On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus crisis a global pandemic. A year later, almost 30 million of us have been infected with the novel coronavirus, and we have lost more than 530,000 of us to Covid-19. Our economy has buckled.
It is with relief that Attorney General Merrick Garland has been sworn in. His knowledge of the DoJ and its people is extensive as is his depth of understanding of the Rule of Law. He will truly be the Attorney of the People and make sure Justice is served equally to all. He may have more impact at the DoJ than he would have had as one of nine Supreme Court Justices. He certainly seems the right man at the right time and place!
Mitch McConnell stepping down?! Resigning not just his leadership position but his Senate seat? Quitting and going home? Is that really a possibility? A credible rumor?
“...there are signs that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) might be stepping down (there is a move afoot in the Kentucky legislature to change the law to remove the ability of the Democratic governor to choose a senator’s replacement)...”
Just the possibility of the most vile, villainous, viper to slither through the halls of the Senate crawling on his belly back to Kentucky, abandoning his party to the trumpists, is, to me, very big news.
If McConnell quits, the last stabilizing force in the Republican Party will be gone. The average IQ of congressional Republicans will drop 30 points. The lust for power will be unbounded. The destruction of the Republican Party would be a very real possibility.
Recently I was talking to a friend who happens to be Black and female, who broke the ceiling long ago, working for some of the top IT Industry leaders. We were musing about Virginia turning purple then blue. She told me about how in the southern state she came from, there was a turning point when a wealthy Silicon Valley company came in and established a beachhead for tech companies; her Dad told her to get an engineering degree because of that, back in the 1980s. Years later that state is slowly turning purple as well. I told her I recently read an article about why Virginia turned blue, and the author stated that the turning point was when American Online (AOL) moved into Reston, VA and established a mini-Silicon Valley there nearly 40 years ago. I wondered if this was part of a trend. She told me "It doesn't matter how racist people are, money talks. The racists around here want money and are willing to look the other way and tolerate Blacks to keep the money flowing..." I thought that was rather telling. After years of watching IT companies struggle with training to try and wring sexism and racism out of their ranks, and constantly failing, also rather ironic. We need to keep our focus on the corporate entities that have been feeding these beasts for a very long while and call them out when they back Republicans who continue to spout the Big Lie or vote for legislation that suppresses votes.
"everybody shouldn’t be voting…. Quantity is important, but we have to look at the quality of votes, as well.”
Can somebody refresh my memory on the difference between a democracy and a republic? Cause this sentence sure sounds like Arizona does not want a democracy. Quality of vote? WTF?
Joe Biden promised to unite the country. Some analysts have interpreted the commitment as a promise to bipartisanship. Quite the opposite. "The American Rescue Plan ... was supported by 76% of the American people, an extraordinary level of popularity." Joe Biden is fulfilling his promise to unite the country. There is more to come. An infrastructure bill that creates jobs in every zip code and improves all of our lives could be as popular as the "American Rescue Plan."
Biden's statement about "We the people" calls for another shout out to fellow HCR Reader Jeff Carpenter's very cool graphic, "We the People, All of Us This Time!"
“The government isn’t some foreign force in a distant capital,” Biden said. “It’s us. All of us. We the people.”
First time I laughed out loud to a letter from an American. As I was reading about the latest 'cancel culture' victims Dr. Suess and the Potato Head family, I thought to myself, 'I can't believe I'm reading this' and then - (I cannot believe I am writing this…). Thanks for the laugh!
Maybe John Kavanaugh of the AZ Republican Party is right. Maybe each voter should be asked one simple question before they are allowed to cast their vote. And that question should be, “Who won the 2020 Presidential election?” It should be a multiple choice question with only 2 possible answers. Anyone who can’t or won’t answer that question truthfully shouldn’t be able to vote. Because quality matters. PS - no one at me. I’m just kidding. But it’s fun to imagine Tucker’s head falling off if someone suggested it.
"the quality of votes"? Talk about a not so subtle attempt at class separation again. Are we headed back to counting non-white people as 3/5 of a person? Watching the gyrations of the GQP as they try to distract their base and everyone else from the fact that they have no policies to offer except division leaves me appalled that they have such a large body of adherents.
