democracynow--2020-03-12--Lack of Paid Sick Leave Makes It Difficult for Many Workers to Comply with CDC Advice to Stay Home

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Nermeen Shaikh .
NERMEEN SHAIKH : As the number of coronavirus cases in the United States passes 1,300 cases with 38 deaths , more than 30 million workers lack access to paid sick leave .
President Trump addressed the nation Wednesday night , saying he will expand sick leave as part of the emergency response to the virus .
NERMEEN SHAIKH : That was President Trump speaking last night .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lamar Alexander of Tennessee blocked an attempt by Senate Democrats to quickly pass legislation requiring employers to grant paid sick leave .
AMY GOODMAN : This comes as Democrats in the House of Representatives prepare to debate a package of bills today to give workers 14 days paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave .
The bill also includes funding for low-income mothers and pregnant people who may be laid off due to coronavirus , $ 400 billion for local food banks and free coronavirus testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including those without insurance .
Labor Department data says one in four workers have no access to paid sick leave , including two-thirds of the lowest-income earners .
The U.S. is one of the only wealthy countries in the world that doesn ’ t require employers to offer its workers paid sick leave .
For more , we ’ re joined by two new guests .
In Washington , D.C. , Elise Gould , senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute .
Her most recent article is titled “ Amid COVID-19 Outbreak , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Most Have the Least.
” Here in New York , Donna Lieberman is with us , executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union .
Still with us , Robert Pollin , distinguished university professor of economics , co-director of the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst .
Elise Gould , let ’ s first go to you .
Lay out for us what is being debated right now , what needs to happen in this country , why paid sick leave is not only for people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , but for the whole community .
ELISE GOULD : It ’ s absolutely of utmost importance .
The CDC recommends that people stay home .
They stay home if they might be infected .
They stay home if they ’ re quarantined .
They stay home to stay out of harm ’ s way .
And unfortunately , as you ’ ve said already , about a quarter of U.S. workers don ’ t have paid sick days , don ’ t have the ability to stay home when they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , if they ’ re quarantined , or they need to take care of another family member .
So that is an important gap we need to absolutely fill with policy .
And luckily , policymakers can do something about it .
What makes this even worse is that low-wage workers are far less likely to have paid days , and they ’ re far less likely to be able to work from home .
And when you think about the service sector , the sector that ’ s going to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they ’ re out in the public , but also because they ’ re going to have fewer customers , you ’ re going to see some layoffs .
You ’ re going to see people ’ s hours cut .
So it ’ s really important that we have those protections for those workers in particular .
NERMEEN SHAIKH : Well , Donna Lieberman , you ’ re the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union .
Could you explain who at the moment does have sick leave , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t ?
DONNA LIEBERMAN : Well , it ’ s really a mix .
The people who in New York lack paid sick leave are overwhelmingly low-paid workers and workers in the gig economy .
And that includes domestic workers .
It includes restaurant workers and — DONNA LIEBERMAN : Home healthcare workers and people who aren ’ t in unions .
And so — and here in New York , we have been campaigning for quite a while now to get mandatory paid sick leave .
And there are two issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of work and get your job back , and the other is getting paid .
And there ’ s legislation pending in New York to mandate that .
And that ’ s for the long term .
You know , we also have to deal with the immediate problem that we ’ re presented with , which is the coronavirus .
And it ’ s imperative that the state pass legislation that would guarantee that people will not lose their jobs or their income if they adhere to the public health best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine under a whole range of circumstances and work from home .
AMY GOODMAN : Meanwhile , some in the corporate sector are changing their policies in response to the pandemic , including Walmart , which launched an emergency leave policy for its 1.4 million hourly U.S. workers , after a Kentucky employee tested positive .
The nation ’ s largest private employer said Tuesday workers who are diagnosed or forced to quarantine will receive two weeks ’ pay , with additional compensation provided for up to 26 weeks for both full-time and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the parent company of Olive Garden , said it will now offer its hourly workers 40 hours of paid sick leave annually .
Ride-hailing app Uber said it would provide drivers diagnosed with coronavirus with 14 days paid sick leave , although it didn ’ t specify what that would amount to .
Lyft also said it would compensate sick drivers , but didn ’ t specify how .
Robert Pollin , if you can address all of these ?
And also , if they test positive for the coronavirus , it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to even get a test .
ROBERT POLLIN : Right .
So , this , again , really portrays the failure of our healthcare system to deal with anything , anything like this at all .
Now , what we therefore need to focus on is everybody recognizing that they can have the paid sick leave that they need , such that they are not going to face any kind of financial crisis on top of any kind of healthcare crisis .
And so , as Elise said , what we know is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in the lowest 10 % in terms of their pay scale , 90 % of them have no paid sick leave .
So this has to be recognized across the board , that everyone is going to get paid sick leave .
Now , Lamar Alexander said , “ Oh , this is all well and good , but we don ’ t know how to pay for it.
” It ’ s actually very easy to pay for it .
We just extend Medicaid benefits to everybody that needs this .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ do with the coronavirus .
And the federal government , yes , will pay for it .
I ’ m not opposed per se to employers getting a payroll tax cut , if that payroll tax cut is then used to help cover the cost of covering paid sick leave .
At the same time , the most important thing for people is to be able to get money in their pockets for that assurance and to recognize they have paid sick leave and full coverage for any kind of care that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Well , Professor Pollin , as you also mentioned , all of this is taking place in the context of a broader economic crisis in the United States , and , of course , the two are playing off one another .
It ’ s the the oil crisis , as well as the coronavirus , which has created this situation .
The U.S. is on the cusp of an economic recession .
Could you talk about what the impact of that will be on the possible government responses to the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ POLLIN : Well , you know , pumping money into the economy is basically what we need right now .
Even if it wasn ’ t a coronavirus crisis , it is a significant recession that we ’ re facing .
It would have happened anyway .
The financial markets have been overvalued for years .
They were vulnerable to any kind of shock , and so we ’ re experiencing that now .
So , one of the main things that happens that exacerbates a financial crisis is that state and local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run out of money because people don ’ t have as much .
They ’ re not spending on sales taxes .
And so , that would happen anyway .
Now , that ’ s going to get much worse than it would otherwise , precisely because the state governments are going to pay for Medicare expenses .
So the federal government has to move money from the federal government , contrary to Lamar Alexander .
They have to move money into covering Medicaid for the states , and so that the states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fact that they don ’ t have money .
On top of that , then spending by the federal government .
As I said , in 2008 , the Bush administration sent out checks , just sent out checks .
If you ’ re just going to wait for payroll tax cuts , these are going to dribble out slowly over time .
What we need is a positive shock to the economy to counteract the negative shock of the coronavirus .
The positive shock is at least people will know that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they will be disproportionately beneficial for low-income people who depend on service sector jobs , as Elise said — restaurant workers , hotel workers , gig economy workers .
They need to feel that they are going to be financially stable and that they will not go bankrupt due to having to get a coronavirus test — ROBERT POLLIN : — or , if they ’ re tested positive , getting treatment .
AMY GOODMAN : Let me ask Elise Gould .
We only have a minute , but what would a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now ?
What do you see — you ’ re in Washington — is being debated in the House ?
What happens , for example , with undocumented immigrants ?
When you talk about the gig economy , how are people going to be protected at this moment ?
ELISE GOULD : That ’ s a great question .
And I think Robert is absolutely right .
We need to take all the measures to make sure that people have the paid sick days , but that ’ s not enough .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their pockets .
This recession is going to affect service sector workers , lower-paid workers .
We need to get money in their pockets now , and we need to make sure that they can stay home , they have all the economic incentives to stay home , which means that they get paid to stay home .
