Newsletter 4.14.20

Hi all,

We hope you and yours are doing well. Here's this fortnight's newsletter.

As always, thank you so much for your support. Look out for new episodes and Patreon news briefs in the coming weeks!

In the meantime, be well.

--Marco, Julianne, Florence, Adam, and Nima

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Black Women’s Livelihoods Will Be Yet Another Coronavirus Casualty Chandra Thomas Whitfield, In These Times (April 12, 2020)

The economic shocks of the coronavirus will disproportionately hurt Black Americans, particularly Black women. They are overrepresented in the service industry, which will be severely damaged by the virus. More ambitious protections will be needed from lawmakers in order to address the economic hardship that could befall many Black women. 

McDonald’s Workers Charge Grotesque Sexual Harassment in New $500 Million Lawsuit Hamilton Nolan, In These Times (April 13,2020)

Two women who worked for McDonald’s in Florida filed a lawsuit claiming a pattern of sexual harassment in stores throughout the state. The lawsuit is designed to target a shield that the McDonald’s corporation uses to protect itself from labor violations, that the company is not responsible for violations that take place in stores owned by franchisees. The plaintiffs hope the suit can change the way McDonald’s addresses sexual harassment. 

The Wisconsin GOP Is a Death Cult Emma Roller, In These Times (April 7, 2020)

Wisconsin went through with its April primary in spite of coronavirus after the state’s Republican leaders appealed to the courts to allow it to occur. The push to keep the primary in April was a craven attempt to suppress votes for key primaries by a state party that relies on underhanded methods to maintain power and minority rule.

The Perilous Mess of Applying for Unemployment Right Now Clare Busch, The New Republic (April 10, 2020)

Changes to the unemployment system meant to simplify the process of mass-filing have created confusion and uncertainty for countless workers. The unemployment programs of several states have also been severely damaged by austerity. 

God Save the Florida Governor From His Stupidity Diane Roberts, The New Republic (April 10, 2020)

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis dragged his feet on implementing a stay at home order in deference to both Trump and business interests. Even after the order was put in place, DeSantis added an exemption for religious services in spite of the insistence from mainstream religious denominations that services be held online. 

Conservative Operatives Float Plan to Place Retired Military, Police Officers as GOP Poll Watchers on Election Day Lee Fang, Nick Surgey, The Intercept (April 11, 2020)

Conservative groups met at a three-day conference and one of the topics of discussion was setting up retired military and police officers as GOP poll watchers on election day, particularly in the inner cities and Native American-heavy precincts. The discussion was reminiscent of ballot security intimidation tactics that were outlawed until 2018.  

Government Enforcement of Quarantine Raises Concerns About Increased Surveillance Kira Lerner, The Appeal (April 9, 2020)

Criminal justice reform activists are concerned that some measures that states and cities are taking to combat the spread of coronavirus could become normalized even after the stay at home orders end. One example is judges in Louisville, Kentucky fitting ankle bracelets on people who have tested positive for the virus. 

Don't Look to the DOJ to Keep Federal Prisons and Their Surrounding Communities Safe During the COVID-19 Pandemic Shon Hopwood, The Appeal (April 8, 2020) 

Attorney General William Barr released a memorandum outlining the need to send some prisoners to home confinement. However, the DOJ’s policy only applies to the people with the lowest security levels and not even to people with violent offenses who are at high risk.   

Bolsonaro Is Far From Alone in Putting Profits Over Lives—but He Is a Useful Scapegoat Brian Mier, FAIR (April 12, 2020)

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has become a face of coronavirus denialism for his reckless actions during the spread of the virus. However the well-deserved criticism that he has received, including from outlets that normalized his far-right regime, could be easily applied to the behavior of US and UK leaders as well as several mainstream American pundits. 

US ‘Disinformation’ Claims Do Exactly What Enemies Are Accused of: Distract From Covid-19 Failures Julianne Tveten, FAIR (April 9, 2020)

Media outlets are using the coronavirus to target frequent boogeymen for spreading disinformation: Russia and China. Countless articles have been written about Russia and China trying to spread anti-US propaganda in the middle of the crisis based solely on State Department sourcing. Some outlets have gone so far as to criticize Russia for sending supplies to the US. 

Turns Out, If You Like Your Private Insurance, You Still Can’t Keep It Luke Savage, Jacobin (April 12, 2020)

“If you like your insurance, you can keep it,” has been a slogan of centrist Democrats who oppose Medicare For All . While the slogan always ignored that healthcare was tied to employment for many Americans, the pandemic and the ensuing high rates of job loss have enforced how precarious employee-based health insurance can be.