vox--2020-05-15--America risks doing too little, not too much, to save the economy

The coronavirus pandemic is ravaging America .
More than 80,000 people have lost their lives , and thousands more are expected to follow .
Tens of millions of people have lost their jobs , and unemployment is at its highest level since the Great Depression .
The country has no plan .
And yet , two months into the thick of it , Washington haggles as the economy craters .
Conservatives in Congress are worrying about being too nice to the unemployed and demanding protections for businesses that could be held liable for sickening or killing their workers .
Millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the IRS is trying to figure out how to get back checks that were accidentally sent to the dead .
Some Republicans have suddenly rediscovered their deep passion for guarding the deficit — you know , the one they gave up for that giant corporate tax cut in 2017 .
Oh , and by the way , those corporations that got the tax windfall ?
They need a $ 500 billion bailout .
How could they have been expected to save up in anticipation of a pandemic ?
But the low-paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves out of a job ?
Well , that ’ s just a lesson for them on the importance of having a rainy-day fund .
The same goes for the states and cities now in dire straits , or the small businesses that struggled to get loans and are already starting to worry about how to pay them back .
The country is facing an unprecedented crisis , and many legislators , policymakers , and people in power are now offering a tepid reaction .
Congress has provided about $ 2.9 trillion in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reserve , and is going to need to do more in order to salvage the economy .
But the White House has suggested a pause on further legislative stimulus , and as Democrats put forth a new proposal for a major legislative package , key Republicans aren ’ t eager to move ahead .
It ’ s not a time to test the waters , it ’ s a time to dive in .
In a conversation in March as the gravity of the economic crisis set in , former Obama economist Betsey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk of doing too little is much greater than the risk of doing too much.
” That ’ s playing out right now in real time .
This is an extraordinary moment that necessitates extraordinary measures Things , they are bad .
Unprecedentedly and extremely bad .
The US leads the world in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases after having failed to get the virus under control .
Tens of thousands of people have died , and thousands of daily deaths are expected into the summer .
Meanwhile , the economy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to try to stop the spread of the disease , has plummeted .
GDP shrank in the first quarter at its fastest rate since the Great Recession , and projections indicate that the worst is yet to come .
In April , the unemployment rate jumped to 14.7 percent , but even the Bureau of Labor Statistics has acknowledged that it ’ s likely closer to 20 percent .
More than 36 million people have filed new jobless claims in two months , and each week , millions of people are filing more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recession , 8.7 million total jobs were lost over the course of many months , and the highest week of losses was about 600,000 .
“ Our base case is that you don ’ t return to normal for a while and that we will see unemployment peak at over 20 percent , and then as you start to get to the end of 2021 , you ’ re down to about 9 percent , ” Bob Michele , chief investment officer at JPMorgan , told Bloomberg in a recent radio interview .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Great Recession , and remember how bad that was .
“ There ’ s a lot of hardship ahead , ” he warned .
Meanwhile , states and cities are sounding the alarm about billions of dollars in budget shortfalls they ’ re facing .
Their expenses have skyrocketed due to the health crisis while their revenue sources have dissipated .
States can ’ t run deficits ; if the federal government doesn ’ t step in , they ’ ll be forced to make deep cuts to their spending , which will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The last recession felt like running down a hill , ” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego recently told me .
“ This one feels like falling off a cliff , it happened so quickly.
” The government can and should do more , and fast In a speech at the Peterson Institute for International Economics on Wednesday , Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell highlighted the actions that Congress and the Fed have taken to try to uplift the economy during the pandemic .
Congress has provided nearly $ 3 trillion in fiscal support to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and state and local governments .
The Fed has taken extraordinary actions as well ; it ’ s cut interest rates to near-zero and announced a series of sweeping measures to boost the economy and ensure liquidity in the markets .
And still , he emphasized , there ’ s a need for more , and a grave risk to underreacting .
“ The record shows that deeper and longer recessions can leave behind lasting damage to the productive capacity of the economy , ” Powell said .
Debt , unemployment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy for years .
“ At the Fed , we will continue to use our tools to their fullest until the crisis has passed and the economic recovery is well under way , ” Powell said , though he cautioned the central bank can only do so much .
“ Additional fiscal support could be costly , but worth it if it helps avoid long-term economic damage and leaves us with a stronger recovery .
This trade-off is one for our elected representatives , who wield powers of taxation and spending.
” Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ packages , the last one being the Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security Act , or the CARES Act , a $ 2.2 trillion stimulus package that President Donald Trump signed into law in March .
Lawmakers have rolled out a variety of proposals and plans for potential legislation , and on Tuesday , House Democrats revealed their proposal for a fourth package , the $ 3 trillion HEROES Act , which will go to a vote on Friday .
As Vox ’ s Ella Nilsen and Li Zhou explained , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats — some Republicans have signaled they don ’ t plan to spend more without making cuts elsewhere .
But is now really the time to worry about the deficit , especially when interest rates are low and the economy is in such disarray ?
As Vox ’ s Matt Yglesias laid out , one huge way to boost the economy right now is to “ just spend the damn money.
” It will be worth it in the long run if Congress sends money to people who need it , gives full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up small businesses .
Officials have to think beyond the liquidity problem — the actions taken to keep the economy afloat now — and make sure the country doesn ’ t have a sustained solvency problem , where demand is so diminished it can ’ t bounce back .
The risk of inaction is bigger than the risk of overreaction Charlie Anderson , an adviser to Sen. Michael Bennet ( D-CO ) , worried on Twitter that “ we ’ re about to watch a slow-motion train wreck ” in the country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ like we are sleepwalking toward a gut-wrenching , painful failure , ” he wrote .
“ Many are really trying to shake the system awake .
But inertia feels like it ’ s taking us inevitably toward a half-hearted , incoherent response.
” The country has seen what happens when government response falls short — now and in recent history .
As Vox ’ s Ezra Klein recently wrote , 60 days into the coronavirus crisis , the US has no coordinated plan of action , or even a stated goal .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing the wrong thing — he is doing basically nothing , ” Klein wrote .
“ But he has combined a substantive passivity with a showman ’ s desire to dominate the narrative and a political street fighter ’ s obsession with settling scores , so he is making the job of governors and mayors harder , neither giving them what they need to beat the virus nor leaving them to make their own decisions free from his interference and criticism.
” Some states have begun to gradually reopen , but their economies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turns out people are not eager to crowd into restaurants and hop on planes while a deadly disease circulates .
In other words , just ignoring the crisis and hoping for the best doesn ’ t fix it .
The current inaction has led to a flailing economy and a deadly pandemic with no end in sight .
And after the global financial crisis and Great Recession , America experienced how long and terrible a slow recovery can be .
It took years for unemployment to get to where it was pre-recession , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
State funding for higher education , K-12 education , and local aid was still down even years later .
The worse off the economy is allowed to become during the current crisis , the slower the recovery will be if and when it ends .
Jobless workers and closed businesses will drag everything down .
Congress can do a lot to try to soften the blow , the question is whether it will , or if instead the country is doomed to spiral even more .
Every day at Vox , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

The coronavirus pandemic is ravaging America. More than 80,000 people have lost their lives, and thousands more are expected to follow. Tens of millions of people have lost their jobs, and unemployment is at its highest level since the Great Depression. The country has no plan.
And yet, two months into the thick of it, Washington haggles as the economy craters.
Conservatives in Congress are worrying about being too nice to the unemployed and demanding protections for businesses that could be held liable for sickening or killing their workers. Millions of living people are without stimulus checks, but the IRS is trying to figure out how to get back checks that were accidentally sent to the dead.
Some Republicans have suddenly rediscovered their deep passion for guarding the deficit — you know, the one they gave up for that giant corporate tax cut in 2017. Oh, and by the way, those corporations that got the tax windfall? They need a $500 billion bailout. How could they have been expected to save up in anticipation of a pandemic?
