#this post is sponsored by the school of public health student population

[mooncatmeowca]

I love the Monterey Bay Aquarium lo-fi mixes. Provider of medically necessary Calming Squids and Shrimps to prevent me from going into rage mode the second I overhear a rich student say something extremely stupid

[msclaritea]

“There have been prosecutors that refused to seat Black jurors, refused to prosecute lynching, disproportionately condemned young Black men to death row and looked the other way in the face of police brutality,”  Politico reported.

“It matters who is in those rooms. I knew I had to be in those rooms. We have to be in those rooms even when there aren’t many like us there.” Kamala Harris makes history

What Kamala Harris Did In Those Rooms: Or 50 Criminal Justice Reforms & Accomplishments (link includes corresponding articles) 

1. Deputy DA- Kamala Harris Opposed Prop 21 (passed with 62%) which increased criminal penalties for crimes committed by youth and incorporated many youth offenders into the adult criminal justice system.

2. Deputy DA- Kamala Harris co-founded the Coalition to End the Exploitation of Kids, to provide legal and health services to sexually exploited children, including teenage “prostitutes”

3. As member of the board of trustees of SF MOMA, Kamala Harris created the 1st of its kind in the US “Matches” program, which pairs at-risk youth with mentors to expose them to art and broaden their horizons.

4.DA- Kamala Harris created Back on Track program to help drug offenders re-enter society. Provided vocational training, counseling, parenting services, etc. Substantially reduced recidivism for participants

5.DA- Kamala Harris refused to seek the death penalty even when pressured by members of her own party due to racial disparities in how it is applied 6.DA- Created LGBT Hate Crime Unit

7.DA- Kamala Harris worked to get the first safe house in San Francisco for girls who wanted out of the sex trade 8.DA- Changed underage women/men from being treated as prostitutes to being treated as victims

9.DA/AG- Kamala Harris helped found the Center for Youth Wellness which works to improve the health of children exposed to childhood trauma

10.AG- Kamala Harris created the Bureau of Children’s Justice (BCJ) to streamline enforcement of laws that uphold children’s rights & pursue policies that improve the lives of children Unroll available on Thread Reader

11.AG- BCJ partnered w/USC to link data from the DOJ & Social Services’ case mgmt systems to enable researchers for the 1st time to better determine the overlap b/w CA’s child welfare &juvenile justice populations

12.AG- Kamala Harris’ BCJ worked to diagnose challenges in California’s juvenile justice data systems, in partnership with the Governance Lab at New York University

13.AG- BCJ worked to deliver previously unavailable juvenile justice data (from the Juvenile Court Probation Statistical Sys) to researchers at the Public Policy Institute of CA, Harvard U of Chicago,& UC Berkeley 14.AG-BCJ collaborate with the Judicial Council to develop dashboards for judges to make better decisions about adjudicated juveniles. 15.AG-Awarded Second Chance Grant to expand Back on Track to LA as AG

16.AG- As Attorney General CREATED the Division of Recidivism Reduction and Re-Entry (DR3) to reduce the number of repeat offenders

17.AG- DR3 partnered on the Court of College (C2C). The program is designed to divert young offenders from future criminal behavior through cognitive behavioral intervention & exposure to higher education

18.AG- Kamala Harris’ DR3 partnered on the Career Pathways program. It’s an out-of-custody, recidivism-reduction program that provides resources to a probation-supervised population.

19.AG- Kamala Harris’ CA DOJ was accepted into the natl Defending Childhood State Policy Initiative; a cross-sector team of state leaders to develop shared priorities to prevent/address children’s exposure to violence.

20.AG- Created the Truancy Intervention Panel to implement best practices for truancy prevention.

21.AG- BCJ in partnership w/the Ad Council & CA Endowment, conducted a study/designed a public education toolkit to help educators/community leaders communicate w/parents on the importance of kids being in school

22.AG- Created SmartJustice, a new database and analytical tool to track repeat offenders and offense trends to provide counties with more effective options in developing anti-recidivism initiatives.

23.AG- Kamala Harris issued guidance to CA law enforcement agencies outlining new responsibilities to track/report citizen complaints against peace officers, including complaints alleging racial/identity profiling

24.AG- Supported AB71 (which became law) requiring all CA law enforcement agencies to collect data on shootings & use of force by a civilian/police against the other that result in serious bodily injury or death.

25.AG- Created the first Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (“POST”) certified law enforcement training on both procedural justice and implicit bias, the first of its kind in the country.

26.AG- Instituted a body camera policy for all DOJ special agent personnel conducting field operations.

27.AG- Convened community members, incl. roundtables w/HS students from South/East LA. The topics were experiences with police and ideas on how to improve the relationship between youth & law enforcement.

28.AG-Created the 21st Century Policing Working Group to foster discussion regarding implicit bias and building community trust.

29.AG- Kamala Harris created OpenJustice, a 1st of-its-kind criminal justice open data initiative providing unprecedented data. Provides key criminal justice indicators and transparency Unroll available on Thread Reader

30.AG- Kamala Harris opened a civil pattern or practice investigations into the Kern County Sheriff’s Office 31.AG-Kamala Harris opened a civil pattern or practice investigations into Bakersfield Police Department

32.AG-Kamala Harris Created the Racial Profiling Advisory Board Unroll available on Thread Reader

33.AG- Kamala Harris issued guidance outlining the law enforcement agencies responsibilities to assist immigrant crime victims in applying for U-visas.

34.AG- Kamala Harris enlisted major law firms to provide pro-bono legal services to for unaccompanied children entering the US. She supported legislation to provide $3M to qualified CA nonprofits to provide legal aid.

35.AG-Kamala Harris sponsored Bill that allows human trafficking victims to petition court to set aside a conviction of solicitation/prostitution.

36.AG- Kamala Harris eliminated longstanding rape kit backlog of over 1,300 untested kits and significantly reduced processing times. Received the US DOJ’s Award for Professional Innovation in Victim Services

37.AG- Kamala Harris sponsored AB1644 to establish 4yr pilot to assist elementary schools in providing mental health services to students, prioritizing schools in communities with high levels of childhood trauma/ adversity

50 Times #Kamala Accomplished/Advocated for #CriminalJusticeReform 38.AG- #KamalaHarris supported Senate Bill 1143 to significantly limit the practice of isolating juveniles in room confinement. The bill was signed into law and took effect in 2018.

39.AG- Kamala Harris supported AB 1840 to require that state agencies give preference to homeless youth and formerly incarcerated youth when hiring interns and student assistants

40.AG- Kamala Harris supported AB2390 to provide a legislative fix to 2010 legislation that inadvertently removed a mechanism for juvenile offenders with good records on supervised probation to obtain honorable discharge status

41.AG- Kamala Harris supported AB1843 to ensure that juvenile records are protected from unfair and undue inquiry during employer background checks.

42.SEN- Kamala Harris reintroduced (along with colleagues) the National Criminal Justice Commission Act. Creates a National Criminal Justice Commission to review & propose reforms to address the most pressing issues facing the Criminal Justice system.

43.SEN- Kamala Harris sponsored bill that would legalize marijuana; expunge prior convictions, require re-sentencing hearings for those still under supervision;& invest money in communities adversely impacted by the War on Drugs

44.SEN- Kamala Harris sponsored the Pretrial Integrity and Safety Act of 2017 — to encourage states to reform or replace the practice of money bail.

45.SEN- Kamala Harris sponsored legislation to increase funding for public defenders, reduce their workload, and provide pay parity between prosecutors and public defenders

46.SEN- Kamala Harris introduced legislation to limit the use of solitary confinement. Also pressed Bureau of Prisons to take measures to address the significant increase in the use of restricted housing.

47.SEN- Kamala Harris sponsored legislation to end discrimination in public housing for offenders released from prison

48.SEN- Kamala Harris sponsored legislation to reform the treatment of incarcerated women in order to reduce the negative impact incarceration has on the family of women behind bars, especially their children

49.SEN-Kamala Harris sponsored legislation to establish the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men & Boys. The Commission will investigate/provide recommendations to improve the disparities Black men experience.

50.SEN- Kamala Harris worked with civil rights groups (like the NAACP LDF) to strengthen the First Step. 

MY QUESTION TO HER CRITICS: CAN YOU DO BETTER?

[nerdygaymormon]

Resources

When I write a note to a parent or in response to some of the asks I’ve received, I will sometimes share a few links of resources or info. I’m sharing these for anyone to access or to share. These are not organized in any sort of order, but I’ll give a brief description of each one. 

1)  The Ten Tips for Parents on mormonandgay are good. And since it’s from a church-sponsored site, members will accept this without much criticism.

2)  Listen Learn & Love is a website by Richard Ostler. He's a former bishop who has made loving LGBT Mormons his ministry. The site has links to many useful resources. In his podcast, Richard speaks to many queer people (some who are still in the LDS church and some who have moved on) and lets them tell their story. I think the podcast is very useful for queer members to hear people who went through, or are currently going through, things that they do. And for non-queer people, I think they’ll be moved by hearing the experiences & thoughts of queer people in their own words.

3)  I think the Family Acceptance Project’s pamphlet for LDS families is excellent. Basically it says to accept & love your kid.

4)  PFLAG has resources for families of LGBT individuals. They focus on supporting those in need, education & advocating to create a better world for LGBTQ+ people, friends, family & neighbors (and I’ve been really impressed with their Provo, UT office). PFLAG has chapters in many nations. 

5)  This is a TedTalk that speaks to reasons why Nature creates homosexuals and includes some of the character traits of gay people compared to the general population.

6)  When I come across church members who think that homosexuality is a choice, I refer them to this document put together by Dr. Bill Bradshaw. He is a BYU researcher/professor and a former mission president. He summarizes the research showing the LGBTQ orientations are biologic, not a choice or caused by parenting or cultural influences.

7)  This is long, but is the best write up I’ve seen about the LDS church’s history on homosexuality while explaining what this is like for gay Mormons. Bryce Cook put this together and it was peer-reviewed and published. It does a good job in showing that change has happened, and we can expect more change to come.

8)    Taylor Petrey is a professor who in this presentation gives me many things to think about regarding gays & lesbians and Mormonism. He speaks about a post-heterosexual Mormon theology and points out how heterosexuality is not present in many LDS creation stories. He speaks like an academic, but is so thought provoking

9)  This is a simple to follow explanation of why temple sealings for gay couples makes sense. Useful for when members say that temple sealings for gay couples can NEVER be.

10)  Josh & Lolly Weed are the most famous example of a gay man & straight woman in a marriage. They have been very open about their experiences. This is the blog post where they announced their divorce. It is very illuminating and does a great job of explaining why this sort of marriage really doesn’t work for most gay people.

11)  This is dense, but it’s a listing of all sorts of queer people and relationships in Church history (we’ve been a part of the Church since the beginning). I think it’s fascinating to read about these people, the way they were treated and influence they had.

12)  This is a video about coming out, but from a very different point of view. It’s about coming out as straight, but I found it to be sweet and relatable.

13)  This is a humorous video about coming out as gay by Wanda Sykes

14)  Family Fellowship Support Group on Facebook is meant to help  Mormon moms & dads learn how to parent their gay child. It’s a closed group so only members of the group can see what’s posted.

15)  Transactive LDS is a private group for transgender individuals or family members.

16)  Carol Lynn Pearson is a Mormon who was married to a gay man. She’s the OG of LDS allies to the queer community. You may be familiar with some of their work like My Turn On Earth. She has written several books that are, in one way or another, about being gay in the church (Goodbye, I Love You; No More Goodbyes; and The Hero's Journey of Gay and Lesbian Mormons). Most famously she wrote the Primary song “I’ll Walk with You” and she was imagining singing this to gay children as she wrote it.

17)  Tom Christofferson, brother of the apostle D Todd Christofferson, is a gay man who came back to church and wrote a book titled That We May Be One: A Gay Mormon's Perspective on Faith and Family. He emphasizes the inclusion he received from his family, and from his ward when he wanted to come back. Here's an article summarizing parts of his story

18)  Affirmation is the oldest organization for LDS/post-LDS LGBTQ+ individuals, family and allies. They have multiple Facebook pages for people in different spots of their faith journey/in what way you’re queer/if you’re an ally or parent of a queer child. 

19)   Dragon Dads is a closed Facebook group for Dads to gain support, process & support their children who are LGBTQ+ in healthy ways

20)   Mama Dragons is for moms of LGBTQIA kids, the purpose is to support healthy lives

21)   The Human Rights Campaign has an online booklet for LGBT Mormons

22)   Gay Mormon History is a site that lets people explore the history of LGBT issues in the LDS Church

23)   Elder Ballard said “We need to listen to and understand what our LGBT brothers and sisters are feeling and experiencing. Certainly, we must do better than we have done in the past so that all members feel they have a spiritual home where their brothers and sisters love them and where they have a place to worship and serve the Lord.” (BYU Question and Answer devotional from November 2017)

24)   In the best BYU devotional ever given on the subject, BYU professor Eric Huntsmans “Hard Sayings and Safe Spaces”

25)  Many LGBT members find themselves at the church schools. USGA & USGA-Rexburg are organizations where they can meet other queer people. 

