truthout--2020-08-28--Trump Touts Stock Market Gains That Benefit the Wealthy as Americans Suffer

It is always curious when the health of the economy is equated with the stock market , as President Trump did when he touted the recent record highs of the S & P and Dow Jones , claiming he is presiding over the “ fastest economic recovery ” in U.S. history .
This is strange given that the stock market doesn ’ t represent the economy or its people ’ s well-being .
As economist Dean Baker has noted time and again , “ The stock market is a measure of the expectations of future profits of companies that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words , it is a projection of how good things will be for the wealthy investor class , not for you or me .
Furthermore , the benefits of stock market increases go primarily to a small number of already rich and wealthy people .
According to a 2016 Federal Reserve data analysis by New York University economics professor Edward Wolff , “ 84 % of stocks owned by U.S. households are held by the wealthiest 10 % of Americans.
” So , while Trump tries to portray stock gains as good for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pension plans , Wolff explains that in reality , “ For most Americans , a stock price increase is pretty immaterial to their well-being.
” They might see small increases to their wealth , but “ it ’ s not going to be anything to write home about.
” Whenever Trump , the Republicans or anyone within the mainstream tries to portray a good economy by pointing to a good stock market , just remember they are talking not about you but a small group of privileged people .
As George Carlin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big club , and you ain ’ t in it !
” This tendency to equate what ’ s good for the rich with what ’ s good for all is deeply ingrained in U.S. politics .
Despite the fact that future corporate profits do not necessarily equate to a better economy , the stock market continues to be used as an indicator of overall economic health .
This is largely because doing so serves the interests of those who benefit from higher stock prices .
Namely , the very wealthy who own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their economic status — have an inordinate amount of power and influence over what narratives are discussed throughout the media .
When a narrative reinforces a worldview that is beneficial to powerful elites , there is a lot of incentive for it to be proliferated without being held to much scrutiny .
Yet this becomes a problem when the people whose lives aren ’ t much affected by stock prices start to internalize this framework .
While stocks can trend with the economy given that strong growth will normally also mean larger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely that profits are rising for other reasons .
If labor costs go down because a company slashes worker benefits , or if companies receive large tax breaks , that would translate into higher profits and stock prices , but it says nothing about the growth of the economy .
When this narrative is continually repeated , however , it is no wonder that many working people will reflexively start to adopt it .
But this is very dangerous , as it will likely lead people to support policies that help increase the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ones that would improve their own lives .
Having an understanding of this is even more imperative since it is glaringly apparent that the overall economy has been structured to work primarily for the privileged few .
From 1979 to 2017 , total productivity rose by 70.3 percent .
Yet the wages of typical workers largely stagnated in comparison , growing by just 11.1 percent .
That “ excess ” productivity went almost exclusively to corporate profits , investors and the top 1 percent of earners .
During the same period , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a staggering 15 times that of the bottom 90 percent combined .
When UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston conducted an official investigation into the nature of inequality in the U.S. in 2018 , he pointed to key policy platforms that were contributing to the problem , noting the “ high tax breaks and financial windfalls to the very wealthy and largest corporations ” which were paid for in part by “ reducing welfare benefits to the poor ” ; the undertaking of radical deregulation that “ eliminates protections mainly benefiting the middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on health care that left millions without coverage ; restrictions of “ eligibility for many welfare benefits ” ; “ dramatic increases in spending on defense ” ; insufficient funding to tackle the opioid crisis ; and there being “ no effort to tackle the structural racism that keeps a large percentage of non-Whites in poverty.
” Yet in the COVID era , the failures of our unequal system have been more starkly evident .
Even before the pandemic , nearly half of Americans lived paycheck to paycheck .
Nearly 40 percent didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 400 emergency , and 50 percent of workers made less than $ 33,000 per year in 2018 .
Now , in addition to over 177,000 COVID deaths within the country , the number of food-insecure households with children doubled from pre-COVID levels , as many as 40 million people are at risk of eviction from their homes , and more than 57 million have filed for unemployment benefits since March .
Meanwhile , food banks are struggling to meet increased demand during the economic crisis .
This , of course , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frontline workers were forced to go back to work and risk their lives prematurely , without adequate safety measures implemented , and largely without hazard pay .
Meanwhile , a very different U.S. lurks on the other side of the divide .
Since the nationwide lockdowns in March , the wealth of U.S. billionaires increased by $ 685 billion , leading to a situation where now , for the first time in history , the 12 richest individuals in the U.S. collectively hold over $ 1 trillion in wealth .
And while joblessness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bankrupted small businesses affect average Americans , a majority of the most profitable corporations in the U.S. are set to gain $ 85 billion more in 2020 than in previous years .
And , as Oxfam America notes , “ If we continue with business as usual , these windfall profits will not be handed out to workers in wages , won ’ t be used to lower consumer prices , nor used to pay a bit more in taxes to fund healthcare workers .
These profits will be paid to shareholders , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men who already control the vast majority of our country ’ s corporate stock.
” The Oxfam analysis tracks the most egregious of these pandemic profiteers , and the researchers advocate an excess profits tax — one targeting profits not derived from hard work , but from rent-seeking and luck , like taking advantage of a public health crisis to spike prices .
The logic is simple : Why should the already ultra-wealthy be allowed to profit through luck or exploitation at a time when others suffer , especially when those funds could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts and supporting the working people on whom our society relies ?
Yet , the Trump administration and Republicans are doing the exact opposite , vowing to continue tax cuts and attacks on public services while arguing that working people don ’ t deserve to be compensated for being unemployed during a pandemic .
Republican lawmakers have continuously negotiated to slash the meager $ 600 a week unemployment benefit down further .
And now that the program has expired , the administration has implemented a continued payment of only $ 300 per week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that people are making more money off unemployment than they were at their former jobs , and this is disincentivizing them from returning to work .
Despite the fact that this is simply untrue , no one seems to state the obvious : If people were making less than $ 600 per week ( or $ 15 per hour ) at their job prior the pandemic , the problem is that their job doesn ’ t pay them a living wage , not that they are receiving unemployment .
It should also be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stock market and the ominous sickness-profiteering by big business has been buoyed by a massive government corporate welfare program .
The Federal Reserve and the U.S. Treasury ’ s stimulus package , which vastly outweighs the Obama-era stimulus , has seen a massive windfall of government cash into the hands of the financial markets , which has allowed these record stocks and profits to come to fruition .
In addition , the administration ’ s response to the pandemic directly aided corporate profiteering .
It was even admitted by a Trump confidant that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic because doing so “ would spook the markets and so we just shouldn ’ t do it.
” Portraying stock gains as indicative of economic recovery is really just another example in a long line of dishonest “ pro-worker ” rhetoric .
While there exists a vast divide between the wealthy and everybody else , and while policy is crafted to serve the interests of that wealthy sector , those very same policies are promoted as though they are made with the interests of working people in mind .
Far from actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump continually uses pro-worker arguments while touting pro-investor policies , as can be clearly seen within his steadfast dedication to raising stock market prices while denying workers unemployment compensation during a pandemic .

