truthout--2020-08-10--Trump’s Social Security Sleight of Hand Is Another Scam. Don’t Fall for It.

We begin with a foundational premise , a stone-bound axiom learned the hardest of hard ways after three long years : Donald Trump does not care about you , or me , or anyone on this planet .
Donald Trump cares only about Donald Trump , full stop , end of file .
Do not let the triumphant-sounding weekend headlines about his executive orders fool you ; those orders are made of soap bubbles .
Yes , friends , it ’ s yet another scam .
House Democrats passed the HEROES Act back in May .
A $ 3 trillion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act provides everything from a ( finally ! )
robust national testing regimen to desperately needed funds for municipalities that are trying to make schools safe enough to reopen someday .
Because this bill , and that money , have been left to rot like a dead fish on the dock of Mitch McConnell ’ s bay for three long months , reopening schools safely today is a practical impossibility with potentially catastrophic consequences .
McConnell and his cohort of Senate Republican wreckers have not been able to get out of their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ version of the HEROES Act ; half the GOP caucus won ’ t vote for any new money to be spent , a quarter desperately need a deal to stave off electoral defeat this fall , and the last quarter got lost on the way to the restroom trying to plot how to take McConnell ’ s job after November .
The resulting chaos had caused a dozen weeks to go by without a new relief package from Congress , even as COVID-19 spreads its wings across the entire nation , the emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions face eviction as their last lingering funds run out .
In swooped Trump on Saturday for a “ press conference ” at his Bedminster country club .
In a room filled with maskless golf-shirted partisans , Trump announced a series of executive orders he claimed would accomplish what Congress has failed to do .
“ Trump announced he was postponing payroll taxes through the end of the year , extending the unemployment ‘ bonus ’ at $ 400 a week ( down from $ 600 ) , helping people ‘ stay in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payments through the end of 2020 , ” reported The Washington Post .
The thing is , these orders appear to have been conceived primarily to help one person : Trump .
Let ’ s take these one at a time , starting with the crown jewel : Social Security .
The payroll tax exists to fund that fundamental program , among others .
Elimination of the payroll tax won ’ t help anyone affected by the pandemic , nor will it affect those currently receiving Social Security benefits for the most part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programs just in time for Generation X to retire .
Trump can ’ t rewrite tax laws by fiat from his golf cart , no matter how loudly his Izod-bros cheer him on .
The profoundly Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska immediately threw a bucket of ice water on this nonsense move .
“ The pen-and-phone theory of executive lawmaking is unconstitutional slop , ” Sasse said in a stinging statement , concluding , “ President Trump does not have the power to unilaterally rewrite the payroll tax law .
Under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American people acting through their members of Congress.
” Boom .
Other GOP senators like Lindsey Graham were more obsequious in their pushback , but they pushed back all the same .
“ I appreciate the President taking this decisive action but would much prefer a congressional agreement , ” cooed Graham .
“ I believe President Trump would prefer the same.
” This was an uncommon display of fortitude in our dim and degraded age ; these fellows have been reliably docile sheep for Trump to shear at his pleasure .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the payroll tax , however , they located some enlightened self-interest at long last .
Most Senate Republicans are interested in keeping the nation ’ s purse strings firmly in the hands of Congress , and there isn ’ t a single Republican senator who thinks it ’ s a good idea to eviscerate Social Security less than three months before a national election .
Trump may as well have announced an executive order renaming all the avenues in the U.S. “ Bigly Way , ” and mandate that each of them come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ middle of the road .
He can sign it , but the ink is worth more than the order .
By Sunday , the outraged screams of Democrats and the mewling of petrified Republicans had managed to penetrate the steel-reinforced thought bubble encasing the White House .
“ White House advisors on Sunday walked back President Trump ’ s statement that he would make ‘ permanent cuts ’ to the payroll tax if reelected , ” reported Forbes , “ insisting that the president would preserve the primary funding source for Social Security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support.
” This thing was dead as Dillinger before the word-noises passed Trump ’ s puckered lips .
So why do it ?
Because a year ago , the White House reportedly reached out to South Dakota ’ s Republican Gov .
Kristi Noem to inquire with a straight face about the process of getting Trump ’ s likeness carved onto Mt .
Rushmore ( a claim Trump is now disputing ) .
Because hubris of that density has enough gravity to bend the light , so why not make a run at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic crisis he has resolutely failed to contain .
It certainly changed the subject for a few days , which was the whole point of the exercise .
As for the other three orders , well , they ’ re mostly what you ’ d expect from a lifelong grifter looking to win some weekend headlines .
The $ 400 emergency unemployment benefit is actually a benefit cut that will adversely affect municipalities all across the country .
Trump wants $ 100 of that $ 400 to come from CARES Act funding that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by said municipalities .
Sucking $ 100 per claim back out of that COVID relief money will further harm already overburdened local governments everywhere .
Trump is not “ helping people stay in their homes , ” as another order claims .
“ Trump has said many times in recent days he wants to prevent evictions , but his latest executive order does not ban evictions , ” reports the Post .
“ Instead , Trump calls for Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an eviction ban is needed.
” Consider , eh ?
That ’ s mighty landlord of ya , Don .
( emphasis added ) The fourth executive order Trump signed does have a drop of human kindness in it , but only temporarily .
The order waives interest on all federal government-backed student loans and lets people delay payments on those loans until Dec. 31 .
This will certainly be helpful .
However , all principal payments owed will be due on that final day of the year , full payments will begin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and there is little promise the financial situation will have improved by then .
Plus , legally speaking , no one is quite sure if Trump has the power to do this in the first place .
Larry Kudlow , Trump ’ s director of the National Economic Council and guy who formerly screamed about the stock market on television for a living , went on CNN with Dana Bash to “ explain ” how these executive orders are the heroic measures America needs in this hour of deepest need… except he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at all , and Bash basically had to limp him through the interview .
“ Okay , we ’ ll move on because I think this is not what the president said and it ’ s a bit confusing , ” said Bash , “ and I think the fact that it ’ s not entirely known is very telling.
” Actually , it is not confusing at all .
Trump has a long track record of unfurling legally laughable nonsense orders whenever the political heat is on , and right now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This weekend eruption of orders is more sleight of hand from a president whose COVID response has contributed to the deaths of tens of thousands of people , in a country that is facing tens of thousands of additional deaths as winter inexorably approaches .
Meanwhile , schools are recklessly reopening at his urging , and his own supporters steadfastly refuse to listen to those they dismiss as egghead scientists from the “ deep state ” about the lethal severity of COVID-19 .
Put plainly , Saturday ’ s press conference and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less than a splash of the amniotic fluid from which Trump first emerged into national politics : an episode of reality TV .
The papers took the headline bait over the weekend .
Don ’ t be those guys .

We begin with a foundational premise, a stone-bound axiom learned the hardest of hard ways after three long years: Donald Trump does not care about you, or me, or anyone on this planet. Donald Trump cares only about Donald Trump, full stop, end of file. Do not let the triumphant-sounding weekend headlines about his executive orders fool you; those orders are made of soap bubbles. Yes, friends, it’s yet another scam.
House Democrats passed the HEROES Act back in May. A $3 trillion relief and stimulus package, the HEROES Act provides everything from a (finally!) robust national testing regimen to desperately needed funds for municipalities that are trying to make schools safe enough to reopen someday. Because this bill, and that money, have been left to rot like a dead fish on the dock of Mitch McConnell’s bay for three long months, reopening schools safely today is a practical impossibility with potentially catastrophic consequences.
Thanks, Mitch.
McConnell and his cohort of Senate Republican wreckers have not been able to get out of their own way long enough to pass a compromise version of the HEROES Act; half the GOP caucus won’t vote for any new money to be spent, a quarter desperately need a deal to stave off electoral defeat this fall, and the last quarter got lost on the way to the restroom trying to plot how to take McConnell’s job after November.
The resulting chaos had caused a dozen weeks to go by without a new relief package from Congress, even as COVID-19 spreads its wings across the entire nation, the emergency unemployment benefit has run out, and millions face eviction as their last lingering funds run out.
In swooped Trump on Saturday for a “press conference” at his Bedminster country club. In a room filled with maskless golf-shirted partisans, Trump announced a series of executive orders he claimed would accomplish what Congress has failed to do. “Trump announced he was postponing payroll taxes through the end of the year, extending the unemployment ‘bonus’ at $400 a week (down from $600), helping people ‘stay in their homes’ and waiving student debt payments through the end of 2020,” reported The Washington Post.
The thing is, these orders appear to have been conceived primarily to help one person: Trump.
There isn’t a single Republican senator who thinks it’s a good idea to eviscerate Social Security less than three months before a national election.
Let’s take these one at a time, starting with the crown jewel: Social Security. The payroll tax exists to fund that fundamental program, among others. Elimination of the payroll tax won’t help anyone affected by the pandemic, nor will it affect those currently receiving Social Security benefits for the most part, but it will defund those vital programs just in time for Generation X to retire.
Trump can’t rewrite tax laws by fiat from his golf cart, no matter how loudly his Izod-bros cheer him on. The profoundly Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska immediately threw a bucket of ice water on this nonsense move.
“The pen-and-phone theory of executive lawmaking is unconstitutional slop,” Sasse said in a stinging statement, concluding, “President Trump does not have the power to unilaterally rewrite the payroll tax law. Under the Constitution, that power belongs to the American people acting through their members of Congress.”
