msnbc--2020-12-03--Of course Trump is turning pardons into something criminal

In the span of just one week , the topic of presidential pardons has gone from comical to confounding .
On Nov. 24 , after the White House ran a Twitter poll asking for the public ’ s opinion on which of two turkeys should receive the annual Thanksgiving presidential pardon , President Donald Trump issued his reprieve to a relieved and rotund bird named Corn .
Poultry pardons aside , things got serious when we learned on Monday that the president had issued a “ full and unconditional ” pardon to his fired national security advisor , Michael Flynn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the FBI about his dealings with Russia .
On Tuesday , we learned that Trump had discussed potentially pardoning his personal counsel-cum-court-jester Rudy Giuliani , as well as some of his own family members .
Before the Tuesday news cycle could give way to Wednesday , there was another pardon-related revelation — the Department of Justice is investigating the attempted sale of presidential clemency for cash .
And the week isn ’ t over .
News of an active investigation of at least two individuals who are lobbying White House officials on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specter of a corrupt pardon process .
In fact , all the pardon -related news so far this week , except perhaps for the turkey ’ s , should have us screaming “ foul.
” It ’ s no surprise that the chronically corrupt orbit around the president would generate a bribery scheme that reportedly would exchange a pardon for a payment in the form of a political contribution .
We learned of the pending inquiry because a federal judge issued a heavily redacted opinion on whether prosecutors could look at terabytes of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a search warrant in the bribery case .
The defense argued that the data was attorney-client privileged and should not be disclosed to investigators – but the judge disagreed , and , released that decision over objections .
Social media exploded with long threads of discussion about who the subjects of the investigation might be , and the possible identity of the convicted pardon purchaser .
Although we don ’ t yet know to what extent Trump was aware of the scheme , don ’ t be surprised if we indirectly learn the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decide to pardon them to protect himself .
That could lead to a head-spinning scenario where a presidential pardon is given to individuals who are under active investigation for trying to sell a presidential pardon .
This week ’ s news raises pardon concerns that extend beyond the traditional definition of pay-to-play corruption to more broad , even untested , questions about what constitutes abuse of the presidential pardon powers .
The Constitution gives the president clemency powers “ to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States , except in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either a commutation , which reduces or eliminates a sentence imposed after a conviction for a crime , or a pardon — a broader nullification of all legal consequences for an offense .
Presidents can , and have , pardoned family members — as President Bill Clinton did for his half-brother , Roger .
They can also issue a pardon to a person prior to any charge or conviction .
But the combination of the Flynn pardon , the earlier commutation of Roger Stone ’ s sentence , and the reports that Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Giuliani , and even himself , submerge us in dangerous and uncharted legal waters .
That ’ s because such pardons aren ’ t about righting injustices or showing mercy — they ’ re about obstructing justice by protecting the pardoner .
Who , in this case , is Trump .
Trump ’ s family members Donald Jr. , Eric , Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner , are not independent actors isolated and distinct from the man who might pardon them .
Rather , because of the senior roles they played @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and/or as White House advisers , they have knowledge that could prove valuable to prosecutors who might currently , or in the future , investigate wrong-doing by the president .
The possibility of criminal charges against the president and his family is neither hypothetical nor far-fetched .
In just one recent example , analysis of Trump ’ s tax returns revealed that he claimed a business deduction for over $ 700,000 paid to Ivanka as a consultant to the Trump Organization while she was simultaneously an employee of that company .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it with any understanding that it was to evade taxes , and then her father signed the tax returns knowingly , both could face criminal liability .
As with Flynn and Stone , both of whom could potentially testify against Trump , pardoning Giuliani could similarly act as a safeguard to ensure his silence .
Giuliani knows precisely how much Trump was or was not aware of efforts to dig up dirt on President-elect Joe Biden , disseminate foreign disinformation , and how those efforts were funded .
But the cloudiest question of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself .
Legal scholars hold differing opinions on this .
As Charlie Savage explained in his Dec. 2 New York Times piece , “ There is no definitive answer because no president has ever tried to pardon himself and then faced prosecution anyway.
” The only clarity we do have in this regard is that presidential pardons do not extend to state or local crimes – and Trump remains in legal jeopardy at both of those jurisdictional levels in New York .
That ’ s why all this talk of pardons and potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also serves as a clarion call to federal prosecutors and agents .
Those frustrated feds should upload their remaining investigative work , update their local and state contacts list , and prepare to hit “ send .
”

In the span of just one week, the topic of presidential pardons has gone from comical to confounding. On Nov. 24, after the White House ran a Twitter poll asking for the public’s opinion on which of two turkeys should receive the annual Thanksgiving presidential pardon, President Donald Trump issued his reprieve to a relieved and rotund bird named Corn.
Which turkey should President Trump pardon at this year's National Thanksgiving Turkey Pardoning Ceremony—Corn or Cob? — The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 23, 2020
Poultry pardons aside, things got serious when we learned on Monday that the president had issued a “full and unconditional” pardon to his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who had pled guilty to lying to the FBI about his dealings with Russia.
"Full and unconditional": DOJ Files Trump's Pardon of Michael Flynn in Judge Sullivan's Court — Here's What It Says https://t.co/YUdLG6gwb8 via @lawcrimenews #FlynnPardon #FlynnLied — Frank Figliuzzi (@FrankFigliuzzi1) November 30, 2020
On Tuesday, we learned that Trump had discussed potentially pardoning his personal counsel-cum-court-jester Rudy Giuliani, as well as some of his own family members.
Before the Tuesday news cycle could give way to Wednesday, there was another pardon-related revelation — the Department of Justice is investigating the attempted sale of presidential clemency for cash. And the week isn’t over.
The possibility of criminal charges against the president and his family is neither hypothetical nor far-fetched.
News of an active investigation of at least two individuals who are lobbying White House officials on behalf of a convicted criminal raises the specter of a corrupt pardon process. In fact, all the pardon-related news so far this week, except perhaps for the turkey’s, should have us screaming “foul.”
It’s no surprise that the chronically corrupt orbit around the president would generate a bribery scheme that reportedly would exchange a pardon for a payment in the form of a political contribution. We learned of the pending inquiry because a federal judge issued a heavily redacted opinion on whether prosecutors could look at terabytes of data on 50 electronic devices seized during a search warrant in the bribery case. The defense argued that the data was attorney-client privileged and should not be disclosed to investigators - but the judge disagreed and released that decision over objections.
Social media exploded with long threads of discussion about who the subjects of the investigation might be, and the possible identity of the convicted pardon purchaser.
And it appears the 3rd party that "spoiled" attorney-client privilege & appears to be acting as the bagman has a name that doesn't end in S. I think I know who it is. Listen to @dailybeanspod tomorrow for an in-the-weeds breakdown of the memo with @patorrezlaw of @openargs and me https://t.co/X09unlPGow — Mueller, She Wrote Podcast (@MuellerSheWrote) December 2, 2020
Although we don’t yet know to what extent Trump was aware of the scheme, don’t be surprised if we indirectly learn the identity of the purported purveyors should Trump decide to pardon them to protect himself. That could lead to a head-spinning scenario where a presidential pardon is given to individuals who are under active investigation for trying to sell a presidential pardon.
This week’s news raises pardon concerns that extend beyond the traditional definition of pay-to-play corruption to more broad, even untested, questions about what constitutes abuse of the presidential pardon powers. The Constitution gives the president clemency powers “to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.” This could be either a commutation, which reduces or eliminates a sentence imposed after a conviction for a crime, or a pardon — a broader nullification of all legal consequences for an offense.
The cloudiest question of all is whether the president can pardon himself.
Presidents can, and have, pardoned family members — as President Bill Clinton did for his half-brother, Roger. They can also issue a pardon to a person prior to any charge or conviction. But the combination of the Flynn pardon, the earlier commutation of Roger Stone’s sentence, and the reports that Trump is considering pardons of his own family, Giuliani and even himself, submerge us in dangerous and uncharted legal waters.
That’s because such pardons aren’t about righting injustices or showing mercy — they’re about obstructing justice by protecting the pardoner. Who, in this case, is Trump.
Trump’s family members - including sons Donald Jr. and Eric, daughter Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner - are not independent actors isolated and distinct from the man who might pardon them. Rather, because of the senior roles they played in the Trump Foundation, the Trump Organization and/or as White House advisers, they have knowledge that could prove valuable to prosecutors who might currently, or in the future, investigate wrongdoing by the president.
The possibility of criminal charges against the president and his family is neither hypothetical nor far-fetched. In just one recent example, analysis of Trump’s tax returns revealed that he claimed a business deduction for over $700,000 paid to Ivanka as a consultant to the Trump Organization while she was simultaneously an employee of that company. If Ivanka knowingly accepted this money and did it with any understanding that it was to evade taxes, and then her father signed the tax returns knowingly, both could face criminal liability.
As with Flynn and Stone, both of whom could potentially testify against Trump, pardoning Giuliani could similarly act as a safeguard to ensure his silence. Giuliani knows precisely how much Trump was or was not aware of efforts to dig up dirt on President-elect Joe Biden, disseminate foreign disinformation and how those efforts were funded.
But the cloudiest question of all is whether the president can pardon himself. Legal scholars hold differing opinions on this. As Charlie Savage explained in his Dec. 2 New York Times article, “There is no definitive answer because no president has ever tried to pardon himself and then faced prosecution anyway.”
The only clarity we do have in this regard is that presidential pardons do not extend to state or local crimes – and Trump remains in legal jeopardy at both of those jurisdictional levels in New York.
That’s why all this talk of pardons and potential pardons, while confusing and confounding, also serves as a clarion call to federal prosecutors and agents. Those frustrated feds should upload their remaining investigative work, update their local and state contacts list, and prepare to hit “send.”