It is always curious when the health of the economy is equated with the stock market, as President Trump did when he touted the recent record highs of the S&P and Dow Jones, claiming he is presiding over the “fastest economic recovery” in U.S. history.
This is strange given that the stock market doesn’t represent the economy or its people’s well-being. As economist Dean Baker has noted time and again, “The stock market is a measure of the expectations of future profits of companies that are listed in the exchange.” In other words, it is a projection of how good things will be for the wealthy investor class, not for you or me.
Furthermore, the benefits of stock market increases go primarily to a small number of already rich and wealthy people. According to a 2016 Federal Reserve data analysis by New York University economics professor Edward Wolff, “84% of stocks owned by U.S. households are held by the wealthiest 10% of Americans.” So, while Trump tries to portray stock gains as good for average people by pointing to retirement funds and pension plans, Wolff explains that in reality, “For most Americans, a stock price increase is pretty immaterial to their well-being.” They might see small increases to their wealth, but “it’s not going to be anything to write home about.”
Whenever Trump, the Republicans or anyone within the mainstream tries to portray a good economy by pointing to a good stock market, just remember they are talking not about you but a small group of privileged people. As George Carlin said, “It’s a big club, and you ain’t in it!”
This tendency to equate what’s good for the rich with what’s good for all is deeply ingrained in U.S. politics. Despite the fact that future corporate profits do not necessarily equate to a better economy, the stock market continues to be used as an indicator of overall economic health. This is largely because doing so serves the interests of those who benefit from higher stock prices. Namely, the very wealthy who own most of the stock and — due to their economic status — have an inordinate amount of power and influence over what narratives are discussed throughout the media. When a narrative reinforces a worldview that is beneficial to powerful elites, there is a lot of incentive for it to be proliferated without being held to much scrutiny.
Yet this becomes a problem when the people whose lives aren’t much affected by stock prices start to internalize this framework. While stocks can trend with the economy given that strong growth will normally also mean larger profits, it is also just as likely that profits are rising for other reasons. If labor costs go down because a company slashes worker benefits, or if companies receive large tax breaks, that would translate into higher profits and stock prices, but it says nothing about the growth of the economy. When this narrative is continually repeated, however, it is no wonder that many working people will reflexively start to adopt it. But this is very dangerous, as it will likely lead people to support policies that help increase the wealth of the very rich instead of ones that would improve their own lives.
This tendency to equate what’s good for the rich with what’s good for all is deeply ingrained in U.S. politics.
Having an understanding of this is even more imperative since it is glaringly apparent that the overall economy has been structured to work primarily for the privileged few.
From 1979 to 2017, total productivity rose by 70.3 percent. Yet the wages of typical workers largely stagnated in comparison, growing by just 11.1 percent. That “excess” productivity went almost exclusively to corporate profits, investors and the top 1 percent of earners. During the same period, the top 0.1 percent saw their earnings grow by a staggering 15 times that of the bottom 90 percent combined.
When UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston conducted an official investigation into the nature of inequality in the U.S. in 2018, he pointed to key policy platforms that were contributing to the problem, noting the “high tax breaks and financial windfalls to the very wealthy and largest corporations” which were paid for in part by “reducing welfare benefits to the poor”; the undertaking of radical deregulation that “eliminates protections mainly benefiting the middle classes and the poor”; attacks on health care that left millions without coverage; restrictions of “eligibility for many welfare benefits”; “dramatic increases in spending on defense”; insufficient funding to tackle the opioid crisis; and there being “no effort to tackle the structural racism that keeps a large percentage of non-Whites in poverty.”
For the first time in history, the 12 richest individuals in the U.S. collectively hold over $1 trillion in wealth.
Yet in the COVID era, the failures of our unequal system have been more starkly evident. Even before the pandemic, nearly half of Americans lived paycheck to paycheck. Nearly 40 percent didn’t have the funds to cover a $400 emergency, and 50 percent of workers made less than $33,000 per year in 2018.
Now, in addition to over 177,000 COVID deaths within the country, the number of food-insecure households with children doubled from pre-COVID levels, as many as 40 million people are at risk of eviction from their homes, and more than 57 million have filed for unemployment benefits since March. Meanwhile, food banks are struggling to meet increased demand during the economic crisis. This, of course, is on top of the fact that frontline workers were forced to go back to work and risk their lives prematurely, without adequate safety measures implemented, and largely without hazard pay.
Meanwhile, a very different U.S. lurks on the other side of the divide. Since the nationwide lockdowns in March, the wealth of U.S. billionaires increased by $685 billion, leading to a situation where now, for the first time in history, the 12 richest individuals in the U.S. collectively hold over $1 trillion in wealth. And while joblessness, homelessness, devastated public services and bankrupted small businesses affect average Americans, a majority of the most profitable corporations in the U.S. are set to gain $85 billion more in 2020 than in previous years. And, as Oxfam America notes, “If we continue with business as usual, these windfall profits will not be handed out to workers in wages, won’t be used to lower consumer prices, nor used to pay a bit more in taxes to fund healthcare workers. These profits will be paid to shareholders, a group of largely white, rich men who already control the vast majority of our country’s corporate stock.”
The most profitable corporations in the U.S. are set to gain $85 billion more in 2020 than in previous years.
The Oxfam analysis tracks the most egregious of these pandemic profiteers, and the researchers advocate an excess profits tax — one targeting profits not derived from hard work, but from rent-seeking and luck, like taking advantage of a public health crisis to spike prices. The logic is simple: Why should the already ultra-wealthy be allowed to profit through luck or exploitation at a time when others suffer, especially when those funds could be redirected toward COVID relief and recovery efforts and supporting the working people on whom our society relies?
Yet, the Trump administration and Republicans are doing the exact opposite, vowing to continue tax cuts and attacks on public services while arguing that working people don’t deserve to be compensated for being unemployed during a pandemic.
Republican lawmakers have continuously negotiated to slash the meager $600 a week unemployment benefit down further. And now that the program has expired, the administration has implemented a continued payment of only $300 per week. The justification being put forward is that people are making more money off unemployment than they were at their former jobs, and this is disincentivizing them from returning to work. Despite the fact that this is simply untrue, no one seems to state the obvious: If people were making less than $600 per week (or $15 per hour) at their job prior the pandemic, the problem is that their job doesn’t pay them a living wage, not that they are receiving unemployment.
The historic rise in the stock market and the ominous sickness-profiteering by big business has been buoyed by a massive government corporate welfare program.
It should also be noted that the historic rise in the stock market and the ominous sickness-profiteering by big business has been buoyed by a massive government corporate welfare program. The Federal Reserve and the U.S. Treasury’s stimulus package, which vastly outweighs the Obama-era stimulus, has seen a massive windfall of government cash into the hands of the financial markets, which has allowed these record stocks and profits to come to fruition. In addition, the administration’s response to the pandemic directly aided corporate profiteering. It was even admitted by a Trump confidant that the president deliberately faltered on addressing the pandemic because doing so “would spook the markets and so we just shouldn’t do it.”
Portraying stock gains as indicative of economic recovery is really just another example in a long line of dishonest “pro-worker” rhetoric. While there exists a vast divide between the wealthy and everybody else, and while policy is crafted to serve the interests of that wealthy sector, those very same policies are promoted as though they are made with the interests of working people in mind.
Far from actually supporting policies that benefit average Americans, Trump continually uses pro-worker arguments while touting pro-investor policies, as can be clearly seen within his steadfast dedication to raising stock market prices while denying workers unemployment compensation during a pandemic.
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--2020-08-28--Twitter Forces Ann Coulter to Delete Tweet Praising Kyle Rittenhouse

Conservative pundit Ann Coulter was forced by Twitter to delete a tweet in which she praised Kyle Rittenhouse , the 17-year-old shooter who killed two protesters during demonstrations following the police-perpetrated shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha , Wisconsin .
Coulter had shared a tweet from another user that said they wanted Rittenhouse to be their bodyguard .
Quoting that tweet , Coulter took it a step further .
“ I want him as my president , ” she said .
Later on , Coulter deleted the tweet .
A spokesperson from Twitter , speaking to Salon , informed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to remove the post as it had violated rules for the social media platform .
“ The tweet glorified violence , specifically condoning an act of violence that may be replicable by a civilian , ” the spokesperson explained .
Coulter isn ’ t the only far right media personality to receive backlash for commending Rittenhouse this week .
On Wednesday evening , Fox News ’ s Tucker Carlson defended the 17-year-old , suggesting that Rittenhouse ’ s actions were noble .
“ How shocked are we that 17-year-olds with rifles decided they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else would ?
” Carlson said on his program .
The comments from the Fox News host on Wednesday prompted a number of individuals to call for Carlson ’ s firing from the network .
Rittenhouse was formally charged on Thursday afternoon with first-degree intentional homicide , first-degree reckless homicide and attempted first-degree intentional homicide .
He was also charged with first-degree recklessly endangering safety , as well as receiving a misdemeanor charge of possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under the age of 18 .
The teen , who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kenosha on Tuesday night and interacted frequently with local law enforcement , who did not bother to check his age while he was handling an AR-15-style rifle .
Indeed , local cops actually thanked Rittenhouse for being there before he shot three individuals , and permitted him to pass by even as witnesses told police he had just shot someone .
Police Chief Daniel Miskinis appeared to place the blame on the victims themselves for their own deaths and injuries .
“ Everybody involved was out after the curfew .
I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of it , but the point is — the curfew is in place to protect , ” Miskinis said .
“ Had persons not been out involved in violation of that , perhaps the situation that unfolded would not have happened.
” Because of Miskinis ’ s comments , the American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU ) called for the police chief ’ s immediate resignation .
Miskinis ’ s actions , as well as those of Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth , “ uphold and defend white supremacy , while demonizing people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amendment rights and speaking out against police violence , ” ACLU of Wisconsin Executive Director Chris Ott said in a statement .

