vox--2020-08-24--Why it’s so hard to find dumbbells in the US

On lucky days , my friend Andrew drops a dumbbell alert in my Slack group chat .
He tells us which sites — Rogue , SPRI , NordicTrack , Bowflex — have them in stock , which are shipping , and what kinds of weights are available .
If you get to his messages five minutes late , the weights are almost always sold out .
“ Finding dumbbells that deliver within a reasonable time ( less than a month ) is like trying to acquire concert tickets for a pop legend without ever knowing when the tickets go on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I checked in up to five times a day on my most reliable sites , hoping that I would get lucky that two dumbbells in the weight I want will be available.
” Dumbbells , like Nintendo Switches , yeast , and bidets , are one of those things that have become extremely popular during the pandemic and extremely hard to find .
People are spending more and more time at home and they ’ re buying things that they never needed or possibly wanted before .
The sudden surge in demand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disparate things .
Finding dumbbells … is like trying to acquire concert tickets for a pop legend without ever knowing when the tickets go on sale There ’ s also a shortage of knowledge because so many of us are first-time buyers .
Gyms made these decisions for us .
Trying to buy them now includes questions not just pertaining to the weight , but also shape , material , and which companies to purchase from and which to avoid — a dumbbell can go for $ 40 or $ 150 depending on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friends like Andrew , who have done the research and the work , are godsends .
Their recommendations are valuable and trustworthy .
For gym-goers , obtaining your own weights and working out from home had always been a possibility .
But justifying the purchase was hard , especially with the rise of gyms and boutique fitness studios .
The pandemic swung the pendulum the other way — so much that it ’ s hard to rationalize going back before a vaccine is created .
Depending on where you live , gyms may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the rise of “ speakeasy ” gyms ) , and disconcerting research shows that they are looking more and more like coronavirus hot zones .
Working out from home with dumbbells — for one reason or another — is looking more and more like the future of fitness .
Just as soon as you can get your hands on some .
America ’ s dumbbell shortage is what happens when huge demand collides with a broken supply chain “ March 15th and 16th — that was kind of the weekend that America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice president of marketing at Icon Health & Fitness , the family of fitness brands that includes NordicTrack , told me .
“ We started seeing crazy , crazy sales every day .
We finished March 200 percent higher than March of 2019 .
We finished April 400 percent higher in sales versus 2019 .
We finished May 600 percent higher than our sales in 2019.
” Bowflex , which I still remember from my childhood for that commercial , saw an astronomical rise in its sales , too .
“ The second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strongest quarters ever for our company ; highlighted by record sales .
Net sales increased 94 percent to $ 114 million compared to the same period last year , ” said John Fread , director of global marketing communications at Nautilus Inc. Those numbers are staggering , but Logan and Fread said that once the pandemic hit , that kind of demand could be expected .
Gyms were shut down , and people who were into fitness began purchasing home equipment .
Logan said her company had already seen spikes in sales and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries like Italy and China .
Peloton and Bowflex , like NordicTrack and the Icon brands , saw a massive sustained increase in sales , too .
Boutique fitness companies saw that wave as well , although it looked a little different .
Barry ’ s ( formerly known as Barry ’ s Bootcamp ) responded by offering online classes at home where you could opt for bodyweight , resistance bands , or weighted classes .
Fitness professionals like Charlee Atkins , a trainer and founder of her fitness company Le Sweat , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atkins was teaching workouts from home before the pandemic and was producing workout content for her exercise app .
Weights were a necessity for her job .
But even she found herself searching for more options .
“ Luckily , I had a set of Bowflex adjustable dumbbells going into quarantine , but I still found myself needing more options over the last few months , ” Atkins told me .
“ I recently ordered a few kettlebells from Rogue after scouring their site every day.
” While one could ostensibly use jugs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as dumbbell alternatives , you ’ d probably , with consistent workouts , get strong enough that you ’ d need heavier and heavier things .
That ’ s the goal .
“ The way we build muscle is by overloading the body enough to stimulate muscle breakdown and growth , ” Atkins said .
“ You can overload the body with bodyweight , but at some point you are going to have to add more.
” But that colossal increase in demand from home fitness enthusiasts is just one side of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the supply side of the shortage there was actually a two-fold problem .
The first layer is that dumbbells are a small fraction of the consumer dollar share of exercise equipment sold for home use ; treadmills , which are priced much higher , are still the biggest sellers , in both numbers and revenue .
According to a 2019 report from the National Sporting Goods Association , around 3.9 million units of free weights were sold in 2018 compared to 5.2 million motorized treadmills .
In an average year , those sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their peak with January ’ s New Year ’ s resolutions , then taper off as it gets warmer and people are more likely to venture outside or go back to the gym .
2020 wasn ’ t an average year .
And store inventories were not at all equipped for such a massive surge in demand .
Ramping up production wasn ’ t simple , however , for one reason : 95 percent of the world ’ s dumbbells are made in China , Logan said .
To curb the virus spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to April ; highways and public transportation were shut down , which affected manufacturing supply chains .
“ The factories couldn ’ t open , ” Logan said , explaining that the shutdowns affected more than 35 million residents in China in January and would affect global supply chains because workers couldn ’ t come in .
Even if retailers got orders in at the turn of the New Year , there wasn ’ t anyone to make the dumbbells .
By the time the first wave of Americans were ordering weights for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of luck .
“ It takes a month or so to get the products made and get them to the port , ” Logan continued .
“ Then it goes from China to the United States ” — landing , she says in Long Beach , California — “ and then if they ’ re going to the East Coast they have to go through the Panama Canal.
” Once weights do get to America , ports , too , are subject to lockdowns and social distancing , adding even more delays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delays and lockdowns , seemingly complete a March of the Penguins-like migration .
“ We had to triple our capacity for the second half of this year and have spent the last few months seeking out new factories to work with , ” Fread said .
“ For reference , it can take up to months — if not longer — to ramp up a new factory .
Globally , product demand continues at a high level , so we ’ re constantly making changes to our operations to deliver products as fast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now and fitness equipment companies like Rogue Fitness and SPRI still don ’ t have a full stock of dumbbells .
SPRI is sold out of all dumbbells above 30 pounds while Rogue doesn ’ t have any under 95 .
Dick ’ s Sporting Goods , Modell ’ s , and Big Five all have low to zero availability and aren ’ t shipping their weights .
They ’ re scarce on Amazon , too , with some shipping in the middle of next month via Prime .
EBay has a supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — a 15-pound pair on eBay is currently selling for $ 169 ; on Rogue Fitness a similar set sells for just under $ 40 ( when they are in stock ) .
The pandemic has brought the fitness industry to your home The dumbbell and exercise Slack I have with my friends isn ’ t just about alerting when those sites have stock , it also where we can pool reviews and ask and answer questions .
We talk about online classes that we ’ re taking , who our favorite instructors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like recent purchases like a new pair of shorts or my Peloton .
“ The thing about all this for me is learning and thinking more about dumbbells than ever before , ” friend of Vox.com , Eater social media manager , burgeoning fitnessphile , and Slack participant Adam Moussa told me .
“ Dumbbells were a thing I would pick up at the gym and they were simple .
But now it ’ s like , “ Do I need hexagonal ?
Rubber-covered ?
Is concrete covered in silicone just as good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dumbbell set and why is it $ 4,000 ?
” To answer his question , an adjustable dumbbell set is a fitness holy grail .
It ’ s a pair of dumbbells that , thanks to fasteners and switches , can be as light as 10 pounds or as heavy as 55 , depending on the brand .
The 10-55 range is NordicTrack ’ s set .
The appeal is that you don ’ t have to spend money on every incremental set of weights between 10 pounds and 55 pounds , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Living in a New York City-sized apartment and only possessing two pairs of weights — a set of 25s for arms and 50s for legs and chest — having a range of weights would be a luxury .
Retailing for $ 599 and shipping within a week or so , adjustable dumbbells are definitely that .
“ What the fuck is an adjustable dumbbell set and why is it $ 4,000 ?
” That ’ s pricey .
But in the context of replacing a gym membership or fitness classes , the cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exceed those expenses if that ’ s where your money used to go .
But even casual gym-goers might be able to justify the spend since weights at home are the only option when gyms aren ’ t open .
“ When it comes to at-home workouts , initially people are looking for bodyweight routines or ones that include a small piece of equipment , such as resistance bands , ” Atkins , the trainer and fitness company founder , said .
“ You have to progress the workout at some point.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heavyweight class using dumbbells heavier than 10 pounds regularly , “ they always say , ‘ I ’ ve got ta get heavier weights , I didn ’ t realize how strong I ’ ve gotten !
’ ” Since the pandemic and shutdowns began , Atkins has built out her app and her workouts to keep up with the demand .
Trainers like Atkins , who offer classes on Zoom or Instagram Live or on apps , were better-equipped for the new reality .
Same goes for companies like Barry ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at-home classes .
And in its own way , the pandemic accelerated the trend of home , virtual , or online classes .
“ I would say the people that are exercising are exercising at home more , ” Atkins told me .
“ I think many people are starting to realize how much you can do from home with minimal equipment , space , and time.
” As Atkins points out , lockdowns have eliminated a lot of the time we were spending outside of the house .
Not being able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or , yes , even the gym means more time spent at home — a huge reason why home improvement and hardware stores are seeing a rise in sales and traffic .
Gym-goers finally had a reason to make an exercise equipment purchase .
And for companies like NordicTrack and Bowflex , the sheer magnitude of the demand and the spirit behind it took them by surprise .
The demand for exercise equipment doesn ’ t surprise Logan and her team when it comes to regular gym-goers , but , she says , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we ’ ve seen that all of a sudden a bunch of people who maybe hadn ’ t prioritized exercise in their lives , for whatever reason , now are taking it up.
” Logan , Fread , and Atkins believe that the pandemic has swung the pendulum toward working out from home .
Home workouts are here to stay , and because of that people will continue to lift weights , spin , run , and everything in between in their living rooms .
But there ’ s a lingering question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one I terribly misgauged in March , which is : How long does this last ?
As gyms and studios open up — New York City announced gyms could start opening on August 24 as long as they adhere to new safety protocols — will people feel safe going back ?
In June 2020 , a OnePoll survey found that one in four of the 2,000 gym-goers asked do not plan to return to the gym even after the pandemic ends .
Similarly , a Morning Consult poll for the week of August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they would feel comfortable going to the gym in the next month .
“ When the dust settled , I had spent $ 450 on six weights , ” Khalid El Khatib , a friend and fellow Slack group dumbbell shopper , told me .
“ But I don ’ t regret it .
Even as gyms reopen , I ’ m going to stay extra safe by staying home to lift.
” Lifting weights at home to stay safe and in shape feels different from working out surrounded by people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t change .
“ I ’ ll keep taking ‘ gym selfies ’ in front of my own mirror , ” Khalid said .
He doesn ’ t even have to wear a mask .
In the spring , we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone , and last week , we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors .
Well , you helped us blow past that .
Today , we are extending that goal to 25,000 .
Millions turn to Vox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is , quite possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers , your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

