The main story this week is Attack of the Return of the COVID-19, and that horror movie has just as many bad life choices as you might expect. I think a Twitter user put it quite well: “Any zombie movie that doesn’t have hordes of people running towards the zombies to deliberately get bitten because they’re convinced it’s a liberal hoax is going to look pretty unrealistic now.”  

Events to Know

Bounties for Russia.  The incredible news broke over the weekend that Russian intelligence officers offered bounties to Taliban agents to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, and that Trump has known about this since March.  Or, more accurately, that Trump should have known about this since March, as that’s when his team was briefed–or he could have learned when he was first briefed in 2019, y’know, if he’d actually read the briefing.  Intelligence officers had been tackling the issue since late January.  Trump’s initial defense was “nobody told me,” which of course just led to more and more news about how many times he’d been told. 

Key links:

1. Guardian – Outrage Mounts Over Report Russia Offered Bounties To Afghanistan Militants For Killing U.S. Soldiers
    
2. Associated Press – AP Sources: White House Aware Of Russian Bounties In 2019
    
3. Wall Street Journal – Trump Says U.S. Intelligence Didn’t Find Russian Bounty Information Credible

Messed Up Trump Response: COVID Edition. This was a pretty awful week for learning administrative missteps during the pandemic. News broke that federal officials allowed flawed tests to circulate, despite knowing that they are flawed, because Trump had promised test access that simply wasn’t possible. Outlets also revisited the news that the Treasury sent $1.4B in stimulus checks to over one million dead people. And news broke that the SBA exempted lawmakers from its own ethics rules when administering its $660B loan program. And, of course, there’s the current and unprecedented rate of infection, which this administration is minimizing as experts grow increasingly concerned about containment. So, y’know, A++ management all around.    

Key links: 

1. CBS – Flawed Covid-19 Antibody Tests Shipped Without FDA Review
    
2. NBC – Dead Wrong: Feds Sent $1.4B In Stimulus Checks To Over A Million Deceased
    
3. Washington Post – SBA Exempted Lawmakers, Federal Officials From Ethics Rules In $660 Billion Loan Program
    
4. NPR – U.S. Sets Daily Record For New Coronavirus Cases

Roger Stone Trial Updates. The House heard testimony this week from former Roger Stone prosecutor Aaron Zelinsky, who confirmed that prosecutors were pressured to give him a more lenient sentence due to his relationship to Trump.  Perhaps relatedly, Stone himself was ordered to report back to prison on July 14th, denying his request for another two months’ reprieve due to COVID.  (I’m guessing Judge Berman feels that someone so obviously cozy with Trump can go ahead and follow Trump’s guidelines about the crisis.) 

Key links: 

1. CNN – Ex-Stone Prosecutor Says Stone Treated Differently ‘Because Of His Relationship To The President’
    
2. Washington Post – Roger Stone Ordered To Report To Prison July 14, As Judge Denies Request For Two-month Delay

Recent Resilience

Recent Court Resilience.  Adding to our growing list of moderate SCOTUS successes, the court issued a decision today on a Louisiana case regarding abortion, which featured a conclusion that an obviously-unconstitutional law that mimicked a law the Court overturned four years ago was, in fact, unconstitutional, because stare decisis is still a thing. (Poor Justice Breyer probably had to be restrained from writing “I’m sorry, was I writing in Esperanto last time?” when he drafted this opinion.) The Ninth Circuit also found that this administration’s border wall funding was illegal, which is encouraging as well, and a federal district court judge stuck down a law that makes asylum harder to claim.
 

Key links:

1. NPR – Supreme Court Hands Abortion-rights Advocates A Victory In Louisiana Case
    
2. NBC – Appeals Court Rules Funding For Trump Border Wall Construction ‘Unlawful’
    
3. Washington Post – Federal judge strikes down Trump asylum rule targeting Central Americans

Things to Watch

State of the COVID-19. As I mentioned above, we’re currently experiencing an unprecedented rate of infection in the United States, with over 2.5 million recorded cases and over 126,000 recorded deaths reflecting new daily high records.  Cases rates are increasing in 32 states, with 14 states holding steady and only a few states experiencing a decreased rate of infection–Dr. Fauci estimates we may see rates of up to 100,000 new cases per day, and we’re at 40,000 per day now.  Against this backdrop, it’s hardly surprising that some states are closing back down. The infection rate is particularly concerning in Florida, Arizona, and Texas, where lax standards combined with high concentrations of people seem to be creating a perfect storm.  Nonetheless, none of these states are closing back down, though smaller restrictions are being implemented–Texas is limiting gatherings to 100 people (yes, you read that right) and limiting restaurants to 50% in-house dining capacity; Florida is banning drinking in bars (but not in restaurants) and closing some beaches; and Arizona’s only concession appears to be finally allowing municipalities to require masks.  Needless to say, it’s unsurprising that the European Union won’t let us travel there now that they’re reopening their borders.  Meanwhile, another virus with ‘pandemic potential’ was uncovered in China, and that sound you are hearing is my head hitting my desk repeatedly. 
 

Key links:

1. New York Times – How The Virus Won
    
2. NPR – 5,489 New Covid-19 Cases: Texas Reports All-Time Daily High
    
3. New York Times – E.U. May Bar American Travelers As It Reopens Borders, Citing Failures On Virus
    
4. BBC – Flu Virus With ‘Pandemic Potential’ Found In China
    

Black Lives Matter News. News on this front continues to be one step forward and two steps back.  We have several more stories of gun violence against protesters–white civilians in St Louis brandished guns at peaceful protesters, images of which Trump retweeted, and a photographer died after someone fired a gun into a crowd of protesters in Louisville, KY.  Trump issued an executive order creating a felony charge for vandalizing Confederate statues, and also retweeted videos of someone yelling “White power”.  In more positive news, there’s research indicating that no spike in cases was caused by outdoor protest, and the House passed an expansive police force overhaul bill.  
 

Key links:

1. Washington Post – 1 Dead After Man Shoots Into Crowd At Breonna Taylor Protest In Louisville
    
2. CBS – Trump Signs Executive Order To Protect Monuments
    
3. NPR – Trump Retweets Video Of Apparent Supporter Saying ‘White Power’
    
4. CNN – Black Lives Matter Protests Have Not Led To A Spike In Coronavirus Cases, Research Says
    
5. New York Times – House Passes Sweeping Policing Bill Targeting Racial Bias And Use Of Force

ACA Acrimony (Again). Our illustrious leader has filed an emergency brief asking the Supreme Court to overturn the Affordable Care Act again, because… reasons? I’m honestly not even sure what is motivating him to yank 23 million people’s insurance in literal middle of a re-escalating pandemic, beyond “I must spite Obama even if it kills you.” Recent SCOTUS cases, however, suggest they may not be so inclined to listen to him–but more on that below. In the meantime, House Democrats have introduced legislation to re-expand the Act, presumably just to be on the safe side. 
 

