washingtontimes--2020-09-28--AP FACT CHECK: Trump's dubious claims on health care, court

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - President Donald Trump isn ’ t providing all the facts when he promises that people with preexisting medical problems will always be covered by health insurance if “ Obamacare ” is ruled unconstitutional .
Eager to get conservative Judge Amy Coney Barrett quickly confirmed to the Supreme Court , which is hearing his challenge to the Affordable Care Act , Trump asserts that “ far cheaper ” and “ much better ” plans will replace the Obama-era law .
He also points to a new executive order offering protections .
But his claims are illusory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have been seen over the years as providing less than what “ Obamacare ” already provided , and it ’ s unlikely an executive order will have much effect .
In a momentous past week , Trump painted a fantastical portrait of a coronavirus that affects “ virtually nobody ” among the young as he faced a grim U.S. milestone of 200,000 deaths and he asserted a constitutional basis that doesn ’ t exist for rushing a replacement for the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
Meanwhile , with the first presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden botched details about the pivotal Supreme Court vacancy and exaggerated his early statements on COVID-19 .
A look at recent rhetoric , also covering voting fraud and racial progress : TRUMP : “ Obamacare will be replaced with a MUCH better , and FAR cheaper , alternative if it is terminated in the Supreme Court .
Would be a big WIN for the USA !
” - tweet Sunday .
THE FACTS : The bargain health insurance plans Trump often talks about are cheaper because they skimp on benefits such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not guarantee coverage of preexisting conditions .
He and Republicans haven ’ t provided details on any newer alternative plans .
The short-term plans that Trump often touts provide up to 12 months of coverage and can be renewed for up to 36 months .
Premiums for the plans can be one-third the cost of comprehensive insurance coverage .
The health plan offerings are intended for people who want an individual health insurance policy but make too much money to qualify for subsides under the Affordable Care Act .
The administration expanded the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Obama health law such as coverage for preexisting conditions , after failing to repeal the law in Congress .
Trump is now trying to dismantle “ Obamacare ” by asking the Supreme Court to overturn it as unconstitutional .
The high court will hear arguments in the case on Nov. 10 .
The Republican-controlled Senate may confirm Barrett before the Nov. 3 election .
Barrett , a conservative , has been critical of Justice John Roberts ’ opinion in 2012 upholding “ Obamacare ” while Ginsburg was one of the five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Republicans : “ Democrats like to constantly talk about it , and yet preexisting conditions are much safer with us than they are with them.
” - remarks Thursday in North Carolina .
Republicans were unable to muscle their replacement for the Obama-era law through Congress when they controlled the House and Senate in 2017 during Trump ’ s first year .
Various GOP bills would have offered a degree of protection for people with preexisting conditions , but the proposed safeguards were seen as less than what the law already provided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation would have required people to maintain continuous coverage to avoid being turned down because of a preexisting condition .
Trump has frequently claimed he will always protect preexisting conditions despite evidence to the contrary and has even asserted falsely that he was the one who “ saved ” such protections .
One of Trump ’ s alternatives to Obama ’ s law - short-term health insurance , already in place - doesn ’ t have to cover preexisting conditions .
Another alternative : association health plans , which are oriented to small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preexisting conditions .
Neither of the two alternatives appears to have made much difference in the market .
Democratic attacks on Republican efforts to repeal the health law and weaken preexisting condition protections proved successful in the 2018 midterms , when Democrats won back control of the House .
TRUMP : “ The historic action I ’ m taking today includes the first-ever executive order to affirm it is the official policy of the United States government to protect patients with preexisting conditions .
So we ’ re making that official.
” - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s already been the official federal policy to protect people with preexisting medical conditions because “ Obamacare ” already does that , and it ’ s the law of the land .
If he persuades the Supreme Court to overturn the Affordable Care Act as unconstitutional , it ’ s unclear what degree of actual protection the executive order would offer in place of the law .
President Barack Obama ’ s health law states that “ a group health plan and a health insurance issuer offering group or individual health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condition exclusion with respect to such plan or coverage.
” Other sections of the law act to bar insurers from charging more to people because of past medical problems and from canceling coverage , except in cases of fraud .
In the past , there were horror stories of insurers canceling coverage because a patient had a recurrence of cancer .
It ’ s dubious that any president could enact such protections through an executive order , or Obama would never have needed to go to Congress to get his health law passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have simply used a presidential decree to enact his health plan , or major parts of it , after it failed to get through Congress .
“ I can ’ t imagine what authority the president could invoke to require insurers to cover preexisting conditions if the Supreme Court does throw the ACA out , ” said Larry Levitt , executive vice president for health policy at the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation .
Levitt said to make coverage of preexisting conditions a reality , insurers would need to be barred as they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and annual benefit payments , and allow for uniform premiums for the sick and healthy .
Also , subsidies have to be offered to encourage healthy people to enroll in plans so premiums are kept down .
TRUMP : “ We need nine justices .
You need that .
With the unsolicited millions of ballots that they ’ re sending , it ’ s a scam ; it ’ s a hoax .
Everybody knows that .
And the Democrats know it better than anybody else .
… So doing it before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because you ’ re going to probably see it.
” - remarks Tuesday to reporters .
THE FACTS : There ’ s nothing fraudulent about mail-in ballots , and Trump ’ s repeated false assertions certainly don ’ t provide a valid justification to speed up a judicial nomination .
There are no such things as “ unsolicited ” ballots .
Five states routinely send ballots to all registered voters so they can choose to vote through the mail or in person .
Four other states and the District of Columbia will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will almost every county in Montana .
Election officials note that , by registering to vote , people are effectively requesting a ballot , so it makes no sense to call the materials sent to them “ unsolicited.
” More broadly speaking , voter fraud has proved exceedingly rare .
The Brennan Center for Justice in 2017 ranked the risk of ballot fraud at 0.00004 % to 0.0009 % , based on studies of past elections .
In the five states that regularly send ballots to all voters who have registered , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or difficulty counting the votes .
Of the four states adopting the system of universal mail balloting this year , only Nevada is a battleground , worth six electoral votes and likely to be pivotal only in a national presidential deadlock .
TRUMP , referring to ballots being automatically mailed out to registered voters : “ Eighty million ballots … We are going to be counting ballots for the next two years.
” - Pennsylvania rally on Saturday .
There aren ’ t 80 million ballots being mailed out automatically in the 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s half that amount at roughly 44 million , according to Michael McDonald , a University of Florida professor and expert in election statistics .
Voters in other states who specifically request mail ballots will also receive them , but Trump has repeatedly said he considered those ballots quite fine and “ OK. ” It ’ s true that many states are expecting a surge in mail-in voting because of the coronavirus pandemic , which may lead to longer times in vote counting .
But there is no evidence to indicate that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is afoot .
And even if the election is messy and contested in court , the country will have a president in January - and not be in limbo for months or years as Trump and his GOP allies assert - because the Constitution and federal law ensure it .
TRUMP , on the coronavirus : “ We ’ re rounding the turn.
” - interview aired Sunday on Fox News Channel .
TRUMP : “ We ’ re rounding the corner - with or without a vaccine.
” - interview on “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
TRUMP , asked if the virus will “ go away ” if there isn ’ t a vaccine immediately available : “ Sure , with time it goes away .
And you ’ ll develop - you ’ ll develop herd-like , a herd mentality .
It ’ s going to be - it ’ s going to be herd-developed , and that ’ s going to happen.
” - ABC News town hall on Sept. 15 .
THE FACTS : Trump appeared to promote a “ herd immunity ” approach to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t immediately available that would require millions more people to get infected and significantly higher deaths .
Public health officials say that to reach herd immunity , which is when the virus can no longer spread easily , at least 70 % of the population , or 200 million people , would need to develop antibodies .
The U.S. currently has 7 million COVID-19 cases .
“ Developing herd immunity doesn ’ t just take time , it works by infecting over a hundred million and killing hundreds of thousands , ” University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ He ’ s describing a massacre.
” Fauci last month called a herd immunity approach “ totally unacceptable ” because “ a lot of people are going to die.
” He also disagrees the virus is “ rounding the corner , ” saying Americans should not “ underestimate ” the pandemic and they will “ need to hunker down and get through this fall and winter because it ’ s not going to be easy.
” Fauci and other health experts such as Dr. Robert Redfield , director of the Centers for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a potentially bad fall because of dual threats of the coronavirus and the flu season .