On lucky days, my friend Andrew drops a dumbbell alert in my Slack group chat. He tells us which sites — Rogue, SPRI, NordicTrack, Bowflex — have them in stock, which are shipping, and what kinds of weights are available. If you get to his messages five minutes late, the weights are almost always sold out.
“Finding dumbbells that deliver within a reasonable time (less than a month) is like trying to acquire concert tickets for a pop legend without ever knowing when the tickets go on sale,” Andrew told me. “I checked in up to five times a day on my most reliable sites, hoping that I would get lucky that two dumbbells in the weight I want will be available.”
Dumbbells, like Nintendo Switches, yeast, and bidets, are one of those things that have become extremely popular during the pandemic and extremely hard to find. People are spending more and more time at home, and they’re buying things they never needed or possibly wanted before. The sudden surge in demand has created shortages of the most seemingly disparate things.
“Finding dumbbells … is like trying to acquire concert tickets for a pop legend without ever knowing when the tickets go on sale”
There’s also a shortage of knowledge because so many of us are first-time buyers. Gyms made these decisions for us. Trying to buy them now includes questions not just pertaining to the weight, but also shape, material, and which companies to purchase from and which to avoid — a dumbbell can go for $40 or $150 depending on where you’re purchasing it. Friends like Andrew, who have done the research and the work, are godsends. Their recommendations are valuable and trustworthy.
For gym-goers, obtaining your own weights and working out from home had always been a possibility. But justifying the purchase was hard, especially with the rise of gyms and boutique fitness studios.
The pandemic swung the pendulum the other way — so much that it’s hard to rationalize going back before a vaccine is created. Depending on where you live, gyms may not be open (which has led to the rise of “speakeasy” gyms), and disconcerting research shows that they are looking more and more like coronavirus hot zones. Working out from home with dumbbells — for one reason or another — seems like the future of fitness. Just as soon as you can get your hands on some.
America’s dumbbell shortage is what happens when huge demand collides with a broken supply chain
“March 15 and 16 — that was kind of the weekend that America changed,” Colleen Logan, the vice president of marketing at Icon Health & Fitness, the family of fitness brands that includes NordicTrack, told me. “We started seeing crazy, crazy sales every day. We finished March 200 percent higher than March of 2019. We finished April 400 percent higher in sales versus 2019. We finished May 600 percent higher than our sales in 2019.”
Bowflex, which I still remember from my childhood for that commercial, saw an astronomical rise in its sales, too.
“The second quarter of 2020 was one of the strongest quarters ever for our company, highlighted by record sales. Net sales increased 94 percent to $114 million compared to the same period last year,” said John Fread, director of global marketing communications at Nautilus Inc.
Those numbers are staggering, but Logan and Fread said that once the pandemic hit, that kind of demand could be expected.
Gyms were shut down, and people who were into fitness began purchasing home equipment. Logan said her company had already seen spikes in sales and app usage following closures and lockdowns in countries like Italy and China. Peloton and Bowflex, like NordicTrack and the Icon brands, saw a massive sustained increase in sales, too.
Boutique fitness companies saw that wave as well, although it looked a little different. Barry’s (formerly known as Barry’s Bootcamp) responded by offering online classes at home where you could opt for bodyweight, resistance bands, or weighted classes.
Fitness professionals like Charlee Atkins, a trainer and founder of the fitness company Le Sweat, were probably best-equipped for the shortage. Atkins was teaching workouts from home before the pandemic and was producing workout content for her exercise app. Weights were a necessity for her job. But even she found herself searching for more options.
“Luckily, I had a set of Bowflex adjustable dumbbells going into quarantine, but I still found myself needing more options over the last few months,” Atkins told me. “I recently ordered a few kettlebells from Rogue after scouring their site every day.”
While one could ostensibly use jugs of water or books in a backpack as dumbbell alternatives, you’d probably, with consistent workouts, get strong enough that you’d need heavier and heavier things. That’s the goal.
“The way we build muscle is by overloading the body enough to stimulate muscle breakdown and growth,” Atkins said. “You can overload the body with bodyweight, but at some point you are going to have to add more.”
But that colossal increase in demand from home fitness enthusiasts is just one side of the shortage.
Logan explained that over on the supply side of the shortage, there was actually a twofold problem. The first layer is that dumbbells are a small fraction of the consumer dollar share of exercise equipment sold for home use; treadmills, which are priced much higher, are still the biggest sellers, in both numbers and revenue. According to a 2019 report from the National Sporting Goods Association, around 3.9 million units of free weights were sold in 2018 compared to 5.2 million motorized treadmills.
In an average year, those sales usually start in the fall, hit their peak with January’s New Year’s resolutions, then taper off as it gets warmer and people are more likely to venture outside or go back to the gym. 2020 wasn’t an average year. And store inventories were not at all equipped for such a massive surge in demand.
Ramping up production wasn’t simple, however, for one reason: 95 percent of the world’s dumbbells are made in China, Logan said. To curb the virus spread, China instituted strict lockdowns from January to April; highways and public transportation were shut down, which affected manufacturing supply chains.
“The factories couldn’t open,” Logan said, explaining that the shutdowns affected more than 35 million residents in China in January and would affect global supply chains because workers couldn’t come in. Even if retailers got orders in at the turn of the New Year, there wasn’t anyone to make the dumbbells. By the time the first wave of Americans were ordering weights for their lockdown workouts, they were already out of luck.
“It takes a month or so to get the products made and get them to the port,” Logan continued. “Then it goes from China to the United States” — landing, she says in Long Beach, California — “and then if they’re going to the East Coast, they have to go through the Panama Canal.”
Once weights do get to America, ports, too, are subject to lockdowns and social distancing, adding even more delays. The weights, through their shipping delays and lockdowns, seemingly complete a March of the Penguins-like migration.
“We had to triple our capacity for the second half of this year and have spent the last few months seeking out new factories to work with,” Fread said. “For reference, it can take up to months — if not longer — to ramp up a new factory. Globally, product demand continues at a high level, so we’re constantly making changes to our operations to deliver products as fast as possible.”
It’s August now, and fitness equipment companies like Rogue Fitness and SPRI still don’t have a full stock of dumbbells. SPRI is sold out of all dumbbells above 30 pounds; Rogue doesn’t have any under 95. Dick’s Sporting Goods, Modell’s, and Big Five all have low to zero availability and aren’t shipping their weights. They’re scarce on Amazon, too, with some shipping in the middle of next month via Prime. Though eBay has a supply, they’re marked up — a 15-pound pair on eBay is currently selling for $169; on Rogue Fitness a similar set sells for just under $40 (when they are in stock).
The pandemic has brought the fitness industry to your home
The dumbbell and exercise Slack I have with my friends isn’t just about alerting when those sites have stock; it’s also where we can pool reviews and ask and answer questions. We talk about online classes that we’re taking, who our favorite instructors are, and whether we like recent purchases like a new pair of shorts or my Peloton.
“The thing about all this for me is learning and thinking more about dumbbells than ever before,” friend of Vox.com, Eater social media manager, burgeoning fitnessphile, and Slack participant Adam Moussa told me. “Dumbbells were a thing I would pick up at the gym and they were simple. But now it’s like, ‘Do I need hexagonal? Rubber-covered? Is concrete covered in silicone just as good? What the fuck is an adjustable dumbbell set and why is it $4,000?’”
To answer his question, an adjustable dumbbell set is a fitness holy grail. It’s a pair of dumbbells that, thanks to fasteners and switches, can be as light as 10 pounds or as heavy as 55, depending on the brand. The 10-55 range is NordicTrack’s set. The appeal is that you don’t have to spend money on every incremental set of weights between 10 pounds and 55 pounds, and they take up much less space. Living in a New York City-size apartment and only possessing two pairs of weights — a set of 25s for arms and 50s for legs and chest — having a range of weights would be a luxury. Retailing for $599 and shipping within a week or so, adjustable dumbbells are definitely that.
“What the fuck is an adjustable dumbbell set and why is it $4,000?”
That’s pricey. But in the context of replacing a gym membership or fitness classes, the cost of adjustable dumbbells could quickly equal or exceed those expenses if that’s where your money used to go. But even casual gym-goers might be able to justify the spend since weights at home are the only option when gyms aren’t open.
“When it comes to at-home workouts, initially people are looking for bodyweight routines or ones that include a small piece of equipment, such as resistance bands,” Atkins, the trainer and fitness company founder, said. “You have to progress the workout at some point.” She says that after people take her heavyweight class using dumbbells heavier than 10 pounds regularly, “they always say, ‘I’ve gotta get heavier weights, I didn’t realize how strong I’ve gotten!’”
Since the pandemic and shutdowns began, Atkins has built out her app and her workouts to keep up with the demand. Trainers like Atkins, who offer classes on Zoom or Instagram Live or on apps, were better-equipped for the new reality. Same goes for companies like Barry’s, which offered and continues to offer at-home classes. And in its own way, the pandemic accelerated the trend of home, virtual, or online classes.
“I would say the people that are exercising are exercising at home more,” Atkins told me. “I think many people are starting to realize how much you can do from home with minimal equipment, space, and time.”
As Atkins points out, lockdowns have eliminated a lot of the time we were spending outside of the house. Not being able to go to a restaurant or a movie or, yes, even the gym means more time spent at home — a huge reason why home improvement and hardware stores are seeing a rise in sales and traffic.
Gym-goers finally had a reason to make an exercise equipment purchase. And for companies like NordicTrack and Bowflex, the sheer magnitude of the demand and the spirit behind it took them by surprise.
The demand for exercise equipment doesn’t surprise Logan and her team when it comes to regular gym-goers, but, she says, “What’s really great is that we’ve seen that all of a sudden a bunch of people who maybe hadn’t prioritized exercise in their lives, for whatever reason, now are taking it up.”
Logan, Fread, and Atkins believe that the pandemic has swung the pendulum toward working out from home. Home workouts are here to stay, and because of that, people will continue to lift weights, spin, run, and everything in between in their living rooms.
But there’s a lingering question that isn’t far from the one I terribly misgauged in March, which is: How long does this last? As gyms and studios open up — New York City announced gyms could start opening on August 24 as long as they adhere to new safety protocols — will people feel safe going back?
In June 2020, a OnePoll survey, conducted on behalf of LIFEAID Beverage Co., found that one in four of the 2,000 gym-goers asked do not plan to return to the gym even after the pandemic ends. Similarly, a Morning Consult poll for the week of August 17 found only 14 percent of respondents said they would feel comfortable going to the gym in the next month.
“When the dust settled, I had spent $450 on six weights,” Khalid El Khatib, a friend and fellow Slack group dumbbell shopper, told me. “But I don’t regret it. Even as gyms reopen, I’m going to stay extra safe by staying home to lift.”
Lifting weights at home to stay safe and in shape feels different from working out surrounded by people, but there are some things that don’t change. “I’ll keep taking ‘gym selfies’ in front of my own mirror,” Khalid said. He doesn’t even have to wear a mask.
New goal: 25,000
In the spring, we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone, and last week, we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors. Well, you helped us blow past that. Today, we are extending that goal to 25,000. Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is, quite possibly, the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes. Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers, your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world. Contribute today from as little as $3.


