theintercept--2020-03-17--How to Know If You Should Vote in Person

on Tuesday warned that states postponing their primaries in order to mitigate the coronavirus pandemic could be heavily penalized at the national convention , including by losing 50 percent of their delegates .
Among the four states scheduled to hold primaries today — Arizona , Florida , Illinois , and Ohio — only Ohio postponed .
The warning by the DNC comes as election officials in the states that did push ahead with in-person voting Tuesday are confronting record-low levels of turnout .
Election judges and volunteers declined to show , and critical cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer were missing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to penalize states that go forward with elections amid a public health catastrophe .
Its decision to focus on Ohio instead sends a clear signal that the party brass wants the in-person elections to go ahead , flying recklessly in the face of new guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the White House .
“ If you are an older person , stay home and away from other people , ” the latest guidelines read .
“ If you are a person with a serious underlying health condition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( for example , a condition that impairs your lung or heart function or weakens your immune system ) , stay home and away from other people.
” There is simply no way to comply with these guidelines and also hold those elections as scheduled .
Ohio ’ s Republican governor , Mike DeWine , who has been among the most proactive leaders in the country in mitigating the pandemic , moved late Monday to postpone the primary .
But a judge rejected his order , insisting that it would set a bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go forward .
DeWine then did something extraordinary : Along with the secretary of state and public health commissioner , he barred the elections as a public health emergency .
The other three states went forward — and many other states plan to in the coming weeks .
The question of whether it ’ s safe as a public health matter to vote in those elections comes down to a handful of questions : • Are you an “ older person ” ( which the CDC left undefined ) , or do you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
• In the next two weeks , will you be in contact with an older person or a person with an underlying health condition ?
( This includes poll workers . )
• In the next two weeks , will you be in contact with any person who themselves might be in contact with an older person or a person with an underlying health condition ?
• In the next two weeks , will you be in contact with any person who themselves might be in contact with any person who themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person ?
If the answer to any of those is yes , it ’ s too risky .
Given that nearly 100 percent of people would answer yes to one of those questions — especially since many poll workers are older — holding an in-person election in the midst of a pandemic plainly disenfranchises anybody concerned about responsibly safeguarding public health .
The pandemic is forcing competing values to collide .
It ’ s painful , as an American , to suggest that an election ought to be postponed or that a voter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cuts against our cherished rule of law to have a governor simply override the judiciary , citing an emergency .
The way that DeWine made the decision is hostile to our bedrock of democratic values — and yet it was the right decision .
Therein lies the true threat to democracy .
If we want to emerge from this crisis with our democracy intact , people with actual power — limited as it may be , as in the case of DNC chair Tom Perez , for instance — need to use it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent out a memo threatening to penalize states and warning that states that wish to postpone elections can happen no later than June 9 .
( New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo estimated Tuesday the peak in New York City will come in 45 days , meaning the pandemic will still be operative June 9 . )
The judge who rejected DeWine ’ s request to postpone the election was no doubt influenced by the fact that no one with leverage over the course of the primary — neither Joe Biden , Bernie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the postponement , and , indeed , more than 100 progressive groups were calling on the state to push forward with its election .
The groups expressed concern that “ sudden changes to election times , locations , and more have been proven to create barriers to , and in some instances the denial of , citizens ’ right to vote.
” There are legitimate reasons to be wary of a postponement , but again , refer to the CDC guidelines .
If older people are advised to “ stay home and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what possible scenario can an election go on that doesn ’ t either put those people at heightened risk or disenfranchise them ?
( The Center for Popular Democracy , whose affiliate CPD Action endorsed Sanders , initially signed on to the letter encouraging the in-person elections to go forward , but told The Intercept that it has since withdrawn its name . )
Voting rights groups , in arguing on behalf of the letter privately with other progressive groups , warned that if Democrats postponed a primary , it would give Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the general election , according to sources involved in those conversations .
Three years into the Trump administration , it is remarkable that Democrats still believe that their behavior will have any effect on Trump ’ s .
And what if an ill-advised election goes forward , and it results in a spike in infections ?
The public will remember that it was an election that ballooned the crisis .
In such a scenario , it will be holding the election , not postponing it , that undermines faith in elections and gives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The move is all the more remarkable given the opportunity at hand for Democrats to achieve a long-running goal : the advent of universal vote-by-mail elections .
The Ohio postponement should have been done by popular demand .
Instead , it was done in an authoritarian fashion .
Maybe it ’ s apocryphal , but when Ben Franklin stepped out of the constitutional convention and was asked what the founders had created , he said , “ A republic , if you can keep it.
” If your position is that an election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will lead to many people dying needlessly , because it ’ s on the calendar and that ’ s the process , then don ’ t be surprised when people demand the process be thrown out .
If we behave irresponsibly with our democracy , an authoritarian will be happy to ride in and take over , promising to do it smoothly .
A republic , if you can keep it .
appear to be dominating the decision-making process .
Two of the three states that pushed ahead are governed by Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is governed by Democrat J.B. Pritzker .
On the eve of the Illinois primary , Pritzker endorsed Biden while refusing to postpone the vote .
Jim Allen , the Chicago city election board spokesperson , said that the city board urged the governor ’ s office during a March 11 phone call to end in-person voting and switch to mail .
A Pritzker spokesperson said the claim was a “ lie , ” adding that the governor had offered to send the National Guard to help man the polls , but the offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Illinois , Florida , and Arizona on Tuesday indicated that the confusion sown by the pandemic went beyond a failure of simple hygiene .
In Illinois ’ s 33rd Precinct , Rebecca Gross , a 16-year-old volunteering in her first election , said her polling location had to turn away every single voter registered in its precinct because it never got any voting supplies .
“ That includes like , ballots , ballot counters , voting machines , the individual desks , the dividers for privacy .
Really just everything , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
“ So every single voter who was supposed to vote in our precinct , we have had to turn away.
” By early afternoon , volunteers started redirecting voters to a nearby polling location , which had at least a two-hour wait .
They eventually directed voters to a third alternative location .
In Florida , amid reports that hundreds of voters in the state did not show up to polls , Dustin Chase , spokesperson for the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections , confirmed that nearly 300 poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his county .
He added that the county trained some 150 poll workers in recent days , the majority just yesterday , in an effort to prepare .
“ We have not had any problems thus far at a polling location , ” he said , noting that they hadn ’ t yet hit their busiest time — 5 p.m. — and still had several hours of voting left .
The contrast between how Biden and Sanders handled the situation was itself stark .
The Sanders campaign shuttered its traditional get-out-the-vote operation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections should go forward in person at all .
In an interview after the presidential debate on , Sanders said it doesn ’ t “ make a lot of sense ” to hold the primaries on Tuesday considering the pandemic .
“ I would hope that governors listen to the public health experts and what they are saying is … we don ’ t want gatherings of more than 50 people , ” Sanders said .
On Tuesday , the campaign released a statement saying , “ We believe going to the polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision and we respect whichever choice they make , ” adding that it was also distributing CDC guidelines .
Sanders reiterated that statement on Twitter on Tuesday , though even it falls short .
The CDC guidelines Sanders shared are clear that only one “ personal decision ” — an odd phrase to use in a public health emergency — complies with the CDC guidelines , and that is not to vote in person .
Sanders appeared to be walking people toward that decision without saying it outright — leading from behind , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued pushing supporters to the polls .
“ State election officials are working closely with public health officials to hold safe elections .
If you are feeling healthy , not showing symptoms , and not at risk of being exposed to COVID-19 : please vote on Tuesday , ” Biden posted on Twitter .
Public health officials have said repeatedly that asymptomatic carriers of the virus can be contagious , making Biden ’ s claim unscientific and dangerous .
The notion that there is anybody who is “ not at risk of being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Speaking on CNN on Sunday , Biden adviser Symone Sanders pushed back against Bernie Sanders ’ s claim that voting on Tuesday might be risky to public health .
“ The CDC and folks have said it ’ s safe out there for Tuesday , so I don ’ t know what Senator Sanders was talking about , ” she lied .

Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images
The Democratic National Committee on Tuesday warned that states postponing their primaries in order to mitigate the coronavirus pandemic could be heavily penalized at the national convention, including by losing 50 percent of their delegates.
Among the four states scheduled to hold primaries today — Arizona, Florida, Illinois, and Ohio — only Ohio postponed. The warning by the DNC comes as election officials in the states that did push ahead with in-person voting Tuesday are confronting record-low levels of turnout. Election judges and volunteers declined to show, and critical cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer were missing.
There is simply no way to comply with CDC guidelines and also hold those elections as scheduled.
The DNC could instead have decided to penalize states that go forward with elections amid a public health catastrophe. Its decision to focus on Ohio instead sends a clear signal that the party brass wants the in-person elections to go ahead, flying recklessly in the face of new guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the White House.
“If you are an older person, stay home and away from other people,” the latest guidelines read. “If you are a person with a serious underlying health condition that can put you at increased risk (for example, a condition that impairs your lung or heart function or weakens your immune system), stay home and away from other people.”
There is simply no way to comply with these guidelines and also hold those elections as scheduled. Ohio’s Republican governor, Mike DeWine, who has been among the most proactive leaders in the country in mitigating the pandemic, moved late Monday to postpone the primary. But a judge rejected his order, insisting that it would set a bad precedent, and ordered the elections to go forward. DeWine then did something extraordinary: Along with the secretary of state and public health commissioner, he barred the elections as a public health emergency.
The other three states went forward — and many other states plan to in the coming weeks. The question of whether it’s safe as a public health matter to vote in those elections comes down to a handful of questions:
Are you an “older person” (which the CDC left undefined), or do you have “an underlying health condition”? In the next two weeks, will you be in contact with an older person or a person with an underlying health condition? (This includes poll workers.) In the next two weeks, will you be in contact with any person who themselves might be in contact with an older person or a person with an underlying health condition? In the next two weeks, will you be in contact with any person who themselves might be in contact with any person who themselves might be in contact with an older person?
If the answer to any of those is yes, it’s too risky. Given that nearly 100 percent of people would answer yes to one of those questions — especially since many poll workers are older — holding an in-person election in the midst of a pandemic plainly disenfranchises anybody concerned about responsibly safeguarding public health.
Read Our Complete Coverage The Coronavirus Crisis
The pandemic is forcing competing values to collide. It’s painful, as an American, to suggest that an election ought to be postponed or that a voter ought not to vote. It also cuts against our cherished rule of law to have a governor simply override the judiciary, citing an emergency. The way that DeWine made the decision is hostile to our bedrock of democratic values — and yet it was the right decision. Therein lies the true threat to democracy. If we want to emerge from this crisis with our democracy intact, people with actual power — limited as it may be, as in the case of DNC chair Tom Perez, for instance — need to use it and lead. Instead, the DNC sent out a memo threatening to penalize states and warning that states that wish to postpone elections can happen no later than June 9. (New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo estimated Tuesday the peak in New York City will come in 45 days, meaning the pandemic will still be operative June 9.)
The judge who rejected DeWine’s request to postpone the election was no doubt influenced by the fact that no one with leverage over the course of the primary — neither Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, nor Perez — had called for the postponement, and, indeed, more than 100 progressive groups were calling on the state to push forward with its election. The groups expressed concern that “sudden changes to election times, locations, and more have been proven to create barriers to, and in some instances the denial of, citizens’ right to vote.”
What if an ill-advised election goes forward, and it results in a spike in infections? The public will remember that it was an election that ballooned the crisis.
There are legitimate reasons to be wary of a postponement, but again, refer to the CDC guidelines. If older people are advised to “stay home and away from other people,” in what possible scenario can an election go on that doesn’t either put those people at heightened risk or disenfranchise them? (The Center for Popular Democracy, whose affiliate CPD Action endorsed Sanders, initially signed on to the letter encouraging the in-person elections to go forward, but told The Intercept that it has since withdrawn its name.)
Voting rights groups, in arguing on behalf of the letter privately with other progressive groups, warned that if Democrats postponed a primary, it would give Donald Trump a precedent to use to postpone the general election, according to sources involved in those conversations. Three years into the Trump administration, it is remarkable that Democrats still believe that their behavior will have any effect on Trump’s. And what if an ill-advised election goes forward, and it results in a spike in infections? The public will remember that it was an election that ballooned the crisis. In such a scenario, it will be holding the election, not postponing it, that undermines faith in elections and gives Trump a future argument to deploy. The move is all the more remarkable given the opportunity at hand for Democrats to achieve a long-running goal: the advent of universal vote-by-mail elections.
The Ohio postponement should have been done by popular demand. Instead, it was done in an authoritarian fashion. Maybe it’s apocryphal, but when Ben Franklin stepped out of the constitutional convention and was asked what the founders had created, he said, “A republic, if you can keep it.” If your position is that an election must be held, even knowing that it will lead to many people dying needlessly, because it’s on the calendar and that’s the process, then don’t be surprised when people demand the process be thrown out. If we behave irresponsibly with our democracy, an authoritarian will be happy to ride in and take over, promising to do it smoothly. A republic, if you can keep it.
Instead, intraparty rivalries appear to be dominating the decision-making process. Two of the three states that pushed ahead are governed by Republicans — Arizona and Florida — while Illinois is governed by Democrat J.B. Pritzker. On the eve of the Illinois primary, Pritzker endorsed Biden while refusing to postpone the vote.
Jim Allen, the Chicago city election board spokesperson, said that the city board urged the governor’s office during a March 11 phone call to end in-person voting and switch to mail. A Pritzker spokesperson said the claim was a “lie,” adding that the governor had offered to send the National Guard to help man the polls, but the offer was rejected.
Meanwhile, early reports from Illinois, Florida, and Arizona on Tuesday indicated that the confusion sown by the pandemic went beyond a failure of simple hygiene.
Election judges in Cook County IL were promised hand sanitizer and wipes at every polling place. But that hasn't happened — and we're now four hours into voting. We spoke with one election judge, Kim Inman, who says she hasn’t received sanitizer or wipes at her location. (1/2) — Rebecca Buck (@RebeccaBuck) March 17, 2020
In Illinois’s 33rd Precinct, Rebecca Gross, a 16-year-old volunteering in her first election, said her polling location had to turn away every single voter registered in its precinct because it never got any voting supplies.
“That includes like, ballots, ballot counters, voting machines, the individual desks, the dividers for privacy. Really just everything, we have zero equipment to use here,” she said. “So every single voter who was supposed to vote in our precinct, we have had to turn away.” By early afternoon, volunteers started redirecting voters to a nearby polling location, which had at least a two-hour wait. They eventually directed voters to a third alternative location.
Election Day so far: 5/8 election staff are elderly, we were provided with no cleaning supplies, we are missing an ENTIRE blue box (meaning anyone who comes to this precinct cannot vote), we are missing 2 election judges & nobody is answering our calls. pic.twitter.com/aPfmZ5McCt — Rebecca (@rrebeccapearll) March 17, 2020
In Florida, amid reports that hundreds of voters in the state did not show up to polls, Dustin Chase, spokesperson for the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections, confirmed that nearly 300 poll workers hadn’t shown up in his county. He added that the county trained some 150 poll workers in recent days, the majority just yesterday, in an effort to prepare. “We have not had any problems thus far at a polling location,” he said, noting that they hadn’t yet hit their busiest time — 5 p.m. — and still had several hours of voting left.
The contrast between how Biden and Sanders handled the situation was itself stark. The Sanders campaign shuttered its traditional get-out-the-vote operation, and Sanders on Sunday questioned whether the elections should go forward in person at all. In an interview after the presidential debate on, Sanders said it doesn’t “make a lot of sense” to hold the primaries on Tuesday considering the pandemic. “I would hope that governors listen to the public health experts and what they are saying is … we don’t want gatherings of more than 50 people,” Sanders said.
On Tuesday, the campaign released a statement saying, “We believe going to the polls amid the coronavirus outbreak is a personal decision and we respect whichever choice they make,” adding that it was also distributing CDC guidelines.
Sanders reiterated that statement on Twitter on Tuesday, though even it falls short. The CDC guidelines Sanders shared are clear that only one “personal decision” — an odd phrase to use in a public health emergency — complies with the CDC guidelines, and that is not to vote in person. Sanders appeared to be walking people toward that decision without saying it outright — leading from behind, so to speak.
Meanwhile, Biden continued pushing supporters to the polls. “State election officials are working closely with public health officials to hold safe elections. If you are feeling healthy, not showing symptoms, and not at risk of being exposed to COVID-19: please vote on Tuesday,” Biden posted on Twitter.
Public health officials have said repeatedly that asymptomatic carriers of the virus can be contagious, making Biden’s claim unscientific and dangerous. The notion that there is anybody who is “not at risk of being exposed” is also scientifically incoherent.
Speaking on CNN on Sunday, Biden adviser Symone Sanders pushed back against Bernie Sanders’s claim that voting on Tuesday might be risky to public health. “The CDC and folks have said it’s safe out there for Tuesday, so I don’t know what Senator Sanders was talking about,” she lied.


