msnbc--2020-11-26--This Thanksgiving, the stock market is at its peak. So are lines for food banks.

There are two lines that will tell you the story of the American economy right now .
The first is the one President Donald Trump talks about — a lot : the Dow Jones Industrial Average .
It ’ s an index that measures the stock prices of 30 of America ’ s largest and most representative companies .
It tracks the value of Apple , Caterpillar , Coca Cola , Goldman Sachs , and companies like that .
The other line isn ’ t on a graph .
It ’ s an image of thousands of cars lined up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Texas Food bank in Dallas .
In one week , the food bank distributed 6,000 pounds of food , including 7,280 turkeys — enough to feed 25,000 people this Thanksgiving .
That ’ s just one food bank , in one American city .
Those two lines tell the story of the `` K-shaped '' recovery in America .
The top line of the “ K ” is up and to the right , for the investor class .
The bottom line is down and to the right , for the working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployed .
The number of people filing for first time unemployment benefits has risen to 778,000 people last week — more than three times the rate a year ago .
Unemployment has run out for many Americans .
A man named Evan wrote to me from Georgia recently , explaining how he was “ a single baby step away from homelessness.
” Evan was an out-of-work comedian with an immune disorder who lives with and cares for his mom .
His extended unemployment has run out .
He gets $ 150 a week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rent and has cut his grocery bill in half to pay his other bills .
And last week , the $ 150 came to an end .
He had nowhere to turn .
I read his letter to my viewers on my live show .
He didn ’ t ask for anything , but viewers started contacting me asking where they could send him funds , so he set up a GoFundMe account .
By the end of the day , hundreds of generous strangers — some with hardly enough to spare themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Evan gets to breathe .
But Evan is not alone .
In the richest country in the world live millions and millions of people whom the U.S. Department of Agriculture describes as “ food insecure , ” meaning they are “ uncertain of having , or unable to acquire , enough food to meet the needs of all their members because they had insufficient money.
” In 2019 , when the economy was substantially stronger than it is today because of Covid-19 , 13.7 million households — 10.5 percent of all U.S. households @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That worked out to be about 35 million Americans .
By June 2020 , at the height of coronavirus shutdowns , that number was estimated by Brookings Institute to have hit 27.5 percent .
A separate study by Northwestern University put it at 29.5 percent .
If you do the math , somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 million Americans have not been sure how and from where they are going to get the next day ’ s meal .
America is the richest country in the world , and yet close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or fear hunger .
Millions more face homelessness and hundreds of thousands live on the street .
We need emergency aid from Congress .
While the difference between the Democrat 's proposed Covid-19 relief bill and the current Senate GOP proposals seems to be size , it ’ s much deeper than that .
The current Senate bill being pushed by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , rather than being composed mostly of direct relief payments and transfers for state and local governments , will serve mostly to indemnify companies that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 .
The broad based relief that economists — indeed Trump ’ s own Fed Chairman Jerome Powell — are calling for , is nowhere in sight .
When I moved to the U.S. 20 years ago from Canada , I remember being surprised by the role Thanksgiving played across ethnic and religious lines in America .
The Canadian version of the holiday , which falls earlier in the calendar year , is nowhere near as significant as its older American sibling .
This Thanksgiving may matter more than any I have lived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each other , and new restrictions are causing distress for people who assumed this pandemic would have been on the wane almost nine months later .
But for everyone who is fretting about travel , seeing family , or celebrating alone , there are millions of Americans for whom those problems are a luxury .

There are two lines that will tell you the story of the American economy right now. The first is the one President Donald Trump talks about — a lot: the Dow Jones Industrial Average. It’s an index that measures the stock prices of 30 of America’s largest and most representative companies. It tracks the value of Apple, Caterpillar, Coca Cola, Goldman Sachs, and companies like that.
The other line isn’t on a graph. It’s an image of thousands of cars lined up to get food for Thanksgiving at the North Texas Food bank in Dallas. In one week, the food bank distributed 6,000 pounds of food, including 7,280 turkeys — enough to feed 25,000 people this Thanksgiving. That’s just one food bank, in one American city.
There are two lines that will tell you the story of the American economy right now.
Those two lines tell the story of the "K-shaped" recovery in America. The top line of the “K” is up and to the right, for the investor class. The bottom line is down and to the right, for the working class, the working poor and the unemployed.
The number of people filing for first time unemployment benefits has risen to 778,000 people last week — more than three times the rate a year ago. Unemployment has run out for many Americans. A man named Evan wrote to me from Georgia recently, explaining how he was “a single baby step away from homelessness.” Evan was an out-of-work comedian with an immune disorder who lives with and cares for his mom. His extended unemployment has run out. He gets $150 a week. He can’t make his rent and has cut his grocery bill in half to pay his other bills. And last week, the $150 came to an end. He had nowhere to turn.
I read his letter to my viewers on my live show. He didn’t ask for anything, but viewers started contacting me asking where they could send him funds, so he set up a GoFundMe account. By the end of the day, hundreds of generous strangers — some with hardly enough to spare themselves — had donated over $7,500. Evan gets to breathe.
But Evan is not alone. In the richest country in the world live millions and millions of people whom the U.S. Department of Agriculture describes as “food insecure,” meaning they are “uncertain of having, or unable to acquire, enough food to meet the needs of all their members because they had insufficient money.” In 2019, when the economy was substantially stronger than it is today because of Covid-19, 13.7 million households — 10.5 percent of all U.S. households — were food insecure at some point.
That worked out to be about 35 million Americans. By June 2020, at the height of coronavirus shutdowns, that number was estimated by Brookings Institute to have hit 27.5 percent. A separate study by Northwestern University put it at 29.5 percent. If you do the math, somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 million Americans have not been sure how and from where they are going to get the next day’s meal.
America is the richest country in the world, and yet close to a third of our people know or fear hunger. Millions more face homelessness and hundreds of thousands live on the street. We need emergency aid from Congress.
While the difference between the Democrat's proposed Covid-19 relief bill and the current Senate GOP proposals seems to be size, it’s much deeper than that. The current Senate bill being pushed by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., rather than being composed mostly of direct relief payments and transfers for state and local governments, will serve mostly to indemnify companies that could otherwise face lawsuits if returning workers contract Covid-19. The broad based relief that economists — indeed Trump’s own Fed Chairman Jerome Powell — are calling for, is nowhere in sight.
When I moved to the U.S. 20 years ago from Canada, I remember being surprised by the role Thanksgiving played across ethnic and religious lines in America. The Canadian version of the holiday, which falls earlier in the calendar year, is nowhere near as significant as its older American sibling.
This Thanksgiving may matter more than any I have lived through in America. Families are missing each other, and new restrictions are causing distress for people who assumed this pandemic would have been on the wane almost nine months later. But for everyone who is fretting about travel, seeing family, or celebrating alone, there are millions of Americans for whom those problems are a luxury.


msnbc--2020-11-26--Supreme Court blocks New York Covid-19 restrictions on houses of worship

U.S. Covid-19 crisis keeps getting worse .
The numbers prove it .