26)  Members of the LGBTQ community experience are at higher risk of committing suicide than the general public. The Trevor Project helps people ages 13-24. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is available to anyone in the US. The Trans Lifeline is available in the US & Canada and it works to end transgender suicide and improve overall mental health of transgender people.

27)  Our Asexual & Aromantic church members have a closed Facebook group for them & their allies. 

28)  Many LGBT people step away from the LDS church. The Thoughtful Transitions Support Group on Facebook is meant to a safe space for people to heal and grow

29)  If you or a loved one needs therapy, there’s several options. If they are a university student in the US, they likely can access services free-of-charge at their school. Another option is to check your insurance and find the mental health professionals in your area that are covered. Try contacting the psychology dept at a local university for leads on a good therapist, or perhaps they offer some counseling services to non-students. Some members of the LDS church feel more comfortable going to see a therapist who is also LDS or who is familiar with the church. The Mormon Mental Health Association has a listing of such therapists arranged by US state & Calgary, Canada. 

[dr-archeville]

INDY Daily: North Carolina Now Has a Vaccine Lottery

It’s Friday, June 11

Thank you to this week's sponsor, Durham Summer, a new annual four-day festival that showcases the contemporary cuisine, music, and independent arts of Durham. Don't miss the chance to enjoy Durham’s multicultural cuisine, restaurant and music communities, craft breweries, wineries and meaderies, as well as small businesses, local farmers, and international chef personalities. Adding to all of this will be performances by the best names in live music and entertainment.

Good morning, readers.

When the first state, Ohio I believe, introduced a vaccine lottery, I couldn't help but think what an embarrassing, yet perfect, idea it was – something that's sure to work to get more people to take the shot.  And here North Carolina is today, with a brand new vaccine lottery of its own.

How does it work?

All North Carolinians age 18 and over who have received at least one dose of vaccine will be automatically entered into four drawings taking place over the summer that will offer a chance to win a $1 million cash prize.

Additionally, four North Carolinians ages 12-17 who receive their first dose of the vaccine will be entered to win $125,000 in funds towards post-secondary education.

The lottery program uses federal Coronavirus Relief Funds and will be administered with assistance from North Carolina's state lottery director.  Drawings will take place every other Wednesday beginning on June 23 and winners will then be verified and announced.

"This is your shot at a million.  Regardless of who wins, there’s no way to lose," Governor Cooper, who announced the initiative yesterday, said in a press statement.  "A chance at a million dollars is pretty good motivation.  But even if your name isn’t drawn, the worst you’ll do is get strong protection from a deadly virus."

The $4 Million Summer Cash and Summer Cash for College drawings will run from June 23 through August 4 and any North Carolinian who has been vaccinated will have their name entered.  Those vaccinated after yesterday's announcement will be entered twice for each drawing, increasing the chance of winning for the newly vaccinated.

In North Carolina, about 54 percent of adults in the state have received at least one dose of vaccine, compared with the national rate of 63 percent.  President Joe Biden wants to get 70 percent of the U.S. population vaccinated by July Fourth, so North Carolina is a bit behind. The million dollar incentives will surely help.

Get your shots, folks, if you haven't already.  May the odds be ever in your favor.

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[Nikole Hannah-Jones]

Orange County

Attorneys for UNC-Chapel Hill met with Nikole Hannah-Jones's legal team Thursday to work to find a "potential resolution" to the fight over offering Hannah-Jones tenure. But students, faculty, and some members of the university’s Board of Trustees say the damage has been done to the school’s reputation, trust in university leadership, and the norms under which the school has long operated.

Twenty-one members of the UNC Black Pioneers – a group of Black alumni who graduated between 1952 and 1972 – released a letter this week calling on the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees to act on granting Nikole Hannah-Jones tenure.

Chapel Hill Transit will bring back six routes that had been suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic for service starting in August. 

The Student Health Action Coalition is the first student-run free clinic in the nation and it provides accessible, high quality healthcare services to people in the UNC community.

Durham County

Two Durham residents are suing the City of Durham and four of its city council members, arguing that they violated the state's open meetings laws during a public appearance in which the members discussed funding cuts to the police department. Attorneys for residents Deborah Friedman and Mark Rodin filed the complaint that states that Jillian Johnson and fellow council members Javiera Caballero, Charlie Reece, and Pierce Freelon violated the law by appearing together in a virtual town hall in which the members pledged to redirect 10 percent of the police department budget to alternative budgets.

A high school student at Durham School of the Arts explains why it's time for Durham Public Schools to abolish its dress code policy.

[Activists lobby at the General Assembly against two anti-immigrant bills. Photo by Caryl Espinoza Jaen.]

Wake County

County leaders will meet this morning to discuss why Apple chose the Research Triangle Park as the site to open its new east coast campus.

Raleigh held a forum last night where the three candidates for the open position of police chief made their cases. Check our website today for more on this story.

Elsewhere

Latinx activists lobbied at the General Assembly this week to protest two anti-immigrant bills that would strengthen local governments' ties with ICE and would prohibit them from creating sanctuary policies, orders, and procedures.

An inmate on North Carolina's death row filed a grievance with the state Department of Public Safety after he was denied the opportunity to complete a privately funded bachelor's degree program. 

A team of advocates and experts unveiled a Blueprint for a Stronger Democracy for North Carolina to follow to improve voting, fight corruption, and promote good government.

Weekend reading: A deep dive exploring how Black and Latino workers in North Carolina had to play Russian Roulette during the COVID-19 pandemic and how heavy the toll has been.

Statewide COVID-19 by the numbers: Thursday, June 10

464 New lab-confirmed cases (1,007,273 total; seven-day average trending down)

548 Current hospitalizations reported (seven-day average trending down; 13,246 total deaths, +16 over Thursday

22,224 Completed tests (13.45 million total; most recent positive rate was 1.8 percent)

8,510,205 Total vaccinations administered (State data not updated daily)

Today's weather

Mostly cloudy skies with scattered showers and storms, highs in the mid-80s.

Song of the day

Cochonne – Omega "With all the stalking three-note bass lines, anxious guitars, and yelping incantations you could want from such a period piece, Cochonne's self titled album also has a special sauce: the mock innocence of ‘60s French yé-yé."

— Jane Porter— Send me an email | Find me on Twitter

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[khalilhumam]

Six policies to address social problems affecting Black boys and men

New Post has been published on http://khalilhumam.com/six-policies-to-address-social-problems-affecting-black-boys-and-men/

Six policies to address social problems affecting Black boys and men

By Ashleigh Maciolek Last month, the Center on Children and Families and the Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion Initiative hosted an event to review the unique situation of Black men in the United States and to discuss possible policy directions for improving their social and economic outcomes and opportunities. The unique challenges facing Black boys and men require a specific set of policy responses, from the earliest days of life through adulthood. A key theme of the event was that policymakers must pay particular attention to the intersection of institutionalized racism and sexism in society and they must be intentional with their support for Black boys and men. Anything less than systemic change will allow the current system to continue to function as it was originally designed—to the detriment of Black men. To that end, the experts identified six key policy areas to systemically address the challenges Black boys and men face:

Criminal justice reform: To truly address the social issues problems affecting Black boys and men, there must be significant reform to the criminal justice system. Black men are drastically overrepresented in the prison population, accounting for 32% of the prison population but only 6% of the overall U.S. population. They are five times more likely to be incarcerated during their lifetime than white men and they are more likely to serve longer sentences than white men (on average, 19% longer). This reality has multiplicative effects on the life chances of Black men. They face barriers in finding employment and housing, many lose the right to vote, and many lack access to social services, including federal student aid. All of this taken together reduces the economic opportunities available to Black men and hinders their role in social and family life. To address these obstacles, criminal justice reform must be made a policy priority. The objective should be first, to reduce the number of Black men behind bars and second, to improve re-entry conditions.

Improving the education system: As compared to Black women, white men, and white women, Black men have lower levels of educational attainment. Only about 28% of Black men (aged 25-29) have a bachelor’s degree or higher, while about 30% of Black women, over 40% of white men, and nearly 50% of white women do. Comparatively, Black men have fewer opportunities to receive higher education because those with a felony record face limited access to federal student loans. Moreover, many of the service providers within the educational system do not cultivate the full potential of Black male students. This includes grading biases, higher suspension and expulsion rates, higher rates of in-school arrests, lack of Black male role models within the school, and other forms of overt and covert racism. To improve the economic outcomes for Black men, there needs to be a policy response to these educational disparities. First, federal student loans should be made available to those with a felony conviction because it will provide many Black males with the opportunity to further their education. Second, the infrastructure of the education system should be improved to better support Black male students so that they can achieve their full academic potential.

Improving employment rates and opportunities: On average, Black men experience higher unemployment rates, lower labor force participation rates, and lower earnings than their white male counterparts. These trends are not only indicative of lower economic power, but also lower access to quality healthcare, and fewer social connections. Dr. Rashawn Ray noted that there are about 1.5 million Black men missing from social life entirely. To address this, policy should promote better employment opportunities for Black men. As a starting place, improving educational outcomes for Black boys and men will consequently improve their chances in the labor market. But beyond that, policy should aim to match unemployed Black men with gaps in the labor market. Most prominently, there is rapid growth within the HEAL sectors (health, education, administration, and literacy) and a lack of Black men in these roles. Policy should respond by providing scholarships and other incentives to encourage more Black men to become nurses, health aides, teachers, social workers, and other similar professions.

Place-based policies: In 2017, 26% of Black households lived in high-poverty neighborhoods as compared to just 5% of white households. High-poverty neighborhoods are typically characterized by poorer quality schools, less access to jobs, social networks, and health care, and higher rates of crime, pollution, congestion, and noise. Moreover, evidence suggests that boys tend to be more sensitive to their environment growing up, which often materializes in behavioral issues, lower educational attainment, lower earnings and more. Therefore, to address some of these adverse outcomes for Black boys and men, there should be greater investment in neighborhoods. Effectively designed and implemented place-based policies can improve the chances for Black men and their families, and ultimately restore communities. Using the opportunity zone model, these policies can provide neighborhoods with greater resources and invest money in areas that need it. But as Dr. Sean Joe noted, they need to better facilitate opportunity structures within the region and not for external actors (e.g., developers).

Mentorship programs: Mentorship programs (such as the Mentoring Alliance led by Dr. Sean Joe) for Black boys and men have been a vital part of strengthening connections within a community. Providing young Black boys with access to a Black male role model has the potential to benefit them across several areas, including academic performance, mental health, social and emotional well-being, and preventing risky behaviors. While mentorship programs should be promoted through public policy (i.e., greater investment), the scholars emphasized that the approach must be deliberate. Specifically, Dr. Rashawn Ray emphasized that mentors must exhibit four qualities: positive, academic, accessible, and visible. Black boys should be able to see and touch successful Black men. Richard Reeves added that they should be durable because mentors that come and go often do more harm than good. And finally, Dr. Sean Joe commented that there must be a shift away from “savior-ship” to sponsorship. Black men must be willing to sponsor Black boys into opportunities (e.g., jobs) to make a difference in their lives.

Reparations: The final policy area suggested during the panel discussion were reparations to be paid to American descendants of slavery. The racial gaps present in wealth, income, housing value, educational attainment, health status, employment, incarceration rates, and more are all the result of deep racism within the U.S., stemming from the egregious act of slavery. Reparations can be used to correct this injustice and to reduce the disparities that remain pervasive in society. During the conversation, Dr. Rashawn Ray said that reparations are the only way to deal with racism in America and that the country must “provide restitution for the centuries of the way that systemic racism has operated in our country.” While there is momentum on some national level reparation policies, Richard Reeves suggests that reparation payments at the local level are also viable. The policy of reparations—including how they are issued, how they are financed, and at what level—must be explored.

[newstechreviews]

Rising 34 stories above Bangkok’s Phetchaburi Road, the Thai Summit Tower is the headquarters of Thailand’s largest car parts manufacturer. Until recently, it was also home to an upstart political party headed by the company’s 41-year-old heir, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit. On the fifth floor, he and the fresh-faced activists of the Future Forward Party (FFP) would hold boisterous press conferences and hushed policy meetings. They gained 17% of the vote in last year’s general election despite being barely a year old.

That remarkable showing should have thrust 81 FFP lawmakers into Thailand’s 750-seat National Assembly. But the political establishment struck back. First, Thanathorn was banned from politics over shares he allegedly held in a media company. (Thai law says electoral candidates cannot hold such shares; Thanathorn insists they had been transferred to his mother.) Then, on Feb. 21, the party was dissolved over alleged funding irregularities. The legal action was described as “politically motivated” by Human Rights Watch. With it, the political will of 6.3 million voters was snuffed out.

