rawstory--2020-03-21--Bill Barr’s DOJ using pandemic crisis to ask for permission to hold prisoners indefinitely without t

Bill Barr’s DOJ using pandemic crisis to ask for permission to hold prisoners indefinitely without trial: report

On Saturday , Politico reported that Attorney General William Barr ’ s Justice Department is seeking to give President Donald Trump vast new detention powers in response to the national coronavirus emergency .
“ The Justice Department has quietly asked Congress for the ability to ask chief judges to detain people indefinitely without trial during emergencies — part of a push for new powers that comes as the coronavirus spreads through the United States , ” reported Betsy Woodruff Swan .
“ Documents reviewed by POLITICO detail the department ’ s requests to lawmakers on a host of topics , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the way court hearings are conducted .
POLITICO also reviewed and previously reported on documents seeking the authority to extend deadlines on merger reviews and prosecutions.
” “ The move has tapped into a broader fear among civil liberties advocates and Donald Trump ’ s critics — that the president will use a moment of crisis to push for controversial policy changes , ” continued Swan .
“ Already , he has cited the pandemic as a reason for heightening border restrictions and restricting asylum claims .
He has also pushed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , arguing that it would soften the financial blow to Americans .
And even without policy changes , Trump has vast emergency powers that he could legally deploy right now to try and slow the coronavirus outbreak.
” Many of these proposed powers would upend the U.S. legal system .
“ In one of the documents , the department proposed that Congress grant the attorney general power to ask the chief judge of any district court to pause court proceedings ‘ whenever the district court is fully or partially closed by virtue of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or other emergency situation , ' ” wrote Swan .
“ The proposal would also grant those top judges broad authority to pause court proceedings during emergencies .
It would apply to ‘ any statutes or rules of procedure otherwise affecting pre-arrest , post-arrest , pre-trial , trial , and post-trial procedures in criminal and juvenile proceedings and all civil process and proceedings . '
” None of these powers are likely to be enacted , as it would require approval from the Democratic-controlled House .
But the documents shine a further light @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive power — and their vision for dismantling civil liberties .
You can read more here .

On Saturday, Politico reported that Attorney General William Barr's Justice Department is seeking to give President Donald Trump vast new detention powers in response to the national coronavirus emergency.
"The Justice Department has quietly asked Congress for the ability to ask chief judges to detain people indefinitely without trial during emergencies — part of a push for new powers that comes as the coronavirus spreads through the United States," reported Betsy Woodruff Swan. "Documents reviewed by POLITICO detail the department’s requests to lawmakers on a host of topics, including the statute of limitations, asylum and the way court hearings are conducted. POLITICO also reviewed and previously reported on documents seeking the authority to extend deadlines on merger reviews and prosecutions."
"The move has tapped into a broader fear among civil liberties advocates and Donald Trump’s critics — that the president will use a moment of crisis to push for controversial policy changes," continued Swan. "Already, he has cited the pandemic as a reason for heightening border restrictions and restricting asylum claims. He has also pushed for further tax cuts as the economy withers, arguing that it would soften the financial blow to Americans. And even without policy changes, Trump has vast emergency powers that he could legally deploy right now to try and slow the coronavirus outbreak."
Many of these proposed powers would upend the U.S. legal system.
"In one of the documents, the department proposed that Congress grant the attorney general power to ask the chief judge of any district court to pause court proceedings 'whenever the district court is fully or partially closed by virtue of any natural disaster, civil disobedience, or other emergency situation,'" wrote Swan. "The proposal would also grant those top judges broad authority to pause court proceedings during emergencies. It would apply to 'any statutes or rules of procedure otherwise affecting pre-arrest, post-arrest, pre-trial, trial, and post-trial procedures in criminal and juvenile proceedings and all civil process and proceedings.'"
None of these powers are likely to be enacted, as it would require approval from the Democratic-controlled House. But the documents shine a further light on how DOJ officials under Trump view executive power — and their vision for dismantling civil liberties.
You can read more here.


rawstory--2020-03-22--Sen. Tammy Duckworth brings brutal visuals to attack Steve Mnuchin’s proposed $500 billion ‘slush fu

Sen. Tammy Duckworth brings brutal visuals to attack Steve Mnuchin’s proposed $500 billion ‘slush fund’

Sen. Tammy Duckworth ( D-IL ) went off on Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin during a CNN discussion Sunday after his comments about the economy .
She even held up a photo of the visit Mnuchin took to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington .
He was seen with his wife holding up sheets of money being printed with his signature on it .
She began by blasting the GOP ’ s new CEO bailout bill for the major corporations that complain they ’ re losing money but are still sitting on buckets of funds and stocks .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up does nothing to help struggling workers , ” she said .
“ Struggling workers need help today and they need jobs safeguarded for tomorrow .
There are no protections for them .
First responders need PPE equipment , personal protective equipment and resources today to our hospitals and our first responders .
Nothing in it for them .
And instead , it creates a $ 500 billion slush fund for Steve Mnuchin to hand out loans to corporations as he pleases ’ s. ” She held up the photo of him holding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans think that this man , this man is going to look out for the well-being of working Americans over the well-being of corporations and corporate CEOs ?
I don ’ t trust him , ” she said .
“ Not without oversight .
The slush fund proposed in their bill , no Democrat had any chance to put any , you know , requirements into , it does not provide oversights for him .
I ’ m glad the vote is postponed .
It needs to be .
I urge my Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the negotiating table and let ’ s write a bill together that will safeguard Americans , safeguard us in this public health emergency .
Safeguard us through this economic crisis .
”

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) went off on Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin during a CNN discussion Sunday after his comments about the economy. She even held up a photo of the visit Mnuchin took to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington. He was seen with his wife holding up sheets of money being printed with his signature on it.
She began by blasting the GOP's new CEO bailout bill for the major corporations that complain they're losing money but are still sitting on buckets of funds and stocks.
"The package that the Republicans have drawn up does nothing to help struggling workers," she said. "Struggling workers need help today and they need jobs safeguarded for tomorrow. There are no protections for them. First responders need PPE equipment, personal protective equipment and resources today to our hospitals and our first responders. Nothing in it for them. And instead, it creates a $500 billion slush fund for Steve Mnuchin to hand out loans to corporations as he pleases's."
She held up the photo of him holding the sheets of cash
"So do Americans think that this man, this man is going to look out for the well-being of working Americans over the well-being of corporations and corporate CEOs? I don't trust him," she said. "Not without oversight. The slush fund proposed in their bill, no Democrat had any chance to put any, you know, requirements into, it does not provide oversights for him. I'm glad the vote is postponed. It needs to be. I urge my Republican colleagues to please allow Democrats to come to the negotiating table and let's write a bill together that will safeguard Americans, safeguard us in this public health emergency. Safeguard us through this economic crisis."
Watch her full comments below:


rawstory--2020-03-23--There is one big question on minds after Trump’s coronavirus briefing: ‘Where is Dr. Fauci?’

On Monday , President Donald Trump entered the White House briefing room to discuss the spread of coronavirus — but @ @ @ @ @ from the room : Disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci .
The absence caused a stir @ @ @ @ @ the absence occurred immediately after Fauci — who has been contradicting the president frequently on @ @ @ @ @ sat for an interview in which he criticized the president ’ s tendency to ad-lib @ @ @ @ @ commenters noted that Trump ’ s remarks once again ran contrary to everything Fauci has @ @ @ @ @ times even appeared to take an indirect swipe at him :

“It is relentless,” wrote one attorney about Cross’ allegedly abusive behavior.
POLL: Should Trump be allowed to run for office?
One complaint submitted by an attorney in the office accused Cross of pitting employees against each other to sow mistrust, which the complaint says caused "numerous" workers to resign or retire, and another complaint accused Maddox of gender discrimination, "sabotage" and “threatening/intimidating/humiliating behavior.”
Cross was accused of "bullying" employees in his division and using personal information about them to criticize workers in front of their colleagues.
“He has made several people, including myself, cry hysterically and seek mental health assistance to deal with the toxic and hostile work environment,” one complaint alleged. “It was so bad that my direct supervisor, who was attending the meeting, checked on me afterward and told me it was brutal and he almost cried with me. I am not the only person who has been subjected to such behavior. Several people have quit. Several are struggling mentally and emotionally, including myself.”
Cameron's predecessor, former Kentucky attorney general Greg Stumbo, said his office never received complaints of that type, and he said swift action would be taken to ensure workers felt safe and treated fairly on the job.
“Those kinds of complaints — harassment, intimidating behavior — they have to raise concerns,” Stumbo. “If you don’t manage it appropriately, that stuff spreads like wildfire. I’ve seen it in my private capacity. It’s a cancer that has to be dealt with as soon as you see it, no matter who it is, be that my closest adviser or confidant. I wouldn’t put up with it.”
MUST READ: 'Tell the truth': CNN panel whacks GOP strategist for justifying 'complicated' response to election lies
The complaint that led to a lawsuit last year accused the director of the office's cybercrimes unit of capturing "zoomed-in" photos of a detective's breast and other "immoral behavior," which caused the woman to fear for her safety in the workplace.
“The conduct that he has been engaging in has been slowly escalating to the point that I am fearful of physical violence,” the detective wrote in her complaint, saying her supervisor’s actions “mimic those of an abuser in a domestic violence situation.”
Cameron's office did not take action on the detective's allegations, finding only that the supervisor “should be reprimanded” for public intoxication and reminded him of the attorney general's expectations, but it's not clear whether that happened, and Cameron's office defended the response and said the claims "lacked merit."
“The Attorney General’s office has the utmost respect for its employees and takes all complaints seriously," said a spokesman for Cameron, who is the Republican nominee challenging Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear in November's election. "When a complaint is filed, the office investigates the matter and takes action when warranted. Every employee is also aware of the process for filing complaints with the Personnel Cabinet. We take these matters seriously and address them appropriately."
“Here, the office investigated the complaints and found that the first three complaints mentioned lacked merit," the spokesperson added.


