7/14/2020 - the States are on their own
Friends,
Welcome to another week where the seemingly impossible is not only possible, but reality. As COVID-19 cases set new daily records in multiple states, we have a President who continues to double down on the coronavirus-as-culture-war theme. One only need look at his and his Education Secretary's DeVos's approach to schools: conduct in-person classes or your federal funding will be withheld. Never mind that Governors, Mayors and heads of school districts all across the country are acutely aware of the social and psychological costs of keeping kids home, but are prioritizing safety over Presidential bullying in the absence of adequate funds to support safe but innovative in-person experiences. Does anyone except the President and his sycophants really think that our state officials are playing with childrens' lives as pieces in a political chess match? Imagine a world where the U.S. Government embraced the responsibility to protecting the welfare and well-being of all of its citizens, ensuring that stimulus checks were actually given to needy indiviuals and small businesses, providing Federal support for schools to retrofit facilities and develop programs for safe in-person instruction, and offering affordable health care coverage for all people, regardless of employment? Just imagine. But today, we literally live in Costanza-world where up is down, left is right and if you want to figure out what our President and his enablers will do, imagine what you would do and then I assure you they'll do the opposite. Stay strong, my friends, stay strong.
Freedom doesn't come cheap, and it's going to be a literal war between now and Election Day. We need to sweep the White House, the Senate and the States' offices. This takes time, effort - and money. Please, PLEASE do what you can. We all need to dig deep. We have an continue to do so because it's our responsibility, to our country, to our family, to our friends and to the future of our planet.
This week's list of events contains one about which I'm particularly excited, a talk between Jill Biden and Governor Gretchen Whitmer of the great state of Michigan. She has been a beacon of reason and hope in a fractured state, and I for one have been extremely impressed with her strength, determination and grit. And I say this even as she's a alumna of Michigan State
You can participate in Gretchen's virtual event on 7/20 here. Carin and I will be listening in.
Please also donate to Joe's campaign. Whatever you can. Every donation matters.
Please also consider giving to Future Now. We need to win the state legislatures to fight the gerrymander and where so much governing actually gets done.
In solidarity.
Roger