truthout--2020-11-08--Dark Money From Super PAC Played Key Role in Defeat of Several House Democrats

House Democrats will start the next Congress with their number diminished , losing at least eight and perhaps 10 seats in the 2020 election .
A net loss of eight seats would represent over 3 % of current Democratic House members , far from Democrats ’ hopes of expanding their headcount by around 12-15 seats .
As of Wednesday afternoon , House Democrats had claimed none of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ’ s ( DCCC ) 38 “ red-to-blue ” district targets to flip from Republicans — for example , striking out on all of the seven pickup targets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought to be leaning Democratic by The Cook Political Report .
While Democrats will keep control of the U.S. House and gained two seats in North Carolina through favorable redistricting , it looks like 2020 ’ s losses will reduce their share of the lower chamber to about 51.5 % of the total 435 representatives .
Of this cycle ’ s 42 “ frontline ” House districts held by vulnerable incumbents according to the DCCC , six losses so far came in districts picked up by Democrats in the 2018 midterms : Reps. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kendra Horn ( Okla. ) , Joe Cunningham ( S.C. ) , Abby Finkenauer ( Iowa ) , Max Rose ( N.Y. ) , and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell ( Fla. ) .
Freshman Democratic Rep. TJ Cox of California narrowly trails David Valadao , who is running to take back his former seat , as votes continue to be counted .
In Iowa ’ s Second Congressional District , composed of the area around Davenport and Iowa City , the race to succeed retiring seven-term Rep. Dave Loebsack , a Democrat , is neck-and-neck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shalala lost by just over 9,400 votes , close to three percent of the vote , in a rematch for the prominent Democrat with Cuban American journalist María Elvira Salazar .
In Minnesota , 15-term Rep. Collin Peterson — the chair of the Agriculture Committee and a past favorite of Koch Industry ’ s PAC donations among Democrats — went down with only 40 % of the vote to his opponent ’ s 53 % in a rural district that hugely favored President Trump in 2016 .
Endangered Democratic freshmen Reps. Lizzie Fletcher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Ga. ) , and New Jersey ’ s Tom Malinowski and Andy Kim held their seats , and DCCC Chair Cheri Bustos of Illinois declared victory with close to 52 % of the vote .
Also holding on from 2018 were “ frontline ” Reps. Mikie Sherill ( N.J. ) , Jason Crow ( Col. ) , and Sharice Davids ( Kan. ) , as well as Dean Phillips ( Minn. ) .
The defeated House Democrats didn ’ t lack for campaign money , largely bringing in millions of dollars for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rep. Torres Small raised over $ 7.5 million , according to the Center for Responsive Politics , compared to $ 2.5 million raised by her successful Republican challenger Yvette Herrell , and spent nearly 2.7 times as much on the race .
But a super PAC aligned with Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and the House GOP , the Congressional Leadership Fund ( CLF ) , announced its largest-ever fundraising quarter shortly before the election , bringing in $ 77.4 million , double its 2018 haul .
CLF ’ s historic third quarter went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total spending this cycle , as tracked by the Center for Responsive Politics as of Nov. 4 .
The top group contributing to CLF this cycle was a conservative “ dark money ” behemoth : American Action Network ( AAN ) , an affiliated “ social welfare ” organization that does not disclose its donors .
A Sludge review of FEC information shows that AAN gave a record of at least $ 26.4 million to CLF , more than the $ 23.5 million it funneled to CLF in the 2018 cycle , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less than half a million dollars it gave to CLF in 2014 and 2016 .
Current AAN President Dan Conston also serves as president of CLF , in what the group ’ s website describes as his second stint .
Republican strategist Corry Bliss served as executive director of AAN and CLF in the 2018 midterms , earning a compensation of close to $ 400,000 according to AAN ’ s Form 990 for the year ending June 2018 .
In 2015 , Mike Shields , a former top staffer at the National Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held the position of president at AAN and CLF .
Other top CLF donors include wealthy Republican megadonor Timothy Mellon , majority owner of transportation holding company Pan Am Systems and also a top contributor to the pro-Trump super PAC America First Action , who gave $ 10 million last year and another $ 10 million on June 9 of this year .
Republican megadonors Sheldon and Miriam Adelson contributed $ 40 million combined in the third quarter to CLF , joined by $ 10 million this cycle from Ken Griffin , founder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Koch Industries , major fossil fuel companies such as Valero and Chevron , and Republican megadonors Ron Cameron , Elizabeth Uihlein , and members of the DeVos family each made at least six-figure contributions to CLF .
In several elections where Democratic seats got flipped by Republicans , CLF was the top outside spending group , in some cases outspending the candidates ’ campaigns .
In Torres Small ’ s race , CLF spent over $ 4.74 million ; in Horn ’ s , it spent over $ 4.75 million ; in Cunningham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; and in Finkenauer ’ s , over $ 3.7 million .
In Rose ’ s reelection race , CLF spent over $ 5.4 million , second to the Democratic-aligned House Majority PAC , with over $ 7.7 million .
In Muscarel-Powell ’ s Florida race , CLF spent close to $ 4.2 million , second only to the National Republican Congressional Committee ’ s PAC , with over $ 4.8 million .
The election results prompted speculation that Speaker Nancy Pelosi , who had been planning to run for Speaker again unopposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next year , and made it likelier that a new DCCC head would replace Bustos .
After the Democrats ’ 2018 midterm wave , Pelosi secured her current stint as Speaker , facing a potential leadership challenge , in part by pledging to step aside by 2022 .

This article was produced by Sludge , an independent, ad-free investigative news site covering money in politics. Click here to support Sludge.
House Democrats will start the next Congress with their number diminished, losing at least eight and perhaps 10 seats in the 2020 election. A net loss of eight seats would represent over 3% of current Democratic House members, far from Democrats’ hopes of expanding their headcount by around 12-15 seats.
As of Wednesday afternoon, House Democrats had claimed none of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s (DCCC) 38 “red-to-blue” district targets to flip from Republicans — for example, striking out on all of the seven pickup targets in Texas, two of which were thought to be leaning Democratic by The Cook Political Report. While Democrats will keep control of the U.S. House and gained two seats in North Carolina through favorable redistricting, it looks like 2020’s losses will reduce their share of the lower chamber to about 51.5% of the total 435 representatives.
Of this cycle’s 42 “frontline” House districts held by vulnerable incumbents according to the DCCC, six losses so far came in districts picked up by Democrats in the 2018 midterms: Reps. Xochitl Torres Small (N.M.), Kendra Horn (Okla.), Joe Cunningham (S.C.), Abby Finkenauer (Iowa), Max Rose (N.Y.), and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (Fla.). Freshman Democratic Rep. TJ Cox of California narrowly trails David Valadao, who is running to take back his former seat, as votes continue to be counted. In Iowa’s Second Congressional District, composed of the area around Davenport and Iowa City, the race to succeed retiring seven-term Rep. Dave Loebsack, a Democrat, is neck-and-neck.
In Florida, first-term representative Donna Shalala lost by just over 9,400 votes, close to three percent of the vote, in a rematch for the prominent Democrat with Cuban American journalist María Elvira Salazar. In Minnesota, 15-term Rep. Collin Peterson — the chair of the Agriculture Committee and a past favorite of Koch Industry’s PAC donations among Democrats — went down with only 40% of the vote to his opponent’s 53% in a rural district that hugely favored President Trump in 2016.
