motherjones--2020-03-22--Iran’s Supreme Leader Just Declined US Coronavirus Help Because of a Conspiracy Theory

Iran ’ s supreme leader declined US aid in fighting the coronavirus , citing a baseless conspiracy about the American government intentionally creating the virus .
“ I do not know how real this accusation is but when it exists , who in their right mind would trust you to bring them medication ?
” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Sunday on state TV , according to the Associated Press .
“ Possibly your medicine is a way to spread the virus more.
” It ’ s unclear what aid is being offered .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States had offered aid to Iran but did not comment on specifics .
He also claimed that the virus “ is specifically built for Iran using the genetic data of Iranians which they have obtained through different means.
” “ You might send people as doctors and therapists , maybe they would want to come here and see the effect of the poison they have produced in person , ” Khamenei continued .
Khamenei was repeating a broader conspiracy theory about the United States engineering the coronavirus as a bioweapon .
Iranian state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have Russian media linked to the Kremlin .
The theory has also been erroneously repeated by officials in other countries ’ governments , including the Philippines ’ Senate President Vicente Sotto .
Chinese government spokesman Lijian Zhao also tweeted earlier this month that it “ might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan .
Be transparent !
Make public your data !
US owe us an explanation !
” Last week , the peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature Medicine debunked this conspiracy theory , concluding that it was “ improbable ” that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manipulation of a related SARS-CoV-like coronavirus.
” Khamenei ’ s conspiracy-mongering comes as Iran faces crippling sanctions from the US government , which has economically devastated the country by blocking it from selling oil and trading in international markets .
Iran has been ravaged by the Coronavirus , with more than 21,600 confirmed cases and 1,685 reported deaths .
According to the AP , Iran has been generally suspicious of US aid efforts .
Broadly , the Trump administration has shown no interest in letting up on sanctions against Iran and vowed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States withdrew from a nuclear deal with Iran in 2018 .

Iran’s supreme leader declined US aid in fighting the coronavirus, citing a baseless conspiracy about the American government intentionally creating the virus.
“I do not know how real this accusation is but when it exists, who in their right mind would trust you to bring them medication?” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Sunday on state TV, according to the Associated Press. “Possibly your medicine is a way to spread the virus more.”
Khamenei claimed that the virus “is specifically built for Iran using the genetic data of Iranians which they have obtained through different means.”
It’s unclear what aid is being offered. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at the end of February that the United States had offered aid to Iran but did not comment on specifics.
He also claimed that the virus “is specifically built for Iran using the genetic data of Iranians which they have obtained through different means.”
“You might send people as doctors and therapists, maybe they would want to come here and see the effect of the poison they have produced in person,” Khamenei continued.
Khamenei was repeating a broader conspiracy theory about the United States engineering the coronavirus as a bioweapon. Iranian state media have embraced this rumor, as have Russian media linked to the Kremlin.
The theory has also been erroneously repeated by officials in other countries’ governments, including the Philippines’ Senate President Vicente Sotto.
Chinese government spokesman Lijian Zhao also tweeted earlier this month that it “might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation!”
Last week, the peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature Medicine debunked this conspiracy theory, concluding that it was “improbable” that the coronavirus had “emerged through laboratory manipulation of a related SARS-CoV-like coronavirus.”
Khamenei’s conspiracy-mongering comes as Iran faces crippling sanctions from the US government, which has economically devastated the country by blocking it from selling oil and trading in international markets.
Iran has been ravaged by the Coronavirus, with more than 21,600 confirmed cases and 1,685 reported deaths.
According to the AP, Iran has been generally suspicious of US aid efforts. Broadly, the Trump administration has shown no interest in letting up on sanctions against Iran and vowed to apply “maximum pressure” after the United States withdrew from a nuclear deal with Iran in 2018.


motherjones--2020-03-22--The Head of FEMA Won’t Say How Many Masks Are Being Shipped to Hospitals

On Saturday , Vice President Mike Pence announced that the department of Health and Human Services had placed orders through the Federal Emergency Management Agency for hundreds of millions N95 masks that would be distributed to “ to health care providers across the country.
” But on Sunday morning , first on ABC ’ s “ This Week ” by Mathra Raddatz then on CNN ’ s “ State of the Union ” by Jake Tapper , the head of FEMA dodged questions about exactly how many masks are available , and how long they ’ ll take to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dynamic and fluid operation , ” Gaynor told Tapper .
“ The president appointed FEMA five days ago to manage federal operations , and since I ’ ve been here , we ’ ve been shipping continuously from federal warehouses , and again , connecting , you know , those governors that need supplies to those who have it in the commercial sector.
” “ It makes people concerned that there aren ’ t masks going out the door , ” Tapper responded , asking for even a rough number , which Gaynor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m not saying that that ’ s the case , but without a number , that doesn ’ t fill people with confidence.
” Gaynor similarly did not respond directly to Raddatz when she asked about how masks were available in a stockpile maintained by the federal government and when that stockpile was to go out to the states .
“ We are shipping .
All those supplies , to all the demands , all the asks , all the governance , every day , we are—we ’ re prepared to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demand , ” Gaynor said on the show .
“ You ’ ve still got some in the stockpile , I wonder why that stockpile hasn ’ t been depleted ?
Have you seen the urgent pleas from healthcare workers ?
” Raddatz pressed .
“ We have…I am well aware of the high demand for these items , ” Gaynor responded .

On Saturday, Vice President Mike Pence announced that the department of Health and Human Services had placed orders through the Federal Emergency Management Agency for hundreds of millions N95 masks that would be distributed to “to health care providers across the country.”
But on Sunday morning, first on ABC’s “This Week” by Mathra Raddatz then on CNN’s “State of the Union” by Jake Tapper, the head of FEMA dodged questions about exactly how many masks are available, and how long they’ll take to get to hospitals.
“It is a dynamic and fluid operation,” Gaynor told Tapper. “The president appointed FEMA five days ago to manage federal operations, and since I’ve been here, we’ve been shipping continuously from federal warehouses, and again, connecting, you know, those governors that need supplies to those who have it in the commercial sector.”
“It makes people concerned that there aren’t masks going out the door,” Tapper responded, asking for even a rough number, which Gaynor didn’t give. “I’m not saying that that’s the case, but without a number, that doesn’t fill people with confidence.”
Gaynor similarly did not respond directly to Raddatz when she asked about how masks were available in a stockpile maintained by the federal government and when that stockpile was to go out to the states.
Pressed on when the national stockpile of masks will be distributed to health care systems, FEMA administrator Pete Gaynor tells @martharaddatz "it is happening," without offering a concrete timeline or quantity currently shipped. https://t.co/v9QowRWPnC pic.twitter.com/O64M5rPmNU — This Week (@ThisWeekABC) March 22, 2020
“We are shipping. All those supplies, to all the demands, all the asks, all the governance, every day, we are—we’re prepared to go to zero in the stockpile to meet demand,” Gaynor said on the show.
“You’ve still got some in the stockpile, I wonder why that stockpile hasn’t been depleted? Have you seen the urgent pleas from healthcare workers?” Raddatz pressed.
“We have…I am well aware of the high demand for these items,” Gaynor responded.


motherjones--2020-03-23--Donald Trump Signals He Might Sacrifice Thousands of Americans to Restart the Economy

