buzzfeed--2020-09-17--Wildfire Smoke Is Causing A New Public Health Crisis On The West Coast

“ The air quality on the West Coast is terrible , ” Yifang Zhu , an environmental health sciences professor at UCLA ’ s Fielding School of Public Health , told BuzzFeed News .
“ It ’ s one public health crisis on top of another public health crisis.
” Although scientists haven ’ t yet examined the effect of wildfire smoke on the transmission of the coronavirus , studies have already found that areas with high levels of air pollution tend to have higher rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths — even after accounting for factors like race and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death rates from COVID-19 .
Health experts warn that , in the short term , people exposed to these high concentrations of wildfire smoke will be more likely to die of heart attacks or be hospitalized because of asthma and other respiratory problems .
The longer-term effects are less clear , but early research suggests that severe exposure to wildfire smoke can cause measurable reductions in lung function that last for at least a couple of years .
The historic fires made Portland , Seattle , and Vancouver the most polluted major cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the air quality monitoring website IQAir .
Delhi , the notoriously polluted Indian capital , was pushed to fourth place .
SAN FRANCISCO — Wildfires up and down the West Coast are clogging the skies with smoke and unleashing yet another health emergency upon a nation that is already in the throes of a deadly pandemic .
This chart shows “ NowCast ” Air Quality Index ( AQI ) readings from permanent monitors in the US Environmental Protection Agency ’ s AirNow network , for the tiny airborne particles known as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern for health because they get deep into the lungs and are even absorbed into the blood .
Anything above an AQI of 200 is considered “ very unhealthy ” for everyone — not just people with conditions like asthma , emphysema , and cardiovascular disease who are most sensitive to air pollution .
As wildfires raged in Oregon , Portland and other cities in the state have experienced AQIs well in excess of this level continuously since Sept. 10 .
“ That ’ s brutal , ” Arden Pope , an air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Provo , Utah , told BuzzFeed News .
“ Any way you look at it , all of the evidence suggests that this is a serious event , and it almost certainly is going to have substantial impacts on health.
” The extent of smoke this wildfire season is unprecedented .
“ These are unheard-of high levels of particulate matter , ” said John Balmes , a specialist in environmental health sciences at the University of California , San Francisco , and UC Berkeley , who is also the physician member of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sorts of records have been broken in terms of poor air quality — and what is particularly alarming is this is still early in the fire season .
Our worst fires the last few years have been in the fall.
” The Oregon Health Authority has already said that about one in 10 ER visits across the state right now is for asthma-like symptoms , according to Portland TV station KATU .
Several studies have shown that wildfire smoke can trigger surges in hospital admissions from asthma .
In one , researchers at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in PM2.5 concentrations of just 10 micrograms per cubic meter from wildfire smoke was associated with an 8 % increase in asthma-related hospital admissions .
Concentrations surged by more than 200 micrograms per cubic meter in Portland over the course of just a few hours on Sept. 10 .
Severe health effects from exposure to wildfire smoke can kick in almost immediately .
In a paper published in June , researchers at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver found that ambulance dispatches in the Canadian province for heart attacks , strokes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within one hour of a rise in PM2.5 concentrations of just 10 micrograms per cubic meter .
In Delhi and other cities in northern India , AQIs similar to those seen in West Coast cities in the past few days are common and can persist for long periods .
According to a 2018 study , average life expectancy across the nation is being shortened by about 1.7 years because of air pollution .
Bad as the current situation on the US West Coast is , exposures to very high levels of PM2.5 from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big cities have so far been transient and relatively infrequent .
The San Francisco Bay Area has been hit by multiday severe air pollution incidents in 2017 , 2018 , and 2020 .
But with wildfires getting bigger and more intense across the West with climate change , experts fear that the region may be moving into dangerous territory with bigger effects on population health .
“ We ’ re not quite annual , but we ’ re getting there , ” Michael Brauer , a specialist in environmental health at the University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ If you look at the predictions , it ’ s only going to get worse.
” One of the biggest concerns right now is that the toxic air will intensify the other major health crisis facing the region .
There is already evidence that exposure to wildfire smoke can make people more susceptible to the seasonal flu , caused by another respiratory virus .
In Montana , higher daily PM2.5 concentrations during the summer wildfire season have been linked to higher rates of influenza in the following flu season .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people more vulnerable to infection by respiratory viruses because PM2.5 particles damage cells called alveolar macrophages , which are an important line of immune defense in air sacs deep in the lungs .
“ If the alveolar macrophages are overloaded with toxic particles , whether those particles are from tobacco smoke , marijuana smoke , vaping , or wildfire smoke , they don ’ t function as well , ” Balmes said .
One glimmer of hope is that both the pandemic and the wildfire smoke are making people stay at home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the likelihood of spreading the coronavirus .
For those who need to venture outside in order to work , the best protection is N95 masks , not the cloth masks worn to reduce transmission of the virus .
Those forced to flee their homes in the face of the advancing flames are in an especially vulnerable situation .
“ If people are able to safely shelter in place , we could see reductions in transmission , ” Sheryl Magzamen , an environmental epidemiologist at Colorado State University , told BuzzFeed News .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ experiencing massive evacuations and loss of shelter.
” She added , “ We are in uncharted territory here , both because of COVID and because of the intensity and duration of the wildfires .
”

This chart shows “NowCast” Air Quality Index (AQI) readings from permanent monitors in the US Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow network, for the tiny airborne particles known as PM2.5. These pollutants are the biggest concern for health because they get deep into the lungs and are even absorbed into the blood. Anything above an AQI of 200 is considered “very unhealthy” for everyone — not just people with conditions like asthma, emphysema, and cardiovascular disease who are most sensitive to air pollution.
As wildfires raged in Oregon, Portland and other cities in the state have experienced AQIs well in excess of this level continuously since Sept. 10.
“That’s brutal,” Arden Pope, an air pollution epidemiologist at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, told BuzzFeed News. “Any way you look at it, all of the evidence suggests that this is a serious event, and it almost certainly is going to have substantial impacts on health.”
The extent of smoke this wildfire season is unprecedented.
“These are unheard-of high levels of particulate matter,” said John Balmes, a specialist in environmental health sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, and UC Berkeley, who is also the physician member of the California Air Resources Board. “All sorts of records have been broken in terms of poor air quality — and what is particularly alarming is this is still early in the fire season. Our worst fires the last few years have been in the fall.”
The Oregon Health Authority has already said that about one in 10 ER visits across the state right now is for asthma-like symptoms, according to Portland TV station KATU. Several studies have shown that wildfire smoke can trigger surges in hospital admissions from asthma. In one, researchers at Colorado State University found that a rise in PM2.5 concentrations of just 10 micrograms per cubic meter from wildfire smoke was associated with an 8% increase in asthma-related hospital admissions. Concentrations surged by more than 200 micrograms per cubic meter in Portland over the course of just a few hours on Sept. 10.
Severe health effects from exposure to wildfire smoke can kick in almost immediately. In a paper published in June, researchers at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver found that ambulance dispatches in the Canadian province for heart attacks, strokes, asthma, and other breathing problems increased within one hour of a rise in PM2.5 concentrations of just 10 micrograms per cubic meter.
In Delhi and other cities in northern India, AQIs similar to those seen in West Coast cities in the past few days are common and can persist for long periods. According to a 2018 study, average life expectancy across the nation is being shortened by about 1.7 years because of air pollution.
Bad as the current situation on the US West Coast is, exposures to very high levels of PM2.5 from wildfire smoke in the region’s big cities have so far been transient and relatively infrequent. The San Francisco Bay Area has been hit by multiday severe air pollution incidents in 2017, 2018, and 2020. But with wildfires getting bigger and more intense across the West with climate change, experts fear that the region may be moving into dangerous territory with bigger effects on population health.
“We’re not quite annual, but we’re getting there,” Michael Brauer, a specialist in environmental health at the University of British Columbia, told BuzzFeed News. “If you look at the predictions, it’s only going to get worse.”
One of the biggest concerns right now is that the toxic air will intensify the other major health crisis facing the region.
There is already evidence that exposure to wildfire smoke can make people more susceptible to the seasonal flu, caused by another respiratory virus. In Montana, higher daily PM2.5 concentrations during the summer wildfire season have been linked to higher rates of influenza in the following flu season.
It makes sense that wildfire smoke would make people more vulnerable to infection by respiratory viruses because PM2.5 particles damage cells called alveolar macrophages, which are an important line of immune defense in air sacs deep in the lungs. “If the alveolar macrophages are overloaded with toxic particles, whether those particles are from tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke, vaping, or wildfire smoke, they don’t function as well,” Balmes said.
One glimmer of hope is that both the pandemic and the wildfire smoke are making people stay at home, which should decrease both exposure to PM2.5 and the likelihood of spreading the coronavirus. For those who need to venture outside in order to work, the best protection is N95 masks, not the cloth masks worn to reduce transmission of the virus.
Those forced to flee their homes in the face of the advancing flames are in an especially vulnerable situation.
“If people are able to safely shelter in place, we could see reductions in transmission,” Sheryl Magzamen, an environmental epidemiologist at Colorado State University, told BuzzFeed News. “But we know that Oregon is experiencing massive evacuations and loss of shelter.”
She added, “We are in uncharted territory here, both because of COVID and because of the intensity and duration of the wildfires.”