msnbc--2020-12-03--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--2020-12-03--Wisconsin Supreme Court rejects Trump lawsuit

Dr. Paul Offit : If vaccine is 90 % effective , 'one out of every ten people will not be @ @

By a 4-3 vote, the Wisconsin Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit filed by the Trump campaign, which sought to invalidate mail ballots it claimed were improperly included during the canvas in Milwaukee and Dane counties.Dec. 3, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-03--Steve Kornacki examines uncalled House races

‘They better get out a really big check book’: Dominion case rips open Fox News to more lawsuits from Smartmatic, Ray Epps, and more 06:28


msnbc--2020-12-04--Chuck Rosenberg on Perdue: ‘If he’s trading on insider info, it’s not just a problem. It’s a crime’

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


msnbc--2020-12-03--Carol Lee: Trump didn’t care about Flynn, but wanted to ‘undermine the Mueller investigation’

Carol Lee: Trump didn’t care about Flynn, but wanted to ‘undermine the Mueller investigation’
NBC News correspondent Carol Lee discusses her extensive reporting on Donald Trump’s motivation to pardon his former national security adviser Michael Flynn, and how it connects to the president seeking revenge on special counsel Robert MuellerDec. 3, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-03--Trump WH, State Dept. push ahead with holiday parties

John Hudson, a National Security reporter at The Washington Post, tells Hallie Jackson that the Trump administration is not "walking the walk" when it comes to following rules they have set surrounding holiday gatherings.Dec. 3, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-03--Trump administration gives new data on migrant separations to lawyers reuniting families

Lawyers trying to reunite separated migrant families at the border say that the government has finally given them new data that could be critical to helping the families.Dec. 3, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-04--Trump tweeting, playing hooky as Covid-19 hits all-time high

As the U.S. breaks four different grim records for COVID, Donald Trump has largely abdicated his daily job duties as President. MSNBC’s Ari Melber reports on the public evidence that Trump has drastically scaled back his work since losing the election. This special report traces how history has judged rulers who neglect their core duties, from Nero to Pres. Hoover, and the contrast between Trump and a new, bipartisan push by ex-Presidents to confront a once in a lifetime pandemic and advocate vaccination.Dec. 4, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-03--California issues new stay-at-home order linked to ICU capacity

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that specific areas in the state will be under a stay-at-home order. Newsom said this is to prevent people from gathering with others outside of their household as coronavirus cases surge. The regions with restrictions are where the ICU capacity is falling below 15% and will be mandated for three weeks.Dec. 3, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-04--D.C. prosecutor contradicts Ivanka Trump on Inaugural Committee overpayment to Trump hotel

Tribe : Any argument that Trump can pardon himself would be ‘ incompatible ’ with the Constitution

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


msnbc--2020-12-04--How best to convince public of vaccine's safety?

Doctors Paul Offit and Nahid Bhadelia join Morning Joe to discuss how to best convince Americans to take the coming Covid-19 vaccines once they are available to the public.Dec. 4, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-04--Tribe: Any argument that Trump can pardon himself would be ‘incompatible’ with the Constitution

Tribe: Any argument that Trump can pardon himself would be ‘incompatible’ with the Constitution
Laurence Tribe tells Lawrence O’Donnell that if Trump tried to pardon himself, his argument would not hold up in court because it goes against the principle that no one is above the law: “If that were the case, then the president would not be below the law, he’d be above it.”Dec. 4, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-04--GOP is ‘hopeful’ Trump will stay on message while campaigning for Georgia senators

GOP is ‘hopeful’ Trump will stay on message while campaigning for Georgia senators
Donald Trump will campaign in Georgia on Saturday to "help," but Republicans who care about controlling the senate are genuinely concerned what he will say.Dec. 4, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-04--Canadian premier makes emotional holiday plea

In Canada, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister made an emotional plea for residents to stay apart this holiday season for the benefit of public health. The Morning Joe panel contrast's Pallister's handling of the pandemic with how Trump has handled the virus.Dec. 4, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-04--Tide of new medical demand arriving as U.S. resources are already overdrawn

Tide of new medical demand arriving as U.S. resources are already overdrawn
Rachel Maddow looks at the record number of Covid-19 hospitalizations in the United States that has strained the medical system nearly to the breaking point, and then points to the record number of daily new cases that will be generating new hospitalizations in the near future. How will hospitals handle the next wave?Dec. 4, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-04--Trumps may face a slew of legal issues after White House


msnbc--2020-12-04--Why Melania Trump's Christmas 'cheer' is extra upsetting this year

Melania Trump should have had 2020 off .
The coronavirus was supposed to be her excuse to kick back , relax and use the pandemic as a reason to not worry about hosting holiday events at the White House .
But there will be as many as 20 Christmas events this year , despite Covid-19 .
What I want to know is : Who bullied Melania into doing all this Christmas stuff ?
We know how much she resents this particular part of her duty as first lady .
And yet one of the few joys we 've had during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warped Melania 's tastes are when it comes to jolly Christmastime fun .
Besides being extremely extra in her aesthetic , her White House Christmas decorations have trended Victorian — but less in the `` A Christmas Carol '' sense , with the waistcoats and bonnets and the carol singing , and more in the `` this mansion is possessed by the ghost of a vengeful spinster abandoned at the altar at Yuletide '' sense .
Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz of New York Magazine 's The Cut perfectly illustrated this trend Monday when she gave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holiday décor `` ranked from most to least haunted . ''
The top slot went to 2018 , when the East Wing was ceremoniously lined with blood-red trees , invoking a visceral horror scene .
While this year 's fare is much tamer , it 's still worth wondering why she had to go through the trouble at all .
This fall , America learned that Melania does not enjoy Christmas , at least not at the White House .
We know this thanks to her former friend and staffer Stephanie Winston Wolkoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September .
In October , she was still making the rounds to promote it .
And this time , she came with audio , a conversation with Melania that she 'd secretly recorded in July 2018 .
In a clip that aired on CNN , the first lady was heard sounding a lot like her husband as she railed about how the media covers her .
She also lamented that she was forced to take charge of the White House Christmas decorations .
`` I 'm working like — my ass off — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Melania could be heard saying .
`` Who gives a f -- - about Christmas stuff and decorations ?
But I need to do it , right ?
`` Then I do it , '' she continued .
`` And I say that I 'm working on Christmas planning for the Christmas .
And they said , 'Oh , what about the children that they were separated ? '
Give me a f -- -ing break .
Where they were saying anything when Obama did that ? ''
We got precious little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 news cyclone swept it away .
Within hours of her diatribe 's having become public , President Donald Trump announced that he and Melania had tested positive for Covid-19 .
But we had just enough time to gift us with this banger of a remix from YouTubers The Gregory Brothers .
Thankfully , Melania recovered fully , leaving her able-bodied enough to take up the Christmas decoration reins once again .
But the question remains : Who 's making Melania do all of this in the middle of a pandemic ?
Is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duty , or was it deemed a political matter and thus outside her ability to turn down ?
Those in the West Wing seem to be using the multiple Christmas parties as a final act of defiance , snubbing their noses at the nattering nabobs of negativity who think it 's a bad idea to host large events in the middle of a pandemic .
`` If you can loot businesses , burn down buildings , engage in protests , you can also go to a Christmas party .
You can celebrate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do it responsibly , '' White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters Wednesday .
Melania 's chief of staff , former White House deputy press secretary Stephanie Grisham , was a bit more circumspect when asked about safety precautions .
`` Guests will enjoy food individually plated by chefs at plexiglass-protected food stations , '' she said in a statement .
`` All passed beverages will be covered .
All service staff will wear masks and gloves to comply with food safety guidelines .
Attending the parties will be a very personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is a longstanding tradition for people to visit and enjoy the cheer and iconic décor of the annual White House Christmas celebrations . ''
And it is n't just the White House .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo risked being boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart by his staffers this year .
After warning his subordinates at various State Department missions not to hold holiday events , Pompeo is going full Mr. Fezziwig this year ; The Washington Post reported that at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's entirely indoor parties .
All in all , it 's par for the course for this administration .
For the last nine months , Trump and his top lieutenants have refused to set any kind of example for Americans looking for some guidance about how to cope with the pandemic .
Instead , the administration and the campaign hosted what appear to have been multiple super-spreader events and utterly ignored guidelines for mask-wearing and social distancing .
As medical professionals warn against gathering for Christmas , the White House 's fetes continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Who bullied the Trump administration 's chief anti-bullying advocate into hosting one more year 's worth of Christmas stuff ?
If I had to guess — and this is , in fact , a total guess — I 'd put my money on White House chief of staff Mark Meadows as being the Ghost of Christmas Present .
Meadows , while not running the tightest ship , is big on the schmoozing that Christmas parties in Washington invite .
And he 's been right there along with Trump in terms of skepticism about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having tested positive himself in November .
Ah well , this is the last year that Melania will have to worry about being drafted to fight in the War on Christmas — at least for a while .
This time next year , it will be Jill Biden 's turn to throw the soirees , but 'til then we 'll have to muddle through somehow .