But the low-paid essential workers and the people suddenly finding themselves out of a job? Well, that’s just a lesson for them on the importance of having a rainy-day fund. The same goes for the states and cities now in dire straits, or the small businesses that struggled to get loans and are already starting to worry about how to pay them back.
The country is facing an unprecedented crisis, and many legislators, policymakers, and people in power are now offering a tepid reaction. Congress has provided about $2.9 trillion in fiscal support, according to the Federal Reserve, and is going to need to do more in order to salvage the economy. But the White House has suggested a pause on further legislative stimulus, and as Democrats put forth a new proposal for a major legislative package, key Republicans aren’t eager to move ahead.
It’s not a time to test the waters, it’s a time to dive in. In a conversation in March as the gravity of the economic crisis set in, former Obama economist Betsey Stevenson issued a warning: “The risk of doing too little is much greater than the risk of doing too much.”
That’s playing out right now in real time.
This is an extraordinary moment that necessitates extraordinary measures
Things, they are bad. Unprecedentedly and extremely bad. The US leads the world in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases after having failed to get the virus under control. Tens of thousands of people have died, and thousands of daily deaths are expected into the summer.
Meanwhile, the economy, which government officials have put on pause to try to stop the spread of the disease, has plummeted. GDP shrank in the first quarter at its fastest rate since the Great Recession, and projections indicate that the worst is yet to come.
In April, the unemployment rate jumped to 14.7 percent, but even the Bureau of Labor Statistics has acknowledged that it’s likely closer to 20 percent.
More than 36 million people have filed new jobless claims in two months, and each week, millions of people are filing more. By comparison, during the last recession, 8.7 million total jobs were lost over the course of many months, and the highest week of losses was about 600,000.
Tomorrow's @nytimes cover shifts its typical format to illustrate today's record weekly initial unemployment claims pic.twitter.com/IFxaNb43vF — Downtown Josh Brown (@ReformedBroker) March 27, 2020
“Our base case is that you don’t return to normal for a while and that we will see unemployment peak at over 20 percent, and then as you start to get to the end of 2021, you’re down to about 9 percent,” Bob Michele, chief investment officer at JPMorgan, told Bloomberg in a recent radio interview. Unemployment peaked at 10 percent during the Great Recession, and remember how bad that was. “There’s a lot of hardship ahead,” he warned.
Meanwhile, states and cities are sounding the alarm about billions of dollars in budget shortfalls they’re facing. Their expenses have skyrocketed due to the health crisis while their revenue sources have dissipated. States can’t run deficits; if the federal government doesn’t step in, they’ll be forced to make deep cuts to their spending, which will only harm the economy more. “The last recession felt like running down a hill,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego recently told me. “This one feels like falling off a cliff, it happened so quickly.”
The government can and should do more, and fast
In a speech at the Peterson Institute for International Economics on Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell highlighted the actions that Congress and the Fed have taken to try to uplift the economy during the pandemic. Congress has provided nearly $3 trillion in fiscal support to households, businesses, health care providers, and state and local governments. The Fed has taken extraordinary actions as well; it’s cut interest rates to near-zero and announced a series of sweeping measures to boost the economy and ensure liquidity in the markets.
And still, he emphasized, there’s a need for more, and a grave risk to underreacting.
“The record shows that deeper and longer recessions can leave behind lasting damage to the productive capacity of the economy,” Powell said. Debt, unemployment, and shuttered businesses can weigh on the economy for years.
“At the Fed, we will continue to use our tools to their fullest until the crisis has passed and the economic recovery is well under way,” Powell said, though he cautioned the central bank can only do so much. “Additional fiscal support could be costly, but worth it if it helps avoid long-term economic damage and leaves us with a stronger recovery. This trade-off is one for our elected representatives, who wield powers of taxation and spending.”
Congress has thus far enacted three sweeping coronavirus-related packages, the last one being the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or the CARES Act, a $2.2 trillion stimulus package that President Donald Trump signed into law in March. Lawmakers have rolled out a variety of proposals and plans for potential legislation, and on Tuesday, House Democrats revealed their proposal for a fourth package, the $3 trillion HEROES Act, which will go to a vote on Friday. As Vox’s Ella Nilsen and Li Zhou explained, this is just an opening salvo from Democrats — some Republicans have signaled they don’t plan to spend more without making cuts elsewhere.
But is now really the time to worry about the deficit, especially when interest rates are low and the economy is in such disarray? As Vox’s Matt Yglesias laid out, one huge way to boost the economy right now is to “just spend the damn money.”
It will be worth it in the long run if Congress sends money to people who need it, gives full support to the states, and shores up small businesses. Officials have to think beyond the liquidity problem — the actions taken to keep the economy afloat now — and make sure the country doesn’t have a sustained solvency problem, where demand is so diminished it can’t bounce back.
The risk of inaction is bigger than the risk of overreaction
Charlie Anderson, an adviser to Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), worried on Twitter that “we’re about to watch a slow-motion train wreck” in the country. “From up close, it feels like we are sleepwalking toward a gut-wrenching, painful failure,” he wrote. “Many are really trying to shake the system awake. But inertia feels like it’s taking us inevitably toward a half-hearted, incoherent response.”
The country has seen what happens when government response falls short — now and in recent history.
As Vox’s Ezra Klein recently wrote, 60 days into the coronavirus crisis, the US has no coordinated plan of action, or even a stated goal. “It is not that the president is doing the wrong thing — he is doing basically nothing,” Klein wrote. “But he has combined a substantive passivity with a showman’s desire to dominate the narrative and a political street fighter’s obsession with settling scores, so he is making the job of governors and mayors harder, neither giving them what they need to beat the virus nor leaving them to make their own decisions free from his interference and criticism.”
Some states have begun to gradually reopen, but their economies aren’t bouncing back. It turns out people are not eager to crowd into restaurants and hop on planes while a deadly disease circulates. In other words, just ignoring the crisis and hoping for the best doesn’t fix it.
The current inaction has led to a flailing economy and a deadly pandemic with no end in sight.
And after the global financial crisis and Great Recession, America experienced how long and terrible a slow recovery can be. It took years for unemployment to get to where it was pre-recession, and even then, wages remained stagnant. State funding for higher education, K-12 education, and local aid was still down even years later.
The worse off the economy is allowed to become during the current crisis, the slower the recovery will be if and when it ends. Jobless workers and closed businesses will drag everything down. Congress can do a lot to try to soften the blow, the question is whether it will, or if instead the country is doomed to spiral even more.


vox--2020-05-15--A special education teacher explains why virtual learning is so hard on her students

It isn ’ t easy setting up a virtual classroom on the fly .
As the coronavirus pandemic grinds the nation ’ s education system to a halt , teachers have navigated computer shortages , spotty internet access , and chaotic Zoom calls in order to offer their students a valuable lesson plan in a time when nobody can leave their homes .
But for special education teachers , there are many other variables to consider — and teacher Taylor Elise , 24 , says many aren ’ t getting the guidance they need .
There are more than 6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special education services .
Elise , who lives in North Carolina , teaches 11 of them .
She says that since the state closed schools in mid-March , county overseers have focused almost exclusively on students in general education .
The resources she ’ s received are often tuned to scholastic plans outside of special ed and are of little use to her .
Instead , Elise finds herself diverging from the county ’ s advice to generate her own curriculum , and her own virtual lessons , in the absence of any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult .
As is the case in so many special education classrooms , Elise ’ s students have a wide variety of unique needs and abilities .
Some of her students , she says , are nonverbal and rely on physical interaction .
How do you translate that care virtually ?
What of the students who live in Spanish-speaking households , or those who don ’ t have a spare laptop ?
These are the questions Elise is forced to answer , often all by herself .
What follows is a transcript of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and length .
When did the pandemic start affecting your job ?
So on March 11 or 12 , Durham County schools announced they were closing .
That was the first inkling things were going to happen in North Carolina .
I ’ m in Wake County [ bordering Durham County ] , we were waiting , and by the end of the day on Friday we thought we were going to school on Monday .