vox--2020-08-23--The real Maryanne Trump scandal is the Trump family’s wealth

President Donald Trump ’ s sister , Maryanne Trump Barry , sharply disparaged the president and said she believed he paid a friend to take his SATs in audio recordings published by the Washington Post Saturday night .
Trump “ has no principles — none , ” Barry said in the recordings provided to the Post .
“ It ’ s the phoniness of it all .
It ’ s the phoniness and this cruelty .
Donald is cruel.
” Barry , a former federal judge , made the comments in a set of secret recordings in 2018 and 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has emerged as a fierce critic of the president .
Barry said that Donald Trump “ doesn ’ t read , ” that “ he was a brat , ” and that she did his homework for him , adding that she believes he paid a friend to take the standardized tests that allowed him to transfer from Fordham University to the University of Pennsylvania .
The allegation that Trump cheated on a college entrance exam ( which he denies ) was one of the oft-questioned parts of a book by Mary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which she describes the dramatic inner workings of the Trump family and how it shaped the president ’ s psyche .
The recordings with Barry , provided to the Post to substantiate the allegation , seem to be one of the underpinnings of her book .
There ’ s more to the story , however : Mary Trump ’ s spokesperson told the Post she recorded her aunt to gather evidence supporting her claim that she was cheated out of a significant portion of her inheritance after her grandfather and family patriarch Fred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Robert Trump , and Donald Trump joined a lawsuit to prevent Mary from getting a larger inheritance , and she eventually settled the matter in 2001 , after being told the estate was worth $ 30 million .
She later came to believe it was worth around $ 1 billion and the family had lied about its value .
In her book , Mary Trump said she became a major source in a 2018 New York Times investigation into the sprawling financial corruption of the larger Trump family , who amassed their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Trump family has a long history of tax evasion and deceptive business practices The publication of Maryanne Trump Barry ’ s comments marks the first time a member of the family besides Mary Trump has been heard disparaging Donald Trump , and his history of deception .
But Barry herself has been implicated in the Trump family ’ s shady financial activity — a scandal that eclipses the secret recordings .
The 2018 Times investigation revealed a pattern of tax evasion that allowed Donald Trump to receive the current equivalent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ father .
Fred Trump , the family ’ s patriarch whose real estate business was the foundation of its wealth , further enriched the family by hiding millions of dollars of gifts through shell companies .
As David Barstow , Susanne Craig , and Russ Buettner of the Times reported in 2018 : The IRS didn ’ t catch on , and Fred Trump transferred more than $ 1 billion to his children .
The Trumps paid only about $ 52.2 million in taxes , rather than the at least $ 550 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Barry was the co-owner of one of those shell companies used to draw cash from their father ’ s businesses by marking up purchases already made by employees rather than buying equipment for Fred Trump ’ s buildings , the Times reported , as it claimed to do .
The millions of dollars siphoned through the company went — untaxed — to Barry , Donald Trump , and their other siblings .
In 2018 , a lawyer for Donald Trump denied the Times ’ s reporting , saying the allegations of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ false , and highly defamatory , ” adding , “ there was no fraud or tax evasion by anyone.
” In Mary Trump ’ s book , Too Much and Never Enough , she said Barry denied a willing part in any scheme .
“ I met with Maryanne shortly after the article ran .
She denied all of it .
She was just a ‘ girl , ’ after all .
When a piece of paper was put in front of her , she ’ d signed it .
... She seemed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Mary Trump wrote .
But after the Times ’ s investigation was published , a judicial conduct council launched an investigation into how Barry benefited from tax schemes and may have influenced actions taken by the family over the decades .
The Times reported last year that Barry , now 83 , retired 10 days after a court official told complainants that the investigation would get “ the full attention ” of the council , ending the investigation .
( Barry was appointed as a federal judge by President Ronald Reagan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s recordings that Donald Trump long held his “ only favor ” to her over her head : asking his lawyer Roy Cohn to push Reagan to appoint more female judges . )
Donald Trump has claimed on the campaign trail to be a self-made billionaire , and he has built trust with many voters on the premise that his business expertise can benefit the country .
But the Times ’ s reporting illustrates how Trump — who was earning $ 200,000 annually in today ’ s dollars by the age of 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The beneficiaries of the family scheme are now among the most powerful people in America .
That will be on full display beginning Monday , when the Republican National Convention will convene with part digital , part in-person events throughout the week .
Some of the key speakers at the convention will be members of the Trump family .
In addition to the president , Donald Trump Jr. , Melania Trump , Ivanka Trump , Eric Trump , and Tiffany Trump are all slated to appear , making it a true family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone , and last week , we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors .
Well , you helped us blow past that .
Today , we are extending that goal to 25,000 .
Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is , quite possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
Even when the economy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

