Hi folks: This apparently only went out to a few people last night. I’m sending again in hopes it does better this time around: I’m wiped out from grading, but I wanted to note that on this day in 1954, the Supreme Court handed down the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, decision, declaring racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. A unanimous court decided that segregation denied Black children the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment, which was ratified in 1868 in the wake of the Civil War. Brown v. Board was a turning point in establishing the principle of racial equality in modern America.
Thrilled to hear the news today that Rep. Val Demings announced she is running against Sen.Marco Rubio. She will fight for racial equality. Her confrontation of Jim Jordan's hypocritical bluster was priceless. The former Chief of Police of Orlando has guts. Oh, and she is a real " Florida Woman"---a brain and a beauty!!!!
I am so weary of explaining this to people who refuse to understand. I hope this forum of those who respect the historical perspective provided by dear Dr. Richardson will be more receptive.
It is important to understand the discriminatory nature of refusing to raise the minimum wage to a living wage standard. According to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) a non-partisan research organization, the majority of minimum wage workers are women and people of color. Right now, 59% of workers who would benefit from a $15 minimum wage are women, with nearly one in four of these women being Latina or Black. African Americans make up 31% of the workforce that would benefit from a minimum wage increase and Latinos make up 26%, reports EPI.
Depriving these workers of a living wage is one more racist and misogynistic policy of Republicans. Everyone should understand how discriminatory and unfair this Republican position is. Do not be blind to this.
Those who oppose a raise of the minimum wage to a living wage standard do so only because of a desire to exploit poverty and the labor of those less fortunate and those they wish to discriminate unjustly against. This is unjust, inequitable, and evil.
A careful observation of Republican policies reveals they believe that to incent the wealthy you should give them more money but to incent the less wealthy you take money away from them. Tax breaks for the rich to incent them to create jobs and invest in our economy, but repress wages and reduce unemployment benefits to incent the poor to work for substandard wages. Is there truly anyone who does not see the inequity, unfairness, and evil in this philosophy? If you vote for this you join in their conspiracy against humanity and decency.
Let us not pretend that there is anything beyond racist and misogynistic motivations for the suppression of wages below a living wage standard. Those who support this need to understand they are in the minority. Do not let them forget it. Vote like your own welfare and that of your family and neighbors depends on it. They do!
Thank you Heather for taking the time to resend. Your letters provide an immensely important frame around our current events and a rich informed voice of reason. And possibilities. I am so grateful.
Josh Marshall on Kevin "an empty suit full of ambition and lacking a moral compass" McCarthy's demonstration of why he is the dumbest fucking Okiefornian in Dumbfuckingokiefornia:
Kevin McCarthy’s turnabout on a Jan 6th Commission proposal that was negotiated by his chosen negotiator and, by all indications, at his direction is a good reminder – for anyone who needed reminding, and really who are you who needed reminding? – of the reality of bipartisan negotiations in the Trump era. As I noted yesterday, Rep. Katko does not appear to have been freelancing. McCarthy chose him to negotiate on his behalf. And reporting suggests Katko worked from McCarthy’s directives and kept him in the loop. But once the deal was announced McCarthy felt he needed to torpedo it.
The only plausible explanation here is that McCarthy didn’t really think the negotiations would go anywhere. When the Democrats agreed with most of his demands, he had a hot potato in his hand and didn’t know what to do with it.
Trump clearly made clear he doesn’t want any commission under any circumstances ever. And I mean … of course he doesn’t. The perp never wants an investigation. That’s obvious. As my colleague Kate Riga has noted a number of times, McCarthy has his own reasons not to want any commission, even over and above Trump’s opposition. McCarthy was on the phone with Trump at the critical moments demanding the then-President do something. McCarthy’s testimony would likely be some of the most illuminating about the President’s state of mind and actions. That’s a nightmare for McCarthy. Of course he wants to avoid it.
The other possibility, though I find it a bit hard to credit, is that Katko basically sandbagged McCarthy. Perhaps Katko got McCarthy most of what he said he wanted but knew McCarthy would probably not accept any deal. So rather than showing McCarthy the deal which he said he wanted, he just announced it. As I said, that’s a bit hard for me to believe. Members don’t usually cut their leaders off at the knees like that.
On the other hand, Katko is one of the ten members who voted to impeach President Trump over January 6th. That alone makes me wonder why McCarthy put him in charge of the negotiation. But he did. The whole thing is a mystery.
The only global reality we can glean from this is one I think we already know: that the leader of the House GOP caucus is Donald Trump. He’s a big factor in the Senate. But he’s not the leader. He’s the leader in the House. McCarthy is most charitably seen as his spokesman.