Sitting down with TIME in the week before that decision, Thanathorn was sanguine. Over the past two decades, populist governments in Thailand have been removed from power twice by the military and three times by the courts. The FFP may have been a long way from Government House but the power nexus centered around the palace, the courts and the military was evidently spooked.

“The Future Forward Party is a vehicle, but even if they dissolve us, we will continue the journey,” shrugged Thanathorn at the time. “This year, I’m sure, with me leading, or otherwise, we’ll return to public demonstrations.”

That’s to be expected. In the parlance of travel marketing, Thailand has long been sold as the Land of Smiles, but it could just as fairly be called the Land of Protests or Country of Coups. The Southeast Asian nation of 70 million has gone through seven attempted and 12 successful coups over the past century, while recent years have been punctuated by color-coded street protests aimed at paralyzing the sprawling capital. (Urban and southern royalists typically don yellow; rural voters from populous, rice-growing northern provinces wear red.)

Today, people are taking to the street once again. Clad in face masks, and flashing the three-fingered Hunger Games salute to the sound of Thai rap, thousands of protesters have thronged the capital over recent months, demanding political reform of a military-backed government seen as bungling and corrupt. While political grievances have festered for decades, “the FFP dissolution was the last straw,” says Thitinan Pongsudhirak, associate professor of political science at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University.

In terms of numbers, these are the biggest demonstrations since those preceding the 2014 coup d’état. In their ambition, however, they are unprecedented. Protesters have drawn up a 10-point manifesto that includes reform of the sacrosanct royal family and an overhaul of political institutions including a new constitution and elections. Coup leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha—now serving as prime minister, largely owing to a new constitution dictated by the military—warned last month that the protesters “really went too far.”

University and high school students are in the vanguard. Thitinan hasn’t seen anything like it in 27 years of academia. “The students feel empowered, they are wide awake, pay more attention, nobody’s falling asleep in class,” he says. “It’s astonishing for me, personally, as a teacher.”

Young Thais are also being galvanized by the pandemic, given the damage to Thailand’s tourism-reliant economy, which is forecast to shrink by 8-10% this year—the sharpest contraction in Southeast Asia. Coronavirus’ role in stoking the protests has “been huge, as people don’t see a future,” Thanathorn says. “The anger is there. It’s waiting to burst.”

Soe Zeya—Reuters Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit of Thailand’s progressive Future Forward Party gestures to his supporters at a rally in Bangkok, Thailand on Dec. 14, 2019.

‘It’s divide and conquer’

Instability in Thailand matters. It is America’s oldest ally in Asia and has served as a bulwark to more authoritarian, left-leaning neighbors ever since the Thai establishment, backed by Washington, constructed a national identity and cult of personality around Massachusetts-born King Bhumibol Adulyadej. During the 60s and 70s, huge posters of Bhumibol, paid for by American taxpayers, were distributed across the country to help win over hearts and minds in the face of a communist insurgency. But as the Cold War thawed, Bhumibol’s influence faded along with his health. By the time of his death in 2016, he remained an object of veneration for ordinary Thais but his role had morphed from a guarantor of political stability to underwriter of enormous wealth for courtiers and brass hats.

The latter still grip the levers of power. In the diplomatic vacuum left by the isolationist America First policy of President Trump, the junta has pushed Thailand towards China. Bangkok and Beijing have inked joint development projects and arms purchases, and the Thais have repatriated Chinese dissidents with scant regard to due process.

“As Washington condemned the [2014] coup and the junta cracked down on dissent, Beijing sidled up with infrastructure funding deals and promises of no-strings support,” says Sebastian Strangio, author of In the Dragon’s Shadow: Southeast Asia in the Chinese Century.

Meanwhile the relationship between palace and army continues to be extremely close (Thai historian Thak Chaloemtiarana calls it “despotic paternalism”) and the stock justification for every military intervention remains “protection of the monarchy.” Thanathorn is not alone when he says the generals are responsible for Thailand’s cycle of protests and coups.

“We have enough evidence to show that a military-sponsored information operation installs hatred into society,” he says. “It’s divide and conquer.”

The military is getting richer in the process, controlling golf courses, horse-racing tracks and muay Thai stadiums. It owns hotel chains, conference centers, free trade zones and even TV and radio stations. In parliament, the 81 senators who are also generals have an average wealth of 78 million baht ($2.5 million) each, but 40 years of a general’s official earnings amounts to 48 million baht ($1.5 million)—and that’s assuming not a satang (or penny) is spent. According to legislative documents obtained by the FFP, Thailand’s military had off-budget spending of 18 billion baht ($580,000,000) last year.

“It’s a state within a state,” says Thanathorn. “Even MPs cannot see through their budgets, cannot audit income [and] expenses. Imagine if we used this money for schools and hospitals.”

On Feb. 8 and 9, the venality turned deadly. In Korat, a city 180 miles northeast of Bangkok, a soldier went on a killing spree that claimed 29 lives and wounded 58 others. The deadliest mass shooting in Thailand’s history began with the 31-year-old perpetrator slaying a superior officer, as well as the officer’s mother-in-law, whom he accused of cheating him in a lucrative land deal. He was eventually cornered in a shopping mall and killed. “Rich from cheating and taking advantage of people” he posted online during the rampage. “Do they think they can take money to spend in hell?”

In the wake of national mourning, reforms were promised. Still, in a tearful address, Thailand’s top general, Apirat Kongsompong, referred to the military as a “sacred” institution.

“What the hell? It’s a freaking army,” says Tony Davis, a Bangkok-based security analyst for IHS-Janes. “Every country needs one but do your job properly instead of floundering around in business activities.”

For Thanathorn, Korat offered “the best opportunity in 100 years” to push for reform. “We should not let those families suffer for nothing.”

Mladen Antonov—AFP/Getty Images A Bangkok inscription on a sky train bridge is seen through the hole of a banner during a commemoration of the anniversary of the 1932 revolution which ended absolute monarchy with heavily symbolic events in Bangkok on June 24, 2020, demanding reforms to a political system dominated by the arch-royalist army.

‘He’s pressing all the buttons’

Despite his considerable wealth, Thanathorn has long been an iconoclast. His uncle served as minister of transport between 2002 and 2005 and is now a senior figure in Thailand’s biggest pro-military party, but Thanathorn insists his family were always outsiders. His grandfather emigrated to Thailand from southern China’s Fujian province in the early 20th century. In 1977, Thanathorn’s father started Thai Summit, and he says he grew up in a middle-class household, walking or taking the bus to class like his peers. It wasn’t until high school that the family firm started booming on the strength of lucrative contracts with Japanese auto firms, beginning its transformation into an empire with $2.5 billion in annual revenue.

“That’s when I could see the gap between me and my friends,” Thanathorn says.

It’s also when Thailand’s glass ceiling became apparent. “When we began having wealth, my parents wanted to be recognized, to be one of the elite,” he says. “They tried to donate, to mingle with politicians and people in power. But we learned no matter how much we tried, we cannot be one of them, because we are new rich. So my parents stopped trying.”

But they refused to spoil the princeling. From the age of ten, Thanathorn was sent during school holidays to toil in restaurants, washing dishes and scrubbing floors. At a hotel, he lugged bags and cleaned rooms. He loaded pallets of goods onto sooty trucks at a warehouse.

“I wasn’t very happy about it at the time,” he laughs, “but I learned the gap between rich and poor. But back then, I didn’t think that it was structural. I didn’t know whether this gap was about opportunities or individual performance.”

It was while studying mechanical engineering at Bangkok’s Thammasat University that he had an awakening. “In my second year, I went to a slum in Bangkok for the first time,” he says, “My thinking changed drastically because I saw the social struggle.”

Thanathorn became a student activist for progressive causes, campaigning for issues like compensation for those evicted to make way for state development projects. Then he studied at Nottingham University in the U.K., where he became involved with the student branch of the far-left Socialist Workers Party. “I learned the way they mobilize, the way they organize,” he says. Afterward, a joint masters in global finance between Hong Kong University and NYU beckoned.

For Thanathorn, those studies laid bare the realities of Thailand’s kleptocratic economy. Minimal property taxes mean the rich can sit on huge assets, while many sectors are sealed off from competition. For example, craft breweries have sprung up across the world to cater for a new generation of beer fans. In Thailand, however, selling small-batch brew is banned under a decades-old law that shields two huge family-run corporations, which monopolize 90% of a $5.7-billion market. And while in most countries, several duty-free concessions are assigned for commercial airports—Seoul’s Incheon International Airport has a dozen—in Thailand, one firm with close government ties has been awarded the sole concession to Bangkok’s main airports for over two decades without formal bids, creating a multi-billion-dollar family empire from scratch. In Thailand, “you create billionaires within one generation without innovation or anything,” says Thanathorn.

After completing his studies, Thanathorn had plans to pursue a career in international development with the U.N. But following his father’s death from cancer in 2002, he returned to Thailand to assume leadership of Thai Summit at just 23, helming it for 17 years until he founded the FFP.

His political style wasn’t without detractors. Many disagreed with Thanathorn’s abrasive tactics, such as his public shaming of senior establishment figures—not done under Thailand’s strict social codes.

“He’s pressing all the buttons that are guaranteed to rile [the elite] instead of framing the problem in a manner which they cannot dispute,” says Davis.

Even those who have built a career out of needling the establishment harbor doubts. The political artist Headache Stencil—dubbed “Thailand’s Banksy,” says “Thanathorn is more like a revolutionary than a political leader … But he can shepherd the transition to someone else who is calmer and more suited to lead.”

But large numbers of voters were won over by the self-styled “billionaire commoner” with the sharp, handsome features and boy-band spiky hair. According to a late 2019 poll by the National Institute of Development Administration, 31% of respondents tabbed Thanathorn as best qualified to be prime minister, with Prayut named by just 23%.

Jonas Gratzer—LightRocket/Getty Images Protesters perform a ‘Hunger Games’ three finger salute during anti-government demonstration in Bangkok on Aug. 16, 2020.

‘Thailand’s inconvenient truth’

Father to four young children, Thanathorn professes a love of reading everything from Khaled Hosseini to Game of Thrones. “I preferred the books to the TV series,” he says.

There is certainly no end of palace intrigue in Thailand. After a string of scandals—and with his lavish, eccentric lifestyle—King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Bhumibol’s son, has failed to command the same respect as his father. The four-times married, former Air Force pilot once promoted his pet poodle, Fu-Fu, to the rank of Air Chief Marshall. Since ascending the throne, he’s consolidated power while spending much of his time overseas. In 2017, the King introduced a new salute and haircut for the armed forces to match those of his own bodyguards. That same year, a 1936 law was amended to give him full control of the Crown Property Bureau, which manages the palace’s estimated $30 billion fortune. Last October, he ordered the transfer of two prestigious army units to his direct command, making them an effective “praetorian guard,” says Davis.

On Sept. 2, reports emerged that the King’s former consort, Sineenat Wongvajirapakdi—who last year was arrested, stripped of all royal titles and had her family home demolished for disloyalty—was suddenly deemed “untainted” and had her privileges restored. The hashtags #FreeOfBlemish and #ReformTheMonarchy were top trends on Twitter in Thailand after the news broke.

“The King’s treatment of Sineenat as a possession, put away and taken out at his will, is one of many reasons why protesters in Thailand have broached the taboo topic of the monarchy,” says Tamara Loos, professor of history and Thai studies at Cornell University.

That such lurid plots play out against the backdrop of Thailand’s worst economic crisis since 1997 incenses young Thais. Unbound by the same existential fear of creeping communism as their parents and grandparents, today’s youth demand a more equitable society. But the Thai monarch is protected by what are considered the world’s harshest royal defamation laws—known as lèse majesté or Section 112—that carry a penalty of 15 years in prison, and which have increasingly been used to quash dissent.

On June 4, a Thai democracy activist, Wanchalearm Satsaksit, was kidnapped in Cambodia and is believed murdered. He was on a government list of 29 exiled activists accused of violating Section 112, of whom at least eight have disappeared or been discovered dead. The situation inside Thailand is also deteriorating. On 9 July, a man from Thailand’s northeast was thrown into a psychiatric hospital for wearing a shirt emblazoned with, “I’ve lost faith in the institution of the monarchy.” One protest leader, human rights lawyer Anon Nampa, who has been outspoken in calling for royal reform, has been arrested three times in recent weeks and charged with sedition. “Thailand’s inconvenient truth” is how Thanathorn describes co-option of the royal institution.

“Let me be clear about this: reforming the monarchy does not equal abolishing the monarchy,’ he says. “It’s the powers and goals of the monarchy that don’t suit the principle of democracy that have to be changed.”

