msnbc--2020-12-08--How safe is the Covid vaccine, when can you get it, and three other things to know

As we head into what some public health experts are calling the darkest days of the year , there are glimmers of light in the form of at least two — if not more — viable vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 , aka Covid-19 .
As the Food and Drug Administration 's external advisory committee is scheduled to meet Thursday and Dec. 17 to discuss the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines , respectively , the tidal wave of questions about the vaccines has begun — many of which still have no answers , but the answers to some of which we can surmise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more data become available , we in the expert medical community will do our best to keep you posted .
But one thing is unanimous : Scientist are flabbergasted at the progress that has been made with vaccine development .
Some worry that the speed and President Donald Trump 's unfortunate moniker , `` Operation Warp Speed , '' indicate that safety is being compromised .
Hopefully , the review of more complete data in the U.S. will reinforce what the U.K. has determined , which is that it is safe and effective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to answer five basic questions about the vaccines here , but I 'm sure there are many , many more .
If you have questions , submit them via Twitter with the hashtag # AskDrKavita and we will do our best to provide timely responses .
So , let 's identify what we know — at least as of today : First , it should be said the Covid-19 vaccines can not give you Covid-19 — some vaccines do contain live virus ( like the chickenpox or measles vaccines ) , which can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immune systems .
But all of the Covid-19 vaccines to date , including the two up for immediate approval , do n't contain live virus .
Furthermore , because the vaccines are mRNA vaccines , they do n't affect or interact with our DNA .
The mRNA vaccine gives instructions to cells to make the coronavirus spike protein develop an immune response which will prepare your body in case of exposure to the real Covid-19 virus .
Think of the mRNA vaccine as an accelerated workout for your muscles to get ready for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your body in case you decide to run the race ( or here , if you get exposed to Covid-19 ) .
Both vaccines require ultra-cold , freezer-level temperatures .
Pfizer has an elaborate process to ship the vaccines , shipping each box of 195 vials with 50 pounds of dry ice pellets to ensure a temperature of minus 70 degrees Celsius , with shipment by plane , train or truck to states , tribal nations and territories .
The federal government will serve as air traffic control , telling manufacturers where to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for distribution , and hospitals around the country have invested in freezers .
space and staff to distribute the vaccine to health care workers and long-term care facilities as the first priority group .
The vaccine will work best after you receive both doses — in other words , you really need the second dose to feel its true effectiveness — and the immune system response is at its best about one to two weeks after the second dose ( just like your muscles are conditioned for the Ironman a few weeks into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get the vaccine , it will be about 90 percent to 95 percent effective in reducing your chance of having the disease .
This means that for people who are vaccinated , there is a 95 percent chance of reducing mild or moderate-to-severe disease compared to people who are not vaccinated .
People who received the vaccine had 95 percent fewer cases of Covid-19 compared to those who did not receive the vaccine .
There are a lot of caveats around these numbers , and we believe that in the real world , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lower , but it 's certainly enough to flatten the curves we are seeing .
We do n't have long-term data , but we have tens of thousands of trial participants who have been painstakingly scrutinized .
No serious side effects have been observed .
That does n't mean there are no side effects ; local reactions ( such as mild ache at the injection site ) , as well as feeling some generalized symptoms , have been observed .
The FDA will continue to monitor long-term safety for side effects .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FDA is n't granting a full biologics license application ( which is considered a full approval ) .
It 's essentially giving a temporary permit to use the vaccine ( an emergency use authorization ) .
Such temporary authorization can be taken away ( as was done with hydroxychloroquine when it was discovered that it does n't help treat the virus ) depending on the evolving data .
The temporary authorizations mean that the benefits of a treatment outweigh the risks , to the best of scientists ' knowledge .
And as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of millions of health care workers will get the vaccine in the next weeks , so we will have real-world examples of any side effects from their experiences ( keeping in mind the timeline — it 's a double dose separated by 21 to 28 days ) .
That depends .
States are permitted some flexibility .
Some plan to vaccinate essential workers after health care workers and long-term care residents , while others are prioritizing elderly residents .
You should ask your local health officials for details , and you can look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan .
The hardest part of this next period will be identifying where and how to get your vaccine .
Cost will hopefully not be an issue , because public and private payers have made a commitment to waive costs .
But because of the complex storage requirements , it might not be that easy for every doctor 's office to stock the vaccine on site .
The mRNA vaccines are stable for several days out of a freezer in a refrigerator and for up to three hours outside a refrigerator .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ places that can handle storage as well as distribution in a timely manner with no potential for waste .
Those are some basics about what we know .
But of course , there is a lot we do n't know , including how long immunity lasts or what this vaccine means for children , pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems .
Pfizer and Moderna have started testing the vaccine on younger adolescents and teens .
Some adult women who did n't know they were pregnant at the beginning of trials found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pregnant after they received the vaccine , so we expect some data about those patients to be reported .
Mostly , we expect that there will be incredible demand .
It 's important to remember that vaccines do n't save lives — vaccinations do .
In other words , you need shots in the arm for this to work .
So if you thought making a vaccine in record time was the big hurdle , believe it or not , getting at least 70 percent to 80 percent of the country to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is really the hardest part .
The best advice is to hold tight and to take an active part in the dialogue , and if you have questions , do n't be afraid to ask .
And as always , we will do our best to keep you informed .

As we head into what some public health experts are calling the darkest days of the year, there are glimmers of light in the form of at least two — if not more — viable vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, aka Covid-19. As the Food and Drug Administration's external advisory committee is scheduled to meet Thursday and Dec. 17 to discuss the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, respectively, the tidal wave of questions about the vaccines has begun — many of which still have no answers, but the answers to some of which we can surmise from data released so far.
If you have questions, submit them via Twitter with the hashtag #AskDrKavita and we will do our best to provide timely responses.
As more data become available, we in the expert medical community will do our best to keep you posted. But one thing is unanimous: Scientist are flabbergasted at the progress that has been made with vaccine development. Some worry that the speed and President Donald Trump's unfortunate moniker, "Operation Warp Speed," indicate that safety is being compromised. Hopefully, the review of more complete data in the U.S. will reinforce what the U.K. has determined, which is that it is safe and effective for limited use.
I've decided to answer five basic questions about the vaccines here, but I'm sure there are many, many more. If you have questions, submit them via Twitter with the hashtag #AskDrKavita and we will do our best to provide timely responses.
So, let's identify what we know — at least as of today:
1. How do these mRNA Vaccines work?
First, it should be said the Covid-19 vaccines cannot give you Covid-19 — some vaccines do contain live virus (like the chickenpox or measles vaccines), which can sometimes pose risks to people with compromised immune systems. But all of the Covid-19 vaccines to date, including the two up for immediate approval, don't contain live virus.
Furthermore, because the vaccines are mRNA vaccines, they don't affect or interact with our DNA. The mRNA vaccine gives instructions to cells to make the coronavirus spike protein develop an immune response which will prepare your body in case of exposure to the real Covid-19 virus. Think of the mRNA vaccine as an accelerated workout for your muscles to get ready for the Ironman triathlon — it helps prime your body in case you decide to run the race (or here, if you get exposed to Covid-19).
2. How will the vaccine be distributed?
Both vaccines require ultra-cold, freezer-level temperatures. Pfizer has an elaborate process to ship the vaccines, shipping each box of 195 vials with 50 pounds of dry ice pellets to ensure a temperature of minus 70 degrees Celsius, with shipment by plane, train or truck to states, tribal nations and territories.
The federal government will serve as air traffic control, telling manufacturers where to send shipments. States have submitted plans for distribution, and hospitals around the country have invested in freezers. space and staff to distribute the vaccine to health care workers and long-term care facilities as the first priority group.
3. How effective is the vaccine?
The vaccine will work best after you receive both doses — in other words, you really need the second dose to feel its true effectiveness — and the immune system response is at its best about one to two weeks after the second dose (just like your muscles are conditioned for the Ironman a few weeks into intensive training).
Once you do get the vaccine, it will be about 90 percent to 95 percent effective in reducing your chance of having the disease. This means that for people who are vaccinated, there is a 95 percent chance of reducing mild or moderate-to-severe disease compared to people who are not vaccinated. People who received the vaccine had 95 percent fewer cases of Covid-19 compared to those who did not receive the vaccine.
There are a lot of caveats around these numbers, and we believe that in the real world, the effectiveness percentage might be a bit lower, but it's certainly enough to flatten the curves we are seeing.
4. How safe is the vaccine?
We don't have long-term data, but we have tens of thousands of trial participants who have been painstakingly scrutinized. No serious side effects have been observed. That doesn't mean there are no side effects; local reactions (such as mild ache at the injection site), as well as feeling some generalized symptoms, have been observed. The FDA will continue to monitor long-term safety for side effects.
As a cautionary measure, remember that the FDA isn't granting a full biologics license application (which is considered a full approval). It's essentially giving a temporary permit to use the vaccine (an emergency use authorization). Such temporary authorization can be taken away (as was done with hydroxychloroquine when it was discovered that it doesn't help treat the virus) depending on the evolving data.
The temporary authorizations mean that the benefits of a treatment outweigh the risks, to the best of scientists' knowledge. And as a final reassurance to the public, tens of millions of health care workers will get the vaccine in the next weeks, so we will have real-world examples of any side effects from their experiences (keeping in mind the timeline — it's a double dose separated by 21 to 28 days).
5. When can I expect to get the vaccine?
That depends. States are permitted some flexibility. Some plan to vaccinate essential workers after health care workers and long-term care residents, while others are prioritizing elderly residents. You should ask your local health officials for details, and you can look here for details about your state's plan.
The hardest part of this next period will be identifying where and how to get your vaccine. Cost will hopefully not be an issue, because public and private payers have made a commitment to waive costs. But because of the complex storage requirements, it might not be that easy for every doctor's office to stock the vaccine on site. The mRNA vaccines are stable for several days out of a freezer in a refrigerator and for up to three hours outside a refrigerator. That means supply initially might be limited to places that can handle storage as well as distribution in a timely manner with no potential for waste.
Those are some basics about what we know. But of course, there is a lot we don't know, including how long immunity lasts or what this vaccine means for children, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems. Pfizer and Moderna have started testing the vaccine on younger adolescents and teens. Some adult women who didn't know they were pregnant at the beginning of trials found out they were, in fact, pregnant after they received the vaccine, so we expect some data about those patients to be reported.
Mostly, we expect that there will be incredible demand. It's important to remember that vaccines don't save lives — vaccinations do. In other words, you need shots in the arm for this to work. So if you thought making a vaccine in record time was the big hurdle, believe it or not, getting at least 70 percent to 80 percent of the country to be vaccinated or to achieve immunity by infection is really the hardest part. The best advice is to hold tight and to take an active part in the dialogue, and if you have questions, don't be afraid to ask. And as always, we will do our best to keep you informed.