President Donald Trump’s sister, Maryanne Trump Barry, sharply disparaged the president and said she believed he paid a friend to take his SATs in audio recordings published by the Washington Post Saturday night.
Trump “has no principles — none,” Barry said in the recordings provided to the Post. “It’s the phoniness of it all. It’s the phoniness and this cruelty. Donald is cruel.”
Barry, a former federal judge, made the comments in a set of secret recordings in 2018 and 2019 by her niece, Mary Trump, who has emerged as a fierce critic of the president.
Barry said that Donald Trump “doesn’t read,” that “he was a brat,” and that she did his homework for him, adding that she believes he paid a friend to take the standardized tests that allowed him to transfer from Fordham University to the University of Pennsylvania. She also expressed disgust over “what they’re doing with kids at the border” in the Trump administration’s family separation policy for migrants.
The allegation that Trump cheated on a college entrance exam (which he denies) was one of the oft-questioned parts of a book by Mary Trump released earlier this year, in which she describes the dramatic inner workings of the Trump family and how it shaped the president’s psyche. The recordings with Barry, provided to the Post to substantiate the allegation, seem to be one of the underpinnings of her book.
There’s more to the story, however: Mary Trump’s spokesperson told the Post she recorded her aunt to gather evidence supporting her claim that she was cheated out of a significant portion of her inheritance after her grandfather and family patriarch Fred Trump Sr. died in 1999.
Barry, Robert Trump, and Donald Trump joined a lawsuit to prevent Mary from getting a larger inheritance, and she eventually settled the matter in 2001, after being told the estate was worth $30 million. She later came to believe it was worth around $1 billion and the family had lied about its value.
In her book, Mary Trump said she became a major source in a 2018 New York Times investigation into the sprawling financial corruption of the larger Trump family, who amassed their wealth in part due to tax dodges.
The Trump family has a long history of tax evasion and deceptive business practices
The publication of Maryanne Trump Barry’s comments marks the first time a member of the family besides Mary Trump has been heard disparaging Donald Trump and his history of deception. But Barry herself has been implicated in the Trump family’s shady financial activity — a scandal that eclipses the secret recordings.
The 2018 Times investigation revealed a pattern of tax evasion that allowed Donald Trump to receive the current equivalent of at least $413 million from his father. Fred Trump, the family’s patriarch whose real estate business was the foundation of its wealth, further enriched the family by hiding millions of dollars of gifts through shell companies.
As David Barstow, Susanne Craig, and Russ Buettner of the Times reported in 2018:
Much of [the $413 million] came to Mr. Trump because he helped his parents dodge taxes. He and his siblings set up a sham corporation to disguise millions of dollars in gifts from their parents, records and interviews show. Records indicate that Mr. Trump helped his father take improper tax deductions worth millions more. He also helped formulate a strategy to undervalue his parents’ real estate holdings by hundreds of millions of dollars on tax returns, sharply reducing the tax bill when those properties were transferred to him and his siblings.
The IRS didn’t catch on, and Fred Trump transferred more than $1 billion to his children. The Trumps paid only about $52.2 million in taxes, rather than the at least $550 million they could have been forced to pay.
Barry was the co-owner of one of those shell companies used to draw cash from their father’s businesses by marking up purchases already made by employees rather than buying equipment for Fred Trump’s buildings, the Times reported, as it claimed to do. The millions of dollars siphoned through the company went — untaxed — to Barry, Donald Trump, and their other siblings.
In 2018, a lawyer for Donald Trump denied the Times’s reporting, saying the allegations of “fraud and tax evasion are 100 percent false, and highly defamatory,” adding, “there was no fraud or tax evasion by anyone.” In Mary Trump’s book, Too Much and Never Enough, she said Barry denied a willing part in any scheme. “I met with Maryanne shortly after the article ran. She denied all of it. She was just a ‘girl,’ after all. When a piece of paper was put in front of her, she’d signed it. ... She seemed unconcerned that there would be any repercussions,” Mary Trump wrote.
But after the Times’s investigation was published, a judicial conduct council launched an investigation into how Barry benefited from tax schemes and may have influenced actions taken by the family over the decades. The Times reported last year that Barry, now 83, retired 10 days after a court official told complainants that the investigation would get “the full attention” of the council, ending the investigation. (Barry was appointed as a federal judge by President Ronald Reagan. She complained in Mary Trump’s recordings that Donald Trump long held his “only favor” to her over her head: asking his lawyer Roy Cohn to push Reagan to appoint more female judges.)
Donald Trump has claimed on the campaign trail to be a self-made billionaire, and he has built trust with many voters on the premise that his business expertise can benefit the country. But the Times’s reporting illustrates how Trump — who was earning $200,000 annually in today’s dollars by the age of 3 — was propped up by family wealth.
The beneficiaries of the family scheme are now among the most powerful people in America. That will be on full display beginning Monday, when the Republican National Convention will convene with part digital, part in-person events throughout the week.
Some of the key speakers at the convention will be members of the Trump family. In addition to the president, Donald Trump Jr., Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump, and Tiffany Trump are all slated to appear, making it a true family affair.
New goal: 25,000
In the spring, we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone, and last week, we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors. Well, you helped us blow past that. Today, we are extending that goal to 25,000. Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is, quite possibly, the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes. Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers, your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world. Contribute today from as little as $3.


vox--2020-08-24--The RNC’s big Covid-19 lie, refuted in one chart

If you spent the last five months living in a cave , then learned about the outside world solely through a livestream of the 2020 Republican National Convention , you would think Donald Trump was a visionary leader who saw what no one else saw — and who has led his nation to triumph against a deadly plague as a result .
“ From the very beginning , ” starts an RNC video misrepresenting Trump ’ s record on Covid-19 , “ Democrats , the media , and the World Health Organization got coronavirus wrong.
” As heroic music plays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American flags , the video claims , “ one leader took decisive action to save lives : President Donald Trump.
“ The video even features a clip ridiculing New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D-NY ) for saying — way back in early March — that he didn ’ t think that the coronavirus pandemic was “ going to be as bad as it was in other countries.
” The reality is that , under President Trump ’ s leadership , the United States has one of the highest rates of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our peer nations .
Indeed , Trump ’ s entire argument can be refuted in a single chart .
This one : The data in this chart represents the number of cases per one million people in the United States and several other nations — and , as you can see , the number of cases in the United States vastly outstrips the prevalence of coronavirus in these other nations .
Nearly 180,000 Americans are dead because of the Covid-19 pandemic .
As Vox ’ s German Lopez wrote : The virus rages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life , from the economy to education to entertainment .
... Schools are closing down again after botched attempts to reopen , with outbreaks in universities and K-12 settings .
America now has one of the worst ongoing epidemics in the world , with the most daily new cases and deaths , after controlling for population , among the developed countries .
In Europe , schools are reopening — and in some nations they never closed — while American parents struggle to balance their jobs with serving as surrogate teachers to children who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zoom .
In Taiwan and South Korea , cheering fans gather in stadiums to watch their favorite baseball team — over 10,000 fans watched a game in Taichung , Taiwan .
In Germany , restaurants are thriving , and dine-in reservations have spiked , while many American states are imposing new restrictions on our bars and restaurants because it simply is not safe for them to host indoor dining .
There are , in other words , world leaders who did take decisive action to save lives .
Donald Trump isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone , and last week , we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors .
Well , you helped us blow past that .
Today , we are extending that goal to 25,000 .
Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is , quite possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
Even when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

If you spent the last five months living in a cave, then learned about the outside world solely through a livestream of the 2020 Republican National Convention, you would think Donald Trump was a visionary leader who saw what no one else saw — and who has led his nation to triumph against a deadly plague as a result.
“From the very beginning,” starts an RNC video misrepresenting Trump’s record on Covid-19, “Democrats, the media, and the World Health Organization got coronavirus wrong.” As heroic music plays over an image of Trump surrounded by American flags, the video claims, “one leader took decisive action to save lives: President Donald Trump.“
The video even features a clip ridiculing New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) for saying — way back in early March — that he didn’t think that the coronavirus pandemic was “going to be as bad as it was in other countries.”
The reality is that, under President Trump’s leadership, the United States has one of the highest rates of coronavirus in the world — far higher than our peer nations. Indeed, Trump’s entire argument can be refuted in a single chart. This one:
The data in this chart represents the number of cases per one million people in the United States and several other nations — and, as you can see, the number of cases in the United States vastly outstrips the prevalence of coronavirus in these other nations.
Nearly 180,000 Americans are dead because of the Covid-19 pandemic. As Vox’s German Lopez wrote:
The virus rages on, affecting every aspect of American life, from the economy to education to entertainment. ... Schools are closing down again after botched attempts to reopen, with outbreaks in universities and K-12 settings. America now has one of the worst ongoing epidemics in the world, with the most daily new cases and deaths, after controlling for population, among the developed countries.
In Europe, schools are reopening — and in some nations they never closed — while American parents struggle to balance their jobs with serving as surrogate teachers to children who can only see their regular teachers over Zoom.
In Taiwan and South Korea, cheering fans gather in stadiums to watch their favorite baseball team — over 10,000 fans watched a game in Taichung, Taiwan.
In Germany, restaurants are thriving, and dine-in reservations have spiked, while many American states are imposing new restrictions on our bars and restaurants because it simply is not safe for them to host indoor dining.
There are, in other words, world leaders who did take decisive action to save lives. Donald Trump isn’t one of them.
New goal: 25,000
In the spring, we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone, and last week, we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors. Well, you helped us blow past that. Today, we are extending that goal to 25,000. Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is, quite possibly, the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes. Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers, your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world. Contribute today from as little as $3.


vox--2020-08-24--The Batman’s trailer seems like another grim take on the hero. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.

