The $7,000 Covid test: Why states are stepping in to shield consumers
One national insurer was billed $6,946 for a coronavirus test in Texas, according to claims data reviewed by POLITICO.
Today's Liberal News
Fed’s dire outlook: GDP seen shrinking by 6.5 percent this year
The country’s unemployment rate will drop to 9.3 percent by the end of the year, according to the Fed’s forecasts.
Social distancing will suppress recovery despite emergency aid, CBO chief says
States grappling with budget shortfalls are slowly reopening and lifting stay-at-home orders.
Fed’s Powell walks tightrope as economy faces new uncertainty
The Fed chief will likely keep up his persistent advice to Congress to spend more to spur a meaningful recovery.
U.S. entered recession in February, ending record expansion
The National Bureau of Economic Research made the designation official on Monday.
Photos of the Week: Monastery Move, Desert Ride, Backpack Pup
Rhythmic gymnastics on a British seashore, anti-racism protests across the United States, the funeral procession of George Floyd in Houston, a defaced statue of King Leopold II in Brussels, a moment of silence at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a wildfire in California, idled elephants in Thailand, a sea turtle release in Bali, and much more.
Joe Biden Mocked In Trump Campaign Ad For Kneeling — In A Church
Biden prayed with Black leaders at Bethel AME Church in Delaware. His kneeling was superimposed over violent protest scenes in an ad for Donald Trump.
Trump Defends Racist Phrase By Citing Philadelphia’s Infamous ‘Vote White’ Mayor
The president defended his use of the phrase “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.
Thursday Night Owls: ‘Dark Basin’ hackers for hire sought to harm 1000s in the #ExxonKnew campaign
Night Owls, a themed open thread, appears at Daily Kos seven days a week
Emily Holden at The Guardian writes—Hack-for-hire group targeted climate activists behind #ExxonKnew campaign.
As coronavirus rages on, Disneyland sets reopening date for the middle of July
As the novel coronavirus continues to slam the nation, some states are still beginning to reopen in phases. As we enter into full-season summer, people are likely especially eager to get out and do something. As just announced, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure intend to reopen on July 17, pending state and local government approval.
Lawsuit: Immigrants fed rotten food and forced to clean COVID-infected Arizona ICE facility
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to find horrific ways to mistreat immigrants. According to a federal lawsuit filed Monday, migrants seeking asylum who are locked up in an Arizona ICE detention center were forced to clean the facility.
This Week in Statehouse Action: Oh Hell No edition
So. Much. Action.
To say it’s hard to keep up with is … something of an understatement.
But, of course, a lot of the current action is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay overdue.
Holding police departments to account and addressing the systemic racism that leads to law enforcement—and oh so many other—inequities is just the beginning, and here’s hoping this sort of action continues for a long time to come.
After immediate backlash, top Tulsa police official walks back his racist conspiracy theories
Speaking with podcast host Pat Campbell on Monday, a top Tulsa Police Department official gave his thoughts on the Black Lives Matter protests for racial justice. Major Travis Yates began by questioning what George Floyd was doing before the 10 minutes captured on video by witnesses. He then attacked statistics showing Black Americans are at considerably higher risk of being killed or hurt by police officers.
Trump Praises His ‘S.S.’ For Protest Crackdown; Critics Go World War II
The president evokes the notorious Nazi paramilitary group as he hails the Secret Service’s role in breaking up an anti-racism protest.
Trump Campaign Says You Can’t Sue If You Get COVID-19 At His Rally
The president won’t acknowledge that coronavirus is still a threat — unless it could get him sued.
American Indian tribes thwarted in efforts to get coronavirus data
The CDC has turned down tribal epidemiologists’ requests for data that it’s making freely available to states.
There’s Something They Never Tell Straight Men About Opening Your Relationship
The ratio still isn’t in your favor.
The Atlantic Daily: ‘It’s a Bad Week to Be a Racist Statue’
Every weekday evening, our editors guide you through the biggest stories of the day, help you discover new ideas, and surprise you with moments of delight. Subscribe to get this delivered to your inbox.Ryan MelgarNASCAR banned Confederate flags. The country band Lady Antebellum rebranded as “Lady A.” In Richmond, Virginia, protesters pulled down a statue of Jefferson Davis.The death of George Floyd has set off more calls for the removal of Confederate symbols.
Tennessee Lawmakers Vote To Keep KKK Leader’s Bust In Capitol, Igniting Protests
The bust of Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest was likened to a monument to Adolf Hitler. Supporters said removing it would erase history.
Is OAN the Leading Edge of Russian Misinformation?
In what appears to be a signal of intensifying political warfare ahead of the November election, One America News Network, the Trump-supporting cable channel that has been promoting anti-Biden conspiracies for several months, says it has obtained several hours of secret recordings of then–Vice President Biden’s conversations with Ukrainian officials.
Trump Administration Refuses To Disclose Which Businesses Received $500 Billion In Government Bailout
The move will prevent oversight of 4.5 million businesses that took a government Paycheck Protection Program loan. One critic called it “unconscionable, jaw-dropping corruption.
Larry Kramer Was Often Seen as the Soul of ACT UP. But the Truth Is More Complex.
ACT UP historian Sarah Schulman on Kramer’s pioneering bravery, toxic intransigence, and the recipe for lasting change.
Coronavirus: Health Care in Brazil’s River Communities
Brazil has reported more than 775,000 cases of the new coronavirus and has attributed more than 39,800 deaths to the disease so far, with daily death tolls continuing to climb in recent days—as many as 1,200 per day. While President Jair Bolsonaro has tried to downplay the threat, local authorities and communities are working hard to slow the spread of the virus, as well as to treat those affected.
Ramy Meditates on the Pitfalls of Self-Righteousness
This article contains spoilers throughout Season 2 of Ramy.In Season 1 of Ramy, audiences are introduced to Ramy Hassan—the character loosely based on the show’s creator, Ramy Youssef—and his Egyptian American family in northern Jersey. With a formidable mix of surrealism and humor, Youssef explores the complexities of being a religious Millennial man, namely through navigating the difficulties that young Muslims face coming of age post-9/11.
NYPD Cop Who Kneeled At Protest Apologizes To Fellow Officers
Lt. Robert Cattani said his decision to kneel “goes against every principle and value I stand for.
Mike Birbiglia Was a Reluctant Parent. Now He’s Happy to Be Stuck in the House With a 5-Year-Old.
Plus, can you reverse the transition from mommy to mom?
WHO warns of ‘accelerating’ pandemic in Africa
The WHO Africa chief said that community transmission has begun in more than half of Africa’s 54 countries and “this is a serious sign.
Seattle Protesters Declare Autonomous Zone Around Police Precinct After Heated Standoff with Police
In Seattle, protesters have barricaded a six-block autonomous zone, after protests were met with a violent police response. Amid a days-long standoff, police removed barricades and abandoned their East Precinct building, and protesters moved into the area, declaring it “Free Capitol Hill.” We go to Seattle to speak with Omari Salisbury, a citizen journalist who has been live-streaming the uprising and police crackdown.
Historian Robin D.G. Kelley: Years of Racial Justice Organizing Laid Groundwork for Today’s Uprising
As protests against police brutality and racism continue across the country, we speak with historian and UCLA professor of African American studies Robin D.G. Kelley. “We’re not here by accident,” Kelley says, crediting racial justice organizers for laying the groundwork for this moment over the last decade. “The real question now is whether or not this can be sustained.