msnbc--2020-12-08--State-by-state breakdown of coronavirus travel restrictions

Guidance on traveling and travel restrictions varies across the United States as the country faces new surges in Covid-19 cases @ @ @ @ @ between regions highlights the ability of states to take different approaches while dealing with the @ @ @ @ @ of the Northeast and most of the mid-Atlantic states have implemented statewide travel restrictions , @ @ @ @ @ , including two of the biggest , Texas and Florida , have no such restrictions @ @ @ @ @ Washington introduced tough travel restrictions in November , requiring all out-of-state visitors and returning residents @ @ @ @ @ on arrival .
States hit the hardest when the epidemic began in the United States @ @ @ @ @ New York , New Jersey and Connecticut , also have some of the most stringent @ @ @ @ @ opting for statewide restrictions , some local officials have imposed restrictions on travel to the @ @ @ @ @ the interactive map below to see the latest guidance on travel and possible travel restrictions @ @ @ @ @ updated weekly .

Matt Marshall and Naitian Zhou and Kanwal Syed

Guidance on traveling and travel restrictions varies across the United States as the country faces new surges in Covid-19 cases.
The patchwork of restrictions between regions highlights the ability of states to take different approaches while dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
While all of the Northeast and most of the mid-Atlantic states have implemented statewide travel restrictions, more than half the states, including two of the biggest, Texas and Florida, have no such restrictions.
States hit the hardest when the epidemic began in the United States last spring, such as New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, have some of the most stringent travel restrictions.
Instead of opting for statewide restrictions, some local officials have imposed restrictions on travel to the most populous cities.
Check the interactive map below to see the latest guidance on travel and possible travel restrictions. This map will be updated weekly.


msnbc--2020-12-08--Tracking coronavirus case surges in the United States

Covid-19 cases are once again rising across the country .
But not all upticks are the same .
In states @ @ @ @ @ South Dakota , new cases have risen steadily since July , with daily counts as @ @ @ @ @ highs .
In states such as Maryland , New York and Texas , new daily @ @ @ @ @ the spring surges , but they began to tick up again this fall .
NBC @ @ @ @ @ are seeing prolonged or dramatic case increases as the country heads into a winter President-elect @ @ @ @ @ final presidential debate as “ dark.
” The charts below show each state ’ s @ @ @ @ @ cases .
Areas highlighted in red represent periods where the rate of new cases exceeds @ @ @ @ @ longer the red line , the longer cases have been increasing and the more rapidly @ @ @ @ @ The charts will update daily before 11 a.m. Eastern .

Measuring stress levels at hospital intensive care units can help hospitals plan and manage their surge capacity. The stress level is based on the share of ICU hospital beds used by Covid patients. Low-stress hospitals have less than 10% of critical care beds occupied by Covid patients, while high-stress hospitals have from 30% to 59%.


msnbc--2020-12-09--Supreme Court denies GOP challenge to Pennsylvania vote

Neal Katyal : Trump 's legal team is the best ... at losing

The U.S. Supreme Court declined Tuesday to take up an appeal filed by a Republican congressman who asked the court to nullify the certification of Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential election in Pennsylvania.Dec. 9, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-09--Legally troubled Texas A.G. concocts absurd election lawsuit as Trump muses about pardons

Rachel Maddow explains some of the troubled legal backstory behind Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and notes recent reporting about Donald Trump considering passing out pardons like Halloween candy as Paxton files a bizarre and very unlikely election lawsuit of the kind that humors Trump's upset over his election loss.Dec. 9, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-09--Lawrence: The Supreme Court ‘crushed’ Trump

Lawrence: Trump's lawyers are too cowardly to quit or to tell Trump to shut up 08:15


msnbc--2020-12-09--After WH makes $916B offer, is Congress closer to relief deal?

Meacham: Pence probably saved the republic, but I don't always want to count on one person to do it 08:18


msnbc--2020-12-09--'Late spring' before substantial reduction in Covid spread: W.H. Coronavirus Task Force

Meacham: Pence probably saved the republic, but I don't always want to count on one person to do it


msnbc--2020-12-09--Neal Katyal: Trump's legal team is the best... at losing


msnbc--2020-12-09--Why Lloyd Austin might not be Biden's Defense Secretary after all