rawstory--2020-04-19--‘Social distancing = Communism’: These are the stupidest protest signs from rallies to reopen

While family members of the elderly and ill are working hard to protect them from coming near COVID-19 , supporters of President Donald Trump and Fox News viewers are protesting around the country demanding everything reopen so they can go back to their local bars or golf with their friends .
A large crowd of people who were not socially distancing gathered outside of the Colorado capitol in Denver Sunday : The ignorant signs carried by protesters were reminiscent of the anti-government , tea party protests of 2010 , where rally participants held signs reading “ get the government out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some areas blasted Dr. Anthony Fauci , the National Health Institute appointed by President Donald Trump , to advise him on the COVID-19 task force .
One blasted him by saying he ’ s not the American president .
The person seemed to not understand the elected president was choosing to listen to Fauci .
Another person held up a sign saying “ My Body ” with a picture of a mask around it and a slash through it .
She had a bandana tied around her neck as if she was using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump doesn ’ t support the philosophy “ my body , my choice.
” Another protester proclaimed that social-distancing was equal to communism .
Communism is a political theory in which all people share in public resources and properties .
One could argue that communism would also mean sharing the virus , so social distancing would be the antithesis of that .
Another woman proclaimed , “ Give me liberty or give me death.
” She might get that wish .
Another individual pointed out the flaw in the sign “ Be Like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health system for all citizens along with other policies the right generally refers to as “ socialist.
” Sweden early on refused to shut down , and until recently , they were fine .
Now that their death toll and virus count has increased , they ’ re pivoting to usher in restrictions .
You can see other questionable signs below : And then there were the very few counter-protesters to the protesters :


rawstory--2020-04-24--‘Trump is a laughing stock’ trends nationwide while the president cuts short coronavirus briefing

After widespread criticism of his daily Coronavirus Task Force briefings , President Donald Trump did not take questions and cut @ @ @ @ @ only 20 minutes .
People were surprised by the short briefing , as previous press @ @ @ @ @ an hour .
The hashtag # TrumpIsALaughingStock trended on Twitter , here ’ s some @ @ @ @ @ :

"I just want to go back to Giuliani for a second, since you know these characters all so well," said anchor Joy Reid. "I want to read you what The New York Times — there was an opinion piece by one of his biographers, Andrew Kirtzman and David Holly what they wrote about Rudy has become. They wrote this. 'Faced with the political irrelevance and collapsing client base that would accompany Mr. Trump's defeat, in 2020, he seemingly made a Faustian bargain, working to undermine democracy in order to save his career.' I feel like it was a few years before that. What do you make of the fact that the RICO guy is now the RICO defendant?"
POLL: Should Trump be allowed to run for office?
"Well, it's Shakespearean in its dimensions, because Rudy was an evangelist about the rule of law in a very draconian way," said O'Brien. "And he used RICO, I think, to great effect, as we all know to go after the mob. The argument being that you could never touch the people at the head of the mob families, because they were very good at insulating their own actions from their minions who went out there, soldiers out on the street, who did the crimes. Rudy said, it was very important to attach what lower-level people did to the people orchestrating the schemes. Shades of Donald Trump much later. Everybody who has been pulled up in the January 6th investigation has complained that they came there because Trump asked them to come here. They thought they were doing what they had been told to do, and yet Trump wasn't being held accountable."
"The argument against RICO being used by Fani Willis to go after Trump is then that it's overreach," continued O'Brien. "That it should only go after organized crime. But the statute is meant to go against organized criminal conspiracies, not necessarily just conspiracies that Italian mobsters were targeted for. And in that context, one of Giuliani's biggest cases in addition to the commission case targeting the mobsters was Wall Street. He brought down Drexel Burnham. He targeted Michael Milken, he cited the person in the financial web involving insider trading and financial fraud. He himself recognized that RICO wasn't a statute that should only be used against people we traditionally call organized criminals. Fani Willis, as you noted in your opening, has also adapted it to target other people, including drug dealers. And so, I think that the idea that this thing that he created has now come around and snapped him up is both ironic but overdue because he sold himself out and he sold himself out to Trump."
"It's a reminder how easily Trump corrupts people in his orbit, but he can only corrupt them if they're corruptible," O'Brien added. "And Rudy, for all of his finger-wagging over the years at people of color for being street criminals, mobsters and many others for not following the rule of law, has now shown he's just as base and just as craven as any number of the people he once prosecuted."
Watch the video below or at the link here.


rawstory--2020-05-01--Here’s how Democrats could have avoided the #MeToo scandal dogging their presumptive 2020 nominee

