On Thursday, President Trump flatly admitted he opposes aid to the Post Office because he wants to prevent mail-in voting. "They want three and a half billion dollars for the mail-in votes. Universal mail-in ballots. They want $25 billion, billion, for the Post Office. Now they need that money in order to make the Post Office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots," . "But if they don't get those two items that means you can't have universal mail-in voting because you they're not equipped to have it."There we have it, folks: Trump now openly admits he is...…On Thursday, President Trump flatly admitted he opposes aid to the Post Office because he wants to prevent mail-in voting. "They want three and a half billion dollars for the mail-in votes. Universal mail-in ballots. They want $25 billion, billion, for the Post Office. Now they need that money in order to make the Post Office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots," . "But if they don't get those two items that means you can't have universal mail-in voting because you they're not equipped to have it."There we have it, folks: Trump now openly admits he is...WW…

Over the last week, just under filed for ordinary unemployment benefits, plus another half-million under the special pandemic unemployment program for people who don't ordinarily qualify, a substantial decline from some of the numbers seen since the beginning of the pandemic. At this rate, by mid-September or so, new unemployment claims will be merely as bad as they were during the worst of the Great Recession.Those unemployment benefits, however, because this country has systematically stripped and sabotaged its safety net, are extremely meager and often nearly impossible to actually get....…Over the last week, just under filed for ordinary unemployment benefits, plus another half-million under the special pandemic unemployment program for people who don't ordinarily qualify, a substantial decline from some of the numbers seen since the beginning of the pandemic. At this rate, by mid-September or so, new unemployment claims will be merely as bad as they were during the worst of the Great Recession.Those unemployment benefits, however, because this country has systematically stripped and sabotaged its safety net, are extremely meager and often nearly impossible to actually get....WW…

Across much of the country, the United States Postal Service is grinding to a halt. In cities like , , , and , residents report that they have not gotten mail for weeks. People are not getting checks, bills, medicines, or other vital necessities, and it only seems to be getting worse.Now, with record numbers of Americans set to vote by mail this November, the Post Office is falling apart because Donald Trump thinks he can steal the election by breaking it. There is no other reason.To be sure, the USPS has had its struggles for some time. As I've , in 2006 Congress clapped the agency with an...…Across much of the country, the United States Postal Service is grinding to a halt. In cities like , , , and , residents report that they have not gotten mail for weeks. People are not getting checks, bills, medicines, or other vital necessities, and it only seems to be getting worse.Now, with record numbers of Americans set to vote by mail this November, the Post Office is falling apart because Donald Trump thinks he can steal the election by breaking it. There is no other reason.To be sure, the USPS has had its struggles for some time. As I've , in 2006 Congress clapped the agency with an...WW…

For obvious reasons, the presidential race between Donald Trump and Joe Biden is sucking up most of the attention span of Democratic voters. The man in the White House is frankly tearing the country to pieces, and he must be turfed out of office.However, there are good reasons for the Democrats to focus most on downballot races — particularly the control of state legislatures. A "" report from Aaron Kleinman at the Future Now Fund — a deep dive into the state of both national and local politics of the moment — shows how neglected state politics is both considerably easier to influence and...…For obvious reasons, the presidential race between Donald Trump and Joe Biden is sucking up most of the attention span of Democratic voters. The man in the White House is frankly tearing the country to pieces, and he must be turfed out of office.However, there are good reasons for the Democrats to focus most on downballot races — particularly the control of state legislatures. A "" report from Aaron Kleinman at the Future Now Fund — a deep dive into the state of both national and local politics of the moment — shows how neglected state politics is both considerably easier to influence and...WW…

When I was growing up in rural Colorado, my family had a classic work truck: a 1980 F-150 with the famous . It was often my task to fetch a load of sand for mixing concrete, or landscaping soil, or lumber for some project. It was a great truck, with only one problem — the oil pressure relief valve was a little sticky, so if you started it up cold and let it idle, the oil filter would sometimes explode. You had to give it some throttle immediately to shake loose the valve, after which it would be fine. It was just one of those little quirks that you adapt to with a hard-used piece of...…When I was growing up in rural Colorado, my family had a classic work truck: a 1980 F-150 with the famous . It was often my task to fetch a load of sand for mixing concrete, or landscaping soil, or lumber for some project. It was a great truck, with only one problem — the oil pressure relief valve was a little sticky, so if you started it up cold and let it idle, the oil filter would sometimes explode. You had to give it some throttle immediately to shake loose the valve, after which it would be fine. It was just one of those little quirks that you adapt to with a hard-used piece of...WW…