Melania Trump should have had 2020 off. The coronavirus was supposed to be her excuse to kick back, relax and use the pandemic as a reason to not worry about hosting holiday events at the White House. But there will be as many as 20 Christmas events this year, despite Covid-19. What I want to know is: Who bullied Melania into doing all this Christmas stuff?
One of the few joys we’ve had during the Trump administration has been learning how warped Melania’s tastes are when it comes to jolly Christmastime fun.
We know how much she resents this particular part of her duty as first lady. And yet one of the few joys we've had during the Trump administration has been learning how warped Melania's tastes are when it comes to jolly Christmastime fun. Besides being extremely extra in her aesthetic, her White House Christmas decorations have trended Victorian — but less in the "A Christmas Carol" sense, with the waistcoats and bonnets and the carol singing, and more in the "this mansion is possessed by the ghost of a vengeful spinster abandoned at the altar at Yuletide" sense.
Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz of New York Magazine's The Cut perfectly illustrated this trend Monday when she gave readers a look back at Melania's holiday décor "ranked from most to least haunted." The top slot went to 2018, when the East Wing was ceremoniously lined with blood-red trees, invoking a visceral horror scene.
While this year's fare is much tamer, it's still worth wondering why she had to go through the trouble at all. This fall, America learned that Melania does not enjoy Christmas, at least not at the White House. We know this thanks to her former friend and staffer Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, whose tell-all book came out in September. In October, she was still making the rounds to promote it. And this time, she came with audio, a conversation with Melania that she'd secretly recorded in July 2018.
In a clip that aired on CNN, the first lady was heard sounding a lot like her husband as she railed about how the media covers her. She also lamented that she was forced to take charge of the White House Christmas decorations.
"I'm working like — my ass off — on Christmas stuff, you know?" Melania could be heard saying. "Who gives a f--- about Christmas stuff and decorations? But I need to do it, right?
"Then I do it," she continued. "And I say that I'm working on Christmas planning for the Christmas. And they said, 'Oh, what about the children that they were separated?' Give me a f---ing break. Where they were saying anything when Obama did that?"
Melania "doesn't shake in her boots ever and she tells Donald exactly how she feels," says Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former friend of the First Lady and ex-East Wing adviser.
She believes "if he's going to do it, he better do it right and he better do it with brass knuckles." pic.twitter.com/biXV2SmbBE — Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) October 2, 2020
We got precious little time to savor the audio before the 2020 news cyclone swept it away. Within hours of her diatribe's having become public, President Donald Trump announced that he and Melania had tested positive for Covid-19. But we had just enough time to gift us with this banger of a remix from YouTubers The Gregory Brothers.
ok, FINE, we'll auto-tune the "Christmas stuff" thing into a carol 🎅🎄🦌 pic.twitter.com/VEprOK3QOP — The Gregory Brothers (@gregorybrothers) October 2, 2020
Thankfully, Melania recovered fully, leaving her able-bodied enough to take up the Christmas decoration reins once again. But the question remains: Who's making Melania do all of this in the middle of a pandemic? Is this her just going along with her duty, or was it deemed a political matter and thus outside her ability to turn down?
Those in the West Wing seem to be using the multiple Christmas parties as a final act of defiance, snubbing their noses at the nattering nabobs of negativity who think it's a bad idea to host large events in the middle of a pandemic.
Who’s making Melania do all of this in the middle of a pandemic?
"If you can loot businesses, burn down buildings, engage in protests, you can also go to a Christmas party. You can celebrate the holiday of Christmas, and you can do it responsibly," White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters Wednesday.
Melania's chief of staff, former White House deputy press secretary Stephanie Grisham, was a bit more circumspect when asked about safety precautions. "Guests will enjoy food individually plated by chefs at plexiglass-protected food stations," she said in a statement.
"All passed beverages will be covered. All service staff will wear masks and gloves to comply with food safety guidelines. Attending the parties will be a very personal choice," she said. "It is a longstanding tradition for people to visit and enjoy the cheer and iconic décor of the annual White House Christmas celebrations."
And it isn't just the White House. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo risked being boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart by his staffers this year. After warning his subordinates at various State Department missions not to hold holiday events, Pompeo is going full Mr. Fezziwig this year; The Washington Post reported that at least 900 invitations have gone out for Pompeo's entirely indoor parties.
All in all, it's par for the course for this administration. For the last nine months, Trump and his top lieutenants have refused to set any kind of example for Americans looking for some guidance about how to cope with the pandemic. Instead, the administration and the campaign hosted what appear to have been multiple super-spreader events and utterly ignored guidelines for mask-wearing and social distancing. As medical professionals warn against gathering for Christmas, the White House's fetes continue.
So, who did it? Who bullied the Trump administration's chief anti-bullying advocate into hosting one more year's worth of Christmas stuff? If I had to guess — and this is, in fact, a total guess — I'd put my money on White House chief of staff Mark Meadows as being the Ghost of Christmas Present. Meadows, while not running the tightest ship, is big on the schmoozing that Christmas parties in Washington invite. And he's been right there along with Trump in terms of skepticism about preventing the spread of Covid-19, despite having tested positive himself in November.
Ah well, this is the last year that Melania will have to worry about being drafted to fight in the War on Christmas — at least for a while. This time next year, it will be Jill Biden's turn to throw the soirees, but 'til then we'll have to muddle through somehow.


msnbc--2020-12-04--Jason Johnson on Trump: ‘America rejected him and he’s going to reject America back’

Biden ‘ Blitz : ’ The case for flooding the zone with executive orders on Day One

Contributor to the Grio Jason Johnson and political reporter for Axios Hans Nichols on Trump’s abdication of leadership on the coronavirus and what President-elect Joe Biden will need to do to help the country recoverDec. 4, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-04--Washington Post journalist reports on doctors and nurses pleading for help

Lenny Bernstein, health and medicine reporter at the Washington Post, discusses his new reporting that ICU doctors are nurses have reached their breaking points and are begging elected officials to do something to stem the amount of people coming into the hospitalsDec. 4, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-04--Meacham: The start of Biden’s presidency is ‘going to be more complicated’ than we think

Meacham: The start of Biden’s presidency is ‘going to be more complicated’ than we think
Presidential historian and Vanderbilt University professor Jon Meacham explains how Biden’s transition will not be smooth sailing even after the president-elect is inaugurated, and the duty Meacham feels the American people have to maintain our democracyDec. 4, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-04--U.S. official says China attempted to create 'super soldiers'

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msnbc--2020-12-04--Sen. Bill Cassidy: President-elect Joe Biden's mask plan 'requires a little bit of nuance'


msnbc--2020-12-05--Hayes: Trump, GOP didn’t care what happened after the election with Covid, economy

Chris Hayes says Trump took the same approach to Covid and the election that he has taken to everything he's ever done. “Sell people on the short term, get the investors in, take what you need from it, and then the whole thing falls apart after you are out and long gone.”Dec. 5, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-04--There’s ‘a lot of squeamishness’ among Republicans over Trump visit to GA

President Trump, Mike Pence and Barack Obama are campaigning in Georgia as a pre-holiday push ahead of the Senate runoff. Political reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Greg Bluestein joins Chris Jansing to discuss what the candidates need to get across the finish line.Dec. 4, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-04--Melania's Covid Christmas wonderland is a nightmare