Arizona state representative John Kavanaugh, who chairs the state’s Government and Elections Committee, made headlines yesterday when he explained that Republicans were happy to create measures that kept people from voting because “everybody shouldn’t be voting…. Quantity is important, but we have to look at the quality of votes, as well.”
That just made me ill. Republicans not only believe this, now they are coming out and saying it out loud
I am a very dedicated griller/smoker/outdoor cooker. As evidence, I offer that after a long needed replacement of our stove, it was two months before I actually used it. That said, I have cooked everything outdoors, from the most basic to some very complex stuff. This portion of today's letter really stood out:
(quote) Today, Republicans pushed back on Biden’s vaccine success by taking offense at what they suggested was his attempt to dictate how we spend the Fourth of July. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) tweeted an image of a steak on a grill with a star over it and the caption “COME AND TAKE IT.” (end quote)
I have grilled many, many, many steaks. On the 4th of July, however, it is ALWAYS hotdogs and hamburgers (and not the stuffed gourmet kind of burgers, but burgers as intended. Grilled medium and topped with cheddar cheese for those who want it). A traditional meal, served up with both potato salad and cole slaw, with homemade ice cream for dessert.
Steaks for the "All-American 4th of July" illustrates to me just how out of touch Cancun Cruz is.
I think its time we referred to Government as “Our Government” as opposed to “The Government” which makes it sound like a third party,( if not a foreign country,)and
not a part of the USA. Without our government there is no USA.
COVID-19: It's not too late to embrace New Zealand's success over the coronavirus. We just need to adopt their Manaakitanga philosophy (the power of the collective):
Let’s do the math here, shall we?
75% of America wants this legislation.
0% of Republicans in Congress voted for this legislation.
Now, if you’re a Republican, what does this math tell you?
Survey says: No Republicans in Congress represent the American people. Clearly they are representing something else.
It is with relief that Attorney General Merrick Garland has been sworn in. His knowledge of the DoJ and its people is extensive as is his depth of understanding of the Rule of Law. He will truly be the Attorney of the People and make sure Justice is served equally to all. He may have more impact at the DoJ than he would have had as one of nine Supreme Court Justices. He certainly seems the right man at the right time and place!
Mitch McConnell stepping down?! Resigning not just his leadership position but his Senate seat? Quitting and going home? Is that really a possibility? A credible rumor?
“...there are signs that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) might be stepping down (there is a move afoot in the Kentucky legislature to change the law to remove the ability of the Democratic governor to choose a senator’s replacement)...”
Just the possibility of the most vile, villainous, viper to slither through the halls of the Senate crawling on his belly back to Kentucky, abandoning his party to the trumpists, is, to me, very big news.
If McConnell quits, the last stabilizing force in the Republican Party will be gone. The average IQ of congressional Republicans will drop 30 points. The lust for power will be unbounded. The destruction of the Republican Party would be a very real possibility.
Let’s make some popcorn.
Recently I was talking to a friend who happens to be Black and female, who broke the ceiling long ago, working for some of the top IT Industry leaders. We were musing about Virginia turning purple then blue. She told me about how in the southern state she came from, there was a turning point when a wealthy Silicon Valley company came in and established a beachhead for tech companies; her Dad told her to get an engineering degree because of that, back in the 1980s. Years later that state is slowly turning purple as well. I told her I recently read an article about why Virginia turned blue, and the author stated that the turning point was when American Online (AOL) moved into Reston, VA and established a mini-Silicon Valley there nearly 40 years ago. I wondered if this was part of a trend. She told me "It doesn't matter how racist people are, money talks. The racists around here want money and are willing to look the other way and tolerate Blacks to keep the money flowing..." I thought that was rather telling. After years of watching IT companies struggle with training to try and wring sexism and racism out of their ranks, and constantly failing, also rather ironic. We need to keep our focus on the corporate entities that have been feeding these beasts for a very long while and call them out when they back Republicans who continue to spout the Big Lie or vote for legislation that suppresses votes.
"everybody shouldn’t be voting…. Quantity is important, but we have to look at the quality of votes, as well.”
Can somebody refresh my memory on the difference between a democracy and a republic? Cause this sentence sure sounds like Arizona does not want a democracy. Quality of vote? WTF?
