What Are They Afraid of?

On May 19^th The House approved by a vote of  252 to 175 a bipartisan Bill to investigate the January 6^th insurrection.  35 Republicans voted in support despite Minority Leader McCarthy’s last-minute decision to oppose it. Apparently, the former president had voiced his displeasure after negotiations were completed, so McCarthy had to back out even as his requests had been agreed to by the bipartisan co-chairs. The committee had been constructed with five Democrats and five Republicans and had subpoena power which required agreement by both sides.  But even this was too much for some Republicans; whatever could they be afraid of?

Perhaps they are afraid that their propaganda campaign is failing.  Recent polls show that while most Republicans believe that the insurrection was carried out by leftist terrorists, the majority of Americans do not. A Quinnipiac poll noted that 55 percent of Americans believe that the attack was an assault on our Democracy. Not surprisingly, there is a breakdown along party lines with Democrats agreeing 84-12 percent, Independents agreeing 54-42, and Republicans disagreeing 78-18. The Gallup poll taken in early May 21 noted that Americans are divided into three groups – 29% are Republicans, 35% are Independents and 33% are Democrats, so approximately two-thirds of Americans do not agree with the Republican perspective.

Minority leader McConnell in a speech, after he voted no on impeachment declared that the former president was morally culpable for the January 6^th insurrection. A review by Harvard Law professor Michael Klarman discusses the history and actions which led up to that event. He claims that there were two coup attempts that day as he indicated that the attempt to deter, delay and defeat certification by Congress was another attempt to defy the results of a fair election. He claims that these two were related and “were the logical culmination of a two-decades-long assault by Republicans in an assault on democracy through gerrymandering, voter suppression, and promotion of the Big Lie.” (paraphrased) He also notes that starting in 2000, efforts were made to suppress and contest voting in several cities where there were large minority populations. Klaman posits that the insurrection was predictable. He goes on to say:

“If you lie to people long enough about the prevalence of voter fraud and convince them that their democracy is being stolen from them, why would they not rise up in resistance? And if you have consistently encouraged them to regard their political rivals as “traitors,” “communists,” and “Satan-worshiping pedophiles,” while declining to admonish the president for inciting political violence, why would they not believe that violence was a legitimate form of resistance?”

He notes that the success of the birtherism claims against President Obama, the lies about climate change, and the pandemic are part of this problem and asks how does one fix a nation when the majority of one of the two major parties exist in an alternative factual universe?

He encourages corporate America, responsible Republicans, and those who care about our democracy to shore up the principles of those beliefs. He advises President Biden and the Democratic party to increase access to the ballot. Some of the other fixes he advises are:

·         Automatic voter registration upon turning 18,

·         Enfranchisement of felons,

·         Election day should be a national holiday

·         Same-day voter registration

·         Increased early voting days and more polling places

·         Elimination of onerous ID requirements

·         Ending gerrymandering

He places the responsibility for these fixes on Democrats.  (This article was written in January 2021 before the Republican states started messing with voting laws.) With many state legislatures controlled by Republicans, I am concerned that many of these changes will not be attainable.  I do know that Democrats also have done partisan gerrymandering, but I would be happy to have them stop this if it will make our country more stable. Certainly, if the Senate can pass the new voting rights bills, there will be some hope as bipartisan redistricting is included there as well as national reforms.  I guess time will tell.

Democrats were unprepared for the depth of the contested results in Florida in Bush v. Gore, but Republicans were ready. Current Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Kavanaugh and Barrett were all part of that effort; long before they were on the court. In 2016 Republicans were silent as DJT claimed that he really had won the popular vote if votes by illegal voters were discounted. This statement has been proven untrue. Throughout his campaign and later during his term, the former president regularly incited his followers to be violent against those who protested “knock the crap out of them” he said on more than one occasion. He continued to portray immigrants as criminals and promoted the theme at one of his State of the Union addresses, which showcased where an illegal immigrant had murdered the family member of his guest. Certainly, his tacit approval of white supremacists and Nazi sympathizers after Charlottesville sent a loud message to that fringe of our society. During the debates with Biden, he sent another message to the Proud Boys gangs. They heard him and showed up in force on January 6^th. The former President was never subtle; he called out his thugs openly. Before the 2018 mid-terms, he and right-wing media outlets spoke of the threat from an immigrant caravan, which was said to be soon coming to invade our borders (it never happened). He continued to present the nation as in danger and, as he noted at his inauguration, he was the only one who could hold back the oncoming carnage. He was creating a climate of fear and gave his followers reason to be afraid of the unknown. So, when they came and stormed the Capitol at his urging, I guess we should have not been surprised.