Dr. Scott Gottlieb , a former head of the Food and Drug Administration under Trump , on Sunday also pointed to potential warning signs .
“ As reported Covid cases continue to rise around the U.S. , the number of Covid hospitalizations - which is an important , objective measure of total disease burden - have stopped their decline , and may be starting to increase again , ” he tweeted .
TRUMP , speaking hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 200,000 virus deaths : “ It affects elderly people , elderly people with heart problems , and other problems .
If they have other problems , that ’ s what it really affects .
… In some states thousands of people - nobody young - below the age of 18 , like nobody - they have a strong immune system - who knows ?
… It affects virtually nobody.
” - rally in Ohio on Sept. 21 .
THE FACTS : No , it ’ s affected quite a few .
In all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus topped 200,000 Tuesday , by far the highest in the world , hitting the once-unimaginable threshold six weeks before an election that is certain to be a referendum on his handling of the crisis .
The number of dead is equivalent to a 9/11 attack every day for 67 days .
It is roughly equal to the population of Salt Lake City or Huntsville , Alabama .
Kids certainly aren ’ t immune and Trump ignores racial disparities among those who get infected .
He is also brazenly contradicting what he privately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s turning out it ’ s not just old people , Bob , ” he told Woodward in March .
“ It ’ s plenty of young people.
” Although it ’ s true that children are less likely than adults to develop COVID-19 , the CDC has nevertheless counted more than 419,000 infections in Americans younger than 18 , or about 8.5 % of all cases .
Racial disparities in the U.S. outbreak also extend to children , with Hispanic and Black children with COVID-19 more likely to be hospitalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t just the elderly , ” Dr. Anthony Fauci , the government ’ s top infectious diseases expert , told CNN on Tuesday .
He noted that a person of any age with underlying health conditions is at significantly higher risk of serious effects if they get COVID-19 .
The total number of kids who have been infected but not confirmed is almost certainly far higher than the CDC figures , experts say , because those with mild or no symptoms are less likely to get tested .
Kids also can spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDC in May also warned doctors to be on the lookout for a rare but life-threatening inflammatory reaction in some children who ’ ve had the coronavirus .
The condition had been reported in more than 100 children in New York , and in some kids in several other states and in Europe , with some deaths .
TRUMP , on Ginsburg ’ s request that her replacement be chosen by the next president : “ I don ’ t know that she said that , or if that was written out by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That came out of the wind .
It sounds so beautiful , but that sounds like a Schumer deal , or maybe Pelosi or Shifty Schiff.
” - interview with “ Fox & Friends ” on Sept. 21 .
THE FACTS : He ’ s making a baseless assertion that congressional Democrats invented Ginsburg ’ s request , which Trump is ignoring by announcing on Saturday his choice of Barrett to replace Ginsburg .
In the days before her death on Sept. 18 , Ginsburg told her granddaughter Clara Spera that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not be replaced until a new president is installed , ” according to NPR ’ s Nina Totenberg , a longtime veteran Supreme Court reporter .
Totenberg , who is close to the Ginsburg family , reaffirmed her reporting this week .
She told MSNBC on Sept. 21 that others in the room at the time also heard Ginsburg make the statement , including her doctor .
“ I checked because I ’ m a reporter , ” Totenberg said .
There is certainly no evidence that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chuck Schumer manufactured Ginsburg ’ s request , as Trump asserts .
“ Mr .
President , this is low .
Even for you , ” Schiff tweeted in response .
TRUMP , on why he ’ s moving forward with a nomination so close to the Nov. 3 election : “ I have a constitutional obligation to put in nine judges - justices.
” - remarks Tuesday to reporters .
THE FACTS : To be clear , there is no constitutional requirement to have nine justices on the Supreme Court .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ size for the Supreme Court , and Congress has the power to change its size .
Over its history , the high court has varied in size from five to 10 justices , depending on the number of judicial circuits in the U.S. , according to Russell Wheeler , a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution and former deputy director of the Federal Judicial Center .
He explained that a major duty of the justices until the late 19th century was to try cases in the old circuit courts .
Congress decided on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Franklin D. Roosevelt pushed to expand the high court in the 1930s in a bid to gain broader judicial support for his New Deal policies , but that effort failed .
BIDEN , arguing that a Supreme Court nomination should be decided by the next president so voters can “ have their voice heard in who serves on the court ” : “ There ’ s no court session between now and the end of this election.
” - remarks Sept. 20 in Philadelphia .
THE FACTS : He ’ s wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court session begins Oct. 5 , nearly one month before the election on Nov. 3 .
The justices are set to hear oral arguments in several cases during that time .
BIDEN : “ We can ’ t keep rewriting history , scrambling norms , ignoring our cherished system of checks and balances .
That includes this whole business of releasing a list of potential nominees that I would put forward .
They ’ re now saying , after Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away , they said , ‘ Biden should release his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump campaign asked that I release the list only after she passed away.
” - remarks Sept. 20 in Philadelphia .
THE FACTS : It ’ s not true that the Trump campaign waited until Ginsburg ’ s death last week to call for Biden ’ s list of potential Supreme Court nominees .
Trump was calling for it last month .
On Sept. 9 , Trump released a list of 20 additional people he would consider nominating to the high court if there were vacancies .
He released a similar list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that same day , Trump ’ s 2020 campaign manager , Bill Stepien , said “ Voters deserve transparency and a clear view of what direction candidates for president would take our federal courts .
We now forcefully demand that Joe Biden do the same.
” Trump called for a list from Biden even earlier , during the Republican National Convention on Aug. 24 .
“ Remember this , I ’ m saying that - I ’ m demanding actually , a list .
Let Biden put up a list of the judges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Trump said .
Biden has pledged to appoint the first Black woman to the Supreme Court but hasn ’ t offered additional details .
TRUMP CAMPAIGN : “ Black Americans don ’ t have to imagine what the economy would be like under Joe Biden because they ’ ve already lived through it .
He oversaw the slowest recovery since the Great Depression , with stagnant wage growth and anemic job creation.
” - statement Wednesday from Katrina Pierson , the campaign ’ s senior adviser .
THE FACTS : That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was healthy when Trump arrived at the White House .
Even if the recovery from the 2008 financial crisis was agonizingly slow , Trump took office with unemployment at a low 4.7 % , steady job growth and a falling federal budget deficit .
The longest expansion in U.S. history began in the middle of 2009 and continued until the start of the year , spanning both the Obama and Trump presidencies .
The U.S. economy did benefit from Trump ’ s 2017 tax cuts with a jump in growth in 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a result of the tax breaks that favored companies and the wealthy in hopes of permanently expanding the economy .
Annual growth during Obama ’ s second term averaged about 2.3 % .
Trump notched a slightly better 2.5 % during his first three years , but the country swung into recession this year because of the coronavirus and will probably leave Trump with an inferior track record to his predecessor over four years .
TRUMP CAMPAIGN : “ President Trump , on the other hand , has a real record of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ achieving record-low unemployment prior to the global pandemic .
…President Trump is a far better choice for Black Americans and it isn ’ t even a close call.
” - Pierson ’ s statement .
THE FACTS : The campaign is skirting key facts .
Republicans can talk successfully about the decline in unemployment rates for Black and Hispanic workers .
But that ’ s just one gauge - and plenty of troubles and inequalities abound for minorities .
Minority groups still lagged behind white people with regard to incomes , wealth and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the coronavirus struck , it became clear that the economy did not work well for everybody as the job losses and infections disproportionately hit minorities .
Black unemployment now stands at 13 % .
Hispanic unemployment is 10.5 % .
The white unemployment rate is 7.3 % .
For every dollar of total wealth held by white households , Blacks have just 5 cents , according to the Federal Reserve .
It ’ s 4 cents for Hispanics .
BIDEN , criticizing Trump for posing for pictures while holding a Bible in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House after protesters in a park were forcibly removed : The protesters were removed so Trump could “ walk across to a Protestant church and hold a Bible upside down - I don ’ t know if he ever opened it - upside down , and then go back to a bunker in the White House.
” - CNN town hall on Sept. 17 .
THE FACTS : To be clear , Trump was not holding a Bible upside down .
His administration did fire off chemical irritants and smoke bombs in June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lafayette Park to speak out against the killing of George Floyd , a Black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee onto his neck .
Trump then walked across the park to hold up a Bible at St. John ’ s Church for the cameras .
Associated Press photos and other videos show the Bible was right side up .
St. John ’ s is an Episcopal church .
Trump also took shelter in a White House bunker in the days before his visit to St. John ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Associated Press writers Mark Sherman , Jessica Gresko , Jill Colvin , Kevin Freking and Darlene Superville in Washington , Nicholas Riccardi in Denver , Bill Barrow in Atlanta and Carla K. Johnson in Seattle contributed to this report .
EDITOR ’ S NOTE - A look at the veracity of claims by political figures .