Rittenhouse was formally charged on Thursday with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
Conservative pundit Ann Coulter was forced by Twitter to delete a tweet in which she praised Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old shooter who killed two protesters during demonstrations following the police-perpetrated shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Coulter had shared a tweet from another user that said they wanted Rittenhouse to be their bodyguard.
Quoting that tweet, Coulter took it a step further. “I want him as my president,” she said.
Later on, Coulter deleted the tweet. A spokesperson from Twitter, speaking to Salon, informed the publication that the company had forced her to remove the post as it had violated rules for the social media platform.
“The tweet glorified violence, specifically condoning an act of violence that may be replicable by a civilian,” the spokesperson explained.
Coulter isn’t the only far right media personality to receive backlash for commending Rittenhouse this week. On Wednesday evening, Fox News’s Tucker Carlson defended the 17-year-old, suggesting that Rittenhouse’s actions were noble.
“How shocked are we that 17-year-olds with rifles decided they had to maintain order when no one else would?” Carlson said on his program.
The comments from the Fox News host on Wednesday prompted a number of individuals to call for Carlson’s firing from the network.
Rittenhouse was formally charged on Thursday afternoon with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide and attempted first-degree intentional homicide. He was also charged with first-degree recklessly endangering safety, as well as receiving a misdemeanor charge of possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under the age of 18.
The teen, who is from Antioch, Illinois, traveled to Kenosha on Tuesday night and interacted frequently with local law enforcement, who did not bother to check his age while he was handling an AR-15-style rifle. Indeed, local cops actually thanked Rittenhouse for being there before he shot three individuals, and permitted him to pass by even as witnesses told police he had just shot someone.
Police Chief Daniel Miskinis appeared to place the blame on the victims themselves for their own deaths and injuries.
“Everybody involved was out after the curfew. I’m not going to make a great deal of it, but the point is — the curfew is in place to protect,” Miskinis said. “Had persons not been out involved in violation of that, perhaps the situation that unfolded would not have happened.”
Because of Miskinis’s comments, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) called for the police chief’s immediate resignation.
Miskinis’s actions, as well as those of Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth, “uphold and defend white supremacy, while demonizing people who were murdered for exercising their first amendment rights and speaking out against police violence,” ACLU of Wisconsin Executive Director Chris Ott said in a statement.
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--2020-08-28--Trump Proposes Expanded Drilling and Fracking in California Amid Wildfires

Especially given the climate-fueled wildfires ravaging the region , conservationists sounded alarm Thursday in response to a Trump administration proposal for an oil and gas lease sale in California , which would be the state ’ s first such federal auction in eight years .
At issue are over 4,300 acres of public land in Kern County , an area recently dubbed “ the oil industry ’ s political power center.
” The Bureau of Land Management ( BLM ) released a draft environmental assessment of the plan Wednesday for the sales , which would occur by the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the proposal notes that California allows fracking—much to the ire of environmental groups .
The proposal comes as California continues to reel from massive wildfires that have stretched firefighting resources thin and burned over 1.25 million acres amid a heatwave and the coronavirus pandemic .
“ It ’ s breathtakingly vicious for the Trump administration to expand drilling and fracking while California battles historic wildfires driven by climate change , ” Clare Lakewood , an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity , said in a statement .
Lakewood said that if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the climate will be guaranteed .
“ More oil wells mean more greenhouse gases , more air pollution , and more destroyed habitat , ” she said , and warned that “ selling this public land to oil companies will do significant harm to our environment , despite the administration ’ s ridiculous claims.
” Drilling leases haven ’ t been offered in the state since a federal judge ruled in 2013 , based on a legal challenge from the Center for Biological Diversity and the Sierra Club , that BLM acted unlawfully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without considering the environmental impacts of fracking .
Other bids by the federal government to open public lands in California to fossil fuel drilling have suffered similar fates .
The Trump administration ’ s proposals last year to offer up over 1 million acres of public land to oil drilling are the subject of ongoing litigation , the Center for Biological Diversity noted .
“ We ’ ve blocked any new federal leasing in California in court for eight years now , and we ’ ll fight this too , ” said Lakewood @

The proposal comes as California reels from massive wildfires that have stretched firefighting resources thin.
Especially given the climate-fueled wildfires ravaging the region, conservationists sounded alarm Thursday in response to a Trump administration proposal for an oil and gas lease sale in California, which would be the state’s first such federal auction in eight years.
At issue are over 4,300 acres of public land in Kern County, an area recently dubbed “the oil industry’s political power center.” The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released a draft environmental assessment of the plan Wednesday for the sales, which would occur by the end of the year.
A BLM statement announcing the proposal notes that California allows fracking—much to the ire of environmental groups.
The proposal comes as California continues to reel from massive wildfires that have stretched firefighting resources thin and burned over 1.25 million acres amid a heatwave and the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s breathtakingly vicious for the Trump administration to expand drilling and fracking while California battles historic wildfires driven by climate change,” Clare Lakewood, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement.
Lakewood said that if the sales go through, adverse impacts on the climate will be guaranteed.
“More oil wells mean more greenhouse gases, more air pollution, and more destroyed habitat,” she said, and warned that “selling this public land to oil companies will do significant harm to our environment, despite the administration’s ridiculous claims.”
Drilling leases haven’t been offered in the state since a federal judge ruled in 2013, based on a legal challenge from the Center for Biological Diversity and the Sierra Club, that BLM acted unlawfully in issuing oil leases in Monterey County without considering the environmental impacts of fracking.
Other bids by the federal government to open public lands in California to fossil fuel drilling have suffered similar fates. The Trump administration’s proposals last year to offer up over 1 million acres of public land to oil drilling are the subject of ongoing litigation, the Center for Biological Diversity noted.
“We’ve blocked any new federal leasing in California in court for eight years now, and we’ll fight this too,” said Lakewood.
The public comment period on BLM’s plan ends September 25.
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--2020-08-28--GOP Convention Pretended COVID Was Over While Creating Super-Spreader Conditions