If that means expanding the unemployment insurance program , I think that ’ s great .
I agree that payroll tax is sort of too little , too late .
We need to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pockets of people right now , and then the money in the states , I think , absolutely , covering those Medicaid matches for the increased demand and making sure states have the money to take care of the people .
AMY GOODMAN : And finally , in New York state , Donna Lieberman , you ’ re part of this coalition for — how does it divide , by the state and the federal government ?
And when Governor Cuomo says that we want to make sure that insurance companies pay full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what if you don ’ t have insurance ?
DONNA LIEBERMAN : New York has a very liberal Medicaid program .
But you ’ ve nailed it .
You know , paying for testing , if and when they actually become available — and they ’ re not available thanks to the bumbling of the federal government — is essential .
And testing is meaningful in terms of public health , but it is not meaningful without treatment for people who are sick .
So I think that New York ’ s Medicaid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think the governor has said that testing will be free , but it has to be available , broadly available , and that requires some push on the federal government .
AMY GOODMAN : Well , we want to thank you all .
We ’ re going to continue to be on this , Donna Lieberman of the New York Civil Liberties Union , Elise Gould of the Economic Policy Institute , and Robert Pollin , an economist at UMass Amherst , which has just closed .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! I’m Amy Goodman, with Nermeen Shaikh.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: As the number of coronavirus cases in the United States passes 1,300 cases with 38 deaths, more than 30 million workers lack access to paid sick leave. President Trump addressed the nation Wednesday night, saying he will expand sick leave as part of the emergency response to the virus.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: If you are sick or not feeling well, stay home. To ensure that working Americans impacted by the virus can stay home without fear of financial hardship, I will soon be taking emergency action, which is unprecedented, to provide financial relief. This will be targeted for workers who are ill, quarantined or caring for others due to coronavirus. I will be asking Congress to take legislative action to extend this relief.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: That was President Trump speaking last night. But the same day, Republican Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee blocked an attempt by Senate Democrats to quickly pass legislation requiring employers to grant paid sick leave.
SEN. LAMAR ALEXANDER: The idea of paid sick leave is a good idea, but if Washington, D.C., thinks it’s a good idea, Washington, D.C., should pay for it. When I was governor of Tennessee, nothing used to make me more unhappy than some well-meaning individual in the United States Senate or House coming up with a big idea, passing it, taking credit for it and sending me the bill. And so, employees are struggling. So are employers struggling.
AMY GOODMAN: This comes as Democrats in the House of Representatives prepare to debate a package of bills today to give workers 14 days paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave. The bill also includes funding for low-income mothers and pregnant people who may be laid off due to coronavirus, $400 billion for local food banks and free coronavirus testing for all those who need it, including those without insurance. Labor Department data says one in four workers have no access to paid sick leave, including two-thirds of the lowest-income earners. The U.S. is one of the only wealthy countries in the world that doesn’t require employers to offer its workers paid sick leave.
For more, we’re joined by two new guests. In Washington, D.C., Elise Gould, senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute. Her most recent article is titled “Amid COVID-19 Outbreak, the Workers Who Need Paid Sick Days the Most Have the Least.” Here in New York, Donna Lieberman is with us, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. Still with us, Robert Pollin, distinguished university professor of economics, co-director of the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Elise Gould, let’s first go to you. Lay out for us what is being debated right now, what needs to happen in this country, why paid sick leave is not only for people who individually have it or could get it, but for the whole community.
ELISE GOULD: It’s absolutely of utmost importance. The CDC recommends that people stay home. They stay home if they might be infected. They stay home if they’re quarantined. They stay home to stay out of harm’s way. And unfortunately, as you’ve said already, about a quarter of U.S. workers don’t have paid sick days, don’t have the ability to stay home when they’re sick or they need to stay home, if they’re quarantined, or they need to take care of another family member. So that is an important gap we need to absolutely fill with policy. And luckily, policymakers can do something about it.
What makes this even worse is that low-wage workers are far less likely to have paid days, and they’re far less likely to be able to work from home. And when you think about the service sector, the sector that’s going to get particularly hit by this, not only because they’re out in the public, but also because they’re going to have fewer customers, you’re going to see some layoffs. You’re going to see people’s hours cut. So it’s really important that we have those protections for those workers in particular.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Well, Donna Lieberman, you’re the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. Could you explain who at the moment does have sick leave, paid sick leave, and who doesn’t?
DONNA LIEBERMAN: Well, it’s really a mix. The people who in New York lack paid sick leave are overwhelmingly low-paid workers and workers in the gig economy. And that includes domestic workers. It includes restaurant workers and —
AMY GOODMAN: Home healthcare workers?
DONNA LIEBERMAN: Home healthcare workers and people who aren’t in unions. And so — and here in New York, we have been campaigning for quite a while now to get mandatory paid sick leave. And there are two issues. One is being able to stay out of work and get your job back, and the other is getting paid. And there’s legislation pending in New York to mandate that. And that’s for the long term.
You know, we also have to deal with the immediate problem that we’re presented with, which is the coronavirus. And it’s imperative that the state pass legislation that would guarantee that people will not lose their jobs or their income if they adhere to the public health best practices, which is to stay in quarantine under a whole range of circumstances and work from home.
AMY GOODMAN: Meanwhile, some in the corporate sector are changing their policies in response to the pandemic, including Walmart, which launched an emergency leave policy for its 1.4 million hourly U.S. workers, after a Kentucky employee tested positive. The nation’s largest private employer said Tuesday workers who are diagnosed or forced to quarantine will receive two weeks’ pay, with additional compensation provided for up to 26 weeks for both full-time and part-time hourly workers. Darden Restaurants, the parent company of Olive Garden, said it will now offer its hourly workers 40 hours of paid sick leave annually. Ride-hailing app Uber said it would provide drivers diagnosed with coronavirus with 14 days paid sick leave, although it didn’t specify what that would amount to. Lyft also said it would compensate sick drivers, but didn’t specify how. Robert Pollin, if you can address all of these? And also, if they test positive for the coronavirus, it is extremely difficult for people in this country to even get a test.
ROBERT POLLIN: Right. So, this, again, really portrays the failure of our healthcare system to deal with anything, anything like this at all. Now, what we therefore need to focus on is everybody recognizing that they can have the paid sick leave that they need, such that they are not going to face any kind of financial crisis on top of any kind of healthcare crisis. And so, as Elise said, what we know is that people, let’s say, in the lowest 10% in terms of their pay scale, 90% of them have no paid sick leave. So this has to be recognized across the board, that everyone is going to get paid sick leave.
Now, Lamar Alexander said, “Oh, this is all well and good, but we don’t know how to pay for it.” It’s actually very easy to pay for it. We just extend Medicaid benefits to everybody that needs this. We expand Medicare to cover everything to do with the coronavirus. And the federal government, yes, will pay for it. I’m not opposed per se to employers getting a payroll tax cut, if that payroll tax cut is then used to help cover the cost of covering paid sick leave. At the same time, the most important thing for people is to be able to get money in their pockets for that assurance and to recognize they have paid sick leave and full coverage for any kind of care that they need with the coronavirus.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Well, Professor Pollin, as you also mentioned, all of this is taking place in the context of a broader economic crisis in the United States, and, of course, the two are playing off one another. It’s the the oil crisis, as well as the coronavirus, which has created this situation. The U.S. is on the cusp of an economic recession. Could you talk about what the impact of that will be on the possible government responses to the coronavirus as we see more infections?