Endangered Democratic freshmen Reps. Lizzie Fletcher (Tex.), Lucy McBath (Ga.), and New Jersey’s Tom Malinowski and Andy Kim held their seats, and DCCC Chair Cheri Bustos of Illinois declared victory with close to 52% of the vote. Also holding on from 2018 were “frontline” Reps. Mikie Sherill (N.J.), Jason Crow (Col.), and Sharice Davids (Kan.), as well as Dean Phillips (Minn.).
Outspent by McCarthy’s Super PAC
The defeated House Democrats didn’t lack for campaign money, largely bringing in millions of dollars for their reelections and outraising their opponents. Rep. Torres Small raised over $7.5 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, compared to $2.5 million raised by her successful Republican challenger Yvette Herrell, and spent nearly 2.7 times as much on the race.
But a super PAC aligned with Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and the House GOP, the Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF), announced its largest-ever fundraising quarter shortly before the election, bringing in $77.4 million, double its 2018 haul. CLF’s historic third quarter went towards its over $106.7 million in total spending this cycle, as tracked by the Center for Responsive Politics as of Nov. 4.
The top group contributing to CLF this cycle was a conservative “dark money” behemoth: American Action Network (AAN), an affiliated “social welfare” organization that does not disclose its donors. A Sludge review of FEC information shows that AAN gave a record of at least $26.4 million to CLF, more than the $23.5 million it funneled to CLF in the 2018 cycle, which was itself a huge increase over the less than half a million dollars it gave to CLF in 2014 and 2016. Current AAN President Dan Conston also serves as president of CLF, in what the group’s website describes as his second stint. Republican strategist Corry Bliss served as executive director of AAN and CLF in the 2018 midterms, earning a compensation of close to $400,000 according to AAN’s Form 990 for the year ending June 2018. In 2015, Mike Shields, a former top staffer at the National Republican Congressional Committee and Republican National Committee, held the position of president at AAN and CLF.
Other top CLF donors include wealthy Republican megadonor Timothy Mellon, majority owner of transportation holding company Pan Am Systems and also a top contributor to the pro-Trump super PAC America First Action, who gave $10 million last year and another $10 million on June 9 of this year. Republican megadonors Sheldon and Miriam Adelson contributed $40 million combined in the third quarter to CLF, joined by $10 million this cycle from Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of investment firm Citadel. Koch Industries, major fossil fuel companies such as Valero and Chevron, and Republican megadonors Ron Cameron, Elizabeth Uihlein, and members of the DeVos family each made at least six-figure contributions to CLF.
In several elections where Democratic seats got flipped by Republicans, CLF was the top outside spending group, in some cases outspending the candidates’ campaigns. In Torres Small’s race, CLF spent over $4.74 million; in Horn’s, it spent over $4.75 million; in Cunningham’s, almost $4.3 million; and in Finkenauer’s, over $3.7 million. In Rose’s reelection race, CLF spent over $5.4 million, second to the Democratic-aligned House Majority PAC, with over $7.7 million. In Muscarel-Powell’s Florida race, CLF spent close to $4.2 million, second only to the National Republican Congressional Committee’s PAC, with over $4.8 million.
The election results prompted speculation that Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who had been planning to run for Speaker again unopposed, might face a renewed leadership challenge next year, and made it likelier that a new DCCC head would replace Bustos. After the Democrats’ 2018 midterm wave, Pelosi secured her current stint as Speaker, facing a potential leadership challenge, in part by pledging to step aside by 2022.
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--2020-11-08--Trump Faces Growing Fury Over His Stubborn Refusal to Concede Defeat to Biden

Mixing with the jubilation shared by tens of millions across the U.S. and the world generated by President-elect Joe Biden ’ s declared victory this weekend , increasing levels of anger and frustration were voiced Sunday as President Donald Trump continued his refusal to accept the election results that show he was soundly defeated .
Even as Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris delivered acceptance speeches Saturday night , Trump bucked the tradition of congratulating the winners and instead spent the evening tweeting out false claims that he “ won the election ” and making evidence-free allegations of fraud .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election results , waging a legal strategy to contest them in courts and issuing false allegations of fraud .
There are currently no plans to invite Biden to the Oval Office for the traditional meeting between the incoming and outgoing presidents , a historic sign of the peaceful transfer of power .
Aides instead are working to craft ways for the President to feel validated even in loss , including through more rallies .
But after claiming publicly and falsely that he won the election , sources say Trump is not denying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Jared Kushner , the President ’ s son-in-law and senior adviser who oversaw his campaign from the White House , has approached Trump about conceding the election .
On Sunday , as the lies and deceit by the president continued , many Trump critics began to lose their patience .
“ It is obscene for a president of the United States to talk of a stolen election when he has not put up any meaningful evidence of anyone stealing the election , ” said Steven Greenhouse , former labor reporter for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet .
“ The President needs to stop putting his narcissistic selfishness over what is good for our nation and our democracy.
” Stephen King , the famed novelist and an avowed Democrat , was even more blunt in his proclamation .
“ You lost , you miserable self-entitled infantile fucker , ” King declared .
“ Concede and get the hell out.
” In a letter to editor at the Guardian on Sunday , reader Pete Dorey in the U.K. said he fears that Trump ’ s “ disputing of the validity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insidious than him simply being a bad loser.
” Dorey wrote : By repeatedly denouncing the accuracy of the outcome , even before it has been confirmed , [ Trump ] is giving his supporters a green light to spend the next four years blatantly defying a Biden government , and generally causing public mayhem , on the grounds that the Democrats “ stole ” the election from Trump , and that the new government thus has no democratic authority of mandate .
As such , I fear that mass protests , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( especially of black communities ) by gun-toting Trump supporters , will become a routine occurrence , justified on the grounds that ignoring the “ undemocratic ” Biden government is the duty of true “ American patriots.
” If tough punitive action is taken against them , they will claim that democracy and liberty are being suppressed by “ radical leftists ” in Washington .
But if their mayhem is ignored , they will claim that law and order is being undermined due a weak government in thrall to “ political correctness ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden being declared the projected winner by nearly every major news outlet in the country on Saturday , his campaign spokeperson Andrew Bates on Friday said their team was not ultimately worried if Trump — when defeated — refused to leave the White House voluntarily .
“ The United States government , ” said Bates , “ is perfectly capable of escorting trespassers out of the White House .
”

Instead of accepting the election results, Trump is continuing to push evidence-free allegations of voter fraud.
Mixing with the jubilation shared by tens of millions across the U.S. and the world generated by President-elect Joe Biden’s declared victory this weekend, increasing levels of anger and frustration were voiced Sunday as President Donald Trump continued his refusal to accept the election results that show he was soundly defeated.
Even as Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris delivered acceptance speeches Saturday night, Trump bucked the tradition of congratulating the winners and instead spent the evening tweeting out false claims that he “won the election” and making evidence-free allegations of fraud.
As CNN reports:
Trump so far has refused to accept the election results, waging a legal strategy to contest them in courts and issuing false allegations of fraud. There are currently no plans to invite Biden to the Oval Office for the traditional meeting between the incoming and outgoing presidents, a historic sign of the peaceful transfer of power. Aides instead are working to craft ways for the President to feel validated even in loss, including through more rallies. But after claiming publicly and falsely that he won the election, sources say Trump is not denying the outcome privately. And two people said Jared Kushner, the President’s son-in-law and senior adviser who oversaw his campaign from the White House, has approached Trump about conceding the election. Related Story News Analysis | Politics & Elections Far Right Monitors Anxious About Lingering Possibility of Post-Election Violence The election has unfolded relatively peacefully, but far right watchdogs do not believe we are out of the woods yet. Truthout
On Sunday, as the lies and deceit by the president continued, many Trump critics began to lose their patience.