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The 2020 Democratic presidential primary race started out as the most diverse in American history : Multiple women , multiple candidates of color and even the first significant gay candidate .
For a while , it even seemed like one of those candidates who didn ’ t fit the typical straight-white-guy male might win .
Sen. Kamala Harris of California opened her campaign with a huge rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of buzz .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts , bolstered by a series of strong debate performances , overtook Joe Biden and led the polls in late summer and fall .
When primary voting started , both former South Bend , Indiana , mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota did better than expected , creating at least a momentary sense that either one could win .
And then South Carolina and Super Tuesday happened at the beginning of March , and boom !
It was over .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white men , both over age 75 , former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont .
( And even that contest was over almost as soon as it began . )
While there was a lot of chin-scratching and debate over how and why , exactly , that happened , for those who actually talked to ordinary Democratic voters on a regular basis , there was no mystery : Voters believed that only a man , especially a straight white man , was “ electable.
” Indeed , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , especially among ordinary voters , in the 2020 Democratic race .
Large numbers of Democratic voters were deeply traumatized after the uniquely unfit Donald Trump beat the eminently qualified Hillary Clinton in 2020 .
( Even though Clinton got more votes and Trump ’ s victory could be understood as an improbable statistical anomaly . )
They concluded that the only candidate who could beat Trump had to be a dude , ideally of the most white-bread , inoffensive variety .
Now the supposedly “ safe ” candidate , Joe Biden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now those voters who backed him by an overwhelming margin are watching that “ safe ” candidate on cable news , struggling to respond to allegations that he sexually assaulted a member of his U.S. Senate staff in 1993 .
Some Democratic voters believe Biden , who says that “ unequivocally , it never , ever happened.
” Some believe his accuser , Tara Reade , who has offered a specific , detailed and disturbing account of what she says Biden did , with at least some corroborating evidence .
Some , despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take in every situation , don ’ t know what to believe .
But wherever one falls on this spectrum , you have to admit : This is a terrible situation .
Barring developments that either disprove Reade ’ s allegations or force Biden to drop out , this is going to be a defining issue in the race .
I have to point out the obvious : This situation could have been avoided entirely by nominating someone else .
Perhaps , just for argument ’ s sake , a woman .
Say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women “ unlikable ” or “ shrill ” — or believe others view them that way — but one thing is certain : If your goal is to play it safe , nominating a woman is pretty much bulletproof insurance against what are euphemistically called “ # MeToo problems.
” At the risk of aggravating my already severe Cassandra syndrome , I am going to point out that I told you so .
During the primary , I wrote a series of articles — and even provided a quote to Washington Post reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electability ” was an illusion .
The very qualities that made him seem “ safe , ” I argued , could just as easily tank his chances .
Biden has a history of racially insensitive remarks , a long record of policy positions well to the right of most current Democrats , and a discernible streak of sexism .
He formerly opposed abortion rights and has always been reluctant to embrace pro-choice policies .
He has often been publicly condescending to women , with Anita Hill the most famous example but far from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot Democratic voters convinced themselves that Biden ’ s “ moderate ” history made him more electable , on the grounds that he maybe he could chip off some of those Trump-voting Midwestern working-class white voters who have been the objects of such media fascination for the past three and a half years .
But my fear , which I hammered at repeatedly and then dropped — because I was starting to sound like a broken record — was that Trump would be able to run a “ both sides suck , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Biden , using some of the former veep ’ s past statements and policy positions to demoralize progressives and convince them to stay home .
I was way , way more correct than I could ever have imagined .
Trump ’ s campaign has been hyping the hell out of Reade ’ s accusation against Biden .
Brad Parscale is having trouble wiping the drool off his chin .
It ’ s only a matter of time before Trump himself picks up the baton .
Obviously , the Trump team is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or about fighting sexual assault .
Trump himself is a confessed sexual predator who has been accused by more than a dozen women of everything from forced kissing to rape .
No , the Trump campaign is just delighted it gets the chance to undermine any effort to draw a contrast between the two candidates on the issue of sexual assault .
Make no mistake : This is critical for Trump .
His history of admitted or alleged sexual misconduct has been a major organizing point for his opposition .
The 2017 Women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in American history , was fueled in no small part by women ’ s outrage over Trump ’ s record .
The 2018 “ blue wave ” in the midterm elections was also due , in large part , to massive turnout by women angry about Brett Kavanaugh ’ s confirmation hearings .
But now the Trump campaign is prepared to argue — to be blunt about it — that since both candidates are pussy-grabbers , there ’ s no point in all those ladies bothering to vote .
In light of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reach the genius-brain conclusion that if Democrats seriously wanted to play it safe , they would have nominated a woman .
The chances of a # MeToo scandal happening with a female candidate , while not zero , are close enough that the number can safely be rounded down to zero .
I know that doesn ’ t seem fair !
After all , most of the other male candidates previously in the race , including Sanders and Buttigieg and Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Gov .
Jay Inslee of Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t even a whisper of a hint that they have any problems in the # MeToo department .
Well , sure .
But it ’ s also not fair that Elizabeth Warren lost , even though there are plenty of reasons to argue that she was the best candidate .
That was also unfair , but Warren supporters were told that they had to suck up the unfairness because it was too risky to run a woman against Donald Trump .
Risk is a funny thing that way .
Everyone was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters were too sexist to elect a woman that they refused to consider the other side of the coin : Male candidates come with their own gender-specific set of risks .
That ’ s the problem with making risk-avoidance your sole criterion for choosing a candidate .
It ’ s impossible to account for all the possible risks out there , or to predict how your supposed caution may come back around and bite you in the ass .
Sometimes the candidate you pick as the safe choice turns out not to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was paid for by Raw Story subscribers .
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The 2020 Democratic presidential primary race started out as the most diverse in American history: Multiple women, multiple candidates of color and even the first significant gay candidate. For a while, it even seemed like one of those candidates who didn't fit the typical straight-white-guy male might win. Sen. Kamala Harris of California opened her campaign with a huge rally on MLK Day in 2019 that created a lot of buzz. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, bolstered by a series of strong debate performances, overtook Joe Biden and led the polls in late summer and fall. When primary voting started, both former South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota did better than expected, creating at least a momentary sense that either one could win.
This article originally appeared at Salon.
And then South Carolina and Super Tuesday happened at the beginning of March, and boom! It was over. The field was cleared except for two straight white men, both over age 75, former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. (And even that contest was over almost as soon as it began.)
While there was a lot of chin-scratching and debate over how and why, exactly, that happened, for those who actually talked to ordinary Democratic voters on a regular basis, there was no mystery: Voters believed that only a man, especially a straight white man, was "electable." Indeed, that was by far the most pervasive narrative, especially among ordinary voters, in the 2020 Democratic race. Large numbers of Democratic voters were deeply traumatized after the uniquely unfit Donald Trump beat the eminently qualified Hillary Clinton in 2020. (Even though Clinton got more votes and Trump's victory could be understood as an improbable statistical anomaly.) They concluded that the only candidate who could beat Trump had to be a dude, ideally of the most white-bread, inoffensive variety. Now the supposedly "safe" candidate, Joe Biden, is the prospective Democratic nominee. And now those voters who backed him by an overwhelming margin are watching that "safe" candidate on cable news, struggling to respond to allegations that he sexually assaulted a member of his U.S. Senate staff in 1993.
Some Democratic voters believe Biden, who says that "unequivocally, it never, ever happened." Some believe his accuser, Tara Reade, who has offered a specific, detailed and disturbing account of what she says Biden did, with at least some corroborating evidence. Some, despite the pressure to always have a hot take in every situation, don't know what to believe. But wherever one falls on this spectrum, you have to admit: This is a terrible situation. Barring developments that either disprove Reade's allegations or force Biden to drop out, this is going to be a defining issue in the race.
I have to point out the obvious: This situation could have been avoided entirely by nominating someone else. Perhaps, just for argument's sake, a woman.
Say whatever you like about how you find women "unlikable" or "shrill" — or believe others view them that way — but one thing is certain: If your goal is to play it safe, nominating a woman is pretty much bulletproof insurance against what are euphemistically called "#MeToo problems."
At the risk of aggravating my already severe Cassandra syndrome, I am going to point out that I told you so. During the primary, I wrote a series of articles — and even provided a quote to Washington Post reporters — about how Biden's "electability" was an illusion. The very qualities that made him seem "safe," I argued, could just as easily tank his chances.
Biden has a history of racially insensitive remarks, a long record of policy positions well to the right of most current Democrats, and a discernible streak of sexism. He formerly opposed abortion rights and has always been reluctant to embrace pro-choice policies. He has often been publicly condescending to women, with Anita Hill the most famous example but far from the only one. I suspect a lot Democratic voters convinced themselves that Biden's "moderate" history made him more electable, on the grounds that he maybe he could chip off some of those Trump-voting Midwestern working-class white voters who have been the objects of such media fascination for the past three and a half years.
But my fear, which I hammered at repeatedly and then dropped — because I was starting to sound like a broken record — was that Trump would be able to run a "both sides suck, so don't bother voting" campaign against Biden, using some of the former veep's past statements and policy positions to demoralize progressives and convince them to stay home.
I was way, way more correct than I could ever have imagined. Trump's campaign has been hyping the hell out of Reade's accusation against Biden. Brad Parscale is having trouble wiping the drool off his chin. It's only a matter of time before Trump himself picks up the baton.
Obviously, the Trump team is not doing this because they care about women or about fighting sexual assault. Trump himself is a confessed sexual predator who has been accused by more than a dozen women of everything from forced kissing to rape. No, the Trump campaign is just delighted it gets the chance to undermine any effort to draw a contrast between the two candidates on the issue of sexual assault.
Make no mistake: This is critical for Trump. His history of admitted or alleged sexual misconduct has been a major organizing point for his opposition. The 2017 Women's March, the biggest protest in American history, was fueled in no small part by women's outrage over Trump's record. The 2018 "blue wave" in the midterm elections was also due, in large part, to massive turnout by women angry about Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings. But now the Trump campaign is prepared to argue — to be blunt about it — that since both candidates are pussy-grabbers, there's no point in all those ladies bothering to vote.
In light of this, it's hard not to reach the genius-brain conclusion that if Democrats seriously wanted to play it safe, they would have nominated a woman. The chances of a #MeToo scandal happening with a female candidate, while not zero, are close enough that the number can safely be rounded down to zero.
I know that doesn't seem fair! After all, most of the other male candidates previously in the race, including Sanders and Buttigieg and Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington, seem like nice guys. There isn't even a whisper of a hint that they have any problems in the #MeToo department.
Well, sure. But it's also not fair that Elizabeth Warren lost, even though there are plenty of reasons to argue that she was the best candidate. That was also unfair, but Warren supporters were told that they had to suck up the unfairness because it was too risky to run a woman against Donald Trump.
Risk is a funny thing that way. Everyone was so busy worrying about the risk that voters were too sexist to elect a woman that they refused to consider the other side of the coin: Male candidates come with their own gender-specific set of risks. That's the problem with making risk-avoidance your sole criterion for choosing a candidate. It's impossible to account for all the possible risks out there, or to predict how your supposed caution may come back around and bite you in the ass. Sometimes the candidate you pick as the safe choice turns out not to have been safe at all.


rawstory--2020-05-01--US approves remdesivir drug to treat Covid-19 patients: Trump

The US Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) has granted authorization to Gilead Sciences Inc. for emergency use of its experimental antiviral drug remdesivir to treat patients with Covid-19 , President Donald Trump announced on Friday .
US medical officials have announced evidence from a trial that remdesivir helped patients with serious cases of Covid-19 recover faster .
Trump has been a vocal supporter of remdesivir as a possible way to bring the novel coronavirus pandemic under control .
Nearly 65,000 Americans have died in the global crisis .
Initially developed by Gilead Sciences Inc. to combat Ebola , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the various coronaviruses that have emerged since the early 2000s .
Gilead said on Wednesday the drug had helped improve outcomes for patients with Covid-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , and provided data suggesting it worked better when given earlier in the course of infection .
The closely watched drug has moved financial markets in recent weeks , following the release of several studies that painted a mixed picture of its effectiveness .
Vice President Mike Pence said 1.5 million vials would start being distributed to hospitals on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr Anthony Fauci , director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a prominent member of the White House ’ s coronavirus task force , oversaw the US study on 1,063 patients in the US , Europe and Asia to test the effectiveness of the antiviral drug .
The data , Fauci told reporters earlier this week , “ shows that remdesivir has a clear-cut , significant , positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery ” of Covid-19 patients .
But a team of Chinese researchers published much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journal The Lancet .
Their experiment , conducted on 237 severely ill patients in 10 hospitals in Hubei province ( the region where the epidemic originated ) , appeared to indicate that remdesivir makes little difference .
“ Unfortunately , our study shows that this treatment does not provide any specific benefit compared to a placebo , ” wrote Bin Cao , the main author of the article .

