The latest Labor Department figures on unemployment show that more than 850,000 Americans filed for jobless benefits last week, a continuation of the massive economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. An additional 839,000 American filed for benefits under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program run by the federal government for part time and gig workers. One Chicago-based economist told the New York Times, “It’s a gut punch to see these numbers every Thursday with no improvement…The numbers are going in the wrong direction.” A recent NPR poll confirmed the economic hardship facing Americans with 46% of respondents reporting, “serious financial pain during the pandemic.” House Democrats passed a massive multitrillion dollar financial relief bill months ago but faced stiff opposition from the Republican dominated Senate. On Thursday Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell attempted to push through the GOP version of a relief bill that cuts in half the amount of government assistance offered to jobless Americans and does not include a second stimulus checks of the kind approved in earlier legislation. Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer denounced the GOP bill saying, “Instead of improving their offer, Senate Republicans have made it stingier and even less appropriate to the looming crisis that we have.” Ultimately the bill failed to garner the necessary 60 votes. 

President Donald Trump continues to face fallout from a recorded phone conversation he had in February with journalist Bob Woodward during which he acknowledged the severity of the Covid-19 virus at the same time that he downplayed it to the public. The recorded conversation which was released to the public is part of Woodward’s new book about Trump called Rage. Among the other revelations in the book are that Trump denigrated the U.S. military, using the word “suckers” once more, and that two of his top officials, Gen James Mattis and Dan Coats, thought he was so dangerous that they considered speaking out. Woodward also reveals that Trump refused to acknowledge that Black Americans feel the pain of racism. After the recording of his coronavirus remarks were made public Trump admitted that he had downplayed the virus’ risk in remarks to reporters on Wednesday. Later Trump tweeted, “Bob Woodward had my quotes for many months. If he thought they were so bad or dangerous, why didn’t he immediately report them in an effort to save lives?” Indeed Woodward has come under criticism for sitting on the information for many months.

Meanwhile the virus continues to spread as the death toll inches toward 200,000 Americans. Colleges and universities in all 50 states have now reported Covid-19 infections ...