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Today’s letter contains many interesting and important details. My main comment is that the administration and democrats need to keep working ( much better) on getting information about the impact of their proposed policies and passed legislation to the American people in a clear and concise manner. Tweets and other informal methods are not enough. Perhaps it’s a daily WH press release addressing actual results backed up with statistics; similar to the NYT tracking of the pandemic which many of us see everyday because we are concerned about the number of cases locally, nationally and globally. Dr Richardson is right to point out that the news media ( even the best most professional organizations) seem to over emphasize problems and under report progress. This style sells….and won’t change. So, for example, I would like to see a daily report issued by the WH that shows dollars allocated for specific projects being funded by the infrastructure bill and dollars spent to date. The new Gateway Tunnel is a huge multi billion $ project that has been stalled awaiting federal funding for years; it was single handedly abruptly halted by then R-NJ governor Christie who thought it was too expensive for NJ taxpayers. His very unpopular decision was widely criticized at the time for its lack of vision and it crude self serving catering to the Republican mantra of “no taxes= no new expenses”. Christie, after years of support for trump in which he sought a major role in the trump WH… but got shown the door by trump at the behest of Jared Kushner…is now testing whether he can begin a new chapter in his less than effective political career. Oh, and lest we not also forget, the ambitious Christie was at the center of the laughably inept “Bridgegate” that sought to strong-arm democratic leaders in the area near the George Washington Bridge to support him. Remember that one? ( I really wish that a movie would be made about it… it could be a great comedy similar in style to “American Hustle”! ).

Yes… so, here’s the point of my comment: the democrats are doing good things…the results need to continuously tracked and clearly shown, daily. That’s it. If the WH would take a clue from the NYTs and create a simple to follow chart depicting “State by State, Infrastructure Projects receiving federal funding and dollars spent to date” the American people could follow along as the money is being spent and progress is being made. This would help us all keep our focus on what really matters: results.

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President Biden was in Minnesota yesterday to talk about how local items in the infrastructure bill will improve the lives of folks here in Minnesota. At the dog park last night, the conversation was all about how the President’s motorcade really hosed up traffic near us- and what a great job Biden is doing in general.

If I’m honest, I was more than a bit shocked about how complimentary everyone was being, given what the polls have been saying about Biden’s approval ratings nationally. I live in a second ring suburb of St. Paul, barely 10 miles from our capital. My city is racially more diverse than most suburbs, thriving economically, and leans Republican according to recent voting tabulations so I expected to hear Fox style rhetoric from my fellow dog owners. Nothing. Not one snarky BS remark from anyone. What the hell?

Walking back to my car, I reflected on yesterday’s LFAA, with its dire warnings about the looming loss of our democracy, and wondered, yet again, how it is that some folks, like those I was chatting with, choose to see reality in politics, and so many others push lies and vicious memes to thwart democracy.

Its a question that comes up every day for me, and while I understand there are no simple answers, I remain mystified by how willfully greedy and racist so many of my fellow Americans are. We basically live in heaven on earth. With a change in policy, we reduced child poverty and food insecurity, lowered unemployment to unbelievably low levels, will improve the infrastructure of the country, and maybe you can even grab that TV you’ve been lusting after because the supply chain is moving again. As an artist, I can tell you that the economy is booming- I make and sell high-end bead woven jewelry, a luxury item if there ever was one. I have had record sales at every single art fair this year and my fellow artists are also doing quite well. So why is it that an average Republican- like my immediate neighbor- wants to burn it all down? How is it that anyone, like the jackass from Virginia, can vote against a bill, then take credit for the benefits? How and why, why, why do people choose to be such hypocrites? No answers, I know. Gads!!!

After my last art fair this coming weekend, I will start volunteering with my state representative’s campaign and do more work to get out the vote. Liz is doing a great job and I’m looking forward to working with her again. i have already contacted Senators Klobuchar and Smith and know they will vote the right way on voting rights- should the bills come up in the Senate. And I will apply to more art fairs-might as well make money while I can. More to give away and there is a lot at stake in 2022. Like the future of democracy in America.

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"And such legislation is popular, so popular that, right on cue, Republicans who voted against the American Rescue Plan and the bipartisan infrastructure bill are advertising its benefits to their constituents as if they were responsible for it."

