Today's Liberal News

The Coronavirus Surge That Will Define the Next 4 Years

Editor’s Note: The Atlantic is making vital coverage of the coronavirus available to all readers. Find the collection here. Updated at 9:20 p.m. ET on October 22, 2020The United States is sleepwalking into what could become the largest coronavirus outbreak of the pandemic so far. In the past week alone, as voters prepare to go to the ballot box, about one in every 1,000 Americans has tested positive for the virus, and about two in every 100,000 Americans have died of it.

The Militia That Fox News Built

Getty / Paul Spella / The AtlanticAs early voting began in Atlanta, Georgia, last week, members of the local Security Force Three Percent, a self-styled military group composed of roughly 400 members, were smoking Marlboro 100s and waxing apocalyptic about the state of America.“Well, I think the coronavirus is a scam, first and foremost,” declared Chris Hill, the commanding officer of the militia, who goes by the nom de guerre General BloodAgent.

Nagorno-Karabakh: What’s at Stake in the Conflict Between Armenia & Azerbaijan?

As fighting continues between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, we look at the roots of the conflict that has already killed at least 700 people since fighting began in late September and which threatens to escalate despite two ceasefire attempts brokered by Russia. Nagorno-Karabakh, which lies inside Azerbaijan but is controlled by ethnic Armenians, was the site of a bloody conflict in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union.

“A Fire That Has Spread Across the Country”: Jelani Cobb on Voter Suppression in the 2020 Election

As tens of millions of people across the U.S. cast their ballots in early voting ahead of the November 3 election, we look at voter suppression efforts with journalist and academic Jelani Cobb. His new “Frontline” documentary “Whose Vote Counts” examines the long lines, record number of mail-in ballots and the legal fights that have marked voting during the pandemic, with a focus on Wisconsin.

Wednesday Night Owls. Trump’s Labor Secretary Scalia is devoted to weakening worker protections

Night Owls, a themed open thread, appears at Daily Kos seven days a week

At The New Yorker, Eyal Press writes—Trump’s Labor Secretary Is a Wrecking Ball Aimed at Workers:

[…] Since Donald Trump entered politics, he has surrounded himself with grifters and figures of gross incompetence. [Labor Secretary Eugene] Scalia is part of a smaller cohort: distinguished conservatives who have joined the Administration to advance their own ideological goals.

A Texas teen might just have found the pathway to a COVID-19 cure

As cases of the novel coronavirus increase nationwide, scientists and researchers are working day and night to develop a vaccine or possible cure, but they aren’t the only ones. While most young teens are dreading online classes and spending a lot of time on social media, one Texas eighth grader has been working on developing a possible cure for COVID-19.

Introducing the Daily Kos Elections Congressional District Snapshot

Here at Daily Kos Elections, we live and breathe elections data, and we’ve collected a ton of it (most of which you can find here). But when you want to know more about a specific congressional district, it can be hard to contextualize hundreds of numbers across multiple spreadsheets. We’ve therefore added a new page for each district to our Atlas of the 117th Congress: a snapshot of key data.

Local elections matter, too: Key sheriff and prosecutor races could advance the cause of justice

Criminal justice reform is on the ballot in communities across the country—but not in a yes/no “do you want to reduce mass incarceration” form. Instead, sheriff and district attorney races carry the possibility of change for the better—or of officeholders who will double down on racial disparities and prosecuting minor drug offenses, cooperate with ICE, and encourage fear over reform.