President-elect Joe Biden is set to tap retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin as his defense secretary .
Austin would be a historic choice , but given the significant side-eye that his reported selection engendered — including , admittedly , from me — I can ’ t be 100 percent sure that he ’ ll actually be nominated once Biden is in office , let alone confirmed .
It ’ s not that Austin hasn ’ t had an impressive career to date .
According to his official Defense Department biography , he graduated from West Point back in 1975 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He eventually became the first Black general to command an Army division in combat , and the first Black general to command a full theater of operations as the head of U.S. Forces-Iraq in 2010 during the American withdrawal .
In his most recent role , he was the head of U.S. Central Command , overseeing all military operations in the Middle East , before retiring from service in 2016 .
Biden specifically cited Austin ’ s time as head of U.S. Forces-Iraq in an op-ed published in The Atlantic on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the former general .
“ General Austin got the job done , ” Biden wrote of the U.S. withdrawal .
“ It required Austin to practice diplomacy , building relationships with our Iraqi counterparts and with our partners in the region .
He served as a statesman , representing our country with honor and dignity and always , above all , looking out for his people.
” No Black person has ever led the Department of Defense .
The Pentagon hasn ’ t even had a Black deputy secretary of defense in all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military service chief wasn ’ t sworn in until August 2020 .
And while Biden has yet to name his pick for attorney general , the scuttlebutt is that he ’ s eyeing Alabama Senator Doug Jones for the gig .
That would mean that if Biden had chosen a white defense chief , all four of the top Cabinet secretaries — including Tony Blinken and Janet Yellen , who ’ ve been tapped for the State Department and Treasury respectively — would be white .
The Congressional Black Caucus had been urging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Politico reported on Nov. 30 .
That nudged Austin and former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson further into the mix .
Rep. Karen Bass , who chairs the CBC , threw her weight behind Austin and Johnson when appearing on CNN on Sunday .
By that evening , Austin had been offered the job and accepted .
Austin is by all accounts a fine choice to lead the Pentagon .
But he comes with a lot of problems that will make his nomination a difficult one once it reaches the Senate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaking , his appointment would be against the law .
According to the Congressional Research Service , Congress was leery when setting up the new Department of Defense in the aftermath of World War II .
Most concerning was the department ’ s leader potentially coming straight out of the military , which at the time was more popular than most other institutions in the country .
Their solution was installing a gap of time — presently seven years — between leaving active-duty service and filling the civilian role of Defense Secretary .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a waiver for this law .
Former Marine Corps general James Mattis in 2017 was the first recipient since George C. Marshall — of Marshall Plan fame — in 1950 .
Both Marshall and Mattis ' nominations provided Congress solid reasons for granting their waivers despite some lawmakers ' concerns .
President Harry Truman had asked Marshall to serve as a proven and trusted organizer at the onset of the Korean War ; Mattis was considered a potential check on President Donald Trump ’ s worst instincts .
Austin , on the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those excuses and has only been out of uniform for four years .
That sparked an outpouring of concern from national security experts , especially those who deal with civil-military relations .
Rosa Brooks , a professor at Georgetown Law who served in the Obama-era Defense Department , tweeted that she “ had been delighted by Biden 's cabinet picks ... until now.
” She continued , “ I think Biden has been very badly advised .
I am just gobsmacked that his inner circle does not see what a terrible message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retired general in four years.
” Slate columnist Fred Kaplan wrote that “ Austin is no Marshall or Mattis — and , besides , Mattis turned out to be an undistinguished defense secretary , in part because he relied too much on a coterie of fellow Marine officers , a fulfillment of the fear that prompted Congress to pass the restriction all those decades ago .
The waiver was meant to be used for truly extraordinary figures .
Austin doesn ’ t seem to measure up to the standard.
” And Jim Golby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Vice President Mike Pence , argued that even Marshall ’ s appointment was a mistake for civilian control of the armed services , noting how he stood by as the relationship between Truman and Gen. Douglas MacArthur deteriorated during the Korean War .
“ General Austin is a fine public servant , and he may well continue his service to the nation out of uniform , ” Golby wrote in the New York Times .
“ But the Pentagon would be the wrong place for him to do it.
” When Mattis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate basically held their noses and agreed to support the requested waiver — just this once .
“ Waiving the law should happen no more than once in a generation , ” Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Jack Reed said in 2017 .
“ Therefore I will not support a waiver for future nominees .
Nor will I support any effort to water down or repeal the statute in the future.
” Reed seemed to soften that position when asked on Tuesday — but not by much .
It 's honestly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Senate at this early stage but I 'm not exactly seeing this going smoothly for Biden 's team .
Sen. Bernie Sanders says he 's likely to support a waiver ; Sen. Elizabeth Warren says that she 'd be a no .
Meanwhile Republican chair of the Armed Services Committee Jim Inhofe says he 'd back a waiver for the former general `` in a heartbeat . ''
But the waiver process also means that unlike most Cabinet nominations , the House has to weigh in , too .
Mattis ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote of 268-151 — not exactly a landslide .
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi would then have to wrangle her caucus into line to avoid a potentially embarrassing situation where some members of her party vote against approving Austin 's bid and Republicans spitefully refuse to offer up enough support to get it over the line .
Complicating things , Rep. Adam Smith , who chairs the House 's armed services committee , was reportedly not consulted all that deeply before the announcement and has been opposed to granting waivers .
Also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was picked instead of Michèle Flournoy , who ’ d been widely considered to be the frontrunner for weeks .
Flournoy ’ s bid to become the first woman to head the DOD was hamstrung by concerns that she was too chummy with players in the defense industry .
But Austin has connections to defense contractors , too .
In particular , he sits on the board of Raytheon , which earns billions in contracts from the Pentagon each year .
The New York Times also reported that Austin serves — along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Pine Island Capital , a firm that has raised millions of dollars to `` finance investments in military and aerospace companies . ''
Antiwar activist group CodePink had lobbied against Flournoy because of her defense industry ties and initially celebrated her seeming defeat — before quickly deleting their tweet .
This all puts Democrats in an awkward place should Biden officially nominate Austin once in office .
What ’ s more important ?
Resetting the norms that Trump has broken while in office and restoring civilian control over the military ?
Or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be the first person to lead the largest department in the federal government ?
Biden acknowledged that hurdle in his op-ed on Tuesday , saying that he hopes that Congress will grant Austin 's waiver and argued that “ given the immense and urgent threats and challenges our nation faces , he should be confirmed swiftly . ''
Among those challenges , Biden noted , would be the Herculean effort that distributing Covid-19 vaccines will require .
But will that be enough to convince Congress ?
It feels worth noting that no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have all of his first announced picks for the Cabinet actually make it through to the confirmation process .
Fast food executive Andrew Puzder had to withdraw his name from consideration as Labor Secretary under Trump .
President Barack Obama wanted to name Tom Daschle as his secretary of health and human services — Daschle withdrew his consideration over tax issues .
Austin could still very well wind up as Biden ’ s one who got away .
Biden reportedly thinks that Austin would be a “ good soldier '' who would follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can see a world where the president-elect doubles down in support of the former general .
But in the face of all the criticism that ’ s come up , it ’ s not exactly a stunning vote of confidence that the nicest thing you can say about a nominee is that he ’ d make history as the first Black person to hold the post .
If Austin is nominated and confirmed , I wish him well .
But would I put money on that happening ?
No , not at the @ @