He lied about testing , again .
He lied about the China travel ban , again .
He lied about the pandemic dead , again .
He lied about supporting Black people , again .
He lied about protecting coverage for pre-existing conditions , again .
He lied about Joe Biden and Barack Obama , again and again .
He lied about petroleum , the police , the military , the border wall , immigration in general , NATO , the economy , veterans… for more than an hour in the hot COVID night of Washington D.C. , Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The man was a blacksmith ’ s bellows of shaded falsehoods and outright lies , again , as he broke the law on the White House lawn Thursday night .
With his death cult of cheering , sweaty , unmasked , shoulder-to-shoulder devotees arrayed before him , Trump painted a bleak portrait of the nation in chaotic hues of his own failed stewardship , all blood red , Klansman white and cop blue… except none of it was his fault , of course .
There were about 1,500 people packed into that fascist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was in the audience with them , there will be a measurable body count from the affair before the children find out there can be no Halloween .
Sorry , sweetie , but the president of the United States made the virus bad again .
We can ’ t trick-or-treat this year .
COVID , the ongoing national racial justice uprising , vivid environmental damage and economic ruin are the legacy of Trump ’ s first term as president , but according to his people , the economy is doing wonderfully , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matter protesters are harming society , and COVID is over .
That last viciously self-serving lie , on the heels of the super-spreader festival at the White House , comes with a particularly damaging twist of the dagger .
CNN ’ s Jim Acosta spoke with a senior White House official about the flagrantly dangerous lack of COVID protections on display during Trump ’ s nomination acceptance speech .
According to Acosta , the White House official “ brushed off those concerns about the lack of social distancing at the president ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and get this , this quote might blow you away , ‘ Everybody is going to catch this thing eventually.
’ Those are the words coming from a senior White House official about the concerns being raised about this being a possible super-spreader event tonight.
” It is the mass consensus of COVID science that allowing the virus to burn unchecked through the populace will cause hundreds of thousands , if not millions , of deaths .
Yet this appears to be the stated policy of the Trump administration as they strive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation further into the dust .
According to a Friday report in the Charlotte Observer , two attendees and two support staffers for the convention in that city have been diagnosed with COVID-19 .
The wolf is loose , again , to the surprise of nobody who has been paying the slightest bit of attention lo these last seven months .
One day before his nomination acceptance speech , Trump was asked by The New York Times to lay out his agenda for that second term .
“ I think , I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be very , very , I think we ’ d have a very , very solid , we would continue what we ’ re doing , we ’ d solidify what we ’ ve done , and we have other things on our plate we want to get done , ” he answered .
Let ‘ em die .
That is the agenda , on the streets and in the hospitals , and not even a slice of cake as a parting gift .
Jacob Blake , paralyzed perhaps for life by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back by Kenosha police , spent Thursday handcuffed to his hospital bed .
Meanwhile , Hidden in Plain Sight : Racism , White Supremacy , and Far-Right Militancy in Law Enforcement , the Brennan Center ’ s report on the “ Blue Lives ” that spent the last four days getting a tongue-bath at Trump ’ s convention , landed a few hours before Trump ’ s acceptance speech .
The report warns : All day today , thousands of people will gather in Washington D.C. to note the 57th anniversary of Martin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Have a Dream ” speech .
The estimated crowd size was double what it is now , but COVID concerns have severely and properly limited attendance by people from areas deemed “ hot spots.
” Thermometer check-in stations will be widely available , masks will be required , and social distancing will be diligently practiced .
“ The families of George Floyd , Breonna Taylor , Eric Garner and Jacob Blake will join Reverend Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III on Friday at the Commitment March : Get Your Knee off Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The march , organized by the National Action Network , calls for racial justice and police reform .
Sharpton first announced plans for the march during a memorial service for George Floyd , the 46-year-old father who died at the hands of police in Minneapolis in May.
” The Republican National Convention is over .
The long quest for justice , freedom , accountability and hope has only just begun .
Tell a friend .

He lied about testing, again. He lied about the China travel ban, again. He lied about the pandemic dead, again. He lied about supporting Black people, again. He lied about protecting coverage for pre-existing conditions, again. He lied about Joe Biden and Barack Obama, again and again. He lied about petroleum, the police, the military, the border wall, immigration in general, NATO, the economy, veterans… for more than an hour in the hot COVID night of Washington D.C., Donald Trump breathed in oxygen and exhaled fiction.
The man was a blacksmith’s bellows of shaded falsehoods and outright lies, again, as he broke the law on the White House lawn Thursday night. With his death cult of cheering, sweaty, unmasked, shoulder-to-shoulder devotees arrayed before him, Trump painted a bleak portrait of the nation in chaotic hues of his own failed stewardship, all blood red, Klansman white and cop blue… except none of it was his fault, of course.
There were about 1,500 people packed into that fascist square of time, and if COVID was in the audience with them, there will be a measurable body count from the affair before the children find out there can be no Halloween. Sorry, sweetie, but the president of the United States made the virus bad again. We can’t trick-or-treat this year.
COVID, the ongoing national racial justice uprising, vivid environmental damage and economic ruin are the legacy of Trump’s first term as president, but according to his people, the economy is doing wonderfully, there is no climate disruption, Black Lives Matter protesters are harming society, and COVID is over.
That last viciously self-serving lie, on the heels of the super-spreader festival at the White House, comes with a particularly damaging twist of the dagger. CNN’s Jim Acosta spoke with a senior White House official about the flagrantly dangerous lack of COVID protections on display during Trump’s nomination acceptance speech.
According to Acosta, the White House official “brushed off those concerns about the lack of social distancing at the president’s speech tonight, saying, and quote, and get this, this quote might blow you away, ‘Everybody is going to catch this thing eventually.’ Those are the words coming from a senior White House official about the concerns being raised about this being a possible super-spreader event tonight.”
With his death cult of cheering, sweaty, unmasked, shoulder-to-shoulder devotees arrayed before him, Trump painted a bleak portrait of the nation in chaotic hues of his own failed stewardship, all blood red and Klansman white.
It is the mass consensus of COVID science that allowing the virus to burn unchecked through the populace will cause hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of deaths. Yet this appears to be the stated policy of the Trump administration as they strive for a second opportunity to grind the nation further into the dust.
According to a Friday report in the Charlotte Observer, two attendees and two support staffers for the convention in that city have been diagnosed with COVID-19. The wolf is loose, again, to the surprise of nobody who has been paying the slightest bit of attention lo these last seven months.
One day before his nomination acceptance speech, Trump was asked by The New York Times to lay out his agenda for that second term. “I think, I think it would be, I think it would be very, very, I think we’d have a very, very solid, we would continue what we’re doing, we’d solidify what we’ve done, and we have other things on our plate we want to get done,” he answered.
Let ‘em die. That is the agenda, on the streets and in the hospitals, and not even a slice of cake as a parting gift.
Jacob Blake, paralyzed perhaps for life by the seven bullets pumped into his fleeing back by Kenosha police, spent Thursday handcuffed to his hospital bed. Meanwhile, Hidden in Plain Sight: Racism, White Supremacy, and Far-Right Militancy in Law Enforcement, the Brennan Center’s report on the “Blue Lives” that spent the last four days getting a tongue-bath at Trump’s convention, landed a few hours before Trump’s acceptance speech. The report warns:
The harms that armed law enforcement officers affiliated with violent white supremacist and anti-government militia groups can inflict on American society could hardly be overstated. Yet despite the FBI’s acknowledgement of the links between law enforcement and these suspected terrorist groups, the Justice Department has no national strategy designed to identify white supremacist police officers or to protect the safety and civil rights of the communities they patrol.
Let ‘em die?
No.
Let’s resist.
All day today, thousands of people will gather in Washington D.C. to note the 57th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. The estimated crowd size was double what it is now, but COVID concerns have severely and properly limited attendance by people from areas deemed “hot spots.” Thermometer check-in stations will be widely available, masks will be required, and social distancing will be diligently practiced.
“The families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner and Jacob Blake will join Reverend Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III on Friday at the Commitment March: Get Your Knee off Our Necks,” reports CBS News. “The march, organized by the National Action Network, calls for racial justice and police reform. Sharpton first announced plans for the march during a memorial service for George Floyd, the 46-year-old father who died at the hands of police in Minneapolis in May.”
The Republican National Convention is over. The long quest for justice, freedom, accountability and hope has only just begun. Tell a friend.
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--2020-08-28--White House Official Spurns COVID Prevention: “Everybody Is Going to Catch This”

Around 1,500 of the president ’ s supporters gathered on the South Lawn of the White House Thursday evening to hear Donald Trump formally accept the nomination for president at the Republican National Convention ( RNC ) .
Before and during the speech , one thing was quite noticeable : In spite of guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) urging Americans to wear masks when they can ’ t keep six feet apart from other individuals , most participants who gathered to hear the speech did not wear facial coverings .
Standard White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seemed to go out the window during the speech , as those taking part told The Washington Post that they weren ’ t even asked basic questions about whether they had symptoms of the virus , let alone tested when they entered the White House grounds .
Officials from the White House said it would not be logistically possible to test everyone ahead of the president ’ s speech .
Concern over the potential spread of the disease did not seem to be a concern of campaign officials and White House officials organizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN ’ s Jim Acosta noted after Trump ’ s speech had ended that evening .
“ I talked to a senior White House official earlier this evening about all of these people , hundreds of people , sitting side-by-side in the audience , not wearing masks , ” Acosta reported , “ and the senior White House official brushed off these concerns about the lack of social distancing at the president ’ s speech tonight , saying , ‘ Everybody is going to catch this thing eventually . '
” CNN also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have died since the start of the RNC to its conclusion than had died in the attacks of September 11 , 2001 .
From the start of the convention on Monday to 8:30 pm Eastern Time , just a couple of hours before Trump ’ s speech , at least 3,688 Americans died due to complications from COVID-19 .
From the start of the pandemic to 8 am on Friday , more than 5.8 million cases of coronavirus have been identified in the U.S. , with more than 180,000 deaths so far .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s speech , the president gave a highly misleading and inaccurate account of how he ’ s managed the pandemic so far , including claims that his administration has “ developed a wide array of effective treatments , including a powerful antibody treatment known as convalescent plasma that will save thousands of lives.
” No successful treatment for COVID-19 has actually been developed , and a number of health experts have disputed the Trump administration ’ s overstated claims on convalescent plasma .
Americans mostly disapprove of Trump ’ s handling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year .
According to an aggregate of polling data compiled by FiveThirtyEight , as of August 27 , 58 percent of Americans disapprove of the way Trump has handled the pandemic , while just 38.9 percent ( less than 2 out of 5 Americans ) approve of how he ’ s managed the crisis .

