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Extraordinary opportunities abounded in our inbox last week.

One was the chance to attend a virtual fundraiser that Barack Obama is throwing this week for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, "where youll have the chance to meet them one-on-one and talk about whats at stake this election."

"Chip in any amount to automatically enter to win," the email urges. "Contribute for the automatic chance to meet a former, and future, president in an intimate, virtual setting."

But that mere "chance" to win was topped in a missive from Donald Trumps reelection campaign, which contained an unqualified promise to join the president at the GOP convention in Jacksonville, Florida: "Please contribute ANY AMOUNT by 11:59 PM TONIGHT to win a free trip to the 2020 Convention Celebration."

Trump also was quoted as saying, "I've requested that YOU be there with me as my special VIP guest." And he adds, "Please contribute $42 TODAY to win a trip to the Republican National Convention Celebration."

Oh, wait ... there is that paragraph that starts "If you win ..."

Of course, both offers have fine print saying that you dont actually have to contribute money to enter the contests, a nicety that makes them legal.

Speaking of the Trump campaign ...

The presidents reelection team announced the Senate Captains program last week, "a new effort to engage Republican members of the Senate as volunteer fundraisers for the Trump Victory Finance Committee."

One of four "co-captains" of the push to raise money for Trumps reelection is Ohio Sen. Rob Portman of Cincinnati.

State workers take a pass

The administration of Gov. Mike DeWine wanted state employee unions to come up with a cost-savings plan by last Monday. But that deadline came and went with no proposal by the union.

And there wont be one, says Sally Meckling, communications director for the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association, which represents about 30,000 state and local government workers.

"The state wants us to go along with the (4% salary) cuts its making to exempt employees," she said. "However, being in a union and having a collective bargaining agreement provides certain protections for union members.

"While the state appears to have made up its mind on what it wants, there are other ways to address the projected budget shortfall, including the rainy-day fund."

That fund contains $2.7 billion. The projected shortfall for the state fiscal year starting July 1 is $2.4 billion.

Instead of providing a plan, the union submitted "a detailed document request asking for information, just like we do during any bargaining session." Essentially, the union is just getting a head start on negotiations for a new contract talks that would begin this fall anyway.

Under their current contract, unionized state workers will receive a 3% raise starting July 1.

Strong language

It has dawned on us that the campaign of Shannon Freshour, a Democrat mounting a long-shot challenge against GOP Congressman Jim Jordan of Urbana, has been trying to get a subtle message across in emails this month. Can you help us figure it out?

"Jim Jordan is slandering peaceful protesters as rioters in a racist attempt to silence those speaking against police brutality ..."

"Trumps favorite racist bootlicker bully Jim Jordan ..."

"Jim Jordan and his fellow fascist apologists ..."

"Racist buffoon Jim Jordan ...

"Trump and Jordans brand of hatred and divisive rhetoric is a direct threat to our rights as Americans ..."

Jordan has not publicly acknowledged his opponent.

See the original post here:
Capitol Insider | Wow, offers to meet with Trump, Biden and Obama all in one week! - The Columbus Dispatch

The Department of Education is making it harder for colleges to increase financial aid awards for students whose families lost jobs or income during the coronavirus-fueled economic crisis, NPR reported.

The department has confirmed it is not using guidance issued by the Obama administration during the Great Recession that encouraged colleges to be proactive about adjusting student aid awards. The guidance, issued in April and May of 2009, encouraged financial aid officials to thoughtfully use their professional judgment to address changes in financial and family circumstances that would not be reflected on the students most recent Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and assured colleges they would not be punished for adjusting aid awards if they maintained appropriate documentation. In short, the 2009 guidance sought to give assurances to college officials who were reluctant to use their professional judgment to adjust awards because the department used the percentage of such professional judgment determinations as a factor in determining which colleges to audit.

The Education Department has characterized the Obama-era guidance as outdated. A department spokesperson told NPR it is "updating the issues presented by the guidance, given the pandemic and resulting economic downturn."

"I think financial aid offices are out there doing their best," Rachelle Feldman, associate provost of scholarships and student aid at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, told NPR. "But the fear of audit, the change in guidance -- it's all very real and paralyzing."

Read the original:
Ed Department Shelved Obama-Era Guidance on Adjusting Aid - Inside Higher Ed

TOPLINE

As concerts will likely not resume until the final phase of reopening in many places, (which could still be a ways off for most), here are some virtual live performances to get excited about and as a bonus, most are for charitable causes:

Michelle Obama will co-host the virtual Roots Picnic on June 27.