President-elect Joe Biden is set to tap retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin as his defense secretary. Austin would be a historic choice, but given the significant side-eye that his reported selection engendered — including, admittedly, from me — I can’t be 100 percent sure that he’ll actually be nominated once Biden is in office, let alone confirmed.
It's honestly hard to game out how Austin does in the Senate at this early stage.
It’s not that Austin hasn’t had an impressive career to date. According to his official Defense Department biography, he graduated from West Point back in 1975 and served almost 41 years in the military. He eventually became the first Black general to command an Army division in combat, and the first Black general to command a full theater of operations as the head of U.S. Forces-Iraq in 2010 during the American withdrawal. In his most recent role, he was the head of U.S. Central Command, overseeing all military operations in the Middle East, before retiring from service in 2016.
Biden specifically cited Austin’s time as head of U.S. Forces-Iraq in an op-ed published in The Atlantic on Tuesday that officially announced his intent to nominate the former general. “General Austin got the job done,” Biden wrote of the U.S. withdrawal. “It required Austin to practice diplomacy, building relationships with our Iraqi counterparts and with our partners in the region. He served as a statesman, representing our country with honor and dignity and always, above all, looking out for his people.”
No Black person has ever led the Department of Defense. The Pentagon hasn’t even had a Black deputy secretary of defense in all of its years — the first Black military service chief wasn’t sworn in until August 2020. And while Biden has yet to name his pick for attorney general, the scuttlebutt is that he’s eyeing Alabama Senator Doug Jones for the gig. That would mean that if Biden had chosen a white defense chief, all four of the top Cabinet secretaries — including Tony Blinken and Janet Yellen, who’ve been tapped for the State Department and Treasury respectively — would be white.
Austin comes with a lot of problems that will make his nomination a difficult one once it reaches the Senate. Part of that is that, technically speaking, his appointment would be against the law.
The Congressional Black Caucus had been urging Biden to keep that from happening, Politico reported on Nov. 30. That nudged Austin and former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson further into the mix. Rep. Karen Bass, who chairs the CBC, threw her weight behind Austin and Johnson when appearing on CNN on Sunday. By that evening, Austin had been offered the job and accepted.
Austin is by all accounts a fine choice to lead the Pentagon. But he comes with a lot of problems that will make his nomination a difficult one once it reaches the Senate. Part of that is that, technically speaking, his appointment would be against the law.
According to the Congressional Research Service, Congress was leery when setting up the new Department of Defense in the aftermath of World War II. Most concerning was the department’s leader potentially coming straight out of the military, which at the time was more popular than most other institutions in the country. Their solution was installing a gap of time — presently seven years — between leaving active-duty service and filling the civilian role of Defense Secretary.
Congress has only twice opted to issue a waiver for this law. Former Marine Corps general James Mattis in 2017 was the first recipient since George C. Marshall — of Marshall Plan fame — in 1950. Both Marshall and Mattis' nominations provided Congress solid reasons for granting their waivers despite some lawmakers' concerns. President Harry Truman had asked Marshall to serve as a proven and trusted organizer at the onset of the Korean War; Mattis was considered a potential check on President Donald Trump’s worst instincts.
Austin, on the other hand, doesn’t have either of those excuses and has only been out of uniform for four years. That sparked an outpouring of concern from national security experts, especially those who deal with civil-military relations. Rosa Brooks, a professor at Georgetown Law who served in the Obama-era Defense Department, tweeted that she “had been delighted by Biden's cabinet picks... until now.” She continued, “I think Biden has been very badly advised. I am just gobsmacked that his inner circle does not see what a terrible message it sends to nominate the second recently retired general in four years.”
Lloyd Austin is an impressive man with an impressive record. But Biden should have waited until Austin had been retired for 7 years, as the law requires, before considering him for Sec Def. Democrats should respect law and norms of civil-military relations. We’re not Trump. https://t.co/Od5d40Iako — Rosa Brooks (@brooks_rosa) December 8, 2020
Slate columnist Fred Kaplan wrote that “Austin is no Marshall or Mattis — and, besides, Mattis turned out to be an undistinguished defense secretary, in part because he relied too much on a coterie of fellow Marine officers, a fulfillment of the fear that prompted Congress to pass the restriction all those decades ago. The waiver was meant to be used for truly extraordinary figures. Austin doesn’t seem to measure up to the standard.”
And Jim Golby, a former adviser to both Biden and Vice President Mike Pence, argued that even Marshall’s appointment was a mistake for civilian control of the armed services, noting how he stood by as the relationship between Truman and Gen. Douglas MacArthur deteriorated during the Korean War. “General Austin is a fine public servant, and he may well continue his service to the nation out of uniform,” Golby wrote in the New York Times. “But the Pentagon would be the wrong place for him to do it.”
When Mattis was nominated, several prominent Democrats in the Senate basically held their noses and agreed to support the requested waiver — just this once. “Waiving the law should happen no more than once in a generation,” Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Jack Reed said in 2017. “Therefore I will not support a waiver for future nominees. Nor will I support any effort to water down or repeal the statute in the future.”
Reed seemed to soften that position when asked on Tuesday — but not by much.
Sen. Jack Reed, who previously said no waivers after Mattis:
“The burden of proof is on the administration. It also comes down ultimately to the quality of the nominee...I think is the decisive factor. But I think the preference would be for someone who’s not recently retired.” — Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) December 8, 2020
It's honestly hard to game out how Austin does in the Senate at this early stage but I'm not exactly seeing this going smoothly for Biden's team. Sen. Bernie Sanders says he's likely to support a waiver; Sen. Elizabeth Warren says that she'd be a no. Meanwhile Republican chair of the Armed Services Committee Jim Inhofe says he'd back a waiver for the former general "in a heartbeat."
But the waiver process also means that unlike most Cabinet nominations, the House has to weigh in, too. Mattis’s waiver passed the House with a vote of 268-151 — not exactly a landslide. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi would then have to wrangle her caucus into line to avoid a potentially embarrassing situation where some members of her party vote against approving Austin's bid and Republicans spitefully refuse to offer up enough support to get it over the line. Complicating things, Rep. Adam Smith, who chairs the House's armed services committee, was reportedly not consulted all that deeply before the announcement and has been opposed to granting waivers.
Also at play is the fact that Austin was picked instead of Michèle Flournoy, who’d been widely considered to be the frontrunner for weeks. Flournoy’s bid to become the first woman to head the DOD was hamstrung by concerns that she was too chummy with players in the defense industry. But Austin has connections to defense contractors, too. In particular, he sits on the board of Raytheon, which earns billions in contracts from the Pentagon each year. The New York Times also reported that Austin serves — along with Flournoy and Blinken — as an adviser to Pine Island Capital, a firm that has raised millions of dollars to "finance investments in military and aerospace companies." Antiwar activist group CodePink had lobbied against Flournoy because of her defense industry ties and initially celebrated her seeming defeat — before quickly deleting their tweet.
This all puts Democrats in an awkward place should Biden officially nominate Austin once in office. What’s more important? Resetting the norms that Trump has broken while in office and restoring civilian control over the military? Or do you back the Black candidate who would be the first person to lead the largest department in the federal government?
Biden acknowledged that hurdle in his op-ed on Tuesday, saying that he hopes that Congress will grant Austin's waiver and argued that “given the immense and urgent threats and challenges our nation faces, he should be confirmed swiftly." Among those challenges, Biden noted, would be the Herculean effort that distributing Covid-19 vaccines will require.
But will that be enough to convince Congress? It feels worth noting that no president-elect since Ronald Reagan has managed to have all of his first announced picks for the Cabinet actually make it through to the confirmation process. Fast food executive Andrew Puzder had to withdraw his name from consideration as Labor Secretary under Trump. President Barack Obama wanted to name Tom Daschle as his secretary of health and human services — Daschle withdrew his consideration over tax issues.
Austin could still very well wind up as Biden’s one who got away. Biden reportedly thinks that Austin would be a “good soldier" who would follow orders at the Pentagon, and I can see a world where the president-elect doubles down in support of the former general. But in the face of all the criticism that’s come up, it’s not exactly a stunning vote of confidence that the nicest thing you can say about a nominee is that he’d make history as the first Black person to hold the post. If Austin is nominated and confirmed, I wish him well. But would I put money on that happening? No, not at the moment.


msnbc--2020-12-09--DOJ reportedly probing Hunter Biden after Trump called for Biden probe

'Someone is going to get hurt ' : As states lock in Trump loss , some pushback turns menacing

In a significant legal development, President-elect Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, has revealed he's been told the DOJ is investigating his taxes. MSNBC's Chief Legal Correspondent Ari Melber is joined by former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance and Mother Jones' David Corn to discuss how Biden's incoming administration will handle the probe. Vance highlighting there is no clarity as to whether the investigation is criminal or civil.Dec. 9, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-09--Steve Schmidt: We are ‘one election away… from losing our democracy’

Steve Schmidt: We are ‘one election away… from losing our democracy’
Lincoln Project co-founder Steve Schmidt says congressional Republicans are to blame for the ‘poisoning of democracy’ by not acknowledging President Trump’s election lossDec. 9, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-09--Rep. Porter: McConnell putting 'imaginary need' of corporations ahead of helping Americans

'To the right of this government, is only a wall' Impact of new judicial law in Israel 05:32


msnbc--2020-12-10--Joy Reid says GOP efforts to subvert the election is ‘not about fraud’

On recent efforts by the Republicans to subvert the election, Joy says “Let's be clear: this isn't about fraud. These Republicans are simply saying, in effect, they do not and will not accept that Black voters should be allowed to cast votes, however legal those votes may be, to overrule the desires of a majority of white voters."Dec. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-10--Leslie Jones talks about the Georgia runoffs, Steve Kornacki, and more

Leslie Jones talks about the Georgia runoffs, Steve Kornacki, and more
Leslie Jones joins the ReidOut to talk about her recent reviews of the MSNBC shows, the importance of the Georgia Senate runoff races, and more.Dec. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-10--'Someone is going to get hurt': As states lock in Trump loss, some pushback turns menacing


msnbc--2020-12-09--Chris Krebs on vaccine distribution: I am particularly concerned about ransomware actors

Christopher Krebs, who led the federal government's election cybersecurity efforts, is suing the Trump campaign for defamation. Krebs said he and his family are living in fear after one of the campaign’s lawyers suggested Krebs be taken out at dawn and shot. Krebs called it an “intimidation campaign” and said, ”I am not going to stand for it.”Dec. 9, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-09--Nicolle Wallace asks: ‘Who are the adults on the Republican side of the aisle?’

Nicolle Wallace asks: ‘Who are the adults on the Republican side of the aisle?’
Former Deputy National Security Advisor to President Obama Ben Rhodes and former FBI special agent Clint Watts react to GOP lawmakers still refusing to acknowledge Biden’s victory and the dangers they are creating by not doing soDec. 9, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-09--Defense Secretary nominee Lloyd Austin: 'America is strongest when it works with its allies'

Defense Secretary nominee Lloyd Austin: 'America is strongest when it works with its allies'
President-elect Biden's nominee for Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin delivered remarks on his hopes to serve in the position and emphasized that "America is strongest when it works with its allies."Dec. 9, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-09--The GOP is weaponizing socialism in Georgia (again) — and it could definitely work