Thanathorn says he and the current protesters “share the same ideas about the future of the country” but have chosen different paths—within the system and outside it. His ban from politics means he cannot stand for election, though a loophole has seen him appointed by sympathetic lawmakers to a budget scrutiny committee, which has already trimmed $1 billion from the books, including the cancellation of two Chinese-built submarines for the military. Thanathorn has also broken a taboo by openly questioning the royal budget.

It’s a risky strategy. The government still holds all the cards, including the backing of the parliament, military, palace and judiciary. Thanathorn has already been charged with seeking to abolish the monarchy and sedition, though was acquitted on both counts. Other than disappeared and caged activists, in recent years two anti-establishment Thai prime ministers have been forced into exile and convicted in absentia on charges they claim were politically motivated. Thanathorn insists he won’t flee his homeland even if it means jail—or worse.

“So be it, I’m not afraid,” he says. “If I don’t do this, I don’t see anyone else doing it.”

[michaelaconley]

Assistant / Associate Professor in Public Health Education at UNC Greensboro

New Post has been published on https://www.hpcareer.net/job/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro-greensboro-nc-39-assistant-associate-professor-in-public-health-education-at-unc-greensboro/

Assistant / Associate Professor in Public Health Education at UNC Greensboro

Position Summary

The Department of Public Health Education (PHE) at UNC Greensboro is excited to invite applications for a Tenure-Track / Tenured faculty position at the Assistant/Associate level. The position will begin August 1, 2020.

We are seeking collaborative and productive scholars to join our dynamic campus and department to: (a) maintain a productive program of research that complements and/or extends departmental strengths, (b) seek external funding appropriate to support their program of research, (c) teach and mentor in the department’s graduate and undergraduate programs, (d) take a strong role in doctoral student development, including recruiting and mentoring students, and (e) provide service to the department, school, university, and profession,

Our department is composed of an interdisciplinary, community-engaged group of scholars with diverse research interests in health education, health promotion, prevention science, and social justice. Our faculty conduct research on topics such as sexual and reproductive health, global health, health coaching, health equity, worksite wellness, and the prevention or amelioration of substance use, violence, and cardiovascular disease. Our work spans many populations (e.g., adolescents, women, athletes, immigrants, refugees, and workers/employers) and many settings (e.g., communities, schools, health care systems, and worksites). Faculty also hold leadership positions in the Institute to Promote Athlete Health and Wellness and the Center for Women’s Health and Wellness and have collaborators across the School for Health and Human Sciences and across the university, state, and nation. In addition to candidates who could complement our existing strengths, we would particularly welcome candidates who could build our research strengths in chronic disease and obesity prevention or management, health policy, and / or implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of evidence-based interventions.

Review of applications will begin on November 18, 2019. We will continue to accept and review applications until the position is filled.

Minimum Qualifications

The successful candidate must have:

A Doctoral degree (PhD, ScD, DrPH, EdD) in Public Health or related field

Demonstrated excellence in teaching

Evidence of scholarly productivity (e.g., peer-reviewed publications, external funding)

Preferred Qualifications

Additional consideration will be given to candidates who also have one or more of the following:

A record of external grant support

Experience mentoring graduate students

Ability to mentor doctoral students in quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods

Experience with online instruction and / or curriculum development

Expertise in intervention research and / or evaluation

Expertise in implementation and dissemination research

MCHES or CHES (Certified Health Education Specialist) certification

University

UNC Greensboro is a doctoral research-intensive university and a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), with over 20,000 students. Our institution has been ranked among the “Great Colleges to Work For” by the Chronicle of Higher Education. The university is celebrated for both its strong research and its community engagement in curriculum, outreach, and partnerships. Specifically, UNC Greensboro is one of about 50 institutions to be classified as both a Community-Engaged and a High-Research Activity University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education. In 2018, UNC Greensboro was one of only 100 institutions that received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine for demonstrating an exceptional commitment to diversity and inclusion. The university has outstanding campus resources for faculty to excel in both teaching and research, including the Office of Sponsored Programs, Digital ACT Studio, and the University Teaching and Learning Commons.

Department

The Department of Public Health Education, which includes 20 full-time faculty members, is a highly active center of research, teaching, and community engagement. We are committed to social justice, diversity, and inclusivity in all aspects of our work. Members of our department often collaborate with external partners to impact local and global communities. Our faculty have received external funding from private, local, and federal agencies to support their work. Our department offers three public health degree programs in Community Health Education (a PhD program, a CEPH-accredited MPH program, and a campus-based B.S. program). We also offer an online B.S. program in Health Studies, which was ranked #1 best online Public Health Degree in 2018 by the SR Education Group. In addition, we just began offering two post baccalaureate certificates: one in Workplace Wellness and one in Health and Wellness Coaching.

Community

Greensboro, North Carolina’s third-largest city, is a culturally rich community of about 275,000 residents. The city is often described as a “City with a small-town feel.” With seven higher education institutions in the immediate area, a large industrial base, and proximity to the Research Triangle, it is an attractive location for dual career families as well as for researchers who want to collaborate with a diverse set of scholars and to reach diverse populations. Greensboro has a rich history in the Civil Rights Movement and has emerged as a favored destination for foreign-born nationals with some 90+ languages represented in the local school system. The city boasts a vibrant downtown, with a mix of shops, restaurants, offices, and museums, and hosts multiple festivals and events. Greensboro has an outstanding park and greenway network with opportunities for walking, hiking, running, kayaking, and road and mountain bicycling. Located about halfway between Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Greensboro provides easy access to the Blue Ridge Mountains (2 hours to the west) and the Atlantic Ocean (3.5 hours to the east).

[loudlytransparenttrash]

This Week Within Our Country

An illegal immigrant who was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement by San Francisco police is to be awarded $190,000. Pedro Figueroa-Zarceno sued the city of San Francisco for violating its own sanctuary laws when police officers at Southern Station allegedly cooperated with immigration authorities to detain him. “It’s really important for San Francisco to remain a sanctuary city not in name only but also in practice,” said Saira Hussain, the attorney who represented Figueroa-Zarceno. She says that she hopes the settlement will encourage the city to follow its own sanctuary laws.

California became the seventh state to join the lawsuit challenging President Trump’s revised travel ban. So they’re against travel bans, eh? State Attorney General Xavier Becerra, the same guy who blasted Trump’s travel ban, announced the state is extending its state-funded and state-sponsored travel ban to four more red states: Alabama, Kentucky, South Dakota and Texas, which join Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee in being targeted by AB 1887, which attacks states that it says have laws discriminating against the LGBTQ community. AB 1887 became law on January 1; it states that California does not support or finance "discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people." Yet it boasts sanctuary cities for illegal immigrants and fights to welcome people from countries where killing, imprisoning and torturing LGBT people is legal and common practice.

A black Mississippi high school graduate sued her school district this week after she shared valedictorian status with a white student. The student and her mother are under the impression that the white student had a lower GPA and the only reason she wasn’t the outright winner was because of racism, despite the Mississippi school district confirming both students had the exact same GPA. As such, under school board policy, they were both named valedictorian of their graduating class. Still, it’s racism. The student and her mother have launched a “Justice for Jasmine” Facebook page. “The outpouring of good wishes and prayers have brought encouragement at some of the most darkest hours,” a recent post reads. The lawsuit seeks an unknown amount of money and wants Shephard to be declared the only valedictorian.

There is a growing split among Black Lives Matter and the LGBT movement. First they demanded for black and blown stripes to be included into the flag, now Black Lives Matter have published an open letter slamming NYC Pride for having police helping protect their parade, saying Pride events are not doing a good enough job at recognizing the dangers blacks face by the military forces (police). Black Lives Matter NYC said they hoped a dialogue with NYC Pride organizers would begin "about the safety of black and brown folks." BLM had three main demands for Pride: The removal of uniformed police from future events, a commitment to transform Pride events to center the lives of black communities and “the honoring of our ancestors and elders with true integrity.”

The White House notched a policy win when the House of Representatives passed a pair of Trump-backed immigration enforcement bills. The bills, which target sanctuary cities and illegal immigrants who re-enter the U.S. after being deported, are the first immigration legislation that Congress has advanced since Trump took office. If the 52 Senate Republicans want to get Trump’s signature, they will have to persuade at least eight of their Democratic colleagues to break party ranks. Kate’s Law looks the most likely to pass, while the “No Sanctuary for Criminals” bill on the other hand enjoys far less support on the Democratic side, just three House Democrats voted for it.

A self-professed asexual, genderqueer woman hopes her five year-old daughter also turns out to be “queer,” after already converting her daughter to identify as a boy. B.R. Sanders, a woman who identifies as transgender and a member of a polyamorous relationship, raises “Arthur” with her two other queer partners, Jon and Samantha. “Arthur” was actually born a female, but they decided at the age of three that he was a boy. Now Arthur presents as a boy. “When Arthur displayed a great deal of gender non-conforming behavior as a teensy child, we all welcomed it.” Sanders also says it would be strange for them if her child decided she was straight. “We do joke that it will be strange if Arthur comes out to us as straight,” she says. “We’re all half-expecting him to turn out like us.”

CNN has been exposed for pushing the false Russia-Trump collusion myth. There has been a number of instances now in which CNN either misrepresented the facts or completely botched a story. Recently they have had to retract several stories and several employers have been laid off. Employees have also been caught saying the Russia story doesn’t exist and they are only pushing it for ratings and because they don’t like Trump. Leadership at CNN decided to impose new rules on Russia coverage because the latest bungled stories seemingly proved to be the tipping point for the higher-ups. The New York Times have also had to retract their Russia claims.

Members of a Jewish LGBT group in Chicago were harassed, screamed at and berated before being publicly ousted from the Chicago’s “Dyke March,” which is part of Chicago Pride but is meant to be “more inclusive.” The organizers said their Jewish rainbow banner made other marchers feel “unsafe” so it was within their rights to remove the Jewish LGBT group altogether. Dyke March participants said that the attendees were “pro-Palestinian” because “Dyke Marches across the country are meant to represent the struggle of oppressed people.”

A black Mississippi man who thinks the state flag symbolizes white supremacy is taking his case to the U.S. Supreme Court. His lawsuit claims the flag to be “state-sanctioned hate speech” and wants it removed. He also claims the flag violates his constitutional right to equal protection. Several cities and towns, as well as all eight of the state’s public universities, have stopped flying the flag due to concerns that it is offensive to the state’s black population. Should the Supreme Court decide to take the lawsuit, a decision in favor could mean the banning of all official use of Confederate imagery across the country. The Supreme Court will address the case in October.

A gender-neutral option was made available on Washington, D.C. driver’s licenses, making D.C. the first in the nation to offer such and option. “X,” the new gender neutral identifier, is now featured alongside “M” and “F,” to accommodate D.C. citizens who identify as a “non-binary” gender. D.C. residents will also now be allowed to change the gender on their I.D. to whichever they identify as, without being required to get signed approval from a health care provider before changing their gender. Oregon is the next jurisdiction lined up to offer a gender neutral option in its state issued licenses.

In a worrying growing trend, another black criminal filmed himself starting a gun battle with police. He started streaming what was happening on his cellphone, telling this audience, "They're about to kill me.” The incident was precipitated by officers serving a warrant as part of an investigation into a March 31 killing. Officers noticed one of the homicide suspects, who fled with the police in pursuit. That pursuit led to El Segundo where the suspect ditched his car and ran through an apartment complex shooting at multiple officers. 

Canadian Conservative senators have blocked a bill approved by Justin Trudeau that would have made the country’s national anthem lyrics gender neutral and more inclusive of women. It tried to change the national anthem lyrics by altering the line “in all thy sons commands” to “in all of us command” in a bid to make the anthem more inclusive and remove gendered language from the anthem. Senator David Wells explained his opposition to the bill, saying national symbols shouldn’t be changed to the “flavor of the day” and added that the Canadians weren’t actually consulted on the change.

[oselatra]

In response to the Oct. 16 Arkansas Blog post "UA Little Rock picks firm to study football"

I guess UALR has money to waste. This study will probably conclude with the same results the 30 Crossing [study] did, i.e. this is a "have to" idea.

From the web

In response to the Oct. 16 Arkansas Blog post "UA Little Rock picks firm to study football":

I guess UALR has money to waste. This study will probably conclude with the same results the 30 Crossing [study] did, i.e. this is a "have to" idea. Then UALR can follow the ASU model of funding it, charge the students, use tax dollars, and borrow from the budgets of other departments.

arkdemocrat

Great idea. Then let big daddy UA give them Bielema to finish out his contract as their coach. He'll probably last about a month in that job given the "talent" that surely exists at UALR. That should be enough to save UA the cost of firing him or buying out the contract.