But on Sunday , they made the announcement they were closing schools because an elementary school teacher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids , “ Bye , see you Monday !
” And that turned into , “ We won ’ t be in schools indefinitely.
” What do you remember from the immediate aftermath of that ?
After that happened , we sent out information to parents to get info about what they needed food-wise and resource-wise .
The next week I was dropping off food for two of my families .
We have a Backpack Buddies program , which got a bunch of donations .
“ Immediately the question was , ‘ What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was , ‘ I don ’ t know.
’ ” We have a list of students throughout the year who receive food from this program .
One of them , a single mom with two kids in special ed , told me they only had one computer .
Immediately the question was , “ What do we do ?
” The answer was , “ I don ’ t know.
” There ’ s a lot of that — a lot of , “ I don ’ t know , sit tight.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really great parents who were able to get resources from me in the short term .
I had printed out worksheets for them before the closure because I had a feeling things might happen .
But now , as remote learning has started up , those questions are coming up more .
What was the remote learning program for special needs kids ?
Was there a plan to fall back on , or are you inventing stuff on the fly ?
From the county standpoint , for the first two weeks of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll tell you something , eventually.
” For those weeks we were kinda on our own .
I set up some online resources that parents , who did have access to their computers , could get for their kids .
I provided simple video resources , trying to explain what was going on and why schools were closing .
To give you some perspective , my county started remote learning [ April 13 ] , and my principal still hasn ’ t heard anything on a laptop rollout — we were supposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So even today , there ’ s not much of a plan , even though they say there is .
The resources I ’ m getting are for general ed purposes , and I ’ ve had to adapt them to special ed .
There ’ s been a lot of improvising .
How frustrated are you about that ?
It ’ s weird because I ’ m torn between how it ’ s a crazy situation , and we all need to be flexible , and being frustrated because the county is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they don ’ t have what they need .
What would be nice to see is the county stepping up and saying , “ Hey , we ’ re in over our heads , and we ’ re going to be honest and say we ’ re not ready yet.
” What have you been trying to do to create a valuable digital ecosystem for your students on the fly ?
I ’ ve been trying to make recorded video lessons — reading stories , things like that — just trying to engage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s so difficult .
In my classroom , I have students who can read entire paragraphs and answer reading comprehension questions .
But I also have students that are identifying letters of the alphabet .
Trying to create these lessons that are supposed to address all of them is very difficult , but that ’ s the loose guidance we ’ ve been given .
I ’ d much rather focus on what they need individually .
It feels like we ’ re just trying to avoid a lawsuit ; we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs when it really doesn ’ t feel like we are .
What are some of those challenges that you don ’ t think special ed teachers can meet over the internet ?
Something people haven ’ t considered is that I have a student who is nonverbal .
Her mom speaks Spanish , and she doesn ’ t have a voice-output device .
If we ’ re trying to communicate over the computer , she can ’ t communicate back to me .
Typically we communicate through physical interaction .
There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students who are nonverbal but aren ’ t at the level of using a device like that .
“ There ’ s a big gap there with students who are nonverbal.
” Yesterday I did a live morning meeting to get the kids on so they can see each other , but only two of them were able to join .
I can ’ t physically help them , I can ’ t give them physical prompting .
I have a lot of students who ’ ve never completed work on a computer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to go for them .
Do you miss your students ?
So much .
I was so happy to see the two that came on yesterday .
But I was really sad that more didn ’ t come on .
I kept being like , “ Okay , we ’ re going to wait and see !
” We ’ re trying to do live meetings twice a week .
I miss them , and they miss each other .
Where do you hope to be in the weeks ahead ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ goal for you , and other teachers in your shoes , to make remote learning work for your students ?
Part of my goal is to diverge from what the county has given us , because in my opinion , it isn ’ t enough .
I want to make videos that address the student ’ s goals , or instruct the parents how to do it .
[ I want ] to help parents offer meaningful instruction in a way that they ’ re comfortable with .
That ’ s one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of parents don ’ t feel that they know what to do .
To get the parents more confident in instructing them is one of our goals .
It ’ s going to be easier to interact with parents over teleconferencing anyway .
So I think the best way to reach my kids might be to go through their parents .
Do you think special ed has been an oversight during this coronavirus shutdown ?
Do people need to be paying more attention to teachers like you ?
One of my big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the oversight of special education .
I actually submitted my papers today to resign at the end of the school year due to underfunding .
In the first two weeks , we received email after email about what the regular education teachers should do , and at the very bottom there was a little paragraph that said , “ Special ed teachers , sit tight.
” It ’ s upsetting to see that there wasn ’ t a plan , when there was a plan for the other students .
Sign up for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ ll send you the best Goods stories exploring what we buy , why we buy it , and why it matters .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

It isn’t easy setting up a virtual classroom on the fly. As the coronavirus pandemic grinds the nation’s education system to a halt, teachers have navigated computer shortages, spotty internet access, and chaotic Zoom calls in order to offer their students a valuable lesson plan in a time when nobody can leave their homes. But for special education teachers, there are many other variables to consider — and teacher Taylor Elise, 24, says many aren’t getting the guidance they need.
There are more than 6 million children in the United States receiving special education services. Elise, who lives in North Carolina, teaches 11 of them. She says that since the state closed schools in mid-March, county overseers have focused almost exclusively on students in general education. The resources she’s received are often tuned to scholastic plans outside of special ed and are of little use to her. Instead, Elise finds herself diverging from the county’s advice to generate her own curriculum, and her own virtual lessons, in the absence of any reliable leadership.
This has proved exceedingly difficult. As is the case in so many special education classrooms, Elise’s students have a wide variety of unique needs and abilities. Some of her students, she says, are nonverbal and rely on physical interaction. How do you translate that care virtually? What of the students who live in Spanish-speaking households, or those who don’t have a spare laptop? These are the questions Elise is forced to answer, often all by herself. What follows is a transcript of our conversation, lightly edited for clarity and length.
When did the pandemic start affecting your job?
So on March 11 or 12, Durham County schools announced they were closing. That was the first inkling things were going to happen in North Carolina. I’m in Wake County [bordering Durham County], we were waiting, and by the end of the day on Friday we thought we were going to school on Monday. But on Sunday, they made the announcement they were closing schools because an elementary school teacher had tested positive. I told my kids, “Bye, see you Monday!” And that turned into, “We won’t be in schools indefinitely.”
What do you remember from the immediate aftermath of that?
After that happened, we sent out information to parents to get info about what they needed food-wise and resource-wise. The next week I was dropping off food for two of my families. We have a Backpack Buddies program, which got a bunch of donations.
“Immediately the question was, ‘What do we do?’ The answer was, ‘I don’t know.’”
We have a list of students throughout the year who receive food from this program. One of them, a single mom with two kids in special ed, told me they only had one computer. Immediately the question was, “What do we do?” The answer was, “I don’t know.” There’s a lot of that — a lot of, “I don’t know, sit tight.” But luckily I’ve got some really great parents who were able to get resources from me in the short term. I had printed out worksheets for them before the closure because I had a feeling things might happen. But now, as remote learning has started up, those questions are coming up more.
What was the remote learning program for special needs kids? Was there a plan to fall back on, or are you inventing stuff on the fly?
From the county standpoint, for the first two weeks of the closure, they said, “We’ll tell you something, eventually.” For those weeks we were kinda on our own. I set up some online resources that parents, who did have access to their computers, could get for their kids. I provided simple video resources, trying to explain what was going on and why schools were closing. To give you some perspective, my county started remote learning [April 13], and my principal still hasn’t heard anything on a laptop rollout — we were supposed to supply laptops to low-income students. So even today, there’s not much of a plan, even though they say there is. The resources I’m getting are for general ed purposes, and I’ve had to adapt them to special ed. There’s been a lot of improvising.
How frustrated are you about that?