ROBERT POLLIN: Well, you know, pumping money into the economy is basically what we need right now. Even if it wasn’t a coronavirus crisis, it is a significant recession that we’re facing. It would have happened anyway. The financial markets have been overvalued for years. They were vulnerable to any kind of shock, and so we’re experiencing that now. So, one of the main things that happens that exacerbates a financial crisis is that state and local governments run out of money. They run out of money because people don’t have as much. They’re not spending on sales taxes. And so, that would happen anyway.
Now, that’s going to get much worse than it would otherwise, precisely because the state governments are going to pay for Medicare expenses. So the federal government has to move money from the federal government, contrary to Lamar Alexander. They have to move money into covering Medicaid for the states, and so that the states don’t deepen the crisis with the fact that they don’t have money. On top of that, then spending by the federal government. As I said, in 2008, the Bush administration sent out checks, just sent out checks. If you’re just going to wait for payroll tax cuts, these are going to dribble out slowly over time.
What we need is a positive shock to the economy to counteract the negative shock of the coronavirus. The positive shock is at least people will know that they’re getting these checks, that they will be disproportionately beneficial for low-income people who depend on service sector jobs, as Elise said — restaurant workers, hotel workers, gig economy workers. They need to feel that they are going to be financially stable and that they will not go bankrupt due to having to get a coronavirus test —
AMY GOODMAN: Elise —
ROBERT POLLIN: — or, if they’re tested positive, getting treatment.
AMY GOODMAN: Let me ask Elise Gould. We only have a minute, but what would a comprehensive worker protection plan look like right now? What do you see — you’re in Washington — is being debated in the House? What happens, for example, with undocumented immigrants? When you talk about the gig economy, how are people going to be protected at this moment?
ELISE GOULD: That’s a great question. And I think Robert is absolutely right. We need to take all the measures to make sure that people have the paid sick days, but that’s not enough. We need to make sure people have money in their pockets. This recession is going to affect service sector workers, lower-paid workers. We need to get money in their pockets now, and we need to make sure that they can stay home, they have all the economic incentives to stay home, which means that they get paid to stay home. If that means expanding the unemployment insurance program, I think that’s great. I agree that payroll tax is sort of too little, too late. We need to make sure that we get money in the pockets of people right now, and then the money in the states, I think, absolutely, covering those Medicaid matches for the increased demand and making sure states have the money to take care of the people.
AMY GOODMAN: And finally, in New York state, Donna Lieberman, you’re part of this coalition for — how does it divide, by the state and the federal government? And when Governor Cuomo says that we want to make sure that insurance companies pay full amount, for example, testing, what if you don’t have insurance?
DONNA LIEBERMAN: New York has a very liberal Medicaid program. But you’ve nailed it. You know, paying for testing, if and when they actually become available — and they’re not available thanks to the bumbling of the federal government — is essential. And testing is meaningful in terms of public health, but it is not meaningful without treatment for people who are sick. So I think that New York’s Medicaid program is pretty good, and I think the governor has said that testing will be free, but it has to be available, broadly available, and that requires some push on the federal government.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we want to thank you all. We’re going to continue to be on this, Donna Lieberman of the New York Civil Liberties Union, Elise Gould of the Economic Policy Institute, and Robert Pollin, an economist at UMass Amherst, which has just closed.


democracynow--2020-03-12--Trump Calls COVID-19 "Foreign Virus" as Lack of Universal Healthcare Makes the Pandemic Worse

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
, democracynow.org , The War and Peace Report .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Nermeen Shaikh .
NERMEEN SHAIKH : After downplaying the threat of coronavirus for days , President Donald Trump struck a different tone Wednesday night in an Oval Office address .
As the number of confirmed cases in the United States topped 1,300 and the death toll reached 38 , Trump referred to the COVID-19 pathogen as a “ foreign virus ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China , ” and ordered a travel ban that ’ s unprecedented in U.S. history .
Trump ’ s address inspired panic in financial markets after he said he was imposing restrictions on a , quote , “ tremendous amount of trade and cargo ” from Europe .
Dow futures dropped 1,100 points immediately after the comments , building on historic losses in recent days that ended an 11-year bull market .
AMY GOODMAN : Despite the fact that his Oval Office address was scripted , the Trump administration quickly had to issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump tweeted the restriction , quote , “ stops people not goods.
” Trump also said during his speech U.S. insurance companies have agreed to waive all copayments for coronavirus treatments .
Then a spokesperson for America ’ s Health Insurance Plans quickly issued a statement saying the waived copays would only apply to coronavirus tests , not treatment .
And Trump also later clarified U.S. citizens in Europe would be allowed to return home , though they will have to undergo screenings .
Trump also proposed eliminating payroll tax through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ timeline that would extend the tax cut through his reelection campaign .
AMY GOODMAN : For more , we ’ re joined by Robert Pollin , distinguished university professor of economics , co-director of the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst .
The campus just announced it ’ s closing due to coronavirus .
Pollin ’ s forthcoming book , he co-authored with Noam Chomsky , is titled The Climate Crisis and the Global Green New Deal : The Political Economy of Saving the Planet .
In 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Analysis of Medicare for All.
” Robert Pollin , welcome to Democracy Now !
It ’ s great to have you with us .
And we thank the team that is in the studio now , with your university closing .
If you can talk about what Medicare for All would mean in the time of the coronavirus , and what President Trump is proposing around this payroll tax cut ?
ROBERT POLLIN : Sure .
Well , you kind of characterized everything very well with this news from the insurance companies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that the insurance companies agreed to waive all copayments .
Well , that turns out to not even be true .
I mean , that is a minimal gesture , but it turns out to have not even been true , because the insurance companies said they would only waive copayments for testing and not treatment .
So , what we have is the exacerbation of a crisis due to the fact , the absurdity , as Bernie Sanders put it , the absurdity that people can not feel confident that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exactly when everyone needs to feel like they can get the medical treatment that they need , that they can get testing , that they can get treatment , that they don ’ t have to worry about it , that they ’ re not going to go bankrupt , that their families are not going to lose their homes , that we can proceed in a way to solve the crisis as opposed to worsening it .
Under an economy that operates with Medicare for All , that would be the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have now .
NERMEEN SHAIKH : Well , do you expect that — Professor Pollin , do you expect that to change at all as more and more people are tested and , likely , more people are found to be infected ?
ROBERT POLLIN : Well , the proposal that Trump has come up with is , you know , absurdly inadequate .
The House Republicans are blocking the measure , as you reported at the top of the show — are blocking a measure to extend paid sick leave for everybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation with respect to the coronavirus and the economy .
Unlike most recessions , as we move into a recession , in this recession the impact is being felt immediately and is being felt primarily , first of all — ROBERT POLLIN : The impact is being felt — OK , the impact is being felt with service sector jobs , that are generally lower-paying jobs , jobs in the hospitality industry , jobs in transportation , so people that are working for airlines , people that are working moving baggage , people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very high proportion of those people are low-paid .
They don ’ t have healthcare , and they don ’ t get paid sick leave .
So , the first immediate step is to get money in these people ’ s pockets , because they ’ re facing layoffs and furloughs .
President Bush , in 2008 , sent out checks for everybody , $ 600 per person , $ 300 for children .
Something equivalent to that , at a higher level , maybe $ 2,000 , is what we need right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to dribble out slowly .
It will also benefit people at higher income levels disproportionate to people at lower income levels , so it ’ s not going to help the people that need it most .
And what the people need most is reassurance that they ’ re not going to lose their livelihoods , and that if they need medical treatment , they ’ re going to get medical treatment .
So , Trump has not proposed that .