HOPE YEN, RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR and JOSH BOAK

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump isn’t providing all the facts when he promises that people with preexisting medical problems will always be covered by health insurance if “Obamacare” is ruled unconstitutional.
Eager to get conservative Judge Amy Coney Barrett quickly confirmed to the Supreme Court, which is hearing his challenge to the Affordable Care Act, Trump asserts that “far cheaper” and “much better” plans will replace the Obama-era law. He also points to a new executive order offering protections. But his claims are illusory.
Various GOP bills, in fact, have been seen over the years as providing less than what “Obamacare” already provided, and it’s unlikely an executive order will have much effect.
In a momentous past week, Trump painted a fantastical portrait of a coronavirus that affects “virtually nobody” among the young as he faced a grim U.S. milestone of 200,000 deaths and he asserted a constitutional basis that doesn’t exist for rushing a replacement for the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Meanwhile, with the first presidential debate on Tuesday, Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden botched details about the pivotal Supreme Court vacancy and exaggerated his early statements on COVID-19.
A look at recent rhetoric, also covering voting fraud and racial progress:
HEALTH CARE
TRUMP: “Obamacare will be replaced with a MUCH better, and FAR cheaper, alternative if it is terminated in the Supreme Court. Would be a big WIN for the USA!” - tweet Sunday.
THE FACTS: The bargain health insurance plans Trump often talks about are cheaper because they skimp on benefits such as maternity or prescription drug coverage and do not guarantee coverage of preexisting conditions. He and Republicans haven’t provided details on any newer alternative plans.
The short-term plans that Trump often touts provide up to 12 months of coverage and can be renewed for up to 36 months.
Premiums for the plans can be one-third the cost of comprehensive insurance coverage. The health plan offerings are intended for people who want an individual health insurance policy but make too much money to qualify for subsides under the Affordable Care Act.
The administration expanded the short-term plans, which lack key protections of the Obama health law such as coverage for preexisting conditions, after failing to repeal the law in Congress. Trump is now trying to dismantle “Obamacare” by asking the Supreme Court to overturn it as unconstitutional.
The high court will hear arguments in the case on Nov. 10. The Republican-controlled Senate may confirm Barrett before the Nov. 3 election. Barrett, a conservative, has been critical of Justice John Roberts’ opinion in 2012 upholding “Obamacare” while Ginsburg was one of the five votes in the decision.
___
TRUMP, on Republicans: “Democrats like to constantly talk about it, and yet preexisting conditions are much safer with us than they are with them.” - remarks Thursday in North Carolina.
THE FACTS: That’s highly questionable.
Republicans were unable to muscle their replacement for the Obama-era law through Congress when they controlled the House and Senate in 2017 during Trump’s first year. Various GOP bills would have offered a degree of protection for people with preexisting conditions, but the proposed safeguards were seen as less than what the law already provided. The general approach in the Republican legislation would have required people to maintain continuous coverage to avoid being turned down because of a preexisting condition.
Trump has frequently claimed he will always protect preexisting conditions despite evidence to the contrary and has even asserted falsely that he was the one who “saved” such protections.
One of Trump’s alternatives to Obama’s law - short-term health insurance, already in place - doesn’t have to cover preexisting conditions. Another alternative: association health plans, which are oriented to small businesses and sole proprietors and do cover preexisting conditions. Neither of the two alternatives appears to have made much difference in the market.
Democratic attacks on Republican efforts to repeal the health law and weaken preexisting condition protections proved successful in the 2018 midterms, when Democrats won back control of the House.
___
TRUMP: “The historic action I’m taking today includes the first-ever executive order to affirm it is the official policy of the United States government to protect patients with preexisting conditions. So we’re making that official.” - North Carolina remarks.
THE FACTS: It’s already been the official federal policy to protect people with preexisting medical conditions because “Obamacare” already does that, and it’s the law of the land. If he persuades the Supreme Court to overturn the Affordable Care Act as unconstitutional, it’s unclear what degree of actual protection the executive order would offer in place of the law.
President Barack Obama’s health law states that “a group health plan and a health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage may not impose any preexisting condition exclusion with respect to such plan or coverage.”
Other sections of the law act to bar insurers from charging more to people because of past medical problems and from canceling coverage, except in cases of fraud. In the past, there were horror stories of insurers canceling coverage because a patient had a recurrence of cancer.
It’s dubious that any president could enact such protections through an executive order, or Obama would never have needed to go to Congress to get his health law passed. Likewise, President Bill Clinton could have simply used a presidential decree to enact his health plan, or major parts of it, after it failed to get through Congress.
“I can’t imagine what authority the president could invoke to require insurers to cover preexisting conditions if the Supreme Court does throw the ACA out,” said Larry Levitt, executive vice president for health policy at the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation.
Levitt said to make coverage of preexisting conditions a reality, insurers would need to be barred as they are under Obamacare from placing limits on lifetime and annual benefit payments, and allow for uniform premiums for the sick and healthy. Also, subsidies have to be offered to encourage healthy people to enroll in plans so premiums are kept down.
___
VOTING FRAUD
TRUMP: “We need nine justices. You need that. With the unsolicited millions of ballots that they’re sending, it’s a scam; it’s a hoax. Everybody knows that. And the Democrats know it better than anybody else. … So doing it before the election would be a very good thing because you’re going to probably see it.” - remarks Tuesday to reporters.
THE FACTS: There’s nothing fraudulent about mail-in ballots, and Trump’s repeated false assertions certainly don’t provide a valid justification to speed up a judicial nomination.
There are no such things as “unsolicited” ballots. Five states routinely send ballots to all registered voters so they can choose to vote through the mail or in person. Four other states and the District of Columbia will be adopting that system in November, as will almost every county in Montana. Election officials note that, by registering to vote, people are effectively requesting a ballot, so it makes no sense to call the materials sent to them “unsolicited.”
More broadly speaking, voter fraud has proved exceedingly rare. The Brennan Center for Justice in 2017 ranked the risk of ballot fraud at 0.00004% to 0.0009%, based on studies of past elections.
In the five states that regularly send ballots to all voters who have registered, there have been no major cases of fraud or difficulty counting the votes.
Of the four states adopting the system of universal mail balloting this year, only Nevada is a battleground, worth six electoral votes and likely to be pivotal only in a national presidential deadlock.
___
TRUMP, referring to ballots being automatically mailed out to registered voters: “Eighty million ballots … We are going to be counting ballots for the next two years.” - Pennsylvania rally on Saturday.
THE FACTS: False.
There aren’t 80 million ballots being mailed out automatically in the 10 states doing it this year - it’s half that amount at roughly 44 million, according to Michael McDonald, a University of Florida professor and expert in election statistics. Voters in other states who specifically request mail ballots will also receive them, but Trump has repeatedly said he considered those ballots quite fine and “OK.”
It’s true that many states are expecting a surge in mail-in voting because of the coronavirus pandemic, which may lead to longer times in vote counting. But there is no evidence to indicate that massive fraud from “unsolicited” balloting is afoot. And even if the election is messy and contested in court, the country will have a president in January - and not be in limbo for months or years as Trump and his GOP allies assert - because the Constitution and federal law ensure it.
___
200,000 DEATHS
TRUMP, on the coronavirus: “We’re rounding the turn.” - interview aired Sunday on Fox News Channel.
TRUMP: “We’re rounding the corner - with or without a vaccine.” - interview on “Fox & Friends” on Sept. 21.
TRUMP, asked if the virus will “go away” if there isn’t a vaccine immediately available: “Sure, with time it goes away. And you’ll develop - you’ll develop herd-like, a herd mentality. It’s going to be - it’s going to be herd-developed, and that’s going to happen.” - ABC News town hall on Sept. 15.
THE FACTS: Trump appeared to promote a “herd immunity” approach to the virus if a vaccine isn’t immediately available that would require millions more people to get infected and significantly higher deaths.
Public health officials say that to reach herd immunity, which is when the virus can no longer spread easily, at least 70% of the population, or 200 million people, would need to develop antibodies. The U.S. currently has 7 million COVID-19 cases.
“Developing herd immunity doesn’t just take time, it works by infecting over a hundred million and killing hundreds of thousands,” University of Michigan professor Justin Wolfers tweeted. “He’s describing a massacre.”
Fauci last month called a herd immunity approach “totally unacceptable” because “a lot of people are going to die.”
He also disagrees the virus is “rounding the corner,” saying Americans should not “underestimate” the pandemic and they will “need to hunker down and get through this fall and winter because it’s not going to be easy.” Fauci and other health experts such as Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have warned of a potentially bad fall because of dual threats of the coronavirus and the flu season.
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former head of the Food and Drug Administration under Trump, on Sunday also pointed to potential warning signs. “As reported Covid cases continue to rise around the U.S., the number of Covid hospitalizations - which is an important, objective measure of total disease burden - have stopped their decline, and may be starting to increase again,” he tweeted.
