"Trump officials float idea of narrow bill to extend unemployment benefits" by Nicholas Fandos and Emily Cochrane New York Times, July 27, 2020
Top Trump administration officials proposed Sunday potentially short circuiting free-ranging stimulus talks with Democrats to rush through a much narrower bill prioritizing an extension of federal unemployment benefits that are set to expire this week for millions of Americans.
Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, said he would now like to see lawmakers act this week to extend and alter the unemployment program, give tax credits to businesses to help ease reopening costs and grant employers new liability protections — while setting aside a long list of other objectives, including Democrats’ priorities.
“Perhaps we put that forward, get that passed, as we can negotiate on the rest of the bill in the weeks to come,” Meadows said on ABC’s “This Week.”
The proposal, echoed by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in his own Sunday morning interview, was a last-ditch effort by Republicans to prevent the program from lapsing as signs mounted that the nation’s economy was once again weakening amid a resurgence of coronavirus cases, but it amounted to a concession that Republicans, slowed by their own internal divisions, were unlikely to reach a deal on a comprehensive relief package with Democrats before millions begin losing a $600-a-week benefit that has helped contain the economic carnage.
With Democrats already on record in opposition to a piecemeal approach, a narrow fix is almost certainly dead on arrival. Republicans know that, suggesting their Sunday proposal may in part be a negotiating tactic laying the groundwork to blame the opposition party when the funds ultimately expire.
Democrats passed their own $3 trillion proposal — which also includes money to bail out states and cities, fully fund the $600 federal jobless benefit and infuse billions more into the nation’s health care system — in May and view the time pinch now as a problem of Republicans’ making that only gives them more leverage in shaping a final bill.
“We’ve been anxious to negotiate for two months and 10 days,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday on the CBS program “Face the Nation.” She said Congress could not leave town for its annual August recess until a deal was struck and noted that she spent the weekend waiting to hear from the other party and begin talks.
“This is an emergency,” Pelosi added. “Maybe they don’t understand. I don’t know what they have against working families in America to keep this going so long.”
I will say right here and now, f**k both these bastard parties when it comes to working folks. Their whole agenda is entirely destroying the middle class of this country before the purge and corporate-state takeover that will be Communi$m. The corporations and ruling cla$$ will simply be the oligarchs we already have now, but with no independent or small business. It's Soviet Union stuff, now please go check out history. This is awful and both parties are betrayers of the country and the oath they took.
In addition to a difference in negotiating strategy, the two sides have very different views about how to handle even the narrow set of issues identified by the White House. Republicans are proposing altering the jobless benefit program to replace the $600 flat weekly payments with a plan that would replace about 70% of a worker’s lost wages — a change Democrats are unlikely to endorse. And Democrats strongly oppose an effort by Republicans to give many employers new protections from lawsuits from their workers, patients or students.
Even before engaging Democrats, Senate Republicans and the White House have struggled to come to terms on their own $1 trillion proposal. They blew through a series of self-imposed deadlines last week as they fought over how to structure changes to the unemployment benefit system, whether to include a payroll tax cut pushed by President Donald Trump and whether to tie funds for schools to a commitment that they reopen in person this fall.
Mnuchin and Meadows now claim to be on the same page as Senate Republicans, and after working through the weekend to iron out details, they now plan to begin unveiling the legislative package Monday afternoon. Formal talks with Democrats could follow, but Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the majority leader, predicted Friday that they could take “weeks.”
Even then, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., predicted Sunday that months after voting unanimously on the first stimulus bill, much of his party would now be unwilling to support any relief bill. Outright opposition to additional stimulus from the Republicans’ right flank may only further empower Democrats when two-party talks begin.
“Half the Republicans are going to vote no to any phase four package,” Graham said on Fox News. “That’s just a fact.”
In addition to the unemployment benefits change and liability protections, the Republican legislation is expected to include $105 billion for schools and billions of dollars more for testing, contact tracing and vaccine distribution. Some of the education funds would be reserved for elementary and secondary schools that are reopening and bringing students back to a more traditional, in-person setting.
The bill is likely to provide for another round of stimulus checks to American families, though it remains unclear who would be eligible to receive those payments. Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, said Sunday that the checks would be worth $1,200, though he did not detail who precisely would receive them.
The largest sticking point, though, has been the effort to scale back unemployment insurance benefits. The White House and congressional Republicans largely agree that the $600 weekly payment established in the $2.2 trillion stimulus law on top of state unemployment pay is too generous, in some cases providing recipients more money than they received in their job, and discourages people from returning to work.
“The original unemployment benefits actually paid people to stay home, and actually a lot of people got more money staying at home than they would going back to work,” Meadows said Sunday. “So the president has been very clear, our Republican senators have been very clear, we’re not going to extend that provision.”