Razorblade

If UALR is fortunate enough to gain a marching band, I pray that they'll have saucy majorettes instead of those whiney flag squads.

louie

No no no no.

Who thinks this is remotely a good idea? With the growing evidence of health concerns combined with the vast majority of schools losing money on football, what the what?

Their AD answered the question — don't waste money, especially if it's a veiled excuse to try and save the crappy War Memorial Stadium. That ship has sailed and so should any serious thought that money should be spent to discover something already answered.

yapperjohn

Look for a "study" that says, "It's Time For Some Big-Time Collegiate Football in War Memorial Stadium!" Schools don't puke up big bux for studies that say, "Naw, You Small-Time Colleges With No On-Campus Student Body Would Be Pissing Money Down a Rat Hole If You Ponied Up $5M a Year for a Top Rated Coach Like Bret Bielema to Put You in the Alabama-Buckeyes Big Time." Claude Bahls

Well, it's a good thing they aren't wasting any of that money on expanding academic programs or scholarships for underrepresented populations.

tsallernarng

A feasibility study does not actually give a recommendation. It puts numbers on start-up and annual costs. Those numbers are based on things like what stadium will be used, what conferences the school can play in, and what the average revenue and expenses of programs in those conferences are like.

LRreporter

In response to the Oct. 16 Arkansas Blog post "Fort Smith legislator paid almost $700,000 on port concept. A waste, says one evaluation.":

Conservative welfare at its finest.

What is it about Fort Smith elected officials? Jake Files and now this guy. I think the finances of all our legislators need to be examined.

Poison Apple

Does [Mat] Pitsch have ANY professional qualifications in the freight transportation area? The Arkansas Department of Transportation has multimodal planning responsibilities and actually has qualified consultants on retainer for river port studies. This should have come through them IF there was a need to study, which there was not.

Arbiter of All Things AOAT

[He said] he has had to pay taxes on his income and bear the cost of his "family's benefits package."

Oh, wow! Just imagine if everyone had to do that! And on an average of, what, about $80,000 a year — not including his income, etc., from his legislative boondoggling, er, work, of course.

Doigotta

Fort Smith and Sebastian County seem to be most eager to allow members of the legislature to rip them off for projects that never get built. I guess that is the conservative ethic at work.

Plainjim

In response to the Arkansas Times' Oct. 12 profile of attorney Mike Laux, who has sued the Little Rock Police Department five times over police-involved shootings. Yes, there are criminals that should be arrested for breaking the law, but glossing over unjustified excessive force and fatal shootings is making the city of Little Rock more violent. Mr. Laux explained what he sees happening in Little Rock and I agree with his comments. You can pray about the violence until you are blue in the face, but nothing will change until the state government, city officials and the police department show the public that they take police shootings seriously, want the truth and will pursue justice, so everyone else involved will take it seriously. If they don't, the violence will get worse and it will be their fault.

ShineonLibby

In response to the Times' Oct. 12 story "DHS rule change threatens disabled care: ARChoices algorithm inspires state and federal lawsuits."

Now how did DHS "lose the data" for the algorithm that determined the level of care? This is not believable. Either someone is lying or incompetent. Legal Services needs to depose Tami Harlan, the deputy director of medical services under oath. Let us see what Tami Harlan says.

Orval Falsebus

Choosing levels of care by the use of the abacus is the same as length of the rope vs. body weight to insure a successful hanging. Medical care is not Moneyball. This is the situation of getting what you want but not wanting what you get.

Going for the record again

Why can't DHS or any state agency answer questions? This attitude of we don't have to account to anyone for why or what we do is increasing and it is approved of by the governor. It sounds like they are covering up something they don't want the public to know. I consider lying a sin, even if it isn't on Charlton Moses Heston's Ten Commandments chart. What happened to the Arkansas government's morals, integrity, and common decency toward other human beings? You would almost think they want people who are elderly, disabled, sick and poor to die so they won't be a liability to the state budget. If that were true, they should not be governing or in charge of people's lives. They practice fetus worship but kill off people they think aren't important to their voter base. They are really pro-death. There is nothing pro-life about them. Are they getting their orders from Donald? Or has he allowed them to finally show their true natures?

ShineonLibby

From Facebook

In response to the Oct. 16 Arkansas Blog post "Judge objects to trainer's reference to Black Lives Matter," about Pulaski County Judge Wendell Griffen's complaint that during a recent training for courtroom personnel an instructor called BLM a hate group "like the KKK": But which of these groups have a history of murder, intimidation and government sanctioned terror?

Reginald Ford

One group wants to wipe out all others who are not white, Anglo-Saxon Protestants, though it is sometimes vague on just HOW they plan to accomplish that ... as they hold their AR-15s. The other group is protesting the injustice that allows police to kill blacks at a very high rate, with the judiciary further allowing it. Their implementation to accomplish that is peaceful protest, and to continue to bring the blatant injustice to light through video and publicity of cases. HOW is BLM a hate group, again?

Betty J. Rousey

Well, black lies (sic) matter is a violent deceitful hate group, little different than the old-time KKK.

Steve Estrada

Black Lives Matter was begun by grieving mothers of sons slaughtered by police. So this guy equates moms w/the KKK???

Denise Parkinson

I am so pleased that Judge Griffen spoke out.

Margaret Ann Gibson Niven

In response to the Oct. 15 Arkansas Blog post "Talking Turkey, Yellville Turkey Trot Style:

This is godawful and cruel - what kind of a person would participate in this?

Fran Owens

Few People up here take pride in their barbarism. Look who they vote for. As for AG&F's sponsorship, I believe they have a turkey calling contest at the Kelley Slab site. Don't expect Chamber sponsors to effect much change. Remember the Klan exists quite openly just over the county line in Boone. Institutionalized animal cruelty is par for such a community.

J.R. Pinky

Arkansas, you're proving your ignorance by keeping this tradition going another year. This is barbaric. Stop! These turkeys don't always land safely when being thrown from an airplane at 100 mph and the people who think this is funny and entertaining are ridiculous.

Jessica Garrison

Animal cruelty should be EVERYONE'S business. Ditto child abuse, elderly abuse. Arkansas has become the laughing stock of the country, thanks to Yellville. This gene pool needs to be drained, and fast. Such an embarrassment to the State.

Elizabeth Wood

Maybe you should visit a chicken/turkey processing plant and watch the hang them upside down it a dark room and cut their throats so they will bleed out. Then steam their feather off before the suck their guts out with a vacuum. Then dropping them from a plane won't seem so bad.

Sonny Bell

In response to the Oct. 16 Arkansas Blog post "UA Little Rock picks firm to study football"

[brightgoal]

Keynote Panel Announced - Library 2.019 "Open Data" Mini-Conference - June 5th

We're excited to announce the keynote panel for our second Library 2.019 mini-conference: "Open Data," which will be held online (and for free) on Wednesday, June 5th, from 12:00 - 3:00 pm US-Pacific Daylight Time (click for your own time zone). Local, state and federal governments are releasing data - the public's data - in new ways. Property maps, 311 data, school quality information and census statistics - all of these are examples of open data that give people the tools they need to learn and advocate for their causes. This web conference will explore how librarians are using open data, teaching others about it, and even creating it. You’ll learn about tools you can implement in your own library and hear stories from libraries that have partnered with their local and state governments. Armed with practical tools and experiences, you’ll be ready to start diving into open data to help your library and community!

This is a free event, being held live online and also recorded. REGISTER HERE to attend live and/or to receive the recording links afterward. Please also join the Library 2.0 network to be kept updated on this and future events.

We invite all library professionals, employers, LIS students, and educators to participate in this event. The call for proposals is open now at https://www.library20.com/page/call-for-proposals. We will also need volunteer moderators for sessions rooms--if you've been through our training before (and even if you haven't!), email steve@learningrevolution.com if you might be able to help. Participants are encouraged to use #library2019 and #libraryopendata on their social media posts leading up to and during the event. KEYNOTE PANEL:

Anne Neville-Bonilla (Keynote Moderator) Director, of the California Research Bureau, California State Library Anne Neville-Bonilla is director of the California Research Bureau where she and her team develop non-partisan, independent research for the Governor and Legislature. As part of the California State Library’s Executive team, she is co-director a Knight Foundation grant to support open data literacy in public libraries and communities and serves on the board of CENIC, California’s research and education broadband network. Previously, she directed the State Broadband Initiative at the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) at the US Department of Commerce. At NTIA, she was responsible for the National Broadband Map, the largest open dataset of its kind, and $300M in grants to support the digital economy. Before this, she was a Global Leadership Fellow at the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, and prior to this served as Assistant Secretary for Economic Development and Technology for the State of California. Anne served as a Senate Fellow and as an AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteer, founding a community technology training center in San Diego. Anne holds an MPA from the University of Southern California and a BA (Hons) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Wilford (“Will”) Saunders (Keynote Moderator) Open Data Guy, State of Washington Office of Privacy & Data Protection Will Saunders leads the State of Washington's Open Data program in the Office of Privacy and Data Protection. He has worked on communications and technology issues for the state since 2005, including telephone regulation, broadband, economic development, central services management, data governance, and technology assessment. He is a co-author of Data Equity for Main Street, an open data curriculum for public libraries, and co-sponsor of a variety of civic technology projects including BCAT – the Broadband Community Assessment Toolkit. A graduate of Bowdoin College and the University of Maine School of Law, he is admitted to the bar in Washington and Maine, and serves on the board of OBee Credit Union.

Lilian Coral Director/National Strategy + Technology Innovation, Knight Foundation Lilian Coral joined Knight Foundation in September 2017. Coral is Knight's director of national strategy, where she manages the national portfolio and focuses on the development of the foundation’s Smart Cities strategy. She came to Knight from the City of Los Angeles, where she served as chief data officer for Mayor Eric Garcetti. In this role, she led the mayor's directive on Open Data beyond the lens of transparency and towards his vision of a data-driven Los Angeles through the management of the City’s Open Data program, the expansion of the use of data science and analytics, and the development of user-centered digital services. Coral led the development of the GeoHub, a first-of-its-kind data management solution for integrating geospatial information across the City of Los Angeles’ 41 departments, and oversaw the publishing of 1,100 city datasets and APIs, the management of five portals of operational and financial data, and the roll-out of 15+ digital services, applications and public facing dashboards. Prior to joining Mayor Garcetti, Coral spent 15 years working on a wide range of health and human services issues as an advocate and executive leader, having had the opportunity to work with labor unions, NGOs, foundations and human service agencies at all levels of government to transform the way government uses data and technology to serve its citizens. Coral has a bachelor’s degree in international studies from the University of California, Irvine and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a native of Colombia, a place from where much of her inspiration for innovation and social justice emerged.

Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA) U.S. Congressman (WA 6th District) Derek Kilmer serves as the United States Representative of Washington’s 6th Congressional District. Born and raised in Port Angeles, and the son of two school teachers, Derek was taught to appreciate the value of education. As the dad of two little girls, he is working to make sure all children receive a quality education. Derek wanted to make a difference in his community, so he chose to study public policy, looking for ways to help economically struggling communities. He received a BA from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and earned a doctorate from the University of Oxford in England. Derek put his education into practice in Washington state, first as a business consultant for McKinsey & Company, where he helped businesses, non-profits, and government agencies run more efficiently. Derek served in the Washington state House from 2005 to 2007 and the state Senate from 2007 until he was elected to the US House in 2012. Derek was reelected to a third term in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016 and chosen by his Democratic colleagues to serve on the House Appropriations Committee, one of only four ‘exclusive’ committees in the House. Derek serves on the Interior and Environment Subcommittee and Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee. Derek has championed bipartisan efforts to better leverage federal research dollars to spur private sector innovation and job growth and bolster a 21st-century workforce. Derek has learned that addressing the challenges facing our nation will require an end to political brinkmanship and a focus on finding common sense, practical solutions. He's a member of organizations like the Bipartisan Working Group and the Problem Solvers Caucus, which work to bring Democrats and Republicans together to forge a greater consensus on a wide variety of issues. In his time in Congress, Derek has been recognized by a wide variety of groups for his effectiveness and advocacy. He’s been awarded the U.S. Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award, the highest honor a civilian not employed by the Navy can receive from the Secretary of the Navy. Derek has also received a Silver Helmet award from AMVETS and a Friend of the National Parks award from the National Parks Conservation Association, been named a Hero of Main Street by the National Retail Federation, an Outstanding New Member by the Voices for National Service, and a Humane Champion by the Humane Society.

James Neal Senior Program Officer, Office of Library Services, Institute of Museum and Library Services James Neal is a Senior Program Officer in the Office of Library Services with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). He manages a portfolio of grants focused on building equitable digital communities, including open educational resources, digital inclusion, data privacy and security, and e-books. James is a graduate of the MLS program at the University of Maryland College of Information Science, Maryland's iSchool in the Information and Diverse Populations concentration. He worked for two years as a librarian with Prince George's County Memorial Library System. He maintains a strong interest in the future of public libraries. His background and experience consists of bookselling in several independent book stores, volunteer service in the Peace Corps in Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo); graduate education in anthropology; publicity, marketing, editorial, and sales roles in academic and scholarly publishing; public school teaching; experience in public relations, and project management and web design experience in user experience design.