“It is obscene for a president of the United States to talk of a stolen election when he has not put up any meaningful evidence of anyone stealing the election,” said Steven Greenhouse, former labor reporter for the New York Times in a Sunday morning tweet. “The President needs to stop putting his narcissistic selfishness over what is good for our nation and our democracy.”
Stephen King, the famed novelist and an avowed Democrat, was even more blunt in his proclamation. “You lost, you miserable self-entitled infantile fucker,” King declared. “Concede and get the hell out.”
You lost, you miserable self-entitled infantile fucker. Concede and get the hell out. — Stephen King (@StephenKing) November 8, 2020
In a letter to editor at the Guardian on Sunday, reader Pete Dorey in the U.K. said he fears that Trump’s “disputing of the validity of the election result is much more insidious than him simply being a bad loser.” Dorey wrote:
By repeatedly denouncing the accuracy of the outcome, even before it has been confirmed, [Trump] is giving his supporters a green light to spend the next four years blatantly defying a Biden government, and generally causing public mayhem, on the grounds that the Democrats “stole” the election from Trump, and that the new government thus has no democratic authority of mandate. As such, I fear that mass protests, the occupation of public buildings, and intimidation (especially of black communities) by gun-toting Trump supporters, will become a routine occurrence, justified on the grounds that ignoring the “undemocratic” Biden government is the duty of true “American patriots.” If tough punitive action is taken against them, they will claim that democracy and liberty are being suppressed by “radical leftists” in Washington. But if their mayhem is ignored, they will claim that law and order is being undermined due a weak government in thrall to “political correctness” and “snowflake liberals.” Or am I just paranoid?
Ahead of Biden being declared the projected winner by nearly every major news outlet in the country on Saturday, his campaign spokeperson Andrew Bates on Friday said their team was not ultimately worried if Trump — when defeated — refused to leave the White House voluntarily.
“The United States government,” said Bates, “is perfectly capable of escorting trespassers out of the White House.”
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--2020-11-08--Far Right Monitors Anxious About Lingering Possibility of Post-Election Violence

Despite much concern over far right armed rallies and voter intimidation , the election has unfolded relatively peacefully .
But those who monitor the far right do not believe we are out of the woods yet .
Trump ’ s false claims of widespread voter fraud have the potential to convince his base that Joe Biden ’ s election is illegitimate , and to energize Trumpists into further action .
Last week , Trumpist crowds gathered outside some voting count locations , such as in Maricopa County , Arizona .
But Saturday , rallies which had been planned in advance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Biden ’ s victory .
In several cities , Proud Boys appeared after their leader , Enrique Tarrio , announced that “ we ’ re rolling out .
Standby order has been rescinded.
” ( Trump has previously told the notoriously violent group to “ stand back and stand by !
” ) Violence predictably followed as Proud Boys showed up to rallies in Salem , Oregon , and Sacramento , California .
Armed militias also came to a rally of 2,000 in Harrisburg , Pennsylvania , which attempted to disrupt a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intervened to stave off more serious violence .
For example , in Philadelphia , which has been one of the contested hot spots , two men were arrested last week for possession of unpermitted firearms after police were tipped off about threats against the ballot-counting location .
How long this comparative level of calm will last , however , is not clear .
According to a researcher using the Twitter pseudonym AntiFashGordon , antifascists monitoring far right communications have been paying attention to “ Boogaloo Boys prowling outside the Convention Center in Detroit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and militias threatening to mobilize as soon as they receive the signal , except that they ’ re not sure what the signal might be .
Their rhetoric continues to be ‘ self-defense , ’ but they consider a Democratic electoral victory to be an attack.
” On Thursday , USA Today correspondent on extremism Will Carless noted on Twitter that he was “ Genuinely surprised at the absence of large-scale militia activity so far.
” In response , JJ MacNab , a fellow at George Washington University ’ s Program on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying , “ A triggering event ( riots , violence from the left , proposed gun control legislation ) could spark immediate violence , but a larger plot could takes weeks or months to plan out.
” Furthermore , she says , “ There are zillion factors to consider right now : conspiracy theories surrounding the election results , whether Trump admits defeat , lw [ left-wing ] violence , the new COVID wave/shutdown , the vaccine , renewed talk about gun laws , plus who knows what , that could set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of monitors pointed out that there have been a series of recent FBI arrests : of a militia in Michigan who planned to kidnap the governor , two Boogaloo movement members , and two members of The Base , a pro-terrorism fascist grouping .
These arrests have undoubtedly put potentially violent far right elements on notice that law enforcement has a close eye on them .
One reason for this relative quiet is that this election cycle comes as the White Nationalist wing of the “ Alt Right , ” which has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implode .
In November 2016 , Richard Spencer made news with his speech proclaiming “ Hail Trump !
Hail Our People !
Hail Victory !
” Now , Spencer no longer supports Trump .
At that time , Identity Evropa , a new fascist organization , was the “ Alt Right ” group closest to Spencer .
But in a surprise move the day before the election , the group ( rebranded as American Identity Movement ) announced it was disbanding altogether .
And Saturday the last major “ Alt Right ” fascist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unannounced rally in Pittsburgh .
But rather than supporting Trump , they used the opportunity to denounce the two-party system .
Social media companies , especially Facebook , have taken measures to stop or slow the spread of disinformation , as well as the use of their platforms for organizing violent protests or disrupting the election .
“ Stop the Steal , ” a Facebook group with over 300,000 members and which was “ organized around the delegitimization of the election process ” was removed , especially after some members called for violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s tweets with warnings that they contain misleading statements , while TikTok and YouTube have also taken precautions .
However , as MacNab emphasized , while the far right may have no post-election plan right now , that situation could change .
Before the election , some militia groups indicated that their attention was focused on what would happen afterward .
The potential remains of an unhinged Trump riling up a distraught base , who are convinced the election is stolen .
Antifascist writer Shane Burley told Truthout , “ The mix @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and their belief in the threat of the Left creates a high probability of violence from fringe people inside their movement.
” The most hopeful sign is that many media and political figures who had previously supported and enabled Trump are rapidly abandoning ship .
Former New Jersey governor and Trump sycophant Chris Christie has suddenly cooled on him .
Laura Ingraham of Fox News — which would a major vehicle for any rallying of Trumpist forces — has chastised Trump for his approach .
Trump will need a layer of political support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to pull off any major disruption ; but the majority of elected Republicans are not rushing to his defense .
And even the grassroots Trumpists , after seeing that the leader they ’ ve fanatically worshipped is actually defeated , may slink away , deflated and demoralized .
At least we can hope — if not necessarily expect — that that ’ s how it will end .

The election has unfolded relatively peacefully, but far right watchdogs do not believe we are out of the woods yet.
Despite much concern over far right armed rallies and voter intimidation, the election has unfolded relatively peacefully. But those who monitor the far right do not believe we are out of the woods yet. Trump’s false claims of widespread voter fraud have the potential to convince his base that Joe Biden’s election is illegitimate, and to energize Trumpists into further action.
Last week, Trumpist crowds gathered outside some voting count locations, such as in Maricopa County, Arizona. But Saturday, rallies which had been planned in advance became even more aggressive after the announcement of Biden’s victory. In several cities, Proud Boys appeared after their leader, Enrique Tarrio, announced that “we’re rolling out. Standby order has been rescinded.” (Trump has previously told the notoriously violent group to “stand back and stand by!”) Violence predictably followed as Proud Boys showed up to rallies in Salem, Oregon, and Sacramento, California. Armed militias also came to a rally of 2,000 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which attempted to disrupt a pro-Biden gathering. But state authorities have intervened to stave off more serious violence. For example, in Philadelphia, which has been one of the contested hot spots, two men were arrested last week for possession of unpermitted firearms after police were tipped off about threats against the ballot-counting location.