At this point I asked where is all the $$$ going to come from (whir of printing pre$$, of course), and this is all about getting the politicians through the election before everything drops off a f**king cliff. Watch, Trump will lose, economy will tank in interim, Trump will leave quietly to never face prosecution, taking his lousy economy with him, and in will ride the decrepit and demented stalking horse to give us a fresh start!
The other thing lacking from the coverage and debate: no audit or even concern about where all the PPP and SBA money went. It's gone, in the hands of the well-connected and those institutions the redesigns of society want going forward, banks made a boodle and so on, but there is no follow up, not even from Democraps.
Sick of this phony bulloney!
Democrats, who want to extend the current benefit through the end of the year, say Republicans’ plan would present significant technical hurdles and cut funds to Americans when they need it. When Democrats in March proposed matching 100% of a worker’s prior income, Labor Department officials said that antiquated state unemployment systems would make it too complicated to execute.
The National Association of State Workforce Agencies also warned Capitol Hill this week that such a significant change to the current program was likely to take months for states to carry out, according to a memo obtained by The New York Times, meaning that it would take even longer for Americans to start receiving the benefits again.
Even though the benefits program is set to expire at the end of July, workers in most states are already losing access to the expanded unemployment payments. Experts fear further economic turbulence if the program is not quickly reinstated.
Remember, remember, the third of November.
After an unusual Saturday meeting with Senate staff on Capitol Hill, Mnuchin and Meadows said they also planned to include a number of tax incentives in their bill to help businesses trying to reopen, as well as language providing for what Meadows described as “manufacturing incentives to make sure we can support American jobs,” and Kudlow said Sunday that the White House was looking to include an extension on a moratorium on evictions that just expired.
“We will lengthen the eviction,” he said. “We will lengthen it.”
Then they are going to lose a huge constituency come November.
--more--"
Chief of staff Mark Meadows (left) and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin spoke last week. Republicans appear unlikely to reach a deal on a relief package with Democrats soon (NYT).
I'm normally against masks, but in this case, they are what you see: robbers and gangsters.
Below the fold, the Globe puts a human face on it:
"‘Everybody’s in the unknown:’ As federal coronavirus aid runs out, families brace for impact" by Liz Goodwin Globe Staff, July 26, 2020
As President Trump and Congress debate the contours of another round of federal coronavirus relief, Joel Massicot, 42, decided he couldn’t wait any longer to find out if they planned to help.
So he sold his condo in Lynn this month in an effort to save his Afro-Latin music and dance instruction company, Masacote Entertainment, and avoid laying off its four full-time employees.
“Everybody’s in the unknown,” Massicot said, of guessing what future federal aid might be available for him or his business. “As a Marine, we understand how to pivot. The term is ‘adapt and overcome.’ ”
Many others are facing similar challenges — and overwhelming uncertainty — as the pandemic and related shutdowns stretch into their sixth month and federal aid begins to run out or expire, but now, with the extra unemployment running out this week and the one-time stimulus checks long gone, it remains unclear when — and if — Congress will act to extend that relief.
For Massicot, the stimulus check he received in April quickly went to bills that were piling up as his business was forced to stop its in-person dance classes. “That went by so quick,” he said. “It’s like it never even stayed in my hands once it came in. We had so many fires to put out.”
A Payroll Protection Program loan for around $14,000 covered his employees’ paychecks for about two months, but has also now run out. Massicot, a musician who started his business 15 years ago, then hatched the plan to sell his condo and downsize his living expenses, in order to pay off his credit card debt and keep the company afloat as long as possible.
“When they sent out the $1,200 per person, that doesn’t even cover a month’s rent in Boston,” said Ana Masacote, Joel’s business partner. “In the four months since the pandemic started, they haven’t even given a month’s rent to people?”
The Globe has been following several people whose livelihoods have been jeopardized by the coronavirus to see whether federal aid reaches them and if so, whether it’s enough to stave off economic hardship.
For Warren and Tricia Riel of Tyngsborough, Congress’ decision to hugely expand unemployment benefits last March made the difference between economic disaster and survival for their family of three.
Warren, 50, lost his job at an auto body shop shortly before COVID-19 closures began, and his unemployment insurance claim stalled in the overloaded bureaucracy. As he continues to fight for his benefits, Tricia, 48, has been able to receive $150 in weekly unemployment plus the extra $600 after losing her job busing tables part-time at Olive Garden.
That additional $600, which expires this week, has become a source of debate in Congress, with some Republicans arguing it should not be renewed because it’s encouraging people to stay out of work. For the Riels, however, it was a lifesaver.
“Even when I was working almost 40 hours, I still wasn’t getting $600 a week,” Tricia Riel said. “It’s like ‘Wow!’ That was a blessing, especially with Warren not collecting. We would have really been in trouble.”