Under a Medicare for All economy , of course , that would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOODMAN : I want to turn to the exit polls , in every state that voted in the Democratic primary in Super Tuesday 2 , showing strong support for Medicare for All , including in conservative Mississippi , where it has the backing of nearly two-thirds of Democratic voters .
Speaking on MSNBC Monday , Joe Biden indicated , if elected president , he would veto Medicare for All legislation should Congress send it to his desk .
This is what he said .
AMY GOODMAN : That was Joe Biden .
Robert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Look , Biden has been obfuscating the truth about Medicare for All throughout the campaign .
He ’ s not the only one , but he ’ s the only one left running .
The simple fact is , Medicare for All is capable of delivering high-quality good healthcare to every single person , every resident in the country , at lower cost .
Financing this is simple .
Financing this is simple because it is going to save money .
We know it ’ s going to save money because every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all , as Bernie Sanders said in his speech , at roughly half of what we now pay .
So , when Biden says we don ’ t know — we can ’ t possibly afford this , that it is going to bankrupt the country , that flies against all the evidence we have from all the other advanced economies and all the research that has been conducted by many people , myself included , but many other studies .
There was a study of all the studies that came out from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago , which said — not just mine — but showed roughly 20 studies , of which 18 of them all showed that under Medicare for All , we save money .
So , Biden , first of all , has at least got to acknowledge that truth , and then recognize — if he says , “ I ’ m going to veto this , ” then what we can say is , “ Therefore , you ’ re going to veto a plan in which everybody is able to get good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And how do you defend that position ?
” NERMEEN SHAIKH : Well , Professor Pollin , of course , that begs the question , if it is the case that Medicare for All — you wrote an economic analysis of Medicare for All — is going to be cheaper than the present system , then why is there opposition to it that ’ s sustained the present situation for as long as it has , you know , and , as you point out , which is very different from other advanced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the real answer is pretty simple .
There ’ s two big , big , big ways that we save money in Medicare for All relative to our existing system .
One is that we eliminate the private health insurance industry .
And , two , we dramatically lower pharmaceutical costs , the price of prescription drugs .
That means gigantic profits are going to be taken away from health insurance and the pharmaceutical industry .
I mean gigantic profits .
So , if we add it all up , we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are going to fight with everything they have to keep those profits , and they have virtually the entire political class in their pockets , including Joe Biden .
AMY GOODMAN : We ’ re going to talk about paid leave , such a critical issue in a time of COVID-19 , so that people don ’ t go to work sick , but then don ’ t lose money if they do .
We ’ re going to go to break .
We want you to stay with us , Robert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joined by another economist and a lawyer who is fighting for this in this state , New York , one of the epicenters of the coronavirus , and all over the country .
Stay with us .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. I’m Amy Goodman, with Nermeen Shaikh.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: After downplaying the threat of coronavirus for days, President Donald Trump struck a different tone Wednesday night in an Oval Office address. As the number of confirmed cases in the United States topped 1,300 and the death toll reached 38, Trump referred to the COVID-19 pathogen as a “foreign virus” that, quote, “started in China,” and ordered a travel ban that’s unprecedented in U.S. history. Trump’s address inspired panic in financial markets after he said he was imposing restrictions on a, quote, “tremendous amount of trade and cargo” from Europe. Dow futures dropped 1,100 points immediately after the comments, building on historic losses in recent days that ended an 11-year bull market.
AMY GOODMAN: Despite the fact that his Oval Office address was scripted, the Trump administration quickly had to issue a number of corrections. Among them, Trump tweeted the restriction, quote, “stops people not goods.” Trump also said during his speech U.S. insurance companies have agreed to waive all copayments for coronavirus treatments. Then a spokesperson for America’s Health Insurance Plans quickly issued a statement saying the waived copays would only apply to coronavirus tests, not treatment. And Trump also later clarified U.S. citizens in Europe would be allowed to return home, though they will have to undergo screenings. Trump also proposed eliminating payroll tax through the end of the year, with a timeline that would extend the tax cut through his reelection campaign.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I’m calling on Congress to provide Americans with immediate payroll tax relief. Hopefully, they will consider this very strongly. We are at a critical time in the fight against the virus. … I will never hesitate to take any necessary steps to protect the lives, health and safety of the American people. I will always put the well-being of America first.
AMY GOODMAN: For more, we’re joined by Robert Pollin, distinguished university professor of economics, co-director of the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The campus just announced it’s closing due to coronavirus. Pollin’s forthcoming book, he co-authored with Noam Chomsky, is titled The Climate Crisis and the Global Green New Deal: The Political Economy of Saving the Planet. In 2018, he co-authored a paper titled “Economic Analysis of Medicare for All.”
Robert Pollin, welcome to Democracy Now! It’s great to have you with us. And we thank the team that is in the studio now, with your university closing. If you can talk about what Medicare for All would mean in the time of the coronavirus, and what President Trump is proposing around this payroll tax cut?
ROBERT POLLIN: Sure. Well, you kind of characterized everything very well with this news from the insurance companies, wherein Trump announced, just last night, that the insurance companies agreed to waive all copayments. Well, that turns out to not even be true. I mean, that is a minimal gesture, but it turns out to have not even been true, because the insurance companies said they would only waive copayments for testing and not treatment.
So, what we have is the exacerbation of a crisis due to the fact, the absurdity, as Bernie Sanders put it, the absurdity that people cannot feel confident that they are going to get medical treatment, exactly when everyone needs to feel like they can get the medical treatment that they need, that they can get testing, that they can get treatment, that they don’t have to worry about it, that they’re not going to go bankrupt, that their families are not going to lose their homes, that we can proceed in a way to solve the crisis as opposed to worsening it. Under an economy that operates with Medicare for All, that would be the case. That’s not what we have now.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Well, do you expect that — Professor Pollin, do you expect that to change at all as more and more people are tested and, likely, more people are found to be infected?
ROBERT POLLIN: Well, the proposal that Trump has come up with is, you know, absurdly inadequate. The House Republicans are blocking the measure, as you reported at the top of the show — are blocking a measure to extend paid sick leave for everybody.
Now, here’s the situation with respect to the coronavirus and the economy. Unlike most recessions, as we move into a recession, in this recession the impact is being felt immediately and is being felt primarily, first of all —
AMY GOODMAN: Keep going, Professor Pollin.
ROBERT POLLIN: The impact is being felt — OK, the impact is being felt with service sector jobs, that are generally lower-paying jobs, jobs in the hospitality industry, jobs in transportation, so people that are working for airlines, people that are working moving baggage, people that are working in restaurants. A very high proportion of those people are low-paid. They don’t have healthcare, and they don’t get paid sick leave.
So, the first immediate step is to get money in these people’s pockets, because they’re facing layoffs and furloughs. President Bush, in 2008, sent out checks for everybody, $600 per person, $300 for children. Something equivalent to that, at a higher level, maybe $2,000, is what we need right now. A payroll tax is going to dribble out slowly. It will also benefit people at higher income levels disproportionate to people at lower income levels, so it’s not going to help the people that need it most.
And what the people need most is reassurance that they’re not going to lose their livelihoods, and that if they need medical treatment, they’re going to get medical treatment. So, Trump has not proposed that. Under a Medicare for All economy, of course, that would be a matter of course.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to turn to the exit polls, in every state that voted in the Democratic primary in Super Tuesday 2, showing strong support for Medicare for All, including in conservative Mississippi, where it has the backing of nearly two-thirds of Democratic voters. Speaking on MSNBC Monday, Joe Biden indicated, if elected president, he would veto Medicare for All legislation should Congress send it to his desk. This is what he said.
JOE BIDEN: I would veto anything that delays providing the security and the certainty of healthcare being available now.