The Republicans have no interest in governing for the people, and little ability to do so.. They govern for the private sector and the wealthy. Early in 2014, McConnell as much as admitted this.
They and their minions are all about power -- power to turn the government over to the private sector and the rich, and the white Christian nationalists. Everything they do these days is governed by getting the power back in DC. There is nothing else -- education, immigration, voting rights, and on and on -- it is all about one thing. POWER.
I’m reading you Heather and reading Caste, The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. It is not a pretty picture. Then or now. I’m shocked. I saw little of this living in WA state. I’m getting a very sad reality of humanity.
I hope I don’t lose all my innocence.
Well being 81 yrs young maybe not.
Thank you. I love learning even though it is enlightening and painful.
I have been driving around with an "=" sticker on my car for years now. Although the impetus for putting it there was to call attention to the issue of marriage equality before the law for LGBTQ people, it certainly is meant to call attention to equality for ALL people.
I recently found an old essay written in 2006 by our then 12 year old daughter. In it she wrote, " My parents are a lesbian couple who were allowed to get married in Massachusetts only two years ago. We eat together and take care of our cat together. We are a family. But when we travel outside our state to go on vacation, we are not considered a family. This is sometimes worrying because if something happened, the law in those other states wouldn't recognize us as a family, and I don't know what would happen. It isn't fair. When my friends travel with their parents they are considered a family everywhere they go, but we are not. " (paraphrased slightly)
Fifteen years ago when I read this it made me cry. Now it just makes me angry...for everyone who has ever been denied equality before the law, for whatever reason. The current Republican assault on voting rights aims to legalize discrimination on whatever basis they feel like using to usurp and keep power for themselves. We simply cannot allow it to happen.
As someone who knows up close and personal what one fight for equality looked and felt like over many years, I am doing what I can to make sure they do not succeed in denying voting rights to anyone.
Grading is exhausting; no apology needed. I googled you and found it there - Thanks for your good work, your even-handed approach, and your historical perspective, by the way
Also did not receive it either time, and had to go to Substack. When I awoke at my usual time (5 a.m.) and the Letter was not there, my thoughts were: "Where art thou, Heather?" and "you (Heather) have, i greatly fear, been the victim of some 'foul deed' (Antony in Julius Caesar), almost certainly at the hands of hit men/women contracted for by the G.O.P."
Got it finally! Dear Heather, I know all too well how stressful it is trying to get stacks of things graded with a deadline looming. (Try grading music manuscript, 4-part chord and rhythmic dictation exams!) I'm sure your exams probably involve sorting through a lot of essay questions, which take time and consideration. You have to have your wits about you to concentrate and think. Take all the time you need! Added to that, in my experience for the past couple of days, Substack has been acting kind of wonky, taking forever for pages to download, if they even do. The little gremlins that run things have not been doing their jobs. We'll survive...
I have been asserting from the get-go that the voting reforms in H.B. 1 are of the utmost importance to holding on to representational democracy in this country. If we let that slip away and let Republicans re-carve up voting districts in their favour, we risk losing it all. Manchin and Sinema are major flies in the ointment for Democrats and we HAVE to figure out how to get around their obstructionist tactics. My feeling is the midterm elections might be up in the air right now, because of waning Republican support of You-Know-Who, and the usual voter apathy, especially from Democrats. Thank you for reminding us yet again what is at stake!
The core issue is unregulated capitalism which - given the tales told by the workers of one epitome of that, Amazon - seeks to enchain anyone and everyone and eviscerate Nature out of a disconnected (w/ self/others/Nature) psychopathic mindset wholly driven by greed for power and wealth over all. Isn't this the Rich and Super White Men's Club? Today voter suppression of blacks, tomorrow women, day after tomorrow, nonwhites and Jews. I'm an old person. And, lived during the Cold War and McCarthy craziness and abomination. So today, I find rather astonishing that Americans who are incrementally being dug into their graves by corporate intentional deceit and materialistic obsessions go cross eyed with fear, trembling and horror at mention of socialism. And clam shut their mouths when the not insignificant demerits of unregulated capitalism are broached.
Thanks for resending. I needed this. We are down to such basics. We have come so far forward, have so far to go and cannot go backwards and expect a sustainable outcome for our country.
Didn’t receive this either time and hope ot’s getting solved. I always look forward to your latest post and this one is no exception. If Republican senators block re-authorization of the Voting Rights Act, Joe Manchin will have to decide whether he is willing to let any party consolidate minority rule. There comes a time when you need to do what’s right, to lead instead of following opinion polls of the people you represent.