The Riels still have hope that Warren’s claim will go through and be retroactive. If not, they don’t know how they will pay their $1,500 rent if the extra aid ends. Warren, who has been warned by his doctor to be especially mindful of the virus because of high blood pressure, has been looking for work, but so far hasn’t been able to find anything. The family has no savings.
“It’s so scary to think of the worst,” Tricia said. “I’m trying to think positive about it.”
The extra unemployment benefits helped Alyssa Mann, a 25-year-old waitress at Deuxave in Boston who lost her job in March, pay her rent, settle overdue bills, and focus on home-schooling her six-year-old daughter this spring.
“The first month and a half was a huge struggle; it was really hard,” Mann said. “But after I got the retroactive unemployment and a few grants, things got better.”
Mann and her boyfriend, who is also a server, went back to work at the end of June. She’s been adjusting to the changed landscape of her job; gone are the days of weaving between tables, dropping off items, and multitasking. Now, she disinfects between serving each table, slowing her down. But the tips have been generous, and she’s making as much as she was before, despite fewer customers.
Still, she hopes Congress extends the aid.
“There’s so many people who lost their jobs and are depending on the extra $600 and I think it’s good for them to save money too,” Mann said. “If Deuxave ends up closing again because of another peak in coronavirus, knowing there’s another financial safety net for me would make me feel so much better.”
For Bob Keaney, a construction worker who lives with his wife and two young kids in Quincy, the extra unemployment money has meant being able to delay returning to work while the virus is still spreading, and the peace of mind that comes with that.
“I don’t really feel the need to risk it right now,” Keaney said. “When my son was born, he was in the NICU for lung issues for like a week and a half.”
Keaney has been angered by talk in Washington of reducing unemployment benefits, especially given the billions in aid that went to big corporations. “Do they think the economy is going to be better when all these people who are home, you rip their money away?” he asked, but for Antonio and his wife, Pilar, that aid never arrived in the first place. Antonio, an undocumented immigrant who is excluded from receiving federal benefits, lost his job as a prep cook at a Chestnut Hill restaurant that closed in March, and his wife was let go from the day-care she worked at shortly after. They watched their savings dwindle to nothing, and Antonio maxed out his credit cards. Soon, they relied on food donations from a nonprofit called Casa del Trabajador, just to avoid going hungry.
“It’s been really hard,” said Antonio, who asked to only be identified by his first name due to his immigration status. “It’s a really powerful problem because you don’t have any resources to respond to the situation.”
Antonio even considered returning with his family to his home country in South America, but there was no way to get there.
A few weeks ago, both Pilar and Antonio were hired back to their old jobs as their workplaces reopened, but they now bring in about 30 percent less in salary than they did before. The couple, who both get taxes deducted out of their paychecks, also have to pay for child care for their young son and face debts, including rent bills from their four months out of work.
In the meantime, Antonio feels as if his livelihood is held ransom by the virus.
“The first thing I’m hoping for is we won’t have a turnaround with an increase in the levels of COVID, because if that happens and we close down the workplace again, I have nothing to do,” Antonio said. “I don’t have cards; I don’t have savings.”
That's how the agenda-pushing Globe ended it, and I hope you can see why I am sick of this slop with all that is going on.
--more--"
Thankfully, "Congress is going to smooth the effects of millions of job losses and an economy paralyzed by the virus" as we convert to what looks like Communi$m. Can't go anywhere, can't do anything.
When I flip the page, I'm told that Trump is in trouble as the campaign calendar dwindles:
"In poll, 8 of 10 say country’s on wrong path; Trump’s approval rating at 32%" by Julie Pace and Hannah Fingerhut Associated Press, July 26, 2020
Done, and I think he knows it.
WASHINGTON — With the November election 100 days away, more Americans say the country is heading in the wrong direction than at any previous point in Donald Trump’s presidency, putting the incumbent in a perilous position as his reelection bid against Democrat Joe Biden enters a pivotal stretch.
A poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research also finds Trump’s approval for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic falling to a new low, with just 32 percent of Americans supportive of his approach.
Even Trump’s standing on the economy, long the high water mark for the president, has fallen over the past few months after seeming ascendant earlier this year.
Those political headwinds have sparked a sudden summer shift in the White House and the Trump campaign. After spending months playing down the pandemic and largely ignoring the virus’s resurgence in several states, Trump warned this past week that the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better. After repeatedly minimizing the importance of wearing masks to limit the spread of the virus, Trump urged Americans to do exactly that, and after insisting he would press forward with a large campaign convention in August, the president announced that he was scrapping those plans.
One back down after another as he toes the line.