___
TRUMP, speaking hours before the U.S. hit a milestone of 200,000 virus deaths: “It affects elderly people, elderly people with heart problems, and other problems. If they have other problems, that’s what it really affects. … In some states thousands of people - nobody young - below the age of 18, like nobody - they have a strong immune system - who knows? … It affects virtually nobody.” - rally in Ohio on Sept. 21.
THE FACTS: No, it’s affected quite a few.
In all, the U.S. death toll from the coronavirus topped 200,000 Tuesday, by far the highest in the world, hitting the once-unimaginable threshold six weeks before an election that is certain to be a referendum on his handling of the crisis. The number of dead is equivalent to a 9/11 attack every day for 67 days. It is roughly equal to the population of Salt Lake City or Huntsville, Alabama.
Kids certainly aren’t immune and Trump ignores racial disparities among those who get infected. He is also brazenly contradicting what he privately told journalist Bob Woodward.
“Now it’s turning out it’s not just old people, Bob,” he told Woodward in March. “It’s plenty of young people.”
Although it’s true that children are less likely than adults to develop COVID-19, the CDC has nevertheless counted more than 419,000 infections in Americans younger than 18, or about 8.5% of all cases. Racial disparities in the U.S. outbreak also extend to children, with Hispanic and Black children with COVID-19 more likely to be hospitalized than white kids.
“It isn’t just the elderly,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious diseases expert, told CNN on Tuesday. He noted that a person of any age with underlying health conditions is at significantly higher risk of serious effects if they get COVID-19.
The total number of kids who have been infected but not confirmed is almost certainly far higher than the CDC figures, experts say, because those with mild or no symptoms are less likely to get tested. Kids also can spread disease without showing symptoms themselves.
The CDC in May also warned doctors to be on the lookout for a rare but life-threatening inflammatory reaction in some children who’ve had the coronavirus. The condition had been reported in more than 100 children in New York, and in some kids in several other states and in Europe, with some deaths.
___
GINSBURG
TRUMP, on Ginsburg’s request that her replacement be chosen by the next president: “I don’t know that she said that, or if that was written out by Adam Schiff, and Schumer and Pelosi. That came out of the wind. It sounds so beautiful, but that sounds like a Schumer deal, or maybe Pelosi or Shifty Schiff.” - interview with “Fox & Friends” on Sept. 21.
THE FACTS: He’s making a baseless assertion that congressional Democrats invented Ginsburg’s request, which Trump is ignoring by announcing on Saturday his choice of Barrett to replace Ginsburg.
In the days before her death on Sept. 18, Ginsburg told her granddaughter Clara Spera that “my most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed,” according to NPR’s Nina Totenberg, a longtime veteran Supreme Court reporter.
Totenberg, who is close to the Ginsburg family, reaffirmed her reporting this week. She told MSNBC on Sept. 21 that others in the room at the time also heard Ginsburg make the statement, including her doctor. “I checked because I’m a reporter,” Totenberg said.
There is certainly no evidence that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Adam Schiff or Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer manufactured Ginsburg’s request, as Trump asserts. “Mr. President, this is low. Even for you,” Schiff tweeted in response.
___
COURT NOMINATION
TRUMP, on why he’s moving forward with a nomination so close to the Nov. 3 election: “I have a constitutional obligation to put in nine judges - justices.” - remarks Tuesday to reporters.
THE FACTS: To be clear, there is no constitutional requirement to have nine justices on the Supreme Court.
The Constitution, in fact, specifies no size for the Supreme Court, and Congress has the power to change its size.
Over its history, the high court has varied in size from five to 10 justices, depending on the number of judicial circuits in the U.S., according to Russell Wheeler, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution and former deputy director of the Federal Judicial Center. He explained that a major duty of the justices until the late 19th century was to try cases in the old circuit courts. Congress decided on nine circuits in the late 1860s.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt pushed to expand the high court in the 1930s in a bid to gain broader judicial support for his New Deal policies, but that effort failed.
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BIDEN, arguing that a Supreme Court nomination should be decided by the next president so voters can “have their voice heard in who serves on the court”: “There’s no court session between now and the end of this election.” - remarks Sept. 20 in Philadelphia.
THE FACTS: He’s wrong on the scheduling. A new Supreme Court session begins Oct. 5, nearly one month before the election on Nov. 3. The justices are set to hear oral arguments in several cases during that time.
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BIDEN: “We can’t keep rewriting history, scrambling norms, ignoring our cherished system of checks and balances. That includes this whole business of releasing a list of potential nominees that I would put forward. They’re now saying, after Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away, they said, ‘Biden should release his list.’ It’s no wonder the Trump campaign asked that I release the list only after she passed away.” - remarks Sept. 20 in Philadelphia.
THE FACTS: It’s not true that the Trump campaign waited until Ginsburg’s death last week to call for Biden’s list of potential Supreme Court nominees. Trump was calling for it last month.
On Sept. 9, Trump released a list of 20 additional people he would consider nominating to the high court if there were vacancies. He released a similar list in 2016.
In a press release that same day, Trump’s 2020 campaign manager, Bill Stepien, said “Voters deserve transparency and a clear view of what direction candidates for president would take our federal courts. We now forcefully demand that Joe Biden do the same.”
Trump called for a list from Biden even earlier, during the Republican National Convention on Aug. 24.
“Remember this, I’m saying that - I’m demanding actually, a list. Let Biden put up a list of the judges he’s going to appoint,” Trump said.
Biden has pledged to appoint the first Black woman to the Supreme Court but hasn’t offered additional details.
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RACIAL PROGRESS
TRUMP CAMPAIGN: “Black Americans don’t have to imagine what the economy would be like under Joe Biden because they’ve already lived through it. He oversaw the slowest recovery since the Great Depression, with stagnant wage growth and anemic job creation.” - statement Wednesday from Katrina Pierson, the campaign’s senior adviser.
THE FACTS: That’s not fully accurate. The economy was healthy when Trump arrived at the White House.
Even if the recovery from the 2008 financial crisis was agonizingly slow, Trump took office with unemployment at a low 4.7%, steady job growth and a falling federal budget deficit. The longest expansion in U.S. history began in the middle of 2009 and continued until the start of the year, spanning both the Obama and Trump presidencies.
The U.S. economy did benefit from Trump’s 2017 tax cuts with a jump in growth in 2018, but the budget deficit began to climb as a result of the tax breaks that favored companies and the wealthy in hopes of permanently expanding the economy. Annual growth during Obama’s second term averaged about 2.3%. Trump notched a slightly better 2.5% during his first three years, but the country swung into recession this year because of the coronavirus and will probably leave Trump with an inferior track record to his predecessor over four years.
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TRUMP CAMPAIGN: “President Trump, on the other hand, has a real record of accomplishments for the Black community, including achieving record-low unemployment prior to the global pandemic. …President Trump is a far better choice for Black Americans and it isn’t even a close call.” - Pierson’s statement.
THE FACTS: The campaign is skirting key facts.
Republicans can talk successfully about the decline in unemployment rates for Black and Hispanic workers. But that’s just one gauge - and plenty of troubles and inequalities abound for minorities. Minority groups still lagged behind white people with regard to incomes, wealth and home ownership before the pandemic. And when the coronavirus struck, it became clear that the economy did not work well for everybody as the job losses and infections disproportionately hit minorities.
Black unemployment now stands at 13%. Hispanic unemployment is 10.5%. The white unemployment rate is 7.3%. For every dollar of total wealth held by white households, Blacks have just 5 cents, according to the Federal Reserve. It’s 4 cents for Hispanics.
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BIDEN, criticizing Trump for posing for pictures while holding a Bible in front of a church near the White House after protesters in a park were forcibly removed: The protesters were removed so Trump could “walk across to a Protestant church and hold a Bible upside down - I don’t know if he ever opened it - upside down, and then go back to a bunker in the White House.” - CNN town hall on Sept. 17.
THE FACTS: To be clear, Trump was not holding a Bible upside down.
His administration did fire off chemical irritants and smoke bombs in June to clear demonstrators who had gathered in Lafayette Park to speak out against the killing of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee onto his neck. Trump then walked across the park to hold up a Bible at St. John’s Church for the cameras. Associated Press photos and other videos show the Bible was right side up. St. John’s is an Episcopal church.
Trump also took shelter in a White House bunker in the days before his visit to St. John’s, not after, as Biden asserts.
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Associated Press writers Mark Sherman, Jessica Gresko, Jill Colvin, Kevin Freking and Darlene Superville in Washington, Nicholas Riccardi in Denver, Bill Barrow in Atlanta and Carla K. Johnson in Seattle contributed to this report.
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EDITOR’S NOTE - A look at the veracity of claims by political figures.
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Find AP Fact Checks at http://apnews.com/APFactCheck
Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck


washingtontimes--2020-09-28--Australian park owner fined $2.5M over 4 river ride deaths

BRISBANE , Australia ( AP ) - An Australian theme park owner was fined 3.6 million Australian dollars ( $ 2.5 million ) on Monday for safety breaches that led to the deaths of four people on a river rapids ride in 2016 .
Two men and two women died when their raft flipped on the Thunder River Rapids ride in Dreamworld park .
Ardent Leisure Group had pleaded guilty under workplace safety laws of failing to comply with its health and safety duty and exposing individuals to a risk of serious injury or death .
Magistrate Pam Dowse told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risks before the accident .
“ Complete and blind trust ( was ) placed in the defendant by every person who rode the Thunder River Rapids ride and those guests were extremely vulnerable , ” Dowse said .
The Sydney-based company , which also owns assets in the United States and New Zealand , had faced a potential maximum fine of AU $ 4.5 million ( $ 3.2 million ) .
Ardent chairman Gary Weiss said his board accepted the fine , which he described as Queensland state ’ s largest for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , unreservedly , for the past circumstances and failures at Dreamworld that resulted in the tragic loss of four lives and for the deep and ongoing impact on so many people , ” Weiss said in a statement .
The majority of families , first responders and others impacted by the tragedy had already received compensation , he said .
The Ardent board continued to press for the “ expeditious resolution ” of remaining claims , Weiss said .
Ardent is also fighting a shareholder class action in the Federal Court .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , her brother Luke Dorsett and his partner Roozi Araghi - were killed when a water pump on the ride malfunctioned , causing water levels to fall dangerously low .
Two children - Ebony Turner , and Kieran Low , then 10 and 12 - escaped without physical injury .
Kim Dorsett , the mother of Dorsett and Goodchild , was in court for the sentencing with her granddaughter who survived the tragedy , Ebony .
Kim Dorsett told the court in a tearful witness impact statement that she cried “ for my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its sister park WhiteWater World reopened their gates two weeks ago for the first time since March when coronavirus pandemic restrictions shut down operations .
The Queensland government last month gave Ardent a AU $ 70 million ( $ 49 million ) loan to help it reopen the two Gold Coast parks .

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) - An Australian theme park owner was fined 3.6 million Australian dollars ($2.5 million) on Monday for safety breaches that led to the deaths of four people on a river rapids ride in 2016.
Two men and two women died when their raft flipped on the Thunder River Rapids ride in Dreamworld park.
Ardent Leisure Group had pleaded guilty under workplace safety laws of failing to comply with its health and safety duty and exposing individuals to a risk of serious injury or death.
Magistrate Pam Dowse told a Gold Coast court that Ardent knew the risks before the accident.
“Complete and blind trust (was) placed in the defendant by every person who rode the Thunder River Rapids ride and those guests were extremely vulnerable,” Dowse said.
The Sydney-based company, which also owns assets in the United States and New Zealand, had faced a potential maximum fine of AU$4.5 million ($3.2 million).
Ardent chairman Gary Weiss said his board accepted the fine, which he described as Queensland state’s largest for a workplace tragedy.
“Ardent apologises, unreservedly, for the past circumstances and failures at Dreamworld that resulted in the tragic loss of four lives and for the deep and ongoing impact on so many people,” Weiss said in a statement.
The majority of families, first responders and others impacted by the tragedy had already received compensation, he said.
The Ardent board continued to press for the “expeditious resolution” of remaining claims, Weiss said.
Ardent is also fighting a shareholder class action in the Federal Court.
The victims - Cindy Low, Kate Goodchild, her brother Luke Dorsett and his partner Roozi Araghi - were killed when a water pump on the ride malfunctioned, causing water levels to fall dangerously low.
Two children - Ebony Turner, and Kieran Low, then 10 and 12 - escaped without physical injury.
Kim Dorsett, the mother of Dorsett and Goodchild, was in court for the sentencing with her granddaughter who survived the tragedy, Ebony.
Kim Dorsett told the court in a tearful witness impact statement that she cried “for my lost children every day.”
Dreamworld and its sister park WhiteWater World reopened their gates two weeks ago for the first time since March when coronavirus pandemic restrictions shut down operations.
The Queensland government last month gave Ardent a AU$70 million ($49 million) loan to help it reopen the two Gold Coast parks.


washingtontimes--2020-09-28--Amazon to kick off holiday shopping with October Prime Day

NEW YORK ( AP ) - Amazon is aiming to kickstart the holiday shopping season early this year .
The company is holding its annual Prime Day over two days in October this year , after the pandemic forced it to postpone the sales event from July .
It ’ s the first time Prime Day is being held in the fall , and Amazon is positioning it as a way to get people to start their holiday shopping .
Even before Amazon ’ s announcement Monday , major retailers have said they plan to push shoppers to start their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier , hoping to avoid crowds in their stores in November and December .
Prime Day , which will run from Oct. 13 to Oct. 14 this year , is sure to put pressure on rivals to offer deals around the same time .
In past years , Walmart , Best Buy and Target have offered their own online discounts during Prime Day .
Amazon started the sales event in 2015 as its answer to Singles ’ Day , a shopping holiday in China popularized by Chinese ecommerce company Alibaba .
Prime Day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest shopping days , since it offers some of its deepest discounts of the year .
Amazon also sees it as a way to get more people to sign up for its Prime membership , since only those paying $ 12.99 a month or $ 119 a year can access the deals .
The company said Amazon Prime members in 19 countries will get access to deals this year , including two new ones : Brazil and Turkey .
It already held Prime Day in India this summer .

NEW YORK (AP) - Amazon is aiming to kickstart the holiday shopping season early this year.
The company is holding its annual Prime Day over two days in October this year, after the pandemic forced it to postpone the sales event from July. It’s the first time Prime Day is being held in the fall, and Amazon is positioning it as a way to get people to start their holiday shopping.
Even before Amazon’s announcement Monday, major retailers have said they plan to push shoppers to start their holiday shopping in October and offer deals earlier, hoping to avoid crowds in their stores in November and December.
Prime Day, which will run from Oct. 13 to Oct. 14 this year, is sure to put pressure on rivals to offer deals around the same time. In past years, Walmart, Best Buy and Target have offered their own online discounts during Prime Day. In fact, Target announced on Monday it was also holding a two-day sale event on Oct. 13 and Oct. 14.
Amazon started the sales event in 2015 as its answer to Singles’ Day, a shopping holiday in China popularized by Chinese ecommerce company Alibaba. Prime Day has become one of Amazon’s biggest shopping days, since it offers some of its deepest discounts of the year.
Amazon also sees it as a way to get more people to sign up for its Prime membership, since only those paying $12.99 a month or $119 a year can access the deals.
The company said Amazon Prime members in 19 countries will get access to deals this year, including two new ones: Brazil and Turkey. It already held Prime Day in India this summer.


washingtontimes--2020-09-28--Animals rescued from Upper Michigan puppy mill get care

ESCANABA , Mich. ( AP ) - Nearly a month after police busted a puppy mill in Maple Ridge Township , the Delta Animal Shelter is still busy caring for animals rescued from the mill .
Shelter Manager Susan Gartland told the Daily Press of Escanaba , Michigan , that things are going well at the shelter overall .
On Monday , Aug. 24 , troopers from the Michigan State Police Gladstone Post discovered the puppy mill while checking on a horse in an area roadway .
A total of 134 dogs and 20 horses were seized by police .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Animal Shelter , and the horses , which were also taken into the shelter ’ s care , were brought to an undisclosed farm .
Currently , the shelter ’ s primary focus is on caring for these animals and giving them medical attention .
“ All the dogs and all the horses have been seen and evaluated by local veterinarians and have treatment plans in place , ” Gartland said .
According to Gartland , the shelter ’ s dog population has continued to grow .
“ In 10 days , 53 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
As of Sept. 17 , the shelter had one dog in labor and seven other confirmed pregnancies .
Though the shelter has been dealing with an influx of animals , support from people and organizations in the area has increased in turn .
Recently , the Dewdrop Family Restaurant and its customers made a donation of almost $ 5,000 to the shelter .
Gartland gave her thanks to the Dewdrop and all other local businesses and individuals that have donated supplies , blankets , food and money to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Every little bit of what ’ s been donated is needed to care for so many animals on a daily basis , ” she said .
Evidence in an investigation into the living conditions of animals at the puppy mill is still being processed , and will be turned over to the state police and - eventually - the Delta County Prosecutor ’ s Office .
The shelter is also continuing its normal operations , including adoptions and receiving strays .
With this in mind , Gartland encouraged people interested in adopting dogs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the time being .
“ It does take time for all of that , ” she said , noting the shelter will continue to provide updates on the situation .