That didn ’ t take long .
Donald Trump already seems to be growing tired and frustrated with doing the right thing .
After about two months of deadly delays and denials , Trump a week ago finally began pushing a public health initiative to counter the coronavirus pandemic , promoting the White House ’ s “ 15 Days to Slow the Spread ” campaign , which called for social distancing , teleworking , and limiting social gatherings to 10 or fewer people .
This was not as aggressive a stance as some public health experts urged , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conveyed on March 4 , when he told Sean Hannity , “ You know , we have thousands or hundreds of thousands of people that get better , just by , you know , sitting around and even going to work.
” Yet now it appears that Trump is considering pivoting from the expert-driven plan of containing the virus by minimizing social interactions .
On Sunday night , he tweeted , “ WE CAN NOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF .
AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO !
” This seemed to suggest Trump worried that the strict measures taken to counter the pandemic and save lives might be causing too much economic pain .
Soon after , Trump retweeted a number of conservative activists who explicitly made this troubling point .
One declared , “ Correct .
15 days , then we keep the high-risk groups protected as necessary and the rest of us go back to work.
” Another railed that the current measures were leading to the “ Destruction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Flatten the curve NOT the economy.
” And Trump also retweeted an unverified account apparently belonging to a Southern California sex counselor who proclaimed , “ The fear of the virus can not collapse our economy that President Trump has built up .
We The People are smart enough to keep away from others if we know that we are sick or they are sick !
After 15 days are over the world can begin to heal !
” Here was Trump promoting the position that come next week those damn annoying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dropped and the nation should just depend on citizens being able to sort out , on their own , how to avoid sharing the virus .
Meanwhile , the New York Times reported that “ at the White House , in recent days , there has been a growing sentiment that medical experts were allowed to set policy that has hurt the economy , and there has been a push to find ways to let people start returning to work.
” The story noted , “ Trump has become frustrated with Dr. [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the briefing lectern , which often contradicts things the president has just said , according to two people familiar with the dynamic.
” Fauci has been saying that severe social distancing measures will likely be required for weeks to come—longer than those 15 days Trump initially called for .
That ’ s not going over well with the boss .
And on Monday , the Wall Street Journal reported , “ The White House is discussing easing social-distancing guidelines as early as next week as advisers and business leaders push President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job losses nationwide.
” Put all this together and a clear and harsh impression emerges : Trump is willing to weaken public health measures in order to try to prevent further economic damage .
To put it crassly , he seems to care more about economic metrics than preventing the death of Americans .
Why would that be ?
It was no secret that until the coronavirus crisis hit , Trump ’ s primary argument for reelection was based on the economy , which at that point , according to conventional measurements ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , was performing well .
The pandemic has blasted away this reason for reelection .
The current forecasts—up to 30 percent unemployment , GDP contraction by 20 percent—are a nightmare for the nation and for a president facing voters in several months .
( And the ongoing economic calamity has had a devastating impact on Trump ’ s own businesses . )
Trump , in a way , feared this possibility from the start .
As the killer virus was gaining a foothold in the United States , he reportedly opposed aggressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of infections , and larger numbers were bad for his political prospects .
That is , he placed his own personal interests ahead of those of the nation .
Trump is a numbers guy—when they work for him .
And in the early weeks of the epidemic , he tried to deploy statistics to downplay the threat .
On March 9 , long after experts in and out of government were citing the immediate need for widespread and comprehensive action , Trump zapped out a tweet suggesting the coronavirus was no big deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 37,000 Americans in 2019 and the new virus had so far only claimed 22 .
( “ Think about that !
” he declared . )
See ?
Numbers said it wasn ’ t so bad .
But now Trump has two sets of numbers to confront .
The horrifying daily stats on the spread of COVID-19 , including the rising death tally , and the terrifying measurements of the free-falling economy .
A narcissist , Trump is more fearful of the second category , which affects his future in a manner he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spout of tweets , Trump is signaling that he ’ s eager to shout “ enough already ” regarding the restrictive measures designed to impede the transmission of the virus .
He is drawn to the idea of soon easing up and encouraging folks without symptoms to head back into the world .
If this occurs , infected people without symptoms will fill streets , offices , shops , mass transportation , schools , churches , restaurants , and other public places .
But because there is still no nationwide comprehensive testing system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have no idea they are transmitting the virus .
Trump ’ s endorsement of the magical thinking that Americans can return to work without infecting others is unsettling and alarming .
This would place millions of Americans in danger , particularly the most vulnerable : the elderly , the already-sick , and those with limited access to health care .
It would mean more death .
And such a move would further increase the pressure on the nation ’ s buckling health care system .
That , too , would mean more death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are a sign he believes the cost to the economy of an effective containment policy is too high .
Perhaps partly ( or wholly ) because that cost also threatens his reelection .
Yet health care experts are adamantly saying the current policies need to remain in place for some time—and probably should be tighter .
So Trump faces a serious tradeoff .
Does he want to follow scientific expertise and do all that is necessary to safeguard Americans ?
Or does he want to relax restraints in an effort to limit the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing so might allow the pandemic to burn wider and hotter and further threaten the economy ) ?
It ’ s true that most Americans do not face a lethal risk from the coronavirus .
But many do .
( This group is mostly older Americans , but younger citizens are not entirely safe from COVID-19 . )
How much does Trump care about these people ?
Is he willing to sacrifice thousands of them—or a lot more—in a ( probably ) misguided bid to restart the economy because that ’ s what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign ?
This is a helluva calculation for a politician to make .
But Trump ’ s latest noises are those of a man who believes more deaths are not as bad as more economic hardship—and someone who gives the appearance he is willing to pave the way to electoral victory with the bodies of fallen Americans .

That didn’t take long. Donald Trump already seems to be growing tired and frustrated with doing the right thing.
After about two months of deadly delays and denials, Trump a week ago finally began pushing a public health initiative to counter the coronavirus pandemic, promoting the White House’s “15 Days to Slow the Spread” campaign, which called for social distancing, teleworking, and limiting social gatherings to 10 or fewer people. This was not as aggressive a stance as some public health experts urged, but it was far better than the message Trump conveyed on March 4, when he told Sean Hannity, “You know, we have thousands or hundreds of thousands of people that get better, just by, you know, sitting around and even going to work.”
Yet now it appears that Trump is considering pivoting from the expert-driven plan of containing the virus by minimizing social interactions. On Sunday night, he tweeted, “WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF. AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD, WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO!” This seemed to suggest Trump worried that the strict measures taken to counter the pandemic and save lives might be causing too much economic pain.
Soon after, Trump retweeted a number of conservative activists who explicitly made this troubling point. One declared, “Correct. 15 days, then we keep the high-risk groups protected as necessary and the rest of us go back to work.” Another railed that the current measures were leading to the “Destruction of the economy.” A third said, “Flatten the curve NOT the economy.” And Trump also retweeted an unverified account apparently belonging to a Southern California sex counselor who proclaimed, “The fear of the virus cannot collapse our economy that President Trump has built up. We The People are smart enough to keep away from others if we know that we are sick or they are sick! After 15 days are over the world can begin to heal!” Here was Trump promoting the position that come next week those damn annoying and inconvenient social distancing practices should be dropped and the nation should just depend on citizens being able to sort out, on their own, how to avoid sharing the virus.
Meanwhile, the New York Times reported that “at the White House, in recent days, there has been a growing sentiment that medical experts were allowed to set policy that has hurt the economy, and there has been a push to find ways to let people start returning to work.” The story noted, “Trump has become frustrated with Dr. [Anthony] Fauci’s blunt approach at the briefing lectern, which often contradicts things the president has just said, according to two people familiar with the dynamic.” Fauci has been saying that severe social distancing measures will likely be required for weeks to come—longer than those 15 days Trump initially called for. That’s not going over well with the boss. And on Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported, “The White House is discussing easing social-distancing guidelines as early as next week as advisers and business leaders push President Trump to boost an economy beset by deepening job losses nationwide.”
Put all this together and a clear and harsh impression emerges: Trump is willing to weaken public health measures in order to try to prevent further economic damage. To put it crassly, he seems to care more about economic metrics than preventing the death of Americans.
Why would that be? It was no secret that until the coronavirus crisis hit, Trump’s primary argument for reelection was based on the economy, which at that point, according to conventional measurements (the stock market, the unemployment rate), was performing well. The pandemic has blasted away this reason for reelection. The current forecasts—up to 30 percent unemployment, GDP contraction by 20 percent—are a nightmare for the nation and for a president facing voters in several months. (And the ongoing economic calamity has had a devastating impact on Trump’s own businesses.)
Trump, in a way, feared this possibility from the start. As the killer virus was gaining a foothold in the United States, he reportedly opposed aggressive testing because that would show higher numbers of infections, and larger numbers were bad for his political prospects. That is, he placed his own personal interests ahead of those of the nation.
Trump is a numbers guy—when they work for him. And in the early weeks of the epidemic, he tried to deploy statistics to downplay the threat. On March 9, long after experts in and out of government were citing the immediate need for widespread and comprehensive action, Trump zapped out a tweet suggesting the coronavirus was no big deal because the flu caused the death of 37,000 Americans in 2019 and the new virus had so far only claimed 22. (“Think about that!” he declared.)
So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 9, 2020
See? Numbers said it wasn’t so bad.
But now Trump has two sets of numbers to confront. The horrifying daily stats on the spread of COVID-19, including the rising death tally, and the terrifying measurements of the free-falling economy. A narcissist, Trump is more fearful of the second category, which affects his future in a manner he can fully comprehend.
With this latest spout of tweets, Trump is signaling that he’s eager to shout “enough already” regarding the restrictive measures designed to impede the transmission of the virus. He is drawn to the idea of soon easing up and encouraging folks without symptoms to head back into the world. If this occurs, infected people without symptoms will fill streets, offices, shops, mass transportation, schools, churches, restaurants, and other public places. But because there is still no nationwide comprehensive testing system, most of these infected persons will have no idea they are transmitting the virus.
Trump’s endorsement of the magical thinking that Americans can return to work without infecting others is unsettling and alarming. This would place millions of Americans in danger, particularly the most vulnerable: the elderly, the already-sick, and those with limited access to health care. It would mean more death. And such a move would further increase the pressure on the nation’s buckling health care system. That, too, would mean more death.
Trump’s tweets and retweets are a sign he believes the cost to the economy of an effective containment policy is too high. Perhaps partly (or wholly) because that cost also threatens his reelection. Yet health care experts are adamantly saying the current policies need to remain in place for some time—and probably should be tighter. So Trump faces a serious tradeoff. Does he want to follow scientific expertise and do all that is necessary to safeguard Americans? Or does he want to relax restraints in an effort to limit the harm to the economy (even if doing so might allow the pandemic to burn wider and hotter and further threaten the economy)?
It’s true that most Americans do not face a lethal risk from the coronavirus. But many do. (This group is mostly older Americans, but younger citizens are not entirely safe from COVID-19.) How much does Trump care about these people? Is he willing to sacrifice thousands of them—or a lot more—in a (probably) misguided bid to restart the economy because that’s what he deems is best for his reelection campaign? This is a helluva calculation for a politician to make. But Trump’s latest noises are those of a man who believes more deaths are not as bad as more economic hardship—and someone who gives the appearance he is willing to pave the way to electoral victory with the bodies of fallen Americans.