Key links:

1. CBS – Trump Administration Urges Supreme Court To Overturn The Affordable Care Act
    
2. PBS – Watch: Pelosi And House Democrats Unveil Patient Protection And Affordable Care Enhancement Act

Actions for Everyone

We can’t let our guard down regarding Covid-19. We’re back where we started.The badly planned re-opening of many states, the disregard of our current administration to take this virus seriously and the politicization of the issue has put us all in danger. What can we do?

Call your representatives in the Senate to pressure them into voting for the Heroes Act. This legislation was passed in the House back in May 5th and Mitch McConell has tried to bury it like the disgusting evil goblin he is. This act would give a second stimulus check, hazard pay to workers who are more exposed to Covid-19, help the USPS, give more funds to unemployment, Child Nutrition programs, Rental Assistance program and Supplemental Nutrition programs.

Call your representatives today! They are supposed to vote this week. You can use this script by Celeste Power to help you guide your call. 

Wear a Mask! The mask wearing issue has been made into a right vs.left issue when it really should be an “us” issue. It’s been proven that wearing a mask helps to diminish infections and keeps all of us safe, but Trump and his goons refuse to wear one, for some weird and truly perplexing reason. Wear a mask, normalize mask wearing, show yourself in social media wearing a mask, talk to the people you know about how wearing a mask is safe and good and helps. Give masks to people who are in need or can’t afford one.

Stay home! Even if it’s summer, even if it’s the 4th of July, even if your friends are going out. Call your friends on it. We are still in the middle of a deadly pandemic; the beach, brunch and parties can wait.

Russia Revelations: What should our government be doing right now? Addressing Russia’s involvement in paying bounties to the Taliban for killing US soldiers in Afghanistan. We recently learned that there are reports of the White House having knowledge of Russia’s involvement in the killing of US troops and allies, but how much did they know? Did they do anything about it? How much did the intelligence community know about this? We want answers. Call your representatives in Congress and demand that they hold a thorough investigation regarding this issue and what they are willing to do to hold Russia accountable. And what are they doing to hold our own President accountable for withholding this knowledge? You can use this script to guide you.

Black Lives Matter:The cops that killed Breonna Taylor are still free. Demand justice. 

Things That Make Me Smile: 

Mississippi changed its flag  to abandon the Confederate flag on it. 

Word of the Week by The Black Emily Dickinson. Check out her work and expand your vocabulary!

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Events to Know

Regulation Free-For-All. We’ve officially reached the point where Trump is doing every garbage regulation change his id desires and claiming it’s necessary for COVID reasons, so this was a hell of a week for proclamations. First up was an order expediting permitting of construction projects, which obviated a lot of environmental review typically done under the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act and National Environmental Policy Act. Then that was followed by a relaxation of the way the Clean Air Act is implemented, and then that was followed by changes making it harder to dispute credit reports. Then he followed that by allowing commercial fishing at a marine sanctuary.  Continuing the trend, a lot of eyes are on their attempt to undo protections for transgender people and abortion in the ACA, which the administration released on the anniversary of the Pulse Massacre because of course they did. But they also finalized a rule that allows all kinds of egregious hunting practices in Alaska, which I take rather personally as an avid bear fan. And we should all pay attention to the proposed changes to asylum issued, which would effectively cement severe curtailment of asylum claims first constructed during the COVID crisis.

Key links:

1. The Hill – Trump Signs Order Removing Environmental Review Of Major Projects
2. New York Times – Trump, Citing Pandemic, Moves To Weaken Two Key Environmental Protections 
3. Washington Post – Citing An Economic Emergency, Trump Directs Agencies Across Government To Waive Federal Regulations
4. Bloomberg Law – HHS Moves To Curtail Abortion, Transgender Health Protections
5. Washington Post – Trump Administration Makes It Easier For Hunters To Kill Bear Cubs And Wolf Pups In Alaska
6. NPR – Trump Administration Proposes Rules To Sharply Restrict Asylum Claims

Other Election Oddities (Again).  We did see some positive election news this week, but mostly things remain a mess.  A judge in Tennessee ruled that voters must have the option to vote by mail during the pandemic, due to the risk presented by COVID.  Georgia’s primary did not exactly go smoothly, with new voting systems malfunctioning left and right and lines so long it prompted an independent investigation.  The GOP condemned “the current President” because they just straight-up didn’t update their copy from 2016 when rolling out the official 2020 platform, which leaves the talking points as stale as you might expect as they gear up for their convention.  Speaking of RNC news, the latest rumor is that the new destination will be Jacksonville, but that hasn’t been finalized (which feels pretty par for the course, given the rest of this paragraph). And in order to attend the first Trump rally on June 20, supporters have to sign a waiver saying they won’t sue if they get coronavirus there.

Key links:

1. Chattanooga Times Free Press – Judge: Tennessee Must Allow Vote By Mail For All Amid Coronavirus
2. Guardian – Georgia primary blighted by long lines and broken voting machines
3. CBS – Georgia election ‘catastrophe’ in largely minority areas sparks investigation
4. Politico – Republicans across the spectrum slam RNC’s decision to keep 2016 platform
5. New York Times – Trump Supporters Must Waive Right to Sue Over Virus to Attend Rally

Flynn Flyover.  It almost feels quaint to discuss governmental malfeasance that doesn’t involve life or death by this point, but we nonetheless have more news on the Flynn trial. More specifically, the briefs to discuss dismissal were due this week, and the guy arguing against dismissal had a lot to say about the idea–one gets the impression that as a former judge, he takes the entire thing rather personally. I think my favorite was the part where he called the Department of Justice’s actions “a gross abuse of prosecutorial power,” but I’m also partial to his observations that they “abdicated . . . responsibility” and “everything about this is irregular.” At this rate, I hope the hearing on July 16 is televised.

Key links:

1. Washington Post – Flynn Committed Perjury, And DOJ Request To Toss His Conviction Was ‘Corrupt,’ ‘Politically Motivated,’ Court-appointed Adviser Argues
2. CNN – Justice Department Dropping Flynn Case Is ‘A Gross Abuse Of Prosecutorial Power,’ Court-appointed Lawyer Says

Recent Resilience

Recent Regulatory Resilience.  Many officials are discussing ways to defund, dissolve, or regulate police forces better in the wake of the last few weeks.  Most notably, the Minneapolis city council announced its intent to disband the police department and replace it with citizen patrols, a decision which came only a few days after they agreed to ban chokeholds and neck restraints.  Seattle is considering defunding its force as well.  Meanwhile, Democrats introduced sweeping police reform legislation in both the Senate and the House, and the House held a hearing on police violence, accepting testimony from George Floyd’s brother. People are increasingly losing their patience for racist symbols, with NASCAR banning the confederate flag at all events and the Senate proving receptive to renaming military bases. (Several monuments have been removed as well, by officials or otherwise.) Public opinion has also created pushback in other ways: an Ohio legislator was fired for his racist remarks; a top general apologized for appearing in the Lafayette Square photo op; more companies are refusing to let police use their facial recognition software; and over a thousand former DoJ employees have called for an investigation into Barr related to his clearing protesters with teargas.