NPR reviewed the 911 commission and this proposed insurrection commission in an in-depth report here and noted that the 911 commission also had people who were opposed and found many levels of blame identified in its bipartisan findings. Perhaps the Republicans are afraid of similar results where not only Republicans, the former president, and even members of Congress might be found at fault. Possibly the capitol police, the military, national guard, and intelligence communities might also be found to have been lax in their preparations, as has been charged. Some members of Congress have claimed that they saw electeds leading some of the protestors in the Capitol the day before the insurrection.  Were they giving tours as has been claimed or pointing out security flaws?  I guess we might never know if the Republicans stifle the investigations. Without an investigation, we will never learn the ‘whys’, ‘whos’ and ‘wheres’ and cannot fix whatever systems might have been broken. But, as NPR points out the Republicans are afraid that the investigation might reflect badly on their members and would come out too close to the 2022 mid-terms for their comfort levels.  So, it seems after the vote in the Senate this week defeating the proposal, that to the Republicans, ignorance is bliss – or something.

Once Minority leader McConnell declared that he wanted his caucus to vote against the bill for a bipartisan investigation as a personal favor, even though he had earlier indicated that he would have an open mind on the issue, that the bill was doomed. As Senator Schumer asked, – ‘what are the Republicans afraid of?’ Because of the filibuster threat, the Bill needed 60 votes to pass.  The final vote, with six Republicans voting in favor, was 55 votes for and 35 votes against. The Senate is the only place I am aware of where a minority can overrule the majority. The six Republican Senators in favor mirrored almost those who voted to impeach: Cassidy, Collins, Murkowski, Romney, Portman, and Sasse. There were no discussions which a real filibuster would have required, no this was the pro forma filibuster where one just needed to be threatened. I am all for getting rid of that rule; sure I understand that it gives the minority power and Democrats might be in the minority again soon, but it is a mechanism that has served to paralyze the Senate, to the detriment of effective governance, n my opinion. Some West Virginians need to talk to Senator Manchin, I think.

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In America, COVID seems to be on the run, although cases are still happening and people are still dying, just fewer of each.  The Economist this past week indicated that in a statistical review of excess deaths across the globe it believes that COVID deaths might be as much as 3 times as high as currently reported, in the ranges of 7-12 million with many countries significantly underreporting. It has also reported that the figures from Wuhan were not accurately recorded and were much higher than claimed. President Biden has this week asked for an intelligence assessment of the cause of the pandemic, leading many to think that the issue of the Wuhan viral research laboratory might have been responsible, despite the WHO report to the contrary. The Chinese government has pushed back against this.

Half of all people in the US have been vaccinated, 40% have completed the process. Our country’s total deaths are now close to 600,000.

COVID stats – NY Times:

Total US cases: 33,275,365. New Cases: 20,055. Total Deaths: 594,051. New Deaths: 446.

Maryland totals:  Cases: 459,528. New Cases: 185. Total Deaths: 9,599. New Deaths: 7.

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In closing–I must remark on a tempest in a teapot.  Memorial Day weekend has long been the unofficial start of the summer for many. This week saw over 5 million people fly away to somewhere, 135,000 fans pack the stadium for the Indy 500, and countless thousands flock to beaches across the nation or backyard barbecues with neighbors. This was the first extended weekend in over a year when we could collectively leave our homes and breathe the air around us freely in most cases. And, as Americans, we embraced this recently regained freedom. Many others added a visit to a cemetery to place flags or flowers on graves to remember those who served and have been lost. These actions do not contradict each other. That is why I take exception to those who criticized VP Kamala Harris as she tweeted out a wish to Americans to enjoy the holiday weekend. I echo her remarks, breathe deeply Americans, enjoy, and remember.

And as a person whose three brothers all served in the military and are now deceased, I do honor their service and will not forget their time in uniform, nor that of their compatriots.

“Til next week – peace!

Bombs Over Tulsa?

 

Three centenarians testified at a House Judiciary Committee hearing this week and described the memories they had retained from their childhood of the Tulsa race riots a century ago. Testimony from Ms. Viola Fletcher, age 107, was described in the Washington Post: “I will never forget the violence of the White mob when we left our home,” Fletcher said. “I still see Black men being shot, Black bodies lying in the street. I still smell smoke and see fire. I still see Black businesses being burned. I still hear airplanes flying overhead. I hear the screams.”

There was quite a cover-up of this event which has been said to have killed as many as 300 or more Black citizens of the section of Tulsa called Greenwood. Thousands of homes, businesses, and civic buildings were burned in fires often spread by turpentine bombs dropped on the community from airplanes. Airplanes which were controlled by their neighbors! White mobs drove the fire department away when it attempted to put out some fires. As many as 10,000 people were displaced when this area, often called the Black Wall Street and home to many Black professionals and merchants, was torched over an unfounded rumor about a Black teen attacking an elevator operator. A lynch mob was turned away but then turned to attack the black citizenry when Black men, many veterans from World War l, showed up to guard the jail. After more than 24 hours of rioting, the Governor sent the National Guard in to quell the melee, but by then the damage was done. The prosperous community of Greenwood had been destroyed. Even after their homes had been destroyed, thousands of Black residents were arrested by the guard and kept at the fairgrounds under guard for several weeks. Now, one hundred years later, the area has never returned to its previous state of commerce and community.