Joe Biden promised to unite the country. Some analysts have interpreted the commitment as a promise to bipartisanship. Quite the opposite. "The American Rescue Plan ... was supported by 76% of the American people, an extraordinary level of popularity." Joe Biden is fulfilling his promise to unite the country. There is more to come. An infrastructure bill that creates jobs in every zip code and improves all of our lives could be as popular as the "American Rescue Plan."
Biden's statement about "We the people" calls for another shout out to fellow HCR Reader Jeff Carpenter's very cool graphic, "We the People, All of Us This Time!"
“The government isn’t some foreign force in a distant capital,” Biden said. “It’s us. All of us. We the people.”
https://jcarpenterstudio.com/portfolio-portfolio/public-art-projects/we-the-people-2
First time I laughed out loud to a letter from an American. As I was reading about the latest 'cancel culture' victims Dr. Suess and the Potato Head family, I thought to myself, 'I can't believe I'm reading this' and then - (I cannot believe I am writing this…). Thanks for the laugh!
Maybe John Kavanaugh of the AZ Republican Party is right. Maybe each voter should be asked one simple question before they are allowed to cast their vote. And that question should be, “Who won the 2020 Presidential election?” It should be a multiple choice question with only 2 possible answers. Anyone who can’t or won’t answer that question truthfully shouldn’t be able to vote. Because quality matters. PS - no one at me. I’m just kidding. But it’s fun to imagine Tucker’s head falling off if someone suggested it.
"the quality of votes"? Talk about a not so subtle attempt at class separation again. Are we headed back to counting non-white people as 3/5 of a person? Watching the gyrations of the GQP as they try to distract their base and everyone else from the fact that they have no policies to offer except division leaves me appalled that they have such a large body of adherents.
Arizona state representative John Kavanaugh, who chairs the state’s Government and Elections Committee, made headlines yesterday when he explained that Republicans were happy to create measures that kept people from voting because “everybody shouldn’t be voting…. Quantity is important, but we have to look at the quality of votes, as well.”
That just made me ill. Republicans not only believe this, now they are coming out and saying it out loud
New bumper sticker: When Only Morons Vote, Republicans Win
I am a very dedicated griller/smoker/outdoor cooker. As evidence, I offer that after a long needed replacement of our stove, it was two months before I actually used it. That said, I have cooked everything outdoors, from the most basic to some very complex stuff. This portion of today's letter really stood out:
(quote) Today, Republicans pushed back on Biden’s vaccine success by taking offense at what they suggested was his attempt to dictate how we spend the Fourth of July. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) tweeted an image of a steak on a grill with a star over it and the caption “COME AND TAKE IT.” (end quote)
I have grilled many, many, many steaks. On the 4th of July, however, it is ALWAYS hotdogs and hamburgers (and not the stuffed gourmet kind of burgers, but burgers as intended. Grilled medium and topped with cheddar cheese for those who want it). A traditional meal, served up with both potato salad and cole slaw, with homemade ice cream for dessert.
Steaks for the "All-American 4th of July" illustrates to me just how out of touch Cancun Cruz is.
I think its time we referred to Government as “Our Government” as opposed to “The Government” which makes it sound like a third party,( if not a foreign country,)and
not a part of the USA. Without our government there is no USA.
I adore your phrase “power sloshing around.” In my experience, sloshing usually involves spillage.
Morning, all!! Morning, Dr. R!! Mixed news here, for sure.
Justice: This "Long Arc of the Universe" article about our new Attorney General was so uplifting. "So can we start arresting people today or do we have to wait? Asking for a nation." https://www.commondreams.org/further/2021/03/11/long-arc-universe
Addressing Climate Change: Seems our holdover Postmaster General wants to bypass "electrifying" new postal delivery vehicles: https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/03/09/it-definitely-stinks-lawmaker-demands-sec-probe-huge-stock-buy-just-dejoy-announced?cd-origin=rss&utm_term=AO&utm_campaign=Daily%20Newsletter&utm_content=email&utm_source=Daily%20Newsletter&utm_medium=Email
COVID-19: It's not too late to embrace New Zealand's success over the coronavirus. We just need to adopt their Manaakitanga philosophy (the power of the collective):
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/03/11/new-zealand-covid-19-maori-indigenous-manaakitanga/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_opinions&utm_campaign=wp_opinions