'There are no shortcuts out of this pandemic'
California is facing a grim surge in coronavirus cases that has prompted Gov. Gavin Newsom to reverse course on the state's reopening plan. This is as it should be. There will be fits and starts as we navigate our way through the coronavirus pandemic, responding objectively to trends and new data as they become available to us. The other option—denying facts and reality if they don’t comport with a certain political agenda—is ultimately a losing proposition, both from a national health standpoint and an economic one. —Evan McMullin
1. On second thought...
In a pattern being repeated around the world, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered a dramatic rollback of the state's reopening amid a resurgence in coronavirus infections. Bars are to close across the state, while restaurants, theaters, and museums must cease any indoor operations. California's two largest school districts, Los Angeles and San Diego, have meanwhile announced that classes will remain online-only throughout the fall, despite the White House's push to reopen all schools in September. —The Guardian
— Listen up, Betsy. As U.S. school systems nationwide debate how and when to reopen to students, they ought to pay attention to Israel's experience. Medical and public health officials there believe the country's recent resurgence of COVID-19—after nearly vanquishing the virus in the spring—was largely propelled by the abrupt May 17 decision to reopen all schools. —The Daily Beast
— More relief to come? Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said yesterday that his office is in discussions with Treasury Sec. Steve Mnuchin on the next phase of coronavirus relief. "I'm predicting we will have one more rescue package, which we'll begin to debate and discuss next week," he said. The Senate will return from recess on Monday. —The Hill
— "Everyone is lying." President Trump endorsed that baseless statement made by game show host Chuck Woolery yesterday. Trump retweeted Woolery's opinion that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the media, Democrats, "not all but most" doctors, and everyone "we are told to trust" are "lying" about COVID-19 to keep "the economy from coming back, which is about the election." —CNBC
MORE: WHO chief: Pandemic 'going to get worse and worse and worse' —The Hill
2. Gerson: In defense of Fauci
"We do not trust public health officials during an emerging pandemic because they have fully formed scientific views from the beginning. We trust them because 1) they are making judgments based on the best available information, and 2) they have no other motive than the health of the public. If, say, health officials were initially mistaken about the possibility of asymptomatic transmission, it is not failure when they change their views according to better data. It is the nature of the scientific method and the definition of their duty." —The Washington Post
MORE: 'Disgusting attempt to pass the buck': Biden campaign slams Trump for Fauci attacks —Forbes
3. US rejects Chinese maritime claims
The U.S. escalated its actions against China yesterday by rejecting outright nearly all of Beijing's significant maritime claims in the South China Sea. Intended to curb China's increasing assertiveness in the region and to reaffirm a commitment to international law, the decision infuriated the Chinese, who are already retaliating against numerous U.S. sanctions and penalties on other matters. —Associated Press
— "We are making clear: Beijing's claims to offshore resources across most of the South China Sea are completely unlawful, as is its campaign of bullying to control them," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement, referring to the contentious, energy-rich stretch of water.
— China hit back today, outlining its historical claims to the waters and stating that the U.S. was trying to "sow trouble." Beijing also accused the U.S. of bullying for frequently sending Naval patrols through the strategic waterways. —NBC News
MORE: WaPo Ed Board: Hong Kong's new demonstration for democracy is a historic display of courage —The Washington Post
4. London: We ignore Russian bounties at our peril
"As any observer of Russia knows, neglecting aggression inevitably invites more of it—to expand Russian influence and power at American expense. For examples, look at Ukraine, Syria, and increasingly Libya, Africa, and even Europe." —The New York Times
Ed. Note: Douglas London was a senior operations officer in the CIA Clandestine Service for more than 34 years.
MORE: How Russia built a channel to the Taliban, once an enemy —The New York Times
5. Legal battle for foreign students intensifies
Supporting an initial legal challenge by Harvard University and MIT, attorneys general in 17 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration yesterday over its new rule that could prohibit thousands of international students from studying in the U.S. this fall. An amicus brief filed by Google, Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, Adobe, and others argues that, as both customers and future employees of these companies, international students losing their visas will hurt American businesses and the U.S. economy. —NPR
— Visas are returning. U.S. embassies and consulates around the world will soon resume visa services, the State Dept. announced yesterday, although it did not provide details on where or when. The worldwide suspension of U.S. visas, except for emergency cases, has been one of several ways the Trump Administration has restricted immigration and travel amid the coronavirus pandemic. —ABC News
— Not my wall. Trump claims a privately funded border wall was built to make him "look bad," even though his administration awarded $1.7 billion to the builder, a Trump supporter, to erect more walls. Touted as the "Lamborghini" of fences, the wall is in danger of toppling into the Rio Grande due to erosion along and under the structure. —ProPublica
MORE: Trump working on executive order to establish merit-based immigration system —The Economic Times
6. Coronavirus around the globe
An epidemiologist and an animal diseases specialist from the World Health Organization have traveled to China this week on a mission to trace the origin of the coronavirus pandemic. Though the virus was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, Beijing has been reluctant to allow a probe. China relented after dozens of countries called on the WHO to conduct a thorough investigation.