Many newspaper and legal descriptions of the incident have been excised from archives or destroyed. Other descriptions put the blame entirely on the citizens of Greenwood. Many bodies were said to have been dumped in the river or collected in a mass unmarked grave.  Not long ago, another possible mass gravesite was located and is being investigated. The riot was not fully reviewed until after the 75^th anniversary when an investigatory commission was formed. (A cursory review was held in the aftermath and the Black community was blamed; the white police chief was faulted for not carrying out his duties effectively and he was fined and fired.) Until this day, no one has been held responsible for what will go down in history as the largest single-day massacre of Black people in US history.

The hearing in the Judiciary Committee looked at the possibility of paying reparations to those disrupted by the riots; few survivors remain from the event 100 years ago; many of that community scattered to other Black communities nearby, so reparations would not be an easy chore. Some of those who had had businesses tried to reconstruct them but by then, the structure no longer existed; the underpinnings of what made a community were shattered. Zoning laws were passed to prohibit homes of wood and allow only those which required steel structures, well beyond the budgets of many who had lived there. Some authorities advocated for a Train Depot to be placed there to move the Black community further from the center of the city. Even now, in the remnant of the rebuilt community, residents say the city and the federal government have constructed or planned highways that bifurcate their neighborhoods breaking up the continuity of blocks and districts.

The history of this massacre was not taught in Oklahoma schools, nor in my Massachusetts schools. Riots such as this and other smaller ones in other parts of the country were not mentioned where the middle classes were educated, for the most part. In Florida, for example, smaller riots in Rosewood and Ocoee in 1923 and 1920 respectively set the race tone for generations to follow in that state. Human Rights Watch has compiled a detailed history of the Tulsa Massacre which can be found here. They also suggest that international law implies that reparations should indeed be paid. Time will tell; I doubt that the Senate would approve any such plan even if one is passed by the House.

As we approach the one-year anniversary of the death of George Floyd, many are asking if all the protests, marches, and pain shared over the last year has made any difference. That is why I looked back at Tulsa one hundred years ago. What have we learned? What things are different? What has stayed the same? How can incidents such as these be prevented? What can our society in general do?

Certainly, the Civil Rights movements and civil rights laws of the 1960s have made a difference; there has been an increase in educational and employment opportunities for all minorities. There have been more people moving out of poverty and into the middle class across all races when compared to 60 years ago, so some progress has been made. However, right now states are trying to roll back voting rights which were earned with the blood and bruises from Civil Rights Marchers. Have we gone this far, only to be turned around? Since Black voters turned out in large numbers to defeat DJT and elect two Senators in Georgia, tremendous efforts are underway by the Republicans to prevent this voter surge from happening again. Racism still exists, even though it is being cloaked under voter fraud and free election covers.

Official cover-ups still exist. Remember the first police report about the death of George Floyd which claimed that he had suffered a medical emergency–it was quite different from the video shared by the bystanders. Consider the recent events in Louisiana where the State Police appear to have stopped a Black man (Ronald Green), tasered him, and then beat him to death while manacled, but brought him into the ER claiming that he had an accident in which he hit a tree with his car. This sort of fell apart when the ER Doc noticed taser dart points still in his body. Still, however, it took almost two years for the body camera video to be leaked about this incident and for the family to be notified.

The video is disturbing. I do not understand how law officers could do this to a person who was not even resisting arrest. To my knowledge, no charges have been filed against any of the involved troopers, although the FBI is said to be investigating. We, as a society, can and must do better, but it will take everyone to stand up and speak up when wrongs happen.

There were lots of other concerns in town this week but there is little time to discuss them now. Check back in next week where I will revisit the “tourist stop at the US Capitol on January 6^{th”,  “}stolen elections”, and other fairy tales promoted by the Far Right. The Supreme Court is looking at an abortion restriction law which it does not need to review as it clearly does not meet the parameters of Roe v. Wade. So here we go…!

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Covid news is good this week as the nation saw the lowest numbers in several months, both in cases and deaths.  Even India is starting to see some numbers begin to decrease. World-wide the case numbers have reached 166,939,900; death totals are 3,457,700. 39% of the US population is now fully vaccinated.  We still need more people to be vaccinated.  Currently, about 1.8 million people are being vaccinated daily. Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi are among the states with the lowest percentages of vaccinations. Maryland is reporting that 45% of its residents are fully vaccinated.