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


msnbc--2020-11-26--Biden: Americans should make 'personal sacrifice' to celebrate Thanksgiving safely during Covid

President-elect Joe Biden and Jill Biden shared a Thanksgiving video message that they'll be gathering for the holiday with a smaller group and stressed that all Americans should make a "personal sacrifice" to celebrate Thanksgiving safely during the Covid-19 pandemic.Nov. 26, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-26--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--2020-11-27--Oakland mayor to make immunization more accessible as California vaccination rates drop

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


msnbc--2020-11-27--College basketball returns as pandemic rages across the nation

College basketball returns as pandemic rages across the nation
As Covid continues to surge across the nation, college basketball is all set to return. Morgan Chesky brings the latest.Nov. 27, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-27--Black Friday in-store shopping significantly drops due to Covid-19 pandemic

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, more Black Friday shoppers are opting for online sales over in-store shopping. As a result, retailers are seeing shorter lines and smaller crowds on typically the biggest shopping day of the year.Nov. 27, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-27--Top Iranian nuclear scientist assassinated

Iran's Defense Ministry confirmed that Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a leading Iranian nuclear scientist, was assassinated near Tehran. Fakhrizadeh was largely seen as the architect for Iran's nuclear program.Nov. 27, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-27--Trump has taught us to cherish what we nearly lost

In a year that has thrust thousands of people into therapy , strained and snapped personal relationships over bitterly bifurcated politics , claimed 260,000 American lives in a vicious pandemic , plummeted 1 in 4 Americans into joblessness or poverty wages , and exposed gaping holes in our democratic processes , expressing gratitude during the holidays may feel like a bridge too far .
But give thanks we should .
Because a nation comes to more greatly appreciate that which it has lost or almost lost .
And when a nation fights to preserve what is precious , as we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most — things like freedom , faith , and facts — and embraces individuals who help to defend those things .
By that measure , we have much for which to be thankful .
Our national security was challenged by adversaries foreign and domestic — and it held .
Our free and fair election process was pummeled — but prevailed .
Science and facts were vilified —but will rise victorious .
And our faith , in ourselves and our institutions , was questioned — yet it shows signs of overcoming .
Freedom , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mysteriously or magically , nor by overwhelming margins .
Rather , those enduring values remain because of the might and determination of the collective conscience of Americans , and because of specific people who came to embody our representative will .
For that , we should be thankful .
In this year , and the years throughout President Donald Trump ’ s tenure , our freedom , expressed in our uniquely American form of democracy and rule of law , faced unprecedented challenges .
The Trump administration flagrantly flouted congressional oversight , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 10 incidences where the president obstructed justice .
Foreign adversaries attempted to interfere , as they did in 2016 , with the 2020 election , but were decidedly defeated by professionals dedicated to preserving our process .
Election officials , from both the GOP , the Democratic Party , as well as from neither party , held firm in their oath to uphold the laws of their states .
In places like Pennsylvania , Michigan , Arizona , Nevada , and Georgia , poll workers and election officials , including those secretaries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , did the right thing — even in the face of death threats .
For this preservation of our free society , we should be grateful .
Faith was imperiled this year as well .
Biblical scripture defines faith as “ the substance of things hoped for , the evidence of things not seen.
” But you don ’ t have to be religious to have faith .
Merriam-Webster dictionary says faith is “ firm belief in something for which there is no proof.
” Our democracy remains a relatively young , seldom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remains to be seen whether or not our concept of a republic with three equal branches of government , frequently elected leaders in the executive and legislative branches , an independent judiciary , and strict adherence to a constitution and the rule of law , can sustain itself .
But , with each test of our government , we gain further proof of “ things hoped for ” — that our system , and our faith in it , may hold .
That ’ s the kind of test we ’ ve just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not over yet .
But even some Republican leaders have denounced Trump ’ s attempts to subvert our system and have helped to restore our faith in the institutions that embody our democratic values .
For this victory , in this moment , we should give thanks .
Facts took a beating this year .
Trump spewed countless false and dangerous claims about the coronavirus .
He falsely and repeatedly asserted that he won reelection .
Many of his followers seemed to buy the snake oil Trump was selling .
We learned a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accept simple solutions to unpleasant and complex problems — even when those “ solutions ” amounted to nonsense .
However , among the heroes of this year were the epidemiologists and scientists who taught us the personal safety precautions that could save our lives , identified the therapeutic drugs to alleviate our suffering , and developed the potentially life-saving vaccines that will allow us to defeat Covid-19 and claim victory in the battle of fact versus fiction .
We should acknowledge them with deep appreciation .
Dedicated journalists also helped breathe life into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for life .
White House correspondents , television and print reporters , and cable news anchors dared to ask hard questions and reveal unpleasant truths , even while under personal attack by the president himself .
The Associated Press ’ s “ A look at what didn ’ t happen this week ” was just one example of the media ’ s effort to shine light on the dark recesses of disinformation .
Give thanks for a free press .
Fiction versus fact also threatened our national security .
Domestic deception threatened to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quackery , violent militias , race-based hate groups , and anarchy adherents , were all motivated by falsehoods and fictions , often amplified on social media .
While the president and the attorney general claimed that violence in our streets was led by Black Lives Matter and Antifa protestors , FBI Director Christopher Wray gave us the facts — race-based hate groups were the main cause for concern .
Some champions of truth were terminated for challenging the president ’ s false narrative , and protecting our free elections from interference , like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Others , like Wray , were threatened with dismissal .
While we ’ re in the spirit of gratitude , and if we ’ re employing my dictionary ’ s definition of “ thankful ” as “ conscious of benefit received , ” then we should express gratitude for one more individual .
This person helped 80 million of us fight valiantly for our freedom , reestablish our faith in democracy , and reject falsehoods and fantasies in favor of fact .
As we head into this holiday season , let us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our outgoing president , and express our gratitude for what he ’ s taught us by offering him this gentle farewell — “ Don ’ t let the door hit you on your way out .
“

In a year that has thrust thousands of people into therapy, strained and snapped personal relationships over bitterly bifurcated politics, claimed 260,000 American lives in a vicious pandemic, plummeted 1 in 4 Americans into joblessness or poverty wages, and exposed gaping holes in our democratic processes, expressing gratitude during the holidays may feel like a bridge too far.
A nation comes to more greatly appreciate that which it has lost or almost lost.
But give thanks we should. Because a nation comes to more greatly appreciate that which it has lost or almost lost. And when a nation fights to preserve what is precious, as we just have, it learns what matters most — things like freedom, faith, and facts — and embraces individuals who help to defend those things. By that measure, we have much for which to be thankful.
Our national security was challenged by adversaries foreign and domestic — and it held. Our free and fair election process was pummeled — but prevailed. Science and facts were vilified —but will rise victorious. And our faith, in ourselves and our institutions, was questioned — yet it shows signs of overcoming.
Freedom, faith, and facts persisted — not mysteriously or magically, nor by overwhelming margins. Rather, those enduring values remain because of the might and determination of the collective conscience of Americans, and because of specific people who came to embody our representative will. For that, we should be thankful.
Freedom, faith, and facts persisted — not mysteriously or magically, nor by overwhelming margins.
In this year, and the years throughout President Donald Trump’s tenure, our freedom, expressed in our uniquely American form of democracy and rule of law, faced unprecedented challenges. The Trump administration flagrantly flouted congressional oversight, and a special counsel investigation previously found at least 10 incidences where the president obstructed justice.
Foreign adversaries attempted to interfere, as they did in 2016, with the 2020 election, but were decidedly defeated by professionals dedicated to preserving our process. Election officials, from both the GOP, the Democratic Party, as well as from neither party, held firm in their oath to uphold the laws of their states. In places like Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia, poll workers and election officials, including those secretaries of state and judges in those states, did the right thing — even in the face of death threats. For this preservation of our free society, we should be grateful.
Faith was imperiled this year as well. Biblical scripture defines faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” But you don’t have to be religious to have faith. Merriam-Webster dictionary says faith is “firm belief in something for which there is no proof.” Our democracy remains a relatively young, seldom tested, experiment in governance. It remains to be seen whether or not our concept of a republic with three equal branches of government, frequently elected leaders in the executive and legislative branches, an independent judiciary, and strict adherence to a constitution and the rule of law, can sustain itself.
But, with each test of our government, we gain further proof of “things hoped for” — that our system, and our faith in it, may hold. That’s the kind of test we’ve just been through, and it’s not over yet. But even some Republican leaders have denounced Trump’s attempts to subvert our system and have helped to restore our faith in the institutions that embody our democratic values. For this victory, in this moment, we should give thanks.
With each test of our government, we gain further proof of “things hoped for.”
Facts took a beating this year. Trump spewed countless false and dangerous claims about the coronavirus. He falsely and repeatedly asserted that he won reelection. Many of his followers seemed to buy the snake oil Trump was selling. We learned a lot about the natural human tendency to accept simple solutions to unpleasant and complex problems — even when those “solutions” amounted to nonsense.
However, among the heroes of this year were the epidemiologists and scientists who taught us the personal safety precautions that could save our lives, identified the therapeutic drugs to alleviate our suffering, and developed the potentially life-saving vaccines that will allow us to defeat Covid-19 and claim victory in the battle of fact versus fiction. We should acknowledge them with deep appreciation.
Dedicated journalists also helped breathe life into facts when those facts were seemingly flailing for life. White House correspondents, television and print reporters, and cable news anchors dared to ask hard questions and reveal unpleasant truths, even while under personal attack by the president himself. The Associated Press’s “A look at what didn’t happen this week” was just one example of the media’s effort to shine light on the dark recesses of disinformation. Give thanks for a free press.
Fiction versus fact also threatened our national security. Domestic deception threatened to defeat data and repeal reality. QAnon quackery, violent militias, race-based hate groups, and anarchy adherents, were all motivated by falsehoods and fictions, often amplified on social media. While the president and the attorney general claimed that violence in our streets was led by Black Lives Matter and Antifa protestors, FBI Director Christopher Wray gave us the facts — race-based hate groups were the main cause for concern. Some champions of truth were terminated for challenging the president’s false narrative, and protecting our free elections from interference, like Chris Krebs, the director of CISA. Others, like Wray, were threatened with dismissal.
While we’re in the spirit of gratitude, and if we’re employing my dictionary’s definition of “thankful” as “conscious of benefit received,” then we should express gratitude for one more individual. This person helped 80 million of us fight valiantly for our freedom, reestablish our faith in democracy, and reject falsehoods and fantasies in favor of fact. As we head into this holiday season, let us say, “thank you” to our outgoing president, and express our gratitude for what he’s taught us by offering him this gentle farewell — “Don’t let the door hit you on your way out. “