Trump’s about-face underscores the reality of the situation he faces just over three months from Election Day. Even as he tries to refocus his contest with Biden on divisive cultural issues and an ominous “law and order” message, Trump’s reelection prospects are likely to be inextricably linked to his handling of the pandemic and whether voters believe the country will head back in the right direction under his leadership.
See: Trump Failed Leadership Test
The AP-NORC poll makes clear the challenge ahead for Trump on that front: 8 in 10 Americans say the country is heading in the wrong direction. That’s more than at any point since Trump took office. The poll also finds just 38 percent of Americans say the national economy is good, down from 67 percent in January, before the pandemic upended most aspects of everyday life.
Biden’s campaign is eager to keep the final months of the campaign focused squarely on Trump, confident that the former vice president can emerge victorious if the contest is a referendum on whether the current commander in chief has succeeded during his four years in office.
That's what a selection is; are better off than you were four years ago?
“People are sick and tired of a government that is divided and broken and unable to get things done,” said Kate Bedingfield, Biden’s deputy campaign manager. “What people feel like they’re getting from Trump right now is a hodgepodge mess of self-interested political talk.”
Same from your side, although yours also has the palpable sense of evil.
The past few months have proved to be beneficial for Biden’s campaign. He managed to swiftly consolidate the Democratic Party in ways Hillary Clinton, the party’s 2016 nominee, struggled to do. Biden’s fund-raising, a weakness for him in the primary, has surged, allowing his campaign to build out infrastructure and start ad spending in both traditional battleground states and more aspirational targets, including Texas and Georgia.
Swiftly consolidated the limp $oro$-funded $ociali$ts who are in fact quite $cary shows how awful Sanders truly is, and makes me ashamed for turning to him as the "peace" candidate.
Biden has also benefited from Trump landing on the wrong side of the public in his initial reactions to the pandemic. For example, 3 in 4 Americans back requiring people to wear masks in public, which Trump initially dismissed.
Another pandemic test for the president lies ahead in August and September, as Trump and his administration aggressively try to sell a skeptical public on reopening schools. The poll finds that about a third of Americans are opposed entirely to the idea, while close to half say major adjustments to instruction will be required.
When the kids start dropping dead in the playgrounds, that's it.
The limitations the pandemic placed on the candidates’ ability to travel and hold large rallies have also played more to Biden’s strengths. While Trump relishes headlining rallies at packed arenas, Biden is less adept in those settings. He’s instead spent the past several months delivering speeches to small groups of invited guests and journalists within driving distance of his home in Delaware, and holding virtual events with supporters and donors.
How odd!
The whole COVID-19 exercise and drill totally sapped one of Trump's greatest strengths.
How about that.
CUI BONO?
Blood and destruction, because of one man?
Trump argues that shows Biden doesn’t have the stamina for a full-blown campaign; Biden’s advisers say voters want to see their leaders abide by the same public health guidelines they’re urging others to follow.
Democrats have been buoyed by public polls finding Biden ahead of Trump both nationally and in some battleground states by a comfortable margin; however, Biden advisers caution that they expect the race to tighten in the final stretch before Election Day as more Republicans who may be dissatisfied with Trump’s job performance gravitate back to their party’s leader.
Overall, 38 percent of Americans approve of the president’s job performance — well within the narrow range that Trump’s approval ratings have stayed throughout this presidency, but down slightly from earlier this year before the pandemic. Most Republicans, 81 percent, approve of Trump’s job performance, but just 68 percent of Republicans support his handling of the pandemic.
Publicly, Trump and his advisers say they have been here before: underestimated and counted out. They point to public polls throughout the summer of 2016 that showed Trump trailing Clinton, only to eclipse her on Election Day, but privately, Trump’s political aides and allies have spent months trying to sound the alarm bells for the president, warning that he could lose the Midwestern battlegrounds he carried in 2016, as well as some reliably red states, if the trajectory — both of his campaign and the virus — continues.
One of the most concrete signs that Trump recognized he had gone off course came this month, when he demoted longtime campaign manager Brad Parscale, replacing him with GOP operative Bill Stepien.
Stepien told reporters he expects the campaign to “be a knock-down, drag-out fight to the very end,” but in the end it will be the mail fraud that does him in.
--more--"
Related:
Maui braces for impact as Hurricane Douglas nears Hawaii
It fizzled out like the one in Texas, as they both were downgraded to tropical depressions and there has been no further reporting from the Globe.