theintercept--2020-03-17--Anti-Gay Lawmaker Voted Against Coronavirus Bill Because It “Redefined Family” by Providing Sick Lea

Anti-Gay Lawmaker Voted Against Coronavirus Bill Because It “Redefined Family” by Providing Sick Leave to Domestic Partners

Rep. Andy Biggs , one of the 40 lawmakers who voted against the coronavirus stimulus bill , said he did so in part because the legislation included paid sick leave benefits for domestic partnerships .
“ They ’ ve redefined family for the first time in a federal — in a piece of federal legislation , to include committed relationships , ” Biggs said Monday on a radio program produced by the conservative Christian group Family Research Council .
“ The problem with that is it ’ s really hard to define a committed relationship , and it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that.
” The Families First Coronavirus Response Act , which passed on Friday evening in the House of Representatives , provides expanded coverage for Covid-19 diagnostic tests ; broadened unemployment and food stamp benefits ; and included provisions to provide tax credits to cover two weeks of limited paid sick leave and up to three months of family and medical leave payments to care for those affected by the novel coronavirus .
The provision that raised Biggs ’ s ire , which references “ committed relationships , ” is a subsection of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It defined children eligible for care under the proposed law as a “ biological , foster , or adopted child , a stepchild , a child of a domestic partner.
” The bill went on to further define a domestic partner as two individuals in a “ committed relationship , ” at least 18 years of age , in which each individual acts as the other ’ s sole domestic partner with shared responsibility for each others ’ common welfare , including couples in same-sex domestic partnerships or same-sex unions .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biggs contended .
The exact same legislative text around domestic partnerships and committed relationships is found in several bills in Congress , including paid sick leave legislation proposed as far back as 2015 .
Biggs is a Christian conservative who previously called the Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges , which recognized the right of same-sex couples to marry , an attempt to “ redefine marriage ” and “ an affront to the millions of Americans who believe marriage is between a man and a woman.
” He previously served as the Arizona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he used to usher in legislation for business owners to assert religious belief in order to refuse service to LGBT people and others .
Other lawmakers objected to the bill because of its costs and the rushed nature of the legislation .
Rep. Jody Hice , R-Ga. , for instance , told reporters that lawmakers “ were not given the opportunity to even read the legislation before [ House Speaker Nancy ] Pelosi forced a vote , and no cost estimate had been prepared.
” During the Family Research Council program , Biggs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stimulus bill provisions relating to abortion , claiming falsely that the bill contained measures to repeal the so-called Hyde Amendment , which prevents federal funding to abortion procedures .
The bill has no such legislative text .
“ Two provisions that have nothing to do with the coronavirus are basically thrown into this thing , ” claimed Biggs .
“ And that ’ s just par for the course for the left , the activist left .
”

Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs, one of the 40 lawmakers who voted against the coronavirus stimulus bill, said he did so in part because the legislation included paid sick leave benefits for domestic partnerships.
“They’ve redefined family for the first time in a federal — in a piece of federal legislation, to include committed relationships,” Biggs said Monday on a radio program produced by the conservative Christian group Family Research Council. “The problem with that is it’s really hard to define a committed relationship, and it’s really hard to define anything related to that.”
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which passed on Friday evening in the House of Representatives, provides expanded coverage for Covid-19 diagnostic tests; broadened unemployment and food stamp benefits; and included provisions to provide tax credits to cover two weeks of limited paid sick leave and up to three months of family and medical leave payments to care for those affected by the novel coronavirus.
The provision that raised Biggs’s ire, which references “committed relationships,” is a subsection of the paid sick leave provision of the bill. It defined children eligible for care under the proposed law as a “biological, foster, or adopted child, a stepchild, a child of a domestic partner.”
The bill went on to further define a domestic partner as two individuals in a “committed relationship,” at least 18 years of age, in which each individual acts as the other’s sole domestic partner with shared responsibility for each others’ common welfare, including couples in same-sex domestic partnerships or same-sex unions.
The legislative text is hardly new, as Biggs contended. The exact same legislative text around domestic partnerships and committed relationships is found in several bills in Congress, including paid sick leave legislation proposed as far back as 2015.
Biggs is a Christian conservative who previously called the Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges, which recognized the right of same-sex couples to marry, an attempt to “redefine marriage” and “an affront to the millions of Americans who believe marriage is between a man and a woman.” He previously served as the Arizona state Senate president, a role which he used to usher in legislation for business owners to assert religious belief in order to refuse service to LGBT people and others.
Other lawmakers objected to the bill because of its costs and the rushed nature of the legislation. Rep. Jody Hice, R-Ga., for instance, told reporters that lawmakers “were not given the opportunity to even read the legislation before [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi forced a vote, and no cost estimate had been prepared.”
During the Family Research Council program, Biggs claimed that he also opposed the coronavirus stimulus bill provisions relating to abortion, claiming falsely that the bill contained measures to repeal the so-called Hyde Amendment, which prevents federal funding to abortion procedures. The bill has no such legislative text.
“Two provisions that have nothing to do with the coronavirus are basically thrown into this thing,” claimed Biggs. “And that’s just par for the course for the left, the activist left.”