AMY GOODMAN: That was Joe Biden. Robert Pollin, your response?
ROBERT POLLIN: Look, Biden has been obfuscating the truth about Medicare for All throughout the campaign. He’s not the only one, but he’s the only one left running. The simple fact is, Medicare for All is capable of delivering high-quality good healthcare to every single person, every resident in the country, at lower cost. Financing this is simple. Financing this is simple because it is going to save money. We know it’s going to save money because every other advanced economy is delivering healthcare for all, as Bernie Sanders said in his speech, at roughly half of what we now pay.
So, when Biden says we don’t know — we can’t possibly afford this, that it is going to bankrupt the country, that flies against all the evidence we have from all the other advanced economies and all the research that has been conducted by many people, myself included, but many other studies. There was a study of all the studies that came out from the University of California about two months ago, which said — not just mine — but showed roughly 20 studies, of which 18 of them all showed that under Medicare for All, we save money. So, Biden, first of all, has at least got to acknowledge that truth, and then recognize — if he says, “I’m going to veto this,” then what we can say is, “Therefore, you’re going to veto a plan in which everybody is able to get good, quality care at lower cost. And how do you defend that position?”
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Well, Professor Pollin, of course, that begs the question, if it is the case that Medicare for All — you wrote an economic analysis of Medicare for All — is going to be cheaper than the present system, then why is there opposition to it that’s sustained the present situation for as long as it has, you know, and, as you point out, which is very different from other advanced economies?
ROBERT POLLIN: Well, the real answer is pretty simple. There’s two big, big, big ways that we save money in Medicare for All relative to our existing system. One is that we eliminate the private health insurance industry. And, two, we dramatically lower pharmaceutical costs, the price of prescription drugs. That means gigantic profits are going to be taken away from health insurance and the pharmaceutical industry. I mean gigantic profits. So, if we add it all up, we’re approaching a trillion dollars here. And they are going to fight with everything they have to keep those profits, and they have virtually the entire political class in their pockets, including Joe Biden.
AMY GOODMAN: We’re going to talk about paid leave, such a critical issue in a time of COVID-19, so that people don’t go to work sick, but then don’t lose money if they do. We’re going to go to break. We want you to stay with us, Robert Pollin, and we’ll be joined by another economist and a lawyer who is fighting for this in this state, New York, one of the epicenters of the coronavirus, and all over the country. Stay with us.


democracynow--2020-03-12--Bernie Sanders: We Are Winning "Ideological" & "Generational" Debate, Now Need to Win "Electability"

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
NERMEEN SHAIKH : After a disappointing showing in Tuesday night ’ s Democratic presidential primaries , Senator Bernie Sanders announced his future plans on Wednesday .
Sanders was the front-runner until just two weeks ago and said he ’ ll stay in the race .
AMY GOODMAN : We begin today ’ s show with Bernie Sanders ’ address , in which he lays out a series of questions to his rival , former Vice President Joe Biden , on how he would address key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate crisis .
Sanders is set to debate Biden this Sunday in Phoenix .
Because of the coronavirus , there will be no audience .
Sanders spoke to reporters in Burlington , Vermont .
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS : Last night , obviously , was not a good night for our campaign from a delegate point of view .
We lost in the largest state up for grabs yesterday , the state of Michigan .
We lost in Mississippi , Missouri and Idaho .
On the other hand , we won in North Dakota @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state of Washington , the second-largest state contested yesterday .
With 67 % of the votes having been counted , we are a few thousand votes on top .
The American people are deeply concerned about the grotesque level of income and wealth inequality in this country , and the American people want the wealthy and large profitable corporations to start paying their fair share of taxes .
Overwhelming support for that .
The American people understand that the federal minimum wage of $ 7.25 an hour is a starvation wage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wage in this country to a living wage of at least $ 15 an hour .
And the American people understand that if our kids are going to make it into the middle class of this country , we must make public colleges and universities and trade schools tuition-free .
The American people understand that we can not continue a cruel and dysfunctional healthcare system .
And it is amazing to me to see that even in conservative states like Mississippi , there is an overwhelming understanding that we are now spending twice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do the people of any other country , while 87 million of us remain uninsured or underinsured .
And this crisis , this absurd healthcare system , is becoming more and more obvious to the American people as we face the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic that we are currently experiencing .
Imagine facing a pandemic and having 87 million people who are having a difficult time going to a doctor when they need .
But it is not just the ideological debate that our progressive movement is winning .
We are winning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues to do very well with older Americans , especially those people over 65 , our campaign continues to win the vast majority of the votes of younger people .
And I am talking about people not just in their twenties , but in their thirties and their forties .
The younger generations of this country continue , in very strong numbers , to support our campaign .
Today I say to the Democratic establishment , in order to win in the future , you need to win the voters who represent the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must speak to the issues of concern to them .
You can not simply be satisfied by winning the votes of people who are older .
While our campaign has won the ideological debate , we are losing the debate over electability .
I can not tell you how many people our campaign has spoken to who have said , and I quote , “ I like what your campaign stands for .
I agree with what your campaign stands for .
But I ’ m going to vote for Joe Biden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate to defeat Donald Trump , ” end of quote .
We have heard that statement all over this country .
Needless to say , I strongly disagree with that assertion , but that is what millions of Democrats and independents today believe .
Joe , what are you going to do for the 500,000 people who go bankrupt in our country because of medically related debt ?
And what are you going to do for the working people of this country and small business people who are paying on average 20 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , what are you going to do to end the absurdity of the United States of America being the only major country on Earth where healthcare is not a human right ?
Are you really going to veto a Medicare for All bill if it is passed in Congress ?
Joe , at a time when most young people need a higher education to make it into the middle class , what are you going to do to make sure that all of our people can go to college or trade school regardless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you going to do about the millions of people who are struggling with outrageous levels of student debt ?
Joe , what are you going to do about the fact that we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country on Earth and are living with the fact that 500,000 people tonight are homeless and 18 million families are spending half of their income to put a roof over their heads ?
Joe , importantly , what are you going to do to end the absurdity of billionaires buying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America owning more wealth than the bottom half of our people ?
AMY GOODMAN : That ’ s Senator Bernie Sanders announcing his future plans Wednesday in Burlington , Vermont .
Senator Sanders was the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination until just two weeks ago .
He said he ’ s staying in the race , is set to debate Joe Biden this Sunday in Phoenix , Arizona .
Because of the coronavirus pandemic , there will not be an audience in the room .
When we come back , leading economist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All and what it means in this time of the coronavirus .
Stay with us .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: After a disappointing showing in Tuesday night’s Democratic presidential primaries, Senator Bernie Sanders announced his future plans on Wednesday. Sanders was the front-runner until just two weeks ago and said he’ll stay in the race.
AMY GOODMAN: We begin today’s show with Bernie Sanders’ address, in which he lays out a series of questions to his rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, on how he would address key issues like economic inequality, healthcare and climate crisis. Sanders is set to debate Biden this Sunday in Phoenix. Because of the coronavirus, there will be no audience. Sanders spoke to reporters in Burlington, Vermont.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Last night, obviously, was not a good night for our campaign from a delegate point of view. We lost in the largest state up for grabs yesterday, the state of Michigan. We lost in Mississippi, Missouri and Idaho. On the other hand, we won in North Dakota, and we lead the vote count in the state of Washington, the second-largest state contested yesterday. With 67% of the votes having been counted, we are a few thousand votes on top.
What became even more apparent yesterday is that while we are currently losing the delegate count — approximately 800 delegates for Joe Biden and 660 for us — we are strongly winning in two enormously important areas which will determine the future of our country. Poll after poll, including exit polls, show that a strong majority of the American people support our progressive agenda.