Boom. Other GOP senators like Lindsey Graham were more obsequious in their pushback, but they pushed back all the same. “I appreciate the President taking this decisive action but would much prefer a congressional agreement,” cooed Graham. “I believe President Trump would prefer the same.”
This was an uncommon display of fortitude in our dim and degraded age; these fellows have been reliably docile sheep for Trump to shear at his pleasure. When Trump attempted to put the sword to the payroll tax, however, they located some enlightened self-interest at long last.
Most Senate Republicans are interested in keeping the nation’s purse strings firmly in the hands of Congress, and there isn’t a single Republican senator who thinks it’s a good idea to eviscerate Social Security less than three months before a national election. Trump may as well have announced an executive order renaming all the avenues in the U.S. “Bigly Way,” and mandate that each of them come with a fat orange stripe down the middle of the road. He can sign it, but the ink is worth more than the order.
By Sunday, the outraged screams of Democrats and the mewling of petrified Republicans had managed to penetrate the steel-reinforced thought bubble encasing the White House. “White House advisors on Sunday walked back President Trump’s statement that he would make ‘permanent cuts’ to the payroll tax if reelected,” reported Forbes, “insisting that the president would preserve the primary funding source for Social Security, an entitlement program with overwhelming bipartisan support.”
This thing was dead as Dillinger before the word-noises passed Trump’s puckered lips. So why do it? Because a year ago, the White House reportedly reached out to South Dakota’s Republican Gov. Kristi Noem to inquire with a straight face about the process of getting Trump’s likeness carved onto Mt. Rushmore (a claim Trump is now disputing). Because hubris of that density has enough gravity to bend the light, so why not make a run at Social Security in the depths of a pandemic crisis he has resolutely failed to contain. It certainly changed the subject for a few days, which was the whole point of the exercise.
As for the other three orders, well, they’re mostly what you’d expect from a lifelong grifter looking to win some weekend headlines. The $400 emergency unemployment benefit is actually a benefit cut that will adversely affect municipalities all across the country. Trump wants $100 of that $400 to come from CARES Act funding that has already been disbursed to and spent by said municipalities. Sucking $100 per claim back out of that COVID relief money will further harm already overburdened local governments everywhere.
Trump is not “helping people stay in their homes,” as another order claims. “Trump has said many times in recent days he wants to prevent evictions, but his latest executive order does not ban evictions,” reports the Post. “Instead, Trump calls for Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield to ‘consider’ whether an eviction ban is needed.” Consider, eh? That’s mighty landlord of ya, Don. (emphasis added)
Saturday’s press conference and executive order spectacle was nothing more or less than a splash of the amniotic fluid from which Trump first emerged into national politics: an episode of reality TV.
The fourth executive order Trump signed does have a drop of human kindness in it, but only temporarily. The order waives interest on all federal government-backed student loans and lets people delay payments on those loans until Dec. 31. This will certainly be helpful. However, all principal payments owed will be due on that final day of the year, full payments will begin again on New Year’s Day, and there is little promise the financial situation will have improved by then. Plus, legally speaking, no one is quite sure if Trump has the power to do this in the first place.
Larry Kudlow, Trump’s director of the National Economic Council and guy who formerly screamed about the stock market on television for a living, went on CNN with Dana Bash to “explain” how these executive orders are the heroic measures America needs in this hour of deepest need… except he couldn’t explain it, like, at all, and Bash basically had to limp him through the interview. “Okay, we’ll move on because I think this is not what the president said and it’s a bit confusing,” said Bash, “and I think the fact that it’s not entirely known is very telling.”
Actually, it is not confusing at all. Trump has a long track record of unfurling legally laughable nonsense orders whenever the political heat is on, and right now, that heat could melt the sun. This weekend eruption of orders is more sleight of hand from a president whose COVID response has contributed to the deaths of tens of thousands of people, in a country that is facing tens of thousands of additional deaths as winter inexorably approaches. Meanwhile, schools are recklessly reopening at his urging, and his own supporters steadfastly refuse to listen to those they dismiss as egghead scientists from the “deep state” about the lethal severity of COVID-19.
Put plainly, Saturday’s press conference and executive order spectacle was nothing more or less than a splash of the amniotic fluid from which Trump first emerged into national politics: an episode of reality TV. The papers took the headline bait over the weekend. Don’t be those guys.
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--2020-08-10--Trump Executive Action on Unemployment Insurance Deliberately Leaves Out Poorest

On top of serious questions about the directive ’ s legality and workability , experts are warning that President Donald Trump ’ s executive action to extend the federal unemployment insurance boost at $ 400 per week — using $ 44 billion in funds meant for disaster relief — leaves out the poorest Americans by design .
The language of Trump ’ s unemployment memorandum issued over the weekend defines “ eligible claimants ” as those receiving “ at least $ 100 per week ” in state unemployment benefits — meaning that laid-off workers currently receiving less than $ 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a dollar in federal relief unless states agree to increase their benefits .
Even if state governments sign onto the program , the jobless benefits might be out of reach for Americans in greatest need : Only out-of-work Americans receiving more than $ 100 a week in state unemployment insurance are eligible for the federal aid .
That means those at the bottom of the income distribution — particularly workers who rely on tips and the self-employed — could see no additional federal benefit at all , said Andy Stettner , an unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Post Jeff Stein noted that one estimate suggests Trump ’ s unilateral unemployment insurance boost “ will block payments from going to 10-15 % [ of the ] lowest-earning UI recipients.
” Jason Bailey , executive director of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy , tweeted that “ this plan is asking laid-off [ Kentucky ] workers to somehow live on as little as $ 39 a week.
” Trump ’ s directive calls for a $ 400-per-week boost — a significant cut to the previous $ 600 level — to what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits .
But , as analysts hastened to point out , Trump ’ s plan would require states to kick in 25 % — $ 100 — of the $ 400 total , a difficult task for states reeling from massive budget shortfalls and administrative deficiencies .
“ It ’ s a difficult proposition for states to implement in a short period of time , ” Stettner told USA Today .
“ States had already struggled to get unemployment money in the hands of out-of-work Americans .
This will disappoint workers .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 400 next week , but they ’ re not.
” In a statement on Saturday , National Employment Law Project executive director Rebecca Dixon said “ states that have the most sophisticated systems may be able to stand up this program eventually , but those states that have been faltering due to decades of neglect or outright sabotage will be less likely to see any of this money.
” “ This is not a serious approach to solving a very serious problem , ” Dixon said of the president ’ s executive action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get back to real negotiations with Congress on a comprehensive and operable approach that will ensure people have the resources they need to survive for the duration of this crisis .
”

The plan would require states to kick in $100 of the $400 total, a difficult task for states reeling from deficits.
On top of serious questions about the directive’s legality and workability, experts are warning that President Donald Trump’s executive action to extend the federal unemployment insurance boost at $400 per week — using $44 billion in funds meant for disaster relief — leaves out the poorest Americans by design.
The language of Trump’s unemployment memorandum issued over the weekend defines “eligible claimants” as those receiving “at least $100 per week” in state unemployment benefits — meaning that laid-off workers currently receiving less than $100 per week in aid will not see a dollar in federal relief unless states agree to increase their benefits.
As the Washington Post reported late Sunday:
Even if state governments sign onto the program, the jobless benefits might be out of reach for Americans in greatest need: Only out-of-work Americans receiving more than $100 a week in state unemployment insurance are eligible for the federal aid. That means those at the bottom of the income distribution — particularly workers who rely on tips and the self-employed — could see no additional federal benefit at all, said Andy Stettner, an unemployment insurance expert at the Century Foundation. Related Story Op-Ed | Politics & Elections Congressional Republicans Use COVID Relief as a Pawn in Fight for Power The long consequences of hate, fear and greed have come to a head here in the United States. Truthout
The Post Jeff Stein noted that one estimate suggests Trump’s unilateral unemployment insurance boost “will block payments from going to 10-15% [of the] lowest-earning UI recipients.”
Jason Bailey, executive director of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, tweeted that “this plan is asking laid-off [Kentucky] workers to somehow live on as little as $39 a week.”
Trump’s directive calls for a $400-per-week boost — a significant cut to the previous $600 level — to what out-of-work Americans are receiving in state unemployment benefits. But, as analysts hastened to point out, Trump’s plan would require states to kick in 25% — $100 — of the $400 total, a difficult task for states reeling from massive budget shortfalls and administrative deficiencies.
“It’s a difficult proposition for states to implement in a short period of time,” Stettner told USA Today. “States had already struggled to get unemployment money in the hands of out-of-work Americans. This will disappoint workers. They think they’ll get that $400 next week, but they’re not.”
Literally every new detail about these executive orders confirms that in addition to being wildly unconstitutional they will do absolutely nothing to help anyone who’s suffering. This is what happens when the President cares about posturing for an election but not about people. https://t.co/o0xWXvhwZE — Leah Greenberg (@Leahgreenb) August 9, 2020
In a statement on Saturday, National Employment Law Project executive director Rebecca Dixon said “states that have the most sophisticated systems may be able to stand up this program eventually, but those states that have been faltering due to decades of neglect or outright sabotage will be less likely to see any of this money.”
“This is not a serious approach to solving a very serious problem,” Dixon said of the president’s executive action. “We urge the administration to get back to real negotiations with Congress on a comprehensive and operable approach that will ensure people have the resources they need to survive for the duration of this 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.
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--2020-08-10--Trump Thinks It’s a “Good Idea” to Add His Own Face to Mount Rushmore

In a tweet on Monday morning , President Donald Trump denied reports that he had ever suggested his likeness should be included alongside the four other presidents depicted on Mount Rushmore , but also said the idea was appealing to him .