theintercept--2020-03-17--2.2 Million People in the U.S. Could Die If Coronavirus Goes Unchecked

the new coronavirus pandemic could kill as many as 2.2 million people in the U.S. , according to a report from the Imperial College of London Covid-19 Response Team .
Even taking critical steps such as social distancing of the entire population , isolation of the sick in their homes , and quarantining family members of the sick , the epidemic will likely soon overwhelm the critical care capacity of American hospitals , according to the report .
The British researchers told the New York Times that they shared their findings with the White House task force on the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disproportionate number of those who get sick and die will almost certainly be poor .
In addition to a lack of paid sick time and medical care , low-income Americans often have another risk factor that could make the virus more deadly : long-term exposure to air pollution .
Ironically , as economies shut down in response to the global spread of the virus , air quality is actually improving during the pandemic .
Satellites have already measured the changes in China , where NASA tracking showed that emissions of nitrogen dioxide were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February as the virus swept through the nation , and in Italy , where levels of the gas and other air pollutants similarly dipped as people stay inside to avoid infection .
Nitrogen dioxide , which is released when coal , oil , gas , and diesel are burned , is terrible for the lungs .
In addition to being a climate pollutant , the chemical causes reduced lung function and increases wheezing , asthma attacks , inflammation of the airways , and hospitalizations .
Nitrogen dioxide also harms the heart , driving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , acute heart failure , and death from heart disease overall .
But the recent dips in air pollution levels come too late to help those already sick with Covid-19 .
“ The air may be clearing in Italy , but the damage has already been done to human health and people ’ s ability to fight off infection , ” Sascha Marschang , acting secretary general of the European Public Health Alliance , wrote in a statement .
In Italy — as in the U.S. — communities that usually have high levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of health problems that put them at particular risk of dying from the virus .
“ Patients with chronic lung and heart conditions caused or worsened by long-term exposure to air pollution are less able to fight off lung infections and more likely to die , ” Sara De Matteis , associate professor in occupational and environmental medicine at Italy ’ s Cagliari University , said in a statement .
“ This is likely also the case for Covid-19.
” The earlier viral outbreak known as SARS showed that patients living in areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more likely to die from that virus than patients in regions with low pollution , according to a 2003 study .
In the U.S. , some 141 million Americans , more than 43 percent of the population , now live in a county that failed on at least one basic measure of air quality , according to a 2019 report from the American Lung Association .
The poor are most likely to contend with — and die from — hazardous air .
And death rates from asthma , which is also linked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African Americans .
The weakened response due to long-term exposure to air pollution is just one of many reasons that poor people already typically die earlier in the U.S .
The gap in life expectancy between the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans and the poorest 1 percent is almost 15 years .
This underlying health disparity along with the failure to maintain the public health systems by paying for enough emergency equipment , planning , and primary care physicians , leave the poor at particular risk from the coronavirus .
“ The same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact of the coronavirus are the ones who are already suffering the most because of air pollution , ” said Elena Craft , senior director for climate and health at the Environmental Defense Fund .
“ Places like Seattle , New York , and Houston — these major metropolitan areas are impacted by air pollution in a very serious way .
Many of them don ’ t meet the guidelines for particulate matter and ozone .
So it ’ s the double-whammy effect where they already have underlying chronic conditions that predispose them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s not surprising that a great proportion of those who are particularly vulnerable — whether because they have lived with pollution or underlying diseases — are the poorest among us , said Richard Cooper , an epidemiologist , cardiologist , and professor of public health sciences at Loyola University Medical School .
“ As always , this will roll downhill , ” said Cooper .
And because the virus spreads indiscriminately , he said , the vulnerability of some sets the entire country up for cataclysmic impacts .
A lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ventilators and the respiratory therapists who operate the machines , is expected to make the outbreak especially dangerous .
In their report , the researchers from the Imperial College of London predicted that in an uncontrolled epidemic , the need for beds in hospitals ’ intensive care or critical care units would be exceeded as early as the second week in April in both the U.S. and the U.K. , with an eventual peak “ that is over 30 times greater than the maximum supply in both countries.
” Cooper is adamant that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minimizing social interactions is the most important way to protect everyone .
“ A shutdown is the only thing that matters now , ” he said , noting that governments and individuals need to take actions to immediately restrict activities .
But , while acknowledging that Americans are beginning to understand that they need to maintain social distance to slow the spread of current outbreak , in the long run , he said , we need to address the dramatic inequity that already leaves some Americans so vulnerable .
“ All of us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for an iceberg , and we just made a 15-degree turn away , ” said Cooper .
“ But what we really need is a 180-degree turn .
”

Without mitigation, the new coronavirus pandemic could kill as many as 2.2 million people in the U.S., according to a report from the Imperial College of London Covid-19 Response Team. Even taking critical steps such as social distancing of the entire population, isolation of the sick in their homes, and quarantining family members of the sick, the epidemic will likely soon overwhelm the critical care capacity of American hospitals, according to the report. The British researchers told the New York Times that they shared their findings with the White House task force on the virus “about a week ago.”
A disproportionate number of those who get sick and die will almost certainly be poor. In addition to a lack of paid sick time and medical care, low-income Americans often have another risk factor that could make the virus more deadly: long-term exposure to air pollution.
Ironically, as economies shut down in response to the global spread of the virus, air quality is actually improving during the pandemic. Satellites have already measured the changes in China, where NASA tracking showed that emissions of nitrogen dioxide were down as much as 30 percent throughout February as the virus swept through the nation, and in Italy, where levels of the gas and other air pollutants similarly dipped as people stay inside to avoid infection.
Nitrogen dioxide, which is released when coal, oil, gas, and diesel are burned, is terrible for the lungs. In addition to being a climate pollutant, the chemical causes reduced lung function and increases wheezing, asthma attacks, inflammation of the airways, and hospitalizations. Nitrogen dioxide also harms the heart, driving up rates of heart attack, stroke, acute heart failure, and death from heart disease overall.
But the recent dips in air pollution levels come too late to help those already sick with Covid-19.
“The air may be clearing in Italy, but the damage has already been done to human health and people’s ability to fight off infection,” Sascha Marschang, acting secretary general of the European Public Health Alliance, wrote in a statement. In Italy — as in the U.S. — communities that usually have high levels of air pollution also have high levels of health problems that put them at particular risk of dying from the virus.
“Patients with chronic lung and heart conditions caused or worsened by long-term exposure to air pollution are less able to fight off lung infections and more likely to die,” Sara De Matteis, associate professor in occupational and environmental medicine at Italy’s Cagliari University, said in a statement. “This is likely also the case for Covid-19.”
The earlier viral outbreak known as SARS showed that patients living in areas with moderate air pollution were 84 percent more likely to die from that virus than patients in regions with low pollution, according to a 2003 study.
In the U.S., some 141 million Americans, more than 43 percent of the population, now live in a county that failed on at least one basic measure of air quality, according to a 2019 report from the American Lung Association. The poor are most likely to contend with — and die from — hazardous air. And death rates from asthma, which is also linked to pollution, are three times higher among African Americans.
Communities that usually have high levels of air pollution also have high levels of health problems that put them at particular risk of dying from the virus.
The weakened response due to long-term exposure to air pollution is just one of many reasons that poor people already typically die earlier in the U.S. The gap in life expectancy between the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans and the poorest 1 percent is almost 15 years. This underlying health disparity along with the failure to maintain the public health systems by paying for enough emergency equipment, planning, and primary care physicians, leave the poor at particular risk from the coronavirus.
“The same people who are risk for the worst impact of the coronavirus are the ones who are already suffering the most because of air pollution,” said Elena Craft, senior director for climate and health at the Environmental Defense Fund. “Places like Seattle, New York, and Houston — these major metropolitan areas are impacted by air pollution in a very serious way. Many of them don’t meet the guidelines for particulate matter and ozone. So it’s the double-whammy effect where they already have underlying chronic conditions that predispose them to adverse effects from the virus.”
It’s not surprising that a great proportion of those who are particularly vulnerable — whether because they have lived with pollution or underlying diseases — are the poorest among us, said Richard Cooper, an epidemiologist, cardiologist, and professor of public health sciences at Loyola University Medical School. “As always, this will roll downhill,” said Cooper. And because the virus spreads indiscriminately, he said, the vulnerability of some sets the entire country up for cataclysmic impacts.
A lack of medical capacity, including a shortage of ventilators and the respiratory therapists who operate the machines, is expected to make the outbreak especially dangerous. In their report, the researchers from the Imperial College of London predicted that in an uncontrolled epidemic, the need for beds in hospitals’ intensive care or critical care units would be exceeded as early as the second week in April in both the U.S. and the U.K., with an eventual peak “that is over 30 times greater than the maximum supply in both countries.”
Cooper is adamant that at this moment in the crisis, minimizing social interactions is the most important way to protect everyone. “A shutdown is the only thing that matters now,” he said, noting that governments and individuals need to take actions to immediately restrict activities. But, while acknowledging that Americans are beginning to understand that they need to maintain social distance to slow the spread of current outbreak, in the long run, he said, we need to address the dramatic inequity that already leaves some Americans so vulnerable.
“All of us on the good ship civilization are headed for an iceberg, and we just made a 15-degree turn away,” said Cooper. “But what we really need is a 180-degree turn.”


