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TODAY'S HEADLINES:

U.S. virus cases are once again on the rise, despite the growing vaccine rollout, as the Biden administration works to issue Americans a so-called vaccine passport.

Meanwhile, Florida’s state legislature passes a draconian anti-protest bill, alarming civil liberties advocates.

And lastly, Myanmar’s military repeatedly opens fire on demonstrators in one of the bloodiest days of the country’s recent protests, killing close to 100 civilians.

THESE ARE THE STORIES YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Coronavirus cases are once again on the rise in the United States, despite our continued vaccine rollout.

The good news is that deaths are still decreasing. But for the first time in weeks, the line of recorded cases started to creep up again, with an average of about 62,000 per week.

Scientists did predict we’d see a rise in the latter part of this month due to the spread of new variants of the disease. Many of these new strains are more infectious than the original versions we’ve been dealing with for a year, although vaccines are still effective at limiting their harm.

The bigger risk that we’re seeing is states reopening way too soon. Dr. Anthony Fauci pointed specifically to the ludicrous spring break gatherings in Florida as examples of states that aren’t doing it right.

The lesson here is clear: everyone wants to have a hot vax summer, but if we jump the gun too early it’s just going to cause more death.

The Biden Administration, meanwhile, is working with various private companies to consolidate credentials that prove someone has received a coronavirus vaccine. A number of organizations have said they’ll be restricting access to everything from cruise ships to sports stadiums to people who have been vaccinated, and there are more than 17 fledgling so-called passport programs underway worldwide.

So far, the Administration is being tight-lipped on exactly what these plans will look like, so we’ll have to keep a close eye on it as it develops, because there’s obviously a pretty big risk that such a system will further discriminate against groups who aren’t getting the doses they need.

Florida Passes Anti-Protest Law

Florida’s Republican-controlled State Legislature passed an aggressive, undemocratic anti-protest bill on Friday.

The bill, known as HB1 in the Florida house, also has a concurrent bill in the Florida Senate, and has been promoted by current Governor Ron DeSantis.

If it passes, it would further criminalize even mundane participation in protests, making it a felony to even be present at a protest that became violent and offering up prison sentences of up to 15 years for pulling down a Confederate statue or monument.

In a statement, Micah Kubic, executive director of the ACLU of Florida, said:

“This bill is not intended to increase public safety. It is not intended to address any public need. Over 95% of protests across the state of Florida have been peaceful. HB1 and its companion bill, Senate Bill 484, represent a blatant attempt to silence and criminalize speech that runs counter to the political agendas of those currently in power in Florida."

The Intercept reported back in January that the right wing has been using bills like this to crack down on lawful protest by hypocritcally playing on fears of the January 6 insurrection. But the bills they pass, of course, will crack down on civil rights protests, not the white nationalist violence we saw early this year.

And even Florida’s swing-state voters aren’t convinced: a recent poll showed that 63 percent of the state’s voters don’t like the new bills. HB1 is through the house, so now it’s over to the State Senate. Unfortunately, the GOP there has an eight-seat majority, so things aren’t looking good.

Myanmar Military Shoots Dozens in Day of Shame

A brutal campaign of repression is unfolding in Myanmar, where the military siezed power from democratically-elected leaders in February.

On Saturday, protesters weathered the most deadly day of violence yet, as the military celebrated Armed Forces Day by killing over 100 civilians, according to local news sources. The Assistance Association of Political Prisoners, a rights group based in Myanmar and Thailand, said that the actual number of deaths is probably much higher than that.

Dr. Sasa, a spokesperson for a group of the elected officials who were ousted by the military called Saturday quote “a day of shame for the armed forces.” endquote.

The United Nations has called for a quote “unified international response” to the abuses going on in Myanmar, but is once again hamstrung by the five-member national security council. Two of those members, Russia and China, have lent their tacit support to the coup, and will veto any action the U.N. tries to take. Russia, for its part, is also a major supplier of weapons to the country’s military.

But while international organizations flounder, the people of Myanmar aren’t backing down. On Saturday, protestors defied an explicit order that said they could be shot in the head or back by military forces if they took to the streets. Some paid with their lives, but the protests continue.

AND NOW FOR SOME QUICKER QUICKIES:

House Democrats introduced a new bill aiming to block Trump holdout Postmaster General Louis Dejoy from further sabotaging his own agency, while other leaders like Bernie Sanders resume calls for Biden to give Dejoy the boot. The House bill is literally called the DEJOY act, so there’s no question what it’s meant to do.

A quick update on the big boat stuck in the Suez Canal situation: the big boat is, yep, still stuck! Late on Saturday, however, it did move approximately 100 feet. So that’s progress, I guess!

The murder trial for Derek Chauvin, the officer who killed George Floyd last spring and sparked a nationwide uprising against police brutality, is expected to begin on Monday, as lawyers finished seating the jury on Sunday. The jury is comprised of two white men, four white women, three Black men, one Black woman and two women who identify as mixed race, according to the New York Times.

And finally, Ron Weiser, the chairman of the Michigan Republican party called Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, and Attorney General Dana Nessel a trio of quote “witches,” and implied that they should be assassinated. Just in case you forgot the level the Republian Party is playing on here!

That’s it for the Majority Report’s AM Quickie today. Sam’s off this week, so Emma and the rest of the gang will be with you this afternoon.

MAR 29, 2021 - AM QUICKIE

HOSTS - Sam Seder & Lucie Steiner

WRITER - Jack Crosbie

PRODUCER - Dorsey Shaw

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER - Brendan Finn