COVID Stats- NY Times:

US totals: Cases: 33,137,938. New cases: 25,318. Total Deaths: 589,517. New deaths: 563.

Maryland totals: Cases: 458,048. New cases: 521. Total deaths: 8,990.  New Deaths: 17.

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Personal Note:  I have now written my revived blog posts every week for the last year. I do enjoy writing them and hope that I have added some insights and given context to events over the last year. If you like what I have to say, please sign up to follow these entries and share the link with your friends. If you have suggestions for topics to cover, please let me know. Thanks for staying with me over this last year. I look forward to continuing for another year and hope that you will come along!

Take a new look at the Panda cam here as he plays and plays.

‘Til next week – Peace!

Truth and Consequences

Recently the TV news showed an old video from 2019 of current Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) besieging the locked office door of Representative Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez (D-NY) (AOC) and shouting provocative statements into the mail slot. Greene started her campaign for Congress shortly after this incident. She was accompanied then by a man who was later part of the group, taking part in the insurrection. Last week she followed AOC down a corridor in the Capitol shouting at her along the way. Greene also harassed newly elected Cori Bush (D-MO), who is Black, so much that Bush moved her office far away from Greene. Although Republican leadership supposedly admonished her about her behavior, it took the House Democratic membership to remove her from her committee assignments, so she has been relieved of any responsibilities and allowed to roam free from restriction. Several House members have voiced doubts about her command of reality. She, however, remains a loyal supporter of the former president and of the lies he spreads.

Representative Liz Cheney who has told the truth about the 2020 election, voted to certify the election, voted for impeachment, and opposed the party line about the insurrection and the electoral process has been drummed out of her leadership position by a voice vote. She has also stated that refusal to acknowledge the truths of the election and the insurrection will lead to future acts akin to those of January 6^th. Cheney, who has valid conservative principles and has tried to speak truth to power, is no longer being tolerated by leadership.

What does this tell us about the direction of the Republican Party? A party that is built on lies will eventually fall just as a House of Cards cannot tolerate the slightest shift. Cheney’s successor Elise Stefanik (R-NY) is supposedly a policy wonk, but there is a little policy in the recent pronouncements from Minority leader McCarthy (R-CA) or Stefanik. Promises are being made to run primary opposition candidates to all Republicans who voted to certify the election or support Impeachment. So, it seems that the penalty for truth-telling by Republicans is to be disowned by those in power in the party.

In an attempt to reinforce the Big Lie(s)at hearings this week in the House, Representative Clyde (R-GA) claimed that the people who were in the Capitol on January 6^th were there as tourists walking through the halls, following the roped lines and snapping selfies. There indeed were some such people. Of course, he omitted the broken windows and doors, the ransacking of the halls and offices, and defecation and urination in public spaces. He also omitted the injuries to more than 150 police officers, the thefts and destruction of government property, and the deaths that occurred that day. Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) called Clyde out as a photo surfaced of Clyde apparently attempting to barricade a door along with House security during the battle for the House. Truth-telling seems to be missing here as well. But what are the consequences?

The hearing in the House this week noted that nearly 500 Americans have been arrested for their actions at the Capitol that day. It was learned that one of those arrested was an active duty, Marine Major. Major Christopher Warnagiris was charged on five counts with assaulting or impeding a police officer, obstruction, and unlawful entry. The military has a long road to follow to discern how many current and former members of the military or National Guard have been radicalized by paramilitary groups. So far, only two insurrectionists who were charged have pled guilty.

The House finally agreed this week to convene a January 6^th Investigatory Commission. There will be five members from each party, but no additional members from President Biden. This commission would be vested with subpoena power and the authority to investigate those who stormed the Capitol. Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) who had wanted a Democratic majority on the commission relented on that issue but refused to cave to the Republican demands that Black Lives Matter demonstrations and Antifa attacks also are included as she said they were not at the Capitol on that day. Given the extreme partisanship in the House, I am hopeful (but doubtful) that a consensus can be reached on any eventual conclusion. The 911 commission should be a model for these efforts as it produced a unified bipartisan final report. Ten years ago the commission produced a follow-up report on its findings, many of which had not even then been implemented. I do hope that ten years from now that we are still not waiting for any advice given by the January 6^th commission to be followed.

I noticed a report in the Washington Post which noted that a former member of the Military with high-security clearances was convicted of spying for the Russians over many years. According to the military, he caused great damage to military operations during his career; he was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. His mother was from Russia and he was recruited when a student in Russia and a member of student ROTC. He later married a Russian woman whose father was a high-ranking Russian Military officer and was directed in his career choices over many years by his handlers. While we in America think often of two-year cycles, our enemies are often playing a long game. Just something to keep in mind.