The American people are deeply concerned about the grotesque level of income and wealth inequality in this country, and the American people want the wealthy and large profitable corporations to start paying their fair share of taxes. Overwhelming support for that. The American people understand that the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour is a starvation wage. They want to raise the minimum wage in this country to a living wage of at least $15 an hour. And the American people understand that if our kids are going to make it into the middle class of this country, we must make public colleges and universities and trade schools tuition-free.
The American people understand that we cannot continue a cruel and dysfunctional healthcare system. And it is amazing to me to see that even in conservative states like Mississippi, there is an overwhelming understanding that we are now spending twice as much per capita on healthcare as do the people of any other country, while 87 million of us remain uninsured or underinsured. And this crisis, this absurd healthcare system, is becoming more and more obvious to the American people as we face the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic that we are currently experiencing. Imagine facing a pandemic and having 87 million people who are having a difficult time going to a doctor when they need.
And the American people know, unlike Donald Trump, that climate change is an existential threat to our country and the planet, and that we need to transform our energy system away from fossil fuel to energy efficiency and sustainable energy.
And the American people also know that we need fundamental transformation of a broken and racist criminal justice system, as well as a cruel immigration system that keeps millions of people living in fear.
But it is not just the ideological debate that our progressive movement is winning. We are winning the generational debate. While Joe Biden continues to do very well with older Americans, especially those people over 65, our campaign continues to win the vast majority of the votes of younger people. And I am talking about people not just in their twenties, but in their thirties and their forties. The younger generations of this country continue, in very strong numbers, to support our campaign. Today I say to the Democratic establishment, in order to win in the future, you need to win the voters who represent the future of our country, and you must speak to the issues of concern to them. You cannot simply be satisfied by winning the votes of people who are older.
While our campaign has won the ideological debate, we are losing the debate over electability. I cannot tell you how many people our campaign has spoken to who have said, and I quote, “I like what your campaign stands for. I agree with what your campaign stands for. But I’m going to vote for Joe Biden, because I think Joe is the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump,” end of quote. We have heard that statement all over this country. Needless to say, I strongly disagree with that assertion, but that is what millions of Democrats and independents today believe.
On Sunday, I very much look forward to the debate in Arizona with my friend Joe Biden. And let me be very frank as to the questions that I will be asking Joe.
Joe, what are you going to do for the 500,000 people who go bankrupt in our country because of medically related debt? And what are you going to do for the working people of this country and small business people who are paying on average 20% of their incomes for healthcare? Joe, what are you going to do to end the absurdity of the United States of America being the only major country on Earth where healthcare is not a human right? Are you really going to veto a Medicare for All bill if it is passed in Congress?
Joe, how are you going to respond to the scientists who tell us we have seven or eight years remaining to transform our energy system before irreparable harm takes place to this planet because of the ravages of climate change?
Joe, at a time when most young people need a higher education to make it into the middle class, what are you going to do to make sure that all of our people can go to college or trade school regardless of their income? And what are you going to do about the millions of people who are struggling with outrageous levels of student debt?
Joe, at a time when we have more people in jail than communist China, a nation four times our size, what are you going to do to end mass incarceration and a racist criminal justice system? And what are you going to do to end the terror that millions of undocumented people experience right now because of our broken and inhumane immigration system?
Joe, what are you going to do about the fact that we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country on Earth and are living with the fact that 500,000 people tonight are homeless and 18 million families are spending half of their income to put a roof over their heads? Joe, importantly, what are you going to do to end the absurdity of billionaires buying elections and the three wealthiest people in America owning more wealth than the bottom half of our people?
So, let me conclude the way I began. Donald Trump must be defeated, and I will do everything in my power to make that happens. On Sunday night, in the first one-on-one debate of this campaign, the American people will have the opportunity to see which candidate is best positioned to accomplish that goal. Thank you all very much.
AMY GOODMAN: That’s Senator Bernie Sanders announcing his future plans Wednesday in Burlington, Vermont. Senator Sanders was the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination until just two weeks ago. He said he’s staying in the race, is set to debate Joe Biden this Sunday in Phoenix, Arizona. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, there will not be an audience in the room.
When we come back, leading economist Robert Pollin will talk about Medicare for All and what it means in this time of the coronavirus. Stay with us.


democracynow--2020-03-12--Headlines for March 12, 2020

Headlines for March 12, 2020

In the United States , President Trump addressed the nation in a primetime speech from the Oval Office Wednesday , ordering a travel ban that ’ s unprecedented in U.S. history .
President Donald Trump : “ I have decided to take several strong but necessary actions to protect the health and well-being of all Americans .
To keep new cases from entering our shores , we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days.
” Trump said the travel ban would not apply to the United Kingdom — even though coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump owns Trump Turnberry and Trump International Golf Links in Britain .
Trump ’ s address inspired panic in financial markets after he said he was imposing restrictions on “ tremendous amount of trade and cargo ” from Europe .
Dow futures dropped 1,100 points immediately after the comments , building on historic losses in recent days that ended an 11-year bull market .
Trump quickly issued a correction to his Oval Office address , tweeting that the restriction “ stops people not goods.
” Trump also said during his speech that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all copayments for coronavirus treatments .
A spokesperson for America ’ s Health Insurance Plans quickly issued a statement saying the waived copays would only apply to coronavirus tests , not treatment .
And Trump also later clarified that U.S. citizens in Europe will be allowed to return home — though they will have to undergo screenings .
During the address , Trump referred to the COVID-19 pathogen as a “ foreign virus ” that “ started in China.
” China ’ s Foreign Ministry has condemned such rhetoric as a “ despicable @ @ @ @ @ @ @

In the United States, President Trump addressed the nation in a primetime speech from the Oval Office Wednesday, ordering a travel ban that’s unprecedented in U.S. history.
President Donald Trump: “I have decided to take several strong but necessary actions to protect the health and well-being of all Americans. To keep new cases from entering our shores, we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days.”
Trump said the travel ban would not apply to the United Kingdom — even though coronavirus is spreading in Britain and Northern Ireland. Trump owns Trump Turnberry and Trump International Golf Links in Britain.
Trump’s address inspired panic in financial markets after he said he was imposing restrictions on “tremendous amount of trade and cargo” from Europe. Dow futures dropped 1,100 points immediately after the comments, building on historic losses in recent days that ended an 11-year bull market. Trump quickly issued a correction to his Oval Office address, tweeting that the restriction “stops people not goods.”
Trump also said during his speech that U.S. insurance companies have agreed to waive all copayments for coronavirus treatments. A spokesperson for America’s Health Insurance Plans quickly issued a statement saying the waived copays would only apply to coronavirus tests, not treatment.
And Trump also later clarified that U.S. citizens in Europe will be allowed to return home — though they will have to undergo screenings.
During the address, Trump referred to the COVID-19 pathogen as a “foreign virus” that “started in China.” China’s Foreign Ministry has condemned such rhetoric as a “despicable practice” meant to stigmatize China.


democracynow--2020-03-11--Nurses on the Frontlines of Coronavirus Pandemic Demand More Protection & Medicare for All

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Juan González .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : We turn now to look at how healthcare workers are being put at risk as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread .
The number of cases in the U.S. passed 1,000 Tuesday , with the rate of infections likely increasing .
Thirty-two people in the country have died .
Despite this , the U.S. continues to lag on testing , and healthcare workers say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow them to safely care for infected patients .
They also say the country ’ s hospitals are woefully unprepared to handle the crisis .
Nurses in the hot zones of California and Washington had already reported having to beg for face masks and decried a systemic lack of guidance on how to address the virus .