At this point , the GOP is less about standing for something and more about labeling Democrats as socialists — and sometimes even communists .
Just look at its use of this line of attack in the all-important Senate runoffs in Georgia , scheduled for Jan. 5 , which will decide control of the Senate .
During President Donald Trump 's rally Nov. 5 in Georgia , where — in between peddling lies about election fraud and bizarrely declaring `` I like cucumbers '' ( I 'm serious ) — he returned to the script loaded into the teleprompter to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't vote , the socialists and the communists win . ''
He repeated a similar message several times , at one point advising the crowd that in the Senate elections , `` you will decide whether your children will grow up in a socialist country or whether they will grow up in a free country . ''
Then there was Sunday 's debate in Georgia between Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler and her Democratic opponent , Raphael Warnock .
If you were playing a drinking game in which you had to down a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the word `` socialism , '' you would have passed out after 20 minutes or so , depending on your alcohol tolerance .
Loeffler used the socialism charge against Warnock eight times in the debate , calling him a `` radical liberal ... socialist '' and positioning herself as the guardian against going `` down the road of socialism . ''
Even her closing argument stated bluntly , `` There are two visions for our country — mine : the American dream ; my opponent 's : socialism . ''
Progressives , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eyes at this baseless claim .
Because whatever is happening in the Democratic Party , it ai n't socialism .
But whether or not they think it 's beneath them to dignify accusations of socialism with a response , it is incumbent on Democrats first and foremost to define what socialism means so people understand that no one in the Democratic Party is advocating actual socialism .
Here 's a wonky dictionary definition of the word : `` Any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goods . ''
I can sense people 's eyes glazing over already , but in more practical terms , `` socialism '' means the government would fully control the economy , including all modes of production , from telling factories how much to produce to telling farmers how many cows they could own .
( In contrast , communism envisions no ownership of private property . )
It makes sense that most Democrats do n't feel the need to address the outrageous allegation that they want the government to take control of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why , during Sunday 's debate , Warnock did n't directly renounce `` socialism '' when Loeffler asked him to .
But at this point , the strategy is a big , fat failure .
The GOP has been extremely effective in weaponizing the label `` socialist '' as a political strategy .
Do n't take my word for it .
Rep. Ted Lieu , D-Calif. — who was recently elected co-chair of the House Democrats ' messaging arm — appeared on my SiriusXM radio show this week and said , `` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in fact , true that the socialist attack does bring down a candidate , '' adding , `` That 's objectively what these polls show . ''
It 's not surprising , given that a 2019 NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll found that only 18 percent of Americans held favorable views of socialism .
This also helps explain what we saw in the 2020 election .
While President-elect Joe Biden soundly defeated Trump , House Republicans picked up at least 10 seats — the overall GOP strategy focused on painting Democrats as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
It makes a lot of sense , then , that the GOP is doubling and tripling down on Democrats as socialists in the Georgia Senate races .
As Lieu highlighted , Democrats must not allow these socialism allegations to go unanswered .
As he said , polling has shown that an effective strategy is to simply state , `` I 'm a capitalist . ''
Democrats must go further to explain what more needs to be done to make our economic system fairer , of course .
During the campaign , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to push back against the socialism charge with a very simple response : `` Do I look like a socialist ?
! ''
He added : `` Look at my career — my whole career .
I am not a socialist . ''
This is a step , but clearly not strong enough of a stance .
With the socialism attack line apparently not working against Biden , Trump pivoted to calling Biden `` a Trojan horse for socialism . ''
Now , when Lieu , I or others suggest pushing back against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean giving up our principles as progressives .
Look at how Sen. Elizabeth Warren , one of the most progressive members of the Democratic Party , addressed the issue in the lead-up to her run for president .
`` I am a capitalist , '' she clearly stated .
But , she added , our system needs to be fairer , because without that , then the `` rich take it all . ''
Not even Sen. Bernie Sanders , who advocates for `` democratic socialism , '' is embracing the true meaning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expanding President Franklin D. Roosevelt 's New Deal so that the government plays a bigger role in providing health care , education and other basic social services .
It may be also be effective for Democratic candidates to explain that popular programs like Medicare and Social Security are , in fact , based on socialist principles .
The same goes for public schools , community colleges and mass transit systems , in that the government is using our collective tax dollars to operate these programs .
But perhaps the best approach is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that `` socialism '' is anything that does n't help its wealthy donors .
The GOP has a long record of opposing programs that are lifelines for working- and lower-class Americans by using the socialist label .
For example , in 1961 , Ronald Reagan railed against the idea of Medicare as `` socialism . ''
Republican leaders also slammed the Affordable Care Act as `` socialism '' when President Barack Obama proposed it in 2009 .
Of course , the GOP is fine with `` corporate socialism '' that helps its donors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certain industries funded by our tax dollars .
Democratic candidates should use the approach that resonates with them and their platforms when fighting the socialism trope .
But one thing is clear : Democratic candidates must start pushing back — loudly , vocally — against the GOP 's strategy of weaponizing an adulterated definition of socialism and labeling them as socialists .
Because declining to address these baseless charges head-on will undoubtedly lead to only more Democratic defeats .

At this point, the GOP is less about standing for something and more about labeling Democrats as socialists — and sometimes even communists. Just look at its use of this line of attack in the all-important Senate runoffs in Georgia, scheduled for Jan. 5, which will decide control of the Senate.
It is incumbent on Democrats first and foremost to define what socialism means.
During President Donald Trump's rally Nov. 5 in Georgia, where — in between peddling lies about election fraud and bizarrely declaring "I like cucumbers" (I'm serious) — he returned to the script loaded into the teleprompter to deliver the line, "If you don't vote, the socialists and the communists win."
He repeated a similar message several times, at one point advising the crowd that in the Senate elections, "you will decide whether your children will grow up in a socialist country or whether they will grow up in a free country."
Then there was Sunday's debate in Georgia between Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler and her Democratic opponent, Raphael Warnock. If you were playing a drinking game in which you had to down a shot of whiskey every time Loeffler used the word "socialism," you would have passed out after 20 minutes or so, depending on your alcohol tolerance.
Loeffler used the socialism charge against Warnock eight times in the debate, calling him a "radical liberal ... socialist" and positioning herself as the guardian against going "down the road of socialism." Even her closing argument stated bluntly, "There are two visions for our country — mine: the American dream; my opponent's: socialism."
Progressives, including me, have spent years rolling our eyes at this baseless claim. Because whatever is happening in the Democratic Party, it ain't socialism.
A 2019 NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll found that only 18 percent of Americans held favorable views of socialism.
But whether or not they think it's beneath them to dignify accusations of socialism with a response, it is incumbent on Democrats first and foremost to define what socialism means so people understand that no one in the Democratic Party is advocating actual socialism.
Here's a wonky dictionary definition of the word: "Any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods."
I can sense people's eyes glazing over already, but in more practical terms, "socialism" means the government would fully control the economy, including all modes of production, from telling factories how much to produce to telling farmers how many cows they could own. (In contrast, communism envisions no ownership of private property.)
It makes sense that most Democrats don't feel the need to address the outrageous allegation that they want the government to take control of our entire lives. And it probably explains why, during Sunday's debate, Warnock didn't directly renounce "socialism" when Loeffler asked him to. But at this point, the strategy is a big, fat failure. The GOP has been extremely effective in weaponizing the label "socialist" as a political strategy.
Don't take my word for it. Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif. — who was recently elected co-chair of the House Democrats' messaging arm — appeared on my SiriusXM radio show this week and said, "We looked at polling, and it is, in fact, true that the socialist attack does bring down a candidate," adding, "That's objectively what these polls show." It's not surprising, given that a 2019 NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll found that only 18 percent of Americans held favorable views of socialism.
“You literally just have to say:
I’m a capitalist.”@RepTedLieu explains to @DeanObeidallah in combatting false Republican attacks labeling Democrats as socialists.
LISTEN: pic.twitter.com/eGgq9Iq6Qs — SiriusXM Progress (@SXMProgress) December 8, 2020
This also helps explain what we saw in the 2020 election. While President-elect Joe Biden soundly defeated Trump, House Republicans picked up at least 10 seats — the overall GOP strategy focused on painting Democrats as "socialists" and "radical leftists." It makes a lot of sense, then, that the GOP is doubling and tripling down on Democrats as socialists in the Georgia Senate races.
If you were playing a drinking game in which you had to down a shot of whiskey every time Loeffler used the word “socialism,” you would have passed out after about 20 minutes.
As Lieu highlighted, Democrats must not allow these socialism allegations to go unanswered. As he said, polling has shown that an effective strategy is to simply state, "I'm a capitalist."
Democrats must go further to explain what more needs to be done to make our economic system fairer, of course. During the campaign, Biden offered a road map for how to push back against the socialism charge with a very simple response: "Do I look like a socialist?!" He added: "Look at my career — my whole career. I am not a socialist."
This is a step, but clearly not strong enough of a stance. With the socialism attack line apparently not working against Biden, Trump pivoted to calling Biden "a Trojan horse for socialism."
Now, when Lieu, I or others suggest pushing back against the socialist label, we don't mean giving up our principles as progressives. Look at how Sen. Elizabeth Warren, one of the most progressive members of the Democratic Party, addressed the issue in the lead-up to her run for president. "I am a capitalist," she clearly stated. But, she added, our system needs to be fairer, because without that, then the "rich take it all."
Not even Sen. Bernie Sanders, who advocates for "democratic socialism," is embracing the true meaning of socialism. Rather, he champions expanding President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal so that the government plays a bigger role in providing health care, education and other basic social services.
It may be also be effective for Democratic candidates to explain that popular programs like Medicare and Social Security are, in fact, based on socialist principles. The same goes for public schools, community colleges and mass transit systems, in that the government is using our collective tax dollars to operate these programs.
But perhaps the best approach is to make it clear that to the GOP that "socialism" is anything that doesn't help its wealthy donors. The GOP has a long record of opposing programs that are lifelines for working- and lower-class Americans by using the socialist label. For example, in 1961, Ronald Reagan railed against the idea of Medicare as "socialism." Republican leaders also slammed the Affordable Care Act as "socialism" when President Barack Obama proposed it in 2009. Of course, the GOP is fine with "corporate socialism" that helps its donors — from corporate bailouts to subsidies for certain industries funded by our tax dollars.
Democratic candidates should use the approach that resonates with them and their platforms when fighting the socialism trope. But one thing is clear: Democratic candidates must start pushing back — loudly, vocally — against the GOP's strategy of weaponizing an adulterated definition of socialism and labeling them as socialists. Because declining to address these baseless charges head-on will undoubtedly lead to only more Democratic defeats.