msnbc--2020-11-28--We owe it to future generations to scrutinize Kerry's every move

Of all the messes President-elect Joe Biden is tasked with cleaning up , the climate crisis is the most high stakes .
If aggressive decarbonization doesn ’ t begin soon , climate scientists see little chance of preventing permanent ecological catastrophe .
Biden will need the most qualified team on Earth to prevent the health and economic consequences that would follow .
And on Nov. 17 , he announced one of the most important members of that team : Former Secretary of State John Kerry .
Kerry is filling a new cabinet-level role to lead international climate efforts ; one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elevates the issue of climate change to the highest echelons of government.
” And while Kerry is undoubtedly qualified for the role , the reaction to his appointment to this “ climate envoy ” role has so far been mixed — due primarily to the fact that Kerry has been in a similar position before , and yet we still have seen no climate action .
More interesting , though , has been the reaction to the reaction .
As climate activists and journalists have pointed out the potential flaws in Kerry ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re being too critical .
That Kerry is a good man .
That he ’ s passionate .
That he ’ s qualified .
That people should be happy with Biden ’ s choice .
But there is nothing about the present climate situation that suggests this is a time to be happy .
And Kerry ’ s ability to get us out if this dire situation will not rest solely on his goodness or passion or previous experience .
It will rest on his ability to do the best job he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , every single day .
To do that , he and the entire Biden administration need to feel the pressure of this moment more than they believe they can bear .
They 're the ones who accepted the responsibility of solving the climate crisis in the 11th hour .
This is literally the greatest responsibility a group of people could ever have .
And it is our responsibility , as citizens and people who want livable futures for our children , to constantly criticize and question those who are tasked with providing them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not an act of malice against Kerry .
It is an act of duty and care .
If it seems unfair to hold anyone to such a high standard — especially someone like Kerry , who has already tried so hard to push for progress on climate issues — that ’ s because it is .
But this is the place Trump and the fossil fuel industry have put us in .
It is extremely unjust .
It is extremely unfair .
It is also the reality of the climate situation we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about our future more than we care about defending Kerry 's honor .
We have a duty to future generations and ourselves to scrutinize his every move .
Kerry , too , has a duty to accept and learn from that criticism .
At present he ’ s known for being a little brittle ; he got testy with me once when I asked a legitimate question about diversity in the climate movement .
But the science of climate change does n't have time for him taking things personally .
We 're emerging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how loud you yelled , you were never heard .
There 's reason to believe this is going to change ; we have evidence that Biden and Kerry are movable and able to be pushed effectively by the climate movement on this issue .
But Kerry and Biden also have a history of being pushed by the fossil fuel industry .
So we ca n't just sit back and trust them to do a good job , because they are good , solid people .
Biden said during a recent speech that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he needs to know , not what he wants to know .
He was talking about his own cabinet , but this principle applies to the public , too .
With this new administration , we have an opportunity to reframe criticism as a form of care .
We do it not just because we want this administration to succeed , but because we need them to .

Of all the messes President-elect Joe Biden is tasked with cleaning up, the climate crisis is the most high stakes. If aggressive decarbonization doesn’t begin soon, climate scientists see little chance of preventing permanent ecological catastrophe.
We have to care about our future more than we care about defending Kerry's honor.
Biden will need the most qualified team on Earth to prevent the health and economic consequences that would follow. And on Nov. 17, he announced one of the most important members of that team: Former Secretary of State John Kerry.
Kerry is filling a new cabinet-level role to lead international climate efforts; one which the New York Times says “elevates the issue of climate change to the highest echelons of government.” And while Kerry is undoubtedly qualified for the role, the reaction to his appointment to this “climate envoy” role has so far been mixed — due primarily to the fact that Kerry has been in a similar position before, and yet we still have seen no climate action.
More interesting, though, has been the reaction to the reaction. As climate activists and journalists have pointed out the potential flaws in Kerry’s appointment, others have said they’re being too critical. That Kerry is a good man. That he’s passionate. That he’s qualified. That people should be happy with Biden’s choice.
But there is nothing about the present climate situation that suggests this is a time to be happy. And Kerry’s ability to get us out if this dire situation will not rest solely on his goodness or passion or previous experience. It will rest on his ability to do the best job he’s ever done in his life, every single day.
There is nothing about the present climate situation that suggests this is a time to be happy.
To do that, he and the entire Biden administration need to feel the pressure of this moment more than they believe they can bear. They're the ones who accepted the responsibility of solving the climate crisis in the 11th hour. This is literally the greatest responsibility a group of people could ever have.
And it is our responsibility, as citizens and people who want livable futures for our children, to constantly criticize and question those who are tasked with providing them. Criticizing Kerry and his colleagues is not an act of malice against Kerry. It is an act of duty and care.
If it seems unfair to hold anyone to such a high standard — especially someone like Kerry, who has already tried so hard to push for progress on climate issues — that’s because it is. But this is the place Trump and the fossil fuel industry have put us in. It is extremely unjust. It is extremely unfair.
It is also the reality of the climate situation we’re in. We have to care about our future more than we care about defending Kerry's honor. We have a duty to future generations and ourselves to scrutinize his every move.
Kerry, too, has a duty to accept and learn from that criticism. At present he’s known for being a little brittle; he got testy with me once when I asked a legitimate question about diversity in the climate movement. But the science of climate change doesn't have time for him taking things personally.
If aggressive decarbonization doesn’t begin soon, climate scientists see little chance of preventing permanent ecological catastrophe.
We're emerging from a political administration where no matter how loud you yelled, you were never heard. There's reason to believe this is going to change; we have evidence that Biden and Kerry are movable and able to be pushed effectively by the climate movement on this issue.
But Kerry and Biden also have a history of being pushed by the fossil fuel industry. So we can't just sit back and trust them to do a good job, because they are good, solid people.
Biden said during a recent speech that he wants his team to tell him what he needs to know, not what he wants to know. He was talking about his own cabinet, but this principle applies to the public, too. With this new administration, we have an opportunity to reframe criticism as a form of care. We do it not just because we want this administration to succeed, but because we need them to.


msnbc--2020-11-27--Tracking coronavirus case surges in the United States


msnbc--2020-11-28--Kamala Harris visits small businesses, says they are 'essential part' of community

Rep. Andy Kim : ‘ 1 out of every 1,250 Americans in this country has died because of COVID ’