buzzfeed--2020-09-17--13 Horrific Period Moments You'll Only Understand If You've Had One

You ever run out of tampons when your period has just started and you need to do bleeding+walking/driving math to @ @ @ @ @ and try to calculate just how much toilet paper you need to fashion into a @ @ @ @ @ s not easy shit .

You ever run out of tampons when your period has just started and you need to do bleeding+walking/driving math to get to the nearest store and try to calculate just how much toilet paper you need to fashion into a makeshift pad/wad? That’s not easy shit.


buzzfeed--2020-09-16--People Say These 19 Small But Powerful Activities Have Really Helped Their Mood

`` Sign up to be a bone marrow donor via DKMS ( they operate in the US , UK , @ @ @ @ @ .
You sign up online , they send you a swab to your house , @ @ @ @ @ .
Knowing that you could save someone 's life from an action so small makes @ @ @ @ @ happy . ''

14.
"Sign up to be a bone marrow donor via DKMS (they operate in the US, UK, and most of Europe). You sign up online, they send you a swab to your house, and you mail it back. Knowing that you could save someone's life from an action so small makes you feel a little bit happy."


buzzfeed--2020-09-17--Trump Downplayed The Role Of Slavery In American History As He Vowed To Build A Statue Of An Enslave

Trump Downplayed The Role Of Slavery In American History As He Vowed To Build A Statue Of An Enslaver

President Trump speaks during the White House Conference on American History at the National Archives on Thursday .
President Trump offered an archconservative defense of American history on Thursday in a speech in which he shamed educational programs that seek to emphasize the role of slavery in the country ’ s founding as “ toxic propaganda , ” instead centering what he said was US virtue and nobility .
He also announced he planned to erect a statue of Caesar Rodney , a signer of the Declaration of Independence from Delaware who enslaved roughly 200 people .
Speaking alongside copies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Independence at the National Archives in Washington , DC , at an event promoted as the first White House Conference on American History , the president delivered a thinly veiled election campaign speech in which he attacked liberal politicians , the media , and Joe Biden .
“ We are here today to declare that we will never submit to tyranny , ” he said , referring to protesters who demonstrated this summer for a racial reckoning in the US .
“ We will reclaim our history , and our country , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ religion , and creed.
” As he continues to campaign for reelection by stoking racial and cultural fears , Trump vowed to set up what he described as a “ national commission to promote patriotic education ” in America ’ s schools , to be called “ the 1776 Commission ” — a rebuke of the New York Times ’ 1619 Project .
That 2019 series of stories from New York Times Magazine , which was subsequently turned into an educational curriculum designed to be taught in schools , sought to “ reframe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of our national narrative.
” Like other Republicans who have attacked the project , Trump decried it as “ an ideological poison that , if not removed , will dissolve the civic bonds that tie us together.
” “ This project rewrites history to teach our children that we were founded on the principle of oppression , not freedom , ” he said .
“ Nothing could be further from the truth.
” In response , Nikole Hannah-Jones , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Pulitzer Prize for her work on the 1619 Project , noted wryly on Twitter , “ The White House Conference on American History has not a single Black historian on it .
Strange .
”

President Trump offered an archconservative defense of American history on Thursday in a speech in which he shamed educational programs that seek to emphasize the role of slavery in the country’s founding as “toxic propaganda,” instead centering what he said was US virtue and nobility.
He also announced he planned to erect a statue of Caesar Rodney, a signer of the Declaration of Independence from Delaware who enslaved roughly 200 people.
Speaking alongside copies of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence at the National Archives in Washington, DC, at an event promoted as the first White House Conference on American History, the president delivered a thinly veiled election campaign speech in which he attacked liberal politicians, the media, and Joe Biden.
“We are here today to declare that we will never submit to tyranny,” he said, referring to protesters who demonstrated this summer for a racial reckoning in the US. “We will reclaim our history, and our country, for citizens of every race, color, religion, and creed.”
As he continues to campaign for reelection by stoking racial and cultural fears, Trump vowed to set up what he described as a “national commission to promote patriotic education” in America’s schools, to be called “the 1776 Commission” — a rebuke of the New York Times’ 1619 Project.
That 2019 series of stories from New York Times Magazine, which was subsequently turned into an educational curriculum designed to be taught in schools, sought to “reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of our national narrative.”
Like other Republicans who have attacked the project, Trump decried it as “an ideological poison that, if not removed, will dissolve the civic bonds that tie us together.”
“This project rewrites history to teach our children that we were founded on the principle of oppression, not freedom,” he said. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”
In response, Nikole Hannah-Jones, the New York Times reporter who won a Pulitzer Prize for her work on the 1619 Project, noted wryly on Twitter, “The White House Conference on American History has not a single Black historian on it. Strange.”


buzzfeed--2020-09-17--Trump Is Waging A Multistate, Multimillion-Dollar Legal Battle Against Mail-In Voting During The Pan

Trump Is Waging A Multistate, Multimillion-Dollar Legal Battle Against Mail-In Voting During The Pandemic