This weekend was a boon for comic book superhero fans as DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. revealed a ton of new looks and info about upcoming movies and games in the DC Expanded Universe .
There was Wonder Woman ’ s villain Cheetah , a trailer for the fabled Snyder Cut of Justice League , and a whimsical Suicide Squad cast reveal reel flaunting characters who will likely meet their eponymous doom , among others .
For fans who watched blockbusters like Wonder Woman 1984 and the rest of the Warner Bros. superhero calendar pushed back because of the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and maybe even brought some reassurance that things will eventually go back to normal sometime , someday .
But perhaps the biggest surprise of the weekend was the first teaser trailer for The Batman , directed by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson .
The doom-draped trailer offered a lengthy look at Pattinson ’ s turn as Batman , arguably the most popular and iconic comic book superhero in pop culture .
There ’ s also a glimpse of Catwoman ( Zoe Kravitz ) burglarizing in action and the havoc of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Riddler ( Paul Dano ) .
It ’ s dark and brooding , and it might not be everyone ’ s cup of tea .
It ’ s Pattman !
That said , there ’ s plenty to fixate on and maybe even obsess over .
Here are three reasons why the trailer is generating so much conversation : 1 ) After a pandemic hiatus , The Batman will be released next year A big reason the trailer caused so much fanfare and buzz was that it wasn ’ t totally expected .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in March , and it was unclear how much was shot by then since Warner Bros. was still making casting announcements a few months prior , in October .
From the trailer , though , it seems as though Reeves has shot scenes starring each of the central characters thus far — those being Batman , Penguin , and Catwoman .
Barring a virus resurgence , production will begin again in September in the UK .
The movie is scheduled for release a little over a year later on October 1 , 2021 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release in June 2021 .
2 ) The teaser is literally and figuratively very dark The entire trailer looks like it was shot in the middle of the night .
There is no sunshine in Reeves ’ s version of Gotham .
It ’ s so dark that it took fans a couple of rewatches to figure out that Colin Farrell is actually in the teaser playing Oswald Cobblepot , a.k.a .
The Penguin .
In the shadows , Farrell looked like Richard Kind : This movie appears to have little in common @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Aquaman , Shazam !
, and Birds of Prey ( which all have sequels and spinoffs planned for the future ) .
From the way it ’ s being marketed , The Batman appears more in line with last year ’ s subversive , grim spinoff Joker .
The against-the-grain tone makes sense in that , like Joker , The Batman is considered a standalone movie that bears no connection with the other DC movies .
And that explains why the Riddler , the main villain featured in the trailer , comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more in line with the Zodiac Killer than the looney Jim Carrey iteration we saw in 1995 ’ s Batman Forever .
I ’ ve made the argument that , for better or worse , Bruce Wayne ’ s parents ’ death has become America ’ s nativity scene .
There have been so many iterations of it — print comics , animation , live-action — that there are few more familiar origin stories than that of Bruce Wayne ( and Baby Jesus ) .
The trauma of watching his parents die in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wayne into a hero vigilante , with the end result being the brooding superhero we know as Batman .
Sometimes Bruce Wayne is a little less glum , a little more glitzy ; he ’ s a very rich man , after all .
But the idea that Wayne is very , very sad at heart is alive again with Robert Pattinson ’ s take .
In the trailer , he lurks in the shadows , looking very sad and somber , and even sports some black eyeshadow ( see above ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ melodramatic earnest , “ I ’ m vengeance.
” For those into this type of Batman , Pattman ’ s ( Pattinson ’ s Batman ) declaration of being vengeance personified is thrilling .
On the other side of that , early critics have said that Pattinson ’ s iteration is treading on the same ground established by all the previous “ dark and gritty ” Batman movies that came before it .
Maybe some aren ’ t in the mood to watch all that darkness over again .
But I ’ d @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dark and gritty ” Batmen of the past is that they often mix up stylized grit and bloody violence without actually giving us the horror of actual trauma .
The “ coolness ” of being Batman — the wealth , the high IQ , the good looks , the gadgets , the fighting skills — always outweighed his damaged side .
I ’ m holding out hope that director Matt Reeves ( who directed the very contemplative War for the Planet of the Apes and hauntingly sad vampire love story Let Me In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone who truly believes he ’ s so-called vengeance personified .
Maybe Pattinson ’ s Wayne will show that carte-blanche reactionary violence , retribution rewarded with material wealth , and a soulless existence driven by bloody , bone-snapping ambition isn ’ t actually something regular people want to emulate .
And perhaps the idea of relentless trauma and no relief or healing is actually not something we should strive for and is exponentially less appealing than being like the more joyful Wonder Woman or Shazam .
We ’ ll all find out together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gets completed , and if we get back to movie theaters by October 1 , 2021 .
In the spring , we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone , and last week , we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors .
Well , you helped us blow past that .
Today , we are extending that goal to 25,000 .
Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers , your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

This weekend was a boon for comic book superhero fans as DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. revealed a ton of new looks and info about upcoming movies and games in the DC Expanded Universe. There was Wonder Woman’s villain Cheetah, a trailer for the fabled Snyder Cut of Justice League, and a whimsical Suicide Squad cast reveal reel flaunting characters who will likely meet their eponymous doom, among others.
For fans who watched blockbusters like Wonder Woman 1984 and the rest of the Warner Bros. superhero calendar pushed back because of the pandemic, these morsels of content sparked joy, and maybe even brought some reassurance that things will eventually go back to normal sometime, someday.
But perhaps the biggest surprise of the weekend was the first teaser trailer for The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson.
The doom-draped trailer offered a lengthy look at Pattinson’s turn as Batman, arguably the most popular and iconic comic book superhero in pop culture. There’s also a glimpse of Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz) burglarizing in action and the havoc of the film’s headlining villain, the Riddler (Paul Dano). It’s dark and brooding, and it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. It’s Pattman!
That said, there’s plenty to fixate on and maybe even obsess over. Here are three reasons why the trailer is generating so much conversation:
1) After a pandemic hiatus, The Batman will be released next year
A big reason the trailer caused so much fanfare and buzz was that it wasn’t totally expected. The pandemic halted production on The Batman in March, and it was unclear how much was shot by then since Warner Bros. was still making casting announcements a few months prior, in October. From the trailer, though, it seems as though Reeves has shot scenes starring each of the central characters thus far — those being Batman, Penguin, and Catwoman.
Barring a virus resurgence, production will begin again in September in the UK. The movie is scheduled for release a little over a year later on October 1, 2021; it had originally been scheduled for release in June 2021.
2) The teaser is literally and figuratively very dark
The entire trailer looks like it was shot in the middle of the night. There is no sunshine in Reeves’s version of Gotham. It’s so dark that it took fans a couple of rewatches to figure out that Colin Farrell is actually in the teaser playing Oswald Cobblepot, a.k.a. The Penguin. In the shadows, Farrell looked like Richard Kind:
Colin Farrell IS Richard Kind AS Oswald Cobblepot pic.twitter.com/zvffZ5wGI3 — Patrick Monahan (@pattymo) August 23, 2020
This movie appears to have little in common with the frothy and colorful Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Shazam!, and Birds of Prey (which all have sequels and spinoffs planned for the future). From the way it’s being marketed, The Batman appears more in line with last year’s subversive, grim spinoff Joker.
The against-the-grain tone makes sense in that, like Joker, The Batman is considered a standalone movie that bears no connection with the other DC movies. And that explains why the Riddler, the main villain featured in the trailer, comes off as a sadistic psychopath who feels more in line with the Zodiac Killer than the looney Jim Carrey iteration we saw in 1995’s Batman Forever.
3) Robert Pattinson is a dark, brooding, shadowy Bruce Wayne
I’ve made the argument that, for better or worse, Bruce Wayne’s parents’ death has become America’s nativity scene. There have been so many iterations of it — print comics, animation, live-action — that there are few more familiar origin stories than that of Bruce Wayne (and Baby Jesus). The trauma of watching his parents die in front of him as a child turned Wayne into a hero vigilante, with the end result being the brooding superhero we know as Batman.
Sometimes Bruce Wayne is a little less glum, a little more glitzy; he’s a very rich man, after all. But the idea that Wayne is very, very sad at heart is alive again with Robert Pattinson’s take. In the trailer, he lurks in the shadows, looking very sad and somber, and even sports some black eyeshadow (see above). At one point he even says in melodramatic earnest, “I’m vengeance.”
For those into this type of Batman, Pattman’s (Pattinson’s Batman) declaration of being vengeance personified is thrilling.
On the other side of that, early critics have said that Pattinson’s iteration is treading on the same ground established by all the previous “dark and gritty” Batman movies that came before it. Maybe some aren’t in the mood to watch all that darkness over again.
But I’d argue that the problem with unsuccessfully “dark and gritty” Batmen of the past is that they often mix up stylized grit and bloody violence without actually giving us the horror of actual trauma. The “coolness” of being Batman — the wealth, the high IQ, the good looks, the gadgets, the fighting skills — always outweighed his damaged side.
I’m holding out hope that director Matt Reeves (who directed the very contemplative War for the Planet of the Apes and hauntingly sad vampire love story Let Me In) explores the actual dark side of someone who truly believes he’s so-called vengeance personified. Maybe Pattinson’s Wayne will show that carte-blanche reactionary violence, retribution rewarded with material wealth, and a soulless existence driven by bloody, bone-snapping ambition isn’t actually something regular people want to emulate. And perhaps the idea of relentless trauma and no relief or healing is actually not something we should strive for and is exponentially less appealing than being like the more joyful Wonder Woman or Shazam.
We’ll all find out together as more and more of The Batman gets completed, and if we get back to movie theaters by October 1, 2021.
New goal: 25,000
In the spring, we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone, and last week, we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors. Well, you helped us blow past that. Today, we are extending that goal to 25,000. Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is, quite possibly, the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes. Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers, your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world. Contribute today from as little as $3.