"The White House’s coronavirus testing coordinator conceded Sunday that turnaround times for diagnostic testing should improve, promising better times this week. In an interview Sunday on CNN’s ‘‘State of the Union,’’ Admiral Brett Giroir blamed ‘‘large commercial labs that perform about half the testing in our country.’’ ‘‘I started out by saying that we are never going to be happy with testing until we get turnaround times within 24 hours, and I would be happy with point-of-care testing everywhere,’’ Giroir said, referring to when sample collection and testing occur in the same place. ‘‘We are not there yet. We are doing everything we can to do that.’’ Giroir defended testing capacity, saying that ‘‘no one is trying to stop testing in this country,’’ when host Jake Tapper asked about Trump’s remarks that he had instructed officials to slow testing out of concern that it would highlight the spread of the virus in the country. The country reported 58,095 new infections and 557 additional deaths as of early Sunday evening, resulting in a seven-day average that was slightly lower than Saturday’s with several states left to report their totals. The world surpassed 16 million confirmed cases over the weekend and reached at least 641,000 coronavirus-related deaths. The United States accounts for about one-fourth of the reported infections and one-fifth of the death toll; it had just chalked up a four-day streak of four-digit death tolls, the worst accounting of human loss from the virus since late May. As of Sunday afternoon, the seven-day averages for new cases hit fresh highs in several states, including Alaska, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Nevada and South Carolina set records for their seven-day averages of daily deaths, and Mississippi and North Carolina tied their previous highs. In Texas, the seven-day average for cases was 8,302 on Saturday as the first tropical storm of the season, Hanna, roared ashore. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious-disease specialist, said states hit hard by the virus in recent weeks need to halt or reverse their reopenings while they grapple with infection surges. During a live interview with The Washington Post, Fauci said a coronavirus vaccine would probably not be ‘‘widely available’’ until ‘‘several months’’ into 2021."
I don't think he was the answer to the question in this electoral environment.
That man there, that mon$ter, is more responsible for Trump's demise than any other figure. That's why the pre$$ loves the Deep State creature.
"Florida surpassed New York over the weekend as the state with the second-most coronavirus cases in the United States, as more than 9,300 new cases were reported in the Sunshine State on Sunday, accompanied by an additional 78 new deaths. Florida’s 423,855 coronavirus cases as of Sunday were surpassed only by California’s 453,659 cases. With 39.5 million residents, California has almost double the population of Florida’s 21.4 million inhabitants. California is the nation’s most populous state, followed by Texas, Florida, and New York. New York, which has 19.4 million residents, had 411,736 coronavirus cases. There were 9,344 new cases reported in Florida on Sunday. Almost 3.4 million Floridians have been tested for the virus. Florida had 5,972 total deaths as of Sunday, according to the Florida Department of Health."
It's simulated, jiggered-up, phony numbers where they commingle all deaths and are quite frankly lying about the caseloads. It's all part of the simulation to deliver what they call "Global Health Security" with universal vaccination and tyrannical ID measures.
"Minnesota health officials reported 871 newly confirmed coronavirus cases on Sunday, the fourth-straight day it has reported more than 700 new cases. The spike in new daily cases was one of the largest in Minnesota since May, the Star Tribune reported, but the increase came on a volume of more than 16,000 completed tests, which is much higher than daily test tallies in May. The new cases raise the total of confirmed infections in Minnesota since the pandemic started to more than 51,000. Three new deaths also were reported Sunday, raising Minnesota’s death toll to 1,574."
Mass riots finally starting to become a super spreader, huh?
"More than 100 bars and restaurants in the New York City area were flagged for coronavirus social distancing violations this weekend, and some now face the possible suspension of their liquor licenses, Governor Andrew Cuomo said Sunday. The violations, for issues such as people crowding outside and workers not wearing masks, were handed out by a new state police and liquor authority enforcement task force inspecting establishments in the city and on Long Island, Cuomo said. The state’s liquor authority board will meet Monday to review the 105 violations and decide on the possible suspension of some licenses. Last week, the board yanked 10 licenses for social distancing violations. Speaking to reporters on a conference call, Cuomo said the state tallied three deaths from coronavirus on Saturday while hospitalizations for the disease fell to 637, the lowest total since mid-March. The number of new coronavirus cases in the state also remained low. Of 53,568 tests performed Saturday, just 536 — or about 1 percent — returned a positive result, Cuomo said."
Talk about a TYRANT, there is your POSTER BOY for it!
Who knew PROHIBITION would raise its UGLY HEAD in the 21st century, but here we are!
Time to revive the SPEAK EASY, folks!
Now, PLAY BALL!
"President Trump won’t be throwing out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium next month after all. Trump tweeted Sunday that he won’t be able to make the trip because of his “strong focus” on the coronavirus, vaccines, and the economy. Trump said in the tweet: “We will make it later in the season!” He had announced at a briefing Thursday on Major League Baseball’s opening day that he’d be at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 15 to throw out the first pitch. Trump has been trying to show voters that he is taking the virus seriously by holding briefings and canceling Republican convention events set for Jacksonville, Fla. Florida is among several states where the virus is raging."
Here is the real reason he is not going to throw the ball:
BOOOOOOOOO!