Republicans have some nerve! They have become such blatant liars that they can't help themselves. Fraud, deception, and disinformation have become their raison d'être. Duplicity runs through their individual bloodstreams so deeply, that they no longer know the difference between truths and falsehoods. How can they look at their children in the eyes and teach them right from wrong -- a morsel of ethics or morals? What a bunch of Grand Old Phonies!

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The Biden administration and Democratic Party leaders GET THE MESSAGE OUT! Start NOW! DAILY!!! Someone(s) from the administration needs to shout out the good news in sound bites daily! We have the pulpit so USE IT! Do whatever it takes to remake the messaging -NOW!

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President Reagan polled a dismal 35% at the start of 1983. After the economy significantly improved, with an ‘it’s morning again in America’ campaign slogan, he decisively won re-election in 1984. Though past history provides no assurance concerning the future, like lightening it is possible to strike twice.

Reagan inherited a ‘stagflation’ economy from Jimmy Carter: 10 % unemployment and. 12% inflation. Also, Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan had triggered a deeper Cold War. Uncharacteristically, Actor Reagan, who thrived on popularity, backed Paul Volcker’s continued policy to squeeze inflation out of the economy with high interest rates and high unemployment. Short-term this cost Reagan and Republicans politically—specifically in the 1982 House elections. Then a sharp economic upturn (and “Star Wars”) and a 1984 electoral triumph.

President Biden inherited a horrendous national and international mess from Trump. By any reasonable yardstick, Biden’s record, in less than a year, has been extremely good. Contrasted with Trump, it has been remarkable. The Delta virus (and now the African virus), global supply problems, and a short-term spike in inflation are some of the curve balls with which President Biden currently is dealing.

All of these are manageable short-term issues. The American public, even more than in Reagan’s early years, has a short fuse when it comes to its perception of the economy and how its affecting their personal situation. Moreover, the naysayingTrumpites and the media relish highlighting flash points rather than positive trend lines in the economy, employment, and coping with a vexing pandemic in the face of anti-vaxers and anti-maskers.

I am confident that, by mid-late 2022 it will be ‘morning again in America. Indeed, I have wagered $1,000 in my investors club that inflation will be 2% or less by November 2022 (which astonishes my wife, who knows that I am not a gambler). President Biden has gotten essential physical infrastructure legislation. Now he must get to the finish line with a game-changing social infrastructure bill and then persuade congressional Democrats to do what is necessary to enact the John Lewis voting rights bill.

As Churchill once phrased it: “It’s not the end. It’s not the beginning of the end. But it is the end of the beginning.”

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Amazing professor, thank you. The only news I heard discussed yesterday was the omicron variant, the school shooting, and inflation. Horrors and more horrors.

Your distillation shows rays of hope, on many fronts. So for the umpteenth time, simply, thank you.

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“Biden’s plan has once again illustrated the power of supporting ordinary Americans.” This ordinary American wants the Democrats in Congress, and state governments, and the news media to start shouting this from the rooftops. We will join them.

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Inflation and the media are often cited as culprits responsible for Biden not receiving the credit he more than deserves for turning the state towards the needs of the American people. His and the Democratic Party's messaging don't take second place to those accusations. There are still other aspects of life in the USA that cannot be left out of the Blame List.

As the pandemic rages on with a new variant, Omicron COVID, in the house a good deal of the stress and uncertainty in the hearts and minds of many Americans have not abated. However much the Biden administration moves the state toward the needs of the people, the president cannot catch a break.

The following are excerpts from a new survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association.

'It found that stress levels are holding steady from recent years, and despite many struggles, U.S. adults retain a positive outlook. Most (70%) were confident that everything will work out after the coronavirus pandemic ends, and more than three-quarters (77%) said, all in all, they are faring well during the coronavirus pandemic.'

'However, behind this professed optimism about the future, day-to-day struggles are overwhelming many. Prolonged effects of stress and unhealthy behavior changes are common. Daily tasks and decision-making have become more difficult during the pandemic, particularly for younger adults and parents. As each day can bring a new set of decisions about safety, security, growth, travel, work, and other life requirements, people in the United States seem to be increasingly wracked with uncertainty.'