motherjones--2020-03-23--As the Coronavirus Spreads, Democrats Roll out Postal Voting Plans

Congressional Democrats are pushing for nationwide access to vote-by-mail and early voting in response to the spread of the coronavirus .
And while lawmakers have introduced legislation to address the havoc the pandemic has had and will have on voting , they say that they ’ re running into the same partisan wall that has blocked related efforts in the past .
“ I see no evidence that Majority Leader McConnell has weakened his opposition , ” said Sen. Chris Coons ( D-Del . )
on Monday , highlighting the Kentucky Republican ’ s past and continuing role as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ To be really blunt , that ’ s partly because voter suppression efforts in a number of states around the country include things like changing the hours , changing the location of polling precincts—and vote-by-mail is a way to work around that or to weaken that as a voter suppression tool.
” Coons ’ s remarks came on a phone call with reporters , where he joined Sens .
Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) and Ron Wyden ( D-Ore. ) to discuss a bill they are cosponsoring that would expand early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states in time for the November elections .
Even against the coronavirus backdrop , the Democratic senators say McConnell is acting in keeping with his history of blocking election security legislation meant to address concerns after Russia ’ s 2016 interference operations , and his only reluctant agreement to boost some election security funding after a months-long campaign that saw him called “ Moscow Mitch.
” A spokesperson for McConnell did not respond to a request for comment .
While election-related funding has been incorporated into the Senate ’ s coronavirus relief package @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that “ we want to see a lot more , ” than the just “ over $ 100 million ” currently contemplated .
The Brennan Center has estimated that a robust election-protection plan related to the coronavirus could cost as much as $ 2 billion to cover ballot printing and procurement , postage , security , staffing , poll workers , and voter-education campaigns .
A proposal unveiled by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) on Monday called for “ billions ” in grant funding for states for election administration issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of early voting , no-excuse absentee voting , and that registered voters receive ballots in the mail in an emergency .
Advocates of broader access to postal balloting have been pushing the policy for years—Oregon was the first state to adopt all vote-by-mail elections in 1998—but have intensified with the spread of the coronavirus and related edicts banning public gathering .
Primary elections have so far been delayed in 13 states , in part over concerns about the health of elderly poll workers .
While Klobuchar said some congressional and state Republicans support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they don ’ t necessarily back the legislation she , Coons , and Wyden have introduced .
To lessen the burden and crowds on Election Day , their bill would require 20 days of early voting and no-excuse vote-by-mail in all states , and ensure the processing of early ballots 14-days ahead of election to avoid delays on election night—a key concern in places like Pennsylvania and Michigan .
The bill would also require states to offer downloadable and printable absentee ballots—applying the same security standards that some states use to accommodate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Election Assistance Commission with creating a uniform domestic downloadable and absentee ballot that can be used starting in 2022 .
While Wyden says McConnell was eventually pressured to increase general federal funding for election security , he characterized the majority leader ’ s approach of allocating such funding without tying it to specific requirements as “ We ’ ll just spend money and everything will just be taken care of.
” Wyden said that in the current context , new money should be tied to requirements that make voting more accessible .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this fall of either Americans being able to vote , which means voting by mail , or not voting at all , ” he said .
“ That ’ s not even a close call.
” “ At some point democracy should trump these partisan concerns , ” Klobuchar said , adding that vote-by-mail , which is widely used in Utah , has never been simply a Democratic-state issue .
She said that she ’ s optimistic that they ’ ll be able to secure some funding for these efforts , but that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fighting Sen. McConnell on the details.
” “ No citizen in this country should have to pick between exercising their right to vote and protecting their health , ” she said .

Congressional Democrats are pushing for nationwide access to vote-by-mail and early voting in response to the spread of the coronavirus. And while lawmakers have introduced legislation to address the havoc the pandemic has had and will have on voting, they say that they’re running into the same partisan wall that has blocked related efforts in the past.
“I see no evidence that Majority Leader McConnell has weakened his opposition,” said Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) on Monday, highlighting the Kentucky Republican’s past and continuing role as an ardent opponent of federal election legislation efforts. “To be really blunt, that’s partly because voter suppression efforts in a number of states around the country include things like changing the hours, changing the location of polling precincts—and vote-by-mail is a way to work around that or to weaken that as a voter suppression tool.”
“America could be faced with a choice this fall of either Americans being able to vote, which means voting by mail, or not voting at all.”
Coons’s remarks came on a phone call with reporters, where he joined Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) to discuss a bill they are cosponsoring that would expand early voting and no-excuse absentee vote-by-mail to all states in time for the November elections.
Even against the coronavirus backdrop, the Democratic senators say McConnell is acting in keeping with his history of blocking election security legislation meant to address concerns after Russia’s 2016 interference operations, and his only reluctant agreement to boost some election security funding after a months-long campaign that saw him called “Moscow Mitch.”A spokesperson for McConnell did not respond to a request for comment.
While election-related funding has been incorporated into the Senate’s coronavirus relief package that is still under debate, Klobuchar said that “we want to see a lot more,” than the just “over $100 million” currently contemplated. The Brennan Center has estimated that a robust election-protection plan related to the coronavirus could cost as much as $2 billion to cover ballot printing and procurement, postage, security, staffing, poll workers, and voter-education campaigns. A proposal unveiled by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Monday called for “billions” in grant funding for states for election administration issues and a national requirements of 15 days of early voting, no-excuse absentee voting, and that registered voters receive ballots in the mail in an emergency.
Advocates of broader access to postal balloting have been pushing the policy for years—Oregon was the first state to adopt all vote-by-mail elections in 1998—but have intensified with the spread of the coronavirus and related edicts banning public gathering. Primary elections have so far been delayed in 13 states, in part over concerns about the health of elderly poll workers.
While Klobuchar said some congressional and state Republicans support new election funding related to the coronavirus, they don’t necessarily back the legislation she, Coons, and Wyden have introduced. To lessen the burden and crowds on Election Day, their bill would require 20 days of early voting and no-excuse vote-by-mail in all states, and ensure the processing of early ballots 14-days ahead of election to avoid delays on election night—a key concern in places like Pennsylvania and Michigan. The bill would also require states to offer downloadable and printable absentee ballots—applying the same security standards that some states use to accommodate overseas military and civilian voters—and charge the Election Assistance Commission with creating a uniform domestic downloadable and absentee ballot that can be used starting in 2022.
While Wyden says McConnell was eventually pressured to increase general federal funding for election security, he characterized the majority leader’s approach of allocating such funding without tying it to specific requirements as “We’ll just spend money and everything will just be taken care of.” Wyden said that in the current context, new money should be tied to requirements that make voting more accessible.
“America could be faced with a choice this fall of either Americans being able to vote, which means voting by mail, or not voting at all,” he said. “That’s not even a close call.”
“At some point democracy should trump these partisan concerns,” Klobuchar said, adding that vote-by-mail, which is widely used in Utah, has never been simply a Democratic-state issue. She said that she’s optimistic that they’ll be able to secure some funding for these efforts, but that they’ll likely “still be fighting Sen. McConnell on the details.”
“No citizen in this country should have to pick between exercising their right to vote and protecting their health,” she said.