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris visited small businesses in Washington, D.C., in observance of Small Business Saturday. Harris stressed the importance of supporting small businesses during this time, saying they are "an essential part of the lifeblood of a community."Nov. 28, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-29--Former FBI official discusses the assassination of Iranian scientist and Iran's response

Former FBI Assistant Director of Counterintelligence, Frank Figliuzzi, talks about the assassination of the Iranian scientist and Israel's role in the attack. Leading nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was killed near Tehran in a roadside attack on Friday, a day after Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed to retaliate and pledged to continue Iran's nuclear work. Figliuzzi says, "Israel realizes they have a few weeks to get done what it is they need done, with the President of the U.S. likely to allow them to do it."Nov. 29, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-28--Trump self-pardon 'a no-go’ former White House ethics lawyer says

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msnbc--2020-11-28--Expert says U.S. is ‘months away from’ mass vaccine distribution


msnbc--2020-11-28--Trump era shows ‘Constitution stronger than one man’ expert says

Donald Trump’s recount failures, his campaign losing cases in states such as Pennsylvania and more, and the Georgia Senate runoff, are analyzed by experts who discuss these events as evidence that our democratic institutions are ‘holding.’Nov. 28, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-28--Rep. Andy Kim: ‘1 out of every 1,250 Americans in this country has died because of COVID’

The transition of power is underway, and Rep. Andy Kim of New Jersey is confident President-elect Joe Biden is up for the task. He tells Ali Velshi, “The Biden team is ready. I’ve worked with many of them before… This is a group of top officials that I have the faith in to be able to guide us through these tough times.”Nov. 28, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-28--NIH Director: Politics have ‘nothing to do’ with COVID-19 vaccine approval

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


msnbc--2020-11-28--Tracking coronavirus case surges in the United States


msnbc--2020-11-25--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 Nov. 25 , 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--2020-11-29--Pennsylvania Supreme Court throws out election challenge to no-excuse mail-in ballots

NBC News' Pete Williams details the latest election challenge to be rejected by the Pennsylvania high court. The case was led by U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, who argued that a law permitting no-excuse mail voting violated the state Constitution.Nov. 29, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-29--'Grief is this repeated experience learning how to live in the midst of an immense loss'

In her personal essay for the New York Times, Duchess of Sussex Meghan shares the intimate details of her pregnancy loss and reflects upon the widespread grief brought on by the coronavirus pandemic and the increasingly polarized political climate. MSNBC’s host of "American Voices" Alicia Menendez speaks with Elizabeth Holmes, journalist and author of “HRH: So Many Thoughts On Royal Style”, and Marisa Renee Lee, CEO of Beacon Advisors and co-founder of Supportal about how to show up for those who are grieving.Nov. 29, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-29--Former Federal Prosecutor addresses Trump saying he’s open to appointing a special prosecutor to inv

Former Federal Prosecutor addresses Trump saying he’s open to appointing a special prosecutor to investigate the election

Native American State Senator says spread of COVID is ‘ a matter of life and death on a reservation ’

Glenn Kirschner, a Former Federal Prosecutor, discusses Trump’s interview with Fox News where he made claims about the election. One of President Trump’s claims is the possibility of him appointing a special prosecutor to investigate the election. Kirschner says, “The President has really enjoyed the benefit of his own private special counsel for the last couple of years, and his name is Bill Barr.”Nov. 29, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-29--Small business owners struggle to survive: ‘We need consumers back’

Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday online retailers are doing well, with record sales but small businesses are continuing to suffer. NBC News’ Stephanie Ruhle spoke with shop owners struggling to survive.Nov. 29, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-29--Native American small business owners struggle to stay afloat amid COVID

Ali Velshi speaks with an Oglala Sioux mother and daughter who own and operate two businesses on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. They say the past 9 months have been very challenging, and they are now using their savings to avoid closing and laying off all their staff.Nov. 29, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-29--Julián Castro: Cornyn, Cruz sit on their hands as people suffer

Julián Castro: Cornyn, Cruz sit on their hands as people suffer
COVID-19 driving people to food banks, while the revised House Heroes Act sits on Mitch McConnell's desk, and GOP senators take no action, is slammed by Julián Castro.Nov. 29, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-29--Trump maintains baseless claims of voter fraud: 'What kind of a court system is this?'

Trump maintains baseless claims of voter fraud: 'What kind of a court system is this?'
President Trump called in to Fox News for an interview and maintained his baseless claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election and criticizing the governor of Georgia. NBC's Carol Lee has details.Nov. 29, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-29--Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe spokesman: ‘We have thousands of people who live here, and only 8 hospita

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe spokesman: ‘We have thousands of people who live here, and only 8 hospital beds’

Remi Bald Eagle is the spokesman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, and he tells Ali Velshi about what his community is enduring as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. He says, “We have thousands of people that live on the reservation, but we don’t have the resources that a state government or federal government has to help control and keep our people safe. So we have to work with the resources that we have.”Nov. 29, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-29--Doctor on COVID: ‘Going back to normal will prolong this war’

Doctor on COVID: ‘Going back to normal will prolong this war’
COVID-19 fatigue, the coming coronavirus vaccine, and the work ahead for President-Elect Joe Biden are discussed by experts in conversation with María Teresa Kumar.Nov. 29, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-30--'The Trump campaign’s legal strategy is better understood as a PR strategy'

St. Louis doctor says hospitals out of capacity or are at capacity

Wisconsin’s partial ballot recount boosted President-elect Joe Biden’s victory by even more votes. Amid the looming deadline for states to certify the results, President Trump is promising more election related lawsuits although numerous cases continue to be tossed out of court due to lack of evidence. MSNBC’s host of “American Voices” Alicia Menendez speaks with Sahil Kapur, NBC News National Political Reporter, Lauren Gambino, Senior Political correspondent at The Guardian, and Andy Kroll, Rolling Stone’s Washington bureau Chief about the strategy behind the Trump campaign’s baseless legal battle.Nov. 30, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-30--Biden to make key announcements on new administration

This week, we will hear who President-elect Biden will nominate to key economic posts in his administration. The team will be faced with the urgent task of bringing the U.S. economy back from the brink. MSNBC’s host of “American Voices” Alicia Menendez speaks with NBC News Political reporter Ali Vitali and Political Analyst and Former Biden Campaign Consultant Alencia Johnson about who we might see in these key roles.Nov. 30, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-30--Biden team announces all-female WH communications team with 'diversity of experience'

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


msnbc--2020-11-30--President-elect Biden suffers fracture in right foot

President-elect Joe Biden suffered hairline fractures in his right foot over the weekend in an injury that is likely to require a walking boot for several weeks, his doctor said Sunday.Nov. 30, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-30--Joe Biden is centrist. But his foreign policy is more progressive than you think.