Another issue in the news this week was the gas shortage in parts of the east coast due to a shutdown of pipeline services from a Russian-based attacker in a cyber ransom attack. The news led to long gas lines, panic buying, and some acts of absolute stupidity as customers were seen loading multiple gas containers into trunks and filling large plastic bags with gasoline. Didn’t any of these “geniuses” realize that gasoline is incredibly flammable? Shaking my head on this one!

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This week saw the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announce that enough people have been vaccinated to allow some relaxation of the mask requirements for all. They indicated that those who are fully vaccinated may go without a mask in certain circumstances. Restrictions are still in place on public transportation, medical facilities, and some crowded spaces or restaurants, but open spaces and some public areas can be mask-free. The remaining question is how will we know if someone is following the rules and being truthful about their vaccination status? Basically, we have to rely on people accepting these new rules. Will the red/blue divide still stand? Many professionals are skeptical about this decision and fear that it will bring about a spike in illnesses. When I shopped today-I wore my mask even though I am fully vaccinated and saw many others doing the same.

Elsewhere the pandemic is still ravaging India and many parts of Asia and South America. Daily death rates exceeded 4000 in recent days in India as the disease spread from the crowded cities to the countryside where facilities are scarce. Western nations are still rushing supplies to India, but I fear that this is too little, too late.

The US is now reporting that 37% of the population is fully vaccinated and that 47% have partial vaccination. Currently, the US is reporting that 273,545,207 vaccinations have been given, with 47% of the population having received one shot and 37% who are fully vaccinated. Maryland is reporting 53.3% who are vaccinated with one dose and with 42.3% fully vaccinated. The “herd immunity number” is expected to be 70% fully vaccinated, so we are far from that statistic. Some red states are still vaccine-resistant. Maryland cases have been under 500 most days this week, which is a new normal low.

COVID stats NY Times:

Total US cases: 32,967,351. New cases: 32,041. Total deaths: 585,572. New deaths: 610.

Maryland totals: Cases 455,635. New cases: 378. Total deaths: 8,925. New deaths: 17.

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A final note about Liz Cheney and the GOP. In a report for the Brookings Institute, Elaine Kamarck, a Senior Fellow for Governance Studies and founding director of The Center for Effective Public Management writes that while Liz Cheney may have lost her opportunity to become a Minority Leader or Speaker, she might be fortifying her bid for the Presidency in 2024. Kamarck notes that the Republican electorate has aged and that younger voters are coming in as Democrats. She writes that others speak of more tolerance about change among the younger electorate and more fears of displacement among older voters. She indicated that the former president is aging and beset by legal problems and is not likely to be a candidate in the next presidential election. Many conservatives have stated their dismay that the former administration did not adhere to prescribed values of limited governance. However, Kamarck also shows that now that Cheney is no longer tied to the hierarchy in the House, she is free to further her conservative philosophy and rebuild the party in the direction of those values. By doing this, she may also be setting herself up to run for president in 2024. 

Her success may depend upon deposing the MAGA majority in the Party or by creating a viable alternative. We should know more after the results of the midterm elections. The jockeying around with voter regulations in several red states demonstrates how worried the Republicans are about free and fair elections. They are brazenly trying to diminish the youth vote and that of black and brown voters.

The voting in 2022 may be a war between those who support democracy and those who believe in autocracy. Stacey Abrams recently said in an interview “that partisanship has come to overwhelm citizenship”. Don’t say that you were not warned.

“Til next week -peace!

Sleight of Hand?

  

Do you remember that scene in the Wizard of Oz when the “Wizard” is exposed as an ordinary man with a megaphone? He attempts to recover by shouting out - “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain…”. It seems to me that the Republican Party is pretty much like the man behind the curtain, with lots of shouting going on without any substance. The constant repetitions of the Big Lie that Biden was not elected President is ringing hollow for the grownups in the country, as most Americans have moved on from that issue. The hollow MAGA man in Florida is not winning any prizes for his antics either. Many Americans would like him to pay a price for inciting the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6^th; they do not wish to have Black Lives Matter and Antifa brought into any Congressional hearings no matter what Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy says as they were not there–though white supremacists and militia groups were.

But current actions by the Republicans indicate that they wish for Americans to move on from their support of those efforts to overturn a valid election; the efforts that left six people dead, hundreds of law enforcement officers injured, and caused destruction at our Capitol building. More than 400 rioters have now been arrested and investigations continue. The former disgraced president is now encouraging “recounts” in states he lost such as Arizona. Election officials are concerned that this might become the norm in future elections if it is not stopped. The circus that is going on there needs to be stopped now. The election has been certified, a new president is in office, and little can be done to change that no matter how they monkey around with the ballots. I certainly hope that the Department of Justice will step in soon and stop this charade before this group of QAnon supporters and other misfits bring these efforts on to other states.