MORE INFORMATION: The School of Information at San José State University is the founding conference sponsor. Please register as a member of the Library 2.0 network to be kept informed of future events. Recordings from previous years are available under the Archives tab at Library 2.0 and at the Library 2.0 YouTube channel.

Keynote Panel Announced - Library 2.019 "Open Data" Mini-Conference - June 5th published first on https://medium.com/@YourEdu

[growthvue]

Keynote Panel Announced - Library 2.019 "Open Data" Mini-Conference - June 5th

We're excited to announce the keynote panel for our second Library 2.019 mini-conference: "Open Data," which will be held online (and for free) on Wednesday, June 5th, from 12:00 - 3:00 pm US-Pacific Daylight Time (click for your own time zone). Local, state and federal governments are releasing data - the public's data - in new ways. Property maps, 311 data, school quality information and census statistics - all of these are examples of open data that give people the tools they need to learn and advocate for their causes. This web conference will explore how librarians are using open data, teaching others about it, and even creating it. You’ll learn about tools you can implement in your own library and hear stories from libraries that have partnered with their local and state governments. Armed with practical tools and experiences, you’ll be ready to start diving into open data to help your library and community!

This is a free event, being held live online and also recorded. REGISTER HERE to attend live and/or to receive the recording links afterward. Please also join this Library 2.0 network to be kept updated on this and future events.

We invite all library professionals, employers, LIS students, and educators to participate in this event. The call for proposals is open now at https://www.library20.com/page/call-for-proposals. We will also need volunteer moderators for sessions rooms--if you've been through our training before (and even if you haven't!), email steve@learningrevolution.com if you might be able to help. Participants are encouraged to use #library2019 and #libraryopendata on their social media posts leading up to and during the event. KEYNOTE PANEL:

Anne Neville-Bonilla (Keynote Moderator) Director, of the California Research Bureau, California State Library Anne Neville-Bonilla is director of the California Research Bureau where she and her team develop non-partisan, independent research for the Governor and Legislature. As part of the California State Library’s Executive team, she is co-director a Knight Foundation grant to support open data literacy in public libraries and communities and serves on the board of CENIC, California’s research and education broadband network. Previously, she directed the State Broadband Initiative at the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) at the US Department of Commerce. At NTIA, she was responsible for the National Broadband Map, the largest open dataset of its kind, and $300M in grants to support the digital economy. Before this, she was a Global Leadership Fellow at the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, and prior to this served as Assistant Secretary for Economic Development and Technology for the State of California. Anne served as a Senate Fellow and as an AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteer, founding a community technology training center in San Diego. Anne holds an MPA from the University of Southern California and a BA (Hons) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Wilford (“Will”) Saunders (Keynote Moderator) Open Data Guy, State of Washington Office of Privacy & Data Protection Will Saunders leads the State of Washington's Open Data program in the Office of Privacy and Data Protection. He has worked on communications and technology issues for the state since 2005, including telephone regulation, broadband, economic development, central services management, data governance, and technology assessment. He is a co-author of Data Equity for Main Street, an open data curriculum for public libraries, and co-sponsor of a variety of civic technology projects including BCAT – the Broadband Community Assessment Toolkit. A graduate of Bowdoin College and the University of Maine School of Law, he is admitted to the bar in Washington and Maine, and serves on the board of OBee Credit Union.

Lilian Coral Director/National Strategy + Technology Innovation, Knight Foundation Lilian Coral joined Knight Foundation in September 2017. Coral is Knight's director of national strategy, where she manages the national portfolio and focuses on the development of the foundation’s Smart Cities strategy. She came to Knight from the City of Los Angeles, where she served as chief data officer for Mayor Eric Garcetti. In this role, she led the mayor's directive on Open Data beyond the lens of transparency and towards his vision of a data-driven Los Angeles through the management of the City’s Open Data program, the expansion of the use of data science and analytics, and the development of user-centered digital services. Coral led the development of the GeoHub, a first-of-its-kind data management solution for integrating geospatial information across the City of Los Angeles’ 41 departments, and oversaw the publishing of 1,100 city datasets and APIs, the management of five portals of operational and financial data, and the roll-out of 15+ digital services, applications and public facing dashboards. Prior to joining Mayor Garcetti, Coral spent 15 years working on a wide range of health and human services issues as an advocate and executive leader, having had the opportunity to work with labor unions, NGOs, foundations and human service agencies at all levels of government to transform the way government uses data and technology to serve its citizens. Coral has a bachelor’s degree in international studies from the University of California, Irvine and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a native of Colombia, a place from where much of her inspiration for innovation and social justice emerged.

Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA) U.S. Congressman (WA 6th District) Derek Kilmer serves as the United States Representative of Washington’s 6th Congressional District. Born and raised in Port Angeles, and the son of two school teachers, Derek was taught to appreciate the value of education. As the dad of two little girls, he is working to make sure all children receive a quality education. Derek wanted to make a difference in his community, so he chose to study public policy, looking for ways to help economically struggling communities. He received a BA from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and earned a doctorate from the University of Oxford in England. Derek put his education into practice in Washington state, first as a business consultant for McKinsey & Company, where he helped businesses, non-profits, and government agencies run more efficiently. Derek served in the Washington state House from 2005 to 2007 and the state Senate from 2007 until he was elected to the US House in 2012. Derek was reelected to a third term in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016 and chosen by his Democratic colleagues to serve on the House Appropriations Committee, one of only four ‘exclusive’ committees in the House. Derek serves on the Interior and Environment Subcommittee and Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee. Derek has championed bipartisan efforts to better leverage federal research dollars to spur private sector innovation and job growth and bolster a 21st-century workforce. Derek has learned that addressing the challenges facing our nation will require an end to political brinkmanship and a focus on finding common sense, practical solutions. He's a member of organizations like the Bipartisan Working Group and the Problem Solvers Caucus, which work to bring Democrats and Republicans together to forge a greater consensus on a wide variety of issues. In his time in Congress, Derek has been recognized by a wide variety of groups for his effectiveness and advocacy. He’s been awarded the U.S. Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award, the highest honor a civilian not employed by the Navy can receive from the Secretary of the Navy. Derek has also received a Silver Helmet award from AMVETS and a Friend of the National Parks award from the National Parks Conservation Association, been named a Hero of Main Street by the National Retail Federation, an Outstanding New Member by the Voices for National Service, and a Humane Champion by the Humane Society.

James Neal Senior Program Officer, Office of Library Services, Institute of Museum and Library Services James Neal is a Senior Program Officer in the Office of Library Services with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). He manages a portfolio of grants focused on building equitable digital communities, including open educational resources, digital inclusion, data privacy and security, and e-books. James is a graduate of the MLS program at the University of Maryland College of Information Science, Maryland's iSchool in the Information and Diverse Populations concentration. He worked for two years as a librarian with Prince George's County Memorial Library System. He maintains a strong interest in the future of public libraries. His background and experience consists of bookselling in several independent book stores, volunteer service in the Peace Corps in Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo); graduate education in anthropology; publicity, marketing, editorial, and sales roles in academic and scholarly publishing; public school teaching; experience in public relations, and project management and web design experience in user experience design.

MORE INFORMATION: The School of Information at San José State University is the founding conference sponsor. Please register as a member of the Library 2.0 network to be kept informed of future events. Recordings from previous years are available under the Archives tab at Library 2.0 and at the Library 2.0 YouTube channel.

Keynote Panel Announced - Library 2.019 "Open Data" Mini-Conference - June 5th published first on https://getnewdlbusiness.tumblr.com/

[toxicrants]

Hey, can you write and unbiased labour VS Conservative post? This is my first time voting, and seeing as we never learnt anything like this in high school or college, I haven't a clue what I'm going to do. Thank you!

So I’ll break down just the Tories and Labour manifestos into different topics for you to compare.

Brexit -(Conservatives)- Seek a new “deep and special partnership with the EU”- Leave the single market and customs union- No deal is better than a bad deal for the UK- Control immigration and secure the rights of EU nationals in the UK and Britons in the EU- Maintain a common travel area with a “frictionless” border with Ireland

Analysis: May is being “upfront and straight” about the difficulties ahead, with a language that will allow her to claim voters endorsed a hard Brexit. She takes little notice of the half of the population that didn’t want Brexit. Her planning for Brexit has been laughable no matter who you are because of her ‘few sentences long’ statement on it.

(Labour)- Scrap the Conservatives’ Brexit white paper and replace it with fresh negotiating priorities with a strong emphasis on retaining the single market and customs union- Reject “no deal” as a viable option. Guarantee existing rights for EU nationals living in Britain and UK citizens living in the EU

Analysis: Labour sits on the fence on Brexit, neither voicing a strong commitment to staying in the single market nor indicating a dedication to deliver Brexit

Economy (Conservatives) - Continue to restore public finances and have a balanced budget by middle of next decade- Meet OECD average for investments in R&D - 2.4% of GDP within 10 years. -- Launch a new £23bn national productivity investment fund- Introduce energy tariff cap to extend price protection for vulnerable customers, but maintain competitive element of the retail energy market- Increase national living wage to 60% of median earnings by 2020

Analysis: The original 2015 deadline of setting public finances straight is now 2025, and the manifesto creates wriggle-room by ditching Osborne’s pledge not to increase NI or income tax

(Labour)

- Eliminate the government’s deficit on day-to-day spending within five years

- Mandate a new national investment bank to fill existing gaps in lending by private banks and provide long-term finance to R&D-intensive investments

- Balance government spending with the amount it raises in taxes

- Bring private rail companies into public ownership. Cap fares

- Transition to a publicly owned energy system and reverse Royal Mail privatisation

Analysis:- Many eminent economists support the idea of an investment bank to boost major infrastructure spending and polls show 58-60% of the public back renationalising railways

Health(Conservatives)- Increase NHS spending by a minimum of £8bn in real terms over the next five years- Make it a priority in Brexit negotiations that the 140,000 staff from EU countries can carry on their contributions to NHS and social care- Build and upgrade primary care facilities, mental health clinics and hospitals- Recover the cost of medical treatment from non-UK residents

Analysis:- Tories have been slowly privatising the NHS for years and have put their friends in managerial positions (positions that pay thousands but are completely un-needed) They are not beyond privatising the NHS. They’ve been working towards it for years. Extra funding is significant, but £8bn is still a relatively modest sum compared to Labour’s pledge – and it’s doubtful if it will match demand

(Labour)- Scrap NHS pay cap and commit to over £30bn in extra funding over the next parliament- One million people to be taken off NHS waiting lists by guaranteeing access to treatment within 18 weeks- Free parking in NHS England for patients, staff and visitors- Increase funding to GP services and ringfence mental health budgets

Analysis:- The pledges are expensive but the NHS has consistently said it needs more money to meet demand and costs, though it’s unlikely that focusing on the top 5% of earners will raise all the funds required.

Education(Conservative) - Increase overall schools budget by £4bn by 2022 and redirect £1bn of national funding formula to help schools- Build at least 100 new free schools a year, end ban on selective schools and ask universities and independent schools to help run state schools- No new places in schools rated ‘inadequate’ or ‘requires improvement’ by Ofsted- Free breakfast to every child in every year of primary school in place of free school lunches for first three years

Analysis:- The return of grammar schools is a key part of May’s new “meritocracy”, and end of free lunches scraps a key Lib Dem achievement. She wants to end free school lunches completely.

(Labour)- Create a unified national education service for England that is free at the point of use- Abolish university tuition fees, reintroduce maintenance grants, and restore the education maintenance allowance for 16-18 year olds from lower and middle income backgrounds- Free school meals for all school children

Analysis:- Labour hopes pledge to scrap tuition fees will attract students and 18- to 24-year-olds who still strongly support the party

Immigration(Conservative)- Reduce immigration to “sustainable” levels, meaning annual net migration in the tens of thousands rather than hundreds of thousands- Increase earnings threshold for those wishing to sponsor migrants for family visas- Overseas students will remain in the immigration statistics- Offer asylum and refuge to people in parts of the world affected by conflict and oppression, but work hard to reduce asylum claims in the UK

Analysis - Continuation of the net migration pledge for a further five years despite never being met in the past seven years is a divisive manifesto vow for May’s cabinet

(Labour)- Prioritise growth, jobs and prosperity over “bogus immigration targets” and honour the spirit of international law and moral obligations by taking in a fair share of refugees- Will not include students in immigration numbers but will crack down on fake colleges

Analysis:- While rejecting “bogus immigration targets” for the first time, a new immigration system “may include employer sponsorship, work permits, visa regulations or a tailored mix of all these”

Tax and Spending (Conservative)- Increase personal allowance to £12,500 and the higher rate to £50,000 by 2020, ensure local residents can veto high council tax increases via a referendum. No VAT increase- Stick to plan to cut corporation tax to 17% by 2020- Maintain pensions triple lock until 2020 and introduce a new double lock afterwards. - Means test winter fuel payments

Analysis:- May has scrapped Cameron’s triple lock, antagonising a key source of Tory support (older voters) and indicating a confidence in victory at the polls

(Labour) - No rises in income tax for those earning below £80,000 a year, no increases in personal national insurance contributions or rate of VAT, and guarantee the state pension triple lock- Ask large corporations to “pay a little more” in tax while still keeping UK corporation tax among the lowest of major developed economies

Analysis:- The IFS said lowering the threshold for the 45p rate could raise £7bn, but critics say the measure could spark mass avoidance and drive top earners offshore. However, big business dropping would give a chance to smaller, local British business to grow. This exodus of big business isn’t confirmed but has it’s own pros.