Nobody expects President-elect Joe Biden 's centrist foreign policy views to shift radically once he 's in office .
Not after almost five decades in Washington , most of which have been spent with international affairs as his bailiwick .
But for progressives grumbling about some of Biden 's Cabinet picks , I offer good news : This administration can still deliver on some of your biggest foreign policy goals .
Much of the focus since the election has been on whom Biden will install to run the federal bureaucracy .
That 's fair , given the challenge of rebooting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years of President Donald Trump and his haphazard staffing .
The problem is that some of Biden 's picks come with baggage of their own .
Antony Blinken , the president-elect 's choice to become secretary of state , and Michèle Flournoy , reportedly the lead contender to run the Pentagon , are under increasing scrutiny for their post-government work .
That includes founding WestExec , their consulting firm , whose client list is secret and which has diligently kept its staff from being called `` lobbyists . ''
Flournoy 's close ties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushback .
Meanwhile , one of Biden 's top choices for CIA chief , former Deputy Director Michael Morell , has been accused of defending the Bush-era torture program .
He could face opposition from Senate Democrats if nominated .
Avril Haines — who has been tapped to become director of national intelligence — has also been criticized for her role in redacting the Senate Intelligence Committee 's report on CIA torture and supporting current CIA Director Gina Haspel 's nomination .
( Haines worked at WestExec , too , by the by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , it 's a mistake to focus solely on the people at the top .
For all the centrists being put in place , a look at some of the main foreign policy priorities for the progressive movement shows some major opportunities on the horizon : Considering domestic and international economics in foreign policy .
Sens .
Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren both argued during their presidential runs that the U.S. needs to develop a foreign policy that keeps the economic well-being of all Americans in mind .
Heather Hurlburt , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 that `` ensuring the basic health and sustainability of the U.S. economy , addressing inequality , and attacking absolute poverty both at home and abroad '' should be central to a progressive foreign policy .
Jake Sullivan 's pending appointment as national security adviser should be seen as a promising development .
Sullivan , who praised Sanders ' focus on crony capitalism and corruption abroad in 2018 , recently worked with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on a series of reports examining how to make foreign policy work for America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ front and center .
Former Secretary of State John Kerry is on track to be appointed to a Cabinet-level role focused on international climate efforts , a decision that lends weight to Biden 's ambitious climate plans .
As fellow MSNBC columnist Emily Atkin noted , though , progressives need to be ready to be critical of Kerry and Biden , leaning on them to follow through with action instead of just rhetoric .
Accepting the limits of U.S. military power .
Biden 's not exactly what anyone would call a peacenik , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constant war , he literally ca n't afford to deploy forces overseas like his predecessors .
Trump , for all his misguided logic , wanted to roll back some of the U.S. 's overseas military commitments that have left the armed services stretched thin .
Biden should at least consider the same , with an acknowledgment that a military presence does n't always guarantee success .
Defending democracy without going on the offense .
Both neoconservatives and progressives believe the U.S. should advocate for democracy abroad .
The difference is that the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ democracies , while the latter is typically more interested in shoring up those that already exist .
And as we head into 2021 , democracies need help to keep from becoming nationalist oligarchies .
We 've already seen this backslide happen in Hungary and Turkey .
Halting — and , ideally , helping reverse — these transformations should be a priority for the Biden administration .
Rethinking U.S. alliances .
Biden campaigned on restoring some of America 's most crucial alliances after years of Trumpian mishandling .
He now has an opportunity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially when it comes to ignoring human rights abuses from allies like Saudi Arabia .
While the Trump administration turned a mostly blind eye to Riyadh 's killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi , Biden 's team can afford to be a bit pickier about who gets called a friend .
Ending U.S. support for the war in Yemen .
On a similar note , in the short term , progressives can count on Biden and his Cabinet to call off American support for the six-year war in Yemen .
Both houses of Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constrain U.S. involvement in the Saudi-led campaign , which has at times targeted civilian facilities and prevented humanitarian aid shipments ; Trump vetoed the legislation .
A new version is sure to pass in the next session of Congress , and Biden will sign it .
There will undoubtedly be foreign policy fights between the left wing of the Democratic Party and the liberal internationalists who have dominated the Democratic establishment since the end of the Cold War .
No matter who winds up as defense secretary , slashing military spending will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Trump 's demands and congressional inertia , this year 's National Defense Authorization Act is likely to appropriate over $ 740 billion for the current fiscal year to the Defense Department and other national security projects .
Getting Flournoy to trim that number could be difficult .
The same goes for U.S. policy toward Israel , still one of the deepest divides among Democrats .
Relatedly , Biden and his team are facing what could be an early test in the Middle East .
Iran 's top nuclear scientist was killed over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hallmarks of an Israeli operation .
How Biden threads the needle of discouraging Iran 's nuclear program , avoiding war and supporting Israel without encouraging international lawbreaking is likely to be a preview of the rest of his term .
Biden is prioritizing staffers who have years of experience in foreign affairs .
If progressives want not just to have a seat at the table but also to sit at its head , now is the time to lay their own groundwork .
The Biden administration needs new foreign policy hands to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bottom .
Now is the time to seed lower-level staffers who eventually guide the U.S. in the next decade and beyond , building on the work that will be done over the next four years .

Nobody expects President-elect Joe Biden's centrist foreign policy views to shift radically once he's in office. Not after almost five decades in Washington, most of which have been spent with international affairs as his bailiwick. But for progressives grumbling about some of Biden's Cabinet picks, I offer good news: This administration can still deliver on some of your biggest foreign policy goals.
Much of the focus since the election has been on whom Biden will install to run the federal bureaucracy. That's fair, given the challenge of rebooting the nation's operating system after four years of President Donald Trump and his haphazard staffing. The problem is that some of Biden's picks come with baggage of their own.
Antony Blinken, the president-elect's choice to become secretary of state, and Michèle Flournoy, reportedly the lead contender to run the Pentagon, are under increasing scrutiny for their post-government work. That includes founding WestExec, their consulting firm, whose client list is secret and which has diligently kept its staff from being called "lobbyists." Flournoy's close ties with defense contractors are also getting major pushback.
A look at some of the main foreign policy priorities for the progressive movement shows some major opportunities on the horizon.
Meanwhile, one of Biden's top choices for CIA chief, former Deputy Director Michael Morell, has been accused of defending the Bush-era torture program. He could face opposition from Senate Democrats if nominated. Avril Haines — who has been tapped to become director of national intelligence — has also been criticized for her role in redacting the Senate Intelligence Committee's report on CIA torture and supporting current CIA Director Gina Haspel's nomination. (Haines worked at WestExec, too, by the by.)
All of that having been said, it's a mistake to focus solely on the people at the top. For all the centrists being put in place, a look at some of the main foreign policy priorities for the progressive movement shows some major opportunities on the horizon:
Considering domestic and international economics in foreign policy. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren both argued during their presidential runs that the U.S. needs to develop a foreign policy that keeps the economic well-being of all Americans in mind. Heather Hurlburt, a policy researcher with New America, wrote in 2018 that "ensuring the basic health and sustainability of the U.S. economy, addressing inequality, and attacking absolute poverty both at home and abroad" should be central to a progressive foreign policy.
Jake Sullivan's pending appointment as national security adviser should be seen as a promising development. Sullivan, who praised Sanders' focus on crony capitalism and corruption abroad in 2018, recently worked with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on a series of reports examining how to make foreign policy work for America's middle class.
Putting climate change front and center. Former Secretary of State John Kerry is on track to be appointed to a Cabinet-level role focused on international climate efforts, a decision that lends weight to Biden's ambitious climate plans. As fellow MSNBC columnist Emily Atkin noted, though, progressives need to be ready to be critical of Kerry and Biden, leaning on them to follow through with action instead of just rhetoric.
Accepting the limits of U.S. military power. Biden's not exactly what anyone would call a peacenik, but after going on 20 years of constant war, he literally can't afford to deploy forces overseas like his predecessors. Trump, for all his misguided logic, wanted to roll back some of the U.S.'s overseas military commitments that have left the armed services stretched thin. Biden should at least consider the same, with an acknowledgment that a military presence doesn't always guarantee success.
Defending democracy without going on the offense. Both neoconservatives and progressives believe the U.S. should advocate for democracy abroad. The difference is that the former believes the military needs to foster new democracies, while the latter is typically more interested in shoring up those that already exist. And as we head into 2021, democracies need help to keep from becoming nationalist oligarchies. We've already seen this backslide happen in Hungary and Turkey. Halting — and, ideally, helping reverse — these transformations should be a priority for the Biden administration.
Rethinking U.S. alliances. Biden campaigned on restoring some of America's most crucial alliances after years of Trumpian mishandling. He now has an opportunity to determine what "crucial" means — especially when it comes to ignoring human rights abuses from allies like Saudi Arabia. While the Trump administration turned a mostly blind eye to Riyadh's killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Biden's team can afford to be a bit pickier about who gets called a friend.
Ending U.S. support for the war in Yemen. On a similar note, in the short term, progressives can count on Biden and his Cabinet to call off American support for the six-year war in Yemen. Both houses of Congress passed a resolution in 2019 that would constrain U.S. involvement in the Saudi-led campaign, which has at times targeted civilian facilities and prevented humanitarian aid shipments; Trump vetoed the legislation. A new version is sure to pass in the next session of Congress, and Biden will sign it.
If progressives want not just to have a seat at the table but also to sit at its head, now is the time to lay their own groundwork.
There will undoubtedly be foreign policy fights between the left wing of the Democratic Party and the liberal internationalists who have dominated the Democratic establishment since the end of the Cold War. No matter who winds up as defense secretary, slashing military spending will be a major lift. Through a combination of Trump's demands and congressional inertia, this year's National Defense Authorization Act is likely to appropriate over $740 billion for the current fiscal year to the Defense Department and other national security projects. Getting Flournoy to trim that number could be difficult.
The same goes for U.S. policy toward Israel, still one of the deepest divides among Democrats. Relatedly, Biden and his team are facing what could be an early test in the Middle East. Iran's top nuclear scientist was killed over the weekend in an assassination that showed the hallmarks of an Israeli operation. How Biden threads the needle of discouraging Iran's nuclear program, avoiding war and supporting Israel without encouraging international lawbreaking is likely to be a preview of the rest of his term.
Biden is prioritizing staffers who have years of experience in foreign affairs. If progressives want not just to have a seat at the table but also to sit at its head, now is the time to lay their own groundwork. The Biden administration needs new foreign policy hands to revitalize the ranks, from top to bottom. Now is the time to seed lower-level staffers who eventually guide the U.S. in the next decade and beyond, building on the work that will be done over the next four years.