Trump 's campaign is backing up his rhetoric against mail-in ballots with a deep-pocketed legal push to make it harder for people to vote remotely .
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump ’ s campaign and the Republican Party are devoting millions of dollars to wage a state-by-state legal battle against mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic , not only suing state officials but also intervening in cases where they aren ’ t a party to limit how Americans can vote from home .
BuzzFeed News identified at least 11 cases where the Trump campaign has asked judges for permission to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that voting rights advocates argue will make it harder for people to safely vote during the pandemic .
That ’ s in addition to more than half a dozen lawsuits the campaign has filed with the Republican National Committee contesting efforts by Democratic governors and other state and local officials to expand mail-in voting .
It ’ s unusual to see a presidential campaign take such an active role in court leading up to an election , but the pandemic has made for an extremely unusual — and highly litigious — election year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rise , Trump is throwing the weight of his campaign behind legal challenges in court and using his platform as president to try to dissuade Americans from voting by mail .
At the White House , on the campaign trail , and on Twitter , Trump has repeated debunked and unsupported claims that the practice is tainted by widespread fraud and the specter of foreign interference .
The Justice Department doesn ’ t represent Trump ’ s campaign , but Attorney General Bill Barr has echoed Trump ’ s rhetoric against mail-in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that states trying to expand the practice are “ playing with fire ” and telling the Chicago Tribune that it would encourage “ the business of selling and buying votes.
” Trump and the RNC have committed $ 20 million to fund election-related litigation .
Trump told Politico in July that the “ biggest risk ” to his reelection was failing to successfully fight plans that would make it easier for voters to remotely receive and return ballots .
“ My biggest risk is that we don ’ t win lawsuits , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have many lawsuits going all over .
And if we don ’ t win those lawsuits , I think— I think it puts the election at risk.
” State and local election officials have scrambled to prepare for a crush of voters trying to cast ballots remotely for the first time due to the pandemic .
Early data compiled by the United States Elections Project at the University of Florida show that in Florida , Pennsylvania , North Carolina , and Colorado , absentee ballot requests are up compared to previous election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans .
In the latest of a string of cases that underscore Trump ’ s aggressive approach to voting litigation leading up to the election , his campaign and the RNC last week asked a judge for permission to join a lawsuit filed by Ohio voters and advocacy groups .
The challengers accused Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose of unconstitutionally banning counties in the state from having more than one secure box where voters can drop absentee ballots instead of returning them by mail .
Lawyers for Trump and the RNC contend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of drop boxes in Ohio — an issue that took on new relevance this summer amid US Postal Service delays .
The Trump campaign and the RNC are now arguing in court that they should be allowed to join the case because LaRose and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost , both Republicans , might not be able to represent the campaign ’ s issues .
“ Secretary LaRose ’ s generalized interest in enforcing the law is distinct from the Republican Committees ’ private interests , ” lawyers for the campaign and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ He has no interest in electing particular candidates .
...
He also must consider a ‘ broad spectrum of views , many of which may conflict ’ with the Republican Committees ’ specific interests.
” With mail-in ballots already starting to go out to voters in a few states , litigation is moving quickly .
There are multiple lawsuits around some of the same issues proceeding on separate tracks in state and federal courts .
In Ohio , for instance , where the campaign just asked to intervene in federal court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that LaRose lacked legal authority to ban multiple drop boxes ; the campaign and RNC had asked to intervene in that case , but the judge denied the request , finding their interest was “ too attenuated ” and would be “ fully protected ” by the involvement of the state Republican Party .
Trump ’ s campaign has attempted to get involved in cases that cover a range of state laws and policies that affect how people vote remotely , including whether states can automatically send registered voters absentee ballots or ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return ballots , when ballots need to be postmarked or received to be counted , and whether voters should have a chance to fix a problem with their ballot — a signature that doesn ’ t match the one on their registration , for instance — before it ’ s tossed out and their vote isn ’ t counted at all .
“ The Trump campaign has calculated that making it harder to vote — even in the pandemic — will help Trump get reelected , ” Rick Hasen , an election law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School of Law , told BuzzFeed News in an email .
“ It is not clear that this strategy will work because it appears to be deterring many of Trump ’ s key supporters from voting by mail , which may be the safest way for people to vote during the pandemic .
But it is not really about stopping voting fraud , of which there is little evidence of a widespread problem.
” Former vice president Joe Biden ’ s campaign has reportedly recruited hundreds of lawyers in anticipation of a legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporters in July that the campaign would have 600 lawyers plus 10,000 volunteer lawyers on the ground , according to USA Today .
But his campaign hasn ’ t formally gotten involved in court on a state-by-state basis the way Trump ’ s campaign has so far .
It ’ s more common to see national and state political party organizations duke it out in court than presidential campaigns , and that ’ s been true this year — the Republican National Committee is involved in more cases than Trump ’ s campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also active in court .
“ This is just an all-out effort by Republicans to send a clear message that they will oppose voting rights in every state on every ground they can , ” said Marc Elias , one of the lawyers leading the charge on behalf of Democrats to defend mail-in voting practices in court this year .
( Elias was the general counsel for Hillary Clinton ’ s 2016 campaign ; his legal efforts on behalf of Democrats earned him his own section on a website the RNC launched to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have defined presidential elections before — Bush v. Gore in 2000 is one of the most consequential US Supreme Court decisions in modern history — but 2020 is notable for the sheer quantity of court action .
There are more than 300 pending cases related in some way to the election , according to a tracker created by the Stanford-MIT Healthy Elections Project and Loyola Law School professor Justin Levitt .
Celina Stewart , senior director of advocacy and litigation for the League of Women Voters , said their litigation caseload has dramatically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve not only taken states to court to push for expanded mail-in voting access in the primaries and general election this year , she said , but also to try to match the ramp-up in legal activity coming from Trump and the RNC .
“ For us , because that is a voter suppression technique , we just had to make sure we continue to fight back against actions like that , ” Stewart said .
The Trump campaign has filed a string of lawsuits to block states from expanding mail-in voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a plan to send ballots to all registered voters and extending the time frame to count ballots received after Election Day , suing Nevada for adopting a longer timeline for accepting mail-in ballots , suing Montana over the state ’ s universal vote-by-mail plan , and suing county election officials in Iowa over their plans to send mail-in ballot applications prepopulated with voter information the county already has on file .
Judges in all three of the Iowa cases have sided with Trump and the RNC , invalidating prefilled absentee ballots that had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county officials to resend blank forms .
Judges have yet to rule in the New Jersey , Nevada , and Montana cases .
A Trump campaign spokesperson did not respond to questions about the campaign ’ s litigation strategy and how it ’ s deciding when to go to court .
BuzzFeed News identified at least 11 law firms listed on court documents for the campaign and the RNC , including Jones Day , which also served as a lead law firm for Trump ’ s 2016 campaign , and Consovoy McCarthy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court fights during his first term , including challenges to subpoenas from Congress and New York prosecutors for his financial records .
In Pennsylvania , a battleground state , the Trump campaign has tried to intervene in at least three cases related to remote voting during the pandemic .
One was brought by the state Democratic Party arguing before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania for a host of mail-in voting changes , including allowing drop boxes for ballots , extending the deadline to count mail-in ballots postmarked on Election Day but received after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot problems , and allowing “ naked ” ballots — ballots that don ’ t arrive in a special secrecy envelope — to be counted .
On Sept. 3 , the court allowed Republican state officials to intervene as parties but denied Trump and the RNC ’ s request .
The court said they could file amicus , or friend-of-court , briefs to express their views , along with other outside groups that also unsuccessfully asked to join the case .
On Thursday , the court issued a 63-page decision finding county election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots and approving the longer deadline for counting ballots received after Election Day .
The court denied state Democrats ’ other requests .
Trump ’ s campaign and the RNC filed their own lawsuit against Pennsylvania Commonwealth Secretary Kathy Boockvar to limit the number of drop boxes per county , but that ’ s been on hold pending a decision from the state supreme court .
In another case , the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania and other voting rights groups sued Boockvar in federal court in August , arguing the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to handle signature match problems .
Trump and the RNC moved to intervene to fight the lawsuit on Sept. 1 , arguing they had a special interest “ in maintaining the competitive electoral environment ” on behalf of Republican voters and candidates that the “ impartial ” Pennsylvania election officials couldn ’ t represent .
Before the judge could rule on whether to let Trump and the RNC join , however , the challengers alerted the court on Sept. 14 that they were dropping the case .
Boockvar had declared that county election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on signature analysis alone , which satisfied the groups that sued .
Absent a formal role in the case , Trump and the RNC didn ’ t have a way to keep it active .
The campaign and the RNC have successfully intervened in a case in Ohio , another key state , over objections from the groups that sued .
The lawsuit filed by voting rights groups and Ohio voters alleges the state has failed to adopt signature match standards and has unconstitutionally rejected ballots during previous elections without giving voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A federal judge in Arizona allowed the campaign and the RNC to intervene in another signature-related case , and they ’ re now appealing a judge ’ s order last week directing the state to give voters whose ballots arrive in unsigned envelopes more time to fix the issue .
Meanwhile , on Wednesday a different federal judge in Arizona denied the campaign and the RNC ’ s request to intervene in a lawsuit challenging the state ’ s Election Day deadline for mail-in ballots from members of the Navajo Nation who live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state officials opposed letting Trump and the RNC intervene in a federal lawsuit challenging a state requirement that voters have a witness present when they sign absentee ballots .
Voting rights groups argued the rule added a layer of in-person contact that might deter voters from participating during the pandemic .
The Minnesota Attorney General ’ s Office , led by former US representative Keith Ellison , a Democrat , argued Trump and the RNC were trying to get involved “ solely for an improper purpose — to engage in a public-policy debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ integrity of Minnesota elections.
” A federal judge allowed the campaign and the RNC to intervene and refused to sign off on an agreement reached by the groups that sued and the state to temporarily waive the witness requirement for the August primary .
However , in a separate case in state court where the RNC and Trump ’ s campaign also intervened , a different judge signed off on an agreement reached by Minnesota voters and Secretary of State Steve Simon in August waiving the signature witness requirement for the November election @