How long this comparative level of calm will last, however, is not clear. According to a researcher using the Twitter pseudonym AntiFashGordon, antifascists monitoring far right communications have been paying attention to “Boogaloo Boys prowling outside the Convention Center in Detroit, where the votes are being counted, and militias threatening to mobilize as soon as they receive the signal, except that they’re not sure what the signal might be. Their rhetoric continues to be ‘self-defense,’ but they consider a Democratic electoral victory to be an attack.”
On Thursday, USA Today correspondent on extremism Will Carless noted on Twitter that he was “Genuinely surprised at the absence of large-scale militia activity so far.” In response, JJ MacNab, a fellow at George Washington University’s Program on Extremism, echoed AntiFashGordon’s concern, saying, “A triggering event (riots, violence from the left, proposed gun control legislation) could spark immediate violence, but a larger plot could takes weeks or months to plan out.” Furthermore, she says, “There are zillion factors to consider right now: conspiracy theories surrounding the election results, whether Trump admits defeat, lw [left-wing] violence, the new COVID wave/shutdown, the vaccine, renewed talk about gun laws, plus who knows what, that could set the militia world off.”
A number of monitors pointed out that there have been a series of recent FBI arrests: of a militia in Michigan who planned to kidnap the governor, two Boogaloo movement members, and two members of The Base, a pro-terrorism fascist grouping. These arrests have undoubtedly put potentially violent far right elements on notice that law enforcement has a close eye on them.
One reason for this relative quiet is that this election cycle comes as the white nationalist wing of the “alt right,” which has been a vector of violence, continues to implode. In November 2016, Richard Spencer made news with his speech proclaiming “Hail Trump! Hail Our People! Hail Victory!” Now, Spencer no longer supports Trump. At that time, Identity Evropa, a new fascist organization, was the “alt right” group closest to Spencer. But in a surprise move the day before the election, the group (rebranded as American Identity Movement) announced it was disbanding altogether. And Saturday the last major “alt right” fascist group, Patriot Front, held an unannounced rally in Pittsburgh. But rather than supporting Trump, they used the opportunity to denounce the two-party system.
Social media companies, especially Facebook, have taken measures to stop or slow the spread of disinformation, as well as the use of their platforms for organizing violent protests or disrupting the election. “Stop the Steal,” a Facebook group with over 300,000 members and which was “organized around the delegitimization of the election process” was removed, especially after some members called for violence. Twitter has labeled many of Trump’s tweets with warnings that they contain misleading statements, while TikTok and YouTube have also taken precautions.
However, as MacNab emphasized, while the far right may have no post-election plan right now, that situation could change. Before the election, some militia groups indicated that their attention was focused on what would happen afterward.
The potential remains of an unhinged Trump riling up a distraught base, who are convinced the election is stolen. Antifascist writer Shane Burley told Truthout, “The mix of the apocalyptic conspiracy rhetoric from Trump and their belief in the threat of the Left creates a high probability of violence from fringe people inside their movement.”
The most hopeful sign is that many media and political figures who had previously supported and enabled Trump are rapidly abandoning ship. Former New Jersey governor and Trump sycophant Chris Christie has suddenly cooled on him. Laura Ingraham of Fox News — which would a major vehicle for any rallying of Trumpist forces — has chastised Trump for his approach. Trump will need a layer of political support, in addition to his grassroots base, to pull off any major disruption; but the majority of elected Republicans are not rushing to his defense. And even the grassroots Trumpists, after seeing that the leader they’ve fanatically worshipped is actually defeated, may slink away, deflated and demoralized. At least we can hope — if not necessarily expect — that that’s how it will end.
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--2020-11-08--Rest Today. Soon We Begin the Work of Clearing Trump’s Wreckage.

The defeat of Donald Trump by Joe Biden is an absolute , seamless good .
Not because of Joe Biden or the Democrats or anything other than this : When there is a tumor , you cut it out first and worry about the healing later .
Though he intends to be a presence in our lives until we die or he does , the Trump tumor has been excised from elected office .
There is nothing , absolutely nothing , bad about this .
The opportunity for healing is a privilege afforded only by his absence .
More people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that privilege , and now , it is at hand .
Also this : The election of 2020 took place amid a ravening pandemic that is spiking all around us , and with a rogue president so determined to disrupt that election that he ordered his supporters to harass and intimidate polling sites while he himself actively tried to destroy the United States Postal Service .
The rogue president failed , the USPS carried on like the quiet heroes they are , and one of the most remarkable friction-free elections in living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats fell surprisingly short of their goals in the House and Senate , 74 million people braved the plague and the disruptions to tell Mr. Trump : This far , no farther .
Trump has yet to concede , and probably never will , and it doesn ’ t matter a damn .
The next several weeks will likely be dominated by news stories of Trump ’ s fruitless , hopeless legal challenges as he tantrums himself and the Republican Party down to powder .
He holds executive power until noon of Inauguration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few more delicate and invaluable things in a perfection of his petulance .
New heroes have emerged , none more vivid than Stacey Abrams and the legions of selfless organizers who came together to challenge rampant voter suppression in Georgia .
Brian Kemp stole the Georgia governor ’ s race from Abrams in 2018 by using his powers as then-secretary of state to blow some 300,000 votes out the window .
Abrams swallowed hard , and then formed Fair Fight and the New Georgia Project , and two years later , Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rallied to her banner .
Both Senate seats in Georgia are going to a runoff that will be determined in January .
If the Democrats win both of those seats , they will capture majority control of the Senate and send Mitch McConnell to the small side of the room .
It is a long shot , but Abrams , Fair Fight and the New Georgia Project are all in .
It ’ s early , but I wouldn ’ t bet against them .
The fact that the possibility of massive progressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of women like Abrams is blast-furnace history all by itself .
And : For the first time in 28 years , the voters broke the mold and swatted a sitting president out of office .
Donald Trump has always seen himself as a man of history .
Well , he ’ s accomplished that , at least .
I can ’ t wait to do the tour of his library : Here ’ s the room where you can watch him be impeached , here ’ s the room where you can see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and here ’ s the room where you can catch COVID-19 , but please don ’ t go in that room .
Sorry for the short tour , it was only one term .
When a regular person masturbates in public , they get scooped up and taken away by the authorities .
Donald Trump spent four years flagrantly masturbating in front of everybody — vigorous strokes of the ego , the grudges , the petty vengeances , the bragging about invisible poll numbers and fictional victories , oh me oh my oh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities ” in the Republican Party , along with an astonishingly large segment of the population , stood back and went , “ Yay , Mr. President , you ’ re the best , more please !
” Now he ’ s done , or will be soon , and you know what ?
I ’ m numb .
How peak goddamn 2020 is that , right ?
I should have been running and dancing in the streets with the throngs who boiled out into the freshening air to scream their grieving relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called and written messages to friends and family celebrating this towering moment , because for the very first time in a very long time , this jagged death-riddled doomstruck timeline finally got it right .
I watched CNN call the race for Joe Biden , caught it in real time .
I basically hadn ’ t left the house since Tuesday because I wanted to see that announcement , I deserved to see it , I earned at least that much… and it wouldn ’ t come , for days it wouldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it wouldn ’ t come , and then there it was .
After it came , at 11:38 a.m. Eastern time by my watch , I crawled into bed , pulled the covers over my head , wept a storm into my pillows , and slept .
Finally , finally slept .
Four years earlier almost to the day , I watched Donald Trump defeat Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president on my 45th birthday .
