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Ed Pilkington The devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on poor and low-income communities across America is revealed in a new report published Monday, which concludes that while the virus did not discriminate between rich and poor, society and government did. As the United States approaches the gruesome milestone of 1 million deaths from the coronavirus, the blatantly disproportionate human accountability required is revealed by the Pandemic Report on Poor People. An analysis of data from more than 3,000 counties in the United States found that people in the poorest counties died a total of almost twice as many as those in the richest counties. Looking at the most deadly outbreaks of the virus, the difference in mortality rates becomes even more pronounced. During the third wave of the US pandemic, in the winters of 2020 and 2021, death rates were four and a half times higher in the poorest counties than in those with the highest median incomes. During the recent Omicron wave, this deviation in mortality rates was almost threefold. Such a staggering gap in results can not be explained by differences in vaccination rates, the authors note, with more than half of the poorest county population receiving two vaccines. A more important factor is likely to be that the poorer communities had twice as many people without health insurance as the richer counties. “The findings of this report reveal neglect and sometimes deliberate decisions not to focus on the poor,” said Bishop William Barber, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, which co-prepared the survey. “The neglect of the poor and needy people in this country during a pandemic is immoral, shocking and unjust.” The whole story:
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Martin Pengley Barack Obama will return to the White House on Tuesday for the first time since leaving in January 2017 to celebrate the Affordable Care Act, his legislative achievement passed in 2010. Barack Obama. Photo: Paul Ellis / AFP / Getty Images NBC broadcast the news of the 44th president’s visit to the 46th, his own vice president, Joe Biden. He also noted that the White House released a video last year in which Obama and Biden discussed their work in the health sector. “Joe Biden,” Obama said at the time, “we did it together. “We always talked about how, if we could consolidate the principle of universal coverage, we could then rely on it.” Confirming Tuesday’s event, the White House said Biden “will take additional steps to further strengthen the ACA and save families hundreds of dollars a month in health care.”
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At a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting to ratify Ketanji Brown Jackson in the Supreme Court, Republicans are once again raising the issue of Janice Rogers Brown, a former Conservative judge on the federal court in Washington. Republicans say Brown could be the first black woman in the Supreme Court, a historic milestone that Democrats are pushing to achieve for Jackson. But Democrats opposed George W. Bush’s appointment of Brown to the Court of Appeals, even going so far as to argue over it. Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) Graham has repeatedly referred to Democrats who opposed Brown’s candidacy in the early 2000s. But the Dems opposed Rogers on her “judicial philosophy on decimating the social security network, protecting the environment and women’s reproductive freedoms,” according to a Senate aide. April 4, 2022 Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) Rogers Brown was “very out of court,” said the Democratic Senate aide. Groups opposed to Rogers Brown at the time: Congressional Black CaucusNAACPLNational Civic Association National Center for Women’s Rights National Organization for WomenAFL-CIO April 4, 2022 Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) Senator Obama at the time, “In almost every legal decision she has made and in every political speech she has made, Justice Brown has shown that she is not just a judge with very strong political views, she is a political activist who happens to be me. judge”. April 4, 2022 Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) Mike Lee up, also talking about Janice Rogers Brown + saying that it is unfair that Ds opposed her. “If you’re going to do it for inclusion, let ‘s remember to be inclusive in our discussion of inclusion.” (Democrats opposed her because she was too out of court.) April 4, 2022 Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) Ted Cruz is standing up, also complaining about the Ds who opposed Janice Rogers Brown in the early 2000s. Again, groups opposed to Rogers Brown: Congressional Black CaucusNAACPLNational Civic Association National Center for Women’s Rights National Organization for WomenAFL-CIO April 4, 2022 Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) Cruz complains that, unlike Brett Cavanaugh, Jackson was not pressured for her high school yearbook. “Not a single Republican senator asked her about her high school yearbook.” Unlike Cavanaugh, Jackson was not credibly charged with sexual assault in high school. April 4, 2022
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There could be a possible delay in the Senate Judiciary Committee vote on Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmation today: Marianne LeVine (@marianne_levine) The court is due to vote on Jackson today, but it is unclear what time. According to spox “Due to a passenger medical emergency, Senator Padilla’s flight had to return to Los Angeles and was delayed to return to DC. It is on the next flight and will arrive later this afternoon.” April 4, 2022 Updated at 4:39 p.m. BST
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Lindsey Graham, the Republican senator from South Carolina, is no surprise to Ketanji Brown Jackson. The Conservative senator was outspoken against Jackson – he withdrew from the affirmative hearing after unjustly accusing her of calling George W. Bush and former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld “war criminals.” Manu Raju (@mkraju) “If we were in charge, he would not be on this committee,” Lindsey Graham said of Jackson. “You would have someone more modest than that.” Graham voted Jackson for DC Circuit and Obama’s two candidates for SCOTUS, but is a NO now April 4, 2022 Elizabeth Crisp (@elizabethcrisp) @ LindseyGrahamSC says again that he will not vote for SCOTUS candidate Ketanji Brown Jackson. “This choice was embraced by the most radical people in the Democratic movement, excluding everyone else.” He says he could have supported liberal judges but not “hard leftists”. April 4, 2022 Updated at 4.10 p.m. BST
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Biden calls for Putin’s trial for war crimes
Following the catastrophic reports circulating in the Kiev region, which was recaptured by Ukrainian forces last week, Joe Biden is seeking a war crimes trial against Vladimir Putin, the Associated Press reports. The president will also seek more sanctions. Biden is joined by other world leaders in the call – Liz True, Liz Tras, the British Foreign Secretary, tweeted over the weekend that the UK was working with others to gather information on Russian war crimes. Mike Balsamo (@ MikeBalsamo1) WASHINGTON (AP) – Biden is calling for Putin to be tried for war crimes, saying he is seeking more sanctions following the alleged atrocities in Ukraine. April 4, 2022
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As the Senate Judiciary Committee continues, Joe Biden announces his Supreme Court nominee, Ketanji Brown Jackson: President Biden (@POTUS) Judge Jackson will bring to the Supreme Court exceptional qualifications, deep experience and intellect, as well as a rigorous judicial background. It deserves to be confirmed as the next Justice. April 4, 2022 Updated at 4.14 p.m. BST
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