Key links:

1. The Guardian – Minneapolis Lawmakers Vow To Disband Police Department In Historic Move
2. NPR- Minneapolis Agrees To Ban Chokeholds And Neck Restraints By Police
3. Washington Post – Seattle Politicians Consider Defunding Police Department Amid Outbreak Of Violence At Protest
4. Politico – ‘Black Americans Want To Stop Being Killed’: Democrats Unveil Sweeping Police Reform Bill

Recent Court Resilience.  SCOTUS dropped a lot of promising orders this week, though some of them were baffling. They declined to hear a case challenging California protections for immigrants, which leaves those protections in place contrary to this administration’s aims. They also declined to hear cases challenging gun legislation based on the Second Amendment. But the biggest piece of news of the day was a 6-3 decision written by Justice Gorsuch, of all people, that concludes Title VII protects workers from being fired, disciplined, or denied opportunities due to sexual orientation or gender identity. This is a huge win for the LGBTQ+ movement, and it may have a number of other implications as well.

Key links:

1. Los Angeles Times – California ‘Sanctuary’ Rules Stay In Place After Supreme Court Rejects Trump’s Challenge
2. The Hill – Supreme Court Sidesteps New Cases On Gun Rights, Police Protections
3. Reuters – U.S. Supreme Court Rules Workers Cannot Be Fired For Being LGBT+
4. Slate – The Supreme Court Just Tanked Trump’s Anti-Trans Agenda

Things to Watch

State of the COVID-19.   COVID news continues to get worse on the national stage.  Hospitalization rates are rising in several states, as are other signs of increased communal transmission–and three states have their highest-ever rates right now.  Florida gained 1,300 more cases in one day on Friday, bringing its total over 60,000; Texas experienced a surge as well, with Dallas county reporting record highs; and overall, experts report that 23 states have seen an increase in the rolling seven-day average over the last week. Several research publications are now writing about the efficacy of masks, presumably to get more people wearing them.  On the economy front, the Dow dropped precipitously on Thursday as the Fed left interest rates low and people worried about a COVID resurgence.  There were also about 1.5 million new unemployment claims, suggesting some people are still being pushed out of the workplace even with states reopening.  Numbers are also increasing internationally, particularly in South America, But nonetheless most states are opening back up, including New York.  Meanwhile, Lancet is in the news for retracting the study that raised safety concerns about hydroxychloroquine, apparently due to inability to audit the data. Nonetheless, the FDA has ended emergency authorization to use hydroxychloroquine, probably because other trials concluded the same thing.  
Key links:

1. CNBC – U.S. Coronavirus Cases Have Been Slowly Ticking Up Since Memorial Day
2. New York Times – Coronavirus Cases Spike Across Sun Belt As Economy Lurches Into Motion
3. Politico – FDA Ends Emergency Use Of Hydroxychloroquine For Coronavirus
4. Washington Post – Spate Of New Research Supports Wearing Masks To Control Coronavirus Spread
5. NPR – Federal Reserve Vows To Help Economy Weather The Pandemic Recession
6. Politico – Unemployment Claims Climbed By 1.5 Million Last Week, Despite Jobs Gains In May

Documenting Police Brutality.  Needless to say, one of the biggest stories we need to keep tracking is the civil unrest which continued for another week.  There are many, many things to track here, so I’m beginning with stories that involve police forces directly.  On the one hand, there were several stories this week about police facing consequences for bad behavior, particularly when it was documented with cameras:  1) Six Atlanta officers face assault charges for dragging two college kids out of their car and stunning them during a protest; 2) All four cops involved in George Floyd’s death are now charged with murder; 3) The ACLU is suing the Minnesota police for their portion of over 149 documented police attacks on members of the press; 4) A Philadelphia officer faces assault charges after beating a Temple student with a baton without provocation; and 5) two officers in Buffalo were suspended for shoving an elderly man on camera.  But for each of these stories, there are seemingly even more new stories about violent police culture without consequences: 6) Officers who shot and killed Breanna Taylor in her own home still have not been charged, although there is now an FBI investigation pending; 7) 57 officers in Buffalo resigned in protest because the videoed assault mentioned above resulted in suspension; 8) Evidence of another asphyxiation-related homicide of a man in custody arose in Tacoma, Washington, with no charges filed; 9) Officers in Chicago assaulted their own police board president, again without any charges filed (though he did file an official complaint); 10) Officers in Asheville destroyed medical equipment and otherwise trashed a medic tent during a protest; and 11) Police in Vallejo fatally shot an unarmed man outside a Walgreens.  An attorney in North Carolina has documented over 300 violent incidents on camera since protests began two weeks ago, which is as disturbing as it is unsustainable.  And the Washington Post reports there have been nineteen documented instances of people driving cars into protest crowds, normalizing what was a shocking action only three years ago in Charlottesville.
Key links:

1. NBC – Atlanta Officers Charged With Assault After Video Of Them Using Stun Guns On Black Students
2. Washington Post – Murder Charges Filed Against All Four Officers In George Floyd’s Death As Protests Against Biased Policing Continue
3. Time – Watchdogs Say Assaults On Journalists Covering Protests Is On A ‘Scale That We Have Not Seen Before’
4. Philadelphia Inquirer – Philadelphia Police Inspector Joseph Bologna Will Face Assault Charges In The Beating Of A Temple Student At A Protest
5. New York Times – Buffalo Police Officers Suspended After Shoving 75-year-old Protester
6. ABC – FBI Opens An Investigation Into The Death Of Breonna Taylor
7. Washington Post – 57 Buffalo Officers Resign From Special Squad Over Suspension Of Two Who Shoved 75-year-old
8. New York Times – Another Man Who Said ‘I Can’t Breathe’ Died In Custody. An Autopsy Calls It Homicide.
9. WTTW – Police Board President: Officers Struck Me 5 Times With Their Batons During Protest
10. Des Moines Register – Fact Check: Police Did Destroy A Medic Area During Protests In Asheville, North Carolina
11. NBC – Police In Vallejo, Calif., Fatally Shoot Man With A Hammer Kneeling Outside A Walgreens

Other Societal Response.  Needless to say, all of the above has prompted a lot of responses all over the country–many of which are worth tracking continually.  A memorial was held for George Floyd, which resulted in thousands of people gathering in cities all over the country, and protests continued all over the world as well.  The New York Times had a giant fight about publishing a fascist op-ed from Tom Cotton about the Insurrection Act, which ultimately culminated in the op-ed editor resigning after admitting he hadn’t even read the piece.  The NFL Commissioner admitted they were wrong to side against players who kneeled during the anthem, apparently prompted by an appeal from the players released by video.  A judge in Georgia has advanced the murder trial for three men charged with Ahmaud Aubrey’s death. Twitter found itself discussing the Third Amendment for probably the first time ever after the mayor of D.C. tried to remove troops stationed in hotels there.  And Kpop fans made the news for spamming police apps and hashtags to make it harder for police to identify protesters.
Key links:

1. NBC – George Floyd Memorial: Loved Ones Say Goodbye To Man Whose Death Ignited National Conversation On Racism
2. New York Times – James Bennet Resigns As New York Times Opinion Editor
3. ESPN – NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Says Nfl Was ‘wrong’ Not To Listen To Its Players About Racism
4. CBS – Judge Advances Murder Case Against 3 Men In Ahmaud Arbery’s Death
5. Business Insider – Trump And The Threat Of The Military In Us Cities Has Made The Third Amendment Suddenly Relevant. Here’s What It Means.
6. Newsweek – Kpop Fans Spam Grand Rapids Police Department With Fancams After Crashing Dallas Police App

Actions for Everyone

BLM: As we reach the third week of national on-going protests after the murder carried out by the police of an unarmed black man in Minneapolis, George Floyd, I’d like to re-share these very useful links for anyone who is protesting on the streets or wants to support the Black Lives Matter movement. We have sadly seen another black man die in the hands of the police in Atlanta, Rayshard Brooks, who’s killer has been charged with felony murder.