Yeah, who wants to hear that and give Biden a campaign ad?
As for $port$, they totally suck now with their empty seats and fake crowd noise insulting our intelligence -- and it is only going to get worse with the “virtual” fan concept with the NFL whereby Fox will control these fake fans, making them boo and cheer, do the wave, and dressing them in team colors.
Talk about living in the Matrix!
"The year 2020 was supposed to be a big deal, census-wise, one that officials had been planning for a decade. There would be electronic forms! Outreach in libraries and churches! Passion for getting counted! In 2020, the hot topic would be the US Census. Then a few other things happened. Now, advocates and census officials fear that some cities which were already tricky to count will be even more challenging this year. Self-response rates across the state suggest troubling disparities, with many of the typically hardest-to-count communities — Boston, Everett, Chelsea, and Lawrence — also reeling from the coronavirus. Officials fear that might result in serious undercounts in cities that need federal aid most. The census is used to calculate federal funding and determine representation in Congress; for Massachusetts, roughly $16 billion is on the line....."
Ah, the cen$u$ is all about the $$$$!!!!!
{@@##$$%%^^&&}
You know, when a president is in trouble, he can usually emphasize foreign policy through the bully pulpit and possibly get a war going to help his popularity:
"Moving trucks and vehicles with diplomatic plates pulled out of a US consulate in southwest China on Sunday, as its impending closure over rising bilateral tensions drew a steady stream of onlookers for the second straight day. People stopped to take selfies and photos, jamming a sidewalk busy with shoppers and families with strollers on a sunny day in the city of Chengdu. A little boy posed with a small Chinese flag before plainclothes police shooed him away as foreign media cameras zoomed in. The capital of Sichuan province, along with Houston in Texas, has found itself in the limelight of international politics as China and the United States exchanged tit-for-tat orders last week to close each other’s consulates in the two heartland cities. Police in Chengdu have shut the street and sidewalk in front of the consulate and set up metal barriers along the sidewalk on the other side of the tree-lined road. Uniformed and plainclothes officers kept watch on both sides of the barriers after scattered incidents following the Chengdu announcement on Friday, including a man who set off firecrackers and hecklers who cursed at foreign media shooting video and photos of the scene. A man who tried to unfurl a banner or sign late Sunday that he called an open letter to the Chinese government was quickly taken away. Earlier, a bus left the consulate grounds and what appeared to be embassy staff spoke with plainclothes police before retreating back behind the property’s gates."
What about the $$$?
"Billionaire investor Ray Dalio said conflict between the U.S. and China could expand into a “capital war” that he suggested would harm the dollar. The founder of Bridgewater Associates laid out a scenario for the next clash between the two countries, based on measures he said are within the realm of possibility. He also warned that loose fiscal policy and ideological divisions are pushing the U.S. into decline. “There’s a trade war, there’s a technology war, there is a geopolitical war and there could be a capital war,” Dalio said on Fox’s “Sunday Morning Futures.” “If you say by law ‘Don’t invest in China,’ or even possibly withholding the payment of bonds that the United States owes payment on in China -- these things are possibilities, and they have big implications, such as for the value of the dollar,” he said. The U.S. is already endangering the dollar’s stability by being “our own worst enemy,” he said. The dollar has fallen against all major currencies tracked by Bloomberg in the past three months. “The things I worry about the most are the soundness of our money,” Dalio said. “You can’t continue to run deficits, sell debt or print money rather than be productive and sustain that over a period of time.”
Hey, as long as it GETS the CONGRE$$IONAL CRETINS TROUGH the ELECTION!
Then the famine can begin:
"Agriculture officials in multiple states issued warnings Monday about unsolicited shipments of foreign seeds and advised people not to plant them. In Kentucky, the state agriculture department was notified that several residents received unsolicited seed packets sent by mail that appeared to have originated in China, Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles said. The types of seeds are unknown and could be harmful, he said. The commissioner stressed that the seeds should not be planted....."
I don't know about getting seeds in the mail, but.....
"A United Nations report says more than 6,000 Pakistani insurgents are hiding in Afghanistan, most belonging to the outlawed Pakistani Taliban group responsible for attacking Pakistani military and civilian targets. The report released this week said the group, known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP), has linked up with the Afghan-based affiliate of the Islamic State group. Some of TTP’s members have even joined the IS affiliate, which has its headquarters in eastern Afghanistan. The Afghan government did not respond Sunday to requests for comment. The report said IS in Afghanistan, known as IS in Khorasan province, has been hit hard by Afghan security forces as well as US and NATO forces, and even on occasion by the Afghan Taliban. The report was prepared by A UN monitoring team that tracks terrorist groups around the world. The report estimated the membership of IS in Afghanistan at 2,200, and although its leadership has been depleted, IS still counts among its leaders a Syrian national, Abu Said Mohammad al-Khorasani."