msnbc--2020-12-04--The elite and powerful are radicalizing conservative America

In the space of about a week , the dangerous language of a lunatic fringe leapt closer to mainstream madness .
We were reminded that radicalized rhetoric — the kind that leads to violence — can be spewed by people dressed in a suit and tie , or in leopard print and heels .
We saw dangerous dialogue launch from the lips of people with advanced degrees such as Juris Doctorate and Master of Divinity .
Those radicalized professionals held , or still hold , impressive titles like U.S. attorney , appellate section chief , U.S. senator , congressman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Air Force Reserve .
This was a week that further confirmed how radicalized we ’ ve become as a nation and how much closer we are to the moment when treacherous talk turns into violent reality .
On Monday , Nov. 30 , former U.S. Attorney Joe DiGenova , a prominent conspiracist on President Donald Trump ’ s election loss legal team , publicly called for a former federal official to be “ taken out at dawn and shot , ” and suggested that the person be “ drawn and quartered ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and execution .
DiGenova ’ s violent ideations were aired on radio on Newsmax ’ s `` Howie Carr Show . ''
To whom was DiGenova directing his homicidal wrath , and for what unthinkable conduct ?
None other than Chris Krebs , recently terminated by Trump for simply leading our government ’ s election security efforts , and for daring to counter Trump ’ s narrative that the 2020 election was rife with fraud .
A practicing attorney calling for the murder of an election security champion who advocates for fact over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous enough .
But when another like-minded professional adds religion and eternal damnation into the mix to demonize those with different politics than you , we ’ re sliding into extremist territory .
And when the person behind that volatile wrath is , for example , a preacher and congressman , he can start sounding more like a radically violent leader ranting against unbelieving infidels than , say , the U.S. Air Force reserve chaplain that he is .
If we were to rearrange the titles and names , these calls to violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terrorist organizations that these very same officials and former officials validly view as a threat .
While educated and professionally trained , these well-coiffed and well-paid radicalizers might not fully grasp that their words can become a call to arms , something readily recognized by those with extensive experience in counterterrorism .
Americans have for years consumed coverage of radicalized terrorist cells in Afghanistan , Iraq and Syria .
But few are drawing the connection that many of our own prominent professionals are starting to sound , to those abroad who recruit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Not nearly as blatantly violent , perhaps — but it ’ s becoming easier to imagine how rhetoric aimed at the demonization of others could get us there .
Colin P. Clarke , a senior research fellow at the Soufan Center , a global security research group , advised , “ The reason a kid like Kyle Rittenhouse would go grab a gun and join a local militia is the same reason why somebody would be lured to a jihadi group.
” Clarke , who ’ s closely familiar with right-wing and anti-government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said , “ It ’ s identity , it ’ s grievances they have that are being exploited and magnified , ” continuing : “ And there ’ s this constant call to get off the couch and get off your ass and go do something .
Like , ‘ You be the guy that goes and defends whatever.
’ Groups are different , the ideologies are different , but a lot of the messaging and the narrative are the same.
” On Nov. 28 , Rep. Doug Collins , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate in the state , the Rev .
Raphael Warnock , by insisting that `` there is no such thing as a pro-choice pastor . ''
Collins turned his dialogue into demonization by claiming that Warnock ’ s status as a Christian pro-life advocate was a “ lie from the pit of hell.
” This form of negative politics that devolves into dangerous radicalization is what the British political scientist Roger Eatwell has called “ cumulative extremism.
” As detailed by Anne Applebaum in an Oct. 30 article in The Atlantic , Eatwell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violent , or to sympathize with violence , if they feel an existential threat.
” They also become more extreme , he said , when they feel their political opponents are not just wrong , but evil — “ almost the devil.
” Yet , DiGenova and Collins weren ’ t the only professionals taking us down the perilous route to potential violence .
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sidney Powell , now a full-time spinner of election fraud fantasies , was a guest on a Nov. 21 Newsmax show .
On that program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divine dimensions regarding her work to undermine election results when she asserted that the president ’ s lawyers would file a lawsuit of “ biblical ” proportions .
The suit would allege , without evidence , that some election officials were embroiled in a pay-to-play scheme with a prominent manufacturer of voting software .
It was also Powell who used the phrase “ release the kraken ” to refer to the conspiracy theories she would use to avenge the loss of Trump and defeat the powers of perceived injustice and evil responsible for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The phrase comes from the film `` Clash of the Titans , '' wherein Zeus , king of the gods , barks the order to `` Release the kraken ! ''
Whether intended or not , Powell ’ s invoking of a creature from Norse mythology , believed to be controlled by gods who release it to vanquish threats , further feeds the radicalized ideology by painting those who don ’ t accept Trump ’ s false claims as enemies .
On Tuesday , Powell ’ s radical extremism took a less subtle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ally already associated with inspiring ideologically based violence : the longtime administrator of the message board 8kun , internet home of the QAnon conspiracy theory .
Powell filed an affidavit from Ron Watkins , the son of 8kun ’ s owner , Jim Watkins , in a Georgia lawsuit alleging that Dominion Voting Systems machines used in the election had been corrupted as part of a sprawling voter-fraud conspiracy .
As described by The Washington Post , “ Powell has claimed that a diabolical scheme backed by global communists had invisibly shifted votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pioneered by the long-dead Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chávez — a wild story debunked by fact-checkers as a ‘ fantasy parade ’ and devoid of proof.
” Yet another degreed professional , Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas , a Harvard Law School alum , threw his hat into the radicalization ring with a tweet implying that some unnamed enemy was going to cancel his Thanksgiving because of recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to limit holiday travel .
His message came in the form of a `` war on Thanksgiving '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` come and take it '' — a phrase usually reserved to incite and rally those who fear their Second Amendment gun rights are in jeopardy .
While Cruz implied that he might be willing to risk his life and others ’ for green bean casserole , his state was tallying 1 million cases of Covid-19 .
As radical rhetoric emanates from the educated elite , it becomes part of popular idiom , and the increased potential for violence over election results is no longer hypothetical .
The threat is real .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harshly admonished Trump and Georgia ’ s senators for their role in inciting threats against that state ’ s election staff .
Previously , we saw reports that the FBI had opened investigations into threats against Georgia election officials .
Many Americans are attempting to find comfort in a self-delusion that domestic , politically based or ideological violence was a mere anomaly associated with mental instability , troubled youth or fringe belief systems .
But make no mistake , violent rhetoric and dangerous ideology isn ’ t a trait of the “ unwashed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the elite and powerful .
The tragic repercussions of that high-level radicalization , however , will hurt us all .

In the space of about a week, the dangerous language of a lunatic fringe leapt closer to mainstream madness. We were reminded that radicalized rhetoric — the kind that leads to violence — can be spewed by people dressed in a suit and tie, or in leopard print and heels.
For those just discovering Sidney Powell, enjoy: https://t.co/zvdIaeigPg — Blake News (@blakehounshell) November 21, 2020
We saw dangerous dialogue launch from the lips of people with advanced degrees such as Juris Doctorate and Master of Divinity. Those radicalized professionals held, or still hold, impressive titles like U.S. attorney, appellate section chief, U.S. senator, congressman, and lieutenant colonel and chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. This was a week that further confirmed how radicalized we’ve become as a nation and how much closer we are to the moment when treacherous talk turns into violent reality.
When we add religion and eternal damnation into the mix to demonize those with different politics, we’re sliding into extremist territory.
On Monday, Nov. 30, former U.S. Attorney Joe DiGenova, a prominent conspiracist on President Donald Trump’s election loss legal team, publicly called for a former federal official to be “taken out at dawn and shot,” and suggested that the person be “drawn and quartered” — a particularly barbaric form of torture and execution.
DiGenova’s violent ideations were aired on radio on Newsmax’s "Howie Carr Show." To whom was DiGenova directing his homicidal wrath, and for what unthinkable conduct? None other than Chris Krebs, recently terminated by Trump for simply leading our government’s election security efforts, and for daring to counter Trump’s narrative that the 2020 election was rife with fraud.
A practicing attorney calling for the murder of an election security champion who advocates for fact over fiction and defends our democracy, is dangerous enough. But when another like-minded professional adds religion and eternal damnation into the mix to demonize those with different politics than you, we’re sliding into extremist territory. And when the person behind that volatile wrath is, for example, a preacher and congressman, he can start sounding more like a radically violent leader ranting against unbelieving infidels than, say, the U.S. Air Force reserve chaplain that he is.
These well-coiffed and well-paid radicalizers might not fully grasp that their words can become a call to arms.
If we were to rearrange the titles and names, these calls to violence sound increasingly like those coming from the terrorist organizations that these very same officials and former officials validly view as a threat.
While educated and professionally trained, these well-coiffed and well-paid radicalizers might not fully grasp that their words can become a call to arms, something readily recognized by those with extensive experience in counterterrorism. Americans have for years consumed coverage of radicalized terrorist cells in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. But few are drawing the connection that many of our own prominent professionals are starting to sound, to those abroad who recruit, radicalize and raise up violent actors. Not nearly as blatantly violent, perhaps — but it’s becoming easier to imagine how rhetoric aimed at the demonization of others could get us there.
Colin P. Clarke, a senior research fellow at the Soufan Center, a global security research group, advised, “The reason a kid like Kyle Rittenhouse would go grab a gun and join a local militia is the same reason why somebody would be lured to a jihadi group.”
Clarke, who’s closely familiar with right-wing and anti-government extremism groups like the "Boogaloo Bois," said, “It’s identity, it’s grievances they have that are being exploited and magnified,” continuing: “And there’s this constant call to get off the couch and get off your ass and go do something. Like, ‘You be the guy that goes and defends whatever.’ Groups are different, the ideologies are different, but a lot of the messaging and the narrative are the same.”
On Nov. 28, Rep. Doug Collins, a Georgia Republican, attacked a Democratic Senate candidate in the state, the Rev. Raphael Warnock, by insisting that "there is no such thing as a pro-choice pastor." Collins turned his dialogue into demonization by claiming that Warnock’s status as a Christian pro-life advocate was a “lie from the pit of hell.”
Remember when Republicans created a whole news cycle of outrage by claiming the Dems were being bigoted towards Amy Coney Barrett’s Catholic faith? https://t.co/ElPtDFUD32 — Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) November 29, 2020
This form of negative politics that devolves into dangerous radicalization is what the British political scientist Roger Eatwell has called “cumulative extremism.” As detailed by Anne Applebaum in an Oct. 30 article in The Atlantic, Eatwell believes that “people tend to become violent, or to sympathize with violence, if they feel an existential threat.” They also become more extreme, he said, when they feel their political opponents are not just wrong, but evil —“almost the devil.”
Yet, DiGenova and Collins weren’t the only professionals taking us down the perilous route to potential violence. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sidney Powell, now a full-time spinner of election fraud fantasies, was a guest on a Nov. 21 Newsmax show. On that program, Powell used the subtle language of divine dimensions regarding her work to undermine election results when she asserted that the president’s lawyers would file a lawsuit of “biblical” proportions. The suit would allege, without evidence, that some election officials were embroiled in a pay-to-play scheme with a prominent manufacturer of voting software.
It was also Powell who used the phrase “release the kraken” to refer to the conspiracy theories she would use to avenge the loss of Trump and defeat the powers of perceived injustice and evil responsible for President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.
The phrase comes from the film "Clash of the Titans," wherein Zeus, king of the gods, barks the order to "Release the kraken!" Whether intended or not, Powell’s invoking of a creature from Norse mythology, believed to be controlled by gods who release it to vanquish threats, further feeds the radicalized ideology by painting those who don’t accept Trump’s false claims as enemies.
On Tuesday, Powell’s radical extremism took a less subtle turn as she gained a troubling new ally already associated with inspiring ideologically based violence: the longtime administrator of the message board 8kun, internet home of the QAnon conspiracy theory.
Powell filed an affidavit from Ron Watkins, the son of 8kun’s owner, Jim Watkins, in a Georgia lawsuit alleging that Dominion Voting Systems machines used in the election had been corrupted as part of a sprawling voter-fraud conspiracy. As described by The Washington Post, “Powell has claimed that a diabolical scheme backed by global communists had invisibly shifted votes with help from a mysterious computer algorithm pioneered by the long-dead Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chávez — a wild story debunked by fact-checkers as a ‘fantasy parade’ and devoid of proof.”
I’m told by a senior Georgia official that there have been a number of threats today against elections staffers and at least one state legislator after yesterday’s hearings, and some are pushing House Republicans to postpone another round of elex hearings until January. #gapol — Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) December 4, 2020
Yet another degreed professional, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a Harvard Law School alum, threw his hat into the radicalization ring with a tweet implying that some unnamed enemy was going to cancel his Thanksgiving because of recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to limit holiday travel. His message came in the form of a "war on Thanksgiving" meme featuring a turkey with the words "come and take it" — a phrase usually reserved to incite and rally those who fear their Second Amendment gun rights are in jeopardy. While Cruz implied that he might be willing to risk his life and others’ for green bean casserole, his state was tallying 1 million cases of Covid-19.
As radical rhetoric emanates from the educated elite, it becomes part of popular idiom, and the increased potential for violence over election results is no longer hypothetical. The threat is real. On Tuesday, Georgia election official Gabriel Sterling harshly admonished Trump and Georgia’s senators for their role in inciting threats against that state’s election staff. Previously, we saw reports that the FBI had opened investigations into threats against Georgia election officials.
Many Americans are attempting to find comfort in a self-delusion that domestic, politically based or ideological violence was a mere anomaly associated with mental instability, troubled youth or fringe belief systems. But make no mistake, violent rhetoric and dangerous ideology isn’t a trait of the “unwashed masses.” It’s perpetuated by the elite and powerful. The tragic repercussions of that high-level radicalization, however, will hurt us all.