Ways To Help – Official Black Lives Matter website on ways to support the movement

National Resource Spreadsheet – A document with national resources from bail funds to protesting guidelines

As protests go on around the nation, the demand for defunding the police has harnessed great support. But what does the call for “defund the police” look like? I found these words by representative Alexandra Ocasio Cortez explain is perfectly:

“It looks like a suburb. Affluent white communities already live in a world where they choose to fund youth, health, housing etc more than they fund police. When a teenager or preteen does something harmful in a suburb (I say teen bc this is often where lifelong carceral cycles begin for Black and Brown communities), White communities bend over backwards to find alternatives to incarceration for their loved ones to ‘protect their future,’ like community service or rehab or restorative measures. Why don’t we treat Black and Brown people the same way?”

You can find more on her perspective in this Marie Claire article.  What else can you do to help #DefundThePolice?

• Call your local government and find out how funding works for your community. And ask your representatives what they are doing in order to allocate funds towards at risk youth, health, education and alternatives to incarceration.
• Sign the BLM initiated petition 
• Read this Tool Kit by the The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
• Go protest!
• Donate to entities like the ACLU who are frontrunners in these topics
• You can find more options in this article by Refinery29 

Given the state of the world, you’ve probably found yourself lately talking to friends and family about systemic racism, politics, police and other heavy topics. I’ve seen many posts on social media about fights with family over these topics and even I have found myself discussing these uncomfortable but necessary topics with loved ones. Like today, for example, I found myself discussing the racist history of Aunt Jemima, the pancake and syrup brand that has decided to change their image. 

How can you talk to your loved ones about these topics? It’s important we do so, even if it isn’t fun.

Here are some good sources to help you lead that conversation.

Want to have better conversations about racism with your parents? Here’s how

How to talk about racism with your white parents

How to talk to your non-black family members about race, according to therapists

On-going series of Trump Hates The Environment: These past weeks we’ve seen two major rules that protect animals being attacked.

First, Trump wants to roll back on the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which leaves more than 1,000 species of birds unprotected against industry. We still have a 45 days period for the government to hear public comments so please call your representatives.

Then, they are finalizing a rule that will allow hunters to kill wolf, coyote and bear cubs in their dens in Alaska. Mention this to your representatives while you call them to ask for police defunding!

And here are some Things That Made Me Smile this week:

An underground plant exchange where white folks send plants to black folks

Events to Know

Government COVID Response. Before all eyes were on civil unrest, we did manage to see some really messed up COVID news. Trump kicked things off by banning noncitizen travel to and from Brazil, because as we all know the virus definitely cares whether you’re a U.S. citizen. He also started taking concrete steps to force the United States to leave the World Health Organization, though it’s unclear if he legally can.  Meanwhile, the WHO is pausing a global trial on hydroxychloroquine, both because prescription is contraindicated and because it doesn’t improve outcomes in people who test positive for COVID.  Meanwhile, Justice Roberts joined with his liberal colleagues on the Supreme Court to refuse to force governors to open churches during the pandemic, noting in his 5-4 opinion that it “seems quite improbable” that the situation merits the extraordinary remedy of injunctive relief. (Kavanaugh, in contrast, wrote a tinfoil hat dissent literally claiming it was discrimination to close churches at all.) I’m glad the court came down on the correct side, just barely, but I find it unsettling that four justices wanted to force a governor to walk back restrictions on indoor gatherings during a pandemic.

Key links:

1. CNN – White House Announces New Travel Restrictions On Brazil
2. Vox – Trump Announced US Withdrawal From The WHO. It’s Unclear If He Can Do That.
3. Politico – World Health Organization Pauses Study of Hydroxychloroquine in Global Trial
4. New York Times – Supreme Court, In 5-4 Decision, Rejects Church’s Challenge To Shutdown Order

The Shifting Position of the Press. Historically, established press members have always been able to cover protests, and even riots, as necessary information sources for what is unfolding–press covered the Stonewall Riots in the 1960s, for example, and the Los Angeles riot of the early 1990s. Given this backdrop, it’s understandable that the sudden arrest of a CNN team in Minneapolis on Friday startled even the journalism team–in the associated video, the reporter can be heard asking “Why am I under arrest?” as he’s being cuffed mid-report in broad daylight. This was escalated dramatically and violently over the weekend, as police action against the press began to seem intentional and systemic. At the time that I type this, outlets have identified over two dozen incidents around the country: a reporter in Louisville lost her eye when police shot her in the face with a rubber bullet; journalism teams in Denver reported paint balls and tear gas used against them; a team in Detroit took pepper spray to the face while holding up their badges; a team in D.C. report physical assault; several teams in Minneapolis report police threw them to the ground or fired rubber bullets at them; teams in the larger LA area report rubber bullets and tear gas used as well. Many of these incidents occurred after the press had identified themselves, and many of them also have accompanying video. Though violence is part of the landscape right now, we need to pay particular attention to any state action that involves knowingly committing violence against the press, because it has major First Amendment implications.

Key links:

1. CNN – Journalists Covering Protests Face Assault And Arrest
2. Vox – “Directly At Us”: Louisville Law Enforcement Shoots Reporters With Pepper Bullets
3. Reuters – Reuters Camera Crew Hit By Rubber Bullets As More Journalists Attacked At U.S. Protests
4. Washington Post – ‘The Norms Have Broken Down’: Shock As Journalists Are Arrested, Injured By Police While Trying To Cover The Story

Other Election Oddities (Again).  It didn’t quite rise to the level of the other stories, but there was a lot of strange election news this week.  Joe Biden was in the news for saying Black voters who consider voting for Trump “ain’t Black,” which he of course later had to apologize for saying (though he apparently acquitted himself well in public appearances after the weekend’s riots).  Trump kept threatening to pull the RNC from Charlotte because they wanted literally any safety precautions, and then finally did pull the plug on that this week.  Several states and D.C. held freighted primaries in the middle of the week’s mess, with some curfews starting before polling places closed.  And Trump was also in the news for trying to register in Florida despite living in D.C., which is against Florida’s voting rules.