It’s weird because I’m torn between how it’s a crazy situation, and we all need to be flexible, and being frustrated because the county is still moving forward with remote learning when they don’t have what they need. What would be nice to see is the county stepping up and saying, “Hey, we’re in over our heads, and we’re going to be honest and say we’re not ready yet.”
What have you been trying to do to create a valuable digital ecosystem for your students on the fly?
I’ve been trying to make recorded video lessons — reading stories, things like that — just trying to engage the best way I can. It’s so difficult. In my classroom, I have students who can read entire paragraphs and answer reading comprehension questions. But I also have students that are identifying letters of the alphabet. Trying to create these lessons that are supposed to address all of them is very difficult, but that’s the loose guidance we’ve been given.
I’d much rather focus on what they need individually. It feels like we’re just trying to avoid a lawsuit; we’re saying we’re meeting the needs when it really doesn’t feel like we are.
What are some of those challenges that you don’t think special ed teachers can meet over the internet?
Something people haven’t considered is that I have a student who is nonverbal. Her mom speaks Spanish, and she doesn’t have a voice-output device. If we’re trying to communicate over the computer, she can’t communicate back to me. Typically we communicate through physical interaction. There’s a big gap there, with students who are nonverbal but aren’t at the level of using a device like that.
“There’s a big gap there with students who are nonverbal.”
Yesterday I did a live morning meeting to get the kids on so they can see each other, but only two of them were able to join. I can’t physically help them, I can’t give them physical prompting. I have a lot of students who’ve never completed work on a computer. I have no idea how this is going to go for them.
Do you miss your students?
So much. I was so happy to see the two that came on yesterday. But I was really sad that more didn’t come on. I kept being like, “Okay, we’re going to wait and see!” We’re trying to do live meetings twice a week. I miss them, and they miss each other.
Where do you hope to be in the weeks ahead? What do you think is a reasonable goal for you, and other teachers in your shoes, to make remote learning work for your students?
Part of my goal is to diverge from what the county has given us, because in my opinion, it isn’t enough. I want to make videos that address the student’s goals, or instruct the parents how to do it. [I want] to help parents offer meaningful instruction in a way that they’re comfortable with. That’s one of the hardest things [because] a lot of parents don’t feel that they know what to do. To get the parents more confident in instructing them is one of our goals. It’s going to be easier to interact with parents over teleconferencing anyway. So I think the best way to reach my kids might be to go through their parents.
Do you think special ed has been an oversight during this coronavirus shutdown? Do people need to be paying more attention to teachers like you?
One of my big complaints in public education in general is the oversight of special education. I actually submitted my papers today to resign at the end of the school year due to underfunding. In the first two weeks, we received email after email about what the regular education teachers should do, and at the very bottom there was a little paragraph that said, “Special ed teachers, sit tight.” It’s upsetting to see that there wasn’t a plan, when there was a plan for the other students.
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vox--2020-05-15--The House just passed its latest $3 trillion coronavirus stimulus package

The House on Friday passed the HEROES Act , Democrats ’ $ 3 trillion proposal for the next stimulus package .
While it ’ s already been dismissed by Republicans in the Senate , the bill serves as an important marker for Democrats ’ key priorities as lawmakers weigh how to address the economic fallout from the pandemic .
The legislation , which includes over $ 900 billion in federal funding for states and cities , as well as another round of stimulus checks and an extension for expanded unemployment insurance , passed the House 208-199 predominately on party lines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ garnered little interest from Senate Republicans who ’ ve been put off by its size , rediscovered their worries about the deficit and hinted that they might not move additional legislation until after the chamber returns from its Memorial Day recess in June .
“ We have not yet felt the urgency of acting immediately .
That time could develop , but I don ’ t think it has yet , ” Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters earlier this week , according to Politico .
Democrats note that they ’ ve moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urgency of the crisis .
The bill , which also contains a $ 200 billion fund to cover hazard pay for frontline workers , is Democrats ’ stake in the ground as negotiations continue .
That ’ s not to say , however , the caucus is entirely united behind the entirety of the bill .
On Thursday and Friday , ahead of the vote on the legislation , some moderate members including Reps. Abigail Spanberger ( D-VA ) and Kendra Horn ( D-OK ) voiced their opposition , and argued that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the emergency at hand .
Earlier this week , progressives including Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairs Pramila Jayapal ( D-WA ) and Mark Pocan ( D-WI ) also urged House leadership to give lawmakers more time to consider the bill , which they viewed as omitting key proposals like a federal paycheck guarantee .
Ultimately , Democrats were able to gather the votes needed to approve the legislation on Friday , though 14 members of the caucus voted against it .
What happens next with the stimulus , however , likely won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contains Congress has already passed close to $ 3 trillion in the past couple of months as part of its coronavirus relief efforts — and this latest House package ultimately weighs in at over $ 3 trillion itself .
While far from a final bipartisan bill negotiated with the Senate , it ’ s a recognition that there ’ s no immediate end in sight for Covid-19 , or the havoc it ’ s wreaking on the American economy .
Here are some of the big pieces of the House bill : Money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ main focus of the House bill is getting money to states and local governments , many of which are looking at serious budget shortfalls due to the coronavirus .
The bill contains $ 500 billion for states , $ 375 billion for local governments , $ 20 billion for tribal communities , and another $ 20 billion for territories like Puerto Rico , Guam , and the US Virgin Islands .
The bill would also allocate $ 755 million to Washington in coronavirus aid .
This is far more than the first CARES @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion relief fund for state and local governments .
Per their state constitutions , most states have to balance their budgets and can ’ t borrow huge sums of money like the federal government .
With small businesses closing and millions of people getting laid off , once-dependable income streams like sales and income taxes will take a hit , and public workers like police , emergency workers , and teachers stand to lose their jobs .
Additional stimulus checks : There ’ s a consensus-building among Democrats that the one-time $ 1,200 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t enough to meet the scale of the current economic crisis .
Democrats are proposing another round of $ 1,200 payments to go out , but with some changes .
The payments would still be $ 1,200 for single filers and $ 2,400 for joint filers , but filers would also be eligible for $ 1,200 per dependent ( this would be capped at three dependents ) .
On a Tuesday call with reporters , Hoyer said additional stimulus checks — along with state and local money — would be Democrats ’ “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t consider cutting from the next package , even if Republicans push for changes .
More funding for testing and coronavirus tracing : The US still lags other countries in per capita testing .
The country currently averages about 264,000 tests a day , and White House officials say they expect that to double .
Even so , that would be nowhere near the 900,000 daily tests that public health experts at Harvard ’ s Global Health Institute say the US should be conducting now .
Getting testing and contact tracing up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Pelosi has made it clear this will be a significant priority for Democrats in their bill .
An extension of expanded unemployment insurance : The CARES Act expanded unemployment insurance by $ 600 per week until the end of July and made more people , including freelancers and the self-employed , eligible for it .
But with the unemployment rate at a staggering 14.7 percent , there ’ s a recognition that many people will need assistance beyond July .
The House bill would extend expanded benefits through January 31 , 2021 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soft cutoff ” to ensure some individuals could get benefits through March 2021 .
Many states need additional money to help cover their portion of unemployment benefits , with many states ’ coffers depleted due to the high demand , and the bill allocates $ 925 million to states to assist with processing claims .
More money for small businesses : Lawmakers are closely monitoring both the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program , two efforts designed to provide small businesses with loans and grants to help cover financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has slowed some , potentially because of the additional debt businesses could take on from the loans , the EIDL is pretty overwhelmed with applications , according to a report in the Washington Post .
Underrepresented small-business owners have so far been less likely to obtain funding from the programs , and multiple lawmakers have proposed bills that would funnel more money to those specific entities .
Democrats ’ bill includes $ 10 billion for additional grants for small businesses .
Support for SNAP benefits : Earlier this year , lawmakers approved provisions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that enabled families and individuals to receive the maximum monthly SNAP benefits for which they qualify .
They haven ’ t , however , expanded what the maximum amount is , a move that could have serious implications for the poorest families , which haven ’ t seen any increase in the support they are receiving .