Trained in political science and the law, he has no formal education in disaster preparedness or response. And prior to his current role, he never held a full-time job dedicated to emergency management.
Instead, his main qualification was being chief of staff to then-mayor Alan Arakawa. But in that role, he told Civil Beat Tuesday, he assisted during emergency operations. And he said he participated in online FEMA trainings and workshops throughout the years.
In 2017, Andaya beat out 40 other applicants for the job, Maui Now reported at the time.
As the mayor’s administration was coming to a close, a panel of government officials – which said it was independent of the mayor – chose Andaya for the civil service role.
Civil Beat reviewed Andaya’s experience after historic Lahaina was swallowed by an inferno last week, killing scores of residents and visitors who never saw it coming.
The Maui Emergency Management Agency had the authority to issue siren warnings that might have alerted people. After Andaya’s agency decided not to sound them, many survivors reported they only became aware of the fire when they saw and smelled smoke.
Andaya said sounding the sirens wasn’t an option officials considered because they’re “mainly used for tsunamis.” That’s why they’re mostly located on the coast, he said.
But the state’s own website says the sirens are useful for many kinds of emergencies.
“The all-hazard siren system can be used for a variety of both natural and human-caused events; including tsunamis, hurricanes, dam breaches, flooding, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, terrorist threats, hazardous material incidents, and more,” the site states.
Andaya wasn’t on the island when the fires started, and he hasn’t made any appearances at press conferences since the disaster occurred.
Asked about Andaya’s resume, David Hafner, a retired telecommunications planner for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, questioned whether his relative inexperience affected his agency’s performance in a crisis.
“It’s a good ol’ boy network,” Hafner said. “This time it cost lives.”
Hafner said it’s “absolutely essential” for emergency management leaders to have experience in the field so they make the right decisions both before and after disasters strike.
Not having it, he said, “can lead to grave mistakes in judgment.”
Andaya’s hiring came at a time when Hawaii’s counties had just taken on increased responsibility for disaster response, according to Hafner. State emergency management officials used to be the designated authority to respond to emergencies, he said, but an update to the law in 2014 put the counties in the driver’s seat.
Asked about Andaya’s LinkedIn resume, Colin Moore, a political scientist at the University of Hawaii, said he was shocked by the emergency administrator’s lack of relevant experience. He said the public is owed an explanation.
“It’s a legitimate question to ask why the person leading the county emergency services agency has no clear background in fire, police, public health, the usual emergency services backgrounds,” he said.
“Having that on-the-ground experience, you develop the instincts and the connections to be able to perform a job like this. And if you just have general government experience, there is just no opportunity to have that kind of on-the-ground knowledge that often is really useful in a crisis.”
Andaya said as a former member of the mayor’s cabinet, he was qualified for the job.
“Whenever there was an activation in the emergency operations center, we were involved,” he said. “To say that I have no experience or no background in emergency management is not correct.”
‘Political Influence’ A Concern
Andaya, 52, is from Maui and graduated from HP Baldwin High School.
He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from the University of Hawaii Manoa. He also has a law degree from the UH Richardson School of Law, although he never became a licensed attorney, according to the Hawaii State Bar Association’s online database.
He began his career clerking for Maui Judge Artemio Baxa. He then worked for the law office of Lynn Araki-Regan, an attorney who is the wife of Arakawa’s managing director, Keith Regan.
When Andaya vacated his position as chief of staff, it was filled by Araki-Regan, who was by then the county budget director. Regan said he had no involvement in Andaya’s hiring.
From the early 2000s onward, Andaya has held leadership positions in Maui’s Department of Housing and Human Concerns and worked as the assistant to the chancellor of UH’s Maui College, according to his LinkedIn resume. He is married to Rowena Dagdag-Andaya, a former elementary school teacher who served as Maui’s public works director and now works in Maui’s Office on Aging.
Andaya was Arakawa’s chief of staff from 2011 through 2017. That year, the mayor appointed him acting administrator of MEMA, and he became permanent by the end of that year.
In contrast, Honolulu’s emergency management director, Hiro Toiya, has technical training in emergency response, worked for years as a preparedness planner for the Hawaii health department and rose up the ranks of Honolulu’s Department of Emergency Management. He worked there for more than seven years before becoming the director.
Asked how he stood out among a pool of 40 job candidates, Andaya said Maui doesn’t have a lot of emergency management professionals to begin with. He noted that he had to take an exam and based on his score was determined to be a finalist.
“You would have to question the civil service process if you can believe that politics was involved,” he said. “This is something that my predecessors have to go through as well.”
Before Andaya was hired, there were concerns in Maui’s political scene that the county was considering someone who wasn’t qualified.
“In the past, this position has sometimes been filled by individuals without the proper emergency response background.”
Former Maui County Council Chairman Mike White
In July 2017, the chair of the Maui County Council at the time, Mike White, took the unusual step of writing a Maui News column warning that the job of emergency management was too important to be “subject to political influence.”
“In the past, this position has sometimes been filled by individuals without the proper emergency response background,” White wrote.
“The administration must search for well-qualified candidates who can make a seamless transition in leading our Emergency Management Agency. The stakes are too high and our community has grown to a point where emergency coordination has become quite sophisticated in its implementation.”
In his column, White praised the outgoing emergency management chief, Anna Foust, who had previously worked for years leading the Maui branch of the Red Cross. White emphasized her expertise.
“During her tenure, she used her emergency response experience and training to help guide the county to keep citizens safe during hurricane warnings and watches, flooding events and tsunami warnings,” White wrote.
Civil Beat wasn’t able to reach White for comment.
Panel Of Specialists Chose Andaya
On Tuesday, Arakawa’s former managing director, Keith Regan, said that politics was not a factor in Andaya’s hiring. Asked why Andaya was the best candidate, Regan said he didn’t know because he wasn’t on the hiring committee. But he was adamant there was “zero” political influence in the process.
“This was a straightforward civil service process,” said Regan, who is now the state comptroller.
When Regan ran for Maui County Council in 2015, Andaya was his campaign manager. This year, Andaya wrote a letter of support of Regan’s nomination to state comptroller.
Regan noted that the hiring panel included numerous experts in the field. Maui Now identified them at the time as then-Maui Police Chief Tivoli Faaumu; then-Maui Fire Chief Jeff Murray; Elton Ushio, administrator of the Kauai Emergency Management Agency; and Vern Miyagi, then-administrator of the Hawaii State Emergency Management Agency.
At the time, Ushio was quoted by Maui Now as saying Andaya’s “proven leadership abilities, executive level experience, and impressive knowledge of emergency management” made him a great fit for the job. Murray cited Andaya’s familiarity with government processes, his “institutional knowledge of the various emergency incidents” in recent years, and his then-recent work as acting leader of the department.
“These are not people that, you know, are just political people,” Regan said. “They’re people who understand emergency management and are going to make the right choice for the community.”
In a statement, former HI-EMA director Miyagi said the public’s focus should be on working together on response and recovery.
“Herman Andaya and his staff at MEMA are really good people,” he said. “They carried Maui successfully through numerous hurricanes, floods, and other disasters.”
He said the public should wait for the attorney general’s investigation before drawing conclusions.
Civil Beat left messages with the other hiring committee members on Tuesday, but they were not returned. Former mayor Arakawa also did not respond to a request for comment.
“Herman is a very skilled, experienced, knowledgeable, professional individual,” Regan said. “I trust that is making the right decisions … There is no question in my mind that he cares about that community, and he’s going to do everything he can to keep that community safe.”


rawstory--2020-05-02--Trump ridiculed over ‘Treason!!!’ meltdown calling Russia investigation the’ biggest political scand

Trump ridiculed over ‘Treason!!!’ meltdown calling Russia investigation the’ biggest political scandal in American history’

Donald Trump was in a retweeting mood on Saturday , linking to supporters praising him and attacking former Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ former security advisor Michael Flynn made him fly off the handle and accuse the Democrats @ @ @ @ @ !
” and being behind the “ biggest political scandal in American history.
” As @ @ @ @ @ The Russia Hoax is the biggest political scandal in American history .
Treason !
!
@ @ @ @ @ ends ?
?
?
?
” As more than a few commenters noted , it @ @ @ @ @ president .
You can see some responses below :

Donald Trump was in a retweeting mood on Saturday, linking to supporters praising him and attacking former Joe Biden, but a tweet about former security advisor Michael Flynn made him fly off the handle and accuse the Democrats of "treason!!!" and being behind the "biggest political scandal in American history."
As the president wrote, "The Russia Hoax is the biggest political scandal in American history. Treason!!! Lets see how it ends????"
As more than a few commenters noted, it ended with impeachment for the president.
You can see some responses below:


rawstory--2020-05-12--Trump demands ‘these votes must not count’ after California opens poll site in heavily Black area