'U.S. adults are struggling with daily decisions, especially millennials' (25 – 40 year-olds)

'For many, the pandemic has imposed the need for constant risk assessment, with routines upended and once trivial tasks recast in light of the pandemic. Many people ask, “What is the community transmission in my area today and how will this affect my choices? What is the vaccination rate? Is there a mask mandate here?” When the factors influencing a person’s decisions are constantly changing, no decision is routine. And this is proving to be exhausting.'

'According to the survey, nearly one-third of adults (32%) said sometimes they are so stressed about the coronavirus pandemic that they struggle to make basic decisions, such as what to wear or what to eat. Millennials (48%) were particularly likely to struggle with this when compared with other groups (Gen Z adults: 37%, Gen Xers: 32%, Boomers: 14%, older adults: 3%).'

'Hispanic adults reported the highest levels of stress, on average, over the past month related to the coronavirus pandemic (5.6 vs. Black adults: 5.1; Asian adults: 5.1; non-Hispanic White adults: 4.8). Moreover, Hispanic adults were most likely to say they are struggling with the ups and downs of the coronavirus pandemic (61% vs. 51% of non-Hispanic White adults and 51% of Black adults) and that they don’t know how to manage the stress they feel due to the pandemic (43% vs. 33% and 34%, respectively).

'This unequal burden of stress on Hispanic adults was not surprising, considering findings from the survey that shine a light on racial and ethnic disparities in relation to the impact of the pandemic. Specifically, Hispanic adults were more likely than non-Hispanic White adults to know someone who had been sick with or died of COVID-19 (sick: 64% vs. 46%; died: 42% vs. 25%).' See link below.

Perhaps, it is difficult to look kindly upon government when the pandemic doesn't end. Wasn't Biden and Fauci supposed to fix it?

https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2021/october-decision-making

It's not all about covid, what about happiness? One problem in America is never the whole story. Bloomberg had a lot to offer in an Opinion about where has happiness gone in the USA.

'A long-running University of Chicago survey found that overall happiness has been very stable since the mid-1970s, but that the percent of people saying they were “very happy” took an unprecedented nosedive around 2016 — when the current era of political and social unrest began.'

'The timing lines up fairly well with the heightened political unrest coinciding with Donald Trump's presidency, which is consistent with Blanchflower and Bryson’s 2020 data. Of course, it’s also plausible that unhappiness drives political events. Even with the causality running both ways, it seems clear that politics and social unrest are bound up closely with the mood of the nation.'

'There are other indications of a long-term decline in Americans’ emotional well-being, especially among the youth. A recent analysis of language patterns in books found more phrases associated with depression since the 1980s. Meanwhile, numerous studies show that young people are growing more socially isolated and disconnected, reporting fewer close friendships and engaging in fewer romantic relationships.'

'And then there are the behavioral trends. Young people have been among the hardest hit. Alcoholism and opiate abuse have also soared in the past two decades, giving rise to a sharp increase in what economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton call “deaths of despair.”

'In other words, while lots of attention is focused on the mental health consequences of Covid-19, it’s the longer-term rise in U.S. unhappiness that should worry us more. The disease will eventually vanish, but whatever was afflicting Americans’ mental health before Covid is likely to remain a problem.'

'So what can be done to make Americans happier? Rates of psychotherapy and antidepressant use have risen strongly, but while these probably help to some degree, they've failed to stem the tide of dissatisfaction, depression, loneliness and self-destructive behavior. More fundamental solutions are called for.'

'The obvious place to begin is economic support. The success of the Covid relief bills showed that giving people cash is a viable policy for increasing material security throughout society; hopefully, programs like President Biden’s child tax credit will increasingly be used to relieve the burdens of poverty, precarity and the bewildering complexity and risk of modern life. Cash benefits could also compress the differences between social classes, making marriage a better proposition for the working class — positive family relationships are one of the key correlates of happiness. National health insurance would also take a huge burden off of many people’s minds.'

'Beyond economic programs, the country needs to address the root causes of unhappiness. Here we’re mostly waiting for psychologists to untangle exactly what’s getting Americans so down, but already we can start to see two likely culprits — social media and politic partisanship.'

'Social media use is well-known to correlate with symptoms of depression, as well as other mental health problems. There are some reasons to think it’s a causal effect. Heavier social media use in non-depressed young adults tends to predict development of depression later on. And in a 2019 study, a team of economists found that when experimental subjects were paid to turn off Facebook, they spent more time with humans in real life, and became happier.'