But Tuesday , National Nurses United said the Centers for Disease Control actually weakened its guidelines on responding to the pandemic .
AMY GOODMAN : In response , nurses with the National Nurses United and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holding a national day of action today to demand better protections for healthcare workers and the public .
This all comes as coronavirus has also rallied nurses around the fight for Medicare for All .
On Tuesday , Vice President Mike Pence spoke about health insurance for people who contract coronavirus .
AMY GOODMAN : Bonnie Castillo , executive director of National Nurses United , tweeted earlier this week , “ # COVID19 lays bare truths # nurses know all too well : our health care system is cruel , inhumane , & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect public health .
We MUST rise to the challenge .
Any vaccine or treatment developed with taxpayer dollars must be provided free of charge.
” Well , for more , we go to Minneapolis , where we ’ re joined by National Nurses United President Jean Ross .
Still with us , The Intercept 's Naomi Klein and Alicia Garza , who 's with National Domestic Workers Alliance .
Jean Ross , thank you for joining us .
Talk about today ’ s day of action , what you ’ re calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fits into this story in this time of coronavirus .
JEAN ROSS : Well , basically , we ’ re calling for protections for registered nurses and other healthcare workers , who are the people that are going to be caring for the COVID-19-affected patients .
Right now we did a survey at the end of February , and what we found was only 29 % of our nurses and other nurses that were surveyed said that there was a plan in place to deal with any of these patients .
Twenty-two percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if there was a plan .
We had only 63 % that said they had enough N95 respirators .
Twenty-three percent said they had what we call PAPRs , powered air purifying respirators .
Only 30 % said they could come up with enough what we call PPE , personal protective equipment , should there be a surge in COVID-19 patients .
And some said they just plain didn ’ t know .
And we have been calling for this protection for healthcare workers , not just for many months now , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Ebola crisis hit our shores .
And sad to say , we are still very lacking .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : Could you talk about the most vulnerable communities , including undocumented immigrants and those with no health insurance whatsoever , what prevents them then to go to a hospital to seek care even if they get sick ?
JEAN ROSS : Well , if we had a national healthcare system , like some other countries do , we would be in a far better position .
For example , if you look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to undergo the SARS crisis , and they were able to do it in large part because of that system .
We have such a patchwork here that ’ s dependent on profit .
Then our homeless communities , our immigrants , that you mentioned , those of lower economic status are going to be the ones hardest hit .
They ’ re going to not want to come in , because they don ’ t have the money to pay .
They may or may not have heard about what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still is insurance companies , for-profit companies , deciding what they ’ ll do , and not our government , our society , deciding what we ’ ll do for people who need care .
AMY GOODMAN : Exit polls in every state voting Super Tuesday 2 showed strong support for Medicare for All , including in Mississippi , where it has the backing of nearly two-thirds of Democratic voters .
But speaking on MSNBC Monday , Joe Biden indicated , if elected president , he would veto Medicare for All legislation should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is what he said .
JOE BIDEN : I would veto anything that delays providing the security and the certainty of healthcare being available now .
If they got that through , and by some miracle , and there was an epiphany that occurred , and some miracle occurred that said , “ OK , it ’ s passed , ” then you ’ ve got to look at the cost .
I want to know : How did they find the $ 35 trillion ?
What is that doing ?
Is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the middle class ?
Which it will .
What ’ s going to happen ?
Look , my opposition isn ’ t to the principle that there should be — you should have Medicare .
I mean , if everybody — healthcare should be a right in America .
My opposition relates to whether or not , A , it ’ s doable , two , what the cost is , and what the consequences for the rest of the budget are .
AMY GOODMAN : That ’ s Joe Biden .
Jean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , let ’ s get your response , then Alicia Garza and Naomi Klein .
JEAN ROSS : Well , first of all , it ’ s not that healthcare should be a human right .
It just plain is .
And we see now that the American people agree with us .
As far as cost , I believe he knows exactly what it ’ s costing now , and we can ’ t afford what we are doing .
So , any costs that would be incurred with putting it in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ savings that we would have afterward .
I ’ m afraid that until we keep insisting that those for-profit insurance companies are part of a system , we will never achieve what we need to guarantee care for everyone as a human right .
AMY GOODMAN : Let ’ s go to Alicia Garza , who , among the hats she wears , is with the National Domestic Workers Alliance .
Alicia ?
ALICIA GARZA : I mean , if nothing else , we can see here that Joe Biden is not Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that what ’ s at stake here are millions of workers , many of whom are immigrant workers and workers of color and women and people who are trying to put food on their tables while also caring for other people , and doing so in the midst , as I said earlier , of a global pandemic .
I work with domestic workers , who are people who work inside of people ’ s homes .
For us , a home is a workplace .
And frankly , domestic workers are locked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should protect all workers , that would give workers sick days and paid time off .
And we ’ re seeing that in the midst of this pandemic , the real kind of underpinnings of the abuses that workers are facing in this economy are coming to broad daylight .
Domestic workers already don ’ t have access to paid time off , paid sick days , etc.
, and are caring for some of the most vulnerable people in our society and helping to make families make ends meet .
And so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re really concerned about is making sure that , at the very least , that there is an expansion of access to the things that people need , particularly in this type of crisis , but in general and overall .
People need access to affordable and quality healthcare .
And in this very moment , people also need to be able to take time off , take care of their families and take sick days , or else this global pandemic will continue to spread .
And under this current administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s any reason for us to think that they ’ ve got it under control .
In fact , that could have happened months ago , and now we are in a situation where , as we understand it , containment is not possible .
So , what we can do in this moment is make sure , particularly , that the people who are caring for folk who have been affected by this crisis , including nurses , including domestic workers , are well taken care of in this moment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make sure that protections are strong .
And another way to do that is to make sure that we ’ re holding this administration accountable for keeping insurance companies in check , and that we ’ re holding — JUAN GONZÁLEZ : Alicia , if I could just cut you off a second , because we just have about 30 seconds .
We want to get Naomi to get her final words in on this .
NAOMI KLEIN : Well , look , I agree completely .
This administration is uniquely ill-equipped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are not treating it as a health crisis .
They ’ re treating it as a PR crisis .
They ’ ve shown again and again that they — when they don ’ t like reality , they just try to bury it , I mean , in the same way that they don ’ t want to talk about what our satellites are measuring in terms of climate change , in the same that they suppress the number of people who died after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico .
Now they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis is going to go away .
And we need leadership that actually is guided by objective reality and science , and puts people first .
AMY GOODMAN : We ’ re going to have to leave it there , but of course we continue with you .
Tomorrow we ’ re going to focus on the issue of paid sick leave and so much more , bringing you updates from New Rochelle , the epicenter in the country , and other places around the world .
Naomi Klein , senior correspondent at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of media , culture and feminist studies at Rutgers University ; Alicia Garza with the National Domestic Workers Alliance , Black Futures Lab , Black Lives Matter Global Network ; and Jean Ross , president of National Nurses United , speaking to us from Minneapolis .
That does it for our show .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Juan González .
Thanks so much for joining us , and be safe .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: We turn now to look at how healthcare workers are being put at risk as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread. The number of cases in the U.S. passed 1,000 Tuesday, with the rate of infections likely increasing. Thirty-two people in the country have died. Despite this, the U.S. continues to lag on testing, and healthcare workers say they lack adequate protection and protocols to allow them to safely care for infected patients. They also say the country’s hospitals are woefully unprepared to handle the crisis. Nurses in the hot zones of California and Washington had already reported having to beg for face masks and decried a systemic lack of guidance on how to address the virus. But Tuesday, National Nurses United said the Centers for Disease Control actually weakened its guidelines on responding to the pandemic.