President Donald Trump demanded that votes from a new voting location in a Los Angeles suburb with a large black population “ must not count ” as he lashed out at California for its attempts to make it easier Americans to vote .
Trump over the weekend inserted himself into the special election in California ’ s 25th Congressional District , which was vacated by former Rep. Katie Hill , D-Calif. , who resigned last fall .
The president complained on Twitter that California Gov .
Gavin Newsom , a Democrat , opened up a new poll site in Lancaster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles , despite calls from both parties to do so .
“ So in California , the Democrats , who fought like crazy to get all mail in only ballots , and succeeded , have just opened a voting booth in the most Democrat area in the State , ” Trump tweeted .
“ They are trying to steal another election .
It ’ s all rigged out there .
These votes must not count .
SCAM !
” Lancaster is , in fact , not the “ most Democrat area ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Rex Parris , is a Republican .
Lancaster is also represented by two Republicans in the state legislature , The Washington Post noted .
The move to open a new polling location came after Democrats raised concerns that the area , which has a large African-American population , “ didn ’ t have an in-person voting place.
” They argued that “ voters who were more likely to vote in person on Election Day ” were thus disenfranchised , according to the outlet .
Parris , the Republican mayor , also supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the county should fix immediately , ” Parris told a local news outlet last week .
“ There should not be even the appearance of affecting the outcome by limiting the ability to vote.
” The move was further necessitated by a massive reduction in in-person voting .
While typical elections in the district have had around 1,000 polling locations , there will only be 13 in-person polling places Tuesday because of the coronavirus pandemic .
“ The president doesn ’ t want a majority African American , Latino community to vote , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state assemblywoman , said in response to Trump ’ s tweet .
“ In CA we believe in expansive voting rights .
We also believe in states ’ rights .
Why don ’ t you Mr. President ?
” But Trump-backed Republican Navy veteran Mike Garcia seized on the president ’ s baseless allegation , accusing Smith and “ her liberal Dem allies ” of being “ desperate and trying to change the rules to steal an election.
” Smith ’ s campaign accused Garcia and the president of pushing a conspiracy theory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ color .
“ Mike Garcia has made it clear from the start that he is in lockstep with Donald Trump and will put Trump ’ s needs before the district , leaving CA-25 residents to ‘ fend for themselves , ' ” Kunal Atit , Smith ’ s deputy campaign manager , told CNN .
“ Now he is working with the president to weave baseless conspiracy theories to disenfranchise African-American and Latino voters and cast doubt on the integrity of our election .
This behavior shows just how out of touch he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party also slammed the allegation , telling the outlet that “ expanding voting access is NOT stealing an election , contrary to what Republicans in Washington may believe.
” Trump complained that the race was “ rigged ” in another tweet , because the election is “ supposed to be mail in ballots only.
” The race was never supposed to a mail-only election , but the state has encouraged voters to cast ballots by mail to avoid in-person voting amid a pandemic .
Newsom announced last week that the state would send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s elections , a move which likewise drew complaints from the president .
“ I think that mail-in voting is a terrible thing , ” Trump said last month .
“ I think if you vote , you should go .
.
.
There ’ s a lot of dishonesty going on with mail-in voting , mail-in ballots.
” The president met with aides last week to discuss legal efforts to push back on the calls to enact mail-in voting , CNN reported .
The Republican National Committee has pledged $ 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I ’ m confused , ” Salon contributor Dean Obeidallah wrote in a column at CNN .
“ Does Trump support any type of voting ?
After all , if you rule out in person and by mail , what ’ s left ?
” Trump ’ s complaints about mail-in ballot voting appear to be based upon his admitted fear that “ you ’ d never have a Republican elected in this country again ” if voting were easier .
Five states , including Colorado , Hawaii , Oregon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting systems in place .
The Republican National Committee itself has encouraged supporters to vote by mail this year .
In total , 23 % of all ballots in the 2016 election were cast by mail , according to the Brennan Center for Justice , which reported that “ as with in-person voting , the threat [ of fraud ] is infinitesimally small.
” Polls have found that a majority of Americans support allowing everyone to vote by mail permanently — not just as a precaution amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Polls have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans disagree , particularly those who watch Fox News .
But a top Republican in Oregon refuted Trump ’ s claims last month .
“ I think after 20 years , we ’ ve proven that our system is very secure and voters love it , ” Oregon Secretary of State Bev Clarno said .
“ The voters voted it in , they ’ ve never made an attempt to vote it out .
I think they ’ re happy with it , and I think it ’ s a 20-year history of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official pushing for all-mail voting in response to the pandemic , told The Philadelphia Inquirer that his own party ’ s arguments are outweighed by the public health crisis .
“ I am a conservative Republican , ” he said .
“ I have conservative Republican friends who believe that ’ s a really bad idea .
I don ’ t .
I believe we need to make voting in the current health crisis as safe as possible .
”

President Donald Trump demanded that votes from a new voting location in a Los Angeles suburb with a large black population "must not count" as he lashed out at California for its attempts to make it easier Americans to vote.
Trump over the weekend inserted himself into the special election in California's 25th Congressional District, which was vacated by former Rep. Katie Hill, D-Calif., who resigned last fall. The president complained on Twitter that California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, opened up a new poll site in Lancaster, which lies just north of Los Angeles, despite calls from both parties to do so.
"So in California, the Democrats, who fought like crazy to get all mail in only ballots, and succeeded, have just opened a voting booth in the most Democrat area in the State," Trump tweeted. "They are trying to steal another election. It's all rigged out there. These votes must not count. SCAM!"
Lancaster is, in fact, not the "most Democrat area" in California. The city's mayor, Rex Parris, is a Republican. Lancaster is also represented by two Republicans in the state legislature, The Washington Post noted.
The move to open a new polling location came after Democrats raised concerns that the area, which has a large African-American population, "didn't have an in-person voting place." They argued that "voters who were more likely to vote in person on Election Day" were thus disenfranchised, according to the outlet.
Parris, the Republican mayor, also supported the move.
"This is something the county should fix immediately," Parris told a local news outlet last week. "There should not be even the appearance of affecting the outcome by limiting the ability to vote."
The move was further necessitated by a massive reduction in in-person voting. While typical elections in the district have had around 1,000 polling locations, there will only be 13 in-person polling places Tuesday because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"The president doesn't want a majority African American, Latino community to vote," Democratic candidate Christy Smith, a state assemblywoman, said in response to Trump's tweet. "In CA we believe in expansive voting rights. We also believe in states' rights. Why don't you Mr. President?"
But Trump-backed Republican Navy veteran Mike Garcia seized on the president's baseless allegation, accusing Smith and "her liberal Dem allies" of being "desperate and trying to change the rules to steal an election."
Smith's campaign accused Garcia and the president of pushing a conspiracy theory in an attempt to disenfranchise voters of color.
"Mike Garcia has made it clear from the start that he is in lockstep with Donald Trump and will put Trump's needs before the district, leaving CA-25 residents to 'fend for themselves,'" Kunal Atit, Smith's deputy campaign manager, told CNN. "Now he is working with the president to weave baseless conspiracy theories to disenfranchise African-American and Latino voters and cast doubt on the integrity of our election. This behavior shows just how out of touch he is with our values."
The Democratic Party also slammed the allegation, telling the outlet that "expanding voting access is NOT stealing an election, contrary to what Republicans in Washington may believe."
Trump complained that the race was "rigged" in another tweet, because the election is "supposed to be mail in ballots only."
The race was never supposed to be a mail-only election, but the state has encouraged voters to cast ballots by mail to avoid in-person voting amid a pandemic. Newsom announced last week that the state would send every voter a mail-in ballot for November's elections, a move which likewise drew complaints from the president.
"I think that mail-in voting is a terrible thing," Trump said last month. "I think if you vote, you should go . . . There's a lot of dishonesty going on with mail-in voting, mail-in ballots."
The president met with aides last week to discuss legal efforts to push back on the calls to enact mail-in voting, CNN reported. The Republican National Committee has pledged $20 million to fight lawsuits brought by Democrats.
"I'm confused," Salon contributor Dean Obeidallah wrote in a column at CNN. "Does Trump support any type of voting? After all, if you rule out in person and by mail, what's left?"
Trump's complaints about mail-in ballot voting appear to be based upon his admitted fear that "you'd never have a Republican elected in this country again" if voting were easier.
Five states, including Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington and Republican-led Utah already have all-mail voting systems in place. The Republican National Committee itself has encouraged supporters to vote by mail this year. In total, 23% of all ballots in the 2016 election were cast by mail, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, which reported that "as with in-person voting, the threat [of fraud] is infinitesimally small."
Polls have found that a majority of Americans support allowing everyone to vote by mail permanently — not just as a precaution amid the coronavirus pandemic. Polls have also found that a large number of Republicans disagree, particularly those who watch Fox News.
But a top Republican in Oregon refuted Trump's claims last month.
"I think after 20 years, we've proven that our system is very secure and voters love it," Oregon Secretary of State Bev Clarno said. "The voters voted it in, they've never made an attempt to vote it out. I think they're happy with it, and I think it's a 20-year history of success."
Christian Leinbach, a Republican official pushing for all-mail voting in response to the pandemic, told The Philadelphia Inquirer that his own party's arguments are outweighed by the public health crisis.
"I am a conservative Republican," he said. "I have conservative Republican friends who believe that's a really bad idea. I don't. I believe we need to make voting in the current health crisis as safe as possible."


rawstory--2020-05-24--The numbers are in — and the rich are making out like bandits during this pandemic