vox--2020-08-24--Why experts are worried about the FDA’s approval of convalescent plasma for Covid-19

The Food and Drug Administration whipped up a fierce controversy Sunday when it decided to grant an Emergency Use Authorization , or EUA , for convalescent plasma to be used as a treatment for Covid-19 .
The decision came after many experts , including Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , had warned the agency there wasn ’ t enough evidence to fast-track approval for the novel treatment .
In a statement , FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn said , “ We ’ re encouraged by the early promising data that we ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from studies conducted this year shows that plasma from patients who ’ ve recovered from Covid-19 has the potential to help treat those who are suffering from the effects of getting this terrible virus.
” President Trump , meanwhile , described the treatment as a “ breakthrough.
” Convalescent plasma is already being used in dire cases of Covid-19 and is being studied by several research groups .
But many scientists and doctors say there isn ’ t yet sufficient evidence to warrant an EUA .
“ The evidence [ the FDA is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primetime , ” said Jeremy Faust , an attending physician in the Brigham and Women ’ s Hospital and an instructor at Harvard Medical School .
The authorization comes after President Trump publicly pressured federal agencies to approve drugs and vaccines for Covid-19 ahead of the November election , raising alarm that the FDA is bowing to political pressure to greenlight unproven treatments .
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows made it clear that Trump is leaning on the FDA .
“ If they don ’ t see the light , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American people are suffering , ” he told ABC on Sunday .
“ This president knows it , and he ’ s going to put it on wherever — the FDA or NIH or anybody else — to make sure that we deliver on behalf of the American people.
” Such pressure has moved the FDA before ; for instance , it rushed an EUA in March for the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine after President Trump repeatedly touted the drug as a “ game changer ” despite flimsy evidence for its effectiveness .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the agency said the drug was “ unlikely to be effective ” and could cause serious side effects like heart arrhythmias .
With more than 170,000 people across the United States dead from Covid-19 , there ’ s an urgent need to find effective treatments .
But the appearance of political pressure could undermine confidence in government agencies and their support for other treatments and vaccines , adding to the long list of public health missteps and confusion around the pandemic .
The FDA is playing up weak evidence to justify its EUA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the blood that includes proteins used for clotting ( as opposed to serum , which is the liquid part of blood leftover after blood clots ) .
With convalescent plasma therapy , doctors harvest plasma from people who have recovered from Covid-19 and transfuse it to people who are currently suffering from an infection .
The idea is that the plasma from people who have successfully withstood the virus contains antibodies , which can interfere with how a pathogen works or mark it as a target for elimination .
That can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help the immune system eradicate it .
It ’ s an approach that ’ s been used with varying degrees of success for other coronaviruses like SARS and MERS .
But Covid-19 is a markedly different disease , and so far , no randomized control trials , the gold standard of evidence , on convalescent plasma have been completed .
The FDA memo outlining the EUA for convalescent plasma cites just two randomized controlled trials , both of which were stopped early — one because it failed to recruit enough participants and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that were receiving plasma already had high levels of antibodies .
Both found little to no benefit from the treatment , but they remain some of the best-constructed studies .
The memo also cites a handful of observational and retrospective studies as the basis for its decision .
It was one of these retrospective studies that served as the basis for the White House ’ s boldest claim about the effectiveness of convalescent plasma to treat Covid-19 .
During Sunday ’ s press conference , Hahn reported that convalescent plasma would yield a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Covid-19 patients .
“ A 35 percent improvement in survival is a pretty substantial clinical benefit , ” said Hahn during a Sunday press conference .
“ What that means is , if the data continue to pan out , if 100 people are sick with Covid-19 , 35 would have been saved with the administration of plasma.
” But researchers said that Hahn ’ s 35 percent improvement in survival claim is misleading .
It comes from a retrospective preprint study that hasn ’ t undergone peer review , so some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flaws that would ordinarily be caught in the review process .
The study doesn ’ t compare patients who received convalescent plasma to patients who received a placebo , either .
Rather , it compares patients who received plasma early versus those who received it later in their course of treatment .
Even with that comparison , the results showed that the seven-day mortality rate was 11.9 percent in patients who received plasma four days or more after they were diagnosed with Covid-19 , while those who received plasma three days after diagnosis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In other words , getting plasma to Covid-19 patients one day earlier reduced the absolute mortality by 3.2 percent .
And when the researchers compared the doses of convalescent plasma , they found that those that received the low dose had a seven-day mortality rate of 13.7 percent while those that received the high dose had a rate of 8.9 percent .
That ’ s a 4.8 percent improvement in absolute terms , but a 35 percent change in relative terms .
Faust pointed out that this retrospective study only sampled patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hospital .
Out of those , the patients studied were only the ones who received convalescent plasma , were under the age of 80 , and who did not receive mechanical ventilation .
“ This big ‘ breakthrough ’ that they say is a 35 percent reduction in mortality , this is a subset of a subset of a subset in a retrospective study which has not been confirmed with a trial , ” he said .
“ There ’ s nothing wrong with the study itself for what it is ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on it to say that there ’ s been a breakthrough.
” Let ’ s be clear : Convalescent plasma could be a viable treatment for Covid-19 .
However , the vast majority of people infected with the virus get better on their own .
Determining whether a treatment can actually hasten recovery from the illness requires controlled clinical trials .
This means randomly sorting people into two groups — one that receives the treatment and one that receives a placebo — and then monitoring their progress with the disease .
And that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This treatment also carries risks .
Plasma transfusions can lead to complications like acute lung injury and severe allergic reactions leading to anaphylactic shock .
These are not common outcomes , but the risk isn ’ t zero .
For people who are sick with Covid-19 , it may be worth accepting some of these risks if there is a clear benefit .
But if there isn ’ t , it becomes much harder to tolerate .
“ You ’ re essentially asking people to play roulette with a treatment that may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Another issue is that with the EUA , ongoing clinical trials can become more difficult .
It becomes harder to recruit patients into clinical trials where they may receive a placebo if they know that they could get the actual treatment from their doctor .
All this means that it ’ s crucial to establish that convalescent plasma carries benefits that outweigh its risks before clearing it for widespread use .
The FDA is undermining its own credibility at a critical time National and international health agencies have made a number of missteps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the World Health Organization reversed course on whether the virus could be spread person to person to the back and forth in the US about wearing masks .
But the political pressure mounting on the FDA from the White House could end up being the most consequential erosion of credibility since it could undermine the public ’ s trust in treatments for Covid-19 as well as an eventual vaccine .
With the perception that drugs are being issued to meet the president ’ s demands , patients may be reluctant to take them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advocates are so distressed by the FDA ’ s authorization of convalescent plasma , which serves as yet another example of politics getting its way over science .
“ Make no mistake , the FDA ’ s decision to grant an emergency use authorization for COVID-19 convalescent plasma on the eve of the Republican National Convention represents the most blatant politicization of FDA decision-making in history , ” said Michael Carome , director of the Health Research Group at the watchdog group Public Citizen , in a statement .
“ Such action seriously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the greatest public health crisis in 100 years.
” And if a vaccine for Covid-19 were to gain approval before the November election — before phase 3 trials are complete — there will be concerns that it too was rushed .
Fewer people might be inclined to get vaccinated , out of safety fears , making it harder to control the disease .
That will have tremendous impacts on the lives of millions of people as they cope with the spread of the virus .
Building trust in public health agencies is therefore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it will take time .
Hyping weak results or unproven drugs does more harm than good .
In the spring , we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone , and last week , we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors .
Well , you helped us blow past that .
Today , we are extending that goal to 25,000 .
Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers , your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