More Americans died from coronavirus during the RNC than did during the attacks on September 11, 2001.
Around 1,500 of the president’s supporters gathered on the South Lawn of the White House Thursday evening to hear Donald Trump formally accept the nomination for president at the Republican National Convention (RNC).
Before and during the speech, one thing was quite noticeable: In spite of guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urging Americans to wear masks when they can’t keep six feet apart from other individuals, most participants who gathered to hear the speech did not wear facial coverings.
Standard White House protocols regarding screening visitors for COVID-19 also seemed to go out the window during the speech, as those taking part told The Washington Post that they weren’t even asked basic questions about whether they had symptoms of the virus, let alone tested when they entered the White House grounds. Officials from the White House said it would not be logistically possible to test everyone ahead of the president’s speech.
Concern over the potential spread of the disease did not seem to be a concern of campaign officials and White House officials organizing the controversial event on Thursday, as CNN’s Jim Acosta noted after Trump’s speech had ended that evening.
“I talked to a senior White House official earlier this evening about all of these people, hundreds of people, sitting side-by-side in the audience, not wearing masks,” Acosta reported, “and the senior White House official brushed off these concerns about the lack of social distancing at the president’s speech tonight, saying, ‘Everybody is going to catch this thing eventually.'”
CNN also noted another jarring fact: More Americans have died since the start of the RNC to its conclusion than had died in the attacks of September 11, 2001. From the start of the convention on Monday to 8:30 pm Eastern Time, just a couple of hours before Trump’s speech, at least 3,688 Americans died due to complications from COVID-19.
From the start of the pandemic to 8 am on Friday, more than 5.8 million cases of coronavirus have been identified in the U.S., with more than 180,000 deaths so far.
When it came to the content of Trump’s speech, the president gave a highly misleading and inaccurate account of how he’s managed the pandemic so far, including claims that his administration has “developed a wide array of effective treatments, including a powerful antibody treatment known as convalescent plasma that will save thousands of lives.”
No successful treatment for COVID-19 has actually been developed, and a number of health experts have disputed the Trump administration’s overstated claims on convalescent plasma.
Americans mostly disapprove of Trump’s handling of the pandemic since it began earlier this year. According to an aggregate of polling data compiled by FiveThirtyEight, as of August 27, 58 percent of Americans disapprove of the way Trump has handled the pandemic, while just 38.9 percent (less than 2 out of 5 Americans) approve of how he’s managed the crisis.
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--2020-08-28--Hurricane Laura Ravages Gulf Coast, Exposing Legacies of Environmental Racism

Hurricane Laura has slammed ashore as an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm , bringing sustained winds of 150 miles per hour to the Gulf Coast .
The strongest storm to hit Louisiana in over a century , Laura made landfall near the border of Louisiana and Texas .
At least six people have been killed .
Residents near Lake Charles were told to stay indoors with windows and doors shut when a chemical fire broke out at a Biolab plant .
Hilton Kelley , the executive director of the Community In Power and Development Association , says local communities are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the hurricane .
“ People are ingesting all of these dangerous toxins and at the same time dealing with COVID-19 and the extreme heat , ” he says .
This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
We ’ re Breaking with Convention .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , as we go to the Gulf Coast , where Hurricane Laura slammed ashore Wednesday as a Category 4 hurricane , the strongest to hit Louisiana in over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tropical storm then tropical depression .
Laura made landfall south of the city of Lake Charles near the border of Louisiana and Texas .
At least six people were killed .
The Gulf Coast is home to more than half of U.S. refining capacity .
And as they shut down ahead of the storm , an analysis by the environmental news outlet Grist showed just nine of the refineries would produce some four million pounds of excess hazardous chemicals .
Hurricane Maria arrived 15 years after Hurricane Katrina struck Louisiana and sets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storm to make landfall in the United States so far this year .
For more , we are joined by Hilton Kelley , who lives in Port Arthur , Texas , which is about an hour from where the eye of the storm passed , home to the largest oil refinery in the Western Hemisphere , the Motiva refinery .
Hilton Kelley , you are facing five crises all at once—hurricanes , rising sea levels , air pollution , extreme heat and COVID .
Lay it out for us .
HILTON KELLEY : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the show .
Number one , we are dealing with a major , major issue here in the Gulf Coast , particularly with COVID-19 and pre-existing conditions that many of the citizens are dealing with here .
Of course with all the refineries and chemical plants in our area , there is a large amount of various toxins that are released into the environment which we live in , in the Port Arthur , Orange , Beaumont , Lake Charles and Cameron , Louisiana area .
AMY GOODMAN : Talk about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too , finally evacuated after NOAA called you and begged you , your wife called you and begged you .
Because they were talking about 20-foot storm surges .
But if you can talk about the difficulty in a time of COVID .
I mean , setting up shelters , how people could be protected , even going in the buses .
HILTON KELLEY : Well , one of the biggest concerns we had , and also the mayor of Port Arthur , Mayor Thurman Bartie , was the fact that here we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people suffering in the city of Port Arthur in Jefferson County with the COVID-19 virus .
I know about three people personally that have succumbed to the coronavirus and it is running rampant throughout not only this country , but also in small towns like Port Arthur , Texas , Beaumont and Jefferson County .
But yet here we are now faced with these major storms as we look down the barrel of Hurricane Laura , and they talked about the surges .
Everyone was sort of bewildered on how do we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing you can do is sort of get buses lined up , and you had people sit in every other seat , which basically took away from those people that were dealing with transportation barriers , but yet at the same time , they had to do something .
So they lined up quite a few buses .
My wife , she also worked for the Port Arthur transit , Marie Kelley , and she worked diligently over time , under time , and to get people lined up , to get people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to work well into about 3:00 a.m. , 4:00 a.m. in the morning just answering phones to get all the people that needed rides situated .
And they still fell short because there wasn ’ t enough transportation because of the situation where they had to separate people .
AMY GOODMAN : And of course you ’ re largely talking about these areas that are overwhelmingly communities of color .
Can you talk about the oil industry , the largest refinery in the world there , when you have this kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the climate crisis and the extreme heat and now a fire ?
HILTON KELLEY : When you add it all up , and to add insult to injury , whenever you have a huge storm coming in an industrial community like Port Arthur , Texas , and the Orange , Texas area , what you find is that many of these industries go into shutdown mode .
And whenever they go into shutdown mode , that means they can ’ t process the oil and make all the products that they ordinarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s left in the pipeline have to be sent to the flares and actually burned , along with a lot of the gases that build up .
So what you see coming off of the smokestacks or the derricks is these huge , huge plumes of black smoke and soot .
Much of it is contaminated with benzene .
Much of it is contaminated with sulfur and other toxins that are not being processed , also volatile organic compounds .
And so people are ingesting all of these dangerous toxins and at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the extreme heat .
It really exacerbates the respiratory system and also the immune system , making us more prone to be affected by COVID-19 .
AMY GOODMAN : Can you talk about the connection between the climate crisis and environmental racism , Hilton Kelly ?
HILTON KELLEY : Well , when you look at the fact that we know climate change is real , nowhere is it more prevalent than on the Gulf Coast .
What we ’ re seeing is sea level rise .
What we are seeing is extreme heat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disproportionate number of people dying from cancer .
We ’ re seeing a disproportionate number of people dealing with respiratory issues and also succumbing to respiratory problems like asthma , bronchitis and COPD .
In Port Arthur , Texas , one out of every five households have a child or someone behind the doors that have to use a nebulizer to breathe or take breathing treatments .
It is time that we do more to assist the world with ending climate change .
It is time for the United States to get back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think Trump , instead of rolling back some of these Clean Air Act laws and regulations , we should be looking at ways in which we can place more regulations to ensure the safety of our citizens , not only on the Gulf Coast , but across this country .
It is time that we stand together and it ’ s time that all citizens realize that it is up to us to make sure that our environment is safe and clean for all citizens .
AMY GOODMAN : Hilton Kelley , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being with us , winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize , Executive Director of the Community In-Power and Development Association .
Thank you so much .
Democracy Now !
produced with Renée Feltz , Mike Burke , Deena Guzder , Libby Rainey , Nermeen Shaikh , Maria Taracena , Carla Wills , Tami Woronoff , Charina Nadura , Sam Alcoff , Tey-Marie Astudillo , John Hamilton , Robby Karran , Hany Massoud and Adriano Contreras .
Our general manager is Julie Crosby .
Special thanks to Becca Staley , Miriam Barnard , Denis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Miguel Noguera [ sp ] , Hugh Grand .
Stay safe , save lives , wear a mask .
And go to our website at Democracynow.org , for our coverage of the Gulf Coast , for our coverage of the conventions , for our coverage of global issues and the issue of police brutality and the climate crisis .