Thrilled to hear the news today that Rep. Val Demings announced she is running against Sen.Marco Rubio. She will fight for racial equality. Her confrontation of Jim Jordan's hypocritical bluster was priceless. The former Chief of Police of Orlando has guts. Oh, and she is a real " Florida Woman"---a brain and a beauty!!!!
I am so weary of explaining this to people who refuse to understand. I hope this forum of those who respect the historical perspective provided by dear Dr. Richardson will be more receptive.
It is important to understand the discriminatory nature of refusing to raise the minimum wage to a living wage standard. According to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) a non-partisan research organization, the majority of minimum wage workers are women and people of color. Right now, 59% of workers who would benefit from a $15 minimum wage are women, with nearly one in four of these women being Latina or Black. African Americans make up 31% of the workforce that would benefit from a minimum wage increase and Latinos make up 26%, reports EPI.
Depriving these workers of a living wage is one more racist and misogynistic policy of Republicans. Everyone should understand how discriminatory and unfair this Republican position is. Do not be blind to this.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/03/what-15-minimum-wage-could-mean-for-women-and-the-pay-gap.html
Those who oppose a raise of the minimum wage to a living wage standard do so only because of a desire to exploit poverty and the labor of those less fortunate and those they wish to discriminate unjustly against. This is unjust, inequitable, and evil.
A careful observation of Republican policies reveals they believe that to incent the wealthy you should give them more money but to incent the less wealthy you take money away from them. Tax breaks for the rich to incent them to create jobs and invest in our economy, but repress wages and reduce unemployment benefits to incent the poor to work for substandard wages. Is there truly anyone who does not see the inequity, unfairness, and evil in this philosophy? If you vote for this you join in their conspiracy against humanity and decency.
Let us not pretend that there is anything beyond racist and misogynistic motivations for the suppression of wages below a living wage standard. Those who support this need to understand they are in the minority. Do not let them forget it. Vote like your own welfare and that of your family and neighbors depends on it. They do!
Thank you Heather for taking the time to resend. Your letters provide an immensely important frame around our current events and a rich informed voice of reason. And possibilities. I am so grateful.
Josh Marshall on Kevin "an empty suit full of ambition and lacking a moral compass" McCarthy's demonstration of why he is the dumbest fucking Okiefornian in Dumbfuckingokiefornia:
Kevin McCarthy’s turnabout on a Jan 6th Commission proposal that was negotiated by his chosen negotiator and, by all indications, at his direction is a good reminder – for anyone who needed reminding, and really who are you who needed reminding? – of the reality of bipartisan negotiations in the Trump era. As I noted yesterday, Rep. Katko does not appear to have been freelancing. McCarthy chose him to negotiate on his behalf. And reporting suggests Katko worked from McCarthy’s directives and kept him in the loop. But once the deal was announced McCarthy felt he needed to torpedo it.
The only plausible explanation here is that McCarthy didn’t really think the negotiations would go anywhere. When the Democrats agreed with most of his demands, he had a hot potato in his hand and didn’t know what to do with it.
Trump clearly made clear he doesn’t want any commission under any circumstances ever. And I mean … of course he doesn’t. The perp never wants an investigation. That’s obvious. As my colleague Kate Riga has noted a number of times, McCarthy has his own reasons not to want any commission, even over and above Trump’s opposition. McCarthy was on the phone with Trump at the critical moments demanding the then-President do something. McCarthy’s testimony would likely be some of the most illuminating about the President’s state of mind and actions. That’s a nightmare for McCarthy. Of course he wants to avoid it.
The other possibility, though I find it a bit hard to credit, is that Katko basically sandbagged McCarthy. Perhaps Katko got McCarthy most of what he said he wanted but knew McCarthy would probably not accept any deal. So rather than showing McCarthy the deal which he said he wanted, he just announced it. As I said, that’s a bit hard for me to believe. Members don’t usually cut their leaders off at the knees like that.
On the other hand, Katko is one of the ten members who voted to impeach President Trump over January 6th. That alone makes me wonder why McCarthy put him in charge of the negotiation. But he did. The whole thing is a mystery.
The only global reality we can glean from this is one I think we already know: that the leader of the House GOP caucus is Donald Trump. He’s a big factor in the Senate. But he’s not the leader. He’s the leader in the House. McCarthy is most charitably seen as his spokesman.
The Republicans have no interest in governing for the people, and little ability to do so.. They govern for the private sector and the wealthy. Early in 2014, McConnell as much as admitted this.