msnbc--2020-12-04--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--2020-12-04--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--2020-12-04--Does your state have a mask mandate? See the latest guidance in every state

In the age of Covid-19 , the act of wearing a mask in public has become another front in America ’ s bitter culture wars .
But even amid the partisan divide , a growing number of states — including some led by Republican governors — now mandate face coverings .
More than half the states had issued mask requirements as of Dec. 4 , a move that public health experts say will help stop the spread of the coronavirus as cases surge in many regions .
Arkansas Gov .
Asa Hutchinson , a Republican who had resisted a statewide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as did Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis , a Democrat .
But some political squabbles show no sign of abating : Georgia 's governor in July sued Atlanta 's mayor over the city 's mask law , a day after he banned local governments from requiring the coverings .
Between July and late November , several new states issued mask mandates , including Utah , Minnesota , Wisconsin , Vermont , Indiana and Ohio .
Here ’ s a look at where masks are now mandated by state governments , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll update this page in the days ahead .

Daniel Arkin and Savannah Smith and Anna Sundberg and Ashley Capoot and Charlotte Li and Jiachuan Wu and Kanwal Syed

In the age of Covid-19, the act of wearing a mask in public has become another front in America’s bitter culture wars. But even amid the partisan divide, a growing number of states — including some led by Republican governors — now mandate face coverings.
More than half the states had issued mask requirements as of Dec. 10, a move that public health experts say will help stop the spread of the coronavirus as cases surge in many regions.
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a Republican who had resisted a statewide mask requirement, issued one in July, as did Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat.
But some political squabbles show no sign of abating: Georgia's governor in July sued Atlanta's mayor over the city's mask law, a day after he banned local governments from requiring the coverings.
Between July and late November, several new states issued mask mandates, including Utah, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Vermont, Indiana and Ohio.
Here’s a look at where masks are now mandated by state governments, according to NBC News’ reporting. We’ll update this page in the days ahead.


msnbc--2020-12-05--Trump admin sat on critical data for helping reunite kids separated from families

Dr. Vin Gupta : 30 million Americans are likely to get two doses of Covid-19 vaccine by end of year

Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project, tells Rachel Maddow how his organization was suddenly presented with data, including phone numbers, related to immigrant families that had been separated by the United States after months of saying no such data existed.Dec. 5, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-05--'Burning down the place': Trump eyes pardons for allies after losing election

MSNBC's Ari Melber reports on the news Trump is mulling pardons for up to 20 allies, worrying Republicans that the action could be seen as an abuse of power. Potential pardons include everyone from Paul Manafort to Joe Exotic from the hit Netflix series "Tiger King." Meanwhile, Trump's cases alleging "voter fraud" are tanking while the crucial Georgia runoffs loom ahead. MSNBC Legal Analyst Glenn Kirschner tells Melber that accepting a pardon "generally extinguishes your Fifth Amendment right against incrimination."Dec. 5, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-05--Biden ‘Blitz:’ The case for flooding the zone with executive orders on Day One

How can Joe Biden break through the wall of bad faith opposition that is certain to greet him when he takes office? Vox’s David Roberts makes the case for trying to do everything, all at once, on Day One.Dec. 5, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-05--Robert Reich: November jobs report is ‘really disturbing’

Robert Reich joins Ali Velshi to discuss what’s behind the sharp slowdown in job growth and the two different economic recoveries that are leaving the majority of Americans “feeling threatened” and “desperate” as the pandemic worsens and as unemployment and other Covid-19 relief benefits are set to expire without any action from Congress.Dec. 5, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-05--Dr. Vin Gupta: 30 million Americans are likely to get two doses of Covid-19 vaccine by end of year

Dr. Vin Gupta: 30 million Americans are likely to get two doses of Covid-19 vaccine by end of year
Dr. Vin Gupta, a critical care pulmonologist, joins Ali Velshi to explain why an “aggressive public health campaign” is needed to build the public’s confidence in the coronavirus vaccine and to counteract the messaging of the Trump administration.Dec. 5, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-05--Maddow: Losing and complaining is the most lucrative scam of Trump's presidency

Maddow: Losing and complaining is the most lucrative scam of Trump's presidency
Rachel Maddow shows that Donald Trump has finally figured out how to make real money off his position as U.S. president, ironically, by losing his bid for re-election and manipulating his supporters into giving him hundreds of millions of dollars to complain about it.Dec. 5, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-05--Trump ignores economy & Covid to wage failed war on election

With a month and a half still to go in office, Trump is spending all his time continuing to falsely claim the 2020 election was stolen from him. Errin Haines joins to discuss.Dec. 5, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-05--U.S. could see 500,000 fewer births in 2021. Is it COVID-19?

Sen. Bernie Sanders : People are suffering ‘ in a way we have not seen since the Great Depression ’

U.S. could see 500,000 fewer births in 2021. Is it COVID-19?
COVID-19 could drive down the U.S. population these experts say, as a study shows that America could see 500,000 fewer births in 2021.Dec. 5, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-05--Report says Trump urges Georgia Gov. to help overturn Biden’s win in state

The Washington Post reported that President Trump called Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp to pressure him for help with overturning president-elect Joe Biden’s win in the state. NBC News has yet to confirm the contents of the call.Dec. 5, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-05--Biden transition blocked from key intelligence as Trump appoints 'screwballs' to Pentagon

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


msnbc--2020-12-05--Sen. Bernie Sanders: People are suffering ‘in a way we have not seen since the Great Depression’

Sen. Bernie Sanders: People are suffering ‘in a way we have not seen since the Great Depression’
Independent Senator Bernie Sanders discusses the need for Congress to pass a new coronavirus stimulus bill and the importance of the upcoming Senate race in Georgia. He tells Ali Velshi, “What’s happening in Georgia is going to impact the entire country.”Dec. 5, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-05--Why this New Yorker cover is the perfect Covid portrait