Talking PointsHerman Cain, the former pizza mogul and brief frontrunner in the 2012 Republican presidential primary, . It is not known for sure where he contracted the virus, but he came down with symptoms after attending President Trump's campaign rally in Tulsa on June 20, and posted a picture online of himself there in a group of people without masks.Here’s just a few of the at tonight’s rally! Having a fantastic time!— Herman Cain (@THEHermanCain) In other news, Bill Montgomery, the 80-year-old co-founder of the conservative student group Turning Point USA, has also . It has not been...…Talking PointsHerman Cain, the former pizza mogul and brief frontrunner in the 2012 Republican presidential primary, . It is not known for sure where he contracted the virus, but he came down with symptoms after attending President Trump's campaign rally in Tulsa on June 20, and posted a picture online of himself there in a group of people without masks.Here’s just a few of the at tonight’s rally! Having a fantastic time!— Herman Cain (@THEHermanCain) In other news, Bill Montgomery, the 80-year-old co-founder of the conservative student group Turning Point USA, has also . It has not been...WW…

Why does the United States have the worst coronavirus outbreak in the developed world? Part of the answer is surely that our basic state functions have been allowed to rot, or been deliberately destroyed, over the years. State capacity and competence have been shown around the world to be a key factor in whether nations can get a handle on the pandemic.But another reason is conservative media. A small but nevertheless very loud and angry minority of Americans have had their ability to reason dissolved in a corrosive bath of crack-brained propaganda.The flood tide of conservative lunacy is...…Why does the United States have the worst coronavirus outbreak in the developed world? Part of the answer is surely that our basic state functions have been allowed to rot, or been deliberately destroyed, over the years. State capacity and competence have been shown around the world to be a key factor in whether nations can get a handle on the pandemic.But another reason is conservative media. A small but nevertheless very loud and angry minority of Americans have had their ability to reason dissolved in a corrosive bath of crack-brained propaganda.The flood tide of conservative lunacy is...WW…

America is careening towards an economic cliff. The resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic is clearly beginning to , and deeper recessionary forces are taking hold. Eviction moratoriums are set to end in many states at the end of the month, and in a matter of weeks. Perhaps most importantly, the huge boost to unemployment insurance that Congress passed as part of the CARES Act is going to expire on July 25 — sucking billions of dollars of spending out of the economy, and driving millions more Americans into destitution.Republicans in Congress, of course, have been dithering and...…America is careening towards an economic cliff. The resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic is clearly beginning to , and deeper recessionary forces are taking hold. Eviction moratoriums are set to end in many states at the end of the month, and in a matter of weeks. Perhaps most importantly, the huge boost to unemployment insurance that Congress passed as part of the CARES Act is going to expire on July 25 — sucking billions of dollars of spending out of the economy, and driving millions more Americans into destitution.Republicans in Congress, of course, have been dithering and...WW…

The United States Postal Service has long been the most popular government agency. The last found 74 percent of Americans rated it as excellent or good — as compared to 60 percent for NASA or 50 percent for the IRS. Despite years of cash trouble (mainly the fault of Congress), most people like their good old mail carrier. Indeed, as , this country could not function without the USPS.So it should come as no surprise that President Trump is taking the agency apart. reports at The Washington Post that the USPS is facing huge problems under Louis DeJoy, a big Trump donor who was recently...…The United States Postal Service has long been the most popular government agency. The last found 74 percent of Americans rated it as excellent or good — as compared to 60 percent for NASA or 50 percent for the IRS. Despite years of cash trouble (mainly the fault of Congress), most people like their good old mail carrier. Indeed, as , this country could not function without the USPS.So it should come as no surprise that President Trump is taking the agency apart. reports at The Washington Post that the USPS is facing huge problems under Louis DeJoy, a big Trump donor who was recently...WW…

Talking PointsNear the end of Monday's first segment of the Democratic National Convention, former Vice President Joe Biden's top rival in the 2020 primary, Sen. Bernie Sanders, made the most substantive argument for his candidacy of the entire night.The case was straightforward and compelling. As usual Sanders dispensed with vague platitudes and focused on details and policy brass tacks. On the one hand, he noted that Trump's presidency has done incalculable damage to the United States. We are suffering "the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression," he observed, correctly....…Talking PointsNear the end of Monday's first segment of the Democratic National Convention, former Vice President Joe Biden's top rival in the 2020 primary, Sen. Bernie Sanders, made the most substantive argument for his candidacy of the entire night.The case was straightforward and compelling. As usual Sanders dispensed with vague platitudes and focused on details and policy brass tacks. On the one hand, he noted that Trump's presidency has done incalculable damage to the United States. We are suffering "the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression," he observed, correctly....WW…