Hospital beds across the United States are almost at full capacity as the number of COVID-19 patients rises precipitously. The burden is mostly borne by Intensive Care Units as hospital administrators warn there may be nowhere to put patients. About ten percent of Americans currently live in areas where their local hospitals’ ICU beds are full or have only 5% capacity left. Meanwhile a new study confirmed that the reasons for Black and brown Americans being disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus are because of social inequities, not genetics. The research from New York University examined more than 11,000 patient records and found that social and environmental factors for people of color determine their exposure. 

On Tuesday President elect Joe Biden laid out a three-point plan for combating the virus’ spread. His speech was a study in contrast with President Donald Trump who held a “vaccine summit” at the White House where he lauded that fact that up to 15% of Americans had gotten infected, calling the high rate of infections in the U.S. “terrific” and a “very powerful vaccine in itself.” He spent much of his time at the podium railing against his election loss. 

As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalizes its approval of a COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer in collaboration with BioNTech, the question of how to distribute it to Americans now falls to state governments. The lack of a nationalized healthcare system in the U.S. means that such large-scale efforts are nearly impossible to streamline on a nationwide basis. Vaccines are coming to the U.S. at a time of deep skepticism even though it is the only way in which the pandemic will end with minimal loss of life. But a new Gallup poll shows that support for taking a vaccine has inched up to 63% in the U.S. now. 

Meanwhile in the UK where inoculations have already begun two people with a history of allergic reactions to vaccines have developed such reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine. The occurrence prompted the British government to warn against getting the vaccine for those who have a history of such allergies. A very small percentage of all populations have such reactions and they fall into the category of people such as infants and the elderly who require the protection that mass vaccinations bring. China’s vaccine has finally received formal approval from a state government and that is the United Arab Emirates whose authorities claimed a rate of 86% efficacy without sharing any data to support it. And, poorer nations are left scrambling to obtain vaccine supplies as wealthier nations rush to buy up stocks. 

As economic relief for pandemic-stricken Americans continues to stall in Congress

FEATURING JOHN FABIAN WITT – The coronavirus pandemic has upended our way of life like nothing else in recent memory. But it is certainly not the first infectious disease to plague societies. How governments respond to epidemics and pandemics are a test of their commitment to human rights and equality as well as how they prioritize individual freedoms over collective safety. 

Today as basic safety measures requiring public cooperation are victim to hyper-politicization, we look back at the history of American Contagions – which is also the title of a new book. 

John Fabian Witt, Professor of Law and History at Yale, where he serves as Head of Davenport College. He is author of the Bancroft Prize–winning Lincoln’s Code: The Laws of War in American History. His latest book is called American Contagions: Epidemics and the Law from Smallpox to COVID-19. 

Britain became the first nation in the world to start a mass vaccination campaign with what scientists are deeming a fully tested vaccine for Covid-19. Using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, UK authorities are carrying out a nearly unprecedented public health campaign of delivering shots first to healthcare workers, then elderly people with underlying conditions, and so on. The vaccine will require a “booster” shot 21 days later. Although China has already vaccinated more than a million people, the vaccine it is using is still considered experimental and has only passed through a mid-stage clinical trial. The UK is facing some criticism however from scientists who worry that the regulatory approval process for Pfizer’s vaccine was rushed. Here in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration has just confirmed the safety and efficacy of the same vaccine which the government has purchased 100 million doses of – enough to vaccinate 50 million people. The FDA released a document stating that it had, “a favorable safety profile, with no specific safety concerns identified that would preclude issuance of an [emergency authorization].” 

On the same day that the UK began its inoculation efforts, news emerged that the Trump administration had been given the opportunity to lock in additional supplies from Pfizer but passed on the offer. Hoping to claim the development of a vaccine as part of his legacy Trump is hosting a vaccine summit at the White House on Tuesday where he will sign a largely symbolic executive order asserting that Americans will receive the vaccine before other nations. But Pfizer chose to develop its vaccine without direct US government funding and its representatives refused to attend Trump’s summit saying it did not want to politicize its work. Trump has fomented confusion about the virus and politicized simple precautions like wearing a mask. On Tuesday Trump loyalist Senator Ron Johnson held a Senate hearing at the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that contradicted government efforts to beat the virus. The New York Times described his witnesses this way: “There is a prominent vaccine skeptic, an outspoken critic of masking and social distancing, and at least two doctors who have promoted the use of an anti-parasitic drug that government scientists have recommended against using to treat the coronavirus.” Meanwhile Assistant Secretary of the Health and Human Services Department, Admiral Brett Giroir, spoke to CBS on Tuesday saying this about vaccines.