msnbc--2020-12-09--Tracking coronavirus case surges in the United States


msnbc--2020-12-10--'There is zero chance the Supreme Court is going to hear this case'

The five big problems with Texas ' bid to overturn Biden 's win

'There is zero chance the Supreme Court is going to hear this case'
The president is asking the Supreme Court to let him join a lawsuit to overturn the 2020 election results in four states, enough to throw the election to him. Law scholar Benjamin Wittes joins Morning Joe to discuss.Dec. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-10--Among the deadliest days in U.S. history: Wednesday.

Among the deadliest days in U.S. history: Wednesday.
Rachel Maddow points out that with the U.S. passing more than 3000 Covid-19 deaths in a single day, the deaths on significant, historically deadly days like 9/11 or Pearl Harbor Day are being exceeded by an otherwise ordinary Wednesday in December in the coronavirus era.Dec. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-10--'As dumb as you think it is': 17 states say Texas should decide swing states' elections

'As dumb as you think it is': 17 states say Texas should decide swing states' elections
Rachel Maddow marvels that the state of Texas thinks it should have a say in how Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin conduct their elections, and wonders at the 17 other Republican-controlled states that agree that the Supreme Court should overturn the election for Donald Trump.Dec. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-10--Over 3,000 died of Covid in the U.S. today. Trump said nothing.

Over 3,000 died of Covid in the U.S. today. Trump said nothing.
The president of the United States only focused on attacking the election that he lost on the day that more people died in America from the Covid-19 pandemic than in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.Dec. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-10--Fmr. Google Ethicist: 'Social media has destroyed our common ground'

Tristan Harris, from the Netflix documentary “The Social Dilemma,” tells Lawrence O'Donnell that the social media business model “depends on each of us getting an affirmation feed, not information and has divided the collective national psyche against itself.”Dec. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-10--Big business's profits are way up in a pandemic. We should be outraged.

In a year when millions of Americans are struggling to survive the Covid-19 pandemic , watching as their life savings have plummeted to zero and unemployment remains rampant , some of the biggest corporations have been absolutely thriving .
If we 're going to ever end this neo-Gilded Age , we 're going to need to reckon with the utter immorality of that disconnect .
It has been eight months since the CARES Act was signed into law , the only lifeline that the federal government has thrown to the drowning masses as the virus has overwhelmed the country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paycheck Protection Plan to help small businesses with about 500 or fewer employees keep staff members on payroll during shutdowns this spring .
But it turns out a disproportionate amount of that money went to big companies with established ties to major banks .
More than half of the $ 522 billion allocated by August went to just 5 percent of the recipients , The Washington Post reported .
The restaurant industry is a perfect example .
It has been one of the hardest-hit sectors of our economy .
Reduced dining capacity and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have cut into already thin margins for smaller establishments , forcing 100,000 restaurants and bars to permanently close .
But an analysis from The Counter , an outlet focused on the food industry , showed that about $ 1 billion in paycheck protection loans went to a set of businesses that exploited a loophole .
Loans of more than $ 3 million went to `` a Taco Bell operator headquartered in Minnesota ; a Wendy 's franchisee in San Antonio ; a group with more than 200 Pizza Huts in California ; and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among others . ''
In that way , the corporations that own those franchises bypassed the $ 10 million cap on the loans .
The Counter reported that `` 255,050 restaurants borrowed a total of $ 30 billion through the program .
Our analysis found that a quarter of the money went to just 1 percent of recipients . ''
Compare that with the latest cover story from New York Magazine , which listed 500 businesses that have closed in New York City because of the pandemic .
It 's a grim love @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — that made the city feel like home to the magazine 's writers .
And it makes the successes of the mega-corps all the more galling .
The gap is even wider between corporations and the workers they employ .
The Brookings Institution issued a report last month that found that the biggest retailers in the country have flourished this year .
CVS Health , Home Depot and Lowe 's have all earned $ 1 billion more in profit in 2020 compared to this time last year .
Walmart 's and Amazon 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , up by a mind-boggling 45 percent and 53 percent respectively — more than $ 10 billion between them .
Those numbers will likely increase after the holiday season .
But the employees of these corporations have seen almost none of the benefit .
Brookings found that , on average , the increased compensation offered to their staff was less than half of the windfall companies made this year compared to last .
Or as the report sums it up , `` In other words , Amazon and Walmart could have quadrupled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and still earned more profit than the previous year . ''
( Shoutout , though , to Home Depot for spending more on its workers than its increased profits . )
This all allows the financial community to ignore the strain and hardships on the working class .
In fact , the stock market , a gambling pit that puts Las Vegas to shame , briefly hit new highs Tuesday as investors dumped money into their bets that a new stimulus package could be coming from Congress .
And yet , bipartisan negotiations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again .
The biggest issues include whether to include direct payments to Americans again and whether to provide funding to state and local governments .
Republicans ' biggest holdout , aside from the overall price tag , is a demand to shield businesses from lawsuits for exposing their workers to Covid-19 .
Imagine putting millions of Americans ' lives at risk by holding up assistance to keep companies from being sued for forcing their workers to place their lives at risk .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell offered this week to move ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exchange for dropping aid to state and local governments .
His Democratic counterpart , Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , rejected the proposal .
In sum , if you were a major corporation at the start of the year , odds are you 're still doing better than fine .
I do n't wish you ill at this point ; I just wish that you would — quite literally — share the wealth .

In a year when millions of Americans are struggling to survive the Covid-19 pandemic, watching as their life savings have plummeted to zero and unemployment remains rampant, some of the biggest corporations have been absolutely thriving. If we're going to ever end this neo-Gilded Age, we're going to need to reckon with the utter immorality of that disconnect.
It has been eight months since the CARES Act was signed into law, the only lifeline that the federal government has thrown to the drowning masses as the virus has overwhelmed the country. The act set up loans under the Paycheck Protection Plan to help small businesses with about 500 or fewer employees keep staff members on payroll during shutdowns this spring.
But it turns out a disproportionate amount of that money went to big companies with established ties to major banks. More than half of the $522 billion allocated by August went to just 5 percent of the recipients, The Washington Post reported.
The restaurant industry is a perfect example. It has been one of the hardest-hit sectors of our economy. Reduced dining capacity and other constraints meant to slow the virus have cut into already thin margins for smaller establishments, forcing 100,000 restaurants and bars to permanently close. But an analysis from The Counter, an outlet focused on the food industry, showed that about $1 billion in paycheck protection loans went to a set of businesses that exploited a loophole. Loans of more than $3 million went to "a Taco Bell operator headquartered in Minnesota; a Wendy's franchisee in San Antonio; a group with more than 200 Pizza Huts in California; and a McDonald's franchisee in Tampa, among others."
In that way, the corporations that own those franchises bypassed the $10 million cap on the loans. The Counter reported that "255,050 restaurants borrowed a total of $30 billion through the program. Our analysis found that a quarter of the money went to just 1 percent of recipients."
Compare that with the latest cover story from New York Magazine, which listed 500 businesses that have closed in New York City because of the pandemic. It's a grim love letter-cum-obituary to the places — especially restaurants — that made the city feel like home to the magazine's writers. And it makes the successes of the mega-corps all the more galling.
On average, the increased compensation offered to their staff was less than half of the windfall companies made this year compared to last.
The gap is even wider between corporations and the workers they employ. The Brookings Institution issued a report last month that found that the biggest retailers in the country have flourished this year. CVS Health, Home Depot and Lowe's have all earned $1 billion more in profit in 2020 compared to this time last year. Walmart's and Amazon's profits are on a whole other level, up by a mind-boggling 45 percent and 53 percent respectively — more than $10 billion between them. Those numbers will likely increase after the holiday season.
But the employees of these corporations have seen almost none of the benefit. Brookings found that, on average, the increased compensation offered to their staff was less than half of the windfall companies made this year compared to last. Or as the report sums it up, "In other words, Amazon and Walmart could have quadrupled the hazard pay they gave their frontline workers and still earned more profit than the previous year." (Shoutout, though, to Home Depot for spending more on its workers than its increased profits.)
This all allows the financial community to ignore the strain and hardships on the working class. In fact, the stock market, a gambling pit that puts Las Vegas to shame, briefly hit new highs Tuesday as investors dumped money into their bets that a new stimulus package could be coming from Congress.
And yet, bipartisan negotiations may be stalling out in Congress — again. The biggest issues include whether to include direct payments to Americans again and whether to provide funding to state and local governments. Republicans' biggest holdout, aside from the overall price tag, is a demand to shield businesses from lawsuits for exposing their workers to Covid-19. Imagine putting millions of Americans' lives at risk by holding up assistance to keep companies from being sued for forcing their workers to place their lives at risk.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell offered this week to move ahead without the shield — but only in exchange for dropping aid to state and local governments. His Democratic counterpart, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, rejected the proposal.
In sum, if you were a major corporation at the start of the year, odds are you're still doing better than fine. I don't wish you ill at this point; I just wish that you would — quite literally — share the wealth.