Legal battles have defined presidential elections before — Bush v. Gore in 2000 is one of the most consequential US Supreme Court decisions in modern history — but 2020 is notable for the sheer quantity of court action. There are more than 300 pending cases related in some way to the election, according to a tracker created by the Stanford-MIT Healthy Elections Project and Loyola Law School professor Justin Levitt.
Celina Stewart, senior director of advocacy and litigation for the League of Women Voters, said their litigation caseload has dramatically increased since the pandemic started. They’ve not only taken states to court to push for expanded mail-in voting access in the primaries and general election this year, she said, but also to try to match the ramp-up in legal activity coming from Trump and the RNC.
“For us, because that is a voter suppression technique, we just had to make sure we continue to fight back against actions like that,” Stewart said.
The Trump campaign has filed a string of lawsuits to block states from expanding mail-in voting this fall — suing New Jersey over a plan to send ballots to all registered voters and extending the time frame to count ballots received after Election Day, suing Nevada for adopting a longer timeline for accepting mail-in ballots, suing Montana over the state’s universal vote-by-mail plan, and suing county election officials in Iowa over their plans to send mail-in ballot applications prepopulated with voter information the county already has on file.
Judges in all three of the Iowa cases have sided with Trump and the RNC, invalidating prefilled absentee ballots that had already been sent to voters and ordering county officials to resend blank forms. Judges have yet to rule in the New Jersey, Nevada, and Montana cases.
A Trump campaign spokesperson did not respond to questions about the campaign’s litigation strategy and how it’s deciding when to go to court. BuzzFeed News identified at least 11 law firms listed on court documents for the campaign and the RNC, including Jones Day, which also served as a lead law firm for Trump’s 2016 campaign, and Consovoy McCarthy, which has represented Trump personally in major court fights during his first term, including challenges to subpoenas from Congress and New York prosecutors for his financial records.
In Pennsylvania, a battleground state, the Trump campaign has tried to intervene in at least three cases related to remote voting during the pandemic. One was brought by the state Democratic Party arguing before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania for a host of mail-in voting changes, including allowing drop boxes for ballots, extending the deadline to count mail-in ballots postmarked on Election Day but received after, giving voters a chance to fix ballot problems, and allowing “naked” ballots — ballots that don’t arrive in a special secrecy envelope — to be counted.
On Sept. 3, the court allowed Republican state officials to intervene as parties but denied Trump and the RNC’s request. The court said they could file amicus, or friend-of-court, briefs to express their views, along with other outside groups that also unsuccessfully asked to join the case. On Thursday, the court issued a 63-page decision finding county election boards could have drop boxes to collect ballots and approving the longer deadline for counting ballots received after Election Day. The court denied state Democrats’ other requests.
Trump’s campaign and the RNC filed their own lawsuit against Pennsylvania Commonwealth Secretary Kathy Boockvar to limit the number of drop boxes per county, but that’s been on hold pending a decision from the state supreme court.
In another case, the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania and other voting rights groups sued Boockvar in federal court in August, arguing the state failed to give clear guidance about how to handle signature match problems. Trump and the RNC moved to intervene to fight the lawsuit on Sept. 1, arguing they had a special interest “in maintaining the competitive electoral environment” on behalf of Republican voters and candidates that the “impartial” Pennsylvania election officials couldn’t represent.
Before the judge could rule on whether to let Trump and the RNC join, however, the challengers alerted the court on Sept. 14 that they were dropping the case. Boockvar had declared that county election boards couldn’t dismiss mail-in ballots based on signature analysis alone, which satisfied the groups that sued. Absent a formal role in the case, Trump and the RNC didn’t have a way to keep it active.
The campaign and the RNC have successfully intervened in a case in Ohio, another key state, over objections from the groups that sued. The lawsuit filed by voting rights groups and Ohio voters alleges the state has failed to adopt signature match standards and has unconstitutionally rejected ballots during previous elections without giving voters a chance to fix signature issues.
A federal judge in Arizona allowed the campaign and the RNC to intervene in another signature-related case, and they’re now appealing a judge’s order last week directing the state to give voters whose ballots arrive in unsigned envelopes more time to fix the issue. Meanwhile, on Wednesday a different federal judge in Arizona denied the campaign and the RNC’s request to intervene in a lawsuit challenging the state’s Election Day deadline for mail-in ballots from members of the Navajo Nation who live on a reservation.
In Minnesota, state officials opposed letting Trump and the RNC intervene in a federal lawsuit challenging a state requirement that voters have a witness present when they sign absentee ballots. Voting rights groups argued the rule added a layer of in-person contact that might deter voters from participating during the pandemic. The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, led by former US representative Keith Ellison, a Democrat, argued Trump and the RNC were trying to get involved “solely for an improper purpose — to engage in a public-policy debate regarding the best means to ensure the integrity of Minnesota elections.”
A federal judge allowed the campaign and the RNC to intervene and refused to sign off on an agreement reached by the groups that sued and the state to temporarily waive the witness requirement for the August primary. However, in a separate case in state court where the RNC and Trump’s campaign also intervened, a different judge signed off on an agreement reached by Minnesota voters and Secretary of State Steve Simon in August waiving the signature witness requirement for the November election.


buzzfeed--2020-09-17--Are You Not Sure About Voting? BuzzFeed News Wants To Hear From You.

With the general election less than 50 days away and the first presidential debate between former vice president Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ to air on Sept. 29 , BuzzFeed News is looking to speak with people who @ @ @ @ @ whether or not they ’ ll vote in the presidential race for a video segment @ @ @ @ @ to hear from you about what issues you ’ re concerned with during this election @ @ @ @ @ ve viewed the two campaigns over the course of the pandemic , and more about @ @ @ @ @ submit your answers here .

With the general election less than 50 days away and the first presidential debate between former vice president Joe Biden and President Donald Trump set to air on Sept. 29, BuzzFeed News is looking to speak with people who are still trying to decide whether or not they’ll vote in the presidential race for a video segment.
We’d love to hear from you about what issues you’re concerned with during this election cycle, how you’ve viewed the two campaigns over the course of the pandemic, and more about your background. You can submit your answers here.


buzzfeed--2020-09-17--Trump Called The CDC Director’s Timeline For A Coronavirus Vaccine A “Mistake”

