A peaceful, oh-so-quiet day in the cold of a Maine January. First peaceful day since I don't know when. I don't know about you, but I'm starting to feel like I've got bandwidth again. Lots of interesting things going on in the news, but all parts of longer trends. Nothing that won’t keep for a day.
Yes, Heather, even in Ireland, the world feels a fresher, more optimistic place, without the incessant noise of Trump's delusional tweets, so full of anger, bile and invective. Long may it be so! But the USA, in this time of reflection, needs to take a very deep breath and realise just how close it came to losing what is most precious. If there is anything to be grateful to the fallen Emperor for, it is a great awakening, beautifully expressed by Amanda Gorman at the inauguration. Staying awake and engaged now is the great challenge to ensure Trump or one of his sycophant's never again bring you to the edge of the precipice.
Thanks to you and Buddy for that photo. I don't know how it sounded at the time it was taken, but looking at it puts me in mind of listening to silence. Rest well, and thank you, yet again, for all you do.
I remember this. It’s been about four or five decades, but I remember. What? You say it’s only been four or five years? No, that can’t be right.
Okay, you’re right. It did build up a head of steam in 2015 and came to an ugly climax in 2016. But it FEELS like decades.
Anyway, it’s great to be able to relax for a moment. But then it’s back to work. There’s lots of debris to be cleared and the repairs needed are extensive. But we can do it; if we all pull together the way we have this past year we can get ‘er done.
Beautiful photo, Heather. I was listening to NPR earlier today and heard someone say, “President Biden...” I had to stop and remind myself that it is, indeed, true. Hearing those two words soothed my heart and mind. As always, thank you from Texas.
Thanks to you and Buddy for this. Rest well, and let Buddy know that this is so gorgeous that I'd like to be there right now - a lot for this Boston transplant to Georgia to admit! I'm sleeping better, too, thanks to your wisdom - thought I'd never be able to again.
What Senator Jon Tester said about Pete Buttigieg during his confirmation hearings applies to the Biden administration ...... “You have put on a clinic for how a nominee should… act,” said Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.). “You haven’t avoided the questions. You’ve been straightforward. And you know what the hell you’re talking about.”
“That’s pretty damn refreshing,” Tester added.
And, that is why the depressive pall and chaos that blanketed the country has been lifted and we are starting to sleep through the night!
I don’t think it can be said enough times how grateful so many of us are that Heather kept the path of knowledge brightly lit so we could maintain some sense of sanity! Thank you.
Buddy Poland is a wonderful photographer. The peace and serenity in this picture makes the cold seem bearable. Perhaps that's so for today's world. I admit to post Trump PTSD. When media says "The President" my stomach churns. I wish they would say President Biden for a few months.
I'm wondering if you could explain how it is that Mitch McConnell seems to still have control of the Senate, how the filibuster means you need 60 votes to pass a piece of legislation. Although I don't wake up in dread of today's lies, I begin planning with my All In for North Carolina team today for 2022. We need, I need, a much larger majority in both houses of congress if the agenda I wish for is to happen.
Thank you Heather for your excellent Letters. I have only just found you thanks to seeing you on UK TV recently (BBC Newsnight or Channel 4 News) . I am no longer waking up in the night to read what the latest Trump news is on the New YorK Times app. But there's still millions of people out there buying into the stolen election narrative, still over 100 lawmakers in post who voted against certifying the electoral college vote. Still members of the Trump family planning to run for office, still an unrepresentative gerrymandered Senate and an obstructive Mitch McConnell,
Yes...indeed, WHERE do we go from here? While we're expressing our concerns...mine quite simply are that Republicans are doing their best now to walk back events that happened on January 6th. They are hoping that all this will somehow fade away out of the country's collective consciousness and they can put off the schism their party seemed headed for. This is already happening right before our eyes as outrage has turned to indifference. Well, it's hardly surprising, isn't it? For the past 4-5 years we have been incessantly bombarded with news stories one after another every day. One outrageous event was immediately superseded by another. It's no wonder we've all more or less developed a kind of mass case of "ADHD". Nothing seems to stay in our memory anymore and as a nation we've already moved on to another "outrage du jour". I was afraid something similar would happen with regard to the Capitol insurrection and it seems to be coming to pass. The Republicans are banking on it. There are SO many other serious things that have to be tackled, the attack on the Capitol has already been shunted down lower on the priority list. I just think this is VERY dangerous. We ignore fascism in our midst at our own peril. If we downplay its rearing up in our society, then every time it reappears it can be more serious than the last. LOOK. AT. HISTORY. All these people need to do is lay low for a while and wait for the next opportunity. These people (and T***p) are most decidedly NOT going away. I am convinced they have infiltrated every area of our government and armed forces and they are waiting for another chance. They just suffered their "one step backwards". We need to prepare ourselves for their "two steps forward". These are MY concerns, while we're mentioning things...
My widened bandwidth has allowed me to move from urgent thoughts to important ones (for those familiar with the Eisenhower matrix). I’d live to see Letters from an American deal with a variety of solutions and viewpoints like yesterday’s question on rural vs. urban. One I have been considering this week is how capitalism might benefit from a single payer healthcare system—not having to have a regular full-time job to qualify for health insurance would free more people up to start Etsy businesses, small bakeries, do small renovation work. There have to be dozens of conversations like this that all of us would benefit from seeming from multiple angles. Maybe not emotionally charged issues like gun control and abortion, but farm subsidies, college loan forgiveness, tax policy, etc.