theintercept--2020-03-17--Biden Is Still Lying About His Positions on Social Security Cuts, the Bankruptcy Bill, and More

Joe Biden told at least five lies during Sunday night ’ s one-one-one Democratic presidential debate with his last remaining opponent , Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders .
Networks and outlets from CNN to Politico covered the debate as a win for Biden .
Both candidates took fire on their past positions .
Sanders hit Biden on Social Security , the 2005 bankruptcy bill , and abortion rights , while the Vermont socialist had to answer for comments on gun rights , foreign policy , and immigration .
Some commentators were left with the feeling that , while Sanders has spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positions and explaining his evolution , the former vice president has been able to get away with nonanswers that skirt the truth .
Here are a few examples .
Sanders repeatedly pressed Biden on his remarks over the past 40 years advocating for cuts to federal programs , including Social Security .
In one instance , Sanders directly asked Biden if he had stood on the floor of Congress and advocated cuts to Social Security and other social-welfare programs .
Biden replied , “ No , I did not talk about the need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 1984 , though , Biden co-sponsored an amendment to freeze military and domestic spending for a year , which included some built-in-adjustments for Social Security benefits — tantamount to cutting the program .
In the 1995 speech , Biden was more explicit : He bragged about advocating for cuts to Social Security .
“ I ’ m up for reelection this year and I ’ m gon na remind everybody what I did at home , which is gon na cost me politically , ” Biden said , removing his glasses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ freeze federal spending , I meant Social Security as well .
I meant Medicare and Medicaid .
I meant veterans ’ bene— I meant every single solitary thing in the government .
And I not only tried it once , I tried it twice , I tried it a third time , and I tried it a fourth time.
” At the Sunday debate , Biden also said , “ I was not a fan of Bowles— , ” before being cut off .
He was referring to the bipartisan Bowles-Simpson commission , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As vice president , Biden worked to help negotiate the commission ’ s balanced budget efforts .
After it disbanded , Biden brought on its director , Bruce Reed , as his chief of staff and the next Obama-era push for a balanced budget — including Social Security cuts — was even known as the Biden Committee .
Reed is now a senior policy adviser with Biden ’ s presidential campaign .
Debate moderators asked Biden about his announcement on Saturday that he was endorsing a bankruptcy plan written by his former Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , noting that the plan would undo key parts of the bankruptcy law Biden helped pass in 2005 .
“ What changed ?
” the moderator asked .
Biden denied that he had been an enthusiastic supporter of the bill .
“ The bankruptcy bill was passing overwhelmingly , and I improved it , ” he said , claiming to insert measures that helped average families .
“ That ’ s what I did.
” “ I did not like the bill .
I did not support the bill , ” Biden said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the industry I didn ’ t like the bill.
” In fact , Biden pushed for years to ram the bill through , voting for some version of it at least four times between 1998 and 2005 — often against a majority of Democrats — and even inserting its language into a 2000 foreign relations bill .
And Biden did the opposite of what he claimed on the amendments .
“ The record makes clear that as a senator , Biden used his clout to push for the law ’ s passage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , women , and children from its harsh treatment , ” Adam Levitin , a bankruptcy law professor at Georgetown Law School , wrote in January .
“ When votes were taken , ‘ Middle-Class Joe ’ was no friend to the middle class.
” When Sanders got a chance , he mentioned something the moderators had not : that Biden did more than help pass a bankruptcy bill .
“ Joe , if my memory is correct , you helped write that bankruptcy bill , ” Sanders said .
But Biden retorted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had in fact helped draft a 2000 version of the bill that was pocket vetoed by President Bill Clinton .
At one point in the debate , Biden and Sanders had it out about Super PACs , groups that often attract large-dollar donors and act to support particular candidates .
Biden alleged that Sanders was backed by nine Super PACs .
Sanders is not .
Sanders called Biden out for walking back in October his original campaign pledge to reject money from Super PACs .
Biden has gotten millions of dollars in support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group organized by longtime Democratic strategists and former Obama advisers , with help from lobbyists in the industries of health care , weapons manufacturing , and finance .
“ I think , in the past , Joe , if I ’ m not mistaken , you condemned Super PACs .
Is that correct ?
” Sanders said .
Biden didn ’ t answer the question .
Instead , he claimed that Sanders was being backed by nine Super PACs .
“ You get rid of the nine Super PACs you have ?
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t have any Super PACs.
” “ You have nine , ” Biden said .
“ Do you want me to list them ?
” Sanders encouraged Biden to name the groups .
“ OK .
Come on .
Give me a break .
Come on , ” Biden said , without listing any PACs .
Biden slammed Sanders for praising countries with histories of dictators and egregious human rights violations , namely Cuba and its former ruler , Fidel Castro .
After moderators asked Sanders about his comments praising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked Biden about comments former President Barack Obama made in 2016 lauding some of the country ’ s achievements under Castro .
Sanders pointed out that he started condemning dictatorships in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates before it became popular .
Biden himself has praised and made excuses for dictatorial rulers , including Hosni Mubarak , the former president of Egypt , as well as both Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed , and Dubai ’ s former ruler , Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum .
Biden has since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi .
But in 2011 , Biden led a U.S. delegation to Saudi Arabia , including former Republican Sen. John McCain and former CIA Director David Petraeus , after the death of former Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud .
The Obama administration also considered having Biden mentor Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman , who ordered Khashoggi ’ s killing , Business Insider reported this month .
Asked if Biden ’ s climate plan was ambitious enough to tackle the burgeoning environmental crisis , the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paris Climate Accord and took credit for organizing it .
“ I would immediately rejoin the Paris Climate Accord , which I helped put together , ” Biden said .
It ’ s not the first time Biden has claimed an outsized role in the Obama administration ’ s efforts to support the climate agreement .
At least six administration officials contradicted that claim in interviews , E & E News reported : “ All of them said Biden did not appear to play an instrumental role in finalizing the Paris Agreement .
@