Housing (Conservative)- Meet 2015 commitment to deliver 1m homes by the end of 2020 and deliver 500,000 more by the end of 2022- Deliver reforms proposed in the housing white paper to free up more land- Build new fixed-term social houses which will be sold privately after 10-15 years with automatic right to buy for tenants

Analysis:- The pledge to build more homes is made despite slow progress towards the previous aim and little detail about how it will be achieved.

(Labour)- Build over 1m new homes, and 100,000 council and housing association homes a year- Help-to-buy funding until 2027 for first-time buyers. Controls on rent rises for private renters- Suspend the right to buy until councils can prove they have a plan to replace homes- Scrap the bedroom tax and reverse decision to abolish housing benefit for 18-21 year olds

Analysis:- The pledge to build 1m new homes a year is ambitious and tackles head-on Labour’s concerns that housebuilding has fallen under the Tories.

Environment(Conservative) - Meet 2050 carbon reduction objective and take action against poor air quality- Develop the shale industry, legislate to change planning law for fracking applications, and set up a shale environmental regulator, with more tax revenues going to communities that host extraction sites

Analysis:- There is only a brief mention of air pollution and the Conservatives are the only main party to support fracking, controversial among environmentalists.

(Labour)- Ensure UK meets its climate change targets and transitions to a low-carbon economy- Ban fracking, stay committed to renewable energy projects, support further nuclear projects, and introduce a new Clean Air Act to deal with illegal air quality

Analysis:- Environmentalists welcome Labour’s vision for a sustainable energy system that bans fracking and shows commitment to the Clean Air Act

Foreign and Defence(Conservative)- Continue to help maintain the UN and Nato- Meet Nato target of at least 2% of GDP on defence and increase budget by at least 0.5% above inflation in every year of the new parliament- Retain Trident, invest £178bn in new military equipment for the armed forces over the next decade, and complete the Astute class of hunter-killer submarines

Analysis:- May commits to playing a leading role in Nato and maintaining ability for future interventions, placing emphasis on “special relationship” with the US

(Labour)- Put conflict resolution and human rights at the heart of foreign policy- Back effective action to alleviate the refugee crisis- Commit to spending at least 2% of GDP on defence- Support the renewal of the Trident nuclear deterrent

Analysis:- The manifesto does not promise to scrap Britain’s nuclear deterrent but Corbyn’s refusal to guarantee he would press the nuclear button reduces its value in the eyes of some. However, many people oppose the renewal of Trident.

Hope that was of some help! A lot of this is either directly from manifestos or from other UK resources. So, some of this is my own words but a lot is as exactly you should find it in manifestos or other sources. i.e. no exaggerations.

[gibsongirlselections]

The COVID Pretext

A lot of people invite their in-laws to stay with them when they have a new baby. That’s what my husband and I planned to do this fall. We never expected my mother-in-law would be prevented from getting on a plane by the Australian government.

Since late March, Australia has banned its citizens from leaving the country without a special government permit, in order to limit the country’s exposure to the coronavirus. More than three-quarters of requests for exit permits are denied, including ours. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he does not anticipate the ban will be lifted before the end of the year.

This ban is in addition to the mandatory quarantine for in-bound travelers, where guards escort you from the airport to a designated hotel where you are put under watch for 14 days with a TV and a pamphlet for Uber Eats.

At least the quarantine makes superficial sense, however much of an overreaction it is in a country with the population of Texas and a coronavirus death toll lower than the District of Columbia’s. But the ban on outbound travel makes no sense. If they’re willing to be quarantined on their return, at their own expense, why prevent people from leaving?

Maybe the reason is that tourism, a massive chunk of Australia’s economy, has suddenly vaporized, and the prime minister is worried about people taking overseas holidays and wants those tourism dollars to stay at home.

That’s the stage of the pandemic we have reached: questioning everyone’s ulterior motives.

There is good reason to do so. It’s hard not to notice how many people are clearly using the pandemic as a pretext to do what they have long wanted to do anyway, or to get in a blow at their political opponents while they’re vulnerable, or to score some short-term personal advantage under a thin medical excuse.

The Mexican state of Oaxaca just banned the sale of soda and junk food to children. The bill’s sponsor introduced the same ban last year, unsuccessfully, but this time she was able to draw a tenuous link between calories, obesity, and coronavirus risk. Spain effectively banned outdoor smoking at the behest of public health experts, even though smokers have been shown to be at lower risk from COVID than non-smokers.

South Africa went further than any other country, enacting a total ban on alcohol and tobacco sales in March. Prohibition was lifted only last week, when it became clear that the main beneficiaries were the country’s smuggling gangs.

Here in the United States, a group of congressman are pressing the FDA for a “temporary” ban on e-cigarettes, suspending all vaping sales “for the duration of the coronavirus crisis.” They cite a single study showing increased COVID risk for young users. But that study was an online survey based on self-reporting, with fewer than 5,000 self-selected respondents, and asked not about current e-cigarette use but if users had ever vaped. Its findings contradict literally hundreds of other studies, in journals as prestigious as the Lancet, showing that nicotine products do not increase coronavirus risk. The congressman who organized the push is simply a longtime opponent of e-cigarettes taking advantage of the pandemic to push his agenda.

No issue has been more transparently politicized than school reopenings. According to the New York Times, a mid-June survey of the American Federation of Teachers found that three-quarters of members were willing to return to the classroom, with precautions. Then, on July 6, President Trump tweeted: “SCHOOLS MUST OPEN IN THE FALL!!!” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany urged districts to “follow the science and open our schools.” Suddenly the AFT got a lot more skeptical. In Chicago, the percentage of teachers who said they would feel “extremely uncomfortable” returning in person jumped 30 points in the weeks after the president’s tweet. 

This surge in concern was clearly a matter of political polarization, not science. A Brookings study of school districts across the nation found no relationship between reopening policies and coronavirus cases per capita. Instead, the districts most likely to choose in-person learning were those in counties that voted for Trump in 2016. Remote learning was most popular not in the hardest hit counties, but in Democratic ones.

Right now the strictest lockdown in the free world is in the Australian state of Victoria. Melbourne residents are not allowed to leave home between 8pm and 5am, unless they are essential workers, and during the day can exercise for only one hour within 5km of their address. Households can send one member on one shopping visit per day. Drones have been deployed, not just to patrol the closed border but also in downtown Melbourne to enforce curfew compliance and mask-wearing. Police have knocked on tens of thousands of doors to check if residents are home, and those who aren’t face thousands of dollars in fines.

Among the hundreds of violators Victoria police have punished under the new rules:

Two parents who took their children to a lake 14km from their house, outside the allowed 5km radius.

Four young people, three males and a female, whose car was stopped at a road checkpoint and were found to reside at different addresses.

Two men in their forties who started a Facebook group to organize a protest march against the lockdown. They were arrested and charged with incitement, their computers and phones seized. Police warned the public that anyone who showed up to the protest would be fined $1,652.

What could possibly explain this overreach in a state with fewer than 500 coronavirus deaths, the vast majority in nursing homes? (For comparison, Massachusetts with a comparable population has had 8,900 deaths.) It could be that the Victorian government wants to try out Chinese-style surveillance methods while it has the opportunity, in case it ever wants to use them in the future. Maybe Premier Dan Andrews saw what lockdowns did for Andrew Cuomo’s approval ratings and wanted a similar boost for himself. That would explain why he has personally conducted the state’s press briefings for fifty days straight without a break. Whatever the reason, it’s not scientific. 

American politicians seeking a middle ground between skeptics and lockdowners often settle on the worst possible compromise: hygiene theatre. Polishing doorknobs and wiping down countertops doesn’t do much to fight a virus that spreads through air droplets, not surfaces. If elementary schools are safe enough to open — because young children are low-risk spreaders — then they’re safe enough not to require kindergarteners to wear masks, which five-year-olds will just fiddle with anyway, negating any health benefit. Photos of socially distanced lunch rooms are intended to reassure teachers and parents, not provide any benefit to students.

The original purpose of the lockdowns was to “flatten the curve” and prevent hospitals from being overrun. We did that. What is their purpose now? When can lockdowns be lifted? It is difficult not to politicize that question, under the circumstances. But the truth is that lockdowns will only reduce the long-term spread of the virus if they are used to buy time until a vaccine is found, and right now there is no guarantee one ever will be. Politicians including the governors of Ohio, Illinois, and New Jersey and the mayors of Los Angeles and New York have all suggested that only a vaccine will allow a return to normal life, with gatherings of over 50 people and indoor dining at restaurants. It is not a fringe position to say that these things must remained banned until a vaccine is found. Just a scientifically unsupportable one.

The post The COVID Pretext appeared first on The American Conservative.

[currenthealtheventsblog-blog]

Marketing the Family Practice

New Post has been published on https://currenthealthevents.net/health-events-news/%ef%bb%bfmarketing-the-family-practice/

Marketing the Family Practice

Successfully marketing the family practice can be done by several different methods. The best methods are those that fit the practice style, the community or city the practice operates in and any that show measurable results.

Internet Marketing for Family Practice

The Internet is becoming more and more available, even in rural areas. Every family practice should have at least a webpage, if not a website, representing the practice online. The website should reflect the style and tone of the family practice. Practices where younger patients are seen will probably want to use a younger style in web design. For practices focusing more on older or even elder patients, the website tone should probably be more classic.

Ideally, the family practice homepage should be simple and to the point. Added pages can target the different age groups, different treatments offered, and other such divisions. This way, the page about pediatric treatments can be more child friendly. Teens are a class unto themselves and pages targeted toward teen patients should include more technology, even video or audio.

Every page of the website should include not only contact information but also a signup form for viewers to provide name and address in return for free health information and inclusion on the family practice email newsletter.

Email Marketing for Family Practice

Family practice newsletters can sent out regularly via email as well as being available in print form in the facility. Regular newsletters can contain health information, clinic news, customer news and appreciation information, games, trivia and more.

The newsletter should be specifically targeted toward those who will be receiving it. The tone should reflect the tone of the practice and the style should fit the community as well as the market. Family practices may wish to encourage user generated content by allowing comments and/or encouraging visitors to post tips, healthy recipes, etc.

Newspaper Marketing for Family Practice

In addition to standard newspaper ads, health information articles and blog excerpts linking to the family practice website or blog can be used. Newspaper readers who pay little attention to ads are likely to read articles or blog excerpts. A weekly column is another good way to market the family practice in local and area newspapers.

Professional Publications

Published articles and information in professional publications is a good way to build credibility and professionalism. Notice of such publications can be posted on the family practice website, blog and in newspaper announcements.

Community Participation

Family practices can greatly increase visibility by participating in community activities. In addition to joining appropriate clubs and organizations, clinic staff members can speak at area schools and daycares, participate in community fund raising events, parades and holiday celebrations and even sponsor community events. Providing tours for young schoolchildren can help ease the fear of physicians and medicine in young minds. Providing tours for older students who are considering careers and college is a good way to interact with the community and encourage education.

Branding Publications

The family practice can have standard health information booklets printed with the practice logo and give them away in the clinic, at the Chamber of Commerce, at health fairs, and other venues. Community health fairs are an excellent way to come in contact with potential clients.

There’s a multitude of ways and means to market the Family Practice. The best ways are those that fit the tone and style of the practice and fit the community or city where the practice is located. Marketing styles should blend well with the targeted population. Take the audience into consideration when looking at marketing methods.

