If Trump is re-elected, many more people will die. If Biden is elected there will be a Federal response to the pandemic that will be based in science and thereby effectively save people that Trump's malignant neglect will condemn to death. Your current position on the Task Force leaves you beholden to the President and forces you to blunt your warnings to the American people. But as in other epidemics, silence = death! As directed by the Hippocratic oath, by basic ethics, and by your evident compassion for the plight of all peoples, you cannot continue in this compromised position. You can't control Trump, but plain speaking directly to the American people will save thousands of lives. We call on you to resign and speak your mind plainly and without equivocation.

UPDATE: The recent school closure and then the announcement that schools will reopen with the aim of phasing out hybrid makes it even clearer: Remote-only families deserve another opportunity (or more than one) to make decisions best for their children based on new information. It's absurd to hold families to decisions made in mid-November as the landscape was so rapidly changing. We all know this school year is unlike any other. Parents, guardians, teachers, administrators, staff and city leaders have to work together to make it work. However, the announcement that families could only opt into hybrid learning over during one period in November was counter to that spirit of collaboration, and to all the communications families had been basing decisions on. Families had been told there would be multiple periods to switch from remote-only to hybrid. This had helped families make balanced decisions — about what they are comfortable with for their family's health, what works for their child's particular learning style, and how their plan relates to the reality of covid infections. Forcing families to choose in November -- while rates were rising and on the eve of schools being shut down -- ran against the promises made and against plans families had made. It meant placing bets for the rest of the year based on fast-changing information -- with our kids' education at stake. And it meant asking all of us to put faith in a system that is showing no reason for us to believe it can maintain its commitments. What is being offered in terms of instruction, safety, care for our kids' development is so uneven school to school -- and, as the chancellor has shown, may keep changing. We all agree that remote schooling needs more attention and resources. But changing plans and rushing families doesn't solve that. We need to focus on resources for all students: More teachers, more support for technology, more staff that attends to social-emotional development, more nurses. Last-minute changes forcing rushed decisions isn't a good foundation for that work.

The election will (hopefully) establish political accountability for the administration's exceedingly negligent, stupid, reckless policies. However, for the future of responsible governance, it is important that accountability go beyond the political (electoral loss). It is pedagogically important that people see that this administration’s management of the Covid crisis is akin to that of a reckless speeder who causes accidents as he/she barrels down the road to get to someplace, no place fast. My purpose here is pedagogical: promote the idea of holding our elected officials to (at least) minimal standards of responsible behavior and governance. Would such careless, wanton sacrifice of lives on a battlefield not go unpunished by military justice?

We alumni, faculty and current students of University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, wish to make it known that we believe that medical science conflicts with several claims made and opinions expressed by Scott Atlas, class of 1981. At Pritzker, when we shift from lectures to clinics, a White Coat Ceremony is held, emphasizing honesty, integrity, ethics, compassion, and scientific rigor. These values are instilled in us throughout our tenure in medical school, and without them it seems one would neither be admitted nor permitted to graduate. For this reason we are shocked and dismayed to see an alum acting in such a way as Dr. Atlas. We do not support his policy recommendations that he says are backed by science. It is difficult to come to a positive conclusion about his motives when his incorrect statements fall so directly in line with a president that flouts science on a regular basis. Specifically, based on current scientific data, we support: 1) The use of masks to decrease the spread of SARS-CoV-2; 2) The use of extensive testing/tracking/surveillance strategies as a way to track COVID and prevent spread; 3) The closing of schools, institutions, or communities in cases where the spread exceeds the ability of the hospital system to care for those falling ill; 4) The use of personal and community-wide measures in addition to vaccines (if approved) to control spread as opposed to allowing spread without such measures. In all, we feel abandoned by our colleague, who is spreading false information to the world through the willing platform of news agencies and the president. We seek a future where science will stand for itself, unpoliticized, for the greater good of the people. Sincerely, The Students, Alumni and Faculty of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine

All Ohioans deserve the truth and what the governors end game is.

