‘We want them infected’: Trump appointee demanded ‘herd immunity’ strategy, emails reveal  —  A top Trump appointee repeatedly urged top health officials to adopt a “herd immunity” approach to Covid-19 and allow millions of Americans to be infected by the virus, according to internal emails obtained …

MAGA turns on Mitch: Trump allies including Michael Flynn slam the GOP Senate majority leader for ‘caving to the mob and China’ for recognizing Biden as president-elect  — Trump loyalists were furious after McConnell congratulated Biden on Tuesday  — Top allies accused Senate majority leader of selling out the party's leader

Texas Wedding Photographers Have Seen Some $#!  +  —  They know what you did this summer.  —  NOTES  —  The wedding photographer had already spent an hour or two inside with the unmasked wedding party when one of the bridesmaids approached her.  The woman thanked her for still showing up …

'It's turned crazy': Inside the scramble for Trump pardons  —  Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump may not be willing to accept his term is ending, but as the clock ticks down on his time in office, hundreds of his allies — including some of his closest business associates …

Hundreds of invitees skip Mike Pompeo's indoor holiday party at State Department  —  Only a tiny fraction of the more than 900 guests invited to an indoor holiday party hosted by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his wife Susan showed up on Tuesday following an outcry from public health officials …

QAnon Supporters Vow to Leave GOP After Mitch McConnell Accepts Election Result  —  Supporters of the QAnon conspiracy theory have unsurprisingly turned their backs on Mitch McConnell after he finally congratulated President-elect Joe Biden on his election victory.

AOC: Nancy Pelosi Needs to Go, but There's Nobody to Replace Her Yet … Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez believes the Democratic Party needs new leadership, telling The Intercept in an interview that it's time for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to go.

A mysterious gap in COVID-19 deaths appeared in Florida before the presidential election  —  An astonishing pattern has emerged in Florida's COVID death tally — one that suggests the state manipulated a backlog of unrecorded fatalities, presenting more favorable death counts in the days leading up to the 2020 presidential election.

Transition Live Updates: Biden Introduces Buttigieg as Pick to Lead Transportation  —  If he is confirmed, Pete Buttigieg would be the first openly gay cabinet secretary.  Some Democrats are pushing to hear more of President-elect Joe Biden's plans sooner than later.  —  Here's what you need to know:

People Thought Covid-19 Was Relatively Harmless for Younger Adults.  They Were Wrong.  —  New research shows that July may have been the deadliest month for young adults in modern American history.  —  Dr. Faust is a doctor at Brigham and Women's Hospital Department of Emergency Medicine.

Congressional leaders add stimulus checks to $900 billion relief package as they near deal  —  New direct payments will likely be included, but leaders are scrapping aid to states and cities as well as liability protections for companies as they try to finish negotiations.

Value of Loeffler's Mansion Dropped $6M Overnight—and Nobody Can Explain Why  —  The estate went from a $10.5 million appraisal to $4.1 million, resulting in a much lower tax bill for the senator and her husband.  —  When Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) and her husband, Jeffrey Sprecher …

The Most American Religion  —  Image above: The Oquirrh Mountain Temple sits about 20 miles south of Temple Square in Salt Lake City, where the Church is based.  —  This article was published online on December 16, 2020.  —  To meet with the prophet during a plague, certain protocols must be followed.

North Carolina GOP lawmaker urges Trump to suspend civil liberties to keep power: ‘Invoke the Insurrection Act’  —  On Facebook, North Carolina state Sen. Bob Steinburg (R) paraphrased a conservative commentator to make a radical suggestion: President Trump should declare a national emergency …

The Texas organization connected to an alleged assault over imaginary voter fraud posts violent and conspiratorial rhetoric  —  An ex-cop was arrested for assault while bogusly trying to prove voter fraud.  The Liberty Center for God and Country bankrolled him and has a Facebook page full …

We're Never Going Back to the 1950s  —  Twenty years ago, the sociologist Robert Putnam in Bowling Alone used the decline of bowling leagues since the middle of the 20th century to symbolize America's declining social engagement.  This year, he published a sequel of sorts, The Upswing …

John O. Brennan on UFOs  —  I thought I would give this segment its own post, again here is the audio, video, and transcript of my Conversation with John O. Brennan, head of the CIA for four years under President Obama:  —  BRENNAN: I've seen some of those videos from Navy pilots …

Fifty Years of Tax Cuts for Rich Didn't Trickle Down, Study Says  — Paper looks at fiscal policies in 18 countries over 50 years  — Governments shouldn't worry about taxes on rich, author says  —  Tax cuts for rich people breed inequality without providing much of a boon to anyone else …

Traditional marriage roles make for much better sex  —  In 2014, author and psychologist Lori Gottlieb wrote an article for the New York Times about a study that found egalitarian, or “50-50,” marriages (in which both parents work full time outside the home and split household and childcare right …

UM Fires History Professor Who Criticizes ‘Powerful, Racist Donors’ and ‘Carceral State’  —  During a period of what University of Mississippi faculty are calling a time of increasing paranoia, the university is set to terminate a celebrated professor of history.

MLB Is Finally Recognizing the Negro Leagues as the Major Leagues They Always Were  —  Negro League statistics from 1920 to 1948 will now be officially classified as “major league,” marking a long-overdue acknowledgment of the accomplishments of players who didn't have the opportunity to play in the American or National Leagues

Trump Spy Chief Stirs Dispute Over China Election-Meddling Views  — Disagreement is over the extent of interference by China  — Ratcliffe may withhold certification of a report to Congress  —  President Donald Trump's spy chief is considering holding up a report to Congress …

Senator Jon Tester on Democrats and Rural Voters: ‘Our Message Is Really, Really Flawed’  —  Mr. Tester, a Montana farmer, said in an interview that Democrats had failed to connect with much of the country: “You cannot have Chuck Schumer talking rural issues to rural people.”

Sen. Angus King proposes Netflix, Disney, HBOMax stream free over holidays to stop COVID-19 spread  —  Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) called on video streaming platforms to make their content available for free during the holiday season to encourage people to stay home during the coronavirus pandemic.

Big six veterans groups ask Trump to fire VA Secretary Wilkie immediately  —  The nation's leading veterans groups on Wednesday formally requested that President Donald Trump fire Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie immediately from his Cabinet post, saying that the VA administrator …

Bob Iger, Jeffrey Katzenberg In the Mix for Biden Ambassadorship Roles  —  The Disney executive chairman is at the top of the president-elect's wish list for a diplomatic assignment with the DreamWorks and Quibi mogul also in the mix.  —  It appears that Bob Iger might have a future in public service after all.

Nearly 8 million Americans have fallen into poverty since the summer  —  Nation's poverty rate has risen at the fastest pace ever this year after aid for the unemployed declined.  —  The U.S. poverty rate has surged over the past five months, with 7.8 million Americans falling into poverty …

Lauren Book considering statewide bid in 2022  —  TALLAHASSEE — Democratic Sen. Lauren Book is considering a statewide run for office in 2022, with a likely landing spot being a race against Republican Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis.  —  “Senator Book clearly has a very bright future …

Four California Districts Split Tickets for President, Congress  — GOP benefited from strong candidates, unpopular propositions  — Democrats still will have 42-11 advantage in House delegation  —  Republicans won four House races in California in congressional districts carried …