It ’ s not uncommon for a New Yorker cover to be seen by millions , but it ’ s somewhat uncommon for so many to feel seen by it .
But that ’ s what happened with the magazine ’ s Dec. 7 issue .
Created by artist Adrian Tomine and titled “ Love Life , ” the cover illustration shows a young woman on what looks like a video conference call , holding her phone in one hand , a cocktail in the other .
She ’ s dressed in an office-appropriate blouse on top , a pair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Her legs are unshaven .
Outside the shot , she is surrounded by a very specific pandemic-full mess ; we see an empty bag of Cheetos next to some surgical gloves strewn on the floor , a few unopened Amazon packages , a sink fully of dirty dishes , stuff crammed into a one-bedroom apartment .
The illustration hit home for a lot of people .
In fact , when Iasked people to tag themselves as different objects in the illustration on social media , I didn ’ t expect the pace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were immediate : While every tweet was different , they were all shouting the same thing : It feels good to know that the unique thing I ’ m feeling is felt by others , too .
Tomine ’ s cover validates our experiences .
While we all know rationally that these are some of the darkest times in recent history , our brains tend to individualize our suffering .
When we feel lonely , we tend to believe everyone else feels connected .
When we feel sad , we tend to think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chronic depression can often feel like they are faulty and that their experience or helplessness and their lack of motivation is not shared by other people — even though of course that ’ s a fallacy .
This human tendency explains why peer-led self-help support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous can be so effective .
Simply being surrounded by other people who face the same obstacles and express similar emotions has been shown to help those living with addiction or mental illness develop greater self-esteem , feel more connected to others and ultimately achieve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Yorker cover thread wasn ’ t exactly an organized support group , the online commentary unintentionally became one .
For a moment , everyone who thought they were alone in the dark turned on the light and realized the room was packed with thousands of other people who felt the same .
The illustration didn ’ t just validate our dispiriting experience , it also helped us stop over-personalizing it .
It felt good to be seen , but what felt even better was to know that everyone else did , too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unique problem : In addition to the mess created by the pandemic , trying to hide it creates a whole other , and potentially even bigger , quandary .
We have inadvertently developed a false Zoom self that we present to co-workers , potential dating partners or even family and friends .
This false Zoom self looks nothing like the inner — and frankly , outer — experience .
It ’ s easy to project perfection in a 13-inch digital screen that looks nothing like the lives we are actually leading .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was developed by renowned psychoanalyst and psychiatrist Donald Winnicott as a fabricated version of the self that children create to avoid experiencing trauma and chronic chaos or unpredictability in the world around them .
Sound familiar ?
This pandemic has heightened our impulse to hide from others and to craft a variation of ourselves that feels as sanitized as our hands the minute we walk out of the grocery store .
But of course , while we think this will make us more acceptable , it further disconnects us from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to .
By chronically presenting a false Zoom self , you may start to believe that your real self in fact warrants hiding .
You may even start to identify with your created self .
It ’ s like we ’ ve all been in a major car accident , but instead of stopping and caring for our injuries , we never hit the breaks and just kept belting out show tunes with the windows rolled down , creating a chain reaction of subsequent unnecessary accidents .
In her book “ Trick Mirror @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I have felt so many times that the choice of this era is to be destroyed or to morally compromise ourselves in order to be functional — to be wrecked , or to be functional for reasons that contribute to the wreck.
” The New Yorker cover didn ’ t just show someone struggling , it showed someone struggling to pretend like they weren ’ t .
It ’ s easy to adjust the height of the computer to hide the extra weight we ’ ve put on in quarantine or brighten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or night-terror-induced dark under-eye circles .
This summer , I often wished for a mental illness filter that could hide my high-functioning depression .
Turns out Zoom hasn ’ t figured that one out yet .
Finally , what struck me about the cover is how we ’ re all basically living in our own filth .
It showed us that we are cleaning up for others , but not always for ourselves .
The priority isn ’ t taking care of oneself , but taking care of others ' perceptions of us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American story of deceit and self-preservation .
It ’ s keeping up with the Joneses , global pandemic edition .
But what if we don ’ t have the luxury of presenting a false Zoom self ?
A few weeks ago , I spoke to an elementary school arts teacher who worked in a low-income neighborhood outside Los Angeles and she told me that the kids whose cameras were off or on mute were always the ones that tended to be in the most precarious and difficult living situations .
She learned to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or mics on when she realized that when they did , the screaming and chaos around them was the reason they weren ’ t participating like the other children .
Unlike grown-ups , these kids don ’ t have the ability to fake serenity .
And even for adults , especially those living in violent homes , with no escape from skyrocketing rates of domestic violence or sexual abuse , there ’ s no ring light bright enough to hide their intolerable physical and psychological suffering .
The upside is that 2020 will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold on to .
Family or community really is the most important thing .
Leggings most definitely are pants .
And we should be kinder to each other because we have no idea what someone ’ s Zoom background is hiding .

It’s not uncommon for a New Yorker cover to be seen by millions, but it’s somewhat uncommon for so many to feel seen by it.
But that’s what happened with the magazine’s Dec. 7 issue. Created by artist Adrian Tomine and titled “Love Life,” the cover illustration shows a young woman on what looks like a video conference call, holding her phone in one hand, a cocktail in the other. She’s dressed in an office-appropriate blouse on top, a pair of slouchy athletic shorts on the bottom. Her legs are unshaven.
When we feel lonely, we tend to believe everyone else feels connected. When we feel sad, we tend to think everyone else is happy.
Outside the shot, she is surrounded by a very specific pandemic-full mess; we see an empty bag of Cheetos next to some surgical gloves strewn on the floor, a few unopened Amazon packages, a sink fully of dirty dishes, stuff crammed into a one-bedroom apartment.
The illustration hit home for a lot of people. In fact, when Iasked people to tag themselves as different objects in the illustration on social media, I didn’t expect the pace or fury of responses.
tag yourself i’m the prescription pills
next to the takeout
cover art by: adrian tomine pic.twitter.com/u9uR0HJpUC — Liz Plank (@feministabulous) December 1, 2020
The replies were immediate:
I’m the hairy legs. — Rachel Tan (@EyeBleachNeeded) December 1, 2020
While every tweet was different, they were all shouting the same thing: It feels good to know that the unique thing I’m feeling is felt by others, too. Tomine’s cover validates our experiences.
I’m the chopsticks sticking out of the takeout. — Vashti Vale (@VashtiVale42) December 1, 2020
While we all know rationally that these are some of the darkest times in recent history, our brains tend to individualize our suffering. When we feel lonely, we tend to believe everyone else feels connected. When we feel sad, we tend to think everyone else is happy.
I’m the roll of paper towels lodged between the wall and room divider who’s given up all hope of being useful. — lucy jones (@ljonesie) December 1, 2020
People with chronic depression can often feel like they are faulty and that their experience or helplessness and their lack of motivation is not shared by other people — even though of course that’s a fallacy.
I am seen. — Akilah Hughes (@AkilahObviously) December 1, 2020
This human tendency explains why peer-led self-help support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous can be so effective. Simply being surrounded by other people who face the same obstacles and express similar emotions has been shown to help those living with addiction or mental illness develop greater self-esteem, feel more connected to others and ultimately achieve a state of recovery.
The illustration didn’t just validate our dispiriting experience, it helped us stop over-personalizing it.
While the New Yorker cover thread wasn’t exactly an organized support group, the online commentary unintentionally became one. For a moment, everyone who thought they were alone in the dark turned on the light and realized the room was packed with thousands of other people who felt the same. The illustration didn’t just validate our dispiriting experience, it also helped us stop over-personalizing it. It felt good to be seen, but what felt even better was to know that everyone else did, too.
The illustration also pointed out a unique problem: In addition to the mess created by the pandemic, trying to hide it creates a whole other, and potentially even bigger, quandary.
We have inadvertently developed a false Zoom self that we present to co-workers, potential dating partners or even family and friends. This false Zoom self looks nothing like the inner — and frankly, outer — experience. It’s easy to project perfection in a 13-inch digital screen that looks nothing like the lives we are actually leading.
The false self is not a new concept. It was developed by renowned psychoanalyst and psychiatrist Donald Winnicott as a fabricated version of the self that children create to avoid experiencing trauma and chronic chaos or unpredictability in the world around them.
Sound familiar? This pandemic has heightened our impulse to hide from others and to craft a variation of ourselves that feels as sanitized as our hands the minute we walk out of the grocery store. But of course, while we think this will make us more acceptable, it further disconnects us from the very people we want to feel close to.
This summer, I often wished for a mental illness filter that could hide my high-functioning depression. Turns out Zoom hasn’t figured that one out yet.
By chronically presenting a false Zoom self, you may start to believe that your real self in fact warrants hiding. You may even start to identify with your created self. It’s like we’ve all been in a major car accident, but instead of stopping and caring for our injuries, we never hit the breaks and just kept belting out show tunes with the windows rolled down, creating a chain reaction of subsequent unnecessary accidents.
In her book “Trick Mirror,” author Jia Tolentino writes, “I have felt so many times that the choice of this era is to be destroyed or to morally compromise ourselves in order to be functional — to be wrecked, or to be functional for reasons that contribute to the wreck.”
The New Yorker cover didn’t just show someone struggling, it showed someone struggling to pretend like they weren’t. It’s easy to adjust the height of the computer to hide the extra weight we’ve put on in quarantine or brighten the ring light to conceal our insomnia- or night-terror-induced dark under-eye circles. This summer, I often wished for a mental illness filter that could hide my high-functioning depression. Turns out Zoom hasn’t figured that one out yet.
Finally, what struck me about the cover is how we’re all basically living in our own filth. It showed us that we are cleaning up for others, but not always for ourselves. The priority isn’t taking care of oneself, but taking care of others' perceptions of us. It’s a classic modern American story of deceit and self-preservation. It’s keeping up with the Joneses, global pandemic edition.
But what if we don’t have the luxury of presenting a false Zoom self? A few weeks ago, I spoke to an elementary school arts teacher who worked in a low-income neighborhood outside Los Angeles and she told me that the kids whose cameras were off or on mute were always the ones that tended to be in the most precarious and difficult living situations. She learned to stop asking them to put their cameras or mics on when she realized that when they did, the screaming and chaos around them was the reason they weren’t participating like the other children.
Unlike grown-ups, these kids don’t have the ability to fake serenity. And even for adults, especially those living in violent homes, with no escape from skyrocketing rates of domestic violence or sexual abuse, there’s no ring light bright enough to hide their intolerable physical and psychological suffering.
The upside is that 2020 will leave us with some undeniable truths to hold on to. Family or community really is the most important thing. Leggings most definitely are pants. And we should be kinder to each other because we have no idea what someone’s Zoom background is hiding.