Key links:

1. Business Insider – ‘I Should Not Have Been So Cavalier’: Joe Biden Apologizes For Saying Black Voters Deciding Between Him And Trump ‘Ain’t Black’
2. Washington Post – Biden begins to map out ‘revolutionary’ agenda, reimagining his presidency amid national upheaval
3. NPR – Tuesday’s Primaries: Races To Watch And Live Results
4. New York Times  – Trump Threatens To Pull Republican National Convention From North Carolina

Recent Resilience

Recent Space Resilience.  This week did see the first successful space shuttle launch in nearly a decade, as the private company SpaceX had their first launch and rendezvoused with the International Space Shuttle on Sunday.  As one Twitter user put it, “Congratulations to the Astronauts that left Earth today.  Good choice.”

Key links:

1. New York Times – SpaceX Lifts NASA Astronauts To Orbit, Launching New Era of Spaceflight

Things to Watch

State of the COVID-19.  We have officially surpassed 100,000 deaths in this country, and over 1.8 million cases have been reported.  Given this news, combined with high rate of asymptomatic infection and a country that is increasingly reopening, an effective method of contact tracing has become extremely important.  It’s particularly alarming that we’re also seeing news of businesses banning masks and government officials hiding COVID-positive test results.    WHO is warning about a second peak, but Disney World is reopening, and so is New York City–or at least, that was the plan before all the riots; I’m not sure if that changes anything.
Key links:

1. New York Times – Coronavirus In The U.S.: Latest Map And Case Count
2. CNN – CDC Estimates That 35% Of Coronavirus Patients Don’t Have Symptoms
3. Washington Post –  While U.S. Struggles To Roll Out Coronavirus Contact Tracing, Germany Has Been Doing It From The Start
4. New York Times – New York City, Battered By Outbreak, Finally Moves Toward Reopening

Black Lives Still Matter in Minneapolis.  This was, frankly, a very bad week for civil rights of Black Americans.  The unrest started gaining steam in Minneapolis, where an unarmed man named George Floyd was choked to death by police, with videotape very clearly showing one officer’s knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes.  Protests of the death resulted in even more deaths and mass arrests, and there were fatalities from Louisville protests as well.  The situation in Minneapolis continued to devolve as more and more awful details about Floyd’s death came out, police response became more brutal, and protesters began setting fires and damaging property.  The governor of Minnesota mobilized the National Guard, and the Pentagon put military police on standby.  Eventually the officer in question was arrested and charged with murder as we went into the weekend, and the other officers present were charged on Wednesday.
Key links:

1. CNN – Prosecutors Do Not Announce Charges In George Floyd’s Death But Say ‘Justice Will Be Served’
2. CBS – George Floyd’s Death Sparks Large Protests, Confrontations With Police
3. CBS Local Minnesota – Former MPD Officer Derek Chauvin In Custody, Charged With Murder In George Floyd’s Death
4. Washington Post – All 4 officers in the George Floyd case are now charged

Black Lives Still Matter Everywhere.  In response to news in Minneapolis, protests of all types continued to grow in over 140 cities all around the world.  Increasingly, police escalation and increased violence have been reported, as I noted above–everything from cruisers driving into crowds of protesters to rubber bullets and pepper spray to people being fatally shot.  Many cities now have curfews in place in an attempt to get things back under control, but it’s unclear whether that is working.  All of this was exacerbated by 45’s response, which has oscillated between bravado (inciting state officials to violence and threatening to declare antifa a terrorist organization) and utter cowardice (literally turning all the White House lights off so he could pretend no one is home).  On Monday, Trump indicated he would use military force in DC in a seeming invocation of the Insurrection Act.  He then immediately put his money where his mouth was by having military police use tear gas to disperse a completely peaceful protest, apparently so that he could have a photo op in front of a nearby damaged church.  This behavior was so egregious that his current Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper, spoke out against the practice, though he ultimately caved to pressure and will implement the policy.  Another previous Secretary of Defense, Jim Mattis, spoke out against Trump’s protest militarization in general, rightfully saying, “We must reject and hold accountable those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution.”
Key links:

1. NBC – George Floyd Protest Turns Deadly; Minneapolis Mayor Requests National Guard
2. The Guardian – George Floyd Protests: The US Cities That Became Hotspots Of Unrest
3. NPR – Grief, Outrage Over George Floyd Spread Further
4. Politico – Trump Warns Protesters As Unrest Sweeps America
5. Washington Post – Trump Administration To Significantly Expand Military Response In Washington Amid Unrest
6. CBS – Esper says he opposes deploying active-duty troops to states to quell protests
7. Atlantic – James Mattis Denounces President Trump, Describes Him as a Threat to the Constitution

Actions for Everyone

Oh what a week it has been. Nobody envisioned we’d be taking part of the new civil rights movement in the middle of an on-going deadly pandemic while having the worst President in this country’s history, yet here we are. 2020 has been a ride. I hope you are doing fine in the middle of all of this and that you can find peace in the moments where you need it.

Civil Rights Movement 2.0 – The people have taken the streets in an outpouring call to justice after the Minneapolis Police murdered another black man, George Floyd. 10 days later there are protests in every State, the world has joined-in protesting in their streets in support of Black Lives Matter and finally today we heard all 4 policemen have been charged. But these protests are not just about George Floyd, they are about every single black person that has died in the hands of brutal police, about dismantling institutionalized racism and bringing justice to all People of Color. All this is going on while Pride month commences, another movement started by a black trans woman. I hope this is the start of a new era of civil rights, justice and reparations.

What can you do to help the movement?

If you can protest, protest. Remember to wear a mask, bring sanitizer, bring water and snacks, wear comfortable clothing and shoes, bring first aid supplies if you can.

If you can’t protest, you have many options, don’t feel that because you can’t be on the streets you are not valuable to the cause. Especially with Covid-19 outbreak, many people can’t put themselves and their families at risk. What can you do?

• You can donate or fundraise
• Offer to do childcare or take care of seniors
• Cook a meal for protestors
• Bring or gather supplies like food, water and first aid supplies to protesters
• Start conversations, specially with your white friends and family members
• Campaign on social media

Use these links to learn more:

Black Lives Matter “Ways You Can Help”

26 Ways to Be in the Struggle Beyond The Streets

You can also access this document, a National Resource List, that has gathered lots of information on where to donate, legal resources if you or someone you know is arrested, tips for protesting, organizations to support. It has lots of good information to know and share.

Dictator Trump – The President wants to bring the military in to stop the protests. He has pointed to the fact numerous times in tweets and in his last speech in front of St. John’s Church.  He is basically considering attacking the people he is supposed to be serving. He keeps using the word “dominate” and is encouraging state governments to use force on the protesters. Right now, DC looks like a war zone, as shown in this AP article. 