Hurricane Laura has slammed ashore as an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm, bringing sustained winds of 150 miles per hour to the Gulf Coast. The strongest storm to hit Louisiana in over a century, Laura made landfall near the border of Louisiana and Texas. At least six people have been killed. Residents near Lake Charles were told to stay indoors with windows and doors shut when a chemical fire broke out at a Biolab plant. Hilton Kelley, the executive director of the Community In Power and Development Association, says local communities are dealing with multiple crises amid the devastation of the hurricane. “People are ingesting all of these dangerous toxins and at the same time dealing with COVID-19 and the extreme heat,” he says.
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! We’re Breaking with Convention. I’m Amy Goodman, as we go to the Gulf Coast, where Hurricane Laura slammed ashore Wednesday as a Category 4 hurricane, the strongest to hit Louisiana in over a century before it was downgraded to a tropical storm then tropical depression. Laura made landfall south of the city of Lake Charles near the border of Louisiana and Texas. At least six people were killed.
The Gulf Coast is home to more than half of U.S. refining capacity. And as they shut down ahead of the storm, an analysis by the environmental news outlet Grist showed just nine of the refineries would produce some four million pounds of excess hazardous chemicals. Hurricane Maria arrived 15 years after Hurricane Katrina struck Louisiana and sets a record pace as the seventh named storm to make landfall in the United States so far this year.
For more, we are joined by Hilton Kelley, who lives in Port Arthur, Texas, which is about an hour from where the eye of the storm passed, home to the largest oil refinery in the Western Hemisphere, the Motiva refinery. Hilton Kelley, you are facing five crises all at once—hurricanes, rising sea levels, air pollution, extreme heat and COVID. Lay it out for us.
HILTON KELLEY: Hello. Thank you for having me on the show. Number one, we are dealing with a major, major issue here in the Gulf Coast, particularly with COVID-19 and pre-existing conditions that many of the citizens are dealing with here. Of course with all the refineries and chemical plants in our area, there is a large amount of various toxins that are released into the environment which we live in, in the Port Arthur, Orange, Beaumont, Lake Charles and Cameron, Louisiana area.
AMY GOODMAN: Talk about the difficulty of the evacuation. You, too, finally evacuated after NOAA called you and begged you, your wife called you and begged you. Because they were talking about 20-foot storm surges. But if you can talk about the difficulty in a time of COVID. I mean, setting up shelters, how people could be protected, even going in the buses.
HILTON KELLEY: Well, one of the biggest concerns we had, and also the mayor of Port Arthur, Mayor Thurman Bartie, was the fact that here we are, dealing with a disproportionate number of people suffering in the city of Port Arthur in Jefferson County with the COVID-19 virus. I know about three people personally that have succumbed to the coronavirus and it is running rampant throughout not only this country, but also in small towns like Port Arthur, Texas, Beaumont and Jefferson County. But yet here we are now faced with these major storms as we look down the barrel of Hurricane Laura, and they talked about the surges. Everyone was sort of bewildered on how do we deal with this.
But the only thing you can do is sort of get buses lined up, and you had people sit in every other seat, which basically took away from those people that were dealing with transportation barriers, but yet at the same time, they had to do something. So they lined up quite a few buses. My wife, she also worked for the Port Arthur transit, Marie Kelley, and she worked diligently over time, under time, and to get people lined up, to get people the information they needed. And they had to work well into about 3:00 a.m., 4:00 a.m. in the morning just answering phones to get all the people that needed rides situated. And they still fell short because there wasn’t enough transportation because of the situation where they had to separate people.
AMY GOODMAN: And of course you’re largely talking about these areas that are overwhelmingly communities of color. Can you talk about the oil industry, the largest refinery in the world there, when you have this kind of hurricane, the combination of the hurricane, the climate crisis and the extreme heat and now a fire?
HILTON KELLEY: When you add it all up, and to add insult to injury, whenever you have a huge storm coming in an industrial community like Port Arthur, Texas, and the Orange, Texas area, what you find is that many of these industries go into shutdown mode. And whenever they go into shutdown mode, that means they can’t process the oil and make all the products that they ordinarily make. Much of their product that’s left in the pipeline have to be sent to the flares and actually burned, along with a lot of the gases that build up.
So what you see coming off of the smokestacks or the derricks is these huge, huge plumes of black smoke and soot. Much of it is contaminated with benzene. Much of it is contaminated with sulfur and other toxins that are not being processed, also volatile organic compounds. And so people are ingesting all of these dangerous toxins and at the same time dealing with COVID-19 and the extreme heat. It really exacerbates the respiratory system and also the immune system, making us more prone to be affected by COVID-19.
AMY GOODMAN: Can you talk about the connection between the climate crisis and environmental racism, Hilton Kelly?
HILTON KELLEY: Well, when you look at the fact that we know climate change is real, nowhere is it more prevalent than on the Gulf Coast. What we’re seeing is sea level rise. What we are seeing is extreme heat. What we are seeing is a disproportionate number of people dying from cancer. We’re seeing a disproportionate number of people dealing with respiratory issues and also succumbing to respiratory problems like asthma, bronchitis and COPD. In Port Arthur, Texas, one out of every five households have a child or someone behind the doors that have to use a nebulizer to breathe or take breathing treatments.
It is time that we do more to assist the world with ending climate change. It is time for the United States to get back into the Paris agreement. And I think Trump, instead of rolling back some of these Clean Air Act laws and regulations, we should be looking at ways in which we can place more regulations to ensure the safety of our citizens, not only on the Gulf Coast, but across this country. It is time that we stand together and it’s time that all citizens realize that it is up to us to make sure that our environment is safe and clean for all citizens.
AMY GOODMAN: Hilton Kelley, I want to thank you so much for being with us, winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize, Executive Director of the Community In-Power and Development Association. Thank you so much.
Democracy Now! produced with Renée Feltz, Mike Burke, Deena Guzder, Libby Rainey, Nermeen Shaikh, Maria Taracena, Carla Wills, Tami Woronoff, Charina Nadura, Sam Alcoff, Tey-Marie Astudillo, John Hamilton, Robby Karran, Hany Massoud and Adriano Contreras. Our general manager is Julie Crosby. Special thanks to Becca Staley, Miriam Barnard, Denis Moynihan, Paul Powell, Mike DiFilippo, Miguel Noguera [sp], Hugh Grand.
Stay safe, save lives, wear a mask. And go to our website at Democracynow.org, for our coverage of the Gulf Coast, for our coverage of the conventions, for our coverage of global issues and the issue of police brutality and the climate crisis.


truthout--2020-08-28--Former DHS Official Claims Trump “Wanted to Maim” Migrants at US-Mexico Border