Dave Matthews, Pearl Jam, Macklemore, Ben Gibbard, Sir Mix-a-Lot and other Seattle musicians are playing a June 24 (starts at 10pm ET) concert to raise money for Covid-19 relief in Washington state.

Deadmau5 and musicians from the Lumineers are collaborating with e-sports stars Halifax and Hambinooo to raise money for No Kid Hungry in a June 24 Twitch livestream that begins at 3pm ET.

Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Quavo, J Balvin, Jennifer Hudson, Chloe X Halle, Shakira, Usher, Chris Rock, David Beckman and others will perform at June 27s Global Goal: United for Our FutureThe Concert, hosted by Dwayne Johnson and organized by Global Citizen and the European Commission to highlight the disproportionate effect of Covid-19 on marginalized communities; stream it via NBC and iHeartMedia at 8pm ET.

Michelle Obama, Lil Baby, Lin-Manuel Miranda, SZA, Tom Hanks, Janelle Monae, H.E.R., Roddy Rich, Kerry Washington and others will also play for streamers on June 27 at 8pm ET at the virtual Roots Picnic in partnership with the former First Ladys nonprofit When We All Vote.

Another June 27 event: At 4pm ET Josh Groban is throwing an intimate concert event for attendees who pay $20 (for $55 hell throw in a t-shirt) to hear him croon new ballads and old favorites.

122. Thats how many concerts, festivals and conferences have been canceled or postponed due to coronavirus, according to Vulture.

On March 17, The Rolling Stones postponed their No Filter tour that was scheduled to resume in May. The tourwhich kicked off in 2017has generated upwards of $416 million in revenue. Though the financial impact of this cancellation is unknown, other high-grossing headliners like Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift have similarly canceled their summer stadium tours.

Over 83 million people have bought tickets or made plans to attend events canceled by coronavirus, according to Forbes. Some of the biggest of these include Coachella, the Palm Springs, California, music festival that attracted 99,0000 attendees per day in its six-day 2019 run, and Belgium EDM fest Tomorrowlandattended by 400,000 last year.

Coronavirus Cancellation Tracker: More Than 83 Million Affected After Events Cancelled Or Rescheduled (Forbes)

All the Live Events, Movie Releases, and Productions Affected by the Coronavirus (Vulture)

Heres What Happened at Arkansass Socially Distanced Concert (Vulture)

See original here:
Justin Bieber, Michelle Obama, Chloe X Halle Live From Your Couch: Virtual Events To Stream This Week - Forbes

A close adviser to former US Vice President Joe Biden has begun forming a team to oversee the transition if the Democratic presidential candidate wins November's election and unseats President Donald Trump, according to a statement on Saturday.

Longtime Biden aide Ted Kaufman has recruited six people, including several former Obama administration officials, to an initial team that will later be expanded, a person familiar with the transition team said.

Major party nominees set up transition teams before a general election to coordinate with the incumbent administration.

In a statement, Kaufman said the work would "ensure continuity of government" in the event that Biden must prepare to take over amid the coronavirus pandemic and ensuing economic crisis.

"No one will have taken office facing such daunting obstacles since Franklin Delano Roosevelt," said Kaufman, adding that Biden was ready to begin that work "the day he is sworn in as President".

Originally posted here:
Biden gets the old Obama team back together in case he wins the presidency - Newshub

Someone who is not on board is local asshat Ted Nugent, however, who, as usual, doesn't seem to have a clue.

Instead of self-reflecting on his own use of Confederate flag imagery or his own possible racist attitudes, the Motor City Madman is engaging in some deeply misguided whataboutism, writing in a Facebook post that he thinks a statue of Barack Obama and his daughter Malia should be removed.

"This offends me and I'm sure I speak for millions," he wrote on Thursday. "Can we tear this shit down?"

We think the Nuge should think about why the sight of a successful Black man offends him so much. And anyway, the tearing down of racist and problematic monuments isn't about people being offended it's about rethinking what it says about our culture that we continue to glorify these things.

Plus, if merely being perceived as "offensive" was enough of a reason to tear shit down, the Motor City Madman would have no career that's his whole thing.

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Read the rest here:
Triggered Ted Nugent misses the point by calling for Obama statue to be taken down - Detroit Metro Times