I knew all too well what he represented , and I sat down to write that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : I am no prophet .
He said he would do all these things during that campaign , and I believed him completely .
That ’ s when I stopped sleeping .
Between COVID ’ s conquering of the country and the economy , Trump ’ s barefaced embrace of racism and armed white nationalism , the shattering of international relations , the utter disdain for glaring climate science , the children in cages orphaned by ICE , Trump ’ s grueling minute-to-minute need to be the top headline every single day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about his authoritarian intentions to undermine the constitution , all this and so much more have made this nation a house on fire from the inside out .
This all needs to be said out loud , over and over again , because some 70 million people saw the same four years I did and decided to give the man another term .
Those voters didn ’ t take a flier on the new guy like they did in ’ 16 .
They rode the same four years of bad road I did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden , and said , “ Nah , I ’ ll have seconds , please.
” If I live long enough to see the stars burn out , I still will never fully understand it .
That ’ s why I feel numb today .
I am also utterly spent .
Donald Trump did not defeat me , but Lord , it was close .
Covering this White House has been like having an earthquake scream in your ear for four years .
I honestly don ’ t know what I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and if he runs again in 2024 as threatened , I am going to give serious consideration to living in a tree and learning to speak squirrel until he goes away again .
Trump has every intention of being in our faces forever , and as he is the Living God Emperor of the Republican Party , in the Oval or otherwise , he has 70 million pockets to pick with a new media enterprise or whatever the next grift will be .
That is , unless the laws he has so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with him .
Trump is a creature of reality TV , and the very real potential for a “ Trump : Trial of the Century ” spectacle in New York State someday for fraud and tax evasion would surely keep him in our collective consciousness , but for far more palatable reasons .
A.G. Letitia James and D.A .
Cyrus Vance , your tables are almost ready .
There is so much to be done to repair the damage from these last four years .
I ’ m ready for it , more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to sit here and breathe a bit until I stop feeling weird about such a good day .
It was a good day , historic , but the miles we have to go before we sleep are daunting , and there is no shame in recharging your batteries .
Comedian Chris Rock said it best on his Instagram account : “ Oddly I don ’ t feel like celebrating .
I feel like Tom Hanks towards the end of Cast Away .
I ’ m really happy the ship came but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I just want to take a shower cut my hair eat a shrimp find Helen Hunt deliver my last package and figure out the rest of my life.
” Barack Obama won a Nobel Peace Prize pretty much for not being George W. Bush .
If the metric holds , Joe Biden should win two Nobel Prizes and an Oscar for not being Donald Trump .
He also needs some solid work gloves , a Carhartt jacket and boots , and one hell of a big shovel .
The man has an astonishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people will be working to make sure he fails .
That ’ s what we have to look forward to , friends and neighbors .
That ’ s why I ’ m not celebrating just yet , though God knows I want to .
The absolute good is accomplished , and the rest is up to us .
All we ’ ve done is won the chance , and maybe saved democracy in the U.S. along the way .
I comfort myself with this truth : It ’ s supposed to be hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Everything he took from us , we are going to try to take back .

The defeat of Donald Trump by Joe Biden is an absolute, seamless good. Not because of Joe Biden or the Democrats or anything other than this: When there is a tumor, you cut it out first and worry about the healing later.
Though he intends to be a presence in our lives until we die or he does, the Trump tumor has been excised from elected office. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, bad about this. The opportunity for healing is a privilege afforded only by his absence. More people than ever in history voted in favor of that privilege, and now, it is at hand.
Also this: The election of 2020 took place amid a ravening pandemic that is spiking all around us, and with a rogue president so determined to disrupt that election that he ordered his supporters to harass and intimidate polling sites while he himself actively tried to destroy the United States Postal Service. The rogue president failed, the USPS carried on like the quiet heroes they are, and one of the most remarkable friction-free elections in living memory came to pass.
Though the Democrats fell surprisingly short of their goals in the House and Senate, 74 million people braved the plague and the disruptions to tell Mr. Trump: This far, no farther. Trump has yet to concede, and probably never will, and it doesn’t matter a damn.
The next several weeks will likely be dominated by news stories of Trump’s fruitless, hopeless legal challenges as he tantrums himself and the Republican Party down to powder. More importantly, though, he holds executive power until noon of Inauguration Day, and his danger remains an ever-present force until then, which we should not disregard. That danger will most certainly surface in many ways–including in the choices he makes as president in his remaining months, which will brutally impact countless lives. We must not forget that.
Still, there are many reasons for hope, in this moment. New heroes have emerged, none more vivid than Stacey Abrams and the legions of selfless organizers who came together to challenge rampant voter suppression in Georgia. Brian Kemp stole the Georgia governor’s race from Abrams in 2018 by using his powers as then-secretary of state to blow some 300,000 votes out the window. Abrams swallowed hard, and then formed Fair Fight and the New Georgia Project, and two years later, Georgia flipped blue thanks to the activists who rallied to her banner.
Though he intends to be a presence in our lives until we die or he does, the Trump tumor has been excised from elected office. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, bad about this.
Both Senate seats in Georgia are going to a runoff that will be determined in January. If the Democrats win both of those seats, they will capture majority control of the Senate and send Mitch McConnell to the small side of the room. It is a long shot, but Abrams, Fair Fight and the New Georgia Project are all in. It’s early, but I wouldn’t bet against them. The fact that the possibility of massive progressive change hinges on Georgia and the labors of women like Abrams is blast-furnace history all by itself.
And: For the first time in 28 years, the voters broke the mold and swatted a sitting president out of office. Donald Trump has always seen himself as a man of history. Well, he’s accomplished that, at least. I can’t wait to do the tour of his library: Here’s the room where you can watch him be impeached, here’s the room where you can see if you fit in a cage, and here’s the room where you can catch COVID-19, but please don’t go in that room. Sorry for the short tour, it was only one term.
* * * *
When a regular person masturbates in public, they get scooped up and taken away by the authorities. Donald Trump spent four years flagrantly masturbating in front of everybody — vigorous strokes of the ego, the grudges, the petty vengeances, the bragging about invisible poll numbers and fictional victories, oh me oh my oh me me me meeeeee… and the “authorities” in the Republican Party, along with an astonishingly large segment of the population, stood back and went, “Yay, Mr. President, you’re the best, more please!”
Now he’s done, or will be soon, and you know what? I’m numb.
How peak goddamn 2020 is that, right? I should have been running and dancing in the streets with the throngs who boiled out into the freshening air to scream their grieving relief to the sky. I should have called and written messages to friends and family celebrating this towering moment, because for the very first time in a very long time, this jagged death-riddled doomstruck timeline finally got it right.
I watched CNN call the race for Joe Biden, caught it in real time. I basically hadn’t left the house since Tuesday because I wanted to see that announcement, I deserved to see it, I earned at least that much… and it wouldn’t come, for days it wouldn’t come, for very good reasons it wouldn’t come, and then there it was. After it came, at 11:38 a.m. Eastern time by my watch, I crawled into bed, pulled the covers over my head, wept a storm into my pillows, and slept. Finally, finally slept.
Four years earlier almost to the day, I watched Donald Trump defeat Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president on my 45th birthday. I knew all too well what he represented, and I sat down to write that very night about what I saw coming:
The children of immigrants all across the United States woke this morning in a country soon to be led by an unapologetic xenophobe threatening mass deportation, and American Muslims woke to an era of intensified Islamophobia that may take paths we haven’t yet conceived of…. And we can only imagine how the ongoing war on Black men, women and children will continue to worsen under this authoritarian leader, all in the name of that cold steel fist called “Law and Order.” Mr. Trump molded his entire campaign around hate, vengeance and violence. In doing so, he unleashed a monstrous tide. The people who pummeled protesters and elderly women wearing oxygen tanks, who screamed “Lock her up” while wearing shirts that read “Grab her by the pussy” at rallies, and who menaced people of color who were trying to vote — they are his true master now.