I have been in quarantine ever since I found out I may have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus by Donald Trump, his family, and his staff, at the first presidential debate. I have had to confront the reality of the coronavirus both in attending the debate and in my own personal life with the passing of my father, and it’s the continued negligence and heedlessness of the GOP that has left me and my loved ones in this predicament. My father is one of the 210,000 people who has died because of Donald Trump and the GOP’s improper handling of the coronavirus pandemic. I refuse to allow these people to continue to be so thoughtless and negligent with people’s lives. I know firsthand how dangerous this virus is, and I am certain that anyone that has been exposed to it must follow CDC guidelines for quarantining and tracing. And yet, Instead of prioritizing the health of Senators, staff, and employees of the Capitol, Mitch McConnell and GOP Senators are pushing forward with hearings on the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett without any required testing. This is all during a potential coronavirus outbreak in the Senate during a global pandemic. In just the past two weeks, Utah Senator Mike Lee, Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, and North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis have all tested positive. Not only that, more than 30 senators attended meetings, fundraisers, and massive rallies without masks, and it is glaringly obvious that COVID-19 is spreading among the White House and Republican political community. We cannot risk more lives in the ruthless pursuit of political power. The priority for the GOP should be to minimize and contain the impact of a White House and Senate coronavirus outbreak, rather than using this moment to push forward a power grab for the Supreme Court ahead of election day. Mitch McConnell and the Senate must investigate the scope of the outbreak and protect the health and safety of government officials, their staff and constituents, and the country as a whole. While anyone can be susceptible to infection, the disregard for masks and distancing by Republican leaders has intensified the spread and put their ability to govern at risk. Schools, businesses, and communities across the country are taking greater precautions to try to confront this pandemic—the Senate must do the same.

The official ruling on the field was Intentional Grounding, after the QB had obviously fumbled the ball, then proceeded to throw the ball backwards.

Trump has made and can continue appointments to the courts and other executive actions until an eventual transfer of power, even if he should be found guilty later of sedition or other high crimes. In such circumstances, all of his actions Initiated after his crimes would be tainted by them and therefore must be reversed, even if they have been endorsed by other bodies, such as the Senate. If he assumed office or continued in office because of illegal activities on his part, especially regarding elections, the products of his subsequent time in office, as fruits of those activities, cannot be allowed to stand. Just as RICO laws call for forfeiture of gains obtained through organized crime, this action would call for forfeiture of political gains derived from illegal political activities.

There is NO need for assault rifles to ever be taken into our Capitol, let alone be brandished for all legislators to see causing some to wear bulletproof vests. Our democracy cannot be run by people whom are in fear. These weapons are designed to do one thing, kill humans. It’s time to put an end to this, and allow our legislators to do their job without the threat of terrorism.

baked goods are yummy

My brother is an inmate with a life sentence. We would love to see him get a second chance at life. He has accomplished so much since he has been incarcerated.. We believe he could be a very productive member of society again if given the chance.

In an effort to jam through a Supreme Court nomination one month prior to the election, Donald Trump and Senate Republicans held a celebration in the Rose Garden to announce Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination. With the proliferation of covid cases among attendees, we now know that this was likely a coronavirus super-spreader event. Since this event, Donald Trump and his high-level staff, 3 Senate Republicans, Melania Trump, the Press Secretary, as well as numerous other attendees have tested positive for the coronavirus. Senate Republicans and the Trump administration ignored the severity of this disease and held an event with no masks, no social distancing, and no adherence to CDC guidelines. Their attempt to grab power and use this moment to take away healthcare for millions has led to a further spread of this infectious disease. Instead of admitting the public harm caused by this event and encouraging those who may have been exposed to self-quarantine, Trump and Republicans are attempting to evade public accountability and downplay the reality of how dangerous this event was by refusing transparent contact tracing. This is a clear attempt to hide the recklessness of this administration and Senate Republicans during a global pandemic and is confusing millions of Americans who see that Trump and his political allies put others at risk and undermine public safety measures--including those taken by senior military leaders and public health experts at the CDC. This is unacceptable, and the first step towards accountability, transparency, and protecting anyone who was exposed--from White House staff to journalists to political operatives--is to immediately begin contact tracing, as the CDC recommends, and publicly share the results so that we can all know who has been put at risk due to this superspreader event.