firm to make sure its executives got their bonuses just before the company crumbled .
Chesapeake Energy , struggling with $ 9 billion in debt amid crashing oil prices , decided in May to pre-pay 21 executives $ 25 million in bonuses to ensure they stayed motivated .
By the end of June , they were bankrupt .
Further , both Whiting Petroleum and Extraction Oil & Gas gave their executives millions in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Whiting Petroleum executives nabbed $ 14.6 million in cash bonuses and Extraction executives pocketed $ 6.7 million .
The response of fossil fuel firms and the Trump administration alike to the potentially lethal working conditions for oil and gas workers has been to bury the data and prevent workers from suing .
Fossil fuel giants like ConocoPhillips and Exxon lobbied Congress to grant them legal immunity should their workers get sick , as documented by Friends of the Earth .
The liability shield proposed by Senate Republicans even allows firms to sue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seek recompense if they get sick .
This comes as reporting indicates offshore oil rigs may be hotbeds for the virus .
On April 8 , the Coast Guard reported that at least 26 workers on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico had tested positive for COVID-19 .
Since then , the count has gone dark as the Trump administration refused to disclose new case numbers .
But the problem appears bleak based on numbers coming out of Mexico where 202 employees and five contractors have died of coronavirus at the state-owned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — the highest coronavirus death rate of any company in the world , according to Bloomberg .
Pemex has been disclosing coronavirus deaths on a daily basis .
By contrast , ExxonMobil has declined to report any information at all about the death of its workers due to coronavirus .
Fossil fuel firms are sacrificing their workers ’ jobs and safety for profits .
The sector can ’ t blame the pandemic for its troubles , as its troubles predate coronavirus .
By rewarding executives just before bankruptcy , slashing jobs to please @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they endanger their workers , these firms are proving themselves to be the real job killers .
With the Fed ’ s ongoing purchase of fossil fuel firms ’ debt , the public itself is an unwilling enabler of the sector ’ s approach of pursuing profits , no matter the cost .

Part of the Series Despair and Disparity: The Uneven Burdens of COVID-19
Fossil fuel firms have long argued that addressing climate change will kill jobs — but the main entities killing oil and gas jobs lately have been fossil fuel firms.
Rather than save jobs, oil firms have lined executive pockets just before declaring bankruptcy, and announced layoffs rather than cut into shareholder profits. Some oil workers are even dying on the job — and instead of increasing safety and transparency, oil companies have pushed Congress to make it impossible for workers and families to sue if they get sick due to unsafe conditions.
We have seen this pattern before with the coal industry, which has long fought efforts to fund benefits to workers who contracted “black lung” in mines. Now, it’s oil and gas firms that are putting profits ahead of the lives of their own workers.
For years, one of the main selling points that oil firms used to lure investors was the amount of dividends they pay to shareholders. Exxon is a case in point: It has raised its dividend 37 years in a row, paying out more than $14 billion in cash dividend payments to its shareholders in 2019. But facing a $2.63 billion loss in the second quarter, Exxon decided to lay off workers rather than cut its shareholder dividend. For workers who manage to survive the layoffs, Exxon will be ending its employer match to workers’ retirement savings plans — a common benefit at major corporations where the firm matches any contributions a worker makes to their 401(k).
This comes despite the implicit support Exxon has received from the Federal Reserve. The Fed has been leveraging $75 billion in public money provided by the CARES Act 10-to-1, allowing them to purchase up to $750 million in corporate bonds and exchange-traded funds through two new programs. The Fed has purchased nearly $300 million in debt from energy and utility companies — drawing scrutiny from 70 environmental and economic justice groups, who’ve asked the Fed to end these purchases.
The Fed’s purchases include $9 million worth of Exxon’s corporate bonds. But the central bank won’t be telling Exxon to save workers’ jobs: Congress and the Fed both failed to create any binding requirements that companies benefiting from these programs retain their workers.
The response of fossil fuel firms and the Trump administration alike to the potentially lethal working conditions for oil and gas workers has been to bury the data and prevent workers from suing.
Many oil producers have struggled with a decade of bad bets that were compounded by the spring plunge in oil prices. But that hasn’t stopped them from pushing money out the door to their executives right before they collapse. Last week, the oil and gas drilling firm Noble Corp, which employs 1,600 workers, filed for bankruptcy. Only weeks prior, Noble Corp decided to pay all of its executives their full bonus for 2020, including a $4.2 million pay package for its CEO.
Noble Corp is hardly the first oil and gas firm to make sure its executives got their bonuses just before the company crumbled. Chesapeake Energy, struggling with $9 billion in debt amid crashing oil prices, decided in May to pre-pay 21 executives $25 million in bonuses to ensure they stayed motivated. By the end of June, they were bankrupt. Further, both Whiting Petroleum and Extraction Oil & Gas gave their executives millions in bonuses a mere week before going bankrupt — Whiting Petroleum executives nabbed $14.6 million in cash bonuses and Extraction executives pocketed $6.7 million.
The response of fossil fuel firms and the Trump administration alike to the potentially lethal working conditions for oil and gas workers has been to bury the data and prevent workers from suing. Fossil fuel giants like ConocoPhillips and Exxon lobbied Congress to grant them legal immunity should their workers get sick, as documented by Friends of the Earth. The liability shield proposed by Senate Republicans even allows firms to sue their own workers should they try and seek recompense if they get sick.
The liability shield proposed by Senate Republicans even allows firms to sue their own workers should they try and seek recompense if they get sick.
This comes as reporting indicates offshore oil rigs may be hotbeds for the virus. On April 8, the Coast Guard reported that at least 26 workers on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico had tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, the count has gone dark as the Trump administration refused to disclose new case numbers.
But the problem appears bleak based on numbers coming out of Mexico where 202 employees and five contractors have died of coronavirus at the state-owned oil producer Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) — the highest coronavirus death rate of any company in the world, according to Bloomberg. Pemex has been disclosing coronavirus deaths on a daily basis. By contrast, ExxonMobil has declined to report any information at all about the death of its workers due to coronavirus.
Fossil fuel firms are sacrificing their workers’ jobs and safety for profits. The sector can’t blame the pandemic for its troubles, as its troubles predate coronavirus.
By rewarding executives just before bankruptcy, slashing jobs to please investors and pushing for immunity even if they endanger their workers, these firms are proving themselves to be the real job killers. With the Fed’s ongoing purchase of fossil fuel firms’ debt, the public itself is an unwilling enabler of the sector’s approach of pursuing profits, no matter the cost.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.