A report from The New York Times this past weekend detailed several conversations between Trump and Gov .
Kristi Noem ( R-South Dakota ) about Mount Rushmore over the past few years , including one in which the president described his “ dream ” to be on the monument .
“ He said , ‘ Kristi , come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ’ and so I shook his hand , ” Noem recounted .
“ And I said , ‘ Mr .
President , you should come to South Dakota sometime .
We have Mount Rushmore.
’ And he goes , ‘ Do you know it ’ s my dream to have my face on Mount Rushmore ?
’ ” “ I started laughing .
He wasn ’ t laughing , so he was totally serious , ” Noem added .
Mount Rushmore sits on Indigenous lands that were stolen by the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the Times ’ s reporting , when Trump traveled to Mount Rushmore for July 4 celebrations , Noem greeted him in a private setting with an unusual presentation : a four-foot tall replica carving of the monument with his likeness included on it , according to a source with knowledge of the interaction .
The Times also reported that the White House had reached out to Noem about the possibility of adding Trump ’ s likeness to the mountain last year .
According to the National Parks Service , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fifth face to the monument .
On Monday , Trump denied suggesting he should be on Mount Rushmore , but didn ’ t object to the idea .
“ Never suggested it although , based on all of the many things accomplished during the first 3 1/2 years , perhaps more than any other Presidency , sounds like a good idea to me !
” he wrote in a tweet .
However , in a campaign event in 2017 , he told a crowd in Ohio that he wouldn ’ t ask them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will someday be on Mount Rushmore ” because the media would have criticized him for such remarks .
Many Indigenous groups and leaders spoke out this year when Trump made the trip to Mount Rushmore .
“ The lands on which that mountain is carved and the lands he ’ s about to visit belong to the Great Sioux nation under a treaty signed in 1851 and the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 and I have to tell [ Trump ] he doesn ’ t have permission from its original sovereign owners to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Julian Bear Runner , president of the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council , said at the time .
“ President Trump ’ s Fourth of July visit to Mt .
Rushmore is a continuation of Indigenous resilience and history being erased from national dialogues , ” The Indigenous Environmental Network said in a statement prior to Trump ’ s arrival .
“ This spectacle is nothing more than a reminder that settler colonialism is alive and well.
” And while some Americans view Mount Rushmore as an inspirational monument , the Lakota “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lied , cheated , and murdered innocent people whose only crime was living on the land they [ U.S. presidents ] wanted to steal , ” Chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Nation Harold Frazier said .
Two separate treaties in the mid-1800s designated the area where Mount Rushmore is located as a reservation for the Sioux people , but after gold was discovered in the Black Hills , the federal government forced them to relinquish parts of the territory .
In 1980 , the United States Supreme Court ruled that the seizure @ @ @ @ @ @

The Supreme Court ruled that the land where the monument sits was illegally taken from Indigenous people in the 1800s.
In a tweet on Monday morning, President Donald Trump denied reports that he had ever suggested his likeness should be included alongside the four other presidents depicted on Mount Rushmore, but also said the idea was appealing to him.
A report from The New York Times this past weekend detailed several conversations between Trump and Gov. Kristi Noem (R-South Dakota) about Mount Rushmore over the past few years, including one in which the president described his “dream” to be on the monument.
“He said, ‘Kristi, come on over here. Shake my hand,’ and so I shook his hand,” Noem recounted. “And I said, ‘Mr. President, you should come to South Dakota sometime. We have Mount Rushmore.’ And he goes, ‘Do you know it’s my dream to have my face on Mount Rushmore?’”
“I started laughing. He wasn’t laughing, so he was totally serious,” Noem added.
Mount Rushmore sits on Indigenous lands that were stolen by the United States government.
In July of this year, according to the Times’s reporting, when Trump traveled to Mount Rushmore for July 4 celebrations, Noem greeted him in a private setting with an unusual presentation: a four-foot tall replica carving of the monument with his likeness included on it, according to a source with knowledge of the interaction.
The Times also reported that the White House had reached out to Noem about the possibility of adding Trump’s likeness to the mountain last year. According to the National Parks Service, there is no secure way to add a fifth face to the monument.
On Monday, Trump denied suggesting he should be on Mount Rushmore, but didn’t object to the idea.
“Never suggested it although, based on all of the many things accomplished during the first 3 1/2 years, perhaps more than any other Presidency, sounds like a good idea to me!” he wrote in a tweet.
However, in a campaign event in 2017, he told a crowd in Ohio that he wouldn’t ask them “whether or not you think I will someday be on Mount Rushmore” because the media would have criticized him for such remarks.
Many Indigenous groups and leaders spoke out this year when Trump made the trip to Mount Rushmore.
“The lands on which that mountain is carved and the lands he’s about to visit belong to the Great Sioux nation under a treaty signed in 1851 and the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 and I have to tell [Trump] he doesn’t have permission from its original sovereign owners to enter the territory at this time,” Julian Bear Runner, president of the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council, said at the time.
“President Trump’s Fourth of July visit to Mt. Rushmore is a continuation of Indigenous resilience and history being erased from national dialogues,” The Indigenous Environmental Network said in a statement prior to Trump’s arrival. “This spectacle is nothing more than a reminder that settler colonialism is alive and well.”
And while some Americans view Mount Rushmore as an inspirational monument, the Lakota “see the faces of the men who lied, cheated, and murdered innocent people whose only crime was living on the land they [U.S. presidents] wanted to steal,” Chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Nation Harold Frazier said.
Two separate treaties in the mid-1800s designated the area where Mount Rushmore is located as a reservation for the Sioux people, but after gold was discovered in the Black Hills, the federal government forced them to relinquish parts of the territory. In 1980, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the seizure of the land was illegal.
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--2020-08-10--Climate Activists Push Biden to Cut Ties With Industry-Friendly Energy Advisers

With President Trump ’ s poll numbers sinking , he is increasingly turning to the fossil fuel industry for support .
Rallying oil patch workers and executives during a stop at a fracking rig in West Texas ’ s Permian Basin in late July , the president stood in front of stacked oil drums and declared “ victory ” over spring ’ s historic crash in oil prices that continues to throttle most of the U.S. oil and gas industry .
Reeling after more than 100,000 job losses since February and an overall decline in demand , fossil fuel executives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 936,000 into Trump ’ s reelection bid in hopes of keeping a staunch ally in the White House .
Oil prices have rebounded to around $ 40 a barrel , still below what many drillers need to break even , after dipping below negative for the first time in April .
The second quarter proved one of the worst on record for the oil industry .
The U.S. ’ s two largest oil giants , Exxon and Chevron , lost $ 1.1 billion and $ 8.27 billion , respectively .
“ We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magnitude and pace before , even relative to the historic periods of demand volatility following the global financial crisis and as far back as the 1970s oil and energy crisis , ” Exxon Senior Vice President Neil Chapman told investors recently .
In Midland , Texas , Trump sought to contrast his support for the flailing oil and gas industry with presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden ’ s increasingly ambitious climate plan .
Biden , however , has stopped short of calling for a fracking ban , even as a weakened industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of workers rather than cut into shareholder profits .
His plan would only ban fracking on public lands .
While Biden has refused to endorse a Green New Deal , he has championed several far-reaching Sanders-Biden unity task force recommendations on climate .
Biden ’ s $ 2 trillion climate plan calls for 100 percent clean electricity , or net-zero emissions , by 2035 and sweeping infrastructure upgrades that would create millions of new jobs .
It also includes a commitment to invest 40 percent of the clean energy money in historically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Biden is largely pitching his clean energy agenda , the second plank of his economic recovery plan , as an economic stimulus that will help clean up the environment .
It includes putting people to work plugging thousands of abandoned oil and gas wells .
His original plan called for spending $ 1.7 trillion over 10 years and hoped to achieve net-zero emissions before 2050 .
His new proposal drastically accelerates the timeline and investment , and has won over many Sanders-wing progressives and environmentalists .
The plan has come far enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden ’ s previous proposal an “ F , ” has now agreed to campaign for him .
Just as progressives helped shape Biden ’ s climate plan , they have also won on key climate proposals in the party ’ s larger policy platform , a draft of which was released last month and is largely in line with Biden ’ s climate policy goals .
RL Miller , chair of the California Democratic Party ’ s environmental caucus and a member-elect to the Democratic National Committee ( DNC ) on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , told Truthout she pushed several key climate-related amendments to the platform , including a commitment to limit planetary warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius , in line with scientific guidance .
Another amendment she pushed would have added an end date for the production and sale of gasoline-powered cars but failed .
While Biden ’ s plan does not commit to getting the country off fossil fuels along the timeline the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) recommends , the fact that Biden and the DNC were “ willing to put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he ’ s absolutely on the right path , ” Miller says .
As she waits for the formal platform to come down and the convention to be gaveled , she is turning her focus to Biden ’ s informal climate advisory group .
Joining with progressive think tanks Data for Progress and the Revolving Door Project , Miller is helping pressure Biden to distance himself from Obama-era climate moderates now informally advising him , such as former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Heather Zichal , Obama ’ s environment aide .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on fossil fuel-linked corporate boards .
The groups are assembling dossiers critical of several Biden advisers and are looking toward a letter-writing and petition-driven campaign to ratchet up pressure in the run-up to the Democratic convention next week .