motherjones--2020-03-24--“A Fake Pandemic”: Antivaxxers Are Spreading Coronavirus Conspiracy Theories

In recent weeks , Facebook groups that oppose mandatory vaccination have turned their attention to the coronavirus .
Their feeds are full of posts that downplay the risks of the COVID-19 , promote discredited conspiracy theories , and criticize efforts to control the spread of the virus .
Here are a few of the ideas they ’ ve been spreading : Criticizing social-distancing campaigns and warning of “ police state ” tactics .
“ It is a fact that fear and stress compromise the immune system , ” the account Michigan for Vaccine Choice posted on March 21 .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
What about our quality of life ?
” On March 15 , Californians for Vaccine Choice posted : Claiming the virus might not exist at all .
“ If you ’ re still thinking it ’ s coincidental that a pandemic erupted in the midst of a state by state sweep to REMOVE your right to refuse vaccination , it ’ s time to get your head out of the sand , ” the group Oregonians for Healthcare Choice posted on March 20 .
Also that day , it posted a link @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Green Med Info titled , “ Op-Ed : Does the 2019 Coronavirus Exist ?
” The piece argues that “ the coronavirus panic is just that , an irrational panic , based on an unproven RNA test , that has never been connected to a virus.
” On March 19 , the group published a long and rambling post titled , “ How to create a fake pandemic 101.
” Here ’ s step 5 : STEP 5 – Make sure the media goes all in on over hyping and fear mongering .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on board too and make them hype it up even more .
Focus on areas of the world with lots of old people and active 5G , like Northern Italy… And cruise ships .
Convince people that where they live will end up just as bad and worse .
Make people so paranoid that they overwhelm hospitals by coming in with the first sign of the sniffles .
This zombie rush of paranoid idiots will make it appear that entire countries are getting sicker when mostly they are just getting increasingly paranoid .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ become susceptible to sickness just by remaining in non-stop sleep deprived active adrenal paranoia .
Even many practicing doctors and nurses may be fooled by the zombie onslaught , especially those in 5G areas .
Arguing the coronavirus isn ’ t as bad as the media claims .
Several groups link to an article from the website The Vaccine Reaction—titled “ Mortality Rate for Covid-19 May Be Closer to Influenza ” —which quotes researchers downplaying the death toll .
Other groups link to pieces that argue that Italy ’ s outbreak would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerability of the elderly and people with preexisting conditions .
“ Serious doubts about the accuracy of COVID-19 testing methods , results , mortality rates , and the supposedly unique and extreme lethality of this virus are starting to emerge , even within mainstream media and government reporting , ” reads one oft-cited piece .
Telling readers to stop washing their hands so much .
Many of the groups link to an article on the website of the Weston A .
Price Foundation , a group that promotes diets rich in animal fats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Coronavirus or Any Virus , ” the article argues that “ extreme handwashing , ” cleaning surfaces with bleach , and avoiding physical contact with others is overkill : The worst part of all the hullaballoo is the bad advice that fills the newspaper reports .
People are engaging in extreme handwashing , disinfecting their houses with clorox , refusing handshakes and wearing masks .
( Remember that viruses are extremely tiny , so wearing a mask is like building a chain link fence to keep out mice . )
We don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about building immunity—to all diseases , from coronavirus to TB .
In fact , the Washington Post has admonished its readers that you can ’ t build immunity to the coronavirus .
This is nonsense .
Like any virus , coronavirus is no match for someone with a strong immune system .
Slamming Anthony Fauci and the CDC .
Dr. Anthony Fauci—the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and one of the most visible public faces of the federal government ’ s coronavirus response—is a particular target of many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Indiana Coalition for Vaccination Choice posted a long tirade against Fauci .
“ Fauci is all over the media , serving up outright falsehoods to stir up even more panic , ” the group wrote .
“ If anything , what people like Fauci and the other fearmongers are demanding will likely make the disease worse .
The martial law they dream about will leave people hunkered down inside their homes instead of going outdoors or to the beach where the sunshine and fresh air would help boost immunity.
” Others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Prevention .
On March 22 , Oregonians for Healthcare Choice posted a meme reading , “ The real virus threatening America : CDC , ” along with the comment : “ CDC=Corona disinformation center.
” So what ’ s Facebook doing to combat this misinformation ?
On anti-vaccine groups ’ pages , it posts a banner that reads , “ This page posts about vaccines .
When it comes to health , everyone wants reliable , up-to-date information .
The Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) has information that can help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” But it doesn ’ t give any warnings about coronavirus misinformation .
We asked Facebook what it planned to do about these claims , but it didn ’ t respond to our request for comment .

In recent weeks, Facebook groups that oppose mandatory vaccination have turned their attention to the coronavirus. Their feeds are full of posts that downplay the risks of the COVID-19, promote discredited conspiracy theories, and criticize efforts to control the spread of the virus. Here are a few of the ideas they’ve been spreading:
Criticizing social-distancing campaigns and warning of “police state” tactics. “It is a fact that fear and stress compromise the immune system,” the account Michigan for Vaccine Choice posted on March 21. “Can we keep this mass quarantine up? What about our quality of life?” On March 15, Californians for Vaccine Choice posted:
What is about to unfold over the next few weeks is a test to see how well we have assimilated the government’s lessons in compliance, fear, and police state tactics; a test to see how quickly we’ll march in lockstep with the government’s dictates, no questions asked; and a test to see how little resistance we offer up to the government’s power grabs when made in the name of national security.
Claiming the virus might not exist at all. “If you’re still thinking it’s coincidental that a pandemic erupted in the midst of a state by state sweep to REMOVE your right to refuse vaccination, it’s time to get your head out of the sand,” the group Oregonians for Healthcare Choice posted on March 20. Also that day, it posted a link to a piece on a site called Green Med Info titled, “Op-Ed: Does the 2019 Coronavirus Exist?” The piece argues that “the coronavirus panic is just that, an irrational panic, based on an unproven RNA test, that has never been connected to a virus.” On March 19, the group published a long and rambling post titled, “How to create a fake pandemic 101.” Here’s step 5:
STEP 5 – Make sure the media goes all in on over hyping and fear mongering. Get most of the sellout alternative media on board too and make them hype it up even more. Focus on areas of the world with lots of old people and active 5G, like Northern Italy… And cruise ships. Convince people that where they live will end up just as bad and worse. Make people so paranoid that they overwhelm hospitals by coming in with the first sign of the sniffles. This zombie rush of paranoid idiots will make it appear that entire countries are getting sicker when mostly they are just getting increasingly paranoid. As a bonus, some people will become susceptible to sickness just by remaining in non-stop sleep deprived active adrenal paranoia. Even many practicing doctors and nurses may be fooled by the zombie onslaught, especially those in 5G areas.
(That last bit refers to a particularly out-there conspiracy theory that because the coronavirus emerged in China around the same time that the country introduced 5G cell phone networks, it was actually the 5G networks that caused the virus.)
Arguing the coronavirus isn’t as bad as the media claims. Several groups link to an article from the website The Vaccine Reaction—titled “Mortality Rate for Covid-19 May Be Closer to Influenza” —which quotes researchers downplaying the death toll. Other groups link to pieces that argue that Italy’s outbreak would be considered mild were it not for the vulnerability of the elderly and people with preexisting conditions. “Serious doubts about the accuracy of COVID-19 testing methods, results, mortality rates, and the supposedly unique and extreme lethality of this virus are starting to emerge, even within mainstream media and government reporting,” reads one oft-cited piece.
Telling readers to stop washing their hands so much. Many of the groups link to an article on the website of the Weston A. Price Foundation, a group that promotes diets rich in animal fats. Titled “How to Protect Yourself from Coronavirus or Any Virus,” the article argues that “extreme handwashing,” cleaning surfaces with bleach, and avoiding physical contact with others is overkill:
The worst part of all the hullaballoo is the bad advice that fills the newspaper reports. People are engaging in extreme handwashing, disinfecting their houses with clorox, refusing handshakes and wearing masks. (Remember that viruses are extremely tiny, so wearing a mask is like building a chain link fence to keep out mice.) We don’t read anything in the papers about building immunity—to all diseases, from coronavirus to TB. In fact, the Washington Post has admonished its readers that you can’t build immunity to the coronavirus. This is nonsense. Like any virus, coronavirus is no match for someone with a strong immune system.
Slamming Anthony Fauci and the CDC. Dr. Anthony Fauci—the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and one of the most visible public faces of the federal government’s coronavirus response—is a particular target of many of the posts. On March 16, the Indiana Coalition for Vaccination Choice posted a long tirade against Fauci. “Fauci is all over the media, serving up outright falsehoods to stir up even more panic,” the group wrote. “If anything, what people like Fauci and the other fearmongers are demanding will likely make the disease worse. The martial law they dream about will leave people hunkered down inside their homes instead of going outdoors or to the beach where the sunshine and fresh air would help boost immunity.” Others have excoriated the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On March 22, Oregonians for Healthcare Choice posted a meme reading, “The real virus threatening America: CDC,” along with the comment: “CDC=Corona disinformation center.”
So what’s Facebook doing to combat this misinformation? On anti-vaccine groups’ pages, it posts a banner that reads, “This page posts about vaccines. When it comes to health, everyone wants reliable, up-to-date information. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has information that can help answer questions you may have about vaccines.” But it doesn’t give any warnings about coronavirus misinformation.
Update, March 24, 9 a.m: We asked Facebook what it planned to do about these claims, and a spokesperson wrote back: “We’re focused on connecting people with accurate information and removing harmful misinformation related to COVID-19, including in Groups. Anyone who searches for – or joins – COVID-19 related groups is directed to credible information from health organizations. We already reduce the distribution of any groups that repeatedly share false news and we remove coronavirus related groups and pages from the recommendations we show people.”
The spokesperson didn’t say Facebook planned to add a warning about coronavirus misinformation to the antivaccine groups’ pages, and as of Tuesday morning, the groups remained unchanged.