ESCANABA, Mich. (AP) - Nearly a month after police busted a puppy mill in Maple Ridge Township, the Delta Animal Shelter is still busy caring for animals rescued from the mill.
Shelter Manager Susan Gartland told the Daily Press of Escanaba, Michigan, that things are going well at the shelter overall.
On Monday, Aug. 24, troopers from the Michigan State Police Gladstone Post discovered the puppy mill while checking on a horse in an area roadway. A total of 134 dogs and 20 horses were seized by police.
The dogs were taken to the Delta Animal Shelter, and the horses, which were also taken into the shelter’s care, were brought to an undisclosed farm. Currently, the shelter’s primary focus is on caring for these animals and giving them medical attention.
“All the dogs and all the horses have been seen and evaluated by local veterinarians and have treatment plans in place,” Gartland said.
According to Gartland, the shelter’s dog population has continued to grow.
“In 10 days, 53 puppies were born here at the shelter,” she said.
As of Sept. 17, the shelter had one dog in labor and seven other confirmed pregnancies.
Though the shelter has been dealing with an influx of animals, support from people and organizations in the area has increased in turn. Recently, the Dewdrop Family Restaurant and its customers made a donation of almost $5,000 to the shelter.
Gartland gave her thanks to the Dewdrop and all other local businesses and individuals that have donated supplies, blankets, food and money to the shelter in recent weeks.
“Every little bit of what’s been donated is needed to care for so many animals on a daily basis,” she said.
Evidence in an investigation into the living conditions of animals at the puppy mill is still being processed, and will be turned over to the state police and - eventually - the Delta County Prosecutor’s Office. The shelter is also continuing its normal operations, including adoptions and receiving strays.
With this in mind, Gartland encouraged people interested in adopting dogs rescued from the mill to remain patient for the time being.
“It does take time for all of that,” she said, noting the shelter will continue to provide updates on the situation.


washingtontimes--2020-09-28--Run for the roses: South Dakota man achieves lifelong dream

WAGNER , S.D .
( AP ) - Wayne Scherr can credit COVID-19 for making a lifelong dream come true .
Because of the pandemic , the Kentucky Derby - one of horse racing ’ s most revered events - was postponed from May 2 to Sept. 5 .
Scherr , a long-time horse owner from Wagner , took advantage of the scheduling delay to win a spot in the Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville .
He believes he became the first South Dakotan to own a Derby horse in at least a half-century , the Yankton Press and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ran an extended season so you had more races to qualify , ” he said .
“ A lot of the seasons , the derby is the first Saturday in May .
If the race had been run in May , I doubt we would have had the points and our horse would ever had made it .
But by having the race moved from May to September , it was better for us.
” The 62-year-old Scherr has spent his life around horses dating back to his boyhood in Napoleon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and owned horses until the 1980s when he became a teacher and wrestling coach at Wagner .
At that point , he decided he no longer had the time to devote to horse racing and got out of the pursuit .
But he never lost the passion .
Scherr got back into horse racing at the urging of others .
And this year , the most unusual circumstances allowed him to qualify for the Kentucky Derby .
In the span of just a few months , he purchased a horse that placed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scherr remained just outside qualifying for the 20-horse field at Churchill Downs , but he then saw other entrants drop out of the race and make his spot a reality .
“ It ’ s always been a dream of mine to race in the Kentucky Derby , and now the dream came true , ” he said .
About seven years ago , the race organizers changed the method of qualifying the 20-horse field .
While still a long shot , Scherr and other horse owners could compete for the Derby against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spend incredible wealth on horses .
“ It had gotten too political , so they used a group of individuals with a lot of knowledge of the horse racing industry ( to set up a fairer system ) .
Those persons set up a circuit of races and put points on first , second , third and fourth , ” Scherr said .
“ You knew at the start of the season what you needed to qualify , and you earned your points during the racing season .
Sometimes you had ( qualifying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next ones would enter the Derby.
” In recent years , Scherr had retired from teaching/coaching and his masonry business .
He had gotten back into racing and was buying and selling horses .
While he still dreamed of the Kentucky Derby , he hadn ’ t entered the financial stratosphere it took for a serious shot at the field .
And then came the call earlier this year that set off a whirlwind 12 weeks leading to the Derby .
Scherr ’ s horse trainer , Chris Hartman , was watching a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and one of the entries caught his eye .
The horse was listed with an allowance optional claim race , which meant the horses were up for sale for about the same price until the race started .
“ Chris said , ‘ Wayne , I ’ ve been watching this horse race three times and I think we can have some fun with him , ’ ” Scherr said , recalling the conversation and the need for an immediate decision .
Scherr trusted his trainer ’ s judgment but received jarring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100,000 claim for seeking ownership .
If multiple people put down the amount , it would require a “ shake ” to determine the owner .
Most claim races are for $ 10,000 or $ 20,000 , with few in the U.S. carrying a $ 100,000 price tag , Scherr said .
However , he looked at the thoroughbred ’ s pedigree , history and previous ownership .
The horse also stood larger at 1,200 pounds and 17 hands ( with one hand equaling four inches ) .
“ I told ( my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I would get the money wired down there , ” Scherr said .
“ I called down ( to my banker ) and said , ‘ I need a wire out of my account to Churchill Downs.
’ And he told me , ‘ Wayne , there ’ s no wiring on a Saturday.
’ Now , I had a predicament.
” With some quick work , Hartman located two Kentucky businessmen - Ray Daniels and Greg Harbut - who would cover the rest .
Harbut ’ s great-grandfather , Will Harburt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Man o ’ War for 16 years .
Scherr owned 75 % and the other two partners owned a combined 25 % .
As it turned out , the trio won the shake and the horse ’ s ownership .
Scherr named the horse Necker Island after the private island owned by Virgin Atlantic airlines owner Richard Branson .
The horse won points in the Indiana Derby and Ellis Park Derby and needed to move in front of seven horses to get into the Kentucky Derby .
“ A few others dropped out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the racing secretary that we were accepted into the Derby , ” Scherr said .
“ I was working on my daughter ’ s home in Platte when I got the call .
My body just went limp .
It was my whole dream , my whole life , and it came down to everything falling into place .
We won the claim , placed in races , and now we had the right amount of horses drop out.
” The pandemic raised questions on whether spectators would be allowed at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hot spot with the virus .
Scherr was prepared to watch the race at home .
Instead , race officials announced they would allow a limited number of spectators , and Scherr received 16 tickets .
He took his family along with his three brothers and their families .
To make it a true family experience , Wayne sold 5 % shares to each of his brothers - Kyle Scherr of Westminster , Colorado ; Rick Scherr of Great Falls , Montana ; and David Scherr of Colorado Springs , Colorado .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but I wanted them to have a share in the ownership , ” Wayne said with a laugh .
Scherr arrived early in the race week , attending the post drawing and watching Necker Island at the stable and during his workouts .
The thoroughbred was listed as a distant favorite , but Scherr liked the horse ’ s look heading into race day .
The financial stakes were high , as the Kentucky Derby carries a $ 3 million purse with $ 1.8 million for the winner .
Just qualifying for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According to one report , about 20,000 thoroughbreds are foaled every year in the U.S. , and the Kentucky Derby takes only 20 three-year-olds .
Qualifying horses from Japan and Europe are normally eligible for one spot each in the race , creating even greater odds for a U.S. horse to make the field .
Scherr became one of the few South Dakotans to qualify for the derby , and with his North Dakota roots , reportedly the first one from that state .
His two business partners also made history , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owners of a Derby horse in 13 years .
The Scherrs arrived at Churchill Downs attired in the trademark suits for the men and the dresses and hats for the women .
“ There was no way you were wearing jeans at the Kentucky Derby .
They wouldn ’ t even let you in , ” Wayne said .
Churchill Downs provided every bit of the anticipated splendor and thrills , Scherr said .
However , the sparse attendance and tight security felt surreal .
“ The place holds about 155,000 to 160,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security guards for 800 people , ” he said .
“ Normally , we would be packed shoulder to shoulder ( at the race ) .
” As the race time neared , Scherr felt similar emotions to when he guided the Wagner wrestling teams to state championships in 1992 and 1994 .
“ Both times , you had no control , ” he said .
“ A kid ’ s wrestling career and state championship comes down to six minutes on the mat .
And with the Derby , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on in those two minutes .
It ’ s really hard to rate one ( achievement ) over the other.
” Scherr literally experienced a sick feeling as the horses lined up for the Derby .
“ For a minute before they went to post , I felt like I was going to throw up .
My stomach was all churned up .
It was so nerve racking , ” he confessed .
The race started poorly for Necker Island , as he fell behind early .
“ I said , ‘ He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s got ta make a move ’ - and he did .
He just took off and passed six horses in front of him during the last one-eighth of a mile , ” Scherr said .
“ He kept going when a lot of others would have given up .
Afterwards , the jockey said , ‘ I think I see how much I should have pushed him some more .
The way he finished , he had too much in him.
’ ” For Scherr , Necker Island achieved more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never dreamed I would finish in the top 10 to come across the finish line .
It was my dream just to be here , ” he said .
As part of the post-race congratulations , Scherr received an unexpected email from Richard Branson , who said he was honored the horse was named after his private island .
Scherr joked that his return to racing started out a bit rocky , as he purchased the first horse for $ 37,000 without telling his wife , Candy .
He returned home to find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the mail .
“ I guess I forgot to tell her , ” Wayne said sheepishly .
“ That was the one time in our marriage that she didn ’ t talk to me for three days .
But she ’ s fine with it now.
” Wayne was glad to share the Kentucky Derby moment with other family members .
“ It was a happy moment we all enjoyed together , ” he said .
“ The only thing that would have been better was if my ( late ) mom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m sure they were looking down and watching with us.
” Regardless of whether he races again , Necker Island holds a profitable future in front of him , Scherr said .
The horse stands to make $ 60 million in stud fees , far more than any purse from winning a race .
Scherr wants to stay involved with horse racing , admitting it has gotten in his blood .
“ I ’ ve had a little bit of success , why quit now ?
” he asked .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in racing , he has purchased a yearling that he named “ Pray For Peace.
” “ I wanted that name before , but it was taken , so I named all my other horses with the word ‘ dream ’ in it , ” he said .
“ Now , racing in the Kentucky Derby was like realizing a dream .
”