Using the military against civilians is specifically prohibited by the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878.  I don’t think Trump knows, now you do! So use this knowledge to call your elected officials and let them know that they have to use their power as congresspeople to restrain our wannabe dictator. That is basically why Congress exists in the first place. You can find your representatives here:

Senate

House

And here are some Things That Made Me Smile this week:

Guerrilla Grafters! Grafting fruit trees into city trees. 

The History of Antifa, which Trump designated as a terrorist organization when it’s not even an organization and it’s just a literal ideology against the ideals of Hitler.  I want to write more about this but maybe next week.

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Events to Know

White House Messed Up COVID-19 Response. Despite our apparent return to commerce, this was a real banner week for White House COVID response–by which I mean, it will make you want to Hulk out and smash something. Trump continued to block coronavirus task force members from testifying before the House because–and I quote–“the House is a bunch of Trump haters.” The White House also threatened to disband the task force entirely, before reversing course and resuming coronavirus briefings instead, and refused to release CDC guidance on safely reopening. Meanwhile, a watchdog agency found that scientist Rick Bright had a credible complaint of retaliation because he was removed from his position when he refused to support Trump’s sudden push for hydroxychloroquine. Trump refused to wear a mask while touring a mask production facility, and Trump’s personal valet and Pence’s press secretary both tested positive for COVID. Trump continued to refuse to wear a mask, saying “the whole concept of tests isn’t great,” and Pence refused to change his patterns on the grounds that he “has tested negative every single day.” There are also, apparently, no plans to keep Trump and Pence apart.

Key links:

1. The Hill – White House Prohibits Coronavirus Task Force Members From Testifying Before Congress In May
2. New York Post – Trump: Coronavirus Briefings Will Return, Blasts ‘Angry’ CBS News Reporter
3. CNN – Ousted Vaccine Director Files Whistleblower Complaint Alleging Coronavirus Warnings Were Ignored
4. New York Times – White House Races To Contain Virus In Its Ranks: ‘It Is Scary To Go To Work’

Reopening Rodeo. Needless to say, reopening is not smooth sailing on the state level either, despite most states beginning the process as I type this. Data suggests that most reopening states do not meet the criteria put forward by the White House for reopening, and that guidance was more modest than the CDC’s. As if to punctuate the point, a recording of Texas governor Greg Abbott also surfaced this week acknowledging that reopening will increase spread of COVID-19. And early reopening data suggests that official steps don’t make consumers return to their prior patterns anyway. Given the resurgence of infection in other countries where infection was waning, such as South Korea and China, this caution seems pretty reasonable.

Key links:

1. New York Times – Most States That Are Reopening Fail to Meet White House Guidelines
2. Progress Texas – Leaked Audio (Full): Gov. Abbott Knows Reopening Will Cause an Increase in Infection Rate for Texans
3. Washington Post – Where states are reopening after America’s shutdown
4. NPR – South Korea Records Spike In New Coronavirus Cases After Nightclub Outbreak

Flynn Flyover (and other federal news). The Department of Justice truly stunned the legal field this week by trying to drop charges against Michael Flynn, an unprecedented move given Flynn had pleaded guilty back in 2017. It illustrates just how much William Barr appears to follow Trump’s agenda rather than leading an independent department–a point only punctuated by Trump’s follow-up attack on the head of the FBI, and Trump’s request that SCOTUS block the release of other evidence from the Mueller investigation. The judge on Flynn’s case has invited other parties to weigh in, and has signaled that there will at least be a hearing before the charges can be dropped. Meanwhile, things aren’t great on the federal judicial side either, with the Senate considering McConnell’s truly unqualified protege for an appeals court appointment and the GOP doing its best vulture impression when asked about Justice Ginsburg’s recent hospitalization. Betsy DeVos used a chaotic week to release her new regulations about sexual assault on campus, despite many college campuses housing no students at the moment. And rounding everything out, Trump appointed a Republican fundraiser to head the U.S. Post Office instead of, y’know, someone from the post office. Given the giant pile of everything in this paragraph, it’s hardly a surprise that the House wants to continue investigating Trump for impeachable offenses.

Key links:

1. New York Times – ‘Never Seen Anything Like This’: Experts Question Dropping Of Flynn Prosecution
2. Washington Post – ‘A Constant Battle Of You Against The Leadership Of Your Country’: Justice Dept. Rattled As Flynn Fallout Reaches FBI
3. Politico – ‘We’re Going To Fill It’: Republicans Ready For Any Supreme Court Vacancy
4. New York Times – Devos’s Rules Bolster Rights Of Students Accused Of Sexual Misconduct
5. Reuters – Republican Donor Named U.S. Postmaster General

Recent Resilience

Recent CA Resilience.  The state of California is suing Lyft and Uber for refusing to classify its drivers as employees under a recent California law that expands worker protections to gig laborers. We’ll have to see what happens, but this is a promising bit of news–given the dire employment news above, this is a way to potentially get more protections without workers taking a hit for it.
Key links:

1. CNBC – California AG And Cities Sue Uber And Lyft, Alleging They Misclassified Workers As Contractors
2. NPR – California Sues Uber And Lyft For ‘Cheating’ Drivers And Taxpayers

Things to Watch

State of the COVID-19.  COVID news is… still not great.  Scientists have begun to study an apparent COVID-related infection that has begun to surface in young kids, though this version thankfully appears treatable.  The food supply chain still has issues, with beef shortages and pork shortages reported, and over a thousand workers have tested positive at Tyson plants in Iowa and Indiana.  Meanwhile, the drug with modest treatment efficacy in trials, remdesivir, is being inconsistently administered to hospitals.  In a silver lining, blood thinners are showing promise as a secondary treatment for patients with severe infection, and the FDA also granted emergency approval for a new antigen test.
Key links:

1. New York Times – Children Are Falling Ill With A Baffling Ailment Related To Covid-19
2. CNBC – Nearly A Fifth Of Wendy’s Us Restaurants Are Out Of Beef, Analyst Says
3. Stat News – Doctors Lambaste Federal Process For Distributing Covid-19 Drug Remdesivir
4. Washington Post – Blood Thinners Show Promise For Boosting The Survival Chances Of The Sickest Covid Patients
5. Washington Post – FDA Issues Emergency Approval Of New Antigen Test That Is Cheaper, Faster And Simpler

Cases to Watch.*  There were a number of noteworthy proceedings in the past few days, and all of them are worth keeping your eye on. The Supreme Court heard arguments about whether Congress can subpoena Trump’s taxes this week, though a final decision likely won’t be out for some time.  Meanwhile, top health official Anthony Fauci testified before the Senate about the dangers of reopening the country too quickly, and ousted vaccine official Rick Bright’s testimony is similarly dire.  The FBI obtained a search warrant and seized Senator Richard Burr’s phone to investigate his handling of stock trading ahead of the COVID criss.  And on the state end, over two months after a Georgian man was killed while jogging, police have arrested two Georgia residents for his murder.  The official action was likely spurred by video of the murder, which was posted to the Internet in the past week–apparently by a local defense attorney.
Key links:

1. New York Times – Supreme Court Hints at Split Decision in Two Cases on Obtaining Trump’s Financial Records
2. AP News – Fauci warns: More death, econ damage if US reopens too fast
3. Washington Post – Ousted vaccine official to warn of ‘darkest winter’ if virus returns without better response
4. Los Angeles Times – FBI serves warrant on senator in investigation of stock sales linked to coronavirus
5. NPC News – Video appears to show Georgia man shot while jogging; lawyers call for arrests

Market Mess Continues.  Financially speaking, things are still a mess.  Unemployment is continuing to grow at the same rate as previous weeks, resulting in the highest rate since the Great Depression.  Needless to say, this makes federal response in the coming weeks particularly important.  It’s not surprising that several Senators have begun promoting universal base income, introducing a bill that would grant $2K per month for the duration of the crisis.  House Democrats have unveiled a $3T proposal as well.  And speaking of granting funds, the Small Business Administration’s programs are still a total mess–they’re in the news this week for dramatically lowering maximum loan amounts on one of their programs without telling any applicants about it.
Key links:

1. CNN – April Was Probably The Worst Month For American Jobs Since The Great Depression
2. New York Times – As Job Losses Mount, Lawmakers Face A Make-or-break Moment
3. The Hill – Harris, Sanders, Markey Propose $2,000 Monthly Payments Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
4. Washington Post – Democratic Lawmakers Criticize ‘mismanaged’ Sba Loan Program In Letter To Administrator

Actions for Everyone

I’m not sure how to write about everything we need to work on this week without focusing on race, so I’m going to do that. Hope you’re feeling healthy and safe, and that you’re using those breathing exercises we sent a few weeks ago.

Feeling bad isn’t helpful, we gotta keep working on it: I know it’s hard, and it can feel hopeless to work on systemic change when the very foundation of this nation is rooted in the violent oppression of black and brown people. Your feelings of grief and sadness are valid, but don’t stop trying. We all have got to keep working on it. Here’s a list of 65 things white people can do for racial justice. There are so many things we can and need to DO to fight against injustice and I promise that this whole list is achievable by everyone, including and not limited to:

#2: Google whether your city or town currently employs evidence-based police de-escalation trainings. The racial make-up of your town doesn’t matter — This needs to be standard everywhere. Write to your city or town government representative and police chief and advocate for it. Multiply your voice by soliciting others to advocate as well, writing on social media about it, writing op-eds, etc.

#33: Decolonize your bookshelf.

#37: Find out how slavery, the Civil War, and the Jim Crow era are being taught in your local school…There are a lot of great resources out there with a little googling, like PBS’s resources for teaching slavery, Teaching for Change, and The National Association for Multicultural Education.

#60: Personally divest your investments in private prisons and detention centers. Start here. Many people are divesting from Wells Fargo for their substantial role in Standing Rock and from private prison companies Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), GEO Group, CoreCivic, and G4S.

#63: Talk to the white people you know who aren’t clearly upset by white supremacy. Use “I” statements and “I care” messages (“I feel [feeling] when you [behavior]”). They need to know you see a problem. Call them out, and call them in…

Check out The Loveland Foundation: Loveland Foundation is committed to showing up for communities of color in unique and powerful ways, with a particular focus on Black women and girls. The Loveland Group was started by Rachel Cargle, and they’ve also started The Loveland Foundation. One of their initiatives is a Therapy Fund offering free therapy for black women and girls. Please consider donating to their fund, or using it. They have partnerships with Therapy for Black Girls, National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network, Talkspace and Open Path Collective, Loveland Therapy Fund recipients will have access to a comprehensive list of mental health professionals across the country providing high quality, culturally competent services to Black women and girls.

Late stage capitalism: Talking about the dangers of capitalism is always relevant, but now that our economy which is built on over consumption is shocked when people are only buying what they need, businesses are risking their employees lives for the sake of profit, our market is all over the place, the poorest people in our country have to work the hardest to receive federal stimulus checks and unemployment, I think it’s a poignant time to talk about capitalism. 

I’m late to the late stage capitalism conversation, but I’m gonna write about it in case other people are too. Late stage capitalism can be defined as the hypocrisy and absurdities of capitalism as it digs its own grave. I’m on a list-kick this week, so here’s a list of 99 Ways to Fight Capitalism. Many of these are individualized actions and behavioral changes you can make in your daily life.

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Events to Know

Trump’s Messed Up COVID-19 Response. This week was a whole new level of longing for the 25th Amendment. The real nadir was likely when Trump publicly asked about injecting bleach into people as a way of treating COVID-19 during Thursday’s press conference, forcing the good people at Lysol and health experts everywhere everywhere to tell people not to do that. He apparently got the idea from prominent snake oil salesman Mark Grenon, who wrote to the President a few days before praising the virtues of “wonderful detox” product chlorine dioxide. (Spoiler: Chlorine dioxide is exactly as bad to ingest as you think it is, and the FDA had already publicly warned Grenon to knock it off by the time he sent the letter.) Trump tried to backpedal by claiming he was being ‘sarcastic,’ which might have even worked, except that he immediately went on a tear on Twitter the next day. The whole thing capped with Trump threatening to stop doing coronavirus pressers, calling them not worth “the time and effort”. We should be so lucky, dear readers.

Key links:

1. NBC – Trump Suggests ‘Injection’ Of Disinfectant To Beat Coronavirus And ‘Clean’ The Lungs
2. The Guardian – Revealed: Leader Of Group Peddling Bleach As Coronavirus ‘Cure’ Wrote To Trump This Week
3. New York Times – Trump’s Suggestion That Disinfectants Could Be Used To Treat Coronavirus Prompts Aggressive Pushback
4. Axios – Trump: White House Press Conferences Aren’t Worth The “Time And Effort”

Reopening Rodeo. Despite medical recommendations to the contrary, several states are either reopening now or reopening imminently, and the public discourse does not inspire confidence. Georgia took an initial step on Friday and reopened restaurants, tattoo parlors, gyms, movie theaters, and massage parlors–you know, those businesses that you think of first when you hear the phrase “social distancing.” South Carolina is also reopening some retail stores and beaches, and several other Southern states are opening retail stores as well. Experts say this is very risky, a fact underscored by 40 new COVID cases in Wisconsin traced back to their recent primary election. But the Texas lieutenant governor responded to this by saying that “there are more important things than living,” a quote so yikes worthy that Andy Borowitz barely had to change it in his satire column.

Key links:

1. Business Insider – South Carolina Has Already Begun To Reopen Beaches, Department Stores, And Flower Shops
2. Washington Post – States Rushing To Reopen Are Likely Making A Deadly Error, Coronavirus Models And Experts Warn
3. The Hill – Texas Lt. Governor On Reopening State: ‘There Are More Important Things Than Living’

State of the COVID-19.  The overall COVID news this week is not exactly uplifting.  At the time that I type this, over 60,000 people in this country have lost their lives to the virus, and over one million people have been infected.  The FDA has cautioned against hydroxychloroquine use to treat COVID, noting that it has been linked to heart rhythm problems and there is increasing indication that the virus impacts the blood.  New York is also reporting high fatality rates among patients on ventilators, derailing medical expectations about treatment methods.  Nurses are starting to organize in response to inadequate workplace protections, bringing three lawsuits against the state of New York and multiple hospitals.  Major players in the food industry warn that the supply chain may be breaking, which prompted Trump to sign an executive order forcing meat plants to remain open.  And the United States is not participating in a WHO global initiative to develop a COVID vaccine, which may reflect growing antagonism towards the global organization as our administration seeks a scapegoat.