Former Vice President Joe Biden told at least five lies during Sunday night’s one-one-one Democratic presidential debate with his last remaining opponent, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Networks and outlets from CNN to Politico covered the debate as a win for Biden.
Both candidates took fire on their past positions. Sanders hit Biden on Social Security, the 2005 bankruptcy bill, and abortion rights, while the Vermont socialist had to answer for comments on gun rights, foreign policy, and immigration.
Some commentators were left with the feeling that, while Sanders has spent time on the trail discussing his old positions and explaining his evolution, the former vice president has been able to get away with nonanswers that skirt the truth. Here are a few examples.
Cutting Social Security
Sanders repeatedly pressed Biden on his remarks over the past 40 years advocating for cuts to federal programs, including Social Security. In one instance, Sanders directly asked Biden if he had stood on the floor of Congress and advocated cuts to Social Security and other social-welfare programs. Biden replied, “No, I did not talk about the need to cut any of those programs.”
In 1984, though, Biden co-sponsored an amendment to freeze military and domestic spending for a year, which included some built-in-adjustments for Social Security benefits — tantamount to cutting the program.
In the 1995 speech, Biden was more explicit: He bragged about advocating for cuts to Social Security. “I’m up for reelection this year and I’m gonna remind everybody what I did at home, which is gonna cost me politically,” Biden said, removing his glasses. “When I argued if we should freeze federal spending, I meant Social Security as well. I meant Medicare and Medicaid. I meant veterans’ bene— I meant every single solitary thing in the government. And I not only tried it once, I tried it twice, I tried it a third time, and I tried it a fourth time.”
After Bowles-Simpson fell apart, the next committee aimed at a Grand Bargain, which tried to cut Social Security, was called the Biden Committee! To rewrite this very recent history is so weird. https://t.co/JlrITc9Yvw pic.twitter.com/suOA0dP1wu — Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) March 16, 2020
At the Sunday debate, Biden also said, “I was not a fan of Bowles—,” before being cut off. He was referring to the bipartisan Bowles-Simpson commission, which called for Social Security cuts. As vice president, Biden worked to help negotiate the commission’s balanced budget efforts. After it disbanded, Biden brought on its director, Bruce Reed, as his chief of staff and the next Obama-era push for a balanced budget — including Social Security cuts — was even known as the Biden Committee. Reed is now a senior policy adviser with Biden’s presidential campaign.
Bankruptcy Reform
Debate moderators asked Biden about his announcement on Saturday that he was endorsing a bankruptcy plan written by his former Democratic primary opponent, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, noting that the plan would undo key parts of the bankruptcy law Biden helped pass in 2005. “What changed?” the moderator asked.
Biden denied that he had been an enthusiastic supporter of the bill. “The bankruptcy bill was passing overwhelmingly, and I improved it,” he said, claiming to insert measures that helped average families. “That’s what I did.”
“I did not like the bill. I did not support the bill,” Biden said. “And I made it clear to the industry I didn’t like the bill.”
In fact, Biden pushed for years to ram the bill through, voting for some version of it at least four times between 1998 and 2005 — often against a majority of Democrats — and even inserting its language into a 2000 foreign relations bill.
And Biden did the opposite of what he claimed on the amendments. “The record makes clear that as a senator, Biden used his clout to push for the law’s passage and to defeat amendments to shield servicemembers, women, and children from its harsh treatment,” Adam Levitin, a bankruptcy law professor at Georgetown Law School, wrote in January. “When votes were taken, ‘Middle-Class Joe’ was no friend to the middle class.”
When Sanders got a chance, he mentioned something the moderators had not: that Biden did more than help pass a bankruptcy bill. “Joe, if my memory is correct, you helped write that bankruptcy bill,” Sanders said. But Biden retorted: “I did not.” Biden had in fact helped draft a 2000 version of the bill that was pocket vetoed by President Bill Clinton.
Super PACs
At one point in the debate, Biden and Sanders had it out about Super PACs, groups that often attract large-dollar donors and act to support particular candidates. Biden alleged that Sanders was backed by nine Super PACs. Sanders is not.
Sanders called Biden out for walking back in October his original campaign pledge to reject money from Super PACs. Biden has gotten millions of dollars in support from Unite the Country PAC, a group organized by longtime Democratic strategists and former Obama advisers, with help from lobbyists in the industries of health care, weapons manufacturing, and finance.
“I think, in the past, Joe, if I’m not mistaken, you condemned Super PACs. Is that correct?” Sanders said.
Biden didn’t answer the question. Instead, he claimed that Sanders was being backed by nine Super PACs. “You get rid of the nine Super PACs you have?” Biden said. Sanders replied, “I don’t have any Super PACs.”
“You have nine,” Biden said. “Do you want me to list them?” Sanders encouraged Biden to name the groups. “OK. Come on. Give me a break. Come on,” Biden said, without listing any PACs.
Foreign Dictators
Biden slammed Sanders for praising countries with histories of dictators and egregious human rights violations, namely Cuba and its former ruler, Fidel Castro.
After moderators asked Sanders about his comments praising Cuba’s revolutionary government, they asked Biden about comments former President Barack Obama made in 2016 lauding some of the country’s achievements under Castro. Sanders pointed out that he started condemning dictatorships in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates before it became popular.
Biden himself has praised and made excuses for dictatorial rulers, including Hosni Mubarak, the former president of Egypt, as well as both Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, and Dubai’s former ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Biden has since condemned Saudi Arabia for human rights abuses and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But in 2011, Biden led a U.S. delegation to Saudi Arabia, including former Republican Sen. John McCain and former CIA Director David Petraeus, after the death of former Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.
The Obama administration also considered having Biden mentor Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, who ordered Khashoggi’s killing, Business Insider reported this month.
Paris Climate Change Accord
Asked if Biden’s climate plan was ambitious enough to tackle the burgeoning environmental crisis, the former vice president said he would rejoin the Paris Climate Accord and took credit for organizing it.
“I would immediately rejoin the Paris Climate Accord, which I helped put together,” Biden said.
It’s not the first time Biden has claimed an outsized role in the Obama administration’s efforts to support the climate agreement. At least six administration officials contradicted that claim in interviews, E&E News reported: “All of them said Biden did not appear to play an instrumental role in finalizing the Paris Agreement.”


theintercept--2020-03-18--Insurgent Marie Newman Upsets Rep. Dan Lipinski, the Most Conservative Democrat in Congress

southwest suburbs voted by a slim margin on Tuesday to upset an incumbent Democrat who has opposed party efforts on health care , abortion rights , and immigration .
Dan Lipinski , who narrowly survived Marie Newman ’ s attempt to oust him in 2018 , will no longer represent Illinois ’ s 3rd Congressional District as a Democrat .
Newman , following a controversial decision by the state ’ s Democratic Party to hold its primary amid the coronavirus crisis , narrowly defeated Lipinski in her second attempt , according to projections and a call by Decision Desk HQ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Newman took 47.7 percent of the vote , to Lipinski ’ s 43.6 .
In 2018 , Newman lost by 2.4 points to Lipinski , the son of an old-school Chicago machine politician who was handed his seat by his father .
Newman faced pushback from Democratic Party leadership and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee , an organ of the party establishment .
But progressive groups and liberal lawmakers sprung to Newman ’ s aid , giving her the momentum heading into the primary , widespread fears circulated that the coronavirus outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thousands of people , including at least 100 medical professionals , called for Illinois and the three other states scheduled to hold concurrent primary elections to postpone the vote .
A memo sent last week by the Democratic National Committee warning that states that delayed their primaries could face penalties including cutting their delegates in half , the Guardian reported .
The DNC said Monday the decision to delay primaries lay with states , not with the committee .
Four states chose to postpone their primary elections .
And Illinois Democratic Governor JB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus death on Tuesday .
Yet the vote went ahead as scheduled .
Newman ’ s race appeared to be in trouble when , in Chicago and surrounding areas , voter turnout on Tuesday was “ extremely low , ” as the Chicago Tribune reported .
Voters fielded competing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Democratic Party officials when deciding whether to vote .
Analysts , and some primary candidates , said in the lead-up to Tuesday ’ s votes that the spread of coronavirus could very well help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relying on new voter turnout .
in Illinois shut down Tuesday , while others lacked necessary voting and sanitizing supplies , resulting in hours-long delays .
At one polling location , 16-year-old volunteer Rebecca Gross told The Intercept her precinct never received voting supplies and had to turn away every voter who arrived Tuesday to alternative locations .
Voters were eventually redirected to a second and third polling location , the first of which had at least a two hour wait .
Gross said at least five of her fellow poll workers were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the polling location was also missing two election judges .
Numerous voters encountered malfunctioning machines and long lines .
One posted her concerns to Facebook .
“ Nobody on the Chicago Board of Elections [ or ] 311 is answering , ” they wrote .
Another voter said they couldn ’ t vote in either of two precincts .
“ @ Marie4Congress couldn ’ t vote at 69 or 44 precinct this AM due to issues in Western Springs !
Nothing works !
” they wrote .
Newman sent an email Tuesday afternoon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
“ We won ’ t have volunteers knocking on doors or organizing large groups to go to the polls — and that ’ s the way it should be right now , ” the email read .
“ If you can spare some time today , sign up to make calls from home and encourage folks to make their voices heard today.
” As of Friday , Newman told The Intercept her canvassers were continuing to knock on doors .
She hadn ’ t stopped campaigning , but was taking precautions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracting coronavirus .
“ We are trying to simultaneously keep everyone safe and voting , ” Newman said , speculating that turnout would likely be down as a result of the pandemic .
Tuesday ’ s numbers seemed to roughly match those from 2018 , which was not a presidential election year .
With 90 percent of precincts reporting , over 82,000 votes were in ; in 2018 , there were just under 92,000 votes total .
She announced Friday she ’ d be voting early with her family on Saturday ahead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much of the Democratic agenda .
He ’ s against abortion rights and is hostile to LGBTQ equality ; has an anti-immigrant record ; voted against the Affordable Care Act ; and , in the past , has opposed a $ 15 an hour minimum wage .
Taking him out marks a significant accomplishment for the progressive wing of the party .

