President Biden’s determination to “build the economy from the middle out and the bottom up,” appears to be paying off. Last Friday the global financial services company Morgan Stanley credited Biden’s policies with driving a boom in large-scale infrastructure and manufacturing, a boom large enough that Morgan Stanley revised its gross domestic product growth projections upward to 1.9%, a projection almost four times higher than its original projection.
It is late in my journey through life. As Clarence Clemons would say “I have more yesterdays than tomorrows.”
There are three vital lessons that often ring through my mind. (Aside from those stated in The Princess Bride ie.- never start a land war in Asia).
One is that money comes and goes, but time just goes.
Two is that democracy requires a well-educated, well-informed, and engaged society.
Three is that democracy cannot survive in concert with the extreme concentration of wealth.
One and two are why I begin each day with coffee and reading “Letters” even before The Guardian, a news aggregator, and individual global stories. As someone who cares deeply about the promises of “The American Dream”, as well as the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I am so grateful for Heather’s continuing effort to inform and provide vital historical context during these challenging times for democracy in the United States and around the world.
Biden's tremendous success in guiding the economy is a key reason why extremist Republicans in Congress plan to shut down the government. They know he will get much of the blame for the fallout. They also know the GOP is bumbling toward an overwhelming defeat.
This letter gave me some good goosebumps about Biden and Harris. Kamala does not get the recognition she deserves. She has been right by Joe’s side and puts her two cents in when it is absolutely appropriate. You can see that they both have a lot of respect for one another.
There is no recession, only growth with millions working and making better wages and hopefully getting decent benefits. Bringing manufacturing back home, engaging in clean energy-making products has spurred millions of people to start new businesses. This is a BIG deal!
Last night on the Rachel Maddow show, she showed four signs that were designated as a memorial to Emmitt Till and his courageous mother. They had been placed on land hear the Mississippi river where Till was killed. Two of those signs had to be replaced because they had been shot at and destroyed. The third had been ripped off of its metal posts and thrown aside. A company back East, heard of what happened and they built a ( I think) 700 pound memorial that is bulletproof. They brought it to site themselves and set it in the spot along the river. I got chills. There are some really great people in this here US of A, as long as they’re not deceitful and despicable liars like the Republicans.
I was dumbstruck to learn that UPS drivers have no AC in their trucks. This is 2023, not 1923! They are required to haul 70 lb packages to our doors in 110 ℉ heat before hurrying back for their next delivery and UPS management from the comfort of their AC offices cannot afford minimal relief for their drivers?
Will mainstream media actually pick up this growing economy, or will the blind, deaf, and dumb plutocrats who now own the media, bury it. Jesse Jackson has had a remarkable career. He will be remembered in history as a man who tried. I remember vividly, Emmet Till. He was 14 years old, a junior high aged kid. He whistled. That was their excuse for torturing and murdering him. But you know, nothing has changed. A 12 year old kid with a toy gun was murdered by a policeman for the crime of being black after dark. A kid with a cell phone was murdered in Florida for the same reason. I don't care how hard Florida,Texas, and other backward States try to hide the truth, history will shine through because so many people remember these horrors and we don't absolve the white men who perpetrated them, (And, yes, I am an old white woman)
I so appreciate reading these words spoken by our country’s leaders at day’s end, when it seems that everything is just so danged hard. It has put a breeze at my back, to know that they see us, hear our difficulties, and want to help.
Thank you so much for this. I truly appreciate the positive message. We can accomplish so much when we work together for positive change. We will overcome bigotry and hate, someday. Soon, I hope!
Professor, as you share the important History and tragedies of this country,, as some people, especially gop politicians, want to bury it, hide it, we know that is impossible. There is wisdom in knowing the Truth, as President Biden wisely counsels. “We can’t just choose to learn what we want to know” about our history, Biden said. “We have to learn what we should know. We should know about our country. We should know everything: the good, the bad, the truth of who we are as a nation. That’s what great nations do, and we are a great nation.” Spanish Historian and Philosopher, Jorge Santayana (1863-1952) on our learning and understanding History. “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.”