The National Institutes of Health on Tuesday put out a blunt statement on the use of convalescent plasma to treat Covid-19, calling the evidence for its effectiveness “insufficient.”
“There are currently no data from well-controlled, adequately powered randomized clinical trials that demonstrate the efficacy and safety of convalescent plasma for the treatment of Covid-19,” according an NIH treatment guidelines panel that reviewed the evidence. “There are insufficient data to recommend either for or against the use of convalescent plasma for the treatment of COVID-19.”
The statement was clearly aimed at the Food and Drug Administration, which granted a controversial Emergency Use Authorization, or EUA, for convalescent plasma on August 23.
Some researchers saw the approval as a politically motivated decision, given the weak evidence for its effectiveness coupled with President Trump’s public attacks on the FDA. (Trump had alleged without evidence that the agency was slow-walking approvals of Covid-19 treatments to hurt his election prospects.)
The EUA announcement drew criticism almost immediately. Scientists noted that administration officials overstated the evidence showing that convalescent plasma was a viable treatment for Covid-19 during a White House press conference.
“The evidence [the FDA is] drawing on is not ready for primetime,” Jeremy Faust, an attending physician in the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and an instructor at Harvard Medical School, told Vox.
The EUA for convalescent plasma came after many experts, including Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, had warned the agency there wasn’t enough evidence to fast-track authorization for the novel treatment.
However, FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn said in an August 23 statement that he was “encouraged by the early promising data that we’ve seen about convalescent plasma,” adding that “plasma from patients who’ve recovered from Covid-19 has the potential to help treat those who are suffering from the effects of getting this terrible virus.”
President Trump, meanwhile, described the treatment as a “breakthrough.”
But on August 24, Hahn walked back some of his claims on Twitter the day after he made them during a White House press conference.
I have been criticized for remarks I made Sunday night about the benefits of convalescent plasma. The criticism is entirely justified. What I should have said better is that the data show a relative risk reduction not an absolute risk reduction. — Dr. Stephen M. Hahn (@SteveFDA) August 25, 2020
Convalescent plasma is already being used to treat dire cases of Covid-19 and is being studied by several research groups. But there is currently no Covid-19 treatment that has received full FDA approval.
For many scientists and watchdog groups, the central concern is that the FDA is once again yielding to political pressure. The agency rushed an EUA in March for the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine after President Trump repeatedly touted the drug as a “game changer” despite flimsy evidence for its effectiveness. The EUA was then revoked in June after the agency said the drug was “unlikely to be effective” and could cause serious side effects like heart arrhythmias.
In a Twitter thread, Hahn pushed back, saying that the decision to greenlight convalescent plasma was made based on the data, not political considerations.
Media coverage of FDA’s decision to issue emergency authorization for convalescent plasma has questioned whether this was a politically motivated decision. The decision was made by FDA career scientists based on data submitted a few weeks ago. — Dr. Stephen M. Hahn (@SteveFDA) August 25, 2020
But the new NIH statement undercuts these claims, noting that in addition to weak evidence for its effectiveness, there is also an alarming lack of information on the long-term risks of using convalescent plasma.
With more than 185,000 people across the United States dead from Covid-19, there’s an urgent need to find good treatments. And as the November election approaches, President Trump is desperate for good news. However, even the appearance of political pressure could undermine confidence in government agencies and their backing for other treatments and vaccines, adding to the long list of public health missteps and confusion around the pandemic.
The FDA is playing up weak evidence to justify its EUA for convalescent plasma
Plasma is the liquid part of the blood that includes proteins used for clotting (as opposed to serum, which is the liquid part of blood leftover after blood clots). With convalescent plasma therapy, doctors harvest plasma from people who have recovered from Covid-19 and transfuse it to people who are currently suffering from an infection.
The idea is that the plasma from people who have successfully withstood the virus contains antibodies, which can interfere with how a pathogen works or mark it as a target for elimination. This passive immunity can then keep the disease in check or help the recipient’s immune system eradicate it. It’s an approach that’s been around for more than a century and used with varying degrees of success for other coronaviruses like SARS and MERS.
But Covid-19 is a markedly different disease, and so far, no randomized control trials — the gold standard of evidence — on convalescent plasma have been completed.
The FDA memo outlining the EUA for convalescent plasma cites just two randomized controlled trials, both of which were stopped early — one because it failed to recruit enough participants and the other because they found that the patients that were receiving plasma already had high levels of antibodies. Both found little to no benefit from the treatment, but they remain some of the best-constructed studies.
The memo also cites a handful of observational and retrospective studies as the basis for its decision. It was one of these retrospective studies that served as the basis for the White House’s boldest claim about the effectiveness of convalescent plasma to treat Covid-19.
During the August 23 press conference, Hahn reported that convalescent plasma would yield a 35 percent improvement in the survival rate of Covid-19 patients.
“A 35 percent improvement in survival is a pretty substantial clinical benefit,” said Hahn during a Sunday press conference. “What that means is, if the data continue to pan out, if 100 people are sick with Covid-19, 35 would have been saved with the administration of plasma.”
"A 35 percent improvement in survival is a pretty substantial clinical benefit," FDA Commissioner @SteveFDA said in relation to the convalescent plasma emergency use authorization issued today. pic.twitter.com/Dd97vLSZeL — U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) August 23, 2020
But other researchers said that Hahn’s 35 percent improvement in survival claim was wildly misleading. It came from a retrospective preprint study that hasn’t undergone peer review, so some of the methods and findings may have flaws that would ordinarily be caught in the review process.
“For the first time ever, I feel like official people in communications and people at the FDA grossly misrepresented data about a therapy,” Walid Gellad, of the Center for Pharmaceutical Policy and Prescribing at the University of Pittsburgh, told the New York Times.
The study doesn’t compare patients who received convalescent plasma to patients who received a placebo, either. Rather, it compares patients who received plasma early versus those who received it later in their course of treatment.
Even within that comparison, the results showed that the seven-day mortality rate was 11.9 percent in patients who received plasma four days or more after they were diagnosed with Covid-19, while those who received plasma three days after diagnosis had a mortality rate of 8.7 percent. In other words, getting plasma to Covid-19 patients one day earlier reduced the absolute mortality by 3.2 percent.
And when the researchers compared the doses of convalescent plasma, they found that those that received the low dose had a seven-day mortality rate of 13.7 percent while those that received the high dose had a rate of 8.9 percent. That’s a only 4.8 percent improvement in absolute terms, but a 35 percent change in relative terms. It’s progress, but not the massive leap forward that Hahn and other officials made it sound like.
Faust pointed out that this retrospective study only sampled patients who were sick enough to go to the hospital. Out of those, the patients studied were only the ones who received convalescent plasma, were under the age of 80, and who did not receive mechanical ventilation.
“This big ‘breakthrough’ that they say is a 35 percent reduction in mortality, this is a subset of a subset of a subset in a retrospective study which has not been confirmed with a trial,” he said. “There’s nothing wrong with the study itself for what it is; what’s wrong is to rely on it to say that there’s been a breakthrough.”
On August 24, Hahn acknowledged, after much criticism, that he overplayed his hand. “What I should have said better is that the data show a relative risk reduction not an absolute risk reduction,” he wrote.
But for some researchers, it was not enough. A few responded on Twitter that they wanted a more forceful retraction of the claim and other statements Hahn made during the press conference.
You need to correct the 35 lives saved per 100 sick with covid-19 so people understand that was absolutely wrong, Steve. That there is no evidence to support that. That there is no evidence at this juncture to support *any* survival benefit. That we need RCTs. — Eric Topol (@EricTopol) August 25, 2020
Let’s be clear: Convalescent plasma could be a viable treatment for Covid-19. However, the vast majority of people infected with the virus get better on their own. Determining whether a treatment can actually hasten recovery from the illness requires controlled clinical trials. This means randomly sorting people into two groups — one that receives the treatment and one that receives a placebo — and then monitoring their progress with the disease. Such data is still lacking for convalescent plasma.
And the FDA’s EUA may have made it harder to study the treatment, making ongoing clinical trials more difficult. It becomes harder to recruit patients into clinical trials for convalescent plasma where they may receive a placebo if they know that they could get the actual treatment from their doctor.
This treatment also carries risks. Plasma transfusions can lead to complications like acute lung injury and severe allergic reactions leading to anaphylactic shock. The NIH also raised the concern that convalescent plasma could weaken the recipient’s own immune response to Covid-19, making the patient vulnerable to reinfection. These are not common outcomes, but the risk isn’t zero. For people who are sick with Covid-19, it may be worth accepting some of these risks if there is a clear benefit. But if there isn’t, it becomes much harder to tolerate.
“You’re essentially asking people to play roulette with a treatment that may not work,” Faust said.
All this means that it’s crucial to establish that convalescent plasma carries benefits that outweigh its risks before clearing it for widespread use.
The FDA is undermining its own credibility at a critical time
National and international health agencies have made a number of missteps during the Covid-19 pandemic, from how the World Health Organization reversed course on whether the virus could be spread person to person to the back and forth in the US about wearing masks.
But the political pressure mounting on the FDA from the White House could end up being the most consequential erosion of credibility since it could undermine the public’s trust in treatments for Covid-19 as well as an eventual vaccine.
President Trump has made no secret of his view that a treatment or vaccine for Covid-19 is critical to his election hopes, and he has blamed the FDA for undermining him.
The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics. Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives! @SteveFDA — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 22, 2020
And White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows made it clear that pressuring the FDA to approve drugs and vaccines ahead of the election is part of Trump’s strategy. “If they don’t see the light, they need to feel the heat because the American people are suffering,” he told ABC on August 23. “This president knows it, and he’s going to put it on wherever — the FDA or NIH or anybody else — to make sure that we deliver on behalf of the American people.”
With the perception that drugs are being issued to meet the president’s demands, patients may be reluctant to take them.
That’s why some health advocates are so distressed by the FDA’s authorization of convalescent plasma, which serves as yet another example of politics getting its way over science.
“Make no mistake, the FDA’s decision to grant an emergency use authorization for COVID-19 convalescent plasma on the eve of the Republican National Convention represents the most blatant politicization of FDA decision-making in history,” said Michael Carome, director of the Health Research Group at the watchdog group Public Citizen, in a statement. “Such action seriously damages the FDA’s credibility during the greatest public health crisis in 100 years.”
And if a vaccine for Covid-19 were to get an EUA before the November election — before phase 3 trials are complete — there will be concerns that it too was rushed. Fewer people might be inclined to get vaccinated, out of safety fears, making it harder to control the disease. That will have tremendous impacts on the lives of millions of people as they cope with the continued spread of the virus.
Building trust in public health agencies is therefore essential for ending the Covid-19 pandemic, but it will take time. Hyping weak results or unproven drugs undermines this fragile confidence.
New goal: 25,000
In the spring, we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone, and last week, we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors. Well, you helped us blow past that. Today, we are extending that goal to 25,000. Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is, quite possibly, the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes. Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers, your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world. Contribute today from as little as $3.


vox--2020-08-24--Rep. Katie Porter quizzed the postmaster general about the mail. He didn’t do great.