I am no prophet. He said he would do all these things during that campaign, and I believed him completely. That’s when I stopped sleeping.
Between COVID’s conquering of the country and the economy, Trump’s barefaced embrace of racism and armed white nationalism, the shattering of international relations, the utter disdain for glaring climate science, the children in cages orphaned by ICE, Trump’s grueling minute-to-minute need to be the top headline every single day, even if those headlines blare a warning about his authoritarian intentions to undermine the constitution, all this and so much more have made this nation a house on fire from the inside out.
This all needs to be said out loud, over and over again, because some 70 million people saw the same four years I did and decided to give the man another term. Those voters didn’t take a flier on the new guy like they did in ’16. They rode the same four years of bad road I did, looked at the alternative represented by Joe Biden, and said, “Nah, I’ll have seconds, please.” If I live long enough to see the stars burn out, I still will never fully understand it.
Barack Obama won a Nobel Peace Prize pretty much for not being George W. Bush. If the metric holds, Joe Biden should win two Nobel Prizes and an Oscar for not being Donald Trump.
That’s why I feel numb today. I am also utterly spent. Donald Trump did not defeat me, but Lord, it was close. Covering this White House has been like having an earthquake scream in your ear for four years. I honestly don’t know what I would have done if he’d won, and if he runs again in 2024 as threatened, I am going to give serious consideration to living in a tree and learning to speak squirrel until he goes away again.
Trump has every intention of being in our faces forever, and as he is the Living God Emperor of the Republican Party, in the Oval or otherwise, he has 70 million pockets to pick with a new media enterprise or whatever the next grift will be.
That is, unless the laws he has so brazenly broken over the years catch up with him. Trump is a creature of reality TV, and the very real potential for a “Trump: Trial of the Century” spectacle in New York State someday for fraud and tax evasion would surely keep him in our collective consciousness, but for far more palatable reasons. A.G. Letitia James and D.A. Cyrus Vance, your tables are almost ready.
There is so much to be done to repair the damage from these last four years. I’m ready for it, more than ready, but I’m going to sit here and breathe a bit until I stop feeling weird about such a good day. It was a good day, historic, but the miles we have to go before we sleep are daunting, and there is no shame in recharging your batteries.
Comedian Chris Rock said it best on his Instagram account: “Oddly I don’t feel like celebrating. I feel like Tom Hanks towards the end of Cast Away. I’m really happy the ship came but I don’t want to party. I just want to take a shower cut my hair eat a shrimp find Helen Hunt deliver my last package and figure out the rest of my life.”
Barack Obama won a Nobel Peace Prize pretty much for not being George W. Bush. If the metric holds, Joe Biden should win two Nobel Prizes and an Oscar for not being Donald Trump. He also needs some solid work gloves, a Carhartt jacket and boots, and one hell of a big shovel. The man has an astonishing job before him, and millions of people will be working to make sure he fails.
That’s what we have to look forward to, friends and neighbors. That’s why I’m not celebrating just yet, though God knows I want to. The absolute good is accomplished, and the rest is up to us. All we’ve done is won the chance, and maybe saved democracy in the U.S. along the way. I comfort myself with this truth: It’s supposed to be hard.
Rest. Restore. Return. Everything he took from us, we are going to try to take back.
Stout hearts.
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--2020-11-08--Students Push to Remove Police. University President Doubles Down Instead.

Student movements have always raised our current conception of justice and equity .
From the civil rights movement and Vietnam War protests , to the anti-apartheid movement and calls to abolish the police , student protests on college campuses have a context and history linked to substantial change in U.S. policies and practices .
This is a rite of passage from which we all benefit .
So , it is perplexing that Northwestern University ( NU ) President Morton Schapiro fails to recognize this as NU students demand a different and better sense of campus safety in their demand to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students have established precedent for such movements on campus in the past .
To be clear : Students don ’ t seek to lessen “ over-policing , ” a misnomer that pretends there is just a right amount of policing .
Institutions will justify ways to pay for policing and divert funds from essential services to do so .
Students are calling for the removal and defunding of police from campus entirely , as Northwestern ’ s campus police represents the institutional force and violence characteristic of the style of policing inflicted upon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throughout history .
In response to student protests connected to a June 3 petition calling to divest from police following the murder of George Floyd , Schapiro , on October 19 , sent a university-wide email that centered his feelings , prioritized property over students , dangerously demonized students for “ overstepping ” and “ menac [ ing ” ] the surrounding communities , and blamed organizers for wanting to provoke campus police “ into retaliation.
” He doubled down on use of police force by beckoning police in riot gear to line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , writing that he was “ making it abundantly clear that you will be held accountable.
” Through ongoing protests , students remain resolute in their actions to guide us toward reimagining and living in a world free of police .
The response , unfortunately , has been to respond with more shows of police force .
Reports emerged of Northwestern and Evanston Police Departments working alongside outside police groups on multiple nights of protests , most recently on October 31 .
University leadership and Mayor Steve Hagerty demonstrated they remain invested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the mayor recently wrote in a letter to Schapiro reminding him that “ hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime ” have been spent and are owed to the city by the university .
This is a reminder that exorbitant police budgets are part of the problem and will continue to be prioritized over the public ’ s safety and well-being .
Hagerty wrote , “ Protesters are not helping their cause by putting officers ’ safety at risk , and defacing and damaging public property , ironically all in a city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work-in-progress , is the first in America to create a reparations fund.
” His statement harkens as if the city of Evanston is already helping Black people , so they should be thankful instead of asking for anything more .
As a result , those calling on Schapiro to be held accountable by either resigning or disbanding the NU police department include student organizers , African American Studies faculty , Jewish faculty and alumni , political science students , and Asian Studies and Latina and Latino Studies departments .
This widespread support resonates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is a different and loving form of safety , health and well-being that is achieved through abolition .
People invested in policing may ask for an alternative : Recognize that policing doesn ’ t do what you think it does to promote safety ; it doesn ’ t prevent harm and reactively targets people disproportionately to deepened harm .
Tangible alternatives include diverting money from police to enhanced psychological care and support services for students ; building and abiding by models of transformative justice on campus ; and following and engaging in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abolition to understand that abolition is not about tearing things down , but building one another up .
We adhere to and promote the values of health equity and justice espoused by Northwestern University ’ s Feinberg School of Medicine , and it is from this value set that we offer support for these student protesters .
We know policing has negative health implications on young people , especially for Black people who are disproportionately affected .
There are immediate and obvious negative health risks due to forcibly moving , restraining and beating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collective state force .
There is an additional ( and lingering ) assault on the mental well-being of students directly affected and living in the vicinity of students who suffer such treatment .
This is true of all adverse childhood experiences that have been demonstrated to have lasting negative effects on overall health and well-being .
As such , policing is a documented adverse childhood experience and thus a health equity issue .
I , Claudio Rivera , not only speak as a faculty member at NU but also speak from personal experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities in Chicago who have had to confront and endure chronic and collective trauma on a daily basis .
My own personal experience with police as a Palestinian Latinx boy growing up in the Back of the Yards neighborhood in Chicago provided me a firsthand intimate knowledge of the ongoing violence police inflicted on me and my surrounding communities .
I vividly remember each instance of the 12 times during my adolescence and early adulthood the police pointed the barrel of their high-caliber guns at me .