As the coronavirus vaccine is thrust into the center of the US presidential election , experts fear that public trust in the vaccine is taking a serious hit .
Capping an extraordinary day of vaccine politics , President Donald Trump questioned the vaccine timeline given by his own CDC director on Wednesday , calling the senior health official ’ s estimate that a coronavirus vaccine would not be available until 2021 a “ mistake.
” “ We ’ re going to have a vaccine within months , at most , ” Trump said .
Wednesday ’ s events , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as a speech on the topic from former vice president Joe Biden , have public health experts fearing that Election Day politics threaten to undermine public trust in vaccines .
In the morning , the Department of Health and Human Services released a state road map — largely recapitulating presentations made last month at a CDC advisory committee meeting — for releasing vaccines , ahead of CDC Director Robert Redfield testifying before a Senate panel .
Redfield testified that while limited doses for high-priority people could be available within months of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ availability to people everywhere would not come until 2021 , most likely by summer or fall .
Openly disputing Redfield ’ s remarks in a press conference later on Wednesday , Trump and his new science adviser , Stanford University neuroradiologist Scott Atlas , instead promised that all high-priority individuals would receive a vaccine by January — a number estimated to exceed half of the US adult population in an August CDC vaccine meeting — and that 700 million vaccine doses would be available by the end of March .
Late in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who heads the agency tasked with distributing coronavirus vaccines nationwide , was unfamiliar with distribution plans for the shots .
“ This is the tragedy of all this .
Trump has consistently undermined scientists at federal agencies working to end this pandemic , ” said Paul Offit , a vaccine expert at Children ’ s Hospital of Philadelphia .
Asked whether it was a good idea for the president to sandbag his own CDC director ahead of a vaccine rollout , he added , “ I think that is a question that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good people at CDC and FDA , just the people you want in those places , who care a lot about the public ’ s safety .
It ’ s tragic to undermine them , ” Offit said .
The CDC did not respond immediately to a request for comment from BuzzFeed News .
With Nov. 3 less than 50 days away , the two presidential campaigns both held events devoted to coronavirus vaccines on Wednesday .
Two Republican physicians , one a member of Congress from Ohio , spoke in support of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hosted by the president ’ s reelection campaign , criticizing Biden .
On Wednesday afternoon , Biden hosted his own event in Delaware specifically devoted to vaccines , where he questioned the president ’ s record on science .
“ I trust vaccines .
I trust science .
I don ’ t trust Donald Trump , ” Biden said , complaining of fears that the president would “ pressure the FDA ” to approve a test without clear proof of its safety .
“ If there ’ s a vaccine , it should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s events come as people ’ s willingness to take a coronavirus vaccine has faded over the summer , public opinion polls suggest , and experts fear that such Election Day politics could threaten to sink those numbers even further .
On Tuesday , a multi-university consortium released a 50-state survey of 21,000 Americans , finding that the number of people who said they were likely to get a vaccine dropped from 66 % in July to 59 % in August .
“ That ’ s not a very impressive number , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opinion researcher who led the polling report , saying respondents voiced fears of side effects from untested vaccines that rely on new technologies .
“ It ’ s an issue of trust.
” While the poll showed vaccine hesitancy from both the left and right , reluctance to get a vaccine is more pronounced among Trump ’ s supporters .
In the six months since the pandemic was declared , the president has repeatedly questioned the work of federal scientists , including National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases chief Anthony Fauci , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and plasma , and casting doubt on the efficacy of masks , lockdowns , and other measures during a pandemic that has killed more than 196,000 Americans .
Much of the decline in vaccine trust has come as President Trump has also repeatedly demanded a vaccine ahead of the Nov. 3 election .
Such an “ October Surprise ” scenario has for months roused concern among scientists who are terrified that an untested vaccine might be loosed on the public for political gain , with consequences both for curtailing the pandemic and overall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Election Day might further polarize partisan views on a vaccine , said Baum .
A Biden win might deepen Republican distrust of vaccines , he suggested , while a Trump win might add to Democrats ’ suspicions .
“ It is a very polarized country , ” said Baum .
The last time the US rolled out a new vaccine in response to a novel illness , the 2009 new strain of swine flu , he said , “ was a ‘ kumbaya moment ’ compared to now.
” A contested election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government would only make things worse for a coronavirus vaccine , Baum added .
Intense disagreement over the results might lead to a patchwork of vaccine uptake , with some states having high vaccination rates while others don ’ t , a disaster for reopening the country .
“ Vaccination and prevention are life-saving efforts that apply to everybody that should n't have anything to do with elections , ” said former state and federal health official Howard Koh , of Harvard ’ s T.H .
Chan School of Public Health , speaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Everybody in public health is concerned about that trust and confidence being shaken.
” “ The last thing we need whenever a coronavirus vaccine is approved is having people refusing to take it because they do n't trust the process of approval , ” Koh added .
The amount of trust in a vaccine matters greatly not just for the individual safety of people getting a shot , but for effective “ herd immunity ” in the public , broadly seen as requiring anywhere from 40 % to 70 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Operation Warp Speed vaccines in late-stage clinical trials in the US .
In response to questions about Trump pressuring vaccine deadlines , last week , nine pharmaceutical executives overseeing vaccine studies released a statement pledging they would abide by `` high ethical standards and sound scientific principles '' in requesting approval for their vaccines , a move that Offit called `` unprecedented . ''
“ We don ’ t even know how to measure immunity to the virus , ” said infectious disease expert Stuart Ray of the Johns Hopkins University School of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports of promising immune responses from early clinical trials .
“ We really need to know a vaccine is effective — it ’ s hard to sell something that isn ’ t there yet.
” The key date ahead of the election is the Oct. 22 meeting of the FDA ’ s independent scientific advisory committee charged with voting on the safety of vaccines .
FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn has promised to seek approval of a coronavirus vaccine from the committee before releasing it on an emergency basis , although he has the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In his remarks Wednesday , Biden called for the approval of that committee and a CDC vaccine panel charged with approving any distribution plans ahead of any vaccine release .
On the positive side , polling does suggest that Americans do trust scientists .
That doesn ’ t mean we can ignore what politicians say about vaccines , Baum said .
“ In normal circumstances , political leaders are the public face of a public health response.
” “ They are the people we elected to lead us , after all.
” Stephanie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this story .

Capping an extraordinary day of vaccine politics, President Donald Trump questioned the vaccine timeline given by his own CDC director on Wednesday, calling the senior health official’s estimate that a coronavirus vaccine would not be available until 2021 a “mistake.”
“We’re going to have a vaccine within months, at most,” Trump said.
Wednesday’s events, which included a Trump campaign event on vaccines as well as a speech on the topic from former vice president Joe Biden, have public health experts fearing that Election Day politics threaten to undermine public trust in vaccines.
In the morning, the Department of Health and Human Services released a state road map — largely recapitulating presentations made last month at a CDC advisory committee meeting — for releasing vaccines, ahead of CDC Director Robert Redfield testifying before a Senate panel. Redfield testified that while limited doses for high-priority people could be available within months of a vaccine proving effective, its widespread availability to people everywhere would not come until 2021, most likely by summer or fall.
Openly disputing Redfield’s remarks in a press conference later on Wednesday, Trump and his new science adviser, Stanford University neuroradiologist Scott Atlas, instead promised that all high-priority individuals would receive a vaccine by January — a number estimated to exceed half of the US adult population in an August CDC vaccine meeting — and that 700 million vaccine doses would be available by the end of March.
Late in his news conference, Trump suggested that Redfield, who heads the agency tasked with distributing coronavirus vaccines nationwide, was unfamiliar with distribution plans for the shots.
“This is the tragedy of all this. Trump has consistently undermined scientists at federal agencies working to end this pandemic,” said Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Asked whether it was a good idea for the president to sandbag his own CDC director ahead of a vaccine rollout, he added, “I think that is a question that answers itself.”
“These are really good people at CDC and FDA, just the people you want in those places, who care a lot about the public’s safety. It’s tragic to undermine them,” Offit said.
The CDC did not respond immediately to a request for comment from BuzzFeed News.


buzzfeed--2020-09-16--Joe Biden Is Seeking Latino Votes In Florida With A New Plan To Rebuild Puerto Rico