The Washington Post reports that the former president is out for revenge against any elected officials who voted for impeachment, spoke out against his lying remarks or accepted Biden as President. Those criteria create a pretty big universe and include many Republicans. Some pundits have said that the Republican Party of Bush and Reagan no longer exists. Certainly, the GOP members who were “Never Trumpers” no longer have a home there. Apparently, Congresswoman Liz Cheney will no longer be tolerated as she voted for impeachment and has opposed the election lies. She is seemingly trying to return to the party of her father’s days when Republicans were Hawks, fiscal and social conservatives, and not tied to a cult of personality. She may be positioning herself as a survivor when the party self-destructs. She has chosen to fight this battle out in public for a reason; so we shall see what develops.

I do applaud her for speaking the truth about the election here, but I do not give her more credit than that. I still remember when she tried to fake long-term Wyoming residency to get a fishing license and threw her gay sister to the social conservative wolves on the issue of gay marriage during her first losing Senate campaign. Once elected to the House, however, she rose rapidly in leadership, becoming third behind McCarthy, and remains one of the few women in that party who has any position of authority. She is, however, a staunch conservative, unlike many of the MAGA followers.

Because of that symbolic fact, they are now promoting an obscure Republican congressional representative from New York to take her place. That woman, (Elise Stefanik) pledged her loyalty to the Big Lie on Steve Bannon’s radio show in a try to get selected, which is a total turnaround from her previous positions. The Club for Growth, long a conservative outlet, decried her politics, claiming that she is not a conservative.

The leadership of the GOP has shown that it has no backbone and has totally caved to the MAGA Maniacs. Two whackos – Representatives Matt Gaetz-FL (allegedly under investigation for sex trafficking) and Marjorie Taylor Greene-GA (oddball & QAnon fan) were at a rally in the Florida retirement conclave of The Villages last week pumping up the cheering crowd with election lies and claiming that the former president was legally elected again. As a senior citizen myself, I always thought that we gray-haired folks were smarter than that!! There is no elder statesman of the party that is respected enough to come out and speak the truth; Senator Romney, a former Presidential candidate, was booed by members of his own state party for supporting impeachment and truth-telling. Senate Minority Leader McConnell has retrieved his mantra from the Obama years and indicated that his primary focus now remains the defeat of all of President Bidens’ proposed programs and is saying little about the election. However, since he spoke out against the former president following the impeachment hearings, he is also on the revenge list.

Some are saying – just let the Republicans self-destruct it will be better for the Democrats if they do.  I tend to disagree. I believe that we need two strong political parties who believe in our Constitution, our electoral system, and who respect the Rule of Law. Liz Cheney has recently made that argument in a Washington Post op-ed but had few supporters, so I guess I would agree with her on that as well. What we do not need is a politician, another man behind the curtain, who is trying to destroy the public’s faith in free and fair elections. Even the Georgian officials, so maligned after the 2020 election, agreed that the system worked.

Now we see Republican-dominated states creating a mockery of the term free and fair elections with odd rules, restrictions on drop boxes, absentee ballots, and polling places.  Other practices being changed would limit voter participation with fewer early voting days, increased numbers of poll watchers, and fewer hours to vote in person. Democrats are pushing hard for Federal laws to require some universal practices, but until and if the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act are signed into law, voting rights are endangered across much of the country as over 360 laws have been proposed to curtail options for voting. The Brennan Center is following this closely and has a map that shows restrictive laws are proposed in almost every state. The Texas legislature passed sweeping “election reforms” and the bill is expected to be signed by the Governor. In Florida, Governor DeSantis signed his states’ restrictive Bill live in a Fox News exclusive. Other Republican Governors are expected to follow suit. The ACLU and The Democratic Party are challenging all of these schemes. I can only hope that all will be pended because of these court challenges.

Recent polling listed on 538 shows approval for President Biden - and presumably his proposals – in a positive range of between 55 and 60% in most polls. The site also indicated that the former president left office with a 38.6% approval rating and a 57.9% disapproval rating in January 2021. Quinnipiac listed him at 34% approval when he left office. These numbers, of course, were in the immediate aftermath of the Insurrection that the Republicans are trying to dismiss, forget, hide under the rug, or whatever to get it away from conscious thought. According to a March 2021 report from the Pew Research Center, although an assessment of the last president is viewed in quite partisan terms, 53% of all Americans say he was a poor (12%) or terrible (41%) president. Among Republicans, approval is 73% with 37% saying he was a great president and 36% saying he was a good president.  Democrats are more skewed with 72% saying that he was a terrible president and 17% saying he was a poor president. As a Democrat, I agree with the opinion that he was pretty terrible. Still, he seems positioned to be the dominant figure in that party for the foreseeable future and is said to be getting ready to again hold rallies of the faithful – and, to raise money, of course. 

Fortunately, his termination for at least another six months from Facebook will diminish some of his fund-raising and public face. In my opinion, this should be permanent; Facebook is a private company and does not have to give free forums to despots here or elsewhere.