Democrats have been focused on a 15 percent expansion to the maximum available benefit , similar to the increase that was implemented by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 — which was found to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food insecurity among lower-income households .
Their latest proposal includes $ 10 billion to cover increased demand for SNAP .
Money for elections and vote-by-mail : With a major presidential election just six months away , many states are trying to figure out how to safely hold elections without exposing voters to coronavirus .
Democrats in Congress want to put money toward expanding vote-by-mail access and extending the period for early voting , and the bill allocates $ 3.6 billion to that end .
Rather than mandatory vote-by-mail , this money would help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or no-excuse absentee voting , or increase funding for personal protective equipment for poll workers in states that keep in-person voting .
Funding for the US Postal Service : The bill contains $ 25 billion in funding for the US Postal Service .
Coronavirus has exacerbated long-standing problems at the USPS , which is saddled with debt in part because of the modern ways Americans communicate .
The agency doesn ’ t typically rely on taxpayer money , but Democrats and some Republicans have been looking at a way to bolster the postal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American public .
But the White House has resisted past efforts to prop up the program with federal funding .
COBRA subsidies : The bill funds approximately nine months of full premium subsidies for the existing health insurance program COBRA , which allows laid-off or furloughed employees to stay on their health insurance plans .
COBRA is typically prohibitively expensive , but this bill would make it more affordable for millions of workers losing their health insurance along with lost jobs .
Progressive Democrats , including Sen. Bernie Sanders , have criticized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giving money to insurance companies — and have suggested instead increasing funding to expand Medicare and Medicaid to more people .
SALT tax deductions : Among some new tax provisions in the House bill is a provision that will reinstate the state and local tax deduction , known as SALT .
The GOP tax bill passed in 2017 changed that deduction , capping the amount of state and local tax deductions someone could claim on their tax returns at $ 10,000 .
It typically impacted higher-income filers in states with higher taxes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and California .
The Senate is facing growing pressure to consider more expansive stimulus Pressure is building on Senate Republicans to consider another expansive stimulus measure , even as lawmakers including McConnell have voiced concerns about adding to the national debt .
( Economists , meanwhile , argue that the scale of the problem , and low interest rates , bolster the case for more government spending . )
One thing that McConnell does want a new relief bill to do : protect businesses from lawsuits they may face from customers and employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Donald Trump has also raised one of his favorite proposals , cutting the payroll tax , though this suggestion has gotten pushback from Democrats and Republicans alike .
Given the fact that any additional legislation will require the backing of at least 60 lawmakers in the upper chamber , and the majority of the House as well , it ’ s likely the final proposal will better reflect a semblance of the priorities from both parties .
But , next steps for it aren ’ t exactly clear .
For the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the impetus for quicker action was the depletion of the Paycheck Protection Program , which provides loans to small businesses .
Republicans have conceded that more stimulus is likely needed , but just how quickly they ’ ll act on the subject is uncertain .
The Senate is poised to leave town once again for the Memorial Day recess , which was scheduled to extend through May 29 .
Given this timing , and Republicans ’ resistance to advancing more legislation quickly , the next stimulus may not get lawmaker consideration until June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

The House on Friday passed the HEROES Act, Democrats’ $3 trillion proposal for the next stimulus package.
While it’s already been dismissed by Republicans in the Senate, the bill serves as an important marker for Democrats’ key priorities as lawmakers weigh how to address the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The legislation, which includes over $900 billion in federal funding for states and cities, as well as another round of stimulus checks and an extension for expanded unemployment insurance, passed the House 208-199 predominately on party lines.
Thus far, the bill has garnered little interest from Senate Republicans who’ve been put off by its size, rediscovered their worries about the deficit and hinted that they might not move additional legislation until after the chamber returns from its Memorial Day recess in June. “We have not yet felt the urgency of acting immediately. That time could develop, but I don’t think it has yet,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters earlier this week, according to Politico.
Democrats note they’ve moved quickly on this measure due to the urgency of the crisis. The bill, which also contains a $200 billion fund to cover hazard pay for frontline workers, is Democrats’ stake in the ground as negotiations continue.
That’s not to say, however, that the caucus is united behind the entirety of the bill. On Thursday and Friday, ahead of the vote on the legislation, some moderate members including Reps. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) and Kendra Horn (D-OK) voiced their opposition, and argued that the measure included priorities unrelated to the emergency at hand.
Earlier this week, progressives including Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairs Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) also urged House leadership to give lawmakers more time to consider the bill, which they viewed as omitting key proposals like a federal paycheck guarantee.
Ultimately, Democrats were able to gather the votes needed to approve the legislation on Friday, though 14 members of the caucus voted against it. What happens next with the stimulus, however, likely won’t be so straightforward.
What the bill contains
Congress has already passed close to $3 trillion in the past couple of months as part of its coronavirus relief efforts — and this latest House package ultimately weighs in at over $3 trillion itself.
While far from a final bipartisan bill negotiated with the Senate, it’s a recognition that there’s no immediate end in sight for Covid-19, or the havoc it’s wreaking on the country. Here are some of the big pieces of the House bill:
Money for state and local governments: The main focus of the House bill is getting money to state and local governments, many of which are looking at serious budget shortfalls due to the coronavirus. The bill contains $500 billion for states, $375 billion for local governments, $20 billion for tribal communities, and another $20 billion for territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands. The bill would also allocate $755 million to Washington, DC, in coronavirus aid. This is far more than the first CARES Act, which established a $150 billion relief fund for state and local governments.
Per their state constitutions, most states have to balance their budgets and can’t borrow huge sums of money, as the federal government can. With small businesses closing and millions of people getting laid off, once-dependable income streams like sales and income taxes will take a hit, and public workers like police, emergency workers, and teachers stand to lose their jobs.
Additional stimulus checks: There’s a consensus building among Democrats that the one-time $1,200 stimulus checks to Americans weren’t enough to meet the scale of the current economic crisis. Democrats are proposing another round of $1,200 payments to go out, but with some changes. The payments would still be $1,200 for single filers and $2,400 for joint filers, but filers would also be eligible for $1,200 per dependent (this would be capped at three dependents).
On a Tuesday call with reporters, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said additional stimulus checks — along with state and local money — would be Democrats’ “red lines” that they won’t consider cutting from the next package, even if Republicans push for changes.
More funding for testing and coronavirus tracing: The US still lags behind other countries in per capita testing. The country currently averages about 264,000 tests a day, and White House officials say they expect that to double. Even so, that would be nowhere near the 900,000 daily tests that public health experts at Harvard’s Global Health Institute say the US should be conducting now. Getting testing and contact tracing up to speed will take additional federal funding, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has made it clear this is a significant priority for Democrats in their bill.
An extension of expanded unemployment insurance: The CARES Act expanded unemployment insurance by $600 per week until the end of July and made more people, including freelancers and the self-employed, eligible for it. But with the unemployment rate at a staggering 14.7 percent, there’s a recognition that many people will need assistance beyond July. The House bill would extend expanded benefits through January 31, 2021, and put in a so-called “soft cutoff” to ensure some individuals could get benefits through March 2021. Many states need additional money to help cover their portion of unemployment benefits, with their coffers depleted due to the high demand, and the bill allocates $925 million to states to assist with processing claims.
More money for small businesses: Lawmakers are closely monitoring both the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, two efforts designed to provide small businesses with loans and grants to help cover financial shortfalls. While demand for the PPP has slowed some, potentially because of the additional debt businesses could take on from the loans, the EIDL is pretty overwhelmed with applications, according to a report in the Washington Post. Underrepresented small-business owners have so far been less likely to obtain funding from the programs, and multiple lawmakers have proposed bills that would funnel more money to those specific entities. Democrats’ bill includes $10 billion for additional grants for small businesses.