msnbc--2020-12-11--106 House Republicans, 17 State AGs back anti-democracy lawsuit to try and overturn 2020 election

Mayor of Albuquerque : 'We are maxed out ' on health care workers

Public financial disclosure should not be new to Thomas: Fmr. ethics officer on new report on gifts 07:43


msnbc--2020-12-11--Can Trump’s scheme to overturn 2020 results become a crime?

Trump cheers 18 state attorney generals for pushing a frivolous case about his loss, while his own lawyers are under fire for arguing to overturn U.S. democracy. MSNBC’s Chief Legal Correspondent Ari Melber reports on the legal consequences of these plots to overturn the election, with new calls for sanctions against some on Trump’s legal team.Dec. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-10--FDA panel recommends emergency use authorization for Pfizer's Covid vaccine

A FDA panel of medical experts voted, 17-4, with one abstention, to recommend Pfizer's vaccine for emergency use, putting the drug on track for FDA authorization within days.Dec. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-10--Frank Figliuzzi’s concern is the ‘highest it’s been since Donald Trump has been in power’

Frank Figliuzzi’s concern is the ‘highest it’s been since Donald Trump has been in power’
Former FBI assistant director for counterintelligence and MSNBC national security analyst Frank Figliuzzi is deeply worried about increased radicalization in this country since Donald Trump lost re-electionDec. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-11--Top election lawyer ‘shaken’ by Texas lawsuit to overturn election

“To see all of these states sign on, and 100 plus members of Congress—Republicans—sign on in support shook me,” says top election lawyer Marc Elias. “It speaks to an erosion of our democracy going forward.”Dec. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-10--Former FL Data scientist has home raided by FBI: They are trying to ‘shut me down’

Former FL Data scientist has home raided by FBI: They are trying to ‘shut me down’
Agents with guns drawn raided the home of a former Florida data scientist who helped track Covid cases. Now a GOP attorney appointed by Governor DeSantis has resigned in protest, saying the raid was meant to "intimidate." The scientist targeted in that raid, Rebekah Jones, joins Katy Tur to discuss.Dec. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-11--Civil rights leader warns Tom Vilsack nomination could depress voter turnout in Georgia

In leaked recordings, Derek Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, warned specifically against choosing Tom Vilsack as agriculture secretary. He cited Vilsack firing Shirley Sherrod and that the Vilsack pick could depress turnout in Georgia.Dec. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-10--‘What’s up Nickay!’, Leslie Jones joins Nicolle Wallace to talk about her 2020 commentary

Leslie Jones, comedian and actress, talks to Nicolle Wallace about her viral commentary on the latest political news and says that to get through these tough times ‘we all need to be more honest’. Plus, a special guest makes an appearance.Dec. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-10--Rep. Clyburn threatens to subpoena CDC director, Secy. Azar for hiding Covid information

Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., is threatening to subpoena CDC Director Robert Redfield and Health and Human Services Secy. Alex Azar over allegations over concealing information on the administration's coronavirus response. NBC's Heidi Przybyla reports.Dec. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-10--Americans are broke and depressed. We need congressional relief, not 'self care.'

America needs therapy .
We have a mental crisis on our hands with no end in sight .
One in 3 of us now meets the threshold for clinical anxiety or depression , and cases of depression have increased threefold since the pandemic , with 1 in 5 Covid-19 patients developing a mental illness as a side effect .
All the chronic worrying and isolation from the pandemic have literally rewired our brains , and it ’ s not for the better .
While we need national and state-funded psychological support to get us out of this mess , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries in the world , no less ) is providing the bare minimum when it comes to basic needs , such as housing and food .
Yet , these are the services crucial to preventing the worst mental health crisis in a generation .
There 's been a lot of pontificating about both the mental health epidemic and the financial crisis that ’ s upon us .
But these two conversations are fundamentally intertwined .
While the former hasn ’ t spared anyone , it has by no means affected everyone equally , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have seen their mental health decline precipitously .
While psychological trouble can be the result of genetics and childhood development , it ’ s also distinctly situational .
It can be sparked and exacerbated by our relationship with the world , and how differently it treats us , and we are seeing this play out clearly in this pandemic .
If you fall into the low-income category , you are already more at risk for developing mood disorders , suicidal ideations and substance abuse .
People who lost income or employment during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health issues than those who did not .
Black people , Indigenous people and people of color have been hit the hardest .
Anxiety and depressive disorders have been worst amongst women , with those who are essential workers , nonwhite and pregnant being the most affected .
One of the populations that ’ s seen mental health plummet is unpaid caregivers , two thirds of whom are women .
In response to all of this , one of the tips the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended is that people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthy diet , meditation and exercising regularly , this includes seeking therapy .
While therapy would certainly be a useful tool for vulnerable people , some problems can ’ t be solved with meditation tapes and serenity candles .
And there ’ s only so much therapy that can make up for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ’ s unbridled cruelty and monstrous negligence and the wreckage it could permanently cause to the financial security of millions of people who already couldn ’ t make ends meet .
One of the main catalysts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ genetics , it ’ s poverty .
And to say that the mental health crisis playing out in marginalized communities has been exacerbated because of McConnell ’ s failures is a colossal understatement .
His refusal to sign a stimulus package and to sign off on a stimulus check has thrown millions of Americans into poverty .
It ’ s about to get worse as moratoriums on rent and utilities will expire at the end of the year in the very middle of what experts are calling “ the most difficult time in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” As the new year approaches , The Washington Post reported that 12 million Americans , many living paycheck to paycheck , will have to pay back an average $ 5,800 that they will owe in rent and utilities by early January .
The heartbreaking piece reported parents pawning their sons ’ playstations to pay for food and a mother losing power on her child 's first day of virtual kindergarten .
The completely avoidable housing crisis we are about to enter in the dead of the winter will certainly make these next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ periods in American history .
With the mere threat of facing eviction reportedly sparking or increasing mental health issues such as anxiety and depression , imagine the mental strife of people when they indeed will be forced out of their homes .
The good news is that an effective solution is very simple : To significantly improve mental health , give people money .
This worked out when Canada pilot tested a universal basic income program in one of its provinces before the pandemic , and results showed the program didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it also had a neat side-effect : a steep decrease in mental health problems , and even a decrease in the use of health services .
As Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has pointed out , Canada has paid people $ 2,000 per month since the pandemic hit , while the U.S. government hasn ’ t offered a single stimulus check since the first week of August .
That was more than 100 days ago .
For those who point to a failing economy as a reason why the government can ’ t afford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s important to acknowledge that corporations have received billions in Covid-19 relief funds so far , with many using the government ’ s money to throw seven-figure salaries to their ( already ) wealthy CEOs .
The emergency fund ran out of money before many small businesses could even apply .
In other words , large corporations can get help they need , but if you ’ re a low-wage worker at one of those companies , you ’ re out of luck .
As long as already rich Americans rich get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatest country in the world .
We have the data : The largest gaps between the rich and the poor also happen to correlate with the gap in mental health .
Countries with less disparity in access to health services , such as Finland and Sweden , also happened to have survived the 2008 recession with less bruises .
Mental illness and rampant income inequality go hand-in-hand and will continue to feed into each other unless we cut them at their root .
And If McConnell can ’ t understand the gravity of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and if he can not have empathy for millions of Americans already suffering , perhaps he could use some therapy , too — but accessing quality mental health services from the best practitioners wouldn ’ t be a problem for him , would it ?