The activists say Biden ’ s reliance on Obama ’ s energy officials is already limiting the scope of his climate agenda .
Even the Biden-Sanders unity task force report , they point out , leaves open possibilities for supporting fracked gas ventures .
Climate activists are floating a number of choices as potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
Jay Inslee for Interior secretary and California Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols for Environmental Protection Agency administrator .
“ We must work to get in climate hawks who understand that every fossil fuel permitting decision is a potential step away from 1.5 degrees , ” Miller told Truthout .
Moniz , who serves on the board of Southern Co. , has become a major concern for environmentalists .
With the backing of the AFL-CIO , Moniz ’ s nonprofit , the Energy Futures Initiative , launched an “ all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 50th anniversary of Earth Day called the Labor Energy Partnership .
The alliance supports increased fracking , carbon capture technologies , and a number of the ventures that line up with Moniz ’ s personal financial investments .
Miller calls the Labor Energy Partnership “ one of the worst policy proposals to ever come out of the Democratic Party , ” arguing that it would lock in fossil fuel infrastructure “ for eternity.
” She would rather see a stronger linkage of the U.S. climate and labor movements that focused and committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s one thing that Biden could potentially get right — as long as he stays away from Moniz .
“ As a Democrat , I do appreciate that he ’ s putting a focus on labor .
He wants to unionize the renewable energy industry , which honestly , I think needs to be done , ” she says , but Biden ’ s reticence to target the industry more aggressively is “ disappointing ” and an area where progressives “ simply need to work hard ” in a potential Biden administration .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ but also strengthened and updated to match today ’ s science , Miller adds .
“ A lot of the Obama-era regulations were well-intentioned and may have been based on the cutting-edge science of 2012 , but the science has changed , ” Miller says .
“ The science tells us that we have to go faster.
” In order to meet the timeline the IPCC recommends , it ’ s not enough only to focus on transitioning to a clean energy economy ; it ’ s also necessary to drive down fossil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , global oil and gas production needs to fall 37 percent and 25 percent respectively this decade to avert planetary warming of more than 1.5 degrees Celsius .
But Biden ’ s climate plan avoids that part of the equation entirely .
To make matters worse , his plan is now garnering support from the very same oil and gas industry that needs to be ramped down to ensure a stable climate future and that is working desperately to fill Trump campaign coffers ahead of November .
“ There is a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Matt Gallagher , president of Parsley Energy , a West Texas oil producer , recently told The New York Times , of Biden ’ s climate plan .
The industry has praised the plan for its proposed investments in carbon capture and sequestration , which prevents greenhouse gas emissions from reaching the atmosphere , allowing industry to continue extracting and burning fossil fuels in perpetuity .
Part of the reason Biden is sidestepping the industry has a lot to do with the politics of his home state of Pennsylvania — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump and a state where even the weakened fracking industry still holds huge sway .
Megan McDonough , Pennsylvania organizing manager with Food and Water Watch , tells Truthout that targeting fracking , even in Pennsylvania , is not a big political risk as Biden ’ s campaign team thinks it is .
Moreover , the industry is running campaign ads painting Biden as supporting a fracking ban in any case , so the distinction may not ultimately matter .
According to a CBS poll released Sunday , Biden is leading in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also found that public support for fracking is waning , with 52 percent of respondents saying they oppose fracking and 48 percent supporting it .
Moreover , Biden has misstated his own position of the issue , saying in one debate that he would allow “ no new fracking , ” which his campaign later clarified as a position limited to public lands .
The Trump campaign has taken advantage of the slip to characterize Biden as calling for a full-fledged fracking ban .
The pro-Trump super PAC America First Action has spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ads slamming Biden on fracking in Pennsylvania .
“ Biden ’ s plan tiptoes around fracking and really falls short for the same reason that a lot of others do : that false narrative that opposition to fracking is a bad political stance to take in Pennsylvania .
Unfortunately that narrative exists simply because the truth isn ’ t being told , ” McDonough says .
“ This narrative has really nothing to do with what the people of Pennsylvania want ; it has everything to do with money.
” McDonough points to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent primary win over Rose Danese in the 155th Legislative District for the state House of Representatives .
Otten ran on a platform of combating an expansion of the Sunoco Mariner East pipeline , which carries fracked gas from the state ’ s vast Marcellus and Utica shale formations .
Friel Otten won her primary despite an industry-backed dark money infusion of at least $ 517,000 worth of attack ads against her and another candidate opposed to the pipeline .
Still , even as the industry remains weakened amid the global pandemic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former government officials in the state are pursuing new fracking ventures .
Former Pennsylvania Gov .
Tom Corbett is drawing fire after joining the board of the East Resources Acquisition Company , headed up by the billionaire owners of the Buffalo Bills and Sabres football and hockey franchises .
Pennsylvania Democrats insist that Biden must continue to walk a tightrope in the state to avoid alienating thousands of blue-collar oil and gas workers in dozens of both red and blue districts .
The industry supplies an estimated 26,000 jobs in the state , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs , though , have been in decline amid the industry ’ s pandemic-induced instability .
Production in the Marcellus shale has taken a hit .
Pennsylvania ’ s rotary rig count fell to 20 from 37 at this time last year , according to the oil field service company Baker Hughes .
That ’ s why , McDonough says , Biden should be campaigning on transitioning oil and gas jobs to clean energy jobs .
“ The fracking industry is in serious trouble .
They ’ ve been producing too much gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Street has been shoveling money to them .
Unfortunately , Pennsylvania lawmakers … are really now answering that back with throwing them a lifeline with some of these recent decisions to hand out multimillion-dollar tax breaks , but I don ’ t think it ’ s something that ’ s going to save this industry.
” As Truthout contributor Alexis Goldstein notes , the industry itself has been recklessly eliminating oil and gas jobs while pushing out money to executives just before companies file for bankruptcy .
Exxon chose to lay off workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which it has raised 37 years in a row .
The industry is also making those jobs more precarious as prices plunge and the pandemic drags on : Oil companies have lobbied Congress to shield them from liability for workers who get sick due to unsafe conditions and are refusing to continue matching workers ’ contributions to their retirement savings plans .
The industry is sacrificing its workers ’ jobs and safety even as the Federal Reserve leverages $ 75 billion in public money provided by the CARES Act to allow them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corporate bonds .
“ I think it ’ s the perfect time to see this industry for what it really is , ” McDonough says .

With President Trump’s poll numbers sinking, he is increasingly turning to the fossil fuel industry for support. Rallying oil patch workers and executives during a stop at a fracking rig in West Texas’s Permian Basin in late July, the president stood in front of stacked oil drums and declared “victory” over spring’s historic crash in oil prices that continues to throttle most of the U.S. oil and gas industry.
Reeling after more than 100,000 job losses since February and an overall decline in demand, fossil fuel executives and lobbyists have poured more than $936,000 into Trump’s reelection bid in hopes of keeping a staunch ally in the White House. Oil prices have rebounded to around $40 a barrel, still below what many drillers need to break even, after dipping below negative for the first time in April.
The second quarter proved one of the worst on record for the oil industry. The U.S.’s two largest oil giants, Exxon and Chevron, lost $1.1 billion and $8.27 billion, respectively. “We’ve never seen a decline of this magnitude and pace before, even relative to the historic periods of demand volatility following the global financial crisis and as far back as the 1970s oil and energy crisis,” Exxon Senior Vice President Neil Chapman told investors recently.
In Midland, Texas, Trump sought to contrast his support for the flailing oil and gas industry with presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s increasingly ambitious climate plan. Biden, however, has stopped short of calling for a fracking ban, even as a weakened industry lines executives’ pockets and lays off hundreds of workers rather than cut into shareholder profits. His plan would only ban fracking on public lands.
While Biden has refused to endorse a Green New Deal, he has championed several far-reaching Sanders-Biden unity task force recommendations on climate. Biden’s $2 trillion climate plan calls for 100 percent clean electricity, or net-zero emissions, by 2035 and sweeping infrastructure upgrades that would create millions of new jobs. It also includes a commitment to invest 40 percent of the clean energy money in historically disadvantaged and disproportionately polluted communities of color.
Biden is largely pitching his clean energy agenda, the second plank of his economic recovery plan, as an economic stimulus that will help clean up the environment. It includes putting people to work plugging thousands of abandoned oil and gas wells.
“We must work to get in climate hawks who understand that every fossil fuel permitting decision is a potential step away from 1.5 degrees.”
His original plan called for spending $1.7 trillion over 10 years and hoped to achieve net-zero emissions before 2050. His new proposal drastically accelerates the timeline and investment, and has won over many Sanders-wing progressives and environmentalists. The plan has come far enough that the Sunrise Movement, after giving Biden’s previous proposal an “F,” has now agreed to campaign for him.
Just as progressives helped shape Biden’s climate plan, they have also won on key climate proposals in the party’s larger policy platform, a draft of which was released last month and is largely in line with Biden’s climate policy goals.
Climate Activists Push Biden Left
RL Miller, chair of the California Democratic Party’s environmental caucus and a member-elect to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) on the advisory committee of the DNC climate council, told Truthout she pushed several key climate-related amendments to the platform, including a commitment to limit planetary warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, in line with scientific guidance. Another amendment she pushed would have added an end date for the production and sale of gasoline-powered cars but failed.
While Biden’s plan does not commit to getting the country off fossil fuels along the timeline the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommends, the fact that Biden and the DNC were “willing to put 1.5 degrees in the platform tells me that he’s absolutely on the right path,” Miller says.