WAGNER, S.D. (AP) - Wayne Scherr can credit COVID-19 for making a lifelong dream come true.
Because of the pandemic, the Kentucky Derby - one of horse racing’s most revered events - was postponed from May 2 to Sept. 5.
Scherr, a long-time horse owner from Wagner, took advantage of the scheduling delay to win a spot in the Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville. He believes he became the first South Dakotan to own a Derby horse in at least a half-century, the Yankton Press and Dakotan reports.
“With COVID, they ran an extended season so you had more races to qualify,” he said. “A lot of the seasons, the derby is the first Saturday in May. If the race had been run in May, I doubt we would have had the points and our horse would ever had made it. But by having the race moved from May to September, it was better for us.”
The 62-year-old Scherr has spent his life around horses dating back to his boyhood in Napoleon, North Dakota. He rode, raced and owned horses until the 1980s when he became a teacher and wrestling coach at Wagner. At that point, he decided he no longer had the time to devote to horse racing and got out of the pursuit.
But he never lost the passion.
Scherr got back into horse racing at the urging of others. And this year, the most unusual circumstances allowed him to qualify for the Kentucky Derby. In the span of just a few months, he purchased a horse that placed in races earning points toward the Derby. Scherr remained just outside qualifying for the 20-horse field at Churchill Downs, but he then saw other entrants drop out of the race and make his spot a reality.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to race in the Kentucky Derby, and now the dream came true,” he said.
About seven years ago, the race organizers changed the method of qualifying the 20-horse field. While still a long shot, Scherr and other horse owners could compete for the Derby against millionaires and even a billionaire sheik who spend incredible wealth on horses.
“It had gotten too political, so they used a group of individuals with a lot of knowledge of the horse racing industry (to set up a fairer system). Those persons set up a circuit of races and put points on first, second, third and fourth,” Scherr said. “You knew at the start of the season what you needed to qualify, and you earned your points during the racing season. Sometimes you had (qualifying) horses drop out, and the next ones would enter the Derby.”
In recent years, Scherr had retired from teaching/coaching and his masonry business. He had gotten back into racing and was buying and selling horses. While he still dreamed of the Kentucky Derby, he hadn’t entered the financial stratosphere it took for a serious shot at the field.
And then came the call earlier this year that set off a whirlwind 12 weeks leading to the Derby.
Scherr’s horse trainer, Chris Hartman, was watching a field of horses preparing for a race, and one of the entries caught his eye. The horse was listed with an allowance optional claim race, which meant the horses were up for sale for about the same price until the race started.
“Chris said, ‘Wayne, I’ve been watching this horse race three times and I think we can have some fun with him,’” Scherr said, recalling the conversation and the need for an immediate decision.
Scherr trusted his trainer’s judgment but received jarring news - the horse required a $100,000 claim for seeking ownership. If multiple people put down the amount, it would require a “shake” to determine the owner.
Most claim races are for $10,000 or $20,000, with few in the U.S. carrying a $100,000 price tag, Scherr said. However, he looked at the thoroughbred’s pedigree, history and previous ownership. The horse also stood larger at 1,200 pounds and 17 hands (with one hand equaling four inches).
“I told (my trainer) to put in the claim and I would get the money wired down there,” Scherr said. “I called down (to my banker) and said, ‘I need a wire out of my account to Churchill Downs.’ And he told me, ‘Wayne, there’s no wiring on a Saturday.’ Now, I had a predicament.”
With some quick work, Hartman located two Kentucky businessmen - Ray Daniels and Greg Harbut - who would cover the rest. Harbut’s great-grandfather, Will Harburt, was the groom of legendary stallion Man o’ War for 16 years.
Scherr owned 75% and the other two partners owned a combined 25%. As it turned out, the trio won the shake and the horse’s ownership.
Scherr named the horse Necker Island after the private island owned by Virgin Atlantic airlines owner Richard Branson. The horse won points in the Indiana Derby and Ellis Park Derby and needed to move in front of seven horses to get into the Kentucky Derby.
“A few others dropped out, and we got a phone call from the racing secretary that we were accepted into the Derby,” Scherr said. “I was working on my daughter’s home in Platte when I got the call. My body just went limp. It was my whole dream, my whole life, and it came down to everything falling into place. We won the claim, placed in races, and now we had the right amount of horses drop out.”
The pandemic raised questions on whether spectators would be allowed at the track, particularly when Kentucky became a hot spot with the virus. Scherr was prepared to watch the race at home.
Instead, race officials announced they would allow a limited number of spectators, and Scherr received 16 tickets. He took his family along with his three brothers and their families.
To make it a true family experience, Wayne sold 5% shares to each of his brothers - Kyle Scherr of Westminster, Colorado; Rick Scherr of Great Falls, Montana; and David Scherr of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
“I only charged them $5 each, but I wanted them to have a share in the ownership,” Wayne said with a laugh.
Scherr arrived early in the race week, attending the post drawing and watching Necker Island at the stable and during his workouts. The thoroughbred was listed as a distant favorite, but Scherr liked the horse’s look heading into race day. The financial stakes were high, as the Kentucky Derby carries a $3 million purse with $1.8 million for the winner.
Just qualifying for the race marked a major achievement. According to one report, about 20,000 thoroughbreds are foaled every year in the U.S., and the Kentucky Derby takes only 20 three-year-olds. Qualifying horses from Japan and Europe are normally eligible for one spot each in the race, creating even greater odds for a U.S. horse to make the field.
Scherr became one of the few South Dakotans to qualify for the derby, and with his North Dakota roots, reportedly the first one from that state. His two business partners also made history, as Daniels and Harbut became the first African-American owners of a Derby horse in 13 years.
The Scherrs arrived at Churchill Downs attired in the trademark suits for the men and the dresses and hats for the women. “There was no way you were wearing jeans at the Kentucky Derby. They wouldn’t even let you in,” Wayne said.
Churchill Downs provided every bit of the anticipated splendor and thrills, Scherr said. However, the sparse attendance and tight security felt surreal.
“The place holds about 155,000 to 160,000 people, and here we had 1,200 security guards for 800 people,” he said. “Normally, we would be packed shoulder to shoulder (at the race).”
As the race time neared, Scherr felt similar emotions to when he guided the Wagner wrestling teams to state championships in 1992 and 1994.
“Both times, you had no control,” he said. “A kid’s wrestling career and state championship comes down to six minutes on the mat. And with the Derby, it’s two minutes long with so much going on in those two minutes. It’s really hard to rate one (achievement) over the other.”
Scherr literally experienced a sick feeling as the horses lined up for the Derby. “For a minute before they went to post, I felt like I was going to throw up. My stomach was all churned up. It was so nerve racking,” he confessed.
The race started poorly for Necker Island, as he fell behind early.
“I said, ‘He’s gotta do something, he’s gotta make a move’ - and he did. He just took off and passed six horses in front of him during the last one-eighth of a mile,” Scherr said. “He kept going when a lot of others would have given up. Afterwards, the jockey said, ‘I think I see how much I should have pushed him some more. The way he finished, he had too much in him.’”
For Scherr, Necker Island achieved more than he had imagined. “I never dreamed I would finish in the top 10 to come across the finish line. It was my dream just to be here,” he said.
As part of the post-race congratulations, Scherr received an unexpected email from Richard Branson, who said he was honored the horse was named after his private island.
Scherr joked that his return to racing started out a bit rocky, as he purchased the first horse for $37,000 without telling his wife, Candy. He returned home to find her enraged with the invoice that came in the mail.
“I guess I forgot to tell her,” Wayne said sheepishly. “That was the one time in our marriage that she didn’t talk to me for three days. But she’s fine with it now.”
Wayne was glad to share the Kentucky Derby moment with other family members.
“It was a happy moment we all enjoyed together,” he said. “The only thing that would have been better was if my (late) mom and dad were with us, but I’m sure they were looking down and watching with us.”
Regardless of whether he races again, Necker Island holds a profitable future in front of him, Scherr said. The horse stands to make $60 million in stud fees, far more than any purse from winning a race.
Scherr wants to stay involved with horse racing, admitting it has gotten in his blood. “I’ve had a little bit of success, why quit now?” he asked.
As a show of his intent to remain in racing, he has purchased a yearling that he named “Pray For Peace.”
“I wanted that name before, but it was taken, so I named all my other horses with the word ‘dream’ in it,” he said. “Now, racing in the Kentucky Derby was like realizing a dream.”