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Tens of millions of Americans are cashless , many desperate to feed their children .
Meanwhile the richest Americans merrily float on a rapidly rising tide of money thanks mainly to Trump & Co. My analysis of Federal Reserve data shows a record flow of greenbacks let the corporate rich pour trillions of dollars into their accounts as they fired tens of millions .
Now that money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it be that as want ravages cash-starved Americans , money wealth rises for the already rich like the tide rushing into the Bay of Fundy ?
Part of the answer is as simple as it is awful .
The Trump administration and its Radical Republican Senate allies are taking care of those who need help the least while declaring enough already for the unemployed .
One in five families didn ’ t have enough food to feed their children in April .
At the same time , 36 % of adults who lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had their hours cut say they couldn ’ t pay their bills in April .
But the Trump administration and the Republican leaders in the Senate say no more , at least not now .
Yet they are rolling out proposals to give more to the richest among us .
Donald Trump promised to champion the Forgotten Man when he ran in 2016 .
Apparently , he forgot about innocent victims of a long-predicted infectious disaster .
But he hasn ’ t forgotten about the swamp creatures he brought to Washington and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s capital .
But the four pandemic relief laws totaling $ 3 trillion of spending and tax breaks aren ’ t the only source of all this cash at the top .
Not by a long shot .
Since the beginning of March , when the coronavirus started killing a rising number of Americans , idle cash parked in institutional money market funds ballooned .
The figure grewfrom less than $ 2.3 trillion to more than $ 3.3 trillion .
Try to get your head around the scale of that .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trillion in institutional money market funds .
Note that T–one-million million dollars .
To park that much cash , companies had to deposit $ 11 billion each and every day .
Institutional money market funds are one of the places where large corporations and other big enterprises park money they don ’ t need right away .
Parked cash doesn ’ t help revive our economy .
It just sits idle like a box in the garage gathering dust .
Cash also gets deposited at commercial banks .
Since the economy began its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commercial bank deposits grew at 6 % annually .
Under Trump that fell to 4.6 % until mid-March .
But since then the growth in bank deposits leaped to a 15.8 % rate .
Consider another measure of cash , known as M1 .
That ’ s the total of all dollar bills and coins , money held in checking accounts and traveler ’ s checks .
By this measure the amount of cash in America grew at a 42 % annual rate in the 13 weeks from Feb. 3 to May 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s almost twice the highest rate ever previously—22.5 % in 2011 .
It ’ s also almost seven times the average 6.3 % annual growth in the basic money supply since 1976 , Federal Reserve reports show .
As these numbers all show , the Trump pandemic makes inequality in America far worse .
That ’ s not because of any unstoppable natural force or immutable principle of economics .
It ’ s because of Trump administration policies supported by obedient Trumpers in our Congress that favor the political donor class .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ everywhere except where it ’ s needed most .
That ’ s a choice – to favor the rich .
It ’ s not necessary or required .
And it can be changed , although there is no evidence Trump will ever do so .
But for the refusal of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats to go along with Trump & Co. , the cash flow to the top would have been even greater .
Pelosi ’ s team rewrote the coronavirus relief bills to ensure the involuntarily jobless got more , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analyzed reveal that during the pandemic the Trump administration is taking good care of the corporate rich while tossing crumbs to the people least able to withstand the economic shock of losing their paycheck and their health insurance .
And these jobless Americans now must cope with the sharpest spike in food prices since 1974 , as even Fox News , aka Trump TV , reported last week .
That triple whammy of no paycheck , no health insurance and higher food prices is the reason you see miles-long lines of cars lined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those cars are shiny and new , leased or bought with loans that must be paid monthly or the vehicles will get repossessed .
For those whose pockets have been emptied by the pandemic , getting car loans is much harder than last year .
At the end of 2019 not a single bank in America was tightening its requirements for auto loans , Fed data shows .
Now 16 % are .
A lot of the cash sitting idle came from two activities beyond the four relief laws .
One was selling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 years investors took out more money out of stock funds than they invested .
All told , a net $ 444 billion was pulled out of the U.S. equity funds and ETFs over the past decade , ” financial journalist Mark Hurlbut noted just as the pandemic was taking hold .
When the stock market started to slide many big investors reduced their holdings of company shares , generating cash that had to be parked somewhere until its spent or reinvested .
Second , many companies loaded up on new debt this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whatever economic storms the coronavirus causes .
This is not new .
Companies have been taking on debt in record amounts , now more than $ 10 trillion , more than double compared with the turn of the century .
But some companies have taken out loans or issued corporate bonds to buy back their own stock .
That puts cash in the hands of investors who sell while simultaneously executives ’ stock options more valuable because profits per share rise all else being equal .
But that does nothing to invest in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax deductions for interest paid on the debt .
All of this is encouraged by Trump , who likes to call himself “ the king of debt.
” More for the Already Rich Trump , in his disjointed and self-pitying way , says what America needs right now is another corporate tax cut .
Trump and Congressional Republicans slashed the corporate profits tax rate by 40 % starting in 2018 .
Huge new tax breaks were included in the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economics Security ( CARES ) Act .
People with incomes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , roughly one in every 500 taxpayers , will get 80 % of the tax savings , as we reported last month .
Larry Kudlow , a key Trump economic adviser , proposed cutting in half the corporate tax for companies who bring overseas jobs home .
The White House is also pushing for a payroll tax cut , which would benefit the highest-paid workers most and does nothing for the unemployed .
Tax cuts are the universal solvent for financial ailments in Trump World and its orbiting Republican dependencies .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding was to the Windex he sprayed everywhere as an all-purpose solutions to both cleaning glass and treating physical ailments .
Trump and his allies say the unemployed and small business owners whose doors have been ordered shut to block the Grump Reaper don ’ t need more help , at least not now .
“ We need to hit pause for a while , see what has worked , what hasn ’ t worked and let ’ s see how much money—additional money—we need after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. John Kennedy , a Louisiana Republican , says .
He is parroting the Trump White House line .
Steve Mnuchin , Trump ’ s Treasury secretary , bobbed and weaved at a Tuesday Senate hearing when Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
tried to pin him down on making sure that cash sent to the corporate rich will be used properly .
She wants strong contracts , their terms enforced and audits .
Mnuchin complained the questions from Warren and others were unfair , but he never pledged to make sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his allies are feeding the rich and the enterprises they control with torrents of cash because they , in turn , take care of the politicians with campaign donations , jobs for politicians and their family and friends .
What did any of those 32 million everyday Americans who lost their jobs do for the politicians except , maybe , cast a vote ?
Then again , the only way to change this is by casting votes .
This article was paid for by Raw Story subscribers .
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Tens of millions of Americans are cashless, many desperate to feed their children. Meanwhile the richest Americans merrily float on a rapidly rising tide of money thanks mainly to Trump & Co.
My analysis of Federal Reserve data shows a record flow of greenbacks let the corporate rich pour trillions of dollars into their accounts as they fired tens of millions.
Now that money just sits, idle.
How can it be that as want ravages cash-starved Americans, money wealth rises for the already rich like the tide rushing into the Bay of Fundy?
The Trump administration and its Radical Republican Senate allies are taking care of those who need help the least while declaring enough already for the unemployed.
Part of the answer is as simple as it is awful. The Trump administration and its Radical Republican Senate allies are taking care of those who need help the least while declaring enough already for the unemployed.
One in five families didn’t have enough food to feed their children in April.
At the same time, 36% of adults who lost their jobs to the COVID-19 pandemic or had their hours cut say they couldn’t pay their bills in April. But the Trump administration and the Republican leaders in the Senate say no more, at least not now. Yet they are rolling out proposals to give more to the richest among us.
Donald Trump promised to champion the Forgotten Man when he ran in 2016. Apparently, he forgot about innocent victims of a long-predicted infectious disaster.
But he hasn’t forgotten about the swamp creatures he brought to Washington and the ones still roaming unchecked beyond the nation’s capital.
But the four pandemic relief laws totaling $3 trillion of spending and tax breaks aren’t the only source of all this cash at the top. Not by a long shot.
Cash Deposits Grow
Since the beginning of March, when the coronavirus started killing a rising number of Americans, idle cash parked in institutional money market funds ballooned. The figure grew ffrom less than $2.3 trillion to more than $3.3 trillion.
Try to get your head around the scale of that. In just 13 weeks companies parked $1 trillion in institutional money market funds.
Note that T–one-million million dollars. To park that much cash, companies had to deposit $11 billion each and every day.
Institutional money market funds are one of the places where large corporations and other big enterprises park money they don’t need right away. Parked cash doesn’t help revive our economy. It just sits idle like a box in the garage gathering dust.
Cash also gets deposited at commercial banks. Since the economy began its long rebound early in the Obama administration commercial bank deposits grew at 6% annually. Under Trump that fell to 4.6% until mid-March. But since then the growth in bank deposits leaped to a 15.8% rate.
Trump Policy Worsens Inequality
Consider another measure of cash, known as M1. That’s the total of all dollar bills and coins, money held in checking accounts and traveler’s checks.
By this measure the amount of cash in America grew at a 42% annual rate in the 13 weeks from Feb. 3 to May 4, Federal Reserve reports show.
That’s almost twice the highest rate ever previously—22.5% in 2011. It’s also almost seven times the average 6.3% annual growth in the basic money supply since 1976, Federal Reserve reports show.
As these numbers all show, the Trump pandemic makes inequality in America far worse. That’s not because of any unstoppable natural force or immutable principle of economics. It’s because of Trump administration policies supported by obedient Trumpers in our Congress that favor the political donor class.
The result is an abundance of cash everywhere except where it’s needed most. That’s a choice – to favor the rich. It’s not necessary or required. And it can be changed, although there is no evidence Trump will ever do so.
Triple Whammy
But for the refusal of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats to go along with Trump & Co., the cash flow to the top would have been even greater. Pelosi’s team rewrote the coronavirus relief bills to ensure the involuntarily jobless got more, but hardly enough.
The numbers I analyzed reveal that during the pandemic the Trump administration is taking good care of the corporate rich while tossing crumbs to the people least able to withstand the economic shock of losing their paycheck and their health insurance.
And these jobless Americans now must cope with the sharpest spike in food prices since 1974, as even Fox News, aka Trump TV, reported last week.
That triple whammy of no paycheck, no health insurance and higher food prices is the reason you see miles-long lines of cars lined up at food banks. Many of those cars are shiny and new, leased or bought with loans that must be paid monthly or the vehicles will get repossessed.
For those whose pockets have been emptied by the pandemic, getting car loans is much harder than last year. At the end of 2019 not a single bank in America was tightening its requirements for auto loans, Fed data shows. Now 16% are.
Sources of Cash
A lot of the cash sitting idle came from two activities beyond the four relief laws.
One was selling stocks. In eight of the last 10 years investors took out more money out of stock funds than they invested.
All told, a net $444 billion was pulled out of the U.S. equity funds and ETFs over the past decade,” financial journalist Mark Hurlbut noted just as the pandemic was taking hold.
When the stock market started to slide many big investors reduced their holdings of company shares, generating cash that had to be parked somewhere until its spent or reinvested.
Second, many companies loaded up on new debt this year, raising cash to ride out whatever economic storms the coronavirus causes. This is not new. Companies have been taking on debt in record amounts, now more than $10 trillion, more than double compared with the turn of the century. But some companies have taken out loans or issued corporate bonds to buy back their own stock. That puts cash in the hands of investors who sell while simultaneously executives’ stock options become more valuable because profits per share rise all else being equal.
But that does nothing to invest in new job-creating activities while creating new corporate tax deductions for interest paid on the debt.
All of this is encouraged by Trump, who likes to call himself “the king of debt.”
More for the Already Rich
Trump, in his disjointed and self-pitying way, says what America needs right now is another corporate tax cut. Trump and Congressional Republicans slashed the corporate profits tax rate by 40% starting in 2018.
Huge new tax breaks were included in the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economics Security (CARES) Act. People with incomes of more than $1 million per year, roughly one in every 500 taxpayers, will get 80% of the tax savings, as we reported last month.
Larry Kudlow, a key Trump economic adviser, proposed cutting in half the corporate tax for companies who bring overseas jobs home.
The White House is also pushing for a payroll tax cut, which would benefit the highest-paid workers most and does nothing for the unemployed.
Tax cuts are the universal solvent for financial ailments in Trump World and its orbiting Republican dependencies. They are to tax cuts as the wacky father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding was to the Windex he sprayed everywhere as an all-purpose solutions to both cleaning glass and treating physical ailments.
A Pause Instead of Relief
Trump and his allies say the unemployed and small business owners whose doors have been ordered shut to block the Grim Reaper don’t need more help, at least not now.
“We need to hit pause for a while, see what has worked, what hasn’t worked and let’s see how much money—additional money—we need after the economy is opened back up,” Sen. John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, says. He is parroting the Trump White House line.
Steve Mnuchin, Trump’s Treasury secretary, bobbed and weaved at a Tuesday Senate hearing when Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) tried to pin him down on making sure that cash sent to the corporate rich will be used properly. She wants strong contracts, their terms enforced and audits. Mnuchin complained the questions from Warren and others were unfair, but he never pledged to make sure taxpayers are treated fairly.
Trump and his allies are feeding the rich and the enterprises they control with torrents of cash because they, in turn, take care of the politicians with campaign donations, jobs for politicians and their family and friends.
What did any of those 32 million everyday Americans who lost their jobs do for the politicians except, maybe, cast a vote?
Then again, the only way to change this is by casting votes.