Former Department of Homeland Security ( DHS ) Chief of Staff Miles Taylor claimed in a podcast earlier this week that President Donald Trump told administration officials he wanted to “ maim ” and “ shoot ” migrants at the southern border .
Taylor , who served as chief of staff to former DHS Kirstjen Nielsen before departing the agency with her in April 2019 , made the remarks Monday on an episode of “ The New Abnormal ” podcast from The Daily Beast .
Taylor said he could not get through a meeting without Trump “ doing 20 tangents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the face , demanding a diet Coke , spewing spit.
” “ Literally out of goddamn nowhere , he ’ d be like , ‘ You know who ’ s just my favorite guy ?
The MyPillow guy .
Do any of you have those pillows ? '
” Taylor said , referencing his first in-person interaction with the president , at a meeting about the construction of a wall on the southern border with Mexico .
“ Donald Trump hates it when people take notes , ” Taylor recalled , reasoning it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those meetings .
“ He says , ‘ We got to do this , this , this and this , ’ all of which are probably impossible , illegal unethical , ” Taylor said , echoing allegations from a number of former senior staffers such as former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and former National Security Adviser John Bolton .
As he was writing down Trump ’ s ideas while the president spoke , Taylor said , “ He looks over me and he goes , ‘ You fu*king taking notes ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen him do that so many times in meetings , ” Taylor said .
“ ‘ Why the hell are you taking notes ? '
” When discussing border security , Taylor said , Trump would concoct “ sickening ” schemes “ to pierce the flesh ” of migrants at the southern border , “ maim ” and gas them .
“ He wanted to maim them , and tear gas them and shoot them , ” Taylor said .
“ And I ’ m not even being hyperbolic.
” On one occasion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steel bollards “ so sharp that I want them to pierce human flesh if they climb it.
” “ Why don ’ t we just shoot them ?
” Taylor said the president asked , referencing migrants approaching the border in “ caravans ” in 2018 .
“ This was a man with no humanity whatsoever , ” Taylor said .
Around the time Taylor joined Google in a policy role in Sept. 2019 , The New York Times and The Washington Post published stories citing administration officials with details similar to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington Post reported that Trump wanted U.S. border forces armed with bayonets to block people from crossing from Mexico and even suggested fortifying a border wall with a water-filled trench , or a moat , which could be stocked with snakes or alligators .
The New York Times had first reported Trump ’ s proposal for a moat filled with dangerous reptiles , which the president allegedly wanted the wall “ electrified ” with “ spikes on top that could piece human flesh.
” Trump also reportedly suggested that soldiers shoot migrants in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A lifelong Republican , Taylor has made a series of high-profile media appearances recently on the heels of an anti-Trump opinion piece , which gained traction after its Aug. 17 publication in the Washington Post .
Taylor has said that Trump claimed “ magical authorities ” beyond the law and has announced the formation of a group comprising Trump administration officials — including at least two current senior officials — dedicated to defeating Trump in November .
“ We ’ ll have a broad group of Republicans focused on denying Trump a second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a post-Trump GOP and America , ” he told NBC News on Tuesday .
Taylor , as DHS chief of staff , played a not insignificant role in implementing the child separation policy at the Mexican border .
In one email sent to Nielsen ahead of the rollout , Taylor coined it “ the Protecting Children Narrative.
” Taylor ’ s hiring at Google was controversial at the time , and led to several employees ’ departure from the company .
One of those employees , Laurence Berland , published an opinion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Taylor ’ s Aug. 17 op-ed .
“ Like he did in his role at DHS , Taylor is again crafting a narrative , one in which he is another of Trump ’ s victims , but he and others who played a part in the atrocities of the Trump administration can not be absolved of their past simply by supporting Biden ’ s bid for the presidency , ” Berland wrote .
“ If they truly are asking for our forgiveness , they will first need to admit that what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words that Trump himself surely never will : ‘ I ’ m sorry . '
”

When discussing border security, Trump would concoct “sickening” schemes, the former official said.
Former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Chief of Staff Miles Taylor claimed in a podcast earlier this week that President Donald Trump told administration officials he wanted to “maim” and “shoot” migrants at the southern border.
Taylor, who served as chief of staff to former DHS Kirstjen Nielsen before departing the agency with her in April 2019, made the remarks Monday on an episode of “The New Abnormal” podcast from The Daily Beast.
Taylor said he could not get through a meeting without Trump “doing 20 tangents, becoming irascible, turning red in the face, demanding a diet Coke, spewing spit.”
“Literally out of goddamn nowhere, he’d be like, ‘You know who’s just my favorite guy? The MyPillow guy. Do any of you have those pillows?'” Taylor said, referencing his first in-person interaction with the president, at a meeting about the construction of a wall on the southern border with Mexico.
“Donald Trump hates it when people take notes,” Taylor recalled, reasoning it had something to do with the content of those meetings.
“He says, ‘We got to do this, this, this and this,’ all of which are probably impossible, illegal unethical,” Taylor said, echoing allegations from a number of former senior staffers such as former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and former National Security Adviser John Bolton.
As he was writing down Trump’s ideas while the president spoke, Taylor said, “He looks over me and he goes, ‘You fu*king taking notes?'”
“I’ve actually seen him do that so many times in meetings,” Taylor said. “‘Why the hell are you taking notes?'”
When discussing border security, Taylor said, Trump would concoct “sickening” schemes “to pierce the flesh” of migrants at the southern border, “maim” and gas them.
“He wanted to maim them, and tear gas them and shoot them,” Taylor said. “And I’m not even being hyperbolic.”
On one occasion, he said, Trump asked for steel bollards “so sharp that I want them to pierce human flesh if they climb it.”
“Why don’t we just shoot them?” Taylor said the president asked, referencing migrants approaching the border in “caravans” in 2018.
“This was a man with no humanity whatsoever,” Taylor said.
Around the time Taylor joined Google in a policy role in Sept. 2019, The New York Times and The Washington Post published stories citing administration officials with details similar to his descriptions to The Daily Beast.
The Washington Post reported that Trump wanted U.S. border forces armed with bayonets to block people from crossing from Mexico and even suggested fortifying a border wall with a water-filled trench, or a moat, which could be stocked with snakes or alligators.
The New York Times had first reported Trump’s proposal for a moat filled with dangerous reptiles, which the president allegedly wanted the wall “electrified” with “spikes on top that could piece human flesh.” Trump also reportedly suggested that soldiers shoot migrants in the legs to slow them down.
A lifelong Republican, Taylor has made a series of high-profile media appearances recently on the heels of an anti-Trump opinion piece, which gained traction after its Aug. 17 publication in the Washington Post. Taylor has said that Trump claimed “magical authorities” beyond the law and has announced the formation of a group comprising Trump administration officials — including at least two current senior officials — dedicated to defeating Trump in November.
“We’ll have a broad group of Republicans focused on denying Trump a second term, and most importantly, planning for a post-Trump GOP and America,” he told NBC News on Tuesday.
Taylor, as DHS chief of staff, played a not insignificant role in implementing the child separation policy at the Mexican border. In one email sent to Nielsen ahead of the rollout, Taylor coined it “the Protecting Children Narrative.”
Taylor’s hiring at Google was controversial at the time, and led to several employees’ departure from the company. One of those employees, Laurence Berland, published an opinion piece in BuzzFeed News on the heels of Taylor’s Aug. 17 op-ed.
“Like he did in his role at DHS, Taylor is again crafting a narrative, one in which he is another of Trump’s victims, but he and others who played a part in the atrocities of the Trump administration cannot be absolved of their past simply by supporting Biden’s bid for the presidency,” Berland wrote. “If they truly are asking for our forgiveness, they will first need to admit that what they did was wrong, and say those words that Trump himself surely never will: ‘I’m sorry.'”
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.
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truthout--2020-08-28--White Supremacist Groups Have Infiltrated US Police Departments, Report Says