Support for SNAP benefits: Earlier this year, lawmakers approved provisions in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act that enabled families and individuals to receive the maximum monthly SNAP benefits for which they qualify. They haven’t, however, expanded the maximum amount, a move that could have serious implications for the poorest families, which haven’t seen any increase in the support they are receiving. Democrats have been focused on a 15 percent expansion to the maximum available benefit, similar to the increase implemented by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 — which was found to have had a significant impact in reducing food insecurity among lower-income households. Their latest proposal includes $10 billion to cover increased demand for SNAP.
Money for elections and vote-by-mail: With a major presidential election just six months away, many states are trying to figure out how to safely hold elections without exposing voters to the coronavirus. Democrats in Congress want to put money toward expanding vote-by-mail access and extending the period for early voting, and the bill allocates $3.6 billion to that end. Rather than mandatory vote-by-mail, this money would help states with the costs of expanding vote-by-mail or no-excuse absentee voting, or increase funding for personal protective equipment for poll workers in states that keep in-person voting.
Funding for the US Postal Service: The bill contains $25 billion in funding for the US Postal Service. The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated long-standing problems at the USPS, which is saddled with debt in part because of the modern ways Americans communicate. The agency doesn’t typically rely on taxpayer money, but Democrats and some Republicans have been looking at a way to bolster the postal service, which is incredibly popular with the American public. But the White House has resisted past efforts to prop up the program with federal funding.
COBRA subsidies: The bill funds approximately nine months of full premium subsidies for the existing health insurance program COBRA, which allows laid-off or furloughed employees to stay on their health insurance plans. COBRA is typically prohibitively expensive, but this bill would make it more affordable for millions of workers losing their health insurance along with lost jobs. Progressive Democrats, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, have criticized this provision of the House bill as giving money to insurance companies — and have suggested instead increasing funding to expand Medicare and Medicaid to more people.
SALT tax deductions: Among some new tax provisions in the House bill is one that will reinstate the state and local tax deduction, known as SALT. The GOP tax bill passed in 2017 changed that deduction, capping the amount of state and local tax deductions someone could claim on their tax returns at $10,000. It typically impacted higher-income filers in states with higher taxes, like New York, New Jersey, and California.
The Senate is facing growing pressure to consider more expansive stimulus
Pressure is building on Senate Republicans to consider another expansive stimulus measure, even as lawmakers including McConnell have voiced concerns about adding to the national debt. (Economists, meanwhile, argue that the scale of the problem, and low interest rates, bolster the case for more government spending.)
One thing that McConnell does want a new relief bill to do: protect businesses from lawsuits they may face from customers and employees in the wake of the pandemic. President Donald Trump has also raised one of his favorite proposals, cutting the payroll tax, though this suggestion has gotten pushback from Democrats and Republicans alike.
Given the fact that any additional legislation will require the backing of at least 60 lawmakers in the upper chamber, and the majority of the House as well, it’s likely the final proposal will better reflect a semblance of the priorities from both parties. But, next steps for it aren’t exactly clear.
For the most recent “interim” spending bill, the impetus for quicker action was the depletion of the Paycheck Protection Program, which provides loans to small businesses. Republicans have conceded that more stimulus is likely needed, but just how quickly they’ll act on the subject is uncertain.
The Senate is poised to leave town once again for the Memorial Day recess, which was scheduled to extend through May 29. Given this timing, and Republicans’ resistance to advancing more legislation quickly, the next stimulus may not get lawmaker consideration until June.


vox--2020-05-15--The House has voted to allow remote voting for the first time in its history

The US House of Representatives on Friday passed a historic resolution to temporarily allow remote voting during the coronavirus pandemic .
The resolution , introduced by House Rules Committee Chair Jim McGovern ( D-MA ) , allows for voting by proxy on the House floor , as well as for remote committee hearings and bill markups .
The resolution also provides for future remote voting during the pandemic using technology , “ after a system is developed and certified.
” It ’ s the first time in centuries that the House has changed the part of its rules stipulating that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Hall of the House during its sittings ” when it comes time to vote .
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer ( D-MD ) and other Democratic leaders have stressed these changes will be temporary and will go away after the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic subsides .
Unlike other parts of the country , Washington , DC , has not yet seen its number of cases meaningfully drop ; DC Mayor Muriel Bowser extended a city-wide stay-at-home order until June 8 .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has previously said proxy voting should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and be related to coronavirus legislation until Congress can safely return to in-person voting on the floor .
Hoyer in particular has been a proponent of proxy voting , citing other governments around the world that have made similar changes , as well as states around the US , including Iowa , Kentucky , Utah , and Vermont .
“ We are seeing legislatures around the world and across our country working remotely , as well as the Supreme Court .
There is no reason we can not find a way to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vox ’ s Jen Kirby in a recent interview .
While Hoyer has stressed that remote voting during the pandemic should be a bipartisan issue , House Republicans haven ’ t been on board .
The Friday vote passed 217-189 largely along party lines .
“ The Democrats ’ proposal calls for the House of Representatives to abandon ship — potentially for the remainder of the session , ” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy ( R-CA ) said in a statement expressing his opposition to the measure .
“ As we have said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centuries-old rules of the House should only be done in a bipartisan way that achieves consensus .
This proposal fails that critical test and would forever alter our democratic institution for the worse.
” What proxy voting and hearings would look like The new resolution will give the House Speaker the authority to temporarily implement remote proxy voting and remote committee proceedings for 45 days , which can be extended or renewed .
The resolution spells out that proxy voting would happen in consultation with the minority leader , the House sergeant at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and would be explicitly related to a public health emergency due to the coronavirus .
The period of time for proxy voting could also be terminated early by the House speaker .
Here ’ s how proxy voting will work : A member who can not physically be present will submit a signed letter ( which can also be submitted electronically ) to the House clerk designating who their proxy is .
The proxy will then enter their colleague ’ s vote into the record during voting , whether done electronically or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proxy for a member will indicate they are voting on behalf of another colleague during voting and is expressly not allowed to change their colleague ’ s vote .
While the resolution allows for committee work and markups to happen over technology like Zoom or another type of videoconferencing service , that would not apply to voting on the floor .
As Vox ’ s Jen Kirby wrote , videoconferencing has become the new mode of meeting , and sometimes voting , for many other legislative bodies around the world during the Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meeting partially with a smaller number of its body in the chamber , and a larger number weighing in from home .
The United Kingdom ’ s “ hybrid ” Parliament has spent a few weeks in this mode , holding hearings and questions .
About 50 members of Parliament are allowed to be present in the chamber , while another 120 can beam in from their computer screens .
( Johnson , who had been hospitalized for the coronavirus , returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday for the first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parliament is testing the technology it will need for remote voting , which could happen for the first time next week .
But the need to abide by social distancing guidelines accompanied a recognition that Parliament had very serious work to do to confront the pandemic , and that now more than ever the government needed to be held accountable .
Both MPs and their constituents needed a platform to scrutinize the government ’ s response to Covid-19 .
On Friday , the House joined this growing world trend .
The Senate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but has kept in-person voting , so far will not follow suit .
The Senate is more skeptical of proxy voting Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has been relatively firm about bringing senators back to the Capitol in order to work and vote .
Senators of both parties , including Rand Paul ( R-KY ) , Dick Durbin ( D-IL ) , and Rob Portman ( R-OH ) , have offered their own proposals for how remote voting could work .
The bipartisan measure from Durbin and Portman , if passed , would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schumer the authority to declare the need for a 30-day period of remote voting during a national crisis .
“ Remote voting would then be allowed for up to 30 days , and the Senate would have to vote to renew remote voting after every 30-day period afterward , ” they wrote in a Washington Post op-ed .
“ This limitation will ensure that voting remotely can not become the norm without a consensus around the continuity of an emergency.
” The Senate has conducted some hearings over Zoom ; the Senate Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pensions conducted a high-profile hearing on coronavirus with Dr. Anthony Fauci and other public health experts remotely this week , as committee Chairman Lamar Alexander ( R-TX ) was quarantining after a staffer tested positive for Covid-19 .