The young people I work with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence and trauma continues to be perpetuated by policing structures .
The students at NU are reminding us again about this violent legacy and purpose of policing .
If we zoom out , we see that historical trauma caused by policing has a ripple effect whose waves spread out and wash over those in the proximity to it .
Then as now , policing wields the power and resources of the state while claiming to be operating in the best interest of society .
This assault on health and well-being has a generational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the receiving end of policing rendered as a form of occupation rather than protection .
Police force has precedent as a response to students , and one would think Schapiro is familiar with this .
As a 1975 Hofstra University graduate , he was beginning college at a time when student protest was as strong as it is today , and when militarized responses were wielded against students on campus .
For context , the police and military killing of students engaged in protest at Kent State University and Jackson State College ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1970 , 11 days apart .
It ’ s safe to assume Schapiro engaged with those ideas then , and his refusal to do so now demonstrates a lifetime of opportunity lost to learn from students leading the charge for a safer and better university and world .
More recently , University of Chicago students demanded defunding and disbanding the campus police department .
Reports show approximately 90 percent of people stopped by campus police are Black .
In 2018 , a University of Chicago student was shot by campus police after damaging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mental health episode .
In August 2020 , students led by the # CareNotCops and # UChicagoUnited campaigns led a multiday protest at the police department and in front of the provost ’ s home .
Police chose to intimidate and harass students by blocking access to food and water , and threatened to have students ’ belongings removed .
Ironically , universities will retroactively praise past examples of resistance by the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and even reframe their narrative as nonviolent , but chastise current student protesters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to provide an equitable learning environment in which all students are given the opportunity to succeed .
When a historically white institution intentionally directs efforts toward recruitment of Black students , it is obligated to examine institutional structures that may inhibit learning .
Instructors should examine course material , pedagogical techniques and course elements like office hours to ensure success .
It is also necessary to examine structures within the university that may have seemed benign to a predominantly white student body but that are hostile to Black students .
Even without incident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equally threatening to white and Black students .
The perception of threat , even simply through the reminder of race , can significantly impact academic performance .
A sense of autonomy and humanity is critical to effective construction of knowledge .
For Black students , the dehumanization associated with a history of police brutality can undermine an otherwise productive learning environment .
When students speak out in protest , it is a radical act of love and progress .
They are presciently living out in real time the better world we have yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Recent actions beg the question : Are we bold enough to embrace their love and live in a better world ?

Part of the Series The Road to Abolition
Student movements have always raised our current conception of justice and equity. From the civil rights movement and Vietnam War protests, to the anti-apartheid movement and calls to abolish the police, student protests on college campuses have a context and history linked to substantial change in U.S. policies and practices. This is a rite of passage from which we all benefit.
So, it is perplexing that Northwestern University (NU) President Morton Schapiro fails to recognize this as NU students demand a different and better sense of campus safety in their demand to abolish the police, especially since NU students have established precedent for such movements on campus in the past. To be clear: Students don’t seek to lessen “over-policing,” a misnomer that pretends there is just a right amount of policing. Institutions will justify ways to pay for policing and divert funds from essential services to do so. Students are calling for the removal and defunding of police from campus entirely, as Northwestern’s campus police represents the institutional force and violence characteristic of the style of policing inflicted upon communities across the country, now and throughout history.
In response to student protests connected to a June 3 petition calling to divest from police following the murder of George Floyd, Schapiro, on October 19, sent a university-wide email that centered his feelings, prioritized property over students, dangerously demonized students for “overstepping” and “menac[ing”] the surrounding communities, and blamed organizers for wanting to provoke campus police “into retaliation.” He doubled down on use of police force by beckoning police in riot gear to line the streets of Evanston against protesting students, writing that he was “making it abundantly clear that you will be held accountable.”
Through ongoing protests, students remain resolute in their actions to guide us toward reimagining and living in a world free of police. The response, unfortunately, has been to respond with more shows of police force. Reports emerged of Northwestern and Evanston Police Departments working alongside outside police groups on multiple nights of protests, most recently on October 31. University leadership and Mayor Steve Hagerty demonstrated they remain invested in policing despite how costly it is, as the mayor recently wrote in a letter to Schapiro reminding him that “hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime” have been spent and are owed to the city by the university. This is a reminder that exorbitant police budgets are part of the problem and will continue to be prioritized over the public’s safety and well-being. Hagerty wrote, “Protesters are not helping their cause by putting officers’ safety at risk, and defacing and damaging public property, ironically all in a city that, while still very much a work-in-progress, is the first in America to create a reparations fund.” His statement harkens as if the city of Evanston is already helping Black people, so they should be thankful instead of asking for anything more.
As a result, those calling on Schapiro to be held accountable by either resigning or disbanding the NU police department include student organizers, African American Studies faculty, Jewish faculty and alumni, political science students, and Asian Studies and Latina and Latino Studies departments. This widespread support resonates with what students are asking for, which is a different and loving form of safety, health and well-being that is achieved through abolition.
People invested in policing may ask for an alternative: Recognize that policing doesn’t do what you think it does to promote safety; it doesn’t prevent harm and reactively targets people disproportionately to deepened harm. Tangible alternatives include diverting money from police to enhanced psychological care and support services for students; building and abiding by models of transformative justice on campus; and following and engaging in the extensive work of prison and police abolition to understand that abolition is not about tearing things down, but building one another up.
We know policing has negative health implications on young people, especially for Black people who are disproportionately affected.
We adhere to and promote the values of health equity and justice espoused by Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, and it is from this value set that we offer support for these student protesters. We know policing has negative health implications on young people, especially for Black people who are disproportionately affected. There are immediate and obvious negative health risks due to forcibly moving, restraining and beating people, be it individually or with collective state force. There is an additional (and lingering) assault on the mental well-being of students directly affected and living in the vicinity of students who suffer such treatment. This is true of all adverse childhood experiences that have been demonstrated to have lasting negative effects on overall health and well-being. As such, policing is a documented adverse childhood experience and thus a health equity issue.
I, Claudio Rivera, not only speak as a faculty member at NU but also speak from personal experience. I have lived and worked alongside communities in Chicago who have had to confront and endure chronic and collective trauma on a daily basis. My own personal experience with police as a Palestinian Latinx boy growing up in the Back of the Yards neighborhood in Chicago provided me a firsthand intimate knowledge of the ongoing violence police inflicted on me and my surrounding communities. I vividly remember each instance of the 12 times during my adolescence and early adulthood the police pointed the barrel of their high-caliber guns at me. The young people I work with have taught me this form of state-sanctioned violence and trauma continues to be perpetuated by policing structures. The students at NU are reminding us again about this violent legacy and purpose of policing.
If we zoom out, we see that historical trauma caused by policing has a ripple effect whose waves spread out and wash over those in the proximity to it. Then as now, policing wields the power and resources of the state while claiming to be operating in the best interest of society. This assault on health and well-being has a generational and disproportionate impact on the communities on the receiving end of policing rendered as a form of occupation rather than protection.
Police force has precedent as a response to students, and one would think Schapiro is familiar with this. As a 1975 Hofstra University graduate, he was beginning college at a time when student protest was as strong as it is today, and when militarized responses were wielded against students on campus. For context, the police and military killing of students engaged in protest at Kent State University and Jackson State College (now University) happened in May of 1970, 11 days apart. It’s safe to assume Schapiro engaged with those ideas then, and his refusal to do so now demonstrates a lifetime of opportunity lost to learn from students leading the charge for a safer and better university and world.
Ironically, universities will retroactively praise past examples of resistance by the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and even reframe their narrative as nonviolent, but chastise current student protesters.