Voters in Chicago’s southwest suburbs voted by a slim margin on Tuesday to upset an incumbent Democrat who has opposed party efforts on health care, abortion rights, and immigration.
Dan Lipinski, who narrowly survived Marie Newman’s attempt to oust him in 2018, will no longer represent Illinois’s 3rd Congressional District as a Democrat. Newman — following a controversial decision by the state’s Democratic Party to hold its primary amid the coronavirus crisis — narrowly defeated Lipinski in her second attempt, according to projections and a call by Decision Desk HQ. With 90 percent of precincts reporting, Newman took 47.7 percent of the vote, to Lipinski’s 43.6.
In 2018, Newman lost by 2.4 points to Lipinski, the son of an old-school Chicago machine politician who was handed his seat by his father. Newman faced pushback from party leadership and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, an organ of the party establishment. But as progressive groups and liberal lawmakers sprung to Newman’s aid, giving her momentum heading into the primary, widespread fears circulated that the coronavirus outbreak would dampen her vote count Tuesday.
Thousands of people, including at least 100 medical professionals, called for Illinois and the three other states scheduled to hold concurrent primary elections to postpone the vote. A memo sent last week by the Democratic National Committee warned that states that delayed their primaries could face penalties including cutting their delegates in half, The Guardian reported. The DNC said Monday the decision to delay primaries lay with states, not with the committee. Four states chose to postpone their primary elections. And Illinois Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the state’s first coronavirus death on Tuesday. Yet the vote went ahead as scheduled.
Newman’s race appeared to be in trouble when, in Chicago and surrounding areas, voter turnout on Tuesday was “extremely low,” as the Chicago Tribune reported. Voters fielded competing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Democratic Party officials when deciding whether to vote.
Analysts, and some primary candidates, said in the lead-up to Tuesday’s votes that the spread of coronavirus could very well help to protect incumbents and disadvantage insurgent campaigns relying on new voter turnout.
Numerous polling places in Illinois shut down Tuesday, while others lacked necessary voting and sanitizing supplies, resulting in hourslong delays.
At one polling location, 16-year-old volunteer Rebecca Gross told The Intercept that her precinct never received voting supplies and had to turn away every voter who arrived Tuesday to alternative locations. Voters were eventually redirected to a second and third polling location, the first of which had at least a two-hour wait. Gross said at least five of her fellow poll workers were elderly. She had tweeted earlier that the polling location was also missing two election judges.
Voters now showing up and we have to explain that we don’t have the supplies for them to vote. Still no cleaning supplies. Off to a great start?? — Rebecca (@rrebeccapearll) March 17, 2020
Numerous voters encountered malfunctioning machines and long lines. One posted her concerns to Facebook. “Nobody on the Chicago Board of Elections [or] 311 is answering,” they wrote. Another voter said they couldn’t vote in either of two precincts. “@Marie4Congress couldn’t vote at 69 or 44 precinct this AM due to issues in Western Springs! Nothing works!” they wrote.
Just spoke with Deborah Colins at the Thurgood Marshall library about the horrendous conditions inside. She’s been waiting an hour already and decide to step out to avoid the crowded room. “Something is wrong, someone needs to do something” #IllinoisPrimary pic.twitter.com/JhrW7wsfNo — Abshir Omar (@AbshirMSP) March 17, 2020
Newman sent an email Tuesday afternoon encouraging volunteers to continue get-out-the-vote efforts from home. “We won’t have volunteers knocking on doors or organizing large groups to go to the polls — and that’s the way it should be right now,” the email read. “If you can spare some time today, sign up to make calls from home and encourage folks to make their voices heard today.”
As of Friday, Newman told The Intercept that her canvassers were continuing to knock on doors. She hadn’t stopped campaigning, but was taking precautions to mitigate the possibility of spreading or contracting coronavirus.
“We are trying to simultaneously keep everyone safe and voting,” Newman said, speculating that turnout would likely be down as a result of the pandemic. Tuesday’s numbers seemed to roughly match those from 2018, which was not a presidential election year. With 90 percent of precincts reporting, over 82,000 votes were in; in 2018, there were just under 92,000 votes total. She announced Friday that she’d be voting early with her family on Saturday ahead of Tuesday’s election.
Lipinski opposed much of the Democratic agenda. He’s against abortion rights and is hostile to LGBTQ equality; has an anti-immigrant record; voted against the Affordable Care Act; and, in the past, has opposed a $15 an hour minimum wage. Taking him out marks a significant accomplishment for the progressive wing of the party.


theintercept--2020-03-18--As Trump Blames China for Virus, White House Aide Makes Racist Joke to Asian Reporter

was any doubt that President Donald Trump is inciting racism by blaming China for the global coronavirus pandemic , and @ @ @ @ @ “ the Chinese virus , ” one of his own aides made a racist joke @ @ @ @ @ the White House on Tuesday .
“ This morning a White House official referred to @ @ @ @ @ ’ to my face , ” the CBS News correspondent Weijia Jiang reported on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ what they ’ re calling it behind my back , ” added Jiang , who @ @ @ @ @ raised in West Virginia .
During a subsequent news conference , Trump defended his repeated @ @ @ @ @ Chinese virus , ” calling it a justified response to the promotion of a conspiracy @ @ @ @ @ ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian , that the virus might have been introduced to China by @ @ @ @ @ Military World Games in Wuhan , China , in October .