Still , the Senate has also shown the limits of in-person voting this week ; a bipartisan Senate amendment to shield Americans ’ internet browsing histories from government surveillance failed on Wednesday by one vote because some lawmakers were working from home .
McConnell hasn ’ t signaled interest in backing the remote voting resolution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have in the upper chamber to put pressure on him .
Since every bill in the Senate requires 60 votes to pass , for example , Democrats could potentially withhold their support on future packages in an effort to force the consideration of remote voting .
Before leaving for an earlier recess , McConnell had said that lawmakers would use other means , like trying to stagger when they vote , to maintain social distancing in the Capitol .
Correction : An earlier version of this story stated House Majority Leader Steny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was introduced by House Rules Committee Chair Jim McGovern .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

The US House of Representatives on Friday passed a historic resolution to temporarily allow remote voting during the coronavirus pandemic.
The resolution, introduced by House Rules Committee Chair Jim McGovern (D-MA), allows for voting by proxy on the House floor, as well as for remote committee hearings and bill markups. The resolution also provides for future remote voting during the pandemic using technology, “after a system is developed and certified.”
It’s the first time in centuries that the House has changed the part of its rules stipulating that “every Member shall be present within the Hall of the House during its sittings” when it comes time to vote.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and other Democratic leaders have stressed these changes will be temporary and will go away after the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic subsides. Unlike other parts of the country, Washington, DC, has not yet seen its number of cases meaningfully drop; DC Mayor Muriel Bowser extended a city-wide stay-at-home order until June 8.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has previously said proxy voting should only be used in a limited fashion and be related to coronavirus legislation until Congress can safely return to in-person voting on the floor.
Hoyer in particular has been a proponent of proxy voting, citing other governments around the world that have made similar changes, as well as states around the US, including Iowa, Kentucky, Utah, and Vermont.
“We are seeing legislatures around the world and across our country working remotely, as well as the Supreme Court. There is no reason we cannot find a way to do so as well,” Hoyer told Vox’s Jen Kirby in a recent interview.
While Hoyer has stressed that remote voting during the pandemic should be a bipartisan issue, House Republicans haven’t been on board. The Friday vote passed 217-189 largely along party lines.
“The Democrats’ proposal calls for the House of Representatives to abandon ship — potentially for the remainder of the session,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said in a statement expressing his opposition to the measure. “As we have said from the start, any change to centuries-old rules of the House should only be done in a bipartisan way that achieves consensus. This proposal fails that critical test and would forever alter our democratic institution for the worse.”
What proxy voting and hearings would look like
The new resolution will give the House Speaker the authority to temporarily implement remote proxy voting and remote committee proceedings for 45 days, which can be extended or renewed.
The resolution spells out that proxy voting would happen in consultation with the minority leader, the House sergeant at arms, and the Capitol attending physician, and would be explicitly related to a public health emergency due to the coronavirus. The period of time for proxy voting could also be terminated early by the House speaker.
Here’s how proxy voting will work: A member who cannot physically be present will submit a signed letter (which can also be submitted electronically) to the House clerk designating who their proxy is.
The proxy will then enter their colleague’s vote into the record during voting, whether done electronically or through a roll call vote. The proxy for a member will indicate they are voting on behalf of another colleague during voting and are expressly not allowed to change their colleague’s vote.
While the resolution allows for committee work and markups to happen over technology like Zoom or another type of videoconferencing service, that would not apply to voting on the floor.
As Vox’s Jen Kirby wrote, videoconferencing has become the new mode of meeting, and sometimes voting, for many other legislative bodies around the world during the Covid-19 era. The UK Parliament has been meeting partially with a smaller number of its body in the chamber, and a larger number weighing in from home.
The United Kingdom’s “hybrid” Parliament has spent a few weeks in this mode, holding hearings and questions. About 50 members of Parliament are allowed to be present in the chamber, while another 120 can beam in from their computer screens. (Johnson, who had been hospitalized for the coronavirus, returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday for the first time since March.) Right now, Parliament is testing the technology it will need for remote voting, which could happen for the first time next week. But the need to abide by social distancing guidelines accompanied a recognition that Parliament had very serious work to do to confront the pandemic, and that now more than ever the government needed to be held accountable. Both MPs and their constituents needed a platform to scrutinize the government’s response to Covid-19.
On Friday, the House joined this growing world trend. The Senate, which has been conducting some hearings remotely but has kept in-person voting, so far will not follow suit.
The Senate is more skeptical of proxy voting
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has been relatively firm about bringing senators back to the Capitol in order to work and vote.
Senators of both parties, including Rand Paul (R-KY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Rob Portman (R-OH), have offered their own proposals for how remote voting could work. The bipartisan measure from Durbin and Portman, if passed, would grant McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer the authority to declare the need for a 30-day period of remote voting during a national crisis.
“Remote voting would then be allowed for up to 30 days, and the Senate would have to vote to renew remote voting after every 30-day period afterward,” they wrote in a Washington Post op-ed. “This limitation will ensure that voting remotely cannot become the norm without a consensus around the continuity of an emergency.”
The Senate has conducted some hearings over Zoom; the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions conducted a high-profile hearing on coronavirus with Dr. Anthony Fauci and other public health experts remotely this week, as committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TX) was quarantining after a staffer tested positive for Covid-19.
Still, the Senate has also shown the limits of in-person voting this week; a bipartisan Senate amendment to shield Americans’ internet browsing histories from government surveillance failed on Wednesday by one vote because some lawmakers were working from home.
McConnell hasn’t signaled interest in backing the remote voting resolution, though Democrats could use the leverage they have in the upper chamber to put pressure on him. Since every bill in the Senate requires 60 votes to pass, for example, Democrats could potentially withhold their support on future packages in an effort to force the consideration of remote voting.
Before leaving for an earlier recess, McConnell had said that lawmakers would use other means, like trying to stagger when they vote, to maintain social distancing in the Capitol.
Correction: An earlier version of this story stated House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer introduced the proxy voting resolution. It was introduced by House Rules Committee Chair Jim McGovern.


vox--2020-05-15--Why you should read War and Peace in quarantine, and other stuff we loved this week

Along with everything else , the coronavirus has upended pop culture : Movie theaters are closed , concerts and other live events are canceled or postponed , TV production is all but shut down .
But the powers of the internet and digital media prevail !
Whether old or new , there are still plenty of movies and TV shows and TikToks to watch , games to play , songs to listen to , and books to read .
Here at Vox Culture , we ’ ve been working hard to recommend all kinds of entertainment that might help you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And in the process , we ’ ve been consuming oodles of it ourselves .
So every weekend for the month of May , we ’ ll be sharing the pop culture we ’ re loving in our own lives ; we think you might love some of it too .
Here are three things we loved this week .
When my friend said , “ I was thinking about reading War and Peace ... ” and I immediately blurted out , “ I ’ DLOVETOREADTHATTOOLETMEBUYACOPY , ” I probably should have realized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become .
( Our book club for two is going great , thanks . )
But I really had always meant to read War and Peace someday , when I found enough time , thanks to my obsession with the Broadway musical Natasha , Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 , which is adapted from a slim slice of the novel .
And , well , here we are .
Plus , here ’ s something nobody is telling you : War and Peace ?
It ’ s really good !
Yes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there are dozens of characters .
Yes , all of them have , like , nine different names .
But we live in the internet era , and if I forget who ’ s who among the many , many , many interchangeable characters in the Russian military , I can Google it .
And the book ’ s three main characters — endlessly searching Pierre , endlessly yearning Natasha , and endlessly frustrated Andrey — are so beautifully defined that you can always immerse yourself in their perspective .
( Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perspectives . )
I ’ m only about halfway done with Tolstoy ’ s epic , so he might botch the landing .
I don ’ t know .
But even if he does , War and Peace is a stunning accomplishment , zooming all the way into a single person ’ s point of view , then pulling all the way back to describe a vast battlefield or a beautiful ball .
It is a book about people living their lives in the midst of catastrophe and realizing that everything eventually ends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neither is sorrow .