msnbc--2020-12-05--Tracking coronavirus case surges in the United States


msnbc--2020-12-05--NBC’S National Security Correspondent reports that China is conducting human tests to create biologi

NBC’S National Security Correspondent reports that China is conducting human tests to create biologically enhanced super soldiers

A top U.S. intelligence official says China has conducted human testing with hopes of developing soldiers with biologically enhanced capabilities. NBC’S National Security Correspondent Ken Dilanian says, “Imagine a sniper who can see twice as far as a human being. Just the idea that China is studying these things is pretty troubling.”Dec. 5, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-06--Occupy Wall Street co-founder on the importance of the right messaging during social movements

Occupy Wall Street co-founder on the importance of the right messaging during social movements
Micah White, activist and co-founder of Occupy Wall Street, joins NBC’s Joshua Johnson to talk about the place for slogans in movements. White discusses the lasting impacts of Occupy Wall Street and offers advice to this generation of progressive activists, after President Obama criticized “defund the police” as a “snappy slogan.”Dec. 6, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-06--The fight for voting rights in Georgia ahead of all-important Senate Runoff

As President Trump continues to falsely cry foul over the 2020 election results, voter advocacy groups this week filed a lawsuit in Georgia claiming nearly 200,000 voters have been wrongly purged from the voter registration list. MSNBC’s “American Voices” host Alicia Menendez is joined by the investigative journalist bringing these claims to light, Greg Palast, and activist and artist Rosario Dawson, who is urging Georgia residents to check their voter status before time runs out.Dec. 6, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-06--Biden to nominate California AG Xavier Becerra to lead Health and Human Services

Velshi talks with Maddow for the first interview about her new book ‘ Bag Man ’

Trump claims it would be 'sort of foolish' for him to attend first GOP primary debate 03:33


msnbc--2020-12-07--Expert outlines Biden communications team's talent, experience

IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.


msnbc--2020-12-06--Rep. Suzanne Bonamici: ‘We’re in a very dark tunnel… we desperately need the Senate to act’

Democratic Rep. Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon sits on numerous committees, including Education and Labor. She speaks to Ali Velshi about the small business owners that she represents and the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement: “We have to remember why people were protesting and some continue to protest. We need to take action.”Dec. 6, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-06--Rep. Earl Blumenauer calls the war on drugs ‘a stain on America’

Democratic Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, a lifelong resident of Portland, tells Ali Velshi about his community’s need for Congress to pass a second round of relief. He says, “Our neighborhood restaurants are really the life blood and essence of Portland… They were hit the hardest.” He also discusses the House passing a historic bill to decriminalize cannabis: “What I’m proud of is that this was a movement.”Dec. 6, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-06--Memo to Trump: 'You're reportedly concerned those pardons might look like admissions of guilt'

Jones: "What the Republicans attempted to do here in Tennessee was crucify democracy and is that what they have done is resurrect the movement" 09:56


msnbc--2020-12-06--Velshi talks with Maddow for the first interview about her new book ‘Bag Man’

Ali Velshi speaks with Rachel Maddow for the first one-on-one about her new book, “Bag Man.” The book is based off her hit podcast series of the same name. It follows the incredible story of the former Vice President whom many have described as “Trump before Trump.”Dec. 6, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-06--Trump tweets that Rudy Giuliani tested positive for Covid

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


msnbc--2020-12-06--Georgia Sen. Perdue will not participate in televised debate ahead of Senate runoff

Republican Sen. David Perdue is the only candidate that did not accept the invitation from the Atlanta Press Club to debate his democratic contender Jon Ossoff. NBC News’ Shaquille Brewster reports ahead of the critical U.S. Senate runoffs.Dec. 6, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-06--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--2020-12-07--Presidential Historian Michael Beschloss on the history of contentious transitions

Why Trump 's imprint on the GOP is likely to remain

Contentious transitions are not unique to this year. Something similar happened 88 years ago, in the fall of 1932, when President Herbert Hoover was defeated by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and spent the entire transition pressuring FDR to reject the very programs he campaigned on. NBC News Presidential Historian Michael Beschloss speaks to MSNBC’s Joshua Johnson about the similarities, and differences, of those two cases.Dec. 7, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-07--Weekend recap: Biden secures electors, Trump in Georgia

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


msnbc--2020-12-07--Why Trump's imprint on the GOP is likely to remain


msnbc--2020-12-07--Earmarks aren't bribes. Congress should end their ban.

Americans have a terrible habit of finding ways to feel better about the problems we face without actually fixing the issues — often causing entirely new problems .
We still remove our shoes as we go through airport security almost two decades after the Shoe Bomber failed to take down an airplane , which remains part of the security theater that has been playacted since 9/11 .
Despite the science now saying Covid-19 is transmitted more often through contact with someone not wearing a mask than contact with surfaces , businesses are still making a huge deal about how often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress has been performing a kind of anti-corruption theater for the last decade .
The stereotype of legislators living fat and large in Washington helped inspire lawmakers to curtail their spending habits .
But the result has been a breakdown in the legislative branch , putting partisan politics first and hindering effective laws from being passed .
Part of the fix has to be to bring back the much-derided earmarks process .
Since the early days of the republic , members of Congress have added targeted provisions to appropriations bills to bring money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included setting aside federal funds for basic infrastructure projects like highway repair and ensuring that defense projects are spun up in their states , and it was briefly exemplified by Congress ' nearly dropping $ 400 million on the infamous `` Bridge to Nowhere '' in Alaska before public outcry got the funds stripped .
Republicans ended earmarks as a practice in 2011 as part of their tea party-fueled takeover of the House .
Senate Democrats followed suit about a month later , over Majority Leader Harry Reid 's objections .
Even President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during his State of the Union that year to veto any bill with earmarks .
It 's easy to see why this was considered good politics at the time .
Republicans had spent the previous 30 years railing against big government , and the antiestablishment sentiments of the day made so-called pork barrel spending a prime target .
But ending earmarks has had second-order effects beyond the arguments made by anti-corruption and waste reduction crusaders .
In practice , the ban took away a key tool to get lawmakers to vote for bills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offered something the people of their districts would be able to see — for example , new funding for firefighters or hospitals built in areas where most have closed .
Instead , committee chairs and party leaders have to rely on personal relationships and party loyalty — two currencies that speak less loudly than cold , hard cash .
John Boehner , the newly minted speaker of the House in 2011 , learned as much during the debt limit fight that his recently arrived Tea Party Caucus members had sparked .
Boehner had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of the wave of conservatives that seized control in the 1990s .
He soon realized , though , that without earmarks , he had few carrots to dangle before his rebellious caucus .
`` It 's not like the old days , '' Boehner said that year , according to Robert Draper 's book `` When the Tea Party Came to Town . ''
`` Without earmarks to offer , it 's hard to herd the cats . ''
Boehner 's successor as speaker , Paul Ryan , had similarly little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on new measures .
That has also meant that when House members campaign every two years , they 've been unable to use the `` look at what I did for you '' tactic to win voters ' support .
In some ways , this is a good thing , as it reduces spending that benefited sometimes minuscule populations for outsize price tags .
But ironically enough , politicians have accordingly had to rely more on interest groups to make their cases for them , in the form of scorecards on key issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Commerce or the National Rifle Association .
It has also meant a decrease in spending on much-needed projects that would have had long-term benefits .
Republicans slashed $ 2.8 billion by zeroing out accounts that had been set aside for earmarks in the 2011 spending fight .
That money `` would have previously gone to water projects , transit programs and construction programs , '' The New York Times reported .
The states those projects were in would have to make up the difference , and given the prohibitions most states have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , those projects are likely to have languished .
Meanwhile , Congress has ceded even more of its power to the executive branch .
Instead of lawmakers who know what their constituents need , the job goes to bureaucrats and appointees in the various departments to determine where to funnel the money Congress has authorized .
( Nothing against bureaucrats and appointees broadly . )
Republican Sen. James Inhofe knew as much when he scoffed at banning earmarks in 2010 , arguing against giving that control over to Obama .
Inhofe also argued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taxpayers one dime '' — and he was right .
Congressional spending dipped during the rest of the Obama administration as the GOP 's yelling about deficits hobbled Democrats ' goals before Republicans reopened the valve during the Trump era .
The overall savings that ending earmarks has provided are negligible at best .
And for all the hubbub and hand-wringing over potentially bringing back earmarks , it 's not like Congress has n't still found ways to direct funding — it has just had to be sneakier about it , defeating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the first place .
The Congressional Research Service noted in a report on federal transportation funding this year that even with the ban , `` funding formulas and eligibility rules in authorization bills can be shaped to favor particular states , congressional districts , and projects . ''
`` Without earmarking , Members can continue to call or write DOT in support of projects , '' the report said .
`` Members may also seek to influence the priority a project receives under mandated state and local planning procedures , which can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an earmark . ''
Thankfully , it looks like the House , at least , is already making moves to lift the ban in the next Congress .
Steny Hoyer , the 81-year-old House Democratic leader , has been advocating for their return for years .
In a Nov. 20 interview with Roll Call magazine , Hoyer said the next chair of the Appropriations Committee would soon reach out to lawmakers to `` ask for congressional initiatives for their districts and their states . ''
Revamped guidelines that Democrats will put into place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2007 , including transparency requirements like `` making a project 's requestor publicly available as well as the justification for spending taxpayer dollars on it , and clearly noting in legislation which provisions constitute member-requested items , '' Roll Call reported .
That still leaves the Senate as a potential block to Congress ' taking the wheel again .
GOP senators voted last year to permanently ban them during a closed-door caucus meeting .
It means that if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell remains in power , he could have earmarks stripped out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up .
But McConnell also knows his members want results .
He was a reluctant convert to the anti-earmarks crusade .
`` I know the good that has come from the projects I have helped support throughout my state .
I do n't apologize for them , '' McConnell said on the Senate floor in 2010 , even as he bowed to pressure from his right .
`` But there is simply no doubt that the abuse of this practice has caused Americans to view it as a symbol of the waste and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington is determined to fight . ''
That hesitance never really went away , based on McConnell 's version of a new coronavirus relief bill that circulated last week .
HuffPost reporter Igor Bobic noted that McConnell had added plenty of legislative priorities to get specific members of his caucus on board .
And what are those but earmarks by another name ?
Ending the earmark ban is only the first of many steps needed to end Congress ' reliance on anti-corruption theater and actually get back to work .
( We 'll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and their staffs to get paid more for another time . )
But as The New York Times Editorial Board said recently : `` This ban has made Congress less accountable and more dysfunctional .
It is time to abandon the experiment . ''
Congress is still spending money at record levels .
Let 's let it at least figure out where it 's going .