AMY GOODMAN: In response, nurses with the National Nurses United and the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee are holding a national day of action today to demand better protections for healthcare workers and the public. This all comes as coronavirus has also rallied nurses around the fight for Medicare for All. On Tuesday, Vice President Mike Pence spoke about health insurance for people who contract coronavirus.
VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE: Today, President Trump assembled a top health insurance executives in America. And as we announced earlier today, all of our major health insurance companies have now joined with Medicare and Medicaid and agreed to waive all copays, cover the cost of all treatment for those who contract the coronavirus. They have committed to no surprise billing. And they’ve committed to encourage telemedicine.
AMY GOODMAN: Bonnie Castillo, executive director of National Nurses United, tweeted earlier this week, “#COVID19 lays bare truths #nurses know all too well: our health care system is cruel, inhumane, & inefficient. It is our duty to protect public health. We MUST rise to the challenge. Any vaccine or treatment developed with taxpayer dollars must be provided free of charge.”
Well, for more, we go to Minneapolis, where we’re joined by National Nurses United President Jean Ross. Still with us, The Intercept's Naomi Klein and Alicia Garza, who's with National Domestic Workers Alliance.
Jean Ross, thank you for joining us. Talk about today’s day of action, what you’re calling for, and where Medicare for All fits into this story in this time of coronavirus.
JEAN ROSS: Well, basically, we’re calling for protections for registered nurses and other healthcare workers, who are the people that are going to be caring for the COVID-19-affected patients. Right now we did a survey at the end of February, and what we found was only 29% of our nurses and other nurses that were surveyed said that there was a plan in place to deal with any of these patients. Twenty-two percent said they didn’t even know if there was a plan. We had only 63% that said they had enough N95 respirators. Twenty-three percent said they had what we call PAPRs, powered air purifying respirators. Only 30% said they could come up with enough what we call PPE, personal protective equipment, should there be a surge in COVID-19 patients. And some said they just plain didn’t know. And we have been calling for this protection for healthcare workers, not just for many months now, but also, if you recall, since the Ebola crisis hit our shores. And sad to say, we are still very lacking.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Could you talk about the most vulnerable communities, including undocumented immigrants and those with no health insurance whatsoever, what prevents them then to go to a hospital to seek care even if they get sick?
JEAN ROSS: Well, if we had a national healthcare system, like some other countries do, we would be in a far better position. For example, if you look at a country like Canada, who had to undergo the SARS crisis, and they were able to do it in large part because of that system. We have such a patchwork here that’s dependent on profit. Then our homeless communities, our immigrants, that you mentioned, those of lower economic status are going to be the ones hardest hit. They’re going to not want to come in, because they don’t have the money to pay. They may or may not have heard about what the vice president just said. But that still is insurance companies, for-profit companies, deciding what they’ll do, and not our government, our society, deciding what we’ll do for people who need care.
AMY GOODMAN: Exit polls in every state voting Super Tuesday 2 showed strong support for Medicare for All, including in Mississippi, where it has the backing of nearly two-thirds of Democratic voters. But speaking on MSNBC Monday, Joe Biden indicated, if elected president, he would veto Medicare for All legislation should Congress send it to his desk. This is what he said.
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: You’re president. Bernie Sanders is still active in the Senate. He manages to get Medicare for All through the Senate in some compromised version, the Elizabeth Warren version or other version. Nancy Pelosi gets a version of it through the House of Representatives. It comes to your desk. Do you veto it?
JOE BIDEN: I would veto anything that delays providing the security and the certainty of healthcare being available now. If they got that through, and by some miracle, and there was an epiphany that occurred, and some miracle occurred that said, “OK, it’s passed,” then you’ve got to look at the cost. I want to know: How did they find the $35 trillion? What is that doing? Is it going to significantly raise taxes on the middle class? Which it will. What’s going to happen? Look, my opposition isn’t to the principle that there should be — you should have Medicare. I mean, if everybody — healthcare should be a right in America. My opposition relates to whether or not, A, it’s doable, two, what the cost is, and what the consequences for the rest of the budget are.
AMY GOODMAN: That’s Joe Biden. Jean Ross, president of National Nurses United, let’s get your response, then Alicia Garza and Naomi Klein.
JEAN ROSS: Well, first of all, it’s not that healthcare should be a human right. It just plain is. And we see now that the American people agree with us. As far as cost, I believe he knows exactly what it’s costing now, and we can’t afford what we are doing. So, any costs that would be incurred with putting it in place would be far outweighed by the savings that we would have afterward. I’m afraid that until we keep insisting that those for-profit insurance companies are part of a system, we will never achieve what we need to guarantee care for everyone as a human right.
AMY GOODMAN: Let’s go to Alicia Garza, who, among the hats she wears, is with the National Domestic Workers Alliance. Alicia?
ALICIA GARZA: I mean, if nothing else, we can see here that Joe Biden is not Obama. And frankly, I would agree that what’s at stake here are millions of workers, many of whom are immigrant workers and workers of color and women and people who are trying to put food on their tables while also caring for other people, and doing so in the midst, as I said earlier, of a global pandemic. I work with domestic workers, who are people who work inside of people’s homes. For us, a home is a workplace. And frankly, domestic workers are locked out of most federal labor protections that should protect all workers, that would give workers sick days and paid time off. And we’re seeing that in the midst of this pandemic, the real kind of underpinnings of the abuses that workers are facing in this economy are coming to broad daylight. Domestic workers already don’t have access to paid time off, paid sick days, etc., and are caring for some of the most vulnerable people in our society and helping to make families make ends meet.
And so, one of the things that we’re really concerned about is making sure that, at the very least, that there is an expansion of access to the things that people need, particularly in this type of crisis, but in general and overall. People need access to affordable and quality healthcare. And in this very moment, people also need to be able to take time off, take care of their families and take sick days, or else this global pandemic will continue to spread. And under this current administration, I don’t think there’s any reason for us to think that they’ve got it under control. In fact, that could have happened months ago, and now we are in a situation where, as we understand it, containment is not possible. So, what we can do in this moment is make sure, particularly, that the people who are caring for folk who have been affected by this crisis, including nurses, including domestic workers, are well taken care of in this moment. And a way to do that is to make sure that protections are strong. And another way to do that is to make sure that we’re holding this administration accountable for keeping insurance companies in check, and that we’re holding —
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Alicia, if I could just cut you off a second, because we just have about 30 seconds. We want to get Naomi to get her final words in on this.
NAOMI KLEIN: Well, look, I agree completely. This administration is uniquely ill-equipped to deal with this crisis, because they are not treating it as a health crisis. They’re treating it as a PR crisis. They’ve shown again and again that they — when they don’t like reality, they just try to bury it, I mean, in the same way that they don’t want to talk about what our satellites are measuring in terms of climate change, in the same that they suppress the number of people who died after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Now they think that by not testing, this crisis is going to go away. And we need leadership that actually is guided by objective reality and science, and puts people first.
AMY GOODMAN: We’re going to have to leave it there, but of course we continue with you. Tomorrow we’re going to focus on the issue of paid sick leave and so much more, bringing you updates from New Rochelle, the epicenter in the country, and other places around the world. Naomi Klein, senior correspondent at The Intercept, inaugural Gloria Steinem chair of media, culture and feminist studies at Rutgers University; Alicia Garza with the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Black Futures Lab, Black Lives Matter Global Network; and Jean Ross, president of National Nurses United, speaking to us from Minneapolis. That does it for our show. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González. Thanks so much for joining us, and be safe.