“As a Democrat, I do appreciate that he’s putting a focus on labor. He wants to unionize the renewable energy industry.”
As she waits for the formal platform to come down and the convention to be gaveled, she is turning her focus to Biden’s informal climate advisory group. Joining with progressive think tanks Data for Progress and the Revolving Door Project, Miller is helping pressure Biden to distance himself from Obama-era climate moderates now informally advising him, such as former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Heather Zichal, Obama’s environment aide. Since leaving government, both have served on fossil fuel-linked corporate boards.
The groups are assembling dossiers critical of several Biden advisers and are looking toward a letter-writing and petition-driven campaign to ratchet up pressure in the run-up to the Democratic convention next week. The activists say Biden’s reliance on Obama’s energy officials is already limiting the scope of his climate agenda. Even the Biden-Sanders unity task force report, they point out, leaves open possibilities for supporting fracked gas ventures.
Climate activists are floating a number of choices as potential cabinet picks, including names like Washington Gov. Jay Inslee for Interior secretary and California Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols for Environmental Protection Agency administrator. “We must work to get in climate hawks who understand that every fossil fuel permitting decision is a potential step away from 1.5 degrees,” Miller told Truthout.
Moniz, who serves on the board of Southern Co., has become a major concern for environmentalists. With the backing of the AFL-CIO, Moniz’s nonprofit, the Energy Futures Initiative, launched an “all of the above” style climate initiative on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day called the Labor Energy Partnership. The alliance supports increased fracking, carbon capture technologies, and a number of the ventures that line up with Moniz’s personal financial investments.
Miller calls the Labor Energy Partnership “one of the worst policy proposals to ever come out of the Democratic Party,” arguing that it would lock in fossil fuel infrastructure “for eternity.” She would rather see a stronger linkage of the U.S. climate and labor movements that focused and committed to decarbonizing the economy. That’s one thing that Biden could potentially get right — as long as he stays away from Moniz.
“A lot of the Obama-era regulations were well-intentioned and may have been based on the cutting-edge science of 2012, but the science has changed.”
“As a Democrat, I do appreciate that he’s putting a focus on labor. He wants to unionize the renewable energy industry, which honestly, I think needs to be done,” she says, but Biden’s reticence to target the industry more aggressively is “disappointing” and an area where progressives “simply need to work hard” in a potential Biden administration. Rolled-back regulations must be not only reinstated but also strengthened and updated to match today’s science, Miller adds.
“A lot of the Obama-era regulations were well-intentioned and may have been based on the cutting-edge science of 2012, but the science has changed,” Miller says. “The science tells us that we have to go faster.”
In order to meet the timeline the IPCC recommends, it’s not enough only to focus on transitioning to a clean energy economy; it’s also necessary to drive down fossil fuel extraction and production. In fact, global oil and gas production needs to fall 37 percent and 25 percent respectively this decade to avert planetary warming of more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.
But Biden’s climate plan avoids that part of the equation entirely. To make matters worse, his plan is now garnering support from the very same oil and gas industry that needs to be ramped down to ensure a stable climate future and that is working desperately to fill Trump campaign coffers ahead of November.
“There is a lot of room in there for oil and gas,” Matt Gallagher, president of Parsley Energy, a West Texas oil producer, recently told The New York Times, of Biden’s climate plan. The industry has praised the plan for its proposed investments in carbon capture and sequestration, which prevents greenhouse gas emissions from reaching the atmosphere, allowing industry to continue extracting and burning fossil fuels in perpetuity.
Part of the reason Biden is sidestepping the industry has a lot to do with the politics of his home state of Pennsylvania — a swing state Biden must win to defeat President Trump and a state where even the weakened fracking industry still holds huge sway.
Fossil-Fueled Politics in Pennsylvania
Megan McDonough, Pennsylvania organizing manager with Food and Water Watch, tells Truthout that targeting fracking, even in Pennsylvania, is not a big political risk as Biden’s campaign team thinks it is. Moreover, the industry is running campaign ads painting Biden as supporting a fracking ban in any case, so the distinction may not ultimately matter.
According to a CBS poll released Sunday, Biden is leading in Pennsylvania by six points. The poll also found that public support for fracking is waning, with 52 percent of respondents saying they oppose fracking and 48 percent supporting it.
Moreover, Biden has misstated his own position of the issue, saying in one debate that he would allow “no new fracking,” which his campaign later clarified as a position limited to public lands. The Trump campaign has taken advantage of the slip to characterize Biden as calling for a full-fledged fracking ban. The pro-Trump super PAC America First Action has spent more than $1.2 million on attack ads slamming Biden on fracking in Pennsylvania.
“Biden’s plan tiptoes around fracking and really falls short for the same reason that a lot of others do: that false narrative that opposition to fracking is a bad political stance to take in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately that narrative exists simply because the truth isn’t being told,” McDonough says. “This narrative has really nothing to do with what the people of Pennsylvania want; it has everything to do with money.”
“Biden’s plan tiptoes around fracking and really falls short for the same reason that a lot of others do: that false narrative that opposition to fracking is a bad political stance to take in Pennsylvania.”
McDonough points to State Rep. Danielle Friel Otten’s recent primary win over Rose Danese in the 155th Legislative District for the state House of Representatives. Otten ran on a platform of combating an expansion of the Sunoco Mariner East pipeline, which carries fracked gas from the state’s vast Marcellus and Utica shale formations. Friel Otten won her primary despite an industry-backed dark money infusion of at least $517,000 worth of attack ads against her and another candidate opposed to the pipeline.
Still, even as the industry remains weakened amid the global pandemic and subsequent oil crash, billionaire investors and former government officials in the state are pursuing new fracking ventures. Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett is drawing fire after joining the board of the East Resources Acquisition Company, headed up by the billionaire owners of the Buffalo Bills and Sabres football and hockey franchises.
Pennsylvania Democrats insist that Biden must continue to walk a tightrope in the state to avoid alienating thousands of blue-collar oil and gas workers in dozens of both red and blue districts. The industry supplies an estimated 26,000 jobs in the state, according to Politico.
McDonough says those jobs, though, have been in decline amid the industry’s pandemic-induced instability. Production in the Marcellus shale has taken a hit. Pennsylvania’s rotary rig count fell to 20 from 37 at this time last year, according to the oil field service company Baker Hughes. That’s why, McDonough says, Biden should be campaigning on transitioning oil and gas jobs to clean energy jobs.
“The fracking industry is in serious trouble. They’ve been producing too much gas to turn a profit, and Wall Street has been shoveling money to them. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania lawmakers … are really now answering that back with throwing them a lifeline with some of these recent decisions to hand out multimillion-dollar tax breaks, but I don’t think it’s something that’s going to save this industry.”
I think it’s the perfect time to see this industry for what it really is.”
As Truthout contributor Alexis Goldstein notes, the industry itself has been recklessly eliminating oil and gas jobs while pushing out money to executives just before companies file for bankruptcy. Exxon chose to lay off workers rather than cut its shareholder dividend, which it has raised 37 years in a row.
The industry is also making those jobs more precarious as prices plunge and the pandemic drags on: Oil companies have lobbied Congress to shield them from liability for workers who get sick due to unsafe conditions and are refusing to continue matching workers’ contributions to their retirement savings plans. The industry is sacrificing its workers’ jobs and safety even as the Federal Reserve leverages $75 billion in public money provided by the CARES Act to allow them to purchase up to $750 million in corporate bonds.
“I think it’s the perfect time to see this industry for what it really is,” McDonough says.
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truthout--2020-08-10--Lebanese Government Faces Collapse Amid Protests Over Blast, Economic Crisis

The Lebanese government may be on the verge of collapse amid protests over the massive port explosion that devastated much of Beirut and killed at least 200 people and injured thousands .
At least four ministers and nine members of Parliament have resigned .
“ The dominoes are falling , ” says Dion Nissenbaum , a Beirut-based reporter for The Wall Street Journal , who led an investigation into the official neglect that preceded last week ’ s explosion , and says it has intensified public outrage over long-standing government dysfunction , calling it “ the straw that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : Multiple sources are reporting the Lebanese government is on the brink of collapse amidst protests over last week ’ s massive explosion that devastated much of Beirut and killed at least 200 people , injuring thousands .
Dozens are still missing , many of them foreign workers .
The explosion was triggered by 2,700 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate left unattended in a warehouse at the port for over six years .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nine members of Parliament have resigned , including the justice minister , the information minister and the environment minister .
The prime minister , Hassan Diab , said Saturday the only solution is to hold early elections .
As we broadcast , some outlets are reporting Diab will soon submit his resignation .
Protesters have also called for a rally to demand the ouster of President Michel Aoun .
Al Jazeera reports a Lebanese judge has begun questioning the heads of the country ’ s security agencies about the explosion .
This comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government institutions and clashed with security forces over the weekend and put up symbolic nooses at Beirut ’ s Martyrs ’ Square to hang politicians whose corruption and negligence , they say , is responsible for the blast , as well as Lebanon ’ s deep economic crisis .
AMY GOODMAN : International leaders have pledged at least $ 300 million in humanitarian assistance that will be , quote , “ directly delivered to the Lebanese population.
” In a minute , we ’ ll be joined by Wall Street Journal reporter Dion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He went to the blast site on Saturday a few hours before the protests broke out , and filmed journalists there as they questioned the prime minister .
For more , we are joined in Beirut , Lebanon , by Wall Street Journal reporter Dion Nissenbaum , who co-wrote their investigation headlined “ Behind the Beirut Explosion : Seven Years of Official Neglect.