I apologize for beating the same dead horse. Every day I read two newspapers, parts of three other newspapers, several political sites, and three of the networks’ sites. I’m, relatively, a decently informed citizen. How could it happen that I didn’t know about most of the accomplishments mentioned in the first several paragraphs of this report? If I don’t know them, a lot of Americans don’t know them. Every day somebody tells me Trump can’t win, or even steal, the presidency. Two of those somebodies told me the same thing the first time around: he can’t win. He did. (Or, depending on how you look at it, he didn’t.) Biden won states that mattered to his victory by narrow margins. At this point, looking at it state by state, he can’t win them all again. Commenters here and elsewhere say Biden will be reelected on his accomplishments. Folks, I would believe that if anybody knew about them. It just feels like a lot of relatively smart Democrats are taking very good drugs. As I said in the last beating of the horse, why can’t they sell this stuff better? I wonder if Prof. Richardson could make a few phone calls — she knows the president personally — and tell us what the people running the White House say about that.
With even MTG campaigning for Joe, and these 2 great and inspiring speeches by Joe and Kamala, it gives me hope that the whining, money and theatrics from those other guys won't prevail.
Now, if we can get MSM to stop staring at MTGs shameful pictures of Hunter......
Why isn't she being at least censured and at most, forced to resign? It's more than shameful, it's just plain WRONG.
What is this need that some folks have to be "better than" others? To somehow believe that being a white Christian in America gives you the right to terrorize and murder someone for "flirting"? Or for anything? I'm glad that our President and VP understand that history matters. That the dark stories are where the growth comes from. Much of the political junk coming from the Republican party these days is rooted in a belief that we are better than these other folks...that black folks, immigrants of all colors & belief systems...gay and trans folks...that they don't deserve a seat at the table...they don't count...they shouldn't vote and we don't want any of our tax dollars to help them...because they don't deserve it. We, the Republicans are the enlightened ones...we are Gods gift to the world. Thats our collective problem...and I think many of them know it. It's just hard to say it out loud...to say it clearly...and not with a bunch of code....or making rules that help you control people, other than you. It's easy to be a bigot in your Fox, Trump. MAGA silo. It's a lot harder out in the open...in the light of day.
It is late in my journey through life. As Clarence Clemons would say “I have more yesterdays than tomorrows.”
There are three vital lessons that often ring through my mind. (Aside from those stated in The Princess Bride ie.- never start a land war in Asia).
One is that money comes and goes, but time just goes.
Two is that democracy requires a well-educated, well-informed, and engaged society.
Three is that democracy cannot survive in concert with the extreme concentration of wealth.
One and two are why I begin each day with coffee and reading “Letters” even before The Guardian, a news aggregator, and individual global stories. As someone who cares deeply about the promises of “The American Dream”, as well as the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I am so grateful for Heather’s continuing effort to inform and provide vital historical context during these challenging times for democracy in the United States and around the world.
Biden's tremendous success in guiding the economy is a key reason why extremist Republicans in Congress plan to shut down the government. They know he will get much of the blame for the fallout. They also know the GOP is bumbling toward an overwhelming defeat.
This letter gave me some good goosebumps about Biden and Harris. Kamala does not get the recognition she deserves. She has been right by Joe’s side and puts her two cents in when it is absolutely appropriate. You can see that they both have a lot of respect for one another.
There is no recession, only growth with millions working and making better wages and hopefully getting decent benefits. Bringing manufacturing back home, engaging in clean energy-making products has spurred millions of people to start new businesses. This is a BIG deal!
Last night on the Rachel Maddow show, she showed four signs that were designated as a memorial to Emmitt Till and his courageous mother. They had been placed on land hear the Mississippi river where Till was killed. Two of those signs had to be replaced because they had been shot at and destroyed. The third had been ripped off of its metal posts and thrown aside. A company back East, heard of what happened and they built a ( I think) 700 pound memorial that is bulletproof. They brought it to site themselves and set it in the spot along the river. I got chills. There are some really great people in this here US of A, as long as they’re not deceitful and despicable liars like the Republicans.
Thank you, HCR, for highlighting in tonight’s letter the words and deeds of Vice President Harris.
I was dumbstruck to learn that UPS drivers have no AC in their trucks. This is 2023, not 1923! They are required to haul 70 lb packages to our doors in 110 ℉ heat before hurrying back for their next delivery and UPS management from the comfort of their AC offices cannot afford minimal relief for their drivers?