They and their minions are all about power -- power to turn the government over to the private sector and the rich, and the white Christian nationalists. Everything they do these days is governed by getting the power back in DC. There is nothing else -- education, immigration, voting rights, and on and on -- it is all about one thing. POWER.
I’m reading you Heather and reading Caste, The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. It is not a pretty picture. Then or now. I’m shocked. I saw little of this living in WA state. I’m getting a very sad reality of humanity.
I hope I don’t lose all my innocence.
Well being 81 yrs young maybe not.
Thank you. I love learning even though it is enlightening and painful.
I have been driving around with an "=" sticker on my car for years now. Although the impetus for putting it there was to call attention to the issue of marriage equality before the law for LGBTQ people, it certainly is meant to call attention to equality for ALL people.
I recently found an old essay written in 2006 by our then 12 year old daughter. In it she wrote, " My parents are a lesbian couple who were allowed to get married in Massachusetts only two years ago. We eat together and take care of our cat together. We are a family. But when we travel outside our state to go on vacation, we are not considered a family. This is sometimes worrying because if something happened, the law in those other states wouldn't recognize us as a family, and I don't know what would happen. It isn't fair. When my friends travel with their parents they are considered a family everywhere they go, but we are not. " (paraphrased slightly)
Fifteen years ago when I read this it made me cry. Now it just makes me angry...for everyone who has ever been denied equality before the law, for whatever reason. The current Republican assault on voting rights aims to legalize discrimination on whatever basis they feel like using to usurp and keep power for themselves. We simply cannot allow it to happen.
As someone who knows up close and personal what one fight for equality looked and felt like over many years, I am doing what I can to make sure they do not succeed in denying voting rights to anyone.
Grading is exhausting; no apology needed. I googled you and found it there - Thanks for your good work, your even-handed approach, and your historical perspective, by the way
Also did not receive it either time, and had to go to Substack. When I awoke at my usual time (5 a.m.) and the Letter was not there, my thoughts were: "Where art thou, Heather?" and "you (Heather) have, i greatly fear, been the victim of some 'foul deed' (Antony in Julius Caesar), almost certainly at the hands of hit men/women contracted for by the G.O.P."
At this point, there can be little questioning that the Republicans' sole "raison d'etre" is to capture and maintain power at any cost to the country.
Got it finally! Dear Heather, I know all too well how stressful it is trying to get stacks of things graded with a deadline looming. (Try grading music manuscript, 4-part chord and rhythmic dictation exams!) I'm sure your exams probably involve sorting through a lot of essay questions, which take time and consideration. You have to have your wits about you to concentrate and think. Take all the time you need! Added to that, in my experience for the past couple of days, Substack has been acting kind of wonky, taking forever for pages to download, if they even do. The little gremlins that run things have not been doing their jobs. We'll survive...
I have been asserting from the get-go that the voting reforms in H.B. 1 are of the utmost importance to holding on to representational democracy in this country. If we let that slip away and let Republicans re-carve up voting districts in their favour, we risk losing it all. Manchin and Sinema are major flies in the ointment for Democrats and we HAVE to figure out how to get around their obstructionist tactics. My feeling is the midterm elections might be up in the air right now, because of waning Republican support of You-Know-Who, and the usual voter apathy, especially from Democrats. Thank you for reminding us yet again what is at stake!
I sent the link to Susan Collins.
The core issue is unregulated capitalism which - given the tales told by the workers of one epitome of that, Amazon - seeks to enchain anyone and everyone and eviscerate Nature out of a disconnected (w/ self/others/Nature) psychopathic mindset wholly driven by greed for power and wealth over all. Isn't this the Rich and Super White Men's Club? Today voter suppression of blacks, tomorrow women, day after tomorrow, nonwhites and Jews. I'm an old person. And, lived during the Cold War and McCarthy craziness and abomination. So today, I find rather astonishing that Americans who are incrementally being dug into their graves by corporate intentional deceit and materialistic obsessions go cross eyed with fear, trembling and horror at mention of socialism. And clam shut their mouths when the not insignificant demerits of unregulated capitalism are broached.
Thanks for resending. I needed this. We are down to such basics. We have come so far forward, have so far to go and cannot go backwards and expect a sustainable outcome for our country.
I’m afraid you’ve created some HCR addicts. I didn’t know who to contact when I didn’t wake to your letter.
Didn’t receive this either time and hope ot’s getting solved. I always look forward to your latest post and this one is no exception. If Republican senators block re-authorization of the Voting Rights Act, Joe Manchin will have to decide whether he is willing to let any party consolidate minority rule. There comes a time when you need to do what’s right, to lead instead of following opinion polls of the people you represent.