Trump wanted to get out of Afghanistan and they didn't let him.
Btw, TTP = CIA= ISIS™.
"Ukrainian and rebel forces in war-torn eastern Ukraine have started preparing for a “full and comprehensive” cease-fire scheduled to begin at midnight, a move that officials hope can lead to more steps to resolve the 6-year-old conflict. Rebel officials said Sunday they have instructed their troops about the cease-fire and issued a decree banning the use of weapons. Ukraine’s military said their forces “have begun preparations” for the cease-fire. If upheld, it would “pave the way for implementing other clauses” of the Minsk peace deal, the office of Ukraine’s president said earlier this week, calling the cease-fire a “breakthrough.” Brokered in 2015 by France and Germany, the Minsk peace plan aimed to resolve the conflict between Ukraine and Russia-backed separatists that flared in 2014 after Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its support for the separatists. The conflict has since killed more than 14,000. The presidents of Russia and Ukraine both commended the cease-fire deal in a phone call Sunday and underscored the importance of implementing the agreements reached at the December summit in Paris. In December, the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France, and Germany expressed support for the Minsk deal."
The report conveniently omits the Obama coup that got the whole thing started while repeating the LIE about ANNEXATION!
At least we still have Poland:
"The Polish government, emboldened by a narrow election victory this month and undeterred by criticism from European Union leaders, is considering withdrawing from a treaty aimed at curbing domestic violence and protecting women’s rights, with the country’s minister of justice filing paperwork Monday to start the process. The move came just one week after EU leaders, bowing to pressure from Poland and Hungary, relaxed demands that were supposed to tie funding in the bloc’s long-term budget to issues related to rule of law. In the days since, both Warsaw and Budapest have pressed ahead with agendas that critics say compromise judicial independence, media freedom, and gay rights. Poland’s plan to pull out of the domestic abuse treaty is likely to face stiff resistance, however. The mere suggestion that the government wanted to withdraw prompted thousands of protesters to take to the streets over the weekend and led the Council of Europe, a human rights organization with 47 member countries, to express alarm at the prospect. The treaty, known as the Istanbul Convention, is intended to combat violence against women in Europe. Conceived more than a decade ago, the treaty has been caught up in a maelstrom of disinformation and populist rhetoric, cast as a threat to national sovereignty and twisted by conspiracy theories and smear campaigns. The convention has been targeted by far-right and nationalist leaders across East and Central Europe and has become a totem in the battle against what they portray as the too-liberal influences of Western culture. Although the treaty does not address issues of gay rights, opponents have claimed that the treaty promotes “LGBT ideology” and poses a threat to Christian morality."
God Bless Them, because carrying Britain is getting to be tough:
"Britain will crack down on junk food advertising and introduce calorie counts on menus in an effort to tackle obesity and ease the pressure on the country’s National Health Service amid the coronavirus pandemic, the government said Monday. For the British prime minister, Boris Johnson, the intersection of obesity and the coronavirus is personal. Johnson was, by his own admission, “way overweight” when he was admitted to the hospital after becoming ill with COVID-19 this year, and his health deteriorated to such an extent that at one point he needed intensive care. Studies have linked obesity to a greater risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19. As part of the government’s new strategy, advertisements for any food high in fat, sugar, or salt will be banned on television and online until 9 p.m. to avoid hours when children are most likely to see them. There will also be a consultation on whether Britain should ban online ads for junk food. Obesity in Britain has long been cited as a growing problem, and the country is usually near the top of lists ranking Europe’s fattest countries."
Yeah, SEE YA', BOJO!
All agendas converge as the Great Reset beckons under the cover of COVID-19.
Number of fires more than doubles in Brazil’s Pantanal
Oddly enough, the fires have killed all COVID for there was not one mention of it.
Time to bring it back home:
GOP embraces cut in aid for jobless but leverage is weakened
That is a New York Times report; my paper carried this:
"Mnuchin, Pelosi talk virus relief as deadline looms" Jul 27, 2020
WASHINGTON (AP) — Unemployment assistance, eviction protections and other relief for millions of Americans are at stake as White House officials launch negotiations with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on a new coronavirus aid package that’s teetering in Congress ahead of looming deadlines.
While Senate Republicans struggled to roll out their own $1 trillion proposal, Pelosi implored the White House and GOP lawmakers to stop the infighting and come to the negotiating table with Democrats. Aid runs out Friday for a $600 weekly jobless benefit that Democrats call a lifeline for out-of-work Americans. Republican want to slash it to $200 a week, saying that the federal bump is too generous on top of state benefits and is discouraging employees from returning to work.
“Time is running out,” Pelosi said.