msnbc--2020-11-29--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--2020-11-30--Georgia Republican candidate conundrum: Campaigning for Senate runoffs but also pushing narrative of

Women and power in the Trump era : 'Handmaid ’ s Tale ' author Margaret Atwood on feminism and politics

Georgia Republican candidate conundrum: Campaigning for Senate runoffs but also pushing narrative of election fraud
Former RNC chairman Michael Steele and Washington Post national political reporter Robert Costa discuss how Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue are simultaneously campaigning for the upcoming senate runoff races while also pushing Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was fraudulentNov. 30, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-01--Health care workers say patients don’t believe they have Covid-19

NBC News’ Dasha Burns says health care workers in Appalachia are facing a disinformation crisis: “They were seeing patients who were coming into the hospital, coming in sick and did not believe that they had Covid even when the test came back positive.”Dec. 1, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-01--Millions travel over holiday weekend as hospitalizations reach new high

Dr. Chris Pernell joins The ReidOut to talk about the potential post Thanksgiving surge in cases along with the current record hospitalizations the United States is seeing.Dec. 1, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-30--Former CDC director: Coronavirus vaccine progress is 'surprisingly good news'

Former CDC director and Resolve to Save Lives President Dr. Tom Frieden was hopeful about news on promising coronavirus vaccine development and clears up misinformation around some of the vaccines.Nov. 30, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-01--New York AG calls Trump’s efforts to subvert the census ‘more anti-immigrant rhetoric’

The Supreme Court heard President Donald Trump's plan to exclude undocumented immigrants from the census figures that are used to calculate each state's representation in Congress. New York Attorney General Tish James calls it ‘more anti-immigrant rhetoric:’ "Regardless of your immigration status, you don't cease to be a whole person."Dec. 1, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-30--Supreme Court hears arguments in case to exclude undocumented immigrants from census

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msnbc--2020-11-30--‘Like Mad King George’: Washington Post reporting describes Trump in denial over his election loss

Washington Post White House bureau chief Phil Rucker discusses his newest report about what went on inside the White House during the 20 days between Election Day and when the GSA ascertained Joe Biden’s victoryNov. 30, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-30--Dr. Fauci warns of post-Thanksgiving covid surges as Trump 'doesn't weigh in'

Dr. Fauci warns of post-Thanksgiving covid surges as Trump 'doesn't weigh in'
NBC's Carol Lee brings us the latest from the Trump administration after warnings from Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx about post-Thanksgiving coronavirus surges.Nov. 30, 2020


msnbc--2020-11-30--A hospital is the last place in America you want to be right now

But planning holiday travel is not the trip you should be thinking about .
It ’ s the trip to the hospital following a potential Covid-19 diagnosis .
Hospitals around the country are now bracing for a surge in cases that will hit ERs and ICUs once infections contracted during Thanksgiving travel have had time to incubate .
I took that trip to the hospital when I feared it the worst .
And believe me : A hospital is not where you want to be right now .
One nurse had to wheel me from the ER to another room @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physically put in an IV line .
It was the “ resuscitation room , ” a space for reviving people who can not breathe .
It looked eerily like a coroner ’ s lab : stainless steel paneling and stretchers with crisp , white sheets .
Cities are reopening makeshift field hospitals where they had to treat the overflow of patients in March .
Many are reinstating lockdowns and limiting visitors to hospitals and medical centers again .
MSNBC ’ s Rachel Maddow recently shared that her longtime partner was battling Covid-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like she would lose .
Maddow endured the torment that millions of families have had to endure : trying to help keep a loved one alive , from a safe distance .
We should all be so lucky to be loved so unabashedly , so — this is Maddow ’ s word — desperately , as she described her love for her partner of 21 years .
Maddow tested negative , but remained in quarantine for the suggested two weeks .
As I said before , I ’ m fine .
Tests run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital visit showed no signs of heart damage , and no indications of a heart attack .
By the time I left , my blood pressure reading was better than normal .
I won ’ t need surgery or a stent or anything like that .
In fact , one of the main things I have to be more diligent about is drinking water .
My heart was working extra-hard partly because my blood was getting too thick .
Just over half of your blood is plasma , and nearly all of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rough time to be in a hospital , medically or emotionally .
The day I went to the ER , I put off calling my mother until I knew that I was being admitted to a regular hospital room .
I was afraid of making her panic with the thought that I was just in limbo .
The idea of forcing my mom to put the need to keep herself safe from Covid-19 over her need to see me through an emergency in person — I could not bear that .
Let me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , desperately , and they would be destroyed if anything happened to you .
Especially something that left them feeling as helpless as Covid-19 has made so many of us feel .
Why would you choose to not protect yourself , and potentially destroy someone who loves you ?
That ’ s a question I found myself asking when seeing reports of the wave of holiday travelers .
Many of us are suffering from the isolation of this deadly pandemic .
Some are letting that longing to gather with family and hug their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will literally save lives .