Despair and horror and joy are all only temporary , and the best way to live life is to spread as little suffering as you possibly can .
Or , as a different War and Peace-reading friend put it : Anyway , I know this book is pretty obscure , so let me recommend it to you .
War and Peace !
It ’ s good !
—Emily VanDerWerff Since I ’ m currently spending so much time on my couch , playing video games has become an even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of late .
It now feels wrong to go a day without spending an hour or two plugged into another world .
I ’ ve talked before about how obsessed I am with the soul-soothing Animal Crossing : New Horizons , but since Final Fantasy VII Remake ( FF7R ) launched on PlayStation 4 earlier this month , I ’ ve become consumed by it too .
FF7R is a gorgeous overhaul of one of the most influential role-playing games of all time : 1997 ’ s Final Fantasy VII for the original @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t follow the original game ’ s entire storyline — its abrupt finale is clearly meant to set up a second release in the franchise ’ s new remake saga — FF7R pads out some of the story , graphical , and gameplay deficiencies that weren ’ t possible 23 years ago .
I can ’ t stop thinking about how my character , Cloud , must choose between one of three , more-fleshed-out love interests , while also traversing through scary monster-filled , high-security military bases that are intense in ways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being .
What makes FF7R the most fun , though , is that it ’ s also unafraid to be as silly as the PlayStation original .
There ’ s a dancing minigame , a quest that requires you to ask someone on a date , and a task to find a little girl ’ s lost cat friends .
It ’ s rare to play such a beautiful , big-budget console game these days that isn ’ t smugly hyper-serious about how high-powered and graphically intense it is .
FF7R ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its complex , even heartbreaking story is masterful work .
—Allegra Frank Survivor : Winners at War ( but really fire token queen Natalie Anderson ) This year , Survivor gave fans what they wanted .
At least on paper .
In its 40th season , the reality competition series brought back 20 of its most-beloved winners to face off against each other for a $ 2 million grand prize ( double the usual pot of $ 1 million , since these players are the best of the best ) .
But because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the returning players fans most wanted to see — the ones whom host Jeff Probst called “ old-school ” players — were voted out often and early .
A warning : Don ’ t Google contestants ’ names unless you want to be spoiled on how the season played out .
Your mileage may vary depending on how much you enjoy the kooky antics of one Tony Vlachos , but as the season progressed , we were left with an aggressively unlikable final group that consisted of Tony , his dim lackeys , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outcast .
The most exciting wrinkle in the finale , which aired Wednesday , was that one voted-off player was allowed to return from what the show called the Edge of Extinction — a barren island containing barely any food and water .
That player may or may not have been Natalie Anderson , the first player voted off the season who had been chilling on the EoE for a month or so .
Anderson , who I am pretty sure could squat three of me , might be the key to turning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( and boring ) alliance down .
Survivor : Winners at War is streaming on CBS All Access .
—Alex Abad-Santos Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

Along with everything else, the coronavirus has upended pop culture: Movie theaters are closed, concerts and other live events are canceled or postponed, TV production is all but shut down. But the powers of the internet and digital media prevail! Whether old or new, there are still plenty of movies and TV shows and TikToks to watch, games to play, songs to listen to, and books to read.
Here at Vox Culture, we’ve been working hard to recommend all kinds of entertainment that might help you during your time spent at home. And in the process, we’ve been consuming oodles of it ourselves. So every weekend for the month of May, we’ll be sharing the pop culture we’re loving in our own lives; we think you might love some of it too.
Here are three things we loved this week.
Finally reading Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace
When my friend said, “I was thinking about reading War and Peace ...” and I immediately blurted out, “I’DLOVETOREADTHATTOOLETMEBUYACOPY,” I probably should have realized how starved for social interaction I had become. (Our book club for two is going great, thanks.) But I really had always meant to read War and Peace someday, when I found enough time, thanks to my obsession with the Broadway musical Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, which is adapted from a slim slice of the novel. And, well, here we are.
Plus, here’s something nobody is telling you: War and Peace? It’s really good! Yes, it’s enormous. Yes, there are dozens of characters. Yes, all of them have, like, nine different names. But we live in the internet era, and if I forget who’s who among the many, many, many interchangeable characters in the Russian military, I can Google it. And the book’s three main characters — endlessly searching Pierre, endlessly yearning Natasha, and endlessly frustrated Andrey — are so beautifully defined that you can always immerse yourself in their perspective. (Most of the book is written from their perspectives.)
I’m only about halfway done with Tolstoy’s epic, so he might botch the landing. I don’t know. But even if he does, War and Peace is a stunning accomplishment, zooming all the way into a single person’s point of view, then pulling all the way back to describe a vast battlefield or a beautiful ball. It is a book about people living their lives in the midst of catastrophe and realizing that everything eventually ends. Happiness is never forever, but neither is sorrow. Despair and horror and joy are all only temporary, and the best way to live life is to spread as little suffering as you possibly can. Or, as a different War and Peace-reading friend put it:
History is written by powerful figures, but the love of one’s fellow person (and for Tolstoy, also God) is what persists. Napoleon is Napoleon, but also only Napoleon. — in it for the money, not the science (@whyangelinawhy) May 15, 2020
Anyway, I know this book is pretty obscure, so let me recommend it to you. War and Peace! It’s good! —Emily VanDerWerff
Rediscovering a classic game with Final Fantasy VII Remake
Since I’m currently spending so much time on my couch, playing video games has become an even more routine part of my life as of late. It now feels wrong to go a day without spending an hour or two plugged into another world. I’ve talked before about how obsessed I am with the soul-soothing Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but since Final Fantasy VII Remake (FF7R) launched on PlayStation 4 earlier this month, I’ve become consumed by it too.
FF7R is a gorgeous overhaul of one of the most influential role-playing games of all time: 1997’s Final Fantasy VII for the original PlayStation. While the new game doesn’t follow the original game’s entire storyline — its abrupt finale is clearly meant to set up a second release in the franchise’s new remake saga — FF7R pads out some of the story, graphical, and gameplay deficiencies that weren’t possible 23 years ago.
I can’t stop thinking about how my character, Cloud, must choose between one of three, more-fleshed-out love interests, while also traversing through scary monster-filled, high-security military bases that are intense in ways the original game could only dream of being. What makes FF7R the most fun, though, is that it’s also unafraid to be as silly as the PlayStation original. There’s a dancing minigame, a quest that requires you to ask someone on a date, and a task to find a little girl’s lost cat friends. It’s rare to play such a beautiful, big-budget console game these days that isn’t smugly hyper-serious about how high-powered and graphically intense it is. FF7R’s ability to weave more lighthearted fun into its complex, even heartbreaking story is masterful work. —Allegra Frank
Survivor: Winners at War (but really fire token queen Natalie Anderson)
This year, Survivor gave fans what they wanted. At least on paper.
In its 40th season, the reality competition series brought back 20 of its most-beloved winners to face off against each other for a $2 million grand prize (double the usual pot of $1 million, since these players are the best of the best). But because Survivor is so unpredictable, many of the returning players fans most wanted to see — the ones whom host Jeff Probst called “old-school” players — were voted out often and early.
A warning: Don’t Google contestants’ names unless you want to be spoiled on how the season played out.
Your mileage may vary depending on how much you enjoy the kooky antics of one Tony Vlachos, but as the season progressed, we were left with an aggressively unlikable final group that consisted of Tony, his dim lackeys, and Michele Fitzgerald, an underdog and outcast.
The most exciting wrinkle in the finale, which aired Wednesday, was that one voted-off player was allowed to return from what the show called the Edge of Extinction — a barren island containing barely any food and water. That player may or may not have been Natalie Anderson, the first player voted off the season who had been chilling on the EoE for a month or so. Anderson, who I am pretty sure could squat three of me, might be the key to turning the game around and bringing its dominant (and boring) alliance down.
Survivor: Winners at War is streaming on CBS All Access. —Alex Abad-Santos