motherjones--2020-03-24--Is Your Landlord Using the Coronavirus Outbreak to Be Particularly Evil?

The coronavirus has ground society as we knew it to a halt .
One in five Americans has been laid @ @ @ @ @ hours reduced .
Some states are ordering eviction moratoriums so people can count on a @ @ @ @ @ outbreak .
Federal mortgage regulators are ordering lenders to offer payment flexibility to homeowners and @ @ @ @ @ Meanwhile , of course , more and more people are getting very , very sick @ @ @ @ @ , the global economic and health catastrophe means business as usual .
What about you @ @ @ @ @ particularly , well , landlordly during this crisis ?
Send us your stories and screenshots @ @ @ @ @ subject line “ landlord.
” We ’ ll keep you anonymous and redact any identifying @ @

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motherjones--2020-03-24--“A Fake Pandemic”: Anti-Vaxxers Are Spreading Coronavirus Conspiracy Theories

In recent weeks , Facebook groups that oppose mandatory vaccination have turned their attention to the coronavirus .
Their feeds are full of posts that downplay the risks of the COVID-19 , promote discredited conspiracy theories , and criticize efforts to control the spread of the virus .
Here are a few of the ideas they ’ ve been spreading : Criticizing social-distancing campaigns and warning of “ police state ” tactics .
“ It is a fact that fear and stress compromise the immune system , ” the account Michigan for Vaccine Choice posted on March 21 .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
What about our quality of life ?
” On March 15 , Californians for Vaccine Choice posted : Claiming the virus might not exist at all .
“ If you ’ re still thinking it ’ s coincidental that a pandemic erupted in the midst of a state by state sweep to REMOVE your right to refuse vaccination , it ’ s time to get your head out of the sand , ” the group Oregonians for Healthcare Choice posted on March 20 .
Also that day , it posted a link @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Green Med Info titled , “ Op-Ed : Does the 2019 Coronavirus Exist ?
” The piece argues that “ the coronavirus panic is just that , an irrational panic , based on an unproven RNA test , that has never been connected to a virus.
” On March 19 , the group published a long and rambling post titled , “ How to create a fake pandemic 101.
” Here ’ s step 5 : STEP 5 – Make sure the media goes all in on over hyping and fear mongering .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on board too and make them hype it up even more .
Focus on areas of the world with lots of old people and active 5G , like Northern Italy… And cruise ships .
Convince people that where they live will end up just as bad and worse .
Make people so paranoid that they overwhelm hospitals by coming in with the first sign of the sniffles .
This zombie rush of paranoid idiots will make it appear that entire countries are getting sicker when mostly they are just getting increasingly paranoid .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ become susceptible to sickness just by remaining in non-stop sleep deprived active adrenal paranoia .
Even many practicing doctors and nurses may be fooled by the zombie onslaught , especially those in 5G areas .
Arguing the coronavirus isn ’ t as bad as the media claims .
Several groups link to an article from the website The Vaccine Reaction—titled “ Mortality Rate for Covid-19 May Be Closer to Influenza ” —which quotes researchers downplaying the death toll .
Other groups link to pieces that argue that Italy ’ s outbreak would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerability of the elderly and people with preexisting conditions .
“ Serious doubts about the accuracy of COVID-19 testing methods , results , mortality rates , and the supposedly unique and extreme lethality of this virus are starting to emerge , even within mainstream media and government reporting , ” reads one oft-cited piece .
Telling readers to stop washing their hands so much .
Many of the groups link to an article on the website of the Weston A .
Price Foundation , a group that promotes diets rich in animal fats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Coronavirus or Any Virus , ” the article argues that “ extreme handwashing , ” cleaning surfaces with bleach , and avoiding physical contact with others is overkill : The worst part of all the hullaballoo is the bad advice that fills the newspaper reports .
People are engaging in extreme handwashing , disinfecting their houses with clorox , refusing handshakes and wearing masks .
( Remember that viruses are extremely tiny , so wearing a mask is like building a chain link fence to keep out mice . )
We don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about building immunity—to all diseases , from coronavirus to TB .
In fact , the Washington Post has admonished its readers that you can ’ t build immunity to the coronavirus .
This is nonsense .
Like any virus , coronavirus is no match for someone with a strong immune system .
Slamming Anthony Fauci and the CDC .
Dr. Anthony Fauci—the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and one of the most visible public faces of the federal government ’ s coronavirus response—is a particular target of many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Indiana Coalition for Vaccination Choice posted a long tirade against Fauci .
“ Fauci is all over the media , serving up outright falsehoods to stir up even more panic , ” the group wrote .
“ If anything , what people like Fauci and the other fearmongers are demanding will likely make the disease worse .
The martial law they dream about will leave people hunkered down inside their homes instead of going outdoors or to the beach where the sunshine and fresh air would help boost immunity.
” Others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Prevention .
On March 22 , Oregonians for Healthcare Choice posted a meme reading , “ The real virus threatening America : CDC , ” along with the comment : “ CDC=Corona disinformation center.
” So what ’ s Facebook doing to combat this misinformation ?
On anti-vaccine groups ’ pages , it posts a banner that reads , “ This page posts about vaccines .
When it comes to health , everyone wants reliable , up-to-date information .
The Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) has information that can help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” But it doesn ’ t give any warnings about coronavirus misinformation .
Update , March 24 , 9 a.m : We asked Facebook what it planned to do about these claims , and a spokesperson wrote back : “ We ’ re focused on connecting people with accurate information and removing harmful misinformation related to COVID-19 , including in Groups .
Anyone who searches for – or joins – COVID-19 related groups is directed to credible information from health organizations .
We already reduce the distribution of any groups that repeatedly share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups and pages from the recommendations we show people.
” The spokesperson didn ’ t say Facebook planned to add a warning about coronavirus misinformation to the antivaccine groups ’ pages , and as of Tuesday morning , the groups remained unchanged .


motherjones--2020-03-25--A Top Restaurant Just Retooled to Feed Front-Line Workers Fighting COVID-19