rawstory--2020-05-27--Trump goes ballistic over Twitter’s fact-check — but he has no idea what he’s talking about

Around 5:30 PM Twitter slapped a label on two of President Donald Trump ’ s tweets , inviting social media users to “ get the facts about mail-in ballot.
” It ’ s the first time Twitter has placed what some are calling a “ warning label ” on any individual tweet .
And while others say it ’ s not sufficient – Trump ’ s lies remain and the label isn ’ t especially strong – Trump went ballistic just two hours later .
Despite the fact that Trump was engaging in voter suppression , he is accusing Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Election.
” “ They are saying my statement on Mail-In Ballots , which will lead to massive corruption and fraud , is incorrect , based on fact-checking by Fake News CNN and the Amazon Washington Post.
” Actually , his tweets are filled with lies and falsehoods , no fact-checking required .
But Trump did not stop there .
In yet another example of his belief that he is all powerful , Trump decreed , “ Twitter is completely stifling FREE SPEECH , and I , as President , will not allow it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has never read the U.S. Constitution and has little to no understanding of it , does not comprehend that he is using a private platform operated by a private company , and the only “ free speech ” guarantee is when the government “ stifles ” it .
Twitter can do what they want .
And they have .

David Badash, The New Civil Rights Movement

That didn’t take long.
Around 5:30 PM Twitter slapped a label on two of President Donald Trump’s tweets, inviting social media users to “get the facts about mail-in ballot.” It’s the first time Twitter has placed what some are calling a “warning label” on any individual tweet.
And while others say it’s not sufficient – Trump's lies remain and the label isn’t especially strong – Trump went ballistic just two hours later.
Despite the fact that Trump was engaging in voter suppression, he is accusing Twitter of “interfering in the 2020 Presidential Election.”
“They are saying my statement on Mail-In Ballots, which will lead to massive corruption and fraud, is incorrect, based on fact-checking by Fake News CNN and the Amazon Washington Post.”
Actually, his tweets are filled with lies and falsehoods, no fact-checking required.
But Trump did not stop there.
In yet another example of his belief that he is all powerful, Trump decreed, “Twitter is completely stifling FREE SPEECH, and I, as President, will not allow it to happen!”
The President, who has never read the U.S. Constitution and has little to no understanding of it, does not comprehend that he is using a private platform operated by a private company, and the only “free speech” guarantee is when the government “stifles” it.
Twitter can do what they want. And they have.


rawstory--2020-06-02--‘Egregious violation of his oath’: Former inspector general calls on Congress to impeach Bill Barr f

‘Egregious violation of his oath’: Former inspector general calls on Congress to impeach Bill Barr for attacking peaceful protesters

On Tuesday , former Justice Department Inspector General Michael Bromwich urged the House of Representatives to begin impeachment proceedings into @ @ @ @ @ accusing him of an “ egregious violation of his oath.
” Bromwich ’ s remark @ @ @ @ @ that Barr personally ordered authorities to forcibly clear peaceful protesters out of the area around @ @ @ @ @ gas and rubber bullets , before President Donald Trump walked to the nearby church .

Trump, along with 18 of his political allies, was indicted Monday in Fulton County, Georgia, on allegations they were involved in a conspiracy to overturn the state’s 2020 presidential election. The case is being charged under the state’s racketeering, or RICO, law.
POLL: Should Trump be allowed to run for office?
Goodman wrote on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, that “Yes, #GeorgiaIndictment is pardon proof.
“BUT, But, but... Supreme Court may well hold a sitting president is immune from trial/conviction.”
And in that scenario, Goodman writes “18 co-defendants left holding the bag. Trump, if elected, immune (for 4 years).”
“The issue here is whether the Supreme Court would ratify the long-standing position of the Department Justice Office of Legal Counsel that, as a matter of law, an incumbent president is immune from criminal trial and conviction,” Goodman said, noting a “few caveats.”
“The constitutional analysis may turn on whether a trial is already complete, and in the stages of post-conviction appellate litigation, which imposes less of a burden on a sitting president," Goodman said.
Goodman noted that the prospect of the Supreme Court bailing out the former president could compel his co-defendants to flip on him.


rawstory--2020-06-05--57 Buffalo cops resign to support suspended officers who pushed down elderly man

The entire Buffalo Police Department Emergency Response Team — a total of 57 officers — has resigned from the team @ @ @ @ @ officers who pushed 75-year-old Martin Gugino to the ground , seriously injuring him .
They @ @ @ @ @ no longer on ERT .
According to Buffalo Police Benevolent Association president John Evans , @ @ @ @ @ down were just following orders .
“ Fifty-seven resigned in disgust because of the treatment @ @ @ @ @ , who were simply executing orders , ” Evans , said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ .
Check WIVB4 for updates .


rawstory--2020-06-14--‘The GOP is in a lot of trouble in a lot of places’: Analysis of new Iowa poll is bad news for Repub

‘The GOP is in a lot of trouble in a lot of places’: Analysis of new Iowa poll is bad news for Republicans

The Republican Party could be facing “ soft ” support in the midwest according to a new poll of voters in Iowa that is considered the “ gold standard ” for polling in the state .
“ Fresh off a four-way primary race that drew millions in outside spending , Democrat Theresa Greenfield leads Republican Sen. Joni Ernst by 3 percentage points in Iowa ’ s hotly contested U.S. Senate race , a new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows , ” the newspaper reported Saturday .
“ According to the poll , 46 % of likely voters say they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held today , and 43 % say they would back Ernst.
” The poll was conducted by J. Ann Selzer of Selzer & Company .
“ This feels like a little bit of a canary in the coal mine , ” Five Thirty Eight founder Nate Silver posted on Twitter .
“ If this race is competitive , the GOP is in a lot of trouble in a lot of places.
” Mike Madrid , cofounder of the Lincoln Project — which is running ads against Trump — agreed with Silver ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we went up two days ago in Iowa .
We think it ’ s in play and there ’ s still downside in this state , ” Madrid wrote .
“ The Republican base/floor is very soft .
We ’ re punching through in Iowa , Wisconsin & Kentucky , ” he argued .
“ Same demographic .
”


rawstory--2020-06-13--Worries Trump is ‘deteriorating rapidly’ after video shows him struggling to walk down a ramp: ‘They

Worries Trump is ‘deteriorating rapidly’ after video shows him struggling to walk down a ramp: ‘They can’t hide this much longer’

Commentators on Twitter worried about President Donald Trump ’ s physical and mental health after video showed him struggling while @ @ @ @ @ graduation address at West Point .
“ He minces down the ramp taking tiny baby @ @ @ @ @ shoes , then pulls up big at the end , and blusters through the last @ @ @ @ @ Patton surveying a battlefield full of knocked out panzers , ” Mike Rochschild posted on @ @ @ @ @ some of what people said of Trump ’ s gait :

"You can quote me to say, 'They're f------ thrilled,'" Richman said, adding that he's spoken to some of his clients on the matter.
POLL: Should Trump be allowed to run for office?
"All of them are almost unified in their position of hating f------ Rudy," he said, adding that he thought Giuliani was a "horribly dishonest prosecutor and the wheel of karma is about to crush him."
Making their joy even sweeter, criminal counts against Giuliani include a racketeering charge that he used to bring down the NYC gangsters.
Defense lawyer Jeffrey Lichtman, who represented the son of Gambino crime family boss John Gotti, said, "All of my clients who had the misfortune of being prosecuted by him are laughing now. As am I."
“I’m thrilled that Rudy will now experience what it feels like to be on the wrong end of a RICO prosecution — with a mandatory five years in prison facing him," Lichtman said.
Giuliani used the federal RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) statute to prosecute the Mafia Commission case, which led to 100-year sentences for three mob bosses and four of their associates. The Commission was essentially a kind of underworld "board of directors" helmed by the heads of the five crime families in New York that handed down decisions and conducted mediations involving the inner politics and workings of the mob.
On Tuesday, Giuliani called the case against him "a ridiculous application of the [RICO] statute." He was indicted alongside former President Trump and 17 others on Monday.
Read more at The Messenger.