Biden ’ s visit to Florida this week came with a new plan for Puerto Rico and policies aimed directly at one of the state 's most crucial groups .
Joe Biden is bulking up his policy commitments to Puerto Rican voters in Florida , as he tries to build support among Latinos in one of the most competitive states in the presidential race .
In a plan released before his Tuesday visit to Kissimmee , Biden detailed a recovery plan for Puerto Rico , which has struggled to rebuild after a major economic crisis , hurricanes Irma and Maria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The majority of Hurricane Maria evacuees who left the island have settled in Central Florida .
Biden 's plan , and comments he made in Kissimmee , went further than he 'd gone to that point : He laid out a proposal to end federally imposed austerity measures in Puerto Rico and forgive some of the island ’ s debt , and he said he personally supports statehood for the island , though he prefers to leave the question up to Puerto Ricans .
Biden ’ s visit to Florida came as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latinos in the state , but trailing Hillary Clinton at the same stage of the 2016 election .
Trump ultimately won the state by a margin of just 1.2 % in 2016 .
Florida is home to nearly one million people of Puerto Rican descent , including hundreds of thousands who moved to the state after Hurricane Maria tore through the island .
According to a 2018 paper from the Pew Research Center , the state has seen a 6.2 % increase in Latino voter registrations since 2016 , bringing the total to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around 31 % of potential Latino voters in the state , whether or not they ’ re registered — the same as the number of potential Cuban voters , according to the researchers .
Biden was joined Tuesday by Puerto Rican musical icons Luis Fonsi and Ricky Martin , along with actor Eva Longoria , a founder of the Latino political advocacy group Latino Victory .
“ Donald Trump doesn ’ t seem to grasp that the people of Puerto Rico are American citizens already and they deserve to have leadership in government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no room for the idea of second-class citizens , ” Biden said at the Hispanic Heritage Month event at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee .
The former vice president may have an edge among Puerto Rican voters in Florida partly because of Trump ’ s flippant response to various crises in Puerto Rico , including the number of people who died as a result of Hurricane Maria and the inadequate federal response .
An August poll by Democratic pollster EquisLabs found that among 1,081 Latinos polled in Florida , 61 % of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , compared to 28 % who back Trump .
Both parties attempted to attract new Puerto Rican voters in Florida during the 2018 midterms — Latino turnout overall in the state did increase between the 2014 and 2018 midterms and between the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections .
But , the Orlando Sentinel reported , early voter data in 2018 suggested that evacuees turned out in lower numbers than other Latino voters , perhaps in part because they had immediate concerns , especially finding secure housing , to consider in the aftermath of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a lot of work to do with folks in Florida , ” said Julio López Varona , co-director of community dignity campaigns for the progressive Center for Popular Democracy , adding that the new recovery plan is “ a step in the right direction.
” “ Florida has 1 million Puerto Ricans , and these Puerto Ricans have more of a bootstrap-minded mentality and tend to be a little bit more conservative .
How does he improve people 's lives in Kissimmee ?
And I think there has to be a case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come back and what can be done about that , ” he said .
For one Latino activist who has been working with the Puerto Rican diaspora in Central Florida , Biden ’ s visit and newly released plan was welcome but should have come sooner , especially as COVID has worsened an already dicey situation for Puerto Rican families in recent months .
She added , though , that the Trump campaign doesn ’ t even have a specific plan for Puerto Rico , and that his administration let Puerto Ricans down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the hurricane , either .
“ This generation of Puerto Ricans have been struggling , ” said Maria Revelles , Florida state director for Vamos4PR , a coalition of community groups advocating for Puerto Ricans .
“ This was not a planned move , they lost everything on the island.
” She said she thinks it ’ s going to be a challenge to get people out to vote amid health concerns over the ongoing pandemic , but that Puerto Ricans on the island are used to a culture of being very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that people have to understand Puerto Ricans come from a very high voting culture .
On the island everybody votes , 99 % of people vote .
Right now you read stories about people in line to register to vote , ” she said .
Puerto Ricans who move to the mainland aren ’ t automatically affiliated with either Democrats or Republicans , she said , because the party system is entirely different on the island , with the issue of statehood for Puerto Rico being one of the main issues that divides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that end , she said , it was wise for Biden to emphasize that he supports self-determination for the people of Puerto Rico .
“ The Puerto Ricans that are here in Orlando , besides the Puerto Rico issues , their issues are like every other working group .
They want affordable housing , they want fair wages , they want healthcare , that none of those things are traditionally in the GOP platform either , ” she said .
Revelles added that she appreciated that the Biden campaign didn ’ t pick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s event , but Ricky Martin in particular , who Puerto Ricans have seen taking action to help communities on the island after the hurricane and to support the protests that ousted former governor Ricardo Rosselló last year .
PROMESA , the Puerto Rico Oversight , Management , and Economic Stability Act , was signed into law by then-president Barack Obama in 2016 and established a federally appointed fiscal control board ( the Fiscal Oversight Management Board ) to approve Puerto Rico ’ s state budgets , and with the power to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions imposed by the fiscal control board have led to major cuts in public education , infrastructure spending , and pensions on Puerto Rico , and residents say it ’ s made recovering from the series of disasters even harder .
López Varona , of the Center for Popular Democracy , said the Biden team had been in touch with them as they formulated the recovery plan , and though it doesn ’ t abolish PROMESA as the group had wanted , the Biden team took many of their other requests on board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures .
“ It shows that he ’ s really listening , ” said López Varona .
“ There ’ s also protection of pension holders in Puerto Rico and then there ’ s accountability for the FOMB and a clear stance against austerity .
If there ’ s a beating drum , that 's the thing we ’ ve been saying for the past four years .
Generally , we think it 's a step in the right direction.
” Biden ’ s plan would go a long way toward fulfilling some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling for since 2016 , particularly an audit of Puerto Rico ’ s $ 72 billion debt , much of which activists argue was issued by predatory lenders who knew the island authorities could not pay it back , and some of which was issued in violation of debt limits in the Puerto Rico Constitution .
“ I ’ m running to be president of all Americans , including 3 million Americans in Puerto Rico … I ’ m not going to suggest that we sell or trade , as was mentioned earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to throw paper towels at people whose lives have just been devastated by a hurricane .
That was mortifying .
The world saw that , ” Biden said at the event on Tuesday .
The proposal includes measures to increase funding for Puerto Rico ’ s food stamps program , which has come close to running out of funding multiple times in recent years , increased federal funding for public education , and moves to put funding for Puerto Rico ’ s Medicare and Medicaid programs on par with the rest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electrical grid , which was decimated during Hurricane Maria , remains fragile and incomplete nearly three years later , and is frequently knocked out by passing storms .
Biden ’ s plan includes “ a full recovery and infrastructure reconstruction to modern standards.
” The electrical grid failing again is a constant fear for people who lived for months without power , said Revelles , and Biden addressing it directly in his plan is significant for her .
Beyond that , she said , she appreciates the campaign ’ s plan to address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Puerto Ricans know we are at the will of climate change , ” she said .
“ Some of the survivors of Hurricane Maria who moved here do Identify themselves as climate change refugees .
”

The former vice president may have an edge among Puerto Rican voters in Florida partly because of Trump’s flippant response to various crises in Puerto Rico, including the number of people who died as a result of Hurricane Maria and the inadequate federal response. An August poll by Democratic pollster EquisLabs found that among 1,081 Latinos polled in Florida, 61% of those who identified as Puerto Ricans preferred Biden, compared to 28% who back Trump.
Both parties attempted to attract new Puerto Rican voters in Florida during the 2018 midterms — Latino turnout overall in the state did increase between the 2014 and 2018 midterms and between the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections. But, the Orlando Sentinel reported, early voter data in 2018 suggested that evacuees turned out in lower numbers than other Latino voters, perhaps in part because they had immediate concerns, especially finding secure housing, to consider in the aftermath of the hurricanes.
“I think he has a lot of work to do with folks in Florida,” said Julio López Varona, co-director of community dignity campaigns for the progressive Center for Popular Democracy, adding that the new recovery plan is “a step in the right direction.”
“Florida has 1 million Puerto Ricans, and these Puerto Ricans have more of a bootstrap-minded mentality and tend to be a little bit more conservative. How does he improve people's lives in Kissimmee? And I think there has to be a case made for Puerto Ricans who want to come back and what can be done about that,” he said.
For one Latino activist who has been working with the Puerto Rican diaspora in Central Florida, Biden’s visit and newly released plan was welcome but should have come sooner, especially as COVID has worsened an already dicey situation for Puerto Rican families in recent months. She added, though, that the Trump campaign doesn’t even have a specific plan for Puerto Rico, and that his administration let Puerto Ricans down by not having a plan for them after the hurricane, either.
“This generation of Puerto Ricans have been struggling,” said Maria Revelles, Florida state director for Vamos4PR, a coalition of community groups advocating for Puerto Ricans. “This was not a planned move, they lost everything on the island.”
She said she thinks it’s going to be a challenge to get people out to vote amid health concerns over the ongoing pandemic, but that Puerto Ricans on the island are used to a culture of being very engaged with voting.
“I think that people have to understand Puerto Ricans come from a very high voting culture. On the island everybody votes, 99% of people vote. Right now you read stories about people in line to register to vote,” she said.
Puerto Ricans who move to the mainland aren’t automatically affiliated with either Democrats or Republicans, she said, because the party system is entirely different on the island, with the issue of statehood for Puerto Rico being one of the main issues that divides the two major parties there. To that end, she said, it was wise for Biden to emphasize that he supports self-determination for the people of Puerto Rico.
“The Puerto Ricans that are here in Orlando, besides the Puerto Rico issues, their issues are like every other working group. They want affordable housing, they want fair wages, they want healthcare, that none of those things are traditionally in the GOP platform either,” she said.
Revelles added that she appreciated that the Biden campaign didn’t pick just any Latino celebrities for Tuesday night’s event, but Ricky Martin in particular, who Puerto Ricans have seen taking action to help communities on the island after the hurricane and to support the protests that ousted former governor Ricardo Rosselló last year.
PROMESA, the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act, was signed into law by then-president Barack Obama in 2016 and established a federally appointed fiscal control board (the Fiscal Oversight Management Board) to approve Puerto Rico’s state budgets, and with the power to put in place austerity measures.
The conditions imposed by the fiscal control board have led to major cuts in public education, infrastructure spending, and pensions on Puerto Rico, and residents say it’s made recovering from the series of disasters even harder.