— Africa. In South Africa, which accounts for more than 40% of all the reported coronavirus cases in Africa, the country is reinstating a ban on alcohol sales, a nighttime curfew, and a face mask requirement to help curb infections and increase hospital capacity.
— Asia. India, which has the most confirmed virus cases after the U.S. and Brazil, reported a record daily surge of 28,701 new cases yesterday. Authorities in several cities are reinstating strict lockdowns after attempting to reopen the country's ailing economy.
— Europe. In France, the government is considering requiring the use of masks in all indoor public spaces amid a drop in public vigilance. Greece is seeking a ban on church and village fairs and tighter tourism-related checks following a recent increase in confirmed cases. —Al Jazeera
MORE: Across Central Asia, police states expand under the cover of COVID-19 —World Politics Review
7. Locklear & Votel: A global pandemic coalition
"As our nation adapts to the challenge of the coronavirus at home, we must urgently confront the disruptive impacts of the pandemic around the world and the serious risks to our safety and national security. This will require forward-thinking and U.S. leadership to mobilize our allies and partners around a comprehensive global health security response to a disease that does not recognize borders." —Defense One
Ed. Note: U.S. Navy Adm. Samuel Locklear III (Ret.) served as commander of U.S. Pacific Command until 2015. U.S. Army Gen. Joseph Votel (Ret.) served as commander of U.S. Central Command until 2019.
8. Forces of discrimination at work
At least six investigations into discriminatory mortgage loan "redlining"—denying financial services to residents of certain areas based on race or ethnicity—by major U.S. banks have been quietly shelved or stalled under the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency since 2017. The Trump Administration has also tinkered with rules for applying the Community Reinvestment Act, a law that has helped combat housing discrimination for five decades. —ProPublica
— Race, protests, and disinfo. A torrent of online disinformation seems to have inflamed much of the civil unrest that occurred in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in May. Much of the disinfo was "anti-government" in nature, according to a new analysis by Blackbird AI, a social media research company. —Government Technology
— Proud Boys crash post-Pence party. The alt-right group the Proud Boys mingled with members of the Philadelphia police union last Thursday at its "Back the Blue" fundraiser, held at the headquarters of the city's Fraternal Order of Police, following a visit by Vice President Mike Pence. Union President John McNesby says the group was not invited by the FOP. —The Philadelphia Inquirer
9. Hart, McCleary, Medish & Wirth: We must save our democracy
"Our Constitution, established by 'We the people,' enshrines a core principle: the right of the people to choose and affirm by periodic free and fair election those who hold power on their behalf. ... Now it is up to us—we the people and our representatives at all levels and our courts—to make sure that Nov. 3 does not end up the subject of democracy watchdog headlines about a failed election. The stakes could not be higher." —The Boston Globe
Ed. Note: Gary Hart and Timothy Wirth are former U.S. senators. Joel McCleary and Mark Medish are former senior White House officials in the Carter and Clinton administrations, respectively.
10. An American Story: The power of live music
Lifelong musicians Joey DeNoble and Keith Garner, of Bucks Co., Penn., have come together to play live music in parking lots of any hospital or store that will have them. Their goal? Lift some spirits during the pandemic.
— "The amount of nurses, therapist doctors, and stuff like that that have reached out, it's been heartfelt just figuring out what they've really been going through on the front lines," said Garner. "We didn't realize music would be such a helpful thing in a time of such despair."
— The two friends have become quite popular and have played well over 100 shows, sometimes playing up to four shows in a day.
— "The feeling or the response that we got just using our gifts for just lifting people up was enough for me," said DeNoble. —ABC News
Ed. Note: We are spotlighting ways that Americans are helping each other through the coronavirus crisis and recent unrest, and promoting American values. Would you like to suggest an "American Story" from your local news? If so, please forward a link to the story to editor@topline.com. Thank you!
Yesterday was the right day to read THE TOPLINE, because it was very positive and had good suggestions on how to help our fellow Americans. Especially was awakened by the lowrider article and the need for supporting our farmworkers. I never thought about it, but now I do. —Martin S., Maine
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