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testified before the House Oversight Committee Monday that he came to the United States Postal Service to apply his experience in logistics to help the USPS “ grow and evolve in the path of sustainability.
” But during the hearing , he revealed that he ’ s still a tad unfamiliar with the agency he is set to reform .
That came out in questioning from Rep. Katie Porter ( D-CA ) , who used her time to quiz DeJoy about postal service basics .
She started out by asking DeJoy what the price of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ correctly , that the cost is 55 cents .
But Porter kept going .
“ What about to mail a postcard ?
” she asked .
“ I don ’ t know , ma ’ am , ” DeJoy replied .
He also missed a question on greeting cards .
“ I ’ ll submit that I know very little about postage stamps , ” DeJoy said .
Porter asked about packages ( DeJoy went 1 for 2 ) and then got to voting : “ Within a million or so , can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by mail in the last presidential election ?
” Porter asked .
“ No , I can not , ” DeJoy responded .
Porter asked then if he could estimate it to the nearest 10 million .
“ I would be guessing , and I don ’ t want to guess , ” DeJoy answered .
“ So , Mr. DeJoy , I ’ m concerned , ” Porter replied .
“ I ’ m glad you know the price of a stamp , but I ’ m concerned about your understanding of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly concerned about it because you started taking very decisive action when you became postmaster general.
” Porter noted the unplugging of mail-sorting machines , changing employee procedures , and locking collection boxes .
Porter then asked DeJoy if he had analyzed the major overhaul plans before they took effect .
DeJoy responded that he “ did not order major overhaul plans ” and that they were in effect before he arrived .
So Porter asked if DeJoy could say who did put those plans in place .
“ If you did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ please tell the committee the name of who did.
” When Porter asked if he would commit to reversing the changes , DeJoy replied that he would not .
Porter ’ s direct questioning helped get at two of the central questions that are still unclear about DeJoy ’ s tenure at the USPS : whether he knew the recent changes would cause delays in delivering the mail , and how seriously lawmakers should take his assurances that these delays will be temporary and not affect mail-in voting .
As in his Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Monday acknowledged delays had occurred but distanced himself from some of the cost-cutting measures — including taking sorting machines offline , changing overtime policy , and removing blue boxes .
He said he ’ d since suspended those measures in response to the public outcry and perceptions of what it meant for the upcoming November elections , in which a record number of Americans are expected to vote by mail because of the pandemic .
DeJoy said the only changes he directly implemented were stricter transportation schedules for mail trucks and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he had nothing to do with other measures , he also said he ’ s not reversing any of the changes that have already taken place , such as putting the decommissioned sorting machines back online .
Yet he still promised that the USPS is “ fully capable and committed to delivering the nation ’ s ballots securely and on time .
This sacred duty is my number one priority between now and Election Day.
” Despite DeJoy ’ s assurances , he has not yet given Congress a detailed plan on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happens .
And Porter ’ s questions reinforced DeJoy ’ s contradictions : He ’ s not responsible for many of the cost-cutting measures , but he was able to suspend them .
He didn ’ t analyze the potential fallout from those changes because they went into effect before his tenure started , but he isn ’ t going to reverse them .
DeJoy , a Trump ally , again denied any political motivations for messing with the mail , even as Democrats questioned him on potential conflicts of interest ( something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reviewing ) .
But Porter ’ s questioning showed why there ’ s still cause for concern about what ’ s going on at the Postal Service , and how decisions are being made .
House Democrats have tried to remedy this with legislation , passing a bill on Saturday that would give $ 25 billion to the post office and prevent changes in service until at least the end of the year .
But Republicans are largely opposed , citing DeJoy ’ s own statements that the USPS has enough money , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the spring , we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone , and last week , we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors .
Well , you helped us blow past that .
Today , we are extending that goal to 25,000 .
Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is , quite possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ advertising market recovers , your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testified before the House Oversight Committee Monday that he came to the United States Postal Service to apply his experience in logistics to help the USPS “grow and evolve in the path of sustainability.”
But during the hearing, he revealed that he’s still a tad unfamiliar with the agency he is set to reform.
That came out in questioning from Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), who used her time to quiz DeJoy about postal service basics. She started out by asking DeJoy what the price of a first-class stamp is. DeJoy responded, correctly, that the cost is 55 cents.
But Porter kept going. “What about to mail a postcard?” she asked.
“I don’t know, ma’am,” DeJoy replied. He also missed a question on greeting cards.
“I’ll submit that I know very little about postage stamps,” DeJoy said.
Porter asked about packages (DeJoy went 1 for 2) and then got to voting: “Within a million or so, can you tell me how many people voted by mail in the last presidential election?” Porter asked.
“No, I cannot,” DeJoy responded. Porter asked then if he could estimate it to the nearest 10 million.
“I would be guessing, and I don’t want to guess,” DeJoy answered.
“So, Mr. DeJoy, I’m concerned,” Porter replied. “I’m glad you know the price of a stamp, but I’m concerned about your understanding of this agency. And I’m particularly concerned about it because you started taking very decisive action when you became postmaster general.” Porter noted the unplugging of mail-sorting machines, changing employee procedures, and locking collection boxes.
With some very simple questions, Rep. Katie Porter proved the postmaster general’s poor understanding of the USPS and the detrimental changes he implemented pic.twitter.com/D4PCYYDRhu — NowThis (@nowthisnews) August 24, 2020
Porter then asked DeJoy if he had analyzed the major overhaul plans before they took effect. DeJoy responded that he “did not order major overhaul plans” and that they were in effect before he arrived.
So Porter asked if DeJoy could say who did put those plans in place. “If you did not order these actions to be taken, please tell the committee the name of who did.”
“I do not know,” DeJoy responded.
When Porter asked if he would commit to reversing the changes, DeJoy replied that he would not.
Porter’s direct questioning helped get at two of the central questions that are still unclear about DeJoy’s tenure at the USPS: whether he knew the recent changes would cause delays in delivering the mail, and how seriously lawmakers should take his assurances that these delays will be temporary and not affect mail-in voting.
As in his Friday testimony before a Senate committee, DeJoy on Monday acknowledged delays had occurred but distanced himself from some of the cost-cutting measures — including taking sorting machines offline, changing overtime policy, and removing blue boxes. He said he’d since suspended those measures in response to the public outcry and perceptions of what it meant for the upcoming November elections, in which a record number of Americans are expected to vote by mail because of the pandemic.
DeJoy said the only changes he directly implemented were stricter transportation schedules for mail trucks and a management reorganization. But even as he said he had nothing to do with other measures, he also said he’s not reversing any of the changes that have already taken place, such as putting the decommissioned sorting machines back online.
Yet he still promised that the USPS is “fully capable and committed to delivering the nation’s ballots securely and on time. This sacred duty is my number one priority between now and Election Day.”
Despite DeJoy’s assurances, he has not yet given Congress a detailed plan on how he’ll make sure that happens. And Porter’s questions reinforced DeJoy’s contradictions: He’s not responsible for many of the cost-cutting measures, but he was able to suspend them. He didn’t analyze the potential fallout from those changes because they went into effect before his tenure started, but he isn’t going to reverse them.
DeJoy, a Trump ally, again denied any political motivations for messing with the mail, even as Democrats questioned him on potential conflicts of interest (something the inspector general at USPS is currently reviewing). But Porter’s questioning showed why there’s still cause for concern about what’s going on at the Postal Service, and how decisions are being made.
House Democrats have tried to remedy this with legislation, passing a bill on Saturday that would give $25 billion to the post office and prevent changes in service until at least the end of the year. But Republicans are largely opposed, citing DeJoy’s own statements that the USPS has enough money, and so is the White House.
New goal: 25,000
In the spring, we launched a program asking readers for financial contributions to help keep Vox free for everyone, and last week, we set a goal of reaching 20,000 contributors. Well, you helped us blow past that. Today, we are extending that goal to 25,000. Millions turn to Vox each month to understand an increasingly chaotic world — from what is happening with the USPS to the coronavirus crisis to what is, quite possibly, the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes. Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers, your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work — and helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world. Contribute today from as little as $3.