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Keynote Panel Announced - Library 2.019 "Open Data" Mini-Conference - June 5th

We're excited to announce the keynote panel for our second Library 2.019 mini-conference: "Open Data," which will be held online (and for free) on Wednesday, June 5th, from 12:00 - 3:00 pm US-Pacific Daylight Time (click for your own time zone). Local, state and federal governments are releasing data - the public's data - in new ways. Property maps, 311 data, school quality information and census statistics - all of these are examples of open data that give people the tools they need to learn and advocate for their causes. This web conference will explore how librarians are using open data, teaching others about it, and even creating it. You’ll learn about tools you can implement in your own library and hear stories from libraries that have partnered with their local and state governments. Armed with practical tools and experiences, you’ll be ready to start diving into open data to help your library and community!

This is a free event, being held live online and also recorded. REGISTER HERE to attend live and/or to receive the recording links afterward. Please also join the Library 2.0 network to be kept updated on this and future events.

We invite all library professionals, employers, LIS students, and educators to participate in this event. The call for proposals is open now at https://www.library20.com/page/call-for-proposals. We will also need volunteer moderators for sessions rooms--if you've been through our training before (and even if you haven't!), email steve@learningrevolution.com if you might be able to help. Participants are encouraged to use #library2019 and #libraryopendata on their social media posts leading up to and during the event. KEYNOTE PANEL:

Anne Neville-Bonilla (Keynote Moderator) Director, of the California Research Bureau, California State Library Anne Neville-Bonilla is director of the California Research Bureau where she and her team develop non-partisan, independent research for the Governor and Legislature. As part of the California State Library’s Executive team, she is co-director a Knight Foundation grant to support open data literacy in public libraries and communities and serves on the board of CENIC, California’s research and education broadband network. Previously, she directed the State Broadband Initiative at the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) at the US Department of Commerce. At NTIA, she was responsible for the National Broadband Map, the largest open dataset of its kind, and $300M in grants to support the digital economy. Before this, she was a Global Leadership Fellow at the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, and prior to this served as Assistant Secretary for Economic Development and Technology for the State of California. Anne served as a Senate Fellow and as an AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteer, founding a community technology training center in San Diego. Anne holds an MPA from the University of Southern California and a BA (Hons) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Wilford (“Will”) Saunders (Keynote Moderator) Open Data Guy, State of Washington Office of Privacy & Data Protection Will Saunders leads the State of Washington's Open Data program in the Office of Privacy and Data Protection. He has worked on communications and technology issues for the state since 2005, including telephone regulation, broadband, economic development, central services management, data governance, and technology assessment. He is a co-author of Data Equity for Main Street, an open data curriculum for public libraries, and co-sponsor of a variety of civic technology projects including BCAT – the Broadband Community Assessment Toolkit. A graduate of Bowdoin College and the University of Maine School of Law, he is admitted to the bar in Washington and Maine, and serves on the board of OBee Credit Union.

Lilian Coral Director/National Strategy + Technology Innovation, Knight Foundation Lilian Coral joined Knight Foundation in September 2017. Coral is Knight's director of national strategy, where she manages the national portfolio and focuses on the development of the foundation’s Smart Cities strategy. She came to Knight from the City of Los Angeles, where she served as chief data officer for Mayor Eric Garcetti. In this role, she led the mayor's directive on Open Data beyond the lens of transparency and towards his vision of a data-driven Los Angeles through the management of the City’s Open Data program, the expansion of the use of data science and analytics, and the development of user-centered digital services. Coral led the development of the GeoHub, a first-of-its-kind data management solution for integrating geospatial information across the City of Los Angeles’ 41 departments, and oversaw the publishing of 1,100 city datasets and APIs, the management of five portals of operational and financial data, and the roll-out of 15+ digital services, applications and public facing dashboards. Prior to joining Mayor Garcetti, Coral spent 15 years working on a wide range of health and human services issues as an advocate and executive leader, having had the opportunity to work with labor unions, NGOs, foundations and human service agencies at all levels of government to transform the way government uses data and technology to serve its citizens. Coral has a bachelor’s degree in international studies from the University of California, Irvine and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a native of Colombia, a place from where much of her inspiration for innovation and social justice emerged.

Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA) U.S. Congressman (WA 6th District) Derek Kilmer serves as the United States Representative of Washington’s 6th Congressional District. Born and raised in Port Angeles, and the son of two school teachers, Derek was taught to appreciate the value of education. As the dad of two little girls, he is working to make sure all children receive a quality education. Derek wanted to make a difference in his community, so he chose to study public policy, looking for ways to help economically struggling communities. He received a BA from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and earned a doctorate from the University of Oxford in England. Derek put his education into practice in Washington state, first as a business consultant for McKinsey & Company, where he helped businesses, non-profits, and government agencies run more efficiently. Derek served in the Washington state House from 2005 to 2007 and the state Senate from 2007 until he was elected to the US House in 2012. Derek was reelected to a third term in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016 and chosen by his Democratic colleagues to serve on the House Appropriations Committee, one of only four ‘exclusive’ committees in the House. Derek serves on the Interior and Environment Subcommittee and Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee. Derek has championed bipartisan efforts to better leverage federal research dollars to spur private sector innovation and job growth and bolster a 21st-century workforce. Derek has learned that addressing the challenges facing our nation will require an end to political brinkmanship and a focus on finding common sense, practical solutions. He's a member of organizations like the Bipartisan Working Group and the Problem Solvers Caucus, which work to bring Democrats and Republicans together to forge a greater consensus on a wide variety of issues. In his time in Congress, Derek has been recognized by a wide variety of groups for his effectiveness and advocacy. He’s been awarded the U.S. Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award, the highest honor a civilian not employed by the Navy can receive from the Secretary of the Navy. Derek has also received a Silver Helmet award from AMVETS and a Friend of the National Parks award from the National Parks Conservation Association, been named a Hero of Main Street by the National Retail Federation, an Outstanding New Member by the Voices for National Service, and a Humane Champion by the Humane Society.

James Neal Senior Program Officer, Office of Library Services, Institute of Museum and Library Services James Neal is a Senior Program Officer in the Office of Library Services with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). He manages a portfolio of grants focused on building equitable digital communities, including open educational resources, digital inclusion, data privacy and security, and e-books. James is a graduate of the MLS program at the University of Maryland College of Information Science, Maryland's iSchool in the Information and Diverse Populations concentration. He worked for two years as a librarian with Prince George's County Memorial Library System. He maintains a strong interest in the future of public libraries. His background and experience consists of bookselling in several independent book stores, volunteer service in the Peace Corps in Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo); graduate education in anthropology; publicity, marketing, editorial, and sales roles in academic and scholarly publishing; public school teaching; experience in public relations, and project management and web design experience in user experience design.

MORE INFORMATION: The School of Information at San José State University is the founding conference sponsor. Please register as a member of the Library 2.0 network to be kept informed of future events. Recordings from previous years are available under the Archives tab at Library 2.0 and at the Library 2.0 YouTube channel.

Keynote Panel Announced - Library 2.019 "Open Data" Mini-Conference - June 5th published first on https://medium.com/@YourEdu

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SIX RESPONSES TO BERNIE SKEPTICSAfter decisive victories in New...

New Post has been published on https://truckfump.life/2020/03/03/six-responses-to-bernie-skepticsafter-decisive-victories-in-new/

SIX RESPONSES TO BERNIE SKEPTICSAfter decisive victories in New...

SIX RESPONSES TO BERNIE SKEPTICS

After decisive victories in New Hampshire and Nevada, and a second place finish in South Carolina, Senator Bernie Sanders has emerged as the clear front runner. Right on cue, the establishment on both sides of the aisle has raised a four-alarm fire about Bernie’s electability and his chances against Trump. Here are 6 responses to these Bernie skeptics.

1. “America would never elect a socialist.”

P-l-e-a-s-e. America’s most successful and beloved government programs are social insurance – Social Security and Medicare. A highway is a shared social expenditure, as is the military and public parks and schools. The truth is we have already have socialism… for the rich (bailouts of Wall Street, subsidies for Big Ag and Big Pharma, monopolization by cable companies and giant health insurers, giant tax-deductible CEO bonuses) – all of which Bernie wants to end or prevent. And Bernie is not a socialist, he’s a Democratic Socialist, which is very different and very American. FDR was a democratic socialist, just not in name. Democratic socialism, as practiced in Europe, hinges on the same three core principles that used to be practiced in America, before big corporations undermined them – strong safety nets; public investment in healthcare, childcare, and education; and tough regulation of Big Business.

2. “He’d never beat Trump in the general election.”

Wrong. The best way for Democrats to defeat Trump’s fake anti-establishment populism is with the real thing, coupled with an agenda of systemic reform. This is what Bernie Sanders offers, and it’s what the polls are reflecting. All of the pundits proclaiming that Bernie has no chance against Trump are using a political framework that may have been correct decades ago when America still had a growing middle class, but it’s obsolete today, as more and more Americans feel politically disempowered and economically insecure. The real political divide today isn’t left versus right. It’s democracy versus oligarchy.

In the latest polling average from RealClearPolitics, Bernie beats Trump by the widest margin of all candidates. After his decisive victory in Nevada, a Morning Consult survey found that Democratic voters view Bernie as the best candidate to take on Trump. And recent polls show Bernie beating Trump in Michigan and Pennsylvania, two crucial battleground states Hillary Clinton lost to Trump in 2016. If you’re a moderate Democrat whose chief concern is beating Trump, Bernie is the clear choice.

3. “But how would he pay for it?”

Nearly every time the media discusses Bernie’s transformative plans, they ask the same tired question: How will he pay for it? Funny that they never ask how we’ll pay for endless wars or bailouts, tax cuts, and subsidies for the top 1 percent.

Nonetheless, Bernie’s campaign just released a detailed memo outlining how they plan to pay for his policy ideas. Take college for all and canceling student debt. Sanders will fund the $2.2 trillion proposals with a modest tax on the very Wall Street speculation that crashed our economy in 2008. 40 countries throughout the world have imposed a similar tax, including Britain, South Korea, Hong Kong, Brazil, Germany, France, Switzerland and China.

Sanders’s wealth tax would also go a long way toward paying for his other ambitious plans, like Medicare for All.

Speaking of Medicare for All, it will leave us spending less over time.

Single-payer systems in other rich nations have proven cheaper than private for-profit health insurers because they don’t spend huge sums on advertising, marketing, executive pay, and billing. Multiple studies have found that Medicare for All will save us billions in the long run, including a recent study which found that Bernie’s plan would save $458 billion annually and more than 68,500 lives every year. The nation already pays more for healthcare per person and has worse health outcomes than any other advanced country. Leaving our cruel, for-profit system in place will eventually become more expensive than implementing Medicare for All.

At the end of the day, the question shouldn’t be how will we pay for it. As long as proposed spending will be less than the future costs of insufficient public investment in education, climate change, and inadequate healthcare, it makes logical sense to enact these plans.

4. “He couldn’t get any of his ideas implemented because Congress would reject them.”

First of all, Bernie has served on Capitol Hill for nearly 30 years – working across the aisle to advance a host of legislative priorities. He worked alongside Republican Senator John McCain to reform the veterans’ health care system, and has co-sponsored bills with Senator Mike Lee of Utah, one of the most conservatives members of Congress, to restrict executive war powers in Yemen and Iran.

He’s stood staunchly behind his bold ideas while still delivering Democrats key legislative victories when his vote was sorely needed, like when he voted to pass the Affordable Care Act and Dodd-Frank.

And here’s the most important reality of all: If Republicans maintain their majority in the Senate, no Democratic president will be able to get much legislation through Congress, and will have to rely instead on executive orders and regulations. But we have a better chance of flipping the Senate if Bernie’s political revolution continues to surge around America, bringing with it millions of young people and other first-time voters, and keeping them politically engaged.

5. “He’s too old.”

Untrue. Have you seen how agile and forceful he is as he campaigns around the country? He bounced back with ten times the energy after he had a minor heart attack. These days, 70s are the new 60s.

(Just look at me.)

In any event, the issue isn’t age; it’s having the right values. FDR was paralyzed and JFK had Crohn’s disease, but they were great presidents because they fought adamantly for social and economic justice.

6. “He can’t unite the Democratic Party.”

Wrong. The establishment keeps mistakenly assuming that moderates appeal to a broader swath of the electorate. Their analysis is woefully out-of-touch, and they’re operating within an echo chamber with an outdated mental framework of how politics is supposed to work.

As shown by his dominant win in Nevada, Bernie’s brand of populist politics unites people from all walks of life. He won with 29 percent of whites, 51 percent of Hispanics, and 27 percent of blacks, according to entrance polls of Democratic caucus-goers. He won a staggering 65 percent of caucus-goers under 30 years old, and he carried every other age group except for caucus-goers over 65. This is precisely the kind of multiracial, multi-generational coalition that is needed to defeat Trump in November. And as I mentioned, Bernie beats Trump in multiple polls by the widest margin of any of the candidates, including in key swing states. No other candidate has this kind of data to back up their electability case.  

The Democratic establishment is wrong to think Sanders is too liberal to win a general election. To the contrary, he’s the Democrats’ best shot at taking back the White House.