America's MAGA patriots are fawning over the queen for all the wrong reasons

View in browser   May 11, 2021 In an unusual move for a party leader, Mitch McConnell on Tuesday directly inserted himself in the issue over voting rights, taking a lead role in the latest Senate hearing on the For the People Act. But for America's right wing, McConnell's starring role was no match for the queen of England, who on Tuesday made her first solo appearance since her husband's death for the State Opening of Parliament. There, the maskless queen announced a new set of proposals—including the requirement of photo IDs to vote in future elections—that appeared to be ripped straight from the Republican playbook. From there, MAGA world, apparently ignorant of basic UK parliamentary law and the fact that the queen does not write these speeches, could barely contain its excitement. The result, which you can read more about here, was an embarrassing meltdown. And for a brief minute, it served as a pretty hilarious distraction from McConnell's very personal push to block the most consequential elections reform bill since the Voting Rights Act of 1965. At this point, I'll take any and all moments to laugh. —Inae Oh Advertisement   Before Elise Stefanik Became a Trump Cult Leader, She Said He Was Misogynistic and Soft on Putin She also said he should release his tax returns. BY DAVID CORN   It's not just a pipeline. Ransomware attacks are proliferating nationwide. BY AJ VICENS A new report sheds light on ICE's reckless response to COVID-19 BY NOAH LANARD The right is very excited an unelected monarch announced a new voter suppression policy BY INAE OH FEMA offers cash to house local homeless—but cities aren't claiming It BY ADAM MAHONEY Advertisement   The real reason women aren't applying to restaurant jobs It's not because they're lazy. BY ANDREA GUZMAN   Support from readers allows Mother Jones to do journalism that doesn't just follow the pack. Donate SOME GOOD NEWS, FOR ONCE The Biden Administration Just Prohibited Anti-LGBTQ Health Care Discrimination Queer Americans are finally protected from health care discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Monday. The move is a direct reversal of Trump-era policies and comes nearly a year after the Supreme Court interpreted sex-based discrimination to include LBGTQ folks in employment law.  "The Supreme Court has made clear that people have a right not to be discriminated against on the basis of sex and receive equal treatment under the law, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation," said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra in a statement. “Fear of discrimination can lead individuals to forgo care, which can have serious negative health consequences. It is the position of the Department of Health and Human Services that everyone—including LGBTQ people—should be able to access health care, free from discrimination or interference, period." HHS’s discrimination prohibition applies to health care providers, insurers, and all other medical organizations that receive HHS funding. Queer folks who are discriminated against by their providers can file a complaint with the federal government, triggering an investigation and saving them from having to engage in a lengthy and costly lawsuit. It’s a return to the Obama administration’s interpretation of nondiscrimination protections, but one that—thanks to legal challenges—never fully took effect after it was introduced in 2016.  Dr. Rachel Levine, the country’s first transgender assistant secretary for health, told the 19th that it’s a “watershed moment” for LGBTQ rights. But she still worries about the barrage of “draconian” proposals at the state level that are attempting to criminalize gender-affirming health care for transgender children. As the 19th reported on Monday:  It's still unclear if or how the new HHS guidance could affect any of those state-based health care restrictions, or whether it might give Washington any tools to undercut those bans. But at a minimum, it sets a federal tone in contrast to what is emerging in many Republican-led statehouses and could foreshadow further legal action. At least 21 states have considered bills that would limit or outright ban trans kids’ health care access this year. In March, Arkansas became the first state to implement an anti-trans health care ban, overriding the governor’s veto.  “We applaud the Biden administration's decision to enforce these non-discrimination protections in health care, particularly at a time when LGBTQ people are under attack from a record-breaking number of discriminatory bills being signed into law and moving through state legislatures across the country," said Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David.  —Laura Thompson Did you enjoy this newsletter? Help us out by forwarding it to a friend or sharing it on Facebook and Twitter. Donate Subscribe This message was sent to franchmaverickk.secretwords123@blogger.com. To change the messages you receive from us, you can edit your email preferences or unsubscribe from all mailings. For advertising opportunities see our online media kit. Were you forwarded this email? Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today. www.MotherJones.com PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755