On Nov. 20, I was anchoring NBC News Now from noon to 2 p.m. By 3 p.m., I was in an emergency room describing symptoms of chest pressure, slight shortness of breath, elevated blood pressure and a pulse that rose much too high with even slight exertion. I did not have Covid-19; rather, I had rushed from the NBC News studio at 30 Rock straight to the ER because I was afraid I was having a heart attack.
First of all, I’m fine. I had a few more days of the small palpitations that had been bothering me — noticeable but never painful, reminding me that my body was working harder than it should. The slight, breathy feeling — almost like a thin vapor in my lungs — is also gone.
More than 1 million Americans flew this Thanksgiving — fewer than we would have had without the coronavirus, but the most recorded by the TSA since March. This happened despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautioning people to stay home, and despite fast-rising numbers of new cases across the country.
I took that trip to the hospital when I feared the worst. And believe me: a hospital is not where you want to be right now.
But planning holiday travel is not the trip you should be thinking about. It’s the trip to the hospital following a potential Covid-19 diagnosis. Hospitals around the country are now bracing for a surge in cases that will hit ERs and ICUs once infections contracted during Thanksgiving travel have had time to incubate.
I took that trip to the hospital when I feared it the worst. And believe me: A hospital is not where you want to be right now. One nurse had to wheel me from the ER to another room, just to have enough space to physically put in an IV line. It was the “resuscitation room,” a space for reviving people who cannot breathe. It looked eerily like a coroner’s lab: stainless steel paneling and stretchers with crisp, white sheets.
Cities are reopening makeshift field hospitals where they had to treat the overflow of patients in March. Many are reinstating lockdowns and limiting visitors to hospitals and medical centers again.
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow recently shared that her longtime partner was battling Covid-19, a battle that at one point looked like she would lose. Maddow endured the torment that millions of families have had to endure: trying to help keep a loved one alive, from a safe distance. We should all be so lucky to be loved so unabashedly, so — this is Maddow’s word — desperately, as she described her love for her partner of 21 years. Maddow tested negative, but remained in quarantine for the suggested two weeks.
As I said before, I’m fine. Tests run in the ER the day of my hospital visit showed no signs of heart damage, and no indications of a heart attack. By the time I left, my blood pressure reading was better than normal. I won’t need surgery or a stent or anything like that. In fact, one of the main things I have to be more diligent about is drinking water. My heart was working extra-hard partly because my blood was getting too thick. Just over half of your blood is plasma, and nearly all of that plasma is water.
This is a rough time to be in a hospital, medically or emotionally. The day I went to the ER, I put off calling my mother until I knew that I was being admitted to a regular hospital room. I was afraid of making her panic with the thought that I was just in limbo. The idea of forcing my mom to put the need to keep herself safe from Covid-19 over her need to see me through an emergency in person — I could not bear that.
Let me tell you something: Someone loves you, desperately, and they would be destroyed if anything happened to you. Especially something that left them feeling as helpless as Covid-19 has made so many of us feel.
Why would you choose to not protect yourself, and potentially destroy someone who loves you? That’s a question I found myself asking when seeing reports of the wave of holiday travelers. Many of us are suffering from the isolation of this deadly pandemic. Some are letting that longing to gather with family and hug their loved ones override the practical actions that will literally save lives.
Why would you choose to not protect yourself, and potentially destroy someone who loves you?
This year, my family showed our love for one another by not gathering for Thanksgiving dinner. It was hard, but it would have been much harder knowing we had endangered the people we love. So I ask you, who is your reason for fighting Covid-19? And how are you keeping them safe as we enter this holiday season?
I had to go to the ER. If you don’t, why would you choose to? You are someone’s reason for being, the center of someone’s universe, the one and only person they would die for. You are precious to someone, and that someone would shatter in a million irreparable pieces if you didn't do everything you could to protect yourself from Covid-19.
We will gather again. One day.
Whether it’s in our home or in a hospital is up to us.


msnbc--2020-11-30--Trump unleashed the kraken of cruelty at DHS. But its problems predate him.

All eyes are on President-elect Joe Biden and his picks for his Cabinet .
Among those named in the first round of Biden ’ s advisors is Alejandro Mayorkas , who ’ s been tapped to lead the Department of Homeland Security .
But while the excesses of DHS have gotten particular scrutiny in the last four years , Mayorkas will need to revamp an organization that ’ s never been entirely sure of its mission .
Biden ’ s initial personnel announcements seemed to signal his administration ’ s immediate priorities : the pandemic , mending our international standing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cleaning up a department that has gone rogue under President Donald Trump — which feels appropriately emblematic of his entire presidency .
The DHS that former President George W. Bush cobbled together from various agencies in the aftermath of Sept. 11 has under Trump been responsible for some of the grossest violations of human rights our government has committed since Abu Ghraib .
There have been reports of sterilizing women , guards sexually assaulting detainees , failures to locate the parents of 666 children detained in the U.S. , separating thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what our immigration system looks like and stands for .
Acting DHS head Chad Wolf — who replaced former Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen , who was responsible for family separation of migrants and tear-gassing refugees at the border — was found in violation of the law recently by a judge who declared that Wolf didn ’ t have the authority to lead the agency .
The United Nations declared some of Trump ’ s policies a violation of the rights of children .
Needless to say , as the new head of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cut out for him .
He is inheriting a sprawling agency that even under former President Barack Obama many regarded as the Wild West , where anything goes .
Trump unleashed the kraken of cruelty and impunity on what was already an agency difficult to rule and rife with dysfunction .
The notion that Mayorkas can set in and start to rebuild and restore DHS is faulty logic .
The truth is the rot had set in long before Trump dug his hands into the organization .
Trump made things worse and caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but DHS was far from where we needed it to be already .
Mayorkas ' task is to keep us safe while simultaneously showing us our forgotten values .
For the immigrant community at large and for those undocumented in particular , DHS represents the white nationalist , nativist presidency that Trump has come to symbolize for so many .
More than 16 million people are members of a mixed-status family .
And 50 million more of us , as brown people in America — whether Latino , Muslim , Asian or other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our homes or scared to venture outside of our communities .
Mayorkas ’ professional chops including helping spearhead the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program when he served at U.S .
Citizenship and Immigration Services under Obama , and his own refugee story seems to indicate that he will bring empathy , cultural competency and institutional know-how to an agency lacking all three .
Mayorkas needs to examine the fundamental purpose of a DHS that employs over 240,000 people — the third-largest Cabinet department , after the departments of defense and veteran affairs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vast .
DHS houses Customs and Border Protection , and it is also charged with our nation 's cybersecurity .
As with so many broken programs , now is the opportunity to reimagine DHS , especially where it carries out its primary mission to keep us safe from domestic terrorism .
Aside from reuniting the families cruelly separated as a top priority , Mayorkas should bring those who caused tremendous harm and torment to helpless vulnerable people , women and children in particular , to account .
It will send a message to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans as a whole : There are consequences to following the blind orders in the face of breaking the law , as countless judges have found against the Trump administration .

All eyes are on President-elect Joe Biden and his picks for his Cabinet. Among those named in the first round of Biden’s advisors is Alejandro Mayorkas, who’s been tapped to lead the Department of Homeland Security. But while the excesses of DHS have gotten particular scrutiny in the last four years, Mayorkas will need to revamp an organization that’s never been entirely sure of its mission.
For the immigrant community at large and for those undocumented in particular, DHS represents the white nationalist, nativist presidency that Trump has come to symbolize for so many.
Biden’s initial personnel announcements seemed to signal his administration’s immediate priorities: the pandemic, mending our international standing, securing ourselves from immediate foreign adversaries and cleaning up a department that has gone rogue under President Donald Trump — which feels appropriately emblematic of his entire presidency.
The DHS that former President George W. Bush cobbled together from various agencies in the aftermath of Sept. 11 has under Trump been responsible for some of the grossest violations of human rights our government has committed since Abu Ghraib. There have been reports of sterilizing women, guards sexually assaulting detainees, failures to locate the parents of 666 children detained in the U.S., separating thousands of children from their parents and fundamentally overhauling what our immigration system looks like and stands for.
Acting DHS head Chad Wolf — who replaced former Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, who was responsible for family separation of migrants and tear-gassing refugees at the border — was found in violation of the law recently by a judge who declared that Wolf didn’t have the authority to lead the agency. The United Nations declared some of Trump’s policies a violation of the rights of children.
Needless to say, as the new head of Homeland Security, Mayorkas has his work cut out for him. He is inheriting a sprawling agency that even under former President Barack Obama many regarded as the Wild West, where anything goes. Trump unleashed the kraken of cruelty and impunity on what was already an agency difficult to rule and rife with dysfunction.
The notion that Mayorkas can set in and start to rebuild and restore DHS is faulty logic. The truth is the rot had set in long before Trump dug his hands into the organization. Trump made things worse and caused extensive damage with his inhumane policies, but DHS was far from where we needed it to be already. Mayorkas' task is to keep us safe while simultaneously showing us our forgotten values.
For the immigrant community at large and for those undocumented in particular, DHS represents the white nationalist, nativist presidency that Trump has come to symbolize for so many. More than 16 million people are members of a mixed-status family. And 50 million more of us, as brown people in America — whether Latino, Muslim, Asian or other — have never felt more vulnerable in our homes or scared to venture outside of our communities.
The notion that Mayorkas can set in and start to rebuild and restore DHS is faulty logic.
Mayorkas’ professional chops including helping spearhead the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program when he served at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services under Obama, and his own refugee story seems to indicate that he will bring empathy, cultural competency and institutional know-how to an agency lacking all three.
Mayorkas needs to examine the fundamental purpose of a DHS that employs over 240,000 people — the third-largest Cabinet department, after the departments of defense and veteran affairs. The DHS mandate is unwieldy and vast. DHS houses Customs and Border Protection, and it is also charged with our nation's cybersecurity. As with so many broken programs, now is the opportunity to reimagine DHS, especially where it carries out its primary mission to keep us safe from domestic terrorism.
Aside from reuniting the families cruelly separated as a top priority, Mayorkas should bring those who caused tremendous harm and torment to helpless vulnerable people, women and children in particular, to account. It will send a message to the international community, immigrant communities and Americans as a whole: There are consequences to following the blind orders in the face of breaking the law, as countless judges have found against the Trump administration.