buzzfeed--2020-09-16--Tell Us How You Are Dealing With The QAnon Believers In Your Life

The QAnon mass delusion started out as a niche conspiracy theory before going big — shaping how many people see @ @ @ @ @ Lives Matter movement , natural disasters , and the election .
It ’ s even @ @ @ @ @ .
But it has also changed how families , coworkers , and friends see one @ @ @ @ @ delusion showing few signs of slowing down , we want to hear how you ’ @ @ @ @ @ believers in your life .
Has a friend fallen for it ?
Have you convinced @ @ @ @ @ to reality ?
Have you had to cut someone out of your life ?
Did @ @ @ @ @ Did you decide to have difficult conversations because the election is nearing ?
Or put @ @ @ @ @ Day ?
Whatever you 'd like to tell us , we 'd love to hear @ @ @ @ @ in the comment section below or fill out this form , which you can keep @ @ @ @ @ your story in a future BuzzFeed News post .

The QAnon mass delusion started out as a niche conspiracy theory before going big — shaping how many people see the pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, natural disasters, and the election. It’s even crept into the White House.
But it has also changed how families, coworkers, and friends see one another.
With the mass delusion showing few signs of slowing down, we want to hear how you’re dealing with the QAnon believers in your life.
Has a friend fallen for it? Have you convinced a family member to return to reality? Have you had to cut someone out of your life? Did they cut you out? Did you decide to have difficult conversations because the election is nearing? Or put them off until after Election Day?
Whatever you'd like to tell us, we'd love to hear it. Just tell us in the comment section below or fill out this form, which you can keep anonymous. We may include your story in a future BuzzFeed News post.


buzzfeed--2020-09-16--Samuel L. Jackson Is Offering Cussing Lessons If You Register To Vote, And I Love This So Much

Listen up - If 2500 of you click a voting action below to make sure you ’ re # GoodToVote @ @ @ @ @ to swear in 15 different languages .
Go to https : //t.co/nVk8WzUm8N now !

Listen up - If 2500 of you click a voting action below to make sure you’re #GoodToVote, I will teach you to swear in 15 different languages. Go to https://t.co/nVk8WzUm8N now!


buzzfeed--2020-09-16--A US Diplomat Is Pleading With Belarus To Release Her Spouse From Jail

A dual American Belarusian citizen and political strategist who has worked for presidential candidates in the United States has been languishing in a jail in Minsk , Belarus , for nearly two months .
Vitali Shkliarov has been abused and denied medical treatment after showing COVID-19–like symptoms while in custody , according to his wife .
Heather Shkliarov , a US State Department employee , wrote in a statement provided to BuzzFeed News through her lawyer that she is growing concerned about the physical health and psychological well-being of her husband , who was arrested by Belarusian security services in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 29 .
Vitali stands accused of organizing an illegal campaign rally , a crime punishable by up to three years in prison if convicted .
“ Vitali has been subjected to extreme psychological pressure and deprived of basic physical liberties in what he has told his lawyer is an attempt to get him to incriminate himself , ” Heather said in her first comments about her husband ’ s situation .
While she has not been allowed to meet or speak directly with Vitali since his arrest , she has learned of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to pass each other and through his lawyer , who has access to him in jail .
Heather said her husband ’ s health is also in immediate danger .
“ On September 8 , Vitali started feeling extremely ill , and for several days in a row , has reported a fever of over 102 degrees , along with respiratory issues , chills , and muscle pains .
The prison authorities have refused to give him a COVID-19 test or to treat him for his fever , which can only be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his psychological will in order to extract a false confession , ” she said .
It is unusual for an active US diplomat to speak out publicly in this way — that task is typically left for top State Department officials .
Speaking with reporters last week , US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun called on Belarusian authorities to release all detained protesters and specifically said , “ Vitali Shkliarov must be released.
” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also mentioned Vitali by name in a Sept. 8 statement denouncing the abduction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Biegun said little else on the matter and did not specify what efforts were being made to release him .
Heather did not say she was speaking out now for any reason other than to encourage Belarus to release her husband .
“ The views expressed in this statement are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of State or the US government , ” she wrote .
But two US diplomats focused on Europe said her decision was viewed by some within the halls of the State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into greater action .
Speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak with a reporter , the US diplomats told BuzzFeed News that some State Department employees have expressed frustration over what they have felt to be a lack of action from the secretary of state in Vitali ’ s case .
One of the diplomats called the public statements from Pompeo and and Biegun “ run-of-the-mill.
” Vitali , who holds a US diplomatic passport , worked on the presidential campaigns of Sen. Bernie Sanders and former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , respectively .
That work , his Belarusian heritage , and his US citizenship may have made him a target of Lukashenko ’ s security forces .
Belarusian authorities have detained thousands of protesters who have spilled into the streets of cities across the country to challenge what they believe was a government-rigged election to extend dictator Alexander Lukashenko ’ s 26-year rule .
Amid the crackdown , stories emerged from dozens of protesters about abuse and torture by Lukashenko ’ s feared riot police and KGB security service agents .
The 66-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ rats ” and has been seen stomping around his presidential palace wearing riot gear and carrying an assault rifle .
Without evidence , he has tried to paint the uprising as a Western-backed coup attempt , with people coming from abroad to help with organizing .
On Monday , he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi , where the two discussed closer integration and Lukashenko claimed he was facing a military threat from the West .
Vitali told BuzzFeed News in a letter passed by his lawyer on Aug. 7 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overcrowded cell inside a damp basement with mold and cockroaches .
In a follow-up letter shared with BuzzFeed News last month , he likened being in a Belarusian jail to the Soviet Union ’ s gulag , where political prisoners were sent .
“ They try to break me using all means , ” he said .
But , with her sttement , Heather painted the grimmest picture yet of what life has been like for her husband inside the Belarusian detention center over the course of nearly seven weeks .
“ He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid having a sense of stability .
The lights are never turned off in his cell , and loud music is blared all night so he is not ever able to sleep properly .
He is only allowed to bathe with a bucket of warm water on Wednesdays .
He has been subjected to extreme strip searches , forced to stand naked in a cell for hours at a time , and never allowed even to sit down on his bed during the day .
He has a badly broken toe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afraid to describe even to his own lawyer , and which the prison refuses to treat , ” she said .
Heather said she has been unable to speak directly with Vitali since his arrest .
“ At first we were allowed to pass notes in Russian through his attorney , but they accused him of trying to smuggle notes to me in English and stopped allowing him to write to me , ” she said .
“ I am allowed to pass notes to him through the consular officer in Minsk , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vitali weekly in prison.
” Heather said her husband was charged with organizing an illegal campaign rally on May 29 in Grodno for jailed opposition leader Sergei Tikhanovsky , despite the fact that he has never been to Grodno , has never met Tikhanovsky , and was with her at home in Arlington , Virginia , on that date .
“ His only offense was that , in his role as a political analyst and Harvard fellow , he had written articles that publicly criticized the administration of President Lukashenko , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vlogger who was barred by authorities from running in the Aug. 9 election .
His wife , Svetlana Tikhanovskaya , registered for the election in his place and has since gone from being a self-described “ housewife ” with no political ambitions to becoming a hero of the protests shaking Belarus and Lukashenko ’ s grip on power .
Last week , Tikhanovskaya told BuzzFeed News in an interview from Vilnius , Lithuania , where she is living in exile have being forced to flee her home country , that she is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belarus , despite Lukashenko ’ s assertion that he won reelection with more than 80 % of the votes versus her 10 % .
While the US has stopped short of recognizing her as the winner of the election , it has said the election was not free and fair .
In his call with reporters last week , Biegun said Lukashenko had been “ clearly rejected by his own people ” and was now using his notoriously abusive security forces to prop himself up , with some support from Russia .
Biegun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allies in the EU and discussing possible sanctions against Lukashenko ’ s regime .
According to Heather , Vitali traveled to Belarus on July 9 , along with the couple ’ s 8-year-old son , simply to visit his mother , who has advanced cancer , and to celebrate his birthday on July 11 with his family and friends .
She said she stayed behind with her daughter to pack up the family ’ s house in preparation for their move to Kyiv .
After his arrival in Belarus , Vitali was obligated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents ’ house .
“ He did not leave the house during this time .
Shortly after his quarantine was over and he was allowed to go outside , he was detained by Belarusian security services on July 29 , ” Heather said .
“ He was not arrested at a rally or a public protest , but rather at a market in his hometown of Gomel , where he had gone to buy a watermelon for his mother , wearing a T-shirt , shorts , and flip-flops.
” She said he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a van , and driven 186 miles northwest to a detention center in Minsk , while their son was left with his grandmother .
“ To this day , he has bravely refused to admit to crimes that he did not commit , and so he remains in jail , ” she added .
“ He should be released immediately and cleared of the baseless charges that have been brought against him .
”