In other news President elect Joe Biden plans to name former Iraq war commander Lloyd Austin to head the Defense Department after his initial pick Michelle Flournoy faced stiff opposition from antiwar groups. If confirmed by the Senate Austin would become the nation’s first African American to lead the Pentagon. But progressives balked at this news too pointing out that Austin, a retired general,

FEATURING PAUL ARMENTANO – The U.S. House of Representatives voted last week to pass a historic bill to decriminalize marijuana nationwide called the MORE Act. The Democrat-controlled House passed the bill 228-to-164 as growing numbers of states around the nation have legalized Cannabis. House Democrats linked the passage of the bill to the harm that the “war on drugs” has done to communities of color especially. Republican lawmakers opposed the bill making it unlikely to pass the Senate, however. Republican voters, like Democrats, are largely in favor of legalization.

Paul Armentano, Deputy Director of NORML, an advocacy group working on marijuana legalization. He also serves on the faculty of Oaksterdam University in Oakland, where he is the Chair of Science. He is a regular contributor to TheHill.com as well as to numerous other print and online publications, and is the co-author of the book Marijuana is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?

FEATURING TAYSHA MARTINEAU – The pipeline corporation Enbridge is facing serious Indigenous opposition to its “Line 3” project bringing tarsands from Alberta, Canada, to Wisconsin, cutting through Minnesota. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, despite claiming to oppose fossil fuel expansion, approved the Line 3 permits prompting hundreds to show up outside his mansion to denounce his actions. 

For more information visit www.stopline3.org. Watch the 2017 Unicorn Riot mini-documentary about the Line 3 Pipeline here: https://player.vimeo.com/video/236863124?dnt=1&app_id=122963.

Taysha Martineau, Co-Founder of Gitchigumi Scouts.

Covid-19 infections remain high in the United States with more than 280,000 deaths from the virus and more than 14 million cases of infection since the pandemic began. Los Angeles County, California leads the nation in the number of cases of all counties, however LA County is also the nation’s most populous. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when adjusted for population, the states of Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Alaska, Rhode Island, and Indiana have the worst outbreaks in the nation. California has about half the per capita infection rate of say Utah. Scientists say that the twin culprits of people’s lack of safety precautions and colder weather has led to the current surge in cases. But Vice President Mike Pence, who heads the White House Coronavirus Task Force struck an optimistic tone saying the nation is, “in a season of hope” and that, “help is on the way.”

While California has issued a strict, and yet confusing, stay-at-home order, in New York, that state’s largest city is reopening elementary schools. The New York Times explained that, “The decision to do so reflects changing public health thinking around the importance of keeping schools operating, particularly for young students, and the real-world experience of over two months of in-person classes in the city’s school system, the nation’s largest.” And, the Navajo Nation has expanded its lockdown as the virus spreads uncontrollably through its communities.  

In other news, president elect Joe Biden has picked Xavier Becerra to lead his Department of Health and Human Services. Becerra is California’s Attorney General and a former Congress member, and, if confirmed by the Senate, will become the nation’s first Latino head of HHS. Backers of a Single Payer healthcare system were heartened and reminded of the fact that in 2017 Becerra said that he “absolutely” supported a Medicare-for-All system and that he had supported it for decades. As Health Secretary he would be able to sign waivers for states to begin to implement their own single payer healthcare systems. Mr. Biden has also named Dr. Rochelle Walensky to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Walensky is chief of infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital and a professor at Harvard Medical School.