” Dion ’ s 4-year-old daughter Iman was injured in the blast .
We spoke last week to his wife , Dr. Seema Jilani , the day after the blast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
As we speak , is it true that Lebanon ’ s government is falling ?
DION NISSENBAUM : It ’ s true .
In between the time that you started your news broadcast and now , a fourth minister , the finance minister , has announced his resignation .
So , dominoes are falling .
It does seem like the prime minister is reluctant to step aside , but if enough Cabinet ministers resign , it will effectively become a caretaker government one way or another .
AMY GOODMAN : Explain what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests .
Talking about a hard-hit population , I mean , already dealing with the pandemic — you see all these masked protesters in the streets — and then , last week on Tuesday , this massive explosion that rocked and leveled a part of the capital city , Beirut , killing — now the number is what ?
Two hundred .
Over 5,000 people are injured .
DION NISSENBAUM : Yeah .
You know , one thing to remember about this government is that this is meant to be a technocratic government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s very joyful and peaceful anti-corruption protests that brought down the former prime minister , Saad Hariri .
So this was a government that was meant to step in and fix the problems , and not be too tied the politicians that have run this country for decades .
And there was wariness when they started , that they really weren ’ t going to be able to do that .
And as you just laid out all of the problems , there ’ s hyperinflation .
The currency has collapsed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The power outages here are up to 22 hours a day .
This was all before the explosion .
And then this incredible tragedy happens on this beautiful city , and people at first think , you know , it must be Israel , it must be part of a war .
And when people find out that it appears to be the result of government negligence — we still , of course , have to find out what the trigger was for this , but the fact that they stored all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for years , knowing that it was a powder keg , it ’ s just basically been the straw that ’ s broken the camel ’ s back here , and people now have absolutely no faith in this government .
They ’ re out in the streets .
People are disillusioned , disenchanted , and , you know , they ’ re going to look for some sort of change again .
AMY GOODMAN : Dion , you tracked where this ship came from .
Just tell us , very quickly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and what you saw in the streets , what people are calling for , what happened in 2013 .
Talk about this ship that came through and why it ended up with this massive amount of ammonium nitrate .
I mean , just two tons of it took down the Oklahoma City building , killing almost 170 people , years ago .
This is 2,700 tons of it .
DION NISSENBAUM : Yeah .
You know , there ’ s a lot of questions we don ’ t have answered about this ship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — it came from Georgia .
It was supposed to be going to Mozambique .
Those were the letters .
It stopped off in Beirut .
And — AMY GOODMAN : This is Georgia , the old Soviet bloc country .
DION NISSENBAUM : Yes , yes .
Not — DION NISSENBAUM : Yes , yes , of course .
And it stopped off in Lebanon .
There was a series of bureaucratic and financial issues that came up .
It was here to try and load on some more cargo to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And then it was deemed too dangerous to travel with the weight .
And then it basically was held at the port , and the crew was held on board , and they were saying , “ We ’ re sitting on top of a powder keg.
” And then it became mired in this bureaucratic travails for years .
It was eventually offloaded to warehouses .
The ship itself sank .
AMY GOODMAN : So , the workers were held on this ship for what ?
Like 11 months , before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they , themselves , said they ’ re sitting on a powder keg ?
DION NISSENBAUM : That ’ s right .
They were putting up posters and sending back photographs , saying , “ We ’ ve got to get out of here .
You know , we ’ re sitting on a time bomb , ” essentially .
AMY GOODMAN : And the ship was headed to Mozambique ?
DION NISSENBAUM : You know , these are questions that I will have to tell you we are still searching for answers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said at the time .
We have some reporting from people in Mozambique saying that they had no indications it was supposed to be coming there .
There is an ongoing investigation .
We ’ re doing an investigation .
Journalists from around the world are doing investigations to determine what this — where this was going , why it was there , what purposes people were intending to use for it , why they never got rid of it .
But , you know , there are more questions than answers at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOODMAN : So , they have this volatile substance being held at the Port of Beirut .
How many people knew about it ?
Early on , after Tuesday , they said they arrested some port guards , who were in charge of what ?
I mean , they can ’ t be in charge of protecting it .
DION NISSENBAUM : They ’ ve arrested 19 people , including the people that run the port .
You know , they are going to likely be scapegoats .
You know , the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this for years .
This was not a hidden secret .
The port officials tried repeatedly with the courts to try and auction it off or sell it in some way .
It was caught in this legal tussle for years .
They were apparently going to the wrong court to ask for this , and the court kept saying , “ We ’ re not the people that can approve this.
” But they kept asking the same court over and over again .
So , it ’ s not clear why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that wasn ’ t the right forum to ask for it .
But everybody knew it was there .
And as I said , it ’ s a tragedy of errors that they never moved it , they never acted on it over more than six years , as you said .
AMY GOODMAN : And so , talk about the scene down at this protest — you were there before the protesters gathered — the questioning of the prime minister , and then what the protesters are demanding .
I mean , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ French president , Emmanuel Macron , came and visited Beirut .
Ultimately , the tear gas — the protesters were tear-gassed with French tear gas , is that right ?
DION NISSENBAUM : I don ’ t know about the provenance of the tear gas itself , but certainly there was a lot of anger at the prime minister for not turning out before the president of France — the prime minister of France came .
There is a lot of real anger on the streets .
And the prime minister is seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t know how you ’ re going to have him lead an effective investigation with everything that is happening at this point .
When I was at the blast site , there was no sign of actual investigation going on .
All you had was divers searching for bodies .
All you had was dogs searching for bodies .
They ’ re picking up the grain and the corn , leaving the country devastated , on the verge of a humanitarian disaster .
You know , it ’ s tragedy upon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president of France was the one to come here and go out on the streets and meet the people , before the prime minister of Lebanon , really sort of drove home the point for a lot of people that this is not a government of the people .
AMY GOODMAN : And so , their demands ?
And you were recording as the prime minister of Lebanon was being questioned by reporters .
But the demands of the protesters in the streets ?
And will these protests continue even after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like , falls ?
DION NISSENBAUM : Yeah .
So , what happens when this government falls is it becomes a caretaker until they can put in a new caretaker government , and then you have the negotiations start over who ’ s going to be in the new caretaker government .
And the last time they did this , they ended up with this government , that really didn ’ t have the confidence of the people .
So , there will be continued protests for an effective government .
And you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Washington for the new government to try and distance itself from Hezbollah , the militant and political group here that has significant power and is allied with Iran .
So , you ’ re facing a number of pressures on Lebanon from various points .
You ’ ve got U.S. and France trying to put pressure for their agenda .
You ’ ve got people in the streets looking for some sort of systemic changes to the political sectarian system here and the corruptive system here that ’ s created this layer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s difficult for many of us here to see things getting better in the near term for Lebanon .
AMY GOODMAN : Dion , I wanted to end by asking how Iman is , your 4-year-old daughter .
We spoke with your wife , Dr. Seema Jilani , last week , right after the blast .
You had both just raced her to the hospital .
Talk about what happened to Iman and how she ’ s doing now .
DION NISSENBAUM : Thank you .
Thank you for asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seriously injured of the three of us in the blast .
I tried to shield her with my body as the glass and the wood blasted through our apartment , threw myself on top of her .
We were able to get her down into an ambulance .
And you have the footage of my wife singing lullabies to her in the ambulance as we tried to get to the hospital .
The doctors were doing amazing work in a mass casualty situation .
Hats off to all of the medical professionals here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city .
Iman was able to get out of the hospital after about a day , with lacerations .
She ’ s got wounds over her arm and legs and abdomen .
She ’ s walked out of the hospital .
She limped out on her own two feet .
She ’ s a very brave girl .
And , you know , she ’ s watching a lot of screen time these days as we try and just kind of turn the page .
She said to us over the weekend , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move somewhere where there aren ’ t explosions ?
” AMY GOODMAN : We ’ re showing video right now of her just walking very slowly .
And the hospitals , Dion , I mean , that are so hard hit anyway from the COVID virus — you just got Iman into a hospital before they closed its doors — and now facing thousands and thousands of people injured in this blast ?
DION NISSENBAUM : Yeah , and the coronavirus , of course , is a major issue here .
Several hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a result of the blast , as well .
Some of them did have to shut .
The hospital we were at was hit , and they continue to operate .
The strains on the system here are just mounting .
The doctors and the nurses and the medical teams here do amazing work .
There are aid groups in the streets treating people in tents , suturing people up in the ruins .
So , they really are some of the heroes here .
And if there ’ s a silver lining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , the medical teams and the volunteers that are out in the streets here helping the country rebuild .
AMY GOODMAN : Dion Nissenbaum , I want to thank you for being with us , Beirut-based Wall Street Journal reporter , co-wrote the investigation , “ Behind the Beirut Explosion : Seven Years of Official Neglect.
” His 4-year-old daughter Iman injured in the blast .
Next up , we look at how the new postmaster general , major Trump fundraiser , with massive investments in U.S. post office competitors , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down mail delivery just as President Trump escalates his attacks on mail-in voting .
Stay with us .

The Lebanese government may be on the verge of collapse amid protests over the massive port explosion that devastated much of Beirut and killed at least 200 people and injured thousands. At least four ministers and nine members of Parliament have resigned. “The dominoes are falling,” says Dion Nissenbaum, a Beirut-based reporter for The Wall Street Journal, who led an investigation into the official neglect that preceded last week’s explosion, and says it has intensified public outrage over long-standing government dysfunction, calling it “the straw that’s broken the camel’s back here.”