Yes, Heather, even in Ireland, the world feels a fresher, more optimistic place, without the incessant noise of Trump's delusional tweets, so full of anger, bile and invective. Long may it be so! But the USA, in this time of reflection, needs to take a very deep breath and realise just how close it came to losing what is most precious. If there is anything to be grateful to the fallen Emperor for, it is a great awakening, beautifully expressed by Amanda Gorman at the inauguration. Staying awake and engaged now is the great challenge to ensure Trump or one of his sycophant's never again bring you to the edge of the precipice.
It’s so nice to wake up and not have my first thought be...what awful thing has he done while I slept.
Thanks to you and Buddy for that photo. I don't know how it sounded at the time it was taken, but looking at it puts me in mind of listening to silence. Rest well, and thank you, yet again, for all you do.
I remember this. It’s been about four or five decades, but I remember. What? You say it’s only been four or five years? No, that can’t be right.
Okay, you’re right. It did build up a head of steam in 2015 and came to an ugly climax in 2016. But it FEELS like decades.
Anyway, it’s great to be able to relax for a moment. But then it’s back to work. There’s lots of debris to be cleared and the repairs needed are extensive. But we can do it; if we all pull together the way we have this past year we can get ‘er done.
Thank you again Dr. Richardson. You’re marvel!
Beautiful photo, Heather. I was listening to NPR earlier today and heard someone say, “President Biden...” I had to stop and remind myself that it is, indeed, true. Hearing those two words soothed my heart and mind. As always, thank you from Texas.
Peaceful. That has a nice ring to it. Let's relish it.
Buddy sure knows how to compose a photo. Thanks for sharing this lovely one.
Thanks to you and Buddy for this. Rest well, and let Buddy know that this is so gorgeous that I'd like to be there right now - a lot for this Boston transplant to Georgia to admit! I'm sleeping better, too, thanks to your wisdom - thought I'd never be able to again.
Don't know anyone who deserves a rest and good night sleeps than you. So appreciative always for your incredible perspective
What Senator Jon Tester said about Pete Buttigieg during his confirmation hearings applies to the Biden administration ...... “You have put on a clinic for how a nominee should… act,” said Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.). “You haven’t avoided the questions. You’ve been straightforward. And you know what the hell you’re talking about.”
“That’s pretty damn refreshing,” Tester added.
And, that is why the depressive pall and chaos that blanketed the country has been lifted and we are starting to sleep through the night!
I don’t think it can be said enough times how grateful so many of us are that Heather kept the path of knowledge brightly lit so we could maintain some sense of sanity! Thank you.
Buddy Poland is a wonderful photographer. The peace and serenity in this picture makes the cold seem bearable. Perhaps that's so for today's world. I admit to post Trump PTSD. When media says "The President" my stomach churns. I wish they would say President Biden for a few months.
I'm wondering if you could explain how it is that Mitch McConnell seems to still have control of the Senate, how the filibuster means you need 60 votes to pass a piece of legislation. Although I don't wake up in dread of today's lies, I begin planning with my All In for North Carolina team today for 2022. We need, I need, a much larger majority in both houses of congress if the agenda I wish for is to happen.
Thank you Heather for your excellent Letters. I have only just found you thanks to seeing you on UK TV recently (BBC Newsnight or Channel 4 News) . I am no longer waking up in the night to read what the latest Trump news is on the New YorK Times app. But there's still millions of people out there buying into the stolen election narrative, still over 100 lawmakers in post who voted against certifying the electoral college vote. Still members of the Trump family planning to run for office, still an unrepresentative gerrymandered Senate and an obstructive Mitch McConnell,
But there's hope.
I’m interested in the upcoming CNN series on Lincoln. You’ve already primed us so well!
Yes...indeed, WHERE do we go from here? While we're expressing our concerns...mine quite simply are that Republicans are doing their best now to walk back events that happened on January 6th. They are hoping that all this will somehow fade away out of the country's collective consciousness and they can put off the schism their party seemed headed for. This is already happening right before our eyes as outrage has turned to indifference. Well, it's hardly surprising, isn't it? For the past 4-5 years we have been incessantly bombarded with news stories one after another every day. One outrageous event was immediately superseded by another. It's no wonder we've all more or less developed a kind of mass case of "ADHD". Nothing seems to stay in our memory anymore and as a nation we've already moved on to another "outrage du jour". I was afraid something similar would happen with regard to the Capitol insurrection and it seems to be coming to pass. The Republicans are banking on it. There are SO many other serious things that have to be tackled, the attack on the Capitol has already been shunted down lower on the priority list. I just think this is VERY dangerous. We ignore fascism in our midst at our own peril. If we downplay its rearing up in our society, then every time it reappears it can be more serious than the last. LOOK. AT. HISTORY. All these people need to do is lay low for a while and wait for the next opportunity. These people (and T***p) are most decidedly NOT going away. I am convinced they have infiltrated every area of our government and armed forces and they are waiting for another chance. They just suffered their "one step backwards". We need to prepare ourselves for their "two steps forward". These are MY concerns, while we're mentioning things...
Thank you professor HCR. Your daily letters have have served as a gyroscope to keep me steady during the las 7 tumultuous months.
That picture makes me want hot tea, a warm blanket and a good book!
My widened bandwidth has allowed me to move from urgent thoughts to important ones (for those familiar with the Eisenhower matrix). I’d live to see Letters from an American deal with a variety of solutions and viewpoints like yesterday’s question on rural vs. urban. One I have been considering this week is how capitalism might benefit from a single payer healthcare system—not having to have a regular full-time job to qualify for health insurance would free more people up to start Etsy businesses, small bakeries, do small renovation work. There have to be dozens of conversations like this that all of us would benefit from seeming from multiple angles. Maybe not emotionally charged issues like gun control and abortion, but farm subsidies, college loan forgiveness, tax policy, etc.