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In the United States, vaccination rates have slowed down and are not yet at the necessary immunity levels.  34% of the US population has been fully vaccinated and 46% have received at least one dose. India continues to have horrendous increases in cases and suffers a lack of facilities and therapies to care for them. Currently, the total reported cases are 22.9 million with over 240,000 deaths and over 300,000 cases being reported daily. The continent of South America accounts for 35% of the worlds’ total number of cases alone, and the vaccination rates are minuscule. So, while the US is doing better with new daily totals under 50,000 for the first time in months, the world still suffers in many places.  Sending raw ingredients for vaccines and disregarding patents is not an easy choice as there remain issues with quality control, safety, and liability in unregulated labs.

COVID stats NY Times:

US Totals:   Total Cases: 32,713,675. New Cases: 42,097.  Total Deaths: 581,056.  New Deaths: 675.

Maryland Totals: Total Cases:  452,691. New Cases:      656.   Total Deaths:    8,843.  New Deaths: 10.

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Sorry to hear that the Obamas’ dog Bo has died of cancer. He always seemed to be a cheerful dog in photos. Condolences to the Obama family; it is always hard to lose a much-loved pet.

On Mother’s Day – best wishes to all mothers and daughters especially. So, this is a good time to show some Panda photos with the mother panda and her son here.

“Til next week – Peace!

Putting Families First?

 

When Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) became President in 1933 the country was in terrible shape. The Stock Market had collapsed, the economy was in turmoil, and millions of Americans had lost their jobs. Farms were being foreclosed upon as banks called mortgages in. The banking industry was unstable. Health Insurance was mostly not an option. Americans had no social safety net. Much of the western industrialized world was also suffering. Historians credit the bold new policies of FDR with restoring trust in our government and rebuilding an America that had teetered on its core principles. Rugged individualism can only do so much.

The New Deal came in 2 phases; the first policies were implemented with great urgency. The others came in over his first and second terms. FDR had 5 areas of emphasis as he set out to restore America:

1.    He set out to save capitalism and stabilize the banking and finance industries.

2.    He established programs to relieve hunger and create jobs.

3.    He tried to stabilize agricultural production with limits and subsidies and control pricing; he brought electrification to much of rural America, improved roads, and power grids adding jobs along the way.

4.    He provided funds for bridges, dams, hydroelectric power, hospitals, and government buildings.

5.    Prices were stabilized, child labor was abolished, and unions were encouraged.

Subsequently he added the programs whose success we now appreciate, Social Security, The Works Progress Administration, the National Labor Relations Board, and some governmental re-organization and long-term financial stability. In a speech, he lamented that one-third of America was “ill-housed, ill-clad, and ill-nourished.” Even so, his policies were not universally appreciated by certain members of the power elite; he was opposed by legal, political, and business structures. Not all the programs were as robust as might have been hoped and the nation had a modest depression in the late 1930s which was remedied by the industrial push before and during the Second World War.

This week, in a speech to Congress and the nation, President Biden advocated for his national infrastructure program, which was presented earlier, and introduced his American Families Plan. These are both multi-pronged plans and cover many issues which impact families and communities. The primary components of the families plan are divided into Child care (nutrition programs, child care subsidies, and national paid family and medical leave), education (free community college, free pre-kindergarten, grants, and credits for minority education) and tax credits (dependent care and child tax credits). The Infrastructure plan considers transportation infrastructure (roadways, railways, ports, airports, and electric vehicles and power services) quality of life and home (school buildings, clean energy, schools, childcare, care for the elderly, water quality, and broadband expansion) research and development (new technologies, workforce, and disabled workers development, clean energy initiatives, increased industrial production).

These programs would be paid for through tax incentives, increasing corporate and individual tax rates, and closing tax loopholes. The American Families Plan is projected to cost 1.9 Trillion dollars over ten years, while the jobs or infrastructure plan is expected to cost 2.3 Trillion dollars over ten years. Republicans are already complaining about the costs and decrying the idea of any tax increases. They were elected on promises to not raise taxes and appear to not have concerns about poor water systems, decrepit bridges, or lack of a robust power grid. Their lack of concern for families without health care, proper nutrition, housing and support is well known and was shown by lack of support for the Covid relief funds and their party’s long-tern opposition to Obama-care and Medicaid.

