Monday, September 27, 2021

And another day of GOP blocks, corporate and GOP dark money ties, a pill to ward off Covid, fearing hospital staff shortages, CA will mail every voter a ballot, a spike in murders, and children face a dark future of climate disasters comes to a close:

“If we can afford to add $38 billion to our defense budget every year, we can absolutely afford to provide universal childcare, enact paid family leave, mitigate the climate crisis, and expand access to health care. It’s not about the price tag. It’s about priorities.” — Robert Reich

Deaths

US: 709,114 (+2797)

World: 4,769,318 (+7454)

Cases

US: 43,942,156 (+191,173)

World: 233,072,232 (+476,202)

GOP blocks bill to keep government going; new try ahead. Republican senators blocked a bill Monday night to keep the government operating and allow federal borrowing, but Democrats aiming to avert a shutdown pledged to try again — at the same time pressing ahead on President Joe Biden’s big plans to reshape government.

There's a flurry of studies trashing the Democrats' tax agenda. They have corporate and GOP dark money ties. But as Democrats race to finish their work in drafting revenue-raising measures to fund their sweeping economic agenda, the GOP is turning to studies backed by corporate interests and conservative dark money groups. This study-to-GOP-talking-points pipeline points to the parallel universe in which the ultrarich and businesses attempt to protect their interests through funding various white papers and pseudo-scientific studies.

Pfizer is testing a pill to ward off COVID-19. Pfizer said Monday that it is now testing a pill that could help people ward off COVID-19 if a close contact, such as family member, gets the virus.

Hospitals fear staffing shortages as vaccine deadlines loom. Hospitals and nursing homes around the U.S. are bracing for worsening staff shortages as state deadlines arrive for health care workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19. With ultimatums taking effect this week in states like New York, California, Rhode Island and Connecticut, the fear is that some employees will quit or let themselves be fired or suspended rather than get the vaccine. -- And if it happens, the country will survive the staff shortages. Get vaccinated.

Slow pace of vaccinations is largest drag on the economy in survey of business leaders. Corporate leaders are far less bullish about the economic recovery than they were back in the spring — and they fear that vaccination holdouts could stall or even reverse the progress that has been made. -- Just get vaccinated.

California to mail every voter a ballot in future elections. Every registered California voter will get a ballot mailed to them in future elections under a bill signed Monday by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. -- This should be the norm in every state.

FBI Data Show Unprecedented Spike In Murders Nationwide In 2020. The number of murders in the United States jumped by nearly 30 percent in 2020 compared to the previous year in the largest single-year increase ever recorded in the country, according to official FBI statistics released Monday. The data show 21,570 homicides in the U.S. in 2020, which is a staggering 4,901 more than in 2019. The tally makes clear — in concrete terms — just how violent last year was.

Triple jeopardy: Children face dark future of climate disasters. A study shows stark intergenerational inequities across the board, but the researchers say climate change will affect children in developing countries even more acutely. "We found that everyone under 40 today will live an unprecedented life in terms of their lifetime exposure to heat waves, droughts and floods," Thiery said. "This is true even under the most conservative scenarios."

Singer R. Kelly convicted of leading decades-long sex abuse ring. After six weeks of testimony the jury found superstar singer R. Kelly guilty of systematically recruiting women and teenagers for sex, before grooming and abusing them.

NBA star could be barred from home games due to vaccine refusal. — Unless you have a medical reason that prevents you from being vaccinated, get vaccinated. 

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Stay safe and stay sane. Good night.