Key links:

1. New York Times – Coronavirus Map: Tracking The Global Outbreak
2. STAT – FDA Warns Against Widespread Use Of Hydroxychloroquine, Drug Touted By Trump
3. Washington Post – “We’re Beyond Angered” – Fed-up Nurses File Lawsuits, Plan Protest At White House Over Lack Of Coronavirus Protections
4. Reuters – U.S. Says Will Not Take Part In Who Global Drugs, Vaccine Initiative Launch

Recent Resilience

Recent Court Resilience.  The Supreme Court had some promising cases come down this week.  They opted to punt on a second amendment case, which given the current court constellation I’m considering a win–especially because the decision made Gorsuch, Thomas, and Alito unhappy.  But the real good news from SCOTUS today is that the court decided 8-1 that it wanted to leave the ACA standing, at least when it comes to risk corridors.  That majority is nearly as encouraging as Sotomayor’s excellent majority opinion, which pointedly notes that “The Government should honor its obligations.”

Key links:

1. Washington Post –  Supreme Court Dismisses Anticipated New York Gun Rights Case Because The Law In Question Has Been Rescinded
2. Vox – A Republican Effort To Sabotage Obamacare Was Just Rejected By The Supreme Court

Turtle Triumph.  We may not be enjoying the stay-at-home advisories, but apparently they are good news for turtles. Outlets report that the leatherback sea turtle has begun to experience a comeback in the wake of reduced beach traffic in places like Thailand and Florida. We’re also seeing a positive impact on manatees for similar reason. At least somebody’s having a good month!

Key links:

1. Good News Network – Beaches See Huge Increase In Leatherback Sea Turtle Nests After Travel Restrictions In Florida And Thailand
2. CBS – Experts Say Coronavirus Concerns Could Have Positive Impact On Marine Life

Things to Watch

North Korean Speculation.   Speculation is starting to mount after two weeks of absence from North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un, but nobody can agree on what it means.  Some outlets are focused on likelihood of COVID infection, and TMZ is touting the rather dubious claim that he has died, while South Korea is saying there is nothing unusual happening at all.  No matter what else is going on, the speculation itself may have potential implications for North Korea, and might forecast a closer look into whether there is COVID infection there in general.  (Boris Johnson, in contrast, definitely returned to work this week.)
Key links:

1. CNN – U.S. Monitoring Intelligence That North Korean Leader Is In Grave Danger After Surgery
2. New York Times – South Korea Confident That Rumors Of Kim Jong-un Illness Are Wrong
3. ABC – How Reports Of Kim Jong Un’s Health Spread And What They Tell Us About What Comes Next For North Korea
4. New York Times – U.K. Coronavirus Briefings Offer A More Genteel Spin Than Trump’s

Market Mess Continues.   The fourth COVID response bill did pass this week, making it through the Senate last Tuesday and the House last Thursday before being signed by Trump on Friday.  The bill contains more money for the small business loan program, which relaunched today, but is already rife with problems.  Meanwhile, another 4.4 million people filed for unemployment, bringing our total to over 26 million people since this crisis started.  The IRS was in the news for sending stimulus payments to dead people, and state and local governments worry about major budget shortfalls while Mitch McConnell tells them to just file for bankruptcy.
Key links:

1. NBC – Trump Signs Coronavirus Aid Bill As Tensions Rise Over Next One
2. Politico – Unemployment Claims Top 26 Million 5 Weeks Into Pandemic
3. New York Times – Mcconnell Says States Should Consider Bankruptcy, Rebuffing Calls For Aid

No Election in New York.  Given everything going on, New York has taken the unprecedented step of canceling its primary election for a Democratic candidate.  The governor of the state was quoted as saying it would be “unnecessary and frivolous” to hold an election when Joe Biden is already the presumptive nominee, but Bernie Sanders’s campaign was not happy.  It’s unclear whether this is the beginning of a new trend or a reflection of New York’s unique circumstances within the current crisis, so we’ll want to keep an eye on the election cycle.
Key links:

1. New York Times – New York Board of Elections Cancels Democratic Presidential Primary
2. The Hill – Sanders adviser: NY presidential primary cancellation a ‘blow to American democracy’
3. Reuters – New York state cancels presidential primary over coronavirus risk

Actions for Everyone

Bust out the Justin Timberlake memes because “It’s gonna be May” is here! Happy May everyone. Please take a deep breath and jump on the May Day strike ASAP. Stay healthy and safe!

May Day Strike: May Day is May 1 and is International Workers Day. On this day, show solidarity with workers at Amazon, Instacart, Shipt, Whole Foods, Walmart, Target and FedEx who are on strike for better working conditions amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. Don’t order online or show up, and simply schedule around today if you need to go grocery shopping at these places. Alternatively, consider shopping locally instead of shipping through Amazon or Walmart and support small groceries and businesses. This is generally a good rule of thumb, but especially today.

Celebrate the Earth (but Avoid Ecofascism): It’s incredible to see Earth heal while we’re all in quarantine. Many of us are on tight budgets and aren’t buying from Amazon, the demand for gasoline has dropped, lots of big industry is paused. It really makes you think about how our economy relies on high levels of American consumerism, and while that version of our economy is tanking, pollution rates are too. I believe this is a greeeeat news, but I’ve been seeing sentiments saying “humans are the virus” “Darwinism in real time” circulating, so I wanted to talk about Ecofascism, the theoretical political model in which an authoritarian government would require individuals to sacrifice their own interests to the “organic whole of nature.”

I understand how easy it is to think that way, but if there’s one thing I’m certain about, it’s that social justice and environmental justice are the same. damn. thing. This article “People aren’t Bad of the Planet – Capitalism Is”  that I think is worth the read, and definitely worth practicing and internalizing.

Seeding Sovereignty: The Navajo Nation is experiencing the third-largest infection rate of COVID19 following New York and New Jersey, which are currently the Nation’s epicenters. The organization Seeding Sovereignty has set up a Rapid Response Fund, mask drive, and petition to Congress for financial aid because they haven’t still haven’t received aid and it’s urgently needed to help spread the virus. Please consider donating to the fund! Please consider sewing, sending, or sponsoring PPE! It is critical that the Navajo Nation and all indigenous nations receive support and not be left out of COVID19 recovery initiatives.

Things that Make me Smile: 

Fiona Apple’s interview with Democracy Now! (and especially her new album Fetch The Bolt Cutters)

This free virtual tour of Frida Kahlo’s house – it’s so lush and bold and beautiful

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