'This isn’t a slam-dunk case that social media is causing happiness to plummet. Various different studies paint a picture of a complex relationship between social media and well-being. And social media is unlikely to be behind the rise in opiate and alcohol abuse and suicide among older Americans. But the effect of young people being constantly online — interacting through a highly attenuated communication medium, in networks that are unnatural in both shape and size — needs further study. Humans didn’t evolve to be buried in their phones all day, and we may be taking time to adapt to these strange new social relations.'

'Analyses like that of Blanchflower and Bryson — and the University of Chicago’s poll — suggest that the biggest problem for current U.S. happiness is political division and discord. Social strife began to rise with the disputed presidential election of 2000, then increased with the War on Terror and the Iraq War, and finally exploded into full-blown, perpetual open warfare in the mid-2010s. Social media, especially Twitter and much of Facebook, became a swamp of hatred and denunciation, with the loudest and most aggressive people in the country being given the biggest bullhorns.' See link below

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-08-08/how-happy-is-america

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As good as the economic news is, millions of voters only care about higher prices. Jerome Powell said he doesn't expect inflation to ease until the middle of 2022. While it's grotesquely unfair to blame inflation on the Biden Administrations, that's what much of the country is doing.

This has serious implications for the 2022 elections.

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Let’s explore real Republican beliefs about supply-side economics. Republicans DON’T believe that tax cuts are the most important way to expand the economy. They believe that tax cuts are the best way to reward their wealthy backers. Republicans don’t care about the economy. They would happily let the government go into default, and are committed to voting against approving government borrowing and raising the debt ceiling. They voted against the Covid relief bill, and voted (most of them) against the stimulus bill. Republicans want the economy to tank.

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I do not see how we will be able to wean ourselves off fossil fuels any time soon, given the reaction to a relatively mild increase in gas prices. And we should all be aware of the devastation caused by mining the minerals needed for electric vehicles. I continue to believe that most of us need to learn to live more simply.

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If Republicans like Wittman want to claim credit for infrastructure, we have a way of telling people he's lying. Buy billboards.

If you drive through rural middle America, you will see billboards with right wing messages. (The uterus police are particularly loud in these roadside placards, mixing cute baby photos with deceptive half-truths about fetal development.) Where are our messages? Do we know how to distill these thoughtful essays that people like you and I love so much into pithy, visually compelling drive-bys?

Because folks, if our messages don't get through to people cruising a county highway at 60 miles per hour, they don't get through.

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I too really appreciate this clear light on the contrast between a government for the people- vs a government for the power hungry who only want to fill their OWN deep pockets. And so much that is good that is happening under Biden’s leadership BUT the media seems to ignore it like oth here have written . I agree the Democrats need to get that news out daily ! I too detest how some republicans who voted against the American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan infrastructure bill now take credit for it with their constituents . This is infuriating!

To have a government that works for the “ordinary “ citizen is such a breath of fresh air.

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Steven Rattner reported corporate profits in the last 2 quarters are the highest since 1950. (wonder who is causing inflation?) Many economic numbers are heading the right direction but we judge our president on what we pay for gas.

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"...food insecurity dropped 24% for families as a result of Biden’s Child Tax Credit, creating “a profound economic and moral victory for the country.” The cut and dry difference between Democrats and Republicans is clear, with Democrats focusing on the personal welfare of its citizens, and Republicans more interested in corporate health. The idea that as the rich get richer it will trickle down to those in real need is a fallacy. We can learn much from Scandinavian countries, who put people first.

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Reagan dealt with a crumbling USSR led by a weakened Gorbachev followed by a hapless Boris Yeltsin.

Something not mentioned today by HCR, or given much attention in the news lately, but I'm certain is in the front of President Biden's mind every single day; units of the Russian Army are massed on the border with Ukraine. They are commanded by a Russian president who is neither weak, certainly not hapless, and has shown himself to be willing and able to effectively interfere with the US political system. Indeed, who has allies, witting and unwitting, with significant influence within US political and news media hierarchy. How much would Vladimir Putin like to see Trump, or a Trump clone, maybe a son or daughter, back in the White House?

Scary.

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