Welcome to Recharge , a weekly newsletter full of stories that will energize your inner hellraiser .
See more editions and sign up here .
When the coronavirus struck Washington state hard , a restaurant once named the top destination in the world by National Geographic Traveler joined so many others in closing .
Since then , the Herbfarm has retooled as a kitchen feeding doctors , nurses , and medical staff at five hospitals on the front lines of the coronavirus fight .
Repurposing the restaurant helps everyone , co-owner Carrie Van Dyck told The Stranger .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eat .
And the farmers , fishermen , foragers , ranchers—they have food that they ’ ve produced and their normal outlet is the farmers market and restaurants , and all of that is closed , so they have nowhere to send that , ” Van Dyck said .
“ We wanted to help out the [ vendors ] who ’ ve been supporting us , and think of ways to continue to buy from them , and also help out these people who are doing an amazing job [ in hospitals ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort is funded by a GoFundMe drive to help the medical staff at these hard-hit hospitals .
“ One thing COVID-19 teaches us clearly , ” said one appreciative ER doctor , Jonathan Scheffer : “ We are all , most definitely , in this together !
” Here are more Recharge stories to get you through the week : Get me to the judge on time .
Just after New York City ’ s marriage bureau got shut down Friday , a couple found a judge and got hitched .
Alex Brook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gloves , were married in a one-minute ceremony outside the marriage bureau .
Judge Kevin McGrath followed the pronouncement with this : “ May you [ elbow ] bump each other.
” A second couple , wearing masks , happened upon the ceremony—and McGrath married them , too .
Honeymoon plans for Lynn and Levy ?
A walk in a park in the Bronx , Lynn said , then back to their home in downtown Manhattan to shelter in place .
“ I did not think my wedding would be like this , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You kind of roll with what is going on.
” ( New York Post ) A world singing .
Defiant people self-quarantined across the globe are following Italians ’ lead by taking to porches , balconies , and rooftops , lifting their voices to stand together against the pandemic .
In Montreal on Sunday , residents united to sing Leonard Cohen ’ s “ So Long , Marianne ” from their homes ; in Mallorca , Spain , dancing and guitar-playing police led a locked-down neighborhood with songs ; in Dallas , tenor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Withers ’ “ Lean on Me ” from the windows of an apartment building .
Readers , what did we miss ?
Let us know if your community is rising up as one in song .
( CBC ) Helping the wallaby .
Last we checked , Australia ’ s wildlife was fighting to survive against some of the worst bushfires in modern history .
Now , marsupials that have survived face a challenge—many of the plants they feed on have been destroyed .
People have stepped up to drop water , carrots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s helping .
( New York Times ) Followup .
Last week , we told you about senior citizens in their cars , terrified to buy groceries for fear of catching the coronavirus .
Now , several supermarket chains have set up special hours for seniors and those with underlying health conditions .
Veteran journalist John Schwartz joked that he was bummed he wasn ’ t carded upon arrival at a special early-morning entry to one grocery .
I asked a cashier at another store on Sunday if the early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later customers .
“ Both , ” she replied .
( Mother Jones ) I ’ ll leave you with a bit of perspective : the light shining through ancient forests that have grown amid centuries of world crises .
This image comes from Washington ’ s Olympic National Park , via the Interior Department ’ s Twitter feed .
Remember , this is your land .
See you next week !

Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters.
Welcome to Recharge, a weekly newsletter full of stories that will energize your inner hellraiser. See more editions and sign up here.
When the coronavirus struck Washington state hard, a restaurant once named the top destination in the world by National Geographic Traveler joined so many others in closing. Since then, the Herbfarm has retooled as a kitchen feeding doctors, nurses, and medical staff at five hospitals on the front lines of the coronavirus fight.
Repurposing the restaurant helps everyone, co-owner Carrie Van Dyck told The Stranger.
“We’re going to still need to eat. And the farmers, fishermen, foragers, ranchers—they have food that they’ve produced and their normal outlet is the farmers market and restaurants, and all of that is closed, so they have nowhere to send that,” Van Dyck said. “We wanted to help out the [vendors] who’ve been supporting us, and think of ways to continue to buy from them, and also help out these people who are doing an amazing job [in hospitals] right now.”
The bulk of the effort is funded by a GoFundMe drive to help the medical staff at these hard-hit hospitals. “One thing COVID-19 teaches us clearly,” said one appreciative ER doctor, Jonathan Scheffer: “We are all, most definitely, in this together!”
Here are more Recharge stories to get you through the week:
Get me to the judge on time. Just after New York City’s marriage bureau got shut down Friday, a couple found a judge and got hitched. Alex Brook Lynn and Adam Levy, wearing plastic gloves, were married in a one-minute ceremony outside the marriage bureau. Judge Kevin McGrath followed the pronouncement with this: “May you [elbow] bump each other.” A second couple, wearing masks, happened upon the ceremony—and McGrath married them, too. Honeymoon plans for Lynn and Levy? A walk in a park in the Bronx, Lynn said, then back to their home in downtown Manhattan to shelter in place. “I did not think my wedding would be like this,’’ the bride said. “You kind of roll with what is going on.” (New York Post)
A world singing. Defiant people self-quarantined across the globe are following Italians’ lead by taking to porches, balconies, and rooftops, lifting their voices to stand together against the pandemic. In Montreal on Sunday, residents united to sing Leonard Cohen’s “So Long, Marianne” from their homes; in Mallorca, Spain, dancing and guitar-playing police led a locked-down neighborhood with songs; in Dallas, tenor Danzel Barber began a singalong of Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me” from the windows of an apartment building. Readers, what did we miss? Let us know if your community is rising up as one in song. (CBC)
Helping the wallaby. Last we checked, Australia’s wildlife was fighting to survive against some of the worst bushfires in modern history. Now, marsupials that have survived face a challenge—many of the plants they feed on have been destroyed. People have stepped up to drop water, carrots, and sweet potatoes for starving wallabies. It’s helping. (New York Times)
Followup. Last week, we told you about senior citizens in their cars, terrified to buy groceries for fear of catching the coronavirus. Now, several supermarket chains have set up special hours for seniors and those with underlying health conditions. Veteran journalist John Schwartz joked that he was bummed he wasn’t carded upon arrival at a special early-morning entry to one grocery. I asked a cashier at another store on Sunday if the early crowd was nicer or ruder than the later customers. “Both,” she replied. (Mother Jones)
I’ll leave you with a bit of perspective: the light shining through ancient forests that have grown amid centuries of world crises. This image comes from Washington’s Olympic National Park, via the Interior Department’s Twitter feed. Remember, this land is your land. See you next week!


motherjones--2020-03-25--Facebook Just Revealed Its Secret Strategy for Taking Down Hate Groups

The members of Northwest Front have been called the “ worst racists ” in America , amid stiff competition .
On Wednesday , Facebook told Mother Jones that it had used a new enforcement strategy to take down a network of Northwest Front accounts that tried to circumvent the platform ’ s ban on white nationalists .
“ This organization has been banned on Facebook for years now .
We recently identified that they had tried to reestablish a presence on the platform .
What we decided to do is identify as many of their assets as we could , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups , pages , and then take them all down at once , ” Brian Fishman , Facebook ’ s director of counterterrorism and dangerous organizations policy , explained on the phone .
The action against the Northwest Front that Fishman outlined is a strategy that Facebook occasionally uses to stop the most egregious and dangerous groups from using its tools .
Until Wednesday , the company had not shared any details of that strategy publicly .
The group had been organizing on Facebook and attempting to use the platform to recruit potentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Typically , Fishman explained , most content that violates Facebook ’ s terms of service is reviewed and taken down as quickly as the company can manage it ; the takedowns are accompanied by messages to violators about how they ’ d breached platform rules .
In the case of the recent move against Northwest Front , though , the company instead opted to monitor accounts of individuals associated with the Northwest Front , in the hopes of finding a larger chunk of the network and taking it all down at once , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is different than our normal operations .
The reason for doing things like this is to make it more difficult to rebuild a network , ” Fishman said .
“ If you take out one piece or consistently takedown pieces , then they still can try to rebuild.
” Fishman emphasized that Facebook was not ignoring normal policy violations while monitoring the group .
“ If something came into standard enforcement flows , it would come down , ” he said .
“ Also if we recognize something that was an imminent threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If we identify something that indicated that there ’ s potential for harm , we ’ ll take enforcement action , ” Sarah Pollack , a spokesperson for Facebook , added .
Facebook would contact law enforcement if the group posed an imminent threat , Fishman said .
It would also work with its lawyers to loop in law enforcement , the military , or other government groups if its investigators came across any white nationalists working in their ranks .
Facebook has been deliberately opaque about its strategy in the past .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make it harder for groups like the Northwest Front to understand what was happening and figure out how to dodge detection in the future .
Fishman was light on a lot of details about what Facebook looks for in monitoring these types of groups .
Often , he said , Facebook won ’ t say that it took action on a set of accounts , leaving users puzzled as their accounts , pages , and groups are deleted without explanation .
“ Sometimes these groups are confused about actions .
That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
“ When we ’ re talking about terror groups and hate groups , ambiguity can be a useful tool.
” The overall scope of the takedown was small , at 36 Facebook users , 10 Instagram users , nine groups , and nine pages .
Fishman said that this isn ’ t the first time Facebook has taken action of this kind .
He and Pollack explained that the company had used the same strategy against other American right-wing hate organizations , including The Right Stuff and Identity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia ( aka FARC ) , a leftist rebel group in Columbia .
“ We ’ ve always wanted to explain that we ’ re using this approach , ” Pollack said , “ but we wanted to do it now to highlight [ that ] our work on dangerous organizations continues even in this moment where Facebook and the world is focused on COVID-19 .
”

Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters.
The members of Northwest Front have been called the “worst racists” in America, amid stiff competition. On Wednesday, Facebook told Mother Jones that it had used a new enforcement strategy to take down a network of Northwest Front accounts that tried to circumvent the platform’s ban on white nationalists.
“This organization has been banned on Facebook for years now. We recently identified that they had tried to reestablish a presence on the platform. What we decided to do is identify as many of their assets as we could, identities of their supporters and members, groups, pages, and then take them all down at once,” Brian Fishman, Facebook’s director of counterterrorism and dangerous organizations policy, explained on the phone.
The action against the Northwest Front that Fishman outlined is a strategy that Facebook occasionally uses to stop the most egregious and dangerous groups from using its tools. Until Wednesday, the company had not shared any details of that strategy publicly.
The group had been organizing on Facebook and attempting to use the platform to recruit potentially sympathetic minds into the neo-Nazi group.
Typically, Fishman explained, most content that violates Facebook’s terms of service is reviewed and taken down as quickly as the company can manage it; the takedowns are accompanied by messages to violators about how they’d breached platform rules. In the case of the recent move against Northwest Front, though, the company instead opted to monitor accounts of individuals associated with the Northwest Front, in the hopes of finding a larger chunk of the network and taking it all down at once, with no explanations given.
“This is different than our normal operations. The reason for doing things like this is to make it more difficult to rebuild a network,” Fishman said. “If you take out one piece or consistently takedown pieces, then they still can try to rebuild.”
Fishman emphasized that Facebook was not ignoring normal policy violations while monitoring the group. “If something came into standard enforcement flows, it would come down,” he said.
“Also if we recognize something that was an imminent threat, we wouldn’t delay. If we identify something that indicated that there’s potential for harm, we’ll take enforcement action,” Sarah Pollack, a spokesperson for Facebook, added.
Facebook would contact law enforcement if the group posed an imminent threat, Fishman said. It would also work with its lawyers to loop in law enforcement, the military, or other government groups if its investigators came across any white nationalists working in their ranks.
Facebook has been deliberately opaque about its strategy in the past. That’s because the company wanted to make it harder for groups like the Northwest Front to understand what was happening and figure out how to dodge detection in the future. Fishman was light on a lot of details about what Facebook looks for in monitoring these types of groups. Often, he said, Facebook won’t say that it took action on a set of accounts, leaving users puzzled as their accounts, pages, and groups are deleted without explanation.
“Sometimes these groups are confused about actions. That’s a positive effect from my perspective,” he said. “When we’re talking about terror groups and hate groups, ambiguity can be a useful tool.”
The overall scope of the takedown was small, at 36 Facebook users, 10 Instagram users, nine groups, and nine pages.
Fishman said that this isn’t the first time Facebook has taken action of this kind. He and Pollack explained that the company had used the same strategy against other American right-wing hate organizations, including The Right Stuff and Identity Dixie, two alt-right podcasts, as well as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (aka FARC), a leftist rebel group in Columbia.
“We’ve always wanted to explain that we’re using this approach,” Pollack said, “but we wanted to do it now to highlight [that] our work on dangerous organizations continues even in this moment where Facebook and the world is focused on COVID-19.”


motherjones--2020-03-25--Civil Rights Orgs to ICE: Protect Immigrant Detainees From COVID-19 or Release Them

Earlier today , the Southern Poverty Law Center asked a federal judge to issue an emergency preliminary injunction requiring Immigration and Customs Enforcement to provide protections against the coronavirus outbreak for immigrants being held in their custody .
The motion , filed in a US District Court in California , demands that ICE immediately enact a protocol to protect vulnerable people held in detention , or start releasing them .
The request for an emergency injunction is part of a larger lawsuit that the SPLC and other civil rights organizations first brought against ICE in August 2019 .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first positive case of COVID-19 in a person being held in ICE detention .
The motion argues that ICE detention centers are essentially hotbeds of rapid transmission for the novel coronavirus .
Detainees are often kept in crowded areas and lack access to basic supplies such as hand sanitizer and soap .
People with risk factors such as age or underlying health conditions—people who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 , in other words—reported feeling like “ sitting ducks , ” according to the SPLC .
“ People are talking a lot about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the COVID-19 pandemic .
The fact is , the ICE medical system is already strained .
It ’ s already broken , ” Jared Davidson , an SPLC attorney , told my colleague Noah Lanard .
The motion proposes a short , 24-hour window for ICE officials to put medical safety procedures in place .
If they are unable to do that , they should release vulnerable people within 48 hours .
“ Release is an option , ” said Lisa Graybill , deputy legal director of criminal justice reform at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not legally required .
ICE has total discretion.
” A number of public health experts and other officials , including the former director of ICE under the Obama administration , have called on the agency to release people from detention to protect them from the pandemic .
Up to this point , ICE has announced that it would slow arrests , has given no indication that it would release people currently in custody .
Graybill and Davidson say that this refusal is worsening the public health crisis .
“ If there were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided inadequate care , ” Davidson said , “ the general public would be quite reasonable in thinking it needed to close .
ICE is essentially…also the provider of medical care .
What our filing lays bare is that it ’ s doing a constitutionally inadequate job at protecting people from harm .
The COVID-19 pandemic is going to exacerbate that already-broken system .
”

Earlier today, the Southern Poverty Law Center asked a federal judge to issue an emergency preliminary injunction requiring Immigration and Customs Enforcement to provide protections against the coronavirus outbreak for immigrants being held in their custody. The motion, filed in a US District Court in California, demands that ICE immediately enact a protocol to protect vulnerable people held in detention, or start releasing them.
The request for an emergency injunction is part of a larger lawsuit that the SPLC and other civil rights organizations first brought against ICE in August 2019. It was quickly filed after ICE on Tuesday confirmed the first positive case of COVID-19 in a person being held in ICE detention.
The motion argues that ICE detention centers are essentially hotbeds of rapid transmission for the novel coronavirus. Detainees are often kept in crowded areas and lack access to basic supplies such as hand sanitizer and soap. People with risk factors such as age or underlying health conditions—people who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, in other words—reported feeling like “sitting ducks,” according to the SPLC.
“People are talking a lot about how hospitals are going to be strained by the COVID-19 pandemic. The fact is, the ICE medical system is already strained. It’s already broken,” Jared Davidson, an SPLC attorney, told my colleague Noah Lanard.
The motion proposes a short, 24-hour window for ICE officials to put medical safety procedures in place. If they are unable to do that, they should release vulnerable people within 48 hours. “Release is an option,” said Lisa Graybill, deputy legal director of criminal justice reform at the SPLC. “The detention of people is not legally required. ICE has total discretion.”
A number of public health experts and other officials, including the former director of ICE under the Obama administration, have called on the agency to release people from detention to protect them from the pandemic. Up to this point, ICE has announced that it would slow arrests, has given no indication that it would release people currently in custody. Graybill and Davidson say that this refusal is worsening the public health crisis.
“If there were a hospital in our community that routinely provided inadequate care,” Davidson said, “the general public would be quite reasonable in thinking it needed to close. ICE is essentially…also the provider of medical care. What our filing lays bare is that it’s doing a constitutionally inadequate job at protecting people from harm. The COVID-19 pandemic is going to exacerbate that already-broken system.”
Noah Lanard contributed reporting for this story.


motherjones--2020-03-25--Democrats Are Trying to Block Trump’s Company From Getting Bailout Money

When Donald Trump took office , he refused to divest from his business empire , setting the stage for a presidency riddled with conflicts of interest .
The coronavirus outbreak , which has battered the hospitality sector , including the president ’ s collection of hotels and resorts , raised the unprecedented question of whether the federal government might help to bail out Trump ’ s company .
But a provision Democrats inserted in the $ 2 trillion rescue package that could be passed by the Senate on Wednesday would block the Trump Organization from accessing the biggest pot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owned by the president , vice president , and other federal officeholders from receiving aid from the $ 500 billion fund , overseen by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin , that is allotted for helping ailing businesses .
Also excluded from receiving a federal handout from this fund are companies owned by the spouses , children , or in-laws of these officials—a provision that seems targeted at presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner , who retains a stake in his family ’ s company , which has struggled in recent months .
( A final draft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released , but a legislative draft includes the conflict-of-interest language . )
The provision blocks from bailout dollars any companies in which the president or other excluded individuals hold a “ controlling interest , ” which is defined as a stake of 20 percent or more .
Trump owns almost all of his business outright .
The conflict-of-interest measure is potentially a big blow to Trump ’ s company as it excludes nearly all of his properties from the most direct form of help contained in the overall $ 2 trillion bailout .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ resorts , where he doesn ’ t own the properties but is paid licensing and management fees .
Trump ’ s companies also don ’ t appear to be barred from participating in other areas of the bailout , such as a small business loan program available to certain hotel chains and other firms .
Companies across the nation are being hammered by the virtual economic freeze triggered by the spread of the coronavirus , but Trump ’ s business has been particularly hard hit .
Three out of every four dollars Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from his involvement in hotels , resorts , or golf courses—businesses that were among the first to take a nosedive as the virus spread .
Over the weekend , the Trump Organization was forced to shutter six of its seven biggest properties , at least temporarily , and the company laid off more than 300 employees .
New government restrictions in the United Kingdom will likely require Trump ’ s two money-losing Scottish resorts to shutter as well .
Kathleen Clark , an ethics expert and law professor at Washington University in St. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the legislation is a positive step but the public should still be skeptical .
“ It is good that Congress is finally taking some action to rein in President Trump ’ s conflicts of interest , ” she said .
“ But how can we trust the Trump administration to administer this provision ?
This administration has refused to implement or enforce other conflict of interest and ethics standards.
” Clark pointed to language contained in a lease signed in 2015 between the Trump Organization and the General Services Administration , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that owns the historic Old Post Office building where Trump ’ s DC hotel is housed .
That lease signed as Trump was running for president , expressly barred any federal officeholders from operating the business that leased the property .
Once Trump took office , the GSA decided the rule did not apply to him because he was not yet president when he signed the lease .
Clark also said it was important that certifications submitted by companies proving they are not owned by anyone on the excluded list should be made @ @