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: Multiple sources are reporting the Lebanese government is on the brink of collapse amidst protests over last week’s massive explosion that devastated much of Beirut and killed at least 200 people, injuring thousands. Dozens are still missing, many of them foreign workers. The explosion was triggered by 2,700 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate left unattended in a warehouse at the port for over six years.
So far, at least three ministers and nine members of Parliament have resigned, including the justice minister, the information minister and the environment minister. The prime minister, Hassan Diab, said Saturday the only solution is to hold early elections. As we broadcast, some outlets are reporting Diab will soon submit his resignation. Protesters have also called for a rally to demand the ouster of President Michel Aoun. Al Jazeera reports a Lebanese judge has begun questioning the heads of the country’s security agencies about the explosion.
This comes after thousands of protesters in Beirut stormed government institutions and clashed with security forces over the weekend and put up symbolic nooses at Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square to hang politicians whose corruption and negligence, they say, is responsible for the blast, as well as Lebanon’s deep economic crisis.
PROTESTER 1: [translated] Our first reaction after the explosion was that we wanted to clean, to help the people that have been affected. We cleaned the first day, the second day, the third day. And then, that’s it. We wanted to make our voices heard. What happened is not something new; it has been like this for years. This is unacceptable. It has to end. PROTESTER 2: And then, yesterday, as soon as we arrived, they started tear-gassing us. There was sound bombs. There was live bullets. Not what I expected at all from a country who has already lost so much.
AMY GOODMAN: International leaders have pledged at least $300 million in humanitarian assistance that will be, quote, “directly delivered to the Lebanese population.”
In a minute, we’ll be joined by Wall Street Journal reporter Dion Nissenbaum, who is in Beirut. He went to the blast site on Saturday a few hours before the protests broke out, and filmed journalists there as they questioned the prime minister.
EMMA MURPHY: But are you going to go onto the streets today or this weekend and speak to people about the tragedy? PRIME MINISTER HASSAN DIAB: I’m not sure when I’m going on the streets, but I’m part of the people. EMMA MURPHY: Are you afraid of people’s fury? PRIME MINISTER HASSAN DIAB: I’m not afraid of people’s fury, but, of course, I have — EMMA MURPHY: But do they have a right to be furious? PRIME MINISTER HASSAN DIAB: Absolutely, they have the right to be angry and furious, not just because of this. This is absolutely diabolical, what happened. But, however, they are also furious even before that for three decades of unbelievable corruption.
AMY GOODMAN: That’s Lebanon’s Prime Minister Diab, speaking at the blast site.
For more, we are joined in Beirut, Lebanon, by Wall Street Journal reporter Dion Nissenbaum, who co-wrote their investigation headlined “Behind the Beirut Explosion: Seven Years of Official Neglect.” Dion’s 4-year-old daughter Iman was injured in the blast. We spoke last week to his wife, Dr. Seema Jilani, the day after the blast.
Dion, welcome to Democracy Now! As we speak, is it true that Lebanon’s government is falling?
DION NISSENBAUM: It’s true. In between the time that you started your news broadcast and now, a fourth minister, the finance minister, has announced his resignation. So, dominoes are falling. It does seem like the prime minister is reluctant to step aside, but if enough Cabinet ministers resign, it will effectively become a caretaker government one way or another.
AMY GOODMAN: Explain what happened over the weekend, these mass protests. Talking about a hard-hit population, I mean, already dealing with the pandemic — you see all these masked protesters in the streets — and then, last week on Tuesday, this massive explosion that rocked and leveled a part of the capital city, Beirut, killing — now the number is what? Two hundred. Over 5,000 people are injured.
DION NISSENBAUM: Yeah. You know, one thing to remember about this government is that this is meant to be a technocratic government. It was installed after last fall’s very joyful and peaceful anti-corruption protests that brought down the former prime minister, Saad Hariri. So this was a government that was meant to step in and fix the problems, and not be too tied the politicians that have run this country for decades. And there was wariness when they started, that they really weren’t going to be able to do that.
And as you just laid out all of the problems, there’s hyperinflation. The currency has collapsed. People can’t buy basic goods. The power outages here are up to 22 hours a day. This was all before the explosion. And then this incredible tragedy happens on this beautiful city, and people at first think, you know, it must be Israel, it must be part of a war. And when people find out that it appears to be the result of government negligence — we still, of course, have to find out what the trigger was for this, but the fact that they stored all of this ammonium nitrate in this warehouse for years, knowing that it was a powder keg, it’s just basically been the straw that’s broken the camel’s back here, and people now have absolutely no faith in this government. They’re out in the streets. People are disillusioned, disenchanted, and, you know, they’re going to look for some sort of change again.
AMY GOODMAN: Dion, you tracked where this ship came from. Just tell us, very quickly, before we talk about the mass protests and what you saw in the streets, what people are calling for, what happened in 2013. Talk about this ship that came through and why it ended up with this massive amount of ammonium nitrate. I mean, just two tons of it took down the Oklahoma City building, killing almost 170 people, years ago. This is 2,700 tons of it.
DION NISSENBAUM: Yeah. You know, there’s a lot of questions we don’t have answered about this ship. But we know that it was — it came from Georgia. It was supposed to be going to Mozambique. Those were the letters. It stopped off in Beirut. And —
AMY GOODMAN: This is Georgia, the old Soviet bloc country.
DION NISSENBAUM: Yes, yes. Not —
AMY GOODMAN: Yes.
DION NISSENBAUM: Yes, yes, of course. And it stopped off in Lebanon. There was a series of bureaucratic and financial issues that came up. It was here to try and load on some more cargo to help pay its way to get down south. And then it was deemed too dangerous to travel with the weight. And then it basically was held at the port, and the crew was held on board, and they were saying, “We’re sitting on top of a powder keg.” And then it became mired in this bureaucratic travails for years. It was eventually offloaded to warehouses. The ship itself sank.
AMY GOODMAN: So, the workers were held on this ship for what? Like 11 months, before they were —
DION NISSENBAUM: Yes.
AMY GOODMAN: And they, themselves, said they’re sitting on a powder keg?
DION NISSENBAUM: That’s right. They were putting up posters and sending back photographs, saying, “We’ve got to get out of here. You know, we’re sitting on a time bomb,” essentially.
AMY GOODMAN: And the ship was headed to Mozambique?
DION NISSENBAUM: You know, these are questions that I will have to tell you we are still searching for answers for. That’s what it said at the time. We have some reporting from people in Mozambique saying that they had no indications it was supposed to be coming there. There is an ongoing investigation. We’re doing an investigation. Journalists from around the world are doing investigations to determine what this — where this was going, why it was there, what purposes people were intending to use for it, why they never got rid of it. But, you know, there are more questions than answers at this point about this ship.
AMY GOODMAN: So, they have this volatile substance being held at the Port of Beirut. How many people knew about it? Early on, after Tuesday, they said they arrested some port guards, who were in charge of what? I mean, they can’t be in charge of protecting it.
DION NISSENBAUM: They’ve arrested 19 people, including the people that run the port. You know, they are going to likely be scapegoats. You know, the government official at the highest levels new about this for years. This was not a hidden secret. The port officials tried repeatedly with the courts to try and auction it off or sell it in some way. It was caught in this legal tussle for years. They were apparently going to the wrong court to ask for this, and the court kept saying, “We’re not the people that can approve this.” But they kept asking the same court over and over again. So, it’s not clear why those people were asking this court, that wasn’t the right forum to ask for it. But everybody knew it was there. And as I said, it’s a tragedy of errors that they never moved it, they never acted on it over more than six years, as you said.
AMY GOODMAN: And so, talk about the scene down at this protest — you were there before the protesters gathered — the questioning of the prime minister, and then what the protesters are demanding. I mean, the day after the explosion, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, came and visited Beirut. Ultimately, the tear gas — the protesters were tear-gassed with French tear gas, is that right?
DION NISSENBAUM: I don’t know about the provenance of the tear gas itself, but certainly there was a lot of anger at the prime minister for not turning out before the president of France — the prime minister of France came. There is a lot of real anger on the streets. And the prime minister is seen now as an ineffective leader. I don’t know how you’re going to have him lead an effective investigation with everything that is happening at this point.
When I was at the blast site, there was no sign of actual investigation going on. All you had was divers searching for bodies. All you had was dogs searching for bodies. They’re picking up the grain and the corn, leaving the country devastated, on the verge of a humanitarian disaster. You know, it’s tragedy upon tragedy here. And the fact that the president of France was the one to come here and go out on the streets and meet the people, before the prime minister of Lebanon, really sort of drove home the point for a lot of people that this is not a government of the people.
AMY GOODMAN: And so, their demands? And you were recording as the prime minister of Lebanon was being questioned by reporters. But the demands of the protesters in the streets? And will these protests continue even after the current government, well, what looks like, falls?
DION NISSENBAUM: Yeah. So, what happens when this government falls is it becomes a caretaker until they can put in a new caretaker government, and then you have the negotiations start over who’s going to be in the new caretaker government. And the last time they did this, they ended up with this government, that really didn’t have the confidence of the people.
So, there will be continued protests for an effective government. And you already have intense pressure coming from Paris and Washington for the new government to try and distance itself from Hezbollah, the militant and political group here that has significant power and is allied with Iran. So, you’re facing a number of pressures on Lebanon from various points. You’ve got U.S. and France trying to put pressure for their agenda. You’ve got people in the streets looking for some sort of systemic changes to the political sectarian system here and the corruptive system here that’s created this layer upon layer of problems for this country. It’s difficult for many of us here to see things getting better in the near term for Lebanon.