A dual American Belarusian citizen and political strategist who has worked for presidential candidates in the United States has been languishing in a jail in Minsk, Belarus, for nearly two months. Vitali Shkliarov has been abused and denied medical treatment after showing COVID-19–like symptoms while in custody, according to his wife.
Heather Shkliarov, a US State Department employee, wrote in a statement provided to BuzzFeed News through her lawyer that she is growing concerned about the physical health and psychological well-being of her husband, who was arrested by Belarusian security services in the western city of Grodno on July 29. Vitali stands accused of organizing an illegal campaign rally, a crime punishable by up to three years in prison if convicted.
“Vitali has been subjected to extreme psychological pressure and deprived of basic physical liberties in what he has told his lawyer is an attempt to get him to incriminate himself,” Heather said in her first comments about her husband’s situation. While she has not been allowed to meet or speak directly with Vitali since his arrest, she has learned of his situation through notes the couple has been able to pass each other and through his lawyer, who has access to him in jail.
Heather said her husband’s health is also in immediate danger.
“On September 8, Vitali started feeling extremely ill, and for several days in a row, has reported a fever of over 102 degrees, along with respiratory issues, chills, and muscle pains. The prison authorities have refused to give him a COVID-19 test or to treat him for his fever, which can only be seen as a further attempt to weaken his psychological will in order to extract a false confession,” she said.
It is unusual for an active US diplomat to speak out publicly in this way — that task is typically left for top State Department officials. Speaking with reporters last week, US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun called on Belarusian authorities to release all detained protesters and specifically said, “Vitali Shkliarov must be released.” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also mentioned Vitali by name in a Sept. 8 statement denouncing the abduction of Belarusian opposition leaders.
But Pompeo and Biegun said little else on the matter and did not specify what efforts were being made to release him.
Heather did not say she was speaking out now for any reason other than to encourage Belarus to release her husband. “The views expressed in this statement are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of State or the US government,” she wrote. But two US diplomats focused on Europe said her decision was viewed by some within the halls of the State Department as an attempt to spur Pompeo into greater action.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak with a reporter, the US diplomats told BuzzFeed News that some State Department employees have expressed frustration over what they have felt to be a lack of action from the secretary of state in Vitali’s case. One of the diplomats called the public statements from Pompeo and and Biegun “run-of-the-mill.”
Vitali, who holds a US diplomatic passport, worked on the presidential campaigns of Sen. Bernie Sanders and former president Barack Obama in 2016 and 2012, respectively. That work, his Belarusian heritage, and his US citizenship may have made him a target of Lukashenko’s security forces.
Belarusian authorities have detained thousands of protesters who have spilled into the streets of cities across the country to challenge what they believe was a government-rigged election to extend dictator Alexander Lukashenko’s 26-year rule. Amid the crackdown, stories emerged from dozens of protesters about abuse and torture by Lukashenko’s feared riot police and KGB security service agents.
The 66-year-old Lukashenko has called Belarusians protesting against him “rats” and has been seen stomping around his presidential palace wearing riot gear and carrying an assault rifle. Without evidence, he has tried to paint the uprising as a Western-backed coup attempt, with people coming from abroad to help with organizing. On Monday, he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, where the two discussed closer integration and Lukashenko claimed he was facing a military threat from the West.
Vitali told BuzzFeed News in a letter passed by his lawyer on Aug. 7 that he had been crammed into an overcrowded cell inside a damp basement with mold and cockroaches. In a follow-up letter shared with BuzzFeed News last month, he likened being in a Belarusian jail to the Soviet Union’s gulag, where political prisoners were sent. “They try to break me using all means,” he said.
But, with her sttement, Heather painted the grimmest picture yet of what life has been like for her husband inside the Belarusian detention center over the course of nearly seven weeks.
“He is moved constantly from cell to cell to avoid having a sense of stability. The lights are never turned off in his cell, and loud music is blared all night so he is not ever able to sleep properly. He is only allowed to bathe with a bucket of warm water on Wednesdays. He has been subjected to extreme strip searches, forced to stand naked in a cell for hours at a time, and never allowed even to sit down on his bed during the day. He has a badly broken toe, caused by an incident he is too afraid to describe even to his own lawyer, and which the prison refuses to treat,” she said.
Heather said she has been unable to speak directly with Vitali since his arrest.
“At first we were allowed to pass notes in Russian through his attorney, but they accused him of trying to smuggle notes to me in English and stopped allowing him to write to me,” she said. “I am allowed to pass notes to him through the consular officer in Minsk, who was recently allowed to start visiting Vitali weekly in prison.”
Heather said her husband was charged with organizing an illegal campaign rally on May 29 in Grodno for jailed opposition leader Sergei Tikhanovsky, despite the fact that he has never been to Grodno, has never met Tikhanovsky, and was with her at home in Arlington, Virginia, on that date. “His only offense was that, in his role as a political analyst and Harvard fellow, he had written articles that publicly criticized the administration of President Lukashenko,” she said.
Tikhanovsky is a popular Belarusian vlogger who was barred by authorities from running in the Aug. 9 election. His wife, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, registered for the election in his place and has since gone from being a self-described “housewife” with no political ambitions to becoming a hero of the protests shaking Belarus and Lukashenko’s grip on power.
Last week, Tikhanovskaya told BuzzFeed News in an interview from Vilnius, Lithuania, where she is living in exile have being forced to flee her home country, that she is the “national, chosen president” of Belarus, despite Lukashenko’s assertion that he won reelection with more than 80% of the votes versus her 10%. While the US has stopped short of recognizing her as the winner of the election, it has said the election was not free and fair.
In his call with reporters last week, Biegun said Lukashenko had been “clearly rejected by his own people” and was now using his notoriously abusive security forces to prop himself up, with some support from Russia. Biegun said the US was coordinating with its allies in the EU and discussing possible sanctions against Lukashenko’s regime.
According to Heather, Vitali traveled to Belarus on July 9, along with the couple’s 8-year-old son, simply to visit his mother, who has advanced cancer, and to celebrate his birthday on July 11 with his family and friends. She said she stayed behind with her daughter to pack up the family’s house in preparation for their move to Kyiv.
After his arrival in Belarus, Vitali was obligated to do a two-week quarantine at his parents’ house. “He did not leave the house during this time. Shortly after his quarantine was over and he was allowed to go outside, he was detained by Belarusian security services on July 29,” Heather said. “He was not arrested at a rally or a public protest, but rather at a market in his hometown of Gomel, where he had gone to buy a watermelon for his mother, wearing a T-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops.”
She said he was grabbed off the street, thrown into a van, and driven 186 miles northwest to a detention center in Minsk, while their son was left with his grandmother.
“To this day, he has bravely refused to admit to crimes that he did not commit, and so he remains in jail,” she added. “He should be released immediately and cleared of the baseless charges that have been brought against him.”