In the Know: May 19, 2020

Days to the November Election:  168

2020 Election
Western States Lead the Way in Vote-By-Mail Elections, Mother Jones
Why Democrats Can’t Rely On Voter Anger This November, 538
Texas Supreme Court Will Take Up Pandemic Mail-In Voting, Mother Jones

Agriculture
MEAT PRODUCTION TO REBOUND SHARPLY AFTER CORONAVIRUS SLOWDOWN – USDA, Successful Farming

Attorney General Keith Ellison
MN Joins Lawsuit Against EPA For Pollution Rules, KWLMDonald Trump
State Department IG fired by Trump was investigating Saudi arms sale that bypassed Congress, CNBC
Trump’s “Reopening” Is a Red Herring, In These Times
Trump says he’s taking hydroxychloroquine, Vox
Trump’s War on Watchdogs, Time
Trump threatens to halt WHO funding, review U.S. membership, Reuters
Pelosi says ‘morbidly obese’ Trump taking hydroxychloroquine ‘not a good idea’, The Hill
Trump is threatening to pull the US out of the WHO. What does that actually mean?, CNN

Environment
Dust bowl conditions of 1930s US now more than twice as likely to reoccur, The Guardian
Hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones are becoming stronger, according to a new NOAA study, CNN
Carbon emissions dropped 17 percent globally amid coronavirus, NBC News

Health
COVID-19 KILLS 20 TIMES MORE PEOPLE PER WEEK ON AVERAGE THAN FLU, SCIENTISTS ESTIMATE, Newsweek
Politics could dictate who gets a coronavirus vaccine, Politico

Economy
Trump Is Attacking the Final Safeguard Against Executive Abuses, The Atlantic
The Uncertain Future for Workers, The American Prospect
Coronavirus retail apocalypse could be a win for chains that survive, Axios
Poor People Endure Multidimensional Hazards to Access Crisis Relief, The American Prospect
The Coronavirus Class War, New York Magazine

Governor Tim Walz
Gov. Walz reacts to the end of the Minnesota Legislature session, KEYC

Minnesota News

Minnesota State Legislature
After last-minute gridlock, Minnesota Legislature looks toward June special session, Pioneer Press
Special session to pick up where the Minnesota Legislature left off, Star Tribune

Representative Dean Phillips (CD3)
Rep. Dean Phillips proposes changes to PPP loan requirements, Twin Cities Business Journal

Representative Collin Peterson (CD7)
Peterson Critical of Last Minute Proposal to Change EPA Rules for Residential Wood Heaters,Red Lake Nation News
Peterson Statement on Passage of the HEROES Act, Red Lake Nation News

Republicans
Eric Trump used his latest Fox News appearance to push an absurd conspiracy theory about Covid-19, Vox
Powell, Mnuchin to face Senate grilling on U.S. coronavirus response, Reuters
NC GOP Worries Burr Scandal Could Take Down Tillis, The Daily Beast
William Barr Wants to Lock Up Trump’s Deep State Enemies, But Not Joe Biden, New York Magazine
Georgia Republicans cancel election for state Supreme Court, meaning governor can appoint a Republican, Vox

Senator Amy Klobuchar
Klobuchar takes on Uber, Facebook over antitrust, Politico

U.S. News
The Black American Amputation Epidemic, ProPublica
Why meatpacking plants have become coronavirus hot spots, Vox
Florida throws open its doors — and holds its breath, Politico
Wisconsin is starting to resemble a failed state, The Guardian
Religious exemptions are gutting civil rights protections, advocacy groups warn, NBC News
Coronavirus Cases Surge In Texas Panhandle As State Continues To Reopen, NPR
Wisconsin governor won’t pursue statewide coronavirus restrictions after court ruling, The Hill

World News
Tanzania’s president shrugs off Covid-19 risk after sending fruit for ‘tests’, The Guardian
India and Bangladesh brace for the strongest storm ever recorded in the Bay of Bengal, CNN
Germany buckles to France on coronavirus recovery plan, Politico
For most of Afghanistan war, U.S. ‘never really fought to win,’ Trump declares, Washington Post

Upcoming DFL Events

With the rapidly changing COVID-19 situation, we suggest you check with the hosting organization to see if meetings, etc. are being held.

  • Today through May 23 — Ramadan
  • May 20, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — CD3 DFL Central Committee Meeting, Council Chambers, Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345
  • May 21, 6:30 to 8:00 PM — DFL Environmental Caucus Virtual Meeting, more information and RSVP here.
  • May 25 — Memorial Day
  • May 26 -31 — State DFL Convention virtual voting window
  • May 31 — Mandatory meeting for district-level DFL National Delegates, more information as it becomes available
  • June 3
    • 6:30 to 8:30 PM — SD50 DFL Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD33 DFL Central Committee Virtual Meeting, contact them for specifics
  • June 4, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD46 DFL Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics
  • June 8
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD44 DFL Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD49 DFL Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics
  • June 11
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD36 DFL Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics
    • 7:00 to 9:00 PM — SD48 Central Committee Meeting, contact them for specifics
  • June 14 — Flag Day
  • June 15, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — Anoka County DFL Meeting, contact them for specifics
  • June 17, 7:00 to 9:00 PM — CD3 DFL Central Committee Meeting, more information as it becomes available.
  • June 20 — Summer Solstice
  • June 21 — Father’s Day
  • June 26 through August 10 — Primary Election Early Voting Window