rawstory--2020-06-16--‘Much more infectious’: A mutated strain of the novel coronavirus has scientists very concerned

“ Viruses with this mutation were much more infectious than those without the mutation in the cell culture system we used , ” wrote Scripps Research virologist Hyeryun Choe , PhD , who is the senior author of the study .
The study is still undergoing peer review , and its authors noted that the conclusions need to be viewed as preliminary .
The conclusions were announced prior to the completion of peer review “ amid news reports of its findings , ” according to Scripps Research .
The functional spikes , which give SARS-CoV-2 its crown-like appearance , are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the virus to bind to and infect cells .
The virus uses the spikes to connect to target cell receptors , known as ACE2 .
With the new mutation , known as D614G , the quantity of the spikes has increased and the structure of each spike ’ s “ backbone ” has enhanced flexibility .
As the release from the Scripps Research Institute explains , “ More flexible spikes allow newly made viral particles to navigate the journey from producer cell to target cell fully intact , with less tendency to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are very clear , ” Choe emphasized .
“ The virus becomes much more stable with the mutation.
” It is unclear whether the mutated version of the novel coronavirus affects mortality and symptom severity among infected individuals .
If the study successfully passes through the peer review process and is borne out by additional research ( including controlled studies ) , it would have major implications for our understanding of the novel coronavirus .
One of the ongoing mysteries of the pandemic is why certain strains have overwhelmed health systems ( such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while outbreaks in areas like Washington state and San Francisco have been more easily contained .
The new research suggests that , because the variant of SARS-CoV-2 that circulated in regions affected by the outbreak earlier on lacked the D614G mutation , those versions of the disease may not have been as infectious as the new , mutated strain .
This is not the first study to reveal that there are multiple strains of the novel coronavirus .
An analysis published in Science earlier this month found that seven new strains of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is likely even higher for the state given that the study relied on a small sample size .
The implications of this study were not necessarily ominous , though .
As Dr. George Rutherford , a professor of epidemiology at the University of California–San Francisco who was not involved in the study , told Salon , “ These strains are like looking at people and saying one is tall , one is short , one has brown eyes and one has blue eyes .
These are small differences in the genome , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there are differences in infectivity , pathogenicity , in the types of symptoms they cause.
” There was even a study last month that specifically discussed the D614G mutation .
In another study that has not yet been peer reviewed , scientists at the Los Alamos National Laboratory wrote that “ the mutation Spike D614G is of urgent concern ; it began spreading in Europe in early February , and when introduced to new regions it rapidly becomes the dominant form .
Also , we present evidence of recombination between locally circulating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Los Alamos scientists said the mutation would have implications for treatment , as the mutation “ D614G is increasing in frequency at an alarming rate , indicating a fitness advantage relative to the original Wuhan strain that enables more rapid spread .
”

New research on mutations in the novel coronavirus reveals that an evolved strain of the disease may possess a significantly increased ability to infect people. Physically, this mutation's changes have increased the number and flexibility of the protein spikes on the virus' surface.
"Viruses with this mutation were much more infectious than those without the mutation in the cell culture system we used," wrote Scripps Research virologist Hyeryun Choe, PhD, who is the senior author of the study. The study is still undergoing peer review, and its authors noted that the conclusions need to be viewed as preliminary. The conclusions were announced prior to the completion of peer review "amid news reports of its findings," according to Scripps Research.
The functional spikes, which give SARS-CoV-2 its crown-like appearance, are biologically important because they make it possible for the virus to bind to and infect cells. The virus uses the spikes to connect to target cell receptors, known as ACE2. With the new mutation, known as D614G, the quantity of the spikes has increased and the structure of each spike's "backbone" has enhanced flexibility. As the release from the Scripps Research Institute explains, "More flexible spikes allow newly made viral particles to navigate the journey from producer cell to target cell fully intact, with less tendency to fall apart prematurely."
"Our data are very clear," Choe emphasized. "The virus becomes much more stable with the mutation."
It is unclear whether the mutated version of the novel coronavirus affects mortality and symptom severity among infected individuals.
If the study successfully passes through the peer review process and is borne out by additional research (including controlled studies), it would have major implications for our understanding of the novel coronavirus. One of the ongoing mysteries of the pandemic is why certain strains have overwhelmed health systems (such as in New York and Italy) while outbreaks in areas like Washington state and San Francisco have been more easily contained. The new research suggests that, because the variant of SARS-CoV-2 that circulated in regions affected by the outbreak earlier on lacked the D614G mutation, those versions of the disease may not have been as infectious as the new, mutated strain.
This is not the first study to reveal that there are multiple strains of the novel coronavirus. An analysis published in Science earlier this month found that seven new strains of coronavirus were circulating in California, a number that is likely even higher for the state given that the study relied on a small sample size. The implications of this study were not necessarily ominous, though. As Dr. George Rutherford, a professor of epidemiology at the University of California–San Francisco who was not involved in the study, told Salon, "These strains are like looking at people and saying one is tall, one is short, one has brown eyes and one has blue eyes. These are small differences in the genome, and they don't necessarily mean that there are differences in infectivity, pathogenicity, in the types of symptoms they cause."
There was even a study last month that specifically discussed the D614G mutation. In another study that has not yet been peer reviewed, scientists at the Los Alamos National Laboratory wrote that "the mutation Spike D614G is of urgent concern; it began spreading in Europe in early February, and when introduced to new regions it rapidly becomes the dominant form. Also, we present evidence of recombination between locally circulating strains, indicative of multiple strain infections."
Los Alamos scientists said the mutation would have implications for treatment, as the mutation "D614G is increasing in frequency at an alarming rate, indicating a fitness advantage relative to the original Wuhan strain that enables more rapid spread."


rawstory--2020-06-16--Albuquerque shooter Steven Baca attended Trump rally wearing red #MAGA hat: report

The man who shot an anti-racism protester in Alburquerque has been identified as a supporter of President Donald Trump .
“ A former city council candidate has been arrested and charged after police say he shot and critically injured a protester during a demonstration calling for the removal of the “ La Jornada ” sculpture in front of the Albuquerque Museum Monday night , ” the Albuquerque Journal reports .
“ Steven Ray Baca , 31 , was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center early Tuesday morning .
He is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scott Williams was shot several times in the torso and is in critical but stable condition at University of New Mexico Hospital , ” the newspaper reported .
“ In 2019 , Baca , the son of a former Bernalillo County Sheriff ’ s deputy , ran on a platform that was critical of the current city leadership and existing federal settlement agreements that impose restrictions on law enforcement .
He called local officials ‘ complete wimps when it comes to fighting crime.
’ He lost in the six-way race to represent Downtown.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ defeated in the November election , Baca thanked Trump and posted on Twitter that he hoped to meet the president during a visit to Alburquerque for a campaign rallly .
Video from the scene shows the militia group New Mexico Civil Guard protecting Baca after he shot into the crowd .
There were also reports of Baca shoving women before the shooting .

The man who shot an anti-racism protester in Alburquerque has been identified as a supporter of President Donald Trump.
"A former city council candidate has been arrested and charged after police say he shot and critically injured a protester during a demonstration calling for the removal of the “La Jornada” sculpture in front of the Albuquerque Museum Monday night," the Albuquerque Journalreports. "Steven Ray Baca, 31, was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center early Tuesday morning. He is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon with a firearm enhancement."
"Police say 39-year-old Scott Williams was shot several times in the torso and is in critical but stable condition at University of New Mexico Hospital," the newspaper reported. "In 2019, Baca, the son of a former Bernalillo County Sheriff’s deputy, ran on a platform that was critical of the current city leadership and existing federal settlement agreements that impose restrictions on law enforcement. He called local officials 'complete wimps when it comes to fighting crime.' He lost in the six-way race to represent Downtown."
In 2019, before he was defeated in the November election, Baca thanked Trump and posted on Twitter that he hoped to meet the president during a visit to Alburquerque for a campaign rallly.
Video from the scene shows the militia group New Mexico Civil Guard protecting Baca after he shot into the crowd.
There were also reports of Baca shoving women before the shooting.


rawstory--2020-06-19--Bolton’s concentrations camp allegations backed up by ex-administration officials: Trump ‘couldn’t c

Bolton’s concentrations camp allegations backed up by ex-administration officials: Trump ‘couldn’t care less’

President Donald Trump is once again in a scandal over “ concentration camps ” thanks to a new book from @ @ @ @ @ Bolton .
The forthcoming memoir recounts Trump encouraging Chinese leader Xi Jinping to continue forcing @ @ @ @ @ camps .
“ Throughout his presidency , nine current and former senior administration officials say @ @ @ @ @ callous indifference to what has been described as crimes against humanity and cultural genocide taking @ @ @ @ @ western Xinjiang province , ” The Daily Beast reported Thursday .
“ He couldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ ” one former senior Trump official told The Beast .
“ It was clear to @ @ @ @ @ with the national security team that the president couldn ’ t care less about this @ @ @ @ @ national security official told The Beast .