More recently, University of Chicago students demanded defunding and disbanding the campus police department. Reports show approximately 90 percent of people stopped by campus police are Black. In 2018, a University of Chicago student was shot by campus police after damaging property while in the midst of a mental health episode. In August 2020, students led by the #CareNotCops and #UChicagoUnited campaigns led a multiday protest at the police department and in front of the provost’s home. Police chose to intimidate and harass students by blocking access to food and water, and threatened to have students’ belongings removed.
Ironically, universities will retroactively praise past examples of resistance by the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and even reframe their narrative as nonviolent, but chastise current student protesters. These institutions have an obligation to students to provide an equitable learning environment in which all students are given the opportunity to succeed.
When a historically white institution intentionally directs efforts toward recruitment of Black students, it is obligated to examine institutional structures that may inhibit learning. Instructors should examine course material, pedagogical techniques and course elements like office hours to ensure success. It is also necessary to examine structures within the university that may have seemed benign to a predominantly white student body but that are hostile to Black students.
Even without incident, police presence on campuses is not equally threatening to white and Black students. The perception of threat, even simply through the reminder of race, can significantly impact academic performance. A sense of autonomy and humanity is critical to effective construction of knowledge. For Black students, the dehumanization associated with a history of police brutality can undermine an otherwise productive learning environment.
When students speak out in protest, it is a radical act of love and progress. They are presciently living out in real time the better world we have yet to imagine but claim to want. Recent actions beg the question: Are we bold enough to embrace their love and live in a better world?
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--2020-11-09--Biden Says Vaccine News is “Great,” But Warns Masks Are Still Needed

President-elect Joe Biden released a congratulatory message to scientists from Pfizer on Monday after news broke that the company had reached an important milestone in producing a vaccine for coronavirus .
“ I congratulate the brilliant women and men who helped produce this breakthrough and to give us such cause for hope , ” Biden said in a published statement .
But he also cautioned Americans not to become complacent about the news , urging them to continue wearing masks to reduce the spread of the virus and noting that distribution of the vaccine for most of the country “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news follows a previously announced timeline by industry officials that forecast vaccine approval by late November , ” Biden said .
“ Even if that is achieved , and some Americans are vaccinated later this year , it will be many more months before there is widespread vaccination in this country.
” “ Today ’ s news does not change this urgent reality .
Americans will have to rely on masking , distancing , contact tracing , hand washing , and other measures to keep themselves safe well into next year , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s news is great news , but it doesn ’ t change that fact.
” Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said on Monday that they had created a two-dose vaccine that was 90 percent more effective in preventing COVID-19 among those who received it versus those who received a placebo .
The study is ongoing , and other data could affect final results , but the announcement is largely viewed as positive news in a year that has seen hundreds of thousands of Americans die from COVID-19 .
Biden is largely correct , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( by Pfizer or other companies ) won ’ t be widely available for some time .
In its announcement , Pfizer said they would not file for emergency use authorization or distribute the vaccine until they had observed half of the study ’ s participants for at least two months to see if there were any adverse health effects from the vaccine .
According to Pfizer , they will reach that point later this month .
Even if all goes according to plan , the vaccine will initially be in short supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups of people , like those who are elderly or at risk of getting sick , or frontline healthcare workers .
States will have logistical planning to set up , too , and many experts don ’ t believe a vaccine will be readily available to most Americans until the middle of next year .
Current President Donald Trump , like Biden , also celebrated the news of the vaccine ’ s progress , issuing a tweet earlier in the day .
“ STOCK MARKET UP BIG , VACCINE COMING SOON .
REPORT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
” Trump wrote .
Unlike Biden , however , Trump did not encourage Americans to continue exercising social distancing measures in the interim period before a vaccine becomes available .
Indeed , the president has been inconsistent in wearing a mask himself , only doing so in public on rare occasions .
In one presidential debate , Trump even mocked Biden for wearing masks during his public appearances .
“ Every time you see him , he ’ s got a mask .
He could be speaking 200 feet away from them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest mask I ’ ve ever seen , ” Trump said in October .
Trump has largely viewed wearing a mask to prevent the spread of coronavirus as a political statement against him , telling the Wall Street Journal in June that he viewed those who did so as signaling their disapproval of his presidency rather than acting responsibly in the interests of public health .
The evidence shows that wearing a mask could save thousands of lives between now and when a vaccine becomes available .
According to health models from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of Washington , more than 2,290 individuals are projected to die daily from COVID-19 by the time we reach Biden ’ s inauguration on January 20 , 2021..
If nearly everyone in the U.S. wore masks , however , that number would likely go down to 1,316 deaths per day .

President-elect Joe Biden released a congratulatory message to scientists from Pfizer on Monday after news broke that the company had reached an important milestone in producing a vaccine for coronavirus.
“I congratulate the brilliant women and men who helped produce this breakthrough and to give us such cause for hope,” Biden said in a published statement.
But he also cautioned Americans not to become complacent about the news, urging them to continue wearing masks to reduce the spread of the virus and noting that distribution of the vaccine for most of the country “is still months away.”
“This news follows a previously announced timeline by industry officials that forecast vaccine approval by late November,” Biden said. “Even if that is achieved, and some Americans are vaccinated later this year, it will be many more months before there is widespread vaccination in this country.”
“Today’s news does not change this urgent reality. Americans will have to rely on masking, distancing, contact tracing, hand washing, and other measures to keep themselves safe well into next year,” the president-elect added. “Today’s news is great news, but it doesn’t change that fact.”
Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said on Monday that they had created a two-dose vaccine that was 90 percent more effective in preventing COVID-19 among those who received it versus those who received a placebo. The study is ongoing, and other data could affect final results, but the announcement is largely viewed as positive news in a year that has seen hundreds of thousands of Americans die from COVID-19.
Biden is largely correct, however, in that any vaccine produced (by Pfizer or other companies) won’t be widely available for some time.
In its announcement, Pfizer said they would not file for emergency use authorization or distribute the vaccine until they had observed half of the study’s participants for at least two months to see if there were any adverse health effects from the vaccine. According to Pfizer, they will reach that point later this month.
Even if all goes according to plan, the vaccine will initially be in short supply and may only be distributed to certain groups of people, like those who are elderly or at risk of getting sick, or frontline healthcare workers. States will have logistical planning to set up, too, and many experts don’t believe a vaccine will be readily available to most Americans until the middle of next year.
Current President Donald Trump, like Biden, also celebrated the news of the vaccine’s progress, issuing a tweet earlier in the day.
“STOCK MARKET UP BIG, VACCINE COMING SOON. REPORT 90% EFFECTIVE. SUCH GREAT NEWS!” Trump wrote.
Unlike Biden, however, Trump did not encourage Americans to continue exercising social distancing measures in the interim period before a vaccine becomes available. Indeed, the president has been inconsistent in wearing a mask himself, only doing so in public on rare occasions. In one presidential debate, Trump even mocked Biden for wearing masks during his public appearances.
“Every time you see him, he’s got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away from them, and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen,” Trump said in October.
Trump has largely viewed wearing a mask to prevent the spread of coronavirus as a political statement against him, telling the Wall Street Journal in June that he viewed those who did so as signaling their disapproval of his presidency rather than acting responsibly in the interests of public health.
The evidence shows that wearing a mask could save thousands of lives between now and when a vaccine becomes available. According to health models from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, more than 2,290 individuals are projected to die daily from COVID-19 by the time we reach Biden’s inauguration on January 20, 2021.. If nearly everyone in the U.S. wore masks, however, that number would likely go down to 1,316 deaths per day.
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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.