President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuilani has finally tested positive for the coronavirus. Mr. Giuliani, who has become the face of the Trump campaign’s coup attempt has crisscrossed the country without taking safety precautions. Trump revealed Giuliani’s diagnosis on

FEATURING AUNNA DENNIS – All eyes are on the state of Georgia as two critically important Senate runoff races are slated for January 5th and could decide which major party has a slim hold on the United States Senate. Republicans Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue are polling slightly behind Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff. But polling for the November 3rd Presidential and Senate races was significantly off. Republicans control the state legislature in Georgia where they have had to both defend the integrity of the November 3rd race which their President has repeatedly slammed, while encouraging their voters to participate in the runoff races. 

Aunna Dennis, Executive Director of Common Cause Georgia. 

FEATURING SPENCER WOODMAN – A massive trove of leaked documents from the U.S. government’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) shows that big banks filed so-called “suspicious activities reports” on trillions of dollars worth of transactions linked to corrupt regimes, mobsters, and international criminals, relying on the U.S. government to not enforce regulations. As a result the banks engaged in what can only be characterized as massive money laundering schemes that have now been laid bare. Among the high profile clients of these big banks is President Donald Trump’s former campaign chair Paul Manafort. The so-called FinCEN files have laid bare the failure of the U.S. government to counter the money laundering schemes—failure so staggering as to amount to complicity. The “Suspicious Activities Reports” or SARs were first leaked to Buzzfeed News which then shared them with the International Consortium of Journalists whose staff worked for months to analyze and make sense of them. 

Spencer Woodman, reporter with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. 

** This segment was originally broadcast on September 21, 2020.

The U.S. economy added 245,000 new jobs last month according to new government data. The number was dismally low and was the fifth month in a row of slowed job growth. One reason was the ending of 93,000 temporary U.S. Census bureau jobs in February. There are about 10 million fewer jobs in the U.S. today than in November. Among those who have lost those jobs are many workers who are set to lose unemployment benefits in the face of Congressional inaction driven by the GOP-dominated Senate. 

Republicans in the House on Thursday attempted to adjourn the session without addressing Covid-related economic relief. House Freedom Caucus Chair Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona introduced the measure and was promptly denounced by his Democratic colleagues. California Democrat Eric Swalwell called the move “batty,” and added, “Americans are in dire need of food and paychecks,” while New York’s Alexandria Ocasio Cortez tweeted, “People are going hungry and they’re treating this like a game.” The motion to adjourn was defeated. Meanwhile a modest compromise bill introduced by conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans to the tune of $908 billion appears to be gaining momentum. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday spoke with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on the phone about the bill. Among their differences are corporate liability protections, which McConnell wants, and aid to states which Pelosi wants. President elect Joe Biden has announced his support for the bill saying that it, “would be a good start,” but that, “it’s not enough.”

Covid-19 infections and deaths continue to break records with more than 217,000 new cases of infections reported on Thursday alone. And, more than 2,800 people died on Thursday nationwide, the second day in a row that broke records. The trend ought not to be surprising considering that in October compliance with social distancing guidelines fell to an all-time low as per a new study. And, new data shows Americans traveled during the Thanksgiving break despite warnings against resuming traditional family gatherings. The New York Times on Friday published the results of a survey of 700 epidemiologists and how they had changed their lifestyles during the course of the pandemic. While a majority had resumed errands like grocery shopping, begun treating their mail without precaution, and gathered outdoors with friends, most had not eaten indoors at restaurants, traveled by airplane, or exercised at an indoor gym.  

President elect Joe Biden announced that among his first actions in office would be to call on Americans to adopt universal mask wearing for 100 days. The call was not as strict as the universal mask mandate he had backed ...

FEATURING AMANDA BALLANTYNE – President elect Joe Biden met this week with workers and business owners who had been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. With Congress having failed to pass more Covid-related relief for struggling workers and businesses many Americans are reaching a breaking point. Now, a centrist and bipartisan group of lawmakers has begun touting a modest $908 billion package that on Thursday won the support of Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer as well as growing numbers of GOP Senators. 

 Meanwhile new data about the CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program shows a number of troubling aspects including millions of dollars going to Trump and Kushner properties, and money going to corporations that did not save jobs. And, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has defended putting hundreds of billions of unspent dollars from the CARES Act into a fund that his successor will need permission to access. 

Amanda Ballantyne, Executive Director of the Main Street Alliance, a national network of 30,000 small business owners.