A growing number of Americans now view the COVID-19 pandemic with a pessimism not seen since the start of this year, new polling shows, as uncontrolled coronavirus delta variant spread has led to record hospitalizations in states with low vaccination rates and fears persist about even worse virus mutations that could be on the horizon. But it’s not all bad news: Vaccinations are on the rise...
GOP-opposed child tax credit expansion will benefit rural Americans the most
On July 15, just over 32 million American families received a direct deposit in their bank accounts with an average of $423, the first of six advance child tax credit payments from the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service, made possible by the American Rescue Plan. That $1.9 trillion package, signed into law by President Joe Biden in March, passed both chambers of Congress without a...
They served on the pandemic’s frontlines. Now they’re running for office.
He’s a psychiatrist in Washington. She’s a radiologist in Wisconsin. He’s an anesthesiologist in Oklahoma. They’re separated by geography, party, and practice area. They differ in their ambitions, tactics, and goals. But they agree that the United States bungled the pandemic response, and now they’re taking steps to fix it themselves. “COVID really illustrated to...
A new bill aims to stop COVID misinformation on social media. Experts say it may not help.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) on Thursday unveiled new legislation which attempts to curb the spread of health misinformation on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Introduced with cosponsor Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Klobuchar’s proposal would strip internet companies of liability protections for certain types of health misinformation shared on their platforms, reshaping a...
Fox News-hyped study calling masks harmful to kids retracted for ‘scientific issues’
A study pushed by the conservative-leaning Fox News, which claimed face masks were harmful to children, has since been retracted over concerns about its validity and research methods. The study was promoted on Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s popular nightly program on July 1. Carlson began his nightly cable program as he often does these days, with a screed against public health measures...
Republicans’ confidence in science plunges as misinformation spreads
New polling released Friday by the public opinion research firm Gallup finds that Republicans are far less confident in science than they were four decades ago, posing a major challenge to the ongoing campaign to get Americans vaccinated against the Coronavirus. A total of 64% of Americans told Gallup they have “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in science, down...
Schumer’s push to legalize marijuana faces an uphill battle
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer released lengthy draft legislation on Wednesday to legalize marijuana at a federal level, a long-awaited and popular proposal that nonetheless is expected to face steep opposition to passage. The 163-page draft of the “Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act,” released with the support of Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen...
‘We are essential’: Health workers demand Congress pass home care investment package
When Engracia Figueroa was 22, she fainted inside a train station and fell onto the tracks and remained stuck there for about 15 minutes. Three train cars ran over her, she said, throwing her body 50 feet from one leg and breaking her neck in several places. “The first thing I heard him say: ‘Oh God, is she still alive?'” she remembered of the moment she was rescued. The...
Progressive groups demand Justice Department stop defending Trump policies
A group of progressive organizations sent a letter to President Biden this week criticizing his administration’s Department of Justice and accusing Attorney General Merrick Garland of “deep flaws in judgment” for defending policies and legal precedents carried over from former President Donald Trump’s “lawless” administration. “Merrick Garland’s...
Conservative group tries to ‘shame’ MLB for Georgia boycott with new ads
A conservative group on Thursday announced a seven-figure ad campaign targeting Major League Baseball and the events platform Ticketmaster, accusing them of “playing woke politics” by speaking out against Georgia’s recent racist voter suppression law. The ads mark the latest iteration in a self-described “name and shame” campaign orchestrated by Consumers’...