As law enforcement agencies and lawmakers respond to nationwide outrage over countless police shootings of Black Americans with pledges to address racial profiling and “ implicit bias , ” the Brennan Center for Justice released a report Thursday on what it called “ an especially harmful form of bias , which remains entrenched within law enforcement : explicit racism.
” The presence of virulent racism within police ranks across the country has grown over the past two decades , Brennan Center fellow and former FBI special agent Michael German wrote in the report , as white supremacist and far-right militant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ While it is widely acknowledged that racist officers subsist within police departments around the country , federal , state , and local governments are doing far too little to proactively identify them , report their behavior to prosecutors who might unwittingly rely on their testimony in criminal cases , or protect the diverse communities they are sworn to serve , ” wrote German .
“ Efforts to address systemic and implicit biases in law enforcement are unlikely to be effective in reducing the racial disparities in the criminal justice system as long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to endure .
There is ample evidence to demonstrate that it does.
” According to the report , titled “ Hidden in Plain Sight , ” police officers with alleged ties to white supremacist groups or violent far-right militias have been identified in states including Alabama , California , Connecticut , Florida , Illinois , Michigan , Oregon , Texas , Virginia , and Washington .
The report was called “ wild and timely ” by attorney and writer Madiba K. Dennie , as it was released two days after police in Kenosha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of armed militias at a protest over the police shooting of Jacob Blake , a black man who was left paralyzed .
As Common Dreams reported Thursday , cell phone video showed police telling armed white people that they “ appreciated them being there ” and handing them bottled water .
One of the people in the video appeared to be a 17-year-old gunman who allegedly shot three people at the protest , killing two .
Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis blamed the victims for being at the protest after a city-wide curfew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ militia members for “ exercising their constitutional rights.
” Footage of Kenosha Sheriff David Beth saying in 2018 that Black people who shoplift are “ a cancer to our society ” and “ have to be warehoused ” also surfaced on Wednesday , sparking alarm and outrage over the official ’ s open racism .
The ACLU on Thursday called for the immediate resignation of Beth and Miskinis .
The conduct of police in Kenosha offers only the most recent evidence that law enforcement agencies in the U.S. have sympathy for if not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supremacist groups , according to German ’ s report .
Police in states including California , Oregon , and Illinois are currently being investigated for their alleged connections to far-right groups that oppose the Black Lives Matter movement , with many law enforcement officers engaging “ in overtly racist activities in public , on social media , or over law enforcement–only communication channels and internet chat rooms.
” Earlier this year , an officer in Salem , Oregon was caught on video asking “ heavily armed white men dressed like militia to step @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cars while the police arrested protesters.
” The officer said he made the request “ so we don ’ t look like we ’ re playing favorites.
” Officials in Olympia , Washington opened an investigation into an officer who posed for a photograph with a heavily armed far-right militia group called Three Percent of Washington , allegedly after the officer thanked the group for guarding a shopping center .
The Brennan Center noted that few safeguards exist at the local and federal level to root out police officers who have ties to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The failure to respond to evidence of explicit racism among police officers “ signals to white supremacists and far-right militants that their illegal acts enjoy government approval and authorization , making them all the more brazen and dangerous .
Winning back public trust requires transparent and equal enforcement of the law , effective oversight , and public accountability that prioritizes targeted communities ’ interests.
” In addition to working to end implicit bias in policing , German wrote , agencies must establish mitigation plans when overt racism is detected in their ranks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ internal affairs , local prosecutors , or the DOJ for investigation and prosecution ; termination or other disciplinary action ; limitations of assignments to reduce potentially problematic contact with the public ; retraining ; and intensified supervision and auditing , ” German wrote .
The report also called on the FBI to determine whether its domestic terrorist investigations involving white supremacists uncover any connections to law enforcement , and whether police officers investigated for civil rights violations “ have connections to violent white supremacist organizations or other far-right militant groups , have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a history of posting explicitly racist commentary in public or on social media platforms.
” “ The most effective way for law enforcement agencies to restore public trust and prevent racism from influencing law enforcement actions is to prohibit individuals who are members of white supremacist groups or who have a history of explicitly racist conduct from becoming law enforcement officers in the first place , or from remaining officers once bias is demonstrated , ” German wrote .

The report came two days after police in Kenosha appeared to welcome the presence of armed militias at a protest.
As law enforcement agencies and lawmakers respond to nationwide outrage over countless police shootings of Black Americans with pledges to address racial profiling and “implicit bias,” the Brennan Center for Justice released a report Thursday on what it called “an especially harmful form of bias, which remains entrenched within law enforcement: explicit racism.”
The presence of virulent racism within police ranks across the country has grown over the past two decades, Brennan Center fellow and former FBI special agent Michael German wrote in the report, as white supremacist and far-right militant groups have infiltrated law enforcement agencies.
“While it is widely acknowledged that racist officers subsist within police departments around the country, federal, state, and local governments are doing far too little to proactively identify them, report their behavior to prosecutors who might unwittingly rely on their testimony in criminal cases, or protect the diverse communities they are sworn to serve,” wrote German. “Efforts to address systemic and implicit biases in law enforcement are unlikely to be effective in reducing the racial disparities in the criminal justice system as long as explicit racism in law enforcement continues to endure. There is ample evidence to demonstrate that it does.”
According to the report, titled “Hidden in Plain Sight,” police officers with alleged ties to white supremacist groups or violent far-right militias have been identified in states including Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.
The report was called “wild and timely” by attorney and writer Madiba K. Dennie, as it was released two days after police in Kenosha, Wisconsin appeared to welcome the presence of armed militias at a protest over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a black man who was left paralyzed.
As Common Dreams reported Thursday, cell phone video showed police telling armed white people that they “appreciated them being there” and handing them bottled water. One of the people in the video appeared to be a 17-year-old gunman who allegedly shot three people at the protest, killing two.
Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis blamed the victims for being at the protest after a city-wide curfew while defending the suspected gunman and other militia members for “exercising their constitutional rights.”
Footage of Kenosha Sheriff David Beth saying in 2018 that Black people who shoplift are “a cancer to our society” and “have to be warehoused” also surfaced on Wednesday, sparking alarm and outrage over the official’s open racism.
The ACLU on Thursday called for the immediate resignation of Beth and Miskinis.
Sheriff David Beth’s deputies not only socialized with white supremacist counter-protestors on Tuesday but allowed the shooter to leave the scene. Sheriff Beth also previously called for five people of color who had been arrested for shoplifting to ‘be put into warehouses.’ — ACLU (@ACLU) August 27, 2020
During the police department’s first press conference in response to the Blake shooting and subsequent murders committed at protests, Police Chief Daniel Miskinis blamed the victims in Tuesday night’s shooting for their own deaths. — ACLU (@ACLU) August 27, 2020
If Sheriff Beth and Police Chief Miskinis refuse to immediately tender their resignation, we call on Mayor John Antaramian to demand the police chief’s removal with the Kenosha Police and Fire Commission, and the sheriff’s removal with Gov. Tony Evers. — ACLU (@ACLU) August 27, 2020
The conduct of police in Kenosha offers only the most recent evidence that law enforcement agencies in the U.S. have sympathy for if not direct ties to far-right militias and white supremacist groups, according to German’s report.
Police in states including California, Oregon, and Illinois are currently being investigated for their alleged connections to far-right groups that oppose the Black Lives Matter movement, with many law enforcement officers engaging “in overtly racist activities in public, on social media, or over law enforcement–only communication channels and internet chat rooms.”
Earlier this year, an officer in Salem, Oregon was caught on video asking “heavily armed white men dressed like militia to step inside a building or sit in their cars while the police arrested protesters.”
The officer said he made the request “so we don’t look like we’re playing favorites.”
Officials in Olympia, Washington opened an investigation into an officer who posed for a photograph with a heavily armed far-right militia group called Three Percent of Washington, allegedly after the officer thanked the group for guarding a shopping center.
The Brennan Center noted that few safeguards exist at the local and federal level to root out police officers who have ties to far-right militant groups or white supremacy.
The failure to respond to evidence of explicit racism among police officers “signals to white supremacists and far-right militants that their illegal acts enjoy government approval and authorization, making them all the more brazen and dangerous. Winning back public trust requires transparent and equal enforcement of the law, effective oversight, and public accountability that prioritizes targeted communities’ interests.”
In addition to working to end implicit bias in policing, German wrote, agencies must establish mitigation plans when overt racism is detected in their ranks.
“Mitigation plans could include referrals to internal affairs, local prosecutors, or the DOJ for investigation and prosecution; termination or other disciplinary action; limitations of assignments to reduce potentially problematic contact with the public; retraining; and intensified supervision and auditing,” German wrote.
The report also called on the FBI to determine whether its domestic terrorist investigations involving white supremacists uncover any connections to law enforcement, and whether police officers investigated for civil rights violations “have connections to violent white supremacist organizations or other far-right militant groups, have a record of discriminatory behavior, or have a history of posting explicitly racist commentary in public or on social media platforms.”
“The most effective way for law enforcement agencies to restore public trust and prevent racism from influencing law enforcement actions is to prohibit individuals who are members of white supremacist groups or who have a history of explicitly racist conduct from becoming law enforcement officers in the first place, or from remaining officers once bias is demonstrated,” German wrote.
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.