msnbc--2020-11-30--First big step from Trumpified Supreme Court gets key issue wrong

It seems like ages ago , but it was just a month ago when Senate Republicans , scrambling ahead of Election Day , confirmed Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court .
A third of the high court has now been chosen by Donald Trump , and the right 's 6-3 majority will likely alter the direction of the United States for several decades .
The question was n't whether we 'd see the justices make unfortunate decisions ; the question was when .
As it turns out , we did n't have to wait too long .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court was issued just before midnight ahead of Thanksgiving .
The full ruling in Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo is online here ( pdf ) .
As NBC News ' report explained , New York officials told the justices that the issue was moot , since the pandemic restrictions challenged in this case had already been scaled back .
But in a 5-4 opinion , the Supreme Court weighed in anyway .
In recent years , we 've grown accustomed to 5-4 rulings in which Chief Justice John Roberts votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four center-left justices vote together .
In the wake of Ruth Bader Ginsburg 's passing , however , the center-left contingent is down to three , and in this case , Roberts voted with them .
The result was an outcome that 's tough to defend .
Traditionally , courts have recognized the importance of state and local officials , working with public-health authorities , creating temporary measures to address life-threatening emergencies .
In this case , however , five Republican-appointed justices -- not one of whom has a background in epidemiology or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opinions about religion above all .
In a striking dissent , Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote , `` Justices of this Court play a deadly game in second-guessing the expert judgment of health officials about the environments in which a contagious virus , now infecting a million Americans each week , spreads most easily . ''
Justice Neil Gorsuch , Trump 's first choice for the high court , marveled in a concurring opinion that New York 's policy imposed looser restrictions on outlets such as liquor stores and bicycle repair shops than on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ degree of sarcasm , the conservative justice wrote , `` So , at least according to [ New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ] , it may be unsafe to go to church , but it is always fine to pick up another bottle of wine , shop for a new bike , or spend the afternoon exploring your distal points and meridians .
Who knew public health would so perfectly align with secular convenience ? ''
It again fell to Sotomayor to explain details that should be obvious : Nevertheless , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aside common sense and efforts to address a deadly pandemic , and issued their pre-Thanksgiving opinion anyway .
The practical effects will be limited in the short term , since the justices were targeting a policy that was no longer in effect .
But the ruling was an unfortunate reminder of what we can expect from the Trumpified high court for many , many years to come .

It seems like ages ago, but it was just a month ago when Senate Republicans, scrambling ahead of Election Day, confirmed Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. A third of the high court has now been chosen by Donald Trump, and the right's 6-3 majority will likely alter the direction of the United States for several decades.
The question wasn't whether we'd see the justices make unfortunate decisions; the question was when. As it turns out, we didn't have to wait too long. The first big opinion from the Trumpified Supreme Court was issued just before midnight ahead of Thanksgiving.
The U.S. Supreme Court issued an injunction late Wednesday blocking New York's governor from enforcing 10- and 25-person occupancy limits on religious institutions, granting a request from the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and Agudath Israel.... In an unsigned majority opinion, the court said the restrictions would violate religious freedom and are not neutral because they "single out houses of worship for especially harsh treatment."
The full ruling in Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo is online here (pdf).
As NBC News' report explained, New York officials told the justices that the issue was moot, since the pandemic restrictions challenged in this case had already been scaled back. But in a 5-4 opinion, the Supreme Court weighed in anyway.
In recent years, we've grown accustomed to 5-4 rulings in which Chief Justice John Roberts votes with the even-more-conservative justices, while the four center-left justices vote together. In the wake of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's passing, however, the center-left contingent is down to three, and in this case, Roberts voted with them.
The result was an outcome that's tough to defend. Traditionally, courts have recognized the importance of state and local officials, working with public-health authorities, creating temporary measures to address life-threatening emergencies. In this case, however, five Republican-appointed justices -- not one of whom has a background in epidemiology or pandemic responses -- decided to prioritize their opinions about religion above all.
In a striking dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote, "Justices of this Court play a deadly game in second-guessing the expert judgment of health officials about the environments in which a contagious virus, now infecting a million Americans each week, spreads most easily."
Justice Neil Gorsuch, Trump's first choice for the high court, marveled in a concurring opinion that New York's policy imposed looser restrictions on outlets such as liquor stores and bicycle repair shops than on houses of worship. Displaying an unbecoming degree of sarcasm, the conservative justice wrote, "So, at least according to [New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo], it may be unsafe to go to church, but it is always fine to pick up another bottle of wine, shop for a new bike, or spend the afternoon exploring your distal points and meridians. Who knew public health would so perfectly align with secular convenience?"
It again fell to Sotomayor to explain details that should be obvious:
"...Justice Gorsuch does not even try to square his examples with the conditions medical experts tell us facilitate the spread of COVID-19: large groups of people gathering, speaking, and singing in close proximity, indoors for extended periods of time. Unlike religious services, which have every one of those risk factors, bike repair shops and liquor stores generally do not feature customers gathering inside to sing and speak together for an hour or more at a time."
Nevertheless, the Supreme Court's most conservative justices put aside common sense and efforts to address a deadly pandemic, and issued their pre-Thanksgiving opinion anyway.
The practical effects will be limited in the short term, since the justices were targeting a policy that was no longer in effect. But the ruling was an unfortunate reminder of what we can expect from the Trumpified high court for many, many years to come.


msnbc--2020-11-30--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--2020-11-30--Tracking coronavirus case surges in the United States


msnbc--2020-11-30--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. 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--2020-12-01--Controversial White House coronavirus adviser Scott Atlas resigns

Now not time for GOP to become deficit hawks : Jack Lew

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


msnbc--2020-12-01--Republicans slam OMB pick Tanden for Twitter use

President-elect Joe Biden on Monday tapped Neera Tanden to lead the Office of Management and Budget, but Senate Republicans are criticizing Tanden's use of Twitter but are apparently forgetting Trump's use of the platform.Dec. 1, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-01--WAPO: Brooding, delirious Trump won't admit loss in private

The Washington Post reports that, in private, a brooding Trump was at times delirious over his election loss. Ashley Parker, one of three journalists on that report, joins to discuss.Dec. 1, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-01--Both Republican candidates in Georgia runoffs face questions about stock trades

“Republicans need to win at least one of the races to maintain control of the Senate. But they are depending on two very flawed candidates to try to get there,” says Chris Hayes discussing Republican candidates Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue.Dec. 1, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-01--GOP governor sends White House to voicemail, certifies election results

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


msnbc--2020-12-01--K.I.N.D desks help fight the spread of Covid-19

This Giving Tuesday, consider donating to Kids In Need of Desks. The use of a desk has become an important part of the public health strategy in schools in Malawi to fight Covid-19. Support the K.I.N.D Fund at lastworddesks.msnbc.com.Dec. 1, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-01--'It's just a total mess.': HHS botches takeover of Covid-19 data

Laurie Garrett, health policy analyst, talks with Rachel Maddow about how the HHS takeover of the CDC's Covid-19 data was so poorly handled that health officials are now without a crucial tool for understanding trends in the spread of the virus and the needs of hospitals and medical workers.Dec. 1, 2020


msnbc--2020-12-01--'Shut the hell up': Arizona GOP at war over Trump's election loss

'Shut the hell up': Arizona GOP at war over Trump's election loss
Trump's election loss has led the head of Arizona's Republican Party to tell the state's Republican governor - who is defending the state's results - to 'shut the hell up.' MSNBC's Brian Williams has detailsDec. 1, 2020