AMY GOODMAN: Dion, I wanted to end by asking how Iman is, your 4-year-old daughter. We spoke with your wife, Dr. Seema Jilani, last week, right after the blast. You had both just raced her to the hospital. Talk about what happened to Iman and how she’s doing now.
DION NISSENBAUM: Thank you. Thank you for asking. Yes, she was the most seriously injured of the three of us in the blast. I tried to shield her with my body as the glass and the wood blasted through our apartment, threw myself on top of her. We were able to get her down into an ambulance. And you have the footage of my wife singing lullabies to her in the ambulance as we tried to get to the hospital. The doctors were doing amazing work in a mass casualty situation. Hats off to all of the medical professionals here, who handled that situation across the city.
Iman was able to get out of the hospital after about a day, with lacerations. She’s got wounds over her arm and legs and abdomen. She’s walked out of the hospital. She limped out on her own two feet. She’s a very brave girl. And, you know, she’s watching a lot of screen time these days as we try and just kind of turn the page. She said to us over the weekend, she said, “Maybe we could move somewhere where there aren’t explosions?”
AMY GOODMAN: We’re showing video right now of her just walking very slowly. And the hospitals, Dion, I mean, that are so hard hit anyway from the COVID virus — you just got Iman into a hospital before they closed its doors — and now facing thousands and thousands of people injured in this blast?
DION NISSENBAUM: Yeah, and the coronavirus, of course, is a major issue here. Several hospitals here lost all of their windows as a result of the blast, as well. Some of them did have to shut. The hospital we were at was hit, and they continue to operate. The strains on the system here are just mounting. The doctors and the nurses and the medical teams here do amazing work. There are aid groups in the streets treating people in tents, suturing people up in the ruins. So, they really are some of the heroes here. And if there’s a silver lining, it’s really in the people, the medical teams and the volunteers that are out in the streets here helping the country rebuild.
AMY GOODMAN: Dion Nissenbaum, I want to thank you for being with us, Beirut-based Wall Street Journal reporter, co-wrote the investigation, “Behind the Beirut Explosion: Seven Years of Official Neglect.” His 4-year-old daughter Iman injured in the blast.
Next up, we look at how the new postmaster general, major Trump fundraiser, with massive investments in U.S. post office competitors, is shaking up the Postal Service and slowing down mail delivery just as President Trump escalates his attacks on mail-in voting. Stay with us.


truthout--2020-08-10--Lawmakers Demand Removal of Postmaster General DeJoy

On the heels of a “ Friday Night Massacre ” at the U.S .
Postal Service that deeply alarmed lawmakers , activists , and ordinary citizens nationwide , two House Democrats are demanding the immediate removal of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy over his sweeping operational changes to the beloved government service that have slowed the delivery of essential packages and jeopardized mail-in voting .
In a statement over the weekend , Rep. Peter DeFazio ( D-Ore. ) accused DeJoy — a major GOP donor to President Donald Trump with millions invested in USPS competitors — of doing the president ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the November election less than 90 days away .
“ DeJoy ’ s baseless operational changes have already crippled a beloved and essential agency , delaying mail , critical prescription drug shipments for veterans , and seniors and other essential goods , ” said DeFazio .
The Oregon Democrat warned that the latest change imposed by DeJoy — the ouster of two top officials and reshuffling of nearly two dozen others — lay bare his “ mission to centralize power , dismantle the agency , and degrade service in order to thwart vote-by-mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s reelection efforts.
” “ This November , an historic number of citizens will vote by mail in order to protect their health and safety during the Covid-19 pandemic , ” said DeFazio .
“ DeJoy ’ s nefarious collective efforts will suppress millions of mail-in ballots and threaten the voting rights of millions of Americans , setting the stage for breach of our Constitution .
It is imperative that we remove him from his post and immediately replace him with an experienced leader who is committed to sustaining a critical service for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Carolina logistics executive , was appointed to lead USPS by the agency ’ s Board of Governors in May despite his complete lack of experience at the Postal Service and his potential conflicts of interest , which have drawn scrutiny from Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
and other lawmakers .
After taking charge in mid-June , the new Postmaster General wasted little time rolling out changes to USPS that postal workers said undermine the agency ’ s core mission and potentially set the stage for privatization .
During an open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Governors , DeJoy rebuked lawmakers for “ sensationalizing ” major mail backlogs reported in states across the nation and downplayed the resulting delays as “ isolated , operational incidents.
” Postal workers , for their part , have warned that the delays appear to be a direct consequence of DeJoy ’ s policies barring overtime and prohibiting the sorting of mail ahead of morning deliveries .
As the American Prospect ’ s David Dayen noted , the Postal Service under DeJoy ’ s leadership has also “ informed states that they ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail ballots to voters , rather than the normal 20-cent bulk rate.
” “ That nearly triples the per-ballot cost at a time when tens of millions more will be delivered , ” Dayen noted .
“ The rate change would have to go through the Postal Regulatory Commission and , undoubtedly , litigation .
But the time frame for that is incredibly short , as ballots go out very soon .
A side benefit of this money grab is that states and cities may decide they don ’ t have the money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make them harder to get .
Which is exactly the worst-case scenario everyone fears.
” Rep. Alma Adams ( D-N.C. ) said in a statement issued alongside DeFazio ’ s that DeJoy is guilty of “ unconstitutional sabotage of our Postal Service with complete disregard for the institution ’ s promise of the ‘ safe and speedy transit of the mail ’ and the ‘ prompt delivery of its contents.
’ ” “ My friend Maya Angelou used to say , ‘ when someone shows you who they are , believe them the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The Postmaster General has shown us on multiple occasions he is working to dismantle a fundamental institution of our democracy .
He needs to resign or be removed , now .
”

DeJoy’s efforts to destroy USPS and aid Trump’s reelection has many on edge after his “Friday night massacre” shakeup.
On the heels of a “Friday Night Massacre” at the U.S. Postal Service that deeply alarmed lawmakers, activists, and ordinary citizens nationwide, two House Democrats are demanding the immediate removal of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy over his sweeping operational changes to the beloved government service that have slowed the delivery of essential packages and jeopardized mail-in voting.
In a statement over the weekend, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) accused DeJoy — a major GOP donor to President Donald Trump with millions invested in USPS competitors — of doing the president’s bidding by sabotaging mail delivery with the November election less than 90 days away.
“DeJoy’s baseless operational changes have already crippled a beloved and essential agency, delaying mail, critical prescription drug shipments for veterans, and seniors and other essential goods,” said DeFazio.
The Oregon Democrat warned that the latest change imposed by DeJoy — the ouster of two top officials and reshuffling of nearly two dozen others — lay bare his “mission to centralize power, dismantle the agency, and degrade service in order to thwart vote-by-mail across the nation to aid Trump’s reelection efforts.”
“This November, an historic number of citizens will vote by mail in order to protect their health and safety during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said DeFazio. “DeJoy’s nefarious collective efforts will suppress millions of mail-in ballots and threaten the voting rights of millions of Americans, setting the stage for breach of our Constitution. It is imperative that we remove him from his post and immediately replace him with an experienced leader who is committed to sustaining a critical service for all Americans.”
DeJoy, a former North Carolina logistics executive, was appointed to lead USPS by the agency’s Board of Governors in May despite his complete lack of experience at the Postal Service and his potential conflicts of interest, which have drawn scrutiny from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and other lawmakers. After taking charge in mid-June, the new Postmaster General wasted little time rolling out changes to USPS that postal workers said undermine the agency’s core mission and potentially set the stage for privatization.
During an open session last week with the Board of Governors, DeJoy rebuked lawmakers for “sensationalizing” major mail backlogs reported in states across the nation and downplayed the resulting delays as “isolated, operational incidents.” Postal workers, for their part, have warned that the delays appear to be a direct consequence of DeJoy’s policies barring overtime and prohibiting the sorting of mail ahead of morning deliveries.
As the American Prospect’s David Dayen noted, the Postal Service under DeJoy’s leadership has also “informed states that they’ll need to pay first-class 55-cent postage to mail ballots to voters, rather than the normal 20-cent bulk rate.”
“That nearly triples the per-ballot cost at a time when tens of millions more will be delivered,” Dayen noted. “The rate change would have to go through the Postal Regulatory Commission and, undoubtedly, litigation. But the time frame for that is incredibly short, as ballots go out very soon. A side benefit of this money grab is that states and cities may decide they don’t have the money to mail absentee ballots, and will make them harder to get. Which is exactly the worst-case scenario everyone fears.”
This is the clearest example yet of Trump and his puppet Postmaster General’s attempts to sabotage the USPS before November’s election. This kind of behavior is why we’re demanding an investigation into Trump’s USPS — the Inspector General should add this to their list. https://t.co/2aXcLeZsF9 — Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) August 8, 2020
Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.) said in a statement issued alongside DeFazio’s that DeJoy is guilty of “unconstitutional sabotage of our Postal Service with complete disregard for the institution’s promise of the ‘safe and speedy transit of the mail’ and the ‘prompt delivery of its contents.’”
“My friend Maya Angelou used to say, ‘when someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time,’” Adams added. “The Postmaster General has shown us on multiple occasions he is working to dismantle a fundamental institution of our democracy. He needs to resign or be removed, now.”
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