Will mainstream media actually pick up this growing economy, or will the blind, deaf, and dumb plutocrats who now own the media, bury it. Jesse Jackson has had a remarkable career. He will be remembered in history as a man who tried. I remember vividly, Emmet Till. He was 14 years old, a junior high aged kid. He whistled. That was their excuse for torturing and murdering him. But you know, nothing has changed. A 12 year old kid with a toy gun was murdered by a policeman for the crime of being black after dark. A kid with a cell phone was murdered in Florida for the same reason. I don't care how hard Florida,Texas, and other backward States try to hide the truth, history will shine through because so many people remember these horrors and we don't absolve the white men who perpetrated them, (And, yes, I am an old white woman)
I so appreciate reading these words spoken by our country’s leaders at day’s end, when it seems that everything is just so danged hard. It has put a breeze at my back, to know that they see us, hear our difficulties, and want to help.
“[W]hile darkness and denialism can hide much,” he said, “they erase nothing.”
Thank to HCR for highlighting some consequential, memorable lines, and to Biden for speaking them.
Thank you so much for this. I truly appreciate the positive message. We can accomplish so much when we work together for positive change. We will overcome bigotry and hate, someday. Soon, I hope!
Professor, as you share the important History and tragedies of this country,, as some people, especially gop politicians, want to bury it, hide it, we know that is impossible. There is wisdom in knowing the Truth, as President Biden wisely counsels. “We can’t just choose to learn what we want to know” about our history, Biden said. “We have to learn what we should know. We should know about our country. We should know everything: the good, the bad, the truth of who we are as a nation. That’s what great nations do, and we are a great nation.” Spanish Historian and Philosopher, Jorge Santayana (1863-1952) on our learning and understanding History. “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.”
I apologize for beating the same dead horse. Every day I read two newspapers, parts of three other newspapers, several political sites, and three of the networks’ sites. I’m, relatively, a decently informed citizen. How could it happen that I didn’t know about most of the accomplishments mentioned in the first several paragraphs of this report? If I don’t know them, a lot of Americans don’t know them. Every day somebody tells me Trump can’t win, or even steal, the presidency. Two of those somebodies told me the same thing the first time around: he can’t win. He did. (Or, depending on how you look at it, he didn’t.) Biden won states that mattered to his victory by narrow margins. At this point, looking at it state by state, he can’t win them all again. Commenters here and elsewhere say Biden will be reelected on his accomplishments. Folks, I would believe that if anybody knew about them. It just feels like a lot of relatively smart Democrats are taking very good drugs. As I said in the last beating of the horse, why can’t they sell this stuff better? I wonder if Prof. Richardson could make a few phone calls — she knows the president personally — and tell us what the people running the White House say about that.
Yes, Mamie & Emmett, mother & son ... both powerful drivers of real human & civil rights then, now & in the years ahead.
With even MTG campaigning for Joe, and these 2 great and inspiring speeches by Joe and Kamala, it gives me hope that the whining, money and theatrics from those other guys won't prevail.
Now, if we can get MSM to stop staring at MTGs shameful pictures of Hunter......
Why isn't she being at least censured and at most, forced to resign? It's more than shameful, it's just plain WRONG.
“One’s strength is not measured on who you beat down, but who you lift up.”
Wow. Just… Wow, Kamala… That is SO powerful.
What is this need that some folks have to be "better than" others? To somehow believe that being a white Christian in America gives you the right to terrorize and murder someone for "flirting"? Or for anything? I'm glad that our President and VP understand that history matters. That the dark stories are where the growth comes from. Much of the political junk coming from the Republican party these days is rooted in a belief that we are better than these other folks...that black folks, immigrants of all colors & belief systems...gay and trans folks...that they don't deserve a seat at the table...they don't count...they shouldn't vote and we don't want any of our tax dollars to help them...because they don't deserve it. We, the Republicans are the enlightened ones...we are Gods gift to the world. Thats our collective problem...and I think many of them know it. It's just hard to say it out loud...to say it clearly...and not with a bunch of code....or making rules that help you control people, other than you. It's easy to be a bigot in your Fox, Trump. MAGA silo. It's a lot harder out in the open...in the light of day.
MAGA vs "We should know everything: the good, the bad, the truth of who we are as a nation. That’s what great nations do, and we are a great nation.”