America needs therapy. We have a mental crisis on our hands with no end in sight. One in 3 of us now meets the threshold for clinical anxiety or depression, and cases of depression have increased threefold since the pandemic, with 1 in 5 Covid-19 patients developing a mental illness as a side effect. All the chronic worrying and isolation from the pandemic have literally rewired our brains, and it’s not for the better.
There's been a lot of pontificating about both the mental health epidemic and the financial crisis that’s upon us. But these two conversations are fundamentally intertwined.
While we need national and state-funded psychological support to get us out of this mess, the government (of one of the richest countries in the world, no less) is providing the bare minimum when it comes to basic needs, such as housing and food. Yet, these are the services crucial to preventing the worst mental health crisis in a generation.
There's been a lot of pontificating about both the mental health epidemic and the financial crisis that’s upon us. But these two conversations are fundamentally intertwined. While the former hasn’t spared anyone, it has by no means affected everyone equally, as people who are the most marginalized have seen their mental health decline precipitously.
While psychological trouble can be the result of genetics and childhood development, it’s also distinctly situational. It can be sparked and exacerbated by our relationship with the world, and how differently it treats us, and we are seeing this play out clearly in this pandemic.
If you fall into the low-income category, you are already more at risk for developing mood disorders, suicidal ideations and substance abuse. People who lost income or employment during the pandemic reported starkly higher instances of mental health issues than those who did not. Black people, Indigenous people and people of color have been hit the hardest. Anxiety and depressive disorders have been worst amongst women, with those who are essential workers, nonwhite and pregnant being the most affected. One of the populations that’s seen mental health plummet is unpaid caregivers, two thirds of whom are women.
In response to all of this, one of the tips the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended is that people practice “self-care.”
Besides eating a healthy diet, meditation and exercising regularly, this includes seeking therapy. While therapy would certainly be a useful tool for vulnerable people, some problems can’t be solved with meditation tapes and serenity candles. And there’s only so much therapy that can make up for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s unbridled cruelty and monstrous negligence and the wreckage it could permanently cause to the financial security of millions of people who already couldn’t make ends meet.
One of the main catalysts for mental health isn’t just genetics, it’s poverty.
One of the main catalysts for mental health isn’t just genetics, it’s poverty. And to say that the mental health crisis playing out in marginalized communities has been exacerbated because of McConnell’s failures is a colossal understatement. His refusal to sign a stimulus package and to sign off on a stimulus check has thrown millions of Americans into poverty. It’s about to get worse as moratoriums on rent and utilities will expire at the end of the year in the very middle of what experts are calling “the most difficult time in the public health history of this nation.”
As the new year approaches, The Washington Post reported that 12 million Americans, many living paycheck to paycheck, will have to pay back an average $5,800 that they will owe in rent and utilities by early January. The heartbreaking piece reported parents pawning their sons’ playstations to pay for food and a mother losing power on her child's first day of virtual kindergarten.
The completely avoidable housing crisis we are about to enter in the dead of the winter will certainly make these next few months one of the most devastating periods in American history. With the mere threat of facing eviction reportedly sparking or increasing mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, imagine the mental strife of people when they indeed will be forced out of their homes.
The good news is that an effective solution is very simple: To significantly improve mental health, give people money. This worked out when Canada pilot tested a universal basic income program in one of its provinces before the pandemic, and results showed the program didn’t just improve people’s living conditions, it also had a neat side-effect: a steep decrease in mental health problems, and even a decrease in the use of health services.
To say that the mental health crisis playing out in marginalized communities has been exacerbated because of McConnell’s failures is a colossal understatement.
As Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has pointed out, Canada has paid people $2,000 per month since the pandemic hit, while the U.S. government hasn’t offered a single stimulus check since the first week of August. That was more than 100 days ago.
Canada did $2,000/monthly. The US is the richest nation on earth and a 2nd stimulus check is getting blocked bc GOP want corporate bailouts & austerity in “exchange” for it.
Maybe if everyone in the US incorporated as an LLC, Mitch McConnell would actually do something for them. — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 4, 2020
For those who point to a failing economy as a reason why the government can’t afford to just hand out checks, it’s important to acknowledge that corporations have received billions in Covid-19 relief funds so far, with many using the government’s money to throw seven-figure salaries to their (already) wealthy CEOs.
For those who point to a failing economy as a reason why the government can’t afford to just hand out checks, it’s important to acknowledge that corporations have received billions in Covid-19 relief funds so far.
The emergency fund ran out of money before many small businesses could even apply. In other words, large corporations can get help they need, but if you’re a low-wage worker at one of those companies, you’re out of luck.
As long as already rich Americans rich get richer, it cannot be the greatest country in the world. We have the data: The largest gaps between the rich and the poor also happen to correlate with the gap in mental health. Countries with less disparity in access to health services, such as Finland and Sweden, also happened to have survived the 2008 recession with less bruises.
Mental illness and rampant income inequality go hand-in-hand and will continue to feed into each other unless we cut them at their root. And If McConnell can’t understand the gravity of both impending calamities fomented under his leadership, and if he cannot have empathy for millions of Americans already suffering, perhaps he could use some therapy, too — but accessing quality mental health services from the best practitioners wouldn’t be a problem for him, would it?


msnbc--2020-12-10--State-by-state breakdown of coronavirus travel restrictions

Guidance on traveling and travel restrictions varies across the United States as the country faces new surges in Covid-19 cases.
The patchwork of restrictions between regions highlights the ability of states to take different approaches while dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
While all of the Northeast and most of the mid-Atlantic states have implemented statewide travel restrictions, more than half the states, including two of the biggest, Texas and Florida, have no such restrictions.
States hit the hardest when the epidemic began in the United States last spring, such as New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, have some of the most stringent travel restrictions.
Instead of opting for statewide restrictions, some local officials have imposed restrictions on travel to the most populous cities.
Check the interactive map below to see the latest guidance on travel and possible travel restrictions. This map will be updated weekly.


msnbc--2020-12-10--Tracking coronavirus case surges in the United States

Measuring stress levels at hospital intensive care units can help hospitals plan and manage their surge capacity. The stress level is based on the share of ICU hospital beds used by Covid patients. Low-stress hospitals have less than 10% of critical care beds occupied by Covid patients, while high-stress hospitals have from 30% to 59%.


msnbc--2020-12-11--More than 100 House GOP support Texas lawsuit

The Economist looks ahead to The World in 2021

Meacham: Pence probably saved the republic, but I don't always want to count on one person to do it 08:18


msnbc--2020-12-11--Trump friends flout Covid safety, get access to exclusive treatments

Rachel Maddow looks at Rudy Giuliani's boast that he received "celebrity" coronavirus treatment at the direction of Donald Trump, making him the latest Trump-connected Covid-19 patient to receive the rare monoclonal antibody treatment that have to be carefully rationed to other Americans.Dec. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-11--FBI serves subpoena in corruption probe of leader of Trump SCOTUS election ploy: report

Rachel Maddow shares reporting from the Austin American-Statesman that federal agents served at least one subpoena on the office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in an investigation of whether he abused his office for a campaign donor - an investigation a pardon from Donald Trump would interrupt.Dec. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-11--Democrats lay blame at McConnell for blocking relief bill

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office on this week said he sees no possible path to an agreement on state and local aid and liability protections, according to NBC News reporting. The panel discusses.Dec. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-11--Trump's SCOTUS stunt 'all theater to keep the fundraising going': Rep. Raskin

Trump's SCOTUS stunt 'all theater to keep the fundraising going': Rep. Raskin
Rep. Jamie Raskin explains why Donald Trump's hope that the Supreme Court will make him president again even though he lost the election is misplaced, and why Republicans lining up like lemmings to support the stunt does not make the case any stronger.Dec. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-11--'Grown-ass men and women': 106 GOP Reps. back push to steal Biden win

Meacham: Pence probably saved the republic, but I don't always want to count on one person to do it


msnbc--2020-12-11--Joe Biden, Kamala Harris are TIME's 2020 Person of the Year

Jonathan Lemire reacts to two pieces of news that will likely infuriate Trump: Biden and Harris are TIME's 2020 Person of the Year and Atty. Gen. Barr reportedly kept quiet about a probe into Hunter Biden during the 2020 campaign.Dec. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-11--Trump legacy littered with Cabinet catastrophes


msnbc--2020-12-11--Rudy Giuliani: I got special Covid treatment because I’m a ‘celebrity’

“The picture here is pretty clear,” says Chris Hayes. “If you're rich, or connected, or in the president's Cabinet, or one of his buddies, you get taken care of. And everyone else—you're on your own.”Dec. 11, 2020