When Donald Trump took office, he refused to divest from his business empire, setting the stage for a presidency riddled with conflicts of interest. The coronavirus outbreak, which has battered the hospitality sector, including the president’s collection of hotels and resorts, raised the unprecedented question of whether the federal government might help to bail out Trump’s company. But a provision Democrats inserted in the $2 trillion rescue package that could be passed by the Senate on Wednesday would block the Trump Organization from accessing the biggest pot of rescue funds.
The measure prohibits companies owned by the president, vice president, and other federal officeholders from receiving aid from the $500 billion fund, overseen by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, that is allotted for helping ailing businesses. Also excluded from receiving a federal handout from this fund are companies owned by the spouses, children, or in-laws of these officials—a provision that seems targeted at presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner, who retains a stake in his family’s company, which has struggled in recent months. (A final draft of the bill hasn’t been released, but a legislative draft includes the conflict-of-interest language.)
The provision blocks from bailout dollars any companies in which the president or other excluded individuals hold a “controlling interest,” which is defined as a stake of 20 percent or more. Trump owns almost all of his business outright.
The conflict-of-interest measure is potentially a big blow to Trump’s company as it excludes nearly all of his properties from the most direct form of help contained in the overall $2 trillion bailout.
Some possible exceptions include Trump-branded buildings or resorts, where he doesn’t own the properties but is paid licensing and management fees. Trump’s companies also don’t appear to be barred from participating in other areas of the bailout, such as a small business loan program available to certain hotel chains and other firms.
Companies across the nation are being hammered by the virtual economic freeze triggered by the spread of the coronavirus, but Trump’s business has been particularly hard hit. Three out of every four dollars Trump reported earning in revenue in 2018 came from his involvement in hotels, resorts, or golf courses—businesses that were among the first to take a nosedive as the virus spread.
Over the weekend, the Trump Organization was forced to shutter six of its seven biggest properties, at least temporarily, and the company laid off more than 300 employees. New government restrictions in the United Kingdom will likely require Trump’s two money-losing Scottish resorts to shutter as well.
Kathleen Clark, an ethics expert and law professor at Washington University in St. Louis, said that the conflict-of-interest wording in the legislation is a positive step but the public should still be skeptical.
“It is good that Congress is finally taking some action to rein in President Trump’s conflicts of interest,” she said. “But how can we trust the Trump administration to administer this provision? This administration has refused to implement or enforce other conflict of interest and ethics standards.”
Clark pointed to language contained in a lease signed in 2015 between the Trump Organization and the General Services Administration, the federal agency that oversees federal property and that owns the historic Old Post Office building where Trump’s DC hotel is housed. That lease signed as Trump was running for president, expressly barred any federal officeholders from operating the business that leased the property. Once Trump took office, the GSA decided the rule did not apply to him because he was not yet president when he signed the lease.
Clark also said it was important that certifications submitted by companies proving they are not owned by anyone on the excluded list should be made public.


motherjones--2020-03-25--I Made a Trump Astrology Twitter Bot, and It’s Scaring Me How Funny and Accurate It Is

Donald Trump is a man of conflict and contradiction—a Gemini with a Leo Rising and a Sagittarius Moon , to be precise .
I have no idea what that means but , according to Cosmopolitan , Geminis are meant to be “ fast , witty and super into communications.
” Insider is blunter : Geminis are two-faced liars and poor listeners who constantly repeat themselves .
Can astrology decode the day-to-day behavior of our Gemini-in-chief ?
No , of course it can ’ t , but I ’ ve made a Trump horoscope Twitter bot anyway because why the hell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Here ’ s what I did : I coded a bot that tweets Gemini horoscopes from an open-source dataset , paired alongside a top-trending news story of the day .
Over the past few weeks , I let my little bot run autonomously behind a locked account while I finessed the code .
Since late December , it ’ s been ingesting viral news articles and matching horoscopes in an attempt to explain all sorts of things : Trump ’ s bizarre impeachment-acquittal speech , his dismissals of the coronavirus emergency , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some of the @ trumpstrology horoscopes track alongside real-life events with supernatural perfection .
Many other pairings are so-so .
And then you get the misfires .
To find their meaning , it takes a bit of work to stitch together some dissonant data points—which often reveal the most poignant prophecies .
( Just like astrology itself ! )
Yet each one of those misfires serves as a reminder—that summoning the infinite power of the cosmos can still be insufficient to explain whatever the hell our president is doing half the time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ tomorrow , follow @ trumpstrology on Twitter .

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Donald Trump is a man of conflict and contradiction—a Gemini with a Leo Rising and a Sagittarius Moon, to be precise. I have no idea what that means but, according to Cosmopolitan, Geminis are meant to be “fast, witty and super into communications.” Insider is blunter: Geminis are two-faced liars and poor listeners who constantly repeat themselves.
Can astrology decode the day-to-day behavior of our Gemini-in-chief? No, of course it can’t, but I’ve made a Trump horoscope Twitter bot anyway because why the hell not. Follow along: @trumpstrology.
Here’s what I did: I coded a bot that tweets Gemini horoscopes from an open-source dataset, paired alongside a top-trending news story of the day.
Trump's horoscope today: ✨ MAR 10 ✨ Don’t worry if you find it hard to put your thoughts into words today because once Mercury moves into your sign at the weekend your communication skills will bloom. 🌟 Probably explains this story: https://t.co/O99GSz23MN — trumpstrology (@trumpstrology) March 10, 2020
Over the past few weeks, I let my little bot run autonomously behind a locked account while I finessed the code. Since late December, it’s been ingesting viral news articles and matching horoscopes in an attempt to explain all sorts of things: Trump’s bizarre impeachment-acquittal speech, his dismissals of the coronavirus emergency, his hatred of energy-efficient light bulbs.
Trump's horoscope today: ✨ FEB 06 ✨ What you say over the next 24 hours may come as a shock to some people but those who know you better will have seen it coming a long way off. Probably explains this story: https://t.co/1UHI7A9CVc — trumpstrology (@trumpstrology) February 6, 2020
Trump's horoscope today: ✨ FEB 16 ✨ Be yourself and allow the creative side of your nature to shine through. 🌗 Probably explains this story: https://t.co/fDoOeB1uSC — trumpstrology (@trumpstrology) February 16, 2020
Trump's horoscope today: ✨ MAR 08 ✨ You are going to have to make a difficult choice and what you decide will affect your life for months, maybe years, to come. 🌙 Probably explains this story: https://t.co/r29277C0vy — trumpstrology (@trumpstrology) March 8, 2020
Some of the @trumpstrology horoscopes track alongside real-life events with supernatural perfection. Many other pairings are so-so. And then you get the misfires. To find their meaning, it takes a bit of work to stitch together some dissonant data points—which often reveal the most poignant prophecies. (Just like astrology itself!)
Yet each one of those misfires serves as a reminder—that summoning the infinite power of the cosmos can still be insufficient to explain whatever the hell our president is doing half the time.
Trump's horoscope today: ✨ MAR 16 ✨ There is no point trying to make sense of what’s going on. ☄ Probably explains this story: https://t.co/PgyqxTfcCG — trumpstrology (@trumpstrology) March 16, 2020
To see what the stars—and Trump—will bring tomorrow, follow @trumpstrology on Twitter.