With the virus death toll climbing and 4.2 million infections nationwide, both parties are eager for a deal. There is widespread agreement that more money is needed for virus testing, to help schools prepare to open in the fall and to shore up small businesses. Voters are assessing their handling of the virus crisis before the November election, and President Donald Trump’s standing is at one of the lowest points of his term, according to a new AP-NORC poll.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows worked through the weekend on the GOP proposal and agreed to meet with Pelosi and Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer at the speaker’s office late Monday for talks.
The Republicans come to the negotiating table hobbled by infighting and delays. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he wanted to hit “pause” on new spending after Congress approved a sweeping $2.2 trillion relief package in March. But Pelosi, D-Calif., took the opposite approach, swiftly passing a $3 trillion effort with robust Democratic support. In the intervening months, the crisis deepened.
McConnell, flanked by top GOP chairs Monday at the Capitol, unveiled his long-awaited proposal.....
--more--"
So who you gonna vote for?
The Globe is already writing the GOP's epitaph as it dissects the Republican Party in a five-part series before we veer into Democratic Communi$m.
Related:
Markey spends less time in Mass. than the rest of the delegation
That's front page stuff by Victoria McGrane and Liz Goodwin of Globe Staff, but the Globe wants to send him back anyway as they once again slam Joe Kennedy, who will be unable to return to the Fourth District.
Also see:
Trump’s national security adviser has coronavirus
I guess Bolton got out just in time, huh?
"Texas has reported an increase of nearly 700 additional deaths from COVID-19 due to a change in how the state collects fatality data, representing a grim surge in the state’s fight against the coronavirus. The new figures released Monday show the state now with 5,713 COVID-19-identified fatalities, compared with 5,038 reported Sunday. The new figures include 44 new deaths reported Monday. Texas had seen a dramatic spike in newly confirmed cases, hospitalizations and fatalities over the past month, and Governor Greg Abbott had warned the results could be jarring. State health officials said the new death totals are compiled by using the cause of death listed on death certificates, instead of waiting for local and regional public health authorities to report them to the state. Death certificates are required by law to be filed within 10 days."
From COVID, whether they have it or not!
Avoid sanitizing your hands, too:
"US health officials are warning Americans again to avoid a growing list of imported hand sanitizers that may be contaminated with the toxic chemical methanol. The Food and Drug Administration said Monday there have been increasing reports of injury due to people using — sometimes ingesting — the unauthorized sanitizers, which can lead to blindness, heart problems, and death. The active ingredient that kills germs in legitimate sanitizers is ethyl alcohol, which is consumable, but some Mexican companies have been replacing it with poisonous methanol, or wood alcohol, which is used in antifreeze. The FDA first issued a consumer warning about the products last month. The FDA has posted a “do-not-use” list of more than 80 sanitizers on its website and blocked their importation."
Hey, they are the gold standard when it comes to regulation.
"Nearly 3,000 federal workers have filed compensation claims for having contracted COVID-19 on the job, a number that is expected to double by early next month, according to a Department of Labor review. Through mid-June, families of 48 federal workers had filed death claims with the Division of Federal Employees’ Compensation. The report only reflects the number of federal workers or their families who filed claims by June 16 — not the number who actually have contracted the coronavirus or died from it. Reports from individual agencies indicate the number of infections and deaths is much higher. The inspector general’s audit found that as of June 16, the Division of Federal Employees’ Compensation had received 2,866 COVID-19 claims, including 48 death claims, and paid out approximately $30,000 in medical benefits and compensation. It estimates that those totals will reach 6,000 claims by early August."
Congre$$ has them covered.
"Thousands showed up for what is known as Minnesota’s largest outdoor rodeo, packing the stands for the three-day event despite orders to limit crowds because of the coronavirus pandemic. The state Department of Health and the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office imposed a spectator limit at the event. The latest order from Governor Tim Walz limits outdoor events and entertainment to 250 people who are socially distanced. The stands remained full or nearly full for the three days of the 65th annual North Star Stampede Rodeo in Effie in northern Minnesota, the Star Tribune reported. The event’s organizer, Cimarron Pitzen, wrote on a Facebook post before the event that he would not stand in the way of people coming to protest what he describes as “ridiculous Government Over Reach” and their right to assemble."
Yeeeee-haw!
You may want to stay out of Maine, though.
"Wall Street’s rally got back on track Monday. Several of the market's most influential companies are scheduled to report this week, including Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google's parent company. Those four account for 16% of the S&P 500's total value, which gives their movements outsized influence on the index....."
That was because of Winn-Dixie, and it's too late to help Trump.
See:
Orders for durable goods rose more than 7 percent in June
Another shale explorer files for bankruptcy
Mitsubishi lost $1.7 billion in the second quarter, as the coronavirus pandemic slammed auto demand around the world.