Americans have a terrible habit of finding ways to feel better about the problems we face without actually fixing the issues — often causing entirely new problems.
Congress has been performing a kind of anti-corruption theater for the last decade.
We still remove our shoes as we go through airport security almost two decades after the Shoe Bomber failed to take down an airplane, which remains part of the security theater that has been playacted since 9/11. Despite the science now saying Covid-19 is transmitted more often through contact with someone not wearing a mask than contact with surfaces, businesses are still making a huge deal about how often they're wiping down every surface.
Congress has been performing a kind of anti-corruption theater for the last decade. The stereotype of legislators living fat and large in Washington helped inspire lawmakers to curtail their spending habits. But the result has been a breakdown in the legislative branch, putting partisan politics first and hindering effective laws from being passed.
Part of the fix has to be to bring back the much-derided earmarks process. Since the early days of the republic, members of Congress have added targeted provisions to appropriations bills to bring money back to their districts. That has included setting aside federal funds for basic infrastructure projects like highway repair and ensuring that defense projects are spun up in their states, and it was briefly exemplified by Congress' nearly dropping $400 million on the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere" in Alaska before public outcry got the funds stripped.
Republicans ended earmarks as a practice in 2011 as part of their tea party-fueled takeover of the House. Senate Democrats followed suit about a month later, over Majority Leader Harry Reid's objections. Even President Barack Obama was against them, threatening during his State of the Union that year to veto any bill with earmarks.
In practice, the ban took away a key tool to get lawmakers to vote for bills.
It's easy to see why this was considered good politics at the time. Republicans had spent the previous 30 years railing against big government, and the antiestablishment sentiments of the day made so-called pork barrel spending a prime target. But ending earmarks has had second-order effects beyond the arguments made by anti-corruption and waste reduction crusaders.
In practice, the ban took away a key tool to get lawmakers to vote for bills. No longer would wavering lawmakers be offered something the people of their districts would be able to see — for example, new funding for firefighters or hospitals built in areas where most have closed. Instead, committee chairs and party leaders have to rely on personal relationships and party loyalty — two currencies that speak less loudly than cold, hard cash.
John Boehner, the newly minted speaker of the House in 2011, learned as much during the debt limit fight that his recently arrived Tea Party Caucus members had sparked. Boehner had been against earmarks since he joined Congress as part of the wave of conservatives that seized control in the 1990s. He soon realized, though, that without earmarks, he had few carrots to dangle before his rebellious caucus.
"It's not like the old days," Boehner said that year, according to Robert Draper's book "When the Tea Party Came to Town." "Without earmarks to offer, it's hard to herd the cats." Boehner's successor as speaker, Paul Ryan, had similarly little success in dragging his party into agreement on new measures.
That has also meant that when House members campaign every two years, they've been unable to use the "look at what I did for you" tactic to win voters' support. In some ways, this is a good thing, as it reduces spending that benefited sometimes minuscule populations for outsize price tags. But ironically enough, politicians have accordingly had to rely more on interest groups to make their cases for them, in the form of scorecards on key issues like those issued by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce or the National Rifle Association.
The overall savings that ending earmarks has provided are negligible at best.
It has also meant a decrease in spending on much-needed projects that would have had long-term benefits. Republicans slashed $2.8 billion by zeroing out accounts that had been set aside for earmarks in the 2011 spending fight. That money "would have previously gone to water projects, transit programs and construction programs," The New York Times reported. The states those projects were in would have to make up the difference, and given the prohibitions most states have on deficit spending, without federal dollars, those projects are likely to have languished.
Meanwhile, Congress has ceded even more of its power to the executive branch. Instead of lawmakers who know what their constituents need, the job goes to bureaucrats and appointees in the various departments to determine where to funnel the money Congress has authorized. (Nothing against bureaucrats and appointees broadly.)
Republican Sen. James Inhofe knew as much when he scoffed at banning earmarks in 2010, arguing against giving that control over to Obama. Inhofe also argued that the ban "won't save taxpayers one dime" — and he was right. Congressional spending dipped during the rest of the Obama administration as the GOP's yelling about deficits hobbled Democrats' goals before Republicans reopened the valve during the Trump era. The overall savings that ending earmarks has provided are negligible at best.
And for all the hubbub and hand-wringing over potentially bringing back earmarks, it's not like Congress hasn't still found ways to direct funding — it has just had to be sneakier about it, defeating the transparency the ban was supposed to provide in the first place. The Congressional Research Service noted in a report on federal transportation funding this year that even with the ban, "funding formulas and eligibility rules in authorization bills can be shaped to favor particular states, congressional districts, and projects."
"Without earmarking, Members can continue to call or write DOT in support of projects," the report said. "Members may also seek to influence the priority a project receives under mandated state and local planning procedures, which can increase the likelihood of federal funding without an earmark."
Thankfully, it looks like the House, at least, is already making moves to lift the ban in the next Congress. Steny Hoyer, the 81-year-old House Democratic leader, has been advocating for their return for years. In a Nov. 20 interview with Roll Call magazine, Hoyer said the next chair of the Appropriations Committee would soon reach out to lawmakers to "ask for congressional initiatives for their districts and their states."
Revamped guidelines that Democrats will put into place will look similar to those instated in 2007, including transparency requirements like "making a project's requestor publicly available as well as the justification for spending taxpayer dollars on it, and clearly noting in legislation which provisions constitute member-requested items," Roll Call reported.
That still leaves the Senate as a potential block to Congress' taking the wheel again. GOP senators voted last year to permanently ban them during a closed-door caucus meeting. It means that if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell remains in power, he could have earmarks stripped out of any House bill the Senate takes up.
But McConnell also knows his members want results. He was a reluctant convert to the anti-earmarks crusade. "I know the good that has come from the projects I have helped support throughout my state. I don't apologize for them," McConnell said on the Senate floor in 2010, even as he bowed to pressure from his right. "But there is simply no doubt that the abuse of this practice has caused Americans to view it as a symbol of the waste and the out-of-control spending that every Republican in Washington is determined to fight."
That hesitance never really went away, based on McConnell's version of a new coronavirus relief bill that circulated last week. HuffPost reporter Igor Bobic noted that McConnell had added plenty of legislative priorities to get specific members of his caucus on board. And what are those but earmarks by another name?
McConnell's "revised" bill includes lots of goodies for his members:
- Toomey proposal ensuring Fed can't use unspent CARES money
- school choice tax credits for Cruz
- Tim Scott's tax deduction for biz meals
- Cornyn's liability shield bill
- $20B in additional aid to farmers — Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) December 1, 2020
Ending the earmark ban is only the first of many steps needed to end Congress' reliance on anti-corruption theater and actually get back to work. (We'll save the need for members of Congress and their staffs to get paid more for another time.) But as The New York Times Editorial Board said recently: "This ban has made Congress less accountable and more dysfunctional. It is time to abandon the experiment." Congress is still spending money at record levels. Let's let it at least figure out where it's going.


msnbc--2020-12-08--'A danger': Trump insider who went to prison on Trump’s life after WH

' A danger ' : Trump insider who went to prison on Trump ’ s life after WH

With Trump’s time in office dwindling, his former personal attorney Michael Cohen joins MSNBC’s Chief Legal Correspondent Ari Melber to discuss the potential legal fallout Trump may face when he is no longer president. Cohen explains his role in providing a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels and confirms Trump directed him and collaborated with him to do so, and argues that Trump will “sell national security information to the highest bidder” and pose “danger” to the country.Dec. 8, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-07--Liability protection, state funding holding up latest relief bill

A bipartisan group of lawmakers worked through the weekend to nail down a Covid relief bill, but as it looks now they'll miss their first deadline. Politico Senior Washington Correspondent, Anna Palmer, And New York Times Opinion Writer, Elizabeth Bruenig join Katy Tur to discuss.Dec. 7, 2020