washingtontimes--2020-09-28--Minnesota professor looking to build climate change hub

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) - A new University of Minnesota professor in the College of Food , Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences is creating a University Extension program that will bridge climate research and community outreach .
Heidi Roop - a recent hire in the Department of Soil , Water and Climate- plans to build a hub that will foster conversations about climate change and help farmers and policymakers implement changes based on their research .
“ Whether we are aware of it or not , climate is part of our lived experience , ” Roop said .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and everyone will experience climate change differently .
And ( one of ) the fundamental questions now ( is ) , how do we prepare our communities for the changes ?
” Part of Roop ’ s role will be engaging with important stakeholders , including economists , community leaders , policy makers and farmers , about the impact of the changing climate .
Roop will also be conducting her own research on the effectiveness of climate change communication .
She will be working with a number of national organizations like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to analyze weather and climate patterns , The Minnesota Daily reported .
Joel Larson is an associate director of the University ’ s Water Resources Center , a group that brings University water-related research and makes that information accessible to a broader audience .
He said there are two parts to climate research : collecting the data and then getting that information to the public .
Because a lot of research is peer-reviewed , data can often be hard to digest and inaccessible , Larson said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a phenomenon and impacts , as large as climate change back to somebody ’ s individual circumstances , because by definition climate change is a long term global phenomenon , ” Larson said .
“ And what Heidi is particularly good at is helping people make that connection.
” Roop worked at the University of Washington for three years , where she led a similar climate initiative that allowed for collaboration among scientists and stakeholders .
Her research with the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group focused on quantifying and improving the group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She had also previously developed education and communication programs within NASA , and was a former physical scientist at the United States Geological Survey of Colorado .
Despite her background , Roop was not always interested in studying science in her undergraduate years .
All of that changed when she took an introductory geology course and realized its real world application .
In a trip to Alaska the following summer , Roop studied geology first-hand .
Camping at the edge of glacial lakes , she spent her summer monitoring the flow of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then used to reconstruct the climate of the past 2,000 to 5,000 years .
“ She ’ ll be putting Minnesota on the forefront of climate adaptation and climate research , ” said Carl Rosen , the Head of the Department of Soil , Water and Climate .
“ Really exciting time for her and the department .
”

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A new University of Minnesota professor in the College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences is creating a University Extension program that will bridge climate research and community outreach.
Heidi Roop - a recent hire in the Department of Soil, Water and Climate- plans to build a hub that will foster conversations about climate change and help farmers and policymakers implement changes based on their research.
“Whether we are aware of it or not, climate is part of our lived experience,” Roop said. “It will touch every one of our lives, and everyone will experience climate change differently. And (one of) the fundamental questions now (is), how do we prepare our communities for the changes?”
Part of Roop’s role will be engaging with important stakeholders, including economists, community leaders, policy makers and farmers, about the impact of the changing climate. Roop will also be conducting her own research on the effectiveness of climate change communication. She will be working with a number of national organizations like the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to analyze weather and climate patterns, The Minnesota Daily reported.
Joel Larson is an associate director of the University’s Water Resources Center, a group that brings University water-related research and makes that information accessible to a broader audience. He said there are two parts to climate research: collecting the data and then getting that information to the public. Because a lot of research is peer-reviewed, data can often be hard to digest and inaccessible, Larson said.
“It’s a challenge to connect a phenomenon and impacts, as large as climate change back to somebody’s individual circumstances, because by definition climate change is a long term global phenomenon,” Larson said. “And what Heidi is particularly good at is helping people make that connection.”
Roop worked at the University of Washington for three years, where she led a similar climate initiative that allowed for collaboration among scientists and stakeholders. Her research with the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group focused on quantifying and improving the group’s engagement efforts across the region. She had also previously developed education and communication programs within NASA, and was a former physical scientist at the United States Geological Survey of Colorado.
Despite her background, Roop was not always interested in studying science in her undergraduate years. All of that changed when she took an introductory geology course and realized its real world application. In a trip to Alaska the following summer, Roop studied geology first-hand. Camping at the edge of glacial lakes, she spent her summer monitoring the flow of Alaskan streams and collecting lake sediment she then used to reconstruct the climate of the past 2,000 to 5,000 years.
“She’ll be putting Minnesota on the forefront of climate adaptation and climate research,” said Carl Rosen, the Head of the Department of Soil, Water and Climate. “Really exciting time for her and the department.”


washingtontimes--2020-09-28--This Week: Home prices, consumer spending, nonfarm payrolls

A look at some of the key business events and economic indicators upcoming this week : The Conference Board serves up its latest monthly snapshot of U.S. consumer confidence Tuesday .
The New York research organization ’ s consumer confidence index fell to 84.8 in August , its lowest reading since May 2014 , as a resurgence of coronavirus infections in many parts of the country heightened pessimism .
The drop put the index 36 % below its high point for the year reached in February , before the pandemic began to seriously impact the U.S. economy .
The Commerce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spending Thursday .
Consumers have increased their spending after pulling back sharply in March and April as the pandemic led to millions of job losses and business closures .
Consumer spending , the primary driver of the U.S. economy , climbed 1.9 % in July .
That followed increases of 8.6 % in May and 6.2 % in June .
Economists project spending rose 0.8 % in August .
Economists predict U.S. employers added the fewest jobs in September since hiring resumed in May .
They expect the Labor Department will report Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month .
That would be down from about 1.4 million jobs in August , when the national unemployment rate declined to 8.4 % from 10.2 % .
As of August , the economy had recovered about half of the 22 million jobs lost to the pandemic .

A look at some of the key business events and economic indicators upcoming this week:
EYE ON CONSUMERS
The Conference Board serves up its latest monthly snapshot of U.S. consumer confidence Tuesday.
The New York research organization’s consumer confidence index fell to 84.8 in August, its lowest reading since May 2014, as a resurgence of coronavirus infections in many parts of the country heightened pessimism. The drop put the index 36% below its high point for the year reached in February, before the pandemic began to seriously impact the U.S. economy.
Consumer confidence, by month:
April 85.7
May 85.9
June 98.3
July 91.7
Aug. 84.8
Sept. (est.) 90.0
Source: FactSet
IN A SPENDING MOOD?
The Commerce Department issues its August tally of consumer spending Thursday.
Consumers have increased their spending after pulling back sharply in March and April as the pandemic led to millions of job losses and business closures. Consumer spending, the primary driver of the U.S. economy, climbed 1.9% in July. That followed increases of 8.6% in May and 6.2% in June. Economists project spending rose 0.8% in August.
Consumer spending, monthly percent change, seasonally adjusted:
March -6.7
April -12.9
May 8.6
June 6.2
July 1.9
Aug. (est.) 0.8
Source: FactSet
ALL ABOUT JOBS
Economists predict U.S. employers added the fewest jobs in September since hiring resumed in May.
They expect the Labor Department will report Friday that nonfarm employers added 870,000 jobs this month. That would be down from about 1.4 million jobs in August, when the national unemployment rate declined to 8.4% from 10.2%. As of August, the economy had recovered about half of the 22 million jobs lost to the pandemic.
Nonfarm payrolls, monthly change, seasonally adjusted:
April -20,787,000
May 2,725,000
June 4,781,000
July 1,734,000
Aug. 1,371,000
Sept. (est.) 870,000
Source: FactSet