Nicholas Kristof writes about this in his column in the New York Times. He claims that for the last fifty years our government has under-invested in its people. From the days of Nixon and Reagan, the middle class has decreased in income produced and access to services. Services for communities have decreased as Republicans pushed the ideas that big government was bad, taxes were too high, and the best way to help people is to have them provide for their own needs. Welfare to work was implemented, and many states decreased support for needy people, food stamps, and housing subsidies. Kristof noted how his small hometown in Oregon had been revitalized by FDRs electrification and works programs. He believes these programs helped his town and America enjoy the advantages of the middle class with good jobs and educational services in 1970. Now, he noted that one-third of those who rode on his school bus have now died of ‘drugs, alcohol or suicide-deaths of despair’ as he calls them. He also noted that ‘we slowed investments in health and education and nourished the harsh narrative that people should pull themselves up by their bootstraps.' The middle class is being hollowed out as real incomes which were averaged weekly at $860 in 2020 income decreased when compared to the 1970 earnings-$902 (in adjusted dollars). We spend vast sums on incarcerating large numbers of our residents, yet do not seem to believe that we need to support our local towns and cities.

I tend to agree with Kristof and President Biden. America needs to again value its families and invest in initiatives that support people and communities. Before the pandemic, the Econofact network reported that 10 million children (about 14%) were living in poverty, as were approximately 8% of adults and 8% of seniors over 65. The poverty level for a family of 4 is between $20 -$26,000 annually. There is some variance in different areas of the country. Black and Hispanic children had the highest rates of poverty at 26% and 21% respectively. The pandemic has seen food lines across this country not seen since the Depression. In December 2020 Time magazine estimated that 50 million Americans, including 18 million children, were suffering from food insecurity and implored incoming President Biden to make this a priority once in office. His American Families Plan will address some of these concerns. More than two million women left the workforce during the pandemic because of virtual schools, loss of service jobs, and lack of childcare options besides concerns about safety. Republicans have proclaimed that Biden wants to make mothers work and take child care decisions out of the family and move them to the government. That is so untrue. Universal pre-K and daycare subsidies are both options. In urban areas, child care costs may take a huge portion of a worker's salary, sometimes making it more reasonable to stay home. But what are the choices if that worker's job carried the health care insurance when the spouse was a gig worker? In reality, many families need two incomes to provide for the needs of the household since costs have increased and salaries have not. The tone-deafness of the opposition to a $15.00 an hour base (gradually increased) from the current federal minimum of $7.25 an hour considering these statistics is astonishing.

Issues such as support for free community colleges and expansion of broadband can do for this country what rural electrification and the GI Bill did more than a half-century ago. The closing of schools and move to virtual schooling has demonstrated the digital divide quite vividly; schools handed out laptop computers and set up wi-fi stations in their parking lots to assist students who did not have options in their homes. I read recently where one student sat on his roof to get connected; I doubt if he was the only one in that situation. I posit that our country should support the plans offered by President Biden. I think that these will provide long-term stability for families and bolster the infrastructure of this country for generations to come. The suggested tax supports do not seem overly burdensome as businesses will stand to make more money when roads and transit are improved and the people in general are better educated, housed, and fed. So, while I hope that some Republicans (and Senator Manchin) will see the light and support both of these initiatives so they can pass rapidly, I am unsure. I do hope that the American people will speak up and soon! Now is the time when America needs to invest in its people.

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Covid is now devastating the country of India with thousands of new cases and deaths being reported daily. 19.6 million cases and 214 thousand deaths have been recorded to this date. Lack of oxygen, medications, and hospital beds contribute to these devastating numbers. Countries across the world have been rushing needed supplies, vaccines, and oxygen to India. Brazil has tallied 14.1 million cases and 406 thousand deaths to date, making it the country with the second-highest death totals after the US.

In the US vaccination rates are increasing with over 100 million people fully vaccinated, thus far. However, vaccination rates are slowing and officials are worried about reaching herd immunity if enough people do not get vaccinated. There are still significant pockets of vaccine hesitancy and refusals; many of these people are anti-vaccine advocates, while many others are Republicans who do not feel it is necessary. The CDC has released new mask requirements and reduced uses in vaccinated persons. Although the vaccinations are free to all who live in the US, Florida is requiring proof of residency before registration. Some of this may be due to vaccine tourism, but some may also be a threat to undocumented residents. Maryland reports that 35% of its residents are now fully vaccinated.

COVID stats – NY Times

US totals: Total cases: 32,448,723. Total new cases: 49,266. Total deaths: 576,638. New deaths: 694.

MD totals: Total cases: 448,340.     Total new cases: 939        Total deaths: 8,764. Total recent deaths: 20.

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I could not close tonight without mentioning the new culture wars started by the right and Fox news media. It wasn’t enough to go after Dr. Seuss, Mr. Potato Head, and VP Kamala Harris children’s book, - now they are claiming that President Biden will allow you to have only one hamburger a year. House Minority Leader McCarthy has taken to calling Biden the “Hamburgler”. These absurd statements are debunked by PolitiFact in an article that notes that his climate plan covers no intention to ban any measure of meat consumption. Fox News did eventually announce a brief retraction. Wonder what the next culture crazy push will be – banning little Red Riding Hood?

“Til next week – peace!