In case there was any doubt that President Donald Trump is inciting racism by blaming China for the global coronavirus pandemic, and referring to the pathogen as “the Chinese virus,” one of his own aides made a racist joke to a Chinese-American reporter at the White House on Tuesday.
“This morning a White House official referred to Coronavirus as the ‘Kung-Flu’ to my face,” the CBS News correspondent Weijia Jiang reported on Twitter. “Makes me wonder what they’re calling it behind my back,” added Jiang, who was born in China but raised in West Virginia.
As more reports of hatred directed at Chinese-Americans circulated, Trump was asked on Wednesday morning about the racist jibe, and whether him labelling the virus Chinese fuels the racist backlash. The president refused to denounce his aide and denied any responsibility for Asian-Americans being targeted.
WATCH: @Yamiche asked the president if using the term "Chinese virus" to describe novel coronavirus puts Asian Americans at risk of being targeted. President Trump: "No, not at all. I think they probably would agree with it 100%." pic.twitter.com/BGHe10PFQ0 — PBS NewsHour (@NewsHour) March 18, 2020
A day earlier, Trump had defended repeatedly calling the pathogen “the Chinese virus,” saying it was a justified response to the promotion of a conspiracy theory, by Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, that the virus might have been introduced to China by an American soldier during the Military World Games in Wuhan, China, in October.
“It did come from China, so I think it’s a very accurate term.” President Trump said he used the term "Chinese virus" because he didn't appreciate China saying the U.S. military gave the coronavirus to China pic.twitter.com/oTDuYbw6Pq — Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) March 17, 2020
The World Health Organization’s executive director for emergencies, Dr. Mike Ryan, was asked to comment on Wednesday about Trump’s language and the backlash from his implicit effort to blame China. “We’ve been very clear right since the beginning of this event that viruses know no borders and they don’t care your ethnicity or the color of your skin or how much money you have in the bank. So, it’s really important that we be careful in the language we use, lest it lead to profiling of individuals associated with the virus. This is just something we need to all avoid,” Ryan said. “It’s easy to make comments that are not intended to do that but ultimately end up having that outcome,” he added.
“The pandemic influenza of 2009 originated in North America. We didn’t call it the North American flu,” Ryan observed. “This is a time for solidarity. This is a time for facts. This is a time to move forward together to fight this virus together,” he concluded. “There is no blame in this.”
As Associated Press journalist in Beijing confirmed that Trump’s words are alienating even otherwise pro-American people there.
Trump repeatedly and deliberately calling COVID-19 "Chinese virus" is enraging some of the most cosmopolitan, open-minded, America-friendly people from China I know. Words matter. If the U.S. keeps up the racial rhetoric, it risks alienating its few remaining friends in China. pic.twitter.com/VZVz8XpCqn — Dake Kang (@dakekang) March 18, 2020
Marian Wang, a senior news producer at “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, suggested that Trump’s racist taunting just “gives the Chinese government even more fuel for inflaming anti-American nationalism.”
As is so often the case, the president appears to have absorbed this nativist talking point from his favorite television channel, Fox News. Last week, Tucker Carlson opened his show with a monologue seething with resentment at the idea that it was racist for him to call the pathogen “the Chinese Coronavirus.”
We must remain calm but not complacent about the Chinese Coronavirus. We addressed it on tonight’s show. We hope you’ll watch if you missed it.https://t.co/elhyObX1oV — Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) March 10, 2020
The opportunity to both blame China for the crisis and mock liberals for being offended at the racist overtones has led Fox to fill the airwaves with such language.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo used the term “Wuhan virus” in a recent appearance on “Fox and Friends,” the morning show Trump consumes religiously.
On Fox & Friends, Mike Pompeo and Pete Hegseth try to rebrand the coronavirus as "Wuhan virus." (h/t .@tylermonroe7) pic.twitter.com/6FuCSxMHxt — Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) March 6, 2020
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the former presidential candidate, advised the White House and Fox News that a deadly infectious disease cannot be fought with bigotry.
I've said it once & I'll say it again loud enough for the @WhiteHouse, @FoxNews, & everyone else to hear: coronavirus does not discriminate. Bigotry against people of Asian descent is unacceptable, un-American, & harmful to our COVID-19 response efforts. — Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 17, 2020
Rep. Ted Lieu, a Democrat from California, and Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois, also condemned Trump for stoking racism.
Dear @realDonaldTrump: There’s a difference between saying a virus came from China versus calling it a Chinese virus. Asian Americans have already been assaulted because of this type of rhetoric. Can you please stop this unnecessary language? We all need to work together. https://t.co/9p9SE7xBGv — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) March 17, 2020
With Asians experiencing increased racism b/c of #COVID19, it’s simply irresponsible&wrong for Trump to stoke fear by calling it the “Chinese Virus.” Pandemics don’t care about race, ethnicity or anything else. We must do better. Be kind, wash your hands & #StayHealthy. — Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) March 17, 2020
Fox also offered a platform, last month, to Sen. Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, who attacked Chinese officials struggling to contain the outbreak by floating the conspiracy theory that China might have created the virus as a biological weapon.
Tom Cotton reiterates his suggestion that the Coronavirus originated at a super-lab in Wuhan pic.twitter.com/i1cSNSqU0d — Acyn (@Acyn) February 16, 2020
Last week, the spokesman for China’s foreign ministry responded by urging his Twitter followers to visit a fringe Canadian website which speculated the virus might have been created at an American biological weapons lab.
Amid the escalating tensions between China and the United States, China’s foreign ministry also withdrew the press credentials of American correspondents who report for The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.
Updated: Wednesday, March 18, 3:00 p.m. ET
This article was updated with a new headline and to add comments on Wednesday from President Donald Trump and Dr. Mike Ryan, the executive director of emergencies for the World Health Organization.


theintercept--2020-03-18--Facebook’s $1,000 Coronavirus Bonus Doesn’t Apply to Its Most Vulnerable Workers

tech news site The Information reported that Facebook would soon pay its staff a $ 1,000 bonus to help its employees working from home under emergency conditions induced by the novel coronavirus .
But the generous move comes with a catch : Facebook , which as of last December held over $ 50 billion in cash , will provide no such payout for the tens of thousands of contract workers who keep the company ’ s apps and sites running .
“ For contract workers , we are sending them home and paying them in full even if they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can imagine is much more meaningful than a one off payment.
” “ The $ 1k is for full time employees who are working from home , ” a Facebook spokesperson told The Intercept .
“ For contract workers , we are sending them home and paying them in full even if they are unable to work — which as you can imagine is much more meaningful than a one off payment.
” When asked how Facebook — which earned over $ 20 billion in revenue last quarter — determined that a one-off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meaningful to its contract workers than its full-time staff , the spokesperson sent the same statement again .
Facebook announced that it would “ be working with our partners over the course of this week to send all contract workers who perform content review home , until further notice.
” Contractors at the tech giant have recently complained of contradictory , confusing safety guidance surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic , with disparities between what Facebook is telling employees working on contracts and what the corporations employing the contractors are saying .
Many of Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world through firms like Accenture to review sexually disturbing and graphically violent content — among other tasks — work second or third jobs to make ends meet .
“ Facebook loves to remind us that we only work in their buildings and on their platforms and not for them , ” said one Accenture worker contracted to Facebook , who asked that their name not be used for fear of losing their job .
Another added , “ We have never been , nor will we ever be worthy of dignity and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worker if a $ 1,000 payment would be “ meaningful , ” as the Facebook spokesperson had put it .
“ That ’ s almost two months of rent for me , ” the contractor said .
“ Would help ease the cost of not having hot food and snacks at work five days a week also .
”

This morning, the tech news site The Information reported that Facebook would soon pay its staff a $1,000 bonus to help its employees working from home under emergency conditions induced by the novel coronavirus. But the generous move comes with a catch: Facebook, which as of last December held over $50 billion in cash, will provide no such payout for the tens of thousands of contract workers who keep the company’s apps and sites running.
“For contract workers, we are sending them home and paying them in full even if they are unable to work — which as you can imagine is much more meaningful than a one off payment.”
“The $1k is for full time employees who are working from home,” a Facebook spokesperson told The Intercept. “For contract workers, we are sending them home and paying them in full even if they are unable to work — which as you can imagine is much more meaningful than a one off payment.”
When asked how Facebook — which earned over $20 billion in revenue last quarter — determined that a one-off payment of $1,000 would be less meaningful to its contract workers than its full-time staff, the spokesperson sent the same statement again.
Facebook announced that it would “be working with our partners over the course of this week to send all contract workers who perform content review home, until further notice.”
Contractors at the tech giant have recently complained of contradictory, confusing safety guidance surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic, with disparities between what Facebook is telling employees working on contracts and what the corporations employing the contractors are saying.
Many of Facebook’s hourly staff, contracted around the world through firms like Accenture to review sexually disturbing and graphically violent content — among other tasks — work second or third jobs to make ends meet.
“Facebook loves to remind us that we only work in their buildings and on their platforms and not for them,” said one Accenture worker contracted to Facebook, who asked that their name not be used for fear of losing their job.
Another added, “We have never been, nor will we ever be worthy of dignity and respect in their eyes.” I asked the worker if a $1,000 payment would be “meaningful,” as the Facebook spokesperson had put it. “That’s almost two months of rent for me,” the contractor said. “Would help ease the cost of not having hot food and snacks at work five days a week also.”